Found a new meal ticket
"Fourth Elder, this way please."
Long Binglin, like a lotus leaf, swoops down, leading the way in the front row.
Liang Qu followed closely behind, in a cheerful mood.
He came to the Dragon Man Clan Grounds, and before half a night had passed, he had transformed himself into the Fourth Elder of the Dragon Man Tribe! A powerful one! The matter of mobilizing five hundred Galloping Horse Dragonfolk to stop the Snake Demon, which happened last time, no longer needs to be reported or discussed; he can simply send someone to deliver the order!
The First Elder's suggestion was not a spur-of-the-moment decision; it must have been carefully considered beforehand, as Long Zongyin showed no surprise on his face.
The Third Elder knew about it.
After much deliberation, Liang Qu had no reason to refuse.
Unite those who should be united, and strike back against those who should be struck back.
The Dragonfolk race has no obvious external enemies or adversaries. Although they have a grudge against the Flood Dragon, they can only take action because of the Old Dragon Lord's reputation and they need to be caught red-handed.
obvious.
In the relationship between the two, the one most likely to become the leverage is the "White Ape" who steals Favorability.
Liang Qu himself wouldn't give it to the Snake Clan, Iron Head Fish Clan would hand over the knife handle. The Dragon Man Tribe would never be so reckless as to confront the Flood Dragon head-on and suffer total annihilation.
The only requirement is that once the identity is acknowledged, it should not be publicized everywhere.
Those at the top and those Dragonfolk are aware of this without any hindrance.
The lower-level Dragonfolk all know that once the news leaks out, it's easy for scheming snakes to deduce something suspicious.
"My lord, the clan's preparations were hasty and are not as spacious as your residence on land. When the opportunity arises in the future, we will certainly build a grand mansion again."
Long Binglin led Liang Qu to a large wooden house, entwined with fluorescent vines. It was a small courtyard, and he felt quite ashamed.
"It's alright, here's a place to sleep."
The Dragonfolk lived in a basin surrounded by low mountains, with Great King Lotus growing all around, leaving little land available for cultivation.
It was no easy feat to find an extra cabin.
also.
Liang Qu certainly wouldn't live there for long.
The dampness underwater is nothing compared to the comfort of a dry, rough bed with soft sheets on land, which is essential for replenishing your energy.
"E Ying has gone to pick Lotus Seeds and will be back shortly. If there is nothing urgent, Binglin..."
"Wait, I need to ask you something."
"Please ask, sir."
How long does it take to properly Qi Consumption?
Upon arriving, Liang Qu obtained two strands of Dragon Seed Aura, which matched the number of the Dragon Man Tribe Grandmaster.
If the conjecture is true.
When Long Yanrui breaks through, a third strand of Dragon Seed Aura will appear, which will be used to evolve the Ying Long Mark.
"Strictly speaking, if the medium is suitable, it won't take long to consume the Qi Consumption alone. It's an excellent sign, and success will be achieved within three days. The key is to use the Heaven and Earth Long Qi to build one's own Divine Ability and integrate them into a system."
It's like building a house. Once all the materials are gathered, the rest depends on the combined efforts of bricklayers and carpenters. This isn't something that can be done overnight; it depends on individual skill. If everything goes smoothly for Yan Rui, it might take half a month or even a month.
Long Binglin, as one of the candidates, was already very familiar with the process and could recite it from memory.
Not too long.
Liang Qu silently counted the days.
"Grown ups."
Long E Ying stepped over the threshold, a small bamboo basket slung over her arm, filled with shelled, bright green Lotus Seeds, piled up like a small mountain on Porcelain Plate.
"These are Lotus Seeds from the Great King Lotus. They nourish the spleen and kidneys, calm the mind and soothe the nerves. They are very nourishing. Some of them just started to bloom this year, so we specially picked the first batch to help you, Elder, to nourish your body."
"Thank you for your trouble."
With the "Nose Consciousness Method," Liang Qu was not worried about being poisoned. He took two pills and put them in his mouth, and the astringent bitter taste spread.
[Marsh Essence +22]
[Marsh Essence +24]
A quick glance.
More than one hundred.
Two thousand+ essences have been obtained.
"Is it similar to how Dragon Man Tribe grow Great King Lotus every year?" Liang Qu leaned against the wooden table, half-reclined. "When I came here, I saw many Dragon Girl chasing the water, using hook knives to cut lotus roots on the hills and carrying them down the mountain."
"Your Excellency is right. The Dragon Man Tribe's food supply mostly comes from this. The Great King Lotus can be harvested in Spring Summer Autumn Winter, just like rice for humans," Long Binglin said.
"It tastes rather bland."
Liang Qu could hardly imagine a year-round staple food consisting of lotus root.
"Isn't your mouth bland?" Long E Ying laughed. "I've been eating this since I was a child. The Great King Lotus is especially sweet. I've heard that people in the North eat noodles and people in the South eat rice. I suppose the principle is the same."
"Cultivation is about eating and drinking as you please."
Liang Qu grabbed a handful of Lotus Seeds and stuffed them into his mouth.
[Marsh Essence +624]
How much Marsh Essence Seed, the Great King Lotus of the Frog Clan, possess?
My thoughts drifted away.
night.
All was silent.
The fluorescent blue vines shimmered with a faint light.
"Hey, we should bring the Mirage Worm."
Liang Qu tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
The Dragon Man Tribe don't sleep in beds. Instead, they grow a broad-bellied plant similar to Pitcher Plant, crawl inside, half-lying down and half-standing, and then close the lid, and the world becomes quiet.
However, he dawdled until midnight.
Liang Qu was still not used to it, so he went out and called over the patrolling Dragonfolk. He picked a lotus leaf for himself, spread it on the ground, and sat down to meditate.
[ By Absorb Dragon Seed Aura, one can generate a Ying Long Mark pattern.]
Unlike the expensive cost of obtaining the essence of Long Qi and Marsh Essence, which is favored by the River Chief's Favor Ascension, increasing the number of Ying Long Mark only requires absorbing the Dragon Seed Aura.
"The first level of the River Lord requires no consumption, and he descends with favor. The second level requires one Heaven and Earth Long Qi and ten thousand essences. The third level requires two, and twenty thousand essences."
The Ying Long Mark has one layer, two layers, three layers, and so on, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
You get what you pay for.
Liang Qu stroked his chin. He was in the Dragon Man Clan Grounds, and instead of acting rashly, he merely pondered.
The River Lord permanently enhances his talent and comprehension.
The Ying Long Mark Wandering the Six Voids.
The two are incomparable in importance.
"Ying Long Mark is raised to a certain level, can it be exchanged for the Ying Long Favor?"
"What effects will it have Ying Long Favor?"
"Where can I improve my Tian Wu Mark?"
The divine is clear, yet its nature remains unknown.
Liang Qu cut off his thoughts and replaced sleep with meditation and internal energy cultivation.
The next two days.
Under the pretext of providing nourishment for the Elder, Long E Ying delivered a basket of freshly picked Great King Lotus to them every morning and evening.
The Marsh Essence was too tempting, Liang Qu ate it all, until his mouth was dry and bitter, filled with the taste of Lotus Seeds.
Lotus Seeds are plentiful and densely packed, do not take up much space in the stomach, and unlike strong medicines, they are not overly potent. They are considered one of the most effective ways to quickly replenish one's essence.
Just five Lotus Seeds feasts were enough to make up for the loss of 10,000 essence.
"Are the Lotus Seeds not ripe yet?"
Liang Qu picked up a seed and held it up to the sunlight.
The Lotus Seeds delivered today were nearly half-sized, light in color, and extremely bitter.
Some of the Marsh Essence is only available in single digits, as if it was dug out before it was fully ripe.
"The Great King Lotus is available all year round, but the Lotus Seeds only mature in July and August. The few plants that mature early in June are almost all harvested."
They ripen in July and August.
Liang Qu secretly remembered it and swallowed the Lotus Seeds in one gulp.
"There's no need to bring Lotus Seeds tomorrow; I've fully recovered."
"Recovery is recovery, and it is only right that the losses be compensated. Elder Liang helped the Dragon Man Tribe, so he should be rewarded."
"The Dragonfolk are truly simple and honest." Liang Qu coughed twice. "I haven't been home for two days and I'm already preparing to go back. I'll come back to visit again in July or August when the crops are ripe. By then, Yan Rui should have made some progress."
Long E Ying suddenly realized.
"Elder Liang is the Fourth Elder, so there's no question of him being a guest. He can come whenever he wants. Please wait a moment while I inform the other Elder."
He watched the Dragon Girl leave.
Liang Qu took a walk outside the house.
Wherever he went, Dragonfolk and Dragon Girl greeted him.
The Dragonfolk Dragonfolk was unaware of the matter concerning the Fourth Elder, but he was well aware that Liang Qu had been of great help to him, and thus showed him the utmost respect.
The water is flowing.
It's neither dry nor hot.
Not feeling depressed or frustrated.
It truly has the feel of Peach Blossom Spring.
Standing on the eaves, one can witness the Dragon Girl bustling about under the midday sun, and occasionally see several sitting sideways on the heads of Fat Catfish, their bodies undulating like swimming dragons.
Upon arriving in the Dragon Man Clan Grounds, the Fat Catfish are the happiest.
They would set out at the crack of dawn and return in the evening, carrying the Dragon Girl every day, darting from one mountain peak to another.
In this way, whenever a lotus root is dug up, the Fat Catfish waiting nearby always gets a few slices of lotus root as a reward.
"Won't it accumulate to the maximum amount on its own, right?"
The Fat Catfish had been going to the Frog Clan for free meals every day recently, eating sea fish demons, and then coming back to brag to "Cannot Move" and "Round Head," feeling quite smug.
Sometimes they even wanted to eat and take some back for the gods to eat.
However, Liang Qu clearly remembered the words of advice given by Xiang Fangsu Ke Wenbin when they explored the island of the Ghost Mother Sect.
It's fine if I have a big appetite, but bringing food back to family and friends can easily cause resentment, so I always politely decline.
On a whim.
Liang Qu investigated the amount of essence required for the evolution of the Fat Catfish.
[Can consume 14,637 points of Marsh Essence...]
The fifth evolution requires 25,000 points of Marsh Essence, leaving only a gap of 14,000. Compared to the one or two thousand points that Round Head and Fist have accumulated, it's far ahead! A Fei has already saved up almost half of it!
The Fat Catfish's ability to socialize with everyone was secretly alarming.
"I guess I've found a new job."
My gaze drifted into the distance.
The Dragon Girl stood on the hillside and fed the lotus roots.
The Fat Catfish straightened up and slapped its belly.