: Strings

"Ning Zhuo, my brother, I'm over here!" Zheng Jian laughed heartily, spotting Ning Zhuo alighting from the carriage. He hurried forward, closing the distance in a few strides.

Ning Zhuo promptly clasped his hands in salute. "Brother Zheng."

"No need for such formalities!" Zheng Jian grabbed Ning Zhuo's arm, stopping the gesture. "Come, let's go to the second floor."

Behind them, Ning Xiaohui slowly stepped down, using a servant's back as a stool. Seeing Zheng Jian pull Ning Zhuo along without even a glance in her direction, a frosty expression settled on her face.

Ever since the successful exploration of the immortal palace, Ning Zhuo had fully demonstrated his value to the higher-ups of the three families, and his status had soared rapidly. To better win him over, Ning Xiaoren had accelerated fabricating evidence to frame Ning Ze. It was worth noting that Ning Ze had served under Ning Xiaoren for many years; if not for merit, there was at least hard work. Ning Xiaoren's actions filled Ning Zhuo with silent contempt and vigilance.

Ning Zhuo and Zheng Jian walked arm-in-arm into a garden compound. Above the gate, the name "Ciyou Garden" was carved in large characters. The garden was bustling with people, all chatting and discussing the name Li Leifeng.

Li Leifeng had finally passed away from old age. According to his will, Ciyou Garden had prepared a bequest ceremony where his personal effects would be gifted.

"I didn't expect Old Li to depart after all. I grew up watching his puppet shows as a child," Zheng Jian sighed.

Ning Zhuo also sighed. "Old Li was a respectable man. Since taking charge of Ciyou Garden, he saved countless orphans and street children."

Zheng Jian patted Ning Zhuo's back. "Old Li passed peacefully of old age—a blessed departure! Just look at how many people are here today; it shows his reputation. His life was truly well-lived!"

Ning Zhuo nodded slightly and fell silent.

The majority of the crowd gathered in a five-story pavilion where the bequest ceremony was held. Ning Zhuo and the others also entered the building.

The pavilion was shaped like a hollow square. Ascending the stairs to a private room on the second floor, Ning Zhuo met the Zhou brothers.

"Come, have a seat."

"The food Ciyou Garden is serving today still has that old familiar taste, really brings back memories."

"Yes, I remember how much I loved watching puppet shows as a child. That room opposite was my usual spot."

"I used to love leaning over the railing to watch the shows."

Ning Zhuo remained silent, his gaze falling on a corner of the main hall. As a child, he would often sneak in when the ticket-takers weren't looking. Hiding behind walls or pillars, he could not only watch the shows but sometimes, after the crowd dispersed and before the garden was cleaned, scavenge leftover pastries or fruits untouched by guests.

Though Ning Zhuo was precocious, he still had a playful side. His aunt and uncle treated him harshly; too often, Ning Ji would eat snacks right in front of him without sharing a single sweet fruit. As a child, Ning Zhuo also craved treats.

He remembered one time when he was caught, terrified and uneasy, Li Leifeng came to him, patted his head, took his hand, and led him backstage. There, Li Leifeng gave him his own untouched, clean portion of pastries and fruit. People coming and going around them showed no surprise and even cast kind glances at Ning Zhuo.

The specific details were fuzzy now. In his memory, the entire experience was wrapped in a gentle haze, evoking a warm, soothing flow in his heart whenever he recalled it.

That was why, upon Li Leifeng's passing, almost the entire city came to mourn. Those attending the bequest ceremony were mostly prominent figures.

"With Li Leifeng gone, I wonder what will become of Ciyou Garden?"

"I heard the next director hasn't been decided yet."

"I know why. Li Leifeng asked Zhu Xuanji to help find a successor."

Zheng Jian and Zhou Zeshen exchanged information casually, revealing valuable tidbits. Ning Zhuo quietly committed them to memory.

"By the way, how is your soul recovery coming along?"

"Almost fully healed."

"Me too."

"When shall we explore the Lava Immortal Palace again?"

As this question was asked, everyone's eyes instinctively flicked towards Ning Zhuo. Last time, it was Ning Zhuo's performance that led to their qualitative breakthrough.

Ning Zhuo wasn't keen on the idea. He had already obtained the cultivation technique and was diligently practicing daily. Of course, he couldn't openly practice the Five Elements Qi Rhythm Art and the Demon Tainted Blood Tendon Skill. The energy flow from the fourth to sixth layers differed significantly from the first three. But he could practice the Mirror Platform Spirit Communication Art. All fluctuations were suppressed and contained by the treasure seal, allowing Ning Zhuo to often appear dazed while secretly cultivating his spirit.

Ning Zhuo said, "For now, I can't think of any new methods. If we continue exploring the palace, we might repeat our mistakes and fall into that dark trap again."

Zheng Jian and the others shuddered at the memory. The last time they fell into the trap, they were trapped in a state where they could neither live nor die, unable to hear, see, or touch anything, enduring until their soul power reached its limit and they were ejected from the palace. This nightmare experience made them never want to go through it again.

"Haven't you thought of any good solutions during this time?" Zheng Jian asked.

Ning Zhuo shook his head.

Zhou Zhu sighed.

Zhou Zeshen tried to boost morale. "I'm almost at the peak of the third layer. Once I break through, let's set out together and explore the Lava Immortal Palace once more."

Everyone nodded, agreeing to the plan.

Just then, the bequest ceremony officially began. Various items from Li Leifeng's life were publicly displayed for people to choose from. Whoever selected an item could take it directly; this was the donation. Some lower-level cultivators were overjoyed with their picks, feeling greatly rewarded. Some families or powerful cultivators also took items, usually insignificant ones, often reciprocating by donating a large amount of spirit stones or supplies to Ciyou Garden.

Zhou Zeshen suddenly let out a soft exclamation, reaching out with an invisible force to summon a mechanical wooden board to the second floor. He examined it, played with it for a moment, and laughed. "It really is this."

"I remember when my father brought me here as a child, I cried incessantly. Old Li took out this toy to cheer me up."

"This mechanical toy is very complex. We had to puzzle out each variation to glean a bit of information. Piecing all the information together eventually formed a tale of gods and immortals."

As he spoke, Zhou Zeshen passed the toy to Zheng Jian beside him. Zheng Jian played with it briefly, lost interest, and passed it on. Zhou Zhu took it, curious. "Did you eventually get the whole story?"

"Of course," Zhou Zeshen said. "It took me the whole summer. The immortal tale I got was only a part of it, which frustrated me immensely. But I still copied the story onto a jade slip and carried it with me ever since. Going through that experience taught me a lot of patience. Whenever I feel impatient, I take out the jade slip, rub it a few times, and it helps calm my mind quickly."

He then took out the jade slip for everyone to see. Ning Zhuo played with the mechanical board and read the story on the slip.

The jade slip recorded this immortal tale:

Legend has it that a Supreme Immortal Master, traversing the void, grew tired. He took out a Mixed Unity Cloth Bag, held its opening, and planned to shake it fifty times. After forty-nine shakes, he was too exhausted to continue, released the bag's opening, and spat out a mechanical world.

In this mechanical world, heaven and earth shifted up and down, water and soil mingled, fire and smoke swirled. The Supreme Immortal Master then took out a Five Elements Staff Head and tossed it into the mechanical world, establishing the cycle of the five elements: heaven above, earth below, oceans spread out, rivers crisscrossed—everything in perfect order.

The Supreme Immortal Master entered the mechanical world to rest. Wanting attendants, he used three thousand strings, flicking them three times.

The first flick landed on immortal energy, creating Immortal Puppets.

The second flick landed on demonic energy, forming Demon Puppets.

The third flick landed on divine energy, producing Divine Puppets.

The three types of puppets served the Supreme Immortal Master meticulously. Once rested, the master continued his journey. Before leaving the mechanical world, the puppets begged to follow him.

The Supreme Immortal Master told them it wasn't that he unwilling, but that they couldn't. Forcibly taking them would only lead to their destruction.

The puppets didn't believe him.

The Supreme Immortal Master pointed out: "Look at the strings on your bodies."

The puppets were stunned.

The Immortal Puppets saw the strings on them were ideals, wisdom, freedom, betrayal...

The Demon Puppets saw their strings as power, chaos, love...

The Divine Puppets saw their strings as reason, order, justice...

In that instant, Ning Zhuo's heart stirred!

He thought of himself. He recalled the history books he had read, the various figures within, and his countless attempts to understand their thoughts and choices at critical moments. As he grew older, he gradually realized: these people, regardless of their strength, all had discernible patterns!

He thought of Yuan Dasheng. Though powerful, Yuan Dasheng was tightly pulled by a string of loyalty and righteousness. Wasn't Ning Zhuo able to scheme against him precisely by grasping this string?

He thought of his uncle Ning Ze, of Ning Xiaoren—they too had their strings.

He thought of Han Ming. Even a demonic cultivator had a string named greed.

"As long as I grasp these strings, I can control them like manipulating machinery, right?"

"Then..."

"Do I have strings on me?"

At this thought, Ning Zhuo felt an inexplicable chill!

He slowly raised his head.

Slowly raised his head.

In a daze, he saw it.

He saw a nearly transparent, gigantic string. It was—the Thread of Human Life!

At this moment, the Illusory Truth Lotus Seed in his divine sea quietly sprouted.

In the Lava Immortal Palace, the Fire Spirit of the Dragon Turtle awoke from its slumber. Pressing its chest, it felt puzzled by a sudden, baseless fear.

The Thread of Human Life vanished from Ning Zhuo's sight, no longer visible.

Ning Zhuo lowered his head, expressionless.

"Quite an interesting little story," Ning Zhuo smiled, returning the jade slip to Zhou Zeshen.

"It does have a certain charm," Zhou Zeshen agreed casually, taking back the slip.

He would never have guessed that his casual action had bestowed upon Ning Zhuo an immense opportunity!

(End of )