Chapter 330: A

Midnight.

Ran Zhongshi was planning the supplies to be allocated for the next day in his cabin when he heard a lookout shout from outside the ship.

"My lord, there is a fleet ahead!"

Ran Zhongshi put down his brush and stepped out. Looking into the distance, he saw sparks of light scattered in the darkness.

Before long, a scout rowed a sampan back to report.

"Lord Ran, this subordinate has already inquired; the fleet ahead is indeed Lord Liang's!"

A loud laugh came from another boat: "We've finally met up! That wasn't easy! Row over quickly!"

At the command, the dozen or so sampans remained motionless, continuing to sail steadily in their original direction.

Xiang Fang Su walked into the cabin, puzzled, and asked, "Why aren't we heading over?"

The helmsman hurriedly replied, "Lord Xiang, you may not know, but our ships are large and carry many supplies, so they sit deep in the water. The area ahead is shallow, and it's easy for the ships to run aground.

The fleet is currently following the river channel; we will be able to circle around in a moment, but if we want to head straight over, we must first send small boats to measure the water depth, which would take a long time and actually be slower, so we haven't changed course."

"We're walking on the river channel?"

Xiang Fang Su poked his head out to look at the bottom of the ship. It was a vast expanse of water; he couldn't tell at all that there was a river channel beneath the hull.

The helmsman wiped his sweat: "It is there, a small river three zhang wide, but it's invisible due to the flooding.

We were walking along it earlier, but one ship bumped into a broken bridge pier, and the second and third compartments flooded completely, so it's staying in place for repairs."

Xiang Fang Su realized: "I was wondering why that ship stopped; I thought Zhongshi had other arrangements."

"Forget it, forget it. I'll take a small boat over; you all follow quickly." Leaving that behind, Xiang Fang Su shouted to the opposite boat, "Wenbin! Zhongshi! Are you coming by small boat?"

"Then we'll take the small boat!"

"Let's meet up first!"

Two responses came from the darkness. Three sampans were lowered from the large ship, and after drawing close to each other, they approached the sparks.

The scout had notified them in advance. Seeing the three approaching, the workers on the deck decisively threw down the ropes.

The group climbed onto the deck and stated they wanted to see Liang Qu, but were unexpectedly politely declined.

Chen Jiechang looked apologetic: "I must ask you lords to rest for a moment; Lord Liang is currently in seclusion, so it is truly not convenient to disturb him."

Xiang Fang Su was puzzled: "Seclusion? What kind of seclusion is he in at a time like this?"

Worried that they might misunderstand, Chen Jiechang took the initiative to tell them about Liang Qu catching the Red Dragon Fish that evening, and that he was currently digesting the treasure fish.

"Red Dragon Fish?"

"Never heard of it. A treasure fish unique to Huazhu County?"

"I have a slight impression; I've seen it before."

Ran Zhongshi took out several books he carried with him, all containing information related to Huazhu County.

He pulled one out, flipped to a spot based on his memory, and rested his index finger on a passage.

"Found it. Red Dragon Fish: a treasure fish unique to the Heishuihe. It is entirely crimson, has long whiskers on its lips, is difficult to find, and is suspected to contain dragon blood. It has the ability to strengthen the physique and slightly extend life. It is beneficial for martial artists in the Galloping Horse realm to open their apertures, and it is highly valuable.

The last recorded appearance was on the day the Qiu Gong Dike was completed. It was obtained by the then-magistrate Qiu Xianzhi. When he condensed his true gang, a wisp of dragon aura circled him, which may have been related to consuming this fish, hence the saying: 'When a sage appears, the red fish emerges.'"

Xiang Fang Su raised an eyebrow: "Quite a background, isn't it?"

Ke Wenbin was curious: "Where did you catch it?"

"In the rice paddies. Lord Shui sent people to drain the paddies to save the seedlings, and two young men happened to find it. I suspect it was washed all the way here from the Heishuihe by the flood."

Once evening passed, the story of the Red Dragon Fish spread far and wide.

Everyone said that Huazhu County's ability to survive this great disaster without a major epidemic was entirely due to Liang Qu's excellent governance, and he truly possessed the aura of Qiu Xianzhi, who had built the great dike in the past.

Chen Jiechang didn't feel there was any need for secrecy.

Everyone knew it.

Ran Zhongshi and the other two stood on the deck, stunned.

Sending people to drain the paddies and finding a Red Dragon Fish?

Combined with the Qiu Gong incident, it really did have a mystical air to it.

Ran Zhongshi asked: "Did Shui refine it this evening?"

"Caught in the evening, processed, and then refined a little later."

"Less than two hours... It won't take too long; let's wait a while."

"I'll go brew some tea for you lords."

Inside the quiet room.

Liang Qu's eyes were tightly shut, and the crimson flush on his skin returned to normal.

After a while.

A long, scorching breath was exhaled.

Liang Qu opened his eyes, feeling the abundant strength and energy throughout his body, his gaze filled with disbelief.

"To actually open another aperture... and my physical body has grown as well..."

Clenching his fist, the sound of tearing silk echoed in his palm, and true qi flickered faintly at his fingertips.

With just this, he was likely stronger than many martial artists in the initial stage of the Galloping Horse realm who had mastered low-grade claw techniques!

Even steel would be turned into iron mud!

The Yin Aperture, Yang Aperture, and Central Palace were the final three apertures of the Galloping Horse realm, and also the three most difficult to open.

The Yin Aperture, also known as the "Sea Floor," located between the two yin, was the key to unifying form and momentum into "emptiness." The form belongs to yin; when the form is relaxed and the momentum is expanded, one achieves "emptiness."

When this aperture is closed, the form must be tight and the momentum contracted, solid inside without emptiness, creating a feeling of "external wrapping and internal support," relaxed and expanded as one, with an empty form and virtual momentum.

In layman's terms, it means one becomes more stable, the momentum can be retracted and expanded more easily, and flaws are not easily exposed.

As the center of "momentum," once the Jiaji Pass is opened, one's essence, qi, and spirit rise significantly, distinguishing one like a commoner from a professional soldier.

The Yin Aperture allows the distinction between the two to become harmonious, allowing for free retraction and expansion, a deeper manifestation of having even greater control over one's power.

What a powerful Red Dragon Fish!

It provided only two thousand more essence points than the Golden Gong Fish, yet it had the miraculous effect of opening an aperture, allowing Liang Qu, who had just opened the Yuzhen Pass, to open another, skipping the entire process of polishing the aperture!

Communicating with the Ze Cauldron.

【Cauldron Master: Liang Qu】

【Refined Ze Spirit: Ze Rong (Cyan) (Fusion Level: 52.6%)】

【Water Driving: In a surging river, the Ze Rong's ability will increase significantly. At special nodes, it may be possible to trigger a slight diversion of the river, causing a flood.】

Liang Qu's guess was correct!

The Ze Rong's fusion exceeded half, and the increase in magnitude was immense!

The sensing range in water exceeded a radius of two hundred meters, with a diameter of almost one li!

An expanded range meant a transformation in the strength of his water control ability.

With the increase in water affinity, combined with the growth of various talents and his own strength, Liang Qu roughly sensed that his water control ability had reached thirty thousand tons!

A surge of ten thousand!

"Water Driving..."

To what extent would the significant increase in a surging river go?

If the increase was sufficient, there might be hope for the Heishuihe's Great Snake Mouth. He only needed to control the water flow to continuously scour the riverbed, deepening it and forcing the river from the surface into the underground, naturally eliminating the need for a dam.

He had no time to think carefully for now.

People were waiting on the deck.

"You've finally come."

Inside the cabin.

Ran Zhongshi and the others surrounded the square table, pacing back and forth to study the sand table model Liang Qu had made.

"The red and yellow must represent the severity of the disaster."

"The blue is our current position."

"Wonderful. I've seen sand tables before, but this is the first time I've seen one so realistic."

As the group was discussing, the large door swung open.

"Shui! You're doing well; it's been three days..."

Before Xiang Fang Su could finish his congratulations, Liang Qu flashed behind the group and pushed them toward the area below the deck.

"What's the rush?"

"I haven't finished looking at the sand table yet."

"The sand table isn't urgent; the matter below is more important!"

More important?

The three were puzzled, but followed Liang Qu to the cabin below the deck.

Liang Qu lit a candle.

The dim orange light dispersed the darkness.

Ran Zhongshi and the others froze.

Steel reflected the orange candlelight, a huge cage revealed a corner, and through the gaps in the cage, they could clearly see an...

Old man lying inside?

Ran Zhongshi was puzzled: "Who is this..."

"Cheng Chong, the leader of the Shahe Gang. It has been basically confirmed that he was the one who caused the Qiu Gong Dike to collapse this time."