Chapter 279

On the stage.

The play "Fang Qing Clears His Name" officially ended.

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience, and cheers of approval were constant.

"I really didn't expect that this young man Unlike Ning Zhuo's technique with mechanical puppets would be so skillful and seasoned!" Many in the audience sighed endlessly.

People looked toward the stage at Unlike Ning Zhuo, who was walking down the steps step by step, all with surprised looks of admiration.

"Unlike Ning Zhuo... he truly lives up to his reputation as the rising star of the righteous path who has been making such a splash recently."

There were also individual cultivators whose eyes turned red, moved beyond words: "Watching this play 'Fang Qing Clears His Name', it was almost exactly the same as the old director Li Leifeng."

"Looking at the Ning family through Unlike Ning Zhuo, I've started to have a good impression of the Ning family too. Before, I always felt that this family that came from the North Wind Kingdom to our South Bean Kingdom wasn't much."

Unlike Ning Zhuo smiled and stood in the center of the stage.

Zhu Hou walked onto the stage at this time, came before Unlike Ning Zhuo, and took the puppet that Unlike Ning Zhuo handed over.

Zhu Hou saw the clear tear stains on the young man's face, and the smile on his face couldn't help but become even warmer.

His voice slowed down, actually becoming gentle: "Young Master Unlike Ning Zhuo, your performance was a great success. From you, I see the future. The future that belongs to you, the future of the Ning family, the future of Fire Persimmon Immortal City!"

"Come, say a few words to everyone."

Unlike Ning Zhuo bowed to Zhu Hou in thanks, then faced the audience below the stage.

The applause gradually died down until the venue became quiet again.

Unlike Ning Zhuo pondered his words while contacting Sun Lingtong.

"Boss, how is the situation?" Through the Human Life Hanging Thread, Unlike Ning Zhuo's inquiry reached Sun Lingtong's ears.

Sun Lingtong coughed up blood, his expression quite excited: "Hehe, with your boss personally taking action, are you still worried?"

"It's done!"

"Ning Xiaohui has been eliminated; I've refined her spirituality, and it's all been collected into the spirit box you gave me."

"In a moment, I will enter the medical clinic and put this thing into the intensive care room in advance."

"We took care of Ning Xiaohui; Zhu Xuanji, the Ning family, and others will surely be furious. For a period of time in the future, the atmosphere will be very tense."

"I will hide for a while to avoid the limelight; you must be careful!"

Unlike Ning Zhuo replied: "The atmosphere will indeed be tense, because next, I am going to report you."

"Huh?" Sun Lingtong was stunned.

On the stage.

Unlike Ning Zhuo scanned the cultivators below the stage, with a sincere expression, and opened his mouth: "Dear audience, the play has ended, but the gratitude in my heart is like a long river that never ceases."

"Although Fang Qing suffered injustice, fortunately, the monarch was wise, the heavenly principles were clear, and justice was finally upheld."

"Even if the wind and rain are gloomy, the righteous path is like the clear sky and bright sun, illuminating all directions; justice resides in the hearts of the people."

"Here, I cherish the memory of the old director Li Leifeng; his spirit of benevolence and sacrifice has already become the lamp for us to move forward, never to dim!"

"Congratulations to Lord Zhu Hou for taking over the Nursery, and thank you all for your support."

"May everyone present be safe and happy, and may righteousness exist in the world forever!"

After speaking, Unlike Ning Zhuo stepped down from the stage.

Thunderous applause erupted below the stage, and cheers of approval followed one after another.

After Unlike Ning Zhuo left the stage, someone shouted to donate spirit stones again.

In an instant, there were countless imitators.

The sounds of donations followed one after another!

Zhu Hou watched with a smile; before Unlike Ning Zhuo performed the puppet show, he had never expected that the effect of this play would be so good.

He thought to himself: "Perhaps in the future, I can invite Unlike Ning Zhuo to perform here for charity? The habits and traditions left behind by the old director Li Leifeng are a wealth. It would be a great pity not to inherit them!"

Unlike Ning Zhuo walked off the stage, said goodbye to Zhu Hou, and walked straight toward the private room upstairs.

On the other side, in the Lava Xian Gong, Sun Lingtong had already reacted.

He said to Unlike Ning Zhuo: "In that case, are you going to retreat to the second line of defense?"

He was very clear about the defensive lines Unlike Ning Zhuo had forged.

It was all because these defensive lines were arrangements made in advance to compete for the Lava Xian Gong. In the process of setting them up, Sun Lingtong's cooperation and contributions were very significant.

The second line of defense Unlike Ning Zhuo set up was the Young Guest. Once Unlike Ning Zhuo's identity as the Young Guest was exposed, he would push the blame onto Sun Lingtong.

As for reporting the Kong Sect and reporting Sun Lingtong, it was also a response measure that the two had agreed upon long ago.

Unlike Ning Zhuo responded to Sun Lingtong while climbing the stairs: "I don't know what clues Zhu Xuanji grasped; he actually bypassed the second line of defense and reached the third."

"I don't know what this key clue is, and it's very difficult to probe."

"I suspect this clue is related to the Nursery and Li Leifeng, but I can't be sure. For now, I can only play along with his scheme."

"Perhaps Zhu Xuanji hasn't grasped any solid evidence at all; he is bluffing me."

"But the safest response is to 'surrender' to him!"

Sun Lingtong nodded repeatedly, very much agreeing with Unlike Ning Zhuo's choice: "I have a feeling that something must have gone wrong on Li Leifeng's side. Remember when Li Leifeng once wanted to take you as his disciple? You hadn't been tempered yet when you were two or three years old, so you left flaws."

Unlike Ning Zhuo hummed: "To cover up one lie, one often has to tell more lies."

"What is true cannot be false, and what is false cannot be true."

"Even if we meticulously prepared for more than ten years and tried our best to disguise ourselves, we would always leave flaws."

"We cannot withstand investigation; all kinds of defensive lines are just to buy the most critical time."

"As long as we seize the Lava Xian Gong before we are completely exposed, we will succeed!"

Unlike Ning Zhuo walked to the second floor and continued toward the third floor.

He asked Sun Lingtong for more intelligence, including the status of Yang Chanyu.

"This time, we exposed a lot. There must be a reaction on Yang Chanyu's side; we need to handle it properly!"

Sun Lingtong smiled: "Don't worry, she's in trouble now. She was marked with a spell, and five Jin Dan cultivators are chasing her."

"Oh?" Unlike Ning Zhuo asked in detail, then immediately said, "Boss Sun, it just so happens that you are going to the intensive care room to store the spirit box."

"At that time, go and take the Water of Supreme Goodness and give it to Yang Chanyu to resolve the tracking spell."

Sun Lingtong said "Ah," very unwillingly: "If she uses the Water of Supreme Goodness, Little Zhuo, what about the monitoring on you? No!"

Unlike Ning Zhuo: "I am very clear about my own situation."

"Three drops of Water of Supreme Goodness are absolutely enough. Two drops would just be a bit unstable."

"Yang Chanyu cannot be lost!"

"She already knows many things and has many guesses in her heart; she cannot be allowed to fall into the hands of the enemy."

"Next, we have to face a furious Zhu Xuanji. We cannot estimate how strong his Golden Eyes will be when he goes all out."

"Furthermore, Meng Kui will never stand idly by. It is very likely that Zhu Xuanji and Meng Kui will join forces to deal with the third force, which is the Kong Sect!"

Sun Lingtong's expression became grave.

Unlike Ning Zhuo was not wrong at all; thinking about how he was about to face the joint forces of Zhu Xuanji and Meng Kui, he also felt the pressure like a mountain.

He smiled: "Meng Kui can't get into the Lava Xian Gong. Even for Zhu Xuanji, there are many places he cannot set foot in. This is an excellent hiding place."

Unlike Ning Zhuo sighed: "The History Pavilion has already been destroyed; don't hold such lucky thoughts. Otherwise, you will suffer a great loss."

Sun Lingtong's heart suddenly felt cold, and he put away his smile.

Indeed, this kind of thing, Unlike Ning Zhuo and the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit did it, and Zhu Xuanji and Meng Kui might very well imitate it.

Sun Lingtong's eyes rolled: "Perhaps... we should release the intelligence about the Palace Examination?"

It is said that great minds think alike.

Unlike Ning Zhuo smiled lightly: "I am also considering this matter."

He walked to the third floor and arrived at the private room.

Taking a deep breath, Unlike Ning Zhuo pushed the door gently and walked in.

Zhu Xuanji was drinking tea; seeing him enter, he raised his head slightly, expressionless, his gaze deep.

Unlike Ning Zhuo was also expressionless.

He gently closed the door, walked forward a few steps, then knelt halfway and said in a deep voice: "Lord Zhu Xuanji, your subordinate Unlike Ning Zhuo is guilty!"

Zhu Xuanji's gaze softened, his voice remained calm, and carried a hint of coldness: "Oh? What is your crime?"

Unlike Ning Zhuo's Adam's apple rolled, staring at the bricks on the floor, opened his mouth, and finally spoke: "I secretly contacted evil sect cultivators and once secretly contributed to helping them."

Zhu Xuanji: "Oh? You are young and didn't know people well; that is a common mistake. Which evil sect cultivators are they? And how did you help them?"

Unlike Ning Zhuo took a deep breath and gritted his teeth as if he had made up his mind: "It's Sun Lingtong, it's the Kong Sect!"

"My development of the Fire-Exploding Monkey was very likely their scheme. I was also slow to realize it."

"I suspect, I suspect they have been plotting the Lava Xian Gong all along."

"I..."

Unlike Ning Zhuo couldn't continue; his voice was very dry.

Zhu Xuanji sighed deeply, feeling joy in his heart, and slowly stood up.

This time, he only grasped clues and had guesses in his heart. He used the Nursery and the play "Fang Qing Clears His Name" to bluff Unlike Ning Zhuo and win him over, which naturally made him feel joyful.

But on the surface, he had a heavy expression.

He walked to Unlike Ning Zhuo, bent down to help Unlike Ning Zhuo up: "Little guy, you seized the opportunity I gave you this time, abandoned darkness for light, and took the initiative to confess your guilt; very good."

"I didn't misjudge you, and you didn't let me down!"

"To err is human, who can be without fault?"

"Besides, I am also clear about your situation from childhood to adulthood."

"I allow you to make amends for your crimes!"

"Come, tell me everything you know in detail."

Zhu Xuanji turned around, walked back to his seat, and said: "We still have enough time."

"Is there really enough?" Unlike Ning Zhuo followed behind Zhu Xuanji, looking at his back, and couldn't help but mutter in his heart.

Zhu Xuanji sat down, and Unlike Ning Zhuo stood by his side, saying bitterly: "This matter is a long story. It starts from my childhood."

"At that time, not long after my mother passed away, I accidentally saved someone."

"This person was also a child like me, but in fact, he was an evil sect cultivator..."

When Unlike Ning Zhuo said this, a name popped into Zhu Xuanji's heart—Sun Lingtong!

"You've been in contact since more than ten years ago?" Zhu Xuanji was surprised; he didn't expect Unlike Ning Zhuo and Sun Lingtong to have known each other so early.

Unlike Ning Zhuo spoke slowly, and Zhu Xuanji's thoughts had already followed the logic, guessing the natural development of Sun Lingtong discovering and cultivating Unlike Ning Zhuo.

"So, my previous guess was correct."

"There really is a third-party force, the Kong Sect; they are the masterminds!"