Chapter 99

After the two geniuses from the Zhou family finished, the entire Zhou family re-cultivation team moved out, entering the array one by one.

"Third-layer mid-stage."

"Third-layer mid-stage."

"Third-layer early-stage."

First, there was a series of third-layer Qi Refining cultivations, starting from mid-stage to early-stage; there were no third-layer late-stage ones.

Then came second-layer peak, late-stage, mid-stage, and early-stage; there were surprisingly no cultivators with first-layer cultivation at all.

After this round of testing, the discussions among the Zheng and Ning family cultivators quieted down significantly. Many Zheng family cultivators turned solemn, while the faces of most Ning family cultivators looked even worse.

Although the Zhou family's re-cultivation team was small in number, they were very elite.

According to the order, next was the Zheng family.

Zheng Jian took the lead and was the first to enter the test array.

"Third-layer peak," the family elder announced loudly.

"Oh!!" The Zheng family cultivators cheered, raising their arms, creating a wave of enthusiastic sound, much louder than when the Zhou family cheered.

They seemed to be competing in this way.

Many young cultivators from the Zhou family watched silently, most of them with calm expressions.

In the reception hall.

The Zhou family patriarch complimented, "The Zheng family's family style is enviable; united as one, closely integrated, it can be called flourishing. This is all due to Brother Zheng's excellent management."

The Zheng family patriarch laughed loudly, not being modest, "It's like casting iron; steel must be hammered a hundred or a thousand times, and be closely integrated, to become a good weapon."

The Zheng family cultivators were quite noisy, cheering and mocking from time to time.

The Zhou family cultivators had clearly tested their cultivation in a round beforehand; they entered the array in order of their cultivation level.

The Zheng family did not do this.

This resulted in the results being difficult to evaluate after each Zheng family cultivator went in.

If a cultivator tested well, they would raise their arms and cheer. If a companion's test result was not ideal, some would laugh loudly, but not maliciously.

This kind of healthy competitive atmosphere made the Ning family patriarch secretly envious.

"My Ning family was once like this too."

"Unfortunately, we suffered heavy losses during the migration, and after entering the city, there was a branch coup, so we could only implement the policy of strengthening the trunk and weakening the branches."

"Sigh, only when the main lineage has quality and quantity can we gradually lift the suppression on the branch lineages and condense a good family style."

The Ning family patriarch had been in a high position for many years and was not unaware of the hidden worries within the family.

But he had no choice.

He was from the main lineage, and his background determined his stance.

He could not betray the main lineage to support the branch lineages. The branch lineage cultivators would not accept him, and the main lineage cultivators would directly overthrow him.

"Every family has its own difficult scriptures to read," the Ning family patriarch adjusted his mindset secretly.

He knew the situation of his own re-cultivation team very well. A large portion were at the first layer of Qi Refining, and the test results would definitely be very ugly.

Next, it was the Ning family's turn.

Ning Xiaohui, with a cold face, walked into the test array under the worried gazes of the Ning family members behind her.

"Third-layer peak," the elder announced.

The Ning family cultivators also erupted in cheers.

Zheng Jian and Zhou Zeshen looked at Ning Xiaohui as she walked out of the array; the latter still had a cold face, radiating an air of arrogance.

In the reception hall.

The Zheng family patriarch looked at the Ning family patriarch, "Your family's Ning Xiaohui hasn't been re-cultivating for long, yet she has reached the third-layer peak?"

The Zhou family patriarch also looked over, showing a questioning intent.

The Ning family patriarch stroked his beard and smiled; he had long been waiting for this moment and feigned indifference, "Our family was slow to realize the Lava Immortal Palace and felt a huge gap. I begged the ancestor, and with his permission, enabled a talisman in the family treasury called the 'Floating Clouds and Flowing Water Talisman'."

"When making this talisman, the sages took a piece of iceberg cold spring, which contains a little bit of heaven and earth spirituality. Therefore, it can help cultivators practice together and provide a bit more assistance."

The Zhou family patriarch smiled and complimented the Ning family a few times, secretly thinking that the Ning family did have a foundation after all.

The Zheng family patriarch then said, "Brother Ning, our two families should get closer. To be honest, our family is currently forging a magic treasure and is lacking extreme cold quenching methods. Your Ning family came from the North Wind Kingdom; I wonder if you could help out a little?"

The Ning family patriarch stroked his beard, "Easy to say, easy to say."

However, he had many regrets in his heart.

This Floating Clouds and Flowing Water Talisman came with its own spirituality and could help cultivators practice together, which was very effective, but it had a limited number of uses.

If they could make a Boat Jumping Mountain Pass Talisman with its own spirituality, according to the Ning family's secret method, the two talismans could link together, and the spirituality would nourish and replenish each other. Although the accumulation was slow, if the number of uses was strictly limited, it could reach the level of circular utilization.

Unlike now, using a single talisman, the lost spirituality could not be recovered.

Fortunately, after Ning Xiaohui re-cultivated, she was only at the first three layers of Qi Refining, so her cultivation was weak, and her consumption of the Floating Clouds and Flowing Water spiritual talisman was relatively low.

Using this talisman was also a matter of no choice.

First, on the night of the Dharma Transmission Bell, Ning Xiaohui fell asleep because she was too tired from making talismans and didn't adapt to the Five Elements Qi Law that had been fine-tuned for her. She could only use the summarized version that others had comprehended, which was not very efficient.

Second, Ning Xiaohui's grandmother, the academy elder, and other high-level figures had made a fuss and fought for many rights for Ning Xiaohui.

Third, the Ning family patriarch also considered the competitive relationship with the Zhou and Zheng families. If leaders like Ning Xiaohui had poor cultivation, the Ning family would suffer a great loss in the distribution of interests among the three families.

Because of all these reasons, the Ning family temporarily integrated the Floating Clouds and Flowing Water Talisman into Ning Xiaohui's body, helping her breathe and refine magic power at all times, leading to rapid progress.

After Ning Xiaohui returned to the team, the test results of the other Ning family cultivators were not so gratifying.

Those with good results had second-layer cultivation, but most actually only had first-layer.

This actually wasn't their fault; it was because the Ning family had expanded recruitment temporarily and not long ago.

But now, in the three-family joint test, the voice of the Zhou family elder announcing the results seemed to get louder and louder, making those first-layer Ning family cultivators suffer in public.

The Zheng family cultivators were mostly young and energetic, and sometimes they would burst into laughter.

The Zhou family cultivators maintained their demeanor, but the disdain in the corners of their eyes became increasingly intense.

Ning Xiaohui was so angry that her face turned blue; she looked at the cultivators beside her and said coldly, "A bunch of trash!"

Ning Chen and Ning Yong returned to the cultivator team one after another with expressions of frustration; both of their cultivations were at the first-layer peak.

"Since we started re-cultivating, we have been working all day without rest, breathing to the limit every day."

"I heard that the Zheng and Zhou families provide resources for free, but in our Ning family's re-cultivation team, only the main lineage has this treatment!"

"Yeah, if we had that kind of treatment and were given the same amount of time, we might not necessarily be unable to surpass them."

Ning Chen and Ning Yong were very unconvinced.

Ning Zhuo reached out, patted their shoulders, and said bluntly, "Watch me."

Under the confused gazes of Ning Chen and Ning Yong, Ning Zhuo walked out of the team and into the test array.

The entire martial arts arena was noisy.

By this point, the quality of the three major families was clear at a glance.

Although the Ning family had many cultivators, many only had first-layer cultivation. With so many such cases, no one expected anything from Ning Zhuo.

However, the light of the test array was extremely strong.

The Zhou family elder was stunned for a moment, and after confirming, he said with an expression of disbelief, "Ning Zhuo, third-layer peak Qi Refining!"

The whole arena went silent.

Many people started asking their companions what they had just heard.

When Ning Zhuo walked out of the test array, he was immediately met with countless gazes.

The sixteen-year-old youth faced everyone without the slightest stage fright and smiled slightly. Then, he walked with his head held high and returned to the Ning family team calmly.

A large number of gazes followed him, and even Zhou Zeshen, Zhou Zhu, Zheng Jian, and others cast inquisitive looks.

"Who is this person? To have such cultivation!"

"The intelligence didn't mention it."

"Does the Ning family have a hidden gem?"

Similar questions and emotions lingered in everyone's hearts.

Even the patriarchs of the three major families were no exception.

In normal times, they would not have valued the family's Qi Refining stage cultivators nearly as much as they did now.

But now, the Lava Immortal Palace was on the mountaintop, and the Qi Refining cultivators in the family were the main force for exploring the Immortal Palace; it was not an exaggeration to value them highly!

The Zhou family patriarch looked at the Ning family patriarch, "I didn't expect Brother Ning to have such a trick up your sleeve."

The Ning family patriarch stroked his beard and smiled, his posture calm, "Brother Zhou, you overpraise me."

He didn't explain further, which made the two patriarchs of the Zhou and Zheng families look at each other, both raising their impression of the Ning family by a level.

The two of them didn't know that the Ning family patriarch had the same doubts as them!

Ning Zhuo's return was met with cheers from the Ning family cultivators.

Ning Chen and Ning Yong crowded around, both with unbelievable surprise, "A-Zhuo, how did you suddenly reach the third-layer peak?"

"Yeah, you're as strong as Ning Xiaohui now!"

Countless ears pricked up, all listening for Ning Zhuo's answer.

Ning Zhuo smiled slightly, "Maybe I'm more suited to the Five Elements Qi Law. Practicing this method, the progress is very fast, like a great river rushing, a thousand miles a day."

Everyone fell silent.

(ps: Forgot to say—everyone, if you have monthly tickets, you can save them to vote after the book officially launches at 12:00 noon on June 3rd; there is a monthly ticket event. Thank you! Thank you!)