After the Immortal Disappeared

The Red General continued, “Strictly speaking, there are only two sets of Celestial God remains here—the two with legs. The others are from the Servant Race.”

General Nanke asked, intrigued, “Servant Race?”

“They were the Attendants and armies of the Celestial Gods. Their sole purpose was to serve the Deities.”

The Red General casually broke off a finger bone and cut it open to inspect the cross-section. From the side, Hee Lingchuan could see that the bone matter inside was still a faint red.

‘After three thousand years, the bones of a mortal would have long since turned to dust, yet these Divine Remains are still active. How incredible.’

The Red General nodded in satisfaction. “These few probably fell into water and weren’t directly exposed to light. Later, as the landscape changed, the water disappeared, and they were buried deep underground, which is how their vitality was preserved to this day.”

Hee Lingchuan seized the opportunity to ask, “Are Divine Remains also afraid of sunlight?”

“Not for short periods of time, no, but the power of the Taiyang True Flame lies in its persistence,” the Red General replied. “These Divine Remains were already incompatible with this world. After being exposed to the wind and sun for hundreds or thousands of years, their vitality is slowly worn away.”

She added, “But this only applies to Lower Deities. As for the most powerful Upper Gods, they are existences that are very difficult to destroy.”

General Nanke voiced the question on everyone’s mind: “Just how many Deities are there beyond our world?”

The ruins of Beicheng alone contained so many Divine Remains.

“Five thousand years ago, there were less than a hundred thousand. The world-ending war reduced their numbers by at least half. Now? Even by a generous estimate, there are probably still less than one hundred forty or fifty thousand.”

“In the three thousand years since the great world-ending calamity, only a hundred thousand new Celestial Gods have been born?” General Nanke shook his head. “Too few. Far too few.”

One hundred thousand Celestial Gods might sound like a lot, but spread over three thousand years, it’s equivalent to only thirty-odd Celestial Gods being born each year.

‘If humanity’s birth rate were that ridiculously low, wouldn’t extinction be just around the corner?’

The soldiers all laughed.

The Red General seemed to smile as well. “And in these three thousand years, how many humans has the world produced?”

“Er…”

“Not as many as you’d imagine, right?”

‘But that was due to wars, plagues, and other natural disasters. Humanity’s ability to reproduce has never been in doubt.’

Before General Nanke could retort, the Red General continued, “Celestial Gods have long lifespans, and consequently, bearing offspring is incredibly difficult. The amount of life force and energy required is staggering, nothing like the ease with which humans can have children whenever they want. A hundred thousand new Celestial Gods in three thousand years? Heh, and that’s only thanks to the contributions from the Mortal World.”

Hee Lingchuan detected the heavy sarcasm in her last sentence.

Just then, a craftsman came to report:

“The tree roots have grown together with the white bones.”

The roots of the old locust tree were entwined with the Divine Remains, some even embedded within the bones, making them difficult to tell apart.

The fine rootlets looked… a lot like capillaries.

Through these roots, the curled Divine Remains were tightly connected to the old dragon-claw locust tree growing above.

The Red General didn’t have her men separate them by force. Instead, she gently caressed a root and murmured, “Interesting. The locust tree is actually absorbing nutrients from the Divine Remains.”

“Divine Power should be impossible for creatures of this realm to use, but that barrier was broken when Nightmare Qi appeared…” She smiled. “This Tree Demon thought it was getting a great deal, but in reality, it’s being subtly controlled by the Divine Remains. In seventy or eighty years at most, this locust tree will become a second body for the Divine Remains. If the Xiji Dynasty lasts that long, they’ll be in for some bad luck.”

“There’s still a remnant of consciousness in the Divine Remains?”

“Years after a Celestial God dies, a new consciousness can be born within its husk,” the Red General explained. “This used to only happen with the most powerful Divine Remains. But now? Times have changed. Who can say for sure?”

“Dig up all the Divine Remains and take them. As for this tree—” She jumped up and knocked on the trunk. “Leave half the stump buried in the earth. Chop up the rest and take it away.”

The craftsman looked troubled. “General, our tools aren’t up to the task.”

This old tree was just too hard; their tools would snap on impact.

The Red General pointed at the roots in the pit. “Sever the main roots, then try again.”

Hee Lingchuan severed two of the main roots. When the craftsmen tried again, the tree was indeed much easier to chop.

The locust tree had a spirit of its own and didn’t dare to defy the Red General any longer.

As everyone worked with great gusto, General Nanke quietly asked the Red General, “What are you going to do with all this stuff we’re taking back?”

“Refine a treasure, a deadly one,” the Red General said with a smile. “Even the locust wood is useful. This is a pleasant surprise.”

While chopping wood with his companions, Hee Lingchuan glanced over at her a few times.

‘The Red General and Zhong Shengguang planned this attack on Xiji. Besides dealing with the dangerous problem Beiga posed, did they also come for these Divine Remains?’

‘What does she plan to do with these Divine Remains?’

‘To go to such great lengths, mobilizing a huge army for a long-range raid and fighting a war to annihilate a kingdom, all just to obtain these Divine Remains… the “treasure” the Red General wants to refine must be no ordinary thing.’

He could feel that as time went on, Panlong City’s entanglement with the Deities and with Beiga was growing deeper and deeper.

***

「Rainy night. A narrow valley.」

The mountain forest had been silent all night. Rain dripped from the wild grass, where a timid snail clung to the roots. Suddenly, a dozen or so people rushed into the valley, bringing with them feet caked in mud.

The wild grass was trampled, and the snail was crushed with a soft POP. But in the pattering rain of the night, amid the heavy, ox-like panting of the group, such a tiny sound was easily drowned out.

They ran through the darkness, but the valley floor was covered in jagged rocks, making every step treacherous. One unlucky fellow cried out with an “Ah!”—he had twisted his ankle.

“Hurry, hurry! The Demons are catching up!”

“How did we end up in the mountains?”

“Idiot, the mountains are better!” the last man in line cursed. “Hurry up and find a cave to hide in.”

But their luck was truly terrible. They searched in every nook and cranny, but couldn’t find a single cave, not even a small hollow.

The man with the twisted ankle grew frantic. “Damn it all! This is Niutou Mountain! There’s only one little hollow halfway up the slope, and nowhere else to hide! What are we going to do?”

The few men supporting him said nothing, merely exchanging glances.

‘What else can we do? If the Demons catch up, we’ll just ditch this cripple and run for it.’

That way, they might be able to last a little longer.

Just then, a companion pointed ahead and shouted, “Hey, hey, hey! There’s a light up ahead! A light!”

Everyone stared and saw that it was true.

In the distance were two points of orange-red light, high up, probably halfway up the mountain. They swayed in the wind and rain.

Against the ink-black night, they were exceptionally conspicuous.

‘Where there was light, there had to be a house.’

The crippled man said in surprise, “I’ve been to Niutou Mountain many times. How can there be a house there!”

“Quick, let’s go!” The men were overjoyed and paid him no mind. “It’s at least a hundred… no, two hundred yards away!”

The mountain path was difficult, and they still had to climb upward.

Most importantly, they were still carrying a burden.

With a shared, unspoken understanding, they simultaneously dropped their injured companion and strode off in pursuit of the light.

“Don’t leave me!” the unlucky man shouted. When no one paid attention, he threw out some bait. “I have two hundred taels of silver! I’ll give it to whoever helps me get over there!”

Two hundred taels? One of the men paused, hesitating for a moment, but his companions all ran on without a backward glance.

‘Yeah, right. Who’d believe this idiot has two hundred taels? He wouldn’t even splurge on meat for his steamed bun at lunch.’ The man spat on the ground and rushed forward to join the others.

“Run!” They were all worried the injured man’s shouts would attract the Demons. Several of them fell but didn’t dare waste a second, scrambling back to their feet to keep running.

The unlucky man’s cries for help grew fainter behind them, soon swallowed by the sound of the wind and rain.

It was an obstacle course. The dozen or so men risked their lives crossing the jagged Chaotic Stone Array in the dark, using both hands and feet to climb halfway up the mountain.

Finally, they found the source of the light.

Below an outcropping of rock shaped like an eagle’s beak was a large, deep cave. Its mouth was about ten zhang in diameter, and the ground sloped upward the further one went inside, the depths pitch-black and impossible to see into.

The two orange lights they had seen were, in fact, wind-proof lanterns hung on long bamboo poles outside the cave.

The poles were very long and swayed with the wind, which explained the flickering they had seen from a distance.

These dozen or so desperate fugitives had no time to wonder why the lanterns were placed there, because a series of roars echoed from behind them.

They glanced back and saw several black figures weaving through the jagged rocks.

The Demons were here!

“Quick, get inside!” they shouted, scrambling frantically into the cave.

Inside the cave were several small huts, all with lights on. Figures could be seen moving inside. The outer walls of the huts were all coated with a thick layer of mud.

The men rushed up and pounded on a door. “Open up! Help us!”

They knocked twice, and the door swung open.

The men peeked inside. Huh? Nobody was there.

Where were the figures they had just seen in the window?

But this was no time for thinking. Everyone rushed inside, latched the door, and blew out the lamp on the table.

The walls felt incredibly solid, as if made from rammed earth. The Door Panel was also coated in a thick layer of mud, making the door itself almost impossible to find once closed.

Soon, a scraping sound came from outside. It was the Demons, scratching at the ground.

The men held their breath.

Then the Demons began to scratch at the door. SCRAPE, SCRAPE.

With a sudden POP, the lamp on the table lit up.

Everyone jumped in fright, but when they turned, they saw no one near the table.

The lamp had lit itself!

The Demons outside also paused for a moment, then, attracted by the light, gathered to push forcefully on the door.

The men rushed over, bracing themselves against the door with all their might.

As for the window, it was too small; the Demons shouldn’t be able to get in that way.

However, they didn’t last long. An irresistible force pushed back, and with a loud CREAK—

The door opened.

There was no longer a barrier between the Demons and the humans.

Immediately after, the hut filled with furious roars, bloodcurdling screams, and the BANGING and CRASHING of objects being overturned.

Blood splattered against the window paper.

The door swung shut again, silently, unnoticed by the creatures inside.

Soon, a wet, crunching sound came from within the hut.

The mountain wind grew stronger, and the two long bamboo poles outside the cave swayed violently.

The valley returned to its former tranquility.

Since there were no more visitors, the lanterns under the rock automatically extinguished themselves just before the next gust of wind arrived.

Heaven and earth were silent, everything lost in the sound of the rain.

***

「Chiyan Kingdom. Shuangyi City.」

Hee Lingchuan arrived while the morning was still young. He saw that the city had only two main streets, its prosperity a far cry from what he had seen in the territory of the King of Treasure Tree.