: The Strategist is Mighty!

"This is the logic of the strange path. Who is the one controlling the shadow threads to bind the entire army and now attacking me?" Ning Zhuo's eyes sparkled with sharp light, both shocked and delighted.

Without Sun Lingtong by his side, Ning Zhuo's own reconnaissance methods were lacking, unable to observe the anomalies around him.

He still didn't know that Wu Hen had already slipped into the carriage and seen him.

However, being cautious by nature, Ning Zhuo had preemptively summoned the Heavy Blood Ape - Da Sheng and the Buddha Physician - Meng Yaoyin to guard him when the mechanical dragon wasn't nearby, thus avoiding the crisis of being ambushed.

Of course, relying solely on these two mechanical constructs with Golden Core-level combat power couldn't completely deter Wu Hen's thoughts of ambush.

What truly made a difference was the Great Serpent Scythe.

If Wu Hen's judgment wasn't sharp enough to recognize the power of the Great Serpent Scythe, he might still have attacked Ning Zhuo.

In that case, Ning Zhuo's safety would have been uncertain.

Ning Zhuo was unaware that he had nearly been ambushed by Wu Hen.

Such is the battlefield.

War is perilous!

Once on the battlefield, risks multiply. Even Nascent Soul cultivators could be beaten until they vomit blood and flee, let alone a minor Foundation Establishment-level cultivator like Ning Zhuo.

However, Ning Zhuo had long been resolved to face such risks head-on in order to secure the mechanical carriage.

"Ever since Zhang Zhongyi treated Boss Sun's injuries, I knew that to heal my mother's Dao injuries, I must master two disciplines."

"One is medical arts, the other is the realm of the strange path."

"Who is the one attacking me? It should be Wu Hen from the Dragon King Temple side, right?"

Having temporarily allied with the Two Pillars Kingdom and serving as the military strategist in the Three Generals Camp, Ning Zhuo held a position that allowed him access to much intelligence.

Thus, he was aware of many famous Nascent Soul and Golden Core cultivators in the Thousand Peaks Forest.

Chen Lingfeng and Wu Hen were both outstanding among Golden Core cultivators, naturally remembered by Ning Zhuo.

"What secret manual does Wu Hen cultivate?"

"Usually, I have little opportunity. But now, with the two armies facing off and him on the battlefield, the chance of capturing his cultivation technique has greatly increased!"

There were also cultivation manuals related to the strange path in the Book Tower.

But for Ning Zhuo to purchase them, he would need to spend spirit stones or tower gold.

On the battlefield, if he could capture them, the cost would be different.

"Moreover, if I can capture Wu Hen alive, I can interrogate him about his cultivation experiences. It would be like not only obtaining the manual but also capturing a teacher."

Ordinary cultivators lacked such means, but Ning Zhuo, mastering the Life Thread and My Buddha Heart Demon Seal, had the possibility of making Wu Hen talk.

Back in the Fire Persimmon Immortal City, hadn't Ning Zhuo controlled Han Ming using the Staff Head and My Buddha Heart Demon Seal, forcing her to use the Soul Devouring Art to aid his cultivation for a considerable time?

Ning Zhuo had already cultivated three superior methods and couldn't switch to a strange path technique.

It was also difficult for him to find a strange path technique comparable to the three superior methods.

Even if he sought a master with his current skills, finding a good teacher in this area was challenging, so he had to rely on himself.

"Find Wu Hen, defeat him! Best to capture him alive for interrogation... no, to persuade him, guide him toward goodness, and turn him from evil."

Thinking this, Ning Zhuo laughed heartily, "Well, which cultivator attacked me?"

"Your methods are quite impressive, talented indeed."

"Pity, such talent serving the Thousand Peaks Forest is truly a waste."

"Fellow comrades, if there's a chance, try to spare this person's life. Let me persuade him to turn from evil!"

Ning Zhuo used his means to broadcast these words across the entire battlefield, audible to both allies and enemies.

The clamor of the battlefield noticeably quieted.

What? What?!

What did Ning Zhuo just say?

Wu Hen felt many inexplicable gazes from his allies fixed on him.

His deathly pale face flushed with anger, "Ning Zhuo, you brat, a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, how dare you insult me like this?! I will make you pay."

He gritted his teeth, almost roaring to make his stance clear.

Zhang Hei stared wide-eyed at Ning Zhuo. He hadn't misheard; Ning Zhuo had indeed proclaimed it.

But the problem was, the attacker was clearly a Golden Core cultivator, and Ning Zhuo was only at Foundation Establishment!

Guan Hong unconsciously stroked his beard, feeling that Ning Zhuo's words were just to his taste!

"Speaking to a Golden Core cultivator as if defeating him is as easy as picking something from a bag. So condescending and confident, it's uplifting! Really uplifting."

"Learning, learning!"

Guan Hong was ambitious, well-versed in the "Spring and Autumn Art of War," and adept at learning from practice.

Liu Er sighed inwardly, "Truly worthy of being the strategist, worthy of being from a great clan, his confidence is just different!"

He didn't think Ning Zhuo was boasting.

Although Ning Zhuo's main body was only at the early Foundation Establishment stage, it was clear that he exhibited solid Golden Core-level combat power, even surpassing Liu Er himself!

There was nothing more to say.

Wu Hen was angry, anxious, and shocked, all while suffering from backlash.

Relying on his strange path techniques, he usually succeeded effortlessly. This encounter was quite rare for him.

Wu Hen was severely injured and lost control over many shadow threads.

In the Three Generals Camp, many soldiers freed themselves from the shadow threads, pulling their legs and arms out of the soil one by one.

The ground had become firm again but wasn't rock-solid. The cultivators used their various means, not to mention the battle formation's enhancements, and soon broke free, regaining their liberty.

In no time, the Three Generals Camp's formation was mostly restored.

Wu Hen struggled to maintain the remaining shadow threads while actively circulating his energy to heal.

The strange path held great advantages against conventional opponents because conventional methods struggled to counter it.

But such advantages could also be seen as disadvantages—typically, elixirs, magical instruments, talismans, etc., on the market weren't compatible with strange path cultivators.

Unfortunately, Wu Hen's cultivation technique didn't include any elixir recipes.

Thus, Wu Hen couldn't use elixirs to heal or aid his cultivation after battle.

The strange path was vastly different from other Dao principles. Even the ghost path could draw from other principles, but the strange path was so distinct that many found it difficult to comprehend.

Wu Hen's injury gave the Three Generals Camp a crucial breather.

Ning Zhuo's actions had successively resolved two restraints, his achievements stunning everyone.

The entire army was振奋, some even shouting: The strategist is mighty!

Ning Zhuo lifted his large head, quickly adapting to the key points of acting within the battle formation.

In short, it was about making a show of strength and dominance.

The more flamboyant and dominant, the more confidence it instilled in comrades, boosting morale and military heart, thereby enhancing the entire battle formation's power!

So, he leaped lightly onto the carriage and, under everyone's watchful eyes, clapped his hands sharply, "Gentlemen, watch me slay the enemy!"

Wood Element—Tree Realm Descent.

Saplings broke through the ground, growing into towering trees within breaths!

Countless vines slithered through the forest like serpents, spreading in all directions.

This was mountainous terrain.

The environment was naturally suited for tree growth, with abundant Wood Element spiritual energy.

Moreover, Ning Zhuo received enhancements from the battle formation and national defense, making the might of his Tree Realm Descent astonishing even to himself.

In an instant, giant trees sprouted, lush leaves blocking the wind. Vines attacked, using offense as defense, expanding their foothold.

Chen Lingfeng circled in the air, seeing his gale blocked by the forest, and snorted coldly.

Wind Element—Hundred Blades Storm.

He unleashed his magic power, transforming it into over a hundred wind blades, swirling and covering the area.

These wind blades were semi-transparent emerald green, each as large as a carriage, extremely sharp.

As they descended into the tree realm, the wind blades spun forward, cutting the giant trees in half along their path.

Boom...

Instantly, numerous giant trees fell, stirring up clouds of dust.

Amid the dust, the number of wind blades reduced to about fifty, charging toward the Three Generals Camp.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, let me assist you." A fellow Golden Core cultivator, seeing this, promptly acted.

He transformed into his true form, a Red-crowned Crane.

The crane was larger than an elephant, with a wingspan of four zhang and eight chi.

The crane demon let out a piercing, mournful cry.

Demon Art—Crane's Lament in the Empty Sky!

Sonic waves reverberated across the battlefield, piercing the ears of the Three Generals Camp soldiers, evoking feelings of sorrow.

Many soldiers shed tears on the spot, dropped their weapons, knelt, and covered their faces, weeping.

"I might as well die!"

"Wuwuwu, what's the point of living?"

"I'm old with nothing to show for it, my life is worthless."

Morale plummeted, military heart scattered once more.

Ning Zhuo took a deep breath and cast a spell.

Fire Element—Fury Crowns the Head.

Earth Element—Firm as a Rock!

Flames erupted from his head, forming a giant crown that covered a vast area of the sky.

Then, rolling flames spread like clouds, infuriating the soldiers below and驱散ing the mournful cries.

Simultaneously, earthen walls rose around the battle formation, sturdy and stable, blocking all the wind blades.

Ning Zhuo held his own against two opponents.

"Oh?" Chen Lingfeng and the others showed surprise again.

Ning Zhuo, merely at early Foundation Establishment, through multiple enhancements from the battle formation and national defense, saw his spell power surge, allowing him to cross a major level and contend with two Golden Core cultivators!

"The strategist is mighty!" the entire army cheered excitedly.

Ning Zhuo laughed heartily, though his face paled considerably.

After several consecutive spells, his magic power was nearly depleted! Secretly, he frantically circulated the Five Elements Rhythm Art to refine more magic power.

His cultivation level held him back.

Only at early Foundation Establishment, he hadn't even reached the first stage of unobstructed field opening.

"Three generals, I've exhausted my magic power and can't continue." Ning Zhuo transmitted this message via divine sense.

Liu Er immediately responded, "Strategist, rest quickly. You've performed excellently, aiding the army greatly! It's time for us three Golden Core cultivators to play our part."

Guan Hong and Zhang Hei echoed in agreement.

"All troops, charge with me!" Liu Er brandished his Xuanhuang Sword, officially switching from defense to offense.

The nearly three hundred cultivator army assumed a triangular arrowhead formation for the charge. Starting slowly, their speed猛烈 increased as they charged toward the nearest Golden Core cultivator.

The Golden Core cultivator hastily retreated.

But at that moment, Zhang Hei emerged, incredibly fast, like a dark whirlwind.

"Where do you think you're going? Take this spear!"

The Golden Core cultivator, seeing no escape, mustered all his defenses.

Yet, his defenses were like paper, and he was impaled by the Black Serpent Spear, losing his life instantly.

Zhang Hei, originally a Golden Core cultivator, enhanced by the battle formation and national power, was fiercely aggressive.

However, after instantly killing a Golden Core cultivator, he didn't press the attack but immediately returned to the tip of the triangle, rejoining the formation.

The three generals held special status: Liu Er was the formation's core, while Guan and Zhang were the formation's eyes, unable to stray from the formation for long.

(End of )