Chapter 81

The Wu family patriarch coughed lightly and asked, “Goddess, what is this about?”

Although he had already roughly understood the ins and outs of the situation from Ning Xu and the system’s mind transmissions, he still had to go through the necessary formalities and ask the question.

Yu Tao, the Peach Goddess, smiled lightly. “Just handling a personal matter. This has nothing to do with you. If anyone causes trouble for the Wu family, just send them to me.”

Hearing this, the Wu family patriarch was relieved. However, after the fierce battle, the rear garden was left in ruins. Looking at the Peach Goddess, he had a hesitant expression.

Yu Tao naturally understood what he meant. Fortunately, what she lacked the least was spirit stones. “I will cover all the damages your family has suffered.”

The Wu family patriarch cupped his fists. “Then I must trouble the Goddess.”

Yu Tao glanced toward the disciples of the Wenxin Sect. Seeing that she had something to say to them, the Wu family patriarch tactfully led the Wu family disciples away.

Once only the Wenxin Sect members remained in the garden, Yu Tao spoke. “Not bad, you’ve reached Foundation Establishment.”

Ning Xu’s breakthrough at this moment had drawn a lot of attention.

Yu Tao and Elder Wu had been inside a barrier, fighting Lan Chun in an intense battle. To win, the Goddess suffered significant losses, using up many rare spiritual artifacts. Elder Wu had even faced near-death situations multiple times. Without Yu Tao’s assistance, he would have fallen before Lan Chun.

Meanwhile, Ning Xu had taken advantage of this situation, gaining numerous insights from the battle and successfully advancing to Foundation Establishment.

Fortunately, the Goddess did not mind that she had become someone else’s stepping stone.

She said, “In a few days, it will be my grandfather’s birthday. If you’re free, you can come to Li Island for a visit.”

The Li family had lived on Li Island for generations. It was a unique existence in the cultivation world, independent from other sects. Under normal circumstances, outsiders were not allowed on the island without special permission.

Hearing this, the Wenxin Sect disciples hadn’t even had time to react before a familiar mind transmission rang in their ears.

【The Goddess invited you personally—looks like Old Wu finally got himself a free meal ticket.】

【But let’s be honest, he has us to thank for this! Without us, even if he wanted to freeload, he wouldn’t be able to!】

Everyone: ……

Elder Wu himself: ……

At that moment, another mind transmission sounded.

“You still remember why we came to Star Peach City, right?”

The Melon-Eating System quickly responded, 【Of course, I remember! But, Host, I haven’t detected any traces of the Demon God’s demon core fragments in Star Peach City recently. The timing probably isn’t right yet.】

【Anyway, there’s no rush. Why don’t we go to Li Island first, eat some melons, and watch the show?】

【It’s the birthday of the richest person in the cultivation world. There will definitely be many big figures attending.】

【Won’t that be a feast of gossip for us?】

Ning Xu: “Sure.”

With the Goddess extending a personal invitation, the Wenxin Sect disciples naturally agreed. A rare opportunity to broaden their horizons was not to be wasted.

Thus, the trip to Li Island was decided.

Li Island was located in a sea area within Star Peach City, known as the Star Sea. From the city, it only took half an hour of sword flight to reach the island.

A few days passed in the blink of an eye.

In what felt like an instant, the eve of the richest cultivator’s birthday arrived.

Ning Xu and the others were discussing what gift to bring.

Since the Goddess had personally invited them, they couldn’t show up empty-handed.

She looked at her fellow disciples and asked, “Do you have any good ideas?”

The Innocent Cultivator was lowering his eyes, wiping his sword, while the Clear Wine Immortal had his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart, clearly indifferent to the matter.

Qin Rilu and Wu Luchen were racking their brains but couldn’t come up with any good ideas.

Elder Wu and the Peak Masters of North and South Peaks, as high-ranking members of the Wenxin Sect, would prepare individual gifts.

Meanwhile, Ning Xu and her fellow disciples would give a collective gift.

Seeing that Qin Rilu and the others couldn’t think of anything, the Melon-Eating System lazily commented, 【What’s the point? That old man lacks nothing.】

As she waited for her teammates to respond, Ning Xu replied to the system, “But etiquette must be observed.”

The Melon-Eating System arrogantly declared, 【In a few years, someone else will be sitting in his seat. Even if we disregard etiquette, it won’t matter.】

Ning Xu: “But that’s still a few years away.”

The system fell silent.

Even it couldn’t claim that the richest cultivator would be toppled immediately.

Could they shake his position and replace him with someone else?

Of course, they could.

Without even considering other methods, the simplest solution was that the Melon-Eating System had coordinates for multiple buried divine artifacts in its storage. Retrieving any one of them would be enough to upend the cultivation world.

But could it reveal these coordinates to Ning Xu now?

No.

Why?

Because her cultivation wasn’t strong enough yet.

If she knew these coordinates now, it wouldn’t benefit her. She wouldn’t be able to protect the divine artifacts or even herself.

Thinking about this, the Melon-Eating System sighed in frustration. It knew about so many treasures, yet it could only watch them remain buried and unseen.

The Melon-Eating System complained, 【Host, taking half a year to reach Foundation Establishment is still too slow.】

【You have to work harder!】

Everyone: ……

This was humblebragging, right? It had to be!

At such a speed, Ning Xu’s cultivation was practically leaving others in the dust.

Yet despite her rapid advancement, the Melon-Eating System was still unsatisfied?

This was real cultivation, not child’s play!

What more could they ask for?

Just as Qin Rilu and the others were growing numb, Ning Xu said, “Alright.”

She also felt that she wasn’t progressing fast enough.

Considering how recklessly she and the Melon-Eating System behaved, her current rate of advancement wouldn’t be enough to protect either of them.

After all, they had plenty of enemies, including Tribulation Stage cultivators. Even if there weren’t Tribulation Stage foes, they had completely antagonized the Flower Pavilion.

She had to reach the Golden Core Stage as soon as possible.

Once she reached Golden Core, she could plan her next steps.

After finishing her conversation with the system, Ning Xu looked at her teammates and said, “The richest cultivator doesn’t lack good things. Our birthday gift doesn’t have to be extravagant, as long as it carries sincerity.”

Qin Rilu and the others remained silent.

Ning Xu thought for a moment and said, “If none of you have any ideas, why don’t I decide?”

The Innocent Cultivator was the first to respond. He stopped wiping his sword and looked at Ning Xu with a smile in his dark eyes. “The captain can decide.”

Qin Rilu and the others, having no better ideas, also agreed.

Ning Xu nodded. “Alright.”

With that settled, she was about to let her teammates go about their business when the Melon-Eating System suddenly let out a long “Oh-ho!”

【Host, big news! Big news!】

Ning Xu asked casually, “What? What big news?”

The Melon-Eating System eagerly revealed, 【A top-tier furnace has appeared at the Goddess’ doorstep!】

【On a dark and windy night, alone with a beautiful woman—is he planning to offer himself up?! Hehehehehe.】

【Sorry, Elder Wu, you’ll have to put your freeloading on hold. I’m watching this drama first!】

Everyone: ……

Elder Wu, who had just arrived to ask if they had prepared a gift: ……