Chapter Seventy-Two: The Mountain of Ten Directions

Black lines appeared on Xuanyuan Tunhan’s arm, writhing and twisting as if they were alive, crawling wantonly over his skin. Ning Xianyu was startled and puzzled. She hadn’t seen these markings when she’d been using the Demon Lord’s body, so why had they appeared after switching back?

“Are these marks left by that otherworldly demon?” Ning Xianyu mused. Surely only that creature could leave such traces on him.

Xuanyuan Tunhan merely pulled down his sleeve, offering no explanation. Then he turned a cold gaze on Yi Tianling and said, “You’ve signed a ten-year contract with the Demon Realm. If you want to live, you’d best start thinking seriously about what to do.”

Yi Tianling replied with stiff resolve, “I will do my utmost, I won’t break my word, nor will I abandon Akali to her fate.”

He was still accusing Xuanyuan Tunhan of turning his back on her.

The Demon Lord sneered and lashed out with a surge of spiritual power, lifting Yi Tianling off the ground. Yi Tianling felt energy constricting his throat; he struggled but could not break free, his face flushing with the effort.

Ning Xianyu thought, The protagonist really does have a death wish. You can’t even beat him, so why act tough?

But Xuanyuan Tunhan didn’t kill him. He simply tossed him aside and mocked him coldly: “Before you have true strength, don’t provoke those you cannot afford to offend. And don’t lecture others with self-righteous airs.”

With that, he flicked his sleeve and returned to the camp. He ordered Ning Xianyu to gather up anything still useful.

Ning Xianyu quickly obeyed and set to work.

After a while, Yi Tianling returned as well. Seeing the ruined tent, he apologized, “I’ll make amends for this damage someday.”

Xuanyuan Tunhan said nothing.

Yi Tianling joined in the search for salvageable items.

At this, Ning Xianyu asked, “You wagered with Demon Sovereign Zhuh Tian, planning to resolve the Demon Realm’s crisis within ten years. Do you have any reliable plan?”

She was genuinely curious—what would the protagonist do next? That massive sphere in the Demon Realm had been up in the sky for hundreds of thousands of years, hadn’t it? If he could solve a problem that had gone unresolved for so long, the entire Demon Realm would probably kneel and call him father. Or grandfather, for that matter.

Yi Tianling glanced at her and shook his head. “I haven’t thought of anything yet.”

“What?” Ning Xianyu exclaimed in disbelief. “You signed a contract with no plan at all? Are you mad?”

Could it be that this was the protagonist’s confidence?

Yi Tianling stared at her, confused. “Why are you so agitated, senior?”

He paused, then added, “You seem different now, senior.”

Ning Xianyu replied with pride, “Of course. I’m a Nascent Soul cultivator now.”

Yi Tianling had already noticed, but it didn’t matter to him; in his eyes, this senior was unfathomable—her apparent cultivation was meaningless.

“I meant, you seem much more cheerful,” he said.

Ning Xianyu realized her act had slipped. When Xuanyuan Tunhan had been using her body, she’d been cold as ice, barely speaking and quick to violence.

Now, having switched back, her true colors were showing.

But she wasn’t famous, so breaking character didn’t matter.

She waved a hand dismissively, “That’s not the point. The point is you—if you don’t find a solution in ten years, you’ll be obliterated.”

She only wanted to see how the protagonist would work his miracles; she couldn’t care less about his survival.

Yi Tianling was moved. “Senior, you really care about me.”

To be concerned about whether he’d find a solution—what a good person.

Ning Xianyu thought he must have been struck dumb by heavenly lightning during his advancement. How else had he become so dense?

Since he refused to say more, Ning Xianyu didn’t push him. He was probably hiding his cards, waiting for a dramatic reveal. Protagonists were always cunning that way.

Fine, if he wouldn’t talk, she didn’t care.

Ning Xianyu turned to ask the system: "Hey, system, are you awake? Hurry and tell me—what does the protagonist do next?"

After a long yawn, the system replied, "Fulfilling your wish nearly exhausted me. Can’t you be quiet for a moment?"

Thinking of her wish irritated her all over again.

"Don’t even mention my wish! You’re obviously a scam system. I bet all your previous hosts were doomed by your interference."

The system protested its innocence. "What? The wish didn’t come true?"

But her body had been switched back, so the wish should have been fulfilled. Why was she still angry?

"It’s your fault—because of your meddling, I now have this ability to turn the Demon Lord into a cat at will! How did that happen?"

"Now he’s furious—I bet he’s plotting how to strangle me!"

The system double-checked, then finally understood. Imagining the scene, it couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

"You really turned the Demon Lord into a cat?"

"Hahaha, that’s brilliant!"

Ning Xianyu was so angry she wanted to throttle it. "Is this the time to laugh? That was a huge mistake—you know that, right?"

How could it be laughing after such a blunder? With such a lackadaisical attitude, no wonder it was still a trainee system.

The system suddenly realized the problem. "Are you sure you only gained that skill after making your wish?"

"Do you think I could come up with a skill like that on my own?" she retorted.

The system fell silent for a long time before hurriedly excusing itself, saying it would go investigate.

"So unreliable," Ning Xianyu muttered, and went back to packing. Once she’d finished, she asked Xuanyuan Tunhan if there was anything else to bring.

He said no and strode off.

Yi Tianling quickly caught up. "Seniors, where are you headed?"

Xuanyuan Tunhan shot him a glance. "What concern is it of yours?"

His tone was even colder than before.

Yi Tianling assumed he was still upset about the earlier offense and didn’t take it to heart. He asked sincerely, "I heard that the Jade Immortal Sect’s library gathers all the books under heaven, including the complete history of the continent. May I go there to read a few volumes and research the origins of the Demon Realm?"

Xuanyuan Tunhan replied, "If you want to study, you should go to Tenfold Mountain. There’s a stele there that records the origins of everything on the continent."

Yi Tianling’s face lit up. "Truly?"

Xuanyuan Tunhan didn’t answer, but his look made it clear he’d never stoop to lying.

Yi Tianling said, "Very well, I’ll go to Tenfold Mountain. Thank you for the guidance, senior. I’ll take my leave now."

He bowed respectfully, summoned his flying sword, and soared away.

Once he was gone, Ning Xianyu asked, "Where are we going next?"

Xuanyuan Tunhan looked into the distance. "First, we return to the Jade Immortal Sect. After that, Tenfold Mountain."

What? Were they now tied to the protagonist’s journey?