: The Name Card

Wu Chai stood among the crowd, watching Ning Zhuo speak, his eyes widening slightly in disbelief.

He was only a Qi Refining cultivator with poor aptitude, barely able to cultivate.

He had no clan or mentor; he had stumbled upon a fragmented manual by chance, which started his journey into cultivation.

After nearly a hundred years of twists and turns, he remained at the Qi Refining stage.

He had reached his limit.

This was the ceiling of his potential.

But Wu Chai refused to give up, even though he was old, frail, and his days were numbered.

He spent all his savings, even selling his offensive and defensive magical tools, to scrape together enough money to use the teleportation array.

The main mountain gate of the Myriad Forms Sect could only be reached via the teleportation array.

Upon arrival, Wu Chai was almost penniless, unable to afford any spiritual food, let alone rent a cave dwelling.

Fortunately, the main mountain gate of the Myriad Forms Sect was a blessed land, rich in spiritual energy. Even a poor old man like him could survive by roughing it outdoors, picking wild fruits and hunting.

His luck had always been bad. Even in this golden age of cultivation, with abundant resources, he had never encountered any opportunities.

Ning Zhuo claimed he had a good business proposal that required no upfront cost from them, which piqued everyone's interest. They all looked at him with excitement.

Ning Zhuo then laid out the entire plan.

It was simple: he would provide the funds for these people to go to the Internal Affairs Hall and rent cave dwellings.

These cave dwellings were all located on the same mountain peak as the Stone Spring Cave.

At that point, Yu Heye would inevitably send people to drive them away. Just like the cultivator who had given Ning Zhuo ten mid-grade spirit stones to get rid of him.

When that happened, the cultivators present could also receive ten mid-grade spirit stones, agree to leave the mountain peak, and then go to the Internal Affairs Hall to cancel their rental and get their deposit back.

The profit would be split evenly. Ning Zhuo would take back the deposit and five mid-grade spirit stones, while the others would keep the remaining five.

After Ning Zhuo explained his plan, someone immediately questioned him.

Ning Zhuo didn't hide Yu Heye's involvement, which plunged the crowd into silence.

No one was foolish; they all knew Ning Zhuo was using them as pawns to scheme against a Golden Core cultivator!

If that Golden Core cultivator became enraged and decided to retaliate, wouldn't that mean certain death?

Of course, the Myriad Forms Sect had strict rules. No matter how arrogant Yu Heye was, he wouldn't dare kill anyone recklessly within the sect.

But he was a Golden Core cultivator!

With just a word, he could make the lives of these low-level cultivators miserable and plunge them into darkness.

The crowd's reaction was exactly as Ning Zhuo had expected.

He smiled confidently, quite sure of himself. "Everyone, money isn't easy to come by."

"What good thing would allow you to get five mid-grade spirit stones for nothing?"

"You have to pay a price…"

Before Ning Zhuo could finish, Wu Chai interrupted loudly, "I'll do it!"

He had spent all his savings to teleport here, hoping to make one last gamble in his life at the Flying Cloud Assembly.

But after wandering around the mountains these past few days, Wu Chai had realized the truth: with his meager strength, he likely couldn't complete any tasks and was merely scraping by.

This opportunity was the only one he had encountered since arriving that he could actually seize!

So what if he was being used?

So what if he might offend a Golden Core cultivator?

What did he have left to lose?

But if this succeeded, he would get five mid-grade spirit stones!

A full five mid-grade spirit stones.

Ning Zhuo glanced at Wu Chai, noting his thin frame and white hair, and nodded slightly.

Things were going more smoothly than he had anticipated.

"Good." Ning Zhuo immediately praised him and, in front of everyone, took out a jade token. "This contains a trace of my spiritual energy as proof of identity."

"Take this to the nearest branch of the Internal Affairs Hall and look for an on-duty cultivator named Cao Gui."

"I've already discussed it with him and prepaid a large sum of spirit stones. He'll take you to rent a cave dwelling."

The funds for renting the cave dwellings couldn't be handed over to these people.

It was simple: five mid-grade spirit stones versus dozens of mid-grade spirit stones?

The difference was obvious. Some might be tempted by greed and impulsively run off with the money.

Cao Gui was different.

Ning Zhuo had carefully selected him after purchasing information and had even signed a divine contract with him.

As for these low-level cultivators, it wasn't worth signing contracts with them—contract documents were expensive. That was all part of the cost!

Wu Chai took the jade token and immediately summoned a withered paper crane, riding it away unsteadily.

After a moment of silence, a second and third person stepped forward to take jade tokens.

Soon, most of the cultivators had taken tokens and begun to act. Only five or six, too fearful, voluntarily withdrew.

That was fine.

Ning Zhuo had anticipated this and had gathered more people than needed.

Every cultivator he had summoned was in a situation similar to Wu Chai's—dire and impoverished. For them, five mid-grade spirit stones might not be a fortune, but it was a timely relief.

"Hehe, cousin, we're in for a good show." Su Lingkou witnessed this scene, her eyes sparkling as she looked forward to what would happen next.

Liu Fu was the Foundation Building cultivator sent by Yu Heye to "drive out" Ning Zhuo.

"How many people?" he asked when he learned that five people had suddenly rented cave dwellings on his mountain peak. For a moment, he couldn't process it.

His subordinate repeated the report clearly.

Liu Fu frowned, thought for a moment, and asked, "Are these five people together?"

The subordinate shook his head, indicating it didn't seem so.

Liu Fu lost his patience and scolded, "Doesn't seem so? You can't even find that out? Get out and investigate thoroughly!"

"Yes." The subordinate hurriedly nodded and left the room.

"Get back here!" Liu Fu suddenly waved him back, changing his mind. "This matter… I'd better handle it myself."

Liu Fu had a bad feeling.

He immediately set off to negotiate with the newcomers at their rented cave dwellings.

Wu Chai and the others were the first wave. Seeing Liu Fu appear, they thought, "Finally," and stepped out of their cave dwellings.

Liu Fu straightforwardly offered ten mid-grade spirit stones for the newcomers to leave immediately.

The newcomers cooperated fully. Some left right after taking the stones, while others even thanked him with a smile.

After dealing with them, Liu Fu breathed a sigh of relief and returned to his residence.

But before long, a second wave of cultivators arrived.

This time, there were also five people.

Liu Fu's pupils contracted sharply, and his heart skipped a beat. "Dammit, someone must be behind this, trying to make things difficult for me!"

A heavy pressure weighed on him.

Why?

Because he had been skimming off the top—Yu Heye paid twelve mid-grade spirit stones for each eviction, but Liu Fu secretly kept two for himself, only giving out ten.

This was his little secret.

Even if it came to light, Liu Fu had calculated that Yu Heye wouldn't care—it was such a small amount.

On the contrary, if Yu Heye questioned or punished him, it would make the Golden Core cultivator seem petty.

That was how it had started.

But gradually, as more cultivators were driven out, the amount Liu Fu embezzled grew.

Unknowingly, his little secret had become a big one.

Liu Fu was already starting to regret it.

The amount he had skimmed made him uneasy, but he couldn't stop.

The reason was simple.

If he started giving the full twelve mid-grade spirit stones to newcomers, what would the previous cultivators think if they found out?

Everyone was driven out, so why did some get more and others less?

People weren't stupid; they would quickly figure it out—oh, Liu Fu was taking a cut.

So, if he changed his ways now, it would be like admitting guilt.

He could only comfort himself, "Endure it, just a little longer."

"Soon, the Flying Cloud Assembly will officially begin."

"By then, fewer people will come here to rent cave dwellings without knowing the situation."

"Almost there, almost…"

While Liu Fu eagerly awaited the Flying Cloud Assembly, Ning Zhuo's plan was set in motion.

The first wave of five cultivators, followed by a second wave of five, made Liu Fu's heart sink. He knew something was wrong!

"Someone is targeting me! Who is it?!" It wasn't hard for Liu Fu to find out who was behind it.

The low-level cultivators Ning Zhuo was using were all motivated by money.

Liu Fu only needed to offer one or two mid-grade spirit stones to get them to talk.

"Ning Zhuo?" Liu Fu frowned, puzzled by the answer.

He had initially thought someone in Yu Heye's inner circle was behind it.

There were many people around Yu Heye with their own agendas, not just Liu Fu.

Liu Fu thought carefully but couldn't recall Ning Zhuo's face.

He did remember there was such a young man.

"Young man? A young man…"

"Couldn't swallow the insult, so he's seeking revenge?"

Liu Fu thought he had figured out Ning Zhuo's motive.

He immediately found an excuse to fly off the mountain peak and seek out Ning Zhuo, intending to bribe him.

Liu Fu's message was simple: I'll give you money, little brother, so stop this! I can represent Yu Heye and let bygones be bygones. Young people are impulsive and make mistakes.

He still carried an air of arrogance.

Even though they were both Foundation Building cultivators, he had Yu Heye backing him.

"What does Ning Zhuo have? Clearly, he's a newcomer here to try his luck and broaden his horizons at the Flying Cloud Assembly."

It was no wonder Liu Fu thought this way. The Flying Cloud Assembly had become a major event in Flying Cloud Country, drawing attention from all over the nation, including powerful figures and organizations.

Ning Zhuo remained calm and friendly, then smiled and said he couldn't do it.

"Can't do it? How is that possible?" Liu Fu shouted angrily. "You will do it, whether you want to or not!"

He slammed his hand on the table and stood up, looking down at Ning Zhuo.

An ordinary cultivator might have been intimidated, but Ning Zhuo had even dealt with Nascent Soul cultivators. Why would he fear a minor character like Liu Fu?

He grinned, his smile even more sincere, but his words were provocative. "Someone, send five people to rent cave dwellings now!"

Seeing Liu Fu's face turn red with anger, Ning Zhuo laughed loudly. "Oh, no, make it ten this time!"

Liu Fu's anger froze on his face.

At that moment, he realized he couldn't easily intimidate Ning Zhuo.

"What do you want?!" Liu Fu lowered his voice, veins bulging on his forehead, and growled.

Ning Zhuo's smile faded slightly as he pointed at Liu Fu. "Watch your tone. Don't scare my people."

Ning Zhuo wasn't alone with Liu Fu; Qing Chi was by his side.

The girl was of the Ghost Race. Liu Fu glanced at her, assuming she was Ning Zhuo's maid, and paid her no mind.

Ning Zhuo, however, was teaching Qing Chi, who had lost her memory, the ways of the cultivation world by involving her in these situations.

Liu Fu leaned on the table, closed his eyes, and took a few deep breaths.

Suppressing his rage, he opened his eyes again. "Young Master Ning… what is it that you want?"

He almost gritted his teeth as he spoke.

Ning Zhuo rubbed his fingers. "Give me a thousand mid-grade spirit stones, and I'll let this matter drop."

Liu Fu stared wide-eyed, unable to believe what he was hearing. "Are you insane?! A thousand?! Do you take me for a fool?"

"Do I look that stupid to you?!"

Ning Zhuo: "A thousand… does seem a bit excessive."

"How about half that?"

Liu Fu's eyes were bloodshot as he calculated. "Five hundred? If I pay that, I'll still be out of pocket!"

"That price is still unreasonable!" Liu Fu lowered his voice again, almost shouting.

Ning Zhuo: "I'm not some pauper. I'll halve it again. But…"

Ning Zhuo took out a letter. "This is my name card for Senior Yu Heye. Please deliver it for me. Don't worry, I won't report you to him. I just want to make his acquaintance."

Liu Fu looked at the name card, his expression shifting unpredictably as he tried to figure out Ning Zhuo's intentions.

Shouldn't an ordinary cultivator be keeping his distance?

Why was this kid actively seeking out trouble?

Wasn't he afraid a Foundation Building cultivator like him would be crushed by a Golden Core cultivator?

Liu Fu realized that this name card was Ning Zhuo's real goal.

He gritted his teeth. "What exactly are you trying to do?"

Ning Zhuo smiled faintly and slowly shook his head. "You don't need to know."

Liu Fu took a deep breath and slowly reached out to take the name card.

Half an incense stick's time later.

He knelt in the Rocky Cave, his face full of shame.

His interaction with Ning Zhuo made him realize that the young man, though youthful, was not to be trifled with and had ulterior motives.

This frightened Liu Fu.

After some reflection, Liu Fu returned and confessed everything to Yu Heye, admitting his wrongdoing.

Yu Heye smiled. "It's just a few hundred mid-grade spirit stones. It's fine."

He looked at the name card in his hand, the one Ning Zhuo had asked Liu Fu to deliver.

A flame suddenly ignited in Yu Heye's hand, burning the name card to ashes.

He snorted coldly. "A mere Foundation Building youngster wants to meet me? Does he think he's already won?"

"How naive."

He looked at Liu Fu. "Why did I take you all under my wing and nurture you?"

"The people Ning Zhuo gathered may be numerous, but their cultivation is pitifully low."

"All of you, work together and challenge them on the training grounds. After they're restrained and taught a lesson, who would still dare to rent cave dwellings here?"

Yu Heye couldn't possibly take action himself.

As a dignified Golden Core cultivator, attacking low-level Qi Refining and Foundation Building cultivators would be beneath him.

But the cultivators around him could.

They should step up and handle the situation to share Yu Heye's burden.

(End of )