"Li Xian" turned around first, lifted his foot, and walked back into the long corridor.
Shen Qing hesitated for a moment but still followed.
"Little disciple, are you just going to follow him like this? Aren't you afraid of the danger ahead?"
Ling Zhou, concerned about Shen Qing's safety, wanted to persuade her not to follow.
But Shen Qing shook her head. "Master, the wandering soul possessing Li Xian has a high level of cultivation. Since he has made full preparations and sent those three mermaids to block the lower level, there must be more than just this one move."
"If I resist, it will only force him to use more extreme means to keep me."
"Moreover, Li Xian's body is in his hands. If I want to save Li Xian, I have to go with him first and see."
"I'll just act according to the situation..."
Ling Zhou felt nervous for Shen Qing, but trapped in the jade pendant, he could do nothing but lend his power to Shen Qing at the right time.
"Li Xian" brought Shen Qing to the grand hall on the ninth floor. Some of the mermaids originally sealed in the bubbles seemed to have regained consciousness.
They twisted their heads ferociously in the bubbles, their hands and feet moving in distorted postures.
After smelling the blood on Shen Qing, they widened their eyes, and their blood - red pupils followed Shen Qing's moving figure.
"Look how pitiful they are. They've been sealed in the formation for thousands of years, without freedom."
"Li Xian"'s voice was full of pity, but as he passed by them, he didn't even spare a glance at the mermaids. Instead, he led Shen Qing towards the inheritance land.
After passing through another long corridor, Shen Qing immediately saw the sound - transmitting jade pendants and message talismans she had originally placed at the entrance of the inheritance land. They were neatly arranged there, untouched.
"You're quite thoughtful, but it's a pity these things are of no use for now. Instead, they're an eyesore. This Mermaid Palace was once magnificent, very much to my taste. Your message talismans and sound - transmitting jade pendants are rather ugly."
Shen Qing followed behind without saying a word.
By this time, she had sensed that the bubbles sealing the mermaids were following her towards the mermaids' inheritance land.
The stone gate to the inheritance land had been opened. Shen Qing hesitated for a moment and then tried to climb the stairs again.
However, the stairs that had bounced her away before now had no effect on her. Shen Qing easily climbed up the stairs.
Passing through the stone gate, Shen Qing looked into the inheritance land.
It was different from what she had imagined. The inheritance land seemed to be a void space. In the center was a huge circular stone with a complex formation carved on it.
In the inheritance land, there was no sense of up, down, left, or right. The formation stone floated in the space, spinning randomly.
The space was very bright, and from time to time, there were flashes of seashells, corals, and other marine - themed plants and animals.
As soon as she entered, Shen Qing's body involuntarily floated towards the formation.
"Li Xian" turned around and saw Shen Qing obediently following behind him. His eyes were filled with smiles.
After they both stood firmly on the formation, the formation stopped floating and stayed in the center.
The bubbles sealing the mermaids also floated in one by one and surrounded the formation, neatly arranged.
The originally ferocious faces of the mermaids became serene after entering the inheritance land. They had restored their original appearance before mutation, looking peaceful and beautiful.
It was said that all members of the mermaid clan, regardless of age or gender, had beautiful and delicate features. Shen Qing could see that this was indeed the case.
The mermaids were all extremely beautiful.
"These clan members sealed in the formation can only regain their senses in the inheritance land."
Shen Qing directly asked, "You said you wanted me to do you a favor. What exactly is it?"
"Li Xian" looked at Shen Qing intently and said with a smile, "I want you to save my clan."
Shen Qing frowned and said puzzledly, "Your clan has spent so much effort and still hasn't found a way to solve the secret technique. How do you think I can help you?"
She didn't say another thought out loud, which was that it was the wandering soul of the clan chief who had cast this secret technique back then, and even he couldn't solve it. What could she do?
"That's not necessarily true."
"Back then, in order to take revenge on the human race and strengthen the combat power of the mermaid clan, I made a wrong move."
"One wrong step led to another, and now the mermaid clan has completely declined. The only remaining clan members are those sealed here."
"I regret it, so I must do everything I can to save these remaining clan members."
After talking for so long, Shen Qing still didn't know what he wanted to do.
"So, what exactly can I do for you?"
"Li Xian" walked over slowly and reached out to touch Shen Qing's face.
Although it was a familiar scent and touch, Shen Qing still couldn't help but shiver.
Not wanting "Li Xian" to touch her, Shen Qing turned her head away in disgust, but "Li Xian" suddenly grabbed her chin and forcefully lifted her head to make her look at him.
"You're the only one in the world who can save my clan."
"You have spiritual bones and are a person with great fortune. As long as I sacrifice your spiritual bones and fortune and use your fortune to nourish our clan members, our mermaid clan will be saved!"
"Li Xian" said viciously, with a flash of scarlet in his eyes.
"So... that's why you used a fake memory of Li Yuan to deceive Li Xian here, because only in this way would I come to the Mermaid Palace, right?"
"Saintess?"
A look of surprise flashed in "Li Xian"'s eyes and was quickly hidden.
"What? You just called me the clan chief, and now you're calling me the Saintess?"
Shen Qing shook off "Li Xian"'s hand and said coldly, "Look at how you twist your waist when you walk. That's not how a man walks!"
"Li Xian"'s expression instantly became hard to describe. "Is that it? That's why you think I'm the Saintess?"
"Is it possible that I used to be a fish? I walk like this because I'm used to swinging my fish tail."
Shen Qing paused, kept her expression unchanged, and nodded seriously. "Sorry, I forgot."
"But no matter who you are, don't even think about having your way with me!"
"What if it's to save the one you love?"
"Li Xian" raised his hand and placed it on his neck. "Don't forget, Li Xian is a descendant of Li Yuan. Li Yuan had the secret technique, and Li Xian can't be spared either. Originally, if he didn't accept the inheritance of the mermaid clan, the secret technique could be suppressed."
"But now he has no choice. If you don't sacrifice yourself to save the mermaid clan, Li Xian will eventually become one of them!"
"Li Xian" spread his hands to let Shen Qing see the sleeping mermaids around.