Immortal Creation.

Chapter 742 Then let it shine!

Low-key, moderate, high-profile... there are three paths here.

When faced with a choice, Ning Zhuo was in a daze.

In that instant, he seemed to see a child on Fire Persimmon Mountain, who had been disguising himself since childhood. Every time he looked up at the City Lord's Mansion, it was like looking up at a towering mountain. He hid his intelligence, secretly growing up in the shadows, relying on Sun Lingtong. He grew up twisted and twisted in the cracks, scheming and plotting with the adults. His life-risking schemes in the Lava Immortal Palace were his first all-out attack.

His resentment, suppressed for over a decade, finally erupted like a volcanic eruption, scorching his heart. This was a petty thief's struggle against his own misfortune!
In that instant, he seemed to see a young man in the Valley of Ten Thousand Medicines, repeatedly engaging in martial arts battles, truly making his debut before the public. The visceral combat made him genuinely feel "alive." He made new friends, including drinking buddies and female cultivators. Amidst their joyful drinking and conversation, their smiles were like flowers, open and honest. He saw a new life; he realized there was such a bright and beautiful future. Compared to it, Fire Persimmon Mountain seemed so stifling and gloomy.

The young man was beginning to show his talent and started living a different kind of life. He admired Linghu Jiu, thinking that he was the true gentleman.

In that instant, he saw again the magnificent battle in the Thousand Peaks Forest. He was a part of the Iron Flow Plain, as insignificant as a grain of sand, witnessing firsthand how countless mountains crumbled and collapsed under the onslaught of the enemy.

The battles that followed repeatedly placed him in perilous situations, like a hammer and a raging fire, relentlessly forging Ning Zhuo's sharpness and fierce edge. From Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, and from Mu Lan, he learned the heroism and bravery of a general. A man's courage arises from within.

In that instant, he saw the White Paper Immortal City, the battlefield of intertwined ghosts and spreading black clouds, and a young man with a resolute face, showing his initial talent, stepping forward to face a powerful enemy at the God Transformation level, a dignified king of a country!
The boy, however, never felt fear. He felt it was his destiny, an inescapable duty, to fulfill his mother's last wish and his own ambition, and bravely shouldered it. He was finally able to confidently proclaim that he was no longer a thief. He responded to his mother's expectations with the glory of a hero.

just now.

At this moment.

He arrived at the Myriad Manifestations Sect, his mother's sect. Ning Zhuo had an innate fondness for this place. He made friends here, all sorts of people, and also gained enemies, each with their own unique style and skills.

"I am no longer so weak."

"I now have three choices. I no longer have to choose only to endure!"

"So, what should I choose?"

"Or to put it another way, how am I supposed to live?!"

The big-headed boy asked himself this question in his heart.

Scenes from the past replayed in his mind, faster and faster, like a fleeting glance.

These were no longer just fragments of memories; they were like sparks, constantly accumulating in Ning Zhuo's eyes, and then igniting his gaze.

Ning Zhuo's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

Like stars ablaze!
His emotions surged, gradually transforming into a mighty, unstoppable torrent, like the iron torrent across the plains of Qianfenglin, sweeping away all hesitation and fear!
Those fallen mountains are all shadows of the past.

The boy, who had survived in the shadows for over a decade, has now been completely transformed.

He stood tall and proud, facing the unknown and the challenges. He longed to be like a star streaking across the sky, shining brightly without fear of damage, burning with passion, and illuminating a path that belonged to him!

Then let it light up.

Then let it shine!

This is precisely—

Hidden in the alley for twenty years, his sharp edge has been honed by the cold; the molten lava and scorching waves have transformed into a dragon pool.

A thousand peaks forged my indomitable spirit, ten thousand medicines cleansed my heart and washed away old scars.

On white paper, a sharp blade tears through the demonic curtain; in green robes, blood stains testify to grand plans.

From this day forward, I will not conceal my lofty ambitions, but will ride my flying ship to traverse the nine heavens!
Having made his decision, Ning Zhuo slowly raised his head on the stone platform inside the Demon-Slaying Hall formation.

Everyone's attention was immediately drawn to it.

Then Ning Zhuo's gaze seemed to pierce through the high walls of the Hall of Exorcising Evil, and was cast toward a distant and indistinct place.

His face was somber, calm yet carrying a certain resoluteness.

He spoke, his voice not loud, but each word carried the weight of the soul, clearly piercing the hearts of everyone present: "What is there to cherish in this life?"

Everyone was startled.

Ning Zhuo looked directly into the deep eyes of the Golden Core Elder and said, word by word, "If this crippled body can still be transformed into a spark to hinder the demonic calamity for a moment and protect the plants behind me for a breath... that would be enough."

"A stain on my reputation? Compared to the countless paths to survival behind me, compared to the peace of mind in my heart... they're nothing but rubble!"

"What is there to regret? What is there to fear!"

hiss……

A collective gasp filled the air.

The elderly cultivator's eyes widened in surprise, almost bursting out of his head.

His eyes shone as he stared at Ning Zhuo, exclaiming in his heart, "A seed of righteousness! This is a true seed of righteousness!"

The detection methods yielded no results, which shows that Ning Zhuo's words came from the heart.

This made the elderly monk genuinely happy.

The other high-level cultivators were also filled with admiration.

"So many years have passed, so many years have gone by, and finally someone has appeared who has passed the three questions of the heart."

"Actually, there have been some in previous years, but there really isn't one as young and promising as the cultivator before us!"

"This is extremely rare! It is said that the Hall Master Zhong Dao was the same way back then, dedicating himself to upholding justice in the world at a young age!"

"Perhaps what I am witnessing today is a moment in history."

The elderly cultivator took a deep breath, trying to steady his expression, and used his divine sense to communicate with the others: "What do you all think? Does this boy deserve first place?"

Someone immediately countered, "If such outstanding juniors can't get first place, who else is qualified?"

Someone else impatiently exclaimed, "He deserves first place!"

"agree."

"agree."

"totally agree!"

No one objected.

The elderly cultivator nodded slightly, took out a token, and handed it to Ning Zhuo: "Good young man, you passed. Congratulations on winning first place."

Ning Zhuo nodded and immediately bowed to express his gratitude.

The elderly cultivator continued, "As the top performer, you will receive the highest reward for passing the Xingyun Trial of my Zhuxie Hall."

As he spoke, the old cultivator solemnly took out a treasure.

Many eyes were drawn to this treasure; it was so magnificent and dazzling that it attracted everyone's attention.

This is a small, exquisite pagoda, held in the palm of an elderly cultivator.

It is based on the lotus platform with good leaves, the platform is blue-gold in color, and the lotus petals are layered like layers of jade waves.

The pagoda is made of Thousand Buddha Formless Glass, its entire body as clear as ice crystal. When the external light shines on it, golden light surges across the pagoda—eight hundred Arhat statues emerge from the depths of the glass, some forming the mudra to subdue demons, others holding the stupa containing relics, their Buddhist spirit surging.

At the top of the tower is a bead, full and round, alternating in two colors. When white, it reveals a Sanskrit wheel, radiating light of merit. When black, it manifests the sharp teeth of a Rakshasa, capable of gnawing at sinful souls. This is the Dharani Bead of Cause and Effect!
The elderly cultivator introduced Ning Zhuo: "Since you want to join the Myriad Manifestations Sect, you should know that our sect has a treasure called the Merit Pagoda."

"This treasure can distinguish between good and evil and suppress destiny. It has been managed by the head of the Exorcising Evil Hall throughout the ages."

"This small tower is a replica of the Merit Pagoda. Due to the meticulous selection of materials, it has reached the level of a magic weapon and is suitable for Golden Core cultivators."

"Although you are a cultivator in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, you can still use it with difficulty."

"It can detect merits and sins, and also has some power to guard one's personal fortune."

A magnificent pagoda of merit!
Ning Zhuo was well aware that this was one of the foundations of the Myriad Manifestations Sect.

Super sects, families, and cultivation kingdoms inevitably possess powerful treasures for suppressing their fortune. The Pagoda of Merit is one of the Myriad Manifestations Sect's treasures for suppressing fortune. Ning Zhuo was not surprised that the elderly cultivator took out the Pagoda of Merit.

Because any cultivator who passes the Demon-Slaying Hall's Cloud-Rising Trial will obtain such a treasure. However, what they gain is the Merit Pagoda, a magical artifact.

Only the top-ranked player receives a reward of the highest caliber.

Ning Zhuo chose the Demon-Slaying Hall because he knew it distributed merit-based pagodas. However, after actually trying it, the results he obtained far exceeded his expectations.

Having a magic treasure-level item is naturally better than a magic tool-level item. Ning Zhuo presented the small pagoda with both hands and bowed again in gratitude.

The elderly cultivator specifically instructed that in a while, the Demon Extermination Hall would be holding different Cloud Rising Trials, and told Ning Zhuo that if he was interested, he could come and participate.

He genuinely thought highly of Ning Zhuo, but he was a very upright person. Even after giving away the magic weapon, he didn't force Ning Zhuo to sign any contract.

Ning Zhuo immediately suggested that they exchange magical energy and communicate via telepathy.

This brought a smile to the old cultivator's face.

After exchanging names and absorbing each other's magical energy, Ning Zhuo said, "Senior Cang, I am new here, but because I possess a magical artifact, I have unwittingly attracted the covetousness of a demonic cultivator. Unfortunately, this person has a powerful background, and although I have already repelled his subordinates, I am powerless against him."

The elderly cultivator surnamed Cang frowned immediately and asked, "Who is this person?"

Ning Zhuo sighed, revealing a helpless and troubled expression: "His name is Ban Ji, he is a member of the Ban family, but he has gone astray."

The old man surnamed Cang frowned even deeper, carefully choosing his words as he said, "This is the rule of our Myriad Manifestations Sect, which has always been inclusive. Therefore, even those from the demonic path and evil cultivators are qualified to join. Of course, once they become disciples of the Myriad Manifestations Sect, they must restrain themselves and act in accordance with the righteous path from now on."

"This is also a wonderful way to uphold justice and help others reform their ways."

"Why is Feiyun Kingdom peaceful and tranquil, unlike most cultivation kingdoms? A big reason for this is that every time my Wanxiang Sect recruits new members on a large scale, I can extract elites from other factions and transform them into members of the righteous path."

"From what I've heard about your experience, it seems that Banji does indeed have the habits of a demonic cultivator, but he hasn't actually violated the rules of my Myriad Manifestations Sect."

"Such troubles can be seen as a kind of tempering on the path."

Seeing the disappointment on Ning Zhuo's face, the old man changed his tone: "Of course, if you can officially become a member of my Demon Extermination Hall, then Ban Ji will surely give in on his own."

"If he continues to cause you trouble, it's tantamount to causing trouble for my Demon-Slaying Hall. Do you understand?"

Ning Zhuo quickly bowed and said, "This junior understands, thank you for your guidance, senior!"

Thus, Ning Zhuo bid farewell to the old man surnamed Cang and, under the watchful eyes of many cultivators, drifted away.

Watching his departing figure, the old man surnamed Cang communicated with him telepathically and gave the order: "Investigate what Ning Zhuo just said."

He wouldn't act until he had thoroughly investigated the matter. The old man surnamed Cang had seen far too much cunning and conspiracy.

Ning Zhuo was not disappointed that he had not been able to persuade the Zhuxie Hall to help him.

The old man surnamed Cang's reaction was exactly what he had expected.

“From the moment I leave, the Demon Extermination Hall will begin a thorough investigation into me.”

"hehe."

"Let them investigate."

"If it's discovered that I'm Meng Yaoyin's son, what will Zhong Daohui do?"

According to Ning Zhuo's estimation, Zhong Dao is very likely to become an obstacle for the sect's higher-ups to take action against him.

Of course, Ning Zhuo couldn't be sure.

After all, the interests involved in the White Paper Immortal City matter are far too enormous.

"Would Zhong Dao compromise in the face of the sect's enormous interests?" Faced with this crucial question, Ning Zhuo had no way to answer.

His understanding of Zhong Dao was limited to information that could be purchased on the market; he had never personally contacted Zhong Dao, so he was not entirely confident.

Ning Zhuo had the idea of ​​drawing strength from Zhong Dao after reviewing the intelligence for the first time.

It wasn't until Ning Zhuo faced the third question on the stone platform that he made his decision.

Once the decision was made, Ning Zhuo no longer hesitated.

After leaving the Demon Extermination Hall, he immediately found the nearest registration location.

Even after so many days, the number of monks queuing to register here is still very large and the lines are still long.

Ning Zhuo, familiar with the route, walked straight up to the cultivator.

"Hey, you big-headed one, get in line at the back!" A cultivator shouted as Ning Zhuo walked to the front.

The cultivator in charge of registration was drawn to Ning Zhuo's work. Seeing that Ning Zhuo was not someone he knew, he was about to ask when Ning Zhuo produced the certificate for being first in the three times.

“I’m here to exchange the stone tablet,” Ning Zhuo said.

The cultivator in charge immediately changed his expression. At this critical moment, being able to produce three first-place certificates was enough to prove Ning Zhuo's excellence.

Moreover, this level of excellence places them among the most outstanding participants in this year's Feiyun Conference.

Realizing that Ning Zhuo had a bright future, the responsible cultivator immediately stood up, his face beaming with smiles: "Fellow Daoist, may I ask your name?"

Ning Zhuo replied.

The cultivator in charge smiled even more: "Fellow Daoist Ning Zhuo, please wait a moment while we verify the authenticity of the credentials."

"Let me try, let me try." His companion was already reaching out to take the certificate and take the test.

Several companions reached out together, and they almost started fighting.

Seeing this, the cultivators who were queuing up behind Ning Zhuo to register fell silent.

The audience was silent.

The three monks in charge of the test acted quickly, responding almost simultaneously: "It's true."

The cultivator facing Ning Zhuo burst into laughter, took out a stone tablet, and replaced the wooden tablet that Ning Zhuo handed over: "Fellow Daoist Ning Zhuo, congratulations, but there is one last small matter. After receiving the stone tablet, the sect should record more information about the cultivator."

“Oh, I know. What do you want to ask?” Ning Zhuo asked.

The cultivator in charge quickly replied, "We need to record your cultivation technique and your current cultivation level."

Ning Zhuo was prepared and immediately replied, "The Five Elements Qi Law Formula is currently in the mid-Foundation Building stage, in the stage of extraordinary phenomena and seed symbols."

The cultivator in charge quickly recorded it in the jade slip: "I see, thank you, fellow Daoist, I have noted it down."

“Fellow Daoist Ning Zhuo, this is my magical aura. If you wish to exchange for a token, you are welcome to come here. I will certainly handle these trivial matters for you as quickly as possible.”

His companions immediately cast envious glances at him.

The cultivators who accept such missions are basically at the grassroots level of the Myriad Manifestations Sect. If they can get to know someone like Ning Zhuo, it is a great honor for them, and it may even change their destiny.

Ning Zhuo smiled and accepted the magical energy from the cultivator, but did not reciprocate by giving his own magical energy to the cultivator.

This simple action immediately drew even more envious and jealous glances from the responsible cultivator.

The person involved was all smiles, overjoyed!
"Fellow Daoist Ning Zhuo, please take care." Finally, with the respectful farewell of the cultivator in charge, Ning Zhuo leisurely left the nameless little mountain where he had registered.

On the way back to the Green Stone Cave, Ning Zhuo remained expressionless, but his eyes held a glint in them.

He knew that his actions would inevitably have many consequences.

Information about him will be taken seriously by many interested people, who will actively seek it out.

"Then come on."

(End of this chapter)