Transmigrated into an Ancient Void Dragon?

"An exalted Ancient Void Dragon like me, reduced to being a little girl's bodyguard..."

Xiao Qian crouched beside the stream and flicked his hand sharply.

A pebble seemed to come alive, wrapped in silvery, scale-like ripples. It skipped across the water, stirring ring after ring, before shooting onto the opposite bank with a whistle.

Ripples spread gently across the water. His gaze was dark as he stared at his own reflection: a fair, tender-looking boy seemingly carved from mutton-fat jade, so pretty that even he felt the urge to take a bite.

"Damn Transformation Grass!"

If those old dragons in the clan saw me like this, they'd probably stuff me back into a dragon egg and make me all over again.

"Damn Gu Yuan! Damn Xiao Xun'er!"

He flung another pebble.

If Gu Yuan hadn't forced him to eat Transformation Grass, he would never have ended up looking like this.

An exalted Ancient Void Dragon, regressed into a child. What a disgrace to his life as a dragon!

Looking toward the opposite bank, Xiao Qian's thoughts churned. He had no idea how he would escape this predicament.

"Qian-Qian, what are you saying?"

Suddenly, a girl's sweet, clear voice came from behind him.

A dark line immediately creased Xiao Qian's forehead. He whipped around. "Don't call me that!"

Xiao Xun'er, only four years old, stood there in a simple, elegant emerald-green outfit. She looked like an exquisite doll, radiating childish innocence.

Her adorable appearance made people want to cherish and protect her.

Xiao Qian, however, felt no such inclination at that moment.

"Don't get so worked up," Xiao Xun'er said brightly, fluttering her jewel-like eyes. "Daddy told us to change our surname to Xiao. Besides, you don't like your old surname anyway."

As she spoke, she lifted a delicate, jade-white finger and tapped her rosy little lips, a recollective look entering her eyes. "What was your name again? Zhu... Qian?"

At that name, Xiao Qian's expression instantly darkened.

He was certainly proud of being an Ancient Void Dragon, but he loathed that surname to his very core.

It was precisely because of that surname that he had suffered torment within the clan. Unable to bear it any longer, he had fled, only to run straight into Gu Yuan and Xiao Xun'er on their way to the Xiao Clan.

"Call me Xiao Qian."

He forcibly suppressed his emotions and composed his expression, then turned away, unwilling to continue discussing this with Xiao Xun'er.

Xiao Xun'er tilted her little head and asked innocently, "Oh, then will you carry me back, little dragon?"

An enormous vein bulged on Xiao Qian's forehead.

This little girl, showered with every possible affection, was truly irritating.

Was this why Gu Yuan had sent her to the Xiao Clan?

To temper this little princess's character?

"I refuse."

Without the slightest hesitation, Xiao Qian turned and walked away.

"Then turn into a little dragon, and I'll carry you back."

Xiao Xun'er's bright voice followed him from behind.

Xiao Qian stumbled.

He spun around. "You!"

Yet when he stared at Xiao Xun'er's pretty little face, he found her still blinking those large eyes, watching him innocently as though she had no idea why he was angry.

Xiao Qian sighed helplessly. He truly had no way of dealing with this little girl.

"Look at this."

Suddenly, Xiao Xun'er raised a fair little index finger and held it right in front of Xiao Qian's nose.

Hiss!

In an instant, a wisp of pale golden light appeared like the first glow of dawn.

Crackle.

The flame resembled a meticulously crafted miniature firework, burning quietly yet dazzlingly on the girl's slender fingertip.

Her fingertip hovered three inches before his eyes, the golden flame reflecting in his pupils like molten gold.

At the sight, Xiao Qian's face twitched hard, his expression becoming exceedingly complicated.

If not for this flame, he would never have needed to remain at Xiao Xun'er's side.

Perhaps Xiao Xun'er did not fully understand what this flame meant to Xiao Qian. She simply wanted to attract his attention this way.

"Your father forced me to eat Transformation Grass. I can't turn..."

Halfway through, Xiao Qian suddenly swallowed the rest of his words.

His eyes narrowed as his thoughts raced. "Unless you restore my full strength. Only then might I be able to return to my true form."

Xiao Xun'er blinked.

The light in her eyes was impossible for Xiao Qian to read.

"Is that how it works?"

She asked softly, her voice carrying a trace of doubt and uncertainty.

Xiao Qian gave a derisive laugh and turned away. "You're welcome to take that gamble, little girl."

He did not let Xiao Xun'er see the hidden chill in his eyes.

"Wait!"

Xiao Xun'er's voice rose sharply with urgency.

She hastily reached out with one hand and clutched Xiao Qian's sleeve.

Meanwhile, the golden flame on her other hand blazed fiercely, like a fragment of the sun.

She strained onto her tiptoes, stretching her tiny body upward with all her might.

Hearing her, Xiao Qian turned around and lowered his head.

Just then, a golden flame mark slowly emerged on his forehead, flickering with an eerie light.

They were extremely close now, and Xiao Qian's eyes remained fixed on that delicate, jade-white finger wreathed in golden flame.

Time seemed to freeze, everything focusing on the instant before contact.

The wind fell silent and the leaves stilled, as though this touch would bring about some momentous change.

"Young miss! Don't!"

An urgent cry rang out. A black shadow abruptly appeared beside them like a phantom.

It was Ling Ying, a dark-attribute Dou Emperor and Xiao Xun'er's loyal guardian.

He moved like lightning, faster than thunder could reach the ear, intercepting Xiao Xun'er's little hand just before it touched Xiao Qian's forehead.

Ling Ying's expression was grave. Dark light instantly burst from his hand, and he thrust it before the golden flame without hesitation.

Knowing how serious this was, he shouted, "The clan leader warned us that his full strength must never be released, no matter what!"

The two lights collided in an instant.

Yet their collision made no violent sound. Instead, the dark light could clearly be seen burning away bit by bit under the golden light's erosion.

The sight made Ling Ying's heart tighten. He knew all too well how terrifying Xiao Qian's power was. If it were fully released, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Ling Ying's appearance struck like thunder from a clear sky, shattering the imminent release of his power. Frustration battered wildly against Xiao Qian's chest.

"What a pity..."

His face remained expressionless as he turned away.

Seeing this, Ling Ying relaxed slightly, his gaze upon Xiao Qian's retreating back filled with apprehension.

He knew Xiao Qian's potential and strength. If Xiao Qian's power escaped control, he would face an enormous challenge.

If the young miss truly lifted the suppression on Xiao Qian's strength, his current abilities would not be enough to keep Xiao Xun'er safe.

"Xiao Qian."

The girl's clear, pleasing voice drifted through the air like lively birdsong in the mountains.

Xiao Qian instinctively turned at the sound. In that instant, it felt as though he had fallen into a deep lake.

The girl's eyes were clear and bright.

"Will you leave me?"

She asked softly. Though her voice was quiet, it seemed to carry the weight of a thousand tons, striking straight into Xiao Qian's heart.

Her gaze remained fixed on Xiao Qian as she waited for his answer.

Xiao Qian's eyes darkened. After a brief silence, he said firmly, "No."

"All right. I believe you."

A radiant smile appeared on Xiao Xun'er's face.

Then, before Ling Ying could react, she suddenly pressed her finger against Xiao Qian's forehead.

The moment Xiao Xun'er's fingertip touched his forehead, Xiao Qian heard nine sharp cracks within his body, like chains snapping.

The strange sensation vanished in a flash, yet it made his magic core shudder violently for an instant.

Sizzle...

Before Xiao Qian could think, a faint sound came, and the flame mark between his brows abruptly dimmed.

The sudden action left Ling Ying stunned.

Xiao Qian stared blankly at Xiao Xun'er.

"Young miss-"

Ling Ying's face blanched. Wings formed from Dou Qi instantly unfurled behind him, like enormous bat wings spreading in the night.

Countless shadows shot toward Xiao Qian like poisoned arrows, bearing icy killing intent and overwhelming force.

Whoosh!

At the same time, he swept Xiao Xun'er up and shot into the sky.

As her guard, he dared not take even the slightest risk. Keeping the young miss safe was his foremost duty.

"Too late."

The aura sleeping deep within Xiao Qian's body awakened.

Boom!

Vast power detonated like a nuclear bomb that had long been poised to explode.

Space tore open like fragile glass, instantly splitting into pitch-black cracks as a terrifying aura swept through the surroundings.

At that moment, Xiao Qian was like a demon god reborn.

"I really wasn't planning to flee."

Silvery, scale-like ripples spread through the void beneath Xiao Qian's feet, and a dragon's cry echoed through the layers of space with every step.

No wings of Dou Qi appeared behind him, yet he moved with astonishing speed, appearing before Ling Ying in the blink of an eye.

"You-!"

Before Ling Ying could finish, an immense force struck him head-on.

With a bang, he was hurled hundreds of yards backward like a kite with its string severed.

His face drained of color. "Young miss!"

Without Ling Ying carrying her, Xiao Xun'er plummeted.

Her pouch-shaped hair ornaments and emerald ribbons spread like butterfly wings in the rushing air, set against the stone-lined streambank rapidly growing larger below.

Yet she showed no panic. She merely watched Xiao Qian above her with those large, glossy black eyes, seemingly holding some expectation.

Whoosh!

Sure enough, Xiao Qian appeared before her the next instant and stopped her in midair.

The spatial power spilling out froze the stream water into suspended chains of crystalline beads.

At that instant, Xiao Qian glimpsed the jade pendant at Xiao Xun'er's neck glowing blue.

It was the Spatial Mark Gu Yuan had left behind.

So that old fox had already anticipated I might lash out!

Then I can't go too far...

"Cough, cough..."

Xiao Xun'er coughed violently, a red mark appearing on her tender neck.

Xiao Qian had stopped her fall by seizing her throat.

"Xiao Qian! Don't-don't do anything rash!"

Ignoring his injuries, Ling Ying flew back in utter panic and shouted hoarsely, "You know the young miss has never harbored any ill will toward you!"

"Never harbored any ill will? How lovely."

Thoughts flashed through Xiao Qian's mind. Suddenly, he raised Xiao Xun'er's little face before his own, cold light flickering in his eyes. "Completely relinquish the secret technique suppressing me!"

"So... cough... you weren't trying to escape. Cough... you wanted to threaten me... cough, cough..." Xiao Xun'er's little face was flushed red as she struggled to speak.

"No, this isn't a threat. It's the fish dying and the net tearing." Xiao Qian eased his grip slightly, allowing Xiao Xun'er to breathe normally. "I know you can still restrain my power very quickly. But believe me, before that happens..."

He stared into the girl's eyes and said resolutely, "I'll kill you and make the exalted young lady of the Gu Clan join me in the grave!"