Chapter 756 Ning and Ban's Game

The Zhu family's messenger made no attempt to conceal his voice; amplified by magic, his voice created a rolling wave that swept out in all directions.

Immediately, Shen Xi and Lin Jinglong saw Situ Xing fly out.

Situ Xing frowned, staring at the newcomer, and sneered, "How dare you! Has Zhu Fenxiang gone mad from believing in gods? You actually think she can defeat me?"

"Hehehe, very good, very good."

"Since she's so overconfident, I accept the challenge!"

Situ Xing had no choice but to comply.

The Zhu family and the Situ family are mortal enemies. Currently, among the cultivators from both families participating in the Flying Cloud Tournament, Situ Xing and Zhu Fenxiang are the most prominent figures in the Foundation Establishment stage.

If Situ Xing were to avoid battle, it would inevitably tarnish the family's reputation. Given his position, he could not simply retreat without a fight, allowing the world to despise him and the Situ family, and bringing shame upon the clan.

The messenger then slowly pushed the letter, and watched as it landed in Situ Xing's hands.

He remained expressionless, then turned and flew away.

Situ Xing quickly scanned the challenge letter with his divine sense. The letter contained very simple information, expressing Zhu Fenxiang's anger and strong fighting spirit.

But even now, Situ Xing still can't figure out why the other party suddenly became furious and wanted to deal with him.

"Zhu Fenxiang and I have fought many times, and we have each won and lost."

"What new source of confidence is she coming after me this time?"

Situ Xing pondered for a moment while glancing at Shen Xi and Lin Jinglong.

Shen Lin and his companion slowly flew to Situ Xing's side.

Lin Jinglong said with a worried expression, "Fellow Daoist Situ, since you have already accepted Zhu Fenxiang's challenge, then postpone your competition with Ning Zhuo."

"There's no need to fight on two fronts; it only increases the risk."

Situ Xing snorted coldly: "Zhu Fenxiang and I exchanged the stone tablets in the same batch. This time she suddenly challenged me, so she should not be underestimated. Ning Zhuo is lucky! Let him go for now."

Situ Xing had no choice but to change course and focus his efforts on dealing with the formidable enemy who had come knocking on his door.

He pressed his lips together, revealing his resentment. After a few moments of silence, his eyes narrowed as he pondered, "What's wrong with Zhu Fenxiang? Why is he interfering just when I'm about to cause trouble for Ning Zhuo?"

"My first priority is to find out what happened!"

Situ Xing's plan was exactly the same as Shen Xi's plan.

After bidding farewell to Situ Xing, he immediately dispatched his subordinates to investigate the reasons behind Zhu Fenxiang's initiative to challenge him.

The burning of incense was never concealed, and the process of the messenger delivering the message was always carried out in a grand and ostentatious manner.

Shen Xi quickly investigated the cause.

Lin Jinglong chuckled, "Fellow Daoist Situ has paid a price for his true nature, haha."

Situ Xing also fell silent for this reason.

He never expected that Zhu Fenxiang would come to him because of a poem he had written.

He did indeed remember this poem.

After winning first place in his third Xingyun preliminary test and confirming that he could exchange it for a stone tablet, he got drunk in a restaurant and, in high spirits, wrote a poem on the wall.

The poem contains the line "The ancient sheath still bears the traces of night flames, the new blade thirsts for the brilliance of the Milky Way," which is taboo. This angered Zhu Fenxiang, who happened to be at the restaurant, and he directly destroyed the wall.

Zhu Fenxiang immediately rebuked him, declaring that he would definitely teach Situ Xing a lesson.

"It seems to have nothing to do with Ning Zhuo." Realizing that he had caused the trouble, Situ Xing could only accept his bad luck. "Right now, the only thing to do is deal with Zhu Fenxiang first, and then deal with Ning Zhuo, this threat."

Lin Jinglong felt like he had just watched a good show.

However, Shen Xi harbored some suspicion and secretly dug deep into the intelligence, investigating the events of that night in detail.

He discovered that it was one of the restaurant's waiters who loudly recited the poem, telling the surrounding diners about how Situ Xing had composed the poem in a drunken mood, and then reciting it in front of everyone.

Zhu Fenxiang was in the private room and did not see the poem. Hearing the commotion outside, he realized that the shopkeeper was so proud of Situ Xing's poem that he broke down the door and angrily destroyed the wall.

"Investigate the shopkeeper's young assistant," Shen Xi secretly ordered.

Foolish Peak.

Inside the quiet room of the cave dwelling, there is an enshrined statue and memorial tablet of the "Dull-witted Thunder God".

The incense burner emitted wisps of smoke, and the light was dim.

The blind old man, dressed in simple hemp clothing, knelt on a prayer mat, his withered hands clasped together at his chest, murmuring softly as he prayed devoutly.

After a moment, the blind old man stopped muttering and raised his voice: "You've been standing at the door for quite a while. What's the matter? Come in and talk."

Then a man and a woman, both middle-aged, pushed open the door and entered.

"Father," the middle-aged man and woman said in unison.

They are the biological children of the blind Yu Gong.

The son said, "Father, I heard you want to agree to let Ning Zhuo participate in our Xingyun Trial midway through?"

The blind old man did not change his posture; he remained kneeling on the ground, facing the statue of the god.

When his children saw that they did not receive a response from their father, they immediately understood and knelt down behind Yu Gong.

Yu Gong then said, “That’s right. Ning Zhuo has already passed the three questions of the Hall of Exorcising Evil and the test of Qinghuangzi, and has already achieved first place in four of them. His reputation is well-deserved and his righteousness is awe-inspiring. If such a fine talent can obtain the Blind Foolish Divine Art, it will also be a testament to the glory of our god.”

"Isn't the purpose of our family holding the Xingyun Small Test to spread the name of the gods?"

"The stronger Ning Zhuo becomes in the future, the greater the influence of our god will be."

Upon hearing this answer, the children quickly exchanged glances, their faces filled with worry.

The son tensed up, took a deep breath, and tried to make his voice sound calm and earnest: "Father, you should think this over carefully."

"Ning Zhuo is indeed exceptionally talented and at the height of his fame, but... Ban Ji is no mediocre talent either!"

“Banji has participated devoutly and worked diligently ever since our first trial of Xingyun, single-mindedly seeking the favor of our god. Ning Zhuo cutting in line now is the greatest injustice to Banji!”

“Ning Zhuo’s public rejection of Ban Jie’s mediation shows how young and arrogant he is. His reputation is rising rapidly, like oil being poured on a hot flame. If he is not careful, he will get burned.”

"He's a foreigner, how can he go against the Ban family?"

"They're both strong contenders, there's no need for us to get involved, Dad."

Before the blind fool could speak, his daughter immediately interjected, leaning forward slightly: "Brother is absolutely right! Father, rules are the foundation of our character. If we make an exception for just one person when we are presiding over the Xingyun Small Trial, how will outsiders view our family in the future?"

The blind old man remained silent for a moment: "Is there anything else?"

The son gritted his teeth, his voice turning low: "Father, you always taught us to plan for our descendants, and to plan for moving mountains!"

"Our clan has a blood feud spanning generations, and the road ahead is fraught with thorns. What we need is not to make enemies everywhere, but to build goodwill and accumulate every bit of potential strength! The Ban family, even if we cannot be allies, must never be enemies!"

The blind old man said, "Then how do you know that Ning Zhuo and the forces behind him are weaker than the Ban family? If I refuse his request, wouldn't I be making enemies?"

The daughter's face was stern: "Father, the Ban family is right here in our country. Whether it's Ning Zhuo's family or his sect, they can't reach him from this distance. And..."

At this point, the daughter switched to telepathic communication: "Father, if you want to spread the name of my god, there is no need to involve our whole family."

"The dull-witted Thor has indeed helped our race a great deal, and is a huge asset to the 'Mountain Moving' plan. But..."

"He has only been a god for a short time, and still has a lot of humanity. He has some blood ties with my family and also cares about old friendships."

The daughter paused, then mustered her courage and continued, "Divinity is eternal, humanity is fleeting! What about after many years, decades?"

"Humanity has vanished, leaving only indifferent divinity. Will the dull-witted Thunder God still help my people against the Mountain God?"

The son chimed in, communicating telepathically with a generous spirit: "Father, in my opinion, to truly 'move the mountain' and fulfill the unfinished ambition of our ancestors, ultimately, we cannot rely on divine favor or a momentary impulse, but on the continuation of our family's bloodline! It depends on the perseverance, planning, and unwavering struggle of generation after generation!"

"If we bring Ning Zhuo here in order to spread the name of God, will it help our clan's grand plan?"

"Making an exception for Ning Zhuo offends the Ban family. To put it mildly, it reduces the family's room for development. To put it more seriously, it destroys the family's foundation!"

With his back to his children, the blind old man Yu Gong had a vein bulging on his forehead.

He remained silent for a long time, so long that a long layer of ash accumulated on the incense in the burner.

In this somber atmosphere, his children dared not speak again.

Only heavy breathing could be heard in the quiet room.

"Heh." The blind old man suddenly chuckled, his laughter dry and desolate, like withered branches rubbing against each other in the cold wind.

He still didn't turn around, but instead used his divine sense to transmit his thoughts: "You two grew up under my nose, how could you possibly have such awareness?"

"Tell me, what benefits did the Ban family give you?"

The son and daughter both shuddered.

The daughter swallowed hard and said in a strained voice, "Father..."

The son immediately knelt down, his voice choked with sobs, and pleaded, "Father! We...we did accept bribes. We dared not hide it from you!"

"But we are truly thinking of the family's best interests at heart."

"How many years has it been since our family moved to Wanxiangzong? Living under someone else's roof, our family has never developed much."

"The Ban family is very powerful, and when their envoy came, his tone was... not very friendly."

“Father! You are the pillar of our family! If you are still alive, the Ban family still has some reservations. But, but once you pass away... our Yu family is like a dilapidated house without its pillar, teetering on the brink of collapse! The Ban family only needs to give it a gentle push... how can we, how can we resist?”

Upon hearing this, the blind old man froze for a moment.

The daughter also started wailing, "Father! Please, for the sake of our ancestors, for the sake of the 'Mountain Moving' project, spare us good-for-nothing descendants... We... we can't stand against the Ban family at this time!"

At this moment, the blind old man's straight back was crushed by an inch.

His empty eye sockets, staring in the direction of the incense altar, revealed a sense of bewilderment and bitterness.

The statue of the dull-witted Thunder God coldly looked down at him. The smoke from the incense burner swirled before him, mirroring his scattered and icy state of mind.

He remained silent for a long time before finally letting out a sigh.

This sigh was long and heavy, as if it had exhausted all his energy and spirit.

Sighs echoed in the quiet room, making the already dim space even more gloomy.

"With children like this, how can the family prosper?" The blind old man's words made his son and daughter blush with shame.

"Very well, I do not have much time left. The future of the family is in your hands, so I will leave this matter to you."

The daughter's sobs subsided considerably.

The son's Adam's apple bobbed as he struggled to utter, "Dad..."

Several hours later.

Qingshi Cave.

Chen San pressed his hands tightly against the seams of his trousers, his upper body slightly hunched, and bowed his head respectfully towards Ning Zhuo.

His report has just ended.

He brought Ning Zhuo both good news and bad news.

Ning Zhuo pondered and said, "The blind foolish old man refused my invitation. It seems that Ban Ji will definitely win first place in his Xingyun trial."

"In that case, he has accumulated three first-place finishes, which is enough to exchange for a stone tablet."

Chen San hurriedly said, "Even so, Ban Ji is already late and is no longer recognized as being in the first wave. He cannot be compared to you, young master."

Ning Zhu shook his head: "Ban Ji's strength and talent are definitely first-rate, there is no doubt about that."

Chen San immediately replied, "Young Master, you are truly skilled, managing to expel him from Qinghuangzi's Xingyun preliminary test. I exerted all my efforts, yet I didn't even get to see the blind Foolish Old Man. I have failed to live up to your expectations and have done a poor job. I am truly ashamed. Please punish me, Young Master!"

Ning Zhuo couldn't help but chuckle: "Chen San, you're a rogue cultivator, why are you so 'restrained'?"

Chen San seized every opportunity to flatter: "To an ordinary person, I might be a bit arrogant. But in front of you, young master, I don't know why, I am completely submissive and dare not be the slightest bit negligent or careless."

Ning Zhuo raised his hand: "Alright. Do you think I'm someone who doesn't know what's important? As for the Yu Gong incident, it's not your fault. It must have been the Ban family who intervened in advance to stop it."

"Just as I took precautions against Situ Xing."

Chen San looked up, "bravely" gazing at Ning Zhuo so that Ning Zhuo could see the look of admiration on his face: "Young Master, you are a master strategist, winning battles from afar. I acted according to your instructions, which is why Zhu Fenxiang became angry and went to entangle Situ Xing. You are truly brilliant, incredibly brilliant!"

Ning Zhuo shook his head slightly, looking intently at Chen San: "I've only given you the order. How to do it is up to you to improvise."

"You did a good job this time, managing to get the restaurant staff to recite poetry at the perfect moment. A gentle nudge, and you accomplished it with minimal effort. Now, what reward do you desire?"

Chen San immediately knelt on one knee: "Young Master, I dare not take credit. The reason I thought of using Situ Xing's poem was entirely because you pointed out many ways to utilize it when you gave the order. This poem was one of them!"

"I only ran errands and followed your orders, and it was done easily."

"How could I dare to accept any reward? To continue serving under you is the greatest reward!"

Chen San's eloquent words flowed smoothly, one after another.

He changed the subject, a hint of hesitation in his voice: "But that waiter at the restaurant was knocked unconscious in public by Zhu Fenxiang for reciting poetry. The restaurant suffered a loss and fired him. Now that he's seriously injured and bedridden, it's the perfect opportunity to strike..."

Ning Zhuo immediately turned serious, his voice hardening: "No."

"I belong to a reputable and righteous sect; how could I do such a vicious thing?"

"Arrange for this fellow to leave, send him away from the main gate of the Myriad Elephants Sect, and preferably send him abroad. I'll cover the expenses, so don't worry about it!"

(End of this chapter)