Chapter 492: Nighttime Surprise Attack
Ning Zhuo’s expression sank like still water.
Although he and Mu Lan had become husband and wife, it had only been a political marriage and did not involve an actual relationship.
From the very beginning, it had been kept hidden from the public, with only a small number of people at the time knowing about it.
This had been an unspoken understanding within the Righteous Path.
Ning Zhuo was not surprised that Shuangling knew about this situation. After all, she came from the royal family, so knowing such internal matters was normal.
But at this very moment, in front of a large crowd, she had actually exposed this secret.
Shuangling had broken this tacit understanding of the Righteous Path. Without a doubt, it was a very serious provocation.
Ning Zhuo stared at Shuangling.
Shuangling sneered. “Child, is this how the Ning Family teaches its manners? I am a princess of Liangzhu Kingdom, a Nascent Soul cultivator, and your elder. You are being far too rude.”
Ning Zhuo smiled faintly. “I am a man of Southern Dou Country. This time I answered the call of your country’s King to support the Righteous Path and resist the demonic cultivators of Thousand Peaks Forest.”
“I had always believed that the King of Liangzhu Kingdom respected the virtuous and valued talent, setting an example for all rulers. Yet today, from Your Highness the Princess, I have experienced something quite different.”
“You, a noble princess, are pressing a junior like me so aggressively. What reason could there be for this?”
“Is this how Liangzhu Kingdom treats the independent cultivators who came to fight in this war?”
Shuangling’s expression changed slightly.
Ning Zhuo had immediately placed a large political accusation over the situation, turning her noble status into a weakness.
Seeing the situation turning unfavorable, the Lord of Canglin Immortal City quickly stepped forward to smooth things over.
Shuangling chuckled and pointed at Ning Zhuo. “Such a sharp-tongued little fellow. Interesting. The battlefield is dangerous. I hope that after this great war, I will still be able to see you.”
Her eloquence was inferior, and she had already taken a soft stab from Ning Zhuo. Taking advantage of the step offered by the Lord of Canglin Immortal City, she slowly sat down and stopped entangling herself with Ning Zhuo.
Although the verbal exchange ended, during the auction that followed she repeatedly targeted Ning Zhuo.
Whenever Ning Zhuo showed interest in any mechanical creation, she would purchase it at an exorbitant price, using her influence to suppress him. Her hostility was extremely obvious.
By the end of the auction, Ning Zhuo had gained almost nothing.
“I’m a little angry,” Ning Zhuo said to Mu Lan on the way back.
Mu Lan pondered for a moment. “She is, after all, a long-famous figure of the royal family. The Ingenious Princess is renowned throughout the nation and is one of the great banners among the royal family’s Nascent Soul cultivators.”
“There is no need to confront her head-on. We would suffer too much.”
Mu Lan was unwilling to support Ning Zhuo against her.
Even though Shuangling had exposed the marriage between her and Ning Zhuo and broken the Righteous Path’s tacit understanding, Mu Lan did not care much.
On one hand, she had been raised under the teachings of Elder General Mu since childhood and was loyal to Liangzhu Kingdom. On the other hand, she did not care about her reputation in this regard. Deep in her heart, she even hoped the marital relationship would be exposed and their connection confirmed.
If Ning Zhuo’s engagement with the royal family of Southern Dou Country could be broken and he were tied to the Grand General Mu’s Mansion instead, Mu Lan would be extremely happy.
The longer she spent with Ning Zhuo, the more interested she became in him.
“Uncle Zhang is much older than me and has a keen eye for judging people. He had long known that Ning Zhuo was my ideal husband.”
Ning Zhuo was young and wealthy. His Five Elements cultivation realm was extraordinary, and he controlled numerous mechanical creations. Though he possessed only Foundation Establishment cultivation, his combat strength had already reached the Golden Core level.
His strategic thinking, his ability to deal with people, and his performance as Military Advisor and Sacrificial Wine in the Three Generals Camp—always completing his duties swiftly—Mu Lan had witnessed all of it.
“The three brutes in the Three Generals Camp need Ning Zhuo to keep accounts and manage calculations. Does my Red Flower Camp not need that as well?”
Mu Lan was already calculating how to pull Ning Zhuo to her side.
After testing her intentions slightly, Ning Zhuo immediately understood her thoughts and said no more.
The two remained silent along the road. Once they left the city gate, Ning Zhuo immediately parted ways and returned to the Three Generals Camp to sleep.
In the following days, he mainly trained the troops and cultivated when he could.
During his free time, Ning Zhuo returned to the immortal city to purchase mechanical platforms, only to discover they had all been bought out by the Ingenious Princess.
“Son-in-law! The son-in-law of the Grand General’s Mansion—congratulations!”
“Lord Ning, please take the seat of honor.”
“Lord Ning, my young master has prepared a small banquet at the restaurant. Please honor us with your presence.”
With the exposure of the marriage between Ning Zhuo and Mu Lan, every movement of Ning Zhuo within the immortal city attracted enormous attention.
Ning Zhuo had no choice but to disguise himself and attempt to make purchases.
Even so, he still failed to buy any mechanical platforms.
All of those platforms had been seized by Shuangling, who used her identity to pressure every shop and monopolize the entire supply.
“This is too much. Little Zhuo, perhaps it’s time for our ‘Stone Dwelling Old Monster’ to take action!” Sun Lingtong said indignantly on Ning Zhuo’s behalf.
But Ning Zhuo shook his head and calmly analyzed, “The Ingenious Princess Shuangling is also skilled in group manipulation. She arrived at Canglin Immortal City in great haste—even Shuangjing didn’t know about it.”
“Now that she’s here, she’s purchasing materials on a massive scale and monopolizing all mechanical platforms. Clearly, she is preparing actively for war.”
“Suppressing us is merely incidental.”
“Since she is the princess of Liangzhu Kingdom, she must know more intelligence. Perhaps the day when we march to the front line again is already very close.”
Ning Zhuo’s analysis was correct.
The date for the rear army to move out arrived even earlier than he had expected.
Only three days later, a military order arrived. That very night, the rear army set out again.
During the march, every military camp formed marching formations. They were extremely cautious. At the slightest sign of disturbance, they would immediately halt and prepare for battle.
It was clear that the previous ambush had left a deep psychological shadow on many people.
This time, however, the march remained completely peaceful.
The Golden Halberd Army, Red Flower Camp, Barbarian-Demon Army, White Jade Camp, Three Generals Camp, and Fire Cloud Army all successfully arrived at the central army’s garrison—Woodwheel Town.
Du Tiechuan, the commander-in-chief of the three armies of Liangzhu Kingdom, summoned the various generals in batches.
When it was the turn of the Three Generals Camp, Du Tiechuan personally ordered that the Military Advisor and Sacrificial Wine Ning Zhuo also come for an audience.
Thus, Ning Zhuo accompanied Liu Er, Guan Hong, and Zhang Hei and met Du Tiechuan, a Soul Formation–level great cultivator, at close range.
Du Tiechuan was rather thin. His face had sharp angles, his brows and eyes were like blades, and his gaze was deep and calm. His skin was slightly pale. He wore a silver-thread hair crown, a grayish-green robe, and silver armor over it, exuding a stern and resolute aura.
After Liu Er, Guan Hong, and Zhang Hei reported their duties, Du Tiechuan gave a quiet acknowledgment and turned his gaze toward Ning Zhuo.
He spoke, “Young Master Ning Zhuo, please take a seat.”
Liu Er, Guan Hong, and Zhang Hei all showed respectful expressions, though Liu Er’s eyebrow lifted slightly.
After expressing his thanks, Ning Zhuo sat down with only half his weight on the chair, hands resting on his thighs, sitting upright with strict composure.
The identity of Military Advisor and Sacrificial Wine, or even the identity of the Ning Family, was not enough to earn such courtesy from a Soul Formation–level great cultivator and supreme commander of three armies.
The key was his identity as Mu Lan’s husband—the son-in-law of the Grand General Mu’s Mansion.
After offering several words of encouragement to the four of them, Du Tiechuan dismissed them.
On the way back, Liu Er, Guan Hong, Zhang Hei, and Ning Zhuo communicated through spiritual sense, discussing their impressions of Du Tiechuan.
Liu Er was distracted.
He could not stop thinking that Ning Zhuo received such courtesy because he had become Mu Lan’s husband. Yet according to the King’s Mandate, he himself should have been Mu Lan’s true husband!
Thinking of this made Liu Er feel extremely uncomfortable, and when he occasionally glanced at Ning Zhuo, faint traces of cold hostility flashed in his eyes.
After returning to his tent, Ning Zhuo began his daily cultivation, circulating the cultivation within his three dantians and nurturing treasure medicines.
At midnight, a sudden alarm bell rang out, echoing throughout the entire Woodwheel Town.
“Enemy attack!”
“This bell means enemies are attacking!”
“And powerful enemies at that!!”
Every army unit reacted immediately, and from this moment it became clear which army was the best trained.
Without question, the Red Flower Camp took first place, though the gap with the second-place Golden Halberd Army was not large.
Ning Zhuo immediately halted his cultivation, rushed out of the tent, and joined up with the three generals Liu, Guan, and Zhang.
They had acted earlier than him. Each of them was already mounted on a warhorse and mobilizing their troops.
Ning Zhuo’s mechanical army was far more convenient than living soldiers and could even be carried with him.
But at this moment, he first integrated himself with the army of the three generals to assess the true enemy situation before making any other decisions.
They waited for a while.
Scouts returned to report that there were no signs of any enemy troops nearby.
“Could it be a false alarm?”
Just as that thought arose, a military order was delivered.
The contents of the order were so explosive that, in order to prevent panic within the army, only generals and key high-ranking personnel were informed.
“What?! Commander Du Tiechuan was ambushed and is now severely injured?!”
“Who did it?”
“Young Lord Shengxu?!”