“This trend must not be allowed to continue!”

“Ning Zhuo must be severely punished!!”

Ning Xiaoren made up his mind.

Ning Zhuo had crossed his bottom line this time. Ning Xiaoren deeply knew that if he were to neglect and condone this, it would bring no small hidden dangers and risks to the rule of the main lineage.

He must nip it in the bud in a timely and precise manner!

However, Ning Xiaoren was not a demonic cultivator. The orthodox path placed the greatest emphasis on having a justifiable reason for everything.

The orthodox path’s style of doing things was to leave a way out for others, so that they could meet again in the future!

The demonic path usually went for complete eradication.

Even if Ning Xiaoren was the young clan leader, he still had to be mindful of his methods when dealing with Ning Zhuo from a branch lineage.

Regarding Ning Zhuo’s voluntary withdrawal from the modification team, there were generally two opinions within the clan.

One was that Ning Zhuo was young and impulsive, becoming arrogant with just a little achievement. He didn’t know his own limitations. What he did was very wrong.

Offending the clan’s higher-ups was self-destructive. So what if he didn’t serve? The main lineage had Ning Xiaohui; they didn’t lack his combat strength.

The other opinion was understanding and admiration for Ning Zhuo.

Many Ning family branch members were ashamed of not having the courage to resist, and were worried about Ning Zhuo’s future. They were amazed by his actions.

“The public sentiment is not good!”

Ning Xiaoren frowned, thought for a moment, and issued an order for his confidants to propagate the idea that Ning Zhuo’s actions were selfish, disregarding the greater good and openly causing internal strife. What would the Zhou and Zheng families think?

What would the City Lord’s Mansion think?

He was making a fool of them in front of outsiders!

However, after a day, Ning Xiaoren collected public opinion again, only to find that the clan members were discussing the severity of the main lineage’s unfair rewards and punishments in this matter.

Instead of getting the result he wanted, Ning Xiaoren found that the clan’s public opinion was rushing towards him.

His attempt to divert the attention of most clan members and win people’s hearts had failed.

This made it even more impossible to deal with Ning Zhuo.

“Wait patiently!”

“Within this one day, Zheng Jian and Zhou Zeshen personally visited one after another to discuss with Ning Zhuo. They obviously knew about Ning Zhuo’s withdrawal from the Ning family’s modification team.”

“What kind of tricks are these two families up to? It’s too obvious! Hehehe!”

Ning Xiaoren decided to remain still, because he saw a glimmer of hope in the intelligence he possessed.

Zheng Jian was the first to actively seek out Ning Zhuo.

He was a typical Zheng family member, decisive and efficient. After visiting Ning Zhuo, he went straight to the point, inviting Ning Zhuo to join the Zheng family’s modification team.

He had previously worked with Ning Zhuo to create a great victory for the Treant Fighting Ape, and had great confidence in Ning Zhuo.

Zhou Zeshen was the second. His wording was euphemistic, even when expressing his intention to recruit, he was very subtle.

He offered suggestions from Ning Zhuo’s perspective.

Ning Zhuo could secretly cooperate with the Zhou family, so that he would not find it difficult to face his Ning family relatives.

Chen Cha was the third.

He personally brought a sum of spirit stones, which were the profit dividends from the Clockwork Fire Monkey.

Of course, this was just an excuse.

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

In handling Yuan Dasheng’s crisis, Ning Zhuo had to enter the game himself, and his various performances were recognized and appreciated by Fei Si.

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

However, after making the invitation, Chen Cha also expressed his own thoughts.

With a complex expression, he advised Ning Zhuo, “Little Zhuo, being favored by Lord Fei Si may not necessarily be a blessing!”

“Right now, your three families are united to resist the City Lord’s Mansion. If you jump to the City Lord’s Mansion’s side, the risks are extremely high!”

“If you really take this step, you may not be able to turn back!”

“In fact, even if you cooperate with the Zhou and Zheng families, it is very dangerous. People’s hearts are unpredictable and changeable. The Ning family members who support you now may change their attitudes and oppose you because of this. You must be very careful!”

Ning Zhuo said, “I understand, Elder Chen, thank you for your concern.”

The young man clasped his hands in front of Chen Cha, giving a deep bow.

He welcomed Ning Chen and Ning Yong.

Ning Yong said loudly, “Brother Zhuo, I support you.”

“It’s too infuriating that the main lineage is so unfair with rewards and punishments!”

“There’s always a place for me if I’m not wanted here. We won’t put up with this grievance.”

“No matter which family Brother Zhuo cooperates with, I’ll follow you!”

Ning Yong patted his chest, even more indignant than Ning Zhuo himself.

Ning Chen frowned slightly and sighed deeply, “I think, shouldn’t we discuss it properly with the family’s higher-ups?”

“After all, the Lava Immortal Palace is only temporary. The king has issued a recruitment order. I believe that in at most two or three years, the Immortal Palace will have a new master.”

“And we are still young, we have a long life ahead of us. Brother Zhuo, you have to consider your future!”

Ning Yong glared, “No, even so, you still want Brother Zhuo to shamelessly stay in the modification team?”

“Look at Ning Xiaohui, her progress is less than half of ours, but she has already enjoyed the Law Comprehension Diagram!”

“What about us?”

Ning Zhuo stretched out his arms, placing his hands on Ning Chen and Ning Yong’s shoulders respectively, and smiled, “Don’t worry too much.”

“I know how good you are to me.”

“To tell you the truth, this time, I seem impulsive, but in fact, it was carefully considered.”

Ning Yong turned his head and looked at Ning Zhuo, “Then Brother Zhuo, tell me what to do next, and I’ll follow you.”

Ning Zhuo laughed, “I did call you here because I have something I need your help with.”

“Please tell us.”

Ning Chen immediately expressed his position.

Ning Zhuo: “Today I practiced the Immortal Palace’s arcane arts and gained some insights. I would like to trouble my two virtuous brothers to inform my fellow students in the modification team.”

“If they are interested, we can discuss the tricks and techniques of spellcasting here today, how about it?”

“Ah, is that what it is?”

Ning Yong was greatly surprised.

Ning Chen frowned and asked the key question, “Among the fellow students in the modification team, there are also members of the main lineage.”

Ning Zhuo waved his hand, “Naturally, we are only inviting the branch lineage members.”

“Good!”

A glint flashed in Ning Chen’s eyes.

“Good!”

Ning Yong clenched his fist and raised his arm, feeling somewhat relieved.

“We won’t include the main lineage, we’ll play our own game!”

They quickly gathered almost all the branch lineage classmates.

These people were very interested.

Because before, Ning Zhuo had proactively helped them, using the Lifeline Suspension Silk, Sharp Advance Needle, and Ice Light Strengthening Meridian Talisman to help them rapidly improve their mana cultivation.

Later, Ning Zhuo also led them through the trials, breaking the Ning family’s record and achieving excellent results.

Just like what the clan leader and young clan leader saw, Ning Zhuo’s appeal to them was astonishing.
“What? Ning Zhuo didn’t accept the invitations from the Zhou and Zheng families, and these past couple of days he’s been widely inviting fellow disciples to impart his insights on arcane techniques?”

Ning Xiaoren’s brow furrowed deeply upon learning this.

He examined the clan’s public opinion more closely, discovering that more clansmen were speaking favorably of Ning Zhuo.

After each session of instruction, the returning cultivators praised Ning Zhuo’s skill in spellcasting without end, feeling they had benefited greatly.

Many began to discuss Ning Zhuo’s natural talent, because his comprehension of arcane arts had displayed an astonishing side.

Accompanying this was a growing sense of empathy for Ning Zhuo from many branch families.

The more talented Ning Zhuo appeared, the more the Ning family’s higher-ups seemed harsh and unfair in their treatment.

Ning Xiaoren could no longer sit still.

He stood up, clasped his hands behind his back, and paced back and forth in his study for a time.

He hadn’t expected Ning Zhuo to avoid making a mistake.

If it were him, at that age, he would have already thrown himself into the Zhou or Zheng family, then exerted every last ounce of his strength to perform even better, to produce even more excellent results, to prove that the Ning family’s higher-ups were blind and unjust in their rewards and punishments.

If Ning Zhuo had done that, then Ning Xiaoren could have seized the opportunity to strike, reverse the public opinion, and brand Ning Zhuo as a traitor to the Ning family, making him an outcast.

Having accomplished that, Ning Xiaoren would have had a legitimate reason to continue implementing even harsher sanctions against Ning Zhuo.

“Ning Zhuo hasn’t made a single mistake.”

“At his age, could he have understood the mysteries within? Or is it just blind luck, an unintentional act?”

Ning Xiaoren was the Ning family’s young master, having sat in that position for a long time, unchallenged. That alone was enough to demonstrate his abilities.

He frowned, pondering for a moment, then an idea sparked in his mind: “I will use reverse psychology to goad Ning Zhuo into committing a major blunder.”

“Ning Ze can be used to my advantage!”

“Ning Zhuo is greedy for money and has a poor relationship with Ning Ze. The key is that Wang Lan still hasn’t compensated Ning Zhuo with any resources.”

“What will Ning Zhuo think?”

“Heh heh heh.”

Having figured out the key, Ning Xiaoren immediately pushed open the door and headed towards the private prison to meet with Ning Ze.

Without concealing anything, he told Ning Ze the truth directly: “If you can persuade Ning Zhuo to change his mind, voluntarily return to the Transformation Team, and bow his head to the family’s higher-ups, I will set you free.”

Hearing these words, Ning Ze seized it like a drowning man clutching at the last straw.

Ning Xiaoren then arranged for Wang Lan to visit him in prison.

“Husband, husband, what’s wrong with you?”

Wang Lan exclaimed in shock.

The couple stared at each other through the stout bars.

Ning Ze was covered in wounds.

Of course, the private prison had powerful healing methods, but Ning Xiaoren, in order to highlight Ning Ze’s predicament, had deliberately held back, only healing a small portion.

As a result, when Wang Lan visited, she discovered that Ning Ze still had many wounds that were seeping blood.

Ignoring the pain, Ning Ze said urgently: “Ning Zhuo has misled me, ruined me!”

“I learned everything from the Young Master.”

“That little bastard Ning Zhuo has grown too bold, daring to withdraw from the Transformation Team.”

“What does he take my painstaking efforts for?”

“Back then, I spent money to bribe everyone to get him into the Transformation Team.”

“Now, the Young Master wants us to come forward and persuade Ning Zhuo to return to the Transformation Team. You must accomplish this task.”

“If this is accomplished, the Young Master will set me free.”

Wang Lan’s eyes widened instantly: “Really?”

“Alas!”

Ning Ze sighed. “At this point, I can only believe the Young Master’s promise.”

“Look at these injuries of mine!”

“Here, my cultivation is sealed. I’m not a body cultivator. I can’t hold on for long.”

Wang Lan nodded repeatedly: “Husband, I will certainly persuade Ning Zhuo to change his mind.”

“It must be successful!”

Ning Ze said, “Even if it means spending money, don’t hesitate.”

Wang Lan’s eyes flickered slightly: “Yes, alright.”

Ning Ze knew his wife too well, and noticing her hesitation, he said more seriously: “You, a simple-minded woman, still don’t understand the seriousness of the matter.”

“You must not let that boy Ning Zhuo do anything out of line.”