Chapter 622: Military Supplies, Military System

As soon as Qing Ning left the City Lord's residence, they gathered everyone together.

Inside the room, Qing Chi proudly displayed the military seed.

The 'military heart' had been a mass of green light coalescing into a heart shape, but the military seed's form had changed significantly. It had transformed into a seed, about the size of an adult's fist, narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. From its pointed tip, numerous delicate paper strips extended, resembling the rootlets of a germinating seed, swaying gently with the breeze. The entire seed was wrapped in layers of rough paper money, some white, some yellow. Between the stacked and pieced-together papers, a solemn human face was faintly discernible.

“Is this the military seed? It's my first time seeing one,” Jiao Ma's father exclaimed, his eyes wide as he scrutinized it. “It's truly been refined! Well done, girl!”

In response to her father's praise, Qing Chi looked at Ning Zhuo with a fervent gaze. “Actually, Little Ma deserves all the credit for this.”

Qing Yan's brows furrowed instantly. He sensed that this refining of the military seed had brought about a breakthrough in the relationship between his daughter and Jiao Ma.

Wen Ruan Yu crossed her arms, looking completely unsurprised. “I told you long ago, those two were destined for success!”

Sensing the ambiguity in her words, Qing Yan quickly corrected, “She meant the military seed was successfully refined.”

“It’s great that it worked, truly fantastic, hahaha!” Jiao Ma’s father beamed with joy.

Ning Zhuo glanced at Qing Chi; he had already discreetly deactivated the 'Life Thread' ability he had cast on her. This particular divine ability was best reserved for crucial moments, to avoid drawing unwanted attention.

He continued, “Since the military seed has been refined, let’s try it out first.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Soon, Ghost Clan cultivators from the Qing family and Human Clan cultivators from the Jiao family were summoned there.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Qing Chi walked up to the soldiers. She took out the military seed again and infused it with magical energy. The paper money military seed quickly expanded like an inflating balloon. Its outermost layer of paper unfolded, rising into the air without a breeze and floating in mid-air. Piece by piece, the paper money then descended, landing on the cultivators and quickly adhering to their bodies. Soon, countless pieces of paper money enveloped all the soldiers before them, turning them into humanoid paper effigies.

Qing Chi immediately felt a huge suction force emanating from the military seed in her hand, rapidly draining her magical energy. “Little Ma!” Her expression shifted slightly, and she instinctively called out to Ning Zhuo for help.

Everyone had been watching intently. Qing Yan was about to intervene, but Ning Zhuo stopped him with a single sentence: “Don’t move, any of you. I participated in its refining, and my magical energy is also recognized by the military seed.”

Ning Zhuo moved quickly, immediately placing his hand over the military seed and infusing it with his own magical energy, significantly relieving Qing Chi's pressure.

Qing Chi let out a sigh of relief. “Little Ma, thank goodness for you!”

Ning Zhuo's expression was calm. “Qing Chi, focus. This is our first time using the military seed.”

Qing Chi nodded, savoring the word “we” in her mind and feeling a wave of sweetness.

Qing Yan: ...

However, Ning Zhuo's expression soon changed as well. His magical energy was also proving insufficient. This was just the beginning! Fortunately, Ning Zhuo had a large supply of spirit stones and pills on hand, which he immediately used to replenish his magical energy levels. This situation continued for most of the morning before finally coming to an end.

The paper money clinging to the cultivators fell off, disintegrating into countless shreds in mid-air, and finally vanishing completely. The changes in the cultivators were visibly apparent. They had become lean. The exposed skin of the Jiao family cultivators turned pale, while the Qing family's Ghost Clan members' skin became even deeper and more profound in color. Much more Yin energy was now present in their bodies, yet it coexisted harmoniously without any rejection.

Upon careful inspection with their spiritual senses, Ning Zhuo and the others discovered that the cultivators' bodies, souls, and even their three Dantians had undergone transformation. Although the extent of the transformations wasn't significant, the trends in these cultivators' changes were clearly consistent.

“I also learned two spells,” one cultivator reported proactively.

“I’ve mastered them too, it’s like they were directly imprinted in my mind.”

“How come I only mastered one?”

There were also differences among the cultivators; the same level of training didn't necessarily yield the same results. Qing Chi inquired further and discovered that the two spells were 'Paper Armor Art' and 'Yin Passage Art'. As its name suggested, the Paper Armor Art, once activated, covered the body with layers of talisman paper, providing enhanced protection. The Yin Passage Art, on the other hand, allowed soldiers to adapt and survive in environments rich in Yin energy.

“As long as we continue cultivating them with the military seed, they should be able to comprehend more techniques. This should include methods for passing between Yin and Yang,” Ning Zhuo speculated.

Qing Chi said, “Little Ma, you’re so clever, that must be it. But do we have to expend this much energy every time we cultivate them?”

Ning Zhuo fell silent. It wasn't just a matter of expending energy; the spirit stones and pills he had used to support this cultivation session, both before and during, represented a considerable cost. “However,” Ning Zhuo thought, looking at the cultivators before him, “having the military seed is indeed much more convenient and advanced.” “This expense is absolutely worth it!”

Ning Zhuo thought of the Three Generals Camp. Liu, Guan, and Zhang, the three generals, had to expend immense effort to train their subordinates, and even then, they only produced the most ordinary soldiers. However, possessing the military seed offered a qualitative transformation of an entirely different magnitude! The cultivators' souls and physical bodies were both enhanced and transformed. From this perspective, the military seed was similar to the 'Fetal Breathing Spirit Boat' and the 'Underworld Punishments Scripture', all capable of improving a cultivator's foundational strength. Although the military seed's focus was singular, its impact was comprehensive, transforming both body and soul. Ning Zhuo then thought of the Red Flower Camp, his mind racing: “Does the Red Flower Camp have a corresponding military seed?”

“Actually, it is possible to achieve this without expending so much effort,” Li Xiangshang interjected at that moment. Seeing everyone's gaze turn to him, he continued, “This involves the subsequent steps. Now that the military seed has been successfully refined, the next step is military provisions! We need to invest a large amount of resources into the military seed to help it grow strong. Once the military seed has its foundation, it won't require us to infuse it with magical energy during each cultivation cycle. In fact, that is the most correct way to use it.”

Qing Chi then asked, “What kind of resources are needed?”

Li Xiangshang replied, “Basically, anything of value will do. For example, spirit stones. Of course, there are also some specific requirements. Since this military seed corresponds to 'Paper Money Underworld Soldiers', there must be special military provisions required. Fulfilling these will help the military seed's foundation grow more quickly and effectively.”

Qing Chi frowned. “But I don't sense any special provisions needed.”

Li Xiangshang said, “Well... that's probably because the military seed has just been refined and hasn't been cultivated to a certain extent yet, so it hasn't developed the sensitivity.” “Haha.” “It's also my first time assisting in refining a military seed, so I’m not entirely clear on all the details.”

Even so, it was enough. Li Xiangshang’s words had given everyone a clear direction forward.

But therein lay the problem. Ning Zhuo and the others were all frowning. To refine the military seed, they had already spent everything they had. And this was even with the joint funding from the White Paper City Lord and General Luo Si. Now, more financial resources were needed! The difficulty of establishing an army was truly daunting. Simply put, it all came down to money. A substantial amount of cultivation resources was still required to properly cultivate the military seed. But Ning Zhuo had almost exhausted his own financial reserves. Where would the money come from next?

Wen Ruan Yu said, “Since we’ve reached this stage, I will report back and hope the City Lord can be generous with his support.” After all, if an army were truly established, it would be of great help to White Paper Immortal City.

Li Xiangshang also emphasized, “Once the military seed is well-cultivated, it won't just impart spells; it can also store experience. The combat experience of new recruits will all be stored within the military seed. In the future, when cultivating new members, the corresponding experience can be infused into them, allowing them to quickly transform into seasoned veterans.”

“Oh, that reminds me.” “During the military provisions stage, Miss Qing Chi also needs to study military treatises. The main point isn't for you to master a vast amount of military strategy, but to decide what kind of military system to adopt. Once your military cultivation realm is sufficient, you can add new restrictions to the military seed. These restrictions originate from military treatises and are crucial cornerstones for army building. Military provisions and military systems complement each other; if both can advance hand in hand, that would be ideal.”

Qing Chi clutched her head. “What? More reading?”

Ning Zhuo, however, looked at Li Xiangshang. “I also participated in the refining of the military seed, and I’m the vice commander. Can I add restrictions as well?”

Li Xiangshang replied, “It should be possible, but it would likely require Miss Qing Chi’s consent and cooperation.”

This condition was practically no condition at all.

“Military cultivation realm…” Ning Zhuo murmured to himself. “It seems I’ll have to read more military treatises.”

Qing Chi nodded. “Little Ma, I’ll rely on you for this.”

“No, you have to read them too,” Ning Zhuo said. “After all, I’m only the vice commander; you are the true commander.”

Qing Chi made a bitter face. “Then can I just be the vice commander, and you be the commander, Little Ma?”

“Cough, cough, cough!” Qing Yan coughed violently.

Ning Zhuo’s expression turned serious. “Qing Chi, stop messing around. You created the military heart, so you are more deserving of the commander position than I am.”

Qing Yan’s tightly furrowed brows immediately relaxed. Inside the room, the Qing family's Ghost Clan cultivators, who had felt nervous because of Qing Chi's open declaration, also relaxed. The next moment, they were about to collectively reject the idea. Ning Zhuo's timely stance defused the situation. Jiao Ma’s father, however, secretly felt a pang of regret.

Ning Zhuo swept his gaze around the room, finally settling on Jiao Ma’s father. “During the military provisions stage, how much can our Jiao family contribute?”

Jiao Ma’s father's heart skipped a beat. After a moment of thought, he stated a figure.

Ning Zhuo shook his head. “Not enough.” He promptly quadrupled the figure.

Jiao Ma’s father immediately shook his head. “We can’t come up with that, the family simply doesn’t have it.”

However, Ning Zhuo didn't back down. After a round of persuasive arguments and bargaining, Jiao Ma’s father turned pale and reluctantly agreed, gritting his teeth. Everyone watched, somewhat dumbfounded, thinking: Jiao Ma certainly wasn’t lenient with his own father.

Next, Ning Zhuo looked at Qing Yan. Even with Qing Yan’s Golden Core cultivation, his heart couldn't help but skip a beat. Ning Zhuo said, “Our new army is primarily Qing family-based. I am only the vice commander, and my clan has contributed so much. By rights, the Qing family should contribute even more.”

Qing Yan's expression turned grave. “How can my Qing family be as wealthy as your Jiao family…?” He, too, gritted his teeth. “But you’re right, our family should contribute more!”

Ultimately, Qing Yan also agreed to contribute a substantial sum of resources. However, even with the contributions from both families, it was merely a drop in the ocean for the military provisions required. According to Li Xiangshang, the cost for this stage would be many times greater than that of refining the military seed itself!

Fortunately, upon learning that the military seed was complete, the White Paper City Lord immediately allocated funds with such generosity that everyone was pleasantly surprised, secretly praising the City Lord's vision and magnanimity. With the City Lord's strong support, the military provisions stage finally had the necessary backing to proceed. The contributions from the Qing and Jiao families alone wouldn't have even covered ten percent of the initial costs.

Ning Zhuo had already paused his personal cultivation to fully dedicate himself to nurturing the military seed. This was a rare opportunity, and he gained much from it. During his free time, he no longer cultivated his soul but instead diligently studied military treatises, striving to comprehend a new military system. He even postponed most of his physical cultivation. This wasn't because Ning Zhuo was being lazy; rather, he had lent his Fetal Breathing Spirit Boat to Li Xiangshang for use. Despite Li Xiangshang's subpar talent, his ability still proved to be of great assistance in cultivating the military seed. However, Li Xiangshang alone found it difficult to sustain the process.

After a private conversation with Li Xiangshang, Ning Zhuo learned that whenever this particular talent was activated, Li Xiangshang’s entire body would begin to decay. Treating this with pills had very poor results. What truly helped was Li Xiangshang's own physical foundation. This led Ning Zhuo to think of the Fetal Breathing Spirit Boat. This treasure allowed one to cultivate the body by cleverly borrowing from heaven and earth, letting them nourish the cultivator as if they were an infant. This method fundamentally enhanced the physical foundation, making it perfectly suitable for Li Xiangshang.

Not to mention Li Xiangshang's repeated expressions of gratitude and pleasant surprises after using the Fetal Breathing Spirit Boat. Meanwhile, under Ning Zhuo's urging, Qing Chi had almost no free time, poring over military treatises. Firstly, the cultivation of the military seed was a matter concerning the survival of both clans, so Qing Chi dared not slack off. Secondly, Qing Chi and Ning Zhuo studied the treatises together each time, allowing for mutual discussion, which greatly stimulated her enthusiasm.

“Ning Zhuo, I think I’ve comprehended a military system,” Qing Chi suddenly announced one day.

Ning Zhuo discussed it with her and confirmed that she had indeed grasped it, and it was not a mere illusion. This made Ning Zhuo look at Qing Chi’s talent with renewed admiration. To be fair, Qing Chi's talent was astonishing. She was young, yet she had already reached the late Foundation Establishment stage. More crucially, her combat talent was extraordinary, possessing fighting power comparable to a Golden Core cultivator! Although she wasn't skilled in artifact refining, her comprehension of military strategy was a cut above Ning Zhuo's. Ning Zhuo himself hadn't comprehended it, but Qing Chi already had.

“What military system is it?” Ning Zhuo asked.

“Strict Obedience!” Qing Chi announced triumphantly, pointing to a passage in the military treatise. “I had an epiphany when I read this part.”

Ning Zhuo looked and saw the passage read: “Soldiers obey their generals’ orders. Those who obey entirely shall be rewarded; those who disobey shall be executed!” He had also read this passage and understood its principles, but he hadn't managed to comprehend a military system from it.

With ample military provisions and a clear military system, the cultivation of the military seed advanced significantly. Outwardly, the soldiers who had joined the army showed a completely different spiritual vigor and morale. Combined with the weapons and armor specially selected by the City Lord, the new army performed outstandingly in city defense, thoroughly astonishing everyone!

At this point, the news that White Paper Immortal City was about to possess an army could no longer be kept secret. It quickly spread throughout the city, causing a huge sensation.