Ning Zhuo, as the first person to buy Void Spider Silk, took an immediate and decisive lead.

At first, the other cultivators were still using their own methods to compete for the flower buds.

As time went on, the noticeably lagging group of cultivators, seeing that the situation was not good, began to buy Void Spider Silk one after another.

“Give me a section of Void Spider Silk.”

“I’ll buy it too!”

“Too expensive, too expensive, can it be a little cheaper?”

Some gritted their teeth, some shouted, and some even begged aloud.

Che Zhuzi, hidden in the shadows, snorted inwardly, “Do beggars also deserve to cultivate mechanism arts?”

He wouldn’t blurt it out, after all, even the poorest cultivators participated in his Xingyun Xiaoshi and truly felt the value of Void Spider Silk.

Even if these people weren’t buyers of spider silk now, they might be in the future.

Even if they remained too poor to buy it in the future, they could still help publicize Void Spider Silk.

The price of Void Spider Silk, of course, would not drop at all.

Cultivators who bought a large quantity used the spider silk to quickly catch up, their strong momentum forcing the previously leading cultivators to abandon their own methods and reluctantly buy Void Spider Silk as well.

Most of them used Void Spider Silk to re-establish their leading advantage.

Of course, a few individuals still maintained their lead using their own methods.

Their methods were on par with Void Spider Silk.

These people attracted Che Zhuzi’s attention; he observed them carefully and noted them down one by one. It was very likely that among them, he would find competitors for his business!

Che Zhuzi was not only using Xingyun Xiaoshi to sell his Void Spider Silk but also taking the opportunity to scout out future opponents.

After a cup of tea, Che Zhuzi saw that the situation on the field was clear, the gaps between them had widened, and there was almost no desire to continue buying Void Spider Silk, so he decisively announced the end.

Ning Zhuo was undoubtedly the first place in the second round.

Che Zhuzi was also happy to see this.

His perception of Ning Zhuo had improved greatly. It was the latter who first bought Void Spider Silk, showing a firm and active attitude, which to a great extent helped Che Zhuzi create a market atmosphere and accelerated the mental shift of everyone in the entire second round.

“Being able to sell so much spider silk also has some credit to this Ning Zhuo!”

While thinking, Che Zhuzi announced: “Next is the rest period. Once the time is up, the final round will commence.”

The first two rounds were consecutive, but the opportunity to rest before the third round undoubtedly allowed many to catch their breath and recover much of their state.

Che Zhuzi activated the magic array, immediately changing the layout of the array space.

A labyrinth rose from the center, continuously spreading in all directions.

The cultivators retreated, distributing themselves around the labyrinth, curiously observing.

The labyrinth settled, its outermost layer completely enclosed without a single entrance or exit.

Che Zhuzi then announced the rules: “Cultivators need to use puppet strings and hanging threads to penetrate the labyrinth, find the Xuan Tie Puppets distributed throughout the labyrinth, and control them.”

“The cultivators controlling the Xuan Tie Puppets must fight their way to the center of the labyrinth. When time runs out, the ten people who remain in the center will win this competition!”

“The ten winners will all receive a 20% discount on Void Spider Silk for two consecutive years.”

“And the first place will receive a magic treasure as a reward.” After hearing these rules, the cultivators who had already experienced the second round exchanged glances, speechless for a moment.

By the third round, Che Zhuzi’s intention to sell Void Spider Silk was no longer disguised!

Some were so angry they felt an impulse to simply withdraw! But looking at the surrounding cultivators, they all dispelled that thought. After all, if they left now, wouldn’t it benefit others?

Having made it to the third round with great difficulty, and having spent heavily on Void Spider Silk in the second round, withdrawing now would be a wasted expense.

Che Zhuzi had thoroughly understood the mentality of these cultivators, and the rules he set had already undergone multiple improvements, precisely hitting the balance in everyone’s hearts.

Several bundles of Void Spider Silk reappeared in mid-air. This time, the price was twice that of the second round.

A few cultivators secretly gritted their teeth.

These were the rare few who had made it here through their own means.

But now, they probably couldn’t be an exception either.

After all, the outermost layer of this labyrinth was solid. Clearly, Che Zhuzi was forcing everyone to use Void Spider Silk to traverse the void, bypassing the outermost barrier, in order to enter the labyrinth.

A flash of sharp light flickered in Ning Zhuo’s eyes, and he suddenly spoke, “I want to buy two sections of Void Spider Silk first.”

Immediately, all the cultivators turned their heads.

Some had eyes spitting fire, as if saying: “You fool, even if you’re a plant, you should at least act more convincingly, right?”

Che Zhuzi, hidden in the shadows, chuckled softly: “This kid’s head is indeed larger than average; his brain is quite sharp.”

Ning Zhuo had carefully observed that the Void Spider Silk that appeared out of thin air this time was even more than double the amount in the second round.

From the rules of the previous two rounds, it was clear that Che Zhuzi was very shrewd and would never make unnecessary arrangements.

Such a large quantity of Void Spider Silk implicitly indicated that Che Zhuzi was confident that the cultivators in the arena would “willingly” and “actively” purchase it!

Given this, Ning Zhuo decided to buy first, rather than be delayed midway. Ning Zhuo firmly bought two sections of Void Spider Silk, and Che Zhuzi then sent him a jade slip.

Ning Zhuo sent his divine sense into the jade slip, and his eyes immediately lit up. Although the content of the jade slip was brief, it was very important, explaining how to link two sections of Void Spider Silk into a longer one, and how to repair one strand with another.

“It seems this labyrinth has high demands for the length and repair of spider silk!” Ning Zhuo thought to himself.

Seeing Ning Zhuo holding the jade slip, some cultivators began to ask questions.

This was crucial information that would allow them to make more accurate judgments.

Ning Zhuo smiled faintly at them, cupping his hands to those around him, “I am Ning Zhuo. It is truly an honor to compete with fellow daoists here. This is the jade slip; everyone can read it in turn.”

Che Zhuzi, seeing this scene, chuckled softly again.

Few people as young as Ning Zhuo possessed such magnanimity.

The cultivators who had asked questions had actually prepared themselves mentally for Ning Zhuo’s refusal, but upon hearing Ning Zhuo’s statement, their impression of him immediately improved greatly.

“Daoist Ning is highly righteous!”

“I, [XXX], thank you.”

“I am [XX]. After this little trial, I will host a banquet for Daoist Ning. Please honor me with your presence!”

Ning Zhuo smiled, indicating that everything was negotiable and exuding goodwill.

Everyone who read the jade slip came to the same conclusion as Ning Zhuo and began purchasing Void Spider Silk, at least two sections each.

Some cultivators, short on funds, could only stare wide-eyed, some even pacing anxiously.

Other cultivators tried to buy more sections of Void Spider Silk. Firstly, they worried that two sections wouldn’t be enough. Secondly, a darker thought emerged: the total amount of Void Spider Silk seemed limited and would not be replenished after being sold.

Thus, if they bought more, others would have less. This was a way to increase their competitiveness with financial power!

Ning Zhuo naturally guessed this possibility, but he didn’t do so.

On one hand, he felt that two sections would be enough. On the other hand, he surmised Che Zhuzi’s temperament; it was quite possible that the limited total was merely an appearance, and Che Zhuzi would replenish a large quantity once a certain point was reached!

Thirdly, he had already shown goodwill and was willing to share the jade slip. Buying more Void Spider Silk now would undoubtedly conflict with his previous social strategy. Doing so would leave people with an impression of hypocrisy and inconsistency.

When Che Zhuzi announced the start, the cultivators moved almost simultaneously.

Countless Void Spider Silks shot towards the central labyrinth’s outer wall.

A few Void Spider Silks, not properly used, hit the outer wall and immediately went limp, causing the corresponding cultivators to change color.

The vast majority of Void Spider Silks penetrated the void, bypassed the outer wall obstacle, and successfully reached the interior of the labyrinth.

In Che Zhuzi’s eyes, the labyrinth was naturally transparent.

“The outermost three layers have no Xuan Tie Puppets placed.”

“Beyond the outer three layers, it’s actually a test of luck.”

“Whoever has good luck will be the first to encounter a Xuan Tie Puppet. This will give them a huge advantage!”

Pan Si Niangzi was also paying close attention.

Through her connection with Che Zhuzi, she could clearly see the progress of all the suspended strings.

“Drag it out.”

“The longer Ning Zhuo delays, the more he consumes, and the worse his condition, the more opportunity I’ll have for a precise strike!”

“Hehehe.”

“Enjoy your last moments of freedom, little boy.”

“After the third round, you’ll be my dog.”

Thinking of the delightful prospect, Pan Si Niangzi let out continuous sinister laughs.

“Nngh—” Soon, Pan Si Niangzi’s smile froze on her face.

Because she saw that Ning Zhuo’s suspension thread was the first to encounter a Xuan Tie Puppet.

The suspension thread paused for an instant, then, like a nimble snake, swiftly plunged into the puppet’s body.

It pierced all the way through, reaching the core.

Ning Zhuo took three deep breaths, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes, and he quickly took control of the Xuan Tie Puppet.

“Huh?” This performance once again surprised Che Zhuzi. To so quickly control an unfamiliar mechanism, even though the Xuan Tie Puppet had a relatively simple structure due to cost limitations, such speed was enough to demonstrate Ning Zhuo’s mechanism prowess.

“At least this kid’s foundation in mechanism arts is extremely solid!”

“I’m starting to like him a bit.”

“Heh heh.”

As a Golden Core cultivator, Che Zhuzi looked down on Ning Zhuo, a Foundation Establishment cultivator. His thought was simple: the more skilled Ning Zhuo was in mechanism arts, the more he would use Void Spider Silk in the future. This could very well make him a regular customer for Che Zhuzi.

Ning Zhuo controlled the Xuan Tie Puppet, first moving it around in place to get familiar with it, then began to walk.

*Thump-thump-thump-thump—*

The Xuan Tie Puppet walked faster and faster, eventually breaking into a jog, then accelerating from a jog to a run.

Deep in the labyrinth, he encountered various obstacles along the way.

Whether it was poisonous miasma, flames, or ice, they all caused damage to the increasingly long Void Spider Silk.

The Void Spider Silk Ning Zhuo bought in advance came in handy.

Using other spider silks to continuously repair the main control silk supported Ning Zhuo’s progress.