Wealthy and Arrogant!
The subsequent series of news continually placed Ning Zhuo at the forefront, overshadowing others each time, and constantly elevating Che Zhuzi’s evaluation of Ning Zhuo.
When Ning Zhuo’s invitation reached his hands, Che Zhuzi immediately understood the ambition hidden behind it.
A Foundation Establishment Cultivator dared to raise a flag at Flowing Cloud Peak, dared to bind his creditors onto the same war chariot, dared to face Zhong Dao’s value in the Evil Slaying Hall without attachment.
This courage, this calculation, this means—Che Zhuzi has met many people in his life, but few earn his admiration, Ning Zhuo absolutely counts as one!
Thus, he naturally made further judgments: maintaining and strengthening the relationship with Ning Zhuo is something worth long-term investment and promises great returns!
So, for this Heavenly Treasure Building ceremony, Che Zhuzi decided to send a generous gift to express his intentions!
He wanted to select a treasured item from his Treasure Room.
"So, which one should I send?"
Che Zhuzi slowly paced in the Treasure Room.
Within a Crystal Cage, over ten meticulous and agile Mechanical Spiders secreted Void Spider Silk, repairing broken Storage Bags.
A Starlight Rotating Instrument. Three layers of bronze rings interlocked, rotating slowly, with brilliant silver light flowing continuously within the star traces on the surface, like a galaxy pouring down, like time flowing.
A Yellow Crystal Spider Nest. The nest seemed to be cast with amber, entirely semi-transparent orange-yellow, divided into many small sections, each housing a few Mechanical Spiders of varying sizes. Some sections were empty, with traces of spiders crawling on the nest walls. The nest emitted a pale yellow light, pulsating slowly and rhythmically, as if breathing, as if sleeping.
A Heavy Mountain Shovel. The shovel head was as large as a door, entirely jet black, exuding a cold metallic sheen. The upper side of the shovel head, as well as the sides and the long handle, were covered with numerous large and small jet nozzles, the rims polished extremely smooth, reflecting cold glints under the starlight.
A mass of Pure White Cloud. The cloud mass suspended within a Glazed Bell, entirely snow-white, free of any contamination. A wheel atop the bell spun continuously, drawing in Cloud Qi from the outside, shredding it into mist in the whirlwind, infusing it within the bell.
And a Mystic Turtle Armor, with only about forty percent of its Turtle Shell pattern remaining, winding and twisting like rivers, like veins, faintly with profound light circulating within. The Turtle Shell was placed in an Earth Pool.
Che Zhuzi’s gaze lingered briefly on the Mystic Turtle Armor.
"Old friend." He sighed lightly in his heart.
Soon, he shifted his gaze from the Turtle Shell, scanning the remaining treasures anew.
This Turtle Shell had an agreement with an old friend of Che Zhuzi, it couldn’t be given to anyone.
Che Zhuzi quickly skipped over the Pure White Cloud, "Ning Zhuo is a Mechanism Cultivator. Even if he’s not specializing in this cultivation technique, he’s definitely deeply involved. Giving him Mechanical Artifacts would surely move him more."
Che Zhuzi then abandoned the Heavy Mountain Shovel, "Ning Zhuo is a nobleman. Even during the martial bat in the Xuan Armor Cave, he used Mysterious Armor to control close bat from afar. Having him wield such a heavy weapon clearly doesn’t fit the noble style and probably isn’t to his liking either."
"The Starlight Rotating Instrument can assist cultivators in calculations, and the Mechanical Spiders can weave silk for precision repairs..."
Che Zhuzi pondered for a long time, deciding to forgo these two, ultimately choosing to present the Yellow Crystal Spider Nest!
"Teaching a man to fish is better than giving him a fish. The Yellow Crystal Spider Nest can continuously produce Mechanical Spiders."
"I have the schematics, and I can make another one in the future."
"A gift like this to Ning Zhuo is a truly significant gift! It will surely leave a lasting impression!!"
Armor Peak.
Several cultivators, clad in dark green ceremonial magic robes, stood silently with bronze bells hanging at their waists.
The leader took a step forward, producing incense.
The incense stick was long and thin like a sword, of a blue-gray hue.
It was lit.
Blue smoke rose gracefully, straight as a sword, dispersing only after reaching a height of about three meters.
The cultivator held the incense with both hands, raised it above his head, touched his forehead to the ground, and slowly chanted a prayer.
"Disciples of the Xuan Armor Cave, with bronze incense and sincere hearts, dare to report to the Divine Master Qingwu Langjun."
"The majesty of Langjun spans the sun and moon, soaring through the nine skies. His golden spears and iron horses shake the eight wildernesses and intimidate the four directions. Upholding the brutal order of weaponry, wielding resilient armor. A single rage and the sky and earth alter color, a single roar and mountains and rivers collapse. We disciples venerate his majesty as ants to a mountain, as sunflowers to the sun."
His voice was solemn, expressing a deep reverence.
"Today, a cultivator, Ning Zhuo, has established ’Nanming Village’ at Flowing Cloud Peak and sent an invitation. We disciples are ignorant, unaware of fortune or misfortune, unsure of approval. Hence, we burn this message, hoping it reaches the heavens."
After the prayer, he inserted the incense into the incense burner and then lit the talisman paper filled with information with the candle flame.
The talisman paper ignited immediately upon contact with fire, the edges curled, and the ashes fluttered like a black butterfly, swirling several times before slowly falling.
The room remained silent.
The incense smoke continued to rise gracefully, straight as a sword.
Suddenly, the smoke coiled, gathering into the partial phantom of Qingwu Langjun.
Qingwu Langjun chuckled, "I am aware. The young Ning Zhuo has great ambitions, extraordinary indeed. Thus, tomorrow, have someone bring a Golden Core Level Mystic Armor as a congratulatory gift."
The cultivators all knelt in unison, echoing, "We obey the Divine Master’s mand."
Ning Zhuo’s invitation was like a stone cast into a lake, creating ripples. He was no longer parable to when he first entered Myriad Images Sect, his name now known throughout the Main Mountain Gate. Although only with a Foundation Establishment Cultivation, everyone had high expectations for his future.
At this moment, Ning Zhuo’s thoughts were focused on the Empty Valley Sound Green Mechanism Tube.
During his last duel with Situ Xing, he used the opportunity to practice, slightly testing his regular bat strength and tactics, discovering many areas for improvement.
One of these areas was the Mechanical Flying Bird.
The Silent Thunderbird and Golden Swallow were the most stored conventional mechanical artifacts by Ning Zhuo, but the former was too classic and monplace, easily targeted. The design of the Mechanical Golden Swallow was not optimal, merely an attempt at a minor practice result, trying to match the Azure-Iron Han Armor: Golden Swallow type.
The Empty Valley Sound Green Mechanism Tube contained five kinds of Mechanical Birds, all tested over ages, allowing Ning Zhuo to use them readily and conveniently.
Since the last battle, Ning Zhuo decided to explore the heritage potential of the Empty Valley Sound Green Mechanism Tube for transformation in bat strength.
This would provide significant support for him in facing uping challenges.
"Perhaps, at tomorrow’s Heavenly Treasure Building, someone will publicly challenge me," Ning Zhuo predicted.
The Empty Valley Sound Green Mechanism Tube’s heritage consists of five types of Mechanical Birds: Neck Spear Crane, Holding Festival Pheasant, Top Wind Kite, Golden Cage Bird, and Sleeve Stabbing Kite.
"The Neck Spear Crane has both long-range and short-range capabilities, but as a single unit, it’s easy to be countered. Only in swarms can it serve as a main force."
"The Holding Festival Pheasant is only capable of low-altitude flight but can burrow, being the most effective weapon for breaking through armor."
"The Top Wind Kite excels in long-duration battles, ideally able to sustain indefinitely. Its drawbacks are also apparent: large size, slow speed, and it needs protection when flying high."
"The design of the Golden Cage Bird is particularly unique, entirely woven from twisted bamboo silk. Its whole body is a ball of retractable, expandable, and contractible silk thread, lacking traditional skeletal structures. Capturing and restraining is its forte. It has a clear weakness, almost no killing power—it can only restrain but not kill."
"Lastly, the Sleeve Stabbing Kite. It’s small, fast, with the most precise attacks. However, the stinger can only be used once and requires poison application. If detected during battle, the enemy can easily make counter preparations."
Ning Zhuo carefully pared the strengths and weaknesses, keeping them in mind.
He did not choose any of them for large-scale production.
Firstly, tomorrow was the alliance-building ceremony at the Heavenly Treasure Building, and time was short. Secondly, Ning Zhuo had a better solution in mind, primarily dependent on another key individual.
The Chef came to report: "Young master, the person you invited has arrived."
Ning Zhuo immediately shifted his focus, showing delight: "Good."
He immediately put away the Jade Slip and set off for the reception hall to meet the cultivator he had specially invited.
The person’s eyes were calm, with three long strands of a beard. His figure was thin and clear, clad in a blue robe.
His aura was open, unmistakably at the Golden Core Level.
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