Chapter 196

After many days, Ning Zhuo returned to his home once again.

Looking around, everything was brand new!

The house, the furniture, and even the underground secret chamber had all been rebuilt.

Ever since Ning Zhuo became the master of the black market, the speed of his home's reconstruction had soared, more than ten times faster than before!

More importantly, the defensive arrays in his home were interconnected with the Fire Persimmon Immortal City's grand array, allowing them to exert powerful defensive capabilities.

Previously, Ning Zhuo's home had been blown up. If such an attack were to occur again, with the defensive array in place, it would certainly not repeat the same mistake.

In the small courtyard of his home.

Ning Zhuo gathered his classmates from the modification team to once again review and purchase their puppet creations, followed by a lecture on his insights into spellcasting.

Everyone listened with rapt attention, except for Ning Ji, who appeared serious but whose mind was wandering far away.

When it came to an end, Ning Zhuo changed his usual demeanor and said to everyone with an earnest expression: "There is one matter that I believe you have all heard about."

"That's right, yesterday I appeared in public to testify that Ning Xiaohui's injury to me in the previous battle was a 'mistake,' not intentional."

Upon hearing Ning Zhuo take the initiative to bring up this topic, the expressions of everyone changed drastically.

Ning Yong clenched his fists indignantly: "Brother Zhuo, did those people from the main branch force you? It's okay, we all stand with you!"

Just as Ning Yong finished speaking, others chimed in.

"Ning Xiaohui is really too much!"

"If it weren't for her causing trouble, we would have already defeated that puppet ape."

"At worst, we'll make a scene at the ancestral hall again!"

Ning Zhuo reached out and pressed down several times, and the small courtyard immediately fell silent.

Ning Zhuo sighed deeply: "The infighting between the main and branch branches of my Ning family has reached this point!"

"To tell you all the truth, the Ning family head personally came to negotiate with me, offering a large sum of money to have me come forward and prove Ning Xiaohui's 'innocence'."

"At first, I was unwilling. But later, I thought of the Ning family, and I thought of the Ning family's reputation."

"If I were to hold onto Ning Xiaohui and stir up the mutual attrition and disputes between the main and branch branches, wouldn't that just make outsiders laugh at us?"

"Sigh..."

"Ning Xiaohui treats me this way, yet I cannot drag down the family's prestige."

"Therefore, I accepted the bribe from the Ning family head, and I even raised the price significantly."

"I testified for Ning Xiaohui in public and ultimately chose this way of handling it. I tell you this now in the hope that you will not dwell on this matter anymore, but instead focus your energy and time on your own cultivation."

Ning Zhuo's words left everyone feeling deeply moved.

"Brother Zhuo, you have truly sacrificed too much for the family!" Ning Yong shouted.

Ning Chen wiped away tears: "Brother Zhuo, you are truly enduring humiliation for the greater good. But who can understand your painstaking efforts?"

Others: "Brother Zhuo, it is my fault; I misunderstood you and thought you had been bought off by the main branch with a large sum of money!"

"Brother Zhuo, with a heart like yours, you are easily taken advantage of. Those in the main branch really should learn more from you."

"There is no one I admire more. Brother Zhuo, from now on, I am following you!"

Watching the excitement of the people in the courtyard, Ning Zhuo noticed that the Life-Thread of Fate above their heads was expanding and becoming more solid.

For a moment, Ning Zhuo was touched, and a flash of inspiration appeared in his mind.

He suddenly understood: "For the Life-Thread of Fate to be reinforced and deepened, it requires more recognition. The higher the degree of recognition, the more solid and stable the Life-Thread of Fate becomes."

"This kind of recognition is actually mutual."

"When I understand someone, understand their past and present, and estimate their future, this is a form of recognition."

"Only after I recognize them is the Life-Thread of Fate planted. And when the object planted also recognizes me, the Life-Thread of Fate is reinforced in reverse."

"Furthermore, recognition is not expectation, nor is it submission."

"Recognition is simply recognition!"

This realization was not much, but it was the final piece of the puzzle.

In an instant, the bud of the Life-Thread of Fate divine ability slowly opened and suddenly bloomed.

The white lotus root was like jade, crystal clear; the green leaves were like emeralds, dripping with green; the pink lotus was like rosy clouds, charming and moving.

White lotus root, green leaves, pink lotus!

The Life-Thread of Fate divine ability—it was done!

Completely successful; it was no longer a prototype, but a complete divine ability.

Divine ability, divine ability!

Ning Zhuo was infinitely happy, his heart racing.

He was merely in the Qi Refining stage, yet he had mastered a divine ability. What a rare and precious achievement!

If he were to tell anyone, no one in the Immortal City would believe it.

One must know that most Golden Core cultivators do not have a single divine ability in their entire lives.

But soon, Ning Zhuo shook his head and told himself:

"This is nothing."

"It's not like I realized it myself; I took a shortcut!"

"It is entirely thanks to the legacy of the Three Sects' masters that I have made such rapid progress and finally mastered the complete divine ability, the Life-Thread of Fate."

"It is also thanks to my mother's dying words that I set my ambition to capture the Lava Immortal Palace. This is the premise for all my recent progress."

"Mother..."

Thinking of his mother, Ning Zhuo could not help but feel a few wisps of sorrow.

"You wouldn't have imagined it either, would you? Even though I am only in the Qi Refining stage, I have mastered a divine ability."

Suddenly, at this moment, Ning Zhuo became fragile.

He wanted to share the achievement he had worked so hard to obtain with his mother.

But he could not.

His mother had long since passed away, and he had no impression of his father at all.

Fortunately, he had someone else he could share it with.

Underground base.

Ning Zhuo met Sun Lingtong again: "Boss Sun, I did it, I did it!"

"I have mastered the complete divine ability—the Life-Thread of Fate!"

"Really?!" Sun Lingtong widened his eyes, then joyfully raised his arms, "Aha! Little Zhuo, with your personality, if you say so, you must have done it."

"Amazing."

"You are truly amazing!"

"Mastering a divine ability in the Qi Refining stage—if such an achievement were to get out, you would definitely be fought over by the super sects."

"Little Zhuo, you are a genius, you are a true genius!!"

Ning Zhuo laughed out loud a few times, then lowered his head, taking a deep breath: "Boss, you flatter me. I know I still have a long way to go."

"This divine ability comes from the Illusion-Truth Lotus Seed; I was just lucky enough to happen upon them and use them on myself."

Sun Lingtong opened his mouth: "Uh, Little Zhuo..."

Ning Zhuo ignored him, continuing to be humble for a long time until he gradually calmed down.

Sun Lingtong watched him the whole time with a smile, watching the genius young cultivator he had raised since he was a child.

Suddenly, Sun Lingtong had an epiphany: Ning Zhuo's humility had already taken root in the deepest part of his heart; it was a behavior ingrained in his bones, a tool he used to quickly adjust his mindset.

Waiting until Ning Zhuo stopped rambling, Sun Lingtong finally said: "Quick, introduce the wonderful uses of the Life-Thread of Fate divine ability to me, young man!"

Ning Zhuo touched his head and gave a cheeky smile: "After the divine ability was completed, I could feel a qualitative change."

"A qualitative change in every aspect!"

"It's hard to explain just by talking. How about this, Boss Sun, I'll demonstrate it for you."

As soon as he finished speaking, Ning Zhuo conveyed certain messages to Sun Lingtong through the Life-Thread of Fate. Sun Lingtong immediately received this information.

Just as the Dragon-Turtle Fire Spirit conveyed key information to the trial disciples through the Life-Thread of Fate, Ning Zhuo could now do the same.

Ning Zhuo then cast a buffing spell.

The spell followed the Life-Thread of Fate and acted directly on Sun Lingtong.

Sun Lingtong's hair immediately stood on end, his body expanded, growing at least thirteen times larger, his muscles knotted, but his face remained the same, still a baby face.

Sun Lingtong:...

Ning Zhuo directly manipulated the Life-Thread of Fate.

Sun Lingtong tiptoed, involuntarily sticking out his rear, standing on his toes, and the whole person began to dance gracefully.

Sun Lingtong:?!

"Alright, alright, the divine ability is indeed powerful, don't test it anymore, Little Zhuo." Sun Lingtong felt that something was a bit off and stopped Ning Zhuo in advance.

Ning Zhuo said "Ah," and hurriedly said: "Boss, let me try one more time, just one more time. The last time, I promise!"

Sun Lingtong sighed: "I really can't do anything with you, come on then."

Ning Zhuo gave a cheeky smile, stared at Sun Lingtong, and then stared a second time.

"Done?" Sun Lingtong was baffled.

Ning Zhuo nodded: "Done."

He continued to explain: "Boss, you didn't feel it. Just now, I canceled the Life-Thread of Fate and then planted a new one on your head."

Sun Lingtong reacted instantly: "So, you can use it in actual combat?"

Ning Zhuo nodded heavily: "Currently, it seems so."

"The range, time, and difficulty of planting the Life-Thread of Fate have all plummeted."

"Of course, the most important factor remains the degree of mutual recognition."

Sun Lingtong clapped his hands in joy, then frowned: "Degree of recognition?"

Ning Zhuo did not hide it from him, telling Sun Lingtong all his understanding and insights regarding the Life-Thread of Fate divine ability.

After listening, Sun Lingtong immediately felt he had gained a lot.

"Little Zhuo, you have insight!" Sun Lingtong sighed sincerely.

Ning Zhuo: "I still have a long way to go; compared to those true geniuses, I am nothing."

Sun Lingtong:...

Ning family territory.

The door to the cultivation chamber was opened, and Ning Xiaohui's grandmother entered, her expression full of pity.

"Xiaohui, my little Xiaohui, eat something. How can you go without eating or drinking?"

Ning Xiaohui was withered and gaunt; she turned slowly, her expression numb: "Grandma, why did I want to hurt Ning Zhuo? I don't understand, why did I want to do that!"

Seeing Ning Xiaohui ask such a heartbreaking question with such a miserable expression, her grandmother's heart was breaking.

She quickly came to Ning Xiaohui's side, opened her arms, and pulled her granddaughter into her embrace, comforting her well.

Ning Xiaohui curled up in her grandmother's arms, crying for a long while before she finally calmed down.

"Xiaohui, I have discussed it with the family head and the others." Her grandmother said gently, "We don't need to enter the Immortal Palace with our souls. Getting too close to Ning Zhuo and those branch members is definitely not a good thing!"

"Starting tomorrow, you will enter the Immortal Palace with the family's team."

Ning Xiaohui looked up at her grandmother. After a long while, she nodded slightly and responded softly: "Mm."

Only then did Ning Xiaohui's grandmother let out a sigh of relief, feeling slightly more at ease.

"Ning Zhuo!" Grandmother gritted her teeth, "You have harmed my granddaughter so bitterly; sooner or later, I will make you pay back a hundredfold!"