Chapter 3

There is a saying that "things of a kind hurt each other." Although the merman is not a complete human, it is hard not to feel fear upon witnessing this scene. After much reassurance from A Luo, she finally leaned out and said in a trembling voice, "I was so scared that I couldn't cry."

In the cold river, where aquatic life is rare, no one knows that a dragon is imprisoned at the bottom. After swimming for a long time, Yibo finally encountered a ray. After gesturing for a while, the ray finally understood her meaning, pointing its slender tail straight north, "Swim two miles up and you will see a broken ship, turn left and swim another two miles to see a series of reefs, then turn left again to find a sea of algae, avoid heading north, and swim ten miles to reach your destination"

Looking at the sky, the moon is high in the air, and it is getting late. He instructed her to go again today, but she actually forgot. In a hurry, he handed the money pouch to A Luo, telling her to return first, while he turned around and swiftly headed south.

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Yibo felt very sad after hearing this, curling up into a ball. A Luo, pushing aside her layered tail fins, suddenly had an idea, "Shall we go to the land to find that woman? We can deliver the items to her, so she knows that her lover has died and that she no longer needs to wait for him."

With a focused gaze, it let out a sharp cry and leaped into the sea, escaping swiftly.

When a girl entrusts her life to someone, it is ultimately more reliable to choose someone familiar. If Yibo were to become a male merman in the future, he would undoubtedly be the most handsome male merman in Tide City. With jewels and pearls at hand, why seek far when one can have what is near? A Luo sincerely hopes that she will choose a male partner, but ever since she met the Dragon Lord, her thoughts have become quite lively. The Dragon Lord is male, of reputable background, and has a normal orientation, which led Yibo to firmly decide to become a female merman.

A pair of friends cursed and swore, wishing that the old turtle would lose its inner elixir halfway, so that no one would suffer in the next tribulation. It was a heart-stopping day that they dared not look back on, and they only fell asleep when dawn was approaching. Chao City is the first place in this sea area to greet the sunrise; as the sun gradually rose, the light reached the haystack just in time for noon. A Luo woke up to find no one beside her. When she stepped outside, she saw a few mermen weaving among the coral, and Yi Bo was among them. She sat at the top of a coral, sunlight swirling around her fingertips. Because she was close to the water's surface, her skin was nearly transparent, and the light shimmered on her scales. A Luo liked this scene; the woven merman silk floated and sank in the water, light as a wisp of mist. Her Yi Bo was the most beautiful, with hair as dark as clouds and eyes filled with golden light. Ever since she vowed to become a merman, A Luo felt that she was naturally meant to be female. If the Dragon Lord were to choose a partner north of the South Sea, there would be no aquatic race in the entire ocean realm more suitable than her.

The waves are calm, and her heart is as clear as a wash; lying on her back, her slender and fair arms rest behind her head, with a flat expanse across her chest. It is only when viewed from the side that one realizes her beauty is ambiguous, straddling the line between the two sexes, possessing the youthful elegance of a boy and the enchanting charm of a girl

Yibo recalled the dragon beneath the cold river, originally intending to tell her, but hesitated and ultimately decided against it. She turned over and propped herself up to ask her: "Where are the people you saved?"

When A Luo asked people, Yi Bo had to observe the surrounding situation. The lanternfish provided a light source on the water's surface, and there were constantly sculpted mermen coming and going. The male mermen of that tribe had horn-like fins and fierce features, causing anxiety every time they passed by. Yi Bo quietly bought two rolls of grass mats, one for himself and one for A Luo, wrapping themselves up.

Alo nodded in understanding, "It may look a bit unsightly. No matter, we still have the fish silk, which can be exchanged for a lot of candle silver"

The so-called Kingdom of Diaoti is the realm of the South Sea Merfolk. Since the Great Wilderness, there have been three branches of the Merfolk. The East Sea Merfolk are referred to as Lingyu, characterized by human faces and fish bellies, short stature, and possessing both hands and feet. The branch in Chaocheng is a fixed half-human, half-fish form that cannot transform. The remaining South Sea Diaoti are malevolent and delight in slaughter; on nights of the full moon, their tails transform into legs, allowing them to walk on land. The Merfolk of Chaocheng fear the Diaoti the most. The Kingdom of Diaoti has more men than women, and after the disappearance of the Dragon Lord, they have attempted to abduct people twice, selecting beautiful adult Mermaids to take back to the South Sea for reproduction. Fortunately, Yibo is still young enough to escape each time. To her, A Luo's guilt seems trivial, and she still has the mood to joke with her, saying, "Diaoti will capture you to have children."

It is a very exquisite box, palm-sized, made of tortoiseshell, adorned with gemstones and also featuring carvings. Yibo did not quite understand, turning it over and over, and discovered that the bottom of the box had seal script inscribed with the words "Sugar Workshop." She exclaimed softly, unsure whether it referred to a place name or a person's name

They went to the market at night, and by the time they arrived, it was already bustling. Merchants from the Berlu Kingdom and the Li'er Kingdom brought various novel trinkets, including food and clothing. Previously, Yibo exchanged items without considering the cost, but this time he was particularly attentive. The price of candle silver was established in the market, and the exchanges were straightforward and clear. A full bag hung at his waist, weighing quite a lot

Alo, having transformed and acquired legs, possesses more knowledge of the land than Yibo. She said: "This is a woman's rouge box, used for grooming and beautifying. It is applied to the face and lips, red and beautiful. Generally, when a man carries something belonging to a woman, it signifies that he has someone in his heart; he is fond of the owner of the rouge box. Alternatively, this could be a gift he brought back from another country, intended for a woman named Tangfang. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, he no longer has the opportunity to present it to her in person."

It is not so easy to die; she is quite fortunate! Yibo smiled and showed her, "It didn't strike, the scales are perfectly fine."

Yibo pouted, feeling a bit sad, but returning home was a priority. With a flick of its tail, it darted out for over ten zhang, following the instructions of the ray to find the wrecked ship and the seaweed forest. As it swam northward, the surroundings became increasingly familiar. Suddenly looking up, it was greeted by a vast expanse of crimson coral stretching for hundreds of miles. Amidst the coral, there stood a magnificent and grand city, where pearls and lantern fish shimmered together, visible even from a great distance. That was Tidal City.

Alo pulled something out from his pocket and handed it to her, "Look, I found this."

The thoughts of the yokai are quite simple; they never believe that concealing the news of death is beneficial to the living. After being encouraged by Yibo, they felt it was feasible, gesturing and saying, "Tomorrow night there will be a mirage... exchanging candlelight for silver, let’s send it together."

After being exhausted for a long time and enduring numerous scares, she lay drowsily in the haystack. Suddenly, she heard a faint crying sound coming from nearby. Struggling, she leaned over the edge of the stack to look down and saw A Luo standing there, crying towards the moon outside the window

The lifespan of a mermaid is over a thousand years. They are born without distinguishing between male and female, and upon reaching adulthood, they choose their gender based on their own will. Yibo is not yet two hundred years old, so he is quite promising, serving as both a childhood friend and a potential partner for A Luo.

Due to getting lost, returning also involved quite a bit of trouble

Yibo has no home or family. Before leaving, he should inform the elder, and there should be no problem. However, he suddenly remembers the dragon in Hanchuan. Should he not give it an explanation? Although she never agreed to be its subordinate, it is rather pitiable; apart from her, it seems to have no one to rely on. Out of a sense of duty, he should also look after it.

A heart of loyalty, never forgotten to this day. Unfortunately, a mermaid is not a carp, and there is no Dragon Gate to leap over. If love that transcends races lacks emotional foundation, it is generally difficult to have a future. A Luo cannot help but worry for her

The merfolk weave fish silk, not for their own wear. Every three months, there is a sea market, similar to those on land, where goods can be exchanged for goods. At that time, various foreign nations participate, and even land merchants come by boat to make purchases. The fish pearls and fish silk are in high demand, and Yibo usually likes to trade them for some peculiar trinkets. This time, he decided to exchange a lot of candle silver to send to that woman. People on land love money; with money, she will be happy and forget the pain of her lover's death. The fish pearls and fish silk are in high demand, and Yibo usually likes to trade them for some peculiar trinkets. This time, he decided to exchange a lot of candle silver to send to that woman. People on land love money; with money, she will be happy and forget the pain of her lover's death.

She wagged her tail, the fish tail long, extending out from the dock, the intricate and splendid fins swaying in the water like the long skirts of women on land. A Luo was uneasy, carefully checking once before finally feeling relieved, "It's good that nothing happened. I was afraid you might accidentally wander into the South Sea and encounter danger. If anything were to happen to you, I would go to the Kingdom of Carving and have them eat me."

"The nearest waterway from Yize is quite a distance away." A Luo examined a map carefully, noting that a segment marked with long eyelashes on the map corresponds to a thousand miles. By this calculation, traveling from the South China Sea would be approximately twelve thousand miles. "We can cover a maximum of three thousand miles in a day, so just the round trip would take eight days. Are you up for it?"

Everything happened too quickly, and A Luo was bewildered, asking, "What happened?" Turning around, he was also taken aback; the corpse had swollen significantly from being submerged for too long. The insatiable fish and shrimp in the sea had already begun to feast, biting off half of its face, revealing the ghastly white bones.

Alo couldn't help but pour cold water on it, "The Dragon Lord's whereabouts are unknown, don't think too much about it."

Yibo was very angry, "Yikes, this seafood... next time, I'll electrocute it!"

In fact, there is nothing wrong with being self-sufficient, as long as you do not engage in actions that harm the Tide City; other merfolk will not bother with you.

Yibo felt dizzy and sank to the bottom of the water, drawing on the sand, while the stingray flapped its wings and occasionally pointed things out. After finally sorting it all out, she thanked it, and the stingray said, "Let's go, let's go," using its tail to pick at its teeth and muttering, "Such a beautiful mermaid, what a pity she is mute"

A Luo listened with indifference, "Even if you catch me, I have revealed my true form and am impenetrable. As for you, after reaching adulthood, will you be a man or a woman? Being a woman would make you vulnerable to being taken away by them; I think being a man is better, as we could form a pair together.

She blew out a stream of bubbles, opening the skylight atop the haystack. Through the curtain of water, she gazed at the stars, each one surrounded by a hazy halo. With two fingers, she lifted a cluster of long hair and mused, "I don't want you, I want the Dragon Lord. Wait until I come of age... I'll be even more beautiful"

Alo was taken aback, quickly swam in, opened his arms, and knocked her down, exclaiming: "Great, you are back! I thought you were dead"

A surge of turmoil erupted in A Luo's stomach, no wonder it scared away Yi Bo. In this state, it would probably be unrecognizable if brought back, so it is better to ignite a fire and have the person cremated.

Taking advantage of the fact that it was not yet dark, we emerged from the water and went to take a look at the place where the shipwreck occurred yesterday. So much time has passed, and the sea is completely clean, leaving no trace whatsoever. Yibo asked A Luo, "Where are the people?"

Having woven it almost completely, Yibo returned with the silk gauze, neatly folded. Entering the room, he found a ceramic jar and said with great vigor: "Weeping at the moon, turning into pearls when meeting the wind"

A Luo led her into the reef, swimming and saying: "It's too far from the shore, let's first place him by the water's edge. I will tie him with seaweed, so he won't be lost. After the sea market ends tonight, we will take him back, and naturally, someone will come to collect his body on the shore." From a distance, they saw a corner of clothing floating in the bay. A Luo turned her around and pointed, saying, "Look, it's right there." She took out a pottery jar and placed it under her chin, then said, "Cry now!"

She became furious and scolded like this. After being teased by a sand crab, she exerted a great deal of effort to move the rocks and catch it. The sand crab pleaded for mercy, saying, "We are all seafood, don't be so distant." Yibo understood that being compared to seafood was not a compliment. Who would associate with a crab? At least she was half human, and Nuwa was also half human. In terms of proximity, she was much more related to Nuwa than to this crustacean, which was of a much lower status.

A fish and a snail reached an agreement, filled with joy. Yibo recalled the old turtle and inquired about its whereabouts. A snail curled its lip and said, "It is fortunate to have escaped a calamity, but having created such a great karma, it will not have such good luck next time. The entire crew perished because of it, yet it has vanished without a trace."

Their sea city, in human terms, is called a mirage. The scenes reflected in the air truly exist, only they occur here, a thousand miles away from the land

Alo and the others inquired about the situation on land, specifically about who was responsible for the merchant ship dispatched by the sovereign Emperor Xiu. They learned that the deceased shipowner was named Deng Bao, who resided in Jiyi Ze. As for whether he had a wife or fiancée named Tang Fang, that remains unknown

Underwater cities share similarities with those on land, yet the elements within the waters possess a certain spirit, appearing even more resplendent and magnificent. The merfolk of the South China Sea differ from those of the East China Sea; the latter often migrate, leaving behind empty cities after hundreds of years, thus they do not invest much effort in fortifying their city walls. In contrast, the South China Sea merfolk are nostalgic, and due to the favorable environment here, they have lived in the same place for generations, leading to the continuous expansion of their cities. However, both have altars and palaces, which are reserved for the Dragon Lord's use. Ordinary merfolk typically establish a coral house, adorning it with various pearls and gems to make it look beautiful.

After Yibo entered the house, she eagerly burrowed into the haystack. From the outside, her coral house appeared no different from others, but inside it hung a nest shaped like an egg. She enjoyed curling up in the nest to sleep, feeling safe and secure, which might be related to her background. Unlike other merfolk who had parents, she was an orphan. Abandoned outside the city at a young age, she was discovered by passing merfolk who brought her back to the city to raise her. However, due to the unusual color of her tail, she always found it difficult to integrate with them. The merfolk who found her took care of her for a while, but once she was able to forage for herself, they abandoned her. She remained all alone until she met A Luo.

Alo was deeply saddened, "They have died, people are truly too fragile"

She cheerfully called out to her, "I am here"

Returning to see Yibo, her complexion was poor, hiding in the haystack and refusing to come out. A Luo said: "I have already dealt with it, do not be afraid."

A Luo understood; she intended to cry a little, to shed a tear of the precious pearl to exchange for candle silver. The mermaids are treasures in themselves, even shedding tears in the wind is so beautiful. They agreed to send money to the owner of the rouge box, naturally the more the better

Yibo sighed, what a pity, having taken such a great risk to pull it out, in the end, it still could not survive