Ning Zhuo asked: "What are your names?"
The leader of the Monkey Head Gang was about to answer, but Ning Zhuo waved his hand and said: "Forget it, no need to be so complicated."
"I will give each of you a codename. If you die, your successor will still be called by the codename."
"You, will be called Monkey Head." Ning Zhuo pointed at the leader of the Monkey Head Gang, his gaze heavy with a sense of superiority.
The leader of the Monkey Head Gang gritted his teeth, and with a forced smile, expressed his delight: "Yes! Thank you, sir, for the codename."
Ning Zhuo then pointed to the leader of the Crane Beak Gang: "From now on, you will be called Crane Head."
The leader of the Crane Beak Gang opened his mouth, wanting to say: "I am here to negotiate with you. Our Crane Beak Gang has not yet surrendered."
"The conditions must be right for us to submit!"
But under the circumstances, he could only shout in his heart, unable to speak out.
After a few breaths, the leader of the Crane Beak Gang lowered his head and replied with cupped hands: "Yes."
Ning Zhuo then looked at the leader of the Turtle Breath Gang: "As for you, you will be called Turtle..."
The leader of the Turtle Breath Gang's face changed!
"Turtle Shell!" He interrupted Ning Zhuo before he could finish, and said: "Sir, my childhood nickname is Turtle Shell. If you call me that, I feel like I am back home, seeing an elder."
"You have every right to call me that!"
"Hmm..." Ning Zhuo pondered silently.
The leader of the Turtle Breath Gang's heartbeat quickened slightly, and he hurriedly added: "Sir Ning Zhuo, I have a lot of evidence of Feng Heizi's smuggling and selling of illegal captives, all in our possession."
"Turtle Shell requests permission to personally handle this. Feng Heizi will definitely comply."
"If that's the case." Ning Zhuo waved his hand, "Go ahead. If you fail to recruit Feng Heizi, you will be held accountable."
"Yes, sir." The leader of the Turtle Breath Gang turned and left quickly, his steps no longer showing any ease, giving a sense of urgency.
Ning Zhuo then looked at the leader of the Crane Beak Gang: "Almost all the unclean herbs are ordered from your gang."
"Go invite him. Can you do it with this relationship?"
The leader of the Crane Beak Gang's heart trembled. How did Ning Zhuo know about this secret business deal?
He quickly nodded: "I will do my best."
Ning Zhuo looked at the leader of the Monkey Head Gang.
The latter quickly said: "Monkey Head is here, please instruct, sir!"
Ning Zhuo: "Go find the One-Armed Craftsman. He has a fiery temper and loves making self-exploding magic artifacts. He lost his arm in one of his own explosions."
"Talk to him properly, do not use force."
"He hates being threatened. Remember to speak gently!"
"No matter what method you use, get him to acknowledge my control over the black market and return. Without his self-exploding artifacts, the black market will lose a major attraction."
The leader of the Monkey Head Gang cupped his hands: "Understood!"
Ning Zhuo issued three orders in succession, then rode a floating cloud to envelop himself, and silently began cultivation.
"He doesn't waste a single moment!"
The Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Ning Family communicated secretly, filled with admiration.
From the start, Ning Zhuo consistently exceeded their expectations.
Especially his performance tonight, which made everyone in the Ning Family feel that Ning Zhuo had everything under control, commanding with strategy and firmly grasping the situation.
Time gradually passed.
Good news came from the three gang leaders one after another.
The leader of the Crane Beak Gang was the first to succeed. The one known as "Unclean" was a Pill Master, naturally lazy and disliked meddling.
The change in the black market controller meant nothing to him; he continued selling his elixir pills.
The leader of the Turtle Breath Gang followed as the second to succeed.
His achievement was much greater than the Crane Beak Gang's—under his coercion and enticement, Feng Heizi had no choice but to sign a contract, completely joining their ranks.
The last was the leader of the Monkey Head Gang.
He returned with a dusty face and injuries.
Convincing the One-Armed Craftsman proved to be quite an ordeal.
The One-Armed Craftsman had sensed the chaos in Fire Persimmon Immortal City and planned to migrate. His luggage was already packed.
The leader of the Monkey Head Gang tried various approaches, even offering his own personal wealth, but to no avail.
In the end, he took a risk and provoked the craftsman into a fight.
The One-Armed Craftsman won, but he took a liking to the leader's Explosive Flame Monkey artifact.
This self-exploding monkey artifact impressed the craftsman, who had known about it but was unaware that Ning Zhuo was its creator. Learning that Ning Zhuo controlled the black market greatly improved his impression, and he decided to stay.
As the morning light shone upon the city, the black market welcomed a new day.
The demise of the Poisonous Snake Gang.
The joint announcement from the Monkey Head Gang, the Crane Beak Gang, and the Turtle Breath Gang.
Together with Feng Heizi, the One-Armed Craftsman, and Unclean reopening their stalls.
All shocked the inhabitants and aroused their suspicions: "How did the black market change so drastically overnight?"
"What happened last night?!"
"Rumor has it that a noble son of the Ning Family stepped in, initially to avenge Yuan Er, subduing the Monkey Head Gang, and then took control of the black market in the process."
For a while, the city residents discussed fervently, with rumors flying.
The City Lord's Mansion.
Fei Si began handling governmental affairs.
Since issuing the Recruitment Decree, a steady stream of external cultivators had flowed into Fire Persimmon Immortal City.
The summit of Fire Persimmon Mountain was no longer restricted, once again bustling like before the emergence of the Immortal Palace, under Fei Si's arrangements.
The City Guard Army maintained a facade of order, as various cultivators flocked to the Magma Fairy Palace to try their fortunes.
Most were found lacking in mechanical expertise and could only gaze in envy. But a small subset that met the standards entered the palace, becoming the envy of all.
Every business transaction in Fire Persimmon Immortal City was booming, while public security deteriorated sharply, with increasing incidents of lawlessness, adding weight to Fei Si's shoulders.
The upheaval in the black market had a significant impact on the city's power structure.
The report of this development was placed third in priority, urgently needing Fei Si's attention.
After reviewing it, Fei Si showed a delighted expression: "Good lad, accomplishing such a feat overnight!"
Ning Zhuo's attempt to take control of the black market was directly faced with the City Lord's Mansion, not the three gangs or any wanderers.
Sun Lingtong gained control of the black market by aligning with Fei Si and offering profits, earning the Mansion's tacit approval.
Ning Zhuo sent a secret letter to Fei Si through Chen Cha beforehand.
Upon reading the secret letter, Fei Si remembered Ning Zhuo's ambitious eyes vividly.
"Like!"
"So much like me in my youth."
Ning Zhuo's outstanding performance with the mechanical monkeys and subsequent events involving Yuan Dasheng left a deep impression on Fei Si.
Fei Si greatly admired Ning Zhuo.
"I was once underestimated too."
"And I climbed my way up through relentless studies and risky ventures."
"Yesterday's Fei Si is today's Ning Zhuo."
"Why not lend a hand to such an outstanding young man?"
After Ning Zhuo rejoined his family, despite his busy schedule, Fei Si never forgot to keep a discreet eye on him.
He saw Ning Zhuo's rising status within the family and often felt a genuine sense of happiness.
To Fei Si: nobody understood Ning Zhuo's true nature better than him!
He hoped Ning Zhuo would climb higher and higher.
Because Ning Zhuo's rise validated his own worldview and personal success.
Moreover, Ning Zhuo's increasing worth would allow Fei Si to benefit from the relationship.
"Climb."
"Climb higher. Even higher."
"If the Meng Family rules Fire Persimmon Immortal City in the future, why shouldn't you rule the Ning Family?"
Ning Zhuo's potential made Fei Si believe he had great developmental prospects, a worthy investment.
So, when Ning Zhuo requested permission to unify the black market, Fei Si agreed without much thought.
"I just didn't expect you to accomplish it overnight."
"Very interesting, very impressive."
"Using the Ning Family's Foundation Establishment cultivators to open up the situation, greatly deterring minor threats while never personally lifting a hand, leaving no incriminating evidence."
"Forcing the Monkey Head Gang to lead the charge, causing turmoil in the black market. The Monkey Head Gang suffered heavy casualties, becoming compliant pawns."
"Accurately subjugating key powers and individuals, firmly controlling vital points, achieving twice the results with half the effort!"
As Fei Si quietly praised, Chen Cha came to see him.
Chen Cha brought Ning Zhuo's secret letter.
Upon reading the letter, Fei Si saw that Ning Zhuo was willing to offer fifty percent of the profits to him.
Such considerate behavior made Fei Si laugh heartily.
In those days, it was the first time he felt so cheerful.
"Fifty percent is too high, remit only thirty percent."
"As for the black market, you can control it for a while."
"Manage it well in that time, without causing any trouble for me to clean up!"
"When the time is up, you must let go. In the meantime, prepare adequately."
Fei Si replied with a secret letter, carefully storing Ning Zhuo's for future use.
These letters were evidence, crucial for future control over Ning Zhuo.
Just as the leader of the Monkey Head Gang collected evidence and presented it to Ning Zhuo, Ning Zhuo also left incriminating risks to gain Fei Si's trust.
When Fei Si's secret letter reached Ning Zhuo, he remained impassive.
His heart remained undisturbed, as he had already anticipated Fei Si's reaction and intentions.
"The Four Directions Powers in Fire Persimmon Immortal City: the City Lord's Mansion, the Zhou Family, the Zheng Family, and the Ning Family, they cooperate but also compete, maintaining a certain equilibrium."
"The black market is one of the buffer zones under their power struggles."
"It could be controlled by Sun Lingtong, but not directly by any of the four forces nor through proxies."
"The reason I could step in was due to the timing being too special."
"On one hand, the Recruitment Decree attracted many new cultivators, making a stable black market beneficial for everyone. With Sun Lingtong's sudden demise, the powers had no time to discuss and find someone suitable to manage the black market."
"On the other hand, though I am a Ning Family member, I belong to the branch lineage, having irreconcilable conflicts with the main line! Fei Si of the City Lord's Mansion is happy to see me succeed, and the Zhou and Zheng families will support me setting up independently. So, when I moved to control the black market, they found it a great idea."
"If circumstances change, with fewer incoming outsiders and the city returning to normal, their demand for a black market will lessen."
"Moreover, if I control the black market for too long or seem to lean towards the Ning Family main line, arousing the concerns of the other three forces, they would quickly react, expelling me from the black market."
The control over the black market was time-limited.
Ning Zhuo had long known this.
"It doesn't matter!"
"My goal is the Magma Fairy Palace."
"Once I seize the Immortal Palace and become its master, what does the black market matter?"
"At this critical juncture, I need to demonstrate myself, win over the Ning Family branch, and dismantle the main line's schemes."
"The black market is just perfect for this!"
"Haha."
Ning Zhuo couldn't help but smile.
At this moment, he felt an overwhelming sense of control and strategic insight.
"This feeling, this feeling of control..."
"Ah, so wonderful!"
For a moment, Ning Zhuo was deeply immersed in this marvelous sensation, unable to extricate himself.
Simultaneously.
His upper Dantian Divine Sea, the bud of his Life-hanging Divine Ability, trembled slightly, with one line opening outwards.
The divine ability's change was immediately noticed by Ning Zhuo.
Joy surged within his heart.
"Excellent!"
"I can feel that the next transformation of the divine ability will be a qualitative change, leading to a full bloom."
"At that time, I'll truly master a divine ability—the Life-hanging Divine Ability!"