Help! The Villainess Trapped in the Beast World's Drama!

Chapter 205: Chapter 199: The Mysterious Man

Shen Tang’s expression changed drastically, and she quickly raised an earth wall to defend herself.

Luckily, she had taken the superpower breakthrough potion; otherwise, this crazy fish would have slaughtered her wife as an offering to the heavens, and stabbed her into a sieve!

”What should I do now? This madman really wants to kill me!” Shen Tang shouted anxiously.

[There’s a Sealing Talisman in your spatial backpack that can be used to seal powers. Host, you could try using the Sealing Talisman! But to get the best effect, Host should enter Jia Lan’s Spiritual Illusion Realm, find the spirit body, and use the Sealing Talisman on it!]

”He’s gone completely insane. If I dare get close to him, my head will be split in two. How am I supposed to access his spiritual realm?” Shen Tang roared inwardly, her face darkening.

”Host’s spiritual power has recovered to 35%. You should be able to suppress Jia Lan to some extent. Host can take the risk and try.”

Hearing this, Shen Tang gave up the idea of running away and was forced to fight Jia Lan.

Whether it was because of the curse power inside him, Jia Lan’s aura grew unfathomably strong; Shen Tang couldn’t gain any advantage in his hands.

After several bouts, Shen Tang was raked by the mermaid’s sharp claws, leaving several bloody gashes.

If she didn’t currently possess Seventh Rank Peak strength, she would’ve been shredded to pieces by Jia Lan already!

The mermaid is the absolute overlord of the deep sea. Jia Lan’s speed was beyond Shen Tang’s reach; a single lapse in evasion, and his claws drove into her abdomen.

Agonizing pain crashed over her, and Shen Tang’s body turned rigid.

At that instant, Jia Lan also froze, staring at his blood-stained hand penetrating her abdomen, a trace of confusion and struggle flashing in his purple-red, magnificent eyes.

It seemed that there was pain as well.

He murmured softly, ”Tangtang...”

Shen Tang looked down too, her face growing even paler.

If not for her defensive gear neutralizing most of the attack, she wouldn’t have survived to heal herself—she’d have been gutted on the spot!

Thankfully, with the protective gear rewarded by the system, the injuries weren’t as serious as they looked.

Taking advantage of the brief moment when they were close, a thread of pure white spiritual power shot out from Shen Tang’s brow and dove into Jia Lan’s forehead.

Immediately after, the young man’s movements stilled, and his dazzling violet eyes faded, losing all focus.

Shen Tang also fainted.

When she next opened her eyes, she had arrived in Jia Lan’s Spiritual Illusion Realm.

The system’s notification sounded in her mind: [By the way, Host, one more reminder—the situation with Jia Lan is special this time; the curse power in his body is too strong. Host’s spiritual power can probably only last for 10 minutes at most!]

[After 10 minutes the Spiritual Illusion Realm will collapse, and the body will awaken.]

[First principle: Please ensure your own safety. You must exit before the body awakens!]

”Got it.” Shen Tang composed herself and quickly surveyed the Spiritual Illusion Realm before her.

Jia Lan had grown up in the Sea Country Palace; the Spiritual Illusion Realm was also the Imperial Palace, which didn’t surprise her.

However, this palace was not the Prince’s bedroom; she’d never been here. It looked rather rundown and desolate—somehow, it resembled the legendary... Cold Palace?

No way.

Jia Lan was the Empress’s most beloved prince; why would his spiritual realm be set in the Cold Palace?

Suddenly, the sound of voices came from not far away.

”Side Empress, this—this isn’t good, right? After all, he’s Your Majesty’s own child... If word got out and outsiders learned about this, I’m afraid I’d lose my head...”

”Heh? Your Majesty’s own child? You really think Her Majesty cares about this kid? If she truly liked him, how would he end up thrown in the Cold Palace? My heartless Empress probably already forgot there’s even a child left here.” Sivall called out to the Cold Palace steward, and his features looked younger than in reality, but the gloom between his brows was undiminished.

He took out a precious Crystal Core and handed it to the steward. ”Just follow my instructions, you won’t lose out. And it’s not like I asked you to actually harm the prince—just don’t feed him any food.”

The steward was hesitant at first, but the instant he saw the Crystal Core, his eyes lit up. He fawningly accepted the core, stuffed it into his pocket, and laughed obsequiously, ”Rest assured, Your Highness, such a petty matter—I’ll handle it without fail!”

”Her Majesty gave birth to so many children, she probably can’t even remember herself, let alone a prince forgotten and unloved in the Cold Palace. These things happen in every dynasty, no one investigates, no one cares.”

”Indeed! No need for more words, Your Highness—I understand.”

After giving his orders, Sivall then leisurely left.

The steward of the Cold Palace collected himself and walked toward the palace.

After hearing the exchange, a wild suspicion flashed through Shen Tang’s heart.

The unloved prince mentioned, shut away in the Cold Palace—could it be Jia Lan?

But when Shen Tang followed the steward into the palace, and saw the three- or four-year-old golden-haired mermaid child, whether she wanted to believe it or not, she had to face the truth.

It really was Jia Lan.

Shen Tang was shaken to her core!

In her memories, Jia Lan had grown up as a cherished prince, adored and pampered, his childhood surely envious to all.

How could he have ended up confined to the Cold Palace, targeted by the imperial concubines, abused by the servants...

Children ought to be chubby and adorable, but this golden-haired mermaid boy in front of her was just skin and bones, filthy all over. In front of him lay a bowl of cold leftovers—yesterday’s meal, already souring.

The steward hadn’t brought him any food, and instead walked over and kicked the bowl away.

The scraps in the bowl scattered across the floor.

The little mermaid stiffened, his pure blue eyes full of confusion, trembling gently.

The steward looked down at the frail child and sighed with cruel sympathy. ”Poor thing, no help for it—someone just can’t stand the sight of you.”

”A bastard like you shouldn’t have been born at all. Life won’t get any better when you grow up—might as well die in the palace.”

”Since I’ve looked after you these years, old man’ll come by to collect your corpse.”

With that, the steward left without a backward glance.

Little Jia Lan was still too young to understand what had happened. He only knew his stomach was painfully hungry, weak, couldn’t even stand up.

Gazing at the leftovers spilled across the floor, his eyes reddened, tears falling as he crawled over and gathered the dirty food, about to bring it to his mouth.

Seeing this, Shen Tang’s eyes instantly stung with grief. ”Don’t eat it!”

In her memory, this noble Mermaid Prince hated filthy things the most, detested dirty places, extremely picky about food—if the greens weren’t thoroughly washed, he wouldn’t touch them.

Shen Tang had more than once scolded him for being finicky.

Never imagined he’d eat cold scraps off the ground as a child.

Even if the spiritual illusion realm isn’t real, Shen Tang still instinctively stepped forward, wanting to stop little Jia Lan.

Suddenly, a tall, imposing figure appeared, entering the palace just ahead of her, picking up the pitiful mermaid child and holding him in his arms.

Shen Tang was stunned, staring at the man who’d suddenly appeared.

He was tall and slender, with long golden hair like silk falling to his waist, strikingly handsome and noble, his golden eyes cold yet soul-stirring, a holy golden mark gleaming on his brow. Just standing there, he exuded an aura of highborn mystery, shaking the spirit of all who saw him.

Shen Tang was momentarily dazed.

Who was he?