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Flames blazed fiercely, the scorching heat twisting the very air.

Magma boiled, and from its depths, a mountain-sized scarlet fiend beast suddenly burst forth—a Nascent Soul stage Flame-Treading Lizard!

It attacked from the south, slamming violently into the Lava Immortal Palace.

Directly opposite, to the north, a Nascent Soul stage Fiery Serpent, entirely enveloped in raging inferno, opened its maw and spewed forth a torrent of scorching flames.

The intensely hot flames baked the spherical barrier of the Lava Immortal Palace. The barrier was already damaged, and under the pincer attack of the two great Nascent Soul beasts, cracks proliferated, a perilous situation indeed.

“Impudent beasts.” Meng Kui’s cold voice echoed.

Spell — Mystic Secrets in the Palm!

Four massive handprints materialized, two by two, hurtling towards the Nascent Soul beasts positioned to the north and south.

The Fiery Serpent hissed, its massive serpentine body twisting to evade the onslaught.

The Flame-Treading Lizard, however, neither dodged nor flinched. It met the handprints head-on, continuing its frenzied assault on the spherical barrier.

The Immortal Palace trembled!

Under the relentless assault of the Flame-Treading Lizard, the closest mechanical structures collapsed one after another. The ground cracked, and then a corner of the Immortal Palace directly separated from the main body, collapsing and falling into the magma.

The magma, agitated by the falling corner of the Immortal Palace, surged with colossal waves, crashing against the dilapidated outer walls of the Immortal Palace.

Large amounts of magma, seizing the opportunity before the spherical barrier could fully close, spread throughout the Lava Immortal Palace, burning down more structures and creating a scene of utter devastation.

Deep within the misty clouds, Meng Kui’s eyes were deep and profound, his face expressionless.

Boom, boom, boom!

Within the inner circle of the Lava Immortal Palace, battle suddenly erupted as well.

The shadowy demon cultivators reappeared, pursuing Yang Chan Yu!

The Lava Immortal Palace, already alerted by the impact of the Nascent Soul beasts, had roused almost all the cultivators within.

The battle between the shadowy demon cultivators and Yang Chan Yu immediately drew widespread attention from the cultivators.

A golden light, like a long rainbow, sliced through the air, rapidly approaching the battle between Yang Chan Yu and the shadowy demon cultivators.

Seeing this familiar escape light, everyone knew it could only be Zhu Xuanji!

The Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stage scarlet fiend beasts once again formed surging tides, rushing towards the inner circle of the Lava Immortal Palace.

“The opportunity has arrived,” Zhu Xuanji commanded in secret.

Thus, the members of the three revised cultivation teams holding positions at the Troop Deployment Platform and Five Elements Cannon Towers collaborated to execute the command.

Under their influence, only a limited number of mechanical constructs intercepted the beasts ahead, preventing them from approaching the Gourd Fire Stove Grove.

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit grew anxious and quickly contacted Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo’s second-grade position remained, his commands overriding everyone in the three revised cultivation teams.

Consequently, a large number of mechanical constructs converged towards the Fire Stove Grove, and the Five Elements Cannon fire became dense as rain, constantly showering the beast tide.

However, with Ning Zhuo intentionally holding back, some scarlet fiend beasts still managed to charge into the Golden Furnace Ruins.

The true Zhu Xuanji suddenly appeared, and amid the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit’s startled cries, he followed them into the Golden Furnace Ruins!

The previous Zhu Xuanji was not the real person, but an impersonation by Zhu Zhen.

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit could not keep an eye on Zhu Xuanji at all times; it was itself responsible for the vast Immortal Palace’s defense, countering the endless beast attacks.

Therefore, it did not detect the secret exchange of identities between Zhu Zhen and Zhu Xuanji beforehand.

“Young master, young master!”

“Quick, act, quickly, quickly, quickly!”

“Absolutely do not let Zhu Xuanji discover any clues!”

At this moment, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit felt its heart in its throat, though it had no heart.

Ning Zhuo gritted his teeth and made a decision: “Zhu Xuanji, you forced my hand!”

With the cooperation of the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit, he fully activated the attack power of the Five Elements Cannon Towers. The Five Elements Cannon fire rained down like a storm, unleashing a terrifying offensive that completely covered the Golden Furnace Ruins.

Boom, boom, boom…

Amid the intense bombardment, Zhu Xuanji endured by his own strength for the time being.

He knew that at this very moment, he had to race against time. Time was extremely limited, and he could only choose one location to investigate.

Golden Furnaces number two, three, and four—these three golden furnaces had been destroyed, and they contained extremely valuable clues!

Zhu Xuanji hesitated for a moment, but ultimately chose Golden Furnace number two.

The reason for this was precisely the riddle poem that Ning Zhuo had given him.

Zhu Xuanji had only taken a single glance at that time and knew the answer was “two.”

Zhu Xuanji was certain that what Ning Zhuo was referring to was Golden Furnace number two!

He rushed to the ruins of Golden Furnace number two, his palm touching it, and with considerable effort, he used the technique of Tracing the Source.

Under the Heaven’s Fortune Golden Eyes, he saw the following scene.

The door of Golden Furnace number two was wide open, and a teleportation circle spat out countless materials.

These materials were of excellent quality, the lowest being Golden Core stage, and the highest reaching Nascent Soul stage.

Among them, something that immediately captivated the eye was the body of a Flood Dragon. It was incredibly magnificent and radiant, its entire form appearing as if carved from crystal, with scarlet and orange firelight shimmering within the crystal, burning silently, revealing an unbelievable beauty amidst the danger.

Seeing this scene, Zhu Xuanji’s pupils instantly constricted violently.

Then, he saw all these materials being thrown into the golden furnace.

The golden furnace door closed, and it ignited for smelting, the furnace emitting the roar of a Flood Dragon.

The refining process was not long.

The cracks on the surface of the golden furnace rapidly increased. When the refining was finished and the flames extinguished, it immediately disintegrated, shattering into a pile of fragments.

From the golden furnace ruins, a small mechanical construct slowly ascended.

The construct resembled a dragon, its length only the length of an adult’s forearm.

Its dragon head was mighty, its dragon horns forked, its dragon whiskers floated naturally, and its dragon eyes were like scarlet crystal, gold within red.

Its entire body was covered in silver-white dragon scales, enveloped in a faint golden halo.

Its dragon claws were sharp and could be retracted completely into the dragon’s body through a certain degree of mechanical transformation.

Its dragon tail flicked nimbly, its floating tail whiskers containing fire, often leaving a trail of flames in the air as it swayed.

Mechanical Construct — Ten Thousand Li Wandering Dragon!

Zhu Xuanji quickly recognized it.

This was a very classic mechanical construct.

From the mundane One Inch Hibernating Earthworm, to the Qi Refining Ten Inch Startled Snake, the Foundation Establishment Hundred Chi Coiling Python, the Golden Core Thousand Zhang Entwined Flood Dragon, and finally the Nascent Soul stage Ten Thousand Li Wandering Dragon.

The Ten Thousand Li Wandering Dragon could be large or small, moved very quickly, and had sustained power, making it an excellent mount and mechanical treasure.

The past images came to an abrupt halt.

Zhu Xuanji, however, suddenly understood!

“The hint Ning Zhuo gave was extremely valuable.”

“I understand!”

“It’s the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit that has a problem!!”

Zhu Xuanji regretfully glanced at the ruins of Golden Furnaces number three and four; they were a sorry sight under the cannon bombardment.

Zhu Xuanji could not sustain himself any longer and could only temporarily retreat.

“Did he find anything?” The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was extremely nervous.

The cannon fire was too dense, making it impossible for it to observe the situation inside.

It was completely unaware of Zhu Xuanji’s actions within!

The cannon fire continued to bombard for a while before ceasing.

The original Golden Furnace Ruins had been reduced to a deep pit, with wreckage inside and out.

Just as Zhu Xuanji had expected, Zhu Zhen returned without success.

The two conferred in private. Zhu Xuanji sent a voice transmission to Zhu Zhen, informing him of the results of his investigation and his deduction about the Palace Spirit.

Zhu Zhen felt puzzled and directly asked Zhu Xuanji how he had arrived at this conclusion.

Zhu Xuanji sighed, “That’s because you don’t know the past history of the Lava Immortal Palace, you don’t know the situation with Golden Furnace number one.”

He explained to Zhu Zhen, telling the latter about the royal secret he had seen in the capital…

Several hundred years ago.

Mount Huoshi had just erupted, magma covering the ground, poisonous smoke obscuring the sky, living beings scorched and suffering, a scene of unimaginable misery.

Sanzong Shangren, clad in pure white monk’s robes as clean as snow, his sleeves fluttering in the wind, slowly descended from high in the sky.

His face was as steady as an ancient pine, his brows filled with compassion and grief, his demeanor transcendent.

Another magnificent golden rainbow light broke through the air, landing nearby and transforming into a woman of captivating beauty.

She wore a resplendent phoenix robe embroidered with golden threads, shimmering with light, her collar adorned with dazzling pearls and jades, her demeanor dignified and revealing of authority.

The beautiful woman’s phoenix eyes flashed with anger, staring intently at Sanzong Shangren, her voice filled with resentment and reproach: “You heartless man, you’ve finally returned! Since you’ve come to my kingdom, why didn’t you come to the capital to see me? Do you know how hard I’ve been waiting for you?”

Sanzong Shangren did not turn his head, only gazing down at the scorching mountain ground below, his tone utterly flat: “Empress Nan, many years ago, I already explained to you: our love has ended. It is better to forget each other in the vastness of heaven and earth than to stay together.”

The beautiful woman was none other than the founding Empress of Nando, who roared: “You say it’s ended, and so it is? I disagree!”

“All these years, do you know how much I’ve suffered thinking of you? I even changed the name of my country to Nando.”

“Red beans grow in the south, how many sprouts emerge in spring. May my lord gather them often, this is the most thought-provoking thing…”

“Sanzong, I don’t believe you haven’t missed me all these years!” Nando Empress’s voice trembled slightly at this point, her eyes reddening.

Sanzong Shangren shook his head, sighed deeply, and took out a mechanical model from his懷中.

He lightly tossed it, and the model flew into the air, rapidly transforming into an immense Immortal Palace, blocking the sunlight and casting a massive shadow on the ground.

The Immortal Palace had red bricks and golden pillars, with buildings standing tall, majestic and beautiful. It was indeed the Lava Immortal Palace!

Seeing this, Nando Empress’s face immediately lit up with joy, her voice becoming even softer: “Sanzong, you truly still remember our past.”

“Back then, we were in perfect harmony, spending every moment together, building this mechanical traveling palace.”

“You planned the architecture, laying the foundation. And I sculpted the statues, meticulously carving them.”

“What wonderful times we had in this traveling palace.”

“We can continue.”

“Sanzong, I have established a nation, my long-held wish has been fulfilled. Come back, let’s live together, just like before!”

Sanzong Shangren remained with his back to Nando Empress, offering no reply, only using his Dharma Eye to observe Mount Huoshi below.

Nando Empress slowly floated closer, but was blocked by an invisible force field.

“Sanzong,” the Empress called out, her voice filled with genuine emotion.

Sanzong Shangren paid no heed, his gaze suddenly fixed, his mind stirring slightly.

Instantly, the Lava Immortal Palace shot out a ray of precious light, piercing through the mountain and sinking deep into the magma.

The roar of a Flood Dragon suddenly erupted, and a Nascent Soul level Fiery Flood Dragon, enraged, rushed out of Mount Huoshi.

Under the compassionate gaze of Nando Empress, the Fiery Flood Dragon bravely charged towards the Lava Immortal Palace.

It intended to crash into the Immortal Palace and bring it down!

Sanzong Shangren lightly extended his hands.

The Fiery Flood Dragon’s body flying in the air rapidly shrank, and by the time it reached Sanzong Shangren’s hands, it had shrunk into a small snake, less than three inches long.

The Fiery Flood Dragon struggled mightily but could not escape Sanzong Shangren’s grasp.

The Lava Immortal Palace slowly descended, like a mountain range toppling, pressing down on the atmosphere and emitting a rumbling sound.

Sanzong Shangren sat cross-legged high in the air, beginning to survey the Lava Immortal Palace.

He gently pinched the Fiery Flood Dragon’s neck with his finger, extracting its soul.

“Go,” Sanzong Shangren flicked his finger lightly.

The Nascent Soul level Fiery Flood Dragon soul, like a meteor chasing the moon, directly plunged into Golden Furnace number one.

Cremation Prajna Spirit Release Scripture!

Blazing flames quickly burned, and after a few breaths, the golden furnace collapsed, refining a ball of Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit.

Nando Empress had been observing throughout, and seeing the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit, she couldn’t help but be slightly surprised: “It’s clearly a Flood Dragon, why is its spirit like a Dragon Turtle?”

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was initially bewildered. Upon realizing what had happened, it roared furiously at Sanzong Shangren.

Sanzong Shangren reached out and grabbed again, drawing the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit into his palm.

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was compressed to an extremely small size, looking up at Sanzong Shangren like a mortal ant gazing at a pillar of heaven and a Buddha.

Sanzong Shangren slowly spoke: “Eight hundred years from now, a great calamity of heaven and earth will sweep through the cosmos, blood will flow like rivers, and corpses will lie everywhere.”

“Dragon-like figures will rise, kings will frequently emerge. Sages will descend, purifying the universe.”

“O Fiery Flood Dragon, you were formed from the essence of thousands of souls buried in the volcano, combined with the endless fire poison and geothermal heat of the mountain.”

“You are born with a heavy burden of sin.”

“If you were to develop naturally, you would be slain by a nascent king, your foundation becoming his material, contributing your entire being to the king’s hegemony.”

“Today, I shall deliver you once.”

“From now on, you shall serve as the Palace Spirit, controlling the Immortal Palace and guarding Mount Huoshi.”

“If from now on, Mount Huoshi experiences favorable weather, with no more killing and chaos, and no innocent suffering, then in just seven hundred and twenty years, you will repay your congenital sin and shed your turtle shell, truly possessing the spirit of a Flood Dragon.”

“Look.”

Sanzong Shangren slightly raised his palm, gesturing for the spirit to observe its former serpentine body.

Although it was a Fiery Flood Dragon, it possessed immortal potential!

When its life reached the Nascent Soul stage, its immortal potential naturally transformed into a divine ability—Spirit Gathering and Crystal Condensation.

This divine ability could gather spiritual energy, constantly compressing it to the extreme, transforming it into solid crystals, which are spiritual crystals.

The bodies of the Fiery Serpent lineage were originally composed of ethereal flames, but it was born extraordinary, constantly compressing its own fire attribute spiritual energy, gathering spirit and condensing crystal, transforming into a solid Flood Dragon body.

Sanzong Shangren continued: “Your body is preserved for you; only you can use it.”

“When the seven hundred and twenty years are fulfilled, you shall use the Lava Immortal Palace and this body to create a mechanical body, shedding your cage and roaming the heavens and earth.”

After speaking, Sanzong Shangren lightly tossed the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit into the main hall of the Immortal Palace and placed the fire crystal Flood Dragon body into the Immortal Palace treasury.

Sanzong Shangren extended his index finger, pointing towards Mount Huoshi.

The Lava Immortal Palace thus accelerated its descent.

Seeing the witness to their past love, something created by her and Sanzong Shangren, about to sink into the mountain to suppress the volcano, Nando Empress couldn’t help but cry out: “Sanzong, do you really want to do this? How cruel you are!”

“Where is your love?”

“You once said that even if you entered Buddhism, there would still be love!!”

Sanzong Shangren clasped his palms together and began to chant: “Thus have I heard: The Tathagata is compassionate, bestowing great love, extending boundlessly. Great love is the source of the Buddha’s heart, the well-being of sentient beings… If a Bodhisattva holds great love, the four seas and eight wastes are all kindred. Regardless of status, all are sentient beings, equally cared for, selflessly dedicated… Therefore, a Bodhisattva views the suffering of sentient beings as their own suffering, their heart like an ocean, their compassion boundless…”

Nando Empress, her face full of anger, interrupted: “Sanzong, stop chanting!!”

Sanzong Shangren sighed: “This is the great love of Buddhism, not the love of desire.”

Nando Empress was furious: “I don’t understand!”

Sanzong Shangren was silent for a moment: “Love is compassion.”

After a pause, he added: “Love is letting go.”

As his words fell, the Lava Immortal Palace had already sunk to the summit of Mount Huoshi.

“Sanzong!” Nando Empress stared sadly at Sanzong Shangren, calling out in despair, “I cannot let go!”

Sanzong Shangren, however, clasped his palms together, his gaze under his lowered eyelids seemingly piercing through a thousand years.

He chanted softly:

“Golden furnace, scarlet fire, refine the spirit, Immortal Palace buried in the mountain, saving all beings.”

“I advise Empress Nan, cling not to obsession, old feelings are like smoke, scattered into the past.”

“All beings suffer from heavy ignorance and desire, self-proclaimed as masters, yet but puppets’ bodies.”

“My Buddha’s compassion is great love, let go of heart’s obstacles, and the path will form itself.”

Nando Empress was filled with sorrow, weeping in despair. But the pride of being an Empress prevented her from turning and fleeing.

She gritted her teeth fiercely, unleashing her magical power, and forcibly snatched a treasure from the Immortal Palace.

The treasure fell into her hands, revealing its true form, a mirror.

The entire mirror was surrounded by a lifelike golden phoenix, exquisitely beautiful to the extreme. It was the Golden Phoenix Mirror!

Sanzong Shangren’s heart stirred, and for the first time, he slightly turned his body and head to look at Nando Empress.

Nando Empress gritted her teeth: “This is my possession, and I don’t want to cooperate with you and make a contribution to your compassion.”

Sanzong Shangren, however, slightly shook his head: “Empress Nan, you originally lacked the mandate of kingship, yet you were able to establish a nation, relying on my ‘Life Thread Suspension’ divine ability.”

“If you leave the Golden Phoenix Mirror, it will be repaying karma. This is essentially a good thing for you.”

Nando Empress was slightly startled, then moved: “Indeed, Sanzong, you truly still care about me in your heart!”

Sanzong Shangren was suddenly touched, his eyes sparkling: “So it is, so it is.”

Saying so, he took out a precious seal from his懷中.

This magical treasure seal was like gold and jade, with two faces, Buddhist and demonic. The Buddhist face was compassionate, the demonic head fierce, truly peculiar.

My Buddha Heart Demon Seal!

Sanzong Shangren directly threw the precious seal into the Immortal Palace.

Nando Empress was greatly alarmed: “Sanzong, how can you abandon such a vital treasure? How will you protect yourself from now on?”

“I shouldn’t have acted on impulse. I will return the Golden Phoenix Mirror now, quickly retrieve your precious seal.”

Sanzong Shangren, however, changed his cross-legged posture, stood up, and before leaving, he slightly turned to the side: “The karma is set. Since you have taken this Golden Phoenix Mirror, from now on, protect the Immortal Palace’s legacy for me.”

Having said this, his form was like a wild goose’s feather, his figure seemingly slow but actually as swift as lightning, in an instant, his shadow was faint and distant, floating away, like a wisp of green smoke dissipating into the nine heavens.

Nando Empress, suppressed by an invisible force, could not move, and could only watch in despair as Sanzong Shangren’s back disappeared into the horizon.

Her heart was desolate, and she cried out hoarsely: “Sanzong—!”

Her voice was mournful and heartbreaking, like a cuckoo crying blood, echoing through heaven and earth, causing hearts to shatter and souls to break.

(End of Chapter)