A Deal with Zi Yan

The purple-haired little girl wore white robes and had uncanny violet eyes. Her fair little face was full of innocence, her exquisitely sculpted features utterly adorable. Her large, dewy eyes blinked as she stared at Lin Chen, as though they held some magic that instantly dispelled his wariness.

An Ancient Void Dragon hatchling!

Lin Chen was astonished. With his memories of his previous life, he naturally knew that Jia Nan Academy had a plump, pretty little girl with sweet features—arguably the second-biggest leg to cling to on the entire Dou Qi Continent.

As for why she ranked second?

That was a question for Dragon Emperor Zhu Kun, who was sleeping the day away beneath Tou She Ancient God's Cave Mansion.

A mighty expert at the late nine-star stage, someone who could rank among the top four on the entire Dou Qi Continent, had actually been brainless enough to barge into a Dou Di Cave Abode and get trapped by a Heavenly Flame's scheme. He truly was a disgrace to nine-star Dou Shengs.

Never in all of history had there been such an aggrieved nine-star Dou Sheng!

"You know me?"

Zi Yan tilted her head and studied Lin Chen curiously, a charming sheen glowing on her fair, delicate cheeks.

"Of course! I heard of the illustrious reputation of Lady Zi Yan, the Brute Force King, from my very first day in the Inner Academy. A hundred tales truly cannot compare to seeing you once! Your valor is indeed unmatched, my lady. One casual punch shattered my all-out strike. Your powers truly know no bounds!"

Lin Chen's expression changed, and he could not help exclaiming. A perfectly timed look of shock appeared on his face as he showered the purple-haired girl with flattery.

"Oh, you're actually pretty nice. I'm not that amazing~"

Zi Yan scratched her head sheepishly. No one had ever praised her like this in her entire life. Whether she was fighting magical beasts in the forest or sneaking around the Inner Academy to find medicinal herbs to eat, everyone fled in fear at the sight of her.

This was the first time anyone had praised her strength. An indescribable feeling welled up inside her, sweet and delightful!

"First on the Inner Academy's strong ranking—how could you not be amazing? To tell you the truth, I've long wanted to pay my respects to you, Brute Force King. My only regret is that we met so late!"

"As I see it, the Inner Academy of Jia Nan Academy is full of rats whose reputations outstrip their abilities. Only you, Lady Zi Yan, are a true hero!"

Looking excited, Lin Chen stepped forward and took Zi Yan's cool, fair little hand, speaking with impassioned fervor.

"You..."

Zi Yan's slender brows knitted. Apart from old man Su Qian, no one had ever gotten this close to her before. Yet seeing how worshipfully he looked at her, she relaxed again.

Forget it. He's already calling me Lady Zi Yan, so I'll be generous and let him hold my hand for a bit. It's not a big deal anyway.

"Lady Zi Yan, I heard Vice President Hu Gan say that you accidentally ate some transformation grass and took human form prematurely. Is that why you can't grow any bigger?"

Just then, Lin Chen suddenly stepped back and released Zi Yan's hand, his expression turning serious as he asked.

"Old man Hu Gan? He told you about me?"

Zi Yan blinked her large, dewy eyes and asked in confusion.

As the treasured guardian of Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy and Great Elder Su Qian's darling, she naturally knew Hu Gan of the Outer Academy. After all, one of them managed the Inner Academy and the other the Outer Academy, making them the academy's two actual leaders.

When she first entered Jia Nan Academy, Su Qian had taken her to meet its elders and introduced Hu Gan along the way.

"Of course. To tell you the truth, although Vice President Hu Gan isn't my birth father, he raised me. As the ancients said, the debt of birth cannot outweigh the debt of upbringing. I've always regarded Vice President Hu Gan as my adoptive father. I heard that Great Elder Su Qian also took you in when you were little, Lady Zi Yan. Our experiences are quite similar."

"And Great Elder Su Qian and Vice President Hu Gan both serve Jia Nan Academy and are as close as family. Round that up, and you're my own big sister, Lady Zi Yan! Your little brother has finally met you today!"

Looking thrilled, Lin Chen stepped forward to hug Zi Yan, only for her to nimbly dodge him and give him a disdainful look.

"Stay back! What's all this big sister and little brother nonsense? I'm not a three-year-old. I barely know old man Hu Gan. Don't think you can fool me!"

Zi Yan backed away repeatedly, wrinkling her delicate nose as she eyed him with disdain, her voice full of wariness.

This Ancient Void Dragon hatchling isn't easy to win over. Zhu Kun is so stupid—how is this one so clever?

A trace of regret flashed through Lin Chen's eyes. He very much wanted to forge a connection with Zi Yan and claim a nine-star Dou Sheng Ancient Void Dragon as his adoptive father, but since she refused to play along, he would have to try another approach.

With that, he swept his sleeve and took a jade box from the Jade-Green Ring. Several flicks of his fingers undid its seal.

Golden light spilled from the jade box, revealing a ginseng root that looked as though it were made of metal. Fine golden patterns spread over its surface, making it look exactly like a golden radish!

"That smells so good..."

Zi Yan's delicate nose twitched as she sniffed the rich medicinal fragrance wafting from the jade box, her eyes widening. Her Ancient Void Dragon instincts told her that this herb would greatly aid her growth and evolution.

"Here, Lady Zi Yan!"

Lin Chen waved his hand grandly. A flicker of pain at the expense crossed his eyes, but his face remained generous as he pressed the jade box into Zi Yan's hands.

The herb inside was naturally part of the seventh-grade alchemist inheritance he had obtained earlier. It was a fifth-grade medicinal herb called vajra bodhi, which strengthened the body when consumed. Its medicinal properties were so fierce, however, that generally only magical beasts dared swallow it raw.

Ordinary alchemists also occasionally used this herb when refining certain obscure pills.

"This is for me?"

Zi Yan looked at the golden radish inside the jade box. Holding the box carefully, she swallowed, looking as though she wanted to eat it but did not dare.

"Of course. I told you, I've always regarded you as my own big sister, Lady Zi Yan. Since the transformation grass has caused you so much trouble, your little brother naturally has to help!"

"Never mind that I risked my life to snatch this Vajra Bodhi from a fifth-rank Amethyst Winged Lion King, nearly dying in the process and suffering severe injuries!"

"Even so, precious as it is, I'll give it to you so you can see my sincerity. Don't stand on ceremony. Eat!"

With a resolute expression, Lin Chen pushed the jade box closer to Zi Yan, urging her on.

Hearing this, Zi Yan held the jade box and felt even less able to take a bite. Indecision filled her face, which scrunched up like a chrysanthemum. After a moment, she finally gritted her teeth and offered the jade box back to Lin Chen, mumbling, "I won't eat it. This doesn't taste good. I've already got something to eat."

What a kind little dragon.

Lin Chen sighed inwardly, then held the jade box in place. A look of realization appeared on his face as he said, "Oh, how thoughtless of me. You think eating it raw would be too wasteful, Lady Zi Yan? You want it refined into pills?"

"That will not only bring out more of its medicinal effects, but also make it tastier. Wait a moment. I'll get started right away!"

Without waiting for Zi Yan to refuse, Lin Chen swept his sleeve and flicked a finger. A spark shot out, swelling in the blink of an eye into a head-sized flame that enveloped the entire medicinal cauldron.

With a beckoning gesture, the Vajra Bodhi fell into the cauldron. Several more flashes of light followed as honey, mint, sugar, and a series of other flavorings were added.

In less than an hour, countless round golden pills shot out. An intensely rich medicinal fragrance spread, forming a golden cloud that shrouded the courtyard overhead.

"Please, have a taste."

Lin Chen swept his sleeve and caught all the pills on a jade platter held in his hand, then presented it to Zi Yan with a smile.

Grrr...

As Zi Yan looked at those pills that seemed made of gold, her stomach growled in protest. She swallowed, and her body moved beyond her control, picking up a pill and putting it into her mouth.

"Mmm~"

"So yummy! I've never eaten anything this yummy in my whole life..."

After tasting one, Zi Yan's eyes shone. She abandoned all restraint and ate pill after pill, grabbing great handfuls and frantically stuffing them into her mouth as she spoke, wolfing them down.

A little while later,

Zi Yan patted her little belly contentedly. Then she turned her head and saw Lin Chen staring at her without blinking. A blush rose over her face, and even the roots of her ears reddened slightly.

"Um, sorry. These were just too tasty. I'll give you an herb to make up for it."

With that, Zi Yan rummaged inside her clothes and pulled out a red-and-white medicinal herb, which she handed to Lin Chen. It was quite peculiar: its crown seemed to burn like a flame, while its stem was covered in frost.

"Ice spirit flame grass?"

Surprise appeared on Lin Chen's face. He naturally recognized the herb. It was also a fifth-grade medicinal herb, one of the principal ingredients used to refine the fifth-grade Blood Lotus Pill.