Mysteries of Immortal Puppet Master

Chapter 72: Chapter 71: Hand Yuan Dasheng Over to Me

“Yuan Er, pay respects to Mr. Ning!”

At the moment Yuan Er bowed to him, Ning Zhuo hesitated.

He wondered if he should really take the opportunity to subdue the entire Monkey Head Gang for his own use. Yuan Dasheng was a cripple, but his soul entering the palace would undoubtedly be a killer weapon to seize the inheritance of the Immortal Palace!

But immediately, Ning Zhuo calmed down again.

“One shouldn’t covet temporary gains!”

“Swaying Yuan Er is just taking advantage of the enemy’s moment of weakness. In the end, it’s not me who subdues him.”

“If Fei Si or any of the other three great powers recruit him in the future, will Yuan Er be loyal to me? Absolutely not.”

“More importantly, even if Yuan Er is completely loyal to me, can I rely on him to control the Monkey Head Gang?”

Ning Zhuo shook his head in his heart.

Many gang members were disappointed in Yuan Er.

“Can I control Yuan Dasheng through Yuan Er?”

Ning Zhuo shook his head again in his heart.

Yuan Dasheng only protected Yuan Er but rarely listened to him. He had risen from the bottom and had his own great skills and insights.

He only suffered from a sneak attack and lost the initiative, unaware that Ning Zhuo was a great enemy. Once given time to gather intelligence, Yuan Dasheng would, with his experience in battles and wisdom accumulated over the years, realize his true situation.

The most likely action for him would be to actively seek refuge with the four great powers, abandoning or even eliminating Ning Zhuo.

“I am now so weak, like walking by the edge of a cliff, as fragile as an egg on the verge of breaking; how can I be tempted by profits and lose my composure!”

“One wrong step, and it would be a fall into the abyss, shattered to pieces!”

At this point, Ning Zhuo completely calmed down and was not confused by the false advantage.

He reached out his hands, helping Yuan Er to stand up straight, and praised: “Those who understand the times are truly outstanding…”

He offered comforting words to Yuan Er, and seeing that the latter’s emotions gradually calmed down, he finally revealed his true purpose: “Since you have now defected to our side, we will definitely do our utmost to secure your position as the gang leader.”

“Your individual combat power is somewhat weak. According to Lord Fei Si’s plan, we will tailor a Mechanism Artifact for you.”

“This mechanism will have the combat power of the Foundation Establishment Stage, allowing you to overpower the other elders in the gang.”

“Oh?” Yuan Er’s eyes lit up with surprise.

Especially the other’s attitude of increased support and investment, which made him feel at ease.

However, Ning Zhuo’s next words made him once again furious, almost ready to strike someone!

Ning Zhuo nodded and said: “It’s good that you agree.”

“Next, hand over Yuan Dasheng to us, and we will create a powerful mechanism monkey for you.”

Yuan Er was so angry that he almost jumped up: “No, that’s impossible!”

He immediately refused, without any hesitation.

“Hmm?!” Ning Zhuo immediately frowned, “Gang Leader Yuan Er, think it through!”

“Only high-quality materials can produce powerful mechanisms.”

“Do you think we seek monkey corpses just to humiliate you? You overestimate yourself.”

“Materials from a monkey are what can make an excellent mechanism monkey.”

Yuan Er kept shaking his head: “Even so, I would never use my Monkey Uncle’s…”

Ning Zhuo impatiently waved his hand, rudely interrupting: “Enough, Yuan Er, are you still going to have the soft heart of a woman?”

“I’ll be frank with you, you must provide the material.”

“Only by taking materials from Yuan Dasheng’s corpse can we make a top-notch mechanism monkey to protect you in the future.”

“We need you to remain the leader of the Monkey Head Gang, but what do you think those elders will do?”

“Your combat power is weak, and without a strong guardian, what will you do if an elder hires an assassin to kill you?”

Yuan Er was silent.

Ning Zhuo continued: “Fools always shed tears when they see a coffin.”

“But by then, it will be too late!”

“Since you’ve already decided to join us, why not do things thoroughly?”

Yuan Er shook his head firmly: “Mr. Ning, you don’t need to persuade me anymore. My Monkey Uncle’s kindness to me is as heavy as a mountain, and his contribution to the gang is immense; I need to take care of him! I’ll make sure he lives the last years of his life in peace.”

“If I don’t do this, am I still a human?!”

Ning Zhuo squinted his eyes, feeling a sudden impulse to kill Yuan Er with one punch and then directly get rid of Yuan Dasheng!

He had gone through so much trouble just to get Yuan Dasheng. Now stuck at the final step, it was hard not to be impatient.

Rationality told him, though, that he must not act recklessly.

Ning Zhuo took a deep breath, calmed himself, and changed his tone: “Gang Leader Yuan Er’s virtue truly makes me admire you.”

“I respect such morals and admire people like you!”

“But… you are a bit selfish.”

Yuan Er stared, utterly confused: “With my behavior, I’m still selfish? If I were selfish, I would have agreed to use my Monkey Uncle as material for mechanisms long ago!”

Ning Zhuo continued: “Leader, have you ever thought about what your Monkey Uncle thinks?”

Yuan Er was taken aback.

Ning Zhuo: “Your Monkey Uncle was brave and fearless, always charging ahead, a true tough guy among tough guys. Do you think he’d prefer to die wrapped in horsehide or die on a bed?”

“I believe that if your Monkey Uncle truly became a cripple, confined to a bed, he would find his life worse than death. This end-of-life period would only be to satisfy your filial piety. To him, it would be unbearably cruel, an incomparable humiliation!”

Yuan Er frowned deeply and fell into deep thought.

Cold light filled Ning Zhuo’s eyes as he smiled softly, his tone gentle like a breeze: “Why don’t you discuss it with your Monkey Uncle?”

“Your Monkey Uncle has sacrificed so much for you; if he despises such a life, I believe he would be willing to offer himself. He might think: even if I die, I can still accompany and protect you in another form.”

“Why don’t you ask him?”

Yuan Er’s face turned pale, devoid of any color, his eyes vacant, and he murmured: “Yes, Mr. Ning, you make a lot of sense. Why don’t I directly ask my Monkey Uncle?”

Yuan Er left the small study and went to the master bedroom, where he knelt before the bed.

Yuan Dasheng was still in a comatose state.

Yuan Er opened his mouth to speak, but after several attempts, he couldn’t get any words out.

His once immensely strong and towering figure was now fragile as paper, giving him no sense of security.

Yuan Er’s thoughts gradually became confused, his eyes vacant, and he unknowingly began to cry.

Through tear-blurred eyes, Yuan Er seemed to return to the past.

As a child…

He climbed all over Yuan Dasheng’s body, like scaling a red-black volcano.

When he could walk and jump…

“Monkey Uncle, they’re bullying me!” Yuan Er brought Yuan Dasheng to sort things out, terrifying the other children into wetting themselves and crying helplessly.

While playing in the water…

“Hey, Monkey Uncle, why is mine so small and yours so big?” Little Yuan Er pointed between Yuan Dasheng’s legs with a face full of curiosity.

A bit older…

Yuan Er began to be brave and fierce, curious about one question: “Monkey Uncle, who is stronger, you or my dad? Have you two fought? I asked my dad, but he never answers me.”

After a gang battle victory…

Yuan Er ran to Yuan Dasheng, full of admiration and excitement: “Monkey Uncle, you’re so awesome, so mighty! When can I be like you?”

Then, more and more…

Things began to change.

The harsh and cold reality shattered Yuan Er’s illusion that hard work alone could make one exceptional.

Cultivation depended on talent.

“I will never be as strong as Monkey Uncle!”

“Monkey Uncle is so awesome!”

“Monkey Uncle is too awesome!!”

“Monkey Uncle is overly awesome…” The once-admiring boy had turned into a sullen young man.

The same fact that inspired admiration and awe gradually turned into worry and suspicion.

“My father relied on Monkey Uncle to create this foundation. When my father is gone, can I control Monkey Uncle?” Yuan Er watched his father’s grievous injuries and declining health, growing more worried each day.

“Our Monkey Head Gang’s greatest combat strength lies with Monkey Uncle. Power is in Monkey Uncle’s hands; is this appropriate?”

“Monkey Head Gang, Monkey Head Gang… Is it a human gang or a monkey’s organization?” Watching more and more monkey pets, Yuan Er also felt confused.

Seeing the elders trembling in awe before Yuan Dasheng, his emotions were mixed.

…

During gang combat, Yuan Er loudly dissuaded: “No, don’t kill him!”

Yuan Dasheng, already in a frenzy, didn’t stop, biting the opposing cultivator in half with his jaw.

Their opponent’s morale plummeted, and they began to flee.

Yuan Er sighed deeply: “Now, there’s no turning back; we must annihilate the enemy gang completely!”

Yuan Dasheng approached, holding half of a cultivator’s body, and suddenly handed it to Yuan Er.

Yuan Er was startled.

Having succeeded in his prank, Yuan Dasheng laughed heartily, but he didn’t notice the darkness in Yuan Er’s eyes.