Chapter 188

"This kind of sparring is a bit boring." Unlike Ning Zhuo let the Thunder-Silence Birds above his head suffer more than half the losses, feeling quite bored deep in his heart.

"Zhou Zeshen took the initiative to propose a spar because he wanted to close the distance with me."

"During the first wave of clashes, he took the initiative to lose, deliberately holding back, letting me gain the advantage, giving me face."

"For the second wave of clashes, I also have to return the favor and let him show off his style."

"Oh?"

At this moment, Unlike Ning Zhuo's eyes lit up, seeing Zhou Zeshen take out the Bai Hu mechanism beast.

"So, Brother Zhou, you also feel bored, so you are adding some fun..."

"Very good."

"At this time, it is just right to let it make its debut."

Unlike Ning Zhuo touched his storage belt.

A flash of fire, and a python appeared in front of him.

The python was about five zhang long, with a body circumference of about one foot and five inches, all red, made of wood, with red crystals for eyes, coiled like a giant tree, majestic and imposing.

Zhou Zeshen raised his eyebrows, joy in his heart: "Very good, this is what it should look like."

"Use your full strength, Unlike Ning Zhuo!"

Zhou Zeshen's fighting spirit kept rising.

Unlike Ning Zhuo transmitted his voice at this time, his tone gentle: "Brother Zhou, take a look, this Fire Bamboo Snake is a mechanism I recently created, used as an elite."

Zhou Zeshen's pupils shrank slightly: "A mechanism newly created by Brother Ning? Interesting, it successfully aroused my interest."

"But please be careful, Brother Ning."

"My Bai Hu Power Ram is a classic mechanism of the Mud Flow Gate, well-tested, and equipped with three types of heads."

"If Brother Ning loses, don't blame me for not reminding you beforehand."

Unlike Ning Zhuo laughed, said no more, and manipulated the Fire Bamboo Snake with magic power threads, rushing forward.

The Bai Hu Power Ram commanded by Zhou Zeshen also moved its limbs, running wildly in the mountain forest for a while.

Then, it leaped suddenly, its posture gracefully stretching in mid-air, directly crossing more than ten zhang and jumping onto the opposite mountain.

Bang!

The mechanism tiger and snake collided solidly at the mountainside, snake head and tiger head hitting hard, making an explosive sound.

The snake head raised high, while the tiger head took advantage of the situation to deform, directly shrinking into its neck.

The wheel inside the tiger body slid, and when it stretched out again, it had already changed from a beast head to a ramming head.

Although the ramming head was carved with tiger head patterns, it was integrated, with solid materials and was extremely hard.

The Bai Hu rushed over, stirring up a gust of wind.

Under Unlike Ning Zhuo's manipulation, the Fire Bamboo Snake dodged flexibly.

White light suddenly bloomed on the Bai Hu, shining on the Fire Bamboo Snake, actually making the snake skin transparent, revealing the latter's internal mechanism structure.

It could be seen that every length of the Fire Bamboo Snake's skeleton was connected by a huge round ball.

One side of the round ball was pitch black, and the other side was pure white. The pitch-black side had the word 'Death', while the white side had the word 'Life'.

Along with every movement of the Fire Bamboo Snake, many round balls would rotate and pause from time to time, some stopping on the pitch-black 'Death' side, others on the white 'Life' side.

When the round ball turned to the white 'Life' side, the joint would move freely. When the round ball turned to the black 'Death' side, the joint part would be locked accordingly.

What was even more wonderful was that the round balls and snake bones were all arranged with magic arrays, forming a tight whole.

"Interesting mechanism accessory..." Through the Bai Hu Power Ram, Zhou Zeshen saw this scene at close range, and immediately understood part of the reason why the Fire Bamboo Snake was so agile.

This round ball mechanism accessory was exactly the Half-Dead Half-Alive Bead.

Back then, Chen Cha felt guilty and, in order to compensate Unlike Ning Zhuo, gave all his savings to the latter.

The Half-Dead Half-Alive Bead was Chen Cha's original creation.

Besides this, there was also a collection of array formations called "Curved Snake Springing Array Collection," which was Chen Cha's opportunity in his early years.

Relying on these two items, plus his own mechanism attainments and occasional inspiration, Unlike Ning Zhuo finally created the Fire Bamboo Snake.

Snake and tiger clashed, making banging sounds, trees broke one after another, smoke and dust rolled in the battle group, and for a time, it was difficult for both sides to distinguish the winner.

Zhou Zeshen's ten fingers twitched, continuously stretching and flicking. His main energy was placed on manipulating the Bai Hu Power Ram.

The remaining energy was used on the Burrowing Rats.

The first wave of clashes was unfavorable, and the retreating Burrowing Rats did not return to Zhou Zeshen's side, but burrowed into the ground, sneaking all the way, touching toward where Unlike Ning Zhuo was located.

Although there were more Night Sky Bats in the sky and they had flight capabilities, they could charge at Unlike Ning Zhuo faster.

But Zhou Zeshen also wanted face.

He thought: Since Unlike Ning Zhuo deliberately held back in the air battle, he was embarrassed to seize this advantage that others deliberately gave him to make an issue of it.

Therefore, he chose the Burrowing Rats.

When the Burrowing Rats were ten zhang away from Unlike Ning Zhuo, they were discovered by the latter.

Unlike Ning Zhuo always maintained the spell, used for reconnaissance.

After discovering the Burrowing Rats, Unlike Ning Zhuo did not change his position, but took out new mechanism Fire-Explosion Monkeys to guard his body.

Seeing this scene, Zhou Zeshen's pupils shrank.

Unlike Ning Zhuo's manipulation ability was clearly a cut above his.

At this time, Unlike Ning Zhuo had to control the Fire Bamboo Snake while manipulating the first wave of five mechanism Fire-Explosion Monkeys, rushing toward Zhou Zeshen.

At the same time, he added five more mechanism Fire-Explosion Monkeys.

Under Unlike Ning Zhuo's command, the second wave of Fire-Explosion Monkeys was also agile and clever, just like real monkeys.

This was definitely something that couldn't be done on Zhou Zeshen's side.

His current limit of manipulation quantity was close to thirty.

But there were two prerequisites for this quantity. One was only counting Night Sky Bats or mechanism creations like Burrowing Rats that were simple to manipulate. The second was Zhou Zeshen taking pills like Spirit-Dividing Powder.

The Bai Hu Power Ram that Zhou Zeshen was manipulating now required more manipulation to exert its true power.

Just this one mechanism occupied the vast majority of Zhou Zeshen's attention. He also additionally manipulated three Burrowing Rats, and the only remaining bit of energy he had left, he had to reserve for casting spells himself at critical moments.

It could be said that Zhou Zeshen had already pushed his manipulation power under normal conditions to the maximum.

Yet his opponent, Unlike Ning Zhuo, took out five more mechanism Fire-Explosion Monkeys without changing his expression. Manipulating them was not forced at all.

If Zhou Zeshen wanted to improve his manipulation power, he would have to take medicine.

"Sure enough, Unlike Ning Zhuo's natural talent is in his brain."

"This allows him to have manipulation capabilities far exceeding others under normal conditions."

"What percentage of his strength is this current level? Eighty percent? Or ninety percent?"

Zhou Zeshen secretly pondered, continuously analyzing.

Unlike Ning Zhuo used five mechanism monkeys to protect himself, giving the Burrowing Rats no chance to take advantage. He also used the powerful mechanism Fire Bamboo Snake to block the opponent's Bai Hu Power Ram.

Finally, after seeing the five Fire-Explosion Monkeys surrounding him, Zhou Zeshen spat out a mouthful of turbid air, laughed loudly, and admitted defeat.

The spar ended, and the watching Ning family members discussed it one after another, talking with great relish about the mechanism creations and manipulation methods displayed in it.

What was discussed the most was Unlike Ning Zhuo's newly debuted Fire Bamboo Snake.

In front of everyone, Zhou Zeshen handed the Rivet Power-Shot Crossbow and the mechanism blueprints to Unlike Ning Zhuo.

Unlike Ning Zhuo added a lot of good feelings toward Zhou Zeshen.

He thought: "Zhou Zeshen proposed the spar, deliberately held back, and took the initiative to lose, which is to boost my prestige and give me a reputation."

"This is the real gift he gave."

"He knows that I have just risen and need a reputation. So, he didn't hesitate to damage his own face to facilitate this matter."

"This measure of character far exceeds the mundane."

Looking at Unlike Ning Zhuo, Zhou Zeshen observed his words and expressions, feeling that Unlike Ning Zhuo's attitude had become much more intimate.

He thought in his heart: "A battle full of passion is often no less than telling one's heart."

"Although this full-strength spar did not reach the level of telling one's heart, it was enough to show the sincere temperament of both sides."

"The only regret is that I didn't probe the upper limit of Unlike Ning Zhuo's conventional combat power."

"Unless I take pills like Spirit-Dividing Powder..."

But this was obviously impossible.

Once medicine was taken, it meant that the friendly nature of the spar was gone; it was an urgent fight, with a strong and urgent craving for victory.

Thinking of this, Zhou Zeshen was still somewhat unwilling.

He couldn't help but choose to probe with words, secretly transmitting his voice, deliberately provoking: "Brother Ning, this time I played casually and lost to you. But in the next spar, I will be slightly serious and use at least fifty percent of my strength."

Unlike Ning Zhuo's heart stirred: "Sure enough, Zhou Zeshen didn't even use half of his strength."

He smiled slightly and said frankly: "Brother Zhou has the interest, and I will try my best to accompany you. Next time, I will use more strength, with forty percent of my power as a guarantee."

Zhou Zeshen patted Unlike Ning Zhuo's shoulder and laughed loudly, "You..."

At the same time, he secretly slandered: "You can really brag!"

"Knowing that I am probing, so you use this method to put me off?"

"Hehe."

"Sure enough, I shouldn't have held any extravagant hopes—that I could probe your details with a simple sentence."

Zhou Zeshen felt that Unlike Ning Zhuo was the same type of person as him, and Unlike Ning Zhuo also felt that Zhou Zeshen had a certain tacit understanding with himself.

The two looked at each other and smiled, both feeling that the other was a smart person, and many things were tacitly understood between them.

Returning to the small courtyard, the group exchanged for a short while longer.

Zhou Zeshen took the opportunity to propose to Unlike Ning Zhuo: Please ask Unlike Ning Zhuo to take action to help the Zhou family's renovation team to impact the rankings in the Lava Xian Gong, striving to squeeze some cultivators from the City Lord's Mansion out of the top ten.

"Of course, if we can push all the way and exceed the entry standard, that would be the best!"

Unlike Ning Zhuo shook his head: "Brother Zhou's ambition is admirable."

"Exceed the entry standard?" Unlike Ning Zhuo sighed, "This is not something I can do. Please forgive me for being unable to agree; it is truly beyond my control, and it is difficult to get away."

Zhou Zeshen did not give up: "Brother Ning, why don't you listen to the conditions for help that our Zhou family has offered?"

Zhou Zeshen reported a long list of resources, making Ning Chen, Ning Yong, and others listen in a daze.

After reacting, the group's breathing became heavier, all attracted by this huge and generous reward.

Unlike Ning Zhuo, however, shook his head, wearing a smile, his attitude polite, gentle, and firm, and he never agreed.

Conversely, Unlike Ning Zhuo proposed a new cooperation: "The Lava Xian Gong is a mechanism inheritance, and we are all stuck at the peak of the third layer, only able to do some accumulation of mechanism arts."

"Since our three families are united, why not set up a joint academy specifically to teach mechanism arts?"

"The teachers of the academy will be invited from various mechanism cultivators."

"In my opinion, the guest Chu Xiyao recruited by your family is very suitable."

Hearing this, Zhou Zeshen rolled his eyes and thought in his heart: "Among the three families, the Ning family's mechanism attainments and the accumulation of mechanism cultivators are the weakest."

"If the joint academy is successful, it will be most beneficial to the Ning family."

"However, this is indeed a good proposal, and it will also be a good help to our Zhou family."

Thinking of this, Zhou Zeshen expressed that this proposal was very good, he appreciated it very much, and he also supported it very much. But this decision was not something he could make, and he had to return to the family to report.

Unlike Ning Zhuo expressed his agreement.

When leaving, Zhou Zeshen transmitted his voice to him, using a piece of intelligence to show goodwill: "The three family heads have almost discussed it, preparing to assemble the elites of the three families and explore the Xian Gong with full strength one more time."

"Striving to meet that mechanism ape and defeat it!"

"Many people speculate that the mechanism ape might be a challenge set up by the Three Sects' masters. After winning, it is very likely to receive a major reward from the Three Sects' masters."

"If we can really kill the mechanism ape, we can dig out its internal structure, and in the future, we can also target and restrain it."

Unlike Ning Zhuo was surprised: "There is such a thing? Thank you for telling me. I wonder when it will start?"

Zhou Zeshen: "It will start to be implemented in the last few days. Before exploring the Xian Gong with full strength, everyone will be summoned for a unified secret special training."

"Brother Ning, you might as well do more preparations."

Unlike Ning Zhuo revealed a grave expression, and nodded heavily with deep meaning: "Indeed, I must do more preparations!"