Chapter 126: The Mission, Shangguan Ningyu

P.S. In response to the request from my friend "The Train of Thought in That Second," here is an extra chapter! (The real reason, however, is to thank the brothers who tipped: Deng Chunfeng Pang Qiuyu, Book Fan No. 01, Invincible Plane War God, and Guardian Momo. There were two other brothers whose names were bumped off the list, and for that, Baicai apologizes for the lapse in memory! I also want to thank the dozens of brothers who tipped yesterday, the day before, and days prior! Hence, this extra chapter!)

Xin Lang had only met Shangguan Ningyu once before. His impression of her was that of someone elegant and artistic, as if she were untainted by the mundane world. Yet, the Shangguan Ningyu standing before him now revealed a girlish playfulness, thoroughly enjoying herself while playing with the little tabby kitten.

"Classmate Shangguan? Coming to find me so late—are you here to challenge me?" Xin Lang interrupted her play.

Seeing that Xin Lang had ceased his cultivation, the kitten immediately fled from her jade-like hands, leaped a few times, and scrambled onto Xin Lang’s shoulder, licking his cheek affectionately.

Watching the kitten escape to Xin Lang’s side, a look of disappointment crossed Shangguan Ningyu’s face. She reached out to retrieve it, but upon seeing Xin Lang, she stopped.

Without a second thought, Shangguan Ningyu declared, "I want to have a wager-match with you! If you lose, you must retract what you said and issue a public apology to us! Hmm... and add that little kitten on your shoulder to the stakes!"

"Ha..." Xin Lang chuckled. "Judging by your tone, Classmate Shangguan, you seem certain you can beat me! But if I win, what will you wager?"

"This..."

Shangguan Ningyu knew her own strength well. Although Xin Lang had defeated Ling Tian, she hadn't considered the possibility of losing to him before issuing the challenge. Now, faced with his question, she was momentarily at a loss for an answer.

Seeing her predicament, Xin Lang was about to tease her when the Upgrade System suddenly flashed a task notification: "Red Diamond Level 7 Main Quest: Capture the heart of Shangguan Ningyu within six months! Completion Reward: 7,000 experience points. Failure Penalty: Revoke the user’s access to the Upgrade System and execute the user!"

"Fuck, what kind of mission is this?!" Upon reading the prompt, Xin Lang cursed inwardly in a fury.

Oblivious to his internal turmoil, Shangguan Ningyu thought for a long moment. Still convinced she wouldn't lose, she said, "Whatever you want to bet, you decide!"

The sudden appearance of the Red Diamond Level 7 quest left Xin Lang overwhelmed. To capture her heart meant he would inevitably have to betray Hongxiu, and this dilemma paralyzed him.

With his mind in chaos, he looked at Shangguan Ningyu, unsure of what to do. Finally, he said, "I haven't decided what to wager yet. I will wait for you here tomorrow night!"

With that, Xin Lang jumped off the sparring stage and left the 19th Combat Hall. The kitten, Rou Rou, seeing him leave, hopped off the stage and followed closely behind.

Outside the hall, Xin Lang gazed at the endless starry sky, struggling to make a choice.

"What should I do? Should I take on this system quest or not?"

If he accepted, he would surely commit an act that betrayed Hongxiu. But if he refused, he might lose the chance to ever see her again!

He stared blankly at the stars, lost. Rou Rou, sensing his distress, didn't disturb him, but sat quietly at his feet, also gazing up at the heavens.

Xin Lang pondered all night but could not reach a final decision. The next morning, he sought out Sun Shiwen, the author of *The Martial Arts Academy Compendium*.

"Xin Lang? You’re looking for me?"

Xin Lang was a legendary figure in the academy and the capital, and his initiative to seek out Sun Shiwen left the latter feeling flattered.

"I know you wrote the *Compendium*," Xin Lang said. "You must be well-informed. I need you to help me look into someone."

"Look into someone? Who might that be?" Sun Shiwen asked, puzzled.

"Shangguan Ningyu, fifth on the Gold List," Xin Lang replied.

Sun Shiwen hesitated. "I’m not sure exactly what you need. I can provide basic information, but detailed files on Shangguan Ningyu would be difficult. My work focuses on the academy as a whole; for specific student data, you would need the authors of the Gold, Silver, and Wind-Cloud Lists."

"And who are they?" Xin Lang asked.

Sun Shiwen laughed. "It’s a coincidence. The author of those lists is none other than the person you are investigating—Shangguan Ningyu herself."

"Ah, it’s her!" Xin Lang exclaimed in surprise.

"Shangguan Ningyu is quite mysterious. Aside from necessary matches, she rarely appears in public. However, it is said that as the top-ranked on the Gold List, she is a close friend of Princess Huangfu Huijing of our Great Xia Dynasty, and she has been residing at the Princess's estate recently," Sun Shiwen explained.

"Oh..." Xin Lang mused. "Since she is the author of the Gold List, is the ranking accurate? For example, what about Huangfu Huijing’s strength?"

"Heh, Huangfu Huijing’s strength is undeniably real; that is recognized throughout the academy! You can find her impressive track record in this year’s latest *Compendium*. As for the Gold List... I do believe there is some bias. At the very least, Shangguan Ningyu’s true strength is more than just fifth; she is likely even stronger than Ling Tian, who is third."

"Hmm." Xin Lang nodded in agreement, recalling her confidence the previous night.

"Do you still want her files, Classmate Xin Lang?" Sun Shiwen asked.

"Do you have a way?"

"Heh... well..." Sun Shiwen rubbed his fingers together with a suggestive smile.

Xin Lang pulled a handful of gold coins from his robe and tossed them to him. "This is the deposit. If the information is detailed, I will pay you double."

Sun Shiwen checked the coins—at least twenty—and beamed. "Wait for my good news!"

After collecting the payment, Sun Shiwen set off to work. Though Xin Lang had not yet made his final choice, he had been granted a new life and a chance to reunite with Hongxiu; he was not about to give up now.

At noon, a dejected Sun Shiwen returned. "There is very little information to be gathered, and I cannot guarantee the authenticity of what I found."

"Truth or lie, tell me anyway," Xin Lang said.

"Her identity is extremely mysterious. It is highly probable she is not from Great Xia. She first appeared in the capital alongside Princess Huangfu Huijing," Sun Shiwen reported.