BTTH: Demon Emperor Xiao Yan

"You tricked me?!" Zi Yan's indignant shout rang through the warehouse, and for a moment, Hai Bodong felt immensely gratified. Seeing the little brat who had pushed him to the brink of madness finally suffer a setback made him deeply satisfied. But soon, his eyes drifted toward Xiao Yan's face and the smile that lingered there. That strange feeling crept back into his heart.

He glanced at Qing Lin, then at Zi Yan. 'This guy slaughters people without blinking an eye, but the moment he's around these two little girls, his whole attitude changes. He hasn't even shown his usual ruthless side. Could it be… he has a certain kind of... special interest?'

"Xiao Yan…"

"Hm?" Xiao Yan turned to him. "Is there something you want to say, Senior Hai?"

"It's nothing, I just..." Hai Bodong coughed awkwardly. "I just noticed you seem to really like little girls..."

"Senior Hai, are you implying that I'm the kind of pervert who preys on little girls?" Xiao Yan let out a helpless sigh. "Yes, I do treat them better than most people. But that's because I find their innocence and purity refreshing. It lightens the mood. I don't have any twisted thoughts, and I certainly don't prey on children."

"That's good then." Hai Bodong let out a breath of relief. At this point in time, he had no idea that far in the future, every time he remembered Xiao Yan's words, he would want to rush over and spit in his face. 'You dare say you're not into lolis?'

Watching Zi Yan fuming, Xiao Yan couldn't help but smile and shake his head. "Look at you, getting so upset over one little prank. But did you ever stop to think about how mad I should be? You ate a mountain of my medicinal herbs. I should be way more upset than you. And yet here I am, calm and composed."

Hai Bodong stared at him with wide eyes. 'Of course you're not angry—it wasn't your herbs. They were mine!'

Zi Yan looked a little sheepish. Thinking about it, she had gone a little overboard. "It's not my fault! You guys didn't guard your stuff properly. I smelled the herbs and couldn't resist coming to get some."

"Rubbish! I sealed those herbs tightly in jade boxes. How could you smell anything?"

"Tch, as long as it's treasure, even if you buried it deep in the forest, I'd find it." Zi Yan crossed her arms with a proud smirk. "Anything I'm drawn to is guaranteed to be a heavenly treasure."

"So what you're saying is... you can sense the presence of rare herbs?" Xiao Yan raised a brow slightly.

Realizing her slip, Zi Yan quickly clamped her hands over her mouth. The Grand Elder at Jia Nan Academy had warned her not to reveal this ability to anyone. But in her excitement, she had let it slip. Now she was worried they'd lock her up and force her to sniff out herbs every day…

Putting on a pitiful expression, she said softly, "Can you let me out now? I... I can repay you for the herbs I took."

"Repay? Each herb you ate is worth over a hundred and fifty thousand gold. Selling you wouldn't even make up the difference!" Hai Bodong growled viciously.

"Don't say that, Senior Hai. This little girl's value can't be measured in gold." Xiao Yan waved a hand, continuing to play the good guy. But he wasn't lying. Although the girl hadn't revealed her true form, based on her monstrous strength, physical resilience, immunity to energy barriers, and the ability to detect heavenly materials, Xiao Yan had a good idea what she really was.

Born with brute strength, unmatched physique, immunity to energy barriers, and a nose for spiritual treasures... these were all characteristics of one of the most terrifying and mysterious magical beast clans—the Ancient Void Dragon.

Such a being... even a dead one would be priceless. Let alone a living, juvenile one like the girl in front of him.

Frankly speaking, if he tied up Zi Yan and auctioned her off in Central Plains, he could probably trade her for a Heaven Tier Qi Method—assuming he didn't get robbed or hunted down by that clan's powerful elders.

"How about this, Zi Yan. If you answer a few questions, I'll let you out. Deal?" Xiao Yan smiled at her.

"Really?" Zi Yan's face lit up with hope, but she quickly remembered how he had tricked her earlier. She hesitated. "You're not gonna lie to me again, are you?"

"I was just teasing you before. I'm actually great with little girls. Ask her if you don't believe me." Xiao Yan nodded toward Qing Lin. "She was in terrible shape when I met her, and look at her now—all chubby and healthy."

"Young Master, I'm not chubby," Qing Lin corrected with a frown.

"Right, right, you're not chubby..." Xiao Yan sighed and began wondering if he'd pampered her too much. Once Qing Lin calmed down, he continued, "So if you answer my questions, I'll let you out and I won't even hold you accountable for the herbs. Sound fair?"

Hai Bodong's eyes widened. 'Let it go?! Are you seriously using my herbs to flirt with a girl?! I worked my butt off collecting those!'

"Fine, ask your questions." Zi Yan stared warily at Xiao Yan.

"I remember magical beasts only gain the ability to take human form after reaching sixth rank, right? But you're only at the Dou King level. How come you're already like this?"

"Uh... I accidentally ate a Transformation Grass a long time ago, and I got stuck like this. I can't change back anymore." Zi Yan's tone dulled as she explained.

"I see. No wonder you're always eating rare herbs. You want to strengthen yourself and reach the level where you can freely shapeshift again, right?" Xiao Yan nodded in understanding. Knowing the properties of Transformation Grass, he quickly connected the dots. "With that ability of yours, I imagine the treasure vaults at Jia Nan Academy have suffered quite a few break-ins, huh?"

"Hmph." Zi Yan let out a small snort but didn't refute him. Clearly, Xiao Yan had hit the mark. Back at Jia Nan Academy, she'd raided the medicine storehouses so often that the elders eventually banned her from entering. That's why she ran off into the mountains to search for herbs herself... and ended up lost near Xiao Sect's territory.

"Still, those herbs must taste terrible, right?" Xiao Yan chuckled. He remembered how, in his past life, he'd gnawed on herbs out of desperation. The taste was... unforgettable.

"They're awful," Zi Yan wrinkled her nose. "But I have to eat them to grow up. Otherwise, I'd never touch them."

"Then would you like me to refine them into Pills? Make them taste a little better?" Xiao Yan offered with a warm smile.

(End of Chapter)

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