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    Edict of Peace 17

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    Chapter 17: Dragonfire Qi

    A low growl!!!

    The dragon’s roar was too subtle, too sharp, almost like a cat’s meow.

    A faint glow emanated from the bronze tripod. The head of a crimson dragon suddenly emerged, letting out a growl as it playfully nipped at Li Guanyi’s finger. It felt less like an attack and more like a game; Li Guanyi could sense a connection, as if it were linked to his own bloodline.

    He loosened his clothes, revealing the bronze tripod glowing on his chest. Only the dragon’s head had left the tripod.

    The rest of the dragon remained blurry, indistinct, the imprint not deep enough, still residing within the bronze tripod.

    Li Guanyi played with the dragon-beast while pondering its emergence.

    “Was it the influence of the Xue family ancestor’s Law Physique that caused its premature appearance?”

    “That’s why only its head can leave the tripod.”

    Li Guanyi noticed large blank and dim areas on the bronze tripod.

    It seemed as if, besides this crimson dragon, many other divine beasts could reside on this tripod. Could it be that by continuously contacting powerful individuals like Yue Qianfeng and the Xue family ancestor, absorbing some of their residual essence, one could imprint their Law Physique onto the bronze tripod?

    Hmm…

    However, this Law Physique, though impressive, was quite small. What use could it be? Li Guanyi recalled that after contacting the crimson dragon, it seemed ethereal and capable of merging with his inner energy, so he tried again.

    At first, the crimson dragon was uncooperative, shaking its head and curling its whiskers.

    After several attempts, he finally made some progress.

    The crimson dragon let out a soft, drawn-out growl.

    Then it bumped its head against the center of Li Guanyi’s palm. The process was painless and imperceptible, but he immediately noticed a difference.

    A warm current seemed to spread from his palm, and the inner energy of his *Po Jun* technique suddenly accelerated. This time, Li Guanyi didn’t stop the contact. The *Po Jun* inner energy flowed like a torrent, merging with the warm current. It was like pouring cold water onto boiling oil—it instantly exploded.

    A rumbling sound echoed in his ears.

    Li Guanyi’s vision went black. The *Po Jun* inner energy had combined with the crimson dragon.

    Immediately, they blended seamlessly, transforming into a more domineering and intense energy.

    As it flowed through his body, Li Guanyi could clearly feel his body strengthening. The effect was far superior to the *Po Jun* inner energy alone, but unfortunately, the crimson dragon’s energy only spread a small portion before separating from the *Po Jun* inner energy.

    The crimson dragon’s energy dissipated, reforming into the dragon-beast on the tripod.

    The little fellow could only extend one claw, seeming exhausted and gasping for breath, its claw resting on the tripod’s body, breathing heavily.

    In Li Guanyi’s eyes, the young dragon clearly displayed a smug expression.

    Yet, it was also furious at being confined by the bronze tripod.

    Turning around, it scratched at the bronze tripod with its tiny claw, making a scratching sound.

    Finally, gnashing its teeth, it seemed ready to bite.

    A low growl!!!

    Li Guanyi gently nudged it.

    The bronze tripod rested on his chest.

    It couldn’t bite that.

    The crimson dragon’s Law Physique transformed into a wisp of energy, returning to the bronze tripod and becoming part of its patterns.

    Meanwhile, Li Guanyi’s *Po Jun* inner energy circulated within his body like a blazing torrent. In an instant, it reached his chest, where the cold, venomous poison still tried to affect his inner energy. This time, however, it failed.

    The intense inner energy flowed past, fiercely impacting the area where the poison was entrenched.

    Li Guanyi felt alternating hot and cold sensations in his chest, the chilling coldness of the poison slightly reduced. His inner energy, its flow only slightly diminished in speed, continued its circulation at a normal pace. Every meridian and muscle it passed through was stimulated and gradually strengthened.

    Li Guanyi’s forehead beaded with sweat from the alternating hot and cold pain, but the corners of his mouth twitched upwards into a smile, his eyes filled with joy.

    “Indeed, I can use this power to suppress the poison in my chest.”

    “And this is just the residual effect; the crimson dragon hasn’t fully integrated into my inner energy.”

    “If my guess is correct, once the crimson dragon is completely freed from the bronze tripod, it should be able to fully integrate into my inner energy. Then, whether I’m cultivating or fighting, I won’t be affected by the poison.”

    “This inner energy infused with crimson dragon Qi is several times more effective than normal *Po Jun* inner energy.”

    “Unfortunately, only the dragon’s head can come out now.”

    Li Guanyi was delighted but also slightly disappointed.

    The poison that had plagued him for ten years finally had a chance of being resolved.

    Moreover, it was almost foreseeable—once the crimson dragon fully emerged from the bronze tripod, his strength would increase significantly, making the journey from Chen Kingdom’s border to the eighteenth prefecture of Jiangnan safe.

    The young man’s eyes gleamed with hope.

    He touched the bronze tripod, a joyful smile on his lips.

    It was a pity that Yue Qianfeng wasn’t here; after all, he was the most knowledgeable about this crimson dragon Law Physique.

    Li Guanyi still had many things he wanted to try; he was still very curious about the Law Physique, but the crimson dragon seemed tired and had returned to the bronze tripod, motionless. Li Guanyi decided to put it aside for now and tidy up the house.

    He folded the new clothes he bought for his aunt.

    He covered the roast goose he bought on the way back with an inverted bowl to prevent the ants from getting to it.

    He steamed rice and, taking out a cleaver, prepared a red-braised pork dish using high-quality pork belly.

    Li Guanyi tallied his expenses. He bought some food, a jar of good wine, and rented a safer small courtyard for fifteen taels of silver—half the usual price of thirty taels for six months, thanks to a real estate agent found through the Xue family.

    He had some small change left, about two taels of silver.

    Li Guanyi looked at the silver, momentarily feeling that money came and went too quickly, never enough to cover his expenses.

    Li Guanyi glanced at the cabinet next to him. Ants, one after another, like monkeys trying to scoop the moon out of the water, climbed towards the bowl containing the roast goose, trying to get inside. These ants had shared many hard times with Li Guanyi and his aunt, and the aroma of oil and grease was incredibly tempting to them.

    Li Guanyi raised his eyebrows, took two steps forward, and flicked his wrist, swatting at the ants.

    Luckily, he was in Jiangnan. If he went south, across the mountains, there were creatures similar to the cockroaches of his past life, bigger, capable of flying—only mountain forest蛊师 (gu shi – those who use insects for medicinal purposes) would use such creatures as ingredients.

    Li Guanyi would never use his hands for that, but now it didn’t matter. As he swatted, the crimson dragon in the bronze tripod poked its head out again.

    The dragon transformed into energy, flowing out of the bronze tripod.

    However, most of its body remained inside the tripod. This time, even with all its might, it only reached from his chest to his elbow before having to retreat, unable to flow to his fist.

    Though so, the *Po Jun* inner energy gained an extra layer of explosive power.

    This explosive inner energy traveled down his arm to the edge of his fist. As Li Guanyi’s palm swept past the ants, those with large pincers were flung into the air. The next moment, a crackling sound emanated from the ants, their bodies briefly illuminated by a flash of fire, emitting wisps of black smoke.

    Li Guanyi paused, looking at his palm.

    “This is…”

    Fire Qi?!!

    The crimson dragon’s Law Physique collapsed again.

    Lying on the bronze tripod, it blew bubbles.

    Its whiskers curled and uncurled.

    Li Guanyi murmured, “It hasn’t been fully activated yet, but it already allows my fists and feet to contain fire Qi. While it only burnt some ants, this is just the beginning. If the crimson dragon fully emerges from the tripod… what would it be like?”

    Li Guanyi naturally thought of Yue Qianfeng’s final move.

    A punch, a crimson dragon roaring, flames flying through the air.

    He instinctively clenched his fist.

    The *Po Jun* inner energy circulated, like holding a ball of fire.

    A warmth filled his heart.

    The cultivation system of this world was far more powerful and mysterious than he had anticipated.

    It was a pity that Yue Qianfeng hadn’t taught him more. However, the Xue family must have similar books, not secret teachings but general introductions, which he could borrow. Li Guanyi suddenly felt more enthusiastic about attending classes at the Xue family tomorrow.

    Footsteps sounded nearby; his aunt, Murong Qiushu, was back.

    Li Guanyi put away the jade Guanyin pendant.

    Anticipating his aunt’s reaction, a subtle smile played on his lips.

    Murong Qiushu returned carrying vegetables. She smelled the meat and asked, “Linu’er?”

    “Did you cook meat today?”

    Entering the house, she saw the young man dressed in a blue tunic with a leather belt, instantly captivated by his heroic appearance. A sudden wave of sadness, a feeling of seeing long-lost loved ones, washed over her. Li Guanyi was delighted at his aunt’s dazed expression.

    Then, a playful thought struck him.

    He took a step forward, raised his right hand, gently pressed it against his chest, bowed elegantly, and smiled, “What’s wrong, Aunt? Can’t you recognize me?”

    The boy was showing off.

    This time, I exceeded my aunt’s expectations.

    Murong Qiushu blinked, withdrawing her gaze.

    She also suppressed the momentary sadness of seeing a long-lost friend.

    Then, she reached out, pinched his cheek, and playfully teased, “Looks like my Linu’er finally found a way to live comfortably?”

    “The morning light is soft, the pendants jingle.”

    “My Linu’er.”

    “What’s your worth now?”

    Li Guanyi was stunned:

    ???

    No, Aunt, your reaction is wrong.
    (End of Chapter)

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