Chapter 134

For now, there was at least some good news—whether it was three thousand years ago or three thousand years later, neither Xu Hua nor the others knew Ning Xu’s full name or which sect she belonged to.

Perhaps, to this day, they still believed she was a rogue cultivator. After all, three thousand years ago, when she encountered those cultivators from the Ming Palace Pavilion, that was how she introduced herself.

Elder Wu’s voice was tense. “I understand.”

Ning Xu reassured him, “Elder Wu, there’s no need to be so nervous. They don’t know about my connection to the sect.” This meant that her actions wouldn’t necessarily implicate the sect.

Elder Wu let out a long sigh. “No matter why you provoked them, I’m sure you have your reasons. No matter what happens, the sect will do its best to protect every one of its disciples.”

After learning just how much trouble Ning Xu could stir up, Elder Wu’s exceptionally handsome face now carried an unmistakable trace of anxiety. “I’ll inform the Sect Leader and urge the elders to use the techniques to improve their cultivation as soon as possible… but the time is still too tight. If only we had more time…”

Just then, a clear and steady voice rang out from several meters away.

“Perhaps I can help.”

Elder Wu, Immortal Qingjiu, and the others instinctively turned toward the source of the voice.

The newcomer was a tall and upright male cultivator, dressed in a simple Wenxin Sect disciple’s robe—black as the base color, making his deep-set features even more striking, with golden thread embroidery adding a touch of nobility. The robe was cinched at the waist, emphasizing his broad shoulders and slender waist.

Elder Wu exclaimed in shock, “Si Yan?” His tone carried clear disbelief by the end.

Si Yan greeted him calmly, “Elder Wu.”

After stepping into the Body Integration Stage, Si Yan was now an undisputed powerhouse. His pure spiritual energy was fully restrained within him, and his every step exuded an effortless composure. His already handsome features had become even more outstanding with his cultivation breakthrough, making it difficult for others to meet his gaze directly.

Though Immortal Qingjiu and the others had long known that Si Yan was the reincarnation of a great cultivator—and had even read on the Three Thousand Realms Cultivator Exchange Area that someone had ascended overnight due to possessing a sword bone—they had only speculated about his identity. But speculation was one thing.

Meeting him in person was another.

At this moment, they fully realized—he was different now. Completely different.

Immortal Qingjiu couldn’t help but click his tongue.

If he didn’t have the insight of a former Tribulation Stage cultivator, even he might have drowned in jealousy.

His own cultivation had been deteriorating, while someone else had soared into the heavens, traversing in mere years a path others might not complete in a lifetime. The contrast was simply too stark.

Was he envious?

Of course.

Upon meeting again, the gap between them was as vast as an abyss.

But envy was pointless. He could only place his hopes on Ning Xu, hoping she could fully resolve his issue of declining cultivation.

After a moment, Elder Wu steadied himself and asked, “Si Yan, you said you had a solution—what is it?”

Si Yan explained, “I have comprehended the Dao of Time. I can create a domain where time flows three times slower than in the outside world.”

“Unfortunately, due to my cultivation limitations, this domain can only last for a month.”

Elder Wu and the others were stunned.

The Dao of Time?

Although Melon Mover had leaked plenty of juicy information, this was one secret that had never been exposed. So, they were just now learning about it.

Elder Wu had no words.

All he could say was—
As expected of the reincarnation of a great cultivator.
Unbelievable. A talent like this was simply out of reach for the rest of them.

—

After settling everything, Elder Wu hurried back to the sect, while Immortal Qingjiu and Qin Riluo took the six fox demons to the Laurel Tower.

The reception hall of the City Lord’s Manor instantly quieted.

Ning Xu turned to Si Yan and asked, “Have you stabilized your cultivation?”

Si Yan nodded. “More or less.”

“Then come with me somewhere?”

“Alright.”

Their destination was Ming Palace Cliff.

Though the Ming Palace Pavilion had long vanished into the river of time, its most famous landmarks still remained.

On the way there, the Melon-Eating System eagerly shared the latest developments with Ning Xu.

It sneered, 【Host, Xu Hua is such a coward. You practically slapped her in the face, and she still doesn’t dare to make a peep. She’s just pretending to be dead.】

【The entire Three Thousand Realms Cultivator Exchange Area is in chaos, yet she, the person at the center of it all, hasn’t even stepped up to calm things down.】

Ning Xu analyzed rationally, “She probably thinks it’s unnecessary.”

Although she hadn’t interacted with Xu Hua much, she had a general understanding of her.

Xu Hua was a deeply calculating and extremely pragmatic person. She likely saw verbal battles as a waste of time. Clearly, she had no intention of stepping in personally and was still letting her minions fight on her behalf.

The Melon-Eating System cackled, 【True. If she and Zhi Qing’s group succeed in their plan, then this small world will soon cease to exist. Given that, she really has no reason to explain or pacify anyone.】

【After all, from her perspective, this place is doomed, and none of these people will survive much longer. Why waste the effort?】

Although Ning Xu had previously heard the Melon-Eating System mention Ming Palace Cliff and knew that Xu Hua and the others planned to sacrifice geniuses there in a month, her current intention was merely to destroy the sacrificial site.

She had never expected to hear such shocking news from the Melon-Eating System.

What did it mean to drop the biggest bombshell in the most casual tone?

The Melon-Eating System was exactly that.

Countless thoughts flashed through Ning Xu’s mind in an instant. After a moment of hesitation, she asked, “Xu Hua and the others can ascend?”

Otherwise, if this small world ceased to exist, they wouldn’t be able to escape either. She wouldn’t go so far as to cut off her own escape route.

The Melon-Eating System responded in a dismissive tone, 【They can’t, but they think they can.】

Ning Xu: “……”

The Melon-Eating System sneered, 【So tell me, what makes her think the one she serves will keep their promise?】

【Just because of a Heavenly Dao Oath?】

【But the one she serves isn’t even under the jurisdiction of the Heavenly Dao. The oath means nothing to them.】

【I used to think she was smart, but turns out, she’s just too clever for her own good. Being too smart can get you into trouble, you know.】

Ning Xu frowned. “How could she make such a mistake?”

Although Xu Hua was their opponent, Ning Xu didn’t believe she would mishandle something so crucial—unless something had gone wrong.

The Melon-Eating System let out a cold laugh. 【Because from beginning to end, she never actually figured out what exactly she was serving!】

【In other words, she got the other party’s identity completely wrong from the very start!】

Ning Xu: ???

So Xu Hua and her people had been deceived from the beginning?

Well, it made sense. Back then, Xu Hua was only a few decades old—practically a child in the cultivation world. At that age, it wasn’t surprising that she got tricked with grand promises.

But still…

Ning Xu said with a complicated expression, “Melon, I thought you were just a gossip-spreading system, and I was just an ordinary melon-eating bystander.”

Ever since she transmigrated into the cultivation world, her daily routine, aside from cultivating, had been eating melons.

But she never expected that they’d have to take on the role of saving the cultivation world too?

After all, they were currently the only ones who knew what Xu Hua and the others were planning. Of course, she could expose the matter on the Three Thousand Realms Cultivator Exchange Area, but whether people would believe it was one thing, and whether new complications would arise after the reveal was another.

When it came to matters involving life and death for everyone, Ning Xu had to be cautious about dropping such a melon.

The Melon-Eating System chuckled, 【Host, just lend a hand, lend a hand and save the world.】

There were so many lovable cultivators here—

The Goddess, the Shenqi siblings, her fellow disciples from Wenxin Sect…

No matter what, this small world couldn’t be allowed to disappear.

Ning Xu asked, “What do I need to do?”

【Just stop the sacrifice.】

“Alright!”

—

A few days later, Ning Xu and Si Yan arrived near Ming Palace Cliff.

The once-glorious Ming Palace Pavilion had long turned to ashes, slowly fading into history. The area around Ming Palace Cliff was desolate to the extreme—a place so barren that even stray cats and dogs wouldn’t dare to set foot there. The air was filled with an overwhelming sense of decay.

Faced with such a bleak sight, Ning Xu was momentarily at a loss for words.

She gazed toward the northwest, where Si Zang’s former mountain residence once stood…

Si Yan spoke up, “Shall we go take a look?”

“Alright.”

The two walked together toward the mountain where Si Zang had once lived. His former cave dwelling had long been eroded by time, leaving no traces of its past. Ning Xu couldn’t find a single familiar landmark.

Even though she had only stayed at Ming Palace Pavilion for a few months, seeing such a once-mighty sect completely wiped out still stirred some emotions in her heart. She instinctively turned to look at Si Yan.

Noticing her gaze, Si Yan asked gently, “What’s wrong?”

Ning Xu said, “If you’re feeling sad, you can talk about it.”

Si Yan was momentarily stunned. Then, after a pause, he said in a soft voice, “As Si Zang, seeing my former sect reduced to ruins is indeed sad. But now, I am Wenxin Sect’s Si Yan. I have a sect, fellow disciples, and teammates I can entrust my back to… So, I’m fine. Captain, you don’t need to worry.”

The Melon-Eating System muttered, 【Honestly, Old Dog’s popularity was never as good as Innocent Cultivator’s.】

【Back then, Old Dog only cared about cultivation and didn’t interact much with his sect members. Plus, he was naturally cold, always keeping a distance from others. Simply put, he wasn’t relatable.】

【But Innocent Cultivator was different—he was good at cooking and could easily win people’s favor.】

【Tsk tsk tsk.】

【No matter how you look at it, Innocent Cultivator was the more lovable one!】

Ning Xu: ……

How should she make the Melon-Eating System truly understand that there was no longer a separate Innocent Cultivator or a separate Old Dog?

They had completely fused.

Whether it was Innocent Cultivator or Old Dog, they were now the same person.

Ning Xu gazed into the distance and asked the Melon-Eating System, “So, how did Ming Palace Pavilion fall?”

The Melon-Eating System replied disinterestedly, 【The Sword Immortal was gone, so they lost a key combat force. On top of that, there was a traitor within the sect. Within a few years, Ming Palace Pavilion declined.】

Ning Xu asked again, “Is there a connection between the Heavenly Pavilion and Ming Palace Pavilion?”

【Yes. After betraying Ming Palace Pavilion, the traitor established the Heavenly Pavilion, recruited disciples, and gradually built up their influence.】

Because of Xu Hua and Zhi Qing, Ning Xu already had a poor impression of the Heavenly Pavilion. Now, after learning about its origins, her dislike for the sect deepened even further.

After revisiting the old site, Ning Xu and Si Yan went to the base of Ming Palace Cliff to locate the sacrificial altar.

As long as they destroyed the altar, Xu Hua’s plan to sacrifice geniuses would completely fail. However, destroying it wasn’t something that could be done in a short time—it required effort and patience.

Ning Xu and Si Yan didn’t spend every hour of the day dismantling the altar. During her free time, Ning Xu would log onto the Three Thousand Realms Cultivator Exchange Area to provoke Xu Hua.

Wasn’t she good at ignoring things?

Wasn’t she skilled at enduring?

Didn’t she believe that this small world would soon disappear, making everything else unimportant?

Well then, Ning Xu was curious—just how long could Xu Hua endure?

Before long, the latest post on Melon Mover, “A Few Things About Sword Bones,” had been updated with a new comment thread.

The latest addition read:

**【Xu Hua, no matter what you’re planning, the only outcome for you is failure.

You are nothing more than a complete and utter loser.】**

The cultivators: ???

The Melon-Eating System: !!!

【Host, this is a straight-up psychological kill! 666!】

—

—In Chinese internet slang, 666 (liù liù liù) means “awesome” or “cool.” It originates from gaming culture, where players used it to praise someone’s skills. The pronunciation of “六六六” (liù liù liù) sounds smooth and catchy, making it a popular way to express admiration or approval online.