: Look What They've Done to the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit!

Lava Immortal Palace.

Ning Zhuo heard the voice of the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit.

"You... you are the palace spirit of the Lava Immortal Palace?" After a moment of surprise, Ning Zhuo immediately asked.

"Y-yes, Young Master. You may call me the Dragon Turtle (yuán) Fire Spirit." The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit's voice was weak, and even such a simple sentence made it gasp for breath several times.

Ning Zhuo frowned and asked again, "What's wrong with you? Are you injured?"

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit took the opportunity to deceive him: "Yes, Young... Young Master. My condition is closely tied to the Lava Immortal Palace. Now that the palace is heavily damaged, my condition has also worsened significantly."

"Especially some time ago, when a horde of Crimson Flame beasts formed a beast tide and attacked the palace. I had no choice but to control the Daoist mechanisms and join the fierce battle. This made my already poor condition even worse."

Ning Zhuo didn't doubt it.

While exploring the palace, he had already speculated about the palace spirit's condition, guessing that it was in a dire situation.

Now, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit's weak voice confirmed Ning Zhuo's suspicions.

Ning Zhuo said, "Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit, you call me master. Since I just passed the trial, does that mean I am now the master of this Lava Immortal Palace?"

Inside the main hall, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit couldn't help but roll its eyes. It took a deep breath and pretended to be weak again: "Not quite yet, Young Master. You are very close to success."

"So, actually, I'm not the master of the Immortal Palace yet," Ning Zhuo said.

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit took another deep breath. It knew Ning Zhuo was not easy to deal with and had long prepared itself mentally.

It explained: "I simply couldn't wait any longer. Young Master, do you know how long I've endured, waiting for a qualified successor?"

"My condition keeps getting worse."

"Young Master, please come quickly. Pass the palace examination, defeat the other competitors, and you will officially become the master of the Immortal Palace."

Ning Zhuo then pressed: "What is the palace examination?"

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit explained: "According to the old master's rules, the palace examination is the highest level of selection. Cultivators who pass the selection and meet certain standards will be assigned corresponding positions within the Lava Immortal Palace."

"Those who hold these positions can use the related facilities within the palace, gain certain authority, and earn contributions to the palace more efficiently."

"The palace examination..." Ning Zhuo's eyes gleamed.

When he had checked the rewards for passing the trial earlier, he had felt somewhat disappointed, as he hadn't found a way to become the palace master.

But now, the palace spirit had contacted him on its own initiative.

"Then how do I take part in the palace examination?" Ning Zhuo continued to ask.

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit said: "The old master set up two paths to select a new palace master."

"The first is to enter the palace physically and perform various tasks to accumulate contributions."

"Once contributions reach a certain level, the cultivator can obtain a position. There are many ranks of positions, and the cultivator must continuously rise through the ranks. Only by reaching the fourth rank or higher can they qualify for the palace examination."

"This path is more difficult."

"The second is to enter the palace spiritually, which is simpler. Trial disciples only need to complete one of the three paths—Buddhist, Daoist, or Demonic—to qualify for the palace examination."

After listening carefully to the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit's explanation, Ning Zhuo somewhat understood.

To use an imperfect analogy:

Cultivators who enter the palace physically are like minor officials working their way up, gradually accumulating merits and qualifications, step by step, until they finally ascend to the ruler's hall.

Cultivators who enter the palace spiritually are like entering the Imperial Academy, becoming disciples of the emperor. Once they complete their studies, they can gain the ruler's favor and have a chance to rise to the top in one step.

Ning Zhuo felt skeptical and asked directly: "Cultivators who enter the palace physically are mostly outsiders who haven't mastered the three supreme methods. Is it really appropriate for them to become the palace master?"

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit said: "This was the old master's intentional arrangement."

"The old master treated all things in the world equally."

"In his heart, there was no distinction between close and distant, familiar and unfamiliar."

"What he wanted was to leave behind the three supreme methods and hope that his successors would carry them forward."

"But waiting for a cultivator to master the three supreme methods and then for one of them to pass the palace examination and become the city lord would be somewhat苛刻."

"Even if an outsider becomes the palace master, they would still be constrained by the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit and the rules of the Immortal Palace. They couldn't act entirely as they pleased."

"Moreover, there's always a higher mountain. An outsider might possess techniques even better and more suitable than the three supreme methods."

"Truly worthy of the Supreme Master of the Three Schools," Ning Zhuo couldn't help but sigh after hearing this explanation.

Ning Zhuo asked in detail: "Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit, you oversee the entire Lava Immortal Palace. Can you tell me who my strong opponents will be in the upcoming palace examination?"

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit said: "There are indeed a few."

"The strongest among them is undoubtedly Zhu Xuanji. This person is a member of the Southern Bean royal family and possesses a token, which gives him a innate level of recognition from the Lava Immortal Palace."

"He previously submitted three quasi-Golden Core level mechanism puppets all at once, instantly accumulating a huge amount of contribution."

"Now, he has also recovered the Mechanism Demon General that the Immortal Palace lost outside. Once he turns it in, he will certainly receive a sky-high contribution, enough to earn him a high second-rank position."

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit then introduced five others.

They were: Book Lord from the Complete Book Pavilion, Yang Chan Yu from the Unempty Gate, the two Golden Core true disciples from the Supreme Purity Palace and the Purple Heaven Pavilion, and Meng Chong from the City Lord's Manor.

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit considered these individuals quite strong.

Among them, Meng Chong, who possessed immortal资质, was ranked last.

"And these are only the candidates I currently favor."

"Behind them, there are a group of cultivators with potential. After developing for some time, they might also have the ability to participate in the palace examination."

In this regard, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit specifically mentioned the cultivators the Meng family had heavily recruited at great expense to seize the Immortal Palace.

Ning Zhuo hadn't expected there to be so many competitors.

The one he was most familiar with, Meng Chong, was the weakest among all his opponents.

At the same time, Meng Chong was one of only two people on the spiritual entry path who could participate in the palace examination.

Zhu Xuanji was from the Southern Bean royal family. Ever since he appeared in the Fire Persimmon Immortal City, he had been the focus of much attention!

The Complete Book Pavilion was a super faction dedicated to collecting all the techniques and texts in the world. It was completely understandable that Book Lord would respond to the recruitment call and secretly participate.

Yang Chan Yu... Ning Zhuo remembered her vividly.

Yang Chan Yu was from the Unempty Gate, a sect whose disciples were known for being multi-talented. It was no surprise that she had skill in mechanisms.

Notably, the weapon she used to ambush Luo Shang was a mechanism crossbow!

Meng Chong need not be mentioned.

The other two Golden Cores were true disciples from the Supreme Purity Palace and the Purple Heaven Pavilion. These two sects were super factions, comparable to the Unempty Gate and the Soul Devouring Sect.

Among them, the Supreme Purity Palace had few members but an extremely long history. The Purple Heaven Pavilion was large in scale and currently at its peak.

Ning Zhuo: "With so many competitors for the city lord position, why are you still recognizing me as the new master, Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit? Why do you want to pledge yourself to me early?"

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit laughed: "Young Master, I only made this decision recently."

"You are the first trial disciple to cultivate all three techniques to the peak of the ninth level. Compared to those outsiders, your roots are pure!"

"Your spiritual roots are balanced in the five elements, and your talent is outstanding."

"You have mastered the divine ability 'Human Life Hanging by a Thread,' and you also possess the 'My Buddha's Heart Demon Seal.' This treasure is actually the lost palace master's seal of the Lava Immortal Palace."

"This is fate."

Ning Zhuo wasn't too surprised to hear that the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit knew about his possession of the My Buddha's Heart Demon Seal.

After all, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was the palace spirit of the Lava Immortal Palace. It was not strange for it to know secrets and sense the seal.

Especially since every time Ning Zhuo activated the seal's power, it flowed in along the thread of 'Human Life Hanging by a Thread.' From the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit's perspective, this was a huge flaw, enough to determine that Ning Zhuo possessed the My Buddha's Heart Demon Seal!

After conversing for a while, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit used its declining condition and need to rest as an excuse to brush off Ning Zhuo and actively end the conversation.

It lay on the throne, feeling extremely tired.

It knew deeply: Ning Zhuo was very shrewd and sharp, with rigorous thinking. In this aspect, Meng Chong couldn't even compare!

Therefore, deceiving Ning Zhuo was a difficult challenge for it.

Based on the current exchange, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit had succeeded.

It had no choice but to do this.

After the recruitment call, its situation had been going from bad to worse.

With cultivators like Ning Zhuo, Zhu Xuanji, and Book Lord appearing one after another and making their moves within the Lava Immortal Palace, the pressure on the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was可想而知.

Feeling isolated and helpless, it was forced to come up with a strategy of forming alliances and playing opponents against each other.

Specifically, it planned to first gain the trust of one party and then have them fight the target.

As long as these people kept each other in check, the pressure on the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit would drastically reduce.

It was the one being besieged and fiercely attacked.

Its pressure was simply too great!

Someone had to share its burden.

"I'm really having a hard time."

"So many people are coming after me?!"

"How can I pursue my freedom like this?"

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit thought back to several hundred years ago.

Back then, it was still a free Rampaging Fire Dragon.

Fire was its source of power, magma its paradise.

It roamed freely through the magma, charging recklessly across the skies.

It acted violently, unbridled, and did as it pleased.

Until one day, a huge shadow fell over it.

It looked up and saw an enormous mobile mechanical palace.

It roared in fury.

As it charged into the sky, waves of flame spread through the air, the scorching heat making the surrounding magma boil even more fiercely.

A colossal wave of fire erupted from the volcano crater, seeming ready to burn heaven and earth to ashes.

It was supremely confident in its power and never stooped to schemes or tricks!

It charged forward.

It became the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit.

Through the long years, it was trapped within the massive cage that was the Lava Immortal Palace.

It spent countless thoughts and efforts, gradually weakening the Lava Immortal Palace step by step.

But now, too many people were swarming in, frantically earning contributions and全力 repairing the flaws of the Lava Immortal Palace.

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was forced into a corner. It had no choice but to resort to schemes and tricks, doing what it once despised most.

"All for freedom!" The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit hardened its heart.

"For freedom, I will stop at nothing!"

(End of )