Chapter 123: Ning Xianyu Is Too Ugly

Once Ning Xianyu mentioned there was someone above, both Yi Tianling and Su Yun'er rushed over.

The three of them looked up together. At first, they were startled, but upon closer inspection, they realized they had been mistaken.

Su Yun'er said, "Senior Ning, that is not a person. It is a painting carved into the dome. If you don't believe me, take another look."

Ning Xianyu did not dare to look at first, but knowing Su Yun'er would not lie, she carefully poked her head out from behind the Great Demon Lord and peered upward cautiously.

At a glance, it still looked like a person smiling eerily at her, but because the Great Demon Lord was supporting her and she couldn't retreat, she was forced to look again. Only then did she realize it was indeed a painting. It was unclear who had been so mischievous as to carve a mural on the ceiling; obstructed by a pillar, the perspective made it look as though a person was clinging to it.

The painting did not depict just one person, but many. The figure she had noticed first was simply the largest and most prominent, which was why she had been startled. Upon closer examination, the figure's smile did not seem so eerie after all.

The four of them looked up at the mural together. The most prominent figure was a woman in colorful, flowing robes, looking ethereal and beautiful. She was facing toward them, and behind her were many others who appeared to be worshipping her. Further away from this group stood another figure in black robes, exuding a resolute aura, quietly watching the scene. Because he was so far away and not carved with much detail, his features and expression were indistinguishable. The woman was the only one in the entire painting whose appearance was clear enough to be seen.

After a while, Su Yun'er suddenly said, "Look, doesn't this woman look a bit like Senior Ning?"

Xuanyuan Tunhan and Yi Tianling looked at Ning Xianyu and then back at the woman.

Yi Tianling shook his head. "Not particularly. The woman in the painting is more bold and heroic, while Senior Ning's appearance is more gentle and serene."

[Ha! He actually called you gentle and serene; the male lead must be blind.] The System laughed heartily, wishing it had hands to pound the floor.

Ning Xianyu retorted angrily, [The next wish will definitely be to give you a physical body.] Tormenting the System was currently her greatest dream.

To her surprise, Xuanyuan Tunhan nodded in deep agreement. "Ning Xianyu is much uglier."

Compared to the peerless beauty of the woman in the mural, Ning Xianyu was far too plain. Ning Xianyu was instantly furious.

[What is that supposed to mean? Even if I'm not a world-class beauty, I'm not that ugly, am I?]

Su Yun'er and Yi Tianling were stunned. Why would Senior Xuanyuan say such a thing to Senior Ning? Yi Tianling thought to himself that Senior Xuanyuan was doomed; Senior Ning was going to be livid.

Ning Xianyu was indeed furious. She huffed and turned away to find an exit on her own.

Shameless, dog of a man, fickle and ungrateful, a total lecher. If you want to compliment the woman in the painting, fine, but why step on me to do it?

Su Yun'er sighed helplessly; men, honestly.

Yi Tianling said cautiously, "Senior Xuanyuan, even if cultivators don't care about outward appearances, Senior Ning is a woman, after all, and cares about her looks. Perhaps you shouldn't call Senior Ning ugly in the future."

Xuanyuan Tunhan looked at him with a strange expression, ignored him, and walked away. Seeing that he wouldn't listen, Yi Tianling didn't press the issue and took Su Yun'er to the other side.

Su Yun'er said apologetically, "If I hadn't said Senior Ning looked like that woman, Senior Xuanyuan wouldn't have said that, and Senior Ning wouldn't be angry."

Yi Tianling smiled. "It's not your fault. The two do look somewhat alike. Have you noticed that the sword the woman is carrying also looks very similar to Senior Ning's sword?"

In his mind, the System was also shouting, [That is the Qiankun Sword, the same one Ning Xianyu has. I told you that is a treasure; you must find a way to get your hands on it.]

[You can't get out now, but if Ning Xianyu is willing to use the Qiankun Sword to split the space, you can escape. Once she dies, you can take the sword and leave. It’s killing two birds with one stone.]

Yi Tianling felt the suggestion was heartless. [Senior Ning has saved me and helped me. Do not say such things again.]

[Don't you want to save Akali anymore?]

[Shut up. I will save her, but I will do it my own way.]

The System fell silent. Without it, let's see what method Yi Tianling uses to save anyone. Yi Tianling knew the System was angry, but he would never apologize. The System was too overbearing; he would use the System's power, but he would never be controlled by it. He wanted to be a king, not a puppet.

Su Yun'er looked over at Ning Xianyu's sword again. Ning Xianyu usually swung it around carelessly, so most people didn't pay much attention to it. After observing it, Su Yun'er returned to look at the mural and immediately spotted something.

"Brother Yi, look at that sword."

Yi Tianling looked up. "What is it?"

Su Yun'er said, "Look at the hilt of that sword. Is there a stone embedded there? That stone looks quite special."

The entire mural was carved into the stone, but only at the hilt of the sword did a stone protrude. Yi Tianling noticed it too. Could that be the Fire-Devouring Stone he was searching for? Yi Tianling looked at the stone wall nearby and decided to climb up to check.

Xuanyuan Tunhan also saw the stone and felt it was strange. He had looked at the mural earlier and had seen the Qiankun Sword before, so why hadn't he noticed anything unusual, yet Su Yun'er had spotted the difference?

Ning Xianyu heard the commotion and came over, also staring at Yi Tianling's actions.

[We all looked at the mural earlier, but none of us noticed that stone.]

The System said, [This is likely the effect of the male lead's aura. When the male lead is present, you are all 'blinded by ghosts' and unable to see certain important things.]

Ning Xianyu was confused. [What are you saying?]

The System felt frustrated. [Think about the novels you've read. Isn't it true that the world is full of treasures, but only the male and female leads can see them, while everyone else acts blind, unable to see the benefits of items right in front of them?]

[Think again. When around the male and female leads, doesn't everyone else's IQ seem to drop? Many simple things they can't figure out until the leads point them out?]

At this, Ning Xianyu suddenly realized. [In other words, as long as we are around the leads, everyone's intelligence is forcibly suppressed, and we suffer from selective blindness until they point out these key details?]

The System confirmed this. [This is the law of this world, the rule set by the author when creating it.]

Ning Xianyu felt a chill. [Does that mean if we stay with the leads, we will get stupider and stupider?]

The System agreed that this was the case. Ning Xianyu realized things were dire; it would be better to stay far away from the leads. She wanted to be a lazy person, not a fool or a blind person.

Xuanyuan Tunhan's eyes narrowed dangerously. Could it really be that the so-called "male lead's aura" prevented even him from discovering the anomaly? If that were the case, then this so-called male lead must be...