: Compelling Ning Zhuo to Offer the Treasure

Author: Gu Zhenren

Date: 2024-07-31

An inner armor-style magical artifact was thrown into the furnace by Sun Lingtong.

Cremation Prajna Spirit Dissolution Sutra!

The artifact gradually melted away, vanishing completely, but leaving behind a surge of abundant spirituality.

This spirituality rapidly infused into the Weather Sphere·Ice Crystal Snow, raising its spirituality to full capacity.

At tenfold spirituality, the spirituality became self-sufficient!

From then on, even if the Weather Sphere·Ice Crystal Snow’s spirituality was damaged, it could recover on its own.

The spirituality of the Weather Sphere·Ice Crystal Snow originated from the ghost cultivator Ning Xie.

When Ning Zhuo first refined it, the spirituality was only at thirty-six percent.

However, increasing spirituality wasn’t actually difficult.

All that was needed were corresponding relics.

Back when Ning Zhuo enhanced Yuan Dasheng’s spirituality, it was accomplished in one go.

After Qi Bai was created, its spirituality was heavily depleted through use, once falling below ten percent. But after burning personal items from the storage bag, its spirituality immediately surged to over ninety percent.

Since obtaining the Weather Sphere·Ice Crystal Snow, Ning Zhuo had been using subordinates, the black market, and branch family channels to gather Ning Xie’s belongings by any means necessary.

Through these efforts, he continuously accumulated its spirituality.

After extorting the Ning family patriarch for the second time, Ning Zhuo acquired some publicly used family artifacts.

The inner armor artifact that was burned was Ning Xie’s primary protective gear during his lifetime.

Burning it immediately filled the final gap in his spirituality, bringing it to tenfold.

Of course, what Ning Zhuo obtained from the Ning family patriarch wasn’t limited to just that.

He secured a promise from the patriarch—the Ning family would use all its resources to gather methods and materials to help Ning Zhuo measure his innate talent.

Ning Zhuo had to show such a strong desire!

For a young genius cultivator with innate talent but unaware of its specifics, unable to progress further, it would be unreasonable not to seek out the secrets of his own talent.

"Fortunately, by leaving this matter to the Ning family main branch, they definitely won’t let me measure my talent easily."

Given the rivalry between the main and branch families, the patriarch’s side would surely set up obstacles and secretly manipulate things.

"Don’t let me down, main branch," Ning Zhuo silently cheered them on.

Ning Zhuo also obtained special permission from the patriarch.

He was granted permission to collaborate with the Zhou and Zheng families to explore the Molten Rock Immortal Palace.

This way, even if Ning Zhuo personally helped the Zhou and Zheng families achieve good results, he wouldn’t be criticized by his clansmen for being disloyal.

He was also permitted to vigorously develop "substitute puppets," which necessitated increased collection of clansmen’s flesh and blood.

With the patriarch’s endorsement, Ning Zhuo cleared away many invisible obstacles.

Finally, the patriarch withdrew many Golden Core-level materials, such as Crimson Sun Copper, from the family treasury.

Ning Zhuo’s project to refine Golden Core-level mechanisms began on a grand and vigorous scale.

Dozens of Zheng family artificers spent their days in the forging chambers, tirelessly hammering Mysterious Iron.

To smelt Golden Core-level rare materials, Zheng Hua was invited to use his innate talent with metal to solve the problem.

Zheng Family, Heaven-Grade Forging Chamber.

This was the highest-standard forging chamber in the entire Zheng family—no, in the entire Fire Persimmon Immortal City.

The blazing earth flames, vast and mighty, were condensed into a small lamp flame.

A treasure—the Heavenly Artisan Lamp!

This was the Zheng family’s treasure, capable of concentrating infinite firepower into a single point. Any forging technique applied within the lamp flame would at least double in effectiveness.

Inside the lamp flame, a black snake writhed and swam.

The black snake was extremely fierce! Its body was flat, constructed from countless iron strips. As it moved, the strips collided, producing a series of dense, crisp clanging sounds.

Zhu Xuanji and several other Golden Core cultivators stared intently at the lamp flame, watching the mechanical black snake within.

Several Golden Core cultivators used their abilities, casting various detection spells.

After a moment, Zhu Xuanji, using his Heaven-Funded Golden Eyes, was the first to notice something.

Then, the two Zheng family Golden Cores and the two Zhou family Golden Cores gradually detected the peculiarity.

Zheng Shuang Gou said, "The final part of this mechanical weapon is at the seven-inch position. This spot connects the upper and lower sections and is one of the hubs for the weapon’s transformations."

"Without this part, we can only master the weapon’s three basic forms!"

"We need an extremely sturdy yet highly flexible material to complete it."

After some discussion, Zhou Nongying suggested Jade Moist Mysterious Steel, Zheng Shan Lian proposed Dragon Scale Blue Iron, Zheng Shuang Gou mentioned Purple Mist Jade Gold, and Zhu Xuanji recommended Moonlight Cold Iron.

Finally, when the second Zhou family Golden Core elder suggested Night Breeze Soft Iron, everyone’s eyes lit up, and they unanimously agreed it was the most suitable material!

Zheng Shuang Gou stroked his chin: "If we use Night Breeze Soft Iron, the fire refinement method must be pure. Using fiery evil energy for forging is absolutely out of the question."

Zheng Shan Lian added, "The most critical part is the quenching."

"Night Breeze Soft Iron contains vitality, making extremely cold quenching methods unsuitable. Using such methods would severely damage its properties."

The Ning family Golden Core elder pondered and said, "That’s easy to solve."

"Our clan has a Qi Refining junior with the Ice Fat Jade Hands talent. The essence of this talent is a thread of vitality hidden within extreme cold."

"Excellent!" Zheng Shuang Gou immediately praised. "This way, with this junior’s cooperation, we won’t need to change our previous forging plan, saving us immense time and effort."

Once decided, the Ning family Golden Core elder immediately issued the order.

Ning Xiaohui’s grandmother was thrilled upon hearing the news.

She sought out Ning Xiaohui, grabbing her shoulders excitedly: "Opportunity, Xiaohui! Your opportunity has arrived!"

After her grandmother explained in detail, Ning Xiaohui still looked incredulous.

Her grandmother urged, "Xiaohui, you must be extremely respectful when meeting the Golden Core elders. They are important figures, and since you’re helping them so much this time, even a small reward from them will benefit you for years."

Ning Xiaohui, who had been deeply despondent, gradually shifted from numbness and despair to hopeful anticipation upon hearing this.

Following her grandmother’s advice, she went to pay respects to Zhu Xuanji and the Golden Core elders from the three families, behaving very obediently.

The Ning family elder treated her kindly.

Zhu Xuanji nodded slightly and explained the current situation to her.

When Ning Xiaohui heard that Night Breeze Soft Iron was needed, she recalled a recent rumor.

The rumor claimed that Ning Zhuo had raided a hidden residence of a former black market boss, seizing many rare items—including a large amount of Night Breeze Soft Iron.

Ning Xiaohui said, "Honored Elder, please allow this junior to report…"

She informed the Golden Core elders about the black market, Ning Zhuo, and the Night Breeze Soft Iron.

The Ning family elder said, "Oh? This Ning Zhuo actually has Golden Core-level treasure material like Night Breeze Soft Iron? Perfect for our use."

He immediately issued an order for Ning Zhuo to offer the material.

(End of )