Mysteries of Immortal Puppet Master-Chapter 298 - 276: Assassination

Chapter 298: Chapter 276: Assassination

A medium-sized Mechanical Beast moved its limbs and swiftly departed from Zheng Jian and his group.

Zheng Jian’s attention, however, was on the Zheng Family Cultivator beside him, “How is it?”

The Zheng Family Cultivator’s face was filled with confusion, “Strange! The merits I’ve divided are not much at all. It’s even less than what I would get if I worked alone.”

Zheng Jian’s expression darkened, and he remained silent.

The cultivators from the Zheng Family around him felt very puzzled.

Clearly, they had followed Ning Zhuo’s example, but why was there such a large gap in the results?

The cultivators from the Ning Family promoted by Ning Zhuo saw their merits surge, one after another, sprinting into the Medical Hall.

On Zheng Jian’s side, it not only delayed Zheng Jian himself, but the merit earnings of the others were not impressive at all.

“Should we try again?” suggested a Zheng Family Cultivator.

Zheng Jian shook his head, “Enough, we have already tried three times, there’s no need to try again.”

At that moment, he thought about his explorations in the Medical Hall.

Zheng Jian had been sensing his innate ability—the Piercing Heart Insight—all along.

Facing some rooms he could not enter, he would indirectly test them through his innate ability.

Other rooms had nothing special, but when faced with the door to the Serious Injury Treatment Room, the desire to break through triggered the Piercing Heart Insight; a sudden alarm in his heart warned him that forcing his way through would surely lead to death!

“In the entire Medical Hall, there’s only one Serious Injury Treatment Room.”

“There seems to be something fishy inside.”

“Ning Zhuo has already entered twice, but I haven’t seen any related tasks even once.”

Thinking of this, Zheng Jian said to those around him, “Ning Zhuo was once under the control of the Bukong Sect, and he likely has retained some secrets that he hasn’t fully disclosed.”

“Among these secrets, there must be the Bukong Sect’s achievements from infiltrating the Lava Fairy Palace and their continuous exploration.”

“That’s why he can lift his companions by sharing tasks.”

“But this is nothing!”

“After all, the Ning Family is bottom tier among the three families. When our clan starts to exert our strength, the disparity between the strong and the weak will be clear. He, Ning Zhuo, just a minor character in the Qi Refinement Realm, haha, won’t be able to hold on.”

“We just need to wait for the right moment to come.”

Once Zheng Jian realized that he could not defeat Ning Zhuo and the Ning Family through legitimate means, he began to rely on the power of his family, launching competition at the family level.

In the sky.

A Fire-Walking Jiao was circling and flying.

Once a Runaway Fire Snake grows horns, it becomes a Jiao, most of them capable of mastering the ability to take flight.

The aura of the Golden Core Level was overflowing everywhere.

Such a Flame Demon Beast was incredibly difficult to contend with using just the Mechanical Artifacts in the Lava Fairy Palace. Unless Mechanical Weapons at the level of Daoist Masters and Demon Generals were deployed.

Ning Jiufan and Zheng Danlian arrived almost simultaneously to rescue the situation.

Zheng Danlian, holding a Mechanical Sickle, smiled at Ning Jiufan, “Brother Ning, why don’t you guess whether the Mechanical Weapon in my hand can take the life of this snake Jiao?”

Ning Jiufan’s face darkened, “Naturally, it can.”

Then Zheng Danlian activated the Mechanical Sickle.

The blade of the sickle flickered slightly, as if passing a ghostly gleam of light.

The next moment, the Fire-Walking Jiao that had just been soaring and hissing was decapitated.

Its Demon Core was knocked out of its body, falling towards the ground, and its entire body utterly disintegrated.

In an instant, it lost its life!

Ning Jiufan’s pupils shrank sharply.

Zheng Danlian exhaled a mouthful of stale breath, a flash of red in his eyes quickly fading away. Despite his casual demeanor just now, he had used all his strength.

That single activation directly consumed forty percent of his Golden Core Power.

The consumption was terrifying, but the result was excellent, firmly deterring Ning Jiufan.

“Brother Ning, congratulations, you guessed right,” continued Zheng Danlian, “Now, take a look; could this Mechanical Weapon take over the Medical Hall?”

Ning Jiufan was silent for a while, then said in a muffled voice, “Yes.”

…

Ning Zhuo walked into Ning Jiufan’s study.

Over the past few days, he had achieved a lot, promoting most of the Ning Family’s Renovation Team members into the Medical Hall.

Once in the Medical Hall, he used his position to assign good tasks specifically to the Ning Family’s Renovation Team, allowing them to gain even higher rewards.

Currently, the Ning Family had completely surpassed the Zheng Family in the competition for positions in the Medical Hall.

Ning Jiufan cleared his throat and pointed towards a stool, “Take a seat first.”

Ning Zhuo sat down.

“You take a look at this first,” Ning Jiufan handed him a few Jade Slips.

Ning Zhuo pressed the Jade Slip to his forehead, sweeping over it with his Divine Sense, and found they were reports and calls for help from the main branch of the Ning Family.

The letters said that the Zheng Family had launched a full-scale attack, causing difficulties and strikes against many of the Ning Family’s enterprises. The Zheng Family was striking everywhere, strongly targeting the Ning Family, making it difficult for the Ning Family to move forward.

Some calls for help came from the Black Market, from those former stewards of the Ning Family.

The Black Market under Ning Zhuo’s control was also experiencing frequent accidents, clearly the Zheng Family’s doing behind the scenes.

Lacking the foundation of the Ning Family’s main branch, the Black Market was now in jeopardy!

Ning Zhuo scoffed, “It seems that the Zheng Family is determined to get the Medical Hall.”

He looked towards Ning Jiufan, “Ancestor, did you call me here to tell us to give up?”

Ning Jiufan did not take a stance but asked, “Ning Zhuo, what do you think we should do?”

Ning Zhuo fell into deep thought.

He paced three circles in the study, eventually standing in front of Ning Jiufan, speaking with a hint of bitterness, “The Zheng Family is powerful, by all rights, we shouldn’t clash with them head-on.”

“But I think there might still be a chance.”

“We could ask Lord Zhu Xuanji for help!”

Ning Jiufan shook his head, “The Zheng Family’s mobilization is aimed squarely at our Ning Family, and such tactics are within tacit approval. How could Lord Zhu Xuanji blatantly favor us?”

Ning Zhuo said, “Then we shall ask Lord Meng Kui to preside over justice!”

Ning Jiufan was momentarily stunned, then shook his head, “That’s inappropriate! Our clan has already signed an alliance with Zhu Xuanji, the Zheng Family, and the Zhou Family. Going to ask Lord Meng Kui to intervene would be akin to betraying the alliance.”

Ning Zhuo said, “There is a way around this. For instance, I could break away from the family, leading a branch to seek refuge with Meng Kui.”

“After all, almost all members of the renovation team are from a branch lineage.”

“If Meng Kui truly can protect us, we won’t need to back down!”

“You young rascal, you want to split the family again!” Ning Jiufan was so angry that he gave Ning Zhuo a noogie.

This time, Ning Zhuo held his head high, his eyes shining with determination, “Old ancestor, just tell me if my idea has any chance of being feasible?”

Ning Jiufan was slightly taken aback.

Upon deeper consideration, huh? It might actually be possible to pull off.

It was obvious to everyone that Meng Kui wanted to divide the alliance. Otherwise, he would not have resorted to the overt strategy of using his position as leverage.

If Ning Zhuo could really induce a schism and defect to Meng Kui, Meng Kui might gladly accept him. Then using that as a pretext, he could formally and openly interfere with the Ning Family’s affairs.

With the interference in the Ning Family’s internal matters, the City Lord’s Mansion would also be able to opportunistically meddle in the alliance and the affairs of other families.

However, Ning Jiufan thought carefully and still rejected Ning Zhuo’s suggestion.

Splitting the family was too risky!

Ning Zhuo heaved a deep sigh, “If we can’t leverage external help, then I’m afraid we’ll just have to compromise with the Zheng Family.”

Ning Jiufan said, “Very well, Ning Zhuo. You can bend and stretch, recognizing the urgency of the times is indeed rare for someone your age.”

Ning Zhuo snorted, “I’d much rather defeat Zheng Jian fair and square, but alas, our family lacks strength. I will seek out Zheng Jian once more, offering to make concessions in exchange for some form of compensation. Sigh… We can’t just relent for nothing, can we?”

Ning Jiufan nodded, “Let’s do it that way.”

Ning Zhuo’s letter of homage was first delivered into Zheng Jian’s hands.

After reading it, Zheng Jian handed it to others.

The Zheng Family’s renovation team members laughed heartily, a clear boost to their morale.

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“Boss, you are truly prescient, Ning Zhuo really did give in!”

“He only bows after a beating. Isn’t that just pathetic?”

“If you don’t drink a toast, you’ll drink a forfeit. Haha, he truly got what he deserved. In my opinion, there’s no need to see him. Does he really think he’s something special?”

Zheng Jian shook his head, “Ning Zhuo indeed has some skills.”

“Say what you will, but I have quite a bit of respect for his mechanical skills.”

“It wouldn’t hurt to see him once more and further discuss the cooperation he mentioned in his letter.”

Ning Zhuo and Zheng Jian met again.

Zheng Jian greeted with clasped hands, “Brother Ning.”

He wasn’t haughty, but the smile on his face displayed the superiority of an established family.

Ning Zhuo sighed deeply, “Brother Zheng Jian, this time it’s not that I lost to you, but the Ning Family lost to the Zheng Family.”

Zheng Jian nodded, “Exactly so. Let’s talk about the cooperation you mentioned in your letter?”

Ning Zhuo sighed again, “You should know that I’ve mastered a pattern, in completing a task for multiple people, I can significantly increase the achievements of my companions.”

Zheng Jian nodded.

Ning Zhuo said, “I can exert effort for your Zheng Family, helping your people quickly become physicians.”

“Once someone becomes a physician, with the equipment of the Medical Hall and the tasks exclusive to physicians, the Zheng Family Cultivators’ progress will be astonishing!”

Zheng Jian was intrigued, “Your proposal is interesting. So, what must my side offer in return?”

Ning Zhuo took a deep breath and ventured, “My Ning Family needs a few positions within the Medical Hall.”

Zheng Jian immediately shook his head, “That’s utterly impossible!”

Ning Zhuo clenched his teeth, “What if it was just for me to retain a position?”

Zheng Jian shook his head again, “Brother Ning Zhuo, I can’t dare to leave you in the Medical Hall. After all, there are higher positions above that of a physician, and the higher the position, the scarcer they are.”

“If we let you move freely in the Medical Hall, and you someday become the Master of the Medical Hall—I mean the highest position—then wouldn’t the entire Zheng Family and I, Zheng Jian, become the laughingstock?”

“Not even this is acceptable?” Ning Zhuo stared at Zheng Jian.

Zheng Jian shook his head, “Absolutely not!”

Pfft.

A soft sound.

Zheng Jian’s body stiffened as he slowly looked down, disbelievingly seeing the tip of a sword protruding in front of his chest!

A single-handed sword had pierced his heart from behind and came out through his chest.

Ning Zhuo was also stunned for a moment, then abruptly retreated, shouting, “Ambush! Ambush!!”

His voice spread around, and the Zheng Family’s renovation team members, who were already nearby, rushed over to support.

And then, they saw Yang Chanyu withdraw her single-handed sword, having killed Zheng Jian.

Zheng Jian collapsed to the ground, his eyes wide open, utterly devoid of any sign of life.

Yang Chanyu, who practiced the Old Cicada Technique, was proficient in accumulating energy and excelling at assassinations. Previously, even the formidable Luo Shang fell to her sudden, deadly strike.

Not to mention Zheng Jian, who was merely at the Qi Refinement Realm.

“Boss!”

“Chief!!”

“Demoness, I’ll fight you to the death!”

The Zheng Family Cultivators were livid, pushed to the brink of anger, their blood and bravery ignited, rendering them fearless of Yang Chanyu, the Golden Core.

Yang Chanyu, however, ignored them and directed her attack towards Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo cried for help, his Oil Slick and Smooth Talisman automatically activating and forming a glistening barrier.

Yang Chanyu’s slashes were all thwarted by the slick barrier.

“Interesting,” she suddenly stopped her assault, looking towards the southeast, “I’ll come for your life another time, little traitor!”

Casting a cold stare at Ning Zhuo, she coldly dropped those words and soared into the sky.

Leaving Ning Zhuo collapsed on the ground, unable to conceal his terror, drenched in cold sweat, and utterly disoriented.