Fang Mo's voice scattered in the sea breeze. For a moment, the kneeling crowd below the platform failed to understand what he meant.
Collect a debt?
Whose debt?
The Sea God's debt?
Fang Mo ignored their bewildered gazes.
He walked over to the enormous fish carcass, crouched down, and tapped its exposed spine with his fingers.
The bones were brittle. Corroded by Black Qi for too long, they had little value left.
Nian Nu'er followed with the little girl in her arms. The boy Fang Mo had rescued trailed close behind, his gaze filled with confusion and a faint trace of hope as he watched Fang Mo.
"My lord, this thing's lair should be beneath these rocks."
Nian Nu'er pointed at a corner of the offering platform that the giant fish had smashed.
Fang Mo stood, walked to the edge of the rocks, and looked down into the seawater.
With the giant fish dead, the water was clearing at a visible rate, and the foul, fishy Black Qi was dissipating.
He took the emerald-green Water-Avoidance Pearl from inside his robes.
The moment he brought it out, the surrounding seawater parted on its own, opening a gap as though it had encountered something terrifying.
"Take the two of them back to the city and find somewhere to settle them."
Fang Mo pushed the boy toward Nian Nu'er.
"Then come back here and find me."
Nian Nu'er nodded without asking any further questions.
Holding the girl in one arm, she took the boy's hand with the other and turned toward the city.
The boy glanced back at Fang Mo and opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately followed Nian Nu'er away.
Only after they were far away did Fang Mo place the Water-Avoidance Pearl in his mouth.
Cool moisture instantly