After finalizing the details for our next hunt, I retreated to my room. Over the past six months, my mental strength had surged, reaching the peak of the First Level. By the time the seal on my magic finally dissipates, I might even break through to the Third Level.
Once inside, I didn't rush into cultivation. A single day of meditation wouldn't move the needle much at this stage. Instead, I focused on something far more exciting. During these six months, I had finally earned my second Lottery Spin, and I'd been saving it for the right moment.
"System, spin the wheel," I commanded.
As the virtual wheel blurred into motion, my heart hammered against my ribs. The rewards from this system were notoriously fickle—the quality and quantity were entirely up to fate. After a few agonizing seconds, the wheel clicked to a halt. A crisp ding echoed in my mind, and a blue holographic screen flickered into existence.
[Congratulations, Host! You have received the following rewards:
5 Sacred-Grade Cultivation Tools: Dramatically increases the cultivation speed of any mage below the Half-Forbidden Curse level. Note: Can be stacked with Stardust, Nebula, and higher-tier magic tools.
7 Red Vitality Petals
4 Blue Spiritual Petals: Divine-tier healing items. Can mend any soul-related injury, cure chronic health conditions, and even assist a non-magician in awakening their magic.]
Three rewards—and all of them top-tier!
'Last time I only walked away with three Vitality Petals, but this haul is incredible,' I thought, a grin spreading across my face. I could distribute the cultivation tools among my brothers to bolster our strength. As for the rest, I'd keep them in reserve. Once our family clan is officially established, I'll give three Vitality Petals and a Blue Spiritual Petal to Grandma Zhang.
I still haven't breathed a word about the System to anyone. Instead, I've used the "Ancient Vessel" as a cover story. I told my brothers that I found these treasures within the vessel's internal dimensions, claiming most of its space remains magically locked.
It's not that I don't trust them—their loyalty is beyond question—but explaining a sentient System is near-impossible even in a world of magic. They aren't mindless puppets; knowing the truth would only burden them with unnecessary worry.
'Time to act like a kid for once,' I mused. 'I'm leaving in three days, and it'll be a long time before I'm back in Bo City.'
Currently, the System is diverting most of its energy to maintain the seal on my magic, meaning my System Space is temporarily offline. I carefully tucked the new items into my Space Ring instead.
Task complete, I headed out toward the Mu Manor. My goal? Meeting up with Ye Xinxia, Mo Fan, and the others. But first, I had to "kidnap" Mu Ningxue.
Under normal circumstances, Mu Zhuoyun keeps her under a tight watch, but he never objects when I'm the one asking. It has essentially become my job to "rescue" her from the stuffy manor so she can actually experience being a child.
I arrived at the main gates in short order. The guards barely spared me a glance; I'm such a frequent visitor that I might as well be part of the furniture. I bypassed the main halls and headed straight for the garden—the exact spot where Ningxue always waits for our escape.
The garden of the Mu Manor was as quiet and stifling as a museum. As I rounded the corner, I saw her sitting on a stone bench under the shade of a weeping willow. Her silver hair was tied back neatly, and she was staring at the pond with an expression of pure boredom.
At eleven and a half, Mu Ningxue didn't have any magical auras or icy winds surrounding her. She was just a girl trapped in a golden cage, waiting for her life to actually start.
"You know," I said, stepping onto the grass. "If you keep staring at that pond, the fish are going to think they're under investigation."
Ningxue's head snapped up. The dull look in her eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a spark of genuine relief. She didn't smile—she was already a bit too reserved for that—but the tension in her shoulders dropped the moment she saw me.
"You're late," she said softly.
"A genius-in-training needs his rest," I joked, walking up to her. "Besides, I had to make sure your father was busy with his business meetings. Are you ready to 'defect' from the Mu family for a few hours?"
She stood up, smoothing out her dress. "My father wants me to stay inside and study. He's already talking about the prestige of the Mu name and what's expected of me in the future."
"And we will 'study,'" I lied effortlessly, offering her my hand. "We'll study the 'theory' of how many skewers of roasted meat Mo Fan can eat before he gets a stomach ache. It's a very deep, academic field of research."
A tiny, almost imperceptible tug at the corner of her lips appeared. She took my hand. At this age, she was just a normal kid, her hand warm and small in mine.
"Let's go before he changes his mind and sends a personal guard to 'escort' us," she whispered.
We slipped through the side gate. The guards didn't say a word; they knew I was the only person Mu Zhuoyun trusted to take his daughter out for some fresh air.
As we hit the bustling streets of Bo City, I felt the weight of my Space Ring on my finger. Inside were the Sacred-Grade Cultivation Tools I'd just pulled from the System. In a few years, when we finally awaken our magic, these items are going to change everything. But for today, I just wanted to enjoy the walk.
"First stop: the old clock tower," I announced. "Mo Fan and Xinxia are waiting. Try to look a little less like a 'refined lady' and more like a kid, Ningxue. We're going to the back alleys, not a gala."
"I'll try," she replied, her grip on my hand tightening just a fraction. "Lead the way."
We made our way through the narrow, sun-drenched alleys of Bo City, the salt-and-stone smell of the streets replacing the suffocating floral scent of the Mu Manor. Ningxue walked beside me, her pace finally relaxing into something resembling a normal eleven-year-old's. Without the weight of her father's expectations or the future's magical burdens, she was just a girl glad to be out of the house.
As we rounded the final corner toward the old, weathered clock tower, the silence of our walk was shattered by a familiar, boisterous voice.
To Be Continue....
Sorry I didn't upload for almost two days because I was busy with my cousin's wedding events but now it's over so I won't be late from now on. There will be one more chapter at 3 A.M (GMT+8).
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