Eating Merfolk (5k)

"This..."

Yu Zhen stood on the shore, looking down into the water. In the pitch-black lake, a patch of White Light Algae was the only light.

Legend has it that in the pitch-black deep sea, the fish emit a faint glow to attract prey. Even Yu Zhen never imagined that this patch of White Light Algae was actually the mouthparts of an unknown aquatic beast, using its light to lure prey into its trap.

All of this happened so suddenly that Yu Zhen reacted extremely quickly, immediately preparing to jump into the lake to rescue You Su.

The plan was about to succeed, how could it be disrupted here?!

But he couldn't leap down, as if he were bound by something. Yu Zhen turned her head and saw that the calm and composed look on Venerable Shenxi's face had disappeared, replaced by a solemn expression.

"Don't forget, we can't go into the water."

Venerable Shenxi's gaze focused on the completely devoured You Su. In an instant, the White Light Algae disappeared into the Five-Colored Soil, the colorful mud that exploded in the water resembling exploding fireworks.

Don't make things difficult for yourself.

Upon hearing this, Yu Zhen's expression also struggled, and a hint of ferocity appeared on his originally refined face:

"Has the Water God still not managed to devour them all...?"

Venerable Shenxi glanced at him and said, "The Water God has been starving for thousands of years, and his divine power is long exhausted. Fortunately, we have finally cultivated suitable food. Let's move up the plan; it's time for Jade Ring Pool to open its gates."

"Are we just going to ignore You Su?"

"He's just a blind man, what big waves could he possibly cause? Besides, he's already accomplished his purpose, it's best if he's dead, then Lotus Sword Venerable might arrive even faster."

As soon as she finished speaking, the sound of water breaking rang out, and Yu Die, whose body was wrapped in a black robe, was swept ashore by the current. As soon as she climbed onto the pool platform, she gushed out the water in her stomach and then coughed violently.

From beginning to end, Venerable Shenxi and Yu Zhen never intended to offer any help.

"Save... save him!" the girl, who had narrowly escaped death, pleaded tearfully.

"You've worked hard, Saintess. Please get some rest."

Venerable Shenxi spoke casually, without even glancing at the Saintess, before turning around and walking away indifferently, as if everything that had happened here that night had nothing to do with him.

Yu Die wrapped her black robe tighter around herself. The damp evening breeze made her shiver uncontrollably, her clothes soaked through. She stared intently at Venerable Shenxi's retreating figure, forcing out a few words from between her pearly teeth:

"You Evil Demons!"

A strange, sticky sensation spread across You Su's body; a slippery, slimy substance coated his skin, and a foul, nauseating odor filled his nostrils. Despite being a repulsive liquid, it possessed a strange, hypnotic fragrance, causing You Su's consciousness to gradually sink.

He wanted to make a move, but the tight walls of the cavity completely restricted his movements, forcing him to remain trapped for the time being.

Despite feeling terrible, You Su could sense that the monster didn't seem to have any ill intentions towards him. Rather than swallowing him whole, it was more like protecting him by hiding him inside its body.

You Su didn't know how long he stayed inside its belly, but suddenly he felt a lightness all over his body as the monster vomited him out.

He rolled on the ground several times before fully regaining his Qingming Festival, but the monster had already vanished.

You Su instinctively opened her eyes and sat up to observe the unfamiliar surroundings.

Everywhere you look are jagged, peculiar stalactites, covered with dark green algae. Cold water droplets drip from the rocks overhead, and the air here is somewhat chilly and damp.

You Su guessed that the cave was probably at the bottom of the Jade Ring Pool.

You Su forced himself to calm down. His purpose in coming here was clearly just to exchange for a Lotus Root Heart, but now that he thought about it, Jade Ring Pool seemed to be cooperating in every way, but in reality, it had no intention of letting him have his way.

They noticed me as soon as I approached Jade Ring Pool. First, they said the Lotus Root Hearts were not yet mature and I would have to wait ten days. Then, they relied on the Saintess to get close to me so that I would be drawn into Jade Ring Pool. It's likely that the people of Jade Ring Pool never intended for me to leave so quickly from the very beginning.

You Su was a skilled actor. He had been pandering to Jade Ring Pool in order to figure out why Jade Ring Pool was deliberately keeping him there. But just as he was getting close to the answer, he was dragged underground by this monster.

He felt as if he had been caught in a vortex of conspiracies and intrigues. From the moment he inexplicably bumped into the White Dragon Carp outside the Jade Ring Pool, he was already deeply trapped and unable to escape.

And now, perhaps the only thing that can answer his questions is that Little White Fish that has disappeared.

However, the most urgent thing is to try to leave this place first.

You Su was not injured. He used the water droplets dripping from above to quickly wash himself, and then took out clean clothes from his Universe Bag to change into.

Suddenly remembering something, he took out an old round plate. The plate was engraved with four lifelike animal heads, each facing one of the four directions. Below the animal heads were bat-like wings. These were the legendary wind weasels, mythical Divine Beasts with an extremely keen sense of wind.

This disc was a gift from the Fourth Elder, who studied Formation Technique, to You Su. It is called the Wind Weasel Formation Plate and can guide the holder by using the air currents in the air.

Suddenly, all four beast heads pointed in one direction, You Su became extremely cautious, slowly walking over.

The passageway was empty, with only the sound of water droplets falling to the ground echoing continuously. Dark green jade stones seemed to be inlaid in the stalactites, emitting a faint glow in the darkness, preventing the surroundings from being completely pitch black.

You Su frowned, feeling that this endless journey was really taking a toll on his mind, so he simply sat down against the stone wall to rest for a while.

"Ah!!"

A piercing scream suddenly echoed through the passageway, interrupting You Su's action of preparing to drink water.

You Su's eyes widened instantly, his gaze as black as ink. He looked in the direction from which the sound came, and quietly stood up and crept over.

As the woman's screams grew louder, You Su slowed his breathing. Finally, after passing through a pile of upright rocks, he saw the source of the sound.

A middle-aged man in fine clothes was grabbing a young girl by the throat and lifting her high into the air.

The beautiful girl was deathly pale, partly due to her physical weakness and partly due to extreme fright. Her eyes were almost bulging out of their sockets as she looked at the ferocious-looking Yu Zhen with pleading eyes. The girl was none other than Xiao Yu.

What's even more chilling is that, just like when You Su first saw the Xiao Yu lower body still had a tail with shimmering scales. However, compared to before, the dense algae and water plants were gone, and the tiny snails and clams were no longer attached to it.

Now the fish tail seems like a natural part of the Xiao Yu, and the fish body and human body are harmoniously connected. It is no longer a bizarre product of forced splicing.

The Xiao Yu's tail swayed back and forth in the air, Yu Zhen ignored her struggles and held her high, his gaze sweeping over the mermaid's body with intense intensity, like a ruthless fisherman in a fish market admiring his most prized prey.

"So beautiful..."

Yu Zhen couldn't help but sigh. He was so engrossed in his excitement that he was completely unaware of the presence of other people in this forbidden area.

"No, no..."

Xiao Yu continued to plead. Even if she was foolish and desperate to become an immortal, she should understand why Yu Zhen had brought her here. This was not the final step to immortality; it would be the final step of her life.

She had just witnessed two girls who, like her, had turned into mermaids, being thrown into the black water in front of Yu Zhen and instantly swallowed up. She was not immune to the same fate.

To allow mortals to develop Spirit Veins and ascend to immortality is simply impossible. Even if it were possible, how could these high and mighty immortals possibly help mortals transcend the insurmountable class divide between them?

Just as fishermen make a living by fishing year after year, how could they possibly help these fish turn into humans?

The Xiao Yu was utterly desperate. Tears streamed down its face, and its tail drooped stiffly, like a dead fish that had lost all life.

"It's your good fortune to become a part of the Water God's power. Rest assured and ascend to immortality. I will tell your grandfather that Xiao Yu is doing well."

Yu Zhen gently comforted the Xiao Yu.

He enjoyed the feeling of giving a last bit of comfort to the desperate, which made him feel that even his cruel actions contained a touch of tenderness and pity, and thus he felt that he was not a bad person, but just a good person who was somewhat unscrupulous.

Upon hearing this, the Xiao Yu stopped crying and closed her eyes, preparing to receive the Water God's summons. There was no trace of desire to live left in this youthful body.

Yu Zhen stretched out his hand, suspending the Xiao Yu above the pool of black water. He took one last look at the Xiao Yu before slowly releasing his grip.

Suddenly, several whooshing sounds rang out! Several white snakes, as swift as lightning, were sweeping towards Yu Zhen's back!

Yu Zhen turned around abruptly. He was a peak Water Condensation expert, yet he was also intimidated by the white snake's imposing presence.

Yu Zhen quickly made a move, unleashing a burst of pure Mystic Qi that pulverized all the white snakes.

Yu Zhen casually tossed the Xiao Yu to the ground. The snake-like Technique Method immediately revealed who had attacked him, and he roared in anger:

"You're not next! Are you in such a hurry to die?!"

In the darkness, a girl in a black dress appeared, but she seemed very weak, her face was sickly pale, and she could barely stand by leaning against the wall.

Hidden in the shadows, You Su's eyes widened instantly, his rapid breathing almost giving him away. He never imagined that Miss Ji would have the exact same face as his junior sister!

The Xiao Yu lying on the ground saw the girl in the black dress, and tears streamed down her face again. She curled up and kept blaming herself.

If I hadn't been so bewitched when Sister Ji came to visit, would things have turned out differently? Sister Ji wouldn't have ended up like this...

"Sister Ji, I'm sorry... It's all Xiao Yu's fault..."

Ji Xueruo paid no attention to Xiao Yu's apology; all her attention was focused on the aggressive Yu Zhen.

At the age of seventeen, she had already reached the peak of the Spirit Platform Middle Stage. This talent was enough to make her stand out from the crowd. However, even the most brilliant genius could not achieve this overnight. At this moment, facing an enemy who had reached the peak of the upper Water Condensing Upper Realm, she was also uneasy.

"Your legs are all ruined, and you still insist on standing? You snakes were originally meant to crawl on land, and now you're swimming in water, so what's there to be angry about? You didn't grow legs anyway."

Ji Xueruo Yu Zhen looked at her with disdain.

Yu Zhen couldn't possibly kill this perfect fodder for the Water God, so he could only vent his Resentment Qi at being ambushed by the girl through constant sarcastic remarks:

"The snake clan, such a weak Demon Race, dares to call their leader an Empress? In my opinion, you, the snake Empress, are far too foolish. You might have had a chance if you had saved your power for a sneak attack at the last moment before you died, but you exposed yourself prematurely in order to save her. Do you know that she has also been hiding a lot from you...?"

"You don't need to sow discord. You've been holding your Technique Method down the whole time, so anyone you touch can't use their power. That was my perfect opportunity."

Ji Xueruo's voice was as cold as iron, showing absolutely no fear.

"You're so skilled in magic that you can even see through the Melted Cotton Palm's Technique Method?"

Yu Zhen looked surprised, then took a step forward and smiled:

"What a pity! So what if you seized the best opportunity? I am an immortal, you are a demon; I am a human, you are a beast. Therefore, you cannot defeat me!"

Having said that, he unleashed his full power. Feeding the Water God was a matter of utmost importance, and he could not afford to be careless in the slightest.

But Ji Xueruo just stared at him coldly, her eyes showing no sign of flinching.

Yu Zhen, also feeling a bit angry from the stare, sighed softly:

"You know, this thing called Mystic Qi is truly wondrous. It's one thing to make people become immortals, but it even makes you reptiles as proud as humans. It's really... disgusting!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he planted his feet on the ground and formed Technique Method with his hands, a vast power brewing in his hands. He looked at Ji Xueruo, whose face was deathly pale, as if he were looking at a dead person.

Just when Yu Zhen felt victory was within his grasp, he suddenly felt a strange chill, as if something... was crawling densely on his legs... He tried to lift his legs, but he couldn't.

Yu Zhen glanced down and was instantly horrified—there were hundreds upon hundreds of tiny, densely packed snakes!

It turns out he hadn't defeated those white snakes at all! After scattering, they transformed into small snakes and hid, waiting for the right opportunity to attach themselves to him!

He looked up and glared at Ji Xueruo, who still looked arrogant, only to realize that she had been pretending to provoke him so that he would lower his guard and let the little snake succeed!

"A mere trick. What can you do by trapping me for a moment? With your fish tail, you think you can escape?"

Yu Zhen spat out a mouthful of phlegm, but wasn't too surprised. After all, it was just Technique Method a Spirit Platform Middle Stage cultivator. No matter how profound it was, it couldn't pose a real threat to a powerful cultivator like him who had Water Condensation Perfection. So he calmed down and began to break the restriction.

You're wrong.

Ji Xueruo spoke slowly, her demeanor like that of a noble, aloof, and exotic flower:

"I never intended to run away, otherwise I wouldn't have traveled so far to get here. I came to the Central Yuan Continent for two purposes, one of which has now failed, but I can't let the second fail as well. Xiao Yu, I saved you not out of kindness, because you don't deserve it. But I hope you can do whatever it takes to tell that guy outside named You Su to give up on the Lotus Root Heart and leave this place. My sister is still waiting for him, so... he can't die."

Xiao Yu stared blankly at Ji Xueruo, filled with remorse.

Yu Zhen seemed to sense something was wrong, and his expression became uneasy. He felt that the snakes under his feet were so tightly bound that he couldn't move an inch.

"What are you trying to do!"

Ji Xueruo suddenly smiled, as if ice and snow were melting away:

"Isn't your Water God hungry? Then let Him eat even more!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she leaped into the air, her graceful black dress swaying in the air. Her long, straight legs beneath the dress transformed into a bizarre fish tail, its scales reflecting a dark green glow.

Yu Zhen finally understood what she was about to do! She couldn't kill herself alone! So she decided to take him with her into the black water, to become food for the Water God together!

That treacherous viper!

Yu Zhen could no longer remain calm and frantically made hand seals to try and stop Ji Xueruo from flying towards her.

Ji Xueruo's gaze was resolute, piercing through layers of barriers and crashing into Yu Zhen, striking him in the chest.

Seeing no hope of saving herself, Yu Zhen roared hysterically, "Then let's die together!"

He was no longer afraid of death; he simply used his Mystic Qi to tightly bind Ji Xueruo, who was not far away, giving her no chance to escape. Since his mission of nurturing mermaids to feed the Water God was about to be completed, why should he witness that moment with his own eyes?

Like a willow tree snapped by a bull, the two of them fell backward together, with the dark, stagnant water behind them.

"Whoosh!"

The Water God seemed eager to taste its food, and two huge, thick tentacles suddenly stretched out from the stagnant water, about to engulf the two of them.

Ji Xueruo slowly closed her eyes, accepting her death.

She began to wonder if she should have come to this human territory. The treachery of humans far exceeded her imagination. However, she did not regret it. Obtaining the Lotus Root Heart for the snake clan was what she, as the snake clan chief, should do.

Fortunately... fortunately, even though she's dead, her younger sister, who has been reborn, can lead the snake clan. However, the chances of You Su, who bestowed this blessing upon her, surviving is probably quite slim...

She could tell that You Su was an upright and talented person. Perhaps the only thing she was dissatisfied with about You Su was his stunningly Celestial Person appearance.

A man with such looks is destined to be loved by more than one woman in his life, while his foolish and stubborn younger sister is destined to love only him. Their relationship will therefore face many hardships, and the maids and Saintess of the Jade Ring Pool are merely the first step.

Ji Xueruo shook her head inwardly, not understanding why she had ended up thinking about the blind man, when she could barely protect herself...

The tentacles tightly enveloped her delicate body, about to drag this perfect prey into the black water.

In the blink of an eye, the sound of swords rang out like the roar of dragons and the howl of tigers. In this murky cave, a streak of pure black ink flashed by.

The tentacle binding Ji Xueruo instantly snapped into several pieces, and the black-dressed girl, who had been feeling utterly hopeless, was surprised to find herself suddenly light-footed, embraced in a broad, warm embrace.

She slowly opened her eyes and was astonished to find that the face before her was the very same incomparably handsome face she had despised before her death.

I was preparing for an exam yesterday and missed a day, sorry. I've been really busy with work lately. If you find following updates too tiring, feel free to take a break. I'll indicate the end of the story in the title, so you can read it later.