Ning Fa nodded and confirmed, his expression unchanged.
That's right, this was his revenge plan against Ning Ruiming!
He would compete in alchemy with Ning Ruiming under the family's witness.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, he would completely crush this person!
This was considered collecting some interest for Ning Ruiming's repeated "care" for him.
He had already anticipated Aunt Hong's shock and dissuasion, but he would persuade her.
Aunt Hong's brow remained furrowed as she earnestly advised him:
"Little Fa, I know Ning Ruiming has troubled you multiple times, and it's even possible he instigated Ning Zhen'an to injure you last time, but please don't do anything rash out of impulse."
"You've already advanced to the Qi Condensation Mid-stage, and your future is bright. With your alchemy talent, surpassing Ning Ruiming will happen sooner or later. Why rush it now?"
Ning Fa smiled and said calmly, "Aunt Hong, I know you care about me, but please don't worry. I'm not letting anger cloud my judgment; this is something I've thought through carefully."
"Since you know how Ning Ruiming deals with me, even resorting to instigating others to deliberately injure me, then after I advance to the Qi Condensation Mid-stage, his actions might become even more frantic. I can't just wait for him to keep causing trouble. There's a saying that a thief can steal for a thousand days, but a guard can't guard for a thousand days."
"So, my challenging him to an alchemy competition is only partly to vent my anger; the bigger reason is self-preservation. As long as I can defeat him in refining the Three Yuan Pill, despite just entering the Qi Condensation Mid-stage, it will undoubtedly prove that his alchemy talent is far inferior to mine. If that happens, I should regain the family's attention, and Ning Ruiming should then no longer dare to scheme against me."
After speaking, Ning Fa sneered coldly in his heart.
He hadn't revealed his true intentions.
The biggest reason he wanted to challenge Ning Ruiming to an alchemy competition was to get revenge on him.
Ning Ruiming had targeted him multiple times, obstructed his Pill Master assessment, and almost made him lose his bet with Ning Huarong.
Furthermore, during the incident where Ning Guichuan caused trouble, if he hadn't been lucky, he might have been crippled by Ning Zhen'an.
Uncle Xilin also died saving him, which was equivalent to dying at Ning Ruiming's hands.
Ning Fa, in his previous life, was known for holding grudges and being petty. How could such a deep enmity go unavenged?
Therefore, he had formulated this revenge plan long before breaking through to the Qi Condensation Mid-stage.
One could imagine.
If he, who had just advanced to the Qi Condensation Mid-stage and had never refined the Three Yuan Pill before, were to win against Ning Ruiming, who was in the Qi Condensation Late-stage and had extensive experience refining the Three Yuan Pill, in the refinement of this pill.
How devastating would the blow be to Ning Ruiming?
He might directly suffer from unstable Dao heart in alchemy, or even lose confidence in his own alchemy, becoming dejected and never recovering.
And what kind of ripples would this create within the family?
If he, the family's potential chief Pill Master, were to be defeated by Ning Fa, this matter would surely spread throughout the family. Would the family still cultivate him as the chief Pill Master?
Even if Ning Ruiming had the backing of the Third Elder, the outcome would undoubtedly be negative.
And being defeated by Ning Fa in this manner would become an indelible stain on Ning Ruiming and his lineage forever.
Conversely, Ning Ruiming would become Ning Fa's stepping stone.
Ning Fa would rise again by stepping on him, becoming a renowned alchemy genius in the family, and would undoubtedly regain the family's attention.
Therefore, Ning Fa's revenge plan was exceptionally vicious.
And it was an open scheme that Ning Ruiming could not refuse.
As a cultivator in the Qi Condensation Late-stage, a mid-grade Rank 1 Pill Master of the family, and being groomed as the family's chief Pill Master.
If he dared not accept the alchemy challenge from Ning Fa, who had just advanced to the Qi Condensation Mid-stage.
Let alone others, the Third Elder, Ning Zhongjiu, would be the first to not let him off.
Although the Third Elder, Ning Zhongjiu, had an overbearing and protective personality.
He also possessed a heroic spirit and despised the timid and cowardly.
If Ning Ruiming did not dare to respond, it would be equivalent to slapping his face, as Ning Ruiming was someone he had personally nurtured.
Ning Zhongjiu would definitely force him to accept.
Aunt Hong gave Ning Fa a deep look, as if she had seen through his thoughts.
But she still asked with a puzzled expression, "The Three Yuan Pill, as a medicinal pill that can improve the cultivation of Qi Condensation Mid-stage cultivators, is one of the most difficult mid-grade Rank 1 pills. You should have never refined it before, and Ning Ruiming's success rate in refining this pill, even if it's not as high as thirty percent, should be close. How can you guarantee you can surpass Ning Ruiming in such a short time?"
Ning Fa revealed a confident smile, "Aunt Hong, please don't worry. After refining that quasi-two Dao Mark Essence Replenishing Pill, I felt my alchemy level had improved. I'm very confident I can master the Three Yuan Pill within three months. Moreover, even if I don't surpass Ning Ruiming, as long as I can achieve a similar result, it will be a victory for me."
These words were not false. As long as the two competed in alchemy, Ning Ruiming would have to win decisively, otherwise, it would be a failure.
But Ning Fa was confident that with three months' time and a certain amount of spiritual materials, thanks to the heaven-defying effects of that Mysterious Scroll, he would definitely master the refinement of the Three Yuan Pill to an extremely high level.
At that time, he would be the one to decisively defeat Ning Ruiming.
He intended to do just that, to completely shatter Ning Ruiming's Dao heart!
He believed this would be more cruel than killing him directly.
This was just the beginning, considered collecting some interest.
He was determined to personally send Ning Ruiming and Ning Zhen'an on their way, to comfort Uncle Xilin's spirit in heaven.
Ning Shaohong looked somewhat dazed at Ning Fa, who was now full of fighting spirit and confidence. He was already exceptionally handsome, and at this moment, he exuded a different kind of charm.
Ning Shaohong fell into a daze, lost in memories.
"Little sister Hong, wait for me. Your brother will go to Jade Reed Island and bring you that Lotus Crystal Flower."
In her memory, the handsome figure in the green robe was smiling at her with the same confidence, his heroic and spirited appearance captivating her.
Several months later, that figure finally arrived, his green robe stained with blood.
He wiped away the tears on his face, smiled with the same confident and unrestrained demeanor, and presented her with a crystal-clear spiritual flower.
The figure in her memory gradually faded, and Ning Shaohong's eyes blurred.
She abruptly turned to look out the window, not wanting Ning Fa to see her expression.
After a long while, she calmly said with a hint of strangeness, "I understand. I will fully support you. Go ahead boldly."
Ning Fa found Ning Shaohong's reaction a bit strange but didn't think too much of it.
What mattered most was getting Aunt Hong's support.
After all, he would need Ning Shaohong to ensure a fair competition environment and rely on her channels for the supply of spiritual materials for the Three Yuan Pill.
Ning Shaohong clearly understood Ning Fa's intentions.
Her promise of full support evidently included these two points.
Ning Fa now knew who Ning Shaohong's contact was; it should be that beautiful young girl named Wei Shiqin from last time.
As the head of the Xudong Merchant Guild in Tianshui Market, she could definitely provide a stable supply of spiritual materials for ordinary second-tier pills, let alone first-tier ones.
Having received the answer he wanted, Ning Fa thanked Ning Shaohong sincerely and left.
Ning Shaohong watched his departing back by the window, her expression somewhat melancholic.