Mysteries of Immortal Puppet Master - Chapter 1524

Chapter 1524: Chapter 627: Five Victories Martial Arts Competition Begins_2

Ning Zhuo felt confident about this matter.

The Red Robe Guest was a Demon Cultivator, unruly by nature, yet not someone who fretted over every detail. Lending the Blood Ash Tinder was originally just him returning a favor to Ning Zhuo.

Now that Ning Zhuo had won three battles, the reputation of Nanming Village had soared, and the Red Robe Guest benefited from this as well.

Therefore, the Red Robe Guest would most likely agree to an extension.

The Flowing Gold Guest was temporarily residing in the Three Lights Heavenly Dao Cave Mansion.

He was very clever, and after surrendering and exiting the stage, he had handed over all his treasures to the Snow-colored Girl·Hui as the spoils of Ning Zhuo’s battle.

He was already very familiar with this process, having done so during the second battle.

Meanwhile, he had revealed a large amount of information concerning Flowing Cloud Peak, including the details on how he received support from various forces.

This intelligence made Ning Zhuo’s political vision more detailed and clear.

After sending the Flying Message, Ning Zhuo went to visit the Flowing Gold Guest.

The Flowing Gold Guest greeted him proactively: “Young Master.”

Ning Zhuo smiled, offering reassurance: “No need to be overly polite, Senior Brother, we might say we got acquainted through conflict.”

The Flowing Gold Guest replied with a wry smile: “I mostly ended up being beaten.”

He had reflected on the fights, realizing that in all three battles, he never really threatened Ning Zhuo’s true form. This made him recognize the gap between them even more.

Understanding the strengths and weaknesses, he felt more at peace than ever.

Ning Zhuo conversed with the Flowing Gold Guest a bit more, trying to further reassure the latter.

Ning Zhuo offered a plan: “This is my Cave Mansion, and its defenses are robust. With you here, those people from Flowing Cloud Peak wouldn’t dare openly attempt to capture you even if they were dissatisfied. For now, stay here and lay low a bit.”

The Flowing Gold Guest didn’t possess much political acumen, yet he knew switching sides during a conflict would have enraged many of the Flowing Cloud Peak forces. He nodded first, then, after some thought, he asked: “How long should I stay low?”

He was a Loose Cultivator and cherished freedom.

Ning Zhuo replied: “If things go smoothly, you will be able to come out soon.”

The Flowing Gold Guest looked up: “Sun Raising Yang Locking Cloud Altar?”

Ning Zhuo chuckled: “Exactly.”

“Once the Five Victories Martial Arts Competition begins at the Sun Raising Yang Locking Cloud Altar, the forces at Flowing Cloud Peak will be distracted. Chun Yangzi, Tan Zhu, Nine Fire Dragon Lord, the Red Robe Guest, and other seniors will truly participate. Once we successfully seize the land, the pressure when you appear again will be significantly reduced.”

The Flowing Gold Guest remained silent.

This arrangement was very prudent.

Currently, he was a thorn in the side of Flowing Cloud Peak’s major forces, but after the Five Victories Martial Arts Competition, the biggest pressure would have been shared among the strong of Nanming Village.

The Flowing Gold Guest acknowledged the plan, and before departing, he cautioned Ning Zhuo: “Be wary of the Three Brave of Xiang Sect.”

The Flowing Gold Guest naturally passed on this intelligence to Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo nodded and laughed carefree: “How could I recklessly go and challenge those three Golden Core? I am merely at Foundation Establishment Mid-stage.”

The Flowing Gold Guest paused: “You defeated me three times, your combat power is already recognized as Golden Core Peak Level. The world equates you with the Three Brave of Xiang Sect, which isn’t unreasonable.”

Ning Zhuo shook his head with a smile: “Senior Brother, having fought you three times, you should know better than others. I won not by realm suppression, but due to intelligence, preparation, mechanisms, formations, Magic Artifacts, on-the-spot judgment, and your own limitations. If I were to face the Three Brave of Xiang Sect directly, I wouldn’t stand a chance.”

His words were quite earnest.

The Flowing Gold Guest was silent.

Ning Zhuo: “Senior Brother, please rest well. I’ll take my leave first.”

The Flowing Gold Guest immediately stood to see him off.

Watching Ning Zhuo leave, the Flowing Gold Guest showed a peculiar expression, thinking to himself: “You say you don’t have a chance of winning? Why do I not believe it! Ha, if I truly believed it, then I haven’t yet learned the biggest lesson from these three battles.”

“The Three Brave of Xiang Sect…” Ning Zhuo had already instructed Sun Lingtong to gather intelligence.

He was far more concerned about these three Cultivators than he let on.

“While I won’t go out of my way to challenge them one-on-three, the Righteous Path is full of talk, and I might be forced by circumstances to agree to a battle.”

“I must continue to grow stronger to possibly resolve any issues.”

Ning Zhuo understood: since the major forces at Flowing Cloud Peak invested heavily, crowdfunded to hire the Three Brave of Xiang Sect, they must have the means to force Ning Zhuo into action.

Hence, his most probable opponents moving forward are these three.

“The Flowing Gold Guest is my opportunity, the limitations of Golden Liquid Returning Pill Body have restricted the investment from Flowing Cloud Peak. After three battles, they’ve suffered significant losses.”

“However, the Divine Sense of the Three Brave is perfectly normal and not on my playing field.”

“But, this isn’t my immediate problem. Next, I should be able to enjoy a brief moment of peace.”

He had fully navigated the Flowing Gold Guest’s route. In the upcoming Sun Raising Yang Locking Cloud Altar struggle, he could no longer be the lone Foundation Establishment Mid-stage fighting at the front.

Nanming Village has five Nascent Soul.

Especially Chun Yangzi!

Since he so desires the Sun Raising Yang Locking Cloud Altar, he should put in great effort.

Not every battle should be fought by Ning Zhuo himself, as this goes against his initial purpose of establishing Nanming Village.

He still has his own cultivation.

Ning Zhuo closed his eyes and looked within. Though his Divine Sea was empty, it had a clarity akin to the smoothness after grinding. His Qi Sea was parched, but the newly born Mana had a sense of intimacy.

Though he did not give his all, such intense battles still pushed Ning Zhuo to his limits, granting him enormous training.

He now had deeper insights into the Five Elements Spells, especially Fire-attribute, the Mechanical Flying Bird he had used, the zither tunes he played, the Green Forest Python Chariot, and the Great Thousand Mechanism Sound Robe.

Upon completing his daily lessons this time, he had a realization: “Perhaps soon, my Essence Sea cultivation will break through.”

The Foundation Establishment Stage is divided into six minor layers: Unobstructed Field Opening, Treasure Medicine Generation, Dantian Shines, Abnormal Phenomenon Seed Talisman, Inner Golden Light, and Transforming Void into Reality.

Ning Zhuo’s Divine Sea and Qi Sea had both completed the Abnormal Phenomenon Seed Talisman. However, the Three Superior Sect Techniques were advancing in unison, and his main cultivation method, the “Demon-infused Bloodline Technique,” was extensive and profound, requiring continual comprehension.

Due to the hindrance, Ning Zhuo’s overall cultivation level was stuck at the stage of the Abnormal Phenomenon Seed Talisman, which is the Foundation Establishment Mid-Stage.

Once the “Demon-infused Bloodline Technique” breaks through and completes the Abnormal Phenomenon Seed Talisman, Ning Zhuo’s cultivation level will immediately break through to the level of Inner Golden Light.

And reaching this step is the Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

The advancement of Essence Sea cultivation is not a gain from actual combat. Instead, it is the result of Ning Zhuo’s daily grinding work, with daily cultivation tasks being immovable and this moment’s accumulation naturally easing the breakthrough.

Although he sensed it, Ning Zhuo did not increase his cultivation time.

He was not in a hurry.

Just as Sun Lingtong advised him, cultivation level is not the most important thing at the moment. He is only in the Foundation Establishment Mid-Stage yet can still defeat the Flowing Gold Guest, almost toying with the latter.

Ning Zhuo chose to proceed step by step.

“Besides cultivation, it’s about extensively repairing the Mechanical Flying Birds and so on.”

His Mysterious Armor was severely damaged, as were the Humbleheart Broken-Blade Guard and the Soul Absorption Box, all needing extensive repairs.

“Senior Qinghuangzi worked day and night, helping me tremendously.”

“But the production capacity is still insufficient, far from enough!”

“Besides, my funds are also quite strained.”

The resources consumed by a Mechanism Cultivator are enormous, and after several battles, Ning Zhuo’s repair costs alone were extremely high. Not to mention requiring more Mechanical Flying Birds and others.

The Ghost Dao Golden Core is valuable, yet cannot be extensively traded.

If traded too much, the source would inevitably arouse suspicion, bringing greater trouble.

“Speaking of which, where have Zhu Xuanji and the others reached?”

These individuals have a close relationship with Ning Zhuo, allowing him to trade Ghost Dao Golden Core extensively with them. Ning Zhuo had contacted them before, and estimating the time, he figured they were almost in Flying Cloud Country.

Flowing Cloud Peak.

Here, myriad cloud qi rolled, sometimes transforming into dragons and serpents, sometimes condensing into pavilions, appearing and disappearing unpredictably.

In a stone cave in the mountainside, a dozen cultivators gathered.

“Flowing Gold Guest deserves to die!”

“He should be killed!”

“We spent countless resources just to push him to the front of Ning Zhuo. And the result? Losing three battles was the least, but he actually switched to Nanming Village under everyone’s gaze!”

“Kneeling like that not only broke his own backbone but also tarnished the face of Flowing Cloud Peak’s factions!”

“He should be dealt with, but how? Currently, he is hiding in Ning Zhuo’s Three Lights Heavenly Dao Cave Mansion.”

“Ning Zhuo is now a figure of wide attention, emerging as a genius cultivator in this Feiyun Conference, with the potential of being recognized as the strongest newcomer. Ning Zhuo will certainly protect the Flowing Gold Guest, so going after the latter… is difficult.”

The stone cave fell silent.

Cultivators furrowed their brows, feeling a headache.

Two Flying Messages shot into the cave from outside, landing in the hands of two present cultivators.

It was Qiu Lei and You Yunshou.

Their Divine Sense explored the messages, and their expressions changed dramatically.

“Nanming Village has officially issued a challenge.”

“It came so fast!”

“Everyone, continue your discussion. We two need to immediately rush back to our base.”

After explaining the reason, the two Nascent Soul cultivators flew out of the stone cave, leaving behind numerous other cultivators whose expressions grew even darker.