And thus, Ning Zhuo and Sun Lingtong, in secret accord,
Altered their former plan, and joined the company of cultivators,
Hastening towards White Paper City.

Within the Black Mire of Yin Souls, waterways were abundant,
With numerous aquatic routes.
The three crimson wood battleships were thronged with a mighty host,
Moreover, they were all local folk, familiar with the lay of the land,
Thus, they navigated with practiced ease, passing a day in peace.

Ning Zhuo had not inquired about the name of the ghost tribe leader,
Hearing only the surname “Qing” from others’ lips.
Combined with his pale green skin, it seemed quite fitting.

Since the Qing-surnamed ghost tribe leader had spoken,
He truly arranged for Ning Zhuo to be by his side.
He instructed Ning Zhuo to use the Bone-Piercing Crocodile Stomach Pouch,
While he himself would provide protection for Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo had no desire to do so.
Though his face and physique were disguised by the Arts of Thievery,
His soul could not be thus concealed.
Yet, using the Bone-Piercing Crocodile Stomach Pouch required drawing forth the soul,
And entering the pouch.
Once he did so, his true identity would undoubtedly be exposed.
Moreover, with his physical body left outside and his soul separated, it would be perilous.

This small difficulty did not pose an insurmountable challenge to Ning Zhuo.
He simply maintained a stern countenance, addressing the Golden Core ghost tribe leader by his surname,
Displaying a demeanor of having no choice but to obey the powerful,
But with an inward reluctance.
“Leader Qing, when I reach White Paper City, I will naturally cultivate with this stomach pouch.
There is no need for so much concern from you.”

However, the Golden Core ghost tribe leader found comfort in this reply:
“Jiao Ma, I do not yet know your young heart?
You still harbor thoughts of my daughter, fearful of owing me a debt of gratitude,
Lest it be difficult to go back on your word in the future.”

“Hmph.”

“You are of the human race, while my daughter is of the ghost tribe.
Your union will not bring happiness.”
“Furthermore, what is so bad about becoming a male consort?
If you become the City Lord’s man, wealth and glory will be within easy reach.”

The Golden Core ghost tribe leader did not forget to persuade Ning Zhuo.
Sun Lingtong, suppressing a hidden laugh by his side,
Also egged him on: “Indeed, Young Master Jiao Ma.
What a wonderful opportunity to become a male consort,
Others desire it but cannot attain it.”

Ning Zhuo snorted coldly, pointing a finger at Sun Lingtong:
“Who are you? Though you saved me,
Did I permit you to interrupt while I converse with Leader Qing?
You ought to slap your own mouth!”

Sun Lingtong was immediately stunned in place.
Within the Yin Soul Black Mire Wetland, though the ghost tribe was larger in number than the human race,
Their status was low.
Looking across the entire cultivation world, the human race was the undisputed overlord.
Ghost tribes were few in number, only relatively numerous in this wetland.
Therefore, Ning Zhuo, being of the human race, ordering a Foundation Establishment ghost tribe cultivator to slap his own mouth,
Was in keeping with the local characteristics and not out of the ordinary.

Leader Qing’s gaze flickered slightly, but he said nothing.
For a moment, over a dozen gazes rested upon Sun Lingtong.
Sun Lingtong gritted his teeth, staring at Ning Zhuo,
Just as he was about to slap his own mouth, he heard Ning Zhuo wave his hand and say:
“But who am I?”
“I am Jiao Ma, magnanimous, broad-minded,
Unlike certain individuals who harbor prejudices between the human and ghost races.”

Leader Qing chuckled grimly, knowing Ning Zhuo was subtly mocking him,
But considering the latter’s pursuit of his daughter, he did not flare up.
Ning Zhuo pointed his finger at Sun Lingtong:
“Since you saved me, I shall attempt to forgive you this once.”
“How about this, seeing that you are short of stature, dark-skinned,
Like an iron block, why not change your name, and be called Tie Tuo.”
“I shall take you as my slave, and from now on,
Follow me and do my bidding!”

Sun Lingtong resisted the strong urge to roll his eyes,
Thinking to himself: “Alright, alright, so this is how we’re playing?”
He obediently half-knelt on the ground, cupped his hands in salute,
And addressed Ning Zhuo as “Master.”

Ning Zhuo laughed heartily, beckoning to him:
“Come, stand by my side, and be ready to heed my commands at any time.”
“Yes, Master.” Sun Lingtong was so angered that his teeth itched.
He had not expected that this boy, Ning Zhuo, would be so audacious,
To make him acknowledge him as his master. This was truly a reversal of heavenly order!

“The previous Xiao Zhuo would never have been like this.
Alas, he has traveled, and his heart has become wild.
He has participated in a great battle, and become unrestrained and reckless!
Hmph, just let me find an opportunity.
Once I find one, I will definitely teach him a good lesson!!”
Sun Lingtong had mocked Ning Zhuo, and as a result, dragged himself into it,
Suffering a silent loss, yet unable to resist for the time being.
This was because he knew that Ning Zhuo was also seeking an opportunity
To keep him by his side, to facilitate their unified action later.

Leader Qing saw that Ning Zhuo had taken in a ghost tribe member,
And extended his divine sense, scanning Sun Lingtong up and down.
“A Foundation Establishment Mid-stage ghost tribe member,
To serve as your servant, is also acceptable.” Leader Qing nodded slightly,
“Just a bit poor.”

Upon saying this, he took out two magical artifacts,
And tossed them to Sun Lingtong.
“These were what I used in my younger days, take them and use them.
One is the Flying Bone Shield, the other is the Malignant Soul Blade.
One for offense, one for defense, quite suitable for you.”
“You should first refine them, and I will then teach you the secrets of wielding them.”

Leader Qing, seeing that Ning Zhuo would not accept his favor,
Circled around and strengthened the capabilities of Ning Zhuo’s “servant,” Tie Tuo.
Sun Lingtong was momentarily stunned, and secretly sighed:
“This fellow Xiao Zhuo’s ability to grasp human minds is far superior to mine.”
He quickly caught the two magical artifacts, and loudly expressed his gratitude.

Ning Zhuo snorted coldly, a look of hesitation on his face,
But in the end, he did not object.

While the others steered the boats forward,
Leader Qing coordinated with Sun Lingtong, swiftly refining the two magical artifacts,
And then taught him how to use them.
Sun Lingtong was intelligent and quick-witted, with a broad horizon,
And had dabbled in all sorts of magical artifacts.
After all, thievery was his greatest hobby, which resulted in him possessing numerous magical artifacts.
These two artifacts were clearly of the ghost path,
Sun Lingtong quickly got the hang of them and used them with a respectable appearance.

This performance caused Leader Qing to re-examine Sun Lingtong:
“You, this unremarkable little fellow, also possess hidden qualities.
In the future, follow your Young Master well and do his bidding, do you hear?”
“Understood.” Sun Lingtong replied in a muffled voice.

“Lord Qing Yan, I, Yang, come from elsewhere,
Yet I have also obtained a nomination spot from your village,
And have been chosen as a male consort.” A man suddenly spoke,
“Lord Qing Yan should also reward me with something, no?”

Everyone cast their gaz gazes upon him, and saw a middle-aged man,
Tall in stature, with a lion’s mouth and wide nose, and a full beard.
His exposed chest was covered in black chest hair, and his masculine aura was extremely strong.
Only then did Ning Zhuo learn that the full name of Leader Qing was Qing Yan.

Qing Yan examined the man who had spoken, and was not offended,
He laughed heartily: “You are an outsider,
Although you willingly became a male consort, you have indeed made a contribution to my village.
Tell me what you desire, and I will consider it.”

The middle-aged man’s full name was Yang Weida, a Body Cultivator,
From the Flying Cloud Kingdom, and a traveling merchant.
Hearing of the recruitment of male consorts, and confident in his own excellent cultivation technique and extraordinary talent,
He wished to climb higher.
He had experienced an attack, and survived through his own means.
Seeing Qing Yan caring for Ning Zhuo and Sun Lingtong, his merchant’s nature surfaced,
And he boldly asked for a reward.

Yang Weida appeared simple and robust on the surface,
But in reality, he was quite astute.
He immediately requested a Bone-Piercing Crocodile Stomach Pouch similar to Ning Zhuo’s.

Leader Qing sneered: “Your appetite is too large.
A Golden Core level stomach pouch is not something to be given away casually.
Ask for something practical.”

Yang Weida: “Since that is the case, then I ask for a few Soul-Crossing Lamp Wicks as a reward from the Lord.”

Leader Qing took out six magical artifact level Soul-Crossing Lamp Wicks from his storage bag,
And tossed them to Yang Weida.

“Heh heh.” A cold laugh suddenly echoed,
“Just a few Soul-Crossing Lamp Wicks, such things,
Can make an outsider give his life.
Qing Yan, you ought to be a traveling merchant yourself, you’ve made a fine deal!”

“Who goes there?!” Qing Yan immediately stood up and shouted.
The others all changed color, and became fully alert.

The river water bulged, then violently exploded,
Revealing a Golden Core level Bone-Piercing Crocodile in the splashing waves.
Sitting on the back of the Bone-Piercing Crocodile was a human cultivator
As large as an elephant.
This male cultivator was entirely encased in a layer of bone armor,
His gaze cold and piercing, staring at the cultivators on the three battleships:
“The White Paper City Lord needs a large amount of Yang Qi.
Selecting male consorts is to provide her with vast amounts of Yang Qi
Through the method of dual cultivation, to aid her cultivation.”
“Therefore, those who become her male consorts
Will quickly have too much Yang Qi absorbed and lose their lives.”
“Are you, those who are to be chosen as male consorts, still complacent?
Hmph, how ridiculous! You are seeking your own deaths.”

The faces of many cultivators changed again.
Ning Zhuo’s gaze was deep and profound, Yang Weida’s expression shifted slightly,
His eyes darted back and forth: “I don’t believe it!
If that were truly the case, the White Paper City Lord would have long ago aroused the wrath of heaven and man,
And been overthrown. Even if she couldn’t be overthrown, others would have fled long ago.
But the truth is, she has held the selection for male consorts many times.”

These words were reasonable and well-founded,
Causing both Sun and Ning to re-examine him.
Qing Yan snorted coldly: “White Bone Crocodile Demon,
My village was attacked by a pack of crocodiles before,
Was it you who caused trouble?”

The White Bone Crocodile Demon admitted it directly: “Of course,
I simply cannot stand you greedy fools.”
“The White Paper City Lord lords it over us, what gives her the right?”
“It is you bunch of idiots, who willingly provide her with vast amounts of Yang Qi,
For her cultivation, which makes White Paper City as solid as a mountain,
And unshakeable!”
“We of the City Overturning Alliance are here to intercept and kill you degenerates,
To make the Black Mire Wetland more free and pure!”

Having said this, a large number of Bone-Piercing Crocodiles
Emerged from the depths of the river water,
And launched an attack on the three crimson wood battleships.
The crimson wood battleships immediately radiated light, activating their defensive arrays.
The cultivators on the ships all took action,
Unleashing numerous spells, launching fierce attacks
On the Bone-Piercing Crocodile pack and the White Bone Crocodile Demon.
Under the spell attacks, the Bone-Piercing Crocodile pack
Immediately suffered heavy casualties.
Some directly crashed into the battleships, while others opened their mouths
And sprayed corrosive venom.

The White Bone Crocodile Demon laughed heartily,
Bathing in the barrage of spells,
His bone armor was thick and heavy, protecting him firmly,
Leaving him unharmed.
“What is the difference between this level of attack and tickling me?” the Crocodile Demon scoffed.

“Is that so?” Qing Yan sneered, and struck fiercely.
He summoned a huge soul blade,
The blade energy surged, expanding to the size of a battleship,
And ruthlessly cleaved down from mid-air towards the White Bone Crocodile Demon.
The White Bone Crocodile Demon parried, but could not withstand such a powerful and heavy attack,
And was struck into the river water, causing a column of water several feet high to erupt.
The White Bone Crocodile Demon attacked from underwater, fighting back.
Qing Yan was quite strong, his attacks were broad and forceful,
Firmly pressing the White Bone Crocodile Demon into a disadvantageous position.

A large number of Bone-Piercing Crocodiles also became
Bodies floating in the water under the encirclement and attack of the other cultivators.
Although the White Bone Crocodile Demon was a Golden Core cultivator,
He clearly followed the Beast Controlling path.
Although his scale was large, he himself was held back by Qing Yan,
And could only focus on defense.
The Bone-Piercing Crocodile pack, encircling and attacking the other cultivators,
Should have had the upper hand,
But these three crimson wood battleships were some of the best in the village,
With outstanding defenses, like mobile water fortresses,
Making the attacks of the Bone-Piercing Crocodiles cause hardly any results.

In the latter half of the battle, Qing Yan let out a soft whistle,
And directly dove into the water, engaging in a confrontation with the White Bone Crocodile Demon.
Those on the ships saw the water surface continuously explode,
Sending up columns of water.
The furious voice of the White Bone Crocodile Demon was heard:
“Qing Yan, you ignorant loyal dog!
What good things did the White Paper City Lord give you,
That you are so loyal to her?!”

Qing Yan said: “You City Overturning Alliance are all short-sighted fools!”
“Without the White Paper City Lord guarding the Immortal City,
Serving as the main force, resisting the annual ghost tide,
How could we live here in peace?”
“Protecting the White Paper City Lord is protecting our present,
And also guarding the order of the entire Yin Soul Black Mire!”

The White Bone Crocodile Demon chuckled coldly: “You speak well,
But it is also just for your own sake.”
“Have you thought about those who were chosen to be male consorts?
They have all become sacrificial offerings for the White Paper City Lord’s cultivation!”

Qing Yan roared angrily: “Do not attempt to sow discord!”
“Becoming a male consort brings wealth and glory.
How could the White Paper City Lord harm the innocent?”
“Being a male consort is indeed difficult,
But if you cannot provide Yang Qi, you can leave on your own.
The White Paper City Lord has never restrained them!”
“You City Overturning Alliance are ambitious,
Wanting to overturn the order here and claim dominion.
But do you have the strength to resist the ghost tide?”
“Your methods are mediocre, it seems the entire City Overturning Alliance is nothing special!”

The White Bone Crocodile Demon was enraged: “You infuriate me!
Qing Yan, today I will tear you to pieces,
So that you may know the power of your Crocodile Demon grandfather!”

The underwater explosions became more frequent and powerful.
But after a round of fierce fighting, the explosions noticeably decreased.
Qing Yan’s voice was heard again: “Crocodile Demon,
Do you have any other moves? Bring them all out.”

Crocodile Demon: “Damn it!”
Clearly, Qing Yan still held the upper hand.
The Crocodile Demon sneered: “Qing Yan, you do not know the White Paper City Lord’s condition.
I will tell you the truth, she is failing.”
“This time, even if she takes in new male consorts, the Yang Qi will not be enough for her to harmonize.”
“She has governed White Paper City for too long, truly too long.
The Yin Qi has accumulated too heavily,
How could she possibly succeed by relying solely on this Yang Qi for harmonization?”
“You are bound to fail this time! Bound to fail!!”

Black Water Mountain, White Paper City.
Within the Listen to the Soul Pavilion, bamboo shadows swayed,
Only Sang Le You Ling was present.
She sat cross-legged, her countenance solemn.
On the celadon jade table before her were several magical treasures, placed in disarray.
A bronze lamp, seven yellow jade bells, and a scorched-tailed ghost-patterned zither lying horizontally.
Sang Le You Ling reached out her hand,
And with the light of the bronze lamp, lit a long incense stick.
Green smoke ascended, circling endlessly in the air.
You Ling controlled the objects with her divine sense, and plucked the scorched-tailed zither.
The zither music lingered, causing the green smoke to undergo various transformations.
When the seven bells hung suspended, vibrating continuously,
The bell sounds also joined in, and this divination reached its most difficult stage.

After a long time, the desolate and mournful music gradually faded,
The green smoke settled onto the table, transforming into a layer of pale ash.
The faint ash outlined a prophetic poem.
Sang Le You Ling breathed lightly, staring intently at the tabletop,
Muttering softly, reading it aloud.

“Ghost tide overflows, White Paper in peril,
Lone swan carrying a candle breaks the heavenly canopy.
Guest star should illuminate the north of Wen Shu,
Ten Thousand Forms lamp bright, the tribulation destroys itself.”

She formed a hand seal, seeking a more detailed understanding.
A moment later, her aura became even weaker,
But her eyes were much brighter: “So the turning point lies in the north.
Lone swan, guest star, both represent outsiders.”
“An outsider carrying a candle, lighting the Lamp of Ten Thousand Forms,
Shall become the key for us to overcome this crisis!”
“Ten Thousand Forms… refers to the lamp, or the Ten Thousand Forms Sect?”

Sang Le You Ling pondered for a moment,
Then, a sudden inspiration struck, and she sent out a flying letter:
“Wen Ruan Yu, you are of the Ten Thousand Forms Sect,
And should also be a crucial figure in the prophecy.
Go to the north, and greet an outsider.
Remember, he carries a certain candle, or candlelight, or a candle’s glow.”