How did I, an Onmyoji, become the Lord of Yokai?

In an instant, as if a cold wind had swept across the land, the temperature in the cave plummeted. All the sea monsters' expressions changed drastically. They made way for their king, retreated to both sides, and lowered their heads!

"!?"

Its black pupils widened uncontrollably, and its dilapidated body began to tremble.

Fear, dread, cold... all the negative states surged forth at this moment, and the black-haired girl's soul seemed to tremble.

The sounds from the cave disappeared, and everyone held their breath, welcoming the king's arrival with absolute submission.

Soon, the aura drew closer, and Tamura Yoko instinctively raised her blade as if encountering a wild beast that had met its natural enemy.

Then, endless darkness engulfed her eyes.

"Humans!"

A cold and merciless voice came from the darkness, and despite the darkness enveloping her, Tamura Yoko still caught a glimpse of... a white fish tail, white fins...

"Are you... the mermaid princess they've been talking about?"

This island has always had a master. Although she rarely appears before the siren, no one has ever disobeyed her.

Because she is a mermaid, a descendant of mermaids from the ends of the sea.

In this era where mermaids have been absent for a long time, she may be the only remaining member of the mermaid race.

Therefore, the sirens called her princess and worshipped her as their queen.

Yes...she is the Queen of the Sea!

It represents the joys and sorrows of the sea!

At that moment, the king of the sea came before her and looked at her quietly, his pale yellow eyes as calm as a stagnant pool.

"Humans, why do you fight to this extent? They have already abandoned you. What will you gain by risking your life for them here?"

"Leave...? Is that so...? They successfully left...? Heh... That's... great..."

Perhaps unable to continue, or perhaps wanting hope, Tamura Yoko believed the mermaid princess's words without a doubt.

She wanted to believe that they were truly safe.

A genuine smile of joy appeared on the girl's gentle face, and her taut nerves silently collapsed. But the next moment, having fought to the last breath, she silently knelt down. If it weren't for the weapon in her hand, perhaps she wouldn't have been able to even support herself.

However, compared to Tamura Yoko's happy smile, the Little Mermaid's expression became somewhat extreme.

"Very good?"

"What's so good about it? I can't understand why you would go to such lengths for someone who abandoned you?"

The mermaid princess had been watching this unfair battle from the very beginning. To her, and to the many sirens here, Tamura Yoko was just a human, someone who would fall at the slightest touch... She was just a human who could do nothing.

However, this human she looked down upon unleashed a power that astonished the entire siren, and even she herself.

Putting aside the numerous wounds and the blood everywhere, the fact that she could still be so tenacious even with her abdomen pierced through is beyond human limits. Even monsters cannot do that!

The Little Mermaid couldn't understand why this was happening, why a human could display such tenacity.

Just for those who abandoned her and left her to die here alone?

"why?"

Ye Zi gently raised her head, a gentle and warm smile quietly appearing on her face, and the girl's soft and joyful voice rang out.

"Because they are all my family."

"family?"

Her heart skipped a beat. The girl's gentle smile, like a spring breeze, brushed against her heart, and an indescribable feeling rose in the mermaid princess's heart.

She remained silent for a while, suppressing this unprecedented feeling in her heart, before speaking in a low voice.

"Humans, tell me, what is the power of 'family'?" Chapter 271, Section 268: I Won't Let You Die

"I need this power to lead the siren!"

A black mist silently spread, and under the watchful eyes of the sea monsters, the mermaid princess came to Tamura Yoko and extended her palm.

"Please pass this power on to me."

"hehe......"

Ye Zi couldn't help but smile. Perhaps it was because the princess's words weren't too cold, but Ye Zi's previous fear had quietly disappeared. She treated the princess as a friend and said gently, "Ahem... You actually asked the enemy for advice. You're quite an interesting fellow."

However, the moment those words were spoken, the chill that had just dissipated returned.

"boom!"

The white tail struck the stone wall, the terrifying force shaking the entire cave, and the rubble shot out like cannonballs.

The next moment, the princess's angry voice rang out.

"I have never been an enemy of you humans. It was you humans who trespassed on my island and killed my people! It was you humans who started the war!"

The sudden words stunned Ye Zi, and a deep sense of astonishment and disbelief emerged from her dark eyes.

"This war...were it started first?"

Her pale lips parted involuntarily. Ye Zi couldn't accept this fact. Her instinct was to deny it, but the princess's eyes told her that she wasn't lying; this was the truth...

Recalling the investigation that Shimizu Asahi had told her, the girl seemed to finally understand. She lowered her head gently and smiled sadly, "It seems that neither of us has had it easy... to protect the people important to each other... we're in the same boat..."

"With my injuries, I probably won't survive the night... Heh... I'll tell you, it's the power of family..."

"Yes! Tell me!"

The princess's angry gaze hardened as she focused her attention on Ye Zi, yearning for the power to surpass one's limits.

However, the princess did not notice that behind Tamura Yoko, a sea monster was crouching on the ground, stealthily approaching...

Holding the dagger, it gradually closed the distance between itself and the leaf. No one noticed it, and no one saw it... Tamura Leaf perfectly concealed its form.

Before anyone knew it, it appeared behind Tamura Yoko, its scarlet eyes revealing a frenzied killing intent, and then... a sharp dagger suddenly pierced out!

Intuition told the siren that this human had lost his previous ferocity, and that if she stabbed him, she would die here.

But... why didn't the knife hit its mark?!

Hearing the crisp sound echoing in her ears and seeing the ice shield that suddenly appeared behind the leaf, the siren's mind went completely blank.

Why...why did this ice shield suddenly appear?!

The sudden sound of weapons attracted everyone's attention, and all the monsters in the cave instantly spotted the sea monster!

"This is......"

Her pale yellow pupils contracted slightly, and the mermaid princess realized what was happening almost instantly.

It was precisely because she realized what had happened that a sense of lingering fear involuntarily arose in her heart.

If this human is killed by it at this moment, then the answer it wants will be in vain!

Thankfully, this human is still alive...

However, in the instant after feeling relieved, the Little Mermaid realized what was happening.

This human... is still alive!?

Having lost all her strength, how could she possibly survive a siren attack that she hadn't even noticed?

A powerful aura quietly emanated from the cave, like a raging sea, stirring up a storm throughout the entire cave!

"who!"

The princess stepped past the leaves and the siren, looking straight at the entrance to the cave!

The unexpected shout drew all the monsters' attention to the entrance, and then a strange sense of oppression emanated from outside... Someone was coming!

The heavy atmosphere made the sirens swallow hard. They stared at each other with tense, trembling eyes, not daring to relax for a moment. Then, at the end of their sight, a light blue figure quietly appeared in the muddy road.

He walked quietly in the rain, step by step, as if strolling in the rain. But... with a "thump," the boy's light footsteps reached the ears of the sea monsters.

"!?"

All the sirens opened their eyes wide in terror, and they involuntarily shifted their gaze—in that instant, the boy had arrived beside Tamura Yoko!

Of all the monsters present, only the mermaid princess noticed his movements!

Onmyoji!

A hint of seriousness flashed in her pale yellow eyes, and the princess's cold yet authoritative voice rose in a deep tone: "What are you doing here!"

"It's obvious, isn't it? I'm here to save people, Your Highness."

"Save people? With your abilities?"

A mighty force surged forth, and unparalleled pressure pressed down on Shimizu Asahi like a mountain.

A heavy, powerful, and suffocating force instantly paralyzed all his movements!

To the other monsters on the island, Shimizu Asahi might be too powerful to resist, but to the mermaid princess, Shimizu Asahi was just a slightly larger human!

Yes, she is the Demon King, the ruler of this vast ocean.

If Qing Nufang were still by his side, he might have been able to join forces with her to save people, but without her by his side, facing the mermaid princess alone would be tantamount to courting death!

“I know I can’t produce any leaves on my own, so I want to make a deal with the princess.”

"trade?"

"Well, if the princess allows me to take Ye Zi with me, then I will stay here in Ye Zi's place."

The black-haired boy took light steps, shielding Ye Zi behind him, and met the princess's gaze without fear.

"Instead? You mean, you're willing to trade your life for hers?"

The unexpected deal left the mermaid princess bewildered once again. "Do you know what you're saying, human? This human is already dead. Even if you save her life, she won't survive tonight!"

“She’s right, sir. You shouldn’t have come to save me. You know very well that I’m beyond saving…”

Before Qingshui Chaoyang could speak, Yezi's panicked voice rang out.

Watching the boy's retreating figure, she cried out in despair, "You...you should have left!"

However, the boy turned around, squatted down in front of her, and said in the gentlest voice, "No, you won't die."

"You will live and successfully return to the Mountain City Kingdom. I will not let you die here." Chapter 272, Section 269: Miss Ye Zi, I'll accept you.