Chapter 326: Ning Zhuo, Let Go of Your Obsession (Seeking Monthly Votes)
Ning Zhuo, Sun Lingtong, and the Buddhist Doctor Meng Yaoyin entered the main hall together.
Meng Chong and the others were frozen in place, unable to move.
Zhou Zhenshen and Zhou Zhu had already lost their life force.
Meng Chong had already walked to the front of the throne.
It was clear that a life-and-death battle had just occurred between them.
Ning Ze and Ning Xiaoren were left behind, terrified by Meng Yaoyin’s demonic power, retreating inward.
Like statues, they were all frozen in place.
Meng Chong was already bending over, facing the throne, about to sit down.
But this small gap was like a heavenly chasm, blocking his path.
Divine Ability—Life Hanging by a Thread!
As soon as Ning Zhuo had recovered somewhat, he fully activated this divine ability.
Who among those present had not already been placed under this thread?
Even Meng Chong!
Back when his soul entered the Immortal Palace and he fought with the Golden-Blooded Battle Ape, Dasheng, Ning Zhuo had already placed him under the Life Hanging by a Thread.
Because of this, Ning Zhuo was able to precisely detect Meng Chong's movements and pursue him during crucial moments when large numbers of low-level cultivators flooded in.
It was because of this that the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit knew very well that Meng Chong could never defeat Ning Zhuo.
The Life Hanging by a Thread divine ability could be used to fight across levels, and Ning Zhuo, with his Foundation Establishment cultivation, could theoretically threaten a Golden Core cultivator. Let alone dealing with Meng Chong.
"Spare me, spare my life, Ning Zhuo! I was wrong, I just made a mistake, I was blinded by greed! I swear, from now on, I’ll never go against you again!" Ning Xiaoren, unable to move, spoke in panic.
"Little Zhuo, little Zhuo, I’m your own uncle! You want to kill me? Aren’t you afraid of being condemned by the masses?" Ning Ze's eyes widened, fear evident on his face.
Ning Zhuo ignored them, cold light flashing in his eyes.
Buddhist Doctor Meng Yaoyin, full of disgust, flicked a finger.
Two sharp cracking sounds rang out almost simultaneously.
Ning Xiaoren's and Ning Ze's heads exploded like watermelons hitting the ground.
Their headless bodies collapsed to the ground.
Meng Chong’s eyes were wide open in horror.
He could only catch a glimpse of Ning Zhuo and the others approaching.
Nether Envoy Qi Bai, acting as the vanguard, was the first to reach Meng Chong's side.
He grabbed Meng Chong by the neck and yanked him backward, pulling out Meng Chong's soul.
He compressed the soul into a ball, holding it in his palm.
Then, he slowly stepped back, bowing slightly, making way for Ning Zhuo.
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit did not appear.
It had retreated, hiding itself deeply, its main focus still controlling the Wandering Dragon from thousands of miles away, evading Zhu Zhen's pursuit!
Everything happening in the main hall was within its observation.
But what could it do?
Despair was dragging it into an abyss.
Boom.
A muffled sound echoed, causing everyone to turn back.
Zhu Xuanji, cloaked in golden light, suppressed his injuries and rushed forward again.
Buddhist Doctor Meng Yaoyin, holding a large snake scythe, walked slowly to meet Zhu Xuanji.
On either side of her, Nether Envoy Qi Bai and the Weather Balloon Ice Crystal Snow supported her.
The fierce battle began in an instant!
Taking advantage of Zhu Xuanji being blocked, Ning Zhuo approached the throne.
With a slight glance, Meng Chong’s body toppled over on its own, like a statue.
Ning Zhuo stepped over his body, faced the throne, then turned around and slowly sat down.
This simple action, however, carried immense significance!
The struggle for the master of the Lava Immortal Palace had come to an end.
"The third round of the palace trials has ended! The new palace master—entry standard, all others are eliminated."
As the message was conveyed, Zhu Xuanji froze: "So Ning Zhuo was the entry standard all along!!"
In front of the secret pavilion’s doors, Golden Core cultivators who were hesitating whether to rush into the main hall all stopped in their tracks.
"Ah, Zhu Xuanji failed too."
"Who would have thought that, in the end, the Lava Immortal Palace would fall into the hands of the Wukong Sect!"
"Their setup here is too deep! The entire Zheng family was trapped, and that Night Rain demonic weapon was far too vicious!"
Everyone lost their fighting spirit.
Only the upper half of Booklord remained, staring at the doors, dazed and lost.
He had encountered a similar door before, where the requirement was to piece together the correct "Demonic Blood Tendon Technique!"
"I was just one step away from breaking through the Secret Pavilion!"
"The 'Demonic Blood Tendon Technique'! Ahhh! Why didn’t I acquire that technique?!"
Booklord was filled with deep regret.
"Little Zhuo, you’ve finally succeeded, you’ve become the palace master!" Sun Lingtong looked at Ning Zhuo sitting on the throne, filled with emotions, his heart overflowing with joy and relief, almost bringing him to tears.
"Little Zhuo, to have reached this point, you’ve had a difficult journey." Sun Lingtong sighed.
But Ning Zhuo shook his head, "No, I haven’t completely succeeded yet."
He leaned back against the chair, stroking the armrests, feeling their texture, imagining what it was like when his mother, in her prime, oversaw the repairs and sat in the throne, gradually seizing part of the palace master’s authority.
This was described in many parts of the *Lava Immortal Palace Overview*.
When Meng Yaoyin sat on the throne, she could remotely control several of the palace's mechanical structures, including the medical hall and the gourd furnace forest.
At this moment, as Ning Zhuo sat on the throne and became the true palace master, he could sense the entire Lava Immortal Palace, along with all its mechanical creations.
However, it was precisely this complete connection that made him deeply, painfully aware of the palace’s terrible state.
Almost all of the important mechanical structures were gone, leaving only the main hall in the inner circle.
The outer and inner circles of the Lava Immortal Palace had been almost entirely overrun by the beast tide, with only the main hall left, where a few cultivators gathered, clinging hopelessly to this final defensive line.
If the complete Lava Immortal Palace was tenfold, then at least sevenfold had collapsed or been lost!
"The losses are too severe to bear!"
"Rather than rebuilding, it would be better to construct a new mechanical palace elsewhere."
To attempt repairs and reconstruction would be an endless pit!
Fate was cruel indeed.
Fourteen years of longing and planning, only to be faced with a mechanical ruin in the end.
Ning Zhuo let out a chuckle and activated his technique.
*Fire Burial Prajna Spirit-Resolving Sutra!*
Flames suddenly erupted, quickly spreading to engulf the throne, burning and melting it fiercely.
Sun Lingtong was shocked: "Little Zhuo, what are you doing?"
Ning Zhuo had already stood up, continuing to channel his fire technique, lifting Meng Chong’s body in one hand, and moving away from the throne.
He stared at the burning throne and explained to Sun Lingtong, "The Lava Immortal Palace is on the verge of collapse. Burning the throne is my greatest purpose here."
Sun Lingtong didn’t understand. He had no idea that Meng Yaoyin had sat on the throne countless times, painstakingly studying its flaws, pouring her heart into it.
Just as refining Ning Xiaohui enhanced her connection with the Flowing Cloud Talisman.
Burning and melting the palace throne would certainly create spiritual resonance, strengthening the Buddhist Doctor Meng Yaoyin!
"Indeed." Ning Zhuo was delighted to see the throne melting, tiny sparks of spiritual energy, like fireflies, rising up one by one.
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit could no longer hide!
It revealed its dragon-turtle form: "Ning Zhuo, stop, stop now!"
"Stop it, please."
"If you destroy the throne, it will only extend your mother’s suffering for a little while longer."
"Without the Lava Immortal Palace’s throne, the beast tide will flood and destroy everything. Without this fortress, the beast tide will sweep down the mountain, slaughtering all the city's residents, and you will have caused boundless slaughter!"
"The weight of this sin will not only hinder your cultivation, but also bring a lifetime of bad luck. The heavens and earth will hate you, and you will be unable to take a single step forward!"
"You’ve already been burned by karmic fire once. Can you imagine that pain magnified a hundred thousand times? Could you endure it?"
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit had no choice but to urgently remind him.
For if this catastrophe unfolded, it too, as an accomplice, would not escape, and its fate would be grim!
"As long as my mother can regain her spirituality… hmph!" Ning Zhuo's face was cold, unmoved in his determination.
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit, in a panic, began to cry out, flames flickering all over its body.
Sun Lingtong quickly moved to Ning Zhuo’s side, warily watching the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit.
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit pleaded desperately, but Ning Zhuo turned a deaf ear.
Zhu Xuanji, both enraged and shocked, for the first time felt an overwhelming
urge to kill Ning Zhuo.
"Ning Zhuo!"
His voice roared like thunder: "Don’t make a mistake that will ruin your life!!"
"If you cause a massacre in the city, you will become a wanted criminal across the kingdom, and the righteous forces of the world will unite to hunt you down."
Throwing caution to the wind, he allowed the snake scythe to slash into him, letting his left arm almost be severed as he clung tightly to the scythe.
Buddhist Doctor Meng Yaoyin's strength was clearly inferior to Zhu Xuanji's, and for a moment, she couldn’t break free.
Zhu Xuanji let out a long cry.
Divine Ability—Sound the Retreat!
The golden energy spread over the snake scythe, rapidly covering its surface, freezing it into a layer of gold, sealing it.
Before the seal was complete, Zhu Xuanji abandoned the scythe, freeing himself and lunging toward Ning Zhuo.
Nether Envoy Qi Bai, Rudie Maiden, and the Weather Balloon Ice Crystal Snow all moved to intercept him.
But Zhu Xuanji feinted, rushing toward the throne and grabbing a precious mirror.
It was the Golden Phoenix Mirror!
This mirror, originally from the Lava Immortal Palace, was one of the best tools for controlling mechanical constructs.
The body of the Buddhist Doctor Meng Yaoyin, being a mechanical creation, was restrained by the Golden Phoenix Mirror.
Sure enough, when Zhu Xuanji shone the mirror at her.
Under the mirror’s light, Buddhist Doctor Meng Yaoyin's speed drastically slowed, and her movements became stiff.
Meng Yaoyin quickly released her hold, transforming the snake scythe back into a large snake, which lunged at Zhu Xuanji.
But the Golden Phoenix Mirror was not as effective against the Night Rain demonic weapon.
"Where are Chi Dun and Zhou Nongying?!" Zhu Xuanji, entangled by the mechanical snake, was unable to stop Ning Zhuo, and his anxiety burned.
Suddenly, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit cried out: "Ning Zhuo, do you know what the Three Sect Lords said when they set up the Immortal Palace to guard Huoshi Mountain?"
"Golden Furnace, Scarlet Fire refines the soul, the Immortal Palace buries the mountain to save all beings."
"I urge the Southern Emperor not to cling to old sentiments, for the past is like smoke, scattered in the dust."
"All beings suffer from heavy desires, believing themselves to be the master of puppet bodies."
"My Buddha, in his great compassion, urges you to let go of your mental obstacles, and the path will form on its own."
"I understand now, I’ve figured it out!"
"The Three Sect Lords' words weren’t just for the Southern Emperor, they were meant for you as well!"
"Stop being stubborn!"
"Haven’t you suffered enough these past fourteen years?"
"Let it go, let it go!"
"For fourteen years, the Lava Immortal Palace has been your greatest puppet string!"
"Let go of your obsession, let go of your mental obstacles. You must learn compassion, for compassion is the greatest love!"
(End of Chapter)