The water surged, compressed, and lifted.
Liang Qu swayed as he "stood" on the surface of the water.
To say he was standing is not entirely accurate.
It was more like when the water reached his thighs, he stopped sinking, and his entire upper body floated on the water surface.
Even so, this achievement was enough to make Liang Qu rejoice.
His Marsh Spirit hadn’t even advanced yet, but he could already clumsily ride the water waves.
He continually manipulated the water flow, adjusting his direction bit by bit, and soon could steadily float on the surface, sliding forward, backward, and sideways.
The wind from the river was mighty, pressing his robe against his body, creating a feeling of grandeur.
"Woohoo, I'm flying!" he shouted in exhilaration.
This was better than any surfing without a board!
Liang Qu had never experienced flying, but he figured this feeling was similar.
Both involved fluid dynamics, freeing and unbound.
Although controlling the flow of water required significant stamina, it had no other downsides!
With time, as his water-related abilities grew stronger, combined with the mobility of his Water Leap ability and the spirit weapon Subduing Waves boosting him, normal spirit beasts wouldn’t intimidate him.
If he couldn’t win, he could at least escape.
Moreover, both of his beasts were close to evolving, lacking only a few essence points.
Once that was resolved, he could venture to the outskirts of the deepwater zone to explore.
That's where the true treasures lay—ancient battlefield ruins, sunken ships, spiritual plants, treasure fish, and minerals, all undoubtedly priceless.
Real underwater exploration was about to begin! The current shallow water area was mere child’s play.
Splash! A grass carp, weighing over ten pounds, suddenly leaped out of the water and slammed into Liang Qu’s stomach.
He grunted, clutching his belly as he fell back into the water.
What kind of ridiculousness was this? How could a grass carp suddenly fly out! Grass carps could weigh up to twenty pounds and were known to break ribs with their torpedo-like bodies.
Though not injured, the surprise impact on his stomach had winded him, akin to taking a punch.
As he resurfaced, the grass carp had already dashed away.
After receiving the blessing, Liang Qu's rough sensory range expanded to twenty meters, with a detailed sensory range of ten meters.
Within just three or four seconds of being knocked down, the grass carp had managed to escape.
Darn it!
Feeling the bruise on his belly, Liang Qu dejectedly returned to his boat, gave up the chase, and rowed back to Shangrao Dock.
Technically, he hadn't lied to his senior brother.
He genuinely wanted to see what the house construction mentioned by Chen Zhao'an was all about.
Arriving at the dock, Lin Songbao was lounging on a deck chair, basking in the sun to stave off the winter chill, a lazy afternoon with little to do.
Most fishermen either hadn’t returned from their trips or were still sleeping from their night exploits, making this the most leisurely time of the day.
"Songbao!" A shout pulled Lin Songbao from his drowsiness.
He sat up to see Liang Qu approaching by boat.
"Water Brother?! Have you been fishing?"
"No, just came back from the Martial Hall. The whole mountain spirit incident has spooked me enough to avoid traveling by land."
Liang Qu docked his boat, tidying his things and slinging a long wooden box over his shoulder as he stepped ashore.
Since becoming a disciple of Master Yang, Liang Qu no longer had to pay docking fees at Shangrao.
Perhaps he should try his luck at Peaceful Sun Dock too.
It might save him a daily expense of four coins.
"Any news these days?" "Nothing much. Two martial artists—one a realm of three barriers, the other two barriers—came by with bows and swords. They've been living in the estate the local elders arranged for them since the morning after you left. Those village elders can’t stop praising you for your abilities and even call you a grandson in spirit."
“Let's skip the fanfare. What do you have behind you?"
Liang Qu's expression shifted, casually setting down the long wooden box.
"Oh, just a long spear that my senior brother gave me."
"My goodness, what a beautiful spear!"
Lin Songbao's eyes sparkled with astonishment.
It was his first time seeing such a magnificent weapon, as remarkable as those told in stories, so majestic!
Liang Qu smirked, proudly saying, “Impressive, isn't it? I named it Subduing Waves.”
“Subduing Waves? Great name! It's really stunning. Can I touch it?"
"Why not, go ahead."
Fifteen minutes vanished mysteriously in this exchange.
Liang Qu, unsure why, found himself losing track of time in moments like these.
"Alright, I should be going. I'm here today to check on the house construction."
"I’ve had a look. They’ve hired skilled workers, and progress is swift. The framework is up, and the local elders monitor it daily, ensuring no issues."
Liang Qu felt a surge of excitement.
After his boat had undergone an upgrade, his house was next.
Life was indeed improving.
He headed straight for his clay house, taking shortcuts to avoid greeting the endless stream of villagers.
As he arrived home, he was in for a shock.
Before his eyes was a half-built blue brick wall enclosing a courtyard.
Through the wall, he could see the layout inside.
The main path was laid with large stone bricks, replacing the former yellow mud ground.
Paths branched on both sides leading to the east and west wings, with already standing beams outlining rooms.
The end of this main path led to the principal building, where connections and wall braces had been set, ready for the main structure’s erection.
What is this place? Since when did my house become a grand courtyard?
Only after checking Uncle Chen's courtyard did he believe it was indeed his place.
It truly was his home!
Examining the half-built screen wall inside, Liang Qu suspected the craftsmen were building a multi-part courtyard known as a "second courtyard."
A "single courtyard" opened directly to a courtyard upon entry and was the most common courtyard type.
A "second courtyard" began with a small courtyard followed by another door leading to the main courtyard—a larger arrangement often chosen by wealthier households.
The saying "never leave through the front door or enter by the second" referred to such structures.
Screen walls usually appeared only in second courtyards, serving as a privacy shield in the middle of a smaller courtyard.
As for "third courtyards," these featured three doors and courtyards, often adding a backyard for female family members.
Even more elaborate designs included four or five courtyards.
The Yang Manor boasted a four-courtyard setup, featuring a large courtyard beside it with a lakeside pavilion, so vast that first-time visitors risked getting lost without guidance.
Truly extravagant.
Liang Qu thought the plan was merely to extend his house but didn’t expect a full-fledged second courtyard.
Roughly counting, there were over twenty strong laborers working for him, sawing timber, stacking blue bricks, and fitting wood joinery.
A craftsman helping support a ladder inside noticed Liang Qu's arrival and quickly called over a few sturdy men to greet him.
"Master Liang, please look around and see if everything meets your satisfaction. Rest assured, we haven’t touched your original clay house—it remains perfectly intact! Some neighbors brought rice and flour to thank you for saving them. I ventured inside to prevent it from getting wet."
(End of Chapter)