“Come in, why aren’t you coming in yet?” Pan Si Niang Zi, hiding inside the cave, grew a little impatient.

Ning Zhuo watched the crowd push their way into the cave, but he was in no hurry.

He subconsciously touched his finger, but the mechanical ring remained still.

Ning Zhuo was recalling something.

The intelligence he had acquired earlier was high-level and expensive, and naturally concerned Che Zhu Zi.

Ning Zhuo himself had some vague, blurry memories, but trying to recall them now, he couldn’t remember clearly. Such small details, it was impossible for him to remember every single one perfectly.

“Perhaps, after I go back, I should focus on studying this intelligence?”

It was like a child with a long stick, poking and sweeping at everything they saw. Ning Zhuo’s learning ability had skyrocketed, and he wanted to try and learn everything he encountered.

He took out the intelligence jade slip, held it in his hand, infused his spiritual consciousness, and quickly confirmed the relevant content after reviewing it.

“It’s Che Zhu Zi.”

“‘Everything is Possible’ Che Zhu Zi—”

This was Che Zhu Zi’s nickname.

In his early years, when Che Zhu Zi had just taken human form, he was originally a demonic insect, lacking in intelligence, and often tricked.

The Void Silk that Che Zhu Zi’s body secreted and produced was an extremely practical and valuable treasure material. As a result, any cultivator could exchange some junk for it with Che Zhu Zi.

For Che Zhu Zi at that time, he had no discerning judgment. As long as it looked decent or he believed their exaggerated claims, he would barter precious Void Silk for it.

This would work, that would also work—hence, he was given the nickname “Everything is Possible.”

Of course, the current Che Zhu Zi had grown into a Golden Core demonic cultivator, his horizons had broadened significantly, and his intelligence had also grown with his cultivation.

Ning Zhuo pondered, “Void Silk is indeed very practical.”

“If I only use Dharma power to suspend threads, the range is far less than with Void Silk.”

“The Human Life Suspending Thread, though powerful, also has limitations as a divine ability—this method can only communicate with sentient beings.”

Although Ning Zhuo could temporarily imbue inanimate objects with sentience, it couldn’t last long. Each use consumed a tremendous amount of sentience, making it a last-resort killer move, not for regular use.

“If I use the Human Life Suspending Thread, I won’t be able to control the newly refined Yuan Yin Bamboo Puppets.”

“But with Void Silk, I can. This treasure material is extremely useful!”

Thinking of this, Ning Zhuo made up his mind and slowly walked through the cave entrance.

“He’s in, he’s finally in!” Pan Si Niang Zi trembled with excitement at the sight, her cheeks flushed slightly.

This was clearly an array-protected space.

Square gray stone bricks paved a vast plaza.

The “sky” overhead was like an overturned lead pot, with gray cloud wisps like dirty cotton wads, hanging low and heavy.

The ground stretched out in all directions, seemingly endlessly. The gray bricks blurred at the edge of the horizon, eventually merging into the leaden clouds, making it impossible to distinguish the horizon, as if heaven and earth were one.

Che Zhu Zi did not appear, but his voice echoed, announcing the rules.

“Fellow Daoists, welcome to the Xing Yun Minor Test that I have set up.”

“This minor test has only three stages. This is the first stage—Star-Dotting in the Wind.”

“Daoists only need to activate their puppet strings or suspended threads to light up the star points to win and proceed to the next stage.”

“Begin now.”

As soon as Che Zhu Zi finished speaking, tiny star marks appeared in the distant sky.

These starlights, like fireflies, were very sparse and constantly moved, leaving trails of deep blue short lines in mid-air.

Ning Zhuo focused his gaze and realized that observation-type spells could not be activated, clearly suppressed by the grand array.

He could only observe with his naked eyes.

“The speed of these starlights is sometimes fast, sometimes slow, and their movement is completely unpredictable.” Ning Zhuo squinted, observed for a while, and discovered the difficulty.

While he was observing, some cultivators had already started to act.

Streaks of Dharma power-condensed suspended threads shot out like lightning, cutting through the air.

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind swept through out of nowhere.

This wind was clearly unusual, directly dispersing the Dharma power and causing these Dharma power suspended threads to fail midway.

Ning Zhuo understood, “The first stage is called Star-Dotting in the Wind; so that’s where the name comes from.”

A pale-faced cultivator snorted coldly, flicked his sleeve, and unleashed a slender green vine.

The vine was a physical entity, infused with Dharma power, controlled by spiritual consciousness, and flew through the air, very resistant to strong winds.

Everyone’s gaze was fixed on the vine.

The wind grew stronger and stronger, but the vine remained robust, extending in mid-air, at most swaying.

However, the pale-faced cultivator’s expression grew increasingly somber.

Suddenly, the vine stopped extending, halting abruptly midway.

The cultivators quickly cast their questioning gazes at the pale-faced cultivator.

The pale-faced cultivator’s face twitched, but he still explained with resentment, “I didn’t expect the distance to be so far!”

His slender vine was a physical entity, and its length was limited.

Ning Zhuo, using this person’s attempt, discovered the third difficulty of the first stage: “This array space prohibits spell observation. Relying solely on the naked eye makes it extremely easy to misjudge.”

“These star points are truly distant. To use physical puppet strings or suspended threads, the length must be guaranteed!”

Ning Zhuo thought of the intelligence he had just reviewed and suddenly had an idea, forming a guess: “No, perhaps this distance can also be variable. The grand array here is controlled by Che Zhu Zi. He is very likely manipulating it from behind the scenes to create the most advantageous situation for him.”

The cultivators began their respective attempts.

There were quite a few cultivators with physical threads.

However, many found themselves in an awkward situation; like the pale-faced cultivator, their puppet strings were not long enough to reach those tiny star points. Ning Zhuo knew that this situation was very normal.

Because using puppet strings or suspended threads to control mechanical constructs usually happened at medium range. If the distance were longer, the Dharma power and spiritual consciousness transmitted by the threads would experience delays.

Moreover, the longer the distance, the more interference there would be between the threads. At the same time, the huge vulnerability exposed would easily allow enemies to attack these puppet strings and suspended threads.

Therefore, for those who used puppet strings or suspended threads to control mechanical constructs, these threads were often not too long.

And Che Zhu Zi’s deliberate arrangement made the distance between the cultivators and the targets unexpectedly long!

But this did not stump Ning Zhuo.

He observed for a while, then tried several times with Dharma power-suspended threads, testing the nature of the strong winds within the array.

He immediately designed a spell specifically to counter the strong wind, creating special Dharma power-suspended threads.

Innate—Five Elements Cycle of Creation and Destruction Art!

Viscera Divine Spirit Art!

Under the blessing of these two spells, the Five Elements Dharma power intertwined like spirals, constantly giving rise to each other, overcoming the strong wind, and extending faster than physical threads.

After several failed attempts, Ning Zhuo suddenly succeeded, lighting up a star point and advancing to the next round.

Some observant individuals noticed this and turned to watch Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo was the only one in the field who had passed the stage solely by condensing threads with Dharma power.

In the shadows, Che Zhu Zi was slightly startled. By the time he wanted to change the array and alter the nature of the strong wind, it was already too late. This made him secretly size up Ning Zhuo, realizing that the latter had used a feint. Perhaps some of his earlier failures were fake, allowing him to suddenly succeed and evade the changes.

Ning Zhuo scanned his surroundings and found that at least forty percent of the cultivators, after several unsuccessful attempts, were facing elimination.

These cultivators were somewhat flustered and anxious. Some sought help from the cultivators who had passed, trying to borrow their physical threads, but without exception, they were all refused.

After all, they were in a competitive relationship.

The cultivators who had passed wished that as many people as possible would be eliminated in the first round.

But at this moment, Che Zhu Zi’s voice resounded, and simultaneously, a bundle of Void Silk appeared before everyone.

“For just ten mid-grade spirit stones, you can rent a Void Silk for use.”

“Please remember the rules, fellow Daoists: this Void Silk can only be used in the first stage and is only a temporary rental.”

This made the cultivators who couldn’t pass overjoyed.

Some cultivators snorted, while others were somewhat dumbfounded.

“It’s here, as expected.” Ning Zhuo, having studied the intelligence, was not surprised at all.

“The main purpose of Che Zhu Zi setting up the Xing Yun Minor Test is to promote his Void Silk.”

“Therefore, the cultivators who rent Void Silk now will have a profound experience. Their performance will also leave a deep impression on others.”

“Hmm, I’ll rent one too.”

Even though Ning Zhuo had already passed, he still rented a Void Silk and tried again.

This time, his attempt took almost only thirty percent of the time it took before, practically succeeding in one go.

The cultivators who were on the verge of elimination were all delighted.

“This Void Silk can penetrate the void, so its length far surpasses physical threads.”

“It’s easy to use, truly too easy to use!”

“Buy, I want to buy a few to use. Where can I buy them?”

“Rent? No, no, I’m not short on money!”

Just by listening to the cultivators’ exclamations, Ning Zhuo knew that Che Zhu Zi’s promotion had already taken effect.

Ning Zhuo secretly praised Che Zhu Zi’s arrangement: “Renting it for ten mid-grade spirit stones, most cultivators can afford that. This price is very thoughtfully designed.”

“It seems cheap, but it’s actually not.”

“Renting it only allows its use in the first stage. I believe similar situations will definitely arise in the subsequent stages.”

As Ning Zhuo pondered, he was unaware that Pan Si Niang Zi had been observing him.

Seeing Ning Zhuo rent the Void Silk, Pan Si Niang Zi threw her head back and laughed triumphantly, “I’ve trapped him! It’s not difficult at all to trick such a young man.”

“You just need to use your brain.”

“Sigh, these people from Ban Ji really have no brains, they don’t understand what it means to be circuitous, what it means to set up a scheme!”

All the cultivators who couldn’t pass rented the Void Silk.

After all, ten mid-grade spirit stones really weren’t expensive!

Thus, everyone qualified for the second stage.

Che Zhu Zi’s voice came through, filled with encouragement: “Congratulations, fellow Daoists, on successfully entering the next stage.”

“A good start is half the battle!”

“My Xing Yun Minor Test only has three stages.”

“Next is the second stage—Plucking the Heart of the Poisonous Flower!”

The array space shook, and all the distant star points vanished. Instead, carriage-sized poisonous flowers appeared out of thin air, resting on the brick ground, spaced far apart.

These poisonous flowers were brightly colored and quickly released a powdery, toxic gas outwards.

Soon, the toxic gas accumulated, forming layers of poisonous miasma.

According to Che Zhu Zi’s introduction, cultivators needed to use puppet strings or suspended threads to pluck the pistils from the poisonous flowers.

Finally, the top half of the cultivators, based on ranking, would proceed to the third stage.

“A reminder to all fellow Daoists, there is a limited supply of Void Silk here, so purchase quickly if you wish to!” Che Zhu Zi didn’t even bother to feign, directly promoting his product.

Immediately, someone inquired about the selling price.

The price turned out to be over a hundred times higher, causing some cultivators’ expressions to change dramatically, exclaiming, “That’s robbery!”

The Wan Xiang Sect recruited widely, so many ordinary, even lower-class individuals attended the Fei Yun Grand Assembly.

Many cultivators, unwilling to spend exorbitant amounts, immediately activated their suspended threads and puppet strings, shooting them towards the poisonous flowers.

The poisonous miasma was extremely potent, quickly corroding and dissolving these suspended threads and puppet strings.

The cultivators’ faces darkened, but they were still unwilling to give up. They unleashed various techniques.

Spell—Profound Ice Wrapping!

Spell—Flame Attachment Art.

Spell—Golden Thousand Markings.

Various spells augmented the puppet strings and suspended threads, causing their strength to surge. They fiercely clashed with the poisonous miasma, creating loud noises in the arena.

Some succeeded, while others failed.

Ning Zhuo watched with interest for a while: “I didn’t expect there to be so many spells that can augment puppet strings and suspended threads; this is far more than what was in the classics left by my mother.”

Ning Zhuo truly had his eyes opened.

Che Zhu Zi, from the shadows, kept a close watch on Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo’s performance in the first stage had astonished him. In his countless Xing Yun Minor Tests, only a handful of cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage had managed to pass solely by using Dharma power-suspended threads.

As soon as Ning Zhuo used Dharma power-suspended threads, Che Zhu Zi would immediately manipulate the array from behind the scenes, changing the composition of the poisonous miasma.

But what struck him as unusual was that Ning Zhuo did not use the Five Elements Dharma power-suspended threads, but instead directly purchased a segment of Void Silk.

Che Zhu Zi provided thoughtful service for this purchase—he even included a jade slip, which contained methods for using Void Silk.

Ning Zhuo studied and practiced, and after a few attempts, he successfully made the front end of the silk penetrate the void, extending from a distance.

Visually, the silk he controlled seemed to be missing a large segment in the middle.

Ning Zhuo used the Void Silk to directly traverse the void, bypassing the poisonous miasma, entering the heart of the flower, and retrieving the pistil. Then, he sharply pulled back the Void Silk, which also had very strong resistance to the poisonous miasma.

Even after passing through with the pistil, it didn’t dissolve much.

Seeing Ning Zhuo succeed, many cultivators grew anxious.

After all, the rule for the second stage was to take the top half of the cultivators based on ranking.

Ning Zhuo was the first cultivator to purchase Void Silk, which earned him Che Zhu Zi’s favor but also offended most cultivators. Many cultivators cast reproachful glances at him, blaming him for being too competitive.

Ning Zhuo had anticipated this and remained expressionless, as if these gazes didn’t exist.

This amount of money meant nothing to Ning Zhuo.

“Hahaha.” Pan Si Niang Zi in the shadows laughed joyfully.

She had placed a hidden poison on all the Void Silks.

With Ning Zhuo using it so heavily, the poison would accumulate more and more within his body.

“Keep using it, use it vigorously!”

“Once you’re poisoned by me, when you reach the third stage, I’ll close the net.”

“At that time, I’ll make you my treasure!”