Ning Zhuo arrived in the courtyard and encountered Zhu Xuanji.
Zhu Xuanji still wore a bright red brocade robe with black embroidery on the edges, his square face expressionless as he scrutinized Ning Zhuo from head to toe, his piercing gaze seeming to penetrate straight to the heart.
Ning Zhuo was well-prepared for Zhu Xuanji's uninvited arrival.
More precisely, this was all part of his own design!
During the palace examination, Ning Zhuo had deliberately revealed many things.
For instance, in the beginning, he fought against Sun Lingtong by utilizing multiple floating mechanical puppets, severely damaging the Golden Blood Battle Ape - Dasheng, to the extent that Sun Lingtong could no longer bring out Yuan Dasheng, leading to a drastic drop in his achievements.
This battle demonstrated Ning Zhuo's familiarity with the Golden Blood Battle Ape - Dasheng. Astute observers realized that Ning Zhuo knew a lot of insider information.
Afterwards, Ning Zhuo openly used the Five Elements Spiritual Conversion Disk without showing any "transition from unfamiliarity to familiarity," indicating his early familiarity with this mechanical component.
In the most recent palace examination, he directly employed the Blood Path Diagram Plate, revealing even deeper knowledge of the Demon-Infused Bloodline Technique!
He used these advantages in the palace examination to bolster his impressive record.
These were also baits thrown out by Ning Zhuo, which many cultivators and powers eagerly took, contacting him secretly and offering high prices to purchase them.
But Ning Zhuo rejected all of them.
This bait was primarily meant to lure Zhu Xuanji!
Once Ning Zhuo had dealt with his bet with Ning Jiufan, Zhu Xuanji finally took the initiative to come to him.
Facing Divine Hunter Zhu once again, Ning Zhuo felt far less pressure than he had at the Ciyou Garden.
By then, he had confessed and submitted to the law, eliminating several vulnerabilities. More crucially, through various manipulations and strategies, he had elevated his status within the Righteous Path to a new height:
Clan Leader of a branch of the Ning Family!
This was a high-ranking position within a Cultivator Family.
Becoming a Clan Leader of a branch during the Qi Refinement Realm was unimaginable under normal circumstances.
But Ning Zhuo had seized the opportunities given by fate, repeatedly using the Lava Fairy Palace and the palace examination to elevate his own worth, ultimately making this happen.
Previously, Ning Zhuo had maintained two disguises: one as a talented youth from a branch of the Ning Family, and the other as the Black Market Master. When it came to Ciyou Garden, Zhu Xuanji had found it very easy to go against him.
But now, Ning Zhuo had obtained a third identity—Clan Leader of a branch family of the Ning Family.
This forced Zhu Xuanji to be more cautious.
If it were a cultivator from the Demon Path or an Evil Sect, they wouldn't care about these identities. But Zhu Xuanji was a cultivator of the Righteous Path, a member of the Royal Family, inherently respecting established rules, especially now when he relied on the alliance of the Zhou Family, Ning Family, and Zheng Family to counter the Meng Family and Bukong Sect, helping him strive for the position of Palace Master of the Lava Fairy Palace.
Ning Zhuo knew that although his Cultivation Level hadn't changed, his status had greatly improved, thus shifting the dynamics of his interaction with Zhu Xuanji.
He greeted Zhu Xuanji with a bow, first respectfully saying hello, then subtly expressing that his time was limited, hoping for a concise discussion during their interaction.
Zhu Xuanji laughed heartily, pointing a finger at Ning Zhuo: "Just ascended as the Clan Leader of a branch family, and already feeling so pompous."
"A guilty appearance of a petty man reaches its peak in your current expression."
Ning Zhuo also smiled: "Lord Zhu, this is the culmination of all my exhaustive efforts, striving to my utmost. If I don't show it off a bit, wouldn't that be letting down all my previous hard work?"
This sincere demeanor actually made Ning Zhuo appear more genuine and not deceitful.
Zhu Xuanji thought quite highly of Ning Zhuo.
On one hand, he felt a sense of accomplishment. He believed he had given Ning Zhuo a push, steering this young talent toward the Righteous Path.
On the other hand, during the palace examination, Ning Zhuo's severe defeat of the Golden Blood Battle Ape - Dasheng had proven a significant achievement by causing Sun Lingtong's record to plummet.
And importantly, whenever Ning Zhuo encountered Zhu Xuanji or Ning Jiufan during the palace examination, he would willingly concede. This attitude aligned perfectly with Zhu Xuanji's desires.
This was why—Zhu Xuanji had long realized that Ning Zhuo had concealed much information. Despite his previous confession and submission to the law, he had not revealed the full truth. Yet Zhu Xuanji had still waited until now before querying.
Zhu Xuanji stared into Ning Zhuo's eyes: "Speaking of which, I haven't thanked you yet. It was thanks to your concession in the second round of the palace examination."
Ning Zhuo hurriedly waved his hand: "My lord, you flatter me too much; I dare not accept such praise!"
"My Five Elements Pawn, in terms of power and effectiveness, can't compare to your mechanical puppet."
"You didn't need me to concede; I was bound to lose anyway, admitting defeat ahead of time saved both time and energy."
Zhu Xuanji clasped his hands behind his back: "Ning Zhuo, tell me the truth, does your Ning Family desire this Immortal Palace?"
"Let me be blunt, if your Ning Family has such intentions, I can also lend my support and voluntarily step aside, allowing you to control this precious item!"
"Among the three major families in Fire Persimmon Immortal City, the Zhou Family and Zheng Family have deep roots, while your Ning Family, hailing from North Wind Country, has an unstable foundation, making it the perfect ally for my Southern Bean Royal Family to form alliances and counterbalance the local powers."
Ning Zhuo did not hesitate for a moment, laughing ruefully: "Lord Zhu, since you are candid, let me also speak frankly. It's not like I haven't entertained the idea."
"However, the Lava Fairy Palace is too damaged. With its current decay, the cost of repairs would be horrendously high."
"Our Ning Family's resources can hardly bear it."
"Even more frightening is the ongoing palace examination and the increasingly fierce Demon Beast Tide, which will definitely lead to further decay of the Immortal Palace."