067

Xuan Qing ignored the sarcastic tone in Chu Yun's words and found a place to sit down.

"Is everything ready?"

Seeing that the other party was as boring as ever, Chu Yun put down the storybook with a sense of boredom.

"Don't you trust me to do things?" Chu Yun smiled. "Everything is ready, we just need the right opportunity."

“A few days ago, a young girl came to my residence.” Chu Yun glanced at Xuan Qing’s expression, his smile deepening. “She was wearing a magical artifact on her hand, which looked like a string of threads to me.”

Xuan Qing glanced at him indifferently.

"If I remember correctly, this magical artifact was the one I gave you as compensation for losing a bet back then. I thought you wouldn't need it at all."

The "Pulling Silk Thread," also known as the red thread, is a magical artifact that Chu Yun crafted when he was bored.

He had read a storybook, and the tale of love and hate in it truly shocked him. After reading it, he impulsively decided to forge this magical artifact.

This magical artifact isn't very useful. However, if a highly skilled cultivator stores a portion of their consciousness into it, it can manifest and protect the wearer at crucial moments. In addition, it can also pinpoint the wearer's location at all times.

But these are not the reasons why Chu Yun called it useless. There is an array inside this magic artifact, through which one can form a bond with others. After forming a bond, the other party can share the power of the giver through it.

In short, this ritual implement is entirely altruistic and of little use to most people.

After all, who would willingly share their strength with others?

Chu Yunlian created this magical artifact on a whim. After finishing it, he left it in the Longyue Pavilion for several years without selling it. Later, he lost a bet with Xuanqing and gave him a bunch of magical artifacts. He also casually gave Xuanqing the Thread of Connection.

At that time, he never imagined that Xuanqing would ever need the Thread of Connection.

Chu Yun continued, "That little girl seems to know nothing about the function of the connecting threads. Speaking of which, she is Yu Tian's junior sister. Do you think I should be a good person and tell her?"

Xuan Qing stood up, sword in hand, and walked towards the door, leaving behind the words, "Mind your own business."

_

The next day.

Jiang Huali had a good sleep and got out of bed feeling relaxed.

She had no idea that anyone had come by last night, nor did she know what she had said in her sleep.

The system, of course, had no idea either, since it slept much more soundly than Jiang Huali.

After washing up, Jiang Huali planned to have breakfast.

As soon as she opened the door, she saw Xuan Qing, dressed in black, sitting in the courtyard where she lived.

Jiang Huali walked over in surprise. Xuan Qing heard the footsteps and turned to look at her.

When did you arrive?

Jiang Huali sat down opposite him and saw Xuan Qing drinking a cup of tea. She poured herself a cup, but just as she was about to drink it, a hand stopped her.

Jiang Huali looked at the hand that was pressing down on her and asked, puzzled, "What are you doing?"

Xuanqing withdrew his hand, used his spiritual power, and a pot of tea appeared out of thin air on the table.

"The cup you poured is called 'Divine Sin,' it's very bitter." He said as he poured a new cup of tea and handed it to Jiang Huali.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Huali quickly put down her teacup and took the cup that Xuanqing had poured for her.

She took a small sip, and a faint floral fragrance filled her mouth, instantly brightening her eyes.

The new tea was sweet and had a floral fragrance, which Jiang Huali liked very much.

Surprised by Xuanqing's thoughtfulness, Jiang Huali didn't forget her business: "You still haven't answered me? When did you get here? No, how did you get in?"

She looked at Xuanqing suspiciously.

This is the city lord's mansion. Yu Tian and Chu Yun are good friends, so how did Xuan Qing get in?

Could it be that Xuanqing and Chuyun are also friends?

Remembering that Chu Yun had asked about the red thread on her wrist a few days ago, Jiang Huali stared at Xuan Qing, waiting for his answer.

“Of course I walked in.” Xuan Qing smiled coldly.

Jiang Huali: "..."

Is this a lame joke?

Seeing that Jiang Huali's expression was somewhat frozen, Xuan Qing stopped smiling and this time he did not hide it from her. "He came last night. I know Chu Yun. When a friend comes to visit, he has no reason to stop him."

If Chu Yun were here, he would probably just sneer and say, "Who said you're my friend?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Huali nodded and took another sip of tea.

The air fell silent for a moment.

Xuan Qing was still waiting for Jiang Huali to ask about his identity. Seeing that she had already drunk her third cup of tea, he stiffly asked, "Don't you have anything else you want to ask?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Huali put down her flower tea and said, "There is something."

Xuanqing looked at her.

Jiang Huali: "A few days ago, City Lord Chu said that the red thread in my hand is a magic artifact called 'Tethering Silk Thread,' which was once sold at Longyue Pavilion. He also said that this magic artifact is quite useless. Why?"

After speaking, Jiang Huali looked at Xuan Qing, waiting for his reply.

...

Why aren't you saying anything?

Jiang Huali was puzzled; the other person seemed somewhat unhappy.

"It's nothing." Xuan Qing lowered his eyes. "Do you have your sword on you?"

Jiang Huali: "In the storage bag."

As she spoke, she took out the Snow-Welcoming Sword.

What do you want my sword for?

Xuanqing: "Draw your sword and try to cut down that Bodhi tree."

Jiang Huali looked in the direction Xuan Qing pointed. It was the only tree in the courtyard, and it looked to be several hundred years older than her.

"...I have no cultivation."

Jiang Huali Road.

If she were to try and chop down this tree with a sword, she'd probably break her hand.

Xuanqing continued to look at her.

Jiang Huali finally gave in, "Okay, I'll give it a try."

She didn't actually intend to chop down the tree by brute force. Instead, she stood still, imagining herself still possessing cultivation, and unleashed a burst of spiritual energy from her sword.

"See? I told you..."

Before he finished speaking, half of the Bodhi tree branch collapsed with a crash.

what happened?

Jiang Huali stared at her hands in shock, wondering if she was some kind of genius who could still use spiritual power even after her cultivation was destroyed.

Xuanqing looked at her blank expression, a hint of a smile in his eyes.

"Didn't you ask me what the purpose of the connecting threads is?"

"Can it allow me to cultivate again?" Jiang Huali asked.

"That's not the case. The Thread of Connection allows you to share my cultivation and spiritual power."

Jiang Huali didn't know how to describe her feelings at that moment. She sat back down on the stone bench and touched the red thread on her wrist.

"You mean, I can use it to cast spells in the future?"

"Um."

Why give me the thread?

"I gave it to you if I wanted to."

Jiang Huali was speechless.

Upon hearing this, Xuan Qing added, "The Xuanlong Secret Realm we are looking for is about to appear. The secret realm is fraught with danger, so you must have the ability to protect yourself."

"The secret realm has appeared? You really didn't want me to take you to find the secret realm. You knew where the secret realm was from the beginning, didn't you?" Jiang Huali stared at Xuan Qing.

“…Hmm.” Xuan Qing took a sip of tea somewhat awkwardly.

"Since you helped me rescue my senior sister, I won't hold it against you. Although I don't know why you insisted on entering the secret realm with me, I'm not a person who goes back on their word. Just don't use me as a sacrifice to the heavens," Jiang Huali joked.

Xuan Qing: "Don't overthink it."

He wouldn't kill her, nor would he let her die; he simply wanted to borrow her jade pendant and blood.

...

On the day of the auction at Longyue Pavilion, Jiang Huali and Xuan Qing arrived at the private room prepared by Chu Yun early in the morning.

Before the auction officially started, Jiang Huali ran into Ming Yao and Song Quanzhen inside.

Mingyao's eyes lit up when she saw her, and she emerged from the crowd, "Fellow Daoist Jiang!"

Song Quanzhen followed closely behind Mingyao and smiled at Jiang Huali.

Jiang Huali came out for some fresh air and unexpectedly ran into the two of them here.

"Where is Fellow Daoist Yu? Why aren't you all together?"

Jiang Huali: "My senior sister has something to attend to and has already left Zhuxie City."

Upon hearing this, Mingyao asked, "Didn't Fellow Daoist Yu say at the inn a few days ago that you weren't coming to the auction?"

Jiang Huali: "I had nothing to do, so I came to take a look."

Mingyao gave her a knowing look and said happily, "The treasures in this Longyue Pavilion are truly dazzling, I can't even take it all in! If I weren't short of money, I would want to buy them all."

After saying that, her expression showed a hint of disappointment: "However, I looked at today's auction list, and it doesn't seem to have the elixir we're looking for. I wonder what the grand finale is."

"But since we're already here, we've decided to stay and take a look."

Mingyao waved to her, "The auction is about to start, so let's go back and sit down."

"Okay," Jiang Huali said.

After bidding farewell to Mingyao and the other person, Jiang Huali returned to the private room.

She and Xuanqing sat side by side, with tea and pastries served by servants on a small table between them.

The private room was located on the second floor of the venue. Jiang Huali turned her gaze to the large platform in the middle. As the auction officially began, a cat demon walked onto the auction stage.

Jiang Huali stared at the cat demon's furry ears, her hands itching slightly.

Xuan Qing, who was standing to the side, noticed her distraction and followed her gaze, which landed on the pair of pure white cat ears.

Xuanqing seemed to have thought of something and pursed his lips somewhat unhappily.

Jiang Huali was completely unaware of the psychological activities of those around her.

As Mingyao said, there were indeed many rare and precious items at the auction, which were snapped up shortly after they appeared.

After an unknown amount of time, the cat demon's voice became excited again.

The final item, the grand finale, was then auctioned.

As the cat demon began his explanation, the venue instantly became noisy.

"The Mysterious Dragon Realm has appeared in the world?"

Why haven't any of the sects received the news?

"Could this secret realm be located within the City of Evils?"

"The Mystic Dragon Key? Why is a key needed to enter the secret realm?"

"We must take it..."

...

The Xuanlong Secret Realm is a small world formed after the ancient divine beast Xuanlong perished. It has been recorded in secret manuals, but no one knows its location.

That's an ancient secret realm! Anyone can imagine that it must be filled with countless treasures, and who knows, it might even contain divine artifacts!

However, judging from the current situation, the Xuanlong Secret Realm is controlled by the Longyue Pavilion. Entering the secret realm requires a medium, and this medium is the Xuanlong Key, the highlight of this auction.

Among those present were renowned sects, immortal cultivation families, independent cultivators, and various other forces. None of them looked relaxed. Everyone wanted to enter the ancient secret realm, but there were only five hundred Xuanlong Keys available.

Suddenly, a storm was brewing.