Into The Sea

Ji Lingyue stood in front of a display, carefully picking up a silver bracelet.

With a gentle flick of her wrist, the bracelet seemed to melt like water, extending into threads as thin as needles. Yet, upon touch, they remained cold and solid.

An attendant from the Treasure Pavilion stepped forward. “This is the Thousand Threads Bracelet, crafted from Beiyuan Living Iron. It serves as both an accessory and a personal weapon. The higher the wearer’s cultivation, the more and sharper the silver threads become. Eventually, a single thread can be wielded like a sword.”

Ji Lingyue inquired, “And what if it were used by someone at the Foundation Establishment stage?”

The attendant faltered for a moment, then hesitantly replied, “Foundation Establishment stage, well… it could probably manage a single thread, useful as a rope perhaps. Ah, but there’s also a simple protective formation engraved upon it. In times of danger, it could offer some defense.”

“Is that so?” Ji Lingyue turned the bracelet over in her hands, intrigued. “How much is it?”

“One thousand top-grade spirit stones.”

Ji Lingyue’s eyes widened in surprise. “One thousand?”

“Indeed, honored customer. The prices at Baibao Pavilion are, unfortunately, non-negotiable.”

She pursed her lips, quickly calculating her current funds. Buying this would leave her nearly penniless and force her to postpone her plan to get a top-grade spirit sword.

However, Lan Wu would look absolutely beautiful wearing it.

After a moment of internal struggle, Ji Lingyue made up her mind. “Fine, a thousand it is. I’ll take it.”

***

“Why are you wearing such ridiculous clothes?” a woman’s voice scoffed.

Lan Wu turned to see a woman standing beside her, arms crossed. Hesitant, she asked, “Are you talking to me?”

“Who else?”

Honestly, what rude person!

Lan Wu put down the hairpin she was examining and faced the woman sternly. “Excuse me, fellow cultivator, we don’t know each other, so there’s no need for your unsolicited opinions. Besides, I’m wearing the robes of Haochen Mountain, the most elegant among the three great sects. Do you have any taste?”

“Fellow cultivator? We don’t know each other? Haochen Mountain?” Lan Yuan’s voice rose with each word, her eyes wide with disbelief. “Lan Wu, have you lost your mind?”

Lan Wu was speechless.

That condescending tone… it sounded vaguely familiar.

She frowned, her gaze fixed on the woman’s masked eyes and delicate chin. A ridiculous thought slowly formed in her mind.

“Lan… Lan Yuan?!”

“Ahaha,” Lan Yuan scoffed, a mocking smile playing on her lips. “So, my dear sister still remembers me?”

Lan Wu blinked rapidly, glanced at Yu Shanye, who was admiring other jewelry not far away, and then grabbed Lan Yuan’s arm, pulling her outside. Once they were alone, she turned around, exclaiming. “Are you crazy? Coming to a place like this? Do you have any idea how many cultivators are here?”

“If you can come, why can’t I?” Lan Yuan retorted.

“I’m not like you.”

“And how exactly are we different?” Lan Yuan sensed something was off. She reached out, pressing a fingertip to Lan Wu’s forehead. Her expression instantly shifted. “What’s going on? Is that a spirit pill within your body?!”

“It’s a long story…”

“Long or short, I don’t care,” Lan Yuan interrupted, she frowned, her voice hardening. “You’ve played outside long enough. You’re coming back with me now. We can talk on the way.”

Lan Wu stared at her, stunned. “I’m not going back.”

“What did you say?” Lan Yuan raised an eyebrow. “Say that again.”

The long-forgotten feeling of oppression washed over Lan Wu, making her instinctively shrink back. But then she straightened her back, trying to appear calm. “I said I’m not going back. I’m doing just fine out here. Why should I go back?”

“Fine? Lan Wu, have you gone mad? Mingling with humans and wearing these clothes? Have you forgotten the blood feud between our clan and humans? If our ancestors saw you like this, they’d come back to life out of sheer anger!”

“Stop using our ancestors to pressure me!” Lan Wu snapped, “You’re the one who’s being ridiculous! I’ve been gone for five years, and you haven’t even bothered to look for me. Now you suddenly show up and demand I return? What is it? Does father need another princess for a political marriage?”

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Lan Yuan was furious. “What do you take father for? Seems like humans have really corrupted you!”

Lan Wu retorted, “At least humans treat me well, unlike you all who’ve ignored me for years!”

Slap!

After a sharp sound, a red mark quickly spread across Lan Wu’s face. She froze, her eyes widening in disbelief as she stared at Lan Yuan. The hand Lan Yuan had raised was trembling slightly, her chest heaving as if she were struggling to contain her anger.

“You think I wanted to find you?” Lan Yuan slowly clenched her fist, gritting her teeth. “I knew you were unhappy in the sea. After you ran away, Father and Mother were beside themselves with worry, wanting nothing more than to drag you back. I was the one who convinced them to let you be, to let you clear your head. All these years, I’ve diligently checked your soul lamp every single day. As long as it burned, I knew you were safe. Now I see my kindness was wasted, letting you develop such rebellious thoughts?!”

“…If that’s the case, then why are you here now?”

Lan Yuan’s voice was like ice. “I have my reasons. You don’t need to know.”

Lan Wu felt a surge of anger, her resentment rising again. “You… all of you… always dictating my life. You’ve never bothered to consider my feelings! Well, I’m telling you now, I will not go back! I’d rather die out here than return!”

With that, she stomped her foot angrily and turned to leave, running into Yu Shanye who was looking around as she reached the street. Yu Shanye saw her and sighed in relief, hurrying over: “Where did you go? You suddenly disappeared.”

“It’s nothing,” Lan Wu shook her head, forcing a smile. “Let’s go back.”

Yu Shanye nodded, walking alongside her while holding up a circular object in her hand. “Guess what I found,” she said, her voice laced with excitement. “The latest demon-detecting compass! It’s supposed to spin wildly whenever a demon is near…huh?”

She blinked, staring at the compass needle that was spinning erratically. “Is it broken?” she wondered aloud, giving it a light tap.

Lan Wu froze and turned her head in shock to see a woman in blue right in front of her. Lan Yuan grabbed Lan Wu’s sash, yanking her into the air. “Today, You’re coming with me, whether you like it or not,” she said, her voice cold and sharp.

Yu Shanye was startled by the sudden appearance of the woman. By the time she came to her senses, Lan Wu was already being whisked away. The needle on the disc stopped spinning and pointed in the direction they had gone.

Yu Shanye sucked in a breath, clutching the compass tightly as she took off after them. “Help! Demon! A demon kidnapped a young cultivator!” she cried out.

Meanwhile, Meng Changge and Ji Lingyue were making their way out of Baibao Pavilion. Meng Changge glanced at the silver bracelet clutched tightly in Ji Lingyue’s hand, still finding the situation hard to believe. “You spent one thousand top-grade spirit stones on Lan Wu?”

Ji Lingyue blushed, feeling a strange sense of self-consciousness at her words. “She’s my best friend,” she replied.

Meng Changge was shocked. “Why don’t I have friends like that?”

“Senior Sister, you will surely meet someone someday…”

Just as they stepped out the door, a powerful gust of wind swept through the street, sending stalls toppling and people scrambling for cover. Ji Lingyue stumbled back, catching only a glimpse of a blue blur shooting across the sky.

Meng Changge steadied her, frowning. “Who was that? Talk about reckless! Aren’t cultivators forbidden from flying within Changheng City?”

Before she could finish, a group of cultivators sped by on their swords, chasing after the blue figure.

Meng Changge was speechless.

She briefly wondered if she had misremembered the city rules. Just then, a young woman dressed in red landed before them on her sword. Her eyes lit up as she spotted them. “Senior Sister!”

“Yu Shanye!” Meng Changge responded, then asked, “Why are you alone? Where’s Lan Wu?”

Yu Shanye, flustered, blurted out. “Lan Wu was taken by a demon!”

“What?!” both Meng Changge and Ji Lingyue exclaimed in unison.

Ji Lingyue’s face changing as she asked urgently: “What demon?!”

“I don’t know! A woman dressed in blue robes,” Yu Shanye said, gesturing wildly. “She was wearing a mask. She just appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Lan Wu away!”

Ji Lingyue froze, her gaze snapping towards the direction where the group had disappeared. Meng Changge’s expression turned serious. “I’ll go after them,” she declared, already flying off. “You two stay safe and follow behind!”

“Got it!” Yu Shanye gasped, about to join Ji Lingyue, only to see her leap onto her flying sword and vanish in a blink.

Yu Shanye: “…Sure, must be nice having a high-grade spirit sword.”

“How troublesome.” Reaching the fields several miles outside the city, Lan Yuan glanced back at the persistent cultivators on her tail and clicked her tongue. With a flick of her wrist, a silver sword materialized in her hand.

Lan Wu struggled desperately. “Let me go!”

“If you keep this up, I’ll knock you out and drag you back!”

“We’re the same age! Stop treating me like a child!” Lan Wu protested.

“Then stop acting like one.” Lan Yuan shot back, though the sight of the handprint on Lan Wu’s face softened her expression slightly. “Behave, and we’ll talk when we get home.”

With that, she spun on her foot, drawing a flourish with her sword. The air around them shimmered like water ripples.

Lan Yuan’s robes fluttered, and her hair gradually turned a strange, silvery hue. She looked up at the several swords descending towards her from above, and sneered, “Fools.”

“Wait!” Lam Wu shouted in fear.

But it was too late. A torrent of water erupted from the tip of Lan Yuan’s sword, twisting and contorting until it took the form of a massive water dragon. With a deafening roar, it lunged towards the oncoming cultivators.

Meng Changge arrived just in time to see five cultivators trapped within the water dragon’s grasp, their bodies convulsing as they struggled to breathe. Furious, she drew her crimson blade, five golden rings of light materializing behind her.

Lan Yuan frowned but didn’t meet her head-on, feinting backward several steps before flicking her wrist as Meng Changge pursued, sending out a flash of cold light as her sword flew out like a silver snake.

Meng Changge reacted quickly, blocking with the back of her blade, but the impact numbed her hand. She frowned, recognizing that this demon was at least her equal, if not stronger than she was. Thinking quickly, she drew her second saber, aiming for Lan Yuan’s left arm, which was currently occupied with restraining Lan Wu.

Lan Yuan dodged, but a flicker of movement in her peripheral vision caught her off guard.

Someone had gotten close, and fast.

Forced to release Lan Wu, she struck at the newcomer with her left hand while blocking Meng Changge’s dual swords with her right.

Boom!

Lan Yuan found herself trapped between Ji Lingyue and Meng Changge. Her silver hair whipped wildly as the clash of gold and blue lights collided in brilliant colors.

“Ah—”

Lan Wu screamed as she fell through the air, but before she hit the ground, Yu Shanye grabbed her by the collar. Lan Wu took a breath, looking anxiously at the brilliant light and mumbling. “This is… too much…”

“What?” Yu Shanye asked, confused.

In the humid air thick with surging demon energy, Meng Changge stared into the azure eyes inches away and suddenly realized. “You’re a mermaid?”

Lan Yuan said with disgust. “None of your business.”

“The merfolk have secluded themselves from the world. Why are you here? And what do you want with my junior sister?”

“Your junior sister?” Lan Yuan scoffed, as a formation appeared beneath her feet, summoning a fierce wind that whipped up blades of water. “Some junior sister!”

In an instant, Ji Lingyue’s robes were slashed in several places. She was forced to leap away from Lan Yuan, and once she steadied herself, she glanced toward Lan Wu.

She wanted to check on her, but Meng Changge’s words made her stay put. No matter what, she had to stop this mermaid.

Lan Wu’s danxin… it was only missing one last Sea Pearl.

Faint glimmers of light appeared in the distance, signaling the approach of more powerful cultivators from the city who had noticed the disturbance and were rapidly approaching. Lan Yuan knew she couldn’t linger. With a flick of her wrist, she deflected Meng Changge’s attack, then spun on her heel, her sword aimed at Ji Lingyue’s heart.

She decided to eliminate the weaker one first, then deal with Meng Changge.

Caught off guard, Ji Lingyue barely managed to raise her sword in defense. The impact sent a spiderweb of cracks across the blade. The overwhelming demonic power made her grunt in pain as blood rose in her throat, but the silver-haired woman pressed forward relentlessly, dozens of colorless water blades materializing to strike again.

Just as the attack was about to land, a figure lunged in front of Ji Lingyue, shielding her with their body.

Lan Yuan’s eyes widened in shock. With a flick of her wrist, she desperately altered the trajectory of the water blades, sending them crashing into the surrounding trees.

Before she could recover from the shock, a sharp pain ripped through her right shoulder. A long saber, coated in her blood, protruded from her chest. Lan Yuan let out a pained cry but reacted instantly, grabbing the blade as misty blue demon energy surged from her palm and flowed along the bloodstained blade toward the hilt. Meng Changge quickly released her grip and jumped back, barely avoiding the icy bonds that suddenly formed.

“Ugh!”

Lan Yuan gritted her teeth, shattering the saber with her bare hand. She stumbled back, landing on one knee. Lan Wu turned back anxiously to meet her shocked and disappointed gaze, her body freezing as her throat seemed to close up, unable to make a sound.

With the pressure of several approaching cultivators closing in, Lan Yuan coughed, wiped the blood from her mouth, and stumbled to her feet, fleeing without looking back.

“Wait!”

Ji Lingyue raised her hand, directing her spirit sword to strike at Lan Yuan’s heart, but Lan Wu cried out in shock and tackled her. The sword lost its aim, only grazing Lan Yuan’s left arm to leave a bloody scratch.

Dazed and surprised, Ji Lingyue looked up, ready to question Lan Wu, but saw her eyes red with tears. Lan Wu screamed, “What are you doing? Were you trying to kill her?!”

Ji Lingyue flinched at her tone, her own voice rising in frustration. “Lan Wu, she’s a demon! She kidnapped you and hurt so many people! Can’t you see that?!”

Lan Wu lost control. “She was just trying to escape! She didn’t want to hurt anyone! And I wasn’t even hurt! How could you do that?! How could you be so cruel?!”

“Lan Wu!” A sharp voice cut through her outburst. Meng Changge, her expression strained with suppressed anger, fixed Lan Wu with a cold stare. “Even kindness should have limits. My junior sister did nothing wrong. If you want to blame her for trying to kill that mermaid, blame me instead! I was the one who stabbed her!”

By now, the arriving cultivators had landed one by one. Meng Changge gave her a look before turning away without another word, sheathing her blade to explain the situation to them.

Lan Wu knelt on the ground, dazed and lost. Ji Lingyue bit her lip, fighting back tears as she pushed her away and stood up.

Yu Shanye, who had been silent in fear, finally approached and couldn’t help but say, “Lan Wu, you’re really in the wrong this time… they were only trying to save you.”

Lan Wu remained motionless for a long moment before raising her head to look at Ji Lingyue with reddened eyes.

Ji Lingyue let Yu Shanye help her up as she picked up her ruined spirit sword. She took a step back, then paused, her voice trembling slightly. “I… I know you didn’t mean it. I’ll… I’ll pretend I didn’t hear what you just said.”

Lan Wu stared at her, the blood draining from her face. As Ji Lingyue and Yu Shanye walked away, she finally broke down, burying her face in her hands, and let out a low, muffled moan.

“Ah…”