With a low roar, it pushed off the wall with both hands and feet, its crimson-gold body soaring upward like a dragon!
After a few leaps, it arrived directly beneath Meng Chong.
In an instant, its body stretched wide like a massive war bow, emanating a stunning display of strength.
Its right arm thrust forward powerfully, yet its movements appeared light and graceful, like a white crane spreading its wings.
Then, Dasheng’s hand descended softly, its five fingers as nimble as if in life, resting gently atop Meng Chong’s puppet head.
With a light twist and turn, it landed gracefully, its toes touching the ground first.
Then, its arms fell to its sides like a flowing cape, leaving a bright red trail as it settled down quietly.
A gust of wind roared, yet when it landed, it was nearly soundless.
In stark contrast, Meng Chong crashed to the ground with a loud “thud” that echoed throughout the third checkpoint.
Yuan Dasheng let out a soft sigh, glanced at the head he had just removed from Meng Chong, and with a fluid motion, opened his palm, allowing Meng Chong’s head to fall to the ground like a wooden ball.
The head rolled a short distance before coming to a stop.
Even with limited expressions on the puppet’s face, one could still make out a trace of shock frozen in Meng Chong’s eyes at the moment of the fatal blow.
Meanwhile, at the City Lord’s residence, Meng Chong suddenly opened his eyes wide.
It felt as if he had been jolted from a nightmare; the sense of death had struck him to the core, shaking his very soul.
“Huff, huff!”
He gasped heavily, his entire body drenched in cold sweat.
If Han Ming saw him, she might not even recognize him.
Meng Chong’s face had grown gaunt, like someone bedridden and deprived of sunlight for ages.
His once-powerful physique had become frail, with protruding cheekbones and sunken eyes.
His gaze, once sharp and radiant, now appeared completely dim.
“This mechanical monkey… it’s so strong!”
“But I won’t lose.”
“As long as I train hard, I’ll find a way to beat it and pass this checkpoint!”
Despite the heavy blow to his confidence, Meng Chong was undeterred.
Yet, just as he tried to sit up and leave his bed, the slight movement caused his vision to blur, and he passed out immediately with a dull “thud” as he collapsed back onto his bed.
Outside his room, two servants, upon hearing the sound and realizing Meng Chong had returned to his body, grew anxious when they called out but received no reply.
With panic rising, they looked at each other and, deciding quickly, burst through the door.
“Young Master Meng Chong!”
“Oh no, Young Master Meng Chong has fainted!!”
Their calls for help quickly spread, sending a wave of panic across the City Lord’s manor as chaos ensued.
In the underground workspace, Ning Zhuo’s mouth was slightly agape, barely concealing his surprise.
This outcome was quite different from his expectations—indeed, much better.
“Yuan Dasheng’s Golden Blood Battle Ape’s combat power greatly surpasses Meng Chong’s,” he mused.
“Even though Meng Chong’s Wild Sprint Thunderclap skill showed improvement, it was ultimately no match for Yuan Dasheng.”
Ning Zhuo speculated that Meng Chong’s performance had been hindered by the complications of being a soul within the Immortal Palace.
Without a physical body, many actions become challenging, much like how Ning Zhuo had to use the Life-Hanging Thread to channel the Buddha Heart Demon Seal through his puppet.
With Wild Sprint Thunderclap, which constantly drained his essence, spirit, and vitality, the Life-Hanging Thread’s transmission caused significant loss.
The repeated overuse of this technique by Meng Chong, despite these limitations, had exacerbated the problem.
“If we fought within Fire Persimmon Immortal City, his Wild Sprint Thunderclap would be more effective!”
“On the other hand, because the Golden Blood Battle Ape Dasheng is a mechanical puppet, its combat strength is consistent regardless of location.
Its close-quarters fighting abilities are exceptional—something Meng Chong cannot match.”
Reflecting on this, Ning Zhuo felt a renewed sense of relief.
In his earlier analysis, he had foreseen Yuan Dasheng’s prowess in close combat and avoided direct confrontation or sneak attacks. In hindsight, this decision seemed exceptionally wise.
Had he chosen a head-on approach, it would have been nothing short of handing himself over to Yuan Dasheng.
Ning Zhuo took a deep breath, intensifying his connection with the Golden Blood Battle Ape, Dasheng.
After a few breaths, a white light ring gradually appeared in front of him, expanding until it delivered the Golden Blood Battle Ape, Dasheng.
Dasheng was shorter than him, but its sturdy build and red-gold colors exuded a fierce power that Ning Zhuo couldn’t help but admire.
The youth rubbed his hands together, his grin spreading from genuine delight.
He reached out and squeezed Dasheng’s muscles, feeling an unexpected coolness.
The mechanical fur was soft, and the exposed golden bones were hard and resilient—a tactile sensation his puppet body did not possess.
Examining Dasheng carefully, Ning Zhuo noticed new, minor scratches on the Golden Blood Battle Ape’s body.
These were marks left by Meng Chong.
“The Lava Immortal Palace provides these mechanical constructs for Foundation Establishment disciples, though the materials aren’t of the highest grade.”
“If the Sages of the Three Sects wanted to provide disciples with a fine-quality training mechanism, this is it.”
If the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit heard this analysis, it would probably burst with anger. “
Fine quality”? That was an understatement.
The Lava Immortal Palace had expended an entire golden furnace to meet the checkpoint’s high standards.
There was nothing better than the Golden Blood Battle Ape, Dasheng—even the hanging coffins paled in comparison.
To draw a comparison, where regular standards were wooden swords, the mechanical Dasheng was akin to bronze weapons!
Ning Zhuo attempted to repair the mechanical Dasheng, noting the fine cracks on its body made from Vermilion Fire Glass.
This material, when observed closely, appeared faintly transparent.
Although he hadn’t been given detailed blueprints, the Lava Immortal Palace had informed him that Dasheng’s body was crafted from Vermilion Flame Stone, abundant on Fire Persimmon Mountain.
Ning Zhuo immediately retrieved some from his materials storage and prepared it into a bright red fluid, which he poured into the cracks, sealing them perfectly.
Next, he inspected the monkey’s fur, frowning.
He couldn’t figure out how it was made, so he decided to fashion some fur of his own to cover the exposed areas.
Although it blended well, Ning Zhuo knew the new fur was less durable.
After finishing the repairs, he began cleaning Dasheng, wiping its golden bones until they gleamed.
Satisfied, he was about to delve deeper into the mechanical Dasheng’s inner workings when a messenger arrived.
After the messenger departed, Ning Zhuo opened the letter, raising his eyebrows slightly.
The letter informed him to head to the Zhou family estate tomorrow to assess his progress with his techniques and use the Zhou family’s formations to aid his cultivation.
“So, the Ning and Zhou families have joined forces?”
“Hmm… that likely means the Zheng family is involved too.”
“A coalition of the three families—what of the City Lord’s estate?”
Unperturbed, Ning Zhuo had anticipated this shift in alliances.
What intrigued him was how he should present himself to the three families.
After a moment’s thought, he decided, “It’s time to show a bit of my mechanical talents and make a name for myself.”