Chapter 2124: Dragon Palace

"Don't worry, I know the Fake Dragon King's mindset very well. That won't happen," Shang Hongyu said confidently.

Zu An also agreed with her assessment: "Do we really not need to capture the Fake Dragon King alive? Perhaps we could interrogate some useful information from him."

"Absolutely not!" Shang Hongyu immediately said, her expression serious. "Although the Fake Dragon King is an impostor, his cultivation is even greater than that of the true Dragon King. Previously, if I hadn't been familiar with many of the Dragon Palace's mechanisms and formations, and if I hadn't sacrificed several immortal-grade magical artifacts, I wouldn't have managed to escape from him. Even then, I was severely injured. Although your cultivation is high, it would be very difficult to subdue him silently. Once others are alerted, our subsequent plan will be completely ruined."

"Alright, I'll listen to you then." Zu An thought that, according to Shang Hongyu, besides the Fake Dragon King, some other Dragon Palace confidants were also his people, so there would be no shortage of people to interrogate later.

After discussing some details, the two went back to catch up with their ship.

Shang Hongyu refused Zu An's offer to fly her, choosing instead to swim through the water. Zu An let her have her way, creating a barrier to shield her aura from external detection throughout the journey. Watching her graceful figure in the water, the entire journey was quite pleasant.

Before long, the two caught up with the ship. Shang Hongyu suddenly realized something and looked at the man in the sky with a hint of apology: "I'm sorry, I was being willful for a moment and forgot that you had to maintain a barrier to protect me. You must have expended a lot of energy on this journey, right?"

Zu An smiled: "This little bit of energy consumption is nothing to me. Seeing you swim so freely in the ocean, it was all worth it."

Shang Hongyu was startled by his words. She looked at him silently and only after a while did she sigh: "Ah, ever since my father passed away, no one in this world has doted on me like this." On the contrary, it had been her delicate shoulders that had to bear the burden of the entire mermaid tribe. Her younger sister was still small then, and she had to take care of her too. After becoming the Sea Tribe Queen, she had to be a virtuous queen, a model for all under heaven, so she naturally had to suppress her true nature. For so many years, only in front of Zu An recently had she shown her true self again.

At this point, Zu An chuckled: "It's alright. From now on, if you call me 'Daddy,' I can keep doting on you."

Shang Hongyu: "???"

Furious and embarrassed, she grabbed a ball of seawater and threw it at him: "Go to hell!"

The journey quickly passed amidst such playful teasing. The biggest change was that the two got along more and more harmoniously, and became increasingly familiar with each other. On the first night, both of them were still a bit awkward when sleeping, but later, it became very natural for them to work from sunrise to sunset. Shang Hongyu would naturally curl up in his arms every time, and even actively pull his hand to hold herself. She didn't even mind if his hand occasionally tickled or pinched her. The two were as intimate and harmonious as a true married couple—of course, both of them clearly maintained their boundaries.

"Tomorrow we'll reach Azure Wave Sea. I'm a little nervous," Shang Hongyu whispered that night, nestled in Zu An's arms, looking at the stars in the night sky.

"Don't worry, with me by your side, I'll protect you." Zu An tightened his arm around her, pulling her closer.

"It's strange, but now when you say that, my heart easily calms down." Shang Hongyu rested her head on his arm, twisting her body to find a more comfortable position.

"I said that before, didn't I? Is there something different now?" Zu An even naturally tidied her long hair on her shoulder, making sure it wasn't pressed under him.

"Of course it's different." Shang Hongyu smiled faintly, without elaborating.

At that moment, she suddenly squirmed again, feeling uncomfortable. She turned her head for a glance, then looked up at him, a strange smile playing on her lips: "Do you want me to help you? You look quite uncomfortable every day like this."

Zu An retorted, annoyed: "How can you help with that?"

"With my hands, of course," Shang Hongyu straightened up, leaned in, and lightly blew into his ear. "What else did you think I'd use?"

Zu An's heart skipped a beat: "Stop messing around. Let's get some sleep. We have important things to do tomorrow." For some reason, he suddenly thought of that famous mermaid joke from his previous life: "Why? How?" Of course, he absolutely couldn't tell her that.

"Hehehe," Shang Hongyu let out a series of bell-like giggles. "You're even more of a gentleman than I imagined! I truly didn't misjudge you. If you had actually agreed just now, you'd see how I'd deal with you!" As she spoke, she raised her fist and waved it a few times in a show of defiance, then confidently resumed sleeping in his arms.

Zu An was speechless. After all that, the woman was just testing him again.

The night passed without a word.

The next day, the ship stopped at a small island. Zu An looked out and saw that the distant ocean was entirely emerald green, exceptionally clear and beautiful. It was notable that they were now in the deep-sea region, where the water color should theoretically be darker, yet the sea here was remarkably vibrant.

"This is Azure Wave Sea," Shang Hongyu secretly transmitted via spiritual energy, explaining various things along the way. "Such small islands are scattered like stars, serving as outposts for the Dragon Palace, welcoming guests from the human race, demon race, and other tribes in the ocean." Normally, after disembarking, they would go to the largest conch palace on the island to complete the necessary procedures. Then, a special formation on the island would be activated to send them to the underwater Dragon Palace. However, with Shang Hongyu present, the two naturally wouldn't take the usual route.

The two found an opportunity to quietly slip away from the main group of passengers on the ship and darted into a small alley. As they moved through the island, Zu An noticed strange-looking creatures everywhere—some had taken human form, some were half-human, half-beast, and each bore traces of marine life. It was well-known that deep-sea creatures, in particular, tended to have rather arbitrary appearances.

Some of these sea creatures on the island were busy with their tasks, while others lay lazily on the beach, chatting and relaxing. Occasionally, someone would jump into the water for a swim before returning to shore, clearly an instinct for marine beings who disliked being out of the water for too long. From time to time, patrols of soldiers passed by. Seeing their pointed hats and the special tail-fin designs on their clothing, one could tell they were shrimp soldiers even without Shang Hongyu's introduction. And occasionally, some stronger generals passed by; with their thick armor on their backs and fearsome pincers, their true forms were clearly crabs.

"Shrimp soldiers and crab generals indeed," Zu An chuckled.

"Don't underestimate them," Shang Hongyu said, a hint of pride in her voice. "Shrimp and crabs are the most numerous in the ocean. Of course, there are even more numerous beings, but their strength is too weak. Overall, the shrimp and crab tribes make the best soldiers. They are numerous, disciplined, and their individual strength is decent. If our sea tribe didn't prefer the ocean and weren't interested in land, your human and demon soldiers combined wouldn't be able to match us."

Zu An, annoyed, punctured her boast: "Stop bragging. Even beings of your strength in the sea tribe can't stay out of the water for long. If you really sent these shrimp soldiers and crab generals ashore to invade the human and demon races, we wouldn't even need to intervene; they'd perish on their own."

Shang Hongyu was a little unconvinced: "Then if you're so capable, come into the water and conquer our sea tribe!"

"Haven't I come now?" Zu An smiled. "Speaking of which, your sea tribe has long since submitted to the demon race, and I am the demon regent. Your Dragon King should bow to me when he sees me."

"Hmph, what do you mean 'submitted'? At most, it's 'aligned,' just to avoid unnecessary trouble," Shang Hongyu snorted. "Even if your old demon emperor were here, he wouldn't dare demand our Dragon King bow to him."

"So the old demon emperor isn't as good as me. I can make the Dragon King's wife warm my bed every day," Zu An said, a hint of pride in his smile.

"You wish you were dead!" Shang Hongyu immediately blushed deeply and pinched him hard on the waist.

While chatting, guided by Shang Hongyu, they wound their way through the small island and soon arrived at a secluded cliff by the sea. With Zu An's current mastery of formations, he could see that they had avoided countless defensive formations along the way. If an outsider had blundered in unknowingly, they would quickly be discovered by the island's guards, trapped by the defensive formations' attacks, and would also attract a continuous stream of reinforcements from nearby sea creatures. Although Zu An was not afraid, it would be very troublesome.

At this point, Shang Hongyu pointed into the distance: "About eight hundred li ahead, there's a remote, uninhabited islet. It's very desolate, and sea creatures rarely go there, so it's perfect for our planned location."

"Good!" Zu An put his arm around her waist and flew directly in that direction. Now deep within sea tribe territory, Shang Hongyu didn't willfully transform into her true form to swim in the sea. Instead, she was highly focused on reminding him which sea areas and skies along the way had defensive formations. Zu An was already skilled in formations, and with her guidance, he was like a tiger with wings. He flew low, then soared into the clouds, then dived into the sea, avoiding one mechanism and formation after another. Shang Hongyu watched, full of admiration, thinking that if this guy were to sneak into the Dragon Palace as a philanderer, probably no one could stop him.

At Zu An's speed, they soon reached their destination. It was indeed a very desolate island, full of jagged rocks, very barren, with sparse vegetation, and even very few seabirds. Shang Hongyu expertly led Zu An through the islet, quickly arriving at a hidden cave entrance: "This was a place I loved to play at when I was little. My younger sister and I used to play hide-and-seek here, without the disturbance of maids or nannies. It truly brings back memories." Seeing the longing on her face, Zu An realized that childhood memories were indeed the most precious and unforgettable things. The image of two young mermaids playing happily on the island flashed in his mind, and a smile unconsciously appeared on his face.

Next, Zu An began setting up formations near the cave. Seeing flashes of spiritual light around, Shang Hongyu couldn't help but exclaim, "I never imagined someone with such high cultivation would also be so proficient in formations! Is there anything in this world you can't do?"

Zu An inserted a few formation flags into a nearby corner and smiled at her words: "I can't give birth to children."

Shang Hongyu sat on a clean stone nearby, her fingers interlocked, chin resting on her forearm, and watched him with a faint smile: "But you can have other women bear children for you. I suppose there are many women in the world who would line up to have your children."

"Do you want to?" Zu An blurted out while setting up the formation. As soon as the words left his mouth, both of them froze.

Shang Hongyu spat, her face flushed: "Pfft, you dare take advantage of your 'elder sister'?" Zu An thought to himself, *Which of the advantages I've taken these past few days wasn't more intimate than this?* But he also knew that what he had just said was a bit imprudent. *This damnable nature of mine, I really can't change it.*

To defuse the awkwardness, he deliberately changed the subject: "For so many years, I don't seem to have heard of you and the Dragon King having any children?"

"I didn't want to have children with him, so I used the excuse of being young and playful, not wanting children yet. But later I realized my worries were unnecessary, because the Dragon King had more considerations. He had already had a *chiwen* with my elder sister, and if he were to produce more offspring with the mermaid tribe, the balance between the various tribes could easily be broken." Shang Hongyu gave a mocking smile. "After all, he has countless concubines from various tribes to favor."

Zu An was surprised: "Then wouldn't I easily expose myself in front of his other concubines?"

"Dream on!" Shang Hongyu glared at him. "In the Dragon Palace, there's only me, the Queen. As for his other concubines, they're basically among their respective tribes, which is why the Dragon King is usually away for most of the year. So you won't be able to see those concubines for now."

Zu An breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good, that's good." What a joke! With his current status, how could he casually let those female demons take advantage of him?

Shang Hongyu's face suddenly flushed: "You, why do you love to pry into our married life? You even know our most private secrets. So, tell me about your romantic escapades. For example, is it true that there are rumors you slept with the young Demon Queen?"

Seeing her gossipy gaze, Zu An was speechless. He quickly changed the subject: "Ahem, if someday I also need you to pretend to be my spouse, then I'll tell you the secrets required for that mission."

"You're mean! Just tell me, tell me!" Shang Hongyu came to his side, tugging at his sleeve, and pestering him. Even with Zu An's firm resolve, her sweet, coquettish voice made his heart skip a beat. This woman really was something...

Ultimately, Zu An's resolve held firm. He resolutely ignored her pestering, and after setting up the formation, he tied Shang Hongyu to a stone pillar. While tying her, he asked, "Is it too tight?"

"It's fine. If it's not tight enough, the Dragon King will get suspicious." When it came to serious matters, Shang Hongyu also became serious.

Zu An nodded and continued his work. After a moment, Shang Hongyu's face was flushed. "Why do I feel a little ashamed by how you've tied these ropes?" The ropes perfectly intertwined with her intricate and graceful curves, especially highlighting her proud figure and feminine softness. Because she was a mermaid, her body was much more flexible than an ordinary person's. Combined with her dignified aura of peace and prosperity, and her passionate and alluring charm, she truly became a visually striking work of art; simply looking at her was the ultimate pleasure.

Zu An's old face couldn't help but flush. He had never really tied anyone up before; the only time seemed to be when he tied Tu Shanyu in the sky. So, subconsciously, he followed that method of tying, while also incorporating some images he had seen online in his previous life. *The netizens misled me!* He spoke with a straight face, spouting nonsense: "This is called the Eight Immortal Bindings, the most profound tying technique in the world. It's even less likely to arouse the Dragon King's suspicion."

"Is that so?" Shang Hongyu was half-believing, half-doubting.

Zu An's heart rate quickened slightly. He took out some protective magical artifacts and talismans for her: "Keep these on you. If you encounter danger, you can activate them to protect your safety." While explaining how to use them, he tucked the items into her embrace.

Shang Hongyu couldn't help but feel a little lost in thought, looking at him with a complex expression: "Are you this good to all the women around you?" It was clear these artifacts and talismans were his own creations, each containing extremely profound insights. Even in the Dragon Palace, they would be incredibly valuable items, yet he had casually given her so many. In this world, apart from her deceased father, truly no other man had ever been so thoughtful and considerate of her.

Zu An smiled faintly at her words: "I only treat my good friends this way."

"Hmph, I bet all those pretty women around you are your 'good friends,'" Shang Hongyu scoffed, though she secretly appreciated his words.

Zu An wisely didn't respond. He waved goodbye to her: "I'm going to the Dragon Palace now." Watching his figure about to disappear into the cave entrance, Shang Hongyu felt a pang of reluctance: "You must come back quickly, or if other men pass by here, I might be bullied, and you'll regret it too late."

Seeing her pitiful expression, Zu An was speechless: "Not only will I set up a concealment formation at the cave entrance that few in this world can unravel, but even if someone truly broke in, you could still break free using the spell I just taught you. Plus, with so many magical artifacts protecting you, how could something like that happen!" *This woman is such a drama queen!*

"I don't care! What if I get nervous and forget the spell? Just come back quickly!" Shang Hongyu stared straight at him.

Sensing her attachment, Zu An hummed in affirmation: "I'll be back very soon."

After leaving the small island, Zu An flew continuously and soon returned to the island where the ship had initially docked. In fact, with his current cultivation and Lan Fu's ability, he could have gone directly from the sea all the way to the Dragon Palace. However, that would create too much of a stir. The Fake Dragon King and his subordinates would certainly become extra vigilant and mobilize all the experts of the sea tribe to deal with him, which was not the situation he wanted.

He made his way to the large conch-shaped building at the center of the island and was quickly stopped by shrimp soldiers and crab generals: "Halt! Do you have a pass or other necessary documents?"

"No, but I have this." Zu An took out a piece of paper with one hand. Hearing the first part of his sentence, the shrimp soldiers and crab generals were about to react angrily, but their expressions changed when they clearly saw what he held in his hand: it was the Mermaid Queen's wanted poster. As it involved the Queen, no one dared to be negligent. The team of shrimp soldiers and crab generals immediately sent someone to escort him into a nearby room to be entertained.

Before long, a brawny man over two meters tall arrived with a group of subordinates, having heard the news. Seeing his mouth full of sharp teeth and the unique patterns on his neck, it was not difficult to recognize that his true form was likely a shark.

"This is Lord Shark, who is in charge here," a nearby shrimp soldier introduced.

"Boy, you have news of the Mermaid Queen?" Lord Shark scrutinized Zu An condescendingly, a hint of surprise in his eyes. He could tell this fellow was human, and a human had actually brought news of the Queen that so many sea creatures couldn't find!

"Indeed." Zu An calmly drank the beverage the soldiers had just prepared. It seemed to be a mix of coconut milk and some special seaweed, and it had a unique flavor.

"Well, speak. I will judge whether your information is valuable," Lord Shark snorted. Many individuals had come seeking the reward recently, often providing ambiguous clues that turned out to be baseless upon investigation.

Zu An wagged his finger: "You're not qualified to hear it."

"What?!" Lord Shark was furious at his words. "You're asking for death!" The entire room was instantly enveloped by a powerful pressure. Many shrimp soldiers' originally greenish faces turned red, and they retreated backward. Vases and other objects in the room were also toppled by the powerful aura. However, within three feet of Zu An, the cup of beverage stood untouched on the table, seemingly unaffected in the slightest.

Seeing this, the shark giant's pupils contracted. This fellow was sitting on the chair as if nothing was happening, clearly with considerable cultivation. Perhaps this time there really was a useful clue. Sensing the other party's strength, he immediately became polite: "May I ask who is qualified?"

"The Dragon King. Only he is qualified to hear it," Zu An said calmly.

Upon hearing this, not only the ordinary shrimp soldiers and crab generals, but even the shark giant's expression changed dramatically. The other party had wanted to teach him a lesson several times but restrained himself. Yet, the man simply sat there casually, like a towering mountain or an unfathomable ocean. *Damn it, I can't feel any spiritual energy fluctuations from him, so why do I dare not make a move?*

After all, being able to oversee the entire island, Lord Shark was not stupid. He eventually gave up on the idea of attacking: "Sir, I can report this to the Dragon King for you, but you must have something to prove your words, right? You should know that the Dragon King has a bad temper. If I waste his time, even I will be severely punished."

Zu An thought for a moment, then took out a hairpin from his embrace: "Give him this, and he'll understand naturally." The hairpin was made of top-grade tortoiseshell, inlaid with beautiful coral patterns. But what truly caught the eye was the enormous black pearl set within it.

"That's the Queen's hairpin!" Everyone in the room exclaimed. Although no one had seen it with their own eyes, the unique regal aura of the sea tribe emanating from it could not be faked. Furthermore, looking across the entire sea tribe, what other woman besides the Queen would be qualified to wear such a precious and exquisite hairpin?

"Sir, please wait a moment! I will report this for you immediately! What are you all standing around for? Bring out the best things to entertain the sir!" The shark giant's expression became increasingly respectful. He found a brocade box, placed the hairpin inside, and then quickly left.

Zu An enjoyed the fruits, pastries, and other delicacies that the maids continuously brought. He thought about how rich the sea tribe's specialties were and that he could take some back for his female confidantes to taste later. Suddenly thinking of Chu Chuyan and Qiu Honglei, his expression involuntarily darkened.

Before long, the shark giant rushed back: "Sir, the Dragon King wishes to see you."