"Ning Zhuo, my brother! Here I am!"
Zheng Jian laughed heartily as he saw Ning Zhuo alight from the carriage.
Taking a few strides, he quickly arrived in front of him.
Ning Zhuo clasped his fists respectfully. "Brother Zheng."
"No need for formalities!" Zheng Jian grabbed Ning Zhuo's arm, stopping him from continuing his greeting.
"Come on, let’s go to the second floor."
Behind them, Ning Xiaohui stepped down slowly, using a servant's back as a footrest.
When she saw Zheng Jian pulling Ning Zhuo along without even glancing her way, a frosty expression crossed her face.
Since Ning Zhuo’s success in exploring the Immortal Palace, he had showcased his value to the three family heads, and his status had risen sharply.
To better draw him in, Ning Xiaoren accelerated his scheme, framing Ning Ze.
It was well known that Ning Ze had served Ning Xiaoren for many years and, if nothing else, had worked hard. Ning Xiaoren’s methods made Ning Zhuo feel both disdainful and wary.
Arm in arm, Ning Zhuo and Zheng Jian walked into a garden.
The plaque above the entrance read "Children's Orphanage" in large characters.
The orphanage was bustling, and people were talking everywhere, mentioning the name Li Leifeng.
Li Leifeng had finally reached the end of his life.
According to his will, the orphanage was holding a bequest gathering to distribute his possessions.
"I never thought Old Li would go," Zheng Jian sighed.
"When I was a kid, I grew up watching his puppet shows."
Ning Zhuo sighed as well. "Old Li was a respectable person. Ever since he took over the orphanage, who knows how many orphans and wanderers he saved."
Zheng Jian patted Ning Zhuo on the back. "Old Li lived a good life and passed away peacefully. Just look at how many people came today. His life was truly worthwhile."
Ning Zhuo nodded silently.
Most of the people were gathered in a five-story pavilion where the bequest gathering was being held. Ning Zhuo and the others entered the building.
The structure was designed in a ring shape. Ascending the stairs, they reached a private room on the second floor, where they met the Zhou brothers.
"Come, have a seat."
"The food served by the orphanage still has that familiar taste—brings back memories."
"Indeed, I remember loving puppet shows when I was young. Across the way, that private room is where I used to sit."
"I used to love leaning on the railing to watch."
Ning Zhuo stayed silent, his gaze falling to a corner of the hall.
As a child, he would often sneak in when no one was checking tickets.
Hiding in a corner or behind a pillar, he would watch the performances and sometimes pick up leftover snacks or fruit left behind after the crowds dispersed.
Despite his early wisdom, Ning Zhuo had a playful side.
His uncle and aunt treated him harshly, and his cousin Ning Ji often flaunted treats without sharing even a single sweet.
One time, he was caught sneaking in and was filled with dread, but Li Leifeng came to him, patted his head, took his hand, and brought him backstage to share a clean, untouched portion of snacks and fruit.
People passed by, but no one looked surprised. Some even offered kind smiles toward Ning Zhuo.
He couldn’t remember all the details, but the memory was wrapped in warmth, a gentle glow that made him feel a soothing warmth whenever he recalled it.
That was why, with Li Leifeng’s passing, nearly the entire city came to mourn him.
Those attending the bequest gathering were all well-known figures.
"With Li Leifeng gone, who knows what will happen to the orphanage?"
"I hear they haven’t settled on the next director."
"I know why. Li Leifeng entrusted Zhu Xuanji to find a successor, even requesting the Divine Constable to seek a worthy candidate."
Zheng Jian and Zhou Zeshen shared this valuable information casually, and Ning Zhuo took note of it.
"So, how are your souls recovering?"
"Almost fully healed."
"Same here."
"When should we return to explore the Lava Immortal Palace?"
At this question, everyone’s gaze instinctively fell on Ning Zhuo.
Their last breakthrough had been thanks to his efforts.
Ning Zhuo wasn’t keen on it, though.
He had already obtained several techniques and had been immersed in intense training lately.
Of course, the Five Elements Qi Regulation Technique and Demonic Blood Vein Technique were hard to cultivate.
The fourth to sixth layers had a distinctly different aura from the first three layers.
However, he could still train in the Mirror Platform Spirit Communication Technique.
Its movements were completely suppressed and concealed by his seal, allowing Ning Zhuo to appear lost in thought while actually practicing his spirit-refining technique.
"I haven't thought of any way to proceed yet," Ning Zhuo said.
"If we continue exploring the Immortal Palace, we might end up in those pitch-black traps again."
Zheng Jian and the others shuddered.
The last trap had left them helpless, unable to see, hear, or feel anything, struggling until their soul energy was depleted before they were finally ejected from the palace.
The nightmare of that experience was something they never wanted to relive.
"During this time, haven’t you come up with any ideas?" Zheng Jian asked.
Ning Zhuo shook his head.
Zhou Zhu sighed.
Zhou Zeshen encouraged them, "I'm close to reaching the peak of the third layer. Once I do, let's venture into the Lava Immortal Palace again."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
At that moment, the bequest gathering officially began.
Li Leifeng’s possessions were displayed for all to see, free for anyone to take.
Some low-level cultivators left happily after obtaining valuable items.
Some influential families and powerful cultivators also took items, usually trivial ones, but often left substantial donations of spirit stones or resources for the orphanage in return.
Suddenly, Zhou Zeshen made a small sound of surprise, reaching out to pull a wooden mechanical board to the second floor with a wave of his hand.
After examining it, he chuckled. "As I thought."
"I remember my father brought me here when I was little, and I wouldn’t stop crying, so Old Li took this toy out to cheer me up."
"This toy is quite intricate. You have to move each part to discover clues."
"Eventually, when you put all the pieces together, it forms an immortal legend."
With that, Zhou Zeshen handed the toy over to Zheng Jian.
Zheng Jian fiddled with it briefly, lost interest, and passed it on.
Zhou Zhu, taking it curiously, asked, "Did you finish the story in the end?"
"Of course," Zhou Zeshen replied. "It took an entire summer. The story only revealed a part, and it frustrated me."
"But I copied down the story onto a jade slip, carrying it with me."
"Having gone through this, it taught me patience. Whenever I feel anxious, I take out that slip, rub it a few times, and my mind quickly calms."
With that, Zhou Zeshen took out the jade slip and passed it around.
Ning Zhuo toyed with the mechanical board, then read the story from the jade slip.
The story told of a Supreme Immortal crossing the void.
Exhausted, he took out a blending bag, planning to shake it fifty times.
At forty-nine, he grew too tired to continue and opened the bag, releasing a mechanical world.
In this mechanical world, the sky shifted, water and earth mingled, and smoke billowed.
The Supreme Immortal threw the Five Elements Control Stick into the mechanical world to bring order, placing heaven above, earth below, oceans and rivers arranged in harmony.
He entered the mechanical world to rest.
To have servants, he used three thousand puppet strings, swinging them three times.
The first swing touched immortal qi, creating immortal puppets.
The second swing touched demonic qi, forming demonic puppets.
The third swing touched divine qi, producing divine puppets.
The three types of puppets served the Supreme Immortal with utmost care.
When he was well-rested and prepared to leave, the puppets begged to go with him.
The Supreme Immortal told them it wasn’t that he didn’t want to take them but that they couldn’t leave.
Taking them would only lead to their demise.
The puppets didn’t believe him.
The Supreme Immortal instructed them to observe the strings attached to them.
The immortal puppet saw strings of ideals, wisdom, freedom, and betrayal…
The demonic puppet saw strings of power, chaos, and passion…
The divine puppet saw strings of principles, order, and fairness…
In that moment, Ning Zhuo felt a deep resonance within himself.
He thought of the historical figures he’d studied, recalling their thoughts, decisions, and choices in pivotal moments.
As he grew older, he had gradually realized that regardless of their strength, there was always a pattern to follow.
He thought of Yuan Dasheng.
Although Yuan Dasheng was strong, he was bound tightly by a string of loyalty.
Ning Zhuo had exploited that string to orchestrate his downfall.
He thought of his uncle Ning Ze and of Ning Xiaoren.
They also had strings.
Then he thought of Han Ming. Even as a demonic cultivator, he was bound by a string of greed.
"As long as I grasp these strings, I can control them as easily as I manipulate mechanisms. Can’t I?"
"Then…"
"Do I have strings attached to me?"
The thought made Ning Zhuo shudder.
Slowly, he raised his head.
In a trance, he saw it.
A nearly invisible thread—a Life-Hanging Thread!
At that moment, the Illusory True Lotus Seed in his Divine Sea began to sprout.
In the Lava Immortal Palace, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit awoke from its slumber, clutching its chest, puzzled by an inexplicable fear.
In Ning Zhuo's vision, the Life-Hanging Thread vanished, leaving no trace.
Ning Zhuo lowered his head, expressionless.
"Quite an interesting little tale," Ning Zhuo remarked, smiling as he returned the jade slip to Zhou Zeshen.
"Indeed, it has a certain charm," Zhou Zeshen replied, agreeing casually.
Little did he know that his casual act had delivered an extraordinary opportunity to Ning Zhuo.