Chapter 622: Mysterious Organization
Upon hearing Zheng Shoumo directly admit it, Yang Sanyan and Wen Ruanyu were both somewhat taken aback.
Earlier, Zheng Shoumo had still been arguing forcefully with Ning Zhuo on solid grounds. Yet at the very end, he had suddenly surrendered of his own accord.
“What’s going on here?” Both of them were filled with doubt.
They looked toward Ning Zhuo, expecting an explanation.
Ning Zhuo merely smiled faintly. “Since that is the case, Elder Zheng might as well surrender without resistance. After all, you have contributed greatly to the instruction and transformation of White Paper Immortal City. You may strive for lenient treatment.”
Zheng Shoumo let out a cold laugh. “Boy, although you have no concrete evidence, you do have some tricks.”
“You want to capture me alive? That won’t be so easy.”
Before his words had fully fallen, a surge of qi burst forth from his body.
Dao-Field—Hidden Scales of Dragon Pool!
In the next instant, two Dao-Fields merged together, rapidly transforming the surrounding environment.
What had originally been a prairie of waist-high, lush green grass was now turned into marshy watergrass terrain, with massive boulders scattered about.
Several small streams flowed gently, water murmuring as it ran.
Wen Ruanyu drew out his brush and wrote in the air.
Yang Sanyan urged forth his flying blade, which tore across the sky.
From two directions, the written characters and the flying blade struck toward Zheng Shoumo almost simultaneously.
This was clearly intentional coordination between Wen Ruanyu and Yang Sanyan. Though it was their first time fighting side by side, their combat instincts were sharp. From the moment they acted, they synchronized their speeds and launched a pincer attack on Zheng Shoumo.
Zheng Shoumo did not dodge. He remained standing in place.
In the next moment, a surge of water gushed out, encircling Zheng Shoumo’s body and shielding him completely.
The written characters fell into the semi-transparent water, splashing up a few waves.
The more powerful flying blade magical instrument was swallowed by the water, causing only faint ripples.
Yang Sanyan and Wen Ruanyu both revealed grave expressions at the sight.
Ning Zhuo promptly warned, “Be careful. That’s Overturning Water!”
Water-Attribute Sin Treasure—Overturning Water! Whatever it covered would have its connections severed.
As the saying went—spilled water cannot be gathered again.
In that instant, Wen Ruanyu suddenly understood.
Yang Sanyan glanced at Ning Zhuo and also understood why, at the final moment, Zheng Shoumo had suddenly grown dispirited, abandoned his argument, and admitted to being an insider.
Because he could not accept being imprisoned.
The key reason lay in Overturning Water!
Treasures of the Five Elements were all difficult to store and costly to maintain.
For Water-Attribute Virtue and Sin Treasures, storage generally followed one principle—water flows downward.
To preserve pure Overturning Water came at an extremely high cost. With the slightest negligence, the pure Overturning Water would dilute itself.
In daily storage, cultivators usually diluted the Overturning Water proactively, greatly reducing the maintenance cost.
When needed, they would refine it again.
This principle, Ning Zhuo had learned from Li Xiangshang.
As a being who had transformed from a carp into a flood dragon, Li Xiangshang had once been chosen by the White-Headed Dragon Lord to cultivate within Weak Water.
Each time living water was introduced to dilute the Weak Water, he had struggled and advanced step by step, rising closer and closer to the sleeping level, until he finally leapt out of the pool.
Weak Water was like this; Overturning Water was the same.
Zheng Shoumo had originally controlled the Ink Pool, so placing the Overturning Water within it as a disguise in daily life had been extremely convenient.
Zheng Shoumo had once disguised himself and used the Dao-Field—Hidden Scales of Dragon Pool to ambush and kill Jinyangzi.
Sun Lingtong had witnessed that entire process.
Because of that, Ning Zhuo knew that this traitor possessed Overturning Water.
When Ning Zhuo had suspected Zheng Shoumo from the flaws in Yang Weida, he had immediately connected all the previous clues.
Before coming here, Ning Zhuo had already made a secret guess: if he was correct, then Zheng Shoumo would likely be carrying the Overturning Water with him.
If he was wrong, at worst he would imprison a Golden Core cultivator.
For the greater situation of White Paper Immortal City, that would not create much of an obstacle.
Just as Ning Zhuo had said publicly: he was no Divine Constable and had never considered himself skilled in solving cases. He did not need to possess evidence to act. If he was right, excellent. If he was wrong, no matter.
According to Wen Ruanyu, Zheng Shoumo had once followed Meng Yaoyin.
If he had wronged the man, Ning Zhuo believed that revealing his true identity would surely win forgiveness.
Zheng Shoumo carried the evidence of guilt on his person!
That evidence was Overturning Water.
If it were discovered during a search, no matter how he explained it, the suspicion would be immense.
Therefore, he would harbor no illusions of luck, nor would he ever accept house arrest.
Whether or not Overturning Water was found, if he were confined for too long, it could not be maintained. Like food losing freshness, its mysterious power would dissipate, constantly degrading. His battle strength would plummet along with it.
Zheng Shoumo’s greatest reliance was Overturning Water!
After blocking the attacks, Zheng Shoumo thrust both palms forward, sending waves of Overturning Water surging outward.
Wen Ruanyu, Yang Sanyan, and Ning Zhuo all retreated.
Without prior discussion, the three of them simultaneously activated spells.
Yang Sanyan unleashed streak after streak of blade light. Wen Ruanyu’s brush danced as he continuously wrote characters. Ning Zhuo formed hand seals, mouth seals, and heart seals together, releasing Five Elements spells in rapid succession.
Boom, boom, boom…
Spells and Overturning Water clashed violently, sending waves splashing and steam rising.
Ning, Wen, and Yang all continuously activated protective spells around their bodies. Unless absolutely necessary, they would not use their own treasures or magical instruments, lest they be swallowed by Overturning Water.
Zheng Shoumo rose into the air. While urging Overturning Water, he simultaneously activated his own magical treasures, striking in all directions.
Fighting as they retreated, the trio was gradually forced into a disadvantage.
Although Zheng Shoumo clearly held the upper hand, his expression was solemn. Overturning Water was powerful, but it was especially effective against magical treasures and instruments.
If he had faced any one of the three alone, he could have forced the opponent to resort to using treasures or magical instruments.
At that point, he could have used Overturning Water to forcibly seize their treasures, triggering backlash and greatly weakening them.
But now, the three joined forces and relied only on spells, sharing the pressure among themselves and stabilizing the situation.
Thus, the battle had become one of spells exhausting Overturning Water—an extremely unfavorable scenario for Zheng Shoumo.
“I must attack with full force. I cannot hold back! The opportunity is right now. I must force out their magical treasures and instruments.” Zheng Shoumo prepared to activate another magical treasure.
Yang Sanyan had already grown impatient. With a cold snort, the vertical mark on his forehead suddenly opened.
Superior Innate Talent—Looking Down on Everything!
His gaze turned fierce and blindingly bright. When it shone upon the Overturning Water, a large portion of it rapidly vanished.
Yang Sanyan was proud and arrogant. Being pushed into a disadvantage in a three-on-one fight had already stirred anger within him.
Now, as it erupted, the tide of battle shifted at once.
“Good opportunity!” Ning Zhuo and Wen Ruanyu’s hearts stirred as they seized the moment.
One unleashed Mysterious Gold Slash. The other wrote three killing characters in succession.
Zheng Shoumo felt a chill throughout his body, as if plunged into an icy abyss. He sensed overwhelming killing intent.
He hastily shifted from offense to defense. But having just committed fully to attack, the transition required time—even if swift.
For him, that brief instant was the difference between life and death!
First, Mysterious Gold Slash shattered his defenses. Then the three killing characters stamped directly onto his body.
Zheng Shoumo spat blood and was blasted backward, his aura plunging to its lowest point.
The Overturning Water dispersed, spilling onto the ground and losing control.
Yang Sanyan had erased so much Overturning Water at great cost. His third eye was now ashen and nearly blind!
Ignoring it, he summoned another flying blade.
The blade shot forth like lightning, arriving before Zheng Shoumo in the blink of an eye, aimed at his forehead—to pierce into his Sea of Consciousness Dantian!
Gravely wounded and dazed, Zheng Shoumo could not react.
But at the critical moment, a token was suddenly activated. It flew out from his storage ring and blocked the flying blade.
Immediately, the token floated midair, radiating profound light.
Within the light, a vortex archway formed.
The archway emitted a suction force, directly pulling Zheng Shoumo into it before vanishing completely.
This scene stunned Ning Zhuo, Wen Ruanyu, and Yang Sanyan.
They had all been confident of capturing Zheng Shoumo. Yet such an ending had occurred.
“What kind of method is this?!” Ning Zhuo cried out in disbelief.
All three cast suspicious gazes toward the token.
After absorbing Zheng Shoumo, the vortex archway disappeared entirely, leaving only the token to fall from the air onto the grass.
Yang Sanyan beckoned with his hand, drawing the token into his palm.
Examining it closely, he saw that it was now riddled with cracks. If it were to shatter completely in the next instant, it would not be surprising.
The original patterns on the token could only barely be discerned.
The cracks crisscrossed—some like furious thunderbolts, others twisted and ferocious—interweaving into the faint shape of a gate.
Its aura had fallen to the mundane level. It was now just an ordinary object, not even qualifying as the lowest-grade magical instrument.
Clearly, this wondrous item could only be used once.
Wen Ruanyu stepped forward, staring at the shattered token. “What exactly is this?”
Ning Zhuo had the same question. “Dao-Fields isolate inside from outside. Zheng Shoumo even personally activated his Dao-Field and was the master of Hidden Scales of Dragon Pool. Yet he was still able to escape directly?!”
Yang Sanyan stared fixedly at the token in his hand, his heart shaken.
His expression turned extremely grim. After a long pause, he looked at Wen Ruanyu and Ning Zhuo, his voice low and filled with shock, wariness, and gravity.
“It’s normal that you don’t recognize this.”
“All I can say is—this matter is of enormous consequence!”
“I must immediately send a flying message to report back to the sect!”
Ning Zhuo and Wen Ruanyu exchanged glances.
Yang Sanyan’s gaze swept over Wen Ruanyu before settling on Ning Zhuo’s face. After hesitating, he said, “Your mother Meng Yaoyin’s death—and the fall of the other talented disciples—were very likely caused by this organization.”
“What?!” Ning Zhuo’s expression changed drastically as he urgently pressed for details.
But Yang Sanyan shook his head. “This is a secret of the Evil-Slaying Hall of the Myriad Phenomena Sect. Even Golden Core True Disciples like Wen Ruanyu mostly do not know of it. If you wish to know, I suggest that after joining the Myriad Phenomena Sect, you enter the Evil-Slaying Hall with me.”
“Myriad Phenomena Sect… Evil-Slaying Hall…” Ning Zhuo muttered, brows tightly furrowed.
He knew that his mother had suffered a Dao Wound, but he did not know how it had been inflicted.
Meng Yaoyin had not cultivated the Bizarre Dao.
Now Yang Sanyan was telling him that it was very likely some organization had secretly harmed his mother. And this token that enabled escape from peril was one of that organization’s symbols.
For a moment, anger surged within Ning Zhuo, mixed with suspicion.
Yang Sanyan cast several spells to preserve the shattered token carefully before placing it into his storage belt.
With a solemn expression, he said to Wen Ruanyu and Ning Zhuo, “The situation is far more complicated than I imagined.”
“Zheng Shoumo belonged to this organization. He has stayed in White Paper Immortal City for many years. If this organization intends to lay its hands on this Immortal City, the reality may be far worse than I expected.”
“I must first investigate the City Lord and the upper ranks of the Immortal City. That includes the two of you.”
Wen Ruanyu said seriously, “Please proceed as you see fit.”
Ning Zhuo said, “I am willing to cooperate actively. But this must be done secretly. White Paper Immortal City is already facing the dual siege of the Ghost Tide and Yin Soldiers. The atmosphere in the city is tense enough as it is.”
Yang Sanyan nodded slightly, his sharp gaze fixed on Ning Zhuo. “You are probably fine. If there were anything suspicious, you would not have exposed Zheng Shoumo.”
“I am now highly suspicious of the White Paper City Lord!”
“The current City Lord of White Paper Immortal City is quite ambitious. Her true body has not appeared publicly for many years.”
Ning Zhuo touched his Mechanical Ring and, seeing no reaction, said, “I am willing to accompany Senior Yang to visit the City Lord’s true body!”
A flash of appreciation crossed Yang Sanyan’s eyes. “As expected of the descendant of our sect’s Golden Core True Disciple.”
Wen Ruanyu added, “I am also willing to go!”
“Good.” Yang Sanyan took charge. “Then the three of us shall go directly to the City Lord’s Mansion.”
Yang Sanyan withdrew his Dao-Field. With no one presiding over it, Hidden Scales of Dragon Pool also dissipated, its disturbance drawing the attention of nearby cultivators.
Wen Ruanyu offered a few brief explanations and temporary reassurances.
The three arrived at the City Lord’s Mansion and first encountered the City Lord’s Paper Avatar.
Wen Ruanyu cupped his hands. “Brother Yang, allow me to explain the situation, if I may?”
He feared Yang Sanyan’s pride might lead to improper negotiation and unnecessary trouble.
Yang Sanyan glanced at him and nodded slightly. “You are also a Golden Core True Disciple of our sect. I can grant you this face.”
Wen Ruanyu then reported that the traitor had been exposed—it was Zheng Shoumo.
“So it was him.” The Paper Avatar showed little surprise and sighed deeply.
Yang Sanyan’s eyes flashed sharply as he immediately questioned, “The City Lord does not seem surprised?”
The White Paper City Lord replied, “As the lord of a city, when the traitor repeatedly evaded investigation, I naturally suspected that the ‘Simple Questions Heart-Dissecting Scroll’ may have failed.”
“I had several suspects. Zheng Shoumo was one of them.”
“He guarded the Ink Pool and frequently made mistakes, leading to repeated breakdowns and repairs. That was suspicious.”
“I secretly sent people to investigate him as well, but found nothing.”
Upon hearing this, Wen Ruanyu could not help but reveal surprise. He had never expected that the City Lord had long suspected Zheng Shoumo and even investigated him!
Yang Sanyan frowned. “Why not investigate further? If it were me, I would at least pursue the repeated repairs of the Ink Pool to the end.”
The White Paper City Lord snorted coldly. “Young Friend Yang, you are not a city lord. There are many constraints upon a city lord—one cannot simply act on personal will.”
“Zheng Shoumo was one such case.”
“He was placed here by Meng Yaoyin and naturally carried the stance of the Myriad Phenomena Sect. In daily life, as a Confucian Cultivator, he was also very close to Wen Ruanyu.”
“If I had investigated further, I might have uncovered evidence that he deliberately caused mistakes to embezzle repair funds.”
“At that point, it would not have looked good for either side.”
Yang, Wen, and Ning fell silent.
The White Paper City Lord’s reasoning was sound.
Meng Yaoyin had rendered great service to White Paper Immortal City. A Giant Paper Effigy statue of her even stood in the southern part of the city. If someone she had placed were dealt with, it would damage her reputation.
Meng Yaoyin was a meritorious figure strongly promoted by the White Paper City Lord. Her image and reputation were also the City Lord’s own prestige.
By affirming Meng Yaoyin’s achievements, the White Paper City Lord was also showing goodwill toward the Myriad Phenomena Sect.
To a certain extent, Zheng Shoumo had replaced Meng Yaoyin as a witness to the alliance and friendship between White Paper Immortal City and the Myriad Phenomena Sect!
If he fell, it would not be good for the City Lord, nor for the alliance between the Immortal City and the sect.
Thus, even if he had embezzled repair funds, the White Paper City Lord would have turned a blind eye.
For this reason, she had not pursued the suspicious matter.
Many things in life required deliberate ignorance.
Wen Ruanyu sighed and broke the silence. “Perhaps this was precisely Zheng Shoumo’s scheme.”
“On one hand, he used the repeated repairs of the Ink Pool to secretly manipulate things—maintaining his Overturning Water and making other arrangements. Now that I think about it, when the Ghost Gate Pass appeared in our city’s Ink River and released a large number of water ghosts, that was likely his doing.”
“On the other hand, he used it as a ‘shield,’ calculating that Your Excellency would consider the greater situation and choose deliberate ignorance. With this ‘shield,’ he deflected any potential further investigation.”
The White Paper City Lord looked at Ning Zhuo. “We truly owe thanks to our little savior for exposing this traitor!”
Ning Zhuo, remembering Yang Sanyan’s earlier words, a firm light flashing in his eyes, said, “This matter is far from over. My mother’s death is very likely connected to him.”
Yang Sanyan took out the shattered token and recounted the battle.
When the Paper Avatar heard that Zheng Shoumo was very likely a member of this mysterious organization, her composure vanished, and she showed shock.
Yang Sanyan said, “This matter is of great importance. City Lord, I must see your true body and have all of you sign a divine contract.”
“Otherwise, I cannot truly trust any of you.”
“Without trust, how are we to defend the city?”
The Paper Avatar fell silent for a long while before shaking her head with a bitter smile. “Very well. The three of you, please follow me.”
The three exchanged glances. Ning Zhuo touched his Mechanical Ring and stepped forward first.
A moment later.
The three arrived in an underground secret chamber.
The Paper Avatar activated a formation, revealing the City Lord’s true body.
“This?!” Wen Ruanyu’s expression changed drastically.
Yang Sanyan narrowed his eyes, subconsciously concealing the shock in his pupils.
Ning Zhuo also revealed astonishment. He had never imagined that the City Lord’s true body would be in such a state.