Chapter 90 – Accept Maternal Kinship
After hearing Ansael’s story, Lin Jiu fell into silence.
Vera’s life had been much harder than Lin Jiu’s. Though Lin Jiu had been bullied, he had his grandfather to love him and hadn’t had to flee from place to place since childhood.
The Haijia clan is the ruler of the Demon Sea realm. Their strength is undeniable. They hold the magic crystal core, which can enhance their genes. Even though they need energy replenishment, magic essence crystals are not strictly necessary.
Even the ‘Special Security Department’ knows magic crystal cores can be used to cultivate energy-rich food for enhancing people. The Haijia clan must be well aware of this and would utilize the magic crystal cores to its fullest. Magic crystal cores just make things more convenient.
The ultimate goal of the Haijia and Merfolk clans’ intermarriage is to produce pure-blooded descendants. The purer the ancient genes, the stronger the power that will be enhanced.
Given this, young Hailey’s situation is even more dangerous than Lottie’s.
Lin Jiu asked, “Is it alright for you to stay here for so long?”
Ansair looked both sad and relieved. “We can’t stay here for long. We urgently wanted to confirm your identity, partly because we’re concerned for your safety, and partly because my father can’t wait any longer—his time is running out.”
Lawson kept staring at Lin Jiu, speaking with difficulty. He muttered something to Ansair, who translated, “Father wants to see your face. Is that okay?”
Only then did Lin Jiu remember that he was still wearing a mask.
“Of course.” Lin Jiu took off the mask.
Lawson’s clouded eyes trembled violently. He gazed at Lin Jiu’s face, tears welling up as he spoke words that Lin Jiu couldn’t understand.
Ansair translated, “Father says you look very much like Veena. Veena was as beautiful as you are. Vera’s appearance must have been altered—she shouldn’t have looked like that.”
There was no doubt about it: Lin Jiu did not resemble Liao Tingwang, and since he was Vera’s child, yet didn’t look like her either, it was obvious that Vera had altered her appearance.
Ansair paused before continuing, “We’ll be returning in a couple of days. Would you be willing to come with us?”
Ansair knew very well that Lin Jiu was unlikely to leave with them.
As expected, Lin Jiu refused.
Ansair gave a helpless smile. “When we came here, we intended to bring your mother back. Now that she’s gone, staying here might be safer for you. We will respect your decision.”
Si Xu’s fears did not come true; it seemed the Elton family genuinely cared for Lin Jiu’s well-being. They all knew Lin Jiu would be safer staying here, and they might not be able to protect him if he returned with them.
Lin Jiu asked, “What’s wrong with the old man’s health?”
Ansair didn’t hide it. Lawson was old and filled with ailments; no medicine could cure him. He was surviving purely on willpower and a sense of duty. Now that his wish had been fulfilled, he had no more regrets.
The elderly man was like a flickering candle in the wind, about to go out at any moment.
The old man shakily reached for a small box he had brought with him. Ansair quickly helped him open it.
Inside was an antique wooden box. Ansair was stunned when he saw it.
The old man took out the wooden box, lovingly stroked its lid, and signaled Ansair to give it to Lin Jiu.
Following his father’s instructions, Ansair handed the box over. Nadia lowered her gaze and remained silent. She knew what was in the box and had thought it would go to Lottie, not expecting her father to give it to Lin Jiu.
Lin Jiu didn’t know what was inside, but from the way the old man and Ansair cherished it, and how much it mattered to Nadia, he understood its importance.
When Lin Jiu opened the box, he saw five black crystals neatly lined up inside, each the size of a child’s fist.
Lin Jiu immediately recognized them as Magic Essence Crystals, and of quite high quality.
Lawson whispered something to Ansair, who nodded gravely.
“These are all the Magic Essence Crystals that belong to the Elton family. Father believes these crystals will be of great help to you and hopes you will accept them.”
Lin Jiu was deeply surprised. He had never expected Lawson to give him something so valuable.
Even Lin Jiu himself only had one high-quality Magic Essence Crystal.
Seeing Lin Jiu’s hesitation, Lawson spoke again, and Ansair translated.
“If these Magic Essence Crystals remain in the Elton family, they will only be passed down as heirlooms without fulfilling their true purpose. Worse yet, there’s a chance the Haijia clan could take them. That’s something we most fear.”
“So, Father wants to give these crystals to you. He hopes they will make you stronger. You are the hope of the Merfolk clan, and the entire Elton family will stand behind you, acting as your shield and protecting you on your journey.”
Although Lin Jiu had never spent time with this old man, he could see that Lawson had strong convictions.
Lawson hadn’t been able to help when Veena was in trouble, but the fact that he had courageously cut off the intermarriage tradition under pressure from the Haijia clan earned Lin Jiu’s respect. Lawson was much braver than his father. If the Merfolk clan hadn’t forced Veena to marry into the Haijia clan, perhaps the tragedy could have been avoided.
Lin Jiu believed in Lawson’s love for his sister—he wouldn’t have spent decades searching without giving up otherwise.
Lin Jiu stared at the Magic Essence Crystals for a long time. This was something Si Xu couldn’t help with; Lin Jiu had to decide for himself.
He closed the box. “Thank you. I’ll accept the gift.”
A smile appeared on Lawson’s face.
Ansair also sighed in relief.
Lin Jiu knew this wasn’t just a simple gift. By accepting it, he was also accepting the identity that came with it.
He understood, which is why he accepted it.
Lin Jiu didn’t need five Magic Essence Crystals—what he lacked was a sense of belonging and a path forward.
Lottie was the first to jump up. “So I have a brother now?”
Little Hailey clapped her hands. “I finally have a reliable brother!”
Lin Jiu said, “I also have a gift for the old man. It might help his health—he can try it.”
Lin Jiu took out a vial of basic healing potion and handed it over.
Ansair looked at his father.
Lawson spoke again.
Ansair said, “He’s thanking you and promises to make good use of the potion.”
They all knew about Lawson’s condition and that there was no chance of recovery, so when they heard that something might help the old man’s health, they didn’t have high expectations.
Lin Jiu looked at Lottie. “I still owe you a meal.”
Lottie immediately smiled. “I’ve been thinking about it this whole time. Do you think I can get it before we leave?”
He glanced at Si Xu, who didn’t allow him to go near the Mo Yu shop.
Si Xu turned to Lin Jiu. “Tomorrow night, you can go to Bai Ge Wan. I’ll arrange for Jiang Ge to reserve a private room for you.”
Lin Jiu understood that Si Xu didn’t want anyone to know about the Elton family’s contact with him. Si Xu had been carefully protecting him all along.
Lin Jiu extended an invitation to Lawson, Ansair, and Nadia.
The Elton family happily accepted, assuring that they would attend on time.
Both sides said their goodbyes, with Lin Jiu and Si Xu leaving first. The Elton family left a little later.
Lin Jiu had accepted his maternal relatives. Ansair was his uncle, and Lawson was his great-uncle. Other than the Liao family, they were Lin Jiu’s closest kin.
Si Xu and Lin Jiu discussed meeting with their parents before the Elton family left.
Lin Jiu understood what Si Xu meant—since they had decided to be together, it was inevitable that their parents would meet.
After some discussion, they decided that they would have dinner together the next night.
When Lin Jiu left, he left his contact information and told Ansair about the meeting in advance.
Both Ansair and Lawson were overjoyed—this meant Lin Jiu had acknowledged them. They would meet with Si Xu’s parents as Lin Jiu’s elders.
They were looking forward to the meeting.
*
Lin Jiu prepared the dinner from the Mo Yu shop early and brought the ingredients to Bai Ge Wan.
Jiang Ge was already waiting at the entrance. He really wanted to advertise Lin Jiu’s visit, thinking that if people knew Lin Jiu was cooking at Bai Ge Wan tonight, business would be booming.
It was a good idea, but Si Xu firmly rejected it. If Jiang Ge dared to pull any stunts, their friendship would be over.
This was the most serious warning, and Jiang Ge didn’t dare to take any risks.
Si Xu requested the largest private room, and when Lin Jiu asked for a separate kitchen, they set aside a portion of the kitchen just for him.
Lin Jiu arrived early to prepare. He brought his own ingredients, seasonings, and various tools.
The kitchen staff eagerly helped him with everything. Just being able to touch the tools Lin Jiu regularly used was an honor to them.
Lin Jiu only needed to prepare one table tonight. The head chef, Fang Qiankun, offered to assist Lin Jiu, making all the other chefs envious.
Fang Qiankun had been a head chef for many years, and his culinary skills, especially his knife work, were exceptional. Tasks requiring precise cuts were left to him, while Lin Jiu handled the seasoning and final preparation. Together, they worked faster than one person could alone.
As the agreed time approached, Si Xu didn’t want Lin Jiu to be seen, so he arrived at Bai Ge Wan early to greet the guests.
Both families didn’t want to keep the other waiting, so they arrived early as well. At the entrance of Bai Ge Wan, Si Xu’s parents, Si Qinian and Song Mozhi, encountered the Elton family, who were dressed in formal attire—even little Hailey was dressed like a princess.
Song Mozhi didn’t know the Elton family were Merfolk, but she thought they were an exceptionally good-looking family. It made sense why Lin Jiu was so beautiful—it was good family genes.
Si Qinian, however, knew that Merfolk were known for their good looks. With Lin Jiu’s merfolk genes fully awakened, his appearance was outstanding. He didn’t even need to use any powers—his looks alone were enough to captivate people. Fortunately, Lin Jiu was used to wearing a mask; otherwise, it would have been a headache for Si Xu.
The two families started chatting at the entrance. Si Qinian found plenty to talk about with Lin Jiu’s uncle and great-uncle.
Meanwhile, Song Mozhi chatted with Nadia, and they too found common topics to discuss.
Si Xu led them to the private room and then went to the kitchen to find Lin Jiu.
Dinner was already prepared, and Lin Jiu followed Si Xu to the private room while Fang Qiankun took care of serving the dishes.
Lin Jiu only needed one glance to see that Lawson had already used the basic healing potion. Compared to yesterday, his condition had improved significantly.
The Elton family was delighted to see Lin Jiu, greeting him with hugs, especially Ansair and Lawson, who were both emotional. They hadn’t expected the potion Lin Jiu gave to work so well.
Yesterday, Lawson had struggled to speak, but today he could walk on his own and speak clearly, appearing as a healthy and energetic old man.
Lawson was vital to the Elton family. He had been the most capable family head in recent generations. Without him, the Merfolk clan wouldn’t have survived the intense suppression from the Haijia clan. Lawson had constantly fought back. Just as the Haijia clan targeted their younger generation, Lawson never missed an opportunity to weaken the Haijia clan’s power.
Lawson had never forgotten the old grudge. Vannes had killed his sister and continued to persecute her child to this day. Lawson wouldn’t rest until Vannes was dead. Now that his health had improved, he could pursue his revenge once more.
For tonight’s dinner, Lin Jiu used the best ingredients.
He prepared giant four-star magic stingray, three-star blue demon, two-star invisible fish with stone skullfish caviar, and one-star silver carp. He also served red plum wine and green plum wine without limitation—guests could drink as much as they liked.
Since none of the attendees were ordinary people, Lin Jiu’s dinner was no ordinary meal.
He had requested a private kitchen for this purpose. Apart from the cutting and prep work done by Fang Qiankun, Lin Jiu prepared the entire meal himself, turning each dish into a magical feast.
Song Mozhi had already used the basic gene enhancement potion Lin Jiu gave her.
Si Qinian, lacking the Magic Sea heritage, didn’t need Lin Jiu’s potion. Instead, he used a gene-enhancing drug prepared by Si Xu, which contained magic fragrance fruit and had a 2% enhancement effect—the best on Earth at the moment.
Speaking of this, it was worth noting that mass-produced gene-enhancing drugs only had an enhancement rate of 0.8% to 0.9%, with 1% being rare. It was unclear what caused this discrepancy, despite professional hands making the drugs with identical ingredients and formulas, but they still couldn’t match Si Xu’s results.
When Si Xu exchanged the formula, he made one condition: he would retain the right to produce the gene medicine. The authorities agreed but imposed restrictions—Si Xu could use it personally, but he couldn’t produce or sell it in large quantities. If he made more than ten doses, he would need to report it and explain where the medicine went.
As a result, Si Xu rarely made the medicine unless absolutely necessary.
After tasting the dinner, everyone was shocked by the energy in the dishes. It was as if they were consuming pure energy—gentle yet powerful.
After trying Lin Jiu’s cooking, Nadia’s slight discomfort completely disappeared. She understood why Lin Jiu had accepted the magic essence crystals.
The magic essence crystals were indeed valuable, especially five of them, but compared to them, Lin Jiu’s cooking skills were even more precious. The ability to create such energy-rich dishes made the absence of the crystals seem insignificant.
The magic essence crystals would eventually run out, but Lin Jiu’s cooking skills would remain.
Lawson and Ansair were also somewhat dazed. The magic essence crystals they valued so highly seemed less important when faced with this meal. Both the crystals and the meal contained energy, but while the crystals held a lot of it, the energy in the meal was just as plentiful and much more gentle.
Before coming, the Elton family had researched the local customs. For a meeting between families, it was customary to present gifts to the couple, so they had prepared a gift for Si Xu.
Their gift wasn’t cash or bank cards—it was shares in the Elton family business.
The Elton family had existed for many years, with assets spread across countries and industries. They had reached a point where the term “wealthy” didn’t quite capture their status. While they were weaker than the Haijia family in terms of power, they were certainly not outmatched in terms of financial strength.
Both Lin Jiu and Si Xu received these “meeting gifts” from the Elton family elders.
Neither Lin Jiu nor Si Xu needed the money, but it was a gesture from the elders, so they accepted it.
The delicious dinner thoroughly won over Lottie and little Hailey. The siblings eagerly asked to become Lin Jiu’s apprentices, wanting to stay and learn cooking from him.
Lin Jiu was at a loss for words. His culinary skills were just an aid—the real key was the quality of the ingredients. Even if they mastered his techniques, they wouldn’t succeed without the same ingredients.
Lin Jiu asked, “Aren’t you still in school?”
Lottie, who was only 17, was on break, which is why he could accompany his father here.
Lottie waved it off. “I don’t think that’s a problem. I’m fluent in the language here. If my brother agrees, I can transfer and study here. It would definitely be an interesting experience.”
Little Hailey was not to be outdone and raised her tiny hands. “I think I can live here, go to school, grow up, and even get married and have children.”
Ansair replied, “I think that’s a good idea. If you can take care of yourself, I’d feel more at ease. At least you could make your own bedtime milk every night.”
Little Hailey confidently said, “That’s easy. I can totally do that.”
Ansair nodded. “It is easy, but I hope you’ll stop mixing your milk with cold water. It tastes awful.”
Nadia, however, was worried. “Are you really going to stay here without your mother?”
Lottie nodded. “I like it here.”
Little Hailey chimed in, “I like it too.”
Lottie frowned. “Hailey, you should go back. I won’t braid your hair for you.”
Hailey replied, “I don’t need you. I can do it myself.”
Nadia sighed helplessly. “I think we should hear what your brother has to say.”
All eyes turned to Lin Jiu.
Lin Jiu: “…”
Lin Jiu awkwardly responded, “I can’t braid hair either.”
Despite his practice, he could only manage a simple ponytail.
Lottie was pleased. “Hailey, you should go back with Mom.”
Hailey wasn’t discouraged. “I can cut my hair short.”
Lottie shook his head. “All princesses have long hair.”
Hailey’s eyes welled up with tears.
Song Mozhi quickly stepped in. “Hailey, don’t cry. Come to Auntie.”
Hailey jumped off her chair and ran to the beautiful aunt.
Song Mozhi scooped the soft, fragrant Hailey into her lap and wiped her tears. “If Hailey really wants to stay, she can live with Auntie. Auntie will take care of you, okay?”
Song Mozhi adored Hailey. She had always wanted a daughter but had only given birth to a son.
Hailey shook her head. “Thank you, Auntie, but I’ll go back.”
Hailey sniffled. “Don’t worry about me. Kids just have a lot of tears. I’m only a little sad, but I’ll be fine soon.”
Though she wanted to stay, Hailey wasn’t an unreasonable child. She knew she needed care and didn’t want to be a burden.
Hailey quickly composed herself and stopped crying.
Both the Elton family and Lin Jiu understood that Hailey’s safety was the most important thing.
They finished all the food and wine, their bodies filled with energy, feeling better than they ever had.
Lin Jiu wanted to help Hailey awaken as a siren before she left. Relying on others for protection was too passive; she needed the power to protect herself, which could only come through awakening her Merfolk bloodline. She was too young to use a basic gene enhancement potion, so the magical feast was perfect for her.
Among the Elton family, Hailey and Lottie had the strongest Merfolk genes. Lin Jiu himself had awakened as a siren by eating sea magic creatures, and he believed that Hailey and Lottie could do the same. He wasn’t as sure about the others—their Merfolk genes were too diluted.
Before leaving, Lin Jiu privately spoke to Ansair and Lawson about this, letting them decide for themselves. If they wanted to turn into Sirens, they could stay for another week to see how things went.
Becoming a siren was a lifelong dream for every member of the Merfolk clan. But now that the opportunity was real, Ansair hesitated—not because of Lottie, but because Hailey was so young. He wasn’t sure if transforming her into a siren was the right decision.
Lottie’s chance to become a siren made Ansair happy, but Hailey worried him.
Lin Jiu said, “Hailey consumed a lot of energy-rich seafood tonight. It’s inevitable that she’ll transform into a siren. If it doesn’t succeed…”
If it didn’t succeed, they all knew the consequences.
Lawson said, “No need to hesitate, Ansair. You stay with the two kids for a while. Wait until Hailey awakens, and then you can return. I’ll go back first and hold down the fort. I’ll take care of things at home.”
With Lawson making the decision, Ansair no longer needed to hesitate.
Lin Jiu hesitated. “By the way, I have an injection that might awaken your Merfolk bloodline, but it’s not guaranteed. It could also just give you special abilities. Your Merfolk genes are too diluted, so I can’t be sure of success. Do you want to try it?”
Without hesitation, Lawson replied, “Of course. If I had enough strength, I’d personally tear off Vannes’s head.”
Ansair added, “I’m willing too. The Merfolk clan has been oppressed for too long.”
The others were already waiting in the car, but Ansair and Lawson followed Lin Jiu back to the private room where Si Xu was already waiting.
It was just the four of them in the room. Since Lin Jiu couldn’t administer the injections himself, Si Xu had to do it.
Lin Jiu warned, “The awakening process will be painful.”
Lawson smiled. “I’ve been through all kinds of pain.”
Ansair also reassured them that he could endure it.
Si Xu personally injected them, one dose each, and Lin Jiu retrieved the empty syringes.
As expected, the strengthening effects were directly proportional to the pain. Even as adults, they struggled to bear it. Lin Jiu doubted whether Lottie and Hailey could handle such pain.
He watched them closely, wondering if the awakening had worked.
Lawson looked at his hand. “I think I need some seawater.”
There was no shortage of seawater at Bai Ge Wan; some of the mutant seafood was kept alive in seawater. Si Xu was happy to provide it.
They poured seawater onto their hands, and Ansair winced at the strange pain. His hands began to change—his fingers grew longer and thinner, and translucent webs formed between them.
Ansair, shocked but elated, stared at his hands. “My God! Have I really awakened the Merfolk bloodline?!”
Lawson raised his hand. “Same here.”
Lin Jiu breathed a sigh of relief. They had succeeded, and the two doses hadn’t been wasted.
Suddenly, Lin Jiu remembered something. “By the way, about Aunt Nadia—I hope she doesn’t get upset. Her Merfolk genes are too diluted, and even with the injection, she won’t be able to awaken.”
The system had confirmed this for Lin Jiu—Nadia’s Merfolk genes were too weak to trigger an awakening.
Lawson and Ansair had a chance of awakening because their Merfolk gene potential wasn’t as strong as the Spirit Demon’s, but it wasn’t impossible. However, there were still genetic limits to overcome.
For example, Song Mozhi’s Spirit Demon genes were also quite diluted, so even with a basic gene enhancement injection, she couldn’t awaken the Spirit Demon bloodline. She could only gain enhanced abilities.
Ansair and Lawson understood and agreed to keep this secret from everyone.
They didn’t need to ask how valuable these injections were.
If the Haijia clan found out, they would stop at nothing to obtain them. So the best course of action was to remain silent, even to Nadia, Ansair’s wife, since she was still connected to the Limo family.
Both Lin Jiu and Si Xu were aware that they couldn’t take on the ancient Haijia family alone. They needed the support of the Merfolk clan, which is why Si Xu agreed to give them the basic gene enhancement injection.
If it weren’t for the risk of exposing the existence of this medicine in Z country, Si Xu would have been eager to prepare a batch to strengthen the entire Merfolk clan. But that clearly wasn’t an option unless the Elton family moved to Z country, which Si Xu couldn’t allow.
Since Lawson was returning early, Lin Jiu gave him two boxes of caviar to take back.
As they parted ways, Lawson solemnly entrusted Lin Jiu’s safety to Si Xu, urging him to protect Lin Jiu at all costs. He assured them that the Elton family would spare no expense to ensure Lin Jiu’s security.
