Isn't This a Game? Why Are You All Cultivating for Real!

Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Being Broke, I Can Only Use My Last-Resort Magic Treasure

"My lady, what are you thinking about?"

A sinister voice came from behind him.

Without a second thought, Xu Qingchuan swung his greatsword. Burning with intense flames, it carried immense power as he slashed at Qin Yongkang.

Qin Yongkang only took a single step back.

Xu Qingchuan suddenly asked him, "Who is Little Cui?"

Even though he had grown larger and seemed to have lost his mind, Qin Yongkang’s expression still changed.

Then, Qin Yongkang sneered, "Who Little Cui is, is none of your business."

"So that’s how it is!"

Xu Qingchuan murmured, "So many people have killed you, and some even chose not to kill you, but this little world never disappeared. The problem isn’t the final day. We should have made our move in the first three days, but our target shouldn’t have been you!"

Those three days were just a stalling tactic.

To stall until Little Cui was safe.

It’s not that no one had ever tried to act early.

Qin Yongkang still appeared, and with far more power than he was showing now.

The Yinxiao Sect was caught off guard that time. To avoid greater losses, they had to forcibly activate a precious item to withdraw early.

Two unlucky souls didn’t manage to leave in time. No one knows what happened to them, but in any case, they were never seen again.

They made it through safely, but the rewards they received weren’t much.

That’s right, Xu Qingchuan was a disciple of the Yinxiao Sect.

The Yinxiao Sect was the only one that had failed to kill Qin Yongkang.

Saying they *chose* not to kill Qin Yongkang was just to save face.

Disciples who entered after that incident were instructed that if they got into the "Groom" scenario, actively becoming the bride should offer the greatest chance at good rewards.

Acting early had no benefits and was just a waste of effort.

But now, Xu Qingchuan knew they had all been wrong.

Acting early was actually the key.

In fact, the real target had been right in front of them the whole time.

But it was too deceptive; no one had ever focused their attention on her.

Thinking of the Secret Realm’s rules, Xu Qingchuan sneered and pointed at Qin Yongkang. "The three-day stall is because this world only exists for three days. Once the wedding night is over, we’re teleported away, and she’ll be completely safe. By then, we would have exhausted our Primordial Energy fighting you, leaving us with no strength left to deal with her."

’For the mastermind of a small world to be this cautious...’

’What other reason could there be?’

’She’s most likely the Secret Realm Fragment!’

Only a fragment would choose to stay hidden and never appear.

Unfortunately, the Yinxiao Sect had only cleared this Secret Realm twice, so the key information they had was still too little.

’Why was there no barrier when the Yinxiao Sect acted early that time?’

’Probably because it was needed to hold back several Golden Core cultivators, so it could only be used at a critical moment.’

’Acting early must have disrupted her plan, so she didn’t have time to set it up.’

But the Cultivators at the time all thought it was just part of the little world’s rules.

Qin Yongkang said nothing. He just tossed his head, his fierce and wanton expression now tinged with contempt. "I don’t know what you’re talking about. Little Cui is my personal handmaiden. Have you taken a fancy to her?"

Xu Qingchuan: "..."

’The Yinxiao Sect has already compiled a lot of information from two runs... so how did that ugly woman figure out the key and find a way to sneak in on the wedding night?’

He had no intention of getting bogged down fighting Qin Yongkang. ’If Little Cui is the real Secret Realm Fragment, doesn’t that mean that strange, ugly woman will beat me to it?!’

’That’s absolutely unacceptable!’

But as he tried to rush past, Qin Yongkang blocked him with incredible speed.

’It’s impossible for me to defeat the current Qin Yongkang alone. Those clueless people outside are still trying to break the barrier to get a piece of the pie. Once they all realize something’s wrong with Little Cui, what will happen to the fragment?’

Dodging wretchedly, Xu Qingchuan roared in fury, "If you keep blocking me like this, aren’t you afraid something will happen to Little Cui? She’s already gone after her!"

Qin Yongkang: "How long can she last?"

The moment the words left his mouth, both of them froze.

Xu Qingchuan immediately knew his guess was right.

Little Cui was the one with the problem.

Actually, everyone knew something was up with her. They just never imagined the reason would be so obvious, so simple it was absurd.

They had never considered how to find Little Cui on the wedding night.

Because at the start of the wedding night, everyone except Qin Yongkang would disappear.

They had stereotyped the roles—aside from Qin Yongkang, everyone else was a servant.

Including the mortals.

They had naturally assumed Little Cui, the head handmaiden, was one of them. During the battle, no one could spare a thought to look for her. By the time the fight was over, it was time to be teleported out. Barely anyone had the strength or energy left.

Thinking back now, her status in the Qin Mansion had always been a bit strange. For a handmaiden, she handled all the mansion’s affairs herself. That kind of authority already proved she wasn’t a mere servant.

The handmaiden identity was a smokescreen.

They just never thought that acting within the first three days was the key.

The condition that Qin Yongkang would only appear on the third day was too restrictive.

And the bride from the story...

’Who would have thought the bride’s identity was actually useless?!’

Xu Qingchuan grew more and more agitated. Meanwhile, Song Jiulai had never even considered that Little Cui could be the Secret Realm Fragment.

How could she guess without knowing this information?

From the moment she entered, she was also misled by the information that Qin Yongkang only appeared on the third day. In the stories she had read, the bride and groom were so influential that everyone assumed they were the focus. Who would bother looking for a handmaiden with such a perfunctory name...

Even if she felt something was off about the handmaiden on the second day, she just thought the same as the other Cultivators.

They couldn’t enter the main courtyard for the first three days, and Little Cui rarely came out, so she was impossible to find.

Once the third day arrived and the fight with Qin Yongkang began, it was even harder to pay her any mind.

Right now, Song Jiulai simply understood that Little Cui was the key—after all, she was in the middle of a fight with her.

But if it weren’t for the scorpion, she never would have found her way here.

Besides, Little Cui’s combat ability was insane. She was sent jumping and dodging by the flowers filling the courtyard, and the pear wood, despite being struck countless times, was still standing strong.

And then there was Little Cui’s chilling laughter, which periodically blew through like a ghostly wind.

"I was once trapped in countless struggles. If only someone had found me sooner, I wouldn’t have had to go through all this trouble, falling into this cycle again and again. I want to die, and yet I don’t..."

Song Jiulai didn’t say a word, just kept popping Elixir Pills while flinging Palm Thunder and Ice Blades.

After she downed three of them, even Little Cui, who had been narrating her story, couldn’t hold back. "Where in the world did you get those Elixir Pills? You’re not allowed to open your storage space here. How have you not been torn to shreds by the rules? How did you do it?"

"Oh? You’re inside a Secret Realm and you know all that?" Song Jiulai was a little surprised. This wasn’t how a typical instance boss should react. After attacking for ages, she realized she hadn’t done any real damage to Little Cui’s physical body.

All her attacks were just hitting flowers and plants.

’Such a disregard for the environment.’

And from the looks of it, Little Cui wasn’t even using her full strength.

Since that was the case, Song Jiulai decided not to hold back either.

As a broke-ass cultivator, she could only take out her ultimate treasure.

An Earth Grade Magic Treasure, the Spirit Bee Basket!

Seeing the Magic Treasure Song Jiulai took out, Little Cui’s expression finally changed.

"How can you use a Magic Treasure!"