Ning Yao's gaze froze, her mind racing.

Did I interfere with the fate of Shenmu?

Was it supposed to wither and die of old age, but I accidentally saved it?

If no matter how much intervention is done, we can only end up back where we started.

Was this calamity of being burned also the will of Heaven?

Ning Yao remained silent, she didn't believe that fate had truly decreed this.

If everyone truly has their own destiny, then why is she here?

Her arrival and the opening of the Thousand Illusions Realm are destined to change the course of this dynasty and alter the course of some people and events.

Ning Yao sneered: "What you said may have some truth to it, but I don't believe in fate or destiny. I only know to follow my heart. The Netherworld Divine Tree should not disappear from the world!"

Ning Yao exuded a fierce aura, her expression calm and her gaze resolute.

Ning Shaoyuan was even more satisfied.

“Girl, while human power is indeed beyond our control, once it exceeds the limits of human power, we need not be bound by the rules.”

"You possess the most precious treasure of my Ning clan, so you are not bound by these things. However, the responsibility on your shoulders is also enormous. Do you understand what I mean?"

Ning Yao nodded: "I understand, I'll just do what I feel is right."

How could Ning Yao not understand that her existence transcends the rules?

Both the real world and the world in books have their own set of rules.

To attempt to defy the rules is tantamount to courting death.

But she was different; she came from outside the rules and was, in a sense, not bound by them.

Even if we take a step back and assume that her saving the Netherworld Divine Tree wouldn't cause any damage, it would actually be a good thing for Kunlun Ridge.

However, her good intentions were ruined by some people with ulterior motives.

Ning Yao's consciousness sank into the Thousand Illusions Secret Realm, looking at the little divine tree that had merged with the tree spirit the night before, now emitting specks of green light.

Although not as prosperous as in its heyday, it is no longer lifeless.

Coming to her senses, Ning Yao asked, "Do you want to see him?"

Ning Shaoyuan remained silent for a long while, then sighed and said, "Let's meet."

His voice was hoarse and weak, filled with weariness.

Ning Yao knew that it was a father's utter disappointment in his child, and...

give up……

The dark cell door opened, letting in a sliver of light.

The people inside the cell squinted, somewhat unaccustomed to the sudden light.

Zhao Ze led his men away, leaving only Chen Sheng behind.

Chen Sheng collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted, only able to move his fingers slightly.

Only after the dark cell door closed again and the candlelight was lit did he realize something was wrong.

With difficulty, he moved his head and slowly looked outside.

A pair of black boots appeared before my eyes, and above that was a familiar skirt.

He gave a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, as if he were mocking himself.

"You've arrived." It's not a question, but a simple, ordinary statement.

Ning Shaoyuan's eyes churned with emotion, which ultimately coalesced into a single sentence: "Do you know your mistake?"

Chen Sheng did not answer, but his shoulders suddenly trembled, followed by a muffled laugh.

The laughter seemed to be forced out of his chest, carrying a hint of sorrow and a touch of mockery.

"Where did I go wrong? Did I deceive Yun Xiangnanshan and imprison her? Or did I steal the treasures from the Treasure Pavilion? Or did I collude with the Liu family to use young boys and girls in medicine? Or did I destroy the sacred tree?"

Chen Sheng coughed twice, as if enduring great pain, and took a deep breath.

"If that's what you're saying, then I don't think I've done anything wrong. If I have to say I've done anything wrong, it's that I was born into the Ning family, and despite having a lot of ambitions, I have nowhere to put them to use!"

"What reclusive Ning family, what rumors, it's all an empty shell! What use is it? Generation after generation, they've been holed up in a corner of Thousand Illusion Mountain, never venturing out!"

"What's the point of looking for a destined person, a predestined one? Shouldn't our destiny be in our own hands? Why should we let someone with no basis in reality decide it?"

"I refuse to accept this! I was renowned from a young age, excelling in every aspect. Why is it that Ning Zhiheng became the center of attention and the future of the Ning family from the moment he was born?"

"Father, the Ning family shouldn't be like this, and I shouldn't be like this either! I don't accept this!"

Ning Shaoyuan looked at him with deep eyes, his thoughts seemingly flying back to thirty years ago when his children surrounded him.

Of the children, the fourth child, Ning Wensheng, was the most intelligent, followed by the second child, Ning Wenyi.

Ning Wenyi was not as intelligent as Mingwen, but he had many crooked ideas in his head and was quite eccentric.

This is why he chose Ning Wenyi to enter the world, because he has many clever ideas and can survive in the deceitful and treacherous world.

Ning Wensheng, the fourth son, was indeed someone he had considered grooming as the next head of the family.

However, after experiencing one particular event, he abandoned the idea.

Ning Wensheng is capable and clever, but unfortunately, he is unsettled.

Upon learning that the main hall housed a treasure even more important than the position of family head, he harbored inappropriate thoughts.

The subsequent theft of the Treasures from the Treasure Pavilion further confirmed this fact.

Ning Shaoyuan knew that Ning Wensheng had left Qianhuan Mountain, but he felt that everyone had their own path to walk.

Thousand Illusion Mountain is not suitable for Ning Wensheng; perhaps the secular world will offer something more suitable for him.

But he never imagined that his son, who once filled him with joy and pride, would commit so many heinous crimes.

While Ning Shaoyuan was heartbroken, he also regretted not having advised him in time.

Ultimately, he failed to fulfill his responsibilities as a father.

Ning Shaoyuan sighed deeply: "The Ning family has never belonged to any one person, and the selection of the family head is not up to me. Aheng is not the candidate for family head, and neither am I."

Chen Sheng was stunned for a moment, then heard Ning Shaoyuan continue talking about other things about the Ning family that even they didn't know.

“I am not the head of the family, I am only acting temporarily. It can be said that since the Ning family went into seclusion, the Ning family has never had a head of the family.”

“I am not the head of the family, nor was I elected by the crowd, nor was I handed over to me by anyone. Do you still remember the golden lotus in the main hall? It was because you had inappropriate thoughts about it that I changed my attitude towards you back then.”

"The Golden Lotus symbolizes the position of the family head, but no one in the Ning family has ever been recognized by the Golden Lotus. In other words, only by being recognized by the Golden Lotus can one become the family head. If you are not recognized, then neither am I."

"The reason I'm in this position is simply because the Ning family needs someone like me. I'm waiting for my destined one, and the Ning family is waiting too."

“Jinlian has only shown abnormal behavior three times over the years: once fifteen years ago, once two years ago, and once three months ago.”

"These three events represent Ning Yao's birth, Ning Yao's rebirth, and Jinlian's choice of her as her master."

"Ning Yao is your second brother's daughter, and also the girl who has repeatedly opposed you in your eyes."