Chapter 808: Chapter 270: Deputy City Lord Ning Zhuo_2
“Greetings to Young Master Jiao Ma.” The Talkative Ghost General took the initiative to salute, clearly having been prepped in advance.
Even if he hadn’t been prepped, Ning Zhuo’s astonishing performance on the battlefield earlier had already terrified the Talkative Ghost General.
Thus, the Talkative Ghost General cowered in front of Ning Zhuo, lacking any Golden Core Level demeanor.
Ning Zhuo cast a glance at him and then focused intently on Wen Ruanyu, “Is such a surrender truly reliable?”
“Reliable, reliable, reliable!” The Talkative Ghost General quickly expressed his loyalty.
“Shut up.” Ning Zhuo gave him a sidelong glance.
The Talkative Ghost General’s body shook, and he quickly bowed his head, “Yes, yes, yes.”
Wen Ruanyu showed a bitter smile, “Jiao Ma, do you know how much battle strength my city has lost due to this internal and external chaos?”
Wen Ruanyu reported the battle losses, which even made Ning Zhuo’s heart stir.
Wen Ruanyu said, “This ghost tide is different from before.”
“In the previous ghost tides, although Lord Wangchuan intervened, it was all done covertly. This time, however, he dispatched a massive Yin Soldier army, showing his determination to win.”
“The Underworld of Wangchuan can be compared to a Cultivation Kingdom. Although Lord Wangchuan cannot enter the Mortal World, his subordinates are as numerous as clouds and rain.”
“Therefore, this could very well be a protracted war! We must maintain the scale of warriors capable of fighting to have more hope of ultimately overcoming this calamity!”
Wen Ruanyu first mentioned the necessity of recruiting enemy generals, and then introduced, “The Talkative Ghost General has already earned a lot of trust.”
“On one hand, the paper armor on him contains a prohibition cast by the City Lord; on the other hand, the Talkative Ghost General also bears my Confucian Cultivator’s ‘Recruitment and Harmony’.”
Ning Zhuo was curious, “Recruitment and Harmony?”
Wen Ruanyu explained, “This is a Confucian spell that can convert and recruit enemies, with excellent, stable, and reliable effects.”
Ning Zhuo then inquired, “Did Senior Wen perform this personally?”
Wen Ruanyu shook his head, “No, but the spellcaster is absolutely reliable, specifically an elder left by Senior Sister Meng Yaoyin.”
“Back to the main topic.”
“The City Lord has also ordered you and I to continue investigating the internal traitor.”
Mentioning this, Ning Zhuo felt troubled, frowning slightly.
Wen Ruanyu was more confident in him than Ning Zhuo was in himself, “With you, Jiao Ma, taking action, the traitor will not be able to hide for long.”
Ning Zhuo shook his head, “I’m merely collecting clues and evidence, making hypotheses and deductions. If Elder Sang Le Youling were still alive, then I would have confidence.”
Mentioning his deceased colleague, Wen Ruanyu’s face immediately fell, his expression turning gloomy and sorrowful.
Ning Zhuo knew he was not skilled in investigations, but he had no choice but to brace himself and proceed.
The matter was quite urgent, so Ning Zhuo interrupted his cultivation to attend to this task.
He thought for a moment and then asked Wen Ruanyu where the source of this ghost riot, which slaughtered city residents, was.
Wen Ruanyu told him that deep in the Ink River, someone had temporarily set up a Ghost Gate Pass, from which a large number of ghosts were pouring out.
Ning Zhuo proposed, “Let’s start our investigation from the Ink River, shall we?”
Wen Ruanyu immediately nodded, without the slightest opposition, “Since the City Lord has ordered me to act as your deputy, just make the arrangements.”
On the surface, Wen Ruanyu remained in charge, with Jiao Ma accompanying him.
As for the position of Deputy City Lord, Ning Zhuo chose to keep it hidden, not revealing it. There was no need to show off at this critical moment, attracting enemy assassins.
The Ink River was the river within the city.
The river water was pitch black, emitting a scent of ink.
Ning Zhuo arrived at the incident river section and, together with Wen Ruanyu, waded into the river, only to find some traces but no valuable clues.
“This traitor’s actions are quite clean!” Wen Ruanyu sighed, “We’ve searched several times, and now we’re inspecting all the Ink Rivers within the city.”
Ning Zhuo climbed back on shore, pondered for a moment, and said to Wen Ruanyu, “All these Ink Rivers stem from the Ink Pool. Lord Wen, you previously mentioned that this Ink Pool was left by Senior Meng Yaoyin?”
“That’s right.” Wen Ruanyu replied.
Ning Zhuo showed great interest in the Ink Pool itself, “Then let’s go take a look first.”
The Ink Pool was located beneath the White Paper Immortal City, with water as black as ink, yet not turbid. Instead, it exuded a sense of serene profundity, as if it could reflect the human heart. The water’s surface was wave-less, resembling a piece of ink jade embedded in the ground, occasionally rippling slightly as if imbued with spiritual nature.
A stone stele stood by the pool, inscribed with two words — “Purify Heart.”
As Ning Zhuo and Wen Ruanyu approached, ink shadows emerged by the pool, quickly forming a hunched figure.
He was a gaunt old Confucian, with white hair and beard, wrinkles deeply etched like ravines, and his cloudy eyes occasionally shone with divine light.
He was draped in a blue-gray Confucian robe, washed until it was pale, with a simple wooden plaque hanging from his waist, inscribed with the words “Guardian of Ink.”
Ning Zhuo paused slightly, realizing he had seen this old Confucian cultivator before. He was the gate officer he encountered when entering the city, responsible for recording the names of those entering.
“Master Zheng, this is Young Master Jiao Ma, who is quite strategic and skilled in investigations. He will act as my deputy in investigating the traitor within the White Paper Immortal City.” Wen Ruanyu took the initiative to salute.
The old Confucian, surnamed Zheng, was renamed by Meng Yaoyin to Guardian of Ink, meaning the one who watches over the Ink Pool.
The old Confucian did not disappoint Meng Yaoyin’s trust and has always been loyal and diligent.
He has significantly contributed to guarding the Ink Pool and possesses virtues worthy of respect, so even though Wen Ruanyu was a Golden Core True Transmission of the Myriad Images Sect, he showed great respect to him.
Ning Zhuo, most eager to learn about his mother, used the investigation as an excuse to inquire actively.
The old Confucian of the Ink Pool introduced, “In the past, I was helped by my master to survive by chance, and since then, I’ve been committed to serving, dedicating a life of loyalty.”
“My master asked me to guard the Ink Pool, and over the years, I have not slacked off in the slightest!”
“The Ink Pool is a Confucian treasure, derived from the inkstone among the Four Treasures of the Study: the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. The water of the Ink Pool can enlighten people, cleansing the aura of martial brutality and aligning with the path of literature.”
“Building the Ink Pool required an extremely high cost. However, my master upheld immense benevolence, sparing no expense and building it without taking any profit from the White Paper Immortal City.”
“The persistence of the White Paper Immortal City and its harmonious governance today owes much to the cultural education sparked by the Ink Pool!”
Like Wen Ruanyu, the old Confucian of the Ink Pool held Meng Yaoyin in high esteem.
Upon hearing this, Ning Zhuo smiled faintly, feeling honored in his heart.
“Besides guarding the Ink Pool, does the elder have other duties? I once saw you serving as the gate officer.” Ning Zhuo inquired.
Wen Ruanyu smiled slightly.
The old Confucian of the Ink Pool explained, “Maintaining the daily operations of the Ink Pool is not simply about guarding it from danger.”
“I must observe the public sentiment to engage in targeted education.”
“Therefore, besides serving as the gate officer, I often roam the alleys, participating in daily life activities.”
Ning Zhuo realized, “I see.”
He asked many more questions, and the old Confucian of the Ink Pool answered them all calmly, giving an impression of stability and reliability.
Ning Zhuo and Wen Ruanyu both examined the Ink Pool but found no clues.
The old Confucian of the Ink Pool suggested, “Perhaps there might be some clues that can assist you both.”
“Oh?” Ning Zhuo looked at the old Confucian with anticipation.
The old Confucian said, “I have no other method; it’s just that recently I’ve been involved in the management and interrogation work at the prison, which reminded me of the five Golden Core Ghost Generals that Lord Wen just captured.”
“Perhaps they know something, and we might extract some clues from them.”
Wen Ruanyu nodded, “Indeed… even if there are no clues, extracting some military intelligence from the enemy would still count as our merit.”
The old Confucian of the Ink Pool smiled, “I was just about to check in for work, so let’s go together.”
The three left the Ink Pool and arrived at the prison.
The old Confucian led them into an interrogation room.
The old Confucian, being the leader among them, was immediately reported to by a subordinate that four of the five Golden Core Ghost Generals had confessed, though the extent varied.
Only the Silent Ghost General was incredibly resilient, his attitude unyielding, and he hadn’t uttered a single word despite severe torture.
“Interesting.”
“Then let this old man have a meeting with him.” The old Confucian of the Ink Pool leisurely rolled up his sleeves and took out a branding iron from the charcoal stove.