Fourteen years ago.
At Meng Yaoyin's dying moments, she entrusted her wishes to Ning Zhuo, who was only two years old at the time.
"The Immortal City is continually deteriorating, and the selection criteria are being lowered. Zhuo, by the time you are fourteen, the selection criteria for the Mechanical Immortal City will be lowered to the Qi Refinement Realm. This will be your greatest opportunity!"
"Zhuo, you must study Mechanical Techniques thoroughly. You need to design, assemble, and control Mechanical Artifacts personally—these are all part of the assessments at the Mechanical Immortal City."
"You must never cultivate using the Ning Family's techniques to the Foundation Establishment Stage!"
"Do not let others know about your involvement in this area. Don't perform too outstandingly, with mom and dad gone, no one is truly reliable for you. You must hide yourself well, not perform too poorly—mediocrity will suffice. You need to grow up ordinarily, accumulate quietly, without drawing attention."
"Mom has seen too much, too many geniuses dying young..."
"Mom leaves the Iron Han Armor to protect you; it possesses the power of Foundation Establishment."
"And this magic treasure—the Buddha Heart Demon Seal! This is something mom fortuitously obtained from the Lava Fairy Palace, it must absolutely not be exposed."
After giving her instructions, at the last moments of her life, she fell into hesitation, "Mom doesn't know if teaching you this is right."
"Zhuo, you must take good care of yourself. If it's too hard, then give up on the Lava Fairy Palace."
"Life is the most important, mom hopes you live well, just live well!"
"If you live, mom will be happy."
Two-year-old Ning Zhuo clutched his mother's bloodstained clothes tightly, "Mom, mom, stop talking. I don't want you to die, don't die, wu wu wu…"
Meng Yaoyin's last words to Ning Zhuo were, "My dear Zhuo, don't be scared, don't fear... Mom is here, mom will protect you from underground..."
The next moment, his mother's heart ceased beating, and her hand slowly slipped from the top of Ning Zhuo's head.
Ning Zhuo was stupefied, initially calling softly, "Mom, mom, wake up, please wake up!"
Soon after, his voice grew louder, he threw himself into his mother's arms and wailed bitterly.
He cried until he passed out.
Meng Yaoyin's soul emitted a faint sigh as it emerged from her body.
She reached out to caress Ning Zhuo but touched nothing.
Meng Yaoyin's soul manipulated Finger Techniques, using techniques to control puppet Mechanisms, and made her body stand up.
She then took out a prepared substitute body from her Storage Bracelet and placed it in the original spot.
Before leaving, she crouched, looked quietly at Ning Zhuo's sleeping face, and showed deep reluctance.
After a moment, she suppressed her emotions, manoeuvred her own corpse, went into the underground chamber, and used a Transmission Array to leave.
She first transported to an underground secret base for a transfer, then entered Fire Persimmon Mountain.
She navigated the tunnels familiarly and reached the Lava Fairy Palace.
Led by the Immortal Palace Treasure Light, she re-entered the palace.
This was her first entry into the palace after death, and her emotions were extremely mixed.
Carrying her authority, she effortlessly entered the Gourd Fire Furnace Forest.
Her soul radiated violet traces of light, Meng Yaoyin sighed inwardly, "Even in death, this Dao injury still persists. Now, I can only hope that refining my Spiritual Nature will dispel this Dao injury!"
The Dao injury accelerated her decline, and she strenuously manipulated her corpse to plunge into the Golden Furnace.
Cremation Prajnaparamita Soul-Resolving Scripture!
Flames ignited, and Meng Yaoyin endured the intense agony of Soul Burning and Soul Refining. However, she remained quietly crouched in the furnace, suffering silently with unwavering willpower, never uttering a word.
"Zhuo, Zhuo, if this succeeds, mom can still accompany you as you grow up."
"If it doesn't..."
She smiled sadly but was completely resolute, without a trace of wavering.
"No matter what, her soul would undoubtedly be shattered. She clearly had an ample lifespan in the Netherworld and could have lived much longer. Yet, for her son, she bravely risked refining herself." Hidden in the shadows, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was utterly astonished.
"She's so ruthless, this woman is too ruthless!"
The Golden Furnace shattered, and the Buddhist Physician descended; Meng Yaoyin's refined spirit entered the Mechanical Body.
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit marveled, "She really did refine herself!"
"Such intense pain, yet she didn't make a sound. Back then, I was screaming from beginning to end... no, roaring continuously."
"Indeed, without ruthlessness, one cannot become a demon."
Seeing the Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin leave the Immortal Palace, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit felt satisfied, "This Meng Yaoyin truly is a benefactor to me!"
"Not only did she exploit a loophole and took away things like the Buddha Heart Demon Seal and more. Even after death, she could take the Buddhist Physician; she is simply too strong."
"I really hope more such characters appear in the future."
"With a few more, my escape from here is almost certain!"
...
Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin returned by the same path, and saw Ning Zhuo again.
She extended her Mechanical Arm and gently caressed Ning Zhuo's cheek.
Then, she began adjusting the mechanisms within her body.
Buddha-like warmth, resembling orange light and flowing water, emanated from her body, pouring into Ning Zhuo's Upper Dantian Divine Sea.
"Zhuo, mom has a gift for you."
"This is the true scripture of the Mirror Stand Spirit Communication Technique, one of the Three Superior Sect Techniques!"
"Mom has hidden the entire scripture within your Divine Sea. If you cultivate this technique in the future, you will face no bottlenecks."
Having done this, the Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin quietly faded from sight.
...
Changing mourning clothes, entering the hall, reporting to the temple, issuing the funeral announcement, setting up the mourning hall... placing in the coffin, memorial service, vigil, funeral procession, burial...
Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin observed covertly from the shadows, witnessing "her own" funeral, which evoked complex feelings in her. Seeing Ning Zhuo, resembling a puppet, dead silent, caused her immense heartache.
She hesitated, never revealing herself.
Because of the Dao injury!
She needed to confirm that she had escaped the Dao injury. Otherwise, even if they recognized each other, it would only increase the sadness and separation.
...
Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin stopped her breathing exercises, her eyes flashing purple for an instant.
"Dao injury..." her heart was filled with regret.
Even having refined herself into a being of Spiritual Nature, she couldn't escape this fate-binding affliction.
"So, how much longer can I exist this time?"
She sighed bitterly, feeling fortunate she hadn't appeared before Ning Zhuo again.
...
Late at night.
"Mom, Mom, where are you? Don't leave me..." Two-year-old Ning Zhuo curled up, hiding under the covers, having a nightmare.
Meng Yaoyin revealed herself.
She resisted the sadness and walked softly to the bed, kneeling down and carefully grasping Ning Zhuo's little hand.
She began softly:
Clouds fly, clouds fly, flying over Bai River and Cuiwei. Brook waters babble around great trees, sunlight scattered over the mounds of green grass.
Clouds fly, winds chase, flying over rivers and starlight. The sky high and land vast, so brilliant, clouds rolling and floating at the wind's mercy.
Clouds fly, hearts tire, flying over rainbows and rosy clouds. The colors in the sky gradually fade, moonlight quietly illuminating the darkness.
Clouds fly, dreams return, flying over longing and sorrow. In a mother's dream, she leads you home, back to a peaceful sleep in your hometown.
Amidst the familiar lullaby, Ning Zhuo's brows gradually relaxed, he relaxed and peacefully fell asleep.
This became more frequent.
One night, before Meng Yaoyin could start the lullaby, Ning Zhuo awoke from a nightmare, eyes wide in shock.
He saw a puppet appear at the head of his bed, and screamed in terror.
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, it's Mom, your Mom," Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin quickly reassured with a gentle voice.
Ning Zhuo retreated to the bed corner against the wall, wrapping himself tightly in the blanket, curling into a small ball, trembling in fear.
Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin's heart shattered, she instinctively reached out to touch Ning Zhuo but saw her mechanical arm.
Her heart trembled, she withdrew her hand and sat half-upright on the bed.
She slowly began to sing softly.
"Clouds fly, clouds fly..."
The song attracted Ning Zhuo, who mustered the courage and first peeked through a tiny gap in the blanket, then gradually widened the opening until finally, his big head poked out.
He gazed blankly at Buddhist Physician Meng Yaoyin, gradually confirming that it was indeed his mother.
His eyes filled with tears, and as the song ended, he flung the covers aside, ran at full speed, and crashed into Meng Yaoyin's arms.
He shouted, tears streaming down: "Mom—!"
"My dear Zhuo, my good Zhuo," Meng Yaoyin hugged Ning Zhuo, her hand stroking the back of his head, deeply moved, yet no tears fell.
...
Now that mother and son had recognized each other, Meng Yaoyin no longer resisted the pain of separation, secretly caring for Ning Zhuo daily, and secretly taught him his studies.
Primarily, she taught him Mechanical Techniques.
One only knows the value when it's lost.
Ning Zhuo stayed close to Meng Yaoyin, listening intently to every word she said.
"Mom, Mom," Ning Zhuo called gently.
Meng Yaoyin came back to her senses.
Ning Zhuo nestled in Meng Yaoyin's arms, looking up at her with innocent eyes, his voice childishly serious: "Mom, you can't lose focus during lessons."
Meng Yaoyin looked down, gently kissed Ning Zhuo on the forehead, and softly apologized, the gloom in her heart expanding secretly.
She knew it was the Dao injury acting up.
Initially, her Spiritual Nature hardly noticed it. But soon, slight hints of purple appeared.
Now, these hints were like strands.
Scenes from the past began to repeat; Meng Yaoyin knew her time was once again running short.
Her heart was filled with sadness and feeling lost. She didn't know how to explain the truth to Ning Zhuo.
...
A sneaky figure appeared near the Ning Mansion.
Meng Yaoyin acted decisively.
Thump.
The sneaky figure crashed to the ground.
Ning Zhuo witnessed this scene, his face turning pale, stammering, "Mom, Mom, Mom, you, you killed, killed someone?"
Meng Yaoyin shook her head: "He moved sneakily, carrying cultivation, likely a habitual thief. But he's not dead, just a light punishment."
Seeing the figure passed out on the ground, Ning Zhuo expressed shock but also compassion: "He's just a child like me."
"Mom, do you think, if we leave him here, will he die from blood loss?"
Meng Yaoyin smiled slightly: "Do you want to save him?"
"Yes!" Ning Zhuo nodded repeatedly.
Thinking of her limited time left, Meng Yaoyin decided it was a good opportunity for Ning Zhuo to learn a profound lesson and replied, "Then it's up to you. But since you want to save him, do it yourself, don't rely on Mom."
Ning Zhuo was overjoyed: "Thank you Mom!"
Allowed to do so, he quickly dragged Sun Lingtong into the courtyard.