Ning Xiaoren returned to his receiving hall and quickly summoned Ning Ze.
"Come, sit, have some tea," Ning Xiaoren said with a smile, motioning for Ning Ze to sit.
Ning Ze, filled with uncertainty, had never been received this way by Ning Xiaoren before.
He quickly responded, "If there’s anything, the Young Clan Leader can simply instruct his subordinates."
Ning Xiaoren pointed to the seat, and Ning Ze, feeling apprehensive, took his seat cautiously.
Taking a light sip of tea, Ning Xiaoren sighed, "Ning Ze, you've raised an outstanding nephew."
Ning Ze immediately stood up. "My lord, has Little Zhuo caused trouble? I’ll go back and discipline him properly!"
Ning Xiaoren glared slightly, waving his hand. "Sit, sit. No need to worry; this is good news."
As Ning Xiaoren explained, Ning Ze, who was barely perched on his seat, gradually widened his eyes in surprise, his mouth eventually hanging open.
Even after leaving Ning Xiaoren's hall and returning home, the astonishment remained on Ning Ze's face.
Qi Refining Third Layer peak!
In the joint test of the three families, he had stunned everyone!
On par with geniuses like Ning Xiaohui and Zheng Jian!
Could this really be Ning Zhuo?
Was this still the same Ning Zhuo he remembered?
"How did Little Zhuo achieve this? Is the Five Elements Qi Regulation Technique truly that compatible with him?"
With these questions in mind, Ning Ze called for his wife, Wang Lan. "Today, prepare a family feast. Go to the restaurant and order some spirit food."
Wang Lan looked puzzled. "Spirit food costs quite a bit. What’s the special occasion that warrants such celebration?"
"It’s a family feast; invite Little Zhuo over. It’s been a long time since I've seen him," Ning Ze replied.
Wang Lan’s eyes widened, her voice shrill. "What? Invite Little Zhuo over for a meal? And order spirit food? Have you lost your mind?"
Ning Ze retorted sternly, "What do you understand, woman? This is an instruction from the Young Clan Leader."
He briefly relayed what Ning Xiaoren had told him, and Wang Lan stood there, dumbfounded.
"Little Zhuo?"
"Are you sure it’s Little Zhuo?!"
Ning Ze snorted. "Why would I deceive you? And why would the Young Clan Leader deceive me? So many people saw the results of the three-family test; how could it be fake?"
Wang Lan’s lips moved as if to say something, but in the end, she said nothing, her expression filled with disbelief, denial, resentment, jealousy, and disappointment.
Ning Ze’s expression grew stern. "What are you thinking about? Go make the arrangements!"
Wang Lan responded absently, "Fine, I’ll get it done."
As she left, her expression remained vacant, her steps stiff, as if in a trance.
Once alone, Ning Ze sighed deeply.
Ning Xiaoren had ordered him to draw Ning Zhuo closer and subtly gather information from him.
For sixteen years, this was the first time Ning Ze had ever stooped to invite Ning Zhuo to a meal.
Ning Ze took pride in his status, and receiving such an order was humiliating; where was his dignity as an elder?
But he had no choice.
The Young Clan Leader’s order left him no room for refusal.
Rationally, he understood that cultivating a good relationship with Ning Zhuo could be beneficial.
After leaving the Zhou family, many people accompanied Ning Zhuo for a long stretch of the road, even though they had different paths.
At the last intersection, Ning Zhuo bid farewell to the others, keeping Ning Chen and Ning Yong by his side.
When he got home, he invited Ning Chen and Ning Yong inside for tea and a brief conversation.
Though they didn’t talk much, Ning Chen and Ning Yong felt honored, leaving with flushed faces, praising Ning Zhuo’s humility despite his newfound fame.
Finally, Ning Zhuo received the family feast invitation from Ning Ze.
"So it’s not a personal summon from the Ning Family Clan Leader, or even Young Clan Leader Ning Xiaoren?"
Ning Zhuo smirked inwardly, though he warmly thanked the messenger and assured him he would attend.
The family feast was lavish!
In his sixteen years, Ning Zhuo had never eaten such fine food in Ning Ze’s home.
Wang Lan, however, couldn’t eat.
She remained unusually silent, avoiding eye contact with Ning Zhuo, as if even glancing at him would pierce her heart.
Ning Ji also found the food tasteless.
Everything had happened so suddenly!
Ning Ze’s face was expressionless, his elder’s demeanor honed over sixteen years, and not so easily set aside.
Ning Zhuo didn’t eat much either, answering Ning Ze’s questions respectfully and concisely, unwilling to elaborate and keeping his distance.
Ning Ze understood; he needed to smile, to humble himself, and to be conciliatory.
Yet, by the end of the meal, when Ning Zhuo left, he hadn’t managed to do so.
Ning Ji secretly followed Ning Zhuo.
He didn’t even know why he was doing it.
Perhaps it was curiosity: "How did he reach the third-layer peak? It doesn’t make sense!"
"Is it truly because the technique suits him?"
"No, I’ll find out. He must have a secret!"
"Following me, are you?" Ning Zhuo had long noticed Ning Ji trailing behind, intentionally slowing his pace to allow him to follow.
Under Ning Ji's scrutiny, Ning Zhuo went to numerous pill shops, purchasing large quantities of pills, all intended for cultivation.
Ning Ji was stunned. "How is he so wealthy? He has more money than my father!"
"He’s shown his cultivation, but family resources haven’t even been distributed to him yet. Even if they were, there shouldn’t be this much."
"His wealth must be illicit! I’ll report this!"
Delighted, Ning Ji rushed home to inform Ning Ze.
Ning Xiaoren, however, was already aware of the situation before Ning Ze.
After instructing Ning Ze to draw closer to Ning Zhuo, he dispatched a team of cultivators to discreetly protect Ning Zhuo—though he also intended to monitor and report.
"Ning Zhuo actually has such a large sum of money?" Ning Xiaoren was shocked at the list detailing Ning Zhuo’s pill purchases.
Gazing at the list, Ning Xiaoren’s eyes sparkled with greed. "Had I known Ning Zhuo had this much money, I would’ve cultivated a closer bond with him."
"Did his parents leave it for him in secret?"
"Or is it illicit? Stolen? Or maybe funded by demon cultivators?"
As he paced in his study, Ning Xiaoren’s greed burned ever brighter.
"Ning Zhuo, a branch family member, now at the same level as Ning Xiaohui and possessing a fortune…"
"This fortune’s source is unclear. For the sake of the family, it must be thoroughly investigated."
"Better yet, I don’t need to act personally. Ning Ze can handle it. Isn’t this perfect?"
Finally, he stopped, calling out, "Someone, come!"
A servant quickly entered.
Half an hour later, Ning Ze and Ning Fan led a team of cultivators, surrounding Ning Zhuo’s small courtyard.
Ning Ze frowned. "Do we really have to do this? It feels improper."
Ning Fan replied, "Didn’t the Young Clan Leader give you explicit instructions?"
"The reformation team involves the Lava Immortal Palace; this is too important to overlook."
"Ning Zhuo’s fortune is indeed suspicious, and as his uncle, you must intervene."
"The family may rely on Ning Zhuo in the future. You, as his family, are the most suitable person for the job."
"Do it quickly."
Ning Ze, from the branch family, was being overseen by Ning Fan, from the main branch, who was specifically appointed by Ning Xiaoren.
With a sigh, Ning Ze knocked on the door.
Ning Zhuo opened it, greeting them respectfully and inquiring about their visit.
"We need to talk inside," Ning Ze said solemnly, stepping into the courtyard without waiting for an invitation.
Everyone followed in, pushing Ning Zhuo aside by the doorway.
Meanwhile, the three family patriarchs were meeting secretly to finalize negotiations.
This time, they were solidifying the distribution of interests among the families.
"This Phoenix Soul Blood Fragrance Pill is beneficial for soul restoration; it should be divided equally among the three families."
"No," the Ning Family Clan Leader objected, "our family has two geniuses, Ning Xiaohui and Ning Zhuo, so we should have sufficient supply. The Zheng family only has one."
The Zheng Family Clan Leader scoffed. "But Ning Zhuo is only compatible with the technique; he has no innate talent. How can he be considered a genius? He doesn’t count!"
Just then, a knock sounded.
The three clan leaders’ eyes narrowed in surprise.
"Who is it?"
"It’s me, Zhu Xuanji!"
"Ah, it’s the divine constable, Zhu Xuanji." The three clan leaders quickly opened the door to welcome him.
They had stationed guards outside, but a Golden Core cultivator rendered those protections useless.
Zhu Xuanji smiled. "Clan Leaders, I have a favor to ask."
Zhu Xuanji had obtained records from the City Lord’s estate, detailing all cultivators who entered the Lava Immortal Palace in recent years.
However, this was only the City Lord's record.
Zhu Xuanji hoped to gather each family’s records to piece together a complete version.
The three clan leaders, all at the Foundation Establishment stage and in alignment with royal interests, complied immediately, fetching the records for Zhu Xuanji.
Primarily from the Zheng and Zhou families, as the Ning family had only discovered the Lava Immortal Palace this year, and had few records.
Zhu Xuanji glanced over them, nodding in satisfaction.
As a member of the royal family, he did not wish to see Meng Kui and Meng Chong seize control of the Lava Immortal Palace and expand their family’s influence.
Before leaving, he added, "On my way here, I heard a familiar name. If it’s Ning Zhuo, perhaps you should cultivate him."
"In terms of virtue, he requires observation, but he has some talent with mechanical constructs."
"The Mechanical Fire Explosive Monkey was his design."
The three clan leaders’ eyes widened in astonishment.
The Ning Family Clan Leader exclaimed, "What?!"
Zhu Xuanji smiled. "Publicly, it’s attributed to the Disc Workshop master, Chen Cha, but there’s more to it, involving Fei Si. A bit of investigation will reveal the truth."
With that, Zhu Xuanji waved and vanished.
The three clan leaders exchanged glances.
Gradually, the Ning Family Clan Leader lifted his head, exhaling with joy. "Did you both hear? The divine constable Zhu Xuanji confirmed it!"
The Zhou and Zheng Clan Leaders remained silent.
Meanwhile, the Ning Family Clan Leader, basking in joy, remained unaware that Ning Zhuo was facing severe questioning from within his own family.