GAMMT - Chapter 84
Chapter 84: Little Friend
A lonely person doesn't necessarily need sympathy. At least here, not a single candidate dared to offer it, nor would any of them.
How could a defeated opponent dare speak of valor?
But someone suddenly walked over and sat down beside Fu Chuan, asking right away, "I still have the same question: how did you see through me?"
Others wanted to know the answer to this question as well. So, when those nearby caught a few scraps of the conversation, they immediately perked up their ears to eavesdrop.
It wasn't really eavesdropping, since the two had no intention of being secretive. Fu Chuan glanced at Que Baimo.
This illegitimate son, with his deep cunning and decisive nature, was also thick-skinned. He showed no trace of embarrassment or resentment from being so brutally killed by her, still wearing a faint smile. Coupled with his decent looks, he appeared perfectly amicable.
Fu Chuan turned her face away and continued eating. After a moment, she said slowly, "To deploy and alter the formations on the walls across floors 1 through 7 in such a short time, you either need gene sequence tentacles like mine or the ability to manipulate solid light from a distance. Or, you have to be running around yourself. If it's the former—if you have such powerful formation skills and can control them remotely without being exposed—then you wouldn't need to risk using Wei Ran to farm points. You could have just slaughtered plenty of candidates for points yourself."
If she herself had such formation abilities, Wei Ran would have been irrelevant.
"So, this person must have been running around. That's not strange at all. But if it were one of the obvious candidates, like Li Cang and his group, their movements would be relatively fixed because they have many people around them and are powerful themselves. They would either be hunted down and then make a stand somewhere for a fierce battle, or they would defend a single location and besiege criminals. They wouldn't be running around so erratically."
"So I guessed that this person's identity must not belong to the powerful and conspicuous category. But they also couldn't be running around in large groups. After all, someone secretly setting up formations would most likely be a third or fourth-tier candidate. Their strength and situation would be more suitable, and they wouldn't attract attention."
"However, to cooperate with Xie Yiyuan without fear of being double-crossed, and to dare negotiate with Wei Ran alone, you must first not fear him holding your family hostage, and second, not fear being killed by him directly. This suggests you have some background and strength. But as I said before, this person was disguised as a third or fourth-tier candidate. The premise for Xie Yiyuan to cooperate with you would be that he already knew your true strength. Deciding to cooperate with a stranger during the exam—I don't think that's a choice either of you would make. You two most likely knew each other long before, perhaps even since childhood."
Que Baimo remained composed. "Even so, you determined this person was likely from one of the four great noble families. How did you confirm it was me?"
Fu Chuan continued eating her watermelon, speaking as if it were casual conversation. "Xie Yiyuan was definitely one of the ten people who initially had the map, and he's also from one of the four great noble families. He clearly shared the map's information. This person is cautious, calculating, good at disguising himself, and very shrewd about his interests. He wouldn't do anything he wasn't sure about. I guessed he wouldn't choose to cooperate with someone outside his area of understanding and beyond his control. If they were both from the four great noble families and had a certain status, he wouldn't be able to control them. So, this person was, in all likelihood, an illegitimate son hiding his strength."
"If betrayed, he could immediately take a step back and cooperate with the direct line of that family, exposing your information and helping to suppress you. That was his leverage."
"But that was just a biased guess. What truly confirmed it was you was the point information on the leaderboard."
At this, Que Baimo smiled. "The points? I controlled them. When I occasionally teamed up with some candidates to fight criminals, I intentionally increased my points a little. Otherwise, it would have looked strange if my score didn't move at all. After all, I'm not a dark horse like you who can choose to hide their points and then explode at the end."
"There's no way you could have found a flaw there."
But then, he seemed to realize something. The smile vanished from his face, and he blurted out, "During the chaotic battle on the second floor, I, Xie Yiyuan, and you were all present. You had already locked onto Xie Yiyuan and determined he was teamed up with someone else. By observing the frequency and points he gained from killing criminals, you could deduce the points his partner would receive. Because while we can control the points we get ourselves, we can't hide the points gained from teaming up. With a pre-screened pool of candidates, you noticed that my point increases were basically consistent with the frequency of his kills. After locking onto me, you observed me more closely and finally confirmed it was me."
The last sentence wasn't a question but a statement. He even added, "A single slip in a hundred precautions."
Fu Chuan had already finished half her watermelon. Hearing this, her expression turned slightly odd.
"It wasn't that meticulous."
"Remember the little meditation puppet I gave Hong Yan to place for me? It actually had a miniature camera inside, along with an energy signature sensor. After the criminals were released, they drove the candidates away like bulldozers. As they passed, it recorded the approximate energy signatures of everyone and transmitted them to me. No matter how many of those people died later, the survivors should have been among them. When I compared the list later, you were the only one missing."
"Because at that time, you weren't afraid of being attacked by the criminals at all. You were in league with Wei Ran and could safely set up the formations. Naturally, you didn't need to flee with the others, so your signature wasn't among those recorded."
Que Baimo's expression froze. On the other side, everyone was having a moment of realization. Only Hong Yan, after his own moment of realization, was just like: ???
You're explaining this so seriously, as if it were real, and you're not forgetting to reinforce my role as an inside agent?
Thanks a lot.
In any case, Que Baimo was speechless. Finally, he gave a wry smile. "Fine, I admit it. How about we become friends? I like making friends with smart people."
Fu Chuan pressed her tongue against her back teeth and smiled. "You mean to share the pressure, right?"
Que Baimo narrowed his eyes, knowing she had seen through his calculations. He smiled. "We're both in a tough spot, so why not? We might as well team up."
He was destined not to cooperate with someone like Xie Yiyuan for long, because their circumstances were different.
If he had succeeded this time, he wouldn't have had to worry about the pressure from Que Baige's direct line. But he had failed.
His situation going forward would be difficult.
"No need. I have an aunt. If the sky falls, she'll hold it up."
Seeing her smug expression, as if she'd latched onto a powerful backer, he found it amusing. It was common knowledge among the four great noble families that someone like Xie Siyi, due to her past experiences, was nearly ruthless even to her closest relatives within the Xie Clan. She would never protect Xie Keli; he was just a pawn.
Did a pawn actually think it would be protected?
Que Baimo was amused. "Is that so? Then I'll wait and see. I hope you can live to see the first day of school. In that case…"
As he finished speaking, he saw people from some of the major families, even from the Chen and another family, approaching.
They might not make a move.
But offering some condolences and applying a little pressure wasn't difficult.
Interestingly, the Xie Clan didn't move.
Their inaction was the greatest pressure of all.
It meant the Xie Clan would not intervene…
And so, the first-place winner, holding half a watermelon, was about to be surrounded by the powerful.
The candidates being treated by a large number of medical staff inside couldn't help but glance over.
Shen Qixi was having her wounds bandaged by Shen Yunyi. Seeing the situation, she suddenly stood up and turned her head to look at the man she had been unwilling to even glance at just moments before.
The tall, handsome man was somewhat anxious, standing three meters away, not daring to approach. He could only carefully hand various medicinal pills to Shen Yunyi. Now, stared at by Shen Qixi's sharp gaze, he immediately grew tense.
"Darling—no, Qixi, what's wrong?"
"Please ask your family members to leave. That is my captain."
Polite, but cold.
He was stunned for a moment, then instantly vanished in a blur…
Over here, Li Cang, despite his injuries, frowned and ran to his family's side. Just as he was about to stop his branch from doing anything, he was suddenly pushed lightly by a force.
Bang!
The injured Li Cang shot like a cannonball into the wall, his nose bleeding profusely.
His nasal bone was broken.
The onlookers: "!"
The Li Family members were shoved aside one by one by their own kin, as if they had encountered bandits. Finally, in front of so many people, the man grabbed Fu Chuan's hand.
"Young brother of the Xie Clan, what a good man! So talented, so brilliant, and so kind and upright! Brother, I feel a kinship with you at first sight. Why don't we drink together today and become sworn brothers?"
The Li Family: "?"
Li Cang, clutching his nose: "!"
Forget everyone else, even Fu Chuan herself was stunned, but she understood in a flash.
This man was here because of Ah Qi. But as her biological father, he was terrified that his precious daughter would be led astray by a libertine like Xie Keli. So, he was "subtly" taking a roundabout approach by becoming sworn brothers!
That way, the young brother would become a young uncle.
He was truly a clever one!
Shen Yunyi and Shen Qixi, being exceptionally smart, also understood in an instant. The mother and daughter both showed a subtle expression of disdain.
Fu Chuan wanted to show disdain too, but the man's grip was too strong. She said awkwardly, "That won't be necessary. I'm still young. I never feel a kinship at first sight with old uncles who have families to support."
Old uncle?
Li Jie: Who? Who are you talking about?
The Li Family was embarrassed because of Li Jie. After all, he held a high position in the family, and they couldn't disrespect him. But the Que family was a different story.
Two of their sons had fallen at this person's hands, a heavy loss. They couldn't swallow this insult.
Even if they couldn't do anything, making a statement to deter anyone who might consider taking her as an apprentice was a good idea. Let them know the risks involved in accepting this student.
"Xie Keli, your performance was truly impressive. I wonder who you will choose as your teacher…"
The members of the Que family had a stern and arrogant demeanor, unlike the amicable Que Baimo. Their expressions and gazes clearly said: I'd like to see you find a teacher now.
Not far away, the Yun family saw the situation and prepared to intervene. Someone from East Guan Academy also stood up and teleported over… Only the higher-ups from the other three academies hesitated.
But before any of them could do anything, Li Jie and the others all looked forward in unison.
The air grew slightly warm, and space began to distort. Fu Chuan turned her head and saw, two meters away from her, space tearing open as a massive dragon's head emerged.
It was crimson, its scales like frozen blood jade with magma flowing within. Its features were ferocious, its eyes enormous… The air it exhaled caused the temperature to skyrocket.
The fiery aura was overwhelming, as grim as hell itself.
And sitting on the dragon's head was a woman.
She wore practical black military pants and black combat boots.
She was probably heavily wounded, as blood was still dripping. It fell onto the dragon's head, flowed down its scales, and quickly evaporated into a red, bloody mist due to the high temperature.
But this was clearly no ordinary blood; it contained immense energy, causing space to continuously distort like a vortex.
She wore a black tank top, her military jacket folded beneath her. Her long legs were crossed, one hand hooking a whip that rested on her left elbow, the other holding a bottle of cola. Her body was slightly bent forward, exuding the casual and relaxed air of someone exhausted, just sitting down anywhere to drink an ice-cold cola.
A waterfall of black hair was casually tied into a ponytail with a red jade clasp, with only a few stray strands fluttering in the rising heat.
She was very pale, but not in a sickly way. It was a coldness, yet everything she controlled was brutal.
Both the great Flame Dragon and her own power were filled with a violent and unrestrained aura.
Especially when she slightly lifted her eyes.
The atmosphere of the entire place suddenly fell silent.
But the person here who feared her most was not anyone else. It was Xie Keli.
It was Fu Chuan.
She wasn't afraid of the threats from these great noble families at all. The list Zhou Linlang had given her contained people powerful enough. According to her original plan, after the exam ended, she would personally visit them, giving these experts enough face. The people Zhou Linlang had introduced all preferred strategy-oriented disciples, because they were smart, low-maintenance, and had strong survival skills.
The probability of her being accepted as an apprentice was very high.
Basically, once the exam was over, she could settle it on the way back to the city.
It was just a matter of time.
But then she came.
Xie Siyi had come.
Fu Chuan's fingers holding the fork tightened slightly. She didn't rush to stand up and greet her, because she wanted to lower her presence a bit and figure out the reason for this person's arrival.
It couldn't be for her, right? First place in the high school entrance exam wasn't worthy of this.
So it was because of Shen Yunyi, her daughter, and Li Jie?
As expected, Xie Siyi didn't even look at Fu Chuan. Instead, she turned her head to look at Li Jie.
The Xie Clan members had already come over to bow collectively, including Xie Yiyuan. Although they were from the direct line, lineage determined one's starting platform, not one's status. Within the four great families, birth determined opportunity, but status had to be earned through one's own strength and contributions. Thus, there was a distinction between the inner and outer courts, and the inner court also had an Elder Council.
The members of the inner and outer courts and the Elder Council comprised the most elite and powerful core members from both the main and branch families of the Xie Clan.
The system was vast and orderly.
Li Jie narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Siyi, you're back. I heard you went to the Deep Abyss Trench dungeon. What floor did you reach?"
The Deep Abyss Trench was an Orange-tier high-difficulty dungeon, ranked among the top ten most difficult Orange-tier dungeons within the empire. It happened to be located in the sea region outside Beluke Province. The Beluke Military had failed several times in their attempts to conquer it.
All four great families had sent people there, each with their own achievements.
Xie Siyi lowered her head, took a sip of cola, and didn't answer. Instead, she said directly, "I thought you'd first thank me for protecting your wife and daughter for all these years."
Li Jie was embarrassed but replied solemnly, "Of course I'm grateful. I haven't been by their side all these years, thankfully you…"
Xie Siyi lazily interrupted him, "Good thing you weren't around, so I could be useful. If you had no value, none of this would have happened. I might have even convinced her to abort the child back then."
Holy crap!
Did this mean that back then, this person was already planning to use the protection of the mother and daughter to win over Li Jie?
Her scheming was too deep, and she was completely unconcerned with morality, making decisions based solely on a calculation of benefits.
Li Jie and the others were stunned. Only Shen Yunyi wasn't surprised at all.
After his shock, Li Jie showed a hint of annoyance. "You…"
Xie Siyi always spoke and acted in a deliberate, unhurried manner, yet she was extremely ruthless and always sharp.
"But it seems my investment failed. You're so laid-back and don't fight for power. With your precious daughter's excellent Spirit Gathering talent, when she grows up and marries into a Purple Blood family, I'll even have to prepare a red envelope for you. I guess I made a loss."
Ignoring Li Jie's ugly expression, she turned her face and asked calmly, "Are you done watching the show?"
The question had a double meaning.
Fu Chuan, who was indeed watching the show, was taken aback. She reined in her wandering thoughts and said respectfully and politely, "Greetings, Aunt. Congratulations on your return from the dungeon…"
She was about to bust out a classic sycophantic line.
Before she could finish, the great Flame Dragon lunged forward, its hot tongue licking her.
From top to bottom.
Fu Chuan froze on the spot, covered in dragon saliva. The watermelon in her hand was gone.
Forget the watermelon, even the spoon was gone.
Swallowed by the great Flame Dragon.
Xie Siyi frowned slightly and murmured with a hint of confusion, "It seems to like you a lot."
Fu Chuan: "???"
You call this liking? My dear aunt, it just wanted to eat the watermelon!
"Get up here." It was unclear whether Xie Siyi had come to put Li Jie in his place or to pick someone up, but she gave the command in a cold, indifferent tone.
Fu Chuan stared blankly at the great Flame Dragon, which was still eyeing her as if it could swallow her in the next bite.
But she didn't want to go with this person.
"Aunt, I just finished the exam and still need to enroll in school. How about I take care of that and then come find you…"
"You need to find a master, right?"
Fu Chuan's heart skipped a beat. She had a bad feeling. As expected, Xie Siyi tilted her head and glanced at the people standing behind her.
"East Guan?"
Fu Chuan was indeed planning to go to East Guan. The teachers Zhou Linlang had listed for her were all from East Guan, and Zhou Linlang herself was from there. It wasn't about having a protective circle; neither of them needed a comfort zone. It was simply because East Guan was the most suitable for strategy-oriented people like them.
Although it was just a high school, East Guan was indeed known for producing talented individuals with control-type and commander aptitudes.
It was just that the name wasn't very auspicious.
Fu Chuan couldn't deny it, as she wouldn't have chosen any other school.
The higher-ups from East Guan Academy were already here, especially the old man who had specifically asked Zhang Ruo about her. He now stepped forward to greet them.
Xie Siyi showed no reaction. She simply wrapped her whip around Fu Chuan's neck and flung her onto the dragon's back.
"He will report in three days."
Then, the Flame Dragon retreated into space, taking Fu Chuan with it.
She didn't even acknowledge the Xie Clan members who had rushed over.
She just left.
Fu Qiang grew even more excited, telling Fu Ye that his judgment was indeed correct; this brother-in-law had a limitless future.
Fu Ye had reached the end of her patience. She stood up to leave, but whispered, "I was just wondering, does this aunt enjoy eating warm duck?"
"?"
A short while later, the members of the great noble families all received a notification.
It wasn't about which floor she had reached.
It was that she had cleared it.
And the Xie Clan received even more information.
An additional internal family announcement.
"She cleared the Deep Abyss Trench dungeon. The Military will award her with a promotion in military nobility. The Elder Council has already approved her entry. With this elder position, she alone holds 100 votes!"
These Xie Clan members looked as if they were at a funeral.
Xie Yiyuan's expression shifted. Ignoring the faces of the others, he walked to the side with his father and asked in a low voice, "Since she has climbed so high, she might not care about Xie Keli's single vote. Why did she take him away? Logically, they have a feud. Could she…"
Xie Yiyuan deeply felt the humiliation of being crushed by a disciple from an eighteenth-tier branch family. The sense of threat he posed was not to be underestimated. They had already reached the level of competing for status within the family. If the gap in their abilities was too large, even his lineage could be nullified.
How could he possibly be willing to be subordinate to Xie Keli!
"I don't know. Xie Siyi's mind is unpredictable. She won't allow others to threaten her, nor will she give up on any person or matter that can be used. It's hard to say. For now, we can only see if the feud of their families' annihilation is enough to create a rift between them."
After Fu Chuan left, Qin Minfeng's face was a mixture of uncertainty and gloom. He kept his head down, his thoughts hidden. No one else knew the panic and calculations swirling in his mind.
Although he was now qualified to enter an academy, the gap between him and Xie Keli was too vast.
This person would definitely not let him go. If they were in different academies, the rules couldn't reach him. His only choice was to also enter East Guan.
Qin Minfeng immediately took out his communicator and registered for East Guan Academy online. While filling out his information, he happened to overhear a conversation among many of the physicians who were taking a break.
The medical work for 4,000 candidates was quite heavy, and the four great academy unions didn't have that many medical Arcanists. After all, medical Arcanists weren't a dime a dozen; most of them either served in the military or worked in public and private hospitals.
Most of the several hundred medical Arcanists here were on loan from these hospitals. A few of them were chatting like this:
"The recruitment at your Sage Medical Hall is ridiculous. The requirements are so high. I recommended a junior of mine the other day, and she cried, saying she couldn't get in no matter what. She didn't even pass the first interview. You told me before it wasn't that hard. What happened?"
"It's not that the requirements are high this time; it's that there are no requirements. I don't know why it's so strange this time either." The physician from Sage Medical Hall looked a bit embarrassed and rubbed his nose. "It was decided by the director a while ago. The department head and Head Nurse Bear are also having a headache over it. They've been selecting for a long time, but no one has passed. But someone did pass a while ago, so I guess they're not really hiring anymore."
"Who? Who's so amazing? Let me see what the standard is."
"I can't say for sure. She just came in one day, as a part-timer. I didn't see her, but the little nurse at the front desk did. She said it was a very young girl, incredibly beautiful, but very mysterious, with an extraordinary air about her. That's all I know. Anyway, the vice director and Head Nurse Bear made the decision on the spot, without even going through the subsequent exams. Oh, right, her name was a bit special. I think it was… Fu Chuan?"
Qin Minfeng's pupils contracted. He thought he was hearing things.
A rift? What rift? Fu Chuan wished she would never see this person again for the rest of her life.
She had no intention of bearing the consequences of Xie An's actions; she just wanted to protect herself for now.
But she couldn't figure out Xie Siyi's calculations… this person's mind was too deep, a bit perverse. She couldn't be judged by normal logic.
Fu Chuan, who had just gotten on the dragon's back, was heavy with worry. Xie Siyi's appearance had disrupted her plans.
"Aunt, is there anything you need me to do for you this time?"
"I remember East Guan Academy has a total of 12 special-grade teachers, correct?"
Fu Chuan's fingers tightened slightly. She lowered her head and thought for a moment. "Yes, I believe there are 12."
"Well, now there are 13."
Fu Chuan: "?"
Xie Siyi stood up, turned to face her, and that look in her eyes…
Fu Chuan understood: she had been ambushed.
Find a teacher as a backer to resist her? Want to escape her clutches?
In your dreams.
If Fu Chuan didn't get with the program at this point, she would truly be courting death. She took a deep breath, and with a cold heart, she put on a joyful expression and bowed her head.
"Student greets Master-Aunt."
"?"
So you refuse to acknowledge me, still hoping to study under another master?
"Master plus Aunt. Is it alright if I address you like that?"
"It's quite polite of you not to call me 'Shrimp Auntie', Xie Keli."
She used my full name. Is she angry?
Fu Chuan said awkwardly, "No matter what I call you, in my eyes, you are the most respectable teacher."
She had to accept it. When this person made a move, she would surely get what she wanted. Otherwise, with the 100 votes she held, killing her wouldn't affect the grand scheme of things.
Fu Chuan could only endure it to survive, even comforting herself: At least she's my teacher now. We have a vested interest in each other. She probably won't kill me, right?
"So, Aunt, could you please give me a ride to the Arcane Palace to collect my dungeon rewards? I'll go with you as soon as I get them. I absolutely won't run. If I run, may my father and brothers never find peace in the afterlife."
Xie Siyi: "…"
A short while later, Fu Chuan entered the Arcane Palace and quickly collected her rewards for this exam dungeon.
It was a bit special; the reward was a credit limit.
"A 1,000-point credit limit. Does that mean I can choose whatever I want? A free shopping spree. That's even better than being given actual treasures."
What could 1,000 points of credit be exchanged for?
Fu Chuan casually pulled up the store page and saw that among the items with a 1,000-point value, there were actually some Orange-tier treasures.
Her eyes turned red with envy, ready to bleed.
But Fu Chuan still scrolled down to other item categories and selected four items from them. Then, she quickly purchased a pile of items according to a list she had prepared long ago.
These items had only two purposes: 1. Crafting the Intermediate Devouring Scroll. 2. Alchemy materials. 3. Materials for making wings, especially the two high-grade gems, the Eyes of the Storm, which cost a hundred thousand blue coins. Normally, such gems were embedded in weapons, but Fu Chuan had other uses for them.
In the blink of an eye, Fu Chuan had spent more than half of her 400,000-plus blue coins, leaving only fifty thousand.
The alchemy materials were manageable, but the scroll materials were too expensive!
After spending the 1,000 points, she still had to purchase the remaining one-third of the materials with blue coins.
Fu Chuan felt a dull ache in her heart as she watched her points and account balance get wiped out.
The two bodies provided by the Devouring Scroll had great benefits, but the investment was also huge.
It was killing her.
But in the end, she still used her last fifty thousand blue coins to buy energy stones as a backup.
However, before leaving, Fu Chuan sent a message to Zhou Linlang.
She wanted to tell her that she was being forced to leave and couldn't make their appointment.
Zhou Linlang was a public official. Judging by her demeanor when they had dinner last time, she had probably returned to the center of the Economic Department in Beluke Province recently, and it was likely a promotion. In the initial period after such a job change, there would surely be a critical mission for her to carry out.
Fu Chuan didn't want to disturb her, so she sent a message instead of calling directly.
But as soon as the message was sent, a red exclamation mark appeared, indicating the message could not be delivered.
Fu Chuan was taken aback.
Was the mission so confidential that communications were blocked?
The Economic Department was very wealthy and had high authority, enough to access the empire's star network. For a message to fail to go through meant that either the place where the mission was being carried out was extremely dangerous and had no network coverage, possibly a dungeon, or Zhou Linlang's device was malfunctioning.
Fu Chuan couldn't help but frown, but she was an outsider and couldn't get involved in the Economic Department's confidential matters. She could only add another message.
If you're safe, contact me. Don't you dare owe me a meal.
Fu Chuan returned quickly, even buying milk tea and bread for Xie Siyi on the way.
The latter glanced at her. "You know my tastes so well?"
"You watched me silently in the secret room for so long, and I silently watched you drink milk tea and eat. It's just a deep bond between aunt and nephew."
Xie Siyi sneered.
The next moment, the great Flame Dragon opened its mouth and spat, and space ruptured, blasting open a secondary spatial tunnel. Then, the great Flame Dragon carried the two of them straight through it…
The immense wind was instantaneous. Fu Chuan's level was not high, after all, and she was almost thrown off. Fortunately, the transit was only for a second, but in the next moment, her body snapped back, and she lunged forward…
Her hands, almost instinctively, landed on Xie Siyi's shoulders in front of her, bracing herself.
But Xie Siyi looked at her thoughtfully.
Fu Chuan was about to retract her hands.
Then the scene in front of them shifted. A huge sea breeze blew across a massive island… Fu Chuan was pushed back again, and her fingers, which had hooked onto the strap of the small tank top, pulled it down…
It's over.
I'm going to die.
Her wrist was suddenly seized.
In an instant, Fu Chuan was frozen into a block of ice, sizzling with cold air.
Xie Siyi calmly pulled the strap that had been pulled down back up, then chipped off a piece of ice from the edge of the ice sculpture of a certain someone and added it to her cola… sipping her iced cola, sitting on the dragon's back.
Just like that, they soared continuously over the sea…
The block of ice remained motionless.
An hour later, the ice disintegrated. Fu Chuan, wrapped in a large floral quilt and holding a steaming cup of coffee, sneezed and politely asked, "So, Aunt, where are we going next? I might only have one day…"
"To the Xie Ancestral Temple."
Fu Chuan was actually shocked by the change in this person's abilities. Before, it was terrifying magma, and now it was an instantaneous, horrifying frost…
Such contradictory, even conflicting, powers, and she had mastered both to perfection.
Just like her personality, contradictory and heretical.
But why go to the Xie Ancestral Temple?
Fu Chuan suddenly became very nervous. With her foundation, it was impossible to hide from the experts at the Xie Ancestral Temple.
Would there be experts?
There definitely would be.
She couldn't help but look at Xie Siyi. After some thought, she still asked, "How many experts are there in our family's ancestral temple? Are they as powerful as you?"
"When I'm by your side, there are none. When I'm not, there are."
Fu Chuan was an extremely sensitive person. Upon hearing this, even though the words were few and Xie Siyi had her back to her, drinking cola, Fu Chuan had a… subtle feeling of being hinted at.
She pursed her lips, her fingers rubbing together. "So you rushed back this time specifically to prevent me from being sent to the ancestral temple alone or by someone else?"
This was also a test.
Xie Siyi turned her head and glanced at her. "What, are you very afraid of meeting other Xie Clan experts?"
Fu Chuan: "Well, we're not familiar, are we? So, Aunt, you really came back just for me? You're too good to me. It's truly touching."
Answering a question with a non-answer.
Xie Siyi ignored her.
Fu Chuan continued to ask, "The family is letting me go this time. Wasn't it an opportunity you fought for? Logically, a first-place in the high school entrance exam shouldn't qualify, right?"
She remembered that the opportunity to enter the ancestral gene pool of a great family like this was extremely strict. Basically, only those who had made extraordinary contributions or had truly exceptional talent and aptitude would be granted an exception.
The current Xie Keli's aptitude for Arcane arts was actually not as genetically superior as Xie Yiyuan's. He just had a good brain and was a master of strategy, which allowed him to seize the biggest benefits in the dungeon and make a comeback.
Would the Xie Clan make an exception and reward him for this?
"Not for being first in the high school entrance exam, but for your 700,000 points. The second-place Yun Baobao and third-place Li Cang are far behind you. This is family honor."
Fu Chuan understood: face, it was all about face. The Xie Clan had gained a huge amount of face this time, so the Elder Council made an exception.
Perhaps they also wanted to see what kind of aptitude she really had. Her genetic data should have been thoroughly investigated by the Xie Clan long ago. Every bit of her progress was somewhat unbelievable to them.
So, she was bound to be thoroughly examined by the experts of the Xie Clan… Whether Xie Siyi deliberately came back to accompany her this time or not, it was basically as she said: with her here, no other experts would come to probe.
If she weren't here, then it would be a different story.
Soon, they saw a vast island. The island was secluded, even deathly silent, as if no living creatures existed there. There was only a solitary wooden tower on a mountaintop, like a solemn temple in a dense forest.
The great Flame Dragon landed on the tip of a cliff that hung like a longsword. Xie Siyi led Fu Chuan down and walked towards the ancient tower. Just as they reached the entrance, they saw two people coming out from inside.
One was a dignified and noble-looking middle-aged man, the other a strikingly handsome young man with a commanding presence. The young man even had a dark green jade rhomboid crystal embedded in his forehead, which made him look truly extraordinary at first glance.
In comparison, Xie Keli, still wrapped in a floral cotton coat, was… unworthy, truly unworthy.
However, this young man should be one of the Xie Clan's college entrance exam candidates this year. The provincial top scorer.
No wonder the Xie Clan was suddenly so generous. The top scorers of both the high school and college entrance exams were from the Xie Clan… suppressing the Li Family.
When the two sides met, Fu Chuan thought that according to the Xie Clan's ancestral tradition of hypocritical acting, they would engage in some false pleasantries.
But both sides were cold… and walked past each other.
The middle-aged man didn't even glance at Xie Siyi, and naturally, the latter paid no attention to the two of them.
Fu Chuan was worried about being seen through, but she quickly realized that at their level of status and strength, they were already competitors with Xie Siyi. If they actively released a probe at this time, it would be tantamount to declaring war. They wouldn't start a fight at this juncture.
Treating each other with cold indifference was equivalent to a temporary truce. Fighting in front of the ancestral temple would get them severely punished by the Elder Council.
As they passed each other, Fu Chuan still saw the gaze the young man cast her way.
Cold, deep, and bewitching.
For some reason, she felt this young man's aura was remarkably similar to Xie Siyi's.
Almost identical.
And when he looked at her, his emotions were deep and unreadable.
Fu Chuan turned her face away, lowered her head, and followed Xie Siyi up the steps of the ancestral temple. Looking back, she saw that the two had already boarded another great Flame Dragon… and left.
The ancestral temple was indeed empty.
There were surely experts, but they wouldn't appear, nor would they interfere with them.
In any case, after the two entered, the great doors boomed shut.
The entire ancestral temple was instantly plunged into darkness.
"Take a lamp, drip a drop of blood onto the wick, light it, and enter with the lamp. This lamp is now your guide in the ancestral temple."
"Follow it."
Fu Chuan did as she was told. As soon as the lamp was lit, the two of them walked together for a while in its light, but then the light from the lamp began to shine in different directions.
One to the left, one to the right.
And so they separated.
Fu Chuan was terrified of encountering other powerful figures along the way, but thankfully, this ancestral temple was like a graveyard, completely empty.
Forget it. Xie Siyi was probably protecting her this time, not trying to screw her over. Since she said no one would bother her, then no one would.
Fu Chuan found herself inexplicably trusting this psycho. Soon, the light from the lamp led her to a door.
The door opened automatically. Inside were eight jade-walled surfaces, with many Arcane Truths inscribed on them. In the center was a six-pointed star pool, and in the pool was a gene pool, as calm as a mirror, its liquid a solid mercury color.
Fu Chuan could see its nature. Xie Siyi was sharp when she was being sarcastic, but she didn't like to explain key points. She hadn't said anything about the situation with this mercury gene pool in the ancestral temple.
It was as if she expected her to be self-reliant.
"With a teacher like this, I don't know how she'll teach me in the future."
Fu Chuan was worried, but she figured that the reason the other party didn't say anything was because the use of this gene pool was no different from others.
She didn't know how long she could soak… but the door would probably open when the time was up, or the pool would react.
Fu Chuan pondered for a moment, then decided not to go in yet. She methodically took out her things.
1. The materials for the Intermediate Devouring Scroll.
2. The Orange-tier Gravity Space Arcane Truth Stone.
3. The Triangle Gene Equation.
This should have been enough, but just before going in, a flash of inspiration struck Fu Chuan.
If Little Yellow's upgrade was successful, its digestion ability would surely be enhanced, and it would definitely gain Wei Ran's ability to control blood and create clones. That would give her the means to continuously reshape her body.
If she could continuously reshape her body, her density-less tentacles could change the density of their tissue composition, giving them extremely strong absorption capacity. And the Thousand-Net Star-Sucking Vine could continuously supply energy to sustain this process of continuous trial and absorption.
In that case, could she try to absorb the abilities of the Forbidden Arcane Stone during her transformation with the Gene Equation?
Or, use the influence of the Forbidden Arcane Stone to stimulate her genetic talents, causing them to develop in the direction of anti-magic.
For example, an anti-magic pupil technique.
When it came to broad knowledge, Fu Chuan's perspective was comparable to that of a god in this world.
She understood these rules and logic all too well.
If there were no problems with this logical chain, she was 70% confident she could obtain a terrifying anti-magic pupil technique talent.
If she obtained it… then she would only need some time before she no longer had to fear the Orange-tier families. Killing experts 20 levels above her would not be a problem.
"Of course, the premise is that the effect of the Triangle Gene Equation is good, and Little Yellow's upgrade is also good enough to meet my requirements."
Little Yellow was still upgrading. Fu Chuan received feedback that it would need another 6 hours.
She didn't know how it would turn out, but she still had to prepare.
She took out the 30KG Forbidden Arcane Stone chain and a high-tech smelting device.
This thing was incredibly hard and also anti-arcane. It couldn't be destroyed by ordinary arcane means, but Fu Chuan knew that low-temperature cold fire combined with some corrosive, precious medicinal materials could melt it. This was a high-level secret from within the Divine Temple. She had learned it when she was playing the game at level 70 and needed Forbidden Arcane Stone to advance her class, from a job-change scroll from the Divine Temple.
She had also specifically bought the equipment.
She turned on the device and put the Forbidden Arcane Stone and materials inside to smelt.
She calculated the weight and estimated that the smelting time would be about 12 hours.
"It's like stewing 'Buddha Jumps Over the Wall'… but this is stewing money."
Sighing, Fu Chuan then took off her clothes and entered the pool.
As soon as she entered, the silver liquid touched her skin and seemed to drill into her without density, making her body tremble. She couldn't stand and fell directly.
This couldn't really be mercury, could it?
Fu Chuan thought she was going to be completely corroded, but she felt the transformation within her body.
The effect was so fast.
The first page of her Gene Tree began to strengthen directly, and the second page also began to be affected and nourished. This was also why Fu Chuan wasn't in a hurry to activate the branches of the second sequence. Because once she got a good ranking in the high school entrance exam, resources would pour in. Activating the branches after strengthening the Gene Tree would result in a much greater attribute boost.
Although the difficulty also increased, the difficulty consumed resources, while she was raising her upper limit.
So, in fact, people like Li Cang were also stuck at the second sequence and not in a hurry to activate it. Otherwise, with their resources, they could have forced their way through the second sequence and activated five or six branches.
Time passed minute by minute. When Fu Chuan felt her skin and flesh had transformed three times, her eyes began to hurt. She knew that the Xie Clan's genes had been stimulated enough.
But Fu Chuan also knew that the effect she needed several hours to achieve, that great young master of the Xie Clan could probably achieve in less than half an hour.
The gap in genetic talent was there.
However, he was so outstanding, it might also be related to having undergone transformation in the ancestral gene pool more than once. This was her first time, so the effect might be the greatest.
Buzz. A stir from Little Yellow came.
"Sister, I'm done. Take a look…"
Fu Chuan directly reviewed the effects of Little Yellow's transformation.
Sky Magnetic Blood Locust BOSS Variant (Growth Stage, Orange Tier)
Level: 35
Mental Power: 450,000
Strength: 550,000
Constitution: 600,000
Agility: 700,000
Talent 1: Intermediate Digestion (Can devour all life forms and energy below Orange Tier)
Talent 2: Intermediate Agility Boost (Can share 100% of agility with the host when merged).
Skill 3: Intermediate Healing (Absorbs living organisms for replenishment and healing injuries.)
Skill 4: Self-Gravity Control (Can be used in conjunction with the host's Gravity Space Arcane Truth.)
Skill 5: Blood Tissue Remodeling (High-intensity body reshaping, can be used on both itself and the host.)
Fu Chuan knew at a glance that Little Yellow had not disappointed. "Excellent. Next, you…"
After instructing Little Yellow, Fu Chuan knew that the most difficult step was next.
She first had Little Yellow start swallowing the energy stones to store energy. After another 6 hours, the 30KG of Forbidden Arcane Stone in the device had been smelted into a small bowl of pitch-black Forbidden Arcane Stone liquid, low in temperature but terrifying.
First, Fu Chuan used the crafted Intermediate Devouring Scroll. At that moment, both bodies existed simultaneously, the genes of their Gene Trees highly overlapping… it was also the most complex state for the Gene Tree.
Second, she used the Triangle Gene Equation. The equation shattered, turning into countless fragments that flew into Fu Chuan's body, entered the Gene Tree, and then reached every part of her body through the Gene Tree.
Third, she released her tentacles to swallow the Forbidden Arcane Stone liquid…
The tranquility of the pool was soon broken. The faint sound of cracking bones could be heard, along with suppressed pain.
In the core office of the Beluke Province Economic Department building, a handsome man with jet-black hair crossed his hands, watching the signal display on the screen until it completely went out. He pushed up his glasses.
The head of the advanced intelligence section next to him said woodenly, "The key to the failure of this operation to capture the head of our province's major criminal organization, the TK Group, Xiao Li, was that the team's secret route was discovered in advance. They were ambushed and attacked at Kruony Canyon Bay. The airships and warships were all pulled into the bay's vortex. Currently, no information has been received from the warships, and all transmitted information has gone blank. We can currently confirm that this mission was a complete failure."
"Furthermore, Zhou Linlang, the section chief of the Seventh Department's Major Crimes Section and the secondary person in charge of this capture plan, has been confirmed missing along with the team leader, Section Chief Xing Lin of the First Department. It has not yet been confirmed whether they are dead, but the situation is not optimistic."
"Director, please give your instructions."
The Director of the Beluke Economic Department closed his eyes and said quietly, "Contact the Military for search and rescue."
"Simultaneously, prepare for an internal investigation. There is a mole."
In the depths of Kruony Canyon Bay.
Amidst the wreckage of a dilapidated airship, being frantically corroded by the terrifying Kruony toxic gas of the bay, the communicator held in the hand of a pale, horrifying female corpse was already shattered. The screen showed some messages that had failed to send.
The first was to headquarters, the next to her family, and the last was…
The first message was sent in real-time. The rest were pre-scheduled emergency messages. Once her heart stopped and she entered a state of death, the smart system would send them all out.
Unfortunately, all of them failed to send.
In the pool, a naked Xie Siyi emerged from the water. The pool, now completely transparent and having lost its purple-silver color, seemed to contain only clear water. Droplets of water rolled down her fair skin… inch by inch, they caressed her, finally leaving no trace on the ground.
A shrunken little Flame Dragon diligently picked up the scattered clothes on the ground with its mouth and flew up to her. After putting on a robe, Xie Siyi reached up to pull her long hair out from the back of her neck and tilted her head slightly.
"Is the little friend not done yet?"
The Flame Dragon also tilted its head and said, "It seems she hasn't come out yet. The Elder Council gave her a total of 15 hours. Are you sure she can absorb all the benefits of the Silver Pool? Even that Xie Yuli barely managed it. This little friend from the garbage star has too weak a foundation. Her genes don't have much of the Demon Orchid bloodline."
"The strength of genes can be influenced and mutated."
"Huh?"
Xie Siyi casually hooked her belt and fastened it loosely with a crisp click. "A mortal with nothing can still defy fate and change their destiny. Her soul must be exceptionally dazzling."
She went out, picked up a lamp, and walked slowly down the path. When she reached the gate of the Silver Pool, she saw that the time limit noted above was nearing its end. She waited for a while, but there was still no movement from inside. Xie Siyi frowned slightly, placed one hand on the doorknob, and opened it with her elder's authority.
The door pushed open. The pool inside was calm, as if the person had already left. But the clothes on the ground were still there, neatly folded.
Still transforming below?
She couldn't have died down there, could she?
Xie Siyi wasn't in a hurry. She used her elder's authority to change the instructions for this room, indicating that if the gene pool time was up but the user was not finished, they were still buffering the medicinal effects. She would use her elder's authority to help end the state and forbid any other guards from approaching.
Then she casually took out a chair, leaned back, and began to handle the official business at hand.
After about two hours, with only one hour left before the time was completely up, the water in the pool in front of her rippled. The dragon's mouth above the pool spat out a clear blue liquid.
The Flame Dragon, which had been dozing out of boredom, wagged its tail, lifted its head, and its sluggish body trembled. It flew to the edge of the pool and tapped the water's surface with its claw.
This ripple collided with the halo of water released earlier…
A set of intersecting waves reflected back, and then a person emerged from the water. She seemed very weak, standing with her back to them under the dragon's head. The water line was at her waist, and as the ripples flowed, they lapped at her waistline, as if kissing the small dimples on either side of her lower back before rippling away again.
But she didn't notice. She only propped one hand on the dragon wall behind the pool, her fingers touching the dragon scales and Demon Orchid patterns on it. Her breathing was light and panting. The blue liquid flowed down from above, landing on her head, and trickling down her neck… covering her entire body.
As soon as this blue liquid entered the pool, it formed a massive amount of energy that continuously poured into her body.
A silver light seemed to still be flowing under her skin, while the blue energy was a rhythmic halo that entwined her body. In an instant, it was as if her spiritual body was being recreated.
Even every strand of her wet hair seemed to be caressed by the halo of energy.
Her breathing finally calmed down a lot, and the alluring, suggestive panting also gradually subsided. But she still covered her eyes, as if they were still in pain, until… she sensed someone else was here.
She froze.
Xie Siyi, who had been sitting on the chair with her long legs crossed, watching for a good while, finally spoke.
"I thought you'd be so scared you'd beg me not to expose your secret."
"You pretty little friend."
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