Chapter 1066: Taking the Initiative to Visit

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Upon hearing Ning Cheng, a Dao Raising Holy Emperor, daring to directly call out Liu Fangzhen’s name, the girl’s face darkened, and she spoke with a slightly stern tone, “Indeed, City Lord Liu has something to discuss with you. Alchemist Ning, please follow me.”

If anyone else invited him, he might have considered going. But it was Liu Fangzhen, Ning Cheng would never go. Moreover, it couldn’t even be considered an invitation from Liu Fangzhen. Putting it bluntly, it was an order. From beginning to end, the girl didn’t mention the word ‘invitation’ from Liu Fangzhen, only that he had something to discuss with him or that he was looking for him.

Moreover, this girl became visibly upset after mentioning Liu Fangzhen’s name. And now, she didn’t even bother to ask if he had the time, just directly telling him to follow her. Did this person think that he was the master of the heavens and earth? Perhaps the Dao Courts and the Dao Sects in the Grand Change Realm had strict hierarchies, but Ning Cheng wasn’t a member of any of those forces.

“Xixi, let’s go. The Grand Change Alchemy City has grown crowded. Let’s not bother finding a place and go see Master Sichen.” Ning Cheng didn’t even acknowledge the girl and instead spoke to Xixi.

“Alchemist Ning, you should first pay respects to City Lord Liu.” The girl’s expression became even more unpleasant. Throughout history, whenever Liu Fangzhen wanted to see someone, she only needed to say the word. Most of the time, she didn’t even need to personally appear. Just sending someone to greet them was enough. But now, she deliberately had to use the term “pay respects”, implying that City Lord Liu’s status was much higher than Ning Cheng’s.

Even if this wasn’t Crow Pavilion Sacred Dao City, in this place, no one dared to ignore what City Lord Liu said. This time, she only came to find Ning Cheng to give him face because of his alchemist identity. But now it seemed that even if she gave others enough face, others might not give her any attention.

Ning Cheng finally stopped walking and looked at the girl, asking, “Does Liu Fangzhen know me?”

“Lord Liu has never met Alchemist Ning before.” Upon Ning Cheng calling out Liu Fangzhen’s name for the second time, the girl became even angrier. However, she dared not do anything to the alchemists participating in the Five Grand Realms’ Alchemy Competition.

After saying these words, she felt a little displeased and even threatened, “Ning Cheng, Lord Liu wants to see you. Have you considered the consequences if you refuse? I’m afraid it wouldn’t be something a mere alchemist from the Grand Essence Realm could bear. Even if your alchemy skills are top tier, it won’t make a difference.”

Ning Cheng smiled faintly. He didn’t need threats; he would have refused no matter the condition. Threaten him? Who did Liu Fangzhen think he was?

“Liu Fangzhen doesn’t know me, and I don’t know him. Why should I meet him? Does he have one more egg than others, or is his face bigger than others’ asses?”

After saying these words, Ning Cheng didn’t wait for the other party to respond and left.

It wasn’t that he wanted to deliberately offend Liu Fangzhen, but there was no room left between them. Showing further patience or restraint wouldn’t have improved things anyway. Since Liu Fangzhen tried to approach him for no reason, it meant that he should have caught on to a few clues. Asking him to come to meet him was probably to force him to reveal the truth. In other words, if he went to meet Liu Fangzhen and Liu Fangzhen ‘accidentally’ killed him, he could only blame his bad luck.

With Liu Fangzhen’s status, killing a small alchemist who wasn’t even from the Grand Change Realm wouldn’t mean much, not even if he faced condemnation or investigation from the Pill Union.

He was destined to be enemies with Liu Fangzhen and thus didn’t need to crawl around to lick the other party’s smelly feet.

Watching Ning Cheng and Xixi leave, the messenger girl’s face turned pale with anger, and her body visibly shook from all the restraint she could muster. She had never met such an arrogant person till now. Just a Dao Raising Holy Emperor, even if he was a pill sage, so what?

“Big Brother Ning, Liu Fangzhen is notorious for seeking revenge for even the smallest grievances. I’m afraid……” Xixi quietly expressed her concern.

Seeing that Ning Cheng did not acknowledge Liu Fangzhen’s summons and spoke out against him, Xixi couldn’t help but worry.

Ning Cheng smiled and said, “Xixi, you don’t need to worry. Since Liu Fangzhen has come looking for us, it shows he had suspicions about us. Thus, even if we were to obey his words, he wouldn’t let us off.”

“I’m sorry I’ve caused you this much trouble,” Xixi said with a hint of sadness, thinking again of Yuan Ji, who had stopped them earlier.

Ning Cheng said directly, “Xixi, I think you misunderstood something. Pan Qian’s matter is my matter, too. After all, we’re life-long friends.”

Putting Liu Fangzhen’s matter aside, Ning Cheng quickly found Sichen Qiutian. Fortunately, Sichen Qiutian had already arranged a room in the same inn as him.

……

The five Grand Dao Courts had their respective inns in the Grand Change Alchemy City; thus, Liu Fangzhen resided in the Treasured Stone Inn, which wasn’t far from the Matchless Inn, where Ning Cheng stayed. However, in the Grand Change Alchemy City, even if the buildings stood beside each other, one couldn’t use one’s spiritual consciousness to observe.

At this moment, Liu Fangzhen listened calmly to the messenger girl’s words. He showed no anger or change in his gaze even when Ning Cheng compared his face to someone’s ass.

After the messenger girl delivered the full report, he spoke calmly, “You may leave. I understand.”

……

After returning to the inn, Ning Cheng continued studying the Compendium of Celestial Flora. He understood that as long as he didn’t go out, Liu Fangzhen couldn’t do anything to him.

At the same time, if doubts arose, Ning Cheng would immediately seek advice from Lu Dongze, who also resided in the Matchless Inn. Lu Dongze couldn’t help with the few unmarked plants in the book, but for the things he knew, he explained to Ning Cheng without reservation and in great detail.

Thus, Ning Cheng read two-thirds of the book in just two months, bringing him immense benefits. It was not just because of the content but also due to his discussion on alchemy with Lu Dongze, which gave him many insights. It also made him understand that Lu Dongze vastly surpassed Sichen Qiutian in alchemy proficiency.

Thus, apart from advancing his understanding of alchemy, Ning Cheng also formed a deep friendship with Lu Dongze. Plus, over the many interactions, he understood that Lu Dongze had a straightforward personality and didn’t like beating around the bush. Such a character could easily offend people, yet he got along well with Ning Cheng.

One day, just as Ning Cheng had just put down the Compendium of Celestial Flora, someone activated the restriction on his room’s entrance.

Ning Cheng’s spiritual consciousness swept out, seeing Sichen Qiutian standing at the door with an unfamiliar middle-aged scholar. He immediately noticed that the cultivation level of this stranger wasn’t inferior to Sichen Qiutian’s. In other words, this person was at least a Dao Fusion expert. Which Dao Fusion Holy Emperor wanted to meet him now?

Ning Cheng opened the restriction at the door but hadn’t spoken yet when Sichen Qiutian smiled and said, “Ning Cheng, this is City Lord Liu Fangzhen from Crow Pavilion Sacred Dao City. He had heard about your remarkable alchemy skills and specially came to visit.”

If it were an ordinary person, they would surely be shocked upon hearing that a City Lord at the Dao Fusion Holy Emperor level came to visit a lowly cultivator like Ning Cheng. However, Sichen Qiutian didn’t find it surprising at all. In his mind, Ning Cheng was more than qualified to receive a visit from any Dao Fusion Holy Emperor.

However, Ning Cheng didn’t feel so. Rather, he felt somewhat taken aback. He didn’t expect Liu Fangzhen to have such a ‘magnanimous’ personality. After mocking someone in such a way, most people would have decided to strike back in secret. None would have come for such a visit openly. He mercilessly ridiculed Liu Fangzhen back then, not because of his disdain for Liu Fangzhen’s attitude but because he knew they would never become friends and to make it clear to himself that he had an enemy like Liu Fangzhen. If Liu Fangzhen had plotted his actions secretly, it would have taken time, which he could have used to prepare for the Five Grand Realms’ Alchemy Competition without worries.

Thus, Ning Cheng hadn’t expected Liu Fangzhen to seek him out proactively.

“Ah, the honourable City Lord Liu graces me with a visit. Please come in. Union Master Sichen, please come inside as well.” Liu Fangzhen had come to visit with ‘humility’ this time, and regardless of his purpose, Ning Cheng couldn’t say anything else unless he turned hostile.

He also needed to make a show inviting Union Master Sichen; otherwise, what would he do if Liu Fangzhen suddenly made a move?

Regardless of what Ning Cheng thought, Sichen Qiutian had no intention of leaving. Disregarding why Liu Fangzhen came to meet Ning Cheng, Liu Fangzhen was a Dao Fusion Holy Emperor. He had high hopes for Ning Cheng, so he naturally couldn’t let Ning Cheng be alone with a stranger who was a Dao Fusion Holy Emperor.

“This time, I have also been invited by the Grand Change Pill Union for the Five Grand Realms’ Alchemy Competition. I have heard that Pill Sage Ning’s alchemy skills have reached a new height, so I couldn’t help but come uninvited. I hope you can pardon the rudeness of my actions, Pill Sage Ning.” Liu Fangzhen spoke naturally and politely. It was as if the person who had ordered Ning Cheng to see him wasn’t him.

“I didn’t expect City Lord Liu to also be a lover of alchemy. That’s wonderful. Let’s discuss alchemy together……” Ning Cheng feigned surprise. If Liu Fangzhen agreed to discuss alchemy, he could completely engross himself in discussions with Sichen Qiutian and ignore Liu Fangzhen for several days and nights.

Liu Fangzhen hurriedly waved his hand and said, “I enjoy interacting with alchemists, but my understanding of alchemy itself is not as profound. When Pill Sage Ning first arrived in the Grand Change Realm, I heard you went for a stroll. I wonder what gains you might have made?”

Regardless of the intent behind Liu Fangzhen’s question, Ning Cheng calmly replied, “The Grand Change Realm is vast. Despite travelling around for a few days, I couldn’t find anything, so I returned to the Alchemy City.”

Liu Fangzhen spoke seriously, “I greatly admire Pill Sage Ning’s achievements in alchemy. However, although the five Great Dao Courts jointly maintain the Grand Change Realm, it is still somewhat turbulent. Alchemists have always made the greatest contributions. Plus, the Grand Change Alchemy City is close to the Treasured Stone Dao Court, so if anything were to happen, I would truly feel unworthy of hosting the Alchemy Competition.”

Ning Cheng sneered internally but didn’t respond. Let’s see how you play this out.

Seeing that Ning Cheng didn’t respond, Liu Fangzhen had to take the initiative and said, “Pill Sage Ning, you should be aware of the Grand Change Realm’s Ancient Giants, right? The Ancient Giants once sought to seize the entire Grand Change Realm, but luckily, we discovered it early and went through many bloody hardships to prevent this disaster. Unfortunately, some fish had slipped through the net. As the saying goes, a wildfire cannot be extinguished, while the spring winds can bring it back to life. What they lack the most are alchemists who can refine dao pills for them. That’s why I am very concerned about the Five Grand Realms’ Alchemy Competition.”

“Many thanks, City Lord Liu, for your concern. But I don’t plan to leave this place until the Five Grand Realms’ Alchemy Competition ends.” Ning Cheng replied with a somewhat sarcastic tone. Was the Ancient Giant Clan a threat? Liu Fangzhen didn’t know how to write the word ‘shame’.

Liu Fangzhen nodded and said solemnly, “I heard that there is a woman named Xixi by your side, who came from the Five Grand Realms’ Void Market?”

Here it comes, Ning Cheng thought to himself. He didn’t know if Liu Fangzhen learned about Xixi after Yuan Ji died. But based on his judgement, it should have been after Yuan Ji’s death. Otherwise, someone like Liu Fangzhen wouldn’t have waited until he and Xixi arrived at the Grand Change Alchemy City before intercepting them.

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