"Those are shackles specific to the Merman race," Qiu Shaotian replied, answering Chu Tian's question without hesitation.
"Once you put them on, no matter how strong you are, all your cultivation will vanish! They said... if you put them on willingly, they will forgive your disrespect towards the Merman tribe!"
Qiu Shaotian explained, pointing to the four limp mermen at his feet. He knew Chu Tian would never willingly put them on, so he felt helpless. He cursed his bad luck for encountering these twelve mermen.
Chu Tian narrowed his eyes, not attacking immediately. Instead, he continued to ask Qiu Shaotian, "They asked me to come here. The way he looked at me just now, he seemed very dismissive. Is this what you call a safe place for Luoluo?"
"Alas, we are unlucky to have run into these brutes nearby," Qiu Shaotian sighed.
"What do you mean?"
"These guys all have royal blood, they are twelve of the thirty-six Royal Guards. They are always together, like conjoined twins, and are notoriously... decadent in the Merman tribe!" Qiu Shaotian's eyes flickered.
"Royal? Decadent? Heh heh..." Chu Tian's eyes gleamed.
"Go easy on them!" Seeing Chu Tian's expression, Qiu Shaotian knew these guys were in for it. However, he was still worried, as these individuals possessed royal blood. Once Chu Tian made his move, the aftermath might be difficult to handle.
Chu Tian licked his lips, contemplating how to deal with the little dwarfs before him. After all, Wei Du had said they were very powerful.
"Stop..."
Just as Chu Tian was about to ask Wei Du if they could handle these fellows, a clear, delicate cry echoed from the distance. The voice was pleasant, like a clear spring, akin to heavenly music.
Chu Tian froze, looking into the distance. The moment this voice appeared, the more than ten thousand guards floating in the air knelt down as if by command. The twelve little dwarfs before them, their expressions shifting, turned swiftly towards the direction of the sound and bowed.
"Third Princess... wonderful, we're saved!" Qiu Shaotian murmured in surprise, then his expression firmed, and he gave a slight bow.
In the direction Chu Tian was staring, if one didn't look closely, there was no sign of any creature. But in this instant, about two meters from Chu Tian and the others, the air rippled like water, and a merman the size of an adult's arm appeared...
However, she was different from other mermen. She had no scales. A head of blue-black hair cascaded down her back, unbound. Her skin was as flawless as a baby's. Even her lower body was pure white. The only similarity was that she had no legs, but a fish's tail. On her forehead was a star-shaped mark, like a deep blue gemstone. Her face was indescribably beautiful, like an angel's...
"A mermaid?" Chu Tian's mouth fell open. He couldn't believe it. This was no merman, but exactly like the mermaids of legend. Furthermore, the two words she had just uttered were as clear as a spring. If she were to sing, even a heavenly queen would have to step aside. He then remembered that mermaids were said to have captivating voices.
"Are you Chu Tian?"
While Chu Tian was lost in thought, the mermaid before him spoke five words. Each word was as crisp as golden beans falling onto a plate.
"Ah...! Yes... it's me!" Chu Tian stared blankly at the mermaid, who was only about thirty centimeters tall. He had an impulse to capture her and keep her in a fish tank.
"Hmph... you think you can put me in a fish tank? Follow me! I've been waiting for you!" Suddenly, the little mermaid pouted, looking annoyed, and swam away, leading the way.
"What the..."
Chu Tian was stunned by her words. Did she possess telepathy?
"Chu Tian, you..." Qiu Shaotian next to him was even more dumbfounded. What was Chu Tian thinking, wanting to put the Merman Third Princess in a fish tank? Even Little Dragon Girl turned back and glared fiercely at Chu Tian. Wei Du and Chu Xinghe, who were both over two hundred years old combined, were trying hard to suppress their laughter.
Chu Xinghe couldn't help but admire his son. That Merman Princess was a pure Heavenly Realm expert. His son was truly... domineering! These were the only two words he could come up with. He was also overjoyed, thinking to himself, "Father, do you see? Your grandson is even crazier than you!"
The mermaid princess floated forward a short distance, turning her head to look at Chu Tian and the others. Seeing that they hadn't moved, she stopped, saying nothing, and simply stared at Chu Tian.
"Uh..." He touched his nose, gesturing with his hands, and pushed forward. Instantly, he felt immense buoyancy, as if swimming in water. He moved his body curiously, and it spun rapidly. Chu Tian was a landlubber, having never been in the water, let alone learned to swim.
"Heh heh heh..." A melodious laughter, completely unforced, came from the Merman Third Princess. Chu Tian was utterly embarrassed. The twelve little dwarfs, who had been bowing, tilted their heads and looked at Chu Tian with mockery.
Embarrassed, Chu Tian struggled to control his movements, realizing that swimming was not something one could master in a short time.
"Damn it... Travel form!"
*Buzz...*
Chu Tian flickered. Suddenly, he found that the buoyancy he couldn't control was now obedient, like a well-behaved child. "Hmph... I'm a Druid with a Seal form!" He tilted his body forward slightly, and with a *swish*, he was in front of the mermaid princess.
The few people who had been watching Chu Tian's predicament were also surprised by his transformation. Arriving here, Chu Tian stopped. Coincidentally, the spot where Chu Tian stopped was directly above the heads of the twelve figures.
"Presumptuous..."
"You court death..."
"How dare you stand above our heads..."
"Filthy, lowly human..."
Whether intentionally or not, Chu Tian's action enraged the twelve guards with royal blood. Chu Tian was initially bewildered. But when he heard one of them utter the words "filthy, lowly human," Chu Tian's expression changed drastically.
*Bang bang bang...*
Suddenly, Chu Tian's feet moved in succession. A total of twelve kicks, each one landing precisely on the heads of the twelve figures.
"How does it feel to be stepped on by a filthy, lowly human?" Chu Tian asked sinisterly.
"You..."
The faces of these individuals flushed red. Their scales trembled.
"What 'you'? Don't you see your princess here? Bend your backs for me!"