Ning Zhuo felt a pressing urgency.
He had no way of knowing when the next competitor would be drawn in, entering the Lava Immortal Palace to face the trial.
It could happen any moment, with Meng Chong potentially entering the palace and clearing all the obstacles to reach the preparation chamber, where Ning Zhuo’s name would be discovered.
"After all, the opponent possesses supreme Immortal Talent!"
"Is there any method that could make my soul’s foundation double in a short time?"
With a frown, Ning Zhuo opened several drawers.
The drawers were filled with jade slips, each labeled with a simple annotation.
Ning Zhuo sifted through them and extracted one, pressing it against his brow.
Drawing his divine sense from the Upper Dantian Divine Sea, he probed the jade slip, browsing the information within.
Since he had started earning spirit stones, he had cultivated a habit of collecting intelligence, one that had persisted for over a decade.
It was thanks to this intelligence that he had come to understand Fire Persimmon Immortal City better.
Without it, how could a qi refining stage cultivator like him learn about the affairs of golden core and nascent soul cultivators?
Although much of the intelligence only skimmed the surface, Ning Zhuo’s unwavering collection and cross-referencing of events over the years had given him deep insight.
He sifted through several jade slips, searching specifically for information related to the soul.
Eleven years ago:
A demonic cultivator named Hua Qianhun had arrived outside Fire Persimmon Immortal City.
She planted flowers in a nearby valley, causing a flower sea to spread across the mountains, sparking rumors of a miraculous flower appearing.
Many were drawn to this sight, only to have their souls extracted, becoming fertilizer for the flowers.
Eventually, a unique flower called the Soul Essence Flower did emerge, which Hua Qianhun immediately harvested before swiftly fleeing.
Eight years ago:
News about the appearance of the Seven-Star Lamp circulated widely within the cultivation world, and Fire Persimmon Immortal City also learned of it.
This lamp was created by Kong Riyue, a famed advisor of the Green Mountain Kingdom.
Hoping to defy fate, he crafted this lamp to replace part of the soul with a heavenly soul using the power of starlight.
Ultimately, his scheme was thwarted by a traitor from the Tyrant Kingdom, causing his plan to fail at the last moment.
The appearance of the Seven-Star Lamp caused upheaval in multiple kingdoms, with countless cultivators vying for it, nearly inciting a war between Green Mountain and the Tyrant Kingdom.
Five years ago:
A golden core stage cultivator from the Sacred Ape Sect roamed the world and arrived in Fire Persimmon Immortal City.
During his stay, he made an error in his cultivation, went mad, and his soul fused with his spirit beast, the Fiery Heart Ape.
This incident brought considerable damage to Fire Persimmon Immortal City, and several golden core cultivators joined forces to finally put him down.
Four years ago:
The foothills of Fire Persimmon Immortal City’s mountain became engulfed in ghost fires, leading to a frenzy as people sought to collect them.
Three years ago:
Seven hundred miles from Fire Persimmon Immortal City, a barren mountain and a valley of death revealed a Yellow Spring, drawing many cultivators into a fierce contest.
Two years ago:
A Nine Nether Death Cat appeared near Fire Persimmon Immortal City.
The city lord personally took action, battling it for three days and nights before driving it away.
The aftermath affected hundreds of miles of forest, shrouding many mountains in deathly energy and bringing forth the wandering ghosts of the night.
Fire Persimmon Immortal City was also affected.
The city lord ordered a large force of cultivators to leave the city and cleanse the area, restoring the mountains and rivers.
Emergency funds were allocated by the Southern Bean Court, distributing vast resources to revive the natural vitality of the surrounding lands.
One year ago:
Master alchemist Sun Lie visited Fire Persimmon Immortal City as a guest.
At the request of the Zhou family, he used the soul and blood essence of a phoenix species bird to refine the Phoenix Soul Blood Fragrance Pill.
On the day of its completion, the cry of a phoenix resonated throughout the city for three days, creating a wondrous sight.
Eighteen pills were produced.
The Zhou family received twelve, while the remaining six sparked intense competition among the cultivators, resulting in one death and three injuries.
The culprit, Han Ming, remains at large…
"Phoenix Soul Blood Fragrance Pill," Ning Zhuo’s eyes glinted with a sharp light.
He was familiar with this pill.
Its deep red color, fragrant aroma, and potent soul-nourishing and revitalizing effects were well-known.
Ning Zhuo took out a token and tossed it into the air.
The token disintegrated, swiftly transforming into a set of armor—the Azure Iron Armor.
Following the assault on the Immortal Palace, the armor had sustained considerable damage, especially on the back.
A more significant impairment lay in its core, with the Foundation Establishment Pill, a critical component of the mechanism, now down to only ten percent.
"There’s no choice. I must take action!"
Ning Zhuo climbed into the Azure Iron Armor, bent down, and propped himself up with a cane.
After a flash of light and shadow, the armor's faceplate transformed, taking on the appearance of an elderly man, face weathered, eyes sunken and dark with deep wrinkles.
A tattered leather cloak draped over his shoulders, and the Dangling Death Whip unraveled, disguising itself as hair that draped down to his feet.
The Mysterious Puppet Master had returned.
Standing in the corner, Ning Zhuo activated the teleportation array.
The next moment, he was deep underground.
He exited the teleportation chamber, passing a massive pill furnace used for cremation, his hunched figure slowly disappearing into the shadowy underground passage.
Fire Persimmon Immortal City, Black Market.
In the courtyard, a cultivator knelt on the ground.
His body trembled, his face battered and bruised, and his expression was one of fear and desperation as he begged, "Boss Sun, I swear I’ll pay back the money. I’ll definitely pay! You have to believe me, I…"
Thud.
The next moment, a flash of a blade severed one of the kneeling cultivator’s arms.
"Ah—!"
The cultivator was stunned for a second before he began to scream in agony, his cries piercing.
He clutched his severed arm, writhing on the ground in intense pain, rolling about in a rapidly expanding pool of blood.
Boss Sun grinned, savoring the scene.
He had jet-black short hair, a chubby face with two rosy patches on his cheeks, giving him a rather adorable appearance.
His large eyes were clear and bright.
With smooth, tender skin and a small frame, he appeared no more than a child of three or four years.
All of this was because he had accidentally ingested a Youth Retention Pill as a baby, leading him to cultivate a particular technique.
Boss Sun was a foundation establishment stage cultivator, fully named Sun Lingtong.
With a disdainful sneer, Sun Lingtong said, "You still dare to deceive me? I’ve ruled the Black Market for so long relying on these eyes. I can see people clearly, so do you really think you can fool my spirit eyes?"
As he spoke, he twirled a dagger between his nimble fingers.
The dagger was exceedingly sharp, flashing through Sun Lingtong’s agile fingers and wrist like a butterfly unfurling its wings in the moonlight.
At that moment, a cultivator approached respectfully, whispering something in Sun Lingtong’s ear.
Sun Lingtong’s smile vanished, replaced by a chilling gleam in his eyes.
"Get things cleaned up. A distinguished guest is arriving." Sun Lingtong waved, and immediately two burly body cultivators with fierce expressions ran over.
One twisted the kneeling cultivator’s neck, hauling away the corpse, while the other used a technique to clean the courtyard.
Moments later, the Mysterious Puppet Master was led into the courtyard.
Sun Lingtong spread his arms wide, a big smile on his face as he walked towards the Mysterious Puppet Master, "Brother, what wind has blown you here?"
The Mysterious Puppet Master’s voice was hoarse, his expression indifferent, "Boss Sun, this time, I do have a request."
"I intend to make a move on Sun Lie."
Sun Lingtong’s pupils shrank sharply.