PART 04

Xiao Xiao received my assurance, and her excited face turned red. She carefully held me, as if she had already envisioned the scene of her triumph. For the remainder of the journey, she was secretly thrilled, her face flushed with excitement.

With a trembling finger still in shock, he stiffly made a right turn gesture, and the Seventh Prince vanished again, instantly falling silent

Burn, little universe! I shouted at the top of my lungs, my little tail wagging like a pendulum. "Buddy, buddy, love life, love the little strong one, hey, do you like Athena?"

I let out a sound of surprise, and my attention was already drawn to the performance on stage

The Hall of Appreciation is built tall and grand, remarkably spacious, with white columns rising from the ground. At the top of each column, there are intricately carved statues of spirit pets, full of life and spirit. In front of the grand hall stand two tall vases made of white jade, filled with vibrant and flourishing corals and seaweed. The steps are paved with crimson satin, resembling the most ordinary red carpet of our lifetime. The entire structure exudes a strong ancient Roman style, and at first glance, I thought I had mistakenly entered another realm, as if I had directly stepped into Greek mythology.

The one named Bubble, with great pride, lifted the orange starfish with a wave of his hand to show it to the little one. The poor starfish had already been exhausted by his antics, and with a single motion, its breathing gills became stiff.

Inside, there was already a clamor with the sound of gongs and drums. Little Xiaoming was anxious, fidgeting as he stood up and sat down, looking as if he were sitting on pins and needles

"Really? You will do your best?" He was busy seeking confirmation, seemingly placing all his hopes on me, and I immediately felt a sense of responsibility to fulfill the dreams of the young boy.

Little Xiao pondered for a moment with a furrowed brow and replied somewhat uncertainly: "The Ninth Prince's ability to make this grand hall so unique is likely related to his experiences as a hostage in his youth; foreign demons always have a penchant for the peculiar!"

"What a hassle!" He indeed murmured softly, turning to Xiaoxiao, and with a cheerful smile proposed: "Xiaoxiao, you walk slowly, I will take my leave first. Thank you for accompanying me for this stretch of the journey!"

I was excited again, wagging my tail, and asked him with a hint of meaning: "Buddy, do you want to hear me sing? I understand, I understand!" He must have wanted to test me with the trendiest songs, and in that moment, I was overwhelmed with emotion, starting to search my mind for the song that best represented my talent

I watched with great interest, wishing I could grow two more hands to applaud him. What does Liu Qian count for? Just look at that dignified prince, performing the great transformation with the same precision and flair.

Although unable to enter, one can continuously observe the nobles disembarking from their carriages in front of the grand hall, strutting arrogantly towards the rear hall

Little by little, she stood up, huddled in the corner, cautiously peering outside like most of the people in the aquatic community. I also leaned forward to take a look.

Since Xiao Xiao entered the hall, he has been trembling and seems to be searching for something all around

I will compete for a ranking for you! I may be a bit overconfident, swinging my little tail in a circle. The little one looked on with curiosity, and the originally somewhat dim eyes suddenly brightened.

The little one immediately relaxed the tightly clasped arms and happily approached: "Bubble, did you bring your pet today as well?"

The little one puffed up his cheeks, silently tiptoeing and craning his neck to look inside, appearing quite sullen

After everyone was astonished, they were filled with excitement. Even the little one was thrilled, gripping my tail and shaking me vigorously, saying: "What is it? It is the Ninth Prince!"

The snow frog on the stage croaked once, its bulging eyes wide open, displaying a look of determination. Suddenly, it made a leap into the air and fell straight onto the stage, its snow-white belly facing up, puffing out proudly. The competing young noble, approximately fourteen or fifteen years old, was dressed in a peach-colored outer robe, stretching its neck repeatedly.

Is this the Ninth Prince who designed a building resembling the palace of Poseidon, the god of the sea

I suddenly acted on impulse, feeling that if I didn't shout something at this moment, I might miss the chance to connect with a fellow townsman who shares similar interests

It is uncertain whether he has truly ventured far this time or remains at a distance. Both Xiao Xiao and I are on edge, not daring to relax for a moment. It is only after half an hour, upon passing the fork in the road, that Xiao Xiao finally wipes the cold sweat from his forehead

Xiao Xiao saw the Seventh Prince escape and clearly let out a sigh of relief, his entire body slumping down as he leaned against the old turtle. Just as he was about to take a deep breath and exhale again, suddenly a golden dragon head appeared on his right side, its whiskers brushing directly against his face. Both Xiao Xiao and I, a shrimp and a fish, were startled and shouted in unison.

The snow frog is quite good! It looks clean! The Ninth Prince exclaimed, continuously wiping his fingers with the handkerchief in his hand, and cleaning the armrests of the chair, as if dust were generated around him at every moment

"Xiao Xiao, you are here too?" A chubby, endearing little boy ran in from the backyard of the hall, wearing a light blue short jacket. His face was adorned with faint brown spots, and as he ran, the light orange starfish he was holding in his hand wobbled along with his body. Upon seeing Xiao Xiao, he became excited, bouncing around with his plump little body.

What is this exotic demon? I have a strong impulse to wag my tail. What kind of world is this? Everything is like a dream, both familiar and strange. I thought I could find clues and seek companions, yet it has all reversed so completely.

I saw fishing boats casting their nets, seagulls soaring in the sky, blue skies and white clouds, as well as the long-lost smiles on the faces of each fisherman, which instantly lifted my spirits

With each item they polished, they discarded a piece of silk cloth. By the time they finished polishing all the items around the Ninth Prince, they had already discarded quite a few pieces of silk cloth at their feet

The Seventh Prince rides an old turtle, and with each checkpoint he passes, a large number of guards kneel down. Although he maintains a smiling face, I have caught sight of his brows slightly furrowing several times.

This snow frog does not appear as earthy yellow as the ones I have seen before; its body is snow white, with a small protrusion on its forehead resembling a pale yellow gemstone, subtly radiating light. When it steps onto the competition stage, the bluestone slabs laid on the stage crack with fine lines.

The small face is as black as the bottom of a pot

It is almost here! He looks a bit tired, silent, completely devoid of the initial excitement. The little treasure in his pink pouch seems to have wilted, and I feel a bit reluctant, so I jumped a little in his hand

The rear courtyard turned out to be more magnificent than the front hall, arranged like a wedding venue. In addition to the colorful coral reefs, there were also many small fish whose names I could not recall. These small fish swam anxiously, but were tethered by ropes, unable to swim far. They swayed and danced, and from a distance, they appeared quite beautiful

I saw, after a bright flash of lightning, a pale silver dragon appearing out of thin air before the red carpet outside the door. Its scales were bright and thick, reflecting a faint silver glow in the water. A pair of imposing dragon whiskers floated up and down in the water, and its eyes sparkled like lightning. With just a glance, that aura of majesty naturally caused all onlookers to take two steps back in astonishment

This is the work of the Ninth Prince! I, in my foolishness, straightened the shrimp's body, expressing my astonishment, standing at the entrance of the grand hall, and simply raised my hand high, allowing me to gaze up at this completely European-style pleasure pavilion in a more comprehensive manner

He circled around back and forth, shook his dragon head, and suddenly, from top to bottom, his color gradually faded, and his entire body seemed to vanish into thin air, instantly losing all trace.

Go take a number, wait for this round to end, and I want you to take her up there and let her sing! The Ninth Prince extended his hand, and a guard behind him immediately presented a piece of snow-white silk handkerchief. The Ninth Prince casually wiped his hands, and with a seemingly indifferent flick of his fingertip, a flash of blue light appeared, instantly incinerating the handkerchief to ashes.

"Shut up! So what if you are covered in vermilion, you look just as if you have been boiled, utterly lacking in self-awareness, it looks really dirty!" The Ninth Prince interrupted me impatiently, casting a glance at the two guards with their noses in the air, who immediately began to squat down and clean the ground around him. While cleaning, they conjured a silver high chair out of thin air, designed with a flowing line style, very much in a postmodern aesthetic. No doubt, this is the work of the design fanatic, the Ninth Prince.

There is actually racial discrimination! Even if I were to be transformed into a shrimp, I would still be the one with the largest brain capacity!

"Shrimp, don't overthink it, I'm afraid it will mess up your brain!" The little boy looked at me, who had been silent, curled up like a small meatball, and couldn't help but feel a bit scared, "Your head is already the size of a grain of rice, knowing too much will completely ruin your brain!"

I will go sing for them! If that doesn't work, I am also skilled at doing radio calisthenics! In my excitement, my mustache even stood up.

Why is the house built by the Ninth Prince different from others? After a long while, I finally found my voice. I have serious doubts that this guy, like me, has directly traveled from the modern era. Perhaps he is a die-hard fan of Saint Seiya, just as perverse as I am, having read the chapter about Poseidon dozens of times from beginning to end

This avenue is straight and long, and the old turtle walks slowly, making it seem even longer. Due to the presence of the various princes' palaces, there are constant roadblocks. Fortunately, the princes do not usually reside in their palaces, as they have their own official residences elsewhere, so the guards generally do not conduct their inspections very rigorously.

His hair color is a deep black with a hint of red, elegantly tied up with a jade crown, which is adorned with a dazzling silver sea pearl. Paired with a shimmering silver robe, he truly resembles the leading man stepping out under the spotlight

That is a little turtle, the grandson of the turtle prime minister

Little Xiao did not argue with him, but gathered me up, holding me in the palm of his hand, peering into the inner hall, and asked the little bubbles: "Can we go in now?" It seems that the back hall is the true venue for the competition

I can now be certain that this child has obsessive cleanliness.

The Ninth Prince then leisurely took his seat on the high chair, propping his chin on two fingers, watching the snow frog perform the act of breaking stones on its chest on the competition stage

How significant is this matter? We embody the Olympic spirit, which emphasizes participation. At worst, I can sing a song, dance a bit, and even perform a few flips in mid-air. We will accomplish everything we can without omission. Even if there are no rankings, at the very least, the little boy can experience the joy of being part of it

The little bubble leaned over to take a look and asked: "What is your pet?"

Mr. Silver Dragon, accompanied by his two haughty guards, ascended the steps with an air of arrogance. As he walked across the carpet and passed through the crowd, his cold and translucent eyes flickered slightly. He cast a brief glance at this small place, his gaze drifting downward. Upon seeing me, resplendent in my attire, his eyes moved slightly again before turning forward, seemingly disregarding everyone present here.

Xiaoxiao and I sat in the corner, observing the attendants at the doorframe leading to the rear hall as they hurriedly received the visiting nobles. It seems that this event is generally a gathering of minor nobility. After watching for quite some time, none of the princes from the Dragon Palace have appeared.

It is indeed a delightful experience to encounter an acquaintance in a foreign land

Alright, stop staring, let's go in!" He lifted me up and gently stroked me with his chubby little hand to comfort me

Xiao Xiao was completely stunned, being carried without struggling, like a dead fish all the way, despairingly exposing his belly to the ceiling. I was pinched by him, crying out in pain, with no time to even look at the strangely shaped sculptures along the way

The hall is even more mysterious, with its vaulted ceiling resembling that of a European church. At the top, a crystal dome from the East Sea is intricately crafted, featuring a pair of dragons that are exquisitely carved and lifelike. The two dragons arch gracefully around a luminous pearl, which emits a soft pink glow, perfectly set and translucent, capable of refracting the images above the water's surface.

Behind him stood solemn guards, their faces as rigid as fossils, proudly tilted at a forty-five-degree angle. Every gesture conveyed a single message: I am impressive, I am formidable

Xiaoxiao and I were carried in and brought to the inner hall, where those two arrogant guards casually tossed us aside.

This child must have traveled through time, as even a classic pose is so modernized!

The silver dragon spun twice, and by the time it landed, it had transformed into a handsome young man. He was dressed in a light silver robe, intricately embroidered with delicate sea flowers in silver thread. Around his waist was a belt woven from silver thread, the buckle fashioned from a jade stone of exceptional quality, carved into the imposing visage of a dragon's head, arrogantly displayed at his waist.

The closer they got to the Hall of Appreciation, the slower the old turtle moved, as if it were about to fall asleep while crawling. The young boy could no longer hold back; with a quick flick of his chubby hand, he jumped down from the old turtle, thanked it, took my hand, and began to jog along the way

The little fool had not yet had the chance to respond to him when the Seventh Prince had already transformed into a small golden dragon. This tiny dragon was extremely miniature, about the thickness of a chopstick and only as long as a finger. If it weren't for the shimmering golden scales covering its body, one would hardly notice such a creature the size of a worm.

The proud Ninth Prince came to a halt, slowly turning his face as if to carefully scrutinize Xiao Xiao and me. For a full half of a tea time, he slightly raised his hand, and the guard beside him immediately approached, lifting Xiao Xiao and quickly following him.

Just as you were about to say something to me, suddenly, five hundred meters away outside the door, in the stable where the seahorses, ridden by the aquatic nobility, are kept, the seahorses all flicked their tails and neighed in unison. The water in front of the palace surged violently, and all the aquatic creatures unconsciously retreated in alarm, even the vibrant coral clusters at the entrance trembled.

I watched his fingertips with beads of sweat, suddenly overwhelmed by an impulse to scream. How did this child manage to do it? He can actually balance natural gas on his fingertips like this

Xiao Xiao was very proud, holding it up for me to see. The little bubble immediately burst into laughter, pointing at my bright red self, and said: "Xiao Xiao, even if you brought a crab, it would still be better than this tiny shrimp!"

The little bubble's expression immediately dimmed, as it held the starfish and complained: "We are not nobles of the aquarium, nor do we have an invitation. We can only wait until the end when the crowd has mostly dispersed before we can join in the fun. Did you really think you could sneak in and show off?"

The Seventh Prince seemed a bit embarrassed, fidgeting as he asked, "When we reach the front, do we turn left or right?"