Chapter 132

While Ning Xu was talking with the Melon-Eating System, a rich aroma suddenly drifted through the air.

She was still in a slight daze when the Innocent Cultivator had already walked over, carrying a bowl of chicken noodle soup. The dish was garnished with chopped scallions, and the noodles were perfectly distinct. Even from a distance, the savory fragrance of the soup was unmistakable.

Before Ning Xu could say anything, the Melon-Eating System had already gotten excited.

【Clearly, the Innocent Cultivator received the Sword Bone and became a Sword Immortal, but why do I feel like his ‘Great Foodie’ bloodline is awakening in this life too?】

【During these three years in the Endless Sea, he didn’t just sit around. Even though he endured the same pain as in his past life every single moment, he never once neglected his culinary skills.】

【Host, do you know what this means?】

Ning Xu replied, “It means that his pursuit of food cultivation comes from a pure and sincere love.”

【…That’s part of it, sure. But the real reason is—】

The Innocent Cultivator said, “I added a bit of my own rendered pork lard. Try it?”

Ning Xu took the steaming bowl of noodles from his hands and commented, “No wonder it smells so good.” Instead of eating the noodles right away, she took a sip of the broth first. The chicken soup was at the perfect temperature, its rich flavor warming her from the inside out.

After several months, she was finally able to taste the Innocent Cultivator’s cooking again.

Once she finished the chicken noodle soup, the Innocent Cultivator took out a dessert he had prepared in his free time.

“I made the salted egg yolk pastry you wanted. I’m not sure if it’s the taste you’re expecting—if anything’s off, let me know, and I’ll adjust it.”

Ning Xu picked up one of the pastries—golden brown, round, and sprinkled with sesame seeds. She took a small bite.

The combination of meat floss, salted egg yolk, and the unique texture of the pastry blended together into a taste she truly enjoyed.

The restlessness in her heart from the previous great battle settled once more.

She gave it the highest praise. “This is exactly the flavor I wanted. It’s already delicious.”

Hearing her words, the Innocent Cultivator’s refined face broke into a smile.

After finishing one pastry, Ning Xu didn’t reach for another. Instead, after some thought, she spoke directly. “Si Yan, there’s something I want to tell you.”

Seeing how serious she was, Si Yan put away his smile and said earnestly, “Mm.”

“I don’t know if you’ve ever browsed the Three Thousand Realms Cultivator Exchange Area, but I visit the forums from time to time. My usual alias there is—Melon Mover.”

That’s right. Ning Xu was about to reveal her identity to the Innocent Cultivator.

She had already hinted to the forum cultivators that the next big revelation would involve the Sword Bone.

And the Sword Bone was connected to both Si Zang and Si Yan.

No matter what, she felt it was only right to inform the person involved. If he disapproved, she wouldn’t insist on exposing it.

Si Yan gave her a surprised look. “So…?”

Ning Xu hummed softly, patiently waiting for his response.

“So, your grudge against Gou Chen from the Flower Pavilion, as well as Xuhua and the others… is it because of me?”

Ning Xu was momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting the Innocent Cultivator to ask such a direct question.

The Melon-Eating System immediately chimed in.

【Of course it is! Obviously! Without a doubt! Otherwise, why else would she be going out of her way to provoke high-level cultivators? She’s not some death-seeking maniac.】

Ning Xu told the system to shut up. Then she asked, “Did you remember something?”

Si Yan didn’t answer directly. Instead, he countered with a question. “Do you want me to remember something?”

That response…

Ning Xu hesitated. “You mean… Si Zang?”

Si Yan said, “I am Si Yan… and I am also Si Zang. But to me personally, I’d rather be Si Yan.”

Ning Xu froze for a moment before she fully grasped what he meant.

So Si Yan had Si Zang’s memories? Or rather—

Had the two of them merged?

The Melon-Eating System confirmed it.

【Yep, they definitely merged.】

【Si Zang, that old bastard, really is devious!】

【Host, after you gave him the Reincarnation Pill, he must have realized something and started making preparations.】

【Logically speaking, a reincarnated person isn’t considered the same individual. They have different origins, different life experiences. Normally, they wouldn’t retain memories from their past life—because there’s no need to.】

【They’re essentially two separate people, so what’s the point of keeping those memories? Even if they had them, it would only be an unnecessary burden.】

【But Si Zang… he probably didn’t want to disappear.】

【He was a Sword Immortal, after all. If he had prior knowledge of what would happen, he could take measures to preserve his consciousness. Especially since his mastery lay in one of the most powerful Daoist paths—the Dao of Time.】

【He must have done something to the Sword Bone, so that when Si Yan merged with it, Si Zang’s consciousness revived as well.】

【My Innocent Cultivator! My poor Cultivator! After fusing with that old dog, what does he count as now? A mixed dog? A skinny dog? A wolfhound?】

Ning Xu: “…Shut up.”

The Melon-Eating System obediently replied, 【Got it, Host.】

After thinking for a moment, she asked Si Yan, “Why?”

Why did he prefer to be Si Yan?

Si Yan lowered his eyes slightly and did not respond, but Ning Xu inexplicably knew his answer from the faint redness of his ears. Because between Si Yan and Si Zang, she leaned more toward Si Yan.

So, was that why he wanted to be Si Yan more?

Ning Xu felt that if she continued asking, she would be crossing a line, so she stopped. Instead, she said, “I occasionally drop some big melons on the forum. While they may not be enough to seriously injure them, they can still cause them some minor trouble.”

In reality, she was putting it mildly.

Some of the melons she exposed didn’t just bring them minor trouble—they left them utterly overwhelmed!

Ning Xu continued, “I want to expose the evil deeds they committed in the past, so the younger generation of the cultivation world will see their true, ugly faces.”

“But if I do that, it will inevitably bring up the matter of the Sword Bone.”

“So, I wanted to ask for your opinion.”

Si Yan quickly responded, “I have no objections.”

“Then I’m dropping the melon?”

“Go ahead.”

The Melon-Eating System: 【Rest assured, rest assured, still your obedient Cultivator Puppy. Still 100% cooperating with you. Still the Cultivator Puppy that will personally cook delicious food for you.】

Regarding the fusion of Si Yan and Si Zang, Ning Xu was surprised at how quickly she accepted it.

Perhaps it was because she could understand Si Zang’s unwillingness to disappear. Perhaps it was because Si Yan hadn’t changed significantly. Or perhaps it was because she never had any particular dislike for Si Zang.

Moreover, the moment when Si Zang willingly self-destructed to extract his Sword Bone, burning up his cultivation to help her escape, was something she could never forget.

Ning Xu asked, “So, Moo Moo is back too?”

Si Yan: “Mm.”

The Melon-Eating System sighed: 【I told you back then, Host. Normally, a spirit beast’s cultivation follows its master—the stronger the master, the stronger the beast—but it wouldn’t grow as ridiculously fast as it did that day.】

【It was like someone inflated it with air—it went from a small calf to an old ox in just a few seconds…】

【What a pity, that adorable little calf…】

After confirming what she wanted to know, Ning Xu nodded. “I’ll go post on the forum now. A lot of cultivators are waiting for updates.”

Si Yan: “Alright.”

As for how to write the post, Ning Xu had already had a general idea in her mind long ago.

Back then, she was still in the Qi Refining Stage.

After learning that the Innocent Cultivator had been backstabbed by four people in his past life, and that those people had used the benefits they gained from betraying him to advance rapidly, she had wanted to tear off their false masks in front of all cultivators.

However, at that time, she was limited by her cultivation. She couldn’t do much—she didn’t even have the qualifications to confront Xu Hua directly.

Although she was still weaker than them now, she could at least do much more.

—

A group of cultivators scratched their heads in frustration, wishing they could skip forward a few days just to feast on the juiciest melon.

They kept refreshing the Three Thousand Realms Cultivator Exchange Area, afraid of missing the Melon Mover’s new post.

Who wouldn’t be curious about the Sword Bone?

They were practically dying of curiosity!

Unfortunately, the Melon Mover had only posted a teaser without specifying when they would actually drop the melon. So, they had no choice but to use the dumbest method—constantly refreshing the forum for updates.

After more than a dozen hours of nonstop refreshing, their actions had become dull and mechanical.

Then, in another half-hearted refresh, a new post finally appeared on the homepage.

The title was simple and direct—just eight words: “A Few Things About the Sword Bone.”

But those eight plain words instantly woke up the cultivators who had been endlessly refreshing.

They were no longer sleepy. No longer numb. No longer robotic. They were thrilled!

They cheered, celebrated, and were just short of hanging lanterns and setting off fireworks.

The Melon Mover finally posted a new thread!

Cultivators eagerly clicked into the post.

—

【As everyone knows, some powerful figures from certain major sects have been searching for the whereabouts of the Sword Bone. To this end, they have even mobilized their inner disciples, ordering them to look for it.

However, they’ve always come up empty-handed.

So, let’s first talk about why they want the Sword Bone.

Obviously, it’s because they need it.

But some of them don’t even practice sword cultivation, so why do they want the Sword Bone?

The answer is—they aren’t looking for the Sword Bone for themselves, but for someone they serve.

Now, here’s the real question: When does a Sword Bone appear?

Under normal circumstances, unless a cultivator willingly extracts it, a Sword Bone will only be revealed when a cultivator born with one dies.

So, where did the Sword Bone these so-called great figures are looking for come from? Whose was it?

The answer is obvious.

The Sword Bone belonged to the Sword Immortal of three thousand years ago—Si Zang.

And how did they obtain the Sword Bone?

Betrayal.

Yes, exactly the kind of betrayal you’re thinking of.

Now, you must be wondering—who were the ones that backstabbed Si Zang? And how did they even get the chance to do so?

Here, I can give you the answer with absolute certainty.

The ones responsible were:

— Xu Hua, Grand Elder of the Heavenly Pavilion.

— Chang Zhiqing, Xu Hua’s second Dao companion from the Heavenly Pavilion.

— Lie Quan, Grand Elder of Cloud Summit.

— Gou Chen, Grand Elder of the Flower Pavilion.】

【And they were Si Zang’s close friends for many years. Unfortunately, for certain reasons, they betrayed Si Zang and tainted this friendship.】

Cultivators: ???

Cultivators: !!!