Chapter 1857: Zhong Shengguang's Entrustment

Even though the shadow was indistinct, He Lingchuan recognized it at once: it was Chaos!

Chaos, residing within the Grand Cauldron, did not accept the treasured pearl.

A look of sorrow crossed Zhong Shengguang’s face:

“It’s not enough. The Great Heaven Pearl doesn't hold enough energy; it’s indeed insufficient for the Grand Cauldron.”

He bent down and retrieved the Great Heaven Pearl from the pool, saying, “I had hoped it could create a realm within the Grand Cauldron, transforming emptiness into reality, thereby settling all the people of our city.”

“What a pity!” Zhong Shengguang sighed, “Heaven does not grant human wishes!”

Upon hearing this, He Lingchuan understood.

Zhong Shengguang had long been planning to find a way out for everyone in Panlong City.

That slim chance of survival perhaps lay within the Great Heaven Pearl.

Unfortunately, judging by the subsequent outcome, he failed.

“Lord Zhong, what do you intend?”

“Even if we could exist, it wouldn't be as living beings.” Zhong Shengguang looked toward the Fortune Pool again. The surface reflected red light and smoke, indicating unrest. “After today, there will be no more Panlong City in the world. I have not done well; I couldn't send the Grand Cauldron away in time like Brother Shao, so I must let it sink into the ground with Panlong City.”

“I hope that one day, both the Grand Cauldron and we will see the light of day again.” Having said this, he unclasped the necklace from his neck and handed it to a colossal sand leopard nearby.

This was Zhong Shengguang's spirit beast, and at this moment, it was wounded in several places.

“Go to the west gate and take a shuttle. Do nothing else but protect this necklace and ensure it doesn’t fall into enemy hands.”

The Divine Bone Necklace!

Although its shape was different, He Lingchuan was too familiar with its aura to mistake it.

The sand leopard let out a low growl, as if asking a question.

“Don't worry about it. When the time is right, it will naturally find a new candidate.” Zhong Shengguang smiled, “I hope he is smarter, more resilient… and luckier than us! Especially luck.”

He had failed, and the Abyss King, who had passed the Grand Cauldron to him, had also failed. Whatever mistakes they made, their luck had been poor.

“There must always be hope.” He patted the leopard’s back, “From now on, your mission is more important than anyone else's in this city. Go!”

The sand leopard sadly rubbed against his hand, whimpering with reluctance.

It also knew that this departure was a permanent farewell.

Zhong Shengguang repeatedly urged it by patting its back, and only then did it turn and sprint west, without looking back.

A few moments later, it disappeared into the smoke and dust.

“Xin Yi sent word to me, saying True Lord Thousand Illusions betrayed us.” Zhong Shengguang looked at the Great Heaven Pearl in his hand, “Doesn't he want this pearl? Give it to him.”

After speaking, Zhong Shengguang suddenly turned to the side of the temple: “Come out. You’ve been hiding there for a long time.”

The guards were startled, gripping their weapons in unison, and followed his gaze.

The side of the temple was empty, with only an old camphor tree half-burned.

This camphor tree, once planted by the temple, was known as the “Auspicious Tree,” and people often prayed for blessings before it, its branches laden with red ribbons of wishes.

It even existed in the Panlong world He Lingchuan had experienced. For the past two New Years, he and Sun Fuling would hang talismans and make wishes under this tree, then visit homes in their new clothes to offer New Year greetings.

Of course, all this peace, tranquility, and happiness had been utterly consumed by the flames along with the camphor tree.

Zhong Shengguang reached out and snatched a bow and arrow from a guard, aiming behind the tree: “Your body reeks of monstrous blood debt; you cannot hide it from me!”

The arrow notched on the bow emitted a dense red glow.

No sooner had he spoken than a figure emerged from behind the tree—

To the surprise of the soldiers, it was a small boy.

His clothes were stained with blood, his face smudged with soot, and his eyes were red, whether from crying or from dust.

In the chaos of war, no one would have paid much attention to him. But since Zhong Shengguang pointed out his anomaly, the soldiers looked closely and noticed a faint red shadow on him, though it was unclear.

They possessed Panlong primal energy, and even as the city fell, they were still not easily deluded by evil spirits.

He Lingchuan, like Zhong Shengguang, instantly saw through its true form:

A Blood Demon!

He was a little surprised. When Xiao Wencheng introduced the Blood Demon on Stone Dragon Peak, he had said that this evil creature had been suppressed under True Lord Thousand Illusions' shrine from ancient times until now, requiring prolonged effort to slowly refine it.

Yet, here was the Blood Demon, in Panlong City, at this very moment.

It was unlikely to have escaped on its own, and even less likely to have come to Panlong City by itself.

So, who sent it?

The answer was obvious.

Then again, given Thousand Illusions' nature, using the Blood Demon to achieve its goals was indeed something it would do.

Zhong Shengguang looked at it and asked, “Did Spirit Mountain send you, or Thousand Illusions?”

“Thousand Illusions wants the pearl in your hand.” The Blood Demon bared its teeth: “When the city fell earlier, your people picked it up first.”

That's why it possessed a child and followed—Panlong City's warriors still had strong primal energy protecting them, making them impervious to possession.

It had only accepted Thousand Illusions' terms to run an errand for it, and wasn't blindly loyal to Thousand Illusions, so why would it conceal anything for it?

Zhong Shengguang twirled the pearl in his hand: “Why did Thousand Illusions betray me, just for this pearl?”

“How would I know?” The Blood Demon replied indifferently, “I just got out.”

It had been sealed for so many years, only just got out for a breath of fresh air; how could it know the grudges and entanglements between these factions?

Of course, it didn't care at all.

Zhong Shengguang then asked, “Where is Thousand Illusions?”

The Blood Demon chuckled, “Not far. It doesn’t want to come here.”

“In the past two days, has it been to the Whispering Sands Forest?”

The Blood Demon remained silent. Zhong Shengguang raised the pearl in his hand and flashed it at the demon.

The meaning was clear: answer, and there would be a reward.

The Blood Demon uttered only one word:

“Yes.”

Zhong Shengguang casually tossed the pearl to the Blood Demon, who instinctively caught it and looked it over, a little surprised: “You’re just giving it to me like that?”

No righteous condemnation, no struggle, just handed it over so readily? Tsk, too smooth. It had expected a big fight.

Zhong Shengguang didn't even draw his bow; he simply pulled an arrow with his bare hand and hurled it at the demon.

The Blood Demon flinched, and with a whoosh, vanished behind the temple.

The human asura-field was its playground; it could come and go as it pleased.

“Lord Zhong?” Xiao Maoliang and all the guards didn't understand why they were being lenient with Panlong City's enemy.

“This is the Grand Cauldron’s instruction.” Zhong Shengguang looked at the Fortune Pool, “It believes that the Great Heaven Pearl falling into True Lord Thousand Illusions’ hands is better than it being held captive by the Sky Demon and rendered useless.”

“Panlong City is about to fall, and I know I have no right to negotiate terms, but the spark of resistance against the Sky Demon must be passed on, and the Grand Cauldron must never fall into enemy hands.” Zhong Shengguang knelt on one knee facing the Fortune Pool, “I implore the Divine Venerable to grant Panlong City another chance. No matter who the future inheritor may be, please allow us to fight for all beings once more. In exchange, I, Zhong Shengguang, am willing to become a Demonic Fiend, to guard the Grand Cauldron and forever suppress the Panlong Wasteland!”

After making his vow, he took a knife and cut his wrist.

Drops of blood fell into the pool water.

Zhong Shengguang stared intently at the pool water, as several stray arrows flew near, all deflected by Xiao Maoliang and the other guards.

The sounds of battle grew closer, and reports from the front repeatedly informed them that senior officials of Panlong City were falling one after another.

Soon after, another messenger reported:

Dean Xu of Shumin Academy has fallen in battle!

Zhong Shengguang's breath hitched, and he closed his eyes.

He Lingchuan felt his pain keenly, for more than half of those who had fallen in the city were familiar names.

They were also He Lingchuan's relatives and old acquaintances in the city.

The last time he returned to Shumin Academy, Xu Shichu had picked five catties of home-grown string beans and eggplants for him.

But just then, a red shadow reappeared in the pool water, swallowing the blood Zhong Shengguang had dripped in.

Chaos vanished with a flick of its tail, its movement swifter than ever before.

This meant that the Grand Cauldron had granted his request?

Seeing this, Zhong Shengguang's expression showed profound relief.

He drew the long saber from his waist and pointed it toward the South Gate, and toward the rapidly approaching enemies:

“All commanders, heed my order!”

The surrounding soldiers responded in unison, “Here!”

“Protect Panlong! As long as the city stands, we stand!” Zhong Shengguang’s eyes were bloodshot. This deafening roar of fury reverberated over Panlong City, “Kill!”

His saber's blade reflected the torchlight, and He Lingchuan recognized the dragon head on its hilt at a glance.

This was how the Fleeting Life Saber had looked in the past.

Panlong City's warriors gripped their weapons tightly, and followed Commander Zhong, launching their final charge against the enemy.

As long as the city stands, we stand.

If the city falls, we fall.

In this war of blood and fire, at the final moment of Panlong City's thirty-two-year history, they used their lives to fulfill the oath they took on their first day in the Panlong Army.

Everything that happened afterward was beyond redemption, the outcome He Lingchuan had most dreaded.

He had thought he wouldn't be able to bear witnessing it, but in fact, he watched it all intently, etching every detail into his mind.

Calm, objective, meticulous.

He saw many things, and found many answers.

Just as historical records stated, Panlong City was annihilated, and its people were all slaughtered, leaving no survivors.

The Beijia army dug three feet deep throughout the city, yet they failed to find the Grand Cauldron.

Three days later, fierce winds began to sweep across the Panlong Wasteland, and the Three Corpse Worms ravaged the land.

The vast Panlong Wasteland became a desert where malevolent winds howled, and Panlong City was buried beneath endless yellow sand, transformed into a desolate ghost city.

Before today, He Lingchuan had always believed that the raging sand season in the Panlong Desert was caused by the Grand Cauldron;

Only now did he understand that it all began with Zhong Shengguang!

After his death, with the Grand Cauldron's help, he became a demon, even altering the rules of the Panlong Wasteland, using violent winds and sand to protect Panlong City and the Grand Cauldron.

Whether alive or dead, his conviction never wavered.

One hundred and fifty years passed like this, and he finally awaited the inheritor of the flame, the next master of the Divine Bone Necklace:

He Lingchuan.

Therefore, when He Lingchuan first entered the Panlong illusion realm, the revival of the Black Dragon statue was no accident.

Zhong Shengguang, using the most extreme methods, guarded the Grand Cauldron alone for over one hundred and fifty years, and only when He Lingchuan appeared did he entrust the Grand Cauldron and Panlong City to him.

This was indeed something the Zhong Shengguang He Lingchuan knew would do.

The illusion before him receded like a tide.

He Lingchuan opened his eyes, and found himself still standing on Chaos’s back, but the colossal creature was now floating motionlessly on the sea surface.