Mysteries of Immortal Puppet Master

Chapter 1551: Chapter 640: My Righteous Path

Chun Yangzi’s eyes flickered with a golden glow, yet he didn’t immediately speak.

He was also troubled.

Like Ning Zhuo, he was a newcomer hoping to join the Myriad Images Sect.

The cave mansion was momentarily silent.

The lamps burned quietly, casting shadows on both their faces.

Chun Yangzi suddenly asked, "What about Tu Yuanzi?"

Ning Zhuo’s face was expressionless.

Chun Yangzi said, "Nanming Village’s five Nascent Souls, Nine Fire Dragon Lord was defeated, Red Robe Guest is dead, I fought once, Tan Zhu’s asking price was too high. Now only Tu Yuanzi hasn’t made a move."

His tone was calm, but his meaning was clear.

In Chun Yangzi’s view, Tu Yuanzi should be the Nascent Soul sent by the power behind Ning Zhuo, here to assist him.

Since it has come to the final moment, something ought to be done.

Ning Zhuo shook his head.

He became extremely serious: "Impossible."

Chun Yangzi looked at him: "Why?"

Ning Zhuo replied, "The last battle is too crucial. Tu Yuanzi is not suitable."

Chun Yangzi says nothing.

Ning Zhuo continued, "His combat strength is far inferior to Red Robe Guest. If we send him into battle, defeat is certain!"

Chun Yangzi looked deeply at Ning Zhuo, his gaze carrying a scrutinizing intent.

Ning Zhuo understood within: Chun Yangzi suspected him of withholding his power.

Ning Zhuo immediately stood up, meeting Chun Yangzi’s gaze, not evading at all: "Senior Chun Yangzi, it is absolutely not about me deliberately withholding strength in this matter. I can swear an oath, or sign a contract, to prove my words are true!"

Chun Yangzi watched him for a long time.

Eventually, he nodded slowly: "No need."

Ning Zhuo still spoke seriously: "Tu Yuanzi is a manufactured mystery, and this mystery does not equate to strength. This battle concerns the Sun Raising Yang Locking Cloud Altar’s ownership, concerns Nanming Village’s foundation, and concerns Red Robe Guest’s death. I would never keep anything back on this matter!"

Chun Yangzi’s expression slightly eased.

He sighed: "Then only Tan Zhu is left."

Ning Zhuo was silent for a moment, then nodded: "If worse comes to worst, let’s relinquish some interests."

Ning Zhuo looked at Chun Yangzi and said: "After all, they’re just claims. As for the Great Village Chief position, don’t you see through it, Senior Chun Yangzi?"

Chun Yangzi pondered silently, a layer of golden light slowly flowed in his eyes.

After a long while, he said: "What worries me is still Tan Zhu."

Ning Zhuo: "Oh?"

Chun Yangzi: "I always feel his schemes far exceed this. If we seek his help, what if it’s another setup?"

"If he intentionally raises the price, we agree, and then in the fifth round... he loses, or concedes..."

The cave mansion suddenly chilled in atmosphere.

After a moment of silence, Ning Zhuo’s expression turned grave, his voice deep: "Although Red Robe Guest is dead, his soul still remains."

"As long as the soul is present, I will find a way to rescue."

Chun Yangzi’s brows furrowed: "You want to save Red Robe Guest? You should understand: his physical form, Nascent Soul have perished, leaving only the soul. Even if you redeem it, he would bring no aid to us in Nanming Village."

Ning Zhuo nodded: "I certainly understand. But I collected Red Robe Guest’s corpse. His body, along with many treasures on it, remain. I will strictly safeguard them until Red Robe Guest’s soul is rescued in the future; all will be returned to him."

"Aside from that, during his life, he lent me a Fire Seed. This Fire Seed, I must also return to him!"

Red Robe Guest was slain by the Heaven-reaching Hook, his soul was taken, but his body and possessions were preserved. It wasn’t that White Cloud Village or Territorial Expansion Alliance didn’t want to take them, but the Five Battles Martial Arts contract had an established rule.

In Five Battles Martial Arts, life and death are not forbidden, but corpse robbery is.

If a cultivator dies upon entry, the body and carried treasures should be collected by their own side. If a magic treasure is destroyed, refined, or seized in battle, that’s a matter of victory and defeat during the fight, considered separately. But post-battle corpse looting, treasure robbing, or taking Nascent Soul relics is considered a violation.

This was also an accepted condition for all three parties for allowing "unrestricted life and death."

Primarily, Territorial Expansion Alliance and White Cloud Village wanted to alleviate concerns of their backing forces, encouraging them to lend magic treasures and such boldly.

Ning Zhuo sighed deeply: "Though Red Robe Guest was a Demon Cultivator, he was nevertheless part of our Nanming Village."

Chun Yangzi’s expression had already darkened.

Ning Zhuo raised his head, eyes meeting Chun Yangzi’s directly: "Senior, as the Great Village Chief, you ought to support me."

Chun Yangzi coldly snorted internally.

He had private grievances with Red Robe Guest, his defeat and demise were not entirely unfortunate for him.

Ning Zhuo’s words contained sharp implications, attempting to press Chun Yangzi with the title of Great Village Chief.

Chun Yangzi certainly understood. He had led Pure Yang Palace for countless years, and his political acumen within Nanming Village was undoubtedly top-notch.

Chun Yangzi laughed first: "If we agree to Tan Zhu’s demands and invite him to act, then he should be the Great Village Chief, not me."

Pause, Chun Yangzi continued: "In front of everyone, Ning Zhuo, you’ve personally collected his corpse, preserving his dignity. Achieving this is already sufficient."

"Red Robe Guest’s death, he should be responsible for it himself. His battle wasn’t entirely for Nanming Village; he had his own interest calculations."

"War is perilous and battle is deadly. The contract does not forbid life or death, which he understood clearly before entering."

Ning Zhuo slowly shook his head: "What Senior said is all correct."

"Red Robe Guest indeed had selfish motives, indeed fought for gains. Yet Nanming Village was founded upon interests, and we all inherently have selfish motives."

"Regardless of Red Robe Guest’s motives, he fought for Nanming Village, which I was determined to establish. Calculating like this—he died because of me."

"Because of you?" Chun Yangzi’s brows furrowed tighter, "Ning Zhuo, you are weighing yourself too heavily."