Chapter 3307: Harmony Between Races

Lin Mu’s brows lifted slightly in admiration. "That’s rare. Most human sects or clans wouldn’t allow such integration, even if the races were peaceful."

Daoist Chu gave a thoughtful nod. "Harmony like this is seldom seen. To balance two races so closely and still maintain order requires strong unity."

While they talked, a pair of Merkin swam by, moving through a floating bubble of water that hovered a few feet above the ground. They passed close to Lin Mu and then... froze.

Their eyes widened, and for a brief second, their scales flared, reflecting light in sharp flashes. A shiver passed through their tails, and they exchanged nervous glances. They whispered in their own lilting tongue, their fins twitching nervously as they stared at Lin Mu.

Though Lin Mu didn’t understand their language, he could tell they were wary. He turned his gaze slightly, and the Merkin immediately averted theirs, swimming off faster than before.

Cattaleya chuckled softly beside him. "They’re scared of you," she said with amusement.

Meng Bai blinked. "You understood them?" he asked, startled.

Even the escorts turned their heads sharply, one of them exclaiming, "You can speak the Merkin tongue? Even most of us can’t do that!"

Cattaleya shook her head lightly. "I can’t speak it," she admitted. "But I can understand it. I picked up some of their language years ago when I was stranded on an oceanic world. A group of Merkin found me and took me in for a while."

Daoist Chu smiled faintly. "So that’s where you learned their rhythm of speech. I’ve heard you use some strangely accented words. So they were from their language."

Cattaleya laughed, her voice deep and warm. "You noticed that?"

"Of course," Daoist Chu replied. "Once a teacher, always an observer."

As they continued walking, the path widened into a great ascending bridge that spiraled upward toward the heart of the city. Ahead loomed a grand structure made of shimmering coral, its spires twisting like frozen waves reaching for the heavens.

"The Main Hall of the Shanhu Coral Clan," their escort announced reverently. "The Patriarch awaits you within."

Lin Mu gazed up at the magnificent hall as the sunlight filtered through the coral walls, painting everything in hues of blue and gold. He could feel the dense Qi radiating from within... the unmistakable presence of a powerful cultivator.

"Then let’s not keep him waiting," Lin Mu said softly, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.

And as they stepped toward the hall, the whispers of the clansmen faded behind them, replaced by the sound of rushing water channels around them and the faint heartbeat of power pulsing beneath the island itself.

The group ascended the last stretch of coral stairs, the gentle rush of seawater trickling through channels in the walls filling the air with a faint, soothing sound. Ahead, the grand doors of the Shanhu Coral Clan’s main hall stood open, made of polished shell and inlaid with gemstones that shimmered like sunlight reflecting off the waves.

As Lin Mu and his companions stepped through, they found themselves in a chamber that took their breath away.

Natural light poured in from above through openings lined with translucent coral and mirrored shells. The beams scattered across the room, refracting off thousands of small reflective scales embedded into the walls and pillars.

The entire hall seemed to glow with living light, the soft radiance of the sea dancing across every surface. The floor beneath their feet was made of smooth white shell, so polished it almost reflected like glass.

In the air was the faint scent of ocean salt mixed with the aquatic fragrance of incense.

Despite the magnificence of the space, there were only a handful of people present. At the far end of the hall, seated on a throne of coral branches and sea jade, was an elderly man whose presence immediately commanded respect.

Lin Mu’s gaze sharpened as he observed the man.

The old patriarch’s Immortal Qi was vast and steady, rolling gently like the deep tide. The pressure from it was unmistakable... he was at the Seventh Tribulation Stage of the Immortal Realm. Even without releasing his full aura, the power radiating from him was like the weight of an ocean pressing down.

Standing slightly behind him were four other elders, two men and two women.

Each one was strong in their own right, their auras ranging between the Fifth and Sixth Tribulation stages. They were all adorned in the clan’s distinctive attire, robes that left their chests bare for men and thin silk blouses that covered the chests for women. They were fastened by clam shaped clasps and topped with white pearls.

However, what caught Lin Mu’s eye was the jewelry.

Every bracelet, necklace, and ring they wore glimmered faintly with inscriptions of power. These weren’t mere decorations.

"They are all Immortal tools," Lin Mu thought, quietly impressed.

The craftsmanship was exquisite.

Some emitted defensive energies that pulsed like ripples, while others carried sharp, aggressive vibrations that spoke of offensive power. Lin Mu judged that with the combined support of these tools, each elder could probably fight against opponents at least a full stage above their current cultivation.

But that realization only deepened his confusion.

’If the Shanhu Coral Clan was this strong, why did they need to hire outsiders for an escort mission?’

The escort leading them stepped forward first, bowing deeply before the throne. "Patriarch, honored elders, we have returned with the mercenary group who accepted our request," he announced respectfully.

The Patriarch raised his head, his expression calm yet measured as his gaze swept across Lin Mu and the others.

The elders mirrored his action, their eyes sharp, their senses already probing the new arrivals. Lin Mu could feel it... the subtle waves of Qi that brushed against his group like invisible tendrils, testing their strength.

But what they sensed made their expressions tighten almost immediately.

Daoist Chu’s tranquil yet boundless aura, Elyon’s sharp predatory energy, Cattaleya’s unrestrained vitality, and Lin Mu’s unreadable presence—it was clear to them that even if all five of their top elders joined forces, they would be outmatched.

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