Zuo Shi wandered around the third floor once, finding it rather dull, so she settled down beside the turtle shell on the floor, waiting impatiently for Shi Yan to hurry up and arrive.

Half an hour later, Shi Yan slowly made his way upstairs, having changed into a cyan long robe that made him look quite dashing.

Zuo Shi merely glanced at him before returning her gaze to the turtle shell before her, saying, "If you’ve finished your business, hurry up and show me. I’m dying of impatience."

Zuo Shi had seen too many handsome and imposing young men; the men of the Zuo family were all renowned beauties, so she was practically immune to every style of handsomeness.

"Girl, you’re so used to having people wait for you that you’d never understand the toil of waiting unless I made you taste it yourself."

Shi Yan let out a cold snort. He didn't rush over immediately; instead, he first circled a few bookshelves, and guided by a deep memory, pulled out a thick, dusty ancient tome. Only then did he approach Zuo Shi.

Zuo Shi was momentarily lost in thought, stunned by Shi Yan’s remark, before nodding gently in agreement. "You make a good point. It’s always others waiting for me; I truly haven't waited for anyone before. So this is what waiting feels like. But why didn’t those people get annoyed when they waited so long for me? They all smiled when they spoke to me?"

"Because they’re pathetic!" Shi Yan commented bluntly.

"Pfft!"

Zuo Shi pursed her lips into a smile, her bright eyes drifting over Shi Yan as she said sweetly, "You truly have a wicked tongue. How are they pathetic?"

"I think your name shouldn’t be Zuo Shi; it should be Zuo Xin Xin."

"Why?"

"Where I come from, a child’s name is chosen to remedy whatever their destiny lacks. For instance, the name Zhao Xin means he lacks metal in his fate, and Wang Miao lacks water. Well, you should be called Zuo Xin Xin…"

"You’re the one lacking sense! You brute!"

"So you aren't stupid after all?" Shi Yan’s expression was detached. "If you weren't lacking sense, how could you not know what their intentions are? Since they want to curry favor with you, they naturally wouldn't dare show the slightest hint of dissatisfaction in front of you. Men, before obtaining something beautiful, are always somewhat pathetic. After they get it, well, they become even more pathetic!"

"Are you talking about yourself?" Zuo Shi’s eyes sparkled as she looked at him with a smile.

"Ahem, I meant most men are like that, but I’m an exception!"

Shi Yan asserted his claim shamelessly, then guiltily squatted down, leaning close to the turtle shell lying on the floor. With one hand, he briskly flipped through the thick ancient book in his grasp, pausing at a certain page, his finger pointing to a specific archaic character.

On the back of the basin-sized turtle shell, besides the intricate, ancient turtle patterns, there were surprisingly eight archaic characters, each the size of a lip. These eight characters didn't appear to be carved in forcefully; rather, they seemed naturally outlined by the shell’s own patterns, making them quite miraculous.

The eight characters were arranged in two columns, each the same size, feeling cool to the touch.

Shi Yan ran his left hand over the archaic characters while his right hand continuously turned the pages of the heavy book. At times he frowned in deep thought, and at others, his eyes would light up, a slight smile touching the corner of his mouth, as if he had achieved sudden understanding, focusing completely on deciphering the writing on the shell.

Completely absorbed, he seemed entirely unaware of the stunningly beautiful maiden nearby.

Zuo Shi also slightly crouched down, her delicate face level with his, watching the changes in Shi Yan’s expression the entire time.

It had to be said that Shi Yan, when dedicated to a task, possessed a unique masculine charm. This focused attitude, single-mindedly engaged in important work, earned Zuo Shi some admiration. She nodded inwardly: This fellow might put on airs and have a sharp tongue, but when it comes to actual work, he’s quite serious.

"Swish, swish!"

In the silent room, the only sound was Shi Yan rapidly turning pages. Zuo Shi squatted quietly beside him, observing in silence, not daring to interrupt.

After an unknown amount of time, Shi Yan suddenly closed the ancient book in his hand, his expression solemn. "It’s out."

"What exactly are these eight archaic characters?" Zuo Shi asked, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

"Dragon Turtle Spirit Armor! Black Tortoise True Manifestation!" Shi Yan commanded in a deep voice.

"Oh!"

Zuo Shi let out a soft gasp and pointed at the shell, exclaiming, "The shell is lighting up because of your voice!"

"Hmm?"

Shi Yan was inwardly startled and quickly lowered his head to look. He saw that the fine turtle patterns on the shell were indeed beginning to release a faint cyan luster.

The eight archaic characters seemed to come alive, slowly wriggling on the shell and rearranging themselves back into formation.

Zuo Shi and Shi Yan watched, dumbfounded.

After moving for a while, the eight characters connected to form a shallow groove shaped like a palm print.

A faint cyan light flowed across the turtle shell, and strange fluctuations emanated from it. The air in the room seemed to be drawn toward the shell, rapidly flowing into it, causing both Shi Yan and Zuo Shi to find it somewhat difficult to breathe.

"Zuo Shi, I’ll watch this here. You must hurry to the reception hall and fetch your grandfather and my grandfather, quickly!" Shi Yan, momentarily stunned, suddenly roared.

"Okay!"

Zuo Shi was also shocked by the shell's transformation. She didn't dare delay, her slender body swayed, and she vanished from Shi Yan's sight in an instant.

Shi Yan watched the turtle shell with a grave expression, his gaze unwavering.

The cyan light on the shell continued to circulate, and the palm-shaped groove became increasingly distinct. As air flowed in, the groove seemed to sink deeper.

After staring at the shell for a while, a thought struck Shi Yan: the anomaly presented by the shell seemed to be inviting someone to place their hand inside.

The moment this thought arose, Shi Yan found himself unable to resist the urge to place one of his hands in.

However, just as he reached out, he abruptly sobered up.

No, this turtle shell belonged to Zuo Shi; I shouldn't be the one to touch it.

With that thought, Shi Yan stopped, took a deep breath, stepped a few paces back from the shell, and waited quietly.

Before long, Zuo Shi returned, accompanied by Zuo Xu and Shi Jian. The three immediately gathered around the shell, staring intently at its continuing transformation.

"This is what happened..." Shi Yan briefly explained the situation, then added, "The handprint manifested on the shell must be the activation method. Pressing a hand onto it should reveal the shell's secret. Since Miss Shi brought the shell, I won't overstep my bounds."

"Could there be danger?" Zuo Xu’s eyes flickered uneasily; he was unsure how to proceed at this moment.

"I don't know," Shi Yan shook his head. After a moment of hesitation, he offered his judgment: "It's precisely because I don't know if there’s danger that I asked Xiao Shi to call you over. Now that you are all here, even if the shell poses a risk, you should be able to step in and stop it in time."

"You mean, it’s worth a try?" Zuo Xu’s eyes brightened. Those eight words—"Dragon Turtle Spirit Armor" and "Black Tortoise True Manifestation"—clearly related to a secret treasure or martial skill. This shell was ancient, proving its immense value; it would be unnatural for Zuo Xu not to be moved.

"It’s definitely worth a try," Shi Yan grinned easily. "Grandpa Zuo, if you are worried about Xiao Shi, I can do it instead. How about that?"

"I'll do it."

Hearing Shi Yan’s words, Zuo Shi didn't consult Zuo Xu’s opinion. She stretched out her crystalline left hand and suddenly pressed it firmly into the sunken groove on the turtle shell.

"Boom!"

A muffled explosion erupted from within the shell.

Five fine needles shot out instantly from the groove, embedding themselves into the fingertips of Zuo Shi’s five fingers resting in the indentation.

Bright crimson blood immediately began to drip from Zuo Shi’s delicate jade fingers. The blood, like rubies, dripped into the groove, spinning momentarily before being absorbed by the shell.

Brilliant cyan light suddenly burst forth from the turtle shell, so dazzling it forced both of them to squeeze their eyes shut.

Strange archaic symbols, condensed from cyan light, suddenly flew out, traveling up Zuo Shi's arm and flowing directly into her mind.

:I will be pushing for rankings early this morning, and I’ll upload a chapter then. If anyone is still awake, please show your support!!M