Into The Sea

The door creaked open, and Yu Shanye stepped into the room, her heart heavy with worry. But when she looked up, she was startled to see the girl who was supposed to be lying in bed standing barefoot on the floor.

“What are you doing?!” Yu Shanye exclaimed, dropping the bowl of medicine in her hands and rushing to Ji Lingyue’s side. “Elder Yao specifically said you need complete bed rest! Your injuries are severe.”

“I have something I need to do…” Ji Lingyue murmured, her head bowed. She gently pushed Yu Shanye’s hand away and, using the wall for support, began to walk unsteadily towards the door.

Yu Shanye watched her go, her gaze lingering on Ji Lingyue’s frail figure. After a moment’s hesitation, she spoke, “What is it you need to do? Let me help you.”

Ji Lingyue paused, turning her head slightly. Her pale face, framed by messy black hair, looked up. “Take me… take me to a place.”

Half an hour later, they landed on a grassy, sun-drenched hillside.

“Thank you,” Ji Lingyue whispered, her gaze fixed on the ground as if searching for something. Yu Shanye followed closely behind, her brow frowned with concern. “What are you looking for?” she finally asked.

“Pearls.”

“What?”

“Pearls,” Ji Lingyue repeated, her voice barely audible. “White pearls.”

Yu Shanye stopped, staring at her in confusion, while Ji Lingyue slowly knelt on the ground, sifting through the grass and muttering to herself. “There were so many…” she mumbled to herself. “Where did they go?”

Suddenly, Yu Shanye stepped forward, grabbing Ji Lingyue’s arm. “Stop it!”

Ji Lingyue struggled. “Let go of me.”

“Why are you looking for them?” Yu Shanye’s voice rose in agitation. “Don’t you understand your physical condition? Even if you find them, what can you do?”

“Once I find them… I can… I can give them to Lan Wu,” Ji Lingyue choked out, her hand flying to her lips as if to stifle a cough. “I just need the pearls… for Lan Wu’s danxin…”

“Ji Lingyue! She doesn’t need them anymore!”

Yu Shanye’s breathing quickened, her grip tightening on Ji Lingyue’s arm. “Can’t you face reality? Lan Wu is a demon! She lied to me, she lied to you! She’s gone!”

Ji Lingyue’s entire body stiffened. She lowered her head, falling silent. Yu Shanye bit her lip, took a deep breath, and tried to pull her up. “Come on, let’s go back and rest.”

As they struggled, a voice echoed from above. “So this is where you are.”

Yu Shanye looked up to see Meng Changge hovering in the air on her sword. She frowned in concerned, and her expression darkened when she saw Ji Lingyue’s condition. She landed swiftly, scooping Ji Lingyue up in her arms. “Who told you to run around? Do you not value your life?”

“Senior Sister…”

“Enough. The Sect Leader wants to see you both. Come with me now.”

Yu Shanye’s heart sank. She nodded nervously and followed Meng Changge towards the main peak. As soon as they stepped into Xianyun Hall, her sharp eyes caught sight of someone kneeling in the center of the hall. She gasped, “Master!”

Ye Qingjun’s back was covered in blood, yet she still knelt upright. She turned her head at the sound of their voices, a weary but relieved smile gracing her lips. “Disciple.”

Yu Shanye rushed to her master’s side, her voice trembling with worry. “Master, what… what happened?”

“She let a demon escape. This is but a small price to pay.” Chi Jinghe’s voice cut through the air.

Yu Shanye looked up, casting a nervous glance at her before scanning the room. Besides Qin Yu and Elder Lin Heng from the Disciplinary Hall, she noticed another unfamiliar young woman kneeling there.

Qin Yu’s expression was grim. He frowned as his gaze fell upon Ji Lingyue. “Sect Leader,” he spoke, his voice low, “my disciple is still recovering from her injuries. Could we postpone the questioning for a few days…?”

“A few days?” Lin Heng scoffed, cutting him off. “You should be asking if Chang Lang can even hold on for another few days!”

Qin Yu’s face tightened, and he pressed his lips together, saying nothing more.

Chi Jinghe sighed. “Elder Qin, I trust your disciple’s character, but this matter needs to be addressed immediately.”

All eyes turned to Ji Lingyue. She flinched, her gaze lifting slowly to meet the Sect Leader. Chi Jinghe approached her, her expression unreadable. She opened her hand, revealing a small, jade pendant. “Do you recognize this?”

Ji Lingyue lowered her eyes, and after a long pause, she replied hoarsely. “I do. It’s… it’s my identity token.”

“This identity token was found in the Wuji Hall. The disciples guarding the hall that night reported that the demon used this token to bypass the barrier and steal the lantern.” Chi Jinghe ran her thumb over the token, her voice low and steady. “As it happens, only disciples on night patrol were granted access to Wuji Hall during that period. I’m curious, how did your jade end up in the demon’s possession?”

“Is that even a question?” Lin Heng interjected, unable to contain himself. “Everyone saw what happened that day! Qin Yu’s disciple was infatuated with that demon! A disciple of the Immortal Sect, falling in love with a demon… If you ask me, they were colluding all along…”

“Enough!” Qin Yu glared at him. “Lin Heng, I respect your position as an elder of the Disciplinary Hall, but do not you dare slander my disciple!”

“Slander? You know full well what your disciple has done!”

“Enough, stop arguing,” Chi Jinghe interrupted them with annoyance. She looked down at the pale-faced Ji Lingyue. “Tell me, what exactly happened?”

Ji Lingyue stared at the token in Chi Jinghe’s hand, its surface now covered in cracks. She opened her mouth to speak, but only a strangled whisper escaped. “It was… yesterday…”

Yesterday, at dusk, she had met up with her senior brothers and sisters at the Guanxing Pavilion to begin the night patrol when she heard someone call her name. Turning around, she saw Lan Wu approaching, waving at her. Excusing herself amidst her companions’ teasing, she ran over, blushing, to ask what Lan Wu needed.

At that time, Lan Wu had told her that if they both submitted their identity tokens to the to the service hall, even disciples from different peaks could be assigned to the same courtyard.

She was thrilled, thinking Lan Wu wanted to live with her. So, when Lan Wu asked for her identity token, she didn’t hesitate for a second. The truth was, even if Lan Wu hadn’t given her a reason, she would have given it to her anyway.

She trusted Lan Wu that much.

But had Lan Wu… deceived her again?

Seeing Ji Lingyue’s struggle to speak, Chi Jinghe withdrew her hand. “Shi Yan,” she called out, her voice steady. “Explain.”

Shi Yan flinched, her gaze fixed firmly on the floor. “I… I gave her my token to enter the Wan Pavilion,” she stammered. “But she tricked me! She’s the Elder’s direct disciple, and just reached Foundation Establishment stage. Many inner sect disciples like her… How could I have known she was a demon in disguise?”

“You were slacking off in your duties, and you dare try to justify it?!”

“I… I…”

Chi Jinghe pressed on. “Are you sure it was Lan Wu?”

Shi Yan nodded vigorously. “She’s so beautiful. Who could mistake her?”

Ji Lingyue clenched her fists, her voice trembling as she spoke. “Lan Yuan… Lan Wu’s sister… she looks exactly… exactly like Lan Wu…”

Lin Heng scoffed. “So, you’re saying it was all the sister’s doing, not Lan Wu’s? That she’s innocent? Ji Lingyue, think carefully. Even if it was her sister, she used Lan Wu’s identity to sneak around. And Lan Wu not only didn’t stop her but also assisted her. Do you really think she can escape responsibility?”

Ji Lingyue’s voice died in her throat. She blinked, her thick eyelashes fluttering as tears welled up in her eyes.

“Lin Heng,” a weary voice interjected. Ye Qingjun chuckled softly. “You’re not young anymore. Why are you making things difficult for a young girl?”

“You dare speak? Elder Ye, your issues are far from resolved!”

“I have already endured a hundred lashes of the Soul Devouring Whip. If you’re not satisfied, by all means, add another hundred.” Ye Qingjun’s voice was low but steady. “But our sect rules state that only evil demons must be eliminated. My disciple is not an evil demon. It was my fault for letting her go, but at that moment, Elder Qin insisted on killing her immediately. Was that not also wrong?”

“Your disciple isn’t an evil demon?” Lin Heng roared. “The two disciples from the Wan Pavilion–Fang Yuan is still unconscious after being subjected to her puppet spell, and Chang Lang is severely wounded, we’re not even sure if he’ll survive! And you still dare say your disciple isn’t an evil demon?!”

Ye Qingjun frowned and said. “Fang Yuan’s coma is a direct result of your forceful soul-searching. You damaged his consciousness in your pursuit of the ‘truth.’ As for Chang Lang, he was injured by that one called Fuyou…”

“Not this again!” Lin Heng interrupted, his voice laced with fury. “Ah, yes! Your precious disciple is innocent, blameless! it’s all her companion’s fault! But if your disciple hadn’t ordered Fang Yuan to release that Fuyou, how could she have possibly injured Chang Lang? Unless, of course, your precious disciple is a rare exception among her kind, and we just happened to stumble upon this fortunate coincidence?”

Ye Qingjun’s face hardened. She stared at him for a long moment, then let out a chilling laugh. “This is nothing but karma…”

“What do you mean?”

“For centuries, cultivators have slaughtered merfolk indiscriminately, harvesting their flesh and blood. It’s no wonder they harbor such hatred towards humans, especially cultivators. They show no mercy.” Ye Qingjun’s voice was low and steady. “I thought you, of all people, would understand.”

“You… what are you saying? Aren’t you a cultivator yourself?!”

As the argument raged on, Ji Lingyue painfully closed her eyes and suddenly spoke up, “I’ll save him…”

Everyone was stunned and instinctively looked at her. Ji Lingyue drew a shaky breath, before continuing. “Merfolk blood can save someone from the brink of death. So, what about the blood of a human who has drunk merfolk blood?”

Qin Yu frowned. “What nonsense are you talking about?”

Chi Jinghe raised a hand to silence him and, after a moment of contemplation, said, “Call for Elder Yao.”

Half an hour later, Elder Yao arrived in haste, cut Ji Lingyue’s palm, collected a few drops of blood, and sniffed them. After a moment, she looked up in surprise. “Why does your blood have this smell?”

Just as she thought…

Ji Lingyue’s long lashes lowered, her eyes welling up with tears. “If we use my blood to save him, will it work?”

“…While your blood does possess some potency, it’s not true merfolk blood. To save Chang Lang, we would need a significant amount.” Elder Yao looked at her with concern. “Given your current condition, it’s not advisable.”

“I don’t care. I’m willing to do it.” Ji Lingyue’s voice was firm despite its weakness. “He’s running out of time, isn’t he?”

“Ji Lingyue, are you certain?”

“I am.” She lifted her head, her tear-filled eyes meeting Chi Jinghe’s. “Please… allow me to atone for her sins.”

Chi Jinghe looked down at her, “Even if you do this, you will still face the consequences of your negligence, of allowing yourself to be deceived. Once you have recovered, you will spend three years in seclusion at Leng Peak’s Cliff of Contemplation.”

Ji Lingyue’s shoulders slumped as she knelt down, bowing her head. “This disciple understands and obeys.”

The moon hung high in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the tranquil grounds of Qianyun Peak. Ji Lingyue stirred, her senses returning in a haze of discomfort. She realized she was being carried on someone’s back.

She felt the person’s shoulders trembling, their breathing labored. Ji Lingyue blinked, her body heavy with exhaustion. She couldn’t even lift a finger. “Yu Shanye,” she croaked, her voice hoarse, “are you crying?”

Yu Shanye flinched. After a long pause, she choked out. “Why… why did things turn out this way…?”

Ji Lingyue remained silent, her gaze downcast.

The sound of Yu Shanye’s soft sobs filled the air as Ji Lingyue closed her eyes once more, drifting back into the comforting embrace of unconsciousness.

When she woke again, she found herself staring at a familiar ceiling. Ji Lingyue lay there in a daze for a while before realizing it was Lan Wu’s room.

Of course. The owner of the room was gone now. It made sense for her to stay here, closer to Elder Yao’s courtyard, which made it convenient for her to provide blood in the coming days.

Ji Lingyue began to cough again, blood bubbling up in her throat, which she swallowed back down. Supporting herself on the bed, she slowly sat up and took a sip of the tea by her bedside. Suddenly, there was a faint fluttering sound from the window. She looked up instinctively and saw a white gyrfalcon perched on the windowsill.

The gyrfalcon tilted its head, its dark blue eyes watching her for a moment before it flew to her lap. Ji Lingyue lowered her gaze, reached out to stroke its feathers, and asked softly, “Did she abandon you too?”

Danqing, of course, couldn’t answer her. It cooed softly, its sharp beak tugging at her sleeve, pulling her toward the door. Understanding its intent, Ji Lingyue hesitated before standing up, dizziness washing over her as she stumbled out of the room.

A slender figure appeared on the quiet mountain path, following the white bird with unsteady steps.

She didn’t know how long she walked. Finally, Danqing stopped flying ahead, circling in the air. Ji Lingyue paused, leaning weakly against a tree trunk before sliding down to sit on the ground. Exhausted, she squinted upward to realize she had returned to that familiar hillside.

Danqing landed beside her, scratching at the grass with its sharp claws, then picked up a shiny object and placed it in Ji Lingyue’s hand.

Ji Lingyue was startled. Looking down, she saw a pristine pearl shimmering under the moonlight, cool to the touch. Danqing fluttered to another spot, finding pearls one by one and carefully placing them into her palm.

She pressed her lips tightly, tears welling in her eyes. After a long moment, she let out a soft laugh.

Tears fell one by one as she laughed and cried, unable to stop coughing. She clutched her chest, gasping, and collapsed into the grass, her body trembling uncontrollably.

“Lan Wu, Lan Wu…” she sobbed softly, closing her eyes as her voice faded to a whisper. “I found the Sea Pearls. Let’s go down the mountain together.”