Immortal Creation.

Chapter 679 The Divine Contract on White Paper
In the battle at the altar, Luo Si lost many magical treasures, leaving him with almost only half of the River of Oblivion ferry line. It was with this half fishing line that he managed to retrieve the Silent Ghost Monk's natal Buddha Wheel.

At the critical moment of life and death, Qing Chi miraculously used his own blood to ignite azure flames and refine the Nether Dragon Scissors.

As for Ning Zhuo, he picked up the Seal of the Lord of Wangchuan when he cleaned up the battlefield later.

This precious seal is also a national treasure. It was used to suppress the phantom of the Buddha of Nirvana, but after the seal was broken, it was suppressed by the phantom of the Buddha of Nirvana in turn.

When the phantom of the Buddha of Nirvana was ambushed by the Lord of the River of Oblivion and recklessly ascended the stage, he was punished by heaven and perished. The seal of the Lord of the River of Oblivion was also left on the battlefield.

At that time, the Lord of Wangchuan had already been teleported away and returned to Wangchuan Immortal City.

He used the Heaven-Earth Two-Phase Formation to move from the Heaven Formation to the Earth Formation, naturally and effortlessly. He could also move from the Earth Formation to the Heaven Formation, but this process was much more difficult, with delays and enormous energy consumption.

Only a continuous, vast, and boundless supply of turbid air from the earth's lungs, which is not the body of a cultivator, can withstand the losses during this teleportation process.

Therefore, the Lord of Wangchuan's inaction was truly beyond his reach.

In fact, his true form had already fainted from the pain of losing the Nether Dragon Scissors.

As for his avatar, the Earthly Fiend God, in order to deceive the illusory image of the Buddha of Nirvana and reassure the latter, he voluntarily disbanded, intending to gradually condense the avatar again in the future.

Ning Zhuo obtained this national treasure, but lacked the ability to refine it. He had no Azure Flame to use. Qing Chi, on the other hand, was completely unconscious.

It wasn't until it returned to the mortal realm that this lifeless national treasure suddenly reacted, trembling violently.

But it was only for a moment.

Immediately, it fell into a state of deathly silence again, just like before. In fact, Ning Zhuo had a vague feeling that this silence was even more thorough than before.

He was not puzzled by this situation.

Ning Zhuo had read many books and naturally knew a common sense: national instruments, official instruments, and military instruments would lose their function if they left their specific scope.

For example, if an official seal leaves the possession of the corresponding official and falls into the hands of someone else, it becomes unusable.

When weapons leave their respective armies, their power is greatly reduced, and they may even become unusable.

The Seal of the Lord of Wangchuan is a national treasure, equivalent to the imperial seal of a monarch. Once outside the Wangchuan Underworld, it cannot be used.

These are all deeply tied to the state, officials, and the military, and they utilize national power, official power, and military power.

The National Power Brick is different from these. It is a consumable, essentially a man-made spirit stone, except that it stores the national power of a certain country instead of natural spiritual energy.

With the permission of the country's high-ranking officials, monks can draw upon the nation's resources for various purposes.

Storing national strength bricks is difficult; the longer the time and the farther away from the country, the faster and more its national strength will dissipate.

This is also one of the reasons why Ning Zhuo used up his national strength bricks so quickly before.

One major reason why the Seal of the Lord of the River of Oblivion fell into a state of stagnation was that it had broken away from the jurisdiction of the River of Oblivion and come to the mortal world from the underworld, and could no longer draw on the omnipresent national power within the River of Oblivion.

Ning Zhuo led the entire Qingjiao Army out of the Mingjiao River.

Upon arriving in the mortal realm, they immediately felt the pressure ease. During their march through the underworld, an invisible pressure had filled everyone's hearts, as if a giant eye, hidden deep within the heavens, was watching them with malice.

Now, this strange pressure suddenly disappeared. Not only that, but despite the overcast sky, the entire Qingjiao army felt a sense of warmth.

"This is Yang Tian's favor." Ning Zhuo and the others all knew this perfectly well.

The message left by the Buddhist physician Meng Yaoyin in the jade slip also touched on this point. She stated it clearly: Qingjiao's entire army ruined the century-old plan of the Lord of Wangchuan, incurring the hatred of the underworld's heavens while gaining the favor of the mortal world's heavens!
This favor will last for a while. During this period, all cultivators of the Qingjiao Army will have smooth sailing in everything they do, and may even receive divine assistance!
If divine assistance is truly triggered, the greater the force, the shorter the time it takes for the cultivator to gain the favor of Heaven.

Of course, the share of Heaven's favor received by each person is different. Ning Zhuo, Qing Chi, Luo Si, and Sun Lingtong are undoubtedly among the most favored.

Ning Zhuo led the Qingjiao Army away from the Mingjiao River for a distance before setting up camp on the spot.

He offered up the sacrificial military camp, providing the Qingjiao Army with a safe place to rest and recuperate.

The march through the underworld was fraught with danger and peril. Thanks to the advance warning from the Buddhist physician Meng Yaoyin, Ning Zhuo, Luo Si, and others intervened in time. Many cultivators in the Qingjiao Army were injured, but very few died.

This newly formed army's achievements in this expedition to the underworld were dazzling, almost blinding. Their casualties were minimal; the majority survived. It was nothing short of a miracle!
The entire army rested and recuperated in the barracks, received active treatment, and morale steadily rose.

"When I acquired this military camp before, I felt that there wasn't much use for it in the White Paper Immortal City. Looking back, I didn't expect that this military camp would play such a significant role," Ning Zhuo said with deep emotion.

Sun Lingtong took a different path and didn't feel much about it.

Luo Si felt a little strange, after all, he was the commander of the Wangchuan Army who had previously controlled the army and used the ghost tide to launch a strong attack on Baizhi Immortal City.

"To avoid trouble, Luo Si, you should remain hidden for now," Ning Zhuo instructed.

Ross did not refuse and chose to comply.

Ning Zhuo then summoned the entire army and told them to strictly adhere to the true battle record, only saying that after entering the underworld, they fought for a while, fled in all directions, and finally escaped back to the mortal world with the help of the Underworld Dragon River.

The Lord of Wangchuan will certainly not make a big fuss about this matter. The true form of the Silent Ghost Monk has not returned, and his natal Buddha Wheel has fallen into Luo Si's hands.

As for the Imperial Guards of the Lord of Wangchuan, they were all annihilated in the Black Cloud Battlefield long ago.

Therefore, as long as the Qingjiao Army keeps quiet, the cultivators of Baizhi Immortal City can only speculate and cannot be certain of anything.

According to the message from Buddhist physician Meng Yaoyin, Qingjiao Army needs to keep this secret strictly for the time being.

Given Ning Zhuo's temperament, he would have made the same decision anyway.

After resting for half a day, the Qingjiao Army set up camp and quickly moved away from the Mingjiao River, approaching the Baizhi Immortal City.

When they were ten miles away from the White Paper Immortal City, they set up camp again under Ning Zhuo's orders.

This location is quite subtle; it's not far from where the Forgotten River Ghost Army was stationed!

During the march of the Qingjiao Army, some cultivators discovered this and delivered this important intelligence to the White Paper Immortal City.

Therefore, as soon as they settled down and entered the sacrificial military camp, monks came to visit them.

This person descended from the sky and landed slowly, his clothes fluttering as he moved, exuding an otherworldly air.

His features were gentle, his eyes clear and bright, possessing a keen insight into the ways of the world. His facial features were soft yet handsome, and his smile was warm.

He possesses a gentle and peaceful temperament that emanates from within, like a meticulously crafted piece of jade, its brilliance understated yet warm to the touch, making people forget worldly concerns and feel close to him.

It is indeed the true teaching of the Myriad Manifestations Sect, the gentle and soft jade.

Ning Zhuo set off on his black-blooded paper horse, standing at the entrance of the military camp to welcome him.

Wen Ruanyu said in a clear voice, "Nephew Ning Zhuo, you have had a long and arduous journey. Your safe return with the Qingjiao Army, which led you deep behind enemy lines, is truly a blessing for our Baizhi Immortal City. I can finally put my mind at ease!"

He already knew Ning Zhuo's true appearance and identity while he was in the White Paper Immortal City. Now, seeing Ning Zhuo reveal his true appearance, he was surprised, but he didn't show it on his face, pretending it was normal.

Ning Zhuo dismounted, bowed in thanks, and welcomed Wen Ruanyu into the military camp.

Apart from the wounded cultivators, the entire Qingjiao Army was assembled, awaiting Ning Zhuo's orders, demonstrating to Wen Ruanyu their unity and courageous stance, ready to fight a tough battle at any time.

Upon seeing this, Wen Ruanyu's smile deepened.

Although he didn't know how Ning Zhuo had cleared up the misunderstanding with the Qingjiao Army and was still able to take control of the entire army.

These things are not important. What is important is that Ning Zhuo still has such a huge influence on the Qingjiao Army!

"Senior Wen, look at these, these are all our spoils." Ning Zhuo presented him with a large number of ghost corpses.

After scanning the area, Wen Ruanyu was deeply moved: "I never expected that you, my dear nephew, would achieve such a feat with the Qingjiao Army. On behalf of the thousands of citizens of the city, I thank all the soldiers for their bloody battles, and I also congratulate you, my dear nephew, on establishing such an unparalleled achievement!"

In the end, Wen Ruanyu raised her voice loudly, her voice carrying throughout the entire military camp.

On one hand, he represented the White Paper Immortal City, affirming Ning Zhuo's identity and confirming the latter's leadership over the Qingjiao Army. On the other hand, he was also reassuring the entire Qingjiao Army and boosting its morale.

Qingjiao Army remained silent.

Many people looked arrogant, while others were indifferent.

The spoils they collected were far more than what they showed; what they presented was truly only a tiny fraction.

This was a legendary battle! If I were to tell you the truth, it would probably shock the world.

Ning Zhuo ordered them to keep it a secret, and they all willingly obeyed.

Ning Zhuo won over the entire army with his truly terrifying battle record. In this legendary battle, Ning Zhuo repeatedly protected the army, and ultimately even defeated a Nascent Soul level expert. This astonishing achievement even aroused the hatred of the underworld!
This is such an astonishing and awe-inspiring performance.

In fact, even ghosts and gods were defeated and sunk.

The Qingjiao Army helped Ning Zhuo clean up the battlefield in the Water Burial Valley, and many of them personally participated in cutting up the corpses of ghosts and gods!

With such legendary experiences and achievements, the Qingjiao Army has undergone a fundamental transformation, not in terms of strength, but in terms of spirit. They possess a strong sense of will and pride, as if to say, "I've been through all this, what difficulties or obstacles can possibly frighten me in the future?"

Wen Ruanyu couldn't help but glance at them, thinking: These people have only been to the underworld once, but they seem completely different!

He said a few more polite words, then telepathically transmitted his thoughts to Ning Zhuo: "Nephew, may I speak with you in private? There are some... recent developments in the city that I need you to know."

Ning Zhuo welcomed Wen Ruanyu into the command tent. Before Wen Ruanyu could introduce her, he took the initiative to speak first: "Does the City Lord of Baizhi have different ideas about my Qingjiao Army?"

Wen Ruanyu gave a wry smile: "My dear nephew's prediction is correct."

"Her appointment of me to meet you is to arrange a grand triumphant ceremony."

"At that time, please join Qingchi, Qingyan, and other key members in entering through the South Gate to enjoy the welcome of the entire city."

"But I advise you to claim you are injured and ill and not leave. The Qingjiao Army can continue to be stationed here until the City Lord of Baizhi makes a real promise."

Ning Zhuo nodded: "That's exactly what I think."

According to the message on the jade slip, the White Paper Immortal City is unaware that the Lord of the Forgotten River has been completely defeated and will still believe that the ghost tide and the siege army continue to exist. This situation can be exploited.

On the other hand, Ning Zhuo had already learned about the strong personality of the current White Paper City Lord.

Previously, the powerful external pressure of enemy attacks and the siege by the ghost tide forced the Lord of Baizhi City to provide financial assistance to the Qingjiao Army and rely on Ning Zhuo and other external forces to first maintain his own position and secondly ensure the safety of Baizhi Immortal City.

Now that the ghost tide has receded and the enemy forces have withdrawn, White Paper Immortal City has enjoyed a long period of peaceful rest. In the eyes of the White Paper City Lord, Qingjiao Army, Ning Zhuo, and others have become an eyesore!
The White Paper Immortal City had tried many times in the past to form a cultivation army, but without success.

This time, the establishment of the Qingjiao Army was the result of a confluence of favorable timing, location, and human factors.

The White Paper City Lord wants to do it again and build her own army, but neither the Northern Wind Kingdom nor the Flying Cloud Kingdom will allow it.

The Qingjiao Army, capable of unleashing Nascent Soul level combat power, became the greatest force capable of rivaling the City Lord of Baizhi. In the damp, black swamp, they were no longer the sole dominant force!
If the Lord of Baizhi City wants to maintain his rule, he must find a way to properly deal with the Qingjiao Army.

Previously, the Qingjiao Army was in the underworld, and the City Lord of Baizhi City was busy with post-war preparations. Now that the Qingjiao Army has returned, it has become a major issue that the City Lord of Baizhi City must resolve as soon as possible!

How to resolve this issue, and the outcome of this resolution, will likely determine the political landscape of the Black Swamp for over a century to come.

After learning that Ning Zhuo was Meng Yaoyin's son, Wen Ruanyu clearly sided with Ning Zhuo.

He was worried that Ning Zhuo would become complacent, so he came over specifically to remind him.

But Ning Zhuo thought, "Does the City Lord of Baizhi not know Wen Ruanyu's attitude towards me? The fact that she sent Wen Ruanyu to welcome me clearly indicates that she intends to continue our cooperation."

"Just as Mother predicted."

With this in mind, Ning Zhuo thanked Wen Ruanyu and asked him to wait a moment.

In front of Wen Ruanyu, Ning Zhuo wrote a letter directly, gave it to Wen Ruanyu to review first, and then asked him to take it back.

After reading the letter, Wen Ruanyu was relieved and looked at Ning Zhuo with admiration before rushing back to Baizhi Immortal City with the letter.

That afternoon, the paper doll of the White Paper City Lord came to the military camp.

Yang Sanyan and Zhou Wenyan were also present.

"This is a divine contract, the contents of which are as described in Fellow Daoist Ning's letter. Please take a look." Zhou Wenyan took out a contract.

"It is my honor to witness the alliance you two have formed."

Ning Zhu unfolded the contract and examined it carefully, finding that the contents were almost identical to those in his letter.

The Qingjiao Army will maintain its organizational structure and will not be under the jurisdiction of Baizhixian City.

The military equipment previously borrowed by the Qingjiao Army was converted from a lease to ownership, offsetting some of their battle achievements.

The White Paper Immortal City will provide daily supplies to the Green Jiao Army in exchange for the Green Jiao Army's unconditional assistance in defending the White Paper Immortal City when it suffers a powerful attack.

The Qingjiao Army's merits will be offset by a large number of battlefield corpses and remains provided by the White Paper Immortal City...

Ning Zhuo stroked the mechanical ring, checked it over, and after confirming that there were no problems, handed it to Sun Lingtong for testing.

After examining Ning Zhuo for a while, the latter nodded slightly.

Ning Zhuo and the White Paper City Lord's clones then signed this divine contract, thus finalizing the century-long pattern of the Yin Damp Black Swamp!

(End of this chapter)