The terrifying thing is, it turns against you not based on interests or some purpose, but simply because of the inexplicable nature of the path.
After three consecutive failures, Qing Chi slightly turned around, glanced at Ning Zhuo, and used Divine Sense to transmit thoughts secretly: "Should we add more offerings?"
Ning Zhuo immediately shook his head: "I researched the various deities in the Netherworld."
"In ritualistic summoning, it’s not just about the number of offerings, but also about the one who hosts the ritual."
"I’ve already participated in this ritual. Relying solely on my fate, it’s enough to attract many ghost gods."
"We cannot add too many offerings!"
"Otherwise, we will attract ghost gods that are overwhelmingly powerful. These ghost gods can project divine power through the altar, which we cannot withstand. If they harbor any malicious intent, we become living sacrifices."
"Our target is the Night Patrol Deity."
"There are many of these minor deities; just wait a bit longer, there should be a response, no rush."
Qing Chi nodded: "Jiao Ma, I’ll follow your lead."
As soon as the words fell, there was a reaction on the altar.
Woo—!
The sound of wind came.
A tall, elusive figure appeared. It wore a huge cloak. The shadow under its hood was deep and unfathomable, with only two flickering pale phosphorous fires serving as eyes. Its limbs were unusually slender, enveloped in sleeves and pants, moving silently like a living silhouette of a huge kite.
It was precisely a Night Patrol Deity!
It hovered above the altar, its pale phosphorous fire "eyes" sweeping across the camp, finally settling on the thirty thousand talisman coins.
"Your request... walking with void steps?"
Qing Chi nodded and prayed again, expressing respect.
"This wish... very small... very small..." the Night Patrol Deity expressed it’s a trivial matter.
Qing Chi turned to look at Ning Zhuo, who nodded slightly to her.
Soon, a Divine Contract was reached in the unseen.
Qing Chi fully opened the array, forming a stable channel.
The Night Patrol Deity’s cloak gently moved, extending a hand cloaked in wide sleeves.
Its hand was withered and pale, with nails long and narrow like bird claws, fingertips swirling with faint sinister wind.
It pointed to the entire army of soldiers.
In the next moment, the whole Qing Jiao Army involuntarily floated three feet above the ground.
After completing this step, the Night Patrol Deity withdrew its palm and waved its sleeve.
The thirty thousand talisman coins on the altar disappeared instantly.
"Success!" Qing Chi exhaled a turbid breath, sweat beading on her forehead.
Ning Zhuo was deep in thought: "Mother said my fate is special, looking at this, it is indeed so!"
"Just mere thousands of talisman coins shouldn’t have attracted such widespread attention."
"The first three Netherworld deities were extremely powerful. Hai Mountain God is one of the powerful deities in the Netherworld, its name widely known. That deity shaped like a conch is very mysterious; I don’t know its name, but just looking at its silhouette indicates it’s extremely difficult to deal with."
"Not to mention the third Shattered Mirror Demon Mother, a deity of the path, even the first two would probably keep their distance from it."
"Even the last Night Patrol Deity is not ordinary."
"Judging from its aura, it evidently possesses strong combat power, perhaps not far from the realm of having a unique deity name."
Ning Zhuo reined his thoughts and descended the altar together with Qing Chi.
The ritual was successful; the Night Patrol Deity’s released divine arts encompassed the entire Qing Jiao Army.
After Qing Chi and Ning Zhuo researched, they found this divine arts indeed granted them the ability to levitate temporarily.
The divine arts didn’t last long, but the time was sufficient for the duration of a battle.
"At worst, we can utilize the festival camp, stationing at the frontline, and continue asking for divine assistance." Qing Chi was quite optimistic.
The festival camp retracts and deploys swiftly, with minimal time consumption. This is a huge advantage.
Qing Chi and Ning Zhuo had long considered this use case: on the battlefield, if the tide turns unfavorable, they could immediately deploy this camp, gaining defensive capabilities, as well as time to catch their breath and heal.
Ning Zhuo pondered: "Although everyone can fly, combat capability is another matter."
"Sharpening the spear before battle yields benefits, even if it’s rushed."
"Let everyone practice first, otherwise flying into the sky would be certain death!"
This suggestion immediately garnered Qing Yan’s approval.
Qing Chi, although a commander, almost always followed Ning Zhuo’s words and immediately began training on the spot.
Ning Zhuo and Jiao Ma’s father, along with Qing Yan, coached on the ground.
The latter two were of Golden Core Cultivation, and at this stage, aerial combat is both essential and routine. The two were deeply experienced and proficient.
Ning Zhuo’s performance astonished everyone.
He was well-versed and skilled in aerial combat too.
Qing Chi: "Jiao Ma, how do you have this skill? I didn’t know before!"
Ning Zhuo’s solid foundation in aerial combat was established in Fire Persimmon Immortal City.
Iron Han Armor possesses the Golden Core cultivator, granting Ning Zhuo the combat capability of a Golden Core Cultivator as well.
After the grand battle of Liangzhu Country, Ning Zhuo absorbed the lessons and actively modified Iron Han Armor, endowing the mechanical battle armor with even stronger aerial combat capability.
Ning Zhuo and Sun Lingtong each owned one, and both even competed high in the clouds at one time.
"Qing Chi, use the army formation." Ning Zhuo decisively proposed.
Qing Yan hesitated: "Use the army formation now? For the whole army to quickly gain experience, the army formation cannot be used again for a while."
The Qing Jiao Army was a truly successful built cultivation army, equipped with an army formation.
The army formation is a significant trump card.
Using it now means it cannot be relied upon in the upcoming life-and-death battles.
Ning Zhuo insisted.
Jiao Ma’s father, as well as the Jiao family, naturally followed Ning Zhuo’s lead.
Qing Chi also sided with Ning Zhuo.
Qing Yan sighed deeply, having no choice but to go with the flow.
Qing Chi silently invested a large amount of military power into the army formation stored within her Dantian.
Ning Zhuo, Qing Yan, Jiao Ma’s father personally guided; with only a moment of practice, the Qing Jiao Army made swift progress.
It was all thanks to the army formation.
Once the army formation was cultivated to a certain phase, it could impart some military art to the Qing Jiao Army. It also allowed the soldiers to share combat experience.
With this power, the Qing Jiao Army achieved a foundational mastery of aerial combat.
They retracted the festival camp, and the entire Qing Jiao Army soared upward.
Each member was shrouded in sinister wind, charging into the clouds, swiftly plunging into the dark storm.
"An army is approaching!"
"Under what flag?"
"No flag raised, defying warnings. They’re enemies, not allies!"
The approach of the Qing Jiao Army immediately triggered wariness from the guards within the depths of the dark storm.
The guards had suffered rounds of battle against Lady Beigui, Silent Ghost Monk, and Yin Jiu, losing more than half of their forces. They were actively recovering.
The strike by Qing Jiao Army interrupted their recovery.
"Though the army is not strong, it may be a façade masking stronger opponents..."
"Initiate the Great Array, prioritize defense, and block these enemies."
"Be vigilant and maintain strict watch!"
After a quick investigation into the Qing Jiao Army, the guards discovered its strength wasn’t overwhelming, causing them to become extremely cautious and conservative.
They had previously faced three strong attacks directly plunging into their center, engaging in mortal combat with the Lord of Wangchuan on the altar.
Even if stationed outside, hosting the array resulted in severe losses by the reverberations of the battle.
Having just experienced many such bloody lessons, seeing a modest army actively assaulting, all that came to their minds was: Too strange! Suspicious! It must be a façade, a diversion tactic!
"Charge, charge, charge!" Qing Chi soared skyward. The winds greeted her, igniting her fighting spirit.
Ning Zhuo was solemn: "Slow down, slow down, the enemy will surely seize the chance to attack. Our army has only just grasped aerial combat abilities; this is a dangerous passage!"
He harbored extreme vigilance, contemplating if he were the guards, he surely would not miss such an opportune moment for an assault.
Halfway attacks are essential military exploits!
However, even as the Qing Jiao Army entered the dark storm, no attack came.
The guards unleashed the array entirely, stirring up rolling dark clouds to form a massive barrier. They adopted extremely conservative tactics, fearing unseen strong foes plotting against them.
This weak army was far too strange!
The most prudent approach was to keep them out of the formation.