Lava Immortal Palace.

Room Number One.

Mechanical components stirred one after another, piecing themselves together to form several humanoid figures.

Soon, Puppet Zhou Zhu, Puppet Zheng Jian, Puppet Ning Xiaohui, and Puppet Ning Zhuo were all assembled.

The figures examined each other.

Zhou Zhu was tall and burly, Zheng Jian was surrounded by several mechanical hooks, and Ning Xiaohui’s hands were intricately constructed, noticeably different from the rest of her body.

As for Ning Zhuo…

“Wow, your head is huge!” Zhou Zhu exclaimed.

Zheng Jian nodded slightly. “Seeing it like this, you definitely have hidden talents.”

Having died so many times, Zhou Zhu and Zheng Jian had gradually learned a few secrets, including the connection between the puppet form and innate talent.

Zhou Zhu inquired, “What kind of talent causes a large head?”

Ning Xiaohui replied, “Many things. Like a clear spirit platform, overflowing literary talent, deeply rooted wisdom, soaring thoughts, heaven-bestowed intelligence…”

Her tone was calm, but her heart was filled with surprise. She hadn’t expected Ning Zhuo to actually possess talent!

And this talent was highly compatible with mechanical arts.

Ning Zhuo’s spiritual sense was abundant. Upon reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, his spiritual sense evolved into divine sense, making it easier to enslave beasts, control gu, command souls, and manipulate dao soldiers, zombie puppets, and so on.

Naturally, this also included various types of mechanical creations.

“Really?”

“My head is indeed bigger than yours.”

Ning Zhuo looked around at everyone, touching his large head, speaking with great delight.

Since Ning Zhuo had slightly revealed his advantage in spiritual sense at the dinner party, he had successfully piqued the others’ curiosity.

Ning Zhuo’s spiritual sense was frighteningly abundant, making it highly likely he possessed relevant talents.

However, testing innate talents was quite difficult. Many strange and peculiar talents weren’t easy to test.

Zhou Zeshen had come up with a good idea: “We can send our souls into the Immortal Palace.”

“Based on our understanding of the Immortal Palace, our puppet bodies reflect our talents, and thus possess different characteristics.”

“If Brother Ning truly has talent, it will surely be manifested in this aspect.”

“The Lava Immortal Palace is the traveling palace of the three sects’ immortals. Testing talent here should be no problem!”

When this idea was proposed, everyone applauded, thinking it was feasible. They immediately agreed to disband, return home, and then agree on a time to simultaneously send their souls into the Immortal Palace.

Which is why everyone was now surrounding Ning Zhuo, scrutinizing his large head.

Ning Zhuo had to showcase this aspect of his talent.

There was no way around it.

As long as he sent his soul into the Immortal Palace, his large head would definitely attract attention.

This feature was too obvious!

As more and more people sent their souls into the Immortal Palace in the future, comparisons would be made, highlighting the extraordinary nature of puppets with unique characteristics.

Therefore, it was better for Ning Zhuo to proactively expose it, making it easier for him to influence what everyone thought.

Fortunately, there were many talents that could cause a large head.

Some talents required strict testing methods and a large amount of resources to determine.

It wouldn’t be easy for Ning Zhuo to be forced to expose his “precocious wisdom” answer.

“In this way, the Ning family also has two talents, just like my Zhou family,” Zhou Zhu sighed inwardly.

Zheng Jian’s mood was even heavier.

Because he was the only genius in the Zheng family. The other two families both had two geniuses. According to this trend, the Zheng family would be at the bottom for a long time.

Thinking of this, Zheng Jian quickly said, “Now that our three families are united, Brother Ning revealing his talent is a joyous occasion!”

“After all, our enemy is Meng Chong.”

“He’s an immortal talent. Even with Zhou Zeshen, we will have difficulty dealing with him.”

Zheng Jian exaggerated the opponent’s strength to strengthen the unity of the three families.

Zhou Zhu deeply resonated, “We’ve seen it before. Meng Chong pushed open the door and entered, his body like a bolt of lightning, winding and twisting, instantly passing through Room Number Two and pushing open the door into Room Number Three.”

“His performance must mean he has penetrated deep into the Immortal Palace, and his progress far exceeds ours.”

Ning Xiaohui snorted coldly, unwilling to boost others’ prestige. “However, hasn’t Meng Chong recently fainted? It seems that the difficulty of the Immortal Palace’s inheritance increases in the later stages, and even Meng Chong can’t withstand it.”

Ning Zhuo nodded. “Immortal talent is indeed very strong!”

“Let’s first choose our rewards, then push open the door.”

“Alright.” Zhou Zhu nodded.

The four people successively touched the doors, each selecting a reward.

Just as Zheng Jian was about to guide Ning Zhuo on how to use the hanging ring, he saw him tilt his head, think for a moment, and exclaim, “Ah, so that’s how it is. I understand.”

As he spoke, Ning Zhuo launched the colored diamond outwards, nailing it to the wall, where it was remarkably sturdy.

Zheng Jian’s heart trembled slightly. Ning Zhuo’s speed of figuring things out was much stronger than his.

“Did he obtain the intelligence we accumulated in advance?” Zheng Jian wondered inwardly.

“Let me teach you. This is how it works,” Ning Zhuo said proactively, seeing that Ning Xiaohui was still exploring.

Ning Xiaohui snorted coldly. “No need!”

As soon as she finished speaking, she also successfully launched the colored diamond.

Ning Xiaohui’s mood wasn’t good, thinking to herself, “I was able to figure it out quickly because I obtained the information shared by the Zhou and Zheng families. Ning Zhuo didn’t have access to anything…”

Zhou Zhu only dared to push the door open a crack.

“A little bigger, and war spears will shoot out along the crack,” Zhou Zhu said, appearing experienced. “This is the maximum opening distance. I’m certain!”

Zheng Jian sighed lightly. “When we first came in to explore, there wasn’t this mechanism. As the number of times we explore increases, the difficulty of the Immortal Palace’s trials is constantly increasing.”

Ning Zhuo nodded. “I see.”

Zhou Zhu continued, “After pushing open the door, our feet will be bound, and then we’ll be smashed by a heavy hammer, reduced to powder.”

“If we’re fast and rush through, we’ll be caught in a net, dragged back, and then smashed to death by the heavy hammer.”

“If we walk close to the edge, countless sharp spears will extend from the wall, piercing us through. Otherwise, they’ll push us into the middle, and then we’ll be smashed to death by the heavy hammer.”

After hearing this, Ning Xiaohui became even more silent.

Ning Zhuo suddenly said, “I have a way, perhaps we can try it.”

“Before that, I want to ask, can we use the other mechanical components in the room?” he asked, knowing the answer.
Zheng Jian shook his head, “Cannot be used.”

“Oh, in that case, the only thing I *can* use is you all. So, please dismantle yourselves first,” Ning Zhuo said.

“Huh?” Zhou Zhu was astonished.

“You really have a way?” Zheng Jian inquired.

“Of course, I do, but I cannot guarantee success,” Ning Zhuo stated.

Zheng Jian chuckled, “Whatever the method, it is worth a try. What exactly is your plan?”

Ning Zhuo then revealed his scheme.

Zheng Jian and Zhou Zhu immediately wore bizarre expressions, while Ning Xiaohui retreated three steps, shaking her head repeatedly in firm refusal, “No, I won’t do that!”

A moment later, a monstrous puppet with four heads, eight arms, and eight legs forcefully pushed open the door.

Its immense body stood firmly in the middle of the passageway, triggering the mechanisms. It immediately used one of its torsos as a shield, blocking the piercing thrust of the war spear.

Subsequently, it raised all eight hands high, holding back the heavy hammer that was about to fall.

The heavy hammer, unable to gather sufficient momentum from a high enough drop, was disrupted by the monstrous puppet and laboriously diverted to the side.

However, due to this action, three of the monstrous puppet’s arms were overwhelmed and shattered into pieces.

“Success! We succeeded!” Zhou Zhu’s head cheered excitedly.

Zheng Jian’s head pondered, “I am certain. The Three Sects’ Venerable truly wishes to facilitate our cooperation. This painstaking effort is quite in line with his style.”

“I say, what are you dawdling about? Hurry up and dismantle us already!” Ning Xiaohui’s head couldn’t bear it.

Her head was placed under an arm, like an armpit. Every movement of the arm squeezed her forehead, making her feel awful.

“Oh, I will dismantle us right away,” Ning Zhuo hurriedly said.

“Just the thought of having to go through the first door in this manner every time makes me feel terrible,” Ning Xiaohui complained.

Zheng Jian then said, “Since we can pass through, it’s a good method. Practicality is key.”

Zhou Zhu even added, “Yes, Miss Ning, you merely have your head under an arm, my head is down in my crotch. Did I say anything?”

“Apologies, apologies. Next time, I’ll swap Brother Zheng down there,” Ning Zhuo said.

Zheng Jian paused, “Actually, this matter can be further discussed.”

Ning Xiaohui shrieked, “In any case, I will never use this method to pass a stage in front of others!”

A moment later, everyone reverted to their original forms.

Ning Xiaohui’s arms were both broken, Zhou Zhu’s torso was riddled with holes from the war spears.

Zheng Jian and Ning Zhuo’s puppet bodies were relatively intact.

“Brother Ning, well done! You’ve made me look at you in a new light!” Zheng Jian was excited, patting Ning Zhuo’s shoulder.

Zhou Zhu surveyed his surroundings, filled with emotion. How many times had it been? He was finally standing upright and steady on the other side of the door!

It wasn’t easy at all.

“He brought all of this about.” Zhou Zhu’s assessment of Ning Zhuo rose yet again.

Ning Xiaohui remained silent.

Ning Zhuo suggested, “Next, let us continue to challenge the stages.”

“Good! I want to see for myself just how magnificent the second stage is!” Zheng Jian laughed heartily.

Zhou Zhu then said, “Brother Ning, you go last. Let us scout ahead first.”

Ning Xiaohui did not object.

Despite the short time they had spent together, Ning Zhuo’s performance had already won over the others, to some extent.

Soon after, Zheng Jian and the others fell into trap pits one after another, their five senses obscured, as though trapped in endless darkness, crying out to heaven and earth with no response.

These traps were all deliberately set up by Ning Zhuo.

He had anticipated the current situation.

With no one able to observe him, he employed spells and the hanging rings, easily passing through Room Two.

After all, he had personally set up the vast majority of the mechanisms and traps.

Ning Zhuo entered Room Three, immediately triggering a large number of Kung Fu puppets.

He then activated Yuan Dasheng, to escort and protect him.

This time, he did not even use spells, but walked out of Room Three and arrived at the Rest and Refit Chamber.

Passing by the leaderboard, he glanced up and sighed inwardly.

Here was a flaw.

He had changed his name and topped all five leaderboards! Yuan Dasheng had been removed from the rankings, but if he entered the Rest and Refit Chamber in front of everyone, the leaderboard could not possibly display Ning Zhuo’s name.

If others saw this, they would find it very strange.

“Fortunately, Yuan Dasheng is guarding the third room now. It is still unclear whether Meng Chong can overcome this obstacle.”

“But the joint exploration team from the Three Families lacks that kind of lightning speed, it will be quite difficult.”