The Marrow-Cleansing Divine Fruit
"This is impossible... It's fake... I want to see the grand elder!"
Overwhelming fear made Master Wei tremble all over. His mind was in complete disarray, and he could not accept this outcome.
He struggled to crawl away, but several disciples had already blocked his path.
"Are... are you courting death? I'm a high-grade talisman master... How dare you stand in my way?"
Master Wei had already been gravely injured by the heavenly lightning, and now he was terrified. All his strength had long since deserted him, and no matter how hard he tried, it was no use.
He could not even budge the legs of the disciples blocking his way.
After the grand elder's written order was read aloud, several people he had bullied in the past gathered around, staring coldly at Master Wei, who lay there like a puddle of mud.
The disciples he had never deigned to notice could now take his life at will. Looking at them, he felt an inexplicable sense of absurdity.
Despair engulfed Master Wei in an instant.
Chen Ning merely watched the scene with a smile. He knew that even without lifting a finger himself, Master Wei would not escape death today.
He just hadn't expected his disciple Cang Yue to be so considerate, saving him some trouble.
From the very beginning, Master Wei had been as good as dead.
If the trash talismans he carved could be considered valuable, then the ones Chen Ning carved with his feet would be a hundred times better.
So Chen Ning turned slightly, preparing to head back.
He could leave this to the disciples.
"Your disciples respectfully see you off, sect master."
"Your disciples respectfully see you off, sect master."
The disciples called out to Chen Ning in unison, their expressions respectful.
When Chen Ning returned to his residence, he saw an elder from the Law Enforcement Hall whom he had met a few times waiting at the door.
"Big brother sect master, you're back?"
Su Ling'er ran to Chen Ning with a delighted bounce, and Chen Ning glanced at the elder.
The little loli immediately explained, "I asked him to wait inside, but he insisted on waiting for you at the door."
Chen Ning nodded to show he understood. The law enforcement elder then cupped his fists toward him and said, "Sect master, this old man has been ordered by the hall master to invite you to the Law Enforcement Hall."
"Did she say what it was about?"
Chen Ning grew wary. Why had that witch suddenly summoned him?
It was neither New Year nor a festival, and the latest delivery of wine had already been sent over. He really couldn't think of any reason for her to contact him.
"The hall master did not tell this old man. She only said I had to bring you there, or I would have to bring my head to her."
The law enforcement elder spoke with lingering fear.
"Your head or mine?"
Chen Ning asked in confusion.
"Your subordinate deserves death! Naturally, it would be my head."
The law enforcement elder jumped in fright and hurriedly bent his old back even lower in respect.
"All right. Ling'er, come with me."
Chen Ning agreed, and the little loli nodded repeatedly.
She had to accompany big brother sect master herself. Otherwise, there was no telling whether that bad woman would try to seduce him again.
The little loli acted as though facing a formidable enemy, determined not to leave his side.
Before long, they arrived at the Law Enforcement Hall's inner hall.
Xiao Mei was already waiting inside. When she saw Chen Ning, she immediately came over with a radiant smile and curtsied. "I pay my respects to the sect master."
"What is it, Hall Master Xiao?"
Chen Ning sat down with a swagger. He now had a few trump cards of his own, so even if this undercover witch really was plotting something, he could still contend with her.
At the very least... he wouldn't die too quickly, right?
After spending a long time working it out, Chen Ning guessed that her cultivation was at least at the Venerable Martial Realm.
She was a full two major realms above him. A gap like that was not something he could casually bridge.
From the Spirit Martial Realm onward, every minor level brought an astonishing disparity.
The Venerable Martial Realm, also known as Martial Venerable, marked one as a powerhouse found only once in ten thousand across the Nine Provinces, a top combatant in any sect.
In some small sects, even someone who had just entered the Venerable Martial Realm could become the sect master.
They could dominate a region.
Of course, Chen Ning could still proudly say that when it came to having a low cultivation realm, he yielded to no one and stood alone at the top.
The sect master with the lowest cultivation realm in history.
That title belonged to him and no one else.
Xiao Mei did not answer directly. Instead, she first dismissed the law enforcement elder, then turned her gaze to Su Ling'er.
The little loli met her gaze without flinching. Standing beside Chen Ning, she even slyly took hold of his finger.
"It's all right. Ling'er is my personal protector, Hall Master Xiao. Just speak freely."
Chen Ning saw what she meant and explained with a smile.
"Very well."
A hint of seriousness appeared in Xiao Mei's expression. Though she made no deliberate effort to display her charm, even so, it was hard not to fall for her beauty.
"Sect master, an innate ancient tree grows three hundred li outside Gold and Iron City. It recently bore a Marrow-Cleansing Divine Fruit, which will soon ripen. I would like to go with you to obtain it, so that you may cleanse your marrow and refine your bones."
As Xiao Mei spoke, her beautiful eyes rested on Chen Ning.
A faint, elusive smile also lingered in her gaze.
The Marrow-Cleansing Divine Fruit was exceptionally rare even across the Nine Provinces, one of the most precious innate spirit fruits.
Whenever one appeared, it drew countless forces and countless powerhouses to fight over it.
After eating the divine fruit, one's meridians would be cleansed of all impurities, bringing them into closer harmony with the primordial Qi of heaven and earth.
Their cultivation speed would also improve significantly in the future.
Xiao Mei intended to earn the sect master's approval by offering him the divine fruit, thereby gaining more opportunities to interact with Chen Ning.
From what she and Cang Yue had concluded earlier, only by interacting with the sect master could they gain more benefits and advantages.
It was simply even more potent than an innate spirit fruit.
Although Chen Ning had brought Su Ling'er along, making it impossible for Xiao Mei to interact with him alone, that was hardly a problem. Xiao Mei had plenty of ways to create moments alone with him.
"If the divine fruit borne by this innate ancient tree is so remarkable, can we really get our hands on it?"
Chen Ning asked curiously.
"You needn't worry about that. Though the Marrow-Cleansing Fruit is rare, its growth cycle is only three days, and it will fully ripen tomorrow. People from other places won't have enough time to get here, so at most, only the forces around Gold and Iron City will come to compete for it."
At this point, Xiao Mei's expression filled with pride. "In fact, I alone could pick the divine fruit. But since it is to be presented to you and concerns your own fortune and opportunity, you must go there in person."
On the path of cultivation, fate was a mystery within a mystery. Many opportunities required one to take part personally and temper oneself in the mortal world before one could comprehend the great Dao.
Chen Ning was quite interested after hearing her out. Although he had the system and did not need to worry about his cultivation speed, there was no pattern to when the system issued missions.
He had no idea when he would receive his next mission.
To take charge of the Dragon-Seeking Sect as soon as possible, any increase in strength was welcome.
Seen that way, Xiao Mei was quite loyal. He had sent her wine and resolved what was weighing on her mind, and she was repaying the favor by offering him a Marrow-Cleansing Fruit.
Now that was an undercover agent for the new era.
Now that was a fine example for other undercover agents.