After the Zhou family’s two prodigies finished, the entire Zhou family’s reformed cultivators moved out, one by one entering the arcane array.

“Mid-stage Qi Refining, Third Layer.”

“Mid-stage Qi Refining, Third Layer.”

“Early-stage Qi Refining, Third Layer.”

…

It started with a series of Third Layer Qi Refining cultivators, from mid-stage to early-stage, but there were none at the late-stage of the Third Layer.

Then came Peak Second Layer, Late-stage, Mid-stage, and Early-stage Second Layer. Astonishingly, there wasn’t a single cultivator at the First Layer.

After this series of tests, the discussions amongst the Zheng and Ning family cultivators quieted down a lot. Many of the Zheng family cultivators’ expressions turned solemn, while most of the Ning family cultivators looked even worse.

Although the Zhou family’s reformed cultivator team was small, it was extremely elite.

According to the sequence, next up was the Zheng family.

Zheng Jian, without a doubt, was the first to step into the testing array.

“Peak Third Layer!” The family elder announced in a clear voice.

“Oh!!” The Zheng family cultivators cheered, creating a wave of enthusiastic clamor, much louder than when the Zhou family had cheered.

They seemed to be competing in this way.

Many of the Zhou family’s younger generation cultivators watched silently, most of them with calm expressions.

Inside the reception hall.

The Zhou family patriarch complimented, “The Zheng family’s family spirit is truly enviable. United as one, closely knit together, it can be described as thriving. This is all thanks to Brother Zheng’s effective management.”

The Zheng family patriarch laughed heartily, not being humble, “It’s like forging iron. Steel must be hammered a hundred or a thousand times, closely uniting together, to become a good weapon.”

The Zheng family cultivators made quite a stir, sometimes cheering and sometimes teasing.

The Zhou family cultivators had clearly tested their cultivation levels in advance. They entered the array in order of cultivation level, from highest to lowest.

The Zheng family did not do this.

This made it difficult to assess the results of each Zheng family cultivator’s test.

If a cultivator tested well, they would cheer loudly. If a companion’s test wasn’t ideal, there would be loud teasing, but nothing malicious.

This atmosphere of healthy competition made the Ning family patriarch secretly envious.

“My Ning family was once like this.”

“Unfortunately, we suffered heavy losses during the migration. After entering the city, there was a branch family coup, so we could only implement a policy of strengthening the trunk and weakening the branches.”

“Alas, only when the main branch is strong both in quality and quantity can we gradually loosen the suppression of the branch families and unite a good family spirit.”

The Ning family patriarch had held a high position for many years and was not unaware of the family’s internal worries.

But he was powerless.

He was from the main branch, and his origin determined his position.

He could not betray the main branch to support the branch families. The branch family cultivators would not accept him, and the main branch cultivators would directly overthrow him.

“Every family has its own difficult scripture to recite.” The Ning family patriarch secretly adjusted his mentality.

He was well aware of the situation of his reformed cultivator team. Most of them were at the First Layer of Qi Refining, so the upcoming test results would definitely be unsightly.

Next, it was the Ning family’s turn.

Ning Xiaohui walked into the testing array with a cold face, under the worried gazes of the Ning family members behind her.

“Peak Third Layer!” The family elder announced.

The Ning family cultivators also erupted in cheers.

Zheng Jian and Zhou Zeshen looked at Ning Xiaohui as she walked out of the array. She still had a cold face, exuding an aura of arrogance.

Inside the reception hall.

The Zheng family patriarch looked at the Ning family patriarch, “Your Ning Xiaohui hasn’t been reforming for long, yet she has reached the peak of the Third Layer?”

The Zhou family patriarch also looked over, revealing a questioning gaze.

The Ning family patriarch stroked his beard and smiled. He had been waiting for this moment, so he pretended to be calm and said, “My clan was slow to realize the significance of the Lava Immortal Palace and deeply felt the great disparity. So I pleaded with the Ancestor, and he granted my request, allowing us to use a talisman from the family treasury called the Flowing Clouds and Running Water Talisman.”

“When this talisman was created, our ancestors took a spring of icy coldness from an ice mountain, containing a little of the essence of heaven and earth. Therefore, it can help cultivators cultivate together, providing a bit more assistance.”

The Zhou family patriarch smiled, complimented the Ning family a few times, and thought to himself that the Ning family did indeed have some foundation.

The Zheng family patriarch then said, “Brother Ning, our two families should get closer. To be honest, my family is fully forging a magical treasure, and we are lacking extreme cold quenching methods. Your Ning family comes from the Northern Wind Kingdom, I wonder if you can lend a hand?”

The Ning family patriarch stroked his beard, “Easy to talk about, easy to talk about.”

But in his heart, there were many regrets.

This Flowing Clouds and Running Water Talisman contained its own spiritual energy and could help cultivators cultivate together, which was very effective, but it had a limited number of uses.

If they could create a Boat Leaping Mountain Pass Talisman that also had spiritual energy, according to the Ning family’s secret methods, the two talismans could be linked together, with the spiritual energy nourishing and replenishing each other. Although the accumulation would be slow, strictly limiting the number of uses could achieve a degree of recycling.

Unlike now, when using a single talisman, the consumed spiritual energy could not be recovered.

Fortunately, after Ning Xiaohui’s reformation, she was only at the first three layers of Qi Refining, and her cultivation was weak, so her consumption of the Flowing Clouds and Running Water Talisman was relatively small.

Using this talisman was a helpless measure.

Firstly, on the night of the Dharma Transmission Bell, Ning Xiaohui was too tired from crafting talismans and fell asleep, so she did not adapt herself to the slightly adjusted Five Elements Qi Rhythm Formula. She could only use the summarized version understood by others, which was not very efficient.

Secondly, Ning Xiaohui’s grandmother, the family elder of the academy, and other high-level members had made a fuss, fighting for many rights for Ning Xiaohui.

Thirdly, the Ning family patriarch also considered the competitive relationship with the Zhou and Zheng families. If a leader like Ning Xiaohui’s cultivation was lacking, the Ning family would suffer great losses in the distribution of benefits among the three families.

Therefore, the Ning family temporarily integrated the Flowing Clouds and Running Water Talisman into Ning Xiaohui’s body, constantly helping her breathe and extract mana, allowing her to improve rapidly.

After Ning Xiaohui returned to the team, the test results of the other Ning family cultivators were not so pleasing.

The good ones had Second Layer cultivation, but most of them were only at the First Layer.

This wasn’t really their fault. The Ning family had temporarily expanded its recruitment not long ago.

But now, in this joint test of the three families, the voice of the Zhou family elder seemed to be getting louder and louder each time he announced the results, causing those Ning family cultivators at the First Layer to be publicly humiliated.

The Zheng family cultivators were mostly young and vigorous, and sometimes they would burst out laughing.

The Zhou family cultivators maintained their demeanor, but the disdain in their eyes became more and more intense.

Ning Xiaohui was so angry that her face turned ashen. Looking at the cultivators around her, she said coldly, “A bunch of trash!”

Ning Chen and Ning Yong returned to the cultivator team with expressions of frustration. Their cultivation levels were both at the peak of the First Layer.

“Since the reformation, we have been working non-stop, breathing to the limit every day.”

“I heard that the Zheng and Zhou families provide resources for free, but in our Ning family’s reformed cultivator team, only the main branch has this treatment!”

“That’s right, if we had such treatment, given the same amount of time, we might not be able to surpass them.”

Ning Chen and Ning Yong were very unconvinced.

Ning Zhuo reached out and patted both of them on the shoulders, saying bluntly, “Watch me.”

Under the puzzled gaze of Ning Chen and Ning Yong, Ning Zhuo walked out of the team and into the testing array.

The entire martial arts field was noisy.

At this point, the true colors of the three great families were clear at a glance.

Although the Ning family had a large number of cultivators, many of them were only at the First Layer. With so many cases like this, no one expected Ning Zhuo to perform well.

However, the light of the testing array was extremely strong.

The Zhou family elder was stunned. After confirming the result, he announced in a loud voice with an incredulous expression, “Ning Zhuo, Peak Third Layer Qi Refining!”

The entire place fell silent.

Many people began to ask their companions what they had just heard.

When Ning Zhuo walked out of the testing array, he was immediately greeted by countless gazes.

The sixteen-year-old boy faced the crowd without any stage fright and smiled slightly. Then, he walked with his head held high, returning to the Ning family team with composure.

A large number of gazes followed him closely, even Zhou Zeshen, Zhou Zhu, Zheng Jian, and others cast inquisitive looks.

“Who is this person? He actually has such cultivation!”

“The information didn’t mention him.”

“Does the Ning family also have a hidden gem?”

Similar questions and emotions swirled in everyone’s minds.

Even the patriarchs of the three great families were among them.

In normal times, they would not pay as much attention to the Qi Refining cultivators in their families as they did now.

But now, the Lava Immortal Palace was right on top of the mountain. The Qi Refining cultivators in the family were the main force in exploring the Immortal Palace, so no amount of attention was too much!

The Zhou family patriarch looked at the Ning family patriarch, “I didn’t expect Brother Ning to be hiding such a trump card.”

The Ning family patriarch stroked his beard and smiled, his demeanor composed, “Brother Zhou is too kind.”

He didn’t explain much, which made the Zhou and Zheng family patriarchs exchange glances, and they both raised their impression of the Ning family by a level.

What the two patriarchs didn’t know was that the Ning family patriarch had the same doubts as them!

Ning Zhuo’s return was greeted by cheers from the Ning family cultivators.

Ning Chen and Ning Yong crowded around, both with incredulous joy, “Zhuo, how did you suddenly reach the peak of the Third Layer?”

“That’s right, you’re as strong as Ning Xiaohui!”

Countless ears perked up, all listening to Ning Zhuo’s answer.

Ning Zhuo smiled slightly, “Maybe I’m just more suited to the Five Elements Qi Rhythm Formula. Practicing this method, the progress is very fast, like a mighty river rushing forward, advancing a thousand miles a day.”

Everyone fell silent.