< Chapter 65: Huoshi Festival >
Every time the Huoshi Festival arrived, Huoshi Immortal City was always bustling with people. The city residents would leave the Immortal City and head to the wild areas on the mountainside and at the foot of the mountain.
At that time, a portion of the Huoshi Forest would be opened.
Both mortals and cultivators would participate, picking Huoshi’s.
This was a city-wide celebration, a harvest festival. Since the founding of the city and the establishment of the first generation city lord, it had never ceased.
This year’s Huoshi Festival was very different from previous years.
Months ago, Chi Dun’s pursuit of the Shadow Demon cultivator had shocked the entire city.
Even those city residents who did not witness it first hand learned from others that the Shadow Demon cultivator had been driven into the Huoshi Forest and was heavily sealed by numerous formations.
Before this year’s Huoshi Festival even began, Fei Si took charge of defense, step by step imposing martial law across the entire city.
On the day of the Huoshi Festival, the city lord stood at the peak of Mount Huoshi and actively activated the grand formation of the Immortal City.
Countless emerald green formation patterns appeared in the sky, within the city, and on the ground, majestic and crisscrossing. This was only the part visible to the city residents; more formations extended deep into the body of Mount Huoshi, continuously drawing geothermal heat and earth flames, channeling them into various parts of Huoshi Immortal City, supplying numerous alchemy rooms, artifact refining rooms, mechanical workshops, and other facilities.
The place that consumed the most earth flames and geothermal heat was precisely the Huoshi Forest.
Through the Huoshi trees, the earth’s flames and geothermal heat were converted into one Huoshi after another.
Huoshi’s could serve as a fuel similar to Fire Essence, could be eaten, used in medicine, used in artifact refining… they had many uses.
When the city was first established, the Huoshi Forest was just a small patch. Now, it nearly spanned the entire base of the mountain, encircling the foot of Mount Huoshi in a magnificent fiery red ring.
Under the watchful eyes of countless city residents, a large number of Foundation Establishment stage cultivators exited the city together.
These cultivators mostly came from the City Lord’s Mansion and the three major families. A small portion came from trusted factions, such as the Monkey Head Gang.
Each Foundation Establishment cultivator brought several Mechanical Monkeys with them.
Yuan Dasheng followed closely beside Yuan Er, his tall and robust figure standing out among the cultivators leaving the city.
“Let’s go too,” Ning Zhuo said as he and Chen Cha secretly left the city.
Today, these mechanical cultivators were to perform emergency repairs on the Mechanical Monkeys. This was one of Fei Si’s precautionary measures to prevent any accidents.
After leaving the city, they did not head directly to the Huoshi Forest. Instead, they went to a hidden, well-defended formation located on the mountainside.
This formation also provided a view of the Huoshi Forest, allowing the mechanical cultivators to observe the working Mechanical Monkeys in real time and determine where problems occurred.
On the mountainside, Zhu Xuanji concealed his figure and gazed alone at the Huoshi Forest.
Chi Dun did the same, though it was unclear where he had hidden himself.
The Golden Core cultivators of the three major families also remained unseen, secretly positioned around the Huoshi Forest as directed by the City Lord’s Mansion.
A net designed to ensnare the Shadow Demon cultivator was already in place.
“Begin,” Fei Si, the only openly visible Golden Core cultivator, commanded.
At his order, numerous Foundation Establishment cultivators, carrying Mechanical Monkeys, charged into the Huoshi Forest.
In recent days, the Foundation Establishment stage cultivators from the three major families had been diligently practicing mechanical techniques, honing their ability to control the Mechanical Monkeys.
Typically, a Foundation Establishment cultivator could control at least three Mechanical Monkeys simultaneously to pick Huoshi’s.
Seeing countless Mechanical Monkeys leap into the fiery red persimmon forest, Yuan Er became somewhat anxious and made a final rallying call, “Brothers, the next part is up to you.”
“Give it your all and show everyone that our Monkey Head Gang is the best at picking Huoshis!”
The Huoshi Forest was divided into numerous sections by complex formations based on the age of the trees.
Initially, only the sections with trees less than ten years old were opened.
The Mechanical Monkeys continuously picked persimmons, and each time they picked one, they would place it against their chests, where it would be absorbed by the storage formation they carried.
From a bird’s-eye view, one could see countless Huoshi’s rapidly disappearing, leaving behind only the fiery red leaves on the branches.
Once the Mechanical Monkeys reached their storage capacity, the Foundation Establishment cultivators remotely controlled them to return.
They would stand in the formation of a giant circle and expel the stored Huoshi’s, which would pile up on the ground.
Whenever a small hill of Huoshis, about one zhang high, was formed, the formation would activate, transporting the Huoshis directly to the City Lord’s Mansion’s granary.
After the Huoshis from trees less than ten years old were picked, Fei Si opened the sections with trees aged over ten years.
After these were harvested, it was time for the twenty-year, thirty-year…
The age of the sections increased progressively until it reached the hundred-year-old trees.
Boom!
With a loud explosion, a Huoshi self-destructed.
Almost instantly, it triggered a chain reaction, causing the surrounding Huoshis to explode as well.
Terrifying flames quickly engulfed over a dozen Exclusive Monkey mechanisms. Fortunately, the Foundation Establishment stage cultivators were far enough away that there were no casualties.
In an instant, countless gazes turned towards the site of the incident.
Fei Si frowned and immediately ordered an investigation.
A Foundation Establishment stage cultivator from the Zhou family was swiftly brought forward.
Fei Si’s face was expressionless as he asked, “Was it your mishandling of the Exclusive Monkeys?”
The Zhou family cultivator’s face turned pale, and he nodded weakly. He wanted to argue, but he knew very well that the grand formation recorded images from all angles. If he lied, he would easily be exposed, and the consequences would be even more severe.
Fei Si’s brow furrowed slightly. “The damage to the Fire Crystal Grass will be counted against you. Take half a tea’s time to calm your mind and then resume your duties.”
“Yes,” the Zhou family cultivator responded, bowing and retreating.
Bang.
Not long after, another Exclusive Monkey’s movements suddenly distorted. While retrieving Fire Crystal Grass, it collided with the other plants, causing an explosion.
Fei Si reviewed the footage and confirmed that there was an issue with the Exclusive Monkey. He immediately identified the workshop responsible for its production based on its serial number.
It was the Flying Disk Workshop.
Fei Si immediately sent someone to inform Chen Cha and Ning Zhuo.
The messenger delivered Fei Si’s reprimand.
In the array where they were located, the scene before the explosion was being replayed. The main focus of the footage was the malfunctioning Exclusive Monkey.
Chen Cha analyzed the footage and immediately made a judgment. “The Exclusive Monkey malfunctioned due to prolonged labor, leading to excessive wear and tear, which caused its movements to distort.”
Chen Cha then looked at Ning Zhuo.
This particular Exclusive Monkey was a low-quality product made according to Ning Zhuo’s reduced specifications plan.
Ning Zhuo pondered and said, “The temperature in the centennial Fire Crystal Grass forest seems to be higher than in previous years. Have the Foundation Establishment stage cultivators pause their work and use Clear Dew Pills. Grind them into powder, mix with water, and pour it over the Exclusive Monkeys. Make sure to soak them thoroughly until the liquid slightly seeps from their surfaces.”
After giving these instructions, Ning Zhuo continued repairing the Exclusive Monkeys.
Since the harvesting of Fire Crystal Grass began, damaged and malfunctioning Exclusive Monkeys had been continuously sent over for emergency repairs and then quickly returned to the field.
As time passed, more and more Exclusive Monkeys were sent for repairs, making Ning Zhuo and his team increasingly busy, eventually falling behind the repair schedule.
Chen Cha, drenched in sweat from the effort, reminded Ning Zhuo, “Xiao Zhuo, see, this is the consequence of cutting corners.”
Ning Zhuo sighed, “Chen Lao, isn’t this high failure rate exactly what I intended?”
“Moreover, many of the repairs are due to mishandling by the operators. That can’t be blamed on me.”
The difficult period was temporary. Before long, the number of Exclusive Monkeys sent for repairs began to decrease.
This was because everyone had finished harvesting in the centennial area and started harvesting in the millennial Fire Crystal Grass forest.
These millennial Fire Crystal Grass were as large as basins, nurtured by the grand formation absorbing infinite geothermal heat and earth flames. Each one was incredibly valuable.
The Foundation Establishment stage cultivators became more cautious, choosing to control only one Exclusive Monkey each for harvesting.
If one self-destructed, causing a chain reaction of explosions among the other Fire Crystal Grass, these cultivators could be financially ruined!
With each cultivator using only one Exclusive Monkey, the number of Monkeys needing repairs naturally decreased.