Chapter 2628

This middle-aged man with an unremarkable appearance, who was smiling gently at him, was indeed the True Person Ducheng!

Only his attire was different; even the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes were no more numerous than in later times!

How did this fellow suddenly appear in the Panlong World?

"What... is going on?" Though his heart was filled with excitement, he still had to put on the look of one just awakened from a great dream, utterly bewildered. But his voice sounded a little hoarse, as if he hadn't spoken in a long time.

Hu Min and the others cheered, and the door panel even grabbed He Lingchuan's shoulder out of turn, laughing until they couldn't close their mouths:

"The Tiger Wing General has awakened!"

"The General has truly awakened! The True Person Ducheng is indeed a divine person!"

He Lingchuan was even more bewildered. Was waking up such a big deal that it required so many people to gather and watch?

Zhong Shengguang had already declared himself emperor, yet he was also standing here—what great matter had befallen him?

"The Tiger Wing General has been in deep slumber for five years." The "divine person" Ducheng smiled unchanged, answering for him, "Only today did he finally awaken."

He Lingchuan was stunned for a moment: "Five years?"

The flow of time in the Panlong World differs from reality; over a decade had passed in reality, but in the Panlong World, it was only five years.

The Panlong World had previously shut him down very abruptly, almost as if kicking him out. This time, upon his return, He Lingchuan was also curious: would time here pause at the moment he was kicked out, or would it continue flowing on its own?

If the latter, he had vanished without cause for five years—how would the Great Square Pot explain it for him? Surely he couldn't just vanish into thin air and reappear out of nowhere?

Now he knew: the Panlong World runs on its own, never pausing for him.

Moreover, the Great Square Pot used the laziest trick, needing no effort to find excuses, but simply and crudely arranged for him to "sleep" for five years straight!

Good grief, he didn't even know how his relatives and friends had fared these past few years!

Zhong Shengguang also spoke up to ask him:

"How do you feel? Is there anywhere uncomfortable?"

He Lingchuan instinctively twisted his neck, and indeed his body felt slightly stiff.

"No problem, moving around will fix it."

With so many people staring at him intently, he couldn't keep lying down, so he sat up, put on his boots, and laced them.

Zhong Shengguang then said to Hu Min and the others:

"You all go out first."

"Yes." Hu Min and the others rose, bowed to him, quickly left the room, and even took the door with them.

Only He Lingchuan, Zhong Shengguang, Shi Shichu, and the True Person Ducheng remained in the room.

Shi Shichu lightly coughed: "General, do you still remember why you fell into a deep sleep?"

Remembering, it was the Great Square Pot's random arrangement. He Lingchuan couldn't say it outright, so he could only show a look of bewilderment:

"I don't know what happened either; I only remember my army was stationed in Kecheng. That night, after the ceasefire, I returned to my tent early to sleep, and then... I opened my eyes and found myself here."

Kecheng is the Ducheng of later times, but until his last entry into the Panlong World, it was merely an unremarkable small town.

Since the Red General and the Black Dragon God Sovereign defeated the heavenly descent's Mitians at the lakeside of County Magistrate Lake, the Panlong army's eastern campaign has been a continuous string of victories; the armies of the old Xiluo territories were no match for them.

Speaking of this, He Lingchuan recalled: "Right, did we conquer all of Xiluo?"

The Xiluo king died, the country fell into four-way fragmentation, and only then did Panlongcheng consider launching an eastern campaign.

"We did." Shi Shichu nodded: "Half a month after you began your deep sleep, we took all of Xiluo."

He Lingchuan let out a long breath: "That's good."

Shi Shichu glanced at Zhong Shengguang, saw he was silent, then lowered his voice: "Not exactly good, for the Xiluo territory we conquered has since... been lost again."

He Lingchuan startled, cried out: "Lost to whom?"

As soon as he asked, he already had the answer in his heart.

Sure enough, Shi Shichu spoke that name:

"Beijia."

Of course, it was Beijia. Besides the northern demon state, what other neighboring power could inflict such a great loss on Panlong? He Lingchuan felt uneasy: "Beijia actually launched a direct attack on us? This, this doesn't match its usual style."

Beijia likes to stir up trouble, likes to let other countries do its work.

Before, Xianyu and Balian were its tools against Panlongcheng.

"Originally, Beijia had also been squeezing Balian and several other states, making them solely oppose Panlong. But these years, Panlong has developed greatly, so this tactic is no longer effective." Shi Shichu took a deep breath: "Starting eighteen months ago, Beijia's vassal demon state, Baoshu Guo, launched a surprise attack on the Xiluo border, and over the past year or more, several of Beijia's western vassal demon states have continuously sent reinforcements to the battlefield. Even now, Beijia continues to increase its troops, showing no sign of stopping!"

"Moreover, the figures of immortals have appeared on the battlefield."

"Why?" He Lingchuan felt a chill in his heart—had what he most feared finally come true?

"We just received a secret report not long ago." Ji Shichu glanced again at Zhong Shengguang, "The Heavenly Demon and Beijia already know that the Great Square Pot is hidden in Panlongcheng!"

"Damn it!" He Lingchuan slapped down with his palm, the small table beside the bed shattered into wood splinters.

He had just "woken up," and already received such disastrous news?

"Who leaked it?" He had once exhausted himself, desperately maintaining the relationship between Panlongcheng and Ling Mountain, fearing that if Ling Mountain turned against Panlongcheng, the True Person Qianhuan would betray Panlongcheng.

That was his greatest fear: that the script from reality would replay itself in the Panlong World!

Could it be that Panlongcheng truly cannot escape this fate?

"Still unknown." Shi Shichu and Zhong Shengguang exchanged a glance, "But those who know this secret were originally few."

He Lingchuan squeezed out two words from between his teeth:

"Ling Mountain!"

Panlong Country knew of the Great Square Pot's existence—only these three or five people, all very reliable. So the leak could only come from Ling Mountain.

Zhong Shengguang remained silent, clearly sharing the same view.

Of course, He Lingchuan had known the answer from the very beginning.

What change occurred in Ling Mountain's situation that made the True Person Qianhuan resolve to reveal the Great Square Pot's secret?

He Lingchuan lowered his head, saw the Fate Divine Seal on his wrist, and his heart stirred again.

The snake eyes on this bracelet no longer glow, but he always feels the ouroboros is staring at him.

The Great Square Vase choosing to reopen the Panlong World for him at this moment must have a reason, right?

Could it be that the second trial of the Fate Divinity begins here?

When he looked up, his gaze unintentionally swept over Dà Sàmǎn, and he noticed Dà Sàmǎn was also examining the ouroboros bracelet on his hand.

By rights, people in Panlongcheng shouldn't know this is the Fate Divinity. But Dà Sàmǎn is too strange—he is someone who connects inner and outer spacetime.

Does he know something?

He Lingchuan deliberately asked: "Where am I?"

Actually, his gaze had already pierced through the wooden window and seen where this was—outside the small courtyard were two rows of shelves with strange flowers and weeds growing on them, all bizarre and eerie, possibly even deadly.

Thank you, Gusang, for the reward~

Thank you to book friend 20200322234132998, Nian Yu 3211, and Tai Ping General for the rewards~~

(End of chapter)