"Master, I will never forget your guidance!" The mermaid girl's face was solemn as she took a half-step back and bowed deeply to Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan laughed heartily. "My efforts weren't wasted. But sometimes knowing is easier than doing. Let me ask you — what do you want to do most right now?"
Xia Lin hesitated.
"I want to follow you, Master Chu!" The words surged to the forefront of her mind immediately.
But before she could open her mouth, she saw Fang Yuan shake his head. "You haven't thought it through yet. Take your time in the future. Actually, I don't care what you're thinking. Do you know what I want to do?"
Xia Lin shook her head. Then the next moment, her pupils dilated sharply, her body went rigid, and she froze in place.
Because Fang Yuan slowly reached out and gently touched her face.
Thump thump thump thump thump!
Xia Lin's face flushed crimson, her heart pounding wildly, ripples of tender emotion shimmering in her eyes.
She felt the broadness and warmth of Fang Yuan's palm. The sensation was like tiny currents of electricity spreading through her entire being. It was such an ordinary gesture, yet it left Xia Lin unable to move.
Fang Yuan withdrew his hand. "You're still wearing a mask on your face."
Xia Lin looked puzzled. Then she heard Fang Yuan continue: "Sometimes we put on masks voluntarily, and sometimes others force them onto us. Now, I want to take the mask off your face. You need to cooperate with me. Understood?"
"M-Master, you don't need to..." Xia Lin had a vague sense of what Fang Yuan intended to do, and stammered in protest.
Fang Yuan waved his hand. "If I don't remove this mask, my heart won't be at ease. I don't want to suppress my own feelings. Since you feel you owe me, then cooperate with me — consider it compensation."
At this point, how could Xia Lin possibly refuse?
She knelt to the ground, bowed three times to Fang Yuan, then silently rose. "Master Chu, whatever you tell me to do, I will do!"
"Good. Then become the Saintess."
"What?"
Several days later.
The final trial of the Sea God Festival. All eyes were upon the stage.
Su Yi stared at Xia Lin in utter shock, her expression as though she had seen a ghost.
The two matrons below the stage were also petrified.
Then, after hearing the Great Clan Elder's explanation, the crowd erupted into an uproar.
Su Yi had been supremely confident, because in the previous round her rival had been gravely injured — there simply hadn't been enough time to recover, so she couldn't take the stage.
But no one had expected what happened next.
The rival's long-lost sister had been found — and she was none other than the mermaid girl Xia Lin!
"This is way too dramatic!"
"Incredible!"
"Xia Lin... isn't she the one who betrayed Su Yi and sold out her mistress for personal gain?"
"That was just a rumor deliberately spread by Su Yi's side. The real reason was that Su Yi wanted to squeeze out a follower's slot. I heard that inspector has already confessed — he even admitted to pressuring Xia Lin. There's ironclad evidence!"
"This... this is more dramatic than anything in the plays!"
The crowd buzzed with discussion, gradually working itself into a frenzy.
The two matrons communicated in secret whispers:
"What on earth is going on?"
"How did public opinion flip so suddenly?"
"And we never arranged for that inspector at all — how did he just randomly confess?"
Su Yi's expression was ugly, but Xia Lin across from her was the picture of calm. Her gaze swept over the crowd, her demeanor composed and unhurried. Fang Yuan's earlier teachings had seemingly elevated her entire being to a new level.
Seeing that Xia Lin paid her no mind, Su Yi seethed inwardly. She let out a cold snort. "Xia Lin, I truly never expected we'd meet again like this."
"Neither did I." Xia Lin looked at Su Yi and spoke the plain truth. The past few days had been a whirlwind of ups and downs — it felt like a dream.
Su Yi snorted coldly again. "No matter what scheme you have up your sleeve, this final trial isn't something just any mermaid can pass. The Saintess of this Sea God Festival will be me."
"Oh." Xia Lin replied mildly.
Su Yi felt as though she had thrown a powerful punch into cotton — the frustration was unbearable.
Xia Lin began scanning the crowd again. There were far too many people, packed densely together.
"Master Chu said he would be watching me from the crowd. But which one is him? Why can't I find him anywhere? Could he have disguised his face? His powers are far too vast — if he wants to hide his identity, there's no way I could ever find him."