Chapter 144: Xiao bai Wants to Be Ridden
"It's really the Seagod's Trident!"
Xiao bai stared at the weapon in Neptune's hand, her gaze turning complex. As a soul beast with a long lifespan, she had once followed the Seagod who had ascended to the divine realm, witnessing how he fought to unify the seas over a thousand years, wielding the trident to claim his divine throne.
To her, with her vast lifespan, those events felt as if they had happened only yesterday. Seeing this artifact of her old friend once again, she suddenly realized so much time had already passed.
"Congratulations."
Xiao bai looked at Neptune with sincere eyes and said, "The Seagod's Trident is the most important divine weapon of the Seagod! The fact that you were able to pull it out proves that you are not far from inheriting his position. It seems that before long, I will have to start addressing you as Seagod Lord."
There was a subtle sense of distance and respect in her tone.
Neptune sighed helplessly and said, "Xiao bai, you really don't need to act this way. In my eyes, all life is equal, regardless of status or race. I have never considered you as a subordinate or servant, and I will not suddenly become high and mighty just because I inherit the Seagod's position. Just relax and act as you normally do."
His words were heartfelt, and his deep blue eyes, as vast as the ocean, seemed to reflect an entire galaxy of stars, momentarily mesmerizing Xiao bai…
"I think I understand why he chose you." She snapped out of her daze, then suddenly smiled, radiant as the sun.
To outsiders, Xiao bai was always considered the Seagod's mount, and even she herself never denied it. But what people didn't know was that the Seagod never truly treated her as a mount, nor did he ever enslave her.
Long before the Seagod became a god, Xiao bai had already become his friend, accompanying him as he climbed from a mere Soul Elder all the way to the divine realm.
Their bond was not one of master and servant, but rather friends and comrades. The version of the Seagod that most believers, including Bo Saixi, worshipped was a mythologized version of him one shaped by their own perceptions.
Among all beings alive today, no one understood the Seagod better than she did.
And now, in Neptune, she saw those same qualities that had once defined the Seagod.
She no longer had any doubts as to why he had been chosen.
"What did you summon me for? Just say it." Xiao bai set aside her emotions, returning to her usual composed demeanor.
"My Eighth Trial is to travel to the mainland and recover the lost Seagod's Heart," Neptune explained.
"Oh, so you want me to give you a ride?" Xiao bai immediately understood and nodded knowingly. She didn't mind at all in fact, she was rather pleased. For any sea creature, carrying the future Seagod would be an immeasurable honor!
However, Neptune's expression turned slightly awkward as he hesitated before saying, "Uh… actually, I was thinking that you could just send one of your strongest Demon Spirit Great White Sharks to carry me instead."
He swore on his soul that he had never intended to ride Xiao bai.
After spending so much time together, he had grown used to thinking of her in her human form. And now, asking him to ride her a stunningly exotic beauty felt… well, weird.
"Absolutely not!"
To his surprise, Xiao bai immediately rejected the idea without even considering it.
"The others are too slow! And besides, if I send one of them to travel so far alone, there's a chance it could be attacked by humans or powerful sea soul beasts on the way back. It's safer if I take you myself."
"I see… well, I won't refuse your kindness, then."
Neptune could tell that her reasoning was just an excuse, but he decided not to expose her.
'Since she wants to carry me so badly, I'll just go along with it.'
Besides… this would be his first time riding a "girl".
For some reason, the thought excited him a little.
"Alright, get on then!"
A mischievous smile flashed across Xiao bai's face before her body began glowing. Then, in an elegant motion, she leaped gracefully into the sea, transforming back into her soul beast form a massive Demon Spirit Great White Shark.
Seeing this, Neptune lightly tapped his foot, his body rising effortlessly into the air before he landed gently on her back.
"Are you settled?"
From below, the clear voice of Xiao bai rang out. "I know the best sea routes. If you tell me where to go, I can save us a lot of time."
Neptune sat down cross legged and said, "According to the information revealed in the previous Q&A videos, the Seagod's Heart is currently stored in the Heaven Dou Empire's treasury. So that's where we're headed."
"I can take you close to the shore. My route should cut the travel time in half. It'll take about a day and a night at sea."
"Sounds good let's go."
Without hesitation, Xiao bai surged forward like an arrow, slicing through the sea with terrifying speed.
The salty sea breeze rushed past Neptune's face.
Riding on Xiao bai's back, he felt a thrilling exhilaration, as though he had become one with the ocean itself.
If it were an ordinary person, they would have already been blown off by the sheer force of the wind.
After all, riding a Demon Spirit Great White Shark wasn't something just anyone could do. Without sufficient strength, a person would be flung off within seconds.
As they raced across the sea, Neptune was once again reminded of how terrifyingly fast aquatic soul beasts were.
Especially Xiao bai as the king of the Demon Spirit Great White Sharks, she was a 100,000 year soul beast. Her stamina and speed were monstrous, making their journey incredibly efficient.
Unlike human ships, which had to take longer, safer routes, Xiao bai cut straight through different territories of sea soul beasts. Yet, not one dared to stop them. Instead, they immediately fled, making way for the true overlord of the seas!
After more than a full day of high speed travel, the black silhouette of land finally appeared on the horizon sooner than expected.
As they approached the coast, Neptune pulled out a sea chart, confirming his exact location before nodding in satisfaction.
Then, he turned toward Xiao bai, who lingered in the shallow waters, clearly reluctant to part ways.
After thinking for a moment, Neptune suddenly asked, "Xiao bai, why don't you accompany me on my Eighth Trial? You've never been to the mainland before, have you?"
"Travel with you…"
A flicker of interest appeared in Xiao bai's massive eyes.
But just as quickly, her excitement dimmed, and she said with regret, "I can't… even though I can transform into human form, it comes at a cost. The moment I step onto land, my strength is reduced by 30%. That's not the worst part if I stay on land for more than an hour, my body will weaken… and I could even die."
"If you stay out of water for too long… you'll weaken and possibly die…" Neptune pondered her words. "Makes sense… you are a marine creature, after all. But if I can ensure that you stay in water at all times, you'll be fine, right?"
"I… I don't know. I've never tried staying out of the ocean for long." Xiao bai shook her head but looked intrigued.
"If keeping you in water is the only problem," Neptune said with a confident smirk, "I think I might have a solution."
(End of Chapter)
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