Chapter 618: Famous in One Region

White Paper Immortal City.

Waves of ghostly tides crashed against the city walls.

A defensive force, with the city guard as its backbone and a large number of cultivators from the surrounding areas forming its flesh and blood, held fast to the city.

Every moment, countless ghostly creatures were annihilated, and many cultivators fell.

Tie Gengzheng, the commander of the city guard, wore a grim expression as he intently watched the battlefield, issuing orders and adjusting the city's defenses without pause.

"Only three reserve units remain," Tie Gengzheng thought, his heart heavy.

Previously, the White Paper City Lord had heavily rewarded brave individuals, gathering almost all available forces from around the Immortal City to bolster the defenses, which allowed them to hold out for so long.

However, after multiple waves of ghostly attacks, White Paper Immortal City's defensive strength had been significantly depleted, and its forces were once again stretched thin.

"Report!" an urgent military message came in. "The West Gate is in distress! A large number of Soul-Hooking Geckos have scaled the wall and already occupied a section!"

Tie Gengzheng's brows furrowed deeper. After a quick calculation, he realized that none of the three remaining reserve units would be sufficient.

"Besides me going personally, our only hope lies with the Azure Scorch Army," he muttered.

The so-called Azure Scorch Army was a force commanded by Qing Chi and Jiao Ma (Ning Zhuo), organized with personnel and funds provided by the Ghost Clan's Qing family and the Human Clan's Jiao family.

Strictly speaking, Qing Chi had not yet successfully established the army; it was still merely a nascent force.

"Orders received! We're going to the West Gate!" Inside the city, Qing Chi opened her eyes and stood up abruptly.

She had been impatiently waiting for the order to attack.

The other cultivators had also been preparing for a long time. Hearing the command, they moved, following closely behind Qing Chi.

Qing Chi was the first to rush out of the temporary barracks, heading towards the West Gate.

Behind her, a large group of cultivators followed.

"They're finally deployed," Ning Zhuo observed from a distance, hidden from view.

"Their formation isn't as orderly as the Three Generals Camp or the Red Flower Camp because there wasn't time for dedicated military training. Besides, within the city, with its alleyways and streets, there isn't space for large-scale military maneuvers."

"But this deficiency must be addressed."

"After all, when we fight in the underworld, the battlefield won't be as complex as this."

A section of the city wall near the West Gate was devoid of cultivators; dozens of Soul-Hooking Geckos were coiled together, having occupied the area.

Meanwhile, a large number of Soul-Hooking Geckos were still climbing the city wall, swarming onto the parapet.

White Paper Immortal City's walls were not easy to climb; layer upon layer of 'wallpaper' were actually talismans, continuously burning. Many ghostly creatures shrieked in agony upon contact. The weaker ones were burned to ash.

The stronger Soul-Hooking Geckos endured the burning talismans, carrying residual sparks as they scaled the city wall.

The geckos extended their tongues, licking each other's bodies to gradually remove the lingering sparks.

They were recovering rapidly!

The commander who witnessed this scene had bloodshot eyes, knowing full well that they could not be allowed to continue.

"If this continues, this section of the wall will fall. If we don't reclaim it, the West Gate itself will be in danger. At that point, we will be the ones responsible for the city's demise!"

"One more time, everyone charge with me!"

The commander's voice was already hoarse from shouting. Despite his injuries, he led the charge.

His courage and sense of duty ignited the cultivators' spirits, and they followed him, desperately counter-charging to reclaim the wall.

Almost simultaneously, the Soul-Hooking Geckos turned their heads and spat out their coiled tongues.

The tongues shot out like lightning, incredibly fast, and extended to an astonishing length.

In the blink of an eye, these tongues struck many cultivators.

The cultivators had no time to react and were hit one after another.

Among them, some survived the attack using their protective measures, but most were struck, their souls hooked out of their bodies as the tongues retracted.

The geckos' tongues retracted even faster than they shot out!

The cultivators' souls were ensnared by the tongues and drawn into the geckos' mouths.

The geckos closed their mouths, swallowing them whole.

The soulless bodies collapsed to the ground. In just this single round of attack, at least fifty percent of the cultivators were lost.

The cultivators' morale suffered a massive blow, and they began to waver.

The commander shouted, "Keep charging!"

But only a handful of people followed him.

The rest scattered, fleeing backward.

Ning Zhuo, observing this scene from his hidden spot, was not surprised.

The commander and the few cultivators who continued to charge with him were all from the city guard. Although not formal cultivation army soldiers, they were usually well-trained, came from respectable families, and were loyal and willing to fight.

However, most of the others were from the villages and towns surrounding the Immortal City.

These villagers did not have a strong attachment to the Immortal City, nor had they experienced such brutal battles or undergone rigorous training, so their morale was unstable.

If not for White Paper Immortal City's strong defenses, these cultivators alone would have long disintegrated and been utterly routed under the ghostly tide.

The geckos opened their mouths again, unleashing a second round of tongues.

The commander and several cultivators instantly fell, their eyes wide with indignation.

Their souls were hooked away and vanished into the geckos' bellies.

The Azure Scorch Army, which had rushed to this location, witnessed the entire scene.

"Something's wrong. These Soul-Hooking Geckos are far stronger than normal. What's going on?" Qing Yan's brows furrowed deeply.

Just as he was about to pause and observe cautiously, he heard Qing Chi, who was ahead of him, angrily shout, "You beasts! Charge with me! Avenge our comrades!"

All the soldiers had been cultivated by the military system, and their initial military regulations emphasized strict obedience, making this nascent army more inclined to follow their commander's orders.

Therefore, upon hearing Qing Chi's cry, they swarmed onto the city wall.

"I--" Qing Yan stared in disbelief.

Ning Zhuo, who had been observing from afar, thought, "Qing Chi's choice is correct!"

He had, after all, experienced major battles and seized this fleeting opportunity.

Indeed, seeing a large group of people rushing over, only a few scattered Soul-Hooking Geckos opened their mouths again and shot out their tongues.

These tongues were truly too fast. Even with prior mental preparation, the cultivators couldn't intercept them and could only rely on their own defenses to withstand the blow.

The tongues struck their targets, but the soldiers merely paused for a moment before continuing their charge.

The cultivators who had just scattered stared with wide eyes, utterly shocked: "What's going on? Their protective measures are similar to ours!"

If they didn't know these Soul-Hooking Geckos were pure ghostly creatures, naturally full of hatred and murderous intent towards the living, the onlookers might have thought the geckos were holding back.

A glint flashed in Ning Zhuo's eyes, and he instantly understood: "It's their physiques!"

"The soldiers have all been cultivated by the military system; their bodies and souls have been enhanced towards becoming underworld paper money soldiers. Their foundations have significantly increased after several rounds of improvement."

Military provisions were expensive, but you get what you pay for!

The extent to which the military system improved the soldiers' foundations was immense.

While their own protective measures were at a normal level, their robust inherent foundations, far surpassing the conventional, rendered the Soul-Hooking Geckos' attacks almost completely ineffective.

"Hmm?!" Seeing this, the enemy general, who had been hidden in a corner, could no longer sit still and revealed himself.

Wandering Dao Field!

He unleashed his full power, activating his Dao field, immediately deepening its influence over this section of the city wall battlefield.

A hazy, grey full moon appeared vaguely above everyone.

On the city wall, silver-grey threads, like jellyfish tentacles, floated in the surrounding air, swaying.

The cultivators within the Dao field all felt their souls become light and airy, as if they were about to detach from their bodies.

Their feelings were not mistaken. Some of the cultivators who had previously scattered and retreated could not control themselves, their souls directly flying out of their bodies, leaving them momentarily bewildered.

Qing Yan's eyes blazed with sharp light: "Wandering Ghost God!"

This was a Ghost God from the underworld, ancient and renowned. Its appearance was that of a grey full moon, from which countless mica-like tentacles extended.

These mica-tendril-like silver-grey threads could easily extract others' souls. Ordinary methods could hardly harm these threads, making them extremely troublesome.

However, on the city wall, much of the Wandering Dao Field's power was resisted by White Paper Immortal City itself; less than forty percent of its full strength could be utilized.

"So that's it!" Ning Zhuo realized. "The Wandering Ghost General was hiding here, secretly interfering."

Ning Zhuo immediately identified the enemy general.

Because Sun Lingtong, after obtaining Luo Si's approval, had already returned to the mortal realm. Days ago, he had hidden himself within the ghost army's main camp, accompanied by a small team of ox cavalry.

Having him gather military intelligence was extremely convenient and reliable.

The Wandering Ghost General, a devotee of the Wandering Ghost God, used his Wandering Dao Field to loosen the connection between souls and bodies of living beings within it, making them easier to separate. Moreover, souls moving out of the body moved much faster than usual.

It was precisely because of his covert interference, affecting this battlefield, that the previous defenders were caught off guard and rendered helpless against the Soul-Hooking Geckos' attacks.

As the Dao Field's power intensified, it immediately affected Qing Chi and her group. Many, while running, felt their souls extending beyond their thighs and arms.

Qing Chi shouted, "Paper Armor Art!"

The cultivators obeyed the command, each performing the Paper Armor Art.

Within a few breaths, their entire bodies were covered in layers of talismans.

The protective effect of the paper armor was immediate, restraining their souls and simultaneously fending off the Soul-Hooking Geckos' subsequent tongue attacks.

The Wandering Ghost General immediately frowned.

The Paper Armor Art was not uncommon, and the one they performed was clearly much more proficient. A truly advanced Paper Armor Art could form the shape of actual armor, providing even more astonishing defensive capabilities.

However, the Paper Armor Art they used was merely the most basic level—

just layers of talismans pasted onto their bodies, appearing quite flimsy.

But to the Wandering Ghost General's surprise, the practical effect of these seemingly simple talismans was remarkably good. They directly isolated the influence of the Dao field and even had enough residual power to defend against the geckos' tongue attacks.

This defied common sense!

Unless the Paper Armor Art was extremely compatible with these cultivators.

Cultivators' physiques varied, leading to significant differences in their compatibility with certain spells. The same spell, cast by different individuals, could have vastly different powers.

"But there's no reason all these cultivators should be so compatible with the Paper Armor Art! Unless—"

The Wandering Ghost General's heart sank. He quickly pulled out a ghost fan.

He fanned the ghost fan repeatedly, conjuring a burst of dark wind.

The dark wind raged, its formidable power immediately sweeping across the entire battlefield.

"What a powerful dark wind!"

"Quick, retreat! This wind will kill us!"

The many cultivators who had previously retreated showed signs of distress, their faces changing drastically as they withdrew further.

Qing Chi and her group were engulfed by the dark wind, their charge immediately halted. Seeing their formation about to be disrupted and the entire army wavering, Qing Chi shouted, "Underworld Passage Art!"

As the master of the military system and the first commander, she had naturally learned these two spells.

Even cultivators who had not learned the Underworld Passage Art through the military system had mastered it through mutual learning.

The Underworld Passage Art, applied to the cultivators, instantly transformed the formidable dark wind into a gentle breeze.

Of course, this was only how the Azure Scorch Army perceived it. To outsiders, it looked as if this group had simply adapted to the dark wind, continuing to charge forward despite the strong gusts.

The Soul-Hooking Geckos, with distended bellies, had their combat strength greatly reduced.

Qing Chi, leading the new army, arrived successfully at this critical juncture.

First, they launched a devastating assault, instantly killing more than half of the geckos. Afterward, the cultivators fought fiercely.

The Soul-Hooking Geckos were slaughtered.

Seeing that this section of the wall was about to be reclaimed by White Paper Immortal City, the Wandering Ghost General could no longer hold back and charged down from mid-air.

"Excellent timing!" Qing Chi's eyes blazed with fierce light. Blue flames surged around her entire body, and with a powerful stomp, she charged towards the Wandering Ghost General.

Bang, bang, bang!

The two exchanged blows in mid-air, their fists and feet colliding with sounds like thunder, shaking the entire battlefield.

The Wandering Ghost General retreated slightly and activated his ghost fan. Qing Chi channeled blue flames, unleashing bursts of fist-flowers.

They clashed for three rounds, neither gaining an advantage.

The Wandering Ghost General saw that the cultivators had already recaptured the city wall and were easily slaying the Soul-Hooking Geckos that continued to climb. Knowing that the tide had turned, he began to consider retreating.

Qing Chi keenly perceived this and immediately pursued him.

The Wandering Ghost General sneered, "You can't stop me."

His own speed was astonishing, and he was confident he could withdraw from the front line. But before retreating, he needed to deactivate his Dao field.

After all, this Dao field was unleashed with him at its center.

However, just as he was doing so, the plaque above White Paper Immortal City's West Gate suddenly shone with a strange light, ensnaring the Dao field.

At the same time, countless sheets of 'wallpaper' flew from the city walls, each one a talisman.

The talismans swarmed like a beehive, surrounding the Wandering Ghost General.

The Wandering Ghost General could only fight with all his might, deploying various ghost techniques, using offense as defense to intercept the talisman onslaught, appearing quite formidable.

"Die!" Qing Chi seized the opportunity. Having completed her preparations, her entire body burning with blue flames, she struck the Wandering Ghost General like a meteor.

The Wandering Ghost General chose to block forcefully. The instant of impact, his face drastically changed, filled with infinite regret.

The blue flame meteor directly shattered his chest, piercing through from his back.

Before dying, the Wandering Ghost General violently twisted his head, staring intensely at Qing Chi: "You! This is military power amplification!"

Although it was a nascent army, it could already provide military power.

Under the military power amplification, Qing Chi's combat strength soared, by such a magnitude that it directly surpassed the Wandering Ghost General's.

"I refuse to accept this!" The Wandering Ghost General shrieked, instantly turning to dust.

Caught off guard and successfully ambushed by Qing Chi, he hadn't even been able to utilize his speed advantage, dying in vexation.

Only a Ghost Dao Golden Core remained, suspended in mid-air.

Qing Chi, however, was too weak to retrieve it. She fell directly from mid-air, the blue flames on her body rapidly dissipating, and she lapsed into unconsciousness from exhaustion.

Qing Yan quickly caught his daughter and took over command of the Azure Scorch Army.

The cultivators faltered for a moment, then quickly recovered. They held their ground, slaughtering the surrounding ghostly creatures, causing them to scatter one after another.

"It's truly a cultivation army!"

"White Paper Immortal City has deep reserves; they decisively played a trump card."

"But why is a young ghost girl leading the army?"

The Azure Scorch Army not only immediately reclaimed the city wall but also slew a Golden Core-level Ghost General, achieving the best result in White Paper Immortal City's defensive battles to date.

In just one battle, the Azure Scorch Army, already a topic of much discussion in White Paper Immortal City, became famous throughout the entire Dark Tide Black Marsh Wetlands!