The Snail Princess and Her Benefactor

??(.′▽`.)??ヽ(爱′?｀爱)ノ

The clear water of the Jing River flows slowly, nourishing all living things nearby. The residence of the Jing River God is magnificent, shrimps and crabs patrol the river, and fish uncles, clams aunts and crab aunts are pulling melons in the sun.

Princess Hua Chao walked past them carefully, not wanting to be discovered. She was most afraid of being seen by these idle old water creatures, who would catch her and ask her questions. She was even more afraid that they would talk about her behind her back, saying that she was not doing her job every day and secretly ran to the shore to watch the mortal beings.

Princess Huachao tiptoed, transformed into her true form, and slowly crawled at the bottom of the river, thinking that this way the fish uncles and clams aunts would not notice that it was her passing by them.

But she forgot her colorful snail body, which could not be hidden at all, and the fat crab aunt quickly grabbed her colorful shell.

"Hahaha...where have you been, little girl? Look at you smell like a stranger. It stinks. Let Uncle Yu and Aunt Bang wash you off."

He carried the Flower Dynasty Princess and placed her in front of the fish, clams and crabs, which made these fish who had nothing to do but bask in the sun all day very busy.

One blew it with his mouth, another slapped sand and mud, and then washed it carefully with algae oil. The aquatic creatures began to complain about the poor Princess Huachao.

"Oh! Princess, you can't keep going like this. We aquatic creatures can't go ashore. The sun will soon dry us out. Even if you are a princess, you can only stay on the shore for a short while. You go to places where there are strangers every day. If you are caught one day, your life will be in danger!"

"Yes! Princess Huachao is a beauty known all over the world. No other aquatic creature can compare to her dazzling conch shell. Apart from our Princess Huachao, no one in heaven or on earth has ever seen such a beautiful girl."

"Today, the Third Prince of the Dragon Palace in the West Sea came to ask for marriage, but the God of the Jing River said that our princess is still young, so we can talk about marriage in a few years."

Princess Huachao could no longer bear it, and she transformed back to her original form: "Good uncles and aunts, I just think you are doing this for my own good, you guys chat first, I have something else to do so I will leave first."

Aunt Crab blocked her way with one leg: "Don't be in such a hurry to leave, Princess, you must listen to me. You can't go to the shore to play anymore. Only by using the river god's armor to protect ourselves can we, the aquatic people, leave the water and move freely in the world of the living. Otherwise, there is only one way to go, and that is death."

"Oh! My father has such good things, how come I didn't know about it?" Princess Hua Chao stopped and asked.

"Ouch! I was just talking nonsense, I was just talking nonsense..." Aunt Crab said as she dived into the mud and sand with a shield and disappeared without a trace.

In an instant, the fish uncles and clams aunts around them disappeared.

"If you don't tell me, I'll go ask myself." The little princess turned around and strode towards the River God's residence.

“Ouch… Ouch…”

Princess Huachao pretended to be sick in her boudoir. Her moans, one louder than the other, reached the ears of the Jing River God and his wife, who hurried to their daughter's boudoir.

"Oh! My baby, what's wrong with you? Let your father take a look." The River God rushed to the princess' bed without waiting for the River Lady to speak.

The princess held her stomach and forced out a look of pain on her pink face. "Father, I was playing on the water today and saw some fresh water plants on the shore. I ate too much because I was greedy. Now I have an unbearable pain in my stomach."

"Doctor Turtle, Doctor Turtle, please ask the Doctor Turtle to come quickly."

"Father, I've been examined by the tortoise doctor and have tried some medicine, but my stomach still hurts." The princess rolled over on the bed in pain.

The He Po standing nearby reminded him, "My king, why don't you try your protective armor, the 'Golden Silk Green Dew Armor'."

The river god immediately took out the "Golden Silk and Green Dew Armor". The armor was radiant with golden light and the pearl shells were green, illuminating the boudoir with thousands of rays of light.

When Princess Huachao put on the armor, she felt refreshed, as if her whole body was protected by spiritual energy. Even her already very weak spiritual energy began to slowly rotate and increase.

"Ah! Father, this is a really good thing. When I put it on, it seems like my spiritual energy has also started to improve a lot."

"This is a treasure that was refined in Lingshan when Pangu created the world. My father was seriously injured in a fierce battle with a mountain monster, so the Dragon King of the East China Sea gave it to me for protection. Wearing this armor, my water tribe can not only ward off disasters and obstacles, but also roam freely in the mortal world."

"It's so magical! How about my father give it to me tonight!"

"No, this won't do. This thing can't be shown to anyone casually. If the Dragon King finds out, I'll be in big trouble!"

"Sixth Princess, your illness is now cured. Take it off quickly and hand it over to your father for safekeeping." He Po reached out and helped her daughter take off the armor.

"Oh my... it's started again!" As soon as Princess Huachao's armor came off her body, she began to roll around in pain on the bed.

"Hurry, hurry, put it on." The river god was so panicked that he used both his hands and feet to help his precious daughter put on the armor.

Immediately the little princess greeted him with a smile, "Okay! Look at father..." Her figure turned into graceful, charming and lovely.

The river god showed a kind look on his face: "Oh! Forget it, forget it, you can't leave the mansion, just wear it tonight, and return it to your father tomorrow!"

The crescent moon shone on the silent river surface, and a ray of colorful light rushed straight towards the bright moon on the sparkling water. In a flash, a young girl appeared by the river and walked to the willow tree where Yang Shilin had hung the painting of the lady.

The girl hid the shed colorful snail shell under a tree and called upon spiritual energy to protect the shell so that no mortal could see it.

The village was peaceful, and the moonlight followed Princess Huachao. According to what the young man said during the day, she soon saw the half-dilapidated thatched house at the entrance of the village, and a tall mulberry tree in front of the house swaying in the wind.

"It's here. There is a big mulberry tree in front of the house. This is the place you are talking about, young man." Princess Hua Chao ran happily towards the thatched cottage. The young man whom she had not seen for many days was inside. She would be able to see him soon.

As long as I can see him and know that he is safe, then my tonight will not be in vain, even if my father scolds me tomorrow.

Standing outside the thatched hut, Princess Hua Chao's heart beat faster, her cheeks as pink as peach blossoms flushed, and she reached out to open the gate.

But as soon as her fingertips touched the bamboo fence, a huge barrier bounced her two or three meters away.

Fortunately, she was wearing protective armor, otherwise she would have lost her life.

Princess Huachao couldn't believe it: "Who would set up a barrier here? Isn't this a place for mortals? Where is Yang Shilin? Where did he go? Is he trapped in this barrier and can't get out? No wonder he hasn't been seen going up the mountain to chop wood for so many days."

The anxious princess didn't care about the pain she was inflicted by the barrier, and rushed towards the barrier with all her strength. In a burst of purple light, the princess was thrown further away, and fell heavily to the ground. Before Princess Huachao could get up, she saw a black smoke rushing towards her from a distance. She quickly turned invisible and used the power of the armor to protect herself.

The black smoke was close to the hut in a flash, and a fox demon with a green face and fangs appeared. It sniffed carefully, as if looking for someone who had disturbed its barrier.

After searching for a while and finding nothing, he suddenly transformed himself into a stunningly beautiful woman and slowly slipped into the thatched cottage.

Princess Hua Chao was so frightened that she broke out in cold sweats. It looked like Yang Shilin was in great danger.

(As the old saying goes, don’t plant mulberry trees in front of your house)