Chapter Fourteen: She Would Rather Leap into the River Than Be With Him

Because she seemed too idle, a disciple from Hanin Island offered Ning Xianyu a cup of flower wine. It was fragrant and sweet, but she had to maintain her persona, so she only took a small sip before stopping.

The system began sharing gossip about the sect leaders with Ning Xianyu, details that even Xuanyuan Tunhan was unaware of. After all, these were minor matters, and no matter how long Xuanyuan Tunhan had lived, he couldn’t possibly know everything.

Back then, during the great war between immortals and demons, Xuanyuan Tunhan had fought the leaders of Liehuang Mountain and Swallowing Cloud Sea, leading to their deaths in battle. As a result, these two sects bore a deep-seated grudge against Jade Immortal Sect—one that could never be reconciled.

No wonder the people from Liehuang Mountain tried to launch a sneak attack as soon as they arrived, Ning Xianyu marveled. So that’s where all the hatred comes from.

The system continued, “But Lord Moyu should actually thank Xuanyuan Tunhan. If the previous sect leader hadn’t died, he’d never have become the head so suddenly. In fact, it was a period of generational transition in the cultivation world, and most of the current leaders rose to power then.”

“No wonder,” Ning Xianyu said disdainfully. “No wonder these sect leaders are such a mixed bag—they all seem so ill-suited for their positions.”

“Look at Lord Moyu over there. He dares to launch an ambush without knowing the full story, dragging a whole group of disciples along and risking the best talents of his sect. Then there’s Shangguan Xuanyue—he always acts polite, but his eyes are shifty, as if he’s forever scheming. And that one over there…”

Ning Xianyu felt none of these leaders were up to standard. Some lacked poise, some were downright ugly, and others simply looked lecherous.

“How did they ever become sect leaders? The future of the cultivation world looks bleak.”

The system scoffed, “Aren’t you supposed to be a slacker? Why worry about the future of cultivation? Besides, there’s the protagonist. As a rising star, he’ll soar to great heights, and then the real show will begin.”

But Ning Xianyu paid no attention to talk of protagonists, silently shaking her head.

“No wonder the Demon Lord is the unrivaled figure of the Six Realms. All these years, no one has been able to surpass him. Never mind his cultivation and determination—just his looks alone put him in a league of his own.”

Look at these sect leaders—what a sorry bunch. Not a trace of a cultivator’s bearing among them. This was a world within a novel, and in novels, only the beautiful truly rise above the rest.

Xuanyuan Tunhan was listening with a headache, but upon hearing these words, he snorted softly.

This woman, at least she had some discernment.

On the other side, Jade Yaozi, who happened to be seated across from him, shifted uncomfortably at the sound. This junior sister was not to be trifled with—her temper as mercurial as the ancestor himself. Best to keep a safe distance.

Xuanyuan Tunhan’s momentary praise for Ning Xianyu had barely passed through his mind when she began to speak with her characteristic irreverence.

“But being good-looking is useless if you have a terrible temper. Someone like the Demon Lord is psychologically twisted—anyone who gets close to him is doomed.”

She couldn’t help but complain to the system, “You’ve really set me up, binding me to such a lunatic. If I die, I’ll file a complaint with your headquarters for sure.”

The system was unapologetic. “You asked for the number one under heaven, and Xuanyuan Tunhan is exactly that—top cultivation, good looks, everything you wanted.”

“Hmph, sophistry!” Ning Xianyu mused, “Speaking of handsome men, isn’t the protagonist, Yi Tianling, supposed to be even more dashing? He’s the main character, after all—he should easily surpass the Demon Lord in looks, right?”

The system replied, “Yi Tianling is indeed very attractive. He’s on the island right now, you know. Why not seek him out? With your knowledge of the plot, you might waltz into his grand harem.”

Ning Xianyu sneered at the suggestion.

“I would never join someone else’s harem. I’m going to build my own, understand?”

The very idea of fighting over a man in someone else’s harem was exhausting and went against her slacker persona. Having her own harem was a different story.

“A troupe of charming men, each vying for my favor with every trick in the book, while I just sit back and enjoy it all—now that’s the ultimate slacker lifestyle. Heh heh.”

Speaking of handsome men, the system joined in with a lascivious chuckle.

“Building a harem isn’t a bad idea. Once you’re number one, you can gather all the best-looking men from across the land, and I’ll enjoy the view alongside you. Didn’t you say Jade Yaozi is a good candidate? Maybe next time you should wish for him to stay young and handsome forever.”

“Heh heh, that sounds perfect. Besides Senior Brother Jade Yaozi, I’ve heard Elder Yiheng from the Boundless Sect is also quite the looker. We should check him out sometime.”

The system said, “Let me do some searching for you—see where the handsome men are most concentrated. Or better yet, find a treasure vault and use wealth to attract them all; you wouldn’t even need to step outside. Efficient and effortless.”

Ning Xianyu was about to burst out laughing. “You really get me, System! You’ll be well rewarded.”

The system gleefully asked, “What about Xuanyuan Tunhan? Besides Yi Tianling, he’s the most handsome and seductive man in this world. Why not try your hand at wooing the ultimate villain? That would be quite a tale.”

The system was thrilled, as if watching a melodramatic soap opera and itching to jump into the action itself.

Outside the main hall, Xuanyuan Tunhan’s hand rested on the table, gripping a teacup.

“Woo the strong?” he sneered.

“Ha!”

“Ugh, as if!”

Ning Xianyu’s words seemed to explode in his mind, leaving a deep impression.

This woman…

He crushed the cup into powder with his hand.

What did she mean by “as if”?

“I don’t want him. So what if he’s the Demon Lord—good-looking, seductive voice, great body? He’s unpredictable. Being with him is like sitting on a bomb. At least a bomb can be defused—he’s a live one, always ready to blow, even loading more powder himself. Who knows when he’ll take me out with him?”

The system tried to placate her, “It’s not that bad. He’s quite capable, after all…”

“I don’t care. Even if he were the last man on earth, I’d rather drown myself than be with him. The thought alone is terrifying.”

No sooner had Ning Xianyu spoken than there was a loud bang outside, as if something had exploded.

She rubbed her ears in confusion, but all was quiet again. The other sect leaders in the room acted as if nothing had happened, so she figured she must have imagined it.

Meanwhile, outside in the plaza, the cultivators near Xuanyuan Tunhan had all jumped away, keeping their distance.

The table beside him, laden with tea and pastries, had been blown to smithereens, debris scattered everywhere.

The unluckiest was Du Juezi, who, caught off guard, was showered in the resulting dust and powder. Brushing himself off, he couldn’t help but wonder if the ancestor’s spirit had possessed Xuanyuan Tunhan—how else could he have acted so swiftly and unexpectedly, even catching a late-phase god transformation cultivator like himself unawares?

“Ning Fairy, are you all right?” Du Juezi, after some thought, could only address her formally. He certainly couldn’t kneel to her in front of so many people.

Xuanyuan Tunhan turned to glance at him, calmly brushing the dust from his robes.

“It’s nothing. Just a bug, that’s all.”

This bug, he would find it sooner or later, and grind it into dust bit by bit.