TRWSB – Chapter 158 Crystal Fortunes and Murky Tides

Qi Shaorong returned to the city lord’s mansion and immediately started reviewing the account books.

Even with his massive wealth and daily earnings of gold, the large expenditure still stirred a sense of unease in him.

Qi Heng entered with a tray of tea and pastries. “Young Master.”

Qi Shaorong looked up and asked, “Ah Heng, what’s the matter?”

Qi Heng replied, “Nothing much. It’s just… Young Master Zhuang Hao seems to be in a great mood. He even said you like him the most.”

Qi Shaorong: “…” That guy, Zhuang Hao, really doesn’t know how to keep things low-key.

“I heard from him that you spent a fortune and plan to keep him,” Qi Heng added.

Qi Shaorong: “…” This idiot!

Qi Heng looked at him curiously. “Young Master, did you really spend that much?”

Qi Shaorong tilted his head. “Thirty million.”

“Gold coins?”

Qi Shaorong nodded. “Yes.”

“No wonder you went straight for the account books,” Qi Heng chuckled. “Seems like Young Master Zhuang Hao wasn’t lying.”

Qi Shaorong frowned. “Don’t overthink it. I only did it because… that vendor looked at me like I was some broke loser. It got under my skin, and I acted on impulse.”

Qi Heng: “…”

In the lab…

Qi Shaorong frowned. “The sand on this stone is incredibly stubborn! It won’t come off.”

Zhuang Hao smiled. “Let me try.”

Qi Shaorong stepped aside. Zhuang Hao placed his hand on the half-exposed crystal. A flash of light burst from it, and the stubborn sand softened and fell away.

Zhuang Hao’s body glowed as the magical energy from the rainbow crystal core surged into him.

Thanks to his steady intake of elixirs lately, Zhuang Hao was in excellent condition. The crystal’s stimulation pushed him right up to the edge of advancement.

His power slowly rose to the ninth level, and the crystal’s glow began to fade.

Qi Shaorong looked at Zhuang Hao’s glowing eyes. “You okay?”

Zhuang Hao nodded. “I’m fine… but wow, that was a windfall.”

“What exactly is that thing?” Qi Shaorong asked. “Ordinary beast cores shouldn’t be this easy to absorb.”

Zhuang Hao narrowed his eyes. “It’s likely a semi-saint crystal core. Normally, both Level 9 and Saint-level beast cores are hard to absorb. This one was probably left behind by a sea beast that failed to evolve. Its magic hasn’t completely solidified.”

Semi-saint cores were extremely rare. Failed evolutions usually left no core at all. Zhuang Hao couldn’t believe his luck—just one random trip and he’d hit the jackpot.

Qi Shaorong let out a breath. “Looks like that money was well spent.”

“More than worth it,” Zhuang Hao agreed.

He flexed his limbs, masking his strength back down to Level 8.

Qi Shaorong thought: Zhuang Hao’s luck is ridiculous. If the Emperor finds out his true power, it’ll definitely stir up trouble again.

“That guy from earlier today seemed unusual,” Qi Shaorong commented.

Zhuang Hao nodded. “He was. I could feel immense power, but also… weakness.”

“Yeah, looked sick,” Qi Shaorong agreed.

“If I’m not mistaken, he’s at Saint-level,” Zhuang Hao added. “But something’s restraining him.”

“Well,” Qi Shaorong shrugged. “It’s not really our problem.”

Elsewhere, Bi Liuyun sat alone, quietly examining the contents of his spatial ring.

He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh, ruffling his hair in frustration.

What is Hailin playing at, giving me the Mermaid’s Heart?

Could this be a gesture of reciprocity? But why the Mermaid’s Heart of all things?

Did Hailin discover something?

He placed his hand on the crystal, said to be the legacy of a saintly merman emperor from centuries past. Within it supposedly lay the secrets of ascension to the saint level.

The Mermaid’s Heart, the pride of the merfolk, had always been safeguarded by the Sea Dragon Clan. It was as valuable as the Sea King’s Pearl.

Traditionally, these two relics served as engagement tokens between the two royal clans.

Bi Liuyun had gifted Hailin the Sea King’s Pearl, and now Hailin had returned the Mermaid’s Heart.

This is… complicated.

A knock came. It was Qi Heng.

“Ah Heng, it’s you,” Bi Liuyun greeted with a smile.

Qi Heng raised a brow. “Who were you expecting? Hailin?”

“What nonsense are you spouting?” Bi Liuyun frowned.

“So what did that Hailin guy come for, anyway? Tried to take advantage of you?”

“Of course not!” Bi Liuyun said stiffly.

“Good, good,” Qi Heng grinned. “Oh, by the way—there’s someone outside who wants to challenge you.”

Bi Liuyun’s face darkened. “Shouldn’t you have led with that?!”

“Well, the guy didn’t seem strong. I figured you could just sing at him and scare him off,” Qi Heng replied innocently.

Bi Liuyun glared. “Do you think that little of me?”

“Nooo, not at all,” Qi Heng answered with mock sincerity.

Bi Liuyun: “…”

In the courtyard…

A blue-haired youth glared angrily at Qi Shaorong.

“So you’re the one trying to steal Princess Ariel away?”

Zhuang Hao threw his arm around Qi Shaorong’s shoulders. “Wrong guess. Shaorong likes me. I’m way better than that fishy Sea Dragon guy. Shaorong wouldn’t waste his time on him.”

The blue-haired youth sneered, “You? Compete with Prince Hailin? Dream on.”

“Idiot with no taste,” Zhuang Hao muttered. “Scram.”

“I won’t leave until I teach this homewrecker a lesson—for Princess Ariel’s honor!”

Qi Shaorong folded his arms, exasperated. “I can’t believe even that fierce princess has brain-dead fanboys. What a headache.”

“You dare insult Princess Ariel, you filthy commoner!” the youth roared.

Qi Shaorong: This moron’s way too full of himself.

Zhuang Hao taunted, “You look weaker than an ant. Want me to crush you?”

“You freak!” the youth shot back.

Zhuang Hao: “…”

“Master,” Bi Liuyun emerged with his zither.

The blue-haired youth’s eyes lit up with fury. “So you’re the bastard! I challenge you!”

“Where did this fool even come from?” Bi Liuyun sighed.

“Judging by the waterlogged brain, he’s from somewhere fishy,” Zhuang Hao muttered.

Bi Liuyun smiled. “Fair point.”

The youth charged. Bi Liuyun gently plucked a string.

A wave of sound magic blasted from the instrument, sending the youth flying and crashing into the ground.

As he landed, his legs transformed into a fish tail.

Qi Shaorong frowned. “So weak—he revealed his true form already?”

The mer-youth flopped around, unable to get up.

“Is he stuck like that?” Qi Shaorong asked.

“Seems so,” Zhuang Hao nodded.

“You bastards!” the mer-boy cried, finally struggling to stand, only to fall again.

“Don’t think this ends with me! Princess Ariel has thousands of fans—we’ll come for you!”

Zhuang Hao looked unimpressed. “All like you?”

“Yes!” the boy shouted proudly.

Zhuang Hao sighed. “No wonder the Sea Dragons don’t want an alliance. If this is what merfolk are like, it’s a waste of effort.”

“You’re underestimating us! If we were underwater, I wouldn’t have lost!” the mer-boy yelled.

Qi Shaorong scratched his head. “He looks a bit dried out. Should we toss him in a tank or something?”

“I don’t need your help!” the mer-youth snapped.

Qi Shaorong tilted his head. “That tail’s pretty plump. Maybe we should slice it off—half for braising, half for steaming?”

“You’re a monster!” the youth cried, horrified.

He tore open a teleport scroll and vanished.

Qi Shaorong rolled his eyes. “All that bluster, and he runs away? What a coward.”

Black Shark walked in, shaking his head. “The merfolk are producing nothing but fools lately. Each generation worse than the last.”

Zhuang Hao snorted. “That idiot Hailin sure knows how to stir up trouble.”

Bi Liuyun turned to Black Shark. “Elder, are the merfolk really that weak now?”

Black Shark nodded. “In the last few great sea wars, they lost many top fighters. Afterward, they turned on each other. They used to be the most powerful sea clan, but now, they’re just average.”

Bi Liuyun nodded thoughtfully. “I see.”

“It’s been ages since a golden-tailed mermaid was born,” Black Shark added.

Qi Shaorong perked up. “Golden tail?”

“Yes. They’re said to have incredible talent. Only merfolk with golden tails have the potential to become saints.”

“Once, all royals had golden tails. But the bloodline has thinned. The last king only had a pale gold tail—his bloodline wasn’t pure either.”