Yuan's eyes flashed with determination: "I have received news that in the deep sea, in a reef cave, there is a blessed merman. She is exceptionally gifted and has rich emotions. If we can make her shed tears, we can surely bring forth the Azure Sea Merman's Tears."

Shen Jue, outside the palace, heard these conversations clearly through the mental connection between the small puppet and himself.

She was secretly delighted, never expecting that she would obtain such a crucial clue so soon after arriving.

However, the Mermaid King's next words made her frown.

"That reef cave is protected by a powerful barrier and guarded by ferocious beasts. Entering it is as difficult as ascending to heaven," said another merman general.

Yuan slammed his hand on the armrest of his chair: "No matter how difficult it is, we must go! This matter concerns the rise and fall of our clan. Three days later, select the elite of our clan to accompany me to the Reef Cave."

The Mermaid King will lead his team to the Reef Cave in three days, and Shen Jue has made preparations well in advance.

She quietly led Qingfeng and Heichen to a secluded coral reef, where jagged rocks formed a natural barrier, making it ideal for concealment.

This is also the only way to leave the palace.

Three days later, the Merman King stood at the very front of the procession, holding a trident that emitted a ghostly light.

Behind him, dozens of elite merfolk stood solemnly, holding sharp blades, preparing to head towards the reef area.

Shen Jue remained hidden to the side, and as soon as they set off, Shen Jue and his companions followed silently behind.

Along the way, the seawater grew increasingly icy cold, and the light gradually dimmed.

As they went deeper, the surrounding water pressure increased dramatically, but Shen Jue was protected by his battle armor, so this pressure was nothing to him.

A large group of merfolk marched towards their destination with a clear purpose.

A day later, they finally arrived at the reef cave.

The cave before them was shrouded in a barrier emitting a dark purple light. Around the cave, massive reefs resembled ferocious beasts, baring their fangs and claws.

Not far from the cave entrance, a ferocious beast with the size of a mountain lay on the ground. Its entire body was covered with black scales, each the size of a millstone. Its blood-red eyes seemed to burn with intense flames. It let out a deep roar, which shook the surrounding seawater and caused ripples to spread.

They had clearly spotted the merfolk who seemed to have ill intentions.

The Merman King waved his hand, signaling the group to stop.

He glanced at everyone and said in a deep voice, "This battle is extremely dangerous. Everyone must do their best. If we can obtain the Azure Sea Mermaid's Tear, our Mermaid race will surely usher in a glorious era."

Everyone nodded, their eyes filled with determination and resolve.

However, Shen Jue keenly noticed the sinister glint that flashed in Yuan's eyes.

She became even more cautious, hiding in the shadows and closely monitoring how things were developing.

Yuan began to command the elite merfolk to launch an attack on the barrier.

In an instant, various energy attacks crashed against the barrier, producing a deep rumbling sound.

Despite the fierce attack, the barrier only trembled slightly, showing no signs of breaking.

During the fierce attack, Shen Jue discovered a strange phenomenon.

Whenever a merman approaches a certain part of the barrier, Yuan's eyes become extremely tense, as if he is afraid that they will trigger something.

Shen Jue's heart stirred, and he began to carefully observe the barrier.

After some observation, she discovered that the barrier seemed to be somewhat unusual.

As time went on, the merfolk's relentless attacks on the barrier enraged the ferocious beasts at the cave entrance.

The ferocious beast suddenly stood up, letting out a deafening roar, and then charged towards the merfolk. The merfolk quickly formed a defensive formation and engaged the beast in a fierce battle.

Shen Jue, who was watching the battle from afar, found the Merman King's behavior to be very strange.

He did not attack the ferocious beast with all his might, but instead wandered around on the sidelines, seemingly directing the battle, but in reality deliberately holding back at crucial moments. Soon, several merfolk were seriously injured and died from the beast's attacks.

Upon seeing this scene, Shen Jue immediately understood that it was all a conspiracy by the Mermaid King.

He deliberately brought the elite of the Merfolk here, intending to eliminate them with the help of ferocious beasts and the barrier.

Could it be that the Merfolk are fighting amongst themselves?