Here’s the translation of the provided Chinese text, aiming for a Xianxia novel style:

**Random Recommendation:** Five Elements Generating and Restraining Art!

Ning Zhuo sat cross-legged upon a prayer mat, the Five Elements Ruler clutched in his hand.

He channeled his Five Elements spiritual power into this magical artifact.

Instantly, the runes etched upon the Five Elements Ruler blazed, and five streams of pure spiritual power flowed forth – Geng Metal, Yi Wood, Ren Water, Bing Fire, Wu Earth!

These five streams of singular power spiraled around Ning Zhuo, like dragons dancing in the sky.

Metal generates Water, Water generates Wood…Following the cycle of Five Elements generation, the individual streams of power ultimately transformed and merged, becoming a brownish-yellow Earth-type power.

Ning Zhuo’s eyes flickered with a faint light. He divided the Earth-type power into two portions.

Twenty percent remained as Earth, while the remaining eighty percent underwent generation, Earth begetting Metal, transforming completely into Metal-type power.

The Metal-type power was then bifurcated, retaining a portion as Metal, while the remainder gave rise to Water, becoming a black Water-type power.

Water transformed into Wood, Wood into Fire.

In the end, five streams of singular elemental power once again encircled Ning Zhuo.

However, compared to before, these five streams were significantly diminished.

Although it was Five Elements generation, considerable loss occurred during the transformation to the next stage.

Ning Zhuo had already executed this exercise over a thousand times.

Initially, he stumbled and struggled, taking a great deal of time.

But now, the entire conversion process was exceptionally smooth, the time required reduced to less than a tenth of the original.

After practicing generation, Ning Zhuo commenced practicing restraint.

He pitted the five streams of singular power against each other.

In an instant, five-colored radiance illuminated his face. The five streams of power, like slender serpent-dragons, intertwined and clashed, constantly generating, extinguishing, and changing form.

The myriad complex changes were dazzling to behold.

“Five Elements restraint allows me to counter any construct created using Five Elements power, whether mixed or singular,” Ning Zhuo mused.

He then thought of the Demonic Blood Meridian Art and the Spirit Mirror Connection incantation.

“The Seniors of the Three Sects designed these three arts to strictly control constructs through the aspects of divine sense, spiritual power, and blood oaths.”

“My Buddha Heart Demon Seal and the Puppet Life Thread Technique are even higher-level control methods.”

“Are the Seniors of the Three Sects so afraid of losing control of constructs?”

“The three arts and various spells they devised are all to strengthen their control over constructs.”

Ning Zhuo slowly ceased his practice, storing the Five Elements Ruler back into his storage belt.

“The Five Elements Generating and Restraining Art has yielded some small success.”

Since obtaining this art, Ning Zhuo had diligently practiced without interruption.

He had now honed it to an extremely proficient level, as natural as breathing, becoming an instinct, effortless and casual.

“Next, I must progress from skillful to ingenious.”

“This cannot be achieved through mere diligence. It requires flashes of insight during application.”

Ning Zhuo intended to reduce his practice volume.

The training goal of “skillful to ingenious” was unpredictable.

It might be a few days, a few dozen days, or even several years. It was all possible.

He knew it was time to visit the second Dao Gate and collect the Five Elements Transformation Spirit Plate.

Ning Zhuo’s residence.

He summoned his classmates from the Transformation Cultivation Team.

In the small courtyard, they gathered together, their faces filled with excitement and joy.

The youths greeted Ning Zhuo.

“Brother Zhuo, how is your research on the substitute puppet coming along? I’m willing to offer my flesh and blood for your research, without asking for even a single spirit stone.”

“Brother Zhuo, can we really create that Mechanical Ape? That’s at the Golden Core level! The three major families are all working on this. You’re too amazing.”

Ning Zhuo’s collaboration with the three families to forge a Golden Core-level Mechanical Ape had caused a great stir.

Knowing that Ning Zhuo was only at the ‘Qi Refining Third Layer,’ yet had accomplished such a feat.

His classmates couldn’t help but feel envious and admiring.

Ning Zhuo felt the need to clarify.

He said, “The Golden Core-level Mechanical Ape is still just a concept.”

“I only intend to create its skeleton and outer armor first.”

“The real key lies in its internal structure, all the various mechanical components.”

“I’m still designing that aspect. Alas, the difficulty is too high.”

Speaking to this point, Ning Zhuo shook his head and smiled wryly.

He confessed to everyone, “In truth, whether I’m researching the substitute puppet or creating the Golden Core-level Mechanical Ape, these are actions born from inner anxiety.”

“Alas, the previous joint operation by the three families, Ning Xiaohui’s betrayal hurt me deeply and affected me greatly.”

“Even family members are like this, let alone outsiders?”

“Not long ago, Elder Ning Houjun and Elder Ning Youfu also specifically instructed me to be careful.”

“I also happened to be in charge of the Black Market, and I’ve been at the center of attention lately, with countless people watching me from the shadows. It is indeed very dangerous.”

Ning Yong was the first to become agitated, “That petty person Ning Xiaohui, I even secretly liked her when we were studying together at the academy.”

“She is simply a disgrace to the main line, a disgrace to the Ning family.”

Ning Shen consoled, “Brother Zhuo, it’s alright. Our clan’s ancestor has already spoken, saying you are the Ning family’s greatest contributor. The main line will not dare to openly oppose you like that again.”

Someone objected, “But acting in secret is even harder to guard against, more terrifying, isn’t it?”

Most were indignant. “Hmph, those despicable people. They can’t bear to see a pillar, a future Clan Elder, emerge from our branch line.”

“Alright, alright!”

Ning Zhuo raised his hand to stop the discussion. As usual, he began to explain his insights into spellcasting.

The students were quickly immersed, listening with rapt attention.

Ning Zhuo’s public demonstration of the Five Elements spells often elicited gasps of astonishment.

Ning Ji wore a smile on his face, appearing engrossed, but in reality, he did not immerse himself at all. His heart remained detached, incompatible with the Transformation Cultivation Team.

“I don’t cultivate the Five Elements Qi Rhythm Art.”

Listening to these spellcasting things, he was very impatient, feeling bored and dull.

In his mind, he was savoring the wonderful feeling of managing others and bossing them around in the Black Market.

Initially, when he joined Ning Zhuo, Ning Ji was extremely uncomfortable and secretly complained to his father, Ning Ze.
He felt that the black market was dirty, chaotic, and contained huge risks. Doing those things was arduous and tiring, without any sense of honor.

At the same time, he was also worried that Ning Zhuo would retaliate against him for past grievances.

Ning Ze then reassured him, saying: Ning Zhuo will certainly tolerate you.

“Your father has already seen that Ning Zhuo is ambitious and desires great achievements, so he must value his reputation.”

“He would never do anything ungrateful, forgetting his kinship and treating his relatives harshly after becoming successful.”

This comfort seemed to open up a new world for Ning Ji.

After trying in the black market, he indeed found that many people took into consideration that he was Ning Zhuo’s relative, tolerated him, and even fawned over him.

This allowed him to act imperiously, secretly accepting tributes from many people, abusing his power, and opening back doors for others.

His life was quite comfortable, and he experienced the wonders of power, even if it was just a little bit.

As for his behavior, the former stewards had reported it upwards.

But Ning Zhuo turned a deaf ear to these reports and made no response.

This attitude had already indicated everything.

The shrewd former stewards also followed suit, turning a blind eye to Ning Ji’s many acts of corruption and bribery.

Ning Zhuo expounded many key points of spellcasting to everyone, and also commented on the mechanical creations they made, purchasing the excellent ones with spirit stones.

It is worth mentioning that Ning Zhuo, with the help of these classmates and Chen Cha’s mechanical workshop, had been purchasing mechanical creations from the outside world.

He accumulated automatons at a rapid pace.

Last time, in the life-and-death battle with Qi Bai, he had almost exhausted his sixteen years of combat reserves.

Since then, in a short period of time, the mechanical creations he had prepared were approaching thirty percent of the original amount.

When Ning Zhuo told his classmates that they would be exploring the Lava Immortal Palace together next, the classmates were extremely excited.

“Brother Zhuo, we have been waiting for this day.”

“Finally, we can explore the Immortal Palace with you again, Brother Zhuo.”

“It’s so much fun to explore with Brother Zhuo.”

According to the mechanism of the Immortal Palace, each person can at most merge with a puppet three times a day.

But in reality, the trial disciples basically do not use it to the fullest extent.

Sometimes, they don’t even explore once.

The main reason is that they gain nothing from exploring the Immortal Palace.

They have already received all the spell rewards they can bring out of the Immortal Palace.

Each person receives a different spell, and after coming out, they exchange information with each other. Soon, everyone masters all the spells.

This is the advantage of having many people.

They cannot squeeze into the leaderboard to receive the rewards of the leaderboard.

At most, they break through the trials within the puppet body to train their mechanics.

But this efficiency is far inferior to making mechanical creations in the mechanical workshops in Fire Persimmon Immortal City.

Moreover, exploring the Immortal Palace consumes soul power.

For most people, without significant progress in strength, repeated exploration is not very meaningful.

Soon after, everyone gathered in the Lava Immortal Palace. Puppet Ning Zhuo took the lead, leading his classmates through the levels one after another.

Seeing that all kinds of reward spells were taken by Ning Zhuo with ease, Ning Shen, Ning Yong and others exclaimed wonderfully.

When Ning Zhuo obtained dozens of Flying Swimming Hands, his magical offensive directly crossed a major threshold.

The Flying Swimming Hand mechanisms and Ning Zhuo’s puppet body cast spells together, just like dozens of cultivators acting at the same time.

A large number of spells erupted together, the offensive was vast, and the brilliance of various spells intertwined, gorgeous and dangerous.

Looking at Ning Zhuo’s fearless advance, waving his hands and summoning wind, thunder, fire, and lightning, so chic and majestic, the classmates were all excited.

At the age of sixteen or seventeen, they were at an age of worshiping heroes and longing to show off.

The demeanor Ning Zhuo displayed made them yearn from the bottom of their hearts.

Ning Zhuo smiled and encouraged everyone in his spare time while passing through the levels: “You can also achieve my level.”

“But you need to practice diligently and put in a lot of time and effort.”

“To master these spells, I have also put in a lot of effort behind the scenes.”

Ning Zhuo, who had exchanged a large amount of spellcasting experience by receiving leaderboard rewards, said without blushing or skipping a beat.

Looking at Ning Zhuo, who possessed talent, was diligent and hardworking, and was also humble and approachable, everyone was convinced.

End of chapter.