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Several more days passed.

The ancestral grounds of the Zheng family—oh, no, the branch family grounds of the Ning family—changed from a mournful white to a vibrant red. Much of the sorrow and grief receded, and an atmosphere of joy spread.

Ning Zhuo stood on the high platform. First, he offered sacrifices to heaven, then to earth. Finally, he burned paper money and lit incense sticks, informing his ancestors in the netherworld that he, Ning Zhuo, was officially establishing a branch family, here and now!

“Today’s ceremony to establish the branch family… has received the great support of all of you… Zhuo is deeply grateful and will never forget it.”

“From this day forward, I am the patriarch. I shall strive diligently, dedicating myself wholeheartedly, and pledge to make the family’s prosperity my responsibility!”

“Today’s achievement was not gained overnight, nor was it accomplished by the strength of one person alone. Here, I particularly need to commemorate the many martyrs of the family, such as Ning Xiaohui, Ning Xiangguo, and Ning Xiaoren! You shed your blood on the battlefield for the family, protecting the family’s dignity and safety with your lives. Although your heroic souls have departed, your spirit lives on. We shall always remember your grace in our hearts and pledge to strengthen the family to comfort your spirits in heaven…”

“…I shall carry on the legacy of the martyrs, remain loyal and unwavering, and defend the family’s peace. As for the treacherous villains like the Sukhavati Gate, with their numerous wicked deeds, I, Ning Zhuo, vow to be irreconcilable with them. Where there is evil, it shall be eradicated. Zhuo is willing to set an example, forge ahead, and never back down.”

“…My hometown elders, your affection is deep and meaningful. Zhuo remembers it with gratitude, always keeping a thankful heart, and will do my utmost to repay my homeland. Furthermore, I shall remain loyal and unwavering, serving the City Lord’s Mansion and the Southern Bean Kingdom, and am willing to protect the peace of this region with my sincere heart.”

“…Thank you all for participating in this grand event. May we be united in spirit, work together to build our family, and achieve great deeds!”

Ning Zhuo’s passionate speech stirred the hearts of countless disciples of the Ning family branch. They had indeed suffered under the main lineage for a long time.

There were also invited guests who came to observe the ceremony. Seeing Ning Zhuo on the high platform, each of them had a complicated and difficult-to-describe expression.

Some were envious, some jealous, some wary, some dismissive…

After the ceremony to establish the branch family, a large flowing feast was held to entertain guests from all sides.

The former ancestral grounds of the Zheng family had changed hands. The Zheng family members were either imprisoned or taken away by the Nascent Soul cultivator from the Supreme Purity Palace, while the Ning family members were here enjoying fine wine and delicious food, cups clinking, the atmosphere lively. Prosperity and decline intertwined here, and the cruelty of the rise and fall of human affairs sent chills down the spines of those with discerning hearts.

The seating arrangement was carefully planned.

At the main table, Wang Lan sat in a high position. Ning Zhuo served at her side, often picking up food for her, showing great care.

Wang Lan ate with a sense of chewing wax, and as she ate, she began to sob again.

Ning Zhuo quickly stopped eating and gently inquired.

Wang Lan was extremely sad, lamenting that at such a wonderful moment, it felt like a dream, an illusion, but her husband and beloved son had fallen in the darkness before dawn and had not enjoyed this moment, which made her feel truly heartbroken.

Ning Zhuo comforted her kindly at the time, his words like a gentle breeze and fine rain, making the guests who witnessed this scene secretly praise and feel touched.

The table next to the main table was occupied by many widows and orphans.

After comforting Wang Lan, Ning Zhuo left the main table and personally led Ning Chen, Ning Yong, and others to toast each table in turn.

The first table was the neighboring one.

The orphans and widows were uneasy. Ning Zhuo publicly announced that the descendants of meritorious officials would not be mistreated, and a branch family school would be established to provide free education for these orphans.

This benevolent policy immediately caused the widows’ eyes to turn red with emotion and tears to fall. Some of them, accompanied by their children, voluntarily knelt down to express their gratitude, and subsequently, all the orphans and widows at the table knelt down to thank him.

“How can you do this!” Ning Zhuo’s eyes also turned red. He helped them up one by one and asked them to sit down again.

The commotion was so great that it attracted the attention of almost everyone present.

The guests praised profusely, saying that although Ning Zhuo was young, he had the demeanor of a family patriarch!

The welcoming attendant suddenly announced loudly: “The Elder of the Ning Family School comes to congratulate!”

Immediately, he recited the gift list: “Ten thousand top-grade spirit stones, three thousand jin of crimson sun copper, one hundred and thirty-six clusters of Foundation Establishment level Earth Fiend Fire, eighty roots of two-hundred-year-old powerful ginseng…”

The gift list was quite long.

Ning Zhuo quickly got up, respectfully called him Teacher, and welcomed the Elder of the School to the main table.

Among the many elders of the Ning family’s main lineage, the Elder of the School had the closest relationship with Ning Zhuo. After all, Ning Zhuo had only just graduated from the school this year.

After sitting down, the Elder of the School held Ning Zhuo’s hand, his face full of kind smiles, and spoke with heartfelt sincerity.

Ning Zhuo could only sit next to the Elder of the School, talking and laughing happily.

Those who were unaware might have thought that the Elder of the School and Ning Zhuo had a very good personal relationship. In fact, the Elder of the School did not teach classes, and Ning Zhuo had not seen the Elder of the School more than ten times a year.

The Elder of the School came to show goodwill on behalf of the Ning family’s main lineage, which Ning Zhuo was happy to see and hear. Showing closeness at this time was also beneficial for the future of the branch family.

Ning Zhuo was clearly aware of the reason for the change in attitude of the Ning family’s main lineage.

He was not aware of Ning Jiufan punishing Ning Qingqiao and reprimanding the elders of the Ning family’s main lineage.

The elders who experienced this were all tight-lipped. Even Ning Qingqiao was no exception.

However, Ning Qingqiao being stripped of his elder position was a major event announced to the public.

“To strip an elder of their position is something that other elders working together cannot do. Now that the position of the Ning family patriarch is vacant, the source of the drastic changes in the elder positions can only come from Old Ancestor Ning Jiufan. There is no other option.”

Ning Zhuo’s branch family had just been established and currently needed a peaceful external environment very much. Ning Zhuo secretly planned: it would not be too late to find trouble with the Ning family’s main lineage in the future. The most crucial thing at the moment was for the branch family to establish a firm foothold.

“Ancestor Zhou Nuoying, Lord of the Zhou Family, has arrived—!” The attendant announced loudly, his voice even trembling slightly.

One must know that this was a Golden Core level cultivator, one of the two ancestors of the Zhou family.

The creation of the Ning family branch family actually attracted such a heavyweight figure. This sudden change caused everyone at the banquet to immediately stand up, preparing to salute Zhou Nuoying who was about to enter.

The attendant continued to recite Zhou Nuoying’s gift list.

“Forty Foundation Establishment level Fire Snakes, thirty-two Foundation Establishment level Spirit Gathering Arrays, four hundred and forty-six jin of Moonlight Cold Iron!”

Although Zhou Nuoying’s gift list was much shorter than that of the Ning family’s main lineage, each item was a heavyweight.

This made everyone even more astonished: the Zhou family actually attached so much importance to the small Ning Zhuo’s branch family establishment this time. Not only did the Golden Core ancestor personally offer congratulations, but he also presented such a heavy gift. They couldn’t understand it, they really couldn’t understand it.

This feeling was as if nobles carrying heavy sums of money actively celebrated with beggars.

In the eyes of the public, Zhou Nuoying’s personal presence alone was enough to make Ning Zhuo’s humble dwelling shine and make him proud for a lifetime.

The key was that Zhou Nuoying not only came but also brought a heavy gift.

“This is too much face for Ning Zhuo! Hahaha, the prosperity of our branch family is just around the corner.”

“Hmph, what do you know? Ning Zhuo is just a puppet, a convenient scapegoat placed on the stage. All he does is laugh, hahaha. Zhou Nuoying is clearly showing goodwill to Old Ancestor Ning Jiufan.”

“And you understand? You understand everything!”

The guests debated in low voices, but they never waited for Zhou Nuoying to appear.

Instead, Ning Zhuo, with an apologetic look, said goodbye to the Elder of the School and jogged out of the banquet hall. It was clear that he was going to welcome Zhou Nuoying.

The guests waited with eager anticipation, hoping that Ning Zhuo would lead Zhou Nuoying over.

As a result, they waited and waited, but he didn’t come. Only after asking did they find out that Ning Zhuo had already led Zhou Nuoying to a private room and would not be sitting with the general public.

Thus, the next moment, a collective sigh revealed everyone’s disappointment.

After entering the private room with only Ning Zhuo and Zhou Nuoying present, Ning Zhuo straightened his back, his superficial smile becoming very reserved. In an equal posture, he thanked Zhou Nuoying for her support.

Zhou Nuoying personally participated in the third round of the palace examination and deeply understood Ning Zhuo’s strength. Putting other things aside, just the fact that Buddha Healer Meng Yaoyin held the Great Snake Scythe made both of the Zhou family’s ancestors deeply wary.

Zhou Nuoying first stated that Zhou Zeshen and Zhou Zhu had praised Ning Zhuo highly, using this as an opening to express the Zhou family’s attitude, saying that they were very willing to be close to Ning Zhuo’s branch family, even more so than the main Ning family.

“Unfortunately, the bodies of Zhou Zeshen and Zhou Zhu were not recovered,” Ning Zhuo thought to himself, feeling regret.

These two rising stars of the Zhou family did not die by Ning Zhuo’s hand.

When he entered the main hall through the teleportation gate, he discovered that Zhou Zeshen and Zhou Zhu were already dead. They were killed by Meng Chong!

Without Ning Zhuo needing to speak, Zhou Nuoying took the initiative to propose that the Zhou family was willing to send out their most excellent formation masters to modify and improve the various formations for Ning Zhuo’s branch family, such as the formations in the various artifact refining rooms.

Ning Zhuo’s face showed joy, and he immediately stated that close cooperation with the Zhou family was a good thing that the entire branch family looked forward to.

One must know that the Zhou family’s ability to lay formations was unique. The Zheng family had previously offered a high price to invite the Zhou family to improve and modify their formations, but the Zhou family had politely refused.

For the Zhou family, this was almost like aiding the enemy, especially the large and small formations in the artifact refining rooms. Once these formations were improved, it would inevitably increase the Zheng family’s prestige!

But this time, Zhou Nuoying actively relented and offered this matter for cooperation with Ning Zhuo, which showed the sincerity of the Zhou family.

Ning Zhuo was very clear in his heart: “On the one hand, my combat strength exceeds the norm and cannot be treated with a Qi Cultivation level. On the other hand, the Meng family has taken control of the Molten Immortal Palace, and the Zhou family is under the greatest pressure. They urgently need allies to jointly resist the Meng family.”

After the matter of the Molten Immortal Palace was settled, the entire landscape of the Fiery Persimmon Immortal City had undergone drastic changes.

As expected of an old family, the Zhou family had already actively taken action in the face of the great changes.

While discussing in detail with Zhou Nuoying, the attendant announced loudly: “Lord Feisi of the City Lord’s Mansion has arrived—!”

Feisi also brought quite a few gifts.

Everyone at the flowing feast was shocked again.

Compared to Zhou Nuoying, Feisi was the acting city lord, a capable subordinate of the city lord Meng Kui, a truly powerful figure who ruled the Fiery Persimmon Immortal City.

And now, such a prominent figure had personally come to congratulate them!

“Am I hearing things?”

“This is simply incredible!”

“What virtue and ability does the small Ning Zhuo possess?!”

Feisi also did not sit down at the main table.

Ning Zhuo had to temporarily interrupt his conversation with Zhou Nuoying and went out to welcome Feisi.

Zhou Nuoying sneered inwardly, a smile on her face: “Let’s welcome him together, together.”

Feisi saw Ning Zhuo and Zhou Nuoying approaching simultaneously and also smiled meaningfully: “Patriarch Ning Zhuo, it seems I have disturbed you.”

Ning Zhuo cupped his hands, saluting Feisi, and expressed his gratitude for the considerable care Feisi had shown him in the past.

Feisi narrowed his eyes, sizing up Ning Zhuo, and sighed faintly: “Patriarch Ning Zhuo is too kind. Without me, with your strength, you would have been able to overcome various difficulties. It was I, Feisi, who failed to recognize a hero!”

He spoke with genuine emotion.

After learning the truth from Meng Kui, he was completely shocked at the time.

He never expected that this junior, Ning Zhuo, had hidden so deeply and devised such sinister and vicious plans. The downfall of the entire Zheng family was basically because of him!

Feisi admired Ning Zhuo even more, but at the same time, he became extremely wary and guarded.

After all, this young man before him, only in the Qi Cultivation stage, had repeatedly deceived Feisi. Such strategy and means were no small matter! Anyone who underestimated him would pay a heavy price.