Deep within the Inner Academy of Jia Nan Academy.
In a valley.
A beast with ox horns, a monkey's face, a tiger's tail, and a pig's body, as if it had borrowed parts from other magical beasts and cobbled them together.
It looked utterly bizarre!
At that moment, it had cornered a girl with long, pale-purple hair in a gorge.
Its eyes, as large as lanterns, glared viciously at her!
"Little brat! Hand over the remaining half of the Transformation Grass you're holding!"
It was a Seventh-Rank Magical Beast from the depths of the Black-Corner Region.
When it had advanced from the sixth rank to the seventh, something had gone wrong, and it had failed to complete its transformation!
So, all these years, it had been searching the Black-Corner Region for traces of Transformation Grass!
Not long ago, on the outskirts of the Black-Corner Region, it had come across a group of herb gatherers and was about to eat them.
To save their lives, the group had told it there was a sprig of Transformation Grass here.
Four-Unlike had been delighted. After learning its exact location,
it had eaten them anyway.
It figured no one else should learn of such information.
Otherwise, things might not go as planned!
But, to its utter disbelief, when it arrived, it saw a purple dragon-shaped magical beast eat half the Transformation Grass.
And successfully transform into human form!
It was so furious it could have died!
How dare she compete with it for the Transformation Grass? Did she have a death wish?
At this,
the girl took a step back.
But the sheer cliff towering into the clouds stood behind her!
There was nowhere left to retreat.
The girl clutched the Transformation Grass tightly. "I found it first!"
Four-Unlike roared, "So what if you found it first?! The entire Black-Corner Region is my territory. You dare refuse me?!"
"I won't give it to you! I'll make you mad!"
The girl got angry too and stuffed the remaining half of the Transformation Grass into her mouth.
She swallowed it without even chewing!
"Ah!!! I'm going to explode with rage!!!"
Four-Unlike stamped its feet in fury!
"Bleh, bleh, bleh..."
The girl stuck her tongue out at Four-Unlike, then took off running toward the other side!
"Fine, fine, fine! Since you've eaten the Transformation Grass, you probably haven't fully digested it yet. If I eat your flesh and drink your blood, it should still work!"
Four-Unlike planted its powerful hooves firmly on the ground and kicked off!
Whoosh!
It shot toward the girl like a cannonball!
The girl's true form was only a fifth-rank magical beast!
There was no way she could outrun a Seventh-Rank Magical Beast like Four-Unlike!
In practically the blink of an eye,
it caught up with her!
Four-Unlike gazed at the girl greedily and licked its lips.
"You look delicious! Slurp... Time for me to eat!"
The girl raised her delicate little fist and slammed it into Four-Unlike's teeth!
Four-Unlike didn't even dodge.
"Don't waste your effort. My body is incredibly tough. Forget you—even a human Dou Zong couldn't break through it easily!"
Bang!
That punch was like a tickle!
It didn't hurt at all!
A strange beam suddenly shot out from Four-Unlike's body and shone on the girl!
"Oh no, I... why can't I move?!"
The girl panicked.
Four-Unlike licked its lips, then opened its gaping maw!
"Don't worry. I'll be gentle. I'll swallow you in one bite, so it won't hurt!"
At last, I'm going to transform!
"You... don't come any closer!"
The girl's face turned deathly pale!
Was she really going to die here?
The girl closed her eyes as if resigned to her fate!
Sure enough!
Just like it had said!
Being eaten...
didn't hurt at all!
But the next moment,
she heard Four-Unlike's startled voice.
"Who are you? How dare you interfere in my business!"
Four-Unlike glared at the figure that had suddenly appeared before it, its nostrils flaring with rage!
Xiao Xuan ignored it completely.
He simply looked at the girl and asked, "Are you all right?"
"I-I'm fine."
The girl opened her eyes and shook her head. Her violet-tinged gaze remained fixed on Xiao Xuan.
Although she had never met him before,
for some reason, seeing him made her feel safer than she ever had before!
Xiao Xuan smiled. "Come with me."
The girl blinked and nodded. "Okay."
"Hey! Human brat! I'm talking to you! Are you deaf?!"
Four-Unlike bellowed.
It was the overlord of the Black-Corner Region's magical beasts, yet a human had just ignored it!
How could it ever hold its head up again if word got out?
"Quiet!"
Without even turning around, Xiao Xuan snapped.
Boom!
A terrifying wave of soul pressure poured out like a raging tide, instantly shattering all four of Four-Unlike's limbs!
"Ah!!"
Four-Unlike screamed and crumpled to the ground.
Blood sprayed from its severed limbs!
Xiao Xuan turned his head toward the girl and asked, "How do you want it to die?"
The girl tilted her head and thought for a moment. "That beast is so bad. Let it bleed to death!"
"As you wish."
Xiao Xuan smiled.
He pressed his palm down slightly!
Four-Unlike suddenly felt as if a mountain had appeared on top of it.
Under the crushing weight, the blood inside its body gushed out faster and faster, like floodgates opening.
"Sir, I was wrong! Spare my life, spare my life!"
Four-Unlike felt its body growing cold and its head beginning to swim.
Xiao Xuan acted as if he hadn't heard a thing.
Before long, Four-Unlike was dead.
"Aren't you afraid of me, after seeing how cruel I am?"
Xiao Xuan looked at the girl.
She gazed back at him with her big, innocent eyes and shook her head.
Xiao Xuan asked, even though he already knew the answer, "What's your name?"
"I... I don't have a name."
The girl thought for a moment. She had forgotten many of her memories.
"How about Zi Yan? What do you think?"
Xiao Xuan had considered a few options and decided this name suited her best. It sounded nice, too.
"Okay."
Perhaps because they had only just met, Zi Yan didn't say much.
Xiao Xuan didn't say anything more either.
Instead, he took her back to Jia Nan Academy.
When Su Qian saw Xiao Xuan return,
the nerves he had finally managed to relax immediately tensed up again!
Xiao Xuan said calmly, "No need to be nervous. I'm going to the Magma World beneath the Heavenly Burning Qi Refining Tower to cultivate. Could you look after her for me? Would that be a problem?"
He was going down there to meet someone!
It wouldn't be convenient to bring Zi Yan along.
And the Heavenly Tomb wasn't suitable either.
Su Qian glanced at Zi Yan and nodded repeatedly. "No problem, of course it's no problem."
How could Su Qian pass up a chance to curry favor with Xiao Xuan!
After Xiao Xuan left,
Su Qian finally asked, "Little girl, what's your name?"
Zi Yan didn't answer. She gazed at Su Qian with big, innocent eyes and patted her stomach. "I'm hungry."
Su Qian smiled warmly. "That's easy. Come on, I'll take you to get something tasty."
"I only eat good medicinal herbs."
"Medicinal herbs?"
"Mm, because I want to grow up quickly."
Zi Yan nodded.
Su Qian smiled. "Little girl, you have to grow up slowly. You can't rush it. Besides, medicinal herbs taste awful. I'll find someone to get you a pill."
"What's a pill?"
She had spent her whole life hiding and dodging around the Black-Corner Region, and had only recently transformed. She didn't know much about the human world.
"A pill... is a kind of medicinal herb that tastes really good."
"Really? Then take me to see one."
Zi Yan didn't believe him. She thought the old man was trying to trick her!
How could a pill be better than medicinal herbs?
Su Qian led Zi Yan to Jia Nan Academy's herb storehouse with a beaming smile.
He explained the situation to Elder Huo.
When Elder Huo heard she was related to that formidable man, he immediately took out a fifth-grade Dragon Strength Pill.
But then Su Qian suddenly realized Zi Yan had vanished from his side!
"Huh? Where is she? Where'd she go?"
Before you continue