After careful consideration, Li En decided to let the witch, Tao Leisi, leave first with Parker.
Most of these merfolk could wield the power of seawater, which would render Tao Leisi unable to use her magic.
If she relied solely on her partial control of the earth's power, she could handle B and C-level sea monsters, but A-level ones would be a struggle.
Moreover, with so many A-level monsters, Tao Leisi might even be captured. According to the merfolk's compatibility traits, what would happen if they devoured a witch?
Perhaps they would not only gain Tao Leisi's beauty but also her legendary talents. In that case, what chance would humans stand? They would collectively leap into the sea.
Thus, letting Tao Leisi leave early was the right decision.
This way, Li En could fight more freely.
Even if he couldn't defeat them in the end, escaping to save his life would still be possible.
Tao Leisi understood Li En's concerns. She knew that witches were naturally at a disadvantage against sea witches. Since this was the case, she would temporarily retreat.
She trusted that Li En wouldn't act rashly and knew what she needed to do.
Tao Leisi took Parker to the door, leaving the flame demon, Kirus, with Li En.
However, she discovered that the door couldn't be opened.
Even with her magic, it wouldn't budge. No, it wasn't her magic—it was the seawater.
When had she unknowingly come into contact with it?
It must have been the mermaid singer who sent Parker with her tail. Even though she had caught Parker in a bubble, the bubble had still been contaminated by the seawater on Parker's body.
The merfolk had soaked all the nobles in seawater to prevent encounters with witches like her!
"Beautiful miss, once the food festival begins, you can't leave until you've finished your food."
The receptionist, a woman with red hair and a fish tail, spoke in a melodious voice.
Her tail swayed gently, as if connected to the ocean in some mysterious way.
Droplets of seawater seeped through the door cracks, and the water level began to rise rapidly.
Tao Leisi felt a wave of panic and quickly retreated, searching for a place to hide.
The foam in her hands expanded rapidly, and she quickly wrapped herself in it.
The world outside the foam became blurry, except for the rising water level, which remained clear.
The first floor of the inn quickly transformed into a massive swimming pool, with waves rippling and voices clamoring.
The merfolk guests were excited.
The air was filled with tension and excitement as the final stage of the food festival began.
Tao Leisi's foam bubble grew fragile and quickly burst, and her magic faded rapidly. This was because she was a magic container; an ordinary witch might have lost all her magic upon contact with Parker, becoming as helpless as a normal person.
Tao Leisi felt her body weaken. If not for Li En's earth power, she might not even be able to breathe underwater.
She finally understood the true meaning of Count Hol's words: the ocean was a curse for witches.
The water surface was adorned with colorful food and decorations, like a surreal dream.
In the center, the auctioned figure, the high priestess Feia, slowly awakened as the water reached her height.
The green-haired mermaid singer whispered something in Feia's ear, making her eyes gaze longingly like Evans and Ruben.
Feia smiled beautifully but rigidly, like a puppet on strings, facing all the merfolk customers.
"Alright, this is today's final exhibit. Once this item is auctioned off, everyone can enjoy the feast. Oh, and to the customer who wanted to leave early, I'm afraid you can't take the food outside the inn. These are the festival rules."
As the mermaid singer finished speaking, Tao Leisi noticed the strange gazes of the merfolk around her.
"Oh my, this miss doesn't even know the rules."
"Who could have introduced her here?"
"Never mind her. Let's focus on outbidding Baron-sama for this exquisite delicacy. I can't wait to taste her."
"Looks like you're ready to pay a fortune."
The merfolk withdrew their glowing scales and redirected their attention to the blonde, blue-eyed Feia.
Although Tao Leisi's beauty surpassed Feia's, she was still one of their kind. Food, after all, held more allure. The merfolk attending the food festival were true gourmands, willing to do anything for a bite.
Human flesh was addictive, a flavor that once tasted could never be forgotten. For them, the food festival happened only once every six months, and they couldn't let it be interrupted by the presence of a special kindred spirit.
"I'm sorry."
Tao Leisi looked at Li En, trying to convey that she couldn't leave.
If she still had her magic and enough time to prepare, she could set up a marker and open a portal to escape.
But the merfolk wouldn't give her the chance. Moreover, if the portal opened, these merfolk might follow it straight to the Holy Empire, bringing catastrophe.
"Don't worry, I'll think of a way."
Li En's mind raced. How could he stall the merfolk and rescue everyone?
The fairy tale book! Earlier, the sheer number of sea witches had created so much pressure that he had forgotten about it. But the book couldn't contain the defiled swarm, and it might not be able to contain these merfolk either.
"Tao Leisi, try using the fairy tale book. See if you can contain the sea witches. If not, at least get Parker to safety."
"I understand."
The two reached a preliminary plan through mental communication. As the merfolk wildly bid for Feia, Tao Leisi quietly opened the fairy tale book.
She turned to the story of "The Mermaid Kingdom" and silently chanted the spell.
A faint blue ripple appeared in the air.
The merfolk sensed something but dismissed it as a gentle breeze.
Their attention remained fixed on the beautiful and sacred high priestess Feia.
Feia's body carried a unique scent, that of a silver believer.
A bead of sweat slid down Tao Leisi's forehead.
It had failed.
Using the fairy tale book didn't require magic but paid with her lifespan.
But Tao Leisi had failed.
There could be three reasons.
First, her remaining lifespan might not be enough to pay the cost of using the book a second time.
Second, like the defiled swarm, the sea witches might be beyond the book's capacity to contain.
Third, the book might have a contract with the merfolk, preventing it from harming them.
Tao Leisi informed Li En of the results.
"I understand."
Li En felt a heavy heart.
"Even if I can't leave, you can."
Tao Leisi looked at Li En. "Escape through the second-floor window and bring your father."
Count Hol was a Seven Star Order Earth Master, but could he defeat so many sea witches?
"Are you planning to dissolve the 'Symbiotic Contract' after I leave?"
Li En asked.
Tao Leisi hesitated, surprised that Li En had guessed her plan.
She intended to play along with the merfolk for now. If she could deceive them, she would escape. But if she were exposed in the end, she would indeed dissolve the contract.
She couldn't let herself die and drag Li En down with her.
After all, it was she who had insisted on going to the Azure Dragon Court and boarding the island. Li En had opposed it from the start, but she hadn't listened.
As for Count Hol, he was backed by the Holy Empire's army. Even if he loved his daughter, he couldn't abandon the entire army for her.
Tao Leisi wouldn't blame her father. She knew he was an exceptional father and a true soldier with his own mission and responsibilities.
Count Hol had protected her all these years, allowing her to live carefree in the tower and study magic. That was already the greatest protection he could offer.
Tao Leisi realized that her recklessness had finally led to trouble.
She had known long ago that her impulsiveness would bring dire consequences, but every time, Count Hol had been there to catch her. This time, she had left the ivory tower and discovered that even a legendary witch was but a small existence in this world.
I'm sorry, Father. I might not be able to return to the tower.
"I'm not going to dissolve the Symbiotic Contract. I still need your help to escape. Go now, don't waste time. Leave Nina Owen behind; she can help me."
Tao Leisi lied to Li En.
Her heart raced, and her eyes darted about. Even without the Symbiotic Contract, Li En could see through her deception.
"I'm sorry, the second-floor exit is sealed too. The merfolk have set up a barrier."
Li En said helplessly. In truth, when he had discovered that Tao Leisi couldn't escape through the front door, he had used his divine sense to check the entire inn. The result was despair—there were no exits.
It seemed the merfolk were extremely cautious. This so-called food festival might not even be allowed in their own kingdom.
Just as the Holy Empire had decreed laws against consuming merfolk and demon meat, and someone like Nina Owen, a "Food Demon," would be labeled a heretic if the Church detected the relevant traits.
Of course, this was just Li En's speculation and couldn't be confirmed.
The most lethal array Li En could use was the Saint Raymond Purification Array, but he obviously couldn't use it. Setting it up would be too cumbersome, and it would also affect Tao Leisi, Parker, and Feia.
“I’m the one who should apologize. If it weren’t for me and Fia insisting on coming to the island, we’d still be safe on the ship.”
“No, I should thank you. If Park had been eaten, the mermaid that would have returned to me would have been far more dangerous.”
Lee En comforted Peach while quickly thinking of a solution.
“Soraya.”
Lee En rubbed the mark on his hand and called out to the angel Soraya.
“Master, I can no longer establish contact with the main body,” Soraya’s partial spirit replied.
Lee En frowned. This meant that the power Soraya could lend him was now severely limited. With only a partial spirit, it was as if he had just the strength of a single witch.
If he wanted to rely on brute force to break through, it seemed impossible. He would have to outsmart them.
“10 million gold! I’ll pay 10 million gold!”
“11 million, I’ll pay 11 million!”
The merfolk customers bid one after another, driving Fia’s starting price of 3 million up to 11 million. The merfolk baron even generously offered 13 million.
The mermaid singer, excited, looked at the customers. “Is there anyone willing to outbid Baron O’Neill? If not, she will belong to the baron.”
“20 million.”
Lee En removed his invisibility cloak, revealing himself to everyone.
The room erupted instantly.
“This is a human.”
“Oh, a blond human.”
“A perfect human.”
“Wow, was he here the whole time?”
“I didn’t notice him before. How is he able to breathe underwater like us?”
“He’s even more tempting than the final item.”
The merfolk gazed at Lee En greedily, as if he were the most delicious dish.
The green-haired mermaid singer was slightly surprised but soon smiled charmingly. “Oh, it seems we have a human among us.”
“I’m also a guest, not your food. If I’m not mistaken, any guest staying at this inn has the right to participate in the Food Festival.”
Lee En looked at the red-haired mermaid receptionist.
The receptionist nodded gently. “That’s correct, guest, but you must take the risk yourself, after all, we are not the same species.”
Lee En nodded and walked toward Baroness O’Neill. “Actually, you noticed me earlier, didn’t you? But you treated me like food, wanting to keep me all to yourself.”
Baroness O’Neill gave a noncommittal look, her eyes filled with interest as she sized Lee En up. “Sweetheart, what do you want to say?”
While Lee En was distracting everyone, Peach forced herself to calm down and thought of an emergency plan.
Since she couldn’t contain the mermaid siren in the book, she would bring the “Mermaid Kingdom” from the book into reality, creating a home-field advantage.
As the temporary holder of the fairy tale book, Peach couldn’t resist the real sea water, but she could resist the sea water from the book’s world. This would allow her to recover her magic.
Thinking this, Peach opened the book again and began to silently recite the ancient story of the Mermaid Kingdom.
“This is a land forgotten by humans, hidden beneath the sparkling blue waters. It is the land of coral, where colorful coral reefs conceal pearl-like palaces. Crystal windows reflect sunlight, creating patches of light that dance like seaweed in the water. Merfolk swim among them, their eyes like the clearest gems, filled with curiosity and joy.”
As the story unfolded, the surroundings seemed to change, yet remain the same. Ripples of blue spread like a gentle breeze in the water.
The inn’s decor remained unchanged but took on a warm, yellowish hue. Time seemed to accelerate, and night was about to fall.
This time, it worked.
The sea water no longer bothered Peach; it felt as natural as air. Her magic was returning quickly and perfectly.
Of course, once the fairy tale ended, she might face a loss of control. Using the story had cost her 10 years of her life.
It seemed her lifespan was still sufficient to pay the price for using the book. Peach sighed in relief and sent a reassuring glance to Lee En.
Lee En subtly nodded and said to Baroness O’Neill, “I’m sorry, but I’m not the human you think I am. I am a vampire.”
Blood Knights could perfectly disguise themselves as vampires, even to other vampires. Naturally, merfolk couldn’t tell the difference.
“Oh, we’ve got a despicable vampire among us.”
“Damn, I thought he was a blond human.”
“How boring. I have no interest in a vampire’s dry meat.”
The merfolk showed disappointment and disdain.
Vampires were like cockroaches—almost unkillable. As long as their hearts weren’t injured, any wound could heal instantly. Even if their heads were cut off, they could grow back. Their flesh was far inferior to humans.
The merfolk of the Gourmet House instantly felt like they’d fallen from heaven to hell, as if they’d seen disgusting cockroaches.
Lee En sighed in relief. This was exactly what he wanted.
“Okay, vampire, what do you want to say?”
Baroness O’Neill’s gaze turned cold.
It seemed Lee En was here to compete for their food.
“The one at the table—I hope the baroness can let her go. Not just her, but that blond young man, and that one, that one, and that one.”
Lee En pointed out Park, Ruben, Evans, Aill, and Viscount Wilson—five young men he knew relatively well.
He couldn’t possibly take all thirty captured nobles; that would only arouse suspicion among the merfolk.
What? Are you saying all our captives are your servants? Why not say the entire Holy Empire fleet is your servant? Then it wouldn’t be a peaceful trade. The merfolk might vent their frustration by killing Lee En, the fake vampire.
“Please, let them all go. They are my humble servants. As their master, I can’t let my servants tarnish the honorable Merfolk Gourmet House.”
Hearing that the humans they had paid high prices for were Lee En’s servants, the merfolk felt as if they’d eaten feces.
They were picky and disliked their food being touched by others, especially by vampires.
“Oh, damn it, such a perfect woman is your servant? You damn vampire, why don’t you go to the Northern Continent? That’s where you belong.”
The merfolk couldn’t help but curse.
“If you don’t compensate us generously, we’d rather discard the food than return it to you.”
“Yes, damn vampire, how will you compensate us?”
Peach was surprised. She hadn’t realized the effect of the vampire identity.
The merfolk despised vampires so much they didn’t even want to touch their servants.
Lee En had learned this from the system earlier. He had almost fallen into the trap of trying to use force, but now he realized that sometimes, being a “mouse excrement” could ruin the whole pot.
Now, he understood that being the mouse excrement was the right choice.
Of course, as long as the merfolk didn’t discover he was a Blood Knight and not a vampire, his lies wouldn’t be exposed. Otherwise, he would still face inevitable battle.
“I’m willing to pay an additional 10% for each to buy them back.”
Lee En said.
Hearing this offer, the merfolk’s anger subsided slightly, and they began discussing.
Peach was the first to set an example. “If you increase it to 20%, I don’t mind letting you have the food.”
Hearing Peach’s willingness, the other merfolk also spoke up. “Yes, at least 20%.”
“I want 30%, just look at him—tender and delicate. Moreover, if I eat him, I can go to the land and fulfill my dream of traveling the Southern Continent.”
“Exactly, you’ve ruined my chance to experience the land after waiting half a year for this feast.”
“I want 40%.”
As the merfolk haggled, Lee En pretended to be troubled.
“Sorry, I’ll only accept up to 20%. Otherwise, you can do as you please with them. They’re just servants; losing them won’t hurt me much.”
He couldn’t show too much concern for these servants, or the merfolk would not only inflate the price but also feel they’d been cheated.
What? Are you saying all our captives are your servants? Why not say the entire Holy Empire fleet is your servant? Then it wouldn’t be a peaceful trade. The merfolk might vent their frustration by killing Lee En, the fake vampire.
“Please, let them all go. They are my humble servants. As their master, I can’t let my servants tarnish the honorable Merfolk Gourmet House.”
Hearing that the humans they had paid high prices for were Lee En’s servants, the merfolk felt as if they’d eaten feces.
They were picky and disliked their food being touched by others, especially by vampires.
“Oh, damn it, such a perfect woman is your servant? You damn vampire, why don’t you go to the Northern Continent? That’s where you belong.”
The merfolk couldn’t help but curse.
“If you don’t compensate us generously, we’d rather discard the food than return it to you.”
“Exactly, damn vampire, how will you compensate us?”
Peach was surprised. She hadn’t realized the effect of the vampire identity.
The merfolk despised vampires so much they didn’t even want to touch their servants.
Lee En had learned this from the system earlier. He had almost fallen into the trap of trying to use force, but now he realized that sometimes, being a “mouse excrement” could ruin the whole pot.
Now, he understood that being the mouse excrement was the right choice.
Of course, as long as the merfolk didn’t discover he was a Blood Knight and not a vampire, his lies wouldn’t be exposed. Otherwise, he would still face inevitable battle.
“I’m willing to pay an additional 10% for each to buy them back.”
Lee En said.
Hearing this offer, the merfolk’s anger subsided slightly, and they began discussing.
Peach was the first to set an example. “If you increase it to 20%, I don’t mind letting you have the food.”
Hearing Peach’s willingness, the other merfolk also spoke up. “Yes, at least 20%.”
“I want 30%, just look at him—tender and delicate. Moreover, if I eat him, I can go to the land and fulfill my dream of traveling the Southern Continent.”
“Exactly, you’ve ruined my chance to experience the land after waiting half a year for this feast.”
“I want 40%.”
As the merfolk haggled, Lee En pretended to be troubled.
“Sorry, I’ll only accept up to 20%. Otherwise, you can do as you please with them. They’re just servants; losing them won’t hurt me much.”
He couldn’t show too much concern for these servants, or the merfolk would not only inflate the price but also feel they’d been cheated.
The merfolk whispered among themselves, negotiating the price.
Peach pushed Park toward Lee En. “Return your servant, vampire. Where’s my gold?”
Lee En reached into his cloak, pulled out a bag of gold coins, and handed it to Peach.
Peach opened the bag, revealing the glittering gold coins, and nodded in satisfaction.
Seeing this, the other merfolk hesitated for a moment before also agreeing to the trade.
Lee En quickly gathered Park, Ruben, Aill, Evans, and Wilson by his side. However, Baroness O’Neill hesitated, as she hadn’t come solely for the feast.
“Baroness O’Neill, I apologize.”
Lee En apologized again and moved to take Fia from the mermaid singer.
The emerald-haired mermaid singer smiled at Lee En. “Pay 22 million, and she’s yours.”
“Wait, I don’t mind her being your blood servant.”
O’Neill Baron suddenly spoke up, causing the surrounding merfolk to feel surprised.
“This is the last dish today, I have no reason to leave empty-handed.”
Lein narrowed his eyes slightly. He sensed the Baron’s intention. Unlike those pure gourmands, she wanted to use Fia’s identity to infiltrate human society.
Just as Ogulas chose to expedition the Dragon Court, perhaps the merfolk were also coveting the gifts from the Holy Empire.
And O’Neill Baron would become the vanguard, or a spy.
Before the Forbidden Sea was opened as a new route, humans rarely set foot in the ocean. Almost no one would venture into the sea unless they wanted to die, not even to dispose of corpses.
So, humans were indeed a rare existence for merfolk.
Conversely, merfolk were also rare in the human world.
“Of course I won’t let you leave empty-handed. In fact, there’s a human in my room, my new prey, a human noble. She’s not a blood servant, but a human.”
Lein decided to let Nina Owen use the Splitting Seal to create a clone and give it to the Baroness.
The Baroness raised an eyebrow, showing interest. “Oh?”
“Duke Gales, come down.”
Lein called out to the second floor.
“A duke? A human duke?”
“Such a prestigious human, Baroness, you’ve truly gained an unexpected treasure this time.”
“This despicable vampire actually hunted a human duke, incredible.”
The merfolk immediately became interested and began discussing, looking toward the staircase.
Nina Owen’s clone, Duke Gales, walked downstairs.
His face bore the marks of time, but still retained its handsome features.
His deep eyes gleamed with wisdom, as if able to see into the deepest parts of one’s heart.
His thick eyebrows were powerful and slightly arched, exuding an unquestionable authority. His straight nose gave an impression of determination.
His lips carried a faint smile, neither overly passionate nor cold, perfectly conveying his composure.
His attire was refined yet not extravagant. His well-tailored navy-blue suit made him even more charismatic. Almost without explanation, the merfolk believed his identity as a duke.
Duke Gales approached Lein, still smiling, but remained silent, acting as if he were under hypnosis, just like Fia and the others.
“Baroness, can you return my blood servant now? She’s one of my most important ones, my beloved toy.”
“Good.”
O’Neill Baron accepted Duke Gales, who had neither golden hair nor stunning looks.
She had always wanted to use a human noble’s identity to infiltrate human society. The higher the status, the better.
But she didn’t know that once she entered the Holy Empire in this guise and claimed to be Duke Gales, she would only be arrested and imprisoned.
Because Duke Gales had been executed ten years ago, and recently, a noblewoman kidnapping case occurred. If someone claiming to be Duke Gales appeared now, they would end up in prison.
The mermaid singer saw that the transaction was complete and smiled. “Now, everyone can enjoy their food.”
“Wait.”
Lein stopped her again.
“Do you have more business, guest?”
The mermaid singer looked at him curiously, and the other merfolk showed impatience.
They had been waiting for this moment to eat.
“Forgive me, but I don’t like witnessing bloody scenes, nor do I want to disturb your meal. Can I leave first?”
“Yes, we have no food. We’d also like to leave.”
The gourmand merfolk who had sold their “ingredients” said so.
They didn’t want to watch others eat while they only had gold coins.
The mermaid singer looked at the front desk mermaid. “Lucina, what do you think?”
“Since it’s a holiday, besides providing food, there are other entertainment options. Why rush to leave? Follow me upstairs.”
The front desk mermaid was Lucina, the true owner of the inn.
With her red hair and fish tail, Lucina led those who didn’t need to dine to the second floor.
“A tavern is a place to satisfy guests’ desires, whether it’s appetite, visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, or intellectual desires.”
Lucina smiled and introduced, “The second floor allows you to see the people and things you most want to see.”
“The third floor lets you hear the most moving stories.”
“The fourth floor lets you smell the most enchanting scents in the world.”
“The fifth floor offers extreme pleasure.”
“And the sixth floor allows you to do as you please in another world.”
The inn had six floors. Lein had thought each floor was just themed rooms, but now he realized there was more to it.
This was something neither Lein nor Dorothy had anticipated.
When Lucina opened the door to the second floor, her beautiful eyebrows furrowed.
Because the rooms that should have been there were gone.
This proved that this was not Lucina’s Pink Tavern.
Lein and Dorothy had already escaped through a back door.
Even with a created environment, it was best to avoid fighting when possible.
They had to ensure Fia and the others’ safety.
“Fia, wake up.”
As a Silver Believer and High Priest, Fia had some combat ability, stronger than those noble children.
At Dorothy’s shout, Fia regained consciousness.
“Beya, catch them. Don’t let them escape!”
Lucina angrily said, her red long hair flowing like seaweed as she pointed toward the direction Lein and the others had fled.
The gourmands on the first floor didn’t notice the situation upstairs and continued enjoying their food. But the mermaid singer Beya followed Lucina’s orders and chased after them.
Besides Beya, there were several male mermaid thugs and the “gourmands” who had received gold coins from Lein but no food.
They realized they had been deceived and wanted to reclaim their “ingredients.”
In total, nine merfolk were pursuing them, led by Beya.
When the pursuers emerged, they found themselves in an unfamiliar environment.
Colorful coral reefs surrounded them, with pearl-like palaces and crystal windows reflecting moonlight, creating patches of light. Seaweed-like hair swayed in the water as merfolk swam through, their eyes like clear gems, filled with curiosity and joy.
In the square, merfolk played around a central shell fountain.
When they blew into the shell, the melodious sound echoed through the water, reaching every corner.
Small fish darted about, whales sang low, accompanying the merfolk’s songs to paint a harmonious underwater symphony.
Shells, decorated as lanterns, hung under the corridors, preparing warm lights for the night’s ball.
It was as if they had traveled from Golden Island to an underwater world, yet it wasn’t the one they knew.
“Where is this place?”
“That damned vampire, where did he go?”
“No matter where he flees, we must find him.”
Unlike entering a fairy tale book where one is given a new personality, the story’s influence doesn’t affect real people. They retain their independent thoughts and abilities, existing in a virtual world between reality and the book. Only by defeating the book’s holder, Dorothy, or finding the story’s exit could they leave.
But Dorothy could easily hide Park and the others using her control over the story.
“Let me.”
Beya stopped her companions from discussing further and sang again.
Her heavenly voice not only mesmerized minds but also helped her locate her target.
Lein quickly blocked his hearing; otherwise, he might have rushed to Beya like Park and Ruben.
Fia, who had just awakened, fell into a daze again. If Dorothy hadn’t knocked her out, she would have joined the others.
Dorothy hid the unconscious six in the crystal castle’s underground.
Using Beya’s enchanting song, Dorothy made all the merfolk in the fairy tale kingdom head toward the mermaid singer.
Beya was soon surrounded by circles of listeners, their eyes fixed on her in a daze.
Their expressions shifted from admiration to obsession, then to madness.
“Damn it, we’re surrounded.”
“Are they really our kin? Why are they acting this way?”
“Beya, stop singing.”
The accompanying merfolk felt the crisis.
Beya stopped, but the strangers still didn’t disperse. They approached, revealing sharp teeth and claws.
Beya felt fear from her kin for the first time.
If Lucina hadn’t arrived in time, she felt she would be torn apart by them.
“They’re not our kin. They don’t know how to use magic. Don’t be intimidated by their numbers.”
Lucina arrived, her red hair flowing like seaweed.
Luciana swung her tail and a wave dispersed the densely packed fanatics.
They were indeed ordinary merfolk, without any extraordinary powers.
Beya had thought she was facing her own kind, so she instinctively felt fear. So did everyone else.
Excluding Luciana, there were only nine of them, while the enemy had hundreds, even thousands.
Such a huge numerical disparity was enough to inspire fear, if they were indeed their own kind.
Fortunately, these merfolk were not their kin, nor could they even cast the most basic water magic.
"Thank you."
Beya thanked Luciana, and at the same time, her long, seaweed-like hair extended rapidly, as if guiding her.
"I've found you, vampire."
A faint, imperceptible smile tugged at the corners of Beya's mouth.
Her soft, seaweed-like hair suddenly came to life, moving as if it had a will of its own. It spread and entwined the coral tower where the target was located, wrapping it tightly.
The colorful coral tower, enveloped by Beya's hair, seemed to become the most dazzling gem in the underwater world.
Lien stretched out his left hand, and a dazzling white light burst forth from his fingertips.
The light, like the only sun in the ocean, instantly dispelled the surrounding darkness, illuminating everything.
With a flick of his wrist, the white light suddenly expanded, transforming into a light bomb that exploded with a deafening roar outside the coral tower wrapped in Beya's hair.
The force of the explosion sent Beya flying, and the intense light temporarily blinded her.
All she could see was a chaotic white haze, her body battered and bruised.
A constant buzzing filled her ears, as if the entire underwater world had come to a standstill.
Beya felt her breathing grow rapid, her seaweed-like hair drifting in the current. She struggled to regain her vision but could only see blurry shadows.
Lien hadn't expected that his enhanced "Hand of Light," bolstered by Peach's magic, could strike down Beya, whose power rivaled that of a witch, with a single hit.
But he didn't let his guard down. Beya was just a guest; the true mastermind, Luciana, might be far stronger.
Moreover, so many "gourmets" had yet to act.
Luciana supported Beya, her red tail entwining Beya's green one. Beya quickly recovered, even the torn flesh from the explosion healing.
"He's not a vampire, he's a Blood Knight."
Luciana said this with absolute certainty.
The merfolk gourmets heard Luciana's words and revealed extremely excited expressions.
"A knight? That means he's human."
"Oh, if he's human, then don't blame us for showing no mercy."
They stopped holding back and joined the fight.
Countless dazzling magic orbs shot out from the merfolk's hands, rolling and expanding in the water like the brightest stars in the night sky.
Following closely were deafening water tornadoes and massive waves, carrying endless seawater and resembling the most primal forces of nature as they surged toward Lien.
Facing this frenzied assault, Lien used his speed and agility, which exceeded 500 points, to dodge nimbly. Each evasion was perfectly timed, avoiding what seemed like unavoidable disasters.
However, the ten "witch"-level mermaids did not relent. Their voices wove into a terrifying melody, each attack causing the space to tremble and time to freeze.
The battle had lasted only a few minutes, but to Lien, every second felt like an eternity.
His body became battered and bloodied from the relentless impacts. If not for the Blood Knight's robust healing ability, he would have met his end long ago.
Yet the pain didn't lessen; it only intensified.
The mermaids' song lingered, trying to crush Lien's will to fight and turn him into their slave.
The divine support of being a Special Believer kept Lien awake, preventing the powerful charm from overwhelming him.
It wasn't until Peach had completely sent Fia and the others to a safe domain and returned to the battlefield that Lien finally had a moment to catch his breath.
"Sorry I'm late."
"Perfect timing."
Lien forced a faint smile, his lips curling slightly upward.
Peach looked at the merfolk with an extremely disgusted expression.
This was the first time she had ever despised a species so much.
"Imprison!"
As Peach chanted the spell, shadowy cages erupted from the ground, trapping the merfolk one by one.
Luciana stared at Peach in surprise.
"You're not a mermaid, you're a witch!"
"Oh, you actually know what a witch is."
Peach looked at Luciana with contempt. As long as she could use magic underwater, she feared no one.
"How is that possible? Witches are cursed beings of the sea."
Including Beya, all the merfolk revealed expressions of disbelief.
Peach glanced at the merfolk trapped in cages and began to coordinate with Lien, chanting the incantation for the Saint Raymond Purification Array.
This wasn't difficult to achieve.
Lien had sacrificed the "Loss of Light" attribute, using "The Traveler of Time" to go back half a month to the mermaid kingdom's coral tower. There, he had drawn the array. Then, he returned to the original timeline, projecting himself into the real mermaid kingdom, guiding the pursuing merfolk toward the coral tower before engaging in battle.
The array's diagram had also been projected and remained undamaged.
As the Saint Raymond Purification Array activated, the merfolk, who could have broken free from the shadow restraints at any moment, were isolated by a barrier.
The purifying power began to erode them.
They looked at the array patterns beneath their feet in disbelief.
"How is this possible? An array of this level shouldn't be able to affect us."
"If it were just an ordinary priest's Saint Raymond Purification Array, it indeed wouldn't. But unfortunately, we have an angel on our side."
Lien said calmly.
Only then did the merfolk notice the dome above them.
Among those chanting the spell was a beautiful angel with long green hair.
