Chapter 23: Chen Cha, I Deserve To Die

"Esteemed young friend Ning," Chen Cha greeted him, forcing a smile.

"Elder Chen, no need for such formality. Please, come in."

Ning Zhuo ushered Chen Cha into his dwelling, invited him to be seated, and brewed tea for him.

Ning Zhuo cut to the chase, "Elder Chen, what brings you here today?"

Elder Chen's lips moved, but he couldn't muster enough courage. He could only say, "I bring good tidings."

Elder Chen provided a concise account: Chi Dun pursued the shadow demon cultivator, who fled into the Fire Persimmon Forest. The forest's many layers of arrays were activated, temporarily trapping him within. To minimize losses, the city lord planned to mass-produce mechanical Fireburst Monkeys to replace manual harvesting of the fire persimmons.

"This is a stroke of immense fortune! Young friend Ning, your luck is truly exceptional!" Chen Cha said, a touch of genuine feeling in his voice.

"However..." Chen Cha felt as though his tongue was weighed down by a colossal stone, each word an arduous effort.

Ning Zhuo, perceptive to his guest's mood, offered, "Elder Chen, is there something else troubling you? Please, speak freely. My mechanical monkeys were able to ascend to such recognition all thanks to your recommendation. If I can assist you in any way, I will not hesitate!"

Hearing Ning Zhuo's understanding, Chen Cha felt even more ashamed, guilty, and burdened by sin.

"Ashamed, this old one is deeply ashamed," he lamented, looking upwards before lowering his head and revealing the whole story, hoping Ning Zhuo would secretly transfer the credit for developing the mechanical Fireburst Monkeys to him.

A flicker of darkness crossed Ning Zhuo's eyes.

"Fei Si... that Golden Core cultivator, always claiming credit and eager to show off. He's capable of such a thing."

Ning Zhuo knew quite a bit about Fei Si. From the age of two, he had been plotting for the Molten Lava Immortal Palace. The four major powers were his primary targets, and Fei Si was naturally among them.

In Chen Cha's mind, Ning Zhuo, a young man like this, craved wealth and, even more so, fame. He must have poured immense effort and faced countless hardships to design the mechanical Fireburst Monkeys. Now, to have his hard-earned fruit stolen by another, he was bound to be unwilling and furious.

Chen Cha overestimated the difficulty of this matter.

He could never have anticipated that the hidden circumstances were so complex, dangerous, and even connected to the bombing of the Immortal Palace.

Ning Zhuo met with Chen Cha not just to design the mechanical monkeys, but also to deliberately expose the idea of the mechanical Fireburst Monkeys.

He planned each step, at least three moves ahead.

Bombing the Immortal Palace was merely the first step. How to defend against the investigation that followed? This was something Ning Zhuo had been considering long ago.

"Before, I already prompted Chen Cha to use the Flying Disk Workshop to create numerous mechanical monkeys and sell them openly."

"Now, Fei Si is intervening, wanting me to pass on the credit for the mechanical monkeys. Isn't this just covering for me?"

"Excellent, another layer of concealment."

With this thought, Ning Zhuo decided to agree.

Of course, he wouldn't nod his head immediately. Instead, upon hearing Chen Cha's words, his expression underwent a dramatic change.

Disbelief, anger, hatred, reluctance, reverence... a complex mix of emotions played across his face.

Chen Cha could clearly sense that on several occasions, Ning Zhuo was on the verge of slamming his fist on the table and angrily denouncing him!

Chen Cha was prepared to simply lower his head and endure the scolding, for it was what he deserved.

But in the end, Ning Zhuo did not do so.

His face turned from pale to red, glaring at Chen Cha, his lips moving, uttering only a few indistinct sounds, as if cursing.

Chen Cha felt utterly ashamed, the guilt in his heart almost suffocating him.

He took the initiative to pick up the teapot and refill Ning Zhuo's cup with hot tea, "Young friend Ning Zhuo, it's all my fault, all my fault. You can hit me, scold me as you please!"

Ning Zhuo gritted his teeth, finally rising to his feet in anger. How could he, as a young man facing such an ordeal, possibly endure it? He first glared fiercely at Chen Cha, but ultimately didn't unleash a torrent of abuse. Instead, he paced back and forth in front of Chen Cha, within the small hut.

His face was flushed red, his fists clenched, his steps wide, as if trying to vent all the pent-up frustration and anger through his movements.

Seeing this scene, Chen Cha was at a loss, wanting to offer words of comfort and consolation, but unable to find the right ones. He felt so guilty that he wanted to disappear into the ground.

Ning Zhuo walked back and forth several times, stopped at the wall, and suddenly slammed his fist hard against it.

He lowered his head, leaving a stubborn, lonely figure for Chen Cha. His slender shoulders and the fist that sank into the wall, slowly bleeding, left Chen Cha speechless, his heart heavy as a mountain.

Ning Zhuo remained like a statue, holding that position, motionless.

Time seemed to stand still, the atmosphere in the room truly oppressive. Chen Cha could only hear the sound of Ning Zhuo's angry breathing.

After an unknown amount of time, Ning Zhuo finally withdrew his fist and slowly turned around. He seemed to have lost his backbone, his previous vigor and spirit gone. His face was filled with sorrow and helplessness.

His once clear eyes were now filled with despair.

His voice became hoarse, struggling to speak, "So, Elder Chen, this matter is irreversible, isn't it?"

Elder Chen's Adam's apple bobbed, wanting to comfort Ning Zhuo, but he remained unable to speak.

Suddenly, he raised his hand and slapped himself several times on the face.

*Slap, slap, slap.*

He used all his strength, each slap causing his face to twist dramatically.

After finishing, he stood up, cupped his fist in the other hand in salute to Ning Zhuo, bowed deeply, and did not rise.

Ning Zhuo took several deep breaths, gritting his teeth, and uttered a few unintelligible sounds. He sounded like he was crying and hissing at the same time.

The sound caused Chen Cha immense pain!

Then, Ning Zhuo loosened his tightly clenched fist, took heavy steps, slowly raised his hand, and supported Chen Cha's forearm, raising him up.

Only then did Chen Cha straighten up. In that short time, his cheeks had already become visibly swollen.

And when Chen Cha saw Ning Zhuo, his pupils suddenly constricted.

He saw the young man's red-rimmed eyes and two distinct tear streaks on his cheeks.

"I deserve to die!" Chen Cha cursed himself inwardly.

Ning Zhuo spoke, "Elder Chen, no need to blame yourself. Though I've only known Elder Chen for a short time, I believe you are not such a petty person!"

"Since things have come to this..."

"Since things have come to this, I can only accept it, can't I?"

Ning Zhuo looked up and sighed, taking a step back, staggering, almost falling.

Chen Cha quickly stepped forward to support him.

Chen Cha helped Ning Zhuo all the way back to his seat.

For a long time afterwards, both men remained silent, sitting opposite each other in silence.

Ning Zhuo kept a silent count, feeling that the time was right, and broke the deathly silence in the room with a hoarse voice.

"I agree."

Elder Chen's heart clenched painfully.

"I agree," Ning Zhuo said again.

Elder Chen bit down on his teeth in agony.

His eyes also turned red, he looked up at Ning Zhuo, then took out a jade scroll from his bosom.

He placed the jade scroll on the table and quickly took out a small cloth bag.

He put the cloth bag next to the jade scroll.

Finally, he took out a bag of spirit stones and placed it on the table as well.

After doing all this, he cupped his fist in the other hand in salute to Ning Zhuo again. Afterwards, he had no face to stay here, he left without a word, leaving Ning Zhuo's residence.

Ning Zhuo was alone, and it took him a long time to recover.

He had been too invested in the act just now, the intense emotions still lingering.