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

Chapter 596: Chapter 545: Loving You, But Even More Protecting You

Xiao Jin, Lu Xiao, Shen Li, and Xue Yinzhou were also awakened by the sudden commotion in the Divine Hall. Upon arriving and witnessing the transformation, their faces were filled with shock.

Lu Xiao sighed deeply, ”The High Priest truly has a deep love for his child, willing to transfer his power to Jia Lan, but doing so means his life has reached its end.”

Shen Li looked at Jia Lan in the distance, able to discern the deep pain on his face, as if he too felt that emotion firsthand, rare silence enveloped him.

Xue Yinzhou, who rarely spoke much, didn’t have many feelings about it either and remained silent.

Xiao Jin, not very cultured, rubbed his neck and stuttered, ”It’s a real pity, but does this mean Jia Lan has to stay in the Divine Hall? Can he still come back with us?”

This is indeed a good question.

The Beastmen were more concerned about this matter.

It seems one less rival in love.

Jialouluo also gazed at Jia Lan’s current form, her expression somewhat distracted, hard to say if it was relief or something else, she finally stepped forward and congratulated him.

From this moment on, she understood that Jia Lan truly grew into a male capable of taking charge.

No longer was he the child in her arms who would act cute and seek affection.

The transition between the old and new priests had smoothly completed. As the elder holding the mermaid egg bubbled prepared to leave, Jialouluo walked over to stop him, looking at the yet-to-hatch mermaid egg in his arms and the golden scale on it.

The elder understood her intention and picked up the scale, respectfully handing it to Jialouluo, ”Your Majesty desires this scale, yes?”

Jialouluo nodded, earnestly accepting the scale.

This lifetime Lunus vanished like the wind, leaving this Heart Scale as his last mark on this world.

She then looked down at the mermaid egg in the elder’s arms, pressed her lips together, and finally asked, ”Where do you intend to send this child?”

The elder respectfully replied, ”’It’ has lost the Purification Ability and will no longer be the next High Priest; henceforth, ’it’ has no relationship with the Divine Hall and naturally will not live there anymore.”

”’It’ will grow freely like an ordinary child, and from now on, the Divine Hall will remain a distant and indistinct legend.”

”I will entrust this child to a trustworthy ordinary family, allowing them to raise this child as their own.”

Jialouluo hesitated for a moment, then softly said, ”Give this child to me; I can raise him.”

”This...” The elder hesitated, this deviated from the original plan.

Jialouluo said, ”You hope too that this child will receive the best care, grow up safe and healthy; there is no place better in the world than the Imperial Palace. I happen to have a Prince of similar age, allowing them to have a playmate in the future.”

After her repeated persuasion, the elder finally agreed to Jialouluo’s request, entrusting the child into her care.

Meanwhile, public opinion at the Imperial Palace underwent significant change.

Prince Jia Lan suddenly vanished, seemingly evaporating without a trace, but the long-missing Jialouluo returned safely, and she revoked the previous decree of succession.

The originally planned succession ceremony was naturally cancelled.

Jialouluo continued to rule as the Sea Emperor.

The news of her core shattering and diminished strength had not spread widely yet and she could maintain her position temporarily. However, secrets can’t be kept forever: as time goes by, her diminished power will surely become known, and various factions within the Sea Clan will be restless, plotting to dethrone her.

Jialouluo, having ruled as the Sea Emperor for years, already prepared an exit strategy to solidify her power while swiftly selecting a new successor.

Though Jialouluo was most satisfied with Jia Lan, given Jia Lan’s current situation, he’s clearly unfit to be the next Sea Emperor.

But she has hundreds of children, and the Princes are quite talented; finding another suitable successor to complete the transition of power shouldn’t be difficult.

During Liu Ye’s time controlling the Sea Clan’s powers, he also cultivated some forces, and these individuals were the first to oppose Jialouluo’s decision.

But soon, Jialouluo publicized the truth about the initial kidnapping, revealing Liu Ye’s secret.

Of course, she didn’t disclose the second personality, as doing so might expose the Priest Clan’s secret and incite unease among many of the Sea Clan’s Beastmen, and some might exploit this turmoil.

She merely stated Jia Lan was controlled by evil techniques of an ill-intentioned person, causing him to commit unforgivable acts.

Coupled with the previous rumors circulating in the Imperial Palace.

Many claimed there were rifts between Shen Tang and Prince Jia Lan, and some even heard Shen Tang mention that Prince Jia Lan was no longer the Jia Lan she knew.

Things seemed quite complex between them.

Others, too, felt Prince Jia Lan seemed different from before.

This time, with Jialouluo’s confirmation, despite some privately questioning the truth, many genuinely believed Jia Lan indeed had problems, explaining his flight from punishment, accepting it as reality.

Once public opinion formed, Jialouluo unveiled the deputy conspirators of those illegal laboratories, placing all guilt upon them, and launched efforts from both the Imperial Palace and the populace to catch the culprits.

——Anyone who discovers the whereabouts of Liu Ye, the experimental base, or the deputies and reports to the Imperial Palace will receive generous rewards.

Thus, throughout the Sea Country, waves of capturing deputies and searching for ”Prince Jia Lan” surged forth, with Divine Hall and Imperial Palace’s Beastmen fully pursuing them. No matter how skilled Liu Ye is, escape from this Heaven and Earth Net is impossible.

As long as he lives, he will eventually show his fault!

Unfortunately, since that pivotal battle, this individual truly vanished like a puff of smoke, leaving no trace of his presence.

The Divine Hall and Imperial Palace will continue tracking Liu Ye’s flight; however, Shen Tang and the others have stayed in the sea area for quite a while, with matters settled here, it’s time for their departure.

Jia Lan has officially taken over the Sea Race High Priest position and must remain to guard the sea area, unable to leave with Shen Tang.

On their last night before departure, Jia Lan wished for Shen Tang to stay with him one more night, as opportunities for future meetings might be rare.

Pearl curtains fell, surrounding silence prevailed.

When the man returned from outside, he removed the magnificent holy heavy Divine Robe, wearing only a loose platinum silk robe, his figure tall and erect, his sacred, cool visage even more transcendent, especially his beautiful, intriguingly cold blue eyes glimmering with a golden halo, seemingly able to purify one’s soul.

After so many experiences, the youth in his memory shed past naivety and arrogance, growing more mature and steady, detached from worldly affairs, appearing devoid of emotions or desires, somewhat aligning with the High Priest’s demeanor...

Shen Tang faltered briefly, hesitating about what to say when Jia Lan stepped forward and embraced her, drawing her close, his clear voice tinged with a hint of laughter, ”Don’t recognize me?”

Now as the new High Priest, in front of others, he indeed became more mature and steady; he had to show decorum, finally removing the thick mask and becoming vibrant again in private.

Upon hearing this familiar response, Shen Tang slowly extended her arms to encircle his waist, burying her face in his chest and softly humming, with a note of reproach, ”Just feels like you now shoulder the High Priest’s responsibility, surely losing the former freedom, unable to accompany me like before.”

”Perhaps, we’ll grow more distant over time.”

The young man’s arm tightened slightly, then slowly responded, ”Tangtang, I’ll always be me, never changing.”

”But before loving you, I wish more to protect you.”

Jia Lan, in truth, didn’t want to leave her.

He’s never cared for any throne, nor bothered with this priest position, previously even willing to abandon everything just to stay by Shen Tang’s side, always accompanying her.

But the current Jia Lan understands, without sufficient strength, even staying beside her becomes a luxury, instead bringing potential threats.

Hence, he must deal with Liu Ye and reclaim his body!