**: Zhu Xuanji**

"Subordinate Feisi requests an audience with the City Lord." Feisi stood atop Fire Persimmon Mountain, bowing deeply towards the layers of clouds and mist above.

The rolling clouds and mist parted like a curtain, revealing the figure of the Fire Persimmon City Lord.

Feisi flew up slowly. As he drew near the City Lord, he bowed once more and began reporting on the city's important affairs.

Almost all matters within Fire Persimmon Immortal City were handled by him; only major issues were reported to the City Lord.

The Fire Persimmon City Lord spent most of his time focused on his own cultivation.

He was the only Nascent Soul cultivator in Fire Persimmon Immortal City. As long as his condition was maintained, the entire city would remain stable.

Currently, the most important matter was, of course, the Molten Rock Immortal Palace.

Although the incident with the Law-Transmission Bell had caught the City Lord off guard, since then, he had taken personal charge, stationing himself atop the mountain amidst the clouds, firmly controlling the situation.

Even though the Molten Rock Immortal Palace had erupted violently multiple times, he had suppressed them all, preventing any significant turmoil.

Feisi's report focused primarily on the arrangements for the Fire Persimmon Festival.

The Fire Persimmon Festival was imminent.

"Currently, nearly two thousand Mechanical Blaze Monkeys have been refined."

"I have reached an agreement with the Zhou, Zheng, and Ning families. The Foundation Establishment cultivators operating the Blaze Monkeys will primarily be dispatched by these three families."

"Additionally, the current leader of the Monkey Head Gang, Yuan Er, has volunteered, disregarding the risks, to participate in this matter."

"Subordinate, moved by his loyalty and considering the genuine labor shortage, temporarily agreed to let the Monkey Head Gang participate."

"In previous years' Fire Persimmon Festivals, the monkey pets of this gang have been the main force for picking the fire persimmons. Having them participate adds an extra layer of security."

"As for the encirclement and suppression of the Shadow Demon Cultivator, Subordinate has made some arrangements, all detailed within this jade slip."

The City Lord infused the jade slip with his spiritual sense and saw that the various arrangements were clear, logical, and rigorous, with numerous contingency plans besides the main部署.

The main force for the encirclement would naturally be the Golden Core cultivators from the City Lord's Mansion, the Zhou family, and the Zheng family. The Ning family's Patriarch was still in seclusion for recovery but would also make an appearance as a reserve force.

Speaking of which, ever since the Shadow Demon Cultivator appeared, Feisi, representing the City Lord's Mansion, had proactively contacted the other three families to discuss the encirclement.

Using this as a pretext, the City Lord's Mansion had united the three families.

Feisi observed covertly but found no clues suggesting collusion between the three families and the Shadow Demon Cultivator.

"Proceed accordingly." After reviewing, the Fire Persimmon City Lord approved Feisi's plan.

This encirclement plan did not include the City Lord himself.

The target was only a Golden Core cultivator, and Fire Persimmon Immortal City planned to deploy a total of four Golden Core cultivators.

This level of force was completely sufficient.

From the perspective of the City Lord's Mansion, it was most correct for the Fire Persimmon City Lord to remain stationed atop the mountain peak.

Clearly, the Shadow Demon Cultivator had been trying hard to enter the Molten Rock Immortal Palace. The first time, they were stopped by Zheng Shuang gou. The second time, while stealthily approaching the dungeon, they were discovered by Chi Dun, who carried the Alert-Heart Bell.

If there truly were accomplices, then the third instance was the raid on the Purple Sun Villa and the act of discarding pills in the Fire Persimmon Grove, which was clearly meant to lure the Fire Persimmon City Lord away to capture them.

The more the enemy wants something, the more they must be prevented from achieving it!

As long as the City Lord remains stationed atop the mountain peak, he stands firm in an unassailable position.

"My Lord, there is one more urgent matter Subordinate must report," Feisi said. "Since failing the last challenge attempt, Young Master Meng Chong has gone into closed-door training again for special exercises."

"His frequency of using the immortal resource 'Galloping Sudden Thunder' is excessively high. Such a terrifying rate of consumption is difficult to sustain."

"Subordinate is deeply concerned."

"I have repeatedly advised Young Master Meng Chong, but he has not listened and continues to act willfully."

As he spoke, Feisi presented another jade slip.

The jade slip recorded Meng Chong's latest condition during his special training.

His originally robust physique was gone.

He was now noticeably thinner. His cheekbones were prominent, his eye sockets sunken, but his gaze was反而 increasingly bright, giving the feeling of someone practicing a demonic art, burning their life force in exchange for a temporary state of power.

The City Lord smiled slightly: "Then let him continue his willful ways."

Feisi was startled: "City Lord, you…"

The Fire Persimmon City Lord said leisurely: "Natural talent and innate nature are two sides of the same coin, can be seen as one. Expressing one's innate nature is to unleash one's natural talent."

"The higher the natural talent, the stronger the innate nature."

"Only by fully expressing one's innate nature can one maximize the potential of one's natural talent."

"Let me ask you, how has Chong'er's progress been over the last month or two?"

Feisi replied: "His progress has been astonishingly rapid, leaving Subordinate in awe."

This was indeed the truth.

Initially, Meng Chong couldn't even dodge the Thousand Jun Heavy Hammer Platform. Later, he dodged the hammers but failed to avoid the Golden Thread Fishing Net. After that, he passed through the net but couldn't control his speed and was sliced to pieces by the fine threads.

After special training, he fully adapted to the extreme speed, his movements becoming incredibly agile and swift, easily passing through layer after layer of obstacles.

The City Lord continued: "Looking at the images in the jade slip, his current special training has also brought him to the brink of a breakthrough. Previously, his use of Galloping Sudden Thunder was flat and monotonous. Now, he has begun to adjust his breathing, introducing variation."

"He is gradually comprehending the principle that hardness cannot last forever, and the rule of yielding before extending."

"Once he breaks through, he will be able to establish a rhythm, incorporating slowness within speed and speed within slowness, able to accelerate further from an extreme speed."

"At that time, he will be capable of tension and relaxation. This is the cycle of Yin and Yang giving rise to change, where all things tend towards circularity."

Feisi suddenly understood: "I see."

"Innate nature can foster natural talent, and progress in natural talent can also refine one's innate nature."

"Young Master Meng Chong previously only knew how to charge wildly and fiercely. Once he breaks through this time, his innate nature will be refined, enabling him to balance exertion and relaxation."

The City Lord smiled: "The path of cultivation is like this. Extreme Yin gives birth to Yang, extreme Yang gives birth to Yin. As the saying goes, extremity begets change."

"Possessing supreme natural talent means one is a seed for Immortal cultivation. They cannot be treated by ordinary reasoning."

"Since his supreme talent has been fully activated, let him fully develop and explore it. As his application of talent progresses, his innate nature will also improve."

"Chong'er has his own unique path of cultivation."

"As long as it does not endanger his life, there is no need for forceful interference."

"We will supply him with pills, doing our best to help him replenish his nutrition."

"Additionally, we must gather personnel, form a team, to assist him in the future."

"The challenges of the Molten Rock Immortal Palace are difficult to achieve through individual effort alone."

"Coexistence and cooperation are the true kingly way. From this, one can see that the Three Monasteries' Venerables are truly eminent monks, compassionate and intent on delivering all beings."

Feisi quickly said: "When Young Master Meng Chong changed his cultivation path, the Mansion already organized thirty people to change their cultivation alongside him."

"After Young Master Meng Chong returned from his first exploration, the size of the conversion team was expanded to fifty people."

"It's just that they have little natural talent and are still in the process of conversion, still some distance from the peak of the third layer."

"Based on Subordinate's inquiries, our Mansion's conversion team is in the best condition. The Zhou family, due to their Gathering and Dispersing as Will Ripple Formation, ranks second. The Zheng family is third, and the Ning family is last."

The City Lord nodded, offering faint praise: "You handle matters reliably."

Feisi's face lit up with joy. Just as he was about to respond, a voice suddenly sounded: "Meng Kui."

"Since you have deeply understood the principle of extreme Yin giving birth to Yang, why then do you still covet the Molten Rock Immortal Palace? Aren't you worried about going too far?"

"Who's there?!" Feisi shouted in shock and anger, releasing his spiritual sense to search for the enemy.

The Fire Persimmon City Lord, however, showed a trace of surprise. He waved his hand at Feisi, signaling him to remain calm.

The City Lord turned his gaze towards the clouds on his right.

There, a figure slowly manifested.

It was a middle-aged man, wearing a grand crimson brocade robe edged with black embroidery.

He had a square face, and at the center of his pitch-black pupils, specks of golden light shimmered.

He did not conceal his Golden Core aura. Facing the City Lord and Feisi, his demeanor was dignified and graceful, smiling faintly, his presence反而 overshadowing the two opposite him.

Feisi, seeing the familiar brocade robe and the words "Divine Constabulary" on the middle-aged male cultivator's waist token, felt a twitch at the corner of his eye. He hurriedly bowed: "Feisi pays his respects to the Divine Constable. I dare to ask for your esteemed name, Sir."

The middle-aged man smiled slightly: "I am Zhu Xuanji."

"The surname Zhu?" Feisi's heart trembled slightly as he pondered, "The Zhu surname is the royal surname. Could it be that this person before me…"

Zhu Xuanji nodded directly, openly admitting: "You should have guessed it. Correct, I, Zhu, am not only a member of the Divine Constabulary but also a member of the Southern Bean Immortal Kingdom's royal family."

"I have come this time to investigate the Molten Rock Immortal Palace!"

(End of )