“What’s wrong with all of you?” Ning Zhuo asked with a look of confusion, as though he sensed something off in the atmosphere.
Zheng Jian let out an awkward laugh, “Brother Ning, you’re thinking too simply about things.”
Zhou Zhu nodded in agreement. “Indeed.”
Ning Xiaohui scoffed, “The Lava Immortal Palace was once the residence of one of the Sages of the Three Sects; it’s far from ordinary."
"The Sages were powerful masters of Void Refinement, and the tests they left behind are by no means easy.”
“Your fighting spirit is admirable, but you’re like a frog at the bottom of a well, oblivious to the world beyond.”
“Don’t say such things again in the future.”
Ning Zhuo quickly nodded. “Oh, oh, yes.”
He was constantly observing their reactions.
The reason he had said that was to provoke Zheng Jian and Zhou Zhu, hoping to draw out any plans the Zhou and Zheng families had for future moves.
Unexpectedly, his reminder had resurfaced some painful memories, giving Zheng Jian and Zhou Zhu a fresh mental blow.
Zheng Jian sighed, “The tests of the Sage of the Three Sects are truly challenging. I’m not ashamed to admit, Brother Ning, that we haven’t even passed the first stage.”
“What?” Ning Zhuo widened his eyes, feigning genuine surprise.
Of those present, Zheng Jian was the oldest. His straightforward nature led him to openly admit his shortcomings without concealing anything.
After all, Ning Zhuo would be entering the Immortal Palace next, so there was no point in hiding it from him.
“What is the first stage, that even Brother Zheng and Brother Zhou can’t get through it?” Ning Zhuo couldn’t help but ask.
Ning Xiaohui chuckled softly, thinking, “Zheng Jian’s words are still somewhat flattering.
In reality, they haven’t even glimpsed the full layout of the first stage.”
She herself hadn’t entered the Immortal Palace even once.
On one hand, she had only recently reached the peak of the third layer.
On the other, she was constantly shielded by talismans, safe from any soul extraction.
After obtaining intelligence from the other two families, the Ning family had concluded that even if Ning Xiaohui entered the palace, she wouldn’t be able to accomplish much.
They decided to have her hold back and wait for a more opportune moment.
For these reasons, Ning Xiaohui hadn’t tasted failure and felt no empathy for Zheng Jian and Zhou Zhu’s struggles.
Seeing that Ning Zhuo was about to ask more questions, Zhou Zeshen clapped his hands to interrupt, “Everyone, simply eating and drinking is a bit dull.”
“Our Zhou family recently recruited a mechanical cultivator named Chu Xiyao, who’s quite skilled.”
“Brother Zheng, she came along to the banquet today and is waiting in the hall.”
“Why don’t we invite her to set up a game board for us to enjoy?”
Zheng Jian looked deeply at Zhou Zeshen and nodded. “If that’s your suggestion, Brother Zhou, I’d be most pleased. Invite this talented person in.”
A moment later.
Chu Xiyao entered the room, greeting everyone with a polite bow.
She was a female cultivator, moderately attractive with a distinctive air about her.
Her eyebrows drooped, her expression was sorrowful, and her waist was exceptionally slender, giving her the appearance of a delicate willow, stirring others' sympathy.
Though at the Foundation Establishment stage, she kept a humble posture before the qi refining cultivators.
In the cultivation world, strength was respected.
But given the setting, her approach was understandable.
For one, the combat power difference between Foundation Establishment and qi refining wasn’t particularly large; it was possible to bridge the gap in certain situations.
Moreover, this was the righteous path, not the Demonic Gate where survival was purely based on jungle rules.
Chu Xiyao’s deference was largely due to the talent of those present.
With a spirit root, one could cultivate. In ancient times, those with spirit roots were incredibly rare, making such individuals highly respected.
Over time, as more cultivators emerged, people began to seek out those with superior spirit roots.
Today, with spiritual energy even more abundant, possessing a spirit root wasn’t particularly impressive—innate talent was what commanded admiration.
Chu Xiyao only had an immortal root, with no special talent. In time, her cultivation would be easily surpassed by Zheng Jian and the others.
Thus, her respect was a form of honoring potential future strength.
Just as some sects elevate talented individuals, even if they are at the qi refining stage, to elder status, receiving respect throughout the sect.
Ning Xiaohui expressed her curiosity, “I’ve heard of Senior Chu’s reputation for a long time. My Ning family also tried to recruit you with a hefty sum.”
“You declined, saying you preferred freedom without constraints.”
“I’m curious, why the change of heart to join the Zhou family?”
Chu Xiyao sighed. “It’s all because of Zhu Xuanji.”
It turned out that as a Foundation Establishment cultivator skilled in mechanical arts, Chu Xiyao met the Immortal Palace’s standards and had entered it before, both gaining rewards and suffering injuries.
At the Fire Persimmon Festival, Zhu Xuanji failed to catch a Shadow Demon Cultivator.
Although he still had leads, he suspected they might be traps laid by the real culprit.
So, Zhu Xuanji compiled a list of suspects based on records from the four major forces in Fire Persimmon Immortal City.
He began with the first name on the list, investigating each one in turn.
Li Leifeng was his first target.
Next was Zhao Die, who resisted and was killed by Zhu Xuanji.
Chu Xiyao was well aware that her name was likely on the list too.
Reluctant to leave Fire Persimmon Immortal City and still seeking another chance to enter the Immortal Palace, she decided to temporarily seek refuge with the Zhou family.
Her reasoning considered two main factors.
First, the City Lord’s Mansion, under the jurisdiction of the Southern Bean Kingdom, would not protect her from Zhu Xuanji’s rigorous investigation.
Second, the three major families offered better terms and were far more tempting than the City Lord’s Mansion.
Even if Zhu Xuanji caused trouble, while the three families might not directly confront him, they could at least provide some cover.
In the worst case, they could quietly release her, allowing her to escape on her own.
The three families were deeply rooted in Fire Persimmon Immortal City, taking their reputation seriously.
Considering all this, Chu Xiyao chose the Zhou family, the strongest among the three.
Ning Zhuo’s eyes flickered.
His moment in the spotlight at this small banquet had yielded his first valuable piece of information for the night.
“Zhu Xuanji’s actions are causing cultivators to band together?”
“Some cultivators with a clean background will likely ally with the four major forces."
"But there must also be rogue demon cultivators who won’t submit."
"They will either flee far away or form alliances. Only fools would continue acting solo.”
“Zhu Xuanji is investigating every suspicious individual. I wonder if Mother is on his list?”
Ning Zhuo felt a mounting pressure.
Chu Xiyao patted her storage pouch and took out a mechanical wooden box.
The box, perfectly square, landed on the ground and quickly unfolded, gradually forming a rectangular maze board.
At a glance, Ning Zhuo recognized that this board was modeled after Room Two.
Zhou Zhu and Zheng Jian may have fallen repeatedly under the heavy hammer at the entrance, but glimpses of Room Two’s layout and structure were enough for them to gather valuable information over many attempts.
After setting up the maze board, Chu Xiyao took out game pieces and distributed them to Zheng Jian and the others.
The pieces were small mechanical constructs, resembling a wheel with spokes and a central axis.
“Isn’t this a miniature of a ‘One Round’?” Zheng Jian commented as he examined the piece.
Chu Xiyao nodded. “Indeed, it’s a ‘One Round’.”
A ‘One Round’ is a type of mechanical toy popular among young cultivators.
Children would pour a small amount of their spiritual power into it, allowing the wheel to spin on its own.
They would then compete to see whose wheel could travel the farthest.
The name ‘One Round’ came from the fact that its inventor was so weak that he would get eliminated in the first round of any competition held by his family, sect, or nation.
Chu Xiyao continued, “However, my version of ‘One Round’ can absorb spiritual power and store a certain amount of divine sense.”
“Our task is to infuse both spiritual power and divine sense into the piece, sending it through the maze board. The goal is to see whose piece can travel the farthest.”
Zheng Jian, known for his decisiveness, quickly tossed his piece onto the board as soon as Chu Xiyao finished speaking.
His piece navigated the maze, making several turns before colliding with an obstacle and stopping.
“Interesting.” Zheng Jian’s eyes sparkled.
“Spiritual power and divine sense both need to be abundant and well-coordinated."
"Each move requires precise calculation. Any misstep will amplify into larger errors, ultimately leading to failure.”
Chu Xiyao smiled softly, commending his insight.
Following Zheng Jian, Zhou Zeshen, Zhou Zhu, and Ning Xiaohui each tried their pieces.
Zhou Zhu’s piece traveled the shortest, while Zhou Zeshen, despite his lower cultivation level, achieved the farthest distance.
Ning Xiaohui’s piece was nimble, moving with an elegant rhythm, covering a respectable distance just behind Zhou Zeshen.
“Brother Ning Zhuo, it’s your turn,” Zhou Zeshen remarked with a smile.
Everyone’s attention shifted to Ning Zhuo.
Zhou Zeshen called it entertainment, but in essence, it was a test.
The cultivation world valued individual excellence.
This joint test was likely to set the stage for future internal competition among the three families.
While the others were familiar with one another, Ning Zhuo was the newest addition.
Despite the information gathered about him, he remained the least known.
Unfazed by the collective gaze, Ning Zhuo tossed his piece onto the board, his eyes following it intently, his expression tense.
His piece moved through the maze, making its way around obstacles, progressing steadily.
Although slower than Ning Xiaohui’s and less precise than Zhou Zeshen’s, it reached an unprecedented distance, setting a new record.
“How is this possible?” Zhou Zhu was shocked.
Zheng Jian and Zhou Zeshen both looked at Ning Zhuo.
Even Ning Xiaohui was taken aback, reassessing him with newfound interest.
Chu Xiyao’s eyes gleamed. “It’s his divine sense.”
“This young master from the Ning family has an unusually strong divine sense, different from typical qi refining cultivators.”
“As a result, he can control the piece for an extended time.”
“Moreover, by minimizing spiritual power consumption, he maximized the time his divine sense and spiritual power worked in harmony, achieving this remarkable result.”
Ning Zhuo scratched his head, looking somewhat shy. “It seems that my divine sense is a bit more robust than others my age.”
“Could it be… an innate talent?!” In an instant, the same thought flashed through everyone’s minds.