Capítulo 1098: Chapter 409: This Young Man’s Vision Surpasses Even My Expectations_2
“To witness Young Master Ning Zhuo sweep away his opponents is an honor for us all.”
“No one will stand in your way!”
Ning Zhuo keenly sensed the malice in these compliments, but the smile on his face only deepened, as if he were completely oblivious.
The crowd automatically made way, allowing Ning Zhuo to calmly approach the stone platform.
Here, he saw many familiar faces.
“Gentlemen, we meet again.” He greeted Patchwork Sun, Chen San, Jiang Xiaobian, Zhang Dadan, Ahuo, and others proactively.
Ning Zhuo had once hosted these people, forming a superficial acquaintance.
Everyone returned the salute one after another.
Some cultivators who were also participating in this Xingyun Trial but hadn’t accepted Ning Zhuo’s invitation to the banquet last time, now felt regret; had they known, they would have agreed and forged a connection with Ning Zhuo.
Patchwork Sun cupped his hands and responded to Ning Zhuo with a different attitude than before, showing more humility and respect.
Jiang Xiaobian tightly pressed his lips together, feeling even more nervous.
The others also felt pressured because of Ning Zhuo.
Ahuo, however, with an unconvinced look, shouted that even though Ning Zhuo was strong, he would not surrender and wanted to fight with all his might to truly challenge Ning Zhuo once.
Ning Zhuo smiled and accepted the challenge on the spot.
Qinghuangzi appeared, selecting the content for the second round of the Xingyun Trial on the spot.
On the stone platform, cultivators could only use Sound Control to manipulate numerous bamboo puppet figures in a chaotic melee. During this process, Qinghuangzi would personally take action, activating different sound notes to interfere with everyone’s sound control.
When Qinghuangzi announced the rules, the audience fell silent.
Chen San, Ahuo, and others listened intently, and when it ended, they couldn’t help but exchange glances, all sensing each other’s excitement.
The cultivators who came to spectate immediately used Divine Sense to exchange thoughts.
“These rules are greatly disadvantageous to Ning Zhuo.”
“That’s right, if I were a participant this time, I would definitely team up and deal with Ning Zhuo together!”
“Qinghuangzi’s rules don’t prohibit alliances at all, which means Ning Zhuo has to face everyone alone.”
“Not necessarily. Ning Zhuo might have already contacted other cultivators and reached some kind of tacit understanding.”
Qinghuangzi floated up and sat on a stone seat on one side.
He lightly stamped his foot, activating the Array, instantly causing two barriers to envelop the entire stone platform.
“Everyone, ascend the stone platform.” Qinghuangzi said in a low voice.
All the cultivators participating in this Xingyun Trial stepped onto the stone platform’s edge.
They leaned against the outer semi-spherical barrier, facing the inner barrier.
Qinghuangzi continued, “Release your bamboo puppet troops.”
Ning Zhuo and the others complied.
Soon, the stone platform was filled with hundreds of bamboo puppet figures.
These small mechanical puppets, produced by each cultivator, carried some personal style.
For instance, Patchwork Sun’s bamboo puppets looked shabby, like random mechanical parts cleverly cobbled together, with many joints misaligned. The bamboo puppet figures were arrayed in sparse rows.
Black Kite Chen San’s bamboo puppets were evidently smaller, extremely agile, equipped with syringes, arm crossbows, exuding a sneaky aura.
Jiang Xiaobian’s bamboo puppets had a peculiar form, with beetle-like hard shells on their backs. Some had mantis-like arm blades, others had stingers like a poison scorpion.
Zhang Dadan the Iron Drum’s bamboo puppets numbered only three, but they were the largest. The three bamboo puppets were clad in Heavy Armor from head to toe, tightly secured, resembling three miniature fortresses.
Fire-Wick Ahuo’s bamboo puppets either carried firecrackers or had ceramic jars with fuses.
Ning Zhuo’s bamboo puppet figures garnered the most attention.
These figures appeared almost identical, arrayed simply but concealing strict discipline. Each bamboo puppet had smooth joints and was flawless. Standing motionless, they seemed like an elite regiment ready to charge, exuding a chilling edge in silence.
Qinghuangzi sat on the high platform, his face calm as an ancient well, yet a flicker of anticipation in the depths of his eyes was hard to hide.
“The Xingyun Trial begins!” As his words fell, the bamboo puppet figures on the stone platform almost all sprang into action.
Their attack direction was unanimous, aimed directly at Ning Zhuo’s bamboo puppet forces!
“Charge! Charge for me!” Ahuo shouted, striking the copper gong. His bamboo puppet figures were at the front.
Zhang Dadan struck the Waist Drum, the three Heavy-Armored giant puppets advancing slowly, overwhelmingly pressuring Ning Zhuo’s bamboo puppet squad.
Black Kite Chen San’s eyes were sharp, constantly whistling to control his bamboo puppet figures to leave the main force and attempt a flanking attack on Ning Zhuo’s troops from the left.
Jiang Xiaobian played the Bamboo Flute, producing a piercing, eerie sound, making the Insect Bamboo Puppets like a sharp knife, united and stabbing forward.
Spectators witnessing this scene murmured, some worried for Ning Zhuo, others excited for a good show.
Some even thought jealously, “If only we could see Ning Zhuo defeated here, that would be a spectacle!”
Qinghuangzi couldn’t help but look at Ning Zhuo, ready at any moment to activate the sound rhythm to interfere.
He orchestrated this Xingyun Trial specifically from the rules to ensure he maintained control over the situation.
If Ning Zhuo couldn’t respond in time, Qinghuangzi would unleash the sound notes to affect the entire battle!
“If you can single-handedly resist everyone’s joint assault, then I can announce you as the top name, and no one will have any objections!”
“Now is a great opportunity, if you can seize it, you might be able to salvage a disadvantage.”
“Come on, show me your strength!”
Qinghuangzi held deep anticipation for Ning Zhuo.
The next moment, the temporary Bamboo Puppet Alliance Army suddenly fell into chaos, with many puppets out of control, some halting, some crashing around, some even falling apart on the spot.
“What’s going on?” Patchwork Sun and the others changed color one after another.
Chen San’s eyes flickered with insight, immediately transmitting thoughts with Divine Sense.
Meanwhile, a cultivator already shouted, “We’re all using Sound Control and the contents of the ‘Vowel Reeds Book.’ The overlapping sounds are in chaos, causing internal conflict!”
The others immediately understood.
The spectators realized as well.
“I see, this Xingyun Trial isn’t as simple as it appears on the surface, it has such intricacies.”
“Qinghuangzi planned the Xingyun Trial to select an heir, so naturally, it wouldn’t be simple!”
“Hehe, if I were him, I’d just hand the legacy over to Ning Zhuo, what’s the need for competition?”
“But then, we wouldn’t get to watch such a good show, would we?”
“Hmm, that’s true!”
The Bamboo Puppet Alliance Army’s internal strife caused their overall offense to stutter harshly at this moment.
Ning Zhuo remained expressionless, waving his arm as a Magic Artifact Level Ancient Zither appeared out of thin air.
Under the gazes of many, the big-headed youth used only two fingers of his left hand to press the strings.
He gently plucked them.
“Clang!”
A sharp, abrupt zither note exploded suddenly, like metal forcibly torn apart.
Ning Zhuo’s bamboo puppet squad, accompanied by the strong sound, suddenly burst forth!
Subsequently, Ning Zhuo’s left hand’s five fingers fluttered like butterflies, moving so swiftly they blurred into shadows.
A series of extremely piercing, high-pitched noises swept across the entire area without warning!
The sudden zither sounds were like countless steel needles, piercing directly into the eardrums of all the cultivators present.
“What is this sound?”
“So irritating!”
“Ugh… I’m going to vomit.”
The noise was like nails scraping over glass, incredibly sharp, making people agitated and uneasy.
Patchwork Sun and the others were greatly affected, and the entire Bamboo Puppet Alliance Army immediately fell into even greater chaos.
Ning Zhuo’s bamboo puppet squad took advantage of the situation to break through, rampaging unchallenged!
Fire-Wick Ahuo, who had boldly challenged Ning Zhuo before the competition, was met head on by Ning Zhuo.
In just a few breaths, Ahuo’s bamboo puppet figures were mostly destroyed by Ning Zhuo.
“No!” Ahuo’s eyes widened in anger, shouting in despair and unwillingness.