Chapter 144 – A Finger Poked a Hole in the Sky?

“Alright, alright, stop crying. It’s not like it’s the first time I’ve touched you.”

Seeing that the system rewards had been triggered, Qin Yang lost interest in Xiaobai and released her disdainfully, allowing her to move away from him.

Whoosh!

The next moment, Xiaobai hugged her tail tightly, swiftly darting out of Qin Yang’s embrace and curling up in the corner of the sofa, trembling with red-rimmed eyes.

She occasionally glanced at Qin Yang’s hands, shooting him a disgusted look…

“What’s with that look?”

Feeling her gaze, Qin Yang frowned slightly. “This is legitimate research, Master isn’t lusting after your body!”

Through his earlier exploration,

he had thoroughly probed the meridians, flesh, blood, and bones of Xiaobai’s fourth tail. Now Qin Yang had gained deeper understanding of the physiological structure of fox spirits.

“Am I the kind of person who takes advantage of you without compensation?”

As he spoke, Qin Yang opened his Star Ring, took out two Mind-Calming Pills, and tossed them toward her.

“Mmm…”

Seeing the pills, Xiaobai didn’t hesitate, instinctively opening her small mouth to swallow them with a gulp. All her previous grievances vanished instantly.

So satisfying!

Her mental calculations clicked into gear.

Master touched my tail.

Got two Mind-Calming Pills in exchange.

Therefore—

Touching tails equals obtaining pills!

“This Fairy isn’t losing out!”

Thinking this, Xiaobai shifted her body and quickly scurried back out, burrowing into Qin Yang’s embrace again. She stuck out her bottom, waving her fluffy fox tail provocatively.

“Master, let’s continue playing. If you haven’t had enough, please don’t go easy on this servant…”

“Get lost!”

Hearing this, Qin Yang leaned back to avoid the white fur brushing his face, slapped Xiaobai’s bottom in retaliation, threw her onto the sofa, then stood up and walked toward the courtyard.

“I already told you… this is legitimate research. Now you’re lusting after my hands?”

“Shameless!”

“……”

Hearing this, Xiaobai’s face instantly flushed crimson. She awkwardly hid in the corner of the sofa, watching Qin Yang’s departing back while grumbling inwardly.

“Hmph, if you don’t want to play then don’t. Why be so mean to me?”

……

Outside the courtyard.

The night was quiet and chilly.

Qin Yang found an open space, bathed in moonlight, and lay down on the soft grass to begin receiving the system rewards.

First, the first reward was the “True Explanation of Crafting.”

“Refining artifacts to nourish the spirit,”

Qin Yang closed his eyes and focused, sinking his consciousness into the Enlightenment Space. Vast amounts of knowledge emerged, enlightening him as he roughly grasped some essential uses of artifact crafting.

What is artifact crafting?

In this world, people channel celestial Star Power and gather earthly Spiritual Energy to refine them into artifacts.

Objects like Taoist tablets, ruyi scepters, dew bowls, altar-stabilizing blocks, command flags, Tianpeng rulers, or Buddhist eight treasures all fall within the scope of artifact crafting.

They can range from summoning deities and subduing ghosts to achieving flawless purity.

Having a good artifact in hand can significantly enhance the wielder’s combat power!

“Not bad.”

After contemplating the True Explanation of Crafting for a while, Qin Yang withdrew his attention and moved on to the next reward.

Great Wilderness Sky-Imprisoning Finger!

Another Emperor-Rank Martial Art.

“Looks familiar.”

Qin Yang examined the Emperor-Class martial art introduction, stroking his chin as he pondered.

Wasn’t this… created by that one person?

“Hiss, can’t quite remember… Whatever, just absorb it directly.”

Qin Yang sank his consciousness into the Enlightenment Space, where massive amounts of martial technique knowledge converged into an ocean, churning and swirling. His consciousness floated within, absorbing the martial knowledge with evident pleasure.

In just a short while.He opened his eyes once more, having gained a preliminary understanding of the profound mysteries within this Emperor-Rank Martial Art.

Condensing the Star Power of heaven and earth into a single point, reaching the pinnacle of mastery—imprisoning the heavens and shaking the earth—was merely a matter of a single finger.

“I need to find a suitable place to practice.”

Qin Yang surveyed his surroundings.

The Great Wilderness Sky-Imprisoning Finger possessed immense destructive power.

He couldn’t recklessly test it out, and he certainly couldn’t unleash it on the ground.

If he were to carelessly strike with his finger…

Half of the Fuhai Villa District would likely be reduced to ruins!

But if he couldn’t test it on the ground…

What about the sky?

At this thought.

Qin Yang rested his head in his hands and gazed up at the night sky—vast and boundless, stretching endlessly. Tonight, the moon was bright, and the stars were sparse, with only a few scattered dots of light visible.

“Tsk, let me add one more for you.”

Seeing this, Qin Yang raised his right hand, slowly extended his index finger toward the night sky, and gently pressed against the celestial canvas as if it were a curtain.

The next moment.

Whoosh!

High above, at an altitude of ten thousand meters, the gloomy layered clouds churned and exploded.

Fierce winds raged, the bright moon suddenly dimmed, and the void seemed to crack, blasting open a massive molten hole!

Out in the suburbs, under the night sky, an amateur astronomer recording star charts with a telescope trembled as he pointed upward. He hastily tugged at his companion, and they rushed to an open area to observe.

“Come look! The sky in the southeast corner—doesn’t it seem like there’s an extra star?”

“Wait, that doesn’t look like a star. I’m sure it wasn’t there earlier!”

“Hurry, hurry! Take a picture and post it online! Could this be an omen of disaster for Jianghai?!”

As the photos spread across the internet, the sudden appearance of the “star” immediately sparked heated discussions among netizens, with everyone speculating about its cause.

…………

“Hmph! You bad master, just you wait, Fairy!”

On the balcony, Xiaobai sniffled with her reddened nose, absorbing the effects of the pill inside her. Recalling what had just happened, she felt a surge of humiliation.

“Today, it was this Fairy who licked you!”

“One day, when this Fairy becomes stronger, I’ll personally press your head down and make you lick me back tenfold, a hundredfold!”

“I, Bai Li, swear to the heavens!”

Xiaobai wrinkled her nose, muttering angrily under her breath. She raised her hand to swear the oath but suddenly noticed Qin Yang below, pointing his finger at the sky.

“Huh? What is Master doing?”

Seeing this, she froze for a moment, rubbed her eyes, and followed the direction Qin Yang was pointing.

There, in the night sky.

Where Qin Yang had casually pointed, a dot of white light abruptly flared in the darkness before fading and vanishing.

Pointing at the stars?

No…

That wasn’t a star!

It looked more like he had poked a hole through the sky!

“Did… did Master do that?”

At this sight, Xiaobai recalled the bold threats she had just made and stared in terror at Qin Yang below. “Could he have heard me just now?”

If that finger had struck her…

She wouldn’t have enough tails to withstand it!

With this thought, Xiaobai’s previously straightened spine went limp again. She clamped her legs together, a sudden urge to pee swirling in her lower abdomen, and she scurried back into the room in fright.

……

A short while later.

In the courtyard.

Qin Yang lay on the ground, chewing on a blade of grass as he admired the night scenery, when he suddenly heard Xiaobai’s voice.

“Master, you’ve been cultivating for so long. You must be tired, right?”

Xiaobai approached Qin Yang, carrying tea and pastries raised above her head, and sat down on the ground beside him.

“Here, have some fruit and tea to rest. This humble servant will massage your shoulders.”

As she spoke, she set down the tray and ingratiatingly laid out her three large, fluffy white tails. “Here, Master, lie here. It’s more comfortable.”Heh, such sudden enthusiasm—there must be a reason for this unusual kindness.”Qin Yang rested his head on Xiaobai’s fox tail, picked up an Osmanthus Cake from the plate, and popped it into his mouth. Enjoying her shoulder massage, he glanced behind her.

A newly grown tail was swaying…

Swishing left and right…

Almost perking up to the sky…

“Flattering fox!”

…

The next day.

Jianghai Library.

Slacking-off hours.

During this period, the number of visitors to the library had noticeably decreased compared to before. Everyone in Jianghai City was on edge, with many citizens hiding at home and minimizing outings.

The library was unusually quiet.

Qin Yang sat at a rest table in Zone 1, openly slacking off while studying the True Explanation of Crafting he had obtained the previous night.

This ancient text recorded numerous crafting techniques.

For instance,

it detailed extremely strict standards for material selection, forging processes, and temperature control during crafting…

“When forging a sword, one must first observe a hundred days of purification. Then, in a secluded spot near a clear spring, build a workshop facing west, with the furnace mouth also westward. A skilled smith refines high-quality iron, combining raw ingots until the final product weighs exactly eight jin. To master its essence, bamboo charcoal should be used.”

Just crafting a single sword required such elaborate rituals.

Qin Yang pondered this, recalling the “Ziwei Divine Sword” in his possession.

Who knows how much time the senior who forged it had spent?

Ten years? A century?

Someday, when he had ample resources, he could take time to craft “Ziwei” swords for all his friends and family—now that would be impressive.

Besides sword forging, the True Explanation of Crafting also included various unorthodox and sinister crafting secrets.

Using human bones, stripping beast hides, extracting live tendons, and employing living humans or Star Beasts as materials, all processed through esoteric methods and specific rituals.

Items like the Myriad Souls Banner, Human Bone Artifacts, Heart Beads…

Some of the crafting processes were utterly chilling.

Whether it was exposing corpses to sunlight for days to peel dried skin or collecting skulls from extremely yin locations…

Just reading about them sent shivers down one’s spine.

“How sinister… Huh? There’s even a method for crafting with fox pelts?”

While browsing the crafting knowledge, Qin Yang was somewhat surprised. He skimmed through it, then glanced at Xiaobai curled up on the table.

The little white fox lay listlessly on the table.

The True Explanation of Crafting noted that the nine-tailed fox clan was essentially a treasure trove—their hearts, pelts, livers, and lungs, especially their enchanting eyes that could captivate souls, could be crafted into special charm artifacts.

Qin Yang stared at Xiaobai.

She was just too valuable!

Sensing Qin Yang’s gaze, Xiaobai raised her head alertly, twitched her ears, frowned, and felt a chill run down her back.

For no reason…

Why is the master staring at this Fairy?

His expression seems off.

Thinking this, her fur stood on end. She affectionately approached, actively rubbing against Qin Yang’s arm to curry favor, her fluffy tail wagging.

“Play with my tail, Master…”

“Don’t keep thinking about those naughty things…”

“Not bad. I haven’t raised you in vain these days.”

Qin Yang stroked Xiaobai’s fluffy tail, enjoying the soothing feel of petting a fox. Out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly noticed someone approaching.

It was Li Qinghe.

After days apart, the girl had switched back to men’s attire, once again assuming the identity of “Li Qing,” striding confidently toward Qin Yang.

“Master—”

Li Qinghe approached with her hands behind her back, her peach-blossom eyes narrowed into a smile as she sat down opposite him at the table. “Haven’t seen you in days. Did you miss your disciple?”

“Nope.”Qin Yang held Xiaobai in his arms and said leisurely, “With you absent from work these past few days, the dojo has been much quieter. I’ve been sleeping more soundly and resting more comfortably.”

“How are you finding the villa I gifted you, Master?”

Li Qinghe propped her chin on her elbows resting on the table. “Should I get you a 4K big-screen TV?”

“Tch.”

Qin Yang made a soft clicking sound with his tongue, observing Li Qinghe’s fawning demeanor and feeling thoroughly unaccustomed to it.

“Alright, let’s not dwell on that. I have something interesting to show you, Master.”

Li Qinghe spoke mysteriously, stroking the Star Ring on her index finger.

The next moment.

A scroll of yellowed parchment appeared on the table, layered with interwoven Array Inscriptions—ancient, profound, and intricately complex.

“The Myriad Formation Diagram?”

Qin Yang was taken aback at the sight, looking at her with surprise.

Wasn’t the Myriad Formation Diagram supposed to be on the third floor?

How did it end up back in Li Qinghe’s hands?

Did this girl go thieving again?

Noticing Qin Yang’s strange expression, Li Qinghe quickly waved her hands in explanation.

“Master, don’t misunderstand—I didn’t steal it this time!”

“Didn’t you say the same thing last time… that taking something from your own family doesn’t count as stealing?”

Qin Yang wore an expression of disbelief. “What’s your excuse this time?”

“This time is truly different, Master!”

Li Qinghe caressed the Myriad Formation Diagram, her eyes soft with affection. “This Array Diagram wasn’t stolen by me—Father gave it to me willingly…”

As she spoke, she stared intently at Qin Yang. “You must have sensed it these past few days, right? The Star Pets in the city are running amok, the news is blowing up, and all of Jianghai City is in chaos.”

“Hmm.”

Qin Yang nodded slightly, stroking Xiaobai’s head as he recalled her previous condition.

Even a nine-tailed fox at the early Innate Realm was affected, let alone other weaker Star Beasts.

It seemed the scale of this Beast Tide was several times more terrifying than previous ones. If the city were breached, it would be a hopeless situation where no one survived.

“These past few days, my father finally came around.”

Li Qinghe whispered, “He joined forces with several respected elders in the family and specifically overturned the old family rules for my sake. Now, I am finally the legitimate owner of the Myriad Formation Diagram.”

“It should have been this way long ago.”

Qin Yang muttered in response.

The tide of history rolls ever forward—after twists and turns, this scroll of the Myriad Formation Diagram has ultimately returned to Li Qinghe’s hands.

With such innate talent for Array Formations, not learning the Myriad Formation Diagram would be a tremendous waste.

If the Li Family had continued clinging stubbornly to their old ways…

Who knows? It might have led to a “don’t bully the young who are poor” scenario… fast-forwarding to Li Qinghe returning after mastering her skills, overwhelming the clan elders in a classic “thirty years east of the river” showdown.

“You think so too, Master?”

Li Qinghe looked at Qin Yang excitedly, visibly thrilled by his approval. “Just you wait—one day in the future, I will become an Array Grandmaster!”

As she spoke, her expression grew increasingly fervent. “I will definitely, as a woman, reach the pinnacle of Array Formations in this world!”

“……”

Qin Yang shook his head slightly, smiling without a word.

I’m not just watching, my disciple.

I’ve already seen five hundred years ahead—I’ve witnessed your success, the day you become an Array Grandmaster…

The future you hope for now.

In my eyes, is merely another segment of the past…

Li Qinghe glanced at Qin Yang, seeing his calm and unruffled demeanor, and felt a twinge of unease.

Actually, regarding the clan’s delivery of the diagram…

There was one detail she hadn’t mentioned.A significant reason why Father passed the diagrams to me was because I had become a disciple under the Sword God.

And then there was the night of the ambush.

The Starstone Array Diagrams gifted by Qin Yang also played a major role.

It could be said.

The clan elders now place great expectations on me, hoping that one day they will see the Myriad Formation Diagram completed.

“Rest assured, Father, I will definitely succeed!”

Li Qinghe spread open the Myriad Formation Diagram on the table and quietly consulted Qin Yang: “Master, I have a few questions about array formations. Could you please take a look?”

(End of Chapter)