Tassel-Haired Wanderer

Ning Family.

Council Hall.

The spiritual light lamps emitted a bright glow.

The Ning Family Patriarch, Young Patriarch, and a group of School Elders were gathered here.

Several jade slips were being passed around in their hands. The jade slips recorded the entire process of the Ning Family's grand examination this time.

The Patriarch stroked the jade slip in his hand, his eyes slightly closed. The scenes from the jade slip appeared in his sea of consciousness, replaying continuously.

Unlike previous years, this year he focused on the assessment of the mechanism subject.

This year, the content of the Ning Family's grand examination in the mechanism art subject had been changed to controlling suspended silk puppets.

Young cultivators infused their magic power, which was transmitted through the suspended silk all the way into the puppet.

Through the dual action of divine sense and magic power, the puppet was given mobility and could perform various actions.

However, even the best-performing young cultivators in this grand examination were only able to successfully make the puppet perform a few actions: walking, flipping in the air, and rolling on the ground.

The overall situation was a sorry sight.

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

"In this family grand examination, there are no seeds of mechanism masters among the younger generation," the Ning Family Patriarch sighed.

The School Elder felt the pressure and quickly spoke up, "Patriarch, esteemed elders, our Ning Family is skilled in talismans. Among the hundred arts of cultivation, mechanism art is inherently a specialized subject. Our family has very little foundation in mechanism art, and the teachers who teach mechanism art in the school are all half-baked. How can we cultivate seeds of mechanism art?"

The Ning Family Patriarch soothed him, "Calm down, I don't mean to blame you. It's just that the Magma Immortal Palace is a mechanism immortal city. In the past, the three sect lords were hidden within the mountain to suppress the eruption of Fire Persimmon Mountain. The best way for us to obtain the immortal treasures and mechanism art inheritance of the Magma Immortal Palace is to start with mechanism masters."

"Our Ning Family only discovered the Magma Immortal Palace this year. The other two major families and the city lord's side have been ahead for a long time. They have time to secretly cultivate mechanism seeds, but we don't."

"We are latecomers, too late. Only by heavily recruiting outsiders to serve as our family's guest elders can we have a chance to compete."

The Ning Family Patriarch took out a jade slip: "This contains a list of famous mechanism masters in Fire Persimmon Immortal City and the surrounding areas. You all can take a look."

After the elders had read it, the Ning Family Patriarch said, "We must contact all the mechanism masters and try our best to win them over. Especially the Tassel-Haired Wanderer! He is a mechanism master within Fire Persimmon City with considerable strength and should be our primary target."

The Young Patriarch said, "The Tassel-Haired Wanderer's identity is mysterious, and he has never appeared in public. The mechanisms he creates sell very well, but they are all sold through the black market once a month."

"The black market is controlled by Sun Lingtong. This person is an outer disciple of the Unempty Gate, making it difficult for us to truly contact the Tassel-Haired Wanderer."

The Ning Family Patriarch frowned, "Xiaoren, I don't want to hear you talk about difficulties. What I need is a solution to this problem."

The Young Patriarch Ning Xiaoren's forehead dripped with sweat, and he quickly promised, "Yes, Father. I have already sent people to find a way to contact him personally, and there will definitely be results in a few days!"

Only then did the Ning Family Patriarch stroke his beard: "Good. I will await the results."

After the meeting, the Ning Family Young Patriarch immediately summoned his subordinate, Ning Ze.

"Ning Ze, you, the Ning Family's procurement manager, were promoted by me. I asked you to contact the Tassel-Haired Wanderer, but you haven't made any progress. What exactly are you doing?!" The Young Patriarch's brows were tightly furrowed.

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 Patriarch, this subordinate is ashamed of your trust and has been ineffective in handling matters. I truly deserve to die."

"But this Tassel-Haired Wanderer is really difficult to communicate with. I've traded with him multiple times in the Black Market, and I pleaded with him when buying the As-You-Wish Ropes, but he remained unmoved. He refuses to discuss any topic outside of the transaction."

"The Tassel-Haired Wanderer is too mysterious. I've tried every possible way to investigate, but I 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 that expense..."

"Enough!" the Young Patriarch interrupted with displeasure. "You were set up, which is embarrassing enough. Do you still expect the clan to bear the cost of your mistakes?"

"This time, our clan needs to purchase eighty As-You-Wish Ropes. You will handle it."

Ning Ze was surprised. "Eighty? That many?!"

The Young Patriarch said, "Use this large transaction as an opportunity to try your best. You've contacted the Tassel-Haired Wanderer multiple times, but you still haven't found a way to befriend this person."

"Your performance like this really makes me doubt your ability, Ning Ze."

Ning Ze felt immense pressure and repeatedly guaranteed that he would do his utmost.

Ning Ze arrived at the southeast area of Fire Persimmon City.

Within Fire Persimmon Immortal City, this area was the most chaotic, with rampant theft and the worst public order.

At the same time, this was also where the Black Market was located.

At one of the Black Market entrances, Ning Ze displayed a token.

A cultivator with a sinister expression glanced at Ning Ze, carefully examined the token, then tossed it back to Ning Ze and said coldly, "Follow me."

He led Ning Ze into the small house behind him, then in the house, lifted the floorboards, revealing a hole.

He led Ning Ze into the hole, winding through the underground passage, and finally arrived at an underground trading space.

It was like a small market here.

Ning Ze's gaze swept across and he saw his target.

"Senior Tassel-Haired Wanderer, we meet again." Ning Ze approached the Tassel-Haired Wanderer, his face full of warm smiles.

The Tassel-Haired Wanderer was a decrepit old man, his back severely hunched, leaning on a cane, his entire posture bent like a lobster. His face was weathered, his eye bags were dark purple, and his wrinkles were deep enough to trap mosquitoes. His long hair was black and messy, extending from the top of his head to his shoulders, and down to his feet, like a wide black cloak.

The Tassel-Haired Wanderer stood behind a mechanical cart, merely glancing at Ning Ze indifferently, without speaking.

The Tassel-Haired Wanderer always had this attitude. While Ning Ze felt helpless, anger also constantly accumulated in his heart.

He was a cultivator of the Ning Family, but the Tassel-Haired Wanderer didn't give him any face at all!

However, the Ning Family Young Patriarch had always wanted to win over the Tassel-Haired Wanderer. Ning Ze suppressed his frustration and forced a smile. "Senior Tassel-Haired Wanderer, I've brought a big deal this time."

"A full eighty As-You-Wish Ropes!"

"Look, with such a big deal, could your price be a little more favorable?"

"I'm your old customer, and I've been taking care of your business like this. There will be even more such business in the future. It's always been two hundred spirit stones per As-You-Wish Rope. This price has always been the same, which is a bit unreasonable."

The Tassel-Haired Wanderer nodded slightly, his voice hoarse and weathered. "You're right."

"Then it's two hundred and fifty spirit stones per rope."

Ning Ze was stunned for a moment, then chuckled. "Senior Tassel-Haired Wanderer, please don't tease me. That's not how you lower a price."

Who knew the Tassel-Haired Wanderer snorted coldly, "For every extra word of nonsense, I'll raise the price by fifty spirit stones."

Ning Ze's eyes widened, and he froze in place for a moment.

Anger surged in his belly, and he really wanted to slap the old man in front of him to the ground. But in the end, he suppressed his anger and said in a muffled voice, "Alright, I'll take your price!"

"It's just that my clan wants to add some other functions to better cooperate with our cultivation techniques. The specific modifications..."

The Tassel-Haired Wanderer interrupted forcefully, "No modifications. Buy it if you want, if not, get lost."

Ning Ze choked.

After taking a deep breath, he finally nodded with a bitter smile and agreed to the transaction.

The Tassel-Haired Wanderer didn't make any moves, but from the roof of the mechanism carriage in front of him, several small mechanism puppets dangled down.

These mechanism puppets were moved by suspended silk, each one looking like a real person, giggling and babbling.

They rolled, jumped, and even playfully fought and pushed each other, finally opening the round cover inside the mechanism carriage.

They each drilled into the hole under the round cover, and then, like dragging out pythons, pulled out the As-You-Wish Rope.

Every time Ning Ze saw this scene, he was amazed.

This level of control over the mechanism's suspended silk was extremely skilled, as if the small puppet people had truly come to life.

If the young cultivators from the Ning Family taking the big exam this time had even one percent of this control ability, their mechanism technique scores in the big exam would definitely be excellent!

"Mechanism technique is at the bottom of the hundred arts of cultivation. It has many weaknesses. The most obvious weakness is the method of control!"

"Take these small puppet people, for example. As long as the suspended silk is cut, they will instantly become paralyzed."

Ning Ze paid the spirit stones and left the Black Market with the As-You-Wish Rope. Only then did a hint of sinister and angry expression appear on his face.

"Tassel-Haired Wanderer! Every time I speak to you gently, I'm really giving you face."

"This time, I specifically invited the Yellow Family Three Ghosts for you! And I've carefully prepared a 'gift' for you!"

"Since you won't drink the toast, then eat the penalty wine."

Ning Ze was also truly forced into a corner and could only take a risk.

His plan was simple: first, invite the Yellow Family Three Ghosts to deal with the Tassel-Haired Wanderer, and then he would step in to save the situation, thereby showing goodwill. If the Tassel-Haired Wanderer was seriously injured, Ning Ze would not rule out forcing him into submission.

In short, the first priority was to open up the situation and complete his mission.

As for other issues, that would be the business of the other people in the Ning Family!

After the Black Market closed, the Tassel-Haired Wanderer, who had returned with a full load, walked through the dark alleys.

Suddenly.

Soul Suppressing Talisman!

A talisman instantly triggered, sealing the surrounding space.

The Tassel-Haired Wanderer stopped in his tracks, motionless.

"Hehehe..."

Light laughter echoed, and three little ghosts emerged from nearby, attacking the Tassel-Haired Wanderer.

The Tassel-Haired Wanderer remained as still as stone until the little ghosts closed in. Only then did his body tremble.

Several small mechanism birds were shaken off him, shooting out like lightning.

Mechanism - Thunder Silence Bird!

In the darkness, several electric lights suddenly flared, bursting into clusters of thunder light, yet utterly silent.

In an instant, the Thunder Silence Birds pierced and killed the three little ghosts.

"How is that possible?"

"We clearly used the Soul Suppressing Talisman, you shouldn't be able to control mechanisms with your divine sense!"

"Something's strange. It's clearly a mechanism puppet, but we haven't seen him use suspended silk at all."

"Never mind, let's go together!"

The Yellow Family Three Ghosts leaped out, attacking simultaneously, each displaying their techniques, surrounding and attacking the Tassel-Haired Wanderer.

In an instant, over a dozen ghosts surged out, evil spirits everywhere, baring fangs and brandishing claws, sinister and ferocious.

The Tassel-Haired Wanderer stood unmoving like a mountain. His messy black hair, which hung down to his feet, suddenly condensed together, forming long whips.

The dark black whips danced wildly like dragons and snakes, yet without a trace of wind, silent and still, filled with terrifying killing intent.

Mechanism - Bangs Haired Death Fishing Whip!

The whip strikes were incredibly fierce, as if they could devour everything. Wherever they went, souls were scattered and spirits dispersed.

The Yellow Family Three Ghosts' eyes blazed with fierce light, just about to meet the attack.

In the Tassel-Haired Wanderer's sea of consciousness, a magic treasure seal, as huge as a treasure mountain, Buddha and demon as one, suddenly burst forth with strange light.

Magic Treasure - My Buddha Heart Demon Seal!

The three ghosts simultaneously froze, revealing fatal flaws. In utter horror, they hastily retreated, but it was too late.

With two screams, two ghosts were killed.

The eldest's eyes were about to split, filled with soaring rage and hatred. He desperately squeezed his Foundation Establishment dantian, launching a desperate counterattack against the Tassel-Haired Wanderer.

The magic tool dagger, which carried his hope of revenge, was as fast as lightning, instantly hitting the center of the Tassel-Haired Wanderer's forehead.

Clang.

A crisp sound of metal colliding.

The Yellow Family eldest instantly froze, unable to believe it.

Puff, puff, puff.

The next moment, over a dozen Bangs Haired Death Fishing Whips gathered, piercing him from above, below, front, back, left, and right.

The Yellow Family eldest's eyes widened. His body was pierced by the Death Fishing Whips, suspended in mid-air. Blood rained down, spraying from the wounds, splashing onto the ground and walls, but it was concealed by the thick darkness of the night.

By the time nearby cultivators heard the strange commotion and came to investigate this alley...

"What happened?" The cultivator was puzzled.

In the alley, not a single corpse or drop of blood could be found.

Ning Ze, who had waited for a long time without receiving any news, felt his heart grow cold. "Why is there still no news? It's been so long, they should have succeeded by now."

"The Tassel-Haired Wanderer is at the Foundation Establishment stage, and the Yellow Family Three Ghosts are also at the Foundation Establishment stage. Even if their combat power is suppressed in Fire Persimmon Immortal City, there's no reason for them to fail three against one." He was still trying to comfort himself.

"I gave them Soul Suppressing Talismans and the Spirit Pet Green Blade Mantis, which can cut through suspended silk. With such preparations, the Mechanism Master should be severely restrained!"

"Just wait a little longer."

This wait was destined to be fruitless.

The Tassel-Haired Wanderer walked through the underground passage.

Three Bangs Haired Death Fishing Whips trailed behind him, each dangling a cultivator's corpse. As he moved, they cast monstrous, terrifying shadows on the walls of the passage.

Red light gradually appeared ahead, and the temperature became scorching.

Turning a corner, a large Pill Furnace appeared before the Tassel-Haired Wanderer.

The furnace door opened, and the Tassel-Haired Wanderer skillfully tossed the three corpses inside.

Closing the furnace door, he went to the storage room nearby.

He put the several catties of Fire Essence he had purchased from the Black Market this time into the storage room.

Years of accumulation had resulted in the Fire Essence in the storage room piling up into a small mountain.

"Just the last ten catties of Fire Essence are needed."

The Tassel-Haired Wanderer went to the teleportation room and activated the teleportation array.

The next moment, he returned to his underground workshop.

The Tassel-Haired Wanderer's body began to change.

The strange black hair that reached the ground quickly retracted, his hunched posture gradually straightened, and the old man's body under the black robe underwent a transformation of light and shadow, gradually restoring its original appearance—

This was a silver-gray mechanism battle armor.

On the surface of the battle armor, a faint treasure light flowed. Talismans and array patterns covered the armor from top to bottom. A new scar had been added to the battle armor's helmet. This was the result of the Yellow Family Three Ghosts' leader's dying counterattack.

The chest plate, abdomen plate, and leg plates of the battle armor opened symmetrically to the left and right.

A young man walked out from within.

The young man's face was fair, his eyes were clear as water, and his demeanor was calm and peaceful.

The battle armor was named: Azure Iron Han Armor.

The young man: His surname was Ning, and his given name was Zhuo.