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

Lu Lingxi asked softly, her voice tinged with barely perceptible unease, "Senior, how can I get out of this desert?"

Upon hearing this, Xuanwu's eyes flashed with surprise. It slowly spoke, its voice carrying the vicissitudes of time, "You... want to leave?"

Lu Lingxi nodded slightly and answered firmly, "Yes!"

A strange light flashed in Xuanwu's eyes. Lu Lingxi had an aura that was very similar to its master's. No matter what, it had to stay by her side. It spoke slowly, its tone pleading, yet also seemingly testing the waters.

“Girl, I have waited in this vast sea of ​​sand for tens of thousands of years. You are the first person I have met who I find interesting and extraordinary. May I follow you?”

A sly glint flashed in Lu Lingxi's dark eyes as she smiled and said, "If you wish to travel with me, then... how about becoming my contracted beast?"

Upon hearing this, Xuanwu remained silent for a long time, seemingly weighing something.

Seeing that Xuanwu did not respond for a while, Lu Lingxi Yao continued, "If Senior is unwilling, then so be it. Farewell!"

Just as the atmosphere was about to freeze, Xuanwu finally spoke, "Girl, wait. As long as you are willing to accept me and let me follow you, then the contract is up to you!"

With a flash of light, the ancient contract formation slowly unfolded between the man and the beast, then quietly dissipated.

At that moment, the boundless desert vanished completely in the blink of an eye, replaced by an ancient and mysterious gate, carved with intricate patterns and strange designs, exuding a captivating power.

Lu Lingxi stared at the door, her expression turning serious. "Behind this door, is it the Lost City?"

Filled with confusion and bewilderment, Lu Lingxi Yao mustered her courage, clenched her fists, and pushed hard. The heavy door creaked open slowly. She took a deep breath and stepped inside...

Behind the door, it was still pitch black, and the surroundings were unusually quiet, so quiet that you could only hear your own rapid heartbeat and the clear sound of your own footsteps.

Lu Lingxi raised her finger, and a bright red flame leaped out. She continued along the road, and after walking for an unknown amount of time, she passed through a narrow passage, and suddenly the space in front of her opened up, revealing a relatively spacious area.

At this moment, Bei Chen Haoyu, You Mingchang, Chu Ranran, and Ye Junyi were already standing there. They seemed to have just arrived. The four of them looked at the five paths in front of them, their eyes full of doubt.

At that moment, when Lu Lingxi appeared behind him, Bei Chen Haoyu immediately stepped forward to greet her, "Yaoyao, you're here?"

Lu Lingxi nodded, also looking at the five roads ahead with a puzzled expression. Just as everyone was exchanging glances, Chu Ranran's exclamation broke the silence, "There...there are words there!"

Chu Ranran raised her hand and pointed to a guide stone not far away. On the stone, five large characters were faintly visible in the dim light: "Do not look back." Although these characters had been eroded by wind and frost, they were still clearly visible.

Lu Lingxi frowned slightly, and murmured to herself: The meaning is very clear. Once you embark on a certain path, you must move forward without hesitation until the end.

"Let's choose first."

Youming Chang's tone was somewhat impolite, even shameless.

As soon as he finished speaking, he looked at Lu Lingxi Yao without restraint, a smug glint in his eyes, "The three of us will each pick one, and the remaining two are yours."

Lu Lingxi raised a disdainful brow, gave a light snort, and said in a cool tone, "Fine, but that doesn't include you."

Youming Chang's face instantly darkened, his tone tinged with anger: "Are you determined to make things difficult for me?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Lingxi Yao's lips curled into a cold smile. "You're wronging me. I remember very clearly that your Hopeless Kingdom doesn't have the qualifications for this exploration. So why should I give way to you?"

Youming Chang's face grew increasingly grim, as if he had swallowed a fly, feeling utterly disgusted.

"You choose first!" Lu Lingxi Yao turned to Chu Ranran and Ye Junyi beside her and said politely, completely ignoring You Mingchang, whose face was ashen.

A hint of appreciation flashed in Chu Ranran and Ye Junyi's eyes. They smiled and nodded to Lu Lingxi Yao, then quickly and decisively chose one of the paths and stepped inside.

As for Youming Chang, he could only watch helplessly as the others made their choices one by one. In the end, he could only randomly pick one of the remaining three paths and walk in without hesitation.

Looking at the three chosen paths, Bei Chen Haoyu couldn't help but ask softly, "Yao Yao, which one should we take?"

Lu Lingxi looked at the five roads and a faint smile appeared on her lips. "No matter which road we take, we will eventually arrive at the same place."

Upon hearing this, Bei Chen Haoyu was taken aback, his heart filled with curiosity and confusion. How did she know all this? Just as Bei Chen Haoyu was filled with doubt, Lu Lingxi Yao pulled out a yellowed map from her clothes.

Seeing this, Bei Chenhaoyu's confusion deepened, and he asked in surprise, "You even have a map of this place?"

Lu Lingxi Yao simply smiled and did not answer directly. She would not reveal to anyone that she had formed a contract with Xuanwu, one of the four divine beasts. Xuanwu had told her all of this and had given her this map that recorded part of the path. Half of the area on the map was clearly marked.

“The destination is the same, so let’s just choose one!” Lu Lingxi put the map into her pocket, randomly chose one of the two paths and walked in. Bei Chenhaoyu followed without hesitation.

The road was unusually quiet. The two walked side by side for an unknown amount of time before finally reaching the end of the road.

At the end, a chaotic cluster of buildings came into view. Some buildings were already ruins. Looking at these buildings, it seemed as if they were the ruins of a certain family, standing silently in the wind, exuding an indescribable solemnity, and also exuding a desolate beauty.

The fate of this family—whether they migrated or disappeared—remains a secret unknown to anyone.

Along the way, some houses had succumbed to the erosion of time and collapsed into ruins; while others had miraculously survived. Although the interior furnishings were covered with a layer of dust from the past, one could still glimpse their former prosperity and exquisiteness, which amazed Lu Lingxi.

As they passed a mansion, Lu Lingxi's gaze was drawn to a mark above the gate.

It was a slightly blurry yet vaguely discernible outline, the shape of a lotus flower. Her heart couldn't help but race. This mark bore a striking resemblance to the Lu Ling clan's emblem—the golden lotus. Could this place be connected to her family in some way?

As they explored further, they were surprised to find that almost every house had such a mark engraved on its door, but these marks were not gold, but pure white.

These marks were similar to, yet not identical to, the clan emblem of the Lu Ling clan. At first, Lu Lingxi Yao held onto a sliver of hope that this place might have been the dwelling place of her ancestors, but when she noticed the colors of those marks, that idea gradually faded away.

This ruin, whether or not it has a direct connection with the Lu Ling family, touched Lu Lingxi Yao's heartstrings in a unique way.

The two walked side by side, their pace quickening unconsciously. Gradually, they reached the end of the complex. Xuanwu was right; those paths did indeed lead to the same place. Lu Lingxi had already seen You Mingchang, Chu Ranran, and Ye Junyi, and they naturally saw Lu Lingxi and Beichen Haoyu as well, their eyes filled with shock and confusion.

Youming Chang spoke first, his gaze shifting between Chu Ranran and Ye Junyi, his question tinged with urgency: "Have you discovered any clues or treasure?"

Chu Ranran shook her head slightly, her brows furrowed, and her eyes flashed with resentment; Ye Junyi did the same, their answers brief and powerless: "No."

Youming Chang's gaze then fell on Lu Lingxi Yao, a look that was a mixture of scrutiny and doubt.

Lu Lingxi smiled faintly and let out a soft snort, "Hmph... What, you think I found it?"

Upon hearing this, Youming Chang's face darkened, and his dissatisfaction and disappointment mingled into a curse: "This damned place is nothing but empty space, what a waste of time!"

Chu Ranran and Ye Junyi both had gloomy expressions, their hearts filled with mixed feelings.

They searched every inch of land and every corner meticulously, but found not even the slightest bit of treasure.

Was the expedition qualification they had risked their lives to obtain really going to come to nothing? They were unwilling to accept it, but they had no choice but to face this cruel reality.

Lu Lingxi looked around. They were in the middle of the building, with the direction they came from behind them and a cold, imposing stone wall blocking their way in front of them.

In the eyes of his companions, this was the end, and an indescribable sense of loss quietly spread.

However, Lu Lingxi's eyes were unusually firm. She clearly remembered the markings on the map—behind this stone wall was an unmarked blank area, which was probably the most worthwhile place to explore.

She slowly walked to the stone wall, her slender fingers gently tracing the rough stone surface, sometimes pausing to gaze at it, sometimes tapping it with her hand.

You Mingchang, Chu Ranran, and Ye Junyi stood aside, filled with doubt. Chu Ranran and Ye Junyi, in particular, were already considering how to return. Only You Mingchang looked unwilling. However, he had already formed an alliance with Chu Ranran and Ye Junyi, and if they went back, he would have even less reason to stay here.

Just as the atmosphere was beginning to freeze, Lu Lingxi suddenly stopped, a flash of realization crossing her eyes.

She took a deep breath, gently pushed her right hand forward, and accurately pressed it onto a seemingly ordinary stone on the stone wall.

At that moment, it was as if some ancient mechanism had been quietly activated. The stone sank slightly, and then, accompanied by a dull and long rumble, the stone wall slowly slid open to both sides, revealing an ancient and grand door before everyone's eyes.

This scene shocked everyone present. Even Chu Ranran and Ye Junyi, who had originally planned to retreat, couldn't help but hold their breath, their eyes rekindling with a spark of exploration. You Mingchang, on the other hand, could not hide his excitement.

Lu Lingxi frowned as she walked over. Her gaze swept lightly over the ancient gate in front of her, where the pure white snow lotus mark was still visible. This mark made her feel puzzled, and she paused in her steps.

Lu Lingxi communicated with Ling Shu through divine sense, "Ling Shu, is there any connection between the white snow lotus above the lintel and the golden lotus totem of our Lu Ling family?"

After a moment of silence, Ling Shu's voice finally rang in Lu Lingxi Yao's mind, "Master, if I remember correctly, this white snow lotus is the emblem of the ancient god clan, Xiling Clan. Xiling Clan is one of the ancient god clans, and they are the ancestors of your Lu Ling Clan."

Upon hearing this, Lu Lingxi Yao's heart was stirred. She asked in a low voice, her voice trembling slightly.

"Ling Shu, do you know why this is? Why are there the marks of our ancestors in this lost city?"

Ling Shu's reply carried a hint of helplessness, "Master, I have never been here before, so how would I know its secrets? It's just that seeing that white snow lotus mark reminds me of the Xiling Clan, one of the four divine lineages. If you want to know the answer, why don't you go in and take a look?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Lingxi took a deep breath and slowly pushed open the door that seemed to carry a thousand years of history. In an instant, an indescribable and strange feeling surged in like a tide. The power seemed to have consciousness, scrutinizing her closely, from her skin to her bones, and even every drop of her blood, as if undergoing some ancient verification. When the blood in her body resonated with this power, the door seemed to finally acknowledge her.

Immediately afterwards, a dazzling white light suddenly shone, instantly enveloping Lu Lingxi Yao. Bei Chen Haoyu reacted quickly, wanting to reach out to help, but was helplessly blocked by the repulsive force of the light. He could only watch helplessly as Lu Lingxi Yao's figure gradually blurred in the light and finally disappeared without a trace.

After Lu Lingxi Yao's figure disappeared, the stone wall quickly returned to its original appearance, once again isolating the group outside.

"She's gone in! We need to open the door quickly, or she'll have taken all the good stuff!"

Youming Chang's voice was filled with anxiety and resentment. He suddenly leaped forward, gathering surging spiritual power in his hands, and with a force not to be underestimated, slammed it hard against the seemingly ordinary stone wall.

However, no matter how hard he tried, the stone wall remained unmoved, not even a ripple appeared.

Youming Chang repeated the action unwillingly, putting all his strength into it each time, but in the end he could only let his arms hang down helplessly, his body sliding down the stone wall and collapsing to the ground, his face filled with shock and confusion, muttering to himself, "Why can she go in, but we can't?"

Bei Chen Haoyu slowly spoke, "Have you noticed the markings on that stone gate? That's the Xiling clan emblem."

Upon hearing this, You Mingchang was taken aback at first, then a disdainful smile curled at the corner of his lips. "So what if you saw it? What does the Lu Ling family have to do with this?"

Chu Ranran gently shook her head, explaining in an almost pitying tone, "The connection is obvious. The ancestors of the Lu Ling clan originated from the ancient Xiling clan. This means that this bloodline grants them a unique right—only descendants of the Xiling clan can enter. Perhaps this forgotten land is a treasure left to future generations by the Xiling clan. And among us, only Lu Ling Xiyao has this qualification."

As Chu Ranran finished speaking, the atmosphere around them seemed to become even heavier, and different emotions welled up in everyone's hearts: there was longing, helplessness, and a faint envy for Lu Lingxi Yao's unique fate.