Chapter 185: Chapter 185: Yu Huang’s Deal with the Beast God

And the location of the pool seemed to be the residence of the Merfolk King.

Yu An had seen the underwater layout of the Merfolk Clan in the Treasure Pearl Sea on the Beastman Continent. It was almost identical to this place, with only a few minor details changed.

She recalled how Lan Yin had once shown her all around the Imperial Palace, including a secret chamber known only to the successive Merfolk Kings.

The chamber’s location was well hidden, but fortunately, Yu An had been there before and found it without any trouble.

She found the entrance, opened a small crack, and squeezed through the gap.

The steps stretched on for a long time. The last time she was here, she had complained about why they had to be built so long.

Lan Yin couldn’t explain it either, only saying that it was a one-to-one replica of the Merfolk Clan’s former residence.

After walking down a long, dark path, Yu An saw a light ahead. The farther in she went, the colder it became. She shivered and pulled her clothes tighter around herself.

She finally reached the secret chamber, but another stone door blocked her way. After a moment of thought, she brought Xiao Yu out.

"Female Mother, what’s wrong?"

Xiao Yu rubbed his eyes, wrapped snugly in a padded jacket by Yu An.

He had been sleeping when Yu An suddenly brought him out.

"Xiao Yu, do Female Mother a favor."

Yu An carried Xiao Yu to the stone door, pointed at a shell on it, and said, "Put your hand on it."

Xiao Yu did as he was told. The stone door seemed to sense his presence and rumbled open.

"Okay, you can go back to sleep now."

"No," Xiao Yu said, wrapping his arms around Yu An’s neck. "Female Mother, I want to stay with you."

He was wide awake now. Seeing that none of his Beast Fathers were around and his Female Mother was all alone, he was worried.

Yu An chuckled. "But Xiao Yu is too heavy. You’re tiring out your Female Mother’s arms."

Seeing the little guy look like he was about to cry, she patted his little head. "How about this? Female Mother will call for you if I need you, okay?"

Xiao Yu thought for a moment, then nodded. "Female Mother, you have to call me. I’ll sleep tomorrow."

Yu An agreed, and after sending Xiao Yu into her space, she walked inside alone.

The secret chamber on the Beastman Continent only had a stone statue of a Merfolk, said to be of the first Merfolk King of the Merfolk Clan.

The statue was faceless. According to the records, no one knew what the first Merfolk King looked like; not even the elders of that time had seen him.

This place also had a Merfolk statue, but there was something extra—an Ice Coffin.

"No wonder it’s so cold. It’s because of this."

The Ice Coffin radiated a chilling air. The closer she got, the colder she felt. Yu An forced herself to approach, wanting to see if there was anything inside.

As she drew a little closer, she could vaguely make out a blurry human figure.

’Is there a body inside?’

Yu An shuddered, unsure if it was from the cold or from fear.

She moved closer still and got a clear look at the person in the coffin.

It was a Merfolk, remarkably plain-looking—the kind of person who would get lost in a crowd.

It was clearly a male Merfolk. His fishtail was gold, but the color was dull and lackluster. His expression was peaceful; he didn’t look dead, but rather as if he were asleep.

Yu An scratched her head. "Dead or alive?"

"Or."

A voice suddenly rang out, making Yu An jump. "Who’s there!"

"I’m right in front of you."

Yu An’s gaze fell on the Ice Coffin. She asked tentatively, "Are you this Merfolk?"

"Yes."

"Then what did you mean by your first word?"

’Dead is dead, and alive is alive. Why say "or"?’

’It’s a yes-or-no question, why answer with "or"?’

The voice was silent for a moment. "Alive, but dead."

"Dead, yet still alive."

"That’s pretty complicated," Yu An said after a moment’s thought. "I guess I’ll call you the living dead."

The voice seemed speechless. "You can call me ’Beast Father’."

"Huh?" 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Yu An was stunned. "You’re my..."

"No," the voice explained. "I am the Beast God."

"A long, long time ago, my children—that is, all living beings in the world—would call me ’Female Mother’ or ’Beast Father’."

"Either title is fine, but as I am currently in a male form, ’Beast Father’ is more appropriate."

Yu An had been shocked several times in the span of just a few sentences. She never imagined this person was actually the Beast God!

"Do you have any proof that you’re the Beast God?"

The voice sounded a little helpless. "I used to, but now I can only speak... Perhaps this will serve as proof."

As soon as the voice finished, a memory appeared in Yu An’s mind.

In the memory, the Beast God was originally a formless existence. It could take any shape—a blade of grass, a tree, a mountain, a river, a beast in the mountains, or a fish in the water.

It could also take the form of a Beastman. Whenever its people encountered an unsolvable problem, it would assume a suitable form to guide them out of their predicament.

There were several scenes where He took the form of a Merfolk, leading the Merfolk Clan away from the inhospitable Beast God Continent to settle on the Beastman Continent.

On the Beast God Continent, the leader of the Merfolk Clan was the "Clan Leader." To show their respect and gratitude to the Beast God, the Clan Leader at the time abdicated and changed the title to "Merfolk King."

The Beast God was the first Merfolk King. The Merfolk erected two stone statues, one in each of their two settlements, to express their gratitude.

The Beast God, in his Merfolk form, left after the Merfolk Clan was safely settled. The memory ended there.

"You... You really are the Beast God."

"Yes," the voice said with a hint of a smile. "Do you believe me now?"

Yu An didn’t know if it was real or fake, and she had no way to verify it. However, the ability to implant a memory into someone’s mind out of thin air wasn’t something an ordinary person could do.

"I believe you. But why are you here? Were you imprisoned by someone?"

"That’s right. I was ambushed after returning from the Beastman Continent and was forced to stay here. The pool above this secret chamber is being used to suppress me."

A flicker of movement in Yu An’s eyes. "Then how can I free you? You might not know, but there’s a faction on the Beast God Continent called the Invincible Alliance. They stop at nothing..."

"I know," the Beast God sighed after she finished. "The one who ambushed me is in the Invincible Alliance."

Yu An was surprised. "Was it the Invincible Alliance’s Hierarch, Ao Yin, who ambushed you?"

"No," the Beast God paused. "He is not yet capable of ambushing me. It was someone else, whom I cannot tell you about for now."

’Alright, so secretive,’ she thought. ’Don’t tell me I have to wait until my power reaches a certain level before he’ll tell me.’

"When your superpower reaches Level 12, I will naturally tell you about that person. Besides, I’ll be counting on you to help me get out then, won’t I?"

The corner of Yu An’s mouth twitched. ’It really is just like that.’

"By the way, how do you know I have a superpower?"

The Beast God laughed heartily. "Because I was the one who gifted you your superpower and your space. Your Female Mother, Yu Huang, came here once and made a deal with me."

"The person who ambushed me was also severely injured and has been searching for a suitable vessel. You were that vessel. I sent your soul to the Otherworld and gifted you the means to protect yourself. As for her..."

"What about my Female Mother?"

Yu An asked urgently, "What did she promise you?"

’So, I really am my Female Mother’s child!’

"As for that question, let her tell you herself after she regains her memories. Don’t worry. You are all my children. I would not harm any of you."