CHAPTER 153: CHAPTER 144 YOU’RE SO BEAUTIFUL_1

Si Yan, having watched the beastman retreat into the distance, glanced up at Old Gecko, who seemed on the verge of being charred. She felt she could no longer keep up her charade.

"Old Gecko, this lightning just won’t let up! Is there any way to make it stop?!"

"So it’s ’Good Grandpa’ when you need something, but ’Old Gecko’ when you don’t, huh!" grumbled Old Gecko, clawing irritably at Si Yan’s head with his scorched paws.

Si Yan was speechless. "..."

Old Gecko quickly said, "You’ve smeared Momo grass on your body and mud on your face. Find some water, plunge to the bottom, and wash it all off. Completely transform your appearance to the point where even your parents wouldn’t recognize you! That fake sky will be even less familiar with your looks and scent; it won’t be able to find you, so it won’t strike you anymore!"

Is that even possible? Si Yan wondered.

"Hurry, hurry!" Old Gecko urged. "I’ve barely recovered, and I can’t hold on much longer!"

Well, Old Gecko can’t keep up his charade either, Si Yan thought.

Without another word, Si Yan took off running. Old Gecko shouted, "Left, left, left! Ah, right—there’s a lake up ahead!!!"

As the crimson lightning raced to catch up from behind, Si Yan pinched her nose and hastily jumped into the water.

CRACKLE! POP!

The lightning struck directly into the water!

Damn it, water conducts electricity!!!

Si Yan felt like she was about to give up the ghost after being struck.

But then, suddenly, numerous bubbles encased her. The small bubbles quickly merged into one large bubble, with Si Yan inside it. With this large bubble, she seemed insulated from the electricity.

Si Yan sat within the bubble, looking around.

She saw a circle of familiar faces!

Jin Li and her mermaids, each encased in their own bubble, surrounded her.

"Si Yan!" cried the beautiful little mermaid Jin Li, swimming over to her with great enthusiasm.

Si Yan exclaimed in shock, "Jin Li?! Did I... did I stumble into your home by accident?"

Jin Li nodded her adorable head in confirmation.

Despite Si Yan being drenched in blood, she had just been bathed in crimson lightning, with bolts chasing her and striking at her. So cool! Really, really cool! Jin Li thought. I think I like Si Yan more and more.

Si Yan quickly said, "Jin Li, I’m in a bit of trouble here. There’s lightning outside, and I need to disguise myself. I have to wash off my scent and change my clothes, ideally to the point where not even my parents would recognize me."

The pretty little mermaid quickly replied, "Si Yan, I understand. I have Fish Gauze and also a Fish Pearl. If you hold the Fish Pearl in your mouth, you can temporarily transform into a mermaid. That way, not even your parents will recognize you."

Having said that, Jin Li bashfully added, "Would you mind... becoming a mermaid?"

Transform into a mermaid? Is this for real? Si Yan thought.

She shook her head swiftly. "Not at all! I completely don’t mind!"

「 」

It would take three to four days to retrieve the Shushu fruit and return.

However, the cold-blooded snake Beastman Tai Seng, wanting to return quickly, used his Lightning Special Ability the entire way. His Lightning Special Ability allowed him to accelerate and pierce through space with lightning speed. Aided by a succession of similar "swift" abilities, he reached extreme speeds, harvested the Shushu fruit, and began his journey back.

However, while still some distance from Dark Sun Lake, he saw the blood-red sky above it, and Tai Seng’s eyes turned red in an instant. He raced towards Dark Sun Lake at an even faster pace!

Upon entering the Dark Sun Lake area, he saw two little cubs frantically searching for their mother.

Tai Seng picked up the two little ones.

"What are you looking for?" he asked.

Seeing Tai Seng, Dongchi shouted, "You scummy... bad male!! Mother, Mother’s gone! There’s powerful lightning near Dark Sun Lake. We’re really worried about Mother!"

Tai Seng wordlessly tossed the two cubs onto himself; they both instinctively transformed into snakes and clung to his body.

Tai Seng paused for a moment. These two cubs... they not only feel familiar and close, but on certain matters, we seem to share a strange, unspoken understanding. This feeling... it’s a bit strange. I can’t describe this feeling. Because I’ve never had kin in my life. I’ve never experienced it before.

「 」

Tai Seng had led Ying Zhao away. Indeed, Ying Zhao was formidable, repeatedly pushing Tai Seng to the brink of using his Special Ability.

Then, at a critical moment, Si Yan took action and dealt with Jie Ling!

Heavenly lightning descended, and Ying Zhao turned in astonishment toward Jie Ling’s location. He abandoned Tai Seng and flew towards Jie Ling.

Tai Seng looked at the red lightning in the sky, his entire beastman face darkening. He too quickly raced back to check the situation.

However, though the scene was a chaotic, bloody mess, there was no sign of either Si Yan or Jie Ling.

That female Si Yan wanted to kill must have been taken away by Ying Zhao, Tai Seng deduced. But what about Si Yan? Where is Si Yan?!

「At this moment, outside Dark Sun Lake」

Si Yan had already taken the Fish Pearl into her mouth. The moment she did, her legs slowly transformed into a stunningly beautiful, colorful fishtail. The vibrant tail shimmered with myriad lights under the moon. She became even more gorgeous, captivatingly beautiful.

When the freshwater mermaids at the bottom of the lake saw Si Yan’s fishtail, they were utterly astonished. Even Jin Li swam around Si Yan in circles.

"Why? Why is it colorful?" Jin Li asked, puzzled.

Si Yan swished her tail, doing a few turns in the water. Her tail had beautiful, smooth lines. After transforming into a mermaid to conceal her identity, Si Yan put away Tai Seng’s beast-hide clothes, replacing them with a seashell bra and some Fish Gauze.

Many mermaids gathered around, adorning her with lovely pearls and small shells. Her black, silk-like hair fanned out in the water. Her spirited, clearly defined eyes and her creamy, delicate skin—so fine it seemed a breath could break it—shimmered. Her colorful tail swayed gently.

Jin Li gulped. For an admirer of beauty like me, this is the absolute pinnacle!

"Si Yan!! Si Yan, Si Yan, Si Yan!!" the little mermaid cried, rushing over and nuzzling against her. "You’re so beautiful! How can you be so incredibly beautiful!"

Si Yan couldn’t handle such enthusiasm and quickly swam away to evade her.

"I’m going to try going ashore," she said.

Now that I’ve completely changed my appearance, that fake sky above probably won’t recognize me, Si Yan thought.

And so, Si Yan stealthily swam to the shore and looked up. The sky was a sheet of crimson, seemingly scanning everywhere, searching for a target. The moment she appeared, the sky seemed to glance at her, then quickly averted its gaze.

Si Yan’s lips curved into a smile. Indeed, it can’t recognize me. The crisis has temporarily passed.

Si Yan leaped out of the water onto the bank, her colorful tail slapping against the reef rocks by the shore. Her jet-black hair cascaded down as she tilted her head, gently combing it with her fingers. Moonlight bathed her, enveloping her in a sacred glow.

Tai Seng was the first to find Si Yan.

At the sight of her, Tai Seng was utterly stunned.

"Si... Si Yan? Is that you, Si Yan?"

When she assassinated Jie Ling, she had covered herself with Momo grass. Now that the scent of Momo grass has washed off, this is Si Yan’s own scent. It should be her, but... he thought.

Si Yan finished combing her hair, flicked it back, and turned. Her eyes crinkled as she smiled and said, "Tai Seng, you didn’t recognize me either? It seems my disguise was quite successful, then."

"Si Yan, is it really you?!" Tai Seng’s eyes lit up, then filled with sheer amazement. His face, neck, and ears flushed crimson at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Si Yan, your true form... are you a mermaid?" he stammered. "You’re so beautiful... How can you be so breathtakingly beautiful..."