City Lord's Mansion.
"What did you say? Ziyang Courtyard was raided by demon cultivators?" Fei Si, who was in the middle of handling some affairs, stood up abruptly, his face full of shock.
"How is Young Master Meng Chong?" he asked immediately.
Upon learning that Meng Chong was unharmed, the heavy stone in his heart finally settled.
He immediately ordered a team of cultivators to be dispatched to the Ziyang Courtyard for support.
"I will go first!" Fei Si couldn't care less about the affairs at hand. With a leap, he soared into the sky, his figure like a rainbow, heading towards the Ziyang Courtyard.
"Meng Chong had been placed in the Ziyang Courtyard's most secret locations, both front and back."
"But he had just arrived there not long ago, and already they were raided by demon cultivators!"
"Are they really demon cultivators?"
Fei Si's heart was shrouded in dark clouds.
He was the right-hand man of the current City Lord of Fire Persimmon Immortal City, with a sinister and cunning personality, adept at scheming. Many things that the City Lord of Fire Persimmon Immortal City couldn't conveniently handle, Chi Dun was too brainless to manage, they had to be done by him.
Previously, Fei Si had discovered that Zhou Zhu of the Zhou Family, relying on his immense talent, rapidly dissipated the effects of his injuries, posing a significant threat to Meng Chong.
So he made arrangements, activating an insider within the Zhou Family to set up Zhou Zhu, greatly delaying his recovery.
Zheng Jian of the Zheng Family also made use of artifact refining methods, advancing quickly. So Fei Si schemed against him as well.
Finally, to disguise himself, he used a death warrior to deliberately attack Meng Chong. Meng Chong killed the attacker, thus showing his face among the three big families and indirectly demonstrating the power of the City Lord's Mansion.
Of course, Meng Chong was unaware of this. Apart from Fei Si and the City Lord, no third person knew.
As for the Ning Family, Fei Si also paid attention to Ning Xiaohui. But she was still bargaining with her family for more benefits, posing no threat at all as she hadn't dissipated her power, so Fei Si didn't take action.
The City Lord's Mansion, of course, had placed insiders within the Ning Family. But Fei Si considered: activating these insiders held no value. Instead, letting the Ning Family go would create the fact that among the Four Directions Powers, only the Ning Family hadn't been attacked.
In this way, what would the Zhou Family and Zheng Family think?
Fei Si used this point to subtly set a trap, scheming against the Ning Family a bit.
Because of all this, as soon as he heard Meng Chong was attacked, he felt like he was facing a formidable enemy!
"Could it be that the other three families saw through the truth and are secretly retaliating against us?"
"But which family is it?"
"How did our side leak the information?"
The Four Directions Powers in Fire Persimmon Immortal City maintained a balanced state. Since everyone belonged to the Righteous Path, even if seeking revenge, they wouldn't do it openly. Instead, they would strike secretly.
Masquerading or arranging as demon cultivators was a most common method.
Fei Si landed in Ziyang Courtyard, stirring up an airwave that raised a cloud of dust.
He scanned around, everywhere bore the scars of fierce battles. Amongst the broken walls, many corpses of cultivators lay scattered, with smashed mechanism parts in abundance.
The Foundation Establishment Peak sword cultivator, who had been repelled by Han Ming and escaped using an Escape Void Talisman, had already returned.
Seeing Fei Si, the sword cultivator's face turned pale and he hurried up to salute.
"Fleeing from the battlefield, your misdemeanors will be addressed later!" Fei Si had already received an urgent report from the cultivators on his way here and understood what happened during the attack.
The sword cultivator lowered his head in submission on the surface but never regretted it deep down.
Those fellow cultivators of the same Foundation Establishment Stage who engaged that demon cultivator using mechanisms never returned.
It was clear their fate was grim.
At least, he saved his own life!
As for the punishment, he would take it. As long as he was alive, there would be future opportunities and possibilities.
Ignoring the sword cultivator, Fei Si hurried to the alchemy room.
Inside the alchemy room, Meng Chong was half-squatting, attending to Sun Lie who was lying on the ground.
At this moment, Sun Lie's complexion had improved significantly.
Though Meng Chong wasn't proficient in healing others, Sun Lie, being an Alchemy Grandmaster, always carried many healing elixirs with him.
"Young Master Meng Chong, are you alright?" Fei Si asked anxiously, his concern and nervousness evident from his first question.
Although he already knew Meng Chong was fine, this was the time to show concern.
Often, small talk wasn't useless. It could indicate one's attitude, and attitude frequently signified one's stance.
Meng Chong glanced at Fei Si and shook his head, indicating he was fine.
"If you're fine, why are you half-naked and emitting fragrance?" Fei Si found it strange, but he never would voice it.
He then turned his attention to Sun Lie and spoke sternly: "Sun Lie, it's fortunate that Young Master Meng Chong is unharmed, otherwise you would be culpable!"
"Your death would be trivial. Young Master Meng Chong, with his supreme immortal aptitude, is the hope of the Meng Family. If you dragged him down, even ten lives wouldn't suffice to compensate."
Although Sun Lie was an Alchemy Grandmaster, he was only at the Foundation Establishment Peak, not at the Golden Core Stage.
In fact, even if Sun Lie were at the Golden Core Stage, Fei Si would still scold him at this moment.
This was Fei Si's shrewdness.
Sun Lie, leaning against the wall, glanced scornfully at Fei Si.
His carefree nature made him belittle people like Fei Si. So what if Fei Si was at the Golden Core Stage? Sun Lie would still retort unreservedly.
Everyone in the Righteous Path had to adhere to the rules of the Righteous Path.
Cultivation level didn't mean everything.
Sun Lie immediately retorted: "I dragged down Meng Chong? It was your City Lord who personally begged me to help. Do you think I'm willing to dive into this murky water of the Magma Fairy Palace?"
As an Alchemy Grandmaster, even if Sun Lie's cultivation level was lacking a bit, his refined skills ensured he would be well-treated and not fare badly wherever he went.
Fei Si glanced at the ruined pill furnace and the wasted herbs inside, snorted coldly: "Now look, you failed to help Young Master Meng Chong this time. By exposing this location, the risk of staying here increases."
Sun Lie smirked: "Fei Si, which ear of yours heard me say I failed this time?"
"I have already succeeded!"
"Hmm?" Fei Si was confused.
"Ah?" Meng Chong was taken aback, "Grandmaster Sun, my power hasn't dissipated yet."
"Hahaha." Sun Lie laughed heartily without bothering to explain immediately, feeling quite pleased with himself.
Fei Si sneered, pointing at the wasted herbs in the pill furnace: "Facts speak louder than words, Sun Lie. At this stage, what use is your stubbornness?"
"Hahaha!" Sun Lie's laughter was filled with mockery.
But quickly, he pulled his injury, stopping his laugh with a pained expression.
"Cough cough cough…" Sun Lie coughed violently, then his adam's apple moved, and he spat out a mouthful of bloody liquid.
The blood reeked strongly of alcohol.
"What a pity, what a pity." Sun Lie stared at the blood, smacking his thighs.
Meng Chong hurriedly handed over some elixirs: "Grandmaster Sun, stop talking and take some elixirs."
Sun Lie pushed his hand away: "Elixirs are not better the more you take. I just took some, and their effects are spreading through my body. More would be unwise."
Fei Si narrowed his eyes, sensing something odd: "What are you pitying?"
Gazing at the bloody liquid on the ground, Sun Lie said: "That's Thousand Flames Fierce Soul Liquor. Brewed from thousand-year-old Spirit Flame Flowers, pure soul essence, and Flame Spring Water. Rich aroma, potent in strength, and I almost finished it!"
Meng Chong sighed: "Grandmaster Sun, don't regret it. It's just Thousand Flames Fierce Soul Liquor. I'll ask my grandfather, surely he'll get you another jar."
Only then did Sun Lie smile, looking at Meng Chong: "Good child. My efforts to set a stage for you weren't in vain."