Carrying the most valuable fur and Abyssal Pearl from the Abyss Wolf, Peiya and Lin Qianxuan began their return.

Peiya lives in a place called Box Country.

As the name suggests, it's a country inside a box.

They traveled for seven or eight hours, yet the sky did not change.

It still had the color of twilight.

In the Land of the Abyss Ruins, there is neither day nor night; it is always twilight.

Box Country is deep underground, resembling a large container box.

Outside the box, some soldiers were guarding it, and they seemed to be wielding cold weapons.

Their Energy Levels did not feel very high to Lin Qianxuan.

According to Xuan Country's classification, they were at most at the Yellow Rank.

Upon seeing Peiya, they unconsciously displayed a hint of disgust.

This part is not explained in Peiya's diary.

However, Lin Qianxuan roughly guessed the reason.

Unique beings are always not very welcomed.

Whether it's appearance or nature.

Without a strict inspection, just a brief glance at Lin Qianxuan and Peiya, the guards allowed them to enter Box Country.

Stepping into the box entrance, Lin Qianxuan faintly sensed a spatial change.

In the next moment, a vast city appeared before their eyes.

Flat-topped houses clustered together forming a great fortress, topped by a castle.

The overall architectural style was very complex.

Judging from the goods sold in the shops along the road, the civilization's productivity was not high.

However, looking at the rosy-cheeked residents, Lin Qianxuan felt his judgment might not be completely correct.

At least they shouldn't be particularly short of food.

Is it the efficacy of the so-called Artifact?

No Sub-human Race like Peiya was seen.

Does that mean she is unique?

Yet judging only by appearance, she shouldn't incite such disgust, right?

Is it because of her powers, or perhaps some custom or taboo?

Lin Qianxuan had many doubts in his mind.

Unfortunately, his powers could not be used now, and his Attributes were so low that there was nothing to speak of; he could only gather a small amount of information through Observation, otherwise, with just a thought, he could know everything about this world.

"Mr. Lin, we've arrived, this is my home," Peiya pointed to a rundown small wooden cabin patched with many planks.

Lin Qianxuan's gaze was slightly profound.

This small cabin was indeed rather crude, feeling like a little box, the interior space likely no more than thirty square meters, secured with haphazard wooden materials, and not far away was a garbage heap, unbearably stinky.

"Are you...." Peiya asked with some inferiority, pinching the corner of her clothes.

"Not at all, open the door." Lin Qianxuan interrupted Peiya.

Peiya used a key to open the door and said to Lin Qianxuan, "Mr. Lin, please come in."

With a slight nod, Lin Qianxuan stepped inside.

Standing at the entrance, he could take in the entire room's condition.

A small wooden bed, its craftsmanship not particularly high, yet made with care; a small vase on the bedside with two bunches of wildflowers, suggesting that the owner here should have a love for life.

A small round table, two little stools, the kitchen was compactly fitted in, with some old books, a clothesline holding some garments, and below it a box, seemingly a toolbox.

The overall space was even smaller than the thirty square meters Lin Qianxuan had expected.

However, the interior layout was quite reasonable, and it was cleaned well, not entirely unacceptable.

"Please.... please sit.... have some water.... I'll cook, please wait a moment...."

Peiya entered the room from beside Lin Qianxuan, daring not to look at his face, only placing a small stool in front of him, pouring a glass of water, and then went to cook on her own.

Lin Qianxuan sat down, looking around, always grappling with the thought of how she could live so simply despite having Dao Fruit.

A beast-eared girl possessing both Dao Fruit and inferiority mingled with simplicity, truly contradictory.

"May I look at your toolbox?" Lin Qianxuan asked.

"There's nothing important inside, Mr. Lin feel free to look." Peiya stared into the flames before her.

She still didn't dare look at Lin Qianxuan, fearing to see disdain or dissatisfaction on his face.

Lin Qianxuan took the toolbox in hand, opened it for a look.

They were just ordinary tools; she hadn't used her Dao Fruit for Reinforcement.

"Have you not used your ability to reinforce these things?" Lin Qianxuan asked directly.

"The power of the Artifact comes at a cost; if used too much, it makes one misfortunate....." Peiya murmured.

"You consider yourself an Artifact?"

Lin Qianxuan reacted.

"Everyone says I'm an Artifact..." Peiya clenched her fists.

Lin Qianxuan started to understand.

An Artifact seemed to be some special item requiring a cost to use.

Due to its overly powerful functions, people inevitably become greedy to use them.

Or rather, it inherently carried costs difficult to accept.

Ultimately, an Artifact became synonymous with misfortune.

Peiya's unique appearance, along with her abilities, led her to be judged as a special kind of Artifact.

Thus, she was ostracized, considered misfortunate.

But this impression should not be so entrenched.

No matter how ignorant, living with her would reveal her harmlessness.

"How did you come here?" Lin Qianxuan asked.

"Count Vera rescued me from a sea in the Abyss Ruins." Peiya replied.

"Before that?"

"I don't know, I have no memories of that time..... maybe because I'm an Artifact, created at that time....."

Peiya fell slightly silent.

A person without past memories is always bound to feel isolated.

Because you cannot find your origins.

Of course, she now has a new place to settle down.

Even though she's not particularly welcomed here, she still likes it.

"Is Countess Vera the ruler here?"

Lin Qianxuan felt like he understood something.

"It is said that there once was a king in Xuan Country, but he overused mysterious artifacts and died. Now, Countess Vera is managing the entire Xuan Country, and it's precisely because of her protection that the country has been able to maintain peace in the Abyss Ruins until now."

Peiya's words became more.

Clearly, she has relatively complex feelings about this Countess Vera.

After all, she was the one who brought her back.

However, Lin Qianxuan felt that she wasn't so simple either.

A place's people's thoughts often correspond to its ruling class's thoughts.

People here dislike mysterious artifacts, associating them with misfortune, which clearly indicates official propaganda.

Just hearing the details Peiya described, he knew it could easily shake the rule of Xuan Country.

Therefore, there is only one possibility for the other party to do this.

To maintain rule and confiscate the mysterious artifacts.

"What happens if ordinary people discover a mysterious artifact?" Lin Qianxuan asked.

"Privately possessing a mysterious artifact is against the laws of Xuan Country." Peiya said, "If one is discovered, it has to be handed over to the Judicial Court immediately."

Lin Qianxuan nodded slightly.

It matched up.

A very simple and correct strategy.

If it were him ruling, he definitely wouldn't leave mysterious artifacts among the people either.

But what's the deal with Peiya?

"Didn't Countess Vera ask you to live by her side?" Lin Qianxuan asked.

"Countess Vera is very kind, she didn't constrain me just because I am a mysterious artifact. When she discovered my abilities at that time, she merely warned me not to misuse them, and then gave me some money to live in Xuan Country." Peiya explained.

"So, she just wasn't impressed..."

Lin Qianxuan realized.

Peiya's prior use of her abilities was just like that.

After reinforcing and sharpening that short sword, it had only changed from a rusty short sword to one with the attributes of a normal short sword.

Seeing how strenuous it looked for her to use her abilities, it was likely very difficult for her to perform enchantment reinforcement in large quantities.

Such a level of a mysterious artifact, and it's a living one.

Vera probably wasn't too impressed either.

Relatively speaking, she's somewhat conscientious.

If it had been Lin Qianxuan, even if it was useless, he wouldn't let it easily flow out.

At the very least, he would arrange a casual job to keep it under watch.

Of course, it's also possible that Vera has many mysterious artifacts and their functions are already powerful, so she sees no need to go the extra mile.

"Please have some."

Peiya placed steaming food in front of Lin Qianxuan, then kept her head down, not daring to look at Lin Qianxuan's expression, and started eating by herself.

Lin Qianxuan noticed that the teeth in her mouth were as sharp as saws, appearing capable of grinding down metal, different from canine species.

He then looked at the contents of the plate in front of him.

The plate contained a yellowish-brown mush similar to porridge and two pieces of black bread beside it.

After tentatively taking a bite with the spoon, Lin Qianxuan's furrowed brows relaxed.

The misunderstanding was resolved.

It was indeed quite tasty.

The little meat particles were chopped very finely, yet the chewiness was not ruined.

It seemed to be smoked meat, though it wasn't clear what type of animal it came from.

Seeing that Peiya hadn't taken any meat from the Abyss Wolf before, it was likely not from that creature.

The black bread was not difficult to eat, just a little rough.

After the meal, Peiya cleaned the utensils, then prepared to go out to sell the Abyss Wolf skin and Abyssal Pearl.

Lin Qianxuan followed her.

The selling location was a place called the Hunter's Guild.

Hunters are a profession similar to adventurers.

They differ from ordinary residents, possessing stronger physiques and fighting capabilities, exploring the Abyss Ruins, hunting Abyss Beasts, and gathering various rare minerals and medicines from within.

Such a profession often involves risking their lives to fight for wealth, living more comfortably under the greater risks they bear.

Peiya was an exception, though.

"This wolf skin is all punctured, along with this Abyssal Pearl, I'll give you fifty copper box coins." The person responsible for recovery at the guild said.

Peiya's personality clearly didn't allow her to haggle over the price.

Just as Peiya was about to accept the price, Lin Qianxuan spoke up.

"These are my items." Lin Qianxuan said, "She's just helping me bring them over."

The person glanced at Lin Qianxuan, then squinted and said, "Getting involved with her isn't a good thing."

"None of your business, make an offer." Lin Qianxuan said.

"One gold, fifteen silver." The recovery personnel replied.

He couldn't gauge Lin Qianxuan's depth but could sense he was not simple, so he didn't dare to play tricks.

These hunters earn their living in the Abyss Ruins; it's common for them to retaliate with a sword if provoked.

There's no need to provoke people who live with their heads on the line.

"Pay up." Lin Qianxuan said.

The person quickly counted out the money and pushed it toward Lin Qianxuan.

Lin Qianxuan nodded, pocketing it, then took Peiya's hand and left the guild.

Outside the guild, Lin Qianxuan handed the money to her, saying without question, "Take it!"

Peiya's fluffy pink and white ears twitched, she softly acknowledged with a mosquito-like "um," carefully putting it away.

In that invisible moment, the misty pink Qi connected a bit more with Lin Qianxuan.

Lin Qianxuan watched her fox tail swaying rapidly behind her, raising an eyebrow. This kind of overbearing and caring gesture seemed to be well-received by her.

However, given her personality, if one wasn't a bit forceful, it seemed likely more effort would be needed to win her over.

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