Chapter 496: Hongmen Wine
Because of the submission of the Dicebone Demon God, the fierce battle abruptly came to an end.
The Dao Field quickly dissipated, restoring the original appearance of Sky-Pillar Giant Tree Mountain.
The soldiers all kept their gazes fixed on Ning Zhuo. More precisely, on the bead bracelet around his wrist.
Ning Zhuo’s gaze was no exception.
At the same time, he communicated through his spiritual sense: “Dicebone Demon God, you… are truly willing to submit to me?”
The Dicebone Demon God sighed repeatedly. “After losing six rounds in a row, what else could I do?”
“Master, you need not doubt.”
“I was originally a white bone die that became a demon. Because I received offerings and incense worship, my strength grew—but it also brought drawbacks. That is, I must uphold certain principles.”
“One of those principles is that if I lose six rounds consecutively, then I have completely lost everything.”
Naturally, Ning Zhuo would not accept his words at face value. He continued questioning: “How do you prove it?”
“That is simple. Later this old servant will reopen the Dao Field. Master can enter the Dao Field and comprehend the Dao. Given enough time, you will grasp the relevant principles and naturally understand that this old servant speaks no falsehood.”
“Dao Field…” A glint of light flashed in Ning Zhuo’s eyes.
One explanation of cultivation was that it meant cultivating the true principles of the world.
A cultivator who mastered such principles could spread their Dao outward, forming a domain. This domain often became a self-contained territory—like the Dicebone Demon God’s Dao Field, which could cover the original forests and mountains.
Within a Dao Field, intelligent beings could approach the “Dao” at the closest distance and to the greatest extent. Those with strong comprehension could gain insights.
Once a cultivator unleashed their Dao Field, their strength would reach its peak state.
However, the drawback was that intelligent beings inside the Dao Field, by contacting the Dao, would gain various realizations and quickly understand the cultivator’s foundation.
Earlier, Liu Er had been able to learn the rule of losing everything precisely because of this.
“But the speed at which Liu Er comprehended that layer was somewhat too fast.” Thinking of this, Ning Zhuo questioned the Dicebone Demon God.
The Dicebone Demon God nodded. “That is one of the lowest-level secrets in my Dao Field, yet he discovered it. He must possess some technique or innate talent that allows him to quickly understand the Dao I have mastered.”
Hearing this, Ning Zhuo largely confirmed that the Dicebone Demon God was not lying.
After all, the method the demon had provided could easily be verified.
Ning Zhuo then asked about matters related to fate and fortune: “What cultivation method do you practice? It seems related to fortune and destiny?”
The Dicebone Demon God replied, “Arts related to divination and fortune are considered hidden studies among the Hundred Cultivation Arts. Unfortunately, this old servant did not possess the luck to obtain such true transmissions.”
“The reason I understand such principles is purely because of my origin.”
“However, since Master asks about the principles of fortune and destiny, this old servant does have some insights.”
“For example, destiny and fortune are different.”
“Destiny is number, foundation, the cornerstone. Fortune is movement, circulation, operation.”
“Destiny is stillness. Fortune is motion.”
“Destiny is already a result, while fortune is a trend.”
“Master, your destiny is not weak, but your fortune is extremely fierce. That is why this old servant lost six rounds consecutively.”
“Throwing six points every time is not particularly rare. As long as someone’s foundation surpasses mine, on this Dao Field they often throw high numbers. If it were a Soul Formation–level being, whose cultivation surpasses me greatly, they would certainly throw six every time.”
“But even if a Soul Formation–level being throws six every time, this old servant may not necessarily lose consecutively.”
“After all, I am the master of the Dao Field. Others only have one die, but this old servant has two. The advantage is enormous.”
Ning Zhuo suddenly understood. “You mean that rolling six every time is not strange. What is strange is that for six consecutive rounds, the total of your two dice was always lower than six?”
“Exactly!” said the Dicebone Demon God.
“This shows that Master’s fortune strongly influenced my destiny, causing the numbers I rolled to always be lower than yours.”
“This old servant dares to ask—what method is this?”
Ning Zhuo was baffled. “I have no idea!”
After a pause, he added, “I do carry a treasure that suppresses fortune.”
The Dicebone Demon God denied it. “That cannot be it. Suppressing fortune only resists external negative influences and ensures one’s destiny has a lower limit.”
“Master, I am certain that something must have happened without your knowledge.”
“Something that affected your fortune.”
Ning Zhuo felt very puzzled. “Who would be so kind?”
While Ning Zhuo communicated with the Dicebone Demon God, Liu Er, Guan Hong, and Zhang Hei began organizing the situation and cleaning the battlefield.
When Liu Er saw Ning Zhuo standing still, staring at the dice bracelet on his wrist, a familiar feeling rose again in his heart.
He felt strangely empty, as if someone had stolen something extremely important from him.
The first time he had felt this way was when Ning Zhuo and Mu Lan publicly signed their marriage contract.
Thus, his resentment toward Ning Zhuo deepened even further.
“Caw! Caw! Caw!”
A string of harsh bird cries came from the sky, drawing the soldiers’ attention.
Soon, a great iron-feathered eagle beat its wide wings and descended from the sky.
Someone tried to shoot it down, but Liu Er quickly stopped them.
The three Golden Core cultivators had already noticed the token hanging on the eagle’s body. Their command seals resonated with it.
The iron-feathered eagle hovered in midair, looking down at the soldiers with a hoarse voice.
“I am a messenger of Marshal Du. Three Generals Camp—you fought well, even subduing a local Demon God.”
“You must understand that local Demon Gods are extremely familiar with the enemy’s internal affairs. Such intelligence is very important for our country’s campaign to pacify Thousand Peaks Forest.”
“Not only that. If news spreads that the Dicebone Demon God has submitted to our country, it will deal a heavy blow to the morale of Thousand Peaks Forest.”
“That Foundation Establishment brat—quickly bring your Dicebone Demon God and follow me back to report. Marshal Du will certainly reward you!”
“As for the rest of you, continue advancing. Do not delay!”
The iron-feathered eagle spoke arrogantly and rudely.
The expressions of the three generals changed slightly.
Zhang Hei spoke first. “What reward?”
The iron-feathered eagle immediately grew displeased. “Insolence! Since you joined the army, you should focus on earning merit. How dare you demand rewards because of your achievements? Is that the conduct of a subject?”
Ning Zhuo cupped his hands. “But I am not a citizen of Liangzhu Kingdom. I come from Southern Dou Country. What reward it is—please inform me, Messenger.”
Hearing this, the iron-feathered eagle paused.
“With a great war imminent, Marshal Du naturally would not waste energy reporting such a minor achievement.”
“However, rest assured. Marshal Du has always been fair in rewards and punishments. You will not suffer losses, boy.”
Zhang Hei frowned immediately.
He understood the implication: Ning Zhuo must return and hand over the Dicebone Demon God, but for now there would be no reward. Only after the war ended and everything settled would Du Tiechuan report it, and only then would Liangzhu Kingdom grant rewards.
Zhang Hei opened his mouth to speak, but the next moment Liu Er transmitted a message through spiritual sense, telling him to say less.
Zhang Hei shut his mouth.
Liu Er’s feelings were complicated.
Ning Zhuo obtaining the Dicebone Demon God made him extremely uncomfortable.
Now hearing that Du Tiechuan intended to take it away, he felt an unavoidable sense of psychological relief and subconsciously chose to watch quietly.
A smile appeared on Ning Zhuo’s face as he cupped his hands. “I will obey the military order!”
“However… we have just undergone a fierce battle and are not in good condition.”
“If we retreat to Woodwheel Town now, we may encounter danger. It would be more appropriate to rest and recover to peak condition first.”
The iron-feathered eagle snorted coldly. “Military matters are urgent. You, a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, are not important.”
“I watched the battle from start to finish.”
“You can remain in Three Generals Camp and command the mechanical army.”
“Hand the bone bracelet to me. I will deliver it to Marshal Du.”
As soon as the words fell, the bone bracelet shook, and the voice of the Dicebone Demon God rang out.
“You petty iron eagle dares to command me?”
“What destiny do you possess? Dare you gamble a round of dice with me?”
“Except for my master, even if the Heavenly King himself came, he could not command me!”
The iron-feathered eagle shouted angrily. “You! Insolence!”
The bone bracelet emitted a pale white glow, as if it might attack the next moment.
The iron-feathered eagle subconsciously flapped its wings and flew higher into the sky.
Ning Zhuo immediately shouted in reprimand, and only then did the bone bracelet’s white light fade.
The iron-feathered eagle glared fiercely at Ning Zhuo. “Boy, you had better discipline your servant! I represent Marshal Du here!”
Ning Zhuo hurriedly cupped his hands in apology. “Lord Iron Eagle, please do not be offended. I have only just subdued this servant and will certainly discipline him. Please forgive this offense.”
“How about allowing me to prepare some humble wine and set up a camp tent to properly host Your Excellency?”
The iron-feathered eagle snorted, neither agreeing nor refusing.
At this time, Guan Hong stroked his beard and said, “Our Three Generals Camp also needs to rest after this battle. Supervisor, why not enter the tent and rest for a while before returning to the marshal’s location?”
Only then did the iron eagle nod and slowly land on a large tree.
Soon, while Three Generals Camp cleaned the battlefield, they also built a camp.
After the time it took to burn one incense stick, the camp was finished. The iron eagle entered the commander’s tent, accompanied personally by Liu Er, Guan Hong, Zhang Hei, and Ning Zhuo.
The iron eagle was a demon cultivator who had not yet taken human form.
“What wine is this? Deep and powerful, with a rich aroma that lingers endlessly.”
The iron eagle stared at the dark red wine in the cup, surprised and satisfied.
Ning Zhuo replied, “I have a close friend in the Myriad Medicines Sect of Southern Dou Country who loves wine. When I came to Canglin Immortal City, I bought some fine wine along the way.”
“This is one of them, called Hongmen Wine.”
“It is brewed with an ancient method—wine lees fermented together with spring water, supplemented with Hidden Fragrance Grass and Blood Vine Flowers.”
The iron eagle recalled for a moment. “Hidden Fragrance Grass? Blood Vine Flowers?”
“One often grows around treacherous ministers and strategists, while the other grows in dark corners nourished by resentful blood.”
“I did not expect these two spiritual plants could produce such wonderful wine… Hmm?!”
Suddenly his expression changed sharply, and his voice became shrill.
“Why can I no longer use any mana?! What did you put in the wine?!”
“Bold Ning Zhuo! What are you trying to do?!”
Liu Er, Guan Hong, and Zhang Hei were extremely surprised, but Ning Zhuo remained seated calmly, smiling.
“Supervisor, have you heard the saying—when a general is in the field, some military orders need not be obeyed?”
“Besides, this is not even a military order.”
The iron eagle shouted angrily. “Insolence! Though it was not issued personally by Marshal Du, I am certain he would give the same order if he were present!”
“Ning Zhuo, you traitor who disregards ruler and nation! For the sake of personal gain, you refuse to surrender the Dicebone Demon!”
“Not only that, you poisoned the wine to detain me!”
Ning Zhuo showed a strange smile. “Supervisor, why assume that I intend to detain you?”
As he spoke, he raised his wine cup—but instead of drinking, he casually threw it to the ground.
The cup shattered.
A group of barbarian cultivators rushed into the tent and surrounded the iron eagle.
The iron eagle shrieked in panic. “Don’t kill me! Don’t kill me! I was wrong! I was wrong, Lord Ning Zhuo! Spare me—I will praise you everywhere!”
“Don’t kill me! I swear I will keep silent!”
“Ahhh!”
Accompanying his screams were the barbarian cultivators raising their blades and axes high before bringing them down fiercely.
The iron eagle was only at the Foundation Establishment level and had drunk the Hongmen Wine. His body was weak and he could not mobilize mana.
Soon he was chopped into a pile of shattered bones and minced flesh.
The tent filled with the smell of blood.
Liu Er sighed. “Was this truly necessary?”
Zhang Hei immediately said, “Good—of course it was! That arrogant bird deserved this fate.”
Guan Hong added, “With that iron eagle in the sky, everything about our Three Generals Camp was seen clearly. Leaking military intelligence is a major taboo.”
“Brother, our Three Generals Camp was sent out at this moment—it is obvious Marshal Du does not value us and intends to use us as pawns to test the enemy.”
Finally Ning Zhuo spoke. “We did not kill the supervisor.”
“Everyone saw it. A group of barbarian enemy soldiers surrounded him and killed him.”
This group of barbarian cultivators had naturally been summoned by the Dicebone Demon God.
Liu Er sighed deeply again. “I wish to build merit and achieve great deeds, yet it is so difficult. My two worthy brothers speak reasonably—so be it.”
Ning Zhuo waved his hand and dismissed the barbarian cultivators.
They cast hateful looks but feared the Dicebone Demon God more, so they left reluctantly.
Now that the Dicebone Demon God had surrendered, the Bone Temple no longer needed to be destroyed.
Many barbarian cultivators had also secretly been persuaded to surrender. After Three Generals Camp left, they would reoccupy Dicebone Giant Tree Mountain. If Three Generals Camp ever had to retreat in defeat, this would serve as a fallback route.
As for the murderer of the iron eagle supervisor, it would naturally be reported that Three Generals Camp had hunted them down and avenged him.
In reality, several barbarian corpses from the battlefield were chopped into minced flesh. A portion was taken as evidence, while the rest were discarded.
With no supervisor above them, Liu Er, Guan Hong, Zhang Hei, and Ning Zhuo all felt relieved.
Three Generals Camp officially began resting at Dicebone Giant Tree Mountain.
The wounded were treated, while the three generals conducted small-scale, low-intensity training.
Ning Zhuo, however, had much more work.
On one hand, he questioned the Dicebone Demon God for intelligence about Thousand Peaks Forest.
On the other hand, he worked together with Sun Lingtong to repair the mechanical puppets.
After this battle, more than four hundred mechanical puppets had been reduced by half, leaving just over two hundred.
That was even counting those repaired.
“The losses are too great.” Ning Zhuo sighed. “If I had known, I would have bought more.”
He simply lacked experience in this matter.
But now even if he returned to Canglin Immortal City, it was too late.
Ever since the Mechanism Princess Shuang Ling entered the city, she had overwhelmingly bought up all the mechanical puppets. Even future shop reservations were taken by her.
“Master, you want more mechanical puppets? This old servant suddenly remembered a piece of intelligence.”
“Liangzhu Kingdom has dispatched a transport convoy carrying a large number of mechanical creations. Judging by their pace, they should soon reach Thiefless Valley.”
Ning Zhuo raised his brows slightly.
Inside Wanli Dragon, Sun Lingtong’s eyes shone brightly as well, letting out a long “Oh—”.