Double penetration: This Three Kingdoms has dragon energy

Chapter 165 Penglai Port and Beyond Kyushu
The seventh day of the first lunar month in the second year of Chuping.

Avoid taking a vacation; work is preferable.

The Spring Festival holiday is over, it's time to get back to work.

This autumn's main tasks are neither civil affairs nor military matters.

It's an adventure!
It's time to officially begin the long-planned search for the Qingzhou Ding.

According to Kong Rong's previous statement, there are two prerequisites for finding the Qingzhou Cauldron.

Firstly, it was to occupy the entire territory of ancient Qingzhou.

The entire territory of ancient Qingzhou is almost identical to the entire territory of present-day Qingzhou.

Therefore, Ji Qiu has already completed this step.

Secondly, it is to find the Imperial Seal of the State.

There's even less to worry about in this regard, as the Imperial Seal has always been with Ji Qiu.

With both prerequisites met, finding the Qingzhou Cauldron shouldn't be difficult.

But this is not the case.

For some reason, although he had already occupied the entire territory of Qingzhou, he always missed the Qingzhou Cauldron when using the Imperial Seal to search for it.

They could only vaguely sense the existence of the Qingzhou Cauldron, but could never pinpoint its exact location.

It wasn't until after the New Year celebrations, when his dragon energy harvesting rate reached over 0.7%, that he used this newly collected dragon energy to power the Imperial Seal of the State, the Qingzhou Cauldron, and only then did he learn the exact location of the Qingzhou Cauldron.

The new dragon energy indeed has extraordinary effects.

It can revitalize various secret techniques, enabling them to do many things that were previously impossible.

Unfortunately, there aren't many.

Because the celebration can only temporarily increase the dragon energy harvesting ratio, after the celebration, the dragon energy harvesting ratio will show a slow downward trend.

Within two months at most, it should drop below 0.7%.

Of course, even if the overall dragon energy harvesting rate drops below 0.7%, it doesn't mean he can't harvest new dragon energy.

Because there are always some individual citizens whose contribution of dragon energy is more than 0.7%.

Just like how the overall dragon energy harvesting rate is currently above 0.7%, but many individual people's dragon energy contribution rate is below 0.7%.

Therefore, Ji Qiu will still possess some new dragon energy at that time, but the amount will be lower than it is now.

"It seems we need to hold regular celebrations to boost morale."

"But it can't be too frequent either. If it's too frequent, the people will become numb to it."

"It will lose its effectiveness by then."

"In the end, using celebrations to increase the dragon energy harvesting rate is essentially no different from the routine of first bringing down disasters and then saving the people."

"These are all just treating the symptoms, not the root cause!"

"If we want to fundamentally increase the proportion of dragon energy harvesting, we still have to go back to the old path of improving the treatment of the people."

"Zhang Zhao is right to say that this method has its limits."

"But that's not right either."

"This method does have its limits, but neither I nor the other lords of the Dragon Qi Three Kingdoms have reached those limits yet!" Ji Qiu thought to himself.

Having pinpointed the exact location of the Qingzhou Cauldron, the next step was naturally to retrieve it.

So, on this beautiful, sunny day, Ji Qiu set off.

First, we went to Dongnae County.

Dongnae County is currently undertaking a large-scale relocation of its residents.

Everywhere, there were processions of people moving towards Beihai County.

During the migration of the people, the Wang family of Donglai were naturally unwilling, but they had no choice.

Circumstances dictate that one must comply; ultimately, cooperation is the only option.

In contrast, most of the people who are migrating are in good spirits.

The numbness in his eyes was no longer the same as before; instead, there was a hint of anticipation for the future.

This was not the first time that the Jiqiu forces had relocated people. After so many relocations, the officials of the Jiqiu forces had gained a lot of experience in how to relocate people.

From mobilization to implementation and logistical support along the route, everything was done very well.

This greatly reduced the resistance of ordinary people.

The propaganda department staff and Ji Qiu's followers also went deep into the people and established an organizational structure from the beginning of the migration.

To erase the impression of powerful families on the people, and to imprint Ji Qiu's ideology on them, thus winning the hearts and minds of the people from the hands of powerful families.

Ji Qiu did not stay in Donglai County for long; he just took a quick look around and headed straight for Penglai Port.

Stepping onto the wet bluestone slabs, I entered the most bustling street of Penglai Port.

The sea breeze, carrying the salty tang of seaweed, wafted in, while dried fish, glistening with oil in bamboo trays drying on the street, formed a strange contrast with the Liaodong sable furs hanging under the eaves.

The shouts from the cargo ships in the distance pierced through the thin mist, mingling with the rhythm of the drums coming from the Hu shops, creating echoes in the narrow alleyways.

The banners of the taverns on the street suddenly shook violently, and Ji Qiu dodged three porters carrying sandalwood boxes.

Sandalwood shavings seeping from the corner of the box landed on his boots, mingling with the mottled bronze rust on the ground.

Looking up, the entire street resembles a flowing tapestry: the silk curtains of the Wu-Yue merchants flutter in the wind, and the gold-woven patterns reflect the torches at the dock.

The pottery jars of Goguryeo merchants were piled up like small mountains, their glazes reflecting the waves of the East China Sea.

Sparks flew from the blacksmith's shop further away, and amidst the hissing of quenching, the faint sound of a swordsmith humming a folk song from the Qi region could be heard.

As night falls, the port's noise reaches its peak.

Countless Kongming lanterns rose from the dock, their orange glow swaying in the sea mist, like the Milky Way falling to earth.

Ji Qiu stood on the second floor of the "Qiyun Pavilion" tavern, looking down at the merchant ships coming and going—the northern ships had piles of iron ore on their decks, the southern ships had the fragrance of tea wafting from their cargo holds, and there were mysterious guests hurrying by, with the character "Gongsun" faintly reflected on the jade pendant at their waists.

Penglai Port is a large port located in the easternmost part of Dongnae County, and it is also the starting point of the future Maritime Silk Road.

Historically, by the late Han Dynasty, Penglai Port had already reached a considerable scale, and together with the countries of the East China Sea, it could handle an astonishing amount of cargo every day.

The Penglai Port in the world of Dragon Aura Three Kingdoms is somewhat different from the Penglai Port in the late Han Dynasty.

Because of the Kyushu barrier, Penglai Port cannot be connected to the maritime trade routes of the East China Sea countries outside of Kyushu.

But it can still connect Liaodong and Jiangnan.

This resulted in Penglai Port becoming less prosperous than it had in history.

But it remains one of the most prosperous ports of this era.

Ji Qiu has many ideas for Penglai Port. In the development report that Commerce Minister Mi Zhu just submitted to him, Penglai Port was also listed as one of the key projects this year.

He planned to develop Penglai Port into a vital port connecting the north and south trade routes of the Han Dynasty. Then, using this sea route, he would sell goods from Qingzhou to various parts of the Han Dynasty.

Of course, it's not easy to do that.

The biggest problem lies with ocean-going vessels.

Although the world of Dragon Qi Three Kingdoms possesses dragon-themed warships crafted from dragon qi materials.

In terms of the ability to withstand wind and waves, this dragon-shaped sea vessel was no less capable than modern warships.

However, it is obvious that the number of such dragon-shaped sea ships was extremely small, and it was basically impossible for them to become widespread.

To promote commerce and trade and expand trade routes on a large scale, it is necessary to improve the ability of ordinary seagoing vessels to withstand wind and waves.

However, the development of ordinary seagoing vessels in the Three Kingdoms was even lower than the development level of seagoing vessels in the same period in history.

That's normal. Historically, technological progress has mostly relied on the impetus of elite and powerful classes.

In the world of Dragon Kingdom, the elites and nobles mostly focus their energy on developing dragon weapons. Who would bother developing ordinary sea ships?

If nothing unexpected happens, the differences between the two worlds will only grow larger over time!

However, Mi Zhu had Ji Qiu behind him, which made his idea of ​​exploring sea routes feasible.

Because late autumn can provide modern ocean-going vessels.

But seagoing vessels alone are not enough; a crew capable of operating modern ships is also needed.

Currently, Mi Zhu has begun training seafarers in the name of the Ministry of Commerce.

Normally, this would take a long time.

In the modern world, it takes more than a decade of comprehensive education to become a qualified seafarer.

However, Mi Zhu only plans to open the coastal trade route at present, and the ships that Ji Qiu is going to bring are only for coastal and river vessels, so it will not take that long.

After about two or three months of training, they can start working.

Ji Qiu strolled around Penglai Port for a while, and then took the speedboat out to sea.

When we first set out to sea, the sea was quite calm.

The area covered by the Kyushu Barrier extends twenty miles beyond the coastline.

Therefore, this sea, like the inland area, is protected by the Kyushu Barrier.

However, Ji Qiu opened the portal and kept flashing forward, quickly arriving at a distance of twenty miles.

Then he sensed the boundary of the Kyushu Barrier.

The boundaries of the Nine Provinces Barrier are invisible to ordinary people.

Even mid-level scholars would find it difficult to see the Nine Provinces Barrier with the naked eye.

Only some extremely special dragon energy secret techniques can detect the existence of the Nine Provinces Barrier.

This is also why many people in Kyushu are unaware of the existence of the Kyushu Barrier.

However, Ji Qiu was able to sense the existence of the Nine Provinces Barrier not because of any special secret technique, but because he possessed the Imperial Seal of the State!

Since he infused the Imperial Seal with the vital energy of the new dragon, he has established a mysterious connection with it.

It not only made the Imperial Seal of the State run more smoothly, but it could also sense many things that it had never sensed before.

The Nine Provinces Barrier is one of them.

Although he knew of the existence of the Nine Provinces Barrier in the past, he was unable to sense it.

Now, however, we can sense the Kyushu Barrier at any time!

With one step, Ji Qiu officially left the Nine Provinces Barrier.

The next moment, it felt like the whole world had come alive.

The dragon energy within his body instantly surged, and all of it became full of vitality, transforming into a new type of dragon energy!
Ok?
How is this going?

Ji Qiu looked astonished. He had just obtained the new type of dragon energy. It was only after the dragon energy harvesting ratio was increased to 0.7% that he could obtain the new type of dragon energy.

I thought this would be an upgraded version of normal dragon energy, something that would be difficult for others to obtain.

Unexpectedly, just by leaving the area of ​​the Nine Provinces Barrier, the dragon energy in his body automatically transformed into a new type of dragon energy.

"The Nine Provinces Barrier is both a protection and a constraint for the people of the Nine Provinces!"

The phrase flashed through Ji Qiu's mind. He had heard it before, but he hadn't really understood it.

Now I really do understand what it means.

While the Nine Provinces Barrier defends against external attacks and suppresses internal demons, it also suppresses the dragon energy of the human race.

"It seems that if the human race of Kyushu is to truly reach its peak, it will eventually have to break the barrier!" Ji Qiu thought to himself.

Just as he was thinking this, the calm sea in front of him suddenly changed.

The sea surface suddenly churned like a boiling pot of soup, and the dark blue seawater was torn apart by a tremendous force, revealing a lobster as large as a ten-story building bursting out of the water.

Its bluish-black carapace is covered with seaweed and barnacles, and each of its legs is like a bridge pier cast in steel, with a cold metallic luster at the joints.

The two giant pincers are like a drawbridge opening and closing, with serrated spikes covering the edges of their claws. With a casual swing, they can create a spray of water that blots out the sky. As the seawater flows along the grooves of the carapace, it freezes into ice crystals in mid-air.

Most terrifying of all are the three scarlet tentacles on its forehead, which sway like burning signal flares. Its compound eyes, composed of countless rhomboid crystals, are currently locked onto Ji Qiu on the sea surface. Every movement of its limbs causes the entire sea area to emit a dull roar.

The lobster suddenly arched its body like a small mountain, and its bluish-black shell shimmered eerily in the sunlight.

The right claw tore through the air like a battering ram, and the resulting airflow caused the sea surface to cave in instantly, splitting the water wall vertically at a ninety-degree angle.

The moment the chelicerae grazed Ji Qiu's hair, the rocks five meters away were instantly crushed into dust. The fragments mixed with seawater crashed against the rock face, and the splashing water droplets were covered with ice shards.

At the same time, the left claw swept across like a giant scythe, creating a wave as high as a three-story building, with the crest of the wave engulfing a whirlpool that rushed straight towards Ji Qiu.

In the shadows beneath the waves, barnacles at its joints were falling off in a flurry, each drop creating ripples the size of a bowl.

The most terrifying thing is that its tail slams violently into the water, making the entire sea area sound like a gong being struck by a heavy hammer, with water columns rising hundreds of meters high.

Countless silver fish were jolted and thrown into the air, their white bellies turned up, while the lobster was launched like a black cannonball, its compound eyes glowing red and completely enveloping Ji Qiu.

Just as the lobster was about to rush towards Ji Qiu, the seawater suddenly solidified into a dark blue amber.

The golden light bursting from Ji Qiu's fingertips danced wildly like a spider web, and the Imperial Seal of the State appeared in front of him, suddenly bursting forth with ten thousand dragon patterns. The four characters "Received the Mandate of Heaven" engraved on the seal moved like living things, enveloping the entire sea area in a transparent sealing barrier.

The lobster, still pouncing, remained frozen on the crest of the wave, its barnacles on its dark blue shell about to fall but suspended in mid-air, the water droplets splashing between its massive pincers condensing into ice crystal pyramids.

The surging waves froze into solidified crests, while the stunned silver fish in the troughs maintained their leaping arcs, and even the salt grains splashing in the air seemed to hover in the golden light.

The dragon-tiger knob at the top of the jade seal suddenly emitted a dragon's roar, and layers of seal script appeared on the surface of the barrier, binding the lobster's body like iron chains. Its scarlet tentacles trembled violently but could not break through the light barrier. The moment the fierce light of its compound eyes collided with the barrier, it stirred up a screen full of tiny golden sparks.

It is the most powerful tool that Ji Qiu currently possesses: the sealing secret technique within the Imperial Seal of the State!
The sealing technique within the Imperial Seal of the State was originally at the highest level of the first rank peak.

Ji Qiu had once been eager to find out how to make the power of the Dragon Qi Secret Technique exceed the upper limit of the first-grade peak.

Now he has succeeded. As long as he uses the new dragon energy to drive the Imperial Seal, the power of this sealing technique will naturally exceed the upper limit of the first-grade peak.

(End of this chapter)