Chapter 8

She doesn't have that kind of courage! In the past, she didn't know where the person was, fantasizing over and over again. Now that she has found him, her heart races, her upper limbs feel numb, and she must create some distance to calm herself down

Yibo found it difficult to express herself, staring intently at A Luo's gestures. A Luo understood her, cleared her throat, and said: "During your absence, the elders have not managed the affairs of the city well. The Diaoti Kingdom frequently invades, attacking the city every thirty years to capture the newly adult mermaids. The elders have also tried to fend off the external enemies, but unfortunately, the male merfolk of this clan are powerless, five cannot defeat one Diaoti. After so many years, there are very few mermaids left in Tidal City. Yibo is about to come of age, and if she were to be captured by the Diaoti to become a wife, what would we do?" The elders have also tried to fend off the external enemies, but unfortunately, the male merfolk of this clan are powerless, five cannot defeat one Diaoti. After so many years, there are very few mermaids left in Tidal City. Yibo is about to come of age, and if she were to be captured by the Diaoti to become a wife, what would we do?"

It doesn't matter if there isn't any, after all, the time has not yet come. When the time comes, things will naturally grow there. Since one is human, not wearing pants is indeed unseemly. A Luo wanted to help her change clothes and lift her up, but she was like a soft shrimp, still crawling on the ground, twisting and bouncing around, unable to stand up no matter what.

A pair of beautiful peach blossom eyes leisurely turned around, surveying from top to bottom... The slender figure, dressed in a flowing robe, appeared somewhat disheveled. The long hair, tied up with a gauze crown, was indigo in color. A palm-sized face was tilted up, revealing its features, with eyes like lacquer dots and a face like a silver lotus, as if she feared others might not realize she was a woman

A hundred years ago, he gifted her dragon scales, and yesterday he saved her once again. Such a deep connection is truly destined by heaven. She trembled as she grasped A Luo with both hands, "I am so excited"

She choked up, and A Luo hurried to comfort her, "So what if you are acting like a girl in advance? With your looks, it would be strange if you wore men's clothing; it is obvious that you are a woman disguised as a man"

After dawn, I inquired about the residence of Deng Bao and, guided by someone, arrived at a courtyard that appeared to belong to a modestly wealthy family, not showing signs of poverty. Red flowers bloomed abundantly in front and behind the house, suggesting that it was tended to by a woman, with subtle details exuding warmth

The deity, appearing somewhat melancholic in profile, shook his head and said, "I do not take in subordinates."

She was so happy that she shouted: "Leg! A Luo, leg!"

There was no expression of joy or anger on his face; he merely turned his head to scrutinize Yibo, "So you are still not of age, then are you a boy or a girl?"

Long Jun scoffed, "Who are you complaining to about the difficult road? A Luo's true form is even worse than yours; at least you have half of you that is human"

However, he has neglected maritime affairs for over a hundred years, leaving the South China Sea without a leader. Even those carved merfolk dare to enter Tide City to seize the mermaids, and he still does not take action

He wiped the droplets from his face, leaned in to take a look, and said, "It's so dark, haven't you taken good care of it?"

In fact, the mere mention of the title "Lord Jiuchuan" is already an expression of humility that cannot be surpassed. Later on, this title was further embellished with many specific epithets, such as "beautiful to the point of being devastating" and "charm sweeping across the six directions and eight wastelands"

She let out a soft sound and said, "I want to learn how to speak..."

The Dragon Lord appeared somewhat indifferent, saying, "What is so good about the South China Sea? A bunch of fish and shrimp making a racket is unbearable. It is better to go outside for a walk, to see the beautiful mountains and rivers, which is much more comfortable than being cooped up in the Dragon Palace"

She nodded busily, turned, and jumped onto the shore, her fish tail joyfully splashing against the sand. She watched as the Dragon Lord formed a hand gesture, and a beam of silver light refracted from his fingertips, enveloping her fish tail. Before she could see clearly, the silver light suddenly dispersed, and her previous tail transformed into two long, slender, and pristine white legs, which, even from a fish's perspective, were exquisite.

The Dragon Lord crossed his arms and pointed, "Keep your knees straight, you can't break it. Put in some effort, straighten your waist..." As soon as he finished speaking, she collapsed, struggling to lift her head to look at him, appearing pitiful and vulnerable.

They were conversing underwater when the great deity Jiuchuan glanced down at the water, exclaiming, "Indeed, I possess the beauty that can sink fish!" Just as he was speaking, Yibo suddenly leaped out, its emerald scales shimmering like scattered stars under the moonlight.

She blinked her eyes, and Yibo looked at her in confusion, while Longjun silently turned his head and touched his nose

She is able to walk now, though not very well, but she will gradually improve. A Luo took her behind a large rock and changed her clothes. She insisted on dressing in male attire, so there was no choice but to give her a loose robe and a gauze crown.

In fact, before undergoing that ritual, the concepts of male and female are both empty. The current her has no gender; perhaps she yearns to become a female mermaid in her heart, but until the final moment, there are always variables in the situation

He smiled slightly, his brows and eyes appearing as they should, "If you are afraid of being caught by the sculptor, it would be better to become a male merman in the future"

Yibo was afraid that she would speak too frankly and provoke his ridicule, so he covered her mouth with his hand to interrupt her: "Are we going back to Nanhai?"

The beauty of the merfolk has always been distinct from that of ordinary people. The merfolk of the South China Sea gather the essence of heaven and earth, making them the most beautiful among the three tribes. They possess a soft physique and resemble flower spirits or moon monsters, naturally endowed with the ability to enchant. Therefore, one should not gaze at them for too long; prolonged staring can ensnare the soul, much like the haunting melodies in the sea mist that can lead one astray

Alo and Yibo exchanged glances, "What if this candy shop belongs to his beloved?"

Alo laughed and said, "If you walk a little more leisurely, it would look even more like it."

She certainly cannot become a male merman. Yibo shyly glanced at him, wanting to say something but hesitating. Since she had to be a woman, everything was leaning towards becoming a mermaid. A Luo, being a good sister, answered on her behalf for the questions she found difficult to respond to, "In Tidal City, there are more male mermen than female ones. If someone like Yibo, who is so thin-skinned, were to become a male merman, how would she ever find a wife in the future? Would she end up being single for life? It is better to be a mermaid, as there will be more choices later on."

Yibo also thought that when A Luo was just learning to walk, she didn't know her, and no one helped her, yet A Luo managed to learn it too

However, upon hearing him introduce himself, everyone was taken aback. The mountain spirits need not be mentioned; they are the mystical beings of the mountains, never having left the soil beneath their feet, and they yearn for the dragon and the sea. They gathered together to discuss, "Oh, so this is what a dragon looks like." Yibo felt a mix of emotions, having searched high and low without success, yet here it was, effortlessly within reach. The Dragon Lord stood before her, so charming and so stylish. Reflecting on her past desire to reach out, she suddenly felt a deep sense of shame, sinking downwards, all the way to the bottom of the water. Yibo felt a mix of emotions, having searched high and low without success, yet here it was, effortlessly within reach. The Dragon Lord stood before her, so charming and so stylish. Reflecting on her past desire to reach out, she suddenly felt a deep sense of shame, sinking downwards, all the way to the bottom of the water.

Long Jun was intentionally teasing her. Seeing her cry softly, the deity felt a bit awkward as well. "Alright, alright, don't cry anymore," he squatted on the shore to comfort her. "I was just saying that casually, don't take it to heart. I see you soaking in the water every day, your skin is all wrinkled. I'll grant you two legs; when you feel like it, come ashore and take a walk. The scenery on land is much better than in the water."

Yibo was ridiculed by him to the point where she could not lift her head, biting her lip, struggling to prop herself up. However, the shore was different from the water; there was no buoyancy, and her body felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. She sobbed and whimpered, "It is too difficult"

She looked at A Luo with grievance, and A Luo hurriedly said: "You misunderstand, Yi Bo holds you in great admiration. For the past hundred years, I have accompanied her in searching for you, having already traversed the South Sea and the Silent Sea..."

She put it on, shook her head and turned around, asking A Luo, "Do I look like a person?"

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Long Jun let out a sound, "However, since the gender is uncertain, dressing up as a woman is truly strange, resembling a transgender person"

Alois made a concerted effort to salvage her, "The person you have been thinking about day and night has been found, why not rush over?"

She stuttered severely due to nervousness, "I am... that tail... the little merman." She pointed to the dragon scales on the fish tail, "Look, your scales."

Yibo immediately stopped crying, her eyes shining with joy. However, she was also worried that he would use a knife to split her tail, so she protected her tail and asked, "Does it hurt?"

Alo and Yibo shook their heads, and Yibo said: "I found it." Alo shrugged her shoulders, "We sea snails do not emphasize tracing our ancestry. My parents gave birth to me and then disappeared; I have grown up all alone and have never seen them." Therefore, in their view, love is something that is both desirable and attainable, while parental affection feels as distant as the vastness of the universe.

Yibo blushed and said, "I am a woman"

Alo thought for a moment and recounted to him how to rescue Deng Bao and the process of being deceived, saying, "We were unable to find out whose rouge box was on him, nor could we deliver the candle silver."

They also have no particular opinions. Having been deceived before, to be honest, their trust in people has significantly diminished. Sometimes, people are even worse than baboons; at least baboons understand the fair distribution of food, while some individuals are inherently greedy, leaving them disheartened

She walked unsteadily, supported on either side by A Luo and Long Jun. In that moment, she did not feel how difficult walking was; there was only simple joy. With a burst of energy, she walked out about three or four zhang, and slowly her calves grew stronger. However, the soles of her feet were a bit painful. When she sat down and looked over, they were red, as if they were about to bleed.

This is very necessary; one cannot always just throw out a few words. She returned to Longjun's side and clasped her hands, saying: "Little Jiao follows Longjun."

Since we know who Deng Bao is, it should not be difficult to find his home. This rouge box may belong to his beloved, or perhaps to his wife. Why not go to his house first and then inquire about the candy shop

Does the Dragon Lord find her displeasing? Yi Bo suddenly felt as if the world before her had turned pitch black. Originally, during this period, the mermen were indistinguishable in gender, and she had not made any special effort to dress up; she merely wore a peach blossom shirt, yet ended up being labeled as a hermaphrodite.

She was truly excited, even the tips of her ears turned red. A Luo kept urging her, "Then hold tightly to his thigh, don't let him run away again. You must know he is a dragon, coming and going like the wind; if you miss this opportunity, it will be difficult to find him again in the future"

Long Jun was momentarily at a loss for words when questioned by them. After some consideration, he replied: "Isn't providing for his elderly parents more valuable than supporting an external household? Can the pleasures of love truly outweigh the bond of parental affection? Although you are not human, surely you do not lack the inherent nature that all beings possess?"

The Dragon Lord said it doesn't hurt, "Just be careful not to get it wet. If the spell breaks and I reveal myself in public, I won't take responsibility."

Indeed, he has been missing for such a long time; even if he were to hide for another one hundred or eighty years, she would not be able to wait any longer

Alo and the mountain spirit clapped their hands in celebration, while the mermen and mermaids were difficult to distinguish, generally relying on the waist and chest for differentiation. However, it is different for humans; besides the chest, there are other areas that can provide evidence. Alo stepped forward to lift her garment, "Let me take a look." Squatting between her legs and observing for a while, he found nothing at the base of her legs, completely empty.

Both the shark and the snail lack common sense, clearly a simple matter, yet they insist on going around in circles

Yibo shook his sleeves to show him that everything had been changed to men's clothing according to his wishes, so why was he still not satisfied

The Great God Jiuchuan governs the South Sea, and naturally, he is well-informed and experienced. His nod was not due to being unable to withstand the situation, but rather out of compassion. "Very well, considering your sincerity, I shall allow you to stay by my side for the time being! What are your plans next? Are you going to return to the Silent Sea now?"

Yibo waved her hand, cherishing this scale even more meticulously than her own. The roe of the silver fish is the most nourishing, but unfortunately, each fish only yields a quantity the size of a fingernail. In order to maintain this scale, she has caught all the silver fish near the mute sea. How can one say that she is not dedicated!

One must always maintain a proper attitude when with them, otherwise it is easy to be led astray by them. Long Jun was not in a hurry and said to himself: "What I say cannot be wrong; the bond of kinship is the most precious. The love you speak of, while it has its merits, cannot be compared to that of parents. Take the candle silver to his residence; if the owner of the rouge box is his wife, that would be even better."

He sighed, bent down to assist her, "Why is it so troublesome! The sculpted merman comes ashore on the fifteenth of every month, running swiftly as the wind. You are also a merman, but don't even say you can run; you can't even crawl. Therefore, it is said that talent is determined by heaven, and one cannot force it at all."

Since they intend to submit to the Dragon Lord, everything shall be at the Dragon Lord's discretion. They returned to Jiyize under the cover of night; no matter how far they had to travel, it was merely a matter of waving their sleeves.