Genius in the whole system: The useless young lady dominates the world

Walking through this ancient and mysterious forest, Lu Lingxi Yao's eyes were alert, constantly on guard against any potential dangers lurking around her.

To prevent the spirit beast from attacking her, she summoned Youming from the space. Youming transformed into a kitten, but it was different from a kitten. It had a pair of pure white wings on its back, which added to its liveliness and cuteness.

Youming would either sit on Lu Lingxi's shoulder, its little head turning from time to time, curiously observing the surrounding environment; or it would lazily lie on her head, enjoying the breeze, looking completely carefree. With Youming's protection, the other spirit beasts would automatically retreat far away, not daring to approach Lu Lingxi.

Passing through the forest, the ruins of an ancient, abandoned city suddenly came into view; this was the legendary Lost City.

The gate to the ruins was wide open, like a gaping, dark maw. A large crowd had already gathered outside, their faces filled with anticipation and curiosity, their eyes gleaming with excitement as they stared intently at the gate that seemed to lead nowhere.

Despite everyone's efforts to peer inside through the door, the deep darkness seemed like an invisible barrier, swallowing up all their vision.

"Yao Yao"

Just as she emerged from the forest, Lu Lingxi heard a familiar voice calling her. She couldn't help but look in the direction of the voice. Not far away, Bei Chen Haoyu was waving his arms excitedly at her. She nodded slightly in response and then walked into the Lingyue Kingdom's group.

On her shoulder, Youming, who had been lying down, suddenly sat up straight and looked around curiously.

Chu Ranran of Yaoguang Kingdom and Ye Junyi of Kaiyang Kingdom were also among the explorers. They looked at the gate that seemed to devour all light, and a trace of fear flashed in their eyes. The Lost City, a place full of dangers, required caution with every step forward. This was an ironclad rule that all explorers knew all too well.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go inside!"

At this moment, Su Sheng's (Su Yuwei's father) voice broke the silence, his tone revealing impatient anxiety.

However, his proposal did not receive a positive response from anyone; instead, it drew disdainful looks and sarcastic remarks.

"Didn't you see that Yao Guang Kingdom and Kai Yang Kingdom are still holding back their troops? We won't stop you from rushing to your death. It's really strange that His Majesty would let someone as brainless as you come along to explore the secret realm!"

These words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing the enthusiasm on Su Sheng's face. His face turned from red to white, and he awkwardly turned to the direction of Yao Guang and Kai Yang. He saw that the teams of those two countries were indeed maintaining a calm and wait-and-see attitude. Finally, he compromised, his tone carrying a hint of unwillingness and helplessness.

"I was too hasty. Let's wait and see what they do before we act."

Lu Lingxi asked softly, "Youming, can you sense any danger?"

Upon hearing this, Youming leisurely licked its paws, seemingly already fully aware of its surroundings. "Master, there are no unusual fluctuations here."

Just then, Chu Ranran and Ye Junyi arrived in front of Lu Lingxi Yao at a leisurely pace. Chu Ranran spoke first, her voice carrying a hint of worry.

“Miss Lu Ling, this ruin is fraught with danger, and the passage before us is difficult to distinguish from the real one. If we were to venture in with all our members, the consequences would be unimaginable. Therefore, we have come to discuss with you whether we could each send a few team members to explore ahead of time.”

Ye Junyi continued, "This is the best strategy to protect the safety of the majority of people, and it is also the only feasible method we can think of at the moment."

Upon hearing this, Lu Lingxi raised her eyebrows slightly and a faint smile appeared on her lips. That smile contained both consideration for the suggestion and helplessness towards the current situation.

"This matter concerns the safety of everyone, so I cannot make a decision on my own. We need to listen to everyone's opinions and make a joint decision."

Upon hearing this, Chu Ranran nodded slightly, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes, and then said calmly, "Then we will wait for good news and await your decision."

After speaking, she exchanged a glance with Ye Junyi, smiled at each other, and then turned and returned to her own group.

"Everyone..."

As soon as Lu Lingxi spoke, everyone's eyes were drawn to her. Although she was not the leader of this expedition, her influence was a thousand times greater than that of the leader. Especially after everyone thought she had perished and then miraculously returned, her reputation resounded throughout the entire Lingyue Kingdom. Her name was known to everyone and respected by all.

Sensing the focused gazes around her, Lu Lingxi continued calmly, "Whether the gate before us leads to the true entrance is still unknown. If we all rush in, we risk total annihilation. Therefore, Yaoguang and Kaiyang have made a cautious suggestion: each of the three kingdoms should send a team of three to go ahead, investigate the situation, and ensure safety before entering together."

After he finished speaking, everyone in Lingyue Kingdom fell into a brief silence. The atmosphere was so heavy that it was almost freezing. The faces of the nobles, especially those from the royal family, were so gloomy that they looked like they could squeeze water out of them.

Among the group, Su Sheng stood out. His face turned ashen, and his voice trembled as he retorted, "In my opinion, it is best for everyone to go in together. Even if something goes wrong, we can help each other and get through this together."

He paused briefly, then added, "Furthermore, who can guarantee that this isn't a trap set by Yaoguang and Kaiyang? They may have already secretly joined forces to deliberately use this tactic to divert our strength, all for their own selfish gain."

As soon as Su Sheng finished speaking, two members of the royal family let out a contemptuous snort, their tone full of disdain for Su Sheng's cowardice and fear of death.

"Su Sheng, you're not only a coward, you're also afraid of death. If you want to go in, go in yourself. Don't drag us down with you!"

Faced with such accusations, Su Sheng seemed somewhat at a loss. He helplessly turned his gaze to Lu Lingxi, hoping to get some comfort or guidance from her.

Lu Lingxi Yao simply smiled lightly, her smile carrying a hint of indifference, "Why are you looking at me? This matter concerns life and death, I have no objection, you can decide everything."

"Lingyue Kingdom, do you agree to our proposal?" Chu Ranran's gaze was sharp as she stared directly at the people from Lingyue Kingdom, seemingly waiting for a clear answer.

After exchanging a subtle glance, the royal nobles all turned their gazes to Su Sheng. Then, a noble representative slowly spoke, "We agree!"

These four simple words made Su Sheng's heart tighten. He couldn't help but feel anxious and quickly turned his pleading eyes to Lu Lingxi.

However, Lu Lingxi deliberately avoided his gaze, gently turning her head away, a half-smile curving her lips.

Upon seeing this, the royal nobles burst into hearty laughter, instantly lightening the atmosphere. "Then, it's decided!"

Chu Ranran and Ye Junyi walked over. "Just to be on the safe side, we'll send a small team to conduct a preliminary investigation and find out what's going on inside."

Before the words were even finished, Yao Guang and Kai Yang quickly sprang into action, selecting six members from the two teams and forming groups of three to prepare for the mission.

However, the Lingyue Kingdom fell into an awkward silence. Everyone looked at each other, their eyes revealing fear and hesitation. Clearly, no one was willing to be the "brave one".

A tense, oppressive atmosphere hung in the air. Everyone was weighing the pros and cons in their minds, but no one was willing to break the silence first.

At this moment, a member of the royal family suddenly spoke up, his voice tinged with a hint of mockery, "Since no one is willing to take the initiative, let's proceed according to our cultivation levels. Those with lower cultivation levels can go first to scout ahead, how about that?"

Upon hearing this, Su Sheng and his two subordinates instantly became the target of everyone's criticism. Their cultivation level was indeed relatively low among the crowd, so it was clear that this suggestion was undoubtedly aimed at them.

Su Sheng's face instantly turned ashen. He retorted angrily, "Why should those of us with lower cultivation levels have to take the risks first? Shouldn't those with higher cultivation levels bear greater responsibility?"

Upon hearing this, the two members of the royal family smirked coldly, their words sharp as knives, "Hmph, if you people with low cultivation levels don't even have the courage to scout ahead, what can we expect you to do when we encounter truly powerful enemies? You might even become a burden to us. The reason we're sending you to scout ahead is because we see that you still have some value. Otherwise, what can you contribute to this team?"

These words left Su Sheng speechless. He looked at the situation before him with anger and helplessness, while Lu Lingxi Yao remained leisurely sitting to the side, gently playing with a strand of her hair in her hand, a calm and composed smile on her face, as if all of this had nothing to do with her. She was just a calm bystander, quietly enjoying this wonderful drama.

Su Sheng suggested, a hint of cunning in his voice. He looked intently at everyone present and said, "If you want us to go in first, let's vote. Whoever gets the most votes, we'll listen to them!"

A contemptuous smile curled at the corners of the royal nobles' lips, as if they had already seen through everything. "Those who agree that the Su family should go ahead and scout ahead, please raise your hands!"

Before she finished speaking, hands sprang up like mushrooms after rain, but Lu Lingxi Yao remained lost in her own thoughts, making no move.

The crucial vote landed squarely on her shoulder, forcing Su Sheng to ask in a low voice, "Miss Lu Ling, what are your thoughts on this proposal?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Lingxi Yao's lips curled into a wicked smile. After looking around, her eyes held a hint of mockery. "In my opinion, the most suitable people among us to go and scout ahead are your Su family! If you don't go, I'm afraid no one else can shoulder this important task."

Su Sheng sensed something was wrong and turned his attention to the young woman before him, attempting to provoke her with words, "Miss Lu Ling, your strength is outstanding, and you shone brightly in the Five Nations Tournament. You are more suitable to take on such an important task. Besides, you are in the prime of your youth, with a promising future. How can you let an old man like me take such a risk?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Lingxi Yao's laughter grew even louder, tinged with amusement. "Oh dear, Mr. Su, you flatter me. I am but a novice with a long road ahead of me. How can I let the future hope of Lingyue Kingdom wither here because of a moment of bravery?"

Then, her tone shifted abruptly, and Lu Lingxi's expression instantly turned cold, an undeniable aura of authority rising around her. "Now, I'll only ask you once: are you going in by yourself, or am I going to escort you in?"

Su Sheng was shocked to see Lu Lingxi's sudden change in expression. He wanted to argue a few more times, but he found that his words were powerless in the face of her cold aura.

In the end, he could only helplessly lead his two attendants slowly toward the dark door, his heart filled with helplessness and resentment, yet he dared not resist in the slightest.

At a command, three groups, totaling nine members, entered the dark, gaping door one after another.

"Let's wait here for news. Once we get a signal that everything is alright inside, we'll go in together." Chu Ranran's voice was like a ray of warm sunshine, temporarily calming everyone's tense nerves. Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement.

Before this trip, everyone in Lingyue Kingdom wore an exquisite conch shell for communication, which was specially prepared to maintain contact in this complex and ever-changing environment. Presumably, Yaoguang and Kaiyang were also equipped with such communication tools.

Outside the gate, the remaining people sat or stood, taking advantage of this rare break to rest and waiting intently for good news from inside.

Beneath this seemingly calm surface, the group from the Hopeless Kingdom who had been following in the shadows temporarily stopped their actions and watched from the shadows.

"These guys are quite shrewd; they know to send a scout ahead to reduce the risk."

Youming Chang's voice was as cold as the wind, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. He secretly thought to himself: With these people scouting ahead, it will save a lot of trouble.

Time passed slowly amidst tension and anticipation. About three to four hours later, the gate remained silent. The three scouting teams seemed to have been completely swallowed by the darkness, with no news returning.

This unusual situation gradually fueled Bei Chen Haoyu's unease. He gently approached Lu Lingxi Yao, lowered his voice, and spoke with a hint of barely perceptible anxiety.

"Yaoyao, I have a feeling that something is not quite right."

Lu Lingxi narrowed her eyes slightly. Four hours had passed, and Su Sheng and the other two had vanished without a trace. Even if they had encountered misfortune, they should have used the sound transmission conch to send a distress signal, but they did not.

Her gaze swept over Yao Guang and Kai Yang, where a similar atmosphere of tension and unease permeated the air. Chu Ranran and Ye Junyi's faces were tense, their brows furrowed, and their eyes were filled with confusion and worry about the unknown situation.

Bei Chen Haoyu's voice rang out again, tinged with barely concealed worry, "Yaoyao, could it be... that they've already encountered danger, but haven't had time to call for help?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Lingxi's expression instantly turned serious. She slowly said, "There is another possibility: they may not have encountered any real danger, but for some reason, they deliberately chose not to pass on the information to us."

"Anyway, I'm not in a hurry. The people from Yaoguang and Kaiyang are probably running out of patience." Lu Lingxi Yao's lips curled into a faint smile.

Before she could finish speaking, Chu Ranran and Ye Junyi walked towards her simultaneously, their voices tinged with urgency, "Miss Lu Ling, we suspect that something unusual has happened inside. Perhaps... we should send some more people in to investigate?"

Lu Lingxi smiled gently, a hint of amusement and composure in her smile, as if everything was under her control. "Of course, no problem, you can arrange it as you see fit."

Chu Ranran and Ye Junyi exchanged a glance, trying to catch a clue from Lu Lingxi Yao's expression. However, her face was as calm as a still lake, revealing no flaw.

Ultimately, they gained nothing and could only return to their respective teams with a sense of helplessness and resentment.