< Chapter 74: Something Feels Wrong >
Zhu Xuanji coldly snorted, "You all suspect me first!"
"I used my Celestial Golden Eyes to inspect thoroughly. How could mere flames obstruct my vision?"
"I saw that the old ape had cultivated deep demonic powers but never used them. He was willing to risk his life to protect his master."
"Truly loyal and righteous!"
"If we humans were in that position, how many of us could achieve such a level of loyalty?"
"Moved by this, I couldn’t bear to let it die, so I treated it."
At this point, Zhu Xuanji's tone grew heavier, "But because I personally treated it, not only using my Celestial Golden Eyes but also infiltrating it with my mana, I can be certain that besides its severe injuries, everything else is normal. There is absolutely no shadow demon cultivator hiding within it!"
Everyone saw Zhu Xuanji speak so firmly and fell silent once more.
The greater possibility was that someone had secretly released the shadow demon cultivator in advance.
Fei Si gradually frowned. He opened his mouth to speak but then closed it again.
The Zhou family patriarch also frowned but continued to question, "Lord Zhu, may this old man dare to ask again, are you absolutely certain?"
"In this world, are there no other spells or divine abilities that could deceive both your Celestial Golden Eyes and mana investigation?"
Zhu Xuanji sneered, "Saying that makes no sense."
"Who can guarantee absolute certainty?"
"This world is full of talents and prodigies, with countless spells, divine abilities, and magical treasures. How could we possibly know them all?"
"I can only tell you that my mastery of the Celestial Golden Eyes is near the level of divine ability. In the more than ten years I’ve been with the Detective Division, I have only encountered three Golden Core cultivators who could withstand my Celestial Golden Eyes' scrutiny. Below the Golden Core stage, no living being can escape my sight."
The group fell silent once more.
Zhu Xuanji, determined to clear himself of suspicion, proposed, "Since some of you do not trust me, that's fine. Let's go find that old ape now, and everyone can examine it personally. How about that?"
"That makes sense," Chi Dun nodded.
"Agreed," the Zhou family patriarch also concurred.
Fei Si, however, felt a jolt of unease in his heart.
He thought again of Ning Zhuo.
Previously, Ning Zhuo had volunteered to persuade Yuan Er to surrender, using threats and promises to coerce him into killing that old ape.
What progress had been made on that front?
Thinking about the token still in Ning Zhuo's possession, Fei Si grew increasingly anxious.
Maintaining his outward calm, he said, "I too have doubts about this matter and would like to witness it personally."
"Chi Dun, you stay here and continue to manage the situation, leading the remaining Golden Core cultivators in the search. There might be people hiding underground, and we must not let them slip away!"
Fei Si then requested that the Zhou family patriarch and Zhu Xuanji join him in checking on Yuan Dasheng.
Chi Dun protested, "Why should I stay here? You’re the one responsible for this place!"
Fei Si silenced him with a single sentence, "The City Lord appointed me in charge of the Huoshi Festival. Do you refuse to follow my orders?"
Chi Dun snorted coldly but had no choice but to comply.
The three Golden Core cultivators then flew together to the Monkey Head Gang’s base.
Yuan Er still knelt on the ground in front of the bed, his expression dazed and eyes vacant.
Suddenly, the three Golden Core cultivators descended from the sky, crashing through the roof and looking down at him from above.
Yuan Er shuddered in fright.
"Where is that old monkey of yours?" Zhu Xuanji's spiritual sense scanned the backyard, and he already had a foreboding feeling.
Yuan Er's face turned deathly pale, and he started crying bitterly, "Dead. My Monkey Uncle is dead!"
Zhu Xuanji's eyes gleamed with golden light as he questioned sternly, "I gave you the Late Autumn Life Preservation Pill. How did the old ape die?"
Yuan Er, trembling like a leaf, dared not conceal anything and shakily revealed the entire truth.
After listening, Zhu Xuanji was so enraged that his face turned white. Pointing a finger at Yuan Er, he said, "You ungrateful wretch!"
Then he turned to Fei Si, "Well, well, Fei Si. You’ve shown me quite the display here, haven't you?"
Fei Si, inwardly delighted, thought, "I didn't expect Ning Zhuo to act so quickly. Well done!"
Having regained his footing, Fei Si felt elated and immediately squinted his eyes, speaking slowly and deliberately, "Thank you for the compliment, Lord Zhu."
"I’m also thinking about the well-being of Puppet Immortal City."
"After all, continually using monkey pets to harvest Huoshi fruit is somewhat cruel. The Three Sects' Revered Elder is compassionate. If it weren't for him leaving behind the Lava Immortal Palace back then, Mount Huoshi wouldn't be the blessed land it is today."
"As successors, we must deeply understand the spirit of the Three Sects' Revered Elder, release these monkeys, and fully utilize mechanical constructs. This is for the benefit of all living beings, an act of compassion, and a virtuous policy."
Fei Si pretended to be oblivious to Zhu Xuanji's sarcasm, lavishly praising himself instead.
Zhu Xuanji's breathing became rapid with anger, his face turning pale with a hint of green.
Fei Si felt a great sense of satisfaction in his heart.
This was not entirely a matter of saving face.
The confrontations among righteous cultivators could not be as direct or as bloody as those with demonic cultivators.
Therefore, these confrontations under certain rules became the markers to judge a cultivator's strength and weakness.
Fame and fortune, fame often brought real benefits.
Fei Si was publicly pressured by Zhu Xuanji into opening the formation, such a weak display would make many people more inclined towards Zhu Xuanji in the future. This harmed Fei Si's authority and diminished his influence.
Essentially, it also reduced the influence of the City Lord's Mansion and the current City Lord, Meng Kui.
Zhu Xuanji represented the royal family and the Detective Division, and inherently had a power struggle with Meng Kui's faction.
If Fei Si did not retaliate, precisely within the game's rules, it would disappoint Meng Kui.
Now, he had turned the tables, offsetting the previous negative impact, which made him breathe a sigh of relief.
The Zhou Family Ancestor beside him frowned, not wanting to be involved in the overt and covert struggles between Fei Si and Zhu Xuanji. As a third party, it was too early to make a decision now.
He was more concerned with resolving the issue of the shadow demon cultivator, so he said, "Since the old ape has been taken away, why are we still staying here?"
"Brother Fei, where is your messenger now?" the Zhou Family Ancestor asked Fei Si.
The grand formation of the Immortal City greatly suppressed spiritual sense, but Fei Si had his own authority. He immediately extended his spiritual sense with the help of the formation and sensed his own token.
"Follow me!" Fei Si took the lead and flew away from the Monkey Head Gang.
Zhu Xuanji and the Zhou Family Ancestor followed closely behind.
Three streaks of light arced across the sky and swiftly landed at the Flying Disk Workshop.
Zhu Xuanji stretched out his hand and made a grasping motion in the air. Instantly, an invisible force lifted the roof, revealing Ning Zhuo and Chen Cha.
The old ape the three Golden Core cultivators were looking for was lying on the mechanical platform, its blood essence completely drained and about to be dismembered.
"Stop immediately!" the Zhou Family Ancestor commanded sternly.
Ning Zhuo and Chen Cha, faces full of shock, quickly bowed in greeting.
The three Golden Core cultivators ignored them and spread their spiritual sense, thoroughly scanning Yuan Dasheng's corpse.
They found no traces of any hidden demonic cultivator.
"He indeed practiced demonic arts, and seemingly quite effectively," remarked the Zhou Family Ancestor.
Zhu Xuanji confirmed his previous findings once more. He glanced regretfully at the old ape's body before turning his gaze to Ning Zhuo. "You, boy, have quite a way with words. Yuan Er was indeed a fool to be so easily swayed by you."
Ning Zhuo took a deep breath, his face filled with apprehension as he spoke, "Lord Zhu, please understand. My cooperation with Yuan Er was mutually beneficial. I wanted to make money, and Yuan Er wanted to keep his position as gang leader."
"With all due respect, sir, you acted out of compassion to help the old ape. But was that truly a good thing for it? Given its loyalty to its master, it would rather not be a burden to its owner, correct?"
"Hmph, sharp-tongued!" Zhu Xuanji's opinion of Ning Zhuo worsened considerably.
Fei Si, on the other hand, stroked his beard, growing increasingly appreciative of Ning Zhuo.
Finding nothing suspicious, the three Golden Core cultivators soon left.
Fei Si hurried back to Huoshi Forest, but Zhu Xuanji paused midway.
Frowning deeply, he pondered, "Something doesn't feel quite right!"