Chapter 476: The Follow-Up Move
Ning Zhuo sat cross-legged on the magic tool meditation cushion, floating clouds coiling around his body, as he chewed on Spirit Food.
He was cultivating.
Demonic Blood Tendon Technique!
In the Blood-Tendon Ground Dantian, layers upon layers of blood tendons spread across the earth. Within the blood tendons, the blood energy surged fiercely, flowing endlessly. With each beat of Ning Zhuo’s heart, it rose and fell like a tide.
The Five Elements Qi Regulation Art!
In the Five Qi Pivot Dantian, a five-colored vortex swirled like a sky-piercing pillar, connecting heaven and earth. The Five Elements Mana at times separated clearly, at others fused together, shifting freely.
Mirror Platform Spirit Technique!
In the Bright Mirror Spiritual Light Dantian, it was cloudless for ten thousand miles. The upper and lower parts of the Dantian were smooth and flat like two massive mirrors, representing the heavens and the earth.
Between the two giant mirrors of heaven and earth, countless small mirrors of spiritual sense floated quietly in suspension.
At first, Ning Zhuo's face was filled with red demonic light, blood energy overflowing. Then five-colored brilliance coiled around him, dyeing the inner clouds. In the end, his aura converged, Buddhist nature rising, his face filled with compassion.
He slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a turbid breath.
His vital blood, mana, and spiritual sense were all at their peak. His eyes shone with brilliance, exuding vigorous energy and vitality!
He looked around and pondered in his heart: “Now that I’m well-funded, it’s time to set up formations in the cultivation chamber to assist my training.”
“With my current level in the Five Elements, setting up a Five Qi Convergence Formation should be within my capabilities.”
“Leaving aside rare treasures like the National Strength Bricks, having an auxiliary formation for cultivation, in the long run, will surely accumulate and bring great benefits!”
Ning Zhuo was hiding inside the Wanli Dragon.
Ever since Liu Er announced his intention to publicly pursue Mu Lan, Ning Zhuo had foreseen a fierce blow against the Three Generals Camp.
So he vanished in advance, hiding in the Wanli Dragon, guarding against a potential ambush.
Of course, the Wanli Dragon hadn’t actually left the Three Generals Camp; it remained concealed in a corner of the camp. Moreover, under Sun Lingtong’s control, it regularly moved to different locations, never staying in one spot for long.
Ning Zhuo ended his cultivation, opened the chamber door, and stepped out.
Arriving at the dragon head cabin, Sun Lingtong said to him, “Zhuo, you guessed it right.”
“Zhang Hei was captured, Guan Hong was injured, and as for Liu Er, he’s probably being entangled at the City Lord’s Mansion.”
Sun Lingtong then showed Ning Zhuo the footage of Guan Hong being ambushed.
After watching it, Ning Zhuo felt a heavy weight in his heart: “This Golden Core–level assassin is quite formidable. If I were Guan Hong, I might’ve already lost my head.”
“Sun Gan and Double Purity’s reaction is so extreme—it means they also want a quick resolution.”
“The power struggle around Mu Lan, Red Flower Camp, and the Grand General’s Mansion likely won’t last much longer.”
Precisely because of this judgment, Ning Zhuo restrained himself and didn’t touch the three National Strength Bricks in his possession.
Sun Lingtong asked, “Zhuo, what should we do next?”
Ning Zhuo replied, “No one knows our real intentions. That’s our advantage. For now, let’s hold our position and watch Liu Er’s clash with Sun Gan and Double Purity.”
“I’m getting more and more curious—what trump card is Liu Er hiding?”
Ning Zhuo waited patiently for Liu Er to return.
Liu Er returned to the camp in a rush, barely concealing his anxiety.
He hadn’t expected the counterattack to be so fierce and brutal.
“This is bad—Sun Gan and Double Purity might have joined forces!”
“Sigh!”
Liu Er, feeling the weight of it all, returned to the camp and headed straight to Guan Hong’s tent.
“Second Brother, where are you hurt? Let me take a look!” Liu Er called out with genuine concern.
Guan Hong felt a warmth in his heart and shook his head. “Big Brother, don’t worry too much. I’m still alive—the injuries aren’t serious.”
“Not serious?!” After checking the wounds on Guan Hong’s arm, Liu Er’s eyes reddened, and he grasped his brother’s arm tightly. “I’ve dragged both you and Third Brother into this.”
“Big Brother, as men walking the world, how can we be afraid of injury? This is nothing—I'll recover with some rest.” Guan Hong showed his valor.
Liu Er sighed, “Your right arm was already injured, and now it’s hurt again. Perhaps we should invite Zhang Chongyi for treatment.”
“Given our current relationship with the Red Flower Camp, asking Zhang Chongyi for help shouldn’t be difficult.”
Guan Hong nodded. “Big Brother, my injury is not the real concern. What’s crucial is rescuing Third Brother.”
At that moment, Ning Zhuo suddenly appeared. “Generals, Zhang Hei is a newly appointed Capturing General of the Liangzhu Kingdom. His life should not be in danger.”
“Strategist!” Upon seeing Ning Zhuo safe and sound, both Liu Er and Guan Hong brightened visibly, clearly relieved.
Ning Zhuo was now the purse of the Three Generals Camp.
If he had been harmed, the camp wouldn’t have lasted much longer.
To the Three Generals Camp, Ning Zhuo was essential!
Ning Zhuo cupped his fists and apologized sincerely, expressing guilt for hiding while Guan Hong faced the enemy alone, not sharing the burden.
Liu Er and Guan Hong both reassured him: Ning Zhuo was only a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, and being able to protect himself was already a feat. Confronting powerful foes was their duty as Golden Core cultivators. Ning Zhuo’s ability to survive had already saved them much worry—he had done more than enough!
Ning Zhuo then suggested to Liu Er that they could use Mu Lan’s connections to rescue Zhang Hei. As the heir to the Grand General’s Mansion, Mu Lan was not without allies in the court.
Liu Er, after being delayed at Canglin Immortal City’s City Lord’s place and seeing Second Brother ambushed and Third Brother captured, had fully realized the true nature of the City Lord.
He followed the plan and visited Mu Lan at the Red Flower Camp.
Mu Lan had already received the news and met with Liu Er promptly. She said she had already sent a letter to the Royal Capital, activating her connections.
At the same time, she clarified to Liu Er that she felt no romantic affection toward him. They could be allies, fight side by side, and she promised that if Liu Er was willing, once she held the Grand General’s Seal, she could bring him into her office as a subordinate. That way, he could transcend the limits of being a human-demon hybrid and become part of Liangzhu Kingdom’s upper ranks.
Liu Er expressed that his feelings for Mu Lan were genuine. His assistance was out of personal affection, not for profit.
Returning to the Three Generals Camp, Liu Er rarely lost control and smashed a cup.
His heart was filled with burning rage!
Neither Double Purity, Sun Gan, nor Mu Lan truly respected him.
The first two reacted so fiercely because they believed Liu Er was also vying for Mu Lan—something they saw as an insult!
As for Mu Lan, even in such dire straits, even when receiving Liu Er’s crucial aid, she still refused to lower herself, being frank and direct—she didn’t even bother with any polite pretense.
“For someone like me to build achievements—is it so hard?!”
Liu Er’s heart was full of bitterness.
His identity as a human-demon hybrid was truly looked down upon.
“I followed my Master’s advice and openly expressed my affection for Mu Lan. That was the real reason I’ve been suppressed!”
“And this is only the first day.”
“What comes next will likely be…”
As he thought of this, Liu Er’s expression turned grave.
That very night, a fire broke out in the Three Generals Camp, burning much of their supplies.
Over the next few days, soldiers in the camp began disappearing without cause.
Double Purity acted aggressively, offering high prices to secretly poach soldiers from the camp.
The soldiers had already been dissatisfied. The ambush battle had only cost them resources without much gain. Even if they had achieved merit, it was Ning Zhuo and the Three Generals who benefited most.
So more and more soldiers left the camp willingly and joined the White Jade Camp.
Liu Er approached Ning Zhuo, hoping he would spend more money to stabilize morale.
But Ning Zhuo shook his head. “Our financial power is shallow. If we do that, we’ll be engaging in a bidding war with Double Purity—which is unwise.”
“This isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”
“If those with divided loyalties leave, those who remain will naturally be more reliable, won’t they?”
Though Ning Zhuo had grown wealthy, he was unwilling to burn money on this issue.
He believed the matter with Mu Lan wouldn’t drag on—it would soon come to a resolution.
“In this struggle, I’m not the key player.”
“Liu Er’s trump card hasn’t appeared yet. Even if he’s eliminated, the battle between Double Purity and Sun Gan will still be a fierce dragon-tiger clash.”
Since Ning Zhuo refused, Liu Er could only suppress his frustration and sigh deeply.
“Big Brother! Look what I’ve got!”
The tent flaps were suddenly thrown open, and Guan Hong burst in, his whole body exuding a murderous aura.
He threw a severed head onto the ground, his body rolling with killing intent.
Liu Er and Ning Zhuo were both stunned—and pleasantly surprised. It was the very assassin who had ambushed Guan Hong!
“Second Brother, how did you do it?” Liu Er asked.
Guan Hong stroked his beard and replied proudly, “That day, though gravely wounded, I struck the assassin with my blade, leaving a tracking mark.”
“I didn’t act immediately, allowing him to assassinate more of our soldiers.”
“The more he acted, the more careless he became.”
“Today I sensed him again, and I struck decisively and killed him!”
Ning Zhuo immediately praised, “General Guan Hong is truly mighty!”
Liu Er clapped his hands and commended, “With this head, our morale will soar! Second Brother, well done!”
The assassin’s head was hung on the flagpole in the morning, but mysteriously vanished in the afternoon.
The Three Generals Camp’s morale soared in the morning, slipped in the afternoon, and plummeted again by night.
All because word spread across the Immortal City and nearby camps that Mu Lan of the Red Flower Camp had suddenly been injured and fallen into a coma.
Liu Er and others rushed into the camp to see the truth for themselves.
Mu Lan indeed had a pale face, lying in bed, unconscious.
“I heard General Mu Lan suddenly spat blood and fainted while drilling the troops. What happened?” Liu Er asked anxiously.
Zhang Chongyi sighed, “Based on all the clues gathered, someone must have secretly used a Defeated Soldiers and Fallen General Technique!”
“Our Red Flower Camp was defeated in the ambush and labeled as defeated troops.”
“General Mu Lan, striving to train our soldiers, got caught in this military technique. The surge of military morale backfired, triggering the effect of 'fallen general'. That’s why she spat blood and fainted. Though her life isn’t in danger, she likely won’t wake up for another three days.”
It was a devastating blow—Liu Er and Ning Zhuo exchanged stunned looks.
Zhang Chongyi cupped his hands. “Please, General Liu, Young Master Ning—assist us in guarding General Mu Lan to prevent another assassination attempt.”
Liu Er immediately agreed.
Ning Zhuo pondered aloud, “Sun Gan and Double Purity aim to seize the Grand General’s Seal. They must preserve General Mu Lan’s life.”
“They must have a follow-up move!”
“And that move is what we must guard against the most.”
But what was the follow-up move? After some discussion, they had no intelligence, and came to no conclusion.
The next day.
The gates of the Red Flower Camp opened in haste.
Zhang Chongyi, Liu Er, Ning Zhuo, and the others came out to greet them.
A Royal Envoy from the capital descended from his carriage, head held high, hands bearing a Royal Decree.
“Where is General Mu Lan?” the envoy asked coldly, his gaze harsh.
Liu Er and Ning Zhuo exchanged a fleeting glance, and a sense of deep foreboding surged in their hearts.
This follow-up move… carried far more weight than they had imagined!