Zanxing

Chapter 80 - Statue (1)

"Don't speak nonsense," Tian Fangfang shoved a roasted corn into Mendong's mouth. "How can you curse Martial Uncle like that? If you think about it, there's still a chance we could meet a fairy in this lifetime."

"Seventh Martial Uncle's cultivation is indeed very advanced," Mu Chengxiao chimed in, "Today, he subdued Tan Tianxin with just one move, and he's still so young..." His voice trailed off, sounding a bit unconvinced.

Yanxing understood his feelings. After all, Gu Baiying, this new character who burst onto the scene, almost seemed to be stealing the main protagonist's spotlight. Why didn't the original world put some obstacles in his way to suppress him? Was it just because he didn't have the Xiao Yuan Pearl? Now that the pearl had been taken from him, would giving it back to Mu Chengxiao solve everything? But how would that even work?

As these wild thoughts ran through her mind, she heard Mendong continue, "Naturally, my uncle is of the same bloodline as Fairy Qinghua, so of course he inherited her talents. He couldn't possibly be anything less than excellent."

"That's not necessarily true," Yanxing absentmindedly pushed aside the oyster shells in front of her. "Sometimes, living under such a halo is even more difficult."

Mendong asked, "What do you mean?"

"Just like you said, since Seventh Martial Uncle is Fairy Qinghua's son, it's expected that he must be the best. If he's not, people will think he hasn't worked hard enough. Doesn't that just shackle him? If someone is only allowed to succeed and never fail, isn't that a bit sad?" She took a bite of her grilled fish. "People pour their hearts into cultivation and spend years in seclusion, but when they do well, it's all attributed to their talent. If they don't do well, they face criticism because countless eyes are always watching them."

The child frowned. "It's because my uncle is excellent that people pay attention to him. Isn't it something to be proud of, to be noticed? Being ignored is what's truly pitiful."

"Alright then," Yanxing smiled. "Have you ever seen Gu Baiying fail? Have you ever seen him cry? Or show weakness?"

"That could never happen!" Mendong puffed his cheeks angrily. "My uncle would never do that!"

"Exactly." Yanxing smiled softly. "Everyone has moments of weakness or sadness. You just haven't seen it because your uncle hides that part of himself. With so many eyes on him, even if he wanted to retreat and show weakness, he couldn't. When people get used to seeing him this way, it becomes impossible for him to express any vulnerability in front of others."

She patted Mendong's head. "Someday you'll understand—on the other side of that halo lies immense pressure."

Mendong wrinkled his nose but remained silent.

Nearby, a young man carrying a wooden box of candied fruit stopped in his tracks, standing on the far side of the pavilion. His gaze lingered on the speaker.

The wind carried the salty scent of the sea, and the pavilion was filled with the lively chatter of cultivators enjoying their night out. Amidst the hustle and bustle, the woman's words stood out, clear as day.

What she had said, though light and playful, pierced his heart like a sword.

Everyone has moments of weakness or sadness.

Had he ever felt that way? Perhaps he had, but it was so long ago that he couldn't even remember. It seemed he wasn't capable of it anymore.

In that moment, under the night sky, the youth's figure appeared especially lonely. His vermillion headband glimmered in the moonlight like a fully bloomed flower, beautiful and striking. But his expression was one of solitude.

A local fish seller, captivated by the young man's handsome appearance, carried a large fish and glanced back at him. From the pavilion, a child waved excitedly in his direction. "Martial Uncle, you're back!"

The youth hesitated for a moment, then tightened his grip on the wooden box and made his way toward the pavilion.

...

That meal was thoroughly enjoyable, even the usually aloof Meng Ying picked up her chopsticks a few times. After the group had their fill, Gu Baiying paid for the meal with spirit stones, and they began their walk along the beach back to the "Sea Seeking Immortals" inn.

The long beach stretched toward the horizon when suddenly a loud boom echoed through the air. They looked up to see fireworks bloom in the night sky. Countless brilliant stars shattered in the heavens, then quickly plummeted into the distant sea. The full moon hung in the deep blue sky, and the fireworks, like a dream, illuminated the night of Li-er Country.

The cultivators on the beach cheered. Their days in the sect were filled with rigorous training and asceticism, so this rare chance to be out in the world brought much joy.

"Is there entertainment too?" Yanxing mused. Li-er Country's tourism seemed to be full of surprises. Even without a secret realm, the natural scenery and cultural atmosphere were more than enough reason to visit again.

"When the secret realm opens, Li-er Country sets off fireworks every night along the western coast," Meng Ying remarked, gazing into the distance. "It's a way to welcome the cultivators who come to explore."

Tian Fangfang pointed to the distance. "Why are there so many people over there?"

Yanxing followed his finger and saw a crowd of cultivators gathered around something. As they moved closer, she realized it was a statue.

The statue was massive, depicting a young man dressed in robes and wearing a golden crown, holding a sword, exuding heroic vigor. The entire statue was made of gold—though whether it was solid or gilded wasn't clear—and the man's eyes were inlaid with stunning sapphires. Yanxing was stunned at first glance. What was this? How could they just leave this out here, weren't they afraid someone might steal the jewels? Li-er Country must be incredibly wealthy.

"What's this?" Tian Fangfang pointed to the base of the statue. "A monster?"

Beneath the golden figure's sword knelt a fearsome creature with a green face and tusks. Its skin was covered in grotesque scales, and from the waist down, it had a large fishtail, pinned by a long arrow.

"Looks like a merman," Mu Chengxiao said.

"It's a merman," Gu Baiying walked forward, gazing at the statue. "Decades ago, mermen caused chaos in Li-er Country. The king led an army to slay the merman demon, and after peace was restored, the statue was erected to commemorate the king."

"Oh, like a mermaid," Yanxing muttered, her eyes falling on the merman's face. It was just as hideous as the worst demon she'd ever seen. She couldn't help but remark, "It's carved so ugly."

"What mermaid? A merman is a merman," Mendong frowned. "Mermen aren't beautiful. This is just what they look like."

Yanxing asked, "Have you ever seen a merman?"

Mendong hesitated for a moment. "Well, no. Mermen went extinct decades ago. This one in Li-er Country was probably the last of its kind."

Yanxing looked at the merman pinned beneath the old king in the statue. The image was so different from the stories she'd heard as a child that she couldn't help but murmur, "This doesn't seem like the mermen I know." How had the fairy tale mermaids of her youth turned into something so dark in the world of cultivation?