The rock platform slowly rose upward, trembling slightly before settling neatly against the city wall.

Luciel stood at the edge, wondering if he should give the rock tortoise another spiritual cue—to let the creature know how to raise a platform or shape a stone ladder more smoothly next time.

"Finally back."

Liyue stepped down first, landing lightly on the wall. Her silver-white hair fluttered in the breeze as she gazed toward the glowing houses beneath the Starlight Tea Tree.

Then—

Buzz—

The tree responded as though it had been waiting. A faint hum rippled through its branches, and a soft green glow began to bloom outward, washing the entire back of the rock tortoise in emerald light.

It was as if the heavens had spilled a piece of the Milky Way down upon the world. The starlit leaves shimmered, glowing with life; the air was filled with motes of silver light dancing like fireflies.

"The Realm of Starlight has opened again," Luciel murmured, glancing at the timepiece on his wrist. It was precisely the first activation of the night—the tea tree's mysterious phenomenon that appeared thrice each evening.

Every time it happened, it was mesmerizing.

"Every time I see it," Yueqin said softly, her pale-blue eyes glinting under the green glow, "I feel as though the world itself has stopped. I can't pull myself away."

"I feel something different every time I look at it from here," Liyue replied, her silvery eyes blinking thoughtfully.

"I want to draw it," Mino said suddenly, her pink-tipped ears drooping in frustration. "But my drawings… they never look right."

She had been secretly practicing ever since seeing Luciel's sketches—the ones he left hanging in the common room. Compared to his elegant brushwork, her lines looked clumsy, childish even.

"It's so beautiful," whispered Wei Youlan, her hands clasped before her heart as she watched the spectacle.

Wei Geng and the others didn't look as moved; they were already used to this. Night patrols had long made the Starlight Tea Tree's radiance a familiar sight. Still, the scene never lost its charm.

Alina, however, could only stare wide-eyed.

"Am I… in Wonderland?" she breathed, her small hands covering her mouth, her pink eyes trembling in awe.

The land before her glowed like a dream—plants swaying under a galaxy of green light, their outlines soft and unreal, like something born of fantasy rather than nature.

"Almost," Liyue replied quietly. "For me… this already is Wonderland."

---

Down at the gate of the Tenth Floor City, the same light spilled across the horizon.

"Hey, look! The back of that beast is glowing!"

"No, it's… a tree. I see a tree!"

"A tree that glows? You're kidding!"

A wave of chatter rippled through the crowd. Some even climbed up onto the walls, straining their eyes toward the vast silhouette of the rock tortoise in the distance.

Waldo and his companions, who had just left their makeshift hut, stopped dead in their tracks as the faint green radiance washed over the night sky.

Several of the original host-posters—those powerful individuals responsible for maintaining their territories—gathered their energy and leapt up to the top of the wall. Their figures rose into the darkness, gazing down upon the distant glow on the beast's back.

"It's really a tree," Waldo muttered, a rare spark of astonishment flickering across his aged features.

"A tree that shines…" another whispered, eyes gleaming with hunger. "I've never heard of such a thing."

"If that tree can bear ten thousand seedlings, perhaps it's the source of their agricultural miracle," someone speculated, voice hushed but sharp. "I'd wager their ability to produce so much life has something to do with that glowing tree."

"How about we go… ask them ourselves?"

The suggestion fell like a spark into dry grass.

A murmur spread—some held their breath, others whispered to each other, hesitation and greed twisting together in their hearts.

"I'm not going," said Yi Liyi flatly. Her tone was cool, her expression unreadable. "You can all go and die if you want, but I won't be the one paving the way."

She turned, leading her followers away without another glance.

The others watched her figure vanish into the dark, and the hot blood that had risen in their chests began to cool. No one wanted to be the first to test the unknown.

"Keep someone on her," Waldo said coldly. "That woman and her group know something we don't."

"Already done," replied an elderly woman in the shadows, her voice low and smooth.

"As for that glowing tree," Waldo said, gazing down at the restless crowd below, "someone will go test it soon enough."

He smiled thinly. "There's always someone who can't resist."

If the city of Black Tortoise turned out to be nothing but an illusion, then it was better to let fools be the ones to find out first.

"Fine. We'll have our own people keep watch," another agreed quietly.

"Let's go," Waldo said, striding back into the city.

As their footsteps faded, the others dispersed one by one, leaving only the murmur of the curious at the gate.

---

The noise carried faintly to the people atop the rock tortoise, drawing them back from their spellbound state.

"Alright," Luciel said at last, his calm voice cutting through the quiet hum of the tree. "Let's head down. There'll be other chances to see it."

Liyue tugged gently at the dazed pink-haired girl beside her. "Come on, don't just stand there."

Alina blinked, still half lost in the glow. "What… what is this place?" she asked softly.

"This is Black Tortoise City," Liyue explained, her silver eyes warm under the moonlight. "And the ancient beast beneath our feet is called Little Black Tortoise."

"Little?" Alina's eyes widened. "Little Black Tortoise?"

"Yes," Liyue smiled. "Luciel said it's only called that because it hasn't yet grown into a true Black Tortoise."

She told Alina the small piece of lore—something only a few insiders knew.

"This ancient beast is already enormous," Alina murmured, glancing around as if her mind couldn't quite measure its size. "I can't even imagine how much bigger it could become."

"I said the same thing once," Liyue admitted with a light laugh. Her first reaction had been just like Alina's.

They walked along the narrow streets, the soft lamps glowing like fireflies in the night. Alina's eyes drifted across the rows of identical houses.

"It looks like… a lot of people live here," she whispered.

"Mm," Liyue nodded. She pulled her hood forward, letting her white hair spill slightly over her shoulders. "They're the first residents of Black Tortoise."

"And you?" Alina asked curiously.

"Me?" Liyue paused mid-step, the question catching her off guard.

For a moment, she didn't know what to say.

Was she a resident? A guest? One of Luciel's people?

Her cheeks warmed faintly as her gaze slid toward Luciel's back. Maybe… one of the future hostesses of this place.

"Let's go," Alina said, breaking her thoughts.

"Oh, right." Liyue quickly followed, brushing away the warmth rising on her face.

---

They climbed the slope to the high ground where Yue Feiyan was standing guard. The woman nodded in greeting as the group entered the hall.

Mino and Wei Youlan immediately busied themselves, moving with practiced ease as they brewed tea and prepared a small meal.

"You two didn't have dinner, did you?" Luciel asked the white-haired girls.

"No," Liyue replied simply.

They had spent the entire evening setting traps and confusing the strange ghosts that had been tailing them. Food had completely slipped their minds.

"Xiaolan, bring them something to eat," Luciel ordered gently.

"Yes, sir." Wei Youlan responded quickly, dashing into the kitchen. As the little rabbit-eared girl's follower, she had picked up enough cooking skill to manage a decent late meal.

When she was gone, Liyue turned serious. "Luciel," she said quietly, "there's something I need to tell you."

He looked up from his cup. "Go ahead."

"We're being tracked," she said. "By a monster. We think… it may reach here tonight."

She didn't mention the strange ghost by name—not yet. There were too many people present, and speaking too openly might expose her identity.

"A monster?" Luciel's brow lifted. Then he nodded slightly, understanding dawning in his eyes. He didn't need to be told. He already knew it must be related to the infection of the virtual ghosts.

"Its strength is at least Tier Five," Liyue continued, her tone tightening. "And its defenses are extremely high. Don't underestimate it. If we don't stop it here, there'll be more trouble later."

Luciel's gaze sharpened, a faint glint of steel flashing beneath his calm.

"Don't worry," he said evenly. "There'll be more than one uninvited guest tonight."

His eyes turned toward the distant glow still pulsing from the Starlight Tea Tree. "Some people think climbing up is easy," he murmured. "They'll soon find getting back down is harder."

He didn't have to guess—he knew that the people of the Tenth Floor City had seen the light. Curiosity and greed would drive them here before the night was done.

"I'll help with the night watch," Liyue said, her expression solemn.

"I will too," Alina added quietly, her voice soft but firm.

Luciel's lips curved into a faint smile. "Good. There's something I wanted the two of you to try anyway."

"Try?" Liyue tilted her head, curiosity flickering in her silver eyes.

"Eat first," Luciel said with a small nod. "We'll discuss it after."

"Alright," she replied gently, her voice obedient.

As the aroma of tea filled the room and soft light from the Starlight Tree spilled through the windows, the hall grew quiet again—calm before the storm.

Tonight, the Realm of Starlight had opened under countless eyes. And beneath that beauty, something unseen was already moving in the dark.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.