Branch Family Discussion

Ning Fa followed the memories in his mind and headed southwest.

As far as the eye could see, the surroundings were filled with neatly scattered Spirit Fields. Countless spirit plants swayed in the wind, lush and verdant, the scenery breathtakingly beautiful.

Cultivators walked among the Spirit Fields, chanting spells and forming hand seals. Misty spirit rain surged from their hands and scattered over the surrounding spirit plants, the hazy vapor making the place seem like an immortal realm.

Ning Fa's eyes shone as he once again felt thrilled to have transmigrated into this Cultivation World.

Before long, Ning Fa arrived at the door of his eldest aunt Ning Muchun's home. It was a courtyard built atop a small hill, quite spacious and clearly the finest residence nearby.

Ning Fa knocked on the door, but no one responded for quite some time. He frowned, secretly wondering, Could they be deliberately refusing to open the door again because they saw it was me?

He hammered on the door again with greater force. This time, a middle-aged man quickly opened it.

The man was tall and imposing, dressed in fine, splendid robes. His features were dignified, and he carried an air of authority.

In particular, the Spiritual Pressure of Late Qi Condensation made Ning Fa feel faintly stifled.

The middle-aged man showed no surprise upon seeing Ning Fa.

After all, a Late Qi Condensation cultivator's spiritual sense could probe roughly ten zhang. This middle-aged man had naturally known long ago that Ning Fa was approaching.

A trace of delight flashed through the man's eyes, gone in an instant. He smiled at Ning Fa. "Xiaofa, what brings you here?"

Ning Fa looked at him with considerable surprise. This was his eldest aunt's husband, the Late Qi Condensation cultivator Meng Jinliang.

What surprised Ning Fa was that when the original owner of this body had come to find him and his aunt in the past, this uncle by marriage had never shown such a pleasant expression. Why was he acting so differently today?

Moreover, Ning Fa was observant. He had clearly caught that flash of delight in Meng Jinliang's eyes, and it made him suspicious.

Still, he kept his expression unchanged as he replied, "Uncle, I came to discuss something with you and Aunt."

Meng Jinliang seemed to know what he was about to say. Raising a hand, he interrupted him and said mildly, "Xiaofa, I know what you want to say. Come inside first. Since you're here, all the better. If you hadn't come, we were just planning to find you."

Hearing this, Ning Fa grew even more puzzled. Had he missed some important information?

But soldiers came, generals blocked them; water came, earth dammed it. Ning Fa glanced at Meng Jinliang before following him inside.

Soon, Ning Fa followed him into an exceptionally spacious hall, where quite a few people were already seated.

To Ning Fa's surprise, not only was his aunt's family present, but his eldest uncle's family and fourth uncle's family were here as well.

His eldest aunt Ning Muchun, her husband Meng Jinliang, and their son Ning Furong.

Since Meng Jinliang had married into the family, his children all bore the Ning surname.

His eldest uncle Ning Zhengqian, his eldest uncle's wife Guo Ru, and his cousin Ning Zifeng.

His fourth uncle Ning Baiquan's family.

There were also several elderly cultivators. They were Ning Fa's granduncles' generation, none with particularly high cultivation—mostly in the early to middle stages of Qi Condensation.

It could be said that all the cultivators of their branch family had gathered here, as though they were discussing some important matter.

Besides them, there was an old man and a young girl.

The old man wore black robes. His complexion was rosy, and he did not look elderly at all. Instead, he appeared rather shrewd.

Yet he was merely a mortal, and in such a setting, his unease was plainly visible.

Ning Fa found him somewhat familiar, but could not recall his name for the moment.

Beside the old man stood a girl in a yellow dress, barely more than ten years old. Her skin was pale and smooth as jade, her features exceptionally delicate. She was clearly a beauty in the making, and at the moment, she was curiously watching Ning Fa with large, bright black-and-white eyes.

This girl was a cultivator, though only at the First Layer of Qi Condensation. Her aura was unsteady, as if she had only just begun cultivating.

When Ning Fa entered, everyone turned to look at him in unison, their expressions varying.

Ning Fa swiftly looked over the group as well.

He found that Ning Zhengqian's family of three all looked somewhat displeased, while his aunt's family wore smiles.

Seeing everyone watching him, Ning Fa calmly greeted them one by one.

"Xiaofa, it's good that you've come. You are also a member of our branch family. This discussion is extremely important, and you need to take part as well."

A graceful middle-aged woman in a gauzy aqua dress smiled as she spoke to Ning Fa.

This woman was Ning Fa's eldest aunt, Ning Muchun, a cultivator at the Sixth Layer of Qi Condensation.

She was seated in the seat of honor, which also represented her position as the one currently in charge of their branch family.

Ning Fa became even more certain that this aunt and uncle of his had some designs on him.

She had never treated him so gently before. Saying she avoided him like snakes and scorpions would have been putting it mildly.

Seeing that his eldest aunt was about to continue, Ning Fa spoke first. "Eldest Aunt, since so many elders are here, I have something I wish to say."

As if she had guessed what Ning Fa wanted to say, Ning Muchun said no more. A faintly mocking smile merely curled her lips.

Ning Fa frowned slightly. He swept his gaze around the room, then looked back at Ning Muchun and said in a grave voice, "Eldest Aunt, when will you return the deed to the shop on Jinchang Island that Father left me? Your nephew is in dire need of spirit stones right now."

The moment those words fell, the room became extraordinarily quiet, and everyone's expressions shifted.

Ning Muchun and Meng Jinliang wore expressions of just as expected, yet Ning Fa's blunt public demand still made their faces turn slightly cold.