The Merfolk panted heavily, looking at Wang Mu with a helpless expression, "I told you to leave earlier, but you didn't. Now you can't."

"What exactly is going on, Brother Merfolk?" Wang Mu asked.

The Merfolk sighed and said, "My name is Qiao Ge, and I'm Little Xi's second older brother..."

Wang Mu nodded. Little Jiao Huo had mentioned having a large family, with many doting older brothers and sisters.

"Here's the thing..."

The Merfolk shook the fish spear in his hand. A faint water bubble formed around the spear, then expanded to envelop Wang Mu, and slowly carried them toward the bottom of the lake. He explained the situation as they descended.

Half a month ago, it was time for Glazed Lake's Fasting Festival, an event that occurs only once every few years. During this festival, various spirits and members of the Water Clan from Glazed Lake go to the bottom of the lake to pick Glazed Marrow Jade Fruit. This fruit can improve the constitution of Glazed Lake's Water Clan spirits and enhance their strength. It is also a rare Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.

"Originally, Little Xi planned to invite you," Qiao Ge said. "She told us she had made a human friend. She also mentioned that she once stole one of Grandma's Glazed Marrow Jade Fruits to exchange for something, which she then gifted to the Great Immortal Bi You."

"For that, Grandma gave Little Xi a beating."

Wang Mu was speechless.

"Later, she often mentioned you to us, so we had some impression of you. We knew you were a disciple from the Gu Yun Mountain Immortal Sect," Qiao Ge continued. "Grandma believed you had a good heart and, being a disciple of a Righteous Sect, didn't stop Little Xi from being your friend."

"So, when we were organizing this Fasting Festival, Grandma agreed to let you come as an invited guest of our Merfolk Clan to taste some of Glazed Lake's delicacies."

Wang Mu nodded. Little Jiao Huo was probably referring to this when she accompanied me during my cultivation previously.

"What happened then?" Wang Mu asked.

"Are you familiar with the Western Extreme Sea?" Qiao Ge asked.

"It seems to be a vast ocean area near the Huangtian Continent," Wang Mu replied. "It was said to have numerous Evil Beasts, most of whom were subdued long ago."

He had only heard of it and had never been there. The dangers of the sea were even greater than those on land. Once in the sea, a common Cultivator's strength would greatly diminish. A Golden Core Realm expert, without a Magic Artifact capable of Water Manipulation or some Water Element Cultivation Technique, would be no match even for a Foundation Establishment Realm Sea beast.

"Exactly..." Qiao Ge said helplessly. "That place is some distance from our Glazed Lake. In the Black Demon Abyss of the Western Extreme Sea, there's a group of powerful Evil Flood Dragons. They were defeated long ago by a Beast Saint. Their strength was greatly reduced, and they recuperated for two hundred years without any disturbances. Recently, however, they've become restless."

"Lately, they couldn't hold back any longer. A group of Evil Flood Dragons burst out of the Black Demon Abyss. Somehow, they learned about our Glazed Lake and rushed here, wanting to get a share of the spoils and seize the Glazed Fairy Root at the bottom of our lake. This root is an Immortal Item. Every few years, it produces Glazed Marrow Jade Fruits, and it's a supreme treasure that guards our lake."

"So bold?" Wang Mu remarked in surprise. "What's the strength of that Evil Flood Dragon?"

"The Evil Flood Dragon Young Master's strength is just below the Golden Core Realm. For us in Glazed Lake, that's not considered strong," Qiao Ge said coldly. "My Grandma is a Nascent Soul Peak expert; she doesn't fear that creature at all!"

"However, this fellow is extremely cunning. He's the Young Master of the Black Demon Abyss's Evil Flood Dragon Clan, and their Old Jiao King is a Divinity Transformation Expert. Instead of seizing it by force, he proposed a marriage alliance with our Merfolk Clan. He claimed the dowry he wanted was the Glazed Fairy Root."

"But the items he offered as betrothal gifts were practically worthless."

Qiao Ge snorted coldly.

"Then just tell them to get lost," Wang Mu said.

"If only it were that easy," Qiao Ge sighed. "This fellow is smart. He didn't use force. Instead, he's following the rules of our Glazed Lake: as long as he can defeat the warriors of our thirty-six Water Clan branches—within the same cultivation realm—he can demand a marriage with any member of our Glazed Lake's Water Clan."

"Anyone he chooses, he can take away."

Wang Mu pondered this. He had heard about something similar in Anle Village. Yu Li's father, Yu Dingtian, had done exactly this... and had even gone further.

"Warriors from your Human Clan could also participate," Qiao Ge said, looking at Wang Mu, "but it would be even more difficult for them. He, however, is from the Sea Clan. He only needs to defeat the warriors of Glazed Lake's thirty-six Water Clan branches."

"That fellow brought a Crow King from the Black Demon Abyss to protect him, and that Crow King is also a Nascent Soul Peak expert. Since he's following the rules of our Glazed Lake, we can't force them to leave."

Wang Mu considered and asked, "Who among your clan has the Evil Flood Dragon Young Master taken a fancy to?"

"Little Xi."

That little girl? Wang Mu was taken aback. Aren't their species completely different? Is there no reproductive isolation?

"You can't defeat him?" Wang Mu asked.

Qiao Ge shook his head.

"The Evil Flood Dragon Young Master is very strong, nearly at the Golden Core Realm. He has already condensed a Demon Pill and possesses three claws, showing signs of transforming into a dragon. He also carries the bloodline of the Ancient Beast, the Capturing Sky Jiao. Even in his semi-human form, he's more than we can handle."

"He's also extremely cunning. He has clearly condensed a Demon Pill, yet he claims he hasn't undergone the Heavenly Tribulation, so he insists he's not truly in the Golden Core Realm, only at the peak of Foundation Establishment. Thus, we can only send Foundation Establishment Realm warriors to fight him..."

"How can we possibly win against that?"

"Isn't that just shameless?" Wang Mu said.

"Not entirely... He later allowed us to send a Golden Core Realm warrior. We sent a Sharp Shark warrior who had just entered the Golden Core Realm... but he still couldn't defeat him," Qiao Ge said.

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