After I Dumped 7 Beast Husbands and Ran

Prince Lanxing’s words, ”Let’s break our bond as partners,” didn’t just shock Nan Zishi; they shocked the members of the Mermaid Clan in the sea as well.

The male mermaids were on the verge of losing their minds.

’Seriously, Prince, have you lost your mind?’

’The female-to-male ratio in the Mermaid Clan is 1:100! How could you have the heart to break your bond with such a beautiful female, one with a rainbow tail?’

’And what’s more, she gave you an adorable, beautiful little daughter like Fufu!’

The Mermaid Clan was different from the Land Beastmen. Although the gender imbalance in the Mermaid Clan was even more severe than that of the Land Beastmen, Land Beastmen had few offspring, generally only 3-8 per litter.

The Mermaid Clan was another story. For them, laying a few dozen eggs at once was considered a small brood. In some cases, a single clutch could contain hundreds or even thousands.

Perhaps because they had so many offspring, the parent-child bonds within the Mermaid Clan were not as strong as those among the Land Beastmen.

However, mermaid offspring had a very unique familial connection with their own parents, allowing them to recognize their biological father and mother. This was why Little Fu could recognize Nan Zishi as her birth mother at a glance.

As for why there were so few mermaids despite their fecundity? That was because:

1. Female mermaids were exceedingly rare and conception was extremely difficult. News of a female mermaid giving birth was an event heard of only once every few hundred years.

2. The bottom of the sea was more dangerous than the land, and the chances of a mermaid’s offspring surviving to adulthood were far lower than for Land Beastmen.

Lanxing clenched his fists. ”If you sever our bond directly, it will cause me great harm. I hope you will cooperate with me and use the Mermaid Clan’s ancient Magic to break our bond. That way, we can part peacefully.”

”I refuse! I don’t want to break our bond!” Nan Zishi declared.

Seeing her daddy and mommy fighting, the Little Mermaid, Fufu, burst into tears with a loud WAH.

The male mermaids scrambled to comfort Little Fufu.

Lanxing turned to face her, his voice filled with anger.

”Why won’t you? You obviously don’t even like me.

”You bullied me, then you abandoned me, and you never once came looking for me.

”You abandoned your husband and daughter! You don’t care about me at all! Why should I stay by your side and let you degrade me like this?!”

’All you had to do was call for me by the ocean, and I would have come to you no matter how far away I was.’

’But you never did.’

’It’s been five years, and you’ve never once looked back for me!’

Nan Zishi lowered her gaze. ”I was in the wrong before. I can make it up to you from now on...”

”There’s no need,” Lanxing snapped.

Nan Zishi was silent.

’So he really wants to break our bond, huh?’

’What a pity. Although Lanxing was just a tool-fish she used to have a child, she had actually grown quite fond of him.’

”Have you really thought this through?” Nan Zishi asked softly.

”Yes,” he replied, his voice a nasal grunt of anger.

”Lanxing, look. There are only two ways for you to end our bond. One is for me to sever it directly, and the other is for me to cooperate with you and use the Mermaid Clan’s Magic.

”But if I sever it directly, you’ll be severely injured. And using the Mermaid Clan’s Magic requires my cooperation. No matter which option, it all depends on me, right?”

Lanxing looked at her.

Nan Zishi continued, ”So how about this? You agree to one condition of mine, and I’ll cooperate with you to break our bond.”

”So you’ll agree to break our bond?” Lanxing’s head snapped up, a flash of pain in his eyes.

Nan Zishi exclaimed, ”I didn’t agree! Didn’t I just say there’s a condition?!”

Lanxing’s expression returned to normal. He swam up to her and looked her in the eye. ”What condition?”

Nan Zishi said, ”I don’t want to be locked in this cage, so I want you to let me out. After I’m out, you must stay by my side and fulfill your responsibilities as a Beast Husband for one month. After one month, I will cooperate with you to break our bond.”

”You’ve never once shouldered your responsibilities as a female master. And now you expect me to shoulder my responsibilities as a Beast Husband?”

Nan Zishi felt a little awkward.

”A month is too long,” Lanxing said, turning his head away haughtily.

The male mermaids to the side were about to go mad with anxiety.

’Why are the Prince and the Princess fighting?’

’Why is the Prince so insistent on breaking his bond with the Princess?’

’The Prince is being so cold, so cruel, so utterly unreasonable!’

They wanted to try and talk some sense into him, but none of them dared to speak up at that moment.

”Then what do you suggest?” Nan Zishi asked.

Lanxing said, ”One week.”

Having said it with forced bravado, Lanxing immediately pursed his lips.

’I probably shouldn’t have offered such a short time. Agreeing to a month would have been fine, too...’

’But I’ve already said it...’

’If she just haggles a little, I’ll give in.’

Nan Zishi replied, ”Fine. It’s settled!”

’Why did she agree so easily?’

A trace of panic flashed in Lanxing’s eyes.

Completely unaware of Lanxing’s thoughts, Nan Zishi saw that his attitude had at least softened. She said, ”Lanxing, I still have other Beast Husbands and cubs on the shore. They must be worried sick. Could you have someone send word to them so they don’t worry, please?”

The merman’s gaze, tinged with jealousy, swept over her.

’Of course. She cares about her *other* Beast Husbands and her *other* cubs. She just doesn’t care about us—her own daughter and me.’

’We are the ones she abandoned, the ones she forgot.’

’She doesn’t like us at all. That’s why she agreed to break the bond so easily!’

”Open the cage!” Lanxing commanded.

Two male mermaids opened the cage, and Nan Zishi swam out.

”Prince, please don’t break your bond with the female master,” one of the male mermaids whispered, trying to reason with him.

”All females are a little spoiled and willful, you know? They all have many Fishermen. It’s really not a big deal if they forget about us every now and then.”

”Exactly! Let’s all be calm. Where else are you going to find such a beautiful female master? Besides, she already gave you Little Fu!”

They spoke so quietly that Nan Zishi couldn’t hear them.

Lanxing paid them no mind. He swam over to Nan Zishi and held out his hand.

Nan Zishi looked at Lanxing, then down at his outstretched hand.

’Just a moment ago, he made me choke on seawater and locked me in a cage.’

’Does he really think I don’t have a temper?’

’And now he wants to hold my hand?’

’Hmph!’

Showing no intention of taking his hand, Nan Zishi simply swam right past him.

The aura around the male mermaid instantly turned frigid!

”S-So cold! Is it just my imagination? I feel like the water’s about to freeze!”

”Oh gods, oh gods, everyone back away, quick!”

Nan Zishi looked back and asked, ”Lanxing, where are we going now?”

The chill around Lanxing finally dissipated somewhat. He swam ahead of Nan Zishi to lead the way.

Nan Zishi followed behind him, gradually getting used to her large tail.

Her speed picked up, and her movements became more and more agile.

Seeing her daddy and mommy about to leave, Little Fu, who had been chasing small fish nearby, quickly dried her tears and hurried after them.

Deep in the ocean, Nan Zishi couldn’t get her bearings. She could only take in the seabed, a serene and profound world of dazzling colors and interwoven patterns of light and shadow.

Schools of tiny fish danced gracefully around them, leaving behind countless bubbles.

Nan Zishi couldn’t help but pause to admire the beauty of the deep sea.

”Lanxing, slow down.”

The blue-and-purple-tailed mermaid slowed his pace considerably.

A group of young mermaids swam toward them, greeting them one by one.

”Prince, Little Princess.” Then, they turned to Nan Zishi and bowed politely. ”Princess.”

Nan Zishi found it all fascinating, taking the time to carefully look over each mermaid.

”Lanxing, your people are all so beautiful! Just gorgeous! Every single one of them is so good-looking!”

Lanxing’s eyes darkened, and he turned his head to the side in a sulk.

’So everyone else is good-looking, but I’m not? Is that it?’

’I’m supposed to be the most beautiful male mermaid in the entire ocean.’

...