Mysteries of Immortal Puppet Master

Chapter 1466: Chapter 598: On Seating Order_2

"He didn’t use his full strength!"

The more Jiang Ping thought about it, the more heavy his expression became.

Dong Nishang gently brushed her sleeve, her gaze flowing, as waves rose in her heart.

She had initially believed Ning Zhuo to be a prodigy in mechanisms, but today saw his remarkable abilities in both wood and fire attributes. However, recalling his stunning performances in several Confucian trials, she felt it all quite reasonable.

Hundred Herbs Elder stroked his beard silently, a look of inquiry flashing in his eyes.

Like Poison Annihilation Wanderer, he was also highly interested in the "Nourishing Spirit Pill" Ning Zhuo consumed before the battle.

"This pill was disguised, allowing Foundation Establishment Level spell power to surge directly to Golden Core Level. Which type of pill is this?"

Hundred Herbs Elder was itching inside: "If I get the chance, I would ask him for one to examine."

Mu Yuehua looked at Ning Zhuo, a cold expression revealing a touch of yearning.

Nine Fire Dragon Lord’s impression of Ning Zhuo had greatly improved.

"The fire intent condenses without dispersing, the cutting momentum fierce yet not irritable. More intriguingly, it seems to specifically counter the gold element in Flowing Gold Guest’s blood."

"A Foundation Establishment Mid-Stage, able to perform such fire killing techniques. Even if external force was borrowed, it still shows his insight in fire attributes."

"Perhaps, this is one reason the Nanming Fire Furnace Spirit ultimately chose him."

Ning Zhuo’s displayed combat power, at Golden Core Level, was still far from making Nine Fire Dragon Lord treat him equally.

But the fact that Ning Zhuo wasn’t weak was a good thing for Nine Fire Dragon Lord.

"He proved he’s not the weak link of Nanming Village." Nine Fire Dragon Lord affirmed Ning Zhuo more.

Ye Qingming, Li Ku, and Jin Mantang’s expressions varied, all heavy.

Ye Qingming’s face resembled cold jade, fingers within her sleeves slowly clenching.

"Nanming Village is established, surely causing a violent upheaval to the old situation of Flowing Cloud Peak. Initially, I thought Ning Zhuo’s biggest reliance was the furnace, his creditors, the stirred momentum. Now it seems, he himself is also a nail, one capable of piercing through Golden Core Cultivators."

Li Ku remained silent like a stone.

He disliked much talk but clearly understood, from today onward, any strategy against Nanming Village must not consider Ning Zhuo as a weakness.

Jin Mantang’s face looked terrible.

Flowing Gold Guest failed to suppress Ning Zhuo, instead achieving Ning Zhuo. Jade Shattering Thunder didn’t work either.

"More importantly, Ning Zhuo’s words just now faintly put Flowing Gold Guest in a precarious position."

He saw through Ning Zhuo’s strategy this time.

"This lad can not only fight but also set the game using the victory momentum. His means are even scarier than his battle power!"

In Jin Mantang’s view, Ning Zhuo’s combat power compensated for his weaknesses, and Ning Zhuo’s true strength lay in his achievements in the Righteous Path.

Kong Ran’s face was filled with admiration: "Brother Ning indeed won."

Liu Fushu smiled at Bai Jiyun: "Brother Bai’s poem today will also likely gain fame with this battle."

Bai Jiyun gently shook his head, unable to suppress the slight curl of his mouth.

His smile was relaxed, his gaze becoming much more serious: "A poem is just the wind. Wind can help fire, but cannot create fire out of nothing. Daoist Fellow Ning Zhuo himself is that new flame in the furnace."

Speaking of this, he couldn’t help but sigh internally.

He originally just wanted to watch a human landscape, not expecting it to be even grander than imagined. Foundation Establishment cutting Golden Core, a youth establishing a village, various forces changing colors, five Nascent Soul witnesses!

Such a landscape is worthy to be woven into poetry again.

Che Zhuzi squinted, yet familiar merchant-like amusement appeared on his face.

"It’s worth it." He thought to himself, "This generous gift was worth sending!"

The stronger Ning Zhuo becomes, the more likely Nanming Village will succeed in the future. Every bit of human relationship he invests now could return tenfold, hundredfold in the future.

Shen Xi remained silent all along.

He watched Ning Zhuo’s back, light and shadow flickering in his eyes.

He felt envious.

All because he knows, from today, the name Ning Zhuo has already surpassed him, surpassing most of the other genius newcomers in another dimension.

Because Ning Zhuo has already begun to control a situation.

He has acquired some qualifications to play the game.

The aftermath of this martial exhibition will surely spread far and wide.

Ning Zhuo, however, seized the moment before the effects bounced back, sending off the guests who came purely for observation and then immediately gathered the cultivators who joined Nanming Village once again in the Heavenly Treasure Building for the first internal Nanming Village meeting.

Once the cultivators entered the hall, the atmosphere became subtle.

Establishing a village and forming an alliance, the first and most crucial matters are to define ranks and arrange seating.

The seating may seem just a matter of where to sit, but it indeed contains hidden hierarchies, distribution of interests, and allegiance of hearts.

Among those present, there were Nascent Soul cultivators, Golden Core cultivators, and Foundation Establishment cultivators; there were esteemed members of the Righteous Path, guest elders who were demon cultivators, and reformed old demons; there were also some who inherently did not get along with each other and had long-standing grievances.

If this matter is not arranged properly, the newly established framework of Nanming Village would immediately become unstable.

Ning Zhuo naturally understood this point.

He maintained a composed expression, cupped his hands, and respectfully saluted everyone present.

"It is my fortune, as well as the fortune of Nanming Village, that all of you, esteemed seniors and fellow Daoists, are willing to join us."

"Since today is our first meeting, we will not rush into other matters; first, let us determine the seating order."

He leveraged the fruits of his recent victory, convincing everyone to no longer view him as a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, but as a figure on the Golden Core level. Coupled with his unique status, no one questioned his words at this moment.

Ning Zhuo continued, "In Nanming Village, our seating order is not determined by age, reputation, or cultivation level alone."

"The founding principle of this village was my commitment to repay debts."

"In terms of how much I, Ning Zhuo, owe, those to whom I owe the most will sit at the front."

All cultivators present fell silent.

Ning Zhuo added, "Of course, cultivation realms cannot be completely ignored. Senior Nascent Soul cultivators will naturally occupy the front seats separately. As for Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators, they will be seated together, then ranked according to the weight of their debts."

"This way of seating aligns best with my intentions and the foundation of Nanming Village."

"What do you all think? If there are any objections, please raise them now."

Ning Zhuo waited for a moment, observing everyone’s expressions.

Chun Yangzi adjusted his sleeves, sitting upright and motionless, with his eyes slightly drooping.

The Red Robe Guest leaned back against his chair, coldly staring at Chun Yangzi, looking displeased.

The Nine Fire Dragon Lord sat with arms crossed, his expression solemn.

Tu Yuanzi appeared composed and steady, like a section of mountain buried into the earth.

Poison Annihilation Wanderer Tan Zhu maintained his sickly appearance, with deep, contemplative eyes.

The five Nascent Soul level cultivators had no objections, so naturally, no one else spoke up.

Ning Zhuo smiled lightly.

This was within his expectation.

Using debt was the most justified method. Additionally, it ensured the benefits of the vast majority of cultivators.

They would also agree, as it was based on contributions, allowing them to measure their differences among each other.

As for the newly joined like Tu Yuanzi and Poison Annihilation Wanderer, on the surface, they had no debts, but the point was, there were opportunities for them as well. The Nanming Fire Furnace still had defects that required funding to repair. If they had any ambition, they could make contributions.

The key was that everyone was happy to see these contributions.

After all, only a completely repaired Nanming Fire Furnace could truly show its value.

Ning Zhuo calculated people’s hearts and interests, moving steadily at this crucial step.

Ning Zhuo then continued, "Since everyone agrees, I will now share some of my views. Should there be any insufficiencies, I kindly ask the esteemed seniors, lords, and fellow Daoists present to point them out."

Ning Zhuo extended his hand to guide the direction, "First seat, Senior Chun Yangzi."

Everyone’s gaze immediately turned to Chun Yangzi.

Chun Yangzi slowly opened his eyes, his expression calm, as if he had expected this and was indifferent as well.

Ning Zhuo said, "Senior Chun Yangzi, to repair the Nanming Fire Furnace, first retrieved the Pure Yang True Fire Pearl and cast it into the core of the furnace. This pearl was refined by generations of ancestors from the Pure Yang Palace using Pure Yang True Fire, taking hundreds of years to form a single one, with only a few in the entire palace."

"Afterwards, the senior contributed forty-nine drops of Pure Yang Treasure Liquid, casting them all into the furnace. This liquid, not easily accumulated, was a treasured stash of the Pure Yang Palace for many years. The spiritual liquid transformed into mist, repairing the furnace walls and making the furnace’s material more durable, with smoother array pattern operations."

"Later, the senior utilized the Pure Yang Palace’s treasury, even taking out the Pure Yang Golden Pill, the palace’s treasure. Once the pill entered the furnace, the red-golden light shot into the sky, and the contained light, warmth, vitality, and principles all merged into the Nanming Fire Furnace."

At this point, Ning Zhuo’s expression turned solemn.

"The Vermilion Bird Artifact Spirit chirped before and after this, a clear sign of recognition."

"In terms of the richness of resources, the significance of treasures, and the contributions to the repair of the Nanming Fire Furnace, Senior Chun Yangzi deserves to be first."

While Chun Yangzi maintained a calm demeanor, he felt a complex array of emotions rising in his heart.

Indeed, he had bled heavily for the Nanming Fire Furnace.

The Pure Yang Palace’s treasury had been used extensively; even the Pure Yang Golden Pill, such an indispensable treasure, had been invested into the furnace. If the result ended up being futile, he would surely face significant pressure upon his return.

However, now that he had been seated as the first in Nanming Village, the meaning changed entirely.

"First seat..." Chun Yangzi mused, "This Ning Zhuo does know how to follow protocol and is quite tactful."

He recalled how Wang Yu had once said: if he could leverage Ning Zhuo’s arrangements to take control of Nanming Village, he might even aspire to the position of Peak Master of Flowing Cloud Peak.

Chun Yangzi’s eyelids lowered slightly, a flash of brilliance disappearing within his eyes.

"This first seat is just the beginning."