Mermaids Weep (1)
Yun Yanqiu led Ye Yingying for a long time before finally arriving at a post station. Although this post station was not as large as the inn in Zhixian County, it was just as deserted. A carriage was parked outside the post station, and the driver sat on it, idly cracking his whip.
Yun Yanqiu stepped forward and asked, "Is your car going to the Secret Sea?"
The driver was an old man with a scraggly beard. When he saw him ask a question, he turned around, gave the neatly dressed man in front of him a quick look, his gaze swept over the man's shoulder, and then noticed the blind woman with lifeless eyes behind him. He asked curiously, "What are you going there for? Things haven't been peaceful there lately."
"Something's not going well? What happened?"
“Recently, quite a few cultivators have suddenly disappeared over there,” the old man replied. “Judging from how frail you two look, and the girl’s cultivation level isn’t high either, she might not come back once she’s gone over there.”
"Sir, you can tell that?" Ye Yingying was a little surprised. She hadn't sensed any spiritual energy fluctuations from this person, but he seemed to know a lot about cultivators.
"I've driven so many guests back and forth, and I've had my share of dealings with cultivators." The old man cracked his whip again. "You all just like to go to the Secret Sea to eat some spirit fish and search for some mermaid treasures, right?"
Hearing the old man's experienced tone, Ye Yingying chuckled and said, "Grandpa, you certainly know a lot."
"Hehe, I advise you not to go. The Mermaid Treasure is a complete joke. You should know that those who go looking for this thing are basically fish food." The old man's tone was slightly sarcastic. "Not to mention that recently, even those who don't go out to sea have mysteriously disappeared. Who knows what happened?"
"Thank you for reminding me, sir." Ye Yingying bowed and then said, "However, we absolutely must go to this Secret Sea."
"Hmph, then go pay and get on the train." The old man got off the train and pointed to the tavern inside the inn. "And call that guy out too."
Yun Yanqiu walked in the direction the coachman pointed, and soon emerged a young man wearing a narrow-sleeved, high-collared robe. He looked about the same age as Zhao Yuxiao, and a thin rope around his neck from which hung a bright, shiny pearl. The three of them boarded the carriage one after another. Ye Yingying sat next to Yun Yanqiu on one side, while the young man sat alone on the other. The coachman outside cracked his whip, and the carriage began to move slowly forward.
After traveling a short distance, perhaps feeling that the atmosphere inside the carriage was too quiet, the young man took the initiative to speak: "I am Han Chengjin, a disciple of the Han Clan of the Secret Sea. May I ask how you two fellow Daoists are addressed?"
“My name is Ying’er, and this is…” Ye Yingying hesitated, unsure how to introduce Yun Yanqiu.
Yun Yanqiu took the initiative, showing the wooden plaque given to him by Zhao Yuxiao, saying, "Yun Yanqiu, Guest Elder of Lingyun Alliance."
"So you're fellow Daoists from the Lingyun Alliance! My apologies for not recognizing you!" The young man named Han Chengjin greeted the two politely with a bow. "May I ask what brings you two to the Secret Sea?"
Ye Yingying didn't dwell on her identity, but simply admitted the purpose of her trip in response to his question: "I suffer from an eye disease. I heard that the merfolk in the Secret Sea have a treasure that can cure all diseases in the world, so I want to go and get this treasure to cure my stubborn disease."
Hearing this, Han Chengjin narrowed his eyes: "Oh? That girl must have also heard the rumors about the merfolk in the Secret Sea. Merfolk are cold-blooded and ferocious. Most of the cultivators who went there to search for the secret treasures ended up in the belly of the fish, and the few who survived never brought back those so-called treasures."
"That's why I asked Senior Yun to accompany me," Ye Yingying replied. "Senior Yun has a profound understanding of the world and is very knowledgeable. I feel at ease with him around."
Han Chengjin remained noncommittal. The Secret Sea had its share of cultivators with Golden Core stage or higher visiting, but what were the results? However, since this man was a guest elder of the Lingyun Alliance, he must possess some extraordinary abilities. Han Chengjin glanced at Yun Yanqiu out of the corner of his eye and saw that the man was resting with his eyes closed, so he didn't doubt the authenticity of his identity. Besides, he did indeed need some help with the urgent matter at hand…
After a moment's thought, Han Chengjin seemed to have made up his mind, and looked up at the two of them, saying, "Actually, I have seen merfolk before."
"What? You've seen them?" Ye Yingying became interested. Wasn't it said that the people of the Secret Sea didn't interact much with merfolk? She was worried that she wouldn't find any clues about merfolk, but she found them right away?
“Yes, when I was young, I met a mermaid at the beach, and the pearl around my neck was a gift from her.” Han Chengjin said, looking down at the pearl hanging around her neck, a nostalgic light in her eyes.
"How can you be sure she's a merman?" Yun Yanqiu opened her eyes and looked at Han Chengjin, crossing her arms over her chest, and asked in a calm tone.
"That night the moonlight was bright, and I saw a few colorful fish scales on her cheeks. I even talked to her, but before we could exchange more than a few words, she dived into the sea and swam away."
The memory of that night is etched in Han Chengjin's mind like a delicate traditional Chinese painting. Whenever he recalls it, he can describe every detail of the merman. For example, the shimmering scales on her cheeks, the slightly curled hair clinging to her face after being soaked in seawater, her lively eyes, and her innocent and carefree smile... The merman's every smile and gesture always appears unintentionally in Han Chengjin's dreams.
"However, I only met her once. When I got back, my family said I had a fever and fainted on the beach and was hallucinating." Han Chengjin recalled the past with a hand on his forehead. "But the pearl that the mermaid gave me was really in my hand."
Listening from the side, Ye Yingying found it somewhat mysterious, so she asked, "Since you didn't even exchange more than a few words when you met, why would the merman give you something for no reason?"
"Hmm... I'm not too sure about that either, but that day was definitely the first and only time I saw her," Han Chengjin recalled. "Although there are all sorts of rumors that mermaids are vicious and ruthless killers, she wasn't as cruel as the rumors suggested. Instead, she was all smiles and very friendly to me."
Ye Yingying rested her chin on her hand as she pondered. This information did have some reference value. Information about merfolk was already scarce. If what Han Chengjin said was true, it would indeed be more helpful for Ye Yingying to formulate a countermeasure. For example, taking him with her to find merfolk might reduce the possibility of being attacked.
As luck would have it, Han Chengjin's next words hit the nail on the head: "I've always wanted to see that merman again! But I've searched for her at the beach many times, and I've never seen her again. I was originally planning to give up, but the recent events in the Secret Sea have involved mermen again."
"A cultivator has gone missing? What does this have to do with merfolk?"
Han Chengjin pursed his lips, his expression gradually becoming serious: "Our family is considered to be in charge of the Secret Sea area. With cultivators disappearing one after another, we naturally have to take responsibility for the inadequate management. A while ago, my brother held a meeting with other families to discuss this matter. Most people felt that it was the work of the merfolk in the sea, who were specifically targeting those cultivators to erode their spiritual power."
"Are merfolk really that cruel?" Ye Yingying raised an eyebrow.
Han Chengjin continued to explain, "The idea that merfolk attack humans on land has existed in the Secret Sea for a long time. In the past, it was only said that they would chant on the sea surface on the night of the full moon, controlling the spirits of the dead in the sea to attack passing ships. But recently, the number of times the merfolk chanted has suddenly increased for some reason, and the dates happen to coincide with the time when the cultivators disappeared. So many people believe that these merfolk are manipulating the spirits of the dead in the sea to drag passing cultivators into the water."
"If that's the case, then it's truly a very serious matter..."
“But I still have doubts about this. If the merfolk are really as cruel and cold-blooded as the legends say, why would they give me this pearl?” Han Chengjin frowned, his words full of confusion.
Then he added, "To be honest, I came out of my home hoping to seek help from old friends, but the Secret Sea has very little contact with the outside world, and the rumors about the merfolk are truly terrifying. As a result, you two have also seen them." At this point, he shrugged helplessly and sighed, "The well-known families in the Secret Sea are all discussing uniting to attack the merfolk, but our family has not yet expressed its opinion."
Ye Yingying couldn't help but wonder: "Since the legends say that merfolk are dangerous, where do they get the confidence that they can defeat them?"
"Well... I'm not too sure either. I only know that the Lin family is the most vocal advocate for war. They run all the major inns in the Secret Sea, and the disappearance of cultivators has had the biggest impact on their business. I suppose that's why they're so anxious."
Ye Yingying vaguely remembered the Lin family of the Secret Sea. In her previous life, she went to the Secret Sea on the orders of the Ghost Calculator to retrieve a treasure from the Lin family patriarch. That treasure was called the Soul-Suppressing Pearl, an ancestral heirloom of the Lin family. At that time, the Lin family patriarch was simple-minded and had only average cultivation, making him no match for Ye Yingying. Thus, Ye Yingying easily took the Soul-Suppressing Pearl with a simple trick.
"Fellow Daoists!" Han Chengjin suddenly clasped his hands in a solemn salute. "It is a rare fate that I can meet you two here today, especially since we both have aspirations regarding the merfolk. If you do not mind, I would like to request to accompany you both to the sea to investigate."
Ye Yingying propped her head up with her hand, casually tapping her chin with her fingertips, and asked, "Do you want to come with us to find the merfolk?"
“Exactly. I want to confirm what kind of people the merfolk are. If they are friendly and peaceful, then the family’s proposal is harming innocent people and will not only fail to solve the problem but will also escalate the chaos.” Han Chengjin’s gaze was firm. “If they are really as cold-blooded and ruthless as the rumors say, then I can persuade my brother to make up his mind and take action as soon as possible to protect the peace of the Secret Sea.”
After saying that, Han Chengjin added, "Of course I won't let you two do your work for nothing. You can stay at my Han residence during this time, and I will arrange your food, clothing, and other necessities. After the matter is completed, I will also prepare a generous reward for you!"
"Hmm..." Accommodation included and free gifts, it's a huge temptation. Ye Yingying, who had just been indifferent, straightened up and tugged at the sleeve of the person next to her, asking for his opinion, "Senior Yun, what do you think?"
Yun Yanqiu felt the force of her tugging at his sleeve, turned his head to look at her: "I went here for you, so it's up to you to decide."
Hearing this, Ye Yingying felt a warmth rise in her heart and said, "In that case, Fellow Daoist Han, please come with us."
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