The male supporting character was actually myself.

Lian Qi had even made up his mind that if he could escape the threat of death and live a good life today, he would definitely arrange the marriage between Jiang Chen and his granddaughter, even if the little girl was unwilling, he would have to make her agree!

The clan chief himself affirmed that Jiang Chen had a bright future, and even if he wasn't the chosen one, his future wouldn't be too bad.

On the other hand, although a divine being appeared in a dream when the granddaughter was born, saying that she was the chosen one and would embark on the path to immortality, what if the dream was false?

Yunshang's cultivation aptitude is poor, and her years of cultivation have yielded little result. Regardless of whether she is a chosen one or not, being able to get close to the young and promising Jiang Chen is the best choice, whether it is a strong alliance or the strong leading the weak. I must help her win over the most outstanding and handsome young man in the clan as her husband!

Chapter Fourteen was really satisfying!

Jiang Chen bowed respectfully, then, despite the oppressive aura, looked up at the clan leader with bright eyes and said, word by word, "Clan leader, since a grave mistake has been made and time cannot be reversed, we must take a longer-term view."

If we beat Lian Yunshang to death today and severely punish Lian Qi's grandfather, we can certainly vent our anger and set an example for the clan to warn others, but the punishment is still too hasty.

Yunshang is young and doesn't understand things. Stealing is not a serious crime, but it is inappropriate for her to lose her life because of it.

Grandpa Lianqi is old and frail and doesn't understand the thoughts of young people, so he may not be able to take care of them. If he is severely punished because of this, his physical condition may not be able to withstand it and he will die soon.

The tribe suffered heavy losses, but fortunately the threat has been eliminated.

It would be better to let Yunshang make amends by having the clan chief suppress her under the Mermaid Golden Pagoda and order her to weave threads from her natal fish scales into the Rainbow Robe every day.

A mermaid's celestial robe is quite valuable, and cutting off her life-bound fish scales every day motivates Yunshang to cultivate even harder.

The clan leader can set the quota, and she can atone for her sins and emerge from beneath the golden tower upon completion. This way, the celestial robes can offset the clan's losses, while also allowing her to focus on her cultivation without worldly distractions, repent, and eventually achieve great success, bringing glory to the merfolk. Isn't that a win-win situation?

Being imprisoned under the golden pagoda is equivalent to the highest level of imprisonment.

Making a celestial garment from one's own fish scales is something every mermaid does. More particular families will even have their daughters make a celestial garment from their own fish scales before marriage, which will be taken to their new family as part of their dowry.

However, due to the complexity of the craftsmanship and the excruciating pain of removing one's natal fish scales, which requires a long period of cultivation to recover, it is extremely difficult to create a Rainbow Robe. Even disregarding one's health, it would take at least several hundred years to obtain one.

Wearing the celestial robes made from the fish scales of a mermaid, regardless of race, can instantly restore youth and beauty, increase charm, make one immune to water and fire, and prolong life, even extending lifespan by thousands of years.

Even in the Heavenly Realm, the exquisite and magnificent mermaid celestial robes are highly sought-after items. The better the quality, the higher the value, and many high gods are willing to spend precious treasures to obtain one.

Si Zhuo's gaze fell on Lian Yunshang's beautiful blue-purple fishtail. As the female protagonist, the fishtail, which symbolizes the beauty of the mermaid race, is naturally the most special type.

If such beautiful fish scales were used to weave a celestial robe, it would indeed fetch a high price!

However, Lian Yunshang's cultivation level is too low. Even if she stole a magic pill to increase her magic power by 500 years, it would only be barely passable. It would probably take her a long time to make a Rainbow Robe...

“The merfolk have no shortage of lifespan.” Si Zhuo nodded in agreement, a slight thought stirring in his heart. “Jiang Chen is right. However, you haven’t considered things enough. Hehe, that’s understandable, after all, you’re too young and your mind isn’t mature enough.”

With an expression that said he knew everything, he earnestly instructed, "Jiang Chen, remember this: if you become the clan leader in the future, the first thing you must do is be fair, just, and honest. You must never abuse your power for personal gain!"

Lian Yunshang and you have known each other since childhood, so it's understandable that you want to favor and protect her now. You're just a child now, which isn't a big deal, but once you have power, you absolutely cannot try to be clever like this again!

"I will heed the teachings of the clan chief." Jiang Chen cupped his hands to indicate that he knew he was wrong.

Si Zhuo coldly scrutinized Lian Yunshang and said in an icy tone, "Lian Yunshang may be spared the death penalty, but she cannot escape punishment. You keep saying that stealing the elixir was not for your own selfish reasons, but to repay a debt of gratitude, and so on."

Even if it is repaying a debt of gratitude, it is repaying the debt of gratitude for someone else saving you, Lian Yunshang, and it has nothing to do with the entire mermaid race!

No matter how nice or high-sounding your words are, you are still harming the interests of others for your own selfish reasons, and your misconduct has seriously damaged the interests of the clan.

Jiang Chen, out of pity for the beautiful woman and compassion for the elderly, naturally spoke with some bias.

As the clan leader, I know how to ensure fair rewards and punishments—from this day forward, Lian Yunshang will be imprisoned under the Mermaid Golden Pagoda as punishment. Only after you weave five Rainbow Robes and refine five Mermaid Candles with your life-bound essence can you offset part of the losses to the clan's treasury.

If one can repent and reform, one can leave the Golden Pagoda after handing over the finished product.

Lianqi, you are old and senile and have failed in your duty as an elder to teach. From this day forward, go to the North City Cemetery to light prayer lamps for the deceased for three years. From now on, go to the Golden Pagoda every day to recite "The Mermaid Clan's Teachings" for Lian Yunshang, so that she may realize her mistakes as soon as possible and repent.

This punishment shall be copied, disseminated, and recorded in the golden book of merfolk history, so that all merfolk may know the consequences of disobeying their duties and committing a grave mistake!

"Yes!" The subordinate hurriedly replied and led Lian Yunshang to the Golden Pagoda to suppress the evil spirits.

"Thank you for your mercy, Chieftain!" Lianqi thanked him tremblingly, finally feeling relieved.

The granddaughter was only kept under the golden pagoda and diligently practiced needlework every day. Compared to being beaten to death, she was much happier.

All I did was light a prayer lamp and recite the "Mermaid Clan Instructions," and at least I was spared from being beaten and tortured, thus saving my old life.

"Thank you so much for your generous help, young friend Jiang Chen." He turned around and bowed to Jiang Chen, expressing his heartfelt gratitude: "Yunshang is truly fortunate to have a friend like you! I will remember this kindness and repay it with all my might in the future!"

Jiang Chen naturally exchanged a few polite words, and then, amidst the pleasant notification from the main system that the task was completed, he watched the famous scene of Lian Yunshang being suppressed under the golden pagoda.

"This ending is so satisfying!" He watched as the heroine, sobbing and looking back every few steps, walked into the golden pagoda. The door slammed shut, and she was strictly guarded by ten golden-armored mermaids. He felt extremely satisfied.

Compared to some works where temples are flooded and countless civilians die, while the female protagonist only needs to cultivate diligently inside the tower, sheltered from the wind and sun, and naturally ascend to immortality without any punishment, enduring the pain of having her life-bound fish scales and fat scraped off day and night is more in line with the punishment she should receive for seriously harming the interests of others.

The onlookers couldn't help but sigh, using her as an example to warn their own children that if they were mermaids, they must abide by their duty and never become thieves or robbers, bringing shame to their kind.

Lian Yunshang secretly rejoiced, but also secretly shed tears for the suffering she had endured under the tower at such a young age. Fortunately, she was not killed on the spot by the patriarch in his rage. Although the pain of having her life-bound fish scales and life-bound fat removed was unbearable, at least she was spared and there was still a chance for a turnaround in the future.

Clan Chief Si Zhuo carefully considered the handling of the situation and couldn't help but feel strange—why did he have the idea of ​​turning a big problem into a small one and a small one into nothing after hearing Lian Yunshang's explanation? He clearly wanted to skin her alive and burn her as a warning at the beginning!

Could it be that she has awakened some kind of bewitching ability?

In that situation, many onlookers began to plead for her. If Jiang Chen hadn't stood up and stated the facts when she pleaded for her, she would have almost been swayed by the situation!

The thought was terrifying. Si Zhuo hurriedly ordered the golden-armored warriors guarding the golden tower to be extremely careful and not to have any contact with Lian Yunshang, otherwise it would be even more troublesome if they were bewitched by her and caused trouble again.

Just as Lian Yunshang, overwhelmed with a complex mix of gratitude and self-pity, entered the golden pagoda and was completely suppressed, far above in the Heavenly Court, a female deity sitting by a misty fishpond feeding fish was slightly taken aback. "Strange? Why has the fortune of heaven and earth changed so drastically? Could it be..."

She closed her eyes and calculated for a moment, her expression of shock deepening. "Someone actually managed to weaken the Chosen One's great fortune to replenish himself? This child's future is limitless!"

The goddess frowned slightly, then her figure disappeared from the ethereal fishpond and appeared in the bustling city of Linzhou Prefecture.

Her slender, smooth feet lightly touched the bluestone slabs of the street, instantly transforming into a pair of delicate shoes adorned with pearls and gemstones. Her fairy-like dress transformed into an exquisite embroidered gown. Her face did not change much, only her ethereal aura disappeared. Holding an oil-paper umbrella, she floated into the crowd and vanished from sight.

Chapter Fifteen: The Pursuit

Jiang Chen was secretly pleased with himself for completing a task that imprisoned the female lead under a heavily guarded golden tower.

Given the nature of this mission world, they certainly wouldn't want to imprison the chosen one for so long, so it's highly likely she'll escape punishment by chance soon. But every day counts; as long as their plan gets on track, they'll ensure the female lead can't harm Wen Menglong!

"Chen, Brother Chen!" Liu Ying caught up with mixed feelings, fidgeting with her fingers nervously, and asked in a low voice, "Do you know where the clam spirit whose elixir was stolen by Yun Shang is?"

Just now, I felt that what Yunshang said made some sense, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what was strange about it. Anyway, she's already been punished and imprisoned under the golden pagoda. I just felt... the clam spirit is quite pitiful. Receiving a blessing should be a joyous occasion, but instead, she suffered an undeserved calamity. So, I was thinking if I could go and offer her some compensation, as a way of atoning for Yunshang's sins, to prevent her from creating too much negative karma."

Jiang Chen: ? ? ?

I didn't realize that this little girl could withstand the female lead's brain-dead aura and not be completely led astray. Moreover, she has a kind heart and even plans to help the female lead compensate the clam spirit.

However, since the clam spirit had already received double compensation, and he had to distance himself from the situation, he could only shake his head and claim ignorance.

Feeling somewhat disappointed, Liu Ying slowly walked back behind the dispersed crowd.

"Little girl, wait a moment!" As the most unique spirit woman in the mermaid clan, she was dressed in various decorations and looked a bit strange. Although she had a beautiful face, her voice sounded like that of an eighty-year-old woman.

The Spirit Woman stopped the firefly, slowly swaying her fish tail as she swam to her side and carefully examined her. After a while, she smiled and said, "Little girl, your marriage line has been flashing, which means that your perfect match is about to appear. Congratulations!"

Upon hearing this, she blushed deeply and said, "Mother-in-law, please don't joke around. I'm still young! I'm just a little mermaid who's hundreds of years old, how can I get married so soon..."

"Oh dear, don't you know that marriage is all preordained?" Ling Po chuckled and comforted her, "Don't be embarrassed. In our time, many people got married as soon as they came of age. It was all thanks to the matchmaking god Yue Lao who tied the red thread for them."

Unless someone possesses the power to defy fate and forcibly sever the red thread.

Otherwise, no matter where they are or what the other person's identity is, they will eventually end up together!

However, your marriage line is a bit unusual.

The spirit woman circled her carefully twice, examining her for a moment. Then, her eyes gleaming, she looked at Jiang Chen's receding figure and couldn't help but laugh, "You should follow him closely! Jiang Chen is the most outstanding young man. I can only see that your marriage is related to him, but whether it is destined for Jiang Chen is unknown."

This kid probably has too much magical power; I can't understand the intricate web of magic surrounding him at all.

"But you've definitely made the right choice by following him. Even if your perfect match isn't Jiang Chen, he's still someone connected to him. Listen to your mother-in-law and try to find opportunities to get to know him. You'll soon be getting married in style!"

Liu Ying blushed even more, her little hands twisting together, looking a little lost.

“Your mother-in-law isn’t talking nonsense. Your marriage line is sparkling with divine light, and who knows, you might even receive a blessing from the gods in the future.”

A kind smile, incongruous with her beautiful and delicate face, appeared on the Spirit Woman's face. "Young lady, hurry up and prepare your dowry. I can see that your future marriage will be happy and last a lifetime! It's wonderful to have such a good match..."

She walked away with her hands behind her back. Only then did Liu Ying savor the words she had just spoken. Her cheeks flushed as she gazed at Jiang Chen's figure, which was about to disappear from sight. With a determined bite, she swung her fishtail and chased after him.

"Hmph! I... I'm not doing this for any particular reason..." she muttered to herself as she tried to catch up. "I just... I just want to... broaden my horizons! Yes, that's it, I need to see the world!"

Liu Ying made an excuse for herself and tried her best to keep up with the figure in the far distance, but the other party was too fast. She had to grit her teeth and do her best to barely see the faint shadow.

Jiang Chen was in a great mood after temporarily resolving the female lead's situation, and sped back to Pomegranate Flower Island, completely unaware that a little mermaid was chasing after him from a great distance.

As dawn broke, diligent fishermen were already rowing their small boats out to sea to fish.

He returned to his room from the deep sea and meditated until sunrise; Wen Menglong had a good night's sleep and came to knock on the door early in the morning to invite him to go hiking after breakfast. The two discussed the tour plan in a harmonious and joyful atmosphere.

"Strange, how come they suddenly disappeared without a trace?"

The firefly chased after it closely until it completely lost track of it near the sea area of ​​Linzhou Prefecture.

Looking at the familiar scenery nearby, she couldn't help but wonder, "Why did Brother Chen rush here in such a hurry? He's never shown any interest in the human world before; instead, he's always wandering around the seabed. Why is he acting so differently today?"

"Could it be..." Liu Ying thought carefully, then her eyes suddenly lit up, "Could it be that he wants to help Yun Shang fulfill her wish to repay a debt of gratitude?"

Although it wasn't explicitly stated, Jiang Chen had always felt that Lian Yunshang was different from other mermaids since childhood. After displaying amazing talent in cultivation, she became the most powerful mermaid among the younger generation. He had always silently lingered by her side, and anyone with eyes could see his feelings for her.

At this time, Yunshang was suppressed under the Golden Pagoda for theft, and the Spirit Woman made it very clear that if she wanted to repay the debt of gratitude, she would only have the chance to meet the reincarnated person here in the next two days.

It was absolutely impossible for her to do it, but it was also possible that Jiang Chen, who was deeply in love with Yunshang, wanted to take the opportunity to help.

But did he know what his savior looked like in his past life?

As Liu Ying swam slowly along the waters near Linzhou Prefecture, her silver fishtail swaying, she pondered deeply. Then, she frowned, a sense of displeasure rising within her. "Hmph! Lian Yunshang, you're so annoying! You prioritize romance over friendship and you're so secretive about it. I've always been so good to you, and all my sincerity hasn't earned me your honesty in return."

The more she thought about it, the more she felt that Jiang Chen had come to repay Lian Yunshang's kindness. There was only one possibility—she had already told Jiang Chen the details of her savior!

On the contrary, she was foolish enough to treat the other woman as a close friend and even decide to help her repay the debt of saving her life no matter what. She never expected that the other woman, Lian Yunshang, didn't care at all and didn't even tell her a single detail.

He was dragged over to help, and only after repeated questioning did he gain a vague understanding of the matter of repaying a debt of gratitude.

"What a waste of my sincere heart!" Liu Ying was furious. Thinking of Lian Yunshang's despicable act of stealing the elixir, she secretly resolved to break off all ties with her!

Even if Lian Yunshang is released from the Golden Pagoda to atone for her sins in the future, I shouldn't be on good terms with her anymore. Otherwise, she'll cling to me when she needs me, but won't even offer a sincere word when she doesn't.

At this moment, the sun rises in the east, and golden waves ripple across the sea. The joyful cries of seagulls fill the air, and another beautiful, sunny spring day officially begins.

Liuhua Island gradually awakens, and the islanders who have lived there for a long time begin their day's work; the tourists who are staying temporarily come out of the inn in groups of three or five after breakfast, either climbing mountains, admiring flowers, or praying to gods and Buddhas. Laughter can be heard everywhere in the mountains and by the water.

Chapter Sixteen: Disrupting Heaven's Will?

"To be able to meet and become friends with Brother Jiang amidst these beautiful landscapes is one of the greatest joys in life!"