Chapter 49: Accepting the Award, Apologizing

Ning Zuo stood before the five stone pillars, his palm touching the surface, immediately receiving a torrent of information.

He was claiming the rewards for topping the Qi Refining Rankings, the Speedrun Rankings, and the Progress Rankings!

The rewards remained the same trinity: spirit stones, mechanical components, and arcane arts, from which Ning Zuo must choose.

"The spirit stone option for each reward is a hundred stones!" Ning Zuo was inwardly shaken.

His previous highest reward for clearing a room was a mere ten spirit stones.

A hundred spirit stones, a full tenfold increase!

Ning Zuo immediately decided to take the spirit stone reward at least once.

He had previously used many items from the Supply Room to set up his traps. The Myriad Buddha Heart Demon Seal wouldn't allow them to be used for free; these were all chargeable expenses.

As he set up more and more ingenious traps, Ning Zuo's spirit stones were starting to run dry.

With a sudden influx of one hundred spirit stones, Ning Zuo would basically have no more worries.

The mechanical components had a dozen options, including "Hanging Rings," "Returning Silk Springs," and "Small Flying Crates."

The arcane arts also featured familiar faces, such as the "Embrace Ice Art," the "Grasp Fire Art," and the "Grafting Art."

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was also observing Ning Zuo, and seeing the latter standing before the rankings in deep thought, a trace of nervousness appeared on its face.

Without a second thought, Ning Zuo began to sense the Myriad Buddha Heart Demon Seal.

However, to his dismay, he discovered that he couldn't choose more than one reward from the rankings; he could only select one.

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit, seeing Ning Zuo's failed attempt, grunted in response, still appearing anxious.

"Strange," Ning Zuo muttered, sensing something amiss.

"A bit peculiar indeed."

The youth was adept at noticing details.

"Each first-place reward is essentially the same, offering me a choice of three."

"But the value of these three options is not equivalent."

"The spirit stone option offers a whopping one hundred stones, while the other two options remain the same as previous clear rewards."

"I've used most of these rewards before; I practically have all the arcane arts."

"The superiors of the Three Sects shouldn't make such a mistake... which means the other two rewards are actually worth much more than they appear."

"I'll try them all!"

Ning Zuo reached a conclusion after considering the possibilities.

He had three opportunities to claim rewards, so he chose each option once.

One hundred spirit stones, genuine and substantial.

For the mechanical component, he chose the "Hanging Rings."

Finally, for the arcane art, Ning Zuo selected a technique he hadn't yet mastered: the "Gather Metal Art."

In the next moment, the information about the art flooded his mind.

Ning Zuo was deeply moved!

The Gather Metal Art was a technique that allowed one to draw metal and condense it between one's fingers.

This alone was not enough to stir Ning Zuo's emotions.

More importantly, along with the arcane art's information came a wealth of cultivation insights.

Although Ning Zuo had just obtained the Gather Metal Art, thanks to these cultivation experiences, he instantly became someone who had practiced the Gather Metal Art for two and a half years!

"An enlightenment technique? Transferring the cultivation experience of predecessors to their successors?"

"Impressive, truly impressive."

"With this, I can save so much time and effort."

Ning Zuo rejoiced inwardly.

His background couldn't compare to Meng Chong and the others, and now he could only rely on the rewards from the rankings to greatly mitigate some of their advantages.

After testing the arcane art reward, Ning Zuo carefully examined the mechanical component, the "Hanging Rings."

But he found no difference from the previous clear rewards.

However, Ning Zuo already had a new guess, waiting to be verified in the future.

Once the time limit was up, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit couldn't wait to pull Meng Chong into the Immortal Palace.

In the door rewards, Meng Chong chose the mechanical component this time.

He stared at the "Hanging Rings" in his hand, puzzled. "How do you use this thing?"

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit gritted its teeth and conveyed the information, even telling Meng Chong the usage method and the mechanical blueprints.

In an instant, two fire whips materialized in the main hall, lashing out at the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit!

*Snap! Snap! Snap!*

For a moment, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit clenched its dragon claws, enduring the whipping with gritted teeth, its body trembling in pain, its face contorted.

Meng Chong received the information and suddenly understood: "So that's how you use it."

He frowned again, as he didn't really like such gadgets; he preferred to charge straight ahead.

This time, he carefully opened the door a crack.

After thinking for a moment, he held the Hanging Rings and shot a blue-purple crystal towards a certain direction.

The crystal quickly fused with the wall, becoming one with it.

Meng Chong controlled the Hanging Rings, and the slender rope immediately tightened.

"Use the rope to accelerate, and charge through in one go!" Meng Chong sensed himself and activated his Superior Talent, Lightning Rush.

In the next moment, his whole body crackled with electricity.

As the thin rope suddenly retracted, he pushed the door open with force, running with all his might.

With a *snap*, the electric light blazed fiercely!

His speed exploded to its peak in an instant.

He was almost like a lightning bolt, about to tear through the air, about to zoom away.

But in the next moment, a huge fishing net flipped up from under the floor tiles, completely covering Meng Chong.

Each strand of the fishing net was made of Returning Silk Springs! This gave the net extremely high elasticity and toughness.

The fishing net was stretched very long, like a stretched bowstring.

Meng Chong's speed plummeted, and within a few breaths, his momentum was completely lost.

He was like a bullet, shot back hard by the retracted fishing net!

*Thwack!*

With a crisp sound, his entire body slammed into the closed door.

He shattered on the spot.

*Boom!*

In the next moment, a huge Thousand-Jin Hammer platform crashed down from above.

Meng Chong... was crushed.

Meng Chong, regaining consciousness, roared in anger.

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit also clapped its hands angrily, showing an expression of rage.

In the dungeon.

Han Ming slowly raised her head, looking at the familiar Childlike Visitor once again. Her face was gaunt, and she was filled with numbness, as if she were about to shatter.

How many times had her soul essence been extracted?

She couldn't remember.

Because there were several times when she was unconscious.

She no longer cursed and reviled Ning Zuo, partly because she had no strength left, her physical condition was too poor, and partly because she had completely recognized reality.

Reality was so cruel, extinguishing the arrogance in her heart, and she began to rack her brains, pondering how to survive.

"No, don't control me anymore, I'll help you."

"I'll actively extract soul essence and transfer it to you."

The Childlike Visitor Ning Zuo was slightly stunned, then nodded: "You've finally figured it out, Han Ming, that's very good. I'm happy for you."

Anger arose again in Han Ming's heart, but she suppressed it: "Please give me the Soul-Reaping Shuttle, and loosen the seal on the chains a little."

Ning Zuo smiled: "No rush, let's have something to eat first."

He directed a dozen little puppets to feed Han Ming together. Some sat on her shoulder, holding long spoons, feeding Han Ming soup. Some stepped on Han Ming's chest, holding up chicken legs, pig trotters, and the like. Some held chopsticks in both hands, working together in pairs, picking vegetables to feed Han Ming.

After Han Ming finished a sumptuous meal, a little puppet held up a handkerchief, hanging it down from the top of Han Ming's head, along her hair, and hanging it to Han Ming's mouth, doing high-altitude work, wiping Han Ming's mouth.

Finally, three little puppets each held different fruits, feeding them to Han Ming as an after-dinner dessert.