"What?"
Feeling the intense gaze from everyone in the hall, Mo Qingxian shifted closer to Xu Kai. Two guards walked toward her, but Xu Kai quickly got up and hid her behind him.
"Step aside!" Shui Ling gently struck her staff, and a wall of water separated both of them. It formed a prison, locking Xu Kai inside.
"Don't touch her!" He bellowed, slamming his fists against the wall. A cerulean gleam flashed through his eyes, and he unleashed a blow that caused a ripple.
Shui Ling frowned but didn't think much about it as Xu Kai suddenly stopped and remained calm.
His ruby-colored eyes were suddenly cleared of all emotions as he crossed his arms. Although Xu Kai appeared calm, his anger had escalated to a terrifying level.
All it would take was a snap, and he would erupt.
"Let me see your ears." Shui Ling said with a soft tone.
Although frightened, Mo Qingxian gently took her hair back, and her pointy ears were revealed to everyone in the hall.
Hiss—!
Even the guards were shocked.
Spirit beasts, mostly called Feys, were known to be fairies because of their distinct traits and how rare they were. Since the island had never witnessed a fey, they acquired their knowledge exclusively from books.
"The Shui family can take care of her," Shui Ling proposed with a smile.
"What a joke! My grandson has found her, so she will stay with us, the Chengs!" Cheng Wei retorted with a scowl.
Shui Ling turned toward him. "The Shuis have more females and you only have fire-breathing men who only know how to lift stones. Barbarians can't train such a delicate young flower."
"Humph! We should first check what talent she has before deciding," said Cheng Wei.
"The girl belongs to whoever found her, and that isn't the Shuis nor the Chengs. Xu Kai found her and she doesn't seem to be treated badly." Elder Feng's voice interrupted the other elders.
"She's wearing rags like that beggar. He's already transforming her into a fellow beggar." Shui Ling said tersely.
Elder Feng briefly glanced at Shui Ling. He averted his gaze toward the shivering young girl and, for the first time, smiled.
"Do you want to remain with Xu Kai?"
Before Shui Ling could speak to spoil Mo Qingxian's mind, Mo Qingxian was already nodding like a chicken feasting on a meal after starving more than it was due.
"Bring down your walls. They're both free to go."
After the water walls came down and flowed back into the pond, everyone watched as the duo left the hall in disbelief.
Just after they left, Elder Feng stood up. As he arrived at the exit, Cheng Wei got to his feet.
"Feng Shaofang, what relationship do you have with that boy?"
Elder Feng, a lean man of staggering height, tilted his head, revealing his side profile. "Not with him but with his father." Those were the only six words he left behind before he left the hall.
"That beggar has a father." Cheng Yi sneered.
"Xu… Xu Kai, Xu Qi!" Shui Wuhen, the mother of Shui Mei and Shui Long, exclaimed with wide eyes.
"Wait, do you mean Xu Qi, the blacksmith that came up with the design for the Skylark Slaying Spear?" Cheng Xiao's mouth went agape.
"After the demon attack, Xu Qi was gravely injured and his wife mysteriously disappeared. He normally goes to the Feng Manor, but I never knew he was close to Elder Feng." Shui Wuhen said.
Her mother, Shui Ling, stood up and lightly hit her staff against the ground. "His actions aren't as simple as merely bringing food and wine for Shaofang. Xu Qi knew his end was near so he laid a foundation for his son."
"But if Elder Feng wanted to protect Xu Kai, why did he let him grow up as a beggar?" Shui Long Yan inquired softly.
Cheng Wei harrumphed. "It doesn't matter whatever happens or whose son that beggar is. Injuring a member of my family was a transgression."
"But it wasn't him." Shui Ling responded amicably.
"That boy lies. I could see the truth in his eyes. Do not tell me you haven't noticed the strange things happening around him."
"This is not a public discussion." Shui Ling ended the conversation as she departed with the rest of the Shui family.
****
On the streets, Xu Kai purchased a sweet for Mo Qingxian from a vendor. As she was leaving, she intertwined her fingers with his and smiled sweetly.
Soon, the news will spread throughout the island but it also means she has no need to hide her identity anymore.
While walking, Xu Kai's mind was focused on how to increase his strength. He was naturally a sleeper, so every stage and realm was akin to going against nature!
He violated laws that existed prior to his existence.
A sleeper was bound to be a mere mortal. Due to the loss of their lineage to their ancestor Primordial, they were unable to absorb Spirit Qi, which contained elements at its source.
Spirit Qi, the energy flowing in the boundless heavens and the vast, endless earth, was so ancient that Xu Kai couldn't even be compared to an ant before its laws.
'I need to grow so I can search for that Emperor Koi. It must have grown into a behemoth by now. Entering the Marrow Cleansing Realm's end stage should be my next action. I must grow to face the eventual actions of the lineage families.'
With these thoughts, he led Mo Qingxian to one of the best stores on the island. It was a place he would never have gone to, if not for the remaining silver coin in his pouch.
On the wooden plaque, four bold characters were written.
Li Tang Ming's Store.
This store was run by Li Tang Ming, the only doctor on the entire island. Some have speculated that Li Tang Ming learned his profession on the mainland.
At the counter, Xu Kai met a young woman. Her expression crumpled when she saw his clothing, but she gave a big smile when she saw the sweet girl beside Xu Kai.
Although Mo Qingxian also wore rags, her beauty made them barely recognizable.
"How much is a Qi gathering pill?" Xu Kai asked softly. He knew he was asking for one of the most sought-after pills on the island and since only one man made it, they were all at his mercy.
"Five silver coins for a poor-grade pill. If you have ten silver coins, I can give you one of better quality."
"Five silver coins!" Xu Kai was appalled. How was his remaining one silver coin going to pay for that?
Now, no one was ordering for the Dragon-Scaled Whisker fish, which made its sales drop to the lowest point and he couldn't think of any quick method to gain money!