Yun Liu took in Mu Shaohua’s unusual behavior at a glance and smiled knowingly.
So having Shiyu disguise herself as a man ahead of time was the right call. Before the bait was even cast, the little love-struck fool had already taken the hook. Mu Shaohua carried half a Flood Dragon bloodline, and the potent Dragon Qi radiating from the silly girl was natural pheromones—extremely attractive.
This was the benefit of slaying the Yinglong first, then entering the whirlpool…
In the game, the Dragon Lady’s Husband Selection skit was open to men only. Ji Shiyu, feeling playful, dressed up and took the stage to join the fun. Who would have thought the yellow-haired girl would steal the show, winning the Rosy Consort’s heart in the process—adding one more to the harem while earning the resentment of a whole crowd of male contestants.
That was the first sign of the Trial of Fate. The Child of Destiny of the Boundless Sea would make his appearance then, and the target would be that man’s woman!
Qing Li noticed her senior sister standing there in a daze, completely bereft of her usual composure, so she picked up the conversation.
“It was Miss Li Su who told us. She and Mister Canghai are regulars at Tianyin Fang too.”
Ji Shiyu shot back in annoyance,
“That little Dan Boy has a big mouth—can’t keep anything to himself!”
Mu Shaohua blinked, then scooted a little closer, trying to build rapport.
“Brother Ji is truly extraordinary. Your sister must be quite remarkable as well.”
“Of course she is—way cuter than you!”
Every potter praises his own pot.
Ji Shiyu wiped her nose. When it came to narcissism, she could match anyone. Today, she would make this small fry feel so inferior she’d back off on her own.
“This sister of mine is no ordinary girl. She’s the most cherished disciple under Mister Yun. Not only is she gorgeous, but her talent is one in ten thousand. Why, just recently she took first place in the Great Competition.”
Yun someone covered his face. The yellow-haired girl felt no shame herself, but even he was blushing on her behalf.
“That impressive! Like brother, like sister, indeed.”
Mu Shaohua’s eyes curved with laughter as she nodded repeatedly. Sharing about family was one of the fastest ways to raise favorability.
Qing Li covered her face and shook her head. She had never seen her senior sister acting like such a groveling fangirl before. Truly, love made fish blind.
One was spinning tales out of thin air, the other was lapping it up with joy—each with their own hidden agenda.
Yun Liu quietly slipped away from the snail shell with Qin Xiang, who had been enjoying the show, leaving the stage to Ji Shiyu. It was the perfect chance to build rapport with the Mirage City and get some real work done—instead of staring at his dad all day.
The deep-sea undercurrents churned violently. Without an Yao Race guide, one could easily get lost and become demon beast fodder.
When Yun Liu left the carriage, Ah Lian was riding one of the seahorses, eyes full of little stars. The junior sister’s happiness was that simple.
Beside her, the Sea Yaksha Commander demonstrated, emitting a strange sonic wave from his throat—a method of communicating with sea demons similar to the White Whale Island Master’s.
“Mm, just like Sword Riding.”
Ah Lian wiggled her fingers, and the wooden sword floated up. She pursed her lips and struggled to blow a whistle, but the seahorse didn’t even lift its head.
“That might be a bit difficult for humans.”
“Aren’t you a human?”
The Sea Yaksha Commander was silent for a moment before saying,
“Not really. The Human Race on land sees us as slaves, and the demon women treat us as food. Only Madam Yingluo is willing to take in homeless Half-Demons.”
Before Madam Yingluo took over the Shanhai Pavilion, the situation had been even worse.
The gentle-tempered, beautiful Merfolk were the most sought-after slaves in the black market—playthings for humans—which gave rise to many mongrels the world refused to accept.
Ah Lian couldn’t grasp the profound suffering behind those words. She simply said blankly,
“Sounds like a good person. She’ll definitely give Ah Lian a little seahorse, right?”
“For that, you’ll have to ask the Madam.”
The Yaksha Commander let out a bemused laugh. He never understood why Madam Yingluo allowed landlubbers into the sea. She was extremely resistant to mortal cultivators from the shore, yet bore no ill will toward the half-grown child before her.
Yun Liu pursed his lips. There were no good people in the Shanhai Pavilion—only businesspeople. A good person could never become the Wulang Pavilion Chief…
“We’re here.”
Faint points of light emerged in the darkness as Night Pearls illuminated the way home.
The Sea Yaksha drove the carriage swiftly into the deep-sea Jade Tower. The Rosy Consort’s personal ride was conspicuous, and docked at the deep-sea harbor were also the Spirit Boats from Penglai Island and Tianyin Fang.
Unlike last time, the residents of Qiongxiao Palace on both sides of the platform had been waiting here. Both Half-Demons and Merfolk bowed their heads toward the snail shell, offering the same etiquette reserved for their clan leader.
“That colleague of yours really knows how to show respect.”
“The real concern is whether she wants something.”
Yun Liu shot Qin Xiang a glare and let out a long sigh.
He could ignore the evil cultivators of Evil Spirit Port, but if he kept refusing Madam Yingluo’s “kindness,” this trip would not go smoothly.
Qiongxiao Palace had three major sections. The Merfolk race wasn’t particularly large, occupying only the Babao Qionglou, with a resident population of just tens of thousands.
There were also the Anchao Liekou and the Mirage Sea Market—the former being demon territory and the latter a sacred ruin site.
The former was open to Boundless Sea allies. Not all sea demon races yearned for peace, and some held neutral stances toward humans. Anyone stopping here had to follow the rules Madam Yingluo had established—no private conflicts under any circumstances, similar to the Shanhai Pavilion.
The latter was the entrance to an ancient ruin guarded by Kunpeng. The deep-sea market opened once every century, accessible only when the Merfolk race broke through the outer barrier using a Storm Artifact—dressed up as archaeological research.
Deep within the Babao Qionglou stood a towering coral grove, its entire body forged from the essence of a Spiritual Spring Vein, like a Crystal Palace.
The Yaksha Commander escorted them to the edge of the coral grove and stood guard there. From that point on, Mu Shaohua took the lead.
Ah Lian hung her head, reluctantly climbing off the seahorse. She adjusted the Sword Case on her back and followed behind her Senior Brother.
“This way, please.”
Two salted fish glided leisurely ahead, their big tails swaying left and right, making Ji Shiyu itch to grab one.
Speaking of Merfolk, the little yellow-haired girl thought of Xueya. The Lord of Yaoguang Star desperately wished for a handsome Merfolk immortal attendant to dote on.
It had been so long since she’d seen her. She wondered if the Immortal Lady was keeping well.
Maybe she could make a trip back next year.
Ji Shiyu stole a glance at Yun Liu’s profile. The Immortal Lady and Mother would definitely like him too.
She needed to find a way to trick the Master into coming home with her!
“There seem to be other guests inside. Please wait here for a moment.”
Mu Shaohua frowned as she gave instructions, then dragged her blue-finned scaled tail into the Crystal Palace to inform the clan leader first—never overstepping despite their blood relation.
Qing Li the servant girl beamed, looking Ji Shiyu up and down with growing satisfaction. So much more presentable than that vicious Flood Dragon from the neighboring village.
He was a bit simple—which meant he was reliable and down-to-earth. He was popular with girls—which meant he knew how to charm and was never dull.
A bit skinny, sure, but he could hold his own in a fight, and his swordsmanship was exceptional.
As for Mister Yun—heh heh, you just wait to call her “Big Sister-in-Law”!
“We’ve been chatting for a while now—what do you think of Lady Shaohua?”
Yun Liu walked over to Ji Shiyu, the question ripe with meaning.
Ji Shiyu immediately went on alert.
“Not much! Boobs aren’t as big as mine, legs aren’t as long as Tan’er’s, waist isn’t as slim as Xiao Siran’s. Only her voice is a bit soft—like cotton candy.”
“Got to say, the little yellow-haired girl’s description is pretty spot-on.”