Chapter 126: I Will Teach You

Inside the room.

Having finally managed to soothe two-year-old Ning Zhuo, Sun Lingtong felt utterly exhausted.

Taking advantage of the moment when Ning Zhuo left the room, his Adam’s apple bobbed as he regurgitated the potion he had just forced down, storing it safely inside his storage pouch.

He tasted the residue on the tip of his tongue, identifying some of the medicinal ingredients mixed within.

"Twenty-year-old mountain ginseng, angelica, donkey-hide gelatin, astragalus, atractylodes..."

"Indeed, they are all blood-tonifying and qi-replenishing ingredients."

Yet Sun Lingtong collected it all in his storage pouch rather than consuming it.

He knew his mastery of alchemy was limited, and was well aware that a heavy tonic could sometimes act as a lethal poison. At times, combining various medicinal herbs could accidentally create a complex toxin.

Sun Lingtong had joined the heretical Empty Gate sect, wandering far and wide with his master, and possessed a worldly experience that far surpassed his youthful appearance.

"Something is fishy!"

"This Ning Zhuo is only two years old, why is he so clever?"

This naturally reminded him of himself: he appeared to be three years old, but was in reality already thirteen!

"I was gravely injured back then, covered in blood with terrifying wounds. He brought me into his home—wasn't he afraid of courting trouble?"

"And isn't he a bit too practiced at brewing medicine?"

Sun Lingtong half-suspected this was a trap!

Yet on second thought, he reasoned: "I am merely in the middle stage of Qi Condensation, what could they possibly want from me?"

"Although I hail from the Empty Gate, I practice the Youthful Purity Technique, not the orthodox arts of the sect. What is there to plot against me?"

Lacking sufficient intelligence, Sun Lingtong was unable to make a precise judgment.

He decided to observe first.

After a few days of recuperation, his mana had recovered to its peak, and he gradually began to perceive Ning Zhuo’s genuine sincerity.

On this day, Sun Lingtong was lying in bed when his ears suddenly twitched, a strange look crossing his face.

Before long, Ning Zhuo pushed the door open and trotted inside, out of breath, urging anxiously, "Someone from my family has arrived! Quick, little brother, let me help you to my mother's bedroom. There is a subterranean secret chamber there where you can hide!"

Anticipating this, Sun Lingtong smiled faintly. "Don't worry, I have a way. Watch this!"

With those words, he vanished completely from the bed!

Stunned, Ning Zhuo rushed to the bedside, reached out to touch the empty bedding, and looked around in bewilderment.

Sun Lingtong’s voice echoed in his mind: "Go and deal with your family members quickly!"

Uttering an "Oh," a look of wonder crossing his face, Ning Zhuo ran out into the small courtyard and met Wang Lan.

"First Aunt!"

The two-year-old Ning Zhuo took the initiative to bow and greet her.

Wang Lan forced a smile, nodded, and waved her hand, signaling the servants behind her to enter the house.

"Xiao Zhuo, I’ve come this time to move your things."

"You can't possibly keep living here alone; you must move into your uncle's house!"

Ning Zhuo let out an "Ah," his face full of shock!

Having offered her explanation, Wang Lan paid him no further mind. Once inside the house, she began directing the servants here and there.

"Take this table and chairs away, bring them back!"

"Hmm, that vase is quite nice, take it as well."

"This talisman-crafting desk is quite valuable; be careful when carrying it, don't chip the array patterns on the surface!"

In no time at all, Wang Lan had practically emptied Ning Zhuo's home.

Before leaving, she said to Ning Zhuo, "Your uncle and I will help you keep these things safe for now."

"As a young child, you are far too easy a target for thieves!"

"Once the affairs over at the Ancestral Hall are settled, we will come and fetch you to live with us!"

Wide-eyed, Ning Zhuo shook his head repeatedly, saying anxiously, "I, I don't want to move."

"Mother lived here..."

"Your mother is already dead!"

Wang Lan shook her head instantly, refusing flatly. "This is not a matter for negotiation. You are far too young and utterly incapable of protecting yourself."

Walking up to Ning Zhuo, Wang Lan dragged him into a corner, bent down, stared right into his face, and lowered her voice. "By the way."

"Xiao Zhuo, before your mother left, did she specifically hand you anything and tell you to keep it safe by yourself?"

"Those things might be very important. As a little child, you won't be able to keep them safe, and it will be a huge disaster if they get lost!"

"Be a good boy, take them out and let your First Aunt keep them safe for you. When you grow up and the time is right, First Aunt will return them to you!"

Ning Zhuo shook his head vigorously, denying it outright: "No, there are no such things!"

"Really none?"

Wang Lan remained suspicious.

Ning Zhuo continued to shake his head: "Really none!"

"Alright, fine!"

Seeing servants carrying away more belongings, Wang Lan didn't press the matter further and temporarily let Ning Zhuo off. "Once the Ancestral Hall updates your household registry, we'll come pick you up to live with us."

Before leaving, Wang Lan lowered her voice and whispered in Ning Zhuo's ear, "Xiao Zhuo, if you get scared and want to move in sooner, that's fine too."

"Just remember to keep whatever things your mother gave you in private properly guarded, carry them on your person, and don't leave them lying around here to be stolen."

Ning Zhuo replied, "First Aunt, don't worry, I have Big General and Little General to protect me!"

Wang Lan sneered, "Those two puppet automatons have at most the combat power of the middle Qi Condensation stage, and keeping them running for home defense on a daily basis consumes spirit stones!"

After the group left, most of the furniture and belongings had been stripped away.

As a two-year-old child, he looked exceptionally small within the empty house.

Witnessing the entire process, Sun Lingtong looked at Ning Zhuo, ripples stirring in his heart.

At that moment, he understood the real reason he had been saved: "He saw that I was also a child, which is why he came to rescue me!"

"He tended to my wounds and brewed medicine because he had done the exact same thing for his mother. To him, it was a fairly familiar task."

"He saw a reflection of himself in me!"

"Equally orphaned and helpless, a natural sense of kinship drew him to me!"

"His mother passed away less than half a month ago, and in this suddenly larger, colder, and unfamiliar world, he wanted to find a companion, something to lean on!"

With this realization, Sun Lingtong intentionally circled behind Ning Zhuo and tapped him gently on the shoulder.

Startled, Ning Zhuo jumped.

Sun Lingtong revealed his figure. "Hee hee, don't be afraid, it's just me!"

The look of dejection on Ning Zhuo’s face vanished, replaced by pleasant surprise and eager anticipation: "Little brother, are, are you a cultivator?"

"You're so young, yet so amazing."

"Was that an invisibility technique you just used?"

Sun Lingtong lifted his chin proudly. "That's no ordinary invisibility technique—wait, don't call me little brother! I am much taller and much older than you!"

"You should call me Big Brother!"

Only at this moment did Sun Lingtong truly reveal his identity to Ning Zhuo, while also correcting how the boy addressed him.

Ning Zhuo retorted, "But my mother told me that some children just have larger frames and aren't necessarily older than me. There's someone like that in our family."

Sun Lingtong waved a hand dismissively. "Alright, alright, from now on, just call me Big Brother!"

"Speaking of which, you were just playing dumb earlier, weren't you?"

"Before your mother left, she must have given you something very important."

Ning Zhuo let out an "Ah," quickly averting his gaze to the wall, not daring to look at Sun Lingtong.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Sun Lingtong chuckled softly. "I'm just telling you, your act was terrible!"

"Next time your First Aunt asks you, just say you don't know, don't flat-out deny it like that!"

"The more vehemently you deny it, the more it proves your mother left you a keepsake!"

Another "Ah" escaped Ning Zhuo, and he couldn't help asking, "Why?"

Sun Lingtong's gaze seemed capable of piercing right through the soul. "You have innate talent, don't you?"

Ning Zhuo let out yet another "Ah," a look of panic crossing his face as he took an involuntary step back and shook his head repeatedly. "N-no, absolutely not."

"What are you talking about? I don't understand at all!"

"I don't know, I really know nothing about it!"

He denied it outright, yet his little face was flushed crimson, entirely filled with a guilty, panicked expression that gave away everything.

This amused Sun Lingtong, who burst into laughter and patted Ning Zhuo’s shoulder. "Little brother, although you possess innate talent and a cleverness that defies your age..."

"You're still too green!"

"Your act is transparent!"

"Still, you're in luck—you ran into me!"

"No one understands how to play the role of a normal child better than I do!"

"I'll teach you how to disguise yourself as a proper two-year-old toddler!"

What Sun Lingtong said was by no means an empty boast.

Though he looked like a three-year-old child, his soul was already that of a thirteen-year-old youth.

Having entered the Empty Gate, he had undergone specialized training in all manner of deception, swindling, and cunning.

His master had adopted him from a young age, imparting personal teachings, taking him on travels far and wide, and training him in observing others and surviving the treacherous pugilistic world.

More often than not, Sun Lingtong would act according to his youthful appearance, fully exploiting the advantages of his exterior to deceive others.

Under his guidance, the two-year-old Ning Zhuo made rapid progress.

"Hey, what kind of innate talent do you actually have? That kind of cleverness isn't normal."

"Didn't your mother tell you?"

Sun Lingtong asked out of curiosity!

Ning Zhuo glanced sideways, then quickly shifted his gaze back to meet Sun Lingtong's eyes, his expression natural. "Little Brother Sun, my mother never told me."

Sun Lingtong chuckled, giving him a thumbs-up. "Not bad! When you lied just now, you improved a lot compared to before!"

"Except for that little habit of shifting your gaze away!"

"Remember, you must break that habit!"

Ning Zhuo looked slightly ashamed. "Little Brother Sun, aren't you angry that I kept secrets from you?"

Sun Lingtong shrugged indifferently. "What's wrong with that? Everyone should have their own secrets, and one should allow others to have their own privacy as well!"

"I was just thinking, perhaps you should reveal your talent to your family; it might drastically improve your living conditions!"

Ning Zhuo shook his head firmly, his expression serious and earnest. "Before my mother left, she told me to hide it—to conceal my brilliance!"

"She said the family cannot be trusted, and my uncle cannot be trusted!"

"She told me to hide as deeply as possible so I can protect myself!"

"Mm, mm, your mother was definitely looking out for you!" Sun Lingtong replied perfunctorily.

He had stayed at Ning Zhuo's place for over half a month, and his injuries had long since healed.

Now that Ning Zhuo could successfully masquerade as a normal two-year-old child, Sun Lingtong's desire to leave grew stronger by the day.

Yet how should Ning Zhuo be settled?

Clearly, Wang Lan had previously claimed she would take Ning Zhuo in to live with them, but she had never actually done it, merely dispatching servants every day or two to look after him and deliver daily provisions.

Sun Lingtong secretly ventured into the Ning family estate by night.

Though he was only in the middle stage of Qi Condensation, the exceptional stealth techniques of the Empty Gate allowed him to sneak in smoothly.

He gradually figured out the situation within the Ning family, learning of the main branch's policy of suppressing the collateral branches, and hearing about Ning Xiaoren's poor reputation.

One day, he overheard a private conversation between Ning Ze and Wang Lan.

Ning Ze was urging Wang Lan to bring Ning Zhuo over to live with them.

Wang Lan replied, "Dear, the people at the Ancestral Hall are deliberately stalling on this matter, demanding a bribe of a full two hundred spirit stones from me."

"Are we expected to pay out two hundred spirit stones just for the privilege of raising an extra child? What kind of logic is that?"

Stroke his beard, Ning Ze said, "The family rules have their reasons. The elders of the Ancestral Hall must review and judge that our adoption of a close relative's orphan has no ulterior motives. Only after this passes can the adoption be formalized."

"Before this rule was established, things were truly chaotic, and many tragic incidents occurred!"

"Xiao Zhuo has been living alone for so many days now, and it won't do. If word gets out, where will I, his biological eldest uncle, save face?"

Wang Lan complained aggrievedly, "But two hundred spirit stones is no small sum either!"

Ning Ze sighed. "Sigh, how about this? My younger brother once saved the young patriarch's life. Tomorrow, I will go ask for an audience with the young patriarch and request him to intervene."

Sun Lingtong went to investigate the Ancestral Hall as well, locating the Ning family elder who was holding up the paperwork for Ning Zhuo's household registration.

One night, he overheard a secret discussion between the elder and a visitor.

The visiting guest said, "The title deed to Ning Zhong's house has still not been found by Ning Ze. I'm offering four hundred spirit stones, with one hundred and eighty as a deposit. I hope the Elder can smooth this over for us."

The Ning family elder smiled. "Easily done. That Ning Ze doesn't know the rules and refused to even pay two hundred spirit stones; it's about time he learned a hard lesson!"

"Just make sure you don't cause a ruckus!"

"After all, that Ning Zhong gave his life to save the young patriarch!"

The guest replied, "Rest assured, Elder. Both Ning Zhong and his wife have passed away, and the child they left behind is only two years old. With a little deception, he can be made to sign the contract."

"This matter will be as easy as turning over a hand!"

Hearing this, Sun Lingtong rolled his eyes heavily, holding the Ning family in utter contempt.

When he returned to Ning Zhuo's residence, little Ning Zhuo was sleeping soundly.

Sun Lingtong watched him for a moment, thinking, *Though this little fellow is clever and has learned how to put up a facade, it's only skin-deep.*

*He lacks life experience, doesn't recognize the sinister nature of people, and has no real backing. He could easily be devoured clean by the people around him!*

Sun Lingtong secretly shook his head, feeling that he couldn't just walk away and abandon him.

*I have to teach him how to see through deceitful human hearts!*

Inside Sun Lingtong's residence.

Han Ming and his two companions were rapidly repairing the courtyard, clearing away all traces left behind by the fierce battle.

Inside the main room.

The adjudicating judge's eyes radiated a divine light, enveloping Sun Lingtong's soul.

Sun Lingtong's soul kept its eyes tightly shut, its expression ferocious, and its body trembling violently, yet he stubbornly refused to let out a single cry of pain.

"A tough bone."

Seeing this, the blind judge Qi Bai praised him sincerely.

He muttered a soft incantation, driving his spell to inspect the results of the soul-search.

Complete blankness!

"Hmm?"

Qi Bai was taken aback. The Void-Nothingness Seal?

He was familiar with this intelligence.

The Void-Nothingness Seal was one of the signature magical treasures of the Empty Gate, capable of imprinting a mental seal to provide protective safeguards for sect members.

The Void-Nothingness Seal could guard against soul-searching, preventing disciples who fell into enemy hands from leaking sect secrets, manuals, and the like during an interrogation.

"The Void-Nothingness Seal usually protects vital sect secrets. I was merely searching for information regarding the Side-Burned Guest, yet it was triggered as well?"

"Isn't this Sun Lingtong just an outer sect disciple? How could the Void-Nothingness Seal protect him so thoroughly?"

At that moment, Han Ming entered the room. "Lord Qi, have any news of the Side-Burned Guest been uncovered?"

Qi Bai let out a cold snort. "This matter is a bit troublesome. No wonder Sun Lingtong was so confident and unafraid of soul-searching earlier."

"Still, ordinary peers of mine would be completely helpless against this!"

"Meeting me, the Blind Adjudicator, is just his bad luck!"

"Give me one more day, and I'll give you your answer!"

Qi Bai waved his hand dismissively, his expression displeased.

Han Ming lowered his head submissively, knowing better than to linger, and retreated from the room, closing the door behind him with utmost reverence.

End of Chapter...