: Ning Zhuo's Scalp Tingles

Upon hearing Li Xiangshang say he could help her create a temporary army, Qing Chi was greatly astonished.

She asked, "Is there really such a talent in this world? That’s incredibly powerful—is it a top-tier talent?"

Li Xiangshang rubbed his smooth bald head and replied honestly, "It’s just a low-tier one."

Qing Chi immediately grew suspicious, "A low-tier talent can create an army? I’m not a three-year-old; I know how difficult it is to build an army. Every step is a challenge, and it only gets harder as you go. Can you really create an army with just a low-tier talent?"

Li Xiangshang had no choice but to clarify, "It’s temporary, a temporary army."

"So, what exactly is this talent?" Qing Chi pressed.

Li Xiangshang, however, didn’t answer directly this time, "Even if it’s just temporary, founding an army is a big matter that requires discussion with others. Why don’t we go see your father first?"

Over the past few days, Qing Chi had come to Zhuangyang Courtyard multiple times to find Jiao Ma (Ning Zhuo), but each time she failed. She had also run into Li Xiangshang several times, so he was quite familiar with her situation.

Soon, he found Qing Yan.

Upon hearing that Li Xiangshang wanted to support Qing Chi in forming an army, Qing Yan was taken aback. Instead of asking about Li Xiangshang’s talent, he inquired about his motive, "How has my little girl earned your favor, Lord Li?"

Li Xiangshang rubbed his smooth bald head, "I was sent to White Paper Immortal City by my Dragon Lord to help it survive this ghost tide. So, resolving White Paper City Lord’s predicament is the key. I brought Golden Nest Demon Seeds this time to help people gain Golden Swallow bloodline. With the help of the Spirit Contract Treasure Refining Array, refining the Golden Swallow Trident is almost certain."

"I checked the list at Zhuangyang Courtyard and found only one most suitable candidate: Sun Tiesheng. I chose him and offered him the Golden Nest Demon Seed, but he refused. So, I consulted Dean Zheng, who suggested I contact the Sun family in the city to pressure him through his clan. I did, but instead, the Sun family protected him. Well, blood is thicker than water, after all."

At this point, Li Xiangshang spread his hands, "Sun Tiesheng is the most suitable candidate. I reviewed the list many times and confirmed no one else fits better. I had to consult Dean Zheng again. He told me the Sun family had calculated my situation and were emboldened, so he advised me to deliberately choose someone else to provoke the Sun family and Sun Tiesheng. He didn’t believe the Sun family would remain indifferent about the Golden Swallow Trident after arranging for Sun Tiesheng to enter Zhuangyang Courtyard!"

Qing Yan listened for a long time but still didn’t understand and frowned, "What does this have to do with you helping my girl form an army?"

Li Xiangshang chuckled, "Hear me out. I know Miss Qing Chi likes a young man named Jiao Ma. He practices the Jiao family techniques, has strong yang energy, and although his cultivation is currently weak, he will surely catch up to Sun Tiesheng someday, at least keep pace with him."

"Thanks to Miss Qing Chi’s frequent visits to Zhuangyang Courtyard, I learned that this Jiao Ma is quite resourceful; he cleared his own name and caught the eye of White Paper Immortal City’s lord. So, I thought of using Jiao Ma to provoke the Sun family and Sun Tiesheng."

Here, Li Xiangshang looked at Qing Chi again, "But I made it clear to Miss Qing Chi beforehand that I wouldn’t actually choose Jiao Ma. I like to help others—it’s in my nature. Seeing Miss Qing Chi come full of hope time and again, only to leave disappointed, I felt bad for her."

"So, on one hand, helping Miss Qing Chi form an army increases her chances of winning her man. On the other hand, her closeness with Jiao Ma will surely boost his reputation. Then, if I spread the word that I’ve chosen Jiao Ma, it will threaten and provoke the Sun family, ultimately leading them to agree to cooperate with me."

After hearing this, Qing Yan fell silent. He thought for a moment, then looked up at Li Xiangshang with a complicated expression, "You’re quite the warm-hearted one." He then glanced at his daughter and indeed saw her looking at him expectantly.

The old father sighed deeply, "I’ve never been optimistic about their future. After all, one is human, and the other is a ghost."

Qing Chi immediately retorted, "In our village, there are plenty of good matches between the two races!"

Qing Yan glared, "Those are ordinary folks! Our family and the Jiao family are different!" He grumbled indignantly, "The old saying is right: a grown daughter is like spilled water! You’ve grown up and think you can fly on your own..."

Qing Chi interrupted, "Dad, my life is my own to decide!"

"You!" Qing Yan was angered, but she was his daughter after all—what could he do? Knowing this conversation would lead to an argument, he steered it back, "I know you won’t rest until you’ve tried. Fine, I’ll agree this time and support you fully!"

Qing Chi’s eyes lit up, surprised her father had agreed so readily without much argument. "Dad!" she exclaimed, hugging him excitedly.

Qing Yan sighed again, patted her shoulder, and said despondently, "I’m old now; I just want you to find a good home. I still believe Jiao Ma isn’t the right match for you. Even though I’m helping you, my opinion on that hasn’t changed."

"Besides, the main reason I agreed is that I think this will benefit you greatly! Even if it’s just a temporary army, if you can achieve merits and catch the attention of the city’s higher-ups, it will greatly aid your cultivation in the long run!"

"Ultimately, everyone must rely on themselves. If you reach the Nascent Soul stage through cultivation, I won’t interfere at all!"

Qing Chi pouted, "Dad, I don’t have any exceptional immortal talent. How can I reach Nascent Soul at my age? My current cultivation level is already quite good, you know?"

Qing Yan shook his head, looking utterly helpless. He turned to Li Xiangshang and asked in detail about the steps to form an army.

Li Xiangshang was quite pleased with Qing Yan’s decisiveness and promptly said, "Even though it’s a temporary army, the steps remain the same. The first step is to unite the army’s heart."

"According to the 'Three Army Military Canon': The three armies are the vessel, the army’s heart is the spirit—treat the entire army as a spiritual treasure, with the army’s heart as its artifact spirit. Like adding the finishing touch to a dragon painting, with a spirit, the three armies can truly unite and cooperate."

Li Xiangshang shifted his gaze to Qing Chi, "I see Miss Qing has recently made a name for herself and gained fame, making her the perfect vessel for the army’s heart. We should employ the military tactic 'Where the Army’s Heart Points' to guide the army’s heart to gather as one and empower her."

Qing Yan, as a commander at the Golden Core level, had his own insights, "The steps and tactics are correct, but if an army could be formed so easily, White Paper Immortal City would have had one long ago, instead of the current city guard that’s only for show."

"The military tactic 'Where the Army’s Heart Points' isn’t difficult and is easy to learn. But using it to truly unite an army’s heart is extremely challenging. Countless factions get stuck at this first hurdle."

Li Xiangshang was prepared, "That’s where my talent comes in. With my talent’s help, uniting the army’s heart shouldn’t be hard."

Qing Yan finally heard the key point and pressed further, "May I ask what your talent is called, Lord Li?"

Li Xiangshang scratched the back of his head, somewhat embarrassed, "The name isn’t very flattering—it’s called 'Rotten Fish Fills the Count.'"

Qing Yan and Qing Chi exchanged looks.

Some time later, in the outskirts of White Paper Immortal City, Qing Yan and his team led their forces into battle against the scouting cavalry of the Yin army’s outer perimeter.

Qing Chi, enveloped in cyan flames, moved gracefully and fiercely across the dim battlefield. Under her assault, the Yin cavalry suffered casualties immediately. Ghosts screamed miserably as they burned in the cyan flames, their bodies dissolving into mist and vanishing into the air. The cavalry was quickly decimated, wiped out in moments.

The end of the battle didn’t mean rest. Qing Chi walked through the scarred battlefield, her cyan flames spreading and attaching to every wounded soldier. The cultivators’ wounds healed rapidly, leaving them amazed. Many were ghost race cultivators, whose energy contained both life force and death energy—quite different from humans. Yet, the cyan flames, full of vitality, stimulated their life force without hindering their death energy.

"Who knew Qing Chi’s cyan flames had such mysteries!"

"Truly impressive!"

"But why didn’t she use them before? We’ve fought so many battles; this would’ve saved a lot of healing pills."

Amid the surprise, there were also questions. Qing Chi publicly "complained," "Uncles and elders, it’s not that I didn’t want to show off—my dad forbade me!"

Everyone laughed, some even jokingly scolding Qing Yan. Most were related to Qing Yan and Qing Chi by blood, so even with only Foundation Establishment strength, they dared to point fingers and make remarks at Qing Yan, a Golden Core cultivator.

Qing Yan endured their "criticism" and admitted frankly, "Qing Chi is my daughter. As the saying goes, the nail that sticks out gets hammered. I didn’t want her to stand out too much, so I held her back. There’s a reason why I’m letting her show her skills now."

He then explained the plan to form a temporary army to the others. The cultivators were thrilled and excited upon hearing it.

"Forming an army? That’s great!"

"Does that mean we can go toe-to-toe with the main Yin army forces?"

"Is forming an army really that easy? It sounds unreliable. Leader Qing Yan, don’t let someone fool you."

Qing Yan waved his hand in response to the growing doubts, "Whether we’re being fooled or not, you’ll all see for yourselves. The first step in forming an army is uniting the army’s heart. This step has stumped countless factions—it’s extremely difficult! Once the army’s heart manifests on Qing Chi, it’ll be clear for all to see!"

Everyone came to their senses, and an elder Foundation Establishment expert asked, "Shouldn’t the army’s heart be united on you, Leader Qing Yan? You’re the strongest Golden Core cultivator. If it’s placed on Qing Chi and she falls in battle, what then? It’s not safe!"

Qing Chi immediately grew anxious, "I can do it!" She then looked at Qing Yan with worry and urgency.

Qing Yan waved his hand, "That won’t do! I’m old, and my cultivation peaks at Golden Core. What I want most is for my girl to stand out and achieve great deeds. This is my selfish desire—can you accept it?"

The cultivators laughed heartily.

"Alright, Leader, you’re being quite selfish."

"We understand; why not acknowledge Qing Chi as the next leader?"

"Little Qing Chi, your dad has such high hopes for you; don’t let him down. We heard you’ve been chasing after your human boyfriend lately—that’s not right!"

Qing Chi bristled, "My personal affairs are none of your business—even my dad can’t control them!"

Everyone laughed again. Though Qing Chi looked pouty, she was secretly grateful. Uniting the army’s heart had to be publicly announced and accepted to proceed. Politically, it also signified Qing Chi as the successor. No one objected, showing Qing Yan’s prestige and deep control over his kin. Of course, the key was their close bonds—they were truly family, and family makes things easier to discuss.

Ning Zhuo walked out of the All Books Pavilion. As the largest cultivator stronghold in the Yin Tide Black Marsh Wetlands, White Paper Immortal City had branches of major sects like Myriad Phenomena Sect and Soul Devourer Sect, and naturally, the All Books Pavilion was there too.

"Esteemed guest, please take care," the pavilion head personally saw Ning Zhuo off.

This time, Ning Zhuo had come to the All Books Pavilion mainly to purchase a military tactic called "Bearing Soldiers and Carrying Killing Intent," which cost him a pretty penny. Military tactics were generally priced higher than other spells. On one hand, they could unleash power beyond most methods in practice; on the other, those who sought military tactics were usually powerful and influential. Those without authority or position wouldn’t even consider them.

Ning Zhuo didn’t return to Zhuangyang Courtyard. He had found out that Qing Chi often went there looking for him, which annoyed him. Lately, he had been hiding in the Paper Giant Statue to cultivate. On one hand, he could manage the Field Lamp and stay in touch with Sun Lingtong; on the other, the Paper Giant Statue was left by his mother, giving him a deep sense of peace.

But this time, something unexpected happened. Just as Ning Zhuo was about to enter the Paper Giant Statue, Qing Chi suddenly appeared.

She exclaimed excitedly, "Haha, Little Ma, so you’re here! I finally caught you!"

Ning Zhuo frowned, his expression cold, "Miss Qing, I’ve made it clear in my messages—my status has changed, and what we had is over."

Li Xiangshang stood behind Qing Chi, "Young human man, do you know how much effort Miss Qing has put into seeing you?"

Ning Zhuo snorted coldly, "You certainly like to meddle in others’ affairs." He was aware of Li Xiangshang’s presence, as such information was easy to gather. "You can leave now; don’t disturb my cultivation," Ning Zhuo said, waving his sleeve to dismiss them.

Qing Chi laughed triumphantly, "Little Ma, look what this is!" She showed a token with White Paper City Lord’s seal.

Ning Zhuo frowned, puzzled.

Qing Chi said, "I have a pass token—I can come and go as I please. You can’t stop me!"

Ning Zhuo, "How?"

Qing Chi puffed out her chest, activating the nascent army’s heart, "I’m currently uniting the army’s heart! See?"

Li Xiangshang added beside her, "We’ve reported to the City Lord and received her permission and appointment. Miss Qing is now the deputy commander of the city guard."

Ning Zhuo stared intently at Qing Chi, his gaze seeming to pierce through the ghost girl. He suddenly spoke, "The first step in forming an army is uniting the army’s heart. That’s... incredibly difficult."

Qing Chi wiped her nose, "Piece of cake for me." She then clenched her fist and declared to Ning Zhuo, "Little Ma, see how much the City Lord values me now! Just wait—I’ll win you back someday!"

Ning Zhuo: ...

He thought to himself, "So, that’s how it is?" Remembering the spell he had just bought, his scalp tingled even more.

Seeing him silent, Qing Chi thought he was shocked and felt quite proud, "Little Ma, I came to see you just to tell you this. I don’t want to disturb your cultivation either. I’m glad you’re not involved in that Spirit Contract Treasure Refining Array! I’ll be going now; focus on your cultivation."

"Wait," Ning Zhuo interrupted, "You don’t have to be on the battlefield to unite the army’s heart. There’s plenty of residual military killing intent here; it was once a fierce battleground. I have a 'Bearing Soldiers and Carrying Killing Intent' technique here that can help you gather military killing intent and unite the army’s heart even off the battlefield!"

Li Xiangshang exclaimed, " 'Bearing Soldiers and Carrying Killing Intent'? That technique is very rare and excellent. This will at least triple the speed at which Miss Qing unites the army’s heart!"

Qing Chi gazed deeply at Ning Zhuo, nearly tearing up, "Little Ma, I knew you hadn’t forgotten me!"

At this, Ning Zhuo’s scalp tingled even more.

(End of )