What is Xiao Yao's true form

"Strange, why do I always feel like someone is watching me?"

It had been over half a month since leaving the Huan Hua Immortal Sect, and Da Huang had been feeling something odd lately.

It seemed like, at every moment, there was this sensation of being watched.

This feeling made Da Huang extremely uncomfortable.

"Ah!"

"Xiao Yao, have you been disobedient again?"

"Come out!"

Hearing Da Huang's words, Chen Wanqing sighed helplessly. Without even guessing, she knew it must be Xiao Yao sneaking along.

"Xiao Yao?"

"Where is she?"

"She followed us?"

"That can't be. I didn't sense her presence at all."

Da Huang looked around but couldn't detect Xiao Yao's aura or figure out where she was hiding.

"Hehehe!"

"Master, how did you know it was me?"

Suddenly, Xiao Yao's voice rang out, startling Da Huang.

What the hell?

Why did the sound come from his own body?

"Change back already."

"You little rascal!" Chen Wanqing said with exasperation.

"Oh, got it, Master."

Thud!

After transforming back, Xiao Yao plopped right onto Da Huang, squashing him to the ground and making him grimace in pain.

"You… you were on me this whole time?"

"What… what did you even turn into?" Da Huang demanded angrily.

"Dog fur!"

Huh?

Dog fur?

This girl had actually transformed into a strand of dog fur and been hiding on his back?

Fine, he hadn’t noticed—but how had even Chen Chang'an and Chen Wanqing missed it?

"Interesting!"

"Even I didn’t notice."

"How did she manage that?" Chen Chang'an asked curiously.

"Master Chen, this is Xiao Yao’s innate ability."

"She can freely transform into any form, and she can perfectly mimic the target’s aura, blending in seamlessly."

"That’s why it’s usually hard to detect. Even I often fall for her tricks," Chen Wanqing explained with a wry smile.

This innate ability was that powerful?

Though, it didn’t seem to have any offensive use. For cultivators, it might seem a bit useless, but for those who specialized in survival and evasion, this was practically the perfect skill.

Damn, it’d be perfect for escaping danger.

"What exactly is Xiao Yao’s true form?" Chen Chang'an asked curiously.

"To be honest, I’m not entirely sure about Xiao Yao’s true form."

"I’ve never seen a demonic beast like her before."

"When I first found Xiao Yao, she was in a half-human, half-beast form."

"Her eyes were violet-gold, and she had patches of soft fur on her body, but I couldn’t tell which species it belonged to."

Chen Wanqing had never been able to figure out Xiao Yao’s origins. Even Xiao Yao herself didn’t know.

Back then, Xiao Yao’s intelligence hadn’t fully matured—she was like a human infant.

But if she were just an infant, she shouldn’t have appeared in a half-human, half-beast state.

"Could she be… a hybrid?" Da Huang blurted out in surprise.

"Ahem, what I mean is, could she be the child of a human and a demonic beast?"

"I’ve read stories in the mortal realm where some demonic beasts take human form and fall in love with humans."

"And what they produce would be a hybrid, right?"

"Or should we call it a beast-human? Hmm… neither sounds very flattering."

Da Huang’s words made Chen Wanqing ponder. It wasn’t impossible, but there was no way to confirm it.

"So… Master, was I really abandoned by my parents?" Xiao Yao asked, her expression tinged with sorrow.

"Xiao Yao, don’t overthink it. Da Huang is just talking nonsense. Maybe you just got separated from your parents," Chen Chang'an reassured her with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah, I was just spouting nonsense."

"Hey, don’t be sad. How about I take you to the… uh…"

"To the green riverside to enjoy the beautiful scenery?"

"Okay!"

Xiao Yao was incredibly innocent and loved to play. The moment Da Huang offered to take her out, she forgot all about her sadness.

"Ah, this child… she’s had a hard life."

Chen Wanqing doted on Xiao Yao not just out of pity, but because she saw a kindred spirit in her—someone who had suffered like she once had.

It was almost as if she was trying to make up for the love she herself had missed in the past.

"Since she’s already out, let her come along."

"You can’t keep her locked in the sect forever. She’ll have to face the world eventually."

"Overprotecting her won’t do her any good."

Hearing Chen Chang'an’s words, Chen Wanqing nodded reluctantly.

Xiao Yao was too naive, too innocent. Chen Wanqing truly didn’t trust the cruel world outside enough to let her wander freely.

If possible, she would have kept Xiao Yao in the sect forever, letting her live a carefree and happy life.

But after today, it was clear—Xiao Yao yearned for the outside world. Keeping her confined would only make her more curious.

"At any rate, her cultivation has already reached the peak of the Quasi-Immortal Realm. You don’t need to worry so much."

"Master Chen is right. She really should gain more experience."

"How about letting her join you in the Crimson Moon Secret Realm this time?"

Huh?

I was just giving advice—now you’re making me babysit?

"Fine."

"Consider it giving Da Huang a playmate."

Watching Da Huang and Xiao Yao playing in the distance, Chen Chang'an agreed.

"Master Chen, I have one more request."

Oh?

Another request? What now—you want to come too? Your cultivation level’s already surpassed the limit, hasn’t it?

Or… are you finally going to make your move on me?

Hah!

Women!

I knew you couldn’t resist my peerlessly handsome face.

"Go on."

"As long as it’s not too much, I’ll oblige," Chen Chang'an said magnanimously.

"In that case, thank you, Master."

"If possible… I hope you can help me uncover the truth about what happened back then."

"Why did those ten disciples of the Huan Hua Immortal Sect die?"

This matter had haunted Chen Wanqing for years. Without answers, the knot in her heart would never loosen.

"Hmm… that’s it?"

"Isn’t this a simple matter?"

"After all these years, you’ve never tried to find out?"

Simple?

Chen Wanqing was stunned. How could this possibly be simple?

"Please enlighten me, Master Chen."

"Soul-searching. Wouldn’t that give you all the answers?"

Soul-searching?

"If it were that easy, I would’ve done it long ago."

Oh?

What did she mean?

"All major immortal sects place a restriction on their disciples’ souls to prevent outsiders from probing their memories."

"This restriction is extremely powerful. Attempting a soul search recklessly could lead to severe backlash."

"Unless the searcher’s soul strength far surpasses the one who placed the restriction."

"With my current power, I’m afraid I can’t do it." Chen Wanqing sighed helplessly.

Oh?

You can’t?

But I can!

"Leave it to me. My soul strength should be enough to handle it."

Upon hearing this, Chen Wanqing wasn't particularly surprised—after all, in her mind, Chen Chang'an was Chen Tian.

A strong soul? Wasn't that perfectly normal?