The morning light illuminated Fire Persimmon Immortal City.
Clouds swirled around the mountain top, but they couldn't hide the increasingly frequent tremors.
The Magma Fairy Palace had been revealed for some time now, and more and more people in the know began to understand: "Is that Immortal Palace causing disturbances again?"
Gao Kui looked down at the palace, quietly watching as Red Flame Demon Beasts continuously appeared, attacking the palace defenses.
The Ning Family.
The Ning Family Ancestor gazed at the mountain peak, and after a pause, received a report from the clan leader.
"The two Golden Cores of the Zhou Family and the two from the Zheng Family are dueling and have entered the formation?"
"Such a coincidence?"
The Ning Family Ancestor slightly shook his head. Regardless of whether this information was true or false, he decided to investigate personally.
Since Gao Kui had sealed off the mountain peak and personally took charge, the Ning Family Ancestor had not set foot in the Immortal Palace for a long time.
"Has Elder Sun not replied to me?"
Most of the night had passed, and Ning Zhuo had not received any reply from Sun Lingtong.
He furrowed his brow deeply; this situation was highly unusual.
Ning Zhuo clasped his hands behind his back, pacing in the room.
After a few rounds, he summoned a servant: "What's causing such a commotion on the mountain top?"
"You go and find out, and also bring any other important news."
Not long after, the servant brought back some explosive news from the marketplace.
Ning Zhuo got what he wanted.
"Zhu Xuanji approached Elder Sun?"
"Elder Sun deliberately spread the rumor that he repelled Zhu Xuanji to signal his real situation to me!"
"Elder Sun comes from the Bukong Sect and has the Empty Seal. Even if Zhu Xuanji abandons his principles and shamelessly forces a Soul Search without evidence, it would yield nothing."
"He's still not replying to me. What on earth happened?"
Ning Zhuo tightened his brows: "Let's wait a bit longer."
Trusting the other... This was their agreement, a tacit understanding nurtured over a decade.
At that time, Ning Zhuo had only been two years old.
One day, Sun Lingtong returned, wounded.
"What are you doing?" he asked, finding Ning Zhuo packing a small bundle, his face darkening.
From that bundle, he noticed supplies for entering the Flame Demon Melting Cave.
Ning Zhuo exclaimed in surprise, "Brother Sun, you're back! I was just about to look for you, ow!"
Sun Lingtong couldn't help but give Ning Zhuo a flick on the head.
"I explore the Flame Demon Melting Cave because I have the skills."
"Why are you going there? To feed the demon beasts?"
"You're being reckless and absurd!"
Ning Zhuo's chubby little hand covered his forehead as he pouted, "But... but Brother Sun, this time you were gone for so long, a full seven days."
Sun Lingtong's expression darkened.
After recovering from his injuries, he would sneak into the Flame Demon Melting Cave every so often, searching for his master's whereabouts.
He found nothing.
This time, the tunnel he was in had collapsed.
Fortunately, Sun Lingtong had been on his way back and had decisively used the Teleportation Art repeatedly to narrowly escape the collapsed section, barely saving his life.
After this, it would be much harder for him to find the Magma Fairy Palace, as he would have to find a new way in.
Of course, there was no need to share these worries with a two-year-old child.
Sun Lingtong patted his chest and smiled at Ning Zhuo: "You have to trust me, your brother is very strong!"
"Let's make a deal: from now on, we promise ten days."
"Within ten days, I'll definitely return."
"So, as long as it doesn't exceed ten days, you don't have to worry. I'll be fine."
Ning Zhuo weakly replied, "I understand."
"Did you find your master this time in the tunnels?"
Sun Lingtong responded, "Though I didn't see my master, I left some talismans in the passageway. If my master exits the palace, he should be able to sense them. Ahem."
Sun Lingtong's breathing weakened: "I got injured internally this time. Please prepare some medicine for me. Here's the recipe; I urgently need to replenish my qi."
Ning Zhuo looked at the recipe and, finding it lacked some herbs, went out to buy them.
After inspecting the herbs, Sun Lingtong found many to be fakes.
He asked Ning Zhuo about the buying process, shook his head helplessly, and advised, "You're just a child. When you go to a street vendor with your face covered, everyone knows something's wrong."
"Next time, go to a big pharmacy, openly, and show your Ning Family badge."
"Pretend you're buying for an adult at home. No one will give you a hard time, and you'll get genuine herbs."
"You may be smart, but you lack experience in doing things!"
...
The Ning Family sent someone.
The visitor smiled and spoke kindly to Ning Zhuo, trying to trick him into signing a contract.
Sun Lingtong had already foreseen this and informed Ning Zhuo of the solution.
Following the plan, Ning Zhuo brought in his uncle, Ning Ze.
Ning Ze, with a face like frost, personally came forward, angrily breaking the visitor's ploy.
However, he could not restrain Wang Lan. She ran to the Ancestral Hall, causing a huge scene, embarrassing the elders.
Ning Zhuo told Sun Lingtong, "Things have gotten so bad, I fear I'll soon have to live with my uncle. I really don't want to do that."
Sun Lingtong patted his shoulder and comforted him: "Don't worry, you won't need to transfer your household registration."
"You'll likely stay here for a long time."
Ning Zhuo was curious: "Why?"
Sun Lingtong explained, "On the surface, the elders of the Ancestral Hall were removed from their positions, but they are still elders from the main lineage, deeply connected. It's just a show, temporarily sidelined; they'll surely re-emerge in the future."
"Your aunt made a scene, greatly damaging the Ancestral Hall's reputation. But the Ning branch lineage lacks powerful individuals or factions to push for change."
"So, the Ancestral Hall will likely remain stubborn, testing the branch's response."
"If the response isn't intense, they'll likely withhold your household registration as a warning. Although you'll eventually be transferred to your uncle's home, they'll delay it as long as possible."
"Your aunt handled this poorly. But... she may not have done so unintentionally."
Ning Zhuo's mouth opened slightly, stunned.
Sun Lingtong patted his shoulder with a sigh: "This is the adults' world."
"You're too young, only two years old."
"Though you're smart, adults are cunning."
"You have much to learn."
"For example, do you know the differences between gangs, families, sects, and kingdoms? Do you understand how these forces operate?"
Ning Zhuo could only shake his head, puzzled: "Are these important?"
Sun Lingtong looked serious: "Very important!"
He then smiled: "Come, let me explain it to you."
...
Ning Zhuo sighed inwardly.
Sun Lingtong's lessons on the knowledge of these forces were vivid in his mind, as if they had happened yesterday.
"Gangs often prioritize profit. The first leader of the Monkey Head Gang had immense personal charisma, but he's dead now. The second leader, Yuan Er, struggles to gain control, especially after Yuan Dasheng's death."
"Externally, old enemies harboring grudges await revenge. Internally, powerful elders are dissatisfied with Yuan Er and covet the leader's position."
"Yuan Er faces internal and external threats!"
"Elder Sun has yet to respond, so I'll begin tactical arrangements."
While waiting for a response from Sun Lingtong, Ning Zhuo remotely controlled the Martial Fighting Ape, Dasheng, attempting to infiltrate the Monkey Head Gang's headquarters.
He was already quite familiar with the Monkey Head Gang's base.
Consequently, he succeeded with just a bit of effort.
He directed Dasheng the Martial Fighting Ape to advance smoothly into the inner zone of the base, very close to Yuan Er.
"I didn't expect the headquarters' defense to be this lax!"
"After the Persimmon Festival fiasco and Yuan Dasheng's death, the entire Monkey Head Gang's prestige has plummeted; the members' morale has vanished."
"The disarray in their hearts led to such poor base defenses."
"No, something's not right."
"Perhaps this isn't just negligence; it's likely the work of an elder, setting it up this way intentionally."
Ning Zhuo pondered for a moment, considering a certain possibility.
The more he thought, the more he felt this likelihood was high.
"If a gang elder is colluding with old enemies to assassinate Yuan Er, I won't need to trouble Elder Sun."
"This would save me a lot of effort."
The Black Market.
Sun Lingtong's residence.
In the main hall, a chilling aura filled the space.
Judge Cha stood like a temple deity, his gaze piercing like blades, scrutinizing Sun Lingtong's soul, extracting his memories.
Ning Zhuo grew, reached the right age, and after testing, was found to have a Spirit Root and was sent to the academy.
He lived with his uncle's family, leading a stifling life.
Sun Lingtong relied on his Bukong Sect spells to secretly meet him every so often.
This was the brightest spot in Ning Zhuo's dim life.
Sun Lingtong inspected Ning Zhuo's academic performance with sharp eyes: "Little Zhuo, why did you do so well this time?"
"Did you forget what your mother told you before she passed away?"
"You need to hide your abilities, conceal yourself!"
Ning Zhuo lowered his head: "But the academy elder is a good person; he often encourages me and hopes I do well."
"And my classmates always laugh at my poor grades, avoiding me and thinking I'm dumb."
"But I'm much smarter than them!"
"I just wanted to show a bit of my ability, to make them look at me differently!"
In his heart, Sun Lingtong sighed: "Little Zhuo is indeed smart, but he's still a child, easily provoked."
"How should I persuade him?"
"No matter how I advise, it's risky!"
After some thought, Sun Lingtong decided to use fear: "Little Zhuo, you're not far from death."
Ning Zhuo was immediately frightened: "What?!"
Sun Lingtong's face darkened as he listed numerous examples, telling him how many geniuses were killed out of jealousy, turned into elixir pills, or refined into artifacts.
"Your standout performance at the academy could easily draw suspicion, leading to the conclusion of your talent, and you'd be murdered!"
Ning Zhuo turned pale, breaking out in a cold sweat: "But... but Ning Xiaohui has talent too."
"Hmph, she's from the main lineage; you're from a branch. Her grandmother is an elder; what about yours?"
"Have you forgotten my teachings about cultivator families? Forgotten my analysis of the Ning Family's situation?"
Ning Zhuo quickly shook his head.
"Come on, let's spar a bit." Sun Lingtong, still worried, decided to push harder.
Following the academy's exam content, Sun Lingtong performed everything in front of Ning Zhuo.
His results were naturally excellent, far surpassing Ning Zhuo.
Sun Lingtong said, "I'm only a year older than you. Look at my results; am I arrogant? Am I complacent?"
Ning Zhuo looked pale, like a lost soul, slowly shaking his head.
Sun Lingtong patted Ning Zhuo's shoulder: "Your Ning Family is too few in number, ranking last among the cultivator families in Fire Persimmon Immortal City."
"Compared to your classmates, you might be excellent. But among all the children in the city?"
"Fire Persimmon Immortal City is just a corner of the world, a new city built a century ago in the Nandou Kingdom."
"How do you compare to the children of old cities?"
"And remember, this is only the Nandou Kingdom. What about other countries?"
"Would you rank among those children?"
Sun Lingtong raised a finger, shaking it, asserting: "No!"
"You can't even beat me; don't get complacent."
"Let me tell you, in the Nandou Kingdom, I'm only considered this!" Sun Lingtong pinched the tiny tip of his pinky finger, wildly downplaying himself.
Ning Zhuo turned even paler, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
Seeing the effect, Sun Lingtong was satisfied, patting Ning Zhuo's shoulder: "You need to know that there are always people better than you, and there's always a sky beyond the sky."
"Pride and arrogance are foolishness!"
"You must always be humble, keep an open mind, lower your expectations, to see reality clearly, absorb new knowledge faster, and grow more quickly."
With this, Sun Lingtong decided: he would personally spar with Ning Zhuo every so often to keep him grounded!
Ning Zhuo was silent for a long time before finally looking up at Sun Lingtong, his voice hoarse: "Brother Sun, I was wrong! My mother, before she passed, always warned me too."
Sun Lingtong sighed: "These words were taught by my master."
The two looked at each other, sinking into silence.