All of a sudden, Ning Chengfeng thought of a crucial question.
Just now, Little Sister had said that Aunt had been harmed by a pair of scoundrels.
Who exactly were these scoundrels?
The woman was unclear, but the man… could it be Aunt’s sweetheart, Lin Huaiyuan?
“Aunt, when will you invite Uncle Lin to our house? When that time comes, I will buy good wine for you both,” he said deliberately.
“Yingyan has been busy with some matters lately. He may not have time,” Ren Fei replied reluctantly after catching the meaningful look in his eyes.
Otherwise, she would have already twisted his ear.
“Then once he has time, you must invite him over. I really like Uncle Lin,” Ning Chengfeng said as he carefully observed Ning Zhishui’s expression.
Sure enough, she had already frowned.
That kind of scum, what is there to like?
No, I cannot let Aunt be schemed against by him again. I have to find a way to break them up.
Ren Fei’s face darkened.
Her relationship with Lin Huaiyuan had always been very good. They had grown up together as childhood sweethearts. Lin Huaiyuan was also close with the Ning family and visited often.
He was generous to the younger generation and always brought them gifts, including Ning Zhishui.
In the past, Ning Zhishui would smile whenever his name was mentioned. What is going on now?
Scum, beast… such words were being used to describe Huaiyuan. Ren Fei could not help feeling angry.
“Ahem, well, no need to force it. If he is busy, then let him handle his matters first,” Ning Chengfeng said quickly, inwardly alarmed. He had not expected his probing to hit the mark. Hearing such words now was extremely awkward.
Ren Fei remained silent, displeasure evident on her face as she sped up her bead stringing.
“When will Father and Mother return? And what about Eldest Brother?” Ning Zhishui asked, unaware of their exchange.
Having returned, she missed her family desperately. She wished she could see the whole family reunited at once.
That warmth had been absent for hundreds of years. It surfaced only in dreams at midnight, and every time she awoke she felt a deep sense of loss, even her cultivation progress slowing because of it.
“Father and Mother went to the cultivation hall. They will not return until evening. Eldest Brother went out for experience. He may come back tomorrow or the day after,” Ning Chengfeng answered.
Ning Zhishui nodded.
The cultivation hall… Father and Mother took the wrong path in their cultivation. Their inefficiency is only natural. When they return, I must find a way to guide them.
And Eldest Brother… that White Lianxin is surely with him during this trip. Just thinking about it gives me a headache.
Come to think of it, two members of our Ning family both misjudged the wrong person. That is really something.
Even White Lianxin…
Ren Fei glanced at Ning Chengfeng, their expressions complicated.
After hearing Ning Zhishui’s thoughts, it almost seemed as if no one in their family was trustworthy.
“Zhishui, when I went out earlier, did you sneak off to sleep?” Ren Fei suddenly asked.
“… Hehe.” Ning Zhishui forced a smile.
“I knew it.”
Ren Fei shot her a reproachful look, but inwardly she was thinking that Zhishui must have been half asleep, confusing dreams with reality and speaking such strange words.
That would explain why some things were correct while others were absurd.
The dream must have been too vivid. Having just woken up, she had not yet distinguished dream from reality.
Ah, right, I almost forgot something important.
Ning Zhishui paused in her movements and quickly looked at Ren Fei. “Aunt, may I borrow your bracelet for a moment?”
Ren Fei instinctively touched the bracelet on her wrist.
It was not a jade bracelet or a beautiful artifact, but an inconspicuous ancient looking bangle.
It was dark in color, with vine-like patterns engraved upon it.
Yet this bracelet was a priceless treasure. The entire family knew this secret.
“What do you need it for?” Ren Fei asked suspiciously.
“It is a secret. I will only use it for a moment and return it right away.” Ning Zhishui blinked and tugged lightly at her aunt’s skirt.
Ren Fei slapped her hand away. “Fine, take it. Stop pulling.”
After successfully getting the bracelet, Ning Zhishui skipped back into her room and quickly shut the door.
Ning Chengfeng looked at Ren Fei. “Aunt, have you figured it out?”
“She is probably just not fully awake, still muddled and letting her imagination run wild,” Ren Fei said. “No need to worry. At least we can be certain she has not been possessed.”
Only then did Ning Chengfeng nod.
He and Ning Zhishui had never gotten along since childhood. Either he broke her hairpin, or she used his sword to scoop manure or poke bird nests.
But no matter how much they bickered, they were still siblings. Of course he wished her well.
Suddenly, they heard that voice again.
Clearly holding the bracelet, she could cultivate all the way to become a great power. Yet she let herself be blinded by a scumbag. Sigh, my foolish aunt.
And that old grandfather too, not even offering a reminder.
Looks like I will have to worry more.
Ning Chengfeng swallowed. “Aunt… how can the voice pass through walls?”
“Could it be that Zhishui is shouting from inside the room?” Ren Fei wondered.
“No. If she were shouting, the sound would not be this close,” Ning Chengfeng shook his head.
Ning Zhishui was clearly inside her room, yet her thoughts passed through the door and reached them clearly.
Only slightly softer than when she stood right in front of them.
It was truly bizarre.
“When your parents return tonight, let us ask them whether they can hear it as well,” Ren Fei said.
Ning Chengfeng gave a soft response, then thought of something. “Aunt, are you not afraid she will really summon that old grandfather?”
Ren Fei smiled. “She will not. Aside from me, seniors will not respond to anyone.”
Inside the room, Ning Zhishui sat cross legged on the bed. She placed the bracelet on her knees and began calling softly.
“Danxing, come out and meet me.”
“Danxing, old man, come out.”
Very soon, a wisp of black shadow floated out from the bracelet, like a strand of smoke drifting in the air, barely noticeable.
The shadow trembled, and a voice sounded in Ning Zhishui’s ears.
“You… how does a little girl like you know this old man’s name?”
The shock and panic in his voice were undisguised.
Ning Zhishui smiled.
Aunt possessed a treasure, and this bracelet was one of her greatest trump cards.
She had obtained it by chance from a stall. Only after binding it with blood did she discover that there was a spirit within, and that the spirit had a remarkable background.
He was knowledgeable and could immediately point out problems in Aunt’s cultivation. He was familiar with all kinds of techniques and treasures.
What he excelled at most was alchemy. Under his guidance, Aunt had become a Huang grade alchemist.
Aunt had not hidden this matter from the family, so everyone knew of the old man’s existence.
However, the old man did not meet outsiders. No matter who else picked up the bracelet, he would neither appear nor make a sound.