Chapter 204: Chapter 204 - 198: This Fish Has Gone Mad!

Jia Lin’s face showed astonishment, "Could what Father said be that matter... But wasn’t that a rumor deliberately spread by someone with ulterior motives? It was proven false long ago, and the Empress personally punished those who spread the rumors."

"If the rumors back then were really false, would Her Majesty have needed to act personally?"

Sivall slowly walked to the window, squinting his charmingly narrow eyes, letting out a series of cold laughs, "Rumors in this world are never baseless; I didn’t believe it either until someone gave me this."

Sivall’s fingers slid on the wall, making a faint clicking sound, as he retrieved a square jade box from a hidden compartment.

The box was carved with intricate runes, seemingly imbued with some mysterious power.

Jia Lin’s pupils shook when he saw it, his voice tinged with shock, "This is something from the Priest Hall?"

The etched patterns on the box represented the Priest Hall.

That was the most mysterious place in the Sea Country.

"That’s right, it’s a treasure I obtained from the Sacrificial Hall."

"But isn’t the High Priest..."

"I got this from another priest."

Sivall opened the box and took out a puppet doll no larger than a palm.

The appearance of the puppet was surprisingly identical to Jia Lan!

Jia Lin was completely astounded.

Next, he watched as Sivall took a long silver needle from the bottom of the box and viciously pierced the puppet’s head.

The lifeless doll instantly seemed to come alive, showing expressions of painful crying, blood tears seeping from its eyes, ghastly!

...

Meanwhile, after dealing with the assassins, Shen Tang helped Jia Lan heal his wounds.

Unfortunately, the scales on the injured part of the fish tail couldn’t recover quickly and had to grow back slowly.

Several patches were bald on that beautiful big tail, and Shen Tang felt heartache seeing it, recalling how Jia Lan had selflessly shielded her during danger, even willing to risk his life for her, stirring some strange emotions within her heart.

Jia Lan seemed unbothered, secretly pondering who might have sent those assassins?

Having lived so many years, he had made many enemies in the Sea Country, both inside and outside the palace, leaving him clueless for now.

Fearing further pursuers, he lost all thoughts of leisurely exploring and led Shen Tang back to the palace.

On the way back, Jia Lan’s body suddenly weakened, and he fell heavily to the ground.

"Ah!"

He curled up, clutching his head, emitting low roars.

Seemingly in great pain.

Shen Tang’s heart skipped a beat, swiftly swimming over, attempting to pull him.

Jia Lan abruptly swung her away, his eyes turning red, shouting sternly, "Stay back!"

"What’s wrong?" Shen Tang frowned worriedly, unable to understand the sudden change.

Jia Lan didn’t understand either; he only felt a severe headache as if a long needle was frantically stirring his brain, causing his body to tremble nearly to madness.

Inside, an even more furious power rampaged, as if throwing him into a furnace, unbearably explosive.

"You... go back to the palace first, don’t mind me!" Jia Lan’s voice seemed bitten out from between clenched teeth, his breath pressing with trembling, no longer clear and pleasant, like the sound of sandpaper scraping.

Shen Tang felt even less assured seeing him like this, unable to possibly leave him here.

"I’ll use Healing Ability to take a look at you first." She walked over and squatted beside him.

Jia Lan suddenly grabbed her wrist with shocking force!

Next came a dizzying whirl, Shen Tang was heavily pressed under him, cold sharp rocks scratching her back, causing her to grimace in pain.

Shen Tang raised her head in shock, meeting the man’s scarlet eyes straight on.

Instantly, a chill ran from the soles of her feet to her head, causing her body to tremble uncontrollably.

The emotions in those eyes were ones she had never seen before.

Apathy, madness, coldness, ferocity...

"Jia Lan, you..." Shen Tang stared blankly at him, unable to speak.

The mermaid’s cold, slender hand lingered on her neck, gripping tightly.

"Uh!" Shen Tang’s face turned red, her eyes wide as she shouted angrily, "What are you doing, let me go!"

Jia Lan seemed not to recognize her, his clear blue pupils turning purplish-red, exuding an eerie allure, exceptionally cold and dangerous.

He squinted his eyes and leaned closer to her neck, his gaze revealing a trace of crazed obsession, "Female... Your scent... so sweet..."

"Female? What nonsense are you spouting? I’m your Female Master?" Shen Tang doubted if he had been possessed by someone.

"Female Master?" The mermaid gently recited these words, feeling a splitting headache, his facial muscles twitching slightly, showing a painful snarl.

Looking at the attractive face of the female beneath him, a glimmer of confusion appeared in his scarlet eyes, memories shattered in his mind, yet he couldn’t recall who she was.

"Yes, I am your Female Master. You should release me, we can talk this over." Shen Tang’s face whitened as she spoke softly, trying to break free.

The youth’s gaze turned fierce, the brief clarity in his eyes shattered again, his gaze growing more frenzied, "Still trying to deceive me?"

His red eyes flickered with a bloody glow, sinisterly smiling, "Just an outlander female, how dare you claim to be my Master?"

Shen Tang couldn’t help cursing inwardly.

Damn.

This fish is truly mad.

Could those assassins have tampered with him somehow?

Her gaze shifted, gathering Earth Element Ability in her palm, but seeing Jia Lan’s familiar face, she couldn’t bring herself to act harshly.

The youth leaned closer to her neck, his damp and cold breath caused goosebumps to rise on her skin, his demeanor growing increasingly obsessed and crazed, his voice hoarse, "You truly smell... delicious..."

His other hand moved to her chest.

Suddenly, his fingertips enlarged, reaching for her heart!

Shen Tang turned deathly pale, unable to bear it anymore, kicking towards his abdomen, simultaneously summoning dozens of Earth Spikes from the ground.

The mermaid reacted swiftly, retreating several steps, avoiding the attack.

Shen Tang seized the chance to rise from the ground, running several meters away, frantically calling the system in her mind, "What on earth is going on? Has he gone insane?"

[Host, don’t panic, I am also investigating the cause... Detected it! I have detected a highly abnormal Curse Power within Jia Lan, a power that will cause him to lose his sanity, become crazed and cold-blooded, ultimately turning into an uncontrollable Mad Beast!]

Curse Power?

Shen Tang suddenly recalled the unknown force she had detected within him during previous healing; could it be this Curse Power?

Jia Lan’s current state rather resembles the cruel mermaid tyrant described in the original story.

Did he end up becoming such a mad tyrant due to the Curse Power?

"Truly disobedient; immobile dead things even more catch my fancy!" Seeing Shen Tang still daring to resist, Jia Lan’s gaze turned increasingly frenzied, his lips curled into a cruel smile as he raised his hand, conjuring several Ice Blades aiming straight for her vitals.