Lin Feng was speechless and had no choice but to gently brush her hand away. The very second their hands touched, figures of the Merfolk Clan began to emerge from the towering trees all around them.
The males were exceptionally grotesque and sturdily built, while the females possessed breathtaking beauty and delicate, charming demeanors. This was a race of stark contrasts between beauty and ugliness.
Roar, roar, roar!
Oo, oo, oo!
Seeing Lin Feng holding Turandot's hand, they broke out into simultaneous cheers, their vocal tones sounding quite bizarre.
This was completely different from what they had imagined. Lin Feng wanted to pull his hand away, but she secretly gripped him tightly with hidden force, her smiling face hiding a fragile, stubborn pride.
Having once fantasized about making the Demon Race prostrate themselves at his feet and beg for mercy, Lin Feng truly felt his heart soften when he witnessed her humble vulnerability.
There were very few of the Merfolk Clan left now. Perhaps, she deserved to be self-indulgent just this once.
Even in the worst-case scenario, it would only mean the annihilation of her entire clan.
Soon, the women leaped down from the trees, crowding around the two of them and leading them toward the base of a gigantic tree. The men guarded the outer perimeter, performing a continuous war dance with loud shouts!
On the winding branches of the colossal tree, several elderly members of the Merfolk Clan watched Lin Feng approach. A very elderly grandmother of the clan stepped forward and placed a floral wreath upon his head.
Accepting the blessing passively, Lin Feng turned his head to see a little girl handing flowers to Turandot. Her expression of happiness reminded him of his time at Wuji Taoist Temple.
Good things rarely happen, but bad omens never miss. Before Lin Feng could dwell on it further, the cheering crowd scattered like birds and beasts, vanishing into various corners of the forest.
A deep pool materialized right where they stood, and Turandot pulled the little girl and him along, diving into the Water-Moon Mirage.
"Listen up, you members of the Merfolk Clan! I give you ten days to offer up the Saintess of the Merfolk Clan. Otherwise, this very last habitat of yours—"
Pausing mid-sentence, the Little Dragon King glanced all around.
Birds chirped, waves crashed against the shore, and the wild mountains were dead silent!
"—don't blame this King for being merciless!"
With a sweep of his large sleeve, a ferocious flood dragon surged out and plunged headfirst into the deep pool.
With a resounding crash, the deep pool was churned into a muddy mess.
"This King knows you are hiding in this forest, playing the human trick of hiding in plain sight. Do you really think you are worthy?"
Inside the Water-Moon Mirage, Turandot wept tears of sorrow, while the little girl clenched her fists tightly, equally devoid of any cultivation.
Lin Feng knew that the Merfolk Clan had faced far more perilous situations than this one, yet he could not understand why Turandot was weeping.
Boom!
The deep pool exploded, sending the surrounding trees crashing to the ground and leveling the picturesque, jade-green pond in a single blow.
The little girl began to cry. The men dared to feel anger but didn't dare to speak out. Watching the direction the Little Dragon King had left, a tall Merfolk Clan man ignored the dissuasion of his companions and charged out.
The people could not hold him back, so they had no choice but to take cover once again!
Before long, a corpse plummeted from high in the sky, landing right beside the deep pool.
"What your Saintess did, she knows best. If it were anyone else, they wouldn't be as merciful as this King. Remember: ten days."
Long after the Little Dragon King had departed, the people finally dared to poke their heads out from various hiding spots. Only then did Lin Feng notice that the elder who had just placed the floral wreath on his head was bleeding from her seven orifices and was already dead.
Sorrow shrouded the forest as Turandot gradually noticed everyone's searching gazes.
"Don't ask me. Even if you ask, I won't say. I will go!"
"What on earth is going on? Explain yourself clearly! At worst, we'll fight him to the death."
"Why won't you explain clearly? The gods have already abandoned us—are you going to abandon us as well?"
"There are hardly any clansmen left. If the Saintess insists on acting willfully, we will have no choice but to follow her in death!"
"That's right! We refuse to live on in ignominy!"
"No ignominy!"
Though sorrow still lingered in their eyes, the members of the Merfolk Clan were burning with righteous indignation.
"No, the divine hasn't abandoned us. I only found out today that the altar which constantly guides my path is located within the ancestral grounds of the Demon Race."
This news was undoubtedly immensely shocking to the Merfolk Clan!
"Look!"
On an altar, the scene of her encounter with Lin Feng had somehow been imprinted onto a painting. The surrounding members of the Merfolk Clan widened their eyes, staring at Lin Feng as if they had seen a ghost!
Like fish swimming in water, lacking memories of a distant past, they burst into earth-shattering cheers, swirling around Lin Feng.
"Therefore, I will go. You must protect him well!"
At that moment, everyone could feel the sense of release emanating from Turandot, much like the dead man on the ground who had died with his eyes unclosed—he too had found release.
Everyone cheered, tacitly refraining from asking Lin Feng's name. The little girl, infected by the joyous crowd, looked at Turandot with wide, sparkling eyes full of deep admiration.
"After I leave, the clansmen will be entrusted to you!"
"Mm, I will definitely wait for Lord Divine to grow up and marry him!"
What kind of nonsense was that?
Lin Feng almost stumbled!
Turandot averted her gaze, leaving Lin Feng completely at a loss for words.
"Everyone, go quickly and notify the clansmen everywhere, tell them to hide first. Tulong, come with me!"
A tall Merfolk Clan man stepped out of the ranks and respectfully followed behind her.
Turandot led a few of them to the waterside and began issuing instructions.
"After I leave, the clan's sacrificial rituals are entrusted to Duoduo, and the safety of the tribe is entrusted to you!"
"Tulong will fulfill his duty unto death!"
"I don't want you to die. If you truly cannot protect the clansmen, you must protect him and safely lead him back to the Human Race!"
Only then did Tulong carefully size up Lin Feng. As a powerful expert of the Merfolk Clan, he naturally would not blindly believe the myths passed down within the clan. If not for the painting Turandot had produced, he would never have believed that the weak human before him was the legendary divine being.
"I merely wanted to give everyone a glimmer of hope for survival. If that hope is shattered, you must take him back. He is innocent."
"Understood!"
After giving his instructions to Tulong, Turandot finally looked at Lin Feng.
"The Human Race has a difficult time moving about in demon territory. If you follow us, you will at least be somewhat safer. If you wish to leave, please wait until you have the strength to protect yourself. There are too many secrets in your memories; if someone discovers them, your fate might be even more miserable than mine."
Cunning yet playful, Turandot was exceptionally candid.
"The Little Dragon King came after you, and it was also my arbitrary decision to show myself. You owe the Merfolk Clan nothing; on the contrary, it was your appearance that allowed me to know the truth: there are no gods in this world."
She actually understood everything and would not pin the matters of her entire clan's survival on some ethereal, illusory deity.
The fact that there were no gods dealt the greatest shock to Tulong.
The myth passed down through generations of the Merfolk Clan was actually a lie. Finding it very difficult to accept this reality, he cupped his fists and departed.
"You are right. The survival of a clan ultimately depends upon oneself!"
Having originated from Qingluan Continent, Lin Feng had deep personal experience of this truth.
His heavy tone of voice left Turandot silent for a moment.
"Take advantage of the fact that you haven't been deceived by me for too long and still have a chance to back out. Once night falls, you won't have another chance to regret it."
She suddenly dropped those words, instantly making the little girl nervous.
Lin Feng shrugged.
"Is every generation's Saintess named Turandot?"
"Naturally!"
"Is every woman as powerful as you so mercurial in temperament?"
What kind of question was that?
He asked it with the utmost sincerity.
"If you consider what I'm doing to be holding real power, then yes!" Turandot replied, her answer ambiguous.
So be it. Letting Tulong know the truth was the right thing to do; at the very least, it would keep the Merfolk Clan from living in illusions.
As he thought this, a figure emerged from the riverbank ahead, their gender indistinguishable.
"Kid, are you human?"
Ignoring Lin Feng's ugly appearance, the person looked straight at Turandot.
"Little girl, so bold?"
Unsure of the newcomer's intentions and filled with doubt, they heard the person continue: "If you want to go to Little Dragon Pool, I can lend you a helping hand, but you must agree to one condition. Don't worry, the safety of your clansmen will be left to me!"
Given the demeanor of the expert before her, Turandot had no room to choose.
Quickly making up her mind, she replied firmly, "I have a condition as well!"
"Hahaha, perfect! Only with demands can there be cooperation. Little girl, come with me."
Only Lin Feng and the little girl were left standing in place. By this time, Turandot could only manage whoever she could and kept shooting them meaningful looks.
"Go ahead with peace of mind. We'll wait for you to return!" Making his promise, Lin Feng pulled the little girl behind him.
At the very least, you were the one who saved me first!
Chapter Ten: An Unexplained Mission
Unexpectedly, when Turandot returned, she seemed rather happy, and the trip hadn't taken very long.
She casually held the little girl's hand, her joy shining through every expression.
"That senior wants to see you!"
Senior?
Half-doubting, Lin Feng walked around behind the tree.
"Human, parents died in the chaos caused by the Demon Race, no cultivation base. Very good!"
Before he could even greet them, Lin Feng was immobilized. The other party's soul-searching was extremely careful, fast, and protective of his Divine Soul.
"Senior!"
Sensing the other party harbored no malicious intent, Lin Feng raised his voice. The secrets hidden within his memories were by no means small.
"No need to be nervous, I am merely confirming your human identity!"
The mysterious figure stopped speaking immediately, seemingly waiting for something. Clueless, Lin Feng could only pretend to remain calm; lacking any cultivation base was a fatal predicament.
Figures flickered up and down, and before long, a group of masked individuals brought another group of masked figures to the riverbank.
"Everyone is here. Let's go!"
Everyone else could fly; only Lin Feng needed to be carried by someone. Everyone else wore face coverings, while his face was ruined, needing no concealment.
Suspended in mid-air, the mysterious person intentionally refrained from casting a protective barrier, allowing the violent, roaring winds to whip against Lin Feng's face, causing a burning pain and splitting his wounds open.
Only then did he remember that throughout the entire Merfolk Clan, not a single person knew what his face truly looked like, nor had anyone looked at him with strange eyes because of his terrifying ugliness.
Whether he was being carried through flight or spatial teleportation, Lin Feng realized he was retracing the path he had taken to get here, traversing the water veins that Turandot had previously led him through once again.
Could they be heading toward the ancestral grounds of the Demon Race?
The ensuing journey quickly confirmed his suspicions as the masked individuals flew straight toward the top of the altar.
"Wuji Taoist Temple has already been destroyed. If you want to do something for the Human Race, you can go inside and take a look!"
Mentioning Wuji Taoist Temple, the person had clearly conducted a thorough soul-search. Lin Feng took two steps back.
"May I ask if Senior is human?"
"Indeed!"
"May I ask, Senior, are the scenes within this altar merely illusions?"
The other party hadn't expected Lin Feng to ask such a question.
"True and false, illusion and reality—this item is a supreme treasure of the Demon Race, capable of monitoring the hundreds of demon tribes. Be careful."
Without giving Lin Feng a chance to refuse, he was gently pushed forward by the mysterious figure.
Everything happened just as Lin Feng had anticipated: what lay within was a battlefield illusion. Even though he was mentally prepared, he was still so deeply stimulated by the scene before him that his eyes turned blood-red.
He seemed to be standing just outside the mountain gates of Wuji Taoist Temple, viewing from a very low perspective as it was breached by a vast army of demons. Splatters of fresh red blood stained the mountain gate's archways, and the picturesque, beautiful scenery within the sect was instantly destroyed.
Disciples of Wuji Taoist Temple soared into the air with their flying swords, wave after wave throwing themselves forward, yet they simply could not hold out against the overwhelming number of demons.
Shen Xuanyue was a sword cultivator, and the disciples of Wuji Taoist Temple were so formidable!
With his heart soaring in longing, Lin Feng was instantly overcome by sorrow.
Such a powerful group of people could not even make a splash against the offensive of the Demon Race.
The wartime scene shifted, and his perspective arrived at another sect. Before he could even clearly make out the peak of the sect, he abruptly found himself back on the altar.
"You've finished watching?"
There was an undisguisable shock in the mysterious person's tone. Lin Feng nodded.
"Senior, aside from Wuji Taoist Temple, what is the situation of the other sects in Qingluan Continent?"
"The top ten sects of Qingluan Continent have all been annihilated and reduced to grounds trampled by the Demon Race. When we arrived, it was already too late!"
He was merely probing cautiously, yet the other party had revealed so much. Lin Feng felt a bit surprised.
"Good, good, good! It seems the modified Emperor's Demon Scripture has an unexpected effect on mortals. Lin Feng, are you willing to die alone for the sake of the Human Race?"
The person before him suddenly became agitated, their eyes filled with eager anticipation. Lin Feng smiled bitterly and spread his hands.
"Given that Senior has found me, do I still have the choice to refuse?"
"You do not. However, if you succeed one day, I swear by the Heavenly Dao to pass on my lifelong cultivation to you!"
If this had happened earlier, regardless of whether it was a trap or a pie falling from the sky, Lin Feng might have just thrown himself at it. But right now, he was exceptionally clear-headed.
"Senior had better tell me what kind of impact the Emperor's Demon Scripture has on mortals!"
Narrowing his eyes, the mysterious person was surprised once again.
"Qingniu is already close to grasping the origin of heaven and earth. The Emperor's Demon Scripture he modified is sufficient to completely transform a human into a member of the Demon Race, regardless of their cultivation level."
The mysterious person deliberately paused on those last few words before speaking them to Lin Feng, yet Lin Feng instantly grasped the underlying meaning.
"Once his experiment succeeds, the crisis facing the Human Race will be unimaginable!"
"Our Human Race is weak nowadays simply because we are not united. Senior, you aren't joking, are you?"
Of course Lin Feng knew about such a crisis; he simply wanted to verify a fact, even if the other person was truly fear-mongering!
"Do you know why the Human Race is split apart? Yes, it is because of that lie hidden in your heart. Zhao Wuji was right—back then, thousands of clans witnessed the event, but Wuji Taoist Temple alone was not present. There must be something fishy about that!"
How did this wind up involving the Human Emperor again?
Yet, why was he so surprised by me?
Infected by the other party's overwhelming aura, Lin Feng could no longer suppress the hatred and killing intent in his heart.
"This junior possesses a mortal body. If I can contribute a fraction of my strength to the Human Race, death is a small price to pay. Senior, cut to the chase—what do you want me to do?"
Pacing back and forth, the mysterious person's gaze wandered within the altar's red mist.
"Lin Feng, did Zhao Wuji truly impart the Profound Clarity Jade Emperor Scripture to you?"
This?
Before Lin Feng could speak, the mysterious person strode over, grabbed his arm, and spoke with great agitation.
"The Blood Spirit Technique is merely a minor path. The Demon Race was born before the Human Race and explored the heaven and earth; the only thing capable of contending evenly with the Emperor's Demon Scripture is the Jade Emperor Scripture. Did he truly impart it to you?"
He had wanted to admit it on the spot, but Lin Feng's mind raced.
This person is surprised—could he not know that I was also struck by the illusion within the Blood Fiend? He can't confirm it. Could it be—?
That's right, it must be so. With Daoist Wuji's cultivation realm, how many people in this world could divine or calculate his actions?
"If Senior swears by the Heavenly Dao that you harbor no intent to harm the Human Race or Wuji Taoist Temple, Lin Feng is willing to speak the absolute truth."
Emotions running high, the person raised a hand as if to swear the oath, but suddenly began to laugh to himself.
"I really am getting old and foolish. To actually be affected by mere Blood Fiend! Kid, in this heaven and earth, there is no one who can force this seat to take an oath. If you have the heart to act, you do so of your own volition; the entanglement of karma is something you cannot bear!"
Whether the other person's words were true or false, to Lin Feng at that moment, it was obvious the man was simply relying on his status.
"Cannot bear it? My Divine Soul is sealed—what karmic entanglements do I have left to fear? Senior refuses to swear an oath, so this junior cannot force you. But I am human!"
His entire attitude was encapsulated within those four words: "I am human." Lin Feng found himself being scrutinized intensely.
"I want you to infiltrate the Demon Race, make your way into the Heavenly Demon Palace, and bring out the newest Emperor's Demon Scripture!"
The newest Emperor's Demon Scripture—Lin Feng felt he had grasped the crux of the matter, but the masked figure offered no further explanation.
"Before that, you must consummate your marriage with Turandot. Afterward, you must flee for your life! It will guide you to the Heavenly Demon Palace. Remember: before you successfully infiltrate the Heavenly Demon Palace, the Human Race will not provide you with any assistance!"
Swish, swish, swish!
Right as the two of them were conversing, dense crowds of masked figures appeared on every tier of the altar.
"The old man has noticed something. Fall back!"
Lin Feng saw it clearly: these people were carrying another masked figure one-on-one. Judging from the leaking auras, it seemed they weren't just limited to humans and demons!
Receiving the warning, the crowd moved in unison. A moment ago, Lin Feng was struggling to breathe high in the sky; the next moment, he already caught sight of Turandot's graceful back.
"Kid, the seal of the Blood Spirit Technique is your supreme protective cover for moving through the Demon Race. You can start by studying water arts! If you succeed, this seat's promise remains valid!"
The voice echoed softly in his ear, but Lin Feng turned a deaf ear.
He was thinking that the group of people just now seemed to include both demons and members of the Demon Race, and perhaps even ghosts from the Netherworld. Judging by their actions, they were even bolder than those Demon Kings.
Could it be that those carried masked figures, just like him, had been ordered to infiltrate the Heavenly Demon Palace?
Extremely certain of his guess, Lin Feng finally felt his suppressed mood lighten. Regardless of why these people had sought him out, he had witnessed the resistance of the Human Race. At the very least, human experts were genuinely taking action behind the scenes, and that alone was enough.
Laughing self-deprecatingly, Lin Feng suddenly felt a sense of complete physical and mental relief!
Qingluan Continent facing the endless hordes of the Demon Race alone was merely an appearance. Lin Feng, from this moment onward, you should open your eyes and look at this world. Shen Xuanyue was right: cultivation cannot rely solely on slaughter; there are many ways to exact revenge.
Now that the opportunity is right before you, are you willing?
Willing? The masked person's words had been ambiguous, and their conversation somewhat erratic.
Lin Feng wouldn't believe the other party's promise for a second. He only knew that he was sealed by the Emperor's Demon Scripture and the Blood Spirit Technique; if he didn't actively fight back, he would end up turning into a complete monster!
An expert of that caliber surely wouldn't be mistaken. The Blood Spirit Technique? The Emperor's Demon Scripture? Was he certain that I would seek revenge for Shen Xuanyue?
With his thoughts in turmoil, Lin Feng stood frozen in place. Tucking up her skirt, Turandot cautiously approached and waved her hand back and forth right in front of his eyes!
Ever since I was brought to Wuji Taoist Temple, my destiny began to change. Was it because of Daoist Wuji and the Jade Emperor Scripture, or was it because of the original owner of this body?
At that time, Shen Xuanyue had been desolate and sorrowful. Lin Feng hadn't asked: on the day of that grand wedding, was that body truly his own?
A multitude of questions clogged his mind. He looked at Turandot, only to realize that in the blink of a dream-like instant, night was already falling.
"I'll take you somewhere. Actually, you really might have some connection with the divine!"
From the river directly leading to the ocean, and from the ocean all the way to Wind Continent, Turandot's divine abilities completely refreshed Lin Feng's understanding.
"This is our sacred ground. However, it was destroyed by Little Dragon Pool."
Before them lay a wasteland of ruins, with aquatic weeds and vines already covering the architecture along the shore. Beneath the clear starry sky, the outlines of relief carvings could still be vaguely discerned.
"See for yourself, I'll wait for you outside!"
As Turandot stepped away, Lin Feng took one look and instantly recognized the past glory of the Merfolk Clan. Brushing aside the vines, he began to observe carefully.
These were no mystical images; they were merely relief carvings recording major historical events of the Merfolk Clan. Beneath a top relief of swirling clouds and mist, a bare-chested man embraced a female with a fish tail, while the outline of a divine statue hovered in the clouds, striking a pose much like the man's.
How could it be so similar?
The man's facial features closely resembled Lin Feng's original appearance. Reaching out to gently touch the stone, he immediately associated it with Shen Xuanyue, Zhao Wuji, and the deep taboo surrounding that other "Lin Feng."
Even he himself could clearly sense that an extraordinary secret was hidden behind all of this.