“No good!”
As soon as Wu Ming saw the ground break open and a mechanical beast emerge, with the Xue Xue Alliance Leader attempting to retreat inside it, he immediately sensed trouble.
The art of mechanical craftsmanship was represented by the Mohist School, yet even the Mohists couldn’t fully encompass all the techniques of the hundred craftsmen.
Based on Wu Ming’s knowledge, the ultimate inheritances of mechanical craftsmanship were the “Tiangong Kaiwu Pian” and the “Guifu Shengong Pian,” each divided into three branches: Heavenly Craft, Earthly Craft, and Human Craft!
Heavenly Craft focused on the development of celestial instruments, mimicking the forces of nature, using yin and yang as fuel and all things as metal, drawing upon the immense cosmic power, capable of destroying heaven and earth!
Earthly Craft concentrated on various devices, utilizing myriad substances for one’s own ends, representing the pinnacle of controlling mechanical beasts!
Finally, Human Craft turned inward to study the human body itself, which, in Wu Ming’s view, involved bodily transformation—an art of profound mystery.
Each of these three branches had its own strengths. For example, the Mohists represented Earthly Craft, but also touched upon aspects of Heavenly and Human Crafts.
Clearly, the Xue Xue Alliance Leader was also an inheritor of Earthly Craft!
Once such an Earthly Craft practitioner entered their own mechanical beast, it would be akin to a mecha pilot entering a star-destroying war machine, amplifying their power a hundredfold!
“No wonder his strength seemed weaker than expected; all his power lies within the mechanical beast!”
Wu Ming clearly understood that, given the wealth of the Xue Xue Alliance and the power of the Main Temple, even fifth-tier mechanical beasts might be possible.
In that case, he himself would be at a disadvantage.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—seize it now or lose it forever!
“Consume flesh and burn soul! Lightning strike!”
Boom!
In an instant, Wu Ming’s physical body erupted into roaring flames, blood-red fire bursting from every limb, every pore across his body!
Flesh sacrifice! Channeling lightning!
Previously, Wu Ming wouldn’t have been capable of this, but now, with the power of the Celestial Master, he could merge Maoshan Dao’s self-destructive secret techniques with lightning arts, combining orthodox and heterodox methods to maximize their power!
Just how much power could a Celestial Master’s flesh sacrifice unleash?
The Xue Xue Alliance Leader’s face turned pale, and in the next moment, he saw it.
Crackle!
A massive five-element lightning bolt flashed, tinged with red, slicing through layers of black-armored guards with unstoppable force!
Pup!
In an instant, these mechanical soldiers collapsed, deep fissures splitting their brows, edges blackened and scorched!
“No…”
As soon as the lightning was released, it struck in an instant.
The Xue Xue Alliance Leader’s pupils constricted. Before he could utter a word, the crimson lightning struck his face. Amidst the crackling electricity, the jade pendant at his waist, the ring on his finger, hidden magical artifacts, his belt—all defensive measures instantly emitted a loud popping sound and shattered into dust.
Boom!
A massive impact force surged like tidal waves, just as he was about to step into the mechanical beast, striking his chest.
“Ugh!”
The Xue Xue Alliance Leader spat blood, flying backward, his back crashing heavily against the wall, causing it to crack, revealing a large indentation, with dust continuously falling.
“If even this can’t stop you, I’ll have no choice but to turn and flee!”
A young man emerged gracefully from the blood mist, wearing feathered robes and crowned with stars, cloaked in lightning, exuding a pure aura—clearly Wu Ming’s Yuanpin Tianzhu soul manifestation.
Yet even this soul form now appeared more ethereal, showing the severity of the previous injuries.
“Heh… heh…”
The Xue Xue Alliance Leader’s eyes bulged, blood foaming from his mouth, yet he couldn’t even utter a single word.
“Five Ghosts Seize, Soul Capture!”
But Wu Ming gave him no chance. His right hand clenched, five black threads emerging, transforming into wisps that entered the Xue Xue Alliance Leader’s seven orifices, pulling out a somewhat ethereal soul.
“Crunch!”
The skeletal spirit was delighted, rushing forward and devouring the soul in one bite, sealing its spirit.
After extracting the soul, there was no need to fear any resurgence from the Xue Xue Alliance Leader.
“Strange… his will was weak, lacking adaptability, not quite the ruthless tyrant I imagined…”
Wu Ming felt slightly surprised, then his soul shuddered, sensing an omnipresent malice in the heavens and earth.
“My physical body is destroyed; I must find a new vessel quickly!”
In this world, his soul manifestation was an “aberration,” the longer it remained exposed, the greater the calamity.
Thus, he needed a physical shell to conceal himself.
The previous Celestial Master’s body was merely that of a young Taoist acolyte; losing it was no great loss—a case of “selling the father’s fields without regret.”
Scanning with his spiritual sense, there were only two viable options now.
“Tsk tsk… Shang Jie’s body, mixed with Dragon Slaying energy, could have been a powerful zombie after some refinement, but the imperial aura is gone, its essence drained, leaving only rotting wood—I won’t take it!”
Moreover, this person was a last-generation emperor, likely bringing complications.
Wu Ming scanned the Xue Xue Alliance Leader’s body and immediately merged into it.
“Boom! Cough… cough…”
Moments later, the “Xue Xue Alliance Leader” stood up, coughing blood, his face showing reluctance: “Damn… I hit too hard earlier…”
However, this reincarnator’s body inherently obscured heavenly fate, and the Xue Xue Alliance Leader wasn’t an intruder, backed by the Main Temple’s cover—it was an ideal vessel.
Wu Ming stretched his limbs, then closed his eyes: “Taoist Arts Level 3? Mechanical Craft Level 5?”
He roughly estimated the Xue Xue Alliance Leader’s strength, shaking his head: “Pity, mechanical crafters, especially Earthly Craft users, place all their power in external tools. If you were prepared, I wouldn’t stand a chance. But if not, then it’s my gain…”
“Screech!”
The nearby iron-armored mechanical beast’s eyes flickered, then dimmed completely.
“Heh… Seems I’m not a true inheritor of mechanical craft, unable to control this thing!”
Wu Ming wasn’t disheartened, casually inspecting the spoils.
“The Imperial Seal? Xuan Niao Tian Ming? Hmm? The seal contains both imperial and malevolent energies… Impressive, so you really intended to reforged the golden figures?”
He retrieved a black leather pouch from the body. Scanning it with his spiritual sense, he found it filled mostly with golden figure fragments, with other mundane items. He frowned slightly: “Strange… Could he have invested everything into this?”
Still puzzled, he clapped his hands. The skeletal spirit flew over reluctantly, spitting out a soul.
The soul transformed into a small figure, its face blurred, its form dissipating—clearly the former Xue Xue Alliance Leader, now showing extreme terror.
“What? Afraid of heavenly punishment? Tell me everything you know now, and I might spare your life—at least sealing you within the skeletal spirit could let you survive, perhaps even possess a new body in the future!”
Wu Ming’s expression was cold, yet enticing.
“Release me! Or you’ll regret it!”
A thin voice came from the small figure.
“Regret?”
Wu Ming smiled: “Let me think… You plotted to seize the Twelve Golden Figures here, secretly preparing schemes against me, weren’t you? You’re not Shang Jie’s man, but rather Ji Yi’s, King Wu!”
At this, the small figure’s expression changed drastically!
“Hmm… As reincarnators, you wouldn’t side with a losing faction. First infiltrating Zhou, then hiding within Shang, playing both sides…”
Wu Ming stroked his chin: “Let me guess… If I returned to the military camp now, would I face your carefully laid traps? Perhaps even mobilizing Yu Qing to hunt me down? This Taoist path seeks to control all sects, suppressing me is natural. Even if you framed me, they might reluctantly accept it.”
The Xue Xue Alliance Leader froze, his gaze filled with horror.
He had indeed planned this. After assassinating Ji Yi and stealing his blood, he intended to pin the blame on Wu Ming, mobilizing an attack as soon as Wu Ming returned to the Zhou camp.
But he never expected Wu Ming to see through it already, exclaiming in disbelief: “You… How could you know this?”
“Naturally from your fate… Your fortune is tied to Zhou, with this inclination, do you think you can hide from me?”
Wu Ming rolled his eyes internally but wouldn’t reveal it directly, merely saying softly:
“Now that it’s come to this, the victor takes all… I won’t be polite about taking everything from you…”
“Wait!”
The Xue Xue Alliance Leader’s soul face was frantic: “Leave me! I’m useful! Don’t you want the Twelve Golden Figures?… Also! I never meant to oppose you; our true enemy is someone else—we should unite!”
“Is that so?”
Wu Ming seemed unsurprised: “An independent reincarnator, clearly beyond the authority of ordinary overseers. And you, unexpectedly weak, further confirmed my suspicions… Unfortunately, whatever I need to know, I’ll find out myself!”
“Xuan Yin Soul Search! Command!!!”
The next moment, Wu Ming formed a spell seal with his hands, his spiritual sense like needles, piercing violently into the small figure’s head.
“Ahh…”
As the Xue Xue Alliance Leader screamed in agony, scenes of fragmented memories rapidly unfolded before Wu Ming:
…
“Master Gongsun Zhe! You are the heir of our Gongsun family. Today, I shall pass to you the Earthly Craft Chapter of ‘Tiangong Kaiwu’! Remember! Our Gongsun family has been mortal enemies with the Mohists for generations, an ancient blood feud never to be forgotten!”
This was within a spacious workshop, platforms on both sides filled with strange machinery, while an elderly man with a sinister expression, half his face covered by a bronze mask, one eye seemingly artificial, glowing red, spoke solemnly.
“Yes, Master!”
The young Gongsun Zhe nodded solemnly, later displaying unparalleled talent in mechanical craftsmanship during his studies, hailed as a once-in-five-centuries genius of the Gongsun family!
Yet, such a genius had a fatal flaw.
Bang!
In the testing arena, a giant white tiger was pinned to the ground by a blue wolf, the hatch opening as Gongsun Zhe stumbled out, rolling and crawling in panic: “I surrender!”
“Haha!”
Another blue wolf mechanical artisan laughed smugly from above: “Gongsun Zhe, even if your puppet beast is formidable, it still depends on the operator… Haha, no matter how gifted you are… you’re destined to remain a mere craftsman!”
“Our family’s mechanical artisans must personally operate puppets, testing them on-site to improve their designs—you’ve disappointed me greatly!”
Outside the arena, the bronze-masked elder scolded bitterly, frustrated at his student’s failure.
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