One year, two years, three years.

The periods of lucidity for Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin became increasingly infrequent.
Initially, she would see Ning Zhuo several times a year. Gradually, it became once every two or three years.

Ning Zhuo devoted himself to the art of mechanisms, toiling day and night. Ning Ze and others’ advice, the family elders at the academy urging him to balance his studies, were all cast aside, met with perfunctory compliance and pretense – what could compare to the importance of his mother?

Late one night, Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin appeared.

After testing Ning Zhuo’s foundation in the art of mechanisms, Meng Yaoyin smiled with satisfaction: “My son has diligently studied, his foundation in the art of mechanisms is incredibly solid. Although his cultivation is low, it is enough to help Mother.”

“Mother, what should I do?” Ning Zhuo asked joyfully, his voice filled with eagerness.

Meng Yaoyin: “Mother has already passed away, only a trace of spirit remains. Now, the spirit is dissipating due to the damage from the Great Dao. Only by sealing myself can I last longer.”

“Normally, you are only at the early stage of Qi Refinement, having just embarked on the path of cultivation, unable to control a Golden Core level automaton.”

“However, my Buddhist Heart Demon Seal can break this convention!”

“By using the Heart Seal, and with the help of the mechanical components modified by Mother with her Buddhist medical skills, and finally combined with Mother’s spirit’s natural affinity towards you, you can勉强 control the Buddhist Physician.”

Meng Yaoyin imparted the method of control to Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo learned it instantly, his eyes glowing with a faint light, able to influence the actions of the Buddhist Physician.

Meng Yaoyin was pleased, and finally instructed: “Zhuo’er, Mother has already modified the Buddhist Physician mechanism to ensure it will not return entirely to the Immortal Palace.”

“After Mother seals herself, the Buddhist Physician will act based on its own restrictions and Mother’s spirit. It will wander in the Fire Persimmon Mountain, constantly slaying the Scarlet Flame demonic beasts to protect the Immortal Palace.”

“Mother can no longer regain consciousness on her own. You need to awaken me from the outside. For this, Mother has already devised a solution.”

“Mother is from the Flying Cloud Kingdom and has improved upon the sealing technique, making arrangements… using cultivators exploring the Fire Persimmon Mountain… selling the Up and Down Desired Ropes… once Mother’s assistance is needed, mix in special cloud threads…”

Ning Zhuo listened carefully, not daring to miss a single word.

Finally, Ning Zhuo asked in return: “Mother, I recently reread the ‘Essentials of the Lava Immortal Palace’. Both the Great Serpent Sickle and you have passed through the Golden Furnace. Why can the Golden Furnace refine spirit? Are the related restrictions derived from a certain scripture? If I obtain it, can it help you regain spirit?”

Meng Yaoyin smiled slightly: “Mother has long considered this possibility, and it is indeed possible.”

“When you enter the palace in the future, you might try it.”

“However, spirit is spirit, and memory is memory. Mother has lost a lot of memories, only the most crucial part remains.”

“Although the spirit is sealed, the damage from the Great Dao still erodes the memories.”

“Zhuo’er, Mother…”

Meng Yaoyin choked up slightly, her voice trembling: “Mother, I might not remember you in the future. I will only act based on spirit, please do not be sad!”

Ning Zhuo’s eyes immediately reddened, his voice hoarse, his tone firm: “Mother, I will definitely find a way! Don’t worry, I will definitely seize the Immortal Palace, I will definitely save you!”

Meng Yaoyin reached out and stroked Ning Zhuo’s face, her eyes filled with maternal love: “Of course Mother believes you, Zhuo’er, Mother is so fortunate to have such a good child.”

“Having accompanied you for so many years, Mother is actually satisfied.”

“Seizing the Immortal Palace is not the important thing.”

“Neither is Mother.”

“You must have your own life, and you will have your own path…”

Ning Zhuo interrupted: “Mother! Stop talking…”

He hugged his mother, a rare tear falling for a grown man.

Sixteen years old.

“Mother, the situation has changed! The Lava Immortal Palace has lowered its requirements to the Qi Refinement stage… perhaps I won’t have to wait a lifetime!”

Ning Zhuo decided to bomb the Immortal Palace.

He “accidentally” encountered Ning Chen and Ning Yong.

Ning Chen goaded him: “Then what would your uncle and aunt think if they saw you so down and out, earning a living in an inconspicuous little workshop?”

“Perhaps they would be thinking: Look, this Ning Zhuo doesn’t know the immensity of heaven and earth. Without our help, he can only live a difficult life and gradually become the lowest level among cultivators!”

Ning Zhuo’s heart was alerted: “Something is wrong with this Ning Chen!”

On the surface, he frowned, his face darkening, as if his mental defenses had been broken.

Ning Chen smirked inwardly, redoubling his efforts, unaware that Ning Zhuo was simply going along with the plan.

Ning Zhuo met Ning Zhanji, and Ning Zhuo and the family cultivators ventured deep into the Fire Persimmon Mountain.

Ning Zhanji educated him: “You are still young now, don’t just bury yourselves in money. You should know that investing in yourselves is the best path to success.”

“Once you reach the Foundation Establishment stage, you will have a different life situation.”

Ning Zhuo was now certain: “The one planning against me is Ning Zhanji. Although there is someone behind him… Hmph, plotting against me? Let’s take this opportunity to eliminate this person first.”

After Ning Zhuo went deep into the Fire Persimmon Mountain, he contacted the Buddhist Physician automaton through the Heart Seal.

His eyes held a faint light, remotely controlling the Buddhist Physician to slay Scarlet Flame demonic beasts along the way, and then hastily set up a simple magic array as a bait.

The Ning family cultivators quickly fell into the trap—

“There’s a Fire Melting Demonic Ape ahead!” Suddenly, the cultivator responsible for reconnaissance in the team shouted a warning.

The Ning family team continued to advance, surrounded by demonic beasts, and formed a formation to protect themselves.

The Buddhist Physician approached the Lava Immortal Palace, triggering Zheng Shuanggou’s attack.

“You rat, how dare you covet the Immortal Palace, leave your life behind!” Zheng Shuanggou roared.

The Shadow Demonic Cultivator Buddhist Physician, under Ning Zhuo’s control, spoke in an old voice, cackling: “Treasures in the cultivation world are obtained by those with destiny. You major families in Fire Persimmon Immortal City want to swallow the Lava Immortal Palace privately? Dream on!”

During the battle, the Shadow Demonic Cultivator struck casually, killing Ning Zhanji.

“Lord Ning Zhanji!” the Ning family cultivators shouted. But Ning Zhanji’s eyes were wide open, he lay on the ground, unable to rest in peace.

The Immortal Palace was blasted open and revealed to the world, and the Dharma Bell resounded throughout the city, greatly exceeding Ning Zhuo’s expectations.

He and the other Ning family cultivators were taken back to the prison for interrogation.

For safety, Ning Zhuo remotely controlled the Buddhist Physician to follow closely. Once his identity was exposed, he would use the Buddhist Physician to rescue himself.

Ning Zhuo successfully passed the interrogation, but an accident occurred when he left the dungeon.

Chi Dun’s vigilance bell sensed it, allowing Chi Dun to find the Buddhist Physician.

Two Golden Core cultivators clashed.

The Ning family cultivators fled in panic, worried about being caught in the crossfire, and scattered.

Ning Chen and Ning Yong also wanted to drag Ning Zhuo away.

But Ning Zhuo said: “What are you running for? Let’s go back to the dungeon, it’s safe here!”

The two were stunned.

Ning Zhuo directly grabbed their hands: “Just listen to me.”

The three returned to the dungeon.

Ning Chen and Ning Yong were restless.

Ning Zhuo pretended to be leisurely and composed, eating fruit and drinking tea, secretly concentrating his mind and remotely controlling the Buddhist Physician to fight and retreat.

At a critical moment, he thought of Fei Si and boldly controlled the Buddhist Physician to rush into the Fire Persimmon Forest.

Fei Si’s reaction was exactly as Ning Zhuo expected; he in turn stopped Chi Dun.

Ning Zhuo, under the guise of the Child with Hanging Hair, gathered Sun Lingtong and Han Ming, and successfully robbed the pills from the Purple Sun Courtyard.

Ning Zhuo successfully plotted against Han Ming.

Sun Lingtong suggested testing the pills and keeping them.

Ning Zhuo shook his head: “I strongly advise against doing that.”

“This time, we accidentally encountered Meng Chong. He is the grandson of a Nascent Soul cultivator. Our actions are likely to be interpreted as a plot against Meng Chong.”

Ning Zhuo snorted coldly: “Isn’t that simple? Just throw them into the Fire Persimmon Forest.”

Sun Lingtong was stunned for a moment, then his eyes lit up, clapping his hands in praise: “Wonderful, wonderful, truly wonderful!”

It was indeed wonderful.

The pills were openly sent to the Buddhist Physician, which greatly reduced the connection between the Child with Hanging Hair, Sun Lingtong, and the Shadow Demonic Cultivator.

And with the purification power of the Buddha’s light from the Buddhist Physician automaton, even if the Phoenix Soul Blood Fragrance Pills, Foundation Establishment Pills, etc., had been planted with tracking methods by the Foundation Establishment cultivator Sun Lie, they would be purified completely.

Fire Persimmon Festival.

Chen Cha sighed at Yuan Dasheng’s reliability.

Ning Zhuo remained silent, a faint light brewing in his eyes.

He sneered inwardly: “Reliable?”

“Everything I’ve planned until now has been for this moment.”

More than a dozen automaton monkeys suddenly broke free from the cultivators’ control and attacked Yuan Er.

The assassination failed.

Yuan Dasheng returned and continued picking persimmons.

On the mountainside, the faint light in Ning Zhuo’s eyes had accumulated to its peak.

“Come, come,” he whispered in his heart.

The previous assassination had already attracted the attention of the Golden Core cultivators. The subsequent explosion drew the attention of almost everyone even further.

The Buddhist Physician took this opportunity to shrink its body and drill into the storage magic array of a Hot-Tempered Monkey.

After the automaton monkeys reached the storage limit for the fire persimmons, they were remotely controlled to return by the Foundation Establishment cultivators.

They would stand in the array of a large circle and spit out the fire persimmons from their storage arrays, piling them up on the ground.

Whenever a small mountain one zhang high was piled up, the array would activate and teleport the fire persimmons directly to the granary of the City Lord’s Mansion.

Thus, the Shadow Demonic Cultivator mysteriously disappeared!

All the Golden Core cultivators had solemn expressions.

Patriarch Zhou questioned Zhu Xuanji’s Golden Eye talent.

Zhu Xuanji proudly said: “I can only tell you that I possess the Golden Eye talent, which is close to a divine ability. I have been in the Divine Catch Division for more than ten years and have only encountered three Golden Core cultivators who could withstand my Golden Eye’s insight. Below Golden Core, no living creature can escape my eyes!”

Ning Zhuo’s soul entered the Immortal Palace, and during the reward phase, he directly chose the “Cremation Prajna Spirit Release Scripture”!

The content of the Buddhist scripture quickly transmitted into Ning Zhuo’s mind.

“As I expected!” Ning Zhuo was first thrilled, then stunned.

The content of the Cremation Prajna Spirit Release Scripture moved him deeply!

At this moment, he almost burst into tears of joy.

“Mother, the ‘Cremation Prajna Spirit Release Scripture’ can refine spirit and increase your spirit.”

“It should be the restrictions within the Golden Furnace.”

“Mother, your child has found it!”

The City Lord’s Mansion dispatched assassins to attack the three talented cultivators.

Ning Zhuo was in a small cultivation chamber, surrounded by swirling clouds that obscured his vision.

He turned his head and stared in a certain direction, his brows furrowed, and a faint light flickering in his eyes.

The Buddhist Physician was hidden, constantly protecting Ning Zhuo’s safety.

With the help of the Buddhist Physician, Ning Zhuo instantly killed the assassin, his heart moved: “Isn’t this the best time to increase Mother’s spirit?”

The Buddhist Physician collected the assassin’s corpse and hid inside a carriage.

Clop clop clop!

A series of urgent hoofbeats came.

A carriage seemed to have lost control and rushed towards the small courtyard.

The carriage exploded, and flames burned fiercely.

The Cremation Prajna Spirit Release Scripture, under the cover of the Cloud Concealed Bud, was refining this small courtyard.

Extracting points of spiritual light and merging them into the Buddhist Physician automaton.

The Buddhist Physician regained its vitality.

With the increase in spirit, it could now display its inherent immortal aptitude and divine abilities, and its strength further recovered.

“Mother!” Ning Zhuo choked, reuniting with his mother in the sea of fire.

“Who… are you?” the Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin asked.

Ning Zhuo’s whole body stiffened.

The Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin’s voice was very gentle: “Why do you make me feel so close? You must be someone very important to me, right?”

Ning Zhuo’s eyes turned red, his voice trembling: “Mother, I am your child, I am Ning Zhuo.”

“Ning… Zhuo?” The Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin’s expression was confused.

She couldn’t remember.