Mysteries of Immortal Puppet Master

Chapter 1439: Chapter 583: Trading for Flying Birds, Discussing Flowing Clouds (Part 2)

"These mechanical birds are just marginal items, and I’m giving them to you. A Golden Core is valuable, and one is more than enough, let alone there are four here."

Ning Zhuo shook his head: "Senior, you have already bestowed the ’Empty Valley Sound Green Mechanism Tube’ upon me, which is a tremendous generosity. If I were to take your mechanical birds for free, I would feel uneasy."

"Our family’s tradition dictates this, and I dare not violate it."

If someone else said this, Qinghuangzi might think it’s just pleasantries, diplomatic words.

But who is Ning Zhuo?

He is the upright gentleman who could use the White Rainbow Righteousness Festival to summon the Vast Energy Pillar!

"I understand. No merits, no rewards, that’s the family tradition." Qinghuangzi laughed heartily.

The story of Ning Zhuo’s family tradition, along with how he was appreciated by Zhong Dao and Tuoba Huang yet politely refused their offers, has already spread widely in the Myriad Images Sect’s Main Mountain Gate.

"Alright. Treat these mechanical birds as if you are buying them from me. But the value of the Ghost Dao Golden Core far exceeds them, I must add some extras for you."

Ning Zhuo replied with a smile, "Senior, there’s no rush."

"Your Golden Core level mechanical puppet should stay by your side for protection."

"I am confident in establishing Alliance Rush Peak. I fear that future influence might grow impacting you. After all, I am currently the only inheritor of the ’Empty Valley Sound Green Mechanism Tube’, our relationship is close, we are truly on the same side."

"You have your old foundation to rely on, which makes me feel somewhat assured."

"Our heritage, the prestige of Qingzhu Peak, should not be easily diminished."

These words immediately touched Qinghuangzi.

Especially Ning Zhuo’s mention of "on the same side," which made Qinghuangzi secretly feel gratified.

Ning Zhuo read the situation, seeing Qinghuangzi’s expression was good, he made his request: "Senior, these five types of mechanical birds are of great use to me. However, I don’t have enough time and energy to manufacture them myself."

"So treat these Ghost Dao Golden Cores as my deposit, would you kindly lend a hand in producing more? Preferably at the Foundation Establishment level, and in large quantities."

Qinghuangzi nodded first: "Alright, I agree to it."

He agreed very decisively, without any hesitation.

According to his previous life plan, Qinghuangzi wanted to enjoy his old age without any toil in his limited remaining years.

But when it comes to Ning Zhuo, that’s another matter entirely.

Nowadays, the talent, righteousness, luck, and bright future that Ning Zhuo displays make Qinghuangzi willingly change his life plans to exert effort for Ning Zhuo.

For someone nearing their end, Ghost Dao Golden Cores are not really attractive.

The main thing is Ning Zhuo, in Qinghuangzi’s view, is worth that effort!

Qinghuangzi added a sentence: "Although I can mass-produce these mechanical birds, there are differences among them."

"The Neck Spear Crane, Holding Festival Pheasant, and Sleeve Stabbing Kite, these three types of mechanical birds, I have no issues with them, and the production rate is fast."

"But the Top Wind Kite and Golden Cage Bird are different."

"The former is similar to a kite and involves paper folding craftsmanship. The latter has a more intricate structure and requires sophisticated weaving skills."

"You also have the complete inheritance content of the ’Empty Valley Sound Green Mechanism Tube’, so you must have had some anticipation, right?"

Ning Zhuo nodded: "I understand. To be honest, I am quite troubled about the production of the Top Wind Kite and the Golden Cage Bird. Then I would trouble you, senior, to first mass-produce the Neck Spear Crane, Holding Festival Pheasant, and Sleeve Stabbing Kite, focusing mainly on the Neck Spear Crane, with the latter two accounting for twenty percent each."

Qinghuangzi nodded: "Alright."

Encouragingly he added, "Young friend Ning Zhuo, you’re still young. Your ability to learn is so strong, with such understanding, future involvement in paper folding and weaving crafts, these troubles to you will not be a problem at all."

Ning Zhuo intentionally showed his ability to learn and understand, especially during the small trial in Xuan Armor Cave. Now seeing Qinghuangzi’s reaction, it’s evident: Ning Zhuo’s previous actions have already yielded good results.

Qinghuangzi continued, "Actually, the Neck Spear Crane, Holding Festival Pheasant, and Sleeve Stabbing Kite can all be handed off to others. The Top Wind Kite and the Golden Cage Bird, however, are difficult to divide the labor."

The content of the ’Empty Valley Sound Green Mechanism Tube’ inheritance needs to be strictly confidential.

Therefore, the blueprints will never be shared externally.

Compared to regular Artifact Refining, one convenient aspect of mechanical manufacturing is that it can be divided into numerous mechanical parts. Some unimportant parts can be outsourced to others for manufacturing.

But the structure of the Top Wind Kite is very straightforward, employing paper folding techniques. The real focus of its production is the related formations and talismans. These formation maps and talismans are not easy to divulge, it’s hard to casually invite an Array Master or Talisman Maker to do the work.

As for the Golden Cage Bird, if you break it down, it is essentially a bamboo stick. The bamboo stick is woven to ultimately form the mechanical shape of the caged bird.

The production requirements for this mechanical bird are the highest, especially regarding the weaving technique.

In Qinghuangzi’s lifelong experience, the numbers of Top Wind Kite and Golden Cage Bird are the fewest, especially the latter. Initially, Qinghuangzi practiced weaving just to enhance his mechanical manufacturing skills, with extremely low efficiency, through trial and error and consuming time to achieve it.

"Actually, if you can turn hostility into friendship with the Ban Family, you might be able to use their background Taoist Artifact, the Golden Silk Silver Shuttle Plate."

"This Taoist Artifact can enable cultivators without any weaving skills to weave a Master-Level Magic Net."

"Using it to assist in making the Golden Cage Bird would greatly increase the speed, making incredible progress in no time!"

Qinghuangzi contemplated, speaking with deep meaning.

"Taoist Artifact Golden Silk Silver Shuttle Plate?" Ning Zhuo slightly furrowed his brows.

Having become enemies with Ban Ji, he naturally investigated the Ban Family. This Taoist Artifact is one of the key foundations of the Ban Family, which Ning Zhuo knows well.

"Senior is right; having one more friend is better than one more enemy. Especially with me establishing Alliance Rush Peak, I fear constant challenges will follow one after another."

Ning Zhuo heard the underlying message from Qinghuangzi.

Qinghuangzi nodded with a smile, feeling that his advice had an effect.

Little did he know, Ning Zhuo was actually thinking: "If the Ban Family could be drawn into action, that would be quite favorable. Would it accelerate the assimilation of my current tribulation fate?"

"However, Ban Ji has not formally joined the Myriad Images Sect yet. Mother told me that this tribulation fate is within the Myriad Images Sect."

"Those who are already members of the Myriad Images Sect are useful to me."

Those people on Flowing Cloud Peak are Ning Zhuo’s target!

Then, after putting away his storage bag, Ning Zhuo seized the opportunity to consult Qinghuangzi about the influences and factions on Flowing Cloud Peak.

Qinghuangzi, being an old member of the Myriad Images Sect, knew more about Flowing Cloud Peak than Ning Zhuo did.

For Ning Zhuo, Qinghuangzi naturally spoke without reservation: "Flowing Cloud Peak has always been very chaotic, with numerous big and small forces numbering dozens at least, sometimes over a hundred."

"These forces are ever-changing, you ascend while I descend, the competition is extremely fierce, and I’ve always had the impression that it’s perpetually tumultuous."

"Even if a prominent force takes charge and a strong individual temporarily assumes the position of the Peak Master, it’s only temporary. After a while, they’ll be thrown out or be ostracized below."

"But in the past hundred plus years, the strongest force on Flowing Cloud Peak has been the Thunder Cloud Association."

"The Thunder Cloud Association is extraordinarily powerful, and the president is a peak Nascent Soul Great Cultivator specializing in Thunder Skills, with immensely destructive power."

"Under him, there are four elders at the Nascent Soul level."

"The cultivation level of the other members is at least Golden Core level."

"The Thunder Cloud Association occupies the summit of Flowing Cloud Peak, where the spiritual energy is the most abundant. The terrain is formidable, easy to defend and hard to attack. The Thunder Cloud Association has set up the ’Heavenly Thunder Attraction’ array there; once activated, it can summon nine heavenly thunders, the power comparable to a Nascent Soul strike."

These details Ning Zhuo had already learned; he had bought them from the Commerce Hall earlier.

Nonetheless, Ning Zhuo still listened quietly for a while before consulting Qinghuangzi about the close ties between the Thunder Cloud Association and other forces on Flowing Cloud Peak, and the relationships with the other Seven Peaks and Sixteen Halls.

These pieces of information are the key, revealing secrets of camps, alliances, and various power dynamics.

This is intelligence Ning Zhuo couldn’t purchase from the Commerce Hall, only someone like Qinghuangzi who is a seasoned member could know some of it.