Fang Yun listened as the merfolk and water demons continued describing the Sea-Cliff Ancient Land. After a long while, the party finally reached a plain of fine sand on the seabed.
There was nothing here to obstruct their view, and the place looked utterly ordinary.
The three merfolk looked grim, but Great Demon King Zhang Lang said smugly, "Your Majesty, the chief of the Merfolk Tribe is hiding below. There's an underground palace built by ancient merfolk down there. We've known all about it for ages."
"We?" Fang Yun eyed Zhang Lang coldly.
Zhang Lang immediately began slapping himself with all eight tentacles, forcing a smile as he said, "I meant the wicked Sea-Cliff Alliance knows where we are."
Fang Yun ignored Zhang Lang and told Jiao Yue, "Those below should have noticed us already. Go in and announce that the Literary Star Dragon Noble has arrived. Have your chief come out to receive me!"
Fang Yun's words brooked no objection.
Jiao Yue agreed and swiftly swam off, growing ever more worried. He had realized that Fang Yun was deliberately displaying his strength and status, as though he had some ulterior motive, yet he did not seem like someone steeped in evil.
Before long, the sand below suddenly billowed upward, then parted to either side as an ancient hall slowly rose.
The hall's surface was mottled with rust and covered in great swaths of seaweed. Several li in both length and width, it was enormous.
The hall's main doors slowly opened amid surging seawater. Two rows of shrimp soldiers emerged, followed by an honor guard of sailfish demons. After them came twelve imposing seahorses pulling a massive Imperial Carriage.
The Imperial Carriage was an enormous seashell resembling a giant clam, but its surface was smooth, and its interior was exceptionally