Talking Her into It

Zi Yan shrank her head back, but still nodded.

Zi Yan said softly, "I'm sorry. I wrongly blamed you."

Zi Yan was quite clever. Anyone even Su Qian feared had to be very strong, and she did not want to cause trouble for Su Qian.

"Hm?" Shi Kang let out a soft sound, studying Zi Yan with a strange, puzzled expression.

Su Qian asked, "What is it, sir?"

Shi Kang looked perplexed. "I was only curious why she was here. Logically speaking, her clan should be in the Central Continent. Even if Elder Mang Qianchi found her, he should have sent her to the Central Continent..."

As soon as he said that, Su Qian became somewhat embarrassed. To protect Zi Yan earlier, he had lied to Shi Kang and said that Mang Qianchi had found her.

Zi Yan had not understood why Shi Kang had been staring at her, but after hearing this, she seemed to realize something.

She walked excitedly toward Shi Kang. Shi Fei wanted to stop her, but Shi Kang raised a hand, signaling that he need not be nervous.

Zi Yan came before Shi Kang, grabbed his sleeve, and asked urgently, "Do you know what kind of Monster Beast I am?"

Shi Kang nodded and said calmly, "Yes, I could tell."

Though he looked calm on the outside, inwardly he thought, This little girl finally took the bait.

"Please, tell me quickly. What is my true form? And my clan..." Zi Yan was extremely anxious now, her eyes gleaming with expectation.

Shi Kang deliberately put on a surprised expression. "You do not even know what your true form is?"

"When I was little, I accidentally ate a Transformation Grass... then Su Qian... and the Headmaster brought me back to Jia Nan Academy..." Zi Yan explained.

Zi Yan's words made cold sweat break out across Su Qian's back. Fortunately, she was clever.

Shi Kang put on an enlightened expression. "So that was it."

"I truly want to know my true form, to find them and ask why they abandoned me!" Zi Yan said with a trace of hatred and stubbornness.

In truth, Zi Yan had always kept those words buried in her heart. Her outward arrogance and little tyrant act were nothing more than a form of self-protection.

Looking at the little girl pretending to be strong before him, Shi Kang could not help feeling a surge of pity.

He could not resist gently patting her little head.

She had lived among Monster Beasts since childhood, bullied by other Monster Beasts and left alone with no one to rely on. If Su Qian had not happened to find her and brought her back to Jia Nan Academy to care for her, she would probably still be fighting those ferocious Monster Beasts for food, living a precarious life.

The more Shi Kang thought about it, the more he felt that this child was truly pitiful.

If anyone else had dared touch her head, Zi Yan would have instantly turned into a violent little loli and taught them a lesson without hesitation.

Yet when Shi Kang's hand landed on her head, Zi Yan showed no resistance at all.

Perhaps it was because Shi Kang was handsome, perhaps she truly needed comfort, or perhaps she wanted to learn from him the answer she had been desperately seeking all this time...

"So, can you tell me?" Zi Yan slowly raised her head. Her lively, beautiful eyes were filled with pleading, as though the starlight of hope glittered within them.

Seeing Zi Yan's expectant gaze, Shi Kang smiled and nodded. "Of course. Your true form is actually an Ancient Void Dragon."

"Ancient Void Dragon?" Zi Yan softly repeated the unfamiliar name, looking confused. Her brows furrowed slightly as she tried hard to remember.

Clearly, Zi Yan had never heard that name before.

That was hardly surprising. The Ancient Void Dragon Clan was simply too mysterious. Moreover, this was the remote Northwest Continent, where information was isolated and outdated. Many people did not know of this powerful Monster Beast clan.

Zi Yan had never heard of them, but someone present certainly had.

"You mean Zi Yan's true form is an Ancient Void Dragon?" Su Qian's eyes widened as he cried out in shock, his voice full of disbelief.

Shi Kang glanced at Su Qian in surprise. He clearly had not expected the old man to have heard of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan.

However, he quickly regained his composure, nodded, and said with certainty, "That is correct."

Hearing Su Qian's words, Zi Yan hurriedly turned to him and asked, "Old man Su Qian, you have heard of Ancient Void Dragons?"

Su Qian nodded, a nostalgic expression appearing on his face. He slowly said, "Because of the Headmaster, I once went to the Central Continent. There, I heard of this mysterious Monster Beast clan."

Su Qian paused before continuing, "It is said that the Ancient Void Dragon Clan is exceptionally powerful. Together with the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan and the Nine Nether Nether Python Clan, they are known as the three great Monster Beast clans. They excel at Space Power and live within the void, appearing and disappearing unpredictably. Few people have ever seen any trace of them."

The Ancient Void Dragon Clan was simply too mysterious. They lived in the void, and even in the Central Continent, there was not much information about them.

That was all Su Qian knew, and he told Zi Yan everything he knew.

"Space Power..." After hearing Su Qian's words, Zi Yan fell into thought.

She suddenly recalled how, whenever she stole Medicinal Herbs, she could ignore restrictions and freely enter and leave the herb storehouse. Could that be because she possessed Ancient Void Dragon blood?

Seeing Zi Yan deep in thought, Shi Kang knew she had probably connected it to something.

To further convince Zi Yan that he truly knew, Shi Kang added, "Those who excel at Space Power can ignore restrictions. Not only that, Ancient Void Dragons are also skilled at treasure hunting. They possess a special sense for precious Medicinal Herbs and treasures. It is an instinct they are born with, allowing them to find hidden treasures across the vast continent."

After saying that, Shi Kang simply watched Zi Yan quietly, waiting for her reaction.

"Zi Yan, you should possess both of those special abilities too, right?" Shi Kang's gaze was gentle as he immediately named the two traits Zi Yan possessed.

Zi Yan completely believed Shi Kang now.

She said excitedly, "That's right, I have both abilities! Every time, I can easily find those precious Medicinal Herbs, and entering and leaving places with restrictions is effortless too."

How could she not be excited? All these years, Zi Yan had been desperately eating Medicinal Herbs. She had innocently believed that as long as she grew up, she could return to her true form, learn what it was, and find her family...

"Then there is no mistake. Your true form belongs to the Ancient Void Dragon Clan," Shi Kang declared as he looked at the wildly excited Zi Yan.

"However, as far as I know, they live within the space of the Beast Realm in the Central Continent. If you want to find them, with your strength, that journey..." Shi Kang deliberately drew out his words without finishing the sentence, looking at Zi Yan with a meaningful gaze.

"No matter what, I have to find them!" Determination shone from Zi Yan's gemstone-like eyes, as though two flames burned within them.

"How about this? I will be returning to the Central Continent in a few days as well. I can give you a ride. It will be who knows how much faster than traveling on your own." After laying so much groundwork, Shi Kang finally stated his true purpose.

Taking Zi Yan away was Shi Kang's greatest objective!

In fact, part of the reason he was willing to return the little Fallen Heart Flame to Jia Nan Academy was because of her.

Su Qian was the one who had brought Zi Yan back to Jia Nan Academy. Zi Yan surely had feelings for Su Qian and Jia Nan Academy.

If he secretly took both Fallen Heart Flames away, it would be difficult for him and Zi Yan to get along in the future.

Making Zi Yan resent him over a juvenile Fallen Heart Flame was truly not worth it.

"Really? You are truly willing to take me there?" Zi Yan's eyes lit up.