02. Water and New Life

Xin Zi's eyes widened suddenly, and only then did she truly feel awake. Ah, she exclaimed, but a stream of bubbles escaped her mouth, rising gently to the water's surface. Xin Zi hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand, determined to protect the last breath of air and swim to the shore.

Little girl, which family do you belong to? How did you jump into the empty fishing net?

The newborn, Xin Zi, took a deep breath, the air filled with the sweetness of plants, unlike any memories of the past. Forgetting her current situation, her mood was akin to that of a newborn baby, filled with curiosity. The spark given by the Ice Princess had already vanished into her body, yet she could sense the incredible power hidden deep within this world of babbling brooks and lush greenery.

"What, not even wearing clothes? If it weren't for you, you little rascal, your actions are too quick!" The old man struck his cane on the ground with a loud thud, picked up a stone from the ground, and advanced. He grabbed Ruowu's hair without waiting for a defense and instantly left him with a head full of bumps. While hitting, he gleefully stole glances at Xinzi with his shifty eyes, his face full of pride. He thought to himself, Ruowu, oh Ruowu, my old bones have not been in vain raising you. Knowing that our family is poor and no girl would willingly marry us in the future, I took advantage of the fact that the child was still young and brought her home. This tactic is truly clever! Just bear with the bumps for now, and later grandpa will apply some good medicine for you.

The grandfather and grandson rushed forward, frantically tearing at the fishing net. Through their relentless efforts, a tear-streaked little face finally emerged from within the net. The pink little mouth resembled a peach blossom newly bloomed in spring, the big eyes were the most brilliant stars of a summer night, the long eyelashes fluttered like butterflies dancing in the deep autumn, and the skin was as pure as snow, yet marked with deep grooves from the rough netting.

"If you make another sound, I will hit you. Hurry up and find some clothes for the little girl in the library!"

If one does not notice the piercing gaze of the heart lingering on their face for an extended period, they will immediately retreat into the shade of the trees, concealing their face in the shadows

These two are indeed a genuine grandfather and grandson, their intelligence clearly on the same level. Can fish talk? Xin Zi had three black lines hanging from the back of her head, her mind solely focused on quickly escaping the awkward situation of being tangled in a net and lying in the mud

I do not know how long I have slept, but the chill throughout my body gradually dissipates, replaced by a soft, fluctuating cold energy that fills me. I, Xin Zi, open my eyes, and the scenery before me is strangely distorted, with an ethereal and hazy sky, a swaying and dreamlike temple, and the dancing shadows of trees, as if viewing the world through water.

"So what?" Heart Purple replied half-jokingly.

If not, go fish. Grandpa Water chuckled happily

Grandfather! Today I caught a big fish

Xin Zi struggled to rise from the ground, only to discover that her hands and feet were bound by something. It was then that she realized she was entangled in a heavy, tattered fishing net. Stretching out her small hand within the net, it felt just as it would in water, tender like a freshly steamed dumpling. It seemed that what Ice Princess referred to as the reconstruction of the body was indeed this; after removing the cancerous parts, she had unexpectedly transformed into a girl of five years old.

"Take it home to eat." The boy tugged at the fishing net, grinning widely, and through the mesh, Xin Zi could only see his two small, white canine teeth.

Xin Zi raised her hand in front of her eyes, whose hand is this? Pink | Tender like that of an infant, plump, with five small dimples on the surface when spread open. A small fish flicked its red tail and vanished in an instant from between her slender fingers

Pushing open the courtyard gate, Xin Zi found the old man and the young boy from the library, both squatting back to back under a tree, drawing circles. The old man noticed Xin Zi first and immediately beamed a warm smile.

Grandpa Shui and Xin Zi ignored Ruo Wu, who was squatting silently on the side, and chatted happily. Xin Zi simply sat directly in the old man's lap, making him chuckle and shake his goatee. Until the sun began to set, the stomachs of the three of them simultaneously emitted hollow sounds.

"Um, grandpa, brother is bullying me." She desperately squeezed out two drops of tears. Although she, Long Xin Zi, was never a spoiled girl, her act of feigning innocence was nonetheless exceptionally convincing

Is it possible that this family is so poor? Are they eating one meal and skipping the next? Heart Purple jumped out of Grandpa's embrace, picked up the fishing net on the ground, and shouted at Ruowu: "Xiao Wu, let's go catch some fish."

"You little rascal, what is going on here?" The old man glared with wide eyes, pointing a finger at Xin Zi, who was crying intensely on the ground, his beard blown up to the top of his head.

With a call of "Grandpa," the old man became utterly soft, and the hunger that had plagued him for days vanished without a trace. He turned over, grasped the cane in his right hand, and swept it horizontally against the ground. Without any mercy, he struck the boy's calf, the speed of his attack hardly resembling that of an elderly man. The boy stumbled and fell to the ground, rolling far away.

After some contemplation, Xin Zi finally remembered to take a closer look at the boy named Ruo Wu in front of her. Through his black hair, which was matted to his face by water, Xin Zi saw a distinctly featured face, with sword-like eyebrows extending into his temples and a high, prominent nose. His thin lips were tightly pressed together. Although strands of hair obscured his face and his cheeks were still smeared with dirt, he exuded an air of immature heroism. However, this striking visage was overshadowed by his peculiar eyes. One eye was clouded and lifeless, while the other, originally a bright and dazzling amber, dimmed under Xin Zi's gaze. His thin lips remained tightly pressed together, and despite the hair covering his face and the dirt on his cheeks, he still radiated a sense of youthful vigor. Yet, the allure of his features was diminished by those unusual eyes. One eye was filled with a white haze and devoid of vitality, while the other, which was once bright and captivating amber, dulled in response to Xin Zi's scrutiny.

She said she is a fish, so what? I clearly see a delicate and tender young girl!

Good

"Grandfather, I am cold and have no clothes to wear" The crisp voice rang out once again

Only the chaotic sounds from inside the room could be heard, as an old man with grizzled hair hurriedly emerged, leaning on a cane. It was evident that he had been hungry for quite some time. Upon seeing a pile of fishing nets on the ground, his pupils instantly turned green, and a sound of swallowing could be heard from deep within his throat

Water

Heartfelt regret filled Xin Zi, yet she pretended to merely glance casually before resuming her conversation with her grandfather. Through her discussions with him, Xin Zi learned that this continent was indeed Xuantian, where illusionary power and martial strength intertwined across the land. However, the village she currently resided in was actually a hidden family known as "Shui." Relying on the natural spiritual barrier of the region, they had long ceased communication with the outside world. It seemed that truly understanding this new world would require more effort.

In fact, this injury is nothing compared to the frostbite and broken bones I experienced when I encountered the Ice Princess, but the Ice Princess can even reconstruct her own body, so those terrifying scars also vanish without a trace.

Ignoring the basic fact that fish cannot speak, Xin Zi was tossed onto the boy's shoulder and he jogged all the way home. He kicked open the already crooked gate leaning against the fence and, with a strong voice, shouted into the thatched cottage after throwing the disoriented Xin Zi onto the ground

The two individuals stared blankly at the mermaid before them. Xin Zi also gazed at them; just a moment ago, when she was on the young man's back, she had been observing her surroundings. This was a village nestled in the mountains, sparsely populated. Amidst the dense forest, a corner of a half-eaved glazed tile roof occasionally peeked through. The houses in the village appeared disordered, yet they were built in a manner that followed a certain pattern, making the layout of this small place far from as simple and harmless as it seemed. Upon arriving, finding a place to settle down was the priority. A fleeting glimmer of clarity passed through her eyes. The houses in the village appeared disordered, yet they were built in a manner that followed a certain pattern, making the layout of this small place far from as simple and harmless as it seemed. Upon arriving, finding a place to settle down was the priority. A fleeting glimmer of clarity passed through her eyes.

Uh... Grandpa Shui looked at the delicate Xin Zi in his arms with some difficulty. Usually, it was bearable to endure hunger, but now there was a beautiful child bride living in the house. What if she ran away from hunger before she even grew up?

Watching the two leave the courtyard, Xin Zi finally freed herself from the fishing net. She had been worried that the ragged cloth the brat had found for her would be just as tattered as his own. However, upon opening the cloth bundle, she discovered a neatly folded set of gray robes for men inside. Although coarse, they were clean. Wearing them fit her perfectly, and with her long hair, which reached her waist, simply tied up at the back of her head, she looked exceptionally refreshing.

But Grandpa..." If there is no hope, Xin Zi swallowed hard and said: "There are no fish today"

Are you a fish? The boy's figure blocked the sunlight in front of him

"She... she said she is a fish." The boy squatted on the ground, holding his head, trembling as he replied, unable to comprehend how a white fish suddenly turned into a little girl

It was too late; a dark surge suddenly arose from beneath the water, violently rushing towards her heart, tightly dragging her feet and propelling her into the dark passage hidden among the crevices of the sand and stones. She felt her vision fade to black and then lost consciousness.

Grandfather, I ... ...

The crisp sound of birds chirping once again echoed in her ears, and Xin Zi opened her still-drowsy eyelids. In the haze, the first thing that caught her eye was a ground covered with round pebbles, upon which stood a pair of pointed beast-skin boots, the tips of which almost poked her face. The owner of the boots happened to lean down to examine her; it turned out to be a dark-skinned youth, his body haphazardly wrapped in a piece of cloth, with no part of him intact. His messy hair was stuck to his face with sweat, and due to the backlight, his appearance was quite blurry. However, the deep red jade around his neck, resembling blood, left a strong impression.

I am hungry! Xin Zi completely lacks the awareness of being a guest

Fish

Xin Zi felt a sense of comfort in her heart, finally realizing that she was no longer a fish. "I was washed ashore by the water, and I can't remember anything from before," she said, deliberately revealing the scars on her arms caused by the fishing net in front of the two. As she noticed the guilt in their eyes deepening, she hurriedly added, "Now I don't even have a place to stay."

As expected, Grandpa's gaze immediately turned sharp, as if he wanted to carve flesh from that boy named Ruowu's face. While he forced a smile and apologized to Xin Zi, he said, "This young lady, I am very sorry, my grandson Ruowu has a poor demeanor. If you don't mind, please stay at our home for a while, and we will slowly help you find your family." Yet, he couldn't help but murmur in his heart, stay for a long time, stay for a long time, it would be best if more people could be added. Hehehe, Grandpa's eyes squinted as deeply as the wrinkles on his forehead.

Although since just now, Grandpa's gaze has been unsettling and eerie, if she truly saw the inappropriate images conjured in Grandpa's mind, she would immediately strip the skin off this old family. However, her response was even quicker than Grandpa's question; after all, it was just a place to rest, and it was unlikely to cause any trouble.

The little rascal was beaten severely, and could only crawl back to his room with a limp. After a while, he emerged from the room carrying a cloth bag, carefully placing it beside Xin Zi. Just as he was about to lift his head to take a glance, he received a sharp rap on the head from his grandfather and was casually dragged out of the courtyard.