Strength in Numbers!

Slurp, slurp~ Liang Qu held a large porcelain bowl, ate noodles in big mouthfuls, picked up a fried egg with round chopsticks, the orange-yellow yolk flowing out, and stuffed it into his mouth before it dripped, the aroma of fat filling the air.

Glug~ A sip of clear tea goes down smoothly.

Su Guishan picked up a piece of braised broad bean, popped it into his mouth to savor it, and laughed at Liang Qu's eating habits.

"Have you not eaten all day, kid?"

"More than just one day." Liang Qu shoveled the scraps of meat from the bottom of the bowl in a few bites, laid down his long chopsticks, and wiped the grease from the corners of his mouth. "I only ate one meal last night, and I haven't eaten a single thing since I came to you."

"Have you figured it out yet?"

"It's far from enough. We went too early and couldn't see anything. We'll probably see some signs two or three days from now before we can really see what's going on."

As Liang Qu spoke, Chen Xiu took away the empty bowl and served him another. He picked up his chopsticks, lowered his head, and continued eating noodles to satisfy his hunger.

I got back too late and missed dinner, only managing to have a late-night snack.

Fried pork ribs with garlic, braised broad beans, and spicy duck heads were all too much trouble to eat; you had to gnaw on them and spit out the skin. So, Aunt Zhang simply made two bowls of noodles.

The prepared fresh meat sauce, blanched bok choy, two fried eggs, and chopped green onions are all served on top.

Cook the thin noodles, rinse them in cold water, knead them slightly, coat them with sauce until they're not too hot to eat, and enjoy them to your heart's content.

After finishing two bowls, Liang Qu also asked Su Guishan.

"Uncle, what about you? Did you catch any fish?"

"Jianghuai fish are smart and they hatch very early. What, are you trying to drive me away?"

"Uncle, you're joking. How can you kick out your own relatives?" Liang Qu picked up his chopsticks and stirred the remaining meat sauce. "I'm just worried that you might ruin my little courtyard. It's just a few acres of land, not worth much money, but it represents the goodwill of the villagers."

Su Guishan spat out the broad bean skin and leaned back in his recliner. "The fish escaped once, and its mouth was cut open by the iron hook. It can't even find food to heal its wounds properly, let alone come back to eat the bait."

To catch it again, it will take at least a month for its lips to heal, roughly until June or July.

Chen Xiu asked in bewilderment, "There are so many Big Fish in the Jianghuai, why do you insist on fishing for just one? I do know a good fishing spot with plenty of Big Fish; my father often goes there to catch fish."

"Hahaha!" Liang Qu laughed twice, straightened up, and handed over an empty bowl. "Get to work, don't eavesdrop."

Su Guishan smiled without saying a word and quietly ate his broad beans.

Chen Xiu wanted to say that she hadn't been eavesdropping and that she was just speaking loudly, but after thinking about it, she pursed her lips, picked up her bowl, and left.

Liang Qu asked, "If the fish is injured, will it not take the bait next time and return to its nest on its own?"

"No plan in this world is perfect. Whether it is or not, if I can't catch anything by August, I'll pack up and leave. Who would just waste time like that?"

"Uncle, I've heard that there are not only Big Fish in the river, but also Giant Crocodile. Why have I never seen one?"

Logically speaking, once you come Shang An, eat two chickens and a pig, and then immediately escape, no one should be able to stop you, right...?

Su Guishan shook his head.

Have you ever heard of acting on a whim?

"I know that the Unseen one's strength reaches a certain level, one may be able to sense something that has happened or has not yet happened. My Master told me about this."

"The same principle applies to the supernatural tales that circulate among the people. There is a saying about 'blocking the secrets of heaven,' which is precisely to do the opposite of what is expected and to carry out ambushes."

Unfortunately, at a certain level, to "conceal the secrets of heaven," to do great things without attracting attention, is extremely difficult. Often, one is aware of things before they are done, and once actions are taken, flaws are revealed, creating opportunities.

Liang Qu raised an eyebrow.

Is that so mysterious?

"One of the main purposes of the imperial court spending great effort and money to build the All Fields Celestial Instrument for the Imperial Astronomical Bureau was precisely this."

There is also a Cosmos Myriad Phenomena Wheel in Southern Zhili, and when the Great Qian fled, he specifically took two Star Fate Plate with him to save his life.

The reason you were able to achieve such a brilliant victory last time was ostensibly because you caught the enemy off guard and won quickly, wiping out the entire branch by the time they realized what was happening.

There were two other factors at play: first, the Martial Saint hadn't made a move, only the Xuanbing weapon; second, the Celestial Instrument and the Myriad Manifestations Wheel were unleashing their power...

Su Guishan was halfway through his sentence when Chen Xiu brought over the noodles.

Liang Qu wasn't in a hurry to listen; he ate his noodles heartily and pondered on his own.

Halfway through his meal, he used two fingers of his left hand to bite off a noodle.

"Two more bowls of noodles, you and Aunt Zhang go back and rest, we'll clean up tomorrow."

"Good."

After Chen Xiu left, Liang Qu pondered and understood.

The so-called "All Fields Celestial Instrument" is nothing more than radar and satellites. The Martial Saint's presence is too strong, like a missile silo that has been built. Other radars and satellites are all guarding against you, watching you every day.

The moment the launch silo is opened, it is immediately detected. Before the launch can even begin, or before it is even halfway through its flight, the enemy will take advantage of the moment when the defenses are weak and bomb it.

However, it is highly likely that both sides realized each other's intentions, and in their impulsiveness, when they looked at the fully opened launch silos on the satellite map, their minds went cold, and they pressed each other down, their standing bodies pressing each other down.

The Martial Saint of Southern Zhili and the Martial Saint of the Ghost Mother Sect likely went through several rounds of psychological warfare, with the hilt of their swords loosening and tightening repeatedly.

The Da Shun Dynasty was large in size and had many enemies.

It's impossible for the northern garrison to suddenly withdraw from the border and move completely south. Once the south is defeated, the north will be in complete chaos. If they were to be recalled, the south, which has not yet been fully assimilated, would resurface.

With multiple parties locked in a standoff, caution is advised when taking action.

The cultivation of Martial Saint is hard-won. Unless you have a significant advantage and can overwhelmingly defeat the enemy, who would be willing to take the risk?

"I'll just let you ask me questions, kid. I should ask you how you plan to handle this huge fortuitous opportunity?"

The Old Turtle is to Su Guishan what the Water Beast are to Liang Qu.

Letting the Old Turtle perform on stage was something Su Guishan couldn't possibly hide from him.

Liang Qu didn't care that Su Guishan knew; as Great Grandmaster, the Old Monk's insights were far more important than a Long Qi.

"In the past, we would just take advantage of a strange phenomenon and run away. Other kids didn't have the ability or the qualifications to participate. Besides, I'm planning to call more people."

"Oh, why?"

"Right now, we don't have many powerful forces left, just the Dragon Frog Two Clans. But if we wait until the next two or three days, we'll be able to detect quite a few strange beasts. Once the news gets out, the Great Demon and Spirit Monster in the vicinity will definitely come over. It's too dangerous for me to go alone."

Furthermore, wouldn't it be difficult to secure a good spot to observe the unusual phenomenon? I've heard that the closer one is to the celestial phenomenon and the more dispersed the people around, the better the effect of cleansing one's true energy? Otherwise, gathering too densely will scatter one's spiritual energy?

"That's true," Su Guishan agreed. "Whenever there are unusual celestial phenomena, the Lineage members who happen to be there will often have their elders or guards clear out a space."

In the realm of "Wolf Smoke Realm," it's best to have only one person per acre to fully monopolize the rich spiritual energy within the area.

Liang Qu seemed to be deep in thought.

After eating and drinking to our hearts' content, we returned to the pond.

The moonlight was hazy, and the pond water rippled with silvery waves.

The aquarium was crowded with nine Da Bao carp swimming around.

The Old Turtle perked up. "You little rascal, you've kept me waiting! We agreed to eat tomorrow, what time is it now?"

Liang Qu reached out and pinched out a thread, pointed at the moon, and laughed, "It's not Zi Hour yet, is it? I haven't broken my promise."

Wu Cangshou curled his lip. "You little rascal, you're not honest. You fooled the Toad and then the turtle. I'd better watch out."

"Shou Lord has truly wronged someone." Liang Qu took out the Azure Wolf, placed the Treasure Fish on the ground, and traced the tip of his knife over the fish's head. "That kid should give Shou Lord a larger share as an apology. The fish head should pass behind the pectoral fins, with a small piece of the belly attached. It's very plump and delicious. Is that alright?"

Wu Cangshou's eyes lit up.

"Alright, alright, let's divide it like this, let's divide it like this! I misjudged you, your sincerity is as clear as day!"

"Alright, Ta Ta Kai, go start the fire!"