After the Immortal Disappeared

Chapter 413: Chapter 412: The Little Tree in Panlong City

The door opened. Fuu Jiu walked in and saw there were four people in the room. Three stood guard, while a single youth sat leaning against the window. He was handsome, with refined features, and bore a slight resemblance to Fushan Yue.

The youth frowned upon seeing him. ”You came at this hour? It’s not safe.”

Fuu Jiu knelt. ”Young Master Jii, the deed is done.”

Young Master Jii froze, then shot to his feet, his voice rising a few pitches. ”What did you say?”

Fuu Jiu retrieved the wooden sculpture from his Storage Ring and placed it in the center of the room.

Young Master Jii hurried forward to inspect it, ordering, ”Light the lamps! More of them!”

One by one, the lamps were lit. Young Master Jii’s eyes were glued to the wooden sculpture. ”Tell me everything that happened.”

Fuu Jiu complied.

As Fuu Jiu reached the end of his tale, Young Master Jii cut him off. ”Wait, you didn’t personally see my brother turn into the wooden sculpture?”

”...No, but the Young Master was running too fast.” A jolt of alarm shot through Fuu Jiu’s heart. ”And the statue’s face is identical to the Young Master’s, down to the clothes, the ring...”

”Put out the lamps!” Young Master Jii ignored his excuses and said to the men beside him, ”We’re leaving! Now!”

A Guard immediately went to the window and clapped twice.

The neighbors were also their men. The two claps were a signal for them to come out at once.

But after the claps, there was only silence.

The neighbor’s residence was deathly still; not a single shadow moved.

Young Master Jii said decisively, ”Go!”

However, just as they opened the door, they saw six or seven men standing in the darkness—silent, but with vicious looks in their eyes.

These were Fushan Yue’s men.

”So late at night, Second Brother. Where are you off to?” a voice came from behind them.

Young Master Jii spun around and was shocked to see Fushan Yue sitting by the window, in the very spot he had just occupied, striking the exact same pose. His tone was eerily familiar. ”Long time no see. Care to catch up?”

Moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating the left side of his face in a pale white, while the right side remained completely shrouded in darkness.

The moment Fuu Jiu saw him, his own face turned pale.

Fushan Yue’s gaze shifted to him, and he smiled faintly. ”Fuu Jiu, you did an excellent job on your errand.”

The Guards behind Young Master Jii immediately glared at Fuu Jiu.

Fuu Jiu dropped to his knees with a thud. ”Young Master, I...”

Before he could finish, a line of blood appeared on his throat.

As his body slowly crumpled to the floor, Fushan Yue flicked the blood from his fingertips. He couldn’t be bothered to listen to a traitor’s sob story.

”A decent plan. I almost fell for it.” Fushan Yue turned to Young Master Jii, making a small gesture with his fingers. ”Did our Father-King know about this plan of yours?”

His eyes slowly turned red. Young Master Jii’s fingertips trembled. ”Even if I die, Father-King will never pass his position to you!”

”Why don’t we wait and see?” Fushan Yue chuckled. ”Oh, right. You won’t get the chance.”

Young Master Jii’s eyes reddened. ”I was wrong! We’re true brothers, born of the same mother. For Mother’s sake... Uncle Da!”

He suddenly slapped the backs of the Guards beside him, shoving them toward Fushan Yue. He then threw something on the ground and burst through the door himself.

He had just scrambled to his feet after landing when he heard a tremendous explosion behind him, followed by a rolling shockwave.

The residence had exploded.

It was a little backup plan he had prepared, never expecting to use it so soon.

Young Master Jii was thrown several dozen feet by the blast wave. Fushan Yue’s men were also sent flying and couldn’t regroup immediately. The amount of explosives must have been substantial.

He stood up, dusted off his pant legs, and looked back at the house, now blown to smithereens.

Suddenly, a figure fell from the sky and landed beside him, sending scorched earth flying.

Young Master Jii jumped in fright. Looking closely, he saw it was Fushan Yue’s wooden sculpture.

The wooden sculpture was on fire, burning merrily, but its dead-fish eyes were staring fiercely at Young Master Jii, making him shiver involuntarily.

Hearing the sound of wind behind him, he held his breath, composed himself, and turned. He couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. ”Uncle Da, you’re here!”

***

”This... this is ridiculous, isn’t it?” Hee Lingchuan rubbed his eyes, unable to believe what he was seeing.

He was standing in the South Gate Square of Panlong City.

This spacious square, which he had crossed dozens of times, had a new addition today:

Above the giant spring-fed pool, right by the first bridge, a tree had suddenly appeared.

Strictly speaking, it was a sapling, a little taller than a person.

He remembered that the last time he entered the Dream Realm, this spot had been a permanent stall selling yellow rice cakes and soy milk. The auntie who ran it would praise his handsome looks and enthusiastically cut him an extra half-slice every time, relentlessly trying to introduce him to her daughter.

But now, there was a tree here.

South Gate Square had plenty of trees, which provided cool shade in the summer. But Hee Lingchuan was paying such close attention to this one only because it looked incredibly familiar.

Those leaves, those branches, those few, whisker-like, delicate aerial roots...

’Isn’t this a Juluo Tree!’

Although its size was pathetic compared to the King of Treasure Tree, a Juluo Tree was a Juluo Tree.

The Divine Bone Necklace had consumed the Spirit Seed he provided. Hee Lingchuan had thought the seed’s power would be absorbed by the Grand Square Pot, just like the other treasures it had eaten before.

Who knew the Spirit Seed would be an exception? Not only was it not consumed, but it was also planted here in Panlong City.

He had only been away for a few days, and the seed had already grown into a small tree. It truly defied the laws of nature.

’Then again,’ he thought, ’the Tree Guards that the King of Treasure Tree deploys throughout the kingdom also grow from Spirit Seeds in just a few days.’

Hee Lingchuan had appeared here the moment he entered Panlong City. Clearly, the Dream Realm wanted him to see this tree first thing.

’The Grand Square Pot doesn’t do things without reason.’

Two children were playing with a ball under the tree. Hee Lingchuan walked over and asked them, ”When was this tree planted?”

The children looked at him and shook their heads, their faces blank with confusion.

Hee Lingchuan had no choice but to go to a nearby shop and ask the uncle selling sundries, ”Who planted that tree?”

”Huh?”

”That sapling.” Hee Lingchuan pointed it out to him. ”When was it planted?”

”Ah... no idea.” The uncle looked baffled. ”Hasn’t it always been there?”

”’Always’ is how long?” ’There has to be a timeframe; it can’t have been there for all eternity.’

The uncle thought hard, then shook his head. ”Who could remember that? It’s just a tree.” There were so many trees in the square. How could he remember the age of every single one, or who planted them?

’What kind of joke is that?’

His inquiries fruitless, Hee Lingchuan returned to the sapling and patted it.

It looked no different from an ordinary small tree. It was hard to imagine it could grow into a majestic, spectacular body like the King of Treasure Tree. ’Speaking of which, can a Spirit Seed grow into a Tree Guard in the Panlong Dream Realm too?’

He recalled the characteristics of the Juluo Tree and vaguely understood why the Grand Square Pot was able to transplant the Spirit Seed:

The Juluo Tree had always possessed the ability to adapt to the Cyan Netherworld.

The Heart-Protecting Mirror called Panlong City the City of the Dead. So, a Juluo Tree growing in the City of the Dead... ’That doesn’t seem out of place, does it?’

Of course, its being planted here might have a deeper meaning, but Hee Lingchuan had no one to ask about that.

He could only pat the tree’s trunk. ”Good luck.”

’Here in Panlong City, what kind of nutrients will the Juluo Tree need to absorb to grow?’

He calculated the days. Today seemed to be his turn to defend Arena Platform Seven.

If he didn’t go soon, he would lose his title as champion.

On his way, he passed Spirit Island, which was the storefront he had rented out. The stout shopkeeper, Bai Guo, was talking to someone at the entrance. His eyes lit up when he saw Hee Lingchuan, and he hurried over. ”Little Brother Hee, you’re finally here!”

Hee Lingchuan watched his nimble steps, which were completely at odds with his frame, and felt an urge to leave. ”I’m not buying.”

This crooked merchant was always trying to sell him Magical Artifacts, hoping to earn back the rent money. Hee Lingchuan had actually been tricked twice. After buying the items and taking them back, he’d smack his head, wondering, ’What the hell do I need this stuff for?’ as if he could actually use them.

”Aiya, I don’t have any good wares today. There’s trouble on the Xiji Kingdom border again, and several shipments are stuck there, unable to get through... Those bastards will get what’s coming to them sooner or later.” Bai Guo gave a dry laugh. ”Brother Hee, I just have some business to discuss with you.”

’This guy actually said he doesn’t have good wares? Then this must be serious.’ Hee Lingchuan turned to leave. ”I have things to do, too. Some other time.”

Bai Guo shoved a small, exquisite bamboo tube into his hand. ”Please stay!”

Hee Lingchuan looked down. It was Chewing Tobacco.

And Beiga-made Chewing Tobacco at that. He could now accurately identify the brands. This one must have come from the Treasure Tree Demon Kingdom!

Bai Guo took the opportunity to pull him into the shop.

”I have a favor to ask you!” The back room was empty today, so Bai Guo got straight to it. ”Business has been a little slow recently...”

Hee Lingchuan flicked his sleeve. ”A rent reduction is out of the question.”

”No, that’s not it.” Bai Guo’s smile froze. ”I wanted to tell you... uh, could I, uh...”

”Uh?” ’It’s rare to see this slick merchant stammer. This must be really serious.’

Bai Guo sighed and said it outright, ”I want to terminate the lease. I’m just giving you a heads-up.”

Hee Lingchuan was surprised. ”I thought your business was doing well. It’s always bustling with people, often packed.” ’I’m already being generous by not raising your rent.’

Besides, shops on Wanglin Street weren’t easy to come by. You had to get on a waiting list to open a store here.

”Ai, to be honest, I received some news—some great news.” Bai Guo started with a sigh, but the corners of his mouth couldn’t help but curl up. ”We might be able... to go home!”

”Hm?” Hee Lingchuan didn’t react at first. ”Go home?”

’Home to which country?’

”To Xiluo!” Bai Guo’s face grew even rounder as he smiled. ”Back to our motherland.”

Hee Lingchuan’s mind buzzed. Wasn’t the Panlong Wasteland an exclave, cut off from its mother country?

”How?”

”It’s like this. I have a reliable source who says the Monarch is considering relocating everyone from the Panlong Wasteland back home!” Hearing voices from the front hall, Bai Guo quickly lowered his voice. ”Once a Relocation Command is issued, we’ll all be able to go home!”

”That can’t be right.” Hee Lingchuan felt no joy at the news. ”What road would you take back?” An exclave was an exclave precisely because it was blocked on all sides.

”There is one, there is!” Bai Guo said. ”I heard the Baling Kingdom will temporarily open the Jinxi Corridor to allow us to move back.”

Hee Lingchuan let out a dry laugh. ”You can trust the word of the Baling Kingdom?”

”This is probably the one thing that’s highly credible, very likely to succeed.” Bai Guo’s face was wreathed in smiles. ”I’ll pay you three more months’ rent personally, then go to the Government Office to cancel the lease. All I need is your agreement. How about it?”

”And if I don’t agree?”

”If you don’t agree, once the Relocation Command is issued, everyone in the city will have to leave sooner or later anyway. You won’t be able to collect rent then, either.”