Chapter 20: Crimson Dragon Qi

Aowu!!!

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 “aowu,” and bit straight onto Li Guanyi’s finger—though it was less an attack than playfulness, 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 while pondering how it had 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.

As if, besides this crimson dragon, the tripod could hold many other divine beasts—could it be that by continuously approaching masters like Yue Qianfeng and the Xue family’s ancestral elder, absorbing the residual traces of their existence…

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 to merge with his internal Qi; 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 faint, prolonged roar.

Then it slammed its head into Li Guanyi’s palm. The process felt utterly unremarkable—no pain, no itch—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 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 darkened; the “Break the Formation Melody” Qi 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 growing stronger—far surpassing the effect of the “Break the Formation Melody” Qi alone. But sadly, the crimson dragon’s energy had only spread a small portion before abruptly 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, its claw pressed against the tripod’s body as it gasped for breath.

In Li Guanyi’s eyes, the young dragon’s body clearly bore an expression of smug satisfaction.

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

It turned around and scratched the tripod’s surface with its claw, scraping noisily.

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

Aowu!!!

Li Guanyi gently tapped it.

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 “Break the Formation Melody” Qi surged like a blazing river through his body, instantly reaching his chest—where the cold poison still sought to influence his Qi, but this time, it failed.

The blazing Qi crashed violently into the spot where the poison had settled.

Li Guanyi felt a cold-heat alternation in his chest; the poison’s chilling effect had been slightly weakened, and his Qi now flowed at normal speed, unimpeded, 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 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’ll no longer be affected by this poison.”

“This Qi, mixed with the crimson dragon’s energy, is several times stronger than normal ‘Break the Formation Melody’ Qi.”

“Too bad, right now, only the dragon’s head can emerge.”

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 tripod, his strength would surge dramatically, making the journey out of Chen Guo to the Eighteenth Province of Jiangnan Road far safer.

A spark lit in the young man’s eyes.

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

Too bad 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 the spirit form—but the crimson dragon seemed exhausted, retreating into the tripod and lying still. Li Guanyi 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 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; thanks to the Xue family’s broker, he got the lowest price.

He bought a few small odds and ends, and had about two taels of silver left.

Li Guanyi stared at the silver, feeling that money came fast and vanished faster—barely enough to last.

Out of the corner of his eye, Li Guanyi saw ants lining up like monkeys reaching for the moon, climbing 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 was irresistible to them.

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

Fortunately, he was in Jiangnan Road—if he’d traveled south past the mountains, he’d have encountered creatures like cockroaches from his past life: larger, capable of flight, used as medicinal ingredients only by mountain Gu masters.

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 peeked out again.

The crimson dragon’s energy flowed out from the tripod.

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

Even so, the “Break the Formation Melody” Qi gained another layer of explosive force.

This explosive Qi surged along his arm to the tip of his fist; as Li Guanyi’s palm swept over the ants, the large-clawed insects were flung upward—then, with a sharp crack, each burst into a flicker of flame, emitting thin wisps of charred smoke.

Li Guanyi froze, staring at his palm.

“This is…”

Fire Qi?!

The crimson dragon spirit form collapsed again.

It lay on the tripod, blowing bubbles.

Its whiskers curled and uncurled.

Li Guanyi murmured: “Even before fully activated, it can infuse my fists and feet with fire Qi. Sure, it only burns ants—but this is just the beginning. What if the crimson dragon fully emerges from this tripod… what would it become?”

Li Guanyi naturally recalled Yue Qianfeng’s final move.

A punch unleashed, a crimson dragon roaring, flames blazing across the sky.

He unconsciously clenched his fist.

The “Break the Formation Melody” Qi flowed like a ball of fire in his grasp.

A warmth stirred in his heart.

The cultivation system of this world was far stronger and more mysterious than he’d imagined.

Too bad Yue Qianfeng hadn’t taught him more—but the Xue family likely had similar books, not secret transmissions, just general introductions—he could probably borrow them. Li Guanyi suddenly felt greater enthusiasm for tomorrow’s lesson at the Xue family.

Footsteps sounded at the door; his aunt, Murong Qiushui, returned.

Li Guanyi tucked away the white jade Guanyin pendant.

Thinking of his aunt’s reaction, a faint smile touched his lips.

Murong Qiushui carried home vegetables, smelled the meat, and asked, “Línú?”

“Did you cook meat today?”

She pushed open the door and saw the young man in a blue slanted-collar robe, belt cinched at his waist—dashing and vigorous. She paused, momentarily lost in thought, as if seeing a long-lost figure; Li Guanyi rarely saw his aunt lost in reverie, and felt a flicker of joy.

Then, mischief stirred in him.

He stepped forward, raised his right hand to his chest in a graceful bow, and smiled: “What’s wrong, Auntie? 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 set aside that fleeting sorrow, as if seeing an old friend.

Then she reached out, pinched the boy’s cheek, and smiled teasingly: “Looks like my little Línú has finally started living off soft meals?”

“Dawn’s gentle light, jade pendants tinkling.”

“My little Línú.”

“What’s your price?”

Li Guanyi froze:

??

Wait, Auntie, your reaction is wrong.

(End of Chapter)