Chapter 184: Lotus in Full Bloom, Divine Ability Achieved!
After many days, Ning Zhuo returned home once again.
Looking around, everything was brand new!
The house, the furniture, and even the underground chamber had all been rebuilt.
Since Ning Zhuo became the Black Market Leader, the rebuilding speed of his home had skyrocketed, more than ten times faster than before!
More importantly, the formation at home was now interconnected with the great formation of Huoshi Immortal City, able to utilize it to unleash powerful defensive capabilities.
Previously, Ning Zhuo’s home was destroyed in an explosion. If such an attack happened again, with the defensive formation, it would not repeat itself.
In the small courtyard of his home.
Ning Zhuo gathered his fellow students from the reconstruction team once again to review and purchase mechanical creations from them, followed by a lecture on spellcasting techniques.
Everyone listened intently, except for Ning Ji, who appeared serious but had his thoughts wandering elsewhere.
As the session came to an end, Ning Zhuo’s expression turned earnest as he addressed the group, “There’s something I believe everyone has already heard about.”
“Yes, yesterday I came forward to publicly prove that Ning Xiaohui’s injury to me during the previous battle was a ‘mistake’ and not intentional.”
Upon hearing Ning Zhuo bring up the topic on his own, everyone’s expressions shifted dramatically.
Ning Yong clenched his fist indignantly, “Brother Zhuo, was it the main branch people who forced you? It’s okay, we’re all with you!”
As soon as Ning Yong finished speaking, others chimed in.
“Ning Xiaohui went too far!”
“If it weren’t for her causing trouble, we would have already defeated that Mechanical Ape!”
“If worse comes to worst, we can raise a ruckus at the clan hall again!”
Ning Zhuo raised his hand and pressed down a few times, and the small courtyard fell silent immediately.
Ning Zhuo sighed deeply, “The infighting between the main and branch families of the Ning clan has come to this!”
“To tell the truth, the family patriarch personally approached me to negotiate, offering a huge sum of money for me to come forward and prove Ning Xiaohui’s ‘innocence.'”
“At first, I was unwilling. But then I thought about the Ning family, about the family’s reputation.”
“If I stubbornly pursued the matter with Ning Xiaohui, stirring up conflict between the main and branch families, wouldn’t that only make outsiders laugh at us?”
“Sigh…”
“Ning Xiaohui treated me this way, but I can’t drag the family’s prestige down.”
“So, I accepted the patriarch’s bribe, and I raised the price significantly.”
“I publicly proved Ning Xiaohui’s innocence, and that was my decision. I’m telling you this now, hoping you won’t dwell on it anymore and instead focus your time and energy on your cultivation.”
Ning Zhuo’s words left everyone deeply moved.
“Brother Zhuo, you’ve done so much for the family!” Ning Yong shouted.
Ning Chen wiped his tears, “Brother Zhuo, you’re truly enduring humiliation in silence. But who can understand your bitter heart?”
Others chimed in, “Brother Zhuo, I was wrong. I misunderstood you and thought you were bought off by the main branch’s money!”
“Brother Zhuo, with such magnanimity, you’ll easily suffer losses. Those from the main branch should really learn from you.”
“There’s no one I admire more. Brother Zhuo, from now on, I’m following you!”
Seeing the crowd’s excitement, Ning Zhuo noticed that the Life-Hanging Threads above their heads were expanding and becoming more solid.
For a moment, Ning Zhuo was touched, and a flash of insight struck his mind.
Suddenly, he understood, “To strengthen and deepen the Life-Hanging Threads, what’s needed is more recognition. The higher the degree of recognition, the more solid and stable the Life-Hanging Threads become.”
“This recognition, in fact, is mutual.”
“When I understand someone, understand their past, present, and predict their future, that is a form of recognition.”
“Only after I recognize someone can the Life-Hanging Thread be planted. And when the person I planted it on also recognizes me, the thread is strengthened in return.”
“Furthermore, recognition is not the same as expectation or submission.”
“Recognition is simply recognition!”
This insight wasn’t much, but it was the final piece of the puzzle.
In an instant, the bud of the Life-Hanging Thread divine ability bloomed open and burst into full bloom.
White lotus root like jade, crystal clear; green leaves like emerald, verdant and dripping; pink lotus like sunset, delicate and beautiful.
White lotus root, green leaves, pink lotus!
The divine ability of Life-Hanging Threads—achieved!
It was a complete success, no longer a mere prototype but a fully formed divine ability.
Divine ability, divine ability!
Ning Zhuo was filled with infinite joy, his heart racing.
He was only in the Qi Refining Stage, yet he had mastered a divine ability. What a rare and precious achievement!
If word got out, no one in the Immortal City would believe it.
It was well known that most Golden Core cultivators never achieved a single divine ability in their lifetime.
But quickly, Ning Zhuo shook his head and reminded himself:
“This doesn’t really count as much.”
“It wasn’t something I comprehended on my own, it was a shortcut!”
“It was all thanks to the relic of the Three Sect Lords that allowed me to make such rapid progress and eventually master the complete Life-Hanging Thread divine ability.”
“And it was also thanks to my mother’s dying words that set me on the path to seize the Lava Immortal Palace. That was the foundation for all my recent progress.”
“Mother…”
Thinking of his mother, Ning Zhuo couldn’t help but feel a few strands of sorrow.
“You could never have imagined, even though I’m only in the Qi Refining Stage, I’ve already mastered a divine ability.”
Suddenly, Ning Zhuo felt vulnerable in that moment.
He wanted to share his hard-won achievement with his mother.
But he couldn’t.
His mother was long gone, and he had no memories of his father.
Fortunately, there was someone else with whom he could share.
In the underground base.
Ning Zhuo once again met with Sun Lingtong, “Boss Sun, I did it, I did it!”
“I’ve mastered a complete divine ability—the Life-Hanging Thread!”
“Really?!” Sun Lingtong’s eyes widened, and he immediately raised his arms in joy, “Aha! Little Zhuo, with your temperament, if you’re saying it, it must be true.”
“Amazing.”
“You’re truly amazing!”
“To master a divine ability while still in the Qi Refining Stage, if this achievement gets out, the super sects will fight over you.”
“Little Zhuo, you’re a genius, a true genius!!”
Ning Zhuo laughed a few times, then lowered his head, taking a deep breath, “Boss, you’re exaggerating. I know I’m still far from it.”
“This divine ability came from the Phantom True Lotus Seeds. I was just lucky to get them and use them on myself.”
Sun Lingtong opened his mouth, “Uh, Little Zhuo…”
But Ning Zhuo ignored him and kept being humble for a long time, gradually calming down.
Sun Lingtong watched him the entire time, smiling at this genius young cultivator whom he had raised since childhood.
Suddenly, Sun Lingtong realized that Ning Zhuo’s humility had taken root deep within his heart. It was ingrained in his bones, a tool he used to quickly adjust his mindset.
Once Ning Zhuo stopped rambling, Sun Lingtong finally said, “Quick, tell me about the wonders of the Life-Hanging Thread divine ability, boy!”
Ning Zhuo scratched his head and grinned, “Now that the divine ability is complete, I can feel the qualitative changes.”
“The changes are in all aspects!”
“Just talking about it is hard to explain. How about this, Boss Sun, I’ll show you a demonstration.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Ning Zhuo transmitted a message to Sun Lingtong through the Life-Hanging Threads. Sun Lingtong immediately received the information.
Just like how the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit transmitted key information to trial disciples through the Life-Hanging Threads, Ning Zhuo could now do the same.
Ning Zhuo then cast a strengthening spell.
The spell followed the Life-Hanging Threads and directly acted on Sun Lingtong’s body.
Sun Lingtong’s hair stood on end, his body swelled, growing at least thirteen times larger. His entire body bulged with muscles, though his face remained the same—still a baby face.
Sun Lingtong: …
Ning Zhuo directly controlled the Life-Hanging Threads.
Sun Lingtong tiptoed around, involuntarily sticking out his buttocks and dancing on his toes.
Sun Lingtong: ?!
“Alright, alright, the divine ability is indeed powerful. Stop testing, Little Zhuo.” Sun Lingtong sensed things were getting out of hand and preemptively stopped Ning Zhuo.
Ning Zhuo let out a sound, hurriedly saying, “Boss, let me try again, just one more time. I promise, just this once!”
Sun Lingtong sighed, “I really can’t handle you, go ahead.”
Ning Zhuo grinned,
focusing his gaze on Sun Lingtong for a moment, and then a second time.
“Finished?” Sun Lingtong asked, puzzled.
Ning Zhuo nodded, “It’s done.”
He continued to explain, “Boss, you might not feel it. Just now, I canceled the Life-Hanging Threads and then planted a new one on you.”
Sun Lingtong instantly understood, “So, does this mean you can now use it in actual combat?”
Ning Zhuo nodded heavily, “It seems so at the moment.”
“The range, time, and difficulty of planting the Life-Hanging Threads have all dropped significantly.”
“Of course, the most important factor is still the degree of mutual recognition.”
Sun Lingtong clapped his hands in delight, then frowned, “Mutual recognition?”
Ning Zhuo didn’t hide anything, sharing all his understanding and insights about the Life-Hanging Thread divine ability with Sun Lingtong.
After listening, Sun Lingtong felt greatly enlightened.
“Little Zhuo, you have a talent for comprehension!” Sun Lingtong sighed sincerely.
Ning Zhuo, “I still have a long way to go. Compared to those real geniuses, I’m nothing.”
Sun Lingtong: …
At the Ning family residence.
The door to the cultivation chamber opened, and Ning Xiaohui’s grandmother entered, her face full of pity.
“Xiaohui, my dear Xiaohui, eat something. You can’t go on without eating or drinking.”
Ning Xiaohui, looking gaunt and withered, slowly turned around, her expression numb, “Grandma, why did I hurt Ning Zhuo? I don’t understand, why would I do such a thing!”
Seeing Ning Xiaohui’s anguished expression, her grandmother’s heart nearly broke.
She quickly approached her granddaughter, opened her arms, and gently comforted her.
Ning Xiaohui nestled in her grandmother’s embrace, crying for a long time before finally calming down.
“Xiaohui, I’ve discussed with the patriarch.” Her grandmother spoke softly, “There’s no need for us to send our soul into the Immortal Palace anymore. Getting too close to Ning Zhuo and the branch families will only lead to trouble!”
“Starting tomorrow, you will join the family’s team and enter the Immortal Palace together.”
Ning Xiaohui looked up at her grandmother. After a long while, she nodded slightly, whispering, “Mm.”
Only then did her grandmother exhale a sigh of relief, easing her worry slightly.
“Ning Zhuo!” Her grandmother gritted her teeth, “You’ve caused my granddaughter so much suffering. One day, I will make you pay a hundredfold!”