Bluestone Cave Mansion.
Ning Zhuo sat at the head seat, raised his cup, and thanked the invited cultivators, "Our victory over Ban Ji was all thanks to our joint efforts and unity. Come, let’s have another drink!"
Returning from Qingzhu Peak, Ning Zhuo conveniently invited the other eleven victors.
Some Golden Core Cultivators did not receive invitations, and some, considering the impending competition, chose to refuse Ning Zhuo. Ultimately, five came.
Ning Zhuo invited the five to his cave mansion, where Chef Lao prepared a spirit food banquet.
The Spirit Grain Wine was rich, and the Golden Cod was aromatic and mouth-watering. The braised Hundred Treasures Mushroom was so fresh it made one’s tongue tingle, alongside chilled Jade Marrow Fruit, bringing a refreshing sweetness with a very unique taste.
"Ban Ji, though from the Ban Family, behaves almost no different from a Demon Cultivator. Whenever he sees outstanding mechanical artifacts, he snatches them away. I’ve long been displeased with him."
The speaker was a young cultivator.
His hair was curly and yellow, and his face and hands were marked with burns or gunpowder stains.
His nickname was Huoniao’er, and those close to him simply called him A-Huo.
He favored making explosive-type mechanical artifacts and was somewhat of a hero against evil.
Hei Yaozi Chen San picked up the conversation, "Hey, I know some rumors. What Ban Ji practices is not the Ban Family’s orthodox cultivation technique, but reportedly a Demon Skill!"
Ning Zhuo nodded immediately, "I know about that. It’s the ’Greedy Opportunity Demon Heart Technique.’ It’s reputed to feed demons through greed, demons strengthen as opportunities become fierce; seizing opportunities nourishes greed, and when greed blazes, demons go mad."
"Thus, Ban Ji’s demon thoughts are quite troublesome. On this point, I think we’ve all deeply experienced it, haven’t we?"
Ning Zhuo spotted the opportunity and grasped it decisively, promptly sharing some intelligence he had purchased at a high price.
His words immediately garnered widespread agreement.
Huoniao’er laughed heartily, nodding repeatedly, "Of course, of course! Ban Ji’s Divine Sense is not easy to deal with!"
Zhang Dadan’s voice was deep, "Indeed."
He was solid in build, broad-shouldered and round-waisted, with dark, shiny skin like a chunk of iron. He seemed honest, even somewhat dull, speaking in a nasal voice.
Yet his Divine Sense was quite "sturdy," being the toughest and most unyielding among those who besieged Ban Ji.
Speaking of their common enemy and their experience of fighting side by side, the banquet’s atmosphere grew even more lively.
A young female cultivator looked at Ning Zhuo and directly asked how he became enemies with Ban Ji.
Ning Zhuo glanced at her appreciatively, then showed a bitter smile, sighed, and replied, "If I were to say that today’s Xingyun Trial was my first time seeing Ban Ji in person, would you believe me?"
Saying this, he took out a letter from his Storage Waist Belt and handed it to everyone for viewing.
The letter was naturally sent by Ban Ji earlier, expressing a desire to spar.
As the others read, Ning Zhuo continued, "However, as for the conflict between Ban Ji and me, I have some guesses and verifications."
"I dispatched a subordinate to hand-deliver my reply to Ban Ji. At that time, he was drinking merrily with Pi Fujie..."
"And Pi Fujie and I coincidentally have some past grievances."
Ning Zhuo had been invited by Shen Xi, but since the Nine Palace Immortal City’s Shen Family and the Pi Family were arch-enemies, Pi Fujie also bore grudges against him.
Pi Fujie provoked him outright, and Ning Zhuo was not one to take it lightly.
"In the end, I directly killed a Demon Cultivator subordinate recently recruited by him."
"Please take a look."
Ning Zhuo then took out a tiger skin, showcasing the positions of the Thousand-layered Scale Talisman and the Blood-stained Rushing Talisman.
After this explanation, the others’ views of Ning Zhuo subtly changed.
"Who would’ve thought Ning Zhuo is in league with Shen Xi, Lin Jinglong, and Situ Xing."
They didn’t know much about Ning Zhuo, but they had heard of the likes of Shen Xi and the others.
The fact that Ning Zhuo could get along with them instantly elevated their assessment of him to the same level as Shen Xi and the others.
"The strength of the Tiger Demon during its life must not have been weak. Although it had two Demon Talismans, it was still slain by Ning Zhuo..."
"This bold youngster should not be underestimated. Even if his Divine Sense is lacking, his combat strength must indeed be significant."
"His mechanical artifacts could kill a Tiger Demon and were coveted by Ban Ji, so they must be exceptional."
"I wonder what powerful forces back him? His foundation seems quite profound!"
Patchwork Sun looked at Ning Zhuo, showing a worried expression, "The Pi Family initially was nothing but a bunch of downright Demon Cultivators. It was through bribery of high-ranking officials that they turned to the Righteous Path."
"The Pi Family’s foundation isn’t clean!"
"Young Master Ning, you must be cautious in the future."
"Patchwork Sun" was, of course, his nickname. He was a hunched, little old man with deep wrinkles like ravines on his face, constantly appearing worried.
He usually wore a coarse cloth short jacket, faded and patched in various colors, carrying a rattan basket that was even wider than his body, similarly patched all over.
At the banquet, this large basket was already placed in a corner of the room.
Zhang Dadan sighed, "The Ban Family is renowned as a Mechanical Family in our country, yet today, they have an eccentric like Ban Ji."
Between the lines, he expressed regret for the Ban Family.
The young female cultivator Jiang Xiaobian snorted coldly, "Pi Fujie and Ban Ji, neither seem to be good people, conspiring together like snakes and rats!"
Ning Zhuo secretly nodded, adding in his mind, "Indeed, that’s exactly the case."
The purpose of Ning Zhuo’s banquet was already more than halfway accomplished.
In Ning Zhuo’s view: the biggest weakness of Ban Ji is that he is a Demon Cultivator.