Chapter 44 – “But I’m unwilling to be that sort of intelligent person.”

Two hundred meters under the sea.

Due to the brightly-shining sun in the secret realm and the fact that there weren’t many storms on the sea today, this patch of sea wasn’t murky. Light refracted through the water, illuminating the sea two hundred meters down.

It also illuminated Feng Ye’s position. He was leaning against a jutting rock, looking at the place under his feet where the sunlight could not reach.

This was a genuine floating island – meaning, the small island was floating atop the sea, with no beaches at the edges of its perimeter. When Feng Ye jumped into the sea, he was faced with depths that were perhaps several thousand, or even tens of thousands of meters deep.

Compared to the land above water, the underwater portion of the Floating Island Secret Realm was much larger. Feng Ye dived down along the layer of rock that formed the base of the island. He had already dived to a depth of two hundred meters, but still could not see an end to the base layer of rock.

As he went farther and farther down, the light dimmed until it vanished entirely.

There were terrifying monsters lurking in the dark sea. Although few people had actually seen these creatures that lived in the depths all year round, all of the warnings that had been passed down about avoiding the coastline depicted the hideous, horrifying forms these monsters possessed.

Feng Ye stared into the endless deep sea and didn’t continue to descend.

Not because he feared the monsters living in the deep sea, but……because he was waiting for someone.

Hao Chen did not disappoint him. Feng Ye didn’t have to wait long before he heard his persistent voice in his ear.

“Fellow Daoist Feng Ye made it so difficult for me to find him.”

Hao Chen appeared with a smile on his face not far above Feng Ye’s head. Although Feng Ye could hear his voice, Hao Chen wasn’t actually speaking out loud. He was using his spiritual consciousness to speak.

Humans couldn’t open their mouths under water, and neither could cultivators. Although they could generate internal breathing within their bodies, once they opened their mouths, they would drown just the same as other humans.

Hao Chen didn’t have such worries, because he wasn’t human at all. He was a Kun – one that could survive in the extremely cold waters of the North Sea.

How could a fish drown? It made no difference to Hao Chen whether he opened his mouth or not. He was just using his spiritual consciousness to communicate with Feng Ye in order to not expose himself.

Feng Ye had the same idea in mind, and spoke to Hao Chen in his spiritual consciousness: “It seems to me that you found me quite easily.”

He and Hao Chen had only been separated for an incense stick of time, and Hao Chen had found him with barely any effort.

Feng Ye was unsurprised, as he had already surmised that Hao Chen originated in the North Sea. No matter what Hao Chen’s true form was, there was no question that he was a variety of seafood.

If he wanted to find a Jianmu seed, he could only go into the sea, and trying to throw off seafood whose native environment was the sea wasn’t very realistic.

Feng Ye was naturally not that naive, and had long guessed that Hao Chen would find him. It was only a matter of time.

And Hao Chen had arrived in a timely manner, so Feng Ye wasn’t forced to wait too long.

“Hehe.” In the face of Feng Ye’s sarcasm, Hao Chen chuckled and replied: “Fellow Daoist Feng Ye’s move was brilliant. I thought you helped those two people because you really couldn’t bear to see them become monster food.”

“I never would have thought that Fellow Daoist Feng Ye did all of that just to get rid of me. It really breaks my heart, ah.” As he spoke, he pretended to wipe away nonexistent tears with the corner of his sleeve.

This was his usual manner of speaking, and Feng Ye was used to it. He always ignored this sort of fake sadness from Hao Chen.

Only, his reaction this time was somewhat abnormal.

He leveled a steady look at Hao Chen and said abruptly: “You think I did this to get rid of you?”

What else? Did you really do it to save those two strangers?

Hao Chen was bewildered when he heard this. Although he didn’t reply, the expression on his face said it all.

Feng Ye saw his expression clearly through the sunlight-illuminated water. He smiled self-deprecatingly: “What kind of person am I in the eyes of Fellow Daoist Hao Chen?”

He answered himself without waiting for Hao Chen to speak: “Cruel and heartless? Able to kill people without hesitation? In short, that makes me cold and ruthless.”

Thus, in Hao Chen’s eyes, it was impossible for him to save someone without any reason.

Feng Ye still had a faint smile on his face as he spoke. But it didn’t reach his eyes, just lingering on the surface like a mask.

Hao Chen realized that this seemed to be a very serious topic for Feng Ye. He could only correct his attitude and reply carefully: “That isn’t the case. It’s just that those people are strangers to you and I. Since you have no relation to them and nothing to gain from them, why bother getting involved in their mess? Faced with that situation, most people wouldn’t…..”

“Most people wouldn’t what?” Feng Ye interrupted coldly. “When did it become natural to see someone in danger and not help them? Since when should a person’s reasons for saving someone be questioned?”

“Fellow Daoist Feng Ye should have heard the saying, ‘the less trouble, the better.’ Going to great lengths to save someone may not yield favorable results. Will the ones you saved be grateful to you? Fellow Daoist Feng Ye, you must know the story about the farmer and the snake, right?” Hao Chen shook his head with a smile that revealed his contempt for Feng Ye’s questions.

This sort of useless kindness sometimes just brought disaster upon oneself.

It was unknown which of Hao Chen’s words touched Feng Ye, but he suddenly lowered his eyes toward the open sea, his thoughts concealed. After a long moment, he replied: “I know it.”

He knew what?

There was a long pause before Feng Ye spoke again. Hao Chen pondered for while before realizing that Feng Ye was referring to the story about the farmer and the snake.

“I don’t require gratitude.” Feng Ye raised his head as he spoke. After a brief bout of absent-mindedness, his face revealed a firmness even more unshakable than the legendary pillars supporting heaven and earth: “The best policy is to keep oneself out of trouble. An intelligent person like you would make this choice.”

He said word by word: “But I’m unwilling to be that sort of intelligent person.”

Hao Chen’s heart received a shock when he heard this. After a moment, he replied with a hint of sarcasm: “I didn’t expect Fellow Daoist Feng Ye to be such a kind-hearted person. According to your words, no matter what kind of person it is, whether they’re a thief or an unforgivable villain, Fellow Daoist Feng Ye will save them, right?”

Hearing this, Feng Ye refuted with a chuckle: “No, I only save those who should be saved.”

“The innocent should be saved, but as for the guilty…..” He raised three fingers: “No matter how people judge them, there are only three levels of crime. The first level is petty theft, which doesn’t warrant death, just sufficient punishment. The second level involves serious mistakes, but if the person has their own hardships and is able to correct their mistake, they should be allowed to make the correction. The first two are worth saving, but the third deserves……”

He paused, and unlike the descriptions of the first two, he only spoke one word: 

“Death.”

This short word contained a hidden, unreleased killing intent. Like an arrow on a bow, the killing intent therein didn’t diminish in the slightest just because the arrow was still nocked.

As for the third type of sinner, not only would he not save them, but he would even take the initiative to kill them.

“Then…..which level am I at in the eyes of Fellow Daoist Feng Ye?” Hao Chen couldn’t help asking.

Feng Ye smiled and didn’t provide a direct answer.

It can’t be the third level, or Feng Ye would have attacked me long ago, Hao Chen thought.

Neither of them spoke. Just as Hao Chen thought the topic had passed, Feng Ye suddenly said: “Even if it was you in danger, I would still save you.”

Having said this, he moved ahead alone, continuing to dive along the underwater rock base of the floating island.

And Hao Chen stood there blankly, mulling over Feng Ye’s words.

What did he mean, even if it was him in danger? Was he so unfavored in Feng Ye’s eyes? He had become synonymous with those Feng Ye was least willing to save. But if he thought about it carefully, it seemed that he wasn’t really deserving of being saved…..

Hao Chen recalled that in the days he and Feng Ye had known each other, Hao Chen hadn’t done anything but secretly obstruct the other person, and had no other good deeds to his name. The more he thought about this, the guiltier he felt…..

And Feng Ye had actually said he would save him. This feeling was truly…..wonderful…..

This was the only word Hao Chen could come up with. There were only a handful of people who could pose a threat to him, and he had pretty much never been in a situation where his life was in danger. He had always been the one saving others, but Feng Ye actually said he was willing to save him……

Wonderful, and a little sweet…..the taste was a bit like eating the silver cod that was rarely seen in the depths of the North Sea. The meat was sweet and fresh, melting in the mouth, and that sweetness went straight from the tip of the tongue to the tip of the heart.

Feng Ye had already swam forward quite a ways while Hao Chen was in a daze, and he quickly gave chase. Ultimately, he was a fish. Although he was currently in human form, he was still as agile as fish in the sea, and easily caught up with Feng Ye.

He reflected on his actions the past few days and returned Feng Ye’s favor: “I am greatly moved by Fellow Daoist Feng Ye’s words. This is a matter of reciprocity. Since Fellow Daoist Feng Ye made me a promise, I will also make a promise to him.”

He pointedly swam in front of Feng Ye: “If Fellow Daoist Feng Ye ever beseeches me for help, I will definitely help him.” He looked Feng Ye straight in the eye and added: “No matter the cost.”

Having said this, he took out his fan and proudly fanned himself underwater.

He felt that he had made a very heavy promise. As the great god and master who guarded the North Sea, he had the power to blot out the sky and block the sun, and could accomplish things that ordinary people were incapable of.

Countless people had asked him for help, but he usually didn’t even bother to listen.

And he had promised Feng Ye that he would help him as long as he asked. If this matter were to be made public, it was certain that no few people’s eyes would pop out from envy.

This was the promise of the Lord of the North Sea.

What was the significance of this?

It meant great wealth, panaceas, all worldly splendor, power, and fame…..anything he wanted, he had only to say the word.

Hao Chen expected Feng Ye to thank him, but all he received was a look of contempt.

As Feng Ye directed this look of contempt at Hao Chen, he thought, this guy really doesn’t give up. Hao Chen had said something similar before, telling him that if he asked him for help, he might help him. Now, he had struck out the ‘might’ and written in ‘definitely.’

But Feng Ye still had to beseech him, as if begging for charity from a superior.

Not to mention whether Hao Chen could accomplish anything Feng Ye couldn’t already do for himself, just the word “beseech” was anathema to Feng Ye.

He never begged for help. 

He had never begged for help from anyone.

What he couldn’t do, no one in the world was able to do either.

He waved Hao Chen away in disdain and continued on his way, moving forward without paying attention to him at all.

The initially expectant Hao Chen was stunned by Feng Ye’s reaction. He was caught rather off guard. This situation was completely different from what he’d expected. He had clearly made such a heavy promise. Even if Feng Ye didn’t enthusiastically express his gratitude, he should at least say a word of thanks, shouldn’t he?

But all he received was a supercilious look…..

Hao Chen covered his chest as if wounded, but realized belatedly that Feng Ye was unaware of his true identity, so he naturally couldn’t know how heavy that promise was. In this case, his reaction was understandable.

Hao Chen tapped his fan with some regret, beginning to feel that wearing this disguise was a hindrance.

But Feng Ye refused to drop his disguise, so Hao Chen couldn’t be the one to drop his first.

But if you take off your disguise, I’ll take mine off too, and we can be honest with each other. How nice!

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Chapter 43 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 45