After the novelty of life at sea faded, days became long and monotonous.
During the day, Mu Nianbing would drag Mo Fan and the others to play poker to kill time. In the evenings, he would play cards quietly with Mu Ningxue.
It was an easy rhythm—until one day, an enormous shadow emerged beneath the ship.
The shadow was vast and dark, as if the abyss itself were about to swallow the vessel whole.
Everyone instantly froze. They all knew this wasn't some optical illusion—it was the aura of a true Monarch-level sea demon!
Compared to the tense atmosphere on deck, Mu Nianbing remained calm. He recognized this shadow.
It was Baxia, one of the Nine Sons of the Dragon. But was it here because of Zhao Manyan, or because of him?
Mu Nianbing possessed the Qilin Blessing, which naturally drew the attention of totems. It was the same reason the Black Totem Snake had appeared before him.
However, Mu Nianbing didn't wield the Water Element, nor was he a defensive mage. Strictly speaking, he wasn't suited to be Baxia's guardian.
But the relationship between a totem and its guardian wasn't determined by elements—it was the totem's choice that mattered most.
If Baxia favored Mu Nianbing, he could obtain the Wooden Fish Vessel, the artifact linked to the totem itself.
He wasn't particularly fond of being a "tortoise-shell" mage, but the power of a Supreme Monarch-level totem was nothing to scoff at.
Once the ship entered the Island Nation's safe waters and completed its registry check, it smoothly arrived at port.
The moment they set foot on land, everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.
"Now that we're in the Island Nation, our language won't help much," Mu Nianbing said, glancing around the group. His gaze naturally fell on Jiang Shaoxu.
If he remembered correctly, she knew quite a bit about Island Nation culture.
Although Mu Nianbing himself had some knowledge of the country, it was in… less conventional areas.
The others exchanged blank looks. As Mages, they had all learned an international language, but few had gone beyond that.
"Hmph, in the end, you still have to rely on me," Jiang Shaoxu said proudly, tossing her hair.
Just then, several local police officers approached them. Jiang Shaoxu stepped forward and began speaking fluently in the Island Nation's language.
Within minutes, she had smoothed everything over and sent the officers on their way.
"Not bad," Mu Nianbing said with a faint smile.
After settling that, the next problem was accommodation.
With their identities and accounts frozen, luxury hotels were out of the question. They could only find a discreet, old inn on the outskirts.
It wasn't much, and the prices were inflated, but Mu Nianbing didn't care.
He had exchanged some local currency beforehand—enough to rent the whole place if needed.
After so many days on the ship, he just wanted a quiet evening alone with Mu Ningxue.
The next morning, after sleeping in and having a simple breakfast, Mu Nianbing called Zhao Manyan to accompany him to the back mountain behind Yanming Temple.
Although the Qilin Blessing could influence totems, its effect seemed limited to the Black Totem Snake.
Baxia's personality was far more ancient and proud—its recognition couldn't be easily won.
Still, if Mu Nianbing couldn't earn its approval, perhaps Zhao Manyan could.
"Brother Bing, what are we doing out here? Doesn't look like there's anything around," Zhao Manyan asked curiously, glancing at the overgrown forest path.
Mu Nianbing didn't reply. He cleared a path through the weeds with a flicker of energy and entered the old, abandoned temple.
Inside, the air was thick with dust and decay. Mu Nianbing's eyes soon caught something resting on the altar—an old, wooden fish used for chanting.
He brushed away the dirt, revealing intricate carvings beneath.
The arched cover was engraved with looping, interlocking patterns—lines forming small grids that enclosed strange symbols, like ancient magical sigils.
"This is… a Totem Seal."
Mu Nianbing's gaze sharpened. Even without being a totem guardian himself, he could recognize the energy within.
Zhao Manyan approached, staring in fascination at the floating wooden fish.
"Brother Bing, what's this thing?"
Mu Nianbing reached out to touch it—but the moment his fingers brushed its surface, a surge of energy jolted through his body. He immediately drew back his hand.
"What a pity," he muttered. "Looks like my affinity isn't enough."
Without a Water Element, it was indeed difficult to gain Baxia's approval.
Replacing one of his current elements for Water would cripple his combat strength, so that was out of the question.
He sighed, then used his spiritual energy to float the wooden fish toward Zhao Manyan.
"This treasure is yours."
Zhao Manyan blinked, confused. But when he caught it, the wooden fish glowed faintly and then stilled in his hands—no rejection, no resistance.
Mu Nianbing's mouth twitched. "As expected… a tortoise-shell mage matched with a tortoise-shell totem."
"Brother Bing, what exactly is this thing?" Zhao Manyan asked again, more seriously this time.
"This is a Totem Vessel. It suits you perfectly. The fact that it didn't reject you means it's already recognized you as its guardian."
Zhao Manyan's eyes widened. "Totem? You mean like the one in Hangzhou—the Black Totem Snake?"
"Exactly. The shadow we saw beneath the ship—that was this totem, Baxia."
Zhao Manyan's jaw dropped. "That massive thing?! No way… that was a Monarch-level totem, right?"
Mu Nianbing nodded slightly. "Don't get too excited. With your current strength, it probably won't even answer you."
Zhao Manyan's expression froze, and the thrill on his face quickly vanished.
He was only a mid-level mage, after all. It would take a long time before he could truly wield Baxia's power.
...
Author's Note:
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