Chapter 199: How the Righteous Ning Zhuo Uses the Flesh and Blood of His Kin (Please vote for this chapter)

For the past few days, Ning Zhuo had been conceptualizing a brand-new mechanical body for Yuan Dasheng.

The Tree Martial Ape he had previously designed and forged had been completely written off after the battle with Qi Bai.

The Golden Blood Battle Ape was suitable for use within the Lava Immortal Palace, but it was not appropriate for use outside. The main issue was that when facing Golden Core cultivators, the material specifications were far too lacking.

Of course, the Lava Immortal Palace provided many opportunities. The Golden Blood Battle Ape would be upgraded in the future.

The three checkpoints following the second Buddhist gate already provided higher-spec materials specifically for processing the Golden Blood Battle Ape.

During the previous joint operation of the three factions, the Golden Blood Battle Ape, Dasheng, had displayed great might on the foundation of material replacements and improvements.

"When it comes to potential, it is clear that the Golden Blood Battle Ape has far more."

Ning Zhuo still had not figured out the design of the Golden Blood Battle Ape. Even the materials used for the Golden Blood Battle Ape's chassis were something Ning Zhuo had not fully grasped.

The Golden Blood Battle Ape originated from the Golden Furnace; the three sect masters, being Void Refinement-level mighty figures, had only placed eight of them within the Lava Immortal Palace.

Of course, Ning Zhuo did not know about the Golden Furnace.

After he came into contact with and attempted to analyze it, he confirmed that the Golden Blood Battle Ape produced by the Lava Immortal Palace was indeed extraordinary.

"Even if I still don't understand its structure in the future, I only need to replace its chassis materials one by one to allow the combat power of the Golden Blood Battle Ape, Dasheng, to soar."

The Tree Martial Ape, Dasheng, was strong due to its materials. At the time, because of Zheng Jian, the material grade was far higher than that of the Golden Blood Battle Ape.

However, in terms of design philosophy, it had nothing unique, and its ingenuity was nothing to write home about. There was another problem—the mechanical blueprints for the Tree Martial Ape had already been leaked.

Zheng Jian knew this very clearly.

Of course, this was also because the blueprints themselves were not of high value, which was why Ning Zhuo had brought them out at the time to deepen his relationship with Zheng Jian.

Ning Zhuo wanted to emulate the example of the Tree Martial Ape and repeat such a success.

He wanted to forge a mechanical ape with Golden Core-level combat power to ensure his own safety.

Especially given the current situation, with a large number of unfamiliar cultivators flooding into Fire Persimmon Immortal City, and Ning Zhuo having become the person in control of the black market, he was, to some extent, at the center of the storm, so he urgently needed Golden Core-level combat power.

Qi Bai was actually a Golden Core-level combatant.

His Golden Core was hidden within the mechanical puppet known as the Nether Envoy, providing it with power and the like.

The materials of the Nether Envoy, Qi Bai, also needed to be replaced. Forcibly driving out Golden Core-level power meant the puppet's own material could not withstand it, and it would likely collapse on its own.

But because Qi Bai's spirituality had not yet reached ten percent—and even if it did, he would still have to find a way to pass through the Spirit-Moving stage—it was not Ning Zhuo's first choice.

Ning Xie had possessed the natural talent of Snow Soul Ice Spirit during his lifetime and had been forged into the Weather Ball, Ice Crystal Snow.

Its material was relatively good and could be upgraded and replaced.

Although its spirituality was low, it was a member of the Ning family; one could collect his relics from his lifetime to supplement his spirituality, and there was a high hope of achieving a ten-percent qualitative change and advancing to the Spirit-Moving stage.

But Ning Xie was only at the Foundation Establishment stage during his lifetime, and the mechanical structure of the Weather Ball, Ice Crystal Snow, was very different from what he had been in life. Relying on the material to exert Golden Core combat power was not impossible, but it was unlikely.

After careful consideration, Ning Zhuo determined that Yuan Dasheng was his best choice.

Yuan Dasheng's spirituality did not need to be supplemented, and he had already passed the Spirit-Moving stage.

He had been a quasi-Golden Core-level combatant in his lifetime. His combat style, which excelled in close-quarters fighting, allowed him to better utilize the advantages of the materials.

The most important point—his prosthetic bones were firm as gold, which was an Immortal Talent!

"Yuan Dasheng mastered the Demonic Dyeing Blood Tendon Art during his lifetime, and at a high level."

"He became a mechanical creation, yet he can still operate the Demonic Dyeing Blood Tendon Art, just as Qi Bai can still use the Nine-Turn Soul-Devouring Art."

Executing the Demonic Dyeing Blood Tendon Art requires essence blood.

Therefore, Ning Zhuo intended to properly forge the two mechanical components: the Blood-Transforming Pool and the Blood-Oil Bottle.

And on this point, Ning Zhuo suddenly thought of himself, thereby triggering an inspiration.

Ning Zhuo once again quietly contacted Sun Lingtong.

Ning Zhuo: "The Blood-Transforming Pool consumes the bodies of other lives, transforming them into essence blood, which ultimately becomes the source power for Yuan Dasheng."

"Yuan Dasheng can use the flesh and blood of others to refine essence blood for his own use. So, why can't he use my flesh and blood?"

"He himself has mastered the Demonic Dyeing Blood Tendon Art, and if he uses my flesh and blood, wouldn't the essence blood refined from it be mine?"

"When the time comes, if I have him infuse the essence blood back into me, wouldn't that be a shortcut for cultivation?"

Sun Lingtong nodded: "Little Zhuo, there is no problem with this line of thinking, but are you sure you want to do this?"

"You will have to constantly cut your flesh and let your blood."

Ning Zhuo revealed a resolute expression: "As long as I can cultivate faster, what do these pains and hardships amount to?"

"Boss Sun, do you remember when I was a child, how you constantly hit me with iron rods, steel whips, and the like to train me to adapt to pain?"

"Thanks to your special training, I have never feared pain since!"

"Nowadays, I am merely cutting my flesh and letting my blood; I will just treat it as revisiting the special training from my childhood."

Upon hearing this, Sun Lingtong's heart trembled slightly. He laughed heartily and patted Ning Zhuo on the shoulder: "Good lad, it was not in vain that I painstakingly cultivated you back then."

Sun Lingtong was very gratified.

As someone from an evil faction, he liked to take risks and admired the strong.

Ning Zhuo's display of a powerful temperament made him admire him greatly.

"A real man should be like this: dare to fight and work hard, be ruthless to others, and even more ruthless to himself!"

"Whatever you need me to help you with, just say it."

Ning Zhuo then said: "Boss, I will give you the mechanical blueprints, and you help me forge a mechanical ape, equipped with the Blood-Transforming Pool, Blood-Oil Bottle, and so on."

"My time here is too tight, and I am widely watched, so it is not very convenient!"

"No problem!" Sun Lingtong patted his chest and gave his word.

Thanks to Ning Zhuo sharing the mechanical classics his mother left him with Sun Lingtong a long time ago.

Although Sun Lingtong did not have much mechanical talent, he could not withstand the hard work and careful study of the past ten years, and the mechanical attainments he had accumulated were completely sufficient.

In just two days, Sun Lingtong had forged the mechanical ape.

Ning Zhuo took it away secretly to use for himself.

Deep within the floating clouds, he extracted Yuan Dasheng's spirituality and used it on the mechanical ape.

Then, Ning Zhuo took out a sharp dagger, first letting his own blood, and then cutting the flesh on his arms, thighs, and stomach.

Bursts of intense pain constantly assaulted his body and mind, yet Ning Zhuo did not make a sound, only furrowing his brows, his face turning slightly pale.

Yuan Dasheng did not fail the task, using the ninth layer of the Demonic Dyeing Blood Tendon Art to refine the flesh and blood and obtain essence blood.

Ning Zhuo received the essence blood infusion, and his Essence Sea cultivation progressed by leaps and bounds!

Three days later.

Ning Zhuo came to the underground base, met Sun Lingtong, and reported the good news to the latter.

Sun Lingtong was astonished: "Little Zhuo, I know your previous Essence Sea cultivation. How did you cultivate to the peak of the sixth layer so quickly?"

"Although you let blood and cut flesh to supply Yuan Dasheng, you still have to heal your wounds. Wounds also take time to heal."

Ning Zhuo then laughed: "Boss, after I cut myself a few times, I suddenly realized and thought of a better way."

"I discovered that just cutting my own flesh, while I still have to heal myself, greatly drags down the speed of cultivation."

"Why don't I ask my clansmen for help?"

Sun Lingtong: "?!"

Ning Zhuo then explained how he operated.

Many of the Ning family clansmen have cultivation, and the vast majority are at the Qi Refining stage.

It is very difficult for these people to make a living in the Immortal City; they can only engage in bottom-level labor, and the pay is very low. For example, weeding, blacksmithing, stoking fires, preliminary processing of medicinal materials, and so on.

Therefore, the vast majority of Ning family clansmen tend to rely on the family and work in family industries.

But the scale of family industries is limited, and the number of positions is fixed.

Most of the Ning family clansmen have limited cultivation and can only engage in bottom-level labor.

Ning Zhuo knew this situation and ordered the Foundation Establishment cultivators under his command to screen out some of the poorer clansmen and arrange for them to offer essence blood.

And as a reward, Ning Zhuo would give each of them a sum of spirit stones after each blood draw and flesh cut.

Ning Zhuo said: "I have calculated this account."

"Although they are injured, they have received a sum of spirit stones. They use these spirit stones to purchase the cheapest medicine to heal their wounds, and they still have more than half left over."

"They are making money!"

"Therefore, once this matter was implemented, it was widely welcomed. Many clansmen who were not selected by us also took the initiative to sign up."

It was precisely by relying on so much flesh and blood that Yuan Dasheng cultivated the blood power of the ninth layer of the Demonic Dyeing Blood Tendon Art.

In the process of back-infusing Ning Zhuo, this blood power would be purified by Ning Zhuo, leaving behind what fit his constitution, while the rest would be passed back to Yuan Dasheng as his backup source energy.

"With this method, my cultivation problem in the Essence Sea has been solved. Hahaha." Ning Zhuo was very happy.

Sun Lingtong was the person he trusted most.

He had breakthroughs and progress, so he immediately brought them out to share with Sun Lingtong.

However, what Sun Lingtong said next was a bit ungrateful.

He frowned and thought for a moment, then suddenly said with realization: "Doesn't this method of yours still utilize your kin? Treating them as materials for cultivation. In essence, there is no difference from those demonic practices."

Ning Zhuo:...

"Cough, cough, cough!" He coughed violently a few times, "Boss, you can't put it that way."

"I am helping the clansmen, giving them work. Their income has increased because of me."

"You haven't seen it; every time they receive the spirit stones, a sincere smile appears on their faces."

"When I see their smiles, my heart feels warm too."

Ning Zhuo emphasized: "I help them solve their livelihood and improve their standard of living."

"And with their help, my cultivation has accelerated, and I have achieved higher results. This is a mutually beneficial good thing, a win-win, a successful model of righteous cooperation!"

After a pause, he added: "I am fundamentally different from those demonic paths!"

"They are cruel and cold-blooded, and for their own selfish interests, they do not hesitate to attack their own kin. Such people are too terrifying!"

"And my clansmen are all volunteers."

"Our cooperation does not harm their lives at all!"

"Although it will cause them to be injured, these injuries will heal after taking some medicine and waiting for a period of time."

"After they recover, they can cooperate with me more times..."

Sun Lingtong clapped his hands: "I see."

"Those demonic paths slaughtering their kin is a one-off deal. And you, my little brother, you are planning to let the water flow long and continuously obtain flesh and blood."

"Cough, cough, cough!" Ning Zhuo coughed violently again.

"Boss, I can't talk to you anymore."

"I am righteous!"

"Righteous!!"

Sun Lingtong spread his hands: "Fine, say whatever you want."

Ning Zhuo sighed and said sincerely and earnestly: "Boss, you can't be like this. Although you come from a major evil sect, you must also broaden your horizons, open your heart, and not always look at things so darkly."

"You have known me for more than ten years; tell me, am I that kind of person?!"

Sun Lingtong:...