```
...
Zheng Shuanggou was equally in haste to journey on, he needed to meet up with Zheng Danlian as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, Zheng Danlian's eyes were bloodshot as he tore apart the Flame Demon Beast that guarded the checkpoint.
A feeling of irritation kept accumulating in his heart, and he muttered to himself, "Why, why ban my Night Rain Demon Soldiers!"
He felt an intense void in his heart for not being able to touch the Mechanical Sickle, tormenting him incessantly.
As for meeting up, Zheng Danlian had no such consideration.
He only wished to hold the Mechanical Sickle, to be closely connected with it at all times.
...
Ning Zhuo was leisurely composed.
"The situation is very much in my favor."
Behind him, the number of Demon-Infused Puppets had grown to five.
At the same time, a box floating in mid-air was following him closely.
This was another Mechanical Artifact that Ning Zhuo had acquired, which he was familiar with—the Small Flying Box.
Within this storage component of the mechanism, it held several mechanical parts that Ning Zhuo had accumulated.
Without mastery of any storage spells, the Small Flying Box's advent solved the crucial pain point of his inability to carry them away.
Indeed, the circumstances were extremely favorable to him.
Or rather, to say they were the most advantageous wasn't an overstatement.
Because others had limited options for allies.
Ning Zhuo could encounter Zhu Xuanji, Ning Jiufan, Yang Chanyu, and Sun Lingtong—any of these four would do.
Should he broaden the range slightly, Zheng Shuanggou, Zheng Danlian, and Zhou Nongying would also be fitting.
Out of the thirteen cultivators in the third round of palace exams, he could form alliances with as many as seven.
"In fact, I have met Shuzhong Jun once before, and I should also thank Fei Si for his introduction letter."
"I've also traded with Song Fuli before."
"It's just that I'm not very familiar with the Purple Dawn Pavilion Golden Core True Inheritor."
Looking around, Ning Zhuo's relations with the other cultivators were notably not bad.
And in the second round of palace exams, Ning Zhuo had showcased his strength, ensuring that he wouldn't be taken as an easy target while everyone was pressed down to the Qi Refining Level!
"However, the Golden Core Ancestors of the Zheng Family and the Zhou Family can't be too trusted."
Ning Zhuo had not forgotten his previous deductions.
Though alliances had been formed, those things also had countermeasures.
The possibility of forming and manipulating alliances always existed, and Ning Zhuo never forgot the likelihood of the two families covertly cooperating with the City Lord's Mansion.
The sound of mechanisms activating rang out again; the Secret Pavilion trembled slightly.
All cultivators were solemn, cautious.
Because this time, it was the third change. According to the information, this was no longer a third minor transition, but the first major transition.
Everyone was clear about the minor transitions.
What then was a major transition?
Meng Chong pushed the door open and entered.
The next moment, he saw Zhou Nongying.
Zhou Nongying's pupils contracted, and he nodded expressionlessly, "It's you, Meng Chong. Go ahead, our factions have an agreement, so I won't trouble you for now. No one on the list has been touched yet; it's still correct strategy to first eliminate outsiders like Shuzhong Jun and the Bukong Sect."
"If you encounter that Golden Core Cultivator from the Meng Family, will you extend the same courtesy to him?"
Meng Chong, however, clenched his fists, with faint electric sparks flickering over them: "No good!"
He flatly refused.
Meng Chong stared at Zhou Nongying, his face glowing with eager battle spirit: "We are all at the Qi Refining Level, Senior Zhou. This opportunity is too rare, and I would very much like to have a match with you."
Zhou Nongying's expression darkened: "Young man, are you choosing punishment over a toast?"
Meng Chong's eyes shone brightly: "If I'm not mistaken, Senior Zhou seems to lack innate talent, right?"
Immortal Aptitude—Frenzied Rushing Thunder!
The next moment, Meng Chong shot forward like lightning, fiercely lunging at Zhou Nongying.
With his boldness and boundless zeal, he initiated combat.
Since the third round of palace exams commenced, this was the first confrontation between cultivators.
```
Before this, even if Cultivators saw each other, they were like Zhu Xuanji and Shuzhong Jun, mutually restraining themselves, very cautious, and not rashly making a move.
Under the boost of Frenzied Rushing Thunder, Meng Chong found the distance between him and Zhou Nongying increasing rapidly.
Meng Chong was astonished and puzzled.
Zhou Nongying, with his hands clasped behind his back, sneered, "Just so you know, after the second transition, I have been staying in this Secret Pavilion, without leaving."
"I set up an Array here in advance to guard against the risks of the great transition."
"Meng Chong, I let you off the hook once, but you didn't appreciate it. It's only fitting you get eliminated."
The next moment, Zhou Nongying pointed his finger.
The Array roared to life.
Meng Chong was bound, like an insect trapped in amber, unable to move.
The next instant, the tremendous power of the Array came crashing down from above! If it hit, it would surely eliminate Meng Chong.
But in the next moment, Meng Chong infused his Mana into a token he had in his chest.
The token flew out, blocking the Divine Power of the Array.
Two big characters on the token — "War Exemption!"
A Mechanical Sickle War Exemption Token!
As the War Exemption Token was activated, Meng Chong's figure slowly faded on the spot—he was teleported away.
Zhou Nongying huffed coldly, displeased, "There's such a mechanism too? How come I never encountered it?"
Meng Chong's body suddenly appeared, back in the Secret Pavilion from before.
"Damn it, I used my only War Exemption Token."
"Zhou Nongying!!"
Unlike the choices of other Cultivators, Meng Chong, seething with anger, chose the same door he did before and stepped through it, facing Zhou Nongying again.
Zhou Nongying said, "You're back?!"
He was angry too.
Being underestimated like this, he declared, "I want to see just how many more War Exemption Tokens you have!"
Meng Chong cracked a smile, "None left, just the one."
"But I have other things!"
With that, he retched, and from within his body, he vomited out an entire series of mechanical artifacts.
Zhou Nongying's expression tensed; Meng Chong had procured an abundance of mechanical artifacts.
...
"So, the great transition greatly increases our chances of encountering each other." Shuzhong Jun realized.
He wore a smile, looking at the Song Fuli in front of him, "Brother Song, it's my good fortune to meet you."
Song Fuli nodded repeatedly, "Yes, our faction is the weakest. We shouldn't fight, we should instead make an alliance."
Essentially, the Cultivators in the palace exam are not foolish.
What Shuzhong Jun thought of, Song Fuli also considered.
These two foreign Cultivators opted not to fight and chose to ally immediately.
Instead, Meng Chong and Zhou Nongying from the Fire Persimmon Immortal City were the ones who engaged in battle.
...
Meanwhile, atop Fire Persimmon Mountain, deep within the clouds,
A burly man with a broad back and large frame strode toward Meng Kui, "Cousin, no illness befalls you, hahaha."
Meng Kui showed a slight smile, "Meng Hu, your presence is welcome."
One of the Meng Family's four great clans, Nascent Soul Level, Meng Hu, arrived quietly!
...
A cup of tea's time later.
Lightning filled the entire Secret Pavilion of Transition.
Zhou Nongying incredulously looked down at the large wound on his chest.
Then, he slowly raised his head to look at the blood-soaked Meng Chong across from him, who was grinning foolishly.
"I... I actually lost?!" Zhou Nongying murmured.
"Hahaha!" Meng Chong placed his hands on his hips, laughing heartily to the sky, blood spraying from his wounds, in a state of sheer elation.
The news rapidly spread, stunning everyone — "Meng Chong battles Zhou Nongying, with the latter eliminated!"