Chapter 544: Ning Zhuo Had Rendered a Great Merit!
Zhao Xi’s current situation was far from favorable.
This time, under his command, the main army of Liangzhu Kingdom had organized a Nascent Soul–level battle squad specifically to deal with the Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts.
Yet beneath the combined divine ability of Heaven and Earth, only three Nascent Soul cultivators escaped alive. All the rest had perished.
This was an extremely heavy loss for the main army of Liangzhu Kingdom!
And as the highest leader at present, Zhao Xi bore an inescapable responsibility.
“I should have insisted on my original intention. There was no need to provoke the Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts at all!” Zhao Xi himself had never possessed strong fighting intent.
But he had no choice.
When one sat in that position, one had to plan its affairs.
Previously, Heaven and Earth Twin Hooks, the Red-Sleeved Immortal Maiden, and the others had been extremely arrogant, successfully snatching the spoils of war from Liangzhu Kingdom’s main army.
The generals of Liangzhu Kingdom all wanted to reclaim their dignity and boost morale.
Of course, there was also an intention to test Zhao Xi!
If this battle had been won, Zhao Xi could have stabilized his authority further. But the reality was that the battle had ended in disastrous defeat. The excellent momentum Zhao Xi had previously established had nearly collapsed entirely.
Zhao Xi tried his best to keep his expression and tone calm. “Gentlemen, do not worry. In this war, Liangzhu Kingdom will surely prevail!”
“This was only a minor setback. Let us first observe the situation and allow True Person Lieyang and the others to return to camp to obtain the most detailed intelligence.”
A Nascent Soul–level general snorted coldly. “At present, that is the only thing we can do.”
Another general added, “I already proposed earlier that we should not take such a risk. Military affairs should never be initiated out of anger. Alas—loyal words may sound unpleasant, but they are beneficial to action.”
Zhao Xi’s face turned icy as he coldly looked toward the cultivator who had spoken.
The two cultivators did not evade his gaze. They met his eyes calmly.
The atmosphere inside the room immediately grew stiff.
At that moment, a subordinate reported that the three Nascent Soul cultivators had returned from the front line.
Zhao Xi said, “Let them enter.”
A dozen breaths later, with True Person Lieyang at the front, the three Nascent Soul cultivators walked into the room and met the crowd.
“Alas, a defeated general returns to plead guilty!” True Person Lieyang immediately clasped his hands in salute, his face filled with dejection.
Everyone, including Zhao Xi, looked toward them.
They saw that all three Nascent Soul cultivators were drenched in blood, utterly disheveled. Shame filled their expressions, and traces of unmistakable fear remained.
Zhao Xi snorted coldly. “I entrusted that carefully selected battle squad to you. Lieyang, and this is how you handled it?”
“You are indeed guilty!”
“Begin redeeming yourself now. First explain everything you saw and heard so we can discuss updated strategies.”
True Person Lieyang no longer possessed his former golden-crow-like arrogance. He sighed deeply toward the sky and obediently cooperated. “Yes, Lord Zhao.”
Beside him, Floating Cloud Master shook his head.
“It’s impossible. There is absolutely no possibility of defeating the Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts!”
“The power of their Heaven–Earth combined strike is simply impossible to resist.”
“You were merely lucky not to be chosen—so you survived.”
Floating Cloud Master looked extremely depressed and devoid of fighting spirit, completely despondent.
Zhao Xi shouted coldly, “Silence!”
He pointed at Floating Cloud Master.
“Your Dao partner Mountain Peak Master died in the Heaven–Earth combined strike. It is understandable that you feel discouraged.”
“But a great battle is imminent. If you continue speaking recklessly and shaking the army’s morale, I will execute you as a warning to others!”
Floating Cloud Master stared blankly at Zhao Xi and gave a miserable smile.
“Enough… enough.”
At this moment, another Nascent Soul–level main general looked toward Zhao Xi and suddenly said, “The three of them are all brave warriors. They dared face the Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts directly and still returned alive. Personally, I see nothing worthy of blame!”
The implication was obvious—Zhao Xi, as commander, bore the primary responsibility.
Zhao Xi glared fiercely at the speaker. “You!”
The Beidou Sword Master watched everyone arguing with a gloomy expression.
He was a sword cultivator, but the flying sword he used to slay enemies in battle had instead become his means of escape in this fight.
His pride had been shattered.
He only wanted revenge.
“You all continue your discussion. I will immediately enter closed-door cultivation to recover my injuries.”
“If the Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts come, call me. I will fight with everything I have and wash away this humiliation!”
After saying this, the Beidou Sword Master turned and left without looking back.
As the commander stationed here, Zhao Xi naturally lost considerable face. The Beidou Sword Master’s independent action revealed how greatly Zhao Xi’s authority had diminished.
However, just as the Beidou Sword Master opened the door and was about to step outside, a messenger cultivator rushed in joyfully with a jade slip of intelligence.
“Victory report! A victory report from the front!!”
“Our army has won.”
“The Three Generals Camp has won!”
“They drove away the Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts! They may even have inflicted casualties upon them!”
“Uh—”
The messenger ran into the hall and suddenly noticed that almost everyone’s eyes were staring directly at him.
In an instant, immense pressure pressed down on him like a mountain, making even breathing difficult.
“That’s impossible!!” The Beidou Sword Master, closest to him, widened his eyes like bronze bells and blurted out.
The messenger’s legs went weak in fright and he collapsed onto the ground.
Bang.
Another general slammed his palm on the table.
“Spreading false military intelligence is a grave crime! Do you know you could be executed for it?”
Even Zhao Xi himself did not believe it.
He shouted, “What intelligence is it exactly? Present it first.”
The messenger trembled, suddenly regaining his senses. He hurriedly climbed up and ran toward Zhao Xi under everyone’s gaze, handing over the jade slip.
He was so frightened he dared not say a single word.
Zhao Xi poured his spiritual sense into the jade slip, his face gloomy.
The council hall fell silent. Everyone stared at Zhao Xi. Even the slightest change in his expression would be noticed.
Then they witnessed Zhao Xi displaying an unprecedentedly vivid expression.
Originally, his eyes had been narrowed. Suddenly they widened as if they might pop out.
The shock he experienced was so intense that Zhao Xi—who always maintained strict official dignity—subconsciously opened his mouth.
He was so stunned that he could not close it!
After the powerful shock, his contracted pupils rapidly expanded. The icy expression on his face seemed to transform into spring in an instant—sunshine bright, everything renewed.
“We won. The Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts fled in defeat!”
“The Three Generals Camp won!!”
“A great merit! Ning Zhuo has rendered a great merit!”
“Good—excellent!”
“Wonderful—absolutely wonderful!”
“Hahaha!”
The generals looked at one another, all unable to believe it.
Some stared at Zhao Xi and reminded him, “Supervisor Zhao, do not misjudge. You are the highest leader of our main army.”
But Zhao Xi glanced at him disdainfully.
Not only did his laughter not stop—it grew even more vigorous.
For a time, Zhao Xi’s loud laughter filled the council hall and echoed in everyone’s ears.
“This intelligence is supported by solid evidence. Not only are there detailed visual recordings, but they also retrieved heavy treasures such as the Bronze Sundial!”
“In fact, the Three Generals Camp is already on its triumphant return.”
“In this battle, our army first lost and then won. The Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts fled in defeat. We have won!”
As he spoke, he flung the jade slip directly at the face of the general who had previously objected.
The general hurriedly dodged, caught the jade slip, and immediately examined it with his spiritual sense.
The next moment, his expression changed dramatically.
“T-there is actually such a method?!”
“What exactly happened?” someone asked urgently.
The shocked general was still digesting the intelligence and did not respond.
“Forget it, I’ll read it myself!” Another general impatiently grabbed it.
Spiritual sense reading was extremely fast. The next moment, he also widened his eyes.
“Ning… Ning Zhuo, this junior—what kind of demonic method did he use to make Heavenly Frost turn against them?”
“Turn against them?!”
“Who turned against whom???”
“Did I hear correctly just now? I think I heard that the Heaven Ghost turned traitor?!”
The other generals erupted into chaos. None could remain seated.
They all stood up and reached for the jade slip.
However, one person was faster than all of them.
The Beidou Sword Master.
Holding the jade slip, he finished reading it and stood frozen in place.
“We really won?!”
“Did the Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts die?!” Floating Cloud Master suddenly grew excited.
His Dao partner Mountain Peak Master had died beneath the Heaven–Earth combined strike. The Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts were the greatest enemies of his life.
Floating Cloud Master had believed revenge was impossible.
He had never expected to hear news of their defeat.
However, he did not get the jade slip. The generals surrounded the Beidou Sword Master, several hands pressing onto the jade slip simultaneously as multiple strands of spiritual sense entered together to read the intelligence.
Shouts of astonishment erupted one after another.
Soon the jade slip had been passed around to everyone.
Zhao Xi still sat in the main seat with an iron-like expression.
But anyone could sense his relief, his joy, and his exhilaration.
Zhao Xi coughed twice, drawing everyone’s attention.
“This time, the Three Generals Camp has rendered a great merit and must be greatly rewarded.”
“Remember, their opponent was the Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts!”
It was precisely because many Nascent Soul cultivators had died beneath the Heaven–Earth combined strike that the achievements of Liu Er, Guan Hong, Zhang Hei, and Ning Zhuo appeared even more outstanding.
“Reward them—we must heavily reward these meritorious heroes!”
“In this great war, Liangzhu Kingdom will surely win!!”
At the end, Zhao Xi could no longer restrain himself. He clenched his fist and shouted passionately.
The generals fell silent.
True Person Lieyang, the Beidou Sword Master, and Floating Cloud Master all showed different expressions.
Zhao Xi glared at them and scanned the room, releasing a threatening grunt from his nose.
The generals suddenly realized the situation. They hurriedly voiced agreement, expressing joy at their side’s victory and affirming Zhao Xi’s wise leadership.
“At such tremendous merit from the Three Generals Camp, how should they be rewarded?” True Person Lieyang suddenly asked with a complicated expression.
Zhao Xi did not catch the hidden meaning and waved his hand.
“Our army has always been clear in rewards and punishments. Naturally we will grant rewards strictly according to military merit. And we must distribute the rewards as quickly as possible—to honor the meritorious and boost morale!”
True Person Lieyang nodded. “Naturally.”
“But…” His tone changed.
“Ning Zhuo, this young man, possesses extraordinary methods. His future potential is limitless.”
“To defeat the Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts, the power he displayed exceeded expectations. It may influence the coming course of the war.”
“We should properly protect him.”
These words caused the joy on Zhao Xi’s face to fade significantly.
He immediately fell into deep thought.
Many generals also understood the implication and became silent.
After a moment, Zhao Xi spoke.
“True Person Lieyang’s concern is justified. Quickly—we will dispatch a unit to leave camp and welcome them. Bring Young Master Ning Zhuo back to camp immediately!”
“He is the greatest contributor of this battle!!”
However, when the generals led by Zhao Xi finally met up with the Three Generals Camp, they discovered that Ning Zhuo had vanished.
“Where is Ning Zhuo? Where is Young Master Ning Zhuo?!” Zhao Xi demanded from Liu Er.
Liu Er clasped his hands respectfully.
“Reporting to Lord Zhao: After the battle ended and we were cleaning the battlefield, a Nascent Soul cultivator appeared and revealed himself as the bodyguard of Military Advisor Ning Zhuo.”
“The Military Advisor had already been taken away by his guard.”
“What?!” Zhao Xi’s eyes widened.
The Nascent Soul cultivators accompanying him were also stunned.
True Person Lieyang urgently asked, “Are you certain he was Ning Zhuo’s guard? Liu Er, can you guarantee it? If you were deceived, the greatest hero of this battle may lose his life—and Liangzhu Kingdom would become a laughingstock!”
“Can you bear such responsibility?”
Liu Er calmly looked at True Person Lieyang, straightened his chest, and answered confidently.
“We are absolutely certain. After revealing his identity, Military Advisor Ning himself woke up and personally confirmed it.”
True Person Lieyang’s eyelids twitched. He clenched his teeth, suppressing the regret in his heart, and forced out a smile.
“That’s good… that’s good.”
Zhao Xi sighed.
Without controlling Ning Zhuo, he could not control the method capable of counterbalancing the Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts.
His heart was filled with regret, yet he could only smile toward Liu Er, Guan Hong, and Zhang Hei.
“You have all worked hard. In this desperate battle, the Three Generals Camp displayed its courage and the military might of Liangzhu Kingdom.”
“Return with me to the main camp. You will certainly receive great rewards!”
Liu Er loudly thanked him, secretly happy for Ning Zhuo—who had avoided this disaster.
In truth, after Heavenly Frost chased Earth Ash away and the battle ended, Zhu Xuanji—who had been observing the entire fight—deeply furrowed his brows.
A huge question had arisen in his mind.
Did Ning Zhuo truly possess the Divine Ability—Life Hanging by a Thread?!
The Southern Dou royal family knew many secrets about this divine ability. One of them was that unless one possessed extremely profound methods, most people could not detect Life Hanging by a Thread.
However, cultivators who possessed this divine ability could perceive the threads of life.
Otherwise, the Southern Dou royal family would not have gone to such lengths to send Shen Lingshu to subtly investigate the answer.
“At that time, Ning Zhuo’s state had been strengthened by military arts, reaching the peak of the Golden Core level. If he possessed this divine ability, he might have been able to connect with Heavenly Frost Mask.”
“But this divine ability does not require physical contact. Yet Ning Zhuo pressed both palms against the ghost mask’s back. That action contradicts the possibility.”
“Is the Buddha Heart Demon Seal alone enough to flood the ghost mask with Buddhist intent and influence the main body?”
“No matter what, Ning Zhuo’s situation is unsafe. I should rescue him first.”
Thus Zhu Xuanji instructed Lin Bufan to appear and retrieve Ning Zhuo.
After Ning Zhuo fainted, Sun Lingtong controlled the Wanli Dragon and flew out from Ning Zhuo’s waist.
Although he did not leave the Puppet Dragon, he revealed his presence and voice to the Three Generals.
Guan Hong stroked his beard. “During the fierce battle earlier, I indeed sensed someone removing the ice spike from the Military Advisor’s body. So it was you.”
Zhang Hei “guessed” Sun Lingtong’s identity and nodded in understanding.
“Oh, I see. You are the Military Advisor’s little book attendant.”
Liu Er, meanwhile, looked toward the Wanli Dragon. He had noticed the mechanical construct long ago but pretended to see it for the first time.
With heartfelt emotion he said, “The Military Advisor values loyalty and righteousness—truly admirable. With such a creation, he could have traversed the void and retreated early. Yet he remained with us and fought to the death without retreat.”
“How fortunate I, Liu Er, am to have encountered such a comrade-in-arms!”
Upon hearing this, Guan Hong and Zhang Hei’s expressions also changed, revealing deep emotion.
Sun Lingtong rolled his eyes inwardly.
“You think we never considered escaping?”
Of course he would not say that aloud.
Seeing the expressions of the three generals, he thought to himself:
“Let this beautiful misunderstanding continue.”
At this moment, Lin Bufan revealed himself, immediately raising the vigilance of the Three Generals Camp’s soldiers.
Liu Er, Guan Hong, and Zhang Hei did not trust him immediately.
But Sun Lingtong spoke in Lin Bufan’s support.
Lin Bufan then secretly showed them the Wood-Within-Fire.
Only then did the three generals tentatively believe him, though they still refused to let Ning Zhuo leave.
It was not until Ning Zhuo woke up and personally confirmed Lin Bufan’s identity that they agreed.
Lin Bufan suggested that Ning Zhuo separate from the Three Generals Camp and not return to the Liangzhu Kingdom main army camp.
Ning Zhuo had already considered this idea.
So after dividing the spoils of war, he temporarily parted ways with the three generals.