Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2483: 230: Fish (Part 2)

True Man Gai’s expression shifted subtly, his eyes tracking the Master of Quiet Cave’s retreating form with traces of cold, lethal intent. He promptly averted his gaze, turning his attention to Heavenly Monarch Chao with a furrowed brow, and questioned: “Taoist Friend, why have you become entangled with the Master of Quiet Cave?”

“We must handle Tianshang; if he turns back and shares our secrets…”

Heavenly Monarch Chao offered a slow shake of his head, his tone resolute: “That will not happen.”

Upon hearing this, True Man Gai fell into a brief silence, offering no further rebuttal. He was well aware that the Master of Quiet Cave was not the type to betray them—had the man truly possessed such ill intent, he would not have been so easily misled. Yet, his ingrained wariness of Innate Divine Demons made him instinctively recoil from anyone affiliated with the Quiet Cave, manifesting as his defensive caution.

“Let us wait, then, for word from Taoist Friend Xiahou,” True Man Gai declared in a somber tone.

Heavenly Monarch Chao remained silent, casting a mournful look toward Wang Ba, whose features remained entirely vacant. With a simple movement of his hand, he stowed the messaging Dao Treasure away.

Shortly after, True Man Gai vanished. Heavenly Monarch Chao then descended toward Wang Ba, preparing to retrieve his remains. However, the Wu Monkey King, who had been guarding Wang Ba, suddenly sprang forward. Brandishing a Black Gold Mixed Iron Rod, the creature’s fur stood on end as he bared his sharp canines, eyeing Heavenly Monarch Chao with intense wariness.

Observing the monkey's protective stance, Heavenly Monarch Chao felt no pique, only an overwhelming sense of grief and indignation. He heaved a heavy sigh: “I know you are devoted, but Taiyi has already…”

The Wu Monkey King ignored him, sheltering Wang Ba with one hand while keeping his grip on the Black Gold Mixed Iron Rod, leaping toward the Zhang’s Ruins nearby. Witnessing this, Heavenly Monarch Chao faltered, another sigh escaping him: “He stands as the Ruins Master of Zhang’s Ruins; it is perhaps a fitting return to his roots…”

After a moment of hesitation, he reached out from a distance. A verdant stream of light surged from the depths of Zhang’s Ruins, landing directly in his palm. Clasping the jade staff inscribed with ‘Silkworm Dragon,’ his chest ached with renewed agony. “Taiyi, oh Taiyi… alas!” While it remained a supreme treasure of the Silkworm Dragon Realm, he could hardly bear the sight of it at this moment. This staff was meant to bring glory to the descendant he believed would revive their realm, yet now it served only as a grim reminder.

Amidst the desolation, Heavenly Monarch Chao retrieved the Silkworm Dragon Staff and disappeared with a faltering gait into the vast void.

…

“Is my consciousness still tethered to this place?”

“If so, where exactly have I ended up?”

Waking in a daze, Wang Ba heard the rhythmic splashing of water and voices drifting in and out, shifting between proximity and distance. At times, the sounds were as blurred as viewing blossoms through a thick mist, while at others, they were sharp as chirping birds or booming like thunder. Though he lacked the capacity to grasp the language, he caught echoes of terms like ‘master,’ ‘banquet,’ and ‘flowers and fruits.’ He could tell that the speakers were all women.

Amidst his lethargy, doubt crept into his mind: “Was I not drifting within the Realm Sea of Origin? Why would people be conversing in such a place? What is truly happening?” He recalled his desperate act to flee the origins to avoid becoming fodder for the Realm Sea. Yet, his memories remained fragmented; he could not even recall why he had fallen into the Realm Sea in the first place, only an innate, gnawing compulsion to escape.

As time bled away, his focus sharpened, and he began to piece together fragments of those shattered memories. He bolted upright in shock: “Wait—as I plummeted into the Realm Sea of Origin, I saw a hand! Was I saved?” This realization felt potent, instantly restoring his awareness in a way that mimicked the sudden shock of waking from a dream.

Splash—

His ‘eyes’ flew open! The rushing water and distant, thunderous voices crashed into his senses. The world solidified around him.

Refusing to be distracted by the cacophony, he stared blankly ‘upward.’ The dark blue void glittered with starlight. Below the sky hung a bridge and a circular canyon; the canyon walls featured intricate, vine-like patterns, perfectly uniform. A mountain loomed within the dark blue, supporting the bridge in mid-air. He seemed to sit at the base of this ravine, hearing the deep flow of water below and feeling the structure shudder.

“Where is this place?” Wang Ba felt bewildered. Just then, a voice—a woman’s—boomed like thunder from the ‘sky’ above: “So, you are awake?”

Wang Ba froze, the recognition hitting him instantly. This was the same voice from his final moments in the Realm Sea of Origin. Before he could contemplate her whereabouts, the ‘canyon’ lurched violently. It rose at a terrifying speed, bypassing the mountain in a blink. Suddenly, an enormous, youthful face loomed over the rim, dwarfing the canyon. She parted her lips and spoke in a thunderous, low murmur: “How did you find your way here? How fares Lingxiao? Have you tracked down Wuhen?”

Upon hearing the name ‘Wuhen,’ he gasped: “You… you are… Master’s Wife?!”

Everything clicked into place. The giantess before him was Li Yuehua, the former Palace Master of the Yuanci Palace and one of the Nine Continents’ titans, the Old Blood Sea Lady! She had traded her usual elderly guise for that of a vibrant young girl. Through his former connection to Yuchen in the Eightfold Sea, Wang Ba’s clone, Daoist Yuanci, had called her Master’s Wife. He had witnessed her ascension long ago, only to believe she had perished at the hands of a World Eater. Yet, here they were.

Surprise and joy flooded him, but when he attempted to speak, he found he could not move his mouth. Seeming to sense his frustration, the Old Blood Sea Lady frowned: “Ah, I forgot—you are a True Spirit Fish and lack the power of speech. You must have been a powerful cultivator in life to reach such a level, though you ended up here. Had I not sensed our bond and plucked you up with my basket, you would have been…”

Suddenly, an urgent cry rang out from the distance: “Yuehua, why do you linger? Have you caught the fish? If the master’s banquet is delayed, you will face severe consequences!”

“I know, I know, I am coming!” The massive face ducked away, appearing flustered and revealing a hairstyle typical of a handmaiden. As she moved, Wang Ba’s heart hammered. He surveyed his surroundings and, with a jolt of horror, realized the ‘canyon’ was nothing more than a bamboo basket. The ‘long bridge’ was merely the handle. He was stuck inside her basket!

“No, the fish…” Panic surged through him. As he looked around the bamboo weave, a chilling realization took hold. “Am I… simply the fish?”