Fire Persimmon Immortal City.
Zhu Xuanji stood before a small house, gently pushing open the door.
The next moment, dense shadows surged out like a tidal wave, engulfing him.
The tidal wave of shadows flooded the scene, swallowing Zhu Xuanji, and then receded, plunging the entire alley into darkness.
In the dark, a pair of golden eyes suddenly shone.
It was Zhu Xuanji's golden eyes.
The divine light in his eyes pierced through the rolling shadows, revealing the hidden figure and locking onto the demon cultivator.
The demon cultivator, who was at the mid-Foundation Establishment Stage, did not panic upon being discovered. Instead, he laughed coldly and charged straight at Zhu Xuanji.
Boom.
The two clashed heavily within the dense shadows.
Zhu Xuanji took a small step back, while the demon cultivator grunted and flew back into the shadows even faster.
Zhu Xuanji did not pursue his advantage; instead, he frowned, sensing something subtle.
"As expected of Lord Zhu, you easily saw through my disguise," the demon cultivator's voice echoed from all directions, "but can you see through this?"
As soon as he finished speaking, countless "demon cultivators" emerged from the shadows, surrounding Zhu Xuanji.
Zhu Xuanji summoned his mana, continuously defeating the incoming "demon cultivators."
The "demon cultivators" fell and scattered, revealing their true nature.
They were all mechanism artifacts.
However, even though these mechanism artifacts were scattered, they quickly reassembled from the shadows and continued attacking Zhu Xuanji.
Zhu Xuanji stood his ground, allowing the endless mechanism artifacts to attack, his defense was solid and unyielding.
In the shadows, the true demon cultivator felt something was amiss and was about to retreat when he suddenly heard Zhu Xuanji say, "Liu Ying, it's a bit late to escape now, don't you think?"
The demon cultivator Liu Ying, trapped by the golden eyes, felt a chill run down his spine.
He retreated frantically, but Zhu Xuanji locked onto his true form and followed closely.
Boom, boom, boom...
After a few intense rounds of battle, Liu Ying fell to the ground, his chestbones broken, with the fractures piercing his lungs, causing him to cough up blood with each breath.
"Please, don't kill me, I surrender!" Liu Ying begged as he saw Zhu Xuanji slowly approaching him.
Zhu Xuanji said, "It seems you were merely using shadows to control these mechanism artifacts."
The demon cultivator Liu Ying was taken aback, "Could it be that Lord Zhu misunderstood something?"
Zhu Xuanji shook his head, "Just being cautious."
"If it's a misunderstanding, those who died at your hands would not think so."
Liu Ying's pupils suddenly contracted, and shadows, like a swarm of pythons, attacked Zhu Xuanji from behind.
However, the shadows melted away like snow within three feet of Zhu Xuanji.
Liu Ying's desperate final strike failed. Before he died, he cried out, "I don't understand! I'm merely at the mid-Foundation Establishment Stage, though I've entered the Magma Fairy Palace, why did Zhu Divine Capture prioritize me?"
Zhu Xuanji did not reply.
In the next moment, Liu Ying died at Zhu Xuanji's hands.
"Fifth." Zhu Xuanji took out a list and crossed off Liu Ying's name.
Despite Liu Ying's mastery of shadow evasion techniques, under the illumination of the golden eyes, there was nowhere to hide.
Zhu Xuanji arranged the order on this list not by cultivation level but by suspicion and threat.
Liu Ying and the Black Shadow Demon Cultivator had similar methods.
The crucial point was that in Zhu Xuanji's mind, Liu Ying might have mastered the life-hanging divine ability, although unlikely, which was enough to place him fifth!
Before Zhu Xuanji set off, he received a private audience with the Southern Bean Monarch and learned many secrets.
The Southern Bean Monarch advised him, "Xuanji, you need to be cautious when you reach Fire Persimmon Immortal City. The Three Ancestral Masters left behind the life-hanging divine ability in the Magma Fairy Palace."
"This divine ability controls others. The better one understands his kind, the more control he has."
"If someone in the Foundation Establishment Stage masters this divine ability, even a Golden Core Cultivator would be in great danger."
"This is because the divine ability's control over others deeply affects their fate."
Zhu Xuanji was astonished, "Can the life-hanging divine ability extract others' fate?"
"Not quite," the Southern Bean Monarch shook his head slightly, his voice clear, "but the life-hanging divine ability can accumulate and overlap fate, without internal conflict."
"If a cultivator masters this divine ability, he can control a large number of people, intertwining their fates with his own."
"Our Empire's founding Empress started with nothing, without a mandate. She relied on the efforts of the Three Ancestral Masters to create the life-hanging divine ability."
"It was by relying on this divine ability that many friends and subordinates acted as pioneers for the Empress, taking the fall for her."
Zhu Xuanji's expression grew solemn as he accepted the mission.
As a Golden Core Cultivator, even under the suppression of the city's great formation, he was almost unmatched in Fire Persimmon Immortal City in a real battle.
However, he feared losing in a clash of fate. When fate weakened, it could easily trap him in what seemed like a coincidental killing situation. At that point, even a Golden Core Cultivator would struggle.
Liu Ying had been a prime suspect for him.
Now, with Liu Ying dead, Zhu Xuanji dismissed his suspicions, "It seems I overthought."
"Indeed."
"These suspects are essentially all at the Foundation Establishment Stage. How could they comprehend such divine abilities?"
The Southern Bean Royal Family was very wary of those possessing life-hanging divine abilities.
Because their founding Empress built her power upon it.
If a person possessing such divine abilities emerged within the Southern Bean Royal Family's territory, the royal family would prefer to eliminate him secretly to prevent them from growing and destabilizing the kingdom's rule.
After the inheritance ceremony, Ning Zhuo returned to his clan land.
Closing his eyes in deep thought, Ning Zhuo focused his spirit on his upper dantian.
In his Divine Sea, the lotus seed had sprouted, emitting a faint radiant light.
"The embryo of the life-hanging divine ability!"
Ning Zhuo realized the divine ability's purpose.
The power and mystery of divine abilities often surpass mana. This is because divine abilities are built on a profound understanding of the world's principles.
For Ning Zhuo, on the surface, it seemed like he was inspired by fairy tales and thus grasped certain essences, triggering the Illusion True Lotus Seed in his Divine Sea to sprout.
But in reality, that was just a catalyst.
The larger premise was Ning Zhuo's deep understanding of social operations, human behavior, and thoughts.
These accumulations changed qualitatively under the influence of the sage master's tales. On the foundation of the Illusion True Lotus Seed, the embryo of the life-hanging divine ability sprouted.
Because the realization naturally originated from himself, once the divine ability was comprehended, the cultivator instinctually knew all its uses.
"If Han Ming's theory of fate is correct, then this might be the opportunity I gained after defeating Yuan Dasheng, with my fate flourishing greatly," Ning Zhuo mused.
The Golden Blooded War Ape - Dasheng shouldn't count. Since its main material was Yuan Dasheng's corpse, it rightfully belonged to Ning Zhuo.
Opportunities are often elusive.
For most people, a story is mere entertainment, offering no substantial benefits.
But for certain individuals, the same story could yield unimaginable benefits.
If it's not your opportunity, even if it's right before you, you won't gain anything.
"Uncle Ning." Ning Zhuo proactively visited Ning Xiaoren.
Ning Xiaoren smiled and inquired about Ning Zhuo's intention.
Upon learning it, his smile stiffened slightly, "You say you want to forgive your Uncle Ning Ze?"
Ning Zhuo nodded, "Yes."
"These past days, I've been tormented by this matter. After much thought, I have decided to forgive him."
"After all, he is my closest relative in this world, my dear uncle."
Ning Xiaoren was reluctant for such a situation to occur.
He had been working hard to win Ning Zhuo's favor and trust, wanting Ning Zhuo to see him as the closest and most reliable person.
"Little Zhuo, you are truly a kind-hearted child."
"Most people wouldn't forgive such an uncle, but you did. You have gained my admiration."
Ning Zhuo shyly smiled, "After all, blood is thicker than water, Uncle Ning Ze and I are family..."
"As long as he can repay the resources and spirit stones he embezzled from me over the past sixteen years."
"Uh." Ning Xiaoren was taken aback, realizing Ning Zhuo's intention for his visit.
He couldn't help but grumble internally—couldn't Ning Zhuo speak without giving him a heart attack?
Ning Zhuo bowed deeply, "I ask the Young Clan Leader to decide for me."
"This is a very reasonable request," Ning Xiaoren thought, "Little Zhuo, I will make the decision for you."
Not long after.
The two went to the clan's private prison, where they saw the imprisoned Ning Ze.
Ning Ze, upon seeing Ning Xiaoren, thought he was there to release him, and quickly ran to the cell door.
But the next moment, Ning Zhuo stated his intention.
"Uncle, I have thought it over."
"You are still my dear uncle, and I don't wish to see you suffer."
"If you agree to repay all the spirit stones and resources you embezzled from me over the years, I will forgive you and not denounce you!"
Ning Ze's eyes widened in shock. He glanced at Ning Zhuo, then quickly turned to Ning Xiaoren.
Ning Xiaoren, standing behind Ning Zhuo, glared at him fiercely, as if warning him: Don't slip up! Or you'll regret it!!
Ning Ze's lips trembled with immense frustration.
He hadn't embezzled Ning Zhuo's spirit stones and cultivation resources, Ning Xiaoren never gave them to him.
But he couldn't reveal this matter openly.
Seeing Ning Zhuo staring at him, he wished he could slap him.
But he knew it wasn't possible. Ning Zhuo's status had changed, being highly valued and supported by the clan, even Ning Xiaoren was trying to win his favor.
Finally, Ning Ze took a deep breath and, gritting his teeth, said to Ning Zhuo, "Alright, I will repay you!"
"Thank you, Uncle." Ning Zhuo smiled and then bowed to Ning Xiaoren, "Thank you, Young Clan Leader, for upholding justice for me!"
Ning Xiaoren laughed heartily, patting Ning Zhuo's shoulder, but thought: This child is too obsessed with wealth.
Ning Ze, on the other hand, roared internally: What justice!!!
Ning Zhuo already had a lucrative share in the Explosive Flame Monkey business, with forty percent of his earnings going to Fei Si. The combined resources reaching him were abundant and plentiful.
He didn't need to covet these "non-existent" funds.
But to ease Ning Xiaoren's concerns and to reinforce the image of him being money-minded, Ning Zhuo chose to act this way.
A few days later.
Ning Zhuo bid farewell to Ning Xiaoren, expressing his desire to return home for a while.
Ning Xiaoren was fed up with Ning Zhuo's constant eating and drinking in his residence, sleeping in his bed, and refusing to pay.
Given that Ning Zhuo had cut ties with Uncle Ning Ze's family, Ning Xiaoren pretended to be reluctant, but after Ning Zhuo repeatedly implored, he agreed.