Lotus Root in Peril!

Lotus Root in Peril!

The Long Qi in his chest circulated once, then gradually dispersed through his internal organs, bringing a faint, warm sense of comfort.

"Whew, Ape Fist still suits me best."

Liang Qu wiped the fine sweat from his forehead.

After all these days, he had finished learning every Refining Method. The sensation of Qi in his chest was now roughly thicker than half a chopstick, and his progress had been astonishingly rapid. At the same time, he had gained a deeper understanding of the "methods" of martial arts.

Many things were hard to grasp without experiencing them firsthand.

After practicing the Three Fists Technique for so long, Liang Qu had summed up some of the uses of Root Bone. Simply put, every martial art had one or more ideal body proportions. He called this compatibility.

For example, his Ape Arms, Wasp Waist, Mantis Legs were highly compatible with Ape Fist among the Three Fists Technique. Practicing it was like taking an exam with the answers in hand—full marks every time. Naturally, he progressed quickly.

The other two, Tiger Fist and Crane Fist, were not nearly as compatible. Every time he finished practicing, they felt like scores of only eighty and sixty. Over time, the gap would become glaringly obvious.

Take Li LiBo, for instance. His Ape Fist was probably around eighty-five points.

Chen Jiechang, on the other hand, was suited to Tiger Fist, at around ninety points.

But the stances within martial arts techniques could be altered. As long as someone skilled enough provided guidance, adjustments could be made to improve compatibility.

If the mountain would not come to him, he would go to the mountain.

Unfortunately, Senior Brother Hu Qi could not do it, and Lu Shaohui went without saying. Even if he could, he would probably be too lazy to explain. In the entire Yang Martial Hall, it was said that only Master Yang could raise those scores somewhat. During the last five days of every month, the martial arts school's disciples all came to seek guidance on such matters.

A good teacher was immensely important.

Of course, beyond the visible exam score of bodily compatibility, there were hidden points on the test of martial arts. Only when everything was added together did it make up a person's full aptitude.

The most typical examples were those whose body proportions were unsuitable, yet who were born with abundant Qi and blood, or possessed extraordinary comprehension, allowing them to alter martial arts techniques themselves, draw in Qi, and temper their bodies. Such things could not be detected through bone-reading, or rather, could not be fully detected.

They could still achieve twice the result with half the effort in cultivation, scoring an absurdly high mark above one hundred when all was added together! This was why Hu Qi had said that poor body proportions were nothing to worry about. They did not represent a person's entire aptitude. Perhaps someone had terrible proportions, yet charged ahead like a lone rider leaving everyone in the dust, practicing faster than anyone else.

Liang Qu marveled inwardly at the diversity between people. Only by working twice as hard could one create miracles.

Unfortunately, after three days of study, the hundred-odd copper coins he had earned last time were already spent. If he did not work again, he would have nothing to eat.

If Senior Brother Xiang had not told him on his way here today that Master Yang might come in the afternoon or evening, he would have set out on his boat after finishing Crane Fist. Now, he could only wait for Master Yang to arrive before leaving.

How enviable, those rich young masters.

Liang Qu looked toward the several dozen martial disciples on the other side. Only after entering the martial arts school had he realized that he and his brothers, who paid merely seven taels, were the poor lot. Everyone else had paid at least ten taels of silver, studying martial arts full-time without needing to work every few days to earn money. Their efficiency was more than several times greater.

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen LaiTou Zhang in a long time."

"Yeah. We didn't even see him when taxes were collected a while back. Don't tell me he became a runaway household?"

"Not likely, right? He goes around mooching everywhere every day, and nobody dares provoke him. Would he be afraid of being unable to pay taxes?"

Nearby, Li LiBo and Chen Jiechang were also sitting on the edge of the flower bed, resting and chatting idly. For some reason, their conversation had turned to LaiTou Zhang.

Catching the keyword, Liang Qu pricked up his ears.

Chen Jiechang said irritably, "Why do you care about him? Isn't it better if we don't see him? It's not like he's a good person."

"True." Li LiBo did not dwell on it. His gaze swept around, then his eyes lit up. "Hey, hey, hey, look! There are actually a few young ladies over there. Hiss, the one leading them looks pretty fierce."

"Don't stare around. Who knows what kind of background they have? Be careful."

"I'm only looking twice."

Seeing the topic diverted, Liang Qu relaxed and resumed practicing Ape Fist.

But before he had even reached the halfway point, the Mental Link in his mind suddenly began flashing frantically.

Fat Catfish and Cannot Move were desperately sending him messages! The Treasure Lotus Root in the water was under attack!

And it was something huge?

Liang Qu's expression changed instantly.

The Treasure Lotus Root was the first bucket of gold that had made his fortune.

Though only twenty-odd pieces could provide Marsh Essence, the entire lotus root bed stretched for dozens of meters. The remaining several hundred pieces, unable to provide Marsh Essence, still had excellent healing effects. He treasured them dearly and usually had Cannot Move guard them carefully.

When Fat Catfish had nothing to do, it also stayed nearby to watch over them.

Any small fish or shrimp that came to cause trouble had been killed and eaten by the two Water Beasts.

What kind of creature could a Crocodile and a Six-Whiskered Catfish not handle, one that kept sending him urgent messages? Unable to sit still any longer, Liang Qu hurriedly bid Li LiBo and Chen Jiechang farewell, packed his things, and prepared to leave.

The two were shocked and hurriedly asked, "Why are you leaving now? Master Yang may be coming soon. Aren't you staying for his guidance?"

Liang Qu hesitated for a moment. "I have something urgent to deal with right now. I should be able to make it back after I'm done?"

It was still morning. If he went back and returned, he might be able to catch Master Yang.

Seeing that Liang Qu truly seemed anxious, Li LiBo and Chen Jiechang could not persuade him further. They could only tell him to be careful on the road.

Watching Liang Qu's retreating figure, Li LiBo scratched his head. "How strange. It was the same last time."

"Last time?"

"Yeah." Li LiBo nodded. "Last time, A Shui also left in a hurry halfway through studying with Hu Martial Master. I didn't see anyone come to notify him either."

"Why think so much? Maybe A Shui had arranged something beforehand."

"True."

Fallen leaves drifted down in profusion, piling layer upon layer over the muddy ground and turning into dark brown humus.

After leaving the martial arts school, Liang Qu conserved his strength and jogged the whole way. He covered the dozen-odd li from Ping Yang Town to Yi Xing City in less than half an hour.

Upon reaching the dock, Liang Qu caught his breath. Once he had calmed down, he pretended nothing was wrong as he untied the rope and set off in his boat. After moving beyond anyone's sight, he rapidly rowed toward the Lotus Root Waters and struck the surface of the water.

A moment later, a Zhu Po Long and a Six-Whiskered Catfish surfaced.

Liang Qu stroked the heads of the two Water Beasts and had them roll over. After inspecting them all around and confirming that neither was injured, he finally relaxed.

He had given the two beasts orders before: if they saw someone coming to steal the lotus roots, they were to judge whether they could handle them. If they could, they were to attack. If not, they were to retreat and not fight desperately.

Lose the land and the people, and both land and people were lost; preserve the people and lose the land, and both land and people remained.

Though the lotus roots were precious, they were still not as valuable as the two Water Beasts Liang Qu had raised.

After eating Treasure Fish and undergoing their second growth, the two beasts had become increasingly powerful. Cannot Move was now over 2.2 meters long, while Fat Catfish had reached 2.4 meters! Both had grown several sizes larger, and the Marsh Essence required for their evolution had each dropped by more than four points.

Growing larger was naturally a good thing. The fiercer his subordinates were, the better.

But Liang Qu was even more puzzled. What kind of creature could make Cannot Move and Fat Catfish, even together, retreat three paces? Just as he was pondering this, Fat Catfish suddenly arched backward in the water, stuck its head into the boat, and opened its huge mouth to spit out five lotus roots. They struck the wooden board with dull thuds.

Liang Qu picked one up to inspect it, utterly astonished. "These are lotus roots with Marsh Essence? You took them away before the monster came?"

Fat Catfish and Zhu Po Long wagged their tails, splashing water onto Liang Qu. Yet he was not angry. He was even somewhat moved.

He had previously left behind several lotus roots containing Marsh Essence for emergencies and told the two beasts to watch over them closely. He had not expected them to be so clever that they even understood how to transfer major assets.

They had promise. He had not raised them for nothing.

Liang Qu turned and picked up his wooden spear. The muscles along his cheeks tightened of their own accord, drawing sharp lines across his face. He narrowed his eyes.

"Very good. Let's go down and see exactly who dares steal my lotus roots."