Reincarnated as a Ginkgo Tree: I Create an Eternal Divine Kingdom - Chapter 131

“Why, as a human expert, do you choose to side with demons?”

The general of Nanzhao Kingdom stared at the blindfolded man.

The blindfolded man sneered, “The demons you speak of have done no harm to Beiding City, while your soldiers, during their retreat, are looting and pillaging everywhere.”

The general of Nanzhao instinctively glanced around.

The situation was exactly as the blindfolded man described.

The Beiding City army had already fallen into chaos.

Many soldiers were fleeing.

And as they fled, they continued their usual ways, sweeping through the city like locusts.

The blindfolded man had no interest in wasting words with the Great General of Nanzhao.

Buzz!

The cane in his hand suddenly thrust toward the general like a sharp sword.

The general of Nanzhao blocked with his blade.

Clang, clang, clang…

The two fought evenly matched.

“Your strength is indeed formidable, but neither of us can defeat the other,” the general of Nanzhao said. “However, the reinforcements from all directions of the Nanzhao Kingdom are on their way. What will you use to stop them?”

“You think I can’t defeat you?”

The blindfolded man’s tone remained calm.

Buzz!

At that moment, the general of Nanzhao suddenly vanished from his position.

An escape technique!

He had been holding back this technique, waiting for the perfect moment to launch a sneak attack on the blindfolded man.

However, the blindfolded man reacted quickly.

Although caught slightly off guard by the general’s surprise attack, he managed to retreat in the nick of time.

Slash!

The general’s long blade grazed the blindfolded man’s face.

The force of the blade sliced through the blindfold, revealing the eyes beneath.

The general of Nanzhao was momentarily stunned.

Under the blindfold, the man had a pair of gray eyes.

The gray eyes emitted a pale gray light.

Before the general could react, the blindfolded man’s figure suddenly split in two.

Two blindfolded men appeared.

“What?”

The general of Nanzhao was initially shocked but then sneered, “Do you think a mere illusion can scare me?”

The two blindfolded men charged at the general of Nanzhao.

However, these two blindfolded men were not illusions as the general had thought.

Clang! Clang!

Upon engaging with them, the general discovered that both blindfolded men were real.

He could barely match one; how could he handle two?

Slash!

After several rounds, the general’s arm was severed by the sword aura emanating from the cane.

“Retreat!”

The general of Nanzhao, no longer proud, fled in panic.

With his retreat, the remaining forces of Beiding City immediately collapsed entirely.

“General?”

A loyal confidant of the general looked in disbelief.

The general’s flight caused their faith to crumble.

Soon after, those who could not escape from the Beiding City army were engulfed by the Mist Army.

Half a day later.

Beiding City was completely overrun by the Mist Army.

Ruan Huian led her loyal followers to take control of Beiding City from the Mist Army.

For the Mist Army, occupying Beiding City held no particular meaning.

But for Ruan Huian and the Sect of the Other Shore, it was undoubtedly a milestone in their development.

“The Sect of the Other Shore is connected to the Misty Forbidden Zone?”

Many forces realized this belatedly.

No wonder, when the Mist Army conquered Southern Mountain City, Ruan Huian eventually took over.

At that time, various forces assumed Ruan Huian had merely gotten lucky.

Now they understood that the Misty Forbidden Zone was backing Ruan Huian.

The Misty Forbidden Zone had power; the Sect of the Other Shore had influence.

Together, they became even more formidable.

However, various forces couldn’t understand how these two entities, previously unrelated, had become intertwined.

Of course, aligning with the Misty Forbidden Zone was not entirely a good thing for Ruan Huian.

In the eyes of humans, the Misty Forbidden Zone was still a demonic force.

Many disciples in the Sect of the Other Shore were repulsed by demons, thus rejecting Ruan Huian.

Those who continued to follow Ruan Huian were either truly loyal or not as repulsed by demons.

“Holy Maiden.”

One of Ruan Huian’s close confidants spoke with concern, “Currently, about sixty percent of the disciples within the sect reject you, believing you are colluding with demons and unworthy of being the Holy Maiden. Recently, many who had previously followed us have left upon learning of our potential connection to the Misty Forbidden Zone.”

Ruan Huian chuckled softly, “This is good news.”

“Good news?”

The confidant was puzzled.

Ruan Huian calmly replied, “What the Sect of the Other Shore truly needs are pure followers who see only the Sect, with no distinction of power, faction, or race. All beings in the world are one family as long as they believe in the Divine Tree. On the other hand, even if they are human, they are not on our path if they do not align with us. So, isn’t it good for those who were never on the same path with us to reject or leave us?”

The confidant’s eyes brightened, “Your Highness, the Holy Maiden, is right. This way, even if fewer people remain, our cohesion will only strengthen.

Our strength might not diminish but grow stronger.”

Ruan Huian smiled, “Have our numbers really decreased?”

The confidant’s spirit was lifted again, “Indeed, our numbers have not decreased compared to the beginning, but have greatly increased. After all, the Sect of the Other Shore has a vast influence and many disciples…”

Suddenly realizing something, she exclaimed, “Your Highness, are you saying…?”

“Correct.”

Ruan Huian nodded, “While the number of people rejecting us has increased, at the same time, our appeal to another part of the sect’s disciples has greatly strengthened. Currently, those who follow us are but a drop in the ocean within the Sect of the Other Shore. I never intended to attract all the disciples, but if we could draw even one-tenth or half of them, our power would multiply dozens of times.”

The confidant became excited, “Those pure in faith, who do not care whether we are allied with demons, are a minority in the sect, but certainly more than twenty percent.”

Her breathing became rapid as she spoke.

The Sect of the Other Shore was widespread across the Southern Wilderness, with an estimated following of over a hundred million.

Even if only half a percent were to join them, it would be a terrifying force.

Nanzhao Capital.

Taihe City.

Late at night.

The ruler of Nanzhao, Meng Deyu, held an emergency meeting with his ministers in the Imperial Study.

Beiding City was the largest fortress in the north of Nanzhao, known as the “Northern Gate” of the kingdom.

Now that the Northern Gate had been lost, it was a significant national crisis.

If not handled properly, Meng Deyu and all present ministers would become the nation’s eternal sinners.

The ministers were divided into two factions.

One side believed that Nanzhao had not provoked the Wolf Cavalry, so they should not be scapegoats for the real culprits and should cooperate with the Misty Forbidden Zone’s investigation.

The other side felt that if Nanzhao showed weakness to the Misty Forbidden Zone, it would lose its national prestige, so they must not yield.

The debate was fierce.

Meng Deyu felt overwhelmed and decided to leave temporarily for the inner hall of the Imperial Study.

Inside the inner hall, a man in hunting attire was sitting.

“General Bai,” Meng Deyu said, “You have seen and heard it. To protect your Ancient Tomb Empire, we have paid a huge price.”

“Rest assured, King Meng,” Bai Luodong replied, “That wolf king is extremely compatible with the ancient blood of the Heavenly Wolf from our Ancient Tomb Empire. Once it merges with the blood, it will resurrect the Heavenly Wolf. If this succeeds, we will ensure that the Heavenly Wolf offers you a blessing, extending your life by a thousand years.”

Meng Deyu, who had been hesitant, felt resolute upon hearing the possibility of a thousand-year lifespan extension.

Though he appeared healthy, he was already advanced in years.

His greatest concern was his longevity.

If he could live a thousand more years, he would have no further worries, believing that under his rule, Nanzhao would surpass its past.

After a moment of thought, Meng Deyu said, “Very well, I will continue to stall for time for you, but I hope your efficiency will be higher.”

“One day,” Bai Luodong replied, “Give us one more day, and the merging will be complete. With the Heavenly Wolf on our side, what is the Misty Forbidden Zone compared to that?”

Feeling reassured, Meng Deyu returned to the outer Imperial Study and declared forcefully, “The Misty Forbidden Zone, in alliance with the Sect of the Other Shore, first took Southern Mountain City and now Beiding City. This is intolerable. From today, Nanzhao will mobilize the entire nation’s power to fight against the Misty Forbidden Zone. Immediately order all the nation’s armies to march to Beiding City; we must not let the Misty Forbidden Zone gain a foothold there.”

One hundred miles outside Beiding City.

Another city—Meng’an City.

Great General Chen Guodong of Nanzhao led his battered troops to this city.

“Great General, we can barely hold on anymore,” the soldiers behind him shouted.

The assault of the Mist Army outside the city was terrifying.

They had barely arrived in Meng’an City for less than half a day and were already struggling to hold out.

Chen Guodong’s face contorted with rage.

Boom, boom, boom…

At that moment, rumbling sounds came from behind Meng’an City.

Chen Guodong seemed to sense something.

The next moment, a spirit talisman arrived.

His face lit up with joy, “Everyone, reinforcements are here!”

“Reinforcements?”

“We’re finally saved!”

The soldiers were initially stunned, then cheered.

A short while later.

Three sets of reinforcement troops arrived at Meng’an City.

The Nanzhao army in Meng’an City now numbered three hundred thousand.

“Reinforcements?”

At the front of the Mist Army, the Ironback Ape, Earthquake Bear, and White Spirit Python all sneered.

Did the Great General of Nanzhao think only he had reinforcements?

The people of Nanzhao did not yet know that the Mist Army they faced was not the strongest Mist Army.

The true terror lay behind.

Indeed, this was the case.

Behind the Mist Army, thicker fog began to emerge.

“Moo!”

A deep bellow sounded.

A terrifying black ox, six hundred feet high, appeared from the mist.

The Nanzhao army was utterly terrified.

And the situation grew worse.

The black ox charged directly at Meng’an City’s walls. It rammed the wall forcefully.

The wall immediately caved in.

With another strike, a huge hole appeared in the wall.

Then, a white snow mink appeared.

The snow mink was as fast as lightning.

To the Nanzhao army, it was like the embodiment of death.

Next to Meng’an City, the largest river in Nanzhao, the Meng River, flowed by.

And the Meng River was connected to the water systems within the Ancient Wilderness Mountains.

Splash!

The surface of the Meng River suddenly surged.

Then a terrifying creature, 950 feet tall, emerged.