Chapter 641

A chilling wind wailed. The sky remained filled with rolling, layered black clouds, creating an overwhelmingly oppressive atmosphere.

The Ghostfire Lord had already fled in defeat. He couldn't wait for the Painted Skin Rakshasa to establish a foothold in Forgetfulness City; he himself couldn't hold on and withdrew from the battlefield first.

The primary factor behind this victory—the Underworld Serpent Shears—was now sealed within an ice coffin, motionless and seemingly lifeless.

Outside the ice coffin, the burly and tall Earth Fiend God of Turbidity and Filth had discovered that all sorts of spells would be frozen by the ice coffin, turning into fuel. He could only resort to striking it repeatedly with his fists and feet, relentlessly smashing the ice coffin and sending up countless plumes of cold air and frost.

The ice coffin was formed from the entire Cold Abyss Ice Coffin Candle. Although it experienced tremors and wear, it was not severe. Visibly, it could still hold out for a long time.

As for the Forgetfulness Lord's main body, it remained hidden within a tributary of the Forgetfulness River, rapidly recovering in slumber.

The Earth Fiend God of Turbidity and Filth grew irritable. "The Underworld Serpent Shears are separated from the main body. Without the boost of this fortune, there might be more unwelcome changes."

"Hmm?"

The altar suddenly changed. The blood-red light intensified again, its glow circulating with a jade-like luster.

Seeing this, the Earth Fiend God of Turbidity and Filth's irritable mood immediately calmed. "Luo Si is doing well; the blood sacrifice is almost complete."

"He has proven his strength. Hmph, the other generals are afraid of responsibility and are incapable of handling important tasks!"

"After this, he should be promoted at least three ranks."

***

**The Mortal Realm**

**The Battlefield at White Paper City**

Unceasing black water flowed, forming mountains that supported the entire city.

Although the Ghost Army was numerous and powerful, their uphill assault on the city had made no progress.

Xie Sichao's face was grim. "Damn it! The Lord of White Paper City is too cunning, actually using the South Gate to set a trap, causing our army to lose too many strong fighters."

"Without these people, how can we breach their defenses and break their formations?"

Luo Si's expression was calm; he said nothing, simply observing the battlefield in silence.

The Bone Giant climbed the black water mountain, but the water beneath its limbs constantly washed downwards, dragging it down as well. Even when it reached halfway up the mountain, Tie Geng specifically targeted it, concentrating his power to knock the giant down.

The Bone Giant couldn't approach the city walls. Relying solely on the large and small-headed ghosts, the flying Skin-Stripping Ghosts, the soul-hooking geckos that could climb, and so on, posed little threat to the city walls.

With a loud crash, the White Bone Giant Alligator slammed into the city wall, immediately shaking many cultivators off the ramparts. This was the work of the White Bone Alligator Demon, commanding his ace demonic beast.

On the black water mountain, his demonic beast was even more adapted, repeatedly displaying powerful combat strength and continuously assaulting the city walls, making it a force the defenders had to take seriously.

But he alone was absolutely not enough.

"All forces, attack!" Luo Si suddenly commanded.

In the central command tent, many generals cast confused and puzzled glances.

But Luo Si showed no inclination to explain.

The generals could only hold their noses and obediently follow orders.

Thus, the Ghost Army launched a furious assault on White Paper City from all directions simultaneously.

The pressure on the city's defenses sharply increased.

Tie Geng, however, was not surprised but secretly pleased, exclaiming, "The enemy's momentum is exhausted!" He wasn't afraid of a full-scale enemy assault; he was only worried about his opponent pulling some trick. A full-scale attack meant a straightforward defensive battle, which was his specialty, and White Paper City held a significant geographical advantage.

Without a doubt, the Ghost Army was now using its weaknesses to attack the enemy's strengths.

Soldiers swarmed like ants, arrows fell like rain, countless spells collided in mid-air, with a few landing within friendly and enemy formations, causing casualties.

"Quick, quick, quick! Repair armor, replace talismans!" The cultivators on the city walls rotated at several times their usual speed. They worked without pause, with no more waiting time after rotations, only seizing every second to recover.

Tie Geng constantly received reports of casualties. He clearly calculated in his mind, then decisively ordered the paper puppets to be deployed.

These intelligent paper puppets were a specialty of White Paper City and had always served as the reserve force for its defense.

The paper puppets rushed along the city walls, wielding long paper talismans as weapons, cutting the climbing ghost soldiers into pieces. More ghost soldiers piled up over their comrades' shattered bones, strangling the paper puppets. Both sides engaged in a fierce tug-of-war on the ramparts, vying for even a small patch of ground to stand on.

Bone fragments, shredded paper, blood, and other debris quickly smeared the once clean city walls.

The Ghost Army pressed forward relentlessly, their offensive like waves, each higher than the last.

The defenders of White Paper City were nearing exhaustion of their individual magic power. Various paper talismans, magical artifacts, and so on were consumed like flowing water. Their paper armor grew thinner and thinner, and the repair speed gradually couldn't keep up with the rate of damage.

The pale city walls were being dyed black, eroded, and occupied inch by inch by the dark ghost soldiers.

Even a capable general like Tie Geng, with extensive defensive experience, couldn't help but clench his fingers until they were white. This level of casualties was something he had never encountered before.

He gritted his teeth and persisted repeatedly.

Finally, when he saw large sections of the city wall overrun by the ghost soldiers, he immediately ordered, "Tell Wen Ruanyu to make his move!"

***

**Inside White Paper City, the Ink Pool**

Wen Ruanyu, after being rescued, had already awakened and had been stationed here for some time. He had waited until his mouth was dry and he was already impatient, finally receiving Tie Geng's order.

"Good!"

His aura flared, his scholar's robe fluttering. He clapped his hands together with force, striking the tiles of the Ink Pool.

Boom!

The Ink Pool trembled violently, lifting directly upwards, then was overturned by Wen Ruanyu's magic power, spilling all its ink.

Confucian Art—All Troops Engulfed in Ink!

Under the effect of the Confucian Art, the ink transformed into an ink dragon, burst through the dome, and soared into the sky.

As it flew through the air, wherever it passed, it stirred up a tide of ink.

The ink tide surged powerfully, staining everything!

The city walls, towers, and platforms, originally as white as snow, were instantly drenched in a layer of profound, impenetrable black.

The ink waves continued to sweep and surge over the city walls. All ghost soldiers in its path were completely swallowed.

The ink first enveloped them, then quickly corroded them.

The skeletons of the ghost soldiers emitted scorching sounds. The phosphorescent flames flickering in their eye sockets, like dying candles in the wind, swayed wildly and rapidly dimmed. All sorts of ghostly and yin energy rapidly melted and dispersed, like snow meeting the scorching sun!

Their terrifying roars turned into agonizing wails, and their fierce charges became struggles in the ink.

The Ghost Army's formation was thrown into chaos, and their combat strength plummeted!

Tie Geng's eyes flashed with sharp light, and he decisively ordered, "Now's the time! All troops, charge! Kill—!"

The defenders, who had been holding back their strength, unleashed an earth-shattering counterattack!

The ink was harmless to them but caused immense suppression to the Ghost Army.

The defenders advanced like a hot knife through butter, recovering the lost sections of the city wall in what seemed like an instant.

Not only that, but led by a few individuals like Yang Sanyan, the cultivators even rushed out of White Paper City, inflicting more casualties.

The Ghost Army collapsed like a mountain!

Even the central army banner began to waver.

"Lord Luo Si!" Many looked at Luo Si, wanting him to decide how to counterattack.

But unexpectedly, Luo Si calmly ordered, "Withdraw the troops."

The generals were utterly perplexed.

Luo Si explained, "The Lord had already given orders. My primary purpose in leading you all in command of this army was to offer a sacrifice as a tribute for the tribulation."

"Now, White Paper City has suffered heavy losses, meeting the requirements for the blood sacrifice."

"They still have much combat strength. Continuing to fight to the death at this moment would be extremely unwise."

"The entire army is ordered to withdraw!"

Luo Si offered a brief explanation, then commanded again.

Upon hearing Luo Si invoke the Forgetfulness Lord, the generals dared not disobey.

Xie Sichao, however, with profound eyes, thought more deeply: "This blood sacrifice probably isn't just about White Paper City's side; the losses among our own soldiers are likely also part of the sacrifice."

Of course, he only dared to entertain this conjecture in his mind, not uttering a single word.

***

"The Ghost Army is defeated!"

"They're running, they're running away!"

"Kill them all!"

The defenders of White Paper City, seeing the enemy's movements, immediately experienced a surge in morale.

Tie Geng swiftly organized pursuit teams while simultaneously assigning most of the cultivators to remain and guard the city.

The pursuing forces were like tigers unleashed from their cages, unstoppable.

The clone of the Lord of White Paper City personally led the pursuit, slaughtering the ghost soldiers, who couldn't resist and suffered heavy losses.

Luo Si handled the retreat with composure, continuously arranging forces to guard the rear.

Although the Ghost Army was withdrawing, it largely maintained order, without a widespread rout. "This commanding general is truly remarkable," the White Paper City Lord's clone muttered, gritting her teeth.

She could have expanded their victory and achieved an astonishing feat seen only once every few centuries, but because of Luo Si, the achievements of White Paper City's pursuing forces were greatly diminished.

By the end of the pursuit, the White Paper clone could even see the central army banner.

Her heart burned with indignation. Gritting her teeth, she decisively threw out the Grand Purity Dispersing Ruler.

Spell—Grand Purity Wild Goose Returning Wave!

Jade light emerged from around the Grand Purity Dispersing Ruler. The jade light coalesced into a sphere, then burst, releasing a large wild goose.

With a flap of its wings, the wild goose immediately soared high into the sky, flying towards the Ghost Army. Wherever it went, it emitted waves of light. Wherever the light waves covered, the ghost soldiers disintegrated and dispersed.

The ghost generals watched in terror, murmuring in fear.

Luo Si turned his horse to look back, letting out a cold snort. "Truly relentless."

"Very well."

"Since you're pushing your luck like this, then let me teach you a profound lesson."

He spread his fingers and gripped the air. A fishing rod appeared out of thin air, complete with a line.

Forgetfulness Ferrying Line, Three-Lives World-Dangling Hook!

The fish hook flashed with a spiritual glow, then instantly soared across the sky, hooking the wild goose in the air.

The wild goose cried out in pain, its beak caught, and it was then dragged along.

The White Paper City Lord was greatly alarmed and hurriedly tried to dispel the spell, to make the Grand Purity Dispersing Ruler return.

Although the spell was indeed cast, there was no reaction. The wild goose's form had been locked by the World-Dangling Hook and could not change.

Luo Si raised the fishing rod, extended his left palm, and smoothly grasped the wild goose that had been pulled over. As he seized it, an ominous ghostly aura emanated, magic power surged, and various spells, combined with talismans, rapidly stacked, suppressing the restless, struggling wild goose. Seeing this, the morale of the commanders and soldiers, which had fallen, immediately recovered significantly, leading to a renewed generation of military strength.

The White Paper City Lord's clone had not expected Luo Si to possess such astonishing means. She was immediately filled with regret and subconsciously ordered a full army assault, determined to reclaim the precious Grand Purity Dispersing Ruler.

However, Luo Si issued a military order, and Xie Sichao activated a deployed formation, raising massive currents of the Underworld Serpent River.

The ghost soldiers, immersed in the surging waters of the Underworld Serpent River, stood ready for battle. This time, it was their turn to hold the geographical advantage.

White Paper City's pursuing forces charged for a while, achieving little, but suffering heavy casualties themselves.

"Lord City Lord, the situation is not good; perhaps we should retreat back to the city first?!" A subordinate, worried, bravely suggested.

The White Paper clone pressed her lips together tightly, staring intently at the central army banner.

The Grand Purity Dispersing Ruler! That was a precious treasure left by the Profound Purity Scholar in White Paper City, and she had lost it. Even though they were one, the White Paper clone felt utterly ashamed to face her main body!

However, just as she was about to persist, the waters of the Underworld Serpent River underwent another change. One of the enemy's formations activated, emitting immeasurable yin energy.

The barrier between the Yin and Yang realms was opened again. The Ghost Army no longer retreated further; if they did, they could withdraw directly to the Underworld.

Halting in place and reorganizing their formation, the Ghost Army quickly solidified its position, like a mountain range blocking the pursuing forces.

White Paper City's pursuing forces instinctively gathered together.

Under the central army banner, Luo Si spoke calmly, his voice clearly reaching all around: "Lord of White Paper City, thank you for the parting gift."

Just that one sentence significantly boosted their side's morale.

The White Paper City Lord's clone was so enraged her eyebrows shot up; she nearly ordered an attack but ultimately restrained herself. She stared fixedly at the central army banner and, with difficulty, uttered, "Retreat."

The pursuing forces, who had charged out of the city with soaring morale, now slowly withdrew, looking somewhat like defeated wolves.

"Lord Luo Si, aren't we pursuing them?"

"After all, they aren't a proper army; we can use military tactics against them."

Many ghost generals were eager to move, offering their opinions.

Luo Si calmly swept his gaze over them. "If you wish to go, then go pursue them. However, I must follow the Lord's orders: return to court, and assist in defending the altar."

Those rebellious ghost generals had long since died in the siege. Although they were on the losing side, Luo Si had established significant prestige during the siege. For a time, the ghost generals were silent, all choosing to obey Luo Si's commands.

The paper puppet army traveled swiftly.

By the Forgetfulness River, waves crashed sky-high. At the edge of the horizon, a celestial city loomed high above the river, its clusters of towers standing tall, enveloped in a vast mist.

"That is Forgetfulness City," Monk Physician Meng Yaoyin said to Sun Lingtong, pointing into the distance from atop a war chariot.

Sun Lingtong gazed intently, spiritual light flickering in his eyes, and said with difficulty, "The city is in the middle of the river. How can our army charge in? Even approaching it is incredibly difficult. This is the Forgetfulness River."

Monk Physician Meng Yaoyin smiled slightly and shook her head. "This army doesn't need to approach the city."

Sun Lingtong: "Auntie, do you have some brilliant plan?"

Monk Physician Meng Yaoyin: "You just need to sneak in. As for my army, it must immediately proceed to the Water Burial Valley."

Sun Lingtong's eyes widened. "Huh?!"

He pointed at himself, exclaiming in disbelief, "A-Auntie, you mean just me with a dozen or so living cavalry, sneaking into their main base?"

Monk Physician Meng Yaoyin shook her head. "Just you. The rest of the ox cavalry will, of course, rejoin their ranks."

Even Sun Lingtong, bold as he was, sucked in a cold breath and said with a wry smile, "Auntie, Auntie, this is no time for jokes."