Chapter 272: The Truth Is About to Be Revealed

"According to Li Leifeng's judgment, Ning Zhuo possesses deep mechanical talent, and he judged that he would be able to stand out by the age of six."

"But in fact, Ning Zhuo has always been indistinguishable from the crowd, and it was only recently, with the emergence of the Molten Lava Immortal Palace, that he revealed his talent and became a figure of the moment."

Zhu Xuanji had long collected much intelligence on Ning Zhuo and knew his growth trajectory.

Previously, Zhu Xuanji had thought that Ning Zhuo was constantly accumulating, a late bloomer. It was only after changing his cultivation path that he gradually discovered his own talent and then blossomed with brilliance.

But now, this jade slip from Li Leifeng shattered his old perception.

"If Ning Zhuo was able to perform 'Fang Qing Clears the Grievance' at the age of five, judging from his control of the puppets, his foundation is extremely solid!"

"In the Ning family's grand examination, Ning Zhuo performed poorly due to nervousness... clearly, this was his performance."

"Looking at it this way, Ning Zhuo began to hide his light and disguise himself from a very young age."

"He kept hiding like this for more than ten years, until recently, when he actively revealed his edge."

"Why?" Zhu Xuanji felt very puzzled.

"Ning Zhuo, this branch disciple of the Ning family, why did he hide his light and disguise himself?"

"In his long school life, why did he have to appear so ordinary?"

"Clearly, Ning Zhuo only needed to show his talent and aptitude to receive the family's focused cultivation!"

Zhu Xuanji thought of Ning Xiaoren.

"Could it be that there is infighting in the Ning family?"

"The key is, if this kid started disguising himself at three or four years old, what kind of mentality is that?"

"Such thoughts are too deep!"

Thinking of this, Zhu Xuanji even felt a chill rise in his heart.

"So, did Ning Zhuo do it deliberately, hiding for a full ten-plus years?"

"During this period, did Ning Zhuo not have any of the vanity and impulsiveness of a young person?"

"Or... by his side, is there actually another expert guiding him?"

Zhu Xuanji's doubts grew more and more.

The more he discovered, the more questions he had in his heart.

"Ning Zhuo is problematic!" Zhu Xuanji affirmed in his heart.

He had started suspecting Ning Zhuo before, but he also knew that this suspicion was groundless. He just felt that there was an indescribable strangeness and unnaturalness about Ning Zhuo.

Looking at it now, Zhu Xuanji understood the reason!

"I have investigated cases countless times, pursuing true culprits and criminals; my experience is very rich, and from it, I have cultivated an intuition for solving cases."

"Ning Zhuo performed very well, without any obvious flaws or unreasonable points."

"However, a performance is a performance; there is always a gap between it and reality!"

Zhu Xuanji had seen too much reality and falsehood; although sometimes his reason could not judge it, in his heart, he had already felt this strangeness and unnaturalness.

When this feeling of unnaturalness accumulated to a certain extent, Zhu Xuanji couldn't help but start suspecting Ning Zhuo.

"Ning Zhuo, you little fellow, in the struggle surrounding the Molten Lava Immortal Palace, what kind of role have you actually played?"

Zhu Xuanji frowned deeply and looked at the night sky.

Tonight, the moonlight was hazy, covered by clouds and mist.

Various intelligence, countless clues, flashed back and forth in Zhu Xuanji's mind; they mixed together, churning into a huge vortex.

Zhu Xuanji stared at the clouds covering the moonlight, as if seeing the fog in his mind.

He had a strong feeling—he was just missing the last piece of the puzzle.

Like a jigsaw puzzle, he was just missing that last key piece!

As long as he found it and put it together, he would be able to tear away the fog covering his eyes and let the moon named "truth" be completely revealed.

"So... the History Pavilion is that last piece of the puzzle!" Golden light burst forth in Zhu Xuanji's eyes.

An impulse rose in his heart to fly directly back to the Molten Lava Immortal Palace and personally watch Ning Xiaohui thoroughly investigate the History Pavilion.

"No, no, no, I can't do that."

Zhu Xuanji lowered his head and paced, constantly lost in thought.

He was completely immersed in his own world of thought, forgetting everything around him.

Seeing him thinking like this, Zhu Hou couldn't help but smile, not making a sound, just watching quietly.

As a senior, seeing such a performance from an outstanding junior of the royal family, he was full of appreciation and gratification.

Zhu Xuanji quickly reviewed the past events. From the time he arrived at Fire Persimmon Immortal City until now, the various events he had experienced, among which, Ning Zhuo had truly appeared too frequently.

"Ning Zhuo should be playing a relatively important role."

"Perhaps he is that biggest fog covering the truth!"

"But I cannot tear it apart; I lack direct evidence."

"Even if I take out this list of Li Leifeng's, Ning Zhuo has countless ways to explain and make excuses."

"In fact, even if he frankly admitted that he had been disguising himself for more than ten years, so what?"

"Perhaps, I should conduct a surprise inspection to see what he uses in his storage equipment?"

"No, doing this is also wrong!"

Zhu Xuanji thought that Ning Zhuo was only at the Qi Refining stage; even if he was deeply involved with the mastermind, he was only a capable pawn.

Even if Zhu Xuanji pried this pawn open and saw the true colors he had been hiding, so what?

"Instead, it would be too much of a 'startle the snake' move, inciting conflict."

"At present, Ning Xiaohui is one key, and Ning Zhuo is another key."

Thinking of this, Zhu Xuanji made a decision.

He first wrote a secret letter to inquire of Zhu Zhen.

After Zhu Zhen stopped his investigation, he had secretly come to find Zhu Xuanji, taking the initiative to express his willingness to make more contributions.

Zhu Xuanji had arranged for him to be in the Molten Lava Immortal Palace, not letting him expose his royal identity, but disguising him as an outside cultivator, striving to complete tasks and constantly earning merit.

In fact, Zhu Xuanji had another important task for Zhu Zhen—for the past few days, Zhu Zhen had been secretly responsible for protecting and monitoring Ning Xiaohui!

"My being outside the Immortal Palace is actually an opportunity."

Zhu Xuanji prepared a secret jade slip letter, instructing Zhu Zhen to fully protect Ning Xiaohui from now on!

At the same time, Zhu Xuanji took a vanity mirror from his storage belt.

This mirror was exquisite and beautiful to the extreme.

The entire mirror was surrounded by a lifelike golden phoenix; the phoenix's wings spread out to embrace the mirror surface, the feathers were as fine as silk, extremely delicate, as if every feather were trembling gently.

The phoenix's head was held high, its eyes like stars, revealing majesty and mystery, its beak slightly open, as if whispering an ancient spell. Its long tail wound downward, the tail feathers lightly circling the bottom of the mirror frame, forming a graceful arc, adding a touch of softness and agility to the mirror.

Golden Phoenix Mirror!

This was something Zhu Xuanji had taken from the treasury of the Southern Bean royal family.

The Southern Bean monarch had specifically told him that this Golden Phoenix Mirror was originally an object of the Molten Lava Immortal Palace, only taken by the Retired Emperor.

If handed over to the Molten Lava Immortal Palace, it would surely earn a huge amount of merit!

Zhu Xuanji kept this precious mirror in his hand, intending to keep it as a trump card for a useful moment.

Now, he decisively took it out, deciding to secretly hand it to Ning Xiaohui through Zhu Zhen. By having Ning Xiaohui turn it in, he could obtain a massive amount of merit in a short period of time.

In this way, Ning Xiaohui could instantly obtain the position of the History Pavilion.

This was the most critical breakthrough for the current situation!

Zhu Xuanji had originally not intended to pay such a heavy price. But at this moment, after obtaining Li Leifeng's list, he felt wisps of chill from Ning Zhuo.

This prompted him to make such a decision.

"Ning Zhuo... he is another key, the most important witness."

"He should also be fully won over!"

Thinking of this, Zhu Xuanji's gaze narrowed, and he completely regained his senses.

He smiled at Zhu Hou, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Zhu Hou waved his hand, not minding: "Being able to help you, uncle, I feel deeply gratified."

Zhu Xuanji said: "Clan uncle, I've changed my mind. Tomorrow I will attend your handover ceremony; in addition, I will bring one more person."

Zhu Hou was curious after hearing this: "Oh? You were performing like that just now, thinking with all your might—was it because of this person?"

Zhu Xuanji had nothing to hide from Zhu Hou and frankly admitted: "That's right, this person is named Ning Zhuo, the talent recorded in Li Leifeng's list."

"Although he is only a Qi Refining cultivator and is only sixteen years old now, he is the most special young man I have ever seen."

"Many times, I cannot fathom him either!"

Zhu Hou immediately revealed a look of surprise.

He had watched how the young Zhu Xuanji had advanced by leaps and bounds and was very clear about Zhu Xuanji's talent.

This was the first time he had seen Zhu Xuanji rate someone so highly! And this person was only at the Qi Refining stage and only sixteen years old.

Zhu Hou was extremely curious and laughed loudly: "Hahaha, this makes me look forward to tomorrow's handover ceremony immensely."

"Ning Zhuo, is it? I must take a good look at what kind of young genius can catch the eye of you, Zhu Xuanji!"

The next day.

"Not good, not good! Young Master, wake up, wake up quickly!" The anxious voice of the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit woke Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo lay on the bed and opened his eyes abruptly: "What happened? Has the defensive light shield of the Molten Lava Immortal Palace shattered for the most part?"

Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit: "No, it's worse than that."

"This morning, Ning Xiaohui obtained a magic treasure called the Golden Phoenix Mirror and is about to offer it to the Immortal Palace!"

"The Golden Phoenix Mirror was originally an object of the Immortal Palace, a pair with the Jade Dragon Mirror, specifically equipped for the Mirror Platform Spirit-Communication Art."

"Now, by handing over such an important magic treasure, her merit will skyrocket, instantly exceeding the minimum standard for the History Pavilion position!"

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was extremely anxious.

Ning Zhuo's heartstrings tightened, and he immediately sat up: "What?!"

He was about to continue questioning the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit about this emergency when Ning Jiufan's voice came from outside: "Ning Zhuo, wake up, I'm taking you out."

Ning Zhuo's heart skipped a beat; he hurriedly pushed the door open in just his undergarments and bowed to Ning Jiufan.

Ning Jiufan grabbed Ning Zhuo by the collar with one hand and flew into the high sky.

On the way, he explained: "The Childcare Garden is holding a handover ceremony today. Zhu Xuanji is presiding over this matter; seeing that you have donated things to the Childcare Garden many times, he specifically invited you to attend."

"I didn't expect Lord Zhu Xuanji to think so highly of you. Xiao Zhuo, you must perform well."

"Understand?"

Ning Zhuo's heart was ice-cold, but on the surface, he was extremely pleasantly surprised: "I have always been grateful to Lord Li Leifeng! When I was young, I stole leftover pastries from guests in the Childcare Garden. Lord Li Leifeng discovered me but didn't drive me away; he even invited me to eat many brand-new tea pastries."

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was dumbfounded.

It watched Ning Zhuo being taken away, leaving the Molten Lava Immortal Palace; only then did it react, subconsciously stretching out its dragon claws, four fingers wide open.

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit looked in the direction Ning Zhuo had gone and shouted loudly: "No—!"

"Come back."

"Ning Zhuo, come back quickly!"

"Ning Xiaohui is about to enter the History Pavilion and know all the truth!!"

Ning Zhuo's heart was filled with awe, as if he were in a snowy field, cold to the bone.

"Ning Xiaohui suddenly had a magic treasure to offer, and at this critical juncture, I was taken away from the Molten Lava Immortal Palace."

"This must be Zhu Xuanji's handiwork!"

"Zhu Xuanji suspects me even more; where exactly did I reveal a flaw?"

"Could it be that Han Ming has been caught?!"