: Ning Xiaoren vs Ning Zhuo (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

"This trend must not be allowed to grow!"

"Ning Zhuo must be severely punished!!"

Ning Xiaoren had made up his mind.

Ning Zhuo had crossed his bottom line this time. Ning Xiaoren knew that if he were to overlook or indulge it, it would bring significant hidden dangers and risks to the main branch's rule.

He had to nip it in the bud—swiftly and precisely.

However, Ning Xiaoren was not a demonic cultivator; the righteous path emphasized acting with just cause.

The righteous way was to leave room for reconciliation, while the demonic path usually meant uprooting everything.

Even as the young clan leader, Ning Xiaoren had to handle dealing with Ning Zhuo from a branch family with proper methods.

He first gathered the clansmen's reactions.

Regarding Ning Zhuo voluntarily leaving the modification team, there were generally two opinions within the clan:

One was that Ning Zhuo was young and impulsive, letting a little success get to his head, not knowing his own limits. He had acted wrongly, angered the clan's higher-ups, and was ruining his own future. What did it matter if he didn't contribute? The main branch had Ning Xiaohui—they didn’t need his meager combat strength.

The other view was understanding and admiration for Ning Zhuo. Many from the Ning family's branch lines felt ashamed for lacking the courage to resist, expressed concern for Ning Zhuo's future, and marveled at his actions.

"Public opinion isn't favorable!" Ning Xiaoren frowned, thought for a moment, and ordered his trusted aides to promote a viewpoint: Ning Zhuo's actions were selfish, putting personal interests above the clan's, openly causing internal strife—what would the Zhou and Zheng families think? How would the City Lord's Mansion view it? It was making a spectacle for outsiders!

A day later, when Ning Xiaoren checked public opinion again, he found that clansmen were instead discussing how severe the main branch's unfair rewards and punishments were in this matter.

He didn’t get the result he wanted; instead, the clan's sentiment surged against him.

His attempt to shift the majority's focus and win hearts had failed!

This made it even harder to act against Ning Zhuo.

"Wait patiently."

"In just one day, Zheng Jian and Zhou Zeshen personally visited Ning Zhuo to discuss matters, clearly having learned about his withdrawal from the Ning family's modification team."

"What these two families are scheming is all too obvious. Hahaha."

Ning Xiaoren decided to stay put because he saw a glimmer of hope in the intelligence reports.

Zheng Jian was the first to seek out Ning Zhuo.

A typical Zheng family member—decisive and direct—he went straight to the point after visiting Ning Zhuo, inviting him to join the Zheng family's modification team.

Having collaborated with Ning Zhuo on the Tree Warrior Ape · Great Victory, he held Ning Zhuo in high regard.

Zhou Zeshen was the second. His wording was subtle; even when expressing recruitment intent, he did so implicitly, suggesting from Ning Zhuo's perspective that he could secretly cooperate with the Zhou family to avoid difficulty facing his Ning clan relatives.

Chen Cha was the third.

He personally delivered a sum of spirit stones—the profit share from the Mechanical Blaze Monkeys.

Of course, that was just an excuse.

Chen Cha brought an invitation from the City Lord's Mansion.

During the crisis involving Yuan Dasheng, Ning Zhuo had no choice but to step into the fray, and his performance had earned Fei Si's recognition and appreciation.

The source of this invitation was Fei Si, the Golden Core cultivator!

However, after extending the invitation, Chen Cha shared his own thoughts.

With a complex expression, he advised Ning Zhuo: "Little Zhuo, you've caught Lord Fei Si's eye, but that might not be a blessing."

"Right now, your three families are united against the City Lord's Mansion. Jumping to their side carries great risks."

"Taking this step might leave you with no way back."

"In fact, even cooperating with the Zhou or Zheng families is very dangerous. People's hearts are unpredictable and fickle. Those Ning clansmen supporting you now might turn against you. You must be extremely cautious!"

Ning Zhuo: "I understand, Elder Chen. Thank you for your concern."

The youth bowed deeply to Chen Cha with a cupped-hand salute.

He summoned Ning Chen and Ning Yong.

Ning Yong said boldly, "Brother Zhuo, I support you!"

"It's infuriating—the main branch is so unfair in rewards and punishments."

"If they don’t want us, there are other places. We don’t have to take this injustice."

"Wherever you go, Brother Zhuo, I’ll follow!"

Ning Yong thumped his chest, even angrier than Ning Zhuo himself.

Ning Chen, however, frowned and sighed deeply, "I think... could we discuss this properly with the clan’s higher-ups?"

"After all, the Molten Rock Immortal Palace is temporary. The monarch has issued a recruitment decree; I believe in at most two or three years, the palace will have a new owner."

"We’re still young, with long lives ahead. Brother Zhuo, you need to think about your future."

Ning Yong glared, "What? After all this, you still want Brother Zhuo to shamelessly stay in the modification team?"

"Look at Ning Xiaohui—she hasn’t even reached half our progress but gets to enjoy the Enlightenment Diagram early."

"What about us?"

Ning Zhuo stretched out his arms, placing a hand on each of their shoulders, and smiled, "Don’t worry too much."

"I know you both mean well."

"To be honest, this time, though it seems impulsive, I’ve thought it through carefully."

Ning Yong turned to Ning Zhuo, "Then, Brother Zhuo, what’s the plan? I’ll follow you!"

Ning Zhuo laughed heartily, "I called you here because there’s something I need your help with."

"Please, speak freely," Ning Chen immediately responded.

Ning Zhuo: "Today, while practicing Immortal Palace spells, I gained some insights. Could you two kindly notify our classmates from the modification team?"

"If they’re interested, let’s gather here today to discuss spell techniques. How about that?"

"Ah, that’s it?" Ning Yong was surprised.

Ning Chen frowned and asked the key question, "Among the modification team classmates, there are also those from the main branch..."

Ning Zhuo waved his hand, "Naturally, we’ll only invite those from the branch lines."

"Good," Ning Chen’s eyes flashed with insight.

"Great!" Ning Yong clenched his fist, feeling a sense of vindication, "We’ll keep the main branch out and do our own thing."

They quickly gathered almost all their branch-line classmates.

These people were very interested.

Previously, Ning Zhuo had actively helped them, using Life Thread, Sharp Progress Needle, and Ice Light Vein Strengthening Talisman to rapidly boost their cultivation.

Later, Ning Zhuo led them through challenges, breaking Ning family records and achieving outstanding results.

As the clan leader and young clan leader had observed, Ning Zhuo’s influence over them was astonishing.

"What? Ning Zhuo didn’t accept the invitations from the Zhou and Zheng families? Instead, he’s been inviting classmates to share spell insights these past couple of days?" Upon learning this, Ning Xiaoren frowned deeply.

Reviewing the clan’s public opinion, he found even more clansmen cheering for Ning Zhuo.

After each teaching session, the returning cultivators praised Ning Zhuo’s spell skills effusively, feeling they had gained a lot.

Many began discussing Ning Zhuo’s talent, as his spell comprehension had shown a stunningly brilliant side.

This led to even more branch-line clansmen empathizing with Ning Zhuo.

The more talented Ning Zhuo was, the more it highlighted the harshness and unfair treatment from the clan’s higher-ups.

Ning Xiaoren could no longer sit still.

He stood up, hands behind his back, pacing back and forth in his study.

He hadn’t expected Ning Zhuo to make no mistakes!

If it were him at that age, he’d probably have joined the Zhou or Zheng families, then strived to perform even better, achieve greater results to prove himself and show the Ning family higher-ups were blind and unfair.

If Ning Zhuo had done that, Ning Xiaoren could have seized the opportunity to turn public opinion, branding Ning Zhuo a traitor and leaving him isolated.

Achieving that would have given Ning Xiaoren a legitimate reason to impose further sanctions on Ning Zhuo.

"Ning Zhuo made no mistakes!"

"At his age, did he see through the intricacies, or was it just a lucky accident?"

As the young clan leader, Ning Xiaoren had held his position for a long time, unchallenged—proof enough of his capability.

After pondering for a moment, he devised a plan: "I’ll provoke Ning Zhuo into making this big mistake!"

"Ning Ze can be used for this."

"Ning Zhuo is stubborn about money and doesn’t get along with Ning Ze. The key is, Wang Lan still hasn’t compensated Ning Zhuo with any resources."

"What will Ning Zhuo think?"

"Hahaha."

Having figured it out, Ning Xiaoren immediately left his room and went to the private prison to meet Ning Ze.

He didn’t hide his intentions, directly telling Ning Ze the truth: "If you can persuade Ning Zhuo to change his mind, voluntarily return to the modification team, and bow to the clan’s higher-ups, I’ll set you free!"

Hearing this, Ning Ze felt like a drowning man grasping at a lifeline.

Ning Xiaoren then arranged a visit for Wang Lan.

"Husband, husband, what happened to you?" Wang Lan exclaimed.

The couple faced each other through the thick bars.

Ning Ze was covered in wounds.

The private prison had powerful healing methods, but Ning Xiaoren, to emphasize Ning Ze’s peril, had only allowed partial treatment.

Thus, when Wang Lan visited, she saw many of Ning Ze’s wounds still bleeding.

Ignoring the pain, Ning Ze said urgently, "Ning Zhuo has ruined me, ruined me!"

"I’ve learned everything from the young clan leader."

"That brat Ning Zhuo has too much nerve, daring to quit the modification team! What does he think my efforts were for?"

"Back then, I spent money to pull strings so he could join the modification team."

"Now the young clan leader wants us to persuade Ning Zhuo to return. You must make this happen!"

"If you succeed, the young clan leader will set me free."

Wang Lan’s eyes widened, "Really?"

"Alas!" Ning Ze sighed, "At this point, I can only trust the young clan leader’s promise."

"Look at my injuries!"

"My cultivation is sealed here, and I’m not a body cultivator—I can’t hold on much longer."

Wang Lan nodded repeatedly, "Husband, I’ll do my best to persuade Ning Zhuo to change his mind."

"You must succeed!" Ning Ze insisted, "Spend money if you have to—spare no expense!"

Wang Lan’s eyes flickered, "Mm, okay."

Knowing his wife too well, Ning Ze noticed her hesitation and grew more serious, "You, a woman, don’t understand the gravity of this!"

"Whatever you do, don’t let that kid Ning Zhuo do anything outrageous!"

(End of )