Chapter 63: I Want to Climb Up

Feisi saw Zhu Xuanji off, but instead of leaving, he turned back to the flying disc workshop.

He gazed at Chen Cha and Ning Zhuo, finally fixing his gaze on Ning Zhuo.

Suddenly, he unleashed the pressure of his Golden Core cultivation.

Caught off guard, Ning Zhuo was forced to kneel.

Chen Cha was aghast. "Lord Feisi, what is the meaning of this...?"

Feisi sneered. "Recently, the Monkey Head Gang has suffered numerous blows. Over thirty percent of their monkey pets have been poisoned."

"After investigation, it was discovered that someone spared no expense, beginning long ago, to hunt down wild monkeys. Furthermore, they placed a hefty bounty on the black market for the lives of the Monkey Head Gang's monkey pets."

"Not only that, but the current leader of the Monkey Head Gang, Yuan Er, was also assassinated. The assassin was extremely audacious, even sending a death threat before the attempt. Although the assassination failed, Yuan Er is now terrified, cowering within the gang's headquarters, never venturing out."

Feisi stared at Ning Zhuo. "Did you orchestrate all of this?"

Ning Zhuo was nearly crushed to the ground by the immense pressure of the Golden Core cultivator. His face was pale, his body drenched in cold sweat. He struggled to resist the pressure, barely managing to speak. "Lord Feisi, if you ask me that, I will, of course, deny it."

"I have already produced new Clockwork Monkeys, using new schematics, capable of manufacturing even more in a short time, enough to fully meet the current demands!"

Feisi raised an eyebrow, turning to look at Chen Cha.

Chen Cha, worried about Ning Zhuo's life, hurriedly nodded. "Lord Feisi, that is indeed the case. However, the new Clockwork Monkeys use fewer materials and simpler processes, resulting in a significant drop in quality, making it difficult to maintain them for long."

Feisi pressed. "Can they harvest the Fire Persimmons?"

Chen Cha nodded. "That is not a problem."

Only then did Feisi's expression soften, and he gradually retracted the pressure of his Golden Core. He looked down at Ning Zhuo, his voice commanding. "Rise."

"Thank you, Lord." Ning Zhuo staggered to his feet, his body covered in cold sweat, his lip bitten and bleeding, his nose dripping blood once more, a sorry sight indeed.

Feisi pointed at Ning Zhuo. "You have some cleverness about you. Ning Zhuo, was it? I'll remember you."

A hint of joy flickered across Ning Zhuo's face. "To be remembered by you, Lord, is a great honor. I am willing to stake my head on a guarantee that I will manufacture a sufficient number of Clockwork Monkeys to meet the needs of the Fire Persimmon Festival."

Feisi grunted in acknowledgment, quite pleased with Ning Zhuo's statement, his attitude becoming more amiable.

Ning Zhuo continued, "Lord, according to the new schematics I designed, the best materials for creating Clockwork Monkeys would be monkeys themselves."

"Hasn't the Monkey Head Gang lost many of their monkey pets? We need these monkey corpses for raw materials."

"I humbly request your permission!"

Upon hearing these words, Feisi narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Ning Zhuo once more.

He stroked his beard, a trace of admiration forming in his heart. "This young man, despite his youth, possesses a ruthless mind. He intends to utterly destroy the Monkey Head Gang."

"He understands clearly: the success of the Fire Burst Monkey business relies on harvesting Fire Persimmons, and the Monkey Head Gang controls that trade. Thus, he seeks to bring them down."

"He wishes to borrow my power to acquire monkey corpses. Would Yuan Er dare to refuse? But if he gives them up, what remains of the gang leader's authority?"

"He has the ambition, and the means."

"He reminds me of myself, when I was young."

If Ning Zhuo possessed Golden Core cultivation, nay, even Foundation Establishment, Feisi would have felt a sense of unease.

But Ning Zhuo was merely at the Qi Condensation stage, a mere boy. This posed no threat to Feisi.

With this in mind, Feisi revealed a cryptic smile. "This matter is rather intriguing. How much coin do you think we should use to purchase the monkey corpses from the Monkey Head Gang?"

Without hesitation, Ning Zhuo replied, "I am willing to relinquish forty percent of the profits. From this day forth, forty percent of the Fire Burst Monkey revenue shall be yours, Lord!"

Feisi feigned confusion. "How is this related to me?"

Ning Zhuo immediately responded. "Lord Feisi, you are the local magistrate of Fire Persimmon City. How could anything not concern you?"

"In contrast, the Monkey Head Gang is stained with blood, sucking the lifeblood out of the common people, yet they show no gratitude."

"They should contribute more to Fire Persimmon City and consider the well-being of its magistrate, Lord Feisi."

"Those monkeys are already dead; they would only bury them. It would be better to let us use them to solve the problems of the Fire Persimmon Festival and contribute to the betterment of Fire Persimmon City!"

Feisi laughed heartily, pointing his finger at Ning Zhuo repeatedly. "Excellent, Ning Zhuo! You are very insightful, very good. You are a promising talent!"

"I will instruct my subordinates to demand that they deliver the monkey corpses to you."

Ning Zhuo bowed deeply. "Thank you, Lord."

Chen Cha, witnessing all of this, wore a complex expression.

After Feisi departed, Ning Zhuo faced Chen Cha, his expression sincere. "Old Chen, I apologize. I had to do this!"

Chen Cha sighed, unable to hide his resentment. "Since Lord Feisi has already approved, what can I say?"

He fundamentally loathed this practice of cutting corners and skimping on materials.

It was purely for profit, disrespecting his own clockwork creations, which was equivalent to disrespecting himself.

Chen Cha's emotional reaction was within Ning Zhuo's expectations.

The young cultivator had prepared a response, immediately stating, "Old Chen, I will be spending more time at the workshop from now on. I want to be involved in manufacturing the Clockwork Monkeys!"

"After all, I just guaranteed it to Lord Feisi with my own head."

Hearing this, concern washed over Chen Cha's face. "Ning brother, you are taking too many risks."

"Don't make such reckless promises in the future. What if an accident occurs and you can't fulfill them?"

"You have the status of a member of the Ning family. You don't need to make such guarantees. Even... even Lord Feisi is worried about causing trouble."

But Ning Zhuo clenched his fist, interrupting Chen Cha's words. "Old Chen, if I don't make a guarantee, how can I show my attitude? How can I gain Lord Feisi's favor?"

"The matter of the Fire Burst Clockwork Monkeys has made me realize something."

"I understand that this is a world of power! Even if it's something I invented, that honor can be easily taken away."

Chen Cha was stunned, and a deep sense of guilt surged within him. He was about to speak.

Ning Zhuo interrupted him. "I'm not blaming you, Old Chen. I know you were forced to do it."

"These past few days, I've been studying the 'Serpentine Spring Array Compendium' and have benefited greatly."

"Old Chen, I can understand."

"I thank you. Thank you for giving me your array insights, and thank you for showing me the true face of this world."

"Therefore, I will climb!"

"I will climb up, I will become someone above others!"

"Only by climbing to a certain height can I defend my own interests. In the future, no one can easily deprive me of my honors, and no one can steal my clockwork creations!!"

Chen Cha fell into silence.

Looking at the righteous and ambitious young man with sparkling eyes, he was filled with complex emotions.

He understood now, he knew why Ning Zhuo had changed so much.

He no longer resented, no longer hated, no longer looked down on Ning Zhuo. On the contrary, his heart was filled with guilt, filled with self-reproach.

He knew that the young man before him had once been so pure, and it was he, Chen Cha, who had caused the change in the young man.

"Then what right do I have to criticize him?" Chen Cha sighed inwardly.

He walked up to Ning Zhuo, grabbed his shoulders, and said, "Little Zhuo! I'm sorry, it's already too late. I will do everything I can to help you!"

Ning Zhuo smiled brightly.

When he heard that Chen Cha had changed his address again, no longer calling him "Ning brother" but returning to "Little Zhuo," he knew he had succeeded.