Ch 79: The Cannon Fodder Won’t Play Along Anymore [QT]

He froze for a moment before asking, “So even Grandma Priestess has never seen the Sea God?”

The Priestess thought for a moment, then smiled and shook her head. “Don’t think Grandma Priestess is anything special. Grandma Priestess grew up the same way Little Xingxing did—from a small mer-child about this big. I’ve only grown older, that’s all.”

She too had once been just a mermaid girl who grew up listening to legends of the Sea God.

Not only her—her late parents, her friends—none of them had ever seen the Sea God either.

Mu Xing felt puzzled. If no one had ever seen this so-called Sea God, why did all merfolk still believe in His existence so firmly?

The Priestess seemed to know his doubts.

“Since you have received the Sea God’s oracle, there are some things that can be told to you ahead of time,” she said. “This is the heritage of our people, something every merfolk must know upon coming of age.”

Mu Xing: ?

Dazed, he let himself be led forward by the Priestess until they reached a giant glowing clam.

The Priestess tapped on it, and the clam slowly opened. Mu Xing realized it wasn’t a real clam at all, but a mechanism.

Inside was an entirely different world—a hidden sanctuary.

This was a place Mu Xing had never been before, but from what he knew, this had to be the sacred ground of the merfolk.

The long, narrow passageway was lined with smooth pearls and gemstones, and glowing night-pearls lit the way without need for other lamps.

Passing through, Mu Xing expected to see something solemn and sacred, but instead—

It was a tranquil lake.

At its center floated a radiant orb, shining with five-colored light.

Its spiritual energy was so rich that, over the years, the entire lake had turned into a rare spiritual spring.

At a glance, Mu Xing understood where the barrier came from.

This mysterious orb was clearly a powerful magical artifact!

The sheer density of spiritual energy coiled around it surpassed any magic tool Mu Xing had seen in his previous life.

Could it be something from the Immortal Realm?

The Priestess gazed reverently at the orb. “This is our sacred relic, the treasure the Sea God left to protect us.”

Lowering her eyes, she spoke gently to Mu Xing: “Xingxing, scoop up some of the holy spring water and drink.”

Mu Xing obediently did as told.

He cupped water in both hands and drank.

At once his mind grew hazy.

A memory appeared in his head—fragmented, broken images.

He saw a white-robed man whose face was obscured, accompanied by two merfolk with silver-blue tails.

The white-robed man carried the merfolk on the back of a giant sea whale, braving storms until they reached an island deep in the sea, where he settled them.

He was strong, able to summon wind and rain, conjuring objects from thin air.

He taught the two merfolk how to live, how to read and write…

Later, he left them many things, and also this orb, which brought prosperity and safety to the island, shielding it from outside chaos and disaster.

The vision ended there.

Mu Xing returned to himself.

The Priestess asked, “What did you see?”

Mu Xing recounted it to her.

“Good,” the Priestess said. “It seems the Sea God truly favors you. Many young merfolk only glimpse the faintest fragments.”

Mu Xing asked, “That white-robed man—was he the Sea God?”

The Priestess answered, her face filled with awe: “Of course. Who but a god could possess such power?”

But Mu Xing knew: that white-robed man was no god, but a mighty cultivator. Translated on hololonovels.

From the strength he displayed in that vision, he might well have been at the point of ascending to the Immortal Realm.

With such divine power, calling him a god wasn’t far off.

So, this world really had once seen cultivators.

And yet, in all the memories he’d been shown, in all the stories told, there was no other trace of the cultivation world.

Could it be that this white-robed man had only passed through by chance, and after leaving this sanctuary for the merfolk, ascended away?

As Mu Xing pondered, he didn’t notice the orb above the lake suddenly stir.

As though testing, seeking, it slowly drifted toward him.

Thunk!

“Ow!” Mu Xing yelped, clutching his head where something had struck him.

Whatever it was bounced once, then landed neatly against his chest.

Mu Xing: ?

Still holding his head, he looked down.

It was the orb, lying quietly in his arms.

Mu Xing: ??

He instinctively raised his head to explain himself—he hadn’t done anything!

But the Priestess spoke first, faster than him.

Her face was full of shock and delight. “The Sea God truly loves you, Xingxing. In all my years, I’ve never seen the sacred relic act so lively.”

Not giving Mu Xing any chance to object, she immediately declared: “Since the sacred relic has chosen you, from this moment on, Xingxing, you are the chief of our merfolk clan.”

Mu Xing: ???

…Just like that?

If he remembered correctly, wasn’t Ying Luo supposed to be the next chief?

He must have looked too lost, because the Priestess explained:
“Every clan leader of ours is chosen by the sacred relic. Since it has chosen you, it means you are the fated chief of the merfolk.”

Mu Xing instinctively wanted to throw the orb back, but it clung to him as if glued on, impossible to peel off.

The burden of being a clan chief was too heavy—he didn’t want to shoulder it.

But the Priestess gave him no choice. Cheerfully holding his hand, she led him out of the sanctuary. With the merfolk’s unique singing voice, she summoned all clanspeople together and loudly announced the news.

Meanwhile, the orb that had latched onto Mu Xing since the sanctuary still clung firmly to him, radiating a glow no one could ignore.

With the sacred relic on him, the merfolk raised no objections. Hand in hand, they circled Mu Xing, and ethereal songs rose across the island.

If a ship had passed nearby at that moment, the sailors would have heard that celestial singing, and among humans, new legends of “sea immortals” would surely have spread.

At the same time, Ying Luo—disguised with Chu Xu as a common villager fleeing pursuit—suddenly stopped, face pale.

“What’s wrong?” Chu Xu caught him, worried.

Ying Luo said, “I felt the aura of the holy sanctuary—it is peaceful and safe. But I…”

His lips trembled. “I’ve lost my identity as clan leader.”

Chu Xu frowned. “What do you mean?”

Ying Luo spoke in panic: “Is it because I didn’t save the clan before? Do they resent me?”

Since that day, he had received no signal from his people. Now it seemed they had safely returned home.

Chu Xu pulled him close, comforting: “This is all my fault. When this is over, I will go with you to apologize to your clan. They will forgive you.”

Ying Luo felt heavy-hearted. Days of fleeing left him exhausted, unable to rest properly in water.

Weary and dehydrated, he was like a pearl dulled with dust, his old brilliance gone.

But he didn’t feel hardship—as long as he could stay by the one he loved, any suffering was sweet.

Resting his head gently on Chu Xu’s shoulder, he spoke firmly, as if convincing himself: “Yes, my people are kind—they will understand my reasons.”

---

On the merfolk island.

The celebration lasted until midnight.

When the hour of the Rat arrived, the moon hidden by clouds, the merfolk suddenly grew quiet.

They sat on reefs, closed their eyes, and hummed a strange tune.

Mu Xing had never heard it before—there were no lyrics, yet he felt an overwhelming sorrow.

It was their mourning song, for the clansmen who had died.

Though they had seemed calm and carefree these past days, they had not forgotten those innocents who perished.

In the stillness of night, with only the moon and sea breeze as witness, the merfolk sang their grief.

A few younglings didn’t know what had happened, but caught in the song’s emotion, tears welled and rolled down their cheeks—falling as perfect pearls.

Mu Xing’s sharp ears caught Bi Fei whispering softly: “If I get the chance, I’ll avenge you.”

Sadness surged in him too. He thought—if he hadn’t discovered that merfolk could wield water-element power, most of them would have died in that ambush. Inevitably, he felt a trace of dislike toward the irresponsible Ying Luo.

He also recalled the story he’d seen: Ying Luo, to save Chu Xu, had stolen the sacred orb and fed it to him, saving his life.

He lowered his head, looking at the orb tucked in his robe.

That powerful artifact—the relic that had sheltered the merfolk’s peace for ten thousand years—was stolen by Ying Luo to save Chu Xu.

The island then lost its protective barrier, no more eternal spring flowers, and had to endure storms, tsunamis, and the threat of deep-sea predators.

Meanwhile, Chu Xu, having eaten the relic, not only survived but gained long life, soaring away with Ying Luo.

True, for Ying Luo, nothing was more important than Chu Xu’s life.

But what did Chu Xu’s life have to do with the merfolk?

The relic belonged to the whole clan, not Ying Luo alone. How could he harm the tribe for his own lover?

Not only selfish—but wasteful to the extreme.

Mu Xing’s thoughts spun endlessly. At last, everything returned to one conclusion: the simple-minded clan must quickly grow stronger.

Born with water-element single spirit roots—such a gift wasted without cultivation.

Even without it, merfolk were already overlords of the sea.

If they could cultivate on top of that, no matter how naïve, who could ever bully them again?

Strength was the best protection.

Suddenly, little Sheng stirred in his father’s arms, raising his head to ask in a childish voice: “Where’s Brother Ying Luo? Sheng hasn’t seen him in so long.”

Mo Yu thought for a moment, then looked down at his son, explaining seriously: “Your Brother Ying Luo went to the land, found someone more important, and doesn’t want to come back.”

Mu Xing was stunned. He hadn’t expected the seemingly honest big guy Mo Yu to say such a thing.

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