Chapter 124: Burning Down the Merfolk Pavilion
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Southern Abyss City, Merfolk Pavilion.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The sound of a heartbeat, as loud as a drum, echoed through the sealed fifth floor. Ripples spread across the pool’s surface with each tremor.
A blue heart leaped out of the water and sank back into the depths repeatedly, as if it were restless.
The merfolk didn’t know why he felt this way. For the past ten days, an unshakable sense of unease had gripped him, and it hadn’t subsided.
Suddenly, a thought struck him.
Years ago, the Merfolk Tribe was hunted down by countless cultivators. To protect the last bloodline of the tribe, his grandfather had hidden in the Undersea Palace, escaping the slaughter under the cover of the tribal leader and elders.
Could something have happened to his grandfather?
The merfolk panicked.
The next generation of the Merfolk Tribe hadn’t hatched yet. If his grandfather fell, their entire tribe would face extinction!
Fear and helplessness churned within him.
Splash! Splash!
The water’s turbulence grew, sending droplets flying.
Click.
The sound of the stone door moving echoed.
Annoyance flared in the merfolk’s thoughts. “Another fool has come to seek death!”
“Eeya… It’s you?”
Humming a tune, his voice faltered as he rose from the water in surprise.
“You’re still alive? Did Teng Xiao not find you?”
The merfolk couldn’t believe Yu Zhao had survived Teng Xiao’s pursuit. The only explanation was sheer luck—Teng Xiao must have missed her.
A note of urgency crept into his voice. “Teng Xiao is surely searching for you. Leave Southern Abyss City immediately and never return.”
“Teng Xiao is dead,” Yu Zhao said, stepping closer to the pool. Her tone was steady.
“Impossible!”
The merfolk’s denial was immediate.
Teng Xiao was known for his cowardice, terrified of the slightest danger. As a Nascent Soul cultivator, there was no way he could have perished.
“I saw it with my own eyes. A sea beast dragged his Nascent Soul into the deep sea.”
The merfolk scrutinized Yu Zhao’s expression. Her serious demeanor suggested no hint of jest. Though he felt it was absurd, a spark of joy ignited within him.
If Teng Xiao was dead, the Merfolk Pavilion could no longer imprison him.
Was he free?
Before he could savor the thought, Yu Zhao spoke again. “I’ve come to take you back to the Undersea Palace.”
The merfolk was alarmed. “How do you know about the Undersea Palace? What did you do to my grandfather?”
His anger caused the blood coursing through his heart to darken to a deep blue hue.
“So that elder was your grandfather.”
Yu Zhao’s eyes filled with guilt. She took a deep breath and recounted everything that had transpired.
The merfolk was silent for a long time.
He wanted to hate Yu Zhao; his grandfather had died to save her.
Yet, his grandfather had chosen to self-detonate to save her. Yu Zhao hadn’t forced him—it was his decision for the tribe’s future.
“I don’t know what I can do for the Merfolk Tribe, but I, Yu Zhao, owe your tribe my life. I will repay this debt with all my strength.”
The merfolk fell into a long silence. Finally, he said, “Let’s leave this place.”
He didn’t want to stay another moment in the prison that had confined him for centuries.
“Alright.”
Yu Zhao took out a large glass vessel, filling it with water from the pool. The merfolk leaped in on his own.
She cast an illusion over the glass vessel to conceal it and carried it out of the pavilion.
At the fifth-floor exit, the merfolk suddenly spoke. “Wait.”
Yu Zhao turned to him.
The merfolk let out a cold laugh. “The Merfolk Pavilion was built on the bones of my kind. It should never have existed. Lend me your hand.”
Yu Zhao extended her hand, and instantly felt a scorching energy coursing through her palm. Instinctively, she opened her hand, and a blaze of ice-blue flames burst forth, quickly splitting into small tongues of fire that scattered across the Merfolk Pavilion.
It wasn’t long before panicked shouts echoed from downstairs. Taking advantage of the ensuing chaos, Yu Zhao led the Merfolk safely out of the pavilion.
Outside the Merfolk Pavilion, a crowd of curious cultivators had gathered, some drawn by the commotion, others having just fled the building. They discussed the cause of the fire with great curiosity, paying no attention to Yu Zhao as she blended into the crowd.
Standing among them, Yu Zhao and the Merfolk watched as the ice-blue flames consumed the pavilion bit by bit.
“Let’s go,” the Merfolk said coldly.
Yu Zhao nodded and headed towards the outskirts of Southern Abyss City, where she had arranged to meet Ji Han Zhou.
“Senior! Senior!”
Just as Yu Zhao was about to leave the city, a delighted voice called out from behind her. She turned, her brows furrowing slightly.
“Senior, it really is you! I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me!” Little Red looked up at Yu Zhao with wide, dark eyes, nervously twisting the hem of her clothes.
In just two months, her once plump, lively face had grown gaunt, and her ill-fitting clothes hung loosely on her, robbing her of her usual charm.
“Little Red?” Yu Zhao was genuinely surprised. She remembered leaving six top-grade Spirit Stones with Little Red when she left. That should have significantly improved her living standards. How had things gotten worse?
“Senior, it’s me, Little Red! Are you… are you doing well?” Little Red stammered out a greeting, her unease written all over her face.
“Little Red, do you have something you want to tell me?” Yu Zhao asked gently. Despite Little Red’s young age, her every thought was plain as day.
“I… I…” Little Red’s face flushed red as she hesitated, struggling to speak.
“She definitely wants to borrow Spirit Stones from you,” the Merfolk beside Yu Zhao declared bluntly.
Yu Zhao neither confirmed nor denied the statement. Truthfully, she had already guessed that Little Red might be seeking her help. But would Little Red really ask for something so significant from someone she’d only met once?
“Senior, the Spirit Stones you gave me… I accidentally lost them. I have three younger brothers to take care of, so I’ve been working three jobs every day. Can you lend me some Spirit Stones? I promise I’ll pay you back once I’m older and can earn more,” Little Red finally blurted out after much internal struggle.
She explained that she and her brothers had moved back to their old home. The main house had been damaged during the last incident, so the four siblings were now crammed into a small side room. While she could endure it, seeing her little brothers suffer broke her heart.
She worked tirelessly to give them a better life, but her earnings were never enough. Running into Yu Zhao today felt like a stroke of luck, a sign from the heavens to help her recover the lost Spirit Stones. Surely, a kind and wealthy person like Yu Zhao wouldn’t refuse.
“No,” Yu Zhao replied without hesitation.
“Thank you, Senior. Thank you—” Little Red’s voice caught in her throat. She stared at Yu Zhao in shock, unable to comprehend such a straightforward refusal.
Yu Zhao didn’t offer any explanation. She simply turned and continued toward the city gates.
Stunned for a moment, anger quickly bubbled up within Little Red. Clenching her fists, she rushed forward, spreading her arms to block Yu Zhao’s path. Her voice trembled with indignation as she shouted, “Why won’t you help me? You clearly have plenty of Spirit Stones!”