Other forces targeting Ning Zhuo was a pleasure for Ning Xiaoren to see.
But now, the assassin had dragged him into this. He felt absolutely terrible!
Such an ordeal of being dragged into a life-and-death crisis by an enemy was something Ning Xiaoren wanted to avoid at all costs.
He forced himself to calm down, "First, I need to deal with the Gu inside me!"
However, as soon as he thought of this, the Gu insect violently attacked.
Ning Xiaoren once again writhed on the ground in pain, screaming and gasping for breath.
"If I blatantly call for help, I'm afraid I'll die of pain!"
He finally realized that the masked assassin, allowing him freedom, was extremely confident in their own Gu insect and had already considered his potential call for help.
"I need to find my father and ask him to help. Others probably don't have the Method of Gu Removal, and they won't sincerely help me."
However, the Ning Family Clan Leader was not in the Immortal Palace. He was still in the Fire Persimmon Immortal City, managing the family affairs.
Ning Xiaoren could not contact him at that moment and did not dare to leave the palace rashly.
Left with no other options, Ning Xiaoren could only act according to the assassin's wishes, trying to stall for time.
After resting for a while, he walked out of the house towards Ning Zhuo's current residence.
After scouting the area, Ning Xiaoren fell back into despair.
Ning Zhuo and Ning Jiufan's residences were heavily guarded, surrounded by layers upon layers of Ning Family cultivators and the Black Market members.
"I cannot even get close to the central area. Meeting Ning Zhuo is extremely difficult! How can I possibly trouble him?" Ning Xiaoren huddled in a dark corner, growing more desperate.
At that moment, a young cultivator with a bold stride walked out.
He was surrounded by several cultivators, receiving constant flattery and adulation.
It was none other than Ning Ji.
People gathered around him, complimenting and flattering him non-stop.
Ning Ji, happy from the attention, carelessly handed out elixir pills or spirit stones as rewards.
This behavior only intensified the surrounding flattery.
Ning Xiaoren watched with bloodshot eyes, "That brat isn't that Ning Zhuo's cousin? After Ning Zhuo rose to power, he resolutely quit his job at the Talisman Hall and sided with Ning Zhuo."
"Spending so lavishly, hmph, a minor character thriving!"
Ning Xiaoren felt furious and bitter.
Not long ago, he was the one surrounded by admirers. As times changed, a once inconspicuous Qi Refining Cultivator from a branch line was now held in high regard, while he, Ning Xiaoren, could only lurk in dark corners!
How unjust the heavens are!
Ning Xiaoren stared at Ning Ji, wishing he could break the bones of this arrogant youth.
"Wait!"
"I can't get close to Ning Zhuo, but I can strike at this bratty Ning Ji."
"The assassin only wanted me to cause a disturbance for Ning Zhuo. If I kidnap Ning Ji and send a ransom note, wouldn't that count as a disturbance?"
Suddenly, an idea sparked in Ning Xiaoren's mind about how to deal with the masked assassin.
He squinted his eyes, a sinister gleam flickering through them, and began to tail Ning Ji.
After following him for a while, Ning Xiaoren saw his chance to strike but then hesitated.
"I shouldn't take action myself. It's too risky!"
"I need to find someone else to do it for me."
But who could he find?
Ning Xiaoren was no longer the young clan leader of the Ning Family.
He had been expelled from the family, left isolated.
Ning Xiaoren was cunning, and soon an idea appeared—Ning Xiaohui's grandmother!
Ning Xiaohui's grandmother was becoming increasingly senile, her rational thinking ever fading.
Ning Xiaoren had retreated to recuperate, and due to injuries, Ning Xiaohui's grandmother also had to withdraw from the front line for treatment.
Ning Xiaoren saw her lying on the hospital bed at the rear medical camp.
"Grandma Xiaohui, I know where Xiaohui is," Ning Xiaoren's first words made Ning Xiaohui's grandmother scream.
"Quiet, quiet!" Ning Xiaoren quickly cautioned, "If you're so loud, the enemy will hear and run away with Xiaohui."
"No, my Xiaohui!" Ning Xiaohui's grandmother's face turned pale with terror, and she immediately lowered her voice.
As Ning Xiaohui's grandmother pressed him, Ning Xiaoren told her: Xiaohui had been secretly imprisoned by Ning Zhuo, and only a few people knew this secret. If you want to save your granddaughter, you must use the enemy's methods against them by kidnapping Ning Zhuo's relative and then negotiate with Ning Zhuo for a hostage exchange!
Ning Xiaohui's grandmother's eyes widened, "That's a good plan!"
A scheme against Ning Zhuo was forming.
The two conspirators did not realize that the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit had learned of this scenario.
At first, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit hesitated as it was not inclined to contact Ning Zhuo.
Subjectively, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit would have liked to see Ning Zhuo in trouble.
But now, with Zhu Xuanji's threat imminent, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit had to rely on Ning Zhuo's power to hope to eliminate all clues.
Previously, Ning Zhuo had explicitly requested it to scout for him and report any information that could harm him.
If, in the future, this plot was launched and Ning Zhuo had not been warned by the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit, Ning Zhuo might not cooperate with the Fire Spirit as before.
Considering this, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit coughed a few times, and despite its reluctance, contacted Ning Zhuo again.
In a weak voice, it conveyed to Ning Zhuo the plan of Ning Xiaoren and Ning Xiaohui's grandmother to kidnap Ning Ji.
Ning Zhuo was slightly taken aback, "Is that all?"
From childhood, his relationship with Ning Ji had been poor.
Allowing Ning Ji to cling to him and indulging him had been more about maintaining his reputation and image on the Righteous Path.
If the enemies really took Ning Ji as leverage, it would merely be a laughable misstep.
"What's going on with Ning Xiaoren? He's the mastermind, and he clearly knows my relationship with my uncle's family isn't good—why would he hatch such a foolish plan?"
Ning Zhuo felt something was off, so he asked the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit.
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit wasn't aware of Ning Ji's previous experiences.
It was the word "Ning Zhuo" mentioned by Ning Xiaoren that caught its attention and led it to discover their conspiracy.
Therefore, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was unaware that Ning Xiaoren had been cursed by a masked assassin.
Unless the records in the Historical Records Pavilion were consulted.
However, unfortunately, the Historical Records Pavilion was no longer there!
This was still an accomplishment predominantly driven by the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit.
"My young master, I have indeed accomplished something this time. You only need to restrain that Ning Ji or strengthen his protection," the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit didn't forget to account for its merit.
"No, no, no," Ning Zhuo's eyes sparkled with a keen light.
He sensed an extremely important opportunity from this conspiracy targeted at him.
"Let them act , do not stop them at all. Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit, from now on, you must closely monitor these two and report to me at least once a day," Ning Zhuo instructed.
He decided to use their plan against them!
Ning Xiaohui's grandmother moved very swiftly.
Seizing the opportunity when Ning Ji was alone, she easily captured him.
Ning Ji was just a minor Qi Refining Cultivator, while Ning Xiaohui's grandmother was an experienced cultivator at the Foundation Establishment level.
Capturing a minor Ning Ji was extremely easy for her.
"I know you're Ning Zhuo's cousin, write a letter to your dear cousin. Also write a plea for help to your parents!" Ning Xiaoren disguised his face and deliberately changed his voice.
Ning Ji, terrified, pleaded, "Two heroes, please don't kill me. I'll do whatever you say, just don't kill me!"
"Wh...wh...wh..."
"My cousin is Ning Zhuo, he's the Black Market Master, he's talented. Spare me, and he will pay a sufficient ransom for me!"
Ning Xiaoren didn't have to look far, his actions had already alerted the masked men.
The masked men had unwittingly stumbled upon something significant.
They had already investigated Ning Zhuo.
Knowing that Ning Zhuo and his uncle Ning Ze's family weren't very close.
Yet, after Ning Zhuo became successful, he still took good care of Ning Ze's family. After Ning Ji left Talisman Hall, he was doing quite well in the Black Market. Abusing his connection to Ning Zhuo, he used influence for personal gain and misbehaved, yet he remained unscathed and grew increasingly arrogant.
People did report him, but in the end, Ning Zhuo didn't react.
The masked men analyzed: It didn't matter whether Ning Zhuo was moved by old affection or concerned about his reputation on the Righteous Path. Ning Ze's family was indeed Ning Zhuo's weakness.
With no progress on other fronts, this minor weakness became their only breakthrough.
The masked men appeared again, helped Ning Xiaoren send out the ransom letter and calmed him.
Ning Xiaoren was secretly alarmed.
With demon beasts surrounding everywhere, contacting the outside world was very difficult. This power was substantial, but it was unknown which faction they belonged to.
It didn't matter whose it was, because, in reality, Ning Xiaoren was a complete nobody, unable to withstand such forces and merely wanting to survive by going with the flow.
"My son has been kidnapped!" Ning Ze's face changed drastically upon receiving the letter.
"Oh my god, my child, you must not suffer harm. Without you, what am I to do?" Wang Lan cried out in panic and distress.
"Shut up! Do you want the whole clan to know?" Ning Ze scolded.
In her extreme anxiety, Wang Lan retorted, "Is it not your fault, household head? You were the one who sent Ji'er to the dangerous Lava Fairy Palace. See, now he's been kidnapped!"
Ning Ze snorted coldly, "You think the Black Market is safe? Ning Zhuo participated in the second round of palace tests, and all the cultivators in the palace tests were targeted. Staying in the Black Market, you think Ji'er wouldn't have been kidnapped? On the contrary, going to the Lava Fairy Palace gives him a better chance to make a name for himself."
"This hopeless kid's getting worse by abusing his relation to Ning Zhuo. Without any achievements, he was bound to get into trouble eventually!"
Wang Lan paused, then realized, "Are you saying our Ji'er was dragged into trouble by that brat Ning Zhuo?!"
"I've always said he's a troublemaker, I've seen it since he was a child."
"Oh, without Ji'er, how can I go on?"
"I can't go on, I just can't!"
Ning Ze slammed the table furiously, standing up, "Ji'er isn't even dead yet, and you're already mourning him?!"
"The only plan now is to find Ning Zhuo. Pack up, we're taking the next trip to the Lava Fairy Palace to see Ning Zhuo."
"Hmph!"
"We're Ning Zhuo's closest family in this world. He can't possibly ignore this."
Every so often, Fire Persimmon Immortal City would organize a group of people, in collaboration with cultivators like Meng Kui and Zhu Xuanji, using temporarily constructed short-range Transmission Arrays, to shuffle personnel.
On one hand, to replenish manpower to the major frontline of the Lava Fairy Palace, and on the other hand, to replace cultivators who were either seriously injured and incurable or had to leave the palace.
Ning Ze and Wang Lan took advantage of this channel and smoothly entered the Lava Fairy Palace.
Using their status, they secured an audience with Ning Zhuo.
"What? My cousin has been captured? How come I didn't know?!" Ning Zhuo feigned shock.
Wang Lan wept, "Little Zhuo, Ji'er grew up with you. You can't ignore this! If you don't care about him, he'll lose his life."
Ning Zhuo immediately reassured, "Uncle, Aunt, calm yourselves."
"I see this letter, the kidnappers want a ransom."
"For my cousin's safety, we might as well redeem him first. No amount of money matters, my cousin's life is the most important!"
Ning Ze and Wang Lan's expressions softened.
Regardless, Ning Zhuo's stance was very appropriate, reassuring.
With his uncle and aunt's approval, Ning Zhuo immediately called his subordinate Ning Xiangguo, instructing him to take the ransom to the kidnappers.
The masked men hardly cared about the ransom.
Upon seeing Ning Xiangguo, they were quite excited.
"Ning Zhuo has taken the bait!"
"Keep him hanging, distract him. This allows us to provide a report upwards."
The masked men raised the ransom, resulting in Ning Xiangguo returning empty-handed.
Ning Ze and Wang Lan's hopes were dashed, and they immediately sought out Ning Zhuo again.