Chapter 195: Refining Mechanisms

In the secret room, the five Golden Core ancestors of the three families gathered together.

"The three-family alliance... lost." Zhou Nongying sighed.

Zheng Danlian looked at the Ning family ancestor.

The jade slip stated very clearly that the key to the failure of the three-family alliance's exploration of the Immortal Palace this time was that Ning Xiaohui actually engaged in internal strife in public!

The nature of this behavior was too vile.

The Ning family ancestor seemed completely unaware of this gaze: "Even if this battle was won, one could see the exploration difficulty of the Lava Immortal Palace."

"The route of soul-entering the Immortal Palace is not that easy."

This analysis spoke to the bottom of the others' hearts.

Even though they lost regretfully, it allowed the Golden Core ancestors of the three families to see the combat power improvement of Yuan Dasheng and Qi Bai.

In this battle, the materials of the two mechanism creations were clearly a grade better than before. Furthermore, they used a variety of novel mechanism parts. Self-destructing monkey mechanisms, Wind-Fire Wheels, mechanical ropes capturing Ning Xie, etc., all achieved clear combat results and cannot be underestimated.

The Golden Core ancestors of the three families naturally attributed such improvements to the Lava Immortal Palace and the special arrangements of the three sect masters.

They would never have thought that there was a mastermind behind the scenes controlling all of this!

"Even if the Qi Refining juniors of the three-family alliance reorganize and achieve good results, it is impossible to break through like bamboo."

"The route of soul-entering the Immortal Palace still has difficulty."

"Meng Chong possesses Immortal Talent, and the City Lord's Mansion's renovation team occupies the rankings. For our renovation team to defeat such an opponent... difficult!"

The Golden Core ancestors communicated secretly with spiritual sense for a while, gradually reaching a consensus.

That is: set off together, cooperate with Zhu Xuanji, go deep into the Fire Persimmon Mountain, and retrieve the Demon General mechanism!

From the perspective of the three families, they would rather see Zhu Xuanji finally obtain the Immortal Palace than Meng Kui.

If Meng Kui obtains the Immortal Palace, the Meng family will move into the Immortal City in large numbers, greatly squeezing the living space of the three families.

And giving it to Zhu Xuanji, once Zhu Xuanji finally wins, then the three families have merit to the royal family, which is inevitably more conducive to the stability of the three families' status in the Fire Persimmon Immortal City!

Zheng Shuanggou said: "Fellow Daoists, going deep into the volcano is to risk one's life."

"Before taking action, my clan urgently needs to forge that mechanism weapon!"

The other Golden Cores were slightly stunned, then nodded at the same time.

Early on, the Zheng family obtained a mechanism blueprint in the Lava Immortal Palace. According to the blueprint, the Zheng family spent a huge price to secretly refine a mechanism weapon.

This weapon is extremely powerful, and even before it was refined, it had already brought huge help to the Zheng family.

Previously, when the four Golden Cores of the Zheng family and Zhou family gambled, the Zheng family's twin immortals entered the Night Star Sky Silk Array and relied on the benefit of this weapon to successfully break the array.

The Zhou family's twin cultivators thus learned of this weapon.

The Zheng family took the initiative to trade Nine Yang Yellow Cow Paste, obtained the recognition of the Zhou family's twin cultivators, and the latter agreed to help the Zheng family complete the subsequent forging of the mechanism weapon.

But relying on the Zhou family's array arrangement means is not enough.

Afterwards, the Zheng family consciously approached the Ning family, hoping that the Ning family would provide powerful extreme cold quenching means to help refine this mechanism weapon.

The Zheng family and the Ning family therefore became very close, secretly exchanging many benefits.

For example, Zheng Jian obtained the Ice Heart Talisman, and Ning Xiaohui refined a ghost martial under the personal guidance of Zheng family cultivators.

Therefore, the Ning family ancestor also knew about this mechanism weapon and had seen the mechanism blueprint.

"If this thing is refined, it will indeed be very helpful!" Zhou Nongying had a deep impression of the mechanism weapon.

The Ning family ancestor frowned secretly.

To tell the truth, he did not want to see the Zheng family master such a powerful weapon.

In his dealings with the Zheng family Golden Cores, he aimed at this attempt of the Zheng family and fought for many benefits for the Ning family.

In the plan of the Ning family ancestor, he wanted to use this mechanism weapon to hang the Zheng family's appetite.

But now, with the exploration of Fire Persimmon Mountain imminent, the Ning family ancestor also felt a crisis. The Zheng family refining this thing is indeed helpful to ensure everyone's survival.

The Ning family ancestor frowned, shook his head and sighed, indicating that his use of extreme cold means would damage himself and greatly affect his combat power.

He was unwilling to assist in quenching before going deep into Fire Persimmon Mountain.

He was more willing to help the Zheng family after the Fire Persimmon Mountain trip.

Zheng Danlian and Zheng Shuanggou looked at each other, both seeing each other's determination.

The Ning family ancestor's shirk was also within their expectations.

This doesn't matter!

The Zheng family twin cultivators had their own methods to force the Ning family ancestor to submit.

This method is—Zhu Xuanji.

The Zheng family twin cultivators found Zhu Xuanji and indicated that they had changed their minds; to enter the Fire Persimmon Mountain, they had to refine a mechanism weapon.

And this mechanism weapon needs the Ning family ancestor's extreme cold means to act as quenching.

Zhu Xuanji heard this and immediately indicated his willingness to help. He soon found the Ning family ancestor. After a secret conversation, the Ning family ancestor had to agree under the pressure of the royal family.

Ning Zhuo came to the family head's mansion and met the Ning family head.

"Family branch line Ning Zhuo, pays respects to the Family Head!" Ning Zhuo bowed, the etiquette was no problem, but the tone was flat and distant.

The Ning family head, however, piled up a smile and beckoned to Ning Zhuo: "Come, Xiao Zhuo. Sit here. Don't stand."

Ning Zhuo was expressionless: "Family Head, if you have anything to say, please speak directly, I still have some black market affairs to deal with."

"Haha. I know, I know you are a busy person." The Ning family head laughed a few times, his tone gentle, "I invited you here this time, mainly because of Ning Xiaohui's matter."

"You also know..."

Ning Zhuo immediately interrupted: "Ning Xiaohui harmed me! Is the Family Head speaking for her?!"

"Not framing, not framing." The Ning family head denied repeatedly, "Everyone is family, how can there be framing?!"

"Ning Xiaohui is just too young, at the critical moment, she didn't bear the pressure and made a mistake."

The Ning family head finally emphasized: "It's a mistake, indeed a mistake!"

Ning Zhuo sneered: "If the Family Head thinks so, I have nothing to say."

"Just..."

"Do you really think so? Did you lie to yourself?"

"Do the elders of the Ning family all think so? Or do most people think so?"

The smile on the Ning family head's face became even heavier: "Therefore, I invited you, Xiao Zhuo, here this time, precisely to ask you to come forward and clarify this matter. All rewards are negotiable!"

Ning Zhuo was slightly stunned, then his eyes lit up: "Oh?"

A moment later, he left the family head's study with satisfaction.

After confirming that Ning Zhuo had left, the sound of smashing things suddenly rang out in the family head's study.

The sound lasted for a long time before gradually stopping.

Ning Zhuo secretly came to the underground base and secretly met Sun Lingtong.

Sun Lingtong was quite happy to see Ning Zhuo, jumped up, hugged Ning Zhuo's shoulder, and patted him hard.

"Brother, you're here!" 【1

Although the two had met many times within the Lava Immortal Palace, the number of times they had actually met in person recently could be counted on one hand.

Sun Lingtong spent his days in the underground secret base, seeing no outsiders, which had driven him nearly stir-crazy.

Seeing his dear little brother, Sun Lingtong was naturally exceptionally happy.

And what made him even happier was the two brothers taking stock of the greatest spoils of this battle—the ghost cultivator Ning Xie!

Ning Xie was covered in over a dozen talismans, pasted all over his body, sealing him tightly so he could not move a muscle.

"Boss, how should we deal with him? Do you have any good ideas?" Ning Zhuo asked.

Sun Lingtong shook his head: "If Qi Bai had the means to refine souls, I would have let it refine him."

"But now, its spirituality has dropped to fifty-six percent; it's simply impossible."

Sun Lingtong looked up and sighed.

Before the battle began, Sun Lingtong had risked opening Qi Bai's storage bag and used the Cremation Prajna Spirit-Unlocking Scripture to burn Qi Bai's personal items, helping the Nether Envoy, Qi Bai, regain a large amount of spirituality.

Its spirituality had once reached as high as ninety-two percent.

But after the great battle just now, Qi Bai's spirituality had fallen sharply, dropping to its current fifty-six percent.

Originally, Ning Xie possessed the natural talent of Snow Soul and Ice Spirit, and being a ghost cultivator, he was very suitable to be transformed into a ghost general.

The ghost general that Qi Bai had mastered during its lifetime had suppressed Ning Zhuo, leaving a deep impression on the latter.

But if the Nether Envoy, Qi Bai, were to regain the ability to refine souls, it would have to wait until it had passed the Spirit-Moving stage and developed rich spiritual intelligence before such a possibility existed.

That pace was just too slow!

Sun Lingtong hoped more to be able to use him right now to increase his own strength.

Ning Zhuo understood: "So, we refine him into a puppet component?"

"Mm-hmm!" Sun Lingtong nodded repeatedly.

The Ning family was not a major sect like the Soul-Devouring Sect or the Voidless Gate, so the marks on their family disciples were not enough to track down a killer.

This allowed Ning Zhuo and Sun Lingtong to dispose of their enemy, Ning Xie, as they pleased.

Without hesitation, the two opened the furnace and tossed Ning Xie inside.

Afterward, the two simultaneously channeled the Cremation Prajna Spirit-Unlocking Scripture, working together to ignite the furnace and grant Ning Xie true peace after death.

"Too hot, too hot." Sun Lingtong finished the refining and let the furnace cool down.

He used his small palms as fans, fanning his flushed, sweat-covered cheeks.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up; he took out the Nether Envoy, Qi Bai, and beckoned to Ning Zhuo: "Little Zhuo, come here."

In the battle not long ago, Qi Bai had wiped out many members of the modification team and had used the Soul-Devouring Technique multiple times.

"Boss, you go first!" Ning Zhuo walked quickly to Sun Lingtong's side.

Sun Lingtong stood on no ceremony, controlling Qi Bai to channel a large amount of soul essence into himself.

"Comfortable, so comfortable!" Sun Lingtong closed his eyes, unable to contain his joy.

"Little Zhuo, you come, you come." He absorbed half the soul essence and gave his spot to Ning Zhuo.

Afterward, Ning Zhuo also received the nourishment of the soul essence.

His soul foundation, already over a hundred times stronger, was taking big strides toward the two-hundred mark!

The two took all the soul essence and became full of energy.

The furnace cooled completely, and the two opened it to retrieve a puppet sphere the size of a millstone.

The surface of the sphere was a layer of glazed casing, and around the middle of the casing was a ring of blue strip-shaped crystals, like a blue belt.

At the top and bottom poles of the sphere's casing were circular blue crystals.

Inside the casing, white mist churned constantly, expanding and contracting by turns.

The puppet sphere floated in mid-air, emitting a faint chill.

Spirituality: thirty-six percent.

Puppet—Weather Sphere: Ice Crystal Snow!