A turn came to the Zhou family.

The Zhou family patriarch appeared: “Our family rose to prominence with a Spirit Gathering Array. As everyone knows, this array spawned an array spirit.”

“The Spirit Gathering Array spirit can expend some of its own spiritual essence to cast spells, empowering souls.”

“With this spell, cultivators can automatically absorb external spiritual energy, automatically convert it into personal mana, and reduce the consumption of various spells.”

The Zheng family brought out the Ghostly Divine Weapon Forging Art, the Zhou family activated the Spirit Gathering Array spirit, and the Ning family brought out the Foundation Establishment ghost cultivator Ning Xie, who possessed the Snow Soul Ice Spirit aptitude.

Ning Zhuo’s mood turned solemn.

These were all the foundations of each family, grand gestures all around.

Usually, they were hidden away, but now they were being brought out for use.

Ning Zhuo thought of what the Ning family patriarch had said about “matters concerning the Golden Core Ancestor,” and the actions of the three families became logical.

“Alright, you continue to discuss, we won’t delay you.”

The Zhou family patriarch waved his hand and left the secret room.

The Ning family patriarch also followed.

Ning Xie still floated in mid-air, arms crossed, staring at Ning Zhuo with an icy gaze.

Ning Zhuo seemed oblivious, treating him as air, which made Ning Xie feel extremely stifled.

Zheng Hua continued, “These five jade slips contain all the materials, spirit stones, and mechanical components that we have gathered.”

“Because it’s extremely difficult to bring items into the Lava Immortal Palace, the only resources we can use in this battle are these.”

The Ning family’s Ning Xie was the greatest achievement of the three families’ joint research into the Lava Immortal Palace, an attempt to bring items inside.

In fact, each of the three families had ghost cultivators hidden away as family heritage.

Ning Xie’s success was due to his innate talent, which could form a mysterious synergy with Ning Xiaohui’s talent.

Ning Zhuo pressed the jade slips to his brow and, after examining them, his mood became even more solemn.

The content of the jade slips was very detailed, and the spirit stones alone were calculated with great precision.

It statistically determined the number of all explorers and assumed that everyone would choose spirit stone rewards, calculating the maximum number of spirit stones the entire exploration team could obtain.

And if no one chose them, how many spirit stones would there be?

Among them, various stages such as 30%, 50%, 70%, and 90% were further divided, all calculating detailed spirit stone figures.

And the number of grappling hooks, flying boxes, and other mechanical components was also the same.

The materials and resources that could be purchased in the armory using spirit stones, and the length of time each crafting tool could be used, all had extremely precise calculations.

Not only that, but the jade slips also contained more than a dozen mechanical creations, categorized into different types.

Zheng Hua explained in a timely manner, “These are all mechanical creations that our three families have discussed and carefully selected.”

“Their functions, power, and the resources and spirit stones used to construct them are all meticulously calculated.”

“If anyone has any good ideas for mechanical creations, please feel free to propose them, and we can discuss them further.”

Ning Zhuo remained silent.

Zhou Zeshen, however, looked at Ning Zhuo, not letting him go, with a smiling face and sincere expression: “Brother Ning, you must have seen that most of these mechanical creations come from my sect, the Mudflow Sect.”

“The Mudflow Sect is most skilled at modifying terrain with mechanisms, which is also the sect’s main business.”

“Earth Burrowing Rats are used to soften mountains and drill tunnels, Night Sky Bats are used to scout terrain and draw three-dimensional maps, White Tiger Battering Rams are used to open large tunnels, and Mud Gate Earth Hammers are used to smash boulders and compact foundations.”

“Brother Ning’s mechanical talent is well-known, and the Mechanical Fire Apes and Fire Bamboo Snakes you designed are also good at combat.”

“Therefore, your advice is very important.”

Ning Zhuo smiled faintly, “I will definitely do my best, but these mechanisms need to be studied carefully before I can express my opinion. This is a matter of great importance, and I dare not speak carelessly.”

“Hahaha…”

Zhou Zeshen laughed, “We will await Brother Ning’s insightful opinions!”

Zheng Hua continued, “Next, I will introduce to you the several tactics that the three families have jointly prepared.”

“The first is the Zhou family battle formation.”

After the discussion ended, Ning Zhuo returned to his own single room.

Along the way, his brow was furrowed, and his mood was solemn.

“Whole multiples, mature tactics, the foundations of the three families.”

Ning Zhuo pondered in his heart, reviewing, and felt an immense pressure.

He had previously expected that the alliance of the three families relied on the functions of the armory.

But that wasn’t entirely true.

Whether it was the major battle methods of the three-family alliance or the foundations that the three families brought out, they were almost all things he hadn’t anticipated.

The ‘secret’ concerning the Golden Core Ancestor made it even harder for him to guess what had happened at the higher levels.

“The three-family alliance…numerous and powerful!”

Ning Zhuo deeply felt the advantage of having a large number of people.

Even if none of them were on the list and received ample spirit stone rewards, the clearance rewards stacked up by sheer numbers were already a huge sum.

The three-family alliance integrated and organized all resources, and then made extremely precise calculations.

Based on this, they researched the optimal allocation.

It could be said that they had fully tapped into their combat potential.

Now, Ning Zhuo’s greatest fortune was that the exploration route of Soul Entering the Immortal Palace prohibited the carrying of external objects into the palace.

This was a very significant layer of protection for Ning Zhuo.

If it were possible to carry external objects, then the three major families would be able to unleash even more terrifying combat power.

Ning Zhuo took out the Floating Cloud Shawl, hid himself within its mists, and then his soul entered the Immortal Palace.

Sun Lingtong had been waiting for him.

Ning Zhuo told her the latest information, and Sun Lingtong’s mood also became solemn: “The enemy’s strength is so great, it seems that we must let Qi Bai fight to have a chance of victory.”

Ning Zhuo sighed: “It is indeed difficult to rely on Yuan Dasheng alone.”

“However, we must not be too radical.”

“If it really doesn’t work, I simply won’t take the formation this time.”

“We must guard against the Soul Devouring Sect’s hidden hand.”

Sun Lingtong nodded: “Don’t worry, I have a sense of proportion.”

Sun Lingtong’s soul returned to her body, looking at the storage bag of Qi Bai in front of her, her brow furrowed, her face full of determination.

He had long had plans in his heart: “Xiaozhuo is single-mindedly wanting to go to the Lava Immortal Palace more often.”

“This goal is not only a major opportunity in his life, but also his mother’s entrustment, a task he must complete.”

“This is too significant for him!”
“He speaks so lightly, does he think I’m a fool? Refuse the challenge of the array, and the three houses will drive straight in, possibly arousing their suspicion even more!”

“As his elder, if I don’t support him now, when will I?”

Sun Lingtong’s progress in breaking Qi Bai’s storage pouch is slow, but after accumulating over time, he has reached the final juncture.

“Time is limited, I need to take a bit of a risk!”

As one of the Demonic Path, Sun Lingtong never lacks the spirit of adventure.

During the Qi Refining stage, he would pilfer treasures from Foundation Establishment cultivators. Once, he was even captured for stealing and imprisoned and tortured by the gang.

He doesn’t take risks out of necessity, but out of a love for it, enjoying the thrill of stealing and other stimulating activities, finding it mentally and physically refreshing and pleasurable.

“Then let’s begin!”

Sun Lingtong puffed out his cheeks, summoning all his strength, and activated his technique.

Soon after, Qi Bai’s storage pouch was opened, and a wisp of black-gray smoke rose into the air.

With quick eyes and hands, Sun Lingtong snuffed out the smoke before it could drift away.

“Good!”

“My estimation was correct, there are no other defense measures!”

“Hahaha, I’ve plundered a Golden Core cultivator’s storage pouch.”

Sun Lingtong immediately checked the contents. Qi Bai’s storage pouch was rich with resources, a treasure trove beyond measure.

There were seven rarely used magical artifacts.

Cultivation resources were almost all closely related to soul cultivation.

The few unrelated materials were all at the Golden Core level.

It wouldn’t be easy to sell these materials. A suitable auction or trading partner would be needed.

Therefore, they were all hoarded in Qi Bai’s possession.

But the most valuable items were Qi Bai’s personal belongings.

These are all excellent fuel for the Funeral Prajna Disentanglement Sutra!

Sun Lingtong grinned from ear to ear.

Ning Zhuo had already passed on the relevant scriptures to Sun Lingtong.

Therefore, during Ning Zhuo’s special training, Sun Lingtong, by his own efforts, could burn items to enhance Qi Bai’s spirituality.

In a certain darkness, two balls of ghostly fire suddenly ignited.

Looking closer, one could see that these two balls of ghostly fire were actually the eyes of a cultivator.

Luo Shang.

A true disciple of the Soul-Devouring Sect, tasked with the sect’s important mission of finding the true culprit behind Qi Bai’s death and seeking revenge.

He had already infiltrated Fire Persimmon Immortal City, without attracting attention, and had been concealing his identity all along.

“The two Soul-Devouring Sect disciples in the city lord’s dungeon are just bait and traps.”

“Han Ming has been out of contact. What could be the reason?”

“Even now, she hasn’t responded to my secret transmissions!”

“Hm?”

At this moment, Luo Shang sensed Qi Bai’s aura.

He had been constantly activating the sect’s secret technique.

“It’s in that direction, inside the mountain.”

The ghostly fire disappeared, and Luo Shang immediately set off.

Not long after he disappeared, a female cultivator flashed over.

She had a peach-blossom face, a tall and graceful figure, and was none other than Yang Chanyu of the Non-Emptiness Sect.

Yang Chanyu mixed in Fire Persimmon Immortal City, constantly changing her appearance and wandering around, with one of her main purposes being to find Sun Lingtong.

Within the sect, Sun Lingtong’s soul tablet showed no abnormalities.

Although the black market had been raided, and Sun Lingtong had long been wanted, Yang Chanyu was convinced that Sun Lingtong was in Fire Persimmon Immortal City.

“Where is this little rascal hiding?”

“I left behind signals, but none of them have been triggered!”

“Hmph, he’s deliberately hiding from me.”

Yang Chanyu couldn’t find Sun Lingtong, but she accidentally discovered Luo Shang.

As soon as Luo Shang made a move, Yang Chanyu sensed it. After thinking about it, she decided to secretly pursue him to see what Luo Shang had discovered.

Luo Shang cautiously searched for a gap in the Immortal City’s formation, went around in a large circle, and found the secret base inside the mountain.

However, when he entered the secret base, Sun Lingtong had already left.

Sun Lingtong had gone to another underground base to replenish Qi Bai’s spirituality.

Luo Shang thought for a moment, felt that Sun Lingtong would return, and decided to wait for him to return.

“An underground base, wait… it’s Sun Lingtong’s aura. Hmph, this little devil, I’ve finally found you!”

Yang Chanyu snorted coldly, and also went into hiding.

Meanwhile, in another secret chamber,

Zhu Xuanji convened the three Golden Core Ancestors, and was conducting a second secret negotiation.

In the previous first negotiation, Zhu Xuanji proposed a collaboration.

He wanted the three Golden Core Ancestors to fully assist him, and combine his team, to strike into Fire Persimmon Mountain, directly into the Demon Ape’s lair, to retrieve the Demon General’s shell.

This operation had a high risk, and even at the Golden Core level, there was a possibility of falling.

But if the six Golden Core cultivators joined forces, sincerely cooperated, there would be a considerable chance of success.

The key was that the benefits were high.

One part was the rich spoils of war from destroying the Demon Ape’s lair, and the other part was the rewards that Zhu Xuanji provided to the Golden Core cultivators for their assistance.

The rewards were very tempting.

Therefore, the three Golden Core cultivators were all in a state of hesitation.

Zhu Xuanji asked with a smile: “Fellow Daoists, I wonder how your considerations are progressing?”

Zheng Shuanggou took the lead and said: “My side can send two people, but the price must be increased.”

End of chapter.