Mysteries of Immortal Puppet Master

Ning Zhuo’s residence.  

Zhu Xuanji and Ning Zhuo stood opposite each other.  

Ning Zhuo’s breathing was steady, but his heart was tight, and he calmly said, "This moment has finally arrived."  

Since Zhu Xuanji appeared and entered the Huoshi Immortal City...  

Since Ning Zhuo came into contact with the Three Sect Superior Methods and decided to cultivate these three techniques...  

Ning Zhuo had already anticipated this moment.  

No, to be precise, the timing was even earlier; more than a decade ago, Ning Zhuo had already expected this day.  

He had long predicted that his cultivation would be inspected.  

He had prepared for this a long time ago.  

It would be easier if it were another Golden Core cultivator, but facing Zhu Xuanji, who had the Celestial Golden Eyes talent, Ning Zhuo had no experience and couldn’t grasp the details.  

As a Qi Refining stage cultivator, for Ning Zhuo to hide his cultivation from a Golden Core cultivator was extremely difficult.  

Zhu Xuanji immediately noticed Ning Zhuo’s accelerated heartbeat.  

He softly said, "Your heartbeat is a bit fast. Why, do you seem a little nervous?"  

Ning Zhuo grinned and said, "Of course, Lord Zhu. Isn’t this *Demonic Blood Tendon Technique* supposed to complement the *Five Elements Qi Regulation Art*?"  

"The rumored Three Sect Superior Methods, are they real?"  

Ning Zhuo’s face was full of anticipation for the Three Sect Superior Methods.  

Since it concerned his cultivation path and involved the Three Sect Superior Methods, it was only natural that his heartbeat sped up slightly.  

Zhu Xuanji chuckled softly, "Since you’re asking, I’ll tell you some good news."  

"As of now, the demonic scripture we’ve seized does indeed complement the *Five Elements Qi Regulation Art*."  

"Although this demonic scripture only goes up to the fifth layer of Qi Refining, from what we’ve seen, it does have some connection with the *Five Elements Qi Regulation Art*."  

Then, Zhu Xuanji shifted the topic, "The Three Sect Superior Methods cultivate the upper, middle, and lower dantian separately."  

"If you can establish your foundation using these three techniques, then your future will be boundless."  

"In this world, cultivation methods that use three dantian to establish the foundation are extremely rare!"  

"So this time, in inspecting your aptitude, I will not only check your Qi Sea but also your Essence Sea. While I’m at it, I’ll examine your Spirit Sea as well. How about that?"  

Could Ning Zhuo refuse?  

He immediately showed a delighted expression and eagerly said, "Lord Zhu, that’s wonderful! Please, trouble yourself to give me a thorough inspection."  

As Ning Zhuo spoke, he secretly activated the *Buddha Heart Demon Seal* and the hidden *Cloud-Concealed Bud* under his tongue.  

These two treasures were the key to resisting the inspection!  

Zhu Xuanji released a trace of blood energy, which penetrated into Ning Zhuo’s body, probing deep into his Essence Sea at the lower dantian.  

Apart from magical treasures, only blood energy could enter and exit the lower dantian's Essence Sea.  

Zhu Xuanji’s blood energy, carrying his spiritual sense, hovered above Ning Zhuo’s Essence Sea, surveying the entire scene.  

The *Cloud-Concealed Bud* functioned, firmly concealing the true appearance of the Essence Sea. What Zhu Xuanji saw was merely a scene Ning Zhuo had meticulously arranged.  

Ning Zhuo had been training this technique for over a decade, mastering it so well that it became second nature, like breathing.  

Zhu Xuanji’s inspection of the Essence Sea revealed that it was no different from that of an ordinary cultivator, with perhaps a slightly deeper foundation. After all, Ning Zhuo had been feasting on spirit food recently.  

Zhu Xuanji withdrew his blood energy and infused his mana into Ning Zhuo’s body.  

Likewise, his mana also carried his spiritual sense.  

Zhu Xuanji’s mana penetrated into Ning Zhuo’s Qi Sea at the middle dantian, where he saw the five-colored clouds churning and sensed that Ning Zhuo’s cultivation had reached the fourth layer, already at the peak of the fourth layer.  

"It seems that the *Five Elements Qi Regulation Art* is indeed very suitable for you."  

Zhu Xuanji praised him lightly and withdrew his mana.  

Finally, he directly released his divine sense to examine Ning Zhuo’s Spirit Sea at the upper dantian.  

The Spirit Sea’s defenses were Ning Zhuo’s most solid barrier.  

Not only was there the *Cloud-Concealed Bud* to hide the true scene, but also the *Buddha Heart Demon Seal* to suppress and regulate it.  

Sure enough, after sweeping his divine sense across, Zhu Xuanji found Ning Zhuo’s Spirit Sea to be empty, but it was quite vast.  

This made Zhu Xuanji associate it with Ning Zhuo’s talent.  

To this day, Ning Zhuo’s innate talent had yet to be tested by the Ning family.  

But from Ning Zhuo’s Spirit Sea, some clues could be seen.  

Zhu Xuanji retracted his spiritual sense.  

The golden light in his scrutinizing gaze quickly dissipated.  

"I’ll tell you some good news."  

"Very good!"  

"All three of your dantian are suitable for cultivating the Three Sect Superior Methods."  

"You have a talent, and it resides in your Spirit Sea. From this perspective, following the path of a spiritual cultivator is most suitable for you."  

"It’s like the No-Void Sect’s signature technique—the *Void Void Art*, which focuses on cultivating the Spirit Sea while also training the Essence Sea."  

"Do you know the No-Void Sect?"  

"Perhaps… you’re more familiar with Sun Lingtong."  

Ning Zhuo replied, "Of course I know Sun Lingtong. He was the previous controller of the black market."  

"I’ve also thought about the matter of my talent."  

"But I believe that the Three Sect Superior Methods suit me better. Now that I’ve obtained the *Five Elements Qi Regulation Art* and the *Demonic Blood Tendon Technique*, perhaps I can acquire a Spirit Sea cultivation method in the future."  

Zhu Xuanji nodded, "Indeed."  

He looked at Ning Zhuo seriously, "But I still need to remind you, don’t become complacent."  

"Although the demonic scripture is in our hands, your situation still carries some danger."  

Ning Zhuo showed a puzzled expression, "Lord Zhu, what do you mean by this?"  

"My danger stems from the fact that many people believed the demonic scripture was in my possession."  

"Now that the demonic scripture has surfaced and has been taken by the Zheng family’s ancestor, many people have seen it happen."  

The chaotic battle between the Golden Core cultivators had drawn much attention.  

In the immortal city, the number of cultivators was large, and with their various techniques, it was easy for them to observe the battlefield from a distance.  

Zhu Xuanji sighed.  

"On the surface, it does seem like that."  

"But to tell you the truth, from my perspective, things aren’t that simple."  

Ning Zhuo immediately clasped his hands and bowed deeply, "Please enlighten me, Lord Zhu."  

Zhu Xuanji sighed again, "Ning Zhuo, you’ve seen puppet shows, right? Right now, I have a feeling that there’s an unseen hand behind everything."  

"The recent battle among the Golden Core cultivators felt like a puppet show, where all the participants were like puppets on strings, completely unaware."  

"The stage just now was likely deliberately set up by someone behind the scenes."  

Ning Zhuo was taken aback, "Lord Zhu, are you implying the City Lord's Mansion?"  

"Indeed, during the recent battle, only Chi Dun from the City Lord’s Mansion acted, while Fei Si never made a move."  

"Moreover, the City Lord himself remained a bystander the entire time. If he had taken action, he could have easily suppressed the whole scene."  

Zhu Xuanji shook his head and sighed, "Getting him to act is quite difficult. You probably don’t know his way of doing things. For him to personally intervene, the situation must be exceedingly urgent."  

"Perhaps it’s the City Lord's Mansion?"  

Ning Zhuo said, "As for investigating the case, Lord Zhu, I don’t understand it well. But I believe that you will definitely succeed!"  

Zhu Xuanji’s expression changed slightly, and he chuckled, "You certainly have a lot of faith in me."  

Ning Zhuo laughed, "Of course! Because you are the divine detective, Zhu Xuanji, the one who investigates and brings peace to the people. You’re the most righteous person I’ve ever seen."  

"Justice will surely prevail."  

Zhu Xuanji was momentarily stunned, seriously scrutinizing the young man in front of him.  

Ning Zhuo’s eyes were clear. He was speaking from the heart, revealing his firm belief in righteousness at this moment.  

Seeing Ning Zhuo like this, Zhu Xuanji, for a fleeting moment, seemed to see his own younger self.  

Like Ning Zhuo, he too had been filled with unwavering belief in righteousness.  

Zhu

Xuanji laughed again, "You little rascal, was framing Yuan Dasheng also part of your righteous path?"  

Ning Zhuo spread his hands, "The Monkey Head Gang was born from shady dealings anyway. Besides, what does it matter if I got rid of one ape?"  

"As for the black market, this is how I see it."  

"I control the black market, which allows me to bring order to it, maintain stability, and reduce the bloodshed. At the same time, I can help my family live better lives."  

"Then why shouldn’t I do it?"  

"I feel that the three major families all want a piece of the black market; they just care too much about saving face."  

"I also care about saving face, but there’s no choice. I can’t even fill my stomach!"  

"I need to fill my stomach first before I can follow my righteous path and help my family."  

Zhu Xuanji nodded slightly, patting Ning Zhuo on the shoulder, "At least you’re pragmatic."  

Their conversation ended there.  

Zhu Xuanji took his leave.  

Ning Zhuo escorted him to the courtyard gate, watching until Zhu Xuanji disappeared from view.  

Ning Zhuo turned back and returned to the courtyard. As he walked, his eyebrows gradually rose, and his face showed more and more joy.  

After returning to his room, as soon as he closed the door, he couldn’t help clenching his fists and raising his arms in excitement.  

This action alone showed—he was very happy.  

After all, not only had he obtained the *Demonic Blood Tendon Technique*, but his aptitude had also been acknowledged by Zhu Xuanji, who had told him that there was no issue with cultivating the Three Sect Superior Methods simultaneously.  

Filled with excitement, Ning Zhuo entered the underground chamber and began his cultivation.  

However, whether he was studying the mechanical arts texts or sitting cross-legged for breath regulation, he was a bit distracted.  

From time to time, he would pause and grin foolishly.  

These small actions revealed his youthful nature without a doubt.  

Occasionally, his brows would furrow, showing a trace of doubt, as if thinking about his final conversation with Zhu Xuanji.  

But soon, he would shake his head, as if saying, "Why think about these things? If the sky falls, taller people will hold it up!"  

He even muttered to himself, "Isn’t Lord Zhu Xuanji still here?"  

(End of the Chapter)

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