Chapter 298: Two Poems
Ning Zhuo came to the courtyard and saw Zhu Xuanji.
Zhu Xuanji was still dressed in a bright red brocade robe with black embroidered edges, his square face expressionless as he gazed at Ning Zhuo, scrutinizing him from head to toe, his sharp gaze seeming to pierce through one's heart.
Ning Zhuo had long been prepared for Zhu Xuanji's uninvited arrival.
More accurately, this had been his plan all along!
During the imperial examination, Ning Zhuo deliberately exposed many things.
For instance, at the beginning, when he fought Sun Lingtong, he used several floating mechanical hands to heavily injure the Golden-Blooded Battle Ape, Dasheng, causing Sun Lingtong to no longer be able to rely on Yuan Dasheng, which led to a dramatic drop in her performance.
In this battle, Ning Zhuo demonstrated his familiarity with Yuan Dasheng. Observant individuals all realized that Ning Zhuo knew quite a bit of inside information.
Afterward, Ning Zhuo publicly used the Five Elements Spirit Converting Disk without displaying any process of going from unfamiliar to familiar, revealing that he had long been acquainted with this mechanical component.
And during the most recent imperial examination, he directly used the Blood Path Map Board, revealing an even deeper layer of the Demonic Blood Tendon Technique!
All these advantages were showcased by him during the imperial examination, helping to secure his impressive results.
These were also the bait that Ning Zhuo deliberately cast out, attracting the attention of many cultivators and factions, who contacted him privately and offered high prices to buy what he had.
But Ning Zhuo refused them all.
This bait was mainly set to lure Zhu Xuanji!
After resolving the bet between him and Ning Jiufan, Zhu Xuanji finally came to see him.
Facing Zhu the Detective once again, Ning Zhuo felt much less pressure than he had in the Kindergarten for Benevolence.
At this moment, he had already confessed and removed several flaws. More importantly, through various maneuvers and tricks, he had elevated his identity in the righteous path to a new height.
He was now the patriarch of the Ning Family's branch clan!
In a cultivation family, this was unquestionably a high-ranking position.
Becoming a branch clan patriarch during the Qi Refining stage was almost unimaginable under normal circumstances.
But Ning Zhuo had seized the opportunity fate had given him, continuously leveraging the Lava Immortal Palace and the imperial examination to raise his value, and he had truly made it happen.
In the past, Ning Zhuo had only two identities: one as a young genius of the Ning Family's side branch and another as the lord of the black market. Back at the Kindergarten for Benevolence, it had been relatively easy for Zhu Xuanji to deal with him.
But now, Ning Zhuo had gained a third identity—patriarch of the Ning Family's branch clan.
This made Zhu Xuanji have to be more cautious.
For demonic or evil cultivators, these things wouldn't matter. But Zhu Xuanji was a righteous path cultivator and a member of the royal family, who innately respected established rules. Especially now, he had to rely on the alliance between the Zhou, Ning, and Zheng families to counter the Meng Family and the No-Void Sect, in order to secure the position of the Lava Immortal Palace's palace lord for himself.
Ning Zhuo was well aware that although his cultivation hadn't changed, his status had risen considerably, and his attitude towards Zhu Xuanji could now undergo some changes.
He cupped his hands in salute, first offering a respectful greeting, then tactfully expressing that his time was limited and that he hoped Zhu Xuanji could be brief in their exchange.
Zhu Xuanji laughed heartily and pointed at Ning Zhuo. "You've only just become the patriarch of a branch clan, and you're already acting high and mighty."
"Petty people become arrogant when they achieve something, and that's the kind of attitude you're showing now."
Ning Zhuo also laughed. "Lord Zhu, I toiled hard and put in all my effort to attain this. If I don't show off a bit, wouldn't that be an injustice to all my previous struggles?"
This candidness made Ning Zhuo seem sincere, not hypocritical.
Zhu Xuanji had quite a favorable impression of Ning Zhuo.
On one hand, it gave him a sense of accomplishment. He believed that it was he who had pulled Ning Zhuo up and guided this young genius onto the right path.
On another hand, Ning Zhuo's heavy blow to the Golden-Blooded Battle Ape, Dasheng, during the imperial examination had caused Sun Lingtong's performance to plummet, which had been a notable contribution.
Finally, whenever Ning Zhuo encountered Zhu Xuanji or Ning Jiufan during the examination, he would immediately surrender, which greatly pleased Zhu Xuanji.
This was why—Zhu Xuanji had long noticed that Ning Zhuo was hiding a lot of information. During his confession, Ning Zhuo hadn't revealed everything. But Zhu Xuanji had waited until now to come and inquire.
Zhu Xuanji stared into Ning Zhuo's eyes. "I haven't had a chance to thank you. During the second round of the imperial examination, you graciously conceded to me."
Ning Zhuo quickly waved his hand and said, "Lord, you're too kind. I dare not take such praise!"
"My Five Elements Soldiers' power can't compare to your mechanical puppets."
"You didn't need me to concede; I was going to lose anyway. Surrendering saved time and energy."
Zhu Xuanji clasped his hands behind his back. "Ning Zhuo, be honest with me. Does your Ning Family want the Immortal Palace?"
"I'll be frank with you first. If your Ning Family has such intentions, I can lend you a hand and step aside, allowing your family to claim this precious treasure!"
"Among the three major families of Huoshi Immortal City, the Zhou and Zheng families have deep roots, while your Ning Family hails from North Wind Country, with an unstable foundation. You are the best ally for our Southern Dou royal family in forming alliances and resisting local powers."
Ning Zhuo didn't hesitate for a moment and immediately gave a bitter smile. "Lord Zhu, since you're speaking frankly, I'll also speak from the heart. It's not that I haven't entertained such thoughts."
"However, the Lava Immortal Palace is in such disrepair. Just repairing the current damages would come at an exorbitant cost."
"My Ning Family's foundation can hardly bear such a burden."
"What's more concerning is that the imperial examination is still ongoing, and the beast tide is growing fiercer. The Immortal Palace is bound to suffer more damage."
"Whoever obtains it will have to pay a tremendous price to restore it!"
"For my Ning Family, I believe that helping you, Lord Zhu, win in the end and building a good relationship with the royal family is the most advantageous and prudent path."
Zhu Xuanji nodded, no longer speaking.
Ning Zhuo exhaled deeply.
He knew that Zhu Xuanji had no real intention of giving up the position of palace lord. Even if he did, Zhu Xuanji wasn't in a position to do so—there was still the third round of the examination to come.
Showing interest in the position of palace lord would truly be foolish.
Zhu Xuanji had only brought it up as a reminder for Ning Zhuo not to have ambitions beyond his station just because he had become a branch clan patriarch.
It was also a warning to Ning Jiufan not to covet what didn't belong to him.
This was similar to what Ning Jiufan had said in the room before: "There are things you can say and things you don't have to say. Remember, you are already the patriarch of our Ning Family's branch clan."
This remark was directed at Ning Zhuo, but it was also meant for the Golden Core cultivator, Zhu Xuanji, standing in the courtyard.
Many high-level conversations were like this—gentle and implicit.
Zhu Xuanji was satisfied with Ning Zhuo's attitude and finally got to the point. "You must know the reason I came to see you today."
Ning Zhuo sighed deeply and once again saluted Zhu Xuanji. With his current standing, he could now speak more openly. "Lord Zhu, I indeed kept some things hidden earlier. There are many things that are difficult to speak of."
"I've long anticipated this day and have thought hard about it, preparing something for you."
"This is the best I can do."
As he spoke, Ning Zhuo took out a piece of paper from his sleeve and handed it to Zhu Xuanji.
Zhu Xuanji accepted it, unfolded it on the spot, and saw a poem written on it—
"Only my shadow remains in the white clouds,
Clouds drift far, and the moon stretches endlessly.
Under the moon, we forge a hundred-year alliance,
Man proposes, and Heaven disposes."
Zhu Xuanji frowned slightly, then relaxed, looking at Ning Zhuo and nodding gently.
Whether Ning Zhuo truly had a contract with the No-Void Sect that he could not divulge, or whether Ning Zhuo was simply withholding some information for his own benefit, Zhu Xuanji chose to accept it.
Then, with a flick of his fingers, Zhu Xuanji sent out a burst of mana, conjuring flames.
The paper floated
into the air, caught fire, and quickly turned to ashes.
Zhu Xuanji turned and left.
Recently, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit had been paying more attention to Zhu Xuanji.
As soon as Zhu Xuanji arrived at Ning Zhuo's residence, it had taken notice.
Throughout Ning Zhuo's conversation with Zhu Xuanji, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit had observed everything.
Naturally, it had also seen the poem on the paper.
It felt puzzled. "What exactly does this mean?"
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit grew anxious and restless. After thinking for a moment, it decided to contact Ning Zhuo directly.
"Young Master, are you alright?" It feigned concern, then quickly began asking about the paper and the meaning of the poem.
"Rest assured, I merely used a little trick and managed to dismiss him once again."
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit continued to press for the meaning of the poem.
Ning Zhuo laughed. "Ah, that's something I can't say, I can't say."
He then swiftly changed the topic. "Didn't you want to bombard the Gourd Fire Furnace Forest and completely destroy the ruins of the Golden Furnace? I've already made up my mind to do it! In the coming days, we will act. Be ready at all times, and wait for my summons."
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was overjoyed. It had been fretting over how to persuade Ning Zhuo to go along with this plan.
Unexpectedly, Ning Zhuo had caved under pressure and agreed.
After dealing with Zhu Xuanji and placating the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit, Ning Zhuo began gathering his subordinates.
Soon, Ning Xiangguo, Ning Xiangqian, Ning Chen, Ning Yong, and others were gathered.
Ning Zhuo showed them the Ning Family plaque and the ancestral tablet he had obtained.
Everyone was overjoyed.
"It's done! The matter of establishing the branch clan has been settled at last!"
"Boss, you're amazing!"
"Patriarch, we can establish our own house now!"
The atmosphere in the hall was lively.
Ning Zhuo smiled and gave everyone ample time to express their joy.
After the excitement died down, he turned to one person in the hall and said, "Leader of the Tortoise Shell Gang, have you completed the task I gave you?"
Tortoise Shell was the leader of the Turtle Breath Gang and was skilled at gathering intelligence.
This time, Ning Zhuo had specifically assigned him to work within the palace.
Tortoise Shell immediately responded, "The words and actions of the Ning Family members during this period have been mostly collected. Although there may be some omissions, those who believe in rumors or secretly slander you, young master, have all been recorded."
The atmosphere in the hall immediately fell silent.
Ning Zhuo took a sip of tea, gently set down the cup, and said, "Good, very good."
He looked around at the crowd. "My uncle lost his son, so it's understandable that he would act this way. He wants to use public opinion to fuel his desire for revenge."
"But as for those who followed him and were incited, many of the branch family members have ulterior motives."
"Even if they're merely fools, that alone is enough to show they are not the kind of people we should bring into our fold."
"What do you all think?"
The group was too afraid to speak.
With a faint smile, Ning Zhuo exerted immense psychological pressure on them.
In just a few breaths, Ning Chen's back was already damp with sweat.
Ning Zhuo continued smoothly, "The fact that we can establish a branch clan and create our own house is something you all must keep strictly confidential. I need to carefully observe and see who truly isn't on my side."
Everyone quickly acknowledged his orders.
Although they had been eager to establish the branch clan as soon as possible, Ning Zhuo's reasoning was so legitimate and well-grounded that no one could argue.
"I have some tasks for you all to complete." Ning Zhuo took out a crystal stone.
This was the top-grade spirit crystal that Zhu Xuanji had given him, which had already been drained of its ice-attribute spiritual energy.
Ning Zhuo ordered his subordinates to set up a formation and contribute their mana to purify the crystal with ice-attribute spiritual energy.
The group accepted the orders and excitedly left.
The prospect of the branch clan's future excited them so much that just thinking about it filled them with energy. Ning Zhuo didn't need to motivate them—they were eager to perform well in every task he assigned, hoping to secure a higher position in the branch clan.
Ning Zhuo kept the leader of the Tortoise Shell Gang behind and privately instructed him to keep a close watch on Zhu Xuanji's movements.
This task of monitoring a Golden Core cultivator gave the Tortoise Shell Leader significant pressure, but he had no choice but to accept.
Only when Ning Zhuo was alone did he let out a long sigh.
The reason he had fought for the establishment of a branch clan was merely to cover up his flaws.
This time, using the excuse of investigating, he delayed the establishment of the branch clan, as he didn't want to implicate Ning Chen, Ning Yong, and the others.
Even Ning Xiangguo, the traitor, had been used by Ning Zhuo for so long that some feelings had developed.
Ning Zhuo didn't know whether he would succeed in the future, so he needed to maintain his distance from everyone now. In case things didn't go well, and he became a wanted criminal, he wouldn't drag these people down with him.
(End of Chapter)