Mechanical Carriage.

Ning Zhuo gazed at the Tree Martial Fighting Ape, Da Sheng, seated beside him.

Today’s venture outside the city had yielded results far exceeding expectations.

Firstly, Ning Zhuo had displayed the Tree Martial Fighting Ape, Da Sheng, outwardly showcasing the fruits of his labor in acquiring Yuan Da Sheng’s corpse.

Even though the materials for the Tree Martial Fighting Ape, Da Sheng, didn’t utilize a single aspect of Yuan Da Sheng’s cadaver, that didn’t matter.

Ning Zhuo could simply explain it this way: the mechanical constructs he initially created were prototypes, requiring constant refinement before a mature blueprint was achieved, after which Yuan Da Sheng’s remains would truly be used as the primary material.

Secondly, through practical combat, Ning Zhuo had tested the Tree Martial Fighting Ape, Da Sheng’s, combat prowess and indeed discovered many areas for improvement and optimization.

“The Tree Martial Fighting Ape, Da Sheng, needs more inscription locations for talismans; merely six is insufficient to fully display Yuan Da Sheng’s martial arts prowess.”

On this point, Ning Zhuo had to admit, he had underestimated Yuan Da Sheng.

The Tree Martial Fighting Ape already possessed the most flexible skeletal structure; due to its modular assembly, virtually every bone could move.

Thus, from the foundational design, Yuan Da Sheng could be given ample freedom to perform a wide array of movements.

However, in actual combat, many of Yuan Da Sheng’s martial techniques required other components to unleash their full potential.

The design blueprints for the Tree Martial Fighting Ape, Da Sheng, lacked array formations.

This was primarily because Ning Zhuo was short on time; the construction of arrays was far more intricate and precise.

Ning Zhuo could only attempt to compensate for this by combining talismans, maximizing the mechanical construct’s power and satisfying Yuan Da Sheng’s martial arts requirements.

Thirdly, Ning Zhuo had discovered a path to strengthen his control over Yuan Da Sheng: Yuan Er.

When Yuan Er was assassinated, Yuan Da Sheng stirred restlessly.

At Ning Zhuo’s command, it participated in the rescue.

This action fully aligned with its spiritual nature.

When Ning Zhuo issued the command, over a dozen sheets of parchment were swept away.

After Yuan Da Sheng killed several assassins and drove off the rest, the parchment sheets were directly swept away by over thirty.

“If Yuan Er is assassinated a few more times, and I use the Tree Martial Fighting Ape, Da Sheng, to rescue him each time, wouldn’t that do the trick?”

That was Ning Zhuo’s initial thought.

Therefore, he deliberately let the remaining assassins escape.

“If these assassins don’t act, I can orchestrate a few assassination attempts myself.”

“After all, Yuan Er is hiding in the headquarters of the Monkey Head Gang, easy enough to find!”

“After this ambush, he will inevitably suspect there are spies within the gang, and he will no longer trust them. He will only hide in the deepest recesses of the gang’s headquarters, living in fear, barely clinging to life.”

“Who would have thought that such a person could still be valuable!”

“Hmm!”

“If rescuing Yuan Er from assassinations isn’t enough for me to fully master Yuan Da Sheng, then how about excavating Yuan Yi’s tomb!”

“Conducting grave robbery in front of the Tree Martial Fighting Ape, Da Sheng, and then ordering it to stop me should also align with its spiritual nature, right?”

“Hmm…”

“Find some people to attack the Monkey Head Gang and let the Tree Martial Fighting Ape, Da Sheng, see it and then go to its rescue. After all, this is the foundation it created in life, maybe it will also work!”

Inspired, Ning Zhuo’s mind raced, and he thought of many methods.

A joyous feeling arose in his heart, and he couldn’t help but reveal a pure smile.

“Actually, aligning with spiritual nature is quite simple!”

“Just find the true needs!”

The carriage traveled from the Monkey Head Gang’s headquarters toward the Ning family estate.

“Perhaps directly going to Uncle Zheng’s place is not a good idea, there’s no good place to make my contraptions!”

Ning Zhuo changed his route midway, but ended up being turned away at the Zheng residence.

The Zheng family stated that they were entertaining esteemed guests and it was inconvenient, hoping for Ning Zhuo’s understanding.

“What esteemed guests could they be?” Ning Zhuo was somewhat disappointed and had no choice but to return home.

On the way, he deliberately took a detour to take a look at his little courtyard home.

Since the previous attack and explosion, his residence had been reduced to ruins.

However, reconstruction had begun that very day.

Looking at it now, the foundation of the house had already been laid.

The protective arrays surrounding the residence were several levels higher than before.

With the Ning family’s connections, they could directly connect to the entire Fire Persimmon Immortal City’s grand array.

Ning Zhuo returned to the Ning family estate.

A family emissary was already waiting for him, instructing him to hand over the items he had previously received.

These were various life-saving items that the family had distributed to him before his departure.

The most valuable was the directional teleportation talisman.

Ning Zhuo sighed inwardly and returned everything.

Ning Xiaoren received the emissary’s report, confirming the return of the resources to the clan treasury, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

He also received firsthand intelligence from the guards, and his mood became somewhat complicated.

“This Ning Zhuo really is a mechanical prodigy.”

“The previous Mechanical Fire Monkey was already quite good, and now he’s designed the combat mechanical Tree Martial Fighting Ape, Da Sheng, with extraordinary combat power.”

“The stronger he is, the more helpful he will be to the Ning family in the three-family alliance!”

“However, at this rate, will Ning Xiaohui be able to suppress him?”

Ning Xiaoren, as the main branch, naturally favored Ning Xiaohui over Ning Zhuo, a branch member.

After some consideration, he sent the message to Ning Xiaohui’s grandmother.

Ning Xiaohui’s grandmother was conducting secret special training for Ning Xiaohui.

Ning Xiaohui still had layers of gauze wrapped around her throat, her gaze focused as she stared at a basin of water filled with ice in front of her.

Her hands were plunged into the ice, and had been for the duration of an incense stick burning.

Bone-chilling cold seeped through her hands, eroding her entire body.

Initially, she trembled all over, her face covered in frost.

Later, her hands turned purplish-blue, her body numbed by the cold.

And now, at the final moment, she actually felt a trace of warmth from her numb hands.

It was like a seed of life contained within the icy depths of an extremely cold place, stubbornly sprouting a green bud.

Ning Xiaohui had a flash of inspiration, realizing something on the spot.

Her hands also emitted a jade-like radiance, instantly absorbing all the frostbite and cold from her entire body, then transforming it into a vibrant life force and feeding it back.

In the next moment, Ning Xiaohui radiated vitality, all the injuries, large and small, on her body completely healed, including her damaged throat, which was restored to its original state.

“Grandmother, I succeeded!”

Ning Xiaohui tore off the gauze around her neck and cheered with joy.

Her grandmother stood by her side, witnessing her granddaughter’s breakthrough, and was filled with relief, her eyes reddening: “Good, good, grandmother saw it, truly my good beloved granddaughter.”

“You should now have comprehended the essence of the Ice Jade Hands!”

Ning Xiaohui chose her words carefully, saying, “It’s like a strand of life within extreme coldness and harshness, a transformation after reaching the limit.”

Her grandmother nodded and said slowly: “All things in heaven and earth have a spiritual nature.”

“A cultivator’s talent is the innate spiritual nature. There are countless spiritual natures, and countless talents.”

“The reason why grandmother had you plunge your hands into ice was to use this arduous training to experience that even in extreme coldness and harshness, there will still be life!”

“As the saying goes, heaven never seals off all paths; in the world, there is no absolutely inescapable predicament, and even in the most desperate situation, there is a faint glimmer of hope!”

“This is the way the world operates, the truth that we cultivators seek, and the meaning contained within the Ice Jade Hands!”

“Here is a message just sent by the young clan leader, take a look!”

Ning Xiaohui glanced at it: “I didn’t expect this Ning Zhuo to really have talent. The previous Mechanical Fire Monkey wasn’t his limit, and he’s so quickly created another excellent mechanical ape.”

“However, this is nothing!”

Ning Xiaohui’s grandmother nodded, “Indeed!”

“Xiaohui, now that you have initially mastered the Ice Jade Hands, your strength will advance by leaps and bounds!”

“Although you have changed your cultivation to the Five Elements Qi Rhythm Art, the five elements of magical power also include the water element, which can complement your talent!”

“In addition, the earth element and wood element are also good matches for the Ice Jade Hands!”

“If you obtain the subsequent cultivation methods of the Five Elements Qi Rhythm Art in the future, surpassing the upper limit of our clan’s main cultivation art, *Ice Heart Sutra*, then changing your cultivation will be a superior path for you.”

“That Ning Zhuo will not do.”

“Even if he has talent, our clan will not test it for him now!”

“Even if it is tested in the future, he will hardly have any good strategies to develop his talent.”

“For example, in this arduous training, grandmother deliberately helped you block information. In fact, the essence of the Ice Jade Hands has long been recorded in the clan’s treasured classics and secret books.”

“If you had read it in advance, it would have been a huge obstacle to true arduous training and comprehension.”

“Only by truly experiencing the vitality beneath despair in the midst of extreme cold can you further grasp your talent!”

“This is the foundation of the family.”

“Ning Zhuo’s talent is clearly not common in the Ning family’s bloodline. He will not receive the guidance and leadership of the family’s sages, and he will surely take many detours in the future.”

“The future is yours, Xiaohui!”

Ning Xiaohui nodded: “Not just the future, the present is also mine.”

“When I have mastered the Ice Jade Hands, I will return to the cultivation reform team and let everyone see the demeanor of the Ning family’s main line!”

Accompanied by Wang Lan, Ning Zhuo entered Ning Ze’s talisman-making room.

He looked around and sighed, “With some modifications, it can still be used.”

Wang Lan was indignant in her heart, but smiled obsequiously on her face: “Xiao Zhuo, it’s good if I can help you.”

“Unfortunately, I’m just a woman and don’t understand any mechanical arts. Your uncle is much better than me in this regard!”

“If he comes home, with him here, he will definitely help you more.”

Wang Lan subtly reminded Ning Zhuo that his uncle was still locked in the private prison.

Ning Zhuo seemed not to have understood, he took out mechanical manufacturing tools from his storage bag one by one, swept out some of the facilities of the talisman-making room, and temporarily transformed it into a simple mechanical workshop.

Wang Lan witnessed and participated in the whole process, and felt more and more that the servant was deceiving the master, the villain was in power, and was full of heartache and anger, but could only endure it.

Ning Zhuo asked Wang Lan to leave, and he was alone.

He presented the Tree Martial Fighting Ape, Da Sheng, and began to disassemble it.

The main change was to increase the inscription locations for talismans.

After some hammering, the number of talisman locations on Yuan Da Sheng was increased from the previous six to ten.

“Next, refine the various talismans, adjust their combinations, and it should basically meet the needs of Yuan Da Sheng’s martial arts expression!”

End of Chapter.