nycdaug Chapter 321 Anyone who gets in the way will be eliminated.
Chapter 321 Anyone who gets in the way will be eliminated.
Xu Ning picked up a large piece of tender sea bass and placed it on the plate in front of Shen He, and then picked up a few shredded ham and eggs for Ning Guang.
Only then did he ask, "What preparations have you made for the materials for the Jade Pavilion this time?"
Shen He gently arranged the fish meat with his chopsticks and said calmly, "The talisman master has already prepared it, and the blueprint for the Thousand Wonders core is also available. However, it will take some time to collect materials and complete the production."
"To prevent anyone from getting there first, I plan to keep watch near Yujingtai and eliminate all those who come to submit materials. I'll use their materials to forge the core, and with these two things, victory will be assured. As for the Floating Life Stone, I'll eliminate whoever ranks highest..."
These words left everyone looking at each other in bewilderment.
Belial suddenly laughed. "This really reminds me of someone I know."
You're talking about yourself, aren't you?
Xu Ning muttered a curse to himself, then said to Shen He with a wry smile, "If it were according to your plan, you should have killed me first."
Seeing Shen He looking at him with some confusion, Xu Ning gently tapped his Dust Concealment Gourd, "Because I am the largest supplier of Floating Life Stones."
Shen He nodded. "I see. With Xu Ning cooperating with me, we're bound to win."
Xu Ning comforted Shen He, saying, "We are the biggest initiators, competitors, and referees in this competition, so we are bound to win. As for you, Shen He, you rarely saw True Lord Xiaoyue Zhuyang when you were on the mountain, right?"
Shen He looked at Xu Ning, "Why did you ask about this?"
Xu Ning scratched his head, unsure of what to say.
You can't just ask directly, "Who helped you establish such a concise and effective way of doing things?"
At least one thing is certain: it definitely wasn't taught by that kind-hearted old man, True Monarch of Moon-Shaving and Sun-Building.
"When I first arrived at Jueyun, Master Liuyun was so engrossed in studying mechanical arts that he would often disappear for days at a time. So, at that time, it was mostly True Lord Lishan Dieshui who took care of me. However, later, Master Liuyun complained that he didn't cook for me, so he took me with him."
Ningguang had naturally heard Xu Ning mention Shen He's visit to the mountain.
However, Ningguang never expected that she wouldn't even be able to get a meal at the immortal's residence.
Ningguang couldn't help but ask, "Didn't that True Lord of Lishan Dieshui cook for you? What did you usually eat?"
"People usually gather wild fruits and herbs to fill their stomachs. Jueyun Mountain is rarely visited by people, and its produce is quite abundant."
Xu Ning was furious.
No wonder Shen He said his cooking was delicious. It turns out he hadn't had a proper meal in that godforsaken place. I went there several times and didn't even realize it. I thought Shen He just liked eating those damn herbs.
Considering that woman was a glutton, how could she possibly have trained a disciple who was so detached from worldly affairs? It turns out the root of the problem lay in the Lishui Dieshan area.
"After your Master Liuyun found out about this, didn't he take a spear and pierce it through?"
Shen He nodded slightly, "Master Liuyun was indeed very angry at the time and had a big argument with True Monarch Lishui Dieshan. However, True Monarch Lishui Dieshan said that this was how he trained Senior Sister Ganyu back then."
Xu Ning and Ning Guang were speechless. They really didn't know how to evaluate this True Lord of Water and Mountain. After all, how could raising a little girl be compared to raising an auspicious beast?
With this in mind, Xu Ning and Ning Guang intentionally or unintentionally served Shen He some delicious dishes.
Shen He had barely eaten anything since coming down the mountain, accepting almost anything offered and consuming at least two portions of food.
This undoubtedly made Master Mao, who was standing to the side, very happy, and he repeatedly exclaimed that his skills were still sharp.
When Shen He said to him before leaving, "The food was very good, I really liked it," Master Mao was so happy that he refused to accept the Mora.
Xu Ning's original intention was to take Shen He to Liyue Harbor for a few days, and also to ask Belial if he was comfortable living in Liyue Harbor.
Unexpectedly, Shen He suddenly spoke up: "Before I came here, I heard my master mutter to himself that you are living in a treasure mountain without realizing it. The cave of the Minghai Qixia True Lord is in Tianheng, where the largest floating stone in Liyue is kept."
"Oh, I wonder if that True Lord Minghai Qixia would be willing to part with his collection?" Ningguang asked with delight.
Shen He recalled his master's words and said, "According to my master, the Nagai Qixia True Lord was a very magnanimous immortal, and he has been gone for a long time."
Ningguang was taken aback, then felt somewhat apologetic. "No wonder I didn't read this True Lord's name in those files."
Xu Ning thought for a moment, "Let's go take a look. At least we should know where this treasure mountain is, right?"
When Xu Ning followed closely behind Shen He and arrived at the two huge stone statues on Tianheng Mountain, he couldn't help but look at Shen He with an inquiring gaze.
"When I found out we were here, my reaction was almost exactly the same as yours. It felt like we had gone through a cycle of reincarnation here."
Xu Ning nodded and sighed, "It really does look like it."
For the rest of the journey, Xu Ning acted like a competent tour guide, introducing Ningguang and Belial to the Demon God Cave where he and Shen He had fought together, and the ruins of the Ancient Hua Sect on the mountaintop.
He kicked the four ice elemental slimes that were bouncing around on the mountain down one by one, then turned to Shen He and smiled, "I can only take you this far. The rest of the journey is up to you."
Shen He nodded and walked to the spot where the water flowed down from the pool at the top of the mountain.
There, spring water overflowing from the mountaintop pool flows down between two rock crevices, forming two twin waterfalls standing side by side.
Shen He lightly leaped down from the gap in the flowing water on his right.
This startled Belial and Ningguang. The two hurriedly ran to the edge of the cliff, only to see Shen He standing in a hollow in the mountain, waving at them.
Xu Ning was not alarmed; he knew there was a valley there.
After all, because there was a ravine there, he always kicked it towards the other side to prevent the slime from possibly falling there.
But Xu Ning never imagined that there was a portal behind the waterfall.
This is quite an irony for Xu Ning, who has seriously read a certain classic work.
The group followed Shen He's example and jumped down into the ravine. Then they saw Shen He casually draw a talisman in mid-air and press it onto the waterfall. From that position upwards, the waterfall was instantly frozen into ice.
Shen He casually smashed the icicles in front of him, broke the weak barrier attached to the door, and then led the others into the cave.
"Wow, it's clear that this Narumi Qixia True Lord has a very strong belief in collecting mechanical artifacts."
Xu Ning approached a large lump of iron and kicked it a few times in the face.
Then, a burst of red light suddenly shone brightly.
Xu Ning took two steps back.
"The Venerable Minghai Qixia has been gone for a long time, so how come the ruins here still contain so much energy?"
Moreover, it wasn't just Xu Ning's side whose eyes lit up; in the center of the faint sea of clouds, near the core of the ancient formation...
Just as Shen He was about to investigate the function of the core of this ancient formation, a huge fist suddenly burst out from the clouds and directly smashed into Shen He's head.
"I don't get the feeling that the Nagai Qixia True Lord you're describing isn't the magnanimous person your master described."
Xu Ning dodged the impact of the giant palms with a quick movement, and with a wave of his hand, a stream of water carrying purple light wrapped around the machine.
As the chaotic machine collapsed into the sea of clouds, the ruins guardian, frozen solid into a block of ice on the other side, was also destroyed.
Shen He walked to the core of the ancient formation, took a look, and then he had the answer to his question.
"It seems that the core of this ancient formation is partly for maintaining the stability of the entire cloud sea, and partly for constantly generating electrical charges that are transferred between the two mechs. That's why this situation has occurred."
"Once we destroy this core completely, we will be able to enter the lower space."
Xu Ning nodded, indicating that Shen He could make a move at any time.
If I'm not mistaken, this cave is located inside the mountain, with no space to expand horizontally. So, if we want to open up new space, we have no choice but to continue digging downwards.
Without the protection of the ruins' guardians, the core of the ancient formation couldn't even last two seconds under Shen He's attack.
Having prepared themselves mentally, the group showed no panic when they reached the second level.
Upon landing, they immediately set off to search for potential enemies in their respective directions.
After opening the two downward portals, a dark cave finally appeared before them.
"Based on the distance, we should be right at the foot of the mountain now. The immortals are quite good at hiding things. We took the Mingxia Floating Stone, and stepped out of the cave into flat ground. It's perfect."
Xu Ning, holding the gourd, took the lead and approached to examine it. On the stone platform in the cave was a stone that had been completely removed, which was exactly what they wanted to obtain here: the Mingxia Floating Life Stone.
"This is really beyond my expectations."
Xu Ning smiled wryly, bent two knuckles and tapped the bottom of the rock. "I think it will be difficult to put this into the cave. How to take it away is the problem. After all, it's rare to form such a large piece of floating life stone. It would be a pity to break it again."
Shen He walked over from the side and said, "Just move it."
Xu Ning murmured, "This must weigh over a thousand pounds."
Shen He reached out and gently lifted the stone, and a series of echoing sounds immediately reverberated throughout the cave.
"Fortunately, this weight isn't beyond my limit. I'll carry it to the construction site first, and you can come over later!"
Xu Ning watched as Shen He picked up the entire floating stone, as absurdly as a child grabbing a large piece of foam board.
"Today is destined to be a day that will shock ordinary people at the construction site of Qunyu Pavilion."
"Heh, Zhicheng, you've really gone through a lot. How much did you go to acquire so many Floating Life Stones?"
A wealthy businessman dressed in fine clothes stood beside the construction site of Qunyu Pavilion, smiling as he looked at the box that the young man named Zhicheng was carrying.
"Laugh if you want to. I know you have connections. Just remember to help your brothers out when you get the benefits."
The wealthy businessman named Hongfei laughed and said, "Of course, of course!"
The two stood at the edge of the construction site, chatting idly, waiting for Ningguang's accountant to come and take inventory.
"Am I drunk? Is there a rock moving over there?"
Zhihua rubbed his eyes in disbelief. This was the first time in his life he had ever seen a stone walk on its own.
Then Hongfei saw the celestial-like figure below.
"This...this is the Mingxia Floating Life Stone? How could there still be such a large floating life stone now? And how could that girl have moved such a heavy stone?"
This unusual sight attracted almost everyone on the construction site to come and see.
Upon receiving the message, Bai Xiao rushed over immediately. After seeing the person's appearance and hair color, he immediately compared it with the information he had received during the day.
"Miss Shen He, thank you for your hard work. Please place it in the lower left corner of the Qunyu Pavilion."
With a loud bang, the floating stone fell to the ground.
Shen He put down the large stone, stretched his shoulders slightly, and asked Bai Xiao, "Anyone who has delivered the Floating Life Stone now has a record that surpasses mine?"
Bai Shi immediately shook his head and said, "No, and Lord Ning Guang himself said that the Floating Life Stone was mined out a long time ago. It is almost impossible to find a Mingxia Floating Life Stone that is so complete and so large now."
When Ningguang and Xu Ning arrived, Ningguang immediately announced that Shen He would win the opportunity to compete for the Mingxia Floating Stone in this materials competition.
"However, the future scale of Qunyu Pavilion will certainly not stop here. Therefore, I can still continue to accept the materials brought by everyone at the highest price."
Ningguang's words at least guaranteed that everyone who was searching for materials for her would not have their initial investment go to waste due to the failure of the competition, which immediately won unanimous praise from everyone present.
Hongfei, Zhining, and the others can still sell the floating stones they have collected to Lord Tianquan.
Ningguang's move was tantamount to declaring to everyone that anyone who is willing to follow me and work for me will never stumble in the business world.
"These are talismans made by my master. I'll give them to you first. All that's left is to forge the Thousand Wonders Core."
Shen He handed Ning Guang several talismans from his pocket, then asked Xu Ning, "Who is the best craftsman in the city?"
Xu Ning took a sip of wine, thought for a moment, and said, "It should be Old Zhang. His weapon-making skills are quite good, but I don't know if he's equally skilled at anything else."
Shen He said, "Let's go ask together. I have some blueprints here, so it shouldn't be too difficult."
Xu Ning turned his gaze to Ning Guang, who immediately responded.
"You and Miss Shenhe go ahead. I have the materials and need to speed things up. Come find me again tonight."
Although Ningguang spoke frankly in her last sentence, Xu Ning still saw a hint of shyness in her eyes.
Xu Ning smiled and said, "Okay, maybe everything will be ready by tonight."
Xu Ning then turned to Belial and said with a hint of apology, "I'm really sorry for taking you around on errands as soon as I got back."
Belial shook his head and smiled, "I'm actually quite happy to be of help. And seeing Miss Shen He's fighting style just now gave me some additional inspiration. May I go to the Dust-Hidden Cave to take another look at that piece of ice?"