Everyone waited for more cars to appear but even after the pair offered their bouquet and joined the other executives, no more of the Li family member appeared.

“What the? Are they the only ones representing the whole family?”

“He said it himself that he would lead this memorial but Li Wen-Gui himself won’t come? That coward…!”

“Isn’t that Li Ziyang? He’s an Aria, isn't he? The mermaids must be too proud to bow their heads to us.”

“They really look down on us, huh!? Is it below mermaids to hold a memorial for humans and Arias!?”

“There are also mermaids who died, alright? Don’t lump us with them.”

The ceremony committee could only quickly proceed with the ceremony and the executives were given the stage to convey their words of condolences to everyone. The scene gradually calmed down to hear their words and give respect to the victims.

Once it was time for Li Ziyang and Bai Liang to speak, they went to the podium together and Bai Liang let Li Ziyang represent the both of them.

“First of all, I would like to apologize for the absence of Chairman Li and his family. His health suddenly deteriorated and must rest in his residence,” Li Ziyang opened. “Second of all, we might not be the best to represent the mermaids of the Li family as I am an Aria and my nephew is a human, but we understand your anger and frustration. We are deeply sorry for your loss.”

Bai Liang kept his eyes lowered and expression solemn as Li Ziyang continued. It was both surprising and unsurprising at the same time that Li Ziyang could ‘sincerely’ apologize to the public like this. On one hand, he couldn’t imagine Li Ziyang lowering himself to the public for anything. On the other hand, it was unsurprising that he could weave heartfelt words without meaning of it. Seeing how some people started to cry, nobody seemed to notice the emptiness of his words.

Moreover, Li Ziyang didn’t forget to subtly hint that Chairman Li and the mermaids of the Li family were ‘actually’ hiding. He didn’t directly slander or accuse them, even defending them, but he managed to make it sound like an excuse.

Once Li Ziyang’s speech ended, Bai Liang bowed with him once again before they stepped down. The ceremony ended half an hour later and the two of them personally apologized to the victims’ families one by one. With how fragile and pale Bai Liang looked, dotted in sweat from the summer’s sweltering heat, the women couldn’t muster any anger and held back their husbands, brothers, and fathers who were ready to throw hands on the Li family.

Li Ziyang stepped forward, shielding Bai Liang behind him, “I’m the one who bears the surname Li. Hit me as you wish.”

“Uncle!” Bai Liang clutched Li Ziyang’s back.

“Be obedient. Wait in the car,” Li Ziyang stroked Bai Liang’s hair.

“No!” Bai Liang swiftly moved to hug Li Ziyang from the front. He looked with teary eyes at the crowd, “Please don’t hit my uncle. He didn’t do anything wrong…”

“Don’t act pitiful!! What about our family!? They also didn’t do anything wrong!” someone shouted from the crowd.

The person threw a rock toward Bai Liang. Li Ziyang’s pupils shrunk and wanted to block it from Bai Liang, but the other firmly held his arms down.

“Bai–!”

BASH!!

The rock squarely hit Bai Liang’s head and the women gasped and shrieked in shock. Bai Liang’s hold on Li Ziyang slipped down and Li Ziyang urgently caught him before he hit the ground and rested him on his legs. Seeing the nosebleed accompanying the blood pouring down Bai Liang’s head, foreign yet painful images overlapped in his mind and his eyes churned into a bottomless black.

He embraced Bai Liang tight into his arms and turned to Ming Zhu, “Ambulance. Now.”

Ming Zhu came out of his shock and immediately rushed to the medical staff standing by, his heart racing in fear. He never saw Li Ziyang lose so much composure that he looked like a wounded beast. His voice was calmer and lower than usual but he was immeasurably more terrifying than he ever was.

The second Ming Zhu left, Li Ziyang glanced at the person who threw the rock with silent bloodlust. The people around him trembled and quickly moved away from the offender, not wanting to be misunderstood having anything to do with it. Seeing the offender’s flushed face and dazed eyes, they realized the person was drunk out of his mind and felt incredulous.

Those with sharper sense knew the person had made a big mistake and quickly urged their families to let their grievance go for now and leave the area.

“What are you looking at, huh!?” the offender opened the bottle in his hands and the water floated out. “The Li family must’ve sent us freaks to be our punching bags. That little bitch deserves it.”

A burst of violent energy exploded across the entire port. Children and babies cried and animals ran away in a panic sensing the disaster that was about to come. All devices and electricity within a 10 km radius immediately shut down and dark, thunderous clouds formed and merged within the sky, completely covering any hint of sunlight.

Heavy pressure weighed the air and suffocated every living being within the area. Their heart drummed and their legs violently shook from an unknown primal fear until one by one, they fell to their knees. Intense headaches assaulted them and some vomited while some suffered nosebleeds.

Bai Liang shuddered from the familiar force and opened his eyes, “Master…”

Li Ziyang lowered his gaze and gently wiped his blood away. He placed his palm on Bai Liang’s head and transferred his spiritual energy to heal it.

“My Little Jade, why do I keep getting you hurt?” he spoke, his voice painfully repressed.

“I’m fine. This is barely a scratch,” Bai Liang snuggled into his palm, feeling the incredibly nostalgic comfort. “This is just an act. I’m truly unhurt. I’m sorry for scaring you.”

“You’re always like this. What can I do about you?” Li Ziyang pressed their foreheads together in distress. “Why am I always so useless?”

“Please don’t say something so heartbreaking,” Bai Liang lowly whispered.

Li Ziyang’s heart stirred and swelled. He buried his head in Bai Liang’s shoulder, “What did I do to deserve you?”

“We simply deserve each other,” Bai Liang straightened and hugged Li Ziyang properly.

Li Ziyang returned Bai Liang’s embrace, wanting to just hide him, keep him safe from the rest of the world, and returned all the love he gave to him 100 times more. He wouldn’t even mind transferring all his cultivation to protect Bai Liang.

He raised his gaze and looked emotionlessly at the vomiting drunkard. The sky rumbled and more dark clouds gathered above him. He covered Bai Liang’s ears and a few seconds later, blinding purple lightning flashed and struck the drunkard in half a blink.

“AAHHH!!”

The shockwave threw back the people within the drunkard’s vicinity and the thunder pierced through their eardrums. People covered their heads tremblingly and few passed out from extreme shock.

Li Ziyang carried Bai Liang up to bring him to the car. The driver, who was petrified at the ground, felt as if the pressure became heavier and heavier with every inch Li Ziyang closed in between them. Out of survival instinct, he hurried up to his feet and opened the door for him.

“To the villa,” Li Ziyang curtly said before stepping in.

“Y-yes, boss…” the driver’s voice shook.

After they left, electricity and signals were soon restored but the clouds didn’t disperse. 10 minutes later, rain drizzled which quickly became a downpour shower. Nobody dared to touch the pile of scorched meat and flesh.

Bai Liang tentatively appeased Li Ziyang along the way. He already knew there was a drunkard there and he purposefully agitated him more with his force to throw him that rock to give Li Ziyang an excuse to leave. He didn’t think it would trigger him so much that his master emerged. Maybe the bleeding was too much…

“You promised to take care of yourself for me. Why are you still so thoughtless?” Li Ziyang kept healing Bai Liang’s wound with his force.

Bai Liang halted, “Master…remembers?”

“I am within you. You carry my memories and connect them to me with your every touch,” Li Ziyang touched Bai Liang’s bracelet. “And this…”

Bai Liang clutched it guiltily, “I couldn’t stop myself…”

“I’m happy you keep me close by your side,” Li Ziyang kissed Bai Liang’s hand. “But may I have it back?”

Bai Liang stared at his bracelet and slowly took it off. Once it left his wrist, it turned back into an amulet in his palms.

Li Ziyang felt a little bad yet amused. He kissed Bai Liang’s little pout, “Don’t grief, My Little Jade. I’ll exchange it with something much better.”