Chapter 98

Ning Xu was slightly stunned.

She didn’t know exactly what had happened back then, but from the description provided by the Melon-Eating System, she could tell how devastating the events of that day were.

She asked in a deep voice, “Is there any way to help him?”

This time, the Melon-Eating System responded quite quickly.

【It depends on whether the host wants a permanent solution or just a temporary fix.】

Ning Xu asked, “What do you mean by a permanent solution? And what’s a temporary fix?”

The Melon-Eating System chuckled, 【A temporary fix would be to sign a life contract with him! A life contract is a higher-level existence than a love contract. Once signed, all the injuries and lifespans are shared! Host, this is the moment to test the plastic affection between you two!】

【Of course, you’ve probably heard the saying, ‘1+1 > 2,’ meaning that the combined strength of two people is greater than the sum of their individual strengths. Similarly, ‘2-1 < 1,’ meaning that if you're willing to share some of the injuries, the harm you both endure will be reduced.】

【I don’t know if I explained it clearly, but that’s the gist of it.】

Ning Xu: …

She didn’t rush to make a decision, as a life contract was not something that could be decided on a whim.

She did want to help the Innocent Cultivator, but it wasn't yet to the point of signing a life contract.

She then asked, “What do you mean by a permanent solution?”

【A permanent solution would be to find the Innocent Cultivator's lost natural sword bone.】

Find the sword bone?

In other words, this sword bone still affected the Innocent Cultivator's reincarnated body?

Ning Xu asked with confusion, “Isn’t his sword bone with his enemy?”

【No, it’s not.】

“Then where is it?”

The Melon-Eating System sighed, 【It’s still with his body from his previous life, three thousand years ago.】

Ning Xu froze for a moment.

What does that mean?

She couldn’t quite understand.

Perhaps noticing the confusion on her face, the Melon-Eating System explained in more detail, 【His sword bone is still with the body of the person he was in his previous life, three thousand years ago, before his reincarnation.】

Ning Xu frowned slightly.

“What do you mean? If the sword bone is with that person, how do you expect me to get it?”

The Melon-Eating System seemed unconcerned, 【Of course, you would take it from that person!】

Ning Xu: …

Although she had long known that the Melon-Eating System was a bit unhinged, she still underestimated just how unhinged it could be.

“Are you out of your mind? You didn’t forget that the person you're talking about is a Sword Immortal, did you?”

Putting aside whether taking the sword bone from that person would go against the laws of heaven, the person’s cultivation was not something she could easily handle.

Not to mention, that person had existed three thousand years ago and had long since passed away!

Was the Melon-Eating System out of its mind?

The Innocent Cultivator’s previous life was the Sword Immortal, a figure who had astonished countless people in the cultivation world. He was the idol and senior of many. The sword technique she and the Innocent Cultivator used, “Reversing the Stars,” was originally created by the Sword Immortal.

Provoking the Sword Immortal?

Was this for real?

The Melon-Eating System’s tone became more serious, 【Host, I’m serious about getting the sword bone.】

Hearing this, Ning Xu’s expression slowly became more somber.

She had the Innocent Cultivator lean on her shoulder and, while retreating into the tunnel, asked the Melon-Eating System, “Can you send me back to three thousand years ago?”

The Melon-Eating System replied, 【I can't. But I know how to get you back to the past.】

【Time is running out, Host. Although I don't want to say this, you really don’t have much time to level up.】

【No matter how many heavenly materials and earthly treasures you have, it’s impossible for you to reach the Mahayana Stage in just over three years.】

【But in three years, the human race and the demon race will go to war. Not to mention, the Innocent Cultivator’s enemies have already formed some cooperation with the demon race. Although they haven’t fully joined the demon race’s camp, their actions have already betrayed the human race.】

Ning Xu wasn’t surprised about the cooperation between the Innocent Cultivator's enemies and the demon race.

After all, in her eyes, those people were all scum without any moral compass.

【Host, the only one who can stop them is the ‘Sword Immortal’!】

At this point, the Melon-Eating System paused for a moment, probably considering how to explain things.

It quickly summarized, 【For years, those people have been searching for the Sword Immortal’s sword bone, but after thousands of years, they’ve found nothing.】

【They’ve tried everything.】

【The reason they can’t find it, you now understand, is because the Sword Immortal’s sword bone is still from three thousand years ago. Even if they dug up the earth, they would never find it here!】

【I know you’re wondering why.】

【It’s all tied to the moment the Sword Immortal was about to fall.】

【In that instant, he suddenly grasped the Dao of Time.】

【After mastering the highest principles of the cultivation world, he hid his sword bone in that moment of time.】

【Only by returning to that time could you possibly retrieve the sword bone from him!】

Ning Xu fell silent.

So this is the Sword Immortal?

Even in the face of danger, he left himself a way out.

【Host, don’t feel guilty about taking the sword bone from the Sword Immortal. You’re doing it for the Innocent Cultivator, and since he’s the Sword Immortal’s reincarnation, you could say that helping him is almost like helping the Sword Immortal himself, right?】

Ning Xu: …

Is that how you justify it?

When it comes to reincarnation, that raises the question of whether the person before and after reincarnation can still be considered the same person.

If they can’t be considered the same person, how does that “round it off”?

“After retrieving the sword bone, will the ‘Sword Immortal’ come back to life?”

【The Sword Immortal won’t come back to life, but once the natural sword bone is returned to the Innocent Cultivator, it will allow him to unleash the Sword Immortal’s strength and dramatically boost his cultivation.】

Ning Xu didn’t need to think too much and immediately said, “Then let’s go.”

Let’s go back three thousand years and retrieve the sword bone for the Innocent Cultivator!

Just as Ning Xu made this decision, she felt the Innocent Cultivator tightly grasp her hand.

She turned to look at him and asked softly, “Does it hurt?”

The Innocent Cultivator shook his head.

Just as Ning Xu was about to discuss the details with the Melon-Eating System, she suddenly heard the Innocent Cultivator ask her softly, “Can you stay with me?”

At first, Ning Xu thought she had misheard.

She pursed her lips and asked the Melon-Eating System, “If I go back to three thousand years ago, can he come with me?”

The Melon-Eating System didn’t hesitate and directly said, 【Of course not. The Sword Immortal wasn’t dead back then. If the Innocent Cultivator shows up, the entire timeline will collapse!】

“Then he…”

Though it was regretful, the Melon-Eating System could only reply, 【He can only stay here.】

Upon hearing this response, Ning Xu gently said to the Innocent Cultivator, “I’m sorry, you can’t come with me.”

After saying that, it was easier to continue speaking.

“I’ll be gone for a while. During this time, you’ll have to manage alone.”

At this point, Ning Xu suddenly felt a twinge of guilt.

The Innocent Cultivator was enduring immense pain, but she had to leave, leaving him here alone.

The Innocent Cultivator rarely asked about things in detail before.

But this time, he asked a lot.

“Where are you going? How long will you be gone? Is it dangerous?”

For the first time, Ning Xu felt troubled.

The Melon-Eating System slowly spoke, 【Going back three thousand years, when you return, the time is uncertain. As for the danger, it depends on how the Sword Immortal is handled!】

【If the Sword Immortal is hard to deal with, then this trip will be nine out of ten deaths.】

【If the Sword Immortal is easy to deal with, everything will be fine.】

Perhaps seeing that Ning Xu hadn’t answered yet, the Innocent Cultivator slowly spoke, “Is it very dangerous?”

Ning Xu reassured him, “It shouldn’t be too dangerous.”

The Innocent Cultivator gave her a faint smile.

He looked weak, but that smile still lit up the dark tunnel, stunning Ning Xu.

In that instant, Ning Xu suddenly felt a slight pain in the palm of her hand.

“You?”

The Innocent Cultivator lowered his eyes slightly and said slowly, “I don’t know what I can do. I just want to help you. Even if it’s just a little bit.”

Ning Xu looked down at the Blood mark on her hand, which was long and ran across her entire palm.

The same Blood mark appeared on the Innocent Cultivator’s hand.

After a brief flash, both Blood marks disappeared.

Ning Xu asked, “What is this?”

The Innocent Cultivator didn’t answer. Instead, the Melon-Eating System responded.

【Host, this is a one-sided life contract.】

【If you’re injured three thousand years ago, the Innocent Cultivator can share half of your injury.】

【But if the Innocent Cultivator is injured, you won’t suffer any harm.】

Ning Xu: …

Isn't this an unequal contract?

She immediately asked the Melon-Eating System, "Can it be made mutual?"

The Melon-Eating System leisurely replied, 【No, once the contract is established, it's very hard to change.】

Ning Xu felt anger and anxiety within. She was angry that the Innocent Cultivator acted on his own, and anxious that she couldn't help the Innocent Cultivator.

How could there be such a domineering contract?

It can't even be modified?

The Melon-Eating System found it amusing.

It didn't expect the Innocent Cultivator to suddenly pull this move.

This way, the host's survival rate over the next three thousand years should increase significantly, right?

Seeing that the host, apart from feeling angry and anxious, showed no other surprise or joy, the Melon-Eating System hurriedly tried to comfort her, 【Host, don't worry, he signed a one-sided life contract with you, and the contract can't be changed, but you can sign a mutual love contract with him.】

【Although an love contract isn't as domineering as a life contract, in some ways, it can still be useful!】

【In times of danger, the other party to the love contract can come to your aid anytime, though it's the least impressive among the contract's functions.】

【Don't be mad at the Innocent Cultivator anymore.】

【What bad intentions could the Innocent Cultivator have?】

【He only loves you!】

【He just wants to help you!】

Ning Xu: …

The second to last sentence was completely unnecessary.