The Terror of the Heavenly Dragon Mermaid Clan

The Crab Emperor inwardly assessed that his performance had been flawless, leaving no room for error. Shi Tianchuan had been subdued without a hitch—as expected.

Yet Master Yi's reaction was entirely beyond his anticipation!

No matter who it was.

Being sincerely praised by someone upon first meeting should never evoke such indifference!

His tone was far too detached, devoid of any warmth, even carrying a hint of dismissiveness—clearly perfunctory.

As a being who had lived for a hundred thousand years, such subtle nuances could never escape the Crab Emperor's notice!

This was all too strange!

Could it be that Master Yi still harbored suspicions about him?

Or perhaps…

Had his true identity been seen through by the master?

To pass as human, he hadn’t dared to leak even a trace of his sea clan aura!

If that were truly the case, it would be terrifying!

Just what level of cultivation and insight did Master Yi possess?!

Hiss…

The Crab Emperor’s heart pounded with unease, growing increasingly awed by Master Yi’s unfathomable depth!

The twelvefold vigilance he had mustered earlier now surged beyond twentyfold. He tread as if on thin ice, never before having faced such an oppressive presence!

The other two were even more alarmed, their hearts in their throats!

The Crab Elder’s performance had been nothing short of perfection, even reaching a level of brilliance they could never hope to match.

And yet, even that failed to earn Master Yi’s trust!

This man was truly fearsome!

No wonder he was the master of Lord Skeleton!

In truth…

Yi Feng hadn’t detected anything amiss. He was simply exasperated.

Three enthusiastic old men had suddenly appeared, radiating an aura of overwhelming power—clearly capable fighters. This was obviously trouble!

He might not even stand a chance against the Heavenly Dragon Mermen now!

What was the point of even trying?!

What made it worse was that these men had come to help, and he couldn’t find a single fault with their intentions. Truly, he was like a mute forced to swallow bitter herbs—unable to voice his suffering.

Under such circumstances, how could Yi Feng possibly muster any enthusiasm?

Maybe he should find an opportunity to spar with these three old men?

As he pondered silently…

Shi Tianchuan, completely unaware of the underlying tensions between the two parties, respectfully gestured for them to take their seats.

When the three elders settled in the front row, the surrounding crowd immediately bowed in reverence. The air in the grand hall brimmed with confidence, the joy of impending victory growing palpable.

Watching the crowd’s exhilaration, Yi Feng felt a headache coming on.

What kind of world was this?

Even rushing to one’s death in battle had people fighting for the chance!

He sighed inwardly at the absurdity.

Beside him, another sigh echoed.

"Ah…"

Turning, he saw Shi Tianchuan wearing a grave expression, seemingly burdened with deep worries.

Recalling their earlier exchange…

This island lord had spoken cryptically, as if there was more to the situation than met the eye.

Yi Feng grew increasingly curious and couldn’t help but speak up.

"Island Lord."

"With these three elders aiding us, why do you still look so troubled?"

The moment Yi Feng spoke, the entire hall fell silent, all eyes turning toward him.

Whispers and questioning glances filled the room.

Shi Tianchuan hesitated for several breaths before solemnly clasping his fists.

"Master, you are unaware of the truth."

"Logically speaking, with your assistance and the arrival of these three venerable seniors, our chances against the Heavenly Dragon Mermen should have greatly improved. I should be brimming with confidence."

"But the Heavenly Dragon Mermen are far more terrifying than they appear on the surface!"

With that, Shi Tianchuan gritted his teeth and stood.

"Esteemed guests, I do not mean to bolster the enemy’s morale while dampening our own, but the previous envoys from the Heavenly Dragon Mermen were merely average in strength. Their true power far exceeds what you know!"

As soon as he finished, murmurs of disbelief spread through the hall.

"The Heavenly Dragon Mermen are that formidable?"

"Come now, with Master Yi and these three reclusive seniors, Black Island is no longer what it once was. Why should we fear them?"

"Island Lord, aren’t you exaggerating?"

"Island Lord, have you been frightened out of your wits by those fishmen?!"

A few of the younger members voiced their skepticism, stirring Shi Tianchuan’s temper.

Since these fools refused to grasp the severity of the situation, he might as well lay bare the truth.

Better to scare them into caution than let blind arrogance lead to ruin!

Resolved, Shi Tianchuan swept a cold gaze across the hall.

"You are wrong!"

"The Heavenly Dragon Mermen possess the bloodline of true dragons. Their combat prowess multiplies in the sea. Their hierarchy is rigid—beyond the supreme royal lineage, they boast many terrifyingly gifted generals."

"In the past, any one of them could have annihilated our Seventy-Two Islands in the blink of an eye!"

As his grave words reverberated, the hall gradually stilled.

Shi Tianchuan’s voice grew even heavier.

"As for the royal descendants of the Heavenly Dragon Mermen, they are even more monstrous!"

"Take the Third Prince, who rules over our Seventy-Two Islands—his cunning is unparalleled in my lifetime, his cultivation talent demonic. He commands an army of a hundred thousand, with over a hundred generals under him!"

"Among them, Ao Chang is the most fearsome. Despite being a mere collateral descendant, his talent earned him the royal surname. Rumor has it he has already reached the Eighth Grade!"

"And yet, he is merely the cream of the younger generation, still far beneath the true royal bloodline!"

"Even if we somehow prevail against such horrors with Master Yi and the three seniors, the Dragon Emperor Ao Budong behind them is a being we cannot hope to challenge!"

"That Dragon Emperor reached the Ninth Grade ten thousand years ago! We will inevitably face such a terrifying existence. The lives of countless cultivators across the Seventy-Two Islands rest in our hands!"

"Now, do any of you still dare to boast of your pride?!"

His icy words struck like thunder, leaving the hall deathly silent.

The earlier excitement and confidence vanished without a trace, replaced by a shadow of dread. No one dared utter a word.

Only now did many realize the island lord’s burden.

To face such a colossal force alone, never revealing a hint of despair for ten thousand years—the hardship he had endured was unimaginable!

Watching Shi Tianchuan’s solemn expression, the crowd felt a mix of bitterness and awe, the oppressive atmosphere thickening.

Even the three sea clan overlords now regarded Shi Tianchuan with newfound respect.

Given his meager cultivation and status, to uncover these secrets and maintain stability for ten thousand years—he was indeed a rare talent!

Only Yi Feng…

Upon hearing these shocking revelations, felt hope rekindle in his heart.

Damn…

So the fishmen were this strong? No wonder the island lord had endured for so long!

This battle might still have potential!

Noticing Yi Feng’s composed demeanor, one man mustered the courage to rally morale.

"But… but now we have Master Yi and the three seniors. More allies may yet come. This battle isn’t necessarily hopeless!"

"After all these years of endurance, don’t we deserve to finally stand tall…?"

The moment these words left his mouth, the hall stirred once more.

A reckless sense of optimism began to brew again.

Even the North Sea Emperor, an outsider, couldn’t help but frown. He never imagined the island’s cultivators could be so delusional—still hoping for more outside help?

Truly hopeless, always leaning on others!

No wonder, despite having a talent like Shi Tianchuan, the Seventy-Two Islands had failed to produce any rising stars in ten thousand years of struggle.

With such rotten cards, even a god of gambling couldn’t turn the tide.

As he sat in silent resignation…

Shi Tianchuan was already fuming with rage, pointing furiously at the corner as he began to hurl insults.

"Oh, you're the big genius, aren't you?!"

"You think you're the only one who wants to prove yourself?!"

"Let me be blunt—our East Sea is a remote corner, and it's the territory of the sea clans. Those like Master Yi and the three elders who came to our aid are as rare as phoenix feathers! If you’re still dreaming of waiting for more reinforcements, old man, I advise you to drop that nonsense!"

"And here’s something even harsher—the connections of the Heavenly Dragon Mermaid Clan are terrifying. They could summon powerful allies in the blink of an eye!"

"Let’s not even mention others…"

"Just take the legendary North Sea Emperor—his strength alone surpasses the entire Heavenly Dragon Mermaid Clan. If they manage to invite him out of seclusion, we might as well prepare to meet our doom together!"

His furious words echoed through the hall.

A deathly silence fell over the crowd. But then, the North Sea Emperor, who had been sitting nearby, suddenly shuddered.