This was a matter personally negotiated by Meng Kui and Zhu Xuanji and had also received the approval of the three Golden Core Cultivators.
It was an inevitable trend.
In order to squeeze out the Bukong Sect as the third party, the two dominant forces in the Fire Persimmon Immortal City of the Southern Bean Country had made this decision!
Under such a trend, the upper echelons of the Ning Family were mere mantises under the carriage wheel. They had no Golden Core Cultivators to support them internally, only a gathering of Foundation Establishment elites.
Faced with such a terrifying wave, they could only go with the flow, not oppose it futilely like the mantis trying to stop a chariot.
A Family Elder broke the silence, "If only our main branch had dispatched more cultivators to join the Renovation Team initially."
Everyone's faces showed embarrassment, as if a boomerang had just flown-to hit them in the face.
Indeed, that was the case.
If initially, the majority of the Renovation Team had been made up of members from the main branch of the Ning Family, or even if it had been entirely made up of them, then the main branch of the Ning Family would be receiving great benefits at this moment!
Academy Elder, "The decision made at that time wasn't wrong. After all, the prospects of renovating the Five Elements Qi Regulation Art were unclear. In fact, up to now, we have only unearthed the first to sixth levels of the Five Elements Qi Regulation Art."
Battle Hall Elder, "Who could have anticipated, the emergence of Ning Zhuo, this demonic talent? Who could have foreseen, that the Bukong Sect had already infiltrated and laid out their plans over a decade, forcing the Royal Family and the Meng Family to join hands, conceding future benefits to such an extent?"
The Ning Family Clan Leader slowly spoke, with a hoarse voice, "It seems, our main branch of the Ning Family must actively align with the Lava Fairy Palace, we must send as many cultivators as possible for renovation, and then compete for positions in the Lava Fairy Palace."
"Otherwise, if we let things develop on their own, the power of our main branch will quickly diminish, becoming weak and unable to recover."
After saying this, the Clan Leader couldn't help but show, a strong expression of loss and exhaustion.
As soon as he finished speaking, many Family Elders in the hall agreed.
Battle Hall Elder said, "Worthy of being our Clan Leader, this is a wise response! If that's the case, then I suggest we must fully court Ning Zhuo."
"Our main branch of the Ning Family, if wanting to compete for positions in the Lava Fairy Palace, this individual is the most crucial."
Talisman Hall Elder directly said, "I remember Ning Zhuo hasn't married or had children yet, he's only sixteen years old, this is the perfect age for a marriage alliance with our main branch."
Academy Elder stroked his beard, "Based on my familiarity with Ning Zhuo, I am aware that he has a particular fondness for cultivation, especially for Mechanical Techniques, we can cater to his interests."
The Ning Family Clan Leader was lost in thought, as if in a dream.
He had never imagined, there would come a day, when he and the many Family Elders would be discussing how to please and court Ning Zhuo!
He had a rather poor impression of Ning Zhuo.
On one hand, it was because his son, the former Young Clan Leader Ning Xiaoren, had been ousted by Ning Zhuo.
On the other hand, Ning Zhuo often displayed, disdain and resistance toward the high levels of the Ning Family and authority, which to the Clan Leader of the Ning Family was an enormous offense.
Ning Family Ancestor Ning Jiufan found Ning Zhuo to be straightforward and adorable, because Ning Jiufan, a distinguished Golden Core Stage Cultivator, did not feel threatened by Ning Zhuo.
The Ning Family Clan Leader was in the Foundation Establishment Stage himself, while Ning Zhuo's advancement to Foundation Establishment was already a certainty.
Moreover, Ning Zhuo had also set up his own power base in the Black Market, gathering a group of followers.
This action had greatly offended the Clan Leader's sensibilities, posing a significant challenge and injury to his authority.
But now, the situation compelled the entire main branch of the Ning Family to fully court Ning Zhuo!
All the Family Elders who had once supported and surrounded him shared this sentiment.
What made the Clan Leader feel even colder was that even he himself knew: at this moment, courting Ning Zhuo was extremely necessary.
Despite his extreme dislike and hatred for Ning Zhuo, reason told him that he had to win Ning Zhuo over!
He, the mighty Clan Leader of a family, had to bow and scrape with a smile to Ning Zhuo, this junior, this mere Qi Refinement middle-level fellow!
How depressing!
How frustrating!
But what could he do?
"Ning Zhuo, this brat, is too lucky, he's shot up by relying on the Lava Fairy Palace! He's too good at maneuvering, and now, he's already a favorite in the eyes of the Golden Core Cultivators!"
Look!
Zhu Xuanji had brought Ning Zhuo along to Zhu Hou's inauguration ceremony.
After Ning Xiaohui's death, the Ning Family Ancestor had taken Ning Zhuo by his side, directly arranging a room for him at his own residence.
The Clan Leader had once hoped for Ning Xiaohui to receive such treatment.
Reality is cruel—Ning Xiaohui had already sacrificed herself, yet it was Ning Zhuo who had caught the eye of Zhu Xuanji and Ning Jiufan and other Golden Core Ancestors.
From Ning Zhuo, the Clan Leader felt a threat, a huge, intensely unbearable threat!
Obviously, Ning Zhuo was going to be heavily cultivated!
Ning Zhuo had already become a prominent figure of the branch family, the flag bearer.
He commanded the black market, had the men, had the prestige, and now had also gained the recognition of the upper echelons, his rise was unstoppable.
The Clan Leader, although in the prime of life, felt physically and mentally exhausted while sitting in his seat at this moment. Facing the impact from Ning Zhuo, this junior, he felt his own old and incompetent self!
He was feeling an era's wave coming straight at him.
Clearly, the cultivators specializing in old cultivation techniques were of the old era, while those who had switched to the Three Superior Sect Techniques were stepping into a new era.
The positions in the Lava Fairy Palace remained unchanged, this strategy completely altered the prospects of the entire Fire Persimmon Immortal City.
Don't be fooled by the current weakness of these Qi Refinement Realm cultivators who had changed their specialization; as long as they hold the positions, they will receive continuous resources, making it highly likely for them to advance to the Foundation Establishment Stage eventually.
Such a force would grow stronger over time, eventually surpassing the main branch of the Ning Family.
Ning Zhuo, as the leader of the Renovation Team, as the prominent figure of the Ning branch family, and as the leader of the black market, was undoubtedly one of the most conspicuous wave-riders of this era, and no doubt, his gain would be the greatest.
Considering further, with his unmeasured mysterious innate abilities, Ning Zhuo's future prospects are incredibly bright, virtually immeasurable.
"The situation is already established, we can only go with the flow for a short time."
"However, who can predict the future?"
"Ha, geniuses often die young..."
For the first time, the Ning Family Clan Leader harbored thoughts of killing Ning Zhuo.
Previously, even when Ning Zhuo had ousted his son and established his own faction in the Black Market, the Ning Family Clan Leader had not considered harming Ning Zhuo's life.
But this time was different, Ning Zhuo was now a threat to his position.
The Family Elders of the main branch could curry favor and attempt to win over Ning Zhuo because they were just Family Elders.
The Ning Family Clan Leader to win over Ning Zhuo? So that Ning Zhuo could become the future Clan Leader?
The Ning Family Clan Leader was not that foolish!
"Let me in, let me in." Suddenly there was a dispute at the door.
The Ning Family Clan Leader was in a bad mood and, hearing this, immediately frowned and shouted, "Who is making noise outside!"
No sooner had his words fallen when the great doors of the Council Hall were violently pushed open.
An old woman barged in.
Her eyes were bloodshot, and she radiated an aura of rage and hatred. Her once kind face was now extremely distorted because of her anger.
This was none other than Ning Xiaohui's grandmother.
After she burst into the hall, her gaze firmly fixed on the Ning Family Clan Leader, she cried out, "Xiaohui, my granddaughter Xiaohui, where is she?"
The Ning Family Clan Leader's prior anger instantly dissipated, and he sighed, "It has come to this, please restrain your grief! Our Ning Family will never forget Xiaohui's sacrifice and contributions."
"Don't talk to me about sacrifice and contributions!" Ning Xiaohui's grandmother threw her hand up and screeched, "I want Xiaohui, my granddaughter."
"I don't believe, I don't believe that my granddaughter is already dead."
"This must be fake, all of this has to be fake!"
"My granddaughter in the Lava Immortal Palace must still be alive."
"With so many Golden Core Cultivators, how can they not protect a junior in the Qi Refinement Realm?"
"It's impossible, absolutely impossible."
"My granddaughter Ning Xiaohui must have already earned the favor of Lord Zhu Xuanji by now, hahahaha..."
Everyone was silent.
Ning Xiaohui's grandmother was grief-stricken, her hair disheveled and her behavior hinting at madness, clearly unable to withstand this severe blow.
She had adored Ning Xiaohui immensely since her birth.
She had raised Ning Xiaohui from a child, and after learning that Ning Xiaohui possessed the Ice-jade Hands' innate talent, had spared no effort in nurturing her.
The death of Ning Xiaohui signified the collapse of Ning Xiaohui's grandmother's pillar in life.
The Ning Family Clan Leader sighed deeply, stood up, walked over to Ning Xiaohui's grandmother, and tried to console her patiently.
Instead of calming down, Ning Xiaohui's grandmother grew even more hysterical, screaming, "I don't listen, I don't listen, it's all fake, all fake!"
As she shouted, she turned and ran out of the Council Hall.
The Ning Family Clan Leader watched Ning Xiaohui's grandmother's retreating figure, sighed deeply again, and called over his subordinates, instructing them to enhance the care and attention to Ning Xiaohui's grandmother.
After fully assessing the situation, the actions of the main branch of the Ning Family became more decisive and harsh than before.
They withdrew a large number of core Qi Refining Cultivators, forcibly ordering them to switch to cultivating the Five Elements Qi Regulation Art.
Would this be too late?
Everyone had such worries, but no one voiced them — this was something that had to be done!
At the same time, all cultivators of the main branch of the Ning Family with enough mastery of Mechanical Techniques and who could enter the Immortal Palace were deployed, putting their all into striving for positions.
After issuing these orders, the Ning Family Clan Leader alone went down to the prison of the clan land.
"My son." He saw Ning Xiaoren again.
Ning Xiaoren, delighted, ran to the front of the prison bars, "Father, why have you come? Is there a turn in events? Did that little guy Ning Zhuo slip up? Did Ning Xiaohui manage to suppress him?"
Ning Xiaoren harbored a deep hatred for Ning Zhuo, the tedious and dull days in prison nearly driving him insane.
Every bit of pain he endured only deepened his hatred towards Ning Zhuo!
The Ning Family Clan Leader sighed, "Ning Xiaohui is dead, as for Ning Zhuo... let's not talk about him right now."
"A drastic change has indeed arrived!"
"I've thought it over and decided that it's not right for you to waste time here. If you secure a position in the Immortal Palace, it would be extremely beneficial for your future."
Ning Xiaoren, "What position in the Immortal Palace?"
The Ning Family Clan Leader, "You will find out after you get out. This time, I came to let you know that the plan has been significantly moved up."
"Next, you will contribute talismans to secure your freedom."
"After you get out, you must try your utmost to carve a future for yourself in the Lava Immortal Palace!"
"You have sufficient mastery in Mechanical Techniques to enter the Immortal Palace. Now, you can only rely on your own struggle."
"Afterwards, our family's main branch must fully stay on good terms with Ning Zhuo, so don't expect any support from me."
"If you can gain Ning Zhuo's understanding, that would be even better. If you could ingratiate yourself with Ning Zhuo, that would be ideal!"
Ning Xiaoren was shocked and speechless, incredulously asking, "What? I should ingratiate myself with Ning Zhuo? Are you even my father?"