Refining the Mountains and Rivers

It was with great difficulty that the ruler and minister managed to fool Sang Yueyue. After the two of them left the outside of the Sea Mausoleum, the smiles vanished from their faces. They entered a grand hall and sat across from each other. Then, they couldn’t help but reveal even more splendid expressions.

The Sea Sovereign puckered his lips together. He said in a grave tone, “Mister, what do you think I should do?”

The Sea Mausoleum had caused many commotions these past years, gradually turning into a hidden danger of the capital city. But, those buried inside were still ancestors of the royal family as well as other great figures who had performed tremendous merits. It was a sacred land of the seafolk.

If only a small amount of specters were slain, then that was an acceptable trade to erase the hidden danger of the divine stone. But what Qin Yu was doing right now was no different from a large-scale sweep of the entire place!

The two people could clearly sense that wherever Qin Yu went, not even the slightest trace of a specter’s aura was left. It was so clean that it left one in tears!

Mister Turtle sincerely said, “Your Majesty, you must endure! We initially offended Qin Yu, and it's lucky for us that the Crown Princess is on good terms with him. This is probably the reason why he isn’t pursuing matters of the past. But, we cannot give him a chance to become enraged, otherwise the entire capital city will be in danger!”

The Sea Sovereign thought for a long time, “Can it be that all this Solitude can do is watch on helplessly…just watch on helplessly?  This is not much different than the graves of one’s ancestors being looted.”

Mister Turtle had an incomparably awkward expression. He thought for a moment and said, “Your Majesty, just consider this the condition for obtaining Qin Yu’s help. I’m sure that the souls of our heroic and wise ancestors would all be willing to sacrifice their specters as the price to obtain continued stability of the capital city and maintain the bloodline inheritance.”

His expression was solemn and respectful. He said with veneration, “Our ancestors, in order to preserve us, have paid a heavy price. We must keep this in mind. I earnestly ask Your Majesty that once the matter of the divine stone has ended, we hold a grand ceremony of worship to repay the kindness of our ancestors!”

The Sea Sovereign took a deep breath. “Mister Turtle’s words are perfectly reasonable. Once this matter is finished, this Solitude will gather all of the sea races to pray for our perished ancestors!”

The ruler and minister flushed red, feeling a little shameful like they had stuck their heads in the sand. But luckily, they had found an appropriate reason to accept all of this, so at least this didn’t make things awkward anymore.

In truth, these two were more aware of anyone that the Sea Mausoleum was spiraling out of control, gradually becoming a great hidden danger that threatened the capital city. If they didn’t change it, the future generations were sure to be harmed by it.

Today Qin Yu was helping to clean out the entire Sea Mausoleum. If so, this hidden danger would disappear…logically speaking, this was a good deed to the seafolk.

But even if this was the truth, they couldn’t acknowledge it…although something like face was useless and even sometimes a burden, they still had to maintain some semblance of it.

…

Qin Yu had been in the Sea Mausoleum for seven days already.

Even if the world of the Sea Mausoleum was massive and countless specters were bred, it still couldn’t withstand such a cruel harvesting method that was no different from cutting up vegetables.

The current Sea Mausoleum was greatly different from when Qin Yu first entered. The sky wasn’t just a little bit brighter, but far sunnier. The fog that shrouded the land was difficult to find and the aura of specters had nearly vanished.

Besides the deathly silence, there now wasn’t much difference between this place and the outside.

He stopped and looked into the distance. There, the skies were pitch black like ink and there were several terrifying auras of specters that billowed into the heavens.

That was the deepest part of the Sea Mausoleum. Qin Yu had yet to enter that area. Those buried there were the most formidable ancestors of the seafolk, and that was also where the specters with the most terrifying auras were located.

Those terrifying ancestral specters had already detected this invasion of life. However, because they were imprisoned they were unable to free themselves. The aura of specters that shot up into the skies was their declaration of war, one that was overflowing with killing intent. They were waiting for Qin Yu to walk into their trap.

Undying clenched his jaws and gently trembled. “Food is precious and it is a sin to waste it! Master, what are we waiting for?”

…

The deepest part of the Sea Mausoleum didn’t seem too far away, but in fact it was only an illusion. There, space twisted and piled up on itself, and even a short distance was especially long. Moreover, as one approached, one could sense all sorts of discomforting auras in the air that gradually constrained the mind and heart.

Qin Yu revealed a dignified expression. He was even more assured of his previous guess. This Sea Mausoleum where the ancestors of the seafolk were buried was beyond ordinary.

From this Sea Mausoleum, he could faintly feel the great strength of the sea race capital city from long ago. But if they were so strong, why did they fall into such a situation where even the Bolie branch clan was able to bully them?

There had to be a reason hidden within all of this, one that he didn’t know of. Perhaps he would learn the answer if he entered deep into the Sea Mausoleum.

His footsteps were calm and steady. But each step he took crossed a vast amount of space. Qin Yu’s speed was astonishing. After less than half a day, he crossed the final distance.

Then, a large black stone tablet appeared in his line of sight. It was as tall as a person and seemed to have been eroded with the passing of the years. It was mottled all over and pieces of it had been chipped off.

At the front of the stone tablet were words written in a blood red color: This is a World of the Dead, All Those Alive Must Halt!

As Qin Yu looked at these blood red characters, his heart began to quicken and a terrifying feeling surged in his heart. Each character was like a scarlet vortex, emitting a powerful suction strength that wanted to pull out his soul.

With a stuffy cough, Qin Yu closed his eyes. When he looked at the blood characters on the stone tablet again, that terrifying feeling had already vanished as if it were nothing but an illusion.

However, Qin Yu didn’t relax at all. He looked up at the pitch black skies above his head and his eyes became even more dignified.

Undying squatted down, as if hesitating. He reached out a hand and placed it on the black stone tablet. His figure shook for a moment before he fell silent.

Qin Yu’s eyes flashed. “Undying, are you alright?”

Undying said, “Master, this stone tablet’s aura is very familiar to me. As if I’ve seen it somewhere before.”

Qin Yu pressed, “Can you remember anything?”

Undying shook his head, “I can’t. It just feels familiar…” He hesitated for a moment and said, “But I have an intuition that it is extremely dangerous up ahead. Master must be careful.”

Qin Yu took a deep breath. “Let’s go. I want to see just what secret is hidden in this Sea Mausoleum.” His expression was firm and wary. Undying was a being wrapped in mystery. If even he felt this place was dangerous, then Qin Yu didn’t dare to underestimate this land again.

With a step, he crossed the line of the stone tablet. His body tingled as if a weak electric current flowed through him. When he checked that there was nothing wrong with his body, he began to walk forward.

The anticipated barrage of attacks didn’t appear. In the silence, a straight and wide road appeared right in front of him.

Qin Yu didn’t hesitate. He walked forward along the great road. A moment later, a vast towering city appeared in his line of sight. The city gates were open, with armored soldiers guarding them. Many seafolk walked in and out; this place was unexpectedly bustling.

Qin Yu was astonished. Deep within the Sea Mausoleum, in this world of the dead, there was actually a large city.

Undying’s figure moved and he fused into the shadows. “Master, I will hide first. Act according to circumstances.”

The role that Undying could play in the shadows was far more effective than what he could do in the open. Qin Yu nodded and walked towards the city gates. When he arrived, the guards defending the city gates and the seafolk passing in and out showed no changes.

Not too far away, an old man carrying a pole over his shoulder smiled and nodded at him. His attitude could even be considered warm. Behind him were a little brother and sister. They seemed to be somewhat shy. They peeked out from behind the old man, their eyes filled with curiosity.

A city guard exposed hands that were giant claws. He stared at Qin Yu and shouted, “Outsider, what are you doing here?”

Qin Yu lightly said, “To take something.”

“How bold!” The guard was enraged, “This is my king’s capital and everything here belongs to the king. You dare demand anything!? I urge you to immediately leave; otherwise if you die without a burial ground you had best not regret it!”

Qin Yu shook his head, “If I cannot take that thing, I will not leave.”

Suddenly, there was movement within the city gates. The seafolk passing in and out hurriedly withdrew to the sides.

A team of seafolk guards surrounded a magnificent carriage. They stopped outside the city gates.

A steward with a whisker-like mustache and neatly kept hair immediately hurried forward. He respectfully said, “Honored guest has come from far away so it is really disrespectful for us not to have welcomed you. My family’s master has prepared a banquet; I ask dear guest to please follow me.”

As he spoke he moved to the side and respectfully opened the carriage door.

Qin Yu’s thoughts stirred. “Alright. Then I’ll have to trouble you.”