: Ning Zhuo, What Are You Doing?!

April 2, 2025 Author: Gu Zhenren

: Ning Zhuo, What Are You Doing?!

Liangzhu Kingdom Military Camp.

Inside the secluded cultivation chamber of the Commander's residence, Du Tiechuan sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, his eyes open.

Flickering scenes of the battlefield played out ceaselessly within his pupils.

Since the beginning of the second major battle, Du Tiechuan had already ceased his recovery efforts, secretly observing the fierce fighting outside.

He was even gaunter than before. His originally sharp-featured face now appeared more skeletal.

His complexion was poor, very pale and bloodless.

The injuries he sustained from his battle with the Whisker Dragon King had still not fully healed even now.

The difficulty of recovery was far greater than Du Tiechuan had initially estimated.

The intense clashes at the Nascent Soul level, the collisions between armies, countless soldiers continuously falling in battle... all these scenes fell into Du Tiechuan's eyes, yet they failed to stir the slightest ripple in his heart.

Only one thing concerned him.

That was—where was the Whisker Dragon King?

The greatest factor affecting the outcome of the pacification campaign in the Thousand Peaks Forest was the struggle between the Deity Transformation powerhouses!

Du Tiechuan knew his own condition was poor, and he worried that the Whisker Dragon King had already recovered. Therefore, he would rather watch the intense fighting outside continue than reveal himself, choosing instead to bide his time and wait quietly for the Whisker Dragon King to make a mistake.

"A stalemate."

"Although our side is well-trained and holds the advantageous terrain, we ultimately have a significant gap in high-level combat power."

"The Thousand Peaks Forest alliance has seized the opportunity; this time they are playing to their strengths and avoiding their weaknesses."

Du Tiechuan's battlefield experience was extensive; as one of the Senior Generals of Liangzhu Kingdom, he naturally possessed profound mastery in the art of war.

After observing the battlefield for a long time, he concluded: "If this continues, both sides will keep bleeding, ending in a mutual depletion, concluding with the Thousand Peaks Forest side gradually withdrawing."

"Huh?"

The next moment, his expression shifted slightly as he looked at a certain part of the battlefield.

His heartbeat quickened slightly, a surge of pleasant surprise rising within him: "The Three Generals Camp can actually hold off Xiang Yue?!"

"If they can maintain this situation, pinning down Xiang Yue, our army's chance of victory will greatly increase."

Both sides were locked in a stalemate, a phase of mutual attrition where a single move could affect the whole situation.

According to Du Tiechuan's estimation, if Ning Zhuo could maintain his local battlefield, the influence would continuously spread, eventually tipping the battle results heavily in favor of the Liangzhu Kingdom side.

"This is the pivotal point that could change the second major battle!"

A sharp gleam flashed in Du Tiechuan's eyes as he began to focus intently on the battle between Ning Zhuo and Xiang Yue.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Xiang Yue's every attack remained overwhelmingly fierce, his power like a tidal wave or a collapsing mountain.

Ning Zhuo controlled the Hundred-Armed Arhat Armor, each time using several arms together to exert force, barely managing to maintain the situation.

Even so, he was constantly being forced back in his exchanges with Xiang Yue.

"Although mechanistry is considered a lesser path among the Hundred Arts of Cultivation, when truly mastered, its power is indeed remarkable."

Xiang Yue suddenly spoke, breaking his previous silence.

"Little human genius, do you have any new tricks up your sleeve?"

Liu, Guan, Zhang, and Ning all tensed up immediately.

Xiang Yue's relaxed and composed demeanor made them realize that he had been at ease all along, holding back!

Ning Zhuo felt as if a heavy boulder was pressing on his heart, experiencing immense pressure.

"I need to be faster, stronger!"

He constantly pushed himself inwardly, under the pressure brought by Xiang Yue, continuously squeezing out his potential and rapidly transforming.

The mechanical arms he had initially used unskillfully were now improving at a visible, rapid pace.

Even Xiang Yue sighed inwardly in admiration: "It is true that humans are the spirits of all living things. When will our elephant herd produce such a talented junior?"

Thinking of this, Xiang Yue couldn't help but lapse into a slight daze.

"Opportunity!" Ning Zhuo敏锐地察觉到了这一点, immediately seizing it.

The next moment, he boldly mobilized the strongest offensive capability he had developed for the Hundred-Armed Arhat Armor so far.

Buddhist Art — Vajra Protection.

Martial Arts Array — Zen Wind Flying Fist Array.

Buddhist Art — Moonlight Salvation Technique.

Merge!

Mechanistry — Golden Moon Zen Wind Fist!

In an instant, fist shadows filled the sky!

Eight golden arms, like giant pillars or coiling pythons, stirred up a storm of fist shadows, dense and layered, dazzling to the eye. Silvery moonlight interwove, brilliant and耀眼!

Ning Zhuo unleashed a tidal wave of attacks, their power so great that Liu, Guan, and Zhang instinctively gave way, all feeling shocked.

The fist shadows flew chaotically, striking Xiang Yue's body, but instead of heavy impact sounds, there was only a series of whooshing winds.

Zen Wind, Zen Wind.

The wind sounds contained subtle Buddhist intent, continuously seeping into Xiang Yue's body and mind.

Xiang Yue's body swayed, and then he took a step back.

Though only one step, it made Liu, Guan, and Zhang widen their eyes, and shocked the countless cultivators closely watching this part of the battle.

The Elephant King stepped back!

The contemporary Elephant King, Xiang Yue, had actually been forced back head-on by someone!

This was something that hadn't happened for many years.

And the one who achieved this was actually a young cultivator with only a Foundation Establishment cultivation level!

Unbelievable.

Had they not seen it with their own eyes, the vast majority would not believe such a scene could occur.

"There's hope, we have hope of winning!" Although Zhao Xi was not well-versed in the art of war, seeing this, he also realized it was an opportunity for victory.

Shuang Jing's expression was somewhat dazed, followed by a surge of intense regret.

"If I had known this kid had such combat talent, I shouldn't have made an enemy of him."

Even Princess Shuang Ling, the Artifice Princess, seeing this scene, nodded slightly: "I didn't expect this kid Ning Zhuo to be quite capable. If we can win this battle, he must be greatly rewarded!"

Shuang Ling had deep conflicts with Ning Zhuo.

But at this moment, she couldn't help but feel appreciation for Ning Zhuo, and was willing to show him favor, to befriend this junior with limitless potential!

"Ning Zhuo, you truly live up to being my... husband!" Mu Lan also saw this battle situation, her fighting spirit increasing, killing enemies more fiercely.

"Heh heh heh heh." Light laughter suddenly came from within the wind sounds. It was Xiang Yue.

"That stung a bit," he then said.

"Thank you. It's a sensation I haven't tasted in a long time."

"However, let's end this here."

Martial Art — Vacuum Palm!

Xiang Yue's mighty frame shook as he suddenly thrust out a palm.

Ning Zhuo's face changed dramatically. He felt an irresistible, vast force piercing towards him, as if an invisible mountain had slammed directly into his body.

*Pfft!*

Ning Zhuo vomited a large mouthful of blood, was sent flying backwards, and then crashed to the ground like a ragged sack.

Excruciating pain assaulted him, twisting his face into a terrifying grimace.

Even with the protection of the Hundred-Armed Arhat Armor, his physical body still couldn't withstand it. Every bone in his body was fractured, his internal organs suffering massive internal bleeding, except for the Fire Element Heart Temple, Metal Element Lung Temple, and Earth Element Spleen Temple.

Even the three mechanical arms on his back, which had blocked Xiang Yue's attack, successively shattered and broke.

In just that instant, Liu, Guan, Zhang, Sun, and Ning all completely realized one thing—the reason they had managed to achieve a stalemate before was mostly because Xiang Yue had never been using his full strength!

Just like he had previously disdained joining the siege against Shuang Ling, when facing the combined assault of Liu, Guan, Zhang, Ning, and others, although he fought, he never truly took it seriously.

He possessed the pride of a powerhouse—*You are not worthy of me using my full strength!*

"Retreat," Ning Zhuo thought, his heart turning cold.

Having fought until now, he was utterly convinced that the contemporary Elephant King Xiang Yue belonged to the same category as Heaven and Earth Ghosts; within the Nascent Soul level, their combat power was among the very top.

Ning Zhuo's battle with Heaven and Earth Ghosts had been won largely due to luck, leveraging advantages like the My Buddha Heart Demon Seal and other unexpected factors.

Now, fighting Xiang Yue head-on, he deeply felt the terrifying gap between them!

"Even using the Hundred-Armed Arhat Armor, plus the overt assistance of Liu, Guan, Zhang, and Old Sun's covert help..."

"I am still no match for Xiang Yue!"

Since that was the case, retreat was the wisest decision.

Liu, Guan, and Zhang were also fighting empty-handed, in an awkward and狼狈 state. After Ning Zhuo's mental message, they immediately nodded in agreement.

However, just as Ning Zhuo arranged for mechanical puppets to cover their retreat and made moves to withdraw, he received a mental message from Shuang Ling: "Ning Zhuo, keep fighting! You cannot retreat!!"

"You need to pin down Xiang Yue, don't let him cause havoc in other battle zones."

"As long as you accomplish this, I, representing the royal family, will reward you heavily."

Ning Zhuo was stunned, then felt his finger tighten—the mechanical ring was warning him!

"Could it be that agreeing to Shuang Ling's demand and staying to fight would invite a fatal disaster?" Ning Zhuo immediately understood.

He guessed inwardly: "That's it."

"Xiang Yue didn't fight with full strength before, partly due to a powerhouse's demeanor, but also possibly because he found the mechanistry interesting, thus 'playing' with me for a while."

"Now, his interest has clearly waned. Naturally, he will go all out to kill me, to eliminate me, so he can go fight opponents who can offer him a fresh challenge!"

Thinking of this, Ning Zhuo retorted without hesitation: "Is any reward more important than my life?!"

He and Liu, Guan, Zhang坚决 retreated.

"Halt!"

"Deserting your post in the face of the enemy is a capital crime!!!" Shuang Ling was furious, questioning him via mental message.

Liu, Guan, Zhang, Sun, and Ning all turned a deaf ear.

They weren't actually abandoning the fight; they were just switching opponents. What military law were they breaking?

Shuang Ling wanted to curse further, but the next moment, Long Ye smashed her directly into the ground.

Fortunately, she was currently possessing a puppet with her Nascent Soul; if it were her real body suffering such an attack, she would be dead or severely disabled.

While maneuvering the柔骨玄姬 to quickly retreat and avoid Long Ye's pursuit, Shuang Ling sent a mental message to Zhao Xi.

"Zhao Xi!"

"Liu, Guan, Zhang are your people. Their refusal to pin down Xiang Yue is your full responsibility!"

Zhao Xi's expression shifted slightly; he opened his mouth.

*Pfft.*

He spat out a mouthful of blood, crying out loudly: "Who ambushed me?"

He immediately fell unconscious and was supported by his close aides and taken to the rear.

Shuang Ling: "I..."

As a princess of the kingdom, she was so angry she nearly cursed aloud.

But Long Ye's subsequent attacks forced her to focus on defending herself, leaving her no time to trouble Zhao Xi further.

Shuang Ling could only channel her frustration into combat power, continuing her bitter struggle against Long Ye.

However, the crisis for Liu, Guan, Zhang, Sun, and Ning was not over.

Even though Zhao Xi wasn't involved, it didn't affect what Xiang Yue might think.

The Elephant King began pursuing Ning Zhuo.

The mechanical troops Ning Zhuo left behind to cover the retreat were like paper, utterly incapable of hindering the Elephant King even for a moment.

"What do we do, Military Advisor!" Liu Er's forehead broke out in cold sweat.

If they were chased all the way, who could possibly stop Xiang Yue?

Ning Zhuo's eyes shifted as a plan came to mind: "Since Xiang Yue wants to chase, let him. We'll head into the camp!"

This was the core area of the battlefield, also the place with the highest intensity of combat. Nascent Soul cultivators and powerful armies were the main players here.

Cultivators or armies lacking sufficient strength would quickly suffer heavy losses from the terrifying aftershocks of the attacks if they rashly entered this part of the battlefield.

Ning Zhuo had no choice; the cards in his hand weren't strong enough. He could only redirect the trouble, trying to draw Xiang Yue's attention elsewhere as much as possible.

The three generals Liu, Guan, and Zhang trusted Ning Zhuo greatly. Upon hearing this, they immediately acted.

Thus, the four of them charged together deep into the Liangzhu Kingdom camp.

In this part of the battlefield, Shuang Ling was locked in bitter combat with Long Ye. As a result, when she turned her head and saw Ning Zhuo leading Xiang Yue into this area, she was so angry her eyebrows shot up!

"Ning Zhuo, what are you doing?!"

"You led Xiang Yue here!"

"Get away, get lost!"

"Do you want to cause our entire army to collapse?!!"

Ning Zhuo used his spiritual sense to respond: "Your Highness, in the current battle situation, you are our strongest fighter. Only you can deal with Xiang Yue."

"You are the Artifice Princess of Liangzhu Kingdom!"

"This junior is assisting you, luring the foolhardy Xiang Yue to you!"

Shuang Ling was so angry her entire puppet body trembled slightly: "Ning Zhuo! Go die!!! Regardless of victory or defeat in this battle, I will hold you accountable."

Ning Zhuo immediately replied: "Your Highness misunderstands me. I am risking my life to create a great opportunity for you to achieve merit and glory."

"You are the face of Liangzhu Kingdom's Nascent Soul cultivators; Xiang Yue is definitely no match for you!"

Ning Zhuo's target was the mechanical carriage in Lin You's possession.

Right now, he could only go along with the mistake, first luring Xiang Yue into the core battle zone to find a chance to extricate himself.

Having fought Xiang Yue for a long time, though they hadn't exchanged many words, Ning Zhuo could sense the latter's arrogance from his various combat choices.

Sure enough, when Xiang Yue saw these Nascent Soul cultivators, his attention was also drawn to them.

The battling Nascent Soul cultivators all had to divert part of their attention to Xiang Yue.

Clearly, none of them wanted Xiang Yue to target them.

Even Shuang Ling thought so!

"Ning Zhuo, if we lose this battle, I will definitely make you and your family pay the price!" Shuang Ling was truly furious. Feeling Xiang Yue's gaze on her, she continuously cursed Ning Zhuo.

Within the Liangzhu Kingdom side, the current strongest combat power was undoubtedly Shuang Ling.

Xiang Yue arrived here, lost interest in Ning Zhuo, looked around at the battles, and did not immediately make a move.

Military Tactic — Capture Alive!

Abruptly, military power was drawn in large amounts, condensing into a large net in the air.

The net enveloped Xiang Yue and immediately imprisoned him, quickly transforming into a cage.

Xiang Yue, trapped inside the cage, was covered entirely by the net, trussed up tightly.

His face was full of rage as he roared loudly, struggling with all his might, but only managed to stretch the net about thirty percent larger.

For a moment, the entire battlefield fell silent.

Someone who could subdue Xiang Yue instantly was typically at the Deity Transformation level. And within the Liangzhu Kingdom camp, there was only one Deity Transformation expert—Du Tiechuan!

(End of )