Chapter 206: The Matter of the Star-picking Tower
The System relayed the news about Mu Qiu to Song Jiulai.
Song Jiulai was currently feeling immense regret over her failure to subdue the Third-stage Black Blood Lions.
Back in the real world, she had barely managed it with a Second-tier Demon Beast. As expected, the success rate of using the Nine-Turn Puppetry Technique to capture a Third-stage Demon Beast alive was abysmally low.
In the end, Song Jiulai had no choice but to regretfully slaughter the two Black Blood Lions.
Mindful of what had happened at the Shuitan, Song Jiulai immediately used the Nine-Turn Puppetry Technique to begin the conversion the instant one of the Black Blood Lions died.
Just as she thought.
Because she could only work on one at a time, and perhaps because she now had a better grasp of Refining...
...this time, Song Jiulai successfully refined one of the Black Blood Lions into a Puppet.
Its power was greatly diminished, but the good news was that it was a proper demon beast Puppet that Song Jiulai could control!
When summoned, it lacked the vitality of a living Black Blood Lion; its stiffness was plain to see.
When Song Jiulai’s consciousness inhabited the Black Blood Lion, the world she saw through its eyes was somewhat blurry.
As for the other lion, she didn’t have time to refine it before it vanished into thin air.
It was as if it had never existed.
But it didn’t revive, either.
It seemed this was different from what had happened at the Shuitan.
It was then that the System relayed Mu Qiu’s situation to her, speculating, "According to my analysis, that’s a tracking mark. ’She’ is likely trying to use Mu Qiu’s body to escape the Secret Realm."
"Escape the Secret Realm?" Song Jiulai asked, surprised. "Can humanoid souls really be trapped inside a Secret Realm?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, Song Jiulai recalled bringing Da Hu out of the Liuyao Secret Realm. "Oh, right. They can hold living things. I’d forgotten..."
She ventured a guess, "I’ve never met this ’person.’ What kind of entity do you think it is?"
System: "I’ll have an answer for you in a while."
Song Jiulai: "Why the wait?"
System: "Must you voice such hurtful truths so bluntly?"
Song Jiulai rolled her eyes, making sure not to show it.
System: "You’ve crossed the line. I’ve been putting up with you for a long time, Song. When you need something, I’m your precious little ’System.’ The moment you don’t, you don’t even bother to hide your contempt."
Song Jiulai: "That’s not what I meant. But if you’re determined to see it that way, I can’t stop you."
System: "..."
’What a heartless woman.’
’Well, we’re stuck together. It’s not like I can file for divorce.’
The two of them silently moved on. The System continued, "Mu Qiu was kicked out of the Secret Realm without getting any rewards. Perhaps this mark is a continuation of her reward. It seems like a long-term carrot on a stick; we’ll have to wait and see."
The other players’ luck wasn’t half bad.
Setting aside Song Jiulai for a moment, Jiang Tianya had obtained a bone.
That bone had saved his life in this world, and had also led to news about the Wing Sect.
Not a bad haul at all.
As for the rest, Zhou Nvzi and Shuitan were the unluckiest.
One was forced onto the path of Alchemy and had seen nothing but First-rank spirit grass.
The other, Shuitan, had been chased by a demon beast for three days straight before realizing he couldn’t do anything about it and just giving up.
He was now taking advantage of the situation to cultivate right there in the Secret Realm.
At this rate, if he didn’t switch "maps" before the Secret Realm ended, he might actually have a shot at reaching Foundation Establishment.
"Lin Yuyu is still collecting those bizarre red cloth fragments."
She was relying on her livestream and the viewers’ comments for tips, constantly searching the Moon City Ruins for replicas hidden in the light.
She had about ten fragments now, but their purpose remained a mystery.
Song Jiulai couldn’t help but offer a moment of silent pity for the other three players. "When is this Secret Realm going to end?"
System: "I’m not sensing any fluctuations yet."
The System could sense a Secret Realm’s impending collapse, so the lack of any signal meant this one was exceptionally stable.
Song Jiulai sighed. "I guess I’ll just wander around for a while."
This second "small world" was relatively tame. If she ran into a boss like Little Cui from the first one, things would likely get ugly.
After all, she didn’t have a Magic Treasure right now.
Once she got out, she was heading straight to the True Treasure Pavilion to lay the flattery on thick for the owner!
——
Inside the True Treasure Pavilion, Nan Qi was listlessly minding the shop.
A moment later, her handmaiden, Aduo, entered with a joyful expression. "Miss, the young master has returned."
"My brother? So soon?"
Nan Qi was surprised. "Didn’t he go to discuss the Secret Realm Fragment? Could it be related to that incident at the Star-picking Tower?"
As Nan Qi was lost in thought, a man with a noble and radiant bearing stepped in from outside the True Treasure Pavilion.
His features bore a slight resemblance to hers, and a smile touched his lips as he looked at her. "Little sister, how was business today?"
"How could you not know how business is?" Nan Qi pouted. "Brother, stop teasing me every time you come back. Anyway, why are you back so soon? Weren’t you dealing with the Moonlight Secret Realm Fragment? Did your investigation turn anything up?"
"Let’s talk inside."
At the mention of this, Nan Ze’s smile faded, and a hint of worry clouded his features.
It seemed his trip to the Xue Cang Sect had not gone smoothly.
The handmaiden Aduo took the hint and stood guard outside, while Nan Qi and Nan Ze entered the inner sanctum of the True Treasure Pavilion—a hidden world unto itself.
Only then did Nan Ze speak. "The matter of the Secret Realm Fragment is no longer important. You’re here in Liu Xian City, so you must have seen the strange stirrings at the Star-picking Tower, right?"
"I did," Nan Qi replied. "It wasn’t just me; everyone saw it. It’s all anyone is talking about now. The Star-picking Tower is usually silent, unless..."
She ventured cautiously, "Is it... did the main branch make a move?"
Nan Ze nodded.
Nan Qi’s eyes widened in shock. "Really? But isn’t the one inside the tower supposed to have been dormant for hundreds of years? Why now..."
"More than just dormant for centuries. Its true form moved for nine breaths’ time—something that hasn’t happened in several hundred years. And yet, it’s clearly not a sign of its soul returning. The Xue Cang Sect is deeply concerned."
Nan Qi fell silent.
"What are they worried about? The Star-picking Tower is an Immortal Treasure, built for the sole purpose of suppressing that entity. It has no soul now, so even if it stirs, it can’t possibly escape, can it?"
"Who knows?" Nan Ze rubbed his temples. "The Xue Cang Sect is worried that if these strange phenomena continue, they might have to ask their elders to come out of seclusion."
Nan Qi said nothing.
Nan Ze continued, "You know as well as I do, this being has been suppressed for thousands of years. If her soul truly were to return, the resentment she harbors would be enough to destroy the entire Yunzhou Continent. The Xue Cang Sect cannot stand by and watch that happen."
Nan Qi let out a small sigh. "They’re reaping what they sowed. When the Xue Cang Sect took on this duty all those years ago, they should have known what the consequences could be."
"That’s enough, little sister. Don’t be cynical. The Xue Cang Sect acted for the good of the Yunzhou Continent. It all happened so long ago; who can say what the truth is now? In any case, we can’t just stand by and watch disaster strike."
Nan Qi pushed those thoughts aside and pressed, "Then what about the Secret Realm Fragment? You couldn’t find out who took it? I thought the Xue Cang Sect had methods for tracking it."
Nan Ze shook his head. "We couldn’t. Things are different this time."