Ning Fa left afterward.
The One Dao Mark Essence Replenishing Pill was left as a gift, and Ning Shaohong accepted it without any pretense of formality.
Ning Shaohong examined the One Dao Mark Essence Replenishing Pill again, a trace of disbelief still lingering in her eyes.
Then, she took out a special pink paper from her storage bag. This paper seemed to be made from flower petals and was extremely exquisite.
Ning Shaohong's right index finger flashed with spiritual light, and she began writing on the paper in the air.
"Shiqin, I've found a large amount of Red Coral Stone that you've been searching for. Do you have time to come and see it yourself?"
After finishing, Ning Shaohong formed a hand seal.
Immediately, the paper emitted a special pink spiritual light, and the text on it disappeared.
Ning Shaohong waited patiently for a moment. The spiritual light on the petal-like paper rippled, and a line of text appeared:
"That's great! I'll be right there."
A smile appeared on Ning Shaohong's lips, and she then put away the special paper.
She glanced again at the floating One Dao Mark Essence Replenishing Pill, a thoughtful expression in her eyes.
Then, as if she had made a decision, she got up and left.
Not long after, Ning Shaohong had already arrived at Changning Mountain on Ningchang Island, the Ning Family's ancestral land, by Spirit Boat.
Ning Shaohong took a white crane-shaped flying artifact and arrived at a steep mountain peak.
On it stood a pavilion constructed entirely of white jade, emitting a faint rosy glow.
This was the residence of the Ning Family's Second Elder, Ning Weidong.
The young attendant guarding the entrance saw that it was Ning Shaohong and quickly bowed before entering the manor to report.
A short while later, Ning Shaohong met the Second Elder, Ning Weidong, in an exceptionally grand hall.
In the hall, a tall figure stood by the window, gazing at the sea of clouds outside. Noticing Ning Shaohong enter, he turned around.
He was an elder who appeared to be around sixty years old, with white hair and beard.
However, he showed no signs of age, his face free of wrinkles and as rosy as an infant's.
He was tall and carried himself with a majestic bearing, possessing a fierce and valiant aura like Zhang Fei.
His pair of tiger-like eyes were sharp and spirited, emitting a palpable pressure that made one hesitant to look directly at him.
He looked at Ning Shaohong and asked with slight surprise, "Shaohong, it's quite rare for you to come looking for me. Tell me, what is it?"
Ning Shaohong's face was cold, and she seemed to harbor significant resentment towards her elder brother. She sat down directly on a chair.
Ning Weidong stroked his long beard, a wry smile appearing on his face. "You should know that when I stopped you and Ning Zhiyuan back then, it wasn't because I wanted to be the bad guy. It's just that the cultivation technique you practice is special, and before advancing to Foundation Establishment, it's not advisable to fall into romantic entanglements. Otherwise, your Foundation Establishment will become incredibly difficult."
He sighed again, "But I didn't expect this matter to plant a knot in your heart, causing you to miss the best opportunity for Foundation Establishment..."
Ning Shaohong interrupted him expressionlessly, "Don't talk about the past anymore. So what if I can't reach Foundation Establishment? We still have Hua Rong in our lineage anyway. I've come to find you today for another matter."
Hearing the hint of mockery in Ning Shaohong's words, Ning Weidong smiled wryly and shook his head, then said seriously, "For you to come to me personally, the matter must be significant. Speak."
After Ning Shaohong finished speaking, Ning Weidong said with a hint of surprise, "The Wei Shiqin you mentioned, is she the person in charge of the Xudong Chamber of Commerce in Tianshui Market?"
Seeing Ning Shaohong nod, Ning Weidong's expression turned solemn. "The Xudong Chamber of Commerce is not simple anymore. Since the person behind the chamber of commerce advanced to Golden Core and became an outer sect elder of the Huayu Sect, the chamber of commerce has developed exceptionally rapidly. Its strength now ranks among the top three in the entire Yun Prefecture."
After speaking, Ning Weidong said decisively, "In that case, Wei Shiqin is indeed worth befriending. Let's proceed as you planned. I will inform Old Eighth to stay out of this matter. I believe even Old Third won't oppose me on this."
Ning Shaohong was not surprised by her elder brother's reaction. She then took a pill bottle from her storage bag and handed it to Ning Weidong.
Ning Weidong accepted it with some confusion. When he took out the One Dao Mark Essence Replenishing Pill, a look of surprise flashed across his face:
"It's actually a One Dao Mark Essence Replenishing Pill?"
But he was only slightly surprised. After all, as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, although Dao Patterned Pills were precious, he had seen them a few times.
Ning Shaohong's lips curved, and she said, "I didn't buy this; one of our clansmen refined it."
This time, Ning Weidong was truly moved. He quickly asked, "Who is it? It's unlikely to be Wei Chengzong. Could it be Liu Qinghui?"
Ning Shaohong smiled without speaking. Ning Weidong's expression shifted, and recalling some news he had heard earlier, he exclaimed in surprise, "Don't tell me it was that kid Ning Fa?"
Ning Shaohong nodded, "That's right, he refined it. He also told me about the Red Coral Stone and wanted to use this One Dao Mark Essence Replenishing Pill as payment to ask me to help the Xu Family."
Ning Weidong stroked his beard, a strange expression on his face. "I didn't expect that despite having an Incomplete Lightning Spiritual Root, this kid has quite good alchemy talent. Even if he can only refine this single Dao Patterned Essence Replenishing Pill, he has reason to be proud."
Ning Shaohong's smile deepened. "He can refine more than just this one Dao Patterned Pill. In fact, he has already refined several and personally consumed them. He can refine one Dao Patterned Pill roughly every fifteen batches of Essence Replenishing Pills, and I estimate that this kid was being conservative; the actual probability might be even higher."
This time, Ning Weidong was truly shocked, and he stood stunned, clutching his beard.
Ning Shaohong then stated her true purpose. "Is there really no way to help Ning Fa with his Incomplete Lightning Spiritual Root? Even if it could help him advance to the middle stage of Qi Condensation, with his alchemy talent, it would be enough for him to master several of the most important mid-grade first-tier pills to a very high level, such as the Three Yuan Pill."
"If he can also stably refine a One Dao Mark Three Yuan Pill, it would likely have the effect of assisting in breaking through the bottleneck of late Qi Condensation. That would be incredibly important, enough to help many of our clansmen break through to late Qi Condensation. Our Ning Family's strength would inevitably increase greatly."
"Even setting that aside, the Pill Hall is currently controlled by the Third Elder's faction. Our lineage always receives harsh treatment when requesting pills. If we can cultivate Ning Fa, our lineage won't be so passive in terms of pill supply."
Ning Weidong finally came back to his senses, but he shook his head. "If he could break through his realm, do you think the family wouldn't want to? We spent so much effort and used so many methods back then, and it was still unsuccessful. It's naturally not easy now."
"Before he advances to the middle stage of Qi Condensation, it's not worth betting heavily on him again. However, you can help him within your capabilities."
A look of disappointment flashed in Ning Shaohong's beautiful eyes.
She had originally intended to use the One Dao Mark Essence Replenishing Pill as a catalyst this time, to have Ning Weidong mobilize the family's resources and try again to help Ning Fa break through his cultivation realm.
However, it seemed that Ning Fa's Incomplete Lightning Spiritual Root had left too deep an impression on Ning Weidong, making him unwilling to waste resources on it.
At this moment, Ning Weidong seemed to recall something. A strange expression flickered across his face, and he looked at Ning Shaohong seriously, saying, "Regarding the Dao Patterned Pills that Ning Fa refined, you must keep it a secret, and tell Ning Fa not to speak of it to anyone outside either."
Ning Shaohong was a little confused and wanted to ask further, but Ning Weidong interrupted her with a gesture, saying, "Trust me this time. If the news gets out, it might harm him."
Although Ning Shaohong was full of doubts, she also knew her elder brother's temperament, so she left the place.