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

Lu Lingxi flipped her jade hand and took out a crystal-clear compass. She had spent three months refining it; it was a tracking magic weapon. The pointer on the compass trembled for a moment before finally pointing east.

"There's a trail." Lu Lingxi's eyes lit up, and her figure transformed into a green shadow, rushing into the distance.

Passing through the dense forest, a magnificent ancient city stands before you. The towering city walls are covered with the marks of time, exuding a breathtaking majesty. Above the city gate, the three mottled characters "Yunxiao City" are faintly visible, as if telling the extraordinary story of this city.

The city was bustling with activity, filled with the vibrant atmosphere of everyday life. The shouts of various vendors rose and fell in waves. Suddenly, a commotion broke the noise of the street.

"Look! Someone else has been thrown into the dungeon!" a sallow-faced vendor whispered.

"I heard it's because he was hiding those banned books..." The old man next to him shook his head meaningfully.

"Shh... the more you say, the more mistakes you make..." a middle-aged woman hurriedly interrupted.

Just as Lu Lingxi was about to examine the situation more closely, a figure suddenly blocked her way. The newcomer was dressed in a moon-white long dress and wore a light veil. Her every move exuded an otherworldly aura.

"Young lady, I see that you have an extraordinary face and unique bone structure. Why don't you let me perform a divination for you?" The woman's voice was like a clear mountain spring, melodious and pleasant, yet with a hint of unfathomable mystery.

Just as Lu Lingxi was about to politely decline, she saw the woman raise her hand slightly and secretly form a mysterious hand seal in her sleeve. It was a top-secret communication gesture from the Upper Eight Realms!

"Thank you for your guidance, senior." Lu Lingxi Yao immediately understood and followed the woman into a secluded little house.

Inside, candlelight flickered and sandalwood incense wafted through the air. The veiled woman removed her veil, revealing a beautiful and refined face.

"Yuheng greets Miss Lu Ling." She gave a graceful bow.

"You know my name?" Lu Lingxi narrowed her phoenix eyes slightly, a hint of wariness appearing.

"We've been searching for you." Yuheng's voice suddenly deepened. "Half a year ago, a mysterious force that tore through the void stirred up the heavens, causing spatial distortions. Not only your companions, but many others vanished without a trace in that catastrophe..."

"What do you mean?" Lu Lingxi felt uneasy. She recalled the sudden spatial rift that appeared half a year ago, where a powerful suction force pulled them into the abyss. She, Rong Zhi, and Qinglong were separated and their fates remained unknown.

“That’s right,” Yuheng said solemnly. “We still can’t find out where that power comes from, but we are certain that it has a close connection with Cloud City.”

"Cloud City?" Lu Lingxi's heart stirred. She remembered the three mottled characters on the city gate. Could it be that Rong Zhi and Qinglong were in this city?

“Exactly. According to our investigation, the Lord of Cloud City seems to be conducting some kind of forbidden experiment, and is very likely the culprit behind this catastrophe.” Yuheng paused, then continued, “Moreover, we discovered that the missing people seem to be trapped in an independent space, and the key to opening this space is in the Lord’s hands.”

Lu Lingxi frowned, a surge of anger burning in her chest. If Rong Zhi and Qinglong were really trapped here, she would do everything she could to rescue them!

"Senior, do you know how to meet the city lord?" Lu Lingxi asked firmly, with an unquestionable determination.

Yuheng sighed softly, "The city lord lives a secluded life and his whereabouts are mysterious. Ordinary people cannot get close to him at all, but..." She changed the subject, "Three days later, the city lord will hold a grand sacrificial ceremony in the city, at which time he will surely appear."

"A sacrificial ceremony?" Lu Lingxi Yao pondered. "It seems this is the only chance."

“Miss Lu Ling, this matter is extremely dangerous. You must not act rashly,” Yu Heng advised worriedly. “The city lord’s cultivation is unfathomable, and the city is heavily guarded. You are alone, and I’m afraid…”

"Don't worry, senior, I know what I'm doing." A cold glint flashed in Lu Lingxi's eyes. "To save my companions, I'll brave any danger, even mountains of knives and seas of fire!"

Seeing that she was determined, Yuheng did not try to persuade her any further. Instead, he took out a jade pendant from his sleeve and handed it to her, saying, "This jade pendant can conceal your aura and may help you evade the guards in the city."

Lu Lingxi accepted the jade pendant, solemnly thanked Yuheng, and then left the hut, preparing to go to Yunxiao City to gather information.

Inside Cloud City, the atmosphere was eerie and oppressive. Few pedestrians were on the streets, and everyone seemed to be in a hurry, as if something terrible was about to happen.

Wearing the jade pendant Yuheng had given her, Lu Lingxi carefully weaved through the crowd, keeping an eye on her surroundings.

Suddenly, she heard a noisy commotion coming from not far away. She looked in the direction of the sound and saw a group of soldiers dressed in black escorting several ragged civilians toward the city center.

"What did these people do?" Lu Lingxi asked a passerby in a low voice.

The passerby gave her a wary look and said in a low voice, "They were caught hiding forbidden books and have been taken to the dungeon. Girl, I advise you to mind your own business or you'll get yourself into trouble."

Forbidden books? Lu Lingxi's heart skipped a beat. She recalled the rumors she had heard in the marketplace. Could it be that the City Lord of Yunxiao City not only possessed profound cultivation but also forbade the people from reading? What secrets were hidden within this?

Lu Lingxi decided to risk it and investigate. Under the cover of night, she quietly sneaked into the dungeon. The dungeon was dark and damp, and the air was filled with a nauseating smell of blood. The cells were filled with prisoners, most of whom were emaciated and had empty eyes, as if they had lost all hope for life.

Lu Lingxi Yao found the cells where the prisoners who were "possessing forbidden books" were being held and discovered that they were talking in hushed tones.

"The city lord has really gone mad this time, even listing the Classic of Mountains and Seas as a forbidden book," a young man said indignantly.

"Yes, I heard he even sent people to search everywhere, and anyone found hiding books was to be killed without mercy!" Another old man sighed, "This world is getting more and more chaotic."

Lu Lingxi's doubts deepened. She had read the Classic of Mountains and Seas in her previous life; it was an ancient book recording strange and exotic creatures. She never expected that this world also had such a book, but she wondered if the content was the same? And why was it listed as a forbidden book? Could there really be some earth-shattering secret hidden within it?

Just as she was about to step forward to ask, she suddenly heard footsteps approaching. She quickly hid and saw a middle-aged man in a black robe with a sinister face walking over.

"So, have they confessed?" the man asked in a cold voice.

“Reporting to you, sir, they refuse to say anything,” a jailer replied respectfully.

"Hmph, they won't listen to reason, so they'll have to suffer the consequences!" A ruthless glint flashed in the man's eyes. "Torture them! I refuse to believe we can't pry their mouths open!"

Upon receiving the order, the jailers immediately took out various instruments of torture and began to inflict cruel punishments on the prisoners. Screams and wails echoed throughout the entire dungeon.

Lu Lingxi Yao hid in the shadows, her heart burning with rage. This City Lord of Yunxiao City was utterly heartless! She gripped her Flying Snow Sword, about to rush to her aid, when suddenly, she sensed a powerful aura rapidly approaching…