Xiao Tian directly grabbed the small hand that reached out and used his other hand to pluck the Di Zang Fruit.
The small hand struggled continuously, carrying immense strength, but Xiao Tian was even stronger and held her hand tightly.
Xiao Tian looked along the small hand and saw its owner. It was a little girl, only reaching his waist, delicate and exquisite like a porcelain doll, dressed in white. Her cheeks were extremely fair and tender, and her light purple long hair flowed down to her waist. She had a pair of dark, sparkling large eyes.
She stared up with wide eyes filled with surprise, gritting her teeth and constantly exerting force, trying to pull her hand back.
Xiao Tian knew who she was by her height and attire. This was none other than the Inner Academy's little tyrant, Zi Yan — the Void Ancient Dragon in human form. So cute. I really want to tease her.
"Let go of me, or I'll get angry!"
The little girl's mouth moved, emitting a clear, sweet, and tender voice.
"Little sister, I found this item. You were trying to snatch my item, which is why I caught you. Besides, even if you get angry, you might not be able to beat me."
Xiao Tian looked at Zi Yan's cute appearance, wondering if she would cry for a long time if he punched her.
"I want to grow up. I want to eat them."
Zi Yan said calmly, her voice filled with endless longing.
Hearing her words, Xiao Tian remembered that she had accidentally eaten a Shapeshifting Grass and then turned into this. Medicinal ingredients contained immense energy that could accelerate growth, which was why she craved all sorts of medicinal ingredients. Most importantly, she possessed a unique sensing ability — a treasure-hunting talent. She also had an innate mastery over space, allowing her to freely travel through it. Her mysterious appearance just now was her emerging from space. If not for his strong soul power and strength, she really would have succeeded.
"What are you looking at? Haven't you looked enough?"
Zi Yan felt a little annoyed by Xiao Tian's continuous scrutinizing gaze. If she wasn't still holding a vine-like medicinal ingredient in her hand, she would have already swung a punch. Thinking about how she was caught by this person, his strength must not be weak, and she still couldn't break free, with an unhappy face she picked up the vine medicinal ingredient in her hand, ready to take a bite to soothe her anger.
"Wait a moment!"
Xiao Tian released her hand and stopped her from biting down.
"What do you want? Are you trying to steal my stuff?"
Zi Yan's small face instantly puffed up. Her head could be cut off, blood could flow, but medicinal ingredients could not be lost.
"No, I can exchange my fruit for your vine. Don't you think this fruit looks more delicious than yours?"
Xiao Tian shook the Di Zang Fruit in his hand and smiled at Zi Yan, looking very much like a strange uncle luring a child. The item in Zi Yan's hand was exactly one of the medicinal ingredients for his Marrow Cleansing Pill — the Sky Star Vine.
She heard Xiao Tian's words, her dark large eyes blinking, as if possessing some special ability that could instantly calm her down. Her eyes constantly scanned back and forth between the medicinal ingredient in her hand and the one in Xiao Tian's hand. Although her medicinal ingredient looked a little better, his looked more delicious. She licked her lips and swallowed.
"Really?"
Xiao Tian didn't speak but directly placed the item in front of her. Zi Yan looked at the yellow-orange fruit before her, quickly snatched it, and then threw the Sky Star Vine in her hand to Xiao Tian, afraid he would go back on his word. She put the Di Zang Fruit into her mouth. Xiao Tian looked at her, smiling strangely. The Di Zang Fruit was not a tasty item. Its skin was bitter, and its flesh was sweet, but the bitterness was even more intense than Coptis.
"Yuck~ So bitter, so unpalatable."
As soon as it entered her mouth, Zi Yan's entire face instantly scrunched up from the bitterness. But she didn't spit it out; medicinal ingredients were what helped her grow. After swallowing it, she frowned and shouted at Xiao Tian. "You lied to me! How can this thing be so unpalatable? It's the most unpalatable thing I've ever eaten."
"Isn't eating raw medicinal ingredients always very unpalatable?"
Xiao Tian saw that his goal was achieved, put away the Sky Star Vine, squatted down, and said gently to her.
"Yes, they're all quite unpalatable, but I have to eat them."
Zi Yan endured the bitterness and was about to take another bite. Xiao Tian stopped her and said temptingly, "I can help you refine it. With some other things added, it will become very delicious."
"Refine?" Zi Yan tilted her small head, her dark large eyes lighting up. "Are you an Alchemist?"
"Whether I am or not, just give me the item, and I'll refine it for you right here. Then you'll know."
Zi Yan glanced at him, gritted her teeth, and handed over the remaining Di Zang Fruit in her hand to him.
Xiao Tian took it, and the Three Thousand Burning Flame he summoned condensed into a medicine cauldron on the spot. Xiao Tian threw the Di Zang Fruit in, then took out some other medicinal ingredients and added them. These were all auxiliary ingredients that could alter the medicine's taste without affecting its efficacy.
Zi Yan looked at the flames in front of her, dodged in a panic, and came to Xiao Tian's side, seemingly feeling safer there. Except for fire-type magical beasts, other magical beasts had a natural, faint repulsion toward flames. Xiao Tian glanced at her and continued refining the pills.
As the flames continued to burn, the Di Zang Fruit gradually separated and was incinerated into medicinal liquid. Xiao Tian controlled several medicinal liquids to merge, then divided them into small clumps. Pills gradually formed within the Heavenly Flame.
Xiao Tian withdrew the flames, and about forty pills floated in the air. He collected them into a jade bottle.
"Here, try it."
Looking at Zi Yan, who was standing beside him with eager eyes, Xiao Tian said with a smile.
Zi Yan took the jade bottle, impatiently poured out a pill, and quickly threw it into her mouth, chewing it.
"Delicious…" Zi Yan poured out another pill and ate it.
Xiao Tian looked at Zi Yan's adorable, gluttonous appearance and gently rubbed her small head.
"You won't grow tall like this."
Zi Yan just shook her head unhappily and said with a chiding tone. If anyone else dared to do this to her, she would slap them until their bones broke. Only Xiao Tian, who had gotten her delicious and highly energetic items, was allowed to do so.
"Are you also from the Inner Academy? Your strength seems even greater than mine. Why haven't I seen you before?"
Zi Yan pushed Xiao Tian's hand away and asked him.
"I'm a new student this year."
"What? You're a new student?" Zi Yan instantly jumped a meter into the air, looking at Xiao Tian with disbelief.
"Yes, what's wrong? Is there a problem?"
"There's a big problem! It seems this year will finally be fun."
Zi Yan thought that she finally had someone who could be her opponent, and a happy smile appeared on her face.
Xiao Tian heard Zi Yan's words and knew she wanted to fight him. She was a magical beast in human form, and magical beasts were all belligerent.
"Your strength is quite good. In the Inner Academy, I'll look out for you. Even if you provoke Old Su, I can help you sort it out. Also, you can use my Heavenly Flame Training Pagoda's number one cultivation room. My name is Zi Yan. Old Su helped me choose the name. What's your name?"
Zi Yan spoke with her arms crossed, in an old-fashioned manner. Xiao Tian thought, as expected of the Inner Academy's little tyrant. The Old Su she mentioned was the Great Elder Su Qian, who had brought her back from the forest. Although Zi Yan was the Inner Academy's little tyrant and seemed very pampered and willful, she was very emotional. Although she usually called Su Qian "Old Su," she still cared deeply about Su Qian in her heart. And Su Qian also raised Zi Yan like his own granddaughter, doting on her immensely.
"My name is Xiao Tian. So, what do you want in return?"
Xiao Tian was very clear about her little scheme.
"You found me out~"
Zi Yan knew her little secret was discovered. She lowered her head, awkwardly rubbing her fingers, her fingers continuously tapping against each other.