Chapter 17

Ning Chen and Ning Yong sat by the window on the second floor of the restaurant, monitoring the street at all times.

"Look, Unlike Ning Zhuo has appeared."

"Let's go!"

The two walked with quick steps, arriving at the intersection ahead of time, and pretended to run into Unlike Ning Zhuo by chance.

"Unlike Ning Zhuo?" Ning Yong called out.

Unlike Ning Zhuo looked at the two, stunned for a moment, then smiled: "It's you two, Ning Yong, Ning Chen."

These two were Unlike Ning Zhuo's classmates.

Ning Chen feigned a sigh: "We haven't seen each other since the Grand Exam; it feels like a long time has passed."

Unlike Ning Zhuo's heart stirred slightly: "Although the time is short, if many things have happened, it naturally creates the illusion that time has been long."

Ning Yong: "I've heard about your situation. After the Grand Exam, you had a falling out with your uncle and aunt, and you were unwilling to accept their help."

"Are you finding it difficult living on your own now?"

"What are you doing to earn spirit stones to maintain your cultivation?"

Unlike Ning Zhuo hesitated for a moment: "I'm currently doing odd jobs at a mechanism workshop. What about you two?"

Ning Yong chuckled, sounding somewhat proud: "We have already joined the Demon Hunting Society!"

"We are currently purchasing supplies to leave the city; tonight, we will enter the demon cave with the seniors of the Demon Hunting Society to hunt demon beasts."

"How about it, exciting, right?"

Unlike Ning Zhuo opened his mouth slightly in surprise: "You are going to enter the Red Flame Demon Melting Cave? Isn't that too dangerous?"

"What's there to fear? What can you accomplish if you're afraid of death?" Ning Yong puffed out his chest, looking disdainful. "At a young age, one should roam about. Without taking risks, where would extraordinary gains come from? Without money to accelerate cultivation, when would I ever reach Foundation Establishment?"

Ning Chen then said: "Don't listen to his bragging. There are cultivators from our Ning family in the Demon Hunting Society; have you heard of the name of Lord Ning Zhanji?"

"We are entering the cave under his leadership, and tonight happens to be the low tide period of the Earth Flame, so it's very safe."

Ning Chen tried his best to dispel Unlike Ning Zhuo's concerns.

Unlike Ning Zhuo revealed a look of envy.

Seeing this, Ning Yong directly invited him: "In my opinion, Unlike Ning Zhuo, stop doing that workshop work. Just come down into the cave with us."

"There are so many treasures hidden in the Demon Melting Cave."

"How much can you earn in a week? Perhaps, if you harvest a single spirit plant in the Red Flame Demon Melting Cave, it would be enough to cover your weekly salary!"

Unlike Ning Zhuo shook his head and waved his hands, refusing: "My grades in the sword arts subject have always hovered between average and below average. Going to fight demon beasts is too dangerous; I can't do it."

"Coward!" Ning Yong glared, about to speak.

Ning Chen stopped him with a look and smiled at Unlike Ning Zhuo: "If I were you, Unlike Ning Zhuo, I would go back and apologize to my uncle and aunt, let them use their connections to send me into the family business. The benefits would definitely be much better than working outside!"

Unlike Ning Zhuo immediately shook his head, showing the spirited side of a youth, and said with a firm tone: "Since it has already reached this point, it is absolutely impossible for me to bow my head like this."

Ning Chen chuckled: "Then if I were your uncle and aunt, seeing you reduced to making a living in an inconspicuous little workshop, what would they think?"

"Perhaps they are thinking: 'Look, this Unlike Ning Zhuo doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth; without our help, he can only live in hardship and gradually become the lowest of the low among cultivators!'"

Unlike Ning Zhuo immediately frowned, his expression turning gloomy, as if his mental defenses had been broken.

Ning Chen smiled inwardly, pressing the advantage...

A moment later.

Watching Unlike Ning Zhuo's departing back, Ning Yong said: "Unlike Ning Zhuo's grades are better than ours, but what's the use? Didn't he easily fall for our provocation and agree to act with us tonight?"

Ning Chen sighed: "Unlike Ning Zhuo is just like us, an ordinary person."

"Thinking from his perspective, if I were him, being calculated against by someone with intent, I would also fall for the trap."

"Sigh..."

Seeing his companion's low spirits, Ning Yong consoled him: "Although Unlike Ning Zhuo is our classmate, we have already submitted to Lord Ning Zhanji. This time, it was an order given to us personally by Lord Ning Zhanji. Compared to our future, what is this bit of classmate affection? We aren't even close to him on a daily basis!"

Ning Chen shook his head slightly: "Forget it. In this way, we can finally give Lord Ning Zhanji an account."

"Let's go."

At dusk, Unlike Ning Zhuo arrived at the assembly point alone.

Ning Yong smiled and led him inside.

Ning Chen brought him before Ning Zhanji.

Ning Zhanji was a middle-aged man with a burly build and long, thin eyebrows. He looked Unlike Ning Zhuo up and down, expressionless: "Since you are a clansman of the Ning family, I will take care of you this time and arrange for you to join the team."

"But remember, obey my orders and arrangements in all actions."

"This junior understands!" Unlike Ning Zhuo said quickly.

In Unlike Ning Zhuo's mind, information regarding Ning Zhanji flashed rapidly.

Many years ago, the Ning family began consciously sending cultivators out into various organizations inside and outside the Fire Persimmon Xiancheng.

Ning Zhanji was one of them.

He himself had strong combat power and acted decisively, earning the reputation of being swift and resolute. He was able to seize fleeting opportunities on the battlefield, thus standing out; he was a general-type figure.

This time, Ning Zhanji had received a request from Ning Ze and accepted the latter's money, which is why he dispatched Ning Chen and Ning Yong to provoke Unlike Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhanji glanced at Unlike Ning Zhuo twice, then withdrew his gaze, evaluating in his heart: "Third layer of Qi Refining, nothing special."

Soon, the personnel were gathered, totaling over fifty people.

Among these people, the vast majority were surnamed Ning. The small portion of outsiders also had close ties to the Ning family.

Ning Zhanji led the group and began to advance toward the Red Flame Demon Melting Cave.

Fire Persimmon Xiancheng was a typical mountain city.

The vast majority of the buildings in the city were concentrated on the mountainside. The further toward the center of the city, the higher the terrain, with the crater at the summit being the very center. The further toward the surroundings, the lower the terrain, which were the stretching foothills.

Unlike Ning Zhuo's group climbed upward all the way from the mountainside. Along the way, they passed through several checkpoints, where the inspections were very loose, and finally arrived at the summit.

At the summit, the spiritual energy became noticeably dense and scorching.

The air was filled with the smell of sulfur, and it was quite pungent.

Although it was night, the crater was constantly scattering bright firelight. With the help of the light, Unlike Ning Zhuo saw bursts of white smoke drifting over the crater.

In this white smoke, many smoke-cloud sparrows were flying around, darting in and out.

Unlike Ning Zhuo and the others arrived at the edge of the volcano.

Looking down, one could see a wide, flat rocky area inside the crater.

The crimson rocks were constantly emitting scorching heat. Some red rocks were tightly connected, while others had gaps between the rock slabs, and beneath the gaps flowed bright orange-red magma. There were also cave entrances opening up on the rocks.

Some cave entrances were spitting out flames from time to time, some were flowing with magma, and others were bottomless, serving as paths leading to the deeper parts of the underground.

The mountain walls and the rocky ground were at an almost vertical angle, and the circle of mountain walls appeared glazed and exceptionally smooth. This clearly showed traces of human intervention; the entire crater was like a huge open-mouthed cup.

And moving toward the center, Unlike Ning Zhuo discovered that the number of cave entrances on the red rock surface was increasing, and the size of the entrances was also getting larger.

Finally, his gaze fixed on the very center of the rocky area.

There, there was a lake of magma.