Crazy-Gossiping-C48

Chapter 48

Typically, those who can attain the position of Grand Elder have a cultivation level of at least the Body Integration Stage or higher.

Advancing beyond the Nascent Soul Stage is exceedingly difficult, requiring opportunity, luck, and talent—all indispensable factors. Of course, this applies under normal circumstances.

Some cultivators may spend their entire lives stuck at the Nascent Soul Stage.

The Body Integration Stage, however, is a realm so lofty that ordinary cultivators wouldn’t even dare to dream of reaching it—let alone offending someone at that level.

To offend a Body Integration cultivator would require far more lives than anyone could afford to lose.

The status of a Grand Elder is simply incomparable to that of a Nascent Soul True Monarch.

So, is the “Melon Mover” fearless due to ignorance, or do they have some backing that gives them such confidence?

Most cultivators leaned toward the latter.

After marveling at the fact that the “Melon Mover” seemed unafraid of offending anyone, all the cultivators shared a common thought—

The Flower Pavilion didn’t have just one Grand Elder. Which one was the “Melon Mover” referring to? Or perhaps… all of them?

It must be said that as the “Melon Mover” continued to expose one explosive piece of gossip after another, involving figures of increasingly higher status, the imaginations of cultivators in the Three Thousand Realms began running wild.

However, this time, they were overthinking it.

Because the Grand Elder involved was only one person.

The “Melon Mover” had written it clearly in their post—

【To avoid collateral damage, this Grand Elder is specified to be You Feng.】

As soon as they saw this line, the cultivators could no longer keep calm!

Discussions exploded under the post:

【You Feng! It’s actually You Feng Zunshang!】

【Heavens, is this even allowed? Can this really be said?】

【This is insane. Gossiping about Nascent Soul cultivators is no longer enough for the “Melon Mover”? They’ve now directly pointed their sword at You Feng Zunshang! Even though I’m not the one leaking this gossip, I’m still terrified.】

【Who wouldn’t be scared? Just reading this post makes my heart race.】

【Same here… This is a late-stage Body Integration powerhouse we’re talking about! Among the six Grand Elders of the Flower Pavilion, he has the deepest foundation, the highest status, and the most profound cultivation!】

【I never even dared to think about the Flower Pavilion’s six Grand Elders. I can’t believe it turned out to be him.】

【“Melon Mover,” maybe stop here? I really want to know more, but I’m also worried about your safety!】

【Bad news: “Melon Mover” is probably already on You Feng Zunshang’s kill list. Good news: I bet the “Melon Mover” has a backup plan!】

【First offending Nascent Soul cultivators and innate Dao bodies, and now sharpening their blades against a Body Integration powerhouse! What else can I say? “Melon Mover,” you’re amazing!】

【I’m tempted to start a thread titled “A List of the Powerhouses Exposed by ‘Melon Mover’.” So far, there are already four names on the list.】

【Four names? Didn’t “Melon Mover” expose six scandals in total?】

This cultivator quickly responded—

【Lu Chuyi and the Fourth Elder don’t even qualify to be on this list. Right now, it only includes Mist Immortal, Qi Xiang Immortal, the Innate Dao Body, and You Feng Zunshang.】

The mere mention of You Feng’s name caused the already restless “Three Thousand Realms Cultivator Exchange Area” to erupt even further.

The excitement was almost boiling over.

Seeing the reactions of the cultivators, Ning Xu was a little surprised. “Is You Feng really that famous?”

The Melon-Eating System responded dismissively—

【Not really. He’s just an old man who’s been around for a long time.】

【Honestly, if anyone lives for over two thousand years, they’re bound to make a name for themselves.】

Ning Xu: “I see.”

Qi Er: …

So even a Body Integration cultivator doesn’t impress you?

Then someone like him—a low-level cultivator—could hardly believe he was fortunate enough to travel with Ning Xu.

The cultivators in the “Three Thousand Realms Cultivator Exchange Area” eagerly continued reading the post.

The content said—

【You Feng is just one of the thirty-one married men.】

【Among the others, some were seduced successfully, while others resisted. This post only lists the ones the Fourth Elder successfully seduced—twenty-three in total, including You Feng.】

【Given the number of cultivators involved, only those related to the Flower Pavilion will be listed here.】

【You Feng, Luo Yu.】

【A total of two names.】

The post ended there. After reading it, the cultivators couldn’t contain their excitement and continued to flood the comments.

【It’s confirmed—“Melon Mover” has officially declared war on the Flower Pavilion.】

【Other cultivators: So we’re off the hook?】

【Other cultivators: Thank goodness I never joined the Flower Pavilion.】

【Is Luo Yu a True Monarch? Sorry, but right now, I’m only interested in gossip about Zunshang.】

【“Melon Mover” is incredible. When Qiwu asked if they were trying to offend the entire Flower Pavilion, they replied, ‘What’s the Flower Pavilion to me?’ Today, they’ve proven with actions that they truly don’t care about the Flower Pavilion at all!】

While the “Three Thousand Realms Cultivator Exchange Area” boiled over from the latest gossip, Ning Xu and the others had already regrouped with Qin Riluo and Qingjiu Immortal.

When they arrived, Qin Riluo was calmly wiping his sword.

Though he didn’t show much emotion, Ning Xu could still sense that his mood was low.

Ning Xu asked, “Did you leave any tracking markers on the disciple who stole the beast core?”

Qingjiu Immortal coughed lightly. “I sprinkled tracking powder on him. The scent won’t fade for three days.”

“Can you locate him now?”

Qingjiu explained, “I can detect him clearly within five kilometers. Right now, he’s about thirty kilometers away, so I can only determine a rough direction.”

Ning Xu gave a concise order. “Lead the way!”

The Melon-Eating System laughed—

【Host, you’re becoming more and more like a commanding team leader!】

With Qingjiu Immortal leading the way, Ning Xu’s group swiftly tracked down the disciple who had stolen the beast core.

When they arrived, the disciple had just finished absorbing the demon core and was in the process of refining it.

Seeing them, the disciple was slightly startled. “How did you find me?”

Tracking powder wasn’t something ordinary disciples could access. Only someone like Qingjiu Immortal, who had once been a big shot, could possess such items.

Ning Xu didn’t waste any words and directly ordered, “Attack!”

Immediately, various sword techniques rained down on the Flower Pavilion disciple.

In no time, the disciple was covered in injuries. However, he was tough and didn’t beg for mercy. Even when facing five opponents alone, he managed to hold his ground.

This disciple was at the eighth level of Qi Refining and had built a solid foundation.

Ning Xu’s group had lower cultivation levels but outnumbered him.

Thus, they treated this Flower Pavilion disciple as a whetstone, using him to sharpen their sword techniques.

The Flower Pavilion disciple quickly realized this and thought, “…”

Unfortunately, he hadn’t fully refined the demon core yet, leaving him unable to escape.

Just then, the Melon-Eating System suddenly shouted excitedly.

Startled, Ning Xu’s sword wavered slightly.

She quickly corrected her aim and asked, “What happened?”

The Melon-Eating System replied in a gloating tone: 【You Feng’s Dao partner knows about this!】

【His children know too!】

【Right now, his Dao partner has confronted him and is about to teach him a lesson!】

Hearing this, Ning Xu’s sword strikes seemed to gain newfound strength, her movements becoming even sharper.

Ning Xu asked, “What kind of lesson?”

The Melon-Eating System responded: 【His Dao partner is at the late-stage of the Integration Realm—one full minor realm higher than him.】

【Plus, she’s infamous for her fiery temper.】

【As soon as she arrived, she slapped You Feng across the head.】

【You Feng might be an Integration Realm expert, but he didn’t even dare to utter a word in protest after getting slapped.】

Ning Xu raised an eyebrow. “Is he afraid of his wife?”

The Melon-Eating System clicked its tongue: 【Pretty much. Their son and daughter were raised by her, and the bond between mother and children is very strong. If he offends his Dao partner, he’s essentially offending all three of them.】

【He can’t afford to offend his Dao partner alone, let alone add two more to the mix.】

Ning Xu pondered, “Then why did he still get involved with the Fourth Elder?”

【Probably because he thought no one would find out. Honestly, his ability to keep things under wraps is wasted here—he could’ve made a great undercover agent. Instead, he just uses it to cheat… A real waste of talent.】

“You’re praising him?”

【No, no. I’m just being sarcastic.】

While Ning Xu and the Melon-Eating System gossiped, the Flower Pavilion disciple’s sword strikes grew slower and weaker.

“He’s running out of strength?” Ning Xu asked.

The Melon-Eating System, still focused on the gossip, replied absentmindedly: 【Probably. He seems distracted—maybe he’s scared of facing all of you alone.】

No, the Flower Pavilion disciple wasn’t scared.

He was just utterly shocked by their conversation.

He stood there in a daze, replaying everything he had just heard.

What were they talking about?

Was it true or false?

And where did they get this information?

Most importantly, how could they be so fearless, even gossiping about someone as high-ranking as You Feng?

Before the disciple could recover from his shock, a sword suddenly pierced his dantian, destroying it completely before he had time to react.

The sword was heavy, plain black, and unremarkable in appearance, yet it delivered a devastating blow.

The disciple never got the chance to voice his questions.

As the sword was pulled out, leaving nothing intact, the disciple fell backward with a loud thud, raising a cloud of dust.

Even in death, his eyes remained wide open, filled with fear and disbelief.

Seeing this, Ning Xu froze for a moment before snapping out of it.

Still gripping her sword, she asked, “Why kill him so suddenly?”

The Innocent Cultivator, who had just struck, had already retracted his chilling aura and returned to his usual harmless, puppy-like demeanor.

Lowering his eyes slightly, he replied, “I didn’t like him.”

In truth, it was because the disciple had learned too much about Ning Xu and the Melon-Eating System.

An outsider who uncovered their secret was an unstable factor—one that had to be eliminated.

This was the task assigned to him by their sect leader before entering the Tianya Secret Realm, and it was a mission he willingly accepted.

Moreover, the artifact that blocked divine sense was now back in his possession.

Inside the secret realm, he stayed close to Ning Xu at all times to ensure the Melon-Eating System remained hidden and safe.

The Melon-Eating System cheered: 【Good job! That’s how it should be—kill without hesitation! A sword cultivator should always have an edge!】

【He provoked us first by stealing our beast core.】

【If he hadn’t been in such a rush to refine the demon core and avoid wasting energy on trivial matters, he wouldn’t have let Qin Riluo and Qingjiu Immortal off so easily.】

【The Innocent Cultivator is simply ridding the world of pests!】

Ning Xu finally came to terms with the situation.

That Flower Pavilion disciple wasn’t a good person. Killing him was justified.

What surprised her most was how clean and decisive the Innocent Cultivator’s strike had been.

Despite his seemingly harmless demeanor, he turned out to be the most ruthless among them.

Even more surprising was his skill with the sword.

Though he was primarily a food cultivator and only practiced swordsmanship as a secondary discipline, he wielded his sword as though it was an extension of himself.

For some reason, Ning Xu recalled something the Melon-Eating System had mentioned before.

It had hinted that among her companions, there was a reincarnated powerhouse.

And that person was very close to her.

This reincarnated powerhouse had suffered betrayal in their past life, ultimately meeting a tragic end with their body destroyed and soul extinguished.

Yet, a powerhouse remains a powerhouse. Even after reincarnation, their talent was still extraordinary.

Suddenly, Ning Xu asked, “You said that the four who participated in harming the powerhouse are now highly influential and difficult to shake.”

“But if we shake them a little every day, wouldn’t we eventually be able to topple them?”

Hearing this, the Melon-Eating System fell silent for a moment before asking:

【Host, what are you planning to do?】

Ning Xu didn’t directly answer but said, “Tell me who they are.”

This time, the Melon-Eating System was silent for even longer.

Finally, it explained:

【Once someone reaches the Mahayana Stage, even mentioning their Daoist title can allow them to sense your presence.】

【Facing a Mahayana cultivator right now isn’t a wise move.】

Ning Xu didn’t flinch. “Are all four of them at the Mahayana Stage?”

【No, two are in the Mahayana Stage, and two are in the Tribulation Stage.】

After the Body Integration Stage comes the Tribulation Stage, and after that is the Mahayana Stage.

Currently, Mahayana cultivators represent the peak combat power of the cultivation world.

Ning Xu asked directly, “Can those in the Tribulation Stage sense my presence?”

【No, they can’t.】 After a pause, the Melon-Eating System added:

【Although I don’t think this is the best time to face them…】

It suddenly got excited again:

【But if you want to expose their secrets, I’ll totally support you!】

Their secrets?

Ning Xu said, “No need to rush. Secrets should be revealed one at a time.”

Dropping too many secrets at once might overwhelm the cultivators.

“Tell me about the one with the lowest cultivation level first.”

【Okay!】

As Ning Xu listened to the Melon-Eating System spilling secrets, she turned to her teammates and said, “Let’s split up and search the area for spirit herbs.”

The teammates, along with Qi Er, exchanged glances, voiced their agreement, but none of them actually moved—they all stayed put.

Ning Xu: “???”

Qi Er, the thick-skinned one, spoke up first, “Can I stick with you? Fellow Daoist, I don’t want to leave your side—not even a step.”

Of course, this was just an exaggeration.

His true intention was to stay near Ning Xu to keep listening to the juicy gossip.

Before Ning Xu could respond, the Melon-Eating System had already begun complaining:

【So greasy! Way too greasy!】

【Host, tell him to scram!】

Ignoring the Melon-Eating System, Ning Xu looked at the others and asked, “What about you?”

Wu Luchen and the rest quickly chimed in, “We want to stick with you too!”

Ning Xu nodded. “Alright, let’s move together then.”

At this moment, Qi Er volunteered, “I have a tool that can locate spirit herbs. I’ll use it to lead the way, which should make the search faster.”

The Melon-Eating System suddenly changed its tone:

【Fine, since he’s somewhat useful, let’s not make him leave—yet.】

Ning Xu: …

Qi Er: (tearing up) So touched.

Before searching for spirit herbs, the Innocent Cultivator handed Ning Xu a bowl of rich broth.

“You’ve been busy for a while. Have some soup,” he said.

The fragrant aroma of mushroom and chicken soup filled her senses. Ning Xu didn’t hesitate, “Yes!”

The Innocent Cultivator’s cooking skills were consistently outstanding.

While Ning Xu was savoring her soup, Qi Er stared at the thin layer of broth in his own bowl and felt a bit speechless.

“Is this all I get?”

After all, he was about to use his expensive tool to locate spirit herbs. This tiny portion of soup didn’t even make a dent in his hunger.

Wu Luchen glanced at him and whispered, “Be grateful.”

Even he, as the Innocent Cultivator’s junior fellow disciple, only got three spoonfuls of soup.

The amount of soup in the pot was fixed. Since Ning Xu got more, the others naturally got less.

But considering they were just extras tagging along, getting any soup at all was already lucky.

They were simply riding on Ning Xu’s coattails.

If it weren’t for her, why would the Innocent Cultivator even bother cooking for them?

—

While drinking her soup, Ning Xu was also carefully thinking about her next steps.

That’s right—she was about to spill the secrets of a Tribulation Stage Monarch!

The Melon-Eating System rubbed its hands eagerly:

【Host, the last time you revealed a scandal about You Feng, the entire “Three Thousand Realms Cultivator Exchange Area” was in an uproar. Many tried to persuade you to stop before it was too late.

If they find out you’re about to expose a Tribulation Stage Monarch, won’t they be shocked out of their minds?】

Ning Xu didn’t think it was that serious but still said, “Maybe I should post a teaser first to give them time to prepare?”

The Melon-Eating System agreed instantly:

【Good idea.】

Soon, cultivators browsing the “Three Thousand Realms Cultivator Exchange Area” forum were stunned to see a new post.

The poster was still the Melon Mover, and the title was shockingly simple:

[Next Secret—Gou Chen.]

The cultivators: !!!

Gou Chen?! The Tribulation Stage Monarch Gou Chen?!