Chapter 261: Rising Star of the Righteous Path, Ning Zhuo
Kindergarten for Benevolence.
The five-story Puppet Tower.
This is the tallest building in the Kindergarten for Benevolence, and it was often where Li Leifeng used to perform while he was alive. Almost every time they raised donations, it was done here.
Though it was still morning, many cultivators had already gathered here.
The Puppet Tower was built in a square formation, with a stage set up in the central hall.
For Zhu Hou's succession, the stage had been newly arranged.
On both sides of the stage, two vermilion columns were added, each engraved with two phrases—“Broad Benevolence” and “Virtuous Deeds Across the World.”
Several round tables were placed beneath the stage.
Around the round tables were arranged circular stools.
Many cultivators sat, eating snacks from the tables while chatting casually. A few stood in the corners, conversing with one another.
None of these people were dressed in anything less than luxurious robes, their demeanor graceful, their conversations soft, exuding an air of cultured elegance.
The topics of their discussions revolved around Li Leifeng, Zhu Hou, and donations.
They subtly probed one another, trying to discern how much each person planned to donate for Zhu Hou's succession ceremony.
Donating is a delicate matter.
It can't be too much, nor can it be too little. Some people, wanting to gain a reputation, deliberately donate more. However, for others, the honor of the righteous path becomes a burden. Even if they are financially strained, they must donate a significant amount.
In this probing exchange, people flattered each other, bantered, and boasted. After gaining some insight into each other's plans, they finally began to relax.
Soon, the conversation shifted to the demonic beast siege.
"Up until now, the City Lord's Mansion hasn't requested reinforcements from the Southern Dou capital. This shows that the situation is still under control. Even though Huoshi Immortal City is newly built, it can hold its ground!"
"Any Red Flame Demon Beast, no matter the species, has valuable parts after it falls. So, looking at it another way, this demonic beast siege is a spiritual stone tide!"
“Hahaha…” Everyone burst into laughter.
Overall, because the Lava Immortal Palace was bearing the brunt of the beast tide, the situation in Huoshi Immortal City remained stable, and the morale of its citizens stayed high.
Some people had a clear grasp of the situation: "This beast tide, the real key isn't Huoshi Immortal City but the Lava Immortal Palace!"
"You might not be aware of what's happening at the mountaintop. Most of the view is obscured by clouds and smoke."
"I heard from a fellow Daoist who ventured into the Immortal Palace. The beast tide there is truly terrifying!"
"If not for Lord Meng Kui's swift actions, mobilizing numerous Golden Core cultivators to the battlefield, the Lava Immortal Palace wouldn't have held."
"If the Lava Immortal Palace falls, there's no way Huoshi Immortal City can survive either!"
These insightful remarks were met with sneers from the surrounding cultivators, who generally thought this person was being overly pessimistic.
The cultivator, however, stood firm and didn’t back down: "The smoke covering the mountaintop is evidence in itself. The City Lord’s Mansion doesn’t want us to see the truth. Why?"
"It's because they fear that if we saw the real beast tide, our morale would collapse, and when the time came to flee, many would choose to leave. That would be disastrous for the city!"
"There's another piece of evidence. You've all heard the rumors recently about uniting all cultivators, including those from the demonic and heretical factions, to join in the city's defense."
"If the pressure weren’t great, why would the City Lord’s Mansion make such a move?"
"It's precisely because the front lines are strained and the pressure is immense that they're mobilizing all available forces!"
These words quickly elicited mocking laughter.
The opposition argued with equal confidence: "Fool! The City Lord's Mansion is doing this to keep those demonic and heretical cultivators under their supervision. The recent Golden Core skirmish is a perfect example. Unsupervised demonic cultivators are a menace, causing major trouble at the slightest slip."
"Sigh... If not for the recruitment order, Huoshi Immortal City wouldn't be swarmed with so many unsavory types."
"The king’s vision is grand, but I would prefer that the Lava Immortal Palace remain exclusively under the control of Huoshi Immortal City..."
After the opposing side finished speaking, others chimed in in agreement.
"These rumors are baseless!"
"I don't believe the City Lord's Mansion would stoop to recruiting demonic and heretical cultivators. It would disgrace the righteous path and bring shame to Southern Dou."
"Such wicked cultivators should stay in the shadows, skulking in dark corners."
"Look around. In this grand hall, do you see any demonic or heretical cultivators?"
More people joined in: "Yes, yes."
"Well said."
"Brothers, I have a question. I recently heard that the Monkey Head Gang is organizing a team to go out of the city and hunt down stray Red Flame Demon Beasts, becoming part of the city’s defense system. Does that kind of group count as a demonic or heretical faction?"
"Of course it does!"
"Hmph, I know about the Monkey Head Gang's founder, Yuan Yi. Early on, he rose to power with the help of a monkey pet named Yuan Dasheng."
"He's not a good character. He climbed his way up from the bottom, annexing many smaller gangs."
"The Monkey Head Gang used to be decent, but recently they wiped out the Viper Gang and joined the black market. It's laughable."
"Yeah, what was the current gang leader of the Monkey Head Gang thinking? Getting involved with the black market is a foolish decision. Once tainted by the darkness, they're stuck. They'll never make it in the righteous path again; their ceiling is sealed."
"I wouldn't be so sure. I think the new leader of the Monkey Head Gang is quite shrewd. He's taking a big gamble, betting on a powerful ally. You should know, the current black market lord is Ning Zhuo, a member of the Ning family, and a disciple of the righteous path!"
"Ning Zhuo, huh? I know him. Before the Golden Core skirmish, there were rumors that he had some true scriptures on him. It turned out to be false."
"In my opinion, he's foolish. Instead of staying true to his righteous identity, he's dipping his hands into the black market for a few measly benefits. Short-sighted, throwing away his future in the righteous path. Even if he's talented, he'll be forever tarnished by this stain, with people gossiping about him."
As they were speaking, the doors swung open.
A cultivator responsible for welcoming guests stood at the entrance and loudly announced:
"Detective Zhu Xuanji of the Detective Division has arrived—!"
"Ning Zhuo of the Ning family has arrived—!"
The hall, which had been filled with lively chatter, instantly fell silent.
The cultivators all turned to look.
A middle-aged man, with his hands behind his back, crossed the threshold and entered the tower.
He had a square face, eyes glowing with a golden light, and wore a grand red robe with black cuffs, exuding an aura of uprightness and solemnity.
It was none other than Zhu Xuanji.
The cultivators dared not be impolite and immediately stood up, bowing and greeting Zhu Xuanji.
Zhu Xuanji nodded faintly, his face expressionless.
Following behind him, Ning Zhuo also stepped into the hall.
He was still dressed in his usual white robe, his eyes clear, black and white distinct, with the youthful face of a sixteen-year-old boy. Yet his demeanor was extraordinary, neither arrogant nor humble, with a firm and resolute gaze.
Based on appearance alone, it was hard to believe that this beautiful young man was the same person who, as the black market lord, had wiped out the entire Viper Gang in one night.
Ning Zhuo followed Zhu Xuanji and calmly ascended the tall building.
Those with prestigious status were all seated in private rooms on the upper floors.
This time, Ning Zhuo benefited from Zhu Xuanji's presence.
As the two ascended the building and disappeared from view, the cultivators in the hall began to sit down again.
On the surface, they changed the topic of conversation, but in secret, they communicated through sound transmissions.
"Did you see that? Did you see that?" The cultivator who had earlier mentioned the Monkey Head Gang leader clinging to a powerful ally was quite excited, transmitting to many people.
"You think Ning Zhuo is simple?"
"How does a mere Qi Refining boy become the lord of the black market?"
"Isn’t it because he's been supported? After Sun Lingtong from the previous black market caused trouble and the recruitment order came down, there had to be a stable black market leader. So, the higher-ups in the Immortal City selected Ning Zhuo."
"Ning Zhuo even pulled down the young patriarch of the Ning family. He's ruthless. Though he's from a side branch of the Ning family, he's talented, which is why the higher-ups chose him to control the black market and stabilize the situation."
"Ning Zhuo has since gained the favor and support of the four major powers of Huoshi Immortal City. He often associates with the geniuses of the Zhou and Zheng families. Most of the criminals he captures in the black market are sent to Lord Fei Si as part of his achievements."
"Look at him now, following Zhu Xuan
ji!"
"Zhu Xuanji didn’t bring anyone else with him. Why did he bring Ning Zhuo?"
"Obviously, Ning Zhuo has earned the favor of Lord Zhu Xuanji! When he leaves the black market in the future, just imagine how bright his future will be!"
"Think about it for a moment, and you'll understand!"
Someone hesitated and responded: "But Ning Zhuo is the black market lord. His history is stained."
The cultivator who supported the Monkey Head Gang leader sneered, disdainful as he replied: "You just saw it, didn’t you? Ning Zhuo is sixteen, only sixteen!"
"So young."
"As the saying goes, a prodigal son returning home is worth more than gold!"
"At such a young age, making mistakes is normal. When he returns to the righteous path in the future, his dark past will only serve as proof of his growth. What’s the big deal?"
The cultivator finished, his nose upturned, looking down on everyone with smug satisfaction.
The others were silent.
They wanted to argue back, but Zhu Xuanji had just publicly presented Ning Zhuo, which was undeniable proof.
They were convinced.
Many of them, looking toward the third floor, began to consider forming a relationship with Ning Zhuo.
These were all righteous path individuals who previously believed they shouldn’t get too close to Ning Zhuo, the black market lord. But after today’s events, they realized that Ning Zhuo’s future seemed exceptionally bright!
Little did they know, Ning Zhuo was already deeply suspected by Zhu Xuanji. The reason Zhu Xuanji brought him along was to eventually take action against him.
If Ning Zhuo made one wrong move, Zhu Xuanji could arrest and detain him on the spot.
Once Ning Zhuo lost his freedom, he would be eliminated from the competition for the position of Lava Immortal Palace Lord!
Zhu Xuanji was the first important figure to arrive.
Following him was the Golden Core true disciple of the Zixiao Pavilion.
This true disciple had played the role of a shadow demonic cultivator during the Golden Core skirmish and was chased out of the city by Zhu Xuanji. In the end, he had to reveal Zixiao Pavilion’s signature technique to escape from Zhu Xuanji.
This time, upon his arrival, he first went upstairs to greet Zhu Xuanji, then returned to his private room.
The entire process was seamless, without a trace of awkwardness.
He truly embodied the demeanor of a righteous path cultivator.
After the Golden Core disciple of Zixiao Pavilion, the remaining arrivals were mostly Foundation Establishment cultivators.
For example, master craftsmen from the Artifact Workshop, master alchemists from the Pill Pavilion, or the top chefs from the Golden Banquet Hall.
Under normal circumstances, many more cultivators would have attended this succession ceremony. Out of respect for the Southern Dou royal family, there would have been at least more than two Golden Core cultivators.
But now, given that the city was under siege by demonic beasts, everything had to be kept simple. Most of the Golden Core cultivators were stationed at the Lava Immortal Palace and couldn’t spare the time to attend.
(End of Chapter)