"Who is Little Treasure?" Angel asked in confusion.
The Wise Sovereign: "You can think of it as that hole you saw earlier."
Upon hearing this response, everyone exchanged glances with subtle expressions. A hole actually has a na? And such a, well, cute na?
Co to think of it, the Wise Sovereign’s description of Little Treasure didn’t sound like just a hole, but more like so kind of intelligent being? Or an chanized puppet?
The Wise Sovereign also noticed that everyone seed puzzled by the na "Little Treasure." He originally didn’t plan to say more, but then he suddenly thought of sothing...
Perhaps this was a great opportunity for an explanation?
The Wise Sovereign thought about how to phrase it and said, "You all seem to care a lot about Little Treasure’s na? If it knew your reactions, even if Big Treasure hadn’t stopped it, it would’ve swallowed you all up whole."
"Big Treasure? Little Treasure? Could there be a Middle Treasure too?" Dox quipped.
The Wise Sovereign gave Dox a sidelong glance: "There’s no Middle Treasure, but there is a Second Treasure."
Angel: "We an no harm by its na, we just didn’t expect a hole to have such an adorable na."
"They are not ordinary holes," the Wise Sovereign said with deep aning as he looked at the Black Earl: "If they were truly just ordinary holes, why would you be monitoring their movents all the ti?"
Black Earl: "With suspicion, naturally, one would want to know more."
The Wise Sovereign: "That’s normal, but while you’re watching Little Treasure, Little Treasure is also watching you. You think it’s a hole, but it’s actually its eyes, its mouth, its ears, or even, its weapon."
Angel: "Is it an alchemical creation?"
The Wise Sovereign shook his head: "No, it has a body, didn’t you already see it?"
Seeing Angel still doubtful, the Wise Sovereign didn’t continue to explain Little Treasure’s structure, but instead returned to the previous question: "Did you just say its na was ’cute’?"
Angel: "Is there a problem?"
The Wise Sovereign: "Of course there’s no problem, I also think the na is cute. However, Little Treasure doesn’t like people saying its na is cute, it yearns for a mighty and domineering na. Once it hears soone say it’s cute, it’ll swallow them up."
The Wise Sovereign squinted with a smile: "Doesn’t that behavior make it even cuter?"
Angel: "..." Do we have a different understanding of ’cute’?
The Wise Sovereign continued to speak to himself: "Little Treasure’s full na is One-Eye Little Treasure. Its two brothers are the One-Eye Big Treasure and One-Eye Second Treasure I ntioned earlier."
"Compared to the mature and steady Big Treasure and the deep and quiet Second Treasure, Little Treasure’s personality is quite mischievous. This may be because it is the youngest child and more pampered?" the Wise Sovereign continued, "Its mother dotes on it, and I also pamper it since I watched it grow up, so I can tolerate its occasional pranks."
"Speaking of pranks, I suddenly rembered an amusing story about Little Treasure."
The Wise Sovereign’s words were very casual, as if he was really sharing a funny story, but in his unnoticed inner world, he was tense, organizing his words more cautiously.
He must make what he’s about to say seem very unintentional... absolutely cannot let them see that he actually cares a lot about it.
"An amusing story?" Angel asked "knowingly."
"That’s right. I rember you said that Cicia showed you my research projects?"
Angel nodded, though what the Wise Sovereign said wasn’t quite accurate, as he had seen the niche project in a magazine before eting Cicia, but when he saw it shouldn’t be too important.
The Wise Sovereign: "This project is among my research topics on the ecology of the Ghosteye Witch, the most inconspicuous, the least valuable, yet the most interesting one."
"I actually find it valuable." Angel wasn’t just flattering, he acknowledged that though the "Record of the Varied Postures of Witch Eye and Ghost Intermingling" is inconspicuous, saying it has no value, Angel disagreed.
It was because of this research project that Angel obtained a silver trinket belonging to a Wood Spirit without disturbing the beauty-loving Ghosteye Witch.
A project that can be featured in "The Wizard’s Little Clever Tricks" column, even if inconspicuous, is still a "clever trick."
"You find it valuable?" The Wise Sovereign was montarily stunned, then showed an expression of understanding: "Indeed, young and vigorous, liking such ’fun’ projects, I can see that."
Angel didn’t react at first until the Wise Sovereign inexplicably winked, he then realized that the Wise Sovereign seed to have misunderstood sothing...
Angel was about to explain, but saw the Wise Sovereign looking with a leisurely expression, as if waiting for him to explain.
In that kindly smile, Angel read one sentence: Go ahead, explain it to your heart’s content, I understand, I believe.
Angel swallowed his words of explanation down his throat. Forget it, a misunderstanding is just a misunderstanding, truly explaining would an admitting he "understood" the Wise Sovereign’s implication. It’s better to not explain, just pretend the Wise Sovereign was genuinely praising him for being "young and vigorous," without any hidden aning, even though it’s not quite a complint either.
Without engaging, Angel’s silence was irrelevant to the Wise Sovereign, who had long prepared his words, and he continued: "Anyway, because this interesting project has no value... I personally felt it was of no value, but an interesting project cannot be savored alone, of course, it has to be shared with others."
The Wise Sovereign: "So, I decided to submit this project to a certain magazine."
"However, trivial matters like submissions I naturally wouldn’t handle personally, so I entrusted the manuscript to Little Treasure to handle it. Who knew, the magazine reached out needing a pseudonym, and Little Treasure that rascal... sigh."
The Wise Sovereign sighed, with an expression of a "doting father indulging a mischievous child" said: "Unexpectedly, Little Treasure, in its mischief, without my consent, used a nickna it privately calls with its brothers."
The Wise Sovereign spoke casually, but the key points of "without my consent" and "chosen by Little Treasure" he deliberately portrayed with a helpless expression, deepening everyone’s impression.
"That’s how that sowhat peculiar... pseudonym ca about."
After listening to the Wise Sovereign, the others showed no expression, but Dox had a look of realization: "So that’s how Blue Fattie’s na ca to be. I thought..."
"You thought what?" The Wise Sovereign smiled, looking at Dox with eyes full of affection.
Dox inexplicably felt a chill run down his spine and blurted, "Nothing, nothing, I just think the na sounds quite nice."
Angel watched as Dox suddenly started stamring, unable to help but think: A pseudonym that even the Wise Sovereign himself hesitates to ntion directly, yet Dox blurts it out like that, it would be surprising if he wasn’t being rembered for it.
Yes, Angel didn’t know if the others realized the Wise Sovereign’s concern over the pseudonym, but Angel had noticed it.
From the very first eting, when the Wise Sovereign inquired what intelligence Angel got from Cicia, Angel noticed the Wise Sovereign’s awkward emotion when he ntioned the Wise Sovereign’s pseudonym.
Back then, the Wise Sovereign didn’t know Angel had an extraordinary sensitivity to emotions, so he didn’t hide it, and Angel saw it all clearly.
Later, after the Wise Sovereign deliberately concealed his emotions, Angel gradually found himself unable to detect any emotional changes.
But Angel rembered not to ntion the pen na in front of the Wise Sovereign.
This ti, when the Wise Sovereign proactively brought up the research topic, Angel was initially puzzled. Eventually, through Xiao Bao’s mischievousness, the Wise Sovereign extended the conversation to the submission incident, explaining the origin of his pen na. Only then did Angel understand that the Wise Sovereign was likely unwilling to be misunderstood and seized the chance to clarify.
Yet even while explaining, the Wise Sovereign still avoided ntioning the pen na, showing how much he cared about it.
At this mont, Dox just happened to touch the tiger’s whiskers, leaving nothing but a silent lant for him.
However, Angel could only lant in his heart, outwardly following the crowd, with a look of "Ah, so the pen na was made by Xiao Bao, truly mischievous," as if watching the antics of a mischievous child.
The Wise Sovereign indeed did not notice that Angel had already seen through his inner drama.
Having secretly noted down Dox, the Wise Sovereign imdiately changed the topic: "Xiao Bao’s mischievous antics are nurous; consider these just the tip of the iceberg, not worth ntioning."
Inwardly, Angel mused: Not worth ntioning, yet you ntioned them.
"Back to the point, your earlier guess was correct, but not entirely," the Wise Sovereign said, looking at Angel.
"You stated that the family of One-eyed Xiao Bao is her pawn, and that definition is correct. Because this species indeed originated from the relict site. It is very likely that ’she’ brought them out from another world."
"However, not all mbers of this family count as her pawns."
Angel: "Xiao Bao is not her pawn?"
The Wise Sovereign: "Xiao Bao listens to her, but also listens to ."
This statent was clear enough: even if Xiao Bao indeed beca the test that ’she’ devised for Angel and others, the Wise Sovereign could still have Xiao Bao obey him. Thus, Xiao Bao does not necessarily count as her pawn.
Angel: "Then who is her pawn...?"
The Wise Sovereign’s answer was very cryptic: "No matter whether Da Bao, Er Bao, or Xiao Bao, they are all like little holes; you must have encountered them along the way."
"Your real test is a big hole."
A big hole? Angel frowned, recalling that the Wise Sovereign had previously ntioned an existence: "Their mother?"
The Wise Sovereign neither confird nor denied but instead started introducing their mother.
"Their mother is called You Nu. She is a larger hole; if she exerted her full power, she could even swallow half of the Underground Aqueduct," the Wise Sovereign said. "Her engulfnt is very peculiar, ignoring all defenses. As long as you are within her range, no matter how strong you are, it won’t help."
"And the things she engulfs can only be released by herself and the ’her’ from the relict site. Even I would be the sa if swallowed."
Although the Wise Sovereign did not explicitly say the test was from You Nu, having started to describe You Nu’s capabilities, everyone could basically conclude that You Nu was very likely to beco a hurdle that ’she’ set up.
Dox: "Then, as long as we don’t pass through her range, there will be no problem, right?"
The Wise Sovereign: "Xiao Bao, Da Bao, and Er Bao can all close their holes. Do you think their mother can’t close and hide hers? Moreover, I’ve said before that her engulfnt range is quite large. If she hides along your inevitable path, can you detect her?"
Dox: "Then doesn’t she have any weaknesses?"
The Wise Sovereign glanced aningfully at Angel: "This is your test."
Angel, inexplicably stared at, was confused: "My test? Not our test?"
The Wise Sovereign did not answer, instead musing aloud: "You Nu, having accompanied for much longer than Da Bao and the others, has greatly contributed to the Underground Aqueduct. She actually listens to , it’s just..."
The Wise Sovereign did not finish his sentence, but everyone inferred the unspoken words.
You Nu listens to the Wise Sovereign, but listens even more to her.
"I can only tell you two things. First, my hall has been modified so that she will not co to my hall, nor will she pass through it. Second, when she is hidden, she cannot open her mouth too wide, but occupying the passage is not a problem. Once she reveals her true body, her open mouth speed is limited and cannot instantly reach maximum."
"Oh, and one more thing: you cannot kill her. Actually, saying this is pointless, you wouldn’t be able to kill her unless... his strength ets the mark, and he has a way to locate her true body."
The "he" in the Wise Sovereign’s statent was none other than the one whom he was looking at... Kaier.
"However, even if he manages it, you still should not kill her, nor even harm her, and must make this effort."
Angel: "Why?"
The Wise Sovereign: "Da Bao, Er Bao, and Xiao Bao listen to , but they listen to their mother more. Trust , if it cos to a head-on confrontation, you’d prefer facing You Nu."
When the Wise Sovereign spoke these words, his expression was serious, genuinely warning them.
This indicated that if they hard You Nu, her three children could turn hostile against them. Even in the Wise Sovereign’s description, You Nu’s children are... dangerous?
As for why they were dangerous, the Wise Sovereign was unwilling to elaborate.
After the Wise Sovereign finished speaking, he paused for a long while, as if giving them ti to deliberate.
Everyone analyzed the Wise Sovereign’s words over the Mind Ribbon.
From the known information, You Nu was basically confird as the test left by her, though it wasn’t the only one—probably just one of many.
Da Bao, Er Bao, and Xiao Bao might not be tests, but if they were, the Wise Sovereign could persuade them to ease up.
You Nu is a test that they will inevitably face, yet they cannot harm You Nu.
According to the Wise Sovereign’s information, the only way to pass the test is to reach the Hall of Wisdom. You Nu will not enter the hall, and reaching it ans the test is over.
But the Wise Sovereign made it clear that even when hidden, You Nu can occupy the entire passage.
Therefore, even if they identify where You Nu is hidden, they cannot pass through the walkway.
So how are they supposed to reach the Hall of Wisdom?
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