Mysteries of Immortal Puppet Master

A branch member, Ning Xiangqian, had a face full of anger: "Two elders, I do not accept this!"

"Revoking my position as a battle hall steward without reason, this is against the family rules!"

The two elders smiled faintly, and one of them said, "Ning Xiangqian, calm down. How could the family arbitrarily strip you of your steward position?"

"According to the family rules, the steward of the battle hall should be selected based on combat strength. To ensure the best personnel, the steward positions have always been limited, adopting an elimination policy. Newcomers wanting to serve must challenge their predecessors and take the position with real combat power."

Ning Xiangqian nodded, "Of course, I know this."

"But no one has challenged me."

"I haven't even had a single duel, yet my position was taken away. It seems the main branch holds a grudge against me for helping Ning Zhuo yesterday."

The elder smiled faintly, "Ning Xiangqian, you misunderstand us. We are actually looking out for you, worried that you would be injured in battle. Recovering from injuries would delay things too much."

Ning Xiangqian laughed coldly, "I haven't even fought, and you've already decided I'd lose. This is simply unreasonable. Who exactly has their eye on my steward position?"

"Otherwise, I absolutely won't give it up, and I'll make sure to raise this matter in the ancestral hall!"

At the mention of the ancestral hall, the two elders' faces turned grim.

One of them snorted coldly, "For such a trivial matter, you want to stir trouble in the ancestral hall? As a descendant, you're not considering the peace of our ancestors—this is truly unfilial!"

"Ning Xiangqian, you're judging us with the heart of a petty person. Very well then, let me tell you who your opponent is."

Saying this, the elder signaled a subordinate with his eyes.

The subordinate retreated and quickly returned with a person.

This person had a slender figure, handsome features, flowing white hair, and a pair of white eyebrows, appearing as a young man.

But upon seeing this person, Ning Xiangqian’s expression changed dramatically, and he exclaimed, "Ning Qingqiao?"

Ning Qingqiao raised his eyebrows and sneered at Ning Xiangqian, "You should be grateful to the two elders; all of this is for your own good. Obediently step down and save everyone some time."

Ning Xiangqian clenched his fists, his face full of anger.

Ning Qingqiao was a Foundation Establishment cultivator with the rare talent of Silent Frost. If Ning Xiaohui was the only banner bearer among the Ning Family's Qi Refining cultivators, then Ning Qingqiao was one of the geniuses among the Ning Family's Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Ning Xiangqian gritted his teeth and said, "Alright, alright, alright, the main branch sends a genius to pressure me and take away my steward position. Truly a big move!"

Ning Qingqiao sneered, "Naive! You supported Ning Zhuo yesterday and shouted the loudest, so you should have been prepared for this. Did you think this was a joke?"

"Hurry up, get lost!"

Ning Xiangqian laughed aloud, his rage making him irrational, "Get lost? Impossible!"

"Come on, let's fight."

"I want to see what qualifications you, a long-famous genius, have to be so arrogant!"

The battle lost all suspense from the start.

Ning Qingqiao held an absolute advantage, completely suppressing Ning Xiangqian throughout the fight.

"Don't kill him," one of the elders said as he watched, unable to resist speaking up when he saw Ning Xiangqian, covered in blood.

"Tsk, boring." Ning Qingqiao stopped just in time, knocking Ning Xiangqian to the ground.

Ning Qingqiao walked over to Ning Xiangqian, stepping on his head: "How does it feel now?"

"This was really for your own good, but too bad you couldn't appreciate it. You refused a toast and insisted on drinking punishment wine."

"Spit!" Ning Xiangqian struggled in vain, spitting a mouthful of blood at Ning Qingqiao.

A cold light flashed in Ning Qingqiao’s eyes as he slightly increased the pressure with his foot, knocking Ning Xiangqian unconscious.

"Take this trash from the branch family away!"

Almost at the same time, in the Talisman Hall.

An elder pointed at some inferior talismans and said to Ning Xiangguo, "These are under your responsibility. You'd better have a perfect explanation, or else…"

Ning Xiangguo smiled faintly, "An explanation? I don't need to explain."

He took out a letter from his sleeve and handed it to the elder, "I resign from my position as steward of the Talisman Hall."

The elder was stunned, then his expression softened as he sighed deeply, "Xiangguo, who told you to be from the branch family? And yesterday, you even spoke out to help Ning Zhuo."

"Sigh, I pity you. That Ning Zhuo received an extremely generous reward, but what about you? You lost the steward position you've fought for nearly ten years to obtain."

Ning Xiangguo shook his head, "If I had to do it all over again, even knowing this would be the result, I would still make the same choice."

"Farewell."

With that, he turned and left without hesitation.

Watching Ning Xiangguo's departing figure, the elder’s expression turned sour.

Ning Xiangqian, Ning Xiangguo… It wasn’t just the two of them. Many stewards from the branch family had been approached by the main branch and dismissed for various reasons.

The news spread throughout the entire family.

The branch family members, who had been excited about yesterday's victory at the ancestral hall, were like those hit with a heavy blow, their recently raised morale scattered.

With morale dissipated, people began to say all sorts of things.

"I told you not to go, but you wouldn't listen. Now look, you've lost your steward position."

"The main branch is going too far! All the stewards dismissed and driven out today are from our branch family. This is clearly revenge for yesterday's events."

"The problem is that they acted according to the family rules, with solid reasoning. We can't refute them."

"Just like Old Master Ning Houjun often says, our branch family lacks a family elder. If we had just one elder, things like this wouldn’t happen!"

If dismissed stewards could rely on a branch family elder, they wouldn't be returned to their original state as ordinary family members like they were now.

Some of the branch family members who had lost their steward positions wanted to seek help from Ning Youfu and Ning Houjun.

Ning Youfu closed his doors to visitors, but Ning Houjun received them.

Ning Houjun said, "Even the Young Patriarch was pulled down from his position, so the main branch’s retaliation was not entirely unexpected."

"Can we gather a crowd and go to the ancestral hall like Ning Zhuo?" someone asked.

Ning Houjun snorted coldly, "Do you think the ancestral hall is a joke? Do you want to be thrown into the dungeon? The main branch brats are just waiting for you to cause trouble."

Someone asked, "Then why could Ning Zhuo do it and succeed?"

"He had solid evidence, with witnesses and physical proof. Even the main branch couldn't refute it. Do you have any?" Ning Houjun glared, "You have nothing!"

He pointed at the seeking branch family members, "The main branch dismissed you all with proper reasons."

"Who told you to be so careless in your duties? Now, you’ve been caught, lost your steward positions, and still have the nerve to come to me!"

The branch family members looked at each other in dismay.

Someone complained, "Old Master, you don’t understand. Our branch family’s days are hard enough, and we still need to cultivate. It’s difficult. We have entire families to support. If we don't abuse our power for personal gain, how could we have enough resources?"

"The main branch, even the idle members, can lie around all year without ever lacking cultivation resources."

Ning Houjun sighed, "That's why I stepped forward to personally help Ning Zhuo."

"He has talent. If he grows, he will definitely become a family elder."

"Only when our branch family has an elder can we have some power to resist the main branch."

Someone scoffed, "Old Master, that’s exactly how you persuaded me to get involved in the ancestral hall matter yesterday. But now, I think we helped the wrong person."

Ning Houjun asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Another person said, "That Ning Zhuo received extremely generous rewards, far exceeding the previous standard. However, he is extremely stingy. Even his cousins were directly refused when they asked to borrow from him."

"This kind of person is easy to share hardships with but difficult to share wealth with. Is it really right for us to pin our hopes on him?"

Ning Houjun snorted coldly, "If not on him, then

on whom? On you?"

"Do you have talent?"

The crowd was silent.

One family member stood up to explain for Ning Zhuo, "He’s only sixteen, after all. He’s young. Expecting him to have your kind of understanding isn't very realistic."

Ning Houjun, hearing these words, furrowed his brows.

He recalled yesterday’s banquet. Ning Zhuo's performance had left a deep impression on him, and on the way home, he had felt delighted, thinking that Ning Zhuo was both talented and mature, a blessing to the branch family.

But today, Ning Zhuo’s behavior deeply disappointed him: "So stingy, how can he win over people's hearts and accomplish anything?"

Ning Houjun felt uneasy. After thinking it over, he decided to give Ning Zhuo some advice.

"Someone, come here." He called for a servant, "Go and take a message to Ning Zhuo. I would like to have two taels of his Ice Jade Wine as a token of thanks for yesterday’s help. Go quickly and return."

Hearing Ning Houjun’s instructions, the branch family members all stayed to see what Ning Zhuo’s reaction would be.

Ning Zhuo was currently inspecting the family’s rewards.

The generosity of this reward surprised him slightly.

"The Tornado Windmill must be placed near the middle dantian. Once activated, it can create waves in the sea of qi and produce a mana tornado, increasing the speed of mana refinement and slightly purifying mana."

"The Five Elements Ruler, when held in hand, can quickly divide spiritual power and mana into the five elements. It’s primarily for crafting, but since I'm cultivating the Five Elements Qi Regulation Art, using it to separate the five elements of mana would greatly facilitate practice."

"The Meditation Bell, each time it rings, can quickly bring one into a meditative state. Repeated ringing allows cultivators to deepen their meditation."

"The Profound Ice Waist Token is an identity token, but wearing it constantly gathers spiritual energy, helping Ning family members refine their mana."

Ning Zhuo carefully inspected these four magical artifacts and found no issues.

To be safe, he planned to take these four items to Sun Lingtong for a second check. Sun Lingtong, with his Spirit Eyes, was a disciple of a major sect and had once managed the black market, giving him a broad perspective.

Not just the artifacts, but the pills and talismans also needed to be checked.

Since Ning Zhuo had taken down Ning Xiaoren, his conflict with the main branch was irreconcilable. He couldn't afford to be careless with anything the main branch gave him.

At this moment, Ning Houjun's servant arrived with Ning Houjun's request.

After hearing it, Ning Zhuo sighed softly, "The old man is reminding me to spread wealth and gather support. The main branch's differential treatment is meant to undermine my reputation."

"Please convey my greetings to Old Master Ning Houjun and express my thanks."

"I understand that the old man wants me to use the Ice Jade Wine to show everyone that they didn’t help the wrong person, that I'm not stingy."

"But I have my own plans."

"The Ice Jade Wine won’t be given, but please take this letter back to the old man."

The servant returned with the letter.

Ning Houjun opened it with a frown.

After reading it, his brow relaxed, and he laughed heartily, "Ning Zhuo, Ning Zhuo, rough on the outside but sharp on the inside! I worried for nothing. All of you, take a look at this letter."

The former stewards quickly passed the letter around. Some smiled while others remained doubtful, "Will this… really work?"