Chapter 298: No! No! No!

The Great Whirlpool opened ahead of schedule, but Luo Sea City had not; it would still be a few days before it opened.

At that time, the Hundred Races Sea Demons would be running amok, a lively scene, with the Human Race just one of the participants. The true terror of this sea lay hidden beneath the water; the five major harbor forces were merely the tip of the iceberg.

Before long, a little mermaid caught up from behind, circling the group. She was a familiar disciple from the Heavenly Sound Workshop.

“It’s you again. Do you really want my autograph that badly?”

Ah Lian gestured with her little pincers; this green-tailed one was also a new friend she had made since leaving the shrine.

“As if!”

The merfolk girl made a face.

“Greetings, Young Master Yun, Young Master Ji. My name is Qing Li. My senior sister was worried you might get lost, so she specially sent me to guide you. Places outside Qiongxiao Palace can be very dangerous.”

“Very well, many thanks to Fairy Mu for her kindness. Then I’ll trouble Miss Qing Li.”

“Young Master Yun, you’re too polite!”

Yun Liu himself was a living map; he could stroll through Qiongxiao Palace with his eyes closed and leave no grass untouched. Still, having a merfolk guide saved a lot of trouble.

After all, the most dangerous thing deep in the Great Whirlpool was definitely not the demonic cultivators of Evil Spirit Port or the pirates of Howling Fjord, but the Raging Sea Demon King.

The father and daughter bore three strands of Fortune. To those with keen eyes, they were like a bright lamp in the dark seabed. Since they entered Qiongxiao Palace, they had likely already attracted the attention of the Water Phase Fortune Child.

“Come, this way! I know a shortcut. I didn’t see Mister Canghai, but the whale pod was hard to miss. Earlier, White Whale Island Lord took his good carp buddies to demand someone from the Sea-Severing Alliance. They looked quite fierce.”

“Needless to say, everyone knows who White Whale is looking for.”

Yun Liu glanced at Ji Shiyu.

The young girl guiltily lowered her head. It was all the trouble she had caused.

Qing Li swam happily, diving into a patch of seaweed. Ah Lian watched with great envy, then looked down at the yellow-haired chick, hoping it could transform into some kind of water bird form.

“What are you looking at me for? I can’t swim!”

Ao Tian, for once, cowered in Ying Lian’s arms. The seabed was not the Feng Ling’s home turf; they feared getting their feathers wet and the flame on their head going out.

Yun Liu asked, seemingly offhandedly.

“Is Mr. Bai also very famous in Qiongxiao Palace?”

“Mm-hmm, his good friend is a great demon of the White Fish Whale clan, almost at Fifth Realm demonic power.”

Qing Li’s voice was envious. The demon race had long life cycles and tenacious vitality, but their cultivation speed was pitifully slow, not comparable to the best of humans with their exceptional Spiritual Roots.

Ao Tian grumbled, full of dissatisfaction.

“Give me a bit more time with the Cherry Dragon Inner Core, and I’ll be a Fifth Realm Feng Ling too.”

Along the way, Ji Shiyu dawdled, running off to catch jellyfish at one moment and making excuses to relieve herself at another, greatly delaying their underwater journey. She only wished it would take as long as possible.

Qing Li was baffled. Fangwai cultivators all absorbed spiritual energy to avoid hunger; she had never heard of them needing to pee!

This time, Yan Bingling didn’t impatiently urge them on; she rarely sided with the yellow-haired girl. It was good to have a little more time alone with her beloved son.

Ji Shiyu certainly didn’t want to reunite with Li Su early.

Mr. Bai must be with Senior Sister Qin. If she let her teacher and her shi niang get all lovey-dovey, wouldn’t she be left alone again?

“No! No! No!”

Yun Liu saw through the young girl’s little scheme. He found it amusing and teased her via sound transmission.

“Do you really not want me to see your shi niang? And do you want me to form my Dan as soon as possible to protect your path and break through your realm, hmm?”

“Guh!”

Ji Shiyu’s eyes lit up, then she lowered her head, somewhat ashamed, like a child whose secret had been exposed.

She wished she could wander the sea forever and never return to the sect. Senior Sister Qin was still looking for her, but she only wanted to elope with her teacher.

“I’m sorry… I just… I just…”

This time, Yun Liu didn’t scold her. He just fondly patted the jealous young girl’s head.

The adolescent Mystic Maiden had her own troubles. It was normal for her to develop dependence on a male figure who was both teacher and father. What she needed most at this time was proper guidance and understanding, not forceful suppression.

Ji Xingshu was clearly not a competent mother. That being the case, this heavy responsibility could only be taken on by the Sworn Father.

This is how Yun Liu consoled himself.

At that moment, outside Shipwreck Bay, a huge white whale was watching menacingly, its Spirit Breath pressing down frequently.

A hundred years ago, the White Whale Island Lord had already been famous. He was once besieged by demonic cultivators, his Qi Sea crippled, and he survived only thanks to his close friend Canghai.

Now, White Whale had fully recovered with the help of a Reversion Pill, shedding his decline and returning to his peak cultivation. With his spirit pet, he feared even a Nascent Soul cultivator, and the Fang Family Ancestor had to be wary.

The various Connected Docks Lords changed color. They hadn’t expected that before even reaching the gates of Mirage City, they would be fighting among themselves. Weren’t they supposed to join forces with the Sea-Severing Alliance to resist the other four islands?

Shipwreck Bay was an ancient relic. A large number of Spirit Boat wreckage from Sea Exploring Pioneers had sunk here, and over time it had become a neutral zone stronghold, with the five major harbors mutually non-aggressive here.

At the bottom of the Great Whirlpool, various forces were resting here, deploying Bubble Formations to keep out the seawater for their companions to regulate their breathing, while keeping watch on each other, waiting quietly for the Sea Market to open.

The East Pole Pavilion Master, also the Zhusheng State Preceptor, had visited the Sea-Severing Alliance. But no sooner had he come down than the forces from both sides of Howling Fjord, who had verbally allied before setting out, began to argue.

The cause was a missing Heavenly Dao Alchemy Master.

How outrageous!

The whale pod directly surrounded Shipwreck Bay, pointing their spears at the Fang family of Connected Docks, while the Sea-Severing Alliance cultivators added fuel to the fire.

“White Whale Island Lord, what is the meaning of this!?”

White Whale pressed aggressively. A tall, thin old man from the Fang family stepped forward and said in a deep voice.

“Little Friend Yun is my benefactor. Now he is missing. I hope Old Master Fang will give me an explanation.”

White Whale’s expression was calm, still quite polite. Whether it was Yun Liu or Ji Shiyu, finding them was the most important thing now.

The matter started because Li Su was being playful. If something happened to Ji Shiyu under his and Canghai’s watch, then as an elder, he would have no face to see his little friend later.

“Mr. Yun is missing, but what does that have to do with our Connected Docks?”

Fang Hua was furious, turning to glare at the terrified Fang Ya. Who would have thought that associating with the yellow-haired girl from the Palace of the Heavenly Pivot Star could lead to disaster?

Demand an explanation?

Everyone had been beaten up by some demon dragon that came out of nowhere. Before even entering Mirage City, more than half their brothers were injured. Who would give him an explanation?

“Still quibbling! When Mr. Yun disappeared, someone saw that fat chicken raised by Ji Shiyu pick him up in the chaos. The Sea-Severing Alliance cultivators saw it with their own eyes! Connected Docks, hand over the person immediately!”

Wu Baozhu, the Fortress Master of the Sea-Severing Alliance, snorted coldly, also fanning the flames openly.

That was a Heavenly Dao Alchemy Master, and moreover, had a close relationship with the Golden Crow Empress. If they could establish a good relationship with the Zhusheng Dynasty, they might not become the overlord of the Boundless Sea, but securing the top spot in Howling Fjord was guaranteed.

For both public and private reasons, Wu Family Fort was determined to crush Connected Docks into the ground this time.

Fang Ya’s mind raced. He immediately threw Big Sister Hong under the bus and hastily explained.

“Ji Shiyu and I are just nodding acquaintances. He belongs to Hong Dock, nothing to do with my Fang family!”