Chapter 112

The Melon-Eating System said “Awesome, awesome!” several times.

Ning Xu felt her confidence swell slightly from the praise, but she quickly calmed down again. Her path of cultivation was still long, and she was far from the point of being complacent.

Perhaps it was because of that Enlightenment Leaf she consumed after returning three thousand years into the past.

Of course, it could also have something to do with her binding to the Melon-Eating System.

Melon-eating, melon-eating—wasn’t that just about peeking into other people’s secrets?

That was somewhat related to the Dao of Fate.

Speaking of secrets, Ning Xu thought of Zhi Qing again.

She informed the Sword Immortal and then returned to her room.

Half a month had passed. That amount of time was a lenient grace period for Zhi Qing, allowing him to pass his days in peace.

But now…

It was time to expose his secret!

The Melon-Eating System rubbed its hands eagerly and said, 【Host, the hunting time has arrived!】

If special effects could be added, there should have been a golden lightning bolt flashing across the system’s eyes at this moment, signaling the beginning of the hunt.

Ning Xu had already learned all of Zhi Qing’s gossip from the Melon-Eating System.

Now, the biggest question was—how should she release the melon to create the greatest uproar and bring Zhi Qing the biggest trouble?

The melons she released had to generate maximum impact.

After pondering all night, Ning Xu finally had a clear plan the next morning.

After breakfast, she went to feed the Old Yellow Ox with spiritual herbs again. Lately, the Old Yellow Ox seemed to be in a good mood, wagging its tail happily.

Like Brother Pig, it had completely adapted to its environment. It was clearly a ferocious beast, a Yazi, yet it didn’t resemble one in the slightest.

Brother Pig was still asleep inside Ning Xu’s spirit beast pouch. The demon god’s fragmentary pill she obtained on Star Island was quite large and should be very nourishing for him.

Both of them—ferocious beasts, yet equally lazy and gluttonous…

What could Ning Xu say about that? She could only keep feeding them.

After feeding the Old Yellow Ox its spiritual herbs, Ning Xu began composing her post.

Around nine or ten in the morning, which was the “Si” hour in the cultivation world, a new post appeared on the Three Thousand Realms Cultivator Exchange Area.

The author was the same as before.

The style remained unchanged—bold, domineering, and unmistakably signaling—

That someone was about to be out of luck!

The post’s title was simple and direct:

“Exposing a Certain Male Cultivator with Treasure-Seeking Mouse Bloodline”

As soon as people saw the title, many cultivators were immediately drawn in.

What? A male cultivator with the bloodline of a Treasure-Seeking Mouse?

Wouldn’t that make him a half-demon?

Wait… a half-demon… Who was so talented as to have a child with a Treasure-Seeking Mouse? Was this an attempt to pass down innate treasure-seeking abilities to future generations?

That was shocking.

As the gossip gradually unraveled, more and more cultivators found it truly explosive.

【Many of you must be wondering about the wording of the title.

Why do I refer to this person as a “male cultivator” instead of a “half-demon”?

Because this male cultivator’s demon bloodline is not very prominent.

From his appearance alone, there is no way to tell that he is a half-demon.

Even in front of a Tribulation Stage cultivator, he would not be discovered.

However, the trace of Treasure-Seeking Mouse blood he inherited still grants him treasure-hunting abilities.】

Upon reading this, many cultivators sighed in amazement.

A half-demon like this was too incredible!

Not only could he blend seamlessly into the ranks of human cultivators without facing discrimination, but he also retained the abilities of a demon race.

The question was—how could one give birth to such a cultivator?!

The author of the post quickly provided an answer.

【Why is this the case?

To explain, we must start with his lineage.

His mother was a human cultivator—a powerful one at that.

His father, as you might have guessed, was a Treasure-Seeking Mouse. Not just any Treasure-Seeking Mouse, but one that had already attained human form.

This Treasure-Seeking Mouse was originally the female cultivator’s contracted life-bound spirit beast. After it cultivated into human form, the two secretly became Dao companions.

And naturally, they had a child together.

This child carried both human and demon bloodlines.

However, since the Treasure-Seeking Mouse was the woman’s life-bound spirit beast, it was inherently subordinate to her. As a result, their child’s demon bloodline was somewhat weaker compared to its human heritage.】

After reading this, the cultivators understood.

【Alright, everyone, pack it up—this isn’t something we can replicate.】

【Just contracting a Treasure-Seeking Mouse as a life-bound spirit beast is already an insurmountable obstacle for most people.】

【Treasure-Seeking Mice are extremely rare, let alone one that has reached the level of human transformation.】

【To give birth to such a half-demon, one would need a combination of perfect timing, location, and fate.】

【A cultivator forming a Dao partnership with their contracted life-bound spirit beast… That’s not something most cultivators would ever consider.】

【Honestly, the mere existence of this half-demon is remarkable. I wonder why the author is exposing him.】

【Did this person offend the author somehow?】

【Maybe. Or maybe the author just enjoys dropping melons?】

【…The person above sure loves to make wild guesses.】

Ning Xu ignored the cultivators’ teasing and continued updating the post.

【Because he has the bloodline of a Treasure-Seeking Rat, no treasure can escape his sight.

After so many years of cultivation, he has gathered quite a collection of treasures.

Let’s not even mention the seventh- and eighth-grade spiritual herbs. Although these high-grade herbs are incredibly rare and extremely valuable in spirit stones, they are not the focus today.】

At this point, Ning Xu deliberately left the topic hanging, successfully piquing the curiosity of the cultivators.

【Seventh- and eighth-grade spiritual herbs aren’t the focus? Then what is?】

【I have a feeling the OP is about to drop a major bombshell!】

【If even priceless high-grade spiritual herbs aren’t important enough, then what kind of treasure is the OP about to reveal?!】

【I couldn’t resist joining in—could the OP tell us exactly which seventh- and eighth-grade spiritual herbs he has?】

As soon as this comment appeared, the thread became even livelier.

【Whoa, I recognize that name! Is the commenter Old Bei?】

【Wait, what? Which Old Bei? The one I’m thinking of?】

【To be clear, yes, it’s the Old Bei you’re thinking of!】

【Holy crap, the great authority of the alchemy world is actually here in the Three Thousand Realms Cultivator Exchange Area, eating melons? Should I say it’s because the OP’s gossip is too juicy or because their posts are just that good?】

【Both! Both! Hahaha.】

Ning Xu didn’t rush to edit a new post. In fact, she planned to wait until tomorrow to continue the update.

She wanted Zhi Qing to spend some time guessing and worrying!

Just as she was about to go cultivate in peace, the Melon-Eating System suddenly burst into laughter.

Ning Xu asked, “What’s so funny?”

The Melon-Eating System spoke in a tone as if mocking a clown, 【Host, Zhi Qing himself isn’t even that panicked yet, but Gou Chen is already losing his mind.】

Ning Xu: “?”

She was puzzled. “Why is Gou Chen panicking?”

【First, it was the Jin family, then Zhi Qing. He’s afraid that one day, it’ll be his turn next.】

After all, both the Jin family and Zhi Qing were people he was familiar with.

If things followed a pattern, maybe one day, he would be next. His fear wasn’t entirely baseless, but Ning Xu remained silent after hearing it.

She stayed quiet for a long time before finally saying, “Among the four of them, his cultivation is the weakest. There’s a reason for that.”

The Melon-Eating System laughed even harder, 【He’s also the most cowardly of the four.】

Ning Xu said calmly, “All I can say is that he’s panicking too early.”

For now, among the four, Gou Chen was the least valuable target.

In this era, three thousand years in the past, Ning Xu was mainly focused on dealing with Xu Hua and Zhi Qing.

They were the ones who posed the greatest threat to her.

As for Gou Chen and Lie Quan…

Their melons could be saved for later.
—

Ning Xu went off to cultivate with peace of mind. Meanwhile, the Three Thousand Realms Cultivator Exchange Area and Xu Hua’s residence were in chaos because of her post.

The cultivators in the forum were all waiting for the next update, while Xu Hua… was in a state of extreme urgency, as if her eyebrows were on fire.

Zhi Qing’s full name was Chang Zhi Qing. When he was very young, his parents vanished without a trace during an expedition. Before he turned ten, he survived by living off charity. After he turned ten, he was bought by the Xu family and became a servant.

He was assigned to Xu Hua’s residence as a low-ranking attendant.

Because he appeared silent and reliable, Xu Hua gradually promoted him to become her trusted aide.

Even the Xu family didn’t know about Zhi Qing’s true background—only Xu Hua and Zhi Qing himself were aware.

She knew the treasures Zhi Qing possessed even better than he did.

Xu Hua sat on a stone chair in her courtyard, her delicate eyebrows furrowed. “This post is definitely about you. It has to be you.”

“Next, she’s probably going to reveal… that item.”

Zhi Qing stood silently beside Xu Hua, maintaining his usual quiet and reserved demeanor.

Even though something unexpected had happened, he didn’t comment on it.

Xu Hua’s gentle expression gradually twisted into something sinister.

“I have a strong feeling that this post was written by Ning Xu.”

“The last time, I don’t know how she managed to escape the Jin family’s divination.”

“But… she might have escaped once, but does she really think she can escape a second time?”

“She’s only acting so recklessly now because the Sword Immortal is still around.”

As she spoke, the ferocity on Xu Hua’s face faded, and she returned to her usual gentle and graceful demeanor.

She looked at Zhi Qing and softly said, “Tell Gou Chen and Lie Quan that we’re moving the plan forward.”

Once the Sword Immortal was gone, she wanted to see what else Ning Xu had up her sleeve—how she dared to expose their secrets then!

—

Amidst the overwhelming anticipation, Ning Xu updated her post the next morning at precisely the hour of Si (9-11 AM).

【High-grade spiritual herbs are not the focus.

The real focus is that he possesses a fragment of the divine weapon, the Moon Bow!

For those unfamiliar with the Moon Bow, here’s a detailed introduction.

The Moon Bow ranks fifth on the Divine Weapon List. It is the ultimate bow, possessing immense destructive power.

It’s said that if a bow-wielding cultivator had a White Moonlight in their heart, that White Moonlight would surely be the Moon Bow.

Due to the materials used in its forging, only one Moon Bow has ever existed—it cannot be replicated.

Over time, the Moon Bow shattered into three fragments.

And he, Chang Zhi Qing, holds the largest of the three!】

After reading the update, the cultivators went absolutely insane.

First, the Map of Mountains and Rivers, and now, another divine weapon had surfaced!

They were losing their minds—completely losing their minds!

In the past, centuries could pass without a single whisper about divine weapons. Yet in this short period, they had already heard news about multiple divine weapons!

Even if one couldn’t find all three fragments, just owning a single piece would bring unimaginable value to its holder.

After posting the update, Ning Xu quietly withdrew, satisfied with her work.

The Melon-Eating System let out an insidious chuckle, 【The Moon Bow did indeed break into three pieces.】

【However, the other two fragments have already completely disappeared from this world.】

【In other words, the Moon Bow can never be restored.】

【Too bad the cultivators don’t know this.】

As a result, they would stop at nothing to seize the largest fragment from Chang Zhi Qing’s hands!

Chang Zhi Qing, the hunt has begun.

Are you ready?