Chapter 2718: Came, came

To this day, they can still hold the Between Between Between Beijia army outside the national gates—this is already a great victory.

He Lingchuan also did not think he could completely block them. "Full-force interception, orderly contraction" has always been the core of his strategy.

He and Panlong are both clear-headed; what needs to be done now is simply the "delay" tactic—delay until internal strife breaks out in Between Between Between Beijia, then Panlong will have hope.

Or put another way, Panlong must hold on until Between Between Between Beijia descends into chaos, no matter the method.

They must not fall before dawn.

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Within the Baoling region, the Kunlong Pit.

Looking across the world, the terrain of the Kunlong Pit can indeed be called quite extraordinary. If viewed from a height of thousands of zhang, it is an astonishingly vast pit, like an elephant stamping hard on wet mud, leaving a huge footprint. And this footprint, magnified millions of times, is the Kunlong Pit.

It thus earned the name "Keng" (Pit).

But when returning to ground level, especially viewed from a human perspective, this place is an endless elliptical giant pit. Inside are plains and lowlands, while all around are mountain ranges like giant screens. To walk along the mountains in a circle would take several days and nights on horseback.

Within the Kunlong Pit, there are not only several streams but also a great lake. Years of rainfall and groundwater have made the lake surface extremely broad.

However, unlike other places, the soil of the Kunlong Pit is red, and the lake water is not clear but a rare ochre red. Whether viewed from high above or from afar, it looks like blood seeping from underground.

Vegetation in the Kunlong Pit is lush—whether tall pines or small shrubs, their branches and leaves carry a faint red tint. Birds inhabiting this place, even common white egrets from other regions, become red herons or pink herons here.

Although the Kunlong Pit has rivers and lakes, three years ago there were no human villages or settlements. First, it is too far from major human settlements, making it vulnerable to attacks in an era of frequent demon beasts. Second, the water in the Kunlong Pit is fundamentally unsuitable for ordinary humans to drink; if accidentally consumed, mild cases cause full-body rashes and abnormal swelling of extremities, severe cases lead to yellowish complexion, vomiting blood, and death—no negotiation.

Thus, for countless years, this place has been a forbidden zone for humans.

But just three years ago, over a dozen small outposts appeared in the Kunlong Pit, each consisting of only two or three so-called forest guard huts.

They are evenly distributed throughout the Kunlong Pit, usually hidden in forests and unobtrusive, but their inhabitants are all sharp-eyed men. Defensive formations and barriers surround the outposts to prevent demon beast invasions.

As for food, it must be specially transported in from outside the pit. Food gathered from within the Kunlong Pit, having grown in its water and soil, cannot be eaten by humans—nor can cultivators eat it long-term.

Water, however, is relatively easy to solve: they use magical devices to collect "rootless water," namely morning and evening dew. The water is pure and unaffected by local pollution.

The life of these forest guards in the Kunlong Pit can be described in one word:

Boring.

If more words are needed, it is boring to the extreme.

Even hunting here is boring, because the game cannot be eaten; at most, the pelts are stripped to make outer garments.

But today, several forest guards went out on patrol and suddenly sensed something wrong.

The ground began to tremble, from slight to violent, and within a dozen breaths, it shook so hard people could not stand. Crackling sounds rang continuously—this was the forest trees being toppled one after another.

The birds in Lin Zi were also startled, crying out as they flew up, filling the sky.

This is an anomaly never seen in three years!

Several forest guards exchanged glances, activated their divine abilities, and swiftly flew to the nearest hill.

This hill is fifteen zhang above ground, just high enough to rise above the forest, and about twenty li from the lakeside.

They stood on the hilltop looking toward the great lake, but saw smoke and dust spreading across the lakeside, covering an area of about ten thousand qing.

It was as if a monster there was swallowing smoke and exhaling mist.

What could raise dust so fiercely?

Moreover, the area covered by smoke and dust was rapidly expanding—soon it became twenty thousand qing, then thirty thousand qing...

What a grand spectacle!

The forest guards exchanged glances, rode their magical devices, and flew toward the lakeside.

Having guarded this place for three years, could it be that their mission has finally appeared?

Fortunately, the mountain wind in Kunlong Pit today is strong, constantly whooshing. When the forest guards flew near, the smoke and mist drifted apart, and the tops of one building after another became increasingly clear in view.

Under the sunlight, their orderly, staggered appearance seemed even more towering, especially the front city walls, fully armored to the top—its high walls and thick walls far exceed ordinary imagination.

It emerged slowly from the smoke and dust at the lakeside, as if walking out of the gunpowder smoke of history.

The vicissitudes and sharpness blend seamlessly within this vast architectural complex.

"It is a city."

"Not just that—more parts are still rising from underground!"

"Quick, look—outside the city, wilderness and valleys have appeared. Is that farmland?"

"This is our target—it has finally come! Hurry, go notify the superiors, release the Heavenly Eye at once!"

Thus, several streaks of rainbow light flew toward the east.

They have their own communication method; within a quarter of an hour, all forest guard outposts in the Kunlong Pit released the "Heavenly Eye" they had hidden for three years.

This device is like a large hot air balloon, except it has a giant eyeball and can rotate smoothly.

It can also rise straight into the sky like a hot air balloon, with the eyeball always aimed at the newly appeared city and wilderness by the lakeside. However, before even leaving the forest, they became intangible, and once reaching a certain height, they remained fixed—unmoved by wind.

Even if birds fly near, they can pass through them without hindrance, feeling no abnormality.

The main body of this Heavenly Eye remains on the ground; only its illusion floats in the sky, but its monitoring function is real and undiminished.

When the earthquakes in the Kunlong Pit ceased and the smoke and dust cleared, these Heavenly Eyes were already in place, staring fixedly from all angles and directions at the lakeside, missing not a single blade of grass or stir.

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A great city has appeared out of nowhere in the Kunlong Pit!

This news reached Longxi Town, and even Du Mu Heng, with his city mansion, could not help but slam the table and rise:

"Good! Finally here!"

Longxi Town lies on the edge of the Kunlong Pit. Du Mu Heng wanted to observe the newly appeared monster city, and did not need to be on-site—just adjusting the "Heavenly Eye"'s view would suffice.

The dozens of Heavenly Eye illusions scattered throughout the Kunlong Pit form a multi-angle, multi-directional surveillance network to ensure no blind spots.

Combined with the pale gold wax candle in Du Mu Heng's hand, the lamp spirit can render the real-time footage captured by the Heavenly Eye into a simulated image, high-definition and seamless.

When he saw the image in the Heavenly Eye—the majestic city, the open fields, the rolling hills—Du Mu Heng's breath caught, his blood surging toward his head:

"Indeed, it is the Earth Mother! I made no mistake—I have waited for it!"