Chapter 68: The Mermaid King accidentally slipped up.

If dragons were the rulers of the sky, then merfolk were the rulers of the ocean.

Like the Dragon King, the Mermaid Queen Shurotis possessed the privilege of entering and leaving the Elven Kingdom freely.

However, Shurotis lived in seclusion and rarely left Mermaid Island. It had been a thousand years since she had last set foot within the Elven Kingdom.

Today, for the sake of the two mermaid cubs poached by pirates and a necromancer, she made an unprecedented departure from Mermaid Island and personally led her people to the Elven Kingdom to visit the Elven King.

However, merfolk were creatures of the water and did not much care for going ashore. Consequently, she and her people remained in the waters near the Amitai Mountains on the outskirts of the Elven Kingdom. Using magic, they sent a message to the Elves guarding the border to announce her arrival.

Since the ruler of an entire people had come to visit, the Elves naturally had to receive her with due ceremony.

The Elven King and a hundred Elves rode unicorns toward the waters of the Amitai Mountains. Harmon came along for the excitement as well. Once outside Crystal Castle, he assumed his true form on the vast open ground.

The enormous silver dragon looked exceptionally imposing, making the unicorns and Elves seem remarkably small by comparison. The Little Fairies who had received permission to climb onto his back looked tinier still, like insects.

Thanks to the Little Fairies, Aisha and Siet had the rare honor of riding on the Dragon King’s back.

It was an unprecedented and fascinating experience. Once they returned, they could compose a song about it and pass it down through the generations.

The young dragon and the two little mermaids climbed onto the Dragon King’s back as well.

The little mermaids swished their tails curiously. Their bubble-like spheres of water rolled around like pearls across the dragon’s broad back, which was as spacious as a plaza.

Worried that the little ones might roll off, Aisha marked out a safe area and used magic to create a protective wall of air.

The Elven King took off first on his unicorn, with the other Elves following behind. The silver dragon waited until they had flown some distance before spreading his enormous wings. With one gentle beat, he soared into the air and shot toward the sky in an instant, rising level with the white clouds.

“Wow!”

“Wooooow!”

The cubs on the dragon’s back shrieked with excitement.

They had never been so close to the clouds before. Thrilled by the novelty of it, they all raised their hands in unison.

So the strangely shaped clouds in the sky could be seen but not touched, and scattered as soon as a giant dragon charged through them!

Although Shu Li knew how white clouds formed and had previously seen a sea of clouds in the stratosphere from an airplane, he had only been able to look at them through a window. It was nothing like coming into such close contact with them now.

The clouds dispersed into wisps of mist that drifted past him.

The unicorns could not fly as high as the dragon.

Shu Li went to the edge of the protective wall of air and cautiously peered down. Hundreds of meters below, more than a hundred snow-white unicorns flew on outstretched wings, the powerful wind whipping the Elves’ flowing robes behind them.

The unicorns were fast, but the dragon was even faster.

They flew south the entire way, and before long, they could see the sprawling Amitai Mountains in the distance.

The Amitai Mountains were the largest mountain range in the Elven Kingdom. Their eastern reaches bordered the Faerie Forest, while the range extended westward along the coastline, forming a natural defensive barrier that had stood immovable for ten thousand years.

It was an ancient, primeval mountain range inhabited by many rare magical beasts and plants. Its most famous feature was the cluster of hot springs halfway up the mountains.

Every year during the Midsummer Festival, the Elves and Fairies went there to bathe in the hot springs.

The first time Shu Li had gone, he had nearly passed out from soaking too long.

Bathing in a hot spring was simply blissful. Afterward, his entire body felt refreshed, all his fatigue vanished, and his energy and spirits improved dramatically. He would go to sleep that night utterly relaxed and sleep wonderfully well.

The dragon flew over the Amitai Mountains and reached the location specified in the Mermaid Queen’s message.

He slowed down, searched for a suitable place to land, and spiraled downward.

As the dragon drew closer to the ground, his broad wings stirred up fierce whirlwinds. The trees near the beach swayed violently, while towering waves surged across the sea and crashed forcefully against the rocks.

Suddenly, a clear, melodious voice chanted an incantation, and the churning sea miraculously became calm again.

The dragon folded his wings and landed steadily, his powerful legs sinking into the soft sand. His long silver tail came to rest against the ground, becoming one enormous “slide.”

Aisha removed the protective wall of air. The Little Fairies chattered excitedly as they lined up in an orderly fashion and slid down the dragon’s tail.

“Wahahaha!”

“This is so much fun!”

“Too fast! Move, everyone in front—ahhh! We’re going to crash!”

“Oh, sorry!”

The Little Fairies had the time of their lives. One after another, they slid down, spreading their wings and taking flight just before they could plunge headfirst into the sand.

The little mermaids impatiently swished their tails, making their water bubbles roll forward.

Seeing how anxious they were, Aisha gave them a helping hand. In an instant, the water bubbles began rolling down the dragon’s tail.

“Meew—meew!”

The two water bubbles rolled faster and faster. Hearing the noise, the Little Fairies who were still sliding looked back and jumped in fright, urging those ahead to hurry because the bubbles were about to crash into them!

The young dragon waited until all the Little Fairies and little mermaids had gotten down. Only then did she turn around, wrap herself around her brother’s tail, and slowly slide down with a soft, slithering sound.

The silver dragon found his sister far too slow. With a flick of his tail, he sent the young dragon flying into the sky.

“Roar, roar, rooooar!”

The young dragon cried out in alarm.

The next moment, the silver dragon’s agile tail coiled around her, swung her back and forth a few times, then gently set her on the ground.

“Rrrrrowl...” The dizzy young dragon sat on the beach and voiced her displeasure at the enormous silver dragon.

Bad brother!

All he ever did was bully her!

Once all the cubs were on the ground, Aisha and Siet did not dare remain on the Dragon King’s back. They spread their wings and swiftly flew away.

Only after every creature on his back had disembarked did the silver dragon leisurely transform into human form.

Shu Li rubbed his eyes.

Every time he watched a giant dragon transform, he found it utterly fascinating. How could such an enormous skeleton compress itself into a human body only six-foot-three tall?

Even more baffling was the fact that after transforming into human form, the dragon was not running around naked. He was even wearing clothes!

Science could not explain this at all. Magic truly was incredible.

Harmon stood on a rock facing the sea.

A moment ago, someone had chanted an incantation and instantly calmed the raging waves. Yet when he looked out over the sea now, there was no one in sight.

Flap, flap, flap—

The sound of beating wings came from the sky.

The Elven King and the other Elves arrived at the coast a little later on their unicorns.

Once all the unicorns had landed, the Little Fairies beat their wings and flew over cheerfully.

The Elves elegantly dismounted from their unicorns and walked across the soft beach toward the sea, stopping three feet from the waves.

The Little Fairies flew neatly beside them. With Aisha and Siet at the head, they spontaneously arranged themselves into formation and waited solemnly.

Harmon stood on the other side with the young dragon and the two little mermaids.

The little mermaids looked around anxiously. When they {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} could not see any sign of their people, their soft, pale faces filled with worry.

“Meew...”

They released sound waves that only merfolk could understand.

Shu Li twitched his ears and stared curiously at the calm surface of the sea.

Hadn’t they said that the Mermaid Queen and her people had arrived? Why was there no sign of them at all?

Could they have come to the wrong place? The Amitai Mountains did have an extremely long coastline, after all.

As he was thinking, the seawater suddenly began to surge.

Shu Li immediately pulled back his wandering thoughts. His pale green eyes widened as he stared intently at the sea.

Slowly, dozens of heads emerged from the surface one after another.

Shu Li’s pupils contracted slightly.

To be honest, the sight was a little terrifying.

If he had been the only Little Fairy there, his hair probably would have stood on end.

“Meew, meew!”

The two little mermaids became excited. They swished their tails constantly inside their water bubbles, struggling to float toward the sea.

At the sound of their cries, the numerous heads on the water turned in unison. A moment later, water splashed everywhere as dozens of merfolk burst from the sea.

Merfolk were beautiful creatures whose looks were in no way inferior to those of Elves.

The moment their bodies emerged fully from the water, the sight was breathtaking.

At their head was a female mermaid with long, wavy purple hair, exquisitely refined features, and snow-white skin. She wore a gauzy dress that remained dry despite being in the water. Her body below the waist was submerged, but the outline of an enormous purple tail could be faintly seen.

Her eyes shone with wisdom. Facing the Elven King, she raised her right hand to her chest and bowed gracefully.

“Honorable Lord Estel, it has been far too long.”

The Elven King returned her greeting and smiled. “Welcome, Shurotis.”

The Mermaid Queen lowered her hand and swam several yards forward. The moment her tail touched the sand, it transformed into two human legs. Her gauzy skirt fell straight to her ankles, and she stepped onto the beach with a light, graceful stride.

Her people followed suit, transforming their tails into legs and walking close behind her.

“Meew!”

Overjoyed at seeing their people, the two little mermaids stretched out their arms toward them. Unfortunately, their water bubbles moved too slowly and limited their speed.

Shurotis looked at the little mermaids, emotion stirring in her eyes. She softly chanted an incantation, and their water bubbles immediately flew to her.

The bubbles vanished, and the two little mermaids threw themselves into her arms. Clutching her clothing, they rubbed against her with all their might as tears streamed down their cheeks. They cried “meew, meew” without pause, pouring out the horrors they had suffered after being abducted by the necromancer.

Shurotis held a little mermaid in each arm, her expression tender and loving. She let them cry as much as they needed, occasionally murmuring a few comforting words and gently patting their backs. There was not the slightest trace of a queen’s aloofness about her. She was extraordinarily gentle.

Amanda, the young dragon, watched enviously, the tip of her tail drawing a cross in the sand.

Why hadn’t her brother kissed her, hugged her, and cuddled her the moment he saw her?

Not only had he spanked her, he had even given her a scolding.

Other people’s cubs were so lucky!

Sensing his sister’s resentment, Harmon reached out to pat her head, then tugged one of the hard horns on her head.

She should think about how old she was and how old they were. Could they even be compared?

An eight-year-old dragon ought to possess enough judgment to know better, yet she had allowed a disguised Dark Elf to lure her away from Dragon Island over a single fish.

Not everyone who could speak the dragon language was a good person.

She had been lucky this time and was rescued by the Elven King. If she did something so foolish again, who knew where she might be sold? She might become a human’s mount, or she might be locked in a cage and sacrificed in a beast-fighting arena.

After her brother tugged her horn, the young dragon drooped dejectedly. The tip of her tail drew another enormous cross in the sand.

Meanwhile, the little mermaids finally finished telling their story, and Shurotis handed them to the merfolk behind her.

After tidying the clothing they had rumpled, she once again raised her right hand and bowed respectfully to the Elven King.

“Lord Estel, my people and I will remember your kindness forever. In the future, you need only give the word, and all merfolk will brave any danger on your behalf.”

The Elven King said gently, “The one who truly saved the cubs was Sperien of the Fairy Clan.”

Hearing his own name without warning, Shu Li jolted, looking bewildered.

Shurotis turned her head and looked at the tiny figure flying beside the Elves.

Aisha and Siet reacted swiftly. They first bowed to the Mermaid Queen, then pulled Shu Li out of the formation.

“Honored Shurotis, this is Sperien of our clan,” Aisha introduced him.

In an instant, Shu Li became the focus of everyone’s attention.

He grew nervous and did not quite know what to do. Under the beautiful Mermaid Queen’s gaze, he felt that he ought to say something. After racking his brain, he greeted her in his clumsy mermaid language.

“Greetings... Honored Shuglot. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

Shurotis: “...”