Pelagian Resurgence

The girl's beauty transcended mortal realms—porcelain skin untouched by sun, eyes shimmering like moonlight on tide pools. Liu Zhenhan grasped for metaphors: A winter plum blossom? Dawn mist over jade mountains? All fell short.

Hailun's allure smoldered like desert mirages, but this creature—Ning Yu, her name echoed—radiated clarity that made folly of all earthly charms. Her coiled hair gleamed like black lacquer, each strand defying the salty gusts. When she moved, iridescent shells at her back caught the light, scattering prismatic shards across the deck.

First a mermaid princess, now this... Liu's throat tightened. The world, it seemed, conspired to drown him in beauty.

"Honored guests," Ning Yu dipped her head, a mole at her lip's corner accentuating her smile. Her voice carried the crispness of mountain springs. "Forgive the theatrics."

Blue light flickered. Liu's doppelgänger dissolved into sea spray.

"Smoke and mirrors," Hailun breathed, though her claws dug into Liu's arm. "Like the Harpy Illusionists of the Steppes?"

Ning Yu's laugh tinkled like wind chimes. "We Moshao conjure mirages, not flesh. Your Druids' true transformations put our tricks to shame." Her gaze lingered on Hailun's vulpine curves before snagging on Liu's boar-like snout. The's flawless nose wrinkled as though smelling week-old fish.

Hailun's tail bristled with perverse satisfaction.

"This scares off sea clans?" Liu stage-whispered to Hailun. "Next they'll throw rice paper dragons!"

Ning Yu's shell-clad shoulders stiffened. Her lips formed a silent epithet even landlocked sailors would recognize.

Before Hailun could scold, Old Xu's voice sliced through the tension: "We'd propose an exchange, honored ones. Safe passage to your shores... for rights to gather herbs in your sacred forests."

Hailun's diplomatic mask slid into place. "The Beamon welcome allies. As a Soul Singer, I'll petition—"

"Herbs?" Liu snorted. "Seeking eternal youth potions?" His chuckle died under Xu's glacial stare.

A bellow from the crow's nest saved him. "Breach at starboard! Sea devils incoming!"

The horizon rippled. Razor-edged fins cleaved waves—a sharkman vanguard, their scaled mounts churning foam to froth. Xu adjusted his scholar's cap, unperturbed. "It seems前天's lesson failed to stick."

Hailun shot Liu an I-told-you-so glare. The old man's earlier claims of bullying sea clans suddenly held weight.

"Poser," Liu mouthed, earning twin glares from Hailun and Ning Yu.

The drifted closer, scenting of lotus blooms and danger. "Doubt our strength, Pigman?" Her whisper carried steel filaments. "Watch closely."

As the first leviathan breached—a hammerhead war-beast bearing armored riders—Ning Yu raised slender hands. The air warped. Where moments prior had sailed a lone carrack, now loomed an armada: fifty ghost ships cannons blazing, their sails emblazoned with Xu's crimson serpent sigil.

Sharkmen faltered. Their mounts recoiled, instinct overriding bloodlust. Even Liu's jaw dropped.

"Smoke. And. Mirrors." Ning Yu smirked, tendrils of illusion swirling from her fingertips like opium smoke.

Hailun gripped the rail, torn between awe and dread. Liu's grin returned, wider and wilder.

Chaos, it seemed, had brought worthy dance partners.