Chapter 1936: Panlong City's Means

Today's situation, though initially alarming, was ultimately resolved without incident.

Stepping out of the Dry-Grasping Hall, He Lingchuan stretched. Zhong Shengguang glanced at him from a distance, gave a slight nod, and walked straight away.

What He Lingchuan wondered, however, was why the Red General chose this particular time for secluded cultivation.

She had been injured before, during the major battle against the Beijia army in eastern Xianyou, but her injuries were not severe enough to warrant secluded cultivation.

He had a vague feeling that the Red General's current seclusion was somewhat unusual.

Just then, Xu Shichu walked out, and He Lingchuan called out to him, "Dean Xu, a moment, please."

The weather was a bit warm, and Xu Shichu had rolled up his sleeves. "I was just about to look for you," he said.

As all attendees were busy people, the two conversed as they walked.

Xu Shichu said, "After the battle to conquer Xianyou's capital, the Red General sent a message stating that she had killed Grand Preceptor Shi Manduo of Xianyou with surprising ease and no complications. Grand Preceptor Shi's contingency plans were never deployed."

"What's strange about that?" He Lingchuan replied. "Being targeted by the Red General on the battlefield is like being stared down by a fierce tiger on a cliff edge; it's clear there's no escape."

"Only after examining his corpse did the Red General discover that Grand Preceptor Shi had activated a substitute effigy, but it had failed."

"That incompetent?" He Lingchuan frowned. "I mean, was the effigy poorly made, or was his luck just that bad?"

Xianyou was a powerful nation, so its Grand Preceptor shouldn't have been so inept. How could he fail to even deploy an effigy in time?

"The Red General found three other substitute effigies on him, and purely from a craftsmanship perspective, there were no issues." A dignified Grand Preceptor certainly wouldn't carry inferior items, especially when a substitute effigy would be deployed at a critical, life-or-death moment. There was no reason for Grand Preceptor Shi Manduo not to use the best. "But here's the strange part: when we tried them on other captives, they also had no effect."

He Lingchuan immediately said, "Perhaps it's related to the fall of the deities they signed contracts with? I once encountered a hardened criminal whose substitute talisman was bestowed by a Sky Demon and could negate a fatal injury. However, he was unaware that the Sky Demon had perished, so the talisman didn't activate, and he was killed on the spot."

"That's not an isolated incident, because—" Xu Shichu quietly began, "After receiving the Red General's special message and warning, we conducted numerous experiments. These included substitute magic, injury transfer, and similar techniques. As you know, the principles behind substitute spells and injury transfer are essentially the same: they both involve redirecting received damage to another target, differing only in degree."

He Lingchuan's interest was piqued. "What were the results?"

Xu Shichu sighed. "They all failed."

He Lingchuan stopped dead. "Even injuries can no longer be transferred?"

"Yes, I'm afraid from now on, whoever sustains an injury will bear it themselves; it can no longer be moved." Someone nearby greeted them, and Xu Shichu responded with a smile before continuing, "We tested three types of substitute effigies and spells, and seven types of injury transfer spells, and none were successful."

Failed, huh? He Lingchuan stroked his chin. "Well, that's good. It makes things fair for everyone."

"To rule out geographical factors, I sent people with several sets of substitute effigies and talismans to Xiluo or Beijia for testing," Xu Shichu stated matter-of-factly. "The results of these tests might take several months to be reported back."

"However, I can make a preliminary deduction: it seems some laws of heaven and earth are changing again." The path was filled with the scent of osmanthus, and Xu Shichu sniffed. "In truth, laws are never static; they usually change imperceptibly, rarely undergoing such drastic transformations as they did after the War of Immortals and Demons."

"There must be a reason, right?" He Lingchuan frowned. "What triggered these changes?"

Xu Shichu chuckled. "You young people always think human effort can exhaust all causes and effects. Haha, some 'whys' simply can't be figured out in a lifetime."

He Lingchuan rubbed his nose. Xu Shichu meant that there was simply no way to investigate this.

Who could one ask for answers to such cause and effect? There wasn't a single clue.

The unusual movements in the laws of heaven and earth were macroscopic changes, and insignificant individuals weren't even qualified to investigate them.

"Is this what Shumin Academy plans to research recently?"

"More than that; this is just one of the more confirmed changes. Once I conduct further tests and verify them, Commander Zhong will issue a notice to keep you military leaders informed," Xu Shichu sighed. "A slight tug can move the whole body; changes in the laws of heaven and earth always occur in a chain, not just as a single event. In fact, this might just be the most inconspicuous link in a larger chain of changing laws."

He Lingchuan mused, "Could it be related to the recent high number of Sky Demons perishing?"

"Commander Zhong and I also suspect as much, but we have no way to verify it," Xu Shichu said gravely. "In fact, the increased concentration of spiritual energy in heaven and earth, the fertile soil, the lush growth of plants, and the dramatic increase in living creatures are also changes in these laws."

"Those who first grasp these changing patterns, those who first utilize the new laws—" He Lingchuan understood. "—will reap enormous benefits!"

This was why Zhong Shengguang and Xu Shichu placed such great importance on these changes in the world.

Three thousand years ago, the Sky Net Star brought new phenomena: "Emperor's Dew" and "Nightmare Qi." The immortals and immortal sects disregarded them, allowing the Sky Demons to seize the initiative and gain the upper hand. Later, the Great Square Pot introduced the new law of "Primal Force." The immortal sects strongly resisted it, but as a result, human nations rose to prominence, further weakening the immortal sects.

It was precisely because of these past lessons that Panlong City hoped to seize the initiative when new laws emerged, or at least not fall behind Beijia.

The cost of falling behind was terrifying.

He Lingchuan nodded. "I will also pay close attention. If I find any clues, I will report them to Shumin Academy."

"Excellent, excellent," Xu Shichu replied. Just then, someone ahead called to Xu Shichu, who nodded to He Lingchuan and quickly departed.

Within a few days, the Panlong army gradually withdrew from Xianyou.

The news spread rapidly, causing a stir in the surrounding regions. Although Panlong City's withdrawal took time, it was ultimately very thorough; they truly left without looking back, leaving not a single soldier behind.

However, before the Panlong City army departed, they actually did a few more things:

First, Zhong Shengguang appointed the former Xianyou King's sixth son as the new monarch and selected an administrative team for him. This was because the sixth prince had previously guarded the secondary capital, and when the Red General led her troops there, he surrendered the city without much resistance.

Therefore, this was Panlong City's "reward" to him.

Second, the Panlong City army distributed all the grain stored in the former Xianyou kingdom's granaries—including official granaries, military granaries, leveling granaries, and commercial granaries—to the common people, leaving not a single grain behind.

Finally, the Panlong City army conducted a massive house-to-house search and confiscation operation throughout Xianyou.

Whose homes were searched?

Those of wealthy gentry, rich merchants, and officials.

Wealthy individuals, from the capital to the local areas, had all their family assets confiscated by the Panlong City army.

A large portion of this wealth was publicly distributed to the local common people.

The powerful families whose homes were searched were actually brought to the scene to witness it, but constrained by the fully armed Panlong army, they were unable to react.