: The Death of Dasheng

July 31, 2024 by Gu Zhenren

: The Death of Dasheng

"Father, I heard you're planning to find a demon cultivation technique for Uncle Monkey? Don't do it!" Yuan Er burst into the study, shouting loudly.

Yuan Yi's face turned ashen as he roared angrily, "Shut up! Who's been whispering nonsense in your ear again?"

"Father, Uncle Monkey's strength is already beyond anyone's control. Those monkeys of his—calling them pets isn't right; more accurately, they're the masters. The cultivators are just slaves responsible for feeding them."

"The situation is already like this. If Uncle Monkey's power leaps again, things will only get worse."

"By then, who will the Monkey Head Gang truly belong to?" Yuan Er pleaded relentlessly.

Yuan Yi's lips trembled slightly as he fell into a deathly silence.

The Monkey Head Gang was the legacy he had worked hard his entire life to build.

It's easier to conquer than to rule.

He was old, and even in his youth, he had barely managed to maintain balance within the gang.

Yuan Dasheng was a Fireblaze Demon Ape, and his strength was indeed overwhelmingly dominant here.

When fighting side by side, this was an absolute advantage. But once the Monkey Head Gang stabilized and no other gangs posed a threat, this advantage became an internal hidden danger.

Yuan Er was his only flesh and blood, and the Monkey Head Gang was meant to be passed down to him. But would he be able to control it?

Yuan Yi had confidence in himself and no doubts about his relationship with Yuan Dasheng. But he had serious doubts about the relationship between Yuan Er and Yuan Dasheng.

After a day and night of contemplation, Yuan Yi, pale-faced, finally called Yuan Er to him and advised him, "Remember this: you must treat your Uncle Monkey well. Respect him even more than you respect me. Understand?"

"Understood!" Yuan Er immediately promised, overjoyed in his heart.

Feeling guilty, Yuan Er indeed treated Yuan Dasheng with more respect than before.

All members of the gang also showed Yuan Dasheng greater respect.

But when Yuan Er became the gang leader, his situation became awkward. He had to rely on Yuan Dasheng to command respect, yet because he relied on him so often, he never truly gained the gang's genuine respect.

Yuan Er knelt by the bedside, looking at Yuan Dasheng.

"Uncle Monkey, you've shown me immense kindness. I know, and I remember it all in my heart."

"But the envoy is right—letting you linger on this sickbed is the greatest insult to you!"

"I... I don’t want to do this, because I respect you! I worship you!"

"I think if my father knew in the afterlife, he would agree with my decision."

"I know he would understand me... The enemy is too powerful. Even the entire Monkey Head Gang is no match for them."

"Since that's the case, I’ll join them!"

"My father often said, 'A real man knows when to yield and when to stand firm.'"

"By enduring this humiliation, I’m doing it all to preserve our legacy."

"Uncle Monkey, you must understand my good intentions!"

"The Monkey Head Gang is the result of a lifetime of hard work by you and my father. It must not be destroyed in my hands."

"I will pass it down to my sons and grandsons."

"If we grow and strengthen, one day we will establish the Yuan Family, a cultivation clan, and become the fifth major power in Fire Persimmon City!"

"Uncle Monkey, please understand me. Don’t blame me! You will understand, won’t you?"

Yuan Er kept repeating these thoughts in his mind.

Suddenly, Yuan Dasheng slowly opened his eyes.

Yuan Er shuddered as if struck by lightning.

But Yuan Dasheng's eyes were gray-white, cloudy and dull.

He could see nothing, hear nothing, but his sense of smell remained. He caught the familiar scent of Yuan Er.

Yuan Dasheng tried to sit up, but his body felt as heavy as a mountain. He tried to lift his hand, but it was mostly numb.

In the end, he could only slowly extend a finger, pointing at Yuan Er.

Yuan Er, frightened, fell backward onto the floor.

The next moment, Yuan Dasheng's index finger slowly dropped, and he breathed his last.

He was gone.

Yuan Er stared blankly for a moment before suddenly bursting into tears, sobbing uncontrollably.

He knelt, shuffling on his knees, and threw himself onto Yuan Dasheng's body, crying out hoarsely, "Uncle Monkey! Uncle Monkey!"

He shouted the words his father had left unfinished on his deathbed: "Uncle Monkey, I'm sorry. Uncle Monkey, I’ve wronged you..."

Meanwhile, Ning Zhuo had quietly stepped out of the small study.

He stood behind Yuan Er, witnessing Yuan Dasheng's final moments.

Finally, Yuan Dasheng was dead.

But at the moment of success, the joy in Ning Zhuo's heart was far less intense and overwhelming than he had imagined.

Ning Zhuo's feelings were complicated.

Yuan Dasheng had ended up in this state entirely because of Ning Zhuo. Yet, until his death, Yuan Dasheng never knew of Ning Zhuo's existence. He didn’t even know how he had provoked such a formidable enemy.

And Ning Zhuo?

Ning Zhuo never actually wanted to be enemies with Yuan Dasheng. Before Yuan Dasheng stormed the immortal palace, Ning Zhuo had never even met him.

However!

Fate had made the Molten Rock Immortal Palace its stage, placing Ning Zhuo and Yuan Dasheng on a narrow path of life and death. It was either you die, or I die!

There was no other choice.

"If I had a choice, Yuan Dasheng, I would have preferred to fight alongside you as comrades!"

"What a pity..."

With regret, Ning Zhuo stepped forward and began handling Yuan Dasheng's body.

Startled, Yuan Er instinctively reached out to stop him.

But Ning Zhuo kicked him aside, finally revealing the disdain and anger in his heart, and hissed in a low voice, "Get lost!"

What use was Yuan Er's Foundation Establishment cultivation with such a weak character?

When Ning Zhuo saw Yuan Dasheng in the bedroom, he confirmed that the Late Autumn Life-Preserving Pill had not been administered.

Zhu Xuanji had clearly given the pill to Yuan Er, but the latter had never used it on Yuan Dasheng.

Was it because he had no time?

He had plenty of time!

From this alone, Ning Zhuo deduced Yuan Er's true intentions and pretended to let him ask for Yuan Dasheng's opinion. Sure enough, Yuan Er knelt down from the start, only pleading in his heart without ever speaking aloud.

"Gang Leader Yuan Er, please accept my condolences." Ning Zhuo stored the monkey's body in his storage bag and prepared to leave.

Yuan Er, still on his knees, grabbed Ning Zhuo's leg and looked up at him. "When will I see my Uncle Monkey again?"

"Once the production schedule is confirmed, I’ll notify you. Don’t worry, it will be soon." Ning Zhuo comforted him, then forcefully pulled his leg free and left without looking back.

Yuan Er was left alone in the empty bedroom, stunned like a stone.

Ning Zhuo walked calmly until he was about to leave the Monkey Head Gang's base. There, he overheard returning gang members discussing among themselves.

"All the fire persimmon groves have been harvested, but that shadowy demonic cultivator never showed up!"

"Wasn’t he supposed to be hiding in the fire persimmon groves, trapped by the formation?"

"How could he just disappear?"

"Right? I was looking forward to a hunt."

"You should’ve seen Lord Feisi’s face—it was awful!"

"Now, the Golden Core cultivators from every family have appeared and are searching all over the fire persimmon groves."

Hearing this, Ning Zhuo’s heart tightened. "This is bad!"

His sharp mind immediately realized he was once again in danger.

After leaving the Monkey Head Gang, he quickened his pace, racing against time as he headed straight for the Flying Disc Workshop.

(End of )