Chapter 175 Hailanzhu
"Come over." Lin Yue reached out toward Liang Chenyu. Looking at his outstretched palm, which carried a faint warmth, she hesitated for a moment before placing her hand in his. Lin Yue's palm was broad and warm, tightly wrapping around her small hand, causing most of the tension in her heart to instantly dissipate.
She stepped onto the lotus leaf with great care. Her body swayed slightly, but she was steadily supported by Lin Yue. "Don't be afraid, I'm here," Lin Yue's voice rang in her ear, carrying a soothing power. Liang Chenyu's cheeks flushed slightly, and she nodded quickly, her eyes fixed on Lin Yue's footsteps as she followed him closely.
The two stepped across the lotus leaves, approaching the opposite bank step by step. The Piranhas beneath the water grew more numerous, and the force of their impact against the lotus leaves increased. Some Piranhas even leaped out of the water, lunging at the two, but they were all repelled by the Spiritual Qi barrier Lin Yue brandished.
Along the way, a lotus leaf suddenly shook violently. Liang Chenyu's foot slipped, and she nearly fell, instinctively grabbing onto Lin Yue's hem.
"Careful!" Lin Yue stopped immediately, turning to steady her with a gaze full of concern. "Are you alright?" "I'm fine, thank you." Liang Chenyu's cheeks burned as she quickly let go, but she dared not lose focus again, staying close by Lin Yue's side.
Just as the two were about to reach the opposite bank, the water's surface suddenly churned violently. A massive black shadow leaped from the water, lunging toward Liang Chenyu with a fishy wind. This was a Piranha King with a body comparable to a giant whale; it was pitch black all over, with teeth as sharp as daggers and bloodthirsty glints flashing in its eyes.
"Watch out!" Lin Yue's expression changed. He pulled Liang Chenyu behind him and with a wave of his right hand, the azure gold staff instantly appeared in his grasp, smashing down fiercely toward the Piranha King. "Boom!" A deafening roar resounded as the azure gold staff struck the Piranha King's head heavily, producing a dull impact sound.
The Piranha King let out a miserable shriek, its body crashing heavily onto the water's surface and kicking up massive splashes. A deep wound appeared on its head, and black blood gushed out continuously, staining the surrounding water black. However, it did not die; instead, it was completely enraged, leaping out of the water once more and opening its bloody maw to lunge at Lin Yue.
"Courting death!" A cold glint flashed in Lin Yue's eyes as he circulated his internal Spiritual Qi to the limit, and the runes on the azure gold staff lit up with a dazzling light. His figure flashed, dodging the Piranha King's attack, while the azure gold staff in his hand pierced into the Piranha King's head like lightning. "Crack!" With a crisp sound, the Piranha King's skull was shattered. Its body convulsed a few times before it completely lost its life force, floating on the water's surface.
Having dealt with the Piranha King, the surrounding Piranhas immediately scattered and fled, not daring to approach again. Lin Yue put away the azure gold staff and turned to look at Liang Chenyu, his tone concerned: "Are you alright? Were you frightened?"
Liang Chenyu shook her head, her eyes filled with admiration and gratitude: "I'm fine, Fellow Daoist Lin. Thank you for saving me once again. If it weren't for you, I'm afraid I would have..." At this point, her voice choked up slightly. Throughout this journey, Lin Yue had always protected her, resolving crisis after crisis for her, causing the dependence and affection in her heart to grow deeper and deeper.
"We are companions; it's only right to support each other." Lin Yue smiled and reached out again. "Let's go. We'll rest on the opposite bank for a bit before continuing forward." Liang Chenyu did not hesitate and took his hand of her own accord, following him onto the land of the opposite bank.
The opposite bank was a flat grassy field covered with unknown wild flowers. The two found a clean rock to sit on, and Liang Chenyu took out two bottles of healing Medicinal Pills from her Storage Pouch, handing one to Lin Yue: "Fellow Daoist Lin, this is our clan's water condensing pill. It can nourish Spiritual Qi and restore injuries. Please take one first."
Lin Yue did not refuse and took one pill. The pill melted the moment it entered his mouth, and a gentle stream of Spiritual Qi flowed into his body, nourishing the Spiritual Qi consumed in the battle just now. "Thank you." He looked at Liang Chenyu and saw that she had also taken a pill and was currently meditating with her eyes slightly closed. Sunlight filtered through the Secret Realm's barrier, spilling onto her face and making her features appear exceptionally soft.
Lin Yue's heart stirred. He remembered when he first met Liang Chenyu, she was still that clan Saintess who looked at him with curiosity. Now, she had experienced the clan's crisis and had become increasingly resilient. As for himself, he had originally come only to reinforce the nodes of the Heaven-Connecting Array, yet unknowingly, he had developed different feelings for this kind and resilient girl.
A moment later, Liang Chenyu opened her eyes and saw Lin Yue looking at her. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly looked away: "Fellow Daoist Lin, we've rested enough. Let's continue forward. The ancient records say that past the Water Lotus Pond, the ancestor's palace lies ahead. The sea spirit pearl should be inside the palace."
Lin Yue nodded and withdrew his gaze: "Alright, let's go." The two rose and walked toward the depths of the Secret Realm. Passing through a dense jungle, a massive palace appeared before them. The palace was constructed entirely of white jade stone, its roof covered in glazed tiles that emitted a dazzling light under the sun. The palace doors were tightly shut, engraved with even more complex water-element runes, which were more ancient and mysterious than the ones at the Secret Realm's entrance.
Liang Chenyu walked to the front of the gates and once again pressed her palm against the door, slowly injecting her internal Spiritual Qi. This time, the speed at which the runes lit up was much slower than before; clearly, opening these gates required more Spiritual Qi. After a long time, the palace gates finally opened slowly, revealing the empty great hall inside.
On a stone platform in the very center of the great hall lay a crystal-clear bead. The bead was pale blue all over and emitted a soft light; it was none other than the sea spirit pearl. "That's the sea spirit pearl!" Liang ChenyuA hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.,Walk quickly toward the stone platform. But just as she was about to touch the sea spirit pearl, a light suddenly shone on the stone platform, and a phantom of a woman dressed in ancient clothing appeared before it.
The phantom had a powerful aura and majestic eyes; she was the ancestor of the Liang Clan. She scanned Lin Yue and Liang Chenyu and spoke slowly: "To take the sea spirit pearl, you must pass my trial. The two of you must pass the Heart Demon Trial together. Only by being of one mind and breaking through the Heart Demon can you obtain the sea spirit pearl."
Liang Chenyu fell to her knees, tears sliding down her cheeks and dripping onto the Coral Floor. Her voice was choked with emotion but full of determination: "Fellow Daoist Lin, as long as you can save my clansmen, I, Liang Chenyu, am willing to pay any price!"
Seeing this, the surrounding clansmen also knelt one after another, pleading in unison: "Fellow Daoist Lin, we beg you to save us!"
Lin Yue quickly helped Liang Chenyu up, his heart somewhat moved. He could understand the clansmen's desperation and feel Liang Chenyu's helplessness and plea.
He pondered for a moment and said, "Stand up first. I can try to help you, but I need to know if your clan has any special Legacy or Secret Realm that can compensate for the loss of the destroyed condensed water orchid core?"
Hearing this, a sudden light flashed in Liang Wanshan's eyes.
He struggled to stand up and cupped his hands toward Lin Yue: "Fellow Daoist Lin, to be honest, our Liang Clan does indeed have a clan Secret Realm.
Hidden within the Secret Realm is a clan heirloom—the sea spirit pearl.
It is said that the sea spirit pearl has the effect of purifying seawater and generating Spiritual Qi. If we can obtain the sea spirit pearl, perhaps it can replace the condensed water orchid core and save the entire clan."