Chapter 2

"Which aquatic clan dares to venture into the Cold Sea?!"

Even while confined, the power of the dragon's roar remained undiminished. Its lips were parted wide, revealing its sharp teeth. It bellowed at the mermaid below, a mere ant in comparison. The small mermaid with seaweed-like hair trembled under the reverberations of the sonic wave, as if facing a fierce wind that caused her hair to flutter wildly. The mermaid was too timid; she ended up prostrating herself on the ground. The azure dragon, content with its show of force, restrained its roar. It licked its lips and felt proud, thinking that it was as mighty as ever.

Yara was terrified, her heart pounding as she trembled and extended her hand in a bow. "I'm Mermaid Yara from the Tide City. I beg your pardon for my accidental trespass... Please, my lord, calm your anger."

A dragon imprisoned was surely guilty of heinous crimes, and no one knew what it might do next. Yara was afraid for her life and intended to seize an opportunity to escape. She looked up at it cautiously. To her surprise, the dragon's massive eyes stared back at her. Each blink of its eyes seemed to send a hidden current through her. Her fins trembled lightly. To appease it, she offered a reverent bow. "I shall bring you food, my lord."

The dragon gave her a glance but remained unaffected. Its voice thundered like lightning as it interrogated her, "How did you get here? Who sent you?"

Yara hurriedly explained, "No one sent me..." She nervously pointed upward, indicating that she had happened to pass by and might have fallen down accidentally due to a move of the Dragon Lord's tail.

The dragon still had its teeth bared. If what she said was true, that an utterly powerless mermaid had entered the Cold Sea, it meant that the outer barrier had been breached. Its liberation was imminent. Thinking about this, the dragon couldn't help but feel delighted, but suddenly, a sense of emptiness and melancholy swept over it. "I've been trapped for over a hundred years. Few aquatic creatures have come here. Seeing a living being is truly rare."

The dragon's gaze grew distant, lost in thought. Although its visage was fierce, its attention seemed elsewhere, its aura seemingly restrained. Yara breathed a sigh of relief and was about to take her leave when the dragon lazily raised a claw and playfully brushed its jade-green mane. "Ah, this wretched place! It lacks everything and causes so much vexation... Examine my appearance, is my demeanor still impressive? Are my horns and beard majestic enough?"

"This imprisoned dragon still cared about its appearance, despite being confined. Its attitude was surprisingly positive," Yara thought, swallowing her fear and struggling to scrutinize it. To help her get a better view, the dragon shifted its body left and right, shaking its head and even baring its teeth.

Its playful antics caused ripples to cascade through the layers of water beneath. Yara couldn't maintain her balance and was carried away by the currents, thrown several yards away before crashing firmly against the base of a cliff.

Suddenly realizing that the mermaid before it had disappeared, the dragon erupted in anger. "Where did the mermaid go?"

Yara laboriously crawled back, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth. She summoned every bit of flattering words she could think of. "Handsome, like a jade tree against the wind... stirring the wrath of heaven and the resentment of man, causing the sea to surge." She smiled coquettishly, her tone emphasizing, "Very handsome."

Whether it was divine or demonic, there was no defense against such straightforward and unbridled flattery. Yara's vocabulary was simple, but the dragon understood it clearly. It immediately wagged its tail and nodded in satisfaction, exuding an air of pride. "Do you want to follow me? I am the Guardian of the Southern Seas. I admit that I got stuck in shallow waters for a while... But once I'm free, I will appoint you, Mermaid, as my attendant. I can take you on a journey everywhere, granting you boundless glory. What do you think?"

Yara looked at it with bewilderment, finding the dragon quite peculiar. Its claiming to be the Guardian of the Southern Seas was odd since she thought the Dragon Lord who gifted her the scale was the Guardian. It was hard to associate this dragon in fallen state with that Dragon Lord of boundless splendor. Did it think she hadn't seen the great gods of the Nine Seas? Clearly, it was exaggerating, intentionally trying to deceive her.

Yara dared not speak up her mind but respectfully indicated, "I am not good at speaking, my lord."

The dragon cast an indifferent glance her way. "It is just fine, saving me from incessant chatter."

Yara was taken aback, then quickly added, "This Little mermaid of me... has no legs."

The dragon disdainfully averted its gaze. "If you want legs, it's simple. Just take a knife and cut yourself open." Seeing her shocked expression, the dragon's mood improved, and it burst into hearty laughter. "I'm hungry. Bring me food. But don't go too far. Only leave when I permit it."

Yara assented obediently, realizing that this task was quite challenging. Feeding such a massive dragon would require a substantial amount of food. She swam slowly in the trench, catching a few sea cucumbers and picking up a few oysters. When she approached the dragon, she felt somewhat embarrassed. There were hardly any fish or shrimp here, so she could only hope the dragon would understand.

Sitting on a platform, she found a suitable stone and opened the sea cucumber. After removing its entrails, she tossed them up into the dragon's gaping maw. The dragon probably hadn't found anyone to talk to in a long time, so it rambled on a bit, "You must be curious why I, as formidable as I am, am locked in here."

Yara nodded, truly intrigued.

The dragon didn't say more, waiting for her to crack open an oyster. Then, it opened its massive jaws and swallowed it down, taking a while to gulp before finally uttering, "It's not really some grand story. Just a mishap during a rainmaking session led to an error in direction, causing the Eastern Land's crops to fail... So, you know, being responsible for one's mistakes, as a righteous dragon should be. It's quite remarkable that I stayed confined for a hundred and eighty years, redeeming my wrongdoing, only to emerge as a reformed hero."

It was indeed a dragon with a sense of responsibility. However, looking at its moss-covered appearance, its circumstances were obviously more embarrassing than its words implied. Yara didn't say much either, smashing open the final oyster and feeding it to the dragon. It flicked its tail lightly, causing a fishy-sweet scent, almost like the smell of blood. Yara sniffed cautiously and investigated the scent. Beneath its entwined body, she saw one of the dragon's claws stepping on an iron ring. The skin between the toes and the pillar was scraped off, and the wound had festered.

It turned out that behind the dragon's fierce appearance, there was such a tragic aspect. Yara, known for her compassion, suddenly felt that it wasn't as detestable as she initially thought; in fact, it seemed quite pitiable. Dragons were born with magical power, freely wandering the seas, capable of controlling winds and rains. Now, being imprisoned, it emitted a sense of desolation that accompanies the downfall of a hero. It was only now that she noticed the cleverness of the chain binding it. It wasn't overly tight, but the blade edges at the base of the pillar were numerous, and it had to coil its body tightly around them to find a point of support to avoid falling. To endure such tension for over a hundred years, what an excruciating ordeal it must have been.

She swam over, nervously holding her fingertip in her mouth, and stammered, "Dragon Lord, you're injured."

It froze for a moment, casually responding, "Just a minor injury, not worth mentioning."

Dragons always cared about their image, and Yara understood that. She didn't say anything, stepping aside and beginning to capture the fleeting lights in the deep sea. Merfolk possessed a unique ability: what appeared as an elusive strand of light to others could be materialized at their fingertips. They could weave intricate patterns, creating coordinates that were then woven into intricate water silk using their hands as the shuttle.

The dragon fell silent, surprised by her actions. Mermaids were the most beautiful beings beyond the Southern Seas, shrouded in mystery and endowed with captivating allure. They appeared human with fish tails, possessing emotions and thoughts akin to humans while being fish-like. Having encountered them frequently in the past, the dragon had grown accustomed to their presence and didn't find them particularly remarkable. However, the current situation of a mermaid weaving water silk seemed strangely out of place.

The dragon tilted its head, puzzled by her actions. "What are you doing?"

Yara gestured with her hands twice. Though the dragon appeared confused, she couldn't explain further.

Merfolk don't have much gift for language; they communicate through long or short bursts of sound waves instead. At times, people thought they were mute, but how could beings that can sing be truly voiceless? In the realm of various beings, human speech was the official language, and the merfolk merely weren't adept at it. However, when they had delved into Yunmeng Marsh to find the Dragon Lord and stumbled upon a noble banquet by the Five Lakes, Yara and Chloe had hidden beneath a water pavilion to eavesdrop. Yara had learned a few sentences then, but to engage in a fluent conversation, she clearly still lacked proficiency.

She wove the water silk swiftly. Mermaid silk was a priceless fabric, wondrous and delicate, soft and white as frost using only light and water as raw material. When fashioned into garments, it could repel water. She was weaving this silk to wrap around the dragon's wound, but expressing the term "wrap around" had puzzled her for quite some time.

Water creatures were inseparable from water, but if they had wounds, prolonged exposure to seawater could be harmful. Since mermaid silk remained dry underwater, it was perfect for creating a barrier between the skin and water. She carefully measured the dragon's thick leg, estimating how much silk she needed to wrap around it.

The dragon was highly intelligent and probably sensed her intention. It felt moved yet somewhat melancholic. Resting its chin on a claw, it turned its head to gaze into the distance, reminiscing about its once domineering past. Now, it had only a small mermaid by its side, a pitiable and lamentable existence.

Yara concentrated on weaving, the intricate light swirling around her fingertips, shaping and compacting as it rose and fell, forming a fabric that fluttered and spread, resembling clouds and mist. After weaving for a while, she turned around and noticed that the enormous body of the dragon had somehow diminished in size. Strangely enough, the ebony iron pillar had also adjusted its dimensions to match its new size.

Surprised, she stopped and stared. The dragon was indeed an attention-seeker. It raised its head proudly, "You see, I can be large or small. Isn't my magic impressive? Even the restraints that held me are extraordinary treasures. This proves my might. Do you recognize this divine treasure? As long as I think about it, it can change its form. Truly a precious treasure." Seeing the mermaid's blank expression, it realized that she didn't understand. A bit frustrated, it turned away, saying, "Mermaids only know how to sob, and you can't comprehend the sophisticated artifacts of the divine realm."

Yara smiled, stood up, and tidied the silk. Holding one end, she cautiously approached, stopping three steps away, pointing hesitantly, "Wound..."

The dragon paid her no heed, turning its face away. Its whiskers swayed with the waves, much like its thoughts.

Summoning her courage, she edged closer while keeping an eye on it. The sea cucumbers and oysters from earlier surely didn't fill its stomach. While staying at a distance, she pondered the consequences if she got too close and it decided to eat her.

Gripping the mermaid silk tightly, she tentatively touched its hind leg. The dragon scales around the wound had eroded, revealing white, decaying flesh that needed cleaning.

She spread her fingers, her nails elongating like thin blades. Merfolk were a species without combat prowess, and this was their only weapon, usually concealed under their skin until needed for self-defense. Her motions were gentle as she began cleaning the wound. At first, everything went smoothly, but suddenly the dragon convulsed. She must have touched a painful spot. It roared in anger, its mouth wide open, its undulating upper jaw clearly visible.

Startled, Yara fell back to the ground, thinking she was done for. Fortunately, the dragon calmed down and ordered her to continue. However, it was practically a compliance coerced by its threats. Every time she glanced up, she saw the terrifying head looming above, occasionally lowering toward her with a gaping mouth, as if ready to swallow her.

Frantically, she finished wrapping the silk around the wound and tied a knot. With the cushion provided by the silk between the wound and the pillar, the pain lessened. The dragon felt satisfied, its mood greatly improved. "You have a keen sense of propriety. You're suitable to be my servant," it proudly proclaimed.

Yara backed away two yards, bowed respectfully, and simply wished to leave. Luckily, the dragon didn't cling to her. With a big yawn, it said, "Having eaten and drunk enough, it's time for a nap. You can go now and return tomorrow. If you serve me well, I will promote you greatly." Suddenly remembering that this mermaid was almost mute, it shook its head disappointedly, "You really should learn to speak. How else will you serve me? And about today's events, don't breathe a word to outsiders. If word gets out..." It gave her fish tail a glance and sneered, "I know where you're from. If it leaks, I'll peel your oil and light a lamp with it. Remember that?"

Yara, sincere and apprehensive, rubbed her hands together and said, "Little mermaid remembers."

The dragon expressed satisfaction with an affirmative sound and closed its eyelids. There was no more movement or sound.