The life string of Ning Xiangqian was normal, but Ning Xiangguo's life string was the tiniest and most transparent.
Based on Ning Zhuo's understanding of this divine skill, he speculated that Ning Xiangguo either hid many secrets or had a heart that did not truly rely on Ning Zhuo.
Considering the City Lord's Mansion's infiltration into the three families and its apparent intelligence advantage, Ning Zhuo preliminarily judged that Ning Xiangguo was very likely a spy developed by the City Lord's Mansion!
Divine Skill — Life Hanging Thread.
As Ning Zhuo used it, he increasingly felt its wonderful applications.
When Ning Zhuo activated it, he could forcibly control others' movements using the life hanging thread. As for the specific movements and their intensity, those depended on the strength comparison between the two parties.
What Ning Zhuo tried and found out was that he could extract Yuan Dasheng's spiritual nature and Sun Lingtong's soul. However, this was based on the latter two's willingness and thorough cooperation. For others, if they resisted or were unaware, Ning Zhuo could not achieve this.
At least for now, it was so.
"After laying down the life hanging threads, they remain without needing replenishment from me."
"Even without activating the life hanging threads, I can speculate the extent of the target's hidden secrets and true intentions through the state of the threads."
This meant that Ning Zhuo could, to some extent, detect the "loyalty" of his subordinates.
This alone was quite impressive!
Not to mention other wondrous uses and powers.
"Moreover, after planting the life hanging thread, one could gather the qi and accumulate it completely."
"No matter how you look at it, this divine skill was an unrivaled tool for managing power!"
"I wonder what the divine skill will be like when the lotus blooms and undergoes the final qualitative change."
Ning Zhuo became increasingly curious about the answer to this question.
As for Ning Xiangguo, Ning Zhuo pretended not to know and still entrusted him with significant tasks.
It had to be said that among all the Foundation Establishment cultivators, Ning Xiangguo was the one with the best vision and thorough approach. Assigning tasks to him was reassuring.
In comparison, although Ning Xiangqian had the best combat power, having been a steward of the family's combat hall, he was not as reliable as Ning Xiangguo.
After handling the black market affairs, Ning Zhuo retreated for secluded cultivation.
He reduced his outside activities to a minimum.
The spell exchanges, previously held every three days, were now changed to every five days.
The content of the exchanges also transformed.
Previously, it was just sparring and sharing insights and experiences in spell casting. Now, an additional segment was included for commenting on mechanism artifacts.
All of Ning Zhuo's classmates would present to him the Explosive Flame Monkeys and other such artifacts they made in Chen Cha's workshop.
After examining them, Ning Zhuo would comment on the Explosive Flame Monkeys one by one.
Whenever he pointed out flaws, he could make it simple and clear, causing the creators to realize their mistakes. Ning Zhuo would also tell them how to make mechanisms more efficiently and effectively.
This behavior greatly benefited his classmates in the Renovation Team.
This thoroughly consolidated Ning Zhuo's authority in the eyes of the people.
Whenever he encountered mechanism artifacts that met his standards, Ning Zhuo would take out spirit stones to purchase them at market prices right on the spot.
The creators whose artifacts were bought by Ning Zhuo felt immensely proud.
If there were any innovative gadgets, Ning Zhuo would offer elixir pills or spirit food in exchange. This was a higher level of recognition, and the young cultivators who received such treatment were elated.
Zhou Zeshen sat in a corner, watching the bustling scene, his eyes flashing with brilliance.
"A star among stars, Ning Zhuo has completely mastered this team."
"In Ning's Renovation Team, while the main line members are few, the branch members are the majority. This means that Ning Zhuo has essentially become the actual controller of Ning's Renovation Team."
Since being summoned by the Zhou Family Clan Leader and ordered to establish good relations with Ning Zhuo, Zhou Zeshen had been actively inviting Ning Zhuo, trying to increase his chances of meeting and fostering cooperation between them.
However, Ning Zhuo was entirely focused on secluded cultivation these days, politely declining all of Zhou Zeshen's invitations.
Zhou Zeshen was persistent, and Ning Zhuo, realizing that continuous rejections were not a solution, told Zhou Zeshen that he would organize a Renovation Team exchange event every five days. If Zhou Zeshen was interested, he could come then for a chat. Otherwise, he would have to wait until seven days later when Ning Zhuo would go out and visit Ciyou Garden for comfort.
Zhou Zeshen decisively participated, finding a corner to sit in the courtyard.
Observing coldly, he quickly noticed a person among the Ning Family who seemed out of place with the lively atmosphere.
"It's Ning Ji, Ning Zhuo's cousin."
Zhou Zeshen would not usually pay special attention to someone like Ning Ji.
But Zhou Zeshen remembered all the information about Ning Zhuo, which included Ning Ji.
"This guy once asked for a share when Ning Zhuo was heavily rewarded by the main line, wanting to borrow Ning Zhuo's magic artifact to cultivate."
"He was sternly refused by Ning Zhuo."
Zhou Zeshen looked at Ning Zhuo again, admiringly.
So far, Ning Zhuo handled things perfectly!
If Ning Zhuo had given in, it would have fallen into a trap.
Such unconditional help would only fuel greed, leading to a swarm of beggars clinging to him.
Ning Ji and his kind would never be satisfied.
Similarly, it would also encourage more people to cling to Ning Zhuo.
Over time, even a large family business would suffer significantly.
On the surface, it might seem that he won people's hearts with flowers around him, but it was all fake!
Once Ning Zhuo stopped aiding, those who benefited before would feel great resentment and even hatred when their expectations were unmet.
Therefore, Ning Zhuo refused decisively from the start, appearing very clean and neat.
Subsequently, his actions were even more critical!
Ning Zhuo directed many classmates to participate in making Explosive Flame Monkey mechanisms.
For the manufactured mechanism monkeys, Ning Zhuo inspected and evaluated them. He then used spirit stones to buy most and rewarded the exceptional ones further.
Although Ning Zhuo still spent resources, it was not for free, not just giving away to those who wanted something for nothing.
This created a positive cycle, and more importantly, set the tone of the team—
Fairness and justice!
Every comment from Ning Zhuo was public and clear, leading to an atmosphere of clear rewards and punishments, eradicating corruption and forming a dynamic, uplifting environment that won more hearts.
Zhou Zeshen watched Ning Zhuo talking eloquently with a smile and found it hard to imagine that Ning Zhuo was once a marginal figure from the branch line!
"Shouldn't a person like this be nurtured by the family since childhood, personally taught by elders?"
"This is the kind of cognition and methods one would have if trained as an heir since childhood."
Who could have thought Ning Zhuo had such a foundation?
Zhou Zeshen thought: "Ning Zhuo is very good at hiding his sharpness. He hid it too well!"
"Precisely because no one knew he was such a person, Ning Family's main line suffered a big loss this time."
It was understandable.
A normal sixteen-year-old cultivator spent most of their life at the academy, what did they know?
Especially Ning Zhuo, who lost his parents early, was raised by his uncle, and had always suffered harsh and meager treatment.
"How could he have such insight, such vision, such skills?"
Zhou Zeshen couldn't figure it out.
He thought Ning Family's main line lost significantly because they underestimated Ning Zhuo, thinking their strategy would easily take him down.
But Ning Zhuo effortlessly dissolved it.
Ning Zhuo avoided the pitfall, organized his classmates, and countered by meddling in the black market, causing Ning Family's main line to fail spectacularly!
Now, Ning Zhuo had become the Black Market Master.
A sixteen-year-old, Qi Refinement Stage three, Black Market Master!
He commanded nearly twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators, and these Foundation Establishment cultivators were no ordinary ones—they were elites among Foundation Establishment.
Ning Zhuo's series of actions left Zhou Zeshen in silent admiration, exclaiming brilliance repeatedly in his heart.
Zhou Zeshen, skilled in strategy, greatly enjoyed such intellectual battles.
To him, the competition within the righteous path was far more interesting, deeper, and more meaningful than bloody hand-to-hand combat.
"Among the four major powers' Qi Refinement geniuses in Fire Persimmon Immortal City, only Ning Zhuo and I are alike; we are the same type of people!" Zhou Zeshen's favorability towards Ning Zhuo greatly increased.
He admired Ning Zhuo and was quite envious.
"Ning Zhuo's current authority is no different from a Family Elder."
"Though I have talent, I am restrained everywhere in the family. Even as a Family Elder's son, I am not free."
"Where could I find the same glory as Ning Zhuo?"
"More importantly, the benefits!"
"Ning Zhuo now garners the earnings of the black market."
"Oh, yes. These Renovation Team members also look up to Ning Zhuo. They are all his human resources, available to him!"
After commenting on all the mechanism artifacts, Ning Zhuo began sharing insights on spells.
Zhou Zeshen listened quietly, increasingly astonished—Ning Zhuo's talent wasn't just in mechanical techniques; he had an extraordinary understanding of traditional spells as well.
The Five-sided Leaderboard was full of people from the City Lord's Mansion.
The Zhou Family and Zheng Family knew nothing about the leaderboard's rewards.
The more Zhou Zeshen listened, the more engrossed he became. His face gradually showed a fascinated expression, and his lips slightly curved up, unable to help his joy at such great gains from listening.
During the Q&A session, Zhou Zeshen participated and asked a few questions.
Ning Zhuo deliberated before giving detailed answers.
Zhou Zeshen felt deeply moved and had many insights, sincerely thanking him.
This brought great pride to the other Ning Family cultivators, feeling that Ning Zhuo had "conquered" the genius of the Zhou Family with his personal talent.
Zhou Zeshen did not only take but also understood he was here to build a relationship with Ning Zhuo.
In the exchange, he also shared his spell-casting insights and invited Ning Zhuo to engage in a public mechanism techniques duel before everyone present.
Ning Chen, Ning Yong, and others all had bright-eyed excitement, full of anticipation.
Ning Zhuo only thought for a moment before decisively agreeing, "Then Brother Zhou, please instruct me."
He had long wanted to compete with Zhou Zeshen and Zhou Zhu to learn the Mudflow Sect's mechanical techniques.
Now, with Zhou Zeshen proposing it, it perfectly met Ning Zhuo's desire.
There was no reason for Ning Zhuo to refuse.