Mysteries of Immortal Puppet Master

Chapter 1291: Chapter 502: Sweeping the Formation (2)

The bronze carriage flew for a while longer when Shen Xi suddenly spoke, "Instead of relying on opportunity and deception, I rather believe Ning Zhuo inherently has such prowess in Array Dao. It’s just now he chooses to reveal it."

Su Lingkou shook her head, "Ning Zhuo and cousin, you are of the same generation. He primarily focuses on Mechanical Techniques, how could he have had the extra time and energy to invest in Array Dao?"

In her understanding, Shen Xi had always been a top-notch genius, and those stronger than him among his peers in the vast Flying Cloud Country were few and far between!

Su Lingkou insisted, "Cousin, I have witnessed the hardships and pain you endured from a young age to achieve your current Array Dao prowess. Ning Zhuo cannot possibly catch up with you in just a few days!"

"If he’s also formidable in Array Dao, then he’s just a crafty old demon disguising as a youngster."

Shen Xi replied, "This possibility is very low. Zhong Dao and Tuoba Huang both value him and would’ve investigated Ning Zhuo’s true age. And even if they didn’t... Ning Zhuo is bound to exchange for higher-grade Identity Tokens afterward, requiring more of his information to be registered. His real age is one of those details."

"If he deliberately conceals his age to garner favors from major figures like Zhong Dao and Tuoba Huang, once exposed, it would attract disdain, ridicule, and contempt. He’d offend powerful entities with such deception."

"That would be incredibly unwise. Ning Zhuo would certainly not make this mistake."

Shen Xi, having observed Ning Zhuo for a long time, had significant confidence in Ning Zhuo’s intelligence and strategy.

Shen Xi continued, "Rather than relying on opportunity and deception, I rather think Ning Zhuo inherently possesses such proficiency in Array Dao. It’s only now he chooses to reveal it."

"If Ning Zhuo intended to cheat, the most sensible approach would be to showcase his genuine abilities from the start. There’s no point in stopping at the third curve during the first trial and later showing off his true talent. Doesn’t that engender more suspicion?"

Su Lingkou fell silent.

Shen Xi also ceased speaking.

The moonlight couldn’t completely penetrate the vehicle’s interior, leaving substantial shadows that cast into Shen Xi’s heart.

Ning Zhuo’s impression as a strategic and deep-thinking individual became even more profound in his mind.

The next day.

Ning Zhuo arrived at Nine Curves Peak, where he publicly claimed the first-place reward and politely declined the recruitment from Nine Curves Peak.

To him, Nine Curves Peak was not the ideal entry point.

Amidst many watching eyes, after leaving Nine Curves Peak, Ning Zhuo headed straight to Earth Fire Valley.

Here lies an Earth Fire Abundant Field Formation.

This array relies on an Earth Fire Spiritual Vein, with ridges crisscrossing throughout the formation. Beneath each ridge are Earth Fire Essences hidden. Entering the array, participants have twelve hours to use formation power to harness the earth fire, transforming a barren wasteland into a spirit field.

It sounds simple but is extremely difficult to execute.

Because the earth fire is wild and untamed, a slight mistake risks being consumed by flames. Transforming the spirit field requires precise control over the heat; too much turns to scorched earth, too little does nothing.

"The Earth Fire Abundant Field Formation... tests one’s mastery over Fire Power. Cultivators must coordinate the relationship between formation and earth veins, ideally possessing agricultural skills as well."

Farming is also one of the Cultivation Hundred Skills.

Upon Ning Zhuo’s arrival, he was granted participation qualification right away.

He soon stepped into the formation.

Underfoot, he continuously felt the scorching heat, while deep below, flames roared and surged, ready to erupt at any moment.

Ning Zhuo didn’t rush into action. He closed his eyes, using Divine Sense to explore the earth below, sensing the flow patterns of the earth fire.

After thirty minutes, he opened his eyes.

He had grasped the general situation.

He took out an Array Plate and began constructing the formation.

The first layer of formation drew the earth fire from below, guiding it to specified locations.

The second layer split the fierce earth fire into dozens of streams, preventing concentrated eruptions.

The third layer precisely adjusted each stream’s temperature, stabilizing it within an appropriate range.

The fourth layer transformed earth fire power into essential nutrients for the spirit field, permeating the soil.

The four layers of formation interlocked, sequentially operating and supporting each other.

A muffled sound echoed from below, followed by countless fire tongues shooting from the earth, but they were bound by the formations immediately, then divided into dozens of streams, flowing along the formation’s veins.

Where they passed, the barren land began to change.

The formerly cracked soil became moist, its parched color turning dark. On the lifeless ground, wisps of heat rose—marking vitality and signaling the spirit field’s impending formation.

After two hours, the flames gradually died down.

Before Ning Zhuo lay neatly arranged spirit fields. The soil in them was jet-black, infused with rich Spiritual Energy, and a casual grasp revealed its warm power.

The cultivators presiding over the trial immediately gathered, providing an objective and comprehensive assessment.

Soon after, a Golden Core Cultivator approached Ning Zhuo, displaying admiration, "As expected of Ning Zhuo! Your control over the heat is exceptional, so precise it even amazes me."

"Your current score ranks first. If no one surpasses it, when the time comes, you will be the top rank of this session."

Ning Zhuo nodded, got up, and took his leave.

A day later, Ning Zhuo was at Cold Frost Peak.

Here, snow covers year-round; the temperature is so low that even mana can freeze. The array uses millennium ice as its foundation, creating an ice-sealed world.

Participants must find and refine the formation core’s "Ice Heart" within six hours.

Immediately upon entering, Ning Zhuo felt a bone-chilling cold.

This cold wasn’t ordinary but a Mystic Ice chill that penetrated mana and eroded Divine Sense.

Instantly, a layer of frosting formed on Ning Zhuo’s eyebrows, and even breathing became difficult.

Ning Zhuo took a deep breath, circulating Five Elements Mana, singly employing mana from the Middle Dantian to resist the cold’s encroachment.

Ning Zhuo closed his eyes, fully expanding Divine Sense and deploying numerous Treasure Mirrors to vastly extend the range of his search.

A hundred feet, three hundred feet, five hundred feet...

In the vast expanse of ice and snow, the Ice Heart was barely discernible, like searching for a needle in the ocean.

Finally, approaching the time limit, Ning Zhuo’s formation instincts helped again, allowing him to use various Breaking Array Treasures and successfully retrieve the Ice Heart.

The Peak Master personally approached Ning Zhuo, "My trial allows only one attempt. Your score now ranks third but..."

"If you agree to join my peak, I could grant you another chance."

Ning Zhuo couldn’t help but ask, "Can the rules of the Xingyun Trial be altered so freely?"

The Peak Master smiled, "Not just anytime or on a whim, but this rule has been preserved for the most suitable cultivator."

Ning Zhuo realized and then firmly declined the Peak Master.

Previously at the Earth Fire Abundant Field Formation, Ning Zhuo could rely on his deep knowledge in the Fire Realm for an excellent performance. But the Ice Seal Ten Thousand Miles Formation not only tests formation skills but also the Ice Realm.

Even with restored power, Ning Zhuo’s Ice Realm is only at the craftsman level.

After a day’s rest, Ning Zhuo arrived at the Scripture Pavilion.

He was led before an ancient painting.

In the painting, mountains and rivers are magnificent, society is grand, sun, moon, stars, and birds, and beasts appear vivid and lifelike, as if they might step out at any moment.

Mountain River Society Map!

A Refining Void Level treasure, a cornerstone of the Myriad Images Sect.

Ning Zhuo entered the world within the painting.

Across endless landscapes, Ning Zhuo trekked unendingly.

A thousand miles, ten thousand miles, he couldn’t count how many steps he’d taken.

Through Divine Sense, intuition, various Breaking Array Treasures, and the extraordinary realm enhancements in Earth and Water Element, Ning Zhuo finally stopped.

A seemingly ordinary small hill barred his way.

He reached out his hand, pressing against the hill.

Mana flowed in gradually.

The hill began to tremble.

Then, it collapsed.

Instantly, Ning Zhuo left the world of the painting, returning to where he stood earlier.

Before him lay the Scripture Pavilion as before, with the same ancient painting.

The Elder of Scripture Pavilion approached Ning Zhuo, his gaze complex, "In just one hour, you’ve successfully refined. Young man, you’re the second to achieve such a feat in nearly a hundred years."

"You’re likely to be the top rank for this trial."

"But we must wait half a month until the trial reaches its end and concludes entirely."

"Understood," Ning Zhuo nodded immediately, expressing his comprehension.