Mermen were social creatures, but jiaoren were different. They each occupied their own territory in the sea, and if they encountered another of their kind, they would only drive them away.
Of course, the opposite sex was an exception.
Sheldon felt that no matter how powerful Ning Busan was, he certainly wouldn't be able to defeat an adult jiaoren, let alone fight for territory.
So Sheldon said, “Ning Busan, why don't you come back to the merfolk tribe with me?”
“My parents have always wanted me to stay at home. I tried to persuade them to have a younger brother or sister for me, but they refused. If I dump you on them to raise, I can go out and play with Boss!”
Ning Busan's lips twitched. “How incredibly filial of you!”
Echidna extended a tentacle and placed the two of them on his head. “I will take you back to the deep sea.”
Ning Busan looked at Sheldon with a strange expression. “Is this how you two usually interact?”
Sheldon asked back, “Is there a problem?”
“...No problem.”
On the surface, Ning Busan was incredibly calm, but in his heart, he was screaming with complaints.
Did you find yourself a boss, or did you find yourself a mount?
And did he take in a lackey, or did he adopt an ancestor?”
Echidna guessed what Ning Busan was thinking and said in a low voice, “There is a special existence in the deep sea who likes to slaughter large sea monsters.”
“I encountered him once. Before I could even get a clear look at his appearance, all ninety-nine of my tentacles were severed by him, leaving me with only a head.”
“Sheldon brought my head back, which gave me a place to slowly heal. Otherwise, I would have been devoured by other fierce sea monsters.”
Ning Busan shuddered. “So there's a psychopathic fish-slayer in the deep sea?”
To leave a Deep Sea Lord-level sea monster completely defenseless, just how strong must that psychopathic fish-slayer be?
The deep sea was indeed terrifyingly formidable!
Ning Busan decided he couldn't stay in the deep sea for too long. Once his goal was achieved, he would return to the continent immediately.
Thus, Ning Busan began to ask around, “Have you heard of Atlantis?”
Sheldon said, “Atlantis is the temple of the Sea God. After the Sea God fell into a slumber, it sank into the Realm of Eternal Night in the deep sea, becoming a legend.”
“Ah?” Ning Busan asked. “Did you just say... the Sea God fell asleep?”
Sheldon said, “The Siren Clan has two major factions. One side believes the Sea God is merely sleeping, while the other believes the Sea God has already perished.”
“In any case, we of the merfolk tribe have always firmly believed that the Sea God is only sleeping. In truth, he is still protecting the deep sea.”
Ning Busan asked, “Then do you know where the Realm of Eternal Night is?”
Sheldon shook his head. “I don't know.”
Echidna suddenly spoke up, “I advise you not to set your sights on Atlantis.”
Seeing his intentions exposed, Ning Busan did not panic at all. He asked back, “Do you know something?”
Echidna said, “There are many powerful sea monsters who covet Atlantis, but you are just a tiny pup. You don't even have the right to covet it.”
Ning Busan laughed. “I was just asking. I didn't plan on going in to steal anything.”
How could it be called stealing when it concerned his own people?
That was called taking!
Echidna dropped them off near the merfolk tribe's settlement and went no further.
Because in the food chain of the deep sea, mermen would instinctively fear him.
Sheldon led Ning Busan forward, swimming and saying cheerfully, “See that pile of reefs ahead? Beneath that is the gathering place of our merfolk tribe!”
The moonlight was like a veil, gently casting over the shimmering surface of the sea.
A mermaid sat on the reef, her fishtail a shimmering silver.
The moonlight outlined her perfect profile—a high nose bridge, a slightly upturned corner of her lips. Every detail seemed like the most exquisite masterpiece of the heavens.
That beauty made even the moonlight pale in comparison, reducing the entire deep sea to her backdrop.
Just as Ning Busan and Sheldon approached the reef, the silver mermaid gently flicked her tail and silently dove into the deep sea, leaving behind only a trail of crystal-clear bubbles.
Ning Busan asked curiously, “Who is she?”
Sheldon said, “Her name is Lilian. She is the Bride of the Sea God.”
Ning Busan's lips twitched. “What on earth? The Sea God has a bride?”
Sheldon explained, “Every thousand years, our merfolk tribe selects the most beautiful mermaid. She will remain unmarried for life, existing solely to serve the Sea God. Thus, she is called the Bride of the Sea God.”
Ning Busan frowned. “Isn't the Sea God asleep? What if she falls in love with someone in the future? Wouldn't that ruin her prospects for happiness?”
“No. The merfolk who participate in the selection do so voluntarily. They have long been prepared to dedicate themselves to the Sea God.” Sheldon lowered his voice. “Besides, Lilian was always very eerie to begin with.”
“How so?”
Sheldon said, “Her beauty makes her highly watched within the merfolk tribe, but she is also a source of a curse that everyone avoids like the plague.”
“Not long after Lilian was born, her parents died in a hunting accident. After that, every family that adopted her suffered a violent death. Those who targeted her would die for no reason, but her friends likewise met with misfortune one after another.”
“As long as someone tries to get close to her, whether with good or ill intent, misfortune will follow them like a shadow.”
After hearing this, Ning Busan whispered, “Then why did you choose her to be the Bride of the Sea God? What if the Sea God is also afraid of being jinxed to death?”
Sheldon fell silent.
It was the first time anyone had asked such a question.
“You worry too much. The Sea God is omnipotent.” Sheldon quickly changed the subject. “Our tribe is here!”
The merfolk tribe was surrounded by colorful coral reefs, with houses constructed from giant scallops and conch shells.
Sheldon enthusiastically greeted every merman he met and introduced Ning Busan to them.
As Ning Busan could attest, Sheldon was a purely, naturally social butterfly of a merman.
Finally, Sheldon stopped in front of a shell house crowded with merfolk and shouted, “Mother, I'm back!”
Ning Busan asked curiously, “What are they crowding around here for?”
“Make way, make way!” Sheldon pulled Ning Busan and squeezed inside, saying proudly,
“My mother, Osha, is the prophet of the merfolk tribe. No matter what she divines, she is always extremely accurate. That's why everyone comes to my mother whenever they face a difficult problem.”
Sitting inside the shell house was a mermaid who looked similar to Sheldon. In front of her lay a crystal ball, with mist slowly flowing inside the sphere.
With a brilliant smile on his face, Sheldon said, “Mother, I brought a new friend home as a guest. Why don't you do a divination for him too?”
“You brat, you actually remembered to come back!” Osha gave Sheldon an annoyed glare, then looked at Ning Busan and asked in a gentle tone, “What would you like to divine?”
Ning Busan waved his hand. “No need. I don't do divinations.”
The God of Light had obscured his destiny. No matter what kind of divination technique was used, it would not work on him; only an existence on the level of the Book of Sages could peer into his fate.
He didn't want to ruin Osha's reputation.
Rate on N.U.
