Chapter 81: The Jade Tome of Heluo

But what the host said wasn’t without reason—after all, this was supposed to be a romance strategy game, yet there was only one male character to pursue. It was rather illogical. 007 guiltily fell silent.

“Hiss, hiss…”

The two little creatures, newly hatched, blinked their big, watery, bewildered eyes at Xu Nuo. Whenever she took a few steps, they would waggle their tails and follow along.

“Do you want to come with me too?” Xu Nuo crouched down and affectionately patted their heads. Though at first glance they were a bit ugly, and at second glance still ugly, after a few more looks, they became ugly in an endearing way.

She wondered how these two would transform into great beauties.

The formidable Nascent Soul cultivator had forbidden her from taking the pair away, but thinking ahead, wouldn’t it be to Lu Ciyuan’s undeserved benefit if these ugly little snakes became stunning women in the future? She only had one target to pursue—why should he be surrounded by beauties?

Recalling the information she’d read, it was written that these two beautiful snake women would one day care for Lu Ciyuan devotedly, tending his wounds, feeding him, and assisting in cultivating his techniques. The thought made her heart churn with jealousy.

Detecting the host’s emotional shift, 007—previously sunk into a state of depression—suddenly perked up. The host was getting jealous! That was a very positive sign; it meant she genuinely cared about Lu Ciyuan.

Xu Nuo smiled as she beckoned to the two bewildered little snakes. They wriggled over eagerly, their short, plump bodies striving to coil around her fingers, their tails swaying as they tried to wrap themselves more tightly.

Her fingers still carried the scent of spiritual liquid, which intoxicated the two little snakes. Once entwined, they refused to let go.

Xu Nuo said helplessly, “You two little troublemakers, what am I going to do with you?”

007: That sounds completely put on.

[Are you planning to take these two spirit beasts with you?]

Xu Nuo replied, “Sigh, they insist on clinging to me. There’s nothing I can do—you see? I can’t even shake them off.”

007: She’s acting. Definitely acting.

In the end, Xu Nuo brought the little creatures along, entirely unbothered by the fact that she was essentially abducting someone’s spirit pets. She strolled leisurely, unhurried and composed.

Sometimes, 007 really couldn’t understand where the host’s confidence and composure came from. Even after facing mortal danger, she could remain completely unfazed and continue doing as she pleased.

While some strolled at ease, others stood at the cave entrance, their expressions cold and grim.

Lu Ciyuan sensed Xu Nuo’s location inside the cave, but there were also two incredibly powerful auras close by, never leaving her side.

He was currently no match for those two presences, and Xu Nuo even less so.

He could have simply turned and left—the exit of the secret realm wasn’t hard to find. If he chose to rescue her, it would be only for Xu Nuo’s sake, risking his life for hers. He didn't need to calculate long to weigh the most advantageous choice for himself.

Gripping his sword, Lu Ciyuan was about to step forward when her words, “Trust me,” suddenly echoed in his mind, out of his control.

“Heh.” Lu Ciyuan let out a self-mocking laugh and turned back. He would take the gamble, just this once. He could afford to lose.

Inside the cave.

Xu Nuo was chatting lazily with the barrage, “Why am I not running faster? Hahaha, I’m just an ordinary person—I can’t find my way and don’t dare run blindly, so isn’t it perfectly reasonable to slow down?”

“…How could it possibly be to see a handsome man—am I such a shallow person?”

“Mining again? Spare me, if I dig any more, this cave is going to collapse.”

“Boom—”

“Boom———”

Speak of the devil—it happened at once. Deafening crashes resounded, the ground shook violently, and the cave, which had only recently stabilized, began to collapse again.

The audience gloated: [Her Majesty Xu’s wish has come true—the handsome man can’t endure any longer and is finally making his move again.]

Dust flew everywhere, rocks kept falling, and Xu Nuo gave a wry smile. “No, no, I really didn’t want this.”

“Hiss, hiss…” The two little snakes, terrified, retreated into her sleeves.

Deep within the cave, the surface of the previously tranquil spring began to ripple. A man in white, with snow-like hair, opened his eyes—annoyance flickering in his usually impassive gaze.

“Miss Xu!”

“Xu Nuo!”

Lu Ciyuan called out her name loudly, not holding much hope. But the sound that suddenly drew near caught him completely off guard.

“Miss Xu?” Lu Ciyuan turned his head, and the delight in his eyes vanished instantly when he saw who it was.

The newcomer was dressed all in white, exuding a cold presence like winter snow on high mountains. Standing before him, Lu Ciyuan couldn’t sense the man’s cultivation at all—it was as unfathomable as the boundless sea. The gap between them was obvious, no comparison needed.

Lu Ciyuan asked, “May I ask, senior—”

“Boom—” The man gave him no chance to speak. With a casual wave of his sleeve, Lu Ciyuan was sent sprawling to the ground.

He instantly realized the man wanted to kill him—a dangerous signal. Wasting no time, he tried to flee.

To the white-haired man, Lu Ciyuan’s every move was plain as day—dealing with him would be as easy as turning a hand.

Lu Ciyuan was unlucky enough to fall once more, his frail body taking the full brunt of the blow. He spat out a mouthful of blood.

[Warning: Target of strategy in mortal danger! Host, please remove the threat to the target at once!]

Xu Nuo was still dodging the falling rocks when she heard the system’s alert. “Where is he? How could he be in danger?”

007: [He’s inside the cave.]

The situation was urgent. 007 immediately produced a highly detailed map for her. Xu Nuo had no time to ponder, rushing toward the marked location.

Xu Qingyin watched the boy’s futile struggle, his impatience mounting. Just as he was about to finish off the troublesome intruder, a disturbance elsewhere drew his attention.

Taking advantage of that brief distraction, Lu Ciyuan seized the chance and fled.

On the other side, 007 cried out, [Host, what are you doing now?!]

In front of Xu Nuo lay a deep, clear spring, utterly unlike the tiny one near the nest earlier. The spiritual energy flowing in the water was so concentrated it was nearly tangible—even with her mortal senses, Xu Nuo could see its currents.

[Didn’t you say you were going to save Lu Ciyuan? Why are you here?]

Xu Nuo replied helplessly, “Sometimes being too lucky is a problem. The important thing is, Lu Ciyuan is out of danger now, isn’t he?”

The system’s map covered continents and oceans, looking for all the world like a world map, yet it was also exquisitely detailed, allowing areas to be zoomed in and out at will.

Using the map, Xu Nuo found Lu Ciyuan’s location and also noticed a spot marked with special symbols. Unfortunately, before she could examine it clearly, the detailed map turned into a simplified version.

Relying on her excellent memory, Xu Nuo remembered the position of that special spot and passed by it on her way to rescue Lu Ciyuan. The wall at the entrance was inscribed with an array she couldn’t decipher, but on a whim, she tried fiddling with the chessboard embedded in the wall.

Next thing she knew, she was transported to this hidden paradise. Spiritual energy flowed like water, fog swirled with fairy-like ethereality, and there were almost no signs of mundane life—everything was natural and pristine, perfectly matching Xu Nuo’s aesthetic sense, as if this place was the dwelling of a celestial untouched by the mortal world.

Ignoring the system’s incessant chatter, Xu Nuo stepped lightly through the mist to the spring’s edge. There she found a book, seemingly carved of jade. The entire tome was as thick as a finger, each page as thin as a hair, and through the translucent jade, one could glimpse the overlapping, engraved characters.

If it were merely a jade carving, the creator of this jade book had surely reached an artistic pinnacle unattainable by later generations. But this was a book that could be opened and read—the texture cool and smooth as jade, yet as soft and pliable as paper. Turning the pages, the clear, graceful script seemed to leap and dance before her eyes, almost alive…

Wait, leap?

Xu Nuo rubbed her eyes. The characters were truly moving, gradually assembling from chaos into a single sentence.

“What do you seek most in this life?”

Xu Nuo read the question aloud. “What I seek in this life, naturally is…”

At that moment, a white figure suddenly appeared. “Enough!”

Xu Nuo finished her sentence just in time: “To be happy, that’s all.”

In an instant, the jade pages fluttered, radiant light enveloped her, and with a crisp “snap,” she was sealed inside the book.

Xu Qingyin’s expression froze. He stared, murmuring to himself at the tightly shut jade tome, “The Jade Book of the Rivers and Luo has finally been opened.”

Xu Nuo, now surrounded on all sides by an endless sea of books, was at a loss for what to do.

“Little Seven, where are we?”

[The Jade Book of the Rivers and Luo…] 007 explained numbly to his ever-troublesome host.

The Jade Book of the Rivers and Luo was a divine artifact, the true ancestral treasure of the Celestial Cave Sect for millennia. It was said to encompass everything: the universe, the stars, past and future, nothing beyond its knowledge, containing infinite power. Whoever obtained it could ascend in a single bound.

Yet, as with all divine artifacts, not everyone was worthy to open it. Even after tens of thousands of years, the sect had failed to use its power and could only hide it within the secret realm, protected by countless barriers.

Xu Nuo commented offhandedly, “Didn’t hide it very well, did they?”

007 grumbled inwardly: Naturally, with your one hundred percent luck attribute, nothing can stop you when fortune’s on your side.

The only condition for Xu Nuo’s entry had been answering a single question, and now, in this boundless book-sea, a new question appeared.

“What do you want most in your life?”

“What do you need most in your life?”

The two questions seemed similar but, upon closer thought, were worlds apart.

Xu Nuo didn’t dwell on it, simply shook her head. “I don’t know.”

The words rearranged themselves nimbly: “Oh? Why not?”

Xu Nuo replied, “Life is long—how could anyone answer what they want or need most at any one point in time?”

Another line of text appeared: “If you had the chance, what would you choose?”

Xu Nuo grinned. “If I have a chance, let me see what options there are.”

The script paused, then faded.

Suddenly, the scene before Xu Nuo began to change. The first thing that greeted her eyes was a mountain of gold and resplendent jewels, piled high in extravagant abundance.