Chapter 396: You still say you didn't cause trouble?

Facing Ning Jiufan's questions and worries, Ning Zhuo immediately put on a bitter face.

He said in a grievance-filled tone: "Ancestor, what a deep misunderstanding you have of me!"

"Since I created the branch family, left my hometown, and went out for adventures, it has all been for the sake of the family."

"The business of Jade Steel Mountain was exactly what I racked my brains for, moving around in all directions, turning around many times, and working hard to negotiate before finally getting it."

"Although I traveled far from home, I never forgot the family, nor did I forget my duty as the head of the branch family."

Ning Jiufan couldn't help but nod slightly.

Facts speak louder than words!

Ning Jiufan witnessed with his own eyes that the Ning family branch in Fire Persimmon Immortal City was doing the business of Jade-Moistening Mysterious Steel in full swing. So much so that many clansmen of the main branch were jealous and said many sour words.

Ning Zhuo had already sent a letter to Ning Jiufan when he left Mount Wuyin, informing him of what had roughly happened on Mount Wuyin.

When Ning Jiufan received the letter, he read it through, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise. He was very satisfied with Ning Zhuo's performance on Mount Wuyin.

Ning Jiufan nodded: "You did indeed do a good job with the Mount Wuyin affair."

Ning Zhuo smiled: "Ancestor, this time, I want to follow the example of Mount Wuyin and seek more cooperation with the Myriad Medicine Sect."

Ning Jiufan stroked his beard and pondered: "Fire Persimmon Mountain and Myriad Medicine Valley are quite far apart, and building a teleportation array is very costly. But if you rely on post stations and trade routes, there are more risks."

"The Myriad Medicine Sect is prosperous, and they don't necessarily need us."

"These two points are the major obstacles to our cooperation with the Myriad Medicine Sect."

Clearly, ever since Ning Jiufan read Ning Zhuo's letter, he had also been pondering this cooperation.

Ning Zhuo nodded: "What you said, Ancestor, is hitting the nail on the head. For the Myriad Medicine Sect, our Ning family is dispensable."

"But our Ning family doesn't have anything to offer that would make the Myriad Medicine Sect urgently want to cooperate."

"I have pondered for a long time; if there is nothing to buy or sell, then we will sell our lives!"

"Ancestor, the Myriad Medicine Sect is weak in fighting, so they specifically set up the political strategy of Little Contention Peak and vigorously support foreign-stationed cultivators. Some elders at the Golden Core level are also hired from outside."

"These are not their own people, so they are both used and guarded against."

"If our Ning family becomes a close ally of the Myriad Medicine Sect, we can gain more trust than these foreign-stationed cultivators."

Ning Jiufan: "How so?"

Ning Zhuo explained: "First, our Ning family has a family foundation; the monk can run, but the temple cannot. From this point, we are naturally more trustworthy than loose cultivators and demonic cultivators."

"Second, we are relatively far from the Myriad Medicine Sect, so there won't be friction in daily operations."

"Third, our Ning family once received help from the Myriad Medicine Sect during our migration. Such old friendship is also worth more mutual trust."

Ning Jiufan nodded slightly, acknowledging Ning Zhuo's analysis.

"But even so, if we really want to negotiate with Lin Bufan, I'm afraid it won't be very good."

"I have met this person a few times; he is deep in the city and quite shrewd. He is a practical talent among Nascent Soul cultivators."

"We are now begging the Myriad Medicine Sect, and if we take the initiative to negotiate, we will definitely be heavily suppressed by Lin Bufan."

Ning Jiufan knew Lin Bufan much better than Ning Zhuo did.

Ning Zhuo pondered: "Perhaps we can spread rumors? Publicize that the Myriad Medicine Sect is in danger?"

Ning Jiufan immediately shook his head: "No."

"Lin Bufan, as his name suggests, has great talent. He is much older than you, and this is his territory, which he has carefully managed for many years."

"He will easily see through the rumors and trace them back to the source."

"If we really do this, it will be counterproductive."

Ning Zhuo nodded and immediately dismissed the idea. After all, he hadn't even met Lin Bufan once, while Ning Jiufan had contacted Lin Bufan many more times than he had.

Ning Jiufan stared at Ning Zhuo and smiled: "Little Zhuo, the Ice Heart Jade Pot is still with you, right? How many more days do you want to borrow it?"

Ning Zhuo chuckled and took out the Ice Heart Jade Pot, offering it with both hands.

Without any explanation.

Instead, after Ning Jiufan took back the Ice Heart Jade Pot, he explained to Ning Zhuo: "This pot is an ancestral treasure of our Ning family, benefiting the whole clan. If you keep it to yourself, it won't be able to exert its true value."

Ning Zhuo smiled slightly: "To be precise, it is of extraordinary significance to the Ning family main branch that practices the Ice Heart Technique."

Once the Ice Heart Technique is practiced successfully, the foundation of the upper dantian of the divine sea is often far beyond the other two dantians. In this case, drinking the Ice Jade Wine produced in the Ice Heart Jade Pot can save cultivators a lot of hard work and let the cultivation of the upper dantian drive the other two dantians.

Since Ning Zhuo sent a letter to summon the Ning family ancestor, he was naturally mentally prepared for this.

To be honest, he found that the Ice Heart Jade Pot was of little use in his hands.

The biggest use was two things: one was to produce Ice Jade Wine, and the other was to increase the effect of healing.

For the former, Ning Zhuo had already emptied the Ice Jade Wine when he exchanged for the jade pot. For the latter, for healing, Ning Zhuo had the Floating Ice White Jade Hand as a perfect substitute.

"Empty?" The Ning family ancestor scanned with his spiritual sense and saw the bottom of the Ice Heart Jade Pot, couldn't help but be surprised: "What do you want so much Ice Jade Wine for?"

"Even if you sell it, the cultivator must be practicing ice-frost, and the divine sea cultivation must be very prominent to be applicable."

"This wine has always sold poorly."

Ning Jiufan reminded him.

A magic treasure suitable for the Ning family is not necessarily suitable for others.

Especially since the Southern Bean Kingdom is located in the south, the air is humid and warm, and the number of cultivators practicing ice-attribute techniques is rare, far less than the number of people practicing wood-attribute and earth-attribute.

"I have my own use for these wines." At this time, Ning Zhuo showed his toughness.

Ning Jiufan nodded and didn't pursue it.

Are you kidding?

Pursue Ning Zhuo?!

Ning Jiufan knew in his heart that although Ning Zhuo was only in the early stage of Foundation Establishment, his combat power had reached the Golden Core level, or even the peak of Golden Core!

Those few mechanical creations, especially the Great Snake Sickle... Ning Jiufan had also witnessed them with his own eyes.

Therefore, ever since the battle for the Molten Immortal Palace came to a temporary end, Ning Jiufan's attitude toward Ning Zhuo had also undergone a major change.

Previously, he completely treated Ning Zhuo as an excellent junior of his own family. But now, in his heart, Ning Zhuo was worth treating as an equal.

"Ancestor, look at this." Ning Zhuo took out a jade slip and handed it to Ning Jiufan.

"Poison Flame Chrysanthemum?" Ning Jiufan scanned it with his spiritual sense, and the smile on his face grew a bit more, "This is a good thing; I will stand for the branch family."

Ning Zhuo said: "At present, our branch family has limited manpower. It is mainly invested in the operation of Jade-Moistening Mysterious Steel, and a small part of the people rely on the Molten Immortal Palace to guard their own posts."

"Therefore, I am willing to cooperate with the main branch on this Poison Flame Chrysanthemum business and operate it together!"

"Oh? You are willing?" Ning Jiufan was surprised.

Ning Zhuo smiled slightly: "A mere cultivation of flowers, compared to the future prospects, is just a small profit."

"If only my branch family's manpower is used, it's not enough at all. Let alone a few months, even two or three years, there won't be much improvement."

"Ancestor, I am becoming tighter and tighter in my cultivation, and I urgently need funds. The more funds, the better!"

"So, the scale of the Poison Flame Chrysanthemum should be as big as possible!"

"However, if the main branch wants to participate, it must be based on my branch family. In terms of profit, my branch family gets eight, and the main branch gets two."

Ning Jiufan stared: "Two-eight split?"

Ning Zhuo waved his hand: "No bargaining! If the Ning family main branch doesn't agree, then I will cooperate with the Zhou family."

Ning Jiufan snorted coldly: "Both are surnamed Ning; Little Zhuo is a bit harsh on his own family."

Ning Zhuo sneered and directly gave Ning Jiufan a look: "Since I was sensible, the Ning family main branch has always treated me like this. One report for another, retribution is not good, it is exactly the principle of heaven."

Ning Jiufan sighed and changed the subject: "You used the black market and the Molten Immortal Palace to collect wealth on a large scale; how come your resources have become tight in just a few months?"

Ning Zhuo untied the Ten Thousand Mile Wandering Dragon wrapped around his waist and showed it to Ning Jiufan.

"Nascent Soul level mechanical puppet! This is... Ten Thousand Mile Wandering Dragon? Good stuff." Ning Jiufan recognized it and sighed endlessly.

He had long guessed it in his heart, and at this time, seeing the Ten Thousand Mile Wandering Dragon, he was not too surprised.

At the same time, he also understood the reason for Ning Zhuo's financial tightness.

Ning Zhuo told him that this Ten Thousand Mile Wandering Dragon mechanical puppet should have been driven by a Nascent Soul. Now, it can only be replaced by fire essence, and every time it is activated, the consumption is very huge. By now, he can no longer support it.

Ning Jiufan scolded him: Why use the Ten Thousand Mile Wandering Dragon for ordinary travel? This behavior is too extravagant. The real situation to use it should be when trapped in a dangerous situation, using the Ten Thousand Mile Wandering Dragon to get out of trouble.

Ning Zhuo didn't tell Ning Jiufan that for his mother, he traveled at maximum speed in his heart.

"With the Ten Thousand Mile Wandering Dragon to protect you, I can rest assured. As for the fire essence, I have news here that might be useful." Ning Jiufan then told about the appearance of a ten-thousand-year fire essence in Fire Persimmon Mountain.

And Meng Kui is gathering the Golden Core cultivators of the Zhou family and the Ning family, and has already taken Ning Jiufan's Fire Core Pomegranate to make a trap.

"This ten-thousand-year fire essence already has enough spirituality. If you have this, Little Zhuo, it should be able to greatly reduce the consumption of the Ten Thousand Mile Wandering Dragon."

"As long as the ten-thousand-year fire essence does not completely perish, it can absorb spiritual energy from the outside world and recover quickly."

Ning Zhuo's eyes lit up, and then he showed a worried look.

This is indeed good news, but how can he get the ten-thousand-year fire essence under Meng Kui's hands?

After careful communication with his ancestor, Ning Zhuo also knew: Yuan Lao's injury remains, if she participates in the competition for the ten-thousand-year fire essence, she might be plotted against by Meng Kui instead.

Once Yuan Lao has any shortcomings, Ning Jiufan and the Ning family will really be losing their wife and losing their soldiers.

"Given the current situation, Yuan Lao must be healed to have the possibility of self-protection."

"On the basis of self-protection, perhaps we can rely on Yuan Lao to get the ten-thousand-year fire essence!"

Ning Zhuo and Ning Jiufan reached a consensus.

Ning Jiufan asked about Ning Zhuo's recent situation.

Ning Zhuo handed over all the intelligence he collected about the Myriad Medicine Sect to Ning Jiufan.

He also told the truth about his own experience to prevent Ning Jiufan from misjudging.

Ning Jiufan:...

After listening, he was silent for a while, then stared and said: "Lin Bufan's pearl in the palm has been grounded because of you. You still say you didn't cause trouble?"

Ning Zhuo defended: "I met Miss Lin and hit it off immediately; friends helping each other is the witness of friendship."

Ning Jiufan hummed and suddenly said: "So, this Poison Flame Chrysanthemum cultivation method was also secretly given to you by Lin Shanshan?"

Ning Zhuo immediately shook his head: "Of course not. This cultivation method came from Hua Guzi."

Ning Jiufan: "..."