Chapter 109

As soon as the Melon-Eating System returned, it started muttering again.

【Host, you saw that group of Jin family members just now, didn’t you?】

Although Ning Xu hadn’t looked at them closely, cultivators had sharp senses. Even with just a casual glance, she could roughly remember the scene.

The Melon-Eating System let out a snicker. 【All of them have sharp mouths and monkey-like faces!】

This statement carried some of the Melon-Eating System’s own bias.

In the world of cultivation, especially among those with considerable cultivation levels, it was rare to find someone with such an appearance. Among the Jin family members who had come, aside from the family head, none of them were actually ugly.

But Ning Xu didn’t refute the system.

The reason the Jin family members had left so quickly was that the Melon-Eating System had gone offline. If it hadn’t, what would they have done to her?

Thinking about how the Jin family had arrived aggressively, looking like they wanted to cause trouble, the Melon-Eating System growled, 【Host, it seems they still don’t understand the importance of keeping a low profile! It’s time to teach them another lesson!】

Seeing that there was nothing else happening, Ning Xu informed the Sword Immortal before going to feed the old yellow ox some grass.

After feeding the ox, she finally spoke at a leisurely pace, “No rush.”

There really was no need to rush. But just a few minutes later, the Melon-Eating System reported the latest developments regarding the Jin family.

【Host, the Jin family is under siege! Two old bastards are demanding that Jin Shen hand over the Mountain and River Diagram! And another old bastard wants the Saint of Medicine’s ultimate techniques!】

Jin Yue and Jin Shen were only at the early Mahayana Stage, while the old men who had hurriedly exited seclusion were all at the peak of the Mahayana Stage.

The Jin family members had no power to resist against these elders.

The difference in strength was too vast, making the outcome entirely predictable.

Sure enough, before the old yellow ox had even finished half of its spiritual grass, the Melon-Eating System provided the latest update.

【Hah! Jin Shen used the Mountain and River Diagram to abandon his family and escape alone.】

【Jin Yue was captured.】

【The rest of the Jin family members were let go.】

【Host, this Mountain and River Diagram is truly perfect. Even a mere early Mahayana like Jin Shen managed to escape from the hands of three peak Mahayana cultivators! Without it, even ten of him wouldn’t have gotten away!】

What had happened to the Jin family was quickly known to many well-informed cultivators. Even those who weren’t in the know soon found out through the Three Thousand Realms Cultivator Exchange Area.

Someone had even created a post specifically to discuss the siege on the Jin family by the three peak Mahayana cultivators.

【As expected, once an artifact appears, even peak Mahayana cultivators throw away their dignity.】

【What’s the worth of dignity? Without fortuitous encounters, they’ll soon face their natural end. But with the Mountain and River Diagram, everything changes! They might even ascend!】

【Honestly, the peak Mahayana cultivators were quite restrained. Didn’t the rest of the Jin family leave completely unscathed?】

【Tsk tsk tsk, to escape at such a critical moment—Jin family really is bold.】

【Let’s be real, even if they hadn’t left, the result would be the same. The Jin family’s protective formation wouldn’t have stopped those three.】

【Look, do you know why the Jin family members have been completely silent since this post appeared? Because whether they admit it or deny it, the outcome won’t change. Even with just the smallest possibility, those three would have acted anyway.】

【Now here’s the real question: there’s only one Mountain and River Diagram… but there are three peak Mahayana cultivators.】

【Shhh~】

Just as cultivators were sighing over how the Jin family was about to lose two Mahayana cultivators but wouldn’t suffer much as a clan, another new post appeared on the forum.

And this new post once again targeted the Jin family.

《Unveiling the So-Called Spear Cultivation Family’s Inherited Technique》

What?

A Spear Cultivation Family? Wasn’t that referring to the Jin family?

Was that same person exposing the Jin family’s inherited technique again?

The Jin family’s inherited technique—wasn’t it divination?

Could it be that there was something shady about its origins?

Thinking of this, the cultivators eagerly clicked on the new post.

**【The fact that this family has produced three Mahayana cultivators should already prove the extraordinary nature of their inherited technique.

Even the original poster has to admit, this technique is incredibly profound.

One could say that it was precisely because of this technique that their family rose from obscurity to become a clan with three Mahayana cultivators.

So, have you ever wondered—how did their ancestors acquire this technique?

Did they create it themselves? Was it an incredible stroke of fortune?

Or was it… murder and theft?】**

The post ended abruptly, leaving cultivators with endless speculation.

【No way, no way, did they really get their inherited technique through murder and theft?】

【If that’s true, then their family has really… kept up the tradition.】

【The original poster phrased it that way, so it’s highly likely they obtained it through the last method.】

【So which family was the victim? That’s really tragic.】

【Tragic +1】

【So far, the known victims include the Gu family, an unknown wandering cultivator, and an unnamed clan… Who knows how many other nameless victims there were.】

【That family really is wicked.】

—

The new post being discussed in the Three Thousand Realms Cultivator Exchange Area had once again been posted by Ning Xu.

She hadn’t expected the Jin family’s rise to power to be so disgraceful.

The Melon-Eating System gloated. 【After losing Gu Xiaoyou, the Gu family is no longer a major force. The wandering cultivator Jin Shen killed was just a lone rogue without status or power.】

【But the family whose technique was stolen—now that’s a real iron plate.】

Hearing this, Ning Xu became interested. “If they’re so powerful, how did they end up having their technique stolen?”

The Melon-Eating System carefully explained the backstory to her.

After listening, Ning Xu slightly furrowed her brows. “So that’s how it was.”

If that was the case, then the Jin family’s main branch wouldn’t be able to stay peaceful for much longer either.

—

The storm stirred by the Mountain and River Diagram was still far from over.

However, the Mahayana cultivators exercised restraint and would not involve innocent people.

From start to finish, they targeted only Jin Shen alone.

These past days, Jin Shen had relied on divination techniques and the divine artifact Mountains and Rivers Diagram to evade capture, hiding and dodging repeatedly, narrowly escaping multiple pursuit attempts.

Just as he hid inside a safe cave and let out a slight sigh of relief, a new post suddenly appeared in The Three Thousand Realms Cultivator Exchange Area—yet another one.

And just like the previous two posts targeting the Jin family, this new post was written by the same person.

This latest post was used by the poster to update their coordinates.

How deep was the grudge?

Who exactly had the Jin family offended?

Why was someone going after them so relentlessly?

Recalling the words of the family head—”a fated calamity has descended”—Jin Shen couldn’t help but shudder.

Sometimes, having a nemesis wasn’t the scary part. The terrifying part was not knowing who your opponent was! And this nemesis’ divination technique was so profound that it was unfathomable!

—

While the Jin family was suffering in dire straits, the melon-eating cultivators were utterly thrilled.

Their daily lives had once been dull and repetitive, consisting of nothing but training and cultivation.

But now, they had a new pastime—urging for updates!

【Where is the poster? So, how exactly did that family obtain their ancestral technique?】

【Poster, you haven’t updated in three whole hours! Even a donkey wouldn’t dare take such a long break!】

【Poster, can you hear my heartfelt call?】

The highly anticipated poster—Ning Xu—was currently discussing the Mountains and Rivers Diagram with the Melon-Eating System.

At present, two peak Mahayana-stage cultivators, along with dozens of mid- and late-stage Mahayana cultivators, were interested in the Mountains and Rivers Diagram and wanted to claim it as their own.

This divine artifact battle was unlikely to conclude anytime soon.

Until the dust settled, anything was possible.

After gathering and analyzing information, the Melon-Eating System came to a conclusion.

【Host, before, I told you that anyone could contract the Mountains and Rivers Diagram because the artifact had a major defect.】

【Previously, I only identified that it had a defect, but I didn’t know exactly what it was.】

【Now, I’ve finally figured it out! Hahaha!】

The Melon-Eating System’s arrogant laughter echoed in Ning Xu’s ears.

She played along. “So, what is the defect of the Mountains and Rivers Diagram?”

The Melon-Eating System gave a straightforward answer—

【The artifact spirit is missing.】

A supreme treasure like the Mountains and Rivers Diagram naturally had an artifact spirit.

Before, the Melon-Eating System had suspected that the artifact spirit might be in deep slumber due to severe damage to the divine artifact.

But it hadn’t expected the truth to be even more shocking.

The Mountains and Rivers Diagram’s artifact spirit was no longer inside the diagram.

【Host, as long as we find the artifact spirit and contract with it, the Mountains and Rivers Diagram will be ours.】

It sounded easy, but in reality, it wouldn’t be simple to accomplish.

First, they had to locate the artifact spirit.

Second, they had to gain its recognition.

The Melon-Eating System, however, wasn’t worried in the slightest.

It chuckled mischievously. 【We’ll secretly contract the Mountains and Rivers Diagram and amaze everyone!】

—

After several hours of waiting, the cultivators finally got an update.

【Many cultivators may have already guessed—the ancestral technique of that family was obtained through killing and plundering!

So, which family did they steal it from?

It was the Lu family.

Back then, the Lu family head and the head of that family were sworn brothers. The two had grown up together, knowing each other inside and out.

However, as time passed, the head of that family noticed that the Lu family’s fortune was extraordinarily good—almost unnaturally so.

Becoming suspicious, he began to observe the Lu family’s younger generation.

At first, he wondered if the Lu family possessed some kind of technique that could steal another’s fortune. Otherwise, how could their family members be so blessed?

Gradually, he discovered that the Lu family wasn’t stealing fortune; rather, they had a unique divination technique.

By using this divination technique, they could locate treasures that other cultivators couldn’t find.

As the Lu family flourished, greed took root in that man’s heart, growing stronger day by day.

Until one day, he raised a blade against his sworn brother for his own selfish desires.

A long time ago, the Lu family’s previous patriarch had foreseen a great calamity befalling their family. Unfortunately, his divination skills weren’t advanced enough to pinpoint the source of the disaster.

To give his family a chance of survival, he secretly divided them into two branches.

One branch met the fate you now know.

The other branch, over the years, grew in strength and eventually became a powerful cultivation force.

There are many aristocratic cultivation families with the surname Lu, but the most famous one—you all must know.

And the most outstanding descendant of that family is none other than a widely renowned powerhouse.

That person is the current Pavilion Master of Star Pavilion—

Lu Kou!】

After posting the update, Ning Xu didn’t bother checking the cultivators’ reactions.

She massaged her temples and said, “The Jin family is finished.”

Next up…

It was Zhi Qing’s turn.