Sheng Lingyuan was caught off guard and froze as he was clawed by him, leaving him partially paralyzed.

The scale slipped from his grasp and tried to escape.

The Demon Emperor quickly regained his senses and chased after it, trapping it inside layer upon layer of confinement.

Fortunately, His Majesty was deeply composed and did not show any emotions.

After a moment of losing his composure, he quickly adjusted his subtle body language and casually waved his hand.

He effortlessly freed himself from Xuan Ji's grasp and suspended the scales in mid-air - as if he had intentionally let it slip to allow everyone to get a better look.

The small scale glimmered with an eerie light, like a ghostly flame mixed with impurities. Judging by the naked eye, it had a similar texture to the larger scale beside it, indicating that they were likely from the same species.

Xuan Ji didn't notice anything unusual. As he looked at the scale in his hand, he suddenly remembered a childhood story.

He flipped a coin and it collided with the scale, producing a clear and melodious metallic sound. The coin spun twice and then ignited a flame, which quickly engulfed the scale.

However, there was no smell of something burning.

Instead, the scale remained unscathed and emitted a clear sapphire blue color in the firelight, shining like a gemstone.

"This seems to be a mermaid scale, which is said to be as hard as a rock and impervious to fire and water. Burning it will reveal the stars in the sky," Xuan Ji hesitated for a moment, retrieved the coin, and asked the emperor, "But isn't it said that after a mermaid dies, its tail scales turn into stones? How was this one preserved?"

Sheng Lingyuan shook his head.

Even for their generation, merfolk were considered ancient legends.

He returned the scales to Yan Qiushan and said, "I don't know how these two merfolk scales were preserved, but in a world where the strong prey on the weak, it's possible they were drained by a stronger member of their own kind."

The scales still emitted a brilliant blue light, but were icy cold to the touch, not like they had been burned, but rather like they had been chilled.

Yan Qiushan quickly took them with gloved hands and retrieved a special iron box for storing important supernatural items.

He carefully placed the scales inside and asked, "Can they be repaired? These scales are too important to him."

"Since it's fallen into my hands, it's not going anywhere," Sheng Lingyuan said. "Although it doesn't seem very clever, it should be fine. When you get back, have your colleagues find some seawater and mix a few drops of their own blood in it. Soak the scales in the mixture for a while and they should be good as new."

Yan Qiushan asked, "So Zhang Zhao's ancestor had mermaid blood, but he doesn't show any characteristics of being aquatic?"

Zhi Chun chimed in, "Yes, during physical training, he had the worst swimming scores in the group. I remember the points, even Wang Ze couldn't help him cheat."

"He's not just bad at swimming, he's bad at physical training in general. He's been relying on his so-called 'special abilities' to get by. I've been saying we should teach him a lesson, but you always spoil him..." Yan Qiushan's face habitually dropped, but then he realized he was looking at a wooden doll less than two feet tall.

He couldn't keep up the serious expression and his furrowed brow remained. He looked a bit stunned.

The past is gone and can't be retrieved.

Even if they go back, it won't be the same.

Xuan Ji felt a pang of sympathy and couldn't bear to watch the couple any longer.

So he casually changed the subject, "Team Leader Zhang is now a big shot with his own gang. Captain Yan gave him some face. But you said his parents were both powerful people, so it's possible that his water-based abilities were suppressed by his father's bloodline. For example, those of us with lightning-fire abilities, we can't swim very well, maybe we're being held back."

Zhi Chun had said too much just now, regretting it immediately. He quickly descended the stairs and said, "Zhang Zhao can pause a second, and Old Lady Yu has an unknown time law in her other mermaid scale. That means another manifestation of the mermaid bloodline may be related to time... Besides being the king of the deep sea, do mermaids also have secrets related to time? This is too... too overpowered."

'Time' has always been the undisputed 'realm of the gods'. In other words, anything related to time in the remnants left by various races is considered a forbidden technique.

Even the mad demon king Jiu Xun didn't dare to reach out his hand to this area.

For example, Zhang Zhao's ability to pause a second may seem insignificant, but it is actually a very terrifying ability.

Although it only lasts for one second and has a backlash afterwards, during that one second, whether it is a heavenly demon or an ancient demon, they must obey his time rules.

This unique and unparalleled ability has allowed him to defeat countless elite masters and become the youngest special operations team leader in the history of the Bureau.

"Even a single second is so powerful. If the merfolk really mastered the secrets of time, even if their average IQ was negative 250 and their strength was reduced by ten times, they wouldn't have been hunted and exterminated by the Mountain people, right?"

"I don't think the secrets of time can be used endlessly on a large scale, otherwise it would be chaotic. There must be strict conditions and limitations... Also, what did He Cuiyu want to do? Did she want to use the secrets of time to extend her own life?" Chief Huang looked at the insane evidence on the ground and the large snake, feeling very uncomfortable.

The fear of reptiles is probably written in our genes.

Just thinking about how he sat next to the old lady with a long tail at the Penglai Conference not long ago...

Even though Chief Huang is quite experienced and has seen a lot, he still got goosebumps.

Even though the old lady's tail could stretch for two miles, she was now dead and unable to testify about the advanced occult ideas. The experts from various schools of ancient and modern times were all stumped and dared not claim to have understood it immediately.

Fortunately, Old Lady Yu had devoted her entire life to collecting and studying forbidden treasures and techniques, which were all here.

Therefore, the Hazard Management Center called in a group of the highest-level sealing boxes to pack up all the dangerous items, including the suddenly motionless scale, and prepare to transport them back to the center for further research.

The Thunder, Storm, and Wind God special forces were all present, and Director Xiao, who had rested for a few days to recover his spirits, personally coordinated the operation to ensure that even ants with special abilities would be isolated three kilometers away during transportation.

Sheng Lingyuan hitched a ride on the cleanup team's vehicle, trailing behind the transport convoy with only one eye on them, while studying the photocopies of He Cuiyu's Yin sacrificial text.

Xuan Ji sat upright, reading the latest social news from Jiangzhou, making sure that the massive demonic miasma didn't cause any further secondary disasters in the area.

In reality, he was distracted and glanced at Sheng Lingyuan every two to three minutes.

The emperor had grown accustomed to sofas and armchairs, and now sat relaxed by the window. The sky over Jiangzhou had been washed clean by snow and winter thunder, leaving a clear blue expanse. Sunlight poured in through the car window, casting scattered shadows on his face.

With a blink of an eye, the butterfly-like shadows of his eyelashes fluttered, and his fingers, holding the shadow of the imprint, were almost transparent in the sunlight.

Xuan Ji scanned the news quickly, not even bothering to read the headlines.

He gave up and focused on his phone, remembering the feeling of hands running over his sword.

The atmosphere was warm and cozy... if it weren't for the bright lightbulbs of the aftermath department's lackeys next to him.

Especially Yang Chao, who, despite his age, he still hasn't gotten his driver's license. He can't be relied on to drive, and riding in his car feels like sitting on a bed of needles, constantly swaying and shaking.

Xuan Ji was already feeling restless, and Yang Chao's suspected consumption of performance-enhancing drugs was making it even worse.

Unable to sit still, Xuan Ji lightly kicked his shoe and said, "As a graduate student, isn't it a bit late for you to develop ADHD?"

"I'm just excited, Director. It's not every day you get to see the three major special forces units together," Yang Chao, completely unaware of who was in his car, rubbed his hands together and said, "Look at this lineup, it's at least worthy of the end of the world, right?"

Helpless, Xuan Ji said, "You're really good at speaking auspicious words, no wonder you're a cultured person."

Luo Cuicui quickly interjected, "Spit it, children speak without restraint, Yang Chao, you should spit it out."

Sheng Lingyuan briefly took his gaze away from the Yin sacrificial text and glanced at Yang Chao, seemingly reminded of something as a slight curve formed at the corner of his eye.

Xuan Ji suddenly remembered that Yang Chao was a hidden mind reader, often inexplicably infected by others' emotions and forcibly expressing their thoughts.

Looking at the young man now - his face flushed, fidgeting in his seat - it didn't seem like he was worried about the "end of the world", but more like a lovesick teenager.

As for where the spring breeze came from, there were only a few people in the car: Ping Qianru, who always kept a proper distance from the field team and didn't dare to chat while driving, for fear of losing focus; Brother Luo... with his lush "willow-like" forehead, it didn't seem like he would cherish the spring breeze much; and the remaining person, well, who else could it be but the source of the spring breeze?

Xuan Ji felt guilty for his thieving thoughts and shrank into the corner, as if isolating himself from Yang Chao, so as not to reveal his emotions again.

During this period, it was undoubtedly a chaotic time for the aftermath department, with various crises happening all over the country.

Yang Chao was also preparing for his postgraduate entrance exam and interview, wishing he could split into two clones in a second.

He didn't even notice any difference in his unreliable "temporary worker" director and foolishly mistook Sheng Lingyuan for a sword spirit, asking him without hesitation, "Mr. Sheng, do you think the history of the mermaid clan will enter the mainstream view of the Research Institute in the future? I think it's a good direction! Unfortunately, it's a special abilities topic, it would be even better if it could be studied by regular universities... Whenever I hear stories about mermaids, I already have several topics in mind."

Throughout his life, Sheng Lingyuan had dealt with all kinds of tricky people.

In his eyes, Director Xiao was already considered someone with a "slow brain". It was rare for him to come across such a pure and simple-minded fool, and he found it quite refreshing to have someone pay attention to him for once.

"I heard from my colleague about your inference on the history of the merfolk and the Mountain people. It seems that you are also a scholar who loves to delve into these matters!" Yang Chao unilaterally regarded him as a kindred spirit.

"Previously, the sporadic records about the merfolk showed that they were a type of fish that looked a bit like humans, and they didn't even have the intelligence level of primates. But this doesn't sound right... Fish have brains that can forget 'who they are and where they are' with just a turn of their head. How could they have such complex love and hate relationships with the Mountain people?

"I think the Mountain people are deliberately smearing the image of the merfolk because they don't speak the same language as the human race and don't have their own written language. In this transaction, humans, demons, and other humanoid races are all conspiring because they all want the weapon spirits in the hands of the Mountain people, so they must rationalize the process of refining tools."

Sheng Lingyuan raised an eyebrow without giving a clear response, casually flipping through a page of sacrificial text.

Yang Chao didn't care if anyone was listening, he was inexplicably excited, spitting as he gave his speech: "So I believe that merfolk should be classified as the fourth type of humanoid, and there should even be people dedicated to studying the customs and history of merfolk...this is a blue ocean! Speaking of which, if only humanoids can become heavenly demons, could there be mermaid heavenly demons among the merfolk?"

Yang Chao's eyes lit up, as if he could see his name on countless research papers, with the impact factor skyrocketing, and he had already become the future director of the Bureau's Research Institutes.

"Mermaids are not like humans," Sheng Lingyuan chuckled mischievously and splashed him with a bucket of cold water. "There's no need for justification in crafting, as it has always been recognized as a form of evil sorcery. That's why only barbarians like the Mountain people, who keep slaves, practice it. Do you think that's why they were looked down upon by other tribes in ancient times?"

Yang Chao remained silent.

"As for those who use spirit weapons, they have never personally taken a life, so naturally they have no guilt - it's the same principle as a gentleman staying away from the kitchen," Sheng Lingyuan refocused his attention on the paper. "It's true that mermaids lack soul and intelligence, there's no need to blemish their reputation."

Yang Chao argued, "But mermaids are known for their deep emotions and sense of honor..."

Sheng Lingyuan raised an eyebrow, "Isn't that what 'lack of soul and intelligence' means?"

Yang Chao: "..."

This sentence was truly not politically correct.

"Whether the merfolk have deep or shallow relationships with their own kind is irrelevant, like the differences between mandarin ducks and cranes in their habits. But this group of foolish fish, aside from being captured by the Mountain people for blood and oil, at least half of them perished due to entanglements with outsiders and were heartbroken until death. They fell one by one, as if they were born to die for this intangible love. Isn't this a lack of soul and wisdom?" Sheng Lingyuan said absentmindedly, "Why love those outside our race?"

His words were light and airy, but they felt like a resounding slap that almost deafened Xuan Ji.

For the past day or two, he had been racking his brain, wondering if Sheng Lingyuan had any special feelings for him.

He was almost brainwashed by this fantasy, but then it was suddenly shattered by Sheng Lingyuan's unexpected words.

Yang Chao's previously joyful mood had suddenly vanished into thin air.

As soon as Sheng Lingyuan finished speaking, he felt a sharp pain in his chest followed by a long and heavy dull ache.

The former almost made him bend over in pain, while the latter made him feel as if he was stuck in a hopeless swamp, feeling utterly hopeless.

"Hey, sir, that's not really appropriate," sensing the sudden change in atmosphere, Luo Cuicui instinctively tried to smooth things over. "For example... like our Captain Yan and Sword Spirit Zhi Chun, they are true soulmates who have been through life and death together. Your opinion is a bit... 'racist'."

With the Emperor's upbringing, he would never talk behind someone's back about their private affairs, no matter what he thought in his heart.

So Sheng Lingyuan just smiled and didn't say anything.

Xuan Ji almost had his lungs punctured by the other's indifferent smile, but he abruptly interjected, "What's wrong between Captain Yan and Zhi Chun?"

Sheng Lingyuan didn't even lift his head and casually replied, "Mm, it's fine."

Xuan Ji forcefully suppressed the burning in his heart and mobilized all his rationality to speak "objectively and impartially," saying, "Captain Yan has sacrificed too much in this operation against the True Nature Sect. We must find a way to help them in their current situation."

Luo Cuicui had a sharp eye and immediately flattered his boss, "Yes!"

Xuan Ji casually lied, "The Echo Sound machine is under our department's jurisdiction. Actually, Zhi Chun approached me privately..."

Luo Cuicui was shocked and turned to him, shouting, "That's not allowed! Director, using the Echo Sound machine to erase someone's memory for personal reasons is illegal. We can't abuse our power!"

"Not for personal use," Xuan Ji relaxed against the car seat, with a hint of regret in his tone as he chatted casually with his subordinate. His hand, which was inserted into his pocket, clenched into a fist.

"It's just a matter of procedure. As long as it's been approved by me, the chief dispatcher, and the bureau chief, it's fine. If Zhi Chun insists...the chief dispatcher and Chief Huang won't oppose it. Your Majesty, may I ask, is there a possibility of restoring Zhi Chun's power?"

"There is, but it's the method you know of, and I doubt you'll use it," Sheng Lingyuan said. "I actually think it's not a bad thing for Yan Qiushan's memories to be cleared. Even if Zhi Chun's sword body is restored, the relationship between a person and a sword...hmm, it's too absurd. I think it's better to cut ties cleanly this time, to avoid any future risks of going mad and losing two elites from your organisation."

Xuan Ji almost tore his palm open as he asked in a suppressed voice, "How is it absurd?"

Sheng Lingyuan flipped through the pages of the sacrificial text in his hand and said lightly, "It's unethical."

Those who are not of our kind, but whose souls are captivated by humans and gods, are called "passionate" by people, and they say it's "loving beauty instead of the country." But if someone were to give everything for a sword, people would only say he's crazy.

Sheng Lingyuan picked up the nearby marker pen again, not very skilled, and awkwardly wrote a few strokes on the paper: "It's unjust."

Even if they could spend their whole lives together, what then?

In the end, the mortal body will return to the yellow earth, leaving only an iron sword to endure for eternity.

If they cannot grow old together, how can they age together?

The marker quickly ran out of ink.

Without thinking, he reached for some ink, but it wasn't there. Feeling annoyed, he clicked his tongue and decided to use his power instead.

With a wave of his hand, black mist penetrated the gaps in the paper, and rows of tiny characters appeared on the page, faster than any printer could produce.

At the same time, he ruthlessly threw his third knife at Xuan Ji, saying, "You're just lacking in common sense."

The weapon spirits were all forcibly imprisoned by external forces, neither human nor ghost. Without experiencing the pain of "refining a sword" firsthand, he could never imagine what these spirits went through when they "became weapons".

Occasionally, he would dream of his sword spirit coldly saying, "Set me free."

When he woke up from these dreams, he was happy because he could indulge in his fantasies and imagine that his Heavenly Demon Sword Spirit was still alive.

It had simply broken free from the sword and was now free to roam, which explained why it refused to return and be bound again.

This way of thinking allowed him to deceive himself and find some comfort in his life. After finding solace, he could finally rest peacefully in the aftermath of his terrifying dreams.

Sheng Lingyuan finished writing his notes and finally looked up at Xuan Ji, calm as if he had never experienced any joy or sorrow in his life.

He tried to capture every strand of wind on Xuan Ji's body with his eyes, to savor it later. He estimated that in a little while, Xuan Ji would not want to talk to him anymore.

"Too ugly," Sheng Lingyuan commented without any regard for human feelings, "What's the point of making a scene like this? Where's the dignity?"

This time, he had wings, so Sheng Lingyuan no longer had to suffer and deceive him to maintain distance and balance like he did when he was young.

He could just fly away... farther away.

"Humans and swords have different paths, is it absurd or not? Even if you don't feel sorry for Yan Qiushan, I still feel sorry for my wasted masterpiece of a Gold Forging Technique. Don't ruin good materials - I'm going to analyze that little snake's ritual text, don't disturb me, be good."

After saying all that, Sheng Lingyuan withdrew his gaze and kept the dozen copies of the sacrificial text.

He closed his eyes and quickly entered a state of meditation, cutting off all contact with the outside world... This way, Little Ji wouldn't have to pretend in front of him anymore.