The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit gradually began to understand the situation.
It disdainfully exhaled a mouthful of reddish-brown smoke, certain that what Ning Zhuo was doing was utterly futile.
However, just as it was about to raise a finger to stop Ning Zhuo, it reconsidered.
Suddenly, it thought watching this was quite amusing.
It was like playing with a little ant, raising its hand each time to block the ant’s path.
Each time the ant saw its path obstructed, it would turn and try another way.
Continuously blocking it in this way, the ant was forced to keep changing routes.
Isn’t that amusing?
Unaware he had become the "ant," Ning Zhuo felt enormous pressure bearing down on him.
"This must succeed."
"I absolutely have to erase my name!"
Ning Zhuo was well aware of the gravity of the situation.
Whether he lived or died would almost be determined by the success or failure of this endeavor!
Even if he survived, his outcome would surely be tragic.
To turn himself over to the Ning family? To confess everything to his clan?
Ning Zhuo didn’t even consider that option.
Given the Ning family’s values, if he confessed voluntarily, they would likely offer surface support but secretly suppress him.
Support? They’d only see him as a tool.
His future life would be utterly stifling, and all his gains in the Immortal Palace would be seized by the family.
Freedom? He shouldn’t even dream of it!
"What about seeking allegiance with the other three factions?"
Ning Zhuo shook his head to himself.
Aligning with them now was highly inadvisable.
Meng Chong, Zhou Zhu, and others had all been attacked covertly.
As an outsider with such impressive achievements, he would undoubtedly become a prime target for all the major powers.
His small frame couldn’t withstand it, absolutely couldn’t withstand it!
"My greatest advantage has always been my ability to keep a low profile, to stay hidden."
"But now, a simple leaderboard has exposed me, turning my efforts of more than ten years of concealment into nothing."
"I’m unwilling!"
With this overwhelming pressure and emotion, Ning Zhuo quickly assembled a crude catapult.
Aiming carefully and calculating the distance, he swiftly cut the rope.
In the next moment, a thousand-pound hammer was launched from the catapult’s stone basket.
Boom.
With a dull thud, the hammer smashed heavily into the stone pillar, precisely striking the spot bearing Ning Zhuo’s name.
Then, with another resounding crash, the thousand-pound hammer hit the ground, shattering the surrounding floor tiles.
Yet, on the stone pillar leaderboard, Ning Zhuo’s name remained completely unscathed, still as prominent and eye-catching as before!
Seeing this, Ning Zhuo’s heart sank.
He clenched his fists and stared at his name.
He had never anticipated facing a life-and-death crisis so soon, on just his second exploration of the Lava Immortal Palace!
If he wasn’t in his puppet body, he would already be drenched in sweat.
Negative emotions inevitably arose, spreading rapidly within him.
Ning Zhuo couldn’t help but recall his mother’s words on her deathbed.
"Mother told me to keep myself safe. If my life is in danger, it would be fine to abandon this Immortal Palace."
"Life is still the most important thing!"
"Maybe, I shouldn’t have let greed drive me to explore the Lava Immortal Palace."
Ning Zhuo shook his head abruptly, his gaze hardening.
"Heh, what’s wrong with me?"
"Even if I had another chance, I would still make the same choice!"
"With such an opportunity before me, if I don’t seize it, living so cowardly is no better than death."
"Calm down!"
"Even if exposure is the worst outcome, I accept it."
"Because this is my choice!"
Ning Zhuo quickly regained his composure, returning to a calm, collected state.
Now calmer, he soon had another idea.
"The leaderboard pillar is hard to destroy, but perhaps the Lava Immortal Palace itself provides a way to modify or disguise names?"
"In the preparation room, there are still many areas I haven’t explored."
Ning Zhuo began searching around.
He quickly skimmed over various work tables, mechanical assembly tools, and all sorts of mechanical platforms.
Some he recognized, but most were unfamiliar.
He reached the room’s exit and touched the portal, but there was no reaction.
"It seems the preparation room doesn’t offer any rewards."
Finally, his gaze fell upon the five stone pillars at the room's center.
He had tried rubbing off his name on the pillars before, to no effect.
But after some thought, Ning Zhuo figured the pillars couldn’t be that simple.
He attempted to infuse spiritual power into the stone pillar, and in the next moment, it emitted a thin ray of light that struck his chest.
The light left a seal on Ning Zhuo’s chest, fading after a few breaths.
"Trial Disciple?" Ning Zhuo saw the mark and felt it looked somewhat familiar.
Suddenly, he realized: the style of the seal was identical to the Buddha Heart Demon Seal!
"No wonder; my mother obtained the Buddha Heart Demon Seal from the Lava Immortal Palace."
The Lava Immortal Palace’s seal hadn’t disappeared; it had merely concealed itself.
Soon, subsequent messages flowed into Ning Zhuo’s mind.
"So, having a ranking on the leaderboard yields rewards every week. The rewards also depend on one’s specific rank. The higher the rank, the greater the reward."
"One week… when does it start counting?"
"The specific rewards aren’t stated either."
Ning Zhuo leaned against the stone pillar, looking up at his ranking, sighing inwardly.
"That’s not the issue here."
"I’d rather give up these rewards than have my name displayed."
For Ning Zhuo, the rewards were just icing on the cake.
But his name being exposed was nearly a death sentence!
"I must get off the board, get off the board!"
"What should I do?"
"I don’t want my name displayed there."
Despite racking his brains, Ning Zhuo couldn’t think of a solution.
However, his intense contemplation brought forth a vague yet familiar sensation.
"This sensation…"
"Could it be the Buddha Heart Demon Seal?!"
In that instant, Ning Zhuo felt like a drowning man clutching at a lifeline.
Whether it worked or not, it was his only hope.
Immediately, he focused his mind, banishing all distractions, concentrating entirely on sensing the Buddha Heart Demon Seal.
In Fire Persimmon Immortal City.
Ning Zhuo’s physical body lay in bed, no different from someone in normal sleep.
But in his Upper Dantian’s Divine Sea, the towering Buddha Heart Demon Seal began to glow.
Its radiance intensified, and from his physical body, along the Life-Hanging Thread, it transmitted into Ning Zhuo’s soul.
Ning Zhuo’s soul, housed within the puppet, was in contact with the five stone pillars.
Through this transmission, the Buddha Heart Demon Seal’s influence extended to the five stone pillars.
Ning Zhuo: "It’s working, it’s really working!!!"
Driven by Ning Zhuo’s strong desire, his name actually began to sink downwards.
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit had been watching Ning Zhuo all along.
Watching him struggle to erase his name, then fall into deep thought, amused it greatly.
It lay on its throne, eyes piercing through space, thoroughly entertained.
The next moment, its body went rigid, and its eyes flashed with blinding red light.
It had sensed the Buddha Heart Demon Seal!
Overwhelmed with excitement, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit shot up, leaping into the air.
Roar!
It let out a thunderous roar, an incredible sound from its tiny frame.
The entire Lava Immortal Palace shone with dazzling light once again!
At the summit of Fire Persimmon Mountain, a massive pillar of light shot skyward, with hundreds upon hundreds of rays piercing the heavens.
The entire Immortal Palace trembled unceasingly, the magma churning violently, and thick smoke billowed in all directions.
The City Lord of Fire Persimmon City, who had been keeping watch, was jolted awake.
He hurriedly took action to suppress the eruption of Fire Persimmon Mountain.
"What’s happening?!"
He wondered filled with confusion.