In the underground workshop.
Ning Zhuo slowly opened his eyes and wiped the blood from his nose.
The power flowing within him was no longer the pale blue frost spiritual power.
It was the Five Elements Spiritual Power!
The Five Elements Spiritual Power contained the white of metal, the green of wood, the black of water, the red of fire, and the yellow of earth.
These five colors intertwined yet did not merge, their distinctions clear and well-defined.
"The natural balance of the Five Elements, mutually generating and restraining one another, is inherently difficult to stabilize for long-term coexistence."
"However, through the Five Elements Qi Regulation Technique, spiritual energy can be transformed into Five Elements Spiritual Power, achieving harmonious coexistence with distinct layers."
"No wonder this was left by the Sage of the Three Sects!"
"Qi Refining Stage, Level Two..."
Previously, Ning Zhuo was at the third level of Qi Refining, but after fully converting his spiritual power, he dropped to the second level.
Power transformation inevitably incurs some loss.
This was to be expected, and Ning Zhuo had long anticipated it.
Now, he simply needed to continue his cultivation, accumulate spiritual power, and return to the third level of Qi Refining.
"I wonder when I will next hear the sound of the Dharma Transmission Bell."
Exhausted after the transformation, Ning Zhuo decided to rest and recuperate.
He retrieved a few Warm Nourishing Pills and swallowed them to help his body adapt more quickly to the new spiritual power.
The Warm Nourishing Pill had numerous advantages, such as mild medicinal effects that took effect gradually, with minimal burden on the body.
Its biggest drawback, however, was its price—each pill cost over a hundred spirit stones.
Ding ding ding.
Just as Ning Zhuo finished taking the pills, he heard a crisp, bell-like sound.
This alarm mechanism had been triggered by a suspicious figure near his residence.
Approaching his work desk, he gave the table leg a light kick.
The wall facing him creaked as bricks slid to the side, revealing a mirror.
Through the mirror, Ning Zhuo saw the "suspicious person"—Chen Cha.
Chen Cha stood at the gate of Ning Zhuo's small courtyard, hands behind his back, glancing around with a troubled expression.
A glint flashed in Ning Zhuo's eyes. "Chen Cha? What is he coming to me for?"
"It seems there's been progress on the Mechanical Fire Explosive Monkey."
Thinking this, Ning Zhuo felt a bit of delight.
Pacing at the courtyard gate, Chen Cha's mind was occupied by the recent events.
Fei Si had summoned him, informing him that the Mechanical Fire Explosive Monkey had been approved by the City Lord.
The order was to mobilize all the mechanical workshops in the city to mass-produce this construct for widespread use in the upcoming Fire Persimmon Festival for harvesting persimmons.
Fei Si encouraged Chen Cha, saying, "You are someone I brought into the city."
"Do your best! If you succeed this time, your life circumstances will change completely."
Stunned, Chen Cha hurriedly explained, "Lord Fei Si, you’ve misunderstood me."
"I reported the Mechanical Monkey to you because I hoped you’d arrange for a favorable policy, such as tax exemptions for the Flying Disc Workshop."
"In fact, this Mechanical Monkey wasn’t designed by me. Someone else created it."
Chen Cha, an expert in formations and mechanical arts, was a person devoted to his craft, who often avoided duplicity.
Claiming others' work was something he despised and refused to do.
During his previous conversation with Ning Zhuo, he had even suspected Ning Zhuo of claiming credit for another’s work.
Fei Si was momentarily taken aback. "Not your work?"
This was something he hadn’t known.
With a nonchalant smile, he said, "It’s no big deal. You’re the workshop master, so the credit is yours to allocate."
Chen Cha, however, held firmly to his principles, shaking his head resolutely. "Lord, I lack the talent to design such a sophisticated mechanical construct."
"The process of creating this construct, from conception to completion, must have been filled with countless setbacks and challenges."
"The inventor would have poured tremendous effort and thought into it!"
"Claiming someone else’s work is as vile as murder or theft!"
"I implore you to judge fairly."
A cold glint flashed in Fei Si’s eyes, anger rising.
In his view, the Mechanical Monkey had to be credited to Chen Cha—Chen Cha’s success would reflect his own.
But outwardly, Fei Si only smiled, patting Chen Cha on the shoulder and praising him, "It’s this very integrity that makes me appreciate you."
"Though this construct isn’t yours, I believe you’ll design something even more remarkable in the future."
Chen Cha was moved. "Thank you, Lord, for your recognition!"
Years ago, it was Fei Si’s invitation that brought him to Fire Persimmon Immortal City to develop his career.
Yet life in the Immortal City was far from easy.
Chen Cha had worked tirelessly to run the Flying Disc Workshop, but now, it was on the brink of collapse.
Even so, he remained grateful for the opportunity that Fei Si had initially provided him.
Feigning casual inquiry, Fei Si probed, "By the way, which cultivator invented this Mechanical Monkey?"
Chen Cha, trusting, offered a simple introduction to Ning Zhuo.
"A mere third-level Qi Refiner…" Fei Si smirked internally, then his expression shifted as he heard the rest.
"Hmm? From the Ning Family?"
Fei Si frowned slightly.
This complicated things.
He quickly dismissed his previous sinister thoughts.
The involvement of the Ning Family made it difficult to act.
The Ning Family was a golden core-level power, and provoking them would be highly troublesome.
Among the four powers in Fire Persimmon Immortal City, the Ning Family was acknowledged as the weakest.
They had only one golden core cultivator.
But that golden core ancestor of the Ning Family had proven himself in combat.
Sixteen years ago, during a migration, the Ning Family was ambushed.
Their ancestor, alone, fought off two attackers, rescuing most of his clan, displaying remarkable strength.
This reputation was the only reason the other three factions tolerated the Ning Family’s presence in Fire Persimmon City.
Although minor skirmishes occurred, all sides restrained themselves to avoid major conflicts.
Taking action against Ning Zhuo could mean crossing the Ning Family, and even facing their golden core ancestor.
Such a cost was far from worthwhile.
Abandoning this plan, Fei Si’s mind churned, and a new idea formed.
He sighed, "Chen Cha, you’ve put me in a difficult position!"
Chen Cha was taken aback. "My lord, you’re my benefactor. You brought me to Fire Persimmon Immortal City. How could I cause you difficulty?"
Fei Si replied, "When you reported the Mechanical Monkey, your words were ambiguous. I mistakenly assumed it was your creation."
"I’ve already vouched for you to the City Lord, even going so far as to request commendation on your behalf."
"Alas, I’ve always trusted you."
"Now that things are set in motion, if the truth comes to light, how do you think the City Lord will treat us?"
"I’ll manage, but I worry for you. For you, this could mean a severe penalty for falsely claiming credit!"
Chen Cha’s face turned pale with worry. "What should I do? Please, my lord, help me!"
Fei Si remained silent, stroking his beard as though in deep thought, before finally speaking, "Here’s what you should do. Go to Ning Zhuo and see if you can persuade him to transfer ownership of the Mechanical Monkey to you."
"After all, you’re much older, and Ning Zhuo is only sixteen. What has a mere academy disciple experienced? Talk to him—reason with him."
Chen Cha felt pained. "This…"
In his heart, he felt entirely unwilling.
Fei Si snorted coldly inwardly but sighed aloud. "Chen Cha, this is for your own good. If you don’t go along with things, when the City Lord finds out, it’ll be you who’s punished."
"A crime like falsely claiming merit is no small matter."
After citing a few examples, Fei Si had Chen Cha breaking out in a cold sweat.
"Sigh, with things as they are, I must persuade Ning Zhuo. No—I have to succeed!" Chen Cha lamented, reluctantly changing his mind.
He genuinely admired Ning Zhuo, viewing him as a kindred spirit, even as a close friend.
But this matter touched upon his reputation and life, potentially implicating Fei Si, who had supported him.
He had no choice!
Fei Si’s power and influence far surpassed his own.
It was all too easy for Fei Si to manipulate Chen Cha, exploiting his unfamiliarity with the City Lord’s affairs.
Chen Cha had never imagined oppressing Ning Zhuo, but in the face of golden core-level authority, he was a mere foundation establishment cultivator, a nobody.
Nobodies often have no choice.
After some inquiries, Chen Cha arrived at Ning Zhuo’s residence.
He didn’t knock on the door right away but instead paced outside, sighing inwardly.
"Old Chen, what brings you here?" The gate opened, and Ning Zhuo appeared in fresh attire.
Chen Cha turned to see the young man dressed in clean white robes, his gaze clear, exuding a refined air.
Standing tall, the sunlight framed the young man’s silhouette, blending with the small garden’s flowers and plants, making him appear brimming with vitality, purity, and goodness.
Seeing Ning Zhuo’s radiant appearance, Chen Cha’s guilt surged tenfold!
For years, he had resented the injustices of the cultivation world.
But today, he had to play the role of an elder forcing a junior to accept the harsh reality of a dark, cruel world.
The weight and pain of it all overwhelmed Chen Cha!