Chapter 1160: Misfortune Reappears

He Lingchuan couldn't help but chuckle, "What a brilliant move."

Panlong City had reduced taxes for its citizens, yet the Kingdom of Xiluo now demanded more taxes from Panlong City. Naturally, no one, from top to bottom, was pleased about this.

After dinner, He Lingchuan set his questions aside. Returning from a business trip that had lasted over half a year, he needed to find a place to live again.

Residential properties in Panlong City were categorized into nine grades. When He Lingchuan first arrived, he had lived in a wooden house, which was the second-lowest grade—small and cramped. He hadn't changed residences since.

Now, however, he was qualified to move into a luxury home. Panlong City's military merit system was rigorous, but he had, after all, earned his current standing through his own capabilities.

Luxury homes in Panlong City were further divided into four tiers. The lowest of these was the "Golden House," also the highest tier of luxury available to wealthy individuals who lacked military merits.

The three tiers above that, however, could not be purchased with money.

Since He Lingchuan had earned both his influence and wealth through his own efforts, why shouldn't he fully enjoy them?

Sun Fuling, however, politely declined. While her financial means weren't sufficient to purchase a Golden House, she also didn't wish to live as a guest in He Lingchuan's home.

So He Lingchuan downgraded his choice by two tiers and selected a Copper House—

The reason he didn't opt for a Silver House was that only one was available.

Sun Fuling had overseen Yuheng Academy for two years, where her inclusive teaching approach earned her the deep affection of both faculty and students. She had also fostered the integration of Xiji residents with the people of Panlong City, successfully completing the tasks assigned by Panlong City.

Thanks to her accumulated military merits and the contributions she had recently earned, she too could acquire a Copper House.

After careful selection, these two Copper Houses turned out to be right next to each other, separated only by a single wall.

Thus, they once again became neighbors in Panlong City.

Though not as spacious and secluded as their previous dwelling in Yuheng City, the Copper House offered its own private outdoor space, with a yard of about twenty square meters. The main house also featured a wing room that could serve as a guest room, a spacious kitchen, and a woodshed for storage.

Sun Fuling was quite satisfied.

At the base of one Copper House's wall, a half-dead pinwheel jasmine drooped mournfully, its flowers and leaves withered. Sun Fuling declared, "I'll choose this one then!"

He Lingchuan naturally had no objections. He had little leisure to tend to plants, and he knew that once Master Sun finished her own yard, she would inevitably extend her "green thumb" to his as well.

Outside his yard stood a maple tree, half its canopy extending over his property. This season, its leaves were still a mix of green and nascent red. It would be another month before they blazed forth in a fiery, cloud-like splendor.

Sun Fuling was already envisioning pleasant days spent sipping tea and eating pastries beneath the vibrant tree.

After touring the houses, He Lingchuan spent the rest of the afternoon accompanying the lovely woman to the market, happily selecting furniture and daily necessities.

The afternoon was filled with laughter and cheerful chatter.

Watching Master Sun's radiant smile, He Lingchuan occasionally found his thoughts drifting.

"What are you thinking about?" Sun Fuling asked, a piece of osmanthus *fuling* cake in her mouth.

She possessed a delicate beauty that always made passersby turn their heads. Yet, she was unpretentious and enjoyed eating while walking.

"Oh, I was just thinking that a good life and good times can turn a ghost into a human."

Sun Fuling paused, then lightly nudged him with her elbow. "Explain yourself," she demanded, "who's the ghost!"

He Lingchuan quickly retorted, "Oh, no, no, certainly not our Master!" He then snatched the pastry from her hand and swallowed it whole. "Even if you were," he added, "I'd turn you into a human!"

Sun Fuling scoffed at him, "You're talking nonsense again."

In truth, in that fleeting moment, He Lingchuan had thought of Consort Mei.

The world she inhabited could force people to become malevolent spirits. If she wasn't more vicious and ruthless than other spirits, she wouldn't have survived at all.

And that was the true nature of the world He Lingchuan lived in.

If he couldn't remain vigilant in times of peace and prepare for unforeseen challenges, the prosperity and tranquility of the Yangshan Archipelago would simply become a fleeting historical footnote.

Just like the Julu Kingdom, which had once held such promise.

As the two were furnishing their new home, a kestrel flew in, landing on the maple tree and dropping the first hawk feather into He Lingchuan's new yard.

"Commander Zhong has returned."

He Lingchuan tossed it a piece of dried meat. "My thanks," he said.

In Zhong Shengguang's study.

The Lantern of Illumination was enclosed in a box, which He Lingchuan handed to Zhong Shengguang.

Upon seeing the unique and warm red glow, Zhong Shengguang immediately took it with both hands. "You've worked tirelessly," he said.

His joy, though not overtly expressed, was evident in his palpable sense of relief and improved mood. Seizing the opportunity, He Lingchuan asked, "How have General Hong and Mitian been these past six months?"

"Times are different now," Zhong Shengguang said, his expression sobering. "The environment of the Panlong Wasteland has vastly improved, making Mitian's frequent descents unnecessary. She is, in fact, quite displeased about this."

He Lingchuan, quick-witted as he was, immediately grasped the implied meaning:

Once Panlong City had resolved its survival crisis, General Hong no longer desired Mitian's frequent descents.

How could a mere mortal body resist a celestial being?

Thus, Mitian was somewhat displeased.

By this point, He Lingchuan also understood that there were underlying tensions between Mitian and Panlong City; they were not entirely unified.

As the saying goes, 'Those not of our kind are bound to have different hearts.' If the relationship between celestial beings and humans was one of cooperation rather than dominion, it was bound to be fraught with difficulties. How could true harmony ever exist?

"Your timely acquisition of the Lantern of Illumination is truly reassuring!" Zhong Shengguang carefully put away the Lantern of Illumination, a smile finally gracing his face.

He Lingchuan, noting Zhong Shengguang's evident delight, probed further: "Does the Lantern of Illumination truly possess such significant power?"

Zhong Shengguang shot him a glance. "This is a secret even General Hong is unaware of," he said. "I can only reveal a small detail to you—"

A rare hint of mystery touched his smile:

"Do you truly believe the Grand Flask possesses no spirit?"

With that, he fell silent.

What did he mean by that? He Lingchuan was utterly perplexed. Was Zhong Shengguang implying that the Grand Flask possessed a spirit?

It made sense, He Lingchuan mused. His own Soul-Capturing Mirror had a talkative artifact spirit. Could a supreme treasure as wondrous and profound as the Grand Flask truly lack autonomous consciousness?

But why had the former True Master Sanshui never mentioned it, and why was even General Hong unaware of this secret?

And what was its connection to the Lantern of Illumination?

He Lingchuan had delved into so many inquiries, yet he couldn't discern whether he was drawing closer to the truth or drifting further away.

Zhong Shengguang then asked him, "Did your eastward journey encounter any difficulties?"

He Lingchuan then recounted all his experiences from the journey. Afterward, he added, "The Shanjin Plain isn't entirely a quagmire. At the very least, the King of Julu possesses ambition and capability. If there were more individuals like him, the Shanjin Plain would have hope."

"I hope his ambitions aren't outstripping his abilities," Zhong Shengguang remarked with cautious optimism. "Over the past millennia, the world has seen no shortage of such figures. Why then has the Shanjin Plain still failed to rise?"

There must be an issue at its very root.

He Lingchuan found himself unable to respond, as subsequent events would prove Zhong Shengguang's words true.

He could only change the subject. "After being away for half a year," he began, "the Panlong Wasteland has undergone dramatic transformations once again. On my journey back, I actually encountered wasteland elephants."

Giant elephants were indeed high-tier combat units, coveted by other nations. Even within Beijia, the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons, the Baoxiang Kingdom held significant importance, and its monarch was highly respected by the Demon Emperor—precisely because of its vast herds of war elephants, was it not?

"I dispatched men to bring them over from the southern Bolang Kingdom," Zhong Shengguang chuckled. "Despite the Emperor's Nectar having appeared over ten times, the common people's lives in Bolang Kingdom haven't significantly improved; instead, conflicts have flared up again. These powerful demons found the situation uninteresting and simply decided to defect to Panlong City. Some others," he added, "came here drawn by our reputation."

Just as a tree's shade draws people, a good reputation attracts talent. With Panlong City's growing renown, it naturally became easier to attract external expertise.

At this stage, Panlong City required powerful experts to be stationed there; the more, the better.

Just as Beijia was renowned not only for its army but also for its countless powerful demons.

"Additionally, Mount Ling also dispatched hundreds of cultivators to assist Panlong City."

He Lingchuan understood. "Seeing Panlong City's impressive achievements," he commented, "Mount Ling is also increasing its investment here."

In reality, having interacted with Mount Ling for some time, he had learned that the organization's primary activity was investment; it wouldn't intervene unless it recognized your potential.

He Lingchuan then cut to the chase. "I heard that the Kingdom of Xiluo is making moves again?"

Zhong Shengguang's smile slowly faded.

"Indeed," Zhong Shengguang confirmed. "But it's not the Kingdom of Xiluo making moves; it's Beijia."

He Lingchuan's heart sank slightly. Panlong City had only enjoyed its peaceful prosperity for just over a year; was Beijia already stirring up trouble?

"The new ruler of Xiluo ascended to power with Beijia's backing," Zhong Shengguang explained. "Otherwise, he would have remained a mere ambitious figure with little popular support. After his usurpation, two of his top generals rebelled, prompting the new ruler to seek Beijia's assistance. Incredibly, Beijia sent troops into our territory to suppress the uprising!"

"Lending troops?" He Lingchuan murmured, realizing the Kingdom of Xiluo had ultimately reached this stage. His mind immediately went to Nian Zanli. The difference was that Nian Zanli had eagerly sought to align himself with Beijia, whereas the Kingdom of Xiluo had been manipulated by Beijia's intervention. "Was the rebellion suppressed?"

"With Beijia's intervention, how could it possibly fail?" Zhong Shengguang said slowly. "In just about a month, both uprisings were crushed, and their instigators were publicly beheaded. Ha, with Beijia's backing, the new ruler's position was quickly solidified."

He walked to the window, gazing out at the blue sky and white clouds. "Ordinarily, Beijia wouldn't even spare a glance for Xiluo," he mused. "Its sudden political intervention, of course, comes with attached conditions."

Xiluo was so weak that Beijia typically couldn't be bothered with it.

The northern demon kingdom's territory had ceased expanding long ago, and it generally paid little attention to the ephemeral small nations around it.

He Lingchuan understood immediately. "Beijia's secret deal with the new ruler is targeting Panlong City, isn't it?"

"Most likely," Zhong Shengguang said, shaking his head. "They know full well that we would never accept these two decrees, yet they insist on issuing them."

This is clearly meant to be a deliberate provocation.

No matter how well Panlong City developed, it still remained nominally part of the Kingdom of Xiluo's territory.

By rights, Zhong Shengguang, as a high-ranking local official, should still comply with the Kingdom of Xiluo's commands.

He had obeyed before; what good had it done him?

Now the Kingdom of Xiluo had issued another order, and Zhong Shengguang would ignore it. This was outright defiance!

From the perspective of loyalty between ruler and subject, Zhong Shengguang would simply have to swallow this indignity.

"I just heard the discussions as soon as I entered the city," He Lingchuan remarked. "It seems the news spread very quickly."

"Indeed," Zhong Shengguang replied, a faint hint of sarcasm in his voice. "Beijia has played this card, and of course, it intends to disseminate news of our defiance throughout the entire region. After all, many elders in Panlong City still yearn for their homeland and wish to return. If they can be swayed to become disloyal to Panlong City, even by sowing just a tiny seed of discontent, it would greatly benefit Beijia."