A Successful Journey, One Last Try

A few breaths later, Zhou Ning's body suddenly vanished into thin air. He maintained his "Immovable Mountain" Divine Ability and crashed to the ground with a "boom".

He Zhuoran's transformed Buddha light emanated, surveying the surrounding environment. This place was vast, unlike Dead Wood Ridge; as far as the eye could see, there were meadows, green trees, lakes, hedges, mannequins...

He suddenly spoke up, "It does resemble a backyard garden."

Ma Huangshan was startled, his eyes widening. "Master, your Buddha light has become sentient!?"

He Zhuoran snorted coldly, "I am from the Purple Mansion Aristocratic Clan, a cultivator of Secret Method!"

Ma Huangshan was first shocked, then puzzled. He had heard that the Secret Method was practiced by cultivators at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer, so why was the golden light before him not as powerful as he had imagined?

He Zhuoran ignored him and began to examine the mannequin.

It was a scarecrow woven from withered grass, its head drooping, like a toy casually woven by a child, except it had two extra legs, and looked extremely shabby.

The next moment, the straw stalks suddenly tightened, and the scarecrow raised its face, revealing empty eyes.

"This is bad; it's probably a puppet that's been enlightened!"

He Zhuoran withdrew and retreated behind Zhou Ning.

Ma Huangshan retreated even faster than He Zhuoran.

Zhou Ning was convinced; he was the weakest among them, yet he was forced to shoulder such a heavy responsibility.

"Oh, True Person Lu, you've really ruined my life!"

Zhou Ning activated his Divine Ability and slowly retreated.

Ma Huangshan stared at the fence, his eyes shining. "I can sense that inside is a medicinal garden paved with Chen Earth, teeming with life and best nourishing Yi Wood. There might even be rare medicinal herbs there!"

He Zhuoran deduced, "The Straw Puppet are probably used to guard this small piece of land."

As they spoke, the Straw Puppet dragged itself along, rustling the grass and trees on the ground.

Zhou Ning couldn't help but laugh when he saw the puppet's slow movements. He could walk faster on one leg than this puppet!

Puppet, little Doyle!

The Straw Puppet in the distance disappeared the next moment, and Zhou Ning felt a grayness before his eyes, and the weeds on the ground tightened.

The scarecrow appeared before him at some point, staring at him blankly.

Before Zhou Ning could react, the Straw Puppet's loose arms slapped out.

With nowhere to retreat, Zhou Ning unleashed his Divine Ability, but even so, he still felt a heavy force slamming into his shoulder.

"Oh no!" Zhou Ning felt a chill run down his spine.

The tortoise shell shadow trembled, and he was sent flying back more than ten feet, bouncing and flying on the ground like a ball.

Only after releasing all his strength did Zhou Ning stop moving and lie on the ground.

He called out, "Brother Huang Shan, help me up!"

This tortoise Divine Ability is useful, but it's not very elegant, especially when you're knocked to the ground and have to get up on your own; it's quite strenuous...

Ma Huangshan stepped down, and the soil on the ground bulged up, giving Zhou Ning a foothold.

Finally, Zhou Ning stood up again and looked into the distance at the loose Straw Puppet.

His face was filled with disbelief; how could someone so relaxed possess such strength?

If it weren't for the tortoise Divine Ability, he probably would have been sent crashing back to his hometown of Cuiwei Lake.

The powerful puppet in his mind should be made of ironwood, gleaming with a cold and austere appearance, not this crude and rough thing.

He Zhuoran, as expected of a veteran, circled in the sky, pondering, and speculated:

"If what Brother Huang Shan said is true, this thing has such great power only because it draws upon the essence of the plants and trees in this area."

Ma Huangshan: "What about the medicinal herb garden?"

It's so frustrating to just look at Jinshan when it's so close!

He Zhuoran glanced at him. "Your Panshan Sect really can't resist other people's medicine gardens."

He knew quite well that thousands of years ago, the Panshan Sect was Golden Core sect with extensive connections and a thriving business.

All factions, large and small, would hire them to do work, offering generous rewards, whether it was establishing a mountain gate, relocating, or setting up an array.

A thousand years ago, the efficiency of the Panshan Sect in moving mountains became increasingly slow; people paid Spirit Stone, but they kept delaying.

This also delayed the inauguration ceremony of a newly Purple Mansion Purple Mansion True Person, who, along with the Panshi Sect, had reserved a magnificent mountain.

Invitations were sent to guests in advance, but on the day of the ceremony, the Panshan Sect had not yet moved its mountain, leaving the guests unable to find the venue and causing the ceremony to be a complete mess.

Enraged, the young Purple Mansion True Person began to secretly investigate the Panshan Sect, an investigation that lasted for two hundred years.

Later, it was finally learned that when these bastards moved the mountain, they liked to deceive the mountain range, making people throw away all the medicinal herbs, spiritual objects, and spiritual minerals they carried, claiming that moving a mountain required "decluttering"...

As for the discarded spiritual items, they naturally belonged to the cultivators of the Panshan Sect, who made a fortune from them.

Many cultivators within the sect followed suit, moving mountains whether there was something to do or not. Some honest and simple-minded mountains even set a record of moving three times in a single day...

Perhaps it was because the mountain's natural laws had been disrupted, and coupled with the disappearance of the Golden Core Panshan Sect, their Dao Path Divine Ability had gradually weakened, and their reputation had been ruined.

Ma Huangshan was clearly aware of his own misdeeds, and couldn't help but give an embarrassed smile.

He Zhuoran said, "That straw puppet, if we put it outside, we might be able to make a run for it. Although it's brave, it won't last long. But in the Yi Wood Land, let's forget about it."

"At least a cultivator at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer Perfection who has mastered Secret Method, wielding two Foundation Establishment Law Artifact, can choose two from offense, defense, or containment to obtain the treasure."

Such a configuration is probably rare even in the entire Withered Wood Grotto-Heaven.

It must be some kind of uncanny escape technique or concealment magic.

"Alright, let's divide the treasures first!" Zhou Ning said.

The three retreated far away, a full hundred feet away from the Straw Puppet.

After all, if they were to dismantle the Yi Wood spirit object in front of them, there was no guarantee that the spirit wouldn't suddenly go berserk and hit them a couple of times.

Zhou Ning pulled out a ball of light, which began to struggle as soon as it emerged.

"Hmph, it's not up to you!"

The three men exerted their strength together and instantly suppressed the ball of light, revealing a small blue fan.

"This is the magical Law Artifact I mentioned, condensed from the essence of Yi Wood. This technique only exists in the Withered Wood Grotto-Heaven; it cannot be found anywhere else."

Wood generates wind, and He Zhuoran cultivated the [Void Wind Qi-Unifying Instruction]. Upon seeing this item, he was overjoyed and danced with delight.

I want this!

Ma Huangshan found it strange; this person, being an ethereal being, why would he need Law Artifact?

As far as he knew, the ethereal body created through Secret Method was itself the most powerful Law Artifact, which was quite strange.

"Let's look at the other items first."

Let's leave Zhou Ning aside for now.

Next was a piece of earth-patterned wood, which was Mountain-Embracing Photinia, a rare specimen with wood and stone growing together, the outer layer being wood and the inner layer being stone.

Ma Huangshan's eyes reddened as he looked at his precious treasure.

The third item was a jade pendant carved from Soul-Nurturing Wood. He Zhuoran said this treasure was excellent; it could protect against attacks on the soul and also nourish the soul and clear the mind.

Zhou Ning thought of the bone flute attack by the evil monk Boming, and his heart was moved at first sight; he was ready to seize it.

He suppressed his emotions and opened the last jade box.

Inside was a blue book and a jade bottle.

The only words visible on it were "[Yi Wood Puppet-Planting Technique]".

As Zhou Ning, He Zhuoran suddenly laughed and said, "Brother Zhou, haven't you been searching for the Soul Searching Technique? Congratulations!"

Ma Huangshan was taken aback. "Soul searching?"

That's an ability that only cultivators at the Purple Mansion can master.

Zhou Ning was pleasantly surprised upon hearing this.

Ever since he learned that Su Changhe of Cuiwei Lake might have obtained the Purple Monkey Flower, he had been planning to capture him for interrogation, preferably using the Soul Searching Technique, which would be the safest option.

He consulted the ancient texts in the Su Household's library and learned that only Nascent Soul Cultivator could perform soul searches at Cuiwei Lake.

He thought that there were many secret techniques in Land of Wei, and perhaps some with low restrictions, so he decided to give it a try, and to his surprise, there really were.

In that case, the trip can be considered complete.

He Zhuoran slowly explained, "This technique requires first condensing a Vine Puppet Seed, then mastering the implantation method, and implanting it while the cultivator is unconscious. As long as your Divine Sense surpasses theirs, you can decide life or death with a single thought, interrogate them for secrets, or torture them..."

"As for this bottle... it should be Vine Puppet Seed."

Zhou Ning uncovered it and found three thumb-sized, fluffy vine pellets with a strong Wood Element scent.

He pondered for a moment and said, "The small fan belongs to Brother Zhuoran, the Mountain-Embracing Photinia to Brother Ma, the soul wood jade pendant to me, as for the Yi Wood Puppet-Planting Instruction, the three of us will share it, and I'll take all three Vine Puppet Seed."

This item involves a shortcut to his Foundation Establishment; he absolutely cannot give it up.

He Zhuoran pondered, "Isn't there still a Thunderfire Awl?"

Perhaps Brother Zhou has forgotten.

Moreover, judging from the scene of Brother Zhou grabbing the treasure, there was even a spatial spiritual object... He was speechless with astonishment.

The allocation was reasonable, and neither of them had any objections.

He Zhuoran mentioned that if one could master the Yi Wood Puppet-Planting Technique, it might be possible to plant it in Straw Puppet.

However, this method is not easy to practice, and perhaps even when one lives in a secluded paradise, one may not be able to master it.

Zhou Ning listened, but took it to heart.

The Straw Puppet is incredibly powerful. Judging from Brother Zhuoran's words, it can even rival the top Qi Refining cultivators in this realm. If it were placed in the Cuiwei Lake region, wouldn't it be capable of reaching the Foundation Establishment?

If he could take away the Straw Puppet, he would have the power to resist even the death threat posed by the Foundation Establishment of the Su Household...

"Brother Zhou, let's go and explore this area," He Zhuoran invited.

However, unlike before, Zhou Ning shook his head and refused this time:

I plan to try and see if I can take this puppet away.

He Zhuoran paused for a moment, then said, "What do you need a puppet that can't even reach the Foundation Establishment stage despite relying on the Yi Wood?"

This thing seems very powerful, but it's only effective in a limited area. Once it's placed outside, it will require Spirit Stone to activate, its power will decrease, and there's not much room for improvement.

The disciples of the Purple Mansion Aristocratic Clan didn't think much of such useless things.

"Could it be that Brother Zhou has his eye on the herb garden?" He Zhuoran asked. "Brother Ma must have noticed that although the Chen Earth is abundant in the herb garden, the Yi Wood element is scarce. It seems someone has already gotten there first."

Ma Huangshan also looked disappointed.

Zhou Ning simply said, "This item is useful to me, so you two don't need to wait for me here."

He Zhuoran remained silent for a while, then finally sighed.

He conjured two golden hands, cupped them in a respectful gesture, and said, "Then I wish Brother Zhou all his wishes fulfilled."

Ma Huangshan invited, "I'm also planning to venture out into the front lines. Would you like to join me, Brother He?"

The golden light that He Zhuoran transformed into slowly moved to the top of Ma Huangshan's head.

Ma Huangshan was suddenly bathed in golden light, and he clasped his hands together, exclaiming, "Alas, I never imagined that the Buddha's disciple would be myself!"

Having said that, he rubbed his staff together, picked up the broken bowl, and gradually walked away.

Zhou Ning: "..."

Since he and Jiang Xiaohua and others participated in the Qingxuan Grand Selection and were separated by distance, he knew that separation was a normal part of life, so there was nothing to be sentimental about.

Zhou Ning shifted his gaze to the herb garden, staring intently at the hastily made scarecrow.

He took out a blue book. "Now it's time for my wisdom to shine."