Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Lei Xiu held the seed in his hands and observed it carefully. When his hands touched the seed of the Ocean Tree, it emitted a faint green light.
As soon as the seed came into contact with the air, a faint fragrance was produced. Smelling it would bring one’s mind to peace, and all worries would be eased. In addition, the seed was slowly absorbing the water elements from the atmosphere around it.
Lei Xiu looked at the seed in front of him and a string of information appeared in his mind.
Item: Seed of the Ocean Tree
Growth Environment: Deep under the sea (The deeper the plant, the more energy it will be able to gather)
Birth Species: Sea Sprite (Born in the Ocean Tree, with a beautiful appearance and powerful strengths)
Special note: Powerful underwater creatures would be attracted to the Seed of the Ocean Tree during its growth. Host, please protect the Seed of the Ocean Tree and allow it to thrive safely.
“Looks like I’ll have to nurture the second ranch myself! The deeper in the sea, the better.. But it can’t be too far away from the island. Otherwise, I won’t be able to salvage it in time if there’s danger.” Lei Xiu looked at the information and muttered to himself.
[Ding! Main mission: Please plant the Seed of the Ocean Tree as soon as possible. Mission completion: 40 experience points, and 4,000 gold coins]
The system’s voice sounded.
In his previous life, Lei Xiu had read all about the ‘World Tree’ in novels. It was an ancestral tree that supported the operation of the entire world. Furthermore, it was able to bear powerful creatures. Lei Xiu had never come across any ‘Ocean Tree’ before.
“It’s probably similar to the World Tree,” Lei Xiu murmured.
He planned to ask Mo Nian about it.
Lei Xiu arrived at the Training Hall in search of Mo Nian, and found her together with the other three Clan Heads. All four of them had already become Rank One Novice Warriors in just a few hours. The rest of the mermaids had not yet risen to the same level, but their strengths had similarly increased!
“Lei Xiu Island Master! Is anything the matter?” Mo Nian turned her head in excitement when she sensed Lei Xiu behind her.
“Mo Nian, congratulations on becoming a Rank One Novice Warrior!” Lei Xiu said with a smile.
“It’s all thanks to the guidance of Lei Xiu Island Master!” Mo Nian responded, returning his smile.
“By the way, Mo Nian, do you know what the ‘Ocean Tree’ is?” asked Lei Xiu.
“Tree of the Ocean, what I remember is that it seems to be the Saint Tree of the Sea Spirits. Those Sea Spirits used to be very powerful back then. As long as a Tree of the Ocean was present in a particular sea area, that area would be occupied by Sea Spirits.”
“However, just as the saying goes, destruction pursues the great, the Sea Spirits were besieged by thousands or tens of thousands of other creature species one fine day. From then onwards, the Sea Spirits were exterminated and so did the Ocean Tree,” Mo Nian said slowly as she sorted out her thoughts.
“Just as I thought… I guess raising a second ranch would not be that simple of a task…” Lei Xiu muttered to himself.
“Alright, I got it. Continue training!” Lei Xiu said.
“Yes, Island Master!” Mo Nian answered and resumed her training.
Lei Xiu planned to get the mermaids to help him find a suitable location for the tree. He wasn’t good in water, and he couldn’t stay underwater for a long time. Thus, getting the mermaids’ help was his only option.
He still had to keep busy with forging arms so that every mermaid on the island could have a set. He also had to construct a few more defensive structures on the island. Only then could he protect the growing seed of the Ocean Tree and defend against the enemy’s attacks!
However, this could not be done immediately. Lei Xiu did not have enough gold coins. He had to wait until the following day for Mermaid Island’s daily production of gold coins.
The sky gradually darkened, and the day passed. The moon hung high in the sky, and the moonlight illuminated the faces of everyone on the island. All of them were brimming with smiles as they felt their strength rapidly increasing by the day.
…
The next day, it was an early morning for Lei Xiu and the mermaids.
Lei Xiu looked at his attributes panel.
Host: Lei Xiu (Ocean Ranch Master)
Ranch: Mermaid Island (200 / 300), Ocean Tree (Not grown)
Class: Rank One Warrior (185 / 250)
Item: 27,500 gold coins
[Ding! Main mission: Please invite 300 mermaids to live on Mermaid Island. Reward: 50 experience points, and 10,000 gold coins]
“Looks like Mermaid Island needs more mermaids. Every 100 mermaids will trigger a mission, and with handsome rewards…” Lei Xiu murmured.
Hence, Lei Xiu instructed Mo Nian to lead 50 armed mermaids to continue searching for the mermaids in other waters that early morning. Mermaids had been captured and hunted by humans all year round. Moreover, because of their harsh living conditions, they had to live in hiding in the most desolate of places.
Lei Xiu believed that when these mermaids heard about this island — a place with a decent environment and all they needed to do was to protect it in return — there was no doubt they would covet to join Mermaid Island immediately.
Thus, he had no worries about having no mermaids inhabiting the island.
“Lei Xiu Island Master! We are leaving!” the 50 mermaids announced as they waved goodbye.
“Be careful!” Lei Xiu smiled at them and said.
Following that, the 50 mermaids formed ten teams of five, each headed to different directions to search for other mermaids.
Back on the island, Lei Xiu continued with preparations to build another 50 sets of copper weapons and 20 water turrets. This way, there would be at least three water turrets surrounding the island in every direction, raising Mermaid Island’s security!
Completing all of this would cost a total of 16,667 gold coins. Now this was the first time Lei Xiu had spent so much money!
After a few hours, the construction of the island gradually reached completion.
[Ding! Congratulations on restoring Mermaid Island. You have received 60 experience points, and 10,000 gold coins.]
A total of fifty water turrets were now mounted in various directions on the island!
Lei Xiu then distributed the fifty sets of newly forged bronze weapons to the mermaids he believed were the toughest.
Looking at the increasingly strengthened Mermaid Island, Lei Xiu was elated.
…
In the depths of the sea, Mo Nian was leading four mermaids, still in search of traces of other mermaids.
“Chief! Will we be able to find mermaids like this?” one of the mermaids asked.
“I don’t know, but this is a mission given to us by the Island Master. We need to see it to completion!” Mo Nian replied.
Mentioning their Island Master proved to be a source of encouragement, and the mermaids’ eyes lit up. All of them had so much respect for him.
“Alright, let’s take a break and continue our search later. We’ll return when it’s almost dark,” Mo Nian instructed.
Thus, Mo Nian and the other four mermaids took a breather right on the spot. They took out their food and began to get comfortable.
All of a sudden, Mo Nian’s ears twitched as if she had heard something.
“Sisters! It’s the Song of the Merfolk! A mermaid is sending out a distress signal nearby!” Mo Nian said anxiously.