[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-immortal-craftsman-s-creation":3,"chapter-immortal-craftsman-s-creation-immortal-craftsmanship-chapter-124":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Mysteries of Immortal puppet Master",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},2227547,4127,"Chapter 124: Safe and Sound","immortal-craftsmanship-chapter-124",124,"\u003Cp>\"Brother Ning!\" Upon arriving at the Zheng family's main gate, Zheng Jian came out personally to welcome Ning Zhuo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was Ning Zhuo’s first formal visit to the Zheng family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Zheng family’s protocol was grand, with the main gate thrown wide open. Just this alone was no small feat, considering Ning Zhuo was merely at the Qi Refining stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furthermore, the Zheng family had even sent Zheng Jian to receive him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother Zheng, to think I’ve troubled you to come and greet me.\" Ning Zhuo stepped down from the carriage. Upon seeing Zheng Jian, his expression shifted from surprise to a deep sense of gratitude, showing the excitement of someone who felt truly respected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Jian’s injuries had not yet fully healed; he was bandaged almost from head to toe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He laughed heartily, \"Don't mind my appearance; my injuries have already stabilized. As a son of the Zheng family, how could I neglect a friend over a few minor wounds?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come, I’ll take you to the artifact refining room.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the cooperation between the three families deepened, they opened up some of their respective family facilities. For instance, the Ning family’s talisman-making room, the Zhou family’s various magic arrays, and the Zheng family’s artifact refining room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most popular one, naturally, was the Zhou family’s Gathering and Scattering Wishful Spirit Tide Array. Everyone who used it praised it; it was currently overcrowded, and every cultivator applying to use it had to be placed in a queue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next in popularity was the Zheng family’s artifact refining room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many of the facilities owned by the Zheng and Zhou families were even better than those of the City Lord’s Mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back when Fire Persimmon Immortal City was being built, the Nandou Dynasty provided the majority of the funding, but the Zhou and Zheng families also made enormous contributions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, once the city was completed, the two families were allocated two of the best plots of land, gained control over two of the array pillars, and obtained the most superior conditions in certain aspects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Zhou family possessed the most spacious area for array deployment, allowing for more freedom of movement. The Zheng family, meanwhile, had the most abundant supply of high-quality earth flames, facilitating their artifact refining.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From a broader perspective, this was a game of chess between local powers and the imperial court.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the street, the flow of people was endless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Dasheng walked with difficulty, head bowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when it bumped into pedestrians along the way, it remained unmoved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some people were knocked to the ground by it, but unwilling to cause trouble, they would at most mutter a few words before leaving in frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Yuan Dasheng was wearing the Azure Iron Han Armor, making it tall and imposing, and it exuded the aura of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Looking at its expressionless face, which radiated a strong sense of despair and heartbreak, it was clearly not someone to be trifled with!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Zheng Jian’s guidance, Ning Zhuo arrived at an artifact refining room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Zhuo looked around and praised it repeatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The refining room was well-equipped with excellent facilities and many tools that Ning Zhuo was seeing with his own eyes for the first time; previously, he had only read about them in books.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hundred arts of cultivation had developed to such a point that every trade was quite professional; how could one trade not be like a mountain to another? Unlike in ancient times, when the threshold for the hundred arts was low and a single cultivator could use one pill furnace to both refine pills and artifacts, modern furnaces were subdivided by purpose, specialized for pill refining, artifact refining, and so on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Jian handed over a jade slip: \"Our Zheng family has stored many materials. To say we have everything would be an exaggeration, but we certainly far exceed what is available on the market.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As long as it is in this jade slip, Brother Ning, feel free to use it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"According to our three-family contract, the materials consumed will be calculated at market price and finally tallied into each family’s consumption quota.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having said this, Zheng Jian took out another jade slip: \"The materials here are my personal quota from the family. Brother Ning, you may use these as well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a clear gesture of goodwill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Zhuo smiled and accepted it generously: \"Many thanks, Brother Zheng.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you aren't busy, Brother Zheng, why not stay? I am planning to refine some mechanism parts while using your family's refining room,\" Ning Zhuo said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These are the mechanism blueprints I designed; I ask for your corrections, Brother Zheng.\" Ning Zhuo took the initiative to hand over a jade slip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Jian was pleasantly surprised, knowing that Ning Zhuo had accepted his family's goodwill and was now reciprocating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since Brother Ning could design the Mechanism Fire-Exploding Monkey, I shouldn't show off my meager mechanism skills. Brother Ning, your elegance is such that you must let me appreciate your new work properly.\" Zheng Jian immediately took the jade slip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He himself didn't have much interest in mechanism arts, but given the competition for the Lava Immortal Palace and the astonishing talent Ning Zhuo had previously displayed, Zheng Jian felt he had to see this new blueprint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He unfolded it and discovered it was a mechanism monkey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking closer, he realized this mechanism monkey was no longer for picking fire persimmons, but clearly intended for combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more Zheng Jian looked, the brighter his eyes became, and for a time, he was immersed in the blueprint, unable to say a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Zhuo ignored him, walked straight to the corner, picked up the tools, and began to stoke the fire and blow the bellows, igniting the furnace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuan Dasheng had just passed through the west gate of Fire Persimmon Immortal City and was heading out into the wilderness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pedestrians around it rapidly decreased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It stepped into the wild outskirts west of Fire Persimmon Mountain; although its back was sturdy, it gave off a strong sense of loneliness and desolation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, it stopped in a desolate area, sitting on an inconspicuous hill, blankly watching everything around it, watching the sky, watching the clouds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Zhuo exhaled a breath of turbid air, carefully turning his wrist to pour the molten rotten silver water into the mold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Jian immediately acted, using a magic technique to guide the rotten silver water to spread out rapidly, filling every corner of the mold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Zhuo placed his palm against the wall and activated the magic array.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, a cold current surged down from the ceiling, causing the high-temperature mold to cool down in an instant, freezing into a block of ice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Jian waved his hand, dispelling the chill, and then took out a strange-looking mechanism part.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the last piece.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the help of the Zheng family’s refining room and the assistance of Zheng Jian, a genius cultivator proficient in artifact refining, Ning Zhuo had completed the crafting of all the mechanism parts. The time taken was far shorter than Ning Zhuo had planned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next was to assemble and combine them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were no surprises; after a smooth assembly, an eight-foot-tall ape skeleton appeared before the two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Jian clicked his tongue in wonder: \"Looking at this skeleton alone, there are over a hundred moving joints. The finished mechanism monkey will surely be extremely agile, but this also tests the cultivator’s control ability. I fear many would be unable to unleash the full power of this mechanism.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Zhuo said: \"This was designed for myself. It was intentionally made this way so that I would have plenty of room to improve my skills in controlling mechanism creations.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, next we need to set up the array.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then, install the array disk and so on.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Filling in the body and such will be left for later.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Jian nodded, a look of joy on his face: \"I will follow your plan, Brother Ning. I will specifically act as your assistant.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though he was injured, he wanted to participate throughout the whole process. On one hand, he could observe Ning Zhuo’s mechanism art attainments most directly; on the other hand, this provided him with excellent training to improve his own mechanism skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After two days and one night, the great task was completed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why not stay at my house for a night of rest? It won't be too late to leave tomorrow morning,\" Zheng Jian urged him to stay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had participated throughout the entire process and gained a great deal, experiencing the brilliance and fun of mechanism arts, and said bluntly: \"Brother Ning, I wish I could talk with you by candlelight all night!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Zhuo gave a bitter smile and pointed to the bandages all over Zheng Jian’s body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The previously snow-white bandages were already stained with blood in many places and covered in a large amount of black ash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brother Zheng, you should properly nurse your wounds.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am deeply grateful for your assistance throughout this time. If I stay any longer, your family will have opinions.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There will surely be an opportunity in the future for us to chat to our hearts' content!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Jian laughed: \"Very well, very well.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By the way, I almost forgot to tell you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In a few days, our three families are going to conduct a joint operation, and we need you to lead it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Those of us who are injured won't be able to make it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the geniuses of the three families could still project their souls into the Immortal Palace, during the recovery period of their physical bodies, their souls needed to be stationed in their bodies at all times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, the newly regenerated body would easily grow crooked and fail to match the soul perfectly. This would create many obstacles for future cultivation and lower efficiency. Over time, this accumulated loss would become unacceptable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Night fell, and Ning Zhuo left the Zheng family by carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no curfew in Fire Persimmon Immortal City, and Yuan Dasheng had also entered the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Ning Zhuo arrived at the family residence, it had already sneaked into Ning Ze’s residence, quietly waiting for Ning Zhuo’s return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Ning Zhuo had guessed before, emotions would dissipate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more intense the emotion, the less it could last.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Yuan Dasheng sat in the wilderness for two days and one night, its emotions receded like a tide, and the exposed spirituality once again obeyed commands, acting according to orders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the sorrowful grief still remained, as if a thick layer of gray cloth had been draped over its spirituality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Zhuo’s control over Yuan Dasheng was no longer as obedient as before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"According to the records in 'On Spirituality', after the Spirit-Longing stage comes the Spirit-Moving stage.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ten parts of spirituality, already self-sufficient; Yuan Dasheng is no longer in the Spirit-Longing stage, but the Spirit-Moving stage.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is this so-called 'Spirit-Moving' just this kind of uncontrollable activity?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Once emotions rise again, I will be unable to control it once more!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ning Zhuo did not want to experience such a terrible ordeal again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There must be a way; there must be a solution to this problem within the Lava Immortal Palace,\" Ning Zhuo said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This problem had to be solved as soon as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I cannot project my soul into the Immortal Palace for no reason on a daily basis; there are too many people watching me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The best opportunity is the three-family joint operation in a few days!\" \u003C\u002Fp>",1933,"2026-06-17T23:33:09.460Z","2026-06-18T03:10:38.119Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","1a4b55622845d733daf8bfe062db20fa59db0bdb3487a3d2591e273c8a4c3a67","immortal-craftsmanship-chapter-125","immortal-craftsmanship-chapter-123",783,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fimmortal-craftsmanship-cover.jpg"]