Jianghuai True Dragon
The afternoon sun shone on the floating dust, and the smooth bluestone slabs were shrouded in a dazzling white light.
Red Mountain raised its front hooves, stood upright, and a brilliant golden light flowed out from its outline, contrasting with the dark shadow on the stone slab.
The crowds at the wharf were in an uproar.
The two workers in the Fishing Wharf looked up and asked, "Master Liang, you've acquired another fine horse? Why does it look different from the one we saw the other day?"
"It hasn't been changed!" Liang Qu gripped the saddle firmly, pressing down on the imposing Red Mountain. He pulled on the reins, making it spin around once, basking in the sunlight, and said, "The imperial court has bestowed upon me Grade-Raising Great Pill! The Dragon Blood Horse has been promoted another rank, and what you see is the original one! Its name is Red Mountain!"
Red Mountain!
A crimson mountain! Upon hearing its own name, the Red Mountain paced around once more, raising its head even higher.
The villagers didn't understand anything about the Grade-Raising Great Pill" or "Dragon Blood Horse"; they only thought that Mountain God, and such a fine horse was not something ordinary people could afford to ride. They admired and respected the handsome young man and his magnificent horse.
"Congratulations, Master Liang, on acquiring another BMW!"
"A fine horse deserves a hero, Master Liang!"
The two workers at the Fishing Wharf were the first to offer their congratulations, prompting others to follow suit, and a chorus of compliments filled the wharf.
"Hahaha, congratulations to you too! Hey waiter over there!"
Liang Qu laughed loudly, took out two Small Silver Ingot from his pocket, one weighing four ounces, held them in his hand, and called out to the teahouse waiter.
The waiter was quick-witted. Upon seeing the situation, he immediately took off the towel around his neck and held it in front of him. With a flick of his wrist, he easily caught the silver that was thrown at him.
"I'd like to invite everyone to tea today!"
Having said that, Liang Qu turned his horse around and, amidst shouts, headed back towards the River Conservancy Office Government Office.
Along the way, he turned into a grove of trees, away from the riverbank.
Communicate with Ze Cauldron.
[Has mastered the Dragon Blood Colt; can evolve.]
[This can consume 7,400 points of Marsh Essence to evolve the Dragon Blood Colt into the Crimson Blood Dragon Steed.]
[Can be replenished by consuming 600 Marsh Essence.]
"Dragon Blood Colt? That's similar to the name Dragon Blood Horse. Crimson Blood Dragon Steed should be a third-grade horse?"
Liang Qu had some guesses in his mind.
Seeing the completion prompt again proves that Red Mountain still has room for improvement among the fourth-grade Dragon Blood Horse.
It had been almost half a month since the last time the River Master Emperor had shown him favor, and he had accumulated several hundred units of Marsh Essence, which was enough for him.
The Marsh Essence, which had not yet been warmed up, was lost again.
The bottom of the Ze Cauldron has been reached.
"Hopefully the Toad will step up its game in a couple of days and let me make a killing."
The Marsh Essence is severely lacking, Liang Qu has not improved its fusion level for a long time. Now all hope rests on the Toad.
According to Great Beaver and Liu Quanfu's apprentice, the Ship Model would be completed in another two or three days.
The light cocoon shattered.
Liang Qu jumped off his horse and could clearly feel the aura of Red Mountain rise slightly.
In terms of appearance, the scales spread and grow along the shoulder blades and chest, like a grassland after a fire. The scales at the junction of the two are obviously widened, like a breastplate, adding a sense of heaviness.
With an added air of smugness, Red Mountain excitedly bounced up and down, its two front hooves rising and falling alternately.
Liang Qu inexplicably thought of the Little Black Oolong, Oolong he often saw doing this action every day when he came home.
Did you learn that from a dog?
Suppressing Red Mountain's excitement, Liang Qu stepped into the stirrups and mounted his horse.
With a thought in mind, Red Mountain strode towards the River Conservancy Office Government Office, more human-like than ever before.
This is the greatest gain from governing Red Mountain.
Mental Link transcends distance. From now on, no matter where Liang Qu is, Red Mountain can come to him with just a thought!
The so-called supercars of the past, whether in speed or agility, were no match for even a hair on Red Mountain! Time flew by, striking down the forest birds.
The stable servants, upon seeing the red figure, hurriedly made way for Red Mountain to enter the pen.
Liang Qu's round trip took no more than a quarter of an hour, while the Record Keeper and the Groom Official remained at the Prefectural Office.
The Groom Official stepped forward and bowed, asking, "How are you feeling, Lord Liang?"
"Great! Just like everyone else!"
Liang Qu's current skill level allows him to move quickly over short distances using his Cultivation Method, sometimes even faster than Red Mountain. However, he can't possibly carry Fubo and the Great Bow around on his back and rely entirely on his own two legs to travel, as it would be too embarrassing for others to see him like that.
Moreover, the Dragon Blood Horse is not only about substance, but also about prestige.
Once you ride a Dragon Blood Horse out the door, what fool would dare to provoke or act recklessly?
"There are six grades of Dragon Blood Horse. Grade four is still in the middle to lower range. Only if it is grade three or even grade two can it be a true Dragon Aspect Divine Horse, admired by everyone. However, with Lord Liang's ability, it will be a matter of two or three years."
"I see it the same way."
"Not at all, you two are exaggerating."
The Record Keeper and the Groom Official offered flattery one after another, but Liang Qu remained modest.
During the conversation, the Groom Official looked at Red Mountain and suddenly paused, then quickly stepped forward to the front of the horse and used his palm to compare the width of the scales on its shoulder bone.
It's as wide as a palm! He remembered it was originally only four fingers!
The Record Keeper frowned slightly. Now that the promotion was complete, this action was far too impolite. He coughed twice to remind him.
The Groom Official, completely unaware, was overjoyed. "A scale as wide as a palm! A top-quality specimen! A truly top-quality specimen!"
From the time he swallowed the medicine to the time he rode out on horseback, it took a total of half an hour.
He thought the Dragon Blood Horse had already been upgraded, but he never expected there to be a follow-up!
The Record Keeper puzzled. "What constitutes an exceptional quality?"
The Groom Official, his face full of respect, said, "A fourth-grade Dragon Blood Horse, with its shoulder blades and chest scales joined together, is extremely rare, one in ten or two out of ten. This is the mark of a top-grade dragon steed. But if the joint is as wide as an adult's palm, it is the finest! This has been a tradition passed down through generations of Groom Official. I have been serving horses with my father since I could walk, and it has been twenty-three years now. I have only ever seen them in books and have never actually encountered one! Half an hour ago, I thought the upgrade was complete, but I did not expect there to be a follow-up. There must be residual medicinal effects that further promoted absorption during the run, thus completing the upgrade!"
Liang Qu knew that the other party had misunderstood.
Red Mountain's exceptional performance was entirely due to his use of the Marsh Essence to enhance his talent...
The Groom Official, unaware of the inside story, was excited. He lifted his robe, knelt down with a thud, clasped his hands together, and kowtowed deeply, performing a grand ceremony.
Previously, when Red Mountain was promoted to a higher rank, water stains were everywhere on the ground to cool it down, mixed with some horse manure, and dirty water was flowing everywhere.
He paid no attention.
"This humble servant... this humble servant dares to ask Lord Liang for a recipe for raising horses! I humbly request your assistance! I would be eternally grateful!"
Horse administration was of utmost importance; even a minor official would pass down his position through generations, dedicating his entire life to the task of raising horses.
Liang Qu was generally able to sense the other party's true intentions.
but...
I should have just gone straight home.
Now that things had come to this, he had no choice but to help the Groom Official up and agree.
"Go to Yi Xing Town and find a man named Fan Xinglai in my courtyard. He is in charge of feeding them and knows exactly what kind of Treasure Fish we feed them."
Fan Xinglai? Treasure Fish?
The Groom Official noted down the names and gleaned a key piece of information. "Does Lord Liang often feed the Treasure Fish?"
"Because we live near Great Marsh, as the saying goes, 'Those who live near mountains live off the mountains, and those who live near water live off the water.'"
Could it be because of the Treasure Fish? The Groom Official boldly speculated.
The quantity of these Treasure Fish is small, and they have many bones, making them troublesome to prepare. Horses are not usually fed this kind of fish meat.
He muttered to himself, "Could it be that the treasures in the Jianghuai waters are more compatible with the Dragon Blood Horse? That makes some sense, they share the same origin..."
Liang Qu's mind raced. "What does 'of the same lineage and origin' mean? Is the dragon blood in the Dragon Blood Horse related to the Jiang Huai Great Marsh?"
He was far too curious about the so-called dragon.
I've heard about Flood Dragon, true dragons, the Jianghuai Dragon Palace countless times from the Old Giant Clam.
Even when he went down into the Jiang Huai River every day, he could still feel the Flood Dragon's Malice in the the Unseen.
The Groom Official bowed and explained, "The current Grand Ancestor was originally from the Aristocratic Clan horse breeders, and was especially good at breeding exotic horses."
The Dragon Blood Horse, which they bred, suddenly appeared out of nowhere. For nearly a century, the finest Dragon Blood Horse has been hailed as the number one exotic horse breed in the world.
Legend has it that hundreds of years ago, several Martial Saint from their clan made an agreement with the Great Marsh Dragon Lord of Jianghuai, exchanging some benefits in exchange for offspring, and the two combined to produce this unparalleled horse.
The founding of the Da Shun Dynasty established the Dragon Blood Horse as its national horse, a symbol of glory and extraordinary significance, which was only bestowed upon those who had rendered meritorious service to the nation.