The two of them stood by the sea, their eyes filled with confusion. The air temperature wasn't cold at all, but the water of the Sea of Despair was incredibly cold; it was too bizarre. Logically, water this cold should have been emitting a chill, if not freezing entirely and even forming ice. Yet, on the surface, there was no visible sign of anything unusual. It was indeed treacherously deceptive. If anyone were to accidentally fall into the sea, they would undoubtedly freeze to death.
Indeed. The giant python hadn't been wrong: the Sea of Despair was not simple, and one could not be fooled by appearances.
"Boss, we're so lucky! We found a large, withered tree!"
A short while later, Fatty came running over excitedly, carrying a section of a log, with the Wolf King following beside him. The log was as thick as two water buckets and five meters long—just right for making a dugout canoe.
Lu Hong's shapely eyebrows furrowed. She looked at Qin Feiyang and said decisively, "We can't use a dugout canoe. We must build a proper boat." A dugout canoe was too small; if it encountered wind and waves, it would definitely capsize. If Qin Feiyang fell into the sea, he would undoubtedly die! Even if he could take refuge in the ancient castle, he couldn't hide there forever.
"Why not use a dugout canoe now?" Fatty and the Wolf King asked, confused.
Lu Hong said gravely, "Go touch the seawater, and you'll understand."
Fatty put down the log. He glanced at the two of them skeptically, then walked to the water's edge, dipped his hand in, and snatched it back almost instantly. His plump face, usually gleaming, was now etched with shock.
"How can this be?" The Wolf King was also utterly astonished.
"Move aside, all of you," Qin Feiyang ordered in a low voice. He picked up the log and, with a THUD, hurled it into the sea.
Immediately, under their horrified gazes, the log unexpectedly began to sink rapidly toward the seabed. The hearts of the three humans and one wolf plummeted with it. The log was already withered and dry; it should have floated easily. Yet, it sank. This was enough to prove that neither building a proper boat nor a dugout canoe would work.
Qin Feiyang sighed. "Now I finally understand why this place is called the Sea of Despair." If even wood couldn't float, how could it not drive one to despair?
"That bastard Wang Hong! He's just sending us here to die!" Fatty cursed furiously. With their current abilities, it was impossible for them to cross this vast ocean.
The Wolf King said, "Why don't we just return to Yan Province for now? We can come back once we've cultivated to the War Emperor realm."
Qin Feiyang's expression turned grim. He pondered for a moment. I understand now. Wang Hong probably worried that once I saw how terrifying the Sea of Despair truly is, I wouldn't go to the state office. That's why he used Yan Nanshan to coerce me.
He turned to the Wolf King and said, "Go talk to the ferocious beasts in the mountain range. See if any of them are willing to give us passage; we're prepared to pay any price."
The Wolf King turned and ran towards the mountain range behind them. A full hour passed before the Wolf King returned, shaking his head at Qin Feiyang.
"Not even Ferocious Beasts at the War Emperor realm dare to go. Boss, Brother Wolf is right. We should return to Yan Province first and come back when we reach the War Emperor realm," Fatty urged, glancing fearfully at the Sea of Despair. "With your talent, cultivating to the War Emperor realm definitely won't take you five years."
"Let's split up and search first. If there's truly no other way, we'll return to Yan Province," Qin Feiyang said. "Lu Hong, you'll come with me. Everyone meet back here before dark." With that, he set off with Lu Hong, running along the coast to the left. The Wolf King and Fatty headed along the coast to the right, searching as they went.
Their journey along the coast was surprisingly calm; they didn't encounter any hint of danger. After a little less than an hour, a steep cliff loomed before Qin Feiyang and Lu Hong, blocking their path.
"Wait here for me. I'll go up and take a look," Qin Feiyang instructed. With a few leaps, he landed on a vantage point and scanned the area ahead. His gaze swept over more mountain ranges, beaches, and the vast ocean.
Qin Feiyang frowned. Is there really no way?
Just as he was about to retract his gaze, he suddenly seemed to notice something and looked towards a specific spot in the sea ahead. A closer look revealed it was just a reef protruding from the water.
Wait! Is that... someone lying on the reef?
Qin Feiyang called out, "Lu Hong, come up here, quickly!"
Hearing him, Lu Hong channeled her True Qi, swiftly scaled the cliff, and landed beside Qin Feiyang.
Qin Feiyang pointed at the reef. "Look over there. Is that someone lying on it?"
"Someone?" Lu Hong paused, then shook her head with a laugh. "How could that be? You must be seeing things."
"Huh?" But as she looked, an expression of startled disbelief crept onto her face. It really did look like someone was lying there. It was just too far away to see clearly.
Qin Feiyang said, "Come on, let's go over there and take a look."
The two of them leaped down, landed on the beach, and hurried along the shore. The reef gradually came into sharper focus. After a dozen breaths or so, they could finally see clearly: there was indeed a person on it.
Lu Hong's eyes widened in astonished query. Could this be one of the mysterious humans the giant python spoke of?
"It's very possible," Qin Feiyang said, his spirits lifting. If there are people here, it means there must be a way to cross this sea!
However, as they drew closer, Qin Feiyang's expression gradually became strange. He realized the person on the reef appeared to be a woman; her silhouette looked quite petite from the back.
Another dozen breaths passed. Then, as if by a prearranged signal, both of them suddenly skidded to a halt, staring dumbfounded at the figure on the reef. They were now only about twenty-odd meters from the reef. The reef itself was sloped, and the person was lying reclined on it, allowing them to see her features very clearly.
It was indeed a woman, around eighteen or nineteen years old. Her long, golden hair cascaded like waves, resting disheveled on her shoulders. Her facial features were exquisite, her skin fine and tender, shimmering with a soft glow in the sunlight—truly a masterpiece of creation.
However, her upper body was completely bare. Her skin was like polished jade, her slender waist looked as if it could be spanned by a single hand, without an ounce of superfluous flesh. Her chest was entirely uncovered, full and magnificent—a sight that could make one's nose bleed.
But! Despite the stunning beauty before him, possessing the face of an Angel and the body of a succubus, Qin Feiyang harbored no improper thoughts. His gaze was fixed intently on the woman's lower body, and he kept swallowing hard. Lu Hong reacted similarly, her eyes wide.
Because her lower half consisted not of human legs, but of a glittering golden fishtail!
Th-th-this... isn't this the legendary Mermaid? There are Mermaids in the Sea of Despair? Am I seeing things?
Qin Feiyang rubbed his eyes hard and stared again. The golden fishtail was unmistakably, vividly in his sight.
It wasn't a dream. Nor was he hallucinating. It was real!
To actually encounter a Mermaid, and a sleeping one at that—it was too incredible. For a long moment, neither of them could recover from their shock. Everyone had heard the legends of Mermaids, but no one had ever seen one. Previously, Qin Feiyang had also believed them to be mere myths, never expecting they actually existed.
Suddenly, the Mermaid stretched languidly, a picture of comfort and contentment. She slowly opened her eyes. They were exceptionally beautiful eyes, as limpid and clear as a pure spring. Her irises, like two blue sapphires, sparkled with a captivating light.
The instant she opened her eyes, she saw Qin Feiyang and Lu Hong, and a flicker of alarm and surprise crossed her face.
"AH!" After a moment of stunned silence, she let out a sudden shriek, clutched her hands to her chest, and in a panic, leaped into the sea. With a SPLASH, she vanished from their sight.
"Wait!" Qin Feiyang, startled, cried out hastily.
However, the Mermaid did not reappear, and the surface of the sea quickly calmed.
"A Mermaid..." Lu Hong murmured, her face etched with disbelief.
Qin Feiyang swallowed hard and said with a wry smile, "We're not dreaming. We really did encounter a Mermaid."
"Aren't Mermaids just a legend?" Lu Hong still found it hard to accept.
"This proves that not all legends are necessarily false," Qin Feiyang said, shaking his head. "Quick, send a message to Fatty and the others. Tell them to meet us here. I'm going to check if the seawater here is any different." He walked to the shore and dipped his hand into the water.
Still the same bone-chilling cold!
Qin Feiyang muttered, his eyes full of confusion, How do Mermaids survive in such a hostile environment? Are they accustomed to it? Or perhaps, can they only survive in conditions like these?
Lu Hong walked over to him. "I've notified them. They'll be here soon."
Qin Feiyang stood up, gazing out at the boundless sea and pondering. Mysterious humans... Mermaids... It seems the mysterious humans the giant python spoke of are indeed Mermaids.
Lu Hong asked, "Didn't the giant python say there was a group of them? And that they could fly through the sky and move through the earth? Can Mermaids fly?"
"I don't know either. Mermaids are too elusive, and there are no detailed records of them in ancient texts," Qin Feiyang said, his eyes glinting. "However, one thing is certain: if we can find these Mermaids, we'll have a way to cross this vast ocean."
THUD!!!
「A little less than an hour passed.」
Suddenly, a succession of figures burst out from the sea.
Qin Feiyang and Lu Hong's expressions changed drastically at the sight, and they hastily retreated. The figures that burst out were also Mermaids. But unlike the beautiful one they had encountered earlier, these were all mermen. Each was very tall, well over two meters, powerfully built, and had a ferocious appearance. Their blue eyes glinted with an alarming, fierce light. Moreover, each of them wielded a sharp weapon. Some carried large, serrated knives; others held steel tridents several meters long, their points glinting with a terrifying sharpness.
In total, ten mermen emerged. They floated on the water's surface, their gazes sweeping ominously over Qin Feiyang and Lu Hong.
Suddenly, the seawater churned, and another Mermaid surfaced—it was the same beautiful one from before. Now, however, her upper body was clothed in a garment woven from golden scales—a golden scale mail. Her wavy golden hair, still damp, lay upon her shoulders. The golden scale mail, combined with her shimmering golden fishtail, made her look like a noble Empress, sacred and inviolable. The other mermen all treated her with utmost respect.
A tall merman beside her pointed his steel trident at Qin Feiyang and asked, "Princess, is it him?"
Princess? Qin Feiyang was stunned and couldn't help but look at Lu Hong. They exchanged a look of mutual astonishment.
Encountering a Mermaid was already incredibly good fortune. But they had never imagined they would meet a Mermaid Princess! Why don't I ever have this kind of luck when I'm out hunting for treasure?
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