Chapter 78

"Uncle Monkey!" Yuan Er finally reacted, crying out in alarm when he saw the ape lying on the ground, unable to get up.

He threw himself in front of the ape.

The ape, however, remained motionless.

For a moment, Yuan Er was overcome with immense grief, tears and snot streaming down his face.

"Someone, please save Uncle Monkey!"

"Can anyone save it!?"

"Quickly open the formation, open the formation! We need an apothecary, we need an apothecary!!"

Yuan Er dragged Yuan Dasheng toward the edge of the formation, but in doing so, he pulled its arm right off.

Yuan Er sat down on the ground with a thud, staring blankly at everything before him.

"Open the formation." Zhu Xuanji suddenly appeared beside Fei Si.

Fei Si was startled; he could not see through Zhu Xuanji’s stealth technique: "Lord Zhu, given the current anomaly, I fear it is the work of the Shadow Demon cultivators. It is better to remain calm and wait..."

Zhu Xuanji stared at him, golden light flickering in his eyes, his expression sharp: "I said, open the formation!"

Fei Si’s pupils constricted slightly, and he squeezed out a smile: "Since the Divine Catcher intends to take action and apprehend the true culprit, I shall naturally cooperate."

The formation was opened.

Zhu Xuanji came to Yuan Er’s side and channeled a technique, aiming it at Yuan Dasheng.

Under his treatment, Yuan Dasheng’s severed arm was reattached, its injuries stabilized, and its heartbeat resumed, showing a faint trace of life.

"My lord, thank you, my lord!" Yuan Er kowtowed repeatedly to the strange Jin Dan cultivator, Zhu Xuanji.

Zhu Xuanji sighed softly: "Its injuries are too severe. I have done my utmost, but I have only managed to bring it back to life temporarily."

"This is a Late Autumn Life-Preserving Pill. If you give it this, its life will be saved."

"However, from this day on, it will only be able to spend its time on a sickbed."

Zhu Xuanji looked at the dying Yuan Dasheng, filled with emotion.

He possessed Golden Eyes; while others' vision would have been blocked by the explosion, he had seen everything clearly.

At the moment of the explosion, Yuan Dasheng had wanted to stir its demonic arts to defend itself with all its might. But it did not do so; instead, it used its spiritual power to protect Yuan Er in its arms.

It used its own flesh and blood to withstand the explosion, willing to sacrifice itself to save Yuan Er!

"It clearly possessed demonic arts, yet it did not use them."

"It must have been worried that its identity as a demon cultivator would be exposed, causing misunderstandings, leading to it being besieged, and ultimately implicating Yuan Er."

"This ape is truly loyal and righteous."

Zhu Xuanji was deeply moved, which was why he revealed himself and personally intervened to save Yuan Dasheng’s life.

"Zhu Xuanji!!!" On the hillside, Ning Zhuo, who had witnessed Zhu Xuanji saving Yuan Dasheng with his own eyes, had eyes full of cold light.

"You actually ruined my grand plan!" Ning Zhuo gritted his teeth in secret.

He had gone to great lengths to design this trap, cleverly utilizing the situation and calculating the mindset and reactions of most people, yet he never expected Zhu Xuanji to act in such a way.

"It is because I lacked sufficient intelligence on Zhu Xuanji."

"What should I do?"

Because Zhu Xuanji intervened, Yuan Dasheng, who should have died, had actually come back to life.

"Don't look at how it is in a terrible state, on the verge of death; most of its injuries are physical, and its soul is intact."

"It can still be soul-searched."

"Once it encounters Meng Chong, Zhou Zhu, or Zheng Jian, those three factions will definitely extend a helping hand and actively treat it."

"Damn it, damn it!"

When Zheng Shuanggou learned that Ning Zhuo had designed the mechanical fire-exploding monkey, he immediately expressed an intention to recruit him. The thirst of the four major factions for mechanical talent was evident.

If they were to find out that Yuan Dasheng could single-handedly reach Room No. 7, they would definitely go crazy!

"What to do? What should I do?" Ning Zhuo thought rapidly, exhausting his mind until his face turned pale and his head throbbed.

It was too difficult!

Being able to design such a trap was already the result of him racking his brains and exhausting his resources.

This was something he had conceived only after analyzing a vast amount of intelligence and pondering for many days.

After all, he was only sixteen years old!

Fei Si’s expression was also quite ugly.

Zhu Xuanji forcing him to open the formation just now was a slap in his face! He hadn't cared at all about the occasion.

Fei Si was dark-minded and ruthless; he gritted his teeth in secret and swore to himself: he would remember this, and he would definitely pay Zhu Xuanji back in the future. Even if he was from the Divine Catcher Bureau and a member of the royal family, so what?

"We are all people of the righteous path; we must act according to the rules. Today you made me lose face—very well, very well, just don't let me catch an opportunity!"

"My lord, the Flying Disc Workshop has sent someone to request an audience." Not long after, a guard at his side came to report.

Soon, Ning Zhuo was brought over.

Fei Si was in a very bad mood: "Kid, you had better have something substantial to say, that there is a real emergency!"

Ning Zhuo smiled and transmitted his voice: "Lord Fei Si, that Zhu Xuanji is so rude. I have a plan here that can resolve the worries in your heart, my lord."

Fei Si immediately scolded: "Lord Zhu is a member of the royal family and a dignified Divine Catcher. What is your status, a mere Qi Refining cultivator, to dare call him by his name? You have too much nerve!"

Although he scolded him, Fei Si used voice transmission so that no third person would know.

Ning Zhuo laughed inwardly and continued: "It was this one's recklessness. It’s just that Zhu Xuanji doesn't know what madness has taken him; he actually intervened to save that ape. He doesn't take our Fire Persimmon Immortal City seriously at all!"

Seeing Fei Si frown and show displeasure, Ning Zhuo hurriedly said: "My lord, now the whole city knows that Zhu Xuanji took action to save that ape; he doesn't want the ape to die. So, what if the ape were to die after all?"

Upon hearing this, Fei Si’s brow relaxed, and he pointed at Ning Zhuo: "Kid, your mind is too devious. Are you worried that the ape will recover and compete with you for the business of picking fire persimmons?"

Seeing that Fei Si had "seen through" him, Ning Zhuo spoke frankly: "Lord Fei Si has eyes like torches; how could my petty thoughts escape your discerning gaze? In fact, I never intended to hide it from you, my lord."

Fei Si shook his head: "This is inappropriate; put aside your petty thoughts. If outsiders find out, what will they say? They will say this official is narrow-minded and has a grudge against Lord Zhu. My own reputation doesn't matter, but I fear it would implicate the City Lord and the reputation of our Fire Persimmon Immortal City."

Ning Zhuo smiled: "I understand your concerns, my lord. Rest assured, I will not act personally and leave any evidence for others. I only need a token from you, my lord, and I will act like this, and like that... By then, even if Zhu Xuanji comes to find fault, he will have no reason!"

"Oh?" Fei Si thought for a moment and immediately realized that this plan had some feasibility.

He dropped a token on the ground and said deliberately: "Oh my, I dropped a token; what should I do?"

Ning Zhuo hurriedly picked up the token: "Wait a moment, my lord, I will retrieve it for you."

Ning Zhuo bowed and took his leave.

Leaving Fei Si staring at his back.

Fei Si sighed inwardly: "This Ning family kid is quite sharp."

Regardless of whether the plan succeeded or not, he already felt that he was appreciating Ning Zhuo more and more.

Having obtained the token, Ning Zhuo walked faster and faster, heading toward the temporary residence of the Monkey Head Gang.

The plan was good, but the execution had changed.

He didn't know if this trip would be successful, but he had to try, and he had to seize every single opportunity.

Yuan Dasheng still had a glimmer of life, and Ning Zhuo only had this one glimmer of hope!

If Yuan Dasheng lived, Ning Zhuo would have to die.

For Ning Zhuo to survive, Yuan Dasheng must perish.

It is either you die or I die!

Ning Zhuo knew he was taking a risk, but he had no choice.

Among these four major factions, and in front of Zhu Xuanji, he was too ordinary, too weak, and too alone.

He could only enter the game himself, take action personally, and kill Yuan Dasheng again!