EFB Chapter 2344 The vicissitudes of life
Chapter 2344 The vicissitudes of life
Chapter 2344 The vicissitudes of life
Ahead lies the towering Chipa Plateau, its majestic cliffs still vibrant as crimson clouds, unhindered by vegetation, steadfastly guarding the last vestiges of desolation on this plain.
But on the plateau, lush greenery spreads freely, and forests cover almost every inch of the plains except for the rivers.
More than a hundred years ago, during the Panlongcheng era, the Chipa Plateau had much more abundant moisture than the Panlong Wasteland. It was a land of plenty on the plateau, supporting the soldiers and civilians of Panlongcheng.
Looking at this vibrant green, He Lingchuan felt as if he had been transported back to the world of Panlong.
But once he actually flew over the ruins of Panlong, the scene below constantly reminded him that this was still reality.
Compared to his last visit, the Panlong Ruins have changed its appearance once again:
On the most magnificent South Gate, calamus and wildflowers grew in the cracks of the city wall, and lush green shrubs grew on the two collapsed battlements, even bearing bright yellow fruit.
The spacious south square behind the city gate has almost completely transformed into a green space, with tall weeds growing taller than a person. The stream has resumed its flow and connected to the pool. The entire water system of the Panlong Ruins has been reactivated, with clear water rippling everywhere, and fish playing among the duckweed.
He Lingchuan also saw a fire fox drinking water by the stream, but it was startled by the shadow of the crane demon flying by and shrank into the grass without looking back.
That place was once the platform where Mr. Zhang tested the physical attributes of new recruits.
This ruin, where life and decay are intertwined, makes one feel even more desolate.
He Lingchuan couldn't help but close his eyes slightly.
He's finally back.
Just then, the Divine Bone Necklace suddenly trembled twice.
Since Panlong World closed to He Lingchuan, the Divine Bone Necklace has become inactive, usually as if it were asleep, only notifying He Lingchuan occasionally when it encounters something it wants to eat.
He patted the crane's back and commanded, "Land on the South Square."
It is said that the entire Panlong Ruins are protected by a barrier, but that is not a problem for him.
As expected, the crane demon landed very smoothly without encountering any obstacles along the way.
This was Aunt Zhu's first time here. Facing the black dragon statue behind the south gate, she exclaimed, "This dragon god statue is much more majestic than the one in Ju City."
"What on earth happened here?" Looking around, the Panlong Ruins were almost swallowed up by vegetation, with lush greenery everywhere.
The Soul-Capturing Mirror, in his arms, was also surprised: "Where are the Three Corpse Worms and the Ghost Army?"
Originally, what protected the Panlong Ruins were not only endless yellow sand and raging gales, but also the ubiquitous Three Corpse Worms and the elusive ghost army.
Now, however, I haven't seen a single one.
He Lingchuan subconsciously glanced at the south gate city wall, which was covered with countless holes. It used to be the nest of the Three Corpse Worms, but now only the wind blows through it.
It seems that the closure of Dafanghu seven years ago had an impact on far more than just the world of the coiled dragons within the pot.
He picked up the divine bone necklace and solemnly said:
"I'm back. If you need my help, at least tell me where to start."
As soon as he finished speaking, the Divine Bone Necklace trembled slightly.
After so many years, it has finally responded to He Lingchuan's words!
He immediately turned around and began searching everywhere, following the method used by the Divine Bone Necklace to detect treasures.
Dong Rui asked curiously, "What are you looking for?"
"A clue!" As soon as he headed due north, the Divine Bone Necklace heated up, so He Lingchuan strode over there. "A clue to all the changes here!"
Dong Rui and Aunt Zhu followed closely behind.
However, He Lingchuan stopped not far away, and there was a pool of water in front of him.
You can tell that this pool must have been very beautiful when Panlongcheng was at its peak, because the masonry was exceptionally smooth, and there were many finely carved reliefs on the edge of the pool. Even after so many years of sand polishing, they have not been worn away.
"This is the Blessing Pool." The large pool in front of the Mitian Temple was once used by the residents of Panlong City as a wishing pool.
The pond was crystal clear, its surface shimmering and perfectly still. Fish sipped bubbles among the duckweed, while two small shrimp peeked out from under the water plants, waving their front claws at the three of them in a show of defiance.
When He Lingchuan came here the last two times, the climate was still desert and the Fuchi Pond was dry. They even brought in a few earth dragons and poured their blood into the pond.
The pool is now half full, which saves a lot of trouble.
What should we do now?
When He Lingchuan stood in front of the pool, the Divine Bone Necklace became so hot that it was burning hot, indicating that he had stood in the right spot.
He crouched down and reached his hand into the pool.
It touched the bottom of the pond in an instant, and the fish scurried away in fright.
This pool has a bottom.
He waited patiently for a while longer, but did not see any chaotic figures appear in the pool.
Dong Rui asked him, "What do we do now?"
He Lingchuan thought for a moment, then suddenly took out a small knife, made a cut on his palm, and squeezed the blood into the pool water.
He came twice before, and both times he used blood as a sacrifice.
Sure enough, as soon as the blood dripped into the pool, the water changed. Even though there were only four or five drops of blood, the entire pool turned red within five or six breaths!
The water level rose further, and all the duckweed, aquatic plants, fish, and shrimp disappeared, leaving only a pool of bright red blood-red water!
He Lingchuan reached into the pool again and said to the two of them, "Let's go in."
Having said that, he plunged into the pool.
The two people behind him also jumped into the pool.
The pool was originally only knee-deep, but they disappeared as soon as they jumped in, leaving only ripples on the surface before it calmed down again.
After Aunt Zhu and Dong Rui entered the pool, they saw that the surroundings were dark red, with neither top nor bottom in sight. The small pond gave them the feeling of swimming in a vast ocean.
But in just a moment, they suddenly stood up, their feet firmly on the ground.
The three entered and exited through the blessed pond, but the scene before them had changed drastically.
This is still the ruins of Panlong, but the plants are gone, and there are bare brick and stone buildings everywhere. The yellow sand is dazzling, and the wind blowing through the uneven walls sounds like ghosts wailing.
There was no water in the city; it was completely dry. Apart from the pool where they came out, there wasn't a single drop.
"What's this?" Dong Rui looked around. "Wait, is this not reality?"
"This is the Panlong Secret Realm." He Lingchuan turned his head and saw the magnificent south gate of the city. The siege crossbows on the gate tower were still the same as when he attacked Nian Songyu, without even changing the angle.
This was not the Panlong World he used to frequent, but the Panlong Secret Realm, which he had personally entered twice.
The first time, Sun Fuping and Nian Songyu forced He Chunhua and his son to come in, plotting to seize the Dafanghu.
The second time, however, he orchestrated a trap himself, luring He Chunhua and He Jing, the Heavenly Palace's Cloud Envoy, into the valley. As a result, He Jing died, Naraku's avatar was trapped in the Misty Valley, and He Chunhua left empty-handed, but later received strong support from Naraku. The only winner was He Lingchuan, and the Great Pot also took the opportunity to refine the trophy he had obtained during his rampage in the Heavenly Palace—the pot lid.
This was his third visit to Panlong Secret Realm. Returning to this familiar place brought him a unique feeling.
What he was really thinking was, "Where are my old friends now?"
(End of this chapter)