Chapter 422: Military Strategist and Sacrificial Wine
Zhang Hei had originally wanted to refuse, but his gaze lingered on the Nether Black Soil, unable to look away for a moment.
Guan Hong continued stroking his beard.
Liu Er, however, stared at the Primal Earth Mother Stone, coughed lightly, and said, “Young friend Ning Zhuo has shown great thoughtfulness. To tell the truth, I have been worried, for I am about to step onto the battlefield, yet I possess no fitting weapon. This Primal Earth Mother Stone is of the Nascent Soul-grade—it can serve perfectly as the main material for forging a weapon.”
Ning Zhuo laughed heartily and directly stuffed the Primal Earth Mother Stone into Liu Er’s hand. “General Liu, I heard that Jin Li, the royal grand craftsman of the Liangzhu Kingdom, was dispatched to Canglin Immortal City half a month ago.”
“A humble material, given to General Liu for the sake of the nation—it is but letting a treasure find its rightful use.”
“This Ning brat knows how to speak!” Liu Er felt deeply pleased, nodding slightly. His gaze toward Ning Zhuo carried strong appreciation.
After accepting the treasure, he immediately promised, “Very well, young friend Ning Zhuo, for your contribution in offering this treasure, once we form the army, there shall be a place for you.”
Ning Zhuo was overjoyed, hastily cupped his hands, expressing that joining the command of the three generals was an honor for a junior like him. Moreover, it would allow him to avenge his family—these three generals were truly his benefactors.
Since they were his benefactors, he also asked the other two generals to accept his gifts in return.
Zhang Hei was far more straightforward than Guan Hong. He directly took the Nether Black Soil and gave Ning Zhuo’s shoulder a hearty pat. “Good lad, Zhang will remember your kindness! Let’s drink together sometime!”
Guan Hong squinted slightly, put away the Blood Fiend Demon Stone, and nodded toward Ning Zhuo. In his heart, he too acknowledged this Foundation Establishment junior.
Ning Zhuo said, “Today, to witness the Brotherhood in the Pear Garden among you three generals, this junior considers it a blessing of three lifetimes.”
“The three generals joining hands is indeed a blessing for the realm.”
“Why not add joy upon joy today and head straight to Master Jin Li to commission your weapons?”
Liu Er nodded. “Good idea.”
Thus, the three Golden Core cultivators took Ning Zhuo and swiftly headed to the Weapon Refining Workshop.
When Jin Li saw the three precious materials, he examined them closely. His eyes lit up. “Excellent materials—within the Nascent Soul grade, the quality is among the best, truly top-tier.”
Such high praise made the three—Liu, Guan, and Zhang—cast appreciative glances at Ning Zhuo once again.
“You three are all Golden Core cultivators. Since you wish to enlist, according to the mission assigned to me by the court, I am to forge one magical treasure for each of you, free of charge,” Jin Li said casually.
His tone was light—after all, his cultivation surpassed that of the three, having reached the Nascent Soul stage.
Liu Er, already prepared, handed over a weapon blueprint named “Primal Yellow Sword.”
Zhang Hei searched through his storage belt for a while and took out his own plan—it was the Black Serpent Spear.
Guan Hong, however, had no such preparation.
Jin Li handed him a weapon catalog to choose from.
After flipping through it once, Guan Hong selected the Blood Dragon Blade.
Jin Li then carefully inquired about their combat habits, personally measuring their palm sizes, height, and other proportions.
During the conversation, he suddenly asked, “The three of you possess materials of such remarkable quality—might I ask their source?”
Liu, Guan, and Zhang did not hide the truth and immediately pushed Ning Zhuo forward.
Until now, Ning Zhuo had not had a chance to speak. Jin Li, being both a Nascent Soul cultivator and the royal grand craftsman of the Liangzhu Dynasty, naturally carried an air of pride.
But upon learning that Ning Zhuo had brought out three Nascent Soul-grade materials and gifted them outright, Jin Li couldn’t help but look at him with newfound respect.
“From the Ning Family of Huoshi Immortal City, Southern Dou Country?” After Ning Zhuo reported his background, Jin Li firmly committed the name “Ning Family” to memory.
In his view, for a clan capable of providing such wealth to a mere Foundation Establishment youth traveling abroad, the Ning Family must be formidable and well-established.
Jin Li spoke kindly, “Young friend Ning Zhuo, if you have more such fine materials, perhaps you might sell them to me?”
“I am a royal grand craftsman of the Liangzhu Kingdom—I won’t treat you unfairly.”
“I can offer a price twenty percent above market value for your materials.”
Ning Zhuo smiled. “To be recognized by Master Jin is a fortune of three lifetimes for me. I will remember your offer, Master. Should I intend to sell in the future, your workshop will be my first choice!”
Jin Li laughed heartily. “By your words, young friend, I suspect you do have more materials. Why not show them to me?”
Ning Zhuo then brought out several more precious materials.
Zhang Hei was utterly stunned.
Guan Hong narrowed his eyes.
Liu Er regretted it more with each passing second. “This Ning brat is truly wealthy! A mere Foundation Establishment cultivator possessing so many Nascent Soul-grade materials—unheard of!”
Then he thought, “The Ning Family must be a grand clan. For Ning Zhuo, as a young master of such a family, to travel with these treasures, he must have a powerful protector or secret safeguard.”
“If he carries Nascent Soul-grade materials, then his means of protection may also be of that very level.”
At this thought, Liu Er nearly smacked his own head.
What was he thinking earlier?
A Brotherhood in the Pear Garden of only three—how incomplete!
Had they included Ning Zhuo, how perfect it would have been!
He brooded secretly. “If Ning Zhuo were our fourth brother, would I have only received the Primal Earth Mother Stone?”
Jin Li gazed at the materials before him, eyes gleaming. He tempered his tone and smiled broadly. “Young friend Ning Zhuo, may I persuade you to sell all of these to me?”
As a grand craftsman, Jin Li naturally harbored a strong desire for high-quality materials.
Now stationed in Canglin Immortal City by royal decree, tasked with crafting elite weapons and treasures, his need for superior-grade materials was greater than ever.
Ning Zhuo thought for a moment, then chose three items from among them. He respectfully cupped his hands and explained that he carried these Nascent Soul-grade materials not for personal use, but to trade with another great power.
“However, to conduct business with Master Jin here in Canglin Immortal City—that is the honor of my Ning Family, and of myself as well!”
“Still, I must retain some for future dealings when I reach my destination—lest I return home empty-handed.”
Ning Zhuo’s excuse came naturally and fluently.
Liu, Guan, and Zhang nodded inwardly, finally finding the matter reasonable.
Jin Li, even more convinced now, was certain Ning Zhuo had a powerful protective artifact—or even a hidden guardian.
Though he could not purchase them all, Jin Li still felt content—better some than none.
This unexpected fortune filled him with delight.
In his good mood, he said, “Young friend, though we’ve just met, I find you most pleasing. Why not visit my private vault and choose a weapon of your liking?”
Jin Li sought to form goodwill.
His goal was simple: to establish a long-term trade relationship with Ning Zhuo—and by extension, the Ning Family.
Ning Zhuo quickly cupped his hands in thanks.
For him, too, it was a pleasant surprise.
Jin Li waved his hand, and a section of the wall sank inward, revealing a hidden door.
Stepping inside, Ning Zhuo saw several shelves—
Good heavens.
On them lay weapons of every kind—axes, halberds, hooks, spears, swords, forks, blades—all dazzling, nearly innumerable.
Yet Ning Zhuo felt rather indifferent toward them.
“Though I diligently trained in close combat during my time at the Myriad Medicines Sect, it was merely to make up for my weaknesses—not to master weapons. Especially not such long arms.”
“Besides, battlefields have no eyes. I’d rather keep my distance and fight from afar—that’s much safer.”
Thus, his selection instantly narrowed—from hundreds to merely three.
The first was a drum. Its surface wasn’t ordinary hide but a thin sheet of dark-silver metal inscribed with thunder runes—called the Golden Thunder Drum.
The second was a ring, constantly emanating dazzling golden light—named the Razor Ring.
The third was a half-man-tall iron fan with a leather surface—called the Iron Thorn Fan.
After carefully inspecting the three, Ning Zhuo was not quite satisfied.
The Golden Thunder Drum, though seemingly a magical tool, was truly a blunt weapon meant for smashing. Upon impact, it triggered the runes upon its surface, releasing fierce lightning.
The Razor Ring and Iron Thorn Fan were handheld weapons—the former a strangely shaped dagger for slicing, the latter akin to a staff that, when striking a foe, sprouted iron thorns to pierce deeper.
Ning Zhuo, however, had no wish to engage in close combat on the battlefield.
Before that happened, he would always choose to retreat, keeping distance to avoid such danger.
Though he had never studied warfare formally, his education at the Ning Family academy and his broad reading had taught him one crucial truth: warfare and duels were vastly different.
The most crucial distinction—was coordination.
On the battlefield, coordination was everything. To achieve it, one had to play to one’s strengths and avoid one’s weaknesses.
“My current strength lies in the Five Elements Realm and the Five Elements Arts.”
“Ranged attacks and long-distance combat—that is my main fighting style.”
“As for close combat, I’ll rely on comrades to block for me whenever possible.”
That was one of the reasons Ning Zhuo had chosen to side with Liu Er, Guan Hong, and Zhang Hei. These three Golden Core cultivators each had formidable physical strength.
Clearly, all three excelled in close-quarters combat.
Ning Zhuo took the iron fan and left the vault.
At parting, Jin Li specially handed Ning Zhuo a token, saying with a kind reminder, “Young friend Ning Zhuo, if you ever wish to sell any spiritual materials, simply present this token, and you may see me directly.”
Ning Zhuo’s face brightened with joy. He quickly thanked him and carefully put the token away.
Liu, Guan, and Zhang all revealed expressions of envy—more or less.
Anyone could see that the iron fan, though a magical weapon, was far less valuable than that small token. After all, the token itself represented a connection with Nascent Soul-level Grand Craftsman Jin Li.
Watching Ning Zhuo put it away, the three generals realized they could no longer regard him as an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Even without other factors, this single relationship was already precious. In the future, if their weapons ever required maintenance or enhancement, and if they could reconnect with Jin Li through Ning Zhuo, it would be more than advantageous.
Liu Er then led Guan Hong and Zhang Hei to the City Lord’s Mansion, where they successfully obtained three Guerrilla General seals.
The City Lord’s Mansion also assigned them a campsite on the western side of the city, providing them with several hundred top-grade Spirit Stones, along with ordinary wood, tents, and other basic supplies.
These were, of course, meager in quantity—merely symbolic.
To build a proper encampment, they would need to spend their own money.
Liu Er sighed. “Next, we must recruit soldiers. Our camp must look presentable. If it’s too shabby, we’ll be despised by cultivators far and wide. At the very least, it must outshine the Red Flower Camp.”
Guan Hong stroked his beard silently. He was only slightly wealthier than Liu Er—by Golden Core standards, both were nearly penniless.
Zhang Hei said, “I have some family savings.”
Ning Zhuo added, “This junior can also contribute a small amount, just to do his part.”
With the two of them offering funds, Liu Er finally managed to purchase enough basic supplies to begin construction.
He first chose a hill as the campsite.
The higher ground offered better vantage for observation and placement of surveillance formations, while avoiding the dampness of lowlands and thus preventing disease.
Behind the hill ran a small river. The natural water source would save much daily cost.
Although this was a rear-position base, Liu Er still worked meticulously, setting up three formations.
The first was the Heavenlight Reflection Formation, arranged on the outer perimeter for detection and surveillance.
The second was the Iron-Wall Copper-Rampart Formation, which, once activated, could instantly raise barriers of iron and copper, vastly strengthening the wooden camp’s defenses.
The third was the Seven Stars Chain Formation, connecting all cultivators within the camp. It could be used for communication and, at the same time, for channeling enhancement spells to share their effects evenly among all troops.
After setting up the triple-layered formations, construction began.
The camp was roughly circular in layout. At its center stood the tents of the three generals. Around them lay the empty quarters for their personal guards—for now, all three generals had joined the army alone.
Beyond the guard quarters were the tents for ordinary soldiers, usually divided by unit type. For the moment, these too were empty.
Once the layout was complete, they erected wooden fences, chevaux-de-frise, and other defensive barriers.
According to Liu Er’s plan, a trench would also be dug around the perimeter. However, since it would be beneath his dignity to dig it himself—and since the rear area was relatively safe—he decided to postpone the work until new recruits arrived.
After most of the encampment was established, Zhang Hei and Ning Zhuo began taking action, posting recruitment notices throughout Canglin Immortal City to advertise and enlist soldiers.
The response was overwhelming.
“Have you heard? The recruitment conditions of the Three Generals Camp—all spoils of war go to the cultivators themselves!”
“Really? Then when we march to Thousand Peaks Forest and plunder along the way, the profits will be unimaginable.”
“Even the Barbarian-Demon Army doesn’t offer terms that good!”
“But the three commanders are only Golden Core-level, not Nascent Soul-level…”
“Compare them with the Red Flower Camp, then!”
“Now that you mention it… the Three Generals Camp does sound like a fine opportunity!”
Countless cultivators flooded into the camp.
The once-empty grounds gradually filled with people.
Within several days, most of the camp was already occupied.
When Liu Er deemed the time ripe, he summoned all personnel to formally announce the chain of command and appointments.
He declared himself Grand General, Guan Hong as Second General, Zhang Hei as Third General, and Ning Zhuo—as Military Strategist and Sacrificial Wine.
Liu, Guan, and Zhang were Golden Core-level—no one questioned that.
But Ning Zhuo was merely Foundation Establishment. How could he hold the title of Military Strategist and Sacrificial Wine? Though seemingly below the three generals, the position in truth held authority nearly equal to that of the Second and Third Generals.
Discontent arose immediately.
Many voices shouted in protest, questioning the appointment aloud.
Liu Er’s expression darkened, just about to speak—
—but Ning Zhuo smiled faintly and stood up.
Wood Attribute—Tree Realm Descent!
Crack, crackle—
In the span of a few breaths, towering trees burst from the ground. Vines and branches, like serpents and dragons, spread across the entire assembly field.
Countless cultivators were thrown off their feet.
Wood Attribute—Blossoms of Death!
In the next moment, buds sprouted densely along the vines and roots.
Within a single breath, they swelled in the wind; in the next, they bloomed all at once.
The petals were razor-sharp—countless blades swirling through the air.
Even a light brush against a cultivator’s body left a bleeding line.
Many scrambled to evade or raise defensive barriers, looking utterly disheveled.
Ning Zhuo’s face was expressionless as he clasped his hands behind his back, standing atop the command platform. “Now—does anyone still object?”
His voice, soft yet carried by the spell’s power, echoed clearly through the entire field, reaching everyone’s ears.
Instantly, all the clamor fell silent.
Liu, Guan, and Zhang each changed expression as they looked Ning Zhuo up and down.
Then Liu Er’s face slowly broke into a smile.
Guan Hong’s hand paused mid-stroke of his beard.
Zhang Hei tilted his head back and burst into hearty laughter.
Within the forest, many Foundation Establishment cultivators who had taken defensive stances—some hiding among the trunks, some standing on branches—now looked back at Ning Zhuo in fearful respect, voicing no further objections.
Ning Zhuo.
Three Generals Camp—Military Strategist and Sacrificial Wine!