Crazy-Gossiping-c5

Chapter 5

Everyone present was overwhelmed with excitement.

How many Heavenly-ranked cultivation techniques are there?

If someone else had said this, the high-ranking members of the Heart Sect would have definitely not believed it. What a joke! Did this person think Heavenly-ranked cultivation techniques were like cabbages? Just how many could there be? If they had the ability, they should show one.

But strangely, the one who said this was the mysterious Melon-Eating System. This made the statement somehow seem much more credible.

So, the question arises: Does it really have any Heavenly-ranked cultivation techniques?


Compared to Heavenly-ranked cultivation techniques, the Sect Leader was more deeply moved by the words spoken by the Melon-Eating System.

It said: [Is spiritual root important? Yes, it is. But is it particularly important? Not necessarily.]

The “Talent Theory” was the most mainstream argument in the cultivation world.

Many people believe that a cultivator’s future path is predetermined from the start. Three spiritual roots, four spiritual roots, or even five spiritual roots—these are all considered useless spiritual roots.

They are not valued, and throughout their lives, they might only be able to become inner sect disciples. As for becoming an inner disciple or the direct disciple of the sect leader, that is completely impossible. Wanting to become an elder’s disciple? Dream on.

But the Melon-Eating System said that among the three ascended great powers, two of them actually had useless spiritual roots!

This fact greatly exceeded his expectations.

A thousand years ago, the cultivation world experienced a massive catastrophe. After that turmoil, countless treasures of the cultivation world were lost, including a large portion of Heavenly-ranked cultivation techniques and records of major events.

This meant that the current cultivators knew nothing about the cultivation world a thousand years ago. They didn’t know what the spiritual energy was like back then, nor how many talented cultivators there were. Naturally, they couldn’t know that two great ascended powers with useless spiritual roots had existed.

The conversation between Ning Xu and the Melon-Eating System had opened a new world to him.

The Sect Leader was deeply moved, while the sect elders beside him had already fallen into enlightenment.

The words of the Melon-Eating System, especially [Temperament second, luck third, talent fourth], echoed in her mind, endlessly repeating.

It believed that, among temperament, luck, and talent, luck and talent were comparatively secondary.

She was an Ice Spiritual Root, among the most outstanding talents in cultivation, and her luck wasn’t bad either—she could always find rare herbs and treasures.

However, her cultivation had stagnated for nearly three hundred years.

Over the last three hundred years, she had repeatedly entered various secret realms searching for opportunities, but unfortunately, after all this time, her cultivation had not improved in the slightest. Aside from growing more irritable and anxious, she gained nothing. The more anxious she became, the more problems she faced in her cultivation.

At present, her cultivation was not only stagnant, but had even begun to regress.

The Melon-Eating System’s words were like a ray of light that dispersed the fog in her heart.

Her cultivation hadn’t progressed not because of her poor talent, nor because of bad luck, but because her state of mind had changed.

She had always regarded talent and luck as the most important factors, but in reality, she was just an ordinary person.

She thought she was a genius, thinking that talent was the most crucial thing. In fact, maintaining a peaceful mind was the most important. The Melon-Eating System was right: only with the right mindset could one go far on the cultivation path.

Those with poor mindsets would eventually lose their way. And she had been defeated by her restless heart.

The Melon-Eating System’s casual remark had loosened the bottleneck she had been stuck at for many years.

Her heart stirred, and she realized that this was the perfect moment to break through. She muttered, “I’ll go back and break through,” and then flew off on her sword.

As for the karmic debt she owed, she naturally kept it in mind. Once she broke through, she would return to repay it.


Ning Xu was unaware that her brief conversation with the Melon-Eating System had played a significant role, even helping an elder break through.

Seeing that dawn wasn’t far off, she decided to meditate again. Her spiritual energy had been depleted, and she had none left. When she opened her eyes again, the sky was still dark, but she had to go to the Dao Court’s square for morning prayers.

Thanks to the kindness of a senior sister, she successfully made her way to the square again today.

Soon after she arrived, Ning Xu began to feel hungry.

It seemed the effect of the “Spirit-Replenishing Pill” from yesterday had worn off.

She took another pill from her storage bag, tossed it into her mouth, and commented, “This stuff is really bad. It has no flavor at all.”

The Melon-Eating System sighed in resignation: [This is how the Spirit-Replenishing Pill from this small world is. However, you can ask an alchemist to improve it, making it taste the way you like. Or, you could make it yourself.]

Ning Xu immediately refused, “Making it myself is too troublesome. I’d rather have the finished product.”

The Melon-Eating System replied, [Well, I suggest you befriend someone who specializes in cooking.]

Ning Xu lazily yawned and asked, “Are there any cooks in the sect?”

[Yes, there are. The ones standing in the southwest direction are all food cultivators.]

Ning Xu perked up, “How are their cooking skills?”

[Not great.]

Ning Xu’s enthusiasm quickly deflated.

The food cultivators:…

Hey, hey, hey, is it really okay to say that in front of them?

Of course, they knew that Ning Xu probably didn’t realize that her conversation with the Melon-Eating System was being overheard.

Had she known, she would never have been so reckless.

After making this sharp evaluation, the Melon-Eating System added, [But it’s normal. They’ve only just started. They haven’t yet begun to systematically study cooking techniques. I believe some of them have potential. I suggest you make friends with them. You never know, you might be eating all kinds of delicacies from the cultivation world in the near future.]

Ning Xu became intrigued, “The delicacies from the cultivation world… they must be very different from the ones in my previous world, right? Alright, I’ll go meet them later.”

She didn’t think much about it afterward, but the food cultivators started to get anxious.

What exactly is she talking about?

Which of us is considered a potential talent?

There are dozens of us here!

Who exactly is she referring to?

Unfortunately, the Melon-Eating System didn’t give further details, leaving them restless, eager to know the answer.

Ning Xu thought her conversation with the Melon-Eating System had concluded, but just as she finished speaking, the system continued, [Did you see that male cultivator with the high ponytail on your left?]

Ning Xu glanced to her left and casually said, “There are so many with high ponytails. Which one are you referring to?”

The Melon-Eating System clicked its tongue, [The one who looks the most unlucky.]

The others:…

Who is this unlucky person? With that expression, this brother really needs to take care of himself. Don’t do something rash.

When the Melon-Eating System said this, Ning Xu quickly identified who it was.

“Are you referring to the guy with three white eyes, arms crossed, and wearing a black and white ink-wash robe?”

[Yes, yes, that’s him. A Green-Hat Knight.]

The others: Huh?

Green-Hat Knight himself: Okay, I know who you mean. This is so obvious.

The Green-Hat Knight already looked miserable, and now he looked even worse, constantly appearing like an easy target.

Ning Xu, “…Could you elaborate more on why you’re saying this?”

The Melon-Eating System didn’t keep her guessing and directly said, [There’s a reason I said that. Actually, this Green-Hat Knight is connected to you.]

Ning Xu’s curiosity grew, “Oh? How do you mean?”

[His former fiancée has hooked up with your former fiancé. See, you two are already connected! Both are wronged souls!]

Ning Xu:…

Whether or not they were wronged souls, she hadn’t really felt much connection to it.

As for her former fiancé… She hadn’t recovered all her memories related to that person. Although she had been wronged, she didn’t feel the slightest bitterness or sorrow.

She didn’t even need to feel bitter or sad because Xu Shixing had been stamped by the system as a “hopeless” cultivator.

Since the Melon-Eating System had already given that stamp, it meant he would never amount to anything in his life.

In that case, why would she waste her time on someone destined to be useless?

There was no need!

The Melon-Eating System began painting a picture, [But don’t pay too much attention to that. The wronged souls are the past. From now on, you’ll be someone he can’t even reach.]

Ning Xu: “…I didn’t care in the first place.”

The Melon-Eating System smirked, [In most stories, after being betrayed by those two scoundrels, the wronged souls usually form an alliance and plot a revenge together. In many such stories, those in your position eventually fall in love after working together, striking back at the scoundrels, and making great progress in cultivation.]

Ning Xu nodded seriously, “That does sound like it could happen. But like you said, it only happens in typical stories.”

[Exactly. If it were you and him, it’s impossible.]

Ning Xu looked intrigued.

The Melon-Eating System clicked its tongue and explained, [He’s just not your type.]

[You get it, right? Actually, he’s not just a little wrong for you; he’s millions of times wrong for you.]

[In short, he’s not worthy of you. You two can never be a pair. You just don’t have that chemistry!]

Ning Xu, …

“There’s no need to be so blunt.”

Although she didn’t think she would have a story with that Green-Hat Knight, the Melon-Eating System’s words still made her a bit embarrassed. Cultivators should remain humble.

As for the Green-Hat Knight, who had been listening nearby, he felt like a knife had pierced his heart.


—-

Note:
The term “绿帽” (lǜmào), meaning “green hat,” is a Chinese slang referring to a man whose partner has been unfaithful. The expression is based on the belief that a cuckolded man metaphorically wears a green hat. In the text, “绿帽侠” (green hat knight) humorously refers to a character who has been betrayed. This can be translated directly as “green hat” to preserve cultural meaning or rephrased as “cuckold” depending on the context.