Four guards followed beside Ning Zhuo.


    Among them were two Qi Refining stage cultivators and two Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, all dispatched by the Ning family to protect Ning Zhuo.


    Ning Zhuo was very important now, providing great assistance to the Ning family in exploring the Lava Immortal Pce. The importance the Ning family ced on him could be seen clearly from these four guards.


    Ning Zhuo left the family’s residence but did not immediately return to his own home.


    He entered several shops, purchasing arge amount of specially crafted bricks, formation tes, and other materials used for setting up formations.


    The four guards noticed this andmunicated with each other via voice transmission.


    “This kid, Ning Zhuo, is nning to create his own cultivation chamber.”


    “This type of chamber has decent defensive capabilities and can block spiritual sense. How are we going to monitor him in the future? Using magical tools would cause too much noise.”


    “Report this to the Young Master.”“But speaking of which, this kid really has some money!”


    “He’s currently favored by the Young Master and is supported by resources from the three families’ alliance, so of course, he’s well-off.”


    After Ning Zhuo finished his purchases, he spared no expense and hired a formation master to set everything up.


    He left the residence in the morning, and by the afternoon, a newly constructed smallpartment had appeared in his bedroom.


    Thepartment was entirely built from stone bricks and equipped with a stone door that could move left and right, opening and closing, depending on the infusion of mana and control by spiritual sense.


    However, the formation had not yet been fully set up.


    The smallpartment did not have much defensive capability.


    Among the four guards, the two Qi Refining stage cultivators guarded the perimeter, constantly patrolling within and outside the courtyard.


    The two Foundation Establishment stage cultivators took different positions: one concealed his presence, while the other stood guard at the door of Ning Zhuo’s back room, resting with his eyes closed.


    As night deepened, Ning Zhuo opened his eyes, quietly got out of bed, and activated a switch to enter his underground workspace.


    “He’s still young!” One of the Foundation Establishment stage cultivators slowly opened his eyes, revealing a smile that seemed to say everything was under control.


    Ning Zhuo looked around the workspace, his expression tense. He first inspected several spots to see if there had been any changes.


    These were all detection measures he had set up; if anyone else had entered here, it was likely these spots would have shown some changes.


    But there were no changes.


    Under the spiritual monitoring of the two Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, Ning Zhuo let out a long sigh of relief, his brows rxing as his whole body unwound.


    He wandered around the room, touching this and adjusting that, as if he had returned to his own nest, exuding a sense of safety andfort from the inside out.


    He sat in a chair, stretchedzily, and even let out a big yawn.


    After resting for a while, he slowly got up.


    He took out a meditation mat from his storage bag and ced it in the center of the room.


    After sitting down cross-legged, he also took out several bottles of pills, arranging them in front of him.


    Both the meditation mat and the pills made the two Foundation Establishment stage cultivators envious.


    Ning Zhuo was only in the Qi Refining stage, but because he was now a standout in the newly formed alliance of the three families, he had received a significant share of resources.


    Before starting his cultivation, Ning Zhuo thought for a moment and then took out a handkerchief from his chest.


    The handkerchief was as white as snow, soft to the touch, and had no patterns on it.


    As Ning Zhuo infused mana into it, clusters of white clouds gradually emerged from the handkerchief, surrounding Ning Zhuo.


    The white clouds piled up on each other, eventually enveloping Ning Zhuopletely.


    The two Foundation Establishment stage cultivators frowned simultaneously.


    Theymunicated via voice transmission: “This seems to be the Floating Cloud Handkerchief.”


    “That’s right, this magical tool is produced in the Flying Cloud Country!”


    “How does Ning Zhuo have it?”


    “Hmm? It’s likely an heirloom from his mother. Did you forget? The records mentioned that Ning Zhuo’s mother, Meng Yaoyin, was from the Flying Cloud Country.”


    “Oh, I remember now, that must be it. But what should we do now? We can’t monitor his cultivation anymore!”


    “The Floating Cloud obscures vision. The Floating Cloud Handkerchief has a strong concealing ability. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be so well-known.”


    “It doesn’t matter. As long as we ensure Ning Zhuo’s safety, monitoring isn’t the priority. Of course, we’ll report this situation tomorrow morning.”


    Ning Zhuo had long nned for this, considering various scenarios.


    As the two Foundation Establishment stage cultivators guessed, this Floating Cloud Handkerchief was indeed an heirloom from his mother.


    The floating clouds produced by this magical tool provided excellent concealment.


    With this cloud cover, it would be difficult for others to detect the specifics of his cultivation.


    Even if someone with Celestial Golden Eyes tried to see through it, it would trigger the cloud’s rapid depletion, giving Ning Zhuo ample warning and plenty of time to adjust.


    Of course, there were still risks.


    The methods in the cultivation world were countless, with innumerable talents, spells, and techniques. It was possible that someone might have a way to pierce through the floating clouds and observe Ning Zhuo’s true situation, perhaps even without causing the clouds to change.


    Ning Zhuo had considered this possibility.


    But, as the saying went—he had no choice but to do so.


    He had already made his best effort.


    The four factions wererge and powerful. The overall cultivation level of the reformation team was advancing rapidly.


    Ning Zhuo’s previous methods to block others would inevitably be ineffective.


    Zhu Xuanji’s relentless investigations also brought immense pressure.


    Ning Zhuo had to race against time.


    The longer he waited, the more he risked losing everything.


    Even though he had carefully constructed a defense line against investigation for more than a decade, it could still copse.


    He had to seize the Lava Immortal Pce before anyone else.


    Therefore, taking some risks in these areas was necessary!


    He refined his blood with the Demonic Blood Tendon Technique!


    He circted mana with the Five Elements Qi Regtion Art.


    He forged his spiritual sense with the Mirror tform Spirit Technique.


    He practiced these three cultivation methods in rotation, while consuming one expensive and rare pill after another.


    Even the meditation mat he sat on was a supplementary cultivation tool provided by the three families’ alliance, which could enhance Ning Zhuo’s cultivation speed.


    All three cultivation methods advanced in tandem, their progress visible to the naked eye.


    “There’s no problem with the cultivation methods.”


    “But I can’t practice any spells, nor can I test the newly acquired divine ability’s embryonic form.”


    Whenever Ning Zhuo thought of the divine ability, Life Hanging by a Thread, he felt an itch in his heart, wanting to try it out.


    But under the current circumstances, he could only endure.


    At the peak of Mount Huoshi, amidst rolling clouds of smoke, Meng Chong was also cultivating.


    He hovered in the air, eyes closed, still asleep.


    Meng Kui, the current City Lord of Huoshi Immortal City, floated above Meng Chong, cing his hand on Meng Chong’s head.


    He activated his power, channeling his essence and infusing it into Meng Chong.


    Meng Chong was his biological grandson, sharing the same bloodline, so some of Meng Kui’s essence could be naturally absorbed by Meng Chong.


    Meng Chong benefitted as his sunken eye sockets and prominent cheekbones gradually recovered, the speed visible to the naked eye.


    Meng Kui, however, clearly grew weaker.


    Although he was in the Nascent Soul stage, he had practiced very few body-strengthening techniques.


    Of course, even without focusing on his body, a Nascent Soul cultivator’s physical foundation was far stronger than most Golden Core body cultivators.


    The most crucial reason here was the great loss involved.


    The essence blood offered by Meng Kui had to be purified through several stages, and only a tiny fraction of it could be absorbed by Meng Chong.


    Although the amount lost was astonishing, this process ensured that the essence blood absorbed by Meng Chong was pure, without any external impurities.


    Meng Kui originally didn’t want to do this, but he had no choice. He knew that the alliance of the three families had made significant progress in exploring the Lava Immortal Pce.


    But Meng Chong was still stuck in Room Three and had not yet awakened from hisa.


    So, he had to act.


    “Meng Chong, my grandson, you are destined to be the new master of the Lava Immortal Pce. Why haven’t you awakened yet?” Meng Kui transmitted his thoughts.


    Meng Chong slowly opened his eyes. “Grandfather, I…”


    Meng Kui instructed him to close his eyes and rest, to recover his strength.


    A cultivator’s essence, energy, and spirit were their three treasures.


    Meng Kui had fully replenished Meng Chong’s essence, allowing him to recover.


    Hisplexion had turned slightly yellow, and his gaze had dimmed a little.


    After being freed, Meng Chong began recounting his experiences in Room Three.


    Meng Kui never suspected that the Golden Blood Battle Ape, Dasheng, was arranged by otherpetitors.


    He stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and said, “Your martial skills and the Mechanical Ape are far from matching each other. Even with special training, it would take a lot of time.”


    “Your time is very valuable; you must seize the initiative!”


    “I have a method that can quickly help you make up the gap, but it’s a bit painful!”


    Meng Chong was overjoyed and quickly


    said, “Grandfather, your grandson doesn’t even know what pain is. What’s the method?”


    “Lightning strike!” Meng Kui said.


    Meng Chong responded with an “Oh,” and asked, “What do I strike?”


    Meng Kui shook his head. “You get struck!”


    “Ah?” Meng Chong was about to continue speaking when suddenly a p of thunder sounded, and a blue light shed within the clouds.


    Meng Chong was struck hard by the lightning, stunned on the spot.


    His entire body was charred ck on the surface, his hair standing on end with wisps of ck smoke rising.


    Rumbling…


    Thunder continuously echoed within the clouds.


    Meng Chong gritted his teeth and endured, repeatedly recalling the appearance of the Golden Blood Battle Ape, Dasheng, in his mind: “I will seed, I will regain my honor.”


    …


    Ning Residence!


    Ning Xiaohui was also undergoing special training.


    She extended her hands, plunging them into a basin of ice.


    Immediately, an extreme cold pierced through her, turning her face pale, her body trembling uncontrobly from time to time.


    “Hold on, Xiaohui!”


    Ning Xiaohui’s grandmother, with a stern face, cheered her on from the side.


    “You have the talent of the Ice-Fat Jade Hand, the best method to suppress that Ning Zhuo!”


    “Ning Zhuo’s talent hasn’t been tested yet, and even if it has, there might not be any mature methods to further develop it.”


    “You’re different! Your Ice-Fat Jade Hand has appeared in our family many times!”


    “This is the advantage of our family!”


    “We share the same bloodline, practice simr cultivation methods, and consume simr resources.”


    “There are many cultivation methods for the Ice-Fat Jade Hand, all gradually explored by our ancestors over the generations!”


    Ning Xiaohui’s expression was firm: “I understand, Grandma. The Ice-Fat Jade Hand has always been my greatest advantage.”


    “Once the special training ispleted, that little Ning Zhuo is nothing!”


    Zhou Family!


    Zhou Zhenshen had several tubes inserted into his body, with medicinal fluids continuously flowing into him.


    He was fully focused on cultivating.


    Zheng Family.


    Zheng Jian was tirelessly training with his mechanical puppets, fully engrossed, lost in the process.


    The struggle over the Lava Immortal Pce had moved beyond its opening phase and had entered a more intense stage.


    The night was deep.


    Yuan Er tossed and turned, unable to sleep, restless.


    Ever since Yuan Dasheng’s death, he had been like this every night, feeling a void in his heart, without a shred of security.


    “Why isn’t Uncle Dasheng’s mechanism finished yet?”


    “Tomorrow, tomorrow I’ll go find that Ning Zhuo!”


    Inside the Lava Immortal Pce, the Golden Blood Battle Ape, Dasheng, quietly crouched in Room Three. When not activated, it was indistinguishable from the bricks and stones around it.