VIP Volume, Chapter 057: The Divine Pearl of Water Rejection

Before leaving, Ye Xiaoxuan stood once more beside the Sword Pool, gazing at the swords within. The urge to fish them out, so strong at first, had faded. The days spent cultivating by the stone wall had deeply transformed his temperament. He sensed already that he would return to this place—the swords would ultimately be his.

Getting out was much harder than coming in; fighting the current upstream consumed far more energy than simply keeping balance in the water. Yet now, Ye Xiaoxuan felt a mysterious force within his body, and his connection with Little Green had grown more harmonious. Working together, they clung to the walls, moving against the flow, until at last they returned to Great Immortal Lake.

It was dawn. Facing the rising sun, Ye Xiaoxuan stood on Little Green’s back with hands behind him, seeming completely united with it, showing no hint of jostling. The only flaw was his appearance—had he been clad in white robes, he would have exuded an immortal’s elegance and otherworldly charm. Instead, dressed in a sleeveless vest, knee-length shorts, and flip-flops, he looked every bit the fisherman just back from his catch.

Sensing Ye Xiaoxuan’s return, the giant turtle surfaced from the water. Ye Xiaoxuan jumped from Little Green onto the turtle’s back and sat down slowly.

The greatest benefit of this journey was the deepened understanding between him and the two turtles, large and small. It was as if he’d equipped his phone with a dedicated receiver—signals were now several times stronger!

Sitting on the turtle’s neck, Ye Xiaoxuan smiled and said, “Thank you for bringing me here… I know what you want to tell me, but you’re afraid I can’t accept it, right? If all this is destined for me, it will come sooner or later. There’s no need to rush after it. What’s meant to arrive will arrive, and what I need to know will become clear when the time comes.”

Little Green bubbled happily below, calling out in joy. Ye Xiaoxuan laughed, patting the big head beneath him. “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of it! Besides, it can’t follow me every day yet—it’s not time to reveal everything. Many things aren’t as simple as we imagine. I’m afraid I can’t handle it for now, so I need more time!”

Ye Xiaoxuan stood up from the giant turtle’s neck, laughing aloud. “Keep watch over the Ghost Cave of Suo Mountain for me—I won’t be back for a while! The things on the painted wall are the cultivation methods suited for me, right? They’re of great use to me; I’ve memorized them all!”

“I know those people took a lot, but rest assured—if it truly belongs to me, I will reclaim every single item one day! From now on, what people see will be a brand-new Ye Xiaoxuan! Little Green, let’s go!”

With a loud cry, Ye Xiaoxuan leaped from the turtle’s neck, more than ten meters high! Little Green, as if anticipating his call, was already perfectly positioned beneath his feet.

Ye Xiaoxuan landed steadily on Little Green’s back, patted the giant turtle’s tree-like foreleg, and laughed, “Let’s go! I’ll visit you when I can! Although I still don’t know what our relationship is, I know we’re good friends! Farewell!”

Suddenly, the giant turtle turned its head and bit his shoulder—not hard, but enough to surprise Ye Xiaoxuan. He looked at it in astonishment and laughed, “What, you can’t bear to part with me?”

The giant turtle released his shoulder, lowered its massive head, opened its mouth wide, stretched and contracted its neck, then with a retching sound, Ye Xiaoxuan quickly spread his hands—and a white pearl the size of a pigeon’s egg fell into his palm!

“What’s this?” Ye Xiaoxuan stared curiously at the pearl in his hand. The giant turtle pressed its head against his fingers, urging him to hold tight, then nudged Little Green.

Little Green understood, shuddered, and Ye Xiaoxuan, caught off guard, tumbled backward into the water! The depth was unfathomable, and as soon as he fell in, he cried out in panic. But after a moment, he fell silent—for he realized that though submerged, he could breathe freely. Shouting didn’t fill his mouth with water; it was as if he was surrounded by an invisible bubble.

Only in the water did the pigeon-egg-sized pearl glow with dazzling silver light. Though enveloped by the lake, he felt no water pressure. Breathing and speaking were as easy as on land, while enjoying the buoyancy of the water. This was a miraculous pearl!

Ye Xiaoxuan was so excited he nearly jumped for joy. With this, he’d never fear falling into water again! Though small, the pearl was a priceless treasure.

A big head surfaced, and Ye Xiaoxuan kicked his legs, leaping up, grabbed the turtle’s jaw, and left the water, returning to Little Green’s back. Patting the big head in his arms, he said, “Friend! Thank you for giving me such a precious item… What, it originally belongs to me? It’s the heart pearl of the Giant King Anaconda? Haha, then it was you who helped me obtain it!”

Indeed, this thing was a treasure. Just now, he’d been fully immersed, but now, not only his clothes but even his hair was dry—a true water-repelling divine pearl!

Looking up, he saw the sun had risen high. If he hurried back now, he’d reach the village by dusk. Ye Xiaoxuan didn’t want to delay further. Reluctantly, he waved goodbye to the giant turtle. Watching Ye Xiaoxuan grow distant, the giant turtle slowly sank beneath the lake, and the surface returned to its usual tranquility.

“Ye Third is back!” Sharp-eyed villagers spotted Ye Xiaoxuan standing on the back of a big turtle approaching the shore, and, as if encountering an invading army, rushed to spread the news.

Now Ye Xiaoxuan had become a legendary figure in Reed Village—not only had he broken the rule of not venturing onto Great Immortal Lake at night, but he’d befriended the lake monster (the giant turtle), been taken away by it, and returned safely. He was nothing short of a deity!

Ye Xiaoxuan smiled faintly, turned to Little Green and said, “Little Green, stay in the lake. If I need you, I’ll call.” Little Green, unwilling to go among crowds, obediently sank beneath the water.

Turning, he saw Jia Ran standing behind him, her eyes red with emotion. Ye Xiaoxuan strode over, took her hands, pulled her into his arms and said tenderly, “Jia Ran, I missed you so much!”

A few villagers who had just returned from the lake saw them and were stunned. Jia Ran blushed, pulled her hands back, bit her lip, shot him a glance, and whispered, “Wait till we’re home.”

Ye Dajun and Hao Six Fingers had also heard of Ye Xiaoxuan’s return and came out to greet him. Ye Xiaoxuan frowned and asked, “Where’s Yu’er?”

Ye Dajun scratched his head. “She went to town. The lake case still isn’t solved. Yu’er was taken by the police for questioning this morning and hasn’t returned yet.”