Ch 81: The Cannon Fodder Won’t Play Along Anymore [QT]

The merfolk were born beautiful, their natures innocent and sweet.
Even those already grown with children of their own were not necessarily any more mature than human children.

So whenever there was something they didn’t want to do, they would usually just act spoiled before the Priestess—and that was enough.

They thought this time would be no different.

Who knew, the always gentle and easygoing Priestess was, for once, firm.
Even bringing out chubby little Sheng didn’t work.

So the merfolk turned to Little Xingxing—the one blessed by the Sea God and the Sacred Relic, the one teaching them.

Faced with a crowd of big-eyed merfolk trying beauty tricks and cute acts on him, Mu Xing only sneered coldly. He raised his hand, condensing a long whip from spiritual power.

Crack!

Sand and pebbles flew.

Mu Xing shamelessly shoved it off:
“The Sea God told me, if anyone slacks, I should whip them. Don’t worry, it won’t cause serious harm.”

He bared his teeth in a smile, flicking his gleaming tail like a little devil:
“But it will hurt.”

Merfolk: “…” Wow, so fierce!

So they had no choice but to keep cultivating, tearfully.

But Mu Xing didn’t just sit idle. He could see clearly—the merfolk were natural seedlings for water arts. Their talent was undeniable.

The problem was, after all this time, not a single one had results. Most likely, the way he was teaching didn’t fit. After all, merfolk bodies were built differently than humans. Even in human form, their internal meridians weren’t quite the same.

So Mu Xing spent time soaking in the Sanctuary, using his own body as reference, and modified the cultivation method he had once mastered.

A month later, the new version was ready. Mu Xing led them again.

This time, results came quickly.

The first to sense spiritual energy was a little girl.

She was struggling to fold her chubby short legs, sitting in meditation as Mu Xing had taught.

In the darkness before her eyes, suddenly many tiny blue lights appeared.

Her mind reached curiously toward them—and the lights, sensing her intent, drifted closer.

Mu Xing noticed at once—the water element around her had surged.

And sure enough, the next moment the little girl opened her eyes, crying out with delight:
“Brother Xingxing! I saw so many blue little stars!”

To her, those glowing points looked just like the shining stars she saw at night sitting on the reefs.

But the moment she said so, she looked left and right in confusion:
“Eh? Where did the stars go?”

Mu Xing almost laughed. Foolish child—because you opened your eyes, your consciousness left meditation. Of course you can’t see them anymore.

Still, her success showed everyone hope.

Her parents were overjoyed:
“Little Xingxing said only the clever ones can learn this. Seems our Shuoyue is the smartest little mermaid of all!”

At once, many merfolk were unconvinced.

Who didn’t want to be known as clever?

If you couldn’t learn it, wouldn’t that mean the whole clan knew you were a not-so-smart fish? Absolutely unacceptable!

Besides being unconvinced, they were curious—what exactly were those blue stars little Yue’er saw?

Mu Xing soon found the merfolk burning with passion for cultivation.

At first, he had to threaten, cajole, and trick them just to sit still with legs turned into human form and meditate. Now? He didn’t even have to watch them. Everyone pushed themselves, terrified of falling behind.

In this atmosphere, one by one the merfolk sensed spiritual energy, stepping onto the path of cultivation.

Even the High Priestess was no exception.

---

“This is wonderful! Not a single fool among us!” the beautiful merfolk were overjoyed.

For the Priestess, there was another surprise.

Her life was nearly at its end. Outwardly it didn’t show, but she could feel the changes in her body and spirit. She had already prepared herself to surrender to the sea and sleep forever.

But now, following Little Xingxing’s method, sensing “spiritual energy,” she was astonished.

The blue lights she absorbed flowed into her body, gently washing and healing her aging form.

Her body grew younger.

At this rate…

Her heart pounded—perhaps she could delay surrendering to the sea.

But unsure if this was normal, she asked Mu Xing.

He wasn’t surprised at all. Translated on hololonovels.

Mortals with less than a century of life, upon entering Qi Refining, could extend their years.

Merfolk already had long lifespans—once on the cultivation path, naturally it slowed their aging and lengthened their lives.

“This is the Sea God’s gift to the merfolk!” Mu Xing, as always, pushed anything hard to explain onto the absent “Sea God.”

And indeed—for the merfolk, no explanation carried more weight than “the Sea God.”

The Priestess joyfully announced this to the clan.

So the merfolk learned: cultivation not only made them powerful, it extended their lives.

Little Xingxing said, if the Priestess kept cultivating, she could live for many, many more years!

They threw themselves into cultivation with even greater enthusiasm.

---

Three years passed in the blink of an eye.

For the long-lived merfolk, three years was nothing at all.
In the past, they could spend ten days or half a month just diving into the deep sea for a bit of play, catching prey, then coming back to sleep.

But ever since cultivation began, time passed even faster—meditation and practice made days slip by like fingers snapping.

Especially once they learned how to wield spiritual power—no one needed Mu Xing to supervise anymore.
Having tasted the joy of strength, who could still be content with mediocrity?

---

Compared to the carefree life on the island, Ying Lou’s days were far harder.

He had been with Chu Xu all these three years.

Chu Xu, of royal blood from the fallen dynasty, still had loyal officials and generals following him.
Naturally, the new rulers would never let him go.

The pursuit and assassinations never ceased.

Ying Luo, always at his side, was both lover and bodyguard.
Even weakened on land, a merfolk’s senses were far sharper than a human’s.
Thanks to his vigilance, Chu Xu avoided danger many times.

But that also meant Ying Lou’s nerves had to stay taut, never able to relax.

He was exhausted.

Merfolk by nature loved leisure and a slow life—sunbathing on beaches, dozing for days in warm sunlight.
For Ying Luo, this constant strain was torture.

If not for his love for Chu Xu, he could not have endured.

And that wasn’t the only torment.

To humans, the strongest bonds were family and marriage.
Many of Chu Xu’s followers weren’t so steadfast in loyalty. They wished him to wed daughters of their families, even as concubines—an honored position that could bring status and, most importantly, bear his children.

Even though Chu Xu repeatedly refused, those whispers reached Ying Lou’s ears. And every time, they hurt him.

Among merfolk, there was no such thing as one man with many wives. They were faithful to one partner for life. Even if tragedy struck, they would never love another.

Ying Luo could not understand humans. And so, Chu Xu’s men grew dissatisfied with him.

Some even came to persuade him face to face—

“Lord Ying Luo, no matter how deep your feelings with our lord, you are a man. You cannot give him an heir. Can you really bear to see our lord criticized, scorned, and to watch the Chu bloodline perish because of you? Even if we die, we will never allow the royal line to end in our lord’s hands!”

Ying Luo stared blankly at the speaker.

That old strategist, eyes once full of wisdom, now looked at him with both scorn—as if he were some trash—and earnest pleading.

He was cornering him.

“But…” Ying Luo whispered, dazed, “I’ve always been with him. No matter how hard it is now, I’m still by his side. As for heirs…”

He murmured, “Chu Xu promised me—he would love only me for life. There will never be anyone else between us.”

“How can you be so selfish!” the advisor snapped, pointing at him.
“What use is your company? Can you fund his restoration? Provide soldiers? Other than beguiling him with your looks, what else can you do?”

Ying Luo felt aggrieved.

He wanted to say—he was suffering too. He was exhausted every day. He was always injured protecting Chu Xu. He hadn’t even had a chance to relax in his true form for so long.

They only blamed him for dragging Chu Xu down, yet he had given so much.

The more he thought, the more wronged he felt—until he nearly cried.

He raised a hand to cover his eyes. Chu Xu had warned him again and again: never cry before others, never expose himself.

Even his long blue hair had always been dyed black, to avoid suspicion.

Chu Xu’s men could tolerate their lord favoring a man. But a merfolk—a monster—that they would never abide.

Ying Luo tried to hold back, but the scolding to his face, the mounting exhaustion, it was too much.

Even as he covered his eyes, lustrous pearls fell one by one between his fingers.

In panic, he tried to catch them, to hide them—but when he looked up, he met the old man’s horrified gaze.

“Monster… monster!” the advisor shrieked, pointing at him. “Guards!”

---

Far away, Mu Xing suddenly turned his head east.

At that moment, he was carrying one child on his back, holding one in his arms, and with another clinging to his leg.

With the foundation from his past life, Mu Xing’s cultivation progress far outstripped the others. He was the only merfolk who could already fly on a spirit tool.

Ever since the little ones had seen their “Brother Xingxing” soar through the sky once, he became their favorite. Every day: “Take us flying!”

Today was yet another day of being mobbed into flight duty.

But before he could peel the three sticky dumplings off, he sensed a cry for help.

The merfolk had all been safe on the island for years. From so far away, there could only be one person sending that signal.

Mu Xing frowned. Ying Luo.

What happened to him?

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