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Midnight.

“Kill! Kill them all!”

“Charge! Charge for me!”

“Slay a Qi Refinement cultivator, and be rewarded with a magical artifact! Eliminate a Foundation Establishment expert, and become an elder of the gang!”

The screeching of apes echoed as they launched a frenzied assault under the command of cultivators.

The besieged gang was both enraged and bewildered, unable to comprehend why the Monkey Head Gang would attack them!

“Don’t panic!”

“We have a defensive array protecting us. If the Monkey Head Gang launches a full-scale attack, they are bound to pay a heavy price.”

“No matter what madness has seized them, with such a large commotion, the city guards are sure to arrive soon.”

The gang elders and the leader were doing their utmost to stabilize morale.

In the highest chamber of a certain tavern, Ning Zhuo expended talismans, enhancing his vision, and observed the entire offensive and defensive battle triggered by the sudden assault with perfect clarity.

The Monkey Head Gang leader wore a grave expression, standing beside Ning Zhuo, and said in a low voice, “My lord, at this rate, our Monkey Head Gang will suffer grievous losses.”

Ning Zhuo remained expressionless.

The battle continued for a moment.

Ning Xiangqian could no longer bear to watch. “Young Master Zhuo, should we charge into the fray?”

Ning Zhuo shook his head slightly. “There is no need for that!”

The Monkey Head Gang leader felt as if he were in the dead of winter, his mind and body chilled to the bone.

Ning Zhuo showed no regard for the Monkey Head Gang, using their lives and the lives of the apes to wear down the enemy’s defensive array. It was truly too cruel.

He resembled a bloodthirsty general on the battlefield.

But he had no choice.

After acknowledging his defeat, he not only signed a contract that was meticulous and harsh but also handed over the evidence of his plot against Yuan Er to Ning Zhuo.

He had only one path to follow: to obey Ning Zhuo.

The opposing gang cursed and railed from within the defensive array.

“They’re insane! The people of the Monkey Head Gang are insane!”

“When have we ever provoked them?”

“Why haven’t the city guards arrived yet? Are they blind?”

The enemies were all shaken by the Monkey Head Gang’s frenzied attack.

Their strength was inferior to the Monkey Head Gang’s. If it weren’t for the effectiveness of the defensive array, they would have collapsed long ago.

“Gang Leader, are we going to continue fighting?”

“At this rate, our old comrades will all die!”

The elders of the Monkey Head Gang sought out their leader, complaining endlessly.

They had, of course, considered fleeing or counterattacking Ning Zhuo.

But the nearly twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators standing beside Ning Zhuo extinguished those thoughts as soon as they arose.

Attacking the enemy gang still offered a chance of survival, but confronting Ning Zhuo and his entourage would undoubtedly lead to a more tragic end.

“It’s about time. Have those in front fall back and replace them with the reserve troops.”

Ning Zhuo commanded.

“Wait, use this talisman.”

Ning Zhuo retrieved a talisman.

The Monkey Head Gang leader received it, overjoyed. “It’s an array-breaking talisman!”

Soon after.

Under the effects of the array-breaking talisman, the defensive array crumbled, the enemy gang’s morale collapsed, and they either died or surrendered.

“How should we deal with these prisoners?”

The Monkey Head Gang leader inquired of Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo smiled. “This gang has committed countless atrocities. Which one of them isn’t guilty of heinous crimes? Hmph, their deaths are not to be regretted. Kill them all!”

His casual words sent shivers down the spines of everyone present.

Even the Ning family’s Foundation Establishment cultivators felt a chill in their hearts.

Ning Zhuo was only sixteen years old. Before this, he had lived in the academy.

He had shown the public his talent, his diligence, his shrewd schemes, and his resistance against the main branch.

But tonight’s battle revealed the coldness and cruelty in Ning Zhuo’s bones.

Soon after, the Monkey Head Gang leader reported that everything had been carried out according to Ning Zhuo’s instructions, and not a single member of the enemy gang had survived.

Ning Zhuo clapped his hands and sighed. “To destroy evil and promote justice is truly a joyous occasion in life. It’s a pity there’s no wine, or I would toast this victory heartily.”

Ning Xiangguo smiled slightly and retrieved fine wine from his storage belt. “I have wine here.”

Ning Xiangguo took the initiative to pour Ning Zhuo a cup.

Ning Zhuo praised it but did not drink it. Instead, he handed it to the Monkey Head Gang leader. “I bestow this wine upon you. Drink it!”

The Monkey Head Gang leader thanked him repeatedly and obediently drank it in one gulp.

“I must congratulate you, Gang Leader.”

Ning Zhuo said to him, “From now on, the Monkey Head Gang will take the place of this gang and forcefully enter the black market.”

The Monkey Head Gang leader’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his heart filled with a mixture of anger and hatred.

His Monkey Head Gang had found a legitimate business of harvesting fire persimmons and had finally cleaned up their act. Now, this battle had directly undone years of effort, and they had once again become a gang involved in the underworld.

Ning Zhuo took out a storage pouch from his waist and tossed it to the Monkey Head Gang leader. “Your battle today has shown me the loyalty of your Monkey Head Gang. This is a reward for you.”

The Monkey Head Gang leader thanked him again, opened the pouch, probed it with his divine sense, and his face changed. “Mechanical Fireblast Monkeys?”

“That’s right!” Ning Zhuo nodded. “Too many of your monkey pets have died. These Mechanical Fireblast Monkeys will serve as replacements! In the future, work hard for me, work for my Ning family, and I will not mistreat you.”

“Thank you, my lord!”

The Monkey Head Gang leader knelt and kowtowed, gnashing his teeth in anger.

Ning Zhuo had gone too far, being so relentlessly oppressive.

He clearly had array-breaking talismans, but he insisted on waiting until the Monkey Head Gang had suffered heavy casualties before using them.

He had done it on purpose.

His purpose was to have the Monkey Head Gang’s monkey pets almost entirely wiped out and then replace them with Mechanical Fireblast Monkeys.

The Monkey Head Gang leader saw through Ning Zhuo’s purpose at a glance: “He wants to use the Mechanical Fireblast Monkeys to further tighten his control over the Monkey Head Gang.”

The Monkey Head Gang leader’s heart was filled with gloom.

With the contract, the evidence, and the Mechanical Fireblast Monkeys, Ning Zhuo had planted three layers of control. Did he and his Monkey Head Gang still have any hope of freedom?

The chances were slim.

He looked at Ning Zhuo. Although the latter was only at the third level of Qi Refinement, he fully sensed Ning Zhuo’s overbearing presence.

Often, cultivation level did not mean everything.

The other members of the Ning family also felt it deeply.

Ning Zhuo’s tough and ruthless methods had completely dispelled the last trace of their contempt for him.

Ning Zhuo then instructed the Monkey Head Gang leader: “Surround the Raven Beak Gang’s base. Take the enemy’s heads and tell the Raven Beak Gang directly that Ning Zhuo has taken over the black market.”

“If they don’t surrender, they will suffer the same fate as these heads.”

“Yes!”

The Monkey Head Gang leader accepted the order and retreated.

Ning Xiangqian revealed a worried expression. “Young Master Zhuo, you said you wanted to acquire the black market and asked us to come and help you.”

“We can discuss it at length. We can all be at your disposal today. There’s no need to rush things.”
“Tonight, one gang has already been extinguished. The Monkey Head Gang is exhausted. To fight a second gang at full strength…this…”

“Our control over the current leader of the Monkey Head Gang is firm. We cannot easily replicate this with the leaders of other gangs.”

“Such a force should be able to help us consolidate the Black Market in the future. The Monkey Head Gang has suffered significant losses in the battle just now. Letting them bleed further would be detrimental to the overall situation.”

Ning Zhuo smiled faintly, “Uncle Xiang Guo, there are no outsiders here. There’s no need to call me Young Master.”

“My background is the same as all of you uncles. We are all from the branch families!”

“As for the Crane Beak Gang, I predict that they are highly likely to surrender!”

“I understand quite a bit about the Black Market, and I also have some plans and strategies.”

“Uncle Xiang Guo, just wait and see.”

Seeing that they couldn’t dissuade Ning Zhuo, and that he was full of confidence, Ning Xiang Guo and the others stopped trying to persuade him.

Ning Zhuo’s gaze darkened as he recalled his conversation with Sun Lingtong before the operation.

“Boss Sun, this time, I want to step forward and take back our Black Market.”

Ning Zhuo informed Sun Lingtong of his current situation.

Sun Lingtong clapped his hands excitedly, “Haha, wonderful! We brothers worked so hard to build the Black Market, and now that I’m wanted, it’s best for you to step up!”

“However, you are a member of the Ning family, one of the three great families. If you openly take over the Black Market, wouldn’t that break the tacit understanding in Fire Persimmon Immortal City?”

Ning Zhuo smiled faintly, “I’ve thought about it. This is not a concern.”

“First, I will try my best not to act personally. In the initial stages, I will use the Monkey Head Gang. They have long since cleaned up their act. I will use the excuse of avenging Yuan Er to openly cause trouble for them and force them to submit.”

“I and the other Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Ning family will try not to take action, allowing the Monkey Head Gang to advance fiercely.”

“Second, my relationship with the Zhou family and the Zheng family is not bad, and I am friendly with Fei Siye of the City Lord’s Mansion. If it were any other member of the Ning family, they would definitely intervene to stop them. But they would be happy to see me take control of the Black Market.”

“This is because they all want to see the conflict and internal strife between the main and branch families of the Ning family.”

“Although I have greatly offended the main family of the Ning family, these people will support me.”

“Currently, I have been framed by the main family. On one hand, they dismissed a large number of branch family deacons, and on the other hand, they rewarded me handsomely, forcing me to share cultivation resources in an attempt to undermine my popularity.”

“I have no choice but to seek another way out. Moreover, I am very young. It’s not a big deal to break the tacit understanding of the Immortal City and extend my hand to the Black Market. The other three forces will definitely understand.”

Sun Lingtong thought for a moment, then nodded, agreeing with Ning Zhuo’s analysis, “Little brother, you have seen through it clearly. This is indeed a rare opportunity for you to take over the Black Market as a member of the Ning family.”

“Then let’s do something big.”

Sun Lingtong continued to analyze, “To quickly take down the Black Market, the main issue is the three gangs and three rogue cultivators.”

“The three gangs are the Poisonous Snake Gang, the Turtle Breath Gang, and the Crane Beak Gang. The three rogue cultivators are Feng Heizi, One-Armed Craftsman, and Not-So-Clean.”

“That’s right!”

Ning Zhuo nodded.

As the strategist “Hanging Temple Guest,” he had assisted Sun Lingtong and spent several years integrating the current Black Market. He was very familiar with the forces and characters in the Black Market.

Ning Zhuo said, “The Poisonous Snake Gang is the most active, especially after you were wanted, Boss. They made great efforts to seize our core territory.”

“Hmph!”

“This time, I will have the Monkey Head Gang attack the Poisonous Snake Gang fiercely, killing one to warn a hundred, and establishing our prestige.”

“Then, with the support of the Ning family deacons and the Monkey Head Gang, I will force the Crane Beak Gang to submit.”

Sun Lingtong agreed, “That’s feasible. Most of the leaders and elders of the Crane Beak Gang are bullies who fear the strong. That’s how we did it back then.”

“As for the Turtle Breath Gang, we’ll have to rely on you, Boss.”

Ning Zhuo said to Sun Lingtong.

Sun Lingtong laughed heartily, “Who would have thought that the mysterious Turtle Breath Gang was once just a group of beggars who practiced Turtle Breath Technique to enter a state of hibernation and delay hunger?”

“It was you, Little Zhuo, who saw that they were pitiful and useful, so you asked me to secretly teach their leader some stealing techniques.”

“These beggars are also ambitious, gradually developing into the current Turtle Breath Gang.”

“I will personally issue orders to the leader of the Turtle Breath Gang in secret, instructing him to lurk by your side, both monitoring and waiting for my order to return.”

The Turtle Breath Gang does not know the true identity of Hanging Temple Guest and has always been grateful for Sun Lingtong’s kindness.

On the surface, the relationship between the Turtle Breath Gang and Sun Lingtong is distant.

In reality, the Turtle Breath Gang has always been Sun Lingtong’s capable subordinate.

A large part of Sun Lingtong’s intelligence comes from the Turtle Breath Gang.

End of Chapter.