Not a Single Reliable One

The Sturgeon Dragon Emperor glanced down with an utterly indifferent expression, his demeanor completely transformed.

"In-laws?"

"In-laws my ass!"

"With your son being such a worthless loser, you still dare to propose a marriage alliance? Should I just let my daughter marry a dead fish?"

"As for using my dragon clan’s sacred treasure—he isn’t even worthy!"

"From now on, never mention this 'in-law' nonsense again!"

Whoosh!

Ao Budong’s face flushed crimson with rage!

He never expected this.

What he thought was a reliable marriage alliance had suddenly turned hostile, with such cruel, pragmatic words that shattered his hopes—even the betrothal was being torn apart on the spot!

Staring at the Sturgeon Dragon Emperor’s icy expression, he gritted his teeth in fury.

"Your Majesty!"

"Are you truly going back on your word and leaving us to die!?"

His furious roar echoed, making Ao Chang’s blood boil with indignation.

"The Emperor, as the ruler of the Sturgeon Clan, should honor his promises!"

Facing their accusations, the Sturgeon Dragon Emperor’s expression turned even colder.

"My words are clear. There is nothing more to discuss. Our two clans have no further ties."

"Now, leave—I won’t see you out."

With that dismissive remark, the Emperor turned away, hands clasped behind his back.

The grand hall was suddenly filled with an oppressive chill that seeped into their very souls.

Ao Budong clenched his fists, his heart heavy with the cruelty of the world.

Rejected yet again!

In the face of the Heavenly Dragon Mermaid Clan’s calamity, not a single so-called ally or relative was willing to lend a hand. Was there anything more heartbreaking?

What infuriated him even more was that the Emperor had swindled a treasure from him!

The man had no shame!

Who would have thought that the noble in-law he once revered would turn out to be such scum?

But they were on the Emperor’s turf.

And his cultivation was no match for the other’s.

Swallowing this bitter humiliation, Ao Budong could only suppress his rage.

Faced with such ruthless reality,

Dragon Emperor Ao Budong seethed with helpless fury.

Glaring at the retreating figure of the Sturgeon Dragon Emperor,

No matter how unwilling he was, he could only clutch his useless son tightly and storm out of the hall with a furious flick of his sleeve!

Once they left the Sturgeon Clan’s territory,

They stood frozen on the sea’s surface for a long time, their faces still twisted with resentment and anger.

The young Ao Chang gnashed his teeth.

"Your Majesty!"

"Why are all our sea clan’s elders so heartless? Is there not a single righteous legend among the great figures of legend?"

Though it was an offhand complaint, it struck a nerve.

Ao Budong’s aged face stiffened, as if struck by inspiration.

After a moment of contemplation,

A glimmer of hope finally lit up his eyes.

"You’re right, absolutely right!"

"If we want someone to save Lie’er from this cursed affliction, we must seek not only a more powerful senior but also one with a righteous heart!"

"Otherwise, they’ll never be reliable!"

Ao Chang nodded hesitantly, but his eyes were filled with doubt.

"Your Majesty… forgive my ignorance, but does such a person truly exist?"

If even two Emperors lacked such virtue, and no sea clan elder stronger than them could be found, how could they possibly meet such strict criteria? It sounded like a pipe dream!

Yet Ao Budong turned back with sudden confidence, as if enlightened.

"There is!"

"This time, we’ll go straight to the Crab Emperor! Though he is old and frail, his cultivation surpasses any senior I’ve ever known!"

"Even more rare—this venerable ancestor of the sea clan is renowned for his righteousness! He would never turn a blind eye to our plight!"

"If there’s one honorable figure left in our sea clan, it’s him!"

They traveled through the night.

By now, the morning sun cast golden rays upon the ocean.

Ao Budong’s smile, bathed in the light, seemed to dispel all shadows.

Ao Chang was deeply moved.

"The Crab Emperor?!"

That name was akin to a deity among the sea clans!

Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine

He would one day have the privilege of meeting this legend!

And even more astonishing—

His Majesty’s connections were so vast that he could actually seek an audience with such a figure!

Overwhelmed with excitement, Ao Chang’s eyes shone with fervor.

"Your Majesty is wise!"

As the golden sunlight spread across the waves, hope reignited in their hearts!

They tore through the void, heading north.

Within moments,

They stood before an ancient, desolate cave dwelling in the deep sea, their expressions filled with reverence.

Though the place seemed abandoned, devoid of any divine aura, they bowed deeply, their respect bordering on worship.

As if this wasn’t just a cave—but the sacred shrine of the sea clans!

Yet before they could even approach,

The stone gate slammed shut with a thunderous crash!

"Boom!"

The impact sent their heads ringing.

What was going on?

They hadn’t even spoken yet!

The Crab Emperor was the most revered ancestor of the sea clans—how could he shut them out without a word? Even the previous two Emperors had at least offered tea!

Ao Budong was utterly baffled.

Stepping forward, he forced himself to speak respectfully.

"Forgive our intrusion, Great Crab Emperor. I am Ao Budong of the Heavenly Dragon Mermaid Clan. We come seeking—"

Before he could finish,

A hoarse, aged voice echoed from behind the stone door.

"I have urgent matters at noon. No visitors today. Begone, youngsters."

Hiss—

Ao Budong froze, his face cycling through shades of disbelief.

He simply couldn’t comprehend it.

After traveling a long way to seek an audience with the most reliable senior, he was met with a closed door!

Damn it!

But no matter how aggrieved he felt, he didn’t dare vent even a shred of his frustration here.

Gritting his teeth, he could only swallow all his unwillingness.

Silently offering a bow, he retreated the way he came.

By the time he returned to the sea’s surface,

Ao Budong grew angrier the more he thought about it, gnashing his teeth in fury!

Beside him, Ao Chang was still immersed in the excitement of meeting a revered expert, utterly awestruck by His Majesty’s social connections.

"Your Majesty, Lord Crab Emperor truly has an imposing presence. It seems our timing was off. Perhaps we should visit another senior first?"

Noticing the Emperor’s dark expression,

he cautiously offered a flattering smile, trying to console him.

"Your Majesty need not be disheartened."

"With friends across the realm and unparalleled wisdom, surely we’ll succeed once we consult a few more seniors!"

The speaker meant no harm, but the listener took it to heart.

Ao Budong’s sore spot was poked, and he instantly erupted in rage!

Whirling around, he delivered a slap so hard it sent spit flying!

"Smack!"

"Senior my ass!"

"Do I look like I have that many friends?! Huh?! Even Crab Emperor brushed me off with an excuse! Who else can I turn to? The moment I arrived, he said he had ‘noon business’—what a damn coincidence!"

"That was clearly a lie!"

"And what other useless seniors should I look for? None of them are reliable!"

Cursing under his breath, Ao Budong stormed off, clutching his salted fish like a madman.

Ao Chang stood dumbfounded in the wind, only snapping out of it with a flushed face before hastily chasing after him.

Not long after the two departed,

an elderly figure emerged from the sea, walking steadily across the waves with a cane.

As the old man reached the shore,

the North Sea Emperor and the Sturgeon Dragon Celestial Emperor appeared one after another. The three exchanged hushed greetings, clearly familiar with each other.

"Lord Crab Emperor, did you receive my message?"

"Indeed. Thanks for the heads-up, Brother Chang—otherwise, I’d have been in trouble!"

"A small matter, hardly worth mentioning!"

"Damn it! That Ao Budong is a real piece of work! He actually dared to make a move against the Great One—utterly suicidal! Luckily, I cut ties in time, or I’d have been dragged down with him!"

"Tell me about it!"

"Shh…"

After walking together for a few hundred steps, their tones gradually filled with reverence.

Upon reaching the sandy beach,

the three sea overlords fell silent, their usual imposing demeanor gone, replaced by ingratiating smiles as they rushed toward a lounge chair ahead.

On the chair,

Lu Benwei lay with his arms behind his head, leisurely soaking up the sun…