TRWSB – Chapter 225 Korion’s Exhausting Ordeal

Korion looked at Zhuang Hao, a growing sense of pressure building within him.

When they first fought, Korion had clearly held the upper hand. Yet in just a few short days, Zhuang Hao had caught up. Korion could feel how effortlessly Zhuang Hao was now using his domain abilities.

Korion glared fiercely at Qi Shaorong, who avoided his gaze and quietly cast a light-element recovery spell on Zhuang Hao.

Seeing this, Korion’s blood surged in frustration once more.

The repeated intense battles had worn Korion out. But Zhuang Hao, thanks to Qi Shaorong’s continuous magic support, was tireless. After every round of combat, Qi Shaorong used light magic to help Zhuang Hao recover.

Ordinarily, an eighth-rank light mage like Qi Shaorong wouldn’t be able to assist a saint-level warrior. However, the staff in his hand was a saint-grade artifact, and with its power, Qi Shaorong could unleash far greater magic than his level suggested.

Korion eyed the staff with envy—it was clearly a treasure. He couldn’t help but wonder how Qi Shaorong had gotten his hands on it.

“You tired?” Qi Shaorong asked.

Zhuang Hao shook his head and smiled. “Not really.”

Korion took a deep breath and asked, “Aren’t you in a hurry to travel?”

Zhuang Hao smiled nonchalantly. “We’re heading to a wedding, but with you around, who cares when that sea dragon gets married?”

Korion: “…”

“Marriage is a big deal. I think you should probably get going,” Korion said with difficulty.

Zhuang Hao shrugged indifferently. “Not my wedding. It’s not my big life event. I’m just showing up to hand over a gift. It’s not like I’m gaining anything.”

Korion: “…”

“Sea-ling’s dumb wedding is still far off. No need to rush, Senior,” Zuo Yunfei added soothingly.

Korion: “…” Are these people trying to wear me out?

“Senior, are you sure you don’t want something to eat?” Qi Heng asked politely.

Korion: “…”

Qi Shaorong turned to Qi Heng. “How do you feel?”

“Great! I was worried the journey would be boring,” Zhuang Hao replied.

Korion: “…”

“If you’re tired, don’t push yourself. It’s just sparring, right? You can always ask the Sea Dragon King when we arrive,” Qi Shaorong said.

Zhuang Hao responded lightly, “We don’t know the sea dragon clan very well. Wouldn’t want to trouble them.”

Korion frowned and thought, So Zhuang Hao really just sees me as a sparring partner. He says he doesn’t want to impose on the sea dragons, but I don’t remember being particularly close to him either…

Qi Shaorong smirked and whispered teasingly, “Do you have some deep relationship with the head of the Garan Temple?”

“Nope! But he’s different—he came to us on his own,” Zhuang Hao replied.

Qi Shaorong nodded. “Fair enough.”

It took nearly twenty days before Korion finally managed to shake them off.

He left as if being chased by wild dogs.

Watching Korion’s fleeing figure, Zuo Yunfei couldn’t help but say, “That temple lord sure runs fast!”

“Forget him. Let’s get moving. He wasted so many days—we’re cutting it close now,” Qi Shaorong sighed.

Zuo Yunfei: “…”

……

Azure Sea Plains.

“Young master, you’re finally here!” Bi Liuyun exclaimed emotionally, hugging Qi Shaorong.

Qi Shaorong sighed. “We ran into a few issues on the road, so we lost quite a bit of time.”

Bi Liuyun chuckled. “I heard you traveled with the Garan Temple’s lord. Sounded like you got along pretty well.”

Qi Shaorong looked at him suspiciously. “You already heard?”

“Of course. You’re a prominent figure—people follow your every move,” Bi Liuyun said.

Qi Shaorong smiled. “He was pretty generous. Just some grilled meat, and he ended up being Zhuang Hao’s sparring partner for over twenty days. Didn’t eat much either—said he had no appetite. It’s rare to find such a cheap saint-level sparring partner.”

Bi Liuyun: “…”

“Thanks to him, Zhuang Hao says he’s now able to use his domain to some extent,” Qi Shaorong said happily.

Bi Liuyun: “…” Korion originally came to pick a fight with Zhuang Hao, but somehow ended up as a training dummy. That guy really has a thick skin.

“The Garan Temple has three temple lords—all saint-level. Not easy to deal with,” Bi Liuyun warned.

Qi Shaorong tilted his head. “I thought things went well. Surely Korion won’t call the other two to take revenge, right?”

“The three lords of Garan rarely act together,” Bi Liuyun said.

Qi Shaorong nodded and let out a breath. “Good, that’s a relief.”

……

Sea Dragon Clan’s Imperial Palace.

“Young Lord, the merfolk are here again. Princess Ariel insists on seeing you,” a sea clan guard reported.

Hailin responded with growing impatience, “Why is that woman here again? Why didn’t you throw her out?”

The guard looked troubled. “We can’t, sir. She is the merfolk princess, after all…”

Hailin rubbed his forehead in frustration. Ever since news of his engagement to Biliuyun had spread, many among the merfolk had expressed strong opposition.

And it wasn’t just the merfolk. Biliuyun had half human blood, and many sea clan members harbored deep-seated animosity toward humans. Somehow, the merfolk had even managed to rope in one of the Sea Dragon Clan’s elders to oppose the marriage.

Hailin deeply disliked those old relics of the clan, but they held power and influence—far too much to ignore. One reason he took Biliuyun to Dilan City was, in fact, to avoid their interference.

When Ariel finally saw Hailin, she sprang to her feet. “Hailin! You’re finally willing to see me.”

“I’ve told you before, Ariel,” Hailin said firmly, “my marriage to Liuyun is set in stone. Causing more trouble won’t change anything.”

Ariel’s voice rose with emotion. “Do you even realize that Biliuyun carries the filthy blood of humans? He’s unfit to be consort of the Sea Dragon Clan’s heir. Marrying him will only make it harder for you to become Sea Dragon King!”

Hailin frowned. The conflict between sea folk and humans had lasted generations. Some radicals within the sea clans even fantasized about exterminating humanity.

“For Liuyun, I’m willing to give up my claim to the Sea Dragon throne,” Hailin said calmly.

Ariel stared at him, a flicker of disbelief and pain crossing her face. “A half-human hybrid? Is that the kind of mutt you’d give up the Sea Dragon throne for?”

Hailin smiled faintly. “Whether it’s worth it or not… only I get to decide that.”

“You’re insane, Hailin!” Ariel cried. “What does Biliuyun even have that makes him worth all this sacrifice?”

Hailin’s face darkened. “Ariel, no matter what you say, Liuyun will be the one I spend my life with. Nothing you do will change that.”

Ariel’s voice trembled with frustration. “You’ll regret this, Hailin.”

Outside the main hall, Qi Shaorong and the others had overheard the heated exchange between Hailin and Ariel from afar.

Biliuyun quickly led them to the Sea Dragon Palace guest chambers, avoiding a direct confrontation with Ariel.

Qi Shaorong glanced at Biliuyun. “You’ve faced a lot of resistance regarding your marriage to Hailin, haven’t you?”

Biliuyun nodded. “Yes. The conflict between the sea clans and humans runs deep. Countless lives have been lost on both sides. Mixed-bloods like me are caught in the middle—rejected by both worlds. Many hybrids living in the sea realm suffer terribly.”

Qi Shaorong drew in a sharp breath. “If Hailin marries you… he really won’t be able to become Sea Dragon King?”

“Most likely not,” Biliuyun said with a bitter smile. “The Sea Dragon Clan is royalty. Many of them are obsessed with pure bloodlines. The idea of a ‘half-blood’ like me becoming their queen? Unthinkable.”

In truth, things had been rough for Biliuyun. After the engagement news spread, opposition exploded. Some radicals even attempted to assassinate him to “cleanse” the royal bloodline. Though the attempt failed, he was still badly injured.

Qi Shaorong looked at him and said softly, “You’ve had a hard time.”

Biliuyun sighed. “A lot of people want to marry Hailin. Since I’m the one marrying him, I have to bear that pressure.”

“So… Hailin is really giving up the throne for you?” Qi Shaorong asked.

Biliuyun nodded. “Yes.”

Hailin truly was a man who chose love over power.

Qi Shaorong asked with concern, “Your wedding—will anyone try to stop it?”

“Hailin plans to keep it low-key. His parents and uncles don’t object,” Biliuyun explained.

Qi Shaorong blinked in surprise. “His family sounds pretty open-minded…”

“Well… somewhat,” Biliuyun gave a wry smile. “His parents, yes. But others? Not so much. If Hailin gives up the throne, his cousins will be thrilled—they’ve been drooling over it for years.”

“And if Hailin doesn’t inherit the throne, what are your future plans?” Qi Shaorong asked.

“Hailin plans to expand the Tianlong Trading Company and strengthen trade between the sea clans and humans,” Biliuyun replied.

Qi Shaorong’s eyes widened. “That’s big business.”

Human-made porcelain and jewelry were highly prized in the sea, while pearls and coral were considered treasures by humans. The profits would be astronomical.

Biliuyun smiled. “Exactly. Many hybrid sea-folk live harsh lives—some are even enslaved. Hailin wants to change that. By boosting trade and hiring them as shop staff, he hopes to give them a future and slowly improve their lives.”

Qi Shaorong blinked in amazement. “That guy… Hailin’s got a good heart.”
Maybe… he truly loved everything about Biliuyun—even the world he came from.