Ning Shaohong

This woman appeared to be only a few years older than Ning Fa. She was quite tall, about the same height as him, with strikingly beautiful features.

She wore a dazzling crimson suit of battle armor that covered only the crucial areas, leaving large swathes of creamy white skin exposed.

Though most of her chest was covered, it only made her curves seem all the more surging. Beneath the short armored skirt stretched a pair of long, straight legs like white pythons, so dazzling that Ning Fa could barely keep his eyes open.

Ning Fa's eyes lit up as he secretly thought, This is what truly top-tier cosplay looks like.

The striking female cultivator raised a delicate brow and fully unleashed the powerful Spiritual Pressure of Late Qi Condensation. Ning Fa, who was only at the third level of Qi Condensation, stiffened slightly and immediately found it hard to breathe.

Ning Fa forcibly steadied himself and smiled. "Big sister, I am Ning Fa of Pingchang Island. I have come to pay my respects to the Ninth Elder on urgent business."

Upon hearing this, the striking female cultivator withdrew her aura. She sized Ning Fa up from head to toe, a strange expression appearing on her face. "You're Ning Fa?"

Ning Fa could not help giving an embarrassed smile.

Although the previous owner's brief life had been a failure, he was still something of a celebrity within the clan. Even if most clan members had never met him, they had certainly heard of Ning Fa, the possessor of a defective Lightning Spiritual Root.

But the striking female cultivator immediately shook her head. "The Ninth Elder is busy with official duties. You cannot see her just because you want to. You should go back."

Seeing that she was about to drive him away, Ning Fa hurriedly said, "I arranged this with the Ninth Elder. It was the elder herself who told me to come. Please trouble yourself to report me."

Suspicion appeared on the striking female cultivator's face. "If you dare lie to me, I'll make sure you can't swallow it and can't carry it away."

Ning Fa quickly assured her that he would not, though inwardly he had no confidence at all. His supposed arrangement with the Ninth Elder was naturally complete fabrication, but at a time like this, he could not worry about that.

Not long afterward, the striking female cultivator returned and said to Ning Fa, "The Ninth Elder has agreed to see you. Follow me."

Ning Fa let out a sigh of relief and silently gave his father a thumbs-up.

The striking female cultivator led Ning Fa through three layers of restrictions in succession before arriving at a lakeside pavilion surrounded by breathtaking scenery.

"Go in. The Ninth Elder is waiting for you on the second floor. And I'm not your big sister. My name is Ning Xiuying."

The striking female cultivator smiled at Ning Fa.

"Alright, Sister Xiuying."

Ning Fa answered before walking toward the pavilion.

The striking female cultivator froze for a moment, then a faint, almost imperceptible smile curled at the corner of her lips.

After entering the pavilion, Ning Fa had no mood to inspect his surroundings and headed straight for the second floor.

The moment he reached the second floor and glanced around, Ning Fa's gaze immediately fixed on the window.

There, a female cultivator sat leisurely in a wooden chair by the window, slowly turning the pages of an ancient book in her hands.

She looked no more than twenty-something, not at all like someone a generation older than Ning Fa. Instead, she looked more like his peer, as though the years had left no trace upon her face.

Her beauty could be called peerless. Though she might not compare to Liu Qinghui in sheer looks, she possessed an alluring, mature charm that was even more captivating.

She wore an apricot-yellow Daoist robe, while her smooth black hair was casually pinned up with a wooden hairpin, adding to her natural, unrestrained air and her languid, enchanting charm.

In his previous life, Ning Fa had been surrounded by quite a few beauties and had seen many women of exceptional beauty, yet he believed that none possessed Ning Shaohong's blend of mature elegance and graceful charm.

"This junior nephew, Ning Fa, pays his respects to the Ninth Elder," Ning Fa said respectfully.

Ning Shaohong set down the Ancient Scroll in her hand and looked Ning Fa over from head to toe as he stood with his head bowed.

As Ning Shaohong looked at the handsome and refined Ning Fa, his figure overlapped with someone deep within her memories. A complicated expression appeared in her beautiful eyes.

The atmosphere suddenly fell silent.

After a long while, clarity returned to Ning Shaohong's eyes. She said blandly, "Why have you come to see me?"

Ning Fa gave a bitter smile. "This junior nephew has encountered a difficult matter and dares to ask the Ninth Elder for help. I—"

But before he could finish, Ning Shaohong's brows shot up as she cut him off. "Who told you to come to me for help?"

With her icy words, a powerful Spiritual Pressure, clearly stronger than Ning Xiuying's, suddenly burst forth and forced Ning Fa to take an uncontrollable step back.

His heart tightened. This Ninth Elder had definitely reached the perfected stage of Late Qi Condensation. She was likely able to attempt Foundation Establishment at any time.

At the same time, he was secretly alarmed. He had not expected the Ninth Elder to be so sensitive about this question.

But naturally, he could not betray Ning Zonglie. Having prepared himself for this, he said, "Before my father fell, he seemed to have sensed something. He told me that if anything happened to him, then whenever I encountered difficulties, I could come to the Ninth Elder for help."

The moment those words left his mouth, the powerful Spiritual Pressure immediately withdrew. Ning Shaohong was stunned, as though she had not expected this. A complicated expression filled her beautiful eyes, as if she were reminiscing, yet also harboring hatred.

After a long time, Ning Shaohong finally said calmly, "Tell me. What difficulty have you encountered? But if you want me to help you cancel your wager with Hua Rong, then go back. I cannot help you with that."

Ning Fa secretly frowned. He had indeed entertained that thought, but it seemed Ning Huarong's influence within the clan was still too great. Even Ning Shaohong was unwilling to offend her—or perhaps, even if she wanted to help him, she could not.

Ning Fa shook his head. "Of course not. This junior nephew merely wishes for the Ninth Elder to step forward and allow me to participate normally in the Alchemy Hall's alchemist assessment. As long as I pass the alchemist assessment within these next two days, I can win my wager with the Fifth Elder."

Ning Shaohong keenly caught the key point in Ning Fa's words. "Participate normally? You mean someone is preventing you from taking the Alchemy Hall assessment?"

Ning Fa nodded and then roughly explained what had happened.

After listening, Ning Shaohong's face took on a contemplative look, while Ning Fa's heart was filled with unease.

"I can step forward and allow you to participate in the assessment normally."

Ning Shaohong soon said this calmly, and upon hearing it, the huge weight in Ning Fa's heart finally fell away.

"But..."

Ning Shaohong deliberately drew out the word, making Ning Fa's heart leap back into his throat.

Ning Shaohong's lovely face turned solemn as she asked in a grave voice, "But I will only help you once. Are you sure you wish to use it here? As far as I know, you seem to have failed the assessment more than ten times in a row already."

Ning Fa could not help complaining inwardly, Dad, so your old relationship with the Ninth Elder is only worth this one favor.

Yet he immediately replied, "This junior nephew is certain. I am very confident that I can pass the alchemist assessment this time."

"Very well. Then I will accompany you to Lingchang Island once more."

Ning Shaohong spoke blandly, then rose and walked downstairs.

Ning Fa was overjoyed and hurriedly followed her.

Ning Xiuying was still waiting outside. When she saw the Ninth Elder and Ning Fa coming down together, a trace of surprise flashed through her eyes.

"Xiuying, prepare my Crimson Silk spirit vessel. Accompany me to Lingchang Island."

Ning Shaohong spoke calmly to Ning Xiuying.

Though Ning Xiuying was curious, she did not ask any questions. After acknowledging the order, she headed toward the docks first.