Chapter 129 - Curse or Inheritance?
Loong Chen opened his mouth, and the mermaid promptly placed the pearl inside.
As the pearl entered his mouth, Loong Chen experienced an initial icy sensation, as though an ice block had been inserted.
Subsequently, a delicate fragrance enveloped him.
“This scent…”
Suddenly, Loong Chen recollected that this pearl had been extracted from the mermaid's chest.
Could it mean that this fragrance…
Loong Chen suddenly felt a bit bashful, and a faint blush colored his cheeks.
He remained an innocent young man.
Swallowing the Water Repellent Bead in one gulp, Loong Chen promptly noticed that the seawater surrounding him was expelled. Moreover, he no longer needed to hold his breath.
“Such incredible magic.”
Loong Chen praised aloud. It wasn't just his inner thought; it slipped from his lips.
He could speak now.
“So, can you now answer my question?”
Observing that Loong Chen could speak, the Elder Mermaid continued her inquiry.
“What question? Oh, you asked how I entered, right? I have no idea about the entrance, but somehow I found myself here.”
Loong Chen pretended to be oblivious and responded.
He couldn't disclose his exceptional spatial talent yet. If these mermaids suddenly turned hostile and sought to harm him, he would need to rely on his spatial talent to escape.
The Elder Mermaid regarded Loong Chen but paid no attention to how he had entered.
“Initially, you forcefully breached the Poseidon Temple and harmed my people, which should warrant a death sentence. However, considering that you spared my life, I'm willing to offer you a chance for redemption.”
The Elder Mermaid declared abruptly.
Make up for the chance?
“What chance?”
Loong Chen asked curiously.
“Follow me.”
Without providing much explanation, Elder Mermaid swiftly departed from the palace by swimming.
Loong Chen found himself somewhat perplexed, but his curiosity led him to follow her.
Before long, they reached an expansive square.
The square was bustling with numerous mermaids, all of whom greeted Elder Mermaid with profound respect.
However, their astonishment was palpable as they noticed Loong Chen trailing behind Elder Mermaid.
“Is that a human? We've heard humans have legs, but we never thought it was true.”
“This is the first time I've laid eyes on a human.”
“Why did Elder Mermaid bring a human here? Could it have something to do with Poseidon's curse?”
Animated discussions among the square's inhabitants reached Loong Chen's keen ears.
“Poseidon's curse?” Loong Chen registered the term.
Loong Chen's attention was drawn to this particular word.
Soon enough, Elder Mermaid came to a halt, revealing a towering platform before them.
Remarkably, a Trident was firmly embedded into the platform.
This Trident stood out from the mermaids' previous weapons, exuding an aura of immense grandeur.
Its presence radiated a potent and enigmatic energy.
“You might have overheard their chatter just now. The opportunity I mentioned pertains to Poseidon's curse.”
Elder Mermaid spoke deliberately, and then she took the initiative to recount the mermaid history to Loong Chen.
Surprisingly, mermaids and humans shared a common origin.
Millions of years in the past, humans were born, and for certain reasons, some chose to dwell in the sea, becoming mermaids.
In reality, the mermaid clan had an enduring connection with the Lu people, referred to as the Atlantis Civilization in that era.
Tens of thousands of years ago, the Atlantis civilization faced an unexpected threat to its existence.
As for the specifics of this crisis, Elder Mermaid chose not to disclose them, and Loong Chen did not inquire further.
This predicament was even graver than the land-based apocalypse they had endured, leading to the collapse of Atlantis' civilization and the loss of hundreds of millions of lives.
Fortunately, a remarkable expert emerged on the land, identifying himself as Poseidon, and rescued the surviving mermaid clan.
However, Poseidon suffered grave injuries in the process and had limited time left.
Before his passing, he left behind his legacy, entrusting the surviving mermaids with its safekeeping while awaiting his successor.
Upon Poseidon's demise, the mermaid clan survivors found themselves ensnared within Poseidon's Temple, safeguarding his legacy.
Due to Poseidon's seal, external individuals couldn't enter, and the mermaids inside couldn't exit.
The only means of freedom lay in inheriting Poseidon's legacy.
Initially, the mermaid clan descendants harbored no grievances. After all, Poseidon had sought to protect them. Nevertheless, after ten millennia, the mermaid clan's offspring started to feel discontent.
They had not experienced the earlier disaster, leading to an absence of gratitude toward Poseidon. Instead, they harbored resentment.
Their animosity entrapped them within the Poseidon Temple, preventing them from exploring the bustling world.
Consequently, these mermaid clan descendants directly referred to Poseidon's legacy as the “Curse of Poseidon.”
“To obtain Poseidon's legacy, one must remove the trident. Over the years, we have attempted this multiple times without success. Eventually, we speculated that Poseidon might have been human. Could it be that only humans can acquire the inheritance?”
“Regrettably, no one has succeeded in entering for all these years. You are the first to achieve this.”
Elder Mermaid's narration spanned over an hour, delivered with great deliberation.
Meanwhile, Loong Chen found himself lost in deep contemplation.
Poseidon's inheritance? A trident? That piqued his interest.
Surprisingly, the Poseidon Temple was akin to an ancient relic. If he could lay claim to Poseidon's legacy, it would significantly boost his power.
“Very well, I'm willing to give it a shot.”
Loong Chen promptly assented, and a smile finally graced Elder Mermaid's weathered countenance.
“You haven't resorted to lethal force in your attacks. It suggests you're not a bloodthirsty individual. Don't fret. Even if you fail, I'll ensure your safe departure.”
Elder Mermaid conveyed, and for the first time, Loong Chen found solace in her aged voice.
“I'll give it my all.”
Loong Chen affirmed resolutely.
If it was merely to bolster his strength, he was truly inclined to aid the mermaid clan in their escape now.
He nodded to Elder Mermaid and ascended the towering platform.
At that moment, hundreds and thousands of mermaids had congregated in the square. All eyes were fixed on Loong Chen, perched atop the lofty platform.
“Can he truly extract that trident? We've attempted countless times, all in vain.”
“I found it exceedingly difficult. I tried once, but the Trident was lodged too deep for me to budge. He appears slender and frail; it must be even more impossible for him.”
“I'm not so sure. Word has it that Poseidon hailed from the mainland. Mermaid Elder speculates that only mainlanders can inherit Poseidon's legacy. I place my faith in Mermaid Elder's conjecture.”
The aquatic folk in the square engaged in spirited discussions. Some harbored faith in Loong Chen, while others remained skeptical.
Nonetheless, all were fraught with tension at this juncture.
Even Elder Mermaid, whose power was inscrutable, clenched her fists at this pivotal moment.
Loong Chen marched directly to the front of the trident.
With a deep breath, he grasped the trident…
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦