Chapter 746

Inside the martial arts magic array, Unlike Ning Zhuo fell into deep thought.

"Looking at Qing Huangzi's meaning, he wants to directly cancel the Cloud-Rising Trial and hand the inheritance to me."

"Although it can save trouble, what I actually obtain is much less than the previous plan."

"Without the Cloud-Rising Trial, there is no top spot. This is something I could have obtained originally."

He is already a stone tablet holder now; if he obtains the top spot three more times, he will be able to exchange for a higher-level token.

Since Unlike Ning Zhuo has already decided to act in a high-profile manner, he will not hesitate here.

"I must grasp every opportunity to obtain the top spot and strive to widen the gap with others!"

"And besides the top spot, I also need to pay attention to my reputation."

"Many people are already paying attention to me now; if this Cloud-Rising Trial is suddenly canceled, I'm afraid some people will spread rumors and slander me out of jealousy."

"That won't do!"

In the righteous path, a good reputation is very important.

Unlike Ning Zhuo is all too familiar with this point.

After thinking it through, Unlike Ning Zhuo began to write a reply.

Not long after, Qing Huangzi received the reply and immediately read it with his spiritual sense.

Respectfully to Senior Qing Huang:

The letter arrived, and I am both surprised and honored! Zhuo, a junior of late learning, a humble commoner, what virtue or ability do I have to be exceptionally favored by you, Senior, and entrusted with your mantle? Reading your brilliant words, every word is like gold and jade falling into my heart, every sentence like a great bell awakening my soul. You, Senior, observe the subtle and mistakenly praise Zhuo's foolish actions: your earnest expectations are warmer than the spring sun. As for mechanisms, they are not just the movement of muscles and bones, but truly the blade of investigating things, the bridge to the profound, and the physical form of the heart's intent! Zhuo has always loved this path, often sitting in a humble room, rubbing the mechanisms, forgetting to eat and sleep, yet still feeling that time is like lightning and the interest is endless. Now that I have heard of your Great Dao, Senior, it is like seeing the North Star in the dark night, like encountering sweet rain after a long drought!

Your entrustment, Senior, is heavier than ten thousand jun, and Zhuo hereby makes a vow in his heart: I will exhaust my wisdom, burn the midnight oil, and study this art meticulously! I will surely make the profound sounds and wonderful principles, in Zhuo's hands, not just inherited, but surely glorified and magnified! Your ambition, Senior, and that of your master, is Zhuo's lifelong ambition, and I will have no regrets even if I die nine times!

However, Zhuo has one request, and I hope you, Senior, will grant it: I still wish to participate in the Cloud-Rising Trial!

It is not that I dare to question your ability to judge people, Senior, nor is it that I have any luck or greed for false fame. My only concern is the two matters of "reputation after death" and "purity of the lineage."

The sect is vast, and there are many mouths. If Zhuo obtains the true inheritance directly without going through the trial, I fear it will arouse the suspicion of villains, saying that you, Senior, are engaging in private transfers and not following old rules; or even slander that your master's lineage inheritance is rash and lacks successors. With many mouths, three people can create a tiger; if it damages your pure reputation, Senior, and causes your master to be disgraced in the netherworld, Zhuo would not be able to shirk the blame even if I died ten thousand times!

Zhuo participating in the Cloud-Rising Trial also has two benefits.

First, use the trial as a whetstone to sharpen myself and verify what I have learned! In actual combat, I will realize the depth of your inheritance, Senior.

Second, use strength as clear evidence to announce to my fellow disciples! If Zhuo is lucky enough to win the top spot, then inheriting the mantle at that time will be justified, and public discussion will naturally cease! It can cut off the inappropriate thoughts of villains and stop the mouths of those who talk nonsense. Let the world know that your decision today, Senior, is not for private feelings, but truly because your eyes are like torches, and you are a Bo Le who recognizes a fine steed!

Zhuo bears your heavy entrustment, Senior, and has his own plans in his heart. Success or failure in the trial, for Zhuo, is not about honor or disgrace, but only about the Dao heart! If I win, I will be upright and magnify your name for recognizing people, Senior; if I lose, I will also be open and honest, showing the strictness of the inheritance in choosing its master!

I hope you, Senior, will fulfill Zhuo's foolish sincerity!

Writing in a hurry, I respectfully wish you peace in the Dao!

Junior Unlike Ning Zhuo bows and respectfully submits this.

Qing Huangzi read it three times with his spiritual sense before exhaling a long, trembling breath filled with complex emotions.

"Good—what a good Unlike Ning Zhuo! What a 'reputation after death' and 'purity of the lineage'!" His voice was hoarse, carrying an unexpected shock and a burning relief.

"The vision of this child, the firmness of his temperament, the distance of his thinking, and the grandeur of his spirit—are actually far beyond this old man's expectations!"

Qing Huangzi's gaze was sharp, piercing through the back of the paper, as if he saw the white-clad youth respectfully writing the reply. The youth's head was slightly large, sitting upright, his upper body as straight as a peak, his face full of solemnity, and his whole body full of righteousness!

"He is not arrogant about his talent, nor is he proud of his things! After getting this old man's promise, he actually has no trace of arrogance or slackness, but instead regards this opportunity as a heavy burden of ten thousand jun, thinking about its weight!"

"He does not avoid responsibility, and dares to take it on! He is not afraid of the dangers of the Cloud-Rising Trial at all, taking the initiative to ask for the task, willing to step into the fierce competition to prove himself! This is not for false fame, but truly for the sake of the pure reputation of this old man and my master after death!"

"What a youth!"

Qing Huangzi became more excited the more he thought about it, unable to help but stand up and pace back and forth in the small cave chamber, his steps showing a lightness that exceeded the ordinary.

"Such a unicorn child, how can I fail his painstaking efforts! How can I let his upright heart gather dust!"

"Since this is the case, I should give him a helping hand."

The next day, Green Bamboo Peak.

The area around the stone platform was already crowded with people.

"So many people have come." Jiang Xiaobian sighed, somewhat nervous.

"Qing Huangzi's Cloud-Rising Trial is different from most; he is selecting a successor." Zhang Dadan replied.

"No, just this point alone cannot attract so many people. There is only one reason—" Patch Sun shook his head, and just as he said this, the crowd around them was in a commotion.

"He's here, he's here!"

"Did I see it wrong?"

"No, no, it's Unlike Ning Zhuo!"

The onlookers shouted, and countless scorching and curious gazes were cast toward Unlike Ning Zhuo, who came riding on a cloud.

Unlike Ning Zhuo had already anticipated this situation; he smiled, lowered his cloud, and cupped his hands to the surroundings, fully displaying the demeanor of a great family's descendant.

The cultivators in the crowd returned the salute one after another.

Many people flattered Unlike Ning Zhuo: "Young Master Unlike Ning Zhuo, with you coming out this time, you will surely win the top spot!"

"It is our honor to see Young Master Unlike Ning Zhuo sweep away the enemies."

"Nothing will be an obstacle for you!"

Unlike Ning Zhuo keenly sensed the malice in these compliments, but the smile on his face became even richer, as if he knew nothing.

The crowd automatically cleared a path, allowing Unlike Ning Zhuo to calmly arrive under the stone platform.

Here, he saw many familiar faces.

"Everyone, we meet again." He took the initiative to greet Patch Sun, Chen San, Jiang Xiaobian, Zhang Dadan, A Huo, and others.

Unlike Ning Zhuo had once hosted these people for a banquet, so it could be considered a shallow friendship.

Everyone returned the salute one after another.

Some cultivators who were also participating in this Cloud-Rising Trial but had not accepted Unlike Ning Zhuo's banquet invitation last time felt regret in their hearts: if they had known this, they should have accepted, so they could have established a relationship with Unlike Ning Zhuo.

Patch Sun cupped his hands and hurriedly responded to Unlike Ning Zhuo, showing a different attitude than before, more humble and respectful.

Jiang Xiaobian pursed her lips tightly, even more nervous.

The others also felt pressure because of Unlike Ning Zhuo.

A Huo, on the other hand, had a look of defiance, shouting: even if Unlike Ning Zhuo is very strong, he will not admit defeat, and he will try his best to have a real contest with Unlike Ning Zhuo.

Unlike Ning Zhuo smiled and accepted such a challenge on the spot.

Qing Huangzi appeared and announced the content of the second round of the Cloud-Rising Trial on the spot.

On the stone platform, cultivators could only use sound control to manipulate many bamboo puppet figures to engage in a chaotic battle. And during this process, Qing Huangzi would personally take action, triggering different musical notes to cause interference with everyone's sound control.

When Qing Huangzi announced the rules, the whole place was silent.

Chen San, A Huo, and others listened with full attention, and when it ended, they couldn't help but look at each other, all sensing the excitement in each other.

The cultivators who had come specifically to watch immediately communicated with each other using spiritual sense.

"These rules are very unfavorable to Unlike Ning Zhuo."

"That's right, if I were a participant this time, I would definitely unite first and deal with Unlike Ning Zhuo together!"

"In Qing Huangzi's rules, there is no mention of forbidding teaming up, which is equivalent to letting Unlike Ning Zhuo face everyone else alone."

"Not necessarily. Maybe Unlike Ning Zhuo has already contacted other cultivators in advance and reached some kind of tacit understanding."

Qing Huangzi flew up and sat on a stone seat to one side.

He used a little force, stomped his foot, and activated the magic array; immediately, two barriers instantly enveloped the entire stone platform.

"Everyone, get on the stone platform." Qing Huangzi said in a low voice.

All the cultivators participating in this Cloud-Rising Trial stepped up and stood on the edge of the stone platform.

They leaned against the outer hemispherical barrier, facing the inner barrier.

Qing Huangzi said again: "Put in your bamboo puppet teams."

Unlike Ning Zhuo and the others did as they were told.

Soon, the stone platform was filled with hundreds of bamboo puppet figures.

These small mechanism puppets, because they were produced by each cultivator, all carried some personal style.

For example, Patch Sun's bamboo puppets looked tattered, as if various mechanism parts were randomly pieced together, and many joints were crooked. The bamboo puppet figures were arranged in several rows, sparse and scattered.

Or for example, Black Kite Chen San's bamboo puppets were significantly smaller, their movements very agile, carrying needle tubes and arm crossbows, with a sneaky temperament.

Jiang Xiaobian's bamboo puppets had strange forms, with beetle hard shells on their backs. Some had mantis-like arm blades, while others carried poisonous scorpion-like tail needles.

Iron Drum Zhang Dadan's bamboo puppets were only three in number, the largest in the whole place. The three bamboo puppets were wrapped in heavy armor from head to toe, tightly and securely, as if they were three miniature fortresses.

Fire Wick A Huo's bamboo puppets were either carrying strings of firecrackers or clay pots with fuses.

Unlike Ning Zhuo's bamboo puppet figures were the most eye-catching.

These figures were almost identical, their arrangement seemingly simple, but actually containing iron rules. Each bamboo puppet had smooth joints and a flawless body; when standing still, they looked like an elite army ready to go, their silence revealing a heart-palpitating sharpness.

Qing Huangzi sat on the main seat of the high platform, his expression as calm as an ancient well, with only a trace of hard-to-detect expectation jumping in the depths of his eyes.

"This Cloud-Rising Trial, begin!" As soon as his voice fell, the bamboo puppet figures on the stone platform almost all acted at once.

Their attack direction was consistent, their spearhead pointing directly at Unlike Ning Zhuo's bamboo puppet team!

"Charge! Charge for me!" A Huo shouted and struck a copper gong. His bamboo puppet figures rushed to the very front.

Zhang Dadan struck his waist drum, the three heavy-armored giant puppets moving slowly, bringing pressure, and steadily approaching Unlike Ning Zhuo's bamboo puppet phalanx.

Black Kite Chen San's eyes were sharp, constantly whistling to manipulate his bamboo puppet figures to leave the main force and detour from the left, wanting to sneak attack Unlike Ning Zhuo's team from the side.

Jiang Xiaobian blew a bamboo flute, emitting a sharp and eerie flute sound, making the insect bamboo puppets look like a sharp knife, united and stabbing forward.

The onlookers saw this scene, some whispering, worried for Unlike Ning Zhuo, while others were excited, feeling that they could watch a good show.

Others thought jealously: "If I could see Unlike Ning Zhuo fall here and be defeated in public, that would be great!"

Qing Huangzi couldn't help but look at Unlike Ning Zhuo, ready to trigger musical notes at any time to cause interference.

The Cloud-Rising Trial he planned naturally started from the rules, allowing himself to always maintain the sovereignty of control.

If Unlike Ning Zhuo didn't respond in time, then Qing Huangzi would explode musical notes, affecting the entire battle situation!

"If you can resist everyone's joint efforts with your own strength, then when I announce you as the top spot later, no one will have any objections!"

"The next part is a very good opportunity; if you can grasp it, you can recover some of the disadvantage."

"Come on, let me see your strength!"

Qing Huangzi held deep expectations for Unlike Ning Zhuo.

And the next moment, the temporary bamboo puppet coalition suddenly fell into chaos; many bamboo puppets became uncontrollable, some stopped moving forward, some ran around wildly, and some even fell apart on the spot.

"What's going on?" Patch Sun and others changed color one after another.

A sharp light flashed in Chen San's eyes, and he immediately understood the reason, so he immediately transmitted his thoughts.

At the same time, a cultivator shouted: "We are all using sound control, and we are all using the content of the 'Mother Tone Reed Book'. Various sounds are superimposed on each other, and once chaotic, internal friction is generated!"

The rest of the people understood instantly.

The onlookers followed and suddenly realized.

"So, this Cloud-Rising Trial is not just as simple as it looks on the surface; there is such a way."

"Of course, the Cloud-Rising Trial conceived by Huangzi to select a successor wouldn't be simple!"

"Hehe, if I were him, I would just hand the inheritance to Unlike Ning Zhuo directly; what else is there to compare?"

"But in that case, wouldn't we not be able to see such a good show?"

"Uh, that's true!"

The bamboo puppet coalition fell into internal strife, and the overall offensive stopped fiercely at this moment.

Unlike Ning Zhuo was expressionless; he waved his arm, and a magic treasure-grade guzheng appeared out of thin air.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the big-headed youth used only two fingers of his left hand to press on the strings.

He plucked it lightly.

"Keng!"

A sharp, short zheng sound exploded suddenly, as if a piece of metal was being forcibly torn apart.

Accompanied by this strong sound, Unlike Ning Zhuo's bamboo puppet team suddenly killed their way out!

Subsequently, Unlike Ning Zhuo's left hand fingers flew like butterflies, moving so fast that they left streaks of black shadows.

Bursts of extremely harsh and high-pitched noise swept across the whole place without warning!

The sudden zheng sound was like countless steel needles, directly piercing into the eardrums of all the cultivators present.

"What is this sound?"

"It's so unpleasant!"

"Uh—I'm going to vomit."

The noise was like fingernails scratching glass, extremely sharp, making people restless and uneasy.

Patch Sun and others were greatly affected, and the entire bamboo puppet coalition immediately fell into even greater chaos.

Unlike Ning Zhuo's bamboo puppet phalanx took advantage of the situation and inserted into it, sweeping across everything, unstoppable!

Fire Wick A Huo had taken the initiative to challenge Unlike Ning Zhuo before the trial, quite high-profile.

Unlike Ning Zhuo satisfied him first.

In just a few breaths of time, A Huo's bamboo puppet figures had already been eliminated by Unlike Ning Zhuo by seven or eight out of ten.

"No!" A Huo's eyes widened in anger, and he shouted in despair and unwillingness.