Chapter 731: Chapter 20: The Fortunate Minister Chapter 731: Chapter 20: The Fortunate Minister “We’re fleas on the same rope, do you want to stay here forever, letting our corpses rot, being toyed with by this giant squid as if we’re music boxes, until the end of the world?”

“Grasshoppers, grasshoppers on a string.””
Li Yan corrected.

Seeing Saint Watson staring at him unhappily, he shrugged his shoulders, “I’m just telling it like it is. If I really had the ability to deal with Yan Gong, I wouldn’t have been captured and brought here. Besides, why should I believe that you can break through the Seven-Star Precious Pagoda?”

“You mean this?”

Saint Watson patted the smooth crystal wall, “Give me some time. It shouldn’t be a problem. But if we can’t sort out the giant squid, it’ll catch us back sooner or later.”

“About that…”

Li Yan’s eyes spun around, and he caught sight of a larger water bubble beside him, within which his own kind were imprisoned.

Dragon Mane Jellyfish, Seven-Treasure Saber Snout, and several other species floated up and down in the water, bubbling away. They had lost all consciousness, even the R’lyeh Water Tiger looked drunk as they spun around recklessly, some even crashed into the ground and began munching on the sand, their tails flapping around outside, looking very clumsy and lacking their usual bloodthirsty ferocity.

Yan Gong was indeed unfathomable. As a powerful water demon that roamed unchecked during the Warring States period, Li Yan felt that his own abilities from Wu Zhiqi seemed only slightly better than child’s play to it.

Perhaps in sheer strength, Yan Gong was not as formidable as Muni, but it could contain Li Yan completely.

“Yang Zichu! Yang Zichu!”

Li Yan tried to awaken the unconscious Pig Dragon King, but though he was within arm’s reach, he felt no psychic response from his kin anymore.

Thump~
Li Yan hammered the bubble fiercely, causing an undersea disturbance.

Yan Gong opened his eyelids slightly, simply considering Li Yan’s struggles fruitless, and paid him no heed.

Strangely enough, although the bubbles could block spells and abilities, they were sensitive to vibrations. Yang Zichu jerked at the sound, and even managed to turn himself over.

“My lord?”

Yang Zichu was confused at first, but as he looked around and recalled everything before he fainted, he soon realized his situation and inwardly cursed his luck.

Lord, oh lord, why can’t you just stay out of trouble for a couple of days? The last time you annoyed the River God, I almost lost my life, and though I can’t determine the pedigree of the giant squid, it has the powers and lineage of The Great Wilderness, a true ancient demon. I thought that by aligning myself with a Water Lord of exceptional origin and profound background I would enjoy the colorful world endlessly, but who knew I’d become the companion of a trouble magnet…

“What are you thinking about?”

Li Yan interrupted Yang Zichu’s internal complaints. He pointed at Yan Gong and spent quite some time explaining and gesturing.

“Think of something to lure her away.”

The two had been through life and death together on several occasions and had developed a significant understanding. Yang Zichu quickly grasped what Li Yan meant. With a reluctant grimace on his crocodile-like face, he tried to make excuses.

“After all, you both are aquatic beings. You share a common language, right? Think of something! Do you want to stay here forever? Do you not want to drink from the Arctic Ocean again? Do you not want to eat explosive belly fish? Will you never jump at Eiskea again?”

Li Yan’s words immediately shook Yang Zichu to the core.

Since Yang Zichu had gained the ability to transform into a human form, he was never content with just staying in the Water Lord Palace. Whenever he took a break, he would often ask Li Yan for leave to play in the mortal world. As long as Yang Zichu did not cause trouble, Li Yan let him go. Over time, Yang Zichu became a connoisseur of all forms of indulgence, from drinking orange soda to frequenting nightclubs and bars. He enjoyed casual flings and never worried about food or drink. Eiskea was the name of his favorite nightclub.

After pondering for a while, Yang Zichu randomly grabbed several half-conscious species in his claws and roared at Yan Gong, “”
“Qiantang River lesser demon, Yang Zichu, pays his respects to Ci Empress!”

His shout was full of vigor, causing the surrounding seaweeds to tremble incessantly. Yan Gong, who was already sleeping lightly, was instantly awakened. She turned over to look down at Yang Zichu, her gaze fierce and irritable.

There’s no taking back an arrow once it’s shot from the bow.

Yang Zichu steadied his mind and loudly said, “The lesser demon Yang Zichu was oppressed by this villain in the past and thus aided in his tyranny.”

He pointed at Li Yan, “Today, having seen the Ci Empress’s immortal grace and extraordinary poise, it’s like witnessing the bright moon in the sky. This lesser demon wishes to abandon darkness for light and serve at the Empress’s side!”

Yan Gong’s voice remained dark and brooding, “You call me Ci Empress? What do you mean by that?”

Yang Zichu said, “Seeing the Empress with six eyes and ten bodies, there is no doubt you must be the divine fish Ci from the West Sea as recorded in the ancient books. Therefore, I took the liberty to address you as Ci Empress.”

“Six eyes and ten bodies make a Ci fish? Not necessarily. Heluo also has six eyes and ten bodies; it’s hard for mortals to distinguish, but the legend says the Ci fish is red, whereas I’m cloaked in golden light. How could I possibly be a Ci fish? Or are you blind?”

While speaking, Yan Gong’s tentacles moved casually again.

Yang Zichu, with an unblushing face and steady heart, said, “The Ci fish has the fragrance of vermilion grass, whereas Heluo is overwhelmingly fishy. The fragrance of flowers emanates from the Empress’s body; you must certainly be the Ci fish!”

Yan Gong said in a sinister tone, “It’s said that the Ci fish has the fragrance of vermilion grass, and Heluo smells fishy and rank. These are merely the nonsense of ordinary fools, and you also believe it? Let me tell you, my name is Li Jiang, I was ennobled by King Zhao of Zhou, sister to Duke Huan of Qi Country, Xiao Bai. Since the demise of Qi Country, I am its rightful successor. All the gods and monsters of the seas honor me as Yan Gong; I am not some Ci fish.”

Damn, hit the wrong target while trying to flatter.

Li Yan immediately waved his hand.

Who would have expected Yan Gong to shift her tone just then.

“Nevertheless, your little dragon tongue is quite sweet. And you are as well, rather pleasing to the eye.”

She looked triumphantly towards Li Yan, “Even your capable subordinate has pledged allegiance to me; you might as well stop being stubborn.”

Li Yan snorted coldly on the outside, but inside, he was giving Yang Zichu a thumbs up.

Not bad, kid!

Yang Zichu seized the moment, “The deep sea is lonely. My brothers and I have arranged a dance and music piece that flowed out from the Dragon Palace of the Qiantang Water Lord, named ‘Breaking the Array.’ May Yan Gong appreciate it.”

After speaking, he shoved a Dragon Mane Jellyfish, “You lowly creature, always sleeping like the dead; always causing trouble at critical moments, aren’t you going to wake up?”

Yan Gong laughed heartily, “No wonder they are like this, these sea creatures have potent and robust bloodlines. Yet, their intellect is dull and their spirit weak, inferior to ordinary sea monsters and unable to withstand the power of my Seven-Star Precious Pagoda.”

With a light flick, the color of the bubbles suddenly became much lighter, and the previously immobile creatures also began to regain their vitality.

“Come now, dance for me.”

“Precisely, precisely.”

Yang Zichu flew around among the many water species, giving some instructions; soon, creatures of various species began to dance.

These abyssal creatures, some fierce and powerful, others exquisitely lovely, presented a very fine spectacle. Yan Gong, having lived in seclusion for over a thousand years since the spectacle of Heavenly Mother Crossing the Sea, usually swung bubbles to the sound of bone music, which was her greatest pleasure. The tune was ancient and somber, a masterpiece indeed, but after over a thousand years, Yan Gong had long grown tired of it. Now, seeing the group of monsters dancing, and Yang Zichu commencing his high song, it brought her novelty and amusement, prompting her to dance happily along.

As for whether this was truly the ‘Breaking the Array’ from the Dragon King of Qiantang, who cared about such things?