Chapter 20: Crimson Dragon Qi

Aoowuu!!!

The dragon's roar was too faint and shrill, almost like a cat's meow.

The bronze tripod emitted a faint glow; the head of the crimson dragon suddenly thrust out, let out an "Aoowuu!" and bit straight onto Li Guanyi's finger—though it was less an attack than play, and Li Guanyi could feel a sensation as if it were tied to his own bloodline.

He undressed and saw the bronze tripod glowing on his chest; only the dragon's head had emerged from its body.

The rest of the dragon remained blurred, unclear, its imprint insufficiently deep, still bound within the bronze tripod.

Li Guanyi played with the dragon-beast with his fingers while pondering how it had even appeared: "Did it emerge early due to the influence of the Xue family's ancestral spirit form?"

"That's why only its head can leave the tripod."

Li Guanyi noticed large patches of blank and dim areas still on the bronze tripod.

It was as if, besides this crimson dragon, many other divine beasts could yet be imprinted upon this tripod—could it be that by continuously contacting powerful figures like General Yue Qianfeng or the Xue family's ancestor, and absorbing some essence they radiated…

one could imprint their spirit forms onto the bronze tripod?

Hmm…

Yet this spirit form, though imposing, was so tiny—what use was it? Li Guanyi recalled how, after touching the crimson dragon, it had seemed ethereal and capable of merging with his internal qi, so he tried again.

At first, the crimson dragon resisted, shaking its head and curling its whiskers.

After several attempts, he finally gained some results.

The crimson dragon let out a soft, prolonged hum.

Then it slammed its head into the center of Li Guanyi's palm. The process brought no sensation at all—not painful, not tingling—but he immediately sensed a difference.

A warm current seemed to spread from his palm, and his internal qi from the "Break the Formation Melody" suddenly accelerated; this time, Li Guanyi did not break the contact—the "Break the Formation Melody" qi surged like a flood, merging with the warm current, as if cold water had been poured onto boiling oil, exploding instantly.

A rumbling sound seemed to echo in his ears.

Li Guanyi's vision went black; the "Break the Formation Melody" qi had fused with the crimson dragon.

Instantly, they blended seamlessly, transforming into a new, more dominant, more blazing energy.

As it flowed through his body, Li Guanyi clearly felt his flesh strengthening—far surpassing the effect of the "Break the Formation Melody" qi, though unfortunately, the crimson dragon's energy had only spread a small portion before suddenly separating from the "Break the Formation Melody" qi.

The crimson dragon's aura dispersed again, re-forming as the dragon-beast floating atop the tripod.

The little creature could only extend one claw, panting heavily as if exhausted, its claw pressed against the tripod's body, gasping for breath.

In Li Guanyi's eyes, the youthful dragon's face clearly showed a smug expression.

Yet it was furious, still bound by the bronze tripod.

It turned around and scratched frantically at the tripod with its tiny claw, scraping and scraping.

Finally, it gritted its teeth, as if planning to bite down instinctively.

Aoowuu!!!

Li Guanyi gently flicked it away.

The bronze tripod rested on his chest.

You can't bite that.

The crimson dragon's spirit form dissolved into energy and returned to the bronze tripod, becoming part of its patterns.

Meanwhile, Li Guanyi's internal "Break the Formation Melody" qi surged like a blazing river through his body, instantly reaching his chest—where the cold, poisonous energy still tried to influence his qi, but this time, it failed.

The blazing qi surged forward and slammed hard against the spot where the poison festered in his chest.

Li Guanyi felt a cold-heat alternation in his chest; the chilling poison had been slightly weakened, and his qi now flowed at its normal speed without significant reduction, stimulating and slowly strengthening the meridians and flesh it passed through.

Sweat beaded on Li Guanyi's forehead from the pain of cold and heat alternating, yet his lips curled into a faint smile, his eyes gleaming with joy.

"Indeed, this power can suppress the poison in my chest."

"And right now, it's only the residual effect—the crimson dragon hasn't fully merged into my internal qi yet."

"If my guess is correct, once the crimson dragon can fully detach from this bronze tripod, it should merge directly into my internal qi—then, whether training or fighting, I won't be affected by this poison anymore."

"This qi, mixed with the crimson dragon's energy, is several times stronger than normal 'Break the Formation Melody' qi."

"Too bad, right now the crimson dragon can only get its head out."

Li Guanyi felt joy, yet also regret.

The poison that had plagued him for ten years now had a chance of being resolved.

And it was almost certain—once the crimson dragon fully emerged from the bronze tripod, his strength would surge dramatically, making the journey out of Chen State to the Eighteenth Prefecture of Jiangnan Road far safer.

A spark lit up in the young man's eyes.

He touched the bronze tripod, a pleased smile on his lips.

Too bad General Yue Qianfeng wasn't here—he was the one who understood this crimson dragon spirit form best.

Li Guanyi had many things he wanted to try, still deeply curious about this spirit form, but the crimson dragon seemed exhausted, retreating into the bronze tripod and lying still; Li Guanyi decided to set the idea aside for now and began tidying his home.

He neatly folded the new clothes he'd bought for his aunt. He covered the roast goose he'd bought on the way home with a bowl to keep the ants from sneaking a bite.

He steamed rice, then took out his cleaver and made braised pork belly with premium pork belly.

Li Guanyi tallied his gains: he bought food, a good jar of wine, and rented a safer courtyard for fifteen taels of silver—previously, it cost thirty taels for half a year outside, but thanks to the Xue family's internal broker, he got the lowest price.

He bought various small items and had about two taels of silver left.

Li Guanyi stared at the silver, feeling suddenly that money came fast and vanished faster—never enough.

Out of the corner of his eye, Li Guanyi saw ants on the nearby cabinet, climbing one atop another like monkeys reaching for the moon, inching toward the bowl covering the roast goose, eager to sneak a taste—these ants had suffered alongside him and his aunt, and the rich aroma of fat was irresistible to them.

Li Guanyi raised an eyebrow, stepped forward two paces, and flicked his wrist toward the ants.

Fortunately, he was on Jiangnan Road—if he had traveled south past the mountains, he would have encountered creatures resembling cockroaches from his past life: larger, capable of flight, and used as ingredients only by Gu masters based in the mountains.

Li Guanyi would never use his bare hands—but now it didn't matter. Yet as he struck, the crimson dragon inside the bronze tripod poked its head out again.

The crimson dragon's energy flowed out from the bronze tripod.

But most of its body remained inside; this time, straining with all its might, it only reached from his chest to his elbow joint before having to retreat, unable to extend to his fist.

Even so, the "Break the Formation Melody" qi gained another layer of explosive power.

The violent internal Qi surged along his arm to the tip of his fist; Li Guanyi's palm swept over the ants, sending the large-pincered creatures flying—next instant, each ant emitted a sharp crack, its body igniting with a flicker of flame, wisps of charred smoke rising from its form.

Li Guanyi froze mid-movement, staring at his palm.

"This is..."

Fire Qi?!!

The Crimson Dragon manifestation collapsed again.

It lay sprawled atop the bronze cauldron, blowing bubbles.

Its whiskers curled and uncurled.

Li Guanyi murmured: "Even before fully activating, it can infuse my strikes with Fire Qi—though all it can burn are ants—but this is only the beginning. What if the Crimson Dragon could fully emerge from this cauldron... what would it be like?"

Li Guanyi naturally recalled General Yue Qianfeng's final move.

A punch launched, a crimson dragon roared, flames streaking across the sky.

He clenched his fist unconsciously.

The internal Qi of the "Breaking Formation Melody" flowed, like holding a ball of fire.

A warmth stirred within his heart.

The cultivation system of this world was far stronger and more mysterious than he had anticipated.

Too bad General Yue Qianfeng hadn't taught him more—but the Xue family likely had similar books, not secret transmissions, merely general introductions; he should be able to borrow them. Li Guanyi suddenly felt greater enthusiasm for tomorrow's lesson at the Xue residence.

Footsteps sounded at his ear; Aunt Murong Qiushui had returned.

Li Guanyi tucked away the Bai Yu Guanyin pendant.

Thinking of Aunt Murong Qiushui's upcoming reaction, a faint smile touched his lips.

Murong Qiushui returned carrying vegetables; she smelled the scent of meat and asked, "Lino?"

"Did you cook meat today?"

She pushed open the door and saw the heroic young man in a blue lapel robe with a leather belt cinched at his waist—she paused, momentarily stunned, as if seeing a long-lost acquaintance. Li Guanyi rarely saw his aunt lost in thought; a flicker of joy stirred in him.

Then mischief seized him.

He stepped forward, raised his right hand to his chest in a graceful bow, and smiled: "What's wrong, Aunt? Don't you recognize me?"

The boy was showing off.

This time, I've surpassed your expectations.

Murong Qiushui blinked, withdrawing her gaze.

She also shed that fleeting sorrow, as if seeing an old friend.

Then she reached out, pinched his cheek, and smiled teasingly: "Looks like my Lino has finally started eating soft meals?"

"Dawn glows tenderly, jade pendants chime."

"My little Lino."

"What's your price now?"

Li Guanyi froze:

???

Wait, Aunt, your reaction is all wrong.

(End of Chapter)