The night was deep. Atop the stump of the Heaven-reaching Divine Tree, a bonfire crackled, orange flames licking at the dry wood and casting the figures seated around it in shifting light and shadow.
"Yiya!! I can talk now!"
Keke wriggled free from Xiao Chen's arms, flapped his little paws, and flew two circles around the bonfire.
He still flew unsteadily, his fluffy body bobbing through the air. His gemlike eyes blinked repeatedly, and his little face was full of wonder, as though he were meeting this voice-making self for the first time.
He first hopped before the Dragon Clan's War God King, waving both little paws as he said in a soft, childish voice, "Weird uncle, you really are a weird uncle! Thank you for teaching me Dragon Clan Supernatural Powers."
Then he turned to Wang Xuan and copied the gesture, cupping his little paws together. "And thank you too, big brother!"
The War God King froze for a moment, then burst into booming laughter that made even the bonfire flames dip. "What a bright little fellow."
Xiao Chen stood nearby, looking from Keke to Wang Xuan. Only then did he realize that he had misunderstood them earlier.
He opened his mouth, wanting to offer thanks or an apology. But when he remembered how he had been red-eyed and ready to charge forward desperately just moments ago, he could not bring himself to say anything and awkwardly closed his mouth.
Wang Xuan did not look at him. He merely reached out and gently rubbed Keke's head.
That divine light earlier had been deliberately bestowed by him. It contained a vast amount of potential from the Heavenly Stele Profound Art, consolidating Keke's intelligence while also raising his cultivation to the Skyfaring Realm.
Keke had seemed to doze off in the