Chapter 137: Will of the Heavenly Dao

Many cultivators instinctively clicked on the post after seeing the title.

Given the recent shocking revelations spread by the Melon Mover, it felt rather significant that a passerby would post something at this exact moment.

Upon clicking in, they found that the post contained only one sentence:

【Your beloved “White Moonlight” is really planning to sacrifice the entire cultivation world just for ascension! If you don’t believe it, come to Ming Palace Cliffs!】

As soon as this statement was posted, the reactions were intense.

【Sacrifice the entire cultivation world? Wasn’t it just supposed to be sacrificing geniuses? What’s really going on?】

【Did something truly happen at Ming Palace Cliffs? The Melon Mover was calling people to go there earlier too.】

【If we want to know the truth, why not just go check it out ourselves?】

【I’m heading there now. Anyone want to come along?】

【Let’s go, let’s go together.】

—

As Ning Xu faced off against Xu Hua and the others, she suddenly heard the Melon-Eating System let out a sly chuckle.

She immediately realized what had happened. “You stirred up trouble again?”

The Melon-Eating System giggled. 【I wouldn’t call it stirring up trouble exactly. It’s just that, well, I think things are more exciting with a bigger crowd, so I made sure to draw as many people here as possible.】

Ning Xu didn’t even need to guess—the Melon-Eating System had definitely posted that message under a pseudonym.

At this moment, Xu Hua’s patience had clearly run out.

She looked down at them condescendingly, eyes full of disdain. “You’re nothing but ants. Now die.”

With that, she took out her life-bound spiritual weapon—a folding fan. Spiritual energy surged into the fan, and faint golden light began to emanate from it…

Seeing this, Bei Yao was slightly surprised. “The Radiant Fan? You actually have a divine artifact?”

Xu Hua closed her eyes devoutly and whispered, “This is a gift from the gods.”

The Melon-Eating System sneered. 【So it really is a divine artifact. No wonder I couldn’t find any records of the Radiant Fan from three thousand years ago—it must be something she acquired later.】

【It looks like “that one” really knows how to keep their followers loyal, throwing them just enough scraps to keep them hooked.】

【Honestly, when it comes to crafting a persona, even Xu Hua is a step behind “that one.”】

【She’s completely brainwashed.】

Xu Hua opened her eyes and swung the fan forcefully in their direction—

“This ends now.”

“You ants.”

Bei Yao and Senior Brother Lu immediately readied themselves, summoning their life-bound spiritual weapons.

This was a full-force attack from a Mahayana-stage cultivator—it was not to be taken lightly.

They braced for impact, not daring to relax in the slightest.

However, just as Xu Hua’s fierce attack was about to land, its strength suddenly weakened significantly.

Even the golden light on the fan dimmed dramatically.

Bei Yao and Senior Brother Lu reacted instantly, intercepting the attack together. But after receiving the blow, they were surprised to find—it wasn’t as powerful as they had expected.

In fact… it was surprisingly easy to block?

What was going on?

Wasn’t Xu Hua at the Mahayana Stage? Was that really all the power she had?

Of everyone present, Xu Hua herself felt it most acutely. Her usually composed face now showed a rare expression—panic.

“You… what did you do? It was you! You did something, didn’t you?”

Amid Xu Hua’s frantic accusations, Ning Xu pulled out the formation plate that Xiyuan had given her all those years ago.

The Melon-Eating System let out a long sigh. 【Host, the net we cast three thousand years ago… it’s finally time to pull it in.】

That’s right.

Three thousand years ago, she had set up a formation.

Back in the Endless Sea, Xu Hua, Zhi Qing, Gou Chen, and Lie Quan—each and every one of them had fallen into it.

At the time, they were too young, too inexperienced. They didn’t realize the true power of the formation plate Xiyuan had given her. That was why they had unknowingly fallen into this trap.

This Time Reversal Formation Plate did exactly what its name suggested—anyone who stepped into the formation would be marked. At the right moment, activating it would send their cultivation back to a previous stage.

How far back? That depended on their cultivation level.

The stronger they were, the shorter the reversal.

The weaker they were, the further they would be pushed back.

Xu Hua and Zhi Qing, both at the early Mahayana Stage, were now dropped back to the Tribulation Stage.

Gou Chen, who had only been at the Tribulation Stage, was thrown all the way down to the Nascent Soul Stage.

Which meant… he was now weaker than Si Yan.

Realizing that their cultivation had plummeted, Xu Hua and the others could no longer stay calm.

“No way… This is impossible!”

“My cultivation… how could it have fallen to the Tribulation Stage?”

Xu Hua’s eyes turned bloodshot as a realization struck her. “So that’s why… that’s why Elder Zhang looked at me so strangely back then. I could never understand what that look meant—it was part pity, part something else… He must have known all along…”

Ning Xu asked the Melon-Eating System, “Who’s Elder Zhang?”

The Melon-Eating System gloated gleefully, 【It’s that burly man, nearly two meters tall, who led the charge to block you all. Don’t be fooled by his rough and reckless appearance—he’s actually quite meticulous. Back then, before Xu Hua and the others entered the formation, he had already discovered it. But instead of warning them, he just stood by and watched as they walked right into the trap.】

【No, no, actually, he even gave them a little push.】

【That’s why their so-called alliance was doomed from the start.】

Dealing with a tiger—what good outcome could they have hoped for?

Xu Hua’s failure had been sealed three thousand years ago.

Realizing that they held no advantage in cultivation levels, Xu Hua took a few seconds to calm herself.

She murmured, “This is the only way.”

On the other side, Gou Chen, despite being thousands of years old, completely lost his composure. “What do we do? Xu Hua, think of something fast!” Having lost his cultivation, he aged rapidly. His once-handsome face was now covered in deep wrinkles. Unlike Xu Hua and Zhi Qing, his cultivation had been weaker, meaning the backlash he suffered was the most severe.

To put it bluntly—

His lifespan was running out.

His once smooth and silky black hair had turned completely white, and his hands were covered in wrinkles.

He kept muttering, “Xu Hua, think of something… When you invited me to join you, you promised you’d take me along to ascend. You…”

His words were cut off as a folding fan was ruthlessly plunged into his chest.

Xu Hua’s expression was ice-cold.

“Gou Chen, as you can see, the situation is not in our favor.”

“I don’t have a more suitable candidate at hand, so I have no choice but to sacrifice you.”

“But don’t worry—I will definitely ascend carrying your will.”

Gou Chen’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Xu Hua, you actually—”

Xu Hua yanked the fan out of his chest.

At that moment, a torrential rain began to fall.

But this rain was not colorless—it was tinged with bright red.

Gou Chen fell onto the altar, eyes wide open, as his blood was mysteriously drawn into the grooves along the edges.

Xu Hua remained expressionless. “Although part of the altar has been damaged, it should still work…”

As she spoke, a fierce wind erupted around the altar, sending leaves flying as the sky darkened.

Something was about to emerge.

Si Yan’s Obsidian Sword trembled in his grip, his gaze locked onto the altar.

Everyone present understood—something powerful was about to descend into this small world, summoned by Xu Hua.

By now, some cultivators had caught wind of the event and rushed over to spectate.

The moment they arrived near Ming Palace Cliff, they sensed the overwhelming disturbance.

Under the Melon-Eating System’s latest forum post, new comments flooded in.

【This is bad—something huge is really happening!】

【That fellow cultivator wasn’t wrong. Xu Hua really is trying to sacrifice the entire cultivation world!】

【Fellow Daoists, the area near Ming Palace Pavilion is no longer safe. If you’re only here to spectate, I advise you to stay away for now.】

【I just saw it with my own eyes—Xu Hua personally used the divine artifact The Radiant Fan to end Gou Chen’s life…】

【What?! Wait, that’s too much to process. Xu Hua has a divine artifact? And… Gou Chen???】

【That’s right. Flower Pavilion no longer has a powerful cultivator named Gou Chen. He has fallen.】

【!!! This is insane—absolutely insane! Why did Xu Hua do this?!】

【I happened to be nearby and overheard their conversation. Xu Hua said she had no suitable candidates, so she could only sacrifice Gou Chen.】

【Gou Chen: “Do you even have a shred of decency???”】

【This is beyond ruthless. What the hell is she trying to do?!】

【Sobs, Melon Mover, I was wrong to doubt you. Turns out every scoop you post has deep meaning behind it.】

【So what do we do now? Just wait for death?】

【Wait for death, my ass! Melon Mover will definitely have a way to save us!】

【Exactly! Since Melon Mover already saw through Xu Hua’s schemes, they must have a way to stop her!】

For a moment, the entire cultivation world’s attention was focused on Ming Palace Cliff.

The commotion was so great that even some reclusive cultivators were emerging from seclusion.

Under countless gazes, a vague shadow slowly appeared above the altar.

At first, it was a mere blur, completely formless. But gradually, the figure became more distinct.

Finally, it stopped at a half-materialized state.

The moment the shadow took form, Xu Hua and Zhi Qing immediately knelt on one knee, their expressions filled with reverence.

“Divine King.”

The being they addressed as Divine King spoke in an indifferent tone. “The energy is insufficient. It is not enough for my complete descent.”

Xu Hua shuddered upon hearing this and quickly said, “Divine King, there was a small mishap, but I have good news for you.”

She pointed at Ning Xu, saying, “Do you see this female cultivator? There is a great secret hidden within her. If you can consume her, you should be able to obtain the energy you need immediately.”

The Divine King turned his gaze toward Ning Xu.

The moment he laid eyes on her, he murmured to himself,

“You… carry a fragment of the Upper Realm’s Heavenly Dao.”

The Upper Realm’s Heavenly Dao?

Was this “Divine King” referring to the Melon-Eating System?

The Divine King burst into laughter. “This female cultivator is indeed nourishing. She is exactly what I need.”

Hearing this, Xu Hua let out a sigh of relief.

She had failed to complete the task the Divine King had assigned her, and unease had weighed heavily on her heart. Fortunately, she had now presented him with a sacrifice of sufficient worth.

But just as she and Zhi Qing were finally beginning to relax, the The Radiant Fan suddenly pierced straight into both of their chests.

This very fan had just taken Gou Chen’s life, and now it was aimed at them.

Xu Hua’s face was filled with disbelief.

At this moment, her expression mirrored Gou Chen’s before his death.

She gasped out in broken words, “Why… Divine King… You promised me… You swore upon the Heavenly Dao that you would help me ascend… How could you…”

How could he use the very divine artifact he had bestowed upon her to strike her down?

The Divine King sneered. “A Heavenly Dao oath? That sort of thing has no effect on me.”

Then, in a cruel tone, he added, “I did promise to let you ascend, but I never intended to keep my word.”

“In recognition of all the years you’ve served me faithfully, I will make sure to absorb every last bit of your spiritual energy.”

“Xu Hua, you should feel honored to become my nourishment.”

Tears of blood streamed down Xu Hua’s face.

She had sacrificed so much, endured for so long… yet in the end, it had all been a lie.

As her life neared its end, she couldn’t help but wonder—if she had never agreed to steal Si Cang’s sword bones for the Divine King, would things have turned out differently?

Unfortunately, she would never get an answer.
—

—”White Moonlight” (白月光) refers to an idealized, unattainable love—someone deeply cherished but often out of reach.