"Heh heh heh. You must be kidding!" Han Ming sneered.
Ning Zhuo's voice grew cold: "If you don't want to cooperate, I'll have to force you."
As he spoke, Ning Zhuo pulled out a set of tools from his chest.
It was a series of mechanical needles of varying lengths and thicknesses.
"What are you going to do to me?!" Seeing the youthful guest approaching step by step, Han Ming panicked.
Ning Zhuo said softly, "Bear with it, some of these mechanical needles are rather thick, and it might hurt a bit."
Dozens of small mechanical dolls, each carrying a few mechanical needles, climbed up Han Ming's body.
"You old scoundrel, just kill me... Ah!"
Han Ming's body convulsed, and she screamed horribly. The chilling sound echoed through the cell.
A moment later, numerous mechanical needles were distributed all over her body, at various joints, vital points, and even on both the front and back of her skull.
Some of the finer needles were manageable, but the thicker needle points were slowly bleeding.
Ning Zhuo took a deep breath and used a secret technique to control the mechanical needles.
The mechanical needles of varying sizes pulsated and trembled under his control. Some needle tips stirred inside Han Ming's body while some needle legs spun outside.
"Ah——!" Han Ming's screams filled the room again, almost shattering the listener's eardrums.
The intense pain caused her whole body to contort involuntarily. Her slender fingers gripped the cold, thick iron chains tightly, soon tearing and bleeding from the force.
But this pain was nothing compared to what she felt from the needles.
Ning Zhuo focused entirely, beginning to activate the Buddha Heart Demon Seal within his Divine Ocean Dantian!
The treasure seal loomed like a mountain in his Divine Sea, with one end of the demon statue emitting a red glow.
The demonic glow quickly spread through the mechanical needles, penetrating Han Ming's entire body.
The next moment, a pink Heart Seal shot out from Ning Zhuo, directly into Han Ming's heart.
Han Ming's screams subsided. A profound fear gripped her hard.
Because she felt her body was out of her control and began to operate the Nine Revolutions Soul Devouring Secret!
"No, no!" Han Ming's pupils shrank to pinpoints, but she couldn't stop.
Soon, the cultivation technique reached a certain point, beginning to extract the essence of her soul.
At the right moment, Ning Zhuo let go and opened the Soul Capturing Shuttle.
The Soul Capturing Shuttle did not fall to the ground but was controlled by Han Ming, drifting slowly in front of her.
Then, the sharpest point of the shuttle gently pierced her chest.
The Soul Capturing Shuttle activated.
Han Ming never imagined this day would come!
The lethal weapon she used to slaughter thousands and curse innumerable souls, the Soul Capturing Shuttle, was now being used against her by none other than herself!
The Soul Capturing Shuttle trembled slightly.
The essence of the souls Han Ming had accumulated over a lifetime was thoroughly purified and gradually infused into the shuttle.
As the soul essence neared the shuttle's capacity, it began to emit a faint cold light.
A moment later, the shuttle, now full, was retrieved by Ning Zhuo.
Han Ming's face was as white as a sheet, her body collapsed like a boneless heap. Only the iron chains on her wrists, shoulder blades, and other places held her up.
"What have you done to me?"
"What kind of technique is this?"
Han Ming looked up, staring fearfully at Ning Zhuo.
"Are you a disciple of the Charm Shadow Sect? Was that the Soul Ensnaring Great Method just now?!"
"Or are you from the Bewitching Sect? Did you use a gu on me?"
"No, no, it's neither..."
Her whole body trembled, as did her heart. Her previous confidence and composure were completely gone.
Beneath the Iron Han Armor, two streams of nosebleed had already flowed from Ning Zhuo.
The Buddha Heart Demon Seal, to become a Buddha through oneself, turns others into demons.
Using the Buddha Heart Demon Seal alone could affect targets of the same level, but usually only momentarily. Against a higher-level target, the influence was even more limited, and it had to guide the target's thoughts rather than directly alter them.
But now, with the assistance of the mechanical needles, the level of influence could be greatly increased.
Earlier, Ning Zhuo used the Heart Seal to command Han Ming—to operate the Nine Revolutions Soul Devouring Secret, giving her essence to the person in front of her.
With the help of the mechanical needles, Han Ming complied.
Even though she was utterly unwilling!
"The Organ Secret Record left by my mother contains explanations of different staffs, including the cross staff head, dry staff head, and king staff head. Unfortunately, my cultivation level isn't high enough to use the more powerful ones."
"For now, I can only use this single-stem staff head."
Ning Zhuo's mother had been a mechanism cultivator. Most of Ning Zhuo's knowledge in mechanical techniques came from her secret record.
Staff heads and strings were two mainstream methods of controlling mechanism artifacts.
Just now, Ning Zhuo had treated Han Ming as a mechanism for manipulation.
Of course, even with a staff head, not even a king staff head could achieve this level of control unless Ning Zhuo's cultivation level far surpassed Han Ming's, or his mechanical techniques advanced by hundreds of times.
The crucial change was brought about by the Buddha Heart Demon Seal!
This compound usage was something Ning Zhuo had gradually figured out.
The benefit was evident, but the downside was that the targeted individual had a short life, becoming a consumable.
Ning Zhuo did not rush to absorb the soul essence but carefully checked Han Ming's injuries.
"Your dual cultivation technique isn't bad at all. Much of your body has successfully transformed, allowing you to endure longer. Very good, very good," Ning Zhuo praised.
Han Ming listened to this, unable to hold on any longer, and fainted from anger.
At the same time.
Meng Chong hurried back to the City Lord's Mansion.
He headed straight to the training room, not wanting to waste a single moment, and began to disperse his mana.
Superior Talent—Frenzied Rushing Thunder!
Lightning flashed across his body as his spirit, energy, and essence rapidly dwindled.
The lightning facilitated his dispersion effort, with astonishing effectiveness!
Electric light flickered in Meng Chong's eyes as he exclaimed with joy, "At this rate, by tomorrow, I will have completely dispersed my mana and can start anew!"
"I get it now, I understand!"
"Frenzied Rushing Thunder is my greatest asset. From now on, I will charge forward fearlessly, giving my all with no reservations!"
Meng Chong immersed himself in the joy of his breakthrough.
He found that the more single-mindedly he charged forward, the stronger the effect of Frenzied Rushing Thunder, and the more he could control it.
"Indeed, as long as I keep unleashing my true nature, my talent will manifest and strengthen!"
"Old Man Sun, you're awesome. Hahaha!"
In the underground cell.
Ning Zhuo ignored the unconscious Han Ming.
He went to the next room, removed his armor, and held the Soul Capturing Shuttle, letting its other sharp end lightly touch his skin.
The next moment, a cool, gentle pure soul power flowed from the shuttle, infusing into his soul.
Ning Zhuo stepped back, his pupils dilating, inundated by an extreme comfort that pervaded his entire being.
It was like diving into a lake during the peak of summer.
His soul essence soared rapidly, surpassing what he had accumulated in sixteen years, doubling in an instant!
Yet the soul essence in the shuttle was only half-consumed.
In just a few breaths, the shuttle was empty, its former faint cold light gone.
"So good, so comfortable." Ning Zhuo felt revitalized, in a state of unprecedented well-being.
Then, he detected something unusual.
He felt a slight heat in his left arm.
"What's happening?"
Like Meng Chong before him, he was both surprised and excited: "Is my talent being triggered? Is it beginning to manifest?"
Ning Zhuo grew anxious.
If he could identify the trigger, he could continuously nurture and strengthen his talent until it fully manifested.
"What's the cause?"
"Was it because I absorbed pure soul essence?"
"Or because I dealt with a demon cultivator, punished evil, and upheld justice?"