Chapter 94: A Proposal and a Forbidden Zone

Once they had put a significant distance between themselves and the Chixiao team, Mu Wanqing tilted her head, asking,

“Yueyue, where are we heading next?”

A mysterious glint flickered in Su Liyue’s eyes as she replied,

“First, we’ll hunt a Silver-tier magical beast to stabilize our points, and then… I’ll take you somewhere fun. Interested?”

“Somewhere fun?”

Mu Wanqing blinked her large eyes, her face etched with confusion.

“Precisely.”

Su Liyue recalled the unique spatial configuration that had appeared in her mind earlier, a specific layout within Ye Xingchen’s Qimen Dunjia array.

The Du Gate, aligned with the Zhi Fu and the Tianchong Star, this configuration was far from merely a place for cultivating spiritual herbs.

The Tianchong Star, in Qimen Dunjia, inherently signified a connection to the heavens.

Perhaps a secret related to Earth truly lay hidden there?

After all, even Dean Yu Qinglan had mentioned that the academy’s library housed ancient texts like the Dao De Jing.

Moreover, that particular location bordered the forbidden zone.

If these two facts were combined, it was entirely possible a connection existed between them.

“I’ve discovered that the academy’s back mountain isn’t just a combat training ground; there’s also an incredibly mysterious place worth exploring.

Who knows, we might even find… something unexpected.”

What she didn’t voice aloud was that spot likely concealed a secret connecting two worlds.

“Is there really such a miraculous place?

Won’t it be dangerous?”

Mu Wanqing asked, still tinged with worry.

“Don’t you worry your pretty little head~”

Su Liyue playfully winked, making an exaggerated punching motion.

“If we really run into trouble, I’ll have Xingchen beat them senseless!”

Her adorable expression made Mu Wanqing burst into a fit of giggles.

Under the precise reconnaissance of Ye Xingchen’s ‘Wind Listening Art,’ the trio swiftly pinpointed a Silver-tier magical beast.

Su Liyue and Mu Wanqing worked in perfect synchronicity, ending the battle in mere moments.

Although a few other teams had initially stirred, eager to snatch their spoils, upon witnessing the formidable power displayed by Su Liyue and Mu Wanqing, they wisely retreated.

“Done!”

Su Liyue retrieved the demon core.

“Qingqing, now for the most anticipated part: adventure time~”

She quickly calculated in her mind: with 350 points, they had already completed nearly a third of the 1250 total points required.

Considering the remaining demon core resources that other teams might contend for, securing a spot in the top three should pose no issue.

A surge of excitement then welled within her, reminding her of the wilderness survival shows she used to watch.

The thrilling suspense of exploring unknown caves was now truly pulsating within her heart.

A mysterious location, undiscovered findings, and perhaps even secrets concerning two worlds…

All of it made her eager to embark on this adventure without delay.

Before long, the trio returned to the mysterious forest encampment on their magic brooms.

After a brief rest and resupply, Ye Xingchen discreetly unfurled his Qimen Dunjia array, its unique runes swirling within his palm.

“Qimen Nine Gates, manifest!”

He uttered a low incantation, and nine ethereal gate projections sequentially appeared on the array’s surface.

The Du Gate, Jing Gate, Si Gate, Shang Gate, Zhonggong Ping Gate, Jing Gate, Sheng Gate, Xiu Gate, and Kai Gate.

Among them, the Si, Jing, and Shang Gates glowed with a baleful crimson light, while the Jing and Du Gates were wreathed in an aura of lesser ill omen.

“The ominous gates must not be entered…”

Ye Xingchen’s fingertip traced across the array, finally pausing on the Kai Gate, which emanated a faint golden glow.

He thought, ‘This is the place.

The Kai Gate signifies unimpeded passage and is one of the three auspicious gates, making it perfectly suited for exploring the unknown.’

However, as the trio arrived at the edge of the academy’s forbidden zone, Mu Wanqing suddenly tugged on Su Liyue’s sleeve.

The forbidden zone’s barrier shimmered with an eerie light, and faint, spine-chilling growls could be heard emanating from within.

“Yueyue… that’s the forbidden zone ahead.

The academy strictly forbids entry, and… every single one of our actions will be recorded.

More importantly… the aura of the magical beasts there is countless times stronger than any we’ve encountered in the back mountain!”

Mu Wanqing stammered, trembling, her face utterly pale with fright.

Seeing Su Liyue’s eager and adventurous demeanor, Mu Wanqing grew deeply concerned.

After all, being reprimanded by the academy was a minor issue; with their strength as apprentice mages, rashly entering a forbidden zone of this caliber would likely leave them without even their bones intact.

However, Su Liyue chuckled softly, pinching her best friend’s cheek.

“Don’t worry, how could I possibly lead you into danger?”

Before the words had even fully left her lips, Ye Xingchen had already completed his preparations.

The power of the Taiyin and the secret arts of the Du Gate interwove into an inexplicable halo, enveloping the trio within its embrace.

Even more astonishingly, even the positioning device within their storage rings became shrouded in a hazy mist of light.

“Yueyue? This is…?”

Mu Wanqing discovered with surprise that the beastly auras which had made her tremble were now, as if by some power, completely isolated, no longer perceptible in the slightest.

She instinctively grasped Su Liyue’s wrist, only to feel a cool current of spiritual energy flowing through it, which seemed vastly different from the magical power within her own body.

“This is our little secret, you know~”

Su Liyue suddenly leaned in close, her nose almost brushing against Mu Wanqing’s flushed earlobe.

“If you promise to be my bride, telling you wouldn’t be out of the question~”

“You already have Xingchen, and you’re still flirting with me?”

Mu Wanqing, blushing, pushed her away, when a sudden realization dawned upon her.

“Wait… you’re not suggesting I go along with you and marry him too, are you?”

“Hahaha~”

Su Liyue laughed, shaking uncontrollably like a swaying branch, her peripheral vision catching Ye Xingchen’s deliberately helpless head shake.

Since both bodies were essentially her own, having Wanqing accompany her wasn’t a big deal.

However… if Wanqing were to learn that she and Ye Xingchen were actually one and the same person, imagining her best friend’s wide-eyed, stunned expression, wouldn’t she simply faint on the spot from shock?

After all, the advantage of having two bodies was that she didn’t have to worry about whether it was marriage or a yuri relationship.

It was all ‘her,’ anyway.

Furthermore, if Mu Wanqing were to stay with her, she wouldn’t just have a long-term companion; she could also pass on the heavy responsibility of childbirth to her.

At this thought, the problem that had plagued Su Liyue for years suddenly unraveled, and it seemed it wasn’t an option entirely out of consideration~