"I really don't know what the Seventh Prince was thinking. He actually let three juniors who came to reinforce the other sects of the Nine Sons of the Endless Sea scare him off."
"How times have changed. Has the Southern Sea Dragon Palace truly fallen so far?"
As the Giant Crocodile found itself thinking this, the beautiful woman it had kicked aside earlier could not help muttering a complaint.
"General, the Seventh Prince took his anger out on you."
"If you ask this servant, you should secretly report what happened to the other princes of the Southern Sea Dragon Palace."
"Among them, surely one would be willing to step forward and avenge this insult to the Seventh Prince."
The moment she finished speaking, silence fell.
The Giant Crocodile staggered to its feet, ready to slap the loose-tongued maid into a pulp.
But just as its huge hand was about to reach her fair cheek, it drew the hand back.
"There's some sense in what you say, but don't say it again."
"At least, don't say it in front of so many people!"
With that, the Giant Crocodile gave the maid a meaningful look, then turned and headed toward its private Cave Abode below.
The maid hurried after it.
One behind the other, they entered the empty, secluded Cave Abode. The maid spoke again.
"General, in this servant's view, the matter isn't as simple as I made it sound."
"Back then, disaster struck the Tianyan Sect without warning. By morning, not one soul in the entire sect remained alive. That was what overturned the balance of power in the South Sea of the Endless Sea and gave the Southern Sea Dragon Palace its chance to rise, until it could almost stand against the Nine Sons of the Endless Sea."
"Now the