: First, Take the Monkey Head

Fire Persimmon Immortal City.

Monkey Head Gang Headquarters.

Ning Xiangqian, Ning Xiangguo, and other former Ning family stewards, chests puffed out and heads held high, strode forward in unison, barging straight through the main gate of the Monkey Head Gang.

"H-halt! Please stop!" The usually arrogant gang guards, seeing such a formidable group charging towards them, immediately paled and shouted in panic.

Ning Xiangqian, Ning Xiangguo, and the others had been stewards of the Ning family; their cultivation levels were at the Foundation Establishment stage.

The Ning main family had expelled many branch family stewards, nearly twenty in total.

Ning Zhuo, leveraging Ning Houjun's reputation, had gathered over a dozen of them.

Over a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators—more than double the entire upper echelon combat strength of the Monkey Head Gang!

Just the sight of these Foundation Establishment cultivators made the Monkey Head Gang members shrink back in fear. Then, seeing the Ning family waist tokens each of them wore, their hearts sank further. They thought inwardly, "The Ning family, one of the Three Great Families! Why are they causing trouble for us?"

"Bad news, bad news, Gang Leader!!" The gang members shouted in panic as they rushed towards the rear of the headquarters.

The new Monkey Head Gang leader hadn't been in position for long, but with his shrewd methods and stable interpersonal relationships, he sat far more securely in the leader's seat than Yuan Er ever had.

Hearing the urgent report from his subordinates, he frowned deeply, sensing grave danger: "They're coming with fierce momentum; their intentions are clearly hostile!"

After a moment's thought, he stood up. "Invite... invite the Ning family heroes to..."

BOOM!

The next moment, the door to the leader's residence was shattered.

The guards at the door were sent flying, falling amidst the rubble of bricks and broken doors, moaning in pain.

Through the dust, the Ning family members swaggered into the courtyard, utterly brazen.

But even more brazen was the massive, ornately designed mechanical carriage that crushed the debris along its path, rolling to a stop right in front of the Monkey Head Gang leader.

The carriage door was opened from the outside by Ning Xiangguo, with several Foundation Establishment cultivators lined up behind him.

As Ning Zhuo slowly stepped out of the carriage, all the Foundation Establishment cultivators bowed their heads in respect.

The new Monkey Head Gang leader's pupils constricted. He had expected at least a Ning family elder to be inside the carriage, but instead, it was a mere Qi Refinement stage youth.

Yet, he didn't dare let his guard down, forcing a wide smile as he stepped forward.

"Stop!" Halfway there, he was intercepted by Ning Xiangqian's cold expression.

The gang leader didn't dare force his way past, standing still and cupping his hands in salute. "So it's Young Master Ning Zhuo gracing us with your presence! I failed to welcome you properly; I beg your forgiveness!"

Ning Zhuo glanced at him and sneered. "It's good you're here. Inside. I'm here today to settle accounts with you!"

The gang leader was horrified. "What do you mean? There must be some misunderstanding!"

Ning Zhuo had no patience for conversation. With a wave of his hand, the Foundation Establishment cultivators beside him moved out, quickly forming a small encirclement.

Killing intent filled the air, a chilling aura pressing down.

The gang leader felt as if he'd fallen into an ice cellar, his face full of panic. "A misunderstanding, it must be a misunderstanding! Someone, help!!"

The commotion Ning Zhuo caused was huge, alarming the entire Monkey Head Gang. Many Foundation Establishment gang elders rushed over.

But they didn't step forward, only watching cautiously from a distance.

It was terrifying!

Ning Zhuo had brought nearly twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators—a force fully capable of sweeping through the Monkey Head Gang.

More crucially, their identities.

The Ning family!

One of the Three Great Families, possessing Golden Core level power. Compared to them, the Monkey Head Gang was like an egg against a boulder.

Ning Zhuo swept his sharp gaze over the gathering gang members and shouted, "Yuan Er was my good friend. Though we didn't meet often, our bond was deep."

"After the passing of your gang's Yuan Dasheng, Yuan Er entrusted his body to me. I did my utmost to refine the mechanical ape—Tree Martial Combat Ape—for him. You all know this."

"But even with the Tree Martial Combat Ape, my friend still died, right here in the gang headquarters."

"Now, someone among you has reported to me. I suspect this wasn't a simple act of revenge but a conspiracy."

For a moment, the gang members exchanged glances, their anger and fear somewhat alleviated.

Ning Zhuo's reason was very justified.

Some of the gang elders' pupils shrank sharply, their morale plummeting. They knew the truth: the gang elders, dissatisfied with Yuan Er's performance, had used Bao Chou to stage an assassination.

"But since when were Ning Zhuo and Yuan Er so close?"

"Hard to say! Yuan Er did give Yuan Dasheng's body to Ning Zhuo, and Ning Zhuo did send the Tree Martial Combat Ape to protect Yuan Er."

"During that time, Ning Zhuo even sent two Ning family envoys to back Yuan Er up."

The gang elders secretly communicated via sound transmission. Discussing it, it really did seem as Ning Zhuo said.

The new Monkey Head Gang leader was filled with regret.

He was indeed the mastermind behind Yuan Er's assassination.

Originally, he had also been wary of Ning Zhuo. After Yuan Er's death, he hadn't rushed to take power immediately. Instead, he waited for a while to observe the situation and gauge the reactions.

In the end, all was calm; Ning Zhuo's side showed little reaction.

Coupled with the other gang elders' wavering intentions and the pressing situation, the Monkey Head Gang leader finally officially ascended, becoming the third-generation leader.

He treasured the fruits of his labor immensely, correcting many gang malpractices, increasing rewards for members, painfully cutting into his own benefits to win over other gang elders.

From the day he took office, he worked non-stop, sleeping only two hours a day, exhausting his mind and body, dedicating himself fully. Finally, he stabilized his position and drastically improved the gang's atmosphere, setting a strong upward trend.

And now, Ning Zhuo had come knocking!

They couldn't win a fight.

They couldn't afford to offend him!

The gang leader wanted to admit defeat, but Ning Zhuo wouldn't let him.

Ning Zhuo bluntly stated he wanted revenge for his friend. The gang leader felt extremely wronged.

"If you were going to do this, Ning Zhuo, why didn't you come earlier?"

"Did you wait until I became leader just to cause trouble?"

"Even if so, why didn't you come right after I took over?"

"You waited until I was almost done, after I'd straightened everything out, and then you came!"

"What do you mean by this?"

"I haven't even had a single day to enjoy it!"

Looking at Ning Zhuo, the gang leader dared not voice his anger.

Ning Zhuo looked at the gang leader and sneered.

Ning Xiangqian came to report: "Young Master Zhuo, the room has been checked. It's clear."

"Good." Ning Zhuo looked at the gang leader. "Inside. You'd better confess everything honestly!"

Ning Zhuo then commanded: "Uncle Xiangqian, bring some men inside with me. Uncle Xiangguo, take some men and guard outside. See if any of the other gang elders are willing to testify against their leader."

"Let's go!" Ning Xiangguo and three other Foundation Establishment cultivators stepped beside the gang leader, their tones and expressions icy.

The gang leader gritted his teeth. "I'm innocent, I'm innocent!"

He kept looking around, hoping to see some gang elders supporting him.

The result was despair.

With a heart full of despair, the gang leader returned to the room and saw Ning Zhuo sitting directly in the main seat.

"Kneel!" Ning Xiangguo kicked out.

The gang leader, already terrified and weak-legged, was struck behind the knees and fell to the floor with a thud.

The next moment, humiliation and anger drove him to try to stand, but his shoulders were pressed down by two Foundation Establishment cultivators. A frosty white chill spread rapidly, freezing his shoulders.

"Dare to resist?" Ning Zhuo sneered. "Then I'll grant you death."

The gang leader was terrified and immediately stopped moving.

Seeing this, Ning Zhuo continued, "Yuan Er was my friend. He died, and you are the murderer!"

The gang leader took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "Lord Ning Zhuo, you say I'm the murderer. What evidence do you have? If you can produce it, I'll admit it."

Ning Zhuo chuckled coldly. "Of course I have evidence. That evidence is in your hands. You produce it."

The gang leader froze on the spot.

"Wh-what do you mean?"

He stared wide-eyed at Ning Zhuo. "You want me to produce evidence, to testify against myself, to condemn myself?"

Ning Zhuo nodded. "Condemn you? That depends on your performance."

The gang leader trembled with rage. He had never seen someone so unreasonable and tyrannical!

Coming without evidence, yet acting so self-righteous!

Is your Ning family even part of the righteous path?

Bringing a group of Foundation Establishment cultivators, barging into someone else's headquarters, forcing the leader to produce evidence to incriminate himself.

Isn't this behavior too rude?

Too arrogant?!

Is there no law anymore?!

Ning Zhuo seemed to read the gang leader's mind. He narrowed his eyes and sneered, "You seem to have misunderstood something."

"I'm not some official, nor some divine constable."

"When I handle things, I don't care about evidence."

"Now, my friend is dead, assassinated. The legacy he left behind fell into your hands. From that alone, you are the murderer!"

"Because you benefited the most."

Ning Zhuo laughed heartily, leaning back in his chair, pointing at the gang leader. "I never said I wanted evidence. You brought that up."

The gang leader broke out in a cold sweat.

His face was as pale as paper. "L-Lord Ning Zhuo, does that mean I must die today?"

"No, no, no! I've only been the leader for a short time!"

"Please, spare me! Spare my life!"

"From now on, I'll pay you tribute every year, a generous protection fee!"

"Whatever you want, I'll give it to you, if I have it."

"Please, please don't kill me."

"I've only been leader for a short time!!"

Ning Zhuo showed a slight smile, his tone softening. "Hmm, good."

"You're a smart person."

"Sparing your life is possible."

"But from now on, I want you to work for me. I want the entire Monkey Head Gang to work for me!"

The gang leader's pupils contracted sharply. He hurriedly cried out, "Understood, understood! From now on, this subordinate will follow your lead, my lord!"

"Hahaha!" Ning Zhuo threw his head back and laughed, wild and triumphant.

He suddenly stopped laughing, his sharp, hawk-like eyes locking onto the gang leader. "In that case, hand over all the evidence of Yuan Er's murder."

The gang leader was stunned again.

His heart turned cold. He understood completely: he had to hand over all the evidence!

And only after Ning Zhuo obtained this evidence would he trust him. Because if he ever betrayed Ning Zhuo in the future, Ning Zhuo only needed to reveal this evidence, and he could never be gang leader again.

The gang leader stood frozen like a statue. After a few breaths of internal struggle, he finally took a deep breath and bowed to Ning Zhuo. "Yes, this subordinate obeys!"

(End of )