Chapter 2089: Responsibility Is Karma

The black dragon, disliking being touched by strangers, swam away with a splash, following the city wall until it disappeared from view.

It moved as if it were alive.

"How amazing!" the child exclaimed, with eyes full of adoration. "Is it alive?"

"Of course."

The woman took the opportunity to teach her son, "I've told you before, this city is blessed by the divine dragon!"

He Lingchuan set the child back on the ground, and the woman asked her son, "What should you say?"

The boy was very polite and loudly said "Thank you" to He Lingchuan before following his mother into the city.

Barely a dozen steps away, He Lingchuan heard his cheers again, as fireworks suddenly burst forth above the South Gate Plaza in red, green, blue, and yellow, coating the sturdy city in vibrant colors.

Citizens and guests alike gathered to watch.

That's right, He Lingchuan suddenly remembered, tonight was Panlong City's biannual Firework Festival.

Besides fireworks, there were also temple fairs, riddle games, and various foods to enjoy, and residents from nearby towns would come to join in the fun.

The scene before him was lively, and the crowd was bustling.

He Lingchuan let out a soft sigh.

What he had just said to Sun Fuling was entirely from the heart.

In reality, he was already the Lord of Shanjin and an earthly emperor, who had restored order and peace to this land, which had been in disarray for a thousand years.

This alone was an unparalleled achievement.

His current achievements, for example, were the pinnacle of success and the ultimate goal that countless heroes and magnates could only dream of.

He Chunhua would have been content with conquering just one country and would have happily governed it from then on.

He Yue would probably also be content, happily serving as his crown prince from then on.

If He Lingchuan were to cease his ambitions, simply maintaining his position as the ruler of Cangyan, he could still enjoy boundless glory and secure a prominent place in this vast world.

He was already a powerful leader to billions of people, no longer the desperate youth who had been forced to flee across the ocean to escape Begia's pursuit.

But He Lingchuan was human, not a god, and after so many years and so many thrilling battles and adventures, he too would grow weary and fatigued, and had often thought of pausing to rest for a few years.

With his achievements, why shouldn't he?

Yet, once he returned to Panlong City and experienced the city's vibrant atmosphere as an ordinary citizen rather than an emperor, he knew that it was far too soon for him to relax.

Cangyan had just been established as a nation, and its people were generally impoverished.

The people of Shanjin Plain struggled even for basic sustenance and had endured the disruptive turmoil of the Dragon God War.

Their lives were far from the prosperity of Panlong City.

Their smiles were also far less radiant than those of Panlong City's military and civilians.

Cangyan was the realm He Lingchuan had forged, and also the realm the people of Shanjin had fought for.

He Lingchuan had strategized and toiled tirelessly, while they had shed blood, made sacrifices, and advanced without hesitation, because they believed He Lingchuan could bring a better future to this land.

This was an unspoken promise, an unwritten covenant between them.

He Lingchuan had chosen them, and they, in turn, had chosen He Lingchuan.

This promise, this responsibility, weighed on He Lingchuan, heavier than mountains, so profound that not everyone would have the courage to bear it.

Responsibility itself was the karma he could not escape.

That was why he had to tell Master Sun that she and Panlong City were his guiding light.

The warmth he felt from them and the strength he drew from them were precisely the driving force for his courageous advancement and fearless progress in reality!

He gazed at the scene before him and murmured, "The road ahead is still long."

And he would walk it steadfastly.

But first, he had to find Zhong Shengguang to see if there was any room for improvement in the relationship between Panlong City and Lingshan.

Zhong Shengguang was not in his usual office.

He Lingchuan asked his personal guards, only to learn that Commander Zhong had gone to the attic on the third floor of the government office.

This was Zhong Shengguang's temporary resting place; sometimes, when he worked late, he wouldn't go home and would spend the night in the attic.

When He Lingchuan entered the attic, Zhong Shengguang was standing by the window, watching the fireworks in South Gate Plaza.

The location was excellent, offering a panoramic view of the plaza.

Bang, bang, bang, the fireworks burst.

"Lord Zhong."

"You're here." Seeing He Lingchuan walk in, Zhong Shengguang put down the white porcelain bowl he was holding.

At the same time, He Lingchuan also smelled a strong sesame aroma.

So he was hiding here, eating snacks.

"Red bean soup with sesame dumplings from Xiangmeizhai?" He then added, "With dried tangerine peel."

A useless, niche bit of trivia:

Zhong Shengguang liked sweets.

He didn't easily reveal his preferences, and not many officials in Panlong City knew he liked sweets.

Zhong Shengguang laughed, "How did you know?"

Xiangmeizhai was a new establishment, opened just three months ago. Many of its dishes were recently introduced from Baoshu Nation.

"Master Sun also loves this," He Lingchuan said, very familiar with the taste. "If I upset her, I buy this to apologize."

Zhong Shengguang chuckled, "Then next time, try the hawthorn milk cake from Dongyuan on Chuanxiang Street."

"Dongyuan?" He Lingchuan paused, surprised. "I haven't heard of it."

"It just opened ten days ago. You were still in the south then, not yet back in Panlong City."

"Okay, I'll try it in a few days." He Lingchuan then changed the subject, "When I came in, it seemed like an envoy from some country was leaving?"

"Songxiang City. They also came to seek an alliance with us." Zhong Shengguang casually massaged his neck, and a series of cracks could be heard. "They represent not only themselves but also three small southern states and two other factions."

"They themselves form a small alliance, and now wish to form an external connection with Panlong City as a single entity."

He Lingchuan thought for a moment, "These places, including Songxiang City, share a common enemy: Kaokuo."

To be honest, this small alliance from Songxiang City always reminded him of the former allied forces of Shanjin Plain, particularly the one led by the Situ clan.

"But their location is excellent," Zhong Shengguang said, "right on the second trade route we are about to develop." He then asked He Lingchuan, "Are you aware of this plan?"

"I just heard about it."

"Indeed, you've just returned." Zhong Shengguang briefly explained the situation and then continued, "Songxiang City and others want to form an alliance with Panlong City and have sent generous gifts, also hoping to use our influence to deter Kaokuo. If war breaks out between them again, they also hope their allies will assist."

"Then it depends on their sincerity."

When He Lingchuan said this, both men smiled.

Zhong Shengguang personally went to close the doors and windows tightly, then deployed a spiritual ability to scan the room, ensuring there were no residual spiritual powers or unusual creatures, before walking over to He Lingchuan and whispering, "One more thing: The Mingdeng Lantern has been successfully forged."

He Lingchuan was startled.

He hadn't heard this term in a long time, and across the entire Panlong Wilderness, probably no more than seven or eight people knew what the "Mingdeng Lantern" was.

Zhong Shengguang had said before that the Mingdeng Lantern was crucial for Panlong City and General Hong in their fight against Mitian.

Its successful forging was certainly great news; after all, if it had been ruined during the process, He Lingchuan wouldn't have known where to find another Mingdeng Grass.

However, did this also mean—

"That the confrontation between General Hong and Mitian will come sooner?"