Chapter 425: Mu Lan’s Scheme for Ning Zhuo
Mu Lan lifted the tent flap and stepped inside the military camp tent.
Unlike usual, the Uncle Zhang in her impression — Zhang Chongyi — was not grinding herbs this time. Instead, he held a jade slip in his left hand, his spiritual sense immersed within it.
Hearing footsteps, Zhang Chongyi withdrew his spiritual sense and looked up, seeing the female general Mu Lan.
Mu Lan was still dressed in her scarlet military robe and clad in brass armor, valiant and commanding in bearing. Yet at that moment, her brows were slightly furrowed, as though enduring pain.
“You’re here, sit down,” Zhang Chongyi gestured for Mu Lan to sit beside him. He placed the jade slip on the desk, stood up, and walked to the workbench to begin preparing the medicinal herbs for her injury treatment.
“Just now, Ning Zhuo came to me, asking me to treat his friend.”
“It was successful.”
“This jade slip records the method we used for the treatment. We designed three different approaches.”
“You may take a look,” Zhang Chongyi said.
Mu Lan’s curiosity was piqued. “Ning Zhuo?”
“That’s the young man who sat beside you in the outer hall last night, right, Uncle Zhang?”
Zhang Chongyi nodded. “That’s him.”
Mu Lan picked up the jade slip while speaking, “I’ve heard you mention before that his friend cultivated a virgin cultivation art and suffered a Dao injury. Treating such injuries is quite troublesome—it would at least require inviting a Grandmaster of the Earth Element to design a specialized spell to untangle the Dao principles of the Earth Element.”
Zhang Chongyi bowed his head, grinding the herbs as he said, “You may not believe this—”
“But Ning Zhuo himself already possesses the realm of a Grandmaster of the Earth Element!”
Mu Lan’s brows shot up, a look of disbelief flashing across her face. “Him? He’s only how old?”
Zhang Chongyi sighed and said with emotion, “He can’t be older than eighteen. Such talent…”
“Before this, I’ve treated three cases of Dao injuries. Never once has it been as effortless as this collaboration.”
“Now that I think of it, Ning Zhuo’s mastery of the Earth Element may not be just at the Grandmaster level.”
Mu Lan chuckled softly, still doubtful. “Uncle Zhang, you’re praising this young junior quite highly. Clearly, this Ning Zhuo has caught your favor.”
Zhang Chongyi paused his pestle, formed a hand seal to test the herb paste’s composition, then carefully added another leaf.
As he resumed grinding, he poured in a faintly glowing spiritual liquid and smiled. “If I told you that Ning Zhuo also has Grandmaster-level mastery in both the Wood Element and Fire Element, would you doubt me even more?”
The astonishment on Mu Lan’s face deepened. “Isn’t that a bit exaggerated? Grandmaster in three elements?”
But after a pause, she added, “Still, since you’ve seen him yourself and have the healing to prove it, this Ning Zhuo indeed must be a Grandmaster of Three Elements.”
She evaluated, “At such a young age, to achieve this much—it’s truly impressive.”
Zhang Chongyi supplemented, “More than impressive! In the entire Liangzhu Kingdom, there’s no one else like him. So young, yet with accomplishments so astounding.”
“Besides, his friend isn’t simple either.”
“This time, the treatment could have been completed perfectly, but that friend stopped us midway.”
“The reason was that, during his injury, he actually discovered a certain wondrous method—using the injury itself to cultivate.”
“In my opinion, the effect of this cultivation method is exceptional!”
“As a result, he’s turned misfortune into fortune—his body’s foundation will increase at least threefold.”
Mu Lan nodded. “Wolves don’t dwell with dogs, and eagles don’t speak with chickens. For someone as outstanding as Ning Zhuo, it’s natural that those around him are equally remarkable.”
Zhang Chongyi finished mixing the medicine and poured the entire herbal paste onto a white bandage.
Without pausing his hands, he said, “You may not know yet, but the Imperial Envoy secretly tampered with our supply distribution…”
Before he could finish, Mu Lan interrupted with a nod. “Uncle Zhang, I already know about that.”
“It was Ning Zhuo who resolved the crisis for us.”
After she had been deliberately obstructed earlier, Mu Lan had ordered her subordinates to secretly investigate the situation.
One of them happened to witness the entire process of Ning Zhuo’s intervention and immediately reported it to her.
Mu Lan said, “This time, we owe him a favor. If I have the chance, I’ll properly thank him.”
Zhang Chongyi lifted the bandage coated with medicine and walked to her side. “No need to thank him. This time, I waived his consultation fee.”
Mu Lan smiled. “Then I ought to thank you, Uncle Zhang.”
Zhang Chongyi quickly shook his head. “No, no—it’s I who should thank your father!”
Mu Lan turned her wrist slightly, and the bracer on her left arm separated automatically, transforming into a streak of brass light that returned to her storage belt.
She rolled up her sleeve, revealing her forearm.
Her arm bore numerous wounds, some turned outward from within, the flesh rolled back, still seeping blood.
Zhang Chongyi wrapped her arm carefully with the medicated bandage.
Then, suspending his palms above her arm, he aligned them with the bandage and began channeling mana into the herbal paste, activating its potency to treat her injury.
The waves of sharp pain came one after another, yet Mu Lan’s expression remained calm throughout.
Soon, the thick herbal paste was absorbed, leaving only a thin layer.
Zhang Chongyi took out a set of golden needles and inserted more than ten of them along her meridians.
As time passed, the needle tips began to shine with white light.
The sharp glow corroded the needles until they disintegrated into powder.
Zhang Chongyi’s face darkened as he spoke gravely, “Niece Mu Lan, your condition has worsened greatly.”
“I’ve already warned you—don’t keep using your family’s secret technique, the Mysterious Gold Armor-Breaking Art.”
“This art was meant for men—too yang, too fierce. For a woman to cultivate it, the excess yang energy will harm your yin body.”
Mu Lan shook her head. “Uncle Zhang, with a great battle imminent, I must train daily. Of course I’ll use the Mysterious Gold Armor-Breaking Art more often—likely even more in the future.”
“As for this internal injury, I can only tend to it slowly after the war.”
Zhang Chongyi sighed. “It’s more serious than you think. If this continues, it may erupt on the battlefield.”
“You underestimate it.”
“In truth, there’s one simple way to cure your illness—Dual Cultivation.”
“You must find a male cultivator, one with pure yang essence, and practice dual cultivation with him.”
“As the saying goes, ‘Yin alone does not grow, Yang alone does not flourish.’ Only when yin and yang are balanced does the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth harmonize.”
“In this way, you can pass your excessive yang energy into the man. Although your cultivation will temporarily drop a few levels, the reduced burden will allow your yin essence to recover, giving you a chance to regain balance.”
“Otherwise, if you rely solely on your own effort to balance yin and yang, there’s no chance of success.”
“Your condition has become deeply ingrained. Only by borrowing external power can there be any hope of resolving it.”
Mu Lan nodded. “Uncle Zhang, you mentioned this method last time. After returning, I pondered it for a long while.”
She was the daughter of a general’s house—forthright and unpretentious.
“To be honest, I do wish to find a man for dual cultivation, but after much thought, I can’t find anyone suitable.” Mu Lan sighed deeply.
Zhang Chongyi nodded. “Indeed.”
“A match suitable for you is truly hard to find.”
“First of all, he must possess pure yang essence. Yet those with outstanding talent often attract many admirers. Since the art of dual cultivation is well known to rapidly enhance one’s cultivation, both male and female cultivators—unless under special circumstances—lose their pure yang or pure yin as they grow older.”
“Second, the person must be compatible with your Mu Family. I heard that the Third Prince of the King once tried to pursue you, but you rejected him. That was wise. The Third Prince lacks military power and has a terrible reputation. What he covets is the military prestige of your Mu Family’s Grand General’s Mansion.”
“Lastly, the man must be exceptional. Those crooked melons and cracked dates are not worthy of you. In my opinion, only someone at the level of the Twelve Princes would not make you suffer any grievance.”
In the many cultivation nations of the world, some enthusiasts had compiled a ranking of young prodigies known as the Prince Ranking.
There were only twelve names on it—recognized as the most gifted talents of their generation.
Mu Lan shook her head and smiled helplessly. “Uncle Zhang, you overestimate me.”
“My family may be of the Grand General’s Mansion, but we’re only nobles of the Liangzhu Kingdom. In the grand scheme of the world, the Liangzhu Kingdom is but a small nation, wedged between the North Wind Country and the Southern Dou Country, stifled on both sides, with little room to rise.”
“My father has been bedridden for years, our family has declined, and though I have talent, I can’t possibly reach for the famed Twelve Princes.”
Zhang Chongyi stroked his beard. “Niece, don’t underestimate yourself. Since I entered your camp and observed your training, your command of the military arts rivals that of the old General Mu. Your aptitude in warfare is extraordinary.”
“Besides, the Twelve Princes are not fixed in stone—some fall off, others rise. It shows that heroes emerge from anywhere; many rise from obscurity.”
“Even if for now we can’t reach the Twelve Princes, a Prince-level seed is already within sight.”
Mu Lan raised her brows, then immediately realized whom Zhang Chongyi referred to.
She couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. “Uncle Zhang, after all this talk, you mean to recommend Ning Zhuo?”
“It’s not that I’m proud, but your matchmaking is absurd. He’s merely at the Foundation Establishment stage.”
But Zhang Chongyi’s expression was entirely serious. “So what if he’s in the Foundation Establishment stage? Don’t look down on his cultivation.”
“Indeed, his realm is still low—but consider his age!”
“He’s definitely under eighteen. Think about it, a Foundation Establishment cultivator under eighteen—how does that compare to your own progress?”
Mu Lan’s face grew solemn. “He’s much stronger than I was. I only reached Foundation Establishment at twenty-one.”
Zhang Chongyi stroked his beard again. “Niece, your family’s art, the Mysterious Gold Armor-Breaking Art, isn’t suited to you. If you were a man, you could have reached Foundation Establishment before eighteen.”
“But let’s return to Ning Zhuo.”
“His full potential is still unclear—he may just be concealing his true depth. Even if he isn’t, he’s still exceptional. In terms of talent, he’s a perfect match for your superior aptitude.”
“His comprehension is remarkable—Grandmaster in the Fire, Earth, and Wood Elements. If I hadn’t witnessed it myself, I wouldn’t believe it.”
“And besides, he hails from the Ning Family of Huoshi Immortal City. I don’t know much about that family, but judging from Ning Zhuo’s wealth—he’s brought out Nascent Soul–level treasures multiple times—the Ning Family of Huoshi Immortal City must be formidable!”
“Finally, Ning Zhuo is from the Southern Dou Country, not a citizen of the Liangzhu Kingdom. If you were to cultivate with him, the Mu Family’s Grand General’s Mansion wouldn’t be dragged into domestic political struggles.”
Mu Lan was silent for a moment before she said, “Uncle Zhang, your reasoning makes sense—it does move me.”
“However, Ning Zhuo comes from a noble clan. He may already have a marriage engagement.”
“Dual cultivation concerns pure yang and pure yin, which is no small matter. Many family betrothals have strict rules about such things.”
“Uncle Zhang, please take the chance to probe discreetly and see whether he might have such intentions.”
“But…”
Mu Lan’s tone shifted slightly. “With war approaching, if I were to engage in dual cultivation now and lose some of my combat strength, it would be risky.”
“Moreover, I must rely on myself to earn merit and restore my family’s name. If I depend too much on others, I won’t be able to accept it in my heart, and it would lessen the impact of the Mu Family’s revival.”
“So, regardless of whether Young Master Ning is willing or not, I plan to postpone dual cultivation until after this campaign.”
Zhang Chongyi nodded. “Ah, that’s the best outcome. I only fear that, with the war pressing and your burdens heavy, your condition may flare up.”
Ning Zhuo, meanwhile, had no idea that after his departure, Zhang Chongyi and Mu Lan were already plotting for his pure yang essence.
All the way back, he was pondering Sun Lingtong’s suggestion—to use Dao injury to quickly strengthen his physical cultivation.
“With my Five-Elements Grandmaster realm, this collaboration with Elder Zhang Chongyi can indeed turn disaster into fortune.”
“However, this method carries risk.”
“At present, the armies of the Liangzhu Kingdom and the Thousand Peaks Forest are on the brink of war—everything is unstable.”
“If something happens to Zhang Chongyi, and I suffer a Dao injury with no healer skilled enough to assist me, that would be disastrous.”
After all, healing Dao injuries requires tailored treatment—specific spells and customized medicinal blends.
The method prepared for Sun Lingtong would be ineffective if reused the next day.
All the more so for himself.
“So, the safest path is to master advanced medical arts myself.”
“As long as my medical skills reach the level needed to heal Dao injuries, I’ll be able to treat myself—using the injury to strengthen my body.”
“Ah!”
At that thought, Ning Zhuo sighed deeply. “I’m still too weak, too ignorant.”
‘When one needs knowledge, one regrets not learning more.’
“Learning is endless!”
“If I already had profound medical mastery, I would have long cured Elder Sun and improved my cultivation without worry.”
Ning Zhuo made up his mind—to study medicine!
Not just for now, but also for his mother.
In the future, when he would heal the Dao injury of the Buddhist Doctor, Meng Yaoyin, the safest and surest way would be to become a healer like Zhang Chongyi himself.
Lost in thought, Ning Zhuo returned to the Three Generals Camp.
Just as he entered, a cultivator reported that the three generals—Liu Er, Guan Hong, and Zhang Hei—had been looking everywhere for him.
Ning Zhuo went straight to the center of the camp, lifted the flap of the main tent, and stepped inside.
At a glance, he saw Liu Er’s yellow face, Guan Hong’s red face, and Zhang Hei’s black face—all gathered together, six eyes staring intently at the ledgers on the table.