Ning Zhuo: I Want to Test My Limits

The puppet automatons stood quietly, arranged in neat, uniform rows.

Most were primarily wooden, with simple metal armor plates covering their chests and legs.

They mostly wielded long spears, though a portion carried swords and shields.

"Six hundred puppet automatons! The Strategist is controlling quite a few more automatons than before." Zhang Hei scanned with his divine sense, immediately noticing the increased number and sent a congratulatory mental message.

The soldiers of the Three Generals Camp also looked at these puppet automatons with expressions of awe.

Guan Hong stroked his beard, also communicating via divine sense: "Given the Strategist's resources, he could certainly make these automatons more refined. It seems the Strategist intends to utilize the 'Warrior's Return Tactics' military strategy."

Ning Zhuo: "General Guan's insight is accurate."

Ning Zhuo could, of course, use metal as the primary material to construct the automatons.

However, firstly, the production time would be longer, and the cost higher; secondly, in actual combat, they would be less prone to damage, hindering the effectiveness of the Warrior's Return Tactics; thirdly, the wood was sourced from Thousand Peaks Forest and Canglin Immortal City, local specialties that were relatively cheap, whereas metal was more expensive.

Before setting off, Liu Er approached Ning Zhuo, grasped his hands, and urged with concern: "For the Strategist to attack alone shows our incompetence!"

"Remember, your own life is most important."

"If you encounter Luo Chen, the Strategist should retreat immediately, lure the enemy to our forces, and then engage in battle!"

Ning Zhuo grunted in acknowledgment and also advised Liu Er: "General, there's no need for self-blame. Without the General, how could I have come this far on my own?"

"It is precisely because the three Generals paved the way that I now have a role to play."

"Now is the time for me to strike. If I can break the great bell in one move, I can resolve the current stalemate and lead us to final victory."

"Even if it's risky, it's worth a try!"

Ning Zhuo bid farewell to Liu Er, mounted a Foundation Establishment-level horse, led his automaton army, detached from the Three Generals Camp, and swiftly advanced towards the source of the bell sounds.

Blazing flames soon obscured the figures of Ning Zhuo and his automaton army.

"Strategist... It is our failure as Golden Core cultivators that a Foundation Establishment cultivator must step forward at this critical moment." Liu Er sighed. For now, they could only rely on Ning Zhuo's subsequent performance.

Zhang Hei clenched his wrist in frustration: "Blame it on these inferior soldiers. If I had two hundred elite troops, I could lead them alone and strike directly at the heart of the enemy!"

Guan Hong stroked his beard: "Although the Strategist is only at the Foundation Establishment level, his combat power alone surpasses any one of us three. His attack now is the most suitable choice, perfectly aligning with military strategy."

The three generals gritted their teeth, having no choice for the moment but to hold their position and wait for Ning Zhuo's return.

However, those paying attention to Ning Zhuo weren't limited to just the three generals Liu, Guan, and Zhang, or Luo Chen and his side.

Another cultivator lurked nearby, closely watching the progress of this offensive and defensive battle.

This person's surname was Gao, given name Cuo. He had encountered strange fortunes early on, had once held a position at Bikong Mountain, and had secretly discovered the Evil God's Marrow, which, through a series of coincidences, ended up with Sun Lingtong.

"Good, although the main force of the Three Generals Camp is incompetent, Ning Zhuo can still attack."

"If he takes the opportunity to break the great bell, he can turn the tide of battle, tilting the scales of victory towards the Three Generals Camp."

"Even better would be if he performs well enough to locate the Vermilion Bird Incense Burner and destroy this great formation."

Gao Cuo assessed the situation, his brow furrowed with worry: "What I fear is Luo Chen taking the initiative to attack, intercepting Ning Zhuo midway and causing his mission to fail halfway."

An aged voice sounded in his heart: "There is a way to manage this."

Gao Cuo: "Sword Elder, what method?"

Sword Elder continued: "We infiltrated here for the Wood-Within-Fire. This fire is one of the Samadhi fires. Even if we cannot collect all three Samadhi fires in the future, this single one alone is enough for you to use until the Nascent Soul stage."

"Luo Chen is certainly searching for it too!"

"The current situation is clear. The Ten-Mile Burning Forest is close to the main battlefield and will inevitably be swept through by the main forces of the Two-Pour Kingdom."

"Even if this attack by the Three Generals Camp fails, subsequent punitive forces will continuously arrive."

"The Ten-Mile Burning Forest cannot be held. Luo Chen, bound by his duties, likely wants to retreat with his reputation intact. He cannot take things like the Fire-Crowned Sacred Cedar with him. The Wood-Within-Fire is his best pretext."

"Look, since the Three Generals Camp began their attack, he hasn't made a move. He must be searching全力 for the Wood-Within-Fire."

A spark of insight flashed in Gao Cuo's mind: "I understand. Sword Elder, you want me to forge a Wood-Within-Fire, trick Luo Chen, give him the hope of obtaining it soon, and indirectly tie him down?"

Sword Elder smiled with satisfaction: "The student is teachable. Your cultivation of the 'Departing Form Mistaken Shadow Art' is perfectly suited for forging such things. Hmm?"

Sword Elder suddenly paused.

"What is it?" Gao Cuo immediately asked.

Sword Elder said: "Another outsider has arrived here, with a cultivation base of at least the Nascent Soul level."

Gao Cuo: "The longer the night, the more dreams! If this battle continues, it will inevitably attract more cultivators. If the Three Generals Camp cannot win in one strike and the battle drags on, the interference for us will only increase."

Above the Ten-Mile Burning Forest.

Lin Bufan hid within the clouds, looking down upon the forest burning with raging flames.

"I have the 'One Leaf Obscures the Eyes' technique; I trust Luo Chen cannot detect me."

"Hmm, has the main force of the Three Generals Camp pushed forward to here?"

"Strange, where is Ning Zhuo?"

At the center of the Ten-Mile Burning Forest, beneath the Fire-Crowned Sacred Cedar.

A cultivator sat cross-legged under the cedar tree; it was Luo Chen.

Luo Chen sat with his eyes closed, meditating. His eyelids twitched slightly, opening a slit to reveal a sharp gleam.

"In the clouds, an unfamiliar Nascent Soul cultivator has arrived..."

"Hmph, it was to be expected."

"The longer the battle lasts, the more people will come, drawn by the scent."

"The more spectators there are, the harder it is for me to initiate a retreat."

"Enough. First, destroy this separated automaton army! At least I can gain some military merit."

"The most important thing is still the Wood-Within-Fire."

"Without it, how can I retreat with my reputation intact? Hmm?!"

The next moment, his eyes snapped wide open, his face full of surprise and joy: "Found it! Heaven helps me indeed!!"

How to hide a leaf? Simple, hide it among the branches of a forest.

How to hide a spark of fire? Simple, blend it into the vast sea of flames.

Ever since the first major battle ended, with the Ginseng Dragon King defeated and fleeing, and the main forces of the Two-Pour Kingdom setting up camp directly on the spot, Luo Chen had already begun using the Fire-Crowned Sacred Cedar to continuously channel his divine sense, searching for the Wood-Within-Fire.

However, the vast sea of flames was too immense. Luo Chen's divine sense couldn't cover all of the burning forest, so he could only search continuously.

He put in immense effort, but hadn't even caught a shadow of the Wood-Within-Fire.

Now, suddenly sensing the aura of the Wood-Within-Fire, he was overjoyed, immediately casting aside the matter of destroying Ning Zhuo's army.

Even if he attacked, it would only be a small amount of military merit, inconsequential.

Only by obtaining the Wood-Within-Fire and bringing it back to the alliance could he retreat with merit and no fault. This was the bigger picture!

Which was more important had long been weighed clearly in Luo Chen's mind.

Ning Zhuo, of course, was unaware of the events happening behind the scenes. As a result, he advanced all the way on full alert, yet encountered no interception from Luo Chen.

He discussed with Sun Lingtong.

Both felt the situation was strange and needed to be even more cautious.

So much so that when they arrived before the great bell, they still found it somewhat hard to believe.

Yan Jin's face was as dark as water.

He had bitterness in his heart, but couldn't speak of it.

After all, Luo Chen finding the Wood-Within-Fire was crucial for their smooth withdrawal.

Under these circumstances, having Yan Jin and Flowing Flame Fairy cooperate to resist the automaton army was also the decision that best aligned with their interests.

Flowing Flame Fairy exerted her power, using the great formation to create a curtain of fire that enveloped Ning Zhuo's army.

Heavenly Artifice Tempering Sound Score!

Yan Jin swung his palms, striking them hard against the treasure-grade great bell.

Dang——!

The bell sound reverberated out, swiftly covering the entire automaton army. Cracks appeared from the inside out on the bodies of the puppet automatons.

The simple armor on their bodies fared even worse than the wooden frames, directly shattering and splitting apart.

First Strike·Ore-Quaking Tone!

Ning Zhuo's eyes lit up: "So it really is the Heavenly Artifice Tempering Sound Score."

Yan Jin formed his left hand into a fist, while his right hand swung like a palm, striking the great bell.

The bell sounds, alternating between dongs and dangs, formed a series of急促 notes.

The armor fragments on the automatons decomposed further under the bell sounds, refined into countless tiny particles.

The wooden bodies also shrank, some automatons collapsing directly to the ground.

Second Ring·Metal-Extracting Chime!

Ning Zhuo praised clearly: "I've read about this technique in ancient texts and always wanted to see it for myself. I never thought I'd experience the marvels of this technique in such a way, and personally at that."

Yan Jin snorted coldly, sending a mental message: "A mere Foundation Establishment dares to comment on my, Yan's, skills!"

He changed his hand gestures, this time using his left hand as a palm and his right as a fist.

Third Tremor·Form-Shaping Rhythm!

This time, the bell sounds were sometimes deep and powerful, sometimes high-pitched and sharp, changing tones rapidly.

Countless puppet automatons, under Yan Jin's will and divine sense, were instantly refined into various shapes. Some were compressed into spheres, some refined into wooden poles, some directly split into pieces...

Yan Jin sent a mental message: "Youngster, your army has already been reduced by more than half."

Ning Zhuo clapped his hands, his voice spreading across the battlefield: "Marvelous! Fellow Daoist Yan's artifice attainment surpasses that of ten of me combined."

Yan Jin's eyelid twitched, and he immediately retorted via divine sense: "Brat, even if twenty of you came together, you'd just be delivering yourselves to death!"

The bell sounds rose again.

This time, Yan Jin spread both hands open. Both palms struck the bronze bell, emitting a long, drawn-out chime.

Aftermath·Quenching Chant!

Crack, crack, crack...

Snap, snap, snap...

Having undergone the previous three waves of bell sounds, the numerous automatons had already become misshapen. Now, they finally couldn't hold on any longer, completely disintegrating into countless fragments and chunks.

Before setting off, Ning Zhuo had a full six hundred puppet automatons.

Now, the number of automatons standing beside him was less than one hundred, a pitiful sight.

Ning Zhuo saluted Yan Jin with one hand, a smile on his face, his eyes filled with an eager, ready-to-try expression: "Senior Yan possesses great skill and technique. This junior's puppet automatons are nothing remarkable. Next, allow this junior to personally learn from you!"

Yan Jin was taken aback, sending a mental message: "Wait, you..."

Before he could finish, he saw Ning Zhuo give a light shout, leap into the air, and jump upwards.

He clapped his palms together, releasing a torrent of water.

The water flow was vast, like a flood peak after opening a sluice gate, directly smashing through the fire curtain, then surging and rolling towards the great bell and Yan Jin.

Yan Jin hurriedly stamped his right foot hard, activating the defensive formation on the bell pedestal.

The formation activated, forming a spherical light barrier that enveloped Yan Jin and the great bell.

In the sky, a vermilion bird-shaped flame suddenly manifested and plunged into the water, causing a thunderous explosion.

The water flow instantly evaporated by sixty percent, turning into漫天 steam.

Then, within a few breaths, the steam was rapidly dissipated by the surrounding high temperatures.

This was Flowing Flame Fairy making her move to assist!

Ning Zhuo's enemy was never Yan Jin alone, but also included Flowing Flame Fairy, who controlled the great formation.

"Again!"

Ning Zhuo laughed heartily, not discouraged in the slightest, his fighting spirit even more fervent.

He took a deep breath, his hands forming different finger seals. After a few moments, he猛地 lifted both palms.

The ground rapidly bulged, forming earthen mounds.

The mounds coalesced into two earth giants, one on the left and one on the right, striding over the now significantly lowered water level to attack the great bell.

Yan Jin swung his fists and palms, activating bell sounds to fiercely attack the two giants.

The giants moved slowly but took large strides, stubbornly pressing forward against the bell sounds, reaching the light barrier and continuously pounding it with their fists.

Boom, boom, boom.

Each strike was powerful and heavy, causing the light barrier to show heavy cracks.

Yan Jin exerted all his effort, the great bell swaying left and right, producing澎湃 sound waves, meeting attack with attack.

The two giants were refined by the bell sounds; their arms fell off, their fists turned into soft mud, their bodies suddenly halved in height—they had been severed at the waist.

In the sky, the vermilion bird-shaped flame formed once again, pouncing towards Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo divided his focus, his left hand forming finger seals while his right hand directly grabbed towards the airborne vermilion bird fire.

Accompanying his movement, a torrent凭空 reappeared.

The torrent spiraled upwards, taking shape in the air, becoming a flood dragon.

The flood dragon opened its mouth wide, accurately biting the vermilion bird fire.

Boom!

An explosion sounded; the water flood dragon and the fire sparrow perished together.

On the other side, Ning Zhuo's left-hand finger seals had completed their sequence.

Ning Zhuo pointed his fingers like a sword, shooting a beam of golden light from his index and middle fingers.

The golden light shone brilliantly, swift as a meteor. By the time Yan Jin saw it, it had already struck the light barrier.

The light barrier held for only half a breath before being pierced.

The golden light, its momentum不减, struck the great bell, piercing a small hole in it.

Yan Jin's expression completely changed, sending a mental message questioning Ning Zhuo: "How is such power possible? This doesn't match the intelligence! Have you been hiding your strength all along?!"

Ning Zhuo laughed heartily, full of a sense of achievement, imitating Sun Lingtong by putting his hands on his hips: "You guessed right!"

"Senior Yan, did you think I came alone just to take a reckless gamble?"

"Naturally, I have confidence!"

"To be honest with you, even if Luo Chen came, I have means to deal with him."

He was brazenly bluffing to his heart's content.

Yan Jin had obtained intelligence on Ning Zhuo, but the combat power the latter displayed now indeed far exceeded what the intelligence reported.

This wasn't because Ning Zhuo had been concealing his strength before, but rather his own progress during this period had been remarkably rapid.

All along, his Warrior's Return Tactics were limited by his physical foundation, making it difficult to fully utilize their加持.

But through the unorthodox use of the Fetal Breath Spirit Barge, Ning Zhuo's physical foundation had skyrocketed; he was simply beyond compare to his past self.

The destruction of over five hundred puppet automatons not only boosted his combat power to the Golden Core level but also surpassed his previous peak by a large margin, placing him among the first-rate层次 at the Golden Core level!

Yan Jin's mind was also thrown into turmoil along with the great bell.

"Calm down!"

"I still have Lord Luo Chen and Flowing Flame Fairy assisting me; I'm not fighting alone."

The next moment, Flowing Flame Fairy sent information via the great formation: "Artisan Yan Jin, you must hold on. The Three Generals Camp has started moving again, advancing in my direction."

The three generals waited a moment, then noticed the bell sounds decreasing and the fire curtain slowing. Liu Er made a decisive decision, leading the army forward; the obstacles along the way were reduced by more than half compared to before.

Flowing Flame Fairy had her hands full.

Yan Jin hurriedly asked Luo Chen: "My Lord, any progress in your search for the Wood-Within-Fire?"

Luo Chen's face was gloomy: "That Wood-Within-Fire is extremely slippery, as if sentient. I haven't captured it yet. Hold on a little longer!"

Yan Jin was speechless.

Ning Zhuo's eyes were bright, reflecting the flames and the great bell.

His fighting spirit was high: "Boss, I feel I still have strength to spare; I haven't reached my physical limit yet. I want to test my limits."

Sun Lingtong giggled and laughed: "Little Zhuo, you play around as much as you want; I'll keep watch for you. If Luo Chen comes, I'll warn you."

Ning Zhuo then released three hundred more puppet automatons.

Ning Zhuo also controlled the automatons to form the Light Body Swift Wind Formation.

The automaton army moved like the wind. Ning Zhuo flew above the army, again forming finger seals. His left hand produced the previous sword-finger golden light, while his right palm aimed higher into the sky, condensing a giant meteor.

"Senior Yan, take this!" The young man's aura surged once more, his excited, impassioned voice resounding across the