Qi Refining Stage, Level Two!

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit withdrew its gaze and turned it toward the Zheng family.

Two Zheng family elders were persuading Zheng Jian.

Zheng Jian was a young cultivator. Set in the center of the circlet on his forehead was a pupil-shaped gemstone.

At that moment, Zheng Jian shook his head sharply, his attitude firm. "No. I'm set on cultivating the Five Elements Qi Rhythm Art! No one can stop me."

One elder sighed. "Zheng Jian, you are the most outstanding among our Zheng family's generation. You possess the Heart-Piercing Insight talent, which complements our lineage's cultivation method perfectly. Changing to another method would truly waste such an exceptional gift."

Zheng Jian shook his head. "It is precisely Heart-Piercing Insight that tells me I must cultivate this art as soon as possible. This will greatly benefit my Dao Path!"

The elder shook his head. "Our lineage records also mention ancestors with Heart-Piercing Insight. It can indeed grant cultivators astonishing intuition. But that does not mean it is always correct. The clan histories contain several cases of intuition being wrong. Zheng Jian, you must not place too much faith in this talent."

Zheng Jian shook his head. "From childhood until now, I have never encountered a case where my intuition was wrong. This time, I will still choose to trust it. Elders, thank you for your kind intentions, but there is no need to persuade me further."

The elder sighed and took the initiative to yield a step. "How about this, Zheng Jian? Let members of the Branch Family cultivate this art first and observe the results."

Zheng Jian laughed aloud. "There is no need to even suggest such a thing! What is the main branch, and what is a Branch Family? Because there is risk, we send the Branch Family first? If that is how I act as a member of the main branch, then I am far too cowardly and weak."

"Precisely because I am from the Zheng family's main branch, I should lead by example and press forward bravely. Otherwise, what gives the main branch the right to govern the lineage?"

"Elders, my mind is made up."

The two elders sighed deeply, both worried and gratified.

One of them said, "Very well. Then this jade slip shall be given to you."

"Lord Zheng Shuang Gou personally bestowed it after learning of your matter."

"The jade slip records an artifact-refining method called the Life Severing Flying Hook."

Zheng Jian found this strange. "I intend to undergo Power Dispersion, and every second counts. At a critical juncture like this, how could I refine an artifact?"

The elder smiled. "There is no hurry. Take a proper look first."

Zheng Jian pressed the jade slip against his brow and activated his Divine Sense to inspect it.

Very soon, delight spread across his face.

"Wonderful."

"This artifact-refining secret art is immensely powerful, but it has drawbacks. First, it must be used in conjunction with our lineage's cultivation method. Second, every hook refined permanently reduces a cultivator's spiritual power by one level. Refine too many, and the cultivator's maximum spiritual power will grow lower and lower, with no way to recover it."

"But for me right now, it is exactly what I need."

"My cultivation has to be dispersed anyway. I might as well turn waste into treasure and refine it into Life Severing Flying Hooks. Not only can this speed up my Power Dispersion, it will also give me such marvelous items for self-protection."

"Thank you, Ancestor Zheng Shuang Gou! Thank you, Elders!"

The two elders stroked their beards or smiled.

"This was yours by right."

"As expected of a son of our Zheng family. May you be unstoppable in this endeavor!"

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit watched Zheng Jian for a while, then shifted its gaze toward the Ning family.

The Ning Family Patriarch and a group of elders were secretly deliberating, finalizing the candidates.

The newly drafted list passed from hand to hand among them.

The School Elder frowned deeply. "This list is unsuitable."

"Although the Five Elements Qi Rhythm Art came from the Dharma Transmission Bell of the Immortal Palace, it currently has only three levels. Switching to this method leaves one's future uncertain, so it will be difficult to find volunteers."

"If we forcibly assign people now, resentment will surely arise."

"There are too many people from the Branch Family on this list, while the main branch has pitifully few. If it is announced, it will not convince the public."

The War Hall Elder did not think much of it. "Our Ning family's main branch has always had few people, while the Branch Family has many. It is only natural for the Branch Family to provide more manpower."

"If too many from the main branch become involved, then should they perish while exploring the Immortal Palace... Even if they do not perish, if they fail to obtain the Subsequent Cultivation Method in the future, they will all be half-crippled."

"That would be too great a sacrifice for the main branch."

"I do not want to see the internal strife from more than ten years ago replayed!"

More than ten years ago, the Ning family had migrated in its entirety from North Wind Country, traveling thousands of miles to enter South Bean Country.

They had encountered an ambush along the way.

The main branch had suffered enormous losses, and even their Golden Core Ancestor had been severely injured. After settling in Fire Persimmon Immortal City, the Ning family's Golden Core cultivator had spent years recuperating, becoming the Golden Core Cultivator with the weakest presence in Fire Persimmon Immortal City.

Under such circumstances, the Branch Family, with its great numbers, saw the situation and began harboring ambitions. They brazenly stirred up internal strife, attempting to overturn the main branch's rule.

In the end, the main branch won a brutal and perilous victory.

From that point onward, the main branch members became extremely wary of the lineage's Branch Family. Openly and covertly, they employed every kind of measure, racking their brains to weaken the Branch Family and strengthen the main branch.

In a word, the Ning family's core policy was to strengthen the trunk and weaken the branches!

Yet when it came to selecting people to switch to the Five Elements Qi Rhythm Art, this policy became difficult to apply.

That was because they did not know what prospects lay ahead for those who switched to the Five Elements Qi Rhythm Art.

If its prospects were vast, they would arrange for many main branch members to cultivate it. If its prospects were bleak, they would send more Branch Family clansmen.

Now, no one could guarantee the future.

The elders generally leaned toward caution.

After deliberating for a while, they settled on the Branch Family candidates, but found it difficult to decide on the main branch candidates, and heated arguments followed. Every elder present belonged to the main branch, each with their own web of connections and entangled interests behind them.

The Clan Head listened quietly to the elders argue for a long time. Seizing the gap when they paused for breath, he interjected, "No matter how many members the main branch sends, having no leader is absolutely unacceptable. The Branch Family has many people. Without capable members of the main branch to keep them in check, their tail will grow too large to wag, and the guests may usurp the host."

The elders' expressions all fell at once. From the Clan Head's meaning, he intended to send a genuinely outstanding seedling.

The Clan Head continued, "Among the lineage's Qi Refining Stage cultivators, who can shoulder such a responsibility?"

All the elders thought of only one person.

"Without question, Ning Xiaohui."

"She was born with a pair of Ice Jade Hands. When making Frost Talismans, her hands follow her heart, and her spiritual charm comes naturally. Every piece she creates is sure to be of the highest quality!"

"To send such an excellent seedling to..."

"I object!" The Talisman Hall Elder suddenly shouted, cutting off the elders' discussion and voicing fierce opposition.

Another fresh dispute erupted.

The Clan Head's head ached terribly. After waiting for a long while, he seized another pause in the elders' breathing. "Why not ask Ning Xiaohui herself for her opinion first?"

The Talisman Hall Elder sprang to his feet, shoved open the door, and strode out of the Council Hall. "I'll speak to her personally!"

Very soon.

"Elder." Ning Xiaohui bowed in greeting.

The next moment, upon learning of the matter, her expression changed at once. "I have Ice Jade Hands. I should have followed the great path of talismans from the start; it is a bright and open road."

"And now they actually want me to take the crooked side path of mechanisms? Which elder cannot stand the sight of me?"

"I'm going to complain to my Grandmother!"

The Talisman Hall Elder wore a stern expression. "I absolutely support you, Xiaohui. Come, I'll go with you."

Hearing Ning Xiaohui's assessment, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was so angered that it puffed out a breath of fiery smoke. A dense look of disdain appeared on its draconic face.

Having observed until now, of the four factions in Fire Persimmon Immortal City, it had the worst impression of the Ning family.

Just as it was about to shift its gaze, its eyes suddenly halted.

Not far from the Ning family's settlement stood a crude little courtyard.

Beneath that courtyard was a workshop.

Inside, a youth sat cross-legged, diligently circulating his cultivation method.

Blood was slowly flowing from his nostrils.

The cultivation method he practiced was unmistakably the Five Elements Qi Rhythm Art, and moreover...

Qi Refining Stage, Level Two!