The Situ Family

Chen Ning naturally wasn't foolish enough to spend the night outside. He found the innkeeper and asked for another superior room before settling down to sleep.

A person shouldn't shortchange himself.

If he was going to stay somewhere, it might as well be somewhere nice.

The next day, Chen Ning slept until noon, when the sun was high in the sky. As soon as he stepped outside, he saw Su Ling'er standing at the door with hot water and a towel ready.

"Ling'er, you're getting more and more thoughtful."

Chen Ning smiled as he spoke. After he finished washing up, Xiao Mei came gracefully over with a set of clothes for him to change into.

"I can change on my own. You two may leave."

"Let Ling'er help you change, Sect Leader Big Brother."

"Allow me."

The two women approached like tigers eyeing their prey, both eager to help Chen Ning change.

"That really won't be necessary."

Chen Ning waved his hands repeatedly and shut the door with a bang!

At the door, the little loli said crossly, "This is all your fault. Sect Leader Big Brother is neglecting me now."

Xiao Mei merely smiled and threatened her. "When we get back, I'll lock you up in the Law Enforcement Hall."

"Hmph! Sect Leader Big Brother will rescue me."

Having lost her chance to be alone with Chen Ning, Xiao Mei had no choice but to walk aside, pondering her next plan.

Yes, all she was thinking about was how to create opportunities to be alone with Chen Ning.

She gave no thought at all to picking the Marrow-Cleansing Divine Fruit at midnight that night.

In her view, the fruit was already within easy reach, so there was no need to waste effort thinking about it.

Before long, Chen Ning emerged from his room dressed in a splendid white robe. He was already handsome and had an extraordinary bearing, and the new clothes made him look even more noble.

Anyone who looked at him couldn't tear their eyes away.

Even the little loli stared in a daze. "Sect Leader Big Brother looks so handsome..." she murmured.

"He certainly is handsome."

Xiao Mei smiled and chuckled, casting Chen Ning a discreetly flirtatious glance.

Chen Ning looked away and asked, "When are we setting out?"

"There's no hurry. We can go a little later."

Xiao Mei glanced at the sky. It was still a long time until midnight.

"Sect Leader Big Brother, why don't you let Ling'er pick that fruit for you? Please?"

Su Ling'er was eager to show what she could do, and she spoke to Chen Ning in a coquettish tone.

But before Chen Ning could speak, Xiao Mei gave a delicate snort. "You're only at the seventh level of the Spirit Martial Realm. How can you guarantee you'll be able to pick the Marrow-Cleansing Fruit?"

"People from all sides are gathering tonight, and plenty of experts at the peak of the Spirit Martial Realm have come too. If you fail, can you bear the responsibility?"

Xiao Mei spoke softly, but Su Ling'er couldn't argue back.

She was right. Su Ling'er's strength was decent for her age-in fact, it was more than decent; she could already be considered exceptionally talented. But not everyone coming tonight was a young cultivator.

Among them were plenty of powerful elders who held the fort for the various family lineages.

If anything went wrong, it would hold up Sect Leader Big Brother's business. Su Ling'er naturally put Chen Ning first, so she didn't continue arguing with Xiao Mei.

She had to admit that, though this bad woman was a little annoying, her cultivation was indeed powerful.

With her taking action, any mishap could be prevented.

"Ling'er, let's follow Hall Master Xiao's arrangements."

Chen Ning rubbed the aggrieved Su Ling'er's head and comforted her gently.

Seeing this, Xiao Mei felt a strange sensation rise in her heart.

Was it... envy?

How strange. Why would I feel this way?

Xiao Mei felt that her Dao heart seemed to have been affected, for she had actually begun to feel envy.

She had clearly never felt this way before.

It had always been her who left other men utterly entranced, unable to think of food or drink.

They had wished for nothing more than to die beneath her pomegranate skirt.

That she would actually have such thoughts about the sect leader today left Xiao Mei deeply shaken.

She quickly circulated her cultivation technique several times, sending pure primal force coursing through the meridians throughout her body. Only then did she calm down again.

But the moment she opened her beautiful eyes, she saw Chen Ning carefully smoothing the little loli's hair on her forehead.

At once, the envy she had only just suppressed surged up again.

The three waited until nightfall before setting out for the ancient innate tree outside the city.

By now, the ancient innate tree was surrounded by a crowd. Within a hundred miles, there were people from every faction.

Of them, three factions were the most powerful.

To the southeast of the ancient tree, thirty disciples of the Dragon-Seeking Sect waited calmly.

They were acting on Hall Master Xiao's orders. Their task was to deal with anyone who tried to snatch the Marrow-Cleansing Fruit after Hall Master Xiao picked it.

This was also a trial for them.

The Dragon-Seeking Sect had a deep foundation and had always enjoyed a lofty position.

A divine fruit like this had appeared in the world, yet the sect was merely using it to give its outer disciples a trial. That alone showed the Dragon-Seeking Sect's pride and confidence.

To the northwest were the people of the Tyrant Blade Gang.

They were a mixed bag and the most inferior of the sects.

But they made up for it with sheer numbers. The Tyrant Blade Gang had brought the most people tonight.

When there were enough ants, even if they couldn't bite an elephant to death, they could leave it exhausted and thoroughly irritated.

The Tyrant Blade Gang was the hardest to deal with.

One other group had brought the fewest people, but no one dared underestimate them.

That was the Situ Family Lineage.

At that moment, Situ Zhuikong sat astride a tall white horse, a trace of pride between his brows.

Behind him stood several experts from his lineage. They were all expressionless, but the powerful and terrifying presence they exuded made them look difficult to provoke.

"Look, the Situ Family's young genius master has come in person!"

"Don't make such a fuss. With opportunities and blessings like this, you have to take part yourself. If your lineage's experts snatch it back and all you do is swallow it, the effect will certainly be greatly reduced, and it won't be able to display its divine efficacy."

Someone offered this explanation, and the people around him nodded in agreement.

That was indeed how it worked. Many heavenly materials and earthly treasures had similar rules, whether one was a heaven's chosen who ruled a region or a direct disciple of a super sect.

Whenever a treasure appeared in the world, one had to take part personally.

Somewhere in the unseen, fortune had its own workings.

Only then would that opportunity belong to you, and only then could you reap the greatest benefit.

At present, only the time it took an incense stick to burn remained before the Marrow-Cleansing Divine Fruit ripened.

Everyone gazed at the ancient tree with fervent eyes.

The enormous fruit, golden all over and enticing in color, had countless people staring transfixed.

The area grew livelier and livelier.

"Who do you think will end up with the divine fruit?"

The crowd erupted in chatter.

"In my opinion, it'll most likely be the Dragon-Seeking Sect or the Situ Family."

"There's nothing wrong with competing with the Dragon-Seeking Sect for the divine fruit, but the Situ Family... they strike viciously and kill people at the slightest provocation..."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

As a super sect, the Dragon-Seeking Sect naturally had its own standards. It acted with courtesy and restraint and never sought revenge afterward.

Over thousands of years, it had built up an excellent reputation.

Open and honorable.

The bearing of a renowned sect.

But the Situ Family wasn't nearly so easy to deal with.

The Situ Family Lineage was known for its ruthlessness, and its current head, Situ Changqing, was notorious for his viciousness throughout the court and beyond.

If they offended the Situ Family while competing for the divine fruit, they might well earn its lasting resentment.

And be deliberately targeted afterward.

So many people hesitated, wondering whether they should compete with the likes of the Situ Family.

After all, not everyone came from a super sect like the Dragon-Seeking Sect. Most belonged to factions that lived under the rule of the Great Yan Imperial Dynasty.

They truly couldn't afford to offend the Situ Family.