Cultivating Immortality, Starting from Childhood Sweethearts

On the second day after Xu Ming left the prison, the cave where Ao Jin was being held was opened once again.

Xiao Lan entered with several attendants.

Just as Xu Ming had said, someone soon came to take Ao Jin away. Xiao Lan instructed the attendants to remove the shackles from Ao Jin’s hands and threw him a set of clean clothes. They then took him to a place where he could bathe.

After washing up and changing into fresh clothes, Ao Jin followed Xiao Lan to the Dragon Palace.

Upon entering the imperial study, Ao Jin saw the Dragon Empress and Xu Ming.

“The criminal Ao Jin greets Your Majesty.”

Ao Jin knelt down on both knees before the Dragon Empress, showing the utmost respect.

Kneeling on both knees—this was a gesture unheard of among the Dragon Clan.

The Dragon Empress merely cast a cold glance at Ao Jin.

Ao Jin glanced at Xu Ming before turning his gaze back to the Dragon Empress. He spoke slowly, “I am, of course, deeply grateful to Lord Xu for pleading on my behalf. But above all, it is Your Majesty’s great mercy that grants me this chance.”

“Enough. Do you think saying such words will truly earn you a pardon? The deal has already been struck—there’s no need for this pretense.”

The Dragon Empress showed no regard for Ao Jin’s dignity.

In her eyes, Ao Jin was as good as dead. If not for Xu Ming’s insistence on keeping him alive, his execution would have already been carried out.

However, as Xu Ming had reasoned, letting Ao Jin live and allowing him to take control of the Eastern Sea—while also making him a puppet of the Northern Sea—was far more valuable than simply killing him.

More importantly, Ao Jin had been deceived by End Mountain. His father was dead, the Eastern Sea was in turmoil, and he undoubtedly bore a deep grudge against End Mountain.

Ao Jin wished nothing more than to see every last person from End Mountain slain.

And conveniently, his enemies perfectly aligned with those of the Northern Sea.

“You know what you must do next, don’t you?”

The Dragon Empress’s voice was cold as she questioned Ao Jin.

“I understand.”

Since the Dragon Empress had made it this clear, Ao Jin had no need for further words.

He opened his mouth, and from within, a soul and a spirit emerged.

The two fragments took the form of a small dragon and flew toward the Dragon Empress.

The Dragon Empress produced a lamp from her sleeve, and under the guidance of her incantation, the soul and spirit fragments settled into the lamp, forming a flickering flame.

With this, Ao Jin’s very soul was now under the Dragon Empress’s control.

At any moment, she could extinguish the flame and end his life.

“It’s done. You may leave now. Tomorrow, you will return to the Eastern Sea. I will ensure that you ascend as its ruler—your other brothers’ objections will be meaningless.”

The Dragon Empress looked at Ao Jin with impatience.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Pale-faced, Ao Jin bowed deeply before rising and leaving the imperial study.

The first thing he did upon leaving was head straight to the courtyard where he and his sister had once lived.

His sister was being held there, and he needed to see if she was safe.

Meanwhile, in the courtyard, Ao Yin’er remained seated on a stone bench, gazing up at the still, quiet sky of the seabed.

In the past few days, she had thought about many things.

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t understand why her father and brother had chosen to collude with End Mountain.

Regarding her father’s death and her brother’s impending execution, Ao Yin’er felt deep sorrow. Yet, she held no hatred toward the Northern Sea.

Because this was the natural course of events.

Given what her father and brother had done, their deaths were justified. The only ones she truly resented were those from End Mountain.

Ao Yin’er longed to avenge her father and brother, but she had no idea how to do so.

She wasn’t even sure if she could return to the Eastern Sea.

And even if she did, would the Eastern Sea still be her home?

“Yin’er.”

Just as Ao Yin’er was lost in thought, a familiar voice called out from outside the courtyard.

She turned her head, and the moment she saw her brother standing at the entrance, her eyes lit up instantly.

“Brother…”

Ao Yin’er stood up, staring blankly at him.

For a brief moment, she even wondered if she was seeing things.

Wasn’t her brother supposed to have been executed long ago? How could he possibly be standing here?

Could it be his spirit? But as she looked more closely, she saw no sign of a translucent spectral form.

No—this was indeed her brother, alive and standing right in front of her. The warmth of his blood and the vitality in his presence were undeniable proof.

“Brother, how did you get out? Didn’t the Dragon Empress execute you?”

She walked up to him, studying him carefully, still unable to comprehend what had happened.

“I was supposed to die,” Ao Jin explained, “but in the end, Xu Ming came to see me in the prison.”

“Xu Ming?” Ao Yin’er blinked in confusion, struggling to understand. “Why would Xu Ming go see you?”

Ao Jin was in no hurry. He patiently explained everything to his sister.

“When Xu Ming visited me in prison, he gave me a condition that would allow me to live. That condition was…”

He recounted everything that had transpired in the prison, leaving nothing out.

To Ao Jin, his sister was now his only true family.

Although he had other brothers in the Eastern Sea, they were all half-brothers from different mothers. Only Ao Yin’er, his full-blooded sister, was someone he felt truly close to.

“So what you’re saying is that you’ve gained the Northern Sea’s support, and you’ll be returning to the Eastern Sea to claim the throne—while pledging the entire Eastern Sea’s allegiance to the Northern Sea?”

Ao Yin’er understood the situation.

“That’s right.”

Ao Jin gazed at his sister, his expression heavy.

“I know, Yin’er… you might look down on me for this. But I had no other choice. End Mountain betrayed me and Father, plunging the Eastern Sea into chaos. This is a debt of blood that I must avenge.”

As he mentioned End Mountain, his eyes burned with hatred.

Ao Yin’er shook her head. “Why would I ever look down on you, Brother? In fact, deep down, I’ve also wanted to avenge Father. I believe that when you and Father made those decisions back then, it must have been because you were deceived by End Mountain, right?”

Ao Jin lifted his head and met his sister’s pure, trusting gaze.

For a moment, he didn’t know how to respond.

It was true that End Mountain had offered the Eastern Sea many favorable conditions—but to call it deception was not entirely accurate.

Back then, both sides had made their choices based on self-interest. No one had expected that, in the end, End Mountain would turn on them and kill their father.

Ao Jin reached out and gently stroked his sister’s hair, sighing.

“Yin’er, you don’t need to concern yourself with what’s happened these past days. It has nothing to do with you.

I know you’re grieving.

But you have to look forward.

And besides… you still have me.

All you need to do is focus on living your own life.

I will bear the burden of avenging the Eastern Sea. I leave tomorrow.”

“Then I’ll go back with you,” Ao Yin’er said firmly. “I’ll pack my things.”

She turned, ready to head toward the study to prepare.

“There’s no need.”

Ao Jin quickly reached out and stopped her.

“Yin’er, listen to me. You don’t need to come back with me.”

“Why not?” she asked, bewildered.

“Because the things I am about to do will be beyond anything you can imagine.

And you don’t need to bear this burden.

You don’t need to face any of this.

All you need to do… is grow up well.

That’s it. Do you understand?”

Ao Jin repeated his words, his voice firm.

In Ao Jin’s heart, there was absolutely no way he could allow his sister to return to the Eastern Sea with him.

To his sister, their other brothers in the Eastern Sea had always been kind and caring.

They treated her with warmth and affection, never neglecting her.

But in reality, things were not as they seemed.

Their kindness toward Yin’er was never out of genuine sibling affection—it was simply because she posed no threat to their fight for the throne.

She was cherished by their father, and by treating her well, they indirectly won their father’s favor.

But beneath the surface, the royal sons of the Eastern Sea were locked in a ruthless battle for power, where only the strongest would survive.

Now that he was returning to the Eastern Sea with the Dragon Empress’s support, Ao Jin knew he would soon be caught in this deadly struggle.

His half-brothers would be his competition, and many of them would not survive.

He did not want Yin’er to witness such bloodshed.

She did not need to bear the weight of these burdens.

She only needed to live a peaceful and safe life, free from the cruel struggles of the Eastern Sea.

Seeing the confusion in his sister’s eyes, Ao Jin continued persuading her.

“Yin’er, didn’t you always want to visit the land? Now you can.

When Young Master Xu returns to the Wu Kingdom, you can go with him. You’ll be safe with him, I promise.

Truly, you cannot return with me.

There are too many things I must handle in the Eastern Sea.

I am genuinely afraid that something might happen to you if you come along.

Enjoy yourself for a few years, and once the Eastern Sea is stable, I’ll come to get you. Alright?”

Ao Yin’er lowered her head, deep in thought.

Then, she looked up at her brother.

“Brother… is there really no way I can go with you?”

“I’m sorry, Yin’er.”

Ao Jin sighed, his voice filled with sincerity.

“What’s coming will be incredibly difficult.

It’s not that I see you as a burden—I truly don’t.

I just want to protect you.

You are my only family left in this world.

I can’t bear to see anything happen to you.”

After a long silence, Ao Yin’er finally nodded.

“Brother, don’t worry. I will take care of myself.”

“That’s good.”

They sat together in the courtyard, talking for a long time.

Ao Jin told his sister about the customs and etiquette she would need to follow if she chose to live on land.

If she decided to stay in the Northern Sea, he told her to remain in the royal capital and avoid wandering outside.

Before he left, he gave her several magical artifacts to keep her safe.

They continued talking late into the night.

By morning, a group of attendants from the Northern Sea arrived to escort Ao Jin back to the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace.

Ao Jin stood up and smiled at his sister.

“I’m leaving now. Remember everything I told you.

If you stay in the Northern Sea, listen to the Dragon Empress. Do whatever she tells you.

If you go to the land, listen to Xu Ming.

I don’t trust humans, but Xu Ming is an honorable man.

Aside from the Dragon Empress and Xu Ming, do not believe anyone else. Do you understand?”

“I understand, Brother.”

Ao Yin’er nodded, her eyes glistening as if she was about to cry.

Ao Jin took one last look at his sister before turning and walking away with the palace attendants.

Standing at the courtyard gate, Ao Yin’er watched as her brother disappeared into the distance.

Only when he was completely out of sight did she finally withdraw her gaze.

“You’ve finished talking with your brother?”

Just as Ao Yin’er was about to return to the courtyard, a familiar voice called out.

She turned around to see Xu Ming approaching.

Ao Yin’er nodded.

“We’ve finished talking.

Thank you, Xu Ming, for convincing the Dragon Empress.

If it weren’t for you, my brother wouldn’t have survived.”

“No need to thank me.”

Xu Ming’s voice was calm.

“The reason your brother is still alive…

Is simply because, right now, he is more useful alive than dead.”

When Xu Ming said those words, they could easily be described as ruthless.

However, Ao Yin’er did not feel that there was anything wrong with what he said.

On the contrary, she still felt grateful to him.

After all, the Empress did not necessarily need her brother to take control of the Eastern Sea.

Right now, the Eastern Sea was leaderless.

If the Empress wanted to support another one of her brothers instead, that would have been entirely possible as well.

“And what about you?” Xu Ming asked, his tone calm.

“Your brother has gone to the Eastern Sea. What do you plan to do next?

He must have told you not to go there, right?”

Ao Yin’er nodded.

“Brother told me not to concern myself with anything.

He said all I need to do is take care of myself.”

“That’s true,” Xu Ming replied.

“There are many things that are beyond your ability to handle, and many burdens you do not need to bear.

As long as you take care of yourself, that’s enough.

Did your brother say anything else?”

“He said I can either stay in the Northern Sea Dragon Palace or go with you to the Wu Kingdom.

It’s up to me.

And aside from you and the Dragon Empress, I shouldn’t listen to anyone else,” Ao Yin’er continued.

Xu Ming frowned slightly, deep in thought.

“Did your brother tell you about your physique?”

“My physique?”

Ao Yin’er tilted her head, looking confused—her innocent expression made it clear that she had no idea what he was talking about.

“Actually, there is a very important reason why you shouldn’t go to the land.”

Xu Ming’s gaze deepened as he explained.

“You possess the Sacred Sea Spirit Physique.

For the sea clans, this physique has a unique summoning power.

Not only that, but your cultivation speed and the quality of your breakthroughs in the sea will far exceed those of ordinary people.

Only when you naturally cultivate to the Nascent Soul Realm will you be able to set foot on land without harming your Sacred Sea Spirit Physique.

You can come with me to the Wu Kingdom…

But if you step onto land now, your Sacred Sea Spirit Physique may be affected.

So, are you sure you want to do this?”