: Watching the Storm from the Mountain!

Author: Gu Zhenren

Meng Kui gave a slight nod.

He quite agreed with Fei Si's concerns.

If such a major incident were to occur, his political achievements would look extremely poor. It would undoubtedly become a significant stain on his life.

Fei Si requested that he personally intervene to negotiate with Zhu Xuanji.

Meng Kui agreed to this request.

Fei Si's formal visiting card was quickly delivered into Zhu Xuanji's hands.

After the two met, Fei Si said bluntly, "Lord Zhu, the Golden Core battle has just ended. Even if we wished to seize the Molten Rock Palace, we would never want to see such a chaotic battle happen again!"

"I believe Lord Zhu shares the same view as we do."

Zhu Xuanji nodded.

He was known for his insight into hidden matters and安抚ing the people, and as a member of the royal family, he naturally safeguarded the nation's interests and its citizens.

Fei Si continued, "The current situation is treacherous. As the acting city lord, even I cannot see clearly at the moment."

"Whether you believe me or not, I came here to tell you, Lord Zhu: the City Lord's Manor has never had any shadow demonic cultivators, nor have we ever received a Demonic Sect True Scripture."

"I smell a conspiracy. It's very likely that a mysterious force is behind the scenes, orchestrating this. They engineered this Golden Core chaotic battle. Their original goal was to instigate a confrontation between your side and ours."

"However, an unexpected event occurred during the process."

"The Zheng family's mechanical weapon was simply too powerful, promptly curbing the escalation of the chaotic battle."

"Otherwise, following the previous trend, if the fight had continued, the entire Fire Persimmon Immortal City would have suffered. It would have been a scene of devastation, with the city filled with the cries of the suffering."

Zhu Xuanji's expression turned serious, and he looked deeply at Fei Si.

Fei Si's feelings aligned with his own!

Because he also found it strange and had been wondering if there was a third party behind the scenes.

Given this, Zhu Xuanji also told Fei Si, "Believe it or not, the True Scripture we seized is fake and very problematic. When Zheng Shuang Gou brought the scripture back to the defensive formation of his clan's territory, it dissipated into nothingness."

"Furthermore, after the carrier disappeared, no content of the True Scripture was passed down."

After hearing this, Fei Si's expression changed slightly. He pondered carefully before saying, "Then, looking back, the third layer of rumors is the most crucial."

Zhu Xuanji chuckled lightly, "There's no need for you to probe."

"This third layer of rumors was spread by our side, with the aim of countering your City Lord's Manor to prevent any action against Ning Zhuo."

Fei Si said in shock, "Why would our City Lord's Manor target Ning Zhuo?"

Then, a look of realization dawned on his face, and he felt a strong chill.

"I understand."

"You suspect that our City Lord's Manor used Ning Zhuo to blow up the Immortal Palace, secretly arranged shadow demonic cultivators in the Fire Persimmon Grove. You suspect the shadow demonic cultivators are working with us?!"

"Absolutely not!!" Fei Si emphasized solemnly.

Zhu Xuanji merely smiled.

Fei Si grew somewhat anxious.

What was going on?

He was always the one falsely accusing others; how could he be the one being falsely accused now?!

Fei Si quickly calmed down. He neither argued nor explained, nor did he swear an oath.

Because he knew there was a deep rift between the City Lord's Manor and Zhu Xuanji's faction. The struggle over the Molten Rock Palace had placed the two sides in opposition.

Given this relationship, no matter what he said, Zhu Xuanji wouldn't believe him.

Even if he used magical treasures or other means to swear an oath, it would be useless.

Because Zhu Xuanji would instantly suspect that the City Lord's Manor had long prepared a way to nullify the oath!

After parting ways, both men were lost in thought.

Although neither could convince the other of their sincerity, this meeting was still highly necessary and fruitful.

Both sides achieved their primary goal – to control the intensity of their conflict.

The Meng family did not want to rebel, and the Southern Bean Royal Family also wanted to maintain domestic stability.

If the Southern Bean Royal Family were weakened by internal strife with the Meng family, it would inevitably lead to encroachment from surrounding cultivation nations.

The current world of cultivation maintained a delicate balance of terror. Nations, big and small, had been engaged in an arms race with all their might for nearly a century.

Atop Fire Persimmon Mountain.

Deep within the clouds and mist.

Meng Kui sat cross-legged, suspended in mid-air. His azure eyes pierced through the layers of clouds and mist, looking down upon the entire Fire Persimmon Immortal City.

The Golden Core chaotic battle had deeply affected him.

Like Fei Si and Zhu Xuanji, Meng Kui also sensed a mysterious power lurking in the shadows.

Moreover, this force was using the Molten Rock Palace to manipulate, to some extent, the situation in the entire Fire Persimmon Immortal City.

The Golden Core chaotic battle was this force's attempt to provoke a conflict between the Southern Bean Royal Family and the Meng family!

"Who is it?"

"Show yourself!"

Since the last time he watched tigers fight from the mountain, Meng Kui had remained calm and unmoving.

This time, moved by the events, he acted once again.

Divine Ability – Watching from the Mountain!

He activated his divine ability while simultaneously taking out talismans.

Great Wind Talisman!

Cloud-soaring Talisman!

When the great wind rises, the clouds soar. Sitting on the mountain, I watch and listen to the sound of the pines.

Regardless of the storms and turbulence beyond the mountain, I sit quietly within, listening to the sound of the pine waves, untouched by the winds and clouds, perceiving the shifts in power.

Meng Kui silently channeled his divine ability. After a short while, his vision suddenly changed.

It was no longer the ordinary scene of the Immortal City and the volcano, but a wondrous sight manifesting the flow of fortunes!

He saw raging crimson flames. On a slab of molten rock, a giant dragon-turtle craned its neck towards the sky, its dragon eyes filled with longing.

In the night sky, a massive dark bird circled. Its feathers were azure, wreathed in lightning, with a golden beak and silver claws, extremely majestic.

In the darkness, a colossal tree that seemed to prop up the sky and tread the earth extended its branches and roots, its full form unseen.

Inky green roots spread out, taking root in the molten rock slab and also in the body of the crimson flame dragon-turtle.

A huge red fruit grew on a branch. The fruit extended above the dragon-turtle's head, radiating a red light that forced the dragon-turtle to keep its head down.

Two streams of bloody tears flowed from Meng Kui's eyes. Excruciating pain originated from the depths of his soul. And the agony intensified rapidly with every breath he took.

Meng Kui knew his time for observation was extremely limited. He focused his spirit and concentrated fully, examining the details.

He quickly discovered that the dragon-turtle's limbs were deeply buried in the molten rock slab beneath it. Below the slab was a terrifying, boiling magma.

Buildings stood densely on the dragon-turtle's shell, resembling the layout of the Fire Persimmon Immortal City.

The dragon-turtle was restless, wanting to rise and move, to pull its limbs free from the rock slab.

However, if it did so, the rock slab would surely shatter, and the golden-red magma would instantly submerge it.

But if it didn't, the lightning-wreathed dark bird circling in the night sky would swoop down, extending its sharp claws to gouge out the dragon-turtle's eyes. The roots and branches stretching from the darkness would pierce its body, turning it into a prisoner forever bound here!

Meng Kui's vision suddenly went black.

The blood overflowing from his eye sockets also turned into a streak of black blood.

Simultaneously, large patches of his hair instantly turned white. A light breeze blew, and it melted away like snow under sunlight.

"So that's how it is!"

"It seems the Molten Rock Palace is unwilling to bear its heavy burden and wants to break free."

"More accurately, the Dragon-Turtle Fire Spirit here wants to escape. No wonder it has gone mad and caused trouble repeatedly."

In Meng Kui's understanding, the lightning bird undoubtedly represented him, Meng Chong, and the City Lord's Manor's forces.

The fortunes of the Molten Rock Palace and the Dragon-Turtle Fire Spirit had coalesced into the form of the dragon-turtle.

And the giant tree's roots and branches stretching from the shadows represented the Southern Bean Royal Family and Zhu Xuanji.

Meng Kui closed his eyes, healing his injuries while assessing the situation: "The critical moment is approaching."

"For the dragon-turtle to escape its predicament, it must face threefold困境 simultaneously."

"The first is the magma beneath its feet, representing Fire Persimmon Mountain. If it extracts itself, the rock slab will break, and the magma will inevitably backlash and swallow it."

"The second is the lightning bird pecking at its eyes."

"The third is the erosion by the giant tree."

"That red fruit on the giant tree's branch must be Zhu Xuanji, right? He is the outstanding fruit among the Golden Core stage cultivators of the Southern Bean Royal Family."

"He shines upon the dragon-turtle, preventing its head from rising and its eyes from opening."

Upper Dantian, Divine Sea.

The My Buddha Heart Demon Seal suddenly trembled violently, emitting Buddhist light that protected Ning Zhuo.

"What's happening?!" Ning Zhuo was shocked.

The Buddhist light illuminated his entire body. Ning Zhuo immediately activated Cloud-hidden Bud, concealing himself.

The Buddhist light persisted for a while before gradually dissipating.

Ning Zhuo was suspicious and alarmed, unsure what crisis had triggered the My Buddha Heart Demon Seal to save him once again!

"What should I do?"

"I probably still have detection methods placed on me by the Golden Core cultivators."

"Is Zhu Xuanji still observing me?"

Ning Zhuo found himself in a dilemma.

He had to be extremely careful with every move, not revealing the slightest flaw.

Based on his analysis, he was most likely still under secret surveillance.

All because Zhu Xuanji had made it clear earlier that he suspected a mastermind behind the scenes and warned Ning Zhuo not to let his guard down.

"Given Zhu Xuanji's character, knowing I am in danger, he would not proactively remove the surveillance measures."

This made Ning Zhuo feel extremely constrained.

From now on, his every move would be severely restricted.

He could no longer meet Sun Lingtong in secret, nor could he attempt to remove the surveillance measures.

If Ning Zhuo tried to remove them, it would undoubtedly signal to the Golden Core cultivators that he had ulterior motives!

Under normal circumstances, a young cultivator who still faced danger would welcome having as many detection methods placed on him as possible.

"Why did Zhu Xuanji suddenly want to inspect my Three Dantians?"

"After the Golden Core chaotic battle, what did he discover that made him cast a suspicious eye on me?"

"Was it because Han Ming was captured?"

"Or was it due to the self-destruction of the Demonic Sect True Scripture?"

If Han Ming had been captured, revealing that the Childlike Guest possessed Yuan Dasheng's corpse, Ning Zhuo had already prepared an explanation.

But Ning Zhuo knew well that the effectiveness of such an explanation was weak.

Now that Zhu Xuanji had begun to suspect him, this explanation might even have the opposite effect!

"The subsequent reaction from the City Lord's Manor also needs close attention."

"Fei Si... is also not easy to fool."

"Sigh, the destroyed Demonic Sect True Scripture is a flaw!"

If possible, Ning Zhuo would have preferred to hand over the real scripture.

But things hadn't gone as he wished.

Being able to reach this point was already fortunate enough, thanks to being able to invite Yang Chanyu to create a forgery.

Regarding this matter, Sun Lingtong had already informed Ning Zhuo afterwards, through the means of the Molten Rock Palace.

"For Boss Sun to be able to invite Yang Chanyu, he must have paid a price."

"Although he told me it was a heavily paid invitation. But don't I know him? Hmph, he's hiding something from me."

(End of )