Deep Sea Hunter, but Deep Sea Titan

Last time, Skadi thought she was being clever and dragged Laurentina to the Rhodes Island cafeteria for a late-night snack, only to be taken advantage of by that hooded woman. This time, Skadi wouldn't make the same mistake again. With three suspicious women who were "pretending" to be very familiar with the salvage crew around her, she naturally didn't dare to leave her side.

"Miss Agor is such a kind and lovely girl."

Taking advantage of a slight buzz, Ling laughed heartily at the wary Skadi. Despite being an incredibly dangerous hunter, she was now acting like an innocent, naive little girl.

Ah, this is enough to prove the sense of security that Lord Gonggong can bring. Even a dangerous hunter with unclean, poisonous blood can relax to this extent with his shoulder.

"I'm quite surprised that you have a partner."

Ling had long ago realized that Skadi and Laurentina were different from W; these two "followers" who could sit on Gonggong's shoulders could not be ordinary people.

In the memories passed down from the Year Beast, Gonggong doesn't seem to have any need for this.

"What a fuss."

Lotin never argued about it; he simply held Skadi in his hands as always. Her hair was beautiful, especially when kept moist.

Skadi leaned back in the giant's palm, completely relaxed. Lotin created a small body of water on the moving ground so that Skadi could soak in it and keep herself as moist as she liked. She was happy to show Lotin her most voluptuous side.

"Then, can I also go into the Scroll of Mountains and Seas to take refuge?"

This is truly a case of ulterior motives. It seems that the environment of the Mountain and Sea Scroll is indeed very comfortable for these giant beasts and one-twelfth of the giant beasts, so much so that the three sisters all want to run inside.

However, as long as he is willing to pay the tithe obediently, Loting is happy to be the landlord.

Chapter 199: Worshiping Water

Nian was quite pleased with his leisurely stroll through the Mountain and Sea Scroll. The environment within the Mountain and Sea Scroll was already sufficient to nurture giant beasts, and here he could also temporarily escape the incessant chatter and the aggressive Yan Kingdom court. It was exactly the kind of place Nian had been looking for.

If there's anything lacking, it's that there's no chili pepper to eat, and also that there's a mysterious merman who occasionally appears and scares her.

Even more absurdly, this "mermaid" also has some temporary access to the Mountain and Sea Scroll, allowing him to suddenly transform the year into a bubble shape.

Sigh, what kind of favor could possibly grant Miss Agor the authority to access a small portion of the Mountain and Sea Scroll?

In fact, Lotin granted Laurentina some control over the Mountain and Sea Scroll precisely to prevent Nian from going too far and creating unnecessary firecrackers or explosions, like W who got Originium explosives and started causing all sorts of explosions.

Therefore, after planning a place that she would use as a "movie base", she ran away from the Mountain and Sea Painting Scroll out of sheer boredom. Instead, she felt like a fish in water in the painting, drinking and reciting poetry, and was quite at ease.

But what Nian saw when she peeked out from the scroll of mountains and seas was a completely different and strange sight. She saw Luo Ting sitting motionless in one of the stone houses, but she could hear faint breathing sounds coming from the bronze soldiers.

"What, you're already bored with it?"

As Luo Ting spoke, he pressed Nian Lian's head, which had been peeking out, back into the scroll of mountains and seas.

"What a disappointment."

Lotin pulled Skadi into the interior space where her main body was located, so that he could personally feel Skadi's soft and smooth hair with the touch of his ten fingers.

Of course, it's not just hair strands.

"Skadi can be this cute too."

The cold and aloof deep-sea hunter only reveals his innocent and adorable side to her.

"Are you satisfied with this?"

Lotin had to admit that he had never spent enough time on Skadi, so he did his best to satisfy Skadi's whims and requests during this boring journey.

"After this, are we going back to the beach?"

Skadi gripped the salvage worker's hand tightly, wanting to press herself closer, knowing they could feel each other's warm breaths.

Are you still afraid of Isamara?

Lotin whispered gently in her ear.

"Don't be afraid. With you by my side, I have nothing to fear. He has been gone for a long time."

“No matter what happens, I will face it with you. If I am so weak that I am corrupted by Isamara’s poisonous blood, then just like when we first met, crush me mercilessly with the giant anchor, purify me, and release me.”

Skadi calmly closed her eyes, a hint of helplessness in her composure. She certainly believed that Lotin was capable of fighting the horde, but if she really became Isamara's puppet, she hoped that Lotin would understand her fate.

"I'm glad you trust me so much, my hunter. No one can take you away from me again."

Loting couldn't help but pinch Skadi's cheek. In terms of temperament, she was a tall and aloof deep-sea hunter, but as Skadi, she also had a perfectly balanced cuteness that made people want to tease her a little.

When he peeked out for the second time that year, he only found an Agor man in the stone house, whose face was slightly flushed due to a subtle tingling sensation.

"So they really are more than just followers and servants..."

Nian seemed to realize something, coughed awkwardly a few times, covered her slightly blushing face with her half-open folding fan, and silently darted out of the stone house.

Luo Ting's unconventional mode of transportation quickly brought everyone to Baizhao. As soon as the Grand Tutor arrived in Baizhao, he hurriedly went to the court to confirm the details of the alliance ceremony and sacrificial ceremony.

Everything was ready, and the Yan Kingdom was about to announce to its people that this ancient being, worthy of reverence, had returned, and the "Water Worship" ceremony must not be erased from the memory of the Yan people.

Baizhao is one of the largest modern cities on the Terra continent. The people of Baizhao live and work in peace and contentment here, and the rules and majesty of the Great Yan are vividly displayed in those palaces and buildings.

The Imperial Guards lined up here, both to guard the capital and to extend the highest level of welcome from the Yan Kingdom to Luo Ting.

Although it was just an alliance ceremony and ritual, its scale far exceeded that of the coronation of the new king that W had witnessed in Kazdel.

The current situation in Baizao is so dire that it's no exaggeration to say that the streets are deserted.

If it were merely an imperial edict announcing the renewal of the alliance, the general populace of Yan might remain indifferent or uninterested in Luo Ting due to a lack of understanding of the details.

But the somersault cloud that the bronze giant rode on was a winding river and those towering mountains; the arrival of Lotin was a display of the great power of the god of mountains and rivers.

The Ministry of Rites was initially considering whether to continue using the altar that had once rebelled against the Year Beast, just like in ancient sacrificial ceremonies, but after much deliberation, the decision was ultimately rejected.

They came to renew the alliance, so inviting them to a place where they would be met with a trap was indeed inappropriate.

Therefore, the best civil engineers of Baizhao were summoned to build a new altar on the rolling river.

Upstream from the altar is a magnificent dam. This dam was originally a simple ancient water conservancy project, but it has gradually developed into the modern dam that retains the original structural principles of today.

Despite experiencing several natural disasters throughout history, it has continued to play its role in water conservancy.

According to the historical records of the Great Yan royal family, the ceremony held by the emperors Zhenlong and Luoting to pray for Gonggong's help was called "Worshiping Water".

The dark green river flows on and on the altar carved from blue stone, hundreds of flags flutter in the wind, and a bronze giant stands to one side of the altar.

The priests of the Ministry of Rites, who were originally responsible for probing the existence of the giant beast, were now simply presiding over the ceremony and dared not have the slightest suspicion or disrespect for this bronze giant.

Their earliest solemn ritual involved scooping up a spoonful of river water and sprinkling it into the air to worship Gonggong, the former emperor, and all things.

They would offer sacrifices to the former emperors who maintained an alliance with "Gonggong," believing that it was because the people of Dayan first strengthened themselves that they received much help from others and the assistance of Heaven.

This does indeed include historical facts created by the efforts of the Yan Kingdom's early democratic ideals, and can also be seen as a way for the modern Yan Kingdom to save face when its overall strength is slightly inferior to that of Luoting.

After all, Yan is just a Terran, and within the Terran nation, he is indeed the tallest among the short, which is undeniable.

People from all walks of life, including officials and commoners, would come to offer their blessings and prayers. People of all ethnic groups along the 800-mile-long Yangtze River and in the downstream irrigation area would come to worship, kowtow to "Gonggong" to gather blessings, and pray for favorable weather and peaceful times.

In an instant, smoke billowed from the mountains on the opposite bank of the river, and banners fluttered at all the major passes!

Then, the paper-mache, jagged dragon vanished instantly into the terrifying torrent, commemorating Gonggong's fight alongside the Yan people to seal the Sui beast.

Before the smoke of war had even cleared, horns and drums sounded again, and a troop of Great Yan soldiers rushed out from the river, as if one were dreaming of bugles echoing through the camps.

They carried out nine bronze tripods, each inscribed with ancient teachings on how to distinguish sea monsters and evil spirits, praising Gonggong's achievement in repelling the "fierce waves and evil spirits".

A large number of jade artifacts were thrown into the river. Whether they went with the current or sank to the bottom was not important.

They were classified as tithes by the system and would all be converted into provisions that would make Lotin stronger, which would be enough for him.

"A river of spring water irrigates millions of acres of fertile land!"

The opening of the dam's gates to release water was merely a formality; however, in the drought-stricken areas of Yan Kingdom, all those within Luo Ting's operational range were nourished by gentle breezes and fine rain.

After listening to the report from the Imperial Observatory, the Great Yan True Dragon who participated in the ceremony discovered that several provinces plagued by drought had improved, and their drought had indeed been greatly alleviated.

Upon witnessing this extraordinary sight, the reigning emperor was essentially convinced. This man was truly capable of collecting taxes and getting things done, and unlike the mythical beast Sui, he didn't think about being the sole ruler of everything. So why couldn't he be worshipped?

Their self-reliance and perseverance earned them divine assistance and also aligned with the cultural context of the Yan Kingdom.

Chapter 200: W: Ah, it smells so good!

The people of Yan have become accustomed to viewing giant beasts and "gods" as legends from history.

However, it is undeniable that the series of sacrificial activities that Yan once carried out to test the giant beasts have gradually evolved into a ritual that simply expresses good wishes for the future.

Therefore, Luo Ting discovered that the Yan people who came to observe the ceremony out of curiosity did not show much surprise or doubt.

"This is the true emperor of the current dynasty; seeing is believing."

A majestic crimson dragon, Wei Yanwu's younger brother, the emperor of Yan Kingdom, a giant as large as a mountain, looked down upon this emperor.

This also fulfilled one of Luo Ting's wishes: to see the true face of this so-called "jealous emperor."

Of course, after actually seeing it, Luo Ting also felt that the emperor did not actually show any "narrow-mindedness" on major issues of right and wrong.

"It is a great fortune for our Great Yan that Your Excellency Gonggong is willing to renew the alliance. Just now, you exerted your great power and several drought-stricken lands were blessed with rain. Since the alliance is beneficial to you and all the people, I have no reason to refuse."

The Imperial Astronomical Observatory's information is reliable; they are the most professional natural disaster and weather forecasting agency on Terra.

The emperor was well aware that this power, which could bring timely rain to parched lands, could also turn the Great Yan territory into a sea of ​​lava and fire.

"Haha, this is really lively."

"How long has it been since the Great Yan Dynasty held such a grand festival to worship a certain being?"

Faced with such a grand ceremony, Ling, who had just emerged from the scroll of mountains and seas, simply commented, "Lively."

The old man's memory, of course, would not be forgotten; once upon a time, he too had received such worship from Yan.

"The old man only got what he deserved."

Compared to the "glorious years" of the old monster Sui, the fine wine offered at the festival was what truly attracted the attention of the spirits.

The ceremony itself and the attitude of the Yan Kingdom court were basically within Luo Ting's acceptable range. Luo Ting's subtle display of skill during the ceremony further convinced the Yan Kingdom court of its worth.

The Grand Tutor, representing the Emperor, reached an agreement with various factions in the court: the matter of "Wang" would be resolved by the Luo court itself, and the Imperial Household Department and the Ministry of Rites would no longer interfere, but they would be required to be informed.

This way, the Yan Kingdom can focus its resources on where they are most needed.

However, some of the activities that followed, which were more characteristic of Yan State, made Luo Ting rather disgusted.

"I wonder how Your Excellency Gonggong intends to attend this banquet?"

"Or perhaps you could have your spokesperson attend on your behalf?"

The Yan official in charge of liaising with Loting is asking Laurentina Loting for her opinion, saying that His Majesty and high-ranking officials want to talk to Your Excellency again.

"no."

"I have promised not to interfere in Yan's internal affairs. In the future, unless it is for tribute or requests for help, people in the court should not come to me casually."

Luo Ting immediately realized that certain factions in the court wanted to make trouble for him, but unfortunately, he didn't even care about that lousy chess player's game, let alone these court games.

"What, are you saying Yan wants to lure me into crossing the line and start a conflict?"

Seeing that Luo Ting's attitude was so firm, no one in the capital dared to try to stop him.

Before leaving, Luo Ting made sure to keep an eye on Shang Shu from the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Works, making sure that the interior of the temple was properly maintained.

"You really are a very busy person."

"Going to Yumen and Tianji Pavilion is perfect. I'll also go see my elder brother whom I haven't seen in a long time."

Xi continued sketching and painting in the landscape painting, clearly not wanting to be disturbed at this time. Nian, on the other hand, had to accompany her because of her own deal with the court, which required her to help Luo Ting in the project.

However, there was no need for them to continue traveling together, but she still hoped to continue their journey together.

Given her personality, she should have gone to Yan to explore its beautiful landscapes since she had nothing to do.

"Don't you like the carefree life of wandering around? Why don't you go and see this land?"

Without his enormous size, Loting looked at Ling, whose face was slightly flushed from alcohol.

"Or is it that you're worried about your two younger sisters?"

"It is truly a rare opportunity for sisters to gather like this without any reservations, but I have other reasons."

"Nian is too impatient, and Xi is too timid, but looking at them now, it seems they already know what they like and what they want to do. So why bother with all this talk of truth and falsehood, of 'you' and 'me'?"

The wine was gone, so he sadly put away the gourd.

"At that time, I had left Jiangnan and had traveled through the Great Yan for a hundred years. I felt that I had seen through the ways of the world and that all the great figures had passed by. But there were still scenes in this world that I had never seen and feelings that I had never experienced."

"I have not yet been able to explore all the wonders in the Scroll of Mountains and Seas."

"I really can't bear to leave."