Into The Sea

Forty years ago, Qihuang Mountain, Lianzhou.

Lan Wu sat under the shade of a tree, hugging her knees weakly, her lips dry and chapped.

Once again, she regretted running away from home.

She was a mermaid, barely two hundred years old and newly capable of taking human form. But in human years, she was only equivalent to a nineteen-year-old girl. Young mermaids weren’t supposed to leave the protective embrace of the Kunlun Sea. But she couldn’t help it; she had overheard a conversation between her father and mother.

“Ah Wu has come of age; it’s time for her to marry.”

“The Shark Clan’s Prince Sha Lang has expressed interest in an alliance through marriage. Let’s arrange for them to meet in a few days. If it’s suitable, we’ll make it official.”

She was immediately thrown into panic, both angry and aggrieved. Not to mention that Prince Sha Lang was burly and rough, with skin harder than stone. The idea of marrying him was utterly repulsive. How could she possibly marry him?

Adding insult to injury was her twin sister, who seemed to excel in every area Lan Wu found herself lacking. Entrusted with important responsibilities, her sister spent her days by their father’s side, skillfully navigating the intricacies of court affairs. All because Lan Wu’s cultivation was a little lower, her talent a little weaker, her temperament a little softer, did she deserve to be treated like this? Truly, every fish has its fate.

In a fit of anger, Lan Wu packed her things and left the Kunlun Sea, choosing a direction at random. The journey was uneventful until yesterday when a stinky, bearded old cultivator discovered her true identity and relentlessly pursued her.

In her panic, she swallowed the pill given by Fuyou to hide her aura and escaped from the old man. But she soon discovered an even worse problem.

Her demon powers were completely gone, turning her into a helpless human who couldn’t even fend for herself.

Frantically, she looked inwards, into her spiritual sea. The once radiant mermaid pearl that housed her demonic essence was now shrouded in a thick, grey fog. No matter how she strained, not a single spark of power responded. She never imagined that the pill, praised by Fuyou as a flawless means of disguising oneself as a mortal, would disguise her in such a manner.

With no demonic aura or power left, she truly was a human now.

It took Lan Wu a long time to accept this fact. She didn’t know how long the pill’s effects would last or when she would recover. Growing increasingly anxious, she wandered aimlessly in the forest all morning before finally giving up and sitting down under a random tree.

The incessant buzzing of summer cicadas was particularly grating, and the scorching sun turned the ground into a blistering griddle. Lan Wu hugged her legs and sighed, resting her head on her knees, her beautiful eyes narrowing weakly.

Even though her demonic powers were sealed, making her no different from a human, her body still retained the habits of a mermaid. After prolonged exposure to the sun, her body inevitably began to weaken. But she had already been lost in this deep forest for a long time. Her two pampered legs were numb from walking, let alone capable of finding water.

Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and her body gradually tilted. Before closing her eyes and completely passing out, she mentally cursed Fuyou for the hundred and ninth time.

What kind of useless pill was that? They were going to be the death of her!

She didn’t know how much time had passed, but a soft groan escaped her lips as her eyelids fluttered. Suddenly, she snapped awake, a fleeting flash of ethereal blue light illuminating her eyes before they returned to their normal pure black. Her heart pounded in her chest, but the remnants of her dream faded into oblivion. Lan Wu clutched her chest, staring at the dilapidated roof above in confusion. It took a moment for her disoriented mind to register that she was no longer where she had collapsed.

She quickly sat up, and the clothes draped over her slid down to her legs.

The setting sun cast its warm glow on her face, causing Lan Wu to instinctively shield her eyes. Through her hazy vision, she saw a Buddha statue covered in cobwebs, gazing down at her with a compassionate gaze.

The dilapidated temple was filled with dust and spiderwebs, but someone had cleared a clean area around her. Within arm’s reach was a cracked bowl filled with clear water.

Lan Wu realized how thirsty she was. She picked it up and drank it all in a few gulps, then held the empty bowl and let out a satisfied sigh, finally feeling much better.

As she lowered the empty bowl, the sound of approaching footsteps reached her ears. The door creaked open, and a slender silhouette stepped inside, silhouetted against the fading light.

Lan Wu squinted, trying to make out the newcomer. As he drew closer, she realized it was a young man, around seventeen or eighteen years old. He was dark-skinned and thin, with a serious and reserved expression. He wore a faded grey tunic, almost washed out to white, with a dagger strapped to his waist. In his hand, he carried a dead rabbit.

While Lan Wu was examining him, he was also studying her.

She was striking, her blue robes a stark contrast to her snow-white skin. Her eyes, large and expressive, held the clarity and shimmer of a pristine lake. Everything about her, from her elegant posture to the exquisite craftsmanship of her clothing and jewelry, screamed wealth and privilege.

It was unclear why she had fainted in this remote wilderness.

He withdrew his gaze and, without a word, squatted on the other side with the rabbit, skillfully skinning and preparing the meat. Outside, the evening glow was as red as fire. Lan Wu slowly stood up, first glancing at the sky outside, then hesitantly moved to his side, softly saying, “Did you bring me here? Thank you.”

Seeing that he ignored her and focused solely on the rabbit in his hands, Lan Wu thickened her skin and continued to ask:

“Wh-What’s your name?”

After another long silence, just when she began to wonder if he was mute, a gruff voice reached her ears. “Ah Ji.”

Being able to speak was a good start. Lan Wu breathed a sigh of relief, squatting next to him with a cheerful smile. “My name is Lan Wu. Lan as in blue, Wu as in graceful.”

“Where did you catch the rabbit? You’re really skilled.”

“Is this your dinner tonight? Are you going to roast it?”

“Where are we, anyway? We’re still in the mountains, right?”

“Do you know how to get down? I’ve been lost all day…” Lan Wu chattered on for a while, but seeing his complete lack of interest in her conversation, she couldn’t help but sigh. Resting her chin on her hands, she asked without much hope, “Do you have any more water? I’m really thirsty.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a waterskin was handed to her. Lan Wu instinctively took it, her eyes widening in surprise as she watched Ah Ji return to his meticulous preparation of the rabbit.

Seems like a person who’s cold on the outside but warm on the inside.

She delicately took a sip from the waterskin, then another, and another, until it was empty. A flush of embarrassment crept up her cheeks as she mumbled, “I’m sorry. I… I drank all your water.”

“It’s fine,” Ah Ji finally glanced at her. “There’s a stream outside.”

Only then did Lan Wu get a good look at his face. Despite his dark complexion, he had delicate features and a pair of cold yet beautiful almond-shaped eyes.

Lan Wu thanked him and hurried outside. As promised, she found a shallow stream a short distance from the temple. She knelt by the water’s edge, scooped up water to wash her face, and drank a few mouthfuls. Only then did she let out a contented sigh.

When she returned to the dilapidated temple with her face still damp, Ah Ji had already skewered the meat and was roasting it over the fire.

Her stomach growled loudly, and she quickly moved closer to him, trying to make conversation. “Ah Ji, thank you for saving me. If it weren’t for you, no one would have known if I had died.”

“You weren’t going to die,” Ah Ji said lightly. “You just had heatstroke. You would have been fine after some rest.”

“Even so, bringing me here to rest makes you a really good person.” Lan Wu’s lips curved into a curious smile. “By the way, why are you in the mountains?”

Ah Ji didn’t answer. Instead, he countered, “What about you? Why are you out here in the middle of nowhere?”

“Well…” Lan Wu bit her lip, her mood darkening. She decided to embellish the truth a little. “I… ran away from home. My fa… my father wanted me to marry someone I despise. I didn’t want to go through with it, so I ran away.”

Ah Ji turned his head to look at her. The girl’s delicate face was filled with worry; her emotions were written all over her face, making her seem innocent and pure.

He relaxed his guard a bit, turning back to continue roasting the meat, “It’s dangerous to be out here alone. You should go home as soon as possible.”

“I’m not going back.” Lan Wu frowned. “If I go back, I’ll be forced to marry someone I don’t like. No matter how dangerous it is out here, at least I’m following my own will. I’d rather face some hardships than go back and let them arrange my marriage.”

Saying all this made her feel much better. She persisted in asking about Ah Ji’s situation. “So, what about you? You haven’t told me why you’re here.”

After a moment of silence, Ah Ji finally answered. “I’m going to Haochen Mountain to become a disciple. I was just passing through.”

“Haochen Mountain?” Lan Wu was intrigued. “What’s that place?”

Ah Ji looked at her in surprise. “You don’t know about Haochen Mountain? It’s the most prestigious of the Three Great Immortal Sects! It’s located at Jixue City, Capital of the Northern Region. It’s still hundreds of miles from here.”

An immortal sect? Weren’t those the annoying places filled with self-righteous cultivators? Always claiming to slay demons and vanquish evil?

Thinking about the old man who had chased her relentlessly, Lan Wu felt her teeth itch in anger. Looking at the would-be disciple, she suddenly found him a quite irritating.

Just then, Ah Ji had finished roasting the meat. After slicing it with a small knife, he wrapped a large piece in a clean leaf and handed it to her. Lan Wu was startled. “For…for me?”

Ah Ji nodded. “Aren’t you hungry?”

Any lingering annoyance Lan Wu harbored vanished in an instant. Lan Wu smiled, carefully taking the offering. She blew on it a few times to cool it down before taking a bite. The heat still surprised her, and she yelped, fanning her tongue.

She gulped down several mouthfuls of water to ease the pain but didn’t dare take another bite. Instead, she stared at it with a mix of bitterness and longing.

Ah Ji, puzzled, took a bite of his own portion and mumbled, “It’s not that hot.”

Lan Wu chuckled awkwardly. “I… I’m not feeling well. I’m sensitive to heat and cold. Don’t mind me.”

Ah Ji studied her for a long moment, his initial assessment solidified in his mind. “You really should go home,” he said again.