Chapter 2388

Right now, Heishuicheng has a feeling of impending storm, arrows nocked and bows drawn. Dong Rui's summary of the situation in Heishuicheng ends with "even eggs have tripled in price."

The sun began to tilt westward.

And in the Panlong Secret Realm, He Lingchuan, who had been standing on the city wall as if fused with it, moved.

He took a deep breath and murmured, "It's time."

He turned around and cast one last glance into the interior of Panlong Ancient City.

These past days, he had traversed every corner of the secret realm, etching its layout and current state deeply into his mind.

It's time to say goodbye.

Even though Zhu Xiuer is battle-hardened, she is now a bit nervous: "Should we start now? Should we wait another day or two?"

"There will never be a day when we are truly ready." He Lingchuan leapt directly from the city wall, but his landing was light, the air currents he raised not even stirring a leaf.

Zhu Xiuer also descended on spider silk, following closely behind, and discovered he first went to pay respects at the Red General's tomb.

This imposing clothes-and-crown tomb had already been refilled with earth by them, restored to its original state. He Lingchuan drew the Ying Lei Spear, plunged it heavily into the ground before the tomb, stepped closer to the Red General's tombstone, knelt on one knee, and gently brushed away the dust on the stele.

The five characters "Red General's Tomb" remain fresh through the ages, still a striking, blood-red red.

In this tomb lies a legendary name, a tale of the past, and He Lingchuan knows her unwillingness.

She and countless souls unwilling to fade into silence endure, waiting.

He Lingchuan faced the tombstone and spoke, word by word:

"Panlongcheng and the Great Great Great Fanghu are once again in dire peril; relying on me alone, I cannot reverse the tide."

"I need your strength!"

"I need the strength of all of you!"

"Please lend me your aid, so I may fight once more for all beings!"

To fight for all beings! This is the oath Zhong Shengguang made on his deathbed, as recorded in the memories preserved in the Great Expansion Heaven Pearl Chronicle.

The lingering echoes drifted far through the open woods, as if there were faint reverberations.

Then came the empty silence.

Zhu Xiuer, with her dozen or so eyes, observed the surroundings—did He Lingchuan's request have no effect?

But He Lingchuan did not raise his head, eyes observing the nose, nose observing the heart.

After a dozen breaths, a breeze blew from somewhere, sending sand and stones near the tip of the Ying Lei Spear into a chaotic dance.

Thus, both could see with the naked eye that a playful wind seemed to swirl around the Ying Lei Spear, growing faster and fiercer with each gust.

The great wind rises.

Flying sand and stones obscured the view beyond the tomb grounds.

Within the whirlwind, lightning flickered faintly, crackling with sound.

Zhu Xiuer recalled that the spear's name is simply "Ying Lei."

This spear, once the Red General's personal weapon, began to emit a red glow, starting faint and gradually deepening.

In the end, the purple light became so dense it turned black.

The Red General gave……a response?

At the height of the whirlwind's fury, the black light on the spear suddenly retracted.

The wind followed suit, vanishing in a second, leaving only sand and dust drifting down like snowfall.

He Lingchuan leapt up, reached out to draw the spear, and bowed with clasped fists before the tombstone:

"Thank you!"

Ying Lei in hand, it now carries a different rhythm, as if a fierce magical beast lies dormant within, waiting to burst forth in a bloody, killing frenzy.

"Steady now, do not rush." He Lingchuan lightly tapped the spear shaft, then turned and strode toward the misty valley outside Panlongcheng, that is, Mingsha Forest.

The mist that usually drifted through the mountain forests had vanished; the view in Mingsha Forest was unprecedentedly clear.

He Lingchuan also saw clearly that the trees here had indeed withered by about half.

He stepped to the edge of the water puddle and spoke loudly:

"I will restart the secret realm—where is Hundun?"

His voice echoed throughout the entire valley.

He repeated this statement three times.

Zhu Xiuer had been intently watching the water below, and now suddenly said: "Here it comes! Is it this?"

In the dusky red water depths, a huge shadow glided past, like a giant fish. Zhu Xiuer did not know how far it was from the surface, but just this shadow made the Cave Spider Empress feel immense pressure.

"Yes." He Lingchuan saw Hundun's shadow, and his heart also eased.

Its arrival meant his method worked.

Zhu Xiuer couldn't help but rub her claws: "And then?"

The moment to witness history had arrived—she was thrilled.

"First, the old secret realm ends here." He Lingchuan faced the southern gate of Panlongcheng, performed a solemn military salute unique to the Great Wind Army, then took out the Great Expansion Heaven Pearl, laid it flat in his palm, and extended it toward the direction of Panlong's southern gate.

"From now on, everything is mine. Zhong, my lord, please rest in peace."

Zhong Shengguang died to become a demon, guarding the Great Great Great Fanghu single-handedly for 170 years, repelling all invaders, having exhausted himself completely, dying only after giving his all.

As the designated inheritor of Panlong's legacy, He Lingchuan also gave his most solemn vow.

As his words fell, a great wind swept through this space again.

The ancient city that had stood for 170 years was like a sandcastle blown by the wind—those high walls and gate towers, streets and halls, armories and inns, relay stations and homes……all crumbled under their gaze, then turned into endless yellow sand, covering the sky and earth——

And then, it surged into the Great Expansion Heaven Pearl!

This is the collapse of a small world, and also the end of a mission.

Zhu Xiuer watched from the side, her heart surging, her eight claws unconsciously tapping the ground.

This scene, I actually saw it once before in the Haoyuan Golden Mirror of the Overturning Sea—back then, He Lingchuan struck down Miao Zhantian with a single blade, and the "Panlong Ancient City" within the Dayan Heavenly Pearl also vanished into the sea of consciousness of the True Person of Myriad Illusions.

I never expected to witness such a magnificent scene twice.

But this time, the disappearance of the "Panlong Ancient City" signifies the complete collapse of the secret realm space that Zhong Shengguang had painstakingly built over a hundred and seventy years!

Even the remnant strength Zhong Shengguang retained after turning demon entered the Dayan Heavenly Pearl to participate in the construction of the new secret realm—nothing was wasted.

He Lingchuan felt moved and said softly: "Worldly affairs are like hearing wind in the wind."

This secret realm was built in the wind, and ultimately ended in the wind.

Zhong Shengguang's resilient and unyielding life finally came to a perfect close here.

As the last wisp of yellow sand was sucked into the Dayan Heavenly Pearl, this secret realm space vanished with it—only the Mist Valley where the two of them took shelter remained.

Beyond the Mist Valley, there was nothing but endless darkness.

Zhu Xiuer knew that from this moment on, the power guarding the Panlong Wasteland in reality would also vanish together.

The old secret realm has ended, the new journey has not yet begun. For it and He Lingchuan, the most difficult vacuum period is about to arrive.

He Lingchuan suddenly turned and asked it: "The things previously collected from the Panlong Secret Realm—are they still there?"

Zhu Xiuer glanced at her abdominal pouch and nodded: "Although the secret realm itself has vanished, these things are actually still here."

"This is the last bit of assistance Lord Zhong provided for me." He Lingchuan said solemnly, "When we later deal with the Earth Mother, they will all come in handy."