When Golden Finger Meets Salted Fish

Yun Qingyue didn't ask Jiang Mo where the candy came from, and Jiang Mo naturally didn't explain, as if it were an unspoken secret between them. However, Jiang Mo could tell that Yun Qingyue was quite pleased—there was a gleam in her usually cold, glass-like eyes while eating the candy.

A little later, Jiang Mo found an opportunity to ask the system: "System, besides daily quests, where else can I earn points?"

The system, which had been depressed all day since seeing her use the milk candy to please Yun Qingyue, brightened up immediately: "Has Host finally decided to complete tasks and earn points?"

Jiang Mo gave it a look as if it were an idiot: "Didn't we already agree on this?"

Indeed, upon discovering how impoverished she was, Jiang Mo had already decided to earn money and had promised the system—she couldn't help it. She might be a salted fish, but she was one that pursued quality of life. When reality was already perfect or impossible to change, she could remain idle. But now she clearly could improve her situation, so why should she shortchange herself?

Before encountering the system and transmigrating, she had also been a salted fish, but that didn't stop her from going to work and earning money. Moreover, Senior Sister clearly enjoyed the candy, yet her daily minimum wage could only buy two pieces—how could this be acceptable?!

Even if just for the freedom to have milk candy, she had to put in some effort.

Jiang Mo was thinking this to herself, but the system clearly had no idea and was overwhelmed with emotion: "So Host still remembers! I thought once you finished the candy, you'd forget again."

After all, it wouldn't be surprising if a salted fish struggled to flip over, found it a bit tiring, and then continued to lie motionless.

Jiang Mo snorted, somehow producing the remaining piece of milk candy from somewhere and tossing it to the system: "I didn't eat it. I got tired of candy a long time ago. You spent points to buy it, so try it yourself."

The system light orb flickered and indeed caught the candy—ordinarily it couldn't eat regular candy, but it could taste items produced by the system mall. As a newly manufactured system baby, its database contained information about milk candy, but it had never actually tasted one, and at this moment was filled with curiosity.

After catching the candy, the system glanced at the host's expression. Seeing the little white tiger look away carelessly, it hesitated briefly but ultimately couldn't resist, secretly unwrapping the candy and taking a taste.

The rich milk fragrance, so sweet, captured the system's heart in an instant...

Wuwuwu, Host was so good to it! They were so poor they could only afford two pieces of candy, yet she specially saved one for it to eat.

The still-naive system baby forgot that the candy was actually purchased with its own points. If there had been an indicator above the system's head at this moment, one would see its goodwill toward the host had already gone off the charts.

Beside it, the little tiger cub secretly swallowed. She had indeed grown tired of candy in her previous life, but times had changed. After transmigrating, she hadn't had two proper meals, so naturally her attraction to milk candy had increased exponentially. However, she wasn't shameless enough to empty the system's pockets. The candy was already bought, and it had made both Yun Qingyue and the system happy—wasn't that good too?

Through the constantly flickering light orb, one could almost see the system's satisfied appearance, and the golden tiger eyes suddenly softened a bit.

Jiang Mo wasn't a petty person, but she wasn't without caution either. Since her death and transmigration were the system's fault, she had been both dependent on and wary of the system these days, making her seem rather impolite.

It wasn't until the system, with its debt burden and miserly appearance, emptied its little treasury just to buy her two pieces of milk candy that the ice wall Jiang Mo had erected in her heart secretly developed a crack. After testing it a bit and discovering this little thing was indeed a newly manufactured baby, inherently silly and adorable, she finally put aside her previous grievances.

Of course, the system didn't know this. It reluctantly finished the milk candy and then flickered over to the host, encouragingly saying with full enthusiasm: "Host, Host, hurry up and work hard! Then we'll have points to buy more milk candy."

The tone instantly shifted from motivational to childish.

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The system scanned the entire Mount Mingxia and finally found a good place for the host to farm points.

Following its instructions, Jiang Mo secretly slipped out of Yun Qingyue's small courtyard. At that time, the latter was cultivating in her room. After sensing the fluctuation in the barrier, she opened her eyes and glanced toward the courtyard gate, but after some thought, didn't stop her.

The little white tiger was still too young, and coupled with her innate weakness she appeared particularly frail. After bringing her back to Mount Mingxia, Yun Qingyue hadn't allowed her to run around freely. Taking her out for sword practice in the morning was the first time she'd left, and now Jiang Mo sneaking out on her own was the second time... Away from the familiar courtyard, the little white tiger was still full of curiosity about the outside world.

The tiny creature stood at the edge of the platform in front of the small courtyard. Looking into the distance, she saw clouds stretching for miles and dangerous peaks reaching into the sky. Looking down, she saw clouds and mist rippling beneath her feet, as if she were in a fairy realm with no mountain base in sight.

Perhaps because Yun Qingyue wasn't around, a flock of cranes flew past the front of Mount Mingxia, and upon spotting the little white tiger, they specifically detoured toward her.

Jiang Mo was curiously watching those cranes when she heard the system urging beside her: "Host, when the cranes fly over, jump onto their backs and let them carry you."

As it spoke, the cranes indeed flew closer and closer, but the little white tiger instinctively took two steps back—cranes were the most common transportation tools in cultivation sects, but this was for cultivators, not tigers. Not to mention whether the cranes would come close enough to carry her, looking at the ten-thousand-foot deep abyss below, the weak little tiger's four legs were already trembling.

If she didn't jump precisely, or if the crane's back was too slippery, this would simply be suicide by jumping off a cliff!

Jiang Mo looked at the cranes' sleek, glossy feathers and felt anxious, admitting her cowardice. But the system urged in her ear: "It's fine, Host. You're already level 18 now, no longer the weakling you were before. Jumping over and standing firm is very easy."

Jiang Mo, who had been physically uncoordinated in her previous life, grimaced and stepped back once more, lacking confidence.

The system grew anxious seeing this and said: "Host, don't back away! People here either ride swords or beasts to go out. Your level isn't high enough to fly, and if you don't ride a crane, you can't even leave the gate. How will you level up then? How will you earn points? Even if your level becomes high enough to fly on your own, you'll still have to step off the cliff to learn. You'll have to take this step sooner or later."

Listening to the system's incessant chatter, Jiang Mo had to admit it was right, so she gritted her teeth and asked: "If—and I'm just saying if—I don't jump accurately or don't stand firmly and fall, can you catch me, System?"

Hearing this, the system silently assessed its nonexistent little arms and legs, then declared confidently: "Relax, I can catch you."

Surprisingly, Jiang Mo didn't doubt it. After all, they were already bound together, and as long as the system couldn't unbind itself, they would prosper together and suffer together. So she didn't say anything more, just mustered her courage, and when the crane flew near, she leaped directly onto it—this was easier than she had imagined. She cleared the few meters in one jump, landing steadily on the crane's back without slipping.

The crane turned its head to look at her, its intelligent eyes showing some assessment and confusion, as if wondering what exactly was on its back. It wasn't until Jiang Mo took out a Nurturing Essence Pill from her inventory and tossed it one that the crane, having received its payment, couldn't be bothered to care anymore.

The system's mechanical voice sounded at this moment, addressing the crane: "Hall of Inquiry."

The crane clearly understood human speech and immediately lifted its wings, changing direction and heading straight down the mountain.

Jiang Mo was somewhat surprised at this. Although she didn't know what the Hall of Inquiry was, the system had been urging her to fight monsters and level up every day, and this Hall of Inquiry didn't sound like a place where she could fight monsters. So with some curiosity, she asked the system: "System, what is this Hall of Inquiry? Weren't you taking me out to fight monsters today?"

The system was mysteriously secretive, keeping her in suspense: "Host will know when we get there."

The crane flew quickly, and the Hall of Inquiry wasn't far. Before long, it had carried the little white tiger to the destination. After the little white tiger landed and surveyed her surroundings, she discovered that this Hall of Inquiry was full of meditation cushions—could it be some kind of school?