"Uncle Monkey!" Yuan Er finally reacted, seeing the fallen ape, he cried out in shock.
He rushed to the ape's side, but it remained motionless.
In that moment, Yuan Er was overwhelmed with sorrow, tears streaming down his face.
"Can anyone save Uncle Monkey?"
"Is there anyone who can save it!?"
"Quick, open the formation, open the formation, we need a healer, we need a healer!!"
Yuan Er dragged Yuan Dasheng to the edge of the formation, but in the process, he tore off its arm.
Yuan Er slumped to the ground, staring blankly at everything before him.
"Open the formation," Zhu Xuanji suddenly appeared beside Fei Si.
Fei Si was taken aback, unable to discern Zhu Xuanji’s stealth technique.
"Lord Zhu, there's an anomaly; this could be the work of the Shadow Demon Cultivator. Perhaps we should wait and see..."
But Zhu Xuanji glared at him, his eyes gleaming with golden light, his expression fierce. "I said, open the formation!"
Fei Si’s pupils contracted as he forced a smile. "Since the divine constable is taking action to apprehend the culprit, I will, of course, cooperate."
The formation was opened.
Zhu Xuanji moved to Yuan Er’s side, activating a technique aimed at Yuan Dasheng.
Under his healing, Yuan Dasheng’s severed arm was reattached, and his injuries stabilized; his heartbeat returned, bringing a faint thread of life back to him.
"Thank you, my lord! Thank you, my lord!" Yuan Er repeatedly bowed to the unfamiliar golden core cultivator, Zhu Xuanji.
Zhu Xuanji, however, let out a soft sigh.
"Its injuries are too severe. I did my best, but I’ve only managed to keep it alive temporarily."
"This is an Autumn Life-Saving Pill. Give it to him to preserve his life."
"But from now on, he’ll be bedridden."
Zhu Xuanji looked at the gravely injured Yuan Dasheng with a deep sense of compassion.
He possessed Heaven-Piercing Eyes, and while others' vision was obscured by the explosion, he could see clearly.
At the moment of the explosion, Yuan Dasheng had wanted to activate demonic arts for defense.
But instead, he chose to use his spiritual power entirely to shield the Yuan Er in his arms.
He endured the explosion with his own flesh and blood, willing to sacrifice himself to save Yuan Er!
"Clearly, he has demonic arts, yet he chose not to use them."
"Was he worried that exposing his identity as a demonic cultivator would lead to misunderstandings, trigger an attack, and ultimately drag Yuan Er into trouble?"
"This ape truly has feelings and loyalty."
Zhu Xuanji was deeply moved, which led him to reveal himself and personally save Yuan Dasheng’s life.
"Zhu Xuanji!!!"
From the mountainside, Ning Zhuo, who had witnessed Zhu Xuanji rescuing Yuan Dasheng, had cold gleams in his eyes.
"You dare ruin my plans!" Ning Zhuo gritted his teeth.
After much effort, he had devised this trap, cleverly taking advantage of the situation and calculating the intentions and responses of most people, only to have Zhu Xuanji thwart it.
"I severely underestimated Zhu Xuanji’s unpredictability."
"What now?"
With Zhu Xuanji's interference, the previously doomed Yuan Dasheng had been brought back to life.
"Though he's in a dire state, barely clinging to life, his injuries are mostly physical, while his soul remains intact."
"He could be extracted and drawn into the palace."
"If he encounters Meng Chong, Zhou Zhuo, or Zheng Jian, any of these three forces would likely lend a hand to save him."
"Damn it, damn it!"
Upon hearing that Ning Zhuo had orchestrated the mechanical fire explosive monkeys, Zheng Shuangjun immediately showed an intent to recruit him.
The four major factions’ hunger for mechanical talents was evident.
If they learned that Yuan Dasheng had managed to reach Room Seven on his own, they would surely go mad with excitement!
"What should I do? What should I do?"
Ning Zhuo’s mind raced, exhausting all his thoughts to the point of pale exhaustion and dizziness.
This was hard!
Devising this trap had already taxed him to the limit, requiring him to rack his brain.
After all, he was only sixteen!
Fei Si’s expression also darkened.
Just now, Zhu Xuanji had forced him to open the formation, openly disgracing him, disregarding the situation entirely.
Fei Si, with his dark, ruthless mind, secretly swore to himself: He would remember this humiliation and repay Zhu Xuanji in the future.
Even if Zhu Xuanji was a member of the Divine Constable Division and the royal family, so what?
"We are all righteous people and must adhere to rules. Today, you made it difficult for me, fine, fine—don’t let me catch you slipping!"
"My lord, someone from the Flying Disc Workshop requests an audience," a guard reported shortly after.
Soon, Ning Zhuo was ushered in.
Fei Si, in a foul mood, said, "Boy, you better have something of substance, something truly urgent!"
Ning Zhuo smiled and transmitted a message: "Lord Fei Si, that Zhu Xuanji was utterly disrespectful. I have a plan here that could ease your worries."
Fei Si immediately scolded, "Lord Zhu is a royal member, a distinguished divine constable. Who are you, a mere qi refining brat, to address him by name? Such audacity!"
Despite the reprimand, Fei Si’s words were conveyed through sound transmission, ensuring no third party heard.
Ning Zhuo chuckled inwardly and continued, "I was impetuous. But Zhu Xuanji, for some unknown reason, went to save that ape, showing no regard for Fire Persimmon Immortal City!"
Seeing Fei Si’s frown and displeasure, Ning Zhuo quickly added, "My lord, now the entire city knows Zhu Xuanji acted to save that ape, refusing to let it die. So, what if the ape still dies?"
At this, Fei Si’s frown relaxed, and he pointed at Ning Zhuo, saying, "Boy, you’re too scheming. Are you afraid the ape will recover and compete with you in the fire persimmon business?"
Seeing that Fei Si had “seen through” him, Ning Zhuo spoke frankly.
"Lord Fei Si, your insight is unmatched. How could I conceal my petty schemes from you? In truth, I never intended to hide it from you."
Fei Si shook his head. "This isn’t appropriate. Set aside your schemes. If word got out, what would people say?"
"They’d claim I’m petty and have grievances with Lord Zhu. I don’t mind my reputation, but I fear this would tarnish the City Lord’s name and Fire Persimmon Immortal City’s reputation."
Ning Zhuo laughed. "I understand your concerns, my lord. Rest assured, I won’t act directly, nor will I leave any evidence."
"All I need is an order token from you, my lord, to proceed as such and such… and when Zhu Xuanji comes to make trouble, he’ll have no grounds!"
"Oh?" Fei Si pondered for a moment, realizing the plan had some merit.
He threw down an order token, intentionally saying, "Ah, I dropped an order token; what to do?"
Ning Zhuo quickly picked it up. "Please wait a moment, my lord. I’ll retrieve it for you."
Ning Zhuo saluted and took his leave.
Fei Si watched him depart, contemplating.
"This Ning family boy has some sharp wit."
Whether the plan succeeded or not, he found himself growing increasingly fond of Ning Zhuo.
Armed with the order token, Ning Zhuo quickened his pace toward the Monkey Head Gang's temporary quarters.
Though the plan was good, its implementation could vary.
He wasn’t certain this endeavor would succeed, but he had to try, had to seize every chance.
Yuan Dasheng still had a sliver of hope, and Ning Zhuo was clinging to that same sliver of hope!
If Yuan Dasheng survived, Ning Zhuo would die.
For Ning Zhuo to live, Yuan Dasheng had to perish.
It was either his death or Ning Zhuo's demise!
Ning Zhuo knew he was treading on thin ice, but he had no other option.
Among these four major factions, before Zhu Xuanji, he was too ordinary, too weak, too alone.
All he could do was enter the game himself, personally act, and kill Yuan Dasheng!