Chapter 196????

  One thought fshed through my brain: I wish my dad was here to see his favorite saying come true.

  My mouth fell open. “Oh my gosh, it’s true! Pigs really can fly!”

  “Is anyone else there? Do you see the celestial pig herder?” Mo was almost jumping up and down in excitement.

  Kharli pointed at the southern part of the sky. “It’s a group of smaller pigs.”

  “The big one must be their mom.” Lari shaded his eyes with a hand and scanned the skies. “I wonder if Hunting them is allowed?”

  Schor Wu shook her head. “Though zidan is neutral here, the North is the Bck Tortoise cn’s territory, and they probably wouldn’t allow us to hunt the sacred herd.”

  I had never heard of a sacred herd of flying pigs, and, judging by the kids’ surprised expressions, neither had they. “They’re sacred?”

  Prince Baiyu put a hand on my shoulder. “I forgot that you can’t sense their qi. Even from here, I can sense their divine power.”

  I almost wanted to roll my eyes, but it would be rude. “Divine power? From pigs?”

  The corners of the prince’s lips twitched up in a fleeting smile. “I also find it strange. This whole adventure has been full of bizarre things. Mid-air teleportation without a magic circle. The Blessed Isles. Now… flying pigs with divine energy. They could be the descendants of a god’s pet.”

  This reminded me of the Angel Slime that was supposed to be a descent of the god of the Mines’s pet.

  Schor Wu and Prince Baiyu were surprised but not shocked, so I guessed that gods having pets that they left behind after they ascended was not unheard of.

  There was a chorus of loud oinking from above, and we watched with open-mouthed disbelief as the smaller pigs dive-bombed the beach and made off with a seagull. They flew away to the north, doubtless to find a safe location before feasting on the sea bird.

  Where did they live? Did flying pigs have nests?

  Schor Wu pulled out a notebook from a pocket in her sleeve and started writing on it. “They’re carnivorous. Fascinating. My dy, do you mind if I commission your painter, too? If he’s good at zoological illustrations.”

  “He’s my maid’s husband, but he’s not an employee, so he’s free to take whatever commissions he wants,” I said.

  I was disappointed that I didn’t get a quest reted to the pigs. Perhaps they were simply part of the background wildlife here and not something that we could Hunt. Birds could normally be trapped in nets or snares, but were flying pigs birds or mammals?

  Since we were done pnting, we went back to the [Sorium] for lunch. Deming and his assistants had prepared a hearty five-course meal of lobster bisque, fern sad, chicken steak with mashed potatoes, peach sorbet, and chocote cake. Though the cn members ate downstairs in the privacy of their suites, Lord Yulin approached Fengying after the meal and was effusive in his praise of the chef’s skill.

  Prince Muyang and his men had already left to explore the main isnd.

  We packed up our stuff in the [Sorium] after the meal and I went back outside to the beach where I pced the [Crystal Waters Resort] for us to live in.

  [Crystal Waters Resort:

  The ultimate in over-water vils! Perched above crystal-clear turquoise waters, each luxurious vil is a masterpiece of design, blending modern comforts with traditional isnd aesthetics to create a truly elegant retreat. Featuring private decks that offer direct ocean access, the test modern amenities, gss floors, sun decks, and infinity pools, all of the floating sanctuaries have expansive windows that offer unparalleled views of the surrounding marine paradise.]

  When I went on vacation st year, I was able to choose from different hotels and resorts, but this was a special pce, and the [Crystal Waters Resort] was the only option since it was the one that had the biggest fishing ptform.

  An enormous magic circle appeared over the water and fshed with bright green, blue, and yellow lights for three heartbeats before disappearing. Ten rge vils, connected by a winding wooden boardwalk, as well as a rge, circur ptform at the other end farthest from the beach appeared in its pce.

  Unlike an over-water resort on Earth, this one magically floated over the water instead of being supported by wooden or concrete pilings driven into the seabed. This was undoubtedly to avoid damaging the environment, since this was a sacred pce.

  The cn members kept their expressions impassive, but my apprentices and household cpped and cheered when they saw the resort appear. They were quite used to seeing this sort of stuff, but I was nonetheless taken aback when Lari, with the exuberance of youth, yelled, “I’ll be the first to Fish!” and ran off. This triggered a race between me and my apprentices. Kharli, being the fastest, won.

  “Winner!” Kharli did a victory pose by raising both her arms above her head with fingers touching forming a diamond shape, which was supposed to symbolize either wealth or mastery.

  Lari refused to admit defeat. “Never mind, even if you got here first, the real victor is the one who gets the first fish!”

  I watched in amusement as the kids cast their lines out towards the sea, wondering if they would figure out how to do it here. After a few minutes of seeing them catch nothing, I went back to the other end of the boardwalk to see to my guests.

  Fengying and I helped usher the Lady of the West’s household into one of the biggest vils. The other one was for Prince Muyang and his staff when they returned. I showed them how to use the modern facilities, such as the dials for the temperature controls and the privacy toggles for the rooms and outdoor areas. When the privacy switch was flipped, people outside could neither see nor hear the occupants, which was convenient since it would allow me to use the pool in my vil, the third-rgest one, without worrying what others might think. Entry to each pce could either be open to all or controlled by the use of three keycards specific to each vil.

  We all got settled, and I went to the fishing ptform with Prince Baiyu.

  “Catch anything?” I asked my clueless apprentices.

  They all shook their heads, and I approached Mo and turned her body around until she faced away from the open sea.

  “That’s because you guys were Fishing in the wrong pce!” I gestured at the water inside the circur ptform. “This is where you will find the fish, but you need to look for a special spot in the water. Look closely for the sign.”

  The three of them spread out and scanned the area, which was only around fifty feet across.

  “Your apprentices seem quite eager,” said Prince Baiyu.

  I put a beach chair down for him to rex on. “Yes, because I told them that this is the only pce where we can Fish [Chameleon Sea Bass].”

  “What is that?” he asked.

  “It’s just a simple collectible fish that has a stealth skill. It’s almost invisible in the water.” I put on a wide-brimmed hat and sungsses. “Do you see the spot?”

  “I do not.” He frowned.

  “Perhaps it’s only visible to people who share my bloodline inheritance,” I said.

  “Teacher, It’s there!” Mo pointed at a small spot in the water that was sparkling with a soft silver light.

  “Yes, you found it!” I took out my fishing rod and cast my line.

  A few minutes ter, we all caught some fish, but only Lari managed to get the real prize.

  [Chameleon Sea Bass:

  A master of disguise, this is a saltwater fish that effortlessly blends into its surroundings with its adaptive coloration. Found in coastal waters, the fish's firm, white flesh is celebrated for its mild, buttery taste and subtle sweetness, ideal for a variety of gourmet dishes.]

  I got a [Mahi-Mah while both Mo and Kharli got [King Mackerel].

  “Guys, look. The spot isn’t sparkling anymore,” I said. “We won’t be able to Fish there. Watch out for the next one!”

  We kept on Fishing while I chatted with Prince Baiyu, and I called it a day when I caught a [Chameleon Sea Bass]. I was far from a completionist pyer, but since we were here, I wanted to acquire as many of the region’s special items as I could.

  “Kids, I’m going to my vil!” I called out to them.

  They waved goodbye at me while barely looking up from their Fishing.

  “Alone at st,” I whispered to my boyfriend as we walked side-by-side to my rooms. “Here, you can use this ter.”

  I slipped a keycard into his hand.

  He kissed the top of my head. “Thank you, I will.”

  LinMeili