Ning Yao quickly analyzed the situation and concluded that Ning Zhiheng was still in Licheng helping her manage the shop, so he probably wouldn't come.

The only person who specifically asked to see me was someone from Thousand Illusion Mountain…

Ning Yao looked at Chen Sheng, who was huddled up, and grinned: "You're lucky, your savior has arrived!"

After saying that, Ning Yao withdrew her grip, got up, and left the dark prison.

Chen Sheng's mind was a little muddled from the pain, but after Ning Yao withdrew her spiritual power, the pain in his body suddenly lessened, and he became much more clear-headed.

"Thousand Illusion Mountain..."

Ning Yao followed Zhao Ze to the main hall. On the way, Zhao Ze said, "He's an old man with white hair, and he has quite an imposing presence. Miss Ning, could he be up to no good?"

Ning Yao pursed her red lips tightly: "You'll find out soon enough."

The two entered the main hall one after the other, where Lin Qingyu and Zhao Xin were greeting guests.

"Grandpa, are you really Miss Ning's grandfather?" Lin Qingyu asked curiously.

Ning Shaoyuan put down his teacup, stroked his white beard, and said with a smile, "Of course!"

Lin Qingyu and Zhao Xin exchanged a glance, both seeing disbelief in each other's eyes.

"Miss Ning, this is her."

Ning Yao looked up and saw an old man with an air of otherworldly wisdom.

Ning Shaoyuan was also sizing her up, and his eyes lit up when he saw Ning Yao.

He quickly stood up and took a few steps forward: "Oh, my granddaughter, it's a bit rushed since we're meeting for the first time, so consider this a gift from your grandfather!"

Ning Shaoyuan took out a jade pendant and handed it to Ning Yao.

Ning Yao looked at the jade pendant in her hand; it was just a piece of milky-white jade, nothing special.

She casually flipped the jade pendant over, and her pupils contracted sharply.

The back of the milky white jade pendant is engraved with the two characters "Ning Que".

Just like the stone tablet with the same two characters Ning Que that she saw when the Thousand Illusions Secret Realm was first opened.

Ning Yao looked up and, without thinking, shoved the jade pendant back, clearly indicating that she did not accept it.

Ning Shaoyuan was stunned, then immediately became anxious: "You don't want it? How can you not want it? This is a gift that your grandfather carefully prepared for you, and you actually don't want it?"

Ning Yao said with a half-smile, "First of all, I don't know you. Secondly, my father didn't tell me that he had any other relatives. Finally, you just said you were in a hurry, but now you're making careful preparations. It's not reasonable for you to decide everything."

Ning Shaoyuan gave an awkward smile, and Sai Yujue slowly withdrew her hand, then he felt a little unwilling.

He said, "It's normal that you don't recognize me, after all, your father left home when he was very young, but did he really never tell you anything about his family?"

"No." Ning Yao decisively chose to betray Ning Wenyi, after all, she wasn't wrong.

Before the Thousand Illusions Secret Realm opened, Ning Wenyi had not told his family a single word.

Ning Shaoyuan was somewhat angry: "That unfilial son! He can't even get a simple task done properly!"

Finally, he clung to Ning Yao again: "Your father is your father, and you are you. He is unjust, but I cannot be unjust. Here you go!"

Push the jade pendant forward again.

Ning Yao didn't take it, but instead raised an eyebrow and asked him, "Is this the family head's token? Are you really going to give it to me?"

Ning Shaoyuan then realized that Ning Yao's refusal to accept it was not for any other reason, but because she knew it was a token of the family head.

How did you know?

"The name Ning Que is not commonly seen; I'm afraid there are very few people in this world who know it."

Ning Shaoyuan then dropped his playful, ingratiating expression and looked at Ning Yao with a meaningful gaze.

After a long pause, he burst into laughter, in high spirits: "Hahaha! Truly extraordinary!"

Ning Shaoyuan was in a good mood. He put away the jade pendant and said, "Since you have such a discerning eye, I really can't give this to you for now, but who knows what the future holds!"

Ning Yao pouted and said, "You're really not being polite!" Then she sat down directly.

Seeing this, Zhao Ze immediately said, "You two enjoy your reminiscing. I'll go tell the servants to prepare a meal!"

Ning Yao said, "Thank you for your trouble, Lord Zhao."

Lin Qingyu and Zhao Xin exchanged a glance, and then followed suit.

Only Ning Yao and her grandson Ning Shaoyuan remained in the main hall.

Ning Shaoyuan made no attempt to hide his gaze as he looked Ning Yao up and down. Although the girl in front of him was young, she exuded a powerful aura.

She doesn't resemble a young lady from a noble family raised in the capital at all; instead, she's more like a general who has won countless battles on the battlefield.

Ning Shaoyuan liked it more and more the more he looked at it, and he became more and more satisfied.

The Ning clan's reappearance in the world is just around the corner!

"Did you visit the Ning family during your trip down the mountain? Cousin Heng is also in Licheng."

Ning Shaoyuan shook his head: "I came straight here after coming down the mountain yesterday, and I didn't stop in Licheng."

Ning Yao's expression darkened upon hearing this. She said, "You came here because of Ning Wensheng?"

She found it somewhat amusing that her second son, due to the fate of the family, had been driven out of the house since childhood, and now that he had heard the news, he didn't even bother to take a look at the house as he passed by.

They actually traveled all the way to Songyang City for such a scumbag as Ning Wensheng.

Ning Yao could understand which was more important, the son she had raised since childhood or the son who had left home at a young age.

Even so, she still felt it was unfair to her father, Ning Wenyi.

Therefore, the words that came out were not as amicable as they were at the beginning.

Seeing her expression change, Ning Shaoyuan sighed almost imperceptibly, but didn't mind Ning Yao's way of addressing her elder uncle.

That's why Ning Shaoyuan had more patience for this young girl who was carrying a heavy burden on her family at such a young age.

He is even more patient than he is with Ning Zhiheng.

“Child, you’ve misunderstood. Your fourth uncle is a very cunning and scheming man. I admit I came here for him, but it’s not just for him.”

Upon hearing this, Ning Yao's expression softened slightly. She remained silent, waiting for Ning Shaoyuan to continue.

Ning Shaoyuan continued, "Last night I felt that the longevity lamp of the fourth brother suddenly dimmed, and the firelight became dimmer and dimmer, so I knew that something had happened."

"I predicted that he would face a life-or-death ordeal in the Kunlun Mountains, and I also roughly knew why he entered the Kunlun Mountains."

Ning Yao said in a hoarse voice, "He colluded with the people of Tianyun Sect to imprison the Youming Divine Tree with a magic array, seized the tree spirit, and burned the divine tree to the ground."

"Regardless of how many heinous crimes he committed in the past, I cannot and will not let him off the hook for this one thing alone!"

Ning Shaoyuan nodded: "I don't intend to plead for him. You can decide how to deal with him. I came here today mainly for the Netherworld Divine Tree."

Ning Yao looked at him in surprise: "Are you really at my mercy?"

“Really! Actually, I’ve heard a little about what he’s done over the years, including the loss of treasures from the Treasure Pavilion. I know all about that.”

"You know he did so many wrong things, why didn't you stop him?"

Ning Shaoyuan's expression was complicated: "Everyone has their own destiny, and no one can interfere with it. No matter how much interference there is, it will all return to the starting point."

"Take the recent calamity of the Netherworld Divine Tree, for example!"