The Red Robe Guest thought for a moment: "Ning Zhuo, you have a huge flaw here."
Ning Zhuo: "What concerns do you have, senior? Please feel free to speak."
The Red Robe Guest said: "Don’t forget, your Nanming Fire Furnace is not yet fully repaired; it still lacks twenty percent. We’ve exhausted our resources, borrowing external assistance to reach the current repair progress. How will you repair the remaining twenty percent? Are you planning to borrow from your family?"
Ning Zhuo gave a light hum: "If I always turn to my family when encountering difficulties, how would I demonstrate my abilities and means?"
"The reason I excel is because I am Ning Zhuo, not because of my background."
This statement made the Red Robe Guest, who came from a Loose Cultivator background, regard Ning Zhuo more favorably.
Ning Zhuo continued: "Senior might not know, just now, Tie Kuang, the current Hall Master of the Artifact Refining Hall, personally visited me."
The Red Robe Guest had already seen Tie Kuang leave before ing, so he pretended not to know: "Oh? What did you discuss?"
Ning Zhuo said: "Lord Tie Kuang is willing to take the initiative to fund me, leveraging the entire Artifact Refining Hall’s power, and offer sufficient treasures to help me pletely repair the Nanming Fire Furnace."
The Red Robe Guest’s pupils shrank.
Ning Zhuo continued: "I refused."
The Red Robe Guest was taken aback.
Ning Zhuo added: "Lord Tie Kuang wanted a twenty percent share of the furnace’s ownership, haha, does he really think I’m easy to fool? It’s just that my cultivation level is a bit weaker."
The Red Robe Guest was silent.
Putting himself in Ning Zhuo’s shoes, he thought that he might have agreed. After all, only giving up twenty percent, while retaining eighty percent ownership, yet obtaining a plete Nanming Fire Furnace. Why not?
Ning Zhuo noticed the Red Robe Guest’s silence and purposely said: "If you don’t believe me, senior, you can inquire about it later."
The Red Robe Guest: "It seems you’re confident. Since it’s neither your family nor the Artifact Refining Hall, then it must be the Evil Slaying Hall?"
Ning Zhuo laughed heartily: "Not that either. Please take a look, senior!"
He took out the secret agreement previously signed with Zhong Limei and showed it to the Red Robe Guest.
The Red Robe Guest, politically unskilled, simply congratulated Ning Zhuo after reading it for having a chance to eliminate the debt.
Ning Zhuo said: "If my plan succeeds, being part of the higher-ups of Flowing Cloud Peak, who would bother being controlled by a branch hall?"
The Red Robe Guest thought: "This kid is still too young. Within the Myriad Images Sect, although the Eight Main Peaks seem to be above the Sixteen Halls on the surface, in reality, each hall has always been coveted turf for the Eight Main Peaks. The Evil Slaying Hall is as solid as an iron barrel, almost the most powerful department among the Sixteen Halls."
"However... Zhong Dao’s rules are strict. In all actions, mands and prohibitions are strictly followed. Ning Zhuo, being a genius and rebellious, indeed would be greatly displeased by this."
The Red Robe Guest handed the secret agreement back to Ning Zhuo and asked: "Then how will you resolve the last twenty percent gap to repair the Nanming Fire Furnace? Are you expecting us creditors to pay up?"
At this point, the Red Robe Guest became cautious.
Ning Zhuo said: "Of course not!"
He spoke without hesitation, firm in attitude.
"I will use the pretext of repairing the Nanming Fire Furnace to again invite some seniors to lend some capital. Anyway, I won’t be able to repay these huge debts in a hundred years!"
The Red Robe Guest was momentarily speechless.
He looked at Ning Zhuo, involuntarily thinking: "This kid’s shameless demeanor, very much like my own in the past!"
Ning Zhuo asked: "Senior, do you think my method will work?"
The Red Robe Guest thought: Of course, it works! The Nanming Fire Furnace is only a step away from plete repair. By then, spirit pills will flow in abundance, won’t they? Were I in someone else’s shoes, I’d definitely get involved.
Ning Zhuo asked again: "With the Nanming Fire Furnace in hand, I’m now getting involved in the struggle for Flowing Cloud Peak. With war in the offing, tell me, you creditors, are you at ease? Isn’t my safety a concern? Isn’t it a worry that the Nanming Fire Furnace might fall into others’ hands?"
The Red Robe Guest pondered: Of course, it’s a concern! You, boy, just rest well and repay your debts diligently, don’t mess around!
Ning Zhuo seemed to hear the Red Robe Guest’s thoughts, immediately saying: "Senior, please don’t discourage me from stirring things up. As a man of talent, with a bit of ambition, what’s wrong with that? If I join the Evil Slaying Hall or Danxia Peak, how much time would I have to spend there? How many years would I be under supervision? I want a bit more freedom, what’s wrong with that?"
The Red Robe Guest remained silent.
Ning Zhuo continued: "I dared to sign even this secret agreement and refused Tie Kuang. No one can hinder my steps forward! What if I’m just at the Foundation Establishment? I’m not aiming to bee a Peak Master, I definitely can’t bee one. I want to bee a higher-up, why can’t I?! Where there’s a will, there’s a way! I just want to take this chance!"
"If I succeed, I will laugh proudly at the world. If not, what’s the big deal?!"
The Red Robe Guest took a deep breath and remained silent.
Ning Zhuo asked one last time: "Senior, I’m determined to do this! You’re my creditor, you worry about my safety, what do you think should be done? Shouldn’t you exert a little effort, and at a crucial moment be able to protect me? Even if you don’t exert effort, announcing to the world that you’re supporting me in the contest for Flowing Cloud Peak, giving me a boost, isn’t that good too?"
"Of course. If you truly join us, you will be the leader. I will fully support you to ascend to the position of Peak Master of Flowing Cloud Peak!"
"Although my cultivation level is low, I have the Nanming Fire Furnace, I can help you refine pills! With so many treasure pills, how can we not attract talents and resources?"
The Red Robe Guest pressed his lips together tightly, his heart stirring!
He understood the situation of Flowing Cloud Peak. Although it’s one of the Eight Main Peaks, it has always lacked a formal Peak Master.
Various factions are entangled, like a mix of fish and dragons, with one side taking the stage as the other ends.
"The Peak Master of Flowing Cloud Peak is nominal, all temporary."
"But even a temporary Peak Master is far better than being marginalized!"
"Is there any trap or scheme in all of this?"
The Red Robe Guest was indeed tempted to get involved, but his past in the Demon Path kept him wary.
For a moment, he couldn’t figure it out and said to Ning Zhuo, "Little kid, you’re quite eloquent, really."
Ning Zhuo’s eyes lit up, "So, does that mean you agree, senior?"
The Red Robe Guest flicked his sleeves and walked away, "How could that be? You wish! I’ve taken your debt list, and we’ll settle it slowly in the future."
In the end, he rejected Ning Zhuo and left Danxia Peak.
"Little Zhuo, the Red Robe Guest seemed somewhat tempted." As soon as the Red Robe Guest left, Sun Lingtong’s divine sense transmitted through the Life Hanging Thread into Ning Zhuo’s Divine Sea.
Ning Zhuo responded with his divine sense, "More than just tempted, his joining is almost certain."
"This person is a Loose Cultivator, always going solo, relying on bravery, theft, robbery, and some opportunities to successfully cultivate to the Nascent Soul level."
"But he’s offended more and more people, including Chun Yangzi, gradually struggling to sustain himself, which is why he joined the Myriad Images Sect."
"His political acumen is too poor. After joining Myriad Images Sect, he still wants to tread the old path of fighting and killing without any realization. So, after being seen through, the sect marginalized him, and for the last few decades, he’s almost in an exiled state at the Bixue Mountain Gate of Myriad Images Sect."
"This kind of Nascent Soul Cultivator, despite living for almost a thousand years, lives in his own world, surviving and cultivating in the old way without transitioning, he’ll suffer for sure."
"He saw an opportunity in the small trial of the Nanming Fire Furnace, taking a risk to try. But as I see it, with his righteous path achievements, even if the Nanming Fire Furnace falls into his hands, he can’t unlock its true potential."
"Using the Nanming Fire Furnace for alchemy is secondary. Its true value lies in being a foundational treasure, the very groundwork for founding a sect!"
Sun Lingtong nodded, "That’s true. Outside, if there’s a cultivator starting a force with this furnace, many cultivators would inevitably flock to him."
The Nanming Fire Furnace symbolizes a constant source of cultivation resources.
It’s like a Spiritual Spring or Spirit Stone Vein, naturally attracting cultivators to gather nearby for cultivation. Over time, various families and sects are sure to emerge.
Ning Zhuo: "Just by using the Nanming Fire Furnace, I can attract talent within Myriad Images Sect and create a stronghold. Now that I’m in so much debt, it’s the perfect opportunity to use the debt to draw closer relationships, form an alliance, and serve my purposes! Hahaha."
Sun Lingtong replied appreciatively, "Little Zhuo, you were born for the Righteous Path. What others see as a burden, you’ve turned into an opportunity!"
"But do you really intend to attract other new creditors? Although Tie Kuang exaggerated a bit, I see his point as factual. We don’t lack treasure materials for repair, but capable craftsmen. Moreover, if you bring in other creditors, how will you handle them demanding ownership rights? Entrusting the Nanming Fire Furnace to the Artifact Refining Hall for refining is the safest."
Ning Zhuo secretly nodded, "Boss, in this point, I’m with you. However, although I refused Tie Kuang, wouldn’t he voluntarily lower the terms to help me with the repair?"
Sun Lingtong was stunned, "What do you mean?"
Ning Zhuo laughed heartily, "Chun Yangzi and Nine Fire Dragon Lord both refused me, but I still think the possibility of them joining our side is very high."
Sun Lingtong scratched her head, "Little Zhuo, do you have other means?"
Ning Zhuo pretended to be deep, "Boss, just watch how things change in the future."
The fifth Nascent Soul Cultivator Ning Zhuo received was Cang Yazi.
Cang Yazi was the Elder of Ten Thousand Beasts Peak, not just a Guest Elder, unlike the Red Robe Guest who joined halfway.
The Red Robe Guest was squeezed out, while Cang Yazi did not enjoy co-cultivating with the Human Clan, preferring the pany of pure and sincere pet beasts. He actively migrated, and for hundreds of years, he has been cultivating solo at White Mist Valley within the Beishuang Mountain Gate.
With his status, Ning Zhuo had no expectations.
Unexpectedly, before Ning Zhuo could even speak, Cang Yazi got straight to the point, "Little friend Ning Zhuo, you can repay your debt to me in another form. To you, it’s virtually no loss."
Ning Zhuo’s heart stirred, hastily seeking advice.
Cang Yazi then said, "Among the pet beasts by my side, there are avian ones. The Vermilion Bird Artifact Spirit is most suitable to awaken their spirit, and using my Transformation Pill, their transformation will be more successful."
Ning Zhuo was greatly surprised but shook his head, firmly refusing, "No way! Absolutely not!"
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