Chapter 478: Testing the Generals Diagram
Everyone entered the Grand General’s tent in silence.
Ma Liangcai wore a gloomy expression; he had not anticipated Mu Lan’s disguise. This fact alone suggested that many of the Royal Capital’s schemes had already gone awry.
Mu Lan sat upright in the main seat, sweeping her gaze across the cultivators entering the tent.
Nascent Soul, Golden Core, Foundation Establishment — all were present.
Regardless of cultivation, however, they were all outstanding talents of the time.
She was a tiger daughter born of a military family, never one to submit to the manipulations of others. So, ever since she and the Red Flower Camp had been subjected to oppression, she had begun planning a way out.
This time, she had turned the enemy’s strategy to her own advantage — feigning weakness to lure the opponent, while clearly discerning the shifting situation.
“Ma Liangcai...”
The man possessed Nascent Soul cultivation, tall in stature, with brows white as frost and eyes deep as the sea. He was one of the five Grand Generals of the Liangzhu Kingdom, famed for his military exploits. By integrating the art of war with painting, he commanded troops in a uniquely innovative fashion.
In Mu Lan’s mind, among the generals present, Ma Liangcai was unquestionably the top commander. Even the proud and unyielding Mu Lan admitted her own inferiority. Despite having the same level of cultivation, she lacked the confidence to claim victory against him.
Undoubtedly, this was the most dangerous enemy at hand!
“Sun Gan, Double Purity...”
Mu Lan’s gaze swept over the two Nascent Soul cultivators.
Now, she saw it clearly: “These two must have caught wind of some news from the upper ranks and moved early to act, trying to get ahead of the King and seize control of the Grand General’s Mansion!”
“They’re enemies — but also temporary allies. We can unite to resist Ma Liangcai.”
Mu Lan then looked toward Liu Er.
She skimmed over him the fastest.
“A human-demon hybrid, good at opportunism, but so reckless he’s practically stupid — he’s plunged headfirst into this political maelstrom.”
“He wants to lay a hand on the Grand General’s Seal too? He must’ve eaten a bear’s heart and a leopard’s gall to be that confident.”
Though Mu Lan held him in contempt, she also judged it best, for now, to align with Liu Er.
Then, she looked to Zhang Chongyi.
In order to deceive the enemy, Mu Lan had even lied to Zhang Chongyi.
But now, Zhang Chongyi — the so-called “victim” — was looking at her with excitement all over his face, clearly unfazed by being kept in the dark.
“Ning Zhuo…”
Mu Lan’s gaze finally paused on the big-headed youth.
Though she was quite indignant that Ning Zhuo had refused her dual cultivation proposals multiple times, compared to the others present, he was undoubtedly the most pleasing to the eye.
Ning Zhuo also looked at Mu Lan, eyes clear and bright, filled with curiosity and admiration.
That kind of look lifted Mu Lan’s mood slightly.
But her mood was soon ruined by Ma Liangcai.
Once seated, Ma Liangcai immediately made a move: “Since General Mu Lan has already awakened, it’s a good time to confront matters directly. These three commanders have repeatedly slandered your purity — utterly contemptible.”
Mu Lan sneered outright, showing no attempt to hide her scornful expression as she looked at Ma Liangcai.
How could she possibly follow the enemy’s lead?
She had heard all the slander from the three generals loud and clear. But so what?
When leading troops in war, all means must be considered for victory. In this current moment of shifting alliances, how could Mu Lan afford to push potential allies away?
However, the very next moment, the envoy from the Royal Capital chuckled darkly and turned to Double Purity: “General Double Purity, as a member of the royal family, you should say a few words now.”
Double Purity’s expression was grim, but he still turned slightly and looked toward Mu Lan: “General Mu Lan, the situation is clear. Between myself, Sun Gan, and Liu Er — let’s choose one. Otherwise, I’ll find it difficult to continue supporting you.”
“Sigh, I have my own troubles too!”
His surname was Double — no matter how powerful his family was, it couldn’t oppose the royal clan. In fact, a large portion of the family’s authority came from the royal court.
The envoy from the Royal Capital had been using spiritual sense transmissions ever since entering the tent, persistently shaking Double Purity’s stance.
And he had succeeded.
Double Purity became the breakthrough point, defecting in a short span of time and placing Mu Lan once again in a passive position.
Mu Lan had wanted to counter strength with weakness, but the envoy had made a preemptive strike, sowing division from within, using Double Purity to incite internal chaos.
The internal instability on Mu Lan’s side was painfully obvious — there was only one Grand General’s Seal, and Liu, Double, and Sun were all vying for it. Two of them were bound to be eliminated.
Mu Lan fell silent for a moment and turned to Sun Gan.
Sun Gan first cast a contemptuous glance at Double Purity, then sank into thought.
“Double Purity’s foundation lies in his clan — the Double surname alone can no longer be trusted.”
“Without him, Liu Er is just a mere human-demon hybrid, hardly worth mentioning.”
“But as the commander of the Golden Halberd Army, if I stand with Mu Lan against Ma Liangcai, that would be defying a royal mandate. When I return to the Royal Capital, there won’t be any good outcome for me.”
“This truly is a risky move.”
Sun Gan commanded the Golden Halberd Army — not a loyal force like the Red Flower Camp.
Though Sun Gan clearly recognized that the Royal Capital’s envoy was playing a divide-and-conquer game, he also realized that if he intended to defy the King’s will, he first had to ensure his own interests. He wasn’t about to throw himself into battle and fight blindly.
So, Sun Gan looked toward Mu Lan and asked, “I wonder what General Mu Lan’s decision is?”
Mu Lan cast a cold glance at Sun Gan, then turned to Ma Liangcai. “Now that I’ve awakened, Ma Liangcai, your reason for taking over the Red Flower Camp no longer holds.”
“Why should I have to choose?”
“I could very well sideline you and continue building military achievements.”
Ma Liangcai let out a cold laugh as well, responding without backing down: “General Mu Lan, you’re being a bit too naïve. At this point, returning to the way things were — is impossible.”
Neither the Royal Capital nor Sun Gan and Double Purity would allow Mu Lan the autonomy or time needed to mount a comeback.
This Red Flower Camp, a blooming flower on the battlefield — whose hands it would ultimately fall into must be made absolutely clear.
Until that happened, all the suppression, harassment, and blockades against the Red Flower Camp would continue.
Zhang Chongyi clenched his fists, teeth grinding.
His heart burned with fury and frustration.
Ning Zhuo’s expression was blank, but within, excitement stirred: “So this is how cold and ruthless the struggle on the righteous path becomes when pushed to this point.”
The cultivators in the command tent showed no signs of drawing arms against one another—there wasn’t even a trace of mana being activated.
Yet Mu Lan had already been pushed once more to the edge of the cliff.
Cultivation, treasures, spells—none of these were the most important at this moment. What mattered were one’s mind, strategy, and maneuvering.
Mu Lan took a deep breath and stared at Ma Liangcai. “Since that’s the case, let’s proceed to the final step.”
“When you received your mandate and came here, the King must have bestowed you with a treasure. Bring it out.”
Her situation was not favorable—she had been at a disadvantage all along.
Feigning unconsciousness earlier had merely bought her a chance to engage in direct contest.
Now, with Sun Gan and Double Purity swiftly dismantled by the Royal Capital’s side, she wasn’t given even the slightest room to maneuver.
Mu Lan had no choice but to step into the final confrontation.
Ma Liangcai nodded slightly and took out a scroll.
He unrolled it before everyone. Instantly, all present recognized it as a Testing the Generals Diagram.
Once unfolded, the diagram stretched to a length of eighteen feet and a width of six. It was painted on rice paper, the surface slightly yellowed, showing the passage of time.
The four ends of the scroll were inlaid with golden thread, the edges curling slightly.
The entire scroll was filled with talismans—thousands upon thousands, large and small, arranged tightly together.
With just one glance, Ning Zhuo felt dizzy and dazed, his spiritual sense pulled in, as if he were falling into some illusionary realm. He hurriedly shut his eyes and withdrew all of his spiritual sense.
Mu Lan, however, placed her hand on the Testing the Generals Diagram, her tone reflective: “Back then, when my father saw that the front lines were in peril, he volunteered to lead the defeated remnants into battle once more.”
“At the time, he had no record as a commanding general and faced much suspicion from his fellow soldiers. The King rewarded his courage and was willing to offer the Testing the Generals Diagram to assess him.”
“My father passed the test of the diagram and proved himself. Then he led the remnants back into battle, seized upon a weakness in the enemy ranks, charged into their formation, slew the enemy commander, shattered their morale, and secured a great victory!”
“When my father returned victorious, the King asked him what reward he desired.”
“My father asked for those very remnants that had followed him into battle—that is, what later became the Red Flower Camp.”
“As my father triumphed time and again, his battlefield glory only grew, and the Red Flower Camp swelled in size, eventually drawing suspicion within the court.”
“During one of his returns to the capital for debriefing, he and the King made an agreement.”
“That in the future, should the King wish to disband the Red Flower Camp, it would only be if the Grand General’s Mansion had no capable successor, no longer able to lead this army.”
“And to prove that—was this Testing the Generals Diagram.”
With Mu Lan’s narration, those in the command tent suddenly understood.
This game of monarch and minister had begun long ago. Both parties walked the Righteous Path; neither would force a mutual ruin, nor would they allow both sides to suffer loss.
So, the Elder General Mu and the King had already agreed upon the boundaries.
The Red Flower Camp and Mu’s Grand General’s Mansion began with the Testing the Generals Diagram, and now must be tested by it again. If Mu Lan succeeded, the Grand General’s Mansion could continue.
But if she failed, then Mu’s Grand General’s Mansion would be abolished or replaced.
Mu Lan withdrew her gaze, raised her head slightly, looked at Ma Liangcai, then turned to Sun Gan, Double Purity, and the others. “Since all of you have your own ideas, why not all enter the diagram and fight a battle within? Reenact the past and decide the future!”
Ma Liangcai’s strength was formidable, and Mu Lan had no certainty of victory, so she still wanted to drag Sun Gan and Double Purity into the fray.
If the tide of battle turned against her, she could still promise them something in exchange for their support.
Liu Er responded first, agreeing at once and declaring that if he gave it his all, he hoped to summon Generals Guan Hong and Zhang Hei.
Seeing this, Sun Gan and Double Purity had no choice but to pinch their noses and agree to participate.
Guan Hong soon arrived at the command tent.
Zhang Hei, who had been captured by Sun Gan, was also immediately released. After all, Ma Liangcai was the greatest enemy.
Once everyone had gathered, they each projected their spiritual sense into the Testing the Generals Diagram.
Very quickly, one after another, the cultivators stood motionless, retaining a small portion of their spiritual sense in their bodies, while the majority was drawn into the diagram.
The scroll of the Testing the Generals Diagram burst into brilliant radiance.
Countless talismans flickered with light of various colors. The talismans flowed, linked to each other, moving faster and faster, finally converging into a stream of glowing vortex.
Amid the swirling lights, the majority of Ning Zhuo’s spiritual sense condensed into a figure of himself.
Looking around, he immediately spotted Liu, Guan, and Zhang. He reached to his waist and confirmed that within the Puppet Dragon, Sun Lingtong was still there.
He had secretly transmitted spiritual sense to Mu Lan, requesting she allow Sun Lingtong’s inclusion.
After all, every extra person on their side was another edge toward victory.
Besides Liu, Guan, and Zhang, there were also four to five hundred soldier phantoms around.
Guan Hong stroked his beard. “This is a minor Testing the Generals Diagram, without many checkpoints or terrain. As soon as we entered, it issued soldiers to us based on our cultivation and command proficiency.”
Zhang Hei bellowed, “Get to drilling the troops! That Ma Liangcai is no easy foe.”
Ning Zhuo offered his counsel: “Aside from drilling, we must dispatch scouts to survey the surroundings—so we don’t get too close to Ma Liangcai and provoke an early attack.”
“Also, we need to establish contact with General Mu Lan. We can’t manage on our own; we’ll need to unite and resist Ma Liangcai together.”
Liu Er nodded, quite approving of this advice, and immediately acted accordingly.
Triangular Arrowhead Formation.
Straight Snake Formation.
After just two or three training rounds, the soldier phantoms began to resemble proper troops.
The training results were far superior to real-world conditions!
After another two or three rounds, the soldier phantoms grew even more solid, and their forms changed.
Where once they had been blurry silhouettes with vaguely visible limbs and torsos, now their limbs and torsos were clearly defined—and their heads transformed into triangular snake-like shapes.
“Little Zhuo, what if we join the training too?” Sun Lingtong, witnessing the process, became eager to try.
Previously, he had used Soldiers Sharing One Helm to read Gao Sheng’s Testament and learned the Thieving Breeze Formation.
Ning Zhuo pondered. “If we can add another formation style, it would definitely help.”
“Ma Liangcai is a decorated war hero. At Soul-Breaking Ridge, the Scarlet River, the Relief at Eastern Mountain, and the Ghostflame Gorge Battle, he played outstanding—even decisive—roles.”
“Our side’s Generals Guan Hong and Zhang Hei are out of form. Though Mu Lan has awakened, she’s still injured.”
“Double Purity is more skilled in equipment; once inside the Testing the Generals Diagram, that advantage is lost.”
“Lastly, Sun Gan—commander of the Forbidden Army, has spent most of his life guarding the Royal Capital, with little experience in frontline warfare.”
“Still, we shouldn’t expose the elder just yet!”
Ma Liangcai was a renowned general of the Liangzhu Kingdom; Ning Zhuo naturally knew some details about him.
Ning Zhuo returned to focus and offered a formal suggestion—he, too, had a formation. Given the rapid training speed inside the Testing the Generals Diagram, which stemmed from the general’s understanding of formations rather than time and energy investment, he wished to attempt it.
Liu, Guan, and Zhang were all pleasantly surprised.
They had been troubled by only having two formation styles—lacking diversity, easily countered.
Ning Zhuo’s offer thrilled the three generals, and they unanimously agreed for him to lead the training.
On the surface, Ning Zhuo issued orders on behalf of Sun Lingtong. After five rounds, the soldiers successfully mastered the Thieving Breeze Formation.
“Strategist, what formation is this? Forgive my ignorance—never heard of it before.” Guan Hong, rarely, sought instruction.
Ning Zhuo explained that this was the Light-Foot Swift Wind Formation, which could increase marching speed and aid in stealth.
Sun Lingtong, lacking the generals’ understanding of military theory, practiced five more rounds before mastering it completely.
Then the three generals each demonstrated their own military arts, similarly bringing changes to the soldiers’ appearances.
Taking the opportunity, Ning Zhuo also rehearsed his The Warrior Returns Art, which again sparked curiosity from the three generals—because they could see no visible effect after it was used.
“Strategist, what kind of training was that?”