The Demon Emperor's Beloved Immortal Herb

Originally titled I Became the Demon Emperor's Beloved Immortal Herb After Jumping into the Sea. I thought the original title was a little long, so I shortened it.

Ruo Ning jumped into the sea. As she lay dying in the depths, she wished that in her next life she could have plenty to eat and drink and live a happy life...

But before she could even finish her wish, a strange force dragged her downward. When she opened her eyes, she found herself wrapped inside a bubble under the sea.

Outside the bubble crouched a handsome... merman.

She stared at the merman, dumbfounded. Then he suddenly opened his mouth, baring his fangs.

Looking down, she realized she had turned into a blade of grass.

Ruo Ning: "Holy crap."

-

Nancang was the Demon Emperor of the ancient realm. His true form was a merfolk, and he ruled the entire demon realm, making a name for himself across the land.

Nobody knew that such an imposing ruler fell ill every full moon.

On nights when the moon shone bright and the stars were sparse, the supreme merman would swim to the shore, gaze at the moon, and silently shed pearl-shaped tears.

This strange illness gave him terrible headaches.

Then he heard that a certain immortal herb called Zhu grew in the deep sea and could stop tears and increase one's cultivation.

So he dove into the depths to find it.

He trapped the herb inside a bubble and hesitated for a long time. Just as he was about to eat it, the little plant spoke: "F-f-friend, please don't eat me!"

-

Later, a rumor spread through the demon realm that the Demon Emperor had picked up a green plant from the deep sea and put it in a fine white jade vase, carrying it everywhere and cherishing it dearly.

Meanwhile, Nancang agonized every day over whether he should eat the plant.

Until one day, he poured a drop of immortal dew on it. A pale green light spread around it, and it transformed into a graceful woman.

...Oh no. The immortal herb had taken human form. Now he was even more conflicted.

*

It was only later that Ruo Ning learned she had transmigrated through time into a strange and fantastical world.

Nancang told her she was an immortal herb, and even added the grass radical to her name without asking.

Every full moon, he'd gaze at her with red-rimmed eyes and murmur, "A Zhu, would you let me eat you?"

At last, one day, Ruo Ning couldn't bear to see Nancang like that, so she said with solemn resolve, "All right, you can take a bite."

A panacea that cures every illness, a Chinese woad plant (not really) * a delicate fish who cries out in pain at the slightest thing (or so she pretends)

Theme: Utter delight