The Next One?
Just from Zi Yan's reaction alone, Xiao Yan could roughly tell what she was thinking.
After all, she was not particularly good at hiding her thoughts. Given how well he knew her, he could naturally see through her at a glance.
Was it because this child formed from Nine Profound Golden Lightning truly had an extraordinary connection with them?
As that thought occurred to him, Xiao Yan looked at the golden-haired girl before him. His pondering soon settled into certainty, and he let out a breath.
"Since Zi Yan wants her by her side, there's no harm in it."
Xiao Yan looked at Zi Yan, then smiled.
"Yay!"
Zi Yan beamed and grabbed Jiu Xuan's hand. Smiling, she said, "From now on, stay by my side. Cultivate with me from now on, all right?"
"Mm... yes! Th-thank you, Dragon Emperor!"
Feeling the unfamiliar warmth at her fingertips, the girl formed from aberrant lightning paused in a daze before nodding excitedly again and again.
"You don't have to call me Dragon Emperor. You can call me Zi Yan, or Sister?"
With a smile, Zi Yan stroked the little girl's head, her eyes full of delight. She usually acted as though she did not care about anything, but she actually rather wanted someone to call her Sister.
"Yes! Dragon Emperor!"
Jiu Xuan answered with heartfelt gratitude, and the smile on Zi Yan's face stiffened.
Forget it.
The fingers stroking her hair unconsciously fell to the girl's cheek. Jiu Xuan did not resist Zi Yan's actions, owing to the innate sense of closeness she felt toward her.
Zi Yan carefully examined Jiu Xuan. The more she looked at the golden-haired girl, pure as a blank sheet of paper, the more astonished she became by her features. At first glance, they