Facing this lazy, plump dragon.
Little White Lotus could no longer bear it and complained, "This fat dragon has been at our academy for so long, spending all day either eating or sleeping! She doesn't even have to work and lives more comfortably than I do as the academy head. At this rate, our whole academy will be eaten poor by her!!"
Speaking of this, Little White Lotus turned to Hiyakura and said firmly:
"Little Hiyakura, this time you must find a way to take her with you!!"
Upon hearing this, Hiyakura showed a somewhat apologetic expression.
She quietly said:
"I'm sorry, academy head. The Abyss Dragon has caused you trouble... I will find a way to bring her along."
After saying that, Hiyakura took a deep breath and stepped towards the lazy Abyss Dragon.
She approached the giant dragon, looked up, and stared directly into its golden dragon eyes.
"You should have heard that, right?"
Hiyakura said, her voice tinged with frustration,
"You can't just keep eating and drinking for free at the academy; people are already tired of us. You absolutely have to come with me to work this time!"
The Abyss Dragon slowly opened one eye and glanced at Hiyakura.
Then, it let out a low grunt, turned over, and went back to sleep.
Hiyakura stared at this scene, momentarily at a loss for words. She stood still, her mouth twitching slightly, unsure of what to do.
"..."
After a moment of silence, a glimmer of determination flashed in Hiyakura's eyes.
She took a deep breath, walked to the side of the Abyss Dragon's head, and squatted down.
Her voice softened and became sincere.
"I know you want to go find Tao Yao, and I want to go too."
Hiyakura said softly, her tone full of longing:
"But I'm too weak right now; I haven't fully mastered my own power. When I tested before, I couldn't maintain my fairy form for more than an hour."
She paused for a moment, revealing a hint of worry and determination in her gaze,
"The Rift is very dangerous for me; if I rashly invade now, there is a high chance I may never return..."
"But I promise you, as long as I can master the power of the fairy, no, even if I can only master half of it, I will go with you, okay?"
Upon hearing Hiyakura's heartfelt words, the Abyss Dragon slowly raised its head.
Its golden eyes locked onto Hiyakura, as if pondering something.
Moments later.
The Abyss Dragon let out two low "awoo" sounds, seemingly carrying some understanding and agreement.
Soon after, its body began to shrink slowly, flapping its wings as it landed on Hiyakura's shoulder.
A smile of joy appeared on Hiyakura's face as she reached out to gently stroke the Abyss Dragon's scales, speaking softly.
"Thank you!"
...
In the seas of the Sea Kingdom, a magnificent ship was cutting through the waves.
The ship's body was carved with exquisite patterns of shells and marine life, shimmering with a pearl-like luster under the sun.
The sails, resembling the fins of a giant fish, billowed in the wind, propelling this elegant sea beast forward.
The waves crashed against the hull with rhythmic sounds, as if the ocean was playing a cheerful melody for this ship.
On the deck, the Mermaid Queen Pearl of the Sea Kingdom was standing at the railing, gazing far out at the vast blue sea.
Pearl had retracted her fishtail, which symbolized her identity as a mermaid.
In its place were a pair of elongated human legs.
She wore a light blue long dress, the hem gently fluttering in the wind, graceful like the waves.
Although at first glance, Pearl appeared no different from an ordinary human, closer observation revealed her extraordinary features.
There were small fin-like structures on her ears, glimmering with a faint blue light under the sun.
These small fins gently trembled with her breath, as if sensing the rhythm of the sea breeze.
Some tiny scales were faintly visible on her skin, sparkling with a pearlescent sheen under the sunlight.
These features were cleverly hidden among her hair, making them difficult to notice unless looked at closely.
Taking a deep breath, Pearl felt the sea breeze hit her face.
She couldn't help but spread her arms wide, tilt her head back, close her eyes, and showed an expression of ecstasy.
Suddenly, she placed her hands by her mouth and cheered out to the sea.
"Ah— the smell of the sea breeze is wonderful! The feeling of freedom is amazing!"
Her voice was filled with joy and excitement, "Finally, I'm free from that golden cage!"
Pearl's cheers echoed across the sea, drawing a few curious seagulls to fly closer, circling around the ship.
She laughed heartily, as if releasing all the emotions that had been pent up for so long.
After laughing, Pearl turned around to face Forget-Me-Not and Tao Yao, who were standing behind her.
Her face still carried a flushed excitement, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Though I don't know why Sister Coral suddenly agreed to let me come out and act with you fairy hunters,"
Pearl said, her tone carrying a hint of pride:
"However, such a rare opportunity, this queen is going to have a great time. I absolutely cannot go back so easily!"
Forget-Me-Not, upon hearing this, revealed a gentle smile.
She gently shook her head and said softly:
"But... Little Pearl, your sister didn't let you out to play."
Hearing this, Pearl immediately pouted her lips, displaying a disdainful expression.
She raised her head, hands on her hips, and said in an arrogant tone:
"Hmph! So what? Out here, the queen says what goes! Sister Coral can't control this place!"
Her tone was filled with arrogance and defiance, like a child finally escaping parental supervision.
At that moment, a merman wearing a mask stepped forward on the deck.
He respectfully bowed to Pearl and then said:
"Your Majesty, Lord Coral specifically instructed that this cooperation with Man Zhu Academy is for your training. We must remain hidden throughout the process; your current identity is that of the Sea Kingdom's 'diplomatic envoy', Miss Jewel. Please make sure to wear the mask at all times."
Upon hearing this, Pearl's face immediately fell.
She pouted her lips and said with a gloomy face:
"How boring! They won't even let me play freely, and I have to wear a mask."
She turned to look at Tao Yao, her gaze landing on the fox mask covering the upper part of Tao Yao's face.
Pearl's eyes suddenly brightened, and her tone became sweet:
"Peach, your mask is so pretty! Can we swap for a bit? Just for a moment?"
However, before Tao Yao could respond, Forget-Me-Not immediately stepped forward.
She stood in front of Tao Yao and said firmly:
"No way! This is a special mask I prepared for Mom; you can't take it!"
Upon hearing this answer, Pearl immediately pouted again, her expression dripping with disdain.
"Hmph, what a stingy person! If you won't give it, then you won't give it; it sounds as if I really care. This queen has plenty of beautiful masks!"
Even though she said this,
She couldn't help but steal a glance at Tao Yao's mask, a flicker of envy passing through her eyes.
As the group continued to talk, the ship had already neared its destination.
The distant coastline gradually became clear, revealing a bustling port city standing by the sea.