Chapter 2584: The Heavenly Palace's Response

If the barrier were still in place, Master Duan might still be in the city.

Unfortunately, the Evasion-Barrier Array has been destroyed, and no one knows when it stopped working.

The barrier at Baishong City has been open every day for several years, meaning it's routine and not constantly monitored.

Moreover, the Evasion-Barrier Array is invisible and intangible, with no light, sound, or electrical effects; even if triggered, no one would notice immediately—after all, who would casually go underground just to test it?

This matter could not remain hidden, and via flying message it reached Lingyun Palace.

Xiao Ping, working in the Lotus Valley, received the message and immediately slammed her palm on the table.

Something real has happened—no wonder she's been anxious all day.

She didn't panic; after pacing two steps in the Quan Yin Pavilion, she spoke:

"My Lord, Duan He Yun being captured must be the result of careful planning. If he were—if he were killed, could we still track him?" Lotus Valley is the territory of Helu Heaven, so she doesn't need to offer incense to speak with the Heavenly God.

Everyone entering Baishong City is marked with a divine antenna, Duan He Yun included. Theoretically, the Heavenly God should be able to monitor his movements in real time.

But if Duan He Yun is dead, it's hard to say.

Helu Heaven replied briefly: "Cannot. He is still alive."

Then, after a pause: "I have already nullified the effectiveness of the talismans held by Duan He Yun, Hu Xin, and others."

These people were captured, and their talismans would likely be seized by the enemy. Helu Heaven cannot let the enemy obtain Lingyun Palace's access credentials, so upon detecting Duan He Yun's abnormality, it immediately revoked the talismans' power.

The talisman, as an access credential, is authority delegated by Helu Heaven. Now, it has reclaimed that authority.

Even if the bandits hold the talisman, it is utterly useless.

Without divine support, they are merely ornaments.

Xiao Ping lowered her head again to look at the message slip.

It detailed the incident: the cause was Duan He Yun overriding objections and bringing A Lian into Baishong City.

"Damn it, Baishong City is crowded and chaotic—why did he insist on bringing A Lian in?"

Helu Heaven, however, spoke a fair word: "He likely made entering Baishong City the condition for getting A Lian's consent."

Xiao Ping was moved: "Did A Lian agree?"

"Yes, I have already sealed the contract here."

Duan He Yun ultimately succeeded in this matter; for a moment, Xiao Ping didn't know what to feel.

But she quickly suppressed all distracting thoughts and mused: "The test site was originally on Luan Mountain, then shifted to Baiqiu, and finally moved to Baishong City. With Duan He Yun making so many changes, how could the bandits have known in advance and set up an ambush?"

Duan He Yun acts on whim, which Xiao Ping dislikes, but to the enemy, it means his actions are unpredictable.

"Could it be that the enemy's spy has been hiding in our team all along?"

As Xiao Ping finished speaking, Helu Heaven said: "According to the Divine Gaze Connection, Duan He Yun has reached fifty li south of Baishong City."

"This speed doesn't resemble flight."

If he were flying in the sky, he should be much faster.

Helu Heaven said solemnly: "They've been moving south rapidly! In the time it took us to say these few words, he has moved several dozen zhang."

"Our forces have already pursued them." Xiao Ping blurted out: "Please guide them—they must recover Duan He Yun!"

The word "must" is something she would never dare say to the Heavenly God in ordinary circumstances.

How could a subordinate issue such a demanding command to a superior?

But now she is anxious beyond measure and doesn't care about wording.

Helu Heaven did not pursue the matter.

……

Since ground travel cannot match flight, Lingyun Palace first dispatched avian demon scouts, who, under the Heavenly God's guidance, tried to locate Duan He Yun and others.

South of Baishong City lies a vast forest, uninhabited. The avian demons flew back and forth through the woods, but the night forest was utterly silent, with only occasional hares and wild boars darting about.

The bright moon illuminated the earth, yet there was not a trace of human or demon presence.

After flying half a day, nearly a hundred avian demons finally spotted two caravans and immediately halted them.

Coincidentally, the Divine Gaze also indicated that Duan He Yun and his group had stopped nearby.

Both caravans had thirty or forty large wagons, and for no reason they stopped for inspection—everyone looked bewildered.

The Lingyun Palace troops that followed nearly disassembled every wagon compartment and every plank for inspection, yet found nothing.

Nothing, nothing, simply nothing.

However, the location marked by the Divine Gaze is right here.

Why?

After Wang Zhen reported, the Heavenly God also fell silent for a while.

Before they could issue instructions, the divine antenna moved again.

This indicates that Duan He Yun and his group have resumed movement, with speed similar to before.

"They are not on the ground!" Lingyun Palace also realized: "They are moving underground!"

In an instant, half an hour passed.

Duan He Yun and his group fled underground, running all the way, getting farther and farther from Lingyun Palace.

The ground forces could no longer keep up; only dozens of powerful cultivators flying on magical artifacts kept close pursuit.

Xiao Ping's heart burned with anxiety: "They want to capture Duan He Yun to learn from him the progress of the Divine Body research and Lingyun Palace's secrets. If we delay rescuing him, the enemy will gain more secrets."

Helu Heaven's view is more objective:

"The existence of the Yanxia Bay Experimental Site is extremely concealed, yet someone knows of it and managed to abduct Duan He Yun—this shows the site has long been infiltrated. The Hidden God's body is no longer safe."

The Hidden God's body is as important as the experimental progress. It is the source for crafting the Divine Descent Body and must come to no harm.

The most important safeguard of the Yanxia Bay Experimental Site is not its cloud platform or miniature world, but the fact that its existence is extremely concealed and almost unknown.

Of course, now this "almost" needs to be questioned.

Xiao Ping took a deep breath: "Yunxia Bay was indeed extremely secluded originally, but recently it has been continuously bringing in new people—just the manned vessels that once docked at Yunxia Bay number in the dozens. Under these circumstances, perhaps external forces have already noticed the abnormality here."

Helu Tian said grimly: "Do you want to draw a clear line of responsibility at this critical juncture? Who proposed the idea for the terraced fields project?"

Xiao Ping choked.

Indeed, the initial concept of this plan was proposed by her; she suggested dividing the Hidden God Lord into countless small fragments to reduce the probability of a new consciousness emerging.

For this reason, Lingyun Palace suddenly required a large number of personnel.

"What do you mean now?"

"Before rescuing Duan He Yun. The passage from Yuntai to Lingyun Palace is closed; anyone wishing to enter or exit must hold your and Wang Zhu Jian's orders." Helu Tian said this, meaning that even those originally holding the talisman could not pass through, "If Yingkou Town is also attacked, I will sever its connection with the outside world and await reinforcements."

(End of Chapter)