Chapter 105 Grilled Oyster with Garlic (h)

Translated by Gumihou

Edited by Gumihou 

Dear readers, please accept this update as replacement for the one that should come out last Saturday. It was the celebration of the 15th day of Chinese New Year and Gumihou was stuck cooking for the family all day, ahahahah…

Have a good Mayonaise Day!

“After so many years of waiting, a member of the Human Race finally arrived,” said the young man.

Shiyu cupped her hands and greeted the man respectfully, “Greetings to senior, may this junior inquire as to…”

Though she saw him in the image of a young man, she guessed that he must be much, much older than herself.

A warm smiled spread across the man’s face. “My surname is Qi. You may address me as Mister Qi. I know, you must be here to investigate the sudden rise in sea temperature. I shall not deceive you. It is indeed our doing.”

It turned out that this Mister Qi had broken through the Divine Transformation Stage 300 years ago and had ascended to the Eighth Realm thereafter. However, 80 years ago he offended a major Spirit Beast clan badly enough that they sent assassins after him. He suffered fatal injuries and came back down to the Ninth Realm in hopes to die in his homeland. However, before he could make it back to his home country, his body died and sank into the Eastern Sea.

The reason for the Eastern Sea’s temperature rise every few years was because of the Fire Spirit he had tamed long ago. In fact, with his ability and assistance of the Fire Spirit, he could have recovered his original body after a few hundred or a thousand years of patient Cultivation. However, because he yearned to see the face of a Human Race again, he slowly exhausted his soul energy to make this wish come true.

The waiting days had been unpleasant, to say the least. 50 years later, not a single human had touched this depth. Moreover, as time goes by, his yearning grew to desperation. Fire Spirit reacted to this wish by using its power to raise the ocean temperature in hopes that a member of the Human Race would finally come and investigate.

Nevertheless, the Fire Spirit had also been hurt in the battle and could only accumulate enough power to raise the ocean temperature every few years. This was the reason why Sea Beasts would suddenly walk the shores every few years causing the so-called Eastern Sea Turbulence.

“This is our last time,” said Mister Qi calmly. “I shall dissipate soon. Little friend, I see you’re also a Cultivator. Hm? You have two Fire Seeds within you? Just what form of Cultivation is this? Never mind, whatever your Cultivation method is, as long as you have the ability to refine fire, Fire Spirit could lend you a hand.

How about this? Let’s make a deal. Promise me something and I shall hand this Fire Spirit to you. What do you think?”

Of course, Shiyu was tempted. Fire Spirit was something even rarer and more powerful than Fire Seeds. How could she not be tempted?

Still, it was best to be more cautious. Therefore, Shiyu cupped her hands and respectfully asked, “Honourable senior, may I know what is it you wish me to do?” After all, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. It’s best to find out what this mysterious Mister Qi wants her to do first.

“Heheh, no need to be so wary,” Mister Qi laughed at Shiyu’s vigilance. “Once my spirit dissipates, not even the Fire Spirit would be able to revive me. Try though it may. When this happens, that’s when it is at its weakest. Those miserable little Sea Beasts outside are waiting for the moment I fall to snatch my precious.” He snorted coldly, “How could I let those dirty beasts contaminate my treasure? Be at ease, child. My wish is merely to return to my homeland. I am a son of the Qi Clan of the Xuan Chu Empire. Return my bones to the ancestral burial grounds of the Qi Clan. That is my request.”

After a short pause, his figured wavered a little before solidifying again. His tone was gentle as he said, “This Fire Spirit is called Ocean Heart Flames. This Spiritual creature had been tamed by me in the early years of my Cultivation. It has been with me for nearly 300 years. I can let it bond with you. On one hand, it will help improve your Cultivation. On the other, it will prevent treachery from your side. If you dare renegade on our deal, the Fire Spirit would not hesitate to turn you into ashes.”

Having said all this, he settled down to wait for Shiyu’s answer.

Shiyu was very touched by his story. He tried so desperately to go home, but died just a few steps away. How embarrassing, ah? Nevertheless, it’s best to consult the expert.

“Hey,” she mentally spoke to Fat Cat. “This deal…”

“Take it,” was Fat Cat’s prompt reply.

Well, since Fat Cat’s reply was in line with her wishes, there was no need to delay anymore. With Fat Cat’s reassurance, she confidently said, “Very well! I agree.”

At her positive answer, an expectant smile bloomed across the man’s face. “I can finally go home,” he murmured.

Then, the soul dissipated like smoke.

Ocean Heart Flames, [1] which had been perched on his skull, fell to the floor as the skeleton collapsed. A mournful cry resounded around Shiyu, making her mind tremble. The surrounding water also shook from some invisible vibration. The five Divine Transformation Sea Beast Masters suddenly fell to their knees, blood spilling from their lips.

So, this is the power of a Fire Spirit!

Shiyu stood in shocked awe at the fallen powerhouses and did not notice that the Ocean Heart Flame had moved until she felt a pinch on her arm. The flame had wound itself from her hand all the way up to her shoulder. The pain travelled to her mind and she could see that this was the promised bond from Mister Qi. If she had any thoughts of violating their oath, Ocean Heart Flame will destroy her mind completely.

It took nearly an hour for the flames around her to subside once the Flame had entered her body. When the flames were gone, Shiyu wasted no time securing Mister Qi’s bones and quickly ran away from the fallen Divine Transformation Masters. There was no telling how long they would stay fallen after all. However, she had not gone far when something struck her mind. Suddenly, she was pulled into her space.

“Ah!” Shiyu cried out as she rolled onto the grassy floor of her space.

At first, Shiyu thought that the other party was trying to seize the Saint’s Dwelling. “No! My space!”

However, Fat Cat ran over and yelled, “Guard the Saint’s Dwelling. Then, grit your teeth and hold on.”

Shiyu had gotten into the habit of obeying Fat Cat without question. So, Shiyu mentally braced herself and clutched her stomach as she gritted her teeth and held on. She was told to ‘hold on’, but who would have thought that ‘holding on’ would be so difficult?

Suddenly, golden flames burst out from her body and flashed around the space. The temperature of the flames was so high that nearly every rare medicines and plants within the space was burned to ash immediately. What had once been a green and beautiful space was now a blackened wasteland.

The only thing left unchanged was the fertile black soil beneath their feet, the Spring of Life pond, and the Immortal Jade Petal Lotuses. Wait, the three pieces of Enlightenment Tea buried next to the Spring of Life was also still fine. Fat Cat laid himself flat on the stone table on top of the book. The tall golden flames reflected in his marble-like eyes. Presently, he yawned. The temperature was just right, let’s take a nap in this nice, warm environment.

[Gumihou: … … what kind of badass cat is this?]

Shiyu had folded herself into a lotus position. This time, though the flames roared and danced around her, her face remained serene and unblemished. Nevertheless, her mental powers were being taxed to the maximum and the pain was gnawing at her soul. Though her body was fine, the pain still dogged her footsteps like a relentless beast.

There was no sense of passing time within the space. Nevertheless, time still trickled by. All this while, Shiyu stayed cross-legged in place, trying to make peace with the Fire Spirit. However, the Fire Spirit was nothing like an ordinary flame. Refining it would take more than one day.

Ocean Heart Flame had received its master’s last order to help Shiyu improve her strength. Though it saw Shiyu as unworthy, it still sought to fulfil this wish to the best of its ability. The quickest way to improve Shiyu’s strength was to let this unworthy Cultivator use itself as a tonic and allow Shiyu to refine its flame into her body.

As Shiyu continued to refine the flames quietly under the sea, the Eastern Sea temperature continued to drop now that the Fire Spirit had disappeared from the sea.

This change also marked the end of the Eastern Sea Turbulence. Henceforth, Sea Beasts would no longer walk on land to compete for living space on the surface world with humans.

Four days later, the seawater temperature normalized. The two Divine Transformation Sea Beast Masters that had tried to negotiate with the humans came forward to inform the Feng City masters that this would be the last of their battle for land. At this unexpected good news, the whole of Feng City cheered.

As this was going on, Lin Fan and the rest of Shiyu’s friends could not help but worry over missing Shiyu. The crisis was over, but where is their friend?

Though they could not see, hear or touch any evidence, each of them privately believed that there was no such thing as a convenient coincidence.

[Gumihou: Shiyu spoke to Mysterious Dead Guy. Shiyu received a Quest! Return Mister Qi’s remains to his family at Xuan Chu Empire.]

[1] Changed Details for Logistic Purpose: The fire was originally on his head in Chapter 104, but then ‘Ocean Heart Flame fell from his palm’. Fire dude, like, when?

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