The hall master hurriedly cupped his hands in reply. "It is my duty. To be able to care for an Ancient Spirit Dragon is the Exotic Beast Hall's good fortune."
Nan Xunran nodded slightly, his expression calm, and said slowly, "My thanks to the hall master and everyone at the Exotic Beast Hall."
The hall master hurriedly said, "You are too courteous, Divine Son."
Nan Xunran smiled faintly and stepped forward, cupping his hands and bowing. His voice was warm and polite. "I shall take my leave."
The hall master replied, "Take care, Divine Son."
Nan Xunran nodded, still smiling faintly. Then he straightened, slowly turned, and left with unhurried steps.
Nan Xiaoxiao, this Xuan Ice Spirit Dragon, was already two hundred and seventy years old, but she was still a young child.
Two years earlier, Nan Xunran had gone out to temper himself and found Nan Xiaoxiao injured and at death's door in a secret realm.
Nan Xunran recognized her as a member of the Black Ice Spirit Dragon Clan.
If he saved the injured spirit dragon, the Black Ice Spirit Dragon Clan would surely owe him a tremendous favor, which would undoubtedly be of great help to him in his many future undertakings.
With this in mind, Nan Xunran set about treating her.
Nan Xiaoxiao was, in fact, the daughter of the Black Ice Spirit Dragon Clan's current patriarch. Lively and adorable by nature, she had sneaked out in a moment of playfulness and unfortunately caught the eye of a powerful expert.
Seeing how young she was, the expert had tried to tame her as a mount. Nan Xiaoxiao had fought back with all her might, using her last shred of strength to hide in the secret realm where Nan Xunran was tempering himself. Only then had she been fortunate enough to be found by him.
Yet the lively little one had stubbornly latched onto him, following him closely ever since.
Though Nan Xunran was somewhat surprised, he ultimately brought Nan Xiaoxiao back to the Nan Clan in the face of her persistence.
It should be known that the Black Ice Spirit Dragon Clan had always had distinctive habits. No one had ever succeeded in taming a member of the clan.
They kept their mountain sealed off year-round and had not truly emerged into the world for tens of thousands of years. They were a nearly mysterious existence.
And legend had it that the Black Ice Spirit Dragon Clan had long possessed an extremely unusual and distinctive trait.
They pursued the utmost in beauty, believing that appearance represented beauty and kindness, and showed extreme enthusiasm and admiration toward beautiful beings.
Perhaps it was Nan Xunran's outstanding looks that had drawn Nan Xiaoxiao to him.
By any reckoning, Nan Xunran had no reason to refuse her.
Nan Xiaoxiao had an extraordinary attachment to Nan Xunran.
Not only that, but the little one had stubbornly insisted that Nan Xunran change her original name, "Xiao Xiao," to "Nan Xiaoxiao," so that she could share his surname.
If this feeling were put into human words, it would be: "Heaven is vast and earth is vast, but Master is greater than all!"
Nan Xunran often thought that Nan Xiaoxiao was more than two hundred years older than him, yet still as innocent as a child.
She would cheer over small satisfactions and throw a tantrum when things did not go her way, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and innocence.
Perhaps it was a trait of the Black Ice Spirit Dragon Clan that allowed Nan Xiaoxiao to remain true to herself.
Perhaps it was the environment in which she had grown up that had given her enough care and protection that she had no need to become worldly and sophisticated.
At that moment, Nan Xiaoxiao was plotting to shrink herself and slip inside Nan Xunran's clothes.
Her eyes sparkled with cunning and anticipation, and she finally succeeded in slipping into Nan Xunran's embrace.
The instant she got her way, Nan Xunran's steps halted, and a barely perceptible change flickered across his face.
A moment later, his expression grew indifferent again, and he continued forward, the arm holding Nan Xiaoxiao tightening slightly.
After returning to the Divine Son Hall from the Exotic Beast Hall, Nan Xunran began examining the system rewards he had received for killing the Son of Heaven's Mandate earlier.
As he pondered, Nan Xunran released the system from his inner world.