Chapter 432: I Do Possess Some Divination Arts
The grand formation encircling the Sky-Pillar Giant Tree had been dispelled.
Mo Yuan and the other two Nascent Soul cultivators each waved their hands, retrieving the formation flags, disks, and other implements back into their storage pouches.
The three cultivators transformed into streaks of rainbow light, soaring toward their sect’s base.
During the return journey, the Heart Demon Cave Lord sent a thought through spiritual sense, voicing his confusion.
“Grand Cave Lord, the three of us arrived together—our numbers and strength were more than sufficient. Why would you bring out a precious treasure like the Western Pure Land and hand it over to the Stone Dwelling Old Monster?”
“We could have simply forced him to sign the Dragon Ginseng King’s Divine Decree!”
A cold gleam flickered in Lu Hongtu’s eyes.
“Did you not feel it?”
“The Stone Dwelling Old Monster’s body already carries a trace of Soul Formation–level aura!”
Both the Heart Demon Cave Lord and the Blood Shadow Cave Lord were taken aback.
The Heart Demon Cave Lord asked in shock, “Could it be that the Stone Dwelling Old Monster has already ascended to the Soul Formation stage?”
Lu Hongtu shook his head slightly.
“This cultivator was originally born from the Ten-Thousand-Year Earth Essence, his accumulation unimaginably deep. However, he once devoured a fragment of the Treasure-Dividing Rock.”
“Although he obtained the Stone-Forged Earth Treasure Divine Ability, that fortuitous encounter was not without its flaws—it greatly hindered his cultivation progress.”
This was, in fact, a common predicament.
Along their path of cultivation, every cultivator had to face a difficult choice—
whether to strengthen their cultivation base or to pursue divine abilities and arts.
If one focused solely on improving cultivation, their foundation deepened, leading to growth in all aspects.
But with mere cultivation and no divine arts, a cultivator’s combat power would be severely lacking.
Having immense spiritual power without fighting strength meant that, when calamity came, survival was uncertain.
However, if one devoted excessive time and energy to mastering divine abilities, their cultivation advancement would inevitably lag behind.
And if their progress became too slow, reaching the end of their lifespan before breaking through to the next realm—
that was nothing less than courting death.
Thus, choosing between cultivation and divine arts was never a simple either-or question.
For a true cultivator, both had to be pursued together.
Yet how much weight to give each, and at what point in one’s life, was a matter that differed from person to person.
After devouring the fragment of the Treasure-Dividing Rock, the Stone Dwelling Old Monster’s divine abilities advanced by leaps and bounds—a true qualitative change.
But that wondrous divine ability had also slowed his cultivation severely.
Lu Hongtu understood this well.
He shook his head again.
“If the Stone Dwelling Old Monster had already reached the Soul Formation stage, he wouldn’t have treated us in such a manner.”
“It can only be said that he stands at the threshold—on the verge of breaking through.”
“In this situation, my offering of the Western Pure Land was most appropriate.”
The Heart Demon Cave Lord and the Blood Shadow Cave Lord immediately understood.
When facing someone about to ascend to Soul Formation, Cave Lord Mo Yuan had to show goodwill.
If the Stone Dwelling Old Monster truly succeeded, and Mo Yuan had once been at odds with him, there would be consequences—none to Mo Yuan’s favor.
It was far wiser to offer the Western Pure Land now.
The Stone Dwelling Old Monster’s true form was that of the Ten-Thousand-Year Earth Essence; a treasure of earthly virtue like the Western Pure Land would be of immense benefit to him, possibly triggering a transformation.
It would greatly increase his chances of stepping into the Soul Formation stage.
The enmity between Lu Hongtu and the Stone Dwelling Old Monster was not a deep-seated hatred.
Once this treasure was gifted and the Old Monster successfully ascended, all past grudges would be washed away, and he would even remember the favor of Mo Yuan, the Grand Cave Lord.
Even if the Stone Dwelling Old Monster failed to break through, the Western Pure Land would still be of great value to him.
The goodwill of Mo Yuan, the Grand Cave Lord, would remain intact.
And to the public, this story would sound most commendable.
Mo Yuan had not coerced the other Nascent Soul cultivators into joining the Thousand Peaks Forest Alliance.
Instead, he voluntarily offered such a valuable treasure to achieve cooperation through benefit—a noble act, sacrificing personal gain for the greater good of the Thousand Peaks Forest.
Such selflessness was the mark of high virtue.
It was worth noting that the Six Caves Sect was not purely demonic in nature, but rather a balance of righteous and demonic tendencies.
Lu Hongtu possessed a deep insight into the greater situation. He knew that to deal with the local forces of the Thousand Peaks Forest, one had to show ruthless dominance; thus, he recruited Nascent Soul cultivators such as the Heart Demon and Blood Shadow Cave Lords.
At the same time, he understood that if the sect relied solely on ruthlessness and cruelty, it would isolate itself from the world—
and such a Six Caves Sect would have no future.
Therefore, he also brought in other cave lords to foster positive relations with external powers.
Their demonic side was turned inward, helping the Six Caves Sect establish its footing in the Thousand Peaks Forest,
while their righteous conduct outwardly allowed them to form connections with the outside world, trading vast amounts of cultivation resources.
With these channels of exchange, the Six Caves Sect leveraged the forest’s resources to engage in broad interaction and trade with outside factions.
Meanwhile, by selling foreign resources within the forest, they profited immensely and gradually rose to a position of influence.
All of this was due to Lu Hongtu’s management!
At this moment, Cave Lord Mo Yuan was already plotting ahead.
“If the Stone Dwelling Old Monster truly breaks through to Soul Formation, there will inevitably be a battle between him and the Dragon Ginseng King!”
The Dragon Ginseng King, the sole Soul Formation-level existence within the Thousand Peaks Ridge, had long occupied this land, his roots deep and his followers countless.
Two tigers could not share one mountain.
If the Stone Dwelling Old Monster wished to remain and cultivate in the Thousand Peaks Ridge, he would inevitably interfere with the region’s earth veins—directly threatening the Dragon Ginseng King’s foundation.
“When that happens, two tigers will clash—one must fall!”
As this thought arose, Mo Yuan’s eyes sparkled with brilliance, his heart thumping in excitement.
“Could there perhaps be an opportunity for me within all this?”
“However, that will have to wait until the Liangzhu Kingdom’s invasion forces retreat…”
At the bottom of the cave—
The Stone Sphere remained silent for a long time before finally beginning to move.
Crack—crack.
Fissures spread across its surface, and soon it split apart. From within crawled out Sun Ning and Ning Zhuo.
After confirming that the three Nascent Soul cultivators had indeed departed, they still waited patiently a while longer before emerging.
“That was thrilling—far too thrilling!” said Sun Lingtong, whose stone armor had already been dissolved by Ning Zhuo.
He had reapplied a layer of medicinal clay and could now move freely.
Even for someone like Sun Lingtong, who delighted in danger and excitement, his entire body now felt weak, drained of all strength.
The situation had been unimaginably perilous; one wrong move, one moment of hesitation, and the three Nascent Soul cultivators would have seen through their disguise.
The consequences for Sun Ning and Ning Zhuo would have been unthinkable.
The intense aftershock of fear enveloped Sun Lingtong’s body and mind, leaving him unwilling to move.
Ning Zhuo’s gaze fell upon a handful of Western Pure Land lying nearby on the ground.
Among his exchanges with the three Nascent Soul cultivators, some had been within expectation, others had not.
He had not anticipated that Lu Hongtu would take out the Western Pure Land,
nor that they would be forced to sign the Dragon Ginseng King’s Divine Decree.
“This shows that Lu Hongtu came well-prepared.”
“According to gathered intelligence, this man’s sense of the greater situation is exceptional—
he even spends from his own pocket to unite other Nascent Soul cultivators.”
“Under the immense pressure of the Liangzhu Kingdom’s invading army, the Thousand Peaks Forest is changing, shedding its old fragmented structure. Its many figures and factions are rapidly consolidating.”
From this matter alone, Ning Zhuo could already confirm that the power balance of the Thousand Peaks Forest was shifting.
In such times of peril, the presence of a powerful leader was absolutely crucial.
Thanks to the Dragon Ginseng King, the Thousand Peaks Forest avoided falling into utter disunity.
The Dragon Ginseng King, being the local deity and the greatest beneficiary of this land, would naturally be its most steadfast defender.
At the same time, as a Soul Formation–level being, he was also the region’s strongest force.
Thus, all the cultivators and factions unwilling to become exiles now rallied around this central pillar, uniting rapidly.
Lu Hongtu’s arrival with the Divine Decree made it easier for Sun Ning and Ning Zhuo to blend in unnoticed.
Yet what brought convenience also carried peril—
both Sun Ning and Ning Zhuo had now signed the Divine Decree and were bound by it.
Earlier, they had relied on the Fetal-Breath Spirit Vessel, using the Stone-Forged Earth Treasure Divine Ability to merge their bodies with the Stone Sphere,
concealing themselves as a single, unborn embryo within heaven and earth.
Sun Lingtong’s acting, Ning Zhuo’s control, and the Stone Sphere’s disguise—none could be lacking.
Through the combined mystery of the Innate Earth-Nurturing Fetal-Breath Great Method, they had successfully deceived the three Nascent Soul-level cultivators, Mo Yuan and his companions.
Ink Abyss Cave Lord had forcibly compelled the Stone Dwelling Old Monster to sign the Divine Mandate, and thus, Sun Lingtong and Ning Zhuo had no choice but to submit as well.
Their spiritual senses intertwined as one. Through the disguise granted by the Stone-Forged Earth Treasure Divine Ability, they made contact with the Divine Mandate together and became aware of its explicit decrees. Finally, they used their combined spiritual sense to sign the Divine Mandate.
Therefore, the Divine Mandate bound Ning Zhuo, Sun Lingtong, and the Stone Sphere simultaneously.
“What should we do next?” Ning Zhuo was filled with anxiety.
Sun Lingtong asked directly, “Xiao Zhuo, do you think we can break this Divine Mandate?”
Ning Zhuo’s expression turned grave. He slowly shook his head and spoke in a low voice, “This is a method of the Soul Formation level. Although it’s not entirely impossible to break, the price we would have to pay is far too immense.”
“If we seek aid from the Liangzhu Kingdom’s military, we will inevitably expose our movements, reveal our trump cards, and the secret that the Stone Dwelling Old Monster is already dead.”
“According to the secret actions Lu Hongtu once confided to us, Thousand Peaks Forest must have planted many informants within Liangzhu’s army.”
“That’s why they were able to learn in advance of the major military operation—that the new army in Canglin Immortal City was preparing to depart.”
“If we seek the Liangzhu Kingdom’s military for help, there’s truly no one we can trust.”
“It’s highly likely that our information will be leaked. If Thousand Peaks Forest learns of this matter, given that we’ve already signed the Divine Mandate, the Dragon Ginseng King would only need a single thought to make us perish without a trace.”
Sun Lingtong fell silent.
Ning Zhuo’s reasoning was sound.
Sun Lingtong sighed softly. “Yes, we’ve suffered so much, endured so many hardships, and finally obtained a shocking fortune.”
“Even if the Liangzhu military doesn’t expose this secret, breaking the binding of a Soul Formation–level Divine Mandate would likely consume all the wealth we’ve just gained.”
“If we encounter some unscrupulous, price-gouging people, we might have to pay even more.”
“If the Liangzhu Kingdom’s Grand Commander Du Tiechuan learns that we possess the Wanli Dragon, he might even force us to venture deep into Thousand Peaks Forest to spy on military intelligence!”
“Then… should we return to the Southern Dou Country?”
Sun Lingtong shook his head before he even finished speaking.
There wasn’t enough time.
According to the time limit stated on the Divine Mandate, the new army of Canglin Immortal City would depart in just four days.
By then, Sun and Ning would have to fully participate in the assault against the Liangzhu army in accordance with the Divine Mandate. Only by not violating it could they hope to survive.
“Ah, what else can we do? Let’s just take it one step at a time.” Ning Zhuo shook his head.
“The Stone Dwelling Old Monster’s remains shouldn’t be mined. That’s part of the Divine Mandate’s restriction. We can treat it as if it were our own bodies.”
“If, when the time comes, we act in a way that doesn’t match our full state when signing the Mandate and are deemed to not have gone all out, that would be disastrous.”
After a brief discussion, the two had no other choice but to continue their previous course of action.
After Ning Zhuo comprehended the complete divine ability of the Stone-Forged Earth Treasure, he cooperated with Sun Lingtong to dig out the entire Stone Sphere.
The two did not refine or mine it but instead directly stuffed it into the Wanli Dragon.
At last, they boarded the Wanli Dragon once again, traversing the void to return to the vicinity of Canglin Immortal City.
The Wanli Dragon had become even more dilapidated.
It had already been half damaged before, but after another round trip, its outer shell was severely broken, and many of its dragon scales had fallen off.
Several areas had even begun to petrify.
Ning Zhuo wrapped the tattered Wanli Dragon around his waist like a belt and walked unhurriedly back to the Three Generals Camp.
“The Military Advisor has returned!” Upon seeing Ning Zhuo, the soldiers immediately saluted and greeted him with respect.
Previously, at the Command Platform, Ning Zhuo had stunned everyone with his Tree Realm Descent spell, earning the respect of the entire army.
He watched Liu Er, Zhang Hei, and Guan Hong drill their troops and quietly shook his head when he noticed they hadn’t realized he had embezzled public funds.
These three generals truly had big hearts.
Returning to his tent, Ning Zhuo calculated the accounts.
Midway, he stopped his pen and sighed softly.
Not long ago, he had been hanging by a thread between life and death. Yet now he was inside the camp, surrounded by the distant shouts of the generals and cultivators outside—it brought him a deep sense of safety.
A feeling of unreality, as if he had been reborn into another world, surged within him.
“The Liangzhu Kingdom’s military intelligence has already been leaked. Thousand Peaks Forest is preparing to ambush the new army.”
“I am the Military Advisor and Sacrificial Wine of the Three Generals Camp. When we march, I will undoubtedly be among those ambushed by a group of Nascent Soul and Golden Core cultivators.”
“Worse still, Sun and I have signed the Divine Mandate. We must attack the Liangzhu Kingdom—and with our full strength at that!”
“What on earth should I do?”
This truly put Ning Zhuo in a difficult position.
Just then, the tent flap was lifted, and Liu Er walked in.
Seeing Ning Zhuo frowning deeply, Liu Er smiled kindly. “Military Advisor, it must have been hard for you to handle the accounts.”
Ning Zhuo hurriedly stood and saluted.
Liu Er waved his hand amiably. “We’re all on the same side—no need for such formality.”
Liu Er’s easygoing manner, as warm as a spring breeze, eased Ning Zhuo’s heart somewhat.
Ning Zhuo sighed. “The military accounts may be in order, but the outlook is grim, my lord.”
“At present, our funds can only sustain us for three months.”
In truth, since Ning Zhuo had embezzled a large number of spirit stones, the funds couldn’t even last that long.
He hadn’t yet had the chance to balance the books.
He continued, “And while calculating, I felt a spiritual disturbance—a strong sense of foreboding.”
“The future seems clouded, and that’s why I sighed so deeply, feeling so disheartened.”
Hearing this, Liu Er’s interest was piqued. “Could it be, Military Advisor, that you possess some talent in divination?”
Ning Zhuo smiled faintly. “To call myself a diviner would be unworthy.”
“But indeed, I’ve practiced one or two divination methods. My specialty lies in formation-based calculation.”
“My lord, please allow me to use some of the army’s resources to set up a formation and divine the future of our Three Generals Camp!”
Liu Er quickly asked how much it would cost.
Ning Zhuo replied with a number.
Liu Er hesitated. The funds were already scarce—if they were to be spent on divination, even three months’ expenses couldn’t be sustained.
“These funds aren’t mine alone; I’ll need to discuss this with my second and third brothers,” Liu Er said after some thought.
Ning Zhuo extended his hand politely. “Then please, my lord, make haste. Time waits for no one.”
Liu Er nodded, sighed, and said, “I’ll go ask them now. Please wait a while, Military Advisor.”
With that, Liu Er left the tent to consult the still-drilling Zhang Hei and Guan Hong.
Seeing him go, Ning Zhuo knew that, for now, he no longer needed to repay the funds he had taken from the Three Generals Camp.