After the Immortal Disappeared

Chapter 427: Chapter 426: So That’s How It Is

The trunk was slender and its foliage sparse, but it was the stoutest tree within a two-li radius.

Two hundred years ago, there would have been no trees here, of course.

”Up.”

The two of them scurried up the tree, climbing to the very top to peek at the corner tower.

Luckily, a light was on inside the first floor. Through the window, they saw a man in a tall coronet sitting at a table, his fingertips tapping gently on its surface.

Though he had changed his attire and was no longer in uniform, Hee Lingchuan recognized him at a glance—it was King Yuanl!

’This whole Palace City is his. Why is he meeting someone secretly in a corner tower in the middle of the night?’

’What could they possibly have to say that couldn’t be said in his own audience hall or study?’

Lord Shao hurried up, knelt, and paid his respects. ”Greetings, Your Majesty!”

”Rise.” King Yuanl stood and took a couple of steps. ”Is your father well?”

The moment he stood up, Hee Lingchuan’s eyes widened.

In the last Illusion, King Yuanl had gone to battle with a spear on horseback and a sword at his waist. This time, however, he wore a Ring-Headed Blade.

The pommel ring was decorated with a Flood Dragon Head!

True, decorations on a hilt could never be perfectly lifelike, and an ox head and a Flood Dragon head look similar at a glance. But those two straight, unbranching horns, those bulging draconic eyes, the hilt, the guard...

Hee Lingchuan was intimately familiar with every detail.

He didn’t need to see the blade itself to know. It was Floating Life—no, the blade that *became* Floating Life!

This was what the Broken Blade had looked like before he shattered it. Even though it had been slightly modified by the Seed Blade technique, he had held the blade for months. He knew every inch of it; there was no way he could be mistaken.

’Why is Zhong Shengguang’s personal saber being worn by King Yuanl?’

After his shock, Hee Lingchuan suddenly recalled what Sunx Fuling had said:

King Yuanl’s nephew was a classmate and close friend of Commander Zhong, and had even gifted him a Treasure Saber.

At the time, he’d guessed that the saber was Floating Life, but with a beautiful woman right in front of him, he hadn’t dwelt on it.

Seeing it at King Yuanl’s waist now, Hee Lingchuan remembered the historical context of this Illusion. It seemed to be set many years before Zhong Shengguang took command of the Panlong Wasteland.

’In other words, the Treasure Saber was first in King Yuanl’s hands, and only then did it become Zhong Shengguang’s. The timeline makes sense.’

And yet, the story went that King Yuanl’s nephew had given the saber to Zhong Shengguang. Hee Lingchuan’s gaze shifted to the man with the surname Shao.

’Is this King Yuanl’s nephew?’

”My father has tried a new prescription, but his condition hasn’t improved. The Imperial Physician said... it will likely be within the next half-month.”

King Yuanl faltered, then said softly, ”Is that so? Even he can’t hold on.”

”Among all my brothers, your father was the healthiest when we were boys. He couldn’t drown in water, nor could he die from falling out of a tree. We were the closest, too. At your age, we made a solemn vow to deliver the people from their suffering. And now...”

Fushan Yue tilted his head upon hearing this, a little confused.

”Were the people of the Yuanl Kingdom living in such misery back then? Surely not. Compared to the other kingdoms outside Beiga, wasn’t life in the Yuanl Kingdom supposed to be good?”

”You’re asking me?” Hee Lingchuan shot him a look of contempt. ’This guy didn’t do his homework, and now he’s asking an outsider.’

Fushan Yue rubbed his nose.

”If I had surrendered to the Deities and taken the Fountain of Youth, I would be under their control like the other Demon Kings, but the people of the Yuanl Kingdom would have been spared this calamity,” King Yuanl said softly. ”I wonder if this outcome is the opposite of what I wished for.”

Shao Jian immediately said, ”We will die without regret.”

King Yuanl’s moment of melancholy seemed fleeting. He stood and paced twice around the room before speaking. ”Shao Jian, I summoned you tonight because I have an urgent matter to entrust to you.”

Addressed by his given name, Shao Jian immediately bowed his head to listen respectfully.

”You will depart tomorrow morning for the Xiluo Kingdom.”

Shao Jian was startled and, forgetting his etiquette, looked up abruptly. ”Your Majesty?!”

”To keep you from your father’s deathbed is a violation of filial duty. But this matter is critically urgent, and it must be you who handles it.”

Shao Jian’s expression shifted, showing shock, resistance, and also sorrow.

King Yuanl said slowly, ”This matter is more important than your life, your father’s life, my life, and the lives of all the people of the Yuanl Kingdom!”

Shao Jian was stunned. After his chest heaved a few times, he lowered his head and said in a deep voice, ”Your Majesty, please give your command!”

King Yuanl took out a black box and placed it on the table. He then unfastened the Treasure Saber from his waist and laid it beside the box.

”Take these two items to your dear classmate and friend, Zhong Shengguang.”

Hearing this, Hee Lingchuan’s breath caught.

’So that’s how the Treasure Saber got out!’

Shao Jian, however, looked confused. King Yuanl beckoned him to rise, then personally opened the box a crack to let him peek inside.

”Isn’t this... Could this be?” Shao Jian’s face changed drastically, and he glanced around nervously. ”Your Majesty, it is not wise to display it here!”

King Yuanl said lightly, ”Do not panic. There are at least five layers of Barriers set up here, and a Wind-Harkening Beast is keeping watch on the roof. I have also used a little trick to obscure the threads of causality.”

Shao Jian stared intently at the black box. ”Is this the G-Gra...?”

”The Grand Square Pot.”

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind swept in, but apart from their clothes and hair, there was nothing else for it to disturb.

King Yuanl placed a hand on the box. ”More than half the blame for the calamity that has befallen my Yuanl Kingdom can be placed on this. But it must not fall into Beiga’s hands. Otherwise, a great disaster will befall all life in the Mortal World, plunging it into an endless abyss. Cultivators, Demons—none will be left.”

He paused for a moment and then added, ”This evening, word came from the north. Dayan Pass has fallen.”

Shao Jian closed his eyes and lowered his head.

Devastating news.

”With Dayan Pass lost, it is only a matter of time before the enemy reaches the walls of Thousand Star City.” King Yuanl looked at his Treasure Saber again. ”These two items must be entrusted to someone trustworthy.”

Shao Jian swallowed, feeling the weight of this task. ”Why Zhong Liyao?”

Liyao was Zhong Shengguang’s courtesy name.

”After Thousand Star City and I are gone, Beiga will leave no stone unturned in their search for the Grand Square Pot. They will pursue any lead connected to me or the Shao Family.” The evening wind rustled King Yuanl’s robes. ”Zhong Shengguang is a foreigner. He only came to the Yuanl Kingdom on a study tour, visited the Royal Palace, but has no connection to me. Every year, there are countless students like him from all the kingdoms. They will never suspect him.”

”Besides, Zhong Shengguang and I have only had two deep conversations, but we hit it off immediately. We’ve secretly corresponded over the years.” The firelight made King Yuanl’s expression shift between light and shadow, but his voice was firm. ”His ideals are the same as ours. I thought then that if our cause failed, this man could carry on our legacy.”

He patted Shao Jian’s shoulder. ”You’re a good lad, but you cannot bear the weight of these two items.”

Shao Jian thought for a moment, then said candidly, ”Zhong Liyao is a man of great vision and his will is like iron. What’s rare is that while he is unyielding, he also knows how to be flexible. He is indeed the best choice to be entrusted with a Supreme Treasure. Your Majesty is right, I am not his equal.”

”The Treasure Saber is a gift for him. As for the Grand Square Pot—” King Yuanl said gravely, ”I have tried no less than three or four hundred methods to destroy it, all without success. Tell Zhong Shengguang to continue the effort. It must be destroyed! Otherwise, the Beiga Kingdom will eventually find a way to get it, no matter where it is hidden.”

He let out a long sigh. ”How laughable. When I was young, I was defiant. I thought I could use it to fight the Deities. I thought I wouldn’t repeat the mistakes of my predecessors. Only today has it been proven that this thing is nothing but a source of disaster, capable only of bringing ruin to the living.”

CRACK! The branch beside Hee Lingchuan snapped. Hearing this part of the story, he had clenched his fist without realizing it.

Fushan Yue shot him a reproachful glance.

Thankfully, this was just an Illusion. If they had truly been spying on a Human King’s conversation and made a sound, they would have had to flee for their lives.

King Yuanl in the Illusion, of course, had no reaction to Hee Lingchuan’s sudden movement and simply continued, ”Heh. My downfall was being too trusting. You must urge him to learn from my mistake.”

After saying that, he sighed softly. ”There is also a letter in the box. He will understand everything after he reads it.”

Shao Jian stepped forward to take the box and the Treasure Saber.

But King Yuanl caressed the scabbard for a moment before withdrawing his hand. ”Take them.”

Shao Jian took the two items. Just as he was about to bow and retreat, King Yuanl spoke again. ”Leave as soon as you’ve delivered the items. Do not let anyone connect you to the Xiluo Kingdom. The Celestial Gods can divine cause and effect. Keep this with you. It can obscure heaven’s secrets and leave them helpless.”

With that, he handed over an object about half a finger’s length long. It resembled jade, but wasn’t; it resembled bone, but wasn’t.

Seeing this, Hee Lingchuan subconsciously clutched the front of his shirt.

’Wait, did King Yuanl just take out the Divine Bone Necklace?’

’The shape is different, but the material looks exactly the same!’

’So the three-piece set I have all came from King Yuanl, all at once?’

Shao Jian respectfully took it and turned it over for a look. ”This is?”

”It was made from the little finger bone that the Divine Mitian left behind in the Mortal World.”

”The Mitian God?” Shao Jian murmured. ”No wonder.”

He put away the Divine Bone, then knelt and kowtowed three times to King Yuanl. ”This nephew takes his leave. Please take care, Royal Uncle!” he said, his voice laced with sorrow. ”I entrust my father to you.”

King Yuanl nodded and waved him away. ”Go. You must ensure it is delivered.”

Just as he finished speaking, his figure rapidly blurred.

Before Hee Lingchuan and his companion’s eyes, the corner tower, the palace walls, and the entire magnificent Thousand Star City disappeared into the darkness.

It turned out that a dark cloud had drifted across the sky, obscuring the moonlight.

The show was over. Fushan Yue jumped to the ground and shook out his legs. ”What was that just now? A royal secret?”

No reply, no movement.

He looked up to see Hee Lingchuan still hugging the tree, seemingly in a daze.

”Hey! The show’s over, aren’t you coming down?”

Hee Lingchuan finally snapped out of it and jumped down.

”Oh, what did you say?”

”Why has this part of the Illusion never appeared before?” Fushan Yue asked, curious. ”And why did it appear tonight?”

Hee Lingchuan pointed at his own nose. ”You’re asking me?”

”Is there anyone else here? I saw you thinking so hard, I thought you might have some idea.”

Hee Lingchuan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ”What idea could I possibly have?”

Fushan Yue muttered, ”What is the Grand Square Pot? Why does Lingxu City want it so badly?”

”Whatever it is, its whereabouts are unknown.” Hee Lingchuan’s mind was in turmoil, but he forced a smile. ”The Yuanl Kingdom is gone, and the Xiluo Kingdom is gone too. Where could anyone even look for it? It doesn’t matter anymore. Besides, didn’t this happen over two hundred years ago?”

Fushan Yue, however, hissed and stared at his waist. ”I don’t know... the saber King Yuanl gave away looks a bit like the one you’re wearing.”