Chapter 2

The dragon still brandished its claws. If what she said is true, then a powerless merman can enter the Cold River, which indicates that the barrier outside has been breached, and its freedom is imminent. Upon this thought, the dragon could not help but feel great joy. However, suddenly looking back, emptiness and melancholy poured forth. "I have been trapped for over a hundred years, and very few aquatic beings come here; it is truly rare to see a living one."

It did not speak further, waiting for her to crack open the oyster, then opened its mouth wide to swallow it down, remaining silent for a long while. "In fact, it is not a significant matter; it was merely a misdirection of the rain, causing the Eastern land to suffer a complete loss..." After a moment of thought, fearing a loss of face, it added, "I am a dragon, full of righteousness; when a mistake is made, one should take responsibility. It is remarkable to close oneself off for one hundred and eighty years, to atone for one's sins, and upon emerging, one is a true hero again"

Yibo gestured with her hands a couple of times, but the other party looked bewildered, and she could not explain it either

She tightened the silk in her hand, anxiously reaching out to touch its hind paw. The dragon scales around the wound had worn away, and the damaged area showed signs of necrosis, which needed to be cleaned up

Yibo hurriedly explained: "I did not instruct..." timidly pointing upwards, indicating that she happened to pass by, and it was possible that the adult inadvertently gestured with their esteemed posterior, causing her to be swept down.

Yibo smiled, stood up to adjust the gauze, and pulled one end over, still not daring to come closer. She stopped three steps away, timidly pointed, "The wound..."

Her playful gestures were of no concern, stirring up layers of waves beneath the water. Unable to maintain her balance, she was swept away by the current several zhang, landing solidly at the foot of the cliff.

Regardless of whether they are gods or demons, they are utterly defenseless against such blatant and unrestrained flattery. The vocabulary is simple, yet the dragon understood it immediately, shaking its head and tail in delight. "Do you wish to follow me? I am the Lord of the South Sea, but for a moment of carelessness, the dragon finds itself trapped in shallow waters... Well, once I emerge from my seclusion, I will promote A Jiao to be my protector. I can take you on journeys everywhere, allowing you to bask in glory. What do you think?"

Long glanced at her, unmoved, and questioned her in a voice like thunder: "How did you get in? Who instructed you?"

Who dares to intrude into the cold river!

As the waves receded two zhang, I bowed respectfully, only wishing to leave as soon as possible, having no intention of becoming its subordinate. Fortunately, it did not cling to me, instead smacking its lips and saying: "Having eaten and drunk enough, it is time for a nap. You may return, come again tomorrow, and if you serve me well, I will promote you greatly." Suddenly recalling that this merman was essentially half-mute, I shook my head in disappointment, saying, "You should still learn to speak; otherwise, how can you serve me? Also, regarding today's matter, you must not speak of it to outsiders. If word gets out..." It glanced at her fish tail, snorted disdainfully, "I know your origins; when the time comes, I will scrape off your oil to light my lamps, remember that?"

Aquatic creatures cannot survive without water, but if there are wounds on the body, prolonged immersion in seawater can lead to adverse effects. Since the shark silk does not get wet when submerged, it is perfectly suitable for preventing contact between flesh and water. She carefully considered how long it would take to wrap around such thick legs twice.

The waves weave with focused intent, the exquisite light swirling at the fingertips, gathering and compressing in the rise and fall, the finished product gently unfurling, transforming into mist. After weaving for a long time, a glance back reveals that the massive body has inexplicably diminished in size, and strangely, the dark iron pillar has also transformed to an ordinary size along with it.

The power of the dragon's roar is not diminished by the constraints of its body. With its mouth wide open and fangs bared, it lets out a roar at the tiny merman below, whose size is comparable to that of an ant. The merman's long hair, resembling seaweed, is shaken by the sound waves, as if caught in a fierce wind, flying back dramatically. This mermaness, being overly timid, immediately crouches down on the ground. The azure dragon, feeling quite satisfied, ceases its roar, licks its lips, and believes that its might remains undiminished from its prime.

The Azure Dragon let out a satisfied sound, closed its eyelids, and fell silent.

Yibo was so frightened that he fell to the ground, thinking that it was all over for him. Fortunately, he calmed down and said to continue. However, this so-called continuation was essentially carried out under his threat; as soon as he slightly shifted his gaze, he would see a ferocious head looming above, occasionally lowering itself and approaching, opening its mouth in a gesture of swallowing.

Yibo struggled to crawl back, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, and brought forth all the flattering words he could think of, "Beautiful, like a jade tree standing in the wind... the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people, the sea water surging back." He smiled obsequiously, emphasizing, "Beautiful."

Long fell silent, surprised by her actions. The mermaids are the most beautiful beings beyond the South China Sea, mysterious and enchanting by nature. They are said to be human, possessing fish tails; yet, they are also fish, endowed with human-like emotions and thoughts. Having seen them often before, it was not unusual, but in this situation, the presence of a mermaid weaving silk was indeed somewhat bizarre

Yibo is filled with trepidation and fear, rubbing his hands and saying he does not dare, "Little Jiao remembers this."

The Canglong furrowed his brows at her, "It couldn't be more perfect, saving us from the noise."

Yibo was so frightened that his liver and gallbladder split, trembling as he cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, "Yibo, the merman of Chaocheng, has mistakenly entered... Please, Dragon Lord, quell your anger"

She sat on the platform, found a suitable stone to split open the sea cucumber, cleaned out the innards, and tossed it into the mouth of Long Da Zhang. It seemed that Long had not encountered someone to talk to for quite some time, and he became a bit chatty: "You must be very curious as to why I am locked up here"

Yibonuono agreed, feeling that the task was quite daunting. How much food would it take to satisfy such a large dragon! She swam slowly along the bottom of the ditch, catching a few sea cucumbers and picking up a few oysters. When she presented them to the Azure Dragon, she felt a bit ashamed, as fish and shrimp were rare here, and she could only ask for its understanding.

Yibo looked at it with confusion, feeling that this dragon was truly strange. It claimed to be the Lord of the South Sea, but isn't the sea lord the city-guarding dragon king? It was indeed difficult to associate its fallen state with the glorious sea lord. Did it think she had never seen the Great God of the Nine Rivers? Clearly, it was boasting and intentionally trying to deceive her

The dragon is extremely intelligent, and has likely sensed her intentions, feeling both touched and somewhat melancholic. It rests one claw on its chin and turns its head to gaze into the distance, reminiscing about the days of its former glory and dominance; now, it is accompanied only by a small mermaid, a situation both pitiable and lamentable

It is indeed a dragon with a sense of responsibility, yet its body is covered in moss, indicating that its situation is evidently more awkward than described. Yibo said little, smashing open the last oyster to feed it. The dragon's tail gently swept, stirring up a fishy sweetness, reminiscent of the scent of blood. Yibo sniffed and followed the scent to investigate, discovering that beneath the entwined body, one foot was resting on an iron ring, with the skin between the toes and the pillar scraped raw, the wound already festering and decaying.

The dragon ignored her, turning its face away, its whiskers swirling with the waves, just like its thoughts.

She swam over, holding her fingertips and murmuring: "The Dragon Lord is injured"

Yibo hurriedly bandaged it properly and tied a knot. Because there was a buffer between the wound and the pillar, the pain lessened, and Long felt quite good, his mood greatly improved. "Having the insight and understanding of the situation, you are indeed suitable to be my servant."

Dragons are very proud, and Yibo understands this. She did not speak, stepping aside to begin capturing the shimmering lights in the deep sea. The merfolk possess a unique ability; what appears as an elusive glimmer to others can take on a tangible form at their fingertips, weaving intricate patterns and threads, and then using their hands as a loom to weave water into gossamer fabric

She steeled herself and approached, keeping a watchful eye on it. Those sea cucumbers and oysters from earlier surely wouldn't fill her stomach. As long as she kept her distance, it posed no threat, but what if she got too close and it decided to eat her?

Even while trapped in a cage, one still pays attention to appearances, and the mindset is quite good. Yibo swallowed her fear and struggled to observe it; in order to let her see clearly, it leaned down and shook its head from side to side, even baring its teeth.

It turns out that behind the fierce demeanor lies such a tragic side. The merman's compassion makes it seem less detestable and rather pitiable. The dragon, born with spiritual power, roams the seas, able to command the winds and rains, is now imprisoned, evoking a sense of melancholy akin to a hero's downfall. She then realized that the chains were bound with great skill; they were not too tight, but the base of the pillar was lined with blades, and it could only coil its body tightly to find a point of leverage to avoid falling. To endure this for over a hundred years without slackening, what a torment it must be? She then discovered that the chains were bound with great skill; they were not too tight, but the base of the pillar was lined with blades, and it could only coil its body tightly to find a point of leverage to avoid falling. To endure this for over a hundred years without slackening, what a torment it must be?

It tilted its head and asked her, "What are you doing?"

The dragon suddenly realized that the person in front of him had vanished, and he flew into a rage, "Where have the mermen gone?"

Yibo was taken aback and quickly forced a smile, "The little mermaid has no legs"

She spread her five fingers, her nails swelling, thin as a blade. The merman is a race with little combat power, and the only weapon they possess is this, usually hidden beneath the skin, revealed only when self-defense is necessary. Her gestures were gentle as she cut through the rotting flesh; at first, everything was fine, but suddenly the dragon's body convulsed, likely due to the pain, and it roared in anger, its mouth wide open, revealing even the undulating upper jaw clearly.

A dragon that has lost its freedom must be guilty of heinous crimes, and no one knows what it will do next. Yibo feared for her life and planned to find an opportunity to escape. When she raised her eyes to glance at it, she was immediately struck with terror; the azure dragon's eyes, as large as lanterns, regarded her with confusion, and each blink sent waves of unease through her. Her fish fins trembled lightly, and in an effort to please, she bowed sincerely, "Little Jiao... I will find food for the Dragon Lord."

The language aptitude of the merfolk is not high; they convey messages through sound waves of varying lengths, and at one time, some believed they were mute. However, since they can sing, how could they possibly be mute? Among the various realms, human speech is the official language, and they simply lack proficiency in it. Nevertheless, when they initially infiltrated the Yunmeng Marsh in search of the Dragon Lord, they encountered the noble gathering of the Five Lakes Night Banquet. She and A Luo hid beneath the water pavilion to eavesdrop, learning a few phrases, yet it was evident that they still lacked the ability for fluent conversation.

She did not dare to provoke it and subtly expressed, "Little Jiao... will not speak."

The dragon's gaze was hazy; although its face was fierce, its attention was not on her, and its imposing aura seemed to have diminished. Yibo let out a sigh of relief, just as she was about to take her leave, the dragon lazily raised its paw to brush its green mane, "Ah, this cursed place, lacking everything, it is truly vexing... You take a look at my complexion for me, is my horn and crest tidy? Is my beard looking majestic?"

It was taken aback for a moment and casually remarked: "It's just a minor injury, not worth mentioning."

Long disdainfully averted his gaze, saying, "If you want legs, it's not difficult; just take a knife and cut them open." Seeing her stunned and speechless, he became delighted and laughed heartily, "I am hungry; go find something to eat. Do not wander far; you may only leave with my permission."

She weaves gauze very quickly. Gauze is something that is hard to come by, so rare and extraordinary, that with just light and water, one can weave a soft fabric as white as frost, which can be made into garments that repel water. She weaves gauze to wrap it, but the very phrase "wrap it" has left her entangled in expression for quite some time.

Yibo nodded, indeed surprised

She stopped in surprise, the dragon stood tall while the donkey remained unmoved, raising its head arrogantly, "Look quickly, I can be both large and small, am I not immensely powerful? Even the shackles that restrain me are not ordinary items, which shows my might. Do you recognize this divine treasure? As long as I recite its name, it will transform according to my shape, indeed a fine treasure." Seeing the foolish fish with its big, vacant eyes, it seemed still not to understand. Since it was idle anyway, it patiently told her, "As long as I recite its name, it will transform according to my shape, indeed a fine treasure." Looking at the foolish fish with its big, vacant eyes, it seemed still not to understand. Since it was idle anyway, it patiently told her, "The ancient deities left behind two treasures, the Pillar of White Jade that Supports the Sky and the Purple Gold Beam that Bridges the Sea; this iron pillar is the Purple Gold Beam. When Da Yu controlled the floods, he used it to measure the depths of rivers and seas, and after his success, to prevent the merging of heaven and earth, he placed this divine treasure at the bottom of the sea. There is a saying among people, that a good horse deserves a good saddle; my divine powers are unparalleled, and without this divine treasure, I cannot be restrained at all." It spoke with great fervor, but the fish maiden showed no sign of empathy, and it grew a bit impatient, turning away and saying, "The fish people only know how to weave and cry, you simply do not understand such advanced artifacts of the divine realm."