Chapter 316: 91. Jasmine’s Runaway
The Unicorn Whale was sailing smoothly near the Northern Region’s waters. If this trend continued, Valentina and Fisher’s group would soon arrive in the Miya area, located further north within the Northern Region.
But let’s shift our attention away from Fisher and move beneath the surface of the Southern Ocean. In the depths of the underwater realm, deeper than the sky and unreachable by sunlight, lived the Ocean Subhumans, a group largely unknown to most humans. They predominantly resided on broad, flat seabeds, though their recent lives had been far from peaceful.
Recently, the trenches had been troubled. It began with occasional earthquakes, soon followed by countless sea beasts fleeing and stirring the water currents into chaos. Thankfully, there were Guardians in each village, which prevented any casualties.
The full moon phase was approaching, but they were unaware of what was happening deep in the trenches, nor did they realize that all of this was closely related to their esteemed royal family.
In the depths of the trench, among countless winding stone walls, lived many contracted sea beasts of the Whale Folk. They inhabited this place for generations, bearing the consequences of the curses used by their Whale Folk contract partners, in return for ensuring the safety and sustenance of the mighty sea beasts.
In such a seldom-visited secret spot, dark streams of water began to surge. The darkness mixed with destructive power was extremely dangerous, suggesting that there was a source deep in the trenches continuously releasing such perilous curses.
Just below where the Whale Folk resided, a stunning mature woman adorned with a golden crown sat serenely on a stone, her eyes closed in meditation. Although she showed no movements, she exuded a commanding presence as if she were the center of the entire ocean. The curses with terrifying lethal force continuously seeped out but were crushed by an invisible pressure not far in front of her, disappearing into the ocean.
Perhaps only the leader of the Whale Folk, the Ocean Emperor Xu, possessed such power?
Above the trench, numerous other contracted sea beasts of the Whale Folk were sharing their strength, helping to suppress and control the curse power within her.
“Glub glub.”
As a series of small bubbles surged from below, Xu slowly opened her eyes, and the surrounding water noise suddenly ceased. The ocean floor fell into a profound silence. She gently reached out her hand and twisted a strand of dark curse into her grasp. After gauging its level, she sighed lightly and spoke downwards.
“Your curse has been successfully controlled. Now you should be able to use the power within you well. Congratulations, Jasmine.”
After she finished speaking, a Whale Folk, dressed in loose clothing, slowly emerged from the depths of the trench. Due to the water flow, her clothing clung tightly to her body, revealing her alluring figure, but what captivated most was her pair of eyes, seemingly filled with the entire ocean’s deep blue.
She cautiously waved her large tail behind her, skillfully swimming up from the deep trench. A look of joy sparkled in her gaze as she admired the balanced black and blue light swirling in her hands, unable to believe that she could guide two forces to maintain balance so quickly.
“Mom, I did it! My curse is finally quiet. But have I caused trouble for many elders in the family? I’ve borrowed their contracted sea beasts for such a long time, and I remember the last time my curse was at its worst, it seems I scared away the sea ghosts and sea beasts living outside?”
Seeing her daughter had fully controlled her power, Xu propped her hand against her cheek, indifferent, and replied.
“Anyway, they’ve been sleeping in the trench. They won’t use their own curses and blessings. Moreover, you are my daughter; if they have any objections, let them come to me. But if they had any opinions, they would have come to me long ago.”
Watching her imposing mother, Jasmine smiled helplessly. Her mother was a forceful presence within the family and the entire ocean. However, she had seldom left the trench in recent years, which allowed for some peace. Otherwise, why would the entire ocean refer to the Whale Folk as “royalty”?
She gazed towards the dark trench above, where the Whale Folk had collected many naturally glowing crystals to light up their unlit region. This was also why the Whale Folk often enjoyed sleeping there.
Xu took one last look at Jasmine’s condition and, satisfied that her daughter was unharmed, nodded with approval before rising to head backward in the trench.
“Alright, since you’ve constrained your curse, let’s go back. The full moon phase is nearing its end, and Ramastia will be back soon. She has been asleep for so long that she should be happy to see you.”
Jasmine bit her lip and followed her mother. Xu’s starry blue hair flowed far behind her, appearing strikingly visible in the murky trench. Seeing them depart, the sea beasts all crouched down on the ground or stone walls, respectfully seeing Xu and Jasmine off.
Jasmine foolishly turned back and waved goodbye to the sea beasts, while Xu ignored them entirely. Soon, the pair reached the central location of the trench. In reality, the Whale Folk had constructed many structures here, mostly made of metal. However, most Whale Folk were too lazy to build and simply carved out caves in the trench’s stone walls to serve as their homes.
Only Xu’s dwelling was a palace connected to the other end of the trench where Ramastia resided.
Most of the Whale Folk were resting. Only a handful were awake, either lounging with their backs against their large orca tails or perched on cliffs greeting Jasmine. As she waved, she suddenly asked her mother,
“Mom, I’ve always wanted to know, what exactly is the full moon phase? Why does Lord Ramastia need to sleep when it comes around? The term ‘full moon’ doesn’t seem like a term from our ocean; I learned about it with humans, and it seems related to the moon?”
Xu gradually stepped into the enormous palace made of gold, extending a finger upward, pointing towards the sky.
“The moon above the ground is more than just a moon. It’s related to the Spirit Realm and a certain deity existing within it. This deity is the public enemy of all current deities, detested by all existing gods who wish to expel it from this world. Just know that during the full moon phase, its power is at its peak and all deities will be distracted by it.”
“A deity, like Lord Ramastia?”
“Hmm.”
Xu languidly settled into the golden throne at the end of the palace. Jasmine sat before her, watching Xu slowly lean back against the chair. Her long blue hair draped quietly across her shoulder. After a moment of pause, Xu remarked quietly,
“Jasmine, this is the ten thousandth full moon phase. After this phase, the world will become dangerous.”
“Eh? Ten thousand full moon phases, what does that mean?”
Xu slowly opened her eyes and looked solemnly at Jasmine, reminding her,
“The ten thousandth full moon phase is a deadline. After this, the horn of war will sound. A thousand years ago, many mythical beings fell into the ocean of war—some turned to ash, others were imprisoned as entire families, yet humans, with the favor of the deities, emerged victorious in the end.”
“For centuries, humanity occupied all the lands they could see, attempting to extend their reach into the ocean. They committed murder and acts of desecration, living carefreely for generations, yet forgetting how they once achieved their victory in ancient wars. That mother goddess has remained hidden for too long—either she has lost hope in humanity or some other matter has drawn her attention. In any case, the mother goddess has abandoned the beings she once favored.”
“In just a few years, humanity’s end will come, and no one will escape.”
After hearing this, Jasmine bit her lip and stood up, panicked as she exclaimed,
“I need to go ashore! At least I must rescue Teacher Fisher; I can’t let him die in this war!”
She understood that her mother was an extraordinarily powerful and wise person. She had never missed any of the words her mother spoke, including when she volunteered to go ashore to find Muxi. Her mother had warned her about the possibility of being disappointed in humanity, and she hadn’t expected to return only to have her curse spiral out of control.
Xu shook her head in reply, speaking calmly.
“The Fisher you care for is a good person. Are there no other good people among humans? They will all die in this catastrophe; no one can avoid it. The ocean will refrain from participating in this war, and I will unhesitatingly eliminate any possibility of connecting the ocean to this war. Or, you could bring that human named Fisher into the ocean if you can manage that.”
Bring him into the ocean…
How could that be possible? Fisher, who cared so deeply for those around him, would never do that! He would be unwilling to return with her. If that were the case, Teacher Fisher was very likely to die.
War. Why must there be war?
“Then, Mom, please let me go ashore. I want to save Fisher. Even if it’s just to stay by his side…”
Xu remained unmoved, keeping her calm gaze fixed on her daughter.
“I’ve said that I will unhesitatingly eliminate any possibility of connecting the ocean to this war. The threads of fate are extremely sensitive. If you go ashore and are met with danger, what should I do? Am I to watch you die onshore? Am I to see you waste your life onshore?”
Jasmine pressed her lips together, shaking her head sadly. For some reason, just thinking about Teacher Fisher dying onshore filled her with sorrow, as if a sharp blade had gouged a piece out of her heart.
“Mom… I truly cannot allow Teacher Fisher to die in this war. I know that a war that even you must avoid is undoubtedly terrifying. But you do not know that when I felt lonely and helpless, it was Fisher who encouraged and helped me. Without Teacher Fisher, I could never have returned to the ocean. He has been hunted to homelessness by the queen he once loved. How can I simply sit back and watch him wander alone without care?”
“Mom, you taught me to be grateful. I once promised Teacher Fisher that I would go ashore to reunite with him. It’s my vow. Are you going to make me break that promise?”
Xu’s eyes flickered with a hint of light, but she still maintained her previous stance.
“The war—the war of mythical beings, Jasmine. You and too many have lived in comfort for too long, forgetting the terror of war. You have never witnessed the heavens and earth crumbling, never seen rivers flow with blood, never encountered countless corpses. I participated in that war and saved the ocean from the brink of evaporation.”
Upon hearing this, Jasmine’s eyes reddened, as each word her mother spoke seemed to describe Fisher’s fate. She found it hard to bear, unable to accept such an outcome.
“But Mother, you were once the fearsome Ocean Emperor. Are you now to become a timid coward? I do not wish to be such a Whale Folk. I refuse to hide!”
Xu’s expression turned slightly cold, the drop in temperature spreading throughout the ocean as if it were freezing the entire sea. The pressure in the water surged abruptly, resulting in a tremendous wailing from the golden palace, but the armor behind Xu, covered in marks of conquest, remained steadfast.
Jasmine suddenly felt the ocean water pressing in on her from all sides, immobilizing her.
“Jasmine, during that war, the demon god Baal and Baemon fell at my hands. The entire Phoenix Race became my foe. The Dragon Court of Fei was trembling beneath my feet, and the wings of the angelic being Jehovah were severed by me.”
Xu’s hair, starry like the sky, billowed slowly, accentuating the rising aura around her. Each calm and simple word she spoke was tinged with the violence of battles, yet Xu remained as unyielding as the ocean, staring at her daughter.
“I never intended to hide. Without you, without you, this unripe child of mine, I could still stand atop the sea with my sword, waiting for any enemy that dared to seek death. You, who knows nothing of war, cannot understand what it means. It is the repeat of tragic experiences in front of you like the wood fragrance, countless painful separations that are far more devastating than the one between you and that human will unfold for all in the ocean.”
“You only care about your separation from that human causing you heartache; do you not think of me? If you die onshore, do you believe I would not be pained by it?”
In the throne room, beneath the hard golden armor, sat the timeless Ocean Emperor Xu. Today, however, she spoke these words as a mother to Jasmine.
All the Whale Folk outside had retreated. Even the sea beasts sensed the Ocean Emperor’s wrath, curling up in fear and peering cautiously at the distant golden palace, waiting for Xu’s temper to pass.
The hall gradually quieted down. Jasmine felt a hint of regret and bit her lip, realizing her words had wounded her mother’s heart, so she lowered her head and whispered,
“I’m sorry, Mom.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. Now, go back to your room. Do not come out without my command.”
“Okay.”
The surrounding seawater suddenly released its grip, allowing Jasmine to float down gently. She cautiously glanced at Xu, who had closed her eyes in meditation again, and silently swam deep into the palace.
In the depths of the palace, Jasmine’s room was quite spacious. Exhausted, she lay down on her golden bed and closed her eyes, trying to relax and fall asleep. However, no matter how hard she tried, thoughts of Fisher filled her mind. She couldn’t shake the horrendous image of him dying in the war, leaving her restless.
Her mother was right—she was a sensible and good child, well aware of the reasoning behind her mother’s words. Yet she worried deeply about Fisher, and the conflict within her was profound.
“Ah, you’re back, little Jasmine.”
Just then, a vague, whimsical voice drifted into her ears. It sounded like a child’s—sweet, playful, and curious, filled with joy at seeing her.
“Lord Ramastia? You’re back?”
“Mm-hmm! I missed you, little Jasmine. I returned to find you and Xu arguing. Seems her temper is still as fiery as before. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have come down to the abyss to hit me.”
Jasmine pouted, gazing in confusion at the empty space beside her, unsure of what to do. She had to place her hopes on Ramastia and hoped He could provide a solution.
“Lord Ramastia, what should I do? My mother said there will be a serious war soon. She worries for my safety and doesn’t want me to go ashore, but if I don’t, Fisher might be in danger. I must go ashore to help him.”
“Hmm, that’s quite the dilemma.”
The ethereal voice pondered for a moment, sounding quite troubled. But the next second, it suddenly became lively again, offering a well-conceived proposal.
“Why not just run away from home?”
“Eh? Huh?”
(End of Chapter)
