Heh!

’If Yu Lan dares to lay a hand on him...’

’She shouldn’t blame him for being merciless.’

’A delicate, soft female... He could strangle her with a single hand.’

As for all this disgusting nonsense about "pleasing a Female Master," Sheng Yiqing was utterly repulsed.

Meanwhile, aboard the starship, the Imperial guards ordered to receive Sheng Yiqing all watched him with looks of curiosity and envy.

’He’s so lucky.’

’Just because he has a handsome face, he gets to marry the gentle, kind, and soft Princess Yu Lan.’

’The Queen even personally ordered for him to be brought to Central Star for the wedding.’

’With a face like that, he’ll probably be completely doted on after they’re married.’

’It’s enough to make anyone green with envy.’

One of the guards noticed Sheng Yiqing turn and walk away without a single glance at the sealed box a guard had just rushed to deliver.

He hurried forward to remind him, "Prince, you forgot your box."

"Do you need me to carry it to your quarters for you?"

"No."

Sheng Yiqing’s voice was frigid. He lifted his gaze slightly, his eyes filled with sharp indifference, and the corner of his thin lips curled.

"It’s just some useless trash. Throw it away."

"Huh?"

The Imperial guard holding the box was stunned.

’Seeing how anxiously the other guard rushed to deliver it, it didn’t seem like trash.’

He scratched his head.

And so, in the end, that box—filled with treasures collected and curated by the Fox Clan of East Origin Star for the purpose of serving a Female Master and winning her favor—was thrown out like trash.

This was a moment Sheng Yiqing would later come to recall with deep regret, every time he faced an empty room in Yu Lan’s absence.

*

「Meanwhile.」

Yu Lan was completely unaware of Sheng Yiqing’s arrival.

After several hours of space travel by starship, the group finally arrived at Deep Sea Star.

Gazing from a great distance through the starship’s transparent viewport, the entirety of Deep Sea Star looked like a black vortex, constantly spinning and silently absorbing the energy around it like a black hole.

Even from so far away, Yu Lan felt a faint tremor of unease in her chest.

Huo Zhanting’s golden eyes were fixed on Yu Lan with concern. He couldn’t stop himself from speaking.

"Lanlan, if you’re not feeling well..."

"No," Yu Lan cut him off forcefully before he could finish, her tone utterly resolute.

"I have to go."

"I absolutely have to."

’So many people on Garbage Star are still struggling in dire straits.’

’It would be best if I can get the medicinal herbs directly from Pei Shiyi.’

’The Empire has already gone back on its word and is trying to renegotiate the division of Green Emerald Star’s resources with the Federation’s Fu Chenhan. Would Fu Chenhan agree so easily?’

’With each round of tangled negotiations, how many more residents of Garbage Star will die in agony?’

’Right now, time is life.’

’There isn’t a single second to waste.’

Seeing the determination in Yu Lan’s eyes, Huo Zhanting exchanged a look with Su Xingye, Li Yucheng, and Jun Lin Yuan.

They gave a slight nod.

The next second, the starship began to accelerate toward Deep Sea Star.

「Ten minutes later.」

The starship landed on Deep Sea Star’s only landmass, and the group disembarked one by one.

Before them stretched a boundless ocean.

The water glittered under the sun as gulls soared freely in the sky, occasionally skimming the surface and kicking up ripples.

The air was extremely humid.

A warm breeze blew against her face. When Yu Lan raised a hand to touch her cheek, she found her fingers came away damp.

Just then, Li Yucheng spoke up. "Where we’ve landed is the only place on Deep Sea Star that allows visiting starships to dock."

"Look over there."

Li Yucheng raised his hand to point, and Yu Lan followed his gaze toward the distance.

In the distance stood enormous, towering structures that pierced the clouds.

"That’s Deep Sea City."

"It’s where off-worlders can visit, shop for local specialties, and where some of Deep Sea City’s natives make their homes on land."

"But Pei Shiyi," Li Yucheng paused, "as the Lord of the Deep Sea and the current patriarch of the Merfolk Clan, he spends most of his time secluded in his palace in the deep sea."

"After all, living in the water is far more comfortable for them than being on land. The entire ocean is their home."

Yu Lan nodded in understanding.

"So, should we go to Deep Sea City and find someone to help us contact Pei Shiyi?"

"We’d like to talk to him."

"Or should we go into the water ourselves?"

Huo Zhanting and the others had all grown up with an elite education; swimming was second nature to them.

As for Su Xingye, despite his commoner background, his immense talent had allowed him to quickly distinguish himself. The military had invested heavily in him, and his training was on par with that of Huo Zhanting and the others.

Unexpectedly, in response to Yu Lan’s simple suggestion, all the men shook their heads, their expressions grim.

Meeting Yu Lan’s confused gaze, Jun Lin Yuan explained with a wry smile.

"Lanlan, it’s not that we don’t want to go into the sea to find Pei Shiyi."

"I don’t know if you’ve ever heard the saying, but if anyone dares to invade a male’s private territory, it’s considered a provocation."

"For some reason, we can sense that Pei Shiyi has claimed the entire ocean as his private territory. If we were to enter..."

Jun Lin Yuan didn’t finish, but Yu Lan already understood.

If they went in, it would be a direct provocation. Not only would their request for help fail, but they would infuriate Pei Shiyi, making it even less likely he’d give them the herbs.

Suddenly, they found themselves in a dilemma.

’Forcing their way into the sea to find Pei Shiyi... disaster.’

’A fight would easily break out.’

’Not to mention, as strong as Huo Zhanting and the others are, they’re ultimately land-dwellers and would be at a disadvantage in the sea.’

’If they got hurt, she wouldn’t be able to bear it.’

’But if they don’t go in, and just wait foolishly on the shore... who knows how long it would take for Pei Shiyi to finally appear.’

Yu Lan gazed at the deep sea, which appeared calm on the surface but roiled with hidden currents. She took a deep breath and spoke calmly.

"I’ll go."

"If I remember correctly, this so-called ’male territory’ doesn’t apply to females."

"Since that’s the case, let me go."

"Take me out over the deep sea. You can monitor me with a drone, watching through its camera the whole time. If anything unexpected happens, you can come and rescue me right away."

This was the best solution Yu Lan could come up with.

It was the best of both worlds.

Even the males, who were worried about her safety and wanted to object, couldn’t find the words to refuse.

Besides, Yu Lan’s attitude was resolute. She was determined to try, even if it meant risking her life, and she wouldn’t tolerate any objections.

"Alright."

Huo Zhanting took a deep breath, gave a slight tilt of his head, and agreed.

"Let’s go. Get on the starship. I’ll take you."

The starship took off again, skimming across the surface of the water as it headed directly for the core region of the deep sea.

Three minutes later, they arrived at the designated location.

The great door of the starship slowly opened.

The beautiful, slender young female leaped from the hatch, diving straight toward the deep sea.

Behind her, several worried males looked as if they were about to follow, their gazes intensely focused, never leaving Yu Lan for a second.

And so, they failed to notice that beneath the surface of the water, a massive Merfolk tail was thrashing wildly, swimming straight toward Yu Lan at an incredible speed and with unstoppable momentum.