CHAPTER 363: CHAPTER 363 SEA MOON TOMB

Yaoguang, who recently made a splash with the large fruit basket, couldn’t suppress her smile. Now, everywhere she went, she was the center of attention. Even those who usually ignored her were now cheekily asking if they could buy some land fruits at a high price to try.

This scene made her feel a little regretful. The last time she traded with Jiang Yuan for those vegetables and fruits, she shared and ate them all with her companions out of greed and didn’t think to bring them back to show off to her tribe.

But it’s not too late now, and the effect is obviously even better!

"Let’s discuss something, shall we?" Yaoguang leaned in and whispered, "You see, those land items you brought are very popular, and the Clan Leader wants to discuss some trades with you. Can you..."

She glanced around furtively and lowered her voice even more, "Can you insist on trading exclusively with me or Tianqu?"

Hmm? Is she trying to monopolize?

Before he could answer, Yaoguang added, "I will be on your side and try to raise the prices a bit. But not too exorbitantly, after all, a long time ago, mermaids and human cultivators had a very comprehensive trade system. The Clan Leader and High Priest surely have ancient texts to reference. Choose us, won’t you? I’ll strive to secure benefits for you!"

"We were the first to start trading with each other, and you invited me to the celebration. Of course, I’ll choose to continue trading with you," Jiang Yuanxin said, thinking that finally, he got news of the Sea Moon Tomb, all thanks to Yaoguang.

If she hadn’t approached him proactively, he wouldn’t have been able to complete the tasks issued by the system, and he wouldn’t have had the chance to explore the Undersea World.

Most of those on stage presenting gifts were the parents of young mermaids, yet neither of Yaoguang’s parents appeared, likely because they were no longer around. She was young and without parental protection, living in a large clan, surely facing some difficulties.

Giving her the chance to monopolize the trade might make her life a bit easier.

With this promise, Yaoguang’s smile radiated even more brilliantly as she led him from the grandiose ceremonial hall through many twists and turns into a room constructed from a large conch shell, where the Clan Leader and High Priest were waiting.

Sure enough, at the mention of trade, the High Priest produced a roll of yellowed fish-skin parchment, detailing the exchange values for the most traded and widespread items.

Based on this, both parties engaged in friendly negotiations, finally deciding on prices and granting the exclusive trading rights to Yaoguang and Tianqu.

The Clan Leader was very satisfied with this outcome. As the leader of the tribe, he didn’t want his people to fall into the same pattern of close relationships with human cultivators, risking deceit from treacherous individuals.

Yet the allure of land items was too great, so by assigning the task of navigating between the Mermaid Kingdom and the Human World to Yaoguang and Tianqu, who had no parental restraints and roamed freely, it solved two problems at once.

They would gain some minor conveniences, and the tribe members wouldn’t have to leave their safe and cozy home to barter, which pleased everyone!

"Lastly, there’s something I’d like to inquire about—does the Clan Leader or High Priest know the approximate location of the Sea Moon Tomb?" Once everything was settled, Jiang Yuan quickly shifted the topic to his primary concern.

The basic situation had already been shared by Yaoguang with the two. They exchanged a glance, and the High Priest rasped, "This is originally a secret of the Mermaid Race, only mermaids in the position of Clan Leader or Priest are qualified to inherit it.

Yaoguang mentioned you only wish to know an approximate location to define the general area of an island. If that’s the case, there’s no harm in telling you."

She took a sip from her teacup, and said leisurely, "To talk about the Sea Moon Tomb, you must first understand the situation of the Sea Moon. As you may have seen, we use the ocean as our sky, and our daily hunts are in the sea. But as for that Sea Moon, no one knows exactly where it is.

There were once mermaid warriors who pursued it all the way to the surface, only to discover the Sea Moon had vanished. Diving back into the depths, they saw it high above in the water as always, radiating its calm moonlight.

Thus, our ancestors believed that the Sea Moon and Sea Sun are incarnations of the Sea Goddess and Sea God. The Sea Moon, as an incarnation of the Sea Goddess, provides us with an endless supply of energy, which we can absorb and refine; while the Sea Sun, as an incarnation of the Sea God, generates scorching energy to protect our kingdom from the intrusion of seawater after we rest.

Otherwise, if the seawater inundated us, the massive impact would level the entire Mermaid Kingdom, possibly leading to extinction."

Jiang Yuan listened intently, thinking that the gods worshipped by these mermaids truly suited their environment.

"As incarnations, the Sea Moon and Sea Sun are beyond reach but do not last forever," the High Priest cleared her throat and continued, "Since they aren’t the deities’ true bodies, disappearing is understandable, and after they fall, a new one will appear the next day to continue protecting us.

The place where the Sea Moon falls is the Sea Moon Tomb, and similarly, the place where the Sea Sun falls is called the Sea Sun Tomb.

One lies in the east and the other in the west, facing each other from afar. As they are incarnations of gods, even in their downfall, they still represent the divine, which is why both tombs are sacred places to our Mermaid Race."

"I have no intention to explore the secrets of your sacred sites; I only heard there is an island not far from them. I need to go to this island to investigate, so I only need to know the general location." Jiang Yuan reiterated, fearing any misunderstanding.

Upon learning they were sacred sites, he had no intention of trespassing like someone named Li did for "tomb raiding." Instead, he aimed to incorporate the island, turning it into a third home to continue farming and exploring.

The High Priest nodded with a smile, "In truth, a sacred place could hardly be so blatantly discovered by just anyone. Without telling you how, you’d find it difficult not being a mermaid.

Given your target is the island, I’ll tell you the simplest method—set out east against the Sea Moon. Swim till the waters turn inky black, then head up to the surface. From there, a hundred miles east, you can search within a few hundred miles for the island you’re hoping to find.

Child, this requires much time and great endurance. Even with the Mermaid’s Kiss allowing you to move effortlessly underwater, it’s still quite challenging. So my suggestion is—now set this thought aside and enjoy our community’s hunting festivities.

When you’re ready with ample preparation, you can come try pursuing the Sea Moon’s trail at any time."

Jiang Yuan rose to thank them, and the Clan Leader knocked the Golden Bell, signaling the official start of the next segment!

[Trident: The most common weapon used by the Mermaid Race, Attack Power +60]

[Water Bubble: A simple teleportation item crafted by the Mermaid Race, suitable for underwater use. Crushing it will envelop you, teleporting you to a fixed location]

"After entering the Undersea Forest Secret Realm, only the issued weapons are permitted for self-defense. Using any personal weapons to intentionally harm life forms or destroy plants results in expulsion from the tribe and permanent ban!" The guards handed out weapons to each contestant preparing to enter the Secret Realm, reminding them they were allowed to pick spirit medicines, fruits, and flowers, and could defend themselves if attacked, but not proactively hunt.

Additionally, they received a Q-bounce Water Bubble about the size of a walnut, which could be crushed in emergencies to offer protection and teleportation.

"The Clan Leader and High Priest are classified by the system as Advanced Beasts, so the rules they set are very much in line with the path of cultivation, minimizing unnecessary slaughter during the expedition." Jiang Yuan stood with a trident between Yaoguang and Tianqu, eagerly anticipating entering the Secret Realm!