Huangfu Jun's gaze closely followed every move Bai Lin made. She watched helplessly as Dragon King Jiangxue's once majestic body self-destructed in an instant. The massive form gradually disintegrated, transforming into a red bubble that emitted a strange light. The bubble spun leisurely in the seawater, constantly changing shape, and finally, miraculously turned into an enormous red crystal ball. Like a brilliant ruby, it glowed enchantingly in the dim seabed. The crystal ball floated down slowly and landed steadily in Bai Lin's palm. Bai Lin gazed quietly at the dragon pearl, his brows slightly furrowed, as if pondering a major decision. After a moment, he lightly raised his hand and snapped his fingers crisply. In an instant, the dragon pearl, which had been radiating a mysterious light, turned into a thick, bloody mist. Like nimble spirits, the mist drifted and dissipated rapidly with the current, soon merging into the endless darkness. Huangfu Jun widened her eyes in shock, utterly incredulous. "What? What was that?" What had happened to Bai Lin? Had he really completely annihilated Dragon King Jiangxue? The thought barely surfaced before she quickly dismissed it. After all, they were both of the same demon race; Bai Lin wouldn't do something like that. After thinking it over, she concluded that Bai Lin must have absorbed the dragon pearl's energy, and the spreading blood mist was merely an illusion. Bai Lin seemed unfazed by Huangfu Jun's surprise. He gently flicked his sleeve and then took her hand. This action baffled Huangfu Jun even more. She instinctively grasped his hand tightly, leaned in, and asked with confusion, "Captain Bai, isn't the place to build the barrier at the bottom of the sea? Why are you swimming towards the shore? Or do we need to go to the surface to build the new barrier?" But Bai Lin didn't answer her question. He just swam forward, letting out a soft laugh without turning his head. The laugh echoed eerily in the silent seabed, stirring an inexplicable unease. A sense of foreboding washed over Huangfu Jun. She stared intently at Bai Lin's back and asked again, "Captain Bai, I get the feeling you don't want to build a new barrier for Dragon King Jiangxue." Bai Lin suddenly stopped swimming and slowly turned to face Huangfu Jun. A contemptuous smile flickered in the depths of his eyes, as if mocking her naivety. "Why should I build a barrier for him?" His voice was low and cold, carrying an unyielding firmness. Huangfu Jun looked bewildered, then, with a hint of disbelief, she gripped Bai Lin's hand tightly and said urgently, "Didn't you accept his demonic power? The dragon king negotiated terms with you. Aren't you both dragons? Can dragons go back on their word? Besides, Jiangxue seemed to trade my memories with you, right? If you're not going to do the job, at least tell me what you know about my memories!" The smile in Bai Lin's eyes deepened. He raised an eyebrow teasingly, a hint of cunning in his gaze. "Do you remember what he said about his wife?" Huangfu Jun tried to recall, frowning slightly as she spoke slowly: "He said he died together with his wife, but before death, he mobilized the ocean's power to desperately preserve the last shred of their consciousness energy. After a long time, they suddenly encountered the barrier you built for Director Zhang. The barrier's life-restoring power protected them. To better absorb the barrier's resurrection energy, he parasitized his wife onto the mermaid Juanjuan. But mere parasitism wasn't enough; he wanted you to build a separate barrier for his wife, only then could she be revived." Bai Lin turned completely, bent slightly, and leaned down to look directly into Huangfu Jun's eyes. A complex light flickered in his gaze as he said softly, "But there's no trace of any other demonic energy on Juanjuan." Huangfu Jun's pupils contracted sharply. She said incredulously, "Did Dragon King Jiangxue lie, or did his wife dissipate long ago?" Bai Lin's lips curved slightly, his eyes fixed on Huangfu Jun with an unfathomable look. He said slowly, "Dragon King Jiangxue had been dead for too long—so long that he became obsessed, even deranged. He forgot many things, even forgot that to protect his wife, he himself was more severely injured. He even forgot that his wife was already pregnant." Huangfu Jun's mind raced, analyzing all possibilities. Suddenly, as if struck by a shocking revelation, she blurted out, "Could it be? Oh my god? No way? Isn't Juanjuan a dugong? What does a dugong have to do with dragons? Don't tell me Juanjuan is Dragon King Jiangxue's daughter?" Bai Lin straightened up helplessly, a little speechless. He let out a light scoff, rubbed his forehead with a wry smile, and said with a sigh, "Your imagination, really..."
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