“Xuanhuang Muqi…” Ning Zhuo pondered for a moment.

He knew that this kind of treasure was rare in the world and possessed a unique and miraculous ability: it could transform into any other treasure in existence! This is why it was called “Muqi” (mother energy).

Whether it’s cultivators or spiritual entities, they are essentially treasures, just more complex ones. For instance, the human body has internal organs, flesh, skin, and tendons. Xuanhuang Muqi could not only nourish spiritual entities; theoretically, it could nourish all things in the world.

Ning Zhuo’s heart stirred slightly, “If I could obtain Xuanhuang Muqi, could it help my mother?”

“Xuanhuang Muqi is extremely precious; obtaining it would likely be very difficult.”

Ning Zhuo had very low expectations for this, but he still thanked Zhu Fenxiang.

Shutu Zhenyu Zhenjun withdrew his spiritual sense and divine power and left the area. Before leaving, he also instructed Ning Zhuo to prepare a divine statue as soon as possible and carry it with him so that he could call upon his name in future battles.

This treatment once again caused a ripple in Zhu Fenxiang’s heart.

She led Ning Zhuo away from the spot and into her study.

As soon as Ning Zhuo took his seat, he indicated that he could sign an alliance with Zhu Fenxiang.

Zhu Fenxiang waved her hand and shook her head, saying there was no need.

“We are already our own people,” Zhu Fenxiang said with a smile.

Ning Zhuo had become a devotee of Shutu Zhenyu Zhenjun, although the depth of his faith was highly questionable. However, both Ning and Zhu now had a closer connection, and their relationship had indeed undergone a significant change.

Zhu Fenxiang had been meticulously trained since childhood and was an elite member of a prominent family. She was willing to take risks and naturally knew how to win people over.

Ning Zhuo naturally understood such upright methods, but inevitably, his expression softened somewhat.

Zhu Fenxiang’s change in attitude was, of course, due to Shutu Zhenyu Zhenjun.

“Why would Shutu Zhenyu Zhenjun voluntarily become my protector god?” Ning Zhuo also had a guess about this. “Perhaps he sensed the aura of Wangchuan Fujun’s magic power from Mengye Hu’s body?”

“If that’s why I gained Shutu Zhenyu Zhenjun’s favor, then this benefit is still part of the spoils from the battle at Wangchuan Difu.”

Ning Zhuo communicated secretly with Sun Lingtong through Renming Xuansi.

Sun Lingtong frowned slightly, her small face filled with worry: “If that’s the case, the intricate details involved are much more complex and dangerous.”

After all, it involved beings of the Huashen level and also concerned the current conflict between Wangchuan Difu and Guihuo Difu.

Continuing his conversation with Zhu Fenxiang. Ning Zhuo stated that after returning, he would issue a statement by tomorrow at the latest, severing ties with Situ Xing and officially forming an alliance with Zhu Fenxiang.

Zhu Fenxiang’s eyes flickered. After a moment of hesitation, she shook her head slightly. “There’s no need to be so hasty.”

“Daoist Friend Ning Zhuo, after careful consideration—why should we be so overt?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to have a talent like Daoist Friend Ning Zhuo helping secretly?”

“When I was gathering information, I discovered something very interesting.”

“The group Situ Xing assembled divides power by ‘chairs.’ He currently occupies the first chair, Shen Xi the second, Lin Jinglong the third, but Daoist Friend Ning Zhuo, you weren’t ranked.”

“If you were to become the person in the first chair, would you be able to lead this group?”

At this point, Zhu Fenxiang smiled subtly and said meaningfully, “I also found out that Daoist Friend Ning Zhuo has a good relationship with Shen Xi and Lin Jinglong, and you’ve hosted them both multiple times.”

“I wonder, Daoist Friend Ning Zhuo, are you interested in my proposal? In my opinion, you are far more qualified than Situ Xing!”

When Zhu Fenxiang said this, it wasn’t flattery, but came from the heart.

Although Ning Zhuo had not publicly proven himself in the martial arts arena competition, both Lin Jinglong and Pi Fojie’s demon cultivation subordinates had suffered losses at his hands. Zhu Fenxiang was aware of these achievements. As Ning Zhuo’s reputation grew, more and more cultivators would become aware of them.

Zhu Fenxiang also knew crucial information unknown to the public: Shutu Zhenyu Zhenjun had become Ning Zhuo’s protector god. She was her biggest trump card in battle, and also Ning Zhuo’s trump card.

“At the very least, if I were to fight Ning Zhuo, I likely wouldn’t fare well.”

Zhu Fenxiang couldn’t help but imagine herself in that scenario. A thought suddenly flashed through her spiritual sea: “If Ning Zhuo and I both called upon the divine being at the same time, who would He help?” Zhu Fenxiang felt a tremor in her heart and instinctively stopped that line of thought.

Hearing Zhu Fenxiang, instead of rushing Ning Zhuo to break ties with Situ Xing, propose a rather constructive suggestion, Ning Zhuo showed a hesitant expression.

“This is indeed a good plan, but I need to consider it carefully,” he said.

Zhu Fenxiang smiled slightly. “No rush, no rush.”

Then, she invited Ning Zhuo to stay for dinner.

Ning Zhuo politely declined.

“As Daoist Friend Zhu Fenxiang just said, we are all our own people; this meal won’t make a difference. And there will certainly be plenty of opportunities in the future.”

“Moreover, if we are to secretly follow Daoist Friend Zhu Fenxiang’s plan, we should maintain secrecy and not interact too much. The more frequent and longer our interactions, the more detrimental it will be to the plan.”

At this point, Ning Zhuo couldn’t help but feel fortunate that he had hidden his identity when he came to find Zhu Fenxiang this time.

“But there’s still a small flaw,” he thought, his eyes flashing, wanting to remind Zhu Fenxiang. But on second thought, he didn’t voice it.

After quickly bidding farewell to Zhu Fenxiang, Ning Zhuo, with the rescued Mengye Hu, quietly returned to his Qing Shi Dongfu.

He first reviewed his visit to Zhu Fenxiang this time. Without a doubt, the gains far exceeded his expectations!

He then focused on Zhu Fenxiang’s subsequent proposal.

“I challenge Situ Xing to a duel and oust him from the first chair?”

“There’s indeed a high probability.”

Ning Zhuo had just recently witnessed the battle between Situ Xing and Zhu Fenxiang. Having seen many of his trump cards, he felt confident.

“But in that case, the enmity between me and Situ Xing and the Situ family would become huge!”

Ning Zhuo’s political acumen was not low. He knew in his heart that if he publicly announced his departure from Situ Xing’s faction and allied with Zhu Fenxiang, the conflict wouldn’t be significant. They could simply part ways amicably.

“It’s even very possible that Situ Xing would be relieved by my departure.”

“But if I oust Situ Xing, it would undoubtedly ruin his plans and completely antagonize him, thereby attracting the enmity of the Situ family.”

Situ Xing was the face of the Situ family at the Foundation Establishment stage, a prominent figure they promoted. If Ning Zhuo ousted Situ Xing, it would also be a slap in the face to the Situ family. Although Ning Zhuo wasn’t afraid of trouble, he still wished for fewer enemies and more friends.

“This matter still needs to be deliberated at length.”

“Situ Xing and I don’t have many direct conflicts of interest. The one who truly needs to strike down Situ Xing is Zhu Fenxiang. Although I am secretly allied with Zhu Fenxiang, I am not her subordinate.”

Striking down Situ Xing was not Ning Zhuo’s idea, but Zhu Fenxiang’s interest. However, this matter could be discussed.

“If the benefits are sufficient, it’s not impossible to do.”

The Situ family was a colossal, super-powerful force, but Ning Zhuo, relying on the Wanxiang Sect, would not suffer terrifying retaliation and targeting.

“Let’s wait and see about this matter. It’s best to wait until Zhu Fenxiang gets impatient and makes an offer first.”

“No rush, no rush.”

During this review, Ning Zhuo also unearthed a new piece of information. It was something he hadn’t noticed at the time.

“I was previously thinking of finding a way to nourish spiritual entities within the Wanxiang Sect.”

“But from Zhu Fenxiang’s description, this method is quite rare even within the Wanxiang Sect. She must have more information about the Wanxiang Sect than I do, but as far as she knows, Xuanhuang Muqi is the only item available for nourishing spiritual entities…”

This indirectly suggested that there were no other methods for spiritual nourishment. Otherwise, Zhu Fenxiang would most likely have mentioned them.

After the review, Ning Zhuo summoned Kitchen Elder and instructed him to first collect information about “Xuanhuang Muqi” and “Danxia Feng.” Ning Zhuo liked to plan before acting, and this time was no exception.

“Once the information is gathered, then we’ll see if we can contact relevant personnel to discuss purchasing Xuanhuang Muqi.”

The value of Xuanhuang Muqi was immense and incredibly practical, usable in any situation. Ning Zhuo’s expectations for it had always been low.

Ning Zhuo assessed his current situation. He had left Huoshi Xiancheng to travel the world, seeking relics to save his mother’s spiritual entity. As a result, upon arriving at Wanxiang Sect, he discovered his own cultivation path: Tianzi Benwo and Fenzhou Duhun Shu!

Ning Zhuo would undoubtedly follow such a powerful path. This decision meant that Baizhi Xiancheng would be the “cultivation holy land” for the young man with the blank paper, and he absolutely had to control it himself. Because from Baizhi Xiancheng, Ning Zhuo could, at low cost and secretly, obtain a massive amount of souls from the underworld. By using these souls for cultivation, his progress would surely skyrocket!

“But to secure the benefits of Baizhi Xiancheng, I must properly handle the Wanxiang Sect.”

Therefore, Ning Zhuo’s joining the Wanxiang Sect at this moment was different from his previous intentions. Before, he wanted to join primarily because he discovered his mother, Meng Yaoyin, was a Core True Disciple of the Wanxiang Sect. He had a good impression of the Wanxiang Sect and also had Meng Yaoyin’s last letter guiding him. Now, he wanted to join for future planning.

The Wanxiang Sect would certainly not give up their expectations regarding Baizhi Xiancheng.

“My joining the Wanxiang Sect now is preemptively turning enemies into friends!”

“I cannot simply be an ordinary member of the Wanxiang Sect; instead, I must integrate into the upper echelons and form close, friendly ties with the mainstream forces of the Wanxiang Sect.”

“Once I reach this level, I can leverage the power of the Wanxiang Sect to better negotiate with the Lord of Baizhi City and secure my own share of the benefits.”

“Of course, I must also try to control the Qingjiao Army, this cultivation army, as much as possible.”

“Wangchuan Difu and Guihuo Difu should be fighting fiercely, and the Wangchuan Fujun Seal in my hand will be a crucial bargaining chip for me to get involved in the future national war between the two countries!”

Thus, Ning Zhuo needed to carefully seek out the most suitable entry point and then integrate into the Wanxiang Sect.

“Once the information about Baizhi Xiancheng is exposed, I will face a severe test.”

“Wen Ruan Yu is more reliable than I expected, having hard-won such a long preparation time for me.”

“I need to do my best, strive for more fame, demonstrate more value, and acquire more connections to deal with this test.”

Xuanjia Dong Qingwu Langjun, Zhu Fenxiang, Shutu Zhenyu Zhenjun, and even the Zhu family, all became Ning Zhuo’s connections.

However, the Zhu family and Zhu Fenxiang required careful consideration. Being too close to them would mean incurring deep hatred from the Situ family and Situ Xing. Although Shutu Zhenyu Zhenjun was a great god, his influence within the Wanxiang Sect was relatively small.

On the other hand, although Qingwu Langjun was not a great god, he was Ning Zhuo’s biggest networking gain recently.

“I need to continue to strike at Ban Ji, demonstrating my toughness and righteousness.”

“Thanks to Pi Fojie for bringing me such a suitable target to establish my authority.”

“But there’s no need for me to face Ban Ji in the martial arts arena. That kind of battle is not about life or death, which is a bit much. Obstructing Ban Ji’s upcoming Xingyun Xiaoshi will be enough.”

“Of course, if Zhu Fenxiang offers a higher price, taking down Situ Xing is not out of the question!”

For Ning Zhuo, it was all about establishing authority. Ban Ji and Situ Xing had no qualitative difference.

“Among all the Xingyun Xiaoshi, the martial arts arena holds almost the most weight.”

“Therefore, I still need to enter the martial arts arena.”

“Before that, it’s truly essential to improve my combat power as much as possible.”

Joining the army was almost impossible; no matter how many mechanisms Ning Zhuo had, he wasn’t an army. His leverage on combat power was greatly curtailed. Talents like Situ Xing and Zhu Fenxiang all possessed Golden Core level combat power!

“Although Shutu Zhenyu Zhenjun has become a guardian deity, it’s still best to use him sparingly.”

Everything has a price!

“Speaking of which, the Tougu Yaoshen has been in a deep slumber since absorbing incense last time and has not yet awakened.”

Ning Zhuo thought deeply: “I still need to accumulate enough mechanical puppets, at least at the Golden Core level!”

“My current mechanist realm is at the master level, and my artifact refining realm has also advanced one level. Can I create Nascent Soul level mechanical constructs?”

“This is something I can try.”

After a brief assessment, Ning Zhuo had a clearer plan for the future. His mother’s situation now had a glimmer of hope. He just needed to wait for the scythe to stir, then burn the relics to exchange for spiritual essence.

Ning Zhuo decided to establish his cultivation base in Baizhi Xiancheng. His relationship with the Wanxiang Sect was what he needed to manage most at the moment. By demonstrating his value, finding an entry point, and directly joining the mainstream forces within the Wanxiang Sect, he could help secure his interests in Baizhi Xiancheng.

Once this was achieved, he would certainly soar by leveraging Tianzi Benwo and Fenzhou Duhun Shu! To demonstrate more of his own value and build more connections, he needed to participate more in Xingyun Xiaoshi, boost his reputation, and establish a good image.

Ban Ji or Situ Xing, both were stepping stones!

“The mechanical army is not something I can rely on; the key is to accumulate mechanical puppets. In terms of combat power improvement, my returns are the highest in this area.”

Mengye Hu, Yuan Dasheng, Xuecai Nü・Hui, and Xueshu Yu・Xie—these four Golden Core puppets—were the key upgrade targets after Ning Zhuo’s careful deliberation!