Chapter 430 - 429: Breathtaking

Chapter 430: Chapter 429: Breathtaking

The beam of incandescent white light, packed with highly concentrated energy, was the natural enemy of darkness. Wherever it passed, the thick gloom melted away like snow under a blazing sun, rapidly dissipating!

The beam pierced through the dissipating vortex of darkness and, without losing momentum, slammed viciously into Roger’s left shoulder!

"Argh!" Roger let out a grunt of pain and disbelief.

The leather armor on his shoulder was instantly pierced through, leaving a charred, black hole from which dark red blood quickly began to spread.

What horrified him even more was that the beam’s residual energy continued to sear his wound, faintly suppressing the turbulent Dark Energy inside him.

In that split second, Jiao Yin dove into the frigid seawater with Bai Wanwan in his arms. SPLASH! The spray was instantly swallowed by the surging waves.

Jiao Yin didn’t hesitate for a second. With a powerful sweep of his tail fin, he shot toward the depths of the ocean like an arrow loosed from a bow, holding Bai Wanwan tight.

"Bai Wanwan, get back here!"

On the shore, Roger clutched his agonizingly painful and bleeding shoulder, watching helplessly as the last ripple vanished from the water’s surface. He let out a bloodcurdling roar, filled with resentment and bitter indignation.

The roar echoed between the deserted shore and the cliff face, like the final cry of a wounded beast.

Everything he had so carefully orchestrated had been snatched away from him, right before his very eyes, by a merman who had appeared out of nowhere.

＊＊＊＊＊

Jiao Yin and Bai Wanwan sank into the cold, deep ocean like two swift streams of light.

Bai Wanwan was held tightly in his embrace, feeling the icy touch of the water as it rushed past her skin.

She instinctively held her breath, but a soft membrane of water seemed to emanate from Jiao Yin, enveloping her, protecting her from the pressure and providing her with oxygen.

The light grew hazy and dreamlike, and then the view before her eyes suddenly opened up!

It was a breathtaking sight.

Huge, vibrant coral reefs formed an undersea forest, their varied shapes glowing with a soft, fluorescent light.

Schools of small fish, shimmering with an otherworldly light, darted and weaved among the coral.

And in the center of the Coral Forest, a vast and magnificent palace stood in silence.

The palace wasn’t built of brick and stone, but from some kind of massive, transparent crystal. Like the purest quartz, it refracted the ever-changing light filtering down from the surface, creating a dazzling, magnificent display of shifting colors.

Around the palace, several beautiful Merfolk guards with human torsos and fish tails patrolled elegantly yet vigilantly, holding spears of gleaming white bone.

"It’s so beautiful here..." Bai Wanwan murmured, stunned by the sight and momentarily forgetting the danger she had just escaped.

Jiao Yin swam with her toward the palace entrance, his voice sounding beside her ear. "This is the Royal Palace of the Merfolk. It’s completely safe. You can rest here and not worry."

He looked down at her pale yet undeniably stunning face and added, "I’ll immediately arrange for a trustworthy merman to deliver a message about your location to your Beast Husbands."

Warmth spread through Bai Wanwan’s heart. She looked up at Jiao Yin’s god-like, handsome profile, her eyes filled with sincere gratitude. "Thank you, Luo Qing. Really... thank you so much for saving me."

Jiao Yin pursed his lips. "Actually... my name isn’t Luo Qing. My real name is Jiao Yin. I had to hide my identity from you before because I was looking for my mischievous little sister. I’m sorry."

"There’s nothing to be sorry for. You had your reasons, and you saved my life today."

Hearing her words, the corners of Jiao Yin’s lips curved upward slightly. "So... you don’t hate me anymore?"

"Mhm, I never hated you."

’Actually, after he left, I’d almost completely forgotten he even existed.’

’After all, with a house full of Beast Husbands and kids, my attention was completely occupied. I never had a chance to think about anything else.’

Jiao Yin was clearly pleased by her answer.

He personally led her to a spacious crystal room.

The room had a bed woven from soft seaweed and was lit by inlaid Luminous Pearls. Through the transparent walls, she could clearly see schools of fish swimming by and the dreamlike vista of the coral.

Soon, a lively and charming young mermaid burst in. She was Jiao Yin’s younger sister, Jiao Yue.

Jiao Yue had the same long, silver hair as her brother, but her tail was a lighter, powder blue, making her look like a sprightly little fish.

"It’s you!" Jiao Yue recognized her immediately, her pretty, round eyes sparkling.

She was absolutely delighted, swimming in excited circles around Bai Wanwan.

Bai Wanwan watched her powder-blue tail, fighting the urge to reach out and touch it.

’It’s just too beautiful!’

"Sister Wanwan! I’ll take you out to have some fun! The ocean floor is amazing!"

Without waiting for an answer, Jiao Yue grabbed Bai Wanwan’s hand and started to pull her away.

"Go on. It’s safe here." Jiao Yin stood smiling behind the two of them, watching as they darted through the enormous palace.

Jiao Yue took Bai Wanwan to a garden of glowing jellyfish, to a workshop where the Merfolk wove Jue Sha, and to listen to ancient songs recorded in conch shells.

Jiao Yue even brought out her personal collection of Jue Sha Skirts in every color and style, piling them in front of Bai Wanwan. "Sister Wanwan, try them on! These are from my personal collection. They’re way prettier than the ones you find elsewhere!"

Perhaps it was Jiao Yue’s innocent charm, but her joyful mood was finally infectious, easing the tension that had been building in Bai Wanwan for days.

At Jiao Yue’s urging, she changed into a light, flowing Jue Sha Skirt. It billowed around her in the water like swirling mist, making Bai Wanwan’s skin seem fairer than snow and giving her an ethereal beauty.

"Wow! Sister Wanwan, you look so beautiful! You’re even prettier than Jiao Lan!"

"Jiao Lan?"

Jiao Yue nodded. "She’s the most beautiful female of our Merfolk clan, but I think you’re absolutely gorgeous too, Sister Wanwan!"

As she spoke, Jiao Yue swam in circles around Bai Wanwan, her eyes filled with admiration.

Over the next two days, Jiao Yin was busy with clan affairs, but he would occasionally pass by the area where the two were playing.

He would see Bai Wanwan in a Jue Sha Skirt, playing alongside Jiao Yue. A relaxed, almost mischievous smile had returned to her face. When he saw this, a gentle smile he himself wasn’t even aware of would surface in his deep, ocean-like eyes.

Jiao Yue was a lively, adorable girl. In just two days, she had already introduced Bai Wanwan to several other beautiful mermaids.

They pulled Bai Wanwan into a spin with them, their Jue Sha Skirts fanning out like blooming flowers in the water.

But she was clearly not as agile as the other mermaids. Losing her balance, she slipped and began to fall.

Jiao Yin appeared at her side in an instant, his hands steadily catching her by the waist.

"Are you all right?" He let out a sigh of relief. His warm palm rested on her waist, and he could feel how slender and delicate she was.

Bai Wanwan looked up into his deep, captivating eyes, which were filled with concern for her.

’His face is just too captivating.’

Bai Wanwan was momentarily dazed. She quickly came to her senses, using his arm to steady herself before putting some distance between them. "Thank you, I’m fine."