Within the演武法陣 (yanwu fajian), Ning Zhuo was deep in thought.

“Judging by Qing Huangzi’s intentions, he wants to directly cancel the Xingyun Xiaoshi (Cloud-Soaring Minor Examination) and bestow the inheritance upon me.”

“While it would save trouble, what I would gain would be far less than what my original plan would have achieved.”

“Without the Xingyun Shi (Cloud-Soaring Examination), there would be no top rank. That is something I can obtain anyway.”

He was already a Shipai (Stone Tablet) and only needed to win the top rank three more times to advance to a higher-level token. Since Ning Zhuo had decided to act high-profile, he would not hesitate on this point.

“I must seize every opportunity to secure the top rank and strive to create a significant lead over others!”

“Besides the top rank, I also need to focus on my reputation.”

“Many people are already paying attention to me. If this Xingyun Xiaoshi were suddenly canceled, I fear some, out of jealousy, might spread malicious rumors to slander me.”

“That will not do!”

In the Righteous Path, a good reputation is extremely important. Ning Zhuo was all too familiar with this.

Having thought it through, Ning Zhuo began to write his reply.

Soon after, Qing Huangzi received the letter and immediately read it with his divine sense.

“To Venerable Senior Qing Huang,

The arrival of your letter has filled me with both awe and trepidation! I, Zhuo, a junior of meager learning and humble origin, possess no merit or ability to warrant such unprecedented favor from senior, entrusting me with your mantle? Reading your magnificent words, each character is like a pearl or jade falling into my heart, each sentence like a grand bell awakening my soul. Senior, you perceive the subtle depths and praise my humble actions: your fervent expectations warm me more than the spring sun itself! The essence of mechanism is not merely the movement of sinews and bones; it is truly a blade for investigating things, a bridge to profound mysteries, the physical manifestation of one’s thoughts! I have always loved this path, often sitting alone in my humble room, caressing mechanisms, forgetting sleep and food, yet still feeling time fly like lightning, finding endless delight. To now hear of senior’s great Dao is like seeing the North Star in the dark night, like a long drought finally met with sweet rain!

The trust senior places in me is heavier than a thousand jin (measure of weight), and I hereby swear with all my heart: I shall exhaust my intellect, burn the midnight oil, and diligently study this art! I shall ensure that the profound melodies and wondrous principles, in my hands, will not merely be inherited but will be expanded and glorified! The aspirations of senior and your esteemed teacher shall be my lifelong aspirations, and I shall face death nine times without regret!

However, I have one request, which I earnestly hope senior will grant: I still wish to participate in the Xingyun Xiaoshi!

It is not that I dare question senior’s discernment, nor am I harboring any illusion of luck or craving for empty fame. My concerns lie solely with “reputation after death” and “the clarity of the Dao tradition.”

The sect is vast, and gossip abounds. If I receive the true inheritance without undergoing trials, it might provoke suspicion from lesser men, who would claim senior conferred it privately, disregarding old rules; or even slander your esteemed teacher’s lineage as being transmitted carelessly, lacking worthy successors. With many voices, three men can make a tiger, and if senior’s clear reputation is damaged, or your esteemed teacher’s name sullied in the underworld, I would bear a myriad deaths without being able to atone!

My participation in the Xingyun examination also offers two advantages.

Firstly, to use the trial as a whetstone, to temper myself and verify what I have learned! In actual combat, I can truly comprehend the profound essence of senior’s inheritance.

Secondly, to use my strength as clear proof, to declare it to my fellow disciples! If I am fortunate enough to win the top spot, then receiving the mantle at that time will be rightful and proper, and all dissent will naturally cease! This will quash the unwarranted ambitions of petty individuals and silence the idle chatter of the masses. Let all under heaven know that senior’s decision today is not born of personal favoritism, but truly of sharp insight, like Bo Le recognizing a steed!

With senior’s profound trust bestowed upon me, I have my own convictions. The success or failure of the trial, for me, is not about honor or disgrace, but solely tied to my Dao heart! Victory means standing tall and proud, upholding senior’s reputation for discerning talent; defeat means being equally open and forthright, demonstrating the strictness with which the inheritance chooses its master!

I earnestly hope senior will fulfill my humble plea!

Writing with urgency, I respectfully wish senior peace in the Dao!

Your junior, Ning Zhuo, respectfully bows.”

Qing Huangzi read the reply three times with his divine sense before exhaling a long, trembling breath filled with complex emotions.

“Good—what a Ning Zhuo! What a ‘reputation after death’ and ‘clarity of the Dao tradition’!” His voice was hoarse, carrying an unexpected tremor and a burning sense of relief.

“This child’s vision, his resolute character, his far-reaching thoughts, his grand spirit—they all surpass my expectations!”

Qing Huangzi’s gaze was sharp, piercing through the paper, as if he saw the white-robed youth respectfully writing the reply. The youth, with his slightly large head, sat upright, his upper body as straight as a peak, his face solemn, exuding righteousness!

“He is neither arrogant about his talent nor disdainful of others! Upon receiving my affirmation, he showed no trace of conceit or complacency. Instead, he regarded this opportunity as a weighty responsibility, pondering its profound significance!”

“He does not shy from responsibility, but dares to bear it! He is not at all afraid of the dangers of the Xingyun Xiaoshi, but proactively volunteers to step into the fierce competition to prove himself! This is not for empty fame, but truly for the clear names of myself and my esteemed teacher!”

“What a young man!”

The more Qing Huangzi thought about it, the more excited he became. He couldn’t help but rise and pace back and forth in the small cave chamber, his steps noticeably lighter than usual.

“How can I let down such a prodigious talent! How can I let his righteous heart be sullied!”

“Since this is the case, I shall lend him a hand.”

The next day, Qingzhu Peak.

The area around the stone platform was already bustling with people.

“So many people have come,” Jiang Braid exclaimed, feeling a little nervous.

“Qing Huangzi’s Xingyun Xiaoshi is different from most; he is selecting an heir,” Zhang Dadang replied.

“No, that alone wouldn’t attract so many people. There’s only one reason—” Patch Sun shook his head, and just as he said this, the crowd around them stirred.

“They’re here, they’re here!”

“Did I see that right?”

“Yes, yes, it’s Ning Zhuo!”

The surrounding cultivators cried out, and countless eager, curious gazes fell upon Ning Zhuo, who was arriving on a cloud.

Ning Zhuo had already anticipated this situation. He smiled, descended from the cloud, and cupped his hands to the onlookers, displaying the demeanor of a high-born son.

The cultivators in the crowd returned his greetings one after another.

Many complimented Ning Zhuo: “Young Master Ning Zhuo, with your participation, you are bound to win first place!”

“It is our honor to witness Young Master Ning Zhuo sweeping away all rivals.”

“No one will be an obstacle to you!”

Ning Zhuo keenly perceived the malice beneath these compliments, but the smile on his face grew even wider, as if he were completely unaware.

The crowd automatically parted, creating a path for Ning Zhuo to gracefully approach the stone platform.

There, he saw many familiar faces.

“Everyone, we meet again,” he greeted Patch Sun, Chen San, Jiang Xiaobian, Zhang Dadang, A Huo, and others.

Ning Zhuo had previously hosted these individuals, establishing a superficial acquaintance.

Everyone returned his greetings.

Some cultivators who were also participating in this Xingyun Xiaoshi but had declined Ning Zhuo’s invitation last time now felt regret: “If only I had known, I should have accepted; I could have forged a connection with Ning Zhuo.”

Patch Sun cupped his hands and quickly responded to Ning Zhuo, showing a different attitude than before, more humble and respectful.

Jiang Xiaobian pursed her lips, becoming even more nervous.

The others also felt pressure because of Ning Zhuo.

Only A Huo, with a look of defiance, shouted that even if Ning Zhuo was strong, he would not give up and would fight with all his might to truly compete with Ning Zhuo once.

Ning Zhuo smiled and accepted the challenge on the spot.

Qing Huangzi appeared and immediately announced the content of the second round of the Xingyun Xiaoshi.

On the stone platform, cultivators could only use voice control to manipulate numerous bamboo puppet figures, engaging in a chaotic battle. During this process, Qing Huangzi would personally interfere by generating different musical notes, disrupting everyone’s voice control.

When Qing Huangzi announced the rules, the entire venue fell silent.

Chen San, A Huo, and the others listened attentively, and when it was over, they couldn’t help but exchange glances, each sensing the excitement in the other’s eyes.

The cultivators who had specially come to observe immediately communicated with each other using their divine senses.

“These rules are highly disadvantageous to Ning Zhuo.”

“Indeed, if I were participating, I would definitely team up first to collectively deal with Ning Zhuo!”

“Qing Huangzi’s rules don’t forbid alliances at all; this is effectively pitting Ning Zhuo alone against everyone else.”

“Not necessarily. Perhaps Ning Zhuo has already contacted other cultivators beforehand and reached some kind of understanding.”

Qing Huangzi floated up and sat on a stone seat to one side.

With a gentle stamp of his foot, he activated the formation, and two barriers instantly enveloped the entire stone platform.

“Everyone, ascend the stone platform,” Qing Huangzi said in a low voice.

All the cultivators participating in this Xingyun Xiaoshi then stepped onto the platform, standing at its edge.

They had their backs to the outer hemispherical barrier and faced the inner barrier.

Qing Huangzi added, “Release your bamboo puppet teams.”

Ning Zhuo and the others complied.

Soon, the stone platform was filled with hundreds of small bamboo puppets.

These miniature mechanical figures, because they were created by each cultivator, all carried some personal style.

For example, Patch Sun’s bamboo puppets looked dilapidated, like various mechanical parts haphazardly cobbled together, with many joints askew. The bamboo puppets were arranged in a few sparse rows.

Another example was Black Kite Chen San’s bamboo puppets, which were noticeably smaller and very agile, equipped with syringes and arm crossbows, exuding a stealthy aura.

Jiang Xiaobian’s bamboo puppets had peculiar forms, with beetle-like hard shells on their backs. Some had mantis-like arm blades, while others had scorpion-like tail stingers.

Iron Drum Zhang Dadang’s bamboo puppets numbered only three and were the largest in the entire arena. All three puppets were completely encased in heavy armor, making them look like three miniature fortresses.

Fire Wick A Huo’s bamboo puppets either carried strings of firecrackers or ceramic pots with fuses.

Ning Zhuo’s bamboo puppets were the most eye-catching.

These figures were almost identical, their arrangement seemingly simple yet imbued with strict discipline. Each bamboo puppet had smooth joints and was flawless all over. When standing still, they resembled an elite army poised for battle, their silence emanating a chilling sharpness.

Qing Huangzi sat on the main seat of the high platform, his face as calm as an ancient well, with only a trace of undetectable anticipation flickering deep in his eyes.

“This Xingyun Xiaoshi begins!” As soon as his voice fell, almost all the bamboo puppets on the stone platform sprang into action.

Their attack direction was uniform, their military might pointed directly at Ning Zhuo’s bamboo puppet team!

“Charge! Charge for me!” A Huo yelled, beating a gong. His bamboo puppets rushed to the very front.

Zhang Dadang, meanwhile, beat his waist drum. His three heavily armored giant puppets, slow but with an air of oppression, steadily advanced toward Ning Zhuo’s bamboo puppet formation.

Black Kite Chen San’s eyes were sharp, and he constantly blew his whistle, manipulating his bamboo puppets to leave the main force, circle from the left, and try to ambush Ning Zhuo’s team from the flank.

Jiang Xiaobian blew a bamboo flute, emitting a sharp, eerie flute sound, making her insect bamboo puppets act like a sharp dagger, united, stabbing forward.

The onlookers, seeing this scene, either gasped, worried for Ning Zhuo, or were excited, feeling they were about to witness a good show.

Some even thought enviously, “If I could see Ning Zhuo fall here, defeated in public, that would be a sight to behold!”

Qing Huangzi couldn’t help but look at Ning Zhuo, ready to activate musical notes to interfere at any moment.

The Xingyun Xiaoshi he had devised naturally started with the rules, allowing him to always maintain control.

If Ning Zhuo did not respond in time, Qing Huangzi would unleash musical notes, affecting the entire battle!

“If you can, by yourself, stand against everyone’s combined forces, then when I announce you as the top rank winner, no one will raise any objections!”

“This is an excellent opportunity coming up. If you can seize it, you can recover some of the disadvantage.”

“Come, let me see your strength!”

Qing Huangzi held deep expectations for Ning Zhuo.

The next moment, the temporary bamboo puppet coalition suddenly fell into chaos. Many puppets lost control, some stalled, some charged wildly, and some even disintegrated on the spot.

“What’s going on?” Patch Sun and the others changed color.

A glint flashed in Chen San’s eyes, and he immediately understood the reason, transmitting a divine sense message.

At the same time, a cultivator cried out, “We all use voice control, and we all use the content from the Yuanyin Huangpian Shu (Book of Primal Sound Reed Slices). Various sounds叠加 (superimposed), creating confusion and internal friction!”

The rest of the people instantly understood.

The onlookers also realized what was happening.

“So, this Xingyun Shi isn’t just as simple as it appears on the surface; there’s such a principle behind it.”

“Of course, the Xingyun Shi conceived by Qing Huangzi to select an inheritor wouldn’t be simple!”

“Heh heh, if I were him, I’d just hand the inheritance to Ning Zhuo directly. Why even bother with a competition?”

“But if that were the case, wouldn’t we miss out on such a good show?”

“Uh, that’s true!”

The bamboo puppet coalition fell into internal strife, and its overall offensive paused abruptly at that moment.

Ning Zhuo remained expressionless, and with a wave of his arm, a Dharma artifact-grade guzheng appeared out of thin air.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, the large-headed youth pressed two fingers of his left hand onto the strings.

He plucked gently.

“Clang!”

A sharp, short guzheng note suddenly erupted, like a piece of metal being forcibly torn apart.

Ning Zhuo’s bamboo puppet team, accompanied by this strong sound, suddenly charged out!

Then, Ning Zhuo’s five fingers of his left hand fluttered like butterflies, moving so fast that they blurred into black streaks.

Waves of extremely harsh, high-pitched noise swept across the entire arena without warning!

The sudden guzheng sound was like countless steel needles, directly piercing into the eardrums of all the cultivators present.

“What is that sound?”

“It’s so unpleasant!”

“Ugh—I’m going to throw up.”

The noise was like fingernails scraping glass, incredibly sharp, making people restless and uneasy.

Patch Sun and the others were greatly affected, and the entire bamboo puppet coalition immediately fell into even greater chaos.

Ning Zhuo’s bamboo puppet formation took advantage of the situation, cutting through the ranks unimpeded, unstoppable!

Fire Wick A Huo had publicly challenged Ning Zhuo before the competition, quite high-profile.

Ning Zhuo was the first to satisfy his challenge.

In just a few breaths, most of A Huo’s bamboo puppets had been destroyed by Ning Zhuo.

“No!” A Huo’s eyes widened in fury, and he cried out in despair and unwillingness.