Chapter 735: 汛阳沙洲

He Lingchuan smiled, and a faint red glow slowly emanated from around him.

"Yuanli?" Zhu Erniang was even more surprised. "How do you have Yuanli now?" She knew he was actually an Irin, but even if he held an official position in his homeland, he was far from Irin now. How could he activate such potent Yuanli?

"Yes, I'm surprised too. I don't understand why." After retrieving the divine artifact from Mount Xu, he discovered he could use Yuanli—and it was the most familiar kind: the Yuanli of the Great Wind Army! He could use as much of it in reality as he could in Dragon City. The shock and ecstasy of that moment were truly indescribable.

It was as if one mystery had been solved, but many more arose. For instance, the real Dragon City had been destroyed; what he experienced in the world of the Great Square Cauldron should have been its past history. But how could a phantom history bestow real Yuanli upon him? He Lingchuan couldn't figure it out. Regardless, his ability to use Dragon City's Yuanli in reality must be a new feature activated by the Great Square Cauldron's restoration. For him, this meant a significant boost in combat power and an expansion of his combat capabilities. He had suffered enough from the lack of Yuanli in Beijia and Spirit Void City.

High risk brought high reward; his efforts to retrieve the lid for the Great Square Cauldron had indeed paid off handsomely. However, he naturally couldn't explain these reasons to Zhu Erniang. Fortunately, the giant demon didn't press him for answers. Having lived so long, it knew everyone had their unspeakable little secrets.

He Lingchuan then asked, "What about Wen Wang?" That wild boar demon had also left a deep impression on him; if it were in Beijia, it could at least be granted the rank of a brigadier general.

Zhu Erniang had nothing good to say about Wen Wang. She sneered, "That stubborn pig refused to move, so let it wait for death in the demon lair."

The Xunyang Sandbar is located at the confluence of the Xunyang River and another large river. During the dry season, it's a vast sand plain; but once the flood season begins, the water level rises rapidly, covering the sandbar and transforming the area into scattered islands, requiring residents to travel by boat between them. Currently, the sandbar is covered in ice and snow, and the water level is at its lowest, allowing people to walk between the islands without needing a boat.

He Lingchuan and Dong Rui walked across one small island after another. It was just the two of them; Zhu Erniang and her sisters stayed behind in their lair to process spider shells and didn't accompany them.

"We've reached Leigong Island, let's go ashore!" Leigong Island is one of the main islands of Xunyang Sandbar. It wasn't much different from the other smaller islands they had passed, only larger in area and with more residents. As they left the pier and headed inland, the roads didn't follow straight lines but wound like a python through a jungle. The buildings along the road varied wildly in materials and appearance: stone, wood, brick, clam shells, irises, broadleaf palms, and even the hides stripped from unknown animals were used to construct houses. Dong Rui also mentioned to He Lingchuan that the local area produced a tree sap that was excellent for use as a building adhesive.

Xunyang Sandbar's other specialties included lacquer and lacquered wooden crafts, which were sold in surrounding countries. After passing through two markets, He Lingchuan's eyes were opened; everything was sold here, from insects to humans, food, daily necessities, toys, and even things whose purpose was completely unknown—all crammed into small market stalls, making for a dazzling sight.

He Lingchuan handed a mask to Dong Rui. Fang Canran had given it to him; it could block others' divine sense from prying. After both put on their masks, Dong Rui led him through a shortcut, a small path behind the market. The alleys here twisted and turned, sometimes even passing straight through people's homes, where families would be sitting around low tables eating, yet they paid no attention to the two passing strangers.

Finally, Dong Rui led him into a large building with red bricks and black tiles. It was also the largest building nearby.

"We're here," He Lingchuan said, still a little bewildered. "This is it?"

"Yes, this is the place," Dong Rui replied, offering a rare smile. "We came through the back entrance. If you entered from the main gate, you'd see the plaque for Leigong Temple." Leigong Island was dotted with temples, at least a dozen or more, and Leigong Temple was the largest on the island, covering two *qing*. Before He Lingchuan even reached the main hall, he could smell the strong scent of incense and hear at least seven or eight devotees murmuring prayers. The temple attendants here wore orange robes, their hair almost entirely shaved except for a small tuft left in the center of their foreheads, like a rooster's comb, making them particularly noticeable from a distance.

That's exactly the effect they wanted. Dong Rui found an old temple attendant whose eyes were half-closed, spoke a few words quietly, then slipped him a silver ingot. The old attendant looked at the two, nodded, and led them to a quiet room in the back. Inside the quiet room, there was only a shrine, an offering table, and two kneeling stools.

"Where's the offering?" He Lingchuan handed a wooden tube to the old attendant, who took it and examined it carefully for a long time before closing the door behind him. The old man reached out a second time. Dong Rui nudged He Lingchuan with his elbow, who then took out two large silver ingots and handed them to the old man. The wooden tube was for the deity; the silver was for the attendant. Only after the candlelight on the offering table burned straight upwards did he grab seven incense sticks, light them, and place them in the incense burner, while telling He Lingchuan and Dong Rui, "The incense must not go out." Then he knelt down and murmured prayers with the devout posture of someone making an offering.

At first, the old man's chanting was very faint, sounding breathless. But soon, his voice gradually strengthened and became coherent; He Lingchuan could even hear echoes in the small, quiet room. Or rather, the lingering sounds seemed to multiply, as if several, even a dozen, people were chanting together. At the same time, the burning incense smoke coalesced above the shrine without dissipating, forming a dark gray mass.

As the two onlookers watched, the gray mist drifted toward the old attendant. They stared intently, only to see the mist suddenly turn midway and head towards He Lingchuan! Dong Rui was slightly startled. He Lingchuan's Fusheng Blade appeared in his hand, a flickering hint of its edge visible. Perhaps blocked by the Fusheng Blade's sharpness, or perhaps sensing its power to cut intangible things, the mist stopped, hovering motionlessly in mid-air for a while. Then, it reluctantly drifted back towards the old attendant along its original path. He Lingchuan could discern its reluctance from its movement.

The mist seeped into the attendant's mouth and nose, and the candle on the offering table suddenly flared with a *whoosh*. The old attendant awoke as if from a dream. The old man's eyelids had been drooping, his eyes barely open, but now they held a sharp glint, appearing bright and alert. His features hadn't changed, nor had his decrepit appearance, but his demeanor and aura were as if he had become a different person. Or rather, a god?

He Lingchuan already held the wooden tube in his hand and waved it towards him. The old man carefully examined the wooden tube, looking a little surprised: "How could a Dragon Punishing Pillar look like this?"