Mountain Venerable and Sea Immortal

The sunset painted the surface of Qingdao Bay with shimmering gold, smoke curled from the chimneys of the fishing village, and the hustle and bustle under the old banyan tree gradually faded away, leaving only a few close families gathered together, filled with the warmth of reunion after loss.

Yun's mother held Yunxi's hand tightly, refusing to let go. The icy touch on her fingertips lingered. Though her eyes were still red and swollen, her gaze towards her daughter was filled with doting affection and lingering fear. Yun's father stood to the side, his brows furrowed the entire time. Seeing Yunxi unharmed, a huge weight lifted from his heart. But the secret he had kept hidden for fifteen years could no longer be concealed with this incident.

He sighed deeply, waved away the villagers who had gathered around him, and led Yunmu and Yunxi to sit down on the stone bench by the old banyan tree. His expression was more solemn than ever before. Seeing her adoptive parents like this, Yunxi's heart tightened inexplicably. Her usually gentle brows furrowed slightly, and she asked softly, "Father, Mother, what's wrong?"

Upon hearing this, Yunmu's tears welled up again. She reached out and gently stroked Yunxi's hair, choking back sobs and unable to speak. Yun's father slumped onto the rough wooden stool, his calloused hands clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. After a long silence, he finally spoke slowly, revealing a shocking secret that had been buried for fifteen years.

"Xi'er, now that things have come to this, your father and mother can no longer hide it from you. There are some things you should know the truth about." Yun's father's voice was hoarse and heavy, with a hint of reluctance and unease. "You... are not our biological daughter. Fifteen years ago, during that massive sea storm that swept across the nearshore area, all the fishing boats were destroyed and the waves were towering. Your mother and I found you as an infant under the cliffs and reefs on the beach."

Yunxi froze, staring blankly at her father, her eyes filled with disbelief, the only sound in her ears being the rapid beating of her own heart.

"Back then, you were still an infant, wrapped in a luxurious brocade swaddle blanket..." Father Yun recounted in detail...

"We didn't mean to hide it from you, we just couldn't bear to," Yunmu sobbed, holding Yunxi tightly. "Your father and I were afraid that if you knew about your origins, you would leave us to find your biological parents. We were also afraid that your unusual birth would bring trouble upon you. We only hoped that you could live a peaceful and ordinary life in this small fishing village, so we have kept this secret in our hearts for fifteen years."

Yunxi leaned against Yunmu's chest, her nose stinging, her eyes instantly reddening, and tears silently streaming down her face. Just as she had suspected deep in her heart, she wasn't her parents' biological child. Fifteen years of nurturing kindness flooded her mind; every detail of her adoptive parents' love had never been fake. That warmth and care were already etched into her very bones.

She hugged Yunmu tightly, her voice choked with emotion but unwavering: "Father, Mother, no matter who my biological parents are, you are my only parents, and I will never leave you."

Upon hearing this, Yun's parents were completely relieved. The three of them embraced and wept. The evening breeze carried this fifteen years of warmth and relief into the twilight of the seaside.

Not far away, Chen Dagang was helping his elderly mother along the path home. His mother's hair was gray, her back hunched, and she held her son's strong arm, walking slowly, occasionally looking up to remind him never to take risks again. Chen Dagang responded all the way, his towering frame unusually docile. Halfway there, however, he couldn't suppress his inner turmoil and stopped.

"Mother, there's something I want to discuss with you." Chen Dagang's voice was different from his usual rough and loud one, carrying a hint of seriousness and trepidation. He looked down at his mother's cloudy but gentle eyes and said in a deep voice, "This time, following Brother Lin Yan to find people and exorcise demons, I witnessed the abilities of immortals and also realized the shortcomings of my mortal body. If I encounter demons again in the future, I'm afraid I won't even be able to protect the people around me."

Chen's mother was slightly taken aback. She raised her hand and gently patted the back of his hand. She didn't say anything, but just listened quietly.

"Brother Lin Yan is an upright man with great skills. Now he is taking Miss Yunxi and Sister Azhu to Laoshan to cultivate. I... I want to go with them. I don't ask to cultivate any great supernatural powers, I just want to strengthen my body so that I can protect my mother and our fishing village in the future, and also help Brother Lin Yan." Chen Dagang's tone was earnest, and his eyes were full of expectation. He knew that his mother always hoped that he would live a peaceful life, but after this cave exorcism, he was no longer willing to be an ordinary fisherman, and his desire to cultivate had become stronger.

Looking at the determination in her son's eyes, Chen's mother remained silent for a moment, then sighed softly, her eyes full of love: "Dagang, I know you have a kind heart and want to protect everyone. You lost your father at a young age, and I've always hoped for your safety. But now that you're with such a good boy like Lin Yan, I'm at ease. I won't stop you from doing what you want to do, but you must remember that no matter how far you go or what path you take, you must stay true to yourself, do righteous things, and never do anything against your conscience."

Chen Dagang was overjoyed that his mother agreed so readily. Overwhelmed with emotion, he knelt down with a thud, kowtowed deeply, and said in a choked voice, "Thank you, Mother! I will certainly remember your teachings, live up to your expectations, and never bring shame to our Chen family!"

"Get up quickly, the ground is cold." Chen's mother quickly helped him up, a relieved smile on her face. "From now on, follow Brother Lin Yan and listen to his instructions. Take good care of yourself and don't worry your mother."

Chen Dagang nodded emphatically, gripping the Xuan Tie Rhinoceros Bone tightly in his hand, his goal becoming increasingly clear.

Lin Yan escorted Yi Azhu back to the small stone house by the sea.

The house was small, but clean and tidy. A sea breeze blew in through the window cracks, carrying a faint, salty, and damp scent. As soon as the spirit turtle landed, it slowly crawled to the corner of the room, curled up, and its shell, its spiritual light subdued, continued to guard its surroundings.

"Brother," Yi Azhu whispered, holding Hai Yunzhu in her arms, "wasn't the aura in the sea just now similar to the demonic energy in the cave?"

Lin Yan nodded and sat down cross-legged in the room, his body slowly circulating with the spiritual energy of the sixth level of Qi Refining.

"It's the same kind of demonic energy, but weaker and more scattered. It should be the residual demonic power of the Shrimp King, which attracted the scattered demons wandering nearby."

He paused, his eyes darkening slightly.

"The Red Shrimp King has been entrenched in the nearshore waters for a hundred years; it's impossible that it only has this much power. In the battle at the cave on the chaotic reef, we made quite a commotion; I'm afraid... we've already alerted the deeper sea monsters."

Yi Azhu's face paled slightly, but she still nodded vigorously: "Azhu will always be vigilant and will tell her brother immediately if there is any unusual activity."

Lin Yan felt a warmth in his heart as he watched her become increasingly determined.

"Focus on your cultivation. We'll go to Laoshan together then," he said softly. "The Sea Rhyme Pearl complements your Water Spirit Body. Tonight, use the spiritual energy of the fishing village to stabilize your realm and enhance your perception."

"Um!"

Yi Azhu sat cross-legged, the Sea Rhyme Pearl suspended in her palm, its pale blue spiritual energy slowly swirling around her. Once Azhu was in a meditative state, Lin Yan gently closed the door and turned to leave.

Back in his dilapidated house, Lin Yan closed his eyes and began to cultivate. The Guanhai Inkstone gently rotated in his dantian, and the Laoshan Guanhai Technique naturally circulated, absorbing the water-attribute spiritual energy drifting from the sea.

As night deepened, the sea returned to calm, with only the waves gently lapping against the beach.

Unseen by anyone, several eerie green lights slowly rose from the deep sea in the distance, staring silently in the direction of the fishing village with cold malice.