It seems that synchronicity does indeed exist in this world, as the things unearthed changed with Zhang Ze and their progress in the project.

Like now, during the phase of stringing the roots of the Holy Tree, what was dug up was no longer innate spirit treasures, or acquired water monkeys and old corpses, but rather humans.

Various kinds of Old Ascender people.

There were Celestial Masters who got lost and wandered off from Dragon Tiger Mountain.

There were the unlucky ones who trapped themselves while playing around.

There were old demons who evaded capture from the Righteous Path, found places to infiltrate, and then just fell asleep, forgot to emerge from the mountains.

There were those who despised the worldly prosperity, believed everyone on Earth was an idiot except themselves, and refused to communicate with anyone unless they reached the pinnacle of cultivation–the reclusive paranoid old ascenders.

Although these people were not as ancient as those from the era of the already defeated Xiao Jing, the youngest among them still had over a century’s history.

They seemed and felt quite straightforward.

However, the most straightforward among them, were the complete sect of madmen excavated near the Northern Territory this spring.

Under a glacier tundra west of Wangyang City, a sect called Turtle Breath Sect was unearthed.

Unlike ordinary small sects’ speculative opportunism or reckless actions,

This Turtle Breath Sect, on the whole, could be described as harmonious and friendly, yet missing a few screws in the brain.

They didn’t practice evil techniques, nor cultivate divine skills, didn’t venture out to seek fortune, or work as henchmen for the Six Sects to earn some extra money–their sect’s only purpose was to "turtle."

They believed that time was the greatest immortal path, and one would have a future if they could just survive long enough.

Mortal joys and sorrows, a century of splendor, stones are silent, eternally ancient.

Practicing the Turtle Breath technique, they learned from stones, burying themselves deep underground, hoping to live as long as the heavens and earth.

When the cultivators who planted trees dug them out, they didn’t realize at first, merely taking them for a group of bizarre human-shaped stones.

It wasn’t until they unearthed the Sect Leader, who was the best at "turtling," that they suddenly realized these things were human.

Strictly speaking, when excavated, these cultivators from Turtle Breath Sect could hardly be considered human anymore.

They had almost no mental fluctuations, their bodies inside and out were petrified; even ocean sponges were more alive than they were.

Were it not for Tang’s random wanderings in his youth, having heard tales of them before they buried themselves alive, and noted them as a joke, they might not even have been able to identify the name "Turtle Breath Sect."

On-site, the Medicine King Valley’s old doctor took one look and shook his head repeatedly, indicating there was no point in saving them.

"Turtle Breath Sect, let’s rename it to ’Go West Sect,’"

Ultimately, helplessly, the cultivators present dug another pit beside them, buried them back as if the task was done.

Of course, if all the unearthed Old Ascenders were like these Turtle Breath Immortals, it would simplify things.

Unfortunately, such mental illness cases were few, while the most unearthed were those reclusive Old Ascenders.

Handling these people was somewhat troublesome, fortunately, an idea came to Tang; he suggested having Zhang Ze act as a life mentor for these people.

Using his peculiar constitution to provide talk therapy, enabling these reclusive Old Ascenders to reintegrate into society, becoming Good Old Ascenders who love life and help kids cross the street.

Simultaneously testing the limits of the Holy Tree, Zhang Ze, and the Amplification Tower’s power.

Thus, the small black room, officially named Zhang Ze’s Wonderful House, was born, though secretly dubbed the "Boss’s Mind Control Brainwashing Lab" by the unofficial history king Lily.

Today marked the one-month anniversary of Mr. Zhang’s Wonderful House welcoming guests.

Zhang Ze dusted off his robes and started today’s session.

By this time, he was already well-practiced.

With a snap of his fingers, the tiny Dazed Girl and Little Fuji appeared beside him.

Dazed Girl held a flower pot containing a little Holy Tree, and Little Fuji held a tiny Amplification Tower.

The two of them flanked him right and left, resembling two little Door Gods.

Colorless light radiated from Zhang Ze as the center, but quickly receded, replaced by a starry domain with a hanging full moon.

The dazed mind of Dazed Girl, the chaotic mind of Little Fuji, and Zhang Ze’s cool, god-like Divine Soul were linked, forming a Mind Network.

This domain, named "Your Moon, My Heart, the Boss’s Enchantment Little House" by Lily,

Once the domain stabilized, Zhang Ze’s preparation for the "discussion" (brainwashing) work was completed.

The next step was to shatter the turtle shell.

Zhang’s limitless prestige Sword Array unfolded, with a borrowed staff, named Old Devil Rod, appearing in Zhang Ze’s hand.

It was said this rod belonged to some old demon, refined over countless years with essential spirits, specializing in breaking closed arrays.

Approaching the sealed purple array, Zhang Ze observed the core’s eye, made a couple of gestures, and brought out a hammer.

Aiming at the core, he chiseled hard like a chisel, and the Old Devil Rod plunged straight into the core.

The entire purple array trembled, then disintegrated with a bang.

The secluded reclusive Old Ascender inside fell out with a plop.

This reclusive Old Ascender, dressed in a crane robe, hair gray and white, yet with a remarkably young face, only the tightly furrowed brows seemed filled with stories.

...

Wang Ge was bewildered when he discovered the sealed array had been broken apart.

Still in a cross-legged posture, he fell to the ground, opening his eyes to see a sticky black little girl holding a flower pot playfully hooking at him with her foot.

A three-inch tall little figure extended extraordinarily long legs of two meters eight, her little feet exerting force up and down, big toe and second toe snapping, pinching at the flesh of his thigh.