Mysteries of Immortal Puppet Master

Chapter 5: Chapter 4: The Beginnings

Ning Zhuo came to the pill furnace in the corner of the room.

The pill furnace was burning with raging flames, and inside the flames stood a mechanism monkey as tall as a person, enduring the fire constantly.

The skeleton of the mechanism monkey was straight, and its entire body was covered in vivid, red hair. Only its muscles were slowly degrading in the fire, flowing out from various gaps.

The Magma Fairy Palace was hidden in volcanic magma. Ning Zhuo had to control the Explosive Flame Monkey carrying the Thousand Catty Fire Essence to traverse the thick magma and stick to the surface of the Immortal Palace to self-destruct.

But now, its muscles could not support it.

“If Cloud-patterned Soft Silver doesn’t work, let’s switch to the next material.”

Ning Zhuo sat down at the table. According to his plan, tonight he would try using Oil Smoke Mud.

The reddish-brown Oil Smoke Mud emitted a pungent smell.

Ning Zhuo took a small wooden hammer and began to pound the soil.

Each strike of the small wooden hammer on the soil produced a dull thud, scattering the clumps of dirt within. Whenever sparks appeared in the reddish-brown soil, the wooden hammer emitted a chill, extinguishing the sparks instantly.

To process the Oil Smoke Mud, Ning Zhuo specifically designed and developed the small wooden hammer.

If the examiners of the grand examination saw this, they would immediately rate Ning Zhuo’s talisman subject as outstanding.

Lower, middle, and upper rankings were the most common evaluations.

Outstanding was extremely rare, sometimes there might not be one in an entire year. This meant the regular evaluation standards were already insufficient to describe the excellence of a young cultivator!

When all the clumps in the Oil Smoke Mud were completely dissolved, a layer of fire oil had accumulated on the surface of the red mud.

Ning Zhuo took a square cloth made of cotton material and covered it on the Oil Smoke Mud.

As he infused mana, the formation on the cloth activated, quickly absorbing the fire oil.

This cloth was also designed by Ning Zhuo, but this time, he did not use a talisman, but arranged a miniature formation on it.

The formation on this cloth was also of an outstanding level.

Ning Zhuo carefully checked, confirmed the Oil Smoke Mud was properly processed, and then began kneading it.

The processed fire oil mud had excellent stickiness, and Ning Zhuo kneaded it into a pliable and fine texture. The other impurities in the mud were all washed out by Ning Zhuo’s infusion of mana.

Ning Zhuo dismantled one arm of the mechanism monkey and applied the processed Oil Smoke Mud to the arm’s skeleton.

Ning Zhuo’s fingers were clean and white, his movements swift and precise under the light of the spirit lamp. He concentrated intensely and was completely unaware of the passage of time. At that moment, the young man exuded a charm of seriousness.

The Oil Smoke Mud quickly took shape under his hands. The bare arm skeleton now had full, blood-red muscles.

Of course, Ning Zhuo did more than merely shape the exterior with his hands. During the process, he continuously channeled mana into the soil, organizing internally.

A light cut with a blade would reveal the muscle-like texture within the red mud.

This astonishing skill in shaping materials would certainly amaze the academy elder.

If Ning Zhuo exposed this, he would definitely become the star pupil of this year’s cohort. The emergence of such an excellent artifact refining talent would sufficiently prove the talent and efforts of the academy elder.

After shaping the muscle, Ning Zhuo began testing the arm.

It wouldn’t work.

The Oil Smoke Mud had excellent fire resistance, but its mana compatibility was quite poor.

“It needs improvement.”

Ning Zhuo started recalling.

“Oil Smoke Mud mixed with thunder sand can create explosives, commonly used for blasting mountains or fighting demon beasts.”

“Oil Smoke Mud combined with toxins can be refined into poison pills. When the poison pills disintegrate, they release a Fire Poison Smoke Barrier used to obstruct enemies and provide defense.”

“Oil Smoke Mud can also be combined with coal for use in a furnace in the artifact refining room, providing long-lasting, high-temperature fuel.”

…

Over the years, Ning Zhuo had tried his best to memorize everything he could access.

During the Xun holidays, he often stayed in the family library all day long, from morning till night, forgetting to eat and sleep.