Chapter 811: Chapter 272: You Must Still Love Me
Ning Zhuo felt a bit of a headache upon seeing the Jiao Family Head outside the door.
In the short term, maintaining this identity as Jiao Ma was still necessary.
The enmity between him and the Heaven-Earth Twin Ghosts was too great!
Once his real identity was exposed, it would inevitably attract these two. At that time, the two Nascent Soul True Monarchs would pursue him, and he would have lost his military position. How would he handle the affairs of the White Paper Immortal City then? How would he join the Myriad Images Sect?
“However, speaking of it, if I can join the Myriad Images Sect, this Super Sect would be a great shield.”
But that matter is still a bit distant.
For now, it seems Ning Zhuo would still have to stay in White Paper Immortal City for some time, requiring a disguise.
Yet, Ning Zhuo didn’t want to talk much with the Jiao Family Head. He blocked the door, expressionless, and said, “Lately, even Master Sang Le Youling has fallen due to an assassination attempt.”
“I will avoid all suspicious persons as much as possible.”
The Jiao Family Head’s face turned flushed with anger immediately: “I am your father! How dare you suspect me?!”
Ning Zhuo remained expressionless: “The internal spies in the city disguise themselves with great skill. As long as I don’t step over this threshold, I will still be protected by the indoor Defensive Magic Array. So just speak concisely if you have something to say.”
The Jiao Family Head did not expect that after coming specifically to see his own son, he would receive such treatment.
“Alright, alright.”
He suppressed his anger: “My child, I know you are still angry with your father.”
“But everything you are asked to do is for the sake of the family.”
“Both your elder brothers have lost their Origin Yang. To serve the City Lord with a Withered Yang body is highly disrespectful!”
“You are the most suitable one.”
Ning Zhuo interrupted: “Is there anything else? I’m very busy now, on one hand cultivating, on the other hand handling affairs for the City Lord.”
The Jiao Family Head sensed the intention of seeing him off, forcing a smile onto his face: “My son, I am happy to see you overcoming difficulties on your own.”
“You truly are a child of our Jiao Family! Turning misfortune into fortune, earning the favor of the City Lord.”
“I am here precisely for this.”
“Whatever you need to handle the cases, just let us know, our family will fully support you.”
Ning Zhuo’s heart stirred, quickly reading between the lines: “How many people has our family sent this time?”
The Jiao Family Head laid it all out: “We have sent eighty percent, ten percent left the Black Swamp Wetland, and the last ten percent are the old, weak, sick, and disabled, staying back to guard the homeland.”
As a cultivator family, upon facing calamity, it’s natural to assign personnel to preserve the fire seed.
But an eighty percent mobilization is rather high.
“Eighty percent?” Ning Zhuo looked towards the Jiao Family Head, somewhat surprised by the latter’s audacity. This was nearly the same as committing everything to assist White Paper Immortal City.
The Jiao Family Head wore a heavy expression: “This decision was made after days of discussion with the family elders.”
“There’s a separation between Yin and Yang, and the specters emerging from the Netherworld do not surpass Nascent Soul level.”
“The White Paper Immortal City has stood here for so long; it will not be toppled by the Ghost Tide!”
“Of course, there is another reason.”
“The City Lord issued a public notice, offering generous rewards to all cultivators who come to support the city. This is the largest effort I have ever seen in my lifetime!”
Ning Zhuo again heard the implication: “Only with heavy rewards will there be brave warriors. White Paper Immortal City is digging deep into its coffers, probably intending for you all to risk your lives.”
“Indeed, this is risking one’s life for money!” The Jiao Family Head admitted openly, “But such high prices, I believe, are worth it. We have already received the order to first train secretly, then go out of the city to battle.”
Ning Zhuo frowned: “Though that Yin Soldier force is not large, their military bearing is impeccable, with strict discipline, and they have the support of Military Art. How could you possibly be their match in field battles?”
The Jiao Family Head laughed: “My son, rest assured. We will not engage them directly; we will seize opportunities to ambush, eliminate scouts, and the like.”
Ning Zhuo’s frown slightly eased: “This is a strategy to exhaust the enemy.”
He had indeed been through battles and knew that this was currently the limit of what the White Paper Immortal City could achieve.
The Jiao Family Head saw Ning Zhuo’s continued concern for the family, and most of his earlier anger dissipated. Before leaving, he advised: “My son, this time the City Lord has ordered almost every village and town to send reinforcements.”
“Cangyang Villa could be overcrowded. You need to quickly elevate to the Yang Enhancement Institute.”
“If I were to die on the battlefield, if you can secure a place within the City Lord’s Mansion, you’d be the family’s pillar.”
Saying this, the Jiao Family Head sighed and took out a Jade Slip: “This contains our family’s complete Cultivation Techniques and the Family Head Token; keep them well. If there is any unrest, you may use this to revive the family in the future.”
Ning Zhuo didn’t reach out to take them; the Jiao Family Head placed the Jade Slip and Token on the ground and turned away to leave.
Sun Lingtong saw this scene: “Impressive, Little Zhuo, you’ve gained benefits for nothing.”
Though he was in the Yin Soldier camp, Ning Zhuo could send the situation around him to Sun Lingtong through the Life Hanging Thread.
Therefore, what Sun Lingtong saw was not much different from when he was in the Ten-Thousand-Li Travelling Dragon before.
Ning Zhuo sighed, the charge left by the Jiao Family Head stirred complex emotions within him.
He couldn’t help but imagine if his father were alive, would he treat him the same way in such a situation?
Ning Zhuo was not Jiao Ma; looking as an outsider, the Jiao Family Head actually placed his beloved son in a relatively safe position. This was both for the sake of the family and a profound fatherly love.
Ning Zhuo had a thought: “Boss, we’ve borrowed his son’s identity, so we owe the Jiao Family a favor.”
Sun Lingtong: “Oh? Then Little Zhuo, what do you intend to do?”
Ning Zhuo: “Now that I have the Family Head Token, I can send Flying Messages to the Jiao Family members. Since you are in the enemy camp, why not gather some intelligence and let me deliver it to them in time, reducing some losses for the Jiao Family, and thus repaying this favor.”