Chapter 110: Puppet Strings

"Brother Unlike Ning Zhuo, I'm over here!" Zheng Jian laughed heartily. Seeing Unlike Ning Zhuo step off the carriage, he walked a few paces and reached him.

Unlike Ning Zhuo hurriedly cupped his hands in greeting: "Brother Zheng."

"Why stand on such ceremony!" Zheng Jian grabbed Unlike Ning Zhuo's arm, stopping him from continuing the salute. "Let's go, we're heading to the second floor."

Behind them, Ning Xiaohui stepped down, slowly treading on the back of a servant.

Seeing Zheng Jian dragging Unlike Ning Zhuo along without even acknowledging her, a layer of frost covered her face.

Ever since the last successful exploration of the Xian Gong, Unlike Ning Zhuo had thoroughly demonstrated his own value among the high-level figures of the three families, and his status had soared.

To better win Unlike Ning Zhuo over, Ning Xiaoren accelerated the fabrication of evidence to frame Ning Ze.

One must know that Ning Ze had been under Ning Xiaoren's command for many years; if he hadn't achieved great merit, he had at least put in the hard labor.

Ning Xiaoren's conduct made Unlike Ning Zhuo secretly feel ashamed and vigilant.

Unlike Ning Zhuo and Zheng Jian walked arm in arm into a garden.

On the garden's gate plaque were engraved the three large characters: "Charity Garden."

There was a large crowd inside Charity Garden, and as they conversed, they were all discussing the name "Li Leifeng."

Li Leifeng had finally reached the end of his lifespan. According to his will, Charity Garden had prepared a legacy assembly for him, where all of Li Leifeng's belongings would be gifted away.

"I didn't expect Li Lao to be gone after all. When I was a child, I grew up watching Li Lao's puppet shows," Zheng Jian sighed.

Ning Zhuo also sighed: "Old Li was a respectable person. Since taking charge of Charity Garden, he saved countless orphans and stray children."

Zheng Jian patted Unlike Ning Zhuo's back: "Li Lao had a 'happy funeral'—he died of old age! Look at how many people came today; you can see Li Lao's prestige. His life was absolutely worth it!"

Unlike Ning Zhuo nodded slightly and said no more.

The vast majority of the crowd gathered at a five-story pavilion.

The legacy assembly was being held right there.

Unlike Ning Zhuo and the others also stepped into this building.

The pavilion is shaped like the character 'hui'.

Climbing the stairs to a private room on the second floor, Unlike Ning Zhuo met the Zhou brothers.

"Come, sit."

"The food Charity Garden is serving this time still has the old flavor; it really stirs up memories."

"Indeed. I still remember that when I was a child, I loved watching puppet shows the most. That private room opposite is where I often went."

"When I was little, I liked to lie on the railing to watch the show."

Unlike Ning Zhuo remained silent, his gaze falling on a corner of the main hall.

As a child, he would always sneak in when the ticket checkers weren't paying attention. Shrinking into a corner or behind a pillar, he could not only watch the show but sometimes, when the crowd dispersed and the garden hadn't yet cleaned up, he could pick up some pastries or melons left behind by guests.

Although Unlike Ning Zhuo had early wisdom, he also had a playful heart.

His aunt and uncle treated him harshly; too many times Ning Ji would eat snacks in front of him without sharing a single sweet fruit.

The child-era Unlike Ning Zhuo would also be greedy.

He remembered one time when he was caught. Just as he was terrified and uneasy, Li Leifeng came before him, stroked his head, took his hand, and led him into the backstage, giving him the clean, untouched portion of pastries and fruit.

People came and went around them, but seeing this scene, no one was the least bit surprised, and they cast kind glances at Unlike Ning Zhuo as well.

Unlike Ning Zhuo could no longer remember the specific details.

In his impression, that entire experience was wrapped in a layer of gentle time, making him feel a warm, gentle current rise in his heart whenever he recalled it.

This was why, with Li Leifeng gone, almost everyone in the city had rushed to mourn him. The cultivators participating in this legacy assembly were basically all people of status.

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

"It is said that the next director has yet to be decided."

"I know the reason. Li Leifeng entrusted Zhu Xuanji to let the Divine Catcher scout for a successor."

Zheng Jian and Zhou Zeshen exchanged information, casually revealing valuable intelligence.

Unlike Ning Zhuo secretly noted it in his heart.

"By the way, how are your souls recovering?"

"Almost healed."

"I'm about the same."

"When will we explore the Lava Xian Gong again?"

When this question was asked, everyone's gaze subconsciously glanced toward Unlike Ning Zhuo.

Last time, it was precisely Unlike Ning Zhuo's performance that allowed them to have a qualitative breakthrough.

Unlike Ning Zhuo didn't want to do that; he had already obtained the cultivation technique and had been cultivating bitterly all day recently.

Of course, the Five Elements Qi Law and the Demonic Blood Tendon Art could not be cultivated. The operation of the fourth to sixth-layer techniques had many differences in aura compared to the first three layers.

But the Mirror Platform Spirit Communication Art could be cultivated.

All movements would be suppressed and completely contained by the Treasure Seal. This made Unlike Ning Zhuo often appear dazed, while in reality, he was secretly cultivating the Spirit Refinement technique.

Unlike Ning Zhuo said: "For the time being, I can't think of any way. If we continue to explore the Xian Gong, we will very likely repeat the same mistakes and fall into that kind of pitch-black trap again."

Zheng Jian and the others trembled in their hearts.

Falling into the trap last time left them unable to live or die, unable to hear, see, or touch, enduring it until their soul power reached its limit before finally being sent out of the Xian Gong.

This nightmare-like experience made them never want to go through it a second time.

"In this period, haven't you thought of any good methods?" Zheng Jian asked.

Unlike Ning Zhuo shook his head.

Zhou Zhu sighed.

Zhou Zeshen boosted morale: "I am almost at the peak of the third layer. Once I succeed, we will set off together and explore the Lava Xian Gong one more time."

Everyone nodded, reaching an agreement.

At this moment, the legacy assembly officially began.

Various items from Li Leifeng's lifetime were publicly exhibited, left for people to choose.

Whoever could select one would take it directly; this was the donation.

Some low-level cultivators were overjoyed after taking items, feeling they had gained much.

Some families or powerful cultivators also took a few, usually insignificant things. They would often donate a large sum of spirit stones or supplies back to Ciyou Garden.

Zhou Zeshen suddenly gave a light 'eh,' reaching out to grab the air, forming an invisible force that took a mechanical wooden board, which flew to the second floor.

He took it, played with it for a while, and laughed: "It really is this one."

"I remember when I was a child, my father brought me here. I wouldn't stop crying, so Li Lao took out this toy to amuse me."

"This mechanical toy is very complex; we need to shift and move every change to get a little bit of information."

"Finally, piecing together this information forms a legend of gods and immortals."

As he spoke, Zhou Zeshen handed this mechanical toy to Zheng Jian beside him.

Zheng Jian played with it for a while, lost all interest, and passed it to others.

Zhou Zhu took it and asked curiously: "Did you finally get that legend?"

"Of course," Zhou Zeshen said. "It took an entire summer. The immortal legend obtained was only a part, which infuriated me."

"But I still transcribed this story, wrote it on a jade slip, and kept it on me at all times."

"Because having gone through this, it added much patience to me. Whenever I am impatient, I take out this jade slip and rub it a few times, and I can quickly adjust my state of mind."

As he spoke, Zhou Zeshen took out the jade slip again for everyone to take turns watching.

Unlike Ning Zhuo played with the mechanical wooden board and also read the story jade slip.

The jade slip recorded such a legend of gods and immortals.

Legend has it that a Supreme Immortal Master crossed the void and grew tired.

He took out a Mixed Cloth Bag, held the bag opening, and prepared to shake it fifty times. By the forty-ninth time, he was truly tired and lacked the strength to continue, so he loosened the bag opening and spat out a mechanical world.

In the mechanical world, heaven and earth were suddenly up and down, soil and water were mixed, and smoke and fire swirled.

The Supreme Immortal Master took out a Five Elements Staff Head and threw it into the mechanical world, letting the five elements circulate, heaven above, earth below, oceans distributed, and rivers crisscrossing; everything was in perfect order.

The Supreme Immortal Master drilled into the mechanical world and began to rest. To have someone serve him, he used three thousand puppet strings and flicked them three times.

The first time, the puppet strings flicked onto immortal qi, creating immortal puppets.

The second time, the puppet strings flicked onto demonic qi, forming demonic puppets.

The third time, the puppet strings flicked onto divine qi, obtaining divine puppets.

The three puppets served the Supreme Immortal Master with meticulous care.

The Supreme Immortal Master rested enough and continued his journey. Before leaving the mechanical world, he was begged by the three puppets.

All three puppets wanted to follow the Supreme Immortal Master.

The Supreme Immortal Master told them, however, that it was not that he was unwilling, but that the three puppets could not.

Forcibly taking the three puppets away would only lead to their demise.

The three puppets did not believe it.

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

The three puppets were dazed.

The immortal puppet saw the puppet strings on its body: they were ideals, wisdom, freedom, betrayal...

The demonic puppet saw the puppet strings on its body: they were power, chaos, love...

The divine puppet saw the puppet strings on its body: they were reason, order, fairness...

In an instant, Unlike Ning Zhuo's soul was touched!

He suddenly thought of himself.

He thought of the history books he had read thoroughly, thought of the various characters in the history books, and thought of how he had pondered their thoughts countless times, and their choices at critical moments.

As he grew older, he gradually discovered: regardless of whether these people were strong or weak, there were traces to follow!

He thought of Yuan Dasheng.

Although Yuan Dasheng was powerful, there was a string of loyalty firmly pulling it above its head. Wasn't the reason Unlike Ning Zhuo was able to secretly plot against it because he had grasped this puppet string?

He also thought of his uncle Ning Ze, thought of Ning Xiaoren; they also had puppet strings on their bodies.

He thought of Han Ming. Even as a demonic cultivator, there was a puppet string named greed.

"As long as I grasp these strings, I can control them just like controlling a mechanism. Isn't that so?"

"Then..."

"Are there puppet strings on my body?"

Once he thought of this, Unlike Ning Zhuo felt a chill run down his spine for no reason!

He slowly raised his head.

Slowly raised his head.

In a trance, he saw it.

He saw a huge puppet string that was nearly completely transparent. That was—the Thread of Human Life!

At this moment, the Illusion-Truth Lotus Seed in his Spirit Sea quietly sprouted.

Lava Xian Gong.

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit woke up from its slumber. It pressed its chest, feeling suspicious about a groundless sense of fear.

The Thread of Human Life disappeared from Unlike Ning Zhuo's field of vision and could no longer be seen.

Unlike Ning Zhuo lowered his head, expressionless.

"Quite an interesting little story." Unlike Ning Zhuo smiled and handed the jade slip back to Zhou Zeshen.

"It does have quite a charm." Zhou Zeshen took the jade slip and casually echoed.

He would never have expected that his casual act would bring Unlike Ning Zhuo such a huge opportunity! ===== CHAPTER 111 =====