< Chapter 68: A Ray of Hope >
“Uncle Monkey!” Yuan Er finally reacted, exclaiming as he saw the fallen ape.
He rushed to the front of the ape.
The ape, however, remained motionless.
In an instant, Yuan Er was filled with grief, tears streaming down his face.
“Who can save Uncle Monkey?”
“Who can save it!?”
“Hurry, open the formation, open the formation, we need a healer, we need a healer!!”
Dragging Yuan Dasheng closer to the edge of the formation, Yuan Er accidentally tore off its arm.
Yuan Er sat down on the ground, staring blankly at everything before him.
“Open the formation,” Zhu Xuanji suddenly appeared beside Fei Si.
Fei Si was startled. He couldn’t see through Zhu Xuanji’s stealth technique: “Lord Zhu, with the current anomaly, it is likely the work of the shadow demon cultivator. It would be wise to stay calm and wait…”
Zhu Xuanji, however, stared at him, golden light flickering in his eyes, his expression stern: “I said, open the formation!”
Fei Si’s pupils contracted slightly, forcing a smile: “Since the detective wants to act and capture the true culprit, I will naturally cooperate.”
The formation opened.
Zhu Xuanji approached Yuan Er, activated a spell, and aimed at Yuan Dasheng.
Under his treatment, Yuan Dasheng’s severed arm reattached, his injuries stabilized, his heartbeat resumed, and there was a faint sign of life.
“Sir, thank you, sir!” Yuan Er repeatedly kowtowed to the unfamiliar Golden Core cultivator, Zhu Xuanji.
Zhu Xuanji, however, sighed lightly: “His injuries are too severe. I’ve done my utmost, but it only temporarily brought him back to life.”
“This is the Late Autumn Life-Saving Pill. Give it to him, and it will save his life,” Zhu Xuanji said. “But from now on, he will have to spend the rest of his days bedridden.”
Zhu Xuanji looked at the critically injured Yuan Dasheng with deep emotion.
He possessed the Celestial Golden Eyes. While others’ vision was obscured by the explosion, he saw everything clearly.
At the moment of the explosion, Yuan Dasheng wanted to activate his demonic powers to defend himself fully. But he didn’t. Instead, he used his mana to protect Yuan Er, who was in his arms.
He used his own flesh and blood to withstand the explosion, choosing to sacrifice himself to save Yuan Er.
“Despite having demonic powers, he didn’t use them.”
“He was worried that revealing his identity as a demonic cultivator would lead to misunderstandings, causing him to be attacked 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 acted to save Yuan Dasheng’s life.
“Zhu Xuanji!!!” From the mountainside, Ning Zhuo, who had witnessed Zhu Xuanji saving Yuan Dasheng, had cold light in his eyes.
“You actually ruined my plan!” Ning Zhuo gritted his teeth in secret.
He had meticulously designed this trap, cleverly using the situation, calculating most people’s mindsets and reactions. But he hadn’t expected Zhu Xuanji to take such action.
“I underestimated Zhu Xuanji’s capabilities.”
“What should I do?”
Due to Zhu Xuanji’s unexpected intervention, the originally doomed Yuan Dasheng had come back to life.
“Although he looks in extremely poor condition, barely clinging to life, most of the injuries are physical. His soul remains intact.”
“He can be drawn into the palace with his soul.”
“Once he encounters Meng Chong, Zhou Zhu, or Zheng Jian, these three forces will definitely extend a helping hand and actively treat him.”
“Damn it, damn it!”
When Zheng Shuanggou learned that Ning Zhuo had designed the Mechanical Explosive Monkey, he immediately showed an intention to recruit him. The four major forces’ thirst for talent in mechanics was evident.
If they knew that Yuan Dasheng could reach Room No. 7 on his own, they would undoubtedly go crazy!
“What to do? What should I do?” Ning Zhuo thought rapidly, exerting all his mental energy, until his face turned pale and his head throbbed.
It was too difficult!
To design such a trap had already exhausted all his efforts and drained his mind.
This was a result of him continuously analyzing a large amount of information and pondering for days.
After all, he was only sixteen years old!
Fei Si’s face was equally unsightly.
Just now, Zhu Xuanji had forced him to open the formation, which was simply a slap in his face! He didn’t care at all about the occasion.
Fei Si, with his dark thoughts and ruthless methods, secretly gritted his teeth and vowed in his heart: he would remember this and definitely repay Zhu Xuanji in the future. Even if he was a member of the Detective Division and the royal family, so what?
“We are all righteous people and must act according to the rules. Today you made me lose face, fine, fine, just don’t let me catch an opportunity!”
“My lord, someone from the Flying Disk Workshop seeks an audience,” a guard reported shortly after.
Soon, Ning Zhuo was brought over.
Fei Si, in a foul mood, said, “Boy, you better have something important to say, and it better be urgent!”
Ning Zhuo smiled and transmitted his voice, “Lord Fei Si, that Zhu Xuanji is truly rude. I have a plan here that can relieve your worries.”
Fei Si immediately rebuked, “Lord Zhu is a member of the royal family and a distinguished detective. Who are you, a mere Qi Refining cultivator, to call him by name? You are too bold!”
Although he rebuked him, Fei Si transmitted his voice so that no third person would know.
Ning Zhuo secretly laughed in his heart and continued, “It was reckless of me. But Zhu Xuanji, for some unknown reason, actually took action to treat that ape, showing no regard for our Puppet Immortal City!”
Seeing Fei Si frown and show displeasure, Ning Zhuo hurriedly said, “My lord, now the whole city knows that Zhu Xuanji acted to save that ape. He doesn’t want the ape to die. So, what if the ape actually dies?”
Upon hearing this, Fei Si’s eyebrows relaxed, and he pointed at Ning Zhuo, “Boy, your thoughts are too deep. Are you worried that the ape will recover and compete with you in the business of picking huoshi?”
Seeing that Fei Si had “seen through” him, Ning Zhuo admitted directly, “Lord Fei Si, your insight is as sharp as a torch. How could my petty thoughts escape your discerning eyes? In fact, I never intended to hide anything from you.”
Fei Si shook his head, “This matter is inappropriate. You should abandon such thoughts. If outsiders knew, what would they say? That I am narrow-minded and at odds with Lord Zhu? My own reputation is of no consequence, but I fear it would implicate the Lord of the city and tarnish the reputation of our Puppet Immortal City.”
Ning Zhuo then smiled, “My lord’s concerns are understood. Rest assured, I will not take action personally or leave any evidence for others. I just need one token from you. With that, I will act in such a way… Even if Zhu Xuanji comes looking for trouble, there will be no cause!”
“Oh?” Fei Si thought for a moment and realized that this plan had some feasibility.
He dropped a token on the ground and said deliberately, “Oh dear, I lost a token, what should I do?”
Ning Zhuo quickly picked up the token, “Please wait, my lord, I will retrieve it for you immediately.”
Ning Zhuo saluted and took his leave.
Fei Si watched his departing figure and thought to himself, “This boy from the Ning family has quite the perceptive mind.”
Regardless of whether this plan succeeded, he was finding himself increasingly appreciating Ning Zhuo.
With the token in hand, Ning Zhuo walked faster and faster towards the temporary base of the Monkey Head Gang.
Although the plan was good, its implementation was uncertain.
He didn’t know if this mission would succeed, but he had to try and seize every opportunity.
Yuan Dasheng still had a glimmer of hope for survival, and so did Ning Zhuo!
If Yuan Dasheng survived, Ning Zhuo would have to die.
For Ning Zhuo to survive, Yuan Dasheng had to die.
It was either you die or I die!
Ning Zhuo knew he was taking a risk, but he had no other choice.
Among the four major forces, in front of Zhu Xuanji, he was too ordinary, too weak, too alone.
He had to enter the fray personally and kill Yuan Dasheng himself!