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The Lava Immortal Palace had been blasted open some time ago, and more and more insiders began to understand, "Is that Immortal Palace stirring again?"

Meng Kui gazed down at the Immortal Palace, quietly watching as Red Flame Beasts continuously emerged, assaulting the palace's defenses.

Ning Family.

The Ning family patriarch stared at the mountain peak, and after a moment, the clan leader reported to him.

"The Zhou family's two Golden Cores and the Zheng family's two Golden Cores gambled and fought, both entering the formation?"

"Such a coincidence?"

The Ning family patriarch shook his head slightly. Regardless of whether this information was true or not, he decided to investigate in person.

Since Meng Kui had sealed the mountain peak and personally taken command, the Ning family patriarch had not set foot in the Immortal Palace for a long time.

"Grandpa Sun hasn't replied to me?"

It had been more than half the night, and Ning Zhuo had not received a reply from Sun Lingtong.

He frowned deeply; this was very unusual.

Ning Zhuo paced around the room with his hands behind his back.

After a few laps, he summoned a servant, "The commotion at the mountain top is significant; what's going on?"

"Go find out what's happening, and if there's any other important news, report it all."

Not long after, the servant returned with explosive news from the market.

Ning Zhuo received the information he wanted.

"Zhu Xuanji sought out Grandpa Sun?"

"Grandpa Sun deliberately spread the ‘achievement' of driving away Zhu Xuanji, which is his way of telling me about his current real situation!"

"Grandpa Sun, being from the No-Void Sect, has the Empty Seal. Even if Zhu Xuanji abandons his principles and face and forcibly performs a soul search without evidence, he won't find anything."

"He's still not replying to me. What exactly happened?"

Ning Zhuo's brow furrowed tightly, "Let's wait a bit more."

Trusting the other… this was a pact between the two, a mutual understanding cultivated over a decade.

Back then, Ning Zhuo was only two years old.

One day, Sun Lingtong returned, injured.

"What are you doing?" he noticed Ning Zhuo packing a small bundle and his expression darkened.

From the bundle, he saw supplies meant for entering the Red Flame Demon Molten Cave.

Ning Zhuo exclaimed in surprise, "Brother Sun, you're back! I was just about to go find you, ouch!"

Sun Lingtong couldn't help but give Ning Zhuo a light flick on the forehead.

"I can explore the Red Flame Demon Molten Cave because I'm capable."

"What are you going there for? To feed the beasts?"

"You don't know the immensity of heaven and earth, you reckless brat!"

Ning Zhuo's chubby little hand covered his forehead, his voice full of grievance, "But, Brother Sun, this time you were gone so long, missing for a whole seven days."

Sun Lingtong's expression darkened.

After recovering from his injuries, he would periodically sneak into the Red Flame Demon Molten Cave to search for his master.

No results.

This time, the tunnel he entered had collapsed midway.

Fortunately, Sun Lingtong was on his way back and decisively used the Void Penetration Technique repeatedly, narrowly escaping through the collapsed section and saving his life.

However, finding the Lava Immortal Palace next time would not be easy; he would need to re-map the correct path.

Of course, these troubles were unnecessary to share with a two-year-old child.

Sun Lingtong patted his chest and smiled at Ning Zhuo, "You have to trust me, your brother is strong!"

"Let's make a deal: ten days from now on."

"I promise to return within ten days."

"So, as long as it's within ten days, don't worry. I'll be fine."

Ning Zhuo weakly responded, "I understand."

"This time, did you find your master in the tunnel?"

Sun Lingtong replied, "Although I didn't see my master, I left some talismans in the corridor. If my master leaves the palace, he should sense them. Cough, cough."

Sun Lingtong's breath weakened, "I suffered internal injuries this time. Please brew some potion for me; here's the pill recipe. I urgently need to replenish my qi."

Ning Zhuo looked at the recipe and noticed the lack of ingredients, so he went out and bought some.

After testing them, Sun Lingtong found many were fake.

He inquired about the entire process of Ning Zhuo's purchase, then helplessly shook his head and advised, "You're a child; buying from street vendors with a covered face is bound to arouse suspicion."

"Next time, go to a reputable pharmacy openly and show your Ning family badge."

"Claim you're buying for the adults at home; no one will trouble you, and you'll get genuine ingredients."

"You're smart, but you're sorely lacking in experience!"

…

The Ning family had visitors.

The visitor smiled kindly and spoke to Ning Zhuo in a gentle tone, attempting to coax him into signing a contract.

Sun Lingtong had foreseen this and had already informed Ning Zhuo of the solution.

Ning Zhuo followed the plan and brought in his uncle, Ning Ze.

Ning Ze, with a stern face, personally intervened, loudly reprimanding the visitor and thwarting his scheme.

However, afterward, he failed to restrain Wang Lan. She rushed to the clan hall, causing a scene that left the elder in charge disgraced.

Ning Zhuo told Sun Lingtong, "With such a commotion, I'm afraid I will soon have to live with my uncle. Sigh, I really don't want that."

Sun Lingtong patted his shoulder and comforted him, "Don't worry, your registry transfer won't be completed."

"You'll likely stay here for a long time."

Ning Zhuo was curious, "Why?"

Sun Lingtong explained, "On the surface, the elder of the clan hall has been dismissed, but he remains an elder from the main branch, deeply connected, and this is just a temporary appearance. He will surely rise again."

"Your aunt's outburst caused the clan hall's prestige to suffer. However, the Ning family's collateral branch lacks powerful figures or factions to push the clan hall into changing its ways."

"So, the clan hall is likely to stand firm, refusing to correct its errors, testing the reaction of the Ning family's collateral branch."

"If the reaction isn't strong, they'll withhold your registry as a warning to others. Though eventually, they will transfer you to your uncle's house, they will delay it as long as possible."

"Your aunt mishandled the situation. However… it may not have been unintentional."

Ning Zhuo's mouth slightly opened, listening in stunned silence.

Seeing his bewildered expression, Sun Lingtong patted his shoulder, "This is the world of adults."

"You're too young, only two years old."

"You're clever, but adults are cunning."

"You still have a lot to learn."

"For instance, do you know the difference between a gang, a family, a sect, and a country? Do you understand how these forces operate?"

Ning Zhuo could only shake his head and ask in confusion, "Are these important?"

Sun Lingtong's face turned serious, "Extremely important!"

He then smiled, "Come, let me explain it to you."

…

Ning Zhuo sighed inwardly.

The knowledge Sun Lingtong imparted to him about various forces was vivid in his mind, echoing as if it had happened yesterday.

"Gangs, in most cases, prioritize profit. The first generation leader of the Monkey Head Gang possessed immense personal charisma, but he is dead. The second-generation leader, Yuan Er, struggles to command respect, especially after Yuan Dasheng's death."

"Externally, old enemies harbor grudges, lurking in the shadows, waiting for revenge. Internally, powerful elders defy Yuan Er, coveting the leader's position."

"Yuan Er faces internal and external threats!"

"There's still no response from Grandpa Sun; I should deploy my forces first."

While waiting for Sun Lingtong's reply, Ning Zhuo remotely controlled the Tree Martial Fighting Ape, Dasheng, attempting to infiltrate the Monkey Head Gang's base.

He was already quite familiar with the Monkey Head Gang's base.

As a result, a simple attempt proved successful.

He commanded the Tree Martial Fighting Ape, Dasheng, to smoothly enter the inner perimeter of the base, getting very close to Yuan Er.

"I didn't expect the Monkey Head Gang's base defenses to be this lax!"

"After the Huoshi Festival's crushing defeat and Yuan Dasheng's death, the gang's reputation has severely declined, and the members' morale has plummeted."

"Their hearts are scattered; even the main base's defenses are so poorly managed."

"No, something's off."

"This might not be mere negligence; it's likely an elder's doing, deliberately arranging it this way."

After analyzing for a moment, Ning Zhuo considered a possibility.

The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.

"If the gang's elder colludes with old enemies to assassinate Yuan Er, I won't need to trouble Grandpa Sun."

"This would save me a lot of trouble."

Black Market.

Sun Lingtong's residence.

In the main house, a chilling yin energy filled the entire hall.

The Judge of Inspections, like a temple statue, his gaze as sharp as blades, pierced Sun Lingtong's soul, scouring through his memories.

As Ning Zhuo grew older, he

was tested for spiritual roots and began attending school.

He lived with his uncle's family, but his days were stifling.

Relying on the No-Void Sect's techniques, Sun Lingtong would secretly meet with him every so often.

These meetings were the brightest moments in Ning Zhuo's otherwise dim life.

Sun Lingtong glanced over Ning Zhuo's exam results, his eyes sharp, "Little Zhuo, why were your scores so good this time?"

"Have you forgotten what your mother told you on her deathbed?"

"You must hide your talents; keep yourself hidden!"

Ning Zhuo lowered his head, "But the school elder is kind and often encourages me to perform well."

"And my classmates always mock my poor grades, don't play with me, and think I'm stupid."

"But I'm obviously much smarter than they are!"

"I just wanted to show a little bit of my ability to make them see me differently!"

Sun Lingtong sighed inwardly, "Little Zhuo is indeed very smart, but as a child, he can't hold back, easily provoked."

"How should I persuade him?"

"No matter how I advise, it might not be effective!"

After some thought, Sun Lingtong decided to scare him, "Little Zhuo, you're not far from death."

Ning Zhuo was instantly frightened, "What?!"

Sun Lingtong, with a stern face, listed many examples, telling him how many geniuses were killed by jealous individuals, turned into pills, or used as refining materials.

"Your performance at school was too outstanding; it could draw suspicion, leading others to discover your talents and kill you!"

Ning Zhuo was terrified, his face pale and sweating profusely, "B-but Ning Xiaohui also has talent."

"Hmph, she's from the main branch, while you're from a collateral branch. Her grandmother is an elder, but you?"

"Have you forgotten what I taught you about cultivation families? Forgotten my analysis of the Ning family's current situation?"

Ning Zhuo shook his head repeatedly.

"Come, let's spar." Sun Lingtong thought for a moment, still uneasy, and decided to deliver another hard lesson.

Using the content of the school exams, Sun Lingtong completed all the tests in front of Ning Zhuo.

Naturally, his results were excellent, far surpassing Ning Zhuo.

Sun Lingtong said, "I'm only a year older than you, yet look at my scores. Am I arrogant? Am I complacent?"

Ning Zhuo, looking as if he had lost his soul, slowly shook his head, his face pale.

Sun Lingtong patted Ning Zhuo's shoulder, "Your Ning family is small, ranking last among the cultivation families in Puppet Immortal City."

"Compared to your classmates, you might be excellent. But how do you compare to all the children in this city?"

"Puppet Immortal City is just a corner of the world, a newly built city within the Southern Dou Immortal Country over the past hundred years."

"How do you compare to children in the older cities?"

"Furthermore, this is only within the Southern Dou Country. What about the other countries?"

"Do you think you can rank among them?"

Sun Lingtong raised his finger and shook it, declaring, "You can't!"

"You can't even compare to me, so don't get complacent."

"Let me tell you, I barely count for anything in the Southern Dou Country!" Sun Lingtong pinched the smallest section of his pinky finger, greatly downplaying himself.

Ning Zhuo's face turned pale, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

Seeing the effect, Sun Lingtong was pleased and patted Ning Zhuo's shoulder, "You need to understand, there are always people better than you, and skies beyond your own."

"Arrogant and self-important people are fools!"

"You must always remain humble, open-minded, and keep a low profile to recognize reality, quickly absorb new knowledge, and grow faster."

Having said this, Sun Lingtong had already made a decision: every now and then, he would personally challenge Ning Zhuo to a ‘spar,' teaching him to guard against pride and impatience!

Ning Zhuo remained silent for a long time before finally raising his eyes to look at Sun Lingtong, his voice hoarse, "Brother Sun, I was wrong! Before my mother passed, she often warned me, too."

Sun Lingtong sighed, "Actually, what I just told you was all taught to me by my master."

The two looked at each other, and for a moment, both fell into silence.