【Qing Rui stared at Qu Wenmiao for a long moment.】
【Then she spoke each word clearly: "No matter how many times you ask, my answer will never change."】
【"Our paths differ; we have no shared goals. My Li Shui Clam Demon clan will never join the Divine Sea Society. You can give up on that hope."】
【Qu Wenmiao’s expression was calm, seemingly unsurprised by her answer.】
【He immediately turned and left without delay.】
【But before departing, he threw out a sentence:】
【"I, Qu Wenmiao, will personally witness your Li Shui Clam Demon clan become history beneath the sea."】
【After an unknown time passed, Qing Rui spat out a mouthful of blood.】
【Her once bright and radiant complexion had dimmed greatly.】
【As Qu Wenmiao said, Dongfang Kuo’s attack had indeed left her severely wounded.】
【If not for that, it would have been her who went to save the clan members, not Luo Ning.】
【Qing Rui was painfully aware that the Li Shui Clam Demon clan was now all but extinct.】
【They could no longer withstand any storm.】
【One slight misstep would lead to total annihilation.】
【Yet even so, she never considered joining the Divine Sea Society.】
【Nearly a century ago, when her husband was still alive, the Divine Sea Society invited them to join.】
【But her husband had sternly refused.】
【He declared the Li Shui Clam Demon clan would never associate with such an evil organization as the Divine Sea Society.】
【Within two days, he died under mysterious circumstances.】
【So Qing Rui knew well her husband’s death was inseparable from the Divine Sea Society.】
【To protect her daughter Luo Ning’s life,】
【Qing Rui claimed the clan’s protective great formation had problems, and ordered Luo Ning to find the Azure Sea Tide Technique and then return.】
【Her true aim was to keep Luo Ning away from the sea, and out of this turmoil.】
【Unexpectedly, Luo Ning really did recover the Azure Sea Tide Technique and returned to the clan.】
【This gave Qing Rui quite a headache.】
【But with Ye Yu’s arrival, she saw new hope.】
【Land demons and sea demons had long-standing enmity.】
【If she had a choice, Qing Rui would never agree to these two being together.】
【But the current situation was urgent.】
【There was little time left for the Li Shui Clam Demon clan. As long as Luo Ning liked him, Qing Rui agreed to this marriage.】
【Then, if Ye Yu took Luo Ning away, she could survive.】
【"Daughter, this is all I can do for you."】
【"I hope you can be happy in the future."】
【Elsewhere.】
【Luo Ning found Ye Yu.】
【He immediately asked, "Your mother didn’t hurt you, did she?"】
【Hearing this, Luo Ning was speechless.】
【"That’s my mother—how could she? It was just... a misunderstanding, and it’s been cleared up."】
【Ye Yu was somewhat surprised.】
【"Misunderstanding? Cleared up? That simple?"】
【This demon realm dream really left a deep shadow on Ye Yu.】
【In his eyes, demon family members were completely stubborn.】
【If you want to explain, that’s your business; I won’t stop you, but I just won’t listen.】
【Luo Ning shot Ye Yu an angry glance.】
【"You think everyone is like your father Ye Chuang, refusing to listen to anything?"】
【Ye Yu awkwardly scratched his nose.】
【Then, to keep Ye Yu from dwelling on the matter, Luo Ning quickly changed the subject: "How come you were with the Sea Capture battle demons? And why do they call you Vice Workshop Master?"】
【Faced with such questions, Ye Yu immediately began to ramble.】
【He claimed he was a prodigious demon rare among millions.】
【After meeting Feng Zhenxin, the master of Liangxin Workshop in Jianyao City, Feng was amazed and offered him the Vice Workshop ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) Master position.】
【From then on, he was second only to the Workshop Master in Liangxin Workshop.】
【Later, out of boredom,】
【he heard of the Sea Capture battle and out of curiosity came to see the excitement.】
【As for you, I didn’t realize you were a clam demon when we were at Yingning Mountain.】
【But now it seems, you really are.】
【Like a pearl shining bright in the water, dazzling and radiant.】
【Seeing Ye Yu’s intense gaze, Luo Ning felt embarrassed but still didn’t leave.】
【"By the way, you haven’t answered my previous question. Why do you stutter so much on land, but speak fluently in the sea? Is it because of the water?"】
【Luo Ning explained softly: "In the clam demon clan, a small number of members show atavism."】
【"Of course, atavism varies."】
【"For me, it’s like a clam tightly closing when out of water, but opening freely in water."】
【"So on land, being able to utter two words is already impressive."】
【"In the water, naturally, I recover completely."】
【Upon hearing this, Ye Yu immediately pictured a giant clam opening and closing underwater. Seemed about right.】
【But...】
【Ye Yu couldn’t help but laugh.】
【"What are you laughing at? Don’t you like me talking smoothly like this? You don’t know, at Yingning Mountain I was writing every day, almost exhausted."】
【Luo Ning instinctively moved her wrist.】
【Apparently, those memories were not pleasant.】
【Looking at Luo Ning’s flawless face, Ye Yu softly said: "Actually, I like it all."】
【With that, the atmosphere instantly grew ambiguous.】
【Luo Ning trembled all over.】
【For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond.】
【Just then, a clam demon approached.】
【"Sister Luo, Ye You, the banquet is ready. The Grand Elder sent me to invite you."】
【Luo Ning pointed toward the hall and hurriedly left.】
【Ye Yu looked at the clam demon with some resentment.】
【"Too much, third wheel."】
【A moment later.】
【Ye Yu and Luo Ning returned to the hall again.】
【By then, Qing Rui had ordered preparations of many seafood delicacies.】
【Ye Yu really didn’t recognize any of it.】
【But these were just for show; at their cultivation levels, they no longer needed to eat.】
【The food was only to set the atmosphere.】
【Once everyone was seated,】
【Qing Rui didn’t beat around the bush but asked directly: "Ye You, do you like Luo Ning?"】
【Hearing this, Luo Ning’s face changed drastically; she quickly whispered: "Mother, what are you saying?"】
【Ye Yu was also quite surprised.】
【Honestly, he’d only met Qing Rui twice, both times close up and intense.】
【How come her ultimate move needed no skill preparation?】
