With a final, gentle thud, all traces of the Buddhist enclave vanished before Ning Zhuo, replaced by a seamless wall, indistinguishable from its surroundings.

“I did it!” Ning Zhuo nearly burst with laughter, overjoyed.

Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit: ??!!

It was dumbfounded.

Frozen in place, it stood motionless like a statue.

After an age, its gaping maw twitched, closing slightly.

Then, in the next instant, it threw back its head and roared madly, spewing colossal pillars of fire from its throat.

Ning Zhuo pressed on, sealing off the Demon Gate as well.

No hint of disturbance remained on the surface.

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was driven to madness.

It rampaged through the main hall, leaping and bounding, smashing its head against pillars and floor tiles, threatening to shake the entire Lava Immortal Palace apart.

The summit of Fire Persimmon Mountain erupted with fire and magma, a scene of utter pandemonium.

Meng Kui lamented, forced to intervene, activating the grand formation to suppress the raging Lava Immortal Palace with all his might.

This was the most violent eruption in the history of the Lava Immortal Palace.

Meng Kui guarded the palace for a full day and night before the tremors finally subsided.

He was utterly exhausted.

Even with his cultivation at the Nascent Soul stage, Meng Kui could barely withstand the repeated upheavals of the Lava Immortal Palace.

After this arduous ordeal, Meng Kui’s face was weary, dark circles appeared beneath his eyes, and his complexion paled considerably.

Soon, thick mists swirled around him, concealing his features and form.

After his soul returned to his body, Ning Zhuo consumed a Phoenix Soul Blood Fragrance Pill and fell into a deep slumber.

While Meng Kui struggled to suppress the palace, he slept soundly.

A day and night later, Ning Zhuo opened his eyes, refreshed and invigorated, his soul force largely restored.

The Phoenix Soul Blood Fragrance Pill was truly potent.

Ning Xiaoren came to inquire after his well-being.

Ning Zhuo, lying in bed, attempted to rise, but Ning Xiaoren stopped him.

Ning Zhuo’s face was filled with shame. “Uncle Xiaoren, I have failed your expectations. I am truly ashamed.”

Ning Xiaoren soothed him gently. “It was a sudden event. Who knew the Immortal Palace held such mechanisms? It is not your fault.”

Ning Zhuo nodded. “Having experienced this, I deeply feel my shortcomings. I wish to read books, especially those related to spirituality. Uncle Xiaoren, you are a friend of my father; surely you will help me, correct?”

“Uh!”

Ning Xiaoren was stunned, cursing inwardly but maintaining a serene smile on his face. “I will help you look for some.”

“Rest in bed for these few days. Do not overexert yourself, lest it hinder your recovery!”

“Yes, Uncle Xiaoren!”

Ning Zhuo clasped his hands and then asked, “When will the books arrive?”

Ning Xiaoren coughed twice and reluctantly said, “I will expedite the process, select some for you as soon as possible, and have them delivered.”

Ning Zhuo lay in bed, receiving visits from Ning Chen, Ning Yong, and others, expressing his gratitude for their concern and gifts.

Because of Ning Zhuo’s previous initiative in promoting them, he was quite popular within the reformation team, especially among his classmates.

Of course, this was intentional on Ning Zhuo’s part.

While they stood by the window, conversing with him, Ning Zhuo secretly activated the nascent form of his divine ability, connecting each of them with Threads of Human Life.

This exploration of the Immortal Palace had caused his Threads of Human Life ability to surge significantly.

He had absorbed nine Illusionary True Lotus Seeds, and two new segments had grown on the lotus root.

Furthermore, a leaf the size of a fingernail had sprouted from the tip of the root.

The moment Ning Zhuo sensed the nascent form of his divine ability, he gained profound insights.

“The Threads of Human Life ability has greatly improved. Connecting threads to my classmates is effortless now.”

“The qualitative change lies in—I can add threads to crafted automatons!”

“To be precise, to automatons with ample spirituality.”

All things possess spirituality, but not all spirituality is abundant.

The first thing that came to Ning Zhuo’s mind was Yuan Dasheng.

It was already in the Spiritually Active stage, and its spirituality had reached the standard of full completion.

Late that night, Ning Zhuo, having slept most of the day, rose from his bed and went to his granduncle Ning Ze’s cultivation chamber to practice.

The guards immediately adjusted their positions, encircling him in the center.

Floating amidst the clouds, Ning Zhuo summoned the Golden Blood War Ape, Dasheng.

Within the clouds, he used the nascent form of his divine ability on Yuan Dasheng.

After quite some time, a nearly transparent Thread of Human Life appeared above the Golden Blood War Ape, Dasheng’s, head.

“Success!” Ning Zhuo was jubilant.

Suddenly, he felt inspired. He mobilized the Thread of Human Life and gave it a gentle tug.

In the next moment, the Thread of Human Life trembled and was lifted up.

Hooked on the end of the thread was a spherical, crimson-red spirituality.

The crimson-red spirituality shone with brilliant light, sometimes forming a perfect sphere, smooth and lustrous, and sometimes taking the shape of a baby ape’s head, cute and innocent, chirping incessantly.

“I’ve extracted Yuan Dasheng’s spirituality.”

Ning Zhuo, the instigator of this, was shocked.

Just as the Threads of Human Life had drawn his soul from his body, allowing him to enter the Immortal Palace, he had now accomplished something similar.

The Golden Blood War Ape, Dasheng, had no soul, so Ning Zhuo had completely extracted its spirituality.

“Wait a moment!”

Ning Zhuo took out another mechanical ape from his storage bag.

This mechanical ape was crafted with Zheng Jian in Zheng’s family’s forging room.

Compared to the Golden Blood War Ape, the materials were far more exquisite, generally two or three grades higher.

After all, many things in the Lava Immortal Palace had restrictions.

Acting on impulse, Ning Zhuo mobilized the Thread of Human Life and connected it to the new mechanical ape.

The monkey-headed spirituality hooked by the Thread of Human Life was then transferred into the new mechanical ape.

In the next moment, the mechanical ape opened its eyes, revealing two points of green light.

Arboreal Combatant Yuan Dasheng.

The mechanical ape was predominantly yellow and green, mainly using steel vine trees, gale wood, Xuanwu star iron, and gold royal quartz as materials.

The ape was eight feet tall, slender, with hands reaching past its knees, a solemn face, and a dignified presence.

To allow for the full expression of combat techniques, Ning Zhuo specifically designed a spliced skeleton when creating the Arboreal Combatant Yuan.

Using vibrant trees to act as muscles, even if it were damaged in combat, it could be quickly repaired with grafting techniques.

Most importantly, its talisman inscription slots.

Ning Zhuo crafted a full six.

Currently affixed were: Savage Force Talisman, Gale Talisman, Growth Talisman, Xuanwu Talisman, Adamant Talisman, and Sharp Edge Talisman!

Ning Zhuo’s original intent in designing and crafting the Arboreal Combatant Yuan was to train himself, to gradually find a combat body that more closely resembled Yuan Dasheng’s through combat and other means.

As it turned out, things developed even more smoothly than he had anticipated—he had directly transferred Yuan Dasheng’s spirituality into the Arboreal Combatant Yuan.

Without needing Ning Zhuo’s command, Yuan Dasheng’s spirituality, now calmed, began to control the new body on its own.

It continuously moved, its movements progressing from small to large, from initially wiggling its fingers to gradually taking steps. In its intoxicated state, it danced and waved its arms, stirring the floating clouds violently.

Before it could create any more commotion, Ning Zhuo stopped it in time.

“In this way, I can bring Yuan Dasheng to my side and use him!”

This was truly a pleasant surprise for Ning Zhuo.

However, the surprises did not end there.

Among the texts that Ning Xiaoren had sent, Ning Zhuo discovered the secrets of the Spiritually Active stage.

(End of chapter)