At the sound, both Xiao Yu and Elder Huo froze.
They turned to see a white-clad little girl skipping inside.
A bright smile still filled the little girl's face. Clearly, something had happened to make her happy.
"Zi Yan? What are you doing here?"
Once Elder Huo recognized the little girl's face, he cried out in surprise.
"?"
Zi Yan spotted Elder Huo as she entered. The smile immediately vanished from her little face, and she turned her little legs toward the door, ready to flee.
Xiao Yu smiled faintly and reached out, grasping at the air. A huge hand of energy appeared out of nowhere and lifted the little girl back inside.
"Stupid Xiao Yu, put me down!"
Her limbs flailed in the air as she bared her teeth and shouted at Xiao Yu.
Well, well. A moment ago, I was Big Brother Xiao Yu. How did I suddenly become stupid?
After holding Zi Yan beside him, Xiao Yu asked Elder Huo, "Elder Huo, you know this little girl?"
Judging by his reaction, Elder Huo had clearly met Zi Yan before, and more than once.
As number one on the Strong Ranking, Zi Yan belonged to the Inner Academy, whereas Elder Huo was an elder of the Outer Academy Alchemy Department. Xiao Yu wondered how their paths had crossed.
Elder Huo nodded, watching the still-struggling Zi Yan with a mixture of affection and exasperation.
Of course he knew Zi Yan, and quite well at that.
The little girl had been brought back from outside by Su Qian, the Inner Academy's Elder. Those within the academy knew that Zi Yan was an unknown magical beast who had accidentally eaten transformation grass, taking on her current appearance.
Her standing at Jia Nan Academy was anything but ordinary. Great Elder Su Qian