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The stage groaned and creaked, background structures slowly descending, transitioning to the next scene.

The audience remained silent, completely immersed.

Only some of the musicians, while playing their instruments loudly, couldn’t help but look at Ning Zhuo on the highest level of the stage. They were inwardly astonished, for this young cultivator indeed possessed a skill that rivaled Li Leifeng’s before his death.

Ning Zhuo’s eyes glinted, and his entire body was drenched in sweat.

Seizing the moment during the stage transition, he contacted the Flood Dragon Fire Spirit through the life-thread puppets: “Flood Dragon Fire Spirit!”

“Being outside the Immortal Palace and influencing Ning Xiaohui to this extent through the life-thread is my limit.”

“From here on, it’s up to you!”

The Flood Dragon Fire Spirit roared anxiously: “No, Young Master Ning Zhuo.”

“My authority is restricted, I absolutely cannot…”

Before it could finish, Ning Zhuo abruptly cut in: “Apologies, the next act is about to begin. I can barely protect myself right now.”

“On the Immortal Palace’s side, you can only win!”

Flood Dragon Fire Spirit: …

The stage transformed, depicting a high-ranking official’s mansion, the lighting dim.

The sound of the jinghu was continuous and low.

The official puppet lay on a bed, listening quietly as the black-clothed messenger puppet reported.

The black-clothed messenger sang: “Your Excellency, I have persuaded the commoner to falsely accuse that Fang Qing.”

“Tomorrow, a public false accusation, a great humiliation. Fang Qing is upright, he will surely not tolerate it.”

“If he kills the commoner, he will fall into the trap.”

The official puppet, dressed in official robes and brocade, lay on the bed with his legs crossed, his head turning slightly, remarkably lifelike.

He sang triumphantly: “Well killed, wonderfully killed. Tomorrow’s situation is already set. Fang Qing falls into the trap, unable to argue further. His reputation as a righteous man, scattered in an instant. How will he ever gain a foothold in the court again! Hahaha.”

The official laughed loudly.

The lights dimmed, and the jinghu turned to a high pitch.

The stage creaked again, and as the scene shifted, Ning Zhuo inhaled deeply, his eyes flickering.

The third act ended, and the fourth act began.

The stage returned to the court of justice, the lighting bright. The jinghu was rapid, and drums and gongs sounded together.

The Fang Qing puppet sat in his official seat, struck the gavel, and sang: “Today we retry the case, the hall a mirror of clarity. Who is the true culprit, state it clearly.”

The criminal puppet knelt below the dais, raising his head several times, each time accompanied by a soft drumbeat.

Finally, he summoned his courage, let out an excited cry, and then sang: “Fang Qing, you false official, greedy without measure, bringing disaster to the common folk.”

“The so-called true culprit is you, you killed me to silence me, a monstrous crime!”

The Fang Qing puppet stood up in shock.

The jinghu turned sharply, and Fang Qing, suppressing his anger, sang: “Shameless scoundrel, dare to falsely accuse! Utterly audacious, making groundless accusations!”

He took a deep breath: “If I were to exercise my authority today, killing you would be easy, but I am unwilling.”

“Legal justice requires trial, it is right to first examine myself!”

Immediately, Fang Qing slowly sat down, playing both roles, and finally judged himself a suspect, temporarily imprisoning himself.

“Your Excellency!” Facing such a verdict, the constables in the hall exclaimed.

“Your Excellency!” The commoner puppets outside the hall exclaimed.

Fang Qing bound his own hands, held his head high, and led the constables away.

The lighting dimmed, leaving only the criminal puppet, bathed in a spotlight.

“Your Excellency…” The criminal puppet lamented, his voice choked with sobs, tears streaming down his face.

Ning Xiaohui was on the verge of tears!

She ran frantically through the chaotic battlefield, using every method she had to fight for her life!

“Save me!”

“Who can save me!!”

She kept calling for help, screaming repeatedly.

Several times, she was on the brink of death. Her Ice Jade Hand talent still performed exceptionally well at this moment; it was by relying on it that Ning Xiaohui saved her life.

The attention of the Golden Core cultivators was no longer on her.

Because the vast number of Crimson Flame demonic beasts were about to overwhelm the Historical Records Pavilion!

The Golden Core cultivators from the three families, as well as Zhu Zhen, had received solemn instructions from Zhu Xuanji beforehand – the Historical Records Pavilion was extremely important and must not be lost!

Compared to the Historical Records Pavilion, Ning Xiaohui was no longer so important. Especially after Ning Xiaohui had answered the Moon Hook clone and told him that she hadn’t had time to peruse the materials in the Historical Records Pavilion at all.

But there were too many Crimson Flame demonic beasts, replenishing endlessly, like a continuous tide.

“Damn it, having to protect the Historical Records Pavilion, it’s so restrictive! We can’t unleash our full power!”

“We must quickly seal the loopholes in the spherical light barrier, otherwise the Crimson Flame demonic beasts will be endless.”

“Damn it, the hole in the light barrier seems to have gotten bigger!”

The Golden Cores communicated with each other.

Thanks to their effort to protect the Historical Records Pavilion, Yang Chan Yu also miraculously survived.

She cowered to the side, fully focusing on herself, trying to remove the marking methods others had planted on her.

The Flood Dragon Fire Spirit could not directly attack Ning Xiaohui and could only fully command the mechanical creations, trying to drive the Crimson Flame demonic beasts towards Ning Xiaohui’s vicinity.

But the Crimson Flame demonic beasts were unruly and often chose to fight to the death with the puppet legion, making them difficult to drive.

At the critical moment of life and death, Ning Xiaohui erupted with twelve parts of her strength.

She plunged into a weak spot.

Turning a corner, suddenly, her vision opened up, and she arrived at the Gourd Furnace Forest.

This wasn’t the first time Ning Xiaohui had been here; previously, she had accepted multiple artifact refining missions, most of which were completed here.

The familiar scene gave Ning Xiaohui a sense of security.

A Foundation Establishment stage Crimson Flame demonic beast spotted her and pounced.

Ning Xiaohui fled quickly.

The Crimson Flame demonic beast, outside the furnace, attacked it frantically.

Ning Xiaohui held the furnace door shut with all her might, and used her Ice Jade Hand to condense ice blocks, sealing the gaps in the door, while simultaneously reinforcing it forcefully.

Ning Xiaohui remained on edge for a while, until the Crimson Flame demonic beast gave up and left, at which point she finally relaxed.

“Wuwuwu…”

She sat down, the mix of joy and lingering fear after narrowly surviving overwhelming her mind and body, causing her to cover her face and weep uncontrollably.

The criminal puppet was also crying.

On the stage, the fifth act had already begun.

Fang Qing’s choices and actions completely moved the criminal puppet.

Both were imprisoned in cells, separated by a passageway.

The criminal wept and clarified the entire truth to Fang Qing, exposing the treacherous official, and stating that he was willing to confess his guilt and submit to the law.

Fang Qing sighed deeply and sang: “A prodigal’s return is worth a thousand taels of gold, recognize yourself, and your heart will be pure and unburdened.”

“You have confessed your guilt, and you are sincerely repentant, this world will surely embrace you.”

“Do not lose your true self again, regroup, walk the righteous path, your life has been renewed!”

Zhu Xuanji advised him to surrender and walk the righteous path.

“Can I really walk this path?” Ning Zhuo asked himself.

His eyes flickered incessantly, showing hesitation.

The puppet show continued.

The commoner puppets gathered, waving flags and shouting, pleading for Fang Qing.

The puppet portraying a deity was also moved and descended voluntarily to meet with the king.

The matter escalated greatly, known throughout the kingdom, and the king decided to personally preside over the case.

Upon learning of this, the treacherous official immediately dispatched the black-clothed messenger to kill the criminal in the prison, creating a situation with no witnesses!

The treacherous official also actively fabricated charges, wholeheartedly framing Fang Qing.

The sixth act began.

In the Golden Throne Hall, Fang Qing and the treacherous official confronted each other.

The treacherous official was well-prepared, and Fang Qing was at a distinct disadvantage.

The king had already made preparations, clapped his hands, and brought out the Pure and Unblemished True Flame.

This was one of the seven great flames, capable of burning falsehood and to some extent discerning truth from falsehood.

The king sang: “You two are in dispute, please step into the fire for examination.”

“Who is true and who is false will be clear at a glance.”

The treacherous official hesitated and sang: “Self-증명 in the fire is extremely perilous. What is passed down by word of mouth is not necessarily accurate…”

Unexpectedly, Fang Qing leaped out and plunged into the fire.

At this point, the opera reached its climax!

The jinghu turned sharply, drums and gongs thundered, and the audience subconsciously held their breath.

On the stage, a white flame with a hint of pure light enveloped the Fang Qing puppet, burning fiercely.

This unique flame made Fang Qing stand out and highly conspicuous.

At this moment, he was the sole protagonist on the stage.

“My heart is clear, I am worthy of heaven and earth, why fear life and death, why fear the fire’s scorching!”

“This is–”

“This heart is clear, illuminating the sun and moon,”

“I’d rather pay a sacrifice for purity.”

“Life and death are but matters of the moment,”

“My original intention will not change, my might eternal!”

On the stage, the firelight blazed.

The pure white firelight shone on Ning Zhuo’s face, and for a moment, he was captivated.

In the main hall of the Lava Immortal Palace.

The Flood Dragon Fire Spirit’s massive body was pressed firmly against the door and roof, the firelight it emitted illuminating every corner of the main hall.

The firelight from the Crimson Flame demonic beasts reflected on the Golden Core cultivators.

The chaotic battle continued.

The Golden Cores formed a tight defensive line, and the battle reached a stalemate.

Zhu Xuanji stood by the window, looking down at Ning Zhuo on the stage.

“Ning Zhuo, don’t disappoint me!” The golden light in his eyes represented his anticipation.

Ning Zhuo’s eyes flickered, and he couldn’t help but wonder – perhaps he too could be cleansed in this pure and unblemished true fire!

He didn’t need to hide or pretend, didn’t need to bear such a heavy burden like a mountain, he could hold his head high and walk in the bright light. He would walk with ease.

He sat on the high stage, looking down at the audience below, everything clear to him.

“Is this the perspective old master Li Leifeng had back then? No wonder he could spot young me.”

“Now, I am also sitting in this position.”

“Perhaps, I can keep sitting here, in this glamorous place…”

“Hmm?”

Ning Zhuo’s expression shifted slightly. In a trance, he saw his former self.

As if crossing over ten years of time, the present Ning Zhuo saw the past Ning Zhuo.

That small figure, hiding in a dark corner, drooling at the guests’ pastries. Every time someone’s gaze swept over, he instinctively hunched his shoulders and shrank his head. Like, like…

A thief.

Ning Zhuo narrowed his eyes, looking more closely.

Ning Zhuo secretly sneaked into the prison and rescued Sun Lingtong.

“Boss, you messed up again this time,” Ning Zhuo said, somewhere between crying and laughing.

Sun Lingtong chuckled: “Oh well, I got caught. Thanks, little brother!”

Ning Zhuo shook his head: “If you ask me, why always go stealing? It’s not like we don’t have money now.”

Sun Lingtong used his palm as a pillow, swaggered across the prison door, and while walking out, said: “I’m a thief, what else would I do if I don’t steal things?”

Ning Zhuo continued to shake his head, not understanding: “Even if you steal, is it necessary to seal your cultivation?”

Sun Lingtong said: “Don’t you feel this is very exciting?”

“I’m already in the Foundation Establishment stage. With my true strength, unless they are Golden Core level, stealing from others is not difficult.”

“So, I have to seal my cultivation.”

“These peaceful days are really hard to bear, I need some challenge to keep me from being bored!”

Speaking of this, Sun Lingtong stopped and looked at Ning Zhuo, saying seriously: “You can understand, right? You are the same kind of person as me.”

Ning Zhuo raised his eyebrows and exclaimed: “How is that possible?! This kind of intentionally risky action is simply too stupid.”

“Ah, you actually called me, the boss, stupid?!”

Ning Zhuo quickly waved his hand: “I accidentally blurted out my true feelings, ah, no, Boss, Boss, let me explain!”

Sun Lingtong leaped up and shrieked: “Take this headbutt, you stinking brat!”

Another scene from memory surfaced.

Under the moonlight, two youths washed their hands by a small river in the immortal city.

That was the first time Ning Zhuo had taken a life.

The bloody water quickly flowed down the small river, then was rapidly diluted, and by the time it reached the stone bridge forty steps away, there was almost nothing to be seen.

Sun Lingtong said to him: “Every time I go out to steal, I tell myself before the action that this time I might not come back, I might lose my life.”

“If this is the result of my life’s gamble, I accept it.”

“I am always ready to accept my death, even if it is in the next second.”

“This is my resolve!”

“What about your resolve?”

The leaves on both banks of the river gently swayed in the night breeze.

Silvery moonlight sprinkled on the river surface, creating shimmering ripples, like countless tiny diamonds dancing on the water.

The reflections of the river’s ripples danced in Ning Zhuo’s eyes.

When he came back to his senses, he was still sitting high on the stage. Below were countless cultivators and prominent figures, and on the stage, the Fang Qing puppet was still bathed in the pure and unblemished flame.

Silent tears streamed down Ning Zhuo’s cheeks.

“Oh?” Zhu Xuanji keenly noticed this scene and immediately showed a look of relief.

“Ning Zhuo! Ning Zhuo!!” The Flood Dragon Fire Spirit roared in Ning Zhuo’s ear.

It was strange.

Just now, he had completely blocked out this sound.

But in fact, he had heard all of the Flood Dragon Fire Spirit’s roars.

The Flood Dragon Fire Spirit told Ning Zhuo everything that was happening in the Lava Immortal Palace.

“Boss Sun.” Ning Zhuo contacted Sun Lingtong through the life-thread.

Sun Lingtong was surprised and delighted: “Little brother, you finally made a move!”

“The situation on the battlefield is like this…”

Ning Zhuo interrupted him: “I know.”

Sun Lingtong: “Shall we act?”

Ning Zhuo: “Boss, thank you.”

Sun Lingtong: “Huh?”

Ning Zhuo smiled silently: “I mean, let’s act.”

Sun Lingtong’s eyes brightened instantly: “Alright!”

Inside the furnace, Ning Xiaohui gradually stabilized her emotions.

“I’m not dead, I survived!”

“Hehehe, hahaha!”

“The Flood Dragon Fire Spirit is limited after all, it can only borrow external force, it cannot directly kill me.”

“After getting through this, I will actively go to the Golden Core ancestors for help, I will expose the Flood Dragon Fire Spirit, I will expose Ning Zhuo!”

“I will… what is this?!”

With a soft sound, flames suddenly burned inside the furnace.

She pushed with all her might.

The furnace door didn’t budge.

Faint chanting of Buddhist scriptures could be heard.

“Who, who is outside?!”

The temperature rose rapidly, and the inside of the furnace was crimson.

“Let me go, let me go, please, spare my life.”

“I’ll give you anything you want!”

“I can’t die, I’ve clearly already discovered the truth.”

“I don’t want to die, I really don’t want to die!!”

Ning Xiaohui wailed and begged for mercy, struggling in despair.

She unleashed her Ice Jade Hand talent with all her might, creating large ice blocks inside the furnace to prolong her life.

Over at the Historical Records Pavilion, it had reached a critical moment.

The mechanical creations drove forward with full force, and a massive tide of Crimson Flame demonic beasts overwhelmed the Golden Core cultivators’ formations.

Ning Zhuo’s eyes were cold, fulfilling his duty as the tower lord of the artillery tower.

The Five Elements Artillery Tower rose again, and after the cannons charged up, they fired with a roar, hitting the small mountain of demonic beasts squarely.

The formation shattered.

“We can’t defend anymore!”

“We can’t hold on!!”

“Retreat quickly.”

The Golden Core cultivators were helpless and could only retreat to protect themselves.

The Crimson Flame demonic beasts were almost all dead or injured, and the former site of the Historical Records Pavilion had become a ruin.

“I succeeded!!” The Flood Dragon Fire Spirit roared upwards, extremely excited.

The next moment, a blade forged from flame descended from the sky and, following its neck, directly chopped off its dragon head!

Gourd Furnace Forest.

Under the terrifying high temperature, the ice blocks created by the Ice Jade Hand only lasted for a dozen breaths.

Ning Xiaohui’s body turned to ash in the flames, leaving behind specks of spiritual essence, fluttering like fireflies.

There was no longer any genius from the main line of the Ning family, no longer any Ice Jade Hand.

The entire furnace returned to peace.

The flames, like a quiet dancer, slowly stretched out their gentle forms.

Red and orange firelight filled the furnace, radiating warm and serene colors.

On the stage, Ning Zhuo’s expression also became serene.

The pure and unblemished flame shone in his eyes, burning away his hesitation, burning away his侥幸, burning away his fear, burning away his humility.

The “Fang Qing Clears His Name” opera reached its conclusion.

Fang Qing stepped out of the flames, bringing the pure and unblemished true fire before the treacherous official.

The treacherous official retreated repeatedly, but was still enveloped by the firelight, and in an instant, was burned to ashes.

“I also yearn to be illuminated by the firelight.”

“If one day, I am not careful and draw fire upon myself, ultimately setting myself on fire…”

“Then, I hope this fire is one that I ignited myself!”

(End of chapter)