Becoming a God from a Water Monkey

Chapter 1092 Whale Pearl, Long-Term Energy Replacement (Two-in-One)

The harsh winter winds whipped through the streets, making pedestrians hurry along. Some carried pork or mutton, while others carried fish. They also carried two cabbages or two greens under their arms, along with a jug of soy sauce and a packet of sugar. After shopping, they rushed home.

During the annual major festival, even the poorest families would light firewood in their stoves so they wouldn't have to endure the cold wind when they got home.

The spring flowers lifted a corner, and round pieces of spring paper scraped against the stone bricks, scattering all over the ground.

"Come on, pass the dishes! This tray is for the Xu residence, this tray is for... Don't sign the wrong dish, and don't steal a bite on the way! Be quick, or someone will snatch it."

"Old shopkeeper, are Chef Liu and Chef Chen tending the fire today?"

"Oh dear, gentlemen, I'm so sorry, the chefs in charge of the kitchen are Chef Liu and Chef Chen. However, we're closing early today. After noon, Langyunlou will not be taking any more orders."

"In previous years, Langyunlou was open until 11 PM during the annual festival, wasn't it?"

The manager of Langyunlou stepped out of the door and pointed to the large, white bowl on the horizon: "Did you all see this? We haven't seen this situation in previous years. As instructed by the officials, after 11 PM, all the head chefs and cooks from the major restaurants have gone to wait. There simply isn't enough manpower to cook for you. I haven't informed you of this properly, please forgive me."

"Hey……"

When the holidays arrive, regardless of wealth, there should always be a couple of good dishes on the table.

This is a kind of spirit.

Tell yourself that a year of hard work will eventually pay off and bring hope. It won't be a waste of time or a pointless effort. Even if there are difficulties for a while, you can get through them by gritting your teeth.

If a family can't afford to hire a professional cook but has plenty of spare money, ordering meat dishes from a restaurant is the most convenient option. Seeing this, all the restaurants are doing the same. Obviously, they can't afford to buy more meat, so they have to buy meat themselves and cook it.

"Buy some pork to take home..."

In a typical rural village with a small population, there are specific customs and traditions surrounding the purchase of meat.

The place is too small and the capacity is limited, so pigs are rarely slaughtered on weekdays. When a pig is slaughtered, there are several hundred pounds of fresh meat that cannot be sold at all. Only during the New Year and other holidays does the demand increase. However, at this time, one pig is not enough, and two or three pigs are too many. Unless you have enough personal connections, if you go too late, all that is left is salted meat, which tastes much worse than fresh meat.

After seeing the guests off, the innkeeper stepped back into the main hall and bowed.

"As you all have heard, please enjoy your meal and drinks before 11 PM. After 11 PM, we will close the door immediately."

The responses were few and far between.

The shopkeeper waved his hand and served everyone a pot of white wine, which immediately drew a warm response and a lively, bustling atmosphere.

They were drinking and having a good time during the New Year's holiday. Most of them were strangers who hadn't earned any money and were too ashamed to go back to their families. They gathered together at noon, chatted about everything under the sun, got drunk, went home with groggy heads, fell asleep immediately, and woke up at dawn.

A drunken stupor.

New Year's Eve is over.

At the largest table in the middle, several merchants with goatees were surrounded by a large group of people boasting: "The merchants of Pingyang have all kinds of rare pearls and treasures. Just by getting a little bit of their goods, you can make a fortune. I have a brother-in-law who works in the river and lake management office... He got some conch shells, polished them into bracelets, and sold them to girls. He can earn this much in a year!"

“Selling bracelets? That’s petty! I know a big merchant with his own business. He can sell goods from Pingyang all the way to other provinces! He has three travel permits, issued in the prefectural city, valid for ten years, a full ten years. Wherever he goes, even low-ranking officials of the eighth or ninth rank have to give him face!”

"Jiangchuan Grand Theatre is putting on a new play before the New Year, about the Great Victory at Beiting. What? You haven't seen it? Then you're out of touch, so out of touch!"

A large pot of stewed fresh food, a jumble of vegetables, mixed with fish pieces that were first fried and then stewed, bubbling and steaming. The fish skin was golden brown and mushy, like soaked fish glue. One bite and you're filled with the sauce and broth.

I didn't feel the cold at all.

Not yet.

The noise gradually subsided.

Yue Yanyu lifted the cotton curtain and barged into the restaurant: "Manager, are you ready? The time is almost here, don't be late."

"I'm coming!"

"call!"

White mist surged over the vast marshes of the Yangtze and Huai rivers.

Liang Qu was wearing a white bear fur coat. The fur was a gift from his senior brother Yang when he went to Beiting. It wasn't because he was afraid of the cold, but mainly because it was comfortable. He liked the fluffy feel of it.

As soon as it gets cold, if I don't feel warm wearing these clothes, I immediately take them out and put them on.

I changed it for Eying as well, and hugged her while separating her from the polar bear fur, it felt like a big cat.

"Wuhu!"

Wen Shiyun jumped out of the air vent of the Ice Crystal Palace with a whoosh, like a rubber stopper being ejected by a jet of air.

His back was firmly stuck to the silk spun by the water spider. With a forceful shake, the water spider sent Wen Shiyun back onto the ice. He ran around once, then slid back into the ice tunnel, sliding all the way to the innermost part before being hoisted up by the water spider again. This cycle repeated itself endlessly, much to his amusement.

"Uncle, it's time to cook!"

"know!"

Su Guishan lay on the Luohan bed, cracking melon seeds, his eyes fixed on the blue cat and brown mouse on the dragon spirit silk. Hearing the urging, he brushed off the melon seed shells.

"gone!"

Wei Lin suddenly stood up. He had wanted to leave for a long time. Looking at the blue cat and brown rat in the Ice Crystal Palace, he felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, feeling uncomfortable all over and feeling out of place.

“Master, I want to go too!” Wen Shiyun raised her hand.

"Sure, it's not far. Let's get ready quickly."

"Oops!"

"Wang!"

From Shangrao Wharf, along the ice bridge, the ice stretches for more than ten miles and is extremely thick.

Led by the soldiers, chefs from various restaurants came to prepare the food, some peeling bamboo shoots, others washing silverfish, handling the preliminary work.

The two cloud giants stood with their arms crossed, looking to the sides.

Liang Qu pointed forward: "Third Prince, use your breath!"

"Turning the illusory into the real is turning the illusory into the real!" the little mirage dragon repeatedly emphasized, exhaling white mist that manifested as a giant spatula, and then creating a small stove under the large bowl.

Making a pot and then a bowl is too much trouble; it's better to do it all at once and use the bowl as a pot.

"It's surprisingly sturdy." Su Guishan took off his coat, revealing his bare upper body. He wrapped one arm around the spatula, comparing its size and thickness to a normal spatula. To ensure he could hold it properly, he swung the white jade spatula around a few times to make sure it wouldn't break easily.

"Commander Wei! Light the fire and heat the pot!"

Wei Lin walked into the stove without expression.

A little preparation.

boom!
The Golden Crow spreads its wings, its raging flames licking the white jade bowl!
"it is good!"

A diner who can't cook is not a good diner.

Su Guishan held the edge of the large bowl and shook it a few times on the stove to confirm that the heat was just right.

"Pour the oil!"

With one hand, Liang Qu pulled the large vat, causing it to tilt. The golden, clear rapeseed oil cascaded down the vat, forming a small lake at the bottom of the bowl.

"stop!"

The large cylinder is now aligned.

"Add scallions, ginger, garlic, star anise, and dried chili peppers!"

Xu Yuelong pulled, and a large amount of dry material fell.

Stab!
A rich aroma wafted towards us.

Su Guishan gave the order methodically, and winter bamboo shoots, bok choy, and mushrooms were poured in one after another.

"Fierce fire!"

The golden crow cries out!

The fire blazed outwards, scorching the air, and the ice beneath could barely hold on.

Su Guishan held the rim of the bowl with one hand, and the large bowl, which was half a mile in diameter, rose into the air. What a beautiful stir-fry!

The master chefs were dumbfounded.

Divine power!

Boundless divine power!
The cloud giant looked on with admiration. The whale king had traveled all over the country and rarely received such thoughtful hospitality from the river and lake authorities. After all, it was quite difficult to prepare a meal of sufficient quantity and quality.

Wen Shiyun rode the black dragon and had a great time.

The enormous wok, covering the sky, bounced back and forth, blazing hot, stir-frying over high heat, producing a wonderful wok aroma.

In no time.

With a spatula tapping the edge of the wok, a plate of stir-fried winter delicacies is successfully ready!
"Come again!"

The little mirage dragon sealed the large bowl to keep it warm, then spat out another large bowl.

The previous bowl was wide and shallow, this one is almost like a bucket, and the spatula has been replaced with a soup ladle.

"Commander Wei, unleash the full force!"

The fire was raging.

"Spring water from the mountain!"

With a whoosh, Liang Qu manipulated the clear water and poured it over their heads.

The fire of the Golden Crow was extremely penetrating. Soon, billowing white smoke rose up, almost gathering into dark clouds and rain.

The chefs who watched were all horrified.

"whitebait!"

Crash.

Thirty thousand catties of silverfish were released into boiling water and floated to the surface.

"Shredded bamboo shoots and shredded ham!"

"Thicken it up!"

"It's done!"

As darkness fell and thick fog rolled in, everyone craned their necks until they ached, marveling at the breathtaking sight.

On the riverbank, crowds of people thronged, treating it like a grand performance, completely forgetting to go home.

Wei Lin stepped out of the stove.

Xu Yuelong pointed a mocking finger at the edge of the pot.

Liang Qu, with his sharp eyes, noticed someone clenching their fist. Su Guishan put on his coat, took out a small spoon, tasted the saltiness, and confirmed it was correct: "All done! Thank you both. Please invite the Whale King down for a meal. Pingyang is rich in aquatic products, and the Whale King is extremely valuable. After much thought, I think only these two specialties can be enough to entertain you."

The sky is full of red clouds.

The white clouds shattered, as if the sky had cracked open, and a flood poured down, casting a colossal giant.

Ten thousand feet, thirty thousand meters, sixty miles—these are but fractions of the length of the white clouds in the sky, yet they stand tall and majestic!
"They really can separate!"

Liang Qu observed that the other cloud whale giants were not exactly the same size, but only part of the main body, which was similar to the Octopus King.

The Whale King is definitely stronger than weaker.

"There's a way to eat big and small, right? Is it really necessary to make such a big fuss?" Liang Qu guessed.

The clouds floated between the legs of the cloud giant, making it impossible for ordinary people to see the whole thing. They could only see two giants on the left and right lifting the white jade bowl into the sky.

The master chefs were on edge, straining to observe the scene in the dim light of dawn.

A few moments.

"I have traveled all over the world and have been treated with great hospitality and enjoyed many banquets, but few have been as delightful as today."

The heavenly music descended, and everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

meaning is……

good?

"The products of the Huai and Si rivers are truly excellent; the clouds and seas are to be rewarded."

"Yes!"

The two cloud giants transformed into giant whales and swam down from the sky.

One of them threw down a huge, golden ball, more than a meter in diameter.

Liang Qu's eyes flashed, confirming that he hadn't misread it.

gold!

Dry!
What a huge lump of gold!
Liang Qu took two steps forward, reached out and hugged the ball, pressing a mark on it. He twisted the ball into a small gourd shape and forcibly picked it up to weigh it.

"How heavy?" Su Guishan asked with great joy.

The expenses for entertaining the whale king were all covered by public funds. It would be best if the shortfall could be covered, otherwise it would affect the subsequent financial arrangements of Pingyang Prefecture, which had many official duties.

Liang Qu exclaimed in surprise: "Fifty thousand catties!"

A thought flashed through Su Guishan's mind.

Five hundred thousand taels of gold and five million taels of silver!
Blood earned!
We broke even! A huge break-even!
"Uncle, can we divide it?" Liang Qu asked quietly.

“Give it to you, this is for the imperial court! But…” Su Guishan looked at the other cloud whale.

The cloud whale spat out four translucent round beads, one the size of a human head, bulging like a ball of water with a transparent membrane inside, and distributed them in turn to Su Guishan, Liang Qu, Xu Yuelong, and Wei Lin.

Liang Qu twirled the bracelet in his hand, feeling its soft texture, and his heart skipped a beat.

Wen Shiyun leaned closer: "Master, what is this...?"

"Whale pearl!"

"Whale pearl?"

“The whale pearl is in the eye, and the clam pearl is in the belly. ‘Whales die on the sand, and those who obtain them are blind. It is said that their eyes turn into bright moon pearls.’ However, this is just a legend. The whale pearl is actually a precious medicine of the whale clan!” Liang Qu was delighted.

While cooking a dish, I also received a large dose of water-based medicine.

Gold was used to fill the hole.

Whale King, you've come at the perfect time!

Sure enough, why would such an important person come here to freeload?
When Liang Qu went out for tea or a meal, he always liked to toss a couple of silver coins in his hand.

Very impressive!

The higher one's status, the more concerned one is with saving face.

Since you have more money than you can spend, just toss some under your fingernails and watch others be grateful and thankful. It's much more satisfying than secretly cursing or spitting into someone's food.

"Most water beasts can't cook, so it's really impossible to entertain them like this in ordinary places. Just having cooking utensils would be a problem. Did the Whale King... enjoy his meal?"

Judging from his own experience, Liang Qu felt that this explanation was plausible.

Where else could they find such conditions? With the help of the little mirage dragon's ability to turn the illusory into reality, Wei Lin, Su Guishan, and the special products of the Jianghuai region, as well as the Huaidong River and Lake Bureau, they barely managed to accomplish a feat that satisfied the whale king!
The empty bowl fell.

The gigantic cloud giant vanished into thin air, and the sky was filled in.

At this time, the sky was dark, and there was still no sign of stars or moon.

The divine whale is seen but not its tail.

Su Guishan was in high spirits. Looking at the chefs, he waved his hand and said, "It's freezing cold, everyone has worked hard. Come and collect your reward, one gold bean each! Go back and have your reunion dinner soon!"

"You are so kind, sir!"

People lined up on the ice to receive their money. Su Guishan was in a great mood. He personally used his fingernail to scoop out a small amount and gave it to each person one by one until he reached the eighth person.

"Third Prince? You've come to collect your reward too?" Su Guishan laughed.

"Hehe, I, the prince, deserve the greatest credit for entertaining the Whale King," the little mirage dragon patted its chest.

"Good, you deserve great credit." Su Guishan spread his five fingers and grabbed a fist-sized gold nugget from the golden gourd, kneading it like modeling clay until it was smooth.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!" The little mirage dragon's eyes widened as it took the bag; it was heavy. "So heavy!"

"About ten catties, worth more than a thousand taels of silver."

"Lord Su is rising rapidly in rank!" the little mirage dragon cheered, raising the golden ball high.

"Hey, boat captain, you guys are here too?"

Otter nodded, pulled over twenty or so baby otters, and took out a few pieces of winter bamboo shoot peel, indicating that they had just helped peel the bamboo shoots.

Su Guishan laughed loudly: "Good, everyone who sees it gets a share!"

An otter, with a single golden bean, happily departed.

The long procession added to the festive atmosphere of the New Year.

Liang Qu returned to the Ice Crystal Palace and, before dinner began, immediately swallowed the whale pearl. As soon as it touched his mouth, the whale pearl, the size of a human head, turned into liquid and went down his throat smoothly.

【Water Essence +112111】

[Water Essence: 2,715,000]

Hey!
112,000!

Generous!

Five days of preparation, only the last day was a little busy, but I easily made 110,000!
Although the furnace is floating in the sky and monitoring is still quite troublesome, Liang Qu thought that it was acceptable to welcome them every now and then and treat them to a meal using public funds, which would demonstrate the grandeur of a great power.

"Ah Shui, come out quickly!" Xu Zishuai called from outside the door.

"You're eating so soon?"

"What's the point of eating? Prince Su is here!"

"Prince Su?"

Liang Qu's brow twitched, and he hurriedly went out.

This guy is a peak Martial Saint!
Inside the Ice Crystal Palace's main hall, the water shimmered softly. Long Lingxiao unfolded, portraying the Blue Cat and Brown Mouse. Because there was no background music for Little Otter, it became a silent film backdrop. King Yue, the old monk, and King Su sat around a square table in the center, while the others stood respectfully.

At this moment, there were not only the three kings, but also two unfamiliar Zhenxiang standing behind the King of Su, as well as the chief and deputy commanders of the Demon Suppression Division, Zuo Heng and Sui Hongyan, and the chief and deputy commanders of the Three Law Divisions, Gongye Kaifei and You Huaying.

The arrival of Prince Su was entirely expected.

The old monk and the King of Yue hadn't returned since their meeting with the Whale Queen the other day. Today was the first time they'd come, so it was normal for the King of Su to come along. After all, there were three Martial Saints in total, and they were bound to have exchanges and discussions.

It's rather strange that the Demon Suppression Division and the Three Judicial Offices weren't invited to celebrate the New Year.

Liang Qu's mind raced, and he bowed respectfully, saying, "Greetings, Prince Su!"

"The underwater ice crystal palace of Marquis Xingyi is quite interesting." Prince Su looked up and around.

"Throughout the year, there's only a little free time during the holidays, so we try to find ways to add more fun for our relatives and friends. If Prince Su and the two masters don't mind, we might as well find two empty rooms and celebrate the holidays together."

"Let's leave the New Year's celebrations aside. Today, I've summoned the Three Judicial Offices and the Demon Suppression Office because of other important matters."

The three prefectural and municipal governments' chief and deputy commanders bowed in unison.

"Please give your orders, Your Highness!"

Prince Su took out five long boxes from his bosom and unfolded them one by one.

Liang Qu's brow twitched violently.

Five strands of breath, each a different color, were quietly swirling within long boxes made of different materials.

The universe is everlasting!

Five strands!

hiss!
Everyone was speechless.

What's going on? Did the fleet of ships sailing south raid Changqi's stronghold?

Prince Su tapped his knuckles on the table: "Here are five portions of long qi, both superior and medium quality. His Majesty, mindful of the great contributions of the Three Judicial Offices, the Demon Suppression Office, and the River and Lake Bureau, has granted special permission for the exchange of high-quality medicine and high-quality merit in proportion to silver, for a period of one month. After that, it will not be available again."

"Gudu!"

Swallowing saliva.

Zuo Heng, Sui Hongyan, Gongye Kaifei, and You Huaying's eyes shone with boundless brilliance.

When they arrived in Pingyang Prefecture, they were already at the peak of their Tiger Hunting prowess. Now, almost ten years have passed, and Yang Dongxiong, Xu Yuelong, Wei Lin, and even Liang Qu from the former Four Passes have all achieved the Perfected Manifestation. How could they not be anxious? However, they still cannot find a suitable place to grow their strength. Choosing a middle or lower level is even more unsatisfying.

Liang Qu frowned deeply.

No, that's not right!
The Xuanhuang Changqi requires the Xuanhuang Token in conjunction with the Great Merit to be exchanged, just like the grain coupons and cloth coupons during special periods. Without the certificate, you couldn't exchange them even if you had money, and their circulation was strictly restricted. What is the situation now?
With their backgrounds, these people are capable of obtaining high-level medicine, high-level skills, and silver, but it's not particularly difficult.

There are ghosts!

(End of this chapter)