Chapter 30

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit withdrew its gaze and cast it toward the Zheng family.

Two Zheng family elders were persuading Zheng Jian.

Zheng Jian was a young cultivator with a pupil-shaped gem standing in the center of the headband on his forehead.

At this moment, Zheng Jian shook his head violently, his attitude firm: "No, I am determined to cultivate the *Five Elements Qi Law*! No one can stop me."

An elder sighed: "Zheng Jian, you are the most outstanding of our Zheng family's generation. You possess the innate Heart-Piercing Insight, which complements our family's cultivation method perfectly. Switching to another method is truly a waste of such an excellent talent."

Zheng Jian shook his head: "It is precisely the Heart-Piercing Insight that tells me I must cultivate this method as soon as possible; this move will greatly benefit my Dao path!"

The elder shook his head: "In family records, there are also ancestors with Heart-Piercing Insight. Heart-Piercing Insight can indeed give cultivators amazing intuition. But this does not mean it is always correct. In family history, there are many cases of incorrect intuition. Zheng Jian, you must not rely too much on this talent."

Zheng Jian shook his head: "From childhood to adulthood, I have never encountered a situation where my intuition was wrong. This time, I still choose to trust my intuition. Two elders, thank you for your kindness, no need to persuade me anymore."

The elder sighed and took a step back: "Well then, Zheng Jian, you should let the people in the branch families practice this method first and see how it goes."

Zheng Jian laughed loudly: "There is no need to bring this up at all! What is the main branch, and what is a branch family? Because it's risky, let the branch families go? If I, as the main branch, do that, I would be too cowardly and weak."

"Precisely because I am from the main branch of the Zheng family, I should lead by example and forge ahead. Otherwise, why should the main branch rule the family?"

"Two elders, my mind is made up."

The two elders sighed, worried yet relieved.

One of them said: "Fine. Then take this jade slip."

"This was personally bestowed by Lord Zheng Shuanggou after he learned of your situation."

"The jade slip records a weapon-refining method called the Death-Defying Flying Hook."

Zheng Jian was surprised: "I am going to disperse my cultivation; I am racing against time. How can I refine weapons at this juncture?"

The elder smiled: "Don't worry, just take a good look at it first."

Zheng Jian placed the jade slip on his forehead and activated his spiritual sense to investigate.

Soon, his face was full of joy.

"Wonderful."

"This weapon-refining secret technique is powerful, but it has drawbacks. First, it must be paired with our family's cultivation method. Second, every time a hook is refined, it permanently reduces the cultivator's magic power by one layer. If you refine too many, the cultivator's own magic power limit will become lower and lower, and it cannot be restored."

"But for me now, it is just right."

"My magic power is going to be dispersed anyway; it's better to make use of waste and refine it into the Death-Defying Flying Hook. Not only can it speed up the dispersal of cultivation, but it can also be a wonderful protective item."

"Thank you, Ancestor Zheng Shuanggou, thank you two elders!"

The two elders either stroked their beards or smiled.

"This is what you deserve."

"As expected of a son of our Zheng family, I hope you will be successful in everything this time!"

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit watched Zheng Jian for a while, then changed direction and looked toward the Ning family.

The Ning family Patriarch and a group of elders were secretly discussing and finalizing the candidates.

The newly drafted list was circulating among them.

The school elder frowned: "The list is inappropriate."

"That *Five Elements Qi Law*, even though it comes from the Immortal Palace's Dharma-Transmitting Bell, currently only has three layers. Switching to this method has an unpredictable future, and it is difficult to do so voluntarily."

"Now, if we force people to be arranged, there will definitely be resentment."

"There are too many people from the branch families on this list, and the main branch is extremely scarce. If we announce it, it will not convince the public."

The War Hall elder didn't care: "Our Ning family's main branch has few people, and the branch families have many. It is natural for the branch families to provide more manpower."

"If many people from the main branch are involved, what if they sacrifice while exploring the Immortal Palace... Even if they don't sacrifice, once they can't get the follow-up cultivation method in the future, they will all be half-crippled."

"This sacrifice for the main branch is too heavy."

"I don't want to see the civil strife of more than ten years ago repeat itself!"

More than ten years ago, the Ning family migrated from the North Wind Country and traveled thousands of miles to enter the South Bean Country.

On the way, they were ambushed.

The main branch suffered heavy casualties, and the Golden Core ancestor was seriously injured. After settling in Fire Persimmon Immortal City, the Ning family's Golden Core cultivator had been recuperating for years and was the weakest Golden Core cultivator in Fire Persimmon Immortal City.

Under these circumstances, the branch families were numerous, and seeing the situation, they bred ambition and brazenly stirred up civil strife, attempting to overthrow the rule of the main branch.

In the end, the main branch won a dangerous and miserable victory.

Because of this, the main branch members are extremely wary of the family's branch families, using various means openly and secretly to try to weaken the branch families and strengthen the main branch.

In a word, the core policy of the Ning family is to strengthen the trunk and weaken the branches!

However, this policy is difficult to grasp when selecting personnel to switch to the *Five Elements Qi Law*.

Because they don't know what the prospects of switching to the *Five Elements Qi Law* are.

If the prospects are great, they will vigorously arrange for main branch members. If the prospects are bleak, they will send more branch family members.

Now, no one can guarantee the future.

The elders are generally conservative.

After discussing for a while, the branch family personnel were finalized, but the main branch was difficult to decide, accompanied by a lot of disputes. The elders present were all main branch members, and they all had their own relationship networks and interest entanglements behind them.

The Patriarch listened to the elders' disputes for a long time, and taking advantage of their breathing space, he interjected: "No matter how many people the main branch sends, it is absolutely impossible without a main general. The branch families have many people, and without the effective manpower of the main branch to suppress them, it is easy for them to become uncontrollable and usurp the host's role."

The elders' faces all fell; hearing the Patriarch's meaning, he wanted to send truly good seedlings.

The Patriarch continued to ask: "Among the family's Qi Refining stage, who can take on the heavy responsibility?"

The elders could only think of one person.

"Undoubtedly Ning Xiaohui."

"She was born with a pair of Ice-Fat Jade Hands, making frost talismans, able to follow her heart and hands, with natural spiritual charm, and will definitely produce high-quality goods!"

"To let such a good seedling go..."

"I disagree!" Suddenly, the Rune Hall elder shouted, interrupting the elders' communication and expressing strong opposition.

Another new dispute was staged.

The Patriarch had a headache, waited for a long time, and took advantage of the elders' breathing space: "Why not ask Ning Xiaohui's own opinion first."

The Rune Hall elder stood up, pushed open the door, and stepped out of the meeting hall: "I will go and talk to her myself!"

Soon.

"Elder." Ning Xiaohui bowed.

The next moment, she learned of this, and her face changed: "I have Ice-Fat Jade Hands, and I should have taken the path of talismans; this is a bright and smooth path."

"Now you actually want me to go to the side door of mechanics; which elder can't stand me?"

"I want to go to my grandmother to complain!"

The Rune Hall elder looked solemn: "I absolutely support you, Xiaohui. Let's go, I'll go with you."

Hearing Ning Xiaohui's evaluation, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was so angry that it spat out a mouthful of fire smoke, and a rich look of disdain appeared on its dragon face.

Observing until now, among the four major forces in Fire Persimmon Immortal City, it had the worst impression of the Ning family.

It was about to shift its gaze when its eyes suddenly paused.

Not far from the Ning family's settlement, there was a simple small courtyard.

In the basement of the small courtyard, there was a workshop.

One of the teenagers was sitting cross-legged, actively circulating his cultivation.

Blood was slowly flowing out of his nose.

His cultivation method was surprisingly the *Five Elements Qi Law*, and...

Qi Refining second layer!