Ning Zhuo was swiftly brushed by the light wave, emerging unscathed.
It wasn’t just him; the nearby cultivators were also unharmed.
Ning Zhuo was overjoyed, not knowing the reason, but the smile on his face grew more confident and assured. He slightly raised his voice: "Just as I suspected!"
Jiao Ma’s father’s lips trembled with excitement.
He shouted in his heart, "The magic treasure has recognized its master! Such a powerful magic treasure has voluntarily allied with Jiao Ma. Nominally, doesn’t it belong to the Jiao family? Wonderful! This is fantastic!"
Qing Chi was also excited and clasped her hands: "Little Ma, you’re amazing!"
Her eyes sparkled with admiration for Ning Zhuo.
Qing Yan frowned: "But what’s going on, exactly?"
Ning Zhuo knew about the omen poem, but he didn’t understand it.
Ning Zhuo thought, "How would I know the reason?"
He was hesitating whether to share the omen poem to gather ideas when Luo Si already understood: "I see now."
Ning Zhuo was secretly surprised, but the curve on his lips expanded, and he assumed a questioning stance, looking at Luo Si: "Let’s hear it."
Luo Si instinctively seized this chance to perform: "The scholar Xuansu created the White Paper Immortal City. The Paperman Avatar of the contemporary city lord is his relic. And this treasure ruler is probably also left behind by him. Young master, being the savior of the White Paper Immortal City, chosen by the lifespan of the Mortal World, Xuansu must have foreseen this calamity long ago, making many arrangements to mitigate this disaster in the future."
Qing Chi was tongue-tied upon hearing this: "I know Xuansu, but he’s been dead for so long. Can he really see this far ahead? This accurately?"
Luo Si glanced at Qing Chi, affirming internally that this Ghost Clan girl was a bit naive. Didn’t she see others not asking like this?
Luo Si’s response was partly to address Ning Zhuo, to explain, and partly to publicly hypothesize, to create a space for imagination and boost morale and spirit.
So, even if there were doubts about this hypothesis, they should be kept to oneself.
Qing Yan coughed and loudly said: "That’s right, Lord Luo Si’s guess should be the truth!"
As Qing Chi’s father, he was a seasoned Golden Core, rich in life experience, he immediately spoke to make up for his daughter.
Jiao Ma’s biological father was so excited that not only his lips trembled, his whole body shook.
He fell into a daydream, "Our little Jiao Ma is the great savior, making Xuansu’s relic voluntarily come. By this logic, White Paper Immortal City was also left by Xuansu, it’s also his relic."
"Our Jiao Ma should run the White Paper Immortal City, at least he’s certainly qualified!"
"If one day, Jiao Ma becomes the Immortal City Lord of White Paper Immortal City, wouldn’t our Jiao family be..."
Jiao Ma’s biological father was shaken to the core.
Struck it rich, struck it rich indeed.
Hearing the high-ranking conversation, the entire Qing Jiao Army became noisy, all discussing fervently.
As Luo Si predicted, the morale of the Qing Jiao Army was incredibly stable, their spirits soared, and the military power they could provide rose rapidly as well.
Ning Zhuo’s eyes flickered.
Luo Si’s answer filled in the missing key information for him, instantly revealing the true reason.
"I was granted the position of Deputy City Lord by the White Paper City Lord."
"Although before, in the White Paper Immortal City, this was almost an honorary title with little real power, it was solid and not false."
"Now it seems, as the Taixu Disintegration Ruler is a relic, it is also under my control because of the Deputy City Lord position."
Ning Zhuo remembered the Paperman Avatar of the White Paper City Lord.
"It is likely also Xuansu’s relic, just acquired by the City Lord."
Understanding the reason, Ning Zhuo turned to face the Qing Jiao Army crowd and shouted: "That’s right!"
"I am not just the savior of the White Paper Immortal City, but the entire Yin Tide Black Swamp! I am the child of the Heaven’s lifespan in the Mortal World, and the greatest human tribulation for the Lord of Wanchuan!"
"Even though the Lord of Wanchuan is the Monarch of the Underworld, so what?"
"He acts against the universe, causing suffering to living beings, and his century-long plots are purely for selfish gain!"
"Such an evil being is destined for a miserable defeat."
"Our forces of justice are bound to be victorious!"
Ning Zhuo seized the opportunity to boost morale.
The entire army cheered!
At this moment, Ning Zhuo’s prestige within the Qing Jiao Army skyrocketed.
Everyone was incredibly excited and reached a consensus — this was bound to be a legendary battle, one that would be widely praised and passed down for at least a century. And not only did they witness it personally, but they also participated in it. What an honorable thing it was!
Luo Si exhaled a deep breath, his confidence growing even stronger.
If he were to add a seal, it would inevitably require a great deal of effort. However, having just slain Han Yan, he was in poor condition. Saving this effort gave him more confidence for the crucial battle ahead.
Light Goose completely broke free from the seal, circling around Ning Zhuo.
Ning Zhuo attempted to extend his Divine Sense, easily controlling it.
"Go," he pointed at the surging, murky miasma in front.
Light Goose obediently flapped its wings, diving into the huge cloud of miasma. Everywhere it went, the miasma roiled, constantly separating.
However, even after being parsed and divided, the miasma remained miasma.
Light Goose completed a circuit before returning to Ning Zhuo’s side.
The miasma was just reduced to a lighter state, before quickly becoming thick again, surging relentlessly, as it had before.
The elevated hopes of everyone were dashed, and they all sighed in disappointment.
Initially waiting anxiously with his back to the Qing Jiao Army, Ning Zhuo felt the mounting pressure!
He furrowed his brows and stared at Light Goose.
Soon, he saw that the form of Light Goose had dimmed significantly, the once vivid outer appearance had become thin and translucent, vaguely revealing the shape of the treasure ruler within.
"As Luo Si said, this form of Light Goose is the spell the City Lord’s Avatar cast with mana."
"The mana invested by the City Lord’s Avatar in one instance, no matter how much, is finite."
"Having just completed a flight, the remaining mana might only allow one more activation."
Ning Zhuo sharply realized this situation and couldn’t help but lament, "My cultivation level is still too weak!"
He had only Foundation Establishment Cultivation.
Thanks to military power, the Five Internal Organs Divine Spirit Technique, and other excellent leverage, relying on the strength and foundation of his body and soul, he could wield Nascent Soul-level battle power.
This was rather extraordinary and rare, but it was held back by cultivation level nonetheless.
There was really nothing to be done.
Blame Ning Zhuo for being too young, not having cultivated long enough.
Also blame the Three Superior Sect Techniques for being so exceptional, simultaneously cultivating the Three Elixir Fields significantly slowed progress.
Sweat beaded on Ning Zhuo’s forehead.
With only one chance left, he had to seize it!
Fortunately, he wasn’t entirely without clues.
He recalled the omen poem—The ghost tide surges, White Paper in peril, a lone goose clutching a candle breaks the heavenly veil. A guest star should shine upon the northern crown, myriad lights reveal the calamity self-destructs.
"The lone goose clutching a candle breaks the heavenly veil..."
"The lone goose, I understand, is Light Goose. This heavenly veil... isn’t it the miasma mass before me?"
"Only when the lone goose clutches a candle can the heavenly veil be broken, this..."
Clutching a candle?"
"Where is the candle to be clutched?"
"Where do I have a candle flame?"
"Wait!"
"I think I do have one."
Thinking of this, a sudden spark of insight flashed in his Divine Sea, and his heart pounded loudly several times.
He himself had none, but Sang Le Youling had once used the Returning Silence Path Candle!
During the previous White Paper Immortal City defense battle, Sang Le Youling opened the South City Gate and used the Returning Silence Path Candle to pierce through space, forming a path, transporting many powerful forces inside.
This posed a huge threat to the defenders, putting White Paper Immortal City at great risk.
Tie Guzheng, Ning Zhuo, Qing Jiao Army, Wen Ruanyu, among others, gave it their all to stabilize the situation. Eventually, the White Paper Immortal City Lord himself intervened, releasing the Taixu Disintegration Ruler, dispersing Sang Le Youling and the other outside enemies.
Only a small half of the Returning Silence Path Candle remained after burning—now separated: the candle, the wick separated, and the flame extinguished.
In the next moment, under the gaze of everyone, Ning Zhuo reached into his storage bag and pulled out the small half section of wickless candle.
The Returning Silence Path Candle body was rectangular, resembling a miniature spiritual coffin. The original length was about nine inches, with only four inches remaining now.
The lid and body of the coffin fit seamlessly.
On the four sides of the candle body, were faint engravings of the Hundred Ghosts Carrying Coffin Painting.