Mysteries of Immortal Puppet Master

"The third point, the current City Lord of Huoshi City, Meng Kui, has a divine ability called *Watching the Mountain*, which is quite formidable."

"Among the four generals of the Meng family, Meng Kui is the only one known as a strategist. He has governed Puppet Immortal City for many years, achieving harmonious governance."

"You have a Golden Core cultivation, the Celestial Golden Eyes, and the royal treasury's protective magical treasures, making your combat power exceptional."

"However, once Meng Kui uses *Watching the Mountain*, it will create a fortune-altering field that will cause drastic changes in the fate of all living beings within it."

"There are very few treasures that can suppress such a fate. Without a heavy treasure to protect yourself, you will be affected by it."

"I shall grant you a *Raising Wind Bell* as a warning tool."

"Your servant humbly thanks Your Majesty for the grace." Zhu Xuanji once again half-knelt on the ground.

Finally, the King of Southern Dou waved his hand. "The relevant intelligence and secrets of the Lava Immortal Palace are recorded in the royal family's secret realm. Before you depart, go and take a look; it will help you complete this mission. Remember, all secrets must not be leaked."

"Your servant obeys the decree!" Zhu Xuanji received the order and withdrew.

Alone, under an assumed name, he traveled a long distance until he reached Mount Huoshi.

"The Meng family…" Zhu Xuanji's expression was solemn. In the Southern Dou Kingdom, the Su and Meng families were equally renowned, with comparable power.

Zhu Xuanji stealthily made his way to the mountaintop but was discovered.

He used the Celestial Golden Eyes to look far into the distance at the Lava Immortal Palace, seeing it with his own eyes for the first time.

He brought along Chi Dun, visited the Zheng family, and obtained information related to the shadow demon cultivators.

He ventured deep into the Red Flame Demon Molten Cave, using the *Trace Back Art* to discover that the true culprits behind the bombing of the Immortal Palace were the Fire Essence and the Mechanical Explosive Monkeys.

Then, his investigation was obstructed.

Whether it was the Mechanical Explosive Monkeys or the Fire Essence, both leads had been deliberately set up, making them of little value.

At the Huoshi Festival, Zhu Xuanji monitored the entire event but found no trace of the shadow demon cultivators.

Yuan Dasheng's performance elicited his sympathy, while Yuan Er left him disappointed and disgusted.

From the fragments of the Mechanical Explosive Monkeys, he collected countless clues once more.

He decisively gave up, believing that this was a ruse by the enemy, not wanting to waste energy and time.

He suspected that the shadow demon cultivators might have allied with a certain force in the city. The other side had long been prepared for the *Trace Back Art*, hiding deeply, proving to be a tough opponent.

Zhu Xuanji decided to put in extra effort.

He requested all records from the four major forces and compiled a list of suspects.

He intentionally made the list public, hoping to stir the pot.

Zhu Xuanji conducted his investigation with high-profile actions, starting with Li Leifeng.

As a result, he was schemed against.

Li Leifeng died of natural causes, and Zhu Xuanji specifically investigated secretly, confirming it as true.

Afterward, he wholeheartedly spent his time investigating in Puppet Immortal City, reviewing the past performance records of officials and clerks but did not find a suitable candidate.

He wrote a memorial to the royal family, detailing the situation, and hoped that the Zhu family would send a member to take on the role of director.

Zhu Xuanji continued his investigation.

When demon cultivators resisted, he killed Zhao Die.

He also killed Liu Ying, confirming that the other party did not possess the divine ability *Life Hanging by a Thread*.

He conducted his investigation with great fanfare, causing a series of reactions.

The demon cultivators and rogue cultivators in Puppet Immortal City either left, banded together, or sought refuge.

This did not trouble Zhu Xuanji.

The investigation continued to progress gradually.

During this time, the geniuses of the Qi Refining stage from the four major forces were all attacked and assassinated around the same period.

Zhu Xuanji immediately took action to investigate.

He uncovered many clues, but the key points were all cut off. However, most still pointed to Fei Si.

Zhu Xuanji understood this and held back.

He was rather disappointed, knowing that this was not the true culprit he was looking for but rather a covert clash between the four major forces.

The three major families wanted to use him as a tool to confront the City Lord’s Mansion for their benefit.

Zhu Xuanji saw through this and withdrew in time.

A few days ago, he visited the Zhou family to inquire about Chu Xiyao.

During the interrogation, the Zhou family specifically sent an elder to accompany and support Chu Xiyao.

Zhu Xuanji found no evidence of Chu Xiyao lying and left the Zhou family expressionlessly.

"Interesting." He looked up at the sky.

Despite stirring up a lot of trouble, scaring many people, he hadn't provoked the real culprit.

"The mastermind is hiding very well."

Zhu Xuanji looked at the suspect list again.

His list was divided into three sections.

The first section consisted of confirmed cultivators who had entered the Lava Immortal Palace, such as the two Golden Core cultivators from the Zheng family, an elder from the Zhou family, Li Leifeng, Zhao Die, Liu Ying, Chu Xiyao, and so on.

The second section included cultivators with considerable expertise in mechanical arts, fitting the criteria to enter the palace, but there were no records of these individuals entering or leaving the Immortal Palace among the four major forces. This included the young puppet master!

The third section contained those skilled in mechanical arts who had entered and left the palace or had no relevant records but were generally believed to be deceased.

Zhu Xuanji had already investigated the first section, and now it was time for the second.

After investigating two people, it was the young puppet master's turn.

The young puppet master was very mysterious, but he had sold numerous mechanical creations in the black market multiple times. The last time he appeared was when he, along with Han Ming, raided Ziyang Courtyard and, with the help of a mysterious third person, successfully stole a large amount of pills.

Strangely, these pills appeared in the Huoshi Forest and then mysteriously vanished.

Zhu Xuanji had long known about this clue, but after careful consideration, he felt that the young puppet master had little connection with the shadow demon cultivators.

Sun Lie had tampered with the pills to guard against Han Ming. The young puppet master and his group likely saw through this and determined the pills were unusable, so they abandoned them.

After working in vain, they might have thrown the pills into Huoshi Forest out of revenge or to shift the blame onto the shadow demon cultivators.

If the City Lord's Mansion and the shadow demon cultivators fought, Huoshi Forest would inevitably suffer, and the City Lord's Mansion would incur heavy losses. At that time, these demon cultivators would stand by and watch, gloating over their misfortune.

Regarding the handling of Huoshi Forest, Zhu Xuanji recognized Fei Si's efforts.

Fei Si had genuinely protected the vast wealth of Huoshi Forest in his role, serving both the City Lord's Mansion and the Southern Dou Kingdom.

Zhu Xuanji's reasoning about the young puppet master's connection to the shadow demon cultivators was simple and straightforward—if the young puppet master and his group were truly involved with the shadow demon cultivators, why didn't they secretly deliver the pills? Why make such a public spectacle, letting everyone know?

But now, following the list, Zhu Xuanji still found himself focusing on the young puppet master.

"The master of the black market is named Sun Lingtong, at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, an outer disciple of the No-Void Sect. He must know something."

With this thought, Zhu Xuanji went to find him.

"The young puppet master, huh…" Sun Lingtong's big eyes rolled around as he grinned cheekily, "Lord Zhu, what do you want with him?"

Zhu Xuanji remained expressionless. "You only need to cooperate and tell me the details. What I want with him is none of your business."

Sun Lingtong scratched his head. "Ah, it's hard to lie in front of Lord Zhu."

Zhu Xuanji nodded slightly. "Sun Lingtong, I've investigated you. Although you're the master of the black market, you're not a ruthless villain. Over the years, you've reformed the black market and adhered to the rules you've established, which, in a way, has prevented many bloody conflicts."

"Just speak the truth, and I won't make things difficult for you."

Sun Lingtong spread his hands. "Then I'll say it. I know where the young puppet master is, but if you want to know, you need this."

As he spoke, Sun Lingtong extended his soft fingers and rubbed them in front of Zhu Xuanji's eyes.

"You want money? Hahaha." Zhu Xuanji was so angry he laughed, "Since I started handling cases, I've never bought information. You're really pushing your luck, aren't you?"

"Hmm?" Suddenly, a flash of gold appeared in Zhu Xuanji's eyes.

His expression changed. "No, you're lying!"

"Even if I gave you money, you wouldn't tell the truth."

This time, it was

Sun Lingtong's turn to change color.

"Interesting." Zhu Xuanji stared at Sun Lingtong, his eyes gleaming with golden light. "You're protecting the young puppet master so much, it seems that you were involved in the Ziyang Courtyard incident as well?"

Sun Lingtong shouted, "Lord Zhu, what are you talking about?"

"You're framing me!"

"I'm just a kid, and you're a grown-up. You're accusing and bullying me right to my face?!"

"Somebody, help! Lord Zhu is bullying people!"

Sun Lingtong plopped down on the ground, pounding his chest and stomping his feet, crying loudly, "This is too much! No kindness at all, a royal member bullying a child!!"

"Woo woo woo!"

"I don't want to live anymore, I can't afford to live."

"I'm being framed, being slandered by someone from the Zhu family. How can a distinguished detective make baseless accusations?!"

"How am I supposed to live after this?"

"My reputation!"

"What will people think of me? Oh, heavens."

"I might as well die, woo woo woo, how pitiful I am."

"Quick, record this scene with a jade slip, so I can keep it for when I seek justice later."

"Come and see, everyone, the Zhu family royalty is bullying ordinary folks!!!"

Sun Lingtong, with tears and snot flowing, rolled around on the ground, flailing his pink little legs and arms.

Zhu Xuanji: …

The nearby vendor who had just been kicked to the ground by Sun Lingtong: …

As for the few burly men Sun Lingtong brought with him, they remained silent, looking as if they were used to it. One of them actually pulled out a jade slip and held it in his hand, recording the scene.

Zhu Xuanji was so angry that he burst out laughing. "Do you think that by throwing a tantrum and rolling around, you can escape my investigation?"

"Sun Lingtong, stand up. Don’t make me look down on you."

Sun Lingtong wailed, "No, I won't. Come and see, someone is bullying a child."

He cried as he crawled toward Zhu Xuanji.

Zhu Xuanji instinctively took a few steps back, but Sun Lingtong still managed to grab his leg.

Zhu Xuanji, furious, started shaking his leg and shouted, "Sun Lingtong! You control the black market, you're a public figure, yet now you're acting like a three-year-old child?"

Sun Lingtong: "I don't care; you're bullying me. If you have evidence, show it."

"Woo woo woo, my elders from the sect aren't here, so you're picking on the weak. Are you even human?!"

The commotion attracted a lot of attention.

Zhu Xuanji's face turned blue as he frantically shook his leg.

Sun Lingtong clung to him tightly, refusing to let go, like a sticky plaster.

He even rubbed his face against Zhu Xuanji's pants, smearing snot and tears all over them.

Zhu Xuanji: "Sun Lingtong, you're going too far!"

Sun Lingtong shouted, "Just kill me, Lord Zhu, just kill a child. You're Lord Zhu, the protector of the people, what could you possibly do wrong?!"

Zhu Xuanji was so angry that he felt a surge of killing intent. Just then, a bell sounded from the upper dantian of his spirit sea.

It was the *Raising Wind Bell*!