A small pile of spirit stones of various colors, each about the size of a thumb, lay on the table. Faint rays of light intertwined, and pure spiritual energy washed over them, making for a rather captivating sight.
"These three hundred spirit stones should be enough for the rent over these three years," Meng Jinliang said calmly.
Ning Fa couldn't help but look up to his maternal uncle's husband. This person still had some depth and composure. Even by current market prices, three hundred spirit stones was by no means a small amount.
But Ning Fa let out a cold laugh, "Who says it's enough? It's not enough at all!"
Upon hearing this, even the composed Meng Jinliang's expression turned grim. Ning Muchun, on the other hand, was furious. "Little Fa, you're going too far!"
Ning Baiquan tried to smooth things over. "Little Fa, you can't possibly know the market rates. One hundred spirit stones a year for rent is definitely not a small sum. Do you know..." He wanted to continue, but under Ning Fa's oppressive gaze, he couldn't. He could only force a laugh.
Ning Fa looked at Ning Muchun, snorted, and said with passionate indignation, "You took away this land deed for three years, and those were the three years I needed spirit stones the most! All three years, do you know how I got by?! If I had these spirit stones, I might have passed the family's Pill Master assessment long ago and wouldn't have had to risk making a bet with the Fifth Elder! And now you say I'm going too far?! Who is actually going too far!?"
At these words, Ning Muchun, who had been furious, couldn't help but show an embarrassed expression. Ning Zhengqian, who had intended to intervene, also fell silent.
Ning Fa's expression remained calm. "I'll make my stance clear today. Besides these three hundred spirit stones, if you bring me another two thousand spirit stones within a year, I can pretend this never happened. If you refuse... it's fine, I'll collect it myself in the future."
Hearing the coldness and finality in Ning Fa's tone, Ning Muchun and Meng Jinliang's expressions changed. Ning Zhengqian and Ning Baiquan also dared not speak to dissuade him.
"I've said all I need to say. Please leave." Ning Fa stood up to see them out.
Ning Muchun's lips trembled, wanting to say something more, but Meng Jinliang held her back. He then pulled along a resentful Ning Furong and hastily left Ning Fa's home. Ning Baiquan followed close behind.
Inside the house, only Ning Zhengqian's family of three remained, along with Ning Xilin.
"Little Fa, could you..." Ning Zhengqian still wanted to persuade him, but Ning Fa interrupted directly. "Uncle, you don't need to say any more. My mind is made up, and I've already been very merciful."
Ning Zhengqian sighed. "Alas, this is all your eldest sister's own doing... But the Spirit Stabilizing Pill is of great importance. Little Fa, do you think you could ask the Ninth Elder for help?"
Just as Ning Fa was about to refuse, Ning Zifeng, who had been quiet until now, reached out and stopped his father from continuing. He said calmly, "Father, there's no need to say more. Even if Little Fa gets the Spirit Stabilizing Pill, and Brother Rong successfully advances to the late stage of Qi Condensation, he still won't be able to achieve a good ranking in the Heir Succession Competition. The reason I agreed to mobilize our branch's strength to help Brother Rong advance to the late stage of Qi Condensation was only to have a cultivator in the late stage from our branch to stabilize the situation as soon as possible. After all, our branch's situation on Pingchang Island is not good right now, and Uncle is not a member of the Ning family, so he can't conveniently step in for certain matters. But now that Little Fa has entered the family's Alchemy Hall, his status is already higher than that of ordinary cultivators in the late stage of Qi Condensation within the family. Therefore, it's no longer necessary for Brother Rong to break through to the late stage of Qi Condensation as quickly as possible. Instead of spending a large amount of resources to help him break through, it would be better to channel our branch's resources to Little Fa. Little Fa is now the hope of our branch. As long as he can establish a firm foothold in the Alchemy Hall, no one will dare to bully our branch anymore."
Ning Fa looked at his cousin with some surprise. He could tell that his cousin wasn't saying this to curry favor with him, but from the bottom of his heart. In fact, during the gathering a month ago to discuss matters, Ning Zifeng had spoken up for him. At that time, he had already gained a deeper understanding of his cousin's character, which was not the rigid and unfeeling impression from his past life's memories. On the contrary, this cousin had his own principles and was not foolish. As for the situation he just described, his father hadn't grasped it yet and was still talking about the Spirit Stabilizing Pill.
After Ning Zifeng finished speaking, Ning Zhengqian's expression stiffened, and he began to react. Ning Xilin, beaming, added, "Zifeng is absolutely right. Little Fa is now the hope of our branch. We should wholeheartedly support Little Fa. As long as Little Fa can advance to the middle stage of Qi Condensation, and then become a Grade 1 Middle-Rank Alchemist, our branch will be as good as a direct descendant, even if we are not one."
Ning Zhengqian nodded in agreement as if struck by enlightenment. "Yes, yes. I'm truly getting senile. It seems I need to have a good discussion with eldest sister and Baiquan again. Instead of competing for direct lineage with little hope, Little Fa is our hope."
Ning Fa smiled slightly, then pointed to the spirit stones on the table. "Uncle, Uncle Xilin, you lent me spirit stones when I was in dire need, and I'm deeply grateful. Now I can return them to you."
However, Ning Xilin quickly stopped him, saying urgently, "Little Fa, I don't need any spirit stones. Your future advancements in the Alchemy Hall will require even more spirit stones. You should keep these spirit stones."
Ning Zhengqian also nodded. "Xilin is right. Little Fa, you don't need to be polite with us."
Seeing their firm resolve, Ning Fa no longer insisted. Then, Ning Zhengqian and the others left excitedly, clearly intending to immediately discuss the matter with Ning Muchun and the others. It was predictable that his maternal aunt's family would not compromise easily, but Ning Fa was unconcerned. Having the support of his own branch was naturally good, but if they didn't support him, it wouldn't matter much to him. If nothing else, with his current level of refining Essence Replenishing Pills, earning spirit stones was no longer difficult, and it should be enough to cover his future alchemy expenses. The alchemy expenses here referred to his practice of other pills. After all, pills needed to reach a certain stage of formation before they could be restored by that mysterious scroll, so it was natural to refine pills to a certain level. However, compared to other alchemists, he was already far ahead. Moreover, during his assessment, he had practiced alchemy six times and obtained over twenty correct pills, as well as many failed pills, which could be sold for a large sum of spirit stones. Thinking about the current attitudes of everyone towards him, Ning Fa couldn't help but sigh that alchemists were indeed the number one profession among the hundred arts of cultivation.
Ning Fa collected the spirit stones on the table, a thoughtful expression on his face. He remembered his maternal uncle. Compared to the fifty spirit stones his paternal uncle gave him, his maternal uncle, whose family situation was clearly much worse, had sent a hundred spirit stones. He would not forget this kindness. He had initially wanted Uncle Xilin to help him return the spirit stones, but after thinking about it, it would be more appropriate to personally visit his uncle's home after he had settled down in the Alchemy Hall.