Chapter 75: The Master of Mysticism Is an Internet Celebrity, Part 14

“These stones used as the foundation of the formation are all very special. They are companion ores excavated from loyal spiritual veins. Now, in the waning era of magic, the spiritual stone mines have already run dry. How could we possibly find any more? Repairing it is simply impossible.” After circling the four statues, Pei Yunhao spoke, his expression grim.

“The fish monsters that escaped shouldn’t be many,” Mu Yin said, infusing her abilities into her eyes and observing the merfolk suppressed within the formation. “I’d say only two managed to get out.”

“There’s no sign of the villagers. Who knows where they’ve been taken,” Zhang Yihan added. “Should we search somewhere else?”

“Wait, I’ve found something,” Ouyang Yi suddenly interjected.

“What is it?” The three hurried over and were momentarily stunned by the scene: “Is this a villager’s corpse?”

“Could the fish monster intend to use the corpses, or perhaps blood, to contaminate the formation?” Zhang Yihan reacted quickly.

“If that’s the case, why did it only take one person per month at first?” Pei Yunhao was puzzled.

“Maybe it was very weak then,” Mu Yin speculated. “Although they ate quite a few people before, which sustained them for four hundred years, they’re probably close to their limit now.” A glance at the weakened fish monsters inside the formation made it clear.

“What about the rest of the villagers?” At this, everyone’s thoughts turned worriedly to the missing villagers.

“By the way, Zhang Yihan, do you know anything about the Empress?” Mu Yin suddenly asked. “Like her background, how she grew up?”

“Why are you asking? As far as I know, the Empress was born into a distinguished family. Since childhood, she wanted to enter the arcane sects, but lacked talent, so she never succeeded. In the end, she entered the palace, starting as a minor concubine and gradually rising to the position of Empress,” Zhang Yihan replied, somewhat confused.

“So, has she ever learned anything about metaphysics, like formation techniques?” Mu Yin felt that, given the heroine’s role, the four encounters they faced—even if not the final boss—must at least be significant obstacles, highlighting her strength.

“She probably has,” Zhang Yihan answered uncertainly, frowning. If that were true, it would be bad news. As Empress, even if she never joined the major families or sects, she could access most books in the realm.

“What does she look like?” Mu Yin pressed.

The Empress is certainly beautiful. Even with grandchildren, she’s well-preserved. After transforming into a fish monster, gills and scales appeared on her face and her lower body became a fish tail. Yet honestly, she’s still the best-looking of all the fish monsters. The others have mouths full of sharp teeth and enormous ears. Perhaps because she dug out and swallowed a merfolk’s heart after being cursed, her changes were minimal.

Zhang Yihan didn’t know why Mu Yin asked, but answered anyway.

“Damn…” Mu Yin quickly scanned the fish monsters in the formation, but didn’t see the Empress. Her expression changed. “Let’s get out—” Before the words finished, the neural band’s alert sounded. Before they could even check it, a surge of water swept them out. If it weren’t for Mu Yin’s protective talismans, their defenses would have been broken.

“Too late to realize now.” While the group struggled to steady themselves, resisting the tumbling currents, a beautiful mermaid—despite her gills and scales—appeared deep in the water.

“Freeze.” Mu Yin hurriedly cast a freezing spell to stabilize herself, watching the fish monster who was so unlike the others. The rest also used their own methods to anchor themselves, but when they saw the Empress holding someone, their faces turned grim.

Pei Yunhao was the first to rush forward, drawing a peachwood sword and charging at the Empress. But before he could get close, a wave overturned him. In the water, their advantages were few. Their expressions darkened—they had been too overconfident.

Mu Yin watched, her hands moving ceaselessly. The surrounding water transformed into water dragons, surging at the mermaid. “Ha, playing with water against a merfolk—heavenly masters these days are truly useless,” the Empress laughed lightly, mocking.

She blocked the water dragons, but then a current of electricity pierced her body. “Ah!”

“My lady!” The fish monster who had been by her side was startled, dropping Lu Xun and rushing to check on the Empress.

Now was the chance. Ouyang Yi seized the moment, releasing two vines to snatch Lou Xueqi and Lu Xun. “Let’s go.” He placed them inside a water-repelling shield, confirmed they were alive, then called to the others.

“I’ll take her,” Pei Yunhao grabbed Lou Xueqi and quickly moved towards the surface, using his true energy to propel them up.

“Catch them! Don’t let them escape, or our plan will be ruined!” The Empress, enduring the pain, pushed her niece aside.

“Yes.” The niece answered, immediately giving chase and manipulating the water to block their escape.

Mu Yin, bringing up the rear, sensed the niece’s actions and turned. Her hands formed incantations, summoning two more water dragons. Having witnessed the Empress’s fate, the niece dodged at once, but the dragons seemed alive, turning and attacking her again. She had no choice but to evade, not daring to control the water herself.

This time, the lightning within the dragons was obvious. No one knew what Mu Yin had done to lock the electricity inside. If the dragons dissipated, the water would conduct the electricity, and the entire surrounding area would be engulfed in light.

The others, seeing this, hastened their escape, eager to leave the water’s range. Finally, they all made it out of the lake. Mu Yin, last to exit, blocked the fish monsters, but as she broke the surface, she saw something astonishing: the lakebed, previously just a seal, now revealed many people.

“Damn it, the villagers are at the bottom of the lake,” Mu Yin said as she surfaced.

“What? Just now it was empty!” Pei Yunhao was shocked, his voice rising.

“She used a formation to conceal them,” Zhang Yihan realized, her expression sinking.

“We have to save them,” Ouyang Yi said, clenching his fists.

“We can’t do this alone. Notify the mentors,” Mu Yin insisted. She drew out a talisman, wrote an incantation, folded it into a paper crane, and breathed life into it. The crane took flight.

“A flying crane? How do you know that?” After all, this kind of paper crane technique was considered obsolete and rarely taught.

“I saw it in the arcane books Brother Yun gave me. Thought it was interesting, so I learned it,” Mu Yin replied.

“You two really are close,” Pei Yunhao remarked, surprised.

“Yes, we met for certain reasons. Later, I paid tuition to learn arcane techniques from him. Brother Yun is very diligent,” Mu Yin nodded. “Now we need to lure the two fish monsters out. Otherwise, when they make their move… Those villagers are still alive. I suspect she needs something from living humans, perhaps their blood.”