Into The Sea

As they stepped onto the familiar soil of the Southern Region, withered yellow leaves were falling like rain. Lan Wu caught one, gently crushing it into fine dust that was carried away by the soft breeze.

When she left, it was still the height of summer, but now it was deep autumn.

Fortunately, the people on the streets seemed normal, gossiping about their daily lives, and fretting over trivial matters. It seemed that the demon race hadn’t yet breached the Shiling City defenses.

Lan Wu felt a little relieved. She led the two behind her towards a small town not far away, explaining, “I sent a message to the sea, letting them know I’m safe. If there’s anything important, they’ll send someone to meet me at the inn.”

Ji Lingyue hummed in response, pulling her hat lower, following close behind. When they reached the only inn in town, Lan Wu went up to the second floor and saw a blue-robed woman sitting alone by the window.

Lan Yuan, now with black hair and eyes, rested her chin on her hand, gazing out the window. Months had passed since they last met, and she seemed to have lost weight. Her once-proud eyes had dulled, and she looked weary.

Lan Wu paused, cautiously approaching. “Sister?”

Lan Yuan tilted her head, her eyes sweeping over Lan Wu. “You’re back,” she said, then gave a small smile, glancing at the two figures behind her. She then casually looked away, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, and asked, “Where are you going this time?”

Lan Wu replied, “Shiling City.”

“You’re determined to get involved in this?”

Lan Wu nodded, and after a moment of hesitation, asked, “Do you know?”

“Know what?” Lan Yuan gave a bitter laugh. “That the father I once admired is the greatest villain? Or know that you and I aren’t our mother’s biological daughters? Or even that our real mother was forced to her death by our father?”

Lan Wu was silent for a while. “I left in a hurry last time and didn’t explain everything. Now I want to tell you everything. Will you listen?”

Lan Yuan raised an eyebrow, but then looked at the people behind her, lifting her chin. “Does she already know?”

Lan Wu was taken aback, not having the chance to reply before Lan Yuan scoffed, crossing her arms. “I see. Once again, I’m the last to know. Lan Wu, if it weren’t for our faces, who would know that you and I are blood-related sisters?”

Hearing the familiar sarcasm, Lan Wu relaxed. She pulled Ji Lingyue to sit down and said warmly, “We’re all family. Why are you so hard on Ah Yue? It’s been so long since you’ve seen each other. Don’t you have anything to say?”

Ji Lingyue replied, “No.”

Lan Yuan snorted. “What is there to say between us?”

Lan Wu sighed, reaching out to touch the teacup on the table. It was cold, and she wondered how long Lan Yuan had been waiting. She pushed the cup aside and called out, “Boss, bring us four fresh cups of tea!”

“Coming right up!”

The servant quickly brought the tea, placing them on the table.

The steam rose, and Ji Lingyue took off her hat, taking a sip of the tea, as Lan Wu’s soft voice spoke.

“Ah Yue and I were caught in the Hundred Demon Scroll during the Immortal Sect Competition, and we were taken to the demon realm…”

***

“Master, what are you looking at?”

Fuyou snapped out of her thoughts, looking at her little disciple, Qing He. “I’m looking at the soul lamps.”

“Soul lamps?” Qing He slowly swam up, joining her in gazing at the dense, blue branches stretching through the water. The branches were adorned with lamps of various sizes. The extinguished ones had sunk to the bottom, while the top two layers were still brightly lit. Only one lamp was dim and out of place—Lan Wu’s.

“Are you looking at the Third Princess’ soul lamp again?” Qing He asked, tilting her head. “But the soul lamp is connected to the mermaid pearl. Since the Third Princess lost her pearl, it’s natural that the lamp doesn’t light up.”

“I know,” Fuyou whispered. “I’m not looking at the Third Princess’ soul lamp. I’m looking at the late Emperor’s soul lamp.”

“Why? It’s been extinguished for over fifty years.”

“Yes, it’s been over fifty years.” Fuyou frowned, murmuring, “The late Emperor isn’t like Lan Wu. He’s a pure mermaid, he can’t produce a spiritual core. Once his soul lamp is extinguished, he’s really dead.”

Qing He was even more confused. “The late Emperor did die.”

“But it shouldn’t be.” Fuyou sighed. “If what the Third Princess said is true, and the prophecy hasn’t been fulfilled, the late Emperor shouldn’t have died, he wasn’t supposed to die because of her.”

“Maybe the prophecy was wrong…”

“Impossible. My master was never wrong.”

Qing He paused, looking at Fuyou, who rarely showed such strong emotions. She whispered, “I thought you hated the Grand Master.”

Fuyou pursed her lips, letting out a sigh. “Never mind. Let’s not think about this. Have you finished today’s lessons?”

Qing He hesitated, following Fuyou as they swam away. She looked back at the lush tree and the twinkling soul lamps, then suddenly asked, “Master, these lamps all look the same. Don’t you get confused when you look at them?”

Fuyou shook her head. “No, the soul lamps aren’t hung by us. They grow from this tree when each mermaid is born. Only the High Priestess, who has inherited the Priestess’s Staff and been acknowledged by the Sea Emperor Tree, can move them at will.”

“Move them?”

Fuyou hummed, remembering the past and couldn’t help but smile. “Though, aside from when I was young and foolish, just inheriting the position and running off to find the Second Princess with a soul lamp, no previous High Priest would actually move them casually.”

She looked down at Qing He’s fluffy head. “Are you asking because you haven’t memorized all the soul lamps and their corresponding mermaids yet?”

Qing He blinked, then said guiltily, “There are hundreds of them, even counting only the lit ones. It’s hard to remember.”

“It’s because you’ve been lazy and haven’t worked hard enough.”

Fuyou’s casual remark suddenly triggered a thought. She froze, slowly turning back to look at the tree.

She suddenly thought of a possibility.

If the prophecy couldn’t be wrong, and the late Emperor should have died because of Lan Wu, then he should still be alive until the prophecy was fulfilled.

But his soul lamp was extinguished.

What if the soul lamp had been replaced? What if the real soul lamp had been taken away long ago? After all, an extinguished soul lamp was indistinguishable from an ordinary lamp.

But who could do such a thing? During that period, the only one who could touch the soul lamps was the former High Priestess, her master.

What reason would her master have to do that?

Fuyou’s face gradually paled as she stared at the soul lamp representing Lan Zhichuan. The withered coral branch held the dim lamp, the inside a black void, like a huge vortex that was pulling her in.

Qing He tugged at her sleeve, worried, whispering, “Master?”

“Master…” Fuyou murmured, her voice distant. “I actually… hope your prophecy was wrong.”

***

The autumn wind rose, swirling fallen leaves on the street, brushing against the faces of passersby.

Lan Yuan stepped out of the inn, looking up at the clear sky. Her voice was hoarse. “I’ll go with you.”

Lan Wu stopped and turned to her. “But eldest brother has already ordered all sea clans to stay hidden.”

“Have you forgotten that you’re a merfolk too?” Lan Yuan walked closer. “I’m your sister, and I’m also… her daughter. I won’t let you face Lan Yueyao alone.”

“Talking about stopping her is too early,” Lan Wu said with a bitter smile. “I don’t even know how to meet her, let alone convince her to change her mind.”

Ji Lingyue interrupted, expressionless, “Just kill her.”

Lan Wu was speechless, sighing helplessly, “Even you would only be able to fight her to a draw, and maybe even fall slightly short.”

“That’s why I need to go,” Lan Yuan said. “Lan Wu, the merfolk can’t help you now, the demons can’t help you either. You can try seeking help from the humans, but with your demon appearance and these two demons behind you, they’ll be hesitant to help.”

“I know.”

“Then you should know that you need help, a lot of help. Not just a demon in the Nirvana stage to solve everything for you.”

Ji Lingyue frowned, about to retort, but Lan Wu stopped her. “I’m just worried about your safety.”

“But you’re already in danger,” Lan Yuan sighed softly. “Lan Wu, actually, I’ve always envied you.”

Lan Wu was stunned, staring at her.

Lan Yuan stood in the chilly autumn wind, her hair swaying, her expression wistful. “I envied how Father and Mother doted on you, how you could skip studying whenever you wanted, how you could laze around and have even the most unreasonable demands met. Even now, I envy that you got to speak with her.”

She lowered her eyes, her smile faint. “But I… never even got to see her.”

“Sister…”

“Everything I do seems to be a step too late. This one step late has allowed me to be fooled by lies, deceived by my family. This time, I won’t be passively accepting things anymore.” Lan Yuan pursed her lips, saying seriously, “If this is her last wish, I’ll help you fulfill it.”