Soon, Ning Fa brought the two of them to Hall Number Three.
Inside the hall, Sang Wen and Wen Xiuxin were seated peacefully, while Bai Yueqiu and Tianyou stood to the side with blank expressions.
Upon seeing Tianyou's current state, Canglei's expression couldn't help but change.
After all, the Huayu Sect's previous First Elder, True Lord Donghua, had a deep connection with Tianyou. As a high-ranking member of the sect, Canglei was aware of Tianyou.
Seeing Tianyou's appearance now, coupled with the news of Tianyou's madness he'd learned upon returning to the sect, Canglei had some idea of what had happened.
Fairy Liyue also stared intently at Tianyou, a look of realization on her face, understanding why Ning Fa had called her over.
Ning Fa looked at her and said, "Fellow Daoist Liyue, you haven't forgotten your promise to me, have you?"
Li Yue immediately nodded, "Fellow Daoist Ning, rest assured, I've been prepared and waiting. Now that Fellow Daoist Tianyou is here, please entrust her to me."
"Good, I'll trouble you, Fellow Daoist Liyue," Ning Fa nodded.
Li Yue also smiled at him, a hint of allure appearing on her porcelain-like face.
She was very invested in this matter, as befriending Ning Fa through this could bring great benefits to both herself and the Mystic Moon Sect.
After Li Yue took Tianyou away, Sang Wen looked at Ning Fa and said calmly, "Immortal Zhaoming will be here soon. I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave."
The Immortal Zhaoming Sang Wen mentioned was Bai Yueqiu's master and the Second Elder of the Jingming Sect.
Now that Bai Yueqiu was in this condition, it was natural for her to be informed.
As Sang Wen was about to get up and leave, Ning Fa suddenly reached out and grabbed her arm as she passed by him.
Sang Wen immediately shook her arm as if startled, glaring at him with anger.
Ning Fa, however, smiled and said, "Sorry, you were leaving too quickly. I happen to have something I need your help with. Please help me see if the Spiritual Pivot Pavilion has the item in this Jade Slip; it's very important to me."
As he spoke, Ning Fa handed her a Jade Slip.
Sang Wen's delicate eyebrows immediately furrowed. With her intelligence, how could she not see Ning Fa's ulterior motive?
He hadn't mentioned it when they went to see Hermit Xuyuan, but he chose to bring it up now.
However, after giving Ning Fa a stern glare, she still took the Jade Slip and left quickly without looking back.
Canglei, who was watching from the side, couldn't help but show a strange expression, thinking to himself that this junior disciple Ning was quite the ladies' man.
At this moment, Ning Fa looked at Wen Xiuxin beside him and said indifferently, "Fellow Daoist Wen, please go out for a moment."
The woman immediately got up obediently and left the hall.
Ning Fa looked at Canglei and sighed, "Senior Brother Canglei, I have some bad news for you."
Canglei was startled and joked, "Junior Brother Ning, I'm timid, don't scare me."
But he glanced at the blank-faced Bai Yueqiu beside them, a bad feeling stirring in his heart.
Ning Fa also smiled helplessly, "Indeed, the problem is not small. Senior Brother Canglei, you can no longer cultivate the Ancient Source Thunder Scripture, otherwise, you might become an Ancient Spirit Puppet, just like Fellow Daoist Bai now."
Then, Ning Fa briefly explained the situation to Canglei.
Canglei was struck as if by lightning, his face filled with shock.
So, the inheritance I received on the Thunder Road was actually a conspiracy, allowing me to be easily controlled by that Ancient Immortal and become his Ancient Spirit Puppet. No wonder that terrifying existence was there...
Canglei muttered, feeling like crying but having no tears.
Seeing Canglei's anxious look, Ning Fa comforted him, "You don't need to worry too much. From the looks of it, you'll only have a chance to mutate if you encounter an Ancient Spirit created by Lei Ming.
However, Lei Ming cannot leave Ancient Immortal Island, and I've already killed that Ancient Spirit Lei E, so there shouldn't be any major issues for a long time. This period should be enough for me to find a solution.
But during this time, it's best you don't show yourself in public and stay with me in Xuguo to cultivate."
Canglei nodded with a bitter smile.
Just then, footsteps were heard, and a woman walked into the hall.
The woman was dressed in a jade robe, with a beautiful and gentle appearance. She had a red plum blossom hairpin on her forehead and an ethereal aura. She was at the Mid Nascent Soul stage.
She was none other than Bai Yueqiu's master, the Second Elder of the Jingming Sect, Immortal Zhaoming.
"Fellow Daoist Zhaoming," Ning Fa nodded.
Immortal Zhaoming quickly greeted Ning Fa and Canglei before immediately looking at the dazed Bai Yueqiu, her beautiful eyes widening.
Her petite figure flickered, and she was already beside Bai Yueqiu, examining her anxiously.
Ning Fa sighed softly, walked to her side, and recounted the events once more.
"Ancient Immortal Island, Ancient Immortal, Ancient Spirit Puppet..."
Immortal Zhaoming's expression changed several times upon hearing this.
Then, she seemed to recall something and looked at Ning Fa with confusion.
Fellow Daoist Ning, I recall Yueqiu mentioning before that you participated in the Thunder Hong Road with her and were the first to reach the end. You should have also received the inheritance from the Inheritance Hall. Why are you fine?
Canglei also looked at Ning Fa; this was the question he had wanted to ask as well.
"Because I possess a congenital Lightning Attribute Spiritual Body, I am immune to the invasion of that peculiar power," Ning Fa said dismissively.
The true Ancient Source Thunder Scripture was no trivial matter, and telling them would be useless.
After Ning Fa cultivated the Nascent Soul chapter of the Ancient Source Thunder Scripture, he learned that there was a prerequisite for cultivating the Nascent Soul realm's cultivation method.
That prerequisite was having at least nine Lesser Thunder Sources cultivated previously.
Only then could the Divine Firmament Manifestation he condensed reach the threshold for cultivation.
The difficulty of cultivating nine Lesser Thunder Sources was obviously extremely high. Ordinary Lightning Spiritual Roots simply couldn't achieve it; it would likely require some special Lightning Attribute Spiritual Body.
Canglei and Immortal Zhaoming immediately showed expressions of realization. They finally understood why Ning Fa had progressed so rapidly and possessed such strong cultivation in such a short time. Clearly, his spiritual body was extraordinary.
At this moment, Ning Fa spoke again, "Because of this, I've also gained some understanding of that strange power.
Therefore, fellow Daoist Zhaoming, I hope fellow Daoist Bai can stay by my side for now. I need to study the symptoms on her body and see if there's a solution."
Immortal Zhaoming didn't hesitate much and immediately nodded, "Then I'll trouble fellow Daoist Ning. If you need anything, please tell me promptly."
As she said this, Immortal Zhaoming's eyes turned red.
After all, she and Bai Yueqiu had been master and disciple for hundreds of years, like mother and daughter. Seeing Bai Yueqiu in such a state now, she was naturally heartbroken and regretted not preventing Bai Yueqiu from cultivating this cultivation method in the first place.
Next, Ning Fa, along with Canglei, Bai Yueqiu, and Wen Xiuxin, directly used the teleportation array in Tianyu City to travel to Xuguo.
The current Xuguo had completely become the private territory of the Huayu Sect and the Ning Family.
Along the way, Canglei also perked up and began introducing Ning Fa to the changes that had occurred during his absence.
In general, under Ning Fa's banner, the Huayu Sect had attracted a large number of young disciples with excellent aptitude.
In addition to that, a group of rogue cultivators with profound cultivation had also pledged allegiance to the Huayu Sect. Now, the Huayu Sect's strength had increased severalfold.
As the Ning Family was a cultivation family, they did not directly absorb outsiders. However, they had also gained considerable affiliated forces.
Previously, Canglei had discussed matters with the Ning Family's First Elder, Ning Zhongyuan.
Both parties jointly managed all the large and small marketplaces in Xuguo, with all profits being split fifty-fifty.
The Huayu Sect's inner sect had also separately allocated an inner peak for the Ning Family, and Ning Family disciples could enter directly.
Thus, despite the short period, both the Huayu Sect and the Ning Family displayed vigorous development and a prosperous outlook.
Ning Fa couldn't help but feel quite pleased upon hearing this.
Before long, the group arrived at the Fourth-Grade Spirit Vein location in the central region of Xuguo – the Changning Mountain Range, which was named after Ning Fa's own Daoist title.
In just a year or two, the mountain range, which Ning Fa had previously destroyed, was now rebuilt with continuous palace complexes, bathed in myriad rays of divine light, appearing magnificent and beautiful.
Through Canglei's introduction, Ning Fa also learned that the current Changning Mountain Range was divided into eastern and western sections, belonging to the Ning Family and the Huayu Sect respectively.
Ning Fa observed this, nodded, and the group flew directly towards the depths of the mountain range.
After a brief reunion with his wives, concubines, and the high-ranking members of his sect and family, Ning Fa arrived at a brand-new cave mansion.
This cave mansion was located on Changning Mountain, the Spirit Mountain with the most concentrated spiritual energy in the current Changning Mountain Range.
The spirit vein's grade had reached the upper fourth-grade. Especially at the peak, the spiritual energy was so dense it was like mist and rain.
This Spirit Mountain was exclusively owned by Ning Fa, the Grand Elder.
Next, Ning Fa indeed had many things to do.
First, he had to refine the Soul-Bending Pill. After all, he didn't know how long Zhu Lingyun could hold on, and this matter was of utmost importance.
Next, he had to resolve the issues of Bai Yueqiu and Canglei. Ning Fa already had some ideas, but they still required time for experimentation.
Finally, he would go into seclusion for cultivation.
After opening up the Sea of Lightning Divine Treasury of his Supreme Fire Divine Thunder, there were no longer any bottlenecks to advancing to the Mid Nascent Soul stage.
As long as his magical power and spiritual sense reached the threshold, he should be able to break through naturally, so he needed to cultivate peacefully.
Although this was an upper fourth-grade spirit vein, Ning Fa still decided to refine a batch of fourth-grade pills to accelerate his cultivation progress, as he had done in the past.
Furthermore, he also had to visit the ruins of the Profound Fire Sect mentioned by Wen Xiuxin.
If there was indeed a super long-distance teleportation array there, the repair work for the teleportation array would also need to be put on the agenda as soon as possible.
In the quiet room, Ning Fa did not rush to first comprehend the pill formula for the Soul-Bending Pill.
Instead, he flicked his sleeve, and a white bead wrapped in a golden lightning net instantly appeared before him.
This was precisely the item Pei Nanshu had tried to use to fight for his life before he died.
Ning Fa looked at it with a solemn expression. This item gave him a great sense of threat. Crucially, it could actually trigger a reaction from the Heavenly Book, which made him extremely curious.
As his mind moved, white light flashed before him, and the Heavenly Book reappeared.
Its surface flickered with white light, and soon, a pattern corresponding to the white bead appeared on the fourth Dao Mark.
At the same time, a piece of information entered Ning Fa's sea of consciousness.
"A fragment of the Great Immortal Extermination Bead, made from the Heavenly Eye of a fifth-grade Three-Eyed Heavenly Ape. It can be traced back to the Great Immortal Extermination Bead and requires five Fourth-Tier Origin Points."