"This trend must not be allowed to grow!"
"Ning Zhuo must be severely punished!!"
Ning Xiaoren made up his mind.
This time, Ning Zhuo had crossed his bottom line. Ning Xiaoren knew that if he were to ignore or tolerate it, it would bring significant hidden dangers and risks to the main family's rule.
He had to nip it in the bud, timely and precisely!
However, Ning Xiaoren was not a Demon Cultivator. The Righteous Path prioritized justified actions.
The Righteous Path's way of doing things was to leave a way out for others, so they could meet again in the future. The Demon Path often sought to eradicate all roots.
Even though Ning Xiaoren was the Young Clan Leader, he had to use methods and strategies to deal with Ning Zhuo of the branch lineage.
He first collected the reactions of the family members.
Regarding Ning Zhuo's voluntary withdrawal from the Renovation Team, there were generally two opinions within the family.
One was that Ning Zhuo was youthful and impulsive, becoming conceited with a bit of achievement and unaware of his limitations. His actions were very wrong. He angered the upper echelons of the family, ruining his future. Whether he served or not, the main family had Ning Xiaohui and didn't lack his combat power.
The other was an understanding and admiration for Ning Zhuo. Many members of the Ning Family branch lineage envied his courage to resist, worried about his future but amazed at his actions.
"Public opinion is not good!" Ning Xiaoren frowned and thought for a moment before giving orders to his confidants to spread a perspective: Ning Zhuo's actions were selfish, neglecting the greater good. How would the Zhou Family and Zheng Family think of this internal conflict? How would the City Lord's Mansion see it? It was making the outsiders laugh at them!
A day later, after collecting the public opinion again, Ning Xiaoren discovered that more family members were discussing how uneven the main family's rewards and punishments were in this matter!
Ning Xiaoren did not get the result he wanted. Instead, the family's opinion surged against him.
His attempt to divert the majority of the family's attention and win their hearts had failed!
This only made it even more difficult to deal with Ning Zhuo.
"Be patient and wait."
"Within this day, Zheng Jian and Zhou Zeshen personally visited Ning Zhuo one after the other, discussing matters with him, clearly learning about his exit from Ning's Renovation Team."
"The intentions of these two families are too obvious. Haha."
Ning Xiaoren decided to bide his time. Because he saw a glimmer of hope in the intelligence.
Zheng Jian was the first to seek out Ning Zhuo.
He was a typical Zheng Family member, swift and decisive. After visiting Ning Zhuo, he got straight to the point and invited Ning Zhuo to join the Zheng Family's Renovation Team.
He had once crafted a Martial Fighting Ape with Ning Zhuo and saw great potential in him.
Zhou Zeshen was the second. He was more tactful, even though he expressed an invitation, it was subtle. Standing from Ning Zhuo's perspective, he suggested that he could secretly collaborate with the Zhou Family, avoiding issues with the Ning Family members.
Chen Cha was the third.
He personally delivered a sum of Spirit Stones, which was the profit distribution from the Explosive Flame Monkey.
Of course, this was just an excuse.
Chen Cha brought an invitation from the City Lord's Mansion.
During the crisis with Yuan Dasheng, Ning Zhuo had to step in and his various performances gained the recognition and admiration of Fei Si.
The source of this invitation came from Fei Si, the Golden Core Cultivator!
However, after offering the invitation, Chen Cha also shared his thoughts.
With a complex expression, he advised Ning Zhuo, "Little Zhuo, gaining the favor of Lord Fei Si may not necessarily be fortunate."
"Currently, the three families are united against the City Lord's Mansion. If you switch sides, the risk is great."
"If you really take this step, there's probably no turning back."
"In fact, even if you cooperate with the Zhou and Zheng Families, it's very dangerous. People's hearts are unpredictable and can change easily. The Ning Family members who currently support you might change their attitude because of this and oppose you. You must be extremely careful!"
Ning Zhuo responded, "I understand, Elder Chen. Thank you for your concern."
He cupped his hands and bowed deeply to Chen Cha.
He called for Ning Chen and Ning Yong.
Ning Yong spoke boldly, "Brother Zhuo, I support you!"
"It's outrageous how unfair the main family's rewards and punishments have been."
"If they don't want me here, there are always other places. We don't need to suffer this indignity."
"No matter which family you choose to work with, I'll follow you!"
Ning Yong pounded his chest, more indignant than Ning Zhuo himself.
Ning Chen, however, frowned slightly and sighed deeply, "I think perhaps we should discuss this with the family elders."
"After all, the Magma Fairy Palace is only temporary. The Monarch has issued the Recruitment Decree. I believe a new master will take over the Immortal Palace in two or three years at most."
"We are still young, and life is long. Brother Zhuo, you must consider your future."
Ning Yong glared, "So, you want Brother Zhuo to cling to the Renovation Team shamelessly?"
"Look at Ning Xiaohui. She's not even halfway through, yet she gets to enjoy the Understanding Law Map ahead of time."
"What about us?"
Ning Zhuo extended his arms, placing his hands on the shoulders of Ning Chen and Ning Yong, and smiled, "You guys need not worry too much."
"I know you mean well."
"To tell the truth, this time, I seemed impulsive but actually thought it through deeply."
Ning Yong turned to Ning Zhuo, "So, Brother Zhuo, what do you plan to do next? I'll follow you!"
Ning Zhuo laughed heartily, "I called you here because I do need your help with something."
"Feel free to say." Ning Chen immediately expressed his support.
Ning Zhuo said, "Today, I practiced the spells of the Immortal Palace and gained some insights. I need you two to notify our fellow students in the Renovation Team."
"If they're interested, we'll discuss the techniques of spells here today."
"Ah, it's such a thing?" Ning Yong was greatly surprised.
Ning Chen frowned and asked the key question, "Among the fellow students in the Renovation Team, there are also those from the main family..."
Ning Zhuo waved his hand, "Naturally, we are only inviting those from the branch lineage."
"Alright." A gleam flashed in Ning Chen's eyes.
"Good!" Ning Yong clenched his fist and raised his arm, feeling somewhat relieved, "We'll exclude the main family and just do our own thing."
They quickly gathered almost all the fellow students from the branch lineage.
These people were very interested indeed.
Because previously, Ning Zhuo had actively helped them, using the Life Hanging Thread, Sharp Advance Needle, and Ice Light Strong Pulse Talisman to assist them in rapidly advancing their Mana cultivation.
Later, Ning Zhuo led them to break through levels, setting new records in the Ning Family and achieving excellent results.
As seen by the Clan Leader and Young Clan Leader, Ning Zhuo had an astonishing influence over them.
"What? Ning Zhuo didn't accept the invitations from the Zhou and Zheng Families. Instead, he spent the past two days inviting fellow students and sharing his spell insights?" Upon learning this, Ning Xiaoren furrowed his brows.
When he re-examined the family's public opinion, Ning Xiaoren discovered that more family members were now cheering for Ning Zhuo.
After each sharing session, the returning cultivators praised Ning Zhuo's spell techniques highly, feeling greatly benefited.
Many started discussing Ning Zhuo's talent, as his recent display of understanding in spells was impressive.
This led to a lot of empathy from the branch lineage members towards Ning Zhuo.
The more talented Ning Zhuo appeared, the more it highlighted the upper echelons' harshness and neglect.
Ning Xiaoren could no longer sit still.
He stood up, hands clasped behind his back, and paced in his study for a while.
He hadn't expected Ning Zhuo not to make any mistakes!
If it were him, at such a young age, he would have already thrown himself at the Zhou and Zheng Families and worked hard to perform better, achieving more excellent results to prove himself, to show that the upper echelons of the Ning Family were blind and unjust in their rewards.
If Ning Zhuo had done that, Ning Xiaoren could have seized the opportunity to manipulate public opinion and brand Ning Zhuo as a traitor, causing him to be alienated and isolated.
Reaching that point, Ning Xiaoren would have had a legitimate reason to continue imposing more sanctions on Ning Zhuo.
"Ning Zhuo did not make any mistakes!"
"At his age, has he seen through it all? Or is it just a lucky guess?"
Ning Xiaoren, the Young Clan Leader of the Ning Family, had held this position for a long time without being shaken, which alone demonstrated his capabilities.
He frowned and thought for a moment before coming up with a plan, "I need to provoke Ning Zhuo and make him commit a big mistake!"
"Ning Ze can be used by me."
"Ning Zhuo is greedy for money and has a bad relationship with Ning Ze. The key is that Wang Lan has not compensated Ning Zhuo with any resources yet."
"What will Ning Zhuo think?"
"Hehehe."
After figuring it out, Ning Xiaoren immediately pushed the door open and went to the private prison to meet Ning Ze.
He didn't hide anything, telling Ning Ze the truth directly, "If you can persuade Ning Zhuo to return to the Renovation Team voluntarily and bow to the family elders, I will set you free!"
Upon hearing this, Ning Ze felt like a drowning man grasping at his last straw.
Ning Xiaoren then arranged for Wang Lan to visit the prison.
"Husband, what's wrong with you?" Wang Lan exclaimed.
The couple looked at each other through the thick bars.
Ning Ze was covered with wounds.
The private prison had powerful healing methods, but Ning Xiaoren purposefully held back, only treating a small portion to highlight Ning Ze's plight.
When Wang Lan visited, she saw that many of Ning Ze's wounds were still bleeding.
Ignoring the pain, Ning Ze hastily said, "Ning Zhuo has wronged me, wronged me."
"I learned everything from the Young Clan Leader."
"That little brat Ning Zhuo has the audacity to quit the Renovation Team! What does he think of my efforts?"
"Back then, I used money to pull every string to get him into the Renovation Team."
"Now the Young Clan Leader wants us to persuade Ning Zhuo to return. You must succeed in this!"
"If you succeed, the Young Clan Leader will set me free."
Wang Lan's eyes widened, "Really?"
"Alas!" Ning Ze sighed, "At this point, I can only trust the Young Clan Leader's promise."
"Look at my wounds!"
"My cultivation is sealed here. I'm not a Body Cultivator and can't last much longer."
Wang Lan nodded repeatedly, "Husband, I will do my best to persuade Ning Zhuo to change his mind."
"You must succeed!" Ning Ze said, "Even if it takes money, it's worth it!"
Wang Lan's eyes flickered, "Hmm, okay."
Ning Ze knew his wife too well. Sensing her hesitation, he said more sternly, "You foolish woman, you don't know the seriousness of this matter!"
"You must not let Ning Zhuo do anything rash!"