Is Chapter 755 really just luck?

Situ Xing sat upright in the main seat, head bowed and brows furrowed, lost in deep thought.

Yan Linglong's words touched the deepest part of his heart.

Long before Ning Zhuo acted ostentatiously, obtained the stone tablet, and rose to fame by answering the three questions of the Zhuxie Hall, Situ Xing felt like he had a thorn in his side and a fishbone stuck in his throat.

He was a member of the powerful Situ family. After his talent was discovered, he received great support from his family from a young age and was groomed to be their heir.

Therefore, he not only possesses combat prowess and cultivation, but also remarkable political acumen.

Ning Zhuo's high profile immediately made Situ Xing feel that his power and status were under great threat.

Neither Shen Xi nor Lin Jinglong possessed any natural talent, and they had known each other for a long time, so they were quite familiar with each other. For Situ Xing, choosing to team up with the two of them was relatively safe.

Ning Zhuo is not one of them.

He was a complete stranger, and even now, Situ Xing and Ning Zhuo have never had a deep conversation.

Situ Xing recalled how he "met" Ning Zhuo. In the very beginning, he learned about him from Shen Xi.

"This person initially kept a low profile, clearly indicating that he was biding his time."

"Such forbearance must indicate that his ambitions are far-reaching!"

"Once he has observed the situation carefully and sees an opportunity, he will seize it fiercely, make a name for himself, and show his talent."

"Such an ambitious person should never be underestimated or looked down upon!"

"Perhaps when he joined our little group, it was just to test the waters. But now that he knows all the inside stories and rules of the Xingyun Trial and the Feiyun Grand Tournament, could he be tempted to steal my number one spot?"

Situ Xing sensed a great threat from Ning Zhuo.

He was extremely worried that Ning Zhuo, driven by ambition, would secretly plot against him, ultimately usurp his position, and oust Situ Xing from power. That would be incredibly humiliating.

On the righteous path, losing face is a serious matter!

Reputation is extremely important.

Situ Xing was groomed as one of the heirs, and he was acutely aware of the importance of reputation. From the moment he began his cultivation journey, every major action he took had a deeper meaning behind it, all aimed at cultivating his prestige!

Even if he fails to compete for the position of clan leader in the future, he can still use this reputation to obtain other important positions in the family.

However, if he were to be dethroned by Ning Zhuo under these circumstances, such a defeat would undoubtedly add a significant weakness to his future competition for the position of family head.

His opponents will surely seize on this point and strike him hard—you, Situ Xing, can't even hold onto the position of leader in a small group, how can you lead the entire Situ family?

How will Situ Xing refute this at that time?

"Power, oh power..." Situ Xing sighed inwardly.

He craves power and pursues it.

Because of his power, he could use the entire Situ family to help him acquire various resources for cultivation.

This is a golden age for cultivation, rich in spiritual energy and abundant in all kinds of resources. But when it comes to competition among cultivators, resources become crucial.

A cultivator with exceptional talent who is only given inferior resources will naturally have their cultivation progress hampered.

Situ Xing is proud and arrogant; for him, what he pursues is inevitably more resources, and better resources.

Therefore, establishing a small power base and successfully passing the Flying Cloud Tournament is his most important plan at present. By demonstrating his abilities step by step, leading the elite as a leader, he can prove his personal combat prowess and showcase his leadership skills. This is Situ Xing's true objective.

Joining the Myriad Manifestations Sect was a piece of cake for a genius cultivator like him.

His talent for cultivation alone was enough to make the Myriad Manifestations Sect actively recruit him.

Situ Xing wants more!

Ning Zhuo became a threat, even though he had never been active on this small hill. But just his mere presence was enough to make Situ Xing completely wary.

"Ning Zhuo's current inactivity doesn't mean he won't be active in the future. Perhaps he doesn't have any thoughts about my position now, but what about the future?"

Furthermore, Ning Zhuo's undisciplined and careless behavior was also greatly interfering with Situ Xing's control over this small hill.

As long as Ning Zhuo has a breath left, someone can clearly see that in this small group, there is someone who can rival Situ Xing and does not have to abide by Situ Xing's rules.

There can be no two suns in the sky, and no two masters on earth.

Ning Zhuo's very existence is weakening Situ Xing's power!

This is the rule of the power arena! Cruel, suspicious, and without any room for compromise.

“In the future, if I make the slightest mistake, Ning Zhuo can raise his voice and I’m afraid there will be people who will fawn over him and create a wave of people to overthrow me.”

Situ Xing had long known that there was never a second way to solve the problem he was facing.

He must get rid of Ning Zhuo!

Yan Linglong's advice merely struck a chord with him. It also made him consider a question: was it appropriate to address this problem now?

After careful consideration, Situ Xing felt it was a good fit.

To be precise, he was more worried about the future.

“Ning Zhuo is a foreigner. Even though he has several followers, he is essentially alone.”

"If we don't act now that he's unstable, wouldn't it be even worse if we wait until he's firmly established?"

If it were any other top-tier geniuses on par with Situ Xing, Situ Xing wouldn't be so worried. The problem is, Ning Zhuo's rise is quite extraordinary.

It's one thing for the Confucian scholar to be first in the two preliminary tests, but the key is that Ning Zhuo's performance in the three questions of the Hall of Exorcism was truly amazing!

If it were Situ Xing himself, he would never have performed so brilliantly.

The reason is obvious: Situ Xing is not such a "righteous" person.

"What kind of personality does the current leader of the Demon Extermination Hall have? It's certain that he greatly admires Ning Zhuo!"

"If we delay any longer and wait until later to take action, it may be too late."

With this in mind, Situ Xing finally made up his mind and summoned Shen Xi and Lin Jinglong.

He had a serious expression on his face and said some nice things to the two of them.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, Fellow Daoist Lin! Our society is founded on the tripod of the three of us. We have been friends for a long time, and our hearts are as firm as gold and stone. Now we gather at Yuntai, and we are working together to achieve great things and spread our wings in the nine heavens. Since we started, each of you has shown your talents and sharpness. We value our unity and close bond, as if we were all working together as one."

"Fortunately, Fellow Daoist Shen recommended Ning Zhuo, a man of unparalleled talent, whose abilities rival our own. This is truly a great fortune for us!"

"However, I believe that Ning Zhuo's position is still undecided, which is a great mistake! If rumors spread throughout the world that we disregard talent and are arrogant and condescending, wouldn't that tarnish our family's integrity?"

"My mind is made up. I will choose an auspicious day to compete with Ning Zhuo at the Starfall Platform. If I am defeated, I will vacate the left seat and let Ning Sheng take the lead—I will accept this with my whole heart and the witness of heaven and earth!"

Shen Xi and Lin Jinglong both fell silent for a moment.

The two of them had known Situ Xing for a long time, so how could they not know each other's true intentions?

What do you mean by saying that if you lose the battle, you'll hand over the top seat to Ning Zhuo? Such empty words, ha, just listen to them!

A cold glint flashed in Shen Xi's eyes, and he automatically translated in his mind—I, Situ Xing, am worried that Ning Zhuo is trying to seize power, so I must deal with him first! I'm going to fight him and try to knock him down so I can still be the boss. You see, what kind of relationship do the three of us have? You have to support me!

Lin Jinglong, having been nurtured by his family since childhood, naturally understood Situ Xing's true intentions.

He found it somewhat amusing: "It's rare to see Situ Xing using such flowery language. It's clear that Ning Zhuo put a lot of pressure on him, making him say such polite things to both of us!"

“Hmm…that’s true. Shen Xi and I have both had contact with Ning Zhuo, and I even got into a fight with him.”

“Ning Zhuo was personally recommended by Shen Xi.”

Before the battle begins, actively recruiting people, establishing allies, and creating an advantage of numbers is the standard starting move for the righteous path, and Situ Xing, this rising star of the righteous path, is doing just that!

Situ Xing stared at Shen Xi, pressing him for an answer.

Shen Xi pondered for a moment and said, "A snake cannot move without a head; this is the way of Heaven. Since the beginning of the society's formation, I have worked tirelessly day and night, following only Brother Situ's lead. How can we allow outsiders to covet the position of leader?"

"Although Ning Zhuo has made a great contribution, we are just strangers who met by chance. How can our friendship compare to that of Brother Situ?"

"Now I will personally write a letter to Ning Zhuo and make the following agreement: First, the title of Kui Jing belongs to my friend Situ Daoyou, this is a public opinion and cannot be shaken. Second, I am willing to step down to the fourth seat and give two seats to Ning Zhuo."

"In this way, the phoenixes of the nine marshes can each find their proper place. Isn't this a blessing for our mountain?"

"To be the pillar that stands firm, I am willing to follow in the footsteps of a steed. As long as our banners point and we work together with one heart, what is there to fear in achieving our great cause!"

Seeing that Shen Xi was willing to support him, Situ Xing's gaze softened.

“Ning Zhuo joined on his recommendation. If Ning Zhuo and I were to fight, Shen Xi, sitting in the second seat, could simply sit back and watch the two tigers fight. Even if Ning Zhuo wins, his position will not be shaken.”

Situ Xing was satisfied with Shen Xi's statement.

Situ Xing was not satisfied with Shen Xi's suggestion.

Sending letters back and forth is too slow. It also gives Shen Xi and Ning Zhuo time to communicate and react, which could easily lead to problems!

Situ Xing knew very well that one of the reasons he had urgently summoned the two men was to launch a surprise attack and catch them off guard.

Situ Xing never trusted Shen Xi.

He had suffered losses in Shen Xi's formation before.

When he was forming his own faction, he deliberately put Shen Xi in a difficult position to make sure the latter was willing to accept a lower status before he felt at ease.

"What if Shen Xi is just stalling for time, actually using Ning Zhuo to wear me down so that he can take the opportunity to rise to power... who knows?"

Situ Xing shifted his gaze to Lin Jinglong.

Lin Jinglong's attitude was very firm.

He clearly expressed his concerns, saying that the clashes in the martial arts hall were not about life or death, and if something serious were to happen, how would the Situ and Ning families react? Such an outcome would be terrible and troublesome.

Even if no one dies, if someone is seriously injured and misses the Flying Cloud Tournament, they will inevitably be ridiculed by outsiders.

Right now, our mountain is very fortunate to have two first-rate geniuses like Situ Xing and Ning Zhuo. This is a very rare situation and an opportunity that we should cherish and seize.

In my opinion, Ning Zhuo's refusal to take any official position indicates that he has no interest in this matter. We should simply treat him as a guest advisor.

From beginning to end, he did not participate in any decision-making matters concerning this mountain.

Furthermore, if the two were to clash, wouldn't it take time to prepare? It would consume too much energy and time. Not to mention the Flying Cloud Conference, even the current various small trials of Xingyun would cause them to miss many opportunities!

A sharp glint flashed in Situ Xing's eyes.

Lin Jinglong was actually the one who firmly refused!

This was once again beyond Situ Xing's expectations.

He had originally thought that Lin Jinglong would be more supportive of him than Shen Xi. As the third-ranking official, Lin Jinglong's support should have been more genuine.

"Lin Jinglong kept saying he was acting in the best interests of the situation, worried that Ning Zhuo and I would both suffer heavy losses..."

"He has fought Ning Zhuo before. Does his current attitude also prove that Ning Zhuo is very strong?"

"Judging by his cultivation level, Ning Zhuo is only at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. Why does Lin Jinglong value him so much?"

Situ Xing's expression turned cold.

He wanted their support, and Shen Xi explicitly expressed his support, but Situ Xing was uneasy. Lin Jinglong, on the other hand, expressed his opposition and did not support either side at all.

This is because Ning Zhuo's existence does not threaten their interests!

Situ Xing slowly shook his head, his voice low: "Brother Jinglong, you are overthinking it! I have my own plans, how could I miss a single detail? I am eager to prove myself through unconventional and unorthodox methods. Making friends through battle allows one to see a person's true character. Do you two not have any such intentions?"

Seeing Situ Xing's stance, Shen Xi and Lin Jinglong had no further objections and were willing to follow the arrangements.

“In that case, I would like to ask Brother Shen to deliver this challenge letter on my behalf, what do you think?” Situ Xing handed the challenge letter that he had prepared to Shen Xi.

Shen Xi accepted the letter with remarkable decisiveness.

After he and Lin Jinglong bid farewell to Situ Xing, they walked home together.

Lin Jinglong conveyed his thoughts to Shen Xi: Situ Xing and Ning Zhuo are both top-notch geniuses. If they can work together, I believe we will achieve amazing results at the Flying Cloud Tournament.

When two tigers fight, one will surely be injured. The Myriad Manifestations Sect cannot withstand a deadly battle. You and I both know Situ Xing's temperament, and we can't fathom Ning Zhuo's true nature. If someone dies in the fight, our current excellent situation will be ruined.

Shen Xi, you're so foolish. How could you agree so readily?

Shen Xi smiled slightly and used his divine sense to ask Lin Jinglong: "You suffered a loss at Ning Zhuo's hands. Why don't you want to probe Ning Zhuo's true nature? We know Situ Xing inside and out, but we've only known Ning Zhuo for a short time. Your statement is actually protecting an outsider."

Lin Jinglong chuckled: "Chen Xi, stop trying to test me. I was indeed wary of Ning Zhuo before. But look at his experience now. The Confucian scholars think highly of him, giving him first place twice in a row, and he answered the three questions of the Exorcising Evil Hall with great force!"

"Ning Zhuo is an upright person! A person of principle! He will be our most reliable comrade-in-arms."

“At least when we’re fighting side by side, I’m not worried about him harming us. But Situ Xing is arrogant and likes to control everything... If huge interests are involved, wouldn’t it be normal for him to turn his sword against us?”

Relieved by Lin Jinglong's answer, Shen Xi immediately said, "Since that's what you think, then I'll tell you."

“Situ Xing has made up his mind. If I were him, I would also take advantage of this opportunity to make my move.”

"Even if we explicitly oppose it, we can't stop him."

"It's not convenient for us to stop him; there are plenty of cultivators in this world who can stop him."

Lin Jinglong's heart skipped a beat: "You mean..."

Shen Xi smiled meaningfully: "My Shen family has the Pi family as its mortal enemy, but doesn't the Situ family have one?"

Lin Jinglong: "The Situ family has many enemies, but who is the most suitable?"

Just as Shen Xi was about to express his opinion, a cultivator released a powerful aura and descended from the sky, shouting, "I bring Miss Zhu Fenxiang's challenge letter here. Where is Situ Xing? Does he dare to accept the letter?!"

Lin Jinglong and Shen Xi looked at each other in bewilderment.

Lin Jinglong transmitted his thoughts and exclaimed, "The Zhu family and the Situ family are mortal enemies. This challenge letter concerns the family's reputation, so Situ Xing will definitely accept it. This saves us a lot of trouble. We're lucky, and Ning Zhuo is lucky too, haha."

Shen Xi fell silent, the image of Ning Zhuo's smile appearing in his mind.

"Is it really... just luck?"

(End of this chapter)