Chapter 356: The Dragon Person

The fat catfish mimicked the scene so lifelike that the nearby "fish witness," Roundhead, was half-skeptical.

The otter family paused their half-decent monkey fist practice and gathered close to watch the spectacle.

The fat catfish poured out its grievances, insisting it had not slacked off—that the crab had been stolen by a villain!

It flapped its fins and slapped its own rear skull, indicating the villain was right here, the one who ambushed it.

Otter Kai swung its paws and mocked the fat catfish mercilessly.

It planted all four limbs on the ground, sprinted to the corner of the wall, picked up a leftover blue brick from the wall-building, and slammed it hard against the back of its own skull.

Crack!

The blue brick shattered into two pieces, sending up a puff of blue dust.

Otter Kai tossed away the broken brick.

The bitter fruit of today stems from the cause of yesterday!

You got ambushed because the fat catfish is too weak—it never trained its skull!

From now on, you must strike your skull with a brick three hundred times daily to forge the Iron Head Skill, so you won't be knocked out by a sneak attack again!

In short: train!

The fat catfish fell into thought, then hardened its gaze.

Liang Qu ignored the fat catfish's request for the great river otter to smash bricks against his own skull, puzzled.

The fat catfish's strength was at the peak of a spirit beast, equivalent to a martial master at the galloping-horse extreme.

The attack occurred underwater, its home turf—only a Wolf Smoke expert could strike silently and steal the crab without a sound.

Would a Wolf Smoke expert even steal crabs?

In inland areas, Liang Qu could still understand it.

But this is the Great Marsh!

A Wolf Smoke expert living near Pingyang County didn't even need to pay for crabs—just stand on the street and call out, and countless fishermen would rush to please them.

To personally snatch crabs? That's just absurd…

Liang Qu turned to the cleverest one, Roundhead: "Did anything leave traces where Fatso lay?"

Roundhead shook its head—it had listened to the fat catfish's explanation and scoured the area immediately, finding no trace at all.

He pondered for a moment.

"Forget it. If there's nothing, there's nothing."

Liang Qu didn't care much.

A basket of crabs—maybe slightly larger than ordinary ones—wasn't worth the effort to track down.

The sound of cracking bricks continued in succession, gradually piling into two small mounds.

As it kept striking, the fat catfish seemed to awaken a new insight—it held up the blue brick as it was struck by the great river otter, flapped its fins, and indicated the two thieves who stole its crab were toweringly tall, the tallest one standing half a body taller than a celestial god!

Liang Qu was startled: "Half a body taller than me?!"

Liang Qu's own height was five chi six cun—1.88 meters.

Half a body taller than me? That would make them over 2.5 or even 2.6 meters!

Kou Zhuang, naturally built with massive bones, was barely 2.12 meters!

What the hell kind of human is that?

Liang Qu had barely cared about the stolen crabs, but now the fat catfish's description piqued his interest.

In all of Pingyang County—whether the Demon Catching Office, the Three Judicial Offices, or the River Office—he could recall no Wolf Smoke expert with such an absurd physique.

What strange creature had appeared in the waters near Pingyang County?

To be fair, Liang Qu had encountered many oddities in recent months.

One giant snake, another strange fish from Huazhu County, and now this…

"Sounds like a Dragon Person?"

The old clam suddenly spoke up.

It had been huddled in the corner, pretending to bask in the sun, but had been eavesdropping all along.

"Dragon Person?" Liang Qu turned. "Old Shell, do you know who stole the crabs?"

The old clam, having lived a thousand years by absorbing the essence of water, appeared useless on the surface—but at critical moments, it spouted new terms like a living database.

The old clam said: "A creature shaped like a human, towering in stature, skin like white jade, dwelling in water—only the legendary Dragon Person fits this. Ask the big fish: what color was the thief's skin?"

Liang Qu turned to the fat catfish.

The fat catfish thought for a moment, then shook its head.

It was too dark; it couldn't tell if the skin was white or not.

"What is a Dragon Person?"

"I've only heard tales—I've lived a thousand years but never seen one with my own eyes. Yet I've heard: the Dragon Lord of the Great Marsh is a naturally born dragon, extraordinary beyond measure. When his life essence and seed combine, they very likely produce an aberrant species.

Dragon Person—literally speaking—its kind are generally towering in stature, skin like white jade, appearing nothing like ordinary mortals."

Liang Qu suddenly understood, immediately recalling Chishan in the stable.

So it wasn't just horses—the Dragon Lord had bred many unusual species?

He had previously obtained a Mermaid's Tear—he knew Mermaids existed.

Now another Dragon Person appearing? Not surprising at all.

I wonder if it has horns on its head and a tail behind?

Too bad the thief acted too fast—the fat catfish had only caught a fleeting glimpse in the dark, seeing only the general shape, not the details.

"Why would a Dragon Person come near Pingyang County? And steal my basket of crabs?"

The old clam said he didn't know.

His daily range was only one or two li, his companions only a few beaver spirit beasts—he was terribly isolated from news.

But the old clam offered one suggestion.

"If you wish to know, why not set another basket of crabs as bait?"

"That makes sense."

Liang Qu fell into thought.

Since the thief stole one basket of crabs, they could be lured out with a targeted trap—perhaps they'd truly show themselves.

"Dragon People who steal crabs… interesting."

…

All crabs caught by the river dolphins were kept in the pond.

The fat catfish, its head covered in brick dust, picked up two fish baskets—one on its back, one clutched in its fins—and set out again.

The 【Revival】 ability had not yet recovered.

Liang Qu summoned the fist that had been buried overnight, tapped and struck it—but the shell made no change in sound.

A few fine, delicate yellow patterns had grown on its carapace, so thin they were nearly invisible unless closely examined.

As for its perception range, according to the fist, in one night it had expanded to cover one-third the size of the original pond.

"The road ahead is long…"

Liang Qu told the fist to return to its hole, then went to the west wing to call out—but only then remembered the old monk had gone to Huazhu last night.

After eating the Treasure Fish porridge alone in the kitchen, Liang Qu led out Chishan and, following his master's advice, made a detour to the Shanghu Academy to ask Director Zhao for a calligraphy piece.

Coincidentally, Si Si Hengyi and Director Zhao were playing chess in the courtyard.

Upon hearing the full story of Liang Qu's visit to the academy, Si Si Hengyi was speechless with astonishment.

Liang Qu had been away from the academy for only half a year—and already he had carved out a vast reputation!

Zhao Ji clapped his hands and laughed heartily: "When Si Hengyi brought me your character-learning method that day, I said this boy would become a great talent—within a year, my prediction proved true!"

"It's all thanks to your wise teaching, Director," Liang Qu bowed deeply. "I beg you, just these ten characters—please write them for me, so I may reflect on them daily."

Director Zhao gladly accepted Liang Qu's request for a calligraphy piece.

"Since you wish to hang it in the main hall, Si Hengyi, go to the second shelf on the right side of my study and fetch a scroll painting, and bring the Four Treasures as well."

"Yes, Director."

When Si Si Hengyi returned, he was carrying a scroll under his arm.

Liang Qu stepped forward to help unroll it, grind ink, and glanced at the painting—a waterfall scene in a mountain ravine.

The waterfall cascaded down in layered tiers; at one-third of the scroll's length, a vast torrent poured forth, dominating most of the space.

Director Zhao picked up his brush and inscribed characters on the blank margins, then stamped it.

"Mountains govern people; waters govern wealth. I painted this during my visit to the Jiangling waterfall in the summer of Ren. Today, I give you both the painting and the characters together!"

"Thank you, Director!"