Becoming a God from a Water Monkey

Chapter 1190 The Tower of Babel (Seeking monthly votes, two chapters combined)

"Hey, this guy has quite a temper. Seems like he's got some skills." Xu Zishuai shook the water off his leather bag as he watched Huo Hongyuan ignore him and walk away.

Lu Gang took off his clothes and wrung them out: "You really don't remember?"

"Remember what?" Xu Zishuai asked, puzzled.

"He is Huo Hongyuan, the Sea Patrol Yaksha, from the Huo family of Junzhou next to Huangzhou. He is born with martial arts talent, the Jishui Leopard of the Twenty-Eight Constellations. He was killed by my junior brother with one spear at the Great Hunting Gathering back then. You even encouraged me to place a bet. Now he works in the River and Lake Management Office, right?"

“It’s at the River and Lake Management Office.” Xiang Fangsu nodded.

"Huh? Whoa!" Xu Zishuai's eyes widened, and he slapped his forehead. "I remember now, my goodness! No wonder you looked familiar, I knew I'd seen you before."

"Why does Ah Shui always make such a big fuss?" Ke Wenbin looked up at the water column. "And what's the point of holding events inside water columns?"

The setting sun pierced through the water column, casting shimmering golden light.

It's more accurate to call it a tower than a pillar; a tower that reaches the heavens, its vast area almost impossible to trace, making one wonder if it could be seen by people from most of the province.

However, what's even more impressive is the first-place prize—the Xuanhuang Token.

Anyone under the age of thirty-five, regardless of their cultivation level, gender, or place of origin, may participate in the Great Hunting Assembly.

According to past practice, barring any exceptions, a young person of this age, at most a beginner in the Tiger Hunt, would be rewarded with a wisp of Heaven and Earth Longevity Qi—absolutely the highest possible reward! If it weren't for the fact that it was starting tomorrow, it might even affect the young talents of an entire province. Anyway, trying it out costs nothing, and even Zhenxiang couldn't help but be tempted. It would be worth several doses of great medicine, which would be excellent to leave for his own descendants.

“What a generous gesture!”

"Prince Huai is truly loyal and righteous. He made a fortune off our Huangzhou back then, and now he's back with interest. But what's the meaning of his participation in the water column? Is he planning to go in?"

"Prince Huai! Prince Huai! Prince Huai!"

The young men of Huangzhou and Junzhou still vividly remember the past, and are filled with excitement. They rub their hands together, raise their arms, and shout the name of King Liangqu, wishing they could start the grand hunt right now.

Stretching across the great river, shining brightly like the sun.

River dominance: 0.7

Stretching across the great river, shining brightly like the sun.

River dominance: 0.8

"call!"

it works!

Liang Qu stood on the clouds, maintaining the water column from collapsing, and successively set up the [Sky Pillar] and [Vortex Escape Path] within it. Seeing the dominance level jump continuously, he was delighted.

What a spectacle! What a spectacle! It's a fucking spectacle!
The bigger the scale, the more powerful the rule!
This is what is meant by the majestic demeanor of a great king.

More and more people gathered on the ground, and countless people came out of their homes to witness the towering water column.

Stretching across the great river, shining brightly like the sun.

River dominance: 0.9

Grasp another thread, and the heavenly sound will spread far and wide.

"Gentlemen, in previous Great Hunts, there were usually three types of beasts: aquatic beasts, land beasts, and bird beasts. In the year I participated, the beasts were divided into precious fish from the water, spirit deer from the land, and birds from the sky. A live one was worth three points; a dead one was worth one point; a deer, a bird, and a fish, one of each, was worth five points; and if all three were alive, it was worth fifteen points. I remember it vividly."

In my opinion, this is neither magnificent enough nor exhilarating enough! The mountains and forests are too dense to observe, and the crowds are too numerous to distinguish. This time, we will discard all the land-based treasure beasts and birds, and only hunt treasure fish! There are three kinds of treasure fish: horned pomfret, tiger-headed grouper, and red-blooded perch. All treasure fish are in this column of water!
These thirteen water columns start from the bottom, with the water pressure doubling with each layer, and the points for the treasure fish increasing accordingly! One point for the first layer, two points for the second layer, three points for the third layer, and so on, with more points for each higher layer! If all three types of treasure fish are present on the same layer, the points are doubled; if all three are alive, the points are doubled again!
Once you step into the water column and participate in the Great Hunt, you cannot completely leave; otherwise, it will be considered a forfeit. The one with the highest score wins!

Wow!
The ground screamed.

The young man, who had just been rubbing his hands together in anticipation, was suddenly doused with cold water and stood there stunned. The apprentices from the Huaiyin Martial Arts Academy, who had originally come to join in the fun, had not expected the rules to be like this.

"Wow, this is way too difficult!" Xu Zishuai exclaimed in surprise. "Activities in the water are already fraught with difficulties, how can we breathe in the middle? Even with smoke signals, if we really start moving and fighting, we still can't last half an hour."

The Great Hunt lasts for several days, right? And how much water pressure is on the top floor? It doubles on each floor, and the bottom floor... Holy crap, four thousand one hundred times?

Xiang Fangsu crossed her arms: "The key is that we don't know what the water pressure is at the bottom. We have no reference. If there is pressure at the bottom, then almost no one can climb to the top."

“Don’t rush. Ah Shui shouldn’t set an impossible task. At least Lang Yan has the protection of True Qi, so he should be able to reach the top floor. However, he can’t stay there for long and will need to return to the middle and lower floors to rest from time to time. Moreover, he said that he cannot ‘completely detach’,” Lu Gang added.

"What does Senior Brother mean..."

A beautiful image flashed through Xiang Changsong's mind: a person, halfway through a fight, panting, poked their head out of the water column to breathe, and then ducked back inside.

This is an extreme test of physical strength and combat strategy, especially with its unique scoring mechanism. Catching three kinds of treasure fish at the top level will result in a thirteen-fold increase in the difficulty of killing fish at the bottom level. Moreover, the unfamiliar environment will inevitably cause tension, which will further increase the consumption of physical strength and the need for breathing.

"Is there any mistake..."

Xiong Yiheng, Du Hanwen, and Jin Xiaoyu looked at each other, scratching their heads in bewilderment. As outstanding disciples of the Huaiyin Martial Arts Hall who had met the Emperor, the three of them had already ridden horses to observe the celestial phenomena at Jianshui. Today, they were brought by their instructor to broaden their horizons and were to lead the students in participating in the Great Hunt, but this…

"Is Senior Brother Liang too strong now, standing too high, and has no concept of the strength of Benma and Langyan?"

"It feels a bit..."

"I can't do it..."

The moment the leader swayed, the students behind him felt even more desperate and regretful.

It's getting harder and harder to earn credits at the Martial Arts Academy.

"What's the panic? If you're thinking about survival before battle, you'll definitely be ineffective." Hu Qi turned around and scolded, "We didn't ask you to fight for first place. In previous Grand Hunting Games, the main force was mostly the Galloping Horses, with only a small portion of the smoke signals and a few Tigers. You guys are the main force, which will definitely give the Galloping Horse martial artists a chance to shine. Our Huaiyin Martial Arts Hall is adjacent to the Jianghuai region and is good at teaching water-based martial arts. That's your advantage now!"

"Senior Brother Hu is right!"

"Dry!"

"Do not be afraid, do not worry, I know the difficulty involved."

The crowd stopped their discussion, looked up and listened intently to Liang Qu's words.

"Just like the great hunting gatherings of the past, when I came to Huangzhou in the past, I would rest at the sentry posts in the forest after the fighting. This served three purposes."

First, when a hunter encounters a sentry post, he can voluntarily register the number of hunts. If the number of hunts differs by more than five each time, he will receive one point. Second, by spending one spirit beast, a hunter can store hunted animals for another time, which will last for five hours. During this time, others cannot steal the animals. Third, others can spend spirit beasts to learn the information of the person who stored the animals.

Similarly, within this water column, I have installed numerous 'bubbles,' serving the same purpose as sentry posts: providing air exchange, rest, and storage for the treasure fish. Furthermore, in many unexpected locations, I have laid out undercurrents and waterways. If a lucky individual is so fortunate, they can traverse these waterways, reaching the top from the bottom to fish!

Using the last rays of the setting sun, everyone saw the water column churning, with a large number of bubbles rising inside. They did not float out, but remained quietly suspended in mid-air.

Inevitably, the discussion will resurface.

"It's a bit difficult, but it doesn't seem completely unplayable. If you go straight to the top floor, you can occupy the entrance to the so-called waterway, travel back and forth quickly, save energy, and catch more fish... After all, it's a Xuanhuang brand, so it's normal for it to be difficult."

"There are so many bubbles, so densely packed. We don't necessarily need to swim outside to get air. This water column is so huge, even on the same level, it's not that easy to meet each other."

"Damn it, I've never learned any water-based martial arts!"

"No? This is Pengze. You're from Huangzhou, and you haven't learned any water-based martial arts?"

"Did the Prince of Huai use some means? Why does it seem like the image has been magnified?"

Click.

Crush the dry grass.

Huo Hongyuan stood beneath the water column, his Adam's apple bobbing.

The water pressure increases dramatically on each floor, with countless air bubbles suspended in mid-air and numerous hidden waterways...

Great power, extraordinary power!

The towering water tower reached into the clouds, its diameter as large as the city wall. Looking left and right, its boundaries were nowhere to be seen. Most peculiarly, it seemed to use the principle of a telescope, as fish that should be the size of a palm were magnified to several meters, like a giant cloth shadow in Jiangchuan County.

Birds often fail to dodge and crash headfirst into the water column, creating a cloud of white foam.

"Wu Sheng..."

Huo Hongyuan still vividly remembered what happened nine years ago, but at this moment, the gap between them was as clear as the insurmountable chasm of water in front of them!

"What are you doing, Liang kid?"

Upon arriving at Pengze, General Yuan rubbed his eyes, thinking he was seeing things. After looking for a while, he realized that there was indeed a stick standing on the horizon.

"Young people just love to show off and don't know how to be low-key..."

Like a turtle paddling its claws, it slowly made its way towards the center of Pengze. Leaving was the right thing to do.

……

Stretching across the great river, shining brightly like the sun.

River dominance: 1

Wild grass grows lush and green.

More and more people couldn't sleep, so they went closer to observe and marveled at the work of the Prince of Huai. The bolder ones even dared to reach inside to feel the water pressure. From even further away, people heard that the Xuanhuang tablet was a reward and traveled day and night to attend the Great Hunt.

"no yet?"

Liang Qu sat cross-legged atop the water column, witnessing the radiance of Ze Ding vanish, its dominance rising to a full point, and then falling silent.

At dusk, the water column stood tall, jumped twice, then the third jump was slow, and the fourth jump just broke out at midnight.

Once the Great Hunt is officially held, there should be two more waves of jumping.

"It seems that a place can only rely on such simple wonders to have an upper limit. I guess people are used to it and have become desensitized. However... the Huai River passes through eleven provinces. It has been used in Southern Zhili and can be used nine more times. Adding up, it should be five points... It's not difficult."

The Huangzhou Great Hunt inspired Liang Qu. He had thirteen ports under his jurisdiction. Once the initial construction was completed and they were turned into real ports, he would hold grand spectacles during festivals, ostensibly to increase "traffic," but in reality, to create spectacular events and increase his control. This was perfectly reasonable.

Having a fiefdom has the greatest advantage of not incurring the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people, not affecting the surrounding area, and being able to do whatever one wants without having to report it.

As the night breeze blew and he awaited the arrival of the emperor, Liang Qu pulled out the booklet he had received when he was in the capital to report to his ancestors.

"Self-fertile fruit..."

October 27th.

evening.

The Great Hunt Festival is a ritual to celebrate the hunt for the moon. The rice is harvested from the fields, and the bright moonlight illuminates the mountains and forests. Hunters, sharpening their knives, use this light to hunt their prey, which is why the Great Hunt Festival always begins at dusk.

Liang Qu and his family found the best spot on the hill to watch the competition. They manipulated the eddy water to project the scene inside with unparalleled clarity, making it even more immersive than watching it from the mountains.

On the banks of the Ba River, a huge crowd gathered to participate in bone reading, age testing, and to obtain a competition token.

Xiong Yiheng, Du Hanwen, Jin Xiaoyu, and dozens of other selected martial arts disciples heaved their chests and took quick breaths, hoping they could last longer after entering the hall.

On the way to queue.

Some people looked weary from their journey, some whispered among themselves, and the vast majority had a disorienting, dazed feeling.

Many young people from Huangzhou and Junzhou who were around twenty years old back then came to join in the fun and broaden their horizons. Now they are around thirty years old and are the main force of the favorites to win the championship. They have seen Liangqu win the championship and are witnessing the great power today.

Ten years ago, Liang Qu participated in the competition and won an award; ten years later, Liang Qu watched the competition and gave out awards.

It was as if everyone was cultivating in two completely different worlds, with only a fleeting moment of overlap.

The last ray of light was taken away from the earth.

Night fell.

There was no galloping horses, no dust billowing, and this year's competition format offered no opportunity for the steeds to display their prowess.

The bright moon shines.

The banner was lowered.

"rush!"

"The enemy is formidable, yet I do not submit; Heaven has granted my request!"

The crowd jumped into the water, and a huge whirlpool swallowed them all. In the dizzying spin, they were transported to the Heavenly Water Tower and scattered evenly at the bottom.

Those who are not strong enough will experience the waterway for the first time. They will feel dizzy and be stimulated by the cold autumn water. They will choke on several mouthfuls of water, their faces will turn red, and they will frantically search for bubbles.

Even worse, some people drown and faint.

With a wave of his hand, Liang Qu dragged everyone outside for a concentrated rescue.

Onlookers thronged into a sea of ​​people, swarming around the massive water column that covered an entire county like ants.

"Wow."

Amidst the sea of ​​silvery-white bubbles, Du Hanwen, who practiced water-based martial arts, was unharmed. The water pressure was also within the range that his Three Apertures Galloping Horse technique could withstand. After a few flips to regain his balance, he looked around and could see large fish swimming around, but he couldn't find Xiong Yiheng or Jin Xiaoyu, nor could he see any of the other contestants, which showed how huge the water column was.

He didn't dare delay and quickly searched for bubbles.

There were many bubbles at the bottom, and the water in the column was clear and transparent. Even at night, the view was unobstructed, with dozens of bubbles in sight. No one was eliminated due to suffocation.

Compared to the upper levels, the lower levels are undoubtedly a safe base camp.

With a powerful thrust, he plunged into the air bubbles, instantly finding it easier to breathe. The air was fresh, and there was no water pressure, which eased Du Hanwen's tense mood. However, looking at the vast expanse of water, he suddenly felt lost, overwhelmed by fear, and unsure of what to do.

half an hour.

Du Hanwen decided to go up to explore the surroundings first.

Not only Du Hanwen, but the vast majority of people made the same choice.

Outside the water column, a whole floor of "big screens" magnified the image, with even jellyfish glowing, which everyone could see clearly.

The contestants all looked upwards, like plants reaching for the sky, striving to grow, creating a unique and beautiful scene.

As one bubble after another darted and jumped, taking in air, Du Hanwen felt it was much more strenuous than simply swimming. He didn't know how far he had run; the water blurred his perception of distance. He only felt a heavy pressure on his body after swimming for a long time.

Looking around, the bubbles seem to have decreased.

Take a break, the pressure is manageable, keep going.

"It's so clear, I can see everything!"

"Which one is a student from the Martial Arts Hall?"

With their lower abdomens pressed against the railing, Long Yao and Long Li half-lyed down, peering at the "big screen" and chattering away.

Having experienced so many grand hunting festivals, this was the first time the common people had clearly seen a hunting scene. Moreover, the people magnified the scene varied from place to place, and anyone could see it.

No one could believe it. They reached out and touched the water jet, experiencing a strong sensory stimulation. Listening to storytelling and watching operas were already amazing audiovisual enjoyment, but when had they ever experienced such "entertainment"?
Even the most powerful and influential families had never seen anything like it before, and their eyes practically popped out of their sockets.

"Prince Huai, how did you do this?" Xu Wanxing was extremely shocked. Last night, when he saw the treasure fish magnified, he thought it was due to the shape of the water column. He never expected it to be deliberately set up, making it so spectacular.

"It's very simple. The water column has an inner layer and an outer layer. The water in the outer layer is different. I've refined it, and it will act like a magnifying glass, capturing everyone and then projecting them onto the surface."

Xu Wanxing didn't understand, but he knew it was amazing, and he was incredibly excited: "Excuse my bluntness, but with such supernatural abilities, you shouldn't be confined to this small hunting party!"

The Great Hunt Festival doesn't charge admission fees, allowing everyone to enjoy themselves. If admission fees were charged and the event were turned into a grand spectacle, how much silver would be made every year! When have those high-ranking officials and nobles ever seen such a scene?

Furthermore, with the Huaiwang Waterway now open, a day is enough for a round trip, so there's no need to worry about the fatigue of travel. The entire Shun Dynasty can participate...

Just thinking about it makes me incredibly excited.

Liang Qu laughed: "I know what Prefect Xu means, and I also have this plan. However, the weather is too cold in the summer, which is not conducive to the competition or the viewing. Therefore, if we are to hold it, it should be held in the summer. I have already thought of the date."

"May I ask when the Prince of Huai will hold the ceremony? If I have the time, I will certainly make a trip to attend!"

"June 6th".

Xu Wanxing was surprised: "River God Sacrifice?"

Liang Qu nodded.

This year, Yixing Town did not hold a river god festival, but it is an auspicious day and should not be wasted.

"Got it! Someone caught the treasure fish!"

"The one at the front is so fast, he's reached the top! Wait, the highest one is only the third floor, how did he get up there?"

(End of this chapter)