Fei Si cast a disdainful look at him. “You brute, the enemy is leading you by the nose, and you’re still clueless.”
He clasped his hands and looked at the city lord.
“It’s all thanks to your wisdom and decisive action, my lord. By standing resolute atop the volcano, you ensure the enemy has no opportunity to exploit.”
“As long as you personally oversee things, who would dare attempt to infiltrate the Lava Immortal Palace right under your nose?”
“This is the marvel of responding to all changes with constancy—a skillful nonchalance that leaves hidden enemies lamenting the sky, utterly without opportunity!”
Chi Dun, once again insulted, angrily retorted, “You’ve been talking for ages without addressing the real issue."
"What about that demon cultivator hiding in the Fire Persimmon Forest? If he triggers a chain explosion in the forest, won’t centuries of Fire Persimmon City’s accumulation be destroyed?”
Fei Si shook his head and sighed, “Things have come to this; we can only prepare for the worst.”
“However, I believe the chances of him initiating an explosion are slim.”
“He may be a demon cultivator, but he’s not brainless. If he sets off an explosion in the Fire Persimmon Forest, the resulting force will shake the entire Fire Persimmon Immortal Mountain."
"He’d surely be blown to pieces, dying a miserable death.”
Pausing, Fei Si continued, “He’s already affected by the Lime Heart Technique; the longer this drags on, the worse his injuries become.”
“We are in the advantageous position; we should proceed slowly and carefully, never rushing to prevent any opportunity for the enemy.”
“In my humble opinion, we should reach out to the other three families to collectively plan how to deal with this demon cultivator."
"By doing so, we can foster unity and discern loyalty. If someone is indeed an instigator or accomplice, it will be easier to identify them.”
“Furthermore, we should wait until after the Fire Persimmon Festival to act. The large-scale harvest will help minimize our losses.”
Chi Dun widened his eyes, shouting in disbelief, “You still want to hold the Fire Persimmon Festival?!”
“Do you want the whole city to die?”
“If a chain explosion occurs, how many casualties would there be?”
“If that happens, the city lord will undoubtedly bear the blame, possibly even facing immediate dismissal!”
Fei Si had anticipated this reaction. “Since I’m suggesting this, I naturally have a solution.”
“City Lord, please look at this mechanical monkey.”
As he spoke, Fei Si pulled out a mechanical construct from his storage bag.
The device was half-human in height, with fiery red fur and muscular build, incredibly lifelike—it could be none other than the explosive monkey!
Fei Si, with a trace of pride, continued, “Just three days ago, Chen Cha presented this device. With it, we can easily harvest fire persimmons, avoiding human casualties.”
The city lord remained expressionless, activating his spiritual sense to draw the explosive monkey to himself for examination.
After a few breaths, he gave a slight nod. “It’s passable. Only the monkey’s central control node shows a bit of ingenuity.”
As a nascent soul cultivator with vast experience, the explosive monkey’s design seemed quite ordinary and unimpressive to him.
“Who is this Chen Cha?” The city lord showed mild interest in the creator.
Fei Si responded, “Years ago, when you instructed me to recruit mechanical artisans, Chen Cha was one of them. I invited him to reside in Fire Persimmon City.”
“He’s a foundation establishment cultivator, solid in formations, especially adept at dynamic formations."
"However, he lacks creativity in mechanical arts and hasn’t produced remarkable work until now.”
“At last, he’s managed to achieve something of value.”
Hearing that Chen Cha was at the foundation establishment level, the city lord’s interest waned, and he waved his hand. “Then let it be handled in this manner.”
“Chi Dun, you will fully cooperate with Fei Si from now on.”
Chi Dun replied reluctantly, “I obey, my lord.”
Ning Family.
The Clan Leader summoned the Young Clan Leader to his study.
He first handed over a list.
The Young Clan Leader, Ning Xiaoren, glanced over it. He saw Ning Zhanji among the fallen and Ning Zhuo among the survivors.
The Clan Leader sighed, “The loss of Ning Zhanji is a great blow to our family.”
Ning Xiaoren said, “For a branch family member to sacrifice himself for the clan is an honor.”
The Clan Leader said, “You’re responsible for family logistics, so you will oversee the compensation for the family cultivators this time.”
Ning Xiaoren quickly assured, “Father, don’t worry; I’ll see to it properly.”
The Clan Leader nodded. “Xiaoren, what’s your opinion on the emergence of the Lava Immortal Palace?”
After a moment of thought, Ning Xiaoren replied, “The palace’s appearance forces us to expedite our exploration efforts."
"Our clan was the last to learn of this matter, placing us at a disadvantage.”
“We’ve yet to recruit a skilled mechanical artisan; relying solely on our family’s power, it’s challenging to compete with the other three forces.”
The Clan Leader sighed heavily, “The selection criteria for entering the palace has now dropped to the qi refining stage.
Perhaps our family should mobilize a large number of cultivators to start cultivating the Five Elements Qi Regulation Technique.”
Ning Xiaoren’s brows knit tightly. “Father, that’s precisely what worries me the most.”
“How many people should we mobilize to cultivate the new technique? And who should we choose? The main branch? How many? Which ones? And the branch families? How many and which ones?”
“With the current uncertain situation, it’s very challenging to decide.”
The Clan Leader’s face showed a trace of satisfaction. “Xiaoren, you’ve grasped this issue well. You’re proving to be a qualified Young Clan Leader.”
“I will gather the family elders to discuss this matter thoroughly.”
“For now, carry on with your current tasks.”
Ning Xiaoren bowed and left.
Back in his study, a family cultivator approached him with a question about the family’s compensation for this time.
Ning Xiaoren replied without hesitation, “Compensation? What compensation?”
“Aren’t these Ning family members part of the Demon Hunters Association? The Association handles their compensation.”
The family cultivator looked troubled. “But they’re still part of our Ning family…”
Ning Xiaoren interrupted, “Given our family’s financial difficulties, we encourage members to join other organizations to sustain themselves."
As Ning family members, they should consider the family’s welfare!”
The family cultivator could only withdraw.
Still angry, Ning Xiaoren summoned Ning Zhuo’s uncle, Ning Ze.
With a steely expression, Ning Xiaoren tapped his knuckles against the table, filling the room with a dull thud.
“Ning Ze, how do you call yourself an uncle? Ning Zhuo ventured into the Demon Lava Cave, nearly losing his life. Are you aware of that?”
Ning Ze, wiping sweat from his forehead, hurriedly replied, “Yes, yes, I know!”
He had just thought up a clever plan to incite Ning Zhuo into joining the Demon Hunters Association. But with the palace’s emergence, the recruiter Ning Zhanji had died.
Ning Zhuo hadn’t officially joined the Association, and Ning Xiaoren saw right through Ning Ze’s plan, infuriating him.
Ning Ze forced a bitter smile. “Young Clan Leader, it’s not that I don’t want to arrange things for Little Zhuo. It’s just that he’s so stubborn…”
Smack.
Before Ning Ze could finish, a heavy inkstone hurled by Ning Xiaoren struck his forehead.
A sharp pain shot through him as a warm stream trickled from his brow down to his chin.
The metallic scent of blood filled Ning Ze’s nostrils, confirming that the Young Clan Leader had indeed struck him.
“Stop pretending!” Ning Xiaoren pointed to the door. “Get out. Next time, I expect to hear good news!”
Ning Ze, his face contorted in pain, head still bleeding, didn’t dare to treat his injury on the spot and withdrew with gritted teeth.