Chapter 632: What cannot be forgotten is the path of the Dao

The Underworld.

Forget-River Xiancheng.

The Forget-River surged and roared beneath the city, flowing endlessly.

Blue-black skeletons grew slowly from the riverbed of the Forget-River, and after countless years, they finally broke the surface, sprouting into countless spires.

Forget-River Xiancheng was built upon these towering skeletal spires as its foundation, constructed above the Forget-River!

The City Lord's Mansion of the Forget-River Prefect sat atop the highest skeletal spire.

He sat upright on his Prefect's throne, placing the jade slip in his hand onto the table.

The jade slip contained the report from the vanguard commander, stating that the entire army was applying the Soul-Death Layering Ointment on schedule, building momentum for the siege.

"Nearly a hundred years have passed in a flash, and in the blink of an eye, we have reached the final juncture..." The Forget-River Prefect's gaze grew slightly unfocused.

Without realizing it, he stood up, walked to the window, and looked out, overlooking Forget-River Xiancheng.

This was the highest point of Forget-River Xiancheng.

The Yin wind blew across the skeletons, carrying wisps of corrosion and the scent of souls, also stirring the Forget-River Prefect's pale, long hair.

Dressed in a black robe, he was tall and thin. Standing with his hands behind his back, he scanned the immortal city before gazing into the distance.

His face was somewhat withered, with wrinkles spreading across the corners of his eyes and cheekbones.

His eyes were incredibly deep, like the entrance to a dark abyss. If one looked closely, it seemed as though countless tiny, twisted faces were silently wailing, laughing, and annihilating within his pupils.

There were also countless scenes appearing and vanishing, playing out one act after another of life-and-death separations, love, hate, and grievances.

His lips were thin and cold, as if carved by a blade. Two deep nasolabial folds wound down from the sides of his nose, cutting straight into his taut mouth corners, like the marks of two heavy shackles, sealing away thousands of words.

The unwillingness of time, the heavy pressure of loneliness, the exhaustion of seeking the Dao... all these emotions had transformed into these few gullies, branded onto his face, harboring a will more ancient and stubborn than death itself.

The Forget-River Prefect had a very clear understanding of the situation: "This time, in order to refine the Heavenly Ghost Skull, I launched the Heavenly Ghost Incarnation Offering Tribulation Rite."

"My rivals and powerful neighbors must have reacted by now after this period of time."

"Even if they don't know what the postnatal aptitude within the Heavenly Ghost Skull is, they can judge its value to me just from my massive actions!"

"Therefore, they will definitely make a move to stop me from attaining the Dao!"

Just as he thought of this, a subordinate delivered an urgent report—

"My Lord Prefect, turmoil has broken out at the Bone-Transforming frontier. The Spore-Fungus Sect and the Rotten-Corpse Marquis have clashed. Both sides are mobilizing personnel with all their might. The situation is deteriorating too quickly and requires urgent mediation."

"If not handled in time, I fear these two major forces will engage in a severe bloodbath!"

The subordinate looked at the Forget-River Prefect, his gaze filled with reverence and expectation.

The Forget-River Prefect, however, continued to look out the window, thinking to himself: "So, the first ones to come and trouble me are you two."

The Spore-Fungus Sect Ancestor and the Rotten-Corpse Marquis were usually at odds and often had friction. The Bone-Transforming frontier where both forces were located was one of the Forget-River Prefect's jurisdictions, so the Forget-River Prefect often stepped in personally to mediate their disputes.

Whichever side was weaker, the Forget-River Prefect would secretly favor.

Relying on his policy of balance, the Bone-Transforming frontier maintained a fragile equilibrium, with no single major force dominating the region.

Now, seeing that the Forget-River Prefect had no spare time, busy refining the Heavenly Ghost Skull, these two sides tacitly mobilized personnel and set up formations, wanting to take the opportunity to slaughter the other and let their own side dominate the region!

Even though the Forget-River Prefect saw through their calculations, he had to praise them for seizing this rare opportunity.

The Forget-River Prefect truly could not step out to mediate personally this time!

"This is an even more appropriate test."

"Once I confirm that I will not move to go to the frontier, the hidden moves of these people will appear one after another."

The Forget-River Prefect had already guessed the subsequent changes in the situation.

The Yang Realm.

White-Paper Xiancheng.

The City Lord's clone led Ning Zhuo and Qing Chi to the city's treasury.

"This is the Bone-Blade Battle Flag." The City Lord's clone first displayed a military flag.

The flagpole was neither wood nor iron, but tightly spliced together from countless tiny, pale bone joints. The top was not a spearhead, but a cluster of Yin fire, the flames a sickly green.

The flag surface itself was so thin it was nearly transparent, as if tanned from the skin peeled off a wrongful death victim, cold and slick. There was no painting on the flag, it was blank; only after Qing Chi refined it would the two large characters 'Qing Jiao' appear.

"These are the Crescent Moon Great Saber and the Sky-Splitting Long Spear," the City Lord's clone continued.

The Crescent Moon Great Saber was as thin as a cicada's wing, and the blade was not smooth, but covered in fine, intricate cracks like shattered ice patterns. Deep within the cracks, a ghostly blue moonlight flowed slowly, flickering.

As for the Sky-Splitting Long Spear, the tip was formed by layers of talisman paper tightly rolled, compressed, and bonded together. The tip was sharp, while the middle section had a fluffy texture as if about to disintegrate.

When wielding the long spear, Ning Zhuo heard a tearing sound like paper being ripped.

"These are the Black-Blood Paper Horses."

The paper horses were tall and gaunt. Their skeletons were rolled from pitch-black hard paper, while the "flesh" was semi-transparent gray-white talisman paper. The talisman paper was very thin, and one could vaguely see a cluster of human-head-sized, violently pulsating and burning sickly green ghost fire inside the chest cavity acting as the driving core.

The horse's eyes were two points of solidified, deep ink, hollow and dead.

Finally, they arrived at the deepest part of the warehouse, where there was a small, exquisite paper barracks only the size of a palm.

The City Lord introduced it simply: "This is a Ritual Barracks, which allows a cultivation army to be spared the pain and complexity of setting up camp in the wild. You only need to sacrifice it to immediately erect a barracks on flat ground."

"The key is that this barracks also has an altar, which can be used to offer sacrifices to various ghosts and gods, and to pray."

"Of course, we are in a defensive battle, so we don't need this kind of ritual barracks."

A sharp glint flashed deep in Ning Zhuo's eyes.

The City Lord's clone extended her arm, traced a semi-circle with her finger, and sighed: "As you can see, these are all military weapons."

"Once, our city tried many times to form a cultivation army."

"These military weapons were prepared specifically for building the army."

"I didn't expect that in the end, they would be put to use in this way."

The City Lord's clone looked at Ning Zhuo and Qing Chi.

She quite hoped that this new army could be used by White-Paper Xiancheng. But the Qing Jiao Army was currently completely infiltrated by the Myriad Phenomena Sect; fortunately, the result was not too bad.

Because Ning Zhuo was the son of Meng Meng Meng Yaoyin and had not yet joined the Myriad Phenomena Sect, this relationship could be fully leveraged.

On the other hand, Qing Chi was also a native ghost race, and her recognition of White-Paper Xiancheng's rule was quite high.

Ning Zhuo sighed with emotion: "To be honest, I didn't think that building this army would be so rapid. Now, it has actually reached the stage of military weapons."

"And with your sponsorship, City Lord, the Qing Jiao Army has been built!"

The City Lord's clone: "No, this is not a free sponsorship; it has to be paid for. If possible, it counts as a loan. In the future, our White-Paper Xiancheng will also need to form a new army."

Qing Chi hurriedly said: "Lending it to us is also a huge help; the junior is deeply grateful!"

Ning Zhuo raised an eyebrow: "It would be a bit difficult for White-Paper Xiancheng to form a new army, wouldn't it?"

The paper person clone snorted: "If it were just up to my White-Paper Xiancheng, the new army would have been established long ago. It's just a pity that the Yin-Tide Black-Wet Swamp lies between the two countries and is a buffer zone. No one wants to see military forces here!"

Speaking of this, the paper person clone looked up and sighed: "Although the Yin-Tide Black-Wet Swamp is vast and sparsely populated with a unique environment, it is not an uncivilized land. There will always be various forces guarding against, suppressing, and squeezing it out, with all kinds of entanglements and obstructions. It is too difficult to accomplish a major task."

Qing Chi was silent, not knowing how to respond.

Ning Zhuo then pacified him: "Lord City Master, this is how the world is. It is not just White Paper Xiancheng. Think about it carefully; even a cultivation nation like the Two-Note Kingdom must scheme for a long time, taking one step while planning three. If one truly wants to accomplish something major, one must resist the obstruction of surrounding neighboring countries."

"Regardless of the size of the force, and regardless of where it is, as long as there are cultivators, there will be these fierce competitions. Isn't that so?"

The Underworld.

The Forget-River Prefect was also sighing to himself: "Even though I am a Prefect, it is still extremely difficult to accomplish a major task."

Since the day the Spore-Fungus Sect and the Rotten-Corpse Marquis confronted each other and the Forget-River Prefect did not move to stop the fight, bad news had been reported to the Forget-River Prefect one after another for him to decide.

A powerful existence named Shan Yan walked throughout the Underworld, and wherever he went, he would challenge the strongest in the area.

He was almost led to the Forget-River Underworld.

The Forget-River Prefect had been paying attention to this matter and immediately dispatched personnel to destroy the enemy's conspiracy, causing Shan Yan to eventually choose another direction.

In the Dust-Evil Cave, a Soul Transformation-level Dust Crocodile broke the seal, rushed out of the cave, and wreaked havoc, slaughtering villages and towns everywhere.

After the incident, the Forget-River Underworld reacted quite promptly and immediately dispatched experts, but these experts returned in defeat, and some even encountered ambushes by mountain bandits and robbers on the way, suffering heavy losses and giving up halfway.

The Forget-River Prefect pondered for a long time before ordering the dispatch of the border army.

The border army successfully exterminated the Dust Crocodile but also suffered heavy losses and rested on the spot.

This meant that the border defense strength of the Forget-River Underworld had decreased significantly, and the weakness had already been exposed to the surrounding forces.

"Urgent report!" The subordinate looked anxious, but unlike before, he had a look of joy on his face.

"What is it?" The Forget-River Prefect was a bit curious.

"Reporting to the Prefect, at the White-Tail Crossing, the cultivator you mentioned has appeared!" the subordinate hurriedly said.

The Forget-River Prefect's expression was dazed for a moment.

"It's her..."

That was the Prefect's former wife, whom he had truly loved and had promised to grow old with.

However, for the sake of subsequent cultivation techniques, he abandoned his wife and chose the beloved daughter of the previous monarch.

After usurping the throne, the Forget-River Prefect expanded his Underworld territory three times, found his former wife, and wanted to welcome her back to be the Queen.

His former wife had long since had her heart broken and had seen through love, firmly refusing.

She hid in the White-Tail Crossing and rarely came out.

The Forget-River Prefect had arranged for personnel to be stationed at the White-Tail Crossing all year round, just to get the first news of his former wife appearing at the crossing.

Every time, he would rush over at full speed to meet his former wife, and even though he was met with cold faces and refusals every time, he was willing to endure it.

After many times, the solid ice showed signs of melting.

His former wife's attitude gradually turned around, and once she asked him: "Will you abandon me again?"

"I control a prefecture and am the monarch; what is there that would make me abandon you?" At that time, the Forget-River Prefect stared at his former wife affectionately without hesitation, "Come back, come back to my side."

His former wife flashed a look of hesitation, but finally shook her head and disappeared into the White-Tail Crossing.

Memories of the past surfaced in the Forget-River Prefect's heart, and then were destroyed by his sharp, ruthless gaze.

"It must be that someone is secretly instigating this, letting my former wife appear at the crossing at this time!"

"What a poisonous method; this is to disturb my Dao heart."

The Forget-River Prefect could be absolutely certain that if he did not go to meet his former wife this time, it would definitely make her extremely disappointed and thoroughly see through the Forget-River Prefect's character. Not only would the efforts of the past decades go down the drain, but there might never be another chance!

The Forget-River Prefect gritted his teeth, a rare look of ferocity appearing on his face.

He clenched his fists, the veins on his hands bulging.

He wanted to roar in anger, wanted to raise his arms and howl at the sky, but in the end, he did not do so.

He loosened his fists, his expression becoming cold again, and glanced at the reporting subordinate, saying only faintly: "Withdraw."

The Yang Realm.

White-Paper Xiancheng.

"You all withdraw." Ning Zhuo waved his hand.

"As you command, my lord!" Peanut Ghost General and the others responded in unison, then retreated a few steps with extreme respect before turning and leaving the living room.

Only Ning Zhuo and Wen Wen Ruanyu remained in the living room.

Wen Wen Ruanyu said: "These ghost generals, not only have I checked them, but the City Lord's main body has also personally taken action to investigate them thoroughly."

"They have no problems and can be trusted!"

Previously, the Forget-River Underworld had successively dispatched Golden Core combat power, sending them into White-Paper Xiancheng through traitors, causing much destruction, and many were captured alive.

While Zheng Zheng Shoumo was still around, he was mainly responsible for recruiting these Golden Core-level ghost generals.

His identity as a traitor was not even known to these ghost generals.

And now the results of the investigation also showed that Zheng Zheng Shoumo had followed the rules, dedicated to his duties in accepting the surrender, and had not arranged any hidden moves or backdoors.

"These ghost generals can indeed be used, but it is best to use them for city defense. Heaven knows what kind of reaction they will have if they are taken back to the Underworld!"

Ning Zhuo thought about withdrawing the Qing Jiao Army; these ghost generals, as a batch of precious combat power, could just fill the city defense.

The big-headed youth looked at Wen Wen Ruanyu: "Senior Wen, have you had any results from the sacrificial text you examined?"

This was the focus of his meeting with Wen Wen Ruanyu this time.

Wen Wen Ruanyu replied: "You guessed right, this sacrificial text is indeed a Confucian method, a sacrificial rite to the Heavens!"

"It's just that the object of the sacrifice is not the Yang Realm, but the Underworld."

"The text is incomplete and profound, and I have only studied some of it, but I hope it can bring you help."

Ning Zhuo leaned toward Wen Wen Ruanyu: "The junior is all ears."

Wen Wen Ruanyu then explained it and said: "To break this sacrificial rite, it is actually very simple: find the hub position and use Confucian methods to destroy it." ===== CHAPTER 633 =====