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Ning Zhuo had possessed the *Fire Burial Prajna Liberation Sutra* for some time now.

Judging solely from the name of the scripture, its general meaning was: through the purification of flames, sentient beings are liberated from the shackles of the mundane world, extracting the spirituality of Prajna wisdom.

Indeed, the *Fire Burial Prajna Liberation Sutra* possessed such formidable power.

Ning Zhuo had once relied on it to enhance and replenish Yuan Dasheng’s spirituality, bringing it to a perfect ten-tenths, forming a qualitative change. From then on, Yuan Dasheng was full of spirituality and could self-recover.

At that time, Ning Zhuo used the *Fire Burial Prajna Liberation Sutra* only to increase Yuan Dasheng’s spirituality.

Now, he had unexpectedly comprehended deeper meanings of the *Fire Burial Sutra* and immediately knew that he had made great progress in the art of Mechanism.

He released more floating clouds and immediately tried his hand for the first time in the clouds.

He succeeded on his first try.

Ning Zhuo obtained a Mechanical Long Whip, which was like a snake, able to slither on the ground by itself.

However, after slithering for a while, the long whip stopped moving, as if it were dead.

It was not that the mana within the Mechanical Long Whip had been exhausted—it still had a lot.

Rather, the spirituality that Ning Zhuo had extracted was used up.

Ning Zhuo then tried a few more times.

There were successes, but also failures.

Overall, failures were more numerous, and successes were relatively rare.

This allowed Ning Zhuo to clearly see the limits of his abilities.

He secretly assessed, “As of now, although I can make some Mechanisms with spiritual charm, the spiritual charm is quite thin.”

“The more complete the Mechanism, the higher the probability of failure, and the shorter the time the spirituality can support it.”

“But if I only create Mechanism parts, or even Mechanism accessories, then the time that the spirituality can support is significantly lengthened.”

“I should invest in higher-end raw materials!”

“No, it’s not just that!”

“I need a lot of practice!”

“My understanding and mastery of the *Fire Burial Prajna Liberation Sutra* also has immense room for improvement.”

This unexpected progress made Ning Zhuo feel extremely excited.

Because he only needed to master this spell to maturity, and he would be able to create Mechanisms imbued with spiritual charm in the armory after his soul entered the Immortal Palace.

As for the raw materials, he could use the various demon beasts and spiritual intelligences in the coffin chamber behind the Buddhist Sect.

In any case, with the Myriad Buddha Devil Heart Seal, Ning Zhuo could move freely in the Molten Lava Immortal Palace.

“All along, when my soul enters the Immortal Palace, I have been troubled by not being able to bring external resources into it.”

“The only ones who can freely enter and exit are the Golden Blood War Ape Dasheng and the Nether Emissary Qi Bai.”

Qi Bai was reluctantly shelved by Ning Zhuo because his spirituality was about to be exhausted.

Relying solely on Yuan Dasheng, a Mechanical creation, it was already difficult to resist the increasing number of trial disciples.

Among them, Meng Chong, in particular, posed an increasing threat to it.

Ning Zhuo’s control over the trial stages of the Molten Lava Immortal Palace was rapidly declining.

Now, with the *Fire Burial Prajna Liberation Sutra*, Ning Zhuo had new hope and could regain his former level of control.

Ning Xiangguo and Ning Xiangqian came to report to Ning Zhuo together.

This group of Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Ning family had been guarding the black market for several days.

They had successively captured many cultivators who were causing trouble in the black market, openly fighting, or deceiving people, which was extremely vile.

Ning Zhuo carefully examined the jade scroll and said after a moment, “Interrogate these people and ask about their backgrounds.”

“These people’s offenses are relatively minor. Once they have paid their ransom, they can leave!”

“Keep this last part and hand it over to Lord Fei Si of the City Lord’s Mansion. He will like it.”

Ning Xiangguo and Ning Xiangqian immediately looked over.

The two simultaneously realized that the cultivators handed over to Fei Si were all wanted criminals, famous on the Southern Bean Kingdom’s list.

Ning Xiangqian frowned, “Do we need to secretly escort them?”

Ning Zhuo shook his head, “There’s no need for that. We’ve done a great good deed, shouldn’t we publicize it widely?”

Ning Xiangguo and Ning Xiangqian exchanged glances, both realizing that Ning Zhuo had reached some kind of private agreement with Fei Si.

Sure enough, Fei Si felt a burst of joy in his heart upon receiving these captured criminals.

For him, these were all achievements.

“It’s not in vain that I took the initiative to reduce it to thirty percent of the profits!”

“Ning Zhuo, you are so considerate!”

“I didn’t misjudge you. In this regard, even the former Sun Lingtong was not as sensible as you!”

Fei Si praised inwardly.

He thought about it, took the initiative to write a letter, and had Ning Xiangguo take it back.

Ning Zhuo unfolded the letter and found that it was a calling card, with Fei Si requesting an audience with Lord Shuzhong on Ning Zhuo’s behalf.

Lord Shuzhong was a Golden Core cultivator from the Library Pavilion.

The Library Pavilion was a super sect, and in terms of scale, it was much larger than the Soul Devouring Sect and the Non-Void Sect.

The first Pavilion Master of the Library Pavilion felt that there were too many people in the cultivation world who were reluctant to part with their treasures.

In his early years of cultivation, he suffered from not being able to find suitable and excellent cultivation methods, which delayed him for many days and caused him to take many detours.

Therefore, after achieving success in his cultivation, he vowed to collect as many types of cultivation methods, spells, and so on as possible.

Since its creation, the Library Pavilion had always adhered to neutrality.

They profited by selling cultivation methods, spells, or other books, and then used the profits to acquire more cultivation methods, spells, and so on.

Ning Zhuo immediately realized that Fei Si writing this calling card for him was a subtle, small gesture of support, expressing Fei Si’s unspoken gratitude in his heart.

Ning Zhuo immediately set off.

Soon after, with the help of the calling card, he met Lord Shuzhong.

Lord Shuzhong was a Golden Core cultivator, and purely out of regard for Fei Si, personally received Ning Zhuo, asked a question or two, gave Ning Zhuo an identity token, and then let the latter leave.

Holding the identity token, Ning Zhuo went to the shopkeeper in charge of selling books.

Although the branch of the Library Pavilion in Fire Persimmon Immortal City had not yet been built.

But the identity token that Ning Zhuo held gave him the privilege of handling matters on a special basis.

The shopkeeper asked him: What kind of book do you want to buy?

Ning Zhuo was not in a hurry, and instead inquired whether the other party was willing to purchase the first three levels of the *Five Elements Qi Rhythm Art*.

As a result, the shopkeeper told him that the Library Pavilion had already collected more than two hundred copies of the first three levels of the cultivation method, and had also sent them to other outposts, allowing the cultivators and great powers in the outposts to compare and modify them, and would eventually complete a more universal and concise cultivation method.

Ning Zhuo was amazed by the Library Pavilion’s wealth and action.

He then showed the shopkeeper spells such as the *Ice Holding Technique*.

This immediately made the shopkeeper’s eyes light up.

After all, the transmission of the law through the Transmission Bell had spread throughout the city.
Thus, it became exceptionally easy for the All-Book Tower to collect the first three layers of cultivation techniques from the city’s inhabitants.

However, spells like the Ice Embracing Art were only mastered by the Qi Refining geniuses of the four major powers and the members of the Modification Squad.

These people were simply too few in number.

After a brief moment, the shopkeeper assessed these spells and quoted a price to Ning Zhuo.

“The book trade in my All-Book Tower usually takes two forms!”

“The first is trading with spirit stones.”

“The second is exchanging them for corresponding Tower Gold.”

Ning Zhuo did not hesitate: “I choose Tower Gold.”

Tower Gold was the All-Book Tower’s own currency, with no physical form, only a digital record.

Trading with spirit stones was not cost-effective.

Tower Gold transactions could yield more books.

The All-Book Tower deliberately set up these two transaction methods, mainly to compare them, highlighting the superiority of Tower Gold, and encouraging more people to use Tower Gold for transactions.

Ning Zhuo sold the Ice Embracing Art, the Flame Grasping Art, and so on, and possessed his first sum of Tower Gold.

He didn’t hold back, asking the shopkeeper what good books could be exchanged for it.

The shopkeeper replied: “Young Master Ning Zhuo, our All-Book Tower encompasses everything. Although your Tower Gold is not much, you can exchange for thousands upon thousands of books. What specifically are you looking for?”

Ning Zhuo thought about it. He already had his main cultivation technique, and he had too many spells to practice, especially the Five Elements Intergeneration and Restraint Arts.

“What mechanical engineering books can I exchange for?”

As it turned out, during the selection process, Ning Zhuo took a fancy to other books.

In the end, he bought a copy of “Record of Cloudfall Wanderings.”

This book was a travelogue, the author’s name unknown, calling himself Fallen Cloud Hermit.

There were many mechanical engineering books, but this book was quite rare, involving matters of destiny.

“I have mechanical engineering books left by my mother, and the content is excellent. According to my current Tower Gold, it’s basically impossible to exchange for something of the same level as my mother’s legacy.”

“Some books might be helpful to me, but it’s difficult for me to filter them out.”

“It’s better to look at content related to destiny.”

“The Thread of Life touches on destiny, maybe it will help me comprehend the complete Divine Ability.”

Ning Zhuo foresaw: once the Thread of Life Divine Ability embryo broke through, he would have a terrifying improvement.

At that time, he, at the Qi Refining stage, would be able to master a Divine Ability.

Most Golden Core cultivators found it difficult to do such a thing.

The Thread of Life Divine Ability would become his powerful trump card.

Ning Zhuo took “Record of Cloudfall Wanderings” and boarded the carriage, reading it all the way, but the lotus flower of the embryonic Divine Ability did not tremble even slightly.

Ning Zhuo had already read thirty percent of “Record of Cloudfall Wanderings.”

Among them, a story in the beginning left the deepest impression on Ning Zhuo.

The story said that a villager rescued the Fallen Cloud Hermit who was about to die of thirst and starvation.

To thank him, the Fallen Cloud Hermit offered to perform a ritual for the villager, changing his luck, so that he could enjoy worldly wealth.

The villager didn’t believe him.

The reason was simple, the Fallen Cloud Hermit was too embarrassed, and was still rescued by the villager, so what ability could he have?

The Fallen Cloud Hermit then introduced himself: “I am originally a man from the Idle Cloud Path, my nature rebelled against Heaven and I fell into the mortal world, I once cultivated in the Heavenly Track Mansion, misfortune entangled me and I ran all over the world.”

Faced with the Fallen Cloud Hermit showing his demeanor, the villager reluctantly agreed.

The villager followed the Fallen Cloud Hermit’s requirements, buying supplies in large quantities and arranging them one by one.

Finally, the ritual was completed, and the villager’s wealth flowed in from then on.

He became very rich after half a year.

Before leaving, the Fallen Cloud Hermit told the villager: first, this wealth could last for twelve years, so cherish it.

Second, after you become rich, you must not have a shred of kindness. When you see anyone, no matter how difficult, how destitute, or how pitiful he is, you must not save him, otherwise you will bear the consequences.

The villager contained a kind heart and couldn’t bear to see people suffer.

After insisting for several years, he encountered a famine.

He took the initiative to throw the Fallen Cloud Hermit’s admonition to the back of his mind, helping many poor people and saving many lives.

His own spirit became weaker and weaker, and he often felt exhausted.

He was drowsy during the day, with no energy.

He often had nightmares at night.

In the dream, countless ghosts pounced on him, as heavy as a small mountain, and he walked in the wilderness, struggling to move.

By the time the Fallen Cloud Hermit sensed something and returned to the village.

The villager only had his last breath left.

He asked the Fallen Cloud Hermit before his death, wanting to understand.

The Fallen Cloud Hermit sighed: “You have encountered hungry ghosts.”

“I told you, don’t be kind and save people.”

“Your kindness is well-intentioned, but it also provides an opportunity for ghosts and resentful spirits to cling to.”

“In this world, there are actually many souls who cannot rest in peace because of resentment and greed, and they will use your kindness to satisfy their needs.”

“Being uncharitable is the right thing to do, this is for your own protection!”

“Once you cannot help others in moderation, you will be dragged down by those hungry ghosts, all the way until you go down below.”

After the Fallen Cloud Hermit said these words, the villager closed his eyes. Two lines of tears flowed from the corners of his eyes.

He died!

End of this chapter.