The Ning family.

The Council Chamber.

The light bulb emitted a bright light.

The head of the Ning family, the young master, and a number of elders gathered here.

A few jade slips were passed around in their hands. The jade slips recorded the entire process of the Ning family's grand examination. Let me know if you have any other text you'd like me to translate! ?

The chieftain rubbed the jade slip in his hand, his eyes closed, the scene within the jade slip appearing in his mind's eye, replaying endlessly.

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Unlike in previous years, this year he is focusing his attention on the assessment of departmental projects.

This year, the Ning family's test for the department's skill assessment changed. It became controlling a puppet on strings.

Young monks channeled their mana through silken threads, continuously transmitting it to the wooden puppet.

Through the combined power of divine thought and magical force, wooden puppets are brought to life, enabling them to perform various actions.

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Even the best young cultivators could only manage to make their puppet dolls walk, flip in the air, and roll on the ground during this examination.

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The overall situation is appalling.

The chieftain slowly opened his eyes, withdrawing his divine sense from the jade slip, and slowly placed the jade slip on the table beside him.

“This time, during the family's big exam, there wasn't a single descendant with the potential to become an artificer.” The Ning family head sighed.

The Elder of the Academy felt the pressure and quickly spoke up: "Clan Leader, Elders, our Ning family is skilled in talismans. Among the hundreds of arts of cultivation, mechanism art is inherently a specialized field. Our family has very little foundation in mechanism art, and the teachers who teach mechanism art at the academy are all half-baked. How can we cultivate seedlings of mechanism art?"

Níng's family head soothed, "Calm down, I didn't mean to blame you. It's just that the Molten Palace is a mechanism fairy city. In the past, the three sect masters buried it within the mountain to suppress the eruption of Huǒshí Mountain. The best way for us to obtain the treasures and inheritance of the Molten Fairy Palace is to start with the mechanism masters."

“Our Ning family only discovered the Lava Fairy Palace this year. The other two families and the lord's side had already been there for a long time. They had time to secretly cultivate mechanism seeds, but we didn't.”

"We are latecomers, too late. Only by recruiting foreigners with heavy gold as our clan's guest scholars can we have a chance to compete."

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The head of the Ning family took out a jade slip: “This records the Fire Persimmons Immortal City and the renowned mechanism masters in its vicinity. Please circulate it among yourselves.”

After everyone present had taken a look, the head of the Ning family said: "All machinists, we need to get in touch with them and try our best to recruit them. Especially the 'Little Sprout Guest'! He is the machinist within Huo Shi City, his strength is not weak, and he should be our top priority target."

The clan leader said: "The young guest's identity is a mystery, and he has never appeared in public. The traps he makes are very popular, but they are sold through a black market once a month."

"The black market is controlled by Sun Lingtong. This person is an outer disciple of the Kongmen, and it is very difficult for us to truly contact the young guests."

"Xiaoren, I don't want to hear about the difficulties. I need a solution," said Ning's patriarch, frowning.

The young chieftain, Ning Xiaoren, perspired on his forehead and hurriedly assured him, "Yes, father. I have sent people to try to contact him personally, and we will surely have results soon!"

"Very well," said the head of the Ning family, stroking his beard. "I shall await the results."

After the meeting, Ning family's young clan leader immediately summoned his subordinate, Ning Ze.

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“Ning Ze, you, the purchasing manager of the Ning family, were supported by me. I let you contact the young clients, but you have made no progress. What are you doing?!” The young clan leader frowned.

Ning Ze was a middle-aged man with a face full of bitterness. If possible, he wouldn't want to touch this kind of task at all.

"Young Clan Head, this subordinate is ashamed to have failed your entrustment. I have not done well and deserve death."

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"But this young customer is really hard to communicate with. I tried multiple times to trade with him in the black market, buying a pair of Ruyi charms and pleading with him endlessly, but he remained unmoved. He wouldn't talk about anything besides the transaction."

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“The information about the young guest is too mysterious. I’ve tried every means to investigate, but ended up angering the black market owner, Sun Lingtong. Not only did I lose manpower, but I was also framed and had to pay a large sum of spirit stones. To this day, I'm still covering those expenses…”

"That's enough!" the young chieftain interrupted, displeasure lacing his voice. "You've already been played for a fool, humiliated enough! Do you want to drag the rest of the clan into paying for your mistakes?"

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“This time, our clan is going to purchase 80 sets of up and down lucky ropes. You go and take care of it.”

Ning asked in surprise, "80? So many?!"

The young chieftain said, "You should try your best with this big deal. You've contacted the young customers many times but haven't been able to move forward with a partnership."

“Your performance like this really makes me question your abilities, Ning Ze.”

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Rather than blaming, I feel immense pressure and repeatedly assure myself that I will do my best.

　　He went to the southeastern area of Huoshi City.

In the city of Hoshixian, this area is where dragons and snakes mix, theft runs rampant, and security is the worst.

At the same time, this is also where the black market is located.

At one of the black market entrances, Ning Ze displayed a token.

A sinister-looking cultivator glanced at Ning Ze, carefully inspected his token, and tossed it back to him. He said in a cold voice, "Follow me."

He led Ning Ze into the back room and then, in the room, he lifted the floorboards to reveal a hole.

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He led Ning Ze into the cave mouth, through a series of twists and turns in the tunnel, and finally arrived at an underground trading space.

This place seems like a small market.

Ning Ze's gaze swept across the room and landed on his target.

“Little guest, we meet again.” Ning Ze arrived before the Little Guest, his face beaming with a warm smile.

The decrepit old man, known as the "childhood guest," was hunched over with an extremely stooped back. He leaned heavily on his cane, and his entire body curved like a lobster. His face bore the marks of time, with dark purplish eye bags and wrinkles so deep they could trap mosquitoes. His long black hair was messy and unkempt, cascading from his head to his shoulders and down to his feet, resembling a wide black cloak.

A child stood behind the stroller, only glancing at Ning Ze lightly without a word.

Children are always like this, acting helpless and complaining. Yet, beneath the surface, they're secretly harboring anger.

He is a cultivator of the Ning family, but this little kid doesn't give him any face!

Alas, Young Master Ning of the Ning family had always wanted to draw in the "Young Guest," causing Ning Ze a great deal of resentment. Though his heart ached, he plastered on a smile and said, "Honorable Young Guest, this time I've brought a huge deal."

"As many as 80 ropes of ascending and descending good fortune!"

"Look, this is a big deal. Could you offer us a better price?"

"As a loyal customer of yours, I've always appreciated your care and support for my business. I expect even more business in the future. Every time it's 200 spirit stones for one Wishing Rope, and this price has remained constant. It feels a bit impersonal, don't you think?"

The child nodded slightly, his voice raspy and worn: "You speak well."

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Then 250 spirit stones per piece.

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Ning Ze was taken aback and chuckled, "Young master, don't play tricks on me. A price reduction isn't done this way."

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"To my surprise, the childlike customer let out a cold snort: 'For every extra word you utter, the price increases by 50 spirit stones.'"

Instead of glaring, he froze in place for a moment.

His anger surged within him, threatening to boil over. He wanted nothing more than to slap the old man before him to the ground. But he forced his rage down, gritting his teeth and muttering, “Fine, I’ll take your price!”

"However, my clan wants to add some other features to better cooperate with our clan's martial arts. Specifically, the modifications..."

The young guest interrupted forcefully: "No repairs, buy it or not, don't buy it, get lost."

It's better to be choked than to blame others.

After taking a deep breath, he smiled wryly and nodded, agreeing to the deal.

The little child didn't make any move, but on the mechanical carriage in front of him, several mechanical figurines dropped from the roof.

These puppet figures are all moved by strings, each one resembling a real person, giggling and laughing.

They tumbled and leaped, even squabbling and shoving each other, until finally they pried open the circular hatch on the contraption.

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They one by one slid into the hole under the round cover, then like dragging out pythons, they pulled out the ropes up and down.

Every time I see this, I am amazed.

This mechanism's ability to control with such delicate precision is honed to perfection. The puppet figures seem almost truly alive.

If even one out of a hundred young cultivators taking the Ning family's great exam had such control, the mechanism skills section of the exam would definitely be top-notch!

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"Institution techniques are at the bottom of the hundred arts of cultivation. They have many weaknesses, the most obvious being the way they are controlled!"

“Take these marionettes, for instance. Cut the strings, and they'll be paralyzed in an instant.”

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After Ning Ze had delivered the spirit stones and left the black market with the yin-yang rope in hand, a hint of viciousness and anger appeared on his face.

“You little brat! I'm so used to talking sweetly to you, it's embarrassing.”

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"This time, I specially invited Huangjiashan Ghosts for you! And I've also carefully prepared a 'gift' for you!"

Since you won't drink, then have a penalty drink.

Ning Ze was also forced to do so, with no other choice but to take a risky move.

His plan was simple: first, have the three ghosts of the Huang family deal with the youngsters, and then he would appear to save the day, thus showing goodwill. If the youngsters were seriously injured, he would not rule out taking coercive measures to force them to comply.

In short, the top priority is to open up the situation and complete the tasks at hand.

As for other matters, those are concerns of the Ning family!

After the black market closed, the young customers, laden with their purchases, walked through the dark alleys.

Suddenly.

镇神符!

A talisman activated instantly, sealing the surrounding space.

The child stood rooted to the spot, motionless.

"Hee hee hee..."

A light, airy laugh echoed as three little imps popped out from the left, charging towards the young children.

The childlike guest remained silent as a stone until the little imp came close, then his body shuddered.

Several clockwork birds were shaken out of him and flew off with electrical whirring.

Agency - Thunder Silence Bird!

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In the darkness, suddenly several streaks of lightning flashed, bursting with thunderclaps, yet there was a deafening silence.

In the blink of an eye, Lei Ji bird had killed three little ghosts.

"How is that possible?"

“Since you used the镇神符, you shouldn't be able to use your divine sense to control the mechanisms!”

“Something’s off. It's clearly a puppet controlled by strings, but I haven't seen him use any.”

"Never mind, let's go!"

Three ghosts from the Huang family leaped out simultaneously, each using their unique abilities to besiege the young guest.

Suddenly, a dozen or so ghosts surged forth, devils swarming from all directions, gnashing their teeth and brandishing their claws, sinister and ferocious.

The young child remained motionless like a mountain. Suddenly, the messy black hair that fell to his feet congealed into strands, forming whips.

The pitch-black whip, like a dragon snake, danced wildly, yet there wasn't a hint of wind. In the silent stillness, there was nothing but terrifying murderous intent.

Agency - From childhood to old age, fishing kills with a whip!

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The force of the strike was ferocious, unstoppable like a devourer of all things. Wherever it landed, souls were scattered and spirits extinguished.

Huang Jia San's eyes flashed with a menacing light, ready to meet the attack.

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A child can recognize a seasoned expert, a single magical artifact, large as a mountain of treasure, embodying both Buddha and demon, radiating extraordinary brilliance.

Treasure — My Buddha's Heart Demon Seal!

Three ghosts simultaneously froze, revealing a fatal weakness. In their terrified shock, they hastily retreated, but it was too late.

Two screams, the two ghosts died.

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The leader was seething with rage, his eyes blazing with fury. He poured all his power into his dantian, prepared to fight the young visitor to the death.

The dagger, imbued with his desire for vengeance, moved like lightning and struck the young child's forehead in an instant.

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A crisp metallic clang.

Huang's eldest son froze instantly, unable to believe it.

Pfffffft.

In the next instant, a dozen or so children wielding death-dealing whips rained blows upon him, piercing him from all sides.

Huang Jia the eldest glared with wide eyes, his body pierced by the fishing net whip and hung halfway in the air. Fresh blood sprayed out from the wounds like rain, splattering on the ground and walls, but was hidden by the heavy night.

When nearby cultivators heard the strange noises, they came to this alleyway to investigate.

“What happened?” the monk wondered.

There wasn't a single corpse or drop of blood to be found in the alley.

Having waited for a long time without any news, Ning Ze's body and mind gradually grew cold. "Why is there still no news? It should have been successful by now."

“The young children are in the foundation-building stage, and the three ghosts of Huang's family are also in the foundation-building stage. Even in Huoshixian City, their combat power is suppressed. With three against one, there's no reason why they would lose.” He was still comforting himself.

“I gave them talismans to ward off evil spirits, and also spirit pets - green mantises that can cut through spider silk. With such preparations, the organ masters will be severely restrained!”

Just a moment longer.

This kind of waiting is destined to be fruitless.

A young child walked through the underground dark passage.

Three dangling strands of hemp, each with the corpse of a cultivator hanging from it, swayed behind him. As he walked, monstrous shadows were cast on the walls of the dark passageway. Let me know if you have any other text you'd like me to translate!

Ahead, a red glow gradually appeared, and the temperature became scorching hot.

Turning a corner, a large brick kiln came into view before the little travelers.

The furnace door creaked open, and the young and old alike tossed three bodies into the flames with practiced ease.

Closing the oven door, he made his way to the pantry next to it.

He put the several kilograms of fire essence he had purchased from the black market into the storage room.

Years of accumulation have made the fire essence in the storage room a small mountain.

"Only ten jin of fire essence is left."

A young boy arrived at the teleportation room and activated the teleportation array.

The next moment, he was back in his underground workshop.

The child's body began to change.

With drooping, strange black hair rapidly shrinking back, the hunched figure gradually straightened. Underneath the black robe, the old man's body flickered with light and shadow, slowly returning to its original form—

This is a silvery-grey war automaton.

The armor surface shimmered with a faint, precious light. Runes and talismans covered the armor from top to bottom. On the helmet, however, a new scar was added—the result of Huangjia San Gui's leader's last counterattack before he died.

The chest plate, abdominal plate, and leg plates of the armor open symmetrically to the left and right.

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A young man walked out from there.

The young man had a fair complexion, clear eyes like water, and a tranquil and peaceful demeanor.

The name of the armor is: Azure Iron Battle Armor.

The boy's surname is Ning, and his given name is Zhuo.

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