Chapter 112: Seizing Her Sword

After spiraling into a mental breakdown for a long while, Ning Xianyu rolled to the side and brushed against a person, only then realizing with a start that the Great Demon Lord was still sleeping beside her.

The System remarked: "Xuanyuan Tunhan is truly strange. He insists on sleeping next to you every night, as if he’s terrified you might run away."

"Just stop talking for a moment."

Seeing that the Great Demon Lord had not yet awakened, Ning Xianyu tentatively touched him, only to find he had no reaction at all. The System claimed he had forcibly broken through a restriction and would likely remain in a deep, comatose sleep.

She sat up and watched him for a while, noticing that he seemed to have lost weight over the past two days; he looked haggard and worn. For a cultivator, physical form and appearance rarely change after reaching the Nascent Soul stage—they usually only alter their internal Nascent Soul. For the Great Demon Lord to suddenly look so thin and gaunt was truly alarming.

Ning Xianyu poked his face again, but he remained unresponsive.

"Sigh, this is so overwhelming."

Ning Xianyu did not like it when people were too good to her; it made her feel like she owed them. Her parents had always said that debts of gratitude were the hardest to repay, so one should never incur them. Now that the Great Demon Lord had risked so much to save her, how was she supposed to pay him back?

The System offered comfort: "You don't need to feel guilty. He was the one who brought you here in the first place; he has an obligation to ensure your safety."

Ning Xianyu thought about it: "You’re right. Yes, that’s exactly it."

She instantly discarded her guilt and brightened up, deciding to go out and find something to eat.

As she opened the door, Yi Tianling was standing right there, his hand raised as if about to knock. He had been there last night, too.

"Senior Ning, you’re awake?"

Ning Xianyu nodded. Yi Tianling glanced inside, and seeing that Xuanyuan Tunhan was still unconscious, he recounted what had happened the previous night. His explanation was subtle and simplified, yet it was still enough to convey the peril of the situation and the immense risks Xuanyuan Tunhan had taken to rescue her.

"Before Senior Xuanyuan lost consciousness, he instructed you not to wander off. He said he would find a way out tonight, so please wait with peace of mind, Senior Ning."

Ning Xianyu caught a key detail: "You can wake us up tonight?"

It must be the male lead’s "cheat" ability; how impressive.

*Look at his cheat, and then look at you. Why aren't you that capable?*

Yi Tianling replied that he could: "It is just a small trick I learned in the past."

So it really was a cheat.

Ning Xianyu said, "Then wake me up tonight. I don't want to just sit here and wait for death."

If she were to be snatched away again at night, she would at least have some means of self-defense if she were awake. Although the Universe Sword drained half her life force every time she used it, it was still useful to have on hand. She also had the throwing daggers she’d picked up, which were quite potent for protection.

Seeing her persistence, Yi Tianling agreed.

Just then, Su Yun'er woke up. Having overheard their conversation, she was equally astonished.

"Brother Yi, please wake me up tonight as well. There is strength in numbers."

Yi Tianling had no choice but to agree.

At that moment, White Lotus returned from outside, carrying a large amount of food. "You’re all awake! Come and eat. I’ve traded for plenty of food."

Seeing that Xuanyuan Tunhan was absent, she offered to go wake him up. Ning Xianyu told her not to bother, as Xuanyuan Tunhan would be asleep until nightfall. White Lotus didn’t seem suspicious or insistent; she simply continued to enthusiastically urge everyone to eat.

They all had a bit to eat. Su Yun'er remarked, "The food here is truly delicious. On our Flower Sound Island, we could never make buns this tasty. What is the filling?"

Ning Xianyu took a look: "Meat buns. Probably chicken."

Su Yun'er froze, then hurriedly spat out the bite she had taken: "I... I cannot eat meat."

Many cultivators no longer ate food, let alone meat. Ning Xianyu had no such taboos and didn't care, and neither did Xuanyuan Tunhan or Yi Tianling. However, Su Yun'er was very particular.

"The women of our Flower Sound Island have been raised since childhood on dew and fresh flowers to nurture our bodies. We are not allowed to eat meat."

White Lotus asked, surprised, "Why must you eat flowers to nurture your bodies?"

Su Yun'er explained, "Because flowers are pure objects. They allow a woman's body to remain clean and emit a fragrance from within."

White Lotus retorted, displeased, "If you want a fragrance, you have to eat flowers? What did the flowers ever do to you?"

She chewed her meat bun, looking indignant, and shot a vicious glare at Su Yun'er. Ning Xianyu found this strange. Ever since she had met White Lotus, the girl had always been smiling and never said a harsh word. Even when doing bad things, she did so with a beaming smile. This was the first time she had ever lashed out at someone. What was wrong with White Lotus? Had she undergone a personality change?

Su Yun'er thought for a moment before saying, "It seems Miss White is a lover of flowers. I have offended you; my apologies."

It was normal for someone who loved flowers not to want to see them picked and consumed. White Lotus said nothing more, but it was clear she remained very dissatisfied with Su Yun'er.

After eating, Yi Tianling quietly asked Ning Xianyu about White Lotus and whether they should wake her up that night. Ning Xianyu said to forget it.

"We met halfway; we aren't familiar with her, and I don't trust her. I always feel like her origins are murky."

Yi Tianling trusted her, so he agreed that the four of them would act alone. He remembered what the System had said last night and wanted to try touching her to see what she had on her. However, he tried to reach out several times but couldn't bring himself to actually touch Ning Xianyu. She was a senior, after all, and deserved respect.

The System kept egging him on to be bolder, but Yi Tianling refused.

A while later, Ning Xianyu took out her sword, deciding to practice a little. Though she was lazy, she had learned the basic introductory forms after entering the sect, so practicing a few moves was no problem.

As soon as she drew her sword, Yi Tianling felt as if his brain had exploded.

*It’s the Universe Sword! The Universe Sword! The sword that shatters the universe! How could it be in her hands? You must get it; this sword is far too important!*

Yi Tianling told it to be quiet: *It looks like an ordinary sword. Why is it so important?*

The System replied: *You don't understand. This is the ancestor of all weapons, the first sword in the world, an object from beyond the heavens—just like that demonic entity in the Demon Realm.*

Put that way, the importance of the sword was clear. Yi Tianling looked at the Universe Sword; although he couldn't see anything extraordinary about it, he sensed that it was indeed far from ordinary.

*That is Senior Ning's sword. How am I supposed to take it?*

He couldn't just rob someone of their weapon. Besides, he wasn't strong enough to take it from her.

The System said: *You don't have to rob her. Her cultivation is only at the Nascent Soul stage; she can't control this sword yet. You just need to get her to use it a few more times, and the sword will naturally drain her dry. Once she dies, the sword will choose its next master—and that will be you.*

That was even better; it saved him all the effort.

*By the way, find an opportunity to make her break through this space. A single strike will be enough to claim her life.*

That was truly a brilliant plan—simple and quick.