Chapter 548: Snake Becomes Python, Python Becomes Dragon

"Were the lotus seeds for August given by mistake?"

Liang Qu weighed the basket of green lotus seeds; he had received a basket at the end of July, and these seeds didn't look anything like seven hundred.

The quantity should be doubled—fourteen hundred.

Long Long Eying said: "Third Elder said that from now on, Fourth Elder's lotus seed quota for July and August will be rounded up to one thousand per month, two thousand total."

Before each year's lotus seed harvest, the Dragon Clan always counts the lotus flowers in advance, estimates yield, and sets a rough distribution.

The August quota had already been allocated; the extra six hundred seeds in the basket were taken from the shares of the other three Elders, though Long Long Eying said nothing more.

"Good. Please thank Third Elder for me later."

Liang Qu accepted gladly.

Two months of bountiful harvest, a minimum of two thousand seeds per year—that's over forty thousand essence.

Long Pingjiang and Long Pinghe were not wasted efforts.

At this point, the Dragon Clan was fully bound.

Finally, he had a true major power under his command.

"What about the artifact? Have you decided?"

Liang Qu did not let the Dragon siblings constantly "snitch" via spiritual link.

Things known a few hours later didn't need to be treated like espionage—awkward and unnecessary.

"We've decided."

Long Long Binglin stepped forward to explain.

"Dragon Blood Fruit?"

Liang Qu was secretly startled.

By sheer accident, the Dragon Clan actually possessed a "supreme treasure!"

But extracting blood from deceased Dragon Clan members must involve massive losses—perhaps even staggering ones.

The pressure on the Dragon Clan runs deeper than imagined; they're trying every possible method.

Even if it's drinking poison to quench thirst, even if it's a grave taboo…

If I had come another ten or twenty years later…

"Even the residue of Long Jun is fine."

Liang Qu murmured.

Humans find eating monkeys disgusting; how much more so the Dragon Clan? The Dragon Clan and humans have no reproductive isolation.

Under the prevailing norms, this would never be tolerated by society.

Humans accept that they return to the elements—trees grow, grass sprouts—but they will never allow themselves to be artificially "planted" and consumed.

Perfect!

"Let's go! To shore!"

The fortune boat docked.

The fishery workers came forward to help.

Liang Qu mounted Chishan and headed first to the Qingjiang Shipyard to check on the new ship's progress.

The giant log, hollowed out by the toad's sleep, had been shaped into the keel; the rest was being planed into planks.

Releasing his spiritual sense, he found the shipyard bustling with martial artists of the Second and Third Gates, swift and skilled.

Hiring martial artists with extra pay naturally sped up the work; what once took two or three men could now be handled by one with ease.

"Two shifts, day and night, the ship will be finished before October, without delaying your journey."

Liu Quanfu patted his chest, giving his guarantee.

"Good!" Liang Qu pulled out three small ingots. "Buy some braised pork, good wine—today I'm treating everyone to a feast. Eat and drink your fill—meat unlimited!"

"Our lord is generous!"

The craftsmen chorused in unison, their energy surging.

Home!

Splash~

The edges of the lotus leaves rippled like waves.

A corner of the pond.

Long Yao and Long Li rolled up their skirts, hugged the glass jar, bent down, and lifted the round lid toward the shrubbery.

Plop.

A faint, warm, humid air drifted from the jar's mouth.

The fat, round fireflies, stifled in the cabin all day, crawled out, sniffed the fresh air, flapped their wings, and darted into the shrubs, vanishing.

"These insects really glow brightly at night?"

The old toad squatted behind them, turning his webbed paws away, skeptical.

Long Yao stood up, holding the jar: "To answer Elder Toad, our lord was invited to Huazhu County for a grand sacrifice and passed through a valley where he saw fireflies unlike any others. He ordered us to capture several jars—three jars of males, three jars of females—to add color to Elder Toad's pond."

Long Li nodded: "Tonight, Elder Toad might see the glow—just like the glowing fish. How beautiful."

The Dragon girls told a small lie.

The old toad came every few days; the two had gone from initial awe to taking him for granted, understanding Liang Qu's relationship with him, and naturally helping their lord—more deception, cough, more precious fish.

"Good, good, good! Liang Qing is devoted to the Toad Clan! Truly a pillar of the state!"

The old toad was deeply pleased; the two precious fish he'd received in July made the cost of building the viewing platform feel less painful.

"Shall I make Elder Toad some yogurt? What would Elder Toad like to drink?"

"Chilled peach milk! With a thick layer of frozen milk foam on top!"

The old toad happily ordered.

Inside the west wing.

The old monk gripped Liang Qu's wrist, spine, and major tendons, carefully probing, his eyebrows twitching slightly.

"What formidable martial bones! For decades, I've traveled south and north, passed through prefectures and great provinces countless times, seen dozens of martial bones—strange, bizarre, all kinds—but none compare to yours. Far, far inferior!"

"The young man had some rare encounters."

Liang Qu spoke briefly.

Everything about swimming the Great Marsh, accidentally saving the Grand Elder's granddaughter, meeting the Dragon Clan, the Grand Elder recognizing his noble status, investing in Dragon Blood Fruit for the clan's future—all was nonsense for outsiders.

Among their own, no need for such convoluted lies.

Besides, the old monk also cultivated the Ear Awareness Scripture; lying was hard to conceal.

"Good." The old monk clasped his hands. "Your martial bones' nature remains unchanged—this greatly aids your cultivation."

"Master, your insight is profound."

Liang Qu opened his palm; a miniature dragon and tiger leapt out, circling ceaselessly, mighty and awe-inspiring.

The once ethereal, faint Dragon and Tiger energies had grown increasingly real, radiant and upright, like the blazing sun.

"At this stage, ordinary Jiang Zongshi residual consciousnesses cannot harm you."

"Master, are Jiang Zongshi residual consciousnesses very powerful?"

"Not powerful, but troublesome," said the old monk. "Jiang Zongshi residual consciousnesses often carry spiritual roots of divine abilities—formless and intangible. Those below Jiang Zongshi level easily fall prey upon first encounter."

"The young man seems never to have encountered one?" Liang Qu didn't think the Ghost Mother Cult island's case counted as residual consciousness—it felt more like some kind of life-force extraction to fuel revival.

"In a single prefecture, the strongest are only two or three Jiang Zongshi. Everything leaves traces; death doesn't happen silently. Someone always cleans up afterward—how could anyone let it ferment and grow?"

Not to mention the Imperial Ghost-Hunting Bureau, the Suspended Temple, the Tower of Observation, Mount Beidou… the major True Lineages have all suppressed and worn down Jiang Zongshi residual consciousnesses. Unless you venture deep into remote mountains and forests and stumble upon a Jiang Zongshi who died in sealed seclusion.

Liang Qu understood.

No wonder, back on the island, Xiang Fang Su and Ke Ko Wenbin said the exorcism method was hard to cultivate—a high cost, low return.

Fortunately, the Dragon and Tiger Golden Body's exorcism and demon-slaying was just a side effect.

If you don't use it, no loss; if you use it, huge profit.

Afterwards, at the Yang Residence.

Yang Dong examined more thoroughly.

Yu Dun, Lu Gang, Xu Xu Yue… several senior brothers took turns feeling his bones, as if caressing a rare jade, marveling endlessly.

The chance to touch a rare martial bone is rare in a lifetime!

Today was the only chance to feel it fully—there'd be no such opportunity later.

"Strange, strange—this bone, these tendons, this vigorous blood qi… miraculous! Incredible!"

Xu Xu Yue's face showed awe; his younger brother's bone structure made him drool.

Just with his body alone, one punch wouldn't it pierce right through the Earth Bridge's smoke?

"Is this why the King of Xu Yue gave the jade token? Could the Wu Sheng have seen long ago that your martial bones still had untapped potential?" Hu Qi squeezed his shoulder and offered a guess.

"Possible! The White Jade Pillar holds the Wu Sheng's will—perhaps the King of Xu Yue already knew!"

Ho!

You can back it up like that?

Liang Qu realized he'd thought too much, been too cautious.

His martial bones' evolution was met with astonishingly high acceptance.

"A long dragon crosses the river, a long dragon crosses the river—your younger brother is a snake becoming a python, a python becoming a dragon—will he turn into a true dragon someday?"

Xu Xu Yue turned: "Yu Cao Shixiong, who has more strength now—you or the younger brother?"

At these words, everyone fell silent with curiosity.

Yu Dun was about to hunt the tiger; his Tianqiao was complete, his diverse martial arts had reached perfection, and his hardening cultivation was outstanding—he was the one with the highest cultivation base and strength in the arena, aside from his master.

Liang Qu was eager to try, rolled up his sleeves, and assumed a wrestling stance.

"Senior brother, let's compete?"

"Fine!"