Chapter 69: Venturing into Enemy Territory

“Who dares trespass in the back courtyard!” the attendant shouted loudly.

Ning Zhu walked straight ahead, raised his foot, and kicked, sending the attendant sprawling to the ground. Then he brandished a token, nearly pressing it against the attendant’s face.

“Open your eyes wide and take a good look!”

“I am acting under Lord Fei Si’s orders, on urgent business, seeking Chief Yuan Er. Do you dare obstruct me?” Ning Zhu’s voice rang out, sweeping his gaze over the other attendants with commanding presence.

“So, it’s someone from the City Lord’s Mansion again?”

“The last envoy forcibly bought our sect’s monkey corpse, and the chief didn’t dare utter a word!”

“What business does the envoy have this time?”

Within the Monkeyhead Sect, resentment toward Yuan Er had grown considerable. Most members were beast tamers, who had cultivated their monkey companions for years—how could they be indifferent? A proper burial for a monkey’s corpse was the right thing to do, yet last time Yuan Er, unable to withstand the pressure, sold it to the Mechanism Workshop. That act had severely damaged his reputation.

Now, with Yuan Da Sheng gravely injured and near death, the entire Monkeyhead Sect was in turmoil.

Ning Zhu needed only the token to stride in with his head held high, unimpeded all the way to the back courtyard.

He quickly arrived.

The main bedroom in the back courtyard was dimly lit.

Yuan Er sat motionless, gazing at the bed where Yuan Da Sheng lay unconscious, tears streaming silently down his face.

He had always known the immense significance Yuan Da Sheng held for himself and for the Monkeyhead Sect. Yet only when it truly fell did Yuan Er fully grasp how heavy that significance was!

Zhu Xuan Ji had managed to save Yuan Da Sheng’s life, but only temporarily. Even after taking the Late Autumn Life-Preserving Pill, Yuan Da Sheng would remain disabled, bedridden for life.

Such devastating news struck Yuan Er like a bolt from the blue.

Noise sounded from outside the door.

Yuan Er trembled, thinking: Could it be the elders coming to force his hand?

Without Yuan Da Sheng, who could support him?

But Ning Zhu’s voice came instead: “Where is Chief Yuan Er? I come under Lord Fei Si’s orders on urgent business.”

Yuan Er, with tear-stained cheeks, stepped out of the bedroom into the yard, where he saw Ning Zhu’s arrogant face.

He was in the Foundation Establishment stage, already possessing spiritual sense.

At this moment, he swept his spiritual sense over the token, confirming its authenticity, and dared not neglect Ning Zhu. He clasped his hands in greeting: “Uncle Monkey watched me grow up; his kindness is like a mountain. Now, gravely injured and near death, I must care for him and cannot leave. Please, Envoy, report honestly to Lord Fei Si that I can no longer participate in the Fire Persimmon Festival.”

Yuan Er’s face was filled with defeat.

The eruption of the Millennial Fire Persimmon Forest and Yuan Da Sheng’s critical injuries had utterly ruined him and the entire Monkeyhead Sect.

Without Yuan Da Sheng’s protection, how could he dare venture out?

Ning Zhu smiled, putting away the token. “Chief Yuan Er, I have come precisely to save your life. Do you realize you do not have long to live?”

Yuan Er, annoyed: “Why does the envoy utter such alarming words?”

Ning Zhu replied, “Whether my words are alarming or not, will you dismiss your attendants and hear me out, Chief Yuan Er?”

Yuan Er snorted coldly, his gaze flickering, but finally waved his attendants away: “All of you, leave.”

With no third party present, Ning Zhu strode directly into the main bedroom.

His conduct was quite rude; Yuan Er’s face darkened with anger, yet he endured.

Ning Zhu entered, immediately spotting the gravely ill Yuan Da Sheng on the bed.

He was barely alive, his fate hanging by a thread.

In that instant, Ning Zhu felt a strong impulse to kill the monkey outright.

But he took a deep breath and restrained himself.

He could not kill.

Many matters, though they seemed straightforward, were actually the opposite.

Firstly, if he acted now, Yuan Er would surely intervene. The latter, being Foundation Establishment, far surpassed Ning Zhu in cultivation.

Secondly, even if Ning Zhu succeeded in killing the monkey, he was in the Monkeyhead Sect’s headquarters and would find it hard to escape.

Third, and most crucially, if Ning Zhu killed Yuan Da Sheng, he would openly offend Zhu Xuan Ji!

Zhu Xuan Ji had just saved Yuan Da Sheng, and now Ning Zhu would arrive to slaughter him—how would that place Lord Zhu Xuan Ji?

Zhu Xuan Ji was a divine constable, already investigating the Lava Immortal Palace, and had interrogated Ning Zhu once. If Ning Zhu acted in such a way, it would be brazenly provoking Zhu Xuan Ji, inviting him to investigate Ning Zhu.

Even Fei Si himself dared not act so directly.

Yuan Er followed him, lowering his voice in displeasure: “Please do not disturb Uncle Monkey’s rest, Envoy. This way, please.”

Yuan Er led Ning Zhu to a side room.

It was a small study.

Ning Zhu closed the door himself and spoke bluntly: “Chief Yuan Er, how long do you think you can hold onto your position?”

Yuan Er’s expression darkened. “If the envoy merely seeks to sow discord, please leave.”

Ning Zhu sneered: “Chief Yuan Er, I am here to help you, to save your life. Is this how you treat your savior?”

“The pill Lord Zhu Xuan Ji gave you, and the words he spoke, were all recorded by the formation and are now widely known.”

“Even if Yuan Da Sheng survives, he will be a cripple, bedridden for life. Without him, who will obey you, Yuan Er?”

“You know well how your father rose to power!”

“The Monkeyhead Sect climbed up amidst bloody fights and slaughter, establishing its foothold in storms of blood.”

“How many enemies were made in the process?”

“How many foes lurk in the shadows? Now that they finally have a chance for revenge, do you think they’ll let you enjoy peace and prosperity?”

These words struck Yuan Er’s heart; his gaze flickered. “How will the envoy help me?”

Ning Zhu raised the token once more, deliberately displaying the reverse side bearing Fei Si’s name for Yuan Er to see.

“A mere monkey as your backing—how could it compare to Lord Fei Si?”

Yuan Er’s eyes gleamed, incredulous: “Are you saying I can seek Lord Fei Si’s protection?”

Ning Zhu sneered, shattering his illusion: “Don’t dream such dreams. When the Monkeyhead Sect was strong, it still failed to catch Lord Fei Si’s eye. And now?”

“What I mean is, you can seek my protection!”

Yuan Er was momentarily ashamed and angry, but he knew Ning Zhu spoke the truth.

The sect was filled with aggressive, ruthless characters involved in the grey areas, far from clean. Officials of the Southern Bean Immortal Dynasty would never associate with such people, lest their reputation be tainted.

Fei Si, being at the Golden Core stage, would not even want the entire Monkeyhead Sect as his enforcers—especially since Yuan Da Sheng had never revealed his true strength.

Yuan Er scrutinized Ning Zhu, then clasped his hands: “May I ask, Envoy, who are you?”

“My surname is Ning, given name Zhu, of the Ning clan.”

Ning Zhu invoked his family name as a tiger’s skin.

Yuan Er became more cautious.

Ning Zhu shook the token again: “I am also favored by Lord Fei Si, working as his errand runner.”

Yuan Er’s face grew solemn as he gestured: “Please, sit.”

Though Ning Zhu spoke humbly, Yuan Er understood that being an ‘errand runner’ meant he was close to Fei Si, perhaps even a trusted confidant.

Yuan Er invited Ning Zhu to sit, and he himself took a seat.

They faced each other across a desk.

Ning Zhu continued: “I am also a member of the Flying Disc Workshop; many mechanism monkeys were crafted under my supervision.”

Yuan Er sprang up, furious: “So it was you who came to assassinate me? You poisoned my sect’s monkey pets! How dare you come here?!”