Chapter 815: Chapter 274: Mo Chi’s Enlightenment
Just the first night, and a male concubine has died, one of the strongest ranked male concubines at that.
This not only shocked and angered Wen Ruanyu but also ignited the hope of unearthing the inner spy. He found Ning Zhuo, inviting him to join: “Jiao Ma, your strategy is truly effective. On the first night, the inner spy was forced to make a move.”
Ning Zhuo, however, remained calm, shaking his head slightly: “Let’s investigate first before concluding.”
Was it truly the inner spy who acted on the first occasion?
If it indeed was the inner spy, he must be confident or assured in his methods.
But if not, then this investigation might not achieve our original goal.
Seeing Ning Zhuo’s demeanor, Wen Ruanyu paused momentarily, inquiring: “Jiao Ma, do you have other thoughts?”
“I’m not optimistic about this.” Ning Zhuo revealed his thoughts plainly.
Wen Ruanyu paused again before sighing: “Though your appearance differs, your reaction is quite similar to my Senior Sister Meng.”
This time, Ning Zhuo’s expression froze.
Wen Ruanyu didn’t notice Ning Zhuo’s odd reaction; he sighed deeply, looking up: “I’ve been thinking of Senior Sister Meng a lot lately.”
“This Ghost Tide has brought immense pressure on me!”
“Especially the killing of Sang Le Youling, which keeps me in constant doubt, forcing me to ponder much more.”
“I keep wondering, if Senior Sister Meng were still here, what would she do? She didn’t have the aid of a divination cultivator either; why was she always so wise and bold?”
Ning Zhuo comforted Wen Ruanyu, and after a few words, remarked purposefully: “Senior Wen, you are different from the White Paper City Lord and the citizens here; you hail from the Myriad Images Sect.”
“If White Paper Immortal City is doomed, you’ll have to retreat. I doubt the sect would find fault with you.”
Wen Ruanyu gazed at Ning Zhuo momentarily, then shook his head with a bitter smile: “You don’t understand how many years I have been stationed in this city.”
“Initially, it was due to Senior Sister Meng’s entrustment. But as time passed, my affection for this city deepened, making it hard to part.”
“You might not know that the City Lord has an ailment and only emerges for significant matters, even with a Paperman Avatar.”
“I handle the city’s internal affairs daily, while Tie Guzheng is responsible for the city’s defense.”
“Many constructions in this Immortal City stem from my ideas, even my handiwork!”
“Not to mention the Ink Pool. Though set up by Senior Sister Meng, it has been damaged over ten times by now, all repaired and improved under my direction and organization.”
Ning Zhuo felt a slight intrigue: “I’m not a Confucian Cultivator, but I know a bit. Is the Ink Pool so easily damaged?”
Wen Ruanyu revealed the secret: “As they say, local resources nurture local people. The Ghost Clan thrives here, inherently dark and combative, akin to the Barbarian Clan. Initially, they were tough to manage, hardly able to coexist peacefully with the Human Clan.”
“The White Paper Immortal City you see, and the cultural appearance of the Yin Tide Black Swamp Wetland are thanks to the Ink Pool.”
“We allocate ink from the Ink Pool, making it the primary drinking water source for the entire city and surrounding villages.”
“The prolonged influence allowed the Ghost Clan to absorb much Literary Energy, curbing their sinister nature, turning them cultured and refined. This enabled our schools to educate them, imparting knowledge and fostering their growth.”
“Naturally, the Ghost Clan opposed such external changes, attempting to sabotage the Ink Pool numerous times, succeeding many times.”
Ning Zhuo, upon hearing this, raised another question: “So, before Senior… Meng arrived, was the White Paper Immortal City drastically different?”
Wen Ruanyu nodded without hesitation: “Of course!”
“When I followed Senior Sister Meng to this city, it was sparse and desolate. Such a place, close to the Netherworld, laden with Yin Qi and assaults by Ghost Tide — what normal cultivator would come here?”
“The Human Clan dominated. While the Ghost Clan existed, they were fewer, guarded meticulously by Human Clan Cultivators due to their sinister nature, mostly serving as slaves.”
“Senior Sister Meng naturally possessed a kind, inclusive heart, maintaining equality in all matters, which I greatly admired.”
“Not long after arriving and understanding the situation, she told us she had plans to revitalize White Paper Immortal City.”
Ning Zhuo, his heart stirring, blurted: “To harness the power of the Ghost Clan?”
Wen Ruanyu laughed: “Exactly.”
“The Ghost Clan, being half yin and half yang, perfectly complements this wetland.”
“They are far more suited to this land than the Human Clan, even able to navigate the Netherworld River, exploring the Netherworld!”
“Yet, their population, and power were tightly restricted by the Human Clan. The Human Clan was sparse, lacking basic governance manpower. To Senior Sister Meng, this was a massive waste!”
“Thus, she sought our advice and ultimately chose Confucian means, establishing the Ink Pool to educate the Ghost Clan in the wetland, enabling them to shed barbarism and become the real governing force here.”
Ning Zhuo felt a surge of reverence: “This Senior Meng is remarkable. ‘Local resources nurture local people’ — she changed the water here, thereby transforming the humanities of the entire region. Such vision and stature merit deep admiration.”
“Naturally.” Ning Zhuo then looked at Wen Ruanyu, “Without Senior Wen’s persistence and contribution, White Paper Immortal City wouldn’t have its current educational success either.”