Rumble, rumble, rumble...
The clouds parted, and three meteors descended from the sky, being drawn into the azure universe's space.
Then, the three meteors plunged into the Star Burning Pit, causing three successive explosions.
The massive, mountain-like flames wavered for a moment before stabilizing, continuing to burn, occasionally spewing out some impurities—star ash.
"Burning Star Powder!" Sun Lingtong's eyes sparkled as he maneuvered the Mechanical Dragon closer to collect some of the star ash.
This Burning Star Powder is an excellent accelerant that can significantly lower the melting point of substances.
Sun Lingtong only collected a small portion, voluntarily leaving most of the Burning Star Powder behind.
The reason is simple: this gathering task is too dangerous. If the Ten-Thousand-Li Travelling Dragon were to enter the flames, it would be reduced to ashes in just an instant.
A Nascent Soul Level mechanical artifact is insignificant in the face of a world-class wonder.
When the Flame Mountain burns, the expanding azure universe is an unclaimed dojo.
The previous owner was Purifying Maid from ancient times.
During the Forbidden Dynasty period, it was once universally acknowledged in the Cultivation World that controlling this dojo meant controlling the Star Burning Pit!
It is a resource point of world wonder level, with tremendous benefits.
In addition to the emergence of gods and Buddhas, countless ambitious individuals have ventured into the Star Burning Pit, attempting to seize control of this unclaimed dojo.
People die for wealth, birds die for food; a vast number of famous individuals and organizations have paid with their lives, leading to tragic downfall.
The most famous in history was Star Cloud Master. This Buddhist Cultivator existed in the Mahayana Realm but fell during the control attempt.
He had prepared many methods to counter the threat of Purifying Heavenly Fire, but did not expect there to be Star Core Ghost Remains. The latter consumed Star Cloud Master, turning him into a Starfire Ghost Demon that rampaged in the Star Burning Pit, slaughtering countless successors.
Ultimately, numerous attempts on the Star Burning Pit provoked the forces of the time's Forbidden Dynasty.
A dynasty made an effort to subdue the Star Burning Pit!
Still, they returned in defeat, and those who survived remained silent about the ordeal. The official statement was merely that there is great terror deep within the Star Burning Pit!
With such a grand dynasty failing, no one has since attempted to subdue the Star Burning Pit. As a result, it is acknowledged as one of the wonders of this world.
Though no force can subdue it, many cultivators still risk their lives to live around it.
They primarily venture into the periphery to collect many of the unique cultivation resources from the Star Burning Pit.
Burning Star Powder is just one of them, and it could even be considered insignificant.
The larvae of Starlight Worms, as large as elephants, can freely live around the Star Burning Pit.
When a star is captured and burned by the unclaimed dojo, Star Marrow is produced. This rare treasure material can restrain the Fire Tribulation from the Three Calamities and Nine Disasters, making it highly valuable.
Sometimes, Fire Pattern Atlases, which document the principles of fire, or Star Trace Atlases, containing the principles of stars, may form by chance on the mountain walls of the Star Burning Pit.
The Fire Seed of Purifying Heavenly Fire is one of the most precious treasures among them, but seeking the Fire Seed involves tremendous risk, as one must delve deep into the Star Burning Pit.
Although the Star Burning Pit seems clear at a glance, its flat terrain deceives those who tread within it as they are bound to get lost in the dojo, resulting in long and arduous journeys that achieve less than a small step in reality.
Moreover, spatial mazes built on residual voids of stars shift drastically after each eruption of flames.
When Sun Lingtong collected the Burning Star Powder with his Mechanical Dragon, he noticed many cultivators engaged in gathering as well.
They displayed various skills and techniques, and their cultivation levels varied but were at least at the Golden Core Level. From Sun Lingtong's observation alone, there were three Divinity Transformation cultivators!
In some respect, this world wonder surpasses the scale of Liangzhu Country's campaign against the Thousand Peak Forest.
"Fellow Daoist..." Sun Ning had barely started when a Nascent Soul Level cultivator approached to engage them in conversation.
He introduced himself as a subordinate of a Divinity Transformation Level cultivator and courteously invited Sun Ning and his companion to a gathering.
The Ten-Thousand-Li Travelling Dragon's Nascent Soul level led strangers to mistakenly assume that at least a Nascent Soul level cultivator was inside the mechanism.
Ning Zhuo hesitated not and simply said they were passing through, just browsing, and would leave soon.
The Nascent Soul cultivator who extended the invitation enthusiastically left a token before departing, maintaining an eager demeanor throughout the exchange.
Sun Lingtong sighed, "Where there are people, there is the worldly society. Though the Star Burning Pit is unclaimed, the astronomical benefits have long established a structure of interests among the cultivators here."
"Indeed," Ning Zhuo nodded, "We are merely passing through, not intending to engage in these complex disputes. Best to leave."
They came here mainly out of admiration, planning to leave after a brief tour.
"Leaving here, we'll exit the borders of Liangzhu Country," Sun Lingtong remarked.
Ning Zhuo instinctively looked back toward the direction of the Thousand Peak Forest, his expression somewhat complex.
This journey through Liangzhu Country, he faced numerous dangers, brushing with death several times, yet his gains were incredibly substantial. Beyond achieving his initial goals, he emerged as a wealthy man, with major improvements both in his strength and mindset.
The Ten-Thousand-Li Travelling Dragon vanished into the void.
"They really left," several gazes withdrew.
The Ten-Thousand-Li Travelling Dragon is a classic mechanical artifact, primarily a tool for transportation and escape, lacking much combat capability, hence not a standard provision. In the eyes of most Nascent Soul cultivators, it is a luxury item.
Those owning a Ten-Thousand-Li Travelling Dragon are either highly cultivated or extremely rich.
This led many cultivators to significantly overestimate Sun Ning and his companion, stirring interest as soon as they appeared. Little did they know, the two inside the Mechanical Dragon were merely at the Foundation Establishment Stage.
Sun Ning and his companion continued their journey, heading towards Flying Cloud Country.
Void Teleportation is more convenient than flying.
High-altitude flights risk encounters with demon beasts, harsh weather, and other dangers. Conversely, the process of teleporting through the void is relatively safe and solitary.
Of course, everything has its pros and cons.
This method of traveling is costly.
Every moment burns money!
"Capturing a Nascent Soul would save a lot of Spirit Stones. Unfortunately, neither of the two major battles gave me the chance to capture a Nascent Soul,"
Ning Zhuo lamented.
Primarily due to lack of ability.
Nascent Souls excel in escaping voids, adept at fleeing.
Many Nascent Soul cultivators fell before and after the Thousand Peak Forest campaign, most of whom escaped with their Nascent Souls.
Like Bi Tengyi, who after reconstructing the flesh, can continue cultivation.
Reaching the Nascent Soul Level marks a qualitative leap in survival abilities, and even if the body is destroyed, the path is not necessarily severed.
Mu Lan's divine skill, Red Heart Arrow, is powerful and can incinerate Nascent Souls. Such means are extremely rare, counted on one hand across all of Liangzhu Country.
Capturing a Nascent Soul alive is exponentially more challenging than slaying one.
Thus, the possibility of Ning Zhuo capturing a Nascent Soul is extremely slim.
Though lacking a Nascent Soul, Ning Zhuo has seized many Golden Cores. Previously, he obtained three Golden Cores in exchange from Zhao Xi. After the second major battle, the number of Golden Cores on hand surged to eight!
Flying Cloud Country is quite distant; Sun Ning and his companion travel while alternating cultivation.
Ning Zhuo first repaired his mechanical artifacts.
The Heavy Blood Ape·Da Sheng and Shadow Blade·Night Tiger suffered severe damages on the battlefield, and were heavily damaged.
As for the ordinary mechanical puppets, they were completely annihilated.
Only a tenth of the Mechanical Golden Swallow remains.
"Having left Liangzhu Country, it's likely my military rank and unit structure will also be canceled soon. Without personal military ranks or unit organization, forming an army will be impossible."
In the future, Ning Zhuo's use of these mechanical puppets will be akin to how the Heaven and Earth Ghosts command soul ghosts, merely as summoned beast pets. Military tactics will also be hard to employ.
Gu Ya and Ju Bing, these two Beast Taming School cultivators, will also find it difficult to utilize military strategies.
The difficulty in personal cultivation of military strategies is not very high. The challenge lies in forming an army.