Chapter 119: A Glimmer of Hope for the Siren Tribe
This novel is translated and hosted only on BCatranslation
Yu Zhao’s lips curled into a soft smile as she gently pushed the Divination Shell toward the elderly siren before her. In the vast universe, all beings are equal, and each race has its rightful place. She couldn’t stand the thought of an entire tribe being eradicated just because of someone else’s greed.
She watched patiently as the old siren stared at the Divination Shell, his hands hovering over it but unmoving. Sensing his hesitation, she offered kindly, “Elder, are you unsure how to use it? Just hold it with both hands, and then—”
“I know how to use it!” the old siren interrupted, his voice rough but resolute. He quickly snatched up the shell, taking a deep breath before beginning to chant. His hands trembled slightly as he repeated the process six times. After a moment’s pause, he glanced at Yu Zhao, then slid the shell back to her.
Yu Zhao took the shell, her eyes gradually losing focus as she connected with its power. The old siren clenched his fists, his gaze fixed on her face, desperate not to miss even the slightest change in her expression.
Suddenly, a sharp crack echoed through the chamber. A new fissure spread across the shell, its burn marks radiating outward until they nearly covered the entire surface. Relief washed over the old siren—success!
As the shell communicated its message to Yu Zhao, her expression grew increasingly complex. She carefully stored the Divination Shell back in her spatial ring, her movements slow and deliberate under the old siren’s anxious and hopeful gaze.
The old siren had once been the leader of the Siren Tribe, known far and wide for his fiery temper. But today, driven by the desperation to learn his tribe’s fate, he had suppressed his anger and forced a smile, his voice as gentle as he could make it. “What did the Divination Shell reveal?”
Yu Zhao hesitated, deep in thought, her mind swirling with the weight of the shell’s message.
The old siren’s patience was wearing thin; he was nearly ready to jump out of his seat. Inside, he cursed Yu Zhao a thousand times over for her silence.
“Elder, it’s not that I’m unwilling to tell you,” Yu Zhao finally spoke, her cheeks reddening slightly as though she could feel the old siren’s silent curses. “I’m just worried you won’t believe me.”
“Just tell me! I can handle it,” the old siren urged, his voice edged with impatience.
“The Divination Shell revealed that the Siren Tribe is indeed in decline, but there’s still a glimmer of hope. If you can seize that hope, it’s possible your tribe could rise again, perhaps even surpassing its former glory.”
Yu Zhao’s words were like a life-extending elixir to the old siren. His spirits lifted, and the weariness that had weighed him down seemed to evaporate in an instant.
“Where is this hope for the Siren Tribe?” he asked eagerly, his voice trembling with anticipation.
Yu Zhao remained silent for a moment, then slowly pointed to herself.
The old siren stared at her, bewildered, until realization dawned. The hope for his tribe was… her? He nearly laughed out loud in disbelief. How could the future of the Siren Tribe rest on the shoulders of a human cultivator?
Yu Zhao sighed, knowing this was exactly how the old siren would react. She had been shocked herself when she first learned the result.
The responsibility felt overwhelming, a heavy burden that pressed down on her shoulders.
“Elder, I allowed you to use the Divination Shell; why would I deceive you? As for why it’s me, I honestly have no idea,” Yu Zhao said, meeting the old siren’s gaze. Both of them were at a loss for words.
After a long, tense silence, the old siren finally spoke. “What’s your name?”
“Yu Zhao.”
“Can I trust you?”
“Elder, I won’t claim to be a saint, but I’m not a villain either. Whether or not you choose to trust me is entirely up to you.”
Yu Zhao rarely made promises unless she was certain she could keep them. But when it came to the Siren Tribe, she was completely at a loss. How could she help them when she herself didn’t know what to do? And once she left this underwater palace, it might be a long time before she returned to the Southern Seas. How could she possibly assist the Siren Tribe in growing stronger?
“I don’t dare trust you, but I trust the Divination Shell,” the old siren finally said after some thought. In a way, he was admitting his willingness to place his trust in Yu Zhao.
“Come with me,” he said, leading the way on his shell mount. He moved slowly as always, but Yu Zhao didn’t rush him. Instead, she took her time to admire the opulent surroundings of the palace.
After what felt like the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, they stopped in front of a large door. The old siren dismounted from his shell and swam slowly to the door, sweeping his tail across it. The door creaked open, revealing a dazzling array of treasures within.
The old siren stepped aside, gesturing for Yu Zhao to enter. “Inside are the treasures my Siren Tribe has accumulated over generations. You can take whatever you want, even if you clear out the entire room. But before you go in, I need you to promise me one thing.”
Standing at the entrance, Yu Zhao could already feel the vibrant spiritual energy radiating from within. “Elder, my abilities are limited. Please don’t make things too difficult for me,” she said with a wry smile.
“I don’t expect you to rescue our captured kin or stay here in the palace. I only ask that if you ever encounter a siren in trouble, you save them. Please.”
Seeing the earnest plea in the old siren’s eyes, Yu Zhao realized that he had pinned all his hopes on her. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded. “I promise.”
The old siren let out a sigh of relief. “Go on in.”
As soon as Yu Zhao stepped into the room, she was nearly blinded by the brilliance of the treasures inside. Blood-red jade corals, sea lingzhi as large as a human face, demon cores of beast kings—there were too many treasures to count.
She spent nearly half an hour inside before reluctantly stepping out. The old siren eyed her suspiciously. “Why did you come out empty-handed?”
“Because I’m noble and virtuous?” Yu Zhao replied hesitantly, trying to maintain a straight face.
The old siren nearly choked on his words, then grew anxious again. “Are you planning to go back on your promise?”
“I’m not going back on my word. I just don’t want to take anything from inside. I’ve already received my reward earlier,” Yu Zhao explained, referring to the gems and demon cores she had collected in the passage.
The old siren frowned deeply. “Those things are nothing! No, you must take something from here!”
He had been worried about losing his tribe’s treasures when he let Yu Zhao in, but now that she had come out empty-handed, he was even more upset. Using his tail, he nudged Yu Zhao back into the room and grabbed a small iron piece the size of a thumb, forcing it into her hand.
“Take it!”
The small piece of iron was surprisingly heavy, nearly slipping from Yu Zhao’s grasp. It was a piece of Magnetic Iron, a rare material known for its strong magnetic properties, the bane of metal-based magical weapons.
Before Yu Zhao could even thank him, the old siren handed her a transparent jade stone with a drop of milky white liquid suspended at its center.
“This is a drop of Jade Essence, worth more than ten thousand spirit stones,” the old siren explained with pride.
This novel is translated and hosted only on BCatranslation
Next, a piece of wood taller than Yu Zhao suddenly appeared in her arms, its surface rough and ancient.
“This is Ocean Serpent Wood, a rare and resilient material that grows only at the bottom of the sea. It’s nearly indestructible,” he added.
One treasure after another piled into Yu Zhao’s arms. Despite her protests, the old siren refused to let her leave empty-handed.
By the time they left the treasure room, Yu Zhao was smiling, her arms full of rare and precious items. But the old siren looked like he was about to cry. What had possessed him to give away his tribe’s treasures like this? His heart ached at the thought, but he knew deep down that it was a small price to pay if it meant a glimmer of hope for his people.