Spirit Fish!

Apart from hosting auctions, the third floor of the Celestial Ship Merchant Guild is mostly rented out to provide venue and services.

After verifying their identities at the entrance, Liang Qu and his entourage were led to their seats by a waiter in the pre-arranged seating order.

The entire third floor is completely different from what I saw before.

Long, vermilion-lacquered tables lined both sides, as neat as ink lines drawn by a carpenter, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Several young girls played the guqin behind a screen, and a faint fragrance filled the air.

A long table was laid out in front of them, with a two-zhang-long silk cloth spread out on it. Several painters were grinding ink and washing their brushes, preparing to paint and record the magnificent scene.

In the distance, Ice Platform were gathered, and the air was not stuffy, but each person still had an Ice Chamber placed beside them, shaped like a palace or building, from which pale white smoke drifted down from the four corners of the eaves.

County Magistrate Jian booked the entire third floor for his celebratory banquet, showing his immense wealth and power, befitting the rich man who spent hundreds of thousands of taels of silver to buy the Longevity Treasure Plant last time.

etc.

Liang Qu sat behind the table, peeling green tangerines from the fruit plate, when he suddenly remembered something.

If Jian Zhongyi 'Old Ancestor Grandmaster did commit incestuous acts, would Jian Zhongyi still buy Longevity Treasure materials for his Old Ancestor? Liang Qu stuffed orange segments into his mouth, unable to find the answer.

Perhaps it really is just rumors.

No matter whose belly the treasure goes into, it's not going to be his.

As time went by, guests arrived one after another until the first Great Martial Master Sui Hongyan, appeared, Jian Zhongyi showed up to greet her.

Following Sui Hongyan, important figures from the River Conservancy Office and the Demon Subduing Division, such as Yang Dongxiong, Xu Yuelong, and Wei Lin, made their appearances.

The heroes are ranked.

The group of Hunting Tiger Great Martial Master, whose strength and status were the highest among them, sat in the center circle at the very front.

Including Jian Zhongyi, there are a total of nine people.

Further out, marble stones are inserted into a low screen that is less than knee-high, used to divide the space.

That was the position of Ran Zhongshi, Xiang Fangsu, and others who were at the next level.

A person with great strength and a powerful background.

There are approximately seventy-odd numbers.

The third layer features a screen about half a person's height, painted in vermilion, with various cranes, birds, and beasts carved on its surface.

Guests need to sit upright to see through the screen and into the first and second tiers of the banquet hall.

The seats that belonged to Wei Shao, Liang Qu, and others were occupied by more than a hundred people.

They are capable but lack background, or they lack ability but have background.

Wei Shao has a weaker background, and Liang Qu is less capable.

As for the fourth floor, it is completely separated by a two-meter-high screen, making it impossible to see the three floors inside.

Those sitting there were all ordinary Martial Master with no background in the River Conservancy Office.

Those who did not make any contributions, or even those who received the notification on the day of the event, were merely "guests" who provided assistance.

As for the fifth level, there is no fifth level. Ordinary soldiers who are not at the level of Martial Master masters did not receive any invitations at all.

There are four floors in total, separated by screens of three different heights.

Their status and rank were clearly defined, stretching over two hundred meters in depth.

An ordinary person wouldn't be able to see what's going on inside at all.

Liang Qu glanced sideways at Wei Shao across from him, feeling displeased.

If I were Wolf Smoke Martial Master, I would definitely sit in the second tier, not in the same tier as this person.

Wei Shao noticed Liang Qu's gaze and, feeling equally disgusted, let out a cold snort.

When he saw Liang Qu, he thought of the more than three thousand taels of silver he had lost, and of how he had spent more than ten days swimming in the Great Marsh, until his hands cramped.

If Liang Qu hadn't been granted Da Zao Marquis and wasn't Yang Dongxiong's Personal Disciple, he would be on the fourth floor right now, hanging out with those rough men!

Central location.

Jian Zhongyi stood up and bowed.

"I apologize for any disrespect shown by this fake museum; I hope you will all forgive me!"

"Lord Jian."

"This is really too much of an expense, Lord Jian."

"Non-Self expense; most of today's expenses were provided by Mister Zhu, the Steward of Heavenly Vessel."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Mister Zhu..."

It was all just endless polite talk.

The Liang Qu was dozens of meters away, and I was tired of hearing it, and my stomach was rumbling.

We arrived at dusk, and now it's all dark; why haven't we started the feast yet?

After about fifteen minutes of conversation, Jian Zhongyi finally toasted everyone.

"Among the common people, who is without parents? They support and cherish their children, fearing that they may not live long."

Who doesn't have brothers? They are like feet and hands. Who doesn't have a spouse? They are like guests and friends.

Heaven and earth are filled with sorrow, and even the grass and trees are desolate. No one comes to offer condolences, and the spirit has nowhere to rest.

The first cup should be offered to the brave warrior whose soul has returned home!

Jian Zhongyi poured out a glass of wine.

The crowd followed closely behind.

Liang Qu followed suit.

Jian Zhongyi spoke for a while longer, then raised his glass.

"The second cup is offered to the Holy, Martial, and Divine Emperor Shunyuan, the Da Bao of the Heavenly Proving Dao!"

The group drank wine.

Liang Qu drank wine.

"The third toast is to all the brave warriors who defended our country!"

After the three toasts, the banquet began! The guests mingled and enjoyed themselves immensely.

The atmosphere inside was cheerful, since Jian Zhongyi was nominally treating everyone to a meal, essentially giving them a free meal.

Liang Qu also wanted to strike up a conversation, but when he looked around, he found that there was no one he knew nearby.

Xiang Fangsu, Ran Zhongshi, and the others were all in the second ring.

The purpose of arranging seats was to create distinct social circles, preventing people from wandering around and making a scene, as that would be considered ill-mannered. So Liang Qu could only bury his head in his food and drink.

The meal took more than an hour, and for the second half of the time I was just full and had nothing to do.

They endured until the end of the Xu Time and the beginning of the Hai hour, around 9 or 10 pm, when the banquet finally ended.

Steward Zhu arranged for people to be sent home.

Liang Qu wasn't in a hurry to go back. After saying goodbye to his Master Yang Dongxiong, he first went to the second floor to browse around and, with the help of the "sales assistant" waiter, purchased underwater Treasure Plant.

Twin Lotus flowers, the kind with Two Lives Flower, are impossible to find. You can only find some common Treasure Plant, which are not of high quality but are abundant.

Liang Qu didn't mind, and estimating the amount of Marsh Essence, he bought a total of over eight hundred taels of silver worth of Treasure Plant.

Yi Xing Town.

Red Mountain returned to the stable.

Liang Qu followed the underground river to the Jiang Huai Great Marsh and swallowed the Treasure Plant.

All of it was digested, and the total increase was 800 Marsh Essence. In total, one point of Marsh Essence is worth a little over one tael.

Aquatic Treasure Plant are difficult to obtain and usually command a premium.

The Cockscomb Fruit and similar plants grown in the River Conservancy Office are specially supplied; you simply can't find such high-quality, low-priced Treasure Plant anywhere else.

Eight hundred taels of silver is such a small amount; it's a huge loss.

But that's enough!

You should only eat three Cockscomb Fruit a day because the effects will weaken after that, and the amount of Qi and Blood it provides will be limited, but the Marsh Essence you get from it will not be small!

Before going into seclusion, Liang Qu used his Minor Merit to exchange for dozens of Cockscomb Fruit at the River Conservancy Office, intending to eat three a day slowly.

Now.

The Erlang's Favor is within reach!

No grinding required, just spend money! [Marsh Essence +7]

[Marsh Essence +8]

[Marsh Essence +7.6]

Liang Qu ate them one after another.

In the blink of an eye, after eating more than thirty Cockscomb Fruit, it regenerated more than two hundred Marsh Essence.

Ten thousand essences, completely replenished!

Communicate with Ze Cauldron.

The cauldron was filled with the sound of tides, and pale red Red Qi surged above the Marsh Essence.

[If one obtains a wisp of Red Qi and it merges with the Marsh Essence, a Spirit Fish will be born, which can Sublimation of Favor.]

Everything was ready, and the fusion took place! The Ze Cauldron shone brightly, and the ethereal Red Qi instantly merged into the rising Marsh Essence, creating a vortex. The fluorescent blue water level dropped rapidly, at a startling speed.

Wait for the light to fade.

A small, deep blue fish with red eyes, no bigger than a thumb, appeared in the center of the Ze Cauldron.

The previously abundant Marsh Essence was reduced to a thin layer in an instant, so much so that the small fish could not swim at all and were splashing around inside.

Is this the Spirit Fish? Liang Qu disregarded his heartache and Sea of Consciousness, as if the Marsh Essence had undergone more complex changes after merging with the Red Qi.

Obtaining a Spirit Fish can elevate one's status and earn the Marsh Spirit's Favor.

[Marsh Spirit's Favor: First Level of Martial Dao Divinity (River Master Emperor); Ying Long Mark: First Level; Tian Wu: First Level]

Liang Qu's gaze swept over them without hesitation.

River Master Emperor!