Chapter 31: I Don't Want to Be on the List

## Lava Immortal Palace

**Preparation Chamber**

Ning Zhuo scurried along, arriving before the five-sided stone pillar.

He noticed that each of the pillar's five faces bore a list: Qi Refining Ranking, Essence Refining Ranking, Spirit Refining Ranking, Trial Progress Ranking, and Dungeon Speedrun Ranking.

"Good heavens," he muttered, spotting his name on the Dungeon Speedrun Ranking, and him alone.

Ning Zhuo disregarded the hidden meanings of these rankings, and ignored why he was the only one listed. He only cared about one thing: how to get his name removed!

"The four major powers couldn't protect a Qi Refining prodigy; if I'm exposed, the consequences are unimaginable."

"The elders of the three sects set up these rankings, likely to increase competition, provide motivation, and encourage progress. But my weak frame can't handle such attention."

Ning Zhuo circled the five-sided pillar, which rotated as he moved.

The characters "Ning Zhuo" on the pillar were carved in relief, protruding outwards.

"Can I grind it off?"

Ning Zhuo jumped, but couldn't reach his name. He was the only one on the entire ranking, and as the first-place holder, his name was positioned the highest.

"Grappling Hoop!"

*Ding.*

A blue-purple, rhomboid prism shot into the ceiling, fusing with the roof, solid and secure.

His large head, encased in the wooden hoop, felt the interior spin, retracting a long, thin thread, pulling Ning Zhuo's body rapidly upwards.

Ning Zhuo's head tilted as he ascended, until he was level with his name.

He reached out, attempting to scrape off his name, but didn't even manage to produce a single stone chip.

The stone pillar was incredibly sturdy!

Ning Zhuo reviewed his skills. The only one he had, the Ice-Holding Art, was definitely useless, and there was no need to waste time and spiritual energy on it.

"I must, I must solve this problem!"

Knowing he couldn't rely on his own strength, Ning Zhuo, still suspended, tilted his head and surveyed his surroundings.

Only now did he truly begin to examine this unique chamber.

According to the information he received, this was the Preparation Chamber, different from Rooms One, Two, and Three.

Ning Zhuo saw that this was indeed the case.

The entire Preparation Chamber was square, a perfect rectangle.

The walls and ceiling were still made of copper, but it was blue copper.

Light emanated from an unknown source, casting a faint, azure glow throughout the room.

At the center of the Preparation Chamber stood the five-sided stone pillar. Along the walls were five or six mechanical platforms, adorned with a dazzling array of mechanical components. Several crafting tables were set up, equipped with a complete set of mechanical tools.

Seeing these facilities and tools, hope rekindled in Ning Zhuo's heart.

"Perhaps, I can use these tools to grind off my name."

Ning Zhuo manipulated the Grappling Hoop, lengthening the thread, allowing himself to descend to the ground once more.

He dragged the slender thread as he scurried towards a wall, reaching out to grab a torch hanging there.

The moment he touched the torch, a message entered his mind.

Using the torch required payment!

The specific charge was calculated based on the duration of use.

Ning Zhuo was momentarily stunned, suddenly understanding. "No wonder the spiritual stone rewards for passing the rooms are increasing!"

"In this trial, these spiritual stones aren't just a source of spiritual power, they're money too."

Agreeing to pay the fee in his mind, Ning Zhuo successfully retrieved the torch.

The torch was called a Brazing Torch, a common tool used in mechanical crafting.

Ning Zhuo, torch in hand, raced back towards the center of the Preparation Chamber.

After a few steps, he abruptly pushed off the ground, and cooperating with the wooden hoop, the slender thread retracted rapidly.

Ning Zhuo's neck crooked once more, and he was hoisted upwards again.

He swung in the air, using the momentum of his jump to return to the position level with his name.

Then, he extended the torch forward, channeling spiritual power into it.

The torch instantly ignited, the flame at its tip a duck-egg red.

Ning Zhuo increased the flow of spiritual power, and the flame immediately surged, like hair standing on end in anger. At the very tip of the flame, a bright, blue-purple color rapidly appeared.

Ning Zhuo aimed the tip of the flame at his name, burning it with all his might.

After a long while of scorching, there wasn't even a trace of burning on his name. It remained as conspicuous and outstanding as ever.

Ning Zhuo gritted his teeth, forced to give up.

The Grappling Hoop, clamped around his jaw, emitted a series of whirring sounds, lengthening the thread. Ning Zhuo descended once more.

When he ascended again, the Brazing Torch was gone, replaced by a short, stubby tool.

This was the Molar Demon-Sound File.

Made primarily from the canines of ferocious beasts, it emitted a piercing noise when spiritual power was channeled into it. The volume and range of the noise could be adjusted, making it useful for grinding in many situations.

Not only could it work on the exterior of an object, but because the noise could penetrate, it could also be used to make the interior of an object smooth and even.

Ning Zhuo attempted to use the Molar Demon-Sound File on his name.

Meanwhile…

**Lava Immortal Palace - Main Hall**

On the throne, the Dragon-Tortoise Fire Spirit yawned languidly.

The last exploration had brought it much amusement. Therefore, when the Dragon-Tortoise Fire Spirit noticed that Ning Zhuo's soul had recovered, it couldn't wait to draw his soul back in.

The Dragon-Tortoise Fire Spirit wanted to find amusement with Ning Zhuo once more.

Ning Zhuo's strange appearance, hanging from the Grappling Hoop in the second room during his second exploration of the Immortal Palace, as well as his pathetic beating at the hands of the Kung Fu Puppet, had all greatly amused the Dragon-Tortoise Fire Spirit.

But now, Ning Zhuo was refusing to move on, single-mindedly trying to grind off his name. This made the Dragon-Tortoise Fire Spirit feel incredibly bored.

It directly transmitted a message: "Do not damage the Ranking Stone Pillar!"

Ning Zhuo paused slightly upon receiving the message.

Before, he might have stopped.

But the matter of his name was too important; Ning Zhuo would never give up like this.

He gritted his teeth inwardly, and continued to file at his name with the Demon-Sound File.

The Dragon-Tortoise Fire Spirit scoffed, spitting out a spark of fire in annoyance.

In the next moment, it directly manipulated the Divine Power of Human-Life Hanging Thread.

Instantly, Ning Zhuo was unable to move.

After a breath's time, he regained his mobility, forced to stop.

Looking at his name once more, the two large characters of "Ning Zhuo" remained as conspicuous and outstanding as ever.

"What am I going to do?" A feeling of despair began to creep into Ning Zhuo's heart.

"No, I can't give up like this."

This time, when Ning Zhuo landed, he no longer reached for small tools.

He set his sights on the platforms.

The platforms were in all shapes and sizes.

Ning Zhuo walked past the Exercise Balance Bed, the Array Pattern Carving Table, and jumped over the Spiritual Power Compression Bed, the White Tiger Blade-Opening Wheel, finally arriving before the Thousand-Catty Heavy Hammer Seat.

"The Lava Immortal Palace's control over me is instantaneous."

"If I set up a simple mechanism, I can cause the hammer to strike the stone pillar with just the initial press!"

A clever idea immediately sprang to Ning Zhuo's mind.

He began to busy himself, first selecting mechanical components, then dragging out the Thousand-Catty Heavy Hammer platform, gradually constructing a catapult.