The puppet Ning Zuo ultimately failed to encounter the mechanical ape, Yuan Dasheng.

When he arrived at Room Seven, he discovered the scattered components of the fallen mechanical ape being teleported away by a halo of light.

This was the Lava Immortal Palace’s method of cleanup. The light rings not only transported rewards but also cleared away debris.

Ning Zuo had previously observed this phenomenon and wasn’t surprised.

Examining the scattered components, he concluded: the mechanical ape was defeated by its spiritual energy consumption.

“Its physique is too enormous. Maintaining it alone requires a vast amount of spiritual power.”

“It chose spiritual stone rewards along the way, but ultimately, it couldn’t sustain itself and succumbed to the drain.”

“Of course, this is also related to the fact that I installed numerous traps and mechanisms in Rooms One through Nine.”

Ning Zuo felt a heavy burden.

Yuan Dasheng’s strength was immense, causing significant disruption to his plans. This disruption could potentially lead to Ning Zuo’s demise!

“This is only Yuan Dasheng’s first attempt, yet it has already reached Room Seven.”

“It will become more familiar with this place.”

“Although its weakness lies in spiritual energy consumption, once it endures for seven days, it can claim the leaderboard’s rewards. At that point, with its spiritual power at its peak, it could potentially surge forward and surpass me.”

This placed considerable pressure on Ning Zuo.

Heavy-hearted, he passed through Room Nine and returned to the central lobby.

Gears whirred, and stone walls descended, revealing three portals: Buddhist, Daoist, and Demonic.

Previously, Ning Zuo had entered the Daoist portal and found the challenges exceptionally difficult. While not impossible to overcome, the time and effort required were inestimable.

After careful consideration, Ning Zuo decided to first master the newly acquired techniques. Based on his understanding of the Lava Immortal Palace and the Three Sects’ Immortals, these two techniques would undoubtedly be useful!

As the saying goes, sharpening the axe doesn’t delay the work.

This time, Ning Zuo approached the Demonic portal.

He extended his hands, placing his palms against the portal, and silently activated the Demon Infusion Blood Tendon Art.

As the demonic technique circulated, it quickly extracted strands of blood energy from the portal.

Scarlet blood energy flowed along his arms, coursing through Ning Zuo’s entire body and gradually condensing into a Blood Essence within his wooden puppet form.

This was the crystallized essence of blood power!

After obtaining the Blood Essence, Ning Zuo could no longer absorb blood energy, and he discovered that the Demonic portal could be pushed open.

He formally entered the Demonic portal and found the room filled with traps and mechanisms, with numerous cultivation puppets wandering within.

After observing for a moment, Ning Zuo reached a preliminary conclusion: “The difficulty of this challenge is similar to that of the Daoist portal. These cultivation puppets are brimming with blood energy, seemingly possessing Blood Essence as well?”

“Does this mean they can also use the Demon Infusion Blood Tendon Art?”

Ning Zuo attempted to proceed through the challenges.

Demon Infusion Blood Tendon Art!

He activated the technique, condensing all the blood energy in his body into a network of interwoven tendon structures, distributed throughout his body, focusing primarily on his joints.

With the enhancement of the blood energy tendons, Ning Zuo’s speed in running, jumping, and dodging increased significantly.

Not only speed, but also strength and defense were enhanced.

Although the traps were triggered, they posed little threat to Ning Zuo.

The troublesome part was the approaching cultivation puppets.

Ning Zuo’s earlier guess was confirmed.

These cultivation puppets could indeed use the Demon Infusion Blood Tendon Art! With the aid of the demonic technique, the threat posed by the cultivation puppets increased several times over, making them even more difficult to deal with.

Ning Zuo persisted to the middle of the challenge, where he was surrounded by three cultivation puppets.

The cultivation puppets used blood energy to strike at Ning Zuo. Their blood energy tendons quickly covered Ning Zuo’s wooden body.

Once these blood energy tendons were formed, they severely interfered with Ning Zuo’s every movement.

Ning Zuo could only rely on spells and the hovering mechanical arms to resist.

After resisting for a while, he finally couldn’t withstand it any longer. His entire body was enveloped in blood energy, and a large number of blood energy tendons sealed him completely.

The three cultivation puppets attacked together, and Ning Zuo’s puppet was ultimately defeated and shattered into pieces.

“So, the Demon Infusion Blood Tendon Art can be used in this way!” Although Ning Zuo failed, he gained a great deal.

Returning to the underground workshop, he conducted experiments in this area.

The tendons formed from condensed blood energy not only aided the cultivator in enhancing mobility and providing a certain degree of defense, but they could also corrode others.

By using one’s own blood energy to corrode and contaminate the blood energy of others, creating a large number of blood energy tendons inside and outside their body, it became possible to restrain them.

“No, it’s not just restraint.”

“More accurately, it’s control!”

Ning Zuo’s heart trembled. At that moment, he saw the core concept behind the three techniques:

“The Three Sects’ Immortals created these three techniques with the intention of controlling mechanical constructs.”

“The Five Elements Qi Rhythm Art could obtain the Five Elements Dharma Power, applicable to a wide range, and the resulting Five Elements Suspended Threads could control the vast majority of mechanical constructs.”

“The Demon Infusion Blood Tendon Art granted blood energy tendons, increasing the mobility of mechanical constructs in various aspects, enhancing the degree of control.”

“The Mirror Platform Spiritual Connection Art, on the other hand, communicated with spiritual objects through spiritual realms. Clearly, it would form a synergy with certain mechanical components!”

Ning Zuo continued his experiments.

He also discovered that blood energy from the same source was easier to corrode, contaminate, and even convert for one’s own use. Blood energy from different sources was more about suppression and interference.

These gains were all delightful, but Ning Zuo’s mood grew heavier.

Because he thought of Yuan Dasheng.

“That ape somehow acquired the Demon Infusion Blood Tendon Art ahead of time.”

“Its Qi Refining cultivation should be the same as mine, at the peak of the third layer. But in Body Refinement, it ranks first, pushing me down, indicating that it’s definitely beyond the third layer.”

“What is its true cultivation level?”

The mechanical ape reached Room Seven on its first attempt, which was terrifying!

Even more frightening was that, at this stage, it could only use spiritual power.

If it gained access to the Demonic portal and possessed the power of blood energy, its true strength would be revealed!

Ning Zuo had already sensed the wonders of the Demon Infusion Blood Tendon Art. This demonic technique provided a massive boost to the user.

If the mechanical ape gained such assistance, it would undoubtedly soar to new heights!

“At that time, it will definitely surpass me and become the first.”

“It’s impossible to let it access the Demonic portal!”

Ning Zuo opened a drawer, took out a jade scroll, and began searching for information.

“Found it!”

He quickly made a discovery.

“It really is a Fiery Fusion Demon Ape, but it’s a cultivator’s spiritual pet.”

“The cultivator, Yuan Yi, founded the Monkey Head Gang…”

“The Fiery Fusion Demon Ape, Yuan Dasheng, is the gang’s cornerstone beast!”

“I knew I had seen the name Yuan Dasheng somewhere. It’s not a person’s name, but the name of a spiritual beast.”

Ning Zuo had paid attention to the Monkey Head Gang when he was building the mechanical firecracker monkey, and he had a vague recollection of the name Yuan Dasheng.

“The only thing that’s comforting now is that I know its name, but it doesn’t know mine.”

“The enemy is in the open, while I am in the shadows. The moment it appeared on the leaderboard, it revealed a huge flaw.”

“Get rid of it, I must get rid of it as soon as possible!”

A sharp glint of killing intent flashed in Ning Zuo’s eyes.