Chapter 32: The Lingering Spirits in the City

At first, Qiu Ci wandered around leisurely, but soon she simply took to her sword and began flying across the city. Even so, she could not take in the entirety of the city; it was vast, likely far more expansive than even the first-tier cities back on Blue Star.

She flew for about a quarter of an hour before spotting a cluster of distinctly different buildings in the distance. Unlike the bizarrely shaped structures surrounding them, these were a collection of snow-white palaces, taller and grander than anything else, with numerous intricate reliefs carved into their entrances.

Qiu Ci descended and approached the palaces. After surveying her surroundings, she walked toward the massive stone gate. The moment she stepped across the threshold, a clicking sound echoed in her ears. White light suddenly ignited along the stone pillars on either side. One after another, the lights flickered to life in a sequence, as if a switch had been triggered, until the entire palace complex was bathed in brightness.

"Are these... streetlights?"

Qiu Ci was startled. She couldn't help but stare at the glowing stone pillars. The light clearly emanated from within them; despite their ancient design, they were undoubtedly streetlights.

Recalling the treaty, she scanned her surroundings once more, her suspicions deepening. This city was undeniably built with the influence of Blue Star. Without further hesitation, she quickened her pace and headed deeper into the palace.

Much like the exterior, the interior was terrifyingly vacant. It was a sea of white; there was no sign of the Beast Clan, not even a trace of life. It was so silent it felt as though no one had set foot here for thousands of years.

What was even stranger was that this place was clearly the heart of the city. She had expected to encounter defenses or checkpoints, yet she had progressed completely unimpeded, as if the gates had been opened specifically for her. It wasn't until she entered the largest hall that she noticed something different.

Unlike the other empty spaces, this hall contained twelve stone statues, each in a unique pose. The statues were colossal, reaching the ceiling, and rendered with such lifelike precision—down to the finest details of scales and fur—that they looked as if they had once been alive.

Qiu Ci’s heart skipped a beat, and she took a few steps back. Could these statues truly have been living creatures?

As she projected her divine sense toward the statues while tilting her head to take in their full forms, her eyes widened. Each was carved in the likeness of an ancient mythical beast: a Phoenix, a Xuanwu, a Nine-Tailed Fox, a Qilin, a Kunpeng, and so on—every one a legendary creature. In the very center stood a dragon, its body so massive it could coil around the entire hall.

For some inexplicable reason, it looked familiar. Remembering the Azure Dragon from the treaty, she flew up to examine the statue’s front claws. Good—there were no scars, and the scales were perfectly arranged. It did not appear to have been injured.

Yet, given the resemblance, if it wasn't that specific Azure Dragon, it might well be its descendant. But why had they been turned into stone, and why were they all placed here?

Yes, after engaging her divine sense, she realized these were not mere stone statues; they were truly transformed from these mythical beasts. She could even detect faint traces of spiritual power within them, though it was so weak it seemed on the verge of vanishing. The statues themselves had long since lost all vitality.

Qiu Ci pondered for a moment, unable to fathom why these beasts had met such a fate.

She continued forward, and upon rounding the statues, she discovered a pool. Its design was unique, layered and tiered, with varying heights as if specifically arranged into a formation. In the center of this formation stood a platform, flickering with faint light, yet it was empty, save for a three-meter-wide sunken groove.

It seemed something had once been placed there, but had since been removed.

Qiu Ci leaned in closer to inspect the groove and found a small puddle of pale golden liquid remaining—it looked incredibly familiar.

Could this be... gene-strengthening serum?

Both its color and the aura it emitted felt identical to the pool she had soaked in at the research institute all those years ago.

Subconsciously, she reached for a vial, intending to collect some of the liquid for the system to analyze. But the moment her hand touched the air, the entire pool erupted in brilliant white light. The formation was triggered, spiritual energy surged violently, and a surge of ferocious, chaotic energy swept through the hall.

"Scoundrels! How dare you return!" A thunderous roar echoed through the air. Suddenly, a massive phantom appeared in the void. From a distance, it looked like a goat, but it possessed nine tails, and its back glowed with brilliant spiritual light, pulsing like a giant, blinking eye.

"Could this be... the mythical beast Bo Yi?"

The name flashed through her mind instantly.

The next moment, the phantom lashed out with its nine tails, attacking her. It seemed consumed by rage, and the force of its tails created powerful, devastating hurricanes. Qiu Ci’s heart sank. She had never faced such a formidable opponent; a single swing of those tails possessed power comparable to the peak of the Deity Transformation stage.

Just as she prepared to channel her spiritual energy to defend herself, a blue glow erupted from her chest, instantly forming a barrier in front of her. The hurricane summoned by the Bo Yi vanished upon contact, as if it had never existed.

Qiu Ci looked down and realized the scale inscribed with the treaty between the two races had flown out on its own. The barrier had come from it.

"This is... the sacred relic of my clan! How is it in your possession?" The Bo Yi phantom in the air was shocked. It clearly recognized the scale, and its rage shifted into a desperate, expectant tone. "Who... who exactly are you?"

Qiu Ci caught the scale and realized the phantom must be one of the Beast Clan. She stepped forward, cupped her hands, and replied, "Blue Star, Chu Qiu Ci! Entrusted by the prime directive of the First Base, I have come to pay a visit to our Beast Clan allies!"

"Blue... Blue Star!" The Bo Yi phantom swayed, its eyes widening, even the strange eye on its back staring fixedly at her. Its voice trembled. "The legend was true... It’s true... The Blue Star race truly exists in this world! You... you have finally returned! Finally... Hahaha, *sob*..."

Whether triggered by a specific memory, the Bo Yi began to laugh and weep, its voice echoing throughout the hall, oscillating between joy and sorrow.

Qiu Ci waited quietly for a while. Once the creature's emotions had somewhat stabilized, she asked in a low voice, "My friend... may I ask what happened to the Beast Clan?"

The Bo Yi looked at her, its expression dazed. Slowly, its massive form began to shrink, until it was roughly her height, and it drifted toward her.

Only then did Qiu Ci realize the phantom was not an illusion, but a soul—a remnant soul on the verge of dissipation.