99: Chapter 99 Black Fiend

Wang Yaowen walked over quickly and said solemnly, "The commotion from Eldest Brother's Foundation Establishment is quite significant. That golden auspicious cloud can be seen for dozens of miles around; it is impossible to hide."

"Rather than letting the Ning Family and Yan Family speculate in secret, we might as well widely distribute invitations and invite the forces of the Three Counties to come and witness the ceremony together."

"For the Wang Family to produce two Foundation Establishment cultivators from one Family and openly display it for them to see will actually make people more wary than hiding it."

Wang Yaowu also nodded in agreement, "Second Brother makes sense. That old fox Head of the Yan Family Yan Bosong—the more you hide things, the more suspicious he becomes. If you open the doors and let him look, he won't dare to act rashly instead."

Wang Chongyang stroked his beard and pondered, just about to make a decision, when Wang Shouren suddenly spoke up, "Sixth Grandpa, Father, as for the matter of the invitations, this grandson thinks we might as well postpone it."

Everyone was stunned.

Wang Yaowu asked in confusion, "Postpone? Shouren, didn't you hear what Second Uncle said just now? The auspicious cloud has already drifted out; it cannot be hidden."

Wang Yaowu also frowned, waiting for him to give an explanation.

Wang Shouren did not explain further; his lips only moved slightly as he uttered two words via voice transmission.

Xiaoshan County, Ning Family.

The night was like ink, and the discussion hall was brightly lit, but the atmosphere was as heavy as if it had been filled with lead.

All members of the Ning Family at the Late Stage of Qi Refining and above were present. Everyone's expression was panicked, completely devoid of their past arrogance.

Several elders from the collateral branches whispered to each other, their words full of regret.

"If we had known things would turn out like this, we shouldn't have listened to the Family head and provoked the Wang Family in the first place. Wang Yaozu has achieved Foundation Establishment. With two Foundation Establishment cultivators from one Family, how are we supposed to fight this?"

"What's the use of saying this now? When dealing with the Wang Family back then, who among us didn't nod along?"

"That old thing Wang Chongyang is nearing the end of his Lifespan and can hold on for at most another month or two. But if he drags our Ning Family down with him before he dies, what do we use to block it?"

"Sigh, we shouldn't have let that woman Ning Liandie go to Lotus Pier in the first place. Not only did she completely offend the Wang Family, but she also saddled us with the crime of colluding with evil cultivators, completely severing our relationship with that side..."

Ning Shengli sat upright in the highest seat, his face as gloomy as water, remaining silent and allowing the clansmen to discuss.

His hand rested on the armrest, his fingertips tapping rhythmically. The rhythm grew faster and heavier, his knuckles gradually turning white from his grip.

Although only half a day had passed since Wang Yaozu's Foundation Establishment, the Wang Family had never deliberately hidden it. Coupled with the many Loose Cultivators living at the foot of Wogui Mountain and his Ning Family's spies, the news had already reached the ears of the Ning Family members just as it grew dark.

At that moment, he crushed the teacup in his hand, and the shattered porcelain cut his palm. Blood flowed down between his fingers, but he was completely oblivious to it.

Wang Yaozu had achieved Foundation Establishment; his greatest worry had finally become reality.

One Wang Chongyang was already a dire threat, and with the addition of another Wang Yaozu, the Ning Family would never have a day of redemption in these Three Counties.

Grand Elder Great Elder Ning Shengkui stood beside him, and seeing the Family head's gloomy expression, transmitted his voice in a low tone.

"Family Head, we cannot throw ourselves into disarray right now. So what if Wang Yaozu achieved Foundation Establishment?

After all, he is newly advanced to Foundation Establishment; in terms of strength, he is far inferior to you, Family Head, in the depth of his Foundation."

"Moreover, that old thing Wang Chongyang is nearing the end of his Lifespan and can hold on for at most a few months. As long as we endure this period of time, the Wang Family will still have only one Foundation Establishment cultivator, and the Ning Family and Wang Family will still be evenly matched."

Ning Shengli rubbed his swollen brow, his voice hoarse and exhausted.

"I know. What I'm worried about isn't these—in order to draw a clear line with Ning Chuan, the Ning Family sold off most of the properties in Xiaoshan County, and the path to the Baihua Sect was also cut off. The hearts of the people within the clan are fluctuating; that is the most fatal part."

If the Ning Family were still connected to that line of the Baihua Sect, how could the clansmen be so panicked?

What does it matter if the Wang Family has two Foundation Establishment cultivators? Would they dare to move against the Ning Family?

"Right now, our only option is to strike first. Once the Wang Family gathers a large number of Loose Cultivators, not only will our Ning Family Foundation be ruined, but the entire clan will also find it difficult to be spared."

He paused and looked up at Great Elder Ning Shengkui, "How is the matter I asked you to handle going?"

Great Elder Ning Shengkui looked around, confirming that no one was paying attention, and transmitted his voice.

"Family Head, that group of Black Fiend quoted a ruthless price, demanding fifty thousand Spirit Stones from our Ning Family. However, they have already agreed to make a trip to Lotus Pier tonight to probe the background of the Wang Family.

If there is a suitable opportunity, they might even kill Wang Yaozu along the way. The Wang Family is celebrating right now, holding a grand banquet. The entire clan up and down is dead drunk, and they would never expect someone to storm over at a time like this."

Ning Shengli nodded, a trace of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes, "Spirit Stones are not a problem; our Ning Family can still pull them out. If it weren't for the fact that Black Fiend possesses a top-grade Magical Artifact capable of breaking open the mountain-protecting grand array, I wouldn't have sought out this bunch of baleful stars."

Black Fiend—saying this name in the territory of the Three Counties could make Loose Cultivators silent out of fear.

They were a group of bandit cultivators roaming near the Monster Mountain Range, cruel and merciless, acting completely without bottom lines, leaving not a blade of grass wherever they passed.

The leader, Black Fiend, was an even more ruthless character in the Foundation Establishment Stage. It was said that he once served as an outer sect deacon in the Tiexue Sect. After the destruction of the Tiexue Sect, he fled into the Monster Mountain Range with a few confidants, specializing in business with no capital.

Several cities in Yue State near the Monster Mountain Range joined forces multiple times to encircle and suppress them, but they repeatedly missed due to their elusive whereabouts and having insiders within the cities.

In recent years, they had become even more rampant, specifically targeting remote small families, robbing and killing without leaving any survivors.

The Ning Family had also spent a great deal of trouble to establish this connection. Ning Shengli knew the risks better than anyone, but things had come to this point; he had no other choice.

"As long as Black Fiend can really kill Wang Yaozu, what does it matter if half of our Ning Family's property is given to him? That group of people has no fixed abode; even with Spirit Stones, they cannot keep them and will sooner or later flee far away to other lands. By that time, wouldn't the Wang Family's properties and resources fall into the hands of the Ning Family?"

Ning Shengli's voice was pressed extremely low, a bright light flashing in his eyes, and a nearly morbid smile floated on his face, as if he had already seen the scene after the Wang Family's destruction.

Great Elder Ning Shengkui quickly cupped his fists, his face full of smiles, "Family Head is brilliant! With Black Fiend doing the killing and the Wang Family destroyed, our Ning Family will eliminate a dire threat without expending a single soldier. By then, within the Three Counties, who else can contend with our Ning Family? The Family Head's divine calculations are truly admired by this old man!"

Hearing this, Ning Shengli laughed heartily, and Great Elder Ning Shengkui merely accompanied him with a smile on the side.

Although it sounded good on the surface, colluding with Black Fiend, who was listed on the Yue State's evil cultivator wanted list, posed a truly massive hidden danger.

Once those people under Black Fiend failed to keep their mouths tight, the Ning Family would have no possibility of redemption.

"Right now, I only hope that Black Fiend and the others take the benefits and the Wang Family's resources and flee far away to a different place."

Just at this moment, the entire discussion hall shook violently.

The tiles on the roof fell with a rustling sound, and the teacups on the table jumped up and smashed into pieces. Immediately after, a sharp and piercing buzzing sound rang out simultaneously from all parts of the manor.

That was the alarm issued by the mountain-protecting grand array only when it suffered violent attacks.

All the Ning Family members in the hall changed expression simultaneously. Someone suddenly stood up and knocked over a chair, someone subconsciously drew their sword but pulled out empty air, and several collateral Family elders were scared pale, their lips trembling without being able to say a single word.

The smile on Great Elder Ning Shengkui's face instantly froze. He abruptly turned his head to look at the pitch-black night sky outside the hall, his pupils suddenly contracting.

"Someone is attacking our Ning Family!!!"