Chapter 485: The Third Major Meridian!

Quiet chamber.

Long Yao brushed off the dust and replaced the old reed mat with a new one.

Long Li brought in a bronze censer to ignite the incense, refilled the lamp flask with Golden Bright Oil, and quietly closed the door.

Sunlight shifted unpredictably through the smoke, undisturbed by the draft from the door.

Liang Qu inhaled deeply the long purple smoke, instantly feeling refreshed and clear-minded, his thoughts expanding and focusing sharply.

This was the fully upgraded version of the Concentration Incense: the Purple Xiao Immortal Incense.

Exclusively sold by the Heavenly Fleet Trading Association, one Great Qian of this incense cost half a liang of gold, aiding focus and reducing excessive mental strain.

It was especially effective for Wolf Smoke experts.

Its drawback was that it was less convenient than a single stick of Concentration Incense—it came as powder, requiring a censer and pressing into incense seals for use.

Liang Qu had asked the manager when purchasing it.

Why not make it into convenient coil or thread incense? Is the scent dispersion and coverage different?

The reply he received was that those who could afford this incense were all wealthy households; even if forming incense seals was troublesome, it was not their trouble.

Rather than lighting a thread incense or unrolling a coil, it was more ceremonial and beautiful to gaze upon a beautiful maid gently pressing the ash with her delicate fingers, imprinting the incense powder.

Of course, forming incense seals did offer better scent dispersion and coverage than thread incense, with fuller combustion and more pleasing smoke—but the difference was extremely slight, nearly imperceptible.

If there was demand, he could specially prepare a batch of thread incense for future sale to Liang Qu.

Liang Qu declined.

It was certainly not to watch the dragon girl press the incense.

"Practicing is always more or less the same—it's only at critical moments that a tiny difference matters."

He had always been meticulous.

Not a single hair's breadth could be off.

He circulated the Wan Sheng Embracing the One, and the Dragon Subduing Tiger Golden Skill, as the vast blood qi, purified by the Chong Meridian, flowed ceaselessly, successively entering the Heart Meridian and Hand Meridian, spreading through all limbs and bones.

At the Wolf Smoke realm, the meridian bridge-building process—excluding heretical paths—all major and minor meridians must pass through the Nine Horse Passes, establishing a circulation rooted in the physical body.

To build the bridge, three major meridians must serve as the main pillars, supported by several minor ones.

These three major meridians act as the bridge piers, enabling smoother flow of blood and qi.

Thus, one bridge has three meridians; three bridges have nine meridians.

Add one, and it becomes redundant; subtract one, and it becomes hollow.

The number corresponds precisely with the Nine Passes, embodying the natural law and ultimate Dao—the optimal solution discovered by predecessors.

Moreover, since the Nine Passes serve as anchor points, different cultivation methods often share identical major meridian circuits, differing mainly in the arrangement of minor and major meridians.

Liang Qu's first human bridge, whether using Wan Sheng Embracing the One or the Golden Skill, used identical three meridians for bridge-building.

The Chong Meridian, the Heart Meridian, the Tong Meridian.

The Chong Meridian runs through the upper, middle, and lower dantians.

The Tong Meridian runs through the Jiaji Pass, Weijian Pass, and Yuzhen Pass.

These two dragon meridians, front and back, complement each other.

The Heart Meridian connects the two dragon meridians.

All other meridians branching from this foundation—such as the Foot Meridian, Hand Meridian, Ear Meridian, etc. —are minor meridians, extending their function.

Liang Qu had already refined the Chong and Heart Meridians; completing the Tong Meridian would finish the most critical part.

If six minor meridians were established, he could even ignore the remaining ones, proceed to build the bridge first, and make up for them later.

Cultivation was this flexible.

"Huh!"

Liang Qu inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, gradually adjusting his state.

He had consumed only a small portion of the hundred-thousand-silver-tael treasure plant gifted by the dragon folk, leaving most untouched.

The imperial grant of the Meridian-Consolidating Elixir remained unused; the four vials of Vein-Marrow Jade Elixir from the serpent clan; several treasure plants.

Some had been digested.

…

Noon.

Liang Qu did not come out to eat.

Evening.

Liang Qu still did not come out to eat.

He was nowhere to be seen all day.

No one found it strange—martial masters often fast for days during breakthroughs.

Only Long Yao entered at scheduled intervals to replace the censer.

In the Great Marsh.

A group of great spirits had captured several prey—red-scaled and yellow-scaled serpents divided the carcasses, spreading thick clouds of blood mist.

Bai Awei, hidden beneath the soil, quietly drank the blood, silently matching the serpent spirits' numbers against those he had previously seen.

To burn the bridge, one must burn it clean and neat.

The river dolphins scattered across the marsh, guarding key passages and searching all day for any other serpent spirits to prevent accidental encounters.

If such an encounter occurred, decisive action would be unavoidable.

The next day.

Li Li Shoufu arrived again.

Chen Xiu led him in as usual, seating him in the hall.

Liang Qu had specifically instructed that certain visitors need not be questioned—directly admitted to the hall: mainly sect members, including some colleagues and subordinates from the River Office, among whom Li Li Shoufu was one.

Long Yao stepped forward to serve tea.

Li Li Shoufu accepted it awkwardly, feeling deeply embarrassed.

He was already twenty-seven, had rarely visited pleasure barges, but not never—always had needs, not for lack of money—yet he had never expected to blush and have his heart race over a maid.

His self-control was too weak.

After steadying his composure, Li Li Shoufu glanced around: "Is Master Liang not at home?"

"Master is in seclusion for cultivation; no urgent matters are to disturb him," Long Li apologized. "If you don't mind, tell me—I'll replace the incense and pass on your message."

"It's not urgent," Li Li Shoufu hesitated, unwilling to linger. "A Police Inspector's order requires all officials and departments to conduct alternating inspections across county districts…"

Wei Lin and Xu Xu Yue, who had been fined three months' salary and officially reprimanded after the Huazhu County dike breach, still bore psychological scars.

Huaiyin Prefecture lies downstream of the Huai and Jiang rivers, its waterways dense as bird feathers.

The plum rain season was imminent; though brief dry spells followed, they were immediately succeeded by the heavy rains of August and September.

All periods prone to flooding.

This morning, both Supervisors issued orders requiring all officials to inspect rivers, dams, and conduct overlapping coverage; any issues must be reported immediately, and personal responsibility would be enforced for any negligence.

Such orders were neither large nor small.

If nothing happens, it's nothing; if something happens, it's a major disaster.

Su Guishan's booming voice rang from beneath the covered walkway.

"Minor matter. The higher the rank, the easier it is to handle. No need to inform Liang's boy—let those two dragon folk arrange it."

Huh?

Who is this? Such arrogance!

This concerns future and safety—can you bear the responsibility if something goes wrong?

Utterly ignorant words!

Li Li Shoufu frowned, stepping quickly over the threshold—then froze at the sight of the man.

He had intended to rage, but the old man was too ethereal, too transcendent.

His temples were pure silver, aged yet wrinkle-free; beneath his robe, his body showed no sign of decay.

How could he be so well-preserved?

"Who are you?"

Su Guishan glanced at Li Li Shoufu, coolly: "Liang's boy's uncle."

Uncle?

Li Li Shoufu knew Liang Qu had an uncle named Liang Liang Guangtian—a despicable man with a wall-thick face, never visiting.

He had never heard of any other relatives.

He carefully said: "Uncle, you can't speak like that. Though you're Master Liang's elder, you can't interfere in official duties—if something happens, your old age won't bear the blame…"

"I can."

Li Li Shoufu: "..."

He held his breath.

Gave up the conversation.

Old men acting entitled was their own family business; Li Li Shoufu turned back to the dragon girl, insisted she deliver the message, and left in frustration.

Su Guishan laughed heartily, lifting a teapot from a small side table.

"Girl, brew me another pot—use the one stored on the second shelf of the bookcase in Master Liang's study."

Noon.

Long Pingjiang and Long Pinghe departed on orders, bringing along Liang Qu's other subordinates.

Night fell.

The finely crafted jinmu box lay open, empty inside, leaving only a small sunken circular depression.

Two wooden boxes slid open, leaving only a faint, lingering fragrance to testify to the precious plants once stored within.

Liang Qu sat in lotus posture, exhaling a white wisp of breath—straight as a blade, racing three chi along the ground like a dragon's sigh, lingering long without dissipating.

The dense blood qi churned violently, all channeled into the great dragon silver meridian running flush with the spine.

Once swept clean, all the blood and qi erupted at once, surging into the limbs and hundred veins, washing endlessly.

The scorching room temperature dropped rapidly.

Liang Qu's eyelashes trembled; he opened his molten-gold eyes.

"Meridian penetration—achieved!"