56: The proud fish

Prince Lan Xing's words, "Let's sever our partner bond," didn't just shock Nan Zhisui; they also shocked the members of the Merfolk Clan in the sea.

The Merfolk Males were almost driven to madness.

Wait, Your Highness, have you lost your mind?

The male-to-Female ratio of the Merfolk Clan is 100:1! How could you bear to sever the partner bond with a Female who has such a beautiful rainbow-colored fish tail?

What's more, she even gave birth to a little Female cub as cute and beautiful as Fufu for you!

The Merfolk Clan is different from the Land Beastmen. Although the gender ratio of the Merfolk Clan is even more severely imbalanced than that of the Land Beastmen, Land Beastmen give birth to few offspring, generally only 3 to 8 per litter.

The Merfolk Clan is different; a few dozen eggs per litter is considered small. In some cases, there can be hundreds or even thousands in a single litter.

Perhaps because there are too many cubs, the parent-child relationship within the Merfolk Clan is not as strong as that of the Land Beastmen.

However, Merfolk cubs have a very unique emotional connection with their Father Fish and Mother Fish, allowing them to recognize their biological Fish Father and mother. This was why Little Fu could recognize Nan Zhisui as her biological mother at a single glance.

As for why there aren't many merfolk despite them being so prolific? That's because:

1. Merfolk Females are too rare and conception is extremely difficult; it's often centuries before one hears of a merfolk Female giving birth to a cub.

2. The seabed is more dangerous than the land, and the probability of Merfolk cubs growing up safely is nowhere near as high as that of Land Beastmen.

Lan Xing's fist clenched: "If you were to directly sever the partner bond with me, it would cause me harm. I hope you can cooperate with me to sever the partner bond using the ancient magic of the Merfolk Clan. That way, we can part ways peacefully."

"I refuse! I don't want to sever my partner bond with you!" Nan Zhisui said.

Watching her daddy and mommy argue, the Little Merman Fufu burst into tears with a loud 'wa-la'.

The Merfolk Males hurriedly scrambled to coax Little Fufu.

Lan Xing turned to look at her, saying angrily:

"Why not sever it? You clearly don't like me.

You bullied me, abandoned me, and never once looked for me.

You abandoned your husband and daughter; you don't care about me at all! Why should I stay by your side and let you trample on me like this!"

If you had just called out once by the seaside, I would have come to see you no matter how far away I was.

But you didn't.

It's been five years, and you've never once looked back at me!

Nan Zhisui lowered her eyes: "I was in the wrong before. I can make it up to you in the future..."

"There's no need," Lan Xing said crossly.

Nan Zhisui: "..."

It seemed he really wanted to sever the partner bond?

What a pity. Although Lan Xing was just a 'tool fish' for her to have a child back then, she actually quite liked him.

"Have you really made up your mind?" Nan Zhisui asked softly.

"Mm," he replied with an angry nasal hum.

"Lan Xing, look, there are only two ways you can dissolve the partner bond. One is for me to directly sever it, and the other is for me to cooperate with you using the Merfolk magic.

Directly severing the bond would cause you serious injury. If we use the Merfolk magic, you need my cooperation. Either way, you need me, right?"

Lan Xing looked at her.

Nan Zhisui said, "How about this. If you agree to one condition, I'll cooperate with you to sever the partner bond."

"You agree to sever the partner bond?" Lan Xing looked up abruptly, a flash of pain crossing his eyes.

Nan Zhisui: "I didn't say I agreed! Didn't I say there's a condition?!"

Lan Xing's expression returned to normal. He swam in front of her and looked at her. "What condition?"

Nan Zhisui said, "I don't want to be locked in a cage, so I want you to let me out. After I'm out, you must stay by my side and fulfill your responsibilities as a beast husband for one month. After one month, I will cooperate with you to sever the partner bond."

"You've never shouldered the responsibilities of a female master. Now you actually want me to shoulder the responsibilities of a beast husband?"

Nan Zhisui felt a bit awkward.

"One month is too long," Lan Xing turned his head away tsundere-ly.

The Merfolk Males on the side were about to go crazy with anxiety.

How did the Prince and the Princess Consort start arguing?

Why must the Prince insist on severing the partner bond with the Princess Consort?

The Prince is simply too cold, too heartless, and too unreasonable!

They wanted to advise him, but none of them could speak up right now.

"Then what do you want?" Nan Zhisui asked.

Lan Xing said, "One week."

After Lan Xing spoke stubbornly, he immediately pursed his lips.

He probably shouldn't have said such a short time. Agreeing to a month would have been fine too... but the words were already out... as long as she bargained a bit more, he would relent.

Nan Zhisui: "Fine. It's a deal!"

Why did she agree so easily?

A hint of panic appeared in the depths of Lan Xing's eyes.

Nan Zhisui had no idea what Lan Xing was thinking. Seeing that his attitude had at least softened, she said, "Lan Xing, I still have a beast husband and cubs on the shore. They must be worried sick. Can you have someone tell them so they don't worry, okay?"

The merman's eyes, filled with jealousy, swept over her.

As expected, she cared about her other beast husband and other cubs. She just wouldn't care about the two of them, father and daughter.

The two of them were existences she had abandoned and forgotten.

She didn't like them at all. That's why even agreeing to sever the partner bond was done so easily!

"Open the cage!" Lan Xing ordered.

Two Merfolk Males opened the cage, and Nan Zhisui swam out.

"Your Highness, you must never sever the partner bond with the female master," a Male Merman advised in a low voice.

"Females are always a bit pampered and willful; they all have many fish husbands. It's actually nothing if they occasionally forget about us."

"Right, right, let's calm down. Where else could you find such a beautiful female master? And she even gave birth to Little Fu for you!"

They spoke these words very quietly, so Nan Zhisui didn't hear them.

Lan Xing turned a deaf ear and swam over, reaching his hand out to Nan Zhisui.

Nan Zhisui looked at Lan Xing and then at his hand.

Lan Xing had just let her choke on seawater and even locked her in a cage.

Did he really think she had no temper at all?

Now he wants to hold her hand?

Hmph!

Nan Zhisui had no intention of taking his hand and simply swam past him.

The aura around the Merfolk Male turned cold in an instant!

"So cold, so cold! Is it an illusion? It feels like it's going to freeze!"

"Oh my god, everyone get away, hurry and get away!"

Nan Zhisui turned back and asked, "Lan Xing, where are we going now?"

The cold air around Lan Xing finally dissipated a bit, and he swam ahead of Nan Zhisui.

Nan Zhisui followed behind, adapting to her large tail as she swam.

Her speed grew faster and faster, and her swimming became more agile.

Seeing that her daddy and mommy were leaving, Little Fu, who had been chasing small fish, quickly wiped her tears and caught up.

In the depths of the ocean, Nan Zhisui couldn't distinguish directions; she only felt that the seabed was colorful, with light and shadows intertwining, quiet and profound.

Schools of small fish danced around them, accompanied by countless air bubbles.

Nan Zhisui couldn't help but stop and watch, enjoying the beauty of the deep sea.

"Lan Xing, slow down."

The blue-purple merman slowed down considerably.

A group of young merfolk swam toward them. They greeted Lan Xing and Nan Zhisui one by one.

"Your Highness, Little Princess," they said politely to Nan Zhisui, "Princess Consort."

Nan Zhisui found it very novel and took a good look at every merman and mermaid.

"Lan Xing, you merfolk are all so beautiful! So gorgeous! Every one of them looks so good!"

Lan Xing's eyes grew darker, and he turned his head away in a huff.

Everyone else looks good, but he doesn't, is that it?

He is clearly the most beautiful Male Merman in the ocean...