Chapter 577: Chapter 156: Mu Lan, Bear With It
“Hmm?” The Demon Cultivator elder’s eyebrows furrowed as he noticed another change in Ning Zhuo’s lifespan.
“The previous increase was only by a few lines, a few threads. This time, it’s risen so much.”
“Ning Zhuo, this kid, is quite crafty!”
“If I had been deceived by the illusion earlier, and carelessly used the three-line Qi-breaking curse, wouldn’t I have fallen right into his trap!”
The Demon Cultivator elder was scared to the point his back went cold, immediately breaking out in a cold sweat.
He snorted coldly, his gaze icy and venomous.
He took out a large amount of treasure materials, but this time, he did not add them directly; instead, he temporarily suspended them in mid-air.
The Demon Cultivator elder took a deep breath, endured the intense pain, and tore open a large piece of fox fur from his chest.
Ignoring the blood dripping down, he flung the fox fur into the air.
The fox fur exploded in mid-air, turning into a cloud of smoke that covered all the suspended treasure materials, letting not even a whiff of essence escape.
The Demon Cultivator elder gritted his teeth and continued arranging the treasure materials.
Having acquired the Mechanical Puppet, Ning Zhuo did not return to the Three Generals Camp but secretly left Li City and activated the Ten-Thousand-Li Travelling Dragon to traverse the void, arriving in a deserted valley.
The Mechanical Ring went quiet, which put him at ease.
He shook all the storage bags, releasing all the Mechanical Puppets.
In an instant, over four hundred Mechanical Puppets crowded the small valley; on the rocks, in the trees, and underneath them.
Ning Zhuo employed his Divine Sense, activating the Buddha Heart Demon Seal in his Upper Dantian, projecting beams of pink Heart Seals.
After each imprint was set, Ning Zhuo immediately established a close connection with these Mechanical Puppets.
He then maneuvered them using his Divine Sense, but could only control over a hundred seventy before he struggled to proceed.
The number of targets a Cultivator can control simultaneously with their Divine Sense depends greatly on their Cultivation Technique, inherent qualities, and personal magical treasures.
The Mirror Stand Spirit Communication Technique that Ning Zhuo practices is inherently adept at controlling multiple targets simultaneously—but it requires pairing with a Mechanical Mirror.
The creation method for the mirrors is recorded in the Foundation Establishment Chapter of the Mirror Stand Spirit Communication Technique, named Divine Splitting Mirror.
“Once I return to the Three Generals Camp, I’ll refine the Divine Splitting Mirror.”
Thinking this, Ning Zhuo spread his fingers wide, shooting ten Mana Suspended Threads from between his fingers to control the ten nearest and strongest puppets.
In an instant, the connection between these ten Mechanical Puppets and him became exceptionally tight and strong.
This is the most common control method used by Mechanism Cultivators.
The connection is the strongest, but the number is the least.
Although Cultivators have many methods that allow Mana Suspended Threads to branch and control more targets, doing so weakens the connection.
However, Ning Zhuo’s true strongest control method is still…
Divine Power Life Thread!
Unfortunately, for the four hundred Mechanical Puppets in the field, Life Thread is ineffective.
“Life Thread can be used to control Cultivators, as well as spiritually natured Mechanical Artifacts like Yuan Dasheng’s creations.”
“So, if I want to use Divine Power to control these Mechanical Puppets, there seems to be a way…”
Ning Zhuo took out the Spirit Box.
Inside it were many spirits, which Ning Zhuo started accumulating in the Lava Fairy Palace, greatly increased when he burnt many relics in Mist Hidden Mountain.
The spiritual essence stored was not small and was quite mixed.
Ning Zhuo slightly opened the Spirit Box, drawing out bits of spiritual essence to fall into each Mechanical Puppet’s body.
The Mechanical Puppets remained motionless.
Ning Zhuo continually added more spiritual essence.
The mixed spiritual essences inside the puppets entwined, collided, separated, and never unified, remaining scattered and essentially ineffective.
Ning Zhuo tried using Divine Power Life Thread, slightly landing it on the tops of the puppets’ heads.
“Success!”
A fleeting look of joy appeared on Ning Zhuo’s face, because although the Life Thread could enhance, the mixed spiritual essences rapidly depleted in this state, at an astonishing rate.
Soon, all the large amount of mixed spiritual essences filled inside was consumed.
Ning Zhuo’s expression darkened slightly.
Without spiritual essence, his Life Thread automatically detached from the Mechanical Puppets.
Ning Zhuo fell into contemplation: “The mixed spiritual essence can help the Life Thread control the Mechanical Puppets for a very short time.”
“During this time, my control over these Mechanical Puppets will reach the most thorough extent!”
“The battle power of this Mechanical Army could potentially soar to its limit.”
But still, it should be used sparingly.
It can only be used as a last resort.
Using it frequently would expose the Divine Power Life Thread.
Clearly, once this Divine Power is exposed, it would have a huge negative impact on Ning Zhuo’s travels around the world and his interactions with others.
“But if the situation is too urgent, I’ll have to use it.”
War is perilous!
Anything can happen on the battlefield.
The previous ambush had left a deep impression on Ning Zhuo. Facing the Return Horse Spear, he simply couldn’t react in time, even amidst heavy military protection. From then on, Ning Zhuo no longer felt any safety.
Next, Ning Zhuo began to practice the Thief Light Wind Formation.
Oh no, it’s the Light Wind Formation.
Ning Zhuo’s face quickly turned pale, his forehead showing a thin layer of sweat as his Divine Sense inside the Upper Dantian was severely depleted.
He could only manage about 30% of the entire Light Wind Formation before it became too difficult to continue.
Normally, soldiers would act independently according to the contents of the Battle Formation.
But now, Ning Zhuo had to personally handle and command every movement of the Mechanical Puppets.
The difficulty of forming the array thus skyrocketed.
Unless reaching the spiritual level of someone like Yuan Dasheng or Mengye Tiger, it would be possible to act independently, moving back and forth according to the Battle Formation.