I Stepped on a Bug, and the System Says I Slayed a Dragon? - Chapter 145 - 144: Poked a Hole in the Sky with One Finger?
Chapter 145: Chapter 144: Poked a Hole in the Sky with One Finger?
’Pointing a finger at the stars?’
’No…’
’That’s not a star!’
’It’s more like he poked a hole in the sky!’
’This… Was Master the one who did this?’
Seeing this, Xiaobai remembered the brave words she’d just spouted. She looked down at Qin Yang in terror. ’Don’t tell me he heard me?’
’If that finger had been pointed at me…’
’I don’t have enough tails to take a hit like that!’
At this thought, Xiaobai’s courage evaporated. She clamped her legs together, a desperate urge to pee surging through her lower belly as she scurried back inside the house in fright.
…
「A moment later.」
「In the courtyard.」
Qin Yang was lying on the ground, chewing on a blade of grass and admiring the night view, when he suddenly heard Xiaobai’s voice.
“Master, you must be tired after cultivating for so long, right?”
Xiaobai approached, holding a tray of tea and pastries high above her head. She came to Qin Yang’s side and sat down on the ground.
“Here, have some fruit and tea while you rest. I’ll give you a shoulder rub.”
As she spoke, she set down the plate and fawningly arranged her three large, fluffy white tails. “Here, Master. Lie here, it’s more comfortable.”
“Heh. All this fawning for no reason.”
Qin Yang rested his head on Xiaobai’s tails, picked up an osmanthus cake from the plate, and popped it into his mouth. While enjoying her shoulder rub, he glanced behind her.
A newly grown tail was twitching…
Back and forth…
It was practically pointing to the heavens…
’Suck-up fox!’
…
「The next day.」
「Jianghai Library.」
Time to slack off.
Lately, far fewer people had been coming to the library than usual. Everyone in Jianghai City was on edge, and many citizens were hiding at home, minimizing their trips outside.
The library was quiet and deserted. Qin Yang sat at a rest table in Area 1, openly slacking off as he studied the True Understanding of Refining he had obtained the night before.
This ancient text documented numerous Artifact Refining techniques.
For example.
From the selection of materials and the crafting process to the requirements for the forging fire, there were extremely strict standards…
“When forging a sword, first one must fast for one hundred days. Then, in a secluded place near a clear spring, build a workshop facing west, with the forge’s opening also facing west. A master smith smelts fine iron, combining raw ingots until it is sufficient at eight jin. If one wishes to achieve the utmost refinement, bamboo charcoal must be used.”
Just forging a single sword required an extremely complex ritual. Qin Yang mused on this, thinking of the Ziwei Divine Sword in his possession.
’I wonder how much time the master who forged this sword spent back then?’
’Ten years? A hundred?’
’Once I’m well-off, I’ll find the time to make a “Ziwei” for all my friends and family. That would be incredible.’
And besides forging swords, the True Understanding of Refining was also full of various unorthodox and wicked Secret Techniques for Artifact Refining.
Forging with human bones, flaying beasts, pulling out living tendons, using live humans and Star Beasts as materials, applying Secret Techniques, and following special procedures.
Things like the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, Human Bone Magical Artifacts, Heart Beads…
Some of the creation processes were utterly horrifying.
Like exposing a corpse to the sun for days to peel off the dried skin, or taking the skull of someone deceased from a place of extreme yin energy…
Just reading the descriptions was enough to send a chill down his spine.
’Truly wicked… Huh? There are even instructions for making a Magical Artifact out of fox hide?’
Qin Yang scanned through the Artifact Refining knowledge, somewhat surprised. He read the entry, then glanced at Xiaobai, who was sprawled on the table.
The little snow-white fox was sprawled on the table, looking completely listless.
According to the True Understanding of Refining, the Nine-tailed Fox clan was a treasure trove from head to toe. Their heart, skin, liver, and lungs were all valuable, but their enchanting eyes, which could bewitch a person’s very soul, could be made into a special Charm Art Magical Artifact.
Qin Yang stared at Xiaobai.
’This is too tempting!’
Sensing Qin Yang’s gaze, Xiaobai lifted her head alertly. Her ears twitched, she frowned, and felt a chill creep up her back.
’Out of nowhere…’
’Why is Master looking at this Fairy for?’
’There’s something off about the way he’s looking at me.’
At this thought, Xiaobai’s fur stood on end. She sidled up affectionately and started rubbing against Qin Yang’s arm to curry favor, her big, fluffy tail wagging.
“Come play with my tail, Master…”
“Don’t keep thinking those bad thoughts…”
“Not bad. I guess raising you all this time wasn’t a waste.”
Qin Yang stroked Xiaobai’s fluffy tail, contentedly petting the fox. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a figure approach.
It was Li Qinghe.
He hadn’t seen her for days. The young woman had changed back into men’s clothes, once again going by the name “Li Qing,” and was striding toward him.
“Master—”
With her hands behind her back and her peach-blossom eyes narrowed in a smile, Li Qinghe came and sat down across the table. “I haven’t seen you in a few days. Did you miss your apprentice?”
“Nope.”
Cradling Xiaobai, Qin Yang said nonchalantly, “You haven’t been coming to work, so the library’s been much quieter. Your master has been sleeping soundly and resting easy.”
“The villa I gave you, are you settling in alright?”
Li Qinghe propped her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her hands. “Should I add a big 4K TV for you?”
“Tsk.”
Qin Yang clicked his tongue. Seeing Li Qinghe act like such a simp made him feel uncomfortable all over.
“Alright, enough about that. I have something cool to show you, Master.”
Li Qinghe said mysteriously, stroking the Star Ring on her index finger.
The next moment.
A yellowed scroll appeared on the table, covered in layers of interwoven Array Patterns that were ancient, profound, and intricate.
“The Ten Thousand Array Map?”
Qin Yang was stunned for a moment, looking at her in surprise.
’Shouldn’t the Ten Thousand Array Map be on the third floor?’
’How did it end up back in Li Qinghe’s hands?’
’Did this girl go play thief again?’
Seeing the strange look on Qin Yang’s face, Li Qinghe quickly waved her hands and explained:
“Master, don’t get the wrong idea! I didn’t steal it this time!”
“That’s what you told me last time, isn’t it? ’Taking things from your own family doesn’t count as stealing.’”
Qin Yang gave her a disbelieving look. “So what’s the story this time?”
“This time is really different, Master!”
Li Qinghe caressed the Ten Thousand Array Map, her eyes softening. “I didn’t steal the Array Map this time. My father gave it to me of his own accord…”
As she spoke, she stared intently at Qin Yang. “You’ve probably felt it these past few days, right? The city’s Star Pets are rioting, it’s all over the news, and all of Jianghai City has been thrown into chaos.”
“Mm.”
Qin Yang nodded slightly, stroking Xiaobai’s head as he recalled her recent condition.
’Even a Nine-tailed Fox at the Early Stage of the Innate realm was affected, to say nothing of other, weaker Star Beasts.’
’It seems the scale of this Beast Tide is going to be several times more terrifying than any before. Once the city falls, it will be a hopeless disaster with no survivors.’
“These past few days, my father finally saw reason.”
Li Qinghe lowered her voice. “He, along with a few influential clan elders, specifically overturned the old family rules for my sake. Now, I am finally the rightful owner of the Ten Thousand Array Map.”
“It’s about time.”
Qin Yang replied under his breath.
’The torrent of history rolls ever forward. After all its twists and turns, this Ten Thousand Array Map has finally returned to Li Qinghe’s hands.’
’With such talent for Arrays, not studying the Ten Thousand Array Map would be an absolute waste.’
’If the Li Family had continued to cling so stubbornly to their old rules…’
’…things could have easily gone down the “never bully the poor youth” path. Fast-forward to Li Qinghe returning after completing her training, brutally suppressing the clan elders—a classic “fortunes are fickle” scene.’
“You think so too, Master?”
Li Qinghe looked at Qin Yang excitedly. After getting his approval, she seemed thrilled. “Just you watch. One day, I’ll become an Array Dao Grandmaster!”
Her expression grew more and more animated as she spoke. “I will reach the pinnacle of the world’s Array Dao as a woman!”
…
Qin Yang just shook his head slightly, smiling without a word.
’Your master isn’t just watching, you know.’
’I’ve even seen five hundred years into the future, seen the day you achieve fame and success, the day you become an Array Dao Grandmaster…’
’The future you so look forward to…’
’…is just another piece of the past to me…’
Li Qinghe glanced at Qin Yang. Seeing his calm and nonchalant expression, she suddenly felt her confidence waver.
In truth, regarding the clan passing the map down to her…
…there was something she hadn’t mentioned.
A large part of the reason her father had passed the map to her was that she had been accepted as a disciple of the Sword God.
And there was the night of the attack.
The Star Stone Array Map that Qin Yang had given her also played a huge role.
You could say…
…that the clan elders now had high hopes for her, all so that one day they could see the Ten Thousand Array Map made whole.
’Don’t worry, Father. I will succeed!’
Li Qinghe spread the Ten Thousand Array Map on the table and asked Qin Yang for guidance in a low voice, “Master, your disciple has a few questions about Arrays. Could you please take a look for me?”
