The Marsh Cauldron emitted a faint blue glow.
[Cauldron Master: Liang Qu]
[Refining Marsh Spirit: Water Monkey (White) (Fusion Rate: 70.6%)]
[Innate Skill: Water Leap]
[Water Essence: None]
[River Affinity: 0.0001 (Huai River)]
[Aquatic Beast Command: Grand Marsh Crocodile, Six-Whiskered Catfish, Stone-Claw Crab, Heavenly Water Centipede]
[Evaluation: The Water Monkey Marsh Spirit originates from the great Huai Whirlpool Lord, but it is not fully awakened, thus deemed insignificant.]
River Affinity, 0.0001!
This minuscule value was almost comparable to trying to chip away at a massive rock.
Liang Qu focused intently on this tiny 0.0001, feeling that it was hard-earned.
He wasn't sure if it was due to the Fusion Rate increasing by twenty or because he had received some favor, but the final evaluation had changed from 'weak and small' to 'insignificant.' Though it didn't sound much different, it felt like a small progression, right?
He wasn't certain which step during the ritual had earned him this recognition.
Was it being the Chief Ritualist? Sacrificing to the mountain spirit? Leading thousands in the ritual?
Or was it not any single part, but completing the entire process that had garnered the favor?
Does this mean to gain favor, one must perform rituals and act as the Chief Ritualist every time?
There were too many questions with no easy answers, and the complexity of the ritual made it impossible to replicate precisely for an experiment.
Liang Qu couldn't decide, so he made some guesses.
Today's ritual, said to be for the River God, didn't actually focus on any specific entity.
As Lin Songbao had mentioned, every year a great demon appeared and was seen by mortals.
This year's was a round black shadow frog, last year was a large flat fish, and the year before that was a Water Tiger Fish.
After each sighting, there was a ritual, a tradition driven by the villagers' fear.
With so many great demons and the vastness of the Huai River, the chances of seeing the same great demon in the same place were slim.
This led to the idea that the River God of the Huai could transform itself.
In folk tales, the Huai River God often turned into a dashing young gentleman, who would fall in love with village girls, punish corrupt officials, and assist struggling scholars.
Without a clear target, saying it was a ritual for the River God was more like saying it was for the Huai River itself.
Everyone hoped that by offering sacrifices, the Huai River would take pity on their hardships, granting them favorable weather and abundant harvests in the coming year.
So the ritual was essentially for the Huai River.
To gain favor through rituals, this should be a necessary condition.
The scale of the ritual and one's position in it should be another necessary condition.
As the Chief Ritualist, leading over a thousand people to kneel and worship, the scene was grand, likely more so even than the emperor's morning court.
If he had been one among a thousand, it probably wouldn't have had the same effect.
The quality of the offerings should also be factored in.
It didn't have to be monsters or ghosts, but at least three kinds of livestock.
These three factors were likely the key to gaining favor.
If he acted as the Chief Ritualist, leading a hundred thousand followers and offering three perfectly cultivated great demons as sacrifices, the favor rate might reach 1.
Liang Qu didn't believe he could simply set up a couple of small tables, kill a few chickens, and secretly pray in a corner to gain the Huai River's favor.
That would be too cheap.
But he could give it a try since it wouldn't cost anything.
Perhaps in the future, he could sacrifice a couple of chickens, set up an incense burner, and sprinkle chicken blood into the river.
Preferably using an old hen reared for over two and a half years.
Liang Qu rubbed his chin thoughtfully, stepped out of the boat's canopy, and stood at the prow to see how things felt after gaining some favor.
The strong wind roared, the oars paddled the river, creating ripples of whirlpools.
Chen Jiechang sensed it was odd.
As an experienced fisherman who also had skill in steering boats, he found today's rowing unexpectedly effortless, as if blessed by fortune, lightly propelling the boat forward.
Was it because it wasn't his own boat, the weight difference, or perhaps having not fished in the river for a couple of months due to staying at the Martial Hall made his hands clumsy?
Wait, why did the boat suddenly slow down?
Chen Jiechang, while rowing, felt his hand get stranger, as though paddling through thick paste.
But before long, everything went back to normal, neither too easy nor too difficult, just like usual.
Today's river flow was so odd, he had never seen anything like it.
Was there an undercurrent below?
Couldn't make sense of it, couldn't make sense of it.
Liang Qu squatted at the bow, relinquishing his Water Manipulation Ability.
A favor degree of 0.0001 was too minuscule, incapable of evolving the Water Leap skill.
However, the Water Manipulation Ability slightly increased, from lifting roughly 800 jins to 1000 jins.
While using the ability, stamina consumption decreased, and flexibility improved.
Yet for some reason, controlling blood remained arduous, unable to sense the blood flow within Chen Jiechang's body.
So far, he could only control the blood of ordinary people.
He should review the two scrolls, "Reflections on Life Cultivation," which might have the answers.
Recently, Liang Qu had been reading the "Annotated Edition of Hao Wood Hall's Chronicles" to broaden his knowledge and experience, neglecting the broader concepts of martial arts.
Truth be told, "Reflections on Life Cultivation" was too dry, unlike the engaging and lively stories in the "Annotated Edition of Hao Wood Hall's Chronicles," which included many unexpected twists, making it more entertaining to read.
The black canopy boat drifted through winding river routes, brushing past several passenger vessels.
The South Stone Bridge passed overhead, catching Liang Qu's eye on a hurried figure crossing the bridge.
Huh, Zheng Xiang!
Liang Qu gazed intently until this figure, a steward of Zhao Manor, disappeared around a corner.
He recalled the time when Zheng Xiang had come to adopt him as Master Zhao’s foster son, which was unforgettable.
Strangely, meeting him today again was unexpected.
What’s more, Lin Di, a man of less influence, knew he had become Master Yang’s disciple, yet the much larger Zhao Manor seemed unbothered, offering no gestures or acknowledgments.
A strategy to ignore him?
Liang Qu couldn’t quite figure it out but decided not to dwell on it as the black canopy boat glided through the river, and the Yang Manor came into view.
He began to dismiss such unimportant figures, not worthy of his time or energy.
Stepping over the stones onto the riverbank, Liang Qu left Chen Jiechang on the boat to watch over things and approached the gate, knocking on the brass handle.
The doorman, recognizing Liang Qu, was aware of his identity and opened the door, addressing him as the ninth young master.
Inside, he walked through the courtyard under the guidance of a servant, but didn’t see Master Yang.
Instead, he found Master Yang's wife, Lady Xu, resting on a grand chair with the help of Nan Di.
Liang Qu promptly greeted, "Greetings to my mistress."
Lady Xu leaned back with a gentle smile, "What brings Young Nine here when usually you’re nowhere to be seen? I’ve been wanting to have a meal with you but could never find you."
"Among the nine boys, you and Young Four and Young Five look the best. But Young Four is so temperamental, Young Five so aloof. I was hoping you’d spend some time with me, but you're always missing."
Seems like the mistress appreciates good looks.
Liang Qu felt a bit embarrassed, "There’s just so much to do, I haven’t been able to make time. I’m busy with reading, training, and fishing. But soon, I’ll be freer and come to visit daily to pay my respects."
"Fishing? Running low on money, I reckon. I always say that old Yang is too stingy, ten taels are nothing. He’s worried about spoiling you, but you’re a good child, a little money won’t ruin you. Nan Di, fetch a silver ingot from my cabinet."
Liang Qu felt awkward initially, then surprised.
A silver ingot!
That was fifty taels of silver!
Mistress Xu was exceptionally generous.
But he hadn’t come to seek money.
Hurriedly, Liang Qu explained his real purpose for visiting, fearing he’d end up accepting money like those family gift ceremonies.
Lady Xu called him over after listening, "Young Nine, come here."
Liang Qu obediently got up and crouched beside her chair.
She leaned in to sniff, "No wonder you have a medicinal scent about you. Smells of blood too. Are you hurt?"
"It’s a minor injury, nothing serious."
Lady Xu directly pulled aside Liang Qu’s collar, frowning at the thick white bandages covering his wound, "How's this a minor injury? Nan Di, forget the silver, grab a Bottle of Flesh-Replenishing Pill from my second chest."
"No need, Mistress. I’ve been through worse, it’s just a surface wound. The villagers are waiting, really anxious."
"Anxious as they may be, your master isn’t even home."
(Chapter end)