Chapter 10

Just after speaking, the door of the thatched cottage creaked open, and two people emerged from within. The man looked haggard and pale, while the woman was radiant and striking. The two by the river began to whisper to each other, suggesting that the enchantress was not a good one, certainly having drained the man's essence. Look at her jade-like skin and rosy cheeks; although she wore a coarse cloth dress, her poverty could not conceal the brilliance on her face. That enchantress had taken great care of herself.

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Alo hesitated for a moment, saying that he had matters to attend to and asked us to return to Chao City first, assuring us that he would come later

The elders were very resolute; this time, they intended to use her as a warning to others. No matter how much Yibo pleaded for mercy, it was of no use. She could see Elder Yu approaching with several shark soldiers. They were ineffective against outsiders but were very harsh when dealing with their own kin. She had no choice but to turn around and cling to the pillar. Unless they chopped off her hands, she absolutely could not leave Tide City. She cried bitterly, "I was born a citizen of Tide City, and I will die a citizen of Tide City. I will go nowhere else. I beg the elders, have pity on me, for I am orphaned. What will I do if I am cast out..." She had no choice but to turn around and cling to the pillar. Unless they chopped off her hands, she absolutely could not leave Tide City. She cried bitterly, "I was born a citizen of Tide City, and I will die a citizen of Tide City. I will go nowhere else. I beg the elders, have pity on me, for I am orphaned. What will I do if I am cast out..."

Once again, the elder named Fei Yu has taken someone hostage. A Luo, pressing his twin blades against his waist, said: "With your skills, I am certainly not incapable of defeating you. However, out of respect for the elders who are advanced in age, I am reluctant to engage in conflict with you. Consider this: Yi Bo and Long Jun share a friendship, so it would be wise to leave Long Jun some face. If he returns to find Yi Bo expelled, he may hold you accountable, and the elders would likely find it difficult to explain themselves.

Yibo kept her eyes closed and remained unmoved; having eaten her fill, all she wanted to do was sleep, and nothing could stop her

Yibo wiped away her tears and said: "At the Mingjing Lake in Jiyize, I was almost captured, but it was Longjun who saved me"

It must be this demoness's doing. Your Excellency, please take a look. She has drained her own man to skin and bones. She is a vixen; quickly take her away!

This is also a matter of reality, better to believe in its existence. Long Jun has truly been missing for too long; only his return can quell the disasters that have befallen Chao City over the past century. After some discussion, the elders finally said with resentment: "Then let us confine him, lock him in a silent prison to reflect on his mistakes." Elder Shi Er pointed at A Luo and said to Yi Bo, "Tell this shell not to interfere in our clan affairs. If she insists on stepping forward, it will not benefit you."

The woman exclaimed in panic: "I have never harmed anyone. It is your disrespect towards heaven that has brought punishment upon you; how can this be blamed on me? I serve my lord with utmost devotion and would never do him any harm. You are slandering me unjustly!"

Yibo pouted her lips; if understanding the ways of the world required going through those experiences, she would rather remain blissfully ignorant forever

The elders rolled their eyes in unison, no longer caring about how incompetent she truly was, and pressed on: "Where is the Dragon Lord now?"

Elder Shi Er's attitude was very resolute, "Who in the city does not know that you are stubbornly fleeing to Jiyize? If this sets a precedent, everyone will follow your example, and who will obey the rules in the future? This time, we absolutely cannot be lenient. Please invite Elder Fei Yu to expel you from Chao City. No matter where you wander in the future, it will have nothing to do with Chao City."

It is likely that the entire village has mobilized. "A Luo pulled her, "Let's go take a look."

Yibo was very sad and sobbed as he said, "He has left"

Alo and Yibo felt a chill all over their bodies, as women absorbed the essence of men, and men, in a desperate bid for survival, unhesitatingly killed the women. Their story was different from the love they had imagined, and it was also different from that of the Dengbao couple

Having just eaten, feeling relaxed all over, lazily sprawled on the water's surface, I suddenly saw a line of torches approaching from the shore, stretching over ten zhang in length. A Luo, who enjoyed being in the midst of excitement, suddenly sat up and said, "Something must have happened."

The return journey is much easier than the outbound trip, as the route is familiar and there is no need to inquire with anyone. During the day, they travel swiftly, stopping to rest in the evening. The terrain of Yize Mountain is layered with water, and the winding paths are not easy to navigate; however, the scenery is quite beautiful. They arrive at a place where the bamboo forest sways gracefully, just as the moon rises above the willow tips, with a bluish-white light cascading down from the bamboo tops, and at this moment, the light is delicate and ethereal

The two reached an agreement, and the gloom was dispelled. Yibo carried A Luo on the road, as rain began to fall from the sky, with countless raindrops plunging into the lake, creating a dense sound in her ears. She moved forward; the water level in the inner rivers and lakes was shallow, so she could not dive too deep. Occasionally looking up, she could see the distant mountains gathering heavy clouds, enigmatic, much like the character of Long Jun.

Thus, imprisonment is better than expulsion. Yibo has resigned to his fate, hanging his head low, and was dragged out by the fish soldiers

She shrank down by three inches, nervously twisting her fingers and said: "The elder is right..."

Aloar took a breath of cold air, "That is the Zhuoming Bird, which drives away the beastly wolves, preventing the calamities of the evil spirits from causing harm"

Alo spoke, "The Brightening Bird guards the entrance for people, capturing any demons that may appear. I wonder what is inside..."

Alois picked his teeth, "There might be something important! Clouds are piling up in the east, it is going to rain."

Long Jun Si Yu, unlike them who are idle, probably left due to official duties. Yi Bo sighed as he leaned against the shore, calculating the time; he had been out for several days, and the elders must have discovered that he had sneaked away. He did not know what kind of scene awaited him upon his return. However, feeling dejected, he could not swim, remaining in the water with his belly up, as if he were about to die.

Recalling this moment gave her strength again, as she posed with a fish tail, exuding confidence. "I will be the most beautiful mermaid, more stunning than Xuanji." The sea tribe holds a beauty contest every March, open to all races, competing for the title of Lady of the South Sea. Xuanji is the thirteenth descendant of the ancient divine beast, the Black Tortoise, and she has held the title of Lady of the South Sea for over a hundred years. Yibo believes this is because she has not yet come of age. Once she matures into a true mermaid, she is certain she will be able to defeat her—though she may not have the courage to do so, it is still permissible to dream.

He must live, the fox woman must die. The figure in black, standing there for a long while, transformed into a large bird, opened its mouth and swallowed the soul and essence of the nine-tailed fox, soaring into the clouds and flying away, leaving only the corpse of the fox on the ground, with its nine tails severed and its spirit completely extinguished

In this case, having gone missing once again, the three elders felt disappointed. Amidst their disappointment, they also had to consider whether what she said was the truth or merely a fabrication to evade responsibility. Elder Diancang was rather skeptical, snorting heavily and saying: "Do you think you can get away with this? You speak carelessly; who knows what is true and what is false"

The woman began to transform in shock, the shadow on the wall gradually twisted, and nine fox tails bloomed like flowers. Yibo heard her piercing scream, a long and sharp sound filled with despair. The man pushed the blade forward, gritting his teeth and laughing, "Alright, alright... we must survive..."

The elders seemed to have made up their minds, completely disregarding her pleas. Just as she was burning with anxiety, A Luo burst in, shouting: "A bunch of heartless fish, if Yibo's parents were any one of you, would you expel her just because she went on a trip? You think she went out to have fun, but let me tell you, she has been concerned about Chaos City all these years, searching for the whereabouts of the Dragon Lord. This journey was not in vain; we have finally found the Dragon Lord."

"Let's mate for a while." Yibo cheerfully interjected, while A Luo was taken aback for a moment and nodded vigorously.

Later, after a relentless journey, she returned to Chao City, and upon her arrival, she felt as if she had crawled out of hell. The silent sea was calm, and the environment was familiar to her; she still preferred to stay here. However, the elders were difficult to deal with. Upon learning of her appearance, they immediately summoned her to the Longxiao Palace. The finger of Elder Diancang nearly poked her in the face as he sternly reprimanded her: "You treat the elders' words as mere background noise, which shows your disregard for others. I have repeatedly told you that despite the current semblance of peace, the threats from the people on land, as well as from the South Sea's giant tortoises and the Kingdom of Diaoti, have not ceased. Have you considered the consequences of your actions? Are you willing to disregard the many clans for your own pleasure?"

The crowd has dispersed, leaving the man alone in the empty house. It is uncertain whether he feels lonely.

Yibo, feeling dejected, also has a point; given her ambiguous gender, it is better not to overthink. A merman reaches adulthood at the age of 200. Based on the time she was picked up by Zhuji, it should be determined within a month at the latest whether she is male or female.

"Do not pay attention to the commotion in the future." Yibo's chest was filled with a sense of frustration, blaming A Luo for meddling in affairs that left her feeling dejected

A Luo shook his head, "If the nine-tailed fox is not killed, it will be his own death. People are selfish, so I believe Lady Deng will be happy to have taken the candle silver. Although she may feel sad for a while, she will eventually let it go after some time"

They were at a slight distance from each other, yet their conversation was clearly audible. The villagers accused the women of having an unclear origin, claiming that after their arrival in the village, livestock had been continuously lost, while other villages enjoyed bountiful harvests. Their village, however, had suffered misfortune, experiencing years of poor yields.

Aloya turned her over, carrying her on her shoulder, and comforted her with a gentle voice: "Since he has asked us to return to Tidal City first, let us go back and wait for him. Rest assured, Lord Longjun will not abandon us just because we have differing opinions. You have always wanted to see him, but unfortunately, you are not yet of age. Even if you have feelings for him, there is not much you can do. It is better to go back and prepare well, so that when you see him next time, you will be the most beautiful mermaid in Tidal City."

This move is incredibly useful. After more than a hundred years of anticipation, the Dragon Lord finally has a lead, which has left the elders overjoyed. "Is this true? Where did you see the Dragon Lord?"

The elders were all taken aback, "Which Dragon Lord?"

Alo laughed softly and said, "How many Dragon Lords can there be? Isn't the Lord of the South Sea only the Great God of Jiuchuan? Could it be that the elders have forgotten him because the Dragon Lord has been away for too long?"

Yibo looked around in confusion and asked, "Are there monsters?"

But as soon as the words fell, a man's merciless blade struck. He gasped, his expression twisted in the firelight, "It is you. Ever since you came, my body has been deteriorating. If you haven't harmed me, then who has? I should have listened to their advice and gotten rid of you. It is only because of the past affection that I have waited until today. Now I can no longer save you. If I save you, I will die myself. I can only make you suffer."

They heard the man's beast-like howls, crying out in despair. Yibo tugged at A Luo's sleeve, "Let's go!" The final outcome was predictable; this man would not live much longer, as he was already gravely ill, and without the fox woman, he was doomed.

Two individuals were paddling in the water, observing as the people on the shore arrived at a house. A ring of fire dragons surrounded the dwelling, and at the entrance stood a figure in black, hands on hips, holding a fishing drum, striking it with a resounding thud, urging the people inside to come out

But how can one mouth speak louder than a hundred? The woman, with saliva flying from her mouth, tugged at the man's sleeve, "Tan Lang, please speak on my behalf. Ever since I entered your home, I have been tirelessly managing this household day and night, not daring to show even the slightest negligence. Now they refuse to accept me; do you want to watch me die?" Her plea was met with the man's unfamiliar gaze. She looked around, and the bright-eyed bird glared at her fiercely, causing her to tremble even more. She cried out in a shivering voice, "Tan Lang... for the sake of our marital bond..."

Yibo was so frightened that he cried, wanting to kneel but unable to due to his lack of legs, sobbing and pleading: "I promise I won't dare again next time, I beg the elder to spare me this time. I have returned safely and have not brought back any danger, please see clearly, elder."

Yibo was not interested at all, as he was too lazy to struggle, and was dragged a long way by her until he finally woke up after crashing into a dead tree

He was stunned, shattered the bowl, and sat on the ground in despair, tears streaming down his face, as if he could see her rolling up her sleeves and cutting her wrist. In fact, it was he who had always been supported by her suffering and the books. To prolong his life, she harmed herself every day. She let him drink her blood, while the inner elixir was in the medicinal bowl, deep in water and fire, her cultivation diminished by countless. After all, her beauty had never arisen because of him. Years ago, he saved her life in the storm, and in the end, that life was taken back by him, which could be considered even. She let him drink her blood, while the inner elixir was in the medicinal bowl, deep in water and fire, her cultivation diminished by countless. After all, her beauty had never arisen because of him. Years ago, he saved her life in the storm, and in the end, that life was taken back by him, which could be considered even.

Alois is quite instructive: "The world is full of warmth and coldness; there is nothing wrong with gaining some insight. Every day you only know that the sun rises, the sea is so blue, and you sit atop the coral weaving fish silk. Today you have woven three feet, which can be exchanged for a piece of gold leaf at the market... You do not understand the warmth and coldness of human relationships; it is only right that you will live your life as a fish."

Indeed, love that transcends racial boundaries often leads to unfavorable outcomes, and this is a living example. The two individuals swallowed hard as they witnessed the villagers building a bonfire and throwing the corpse of the fox into it. The flames roared and quickly consumed everything, and they consoled the man, "Now that the root of the disaster has been eliminated, you will gradually recover."

You are without parents and originally not from Chaocheng. It was out of pity that I took you in, yet you show no gratitude at all. You feel uncomfortable unless you create some trouble. Why is it that everyone else behaves themselves, but you are so unruly? Are you more capable than others, or is your mind sharper than theirs? Since you disregarded our orders and left, why have you returned? Is Chaocheng a place you can come and go as you please?

Of course, there will be more to come, but it is sorrowful. The man stood in front of the hut in a daze early in the morning, perhaps momentarily forgetting that the fox woman was no longer there. It took him a while to remember to brew the medicine. She used to prepare it and bring it to his bedside, but now, without someone to rely on, he could only depend on himself. He started a fire, creating swirling smoke that brought forth two streams of tears. After much effort, he finally brewed the medicine, but upon tasting it, he found the flavor was off. On the chopping board beside him lay a knife, with faint traces of blood on the blade. He hesitated, picked up the knife, and sniffed it; the scent was familiar. He started a fire, creating swirling smoke that brought forth two streams of tears. After much effort, he finally brewed the medicine, but upon tasting it, he found the flavor was off. On the chopping board beside him lay a knife, with faint traces of blood on the blade. He hesitated, picked up the knife, and sniffed it; the scent was familiar.

Both individuals were in a poor mood, sinking into the aquatic plants to rest, planning to wait until tomorrow morning to see if there would be any developments.

A Luo has always unconditionally supported her, "Xuan Ji's true form is that of a turtle, which is a lowly position. The future Madam of the South Sea will undoubtedly be you. I anticipate that she will be unconvinced, but that is of no concern; whether it is a mule or a horse..."

A-Luo and Yi-Bo did not leave, watching him let out a long sigh as he returned to the house and closed the door. Yi-Bo said, "This man is truly ruthless"