A hundred thousand lovely faces, a hundred thousand spills of blood: A smile, a frown-one woman could raise a nation - Guan Pingchao

Just as sorrowful clouds gathered over the moonlit lake beneath the sea, another small storm arose in Clear Abyss Hall, where the South Sea Dragon Deity lived in seclusion.

"What did you say?!"

After the gentle, handsome young man laid out his thoughts in full, the father and son listening to him could scarcely believe their ears.

"Yes. Third Brother, please understand. Father, please forgive me."

Seeing the astonishment on his two kinsmen's faces, the young man in plain robes and a jade belt remained resolute, unwavering as he repeated what was in his heart:

"Father, and you too, Third Brother, hear me out. I believe the war has now turned against us. The forces of the Four Rivers have driven straight to Divine Wrath; the enemy is at our gates, and we have no room left to maneuver. Since that is so, I think we might as well do as they propose and let me become the new ruler of the South Sea. That would not only silence all those wagging tongues and blunt their momentum, but also buy time for Third Brother. Didn't you say that once the God King in God's Field emerged, he could turn the tide in an instant and help us rule the world?"

"..."

Even after Boyu explained himself again, the old dragon Chi Gang and his third son Meng Zhang did not immediately answer, though their expressions grew more complicated than before.

Boyu has a point!

After carefully turning Boyu's words over in his mind, the old Dragon King was overwhelmed with emotion. Without speaking, he took a long, searching look at his eldest son.

How many years had it been since he had looked this son squarely in the face? That old image of a good-for-nothing had long since hardened in