The cold aura solidified within her body, with a faint blue spirit light flowing between the cracks of the armor plates. A profound ice attribute power, like the hidden part of an iceberg in the sea, making one inevitably anticipate the day she bursts forth with this power.
"This time was done very well, go back and rest properly." Ning Zhuo praised Gongsun Yan. Without the latter, to accomplish this matter, the time and energy required would be at least doubled.
The most crucial step, refining the modified Nascent Soul level Eternal Silence Mystic Ice, Gongsun Yan’s Heart Fire provided tremendous help.
One must know, this kind of treasure, a slight oversight can cause it to explode, releasing sound wave cold tides.
Cultivators handling these must be extremely cautious.
And Heart Fire is most adept at performing intricate refinements, perfectly suited for this aspect!
"This time the refinement was very smooth, succeeding on the first attempt, which is quite difficult." Ning Zhuo was also very satisfied with this.
"It’s just..." he looked at Snow Core Control·Xie, "The mechanical puppet, though new, needs battlefield testing."
"Snow Core Control·Xie has very little battlefield experience; in this aspect, she’s not as good as Snow-colored Girl·Hui."
Ning Zhuo planned the next step in silence.
The refined mechanical puppet is only the beginning.
Next, it needs to be constantly tested in real combat, continually honed, and improved until it reaches a state where it can’t be altered anymore.
"Perhaps Situ Xing, Ban Ji, are suitable targets for military practice."
Just as Ning Zhuo thought of this, Chef activated the array to notify him of Chen San’s flying message.
Ning Zhuo connected to the flying message, swept his divine sense, and learned everything.
Chen San was responsible for intelligence gathering and brought two major pieces of information to Ning Zhuo this time.
The first one was about Ban Ji.
He is currently in seclusion using a pill. The Ban Family brought a Hundred Refinement Golden Body Pill specifically for Ban Ji to use.
This information was not concealed by the Ban Family; instead, it was openly revealed to boost Ban Ji’s popularity and morale.
"In this way, Ban Ji’s side can be set aside for now."
The second important piece of information was about the Confucian Cultivator group.
The Mountain Master of the Confucian Cultivator group has become the outsider Zhao Hansheng. It was Duanmu Zhang who voluntarily stepped down and let Zhao Hansheng take over, and Chu Xuangu and others showed no signs of opposition.
This information is truly strange and shocking. Now, the Confucian Cultivator group has widely announced: they employed Zhao Hansheng to act as the new generation Mountain Master to propagate the Heart Learning of Confucian Cultivators. According to the agreement, Zhao Hansheng will offer related courses, the first three sessions of which are open classes and invite all cultivators to participate enthusiastically.
"So that’s how it is."
"Heart Learning..."
"What kind of school of thought is this, it must be astonishingly valuable, otherwise the Confucian Cultivator group wouldn’t go to such lengths!"
Another piece of information also showed Gu Qing’s recent activities. This genius cultivator of Huazhang Country was very high-profile, using clones to discuss Confucian classics and skills with others everywhere, winning widespread praise. Especially within the Confucian Cultivator group, his reputation soared continuously.
Ning Zhuo stared at the flying message for a dozen breaths.
His brow furrowed tighter and tighter, plunging into deep worry.
Ordinary cultivators can’t perceive this, but Ning Zhuo is well-acquainted with the game rules of the Righteous Path, very sharp.
He realized that after such a sudden change, he had already suffered considerable losses, and these losses were still ongoing, with future losses likely to be greater!
"This is an exchange of interests."
"The Confucian Cultivator group of Myriad Images Sect traded the position of Mountain Master for the teaching of Heart Learning."
"The issue is, what does Zhao Hansheng want the Mountain Master position for? On the surface, it’s to fit his identity and facilitate the teaching of Heart Learning. But in reality, this is just a lofty excuse."
"Gu Qing strikes out everywhere, appearing high-profile, only to quickly boost his fame. Most of the objects he chose for discussions in Confucianism are vastly inferior to him in terms of achievements. For him, there is no value in sparring and exchange."
"But Gu Qing strikes extensively, and..."
Moreover, Gu Qing has never visited Bluestone Cave Mansion, not showing any intention to connect with Ning Zhuo.
This again gave Ning Zhuo a sense of unease.
"The support for me from Myriad Images Sect’s Confucian Cultivator group is bound to plummet!"
"An originally supportive group is shifting attitudes. This loss will become increasingly larger."
"How long will Zhao Hansheng stay here? In this matter, he has complete control!"
"Troublesome."
"With him as Mountain Master, the strength of the Confucian Cultivator group will be difficult for me to utilize in the future."
"Unless I contact him and Gu Qing, and reach some secret agreement."
But this is very challenging.
The Confucian Cultivator group, due to their values, for Wen Ruanyu, and also for White Paper Immortal City’s interests, came to assist Ning Zhuo.
But would Zhao Hansheng do so?
For Ning Zhuo to provoke his assistance, he must pay a greater price.
In contrast to the previous Confucian Cultivator group, did Ning Zhuo have to pay a price? Almost none!
Comparing the two, the difference is clear.
Ning Zhuo has always sought the most suitable entry point to join Myriad Images Sect.
The Confucian Cultivator group is in the middle level of Myriad Images Sect and carries value. But now this entry point option is being lost for Ning Zhuo.
And the principle that more help comes to those who gain power, less help to those who lose power, everyone understands.
When Demon Cultivator operates, they can act recklessly and wildly. As long as they’re in a bad mood, they act impulsively and boldly. Demon Cultivators often use force to break through dilemmas. If they can’t break through, their end is often bleak.
The Righteous Path doesn’t play by such rules. It’s gentler and more complex.
True masters of the Righteous Path start laying plans early on. Decisions made decades, even over a hundred years ago, finally achieve the ultimate victory of long-term scheming.
Ning Zhuo focused on learning this in Fire Persimmon Immortal City.
He studied books and observed family and City Lord’s Mansion, among others. During reflections, he discovered that many things seem to happen now, but in fact, the most important seeds were planted years ago.
Many problems have their most suitable resolution time not when the problem erupts, but at a previous appropriate moment.
"The appearance of Zhao Hansheng and Gu Qing is an accident."
"But between them, one holds the highest position and the other has become the most outstanding genius among the younger generation."
"Because of them, my connection with the Confucian Cultivator group is rapidly weakening, even tending to be severed."
The Confucian Cultivator group was about to set four Xingyun Trials for Ning Zhuo, but comparing the third trial, it’s obviously no longer centered around Ning Zhuo.
Often it is like this.
There is only one position.
If someone else holds it, you don’t.
Most cultivators may not have this awareness, but Ning Zhuo realizes his situation and has a thought: "Perhaps, I should do something now, instead of just watching the situation worsen."
However, Zhao Hansheng is an accomplished Confucian scholar, with debate skills surpassing Duanmu Zhang. Gu Qing is also renowned in Huazhang Country, undoubtedly a genius.
Ning Zhuo is only at Foundation Establishment Mid-Stage. The Confucian Cultivator group he could originally rely on is now rapidly aligning with Zhao and Gu.
"How to proceed?"
After contemplating for a long time, Ning Zhuo finally wrote to Chen San, explaining the plan.
Upon receiving the plan, Chen San was immediately shocked: "Why is the master targeting Zhao Hansheng and Gu Qing, these formidable figures similar to dragons crossing the river?"
"No matter, the master must have a reason for doing this."
"As a subordinate, I just need to follow through."
This kind of matter belongs to political intrigue and is indeed difficult for ordinary people to understand.
But Chen San took action promptly, quickly stirring up a wave of rumors.
"Gu Qing truly is a genius! Within a day, he convinced more than ten fellow cultivators, including Bai Jiyun, Liu Fushu, Kong Ran, and others."
"Huazhang Country is a holy land of Confucian cultivation, Gu Qing, so young, his reputation as a genius spreads nationwide, truly a genius among geniuses!"
"A master produces outstanding disciples, the ancients did not deceive us! His master Zhao Hansheng, upon arriving at Myriad Images Sect, completely convinced the great scholar Duanmu Zhang and seized the Mountain Master position. Tsk tsk, truly impressive!"
For a while, the names Zhao Hansheng and Gu Qing filled the public’s ears.
The rumors were extremely dense and increasingly exaggerated.
So much so that when people heard them, they quickly felt irritated.
Why is it always this Confucian master-disciple pair? Why are they everywhere?
Isn’t it too exaggerated? Is the reality truly like this?
Just so, the situation began to subtly shift.