"Zi Yan!" she said proudly.
And then, without even a pause, she pointed at the pill again—
"Now can I eat it?"
The moment the little girl spoke her name—
"Zi Yan."
Xiao Feng's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, a subtle reaction that lasted for only a fraction of a second, yet within that fleeting instant, countless thoughts had already flashed through his mind, allowing him to piece together her true identity with startling clarity, even though his outward expression remained calm and completely unchanged, as if nothing at all had happened.
Zi Yan.
A name that, to most, would mean nothing more than an unusual little girl within the Inner Academy—
But to Xiao Feng, who possessed knowledge far beyond ordinary understanding, it was enough to confirm everything.
She was none other than the Ancient Void Dragon Princess, the only daughter of Zhu Kun, a peak Nine-Star Dou Saint, a legendary existence whose strength stood at the very summit of the Fighting Qi Continent, someone whose mere presence could shake entire regions and whose bloodline represented one of the most terrifying forces in existence.
Her status—
Was not inferior in the slightest to that of Xun'er.
And yet
Due to consuming the Transformation Grass during her juvenile stage, her body had been locked permanently in this childlike form, her overwhelming power sealed deep within her bloodline and hidden beneath an appearance that seemed harmless, playful, and completely devoid of any real threat to the untrained eye.
However—
What most people did not know…
Was that her situation was far more complicated than it appeared.
Her father, Zhu Kun—
A peak Nine-Star Dou Saint and the guardian of the Ancient Void Dragon clan—
Had long been trapped and sealed within the TouShe Ancient Emperor's Gate, cut off from the outside world and unable to return, leaving behind only legends and unanswered mysteries.
And because of this—
Zi Yan, who should have stood at the very peak of the continent with an unmatched background, had instead wandered alone during her early years, eventually arriving in the Northwest Region, where her current journey truly began.
It was there—
Within the Canaan Academy—
That she was discovered.
Recognizing that this seemingly ordinary little girl was anything but normal, Dean Su Qian took her in personally, allowing her to remain within the academy as a student while secretly protecting her and giving her a place to grow safely.
Thus—
The mighty daughter of the Ancient Void Dragon clan, who should have ruled the skies—
Became, in the eyes of others—
Nothing more than a mischievous, gluttonous little girl who wandered freely through the Inner Academy.
Yet beneath that carefree exterior—
Lay a lineage that could shake the heavens.
But Xiao Feng understood clearly—
This seemingly innocent girl standing before him…
Was a being far more dangerous than most could ever imagine.
Even so—
He did not reveal even the slightest hint of this knowledge.
Instead, a faint, almost imperceptible smile slowly formed on his lips, his expression turning relaxed and slightly amused, as if he were simply dealing with an unusually mischievous child, deliberately choosing to play along rather than expose the truth.
Looking at Zi Yan's anxious and eager expression, Xiao Feng casually twirled the 5th-tier Beast Pill between his fingers, the faint glow of the pill reflecting softly in his eyes as he deliberately slowed down his movements, as though he were enjoying the way her gaze followed every slight motion of his hand.
"It's not impossible to trade…" he said lightly, his tone calm and unhurried, as if the matter held no real importance to him at all.
The moment those words reached her ears—
Zi Yan's amethyst-like eyes lit up instantly, shining with excitement and anticipation, while her long purple hair seemed to sway gently behind her as her entire demeanor brightened in an instant.
"Really?!" she leaned forward eagerly, almost losing her balance as half her body slipped further into the room, her attention completely fixed on the pill as if nothing else in the world mattered.
However—
Just as quickly—
Xiao Feng paused.
"However—"
His voice shifted slightly, carrying a hint of teasing intent as he casually tapped the pile of medicinal ingredients she had brought out, his gaze sweeping over them with deliberate indifference.
"These things…"
"They're far inferior to what I have."
The effect was immediate.
Zi Yan froze where she stood, her bright and excited expression collapsing almost instantly into one of disappointment and grievance, her small face puffing slightly as she unconsciously lowered her head and began scuffing her foot against the ground, clearly unwilling to accept his words yet unable to argue against them.
"Then…" she muttered softly, her voice tinged with reluctance and a faint sense of injustice, "what do you want to trade for it…"
Xiao Feng did not answer immediately.
Instead, he allowed a brief silence to linger, as if he were genuinely considering the matter, though a subtle glint of calculation had already appeared deep within his eyes.
"Hmm…"
"I heard…"
"There's a Snow Demon Heaven Ape in the Inner Academy's back mountain…"
Before he could even finish his sentence—
Zi Yan's reaction was instantaneous.
"I know! I know!" she burst out excitedly, her previous disappointment completely forgotten as she straightened up at once, her energy returning in full force as she began bouncing lightly on her feet like an excited little beast.
"I've been here for so many years!" she said proudly, lifting her chin as if showing off her knowledge. "I already knew that smelly monkey was guarding something good! Last time, I could smell it from far away!"
Xiao Feng nodded slowly, his expression calm yet clearly satisfied with her response.
"Good."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"How about this…"
"You help me lure it away…"
"And I'll give you one-third of this pill."
Zi Yan tilted her head slightly, her brows furrowing as she fell into a rare moment of serious thought, her small face unusually focused as she carefully considered the value of the exchange.
After a few seconds—
She suddenly raised two slender fingers.
"I want half."
Her tone was firm.
Her expression serious.
Xiao Feng didn't hesitate for even a moment.
"Deal."
Zi Yan blinked.
Clearly, she had not expected him to agree so quickly, and for a brief second, she even looked slightly suspicious, as if wondering whether she had asked for too little.
But before she could say anything—
Xiao Feng spoke again.
"But…"
Her expression immediately changed again, her cheeks puffing out as she crossed her arms, clearly bracing herself for more conditions.
"What now…" she muttered, her tone filled with suspicion.
Xiao Feng looked at her steadily, his voice calm and even.
"I want the right to use Cultivation Room Number One on the sixth floor of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower."
The moment she heard this—
Zi Yan's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Ah?!"
She stomped her foot slightly, her cheeks puffed up as she glared at him in frustration.
"You're too cunning!" she complained loudly. "That place is always occupied by those annoying strong-ranking people!"
Xiao Feng simply shrugged lightly, as if it didn't matter to him at all.
"Then forget it."
He casually moved his hand as if to store the pill away.
"Wait!!"
Zi Yan panicked instantly, her entire body tensing as she rushed forward, her earlier pride completely gone.
"I agree! I agree!"
She glared at him angrily, her lips pouting as she muttered in dissatisfaction,
"Bad guy… even more calculating than that old man Su…"
Xiao Feng couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle.
He lifted the pill slightly, letting it sway gently before her eyes, watching as her gaze immediately locked onto it once again, all her attention completely captured.
"Then it's settled," he said with a faint smile.
"Complete the task…"
"And you'll get your reward."
Zi Yan swallowed unconsciously, her eyes shining brightly as she quickly stretched out her small hand.
"Pinky promise!"
For a brief moment—
Xiao Feng paused.
Then, with a faint smile, he extended his finger and hooked it with hers, sealing the agreement in the simplest yet most sincere way.
As their fingers separated—
Xiao Feng's gaze deepened ever so slightly.
This exchange…
Was far more valuable than it appeared on the surface.
The pill itself—
Was insignificant compared to what he stood to gain.
The treasure guarded by the Snow Demon Heaven Ape…
Access to the sixth floor's best cultivation room…
And most importantly—
A connection with Zi Yan.
"Rather than letting resources remain unused…"
"It's better to turn them into something meaningful."
Meanwhile—
Zi Yan had already turned around, her mood completely lifted as she began skipping forward energetically, humming an off-tune tune while her long purple hair swayed lightly with each step.
"Let's go! Let's go!" she called out excitedly. "I'll show you where that big monkey is!"
Xiao Feng smiled faintly.
Before leaving, he took out a jade slip and wrote a short message.
"I'm heading out for something. Don't worry."
After a brief pause—
He added one more line.
"I'll bring you a gift when I return."
Placing the jade slip gently on the table, Xiao Feng turned without hesitation and followed after Zi Yan.
Ahead of him—
The little girl moved freely, carefree and full of energy.
As Xiao Feng followed quietly behind Zi Yan, watching her carefree figure skipping ahead without a single worry in the world, he lowered his gaze slightly toward the 5th-tier Beast Pill still resting between his fingers, its faint golden glow reflecting softly in his eyes.
Without much thought—
He took out a jade bottle, his movements calm and practiced, and gently placed the pill inside it, sealing it with precise control before storing it within his ring, as if it were nothing more than an ordinary action he had repeated countless times before.
However—
The very moment the pill disappeared—
Something… changed.
Zi Yan, who had been happily moving forward just a second ago, suddenly came to an abrupt halt, her small figure freezing in place as if she had sensed something incredibly important vanish in that instant.
The atmosphere shifted.
Slowly—
Very slowly—
She turned her head back.
Her amethyst-like eyes…
Locked directly onto Xiao Feng.
There was no longer just excitement in them—
But something deeper.
Something instinctive.
Before Xiao Feng could even react—
Before his thoughts could fully form—
A flash of purple shot toward him like lightning.
"?!"
He didn't even have time to raise his guard.
In the next instant—
Zi Yan had already appeared right in front of him, her speed so terrifyingly fast that even his sharpened perception failed to track her movement completely.
And then—
She pounced.
Her small body collided directly into his chest as her arms wrapped tightly around him, her grip firm and unyielding, not giving him even the slightest chance to evade, block, or counter.
"Zi Yan—?"
Xiao Feng's body instinctively tensed, his Dou Qi almost erupting in response to the sudden attack—
But he forcefully suppressed it at the very last moment.
Because there was no hostility.
No killing intent.
Only—
Curiosity.
Zi Yan clung to him tightly, her small hands gripping onto his clothes as if she were afraid he might disappear, while her nose twitched rapidly, drawing in breath after breath as though she had discovered something unbelievably fascinating.
Then—
She lifted her head slowly.
Her eyes sparkled.
"Brother…" she said softly, her voice filled with an innocent yet intense curiosity that didn't match her playful appearance from before, "are you… like me?"
Xiao Feng froze slightly at her sudden question.
Before he could answer—
Zi Yan leaned even closer, almost pressing herself against him as she inhaled again, deeper this time, as if trying to confirm something beyond doubt.
"There's a smell…" she continued, her tone becoming more certain with each passing second, her gaze never leaving him.
"It's not the pill…"
Her brows furrowed slightly as she focused.
"It's from you."
At those words—
Xiao Feng's heart stirred faintly.
Zi Yan looked straight into his eyes now, her expression no longer playful, no longer childish, but instead carrying a rare seriousness that revealed a glimpse of her true nature beneath that small frame.
"Do you also have some kind of special body?" she asked directly, her voice soft yet clear, as if she already knew the answer but wanted to hear it from him.
"This scent…"
"It's attracting me so much…"
For a moment—
Silence filled the space between them.
Xiao Feng did not respond immediately.
Instead—
His thoughts began to move rapidly, far faster than his outward calm would suggest.
She noticed it…
Not just the pill.
Not just the energy.
But him.
This was not something ordinary people could perceive.
Not even most experts within the Inner Academy would be able to sense something this subtle.
But Zi Yan—
As the daughter of the Ancient Void Dragon, possessing one of the most powerful bloodlines in existence—
Her instincts toward energy, bloodlines, and unique constitutions were far beyond anything normal cultivators could comprehend.
Taking a slow, controlled breath—
Xiao Feng's eyes flickered slightly as his mind drifted back to a memory buried deep within his consciousness.
The voice of the Beast Venerable echoed faintly.
"You…"
"Your physique…"
"It feels different…"
"It is similar… yet not the same…"
"It might be mutated…"
"Or perhaps…"
"Something even more advanced…"
At that time—
Even the Beast Venerable had not been able to give a definite answer.
And now—
Zi Yan's reaction only confirmed it further.
This was no ordinary constitution.
It was evolving.
Changing.
Revealing itself slowly as his strength increased.
Xiao Feng lowered his gaze slightly, looking at the small figure still clinging tightly to him, her eyes shining with curiosity and excitement, as if she had just discovered something far more interesting than any treasure or medicinal pill in existence.
For the first time—
A faint seriousness appeared deep within his calm eyes.
Just what… is this body of mine?
What kind of power lies hidden within it?
What kind of future does it hold?
And more importantly—
What other abilities…
Have yet to awaken?
Zi Yan, however, paid no attention to the complexity of his thoughts.
She simply leaned closer once again, sniffing lightly like a curious little beast, completely immersed in her own discovery, her fascination growing stronger with every breath.
"Brother…" she said again, tugging gently at his clothes, her tone filled with simple, honest excitement.
"You smell really good…"