Wen Xuan’s competitive spirit flared up instantly.
“Don't worry, leave it to me.”
After Wen Xuan went over, Gu Ningyun made no further moves, and the last building cluster remained untouched.
She couldn't push Zhao Quan too far; after all, people were very likely to tap into their hidden potential under extreme pressure.
The time wasn't right yet; she didn't want to drive Zhao Quan to desperation.
Just as the hexagonal prism was two-fifths organized, Zhao Quan finally grew more accustomed to the fine control of demonic power at the triangular prism.
Steeling his resolve, he summoned five more strands of demonic power, instantly boosting his line-organizing speed by a significant margin.
Seeing the gap closing rapidly, Zhao Quan’s eyes were filled with a look of absolute determination.
“Give up, kid. You're no match for me.”
“Jun Luo, I’m leaving the hexagonal prism here to you.”
Gu Ningyun dropped those words and, in the blink of an eye, hurried back to the triangular prism building cluster with Jiang Yao.
The speed of organizing the lines suddenly accelerated.
Even if Zhao Quan was fast enough, it would still take time to overtake Mu Chenze, and he would need enough unorganized lines left to make that happen.
With Gu Ningyun and Jiang Yao joining in, he no longer had enough time.
“Despicable!”
The demonic power surrounding Zhao Quan flared up irritably for a moment.
It was clearly they who knew Puppet Thousand-Machine City the best; their sect even possessed a lineage of puppetry inheritance.
Why were they losing to a few Daoist cultivators who had never even touched puppet silk before when it came to organizing it?
These Daoist cultivators were only at the Qi Refining stage, with the highest among them being only at Qi Refining level nine.
A vague, unknown aura drifted through the air, and a chill of death spread from the soles of his feet to his heart.
Zhao Quan’s heart turned cold, and he immediately reined in his demonic power.
If he didn't, it wouldn't just be his heart turning cold; it would be his entire corpse.
Zhao Quan made a prompt decision to abandon this spot and headed straight for the last building cluster.
This time, he was the one with the head start. No matter how many tricks these Daoist cultivators had up their sleeves, it was impossible for them to surpass him.
The complexity of this building cluster was moderate, and Zhao Quan quickly constructed an octagonal prism.
Just as he finished the framework, Gu Ningyun hurried over.
Increasing her supply of wind spirit energy, Gu Ningyun also mobilized fifteen strands of spirit energy, her speed matching Zhao Quan’s.
Her round almond eyes were wide, her teeth were clenched, her small face was deathly pale, and her forehead was drenched in sweat.
Her words seemed squeezed through her gritted teeth. “I definitely... won’t let you get it...”
She couldn't spare even a sliver of energy to speak further.
Seeing her struggling to hold on, Zhao Quan let out a cold sneer.
“You? Even if you have Spirit-Replenishing Pills to restore your energy...”
“At the Qi Refining stage, the sea of consciousness has only just opened. No matter how strong your divine sense is, how far can it go?”
“Let’s see how long you can last.”
A flash of disdain crossed Zhao Quan’s eyes.
Being able to reach the early Foundation Establishment stage by the age of thirty made Zhao Quan a fairly talented junior within his sect.
Otherwise, he wouldn't even have had the qualification to compete within his sect for a chance to participate in this Puppet Thousand-Machine City token assessment.
The two sides remained at a stalemate for half an hour, during which Zhao Quan became thirty percent more proficient in his control of demonic power.
He added three more strands of demonic power.
“You!”
As if refusing to admit defeat, Gu Ningyun bit her lip and similarly added three strands of spirit energy.
A trickle of blood slowly leaked from the corner of her mouth.
Seeing her push herself to the limit, Zhao Quan remained calm and composed, not panicking in the slightest.
Once he gained more control, he would simply add a few more strands.
How could a mere Qi Refining soul compare to a Foundation Establishment primordial spirit?
As long as he secured a token, it wouldn't matter to him if the other four failed to get theirs.
If he secured this token and was in a good mood, he might even consider lending those three a hand.
Another half hour passed.
By this time, Mu Chenze had stowed away a blue token and arrived at Wen Xuan’s location along with Jiang Yao.
Wen Xuan and the three demon cultivators were organizing a building cluster that was the most complex, with the greatest number of lines.
If the lines of this building cluster were divided into twenty parts...
Wen Xuan had already organized three-twentieths, while the three demon cultivators had collectively organized four-twentieths.
The four of them had organized seven-twentieths in total, but Wen Xuan still held an individual advantage.
Jun Luo’s hexagonal prism was already three-fifths organized.
Excluding the portions initially organized by Gu Ningyun, Wen Xuan, and Jiang Yao, the number of lines Jun Luo had organized already accounted for half of the entire building cluster.
No matter who tried to interfere now, based on the remaining quantity in the building cluster, it was absolutely impossible to surpass Jun Luo.
Jun Luo’s token was already secured.
With Mu Chenze and Jiang Yao joining Wen Xuan, the progress there would accelerate, but it would still take some time.
Zhao Quan, however, wasn't going to give her that time.
Demonic power billowed forth as Zhao Quan added three more strands.
Gu Ningyun’s mouth was stained with blood. “Even if I have to risk damaging my sea of consciousness, I won’t let you succeed!”
She also added three strands of spirit energy, bringing both sides to a tie once again with twenty-one strands each.
“Hmph, death struggles.”
Another half hour passed in a stalemate, and Zhao Quan couldn't help but look at Gu Ningyun with a hint of suspicion.
Gu Ningyun coughed up a mouthful of blood, her aura weakening slightly.
Disdain flashed in Zhao Quan’s eyes.
He added three more strands, controlling twenty-four strands of demonic power simultaneously. “Let’s see if you can keep up now.”
On Wen Xuan’s side, with three Daoist cultivators and three demon cultivators working together, the speed was not slow.
Wen Xuan had already organized five-twentieths, while Jiang Yao and Mu Chenze had each organized two-twentieths.
The three demon cultivators had collectively organized six-twentieths.
The six of them had organized fifteen-twentieths in total, leaving only five-twentieths remaining.
Even if Zhao Quan went over now, it would be impossible for him to surpass Wen Xuan with the remaining lines.
Wen Xuan’s token was secured.
Gu Ningyun gave a faint smile and finally stopped pretending, easily summoning thirty strands of spirit energy.
“What? You actually had strength to spare!”
Zhao Quan could no longer maintain his composure. “How is this possible? The sea of consciousness and primordial spirit of a Qi Refining cultivator are fragile. Fine control of spirit energy has high requirements for one's divine sense.”
“You're only at level nine. How could you possibly do this?”
Zhao Quan tried to follow by increasing to thirty strands of demonic power, but they didn't obey him well, and his speed actually became slower than when he had twenty-four strands.
He was forced to withdraw some.
Just because a normal Qi Refining soul and sea of consciousness couldn't do it didn't mean Gu Ningyun couldn't.
After all, her sea of consciousness and primordial spirit had experienced an epiphany.
Although predecessors had summarized the benefits of an epiphany...
Everyone's way of thinking was different, and the direction of an epiphany varied wildly from person to person.
No one could say for sure just how much potential or how deep an influence an epiphany could bring to a person.
Looking at her cultivation alone, Gu Ningyun’s primordial spirit was only at level nine, matching her magic cultivation.
But she had previously been able to cross ranks to control a mysterious-rank top-grade spirit boat, fleeing from three peak Foundation Establishment cultivators for several hours.
Dealing with an early Foundation Establishment cultivator now—especially in a contest of spirit energy control, which she had been professionally trained in since entering the sect—was naturally no problem at all.
Zhao Quan panicked slightly and immediately looked toward the other two building clusters.
This Daoist cultivator was too monstrous for him to beat, but surely he could still win at the other two locations?
The situation at the other two building clusters was clear at a glance under his Foundation Establishment divine sense.
The deathly paleness shifted from Gu Ningyun’s face to his own.
Zhao Quan’s eyes were filled with despair.
It was over. It was completely over.
He had searched for years and poured so much blood and sweat into finding this assessment space.
The elders wouldn't let him off.
He, along with those four martial nephews... the five of them were finished.
His master was severely injured and in secluded cultivation, unable to protect him.
What should he do? He didn't want to be refined into a demon puppet.
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