The world inside Ling Yue's mouth was a disorienting blur to Long Fei. His body was pressed against the slick, warm surface of her tongue, and the rhythmic motion of it vibrated through his body. It felt like being caught in the belly of a giant beast, surrounded by the constant rush of water, the trembling of her movements reverberating.
"Master, you good back there?" her voice boomed, deafening him.
He clenched his teeth, trying to suppress the involuntary jolt of discomfort that surged through him. Without his immortal powers, the world felt sluggish and alien to him, his ability to moderate his senses was weakened. He brought his hands to his ears in a futile attempt to block out the overwhelming volume. "Could you… perhaps lower your voice a bit?"
There was a slight pause, followed by a soft shudder beneath him. He could feel it ripple through her as if she had rolled her eyes, though he couldn't see a thing. "Ah, my bad. You're not used to it, are you? I sometimes forget how loud I can be."
"Sometimes?" The vibrations kept rattling through his body, making it hard to focus.
Her chuckle echoed around him, the sound teasing but full of warmth. "Alright, alright. I'll turn it down a notch. How's this?"
"Better," he muttered through gritted teeth. "Loud and clear. Just not deafening."
A small sigh escaped her, though it did little to alleviate the intense pressure of the moving water around him. "Got it. So, you think the King will be alright?"
His thoughts drifted briefly to the aftermath of his experience from his fall from grace.
"He'll survive physically," he said, his voice distant. "But the emotional wound... that will take longer to heal."
A shudder passed through her again, more pronounced this time. Her voice softened. "Master… you're talking about yourself, aren't you? I knew Long Yan was up to no good, but you kept telling me he was your brother, not to suspect him. And now look."
He gritted his teeth, the pain of betrayal gnawing at him. His mind flashed back to the Celestial Realm—Zhen Hua's treachery, Long Yan's dark ambition. The people he had once trusted as family, were now enemies to him. "It wasn't just ambition. It was greed. And selfishness. I can't believe I didn't see it coming."
A brief silence fell between them, the rush of water filling the space. His grip on the edge of her canine tightened, his fingers digging into the gap. "We were like family for millennia. They may have betrayed me, but they are still family."
She snorted, the sound vibrating her tongue and making his body shift along.
"Family? The kind that poisons you and throws you off the Celestial Realm? With a family like that, who needs enemies?" Her voice was laden with offense on his behalf. "Well, I'm not the forgiving type. Let me at 'em."
He shook his head. "No, we must not stoop to their level. Let them be."
"Ahh, no fun." She sighed, her breath washing over him, stirring his hair. "Fine, fine. But what about the former princess? I haven't met her yet. What's she like?"
The mention of Shui Yi caused his chest to tighten. He took a deep breath, unwilling to reveal too much of his turmoil. "She's… quite a character," he said cautiously.
Her voice lightened with amusement. "That's a change. I thought you preferred avoiding females, but you landed on her by 'chance'?" she said incredulously. "Did you squish her when you fell from the Celestial Realm? Is that how you ended up with the Sacred Pearl?"
He refused to reply to her jest.
"Wait, why haven't you met the Princess?"
"Oh, the King forbade me. Something about bad influence..."
"Really?"
"I know you're giving me that look. Alright, I confess. I may have traumatized the King when I was babysitting him. So, he doesn't want me to babysit his precious daughter..."
"What did you do?"
"I swear by the Sea, that I was just training him to be a warrior."
"He would have only been three years old then..."
"Well, if you can swim, you can fight. That's my motto."
Long Fei pressed the bridge of his nose and shook his head.
Then, he closed his eyes, centering himself. He reached deep within, testing the faintest stirrings of his qi. The familiar hum was muted, like a distant echo of what he once commanded. The rush of wind he could usually call upon was absent, replaced by a sluggish energy that barely flickered.
Ling Yue tensed, and he could feel the slight change in her movements as she responded. "Master, are you trying to tickle me?"
"I'm adjusting," he muttered. His fingers curled into a fist, sending a surge of energy through his body, pushing his qi into a small strike. It rippled a subtle pulse that gently reverberated. The sensation was uncomfortable to him—no wind, no air to move—but some power still ran through his body, a remnant of his former strength.
"It's certainly different," he muttered. He could feel the pulsations of his strike, but it didn't have the same impact as before. It felt like hitting something soft that absorbed the force.
"Yeah, looks like you've got a huge downgrade. Feels like you're punching the air, but in slow motion..."
He remained silent, his mind focused on the diminished power. He would have to adapt—he had no choice. The loss of his wind and air abilities was a significant blow, but he could still harness the basic principles of his qi gong. It was not ideal, but it was enough to keep him alive and protect those around him. It would have to be enough.
A sudden jolt ran through his body. His senses sharpened, the energy crackling in the air, and he immediately felt the change.
"What's wrong? What's going on?"
His neck stiffened, tightening his grip on her canine. His heartbeat quickened, the tension in his chest growing. Something was off.
"I can't sense her anymore," she muttered, a cold wave of panic creeping in. "She's gone… vanished."
Ling Yue's movements slowed. The water around him seemed to increase, her body had tensed in reaction.
"Remember to focus your senses on my cloak. The princess will have a different scent now without her tail."
His heart began to pound. Have they already failed their mission?
"Of course. I was following your immortal scent." Ling Yue's voice softened. "That cloak reeks of you, Master. But now…" Her tone shifted to concern. "She must be in trouble."
His eyes narrowed, a surge of urgency flooding his veins. "We have to hurry. Now."
Ling Yue sighed, her body speeding up again. "This former princess... she just can't stay out of trouble."