Chapter 2366: Vicissitudes of the Sea and Land

The red plateau rose abruptly from the ground ahead, its towering cliffs and steep walls still blazing like rosy clouds, unhidden by vegetation, guarding the last trace of desolation on this plain.

Yet upon the plateau, verdant green spread wildly, forests nearly covering every inch of wilderness except the rivers.

Over a hundred years ago, during the era of Panlongcheng, the moisture on the Red Plateau was already far more abundant than that of the Panlong Wasteland; this was the land of fish and rice on the plateau, sustaining the soldiers and civilians of Panlongcheng.

Seeing this expanse of green, He Lingchuan seemed, in a daze, to have returned once more to the world of Panlong.

But when he truly flew above the ruins of Panlong, the scenery below constantly reminded him: this was still reality.

Compared to his last visit, the ruins of Panlong had changed appearance:

On the most magnificent southern gate, even the cracks in the city wall had sprouted calamus and wildflowers; the two collapsed battlements had grown lush green shrubs, even bearing golden-yellow fruit.

The open southern square behind the gate had nearly turned into a green expanse, with tall wormwood taller than a person. Streams had resumed flowing and connected to pools; the entire water system of the Panlong ruins had been reactivated, everywhere rippling green waters, fish playing among duckweed.

He Lingchuan also saw a fire fox drinking by the stream, startled by the shadow of a crane demon flying overhead, it darted back into the grass without looking back.

That place had once been the platform where Mr. Zhang tested the aptitude of new recruits.

This ruin, where vitality and decay intertwined, made one feel all the more desolate.

He Lingchuan couldn't help but close his eyes slightly.

He had finally returned.

At that moment, the divine bone necklace trembled twice.

Since the world of Panlong had closed off to He Lingchuan, the divine bone necklace had also become inactive, usually seeming asleep, only alerting him when he encountered something he wanted to eat.

He patted the crane's back and commanded: "Land on the southern square."

It was said the entire Panlong ruins were protected by a barrier, but that posed no problem for him.

Sure enough, the crane demon landed smoothly, encountering no obstruction along the way.

Zhu Xiuer was still visiting for the first time; facing the black dragon statue behind the southern city gate, she exclaimed: "This dragon god statue is more majestic than the one in Ju City."

"What exactly happened here?" Looking around, He Lingchuan saw the Panlong ruins nearly swallowed by vegetation, green everywhere run rampant.

The soul-capturing mirror in his bosom also expressed surprise: "Where are the three corpse worms and the ghost army?"

Originally, the protection of the Panlong ruins included not only endless yellow sands and violent gales, but also omnipresent three corpse worms and elusive ghost troops.

Now, not a trace of them could be seen.

He Lingchuan instinctively glanced at the southern city wall, riddled with countless holes that had once been nests of the three corpse worms, now only wind passing through.

It seemed the closure of the Great Square Vase seven years ago had affected far more than just the world inside the vase.

He picked up the divine bone necklace and said solemnly:

"I have returned. If you need my help, at least tell me where to begin."

As soon as he spoke, the divine bone necklace trembled slightly.

After so many years, it finally responded to He Lingchuan's words!

He immediately turned around and, following the way the divine bone necklace detects treasures, began searching everywhere.

Dong Ruiqi asked: "What are you looking for?"

"Clues!" As he walked toward true north, the divine bone necklace grew warm, so He Lingchuan strode forward: "The clues to all these changes!"

Dong Rui and Zhu Xiuer followed closely behind.

But He Lingchuan hadn't walked far before stopping, facing a pool of water.

One could tell that in Panlongcheng's heyday, this pool must have been beautiful, its masonry exceptionally neat, its edges adorned with finely carved reliefs; despite years of sand abrasion, they remained unmarred.

"This is the Blessing Pool." The great pool before the Boundless God Temple, once used by Panlongcheng residents as a wishing pool.

The water in the pool shimmered with ripples, not only leak-free but also remarkably clear; fish blew bubbles among the duckweed, two small shrimp hid beneath the aquatic plants, waving their claws at the three in defiance.

During He Lingchuan's first two visits, this place had still been desert climate, the Blessing Pool dry, and they had even dragged several earth dragons here to pour blood into the pool.

Now the pool was half-full, which was convenient.

What now?

He Lingchuan stood before the pool, and the divine bone necklace grew hot to the touch, clearly indicating he stood in the right position.

He crouched down and reached into the pool.

Immediately he touched the bottom, the fish startled and darted away.

This pool had a bottom.

He waited patiently a moment longer, but saw no sign of chaos appearing in the water.

Dong Rui asked him: "What now?"

He Lingchuan thought for a moment, then suddenly drew a small knife, cut his palm, and squeezed the fresh blood into the pool water.

He had used fresh blood for sacrifice during his first two visits as well.

Sure enough, as the blood droplets fell into the pool, the water began to change; though only four or five drops, within five or six breaths the entire pool turned red!

The water level rose as well, the duckweed, water plants, fish, and shrimp all vanished, leaving only a pool of blood-red water.

He Lingchuan reached into the pool again and told the two: "Go in."

Having said that, he leapt into the pool.

The two behind him followed, jumping into the pool as well.

Though the pool's depth had originally only reached the knees, upon jumping in they vanished from sight, only ripples spreading across the surface before it calmed again.

After Zhu Xiuer and Dong Rui entered the pool, they saw only dark red all around, no top, no bottom, the small pond giving the sensation of a vast ocean.

But only for an instant, when they suddenly felt solid ground beneath their feet and stood up.

The three entered and exited through the Blessing Pool, yet the scene before them had completely changed.

Of course this was still the Panlong ruins, but the plants were gone, everywhere lay exposed brick and stone structures, yellow sand blowing in their faces, the wind whistling through uneven wall cavities like ghosts wailing.

There was no water in the city, just aridness; aside from the pool they had emerged from, not a single drop remained.

"What is this?" Dong Rui looked around anxiously, "Wait, this isn't reality, is it?"

"This is the Panlong Secret Realm." He Lingchuan turned his head and saw the grand southern gate of Chengnan. The siege crossbows on the city gate tower were exactly as they had been when he attacked Nian Songyu, the angle unchanged.

This was not the Panlong World he used to frequent, but the Panlong Secret Realm, which he had entered in person twice before.

The first time, Sun Fuping and Nian Songyu forced He Chunhua and his son to come in, scheming to obtain the Great Square Vase.

The second time, however, he himself set a trap, luring He Chunhua and the Heavenly Palace Envoy of All Clouds, He Jing, to come in; as a result, He Jing died, and the avatar of Naraka Heaven was trapped in Mist Valley, while He Chunhua emerged empty-handed, but afterward gained strong support from Naraka Heaven. The sole winner was He Lingchuan, and the Great Square Vase took the opportunity to refine the spoils he had gained from causing havoc in Heavenly Palace—the lid.

This was his third visit to the Panlong Secret Realm, revisiting old grounds, with a different feeling in his heart.

Actually, what he was thinking deep down was, where are the old friends now?