Chapter 8: The Buddha’s Heart, the Demon’s Seal

“It should be Ning Zhu begging me to handle this matter,” he thought, “not me rushing to arrange it for him. I am his uncle, his elder! If I really did it this way, wouldn’t he be puffed up with pride, looking down on me from then on? How would I discipline him in the future?”

But the situation would not be swayed by his will. Young Clan Leader Ning Xiaoren had already pushed Ning Ze into a corner, and Ning Ze was unwilling to relinquish his position as steward. What should he do?

Ning Ze pondered long and hard, but could find no good solution.

By afternoon, Ning Zhu returned.

In the main hall, Ning Zhu once again paid his respects to Ning Ze and Wang Lan, stating his purpose: “I’ve come this time mainly to take away my daily necessities.”

During his studies at the academy, Ning Zhu had lived here, returning to stay alone only on weekends.

Feigning concern, Ning Ze inquired about his recent situation. Secretly, Ning Zhu activated the power of the precious seal within his sea of consciousness, while telling the couple that he had found work at an official workshop, with very good conditions.

After a brief conversation, Ning Zhu took his leave.

Wang Lan watched his departing figure and snorted coldly, “What disc workshop? Never heard of it. Such small workshops—how could they have any prospect?”

Ning Ze’s face remained expressionless. “Young people are headstrong. They must endure some hardships to understand how tough life is.”

Seeing Ning Zhu’s stubborn attitude, Ning Ze felt even greater distaste for the idea of using money and connections to help him.

“Wait, maybe I can leverage his temperament,” Ning Ze suddenly thought, a good idea coming to mind.

He chuckled, “Ning Zhu is too much of a scholar, and as a young man, he loves adventure and excitement. I recall that many family cultivators have joined the Monster Hunters’ Guild, venturing into the Crimson Flame Demon Caverns to hunt volcanic beasts.”

“I can have someone incite Ning Zhu to join the Monster Hunters!”

His wife grew concerned, “Isn’t that too dangerous?”

She was stingy with money, but didn’t want to see Ning Zhu injured or killed.

Ning Ze shook his head slightly. “The Monster Hunters’ Guild already has many Ning clan members. Besides, the young clan leader has ordered eighty flexible ropes for exploration, clearly intending for the clan to make a large push into the Crimson Flame Demon Caverns.”

“When the time comes, with the protection of the clan’s strength, Ning Zhu’s safety shouldn’t be an issue.”

“Ning Zhu is spirited and hot-blooded, craves excitement and adventure, wants to succeed by his own efforts. He’s stubborn and resents my arrangements—he’s eager to join the Monster Hunters! This explanation, how about it? Ha ha ha.”

“The beauty lies in this: exploring the Crimson Flame Demon Caverns is also a major clan affair. Ning Zhu can claim he’s contributing to the clan, which makes it family business. The young clan leader won’t be able to use this matter to pressure me.”

“Of course, money must still be sent.”

“But the cost of arranging for Ning Zhu to join the Monster Hunters is far less than placing him in a family enterprise!”

His wife blinked, lowering her head to think. “That’s a good idea.”

“But, dear—since the clan is making a big move in the Crimson Flame Demon Caverns, there will be plenty of opportunities for merit. Do you think our Ji’er…”

Ning Ze’s eyes widened, scolding, “Are you crazy? On the battlefield, blades and swords know no mercy. If Ji’er goes and something happens—do you want us to bury our child?”

“Ah?” His wife became flustered, hastily saying, “I wasn’t thinking straight. Ji’er is safest staying home making talismans!”

Neither of them noticed that as Ning Zhu turned to leave, two streams of fresh blood trickled from his nostrils.

Ning Ze believed his plan was his own idea, secretly pleased.

He did not realize it was actually the result of Ning Zhu’s own influence.

As the sun set, night fell over the Fire Persimmon Immortal City.

Ning Zhu took a deep breath, feeling a bit tense and uneasy, and opened the alchemy furnace.

“Excellent, it passed!” He relaxed, his heart leaping with joy as he looked at the intact mechanical Fire-burst Monkey.

He focused his mind.

Within his sea of consciousness, a hidden seal shimmered faintly.

It was the magical treasure his mother had left him—the Buddha Heart Demon Seal.

At the top of the seal, a Buddha and a demon were carved, standing back to back in stark contrast: the Buddha serene and compassionate, the demon fierce and fiery-eyed.

The body of the seal was a shallow basin, with Sanskrit talismanic script flickering at the rim.

On the bottom were four ancient characters: Buddha Heart Demon.

A thought makes a Buddha; a thought makes a demon.

I am Buddha; I am demon.

When the seal resonates with oneself, it embodies Buddha’s compassion, saving others and oneself. When it resonates with others, it projects one’s thoughts and intentions into their sea of consciousness, influencing or changing their mind. In that moment, it becomes the heart’s demon of others.

Ning Zhu had suffered much to conceal this treasure, paying a steep price. He bought large quantities of Golden Silk Jade Dew Cakes mainly to expand his sea of consciousness, increase his foundation, and barely bear the burden of this magical item.

He had also gained much from it!

For example, when he masqueraded as the “Child Guest” in the black market and was assaulted by demonic cultivators, Ning Zhu used the seal to shock their minds and create openings. Even a fleeting lapse was often enough for him to win easily.

And today, to influence Ning Ze, he forcefully activated the seal’s power before them, granting Ning Ze the “inspiration” for the Monster Hunters plot.

But because of this, Ning Zhu’s soul was weakened, his spirit exhausted, and his nose bled profusely.

“Uncle is at Foundation Establishment stage, while I’m only at the third level of Qi Refining. It’s very difficult to influence him, and the cost was high.”

“It’s not like when I acted in the black market, wearing the Blue Iron Man Armor and wielding Foundation-level power, able to unleash more of the seal’s abilities and easily shake Foundation-level foes.”

“However, the true purpose of this seal isn’t here—it’s for controlling mechanisms!”

Ning Zhu activated the seal, forming a heart imprint.

The heart imprint appeared pale pink, shooting into the mechanical monkey in an instant.

The next moment, the mechanical monkey opened its eyes and leapt out of the furnace!

The Fire-burst Monkey was nimble and alert, leaping about the underground workshop, moving freely without disturbing a single item. Its actions, heavy or light, were as he willed.

If anyone else saw this, their jaw would drop.

There are many ways to control mechanical constructs, but the mainstream is spiritual sense manipulation. But for a cultivator to possess spiritual sense, they must normally reach Foundation Establishment.

The Fire-burst Monkey was equipped with a spiritual sense receiver, meaning it was designed for Foundation-level cultivators.

Yet, even a veteran Foundation-level mechanic using spiritual sense to control the Fire-burst Monkey would struggle to achieve such agility.

This was because the monkey’s spiritual sense receiver was Ning Zhu’s clever, cost-saving invention—three pellets in place of a proper array disc. Compared to orthodox array plates, this reduced control performance greatly. So, it wasn’t that mechanics lacked skill, but that the monkey itself was inherently less responsive.

Yet under Ning Zhu’s direction, the Fire-burst Monkey moved like a real monkey—vivid and lifelike!

All thanks to the heart imprint.

As the saying goes, heart communicates with heart.

After Ning Zhu planted the Buddha Heart Demon Seal’s heart imprint in the mechanical monkey, he could command it directly with his mind. This method was more convenient and effective than spiritual sense.

Ning Zhu controlled the monkey as it darted about and tried storing fire essence, all with ease.

“Years of preparation—finally, it’s fully complete!” The youth sighed with emotion, recalling the Lava Immortal Palace, a resolute gleam flashing in his eyes.