The Ring’s Secret

After thinking for a long time, Bai Zhiqiu took out the ring that Gu Nian had given her.

Although directly asking her master seemed like the safest option, if her master found out how she had gradually become like this, there was no telling what unpleasant thoughts might arise.

She hadn’t forgotten the dazzling array of clothes in the grocery store’s wardrobe.

As the ring entered her hand, a chill immediately arose.

This was the first time she had taken a good look at the ring. The overall material seemed like jade, heavy and solid. Inside the ring were many engraved runes, and on the outermost part were budding poppies.

“Yin! How do I use this?”

“Let me see!”

Yin flew in front of Bai Zhiqiu and carefully examined the ring. Before long, she gave Bai Zhiqiu the answer.

“This ring seems to be connected to another space, and judging by the runes, it should only allow your minds to converse there. It shouldn’t have any effect on your real body, so there’s no need to worry about safety! As for how to use it, just inject magic power and wait for the other party’s response!”

After speaking, Yin picked up the ring and circled Bai Zhiqiu twice. “Seriously! This ring’s function is very precious. I didn’t expect her to give you something so valuable! And it seems this ring is paired! Do you think Gu Nian has taken a liking to you? This is a token of love for you!”

“Who gives a token of love right off the bat?” Bai Zhiqiu took the ring from Yin’s hand, put it on the ring finger of her right hand, and slowly injected her magic power.

As the magic power gradually infused, the ring began to emit a faint red glow… A delicate phantom of a poppy appeared on it…

“Yin! It’s glowing!” Bai Zhiqiu happily said to Yin.

Before Yin could answer, Bai Zhiqiu felt a dizzying spin, and the next moment she appeared in a mysterious space.

It looked like a small church, somewhat dilapidated, with pure white marble pillars stained with dust. The church was filled with many blooming lilies…

Suddenly, Gu Nian’s figure appeared before Bai Zhiqiu.

“Sister Gu Nian!” Bai Zhiqiu called out sweetly. Although they were currently enemies, since she needed something from the other, it was better to be sweet-tongued.

“Hello, Zhiqiu! We meet again!” Gu Nian’s voice came from not far away. “Still not resting at this late hour?”

“I’m about to rest, but there are some things I want to ask you. Did I disturb your rest?” Bai Zhiqiu glanced at Gu Nian, her gaze a little evasive.

Gu Nian’s well-proportioned body was wrapped entirely in a bath towel, presenting the scene of a beauty just out of the bath…

“Can I take it that little one is concerned about me?”

As if noticing Bai Zhiqiu’s evasive gaze, Gu Nian smiled and approached her, gently hooking Bai Zhiqiu’s chin!

An inadvertent movement exposed a great deal of fair skin…

Her crimson eyes were like silk, carrying absolute temptation, stirring Bai Zhiqiu’s heart until she felt a little hot…

‘How is she so good at flirting!’

“Stop! Sister Gu Nian! I came here to ask you about something serious this time!”

Seeing that Gu Nian might make another move, Bai Zhiqiu hastily spoke up. The urgent matter was to resolve her transformation problem; she didn’t want to suddenly turn into a girl one day!

“Alright! Alright! I won’t tease you! Speak quickly now, what problem do you need to ask me about in the middle of the night?”

Gu Nian withdrew her hand, a hint of reluctance in her eyes.

“It’s that I’m finding myself more and more like a girl!”

Bai Zhiqiu explained all her thoughts to Gu Nian…

“So, Sister Gu Nian, what exactly is going on?”

Bai Zhiqiu asked Gu Nian with a worried expression. After hearing Bai Zhiqiu’s concerns, Gu Nian couldn’t help but laugh.

“Actually, I’ve known about your transformation for a long time! But I’m curious, didn’t Qian Moyu ever tell you about this?” Gu Nian asked curiously.

“No…” Bai Zhiqiu shook her head. Her master had never said that the price of becoming a witch was gradually turning into a girl!

“Really? Then it must be because she didn’t know… That makes sense, after all, she hadn’t fallen back then…” Gu Nian said softly.

“Fallen? Master fell?” Bai Zhiqiu precisely caught the word Gu Nian used, and instantly, a blazing fire of gossip burned in her heart. “What’s the story with Master’s fall!”

Could it really be as she had imagined…

After all, when she first met her master, she was carrying a tentacle…

Suddenly, Bai Zhiqiu recalled the scene of her first meeting with her master in the park two years ago.

It was midsummer, but she was still dressed very warmly, holding a strange pet in her arms…

At a corner of the park, she set up a stall selling all sorts of odd things…

At that time, Bai Zhiqiu thought the girl looked pitiful alone, so she bought a pendant… That night, the girl appeared by her bedside, and she herself had turned into this.

Recalling the past, Bai Zhiqiu couldn’t help but feel a pang of emotion. If she hadn’t picked up that pendant back then, would she not have become a magical girl?

“Sorry! I can’t answer that question. I once promised Qian Moyu to keep her secret.” Gu Nian shook her head, refusing to answer Bai Zhiqiu.

“Alright! Then can Sister Gu Nian explain in detail what’s going on with me?” Hearing Gu Nian’s refusal to gossip about her master, Bai Zhiqiu didn’t press further. The urgent matter was to understand her own situation—it concerned her dignity as a man!

“Actually, this problem didn’t start three months ago. It began the moment you obtained the coordinate.”

“Coordinate? This?” Bai Zhiqiu took out the Higanbana pendant hanging around her neck. Earlier, Yan Qingzhu had also mentioned something about coordinates and such.

“Yes! That’s the coordinate! Both magical girls and witches need coordinates to transform. And the moment you received your coordinate, it marked you as a witch. As your strength increases, the coordinate guides you to become more like your witch form.”

Hearing Gu Nian’s words, Bai Zhiqiu suddenly understood.

As her strength grew, she was becoming more like a witch, until finally, she would completely take on the witch’s form…

No wonder even as a male, her hair grew faster and faster, and she felt her strength waning.

“Sister Gu Nian! How much time do I have? Pfft! I mean, how long until I fully become a girl?”

“It should be when you break through to the Moonlight level that you’ll completely become a girl.”

“Is that so…” Bai Zhiqiu’s voice dropped.

She hadn’t expected to continue living in a different identity…

A wave of loss and emotion surged in her heart.

Seeing the little witch’s dejection, Gu Nian comforted her: “Of course, that’s not entirely accurate. It might take longer, or maybe until you reach the Solar level.”

Hearing Gu Nian’s reassurance, Bai Zhiqiu nodded.