Ning Jiufan took a deep breath and walked closer to the Lingyin Willow. He circled around the tree a few times, his spiritual sense dispersing, probing into the tree’s body and the surrounding soil.

“The soil is fertile, the water is nourishing, but the Lingyin Willow seems like an old man nearing his end—it can no longer take in sustenance.”

Ning Jiufan had already seen the root of the problem.

Ning Zhuo nodded and sighed: “Exactly so, it is far too weak. Ancestor, do you have any solution?”

Ning Jiufan spread his hands: “This is a Golden Core-grade spiritual plant. As for me, your ancestor, my knowledge in spiritual plants is far too shallow. I dare not rashly intervene.”

Ning Zhuo immediately frowned.

Ning Jiufan continued: “But that’s of no matter. We already have the most suitable candidate right by our side!”

“I recall that Sect Master Lin Bufan is especially skilled in cultivation and healing, though his alchemy is a bit lacking.”

“And his cultivation has already reached the Nascent Soul stage. To heal a Golden Core-grade spiritual plant should be a very safe matter.”

Ning Zhuo sighed: “But if we do this, then the alliance contract between my clan and the Myriad Medicines Sect will become even harsher.”

Ning Jiufan shook his head: “If the Lingyin Willow can be healed, then any price is worth it.”

Ning Zhuo also shook his head and sighed once more: “It’s not only the Lingyin Willow.”

“I also need to purchase the formula for a wine called Deep Thought and Brewing Intent.”

Ning Jiufan asked: “And why is that?”

“Last time, didn’t I request Sect Master Lin Bufan to let me visit Linghu Jiu? There…”

Ning Zhuo did not conceal anything, and briefly recounted the matter of competing in a drinking contest with Linghu Jiu inside the Ten Thousand Demons Cave.

Ning Jiufan’s eyes immediately lit up again: “The Five Elements Divine Lord? ‘Divine Spirit Art of the Five Viscera Temple’?!”

“You brat drank once, and you got a cultivation art of the Fusion stage?”

“You must know, the Ice Heart Sutra of our clan is only at the Nascent Soul stage.”

At this moment, Ning Jiufan was even more excited than when he had just heard about the Lingyin Willow.

Ning Zhuo hurriedly stretched out his palm and pressed downward in the air: “Calm down, calm down, Ancestor.”

“Fusion-stage techniques aren’t something I haven’t acquired before.”

Ning Jiufan: …

After thinking for a moment, he was still very stirred: “But your Three Sects Supreme Art is only at Foundation Establishment level. Whereas the ‘Divine Spirit Art of the Five Viscera Temple’ is complete!”

“Well? Have you considered switching over to it?”

Ning Jiufan asked the same question that Linghu Jiu had once asked.

Ning Zhuo shook his head, giving the same answer as before. On one hand, the Three Sects Supreme Art suited him better. On the other hand, he believed the Three Sects Supreme Art was a new method, superior to older methods such as the ‘Divine Spirit Art of the Five Viscera Temple.’

This superiority lay in the Dantian.

The Three Sects Supreme Art cultivated all three Dantians simultaneously, the pinnacle of the world. The ‘Divine Spirit Art of the Five Viscera Temple,’ however, mainly cultivated qi meridians, affecting only the upper and lower Dantians.

Ning Jiufan furrowed his brows, speaking with some concern: “But have you thought, the Three Sect Lords who created the Three Sects Supreme Art may never have reached the Fusion stage?”

“And another thing: the Foundation Establishment chapter you obtained came from the transmission bell of the Lava Immortal Palace. If you want the follow-up in the future, you may not be able to avoid Meng Kui. After all, he is the Palace Master of the Lava Immortal Palace.”

Ning Zhuo nodded: “That is why I’ve decided to gamble.”

“That is also why I joined hands with the royal court in close alliance—making plans for the future.”

Of course, Ning Zhuo did not reveal that his control over the Lava Immortal Palace was actually greater than Meng Kui’s. The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit in the Dragon Head Cabin was the key to him reclaiming the palace one day.

According to his plan, handing the Lava Immortal Palace to Meng Kui now was merely to borrow the Meng Family’s strength to repair it.

If he had inherited the palace immediately back then, he would have been trapped within Huoshi Immortal City, unable to move, while facing frenzied retaliation from the Meng Family and even the Southern Dou royal court.

Another complication was that Ning Zhuo was not some lone wanderer—he had his clan, and his subordinates. All of them were inside Huoshi Immortal City. As its City Lord, Meng Kui could easily target them to cause trouble for Ning Zhuo.

At times, retreating one step truly opened the vast seas and skies!

Now, Ning Zhuo could grasp the essentials and travel freely. Up until now, he had only stayed at Mist-Hidden Mountain and Myriad Medicines Valley, but the harvest had been immense.

“If I had clung to the Lava Immortal Palace back then, I’d probably be scrambling for funds to repair it, making countless promises harmful to myself, right?”

Seeing Ning Zhuo’s mind was set, Ning Jiufan could only say: “You are wagering your entire Dao path. If you lose this bet, it’ll be eternal damnation.”

“Besides, old methods can be refined into new ones. Didn’t your Five Elements realm just soar upward?”

“If you truly want to gamble, I advise you—at least wait until before advancing to Golden Core. Return to the Lava Immortal Palace, see the transmission bell, and if you can learn the true limits of the Three Sects Supreme Art, then that would be best.”

Ning Zhuo shook his head: “Since the last time the transmission bell rang and only gave me the Foundation Establishment chapter, Meng Kui has turned that place into a forbidden zone.”

“To approach the transmission bell will not be easy.”

“In the end, it still comes down to me—our Ning Family’s strength!”

Ning Jiufan nodded repeatedly, deeply approving: “Well said. Since you understand the weight of it, I won’t persuade you further.”

“But… is the Deep Thought and Brewing Intent really that good?”

Ning Jiufan voiced his doubts: “In fact, there’s no shortage of treasures that allow communication with the underworld. For example, the Legacy Stone, Nether Drum, Ghost Scroll, Ghost-Face Book, Paper Effigies for Crossing the Dead, and the like.”

“If you want convenience, spells are better. Such as the classic Possession Technique, or the Nether Soul Summoning Curse, the Wandering Soul Inquiry, and the Yellow Springs Crossing Art.”

“My guess is that the Deep Thought and Brewing Intent was something Lin Bufan specially sought out for his eldest disciple. After all, Linghu Jiu has the innate talent of Drunken Moon Seeking Immortals.”

“You getting such a shocking reward was just sheer luck—one lucky strike!”

“If you try again, you may not have the same fortune.”

“Didn’t Linghu Jiu give you half a jar of Deep Thought and Brewing Intent? Drink some more, and see the effect.”

“If it’s ineffective, then we don’t need to add this to our list.”

“If you truly want such inheritances, the Complete Book Tower could also provide them. As long as you pay enough, they could even arrange the original author to personally pass on the art, instilling its true meaning in you—saving you from the obstacle of comprehension.”

Speaking up to here, Ning Jiufan paused: “Oh, right.”

“Sometimes, during ancestral sacrifices, one might also gain the teachings of our forebears.”

“This coming Ghost Walk Festival, at the clan’s grand ancestral rite, you must return. I will personally oversee it, reporting your matter to the ancestors in the underworld.”

“At that time, you will surely benefit!”

Ning Jiufan, after all, was mature and steady. His advice was solid and reliable.

Ning Zhuo said he had taken note, and that he would also try drinking more of the Deep Thought and Brewing Intent.

Yet he still felt uneasy: “The Lingyin Willow is a treasure of inheritance. Is it really appropriate to show it to Lin Bufan?”

“If Granny Yuan were healthy, we’d still have Nascent Soul-level combat strength, and it would be safer.”

“But now Granny Yuan also needs Lin Bufan’s treatment. The prior negotiations already revealed much of our strength and weakness…”

Ning Jiufan shook his head with a smile: “No need to worry about that.”

“The Myriad Medicines Sect’s foundation is far larger than our Ning Family’s. If he struck against us, could he still mix in the righteous path?”

“To us, a Golden Core-grade Lingyin Willow is invaluable. To them? Of course, they would want it too. But if he really acted on it, wouldn’t that mean abandoning the entirety of his foundation?”

“Unless he could cover heaven and earth, with backing strong enough to conceal it. But as far as I know, Lin Bufan still isn’t in the eyes of Southern Dou’s upper circles. Our Ning Family only barely got royal support because of the Lava Immortal Palace.”

“Yes, the Myriad Medicines Sect is vast, but compared to the entire Southern Dou Kingdom, compared to behemoths like the Meng Family or Su Family, it still falls far short.”

“If things turn sour, I’ll reveal my own official position. Ning Zhuo, you should also send a letter to Zhu Xuanji, coaxing him to reply. Let Lin Bufan see it.”

“With this, I feel everything will be much more secure!”

This advice instantly made Ning Zhuo raise his thumb in praise: “Brilliant! Ancestor, you are truly brilliant!”

Ning Jiufan stroked his beard and smiled proudly, recalling: “I don’t believe Sect Master Lin Bufan is the sort to betray righteousness for profit.”

“In the past, when our entire Ning clan migrated, crossing underground rivers and emerging from the Ten Thousand Demons Cave…”

“Lin Bufan personally came, and upon hearing our story, immediately arranged for us to be properly settled.”

“We didn’t want to impose further, but Lin Bufan, seeing our hardships, insisted on letting us stay over a month, so we could recover.”

“To do that was no easy thing.”

“On one hand, it consumed great resources. On the other, our Ning Family was a migrating clan, not to be underestimated in strength. Housing us was a risky venture for the Myriad Medicines Sect.”

“For Sect Master Lin Bufan to show such capacity and breadth—he would not trouble us over the Lingyin Willow.”

Unlike Ning Zhuo, Ning Jiufan had much contact with Lin Bufan in the past. Thus, his impression of him was consistently good.

Ning Zhuo nodded, then asked if Ning Jiufan knew of the Five Elements Divine Lord.

Ning Jiufan frankly admitted: he had never heard of it.

Then he speculated: the title was grand, extremely domineering. Since it was of the Fusion stage, it could not be unknown. If one investigated carefully, the truth would surely surface.

Ning Jiufan then advised: “Wait, don’t we need a reply from Zhu Xuanji?”

“Why not write him a letter, asking about this Five Elements Divine Lord?”

“The most basic duty of the Detective Division is to chase whispers and rumors. Their archives and records far surpass both our clan and the Myriad Medicines Sect.”

Indeed, the older the ginger, the spicier.

Ning Jiufan’s advice was excellent, and Ning Zhuo immediately nodded, adopting them all!

Detective Division Headquarters.

As Zhu Xuanji walked, people constantly greeted him.

“Is there a major case today?” Zhu Xuanji asked.

“None.” Someone answered.

“Really?” Zhu Xuanji was doubtful. “Whenever a major case happens, my heart always skips, a sense of unease grips me. And today, no major case?”

The Detective Division member quickly rifled through the day’s reports, confirming again—none.

“How strange.” Zhu Xuanji rubbed his forehead, muttering inwardly, “What’s with this foreboding feeling that lingers in my heart?”

“Oh, Lord Zhu, here’s an urgent delivery for you.” Seeing Zhu Xuanji about to leave, the member quickly called out.

For some reason, Zhu Xuanji’s heart skipped a beat.

The ominous feeling grew stronger.

“What letter? Who sent it?” Zhu Xuanji took the letter and saw the signature—

Ning Zhuo!

That Calamity-Bearing Son again!!

He immediately drew a sharp breath inward.