I Transmigrated as Cannon Fodder, Only to be Desired by the Dragon King - Chapter 33

Chapter 33: Riding a Dragon into the Sea — “Holy crap!” Shen Youqing couldn’t help but exclaim…

“Holy crap!” Shen Youqing couldn’t help but exclaim, his eyes wide and round.

Feng Xiuyan circled in the air twice before descending in front of him. As he approached, his massive dragon body shrunk several sizes, eventually settling at a size neither too large nor too small—perfect for staying close to the youth.

Feng Xiuyan lowered his dragon body gently, bringing his head close to Shen Youqing. His dragon horns nudged the boy’s palm, carrying a slightly cool temperature.

Shen Youqing was full of excitement! He reached out and lightly stroked the shimmering, icy-white scales that glinted with a cold light. The texture was cold, smooth, and hard. He couldn’t help but marvel, “Whoa, so this is what dragon scales feel like!”

Feng Xiuyan’s dragon body trembled slightly at the sudden touch. The kid’s palm was soft and warm, a sensation that felt incredibly comfortable. He narrowed his misty blue vertical pupils, and his nose involuntarily puffed out a breath of cold dragon mist.

“Come up. Hold onto the whiskers and don’t fall off,” Feng Xiuyan’s voice reached Shen Youqing’s ears via spiritual power, gentle and clear.

“You bet!” Shen Youqing responded excitedly, scurrying to the side to prepare for the climb.

Heck yeah! I’m going to ride a dragon! Just thinking about it is so badass! Who would have thought that one day, I, Shen Youqing, would actually get to ride a dragon! A real dragon!

Shen Youqing observed for a moment before carefully climbing onto the dragon’s back. He found a stable spot to sit and gripped the thick dragon whiskers tightly with both hands.

The whiskers felt soft but very resilient; holding them gave him a great sense of security. He didn’t forget to clutch the silk box in his arms, muttering under his breath, “Are we really just swimming into the ocean? Am I going to drown?”

Feng Xiuyan let out a low chuckle upon hearing this. He summoned a dragon scale shimmering with an eerie blue light, which instantly transformed into a semi-transparent spiritual barrier, gently enveloping the muttering youth.

“Hold onto me,” Feng Xiuyan said warmly. “There will be some currents when we enter the ocean floor, don’t be afraid.”

With that, his dragon tail slapped the surface of the sea, sending up splashes that hit the barrier and slid right off—not a single drop touched Shen Youqing.

Shen Youqing’s eyes widened in wonder. “This is so cool!”

“Are you ready?”

“Mhm! I’m ready, let’s go!” Shen Youqing nodded vigorously, his voice bubbling with excitement.

Feng Xiuyan gave a light laugh, then with a flick of his dragon body, he plunged directly into the sea.

To Shen Youqing, the sound of the wind turned into the roar of the waves. His body was wrapped in a faint circle of spiritual light, and the seawater didn’t touch him at all. Soon, they submerged deep into the ocean. The light grew dimmer, but under the glow of the spiritual barrier, the surrounding scenery was crystal clear.

Colorful coral reefs stretched out on the seabed like blooming flowers. Schools of deep-sea fish swam past the dragon, their scales flashing like rainbows. Semi-transparent jellyfish drifted slowly, trailing long tentacles like little lanterns…

Shen Youqing was transfixed. He pointed at a small spotted fish and shouted, “Feng Xiuyan! Look at that fish! It’s so cute!”

Feng Xiuyan glanced in the direction he pointed, his tail swaying gently as if in response. He deliberately slowed down so Shen Youqing could take in the underwater scenery, occasionally swimming near coral thickets for a closer look.

Shen Youqing reached out and touched a soft piece of coral. A slippery sensation met his fingertips, and his eyes curved into happy crescents. “The bottom of the sea is way too beautiful!”

The dragon continued toward the deep sea. Gradually, the silhouette of the Dragon Palace appeared in the distance, its crystal-encrusted roofs emitting a soft glow in the deep water. Shen Youqing hugged his box and lay flat on the dragon’s back, looking at the approaching palace and then at the majestic dragon body beneath him, his heart full of joy.

So this is what it feels like to ride a dragon into the sea. It’s truly wonderful and thrilling!

Feng Xiuyan sensed his emotions, and the smile in his blue pupils deepened. He swayed his body gently, carrying him toward the heart of the Dragon Palace.

…

The light blue barrier wrapped around Shen Youqing as Feng Xiuyan’s dragon body soared over the towering palace roofs. The roofs were made of tens of thousands of diamond-shaped crystals that refracted the deep-sea light, looking like a river of stars suspended overhead.

Below, the sea folk had already spotted the returning dragon shadow. Sea guards raised their silver spears and ministers clutched their jade tablets, bowing in preparation to pay respects—but their movements froze instantly when they saw the dragon’s back.

Atop the silver-white dragon sat a youth!

The ministers looked at each other in terror: “Who… who is that? Who dares to ride upon His Majesty?”

As the dragon flew closer, they saw the boy’s appearance clearly. In his plain silk robes, holding a gift box—he was clearly a human! What shocked them even more was that the human youth was actually grabbing His Majesty’s dragon whiskers!!!

Yet their normally terrifyingly majestic Dragon King showed no sign of anger. In fact, as his tail swayed, he carefully avoided coral pillars, seemingly afraid of jostling the person on his back!

“My God… is that a human? And he dares to pull the whiskers?”

“In the past, let alone the whiskers, anyone getting within three feet of His Majesty would have been blasted away by spiritual pressure!”

Feng Xiuyan ignored the commotion below. His body surged forward, gliding directly over the magnificent Great Hall. He had no intention of stopping; the silver dragon shadow was like a streak of light heading straight for the depths of the palace.

“Where is His Majesty taking that human?”

“That direction… isn’t that the Warming Hall where the little princes live?”

“Does Chancellor Gu know about this?”

“Quick! Report to Chancellor Gu! Tell him His Majesty has brought a human youth back to the palace—riding on his back—and is heading to see the little princes!”

The sea folk left behind continued to whisper in shock: “His Majesty has always valued the dragon bloodline. Why is he so indulgent toward a human?”

“Look at His Majesty just now. Where was the majesty? He looked like he was just worried about the human falling off…”

…

Shen Youqing was oblivious to the gossip. He was pressed against the barrier, watching the scenery fly by. “This palace is too pretty! Last time I walked here, but it’s much more grand seeing it from above!”

Feng Xiuyan’s vertical pupils shimmered with warmth, and his voice reached Shen Youqing: “We are almost there.”

The dragon body descended toward a palace floating with warm light. When the barrier touched the ground in front of the Warming Hall, a light mist peculiar to the deep sea swirled around them. As soon as his feet hit the floor, Shen Youqing checked his box. Seeing the lotus crisps were intact, he sighed in relief.

The silver-white light around Feng Xiuyan contracted, and his dragon form condensed. In an instant, he stood beside the boy in human form. With a flick of his finger, the transparent bubble around Shen Youqing popped with a soft “boop.”

Shen Youqing realized that this palace was completely separated from the seawater. Inside was dry and warm, while outside was the undulating deep sea. His attention was immediately caught, and he rushed to the railing under the eaves, his nose nearly touching the invisible barrier.

“Whoa…” he muttered.

Seeing wasn’t enough; he had to touch. He expected a hard barrier, but to his surprise, his finger passed right through! He felt the cool seawater wrap around his hand. His eyes lit up, and he began waving his hand in the water. Soon, a few small fish swam over, curiously nibbling his fingertips.

“Haha, that tickles!” Shen Youqing laughed and pulled his hand back, only to freeze. His hand was bone-dry. Not a single drop of water remained.

He checked his hand several times before looking back at the water. “How? My hand was definitely out there, why isn’t it wet?”

Feng Xiuyan walked to his side, smiling at his confusion. “This is a waterproof barrier made of spiritual energy. It keeps the palace dry but allows touch without getting clothes or skin wet. Little Black and the duckling love sitting here to play with the fish. This way, they don’t get their clothes soaked.”

“Holy crap! That’s magical!” Shen Youqing marveled and stuck his hand out again, laughing as fish darted between his fingers.

“Don’t play for too long. The water isn’t freezing, but staying in too long can bring a chill to your body.”

“I know, I know! Just a bit longer!”

Feng Xiuyan laughed helplessly. “Have you forgotten why we are here?”

Shen Youqing remembered his “mission.” He quickly pulled his hand back and grabbed the box from the stone table. “Right! I almost forgot!”

Watching the boy’s joyful retreat, Feng Xiuyan’s smile deepened as he followed. As Shen Youqing walked down the corridor toward the hall doors, he could already hear the faint sounds of laughter—the sound of two little ones playing.

“It’s Little Black and the duckling!” Shen Youqing’s eyes sparkled.

Outside the doors, several sea servants stood with lowered heads. When they saw Feng Xiuyan, they bowed in unison: “Welcome back, Your Majesty.” Their gazes naturally fell on Shen Youqing, their eyes flickering with shock at his human clothes and his proximity to the King.

Shen Youqing felt a bit awkward under their gaze and instinctively leaned closer to Feng Xiuyan. Sensing this, Feng Xiuyan looked at him with a gentle smile before turning to the servants with cold authority: “You may all leave.”

“Yes.” The servants retreated, making way for the two.

Shen Youqing followed Feng Xiuyan inside. Just as he stepped onto the white jade steps of the inner hall, he heard a milky, high-pitched shout:

“DADDY!”