At Home in Every Direction

The grotesque snake head was torn open, revealing white bones, black scales, and a rotten mass of red blood. The scales, shattered by extreme terror, could not be straightened, and its vertical pupils were dull and lifeless, clearly indicating that it was beyond dead.

Even so, its body, which was over a hundred feet long, still exuded a terrifying aura!

The villagers swallowed hard, their legs went weak, and their brains, which had been flushed with excitement at the momentary victory, quickly cooled down as they stepped back.

As a result, wherever the Dragonfolk went, it was like boiling water being poured on snow, and the crowds dispersed silently.

"Get back, all of you!"

"Make way!"

The soldiers were afraid of the giant snake, but even more afraid of Reverse Flow the County Magistrate. They mustered their courage and went against the current, tearing through the human wall to create a path around the rotting snake's head.

At the end of the path, Liu Shiqin's face was radiant. He didn't notice the snake blood's stench at all; instead, he felt the vibrant spring, the birdsong, and the fragrance of flowers.

He led the two family heads and a group of Wolf Smoke Expert, quickly stepping forward.

Faced with Long Pinghe and Long Pingjiang, who were much taller than him and stood out from the crowd, Liu Shiqin had no choice but to look up at them and greet them with clasped hands.

"May I ask how you two valiant men are addressed? And who is your acquaintance with Water Official Liang...?"

Long Pingjiang originally wanted to talk about his subordinates, but considering Liang Qu's instructions, he changed the subject.

"Long Pingjiang, a friend, was investigating the whereabouts of the large snake underwater, so he did not come Shang An."

"So it was you, Warrior Long. I am deeply ashamed to have been implicated and troubled. Lord Liang is a man of his word and a man of his word, and he has done what is right. Our dynasty is truly fortunate to have such outstanding men!"

Liu Shiqin kept saying nice things to him.

They thought he was just a frivolous young master from a noble Aristocratic Clan, recklessly claiming credit based on an imperial edict. Little did they know that he had already laid a trap underwater, easily capturing the Snake Demon that had been troubling Fragrant Town for months!

The Great Martial Master slays the True Image, Wolf Smoke kill the Water Demon.

The rivers and lakes are full of talented people; it would be quite a story if word got out! The martial arts masters from the Li and Zhang families echoed their sentiments.

After some pleasantries and flattery, Liu Shiqin looked at the dead snake and saw that the muscles in the wound were still twitching. "I wonder what this snake was..."

"As the magistrate sees, the Snake Demon has been eliminated and there is no possibility of it causing any more trouble. It is merely dead but not yet stiff. However, Lord Liang still has important matters to attend to underwater, so he specially ordered the two of us to Shang An to report the good news."

"Lord Long, can we set sail after today?"

Long Pingjiang turned to look at the villagers who had dared to shout.

"No need for tomorrow, we can set sail right now!"

In an instant, the entire wharf erupted in thunderous cheers.

That Water Control Official is truly incredibly capable! Liu Shiqin felt completely relaxed. "Quickly, I must host a banquet at Xunyang Restaurant! On behalf of the people of Fragrant Township County, I will properly reward Lord Liang!"

Li Xiaoheng and Zhang Wenhu knew they would have to pay out of their own pockets again, but since the snake had resolved the issue, neither side felt any displeasure.

Congratulations!

Bottom of the Jianghuai.

The excitement on the shore doesn't reach here.

The silt settled, and the broken water plants flew everywhere.

Liang Qu lay sprawled on the ground in a star shape.

He was completely limp, his strength to even walk was exhausted, and the Divine Wood Brand on his back, which should have lasted for a moment, was now dull and lifeless. The little bit of blood and Qi and Blood he had managed to recover was all used to fight against the Snake Demon's green poison.

In the battle with the giant snake, Liang Qu suffered almost no physical injuries, except for being completely exhausted and only being contaminated by a small amount of snake venom.

The Snake Demon's green poison is exceptionally potent and has a wide-ranging effect, making it inevitable to be contaminated with some during intense battles.

The Antidote Pill prepared by the Zhang and Li families had some effect, but its medicinal properties were ultimately formulated based on the venom of the Snake Demon demon's offspring, so the effects differed somewhat.

Fortunately, they were all minor issues.

Liang Qu had taken the Two Lives Flower, which is immune to all poisons and to some extent resisted the effects of poisoning. With the large-scale dilution, he could just hold out for a while with his own strength.

Not far away, the Fist- shaped creature crawled around, cleaning up the battlefield. Following Liang Qu's instructions, it went to a specific location to dig through the soil and unearthed the Abyssal Wood Bow and the Bloodstone Arm Guard.

Nothing was missing or damaged.

After gathering all the weapons and equipment, Liang Qu had Round Head lift him up, then sat cross-legged and circulated his internal energy to quickly regain his mobility.

Having finally defeated the giant snake, we must seize the opportunity to make some more.

The sky was high and the clouds were light, and the sunlight was intense.

In mid-April, the midday sun felt somewhat scorching.

Birds and beasts roamed the Great Marsh, each folding its wings and pecking at the bits of meat floating on the water.

The Dragonfolk sat in the corner, silently drinking tea.

More and more people, hearing that the giant snake had been eliminated, rushed to the vicinity of the wharf. When they saw the long snake stretching across the distance like a high wall, they all exclaimed in surprise and were extremely curious about Liang Qu, who had slain the snake.

After making inquiries, I only confirmed one thing.

The one who slew the snake was a handsome young man!

There was a big White Ape by his side! Liu Shiqin waited and waited, his ears tired of hearing the people's praise, but there was still no sign of Liang Qu. Not wanting to leave early, he simply sent people to drag the entire long snake Shang An, straighten its shape, and measure its length.

Soldiers would take long strips of cloth, mark the measurements, and walk on the snake's back, overlapping the strips to measure back and forth and record the numbers.

Repeat it three times to confirm that it is correct, then shout it out.

"Your Excellency, the total is one hundred and twelve zhang and three and a half chi!"

The crowd of onlookers erupted in uproar, and the news spread by word of mouth, creating a cacophony of voices.

"Wow, it really is over a hundred feet long! This is amazing!"

"I've never seen such a long snake in my life!"

"The previous two were already several tens of meters long, right?"

"Of course, how can a son be more important than his father?"

"And also, did you see that? Those two people who dragged the snake up there were really tall too?"

"Could it be underwater too? I feel like all the things that grow underwater are much bigger than those on land!"

"That young man is truly extraordinary! He can ride White Ape and slay a giant serpent!"

Beside the desk, a servant from the Prefectural Office prepared the ink. Liu Shiqin, having learned the specific information about the Snake Demon, personally licked the brush to record it, noting the snake's size on the page. He then looked up at the sky and wrote down the weather and season.

For Fragrant Township County, killing a Snake Demon that was harming the villagers was a matter of utmost importance!

This kind of thing only happened once every few decades, so it naturally had to be recorded in detail in the county annals. Now we're noting down the key information, and in a couple of days we'll write it all down as an article and enter it into the county annals!

Just as inspiration was flowing, a commotion arose among the soldiers on the shore, and one soldier quickly passed through the crowd.

"Your Excellency, Lord Liang has Shang An!"

"Shang An? Come with me to meet them immediately!"

Liu Shiqin was dizzy from the sun. When he heard that Liang Qu Shang An, he immediately put down his pen and strode forward to greet him.

As soon as they arrived at the dock, Liu Shiqin saw Liang Qu, shirtless and disregarding his image, climb Shang An and gasp for breath.

The villagers swarmed in from behind, standing on tiptoe to get a better look.

"Water Official Liang, Water Official Liang!" Liu Shiqin stepped forward with a big smile, calling out in a particularly warm voice.

"Magistrate Liu".

Liang Qu cupped his hands in greeting, but didn't get up. He had just been treated for snake venom, and his legs were sore and weak; he really didn't want to move much.

Liu Shiqin was not annoyed at all. He turned around and asked someone to find him some suitable clothes and a carriage.

The Zhang Clan and Li Family also sent two bottles of Essence Enhancing Pill to restore physical strength.

Liang Qu accepted the pills but did not consume them.

There is no immediate danger, so there's no need to take elixirs to recover.

I changed my clothes.

"So handsome!"

"How smug! Wouldn't it be great if he were my son-in-law?"

"Drunk on alcohol and daydreaming?"

"Where's the White Ape? Where's the White Ape you were talking about?"

The people on the riverbank whispered among themselves, while the Liang Qu remained calm and undisturbed.

Having heard so much about snakes in Yi Xing Town, they were more surprised by the length of the snake described by others.

One hundred and twelve zhang, that is a full three hundred and seventy meters, close to four hundred!

If a single Hunting Tiger Snake Demon can be this powerful, what about those above it?

Liang Qu couldn't help but recall the Great Flood Dragon that Erlang Slaying the Dragon. It was mostly submerged in the water, and there were no reference points to measure its size, but its two eyes alone were like furnaces, so it was probably at least several hundred feet long.

The Demon Race race focuses all their skills on physical strength, and their sizes are increasingly exaggerated.

When the carriage arrived, Liu Shiqin invited them to a banquet.

Liang Qu readily agreed, skipped lunch, and fought another fierce battle with the Snake Demon, leaving him with an empty stomach.

The Dragonfolk Brothers politely declined and took their leave, as they were simply not comfortable in the atmosphere.

Seeing that Liang Qu acquiesced, Liu Shiqin did not press the matter.

The group moved to the table, where Liang Qu, without any hesitation, sat down at the head of the table and began to eat heartily.

The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, urging the dishes to be served, while all eyes turned to the county magistrate.

Liu Shiqin was filled with anxiety and tentatively asked, "Lord Liang, what exactly is that giant ape?"

The White Ape suddenly appeared and forcefully threw the giant snake out of the water; its immense strength was terrifying.

After that, everyone personally experienced the serpent's aura plummeting with a muffled thud until it dissipated!

It's truly a case of one thing subduing another, so satisfying and exhilarating! Liang Qu's expression remained unchanged. "I happened to run into it last year while swimming, and helped it out a little. Over time, we became friends. Asking it to help deal with a Snake Demon is no big deal."

Liang Qu didn't speak completely, only revealing fragmented information in his words, which led everyone to automatically imagine a grand drama.

Liang Qu rescued the White Ape from the water, White Ape repaid the kindness...

No wonder.

Zhang Wenhu, Li Xiaoheng couldn't help but think to himself.

You should have said so earlier if there were monkeys underwater; otherwise, the situation would have been much more difficult to resolve if you had offered them benefits back then.

After receiving the money, I felt like I had been scammed.

Liu Shiqin continued, "And those two heroes who dragged the Snake Demon Shang An, it seems..."

"Oh, they're also aquatic creatures, nothing to be surprised about."

"Aquatic aliens?"

Just as expected!

Ordinary people don't have such tall heads, especially with a well-proportioned physique; they are definitely not deformed.

It's another aquatic creature, and another White Ape.

This Lord Liang is quite influential underwater! The crowd's awe only grew stronger.

Liu Shiqin said enviously, "Lord Liang is truly blessed!"

On the shore, there was the Sacred Emperor's Edict; underwater, there were White Ape providing assistance.

Why worry about a bumpy career? Everyone expressed their envy, and no one doubted the relationship between the White Ape and Liang Qu.

A human turning into a demon is too outrageous.

Besides, before this dynasty succeeded, didn't it associate with the Dragon Lord and cultivate the Dragon Blood Horse? Liang Qu's ability to befriend the Water Demon, gain his help, and defeat the Snake Demon is an incredible feat!

Fill it to about half full.

Li Xiaoheng took the initiative to ask, "Lord Liang, what are your plans for dealing with that Snake Demon on the wharf?"

Without hesitation, Liang Qu said, "Keep the snake gallbladder separately, refine the snake bones into elixirs, take all the scales from the spine on its back, and one-third of the snake meat."

The rest is all yours. I don't know anyone here, so I'll need your two families to help me handle it.

The difference between Great Monster Spirit and a demon is not just a change in name; the value of the spirit itself increases significantly!

Liang Qu wants to take all the profits he can get.

Snake gallbladders are negligible in weight and volume compared to the whole snake, but in terms of economic value, the opposite is true.

More than half of a snake's value lies in its gallbladder! Excluding the gallbladder, the bones, and the hardest part—the scales— Liang Qu alone takes more than 70% of the profits.

Moreover, letting the Zhang Clan and Li Family handle it would also provide an excuse for them to linger.

The two families hired people to refine pills, which would take at least ten days to half a month to complete. They took this opportunity to search for the Mermaid Ruins.

"What a pity," Zhang Wenhu sighed. "It's early summer now. If you had come three months earlier, the snake gall would have been of the highest quality."

The efficacy of snake bile is best in winter, followed by late autumn and early summer, while the quality of bile is worst in summer.

It's late spring/early summer now, not the worst time, but Snake Demon appear in the dead of winter. If you kill one then, you can get a top-quality snake gall.

"It doesn't matter whether it's a pity or not, as long as it's not the worst, it's worth it."

Everyone praised Liang Qu's magnanimity.

Liang Qu responded with a few words and ate his fill of vegetables.

He didn't like drinking, and no one dared to urge him to drink. Only a few family heads, the county magistrate, and the Wolf Smoke Expert drank freely.

After several rounds of drinks...

Liu Shiqin was drunk, his face flushed, and he slumped onto the table, pouring out his grievances.

"What bad luck! It's strange, but in the past ten or twenty years, it's been rare for Great Monster Spirit to come ashore. But this year, they suddenly appeared, and two of them appeared at once. After the younger one was defeated, the older one came. I heard that they also appeared in the neighboring Lianshui County, but they didn't stay for long. I think we should send the Martial Saint to the Dragon Palace to kill the Flood Dragon's arrogance!"

Liang Qu scratched his temples, remaining silent.

He certainly couldn't admit the true purpose of these Great Monster Spirit coming to the South Bank...

Of the Demon Court Four Pillars, the Toad and the tortoise are two who obey orders but not summons, but the other half do obey.

If he were in the north or east, the situation might be even worse.

Eat well.

Outside, the festivities continued as usual, with villagers beating drums and gongs in celebration.

The Zhang Clan and Li Family each sent people to deal with the snake's corpse.

In the afternoon, Liang Qu received a dark green snake gallbladder, which was much smaller than the snake's huge body.

It can be picked up by one person's arms and placed in the air, emitting a strong, bitter smell.

Liang Qu hugged the wooden box, feeling a mix of emotions.

Last year, I still needed my Master's help to deal with the Sturgeon Fish Demon, but now it's only been a year.

He was already capable of dealing with a giant Snake Demon on his own.

Time flies.

We'll eat when we get back.

Liang Qu carefully put away the snake gallbladder, not in a hurry.

In contrast to the celebrations outside, Long Pinghe and Long Pingjiang were plunged into a rare moment of confusion.

Before today, the two believed that Liang Qu was truly the Dragon Lord Reincarnation. Even though Liang Qu denied it, they simply assumed that his memories had not yet returned.

Otherwise, how could a mere Galloping Horse Martial Master display such miraculous abilities as enlightening Spirit Monster and Water Control? But now, seeing that enormous White Ape with unparalleled divine power, the two were completely bewildered.

Could it be that there's really a mistake?

Was all that work for nothing for half a year?

If he is truly the Dragon Lord, why does he exhibit such a drastically different change?

Dragon Lord and Ape...

There's really not much in common! "Big brother, do you think the Dragon Lord really reincarnates?"

"The Elder said he would."

"Even human Martial Saint have never been heard of being able to reincarnate."

When Long Pingjiang heard his younger brother's question, he couldn't answer and fell silent.

It is true that Demon Race are born with strong bodies, but humans are born with spiritual awakening, and all kinds of martial Cultivation Method and moves are constantly emerging. Although their bodies are inferior, they can make up for it with Cultivation Method and martial arts, making them far more functional than Demon Race.

Would the Dragon Lord really possess something that even humans don't have?

Thinking of this, the two brothers suddenly lost sight of the meaning of life and fell into nihilism.

With the Dragon Lord gone, the extinction of the Dragonfolk is only a matter of time...

Just then, the Fat Catfish, which was playing with a group of lobsters, seemed to sense the loneliness of the Dragonfolk brothers. It swam over, patted the two on the shoulders with its fin, and its two Long Whiskers danced.

The Dragonfolk brothers were taken aback.

"Seek another wise ruler?"