Chapter 205: The Mark
In the plaza where Mu Qiu and Jiang Tianya were.
The transparent Spiritual Body snapped out of her thoughts and suddenly spun around.
"Who exactly are you two?"
Her sudden question startled both Mu Qiu and Jiang Tianya.
There was a slight impatience in the Spiritual Body’s voice, something Mu Qiu hadn’t noticed when she first met her.
Mu Qiu took a step back and answered cautiously, "Senior, we are Sect Disciples."
"Of course I know you’re Sect Disciples."
The Spiritual Body seemed exasperated, perhaps realizing the two of them wouldn’t tell the truth anyway.
She murmured, "’Could it be that something has changed? Can I... can I finally leave?’"
Her eyes scanned Mu Qiu and Jiang Tianya from top to bottom, as if she were weighing some decision.
Mu Qiu and Jiang Tianya exchanged a glance before Mu Qiu stepped forward and said, "Senior, I’m very sorry, but I couldn’t find the Blue Treasure Pearl you needed."
The Spiritual Body fixed her gaze on Mu Qiu.
Being stared at so intently by an inhuman Spiritual Body was rather terrifying.
’What exactly is her identity?’ Mu Qiu wondered.
’She knows about the hidden No Emperor Sect, so she must be an ancient being who has lived for a very long time.’
"There’s no need for that anymore." The Spiritual Body suddenly laughed, the sound as crisp and clear as a silver bell.
System: "The legendary silver-bell-like laugh."
Mu Qiu: "..."
Jiang Tianya: "..."
The Spiritual Body then asked, "Do you two want to leave this place?"
’Of course we do. Isn’t that obvious?’
Of course, neither of them dared to say it out loud.
They had been stuck here without any clues; of course they wanted to leave.
But leaving just like that also felt a little unsatisfying.
But before they could answer, the Spiritual Body, who hadn’t seemed to be waiting for a reply, suddenly placed a hand on Mu Qiu’s head.
Her ethereal voice carried a hint of a chill. "Naturally, I can send you both away."
After she spoke, Mu Qiu and Jiang Tianya’s vision blurred.
A wave of dizziness washed over them.
The moment Mu Qiu’s body disappeared, dissolving into countless motes of light, a deep, purplish-red glow merged with the particles.
「At that same moment, in an unknown location.」
Inside a sunless tower, Mystic Iron Chains wrapped in dark red talismans hung from the dome, binding a massive, frost-covered body.
Nine long, fluffy tails, their tips stained with dark gold, were tightly bound by the same talismans, their ends restlessly curling and sparking with tiny embers.
Its narrow, phoenix-like eyes were half-closed. Deep within its shimmering amber pupils, unfathomable gilded patterns floated, and a crimson demonic marking at the corner of its eye spread like a weeping wound to its snow-white brow, shaped like a crescent moon.
It seemed to be resting, the talismans rising and falling gently with its breaths.
In the quiet of the night, it suddenly snapped its eyes open.
A long, mournful cry escaped its throat.
It pierced the long night, shaking the entire Sect City.
In an instant, cries of alarm erupted everywhere.
"Why is it stirring?"
"That’s impossible..."
"It hasn’t moved in hundreds of years. Why does this seem even more violent than the last time?"
"Its divine soul is gone and it has no consciousness! How could it have such a violent reaction!"
「Meanwhile, within Sea View City.」
The sky-piercing Star-picking Tower—one of the replicas of the Xue Cang Sect’s ultimate treasure.
The tower suddenly trembled violently for a moment.
Although it was only for a moment, the Star-picking Tower was one of Liu Xian City’s landmarks, and its trembling felt like the sky was falling and the earth was shaking.
It sent a shockwave through Liu Xian City.
Honghuang shot up from his chair, his face pale with shock. "An earthquake? They have earthquakes here too?"
An Xiu was completely speechless. "What kind of earthquake starts from the sky?"
They weren’t the only ones who saw the Star-picking Tower shake.
Everyone in Liu Xian City saw it.
Most people looked on with curiosity, but a few wore grave expressions.
People emerged from all over, craning their necks to look up at the Xue Cang Sect’s Star-picking Tower.
After a long while with no further movement from the Star-picking Tower, the crowd of onlookers finally dispersed.
Someone guessed quietly, "Did someone’s Artifact Refining explode inside the Star-picking Tower?"
"Nonsense! This replica of the Star-picking Tower is a Holy Grade Magic Treasure. How could anyone use it for Artifact Refining!"
"A replica is already Saint-grade? Then the legendary main body is an Immortal Grade treasure. How powerful must that be? Will I ever get to see the real Star-picking Tower in my lifetime?"
"Don’t spout such nonsense..."
Someone else lowered their voice. "Doesn’t legend say that the main Star-picking Tower is actually suppressing a Nine-tailed Holy Fox?"
"Where did you hear that? How could there still be a pure-blooded Holy Beast on the Yunzhou Continent? I heard it’s just a descendant, nowhere near as powerful as its ancestors."
"It’s still a Holy Beast! Forget a swipe of its claws, a single glare could kill us..."
"That’s unlikely. We have a good relationship with the Holy Beast Clan. Why would the Xue Cang Sect suppress a Holy Beast bloodline? Would the Holy Beast Clan just stand by and do nothing? ...I reckon it’s just a rumor someone spread."
Because of Liu Xian City’s sound-dampening wards, Honghuang and An Xiu couldn’t clearly hear what the people around them were discussing.
They could only see the lively discussions taking place.
Honghuang just stared at the Star-picking Tower, envious. "When will our Sect get a Magic Treasure like that?"
An Xiu said, "Then you’d better tell the other players to work harder. Let’s go. We finally made it to Liu Xian City. We should make the most of it and head back to the inn to meditate and absorb Spiritual Energy instead of just standing around."
The cultivation speed is faster here. It would be a waste not to take advantage of it.
As he left, Honghuang cast a final, reluctant look at the Star-picking Tower.
Meanwhile, when Mu Qiu and Jiang Tianya opened their eyes, they found themselves back where they had first entered the Secret Realm.
Mu Qiu murmured to herself, "’I’m out already?’"
’I spent days in the Secret Realm and got nothing, and now I’m out just like that?’
The system said coolly, "Not exactly. You’ve been marked."
Mu Qiu raised an eyebrow. "What kind of mark?"
System: "The woman from before did something to you as you were leaving."
Only the system could see this mark; after all, it had complete control and awareness of the player’s body.
It was a red mark, similar to a flame-patterned symbol.
Its purpose was currently unknown.
The system told Mu Qiu, "Don’t worry. You’re not in your original body. The mark can be saved here."
Mu Qiu’s eyes widened in realization. "You mean it can’t affect me?"
System: "Correct."
Just like the mark the Fifth Elder of the Sea View Sect placed on her.
And yet, it was different.
One was placed with malicious intent; the other’s purpose was unknown for now.
The system fully solicited Mu Qiu’s opinion. "You can choose to erase this mark, or you can keep it."
Mu Qiu fell into deep thought.
’It’s obvious from the woman’s attitude that she had her own reasons for placing this mark.’
’What is her purpose?’
’This is another gamble.’
’If I win the bet, it could lead to a great opportunity.’
’If I lose, it could bring disaster.’
’She could easily send me out of the Secret Realm, and she placed a mark on me...’
Mu Qiu decided to take the gamble. "Let’s keep it, then."
’I don’t plan on returning to the Sect anytime soon anyway, so I won’t bring any trouble to them.’