novelraw Chapter 662 - 97: Her True Identity Exposed! (Fourth Update)
Chapter 662 - 97: Her True Identity Exposed! (Fourth Update)
The door of the mansion closed, Mu Qingge stood inside a cave dwelling, surveying the surroundings.
What lay before her was merely a path that extended inward, with walls around her smoothed and glistening with fluorescent light. The ice pillars stretching from the ground to the ceiling—whether they were carved or naturally formed—was a mystery.
"Come here." That elderly voice spoke again.
Mu Qingge listened carefully, the voice seemed to emanate from deep within the cave dwelling.
’From the sound, it doesn’t seem to harbor any malice. Yet, who could dwell in this cave for ten thousand years?’ With these doubts in her heart, Mu Qingge stepped forward, slowly making her way deeper into the cave dwelling.
Drip!
A droplet from an ice pillar fell onto the corroded ice below, making a light sound.
Mu Qingge turned towards the sound, noticing that the ice corroded by the water droplets now had a groove, like a small bowl.
Following the only path, Mu Qingge gradually ventured deeper, and after three turns, her field of view suddenly widened. A cave dwelling, akin to the size of a room, appeared before her.
"Divine Strategy!" Upon entering the cave dwelling, Mu Qingge had no time to survey anything else as her gaze was immediately captured by the scroll suspended in the middle of the cave.
Unable to contain herself, she hurried towards the gold-glowing scroll, overwhelmed with excitement, her hands even trembling slightly; she had waited for this day for so long.
Having already possessed the Divine Strategy Upper Volume, she could instantly recognize it to be the Divine Strategy Middle Volume! After all, there was no difference in appearance between the upper and middle volumes.
Delighted, Mu Qingge was thrilled beyond measure, the task she had awaited for so long was now within reach.
As long as she obtained the Divine Strategy Middle Volume, her mission for this trip would be complete.
But just as she stepped within arm’s reach of the Divine Strategy Middle Volume, a transparent flame, looming with dark blue and tinged with pale gold, suddenly erupted from the ground, enveloping her whole.
Startled, Mu Qingge realized she had been somewhat reckless before.
The sight of the Divine Strategy Middle Volume caused a momentary lapse in her caution.
Standing within the flames—which erupted suddenly from the underground ice layer, and were just over a person’s height, perfectly encircling her—the flames seemed to lack any heat. Even though they coated her, there was no discomfort. This anomaly made her furrow her brows slightly.
Through the luminous transparent flames, Mu Qingge steadied her mind, scanning the cave dwelling environment.
The cave dwelling was circular. There was nothing else inside, except for the Divine Strategy Middle Volume floating in the air just within her reach. It appeared empty with no peculiar features.
"Little fellow, you’re called Mu Qingge, aren’t you?" The sudden resurgence of the elderly voice instantly filled Mu Qingge’s eyes with wariness.
"Who are you? Come out!" Mu Qingge’s clear eyes darkened slightly.
Even wrapped within the flames, her speech was unaffected.
"Who am I?" The elderly voice emitted a faint chuckle, the laughter tinged with sorrow and bitterness.
Mu Qingge frowned lightly but did not rush to speak.
After the laughter subsided, the elderly voice continued, "Little fellow, I never imagined a woman like you could break through to this point, make it this far. Have you come here to compete with others for the position of Young Master? Surely you know, in the history of the Mu Clan, there has never been a female Family Head."
Mu Qingge’s eyes narrowed sharply, her heart sank. ’Who is the owner of this voice to see through her disguise so easily? Her Illusionary Artifact was crafted by Sang Lanruo and had forbidden techniques set up by Si Mo. Si Mo once said that those whose cultivation didn’t surpass his couldn’t see through its disguise. Yet the owner of this voice saw through her true form at a glance—doesn’t this mean his cultivation surpasses that of Si Mo?!’
This possibility sent shock waves through Mu Qingge’s heart.
In her mind, Si Mo was already extremely powerful, at least beyond what she could currently contend against. If the strength of this voice owner exceeded that of Si Mo, wouldn’t acquiring the Divine Strategy Middle Volume today be an uphill battle?
While tumultuous thoughts churned within Mu Qingge, she suddenly felt a pain on her left ear.
Out of the corner of her eye flickered a slight purple light, focusing her gaze, she realized that her Illusionary Artifact had been removed from a distance by someone.
Deprived of her Illusionary Artifact, her identity could no longer be hidden, instantly transforming from an enchanting young master into a stunning beauty mesmerizing the world.
Mu Qingge’s face darkened, a cold edge covered her exquisite features.
The purple earring now hovered in a spot not too far in front of her.
"Hmm, such beauty is seen only once in many millennia. Gifted, wise, and such radiant looks; no wonder as a woman you’d have ambitions to vie for Family Head." The elderly voice, after some scrutiny, offered its evaluation.
Yet, Mu Qingge merely scoffed.
"I’ve never coveted the position of Mu Clan’s leader. I’m here solely for the Divine Strategy." Mu Qingge stated her purpose clearly.
She was quite uncomfortable with the sarcastic tone in that voice.
It seemed that, in the voice’s perception, women shouldn’t stir waves or vie to overlook the nine heavens. Yet her meticulous disguise as a man was also driven by her internal ambition.
Mu Qingge sneered inwardly.
"For the Divine Strategy? Or are you saying you don’t want to become the head of the Mu Clan?" The disdain in the voice grew stronger. "Since you’ve made it here, you should know that obtaining the complete Divine Strategy is a prerequisite for becoming the head of the Mu Clan. I see you should have already obtained the Divine Strategy Upper Volume, but you just haven’t cultivated it properly."
After speaking, a derisive chuckle followed.
Mu Qingge’s eyes turned gloomy, and her lips pressed into a line. She no longer wanted to explain herself; the owner of that voice, whoever it was, felt to her like a conservative stickler.
Why bother wasting words to justify herself?
Suddenly, a purple earring shot towards Mu Qingge. With lightning speed, it appeared before her in an instant.
Her eyes narrowed, and she reached out to catch the purple earring, holding it in her palm but not wearing it again.
"You should leave; this isn’t a place for you," the ancient voice said slowly.
These words utterly angered Mu Qingge.
She had gone through so much to get here for the Divine Strategy Middle Volume, and after her hard-earned breakthrough, this faceless figure wanted her to leave?
She laughed coldly and said to the voice, "Give me the Divine Strategy Middle Volume, and I’ll leave immediately and never return."
"Still dreaming of the Divine Strategy Middle Volume? I haven’t forced you to hand over the Upper Volume already, out of respect for your Mu Clan bloodline. Inviting you into the cave was only to explain things to you. You should leave quickly and not waste time," the voice, now tinged with impatience, said.
A cold glint flashed in Mu Qingge’s clear eyes.
She suddenly asked, "What gives you the right to disqualify me? I ask you, did the ancestors of the Mu Clan specify that female descendants are not allowed to participate when establishing this rule?"
The ancient voice fell silent.
Mu Qingge continued, "Not answering means no stipulation, so both men and women can participate. I got here on my own ability, and you want to dismiss me with a made-up rule? Do you see me as easy to bully?"
Again, the voice was silent.
At this point, Mu Qingge’s anger boiled, her expression growing colder as she continued, "Today, whether you agree or not, I will take the Divine Strategy Middle Volume. If you want to kill me, go ahead!"
With that, she turned to reach for the Divine Strategy Middle Volume.
The flames enveloping her body surged even higher.
"Do you know what a Mu Clan head must bear?" The long-silent voice finally reappeared.
Mu Qingge’s hand was already raised, reaching for the Divine Strategy Middle Volume.
Hearing his words, she merely gave a cold smile and continued to reach forward.
However, just as her hand was about to touch the Divine Strategy Middle Volume, she felt a sharp pain in her palm, forcing her to withdraw it.
Looking at her withdrawn hand, she was surprised to find it a bloody mess.
’It seems this Divine Strategy is not so easily acquired.’ A cloud passed over Mu Qingge’s mind.
She didn’t care about her injury; though it looked terrifying, it wasn’t that serious. In just moments, her palm healed completely, showing no trace of injury.
"Merely at the Silver Realm Third Layer, yet such powerful healing ability!" A hint of astonishment came through the ancient voice.
Mu Qingge’s eyes scanned the surroundings, trying to find where the speaker was hiding.
Seeing through her thoughts, the voice said, "Don’t bother looking. If I don’t want you to see me, you’ll never be able to."
Mu Qingge withdrew her hand, offering no explanation for her healing ability.
"You see, the Divine Strategy Middle Volume isn’t yours," the voice said.
Mu Qingge sneered, "What a joke. If this Divine Strategy had a destined owner, why would the Mu Clan go to such lengths to set up this competition? Obviously, it’s a merit-based opportunity, and anyone who makes it here has a chance. You simply look down on me because I’m a woman and won’t disclose the testing method, hoping I’ll give up."
"You’re quite clever," the voice said begrudgingly.
Mu Qingge’s smile grew more sarcastic, "It doesn’t matter if you won’t tell me. Do you know someone else is competing to get here, and he’s the man you wish for? When he arrives, you’ll naturally tell him how to get the Divine Strategy Middle Volume. Once he has it, I’ll just take it from him."
The ancient voice fell into silence once more.
The teasing in Mu Qingge’s eyes grew heavier; she stood by the Divine Strategy Middle Volume, neither rashly taking action nor willing to leave.
"A woman like you, so stubborn," the voice finally said after a long pause.
Mu Qingge raised an eyebrow and replied, "Stubborn is an overstatement; I consider myself quite reasonable. It’s just that your decision is unacceptable to me."
"Alas, what a pity! If you were a man, you would indeed be a great candidate!" the voice lamented.