Chapter 841: Entering a Strange Realm

The disciples were confused but had to follow. Other teams also saw the Jianyang Sect's actions, and everyone was muttering in their hearts. They had finally rushed here and hadn't started searching yet, so why were these people running? Since the anomalies in the Panlong Desert occurred, many people had entered the desert to solve the mystery, but few had the luck to get close to the ruins.

Zhang Lianhai also saw their actions and frowned.

It was said that these Jianyang Sect people had entered the Panlong ruins over ten days ago and had come out safe and sound. Did they have any insights?

But the lamp spirit had already flown out to search everywhere, and he didn't intend to withdraw his supernatural power.

The lamp spirit had the ability to find treasure and was much more reliable than humans.

When the He father and son approached the Chipa Plateau, it was already dark.

Ahead were the ruins of Panlongcheng. Looking up from bottom to top, this majestic city was like a giant monster lying on the plateau, opening its hollow mouth and waiting for people to drill inside.

And quite a few people had already entered.

He Lingchuan let out a long sigh: "We're here again."

The last time they arrived at Panlongcheng, they were looking up at it from about the same distance and angle.

Zhao Qinghe suddenly said: "There are people on the battlements."

He Lingchuan and the others looked up and saw two Baling people standing on the city wall looking into the distance; they were not strangers.

They were also exploring the city wall, their expressions very relaxed, indicating that nothing strange had happened inside the city.

He Chunhua was relieved and was the first to dismount and walk across the spectacular land bridge.

This gate—He Lingchuan had passed through it countless times in the Panlong world, often accompanied by cheers and applause.

However, the only thing that could be clamorous here today was the desert wind.

He Lingchuan sighed gloomily.

The others behind him also stepped onto the land bridge, crossed the moat as deep as a trench, and walked through the South Gate of Panlongcheng amidst exclamations.

Standing in the city gate square, He Chunhua turned to his son and said: "Chuan'er, this place seems different from last time."

The whole team was looking around; this was almost the standard action for anyone entering Panlongcheng for the first time. He Lingchuan walked to the river to look and even reached out to scoop a handful of clear water: "There's water here now."

The river was shallow and clear; it was the first time in over a hundred years.

He Chunhua also saw the Heavenly Palace lamp spirits dancing and searching everywhere, pondering in silence.

He Lingchuan leaned over, shaking the water off his hands: "Old man, where do you plan to start searching?" Since they were here, they couldn't just stand here and do nothing, right? He Chunhua asked back: "In your opinion?"

He Lingchuan looked baffled: "How would I know? Such a major adventure, didn't you do your homework beforehand, old man?"

He Chunhua smiled slightly: "You always have good ideas now, better than father."

He Lingchuan's face was full of frankness: "I... really don't have any now."

"Last time we entered, we found the entrance in the temple's water pool." He Chunhua pondered, "Let's go take a look first."

He Lingchuan pointed to the dancing lamp spirits in the distance: "These things must have already searched the temple and the water pool; is there any need for us to go?"

"Seeing is believing."

The team followed He Chunhua's lead and headed toward the Mitian Temple.

Before leaving the square, He Lingchuan looked back casually and glanced at the city wall to the south. The black dragon sculpture was still there, but compared to last time, the horns on its head seemed to have grown longer, and it had even grown a few small branches?

He Lingchuan's gaze froze.

Was it an illusion? This black dragon looked a bit new.

It wasn't that there was no sand on its surface, but this sculpture seemed not to have experienced much baptism of wind and frost.

He knew it in his heart and immediately withdrew his gaze.

The team happened to turn into an alley, and ahead, shadows were flickering, and quite a few people were walking over.

Huh? The He father and son took a closer look, and it was actually the Jianyang Sect people.

Because they had fought side by side earlier, He Chunhua's movement to greet them had two parts of cordiality: "Gentlemen, what happened in the city?"

"Nothing, others are also inside." Ling Jinbao waved his hand, "I just don't want to stay in the ghost city, so I want to find a place outside to spend the night and come back tomorrow morning."

He Chunhua said "oh." Ling Jinbao said these things, and other adventurers understood, but they didn't care.

Why did everyone come? If you don't take risks, how can there be gains?

Ling Jinbao was about to step forward, but suddenly turned his head again: "By the way, the subordinates of Grand Marshal Dong Haoming seem to be already in the city, and the leader is holding a gold-inlaid saber."

"Grand Marshal?" He Chunhua was moved, "Thank you, Mr. Ling!"

Ling Jinbao waved at them and led his disciples out.

Passing the majestic Nanchengmen and stepping off the land bridge, walking more than a hundred zhang, the Jianyang Sect people walked back into the Panlong Desert, and Ling Jinbao looked back at the Panlong ancient city in the night, letting out a long sigh.

The pressure this ghost place gives people is very strong.

A disciple said: "Uncle Master Ling, you are getting weirder and weirder."

"Weird what!" Ling Jinbao glared, "It's not right in that city. Most of the strange things in Panlongcheng that I heard about in Heishuicheng also happened at night. It can be seen that the ghosts here will only launch at night. This time, I don't want to be dragged into any inexplicable scenes again."

A Jianyang Sect disciple was curious: "Again?"

A disciple laughed: "Before we rushed here, Uncle Master had secretly entered Panlong Ancient City at night, and as a result..."

"As a result?"

Ling Jinbao interrupted: "As a result, I gained nothing. It rained heavily in the desert that night, so I had to go to the ruins in the city to hide from the rain. Anyway, having nothing to do, I drank two mouthfuls of wine and closed my eyes to regulate my breath."

Everyone laughed: "Yes, how can there be no wine?"

Ling Jinbao kept a straight face: "However, I soon heard human voices."

This was an empty city; where did the human voices come from?

Ling Jinbao opened his eyes immediately, and although he found himself still sitting at the table, the scene around him was different.

He seemed to be sitting in a post station, with tea on the table, and the surrounding area was full of people; judging by their attire, they were all passing merchants and coachmen.

It was very hot, and they were all busy wiping sweat and drinking tea; no one looked at Ling Jinbao more than once, and the neighing of horses came from outside.

Such a common scene made Ling Jinbao's hair stand on end.

He was staying in a ghost city at night; how could he see these things when he opened his eyes? Then, where was this?

He also smelled a scent of fireworks and looked out the back window, finding that there was a small lake behind the post station, covered with lotus leaves, with lotus flowers waiting to bloom.

Several sets of tables and chairs were placed around the lake, all full, and the guests were eating roast skewers.

It smelled so good; the barbecue master's craftsmanship must be very good. Ling Jinbao swallowed his saliva, but didn't dare to touch the food in this strange realm.

Things in a ghost city—could a living person just eat them? Just then, hoofbeats sounded like thunder outside, and twenty-plus riders came like wind.

Ling Jinbao took a look and judged from their attire that they should be a small team of government soldiers, full of spirit and agile.

This team didn't enter the post station to rest upon arrival, but quietly washed their hands and faces, watered their horses, unlike the Heishuicheng army that was noisy and ignored others.

Ling Jinbao saw them looking around, as if they were always on alert.

A small blue cloth flag was inserted by the well. He took a look and it read "Green Wolf Post Station."

Where exactly was this? Ling Jinbao had no concept at all.

Several guests near the door rested enough and got up to lead their horses outside.

Someone dropped a few copper coins on the ground, and as a result, the copper coins turned a corner on the ground and rolled in front of the government soldiers.

This person smiled at the soldiers, bent down to pick them up, but when he got up, his wrist turned outward, and a sleeve arrow went out with a "whoosh"! The soldier retreated half a step and narrowly avoided it.

Other guests had already pounced, asking with swords.

"Enemy attack!" A whistle sounded outside, and the two sides fought into a group; the bystanders immediately shrank into the corner, not daring to look up, not daring to watch the excitement.

Ling Jinbao aimed at the back window and found that the battle by the lotus lake was even more intense than inside the post station.

What kind of people dared to attack government soldiers on the official road? However, there were a few figures by the lake who were very agile, and the bandits disguised as merchants were not their match for even one round. Ling Jinbao had the deepest impression of a farmer wearing a bamboo hat; this person threw a knife casually and nailed a burly enemy directly to the earth wall.

Those few battles were truly dazzling.

Ling Jinbao originally held the attitude of watching the excitement, but the more he watched, the more his complexion became heavy.

Such brilliant body techniques, such sharp murderous intent—could it be that these were the legendary Panlongcheng soldiers?

A bandit happened to rush into the post station to hide from the government soldiers, wanting to jump out the window to escape, and seeing Ling Jinbao blocking the window, he slashed with a knife without saying a word.

Ling Jinbao kicked the table out directly.

He used his strength very cleverly; the tabletop shattered in mid-air, wood chips flew everywhere, almost blinding the bandit.

In just these two breaths, the government soldiers rushed in from behind, chopped the bandit to death with two knives, and then went out to support their teammates, not even looking at Ling Jinbao.

The battle started without warning and ended cleanly, taking only a quarter of an hour in total.

The attacked government soldiers won, and the bandits who ambushed here were instead wiped out.

The bandit leader was also taken to the small lake behind, and the one interrogating him was actually the farmer wearing a bamboo hat.

Ling Jinbao had good hearing and even heard the soldiers call him "Commander."

Oh, so they were waiting here for the rabbit, conducting a counter-ambush?

Just then, a soldier discovered Ling Jinbao's prying gaze, walked over, closed the bamboo window, and said loudly: "The water bandits who caused trouble have all been captured; everyone, rest assured."

Water bandits?

Ling Jinbao asked the old man on the side: "Old man, what water bandits is he talking about?"

The old man showed a vigilant look: "Where are you from? You don't even know about the Longchuan water bandits when walking here?"

"I don't manage much, and I've been drinking all the way..." Ling Jinbao laughed dryly, "Where are we exactly?"

"Then you haven't drunk little." The old man didn't believe him, but it didn't matter if he said a place name, "We are on the Jinan trade route, oh, now it's renamed the Longchuan trade route."

No matter what Ling Jinbao asked afterward, the old man wouldn't say anything.

At this moment, there was a commotion outside; it turned out to be the government troops escorting prisoners as they headed north.

Leading the way, of course, was that commander.

Ling Jinbao looked at his retreating back, always feeling a bit familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere.

It should be an illusion; he shook his head secretly. If this scene were real history, it should have happened 160 or 170 years ago.

How could he recognize a ghost? The next chapter is being checked and will be released later.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 842 =====