Chapter 82: Ocean Heart
I froze. “I… how was I here?”
The elf girl set down the tray in her hands and said, “That pretty young lady came here with you. She’s eating with the village chief right now. Since you’re awake, you should go over too.”
I lowered my head and looked at myself, only to realize I was wearing nothing but underclothes. My outer clothes were already torn and tossed aside. The biggest drawback of the Fallen Angel Transformation was that it ruined clothes. I quickly pulled the quilt tight around myself and said awkwardly, “Go out first. I’ll change, then I’ll go over.”
The elf girl pressed her lips together in a smile and turned to leave. Only after she went out did I let out a breath. This Yue’er—how did she bring me into an elf village?
I took out a clean set of clothes from my Jiezi Pouch and changed. I discovered my stamina had actually recovered. The two kinds of energy inside me circulated naturally. I still wasn’t in peak condition, but I wasn’t far from it either. It felt like I hadn’t slept long. It seemed my recovery ability had grown stronger than before.
I moved my body a little to loosen the stiffness, washed up, and checked myself in the bronze mirror in the room. Aside from my beard being a bit longer, nothing else had changed. Satisfied, I patted my resolute cheeks, slung Mo Ming on my back, and walked out.
The elf girl waiting at the door froze when she saw me. I grinned. “Never seen a handsome guy before?”
Her face reddened, and she lowered her head. “Please come with me.” She turned and walked ahead, and only then did I notice this was a beautiful little village. Everything around was made up of browns and greens. Tall, dense forest surrounded it, and in a not-too-large clearing at the center stood more than twenty wooden houses of different sizes. Judging by the scale, their whole village was only a little over a hundred elves. The ground was covered in lush green grass and wildflowers. Some small, non-aggressive animals darted around the village, occasionally giving me curious looks. Elf folk all flew and rarely walked on their legs, so the green grass showed no damage at all.
I said a little awkwardly, “I’m going to step on your green ground.”
The elf girl smiled. “It’s fine. The Biluo Grass here is extremely vigorous. Even if you step it down, it only takes a little while to recover.”
I nodded. “Then let’s go.”
She lightly fluttered her wings and flew ahead. I followed with long strides. After weaving through gaps between the wooden houses a few times, we reached a wooden house at the village’s edge. The elf girl stopped, bowed, and said, “Please go in yourself. They’re all inside.”
I paused. “Shouldn’t the village chief live in the center of the village? Why does your village chief live here?”
A look of reverence appeared on the elf girl’s face. “Our Elf Race is different from you humans. The village chief’s duty is to protect the village. Every tribe’s village chief lives where attacks are most likely, so they can discover hidden dangers at the first moment. The village chief is the most respected person in our entire village.”
I thought to myself: the elf tribal leader was actually willing to place herself in the most dangerous position. That showed how much she cared for her people. No wonder the Elf Race had such strong cohesion—far stronger than the human, demon, and beast races. Thinking of that, I couldn’t help admiring Water Star in secret.
I said to the elf girl, “Thank you for leading me.”
She smiled slightly and made a gesture inviting me in.
I nodded, stepped up the two wooden steps, and knocked lightly on the door. With a creak, it opened, and the one who opened it was Water Star’s daughter. She startled when she saw me, then her eyes flashed with vigilance. “You woke up.”
I nodded slightly. “Is Mo Yue here with you? I want to see her.”
Before she could answer, Mo Yue, who had heard my voice inside, rushed out like a whirlwind. She slipped past the elf in front and threw herself hard into my arms. Holding her soft body, I felt my heart settle at once. I couldn’t help kissing her pretty face, making the elf girl beside us blush.
Mo Yue puffed out her lips. “Husband, you finally woke up.”
I laughed. “If I didn’t wake up, who knows where you would’ve sold me off to.”
At that moment, Water Star also came out of the room and nodded at me. “Come inside first. We’ll talk in there.”
Since I was already here, I would take it as it came. With my arm around Mo Yue’s slim waist, I walked in. The house was so low that I had to keep my head down. Once inside, I realized that compared to the room I had stayed in earlier, this place was only slightly larger and otherwise no different. Were elves all this simple?
Perhaps she saw through my thoughts. Water Star smiled. “Our Elf Race doesn’t pursue material things. As long as we can survive, that’s enough.”
“Haha, kid, your bones are really tough. You recovered so fast. This old bag of bones is still aching all over.” Pa Lai stood with his hands on his hips, smiling at me. Because Water Star had been blocking him, I hadn’t noticed him just now. His Dark Lightning Axe was placed on the ground to the side, leaning against the wooden wall.
I gave a bitter smile. “Stop praising me. At the very least, you didn’t faint back then.” As I spoke, I found a sturdier-looking chair and sat down. Only after I straightened my back did my neck feel a bit better.
Water Star said, “Let me introduce you. This is my daughter, Water Moon. Water Moon, quickly greet Uncle Lei Xiang.”
That immediately made both Water Moon and me awkward. If we went by age, I probably wasn’t much older than Water Moon. Water Moon called out reluctantly in a low voice, “Lei Xiang… Uncle.”
My face warmed, and I hurriedly said, “Don’t call me that. Just call my name.”
Water Star smiled slightly. “That won’t do. Our Elf Race pays the most attention to seniority. You and I associate as peers, so naturally she is your junior.”
I turned to Mo Yue. “Yue’er, why did you bring me here?”
Before Mo Yue could answer, Water Star said, “You returned the Heart of Water to us. You’re great benefactors of our people. No matter what, we had to fulfill our duty as hosts, so we invited Sister Mo Yue to bring you here.”
I looked at her, puzzled. “Village Chief Water Star, the Heart of Water was originally your Elf Race’s possession. That doesn’t count as any favor. Since you invited us here, it probably isn’t only because of that matter. Say what you need to say. I don’t like beating around the bush.”
Water Star’s face reddened slightly. She glanced at Pa Lai, then said to her daughter, “Water Moon, go bring some fresh fruit to treat Brother Lei Xiang.”
Water Moon answered and, after giving me a look, turned and went out. The moment she left, Water Star stood up, walked two steps forward, came to me, and dropped to her knees with a thud.
Her move startled me. I jumped up to help her, and in my urgency, I forgot my height. With a loud bang, my head slammed into the ceiling. I was fine, but the ceiling nearly got punched into a hole.
Mo Yue burst into laughter. “Be careful. Sister Water Star, what are you doing? Get up. We can talk.”
Water Star’s face was full of shame as she kept her head lowered. “I don’t know where to begin. I really have to trouble you. Brother Lei Xiang, please—no matter what, you must help us with this.”
Looking at her pitiful, moving appearance, I didn’t impulsively agree. I signaled Mo Yue to help her up and sit her down. “Village Chief Water Star, what could be so serious that a dignified elf village chief would kneel and beg an outsider like me? Tell me. If I can, I’ll help you.”
Pa Lai, beside us, said, “Niece Water Star, just say it. With Uncle here backing you up, you don’t have to fear this kid refusing. Heh.”
Seeing the old fellow’s scheming look, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Could he really decide for me?
Water Star sighed. “Uncle Pa Lai, this matter is far too important to our Elf Race. It’s like this, Brother Lei Xiang. When that two-winged fallen angel was around, you heard him say that there are truly seven Hearts of Water, split into one main and six secondary ones, right? What he said was all true. To be honest, in the earliest days, the Hearts of Water weren’t even possessions of our people. It’s just that they bring enormous benefits to our Water Elf people, greatly enhancing our water magic. Not only that, they have another legendary function.
“After collecting them for countless generations, we finally obtained four of the secondary Hearts of Water, but it still isn’t enough. We must gather them all to unleash this set of gems’ true power. Legend says this set of gems is Lord Water God’s protective divine treasure, though no one knows why it descended into the mortal world. As long as we can gather these seven Hearts of Water, we can communicate with the Water God in the Heavenly Realm and gain his protection.
“Our Elf Race has gradually weakened. Only by gaining Lord Water God’s protection can we develop again.”
I looked at her, confused. “What does any of that have to do with me?”
Water Star looked awkward. “It has everything to do with you. Before you fainted, you said there was a gem called the Sea-Blue Stone with one of your friends, right?”
My heart tightened. So she had noticed the Sea-Blue Stone. I said guardedly, “That’s right. The Sea-Blue Stone is with one of my friends. Does it have some connection with the Heart of Water?”
As expected, Water Star nodded. “The Sea-Blue Stone is also what we call the Ocean Heart. It is the main stone among the seven Hearts of Water. Look at this.” As she spoke, she took out a scroll from her chest and handed it over.
I accepted the scroll, which looked very precious, and unfolded it with both hands. It wasn’t large, and it felt extremely good in my hands—the soft hide surface was pleasant to touch. On it was a pattern: six identical heart-shaped gems around the edges, and in the center, unmistakably, was the diamond-shaped blue gemstone we had gotten from the Tianzhong family’s collection vault—the Sea-Blue Stone.
Although I wasn’t a good person, I still disdained lying. I nodded. “That’s right. It’s that Sea-Blue Stone.”
Water Star was overjoyed, speaking almost incoherently. “Great. This is too great. We finally have the Ocean Heart’s whereabouts. Our Elf Race is saved.”
I frowned. “Hold on. That Sea-Blue Stone doesn’t belong to you.”
Water Star froze. “That’s exactly what I want to talk about. I hope you can have your friend transfer that Sea-Blue Stone to our Elf Race. We truly need it. As long as it’s something our Elf Race has, you can ask for it—we can take it out to exchange.”
I rolled up the scroll and handed it back, shaking my head. “That won’t work. Because the Sea-Blue Stone doesn’t belong to me. My friend also treasures it greatly, and she probably won’t let it go easily. It wasn’t easy to obtain. It has already become my friend’s protective treasure. Village Chief Water Star, I’m afraid I can’t help you with this.”
Water Star’s expression changed slightly.
At that moment, Water Moon returned, holding a large tray of fruit. The colors and kinds were all different. Before I even ate any, I could already smell a refreshing fragrance that made the heart feel open and bright. Water Moon set the fruit on the table and said quietly, “Please eat as you like.”
I casually picked up a red fruit and took a bite. Sweet juice instantly filled my mouth, and the fresh fragrance made me feel comfortable from the bottom of my heart. I couldn’t help being moved. “What fruit is this? It’s so delicious.” I finished the whole red fruit in a few bites, and couldn’t help regretting not eating more of the fruit that elf girl had brought earlier in my room.
Seeing me start, Mo Yue ate too without holding back. She had clearly eaten it already and wasn’t as surprised as I was.
Seeing her mother’s brows knit tightly, Water Moon asked, “Mom, what’s wrong? He won’t agree?”
Water Star sighed and said to me, “Brother Lei Xiang, is there really no room to discuss it at all?”
While eating fruit, I answered, “To be honest, if I went to persuade this friend, there’s an eighty percent chance she would agree. But I don’t want to do that. I don’t want her to lose what she loves because of me. This friend holds a very important place in my heart.”
Water Star said urgently, “But we—”
I stopped her from continuing and said to Mo Yue, “Yue’er, once we finish the fruit, we should take our leave.”
Water Star cast a pleading look at Mo Yue. Mo Yue gave her a helpless smile. “I’ll be honest with you. That Sea-Blue Stone is on my husband’s other wife. My husband values all of us. He absolutely doesn’t want any of us to be unhappy. Sister Water Star, I can’t help you with this either.”
I smiled at Mo Yue. “Good Yue’er. You really understand my heart. In this world, nothing can compare to the place you three hold in my heart.”
Pa Lai spoke up, but he didn’t help Water Star persuade me. Instead, he said to Water Star, “Niece, I think you should forget it. Those so-called divine artifacts are all vague, illusory things. Aren’t you living just fine in the forest? Why force others? Lei Xiang, you may not give up the Sea-Blue Stone, but you can’t leave. I’ve been waiting to drink a couple cups with you. I came here specifically to wait for you to wake up, to make a friend like you. You won’t object, will you?”
I had a good impression of Pa Lai, this frank Mountain Dwarf King. I smiled slightly. “Drinking is fine. But I hope Village Chief Water Star won’t set her mind on the Sea-Blue Stone again. Only then can I stay here for a few days with peace of mind.”
Water Star immediately nodded. “Then stay here for a few days. I must return to our people and ask our elf elders for instructions—how that elder will handle it. Don’t worry. Our people will absolutely not harm you in the slightest. And with your strength, you can leave anytime you want. Water Moon, stay here and accompany your Grandpa Pa Lai and the two honored guests. I’m returning to the Elf Race immediately.”
Water Moon answered, looking at her mother with concern.
In truth, my decision to stay two days wasn’t only because of Pa Lai’s hospitality. The main reason was that I noticed my adorable wife Yue’er seemed very reluctant to leave this place—especially when she ate fruit just now, she looked completely satisfied. As long as she was happy, what did it matter if we stayed a couple more days? Because I had accepted Big Brother Theomandis’s inheritance, I found that domineering, world-crushing aura on me was growing stronger and stronger, as if no one existed in my eyes. Even I didn’t know whether that was good or bad.
Water Star greeted us hurriedly and left. I thought: if the Sea-Blue Stone was truly as important as she claimed, then when she returned, she might bring an elf elder with her.
Pa Lai asked, “Lei Xiang, how old are you this year? To have such strength—were you born like this?”
I smiled slightly. “Of course not. I’m not even twenty yet. How could skill be something you’re born with? It all comes from constant hard training.”
Pa Lai’s eyes widened. “What? You’re not even twenty? It’s over, it’s over—your Demon Race is too terrifying. To achieve this at such a young age is unbelievable. Back then, the Demon Emperor reaching a four-winged fallen angel at over fifty already shocked me, but if he fought me in pure strength, he still wasn’t my match. Yet you reached this realm in your twenties—truly not easy. Kid, do you know how old I am?”
I thought for a moment. “Are you a hundred?”
Pa Lai shook his head. “A hundred? Let me tell you—I’m three hundred eighty-seven this year. Our dwarf race generally lives to around six hundred, and the Elf Race can live to eight hundred. But we suffer from an extremely poor reproduction ability, so our power keeps weakening. Now our dwarf race has finally reached a balance, controlling our numbers, and only then could we multiply and survive. The reason we don’t often appear on the continent is because we’re afraid of losing clan members!”
Three hundred eighty-seven? I stared in shock. I hadn’t expected this old monster to be that old—two hundred years older than Tian Yun.
When Pa Lai learned I wasn’t even twenty, Water Moon’s eyes had widened at the same time. Now, seeing me so shocked, she said with a bit of ridicule, “Even I am one hundred and twelve this year, and my mother is already over two hundred. Lei Xiang… Uncle.” When she said “Uncle,” she deliberately emphasized it.
Mo Yue and I looked at each other. These non-human races really couldn’t be measured with human standards. I said awkwardly, “Just call me by my name. I’ll also call you by your names. Otherwise, I really don’t know how to talk with you.”
Mo Yue giggled. “Water Moon, you’re so old—doesn’t that make you my grandma generation?”
Water Moon gave a light spit. “What are you saying? If we calculate the way you humans do, I’m only about fifteen right now, okay? I’m not your grandma generation.”
I asked Pa Lai, puzzled, “Since you can live so long, why is your reproduction ability still so poor? Even if you had one child every fifty years, you should have stored up enough strength.”
Pa Lai sighed, his expression darkening. “Maybe you still don’t know. Thousands of years ago, humans, demons, and beastmen were all minor races on the continent. Our dwarf race, the Elf Race, and the dragon race were the true rulers of the continent. But I don’t know why. Because of natural disasters and man-made calamities, our three races’ reproduction ability suddenly dropped drastically. Most clan members even lost the ability to reproduce. Our numbers fell generation after generation, until we became what we are now.
“The dragon race was the most miserable. Although they can live the longest, their reproduction ability is also the weakest. By now, only a few hundred remain. It was from that time that the human, demon, and beast races gradually stepped onto the stage of history. Relying on rapid reproduction, they replaced the ancient three races’ position.”
Hearing that, my heart stirred. I remembered what Tian Yun had said before. If it was thousands of years ago, that was exactly during the Second Divine–Nether War. Could it be that the war between the God Realm and the Netherworld caused the three races to weaken? No wonder Tian Yun said the Divine–Nether War had an immeasurable impact on the human world. If another Divine–Nether War happened, perhaps the human, demon, and beast races would decline the way the ancient three races did.
Water Moon sighed. “That’s exactly why my mother hopes to gather the seven Hearts of Water—to see if we can beg Lord Water God to take pity on us weak beings and restore our fertility. Our Elf Race is even worse off than Uncle Pa Lai’s dwarf race. Our numbers are still decreasing.”
Mo Yue’s eyes turned red. “Husband, they’re so pitiful. If this continues, maybe they’ll go extinct. Why don’t you go talk to Sister Zi Xue and lend them the Sea-Blue Stone for a while?”
I shook my head slightly. I thought: if the Elf Race truly regained its reproduction ability and kept growing stronger, they would become another major force outside the current three great powers. By then, the original balance would be broken, and things might become even more chaotic than now. The elves were pitiful, but I couldn’t casually lend them the Sea-Blue Stone. When I had the chance, I would ask Tian Yun. Maybe he had a solution.
Seeing me shake my head, Water Moon said unhappily, “You’re too stingy. You can’t even lend it for a while? We’re not taking it for free.”
I smiled slightly. “We’ll wait until your mother returns with the elf elder, then talk about it. Grandpa Pa Lai, weren’t you going to drink? Let’s start now.”
The moment drinking was mentioned, Pa Lai swept away his gloom and laughed. “Good. Today we’ll drink to our hearts’ content. At home, that tigress has been controlling me, and I haven’t had a satisfying drink in a long time.”
Water Moon covered her mouth and laughed. “Fine, Grandpa Pa Lai, keep talking bad about Grandma Wu Kui. I’ll tell her.”
At the mention of his wife, Pa Lai’s swagger instantly disappeared by half. He smiled ingratiatingly. “Water Moon, good grand-niece, Grandpa Pa Lai knows you’re the most obedient. Don’t tell your Grandma Wu Kui, alright? Next time Grandpa comes, I’ll definitely have the forging dwarves make you a good weapon.”
Water Moon beamed. “You said it. Your word counts.”
Pa Lai hurriedly said, “Counts, counts. Hurry and have your people bring some wine. I’m going to drink properly with Lei Xiang.”
In terms of strength, I was above Pa Lai, but when it came to drinking, I couldn’t compare. I was considered a heavy drinker, but compared with Pa Lai, I was like fireflies against the sun. This guy wasn’t drinking—he was pouring wine down his throat. After three jars, aside from his belly swelling slightly, he showed no sign of intoxication. I drank only half a jar of this clear liquor brewed from mountain spring water, and already felt the world spinning.
“N-No. I can’t drink anymore. Old Pa Lai, I truly admire you.”
“Haha, kid, you can’t take it anymore, can you? This old man’s tolerance was trained over centuries. Drink a bit more. Otherwise I won’t let you go back to sleep.”
Mo Yue complained, “Stop making him drink. Look at him—he can’t even tell east from west anymore.”
That was true. In my eyes, Pa Lai and Mo Yue had already become two of each. I forced my eyes open and slumped crookedly against Mo Yue. Amid Pa Lai’s booming laughter, Mo Yue helped me back to the room. When I lay down on the wooden bed, I only felt the whole world spinning.
Mo Yue wrung out a cold towel and wiped my face, and I finally felt a little fresher. But the fire in my chest seemed to have nowhere to vent, surging chaotically everywhere.
Mo Yue helped me take off my outer clothes. She also slipped under the quilt, pressing close to my body. Her small hand kept stroking my chest and abdomen, trying to make me more comfortable. I really did feel better. I gently hugged Mo Yue back and started kissing her face. At the same time, my hands began to misbehave.
Mo Yue lightly smacked my face. “You’re awful. You’re this drunk and you still want to fool around.”
I suddenly felt Mo Yue was even more beautiful—like a goddess lying beside me. I couldn’t help saying, “Yue’er, you’re so beautiful. You’re my goddess. I love you so much, Yue’er. I really love you, Yue’er.” Hearing me, the Mo Yue who had still been resisting immediately softened, clinging to me and breathing sweetly. “Husband, I love you too.”
I discovered that even drunk, my skill at stripping clothes hadn’t diminished at all. In no time, I had removed all obstacles from our bodies. Amid Mo Yue’s soft cries, two bodies ignited by primal fire fused together. In that moment, everything was exquisite. I felt the fire in my chest finally had an outlet, pulsing without end. Mo Yue yielded and responded, and the wooden house was instantly filled with boundless spring desire…
The next day, after I sobered up, I found I didn’t have the discomfort of a hangover. That was because dark demonic power had played its role. That old fellow Pa Lai, because he feared being out too long would make it hard to explain to his wife when he returned, left early the next morning. When he left, he also left me a map to their mountain dwarf settlement, telling me to visit him when I had time.
The water elves here all seemed to hold some hostility toward me, but they were very friendly toward Mo Yue instead. Maybe it was because I had been too overbearing that day. From them, I learned that as long as there were dense primeval forests, there would be elves living there. In this forest, there were also several other elf villages. Elves only ate fruit and had not the slightest aggressive intent. Inside elf villages, everything was completely communal. All resources belonged to everyone, and if you needed something, you could take it freely. But in the days I observed, not a single elf was willing to waste anything.
I couldn’t help smiling bitterly to myself. Why did the other races have higher quality than the human, demon, and beast races? The Elf Race could be called the race of nature. They revered nature’s power. Water Moon told us that the forest was the mother of all elves. Without the forest, elves would have been unable to survive long ago. So they cherished everything around them, and that formed the habit of never wasting anything.
Three days later, while Mo Yue and I were strolling in the village, Water Star returned. With her came five elderly elves. They belonged to the five elf tribes. If I guessed correctly, they were the elf elders. I held Mo Yue’s hand and walked up.
Seeing that I hadn’t left, Water Star’s face brightened. “Brother Lei Xiang, you haven’t gone. That’s great.”
I smiled slightly. “Don’t call me that. I’m only twenty. You’re over two hundred. If we start counting seniority…”
Water Star blushed. “Water Moon must have been talking nonsense to you. You can’t calculate it like that. If you go by proportions, I’m only about twenty-seven or twenty-eight in your human terms. There’s nothing wrong with associating as peers. Let me introduce them. These five are the highly respected elders of our Elf Race.” As she spoke, she gestured to the five elderly elves behind her.
The five elderly elves didn’t show the slightest arrogance despite their age. Each wore a kind smile. The Water Elf elder and the Wood Elf elder were women, and the other three were men. Their tribes could be distinguished clearly by the colors on their bodies. Hearing Water Star, they all nodded to me together.
Since they were so courteous, I couldn’t be rude. I quickly returned the greeting. “Greetings to the five elders.”
Water Star said, “This is Lei Xiang, the one I told you about. The Ocean Heart is with his friend.”
The five elders each returned my greeting politely. Water Star said, “Let’s go inside and talk.” With that, she led us into her home. Everyone sat down as host and guests. Mo Yue and I were ushered into the seat of honor. We couldn’t refuse, so we could only sit. I didn’t know what method these five elders would use to persuade me, so I waited with the attitude of listening first.