Outside Fire Persimmon Mountain.

A demonic beast, its form like a mountain, opened its bloody maw.

A powerful suction force immediately arose, threatening to devour the cultivators before it in one gulp.

At that critical moment, a ruler, gleaming with the radiance of the sun, crashed down like a shooting star.

The demonic beast perished on the spot, meeting a gruesome end.

Zhu Xuanji descended from the high heavens.

The rescued cultivators recognized Zhu Xuanji’s identity and hastily kowtowed in reverence, expressing boundless gratitude.

Zhu Xuanji glanced at them and gazed towards Fire Persimmon Immortal City, “For this period, you would do well to distance yourselves from the Immortal City, depart!”

Seeing Zhu Xuanji’s solemn countenance, the cultivators dared not presume upon him and retreated deferentially.

Some heeded Zhu Xuanji’s warning, while others, burdened with pressing matters, still returned to the Immortal City.

This movement was naturally observed by Zhu Xuanji in its entirety.

He did not attempt further persuasion, his mood grave.

After probing for the past day or two, he was certain that Meng Kui was secretly enacting a ritual, employing the Seated Mountain Contemplation Divine Power, forming a field of Qi Luck centered around Meng Kui himself.

This Qi Luck field enveloped the entire Fire Persimmon Mountain, encompassing both the Molten Rock Immortal Palace and Fire Persimmon Immortal City.

Furthermore, the scope of the Qi Luck field was still expanding outwards, forcing Zhu Xuanji to repeatedly retreat further.

The demonic beasts encompassed within had all become agitated and restless, their battle intent soaring.

Incidents and disappearances occurred, triggering countless bloody conflicts.

The more Zhu Xuanji observed, the colder his heart became.

“Meng Kui.”

Meng Kui sat serenely amidst the swirling clouds, coldly watching the raging storms outside.

His primary focus remained on the Molten Rock Immortal Palace.

The siege and defense of the Fire Persimmon Mountain peak had persisted for several days.

Various crimson flame demonic beasts ceaselessly assaulted the Immortal Palace, while the various mechanical constructs within the Immortal Palace also emerged endlessly, forming a sturdy defensive line.

Suddenly, Meng Kui’s eyes flickered slightly.

At the edge of the Immortal Palace’s defenses, a figure abruptly appeared, moving with extreme speed, attempting to enter the Immortal Palace.

The nearby demonic beasts detected him and attacked the mysterious individual en masse.

In the next instant, the mysterious person unleashed a Core Formation aura, scattering frigid frost energy that froze and slew a large swath of demonic beasts, successfully entering the Immortal Palace.

The various mechanical constructs within the Immortal Palace showed no intention of attacking the mysterious person.

“Oh! Ice Heart Incantation… a Ning family Core Formation cultivator!”

Meng Kui recognized him.

The four Core Formation cultivators from the Zhou and Zheng families had already entered the array for their gamble.

The Ning family’s Core Formation elder had taken the opportunity to enter the Immortal Palace.

Meng Kui coldly smiled, “The Ning family’s Core Formation possesses attainments in mechanology, capable of entering the Immortal Palace! This is something that had never been discovered before.”

“According to the Ning family, they only discovered the Molten Rock Immortal Palace this year!”

“Is this statement truthful?”

“It is possible that the Ning family’s Core Formation elder improved his mechanology this year, reaching the standard for entry.”

“It is also possible that he had secretly entered the Immortal Palace long ago, with the Ning family’s public statement merely a smokescreen.” “Could he be that shadowed demonic cultivator?”

Meng Kui quietly watched the Ning family elder, continuously playing with two walnuts in his hand.

The walnuts rubbed and rotated against each other in his palm.

On their surface, complex runes occasionally flickered.

New intelligence reached Ning Zhuo’s hands.

“Someone outside Fire Persimmon Mountain, being pursued by demonic beasts, was fortunately rescued by Zhu Xuanji?”

“Zhu Xuanji is outside the city?”

Ning Zhuo’s expression turned grave.

This intelligence greatly impacted his previous assumptions.

He had originally believed that the person trapping Sun Lingtong was Zhu Xuanji.

After all, Zhu Xuanji had openly inquired about Sun Lingtong before, only to be temporarily dismissed by the latter’s wailing and tantrums.

“In truth, this is indeed not Zhu Xuanji’s style!”

“If it truly isn’t him, then who could possibly cause such great trouble for Elder Sun?”

Ning Zhuo had lived here for sixteen years and could be said to have a thorough understanding of the important figures and forces within Fire Persimmon Immortal City.

Sun Lingtong was at the peak of Foundation Establishment, managing the Black Market for many years; the people or forces capable of dealing with him in this way were few and far between.

“Han Ming?”

Once his train of thought was opened, Ning Zhuo immediately thought of the female demonic cultivator he had captured!

This possibility certainly existed.

Since Ning Zhuo had publicly displayed some of his abilities, he was no longer as free to move as he had been before.

After the tests by the three families, he had not seen Han Ming again.

Even the time he replenished Yuan Dasheng’s spirit, he remotely controlled the Golden-Blooded Battle Ape Dasheng.

“At that time, I indeed heard Han Ming’s calls from the dungeon!”

Ning Zhuo was also currently inconvenienced in his movements, “Should I have Yuan Dasheng go take a look?”

Ning Zhuo immediately dismissed the idea.

The matter concerning Bao Chou had already spread far and wide.

This group was about to make their move.

At this crucial juncture, what would he do if Ning Zhuo dispatched Yuan Dasheng, missing the opportunity to protect Yuan Er?

“Seemingly two choices, but in reality, there is only one!”

Ning Zhuo calmly analyzed, “If it truly was Han Ming being rescued, leading to Elder Sun’s plight, then they likely made arrangements in the dungeon!”

“If I send Yuan Dasheng, I will surely startle the snake in the grass!”

“There is no rush to do this!”

Ning Zhuo chose to restrain himself, constantly monitoring Yuan Dasheng.

The assassination attempt by Bao Chou and his gang came much sooner than Ning Zhuo had anticipated.

As night fell, the moon and stars were sparse.

Through the lurking Yuan Dasheng, Ning Zhuo discovered Bao Chou and his gang weaving through the Monkey Head Gang’s territory.

Yuan Er was huddled in the very center of the gang’s territory.

However, the defenses surrounding him were constantly being weakened by the elders who had defected, creating many massive loopholes.

Guided, Bao Chou and others, without alarming any guards, smoothly reached the outside of Yuan Er’s room.

It wasn’t until someone climbed through the window, triggering a talisman, and the activated spell assassination that Yuan Er finally reacted.

“Someone, someone! Assassins! Assassins!”

Yuan Er shouted, while frantically activating the formations within the room.

The formations only lasted for a few breaths before being destroyed by Bao Chou and his gang.

Clearly, the ability of the traitor had already affected the core area.

“Father, mother, your son is avenging you today!”

Seeing that he had been discovered, Bao Chou roared towards the sky, taking the lead and charging inside.

Behind him followed a group of people, equally without hesitation, following closely behind.

Yuan Er still had several close attendants as guards by his side, who formed a defensive line at this time, resisting the assassin’s attack.

Bao Chou and the others were extremely well-prepared, and were only slightly hindered for a short while before breaking through the defensive line and attacking Yuan Er directly.

Yuan Er fought back while fleeing outwards.
“Worthless trash!” Ning Zhuo coldly observed.

Yuan Er had already been thrown into a panic, utterly losing his composure. His flight completely disrupted their defensive arrangement, further shaking the morale of the close attendants, causing a sharp decline in their fighting spirit.

Yuan Dasheng was already itching for action!

Ning Zhuo mentally urged, “Go!”

The Tree Martial Fighting Ape, Dasheng, roared and leapt out, blocking Bao Chou’s path.

Yuan Er was overjoyed, “Uncle Monkey!”

Yuan Dasheng possessed extraordinary combat power. After a few exchanges, he forced Bao Chou into a steady retreat.

Several vengeful cultivators attempted to bypass Yuan Dasheng, but Yuan Daheng disengaged and ferociously killed them.

Finally, when the Monkey Head Gang members arrived, Yuan Dasheng had already concluded the battle.

Most of the cultivators were dead, but Bao Chou survived, though severely wounded.

Yuan Er, head held high, walked before Bao Chou.

Bao Chou was held down by gang members, forced to kneel.

“Your father couldn’t beat my father, and was killed!”

“Now, you can’t beat me either, so being killed is only natural!”

“Heh, who gave you the audacity, making you delude yourself into thinking you could kill me?”

Yuan Er felt like he was back on top.

This confidence stemmed from the Tree Martial Fighting Ape, Dasheng, standing behind him.

Most of the crowd’s gazes also frequently shifted towards Yuan Dasheng.

In the assassination attempt just now, Yuan Dasheng had fully displayed his power and valor.

Bao Chou and the others, armed to the teeth, couldn’t gain even a slight advantage and were routed by Yuan Dasheng.

Bao Chou looked up, his face covered in blood and hatred.

“Pah!”

He spat, but his saliva was blocked by a guard.

Yuan Er was very cautious. He stood behind the guards, at least four people away, and excitedly taunted Bao Chou.

Ning Zhuo was also elated.

In this battle, he felt that the connection between himself and Yuan Dasheng had become at least half as clear.

“One more assassination attempt, and I should be able to completely eliminate this hidden danger!”

However, Bao Chou suddenly froze, his expression becoming strange.

In the next moment, he roared ferociously, “If not now, when?”

The others were bewildered.

But the gang guard closest to Yuan Er suddenly attacked, drawing his blade and turning, the light of the blade like snow, swift as lightning.

Yuan Er’s head flew off on the spot.

This scene stunned almost everyone.

Yuan Er’s head fell to the ground. Before his death, he looked at the Tree Martial Fighting Ape, Dasheng.

Yuan Er was confused, wondering why Uncle Monkey didn’t save him.

He forgot: his Uncle Monkey was no longer flesh and blood, but a mechanical construct, a mechanical construct without a soul!

This was not like before, when he was in mortal danger, and Yuan Dasheng had ample reaction time to make a grand entrance and fight.

The guard’s attack just now was too fast.

Yuan Dasheng’s spirit needed a process of being stimulated.

It didn’t react in time.

Ning Zhuo reacted, “There’s still hope!”

This was the world of cultivation. Even if one’s head was cut off, it wasn’t impossible to save their life.

However, just as he was about to fully control Yuan Dasheng to snatch Yuan Er’s head, attempting to save his life, Yuan Dasheng raised its head and roared, shifting through space again.

It roared like a lion or tiger, rushing furiously toward the assassin.

The guard raised his blade to block, but Yuan Dasheng’s fist smashed down, killing him instantly, blade and all.

The surrounding gang members scattered in chaos.

Bao Chou regained his freedom and tried to escape, but in the next moment, Yuan Dasheng grabbed his head.

“Don’t, don’t kill me!”

With a soft crack, Yuan Dasheng directly crushed his head.

But that wasn’t enough.

Then, Yuan Dasheng continued to brutally beat all the assassins’ corpses.

After pounding them into minced meat, it slowly calmed down.

“Not good!”

Ning Zhuo had a strong premonition of disaster.

The green light in the mechanical eyes rapidly dissipated. Yuan Dasheng stood rooted to the spot, surrounded by a pile of bone fragments and flesh, head drooping and shoulders slumped. It was motionless.

No matter how Ning Zhuo sensed, he could no longer feel its spirit.

End of Chapter………………