Chapter 372: Shattered Jade Pendant

Such a major action in Wufu Town is, to the higher‑ups, merely a medium‑scale demolition; the townspeople are already uneasy, yet their cooperation is surprisingly high.

Besides the residential area, that empty underground tower was retained.

The hundred mu of land surrounding the underground tower was also being planned at the same time.

But the planner of this hundred mu of land was not someone from the Fangchuan Sect, but Hui Moqiong.

That plot of land we plan to make the center of a hall; first we will build the main hall, move the Immortal Clan enshrined on the western house's god shelf there—that's the most urgent—and Hui Moqiong will find time to go to the Changshi Gray Immortal Hall to study their ways.

When Liu Junyan made this decision, I felt very uneasy.

In private I asked him: 'Āyàn, you are destined to become a dragon; you're planning this hall—who will later take over as hall master? You…'

'I will.' Liu Junyan said without hesitation, 'The other four families of the Five Blessings Immortals are already in place; only the Liu Immortal seat is vacant. Second Master Liu is no longer equal to the task, so I will take that Liu Immortal position.'

Indeed, he had harbored this thought.

But your status doesn't match—you're a flood dragon, not a snake…

I privately did not want Liu Junyan to lower his status to take on this hall; he ought to ascend to dragonhood, with a wider world awaiting his free development.

Liu Junyan, however, said: 'In shamanic culture, the snake is a little dragon, and folk belief holds that "the Liu Immortal's petition for investiture must be a little dragon's tribulation." Thus, leading the hall with my current jiao dragon form is perfectly fitting.'

The more firmly he spoke, the stronger my unease grew.

I took his hand, hesitated repeatedly, and still asked: 'Āyàn, are you about to face your hundred‑year tribulation?'

Liu Junyan's hand twitched slightly.

'Judging by your recent accomplishments, you still have a chance to ascend to dragonhood even after this hundred‑year tribulation, right?'

Liu Junyan said nothing, which was tacit admission.

'Āyàn, ascending to dragonhood means shedding the old self; you can sever ties with everything now, you have a brighter future, and you cannot keep giving up again and again.'

Liu Junyan smiled and lightly stroked my hair: 'Silly Xiao Jiu, given my background, do you think I have any chance to ascend to dragonhood? From the moment I was born, everything was already decided.'

I hurried: 'If all this messy business were settled, wouldn't you then have a chance?'

'That's far in the future.' Liu Junyan said, 'I only look at the present, making the decision most advantageous now. Xiao Jiu, I must establish the hall before I set out to wander the world; when that time comes I'll be gone for over ten years, leaving the great hall entirely to you, and everyone will help you.'

Gazing at Liu Junyan, I keenly felt that day would not be far off.

I nodded firmly: 'All right, I will guard the hall and lead everyone in waiting for your return.'

Liu Junyan embraced me: 'Xiao Jiu, following me must be exhausting, right?'

'Āyàn, this is your destiny, and also mine.' I leaned against his chest and said sincerely, 'If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be alive today, would I?'

Liu Junyan held me tight, his chin rubbing against the top of my head.

Liu Junyan planned to return to the Linghai Dragon Clan to discuss the matter of recognizing his ancestors and returning to the clan with his great uncle.

My body stiffened.

Although from the start I had sensed it and guessed he would eventually take this step.

But when he spoke it to me himself, I still felt a little afraid.

I asked: 'The price of recognizing one's ancestors and returning to the clan will be great, Āyàn—you've only retrieved four of your seven golden scales, and the timing isn't ripe yet.'

'I can't wait that long.' Liu Junyan said, 'When I complete the recognition of my ancestors and my name is officially entered into the Linghai Dragon Clan genealogy, the sword tomb will be broken open at any moment; then my natal magic artifact will return to its place, and even with only four golden scales I believe I can unleash its full power.'

Liu Junyan retrieving his natal magic artifact is something we have long awaited.

Yet I never expected it to happen under such hurried circumstances.

But the arrow is already on the bowstring; we have no choice.

All of this is moving forward unseen, driven by an invisible force.

On the day Liu Junyan returned to the Linghai Dragon Clan, the entire Wufu Town was emptied except for the last few holdout households and the group of us who had to stay behind.

It was then that we most directly experienced what Wang Pan and Shi Changyun had said: 'The Taotie ferocious beast is gradually trying to devour all of Wufu Town.'

We almost personally witnessed the hill across the Zhu Pan River inching closer to Wufu Town bit by bit.

Those gullies that night after night floated with ghostly flames are dwindling under this devouring.

We don't need to painstakingly fill them; they are disappearing on their own.

If left unchecked like this, not long will pass before the entire Zhu Pan River ceases to exist.

With each devouring, Wufu Town suffers a minor quake; infants' night‑wailing grows louder, shrouding the town in a sound that makes listeners tremble with fear.

Just then, the Fangchuan Sect sent me some materials.

The materials showed that, in the past week, the other villages and towns around that hill had all suffered night‑time attacks by giant black birds, and already five infants had fallen victim……

At the moment I saw those materials, I finally grasped fully how significant Liu Junyan's step of recognizing his ancestors and returning to the clan truly is.

For Wufu Town this is a catastrophe; for the surrounding villages and towns, how could it be any different?

Wufu Town has temporarily escaped this calamity thanks to the pawnshop, but other villages and towns lack such luck.

The significance of the pawnshop's existence was greatly highlighted at this moment.

And the efforts of us here have also gained meaning.

I don't know whether it's because the Taotie ferocious beast keeps drawing near, its formation's mana growing stronger, causing Wufu Town's magnetic field to shift, making my own health deteriorate.

I began to dream frequently, finding myself again and again on that yellow‑sand road stretched with vast fields of spider lilies.

That bridal sedan draws ever nearer…… and waking from the dream becomes harder and harder.

Until the fourth night after Liu Junyan's departure, I stayed up till late, truly unable to endure; upon falling back into the dream, as soon as I stood on the yellow‑sand road, that sedan swooped down over my head.

The power of the Taotie ferocious beast's formation suppressed me, leaving me unable to exert any strength.

I could hear a great bird constantly circling and crying above my head, while infants' wails came and went……

At the critical moment, I raised my hand to touch my neck—and indeed felt the jade pendant I had always worn.

That was given to me by Hu Yulin.

He said that if I smashed this jade pendant, he would appear to rescue me……

I seized the pendant and slammed it hard onto the ground.

The jade pendant shattered at the sound, emitting a clear, crisp tone……