On the stage.
The performance of “Fang Qing Clears His Name” officially concluded.
Thunderous applause echoed from the audience, accompanied by continuous cheers.
“I truly didn’t expect Ning Zhuo, this young man, to possess such skilled and seasoned techniques with mechanical puppets!” many spectators exclaimed in admiration.
As people watched Ning Zhuo descend the steps from the stage, they looked at him with unexpected admiration.
“Ning Zhuo… he truly deserves to be called the rising star of the righteous path, who has recently been making waves.”
There were also a few cultivators, their eyes red-rimmed and filled with emotion: “Watching this performance of ‘Fang Qing Clears His Name’ was almost identical to the performance by the old head of the orphanage, Li Leifeng.”
“Looking at the Ning family through Ning Zhuo, I’m starting to feel favorably towards them. Before, I always thought this family, which came from Beifeng Nation to my Nandou Nation, wasn’t that great.”
Ning Zhuo smiled, standing in the center of the stage.
Zhu Hou walked onto the stage at this moment, approaching Ning Zhuo and taking the puppet that Ning Zhuo handed over.
Zhu Hou saw the clear tear streaks on the young man’s face, and the smile on his own face became even warmer.
His voice softened, becoming unexpectedly gentle: “Young Master Ning Zhuo, your performance was a great success. In you, I see the future. Your future, the future of the Ning family, and the future of Huoshi Immortal City!”
“Come, say a few words to everyone.”
Ning Zhuo cupped his hands in thanks to Zhu Hou, then faced the audience below the stage.
The applause gradually died down until the area was silent once more.
Ning Zhuo pondered his words while communicating with Sun Lingtong.
“Boss, what’s the situation?” Through the Human Life Thread, Ning Zhuo’s question reached Sun Lingtong’s ears.
Sun Lingtong coughed up blood, looking quite excited: “Hehe, with your boss taking action personally, are you still not at ease?”
“It’s done!”
“Ning Xiaohui has been eliminated. I’ve refined her spiritual essence, and it’s all contained within the spirit box you gave me.”
“Later, I’ll enter the medical hall and place this in the severe illness treatment room beforehand.”
“We’ve dealt with Ning Xiaohui. Zhu Xuanji, the Ning family, and others will undoubtedly be furious. The situation will be very tense for a period of time.”
“I’ll go into hiding for a while to avoid the limelight. You need to be careful!”
Ning Zhuo replied: “The situation will indeed be very tense, because next, I’m going to report you.”
“Huh?” Sun Lingtong was stunned.
On the stage.
Ning Zhuo surveyed the cultivators below the stage, a look of sincerity on his face, and said: “Esteemed audience, the play has ended, but the gratitude in my heart flows like a long river, ceaseless.”
“Although Fang Qing suffered injustice, he was fortunate to have an enlightened sovereign. Heavenly principles are clear, and justice has finally been served.”
“Even if the wind and rain are dark, the righteous path is like the bright sun in the clear sky, shining upon all directions. Justice resides in the hearts of the people.”
“Here, I remember the old head of the orphanage, Li Leifeng. His spirit of benevolence and sacrifice has become a lamp for our journey forward, never to dim!”
“Congratulations to Lord Zhu Hou on taking over the orphanage, and thank you all for your support.”
“May all present here be safe and joyful, and may righteousness forever exist in the world!”
Having spoken, Ning Zhuo retreated from the stage.
Thunderous applause erupted from below, and cheers rose one after another.
After Ning Zhuo stepped down, someone shouted to donate spirit stones again.
For a time, countless people followed suit.
The sounds of donations came one after another!
Zhu Hou watched with a smile. Before Ning Zhuo’s puppet show, he had no idea that the effect of this play would be so good.
He secretly thought: “Perhaps in the future, I can invite Ning Zhuo to perform charity here? The habits and traditions left behind by the old head of the orphanage, Li Leifeng, are a wealth. It would be a great pity not to inherit them!”
After stepping off the stage, Ning Zhuo said his goodbyes to Zhu Hou and walked directly towards the box on the upper floor.
On the other side, in the Lava Immortal Palace, Sun Lingtong had already reacted.
He said to Ning Zhuo: “So, you’re going to retreat to the second line of defense?”
He was very clear about the defenses Ning Zhuo had established.
This was because these defenses were set up in advance to contend for the Lava Immortal Palace. During the setup process, Sun Lingtong’s cooperation and contributions were significant.
The second line of defense set up by Ning Zhuo was the Tiao Ku Guest. Once Ning Zhuo’s identity as the Tiao Ku Guest was exposed, he would push the blame onto Sun Lingtong.
As for reporting the Boundless Gate and Sun Lingtong, these were countermeasures that the two had agreed upon long ago.
While ascending the stairs, Ning Zhuo replied to Sun Lingtong: “I don’t know what clues Zhu Xuanji has grasped. He has bypassed the second line of defense and reached the third.”
“I don’t know what this crucial clue is, and it’s hard to probe.”
“I suspect that this clue is related to the orphanage and Li Leifeng, but I cannot be certain. For now, I can only go along with the plan.”
“Perhaps Zhu Xuanji hasn’t actually grasped concrete evidence; he’s just trying to bluff me.”
“But the safest course of action is to ‘surrender’ to him!”
Sun Lingtong nodded repeatedly, agreeing greatly with Ning Zhuo’s choice: “I have a feeling that something went wrong on Li Leifeng’s side. Do you remember how Li Leifeng once wanted to take you as his disciple? When you were two or three years old, you hadn’t been tempered yet, and that left a flaw.”
Ning Zhuo hummed: “To cover up one lie, one often has to tell more lies.”
“Truth cannot be faked, and falsehood cannot be made true.”
“Even if we prepare meticulously for over a decade, and fully disguise ourselves, we will always leave flaws.”
“We cannot withstand scrutiny. The various defenses are only to buy the most crucial time.”
“As long as we seize the Lava Immortal Palace before we are completely exposed, we will succeed!”
Ning Zhuo reached the second floor and continued walking towards the third floor.
He asked Sun Lingtong for more information, including Yang Chanyu’s condition.
“This time, we have exposed a lot. Yang Chanyu’s side will definitely react and needs to be handled properly!”
Sun Lingtong chuckled: “Don’t worry, she’s in trouble now. She’s been marked by a spell and is being chased by five Golden Core cultivators.”
“Oh?” Ning Zhuo asked for details, then said, “Boss Sun, it just so happens that you need to go to the severe illness treatment room to store the spirit box.”
“At that time, you can retrieve the Supreme Goodness is Like Water and give it to Yang Chanyu to dissolve the tracking spell.”
Sun Lingtong exclaimed, quite unwilling: “If she uses the Supreme Goodness is Like Water, Little Zhuo, what about the surveillance on you? No way!”
Ning Zhuo: “I know my own situation very well.”
“Three drops of Supreme Goodness is Like Water will definitely be enough. Two drops would just be a little unstable.”
“Yang Chanyu cannot fail!”
“She already knows a lot of things and has many suspicions in her heart. She cannot fall into the enemy’s hands.”
“Next, we will face the furious Zhu Xuanji. How strong the Golden Eyes will be in their full state, we cannot predict.”
“Furthermore, Meng Kui will never stand by and do nothing. It’s very likely that Zhu Xuanji and Meng Kui will join forces and fully deal with the third force, which is the Boundless Gate!”
Sun Lingtong’s expression turned grave.
Ning Zhuo was completely right. Just thinking about the combined force of Zhu Xuanji and Meng Kui that he was about to face, he felt the pressure like a mountain.
He chuckled: “Meng Kui cannot enter the Lava Immortal Palace. Even Zhu Xuanji has many places he cannot set foot in. This is an excellent hiding place.”
Ning Zhuo sighed: “The History Pavilion has been destroyed. Don’t hold such侥幸之心 (jiǎo xìng zhī xīn – a mentality of hoping for luck). Otherwise, you will suffer a great loss.”
Sun Lingtong’s heart immediately tightened, and he stopped smiling.
Indeed, something like this, which Ning Zhuo and the Dragon Tortoise Fire Spirit did, Zhu Xuanji and Meng Kui would likely imitate.
Sun Lingtong’s eyes rolled: “Perhaps… we should release the information about the imperial examination?”
As the saying goes, great minds think alike.
Ning Zhuo smiled faintly: “I’m also considering this matter.”
He walked to the third floor and entered the box.
Taking a deep breath, Ning Zhuo gently pushed the door open and walked in.
Zhu Xuanji was drinking tea. Seeing him enter, he looked up slightly, his face expressionless, his gaze deep.
Ning Zhuo was also expressionless.
He gently closed the door, walked forward a few steps, then half-knelt, and said in a deep voice: “Lord Zhu Xuanji, your junior Ning Zhuo has sinned!”
Zhu Xuanji’s gaze softened, his voice still calm, but with a hint of coldness: “Oh? What sin have you committed?”
Ning Zhuo’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He stared at the tiles on the ground, opened his mouth, and finally spoke: “I secretly contacted cultivators from the evil path, and I once secretly provided assistance to them.”
Zhu Xuanji: “Oh? You are young and haven’t learned to discern people well. That is a common mistake. Which evil path cultivators were they? And how did you assist them?”
Ning Zhuo took a deep breath, seemingly making up his mind, and bit his teeth, saying: “It was Sun Lingtong, it was the Boundless Gate!”
“My development of the mechanical fire monkey was likely their scheme. I only realized it later.”
“I suspect, I suspect they have been plotting against the Lava Immortal Palace.”
“I…”
Ning Zhuo couldn’t continue, his voice very dry.
Zhu Xuanji sighed deeply, his heart filled with joy, and slowly rose.
This time, he had only grasped a clue and had a suspicion in his heart. He had used the orphanage, used the performance of “Fang Qing Clears His Name,” to trick Ning Zhuo and also to gain Ning Zhuo’s allegiance. This naturally made him feel joyful.
But on the surface, he had a grave expression.
He walked to Ning Zhuo, bent down, and helped Ning Zhuo up: “Little fellow, you seized the opportunity I gave you this time, abandoning darkness for light, and voluntarily admitting your guilt and submitting to the law. Very good.”
“I did not misjudge you, and you did not disappoint me!”
“No one is a sage, who can be without fault?”
“Furthermore, I am also aware of your circumstances from childhood to adulthood.”
“I will allow you to atone for your sins by rendering meritorious service!”
“Come, tell me everything you know in detail.”
Zhu Xuanji turned around, walking back to his seat while saying: “We still have enough time.”
“Is it really enough?” Ning Zhuo followed behind Zhu Xuanji, watching his back, and couldn’t help but mutter to himself.
Zhu Xuanji sat down, while Ning Zhuo stood beside him and said bitterly: “This matter is a long story. It starts from my childhood.”
“At that time, not long after my mother passed away, I unexpectedly rescued someone.”
“This person also looked like a child, but in fact, he was an evil path cultivator…”
As Ning Zhuo spoke here, a name immediately popped into Zhu Xuanji’s mind – Sun Lingtong!
“Contacted from over a decade ago?” Zhu Xuanji was surprised. He hadn’t expected Ning Zhuo and Sun Lingtong to know each other so early.
Ning Zhuo spoke slowly, and Zhu Xuanji’s thoughts had already followed suit, guessing the natural development of Sun Lingtong discovering Ning Zhuo and cultivating him.
“So, my previous conjecture was correct.”
“There really is a third force, the Boundless Gate. They are the masterminds behind everything!”