The puppet Ning Zhuo ultimately did not encounter the mechanical ape, Yuan Dasheng.
When he arrived at Room Seven, he found the disassembled parts of the mechanical ape lying on the ground, being transported away by a glowing ring.
This was part of the Lava Immortal Palace's cleaning mechanism.
The ring could not only transport rewards but also clear away debris.
Having observed this phenomenon before, Ning Zhuo wasn't surprised.
Upon inspecting the monitoring mechanism, he discovered that the mechanical ape had been defeated due to a lack of spiritual power.
"Its physique is too massive. Just maintaining itself consumes a great deal of spiritual power."
"It chose spirit stones as rewards along the way, but it still couldn’t sustain itself and was ultimately overwhelmed by the drain."
"Of course, this also has to do with the many traps I installed in Rooms One through Nine."
Ning Zhuo felt heavy-hearted.
Yuan Dasheng's strength had significantly disrupted his plans, and this disruption carried a negative impact that could very well lead to Ning Zhuo’s downfall!
"This is only Yuan Dasheng's first attempt, and he already reached Room Seven."
"Next time, he’ll be even more familiar with the layout."
"Though he still has a weakness in spiritual power consumption, once he makes it through seven days, he’ll be able to claim leaderboard rewards."
"By then, with abundant spiritual power, he might blast through all the way to surpass me."
This realization weighed heavily on Ning Zhuo.
Lost in thought, he passed through Room Nine and arrived once more in the central hall.
A series of mechanical sounds filled the air as stone walls descended, revealing three portals marked with symbols of the Buddha, the Dao, and the Demon.
Previously, Ning Zhuo had entered the Dao Gate, only to find the trials exceedingly difficult.
While not entirely hopeless, the time and energy required were immense.
After careful thought, he decided to master his newly acquired techniques first.
Based on his understanding of the Lava Immortal Palace and the Three Sects, these two techniques would undoubtedly prove useful!
As the saying goes, "Sharpening the axe won’t hinder the work."
This time, Ning Zhuo approached the Demon Gate.
He stretched out both hands, pressing his palms against the portal, and silently activated the Demonic Blood Vein Technique.
With the technique in motion, streams of blood energy were soon drawn from the portal.
The crimson blood energy flowed along his arms, filling Ning Zhuo’s entire body, gradually forming a blood essence within his puppet body.
This was the condensed essence of blood power!
Once he absorbed the blood essence, he could no longer draw blood energy from the portal, but he found that the Demon Gate could now be pushed open.
Entering the Demon Gate, he discovered a room filled with numerous traps, with many martial puppets wandering within.
After observing for a moment, Ning Zhuo drew a preliminary conclusion: "The difficulty here seems similar to the Dao Gate.
Each of these martial puppets exudes a strong blood energy—could they also possess blood essence?"
"Does this mean they can also use the Demonic Blood Vein Technique?"
Ning Zhuo attempted to advance through the trial.
Demonic Blood Vein Technique!
He activated the technique, and his blood energy condensed into intricate membranes that distributed across his entire body, concentrating especially around his joints.
With the support of the blood energy membranes, Ning Zhuo's speed in running, jumping, and dodging increased dramatically.
Not only his speed, but his strength and defense also received a considerable boost.
Although the traps were triggered, they posed little threat to Ning Zhuo.
The real trouble, however, came from the approaching martial puppets.
Ning Zhuo’s earlier suspicions were confirmed.
These martial puppets could indeed use the Demonic Blood Vein Technique! Enhanced by the demonic technique, the puppets' threat levels surged, becoming much harder to handle.
Midway through the trial, Ning Zhuo found himself surrounded by three martial puppets.
The martial puppets, using their blood energy, struck at Ning Zhuo.
His puppet body was soon encased in their blood energy membranes.
As soon as these blood energy membranes formed, they began to severely disrupt Ning Zhuo's every movement.
He had to rely on spells and the flying mechanical arms to fend them off.
After a brief struggle, he could no longer hold out, his entire body enveloped in blood energy, with countless blood energy membranes sealing him completely.
The three martial puppets struck in unison, finally shattering Ning Zhuo’s puppet form, scattering parts all over the floor.
"So, the Demonic Blood Vein Technique can also be used like this!" Though he had failed, Ning Zhuo gained considerable insight.
Back in his underground workshop, he experimented to verify his findings.
The blood energy membranes, besides enhancing his own movement and defense, could also corrode others.
By using one’s own blood energy to erode and taint another’s, the technique could create blood energy membranes within and around their bodies, effectively binding them.
"No, it’s not just binding."
"To be more precise, it’s control!"
A revelation struck Ning Zhuo as he suddenly grasped the core principle of the Three Techniques—
"The Three Sects developed these techniques with the purpose of controlling mechanical constructs."
"The Five Elements Qi Regulation Technique allows one to obtain five-element spiritual power, which can create suspended threads to control most mechanical constructs."
"The Demonic Blood Vein Technique grants blood energy membranes, enhancing the mobility of mechanical constructs, strengthening control."
"The Mirror Platform Spirit Communication Technique utilizes spiritual connection to communicate with spirits, clearly intended to integrate with certain mechanical components!"
Ning Zhuo continued testing.
He further discovered that blood energy of the same source could more easily erode and assimilate each other, while blood energy from different sources primarily exerted suppression and interference.
These discoveries were encouraging, yet Ning Zhuo grew increasingly troubled.
Because he thought of Yuan Dasheng.
"That ape somehow acquired the Demonic Blood Vein Technique early."
"Its qi refining cultivation should be the same as mine, at the peak of the third layer."
"But in essence refining, it ranks first on the leaderboard, having surpassed me, indicating that it has definitely exceeded the third layer."
"What is its true cultivation level?"
For Yuan Dasheng to have reached Room Seven on its first attempt was terrifying.
Even more daunting was the fact that, at this stage, it could only use spiritual power.
If it accessed the Demon Gate and gained blood energy, its true strength would be revealed!
Ning Zhuo had already experienced the profound benefits of the Demonic Blood Vein Technique, as the enhancements it provided were immense.
With such an advantage, the mechanical ape would undoubtedly soar to new heights, leaving Ning Zhuo in its wake.
"At that point, it will surpass me and take first place."
"I can’t let it access the Demon Gate!"
Ning Zhuo opened a drawer, took out a jade slip, and began searching for information.
"Found it!"
He quickly uncovered a lead.
"It really is a Fire Fusion Demon Ape, but it's actually a cultivator's spirit beast."
"That cultivator, Yuan Yi, founded the Monkey Head gang..."
"And Yuan Dasheng, the Fire Fusion Demon Ape, is the gang’s guardian spirit beast!"
"I knew I had seen the name Yuan Dasheng somewhere before. It wasn’t a person’s name, but a spirit beast’s."
While creating the mechanical fire explosive monkey, Ning Zhuo had researched the Monkey Head gang, which is why he remembered Yuan Dasheng’s name.
"The one consolation is that I know its name, but it doesn't know mine."
"Its exposure on the leaderboard has already revealed a significant vulnerability."
"It must be eliminated, and it must be done quickly!"
A sharp glint of killing intent flashed in Ning Zhuo's eyes.