Mysteries of Immortal Puppet Master

Chapter 1453: Chapter 591: Please, Take Your Seat_2

The Nine Fire Dragon Lord thought to himself: since he’d already received that person’s order from the Black Market, it was inevitable that he had to join Nanming Village. Since that’s the case, better a short pain than a long one—hurry up and get it over with.

He thought this way, and acted this way.

The Nine Fire Dragon Lord sat at the main table, pinched a pastry, and put it in his mouth. After a few bites, he showed displeasure: "These snacks aren’t even enough to fill the gaps between my teeth. Bring me good wine and good dishes!"

"How come his table has wine and dishes?"

The Nine Fire Dragon Lord looked at Flowing Gold Guest with dissatisfaction.

Flowing Gold Guest felt as if he were sitting on a bed of thorns. He was arrogant toward Ning Zhuo, but when facing a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator making trouble, he didn’t dare put on any airs.

He had just wanted to reply, the words reaching his lips, yet he couldn’t spit them out.

How was he supposed to say it?

Was he supposed to tell the plain truth, and tell the Nine Fire Dragon Lord that this was the "last meal" Ning Zhuo had arranged for him?

How could that possibly be said out loud?!

Flowing Gold Guest hesitated, and Gu Huaijiu, at his side, spoke up and gave an explanation for him, in a few concise sentences telling the Nine Fire Dragon Lord the truth.

Lu Ban, Che Zhuzi and the others were merchants; they weren’t going to do something that offended people like this.

Kong Ran and the others were merely Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and Confucian Cultivators at that; they wouldn’t lightly offend someone in public.

As for Situ Xing and the others, they had the guts to offend a Golden Core Cultivator, but they had to take their own faction and their own stance into account.

Gu Huaijiu, on the other hand, was a loner, and had a life-and-death dismantling pact with Ning Zhuo. Though they hadn’t known each other for long, they had already entrusted their lives to each other. This relationship let Gu Huaijiu speak out on Ning Zhuo’s behalf.

This saved Ning Zhuo a troublesome step.

After all, if Ning Zhuo had to personally explain, it would damage his Righteous Path image, making him seem overbearing.

"Last meal? Hahahaha!" The Nine Fire Dragon Lord burst out laughing a few times, feeling much more at ease.

Flowing Gold Guest’s expression grew even darker.

But facing the mockery of a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator, he could only endure. For the moment, he could only sit in his original seat, practically "unable to move," being publicly humiliated!

The Nine Fire Dragon Lord laughed for a while, then immediately furrowed his brows.

He fixed his gaze on Ning Zhuo: "You signed a Life and Death Battle with him. If you lose and die, what happens to Nanming Village?"

Ning Zhuo spread his hands: "Lord Dragon Lord, I founded an alliance and am charging the peak precisely to better pay off my debts. If I really lose my life, then even if the debt reaches the heavens, I’ll be powerless to help."

The Nine Fire Dragon Lord’s brows twisted into a knot. He stared at Ning Zhuo, bit his teeth, then suddenly turned and locked his gaze on Flowing Gold Guest.

In that instant, sweat dripped from Flowing Gold Guest’s forehead!

The gaze of a Nascent Soul Cultivator, and full of hostility at that, made the pressure on him soar.

Ning Zhuo saw this scene and laughed aloud: "Lord Dragon Lord, please set your mind at ease. Since I took the initiative to sign a Life and Death Battle contract, naturally I have enough confidence."

"And once my Nanming Village starts charging the peak, we’ll naturally suffer all sorts of challenges."

"At that time, core figures like me will inevitably suffer all kinds of ’weighing.’ Such probing will definitely not be few, so I should all the more bravely face them, take on every kind of challenge, and show the world my breadth of character."

"Only then will I be worthy of the identity of the initiator of ’Nanming Village,’ don’t you think?"

The Nine Fire Dragon Lord gave a cold snort and said no more, which counted as tacit approval.

The main hall, because of Ning Zhuo’s words, fell into a deep silence.

At the same time.

On a nearby mountain peak, Ban Jie and her attendants had already set up a simple pavilion. From here, they could receive intelligence concerning Heavenly Treasure Building at the earliest possible moment.

"The Nine Fire Dragon Lord has already announced he’s joining?!" Ban Jie’s face was overcast, and the fingers gripping the Intelligence Jade Scroll were turning slightly pale from the force.

She knew very clearly that there was a qualitative gap between Nascent Soul and Golden Core.

In this current Golden Age of Cultivation, Nascent Soul Cultivators often could dominate an area. The strong among Nascent Soul were the main pillars of a Cultivation Kingdom.

This was because the further Cultivation Level went, the greater the disparity became.

Examples of Foundation Establishment challenging Golden Core and succeeding were often seen among genius Cultivators. But when it came to Golden Core challenging Nascent Soul, the number of successes was less than one-tenth of Foundation Establishment challenging Golden Core!

Ban Jie’s brows tightened, her face full of worry: "The Nine Fire Dragon Lord has already joined, and Ning Zhuo’s alliance founding is already a success! Will other Nascent Soul come to join next?"

She was thinking on Ban Ji’s behalf; the stronger the enemy, the less favorable it was for Ban Ji.

Ban Jie wished nothing more than for the Nine Fire Dragon Lord to be the only Nascent Soul Cultivator in Nanming Village.

"Next is the critical phase."

"If there really are Nascent Soul Cultivators intending to join, they’ll definitely hurry to show themselves."

"By doing this, the Nine Fire Dragon Lord has already pushed this ceremony to its climax!"

As the saying goes, heroes think alike; Han Muma held the same view as Ban Ji.

"This is bad. Looks like I’d better show myself quickly!" Han Muma grew extremely tense.

This time he had been dispatched by Tuoba Huang to attend the ceremony as an envoy, mainly to strictly prevent Cang Yazi from doing something foolish, leaving Ten Thousand Beasts Peak and joining Nanming Village.

Han Muma revealed himself.

He did not conceal his Nascent Soul aura.

Gongsun Yan saw a stranger at the Nascent Soul Level approach and became extremely nervous, forcing himself to block Han Muma’s path.

He had just opened his mouth when Han Muma handed him an invitation.

Gongsun Yan let out a breath, took the invitation, and after confirming it was correct, stepped aside: "Senior, please."

Thus, Han Muma walked slowly into the main hall of the Heavenly Treasure Building.

He wore a gray-brown leather robe, its edges trimmed with white fur. Around his waist was a wide leather belt, from which hung a curved saber, a fire striker, a leather pouch, and a palm-sized copper bell.

He himself was thin of build, with slightly hunched shoulders and back, and a long, narrow face. His eyes were slender, their corners slightly upturned, his cheekbones prominent, and his chin sharp.

His skin was a near dark-bronze color, full of marks left by years of wind and sun, rough like the bark of an old tree.

His hair was a mix of gray and white, braided into dozens of thin plaits that fell over his shoulders; the tips of the braids were tied with various beast fangs and copper rings, which gave off faint clinking sounds as he walked.

Lin Jinglong’s pupils shrank; he was the first to recognize Han Muma’s identity.

Then more people recognized him.

Han Muma was also famous on Ten Thousand Beasts Peak, especially skilled at raising horses. He had spent his whole life in the company of horses, taming countless wild horses and breeding countless fine steeds.

Han Muma came before Ning Zhuo, offered his congratulations, then took the copper bell hanging from his belt and handed it to Ning Zhuo.

"This is a congratulatory gift."

"This Magic Treasure is called the Heart Snake Horse Bell."

"To activate this bell, besides Mana and Divine Sense, one also needs the Spirit Communication Technique. The stronger your means of Spirit Communication, the more the bell’s sound can directly enter a horse’s heart, allowing communication, and even taming."

The copper bell was about the size of a palm, its whole body a mix of green and yellow, its surface covered in fine patterns interwoven like green and yellow grasses. The inner side of the bell body was inscribed with dense Runes, ancient and profound. The clapper was a small coiled snake, pitch-black all over, its eyes tightly shut, as though in a deep sleep.

Ning Zhuo received the copper bell with both hands; it felt icy cold to the touch.

When his Divine Sense probed slightly inside, he sensed waves of ancient, vast power, like the long wind howling over a great grassland.

Han Muma continued, "When I set out, the Peak Master personally instructed me: if in the future, Little Friend Ning Zhuo has the intention of joining Ten Thousand Beasts Peak, you may hold this bell and, in any horse farm under Ten Thousand Beasts Peak, choose any fine steed you like. So long as Spirit Communication succeeds, you may lead it away and claim it as your personal property."

Cao Gui couldn’t help but suck in a breath of cold air at these words.

Even Situ Xing, Shen Xi, and Lin Jinglong couldn’t help feeling somewhat envious.

Zhu Fenxiang was the same.

Even if Ning Zhuo didn’t know exactly how valuable it was, just by watching the changes in these great clan disciples’ expressions, he could sense a bit of it.

He immediately accepted the copper bell, thanked Han Muma solemnly, and invited him to sit wherever he pleased.

Confirming that Han Muma was only here to observe the ceremony and not to join, the Flowing Gold Guest let out a breath of relief.

Ye Qingming and Jin Mantang also relaxed slightly.

"I—I want to join Nanming Village." A voice suddenly rang out.

Everyone in the hall was greatly startled; no one had noticed someone walking into the main hall.

Countless gazes turned toward the owner of the voice, and they saw a yellow-clothed youth, with an ordinary face and ordinary clothing.

The yellow-clothed youth held an invitation in his hand, still standing near the screen by the entrance, and once again declared, "I want to join. Where do I sit?"

He was asking Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo was stunned for a moment; this was his first time seeing this yellow-clothed youth, who was completely unfamiliar. So Ning Zhuo cupped his fists and asked, "May I know who you are, sir?"

The yellow-clothed youth, however, shook his head. "I don’t want to say much. I want to join Nanming Village."

Ning Zhuo slightly furrowed his brows and was just about to change his phrasing and continue questioning.

The yellow-clothed youth said, "I am a Cultivator at the Nascent Soul Level. Where should I sit?"

As he spoke, he no longer concealed himself, letting his aura spill out.

Yet another Nascent Soul Level Demon Cultivator?!!

Everyone’s hearts shook in unison.

Ning Zhuo simply said, "For a lord like you to join is my village’s good fortune. Please, take the seat of honor, please, take the seat of honor!"