Chapter 604: You must still love me

Seeing the Jiao family head outside the door, Ning Zhuo suddenly felt a headache.

For the time being, it was still necessary to maintain the identity of Jiao Ma.

His enmity with the Heaven and Earth Double Ghosts was too great!

Once his true identity was exposed, it would inevitably attract these two. At that time, two great Yuan Ying True Monarchs would surround and intercept him. Since he had already lost his military position, how would he handle the matters of White Paper Immortal City? How would he join the Myriad Manifestations Sect?

"However, speaking of it, if I can join the Myriad Manifestations Sect, this super sect is indeed a very good protective umbrella."

But this matter was still a bit far off.

For now, Ning Zhuo would be staying in White Paper Immortal City for some days and needed to remain disguised.

But Ning Zhuo also didn't want to talk more with the Jiao family head. Standing at the door, he said expressionlessly, "A few days ago, adults like Sang Le and You Ling all died due to assassination."

"All suspicious personnel, I will try to avoid seeing."

The Jiao family head's face suddenly turned red with anger: "I am your father! You actually suspect me?!"

Ning Zhuo still said expressionlessly: "The internal traitors in the city are extremely skilled at disguise. I am not stepping out of this threshold and am protected by the defense array inside the house. If you have something to say, just say it briefly."

The Jiao family head didn't expect that coming specifically to see his own son would result in this kind of treatment.

"Good good good."

He forcefully suppressed his anger: "My son, I know you are still angry with your father."

"But everything I asked you to do was for the family."

"Your two brothers have both lost their Yuan Yang. Serving the city lord with a depleted Yang body would be a great disrespect!"

"Only you are most suitable."

Ning Zhuo interrupted him, saying: "Do you still have something? I am very busy now, on one hand I need to cultivate, and on the other hand I still need to handle cases for the city lord."

The Jiao family head detected the meaning of being seen off and tried to squeeze out a smile: "My son, I am very happy that you can rely on yourself to get through this difficulty."

"You did not let down the seed of my Jiao family! You turned misfortune into blessing, and you can rely on this to gain the city lord's favor."

"I came here precisely for this."

"Whatever you need to handle the case, just ask, and our family will certainly fully assist you."

Ning Zhuo's heart stirred, and he immediately understood the implied meaning: "How many people did the family bring this time?"

The Jiao family head told him everything: "A total of eighty percent, with the remaining ten percent left in the Black Marsh Wetland, and the last ten percent are all old, weak, sick, and disabled, staying behind to guard the clan land."

As a cultivation family facing calamity, it was natural to divide personnel to preserve the seed of the fire.

But eighty percent was too high a standard.

"Eighty percent?" Ning Zhuo looked at the Jiao family head, quite surprised by his ambition. This was almost equivalent to investing everything to assist White Paper Immortal City.

The Jiao family head had a solemn expression: "This was a decision made after many days of discussion with the family elders."

"Yin and Yang are separate. Ghosts from the Yin world generally do not exceed the Yuan Ying level."

"White Paper Immortal City has stood here for so long, it will not be destroyed by a ghost tide."

"Of course, there is another reason."

"The city lord has released an announcement offering rich rewards to all cultivators who enter the city to support us. This is the greatest intensity I have ever seen in my life!"

Ning Zhuo again heard the implied meaning: "Heavy rewards attract brave men. White Paper Immortal City is putting everything on the line, only fearing that you will all risk your lives."

"Of course. This is indeed life-risking money!" The Jiao family head admitted frankly, "But at such a high price, I feel it is worth it. We have already received the order and first need to train in secret, then go out of the city to fight."

Ning Zhuo frowned: "Although that group of Yin soldiers is not large in scale, their military formation is strict, their orders are followed, and they have military strategies supporting them. If you all go out of the city to fight in the wild, how can you be their opponent?"

The Jiao family head laughed: "My son, don't worry. We may not engage them head-on, but just look for opportunities to sneak attack, eliminate scouts, and so on."

Ning Zhuo's eyebrows relaxed slightly: "This is a strategy to wear down the enemy."

After all, he had experienced battlefields and knew that this was indeed the limit of what White Paper Immortal City could do now.

Seeing that Ning Zhuo still cared about the family, the Jiao family head's anger from before dissipated by more than half. Before leaving, he admonished: "My son, this time the city lord's order has mobilized almost all villages and towns to send aid soldiers."

"Cang Yang Bie Fu is very likely to be full. You should still quickly advance to Zhuang Yang Yuan."

"If your father dies on the battlefield, if you can occupy a seat in the city lord's mansion, you will be the family's reliance."

Speaking to the end, the Jiao family head sighed, took out a jade slip: "This is the complete collection of my clan's cultivation methods and the family head token. Keep them well. If there is disharmony, in the future, perhaps you can rely on this to revitalize the family."

Ning Zhuo did not reach out to take them. The Jiao family head simply put the jade slip and order token on the ground and turned to leave.

Sun Ling Tong saw this scene: "Okay, Xiao Zhuo, you got a free benefit."

Although he was located within the Yin soldiers' large camp, Ning Zhuo could still send the situation around him, following the thread of human life, to him.

Therefore, what Sun Ling Tong saw was not much different from when he was in Ten Thousand Miles Roaming Dragon before.

Ning Zhuo sighed. The Jiao family head's entrustment brought up complex emotions in his heart.

He couldn't help but imagine if his father had survived, in this situation, whether he would have treated him the same way?

Ning Zhuo was not Jiao Ma. Looking at it as a third party, the Jiao family head actually

arranged his beloved son to a relatively safe position. This was both for the family and also deep fatherly love.

Ning Zhuo had a thought: "Old Big, we borrowed his son's identity and can be said to have received a favor from the Jiao family."

Sun Ling Tong: "Oh? What do you think, Xiao Zhuo?"

Ning Zhuo: "I now have the family head token and can send flying letters to the Jiao family members. It just so happens that you are in the enemy camp. Why not detect some intelligence and let me send it to them in time to reduce some of the Jiao family's losses, which can also be considered returning this favor."

Sun Ling Tong shrugged, feeling no problem: "Anyway, it's something I can do easily, just follow your lead."

Ning Zhuo stroked the mechanism ring once, immediately checked the jade slip and order token, confirmed there was no harm, and then put them away.

Besides recording the Jiao family's several cultivation methods, the jade slip also contained a treasure map.

The Jiao family had almost their entire clan come to aid, and before setting off, they had made many preparations, one of which was to distribute their family assets and bury them in different locations.

Ning Zhuo had no interest in the treasure map. The Jiao family's standard was not high, and most of their assets were divided among the family members. The remaining ones were of little value.

He also had no interest in the cultivation methods in the jade slip. After looking at them for a few moments, he stopped paying attention.

His three sects' upper methods were currently still being cultivated.

Flesh body cultivation relied on the Fetal Breath Spirit Boat and was still progressing step by step.

Soul cultivation was Ning Zhuo's current focus.

After all, four great Yuan Ying level soul cultivation treasures were not something ordinary cultivators could possess. And the Hungry Ghost Backlash Cauldron and the 《Underworld Criminal Book》 were borrowed from the White Paper City Lord and might need to be returned after leaving the city.

Ning Zhuo's soul foundation was continuously rising rapidly.

The city organized many night attacks. Although they did not shake the Yin soldiers' large camp, they did cause trouble and casualties for the enemy. Overall, there was still some effect.

Wen Rou Yu came to find Ning Zhuo many times, urging him to search for the internal traitor.

How could an internal traitor be so easy to find?!

Ning Zhuo knew himself well; he was not good at investigating cases. Instead of wasting time doing uncertain things, it was better to firmly grasp the current good opportunity and cultivate every second.

Wen Rou Yu was persistent and relentless. During one urging, he finally spoke his mind: "The city lord has entrusted heavy responsibility. How can we be slack? Jiao Ma, you should exert more effort, investigate more intelligence, and perhaps you can dig out the internal traitor."

Originally, it was Ning Zhuo who, through Sun Ling Tong, probed out the specific military situation and sent flying letters to the Jiao family in a timely manner, allowing them to always choose the enemy army's weak points during night attacks.

When this kind of thing was done many times, attentive people would naturally discover the trick.

In Wen Rou Yu's heart, it naturally further confirmed that Jiao Ma was not Jiao Ma, but rather someone specially sent by the city lord to investigate the internal traitor, seemingly relying on his unique intelligence ability.

Ning Zhuo was annoyed by the urging and made a few excuses.

Wen Rou Yu was worried about White Paper Immortal City and naturally wouldn't be so easily sent away.

Ning Zhuo thought for a moment and came up with a plan: "Senior Wen, please calm down a bit. Whether White Paper Immortal City can overcome the ghost tide calamity fundamentally does not lie in the internal traitor, but in our city lord adult."

"As long as the city lord adult recovers and solves the drawback of excessive Yin Qi, having the ability to move freely. Then, relying on this immortal city, who can attack it?"

Wen Rou Yu nodded: "This is not wrong, but who made the city lord still in this state now!"

Ning Zhuo shook his head, staring at Wen Rou Yu: "Senior Wen, I don't believe that the dignified White Paper Immortal City would not have a contingency plan for this."

Wen Rou Yu hesitated slightly and then transmitted a sound to Ning Zhuo: "Alright, you are already the deputy city lord now, so this plan naturally won't be hidden from you."

Immediately, he briefly and concisely explained the plan.

Ning Zhuo heard the words and showed a strange expression: "Gold Swallow Fork?"

Sun Ling Tong also learned of it almost at the same time and couldn't help but laugh secretly: "Xiao Zhuo, this treasure has a good name and is particularly fated with our Cang Iron Han Armor. We should possess it."

Wen Rou Yu's plan was very simple: find suitable cultivators and let the Gold Swallow Fork recognize them as its master. Then, through the Gold Swallow Fork, this extreme Yang treasure, erupt with vast Yang Qi to help White Paper City Lord consume her huge Yin Qi.

As long as the burden was reduced enough, White Paper City Lord's main body would recover some ability to act.

Wen Rou Yu sighed: "Originally, Jin Yang Zi was the best candidate for this plan."

"This person was a chess piece arranged by White Head Dragon Monarch. We knew this and, considering the overall situation, endured it."

"It's a pity the internal traitor made the first move and eliminated him."

Ning Zhuo said: "So, the internal traitor also knows about this plan."

Wen Rou Yu said: "The existence of the Gold Swallow Fork has long been known to the high-level. In fact, it itself represents hope and plays an important role in stabilizing people's hearts and maintaining morale!"

Ning Zhuo clapped his hands: "Since that's the case, why don't we set a trap with this matter."

"If we run around investigating cases everywhere, not to mention the danger, if the enemy arranges many false messages and wastes our energy and time in vain, what should we do?"

"Instead of being easily drawn in by the enemy, it's better to retreat and set a net, waiting for the rabbits!"

Wen Rou Yu was convinced and nodded slightly: "You have a point."

Ning Zhuo added: "But before that, it's better to first move me inside Zhuang Yang Yuan."

During this period, Cang Yang Bie Fu had received too many human race males, and the environment had become quite noisy, not conducive to Ning Zhuo's cultivation.

"This is easy!" Wen Rou Yu promised immediately.

In fact, if Ning Zhuo showed his duty as deputy city lord, he could easily handle it himself.

Ning Zhuo smoothly entered Zhuang Yang Yuan.

The temperature in Zhuang Yang Yuan was much higher than outside.

Deep underground was a Fire Essence Pool.

Lie Yang Hall was its main hall, the Rising Sun Stele was in its backyard, and in the middle of the front yard square stood a Gold Crow Burn Heaven Pillar, giving a grand sense of a pillar supporting the heavens.

Ning Zhuo's residence was uniformly called Yang Yan Residence, and many furniture items were made of Fire Jade.

The atmosphere here was very unpleasant.

Ning Zhuo had just moved in in the afternoon and was walking when he was blocked in the back garden.

"Boy, I heard you were personally arranged to come in by Senior Wen?"

"You have quite the connections, but you might be deluding yourself."

"I am destined to be the master of the Gold Swallow Fork!"

Zuo Han, with a cold moonlight in his left eye, threatened Ning Zhuo with a stern face.

Just as Ning Zhuo was about to speak, a figure rushed out from behind a rockery beside them.

It was Ning Zhuo's acquaintance, Yang Wei Da, who came from the "same village".

Yang Wei Da bowed and scraped to Zuo Han, helping Ning Zhuo get through.

"Jiao Ma, you've finally been promoted."

"This is too great!"

"We are our own people and should help each other more, so that those old men who bully us can open their dog eyes and see us succeed."

After saying these words, he stared at Ning Zhuo with bright eyes: "Jiao Ma, the medicine I sold you, have you finished eating it? Do you want to buy some more?"

"That's not necessary." Ning Zhuo resolutely refused, turned and left, unwilling to get entangled with Yang Wei Da.

He still needed to practice his cultivation.

Ning Zhuo could be said to be diligently and constantly practicing his soul cultivation.

Wen Rou Yu was almost fully responsible for arranging the trap around the Gold Swallow Fork.

Ning Zhuo was doing the hands-off boss, and his days were quite comfortable.

The arrival of a girl broke Ning Zhuo's comfortable days.

Her skin was dark cyan, and her joints had deep green vortex patterns. There were fish scale-shaped keratin on her elbows and knees.

Two spiral short horns bulged from her forehead, like bronze forged curved blades.

She wore leather armor, her figure was hot, with prominent breasts and buttocks, and a slender waist, making her overall curve smooth yet exaggerated.

The girl took the initiative to come to his door, staring intently at Ning Zhuo. Strong emotions flowed from her eyes: "Xiao Ma, you still like me, right?"

Ning Zhuo suddenly understood that this girl should be Qing Yan's daughter, the ghost race girl Qing Chi, who was in love with Jiao Ma.

He suddenly felt a headache, shook his head expressionlessly: "Things have come to this point, what's the point of talking about liking or not? You should leave quickly and don't come to find me again. Just pretend we've never met."

The girl took a step back, her face turned pale, she covered her heart, and was in pain: "Xiao Ma, how can you be so heartless, saying such cutting words!"

"I don't believe it!" The girl shook her head, then used firm, pleading eyes to lock onto Ning Zhuo, "You definitely still love me, you say no but your heart says yes!"