```
Ning Family's main lineage territory.
Ning Jiufan's residence, a secret chamber.
On the bed lay an old and feeble Magma Demon Ape.
Ning Jiufan half-sat beside the bed, holding a medicine bowl in one hand and a soup spoon in the other, spooning the thick medicinal liquid for the demon ape to drink.
"Come, Granny Yuan, after drinking this medicine, your wounds will heal even faster," Ning Jiufan said with a gentle tone and a smile on his face.
The ape was the very same Magma Demon Ape that had developed many entanglements with Ning Jiufan and had been saved by him in the Lava Fairy Palace at the Nascent Soul Level.
The old ape slightly opened its mouth, allowing Ning Jiufan to pour the medicinal liquid into its mouth.
As a demon beast, its survival instinct was extremely strong. After knowing the liquid was beneficial, it never refused.
In the eyes of the ape gazing at Ning Jiufan, complex emotions were evident.
On one hand, it was grateful to Ning Jiufan, who had saved its life. On the other, it resented Ning Jiufan for taking advantage of its weakness, using Official Skill and Magic Treasures to forcibly bind it as a servant subordinate.
Lastly, the gaze of the old ape also revealed a great deal of affection.
In its life, it had many mates, but Ning Jiufan gave it the most novel and unique feeling, leaving a deep impression.
Especially during the recent period of convalescence, it received tender and thorough care from Ning Jiufan.
It was a taste it had never experienced in its life.
In the world of demon beasts, filled with ruthless competition, brutality, and heartlessness.
Before its healing, it had never imagined that it could receive such treatment! It turned out life could also be lived this way.
The old ape's Heart Qi Strength weakened.
It was already aged and nearing the end of its lifespan.
Meeting Ning Jiufan at the end of its life felt like fortune.
If it had been strong and in its prime, it would have resisted a life dominated by someone of Golden Core Level, refusing to submit.
But now, it was thoroughly old, with little Heart Qi Strength left.
It indulged in the tender land Ning Jiufan had woven, enjoying the last splendid phase of life.
After Ning Jiufan finished feeding the medicinal liquid, he took out a handkerchief to gently wipe the corners of the old ape's mouth.
He spoke, "Granny Yuan, I know you don't have much time left."
"But I don't want you to die, I want you to live!"
As he said this, he held the old ape's hand, "I know you hold a grudge against me, and hate that I dominated you, using Official Skill and Magic Treasure, leaving you no power to resist."
"I admit I am selfish because I want you to stay by my side!"
"In these days that I have treated your injuries, you should know my sincerity."
"However, the effects of the medicine are waning, I need to find a better treatment for you. Many days ago, I dispatched family members to Ten Thousand Medicine Valley to seek medicine for you."
"Today, I received the letter they sent back."
"There are indeed good medicines there that can treat your injuries. Will you come with me?"
The Magma Mother Ape, having reached Nascent Soul Level, was not lacking in wisdom. Ning Jiufan also used Divine Sense to communicate, avoiding any barriers of language.
Upon hearing that there were better medicines, Granny Yuan's eyes began to glow.
Once Ning Jiufan finished speaking, it nodded eagerly, agreeing to go.
"That's good. I know you also want to be with me, right?" Ning Jiufan felt quite pleased.
It was best to persuade Granny Yuan to move voluntarily.
It wasn't impossible to force action with Official Skill and Magic Treasures, but such methods were too harsh.
On this point, Ning Jiufan's thoughts coincided with Ning Zhuo's: not to force but to attract with kindness.
After successfully persuading Granny Yuan, Ning Jiufan entered the Lava Fairy Palace to meet with Meng Kui and reported the matter.
Meng Kui, knowing that the Ning Family was backed by the Southern Bean Royal Family, was reluctant but could not be demanding. After all, Ning Jiufan was not his subordinate.
Meng Kui could only remind Ning Jiufan to make a quick trip and return soon.
It would be best to come back to Fire Persimmon Mountain before the traps were laid. After all, one more person meant more assurance.
Ning Jiufan knew that what Meng Kui was truly relying on was not himself, but Granny Yuan.
And for this reason, he was even more determined to proceed to Ten Thousand Medicine Valley.
The great war was imminent, yet Granny Yuan had not fully recovered. If he lingered in Fire Persimmon Immortal City, it wouldn't be easy to stand by idly during the capture of the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Fire Spirit.
Since this threatened the safety of the entire Fire Persimmon Immortal City, and as a part with Golden Core Cultivation within the city, Ning Jiufan must shoulder the responsibility of a Righteous Path strong figure. After all, the Ning Family lived there.
Ning Jiufan worried that if he took action this time, he might well fall into Meng Kui's calculations and lose Granny Yuan.
His ability to command a Nascent Soul Level Magma Demon Ape was supported by the Zhu Family. The Ning Family now served as the main force to restrain the Meng Family.
If Meng Kui harbored any intentions to harm Granny Yuan in the upcoming battle, then the Ning Family would suffer a great loss!
Therefore, he needed to bring Granny Yuan's condition to the best state possible.
"Ten Thousand Medicine Sect really is an excellent place for healing; I didn't expect Little Zhuo to be so quick."
"He seems to be doing quite well there, too."
"That little brat..."
```
Ning Jiufan secretly took Granny Yuan and quietly left Fire Persimmon Mountain, heading straight for the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect.
He was quite familiar with the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect.
In the past, the main forces of the Ning Family had used an underground river to leave the Myriad Demons Cave and directly entered the Ten Thousand Medicine Valley.
The Ning Family had recuperated in the Ten Thousand Medicine Valley for a time.
Such a thing would be almost impossible in other sects, but the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect had made it happen.
From this point of view, the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect had once given the Ning Family a lot of important, critical support.
Therefore, regarding the idea of cooperation between the Ning Family and the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect mentioned in Ning Zhuo's letter, Ning Jiufan also tended to agree.
Ning Jiufan's favorable impression of the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect was still quite substantial.
As he and the Demon Ape stealthily departed, a cultivator with faltering steps and stumble-prone feet entered Fire Persimmon Immortal City.
His name was Liu Zhen, and he was Lin Shanshan's sixth senior brother.
This time, he was sent by the Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect, Lin Bufan, to gather intelligence on Ning Zhuo.
The sun was well up in the sky when Liu Zhen, tottering and in poor shape, arrived. His vision blurry, head spinning, legs weak, he had no choice but to lean against the wall for support.
Unable to see the path clearly, his hand found nothing to brace against, and he collapsed, fainting on the spot.
"Alas, someone has collapsed right at our gate," exclaimed the servant guarding the door, upon seeing this.
"Couldn't be a beggar trying to extort from us, could it?"
"What nonsense are you talking about? This place belongs to the City Lord's Mansion!"
"Quick, lend a hand—this cultivator is barely breathing. Get Master Sun to have a look!"
Soon after.
Liu Zhen, who had passed out, slowly regained consciousness.
His vision shifted from blurry to clear, and he found himself lying on a sickbed, with a cultivator beside him channeling the fragrance of elixir pills, letting the scent penetrate his nostrils.
"This doctor, I owe you my life..." Liu Zhen tried to speak but was interrupted.
"I know, your surname is Liu, your given name Zhen, from the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect," said the treating cultivator. "You fainted at my courtyard gate, and servants carried you inside. I found a token on you, along with other belongings."
"So, I learned of your identity."
"Please don't take offense. I am a Pill Master, after all, and healing is part of the job. I need to gather as much information as possible to make a diagnosis and treat effectively."
Liu Zhen chuckled: "Master, don't be troubled; being from the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect, I naturally understand these...principles."
His face was deathly pale, without a hint of Blood Qi, his whole body nearly reduced to a skeletal frame, his life force extremely faint.
The Pill Master treating him introduced himself: "My name is Sun Lie, currently residing at Ziyang Courtyard. Your fainting at my door must be fated."
"I observe that your Blood Qi is extremely weakened, with dizziness and ringing in the ears, spirit tired and weak, a hot sensation around the heart, unceasing night sweats, yet also a fear of cold with cold limbs."
"Complexion pale as paper, spirit flagging, poor stomach intake, a pale tongue with a white coating, a pulse that's deep, fine, and lacking strength."
"This is clearly a severe deficiency of kidney essence!"
"And your eye bags are purplish and dark, with subtle black lines appearing on your nails and teeth, a coldness on your body, and lingering ghostly qi."
"You encountered a female ghost that feeds on essence blood and Yang Energy, didn't you?"
Liu Zhen nodded: "Master Sun is truly insightful—it was indeed so. That female ghost seduced me, and for seven days and nights, she harvested from me to the extreme, creating a deadly enmity."
"At the brink of death, fortunately, a protective talisman bestowed by my master allowed me to Escape Void and shift away, sparing me from the female ghost's clutches."
As he spoke, Liu Zhen's face showed lingering fear.
Had he not been delayed by the female ghost along the way, he would have arrived at Fire Persimmon Immortal City much sooner.
Sun Lie nodded: "It seems my diagnosis was correct. You rest well and take the Eight-Flavor Rehmannia Pills I prescribed, and you will recover somewhat quickly."
"However, you've suffered a severe loss of vital essence, and it will take either top-grade elixir pills or a long period of recuperation to fully recover."
Liu Zhen: "I understand. Once I complete my sect's mission, I will return to Ten Thousand Medicine Valley and ask my master to intervene, certainly solving my plight."
"Master Sun, I will surely repay your lifesaving grace!"
Sun Lie nodded again: "I've long heard of Ten Thousand Medicine Valley and was planning on leaving Fire Persimmon Immortal City to continue my travels. My next destination might just be there."
Actually, Sun Lie wasn't too keen to leave yet.
But of late, he had uncovered a secret saying that the City Lord's Mansion had been in secret collusion with Luo Shang for a while.
This made Sun Lie feel uneasy.
The incident involving Han Ming had caused friction between him and the Soul Devouring Sect. Sun Lie wasn't willing to gamble on Luo Shang's attitude towards him.
Since the City Lord's Mansion here in Fire Persimmon Immortal City also seemed unreliable, Sun Lie's intention to leave grew stronger.
These past few days, he had been packing, getting ready to leave the city, when Liu Zhen quite literally "delivered" himself to the doorstep.
Hearing Sun Lie's plans, Liu Zhen's face brightened with joy: "That would be wonderful, Master. Why not travel back with me?"
"Agreed," Sun Lie nodded, handing Liu Zhen some elixir pills and instructing him on how to take them.
Liu Zhen was from the Ten Thousand Medicine Sect, versed in healing and alchemy himself. He asked Sun Lie many questions and committed his answers to memory.
And so, Liu Zhen began his temporary stay at Ziyang Courtyard.
Three days later, Liu Zhen had recovered enough to walk on his own without the help of walls.
When he looked in the mirror, he saw his once-young face now filled with signs of aging, his black hair gone, his vitality faded; a surge of hatred for that female ghost grew within him.
Liu Zhen then began to work on completing his sect's mission.