Ning Family Estate.

Today was the big day for the Ning family's results announcement.

Ning Ze and his wife, Wang Lan, had been sitting in the main hall since early morning, waiting for the exam results of the two younger family members.

Children of the Ning family had their spiritual roots tested from birth, once a year, until they were twelve or thirteen.

Those with cultivation aptitude were sent to the family's private school, supported by the family for full-time study until they were sixteen or seventeen, when they took the graduation exam.

The annual exam determined the fate of the young cultivators.

The top thirty performers earned the right to join the Ning family's core businesses, ensuring a brighter future.

Wang Lan sipped her tea, but her eyes kept darting toward the door, unable to hide her tension and anticipation.

Ning Ze, however, seemed distracted, his mood deeply gloomy.

He had waited until dawn, but the Huang Family Three Ghosts never returned to report.

"They failed!"

"I never expected that Chuítiáo Kè would be so fierce and cunning."

"It's fine, it's fine."

"When I contacted the Huang Family Three Ghosts, I didn't reveal my true appearance. Chuítiáo Kè won't be able to trace me."

"The Huang Family Three Ghosts are all reputation, no substance! With the Soul Suppression Talisman and the spirit beast Green Blade Mantis, three against one and they still lost! I really misjudged them."

"Sigh, Chuítiáo Kè... what should I do now?"

Forced into a corner, Ning Ze had taken a risky move, only to suffer a painful failure. He was plagued by headaches, unsure how to explain this to the young clan leader.

"Father! Mother! I passed! I made it into the top thirty!" Just then, a young boy rushed into the room, shouting excitedly.

"Really? Ji'er, you really passed?!" Wang Lan immediately stood up, her face full of surprise and joy.

The young cultivator, Ning Ji, said loudly, "Of course! Mother, don't you even trust your own son?"

"Oh?" Ning Ze looked up and saw his son Ning Ji's unrestrained, beaming face.

Usually, Ning Ji's results hovered around fortieth place. No one expected him to perform beyond his usual level in this exam.

This unexpected good news slightly eased Ning Ze's worries.

Ning Ji said proudly, "Father, Mother, your son has brought you honor this time. I told you, I had it under control. My usual results weren't great only because I wasn't going all out."

"Not like *someone*!"

"Usually, their results are good, steadily within the top thirty. But this time, during the big exam, their true level showed—they only got thirty-first place. Tsk, tsk, failed!"

As he said this, Ning Ji turned to look at the white-clad youth who had followed him in, his face full of mockery.

The white-clad youth was dressed simply, his eyes clear, but his expression was thick with guilt and disappointment.

"Uncle, Aunt." The white-clad youth, Ning Zhuo, bowed.

Wang Lan looked at the youth and said sharply, "What? Xiao Zhuo, you messed up this time?!"

Ning Ze's face darkened as he reached out. "Let me see your results slip."

Ning Zhuo took out his results slip and handed it to his uncle, Ning Ze.

Ning Ze scanned it quickly, his face growing stormy.

A moment later, he shook the paper in his hand and said with bitter disappointment, "Xiao Zhuo, how could you make such a serious mistake this time?"

"I remember you had quite a few small achievements in mechanisms."

"Before, you made a mechanical parrot that even earned praise from the clan elders."

"Mechanisms are clearly your strong suit, so how did you end up with a low grade this time?"

"Sigh, if it weren't for this low grade, you would have been in the top thirty!"

His aunt said sharply, "Xiao Zhuo, tell me, have you been taking on private jobs from mechanism workshops again recently?"

Before Ning Zhuo could answer, his aunt sighed regretfully. "Sigh, how many times have I told you not to be greedy for money? At your age, you should be focusing on your studies."

"Putting your energy into earning money is like picking up sesame seeds but losing a watermelon."

"Look at you now! Beyond thirtieth place!"

"You can't enter the family's businesses!!"

Hearing this, Ning Zhuo finally mustered his courage. "Aunt, I heard from classmates that... it's possible to use connections..."

Before he could finish, his aunt interrupted loudly, "Use connections? Do you know how many spirit stones that would cost? Do you know how many people we'd have to ask?"

"Oh, so you perform poorly, and with a single casual remark, your uncle and I have to run around, wearing out our legs, pulling strings for you everywhere?"

"How dare you even suggest it!"

"If you knew this would happen, why didn't you work harder before?"

"I told you long ago to focus on cultivation, not take private jobs for a few spirit stones."

"What's the use?!"

"If you had made it into the top thirty and entered the family business, you'd earn much more. The key is there's less work, more time, allowing you to continue cultivating!"

Ning Zhuo suddenly raised his head, his face flushed with humiliation. He gritted his teeth and said firmly, "Uncle, Aunt, I, Ning Zhuo, will take responsibility for my own actions!"

"Since it's thirty-first place, then forget it."

"Over the years, I've been under your care, and I'm deeply grateful. Scoring like this is the consequence of my own actions—I brought this on myself!"

"I'll take responsibility for what I've done!"

"I don't believe I can't find a way to support myself out there."

Having said that, Ning Zhuo bowed to take his leave. "Uncle, Aunt, my classmates are waiting for me to eat. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now."

His uncle stared at Ning Zhuo, silent.

His aunt waved a hand dismissively. "Go on, go on. You sure have a carefree heart—performing so poorly, yet still in the mood to eat!"

Ning Zhuo couldn't stay another moment. He turned and left in a huff.

His cousin, Ning Ji, sat down comfortably.

His aunt looked at Ning Ji, her expression shifting from anger to joy as if flipping a page. "My son is the outstanding one!"

She pushed the tea snacks on the table toward him. "Try these quickly. These are Golden Thread Jade Dew Cakes from Jin Shan Tang. Eating them can enhance your sea of consciousness foundation, strengthen your divine sense, and greatly help your cultivation, even future Foundation Building!"

Ning Ji's eyes lit up. He eagerly picked one up and put it in his mouth.

The Golden Thread Jade Dew Cake had a unique texture: the cake itself was soft and glutinous, the golden threads were crisp, and there was a fluid filling inside.

Ning Ji swallowed it in three bites and felt a clear energy rise from his abdomen straight to the top of his head, refreshing his spirit.

Ning Ji praised sincerely, "Delicious, delicious!"

"Then eat more, they're all for you," his mother said, smiling.

Ning Ji ate the remaining three cakes, licked his lips, and said with lingering desire, "As expected of Jin Shan Tang's products, so delicious! Why are there only four? Are there more?"

His father snorted coldly. "Each of these cakes costs twenty spirit stones. You just ate nearly a hundred spirit stones' worth, and you want more?"

"Then you need to work even harder and not slack off! Perform well in the family from now on, and strive to earn enough spirit stones with your own hands to enjoy such treats."

Ning Ji cried out, "Father, your son brought you honor this time! Think about it—if I had my usual results, you'd have to run around everywhere, giving gifts and pulling strings to get me into the family business. I performed so excellently in the exam, saving you hundreds of spirit stones. What's wrong with eating a few Jin Shan Tang cakes?"

"Besides, eating these is to boost my spirit, so I can cultivate better and work harder."

"If I had access to resources of this level earlier, my results would have been at the top long ago."

Seeing his son talk back, Ning Ze widened his eyes, about to scold him.

Ning Ji's mother quickly said, "Alright, alright, both of you, say less."

She glared at her husband. "My son did well; he should be praised. After just a few words, you're criticizing him again."

"Don't think my son plays around a bit usually, but when it counts, he's reliable."

"Not like Ning Zhuo—his usual results make people lower their guard, but in the end, he's the one who causes the most worry!"

"Look, after just a word or two of criticism, he turns and leaves. So unteachable! Was I wrong?"

"Hmph, and he goes out to eat. He actually has the mood for that!"

Ning Ji sneered. "He's too arrogant, thinks too highly of himself. He simply doesn't listen to Father and Mother's earnest teachings."

"By the way, our family isn't really going to spend connections and favors for him, are we?"

His father snorted coldly. "That's not something you need to worry about."

Seeing his father's anger, Ning Ji instinctively shrunk his neck, but then, thinking of his exam results, he said loudly, "Mother, if Ning Zhuo can go out to eat, I want to go to a restaurant too, to eat spirit food. Give me some money. You have no idea how much I sacrificed for this exam!"

"Alright, alright." His mother smiled incessantly as she took out a pouch of spirit stones and handed it to Ning Ji.

Ning Ji took the money pouch and stood up to leave.

After leaving the Ning family residence and stepping onto the street, he didn't hurry to his favorite restaurant but wandered around instead.

He wanted to see where Ning Zhuo was eating.

He usually didn't have such an opportunity. Now that he had finally caught a chance, Ning Ji wanted to taunt the other for fun.

However, after searching left and right, he couldn't find him.

After asking several shop assistants, he confirmed Ning Zhuo hadn't been there at all.

Ning Ji slapped his forehead, understanding dawning. "That kid was putting on an act! What meal gathering? Probably right now, he's crying in that shabby room where his mother died!"

"Forget about him, I'll go enjoy a meal first."

Spirit food was not only delicious but also had the wonderful effect of boosting cultivation, which Ning Ji greatly anticipated.

His guess was partially correct.

Ning Zhuo had already returned to his own home.

Compared to his uncle and aunt's residence, Ning Zhuo's house was simple and dilapidated.

Ning Zhuo gently closed the courtyard gate, crossed the small yard, entered the main room, and went into the inner chamber.

This was his bedroom and also his study.

Although the furniture was old and simple, it was very tidy.

Ning Zhuo touched the lion paperweight on the desk.

The surface of the lion paperweight flickered with a faint light, indicating no one had been there during his absence.

Ning Zhuo turned and went to the bed. He gently twisted a post beside the bed, and immediately, a series of creaking mechanical sounds echoed.

Then, the bed slid sideways, revealing an underground passage.

He stepped onto the wooden ladder and descended into the underground chamber step by step.

Once his feet touched solid ground, he twisted a switch on the wall, moving the bed above back into place.

With no light from above, patterns on the walls of the small room lit up, making the space even brighter.

At this point, the disappointment, indignation, and suppression on Ning Zhuo's face vanished completely, replaced by calm.

He walked to the workbench he knew best and sat down. The workbench was covered with various mechanism parts.

Ning Zhuo pulled open the drawer on his right, revealing it filled to the brim with pastries.

Each pastry was wrapped in paper.

On the paper was the emblem of Jin Shan Tang.

He casually grabbed a handful, about five or six pieces, channeled his magic power, and the next instant, the paper wrappings burned away without damaging the Golden Thread Jade Dew Cakes at all.

Clearly, he had done this many times and was extremely proficient.

Ning Zhuo chewed the pastries, his gaze slightly distant. He was reviewing his performance today in his mind.

He had maintained this good habit for over ten years.

"There shouldn't be any problems."

"Just didn't expect that others generally underperformed in this exam, not showing their full potential."

"When I saw the rankings earlier, I almost thought I'd failed to control my score and made it into the top thirty."

(End of Chapter)