The Ning Clan cultivators filed in one after another, their faces expressionless, swarming into Ning Zhuo’s small courtyard.

They spread out to the left and right, subtly encircling Ning Zhuo in the center.

Several others were scattered around the residence, vigilantly surveying the surroundings.

Ning Ze and Ning Fan stood before Ning Zhuo.

Ning Ze concisely stated their purpose.

Ning Zhuo raised his eyebrows, “I do indeed possess a large sum of spirit stones, but this is my own affair and has nothing to do with the clan, does it?”

“Just for this matter, Uncle, you had to come and ask in person?”

The youth’s youthful and tender face was filled with incomprehension and disbelief.

Ning Fan remained silent.

Ning Ze shook his head slightly, his expression stern, “Xiao Zhuo, you are still young and do not understand these principles, which is not your fault. You only need to tell us the truth and reveal the source of this vast fortune.”

But Ning Zhuo shook his head, his face showing difficulty, “I’m sorry, Uncle, but I cannot speak about this.”

Ning Ze and Ning Fan were momentarily astonished.

Ning Ze lowered his voice, his expression becoming even more serious, “Why can’t you speak? At this crucial juncture, you still won’t say?!”

Ning Zhuo shrugged his shoulders, displaying a careless attitude while also revealing a stubborn streak within his youthful nature, “What does it matter? This is my money. I can spend it however I please.”

Ning Ze grew anxious, “You don’t understand your current situation, Xiao Zhuo!”

“Do you think you’re still the same as before?”

“You’re not!”

“You are now a key target for the clan’s cultivation efforts, the second most important figure in the modification team, do you know that?”

“Someone has reported you for being extravagant and possessing a huge sum of money from an unknown source.”

“Just when the clan wants to cultivate you and provide strong support, this incident occurs! Tell me, shouldn’t you explain things clearly?”

“Xiao Zhuo, you think the world is too simple.”

“Before, you were unknown, ordinary, and no one paid attention to you, it didn’t matter. But now you are at the peak of the third layer, everyone is watching you, and even the smallest flaw on your body will be magnified, seized by those with malicious intent, and used to criticize you with all their might, to bring you down!”

“Now that you have such a huge suspicion on you, those people will spread rumors about you, saying that you are secretly funded by other clans, that you have been turned and are a spy sent into our family. Do you think the clan should conduct a detailed investigation to be at ease?”

Ning Ze spoke at length, his words earnest and sincere.

Ning Zhuo fell into silence, and after a long while, he said, “Uncle, there are indeed many secrets involved. But I can assure you that I have not done anything that defies heaven and reason. This money came by legitimate means, and my conscience is clear!”

Ning Ze glared, wishing he could grab Ning Zhuo’s ears, “No, were my words just wasted?”

“Did you listen carefully?”

“Your conscience is clear, who can prove it? Who will believe it?”

“Alright, since you haven’t done anything that defies heaven and reason, just say it directly. Now, you need to prove yourself to the clan!”

Ning Zhuo remained silent.

“Are you even listening to me?” Ning Ze raised his voice, his brow furrowed with anxiety, his face showing a hint of anger.

Ning Zhuo sighed, finally revealing some of the truth, “Uncle, you are my closest relative, you must believe me, I really haven’t done anything bad.”

“But this matter, I really can’t reveal.”

“I have made a pact with someone else, I can’t speak, if I speak, I will suffer a backlash from the pact.”

Ning Ze was stunned, then his brow furrowed even tighter, “What matter would make you sign such a pact with someone else?”

“Ah, this child, you are truly making me anxious!”

Ning Ze pointed at Ning Zhuo, his fingers trembling with anxiety.

Ning Zhuo simply lowered his head and remained silent.

Ning Ze looked at him, then looked at Ning Fan beside him, forcing a smile on his face, and said to the latter in a low voice, “Brother Ning Fan, would you be so kind as to allow me to chat with my nephew alone?”

Ning Fan wore a troubled expression, “You also know that I was sent here to supervise…”

Ning Ze couldn’t care less at this moment and hurriedly transmitted his voice, promising some benefits.

Ning Fan hesitated for a moment, then nodded, “You two nephew and uncle have great futures, and I don’t want to offend you, so I will give you half a cup of tea’s time.”

Ning Ze led Ning Zhuo into the room.

“Speak, what is difficult to say, say it now.”

“There are only the two of us here.” Ning Ze’s face was ashen.

Ning Zhuo, “Uncle, what I just said is the truth. I am not deceiving you. I have indeed signed a contract with someone else and cannot reveal even a fraction of it.”

Ning Ze glared angrily, pointing his finger at Ning Zhuo’s forehead, and said through gritted teeth, “Ning Zhuo, do you know the seriousness of this matter!”

“The clan values you now, values you very much, so they specially sent an investigation team.”

“To prevent you from having any misunderstandings, they specially sent me to talk to you.”

“Now is the best time for you to confess, if you miss it, you will mess things up!”

Ning Ze took a deep breath, “Alright, even if you have a contract binding you, it doesn’t matter.”

“You must know that where there is a lock, there is a key.”

“Tell me what kind of contract it is, and it’s not impossible to remove the contract by using the clan’s power.”

Ning Zhuo shook his head, “Uncle, in my opinion, it’s best not to touch this matter.”

“Alas, if you really want me to say it, I can only tell you that this matter involves a Golden Core Great Cultivator!”

“What?” Ning Ze was greatly shocked and couldn’t help but take a step back, “You, you’re not lying to me?”

The Ning family’s highest combat power was the Ning family’s Ancestor, a Golden Core cultivator.

Ning Zhuo sighed, “How could I lie to you, Uncle.”

“So, I think, this matter should not be investigated, just let it end here.”

“If the clan doesn’t trust me, then I will withdraw from the modification team and not participate in the exploration of the Magma Immortal Palace.”

Ning Ze stomped his foot in anger after hearing this, “Xiao Zhuo, how can you say such nonsense?”

“You were able to enter the modification team because I spent money.”

“Do you think you can just withdraw if you want to?”

“Even if you withdraw, the clan will definitely investigate your matter thoroughly.”
“You, you, just what have you done?”

“To end up in this state!!”

“Speak! Who exactly is that Golden Core cultivator? Could it be…that shadowy demonic cultivator?”

Speaking to this point, Ning Ze’s pupils constricted violently. A wave of chilling dread washed over him, and he involuntarily recoiled a step.

In the next instant, he transmitted his voice to Ning Zhuo, sternly demanding, “Quickly, tell me, is this affair related to the shadowy demonic cultivator?”

Ning Zhuo frowned, “Grand Uncle, do not press me. I cannot speak of it.”

“What have you done, actually signing such a contract? Alas, alas… my… my whole clan will be implicated because of you!” Ning Ze was so anxious that he slapped his thigh repeatedly.

Ning Zhuo sighed, “Grand Uncle, I had no other choice.”

Hearing these words, Ning Ze became even more inclined to believe that the answer involved the shadowy demonic cultivator.

He clasped his hands behind his back, pacing back and forth, then suddenly stopped, staring intently at Ning Zhuo. “Zhuo’er, this matter is extremely serious. It is not something you can avoid simply by trying to hide.”

“We must investigate and uncover the truth today.”

“Do not blame your Grand Uncle. It is truly because you have committed a grave error!”

Ning Zhuo was taken aback, hurrying to say, “Grand Uncle, the matter is not as serious as you imagine…”

But Ning Ze shook his head, eager to disassociate himself from Ning Zhuo and prove his innocence. He strode quickly out of the room and said to Ning Fan, “My nephew has indeed signed a contract. What should we do next?”

“Does the clan have methods to dissolve the contract? The key is, this matter is connected to a certain Golden Core grand cultivator.”

Ning Fan was astonished.

He stood there stunned for a moment, then his expression darkened, and he said, “The matter is of great consequence. But as long as the contract was not personally established by the Golden Core grand cultivator, we can proceed to attempt to break it.”

“But are you certain?”

“Ning Zhuo is currently unable to disclose any information about the contract. We must attempt to break it through our methods. In the process, we may inevitably cause harm to Ning Zhuo.”

“Ning Ze, you are the Grand Uncle of Ning Zhuo, and the chief of this investigation. It is your decision to make.”

Ning Ze’s expression was conflicted for a moment, then he nodded heavily. “We have been entrusted with this investigation from above. The entire clan is watching. How can we report back if we do not go to this extent? Do it!”

Ning Fan’s eyes flickered. “However, it would be best if Ning Zhuo voluntarily cooperates in this matter. The effect would be optimal.”

No sooner had Ning Fan finished speaking than Ning Zhuo declared, “I refuse!”

Ning Ze turned his head back to glare, shouting, “Wretch, this is not up to you to decide!”

Ning Ze glanced around, and said in a low voice, “Are you all not going to act?”

Ning Fan sighed, secretly waving his hand.

Two burly men from the investigation team stepped forward, one on each side, seizing Ning Zhuo, releasing their magical power and easily suppressing him.

Ning Fan took out a magical artifact and handed it to Ning Ze. “This is the Soul-Seizing Father-Son Bracelet. If you wear the father bracelet and place the son bracelet on Ning Zhuo’s wrist, you will be able to extract his thoughts.”

“As the saying goes, no one knows a son better than his father.”

“Although Ning Zhuo is bound by the contract and cannot reveal the truth, he is not forbidden from thinking.

“As long as we forcibly extract the relevant thoughts from his spiritual sea, we can obtain the information.”

“However, this act may trigger the contract’s backlash. Our investigation team will do everything possible to suppress it.”

“Moreover, forcibly extracting thoughts will itself cause damage to the spiritual sea. To avoid this, it would be best if young friend Ning Zhuo voluntarily cooperates.”

Ning Zhuo was being held down and could only struggle in the seat. “I am unwilling! I am unwilling at all!”

Ning Ze snorted coldly and put the father-son bracelets on himself and Ning Zhuo respectively. “Zhuo’er, you are stubborn. As your elder, the person in this world who is closest to you, how can I allow you to continue making mistakes!”

“Cooperate with me obediently, and you can suffer a little less pain.”

Ning Zhuo refused.

Ning Ze’s face was as cold as ice, and he directly activated the Father-Son Bracelet.

A pair of bracelets on both of their wrists shone with blue and white light.

A strong suction force extended into Ning Zhuo’s spiritual sea, about to wreak havoc, when it collided with my Buddha-Devil Heart Seal.

The suction force was like a swift wind, while the treasure seal was like a mountain, unmoving, perfectly defending.

Ning Zhuo’s eyes rolled back, and he convulsed constantly in the chair. Two streams of blood flowed from his nostrils.

Ning Ze’s face was as dark as water, and he stubbornly persisted.

Ning Zhuo had already prepared the thoughts and proactively sent them forward, about to be captured by Ning Ze.

With a loud crash, the door of the house was kicked open.

Young Clan Leader Ning Xiaoren, seeing this scene in the hall, instantly his eyes turned red with anger, and roared, “Stop!”