: The Perching Bird (Combined Parts)

2024-12-28 Author: Gu Zhenren

The envoy arrived at the camp of the Three Generals' Battalion.

An incense table had already been set up.

Liu Er, Guan Hong, and Zhang Hei knelt on the ground. As a foreigner, Ning Zhuo only needed to stand and bow.

The envoy took out the imperial edict, unrolled it, and proclaimed loudly—

By the Mandate of the Earth, the Sovereign decrees:

Generals Liu Er, Guan Hong, and Zhang Hei possess exceptional courage and unwavering loyalty to the state. In the recent ambush battle, you fought with all your might, repelled the enemy's advance, and, with Golden Core cultivation, captured the Nascent Soul cultivator Ma Feitui alive. You have eliminated a major threat for our Liangzhu Kingdom and achieved illustrious military merits.

In times of peril, you braved dangers without regard for your own safety, showing no fear. Truly, you are pillars of the state. We hereby command that your official ranks be promoted from "Guerrilla Generals" to "Captor Generals" as encouragement, and award you ten blocks of National Strength.

Though Military Advisor Ning Zhuo is from another land, his heart aligns with righteousness; he fought valiantly and faced hardships without fear. Before the battle, he presented our army with a prophetic poem, its words precise, foretelling the course of the battle. During the ambush, he assisted the troops, repeatedly achieving remarkable feats and slaying countless enemies. Such lofty aspirations deserve reward. We specially grant four blocks of National Strength as encouragement!

May you remember this honor, live up to expectations, continue to fight bravely against the enemy, and defend the prestige of our Liangzhu Kingdom.

So it is decreed.

The three generals chorused, "We thank Your Majesty for this grace!"

Ning Zhuo echoed their words.

"The envoy has endured a long and arduous journey from the royal capital. Please, this way." After receiving the edict, Liu Er, beaming with smiles, hosted the envoy.

As the banquet neared its end, Ning Zhuo approached the envoy and slipped him many spirit stones. "The camp is humble, and our hospitality inadequate. Please do not take offense."

The envoy smiled, expertly accepting the spirit stone storage pouch. Shortly after, escorted by the three generals and Ning Zhuo, he left the Three Generals' Camp and returned to the royal capital to report.

Late at night.

Ning Zhuo was in his tent, carefully examining the National Strength bricks.

Cultivators establish cultivation nations, and the upper echelons of the state consolidate National Strength to create these bricks.

Liangzhu Kingdom was founded on the virtue of Water, hence the bricks appear black.

The lamplight in the tent reflected off the bricks, faintly revealing subtle ripples like deep-sea undercurrents—a sign of Water virtue.

Ning Zhuo ran his palm over a brick; the surface was cool but not piercingly cold like ice.

This was his first time touching a National Strength brick, though he had read about them many times in books.

Ning Zhuo stimulated his spiritual sense and channeled it into the brick.

A wave of energy emanated from the brick, enveloping him, and immediately sensed the Military Advisor Seal in his possession.

Like a lock finding its key, the door slowly opened, and a trace of National Strength flowed out from the brick.

Guided by Ning Zhuo's spiritual sense, the National Strength first entered the Divine Sea, his upper dantian.

Mirror Platform Spirit Awakening Technique!

As Ning Zhuo actively cultivated, the National Strength transformed into a magnificent light within his upper dantian, radiating in all directions.

Under this illumination, countless mirror thoughts proliferated with astonishing efficiency.

Ning Zhuo then directed this trace of National Strength into the middle dantian's Qi Sea.

Five Elements Qi Rhythm Art!

With the infusion of National Strength, it almost instantly converted into a large amount of Qi cultivation.

Demon Taint Blood Tendon Skill!

Similarly, in the lower dantian, the National Strength transformed into blood tendons, thickening the Blood Tendon Earth directly by three feet.

"Marvelous, truly marvelous." Ning Zhuo instantly felt all three dantians swell, his entire body filled with a powerful force.

This energy was warm, deep, and immensely包容.

Ning Zhuo stopped after a brief taste, slowly opening his eyes, his face full of surprise.

In just these short dozen breaths, his cultivation had surged by a small margin, equivalent to a full month of normal practice!

"Cultivating with National Strength is like direct empowerment, no arduous training needed!"

"More crucially, National Strength has no elemental attributes and can convert into the spiritual power of any cultivation technique in the world."

"No wonder in ancient times, many cultivators risked their lives to support imperial courts."

In terms of merit from the ambush battle, Ning Zhuo's achievements were far less than those of the three generals. Although his prophetic poem was accurate, its positive impact was limited to the Three Generals' Battalion and the Red Flower Battalion.

Ning Zhuo's merits largely benefited from the reflected glory of Liu, Guan, and Zhang.

Without the three generals capturing Ma Feitui alive, Ning Zhuo wouldn't have shared in so much credit.

This was also due to Liu Er intentionally emphasizing Ning Zhuo's contributions in his report.

Regarding these merits, Ning Zhuo didn't hesitate and chose National Strength bricks outright.

"If faced with this choice before the ambush battle, I might have wavered. But after personally experiencing the battlefield, National Strength bricks will be my necessary, primary, and even sole choice for a long time to come!"

The ambush battle had a profound impact on Ning Zhuo.

At one moment, even though he was deep within the military formation, facing Ma Feitui's sudden counterattack, he nearly fell and died!

At that life-or-death instant, Ning Zhuo didn't even have time to react.

Later, he rendezvoused with Sun Lingtong through定向遁空, and then全力抢夺战利品, leaving no time for reflection.

It wasn't until the army set out again to return to Canglin Immortal City that Ning Zhuo gradually processed it, feeling a belated fear.

"Cultivation!"

"Cultivation is the greatest foundation of all!"

"Although my understanding of the Five Elements is profound, without sufficient cultivation to support it, it's like hiding a bright pearl in the dark."

"Foundation Establishment... weak!"

"Golden Core... still weak!"

"Nascent Soul... also weak!!"

This battle greatly broadened Ning Zhuo's perspective.

This is the effect of traveling thousands of miles and journeying far and wide.

Of course, Ning Zhuo had long understood cultivation levels like Golden Core and Nascent Soul. He had read about them countless times in various texts.

However, many life experiences must be personally undergone to truly grasp their weight!

Knowledge from books is shallow; true understanding requires personal practice.

As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, even surrounded by countless comrades, he could be killed instantly.

Those Golden Core cultivators from Thousand Peaks Forest were slaughtered one after another by the three generals like pigs and dogs!

Even a powerful Nascent Soul cultivator like Long Ye was almost burned to death in the end.

These were facts Ning Zhuo witnessed with his own eyes, and they彻底 ignited the fire within him.

"Foundation Establishment... not enough!"

"Golden Core... also not enough!"

"Nascent Soul... still not enough!!"

"I must climb higher, continuously climb, accumulating cultivation at full speed and strength."

"I want to become a powerful cultivator; I want to掌控 my own fate!"

At that moment when he was nearly killed, Ning Zhuo didn't even have the ability to react. He never wants to experience such悲哀 again.

But how easy is it to accumulate cultivation?

Someone with talents and悟性 like Sun Lingtong, after cultivating to this point, is still at the Foundation Establishment stage.

It's not that he isn't diligent; this is normal.

Cultivation at the Foundation Establishment stage takes decades at least, normally around a hundred years. Hence, many cultivators, unable to break through the bottleneck to reach Golden Core before their lifespan ends, simply die of old age.

Sun Lingtong's speed is actually quite fast.

Ning Zhuo is only sixteen years old and has advanced to early Foundation Establishment. He practices three顶级功法 simultaneously, each requiring more spiritual power accumulation than ordinary techniques, consuming more time and energy.

On this basis, Ning Zhuo multiplies that by three!

Therefore, Sun Lingtong concluded that Ning Zhuo's cultivation would inevitably be slow and time-consuming.

Once, Sun Lingtong also advised Ning Zhuo not to rush.

Nothing in the world has only advantages or only disadvantages.

Slow cultivation, taking too long, and high investment are the hefty costs of practicing top-tier techniques!

Ning Zhuo doesn't want to follow the常规.

He now travels the world, braving奇险 to save his mother, journeying south and north. He has a强烈的需求 for cultivation, wishing he could become a Mahayana cultivator the next moment.

So, he has been actively seeking methods to accelerate his cultivation.

Thanks to this璀璨绚烂的 cultivation golden age!

Indeed, there are many shortcuts to accumulating cultivation in this world.

The most common are adopting higher-quality techniques, spirit stones, elixirs, magical treasures, etc. Next are dual cultivation, empowerment,吞噬转化 others' spiritual power, etc.

National Strength is similar to empowerment.

Using National Strength can directly increase a cultivator's cultivation level in an extremely short time, rather than通过 spirit stones, elixirs, etc., to increase cultivation efficiency and rapidly enhance cultivation.

The latter is like a tree growing faster than before. The former is like directly grafting a piece of trunk onto one's own tree.

"With four National Strength bricks in hand, how far can they boost my cultivation?"

Ning Zhuo's thoughts泛滥 but stopped drawing National Strength, resorting to常规手段 for cultivation.

This immediately created a huge落差 in his heart.

"Slow, normal cultivation is really too slow!"

"In my current situation, this cultivation speed is truly unbearable for me."

The next day.

Shuang Jing hosted a banquet for Ning Zhuo in Canglin Immortal City.

Ning Zhuo arrived punctually.

Shuang Jing had regained his usual demeanor as a scion of a noble family, elegant and composed in a green robe.

Ning Zhuo bowed in greeting.

Shuang Jing, seated, did not rise but gestured for Ning Zhuo to sit opposite him.

"This Little Bird Tower is the most renowned restaurant in all of Canglin Immortal City."

"Their specialty is the千姿百态 Ten Birds One Heart Banquet."

"I've reserved the top floor and specially ordered the kitchen to prepare this Ten Birds One Heart Banquet. Military Advisor Ning, please enjoy it to the fullest."

Shuang Jing smiled as he introduced.

Ning Zhuo naturally responded politely.

The first spiritual dish served was Silver Wave Spirit Qi Soup.

The soup was semi-transparent with a faint silver glow on the surface, emitting a fresh aroma. Inside, there was bird meat, pale in color, as the main ingredient, along with辅助 like ginkgo, snow fungus, snow pear, goji berries, and fish maw.

Ning Zhuo first took a spoon and had a small sip. The soup was light and温润, with a natural fruity and medicinal aroma, cool with a hint of sweetness.

He then tasted a piece of the bird meat; it melted in the mouth with a unique texture.

Shuang Jing's pupils reflected Ning Zhuo savoring the food. He仔细观察 Ning Zhuo's every mannerism, thinking, "The Ning family truly is a prominent clan."

The Ning family had once produced a Nascent Soul cultivator, migrated from Beifeng Kingdom to Nandou Kingdom, and still possessed some家族底蕴.

To the eyes of true noble scions, this底蕴 is evident in the smallest details.

Although Ning Zhuo lost his parents early, he was taught life etiquette by his uncle and aunt. In school, elders also instructed students on daily behavioral norms, covering all aspects of life.

Moreover, as Ning Zhuo grew older, he read extensively and trained himself to improve his manners, all to interact with high-status cultivators and gain their favor.

Seeing Ning Zhuo's简洁, elegant, seemingly slow yet efficient eating movements, Shuang Jing felt much more comfortable and developed an appetite, starting to taste his own portion of Spirit Qi Soup.

After drinking about half of the soup, Ning Zhuo stopped.

Shuang Jing said, "Military Advisor Ning, do you know what the main ingredient of this spiritual dish is?"

Ning Zhuo replied, "It should be the Perching Bird."

Shuang Jing added, "There are many types of Perching Birds; which one specifically?"

Ning Zhuo said, "I observe this soup has a silver glow and a ginkgo flavor. The most likely is the Silver Feather Perching Bird."

A smile appeared on Shuang Jing's face. "Military Advisor Ning果然谋略出众, guessed correctly."

After saying this, he fell silent.

Ning Zhuo felt slightly奇怪 because Shuang Jing had been warm and热情 when inviting him, clearly intending to get closer, but after the banquet began, he started acting aloof.

It seemed that without external threats and dressed in fine clothes, Shuang Jing had returned to his role as a noble scion.

The second course was soon brought to the round table.

It was a roasted dish.

A flower bloomed, and inside the flower lay a roasted chicken.

Upon closer inspection, Ning Zhuo realized it wasn't chicken but a roasted bird.

The bird's surface was coated with honey, garnished with cherries and cherry blossoms, giving it a romantic touch.

Ning Zhuo picked up his chopsticks, tasted a piece of the bird meat, and his eyes lit up slightly.

The meat was香甜清脆, with a unique妙味, reminiscent of spring, a gentle breeze, and cherry blossoms fluttering like rain.

Shuang Jing waited until Ning Zhuo set down his chopsticks before asking what the main ingredient was.

Ning Zhuo answered, "It should also be a Perching Bird, specifically the Cherry Love Perching Bird."

Shuang Jing nodded, smiling without a word.

Ning Zhuo's heart stirred; he understood Shuang Jing's intention but didn't expose it.

When the third spiritual dish was served, it was shaped like a "medicinal chicken."

Ning Zhuo used his法力 to cut open the "chicken's" abdomen, causing the purple rice and purple sweet potato inside to spill out.

After tasting it, Ning Zhuo couldn't help but nod slightly.

The sweetness of the purple rice blended with the smoothness of the purple sweet potato, paired with the tenderness of the chicken, created a profound flavor that calmed his mind, emptying his thoughts and leaving his upper dantian's Divine Sea清澈.

This time, without waiting for Shuang Jing to ask, Ning Zhuo主动 said, "This must be the Purple Wisdom Perching Bird."

Seeing Ning Zhuo's smile and meaningful gaze, Shuang Jing knew the time was right and finally presented his精心准备的话术.

"Perching Birds have long, slender beaks and survive by inserting them into tree trunks to suck sap."

"When they reproduce, they insert their beaks deep into the trunk and inject their life essence into it."

"The same Perching Bird, choosing different trees, will produce different offspring."

"Those nurtured in ginkgo trees become Silver Feather Perching Birds; when they fly, their wings shimmer, they are fast, and their calls are clear."

"Those cultivated in cherry blossom trees become Cherry Love Perching Birds; their bodies are light pink, their songs soft with a touch of melancholy."

"Those growing in red sandalwood trees become Purple Wisdom Perching Birds; their feathers are deep purple, they can understand human speech, and are the most intelligent."

Here, Shuang Jing paused. "The type of tree often determines the kind of Perching Bird it孕育."

"This shows how important the growth environment is for a bird, or a person!"

"Military Advisor Ning is a young talent from a great family. Frankly, I don't quite understand why you joined the Three Generals' Battalion?"

"You are like fine jade, and what is the Three Generals' Battalion? It's like a nameless, crooked tree."

Ning Zhuo smiled and shook his head. "Lord Shuang wants to persuade me to leave the Three Generals' Battalion and join the White Jade Battalion?"

Before coming, Ning Zhuo had discussed with Sun Lingtong and sensed Shuang Jing's intention to recruit.

But Shuang Jing shook his head. "My White Jade Battalion was decimated and is in disarray. This time, rebuilding it won't have the same level of support as before."

"Inviting Military Advisor Ning with such an army—how could that show my sincerity?"

Outside the window.

The sky was clear as if washed, the sun radiating heat.

A flock of Silver Feather Perching Birds descended from the blue sky, their wings tracing bright silver lines in the air.

They dove down extremely fast, almost with a suicidal momentum, "crashing" into the dense canopy of a large tree.

The birds chirped noisily; the flapping of wings, the wind, and the rustling of leaves交织 into a浓烈的 sound wave, overpowering the conversation inside the window.

After Shuang Jing spoke his piece, he looked at Ning Zhuo with intense expectation.

Ning Zhuo slightly widened his eyes, a trace of astonishment凝固 between his brows.

He glanced out the window at the noisy flock of Silver Feather Perching Birds; in that brief moment, his thoughts raced.

When he turned back to face Shuang Jing, his expression had returned to calm. "A retainer?"

Shuang Jing nodded. "Become my retainer—that is my sincerity!"

"You should know the weight of my surname, right?"

Ning Zhuo nodded in agreement.

Of course he knew.

The surname Shuang was the royal surname of Liangzhu Kingdom!

Shuang Jing took out a jade slip and slowly handed it to Ning Zhuo. "These are the benefits of becoming a retainer."

"I know you used your military merits to obtain four blocks of National Strength as reward."

"If you become my retainer, this status will be countless levels higher than your current Military Advisor position."

"When absorbing National Strength, it will have nearly triple the efficiency."

"From this alone, it's as if your military merits were suddenly magnified threefold. The significance of this is too great, isn't it?"

Ning Zhuo wore a solemn expression.

He channeled his spiritual sense into the jade slip and felt his heart stir.

The conditions Shuang Jing proposed were very generous, even allowing Ning Zhuo freedom.

As long as Ning Zhuo wished to leave and no longer serve as a retainer, he could shed this身份 at any time!

So, should he become a retainer to one of the high-ranking officials of Liangzhu Kingdom?

(End of )