Chapter 498: “You Have Worked Hard”
Xuan-Yuan Nine Crafts Platform!
“Xuan”: refers to the ancient carriage with canopies or curtains, symbolizing noble status and dignity, representing lofty destiny and the power of long journeys.
“Yuan”: the two straight beams at the front of a carriage used to harness animals, symbolizing guidance and the source of power.
The “Nine Crafts” represents nine different crafts.
The Xuan-Yuan Nine Crafts Platform was a mechanical work platform that integrated nine kinds of craftsmanship to manufacture mechanical carriage frameworks.
The entire platform resembled a thick, elongated bar. Its appearance was extremely simple, empty and bare, completely different from the majority of strangely shaped mechanical work platforms.
It used a combination of wood and metal.
The wood was Thousand-Year Ancient Coin Elm and Blue Sea Agarwood, displaying natural grain and an ancient, rustic aura. The metal used was Taibai Radiant Gold, ensuring stability and durability.
The platform surface was semi-transparent and contained countless talismans. These talismans varied in size—some extremely delicate and densely packed together, others large and occupying their own space.
They emitted faint mysterious light and slowly changed with the passage of time.
Ning Zhuo’s eyes widened, almost shining.
He nearly leapt out of the stone sphere and threw himself onto the platform to embrace it passionately!
He eagerly infused spiritual sense into it, his expression growing more and more excited.
“Just as recorded in the books—the nine crafts can each be arranged differently according to one’s needs.”
“Wonderful, truly wonderful.”
Upon careful inspection, Ning Zhuo discovered that the nine crafts included Fine Carving and Detailed Polishing, Heavenly Fire Smelting and Casting, Layered Forging, Star-Dust Inlaying…
“It leans toward precision processing.”
What Ning Zhuo needed, however, was rapid production of mechanical puppets—large-scale manufacturing or repair.
Even so, even though it did not perfectly match his needs, possessing this Xuan-Yuan Nine Crafts Platform would still increase his efficiency by more than ten times.
Such an improvement was already extremely impressive.
Ning Zhuo then looked toward the second mechanical work platform.
This platform resembled a miniature ancient palace. Its structure was steady and dignified, with elegant cloud patterns and dragon-shaped runic lines flowing smoothly across its surface.
The palace body had a bronze-like color, giving off the feeling of ancient history and the weight of time.
Inside the palace, thick rounded beams and pillars slowly rotated. They appeared simple yet ingeniously crafted.
When Ning Zhuo infused his spiritual sense into it, he discovered that the interior of this palace-shaped mechanical platform was composed of countless gears and grooves. The structure was extraordinarily intricate—gears packed densely together in layer upon layer.
“Xuan Palace Gear Platform!” Ning Zhuo quickly recognized it.
“Its main value depends on what the central gear is.”
His spiritual sense continued to probe deeper until he soon saw a massive gear occupying the center, slowly rotating.
“Left-Right Earth-Treading Wheel?”
Ning Zhuo’s heart stirred as he continued observing, quickly confirming his judgment.
The Heaven-Ascending Wheel above and below corresponded with the Left-Right Earth-Treading Wheel. Together they formed a classic pair of mechanical components in puppet craftsmanship.
There was also a third mechanical work platform.
This one was cylindrical, resembling a large drum.
The drum face was coated in red lacquer, while the cylindrical surface depicted a massive divine figure.
The deity held up the heavens and stepped upon the earth. Mist and clouds swirled around its knees and shoulders, emphasizing its colossal body. Its muscles bulged everywhere, radiating overwhelming strength.
“Giant Spirit Shaping Platform!” Ning Zhuo immediately understood.
This platform was extremely easy to recognize.
Or rather, Ning Zhuo had long coveted many mechanical work platforms like these. However, he had only ever seen them in books and secret records, secretly cherishing his fascination deep within.
Although mechanical work platforms were not as expensive as pill furnaces or artifact furnaces, they were rarely seen on the market.
During his more than ten years in Fire Persimmon City, Ning Zhuo had seen very few mechanical work platforms for sale.
There was also another important reason for this: Fire Persimmon City was a newly built city. Since its establishment, special circumstances involving the Three Sect Lords had prevented full-scale development.
Now that the Lava Immortal Palace had emerged, Fire Persimmon City was entangled in even fiercer struggles, making rapid development even less likely.
The function of the Giant Spirit Shaping Platform was to forcibly reshape large materials.
It also differed from most mechanical work platforms.
That was because it contained a God-Invoking Technique.
The god it summoned was the Great Spirit.
Gods of this type were always enormous and robust, possessing tremendous strength.
This Giant Spirit Shaping Platform was only Golden Core level and could summon only one Great Spirit at a time. If it were Nascent Soul level, it could summon two Great Spirits simultaneously, or one Great Spirit together with a Craft God.
Without a Craft God present, the platform itself needed to contain formations and talismans to assist with heating, lubrication, burning, fixing, and other processes.
One Xuan-Yuan Nine Crafts Platform, one Xuan Palace Gear Platform, and one Giant Spirit Shaping Platform!
“One Nascent Soul level and two Golden Core level platforms. Three mechanical work platforms in a row! Who in the army are these meant for?”
Even as he rejoiced, Ning Zhuo felt puzzled.
When thinking about this question, the first person who came to mind was the Mechanism Princess Shuang Ling.
At present, within the Liangzhu Kingdom army, she was the only one who used mechanisms—and she was a Nascent Soul cultivator with enormous wealth, capable of affording these.
“Hehehe.” Sun Lingtong also thought of this and grinned mischievously. “Little Zhuo, these platforms are probably all hers.”
“This time we’re really going to give her a good lesson!”
“She was so arrogant at the auction. Not that retribution doesn’t come—it's just that the time hadn’t arrived. Hehehe! Now the time has come.”
Ning Zhuo nodded and continued cooperating with Sun Lingtong to control the stone sphere.
“Stone Dwelling Old Monster” appeared repeatedly across the battlefield, constantly striking.
While Thousand Peaks Forest and Liangzhu Kingdom fought fiercely and bloodily, he was making a fortune.
Jade-colored stone with dragon-scale-like patterns—Dragon Scale Stone.
Deep blue or black metal resembling the night sky, leaving a shadow trail when moved quickly through the air—Night Shadow Copper.
Wood wrapped in blood-like veins resembling coiled pythons—Python Pattern Blood Cedar.
Spiritual liquid that appeared green on the upper half and blue on the lower half—Azure Sea and Blue Heaven.
A four-fingered bird claw as hard as cast bronze—Dead Dove Claw.
…
As the theft continued, Ning Zhuo gradually gained insight.
“These platforms and materials seem to form a set. They could probably be used to refine some kind of mechanical creation…”
The “Stone Dwelling Old Monster” looted the transport convoy inside and out, front and back, left and right.
The entire convoy fell into chaos. Soldiers were either killed or stripped of everything. Morale collapsed.
Large-scale routs began to appear.
This caused the Nascent Soul cultivators of Liangzhu Kingdom to lose the support of military power, immediately reducing their combat strength.
Floating Cloud Master and Mountain Peak Master decisively joined forces, launching repeated combined attacks to resist the decline.
“The truly valuable treasures should all be in the convoy officer’s storage bag,” Sun Lingtong said excitedly as he looked at the fierce battle high in the sky.
Ning Zhuo nodded slightly. “Then let’s wait and see.”
Storage bags, storage rings, storage belts and similar items all had different carrying capacities—some strong, some weak.
The more treasures they contained and the higher their grade, the more capacity they consumed.
Therefore, transport convoys and merchant caravans were often necessary.
Whether teleportation or high-grade storage equipment, both came with extremely high costs.
The convoy officer’s storage bag contained the most valuable military supplies, though usually not in large quantities. The rarer the treasure, the higher its grade—and the less could be carried.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Die!”
“Take this move!”
Crack! Crack!
“What a vicious spell!”
“Stop being so arrogant, thief!”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
“Try our Mountain Clouds Filling the Sky!”
“Hmph. Nothing special.”
…
Sun Ning and the other watched the show underground, enjoying it immensely.
The three Nascent Soul cultivators of Liangzhu Kingdom were already outnumbered and gradually fell behind.
While the convoy officer was desperately defending himself, the storage bag at his waist was struck and fell, landing directly above the stone sphere.
Chen Lingfeng lunged forward, trying to seize the storage bag.
But in the next moment, mysterious light flashed. The Stone Dwelling Old Monster appeared and absorbed the bag.
Chen Lingfeng shouted, “Senior Shi, this is going too far!”
Sun Lingtong nodded and spoke hoarsely while impersonating the Stone Dwelling Old Monster.
“Indeed, it is excessive.”
Chen Lingfeng froze slightly. Just as a trace of hope rose in his heart and he prepared to persuade further—
Sun Lingtong continued:
“You have worked hard. Try harder next time.”
“I—” Chen Lingfeng nearly cursed out loud.
He could only watch as the “Stone Dwelling Old Monster” sank into the ground and disappeared again.
The storage bag had sealing methods on it and could not be opened for the moment.
Sun Ning were patient and in no hurry. They continued watching the fierce battle.
When the convoy officer realized the military supplies had been lost, his heart ached and his fighting spirit collapsed. After urgently communicating with Floating Cloud Master and Mountain Peak Master, they immediately began retreating.
The ambushers from Thousand Peaks Forest pursued for a short distance but did not dare continue.
After all, they were deep behind enemy lines.
Thus, the second ambush battle ended.
“Quickly find the Stone Dwelling Old Monster!”
“He went too far. Almost all our spoils were stolen!”
“We risked our lives to intercept the convoy, and in the end it all benefited him alone. I’m so unwilling!”
“I hate this. I truly hate it! Now I see the Stone Dwelling Old Monster clearly.”
“He’s usually silent, but I never expected his true nature to be like this. Truly infuriating!”
The Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivators of Thousand Peaks Forest all looked extremely displeased.
Meanwhile, Sun Ning had already escaped through the earth.
News of the convoy’s annihilation quickly reached Woodwheel Town.
When Shuang Ling heard the shocking report, she could hardly believe it.
“How is this possible? Impossible!”
“Such an important convoy was ambushed by the enemy?”
“My mechanical work platforms—and all my precious materials!!!”
Her emotions mixed fury and hatred as she gritted her teeth.
After gradually calming down, a sinister glint appeared in her eyes.
“Hmph. Stone Dwelling Old Monster. You took my things—so long as you’re still within Liangzhu Kingdom, I will find you!”
Shuang Ling took out numerous mechanical constructs and arranged a ritual altar.
The mechanisms interlocked, embedded, and combined, forming a mechanical ritual platform.
She immediately ascended the altar and began the ritual.
After the time it takes to burn one stick of incense—
Stars appeared in the daytime!
Divine Ability ritual — Hidden Illumination of the Stars.
The starlight would reveal the thief’s position and direction.
Failure.
Shuang Ling’s expression changed drastically. She spat a mouthful of blood and dropped to one knee, her Vital Essence, Qi, and Spirit all weakening.
“How could this be?”
“Could it be that the Stone Dwelling Old Monster has already left Liangzhu Kingdom?”
Meanwhile, the “Stone Dwelling Old Monster” had already disassembled.
Sun Ning were riding the Wanli Dragon, traveling through the void.
Just as they were about to end the traversal and return to the real world, Sun Lingtong suddenly shouted:
“Wait!”
Ning Zhuo was controlling the Wanli Dragon while Sun Lingtong studied the convoy officer’s storage bag, trying to break its anti-theft arrangements. Suddenly he saw star-like light erupting from the bag.
Sun Lingtong reacted instantly.
“Someone is tracking and locating us!”
“We absolutely cannot exit now.”
“Quick, Little Zhuo—keep traveling through the void!”
He stopped Ning Zhuo in time.
Ning Zhuo’s heart also skipped a beat as he continued steering the Wanli Dragon through the void.
During the process, Sun Lingtong repeatedly used theft techniques, applying them to the storage bag and the stolen materials and mechanical work platforms.
“It’s not doing much.”
“What kind of method is this? It’s so powerful!”
“No—someone must have planted something beforehand in the supplies. That’s why they can detect them.”
After identifying the truth, Sun Lingtong had no solution.
He was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, and he cultivated a Child Skill that was not even the mainstream technique of the No-Void Sect.
“Let’s keep wandering around. I don’t believe they’ll keep searching forever.”
Following Sun Lingtong’s delay tactic, the two continued roaming through the void.
Eventually, the star-like light faded and disappeared.
They drifted for a while longer to confirm it did not reappear, then finally exited the void and returned to the real world.
“Where are we?” the two immediately tried to identify their location.
“Azure Sky Mountain?”
They quickly confirmed that they were inside Thousand Peaks Forest.
More precisely, at Azure Sky Mountain.
“Where are the garrison troops here?”
“There’s no one!” Ning Zhuo said in surprise.
Sun Lingtong suddenly cried out:
“Right! Right! Little Zhuo, hurry to the mountain summit. The Azure Sky Pool there produces Void Crystals.”
“With Void Crystals, we can improve the Wanli Dragon and greatly reduce the consumption when traveling through the void!”
The two carefully infiltrated the summit. Throughout the process they encountered no enemies.
How strange!
The Wanli Dragon slipped into the Azure Sky Pool and saw a large mass of Void Crystals forming on the lakebed.
“These crystals aren’t big. Most of them haven’t fully condensed yet—we can’t harvest them,” Sun Lingtong said disappointedly.
At this moment, Ning Zhuo had already realized something.
“I think I understand why this place is like this.”
“Four armies are attacking Thousand Peaks Forest. I know the marching routes of the Three Generals Camp and the Red Flower Camp.”
“I’m not sure about the Barbarian-Demon Camp and the Golden Halberd Army, but we can infer them from available intelligence.”
“Based on Azure Sky Mountain’s location, it’s already quite deep within Thousand Peaks Forest. It’s likely on the marching path of one of the armies, so the defenders withdrew in advance.”
“The Barbarian-Demon Camp suffered heavy losses and couldn’t reach this depth in a short time.”
“So it’s probably the Golden Halberd Army.”
“That army might arrive here soon.”
While listening to Ning Zhuo’s analysis, Sun Lingtong continued observing the lakebed crystals.
“Little Zhuo, stop analyzing and look at those Void Crystals. There’s a small cluster that has fully formed—we can mine them!”
“It would be such a waste to miss this opportunity!”