Chapter 732: The

The array that Pan Si Niangzi was to set up was called the "Rigidity and Flexibility Nurturing Garden."

This array was carefully selected by Ning Zhuo after considering Pan Si Niangzi’s abilities.

Its main materials were: Golden Silkworm Steel Cable and Nether Moon Water Essence.

The former was a metal rope forged from ten-thousand-year cold iron and red sun gold essence, tempered a thousand times by the mechanism pedestal.

The latter was an extremely soft, strange object produced from the depths of the Nine Nether Sea Eye, with a peculiar form—a slowly flowing, deep blue gel.

Pan Si Niangzi adjusted her state in advance and began to urge her life-bound demon fire to wrap around a mass of Golden Silkworm Steel Cable.

The Golden Silkworm Steel Cable was not easy to forge. Pan Si Niangzi burned it arduously for nearly half an hour before the surface of the cable began to melt slightly.

However, after the qualitative change occurred, the subsequent burning became easier; more and more of the cable melted, and the speed became faster and faster.

When the cable melted to the point where it could barely maintain its form, Pan Si Niangzi immediately began precise stretching to reshape it.

For a time, her ten fingers flew like phantoms, and while stretching and shaping, she also carved dense array patterns onto the cable.

The Golden Silkworm Steel Cable contained abundant Yang-Gold Qi, sharp as needles. Every time Pan Si Niangzi carved an array pattern, it would inevitably shoot out, piercing her fingertips, penetrating under the skin of her arms, and invading her meridians.

Pan Si Niangzi’s face gradually turned pale; her ten fingers and arms were pierced by the Yang-Gold Qi, constantly oozing beads of blood.

She gritted her teeth and persisted, refining mass after mass of Golden Silkworm Steel Cable.

When the final relief came, she straightened her body, let out a low roar, and poured all her magic power into embedding all the Golden Silkworm Steel Cables into the walls of this mechanism cabin.

Thump.

She knelt halfway on the ground, her face instantly turning deathly pale, sweat pouring down like rain, gasping weakly.

Swallowing elixirs and sitting cross-legged to regulate her breath, Pan Si Niangzi adjusted her state back.

Pan Si Niangzi carefully took out a mass of Nether Moon Water Essence. This object was extremely cold and could not be shaped by conventional methods.

Pan Si Niangzi first spat out her own spider silk, roughly setting up a temporary small array, then sat in the array, holding the Nether Moon Water Essence with both hands, and mobilized her spiritual sense.

Her spiritual sense pierced into the interior of the Nether Moon Water Essence, forcibly guiding its flow, constructing it step by step from the inside out, to obtain a new form that met the requirements.

The extreme Yin cold Qi of the Nether Moon Water Essence eroded along her spiritual sense, making Pan Si Niangzi’s spiritual sea feel like it had fallen into an ice prison, her soul body aching faintly.

Under her forced guidance, the Nether Moon Water Essence wove out sheets of Lesser Yin Spirit-Nurturing Talismans.

When Pan Si Niangzi finished processing the Nether Moon Water Essence, only half a cup of tea’s time had passed.

But Pan Si Niangzi’s mental consumption was immense; her eyes were tightly closed, blood droplets oozed from between her brows, and she collapsed to the ground, exhausted, her whole body almost soaked in sweat, waves of intense dizziness constantly striking, leaving her on the verge of fainting.

Processing the two major main materials was only the first step in setting up the array.

Next, she had to place several masses of Nether Moon Water Essence separately in the cabin to form the rigid-flexible array base.

She had to carve the Two-Yi Spirit-Turning Talisman onto the Yin-Yang dual-colored stone; this was the most critical hub rune.

She had to lay out the dry, withered wood into pipes to channel Yang fire, and also make the Yin Frost Stone into thin tubes to receive Yin Qi.

The biggest hurdle was the first time the array was activated, which required Pan Si Niangzi to act as a human array base, operating the Yin-Yang Guidance Technique, using her own meridians as a bridge to forcibly guide the violent Yin-Yang dual Qi to initially fuse!

Pan Si Niangzi’s breathing gradually adjusted, and she weakly sat up her upper body, racing against time to begin recuperation.

According to Ning Zhuo’s orders, she needed to do her utmost to build this Rigidity and Flexibility Nurturing Garden as soon as possible.

No choice, who told her she had already become Ning Zhuo’s slave.

With a powerful contract binding her, Pan Si Niangzi could only obey obediently.

However, compared to before, Pan Si Niangzi now had much more awe in her heart.

She had seen more of Ning Zhuo’s background: "Where I am now should be the mechanism magic treasure—the Ten Thousand Mile Wandering Dragon!"

"This object can be large or small, can rise or fall, can be arrogant or hidden... shuttling through the void as if walking on flat ground. It is at least a Nascent Soul-level treasure!"

Pan Si Niangzi remembered clearly that Ban Ji had once mentioned it casually, expressing envy and longing for the Ten Thousand Mile Wandering Dragon.

"That Ning Zhuo actually has such a magic treasure on him!"

"If Ban Ji knew about this, he would inevitably develop intense greed, making him even more determined to take action against Ning Zhuo."

Pan Si Niangzi had cooperated with Ban Ji many times and knew his character very well. For excellent mechanism creations, the latter would almost always go all out, not hesitating to use any means to get his hands on them.

"But how should I leak this secret?"

The reason Pan Si Niangzi obeyed Ning Zhuo was, first, the slave contract, and second, Ning Zhuo’s soul-searching ability was too strong, making her terrified and forcing her to bow her head.

But she didn’t want to be like this for the rest of her life.

She soon thought of inciting Ban Ji to deal with Ning Zhuo, creating chaos, and thereby winning a chance to regain her freedom.

"Be cautious, be careful!"

"I’ve already fallen once, I can’t be careless again!"

"Ning Zhuo’s personal strength is indeed not bad, but he is ultimately just a Foundation Establishment-stage junior. How could he possess and control such a heavy treasure? This is definitely not his own background!"

"The family behind him has extraordinary strength, actually handing a mechanism dragon to a junior in the family to carry."

Pan Si Niangzi’s eyes flashed with sharp light.

"Since even a Nascent Soul-level mechanism magic treasure can be bestowed, then there must be a protector by Ning Zhuo’s side."

"According to the grade of the mechanism dragon, this protector is at least a Golden Core-level powerhouse, and very likely possesses means to rival a Nascent Soul in a short time."

It is quite rare for a true Nascent Soul-level cultivator to protect someone personally.

In the cultivation world, great power is often concentrated in the individual.

Once a cultivator's cultivation reaches the Nascent Soul stage, they need to be supervised. Even for rogue cultivators, those with freedom of movement will be constantly watched and monitored by surrounding people and forces.

For righteous forces, if a Nascent Soul-level cultivator wants to enter or leave, they must communicate in advance and obtain permission or be invited before they can act. Otherwise, it will be regarded as spying, provocation, or even an attack.

This is a social tacit understanding formed over a long time.

In Pan Si Niangzi’s view, an excellent junior like Ning Zhuo, the hope of the family, must have a protective trump card.

Within the scope of this trump card, a Nascent Soul-level mechanism dragon is normal, but a Nascent Soul-level cultivator is abnormal.

Unless Ning Zhuo reported it to the Myriad Manifestations Sect in advance.

However, once reported, the Myriad Manifestations Sect, out of respect (caution) for Nascent Soul cultivators, would inevitably hold a banquet or invite them.

At least Ban Ji and Pan Si Niangzi did not detect such actions or traces.

Pan Si Niangzi dared not act rashly. "This powerhouse protecting Ning Zhuo is likely hiding in this Ten Thousand Mile Wandering Dragon as well. Perhaps he is meditating and monitoring me right next door."

Thinking of this, Pan Si Niangzi felt a chill down her spine.

When she set up the array, she dared not slack off in the slightest; her all-out effort was, on one hand, due to being controlled by Ning Zhuo, and on the other hand, a "special performance" under the gaze of an "expert in the dark."

"I need to be careful and more careful!"

"I must also perform actively with all my might, trying to paralyze Ning Zhuo and the expert in the dark, and then patiently wait for a good opportunity..."

She did not know that above her head, there was a hanging thread she could not see at all times.

One end of the thread was linked to her, and the other end went straight up, disappearing halfway, but actually connected to Ning Zhuo.

Divine Ability—Human Life Hanging Thread!

Ning Zhuo was naturally cautious, and this time putting Pan Si Niangzi into the mechanism dragon, he had of course made proper arrangements.

The divine ability he mastered, Human Life Hanging Thread, was the most reliable precaution. This divine ability allowed Ning Zhuo to check Pan Si Niangzi’s status at any time.

Through the solidity of the hanging thread, Ning Zhuo could "see" the loyalty of the target.

Obviously, Pan Si Niangzi’s was not high.

"But she is performing quite well." Ning Zhuo was on the stone platform, checking Pan Si Niangzi from time to time, and found that the latter was diligent and went all out, which surprised Ning Zhuo slightly.

Ning Zhuo’s thoughts shifted, and he soon understood.

"It seems she has chosen to endure."

"This is a smart person."

Ning Zhuo was too familiar with endurance and had too much say in it. He started enduring when he was two years old.

The struggle for the Lava Immortal Palace on Fire Persimmon Mountain, where Ning Zhuo became the biggest beneficiary, was the result of his ten-plus years of endurance, which could be described as remarkable.

Evil-Slaying Hall, stone platform within the array.

The old cultivator nodded slightly, appreciation showing in his eyes, stroking his beard and saying: "Second question: The sins of the world are intertwined. It is easy to cut off the branches and leaves, but difficult to break the roots."

"Some are even worse, hiding filth and dirt, using 'the law does not forbid' as a shield, and 'willing to hit and willing to suffer' as a blade, engaging in illegal businesses that nourish evil spirits and disrupt the order."

"This business is insidious and filthy, eroding the foundation of the human path, yet it is deeply rooted and involves a wide range. If you encounter this, how should you handle it?"

Ning Zhuo’s heart moved, and he immediately felt: the second question was more complex and introverted than the first. It was both a re-confirmation of the cultivator’s attitude toward evil and a test of the cultivator’s means.

"But I cannot show too many 'means', which is inconsistent with the 'young genius' I have shown outside."

"I should focus more on the display of attitude, which is the correct answer."

Ning Zhuo’s political attainments were far beyond his age and appearance, extremely mature. In Fire Persimmon Immortal City, even Zhu Xuanji had been deceived by him for a time, so deceiving these people was naturally a piece of cake.

Immediately, Ning Zhuo thought for a few breaths, then his lips sank, outlining a cold arc: "'The law does not forbid'? Evil thoughts are filthy soil! Where filthy soil grows, it needs to be plowed by thunder!"

"'Willing to hit and willing to suffer'? It’s just poisonous bait for jackals to lure foolish sheep into the trap! All such things are demonic obstacles and should be executed!"

"No matter how deep its roots go or how wide its connections are, once seen, we must cut its roots, burn its nest, and sever its pulse!"

"Even if there are thousands of threads, you should swing your sword and cut them! Such gangrenous sores, if you allow them for one day, you harm one more person. If you don't cut when you should, you will suffer from the chaos!"

Without business, there is no killing.

The high-level cultivators of the Evil-Slaying Hall heard Ning Zhuo’s answer, and many raised their eyebrows, feeling the youth’s sharpness and determination.

The old cultivator stroked his beard again, evaluating in his heart: "Although the means are lacking and the understanding is not deep, isn't this exactly what a young boy should look like?"

"Never condoning any sin, what a good youth."

"If everyone in this world thought this way, how could there be so many hidden evil businesses?"

"Even if most people thought this way, the world would be full of light, and the righteous path would flourish!"

"It’s a pity."

"People are often worldly, lacking only the spirit of youth and this 'naivety'!"

For a time, the old cultivator and others became more and more fond of Ning Zhuo, who showed "naivety."

Meanwhile.

Myriad Manifestations Sect main gate, Thousand Stove Peak.

Yu Heya led Sun Lingtong, lowering his cloud low-key, and said: "This is Thousand Stove Peak."

Sun Lingtong looked down at this mountain peak.

Unlike most immortal mountains shrouded in clouds and mist with craggy rocks, Thousand Stove Peak’s mountain body was relatively thick, the slope was gentle, and the mountain body was covered with countless caves chiseled out in dense layers.

The entrances to these caves varied in size, simple and rough, without the quiet elegance of immortal caves, but rather more like ordinary kiln caves. Outside the cave doors, dried spirit beast meat, dried spirit grain, and repaired magic tools and farm tools were often hung, full of the atmosphere of life.

Yu Heya sighed: "This is one of the largest gathering places for rogue cultivators in the sect. I also lived here for a period of time."

"We didn't come at the right time. Every mealtime, the mountain-protecting array on the mountain will be activated, and thousands of stove mouths will light up all over the mountain. Countless strands of spirit food cooking smoke will rise, and in half a moment, tens of thousands of portions of spirit food can be made."

"These spirit foods are too important for the bottom-level rogue cultivators. Three meals of spirit food every day can provide them with the cheapest and most stable supplies, helping them supplement their vitality and aid their cultivation, which is much more cost-effective than using spirit stones themselves."

Sun Lingtong recalled the intelligence and nodded slightly, secretly transmitting via spiritual sense: "I know, the mountain-protecting array of Thousand Stove Peak is mainly set up by Gan Douding, the main hall master of the Spirit Kitchen Hall, in coordination with many cultivators from the Heavy Array Peak."

"Its main function is to produce spirit food on a large scale at fixed times."

Yu Heya: "That’s right... come this way."

He led Sun Lingtong to a market.

On Thousand Stove Peak, spontaneous markets formed in several flatter mountain hollows or in front of larger caves. The items sold were mostly low-level elixirs, talismans, spirit plant seeds, second-hand magic tools, cooking insights, and even some ordinary household items.

The two walked through it.

The sounds of hawking, bargaining, and exchanging cultivation insights were endless, mixed with the clashing of pots and pans and the low cries of spirit beasts, noisy but full of vitality.

This was a huge "shantytown" built on an immortal mountain.

Yu Heya was in front, Sun Lingtong was behind, the two were silent, walking all the way. Passing through several narrow alleys that were becoming more and more deserted, they came to a dilapidated house.

Yu Heya pushed open a rotten small wooden door familiarly and entered the courtyard.

The courtyard was desolate, with no sign of human life.

Yu Heyue did not enter the inner room but jumped directly into the only dry well in the courtyard.