Chapter 110

Ning Xu had never forgotten the sinister and ruthless look in Zhi Qing’s eyes when he gazed at her.

This man was a mad dog.

Once he set his sights on someone, it was a fight to the death.

She knew that Zhi Qing would still be alive three thousand years later. She couldn’t change the established history, nor could she take his life now, but she could at least make him suffer a serious setback.

The Melon-Eating System chimed in enthusiastically,

【How dare he harbor ill intentions! How dare he look at you with those eyes! Does this Dog Bastard even deserve to keep his face? Host, let’s strip him down to his underwear!】

Ning Xu: …

Although the Melon-Eating System’s words were crude, its reasoning wasn’t wrong. Still, it could choose to phrase things a bit more elegantly sometimes.

Just as Ning Xu and the Melon-Eating System were sharpening their blades against Zhi Qing, the Three Thousand Realms Cultivator Exchange Area was abuzz with activity because of her latest post.

For many cultivators, tonight was destined to be another sleepless night.

【Lu Kou? You mean that Lu family?!】

【Damn, the Jin family actually offended that Lu family!】

【Finally, after bullying weaklings for so long, they’ve finally kicked a steel plate!】

【Lu family, if you don’t take action now, wouldn’t that be unacceptable?】

【If this is true, the Lu family definitely won’t sit back and do nothing.】

【This is probably true, right? Like, at least 80-90% true?】

The Lu family responded swiftly. After seemingly confirming the truth, they immediately joined forces with the Gu family to launch a campaign against the Jin family.

In an attempt to preserve their direct lineage, the Jin family’s core members chose to marry into other powerful families overnight, seeking their protection.

A great family like the Jin clan collapsed within a matter of days.

Upon hearing this, Ning Xu was lost in thought for a long while.

After a while, she asked the Melon-Eating System, “At the beginning, you said the Jin family’s direct lineage all chose to marry into other families. Back then, I didn’t know how things would unfold. But now, because of my interference, they truly did end up doing so. So, which came first—the cause or the effect?”

If she hadn’t interfered, would the Jin family have still made the same choice?

This kind of philosophical question wasn’t the Melon-Eating System’s strong suit.

【Host, this is just like the chicken-and-egg dilemma—there’s no definite answer.】

Ning Xu didn’t dwell on the question for long. It wasn’t worth it.
—

The next day, Ning Xu received a voice transmission from Xu Zhi.

Xu Zhi told her that she planned to form a Dao companion bond with her fiancé, and the ceremony was set for three months later. Since both families placed great importance on this union, preparations would take some time.

Xu Zhi sincerely invited Ning Xu to attend.

Upon hearing the news, Ning Xu was momentarily stunned, but she quickly accepted it.

As she had predicted, the broad strokes of history could not be changed, but minor, insignificant details could still be altered.

She immediately sent her congratulations to Xu Zhi.

The Melon-Eating System clicked its tongue twice,

【Three months later… By then, we might not even be in this era anymore.】

The implication was clear—Ning Xu was getting closer and closer to the day she would retrieve the Sword Immortal’s sword bone.

And that also meant the day the Sword Immortal was betrayed was drawing near.

To say Ning Xu felt nothing at all would be a lie.

But…

The Sword Immortal had comprehended the Dao of Time and had deliberately hidden his sword bone here so that no one could find it. He had left himself a way out.

Therefore, she must obtain this sword bone for Si Yan!

Only then would they have a higher chance of winning three thousand years later.

Ning Xu sat quietly beside the old ox, her thoughts drifting aimlessly.

Xu Hua and the others’ betrayal of Si Cang…

The Jin family concealing the existence of two Mahayana stage cultivators…

The regression of prodigious cultivators…

The demon god’s demon core…

These clues all seemed to point to the same underlying truth.

Ning Xu finally spoke, “You’ve always said the time wasn’t right, that some things couldn’t be revealed yet. Now, do you think the time has come?”

The Melon-Eating System let out a mischievous laugh,

【Host, deep down, you already have an idea, don’t you?】

Hearing this, Ning Xu fell into a long silence.

After a while, she finally said, “The emergence of the Mountains and Rivers Map has attracted countless Mahayana-stage cultivators.”

“In this era, the number of Mahayana cultivators isn’t exactly small. And in fact, even three thousand years later, there are still quite a few of them.”

“But…”

“Throughout history, how many have actually managed to ascend? How many cultivators have been stuck at the peak of the Mahayana stage, unable to break through? How many have never even been able to summon the tribulation lightning required for ascension?”

“If there’s one thing that even Mahayana-stage cultivators would desperately desire…”

“It can only be the path to ascension.”

At those words, even the old ox beside Ning Xu instinctively stopped chewing.

Ascension…

It was the ultimate goal of every cultivator’s lifelong pursuit.

However, the number of people who successfully ascend is indeed too few.

Among all the cultivators, the ones who can ascend are one in ten thousand.

Countless talented cultivators, including those with mutated spiritual roots, the top-tier geniuses, all stop at this step of ascension, unable to go any further.

The Melon-Eating System spoke with a tone of admiration, 【As expected of my bound host, so clever!】

After saying this, it spoke in a calm electronic voice, 【If one day, an entity tells a cultivator that it can help them ascend, and this entity also makes clear that it has the ability to do so, that it can achieve what it claims.】

【Do you think the cultivators would take risks and give everything for this?】

Ning Xu’s face suddenly showed a look of realization.

So that’s it!

It really is like that!

If that’s the case, then all those things that were difficult to understand can now be explained clearly.

It turns out, the reason is that simple and straightforward!

At this moment, the Melon-Eating System switched to a mocking tone, 【They wouldn’t seriously think that reaching the Mahayana Stage means they’re just one step away from ascension, would they?】

【No way, they can’t really believe that, right?】

The old yellow bull, who had stopped grazing, really wanted to ask, isn’t it true?

The Mahayana Stage!

At this level of cultivation, isn’t ascension just one step away? The Mahayana Stage has always been considered the closest cultivation stage to ascension.

Looking across the entire cultivation world, the majority will always be low-level cultivators.

Whoever reaches the Mahayana Stage is a true dragon among men, a child of fortune, right?

Ning Xu also asked, “How so?”

The Melon-Eating System snorted coldly, 【Host, I told you a long time ago, the true cultivation path doesn’t start with Qi Refining.】

【When you reach the Mahayana Stage, the real test only begins!】

【That group of useless cultivators can’t ascend, so they start to think of crooked paths, not even thinking about why they can’t ascend.】

The old yellow bull wanted to ask again, so why can’t they ascend?

Why is it that in the entire history of the cultivation world, the number of ascenders is so few?

Is it because they lacked a bit of fortune?

Or is it because they lacked something else?

Or maybe something went wrong in their small world, causing Mahayana cultivators to be unable to ascend?

But it didn’t need to ask, the Melon-Eating System directly gave an answer.

【Isn’t it because they’re useless?】

【Useless people wanting to ascend? Don’t make me laugh.】

【At present, Mahayana cultivators, like Jin Shen, Jin Yue, are probably considered geniuses in the eyes of the world.】

【But in my eyes, they’re nothing.】

【Nothing at all, how could they possibly ascend?】

【Host, you agree, right?】

The old yellow bull: …

Ning Xu: …

Well, well, it’s still the familiar sharp-tongued system.

【If they can’t ascend, they should look for the reason within themselves and see if they’re too useless.】

【Not cooperating with some shady existence!】

【Wouldn’t that be asking for trouble?】

【If that entity were so reliable, would Xu Hua and the others still be stuck in this small world after three thousand years? Why didn’t they ascend?】

【Is it that they don’t want to?】

【Isn’t it because they can’t?】

Ning Xu: …

The Melon-Eating System made so much sense.

After mocking those useless cultivators, the Melon-Eating System switched gears again and began to flatter.

【But Host, you’re different.】

【You are the genius personally certified by this system!】

【Ascension? It’s nothing, really!】

【Getting the Map of Mountains and Rivers is the crucial first step for us to officially walk the path of ascension!】

The old yellow bull: …

His contracted master had innate sword bones. At just over a hundred years old, he had already reached the Mahayana Stage.

Such a genius standing at the top of the cultivation world, the current first combat power, had never made such big claims.

The Map of Mountains and Rivers hadn’t even arrived yet, and they were already fantasizing about ascension?

Having heard enough flattery, Ning Xu appeared quite calm. After all, she had already been fed countless promises by the Melon-Eating System. Now, no matter how grand the promises, she could accept them.

She thought for a moment and said, “After we finish exposing Zhi Qing’s secrets and get him into trouble, we’ll go look for the spirit of the Map of Mountains and Rivers.” Just like the Melon-Eating System said earlier, she planned to reveal everything about Zhi Qing.

Who would have thought that a person who seemed silent and unremarkable actually hid many secrets? Of the four who backstabbed the Sword Immortal, Xu Hua was the most calculating, Gou Chen was the weakest and easiest to deal with, Lie Quan was a cunning and Zhi Qing was the most surprising!

He was the one with the most secrets among the four!

The Melon-Eating System eagerly said, 【Good!】

【Map of Mountains and Rivers, here we come! Get ready to welcome Grandpa! Hahaha.】

The old yellow bull: …

Can it come along too?

It’s inexperienced and really wants to witness the process of their contract with the divine artifact, to see if they can gain the approval of the spirit of the Map of Mountains and Rivers…