210: Chapter 210 Seeking the Saint

Nanzhao Kingdom, in the courtyard of a small residence.

Ling Hao finished listening to Mo Yun's plea, his expression calm and unruffled, merely hooking the corner of his lips into a smile that wasn't quite a smile.

"Submit to me as your Revered Master? Clan Chief Mo, promises of loyalty spoken with empty words do not carry enough weight."

His gaze inadvertently swept over Mo Li, who was standing to the side, her fingertips white with nervousness.

"Besides, you have already made the vow of the Merfolk Silk. Based on this alone, it does not seem sufficient to exchange for the long-term protection of an entire race, does it?"

Mo Yun's face turned pale instantly; she understood what Ling Hao meant.

Merely relying on a vow of attachment, how could an eighth-grade power accept a force that did not even have a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator, and one that only had a few stray members at that?

The weight was indeed insufficient.

She struggled internally for a long time. Finally, she let out a long sigh.

"We... can also provide merfolk pearls." Mo Yun's voice was strained.

Ling Hao's brows furrowed immediately, a flash of disgust crossing his eyes.

"The Moonshadow Sect has no need for such items of blood and tears."

To Ling Hao, merfolk pearls were at most fourth-grade, with limited value. More importantly, this type of Heaven And Earth Treasure, obtained through torturing one's own kind and extracting blood and tears, inherently carried an indelible filth and sorrow that made him instinctively repulsed.

Mo Yun seemed stung by the sharpness in Ling Hao's eyes. She suddenly raised her head, looking directly at Ling Hao, a flash of determination in her eyes.

"merfolk pearls... are not only formed by weeping tears! Our race possesses a secret technique!"

"Oh? Tell me about it."

Being in a state of idle time... no, wait, since he had nothing better to do, he could listen.

Mo Yun lowered her voice.

"One only needs to input Heaven And Earth Treasure into the Moon-Tear Coral Grove, and by utilizing the power of moonlight and the spirituality of the coral, through condensation, it can be transformed into a merfolk pearl!"

"This method... can even increase the grade of the input items! Third-grade can become fourth-grade, fourth-grade can become fifth-grade... though the limit stops at sixth-grade."

"Our race is willing to open this to the Moonshadow Sect. I wonder, is this enough?"

In fact, this was a secret passed down through generations by the Witch Doctors of the Merfolk Race, concerning their very survival!

For a race located next to fourth or fifth-grade cultivation kingdoms, once this news leaked, it would likely bring about a catastrophe!

Those greedy members of the Human Race would surely view their Merfolk Race as livestock to be farmed, taking whatever they pleased!

Even that Holy Land for reproduction would become a coveted treasure for others.

Although, the situation wasn't much better right now anyway.

As Mo Yun's words fell, her entire person seemed drained of strength, her face deathly pale, waiting for the final verdict.

This was her final bargaining chip, a gamble that staked the fate of the entire race.

Life and death, all rested on a single thought from the man before her!

Mo Li, standing to the side, felt her heart rise to her throat. She gripped the corner of her clothes tightly, her fingertips icy cold.

In her mind flashed the daily life she had spent with the Disciples of the Moonshadow Sect these past few days, their smiles, their charming words...

They were not cruel to her like other human Cultivators, nor did they have any covetous intentions.

Everything about the Moonshadow Sect was so different from the cruel cultivation world she knew.

Coupled with those Disciples' reverence and adoration for Ling Hao, it added a layer of indescribable longing and trust toward this powerful Sect Master of Moon Shadow Sect, beyond just awe.

Would he agree? Would he... protect us?

Mo Li's heartbeat was like a drum, her gaze locked tightly on Ling Hao's face.

A look of obvious surprise appeared on Ling Hao's face.

"Oh? Inserting Heaven And Earth Treasure can actually increase its grade?"

He pondered for a moment, his fingertips tapping unconsciously in his sleeves.

"Although there are limitations... but this ability to 'turn stone into gold' is indeed somewhat useful."

These brief words, falling into the ears of Mo Yun and Mo Li, were like the sounds of heaven!

Mo Yun raised her head abruptly, her eyes instantly erupting with incredible ecstasy and excitement, tears almost spilling out.

It worked! He actually agreed! The Merfolk Race... was saved!

Mo Li was even more excited, her small face flushed red. The look she gave Ling Hao was filled with unparalleled gratitude and adoration. That gaze was startlingly bright, as if she wanted to carve the figure before her into the deepest part of her heart.

A warm current called "hope" and "sense of belonging" instantly overwhelmed her.

Ling Hao looked at their reactions, his expression calm, his tone softening slightly. "Alright, let this matter be settled as such. In three days, we set off to find your Merfolk Race Holy Land, the Moon-Tear Coral Grove."

Actually, perhaps Ling Hao agreed partly out of curiosity about the merfolk?

...

Three days later, the boundless sea and sky.

A streamlined flying boat broke through the clouds, carving an elegant stream of light between the blue sea and clear sky.

Below was the boundless, glass-like sea surface, shining with fine, glittering luster under the brilliant sunlight.

In the distance, the sea and sky merged into one, adorned with a few wisps of white clouds, while the sea breeze rushed toward them, carrying the salty, damp scent of freedom.

On the flying boat, Ling Hao stood with his hands behind his back at the bow, his robes fluttering gently with the wind.

Xia Yingying, like a clingy little beast, held his arm tightly, her whole body almost hanging on him. She tilted her small face, her almond-shaped eyes curved, with a sweet smile that was both innocent and slightly crafty.

"Revered Master~ You are the best! You didn't take me to play during the discussions a few days ago, you must compensate Yingying properly this time!"

She stood on tiptoe slightly, her soft body rubbing against Ling Hao intentionally or unintentionally.

A clear, sweet scent like honey peaches, mixed with the pure fragrance of grass after rain, drifted into Ling Hao's nose.

Deep within the Sea of Consciousness, Yue Xinxi let out a sigh, which then turned into helpless indulgence.

'Forget it, forget it... Since I can't stop this little fool's fate of being eaten up, then let her... be happy.'

Ling Hao lowered his eyes, looking at the little Disciple acting like a spoiled child in his arm.

She wore a light water-green gauze dress today, the neckline slightly open, revealing a slender and exquisite collarbone. The sunlight sprinkled on her skin, which was so fair it was almost transparent, creating a layer of soft light.

When she looked up, those clear almond eyes were shimmering with ripples, carrying an unconscious temptation.

The lingering, sweet body scent, combined with her defenseless and attached posture, even with Ling Hao's firm Dao Heart, couldn't help but feel a strange ripple spreading in his heart.

Xia Yingying was actually supposed to follow Chi Wanhe and the others to handle the aftermath in the southeast, but she insisted on acting spoiled and shamelessly to follow, the reason being "compensation."

Ling Hao was unable to deal with her pestering, and considering she had just obtained the Immortal Zither, her state of mind needed to be broadened, so he let her be.

Sigh, this little Disciple is becoming harder and harder to deal with, not as easy to fool as before... cough, not as innocent anymore.

"My Lord,"

A respectful voice came from the side. Mo Yun pointed to a seemingly ordinary patch of sea ahead, but where the water color was slightly deeper.

"According to the guidance of the sensing, the general direction of our Merfolk Race settlement is beneath this sea area. But as for the specific location..."

"We need to go underwater to search carefully. After all, there are not many reference points on the sea."

Ling Hao suppressed the slight ripple in his heart, cast his gaze toward that deep sea area, and nodded.

"Mm, then let us go down."