Chapter 848: Robbing the Heavenly God

This small world differs from the Flere Realm; it doesn't open to the human world frequently. Perhaps its next opening will be centuries from now, after the immortals have vanished.

Considering these two legends together, there's a connection between True Master Sanshui, the Lid of the Grand Square Cauldron, and the Que Beasts.

Excluding True Master Sanshui, it's possible that the Que Beasts, running rampant throughout Panlong City, were released by the Lid of the Grand Square Cauldron.

Zhang Lianhai had been active in Blackwater City, Yuan State, for several months, gathering intelligence and locating three individuals. Two years prior, these three had accompanied then-Magistrate He on an adventure to the Panlong Ruins. After their fortunate survival, they often exaggerated their tales in taverns.

They all mentioned that once the pond well at Mitian Temple was filled with water, the entrance to the secret realm would open.

Note: This was the entrance to the Panlong Secret Realm.

However, when Zhang Lianhai re-entered Panlong City this time, the creatures that burst forth from this very entrance were the Que Beasts from the Lid of the Grand Square Cauldron.

A disciple then asked, "Why do small light spots emerge from these monsters after they die? Emissary Zhang has been following these spots, venturing far and even avoiding several groups of monsters along the way."

"Following the light spots?" He Jing suddenly understood. "Zhang Lianhai has noticed something. The Grand Square Cauldron might be absorbing these light spots."

Zhang Lianhai is quite capable; otherwise, the Heavenly Palace wouldn't have sent him to monitor the Panlong Desert. The current Panlong City is extremely dangerous, so he wouldn't inexplicably emerge from his hiding place.

Unless he believed there was something there worth the risk.

As he pondered deeply, a disciple suddenly widened his eyes: "Lord Overseer, quick, look!"

He looked into the mirror and saw Zhang Lianhai and his companions offending the small ghost-faced monkeys, after which a massive horde of monsters charged towards them!

Zhang Lianhai and his group were chased by the beasts. Even through the Hao Fang Mirror, the Heavenly Palace emissaries outside could feel the suffocating urgency.

The average strength of these monsters far surpassed that of the Danube Beasts in the Flere Realm.

After all, the Flere Realm's most inhospitable aspects were its environment and gravity.

The monsters sealed within the Lid of the Grand Square Cauldron emerged one after another, overshadowing the Grand Square Cauldron itself.

Why were they filled with such resentment, killing anyone they saw?

Those watching the mirror even heard several unusually loud roars from the beasts.

What could be making those sounds?

A sudden flash of insight struck He Jing. He murmured, "No way? Could it be...?"

He had a strange thought:

Could it be that almost half a year has passed since the Nameless One caused chaos in the Heavenly Palace, yet the recovered lid has not yet fully integrated with the Grand Square Cauldron itself?

Who said these two treasures would instantly align?

The Heavenly Palace possessed countless treasures, and He Jing knew one thing clearly:

The more divine an artifact, the more unique its temperament.

This could explain the various anomalies appearing in the Panlong Desert.

Perhaps they had been separated for too long, or perhaps both treasures were simply too strong-willed, but the Lid of the Grand Square Cauldron seemed quite resistant to the integration process. The monsters Zhang Lianhai encountered in Panlong City were likely a means of resistance unleashed by the lid.

Every time a Que Beast was eliminated, a portion of the Lid of the Grand Square Cauldron's power was drawn away by the cauldron's body, a continuous ebb and flow.

To achieve final integration, they would have to wait until the last Que Beast was also eliminated... wouldn't they?

This was likely the Lid of the Grand Square Cauldron's final desperate stand.

The disciple watched intently: "The Que Beast horde is chasing them, but Emissary Zhang is still desperately heading towards the east of the city!"

What was in the east of the city?

He Jing and his attendants quickly discovered Zhang Lianhai's destination:

General Hong's cenotaph!

Yes, it had to be General Hong's tomb.

The connection between this half-human, half-divine creature and the Grand Square Cauldron from 160-170 years ago was even closer than that of Zhong Shengguang and the Grand Square Cauldron.

Watching Zhang Lianhai quickly unearth General Hong's tomb and discover the remnants of armor and a small pot inside, He Jing's breathing quickened.

The Grand Square Cauldron!

He was actually seeing the Grand Square Cauldron with his own eyes!

This was the supreme treasure the Heavenly Gods yearned for, the root of countless bloody wars, a divine artifact that the Heavenly Gods would pursue at all costs, even if it meant killing all its possessors!

Zhang Lianhai had actually found it!

This was truly a historic moment.

But the next second, the tomb moved farther and farther away from the young attendant.

The last image he saw was a Que Beast's wide-open, blood-filled maw!

The image in the mirror vanished at this point, showing only He Jing's face.

He stamped his foot and sighed deeply: "So close, so very close!" Zhang Lianhai, you good-for-nothing!

A disciple asked, "Overseer, what do we do now?"

He Jing gazed at the dilapidated Panlong City ahead, its hollow South Gate like a wide-open mouth, waiting for them to walk into a trap.

But the Grand Square Cauldron was truly there!

If he could retrieve the Grand Square Cauldron, he would become the undisputed paramount figure of the Heavenly Palace. The Chief Overseer of Duyun was already old, and there were four Duyun Overseers; Bai Ziqi was originally the one with the strongest claim to ascend.

His subtle rivalry with Bai Ziqi had also lasted for several years.

This Grand Square Cauldron could help him secure ultimate power in one fell swoop.

However, and it was a significant "however," He Jing was also keenly aware of the dangers of this trip.

Aside from everything else, these Que Beasts consistently caused him apprehension. The Danube Beasts of the Flere Realm were generally weaker than them, but their lords were very powerful.

What about these snow beasts?

Moreover, other dangers were certainly hidden within Panlong City.

Unseen dangers were the most terrifying.

The Grand Square Cauldron, this supreme treasure, had always been inseparable from bloody conflicts and intrigues.

He Jing, who had weathered many storms, now found himself indecisive.

He naturally understood the principle of high risk, high reward, but just how high was this risk?

In retrospect, his goal wasn't to confront the Que Beasts head-on, but to seize an opportunity to snatch the Grand Square Cauldron from General Hong's tomb.

If he could make proper arrangements...

Another attendant said, "There are still several teams inside the city."

"Those in the city won't survive until dawn..." He Jing mused. "Why lure them here?"

Both the red light and the mirrored city in the sky now appeared to be lures used by the Grand Square Cauldron to attract adventurers into the desert to explore Panlong City.

Why would it do this?

Was it seeking a new master, or was it using external forces to eliminate the Que Beasts, thereby helping it subdue its long-lost lid?

It wasn't unusual for divine artifacts to choose their own masters, but He Jing leaned towards the latter option.

Could this indicate that the Grand Square Cauldron currently had little power remaining?

But once the cauldron's body and lid were fully integrated, the Grand Square Cauldron would undoubtedly become even more powerful and unpredictable. Would he still have a chance to obtain it then?

Countless thoughts swirled in his mind, each weighing gains against losses.

What if he didn't go in?

Would he be able to report back successfully to the Heavenly Palace?

Just then, the towering pillar of light in Panlong City suddenly flickered a few times, its color gradually dimming.

"The red light pillar is fading fast," everyone looked at He Jing, awaiting his final decision.

Fu Liang whispered, "Overseer, perhaps we can wait for the next red light before entering!"

"Next time?" He Jing glanced at him. "When would that be?"

"Tom-tomorrow?" Hadn't this red light been appearing every night recently?

"Are you certain it will appear tomorrow?"

"Ah..." The disciple stammered, "N-no, I wouldn't dare!" He wasn't the Grand Square Cauldron; how could he guarantee it?

The red light pillar appearing every night recently didn't mean it would continue to do so indefinitely.

This was no pattern at all.

Just looking at the numerous injuries on the Que Beasts in the city, perhaps the Grand Square Cauldron's attrition against them was nearing its end.

At this moment, an attendant pointed skyward: "Lord Overseer, look! It seems to be coming our way."

In the deep dark night sky, a light had appeared unnoticed.

Everyone looked up to see it continuously growing larger in their sight.

It seemed to be heading towards them.

No, it seemed to be heading towards the South Gate of Panlong City.

Such an intense green light appeared particularly eerie against the dark night sky.

He Jing's expression changed, and he sharply questioned the attendants behind him: "Which of you secretly invoked a divine descent?"

Everyone was greatly alarmed, shaking their heads frantically.

Overseer He said this was a divine descent?!

Then, was this green light descending from the sky perhaps...?

Their surprised expressions didn't seem feigned, and He Jing had only asked on a whim. The preparations for invoking a deity were complicated; these young men wouldn't understand.

It seemed, then, that someone in Panlong City had invoked a deity, and succeeded?

And which deity had been invoked?

In a flash, the green light flew closer, shining as brilliantly as a comet. Those with weaker cultivation dared not look directly at it.

Sensing ill intent from this entity, He Jing immediately commanded, "Summon the Lamp Spirits!"

It was approaching too quickly; there was no time for a temporary formation. The Lamp Keepers could only deploy their most powerful weapons.

Three golden lights immediately shone among the crowd, and three Lamp Spirits appeared.

He Jing held one in his palm, Fu Liang held one in his, and another Heavenly Palace attendant also had one.

They flew above their masters' heads, merging to form a golden protective shield, enveloping everyone within.

He Jing chanted a few words softly, and immediately, dozens of golden, shimmering runes appeared on the golden shield, slowly moving across its surface.

They were still standing in the desert, over ten *zhang* away from the land bridge. The green light seemed to be heading for Panlong City, but as it reached the bridgehead, it suddenly veered and charged straight towards them.

He Jing shouted, "Maintain your tranquility, remain steadfast, and clear your minds of distracting thoughts!"

Everyone immediately calmed themselves and loudly chanted the revered name of Sacred Venerable Lingxu.

Even if a Heavenly God's avatar descended to the mortal realm, it would only wield power by possessing a human body. And this deity of unknown origin was clearly headed for Panlong City, so why would it choose to descend upon people outside the city?

He Jing still relied on the Lamp Spirits for protection.

Without the consent of humans lacking a mark, a Heavenly God's avatar could not successfully descend. However, they would employ every means of threat and temptation.

With the protection of the Lamp Spirits' "Heart Lamps," the Heavenly Palace emissaries would not easily be tempted by this unknown wild deity.

The green light indeed struck the golden shield.

Everyone, along with the shield, swayed from the impact, feeling the formidable force of the approaching entity.

However, the green light immediately swept over the top of the golden shield, then veered back and plunged straight into the South Gate of Panlong City.

Afterward, it vanished.

Silence returned all around, as if nothing had happened.

Only then did He Jing retract his Lamp Spirits, his mind filled with doubt: Why did this wild deity charge at them?

Although he called it a "wild deity," as a Duyun Overseer, he could sense that the green light's aura was definitely not from the Lingxu Pantheon, yet it was equally powerful.

The Heavenly Palace group exchanged bewildered glances, not understanding what had happened. Only the disciple who controlled a Lamp Spirit exclaimed:

"Overseer, my—my Lamp Spirit!"

He Jing looked down and saw that the platinum candle in his hand had only a pea-sized flame flickering precariously in the wind, on the verge of extinguishing.

Seeing its weak, listless appearance, He Jing frowned: "That Heavenly God's avatar seized the essence of your Lamp Spirit."

The climax of this volume is approaching.

Although this volume's conclusion isn't as expansive as the previous part of the book, it also can't be completed in just a couple of days.

The text still needs to be typed out word by word.

Readers who are eager can build up their anticipation; I will notify everyone once the volume is complete.

Reading it all in one go offers a better experience.

(End of Chapter)