Can't Bear to Bully Ning Zhuo (Thanks to [Thank You Gu Yue Fang Yuan] for the Golden Alliance!)

Underground workshop.

Ning Zhuo slowly opened his eyes and reached out to wipe the nosebleed from his face.

Within his body, it was no longer the light blue Frost Power.

Instead, it was Five Elements Power!

Five Elements Power possessed the white of Metal, the green of Wood, the black of Water, the red of Fire, and the yellow of Earth. The five colors of white, green, black, red, and yellow intertwined, yet they did not permeate each other, remaining distinct and clearly separated.

"In the natural world, the five elements of spiritual energy mutually generate and restrain each other. It is very difficult for them to maintain stable balance and coexist long-term."

"But after cultivating the Five Elements Qi Rhythm Art, which converts spiritual energy into Five Elements Power, they can coexist peacefully, with clear distinctions in layers."

"As expected of what the Three Sects Forefathers left behind!"

"Qi Refining second layer..."

Previously, Ning Zhuo was at the Qi Refining third layer. After completely converting his power, he was only left with the Qi Refining second layer.

Converting power also consumed energy.

This was expected, and Ning Zhuo had anticipated it.

The next step was to continue cultivating, accumulate power, and reach the Qi Refining third layer.

"I wonder when I will hear the sound of the Dharma Transmission Bell again."

After the conversion was complete, Ning Zhuo was physically and mentally exhausted. He decided to rest and recuperate.

He took out a few Nurturing Pills and consumed them to help his body adapt to the new power more quickly.

Nurturing Pills had many advantages, such as their gentle medicinal properties, slow effect, and minimal burden on the body. Their biggest drawback was probably their cost. One pill cost over a hundred Spirit Stones.

Ding ding ding.

Just as Ning Zhuo finished taking the pills, he heard a crisp sound like wind chimes.

This was an alarm triggered by a suspicious person appearing near his residence.

He walked to the workbench and gently kicked the leg of the table. The wall directly in front of him creaked, and the wall bricks slid horizontally to the sides, revealing a mirror.

In the mirror, Ning Zhuo saw the "suspicious person" - Chen Cha.

Chen Cha was standing at the entrance of Ning Zhuo's small courtyard, hands behind his back, looking around. He lowered his head and looked at the path, his face troubled.

A sharp glint flashed in Ning Zhuo's eyes: "Chen Cha? Why is he coming to find me on his own initiative?"

"It seems there should be further developments regarding the Mechanical Fire Ape."

Thinking of this, Ning Zhuo was slightly pleased.

Chen Cha paced back and forth at the entrance of the small courtyard, his mind filled with the scene that had just occurred.

Fei Si had called him over and informed him: The Mechanical Fire Ape had been approved by the City Lord, and all the mechanical workshops in the city were to be mobilized to jointly produce this mechanical creation for large-scale Fire Persimmon harvesting during this year's Fire Persimmon Festival.

Fei Si encouraged Chen Cha: "You are someone I recruited into the city."

"Work hard, give it your all! If you succeed this time, your life situation will be completely different."

Chen Cha was taken aback. He heard the implication and quickly explained, "Lord Fei Si, you've misunderstood me."

"I came to see you to report this mechanical monkey, mainly to ask you to arrange a preferential policy to reduce some taxes and fees for the Flying Disc Workshop."

"Actually, this mechanical monkey wasn't designed by me. The one who developed it is someone else."

Chen Cha was skilled in array formations and mechanical arts. People like him, who delved into technology and could endure loneliness and hardship, often disliked being dishonest.

Claiming credit for others' work was an act he detested and wouldn't stoop to.

When he had previously spoken with Ning Zhuo, he had even suspected for a moment that Ning Zhuo had claimed credit for the mechanical work.

Fei Si was stunned for a moment. "It's not your work?"

He really hadn't known that.

He chuckled dismissively. "That's no big deal. You're the workshop master. Whose credit it is, isn't that up to you?"

Chen Cha had his own principles in this regard. He shook his head resolutely. "Lord, my talent is shallow. I don't have the talent to design such an exquisite mechanical creation."

"Such a mechanical creation, from design to completion, how many setbacks and hardships did it endure? How much effort and thought did the inventor expend on it!"

"What's the difference between seizing someone else's mechanical work and killing someone and taking their child?"

"I implore you to see clearly, Lord."

A cold light flashed in Fei Si's eyes. He was a little angry.

In his opinion, this mechanical work had to be Chen Cha's! Because Chen Cha was his subordinate, and if Chen Cha had merit, it meant he had merit.

However, a smile appeared on Fei Si's face. He reached out and patted Chen Cha's shoulder, praising him instead. "It's precisely this kind of character that I admire."

"Although this work isn't yours, I believe that in the future, you will definitely be able to design mechanical creations even better than this one."

Chen Cha looked moved. "Thank you for your appreciation, Lord!"

Many years ago, it was Fei Si's recruitment that led him to move to Fire Persimmon Immortal City to develop.

Who knew that living in an immortal city was not easy! He had painstakingly managed the Flying Disc Workshop, and by this year, it was in a precarious situation.

However, it was true that Fei Si had given him an opportunity back then. He had always been very grateful for this.

Fei Si probed naturally, "Let me ask you, which cultivator invented this mechanical monkey?"

Chen Cha refused to do it, so Fei Si decided to secretly intervene himself and "help" Chen Cha solve this problem.

In the vast Fire Persimmon Immortal City, what did it matter if one or two unknown mechanical masters disappeared?

Chen Cha didn't suspect anything and gave a simple introduction about Ning Zhuo.

"Just a mere third-layer Qi Refining..." Fei Si sneered inwardly, then heard the rest of the sentence. "Hmm? Someone from the Ning Family?"

Fei Si frowned slightly.

This made it difficult to act.

He immediately dismissed his previous dark thoughts.

Because this involved the Ning Family, a Golden Core level force. Provoking them would be very troublesome.

Among the four major powers in Fire Persimmon Immortal City, the Ning Family's scale and overall strength are widely recognized as the weakest. The Ning Family only has one Golden Core stage cultivator.

However, the Ning Family's Golden Core ancestor has been proven in actual combat.

Sixteen years ago, during the Ning Family's migration, they experienced a fierce battle. The Ning Family ancestor fought two enemies alone, repelling the ambushing foes and saving most of the clansmen. Their combat strength was quite extraordinary.

It was precisely this point that allowed the other three parties to watch as the Ning Family settled in Fire Persimmon City. Although there were inevitably some frictions between the four powers, they were all restrained and controlled, trying their best to avoid intense conflicts.

To move against Ning Zhuo would mean potentially facing the Ning Family, facing the Ning Family's Golden Core. Fei Si would absolutely not willingly bear such a huge cost.

It was too unworthy for such a small merit!

Since this plan failed, Fei Si's thoughts shifted, and another plan emerged.

He sighed, "Chen Cha, you've misled me!"

Chen Cha was immediately surprised and uncertain. "Sir, you are my benefactor. Thanks to your promotion, I can cultivate in Fire Persimmon Immortal City. Why do you say that?"

Fei Si then said, "When you reported, you were vague, making me mistakenly believe this was your mechanical creation."

"I have already vouched for you to the City Lord, and even specifically requested a merit for you because of this."

"Alas, I always believed in you."

"Now, the die is cast. If the truth is exposed, how will the City Lord deal with you and me?"

"I'll be fine. What I'm worried about is you. For you, this is the crime of falsely claiming merit!"

Chen Cha's face turned pale, and he became flustered. "What should I do? Please save me, sir!"

Fei Si remained silent, stroking his beard in contemplation. After a moment, he said, "How about this, you go and discuss it with that Ning Zhuo and see if you can persuade him to transfer this mechanical monkey to you. You are much older than him, and that Ning Zhuo is only sixteen years old. What have the cultivators from the great family academy experienced? Heh heh, have a good chat, discuss it thoroughly with him."

Chen Cha was troubled. "This..."

From the bottom of his heart, he was completely unwilling to do this.

Fei Si snorted coldly in his heart, while sighing aloud, "Chen Cha, this is for your own good! If you don't make the best of a bad situation, when the City Lord finds out in the future, you will be the one punished! The crime of falsely claiming merit and reward is not small."

Fei Si casually gave a few examples, which made Chen Cha break out in a cold sweat.

"Alas, things have come to this, I can only go and persuade Ning Zhuo. No, I must succeed in persuading him!" Chen Cha sighed in his heart, forced to change his mind.

Although he greatly admired Ning Zhuo, recognizing him as a fellow traveler, and even subtly considering him a confidant.

But since it concerned his life and reputation, and might even implicate Sir Fei Si who had helped him, he could only do this!

Fei Si's strength and power were far superior to his. Just by taking advantage of Chen Cha's inability to reach the heavens and his unfamiliarity with the internal affairs of the City Lord's mansion, a few simple words were enough to completely control Chen Cha.

Chen Cha had never thought of bullying or dealing with Ning Zhuo, but in front of the Golden Core level Fei Si, he, a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, was just a small figure.

Small figures are always at the mercy of others.

After some inquiries, Chen Cha arrived at Ning Zhuo's residence.

He didn't knock on the door directly, but instead paced back and forth at the courtyard gate, sighing in his heart.

"Old Chen, why have you come here?" The courtyard gate opened, and Ning Zhuo had changed into clean clothes.

Chen Cha turned around and saw a young man wearing a clean white robe, with clear eyes and an extraordinary demeanor.

The young man stood tall and straight. Sunlight streamed down from above, illuminating his silhouette sharply. Combined with the few flowers and plants in the small courtyard, the young man appeared vibrant and full of pure beauty.

Seeing Ning Zhuo looking as fresh as ever, Chen Cha's guilt instantly intensified tenfold!

He had been immersed in technical research for many years and held a strong aversion to the unfairness of the cultivation world.

However, today, he had to play the role of the one who would pressure a junior, conveying the darkness of the world and the cruelty of reality.

Chen Cha felt an immense weight and pain!