Chapter 800: Having Completed the Six Laws, Harmonizing the Five Tones

"Get to work, get to work! Don't slack off!"

"Coming, coming!"

"Ah Hu, go check the water depth—did you survey the whole terrain? Don't bring me a muddy flat where the piles won't hold!"

"Relax, Old Li, it's all done!"

The river surface was noisy and bustling.

Water birds skimmed the sky, looking down; river office clerks rowed small boats, scattered like black sesame seeds across the water, while large ships came and went, dumping materials, and sea beasts dragged stones deep underwater, striving to build their new nests.

From this day forward, a good portion of the sea merchants and sea beasts would permanently reside in Jianghuai, trading with the human race.

As for the location of the sea merchants' permanent settlement, the river office's high-ups had long decided: it would be placed along the curved line connecting Pingyang Prefecture and Jiangchuan County, closer to Pingyang and farther from Jiangchuan.

The three points formed a pincer formation.

In truth, sea merchants differ from Twenty Jiaoren; trade exchange, based on past experience, could easily be set along the coast, half on land and half on water, allowing faster material exchange.

But this proposal was rejected.

Only afterward did Liang Qu realize why.

Placing it at the land-water boundary—half land transport, half water transport—would give the Ghost Catching Bureau, the Three Judicial Offices, and local prefectural offices all reasons to meddle in accounting, taxation, and security… several major bureaus would all want a hand. But placing it entirely on water, with all transactions conducted on the water's surface, meant the River Office could firmly hold the initiative by virtue of its jurisdiction.

As for housing construction, the sea merchants must build it themselves; the court only set requirements and offered minor aid.

Yet…

The once-promising situation now faced a small hiccup.

"The North Fish wants tolls?"

On the deck of the tower ship, Liang Qu tightened his cloak.

Spring chill bit deep; the sea merchants had arrived too early. It was barely dawn when Li Li Libo woke him—he hadn't even left his warm bed, his mind still foggy—and hearing Ke Ko Wenbin say this, he froze in confusion.

He glanced at the sea merchant lord chatting with Su Guishan and Xu Xu Xu Yuelong, his thoughts turning.

"It really said it wants tolls?"

"Not exactly tolls—it's protection money," Xiang Fang Su sipped soy milk and shoved a fried dough stick into Liang Qu's hand. "It didn't say outright, but the implication is clear: if you don't pay protection money, and your caravan runs into trouble later, don't come crying to it."

Liang Qu bit into the crispy end: "Is there a dragon's hand in this?"

"Maybe."

"What a pain. Any way out?"

"We're discussing it right now," Xiang Fang Su said, tilting his chin toward Xu Xu Xu Yuelong.

"I think we're stuck," Ke Ko Wenbin sighed. "You can't guard against thieves for a thousand days—only steal for a thousand days."

The North Fish controls the estuary of the Jianghuai Great Marsh; a few sea beasts coming and going won't draw its notice, but the sea merchants' activity is far too large to ignore.

And permanent residence is different from twice-yearly visits.

Fewer visits mean you can concentrate force—pack a few great demons into the caravan to scare off bandits. But frequent visits? There aren't enough beasts or resources for that.

Several Grand Masters running back and forth all day, doing nothing but traveling, while the other side does nothing at all and still profits.

If anything goes wrong in between, the North Fish has the Ghost Mother Sect as its perfect scapegoat.

Maybe it won't even need to "scapegoat."

Too many lice, no itch; too much debt, no worry. The dragon and the Ghost Mother Sect have always had ambiguous ties. Once word leaks, the Ghost Mother Sect will gladly rush to ambush and seize the benefits, improving their daily diet of raw fish.

"The Jianghuai Great Marsh needs the Dragon Lord," Xiang Fang Su set down his porcelain bowl. "Once the Dragon Lord appears, how could minor lords dare to blockade passes? It's simple—just do it. Why all these roundabout schemes?"

His thoughts wandered aimlessly.

Liang Qu silently chewed his fried dough stick.

When negotiations ended, the sea merchant lord led part of the caravan inland, while most of the fleet followed.

They'd come all this way.

The sea merchants weren't here just for permanent residence—they brought plenty of goods.

While dawn had not yet fully broken, Liang Qu slid his small boat after them.

"Little Water!"

The sea merchant lord stirred the water, pulling Liang Qu close, as usual handing him five large treasure fish, then, using the fish as cover, secretly slipped a small blue stone jar inside.

Liang Qu had already asked the sea merchant lord for this item—but now that it was in his hands, he still had to confirm.

"Lord Merchant, is the jar…?"

"Deepflow, top-grade long qi," the sea merchant lord whispered. "I traded for it from the Hammerhead King—it's said to come from a ten-thousand-meter deep trench, capable of strengthening the body, controlling water flow, and regulating water pressure. Perfectly matches what you requested."

Perfect!

Another strand of long qi in hand!

Last year, Liang Qu promised Long Long Binglin he'd find a suitable strand of long qi to help him ascend to Grand Master—this was his hope, pinned on the sea merchants.

The ocean is vast and rich; the demonic races don't need heavenly long qi, and though they don't deliberately collect it, over their long lives, they inevitably stumble upon one or two strands by chance and store them away.

Now it's complete.

Top-grade and mid-grade long qi can produce minor extra effects, but the former is obvious, the latter weak—hence the distinction between top and mid grades.

Like Yin Long Qi.

After using it, Long Long Eying gained ice-based spiritual powers and the traits of a lunar powerhouse.

In truth, the nature of long qi and one's own spiritual powers can easily be confused.

Long Long Binglin publicly can use Xuan Huang long qi to ascend, constructing his own water-based spiritual power.

Liang Qu can use Deepflow long qi to conceal his Ze Spirit's water-controlling ability!

The Hammerhead King surely saw the sea merchant lord's urgency and hastily swapped this water-based long qi—his cost must have been high.

One exchange tentacle, one pearl, one strand of top-grade long qi.

Full to the brim.

Liang Qu even felt a little embarrassed.

"Lord Merchant…"

"No problem. As long as Little Water is happy, that's enough. I have urgent matters and can't attend to Little Water for now."

Whether the sea merchant lord had seen through him or misunderstood, he answered first.

Morning light brightened. Liang Qu glanced back at the long line of sea-beast merchants, understanding fully. He grabbed the treasure fish and the blue stone jar and hurried home.

On the tower ship, Ke Ko Wenbin and Xiang Fang Su looked down with disdain.

Liang Zhai.

Liang Qu opened the blue stone jar.

Before he could even see clearly, a vast rush of water vapor surged toward him, and the sound of ocean tides echoed in his ears—as if a hundred thousand essences swirled within the Ze Cauldron.

First, store it in the Ze Cauldron—see what the Ze Cauldron says.

Shhh!

【Acquired one strand of Deepflow Qi. If fused with ten thousand water marsh essences, it produces a spirit fish—its effects are mysterious.】

Inside the Ze Cauldron: one emerald-green, one xuan yellow, one blue-black.

Three strands of long qi shimmered!

【Creation】、【Xuan Huang】、【Deepflow】!

【Xuan Huang: Yellow at the Center, Holding Virtue in Stillness. It completes the Six Laws, harmonizes the Five Tones—the living energy of heaven and earth in balance.】

【Deepflow: Vast seas surge, torrents roar; deep currents swirl, waves crash.】

The Xuan Huang and Deepflow strands had been acquired within barely three days of each other!

Communicate with the Ze Cauldron.

The effects matched the sea merchant lord's description: nurturing the body, controlling water flow and pressure.

But Liang Qu still favored Xuan Huang.

Yellow at the Center, Holding Virtue in Stillness. It completes the Six Laws, harmonizes the Five Tones.

With Liang Qu's current knowledge, the meaning was clear.

Yellow is the central, proper color.

The heart resides at the center of the five organs—hence "Yellow Center."

"Holding Virtue in Stillness" means inwardly refined beauty.

But the most remarkable phrase was surely: "It completes the Six Laws, harmonizes the Five Tones!"

Plop!

Liang Qu opened the bamboo tube.

"Time Worm, get to work!"

(End of Chapter)