[Yes, Host.]

"Do you have a Water-Repelling Pearl or a submarine? I need to get one!"

[Host has insufficient Points. Exchange unavailable.]

"Then get me a diving suit!"

[...]

"Take me over there."

Jiang Yunnuan reached out, pointing to the stone platform where Jun Yao had just been standing. Jun Yao led her over, only to see a diving suit suddenly materialize at her feet.

’What is that?’

Jun Yao’s eyes filled with utter shock, but he said nothing.

The situation was urgent, so Jiang Yunnuan had no time to worry about his thoughts. She quickly put on the diving suit, looked at them, and asked, "Who here can swim?"

"You’re going into the water?"

Jun Yao froze for a moment, then grabbed her arm tightly, his expression turning grim as he spoke.

"You can’t go! This is the Nine Nether Abyss, the Sea of Death! It’s a place of no return. Si Xie is already dead. Do you want us to be buried here with you?"

"No, he’s not dead! If you can’t swim, I won’t force you. I’ll go down by myself. Now let me go!"

Jiang Yunnuan struggled to yank her arm away, but he held on tightly.

"You are not going."

"Stop arguing, you two. I think... I might be able to go down..."

Just then, Fu Yuan’s uncertain voice cut in. He stared at the black surface of the water, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes, instantly capturing their attention.

Jiang Yunnuan whipped her head around to face him. "What do you mean, ’might be’? This is no time for jokes!"

However, he didn’t answer her. In a blur of motion, he dove headfirst into the water.

"Fu Yuan...!"

Jiang Yunnuan cried out his name, about to jump in after him, but Jun Yao quickly grabbed her and pulled her into his arms.

But the moment Fu Yuan hit the water, his wings vanished, and his legs transformed into a dark blue fishtail. Witnessing this, both of them stared, their eyes wide with shock.

’What’s going on?’

’A Merfolk?’

They suddenly recalled the dark blue scales that had appeared above Fu Yuan’s eyebrows after he broke through to the Deformation Stage. Now it was clear—those had to be fish scales.

Fu Yuan had actually developed an entirely different genetic mutation.

"Did you see his tail? He’ll be fine. You don’t have to worry."

Coming back to his senses, Jun Yao held her and soothed her gently.

Jiang Yunnuan ignored him, communicating with the system in her mind instead. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"System, what in the world is going on with Fu Yuan? Aren’t the three forms of a Beastman supposed to be Human Form, Beast Form, and half-human and half-beast? How can Fu Yuan have two different Beast Forms?"

[Fu Yuan’s data has been updated. Displaying his information for you now, Host.]

Fu Yuan: Kunpeng Beastman [A Peng in the sky, a Kun in the sea]

Age: 20

Height: 191 cm

Weight: 82 kg

Birthday: March 3

Talent Skill: Time, Wind, Water [Evolving]

Current Cultivation Level: Regression Stage, First Rank

Current affinity: 10

Jiang Yunnuan was utterly astounded after a single glance.

’A Kunpeng Beastman, of all things.’

’No wonder he has two Beast Forms—one for the sky and one for the sea. It looks like there’s hope for finding Si Xie after all.’

Jiang Yunnuan pinned all her hopes on him.

Then, her attention shifted back to his affinity score.

’His affinity is actually in the positives? When did that happen? How could I have not noticed?’

「Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was noon the next day.」

WHOOSH—

Suddenly, a massive wave erupted, soaring a thousand feet into the air.

The wave crashed down, revealing a figure within. He stood suspended in mid-air, the feathered wings on his back stirring slightly, so vast they seemed to blot out the sky.

Jiang Yunnuan’s gaze flickered, and her spirits soared. But a moment later, panic filled her eyes, and she was consumed by anxiety and dread.

’He’s alone. Si Xie isn’t with him...’

BOOM—

A turbulent blast of Energy shot forward as he suddenly launched an attack on Jun Yao. Jiang Yunnuan, stunned, immediately threw herself in front of him.

"Fu Yuan, what are you doing? Stop!"

The powerful blast of Energy halted just inches from her forehead.

Fu Yuan ceased his attack, his icy gaze looking past her to fix on Jun Yao.

"You were the one who kicked Si Xie into the water, weren’t you!"

"What nonsense are you spouting? How could it have been Jun Yao?"

Before Jun Yao could even speak, Jiang Yunnuan shot back in his defense. She grabbed Fu Yuan’s hand and asked urgently, "Where’s Si Xie? You were gone for so long. Didn’t you find any clues?"

Fu Yuan looked at her and slowly shook his head.

"I searched for a long time and asked the creatures of the sea. One of them saw Si Xie get swept away by an undertow. That current leads to a chaotic magnetic field—anything caught inside is torn to shreds. I’m afraid Si Xie is..."

"No! Si Xie isn’t dead!"

’My mission hasn’t failed yet, so Si Xie has to be alive.’ Jiang Yunnuan shook her head, firmly rejecting his conclusion.

"Take me down with you. We’ll go to that magnetic field you mentioned. Si Xie must be trapped in there! If we keep looking, I know we can find him."