Chapter 573: Void Tide Sound

To raise an army...Attaching oneself to an existing cultivating nation resolves this easily.For Ning Zhuo to start from scratch and build an army would incur a substantial cost. He would have to solve issues of military registration, discipline, authority, structure, and morale himself."Even if I were to endure untold hardships to build an army, the cost of maintaining it thereafter would be colossal.""This path is not suited for me.""Therefore, a better choice is to focus on elite puppets, such as Yuan Dasheng and Meng Yehu."

The Heavily Armored Blood Ape - Dasheng is clearly outdated.The primary purpose of this automaton battle puppet's design was actually to assist Ning Zhuo in cultivating the Demonic Infestation Blood Vessel Art. Its exceptional defense was a result of Ning Zhuo sparing no expense at the time, leveraging various forces, and employing a large number of precious treasures to construct it.In terms of design alone, it is merely of a low-to-mid tier.On the battlefields of the Two Zhu States, the Heavily Armored Blood Ape - Dasheng was reduced to a mere target, struggling to even attract fire. It ended up scrapped almost every time it was deployed in battle, a high-grade cannon fodder, one might say.There was no alternative; in conflicts of this magnitude, the materials of the Heavily Armored Blood Ape - Dasheng appeared frail.As for the Shadow Blade - Yehu, it repeatedly achieved military merits. After all, its design scheme was far superior to that of the Heavily Armored Blood Ape - Dasheng.Its differing positioning also made it easier to achieve meritorious deeds.However, its deficiency lay in its materials not being of sufficient quality.

"I need to redesign a new automaton body for Yuan Dasheng. This time, I must deliberate thoroughly, striving for a design of top-tier quality.""Meng Yehu's design can be retained. Taking advantage of this opportunity for extensive repairs after its destruction, I can replace its materials with better ones during construction."Ning Zhuo quickly finalized his plans for Yuan Dasheng and Meng Yehu.Although he had accumulated many military merits without exchanging them, he still possessed a wealth of precious materials.The reason for this was the Heavenly Ghost.Under the saturation of Buddhist thought, the Heavenly Ghost voluntarily gifted Ning Zhuo almost its entire fortune.This powerful Ghost Cultivator True Monarch had long been renowned throughout the nations, possessing a substantial fortune.Even though the main materials were related to ghost arts and soul cultivation, there were still many conventional treasures of the Nascent Soul level that could be used for Yuan Dasheng and Meng Yehu.However, even after formulating the plan, Ning Zhuo first restored both the Heavily Armored Blood Ape - Dasheng and the Shadow Blade - Yehu to their original appearances.Relying on the Nascent Soul-level automaton foundation, even though these two automata were scrapped, they could still be quickly reshaped.Having experienced the great war between the Two Zhu States, Ning Zhuo's changes were immense, especially in terms of being prepared for danger in times of peace.He would rather spend a little more wealth to quickly repair Yuan Dasheng and Meng Yehu, ensuring his own combat strength.Who knew if an accident would occur in the next moment, and if that accident would be fatal?With these two battle puppets restored, Ning Zhuo gained two great Golden Core-level combat powers to rely on, and his heart felt much more at ease.As for those ordinary automaton puppets, Ning Zhuo did not create any.His military position would likely be revoked soon, and the organization of his automaton army would also be abolished.Under such circumstances, if he were to display so many automaton puppets, it would be like a Beast Taming cultivator summoning a large horde of demon pets.Ning Zhuo's military strategy of Resilient Warriors Returning would be difficult to employ effectively.Therefore, even using these automaton puppets as cannon fodder became an extremely uneconomical endeavor.

"What follows will not be a large-scale war.""When I face conflict, it will primarily be against powerful individuals. These automaton puppets are too ordinary; deploying them would easily allow powerful individuals to break through and implement decapitation tactics against me.""Aside from taxing my divine sense to control these puppets, they possess almost no offensive capability."Pragmatic and flexible, Ning Zhuo immediately adjusted the main direction of his automaton crafting, shifting from the previous focus on scale and quantity to creating elite individuals, striving for a higher standard in terms of quality.

Ning Zhuo placed his next重點on the Hundred-Armed Arhat Armor.This magic treasure-level automaton battle armor performed quite spectacularly in the grand battle - Ning Zhuo relied on it to withstand Xiang Yue multiple times.The upper half of the Hundred-Armed Arhat Armor was heavily damaged, with layers of cracks, requiring meticulous repair.

"If I relied solely on my own ability, I would be unable to repair the Hundred-Armed Arhat Armor. Fortunately, I have the automaton foundation."Ning Zhuo's own cultivation was too weak, only at the Foundation Establishment stage. It would be difficult for this amount of spiritual power to do anything to a treasure of the Nascent Soul level.The automaton foundation allowed him to reach a state beyond his own capabilities.This is the Hundred Arts of Cultivation!Having developed to this day, the entire cultivation world is prosperous and flourishing. The subtlety of the Hundred Arts of Cultivation allows cultivators to transcend cultivation levels and schools, achieving things they could not accomplish on their own.

"Repairing the upper half of the Hundred-Armed Arhat Armor should not be an issue.""But its lower half needs better completion!"The current lower half of the Hundred-Armed Arhat Armor was merely a shoddy, appearance-only construction by Ning Zhuo.It was also Ning Zhuo's luck.This weakness was not discovered during the previous great battle. The vast majority of cultivators were embroiled in their own chaotic battles, unable to look after themselves.Ning Zhuo's timing for entering the battlefield was also excellent; he consistently avoided drawing too much attention.After uniting with Mu Lan and the Liu-Guan-Zhang trio, he remained in a state of local advantage for a considerable period.

The automaton spirit dragon soared through the void.

"What sound is that?" Sun Lingtong's expression suddenly changed, and he hastily contacted Ning Zhuo.Ning Zhuo, buried in the automaton foundation, was precisely repairing the Hundred-Armed Arhat Armor. Upon receiving the message, he immediately looked up.After listening carefully for a moment, the large-headed youth showed a puzzled expression: "I don't hear anything."Sun Lingtong let out an "Ah": "You didn't hear it? Strange! The Ten Thousand Mile Spirit Dragon also didn't detect anything. But I definitely heard a hissing sound, like the surging of a tide.""This sound has been continuous, and it's getting louder. You really can't hear it?"Ning Zhuo subconsciously fumbled for the automaton ring on his finger; the latter showed no reaction whatsoever.But Ning Zhuo was not careless, his brow furrowed slightly: "Big Brother, we know very little about the void. My automaton ring merely inherited a talent.""To be safe, let's return to the Yang world first.""We are not in a hurry; there's no need to deliberately face risks."Sun Lingtong nodded: "You're right, little Zhuo, let's slip out first."Thus, the Ten Thousand Mile Spirit Dragon departed the void and returned to the present world.

In the present world, it was morning.A light snowfall had just stopped.The uninhabited mountains were draped in a simple white veil. The distant peaks were covered in silver, their outlines clear, as if a beautiful scroll frozen in time, serene and profound.The pine trees stood tall, ice hanging from their branches. Sunlight filtered through the clouds, casting dappled shadows on the trees.The wilderness was silent, occasionally a few bird calls echoed through the empty valleys, like clear notes flowing, highlighting the stillness of winter.

Seeing this beautiful scenery, Sun and Ning exchanged glances and both left the Ten Thousand Mile Spirit Dragon, coming outside.Although the internal space of the Ten Thousand Mile Spirit Dragon was not cramped, it was a closed space after all. Staying inside for extended periods could indeed be stifling.The two brothers came outside and couldn't help but take a deep breath simultaneously, feeling refreshed.

"According to our route, this should be the border of the North Wind Kingdom," Sun Lingtong said.Ning Zhuo nodded: "It should be."The Ten Thousand Mile Spirit Dragon originated from the Lava Immortal Palace and had no records of its journeys. Although Ning Zhuo had been carefully collecting maps during his time in the Two Zhu States, the maps he possessed often differed from the actual situation.The more detailed a map, the higher its value, and the less it circulated on the market.Furthermore, the Two Zhu States and the North Wind Kingdom were two different cultivating nations. Coupled with the fact that Sun and Ning had been traveling in the void, their references to the present world were much fewer.Therefore, they could only make a preliminary estimate of their location based on climate and terrain.This awkwardness was mainly due to them having just begun their travels. Once they had visited more places and recorded them accurately in the Ten Thousand Mile Spirit Dragon, they would also be able to deduce the locations of many unfamiliar places.

"North Wind Kingdom..." Sun Lingtong said, gazing at the snowy peaks in the distance, "Little Zhuo, isn't your Ning family from this country?"Ning Zhuo nodded: "This is our homeland. Many elders of the family often reminisce and recall their lives in the North Wind Kingdom.""However, as for me, I was born during the migration and lived in Fire Persimmon Immortal City. I cannot empathize with their homesickness.""Speaking of which, we have been traveling for several months.""But I feel as though we just left Fire Persimmon Immortal City yesterday," Ning Zhuo sighed.This snowy scenery actually stirred a faint homesickness for Fire Persimmon Immortal City within him.

The two did not stay here for long. Two hours later, they set off again, entering the void aboard the Ten Thousand Mile Spirit Dragon.

"The sound is gone," Sun Lingtong listened carefully, gradually relaxing, "Perhaps it was just my auditory hallucination."Ning Zhuo's brow furrowed slightly, and he shook his head: "Big Brother, don't forget, you absorbed the marrow of the Void Demonic God. The fact that you can hear sounds I cannot is likely due to this.""In any case, we must be cautious."Sun Lingtong nodded: "Okay! If I hear any sound from now on, I won't notify you first; I'll control the Ten Thousand Mile Spirit Dragon and return to the present world immediately.""Alright," Ning Zhuo nodded, and the two reached an agreement.

After this incident, the division of labor between Sun and Ning changed again.Previously, they divided their time equally, one on guard, one cultivating.Now, Sun Lingtong primarily manned the dragon's head cabin, while Ning Zhuo focused on his own cultivation.The new bodies for Yuan Dasheng and Meng Yehu were still under consideration; the upper half of the Hundred-Armed Arhat Armor had been properly repaired.

Previously, in the Two Zhu States, he primarily used the Embryonic Respiration Spirit Ark to enhance his physical foundation. Now, Ning Zhuo's cultivation focus shifted to the Three Sects' Supreme Arts.With the aid of the Three Circles of Treasure Exchange Talisman, the speed at which spiritual herbs grew in Ning Zhuo's three Dantians was extremely rapid.

"At this divine speed, the spiritual herb growth stage will quickly come to an end.""After this stage, I will enter the middle stage of Foundation Establishment."Ning Zhuo estimated his progress, his heart lake calm and still.There were no qualitative changes in the early, middle, and late stages of Foundation Establishment; Ning Zhuo himself had little expectation.But the theme of cultivation is accumulation day by day; without accumulating small steps, one cannot travel a thousand miles.Without the arduous journey and accumulation of the early, middle, and late stages, how could one condense one's own Golden Core in the future?

In addition to primarily advancing the progress of the Three Sects' Supreme Arts, Ning Zhuo did not forget the accumulation of his physical foundation.He mainly relied on the Embryonic Respiration Spirit Ark.Having experienced the offensive war in the Two Zhu States, Ning Zhuo's understanding of physical cultivation deepened significantly. A robust physical cultivation is very important; it provides a relatively high lower limit, greatly increasing the probability of survival on the battlefield.And powerful beings like Elder Long and Xiang Yue, who could easily stir up the winds and clouds of the battlefield, all possessed extremely strong physical foundations.But applying this to Ning Zhuo, reaching the level of Elder Long and Xiang Yue would be exceedingly difficult.It required opportunities, and it required using treasures like the Embryonic Respiration Spirit Ark. Compared to Elder Long and Xiang Yue, it required paying a greater price!This was because Elder Long and Xiang Yue's cultivation techniques focused on cultivating the physical body, primarily pushing the lower Dantian's Essence Sea.Ning Zhuo's Three Sects' Supreme Arts cultivated all three seas simultaneously. The Demonic Infestation Blood Vessel Art was more about control and could not compare to Elder Long and Xiang Yue's techniques in terms of accumulating and enhancing the physical foundation.

"Although the effect of physical cultivation is still considerable at present, the Embryonic Respiration Spirit Ark cannot last forever. There will come a day when its cultivation effect declines until it reduces to zero."Cultivating the physical body using techniques is on one hand cheaper, and on the other hand, it is more stable than using treasures, magic items, and so on.The Embryilnic Respiration Spirit Ark greatly helped Ning Zhuo!In the second grand battle, Ning Zhuo was able to leverage such high combat power; the Embryonic Respiration Spirit Ark was one of the greatest behind-the-scenes contributors.Furthermore, after the battle ended, Ning Zhuo did not heal himself at all; relying solely on his body's self-repair, he recovered within a few days.

In addition to advancing his techniques and physical cultivation, Ning Zhuo embarked on a third aspect of cultivation, namely soul cultivation.The battle between the Heavenly and Earthly Ghosts made Ning Zhuo deeply realize that his insufficient soul foundation was a significant weakness, and thus, if targeted, Ning Zhuo's situation would be quite perilous.Speaking of which, Ning Zhuo had a short period of time in Fire Persimmon Immortal City where his soul foundation increased.He first relied on the Soul Devouring Art, and later he cultivated a technique himself called the Ghost Martial God Weapon Forging Method. This technique could consume soul power, cleave a portion of the soul, and forge ghost-god weapons.Therefore, when Ning Zhuo left Fire Persimmon Immortal City, his soul foundation was close to two hundred times that of a normal person, and he had forged a ghost axe the size of a door, which could be considered a symbiotic soul weapon.Such a soul foundation, when compared to peers or those at the Foundation Establishment stage, was already considerable.But at the Golden Core level, it was completely inadequate.Facing the Heavenly and Earthly Ghosts, it was no different from having "none."In the Heavenly Ghost's storage bag, there were the main cultivation techniques of him and the Earthly Ghost. The two came from the Soul Devouring Sect, one of the holy lands for soul and ghost cultivators. Their techniques were naturally excellent.Aside from his arduous cultivation, Ning Zhuo spent his leisure time browsing and comprehending these techniques.Cultivating them himself was impossible.The Three Sects' Supreme Arts already covered the three Dantians; cultivating other techniques would be courting disaster, even self-mutilation or suicide.Ning Zhuo's comprehension of the essentials and secrets of soul cultivation would be of great help to him in the future when using some treasures and materials for soul cultivation.

"Speaking of which, Black Water Mountain White Paper City is a city of soul cultivators.""When I get there, in addition to obtaining the prophecy of the Funeral Music Wraith, I should also buy and sell some soul cultivation materials or treasures to make up for my soul weakness," Ning Zhuo secretly planned.The Heavenly Ghost's fortune was too high-end; Ning Zhuo was currently only at the Foundation Establishment stage and needed many basic soul materials.

One day later.Sun and Ning voluntarily emerged from the void, returned to the present world, and cruised around in the vicinity for a while, successfully finding their target.Frost Howl Valley!Like the Blazing Star Pit, it was also one of the world's wonders.