Chapter 54: Nonexistent Dafu Pot

The deceased lay on a straw mat, their skull still bearing a few gruesome pieces of dried skin, making for a horrifying sight.

"The skeleton seems quite complete," someone noted.

Year Songyu also jumped down. As he scrutinized the skeleton, his expression suddenly changed. "It's complete," he said, "but not all the bones are in their original places."

He pointed to the deceased's hands and feet, which were still covered by soil. "Dig away the earth," he instructed.

At this point, He Lingchuan had no choice but to comply.

When they finished digging, everyone gasped in surprise.

"Was he eaten too?!"

Several bones clearly bore scorch marks and knife cuts.

"Eaten first, then buried?" Year Songyu was now puzzled. "What was so special about this person?"

"Here!" Maotao exclaimed, having just cleared the soil from the other side of the grave, revealing something clutched in the deceased's hand.

When they took it out, it was a small sheepskin parcel.

Even the highly experienced Sun Fuping felt his heart race.

They were finally one step closer to the truth.

He carefully untied the sheepskin, revealing a notebook inside.

With bated breath, everyone watched as he opened the notebook. The pages were covered in dense writing, becoming increasingly hurried and illegible towards the end. The sheepskin had preserved it remarkably well, though the paper itself had yellowed and become brittle.

But then, they couldn't understand it.

They had no choice but to wait for the Imperial Advisor to translate. Sun Fuping, however, read each word and sentence slowly, deep in thought, as if meticulously trying not to miss a single piece of useful information.

He Lingchuan, unable to wait any longer, went outside to relieve himself. He returned just as Sun Fuping tilted his head back for a drink of water.

"Imperial Advisor, what does the notebook say?" he asked, pointing at the grave mound. "Did this deceased person write it?"

"No," Sun Fuping replied slowly. "It's the last testament left by his companion, the final survivor of this tomb-raiding expedition. That person is Tao Bo, Zhu Gen's grand-disciple."

"This notebook chronicles his journey from receiving the mission from Patriarch Zhu Gen to the near annihilation of his entire team. They discovered the entrance to the illusion in front of the temple in the desolate desert city, which inadvertently triggered the Sandstorm Season prematurely. Following this, they were attacked by vengeful spirits, particularly the powerful Great Wind Army, which inflicted heavy casualties. Only five of them managed to escape into this place, and the vengeful spirits did not pursue them further."

"The events prior to this point are not detailed," Sun Fuping continued, "as we have already experienced them. The crucial part comes next: after entering the illusion, they failed to achieve their objective. They found neither the Great Square Vase nor an exit. Their dwindling supplies of food and water were eventually completely depleted."

Sun Fuping spoke slowly and meticulously, not solely to enlighten the three, but also because he himself needed to carefully absorb and contemplate the information.

"This place may appear peaceful and serene, but in reality, it's no different from the desert," Sun Fuping explained, casually turning a page. "It lacks the extreme cold and heat, but it's still unsuitable for sustaining life. Those who can't find a way out are ultimately doomed." He continued, "These tomb raiders eventually ran out of both water and food. They were forced to resort to cannibalism, selecting their victims by drawing lots. We've already seen their remains in the Chen residence."

"So what's the story behind this grave mound?" Year Songyu asked, curious.

"The third person to draw the short straw refused to be eaten and resisted," Sun Fuping recounted. "Tao Bo and Yu Qingyuan had to team up to kill him, as he was a formidable opponent that Tao Bo couldn't handle alone. Some time later, when it was down to the last two survivors to gamble for their lives, Yu Qingyuan chose to commit suicide, willingly giving his last chance at survival to Tao Bo."

The three listened in silence. Living for dozens of days in such despair and fear, only to then surrender one's last glimmer of hope for survival — it was something they admitted they could never do themselves.

"Moved by his noble sacrifice, Tao Bo erected this tomb for him," Sun Fuping explained. "He also left his own notebook here as a gift for any future arrivals."

Maotao gave a wry smile. "Meaning us, the unlucky ones."

"Careful with your words," Year Songyu cautioned, not considering himself unlucky. "Surely, the notebook contains something useful, right?"

"Sustaining himself on food, water, and his companions, he survived in the illusion for over sixty days. During this time, he searched Panlong City thoroughly, both inside and out, and even explored the surrounding wilderness several times. However, there's a boundary thirty *li* outside the city beyond which he couldn't pass." Sun Fuping summarized the core points from Tao Bo's notebook, which was essentially a daily journal filled with observations and insights, making it somewhat fragmented. "Patriarch Zhu Gen had many hypotheses about Panlong City and the Great Square Vase. As his grand-disciple, Tao Bo diligently tried to verify these here, but without success. Ultimately, he even abandoned his search for the Great Square Vase, focusing solely on finding a way to escape."

"He understood, of course, that finding one was intrinsically linked to finding the other."

"The greatest challenge of existing within this illusory city was not knowing where to even begin; countless attempts ended in failure. After Yu Qingyuan also died, leaving him as the sole living soul in the entire city, Tao Bo spent several days in a daze. Then, a thought suddenly struck him: What if the reason he couldn't find the Great Square Vase was because it wasn't here at all?"

All three were stunned. "What do you mean?" they asked.

How could this illusion exist without the Great Square Vase?

Year Songyu's face fell. "Are you saying we've been searching in the wrong place?"

"The wheat fields outside the city and the architecture within indicate that Panlong City enjoyed a period of profound peace, untouched by the ravages of war," Sun Fuping explained slowly. "Without war, people wouldn't have invoked the gods for intervention. And naturally, the Vast Sky God wouldn't have bestowed the Great Square Vase, which was a tool for warfare!"

War was the catalyst for all subsequent tragedies.

Without war, there would be no need for the Great Square Vase.

This was absurd! Had they come all this way to die for nothing? Maotao wanted to argue, but found himself speechless. He Lingchuan murmured, "It does sound like that, doesn't it?"

What else could they do here? "If we can't find a way out of here, this illusion is a death trap, a complete dead end!" Year Songyu's eyes flickered with a desperate glint. "Such a formation or secret realm cannot possibly exist; it goes against the natural order!"

Even in a man-made death trap, there must be a way out, however slim the chance. Otherwise, such a trap could not even be formed. This is a fundamental law of this realm, as undeniable as water flowing downhill or the sun rising each morning. Year Songyu, having studied supernatural abilities, understood this principle deeply.

"So, why does this world of Panlong City even exist?" Sun Fuping asked, gesturing with the notebook in his hand. "As Patriarch Zhu Gen's direct grand-disciple, Tao Bo put forth a conjecture. Who, in your opinion, would truly appreciate Panlong City during this particular period?"

"Like?"

The three exchanged glances. He Lingchuan hesitantly offered, "Everyone?"

Who wouldn't appreciate a peaceful, prosperous, and idyllic haven, untouched by the turmoil of war?

"Precisely, everyone!" Sun Fuping affirmed. "Every person who ever lived on this land, both living and deceased, would have envisioned their ideal home exactly like this. Therefore, the Great Square Vase created this world for the vengeful spirits, based on their desires in life!" He continued, "Tao Bo even suspected that this illusion has been enhanced and perfected, making it far superior to Panlong City at any actual point in history, which is why the vengeful spirits are content to remain here."