Chapter 584: Assassination Again |
“Hee hee hee…” Millstone-sized Little Head Ghosts floated in the air, darting up and down.
“Ha-yi ha-yi ha-yi…” Carriage-sized Big Head Ghosts rolled their eyes and pulled faces, drifting up and down in the surging Yin Qi like tumbling boulders.
At the early stage of a Ghost Tide, these two types of ghosts were the most common.
They surged like a tide, mingling together as they continuously crashed against White Paper Immortal City.
The commander of the city guards stood atop the city wall, holding an iron fan eight feet long, looking down at the battlefield below.
Little Head Ghosts and Big Head Ghosts rolled and rammed forward one after another, slamming into the city wall. The wall trembled, triggering the talismans embedded upon it.
The talismans emitted dim light. Within that light, water manifested, forming a black tide that drowned the surrounding ghosts, causing them to sink into the black water.
Some Big Head Ghosts spewed Yin Qi, forming rising currents of Yin Wind.
Riding these Yin Winds, the Little Head Ghosts rushed toward the top of the wall, attempting to vault over it.
Each Little Head Ghost cut down either fell into the black water and never resurfaced, or transformed directly into a talisman paper, upon which an ink painting of a Little Head Ghost appeared, vivid and lifelike.
The city wall absorbed these talisman papers, adding them as a fresh layer plastered onto its surface.
The commander of the city guards remained silent, witnessing the entire assault from beginning to end.
The first wave of the Ghost Tide ended.
White Paper Immortal City’s defenses were formidable and unmoving. The city guards were experienced and responded calmly.
Yet the commander of the city guards was filled with worry.
He had received a report that several units of city guards had searched the city multiple times but still failed to discover where those Water Ghost Yin Soldiers had appeared from.
The preliminary guess was the Ghost Gate, but the city guards had not seen the slightest trace of such a gate.
Until that hidden traitor inside the city was captured, there would be no peace!
“If this continues, sooner or later our city will be besieged from both inside and outside. The chances of it being breached will only grow.”
“Sigh… I should go discuss this with Mourning Music Phantom Actress first.”
Seeing that the city defenses were temporarily stable, the commander slung the enormous iron fan onto his back and entered the city to meet Mourning Music Phantom Actress.
Ever since the last attack, Mourning Music Phantom Actress had been confined to her sickbed.
“Commander Tie.” Mourning Music Phantom Actress sat half-upright on the bed. As soon as she spoke, she broke into a string of coughs.
Seeing her condition, the commander of the city guards, Tie Guzheng, frowned slightly.
“Right now, the City Lord has locked himself inside the mansion, and you are bedridden. On top of that, the Ghost Tide has arrived ahead of schedule…”
Mourning Music Phantom Actress’s face was pale, but she forced a faint smile.
“Isn’t Commander Tie still here?”
“I already know why you’ve come. You want to investigate the origin of those Water Ghost Yin Soldiers.”
“There is no doubt that a traitor exists within the city, and they occupy a high position. Otherwise they would not remain unaffected by the city’s grand formation.”
Tie Guzheng hesitated before speaking.
“Mourning Music… could you perform a divination for this matter?”
Mourning Music Phantom Actress shook her head.
“I need to recuperate.”
“If I force a divination, my injuries will worsen and delay my recovery.”
“That might even be exactly what the enemy wants—forcing me to exhaust myself.”
“At present the overall situation is still manageable. There is no need for us to act so urgently.”
“Although that traitor is unaffected by the grand formation, the Water Ghost Yin Soldiers they summon are not. As long as their numbers remain limited, sending them here only means sending them to their deaths. The city guards can easily exterminate them.”
Mourning Music Phantom Actress had a clear grasp of the situation.
“The true key to the Ghost Tide has always been our City Lord.”
“And to restore the City Lord’s condition, we must focus on Yang Energy.”
“We accepted the risk of enemy infiltration when we recruited so many Male Consorts. Now it is time for them to fulfill their purpose.”
Tie Guzheng nodded.
“I understand. I will have people distribute pills to the Hidden Yang Residence, the Strengthening Yang Courtyard, the Yin-Yang Courtyard, and the Radiant Yang Courtyard.”
After discussing the matter further, Tie Guzheng reminded Mourning Music Phantom Actress to rest well before leaving.
Moments later, he returned again.
“There’s something I nearly forgot to mention.”
With a helpless sigh, Mourning Music Phantom Actress struggled to sit up again.
“What is it—”
Her expression suddenly changed.
“That’s not right! You’re not Commander Tie!”
In an instant, the disguised assassin let out a sinister laugh and lunged toward her.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The moment they clashed, a tremendous commotion erupted.
Tie Guzheng, who had just stepped out of the courtyard, was shocked and immediately rushed back.
He was very close. When he burst into the room, the attacker decisively retreated.
Tie Guzheng’s eyes burned with hatred, but he only managed to catch the last flutter of the attacker’s robe as the figure escaped via teleportation.
Leaning against the corner wall, Mourning Music Phantom Actress finally relaxed when she saw Tie Guzheng arrive, but she could not help coughing up a mouthful of blood.
Her old injuries had worsened and new ones had been added. All the effort she had spent recuperating was wasted.
Room No. 1 of the First Grade Residence.
After drinking a few mouthfuls of water, Sun Lingtong gradually calmed down.
He told Ning Zhuo what had happened and sighed over the fall of Jin Yangzi, a Golden Core cultivator.
Ning Zhuo, however, did not feel much.
“Battles are dangerous and unpredictable. In the war where Liangzhu Kingdom attacked Thousand Peaks Forest, many Golden Core cultivators died just like that.”
“White Paper Immortal City is plagued by both internal and external threats. The situation is treacherous. We should be even more careful and avoid drawing attention. Then the traitor will not target us.”
Sun Lingtong shook his head.
“Jin Yangzi was no ordinary Golden Core cultivator. He was a true disciple of a super-power.”
“His personal strength was extremely formidable. I suspect he could even fight Nascent Soul cultivators to some extent.”
“Unfortunately, the ambusher was even stronger. The combination of Dragon Pool Hidden Scales Dao-Field and Spilled Water was simply too powerful. They crushed Jin Yangzi completely.”
“My identity at that level has already been exposed. The traitor will definitely trace it back. Ning Zhuo, you must be careful next.”
“Otherwise, you should just return to your original identity and leave this place.”
Ning Zhuo nodded. He felt it was a good suggestion.
Sun Lingtong then slipped back into Wanli Dragon, returning to their original partner arrangement.
Just as Ning Zhuo was about to leave, a paper servant arrived and conveyed the order of the silver-robed chief steward.
The Ghost Tide had descended. White Paper Immortal City had entered full lockdown. Another traitor had appeared, and the city guards had begun thoroughly investigating anyone with suspicious identities.
Meanwhile, the Hidden Yang Residence would activate its grand formation. No Male Consorts were allowed to leave.
Both Sun Lingtong and Ning Zhuo were somewhat surprised.
Sun Lingtong had only brought back information about the ambush and Jin Yangzi’s grim fate. He did not know about the Ghost Tide.
“If I act using my real appearance, I might have to evade the city guards.”
After all, Ning Zhuo had secretly infiltrated the city using Jiao Ma’s identity.
“What if I do this instead?” Ning Zhuo insisted on leaving, and the Mechanical Ring on his finger suddenly shrank slightly.
Ning Zhuo glanced at the ring and his expression became serious.
He told Sun Lingtong his guess.
“It seems the traitor may have traced your appearance back to Jiao Ma. If I leave now, I might be silenced.”
“On the other hand, staying here…”
As this thought arose, the ring showed no reaction.
“…staying here might actually be the better option.”
Sun Lingtong shrugged.
“Then let’s do that.”
Both of them were flexible in their actions and decisively chose to remain inside instead of leaving.
Sun Lingtong analyzed the situation.
“The Hidden Yang Residence houses a large number of Male Consorts. Since it concerns the condition of the City Lord of White Paper Immortal City, its defenses are extremely strict. The traitor won’t find it easy to act here.”
“For a short time, this might be the safest place for us.”
The two began making extensive arrangements in the room, adding numerous warning measures.
After working for two hours, they finally stopped.
Ning Zhuo took out his newly acquired Life-Bound Magical Artifact, the Spirit Communication Mirror.
“Boss, let’s study this treasure mirror again. I still feel like it has much more potential.”
He was full of enthusiasm.
Sun Lingtong nodded.
“My escape this time relied on this mirror. Using it to deploy mechanical constructs with Spirituality is incredibly convenient.”
Sun Lingtong had escaped from Dragon Pool Hidden Scales Dao-Field because Ning Zhuo had used the connection of Life Hanging by a Thread to communicate with him and pull him back.
Sun Lingtong naturally possessed abundant Spirituality and cooperated willingly. From a certain perspective, he could even be seen as a highly agile flesh-and-blood mechanical puppet.
The two began practicing.
Their main focus was using the mirror to rapidly summon and recall Sun Lingtong.
“No good! No good!” After being projected by the mirror light several times, Sun Lingtong became extremely dizzy and nauseated.
“My physical foundation is strong, and I absorbed the Void Evil God Bone, so I can endure the projection. But I become so dizzy that I can’t fight immediately afterward.”
He shook his head.
“There’s no solution to that. This tactic simply fails.”
Ning Zhuo frowned in thought.
“Then let me try with a construct.”
He took out Shadowblade — Night Tiger.
Life Hanging by a Thread descended, linking Ning Zhuo and Meng Yahu.
Ning Zhuo raised the mirror and shone it once, drawing Meng Yahu into the mirror. Then he flashed it again, projecting it to a distant location.
Following Ning Zhuo’s command, Meng Yahu immediately launched an attack, slicing the target into four or five pieces without hesitation.
“Brilliant!” Sun Lingtong praised.
He could see that Meng Yahu’s condition was completely unaffected.
Ning Zhuo, always cautious, repeated the test several more times to confirm that Meng Yahu’s condition remained at peak.
Looking at the mirror, Sun Lingtong said, “The Three Sect Lords must have designed the Mirror Platform Spirit Technique specifically to work with mechanical constructs. This is the true way to use this Life-Bound Magical Artifact.”
Ning Zhuo nodded in agreement.
Looking at Meng Yahu, a thought arose in his mind.
“In that case, it’s even more necessary to upgrade Meng Yahu’s materials.”
There was no doubt that the projection ability of the Spirit Communication Mirror had enormous tactical value.
Having fought in the war of Liangzhu Kingdom, Ning Zhuo immediately recognized this.
The Buddhist Doctor Meng Yaoyin was a trump card and would not be used lightly.
Heavy Armor Blood Ape, Dasheng was positioned as a bodyguard, so the mirror’s projection ability had little significance for it.
But Meng Yahu specialized in ambushes and aggressive assaults. Combined with the mirror, it was like adding wings to a tiger.
“This method may very well become my most commonly used technique,” Ning Zhuo realized.
It was not that his Five Elemental Spells were weak. Combined with the Divine Spirit Art of the Five Viscera Temple, he could cast them quickly and powerfully.
But even the fastest spells required a few breaths and consumed mana.
The combination of the Spirit Communication Mirror and Meng Yahu only required Ning Zhuo to flash the mirror once.
Meng Yahu could immediately engage in close combat. Compared with Golden Core-level spells, it was more stable and sustainable, with a greater variety of attack methods and greater threat.
Ning Zhuo adjusted his cultivation focus and temporarily concentrated on upgrading Meng Yahu’s materials.
He was currently at the Manifestation of Symbolic Phenomena Stage. The main challenge was his understanding of his cultivation method.
Once he obtained three complete Spell Talisman Seeds, he could advance to the next stage.
Comprehending the cultivation method was slow and uncertain. In comparison, strengthening his body, soul, or Meng Yahu’s materials produced solid and reliable gains.
Sun Lingtong converted Yin Qi using the Yin-Yang One Qi Pot, while Ning Zhuo immersed himself in cultivation.
When it was time to eat, the paper servants delivered many pills along with new orders.
The order required all Male Consorts to take the pills and contribute as much Yang Energy as possible, converting it into more Yin Qi for the overall stability of White Paper Immortal City.
Male Consorts ranked on the Yang Energy Contribution Ranking would receive more cultivation resources.
After examining the rewards, Ning Zhuo was somewhat tempted.
Other rewards aside, the Spirit Food alone could greatly strengthen his soul foundation. Such treatment was difficult to obtain elsewhere, and even if it were available, it would come at a far higher cost.
Ning Zhuo accepted the pills. After consuming the Spirit Food, he was about to begin cultivation when someone came to visit.
Touching the ring on his finger, Ning Zhuo opened the door and saw the visitor.
The visitor had a thick beard and a strong masculine aura—it was Yang Weida.
“Jiao Ma, how did my Aphrodisiac Divine Medicine feel? Want another batch? I’ll give you a thirty-percent discount!” Yang Weida immediately explained his purpose.
Ning Zhuo understood.
It was obvious that many Male Consorts had received large amounts of strengthening pills. This situation would severely impact Yang Weida’s medicine business.
Unable to endure the loss, Yang Weida had decided to take the initiative and sell as much as possible.
After thinking briefly, Ning Zhuo bought two large boxes of Aphrodisiac Divine Medicine and tried to send Yang Weida away.
But Yang Weida did not leave immediately.
“Jiao Ma, thanks for supporting my business. Truly one of our own.”
“I’ve been talking with many other Male Consorts and gathered quite a bit of information.”
“Let me tell you—the situation in the city is extremely dangerous.”
“Mourning Music Phantom Actress was attacked again. The assassin was incredibly bold. Right after Commander Tie left, he struck.”
“Mourning Music Phantom Actress is the City Lord’s right-hand aide. This time she was severely injured.”
Ning Zhuo was shocked.
After further inquiries, he felt helpless.
He had originally planned to secretly contact Mourning Music Phantom Actress for a divination.
But now she had been assassinated again and was gravely injured.
Under such circumstances, her surroundings would certainly be heavily guarded. How could Ning Zhuo possibly approach her?
“And the Ghost Tide will only grow stronger. The city’s lockdown will become stricter.”
“If we can’t reach Mourning Music Phantom Actress soon, there might never be another opportunity.”
As the City Lord’s right-hand aide, Mourning Music Phantom Actress held immense authority. She would inevitably devote all her attention to the city’s defense.
There was no way she would divert her focus to perform divination for Ning Zhuo’s “minor matter.”