met free Chapter 161 Triton
Chapter 161 Triton
Jiang Yu leaped upwards inside the bubbles, managing to jump several steps with each leap, even though the difference in elevation between the steps was quite high. Thanks to the buoyancy of the seawater, she reached the central platform without much effort or time.
This enormous circular platform is almost suspended in mid-air within the hollowed-out architecture, creating an eerie contrast with its incredibly heavy and solid appearance.
It's hard to describe what it's made of. You could say it's like a single, enormous stone, yet it also gleams with a metallic sheen. The entire stone platform is covered with a magnificent yet strange pattern, like stars in the sky or ocean currents, but unlike hieroglyphics, it doesn't follow a regular pattern; its variations and curves are free and full of beauty.
Jiang Yu squatted in the bubble and looked carefully, trying to find on the ground whether there were similar patterns to those on the altar where she had slept.
There are indeed the same symbols. It doesn't matter if you don't understand them; finding the connection is already quite remarkable.
Could this be a place for sacrifices? Or is it a temple? Jiang Yu thought of the political systems in history that were entangled with theocracy and monarchy. Could it be that this underwater civilization was also accompanied by theocracy or religion?
The stone platform was very large, and there was simply not enough time for Jiang Yu to fully explore it. Da Kui could return at any time, so she had to gather as many clues as possible before Da Kui caught her. If Da Kui discovered her, her chances of coming back here again would be very slim.
She saw a particularly large, coral-like structure in the distance, in one direction from the stone platform. It was very tall, and its snow-white color made it look like a rising mushroom cloud from afar. Below the mushroom cloud, there seemed to be a golden stone platform. Jiang Yu gritted her teeth and walked towards that direction.
Her eyes remained fixed on the approaching stone platform, unaware that her bare feet were stepping on the ground. The runes that were stepped on would briefly glow, like footprints that lit up and then went out, and the ripples of the seawater also changed.
Upon closer inspection, Jiang Yu discovered that it was also a circular altar, but it was pure gold. He didn't know if it was made of pure gold because it looked very hard.
The surface was covered with runes that Jiang Yu recognized—the same runes as those on the black altar she had laid out with seaweed. What was the connection between the two? Jiang Yu had no clue.
Suddenly, Jiang Yu's gaze was drawn to a purple crystal mirror embedded in the white coral mushroom cloud behind the stone platform.
The purple mirror surface was smooth and bright. Layers of wave patterns were cut around its oval shape, making it look incredibly luxurious. It resembled both a royal decoration and a revered ritual object.
Jiang Yu slowly walked to the mirror and involuntarily looked towards the center, expecting to see her reflection in the crystal. However, the purple crystal didn't reflect any light at all. Instead, it seemed to absorb all light, drawing her gaze downwards and deeper into the crystal.
She felt a little flustered, as if an invisible hand had grabbed her gaze. She tried to look away but couldn't; she involuntarily placed her hands on the purple crystal, feeling as if she were being pulled completely inside.
Suddenly, a dazzling light flashed across the purple mirror, followed by a beam of light that shot out and pierced Jiang Yu's brow. The intense pain made her cry out and instantly collapse to her knees.
She clutched her head, nearly fainting, unaware that a phantom image had appeared on the purple crystal mirror, materializing in the void before her.
The dark shadow was a muscular man with long, curly hair floating in the seawater. His broad shoulders and muscular arms and abdomen made him look like he was at the peak of his fighting power.
His lower body was a robust fish tail, thick and powerful, looking more like a shark or a strong whale, with a sharp tail fin, not a fancy gauze fin, but a sharp edge like a knife blade.
If Morinbia were here, she would recognize him as her former master, Triton, whom she had devoured.
The last king of the seven seas before the fall of the maritime civilization quietly bowed his head and looked down at the woman who was lying on the ground, writhing in pain and about to faint, lost in thought.
“You have the aura of a god.” Jiang Yu heard a deep sigh. She covered her forehead and looked up, seeing the shadow of a mermaid, completely black, hanging high above her.
It's so dark, I can't even see the face. I'm grateful to Hans Christian Andersen for making me remember the mythical creature of mermaids from a young age, so much so that I can identify the species of the shadow in front of me without even thinking.
It's much easier to recognize than the sunflower.
Jiang Yu felt that after being threatened by Da Kui, she had become a mature woman with extremely stable emotions and was not easily frightened.
But faced with the unknown, she still politely shifted her position slightly. Good grief, had she accidentally unleashed some ancient evil spirit or thousand-year-old ghost? Then she reassured herself, "It's okay, it's okay. A human body with a fish tail is better than a fish head with human legs; it seems we can communicate."
"Why are you in my country, landman?" Triton asked, puzzled. Looking at the ruins, the maritime kingdom had long since fallen. The gods hadn't returned, he thought dejectedly. If the gods could descend to earth again, how could they allow the ocean to become such a desolate wasteland?
"Are you the king of this place?" Jiang Yu knelt respectfully on the ground, sensing the ancient loneliness and sorrow emanating from the figure. If he meant no harm, could he tell her the truth?
“I think so,” Triton said gently. A thousand years later, he was no longer the madman he once was.
"It's like this, Your Majesty. I don't know how I got here, but when I woke up, I was kept in a bubble by a sea monster." Jiang Yu poked the bubble and continued, "It also put me on the altar and made me stay on it every day. It even secretly smeared its blood on the altar without my knowledge."
Jiang Yu blurted everything out, afraid that if she hesitated any longer, she would lose her chance to ask. After all, this intangible emperor seemed capable of being swept away by even the slightest wave.
“You might not know exactly what the sea monster I’m talking about looks like, so let me describe it to you!” Jiang Yu tried her best to evoke empathy from the shadow in front of her. “Think about it, this is your kingdom. Although it has become ruins and there are hardly any people left, it’s still infuriating that the sea monster treats this place as its own territory, isn’t it? It does whatever it wants every day!”
"It has many long and short tentacles, which are very beautiful like crystal, just like your crystal mirror. They are purple, somewhat like a giant sea anemone, and also somewhat like a large jellyfish, and have six terrifying big eyes."
"It's not very intelligent, but it's been quite nice to me. However, I just don't know what it's going to do to me with the altar, or how I can get home."
Jiang Yu rattled off a string of words, and only after she had finished saying everything did she inexplicably see a hint of kindness and amusement in the dark face in the shadows.
Triton watched as the girl stared blankly at him, then smiled and shifted his gaze to the outside of the palace, where a huge shadow slowly appeared in the sea.
"I think the sea monster you mentioned is coming!"