Chapter 2903: Originally, it was me

Later, more and more troops appeared on the horizon, until they covered the sky and earth.

Another Panlong army led by the Red General also returned.

That night, under the stars and moon, they moved with unprecedented speed.

The Red General pointed his spear, and the distant army smoothly turned to pursue the fleeing Begga troops; they had to act quickly, or the forces led by Zhang Kangyi and Du Shian would soon catch up.

The Red General himself led only a dozen or so cavalry, charging straight here.

He Lingchuan watched her come galloping toward him; his vision was blurred, but he could still see her figure growing larger and clearer in his field of view, until she was right before his eyes.

"He Lingchuan!" the Red General shouted before her horse had even stopped, leaping down as her war boots scraped the mud, making a hissing sound.

What she called out was not "Tiger Wing General," but his full name, "He Lingchuan."

Like Shi Shichu, the Red General dropped to one knee and then took He Lingchuan's hand.

Her palm was scorching hot, while He Lingchuan was quite cool.

Before she could speak again, He Lingchuan softly said a sentence.

His voice was too faint, and the wind too noisy, so the Red General didn't hear clearly and had to lean in to ask:

"What did you say?"

She had already learned the battle situation from Shi Shichu and knew that the Tiger Wing General had suffered heavy injuries and was beyond recovery.

She had rushed back under the stars and moon as fast as she could, but only managed to see him one last time.

Seeing the Red General, He Lingchuan's spirit visibly improved, and even his voice could be slightly raised: "Panlong is preserved, you are free."

This was his wish for twenty years, finally fulfilled.

Though those last five words were soft, they were caught in the great wind, swirling above the battlefield and reaching every ear.

It even seemed to cause a strange echo between heaven and earth:

Free……

Free……

No longer trapped.

This was the turning point of Panlongcheng's fate, and likely also of this realm!

The Red General gripped his hand tightly: "It is 'we' who are free!"

She emphasized the two words "we."

Even though she had seen the vicissitudes of the world and the warmth and coldness of human relations, and had endured enough partings and deaths, she could not help but choke up at this moment.

First slay Bai Zhantian, then slay Pili Tian! Only the Tiger Wing could turn the tide and rescue Panlong from its doomed situation.

He guarded Panlongcheng with his own blood and life.

The Red General's tears dripped from beneath her armor, the first time anyone had seen her weep:

"Father and you, both have fulfilled your promises to Panlong!"

How heavy and difficult that promise was, originally impossible to fulfill.

And thus Panlong's destiny was completely shattered!

He Lingchuan strained to say: "The Lingxu Holy Venerable still wishes to descend……"

The Red General cut him off: "Rest assured. As long as I live for one day, He shall not stir up wind and rain in the mortal realm!"

This was the Red General's solemn vow.

She always kept her word like the wind; He Lingchuan hearing this, also felt at ease.

His consciousness had already scattered, the scene before him blurred, and even the Red General looked hazy to him, while instead he saw black flames rising around him.

That black fire burned brighter and brighter, spreading for hundreds of li; in his vision, aside from the Red General, there was only this endless purgatorial black fire.

Yet he felt no pain from the flames, but rather his bones began to grow cold.

This is the fire of karma.

When it consumes its host, it differs from when it strikes an enemy.

Dawn broke, and karma came to collect its due from him.

Shouldn't the debts of over twenty years be settled now?

This man stirred the winds and clouds of the world, changed how many fates, and wrought how many causes and effects!

They condensed into a black serpent of fate, and He Lingchuan heard in his ears a chilling laugh:

You succeeded, but the time has come. Come——

Face your final destiny.

Karma was pleased, having waited many years, but the Nine Abysses Great Emperor's fate had always been too hard, never meeting its due retribution; now it had finally seized this chance to clear the total account in one go—who could understand this ultimate joy?

Such laughter could only be heard by He Lingchuan.

He felt at peace.

His own choice, he naturally must bear its consequences.

Before the black smoke completely engulfed him, the ground suddenly gave a violent shake, shaking the whole world into a stagger.

The earth split open, distant mountains collapsed with a roar, and then dark red mist rose from the cracks and fissures.

The sky inexplicably rolled with several thunderclaps, and beyond the firmament, something seemed to linger.

This world had long been unstable, now even more on the brink of collapse, as if something underground yearned to emerge but was held back at the verge of eruption.

He Lingchuan slowly closed his eyes, his mind clear.

The Red General used her divine power to hear his faint muttering:

"I understand, originally it was me."

Is it him? What does that mean?

He Lingchuan said slowly: "What blocks the Great Great Great Fanghu and reality is not the Secret Realm, but……"

But it was him!

If the Great Square Vessel wanted to turn from illusion to reality, it had to break the boundary between illusion and reality. For years, he had always thought that boundary was the Panlong Secret Realm he had built with his own hands.

Only at the very end of his life did he suddenly realize:

What stood directly in the way of the Great Square Vessel's materialization was not a secret realm at all—it was clearly himself!

From the moment he obtained the Divine Bone Necklace, He Lingchuan himself became the sole link connecting the Great Square Vessel to reality.

And his very existence was too solid, too firm—no wonder, even with the power of chaos, repeated strikes against the Panlong Secret Realm had failed.

To let the Great Square Vessel descend into the human world bearing a new law, he had to offer not only his ideals, but his very life.

Having understood this, he smiled with relief:

No problem—take it.

The moment he entered the Panlong World to continue fighting, he knew he could not leave alive.

To be buried here was his choice, without regret or resentment.

Only… a pity…

He Lingchuan whispered softly once more.

The Red General lowered her head and leaned in, barely making out his words:

"... Master?"

She looked left and right, then said regretfully: "You mean Master Sun? She's not here—I'll send someone to find her right away!"

The two guards behind, having received the order, immediately ran toward the city.

He Lingchuan tugged the corner of his mouth, revealing a nearly imperceptible smile: "She will come."

Those words were strangely certain.

Then he made a strange gesture:

With the last of his strength, he raised his hand, trying to lift the Red General's mask.

In that instant, his curiosity suddenly expanded without limit.

What lay behind the mask—would it be as he had imagined?

But before his hand could rise halfway, it fell back down.

Time was up.

In his final moments, his heart felt strangely peaceful, even a little relieved—his most important mission was already complete; though there was regret, it was still fairly fulfilling.

Ah, what a pity. But how could life possibly be without regrets?

He Lingchuan exhaled a long breath, and the light in his eyes gradually faded.

His time was frozen at this very moment.

The Floating Life Knife rolled from his waist, swaying alone twice, and finally came to rest in the pool of blood.