The next day.
Ning Shaohong paid a visit.
After Ning Fa finished speaking, Ning Shaohong said, "I'm already aware of this matter. The Third Elder convened an elder meeting specifically to discuss it last night and it has already been formally approved."
"You can proceed with it boldly, without worrying about the Second Elder. Little Fa, you are special; you don't need to concern yourself with these factional disputes within the family."
Ning Fa nodded.
Ning Shaohong's eyes darted around at this moment, and she asked, "I heard that not long ago, Shiqin brought that Meng Family pearl to seek your help in alchemy?"
Ning Fa nodded. "That's right. The medicinal effect of the Jade Dragon Pill is strongest within an hour of its creation. That Miss Meng wanted to use it to break through her bottleneck and reach the perfect state of Qi Condensation Layer Nine as soon as possible."
"Sister Shiqin had arranged it with the Third Elder beforehand. She was responsible for providing all the spiritual materials, and that Miss Meng also sent a set of formation restrictions as my refining fee."
Ning Shaohong asked with a half-smile, "Sister Shiqin? Your relationship with her seems quite good now."
Ning Fa gave an awkward smile.
Perhaps it was because Ning Fa still maintained his exceptionally high alchemy talent with the Jade Dragon Pill.
Therefore, Wei Shiqin paid even more attention to him.
She would occasionally come to find Ning Fa to communicate and build their relationship. Naturally, their relationship became much more familiar, and they addressed each other as siblings.
With Wei Shiqin's help, Ning Fa's shop in the Jinchang Island Market was able to stably obtain spiritual materials from Tongbao Pavilion.
It was now doing booming business, earning Ning Fa quite a few Spirit Stones.
Ning Shaohong stopped teasing and her eyes flashed as she said, "It seems the Meng Family ancestor wants this Meng Ruoqi to reach Foundation Establishment and become the next family head. I just don't know if he can hold on until then. I heard that the surrounding forces of the Meng Family are already restless, even planning to join forces to attack the Meng Family."
Ning Fa couldn't help but recall the unconcealable worry on Meng Ruoqi's face when he saw her that day.
At this moment, Ning Shaohong took out a set of shimmering dark green robes. With a gentle smile in her eyes, she said, "Little Fa, I've sewn another set of robes for you. Try them on to see if they fit."
Noticing Ning Shaohong's eyes, which were like spring water, Ning Fa, though his expression remained normal, felt a slight tingling sensation on his scalp.
Over the past two years, Ning Shaohong had visited him about once every one or two months.
Sometimes she brought food she had personally cooked, or sometimes she brought robes she had sewn.
Initially, Ning Fa was very happy, but he gradually began to realize something.
His relationship with this Aunt Hong seemed to have changed somewhat.
This made him feel somewhat caught off guard.
And recently, Ning Shaohong had been coming even more frequently. Judging by her behavior, she seemed to find it increasingly difficult to suppress her emotions.
This made Ning Fa unsure of how to face Ning Shaohong.
Ning Fa sighed inwardly and still put on the robes.
Seeing Ning Fa's handsome and elegant appearance after putting on the robes, Ning Shaohong's eyes were like autumn water, and her smile deepened.
After a while, she said with a gentle smile, "You still need to participate in the family's Heir Competition. Hurry back and prepare. Don't force yourself then; if you can't win, admit defeat early."
Ning Fa felt as if he had been granted a general amnesty and quickly slipped away.
After Ning Fa left.
The smile on Ning Shaohong's lips vanished, and her expression became blank.
After a long time, she let out a long sigh, then took out a flying magic tool that resembled a flying crane and flew away.
She hadn't flown far when a figure suddenly flashed in front of her, and a tall old man with a ruddy complexion and white hair appeared.
It was the family's Second Elder, who was also Ning Shaohong's older brother, Ning Weidong.
He looked at Ning Shaohong and sighed, "You can't see Ning Fa anymore. Don't you feel like you're losing control more and more? If this continues, the [Taihua Forgetfulness Art] you cultivate will go out of control, and you will completely lose the opportunity to reach Foundation Establishment."
Seeing that Ning Weidong had directly exposed her, Ning Shaohong was not angry.
Her expression was blank as she said, "You said the same thing to me before, and then I broke up with Zhiyuan. What was the outcome then?"
"Instead of worrying about me, you should worry about Hua Rong. Isn't she also cultivating this technique?"
Ning Weidong said helplessly, "Hua Rong is different. She cultivates the Extreme Yang scroll of the [Taihua Forgetfulness Art], and with her temperament, she would never develop feelings for other men. Moreover, there are other methods to assist her, so the drawbacks of this technique do not affect her at all."
Ning Shaohong sneered, "The other methods you mentioned, aren't they just that ridiculous fake dual cultivation? Letting her absorb the desires of other family disciples to create a false appearance of forgetting emotions?"
"This method can indeed lead to rapid cultivation in the early stages, but in the later stages, it is very likely to cause a strong backlash from the technique. I haven't seen Hua Rong for a long time recently. Has the backlash from this technique already begun?"
Seeing that Ning Weidong was speechless, Ning Shaohong became even more certain of her guess.
She said coldly again, "I clearly warned you about this back then, but you were greedy for the powerful effects of this technique and still let Hua Rong cultivate it. Now you are reaping what you sow."
"Also, I can handle my own affairs. I don't need you to manage me!"
With that, Ning Shaohong flew away directly.
Ning Weidong sighed deeply.
The next day.
Ning Fa went to the Jinchang Island Market.
The Ning Family's internal market was more bustling than in the past, as Ning Fa hadn't visited in a long time.
There were even many cultivators from outside families.
The family's own shops were doing very well, packed with people.
Seeing his own shop doing so well, Ning Fa couldn't help but smile.
Over the past two years, he had refined quite a few pills for Wei Shiqin, even specially crafting some niche, special pills for her at her request.
This even included some first-tier, high-grade pills.
Wei Shiqin, naturally, reciprocated, providing him with a steady stream of spiritual materials.
Wei Shiqin could be said to have made an indispensable contribution to the smooth progress of his Ancient Source Thunder Scripture cultivation.
Therefore, their relationship had become very familiar.
Under Wei Shiqin's care, Ning Fa's shop easily obtained a stable supply of spiritual materials at favorable prices.
This alone put it ahead of most shops in the Jinchang Island Market.
What's more, Ning Fa also occasionally refined some pills to sell in his shop.
The prices were very reasonable, which naturally attracted many cultivators.
Roughly calculated, over the past two years, this shop had earned Ning Fa over three thousand spirit stones.
It could not be considered unimpressive.
Just as Ning Fa was about to squeeze his way in to inquire with his paternal uncle and cousin, a clear and cheerful voice called out, "Ning Fa!"
Ning Fa turned around and saw a bright and beautiful young girl in a yellow dress approaching.
Beside her followed a tall young man.
This man had thick eyebrows and large eyes, exuding an air of heroism.
What was noteworthy was that he appeared to be around Ning Fa's age, yet he was already at the ninth level of Qi Condensation, his aura powerful.
Ning Fa's face showed surprise.
He did recognize these two.
This beautiful young girl was Ning Wanyun, who had wanted to be betrothed to him in the past, and the man beside her was her brother, Ning Nanqing.
This man was also a renowned young talent in the family.
Ning Fa knew him because this man was also one of Liu Qinghui's admirers.
He had approached Liu Qinghui several times over the past two years, and Ning Fa had happened to run into him once.
To Ning Fa's surprise, this man's temperament was quite good; he was very easygoing and magnanimous.
He actually suited Ning Fa's disposition, and they had become friends as a result.