“Such rapid progress!” Even Ning Zhuo himself secretly clicked his tongue at the speed of his soul cultivation.

“Before, I ate a large amount of spiritual food for more than ten consecutive days, and that only raised my soul to the level of a thousand people.”

“Now, using these four treasures, in just two rounds, my soul has violently increased to the level of ten thousand people!”

Such cultivation progress greatly violated common sense, and it was also rapid later on.

But thinking carefully, it was still reasonable.

The spiritual food Ning Zhuo ate before were all at the Foundation Building level. However, the four treasures he was now using were all at the Nascent Soul level!

Foundation Building, Gold Core, Nascent Soul, this was the normal order.

Now Ning Zhuo directly crossed over the Gold Core level and used Nascent Soul level resources on himself, while he was currently only a cultivator in the Foundation Building period.

This was absolutely a waste of talent, and also a very luxurious thing.

Even in a super sect, it would be quite rare. It was like inner disciples consuming resources that only true disciples, or even sect elders, were qualified to enjoy.

Ning Zhuo continued his soul cultivation while also paying attention to the outside world.

After the six Gold Core ghost generals were defeated and sank into the sand, no one else came to offend this place. The ghosts stirring up a massacre in the city were also gradually exterminated due to Wen Rou Yu’s performance.

Ning Zhuo still observed the environment where Sun Ling Tong was located through the thread of human life, and observed the situation from the battlefield outside the city.

“The defense of the immortal city is truly thick!” Ning Zhuo and Sun Ling Tong’s sigh was consistent.

The branch Yin army dispatched by the Forgotten River Underworld was absolutely elite, but after bitterly attacking the immortal city for a long time, not only did they lose soldiers and generals, but they also had no war results.

Not long after, the army flag shook, and the sound of gold signaled the withdrawal of troops.

The Yin army slowly retreated, actively ending this attack on the city.

They paid the price of three percent of their troops, yet only exchanged it for the war result of shaving several layers of talisman paper from the immortal city wall.

They retreated without chaos, with several Gold Core ghost generals personally suppressing the array, everything was in order.

Sun Ling Tong was mixed among them, acting in concert with them.

This branch of the Yin army did not retreat directly to the underworld, but stationed on the wasteland ten li outside Bai Zhi Xian Cheng, slowly building a camp.

Since the direct attack was unsuccessful, and hearing that the turmoil within the city had gradually dissipated, the main general of the Yin army first retreated, secretly hoping that the city guard army inside Bai Zhi Xian Cheng would come out for a wild battle.

Wild battle?

No way!

Tie Gu Zheng Xin knew clearly that his city guard army could not display military strategy, while the opposite side was a genuine real army. If they really engaged in a wild battle, detached from the thick geographical advantage of Bai Zhi Xian Cheng, then the city guard army would simply not be enough for this branch of the underworld to eat two mouthfuls.

Wen Rou Yu returned inside the paper man giant statue.

He slowly put away his self-portrait, looked at Ning Zhuo’s soul cultivation, and couldn’t help but be extremely envious.

These four great soul cultivation treasures were all at the Nascent Soul level. Wen Rou Yu had been in Bai Zhi Xian Cheng for so long, and he hadn’t simultaneously owned so many items.

“Leng Gu Yue Lu Jiu is a combination of soul cultivation and Confucian cultivation methods. It is brewed by taking the Nine Nether Qi, condensing the moon essence, and then using spirit grains and immortal fruits brewed into wine liquid for over a hundred years as the base.”

“Jiu Quan Xi Xiang was made by the Funeral Music Ghost performer. She mainly cultivated the Nine Springs Sound Method, and only she had the ability to make this kind of fragrance. With her death, it has already become a lost sound.”

“E Gui Shi Ding was a big gift from the Soul Devouring Sect to the city lord. They carefully forged it, referencing the Soul Devouring Art, yet without leaking any of their sect’s merit laws, quite ingenious.”

“The rarest is still 《Ming Fu Xing Dian》. This is a national artifact of the underworld. I don’t know which generation’s city lord obtained it through what channel.”

Ning Zhuo saw Wen Rou Yu return, then slowly stopped cultivating.

Wen Rou Yu’s face showed a smile. First, he congratulated Ning Zhuo for achieving great merit this time. Bai Zhi Cheng Zhu would give an extremely big reward.

Ning Zhuo curiously asked what the reward was.

Wen Rou Yu then, with a complex and hard-to-describe expression, took out a seal and handed it to Ning Zhuo: “Jiao Ma, from this moment on, you are the vice city lord of our Bai Zhi Xian Cheng.”

Even though Ning Zhuo had many guesses, seeing such a reward at this time was especially surprised.

He knew that Bai Zhi Xian Cheng had always set up very few vice city lords. The only leader here was the city lord herself.

He didn’t expect Bai Zhi Cheng Zhu to be so generous, actually directly handing over the vice city lord’s seal to Ning Zhuo.

“Bai Zhi Cheng Zhu is actually so assured of me?”

“Or is she certain that I am the savior of this crisis? This is too much courtesy to me.”

“Or, is she confident in the means she has planted on me?”

Bai Zhi Cheng Zhu had planted a talisman in each of Ning Zhuo’s three dantians.

Sun Ling Tong once suggested trying to steal them out for Ning Zhuo. But later, Ning Zhuo discovered the past of his mother and Bai Zhi Xian Cheng, changing his decision to leave.

In this situation, he simply couldn’t rashly take out these three talismans.

From a certain perspective, this was the foundation of trust between Ning Zhuo and Bai Zhi Cheng Zhu. Once taken out, it would instead be bad.

Now was still not the time to take out these talismans!

Ning Zhuo thought for a bit, then accepted the vice city lord’s seal, refining it while asking Wen Rou Yu about the disposal result of the silent ghost general.

Wen Rou Yu then answered him that the five Gold Core ghost generals who were captured alive were all imprisoned for interrogation.

“Speaking of which, there is one person who wants to see you.” Wen Rou Yu thought of something, and directly took out a token.

He shook the token.

The next moment, a ghost flew out from the token.

This ghost quickly condensed into a physical form. It was thin, with three mouths on its face. It was indeed an old acquaintance ——— Duo Kou Gui Jiang.

Unlike before, Duo Kou Gui Jiang’s body was already wearing a layer of paper armor, and there were many pure white characters on his skin. These characters were very tiny, but they were linked together, forming a chain, draped over the ghost general’s entire body.

“This lowly one pays respects to Young Master Jiao Ma.” Duo Kou Gui Jiang actively bowed. Obviously, he had been instructed beforehand.

Even without being instructed, according to Ning Zhuo’s shocking performance on the battlefield before, it had also shocked Duo Kou Gui Jiang.

Therefore, Duo Kou Gui Jiang was timid and shrinking in front of Ning Zhuo, without the momentum of a Gold Core level.

Ning Zhuo glanced at him, then concentrated on looking at Wen Rou Yu: “Is such surrender truly reliable?”

“Reliable, reliable, reliable!” Duo Kou Gui Jiang hastily expressed his loyalty.

“Shut up.” Ning Zhuo lightly glanced at him.

Duo Kou Gui Jiang’s body trembled and he hastily lowered his head: “Yes, yes, yes.”

Wen Rou Yu showed a bitter smile: “Jiao Ma, do you know how much combat power our city lost in this turmoil inside and out?”

Wen Rou Yu reported the war losses, which also made Ning Zhuo involuntarily moved.

Wen Rou Yu said: “This ghost tide is different from before.”

“In the previous ghost tides, although the Lord of Forgotten River had intervened, it was all done secretly. However, this time, he actually dispatched the Yin soldier great army, showing his determination to obtain it.”

“The Forgotten River Underworld is like a cultivation country. Although the Lord of Forgotten River cannot reach the yang world, his subordinates are like clouds and rain.”

“So, this is very likely a prolonged war! We must maintain the scale of soldiers who can fight, only then do we have more hope to finally pass this calamity!”

Wen Rou Yu first spoke of the necessity of recruiting enemy generals, and then introduced: “Duo Kou Gui Jiang is already quite trustworthy.”

“On the one hand, the paper armor on his body is a prohibition released by the city lord; on the other hand, Duo Kou Gui Jiang’s body also has my Confucian cultivation’s 《Zhao Fu Gang Yao》.”

Ning Zhuo was curious: “Zhao Fu Gang Yao?”

Wen Rou Yu then explained: “This is a Confucian cultivation spell that can sense and recruit enemies. Its effect is good, stable, and reliable.”

Ning Zhuo then asked: “Was this personally cast by Senior Wen?”

Wen Rou Yu shook his head: “No, but the caster is absolutely reliable. It is an old person specially left behind by Senior Sister Meng Yao Yin.”

“Let’s get to the main topic.”

“This time, the city lord adult also ordered you and me to continue investigating the inner traitor.”

Mentioning this, Ning Zhuo felt a knot in his heart and couldn’t help but frown slightly.

Wen Rou Yu had more confidence in him than in himself: “With you, Jiao Ma, acting, the inner traitor will certainly not be able to hide for too long.”

Ning Zhuo shook his head: “I only collect clues, evidence, and conduct analysis and deduction. If Senior Funeral Music Ghost Performer were alive, then there would be a grasp.”

Mentioning the deceased colleague, Wen Rou Yu’s face suddenly sank, his expression became gloomy, and he felt sad.

Ning Zhuo knew he was not good at investigating cases, but there was no other way, he could only brace himself.

This matter was quite urgent. Ning Zhuo interrupted his cultivation and went to work on this task.

He thought for a bit, then asked Wen Rou Yu, where was the source of the chaos and massacre of the city people by the ghosts this time?

Wen Rou Yu then told him that a Ghost Gate Pass had been temporarily set up deep in the Mo Jiang, and a large number of ghosts had surged out from within the Ghost Gate Pass.

Ning Zhuo suggested: “Then let’s check from the Mo Jiang, how about it?”

Wen Rou Yu immediately nodded, without the slightest resistance: “Since the city lord adult ordered me to be your assistant, you just arrange it.”

On the surface, it was still Wen Rou Yu as the main person, with Jiao Ma following him closely.

As for the position of vice city lord, Ning Zhuo chose to suppress it and not show it. There was no need to show off at this critical moment and attract the enemy army’s assassination.

The Mo Jiang was the river course within the city.

The river water was pitch black and emitted an ink fragrance.

Ning Zhuo came to the section of the river where the incident occurred. He and Wen Rou Yu entered the river water together, only to find some traces, but no valuable clues.

“This inner traitor is quite clean!” Wen Rou Yu sighed, “We have already searched several times, and are now checking all the Mo Jiangs within the city.”

Ning Zhuo came back up the shore, thought for a moment, and said to Wen Rou Yu: “The sources of these Mo Jiangs are all Mo Chi. Adult Wen, you mentioned before that this Mo Chi was left by Senior Meng Yao Yin?”

“Exactly.” Wen Rou Yu then answered.

Ning Zhuo was very interested in Mo Chi itself: “Then let’s go see it first.”

Mo Chi was located underground in Bai Zhi Xian Cheng. The pool water was pitch black like ink, yet it was not dirty. Instead, it permeated a quiet and profound meaning, as if it could reflect the heart. The water surface was waveless, like a piece of ink jade inlaid on the ground, occasionally rising up tiny ripples, seemingly having spirituality.

There was a stone tablet standing beside the pool, with two characters written on it — “Xi Xin”.

When Ning Zhuo and Wen Rou Yu walked near, an ink shadow rose from the edge of the pool, immediately forming a hunchbacked shape.

He was a thin old Confucian scholar, with white beard and hair, wrinkles as deep as gullies, and a pair of cloudy eyes that occasionally held divine light.

He wore a light gray Confucian robe that had been washed to a faded white, and a simple wooden plaque hung at his waist, with the two characters “Shou Mo” written on it.

Ning Zhuo was slightly stunned, and realized that he had already seen this old Confucian scholar. The person opposite was the city gate official he had seen when he entered the city, responsible for recording the names of those entering the city.

“Teacher Zheng, Young Master Jiao Ma is quite strategic and good at investigating cases. This time, he will be my assistant in investigating the inner traitor in Bai Zhi Xian Cheng.” Wen Rou Yu actively bowed.

The old Confucian scholar of Mo Chi was surnamed Zheng. After Meng Yao Yin appointed him, he changed his name to Shou Mo, meaning the person guarding Mo Chi.

The old Confucian scholar of Mo Chi did not disappoint Meng Yao Yin’s entrustment and had always fulfilled his duty.

He had merit in guarding Mo Chi, and his character was even more admirable, so Wen Rou Yu, even as a true disciple of Ten Thousand Forms Sect at the Gold Core level, was very respectful to him.

Ning Zhuo wanted to understand his mother more, so he used the excuse of investigating the case and actively asked.

The old Confucian scholar of Mo Chi introduced: “In the past year, I was fortunate to survive with the help of my lord, and from then on, I vowed to follow and offer my life’s loyalty.”

“My master asked me to guard Mo Chi, and in the past few years, I have not been negligent in the slightest!”

“Mo Chi is a cultural treasure of Confucian cultivation, derived from the inkstone among the four treasures of the study: brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. The water of Mo Chi can educate the people of the world, wash away barbarism and ferocity, and return to the path of literature.”

“The cost of constructing Mo Chi was extremely high. But my master had great benevolence in her heart and did not hesitate to build it with heavy capital, without receiving any interest from Bai Zhi Xian Cheng.”

“The fact that Bai Zhi Xian Cheng can continue on and reach today’s situation of smooth government and harmonious people can be said to owe great merit to the literary education triggered by Mo Chi!”

Like Wen Rou Yu, the old Confucian scholar of Mo Chi also praised Meng Yao Yin highly.

Ning Zhuo heard this, smiled, and felt honored in his heart.

“Besides guarding Mo Chi, does Elder do any other work? I once saw you serving as a city gate official.” Ning Zhuo asked.

Wen Rou Yu smiled slightly.

The old Confucian scholar of Mo Chi then explained: “To maintain the daily operation of Mo Chi is not just about guarding safety.”

“This old man must perceive the public sentiment, only then can he effectively and targetedly educate.”

“Therefore, in addition to serving as a city gate official, I also often visit alleys and participate in many market activities.”

Ning Zhuo suddenly realized: “So that’s how it is.”

He asked many more questions, and the old Confucian scholar of Mo Chi answered one by one. His speech was neither hurried nor slow, giving people a stable and reliable feeling.

Ning Zhuo and Wen Rou Yu acted successively, checking Mo Chi, but found no clues.

The old Confucian scholar of Mo Chi actively said: “Perhaps there are some clues that can help the two adults.”

“Oh?” Ning Zhuo looked at the old Confucian scholar with anticipation.

The old Confucian scholar said: “This old man has no other methods, but recently I participated in the work of guarding and interrogating prisoners, and I thought of the five Gold Core ghost generals that Adult Wen just captured.”

“Perhaps they know something, and we can pry some clues out of their mouths.”

Wen Rou Yu nodded: “This is… Even if there are no clues, we can torture out some enemy army intelligence. That also counts as our merit.”

The old Confucian scholar of Mo Chi smiled: “This old man is just going to clock in for work. We might as well go together.”

The three left Mo Chi and came to the prison.

The old Confucian scholar of Mo Chi led the two into an interrogation room.

The old Confucian scholar of Mo Chi was the leader among them. As soon as they entered, a subordinate diligently reported that the four Gold Core ghost generals had all confessed, although it was only more or less.

Only Silent Ghost General was very unyielding, his attitude was extremely firm, and no matter how severe the torture, he had not said a word so far.

“That’s interesting.”

“Then let this old man meet him.” The old Confucian scholar of Mo Chi slowly rolled up his sleeves and took out a branding iron from the charcoal stove.