Master Returns

Time flies.

Late November, the Minor Snow solar term.

The two jujube trees had lost all their leaves, their branches bare, and the dry fallen leaves scraped against the stone slabs, making a rustling sound.

The Oolong lay on the threshold, its two big black eyes fixed on the leaves as they drifted from left to right and then from right to left.

Fan Xinglai wrapped his clothes tighter around himself and ran to sweep away the last fallen leaves from the corner of the eaves.

Liang Qu got up this morning to practice shooting, and the gust of wind he created blew away the last few leaves from the jujube tree.

Fortunately, they all fell off today, and there won't be any more before next autumn.

Fan Xinglai shoveling up fallen leaves with a winnowing basket, preparing to bury them in the tree pit, when he suddenly heard a knock on the door. He put the broom on the winnowing basket and ran to open the door.

As soon as the door was opened, a gaunt old monk wearing Patch Robe and carrying a bag came into view.

Fan Xinglai overjoyed.

"Master!?"

Quiet Room.

Liang Qu sat motionless, surrounded by golden light.

After one Greater Celestial Circuit.

Liang Qu ceased his breathing exercises, the golden light dissipated, and his morning meditation came to an end.

Inner Vision at yourself.

At the Dantian, a blurry golden figure loomed, its features and even its limbs indistinct, appearing and disappearing in the distance.

Even so, Liang Qu was still satisfied.

The Great Merit of the Withered Wind Narcissus are extraordinary.

Half a month ago, after taking the medicine, the Dragon Tiger Golden Body advanced rapidly, directly condensing a Golden Body Little Man from the Dantian! This performance is a symbol of the achievement of the "Subduing Dragon and Tiger Adamantine Skill"! The more solid the golden figure, the stronger the Golden Body, and the more impenetrable the body's defense.

Aside from the gains from the Golden Body, the benefits from the Marsh Essence are even more terrifying! Liang Qu communicated with the Ze Cauldron, and his consciousness descended.

Within the Ze Cauldron, bluish- Long Qi and Red Qi intertwined.

Below the two Long Qi, the Marsh Essence rippled and collided with the walls of the cauldron, producing a vast, resounding sound.

The Liang Qu accumulated the most Marsh Essence at the time of its Galloping Horse, reaching a total of 14,000 points.

But just the single Treasure Plant, the Withered Wind Narcissus, immediately contributed 13,632 points of essence! Adding to that the Seven-Colored Rainbow Flow, the Treasure Fish continuously sent by the Dragonfolk, the daily contributions from the Old Giant Clam, and the rest of the gains.

Liang Qu's total accumulated points have reached an unprecedented 19,203!

Nearly 20,000 Marsh Essence! Rich, incredibly rich!

With such a massive amount of Marsh Essence, Liang Qu could use it to evolve Water Beast and create Great Monster Spirit at the level of a Wolf Smoke! "Unfortunately, I can't try Summoning Wind and Rain for now..."

The Withered Wind Narcissus can cause a small amount of Rain Water to fall during the full moon each month, and has the effect of praying for rain.

After Liang Qu took it, he seemed to gain some of its abilities, which were enhanced to the level of Summoning Wind and Rain. The changes became more and more obvious over time.

However, Ping Yang County is full of hidden talents, so Liang Qu did not act rashly.

"Let's try it at Great Marsh another day."

Having finalized the plan, Liang Qu pulled out another Treasure Box from his bosom, Morning Dew Worm.

From a medicinal perspective, there is no conflict between Morning Dew Worm and Withered Wind Narcissus, but whether there is or not, practice will tell.

No one is so extravagant as to take two treasures with a total value of Great Merit in succession just to verify the relationship between their medicinal properties.

As a precaution, the common practice is to take precious Treasure Plant or valuable items only once every two weeks.

Today Minor Snow solar term, and the time to take Withered Wind Narcissus is the Beginning of Winter.

There were exactly fourteen days in between, which was about right; the time was ripe.

Liang Qu opened the wooden box and was surprised to find that the water level in the Treasure Box containing the Morning Dew Worm had dropped significantly, and the overall fragrance had dissipated by a third. The Morning Dew Worm inside were still curled up, and apart from appearing even more verdant, they had not changed.

The Treasure Box is made of Jade Bone Wood, and when struck it produces a metallic sound. It is closed, so it is unlikely that the liquid will evaporate.

Did the Morning Dew Worm absorb it?

Liang Qu recalled the state of his hand when he finally obtained it.

It would take more than half a month to transport the water from Southern Zhili to Pingyang. Therefore, the water should have been full when it arrived, but some of it must have been lost during the journey.

Should we let it rest for another two days?

The instructions for use did not specify the composition of the liquid.

But the color changes of the Morning Dew Worm made Liang Qu think that the water was a good thing. He couldn't really drink the water used to soak the insects, but he was also reluctant to spill it.

After a moment's thought.

The Treasure Box was closed.

Wait two more days, until the full fifteen days are up.

Liang Qu left the Quiet Room to have breakfast in the kitchen. As he walked through the covered corridor, he suddenly noticed that the West Wing was open. He took two steps forward and peeked inside.

"Master?"

The Old Monk was tidying up the bookshelf and putting the books away when he heard the sound and bowed to Liang Qu.

Liang Qu stepped across the threshold. "When did you return, Master? Why didn't you let me know?"

"I had just returned when Xing Lai me that Benefactor were in seclusion, so I did not disturb you." The Old Monk looked Liang Qu up and down. "Congratulations on your further Golden Body in your Benefactor."

"The master's insight is truly remarkable! He has consumed a Treasure Plant."

Liang Qu didn't find it strange; he had just finished circulating his energy, and his aura hadn't dissipated yet.

The Old Monk must have practiced the "Subduing Dragon and Tiger Adamantine Skill," so it's not difficult to tell.

The Old Monk clasped his hands together and said, "Benefactor with great fortune."

Liang Qu chuckled and changed the subject, asking about serious matters, "Master, did you gain anything from your trip to Hua Zhu County? Did you capture the Heretical Monk?"

The Old Monk said, "When I arrived, there were indeed some traces of Qi Concealment in some parts of Hua Zhu County, but I did not find the Heretical Monk."

The dam collapse was indeed orchestrated by someone with malicious intent! Liang Qu hurriedly asked, "Was it collected as Calamity Qi?"

"I don't know."

So much time has passed that many traces have become blurred, and even though the Old Monk had come into contact with the Heretical Monk, he could no longer tell.

However, Liang Qu knew that he was probably right.

The Old Monk said he didn't know, because a true monk doesn't lie.

Qi Consumption is so difficult; it requires special containers and must be prepared in advance.

What good can come from a large county that has suffered a disaster? Even if Liang Qu itself has the Withered Wood Spring Qi, it still needs to wither away first.

Amidst a multitude of thoughts, the Old Monk suddenly spoke up, "Although the opponent Qi Concealment, they did not succeed."

"It didn't work?" Liang Qu looked up. "How can you be so sure, Master?"

"The Long Qi is elusive. Once the Qi Concealment, it becomes a tangible thing within the container, generating qi. In Hua Zhu County, there are only traces of Qi Concealment, but no qi remains. It seems that the effort was in vain at the last moment before it was born."

Liang Qu kept a Mind's Eye.

Will a successful collection leave behind an aura? Or will it generate a source of energy?

"Is there no sign of life in Hua Zhu County?"

"No."

Hmm.

Did you collect the Withered Wood Spring Qi, but leave no trace of it?

Could it be that they collected too much? After thinking it over, Liang Qu felt that this was the only possibility, but then he realized another serious problem.

"If they fail this time, won't they try again when they have another chance?"

The Old Monk moved his prayer beads silently.

Silence indicates agreement.

Liang Qu frowned, knowing that there was a powerful Great Martial Master in Huaiyin Prefecture who was causing trouble, which was quite unsettling.

Who knows if the next time this Heretical Monk stirs up trouble, it might backfire on him?

This time it was a case of a dam breaking and flooding, which basically did not affect the Martial Master.

Next time, who knows, it might be that Heretical Monk stirring up trouble, causing bloodshed, and deliberately luring Great Demon Shang An. Even that Wolf Smoke Expert will have a hard time keeping up.

"I have to tell my Master."

Liang Qu struck with his fist.

He thought this thing was useless; it was mostly Great Martial Master was just one step away from becoming Grandmaster by absorbing Qi Consumption, and couldn't possibly deal with a great expert.

The imperial court has many capable people.

It's not up to a Galloping Horse Martial Master horseback, whose Wolf Smoke hasn't even begun, to speculate.