Zi Yan's Treasure!

Several evenings later, that petite purple figure climbed over the wall again, landing precisely in Gu Long's small courtyard.

Unlike last time, when she had come empty-handed, Zi Yan was carrying a beast-hide bundle that looked even bigger than she was.

The bundle was bulging and looked quite heavy.

She dropped it onto the ground with a thud, kicking up a small cloud of dust. Then she proudly clapped her hands, lifted her little face, and looked at Gu Long.

"Gu Long! This king has brought treasures!"

She tried hard to maintain her dignity, but her eyes remained fixed on Gu Long.

Those purple eyes, sparkling with anticipation, completely gave her away.

Gu Long had been guiding Xun Er in arranging the formation core of a Trapping Formation. Hearing her, he turned and looked at the enormous bundle.

Seeing Zi Yan's bundle, Xun Er also looked over curiously.

"Did you collect all of this?" Gu Long asked flatly.

"Of course!"

Zi Yan puffed out her little chest, her face full of pride.

"I worked really hard to find all of it! Hurry up and see how much delicious food it can get me!"

Unable to wait any longer, she squatted down and began untying the massive bundle.

Once the bundle was opened, its contents were dazzling enough to be called a "treasure trove." However, the style of this treasure trove was distinctly Zi Yan's.

The first things in sight were piles of crystals and ores of various colors and irregular shapes. Most contained fairly strong energy fluctuations, clearly making them good materials for forging artifacts or setting formations.

There were even several fist-sized pieces of Ethereal Purple Crystal, shimmering purple throughout.

This was a rather rare spatial-attribute material.

Next came medicinal herbs that appeared to be quite old. Although they had been stored rather crudely—many had simply been ripped out by the roots, still covered in dirt—the medicinal power they contained was undeniable.

There was a Vermilion Blood Spirit Phoenix Ginseng, crimson from head to toe and shaped like a Vermilion Bird; a Three-Turn Silver Soul Tree bearing three silver-glinting fruits the size of longan; and several stalks of Ice Spirit Flame Grass emitting cold air...

If these medicinal herbs were put on the market, they would be enough to drive quite a few Alchemists mad.

Then there were assorted odds and ends: several ancient Storage Rings whose original owners could not be identified, though they were empty inside.

Several incomplete jade slips engraved with blurred Cultivation Methods; some multicolored magic cores with mixed energy; and even several fragments of spiritual treasures. Though they had lost much of their spirituality, their materials were extraordinary.

Finally, Zi Yan carefully took out a small box from the very bottom of the bundle.

The box was crafted from Warm Jade, making it seem completely out of place among the roughly packed items.

She opened it. Inside was a small, irregular golden object no larger than a thumb, yet it emitted an extremely ancient and noble pressure, as though it stood above all living beings!

Before that pressure, even her rare medicinal herbs seemed to lose their luster.

"This is the most powerful one!"

Zi Yan pointed at the golden fragment. There was a trace of reluctance on her little face, but she still said, "I picked it up in a very dangerous valley. It feels so comfortable to sleep with it! It's just too small..."

Gu Long's gaze lingered on the golden fragment for a moment, and an exceedingly subtle flicker passed through the depths of his eyes.

Through the system's inspection, he recognized it—the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit Fragment!

Though it was only an insignificant little piece, the significance it represented and the Dragon Phoenix bloodline power it contained made it an invaluable treasure!

He had not expected Zi Yan to encounter such fortune and obtain such a fragment.

It would bring immeasurable benefits to her future evolution. Unfortunately, she did not seem to fully understand its value and merely treated it as something that calmed her mind.

"Well? I have lots of treasures, right?"

Seeing that Gu Long remained silent, Zi Yan urged him anxiously.

"How much of that... that Buddha Jumps Over the Wall can it get me?" She remembered the dish's name especially clearly.

Gu Long withdrew his gaze and swept his eyes over the pile of "treasures" on the ground. He had already made his calculations.

Zi Yan's collection was indeed abundant. The main herbs and Ethereal Purple Crystal in particular were quite valuable to both him and the Dragon Domain, not to mention the unexpected Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit Fragment.

Rather than immediately answering how much it could be exchanged for, he asked, "Do you really like the food I make?"

"I do! I love it!" Zi Yan nodded without hesitation, looking at him eagerly. "It's ten thousand times better than those dry pills and energy bars from the Inner Academy Alchemy Hall!"

"I can provide you with food regularly, not limited to Buddha Jumps Over the Wall," Gu Long said slowly. "But the terms of the exchange will need to change."

"How?" Zi Yan narrowed her purple eyes warily, like a little beast guarding its food.

"These," Gu Long said, pointing at the pile on the ground, "I can accept them as payment for your meals for the coming period."

Zi Yan looked at the belongings she had painstakingly accumulated, then thought of that supreme delicacy. She hesitated for a moment, but in the end, her appetite prevailed.

"Fine! You can have all of it! How long will it last?"

"One month." Gu Long gave her a time limit.

"For this month, whenever you come, I'll prepare enough delicious food for you.

"After one month, if you wish to continue, you'll need to exchange new valuable items—or use some other method of payment."

"Other ways?" Zi Yan tilted her head, not quite understanding.

"For example, help me with some small things within your ability that don't go against your principles." Gu Long's tone was casual, as if he were merely mentioning it in passing. "Or tell me some interesting information about the Inner Academy."

Zi Yan thought about it and felt that the condition was not difficult.

Besides, what was there about the Inner Academy's trivial affairs that she couldn't tell him?

As for helping out, as long as it did not involve fighting until she was exhausted or stealing her food, it seemed fine. Her main concern was that she might not have anything delicious to eat later.

"Deal!" She held out her little pinky. "Pinky promise! No backing out!"

Seeing her childish gesture, Gu Long could not help but smile. Still, he extended his own little finger and linked it with hers.

"Now! Can I eat now?" The moment the agreement was made, Zi Yan immediately revealed her true nature. Grabbing Gu Long's sleeve, she shook it vigorously. "I haven't even had dinner today!"

Gu Long had long been prepared for Zi Yan's request.

He knew that Zi Yan had an astonishing appetite and preferred meat.

He turned and brought out a huge food box from the kitchen. Inside was an entire roasted hind leg of a Rock Sheep Beast, prepared in advance.

The Rock Sheep Beast was a Second-Tier Magical Beast. Its meat was firm and rich in energy. After being marinated in Gu Long's secret seasoning and roasted with precise heat control, its skin was golden and crisp, while the meat within was tender and juicy, its fragrance utterly mouthwatering.

Besides the roasted beast leg, there was also a large pot of rich soup simmered with various mushrooms and Spirit Bird, along with several plates of refreshing side dishes to cut through the greasiness.

"Wow!"

Zi Yan's eyes instantly turned starry, and she nearly began drooling on the spot.

With a cheer, she did not even bother with chopsticks. She simply grabbed the roasted beast leg, thicker than her own arm, with both hands and took a huge bite.

"Delicious! So delicious!"

She praised it through mouthfuls of food while hissing from the heat, her face smeared with oil and her eyes narrowed into two blissful slits.

Seeing Zi Yan's unrestrained manner of eating, Xun Er could not help covering her mouth and chuckling. She also served herself a bowl of soup and sipped it delicately.

Gu Long sat beside them, watching quietly.

His plan to "raise" this Ancient Void Dragon with delicious food had achieved its first success.

That pile of valuable "meal payment" on the ground was an unexpected gain, while the connection he had established with Zi Yan was even more immeasurably valuable.

Whether it was her terrifying future combat strength or her identity as the Inner Academy's Brute Force King, both could prove crucial when he later sought to obtain the Falling Heart Flame.

Like a whirlwind, Zi Yan swept clean the enormous roasted beast leg, the entire pot of soup, and all the side dishes. Satisfied, she patted her still-flat little belly and let out a burp.

"Burp... Gu Long, your cooking is so delicious! It tastes way better than those pills!"

She rose contentedly, without the slightest attachment to that pile of "treasure" that no longer belonged to her.

"I'll be going now! I'll come again in a couple of days!"

With that, her figure flashed, and she scaled the wall once more, vanishing into the night as swiftly as the wind.

Gu Long waved his hand and stored away the pile of "treasure" on the ground. His gaze fell upon the jade box containing the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit fragment, and he fell into thought.

"Brother Gu Long, that little girl seems quite extraordinary."

Xun Er spoke softly. She too had sensed Zi Yan's unusual aura and monstrous strength.

"Mm, she truly is extraordinary." Gu Long nodded without explaining too much. "Just remain friendly toward her."

He put away the jade box, silently making his calculations.

The Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit fragment was useless to him, but it was immensely important to Zi Yan. It was better for him to keep it for now, lest she waste this heaven-defying opportunity in her ignorance.

In the future, he could find a suitable chance to guide her in using it properly.

The night deepened, and the little courtyard returned to tranquility.

Yet a thread connecting him to the future Dragon Emperor had quietly been tied.

Gu Long had made another move in his plans within Jia Nan Academy—one that seemed casual, yet would have far-reaching consequences.