As soon as she stepped out, the cacophony of discussion rushed in like a tide.
The plaza outside the Trial Tower was crowded with low-rank and mid-rank mages gathered in groups of two or three. They pointed at the massive, floating leaderboard beside the tower, their faces filled with wonder and envy.
“That’s insane… Who is this Yuanji Taiqing Ziwei Emperor? They actually reached Floor 58!”
“That’s way too strong! Compared to the second-place score, they literally doubled it!”
“Look at the mid-rank side. The highest is only Floor 25. The gap is absolutely ridiculous!”
Su Yun’s heart skipped a beat as she quickly turned to look at the shimmering leaderboard.
At the very top, the name **[Yuanji Taiqing Ziwei Emperor: Floor 58]** stood out in large, striking characters. The golden font pulsed slightly, as if announcing this staggering achievement to the world.
In second place was Ning Die’s **[Super Little Princess: Floor 21]**.
Su Miaomiao’s **[White Cotton: Floor 8]** and Chu Yu’er’s **[Little Peach Blossom: Floor 16]** were left far behind.
As for the top of the mid-rank passage, it was indeed only Floor 25. Compared to her result, it wasn’t even worth mentioning.
Although the difficulty coefficient of the low-rank Trial Tower was naturally lower than the mid-rank one, the intensity scaling was perfectly consistent. To reach Floor 58 in the low-rank passage was equivalent to crudely crushing the limit of a mid-rank mage.
A layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on Su Yun’s back. She felt secretly relieved that the Trial Tower did not have a live combat broadcast feature. Otherwise, never mind developing in secret; whether she could even live a peaceful life would be a question.
Her only thought now was to quickly find Ning Die, Su Miaomiao, and Chu Yu’er. Those three knew her code name. If they accidentally let it slip, her secret would be completely exposed.
Su Yun squeezed through the crowd, her gaze darting across the plaza until she spotted three figures huddled in a corner. The three were whispering amongst themselves, and when they saw Su Yun walking toward them, they waved her over.
Su Yun ran over quickly. Before she could speak, Chu Yu’er took her hand and pulled her close, whispering in a low voice.
“I figured you didn’t want to reveal your strength for a reason. So, when people came over earlier to ask if we knew the person at the top of the board, I told Miaomiao and Die’die to wait until you got back so we could ask your opinion. We didn’t dare say anything.”
Her voice was soft, and her eyes held a hint of worry, as if she were afraid she hadn’t done enough and might have caused trouble for Su Yun.
Ning Die stood nearby with her arms crossed and her back straight. Her neat, pale green mage robes complemented the natural air of nobility in her features.
She raised an eyebrow, her tone admiring yet maintaining the poise of a highborn lady. “You certainly kept that well-hidden. I thought you’d hit Floor 30 at most, but you went straight to Floor 58. Impressive.”
There was no loud shouting or dramatic physical contact, just a simple sentence that carried genuine recognition. After all, she was the child of a Dominator and possessed a refined perspective. She had known Su Yun was capable, but she hadn’t expected her to be *this* capable.
Su Miaomiao looked at her with wide, watery eyes, her small hands tugging excitedly at the hem of her clothes. “Su Yun, you’re so amazing! I was kicked out by a Level 30 shadow as soon as I hit Floor 8, but you managed to clear so many floors!”
“Whew…”
The weight in Su Yun’s heart finally lifted, and her tense shoulders relaxed. Looking at the three of them, a warm current flowed through her. It was truly thanks to Chu Yu’er’s attentiveness; otherwise, she would have been in for a lot of trouble today.
“Thank you.” Su Yun’s voice carried sincere gratitude, and her fluffy ears twitched slightly.
Seeing Su Yun’s look of relief, Chu Yu’er couldn’t help but chuckle. A flash of mischief crossed her eyes as she leaned in closer, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear.
“Then, about our previous agreement… isn’t it time to settle up? You cleared thirty-eight floors more than I did, you know.”
Su Yun suddenly remembered their private bet and felt a bit helpless. She had originally thought about trying to back out, but seeing Chu Yu’er’s sparkling eyes, the refusal died in her throat.
Ning Die was sharp and immediately noticed the two were sharing secrets. She didn’t pry and simply spoke up.
“What are you two whispering about? If there’s nothing else, I’m heading back to the manor. I have some questions for my father.”
Thinking back to what had happened in the trial grounds, she was almost certain Su Yun was that Samoyed. She wasn’t jealous of Su Yun, but the massive gap between them made her feel a bit uneasy. Besides, Su Yun had lied to her!
‘She deserves the cold shoulder… for at least one night!’
Su Miaomiao also nodded without saying anything. She was already satisfied with reaching Floor 8.
Chu Yu’er looked up and smiled at the other two. “Su Yun and I have a small matter to discuss. You two go on ahead. Let’s hang out again another day.”
Ning Die nodded and turned to leave. Her stride was calm, her robes fluttering slightly in the breeze, exuding the decisive aura of an eldest daughter. Su Miaomiao also waved to the two of them and skipped away behind her.
Once they were out of sight, Chu Yu’er took Su Yun’s hand, her eyes curving into crescents.
“We agreed: whoever wins, the other has to go to their house alone for a day. Since you won, come to my house tomorrow! My mother makes delicious snacks, and our rainbow rabbits are incredibly cute!”
Su Yun scratched her head, feeling a bit bashful. “I haven’t told my master yet. I don’t know if she’ll agree.”
“That’s no problem,” Chu Yu’er said, pulling out a small pink magic communication talisman. “I’ll send my mother a message and have her speak to Sister Mo Qingqing. My mother and Sister Mo Qingqing are old acquaintances; she’ll definitely agree.”
Su Yun was stunned and fell silent.
‘Fine.’
‘You had this all planned out, didn’t you?’
As they spoke, Chu Yu’er tapped the communication talisman. In less than two minutes, the talisman vibrated with a response. Chu Yu’er showed the message to Su Yun. It basically said there was no issue.
Su Yun was finally able to relax.
When she returned home, Mo Qingqing didn’t say much. She only told Su Yun not to embarrass herself and to mind her manners. Afterward, Mo Qingqing went into seclusion to reflect on the day’s battles.
***
The next day.
The Chu family’s carriage was already waiting outside Mo Qingqing’s house. The carriage body was snow-white and carved with exquisite rose patterns. A string of small magical bells hung from the roof, jingling melodiously as it moved.
Su Yun boarded the carriage alone. The interior was lined with soft plush rugs, and a small table in the corner held a plate of shimmering crystal candies.
The carriage ride was smooth. The scenery outside the window drifted by—fluffy clouds and strange little birds chirping as they flew. Before long, the carriage pulled into a grand estate.
The main gate was made of precious redwood inlaid with tiny magic crystals that sparkled in the sunlight. Two rows of tall rose vines grew on either side of the gate, covered in pink blossoms. A sweet fragrance wafted through the air with every breeze.
The carriage stopped, and Chu Yu’er was already standing at the door with a smile. “Su Yun, come in quickly!”
Su Yun followed Chu Yu’er into the estate and was instantly stunned by the sight before her.
Vast fields of flowers stretched out before her—red, yellow, blue, purple… flowers of every color bloomed in the sunlight, each carrying a faint fragrance. In the center of the floral sea was a small fountain. The water was crystal clear, with transparent lotus leaves floating on the surface. Occasionally, golden fish leaped from the water, creating ripples.
On a nearby lawn, several magic rabbits with rainbow-colored fur were hopping around and munching on grass. Seeing someone arrive, they curiously lifted their heads, their ruby-like eyes shining brightly.
“These rabbits aren’t afraid of people. You can pet them.” Chu Yu’er took Su Yun’s hand, walked to the lawn, and gently picked up a small rabbit.
The rabbit’s fur was soft, feeling like a cloud. It obediently nuzzled Su Yun’s finger, its soft nose tickling her.
Su Yun couldn’t help but laugh. She was starting to understand how others saw her.
The two played with the rabbits for a while before Chu Yu’er took Su Yun on a tour of the garden. She pointed out the various unique flowers, introducing them one by one.
“This is the Moonlight Flower; it glows white at night. That’s Honey Grass; the leaves are sweet if you chew them. And over there is Star Grass; when it blooms, it twinkles like the stars…”
Su Yun listened with great interest. She realized these things were vastly different from what she had seen in the training worlds. The magical plants here possessed a gentle aura that felt exceptionally comfortable.
When they grew tired from walking, Chu Yu’er led Su Yun to a pavilion in the center of the garden. Soon, servants dressed in simple, elegant dresses brought out exquisite snacks and fruit juice.
The snacks were made with fresh ingredients—there were flower-shaped cookies, cream-filled cake rolls, and translucent jellies. They looked incredibly tempting. The juice was freshly squeezed from magical fruits, sweet and fragrant.
Su Yun took a flower cookie and bit into it. The crispy texture combined with the floral scent was so delicious her eyes lit up.
“It’s good, right?” Chu Yu’er watched her with a beaming smile. “My mother made these herself. She’s best at making snacks from magical plants.”
Just then, a woman in a magnificent long dress walked over slowly, a gentle smile on her face. “Yu’er, this must be your friend Su Yun. Come, sit down, don’t just stand there.”
“Mom!” Chu Yu’er threw herself into the woman’s arms, nuzzling her affectionately.
Mrs. Chu smiled and stroked her hair before looking at Su Yun with a very kind gaze. “You’re Su Yun, right? Welcome to our home. If you like these snacks, I’ll have the kitchen make more so you can take some back for Mo Qingqing to try.”
Su Yun quickly stood up and said shyly, “Thank you, Auntie. The snacks are delicious.”
Mrs. Chu nodded with a smile and chatted with Su Yun about everyday things. Her tone was so warm that it made Su Yun feel at ease.
The two young girls spent the afternoon in the garden—feeding rabbits, picking magic fruits, and chasing butterflies. Their laughter filled the entire estate.
As the sun began to set, Mrs. Chu personally called them for dinner. The table was laden with fragrant dishes, all made from magical plants and fresh ingredients. It was so delicious that Su Yun almost swallowed her tongue.
After dinner, Chu Yu’er took Su Yun to her room. The room was filled with all sorts of magical toys and books, and several beautiful paintings of magical plants hung on the walls.
The two sat on the rug, flipping through magical storybooks together. Chu Yu’er even brought out her precious collection of magical stickers, and they stuck them onto the front pages of the books together.
It wasn’t until the sky was completely dark that Su Yun reluctantly said her goodbyes.
The Chu family carriage dropped her off at Mo Qingqing’s door. Su Yun carried the box of snacks Mrs. Chu had prepared for her as she slowly walked toward the house.
The evening breeze blew gently, ruffling the fur near her ears and carrying a hint of sweetness. She looked up at the stars. They were scattered sparsely across the sky, yet they shone exceptionally bright.
‘This kind of life… is what I really want…’
‘When will it finally…’