Chapter 32: I Can't Bear to Bully Unlike Ning Zhuo (Thanks to [Thank You Gu Yue Fang Yuan] for the Golden Alliance!)

Underground workshop.

Unlike Ning Zhuo slowly opened his eyes and reached out to wipe the blood from his nose.

Inside his body, the pale blue frost-attribute mana was gone.

In its place was Five Elements mana!

The Five Elements mana possessed the white of Metal, the cyan of Wood, the black of Water, the red of Fire, and the yellow of Earth. The five colors of white, cyan, black, red, and yellow were intertwined, yet they did not permeate one another; they were distinct and clearly separated.

"In the natural world, the five elements' spiritual powers generate and overcome each other. Achieving stable balance and long-term coexistence is extremely difficult."

"But through the 'Five Elements Qi Law', this technique transforms spiritual energy into Five Elements mana, allowing them to coexist peacefully with clear layers."

"As expected of a legacy left by the Three Sects' Ascendants!"

"Qi Condensation Second Layer..."

Previously, Unlike Ning Zhuo was at the Third Layer of Qi Condensation. After fully converting his mana, he was left at the Second Layer.

Converting mana also incurred a cost.

This was to be expected; Unlike Ning Zhuo had anticipated it long ago.

Next, he would continue to cultivate, accumulate mana, and reach the Third Layer of Qi Condensation.

"I wonder when I will hear the sound of the Dharma-Transmitting Bell again."

Having finished the conversion, Unlike Ning Zhuo felt physically and mentally exhausted. He decided to rest and recuperate.

He took out a few Nourishing Pills and consumed them to help his body adapt to the brand-new mana more quickly.

Nourishing Pills had many advantages, such as mild medicinal properties, slow effectiveness, and minimal burden on the human body. Their biggest disadvantage was perhaps that they were expensive. A single pill cost over a hundred spirit stones.

Ding, ding, ding.

Just as Unlike Ning Zhuo finished the pill, he heard a crisp, wind-chime-like sound.

This was a security mechanism that triggered when a suspicious person appeared near his residence.

He walked to the workbench and gave the table leg a light kick. The wall facing him creaked, and the bricks shifted to the sides, revealing a mirror.

Through the mirror, Unlike Ning Zhuo saw the "suspicious person"—Chen Cha.

Chen Cha was pacing at the gate of Unlike Ning Zhuo's small courtyard, hands behind his back, looking down at the road with a troubled expression.

A flash of brilliance crossed Unlike Ning Zhuo's eyes: "Chen Cha? What is he doing coming to find me?"

"It seems there must be further developments regarding the Mechanical Fire-Exploding Monkey."

Thinking of this, Unlike Ning Zhuo felt a hint of joy.

Chen Cha paced at the gate, his mind filled with the scene that had just occurred.

Fei Si had summoned him and informed him that the Mechanical Fire-Exploding Monkey had been approved by the City Lord, and that all the mechanical workshops in the city were to be mobilized to mass-produce this mechanical creation for the mass harvesting of fire-persimmons during this year's Fire-Persimmon Festival.

Fei Si encouraged Chen Cha: "You are someone I recruited into the city."

"Work hard and give it your all! If you pull this off, your life's circumstances will change completely."

Chen Cha was stunned. He realized that Fei Si had misunderstood: "Lord Fei Si, you have misunderstood me."

"I came to find you to report this mechanical monkey primarily to ask you to arrange a preferential policy to reduce taxes for the Flying Disc Workshop."

"In reality, this mechanical monkey was not designed by me. The person who developed it is someone else."

Chen Cha specialized in formations and mechanical arts. Like many who delved into technology and endured loneliness and hardship, he often disliked deception.

Claiming credit for someone else's work was an act he despised and disdained to do.

He had once suspected that Unlike Ning Zhuo had claimed credit for a mechanical work, but he had been wrong.

Fei Si was taken aback: "It's not your work?"

He truly hadn't known this.

He laughed dismissively: "That's no big deal. You are the workshop master; who the credit belongs to is for you to decide."

Chen Cha had his own principles in this regard, and he shook his head firmly: "My Lord, I am of shallow talent and lack the genius to design such an exquisite mechanical creation."

"How many failures and hardships must one experience from the design to the completion of such a creation? The person who invented it must have spent so much heart's blood and mental effort!"

"How is usurping someone else's mechanical work any different from stealing someone's child?"

"I beg you, My Lord, to see the truth."

A cold glint flashed in Fei Si's eyes, and he felt a surge of anger.

In his view, this mechanical work *had* to be Chen Cha's! Because Chen Cha was his subordinate; if Chen Cha had merit, it meant he had merit.

Fei Si wore a smile on his face and reached out to pat Chen Cha on the shoulder, praising him instead: "It is precisely this character of yours that I admire."

"Even if this work isn't yours, I believe that in the future, you will surely be able to design a mechanical creation even more excellent than this one."

Chen Cha looked moved: "Thank you for your appreciation, My Lord!"

Many years ago, it was Fei Si's recruitment that allowed him to move to Fire-Persimmon Xiancheng to develop.

Little did he know that living in the Xiancheng was not easy! He had painstakingly managed the Flying Disc Workshop, and by this year, it was in a precarious state.

However, it was true that Fei Si had given him an opportunity back then. For this, he had always been very grateful.

Fei Si asked casually: "Let me ask you, which cultivator invented this model of mechanical monkey?"

Since Chen Cha refused to do it, Fei Si decided to intervene secretly to "help" Chen Cha solve this trouble.

In the vast Fire-Persimmon Xiancheng, what did the loss of one or two obscure mechanical masters matter?

Chen Cha had no suspicions and gave a brief introduction of Unlike Ning Zhuo.

"A mere Third Layer of Qi Condensation..." Fei Si sneered inwardly, and then his brow furrowed upon hearing the next part: "Hmm? Someone from the Ning family?"

Fei Si frowned slightly.

This made it difficult to take action.

He immediately dismissed his previous dark thoughts.

Because this involved the Ning family, a Golden Core-level power. Provoking them would be very troublesome.

The Ning family's scale and overall strength were publicly acknowledged as the weakest among the four major powers in Fire-Persimmon Xiancheng. The Ning family only had one Golden Core cultivator.

However, the Ning family's Golden Core ancestor had been proven in actual combat.

Sixteen years ago, during the Ning family's migration, they experienced a fierce battle. The Ning family ancestor fought two enemies alone, repelling the ambushers and saving most of his clansmen; his combat power was quite extraordinary.

It was precisely because of this that the other three parties allowed the Ning family to settle in Fire-Persimmon City. Usually, although the four parties had some friction, they were all restrained and controlled, trying their best to avoid violent conflict.

To move against Unlike Ning Zhuo would mean potentially facing the Ning family and their Golden Core ancestor. Fei Si would never voluntarily pay such a huge price.

For such a small merit, it was simply not worth it!

Since this plan wouldn't work, Fei Si's thoughts turned, and he came up with another scheme.

He sighed: "Chen Cha, you have misled me!"

Chen Cha was startled and uneasy: "My Lord, you are my benefactor. It is thanks to your promotion that I have been able to cultivate in Fire-Persimmon Xiancheng. Why do you say this?"

Fei Si said: "When you reported it, you were vague, leading me to mistakenly believe that this was your mechanical work."

"I have already guaranteed it to the City Lord, and even specifically requested a share of the credit for you."

"Alas, I have always trusted you."

"Now, the matter is settled. If the truth is exposed, how will the City Lord deal with you and me?"

"I will be fine. I am worried about you. For you, this is the crime of usurping credit!"

Chen Cha's face turned pale, and he panicked: "What should I do? I beg you, My Lord, to save me!"

Fei Si remained silent, stroking his beard in contemplation for a moment before saying: "Go and discuss it with that Unlike Ning Zhuo. See if you can persuade him to yield the Mechanical Fire-Exploding Monkey to you. You are much older than him, while that Unlike Ning Zhuo is only sixteen. What has a student from a great clan's academy ever experienced? Heh, go have a good chat with him, and negotiate properly."

Chen Cha was distressed: "This..."

In his heart, he was completely unwilling to do this.

Fei Si sneered inwardly, while sighing outwardly: "Chen Cha, this is for your own good! If you don't correct the mistake, when the City Lord finds out, the one who will be punished is you! The crime of usurping credit for rewards is not a small one."

Fei Si casually cited a few examples, which made Chen Cha break out in a cold sweat.

"Alas, the matter has reached this point; I have no choice but to try to persuade Unlike Ning Zhuo. No, I *must* succeed in persuading him!" Chen Cha lamented inwardly, forced to change his mind.

Although he admired Unlike Ning Zhuo greatly and even secretly regarded him as a kindred spirit.

But with his life and reputation at stake, and potentially involving Lord Fei Si who had helped him, he had no choice but to do so!

Fei Si's strength and power were far above his. It was precisely because he bullied Chen Cha for being unable to reach the ears of the higher-ups and being unfamiliar with the internal affairs of the City Lord's Mansion that he could easily manipulate Chen Cha with a few words.

Chen Cha had never thought of bullying or dealing with Unlike Ning Zhuo, but in front of the Golden Core-level Fei Si, he was just a small character.

Small characters were always at the mercy of others.

After inquiring about the location, Chen Cha arrived at Unlike Ning Zhuo's residence.

He did not knock on the door directly, but paced at the courtyard gate, sighing in his heart.

"Old Chen, why have you come to my place?" The courtyard gate opened, and Unlike Ning Zhuo had changed into clean clothes.

Chen Cha turned around and saw a young man in a clean white robe, with clear eyes and an extraordinary temperament.

The young man stood tall and straight. Sunlight spilled down from the sky, illuminating his silhouette vividly, and combined with the few flowers and plants in the courtyard, the young man appeared so full of vitality, filled with purity and beauty.

Seeing Unlike Ning Zhuo's fresh and pristine appearance, the guilt in Chen Cha's heart intensified tenfold!

He had spent many years immersed in technical research and held a deep resentment toward the injustices of the cultivation world.

Yet today, he had to play the role of the elder bullying the junior, delivering the darkness and cruel reality of the world.

Chen Cha felt incomparably heavy and pained!