Chapter 00195: The Return Journey is the Main Event
# The Return Journey is the Main Event
Chapter 195
Novel: After the Immortals Disappeared
Chapter 195: The Return Journey is the Main Event
He was a general who left the Fallen City in the third year of the Panlong Calendar to join Zhong Shengguang, having achieved numerous victories in battle.
Upon joining the command of Zhong, he was directly put in charge of troops, and over the years, he had won several battles.
He exerted his true power, causing his voice to resonate throughout the venue: “Today’s objective, you may have already heard. That’s right, it is to escort the most important merchant caravan of this autumn and winter back to Puxue Gou! As long as we can send them back from the Baixiong Pass to Puxue Gou, we can return in triumph. Since the fall of Wei City, Puxue Gou has become the western frontline of Panlong City, shielding us from the sharp fangs and claws of the Balin and Xianyou Kingdoms. Therefore, protecting our allies is to protect Panlong City; protecting our fellow countrymen and our nation is to protect ourselves! Everyone, charge forward bravely, protect our Panlong!”
The crowd below was spirited and passionate: “Charge forward bravely, protect our Panlong!”
By the second shout, the common folk who had gathered nearby naturally joined in, their voices shaking the southern part of the city.
Then, the southern gate of Panlong City swung open, and General Nanke led his troops out.
Once again passing through the magnificent Southern Gate, He Lingchuan looked up and couldn’t help but gasp in shock.
He still remembered the chilling aura he felt the first time he passed through here.
Later, during several dreams, he had paid attention to collecting medicinal materials, and finally, after entering a dream the previous night, he managed to buy the rarest main ingredient—the Corrupted Heart Grass, which grows in extremely yin places, thus allowing him to refine the Du Hun San.
Yes, among the relics left behind by Sun Fuping after his execution was the recipe for Du Hun San.
This medicine allows one to see “unclean things” for a short time and can also temporarily shield the living from detection.
Of course, He Lingchuan only needed its primary effect at this moment.
He had swallowed the Du Hun San when he swore his oath at the Southern Square, and now, passing through the Southern Gate again, he finally confirmed his long-held suspicion:
Under the Southern City Gate, countless San Si Insects flitted about, invisible to the naked eye!
These mist-like entities were no different from what he had seen in the Panlong Desert, but the ordinary soldiers and civilians of Panlong City passing through the Southern Gate did not hear any strange sounds.
They were like air, unseen and intangible, yet they existed in reality.
He even saw them moving in and out through small holes in the city walls—between the first and second major gates, due to the height of the walls and the eaves, even the midday sunlight struggled to penetrate the ground of the city.
Thus, this place became a territory where the San Si Insects could move freely.
They would pass through every pedestrian, which was likely why He Lingchuan felt the chill beneath the city, but they would not actively invade human bodies or disturb thoughts.
It was evident that Zhong Shengguang, possessing the Da Fang Hu, had a powerful control over the San Si Insects.
At this point, He Lingchuan finally understood why Panlong City dared to open its gates for trade, unafraid of enemy forces disguising themselves to create chaos within:
The city gates were guarded by invisible San Si Insects, which were particularly sensitive to human emotions, especially malice.
Those harboring ill intentions toward Panlong City, no matter how deeply they hid, would be triggered and magnified by the San Si Insects, likely resulting in sudden madness, which the city guards could easily apprehend.
With the support of the Da Fang Hu, the basic policies and landscape of Panlong City had changed accordingly.
He Lingchuan once again felt the inseparable fusion between this artifact and the fate of the city.
...
Eighteen hours later.
General Nanke’s troops marched across the vast wasteland.
The Panlong Wasteland was not as lush as the Chipa Plateau behind Panlong City; its basic terrain consisted of shrub tundra and scattered clusters of trees.
It was autumn, the grass had turned yellow, and the desolation of the season was particularly evident across the wasteland.
He Lingchuan sat on horseback, lifting his water pouch to take a small sip of clear water.
The team of twelve hundred had made a trip to the Baixiong Pass and had now grown to nineteen hundred, with over two hundred large carts filled with goods.
Yes, they had successfully met the merchant caravan and were currently escorting them back to Puxue Gou.
This batch of supplies was primarily for civilian use, ensuring that the residents of Puxue Gou could survive the harsh winter on the wasteland.
General Nanke, experienced in marching, did not rush back after receiving the caravan at the Baixiong Pass.
He ordered the entire army to rest for three hours, allowing both men and horses to recuperate fully.
Everyone knew that the return journey was the main event.
Since leaving Panlong City, He Lingchuan had been secretly pondering the newly acquired divine ability, and after several hours, he had gained some insights.
He Lingchuan got along well with his companions; after all, he was easygoing, not competitive, and skilled in his craft—who wouldn’t like such a good teammate?
Menban rode alongside him, chatting casually for a long time.
This tall man was as broad as a door, with shoulders and chest that resembled a wall.
In battle, he stood in front, providing a strong sense of security.
It was said that nine out of ten strong men were foolish, but his personality was far from “honest and simple.”
He Lingchuan had already heard quite a bit of gossip from him, such as the battle at Baijia Gang three days ago, which was also commanded by General Nanke.
That battle was fought beautifully, slaying over eight hundred enemies and even killing the enemy general, Hua Muna, on the spot.
Hua Muna was the younger brother of Hua Muco, the commander of the Balin army stationed in Wei City, and was quite valiant.
The two brothers had fought back-to-back on the battlefield for many years, and Hua Muna’s death would undoubtedly be a heavy blow to Hua Muco.
With this great victory as encouragement, Panlong City decided to strike while the iron was hot and immediately initiate the most important supply transport to Puxue Gou.
At this moment, the Balin army in Wei City had just suffered a major defeat, their morale low, and they likely wouldn’t seek trouble again until they had regrouped.
Likely.
Upon hearing this, He Lingchuan couldn’t help but ask, “What kind of person is Hua Muco?” In the game of war, one must also calculate the psychology of the opponent, especially the opposing commander.
“I’ve heard he’s quite steady and doesn’t like to take unnecessary risks,” Menban sighed. “If he were the type to act impulsively, our escort would likely face an ambush.” But in reality, no one could be sure whether Hua Muco would retaliate in anger or swallow his pride.
He Lingchuan thought about the strategy given by Sun Hongye.
The reality was certainly much more complex than mere paper talk, but would Panlong City intentionally set a trap in this direction? After all, they had fought seven battles in the early stages, with victories and defeats on both sides, and Panlong City’s true intentions had been obscured by the battles time and again.
Though no one pointed it out, He Lingchuan still felt vaguely that this escort mission was significantly different from the usual.
As he entered the Panlong Dream more frequently, He Lingchuan had discovered that his dreams of returning to Panlong City were not a continuous linear process but rather a series of fragmented scene switches.
Each time he entered, it marked a time node in this world, with events occurring, whether large or small.
While this world was honing him, it seemed to be showing him something as well.
Perhaps he had been silent for too long, when Menban suddenly asked, “Duandao, why did you join the patrol?”
He Lingchuan was taken aback: “To protect my home and country, is there any other reason?”
“That’s too vague,” Menban chuckled. “The thin guy joined the patrol to save money for a better life for his family; Liu Tiao’s brother was killed by the Xianyou people, and she wants revenge; as for me, I want to achieve merit and build a career. Who doesn’t have their own little calculations?”
No matter how lofty one’s beliefs, they must have a realistic foundation to support them.
“I want to join the Dafeng Army,” He Lingchuan said honestly, “but I’ve heard that if you can’t become a team leader, you don’t qualify to join the Dafeng Army.”
“Join the Dafeng Army?” Menban glanced at him, “Is it because of General Hong’s reputation?”
“Sort of,” He Lingchuan had entered the dream many times but had never met General Hong, only catching a distant glimpse before logging off.
“General Hong is the motivation for many people to enlist. I see you usually keep to yourself; I didn’t expect you to admire heroes as well.”
He Lingchuan chuckled.
The phrase “keeping to oneself” was surprisingly used to describe him, the arrogant little tyrant of He City.
He wondered what expression his family would have if they heard this.
But to be fair, he did think a lot and acted a lot in his dreams, while he spoke less.
In reality, he needed to conceal and disguise himself.
But here, he could be his true self.
A different scenery appeared on the horizon, and Menban exhaled deeply: “Ahead is the Ghost Needle Stone Forest.”
As the troops advanced, the scenery ahead became clearer.
He Lingchuan had been here several times before.
The Ghost Needle Stone Forest was a famous landmark along the Hongya Road, its perimeter at least a hundred zhang away from the main road, allowing later travelers to only gaze at it from afar.
Countless years ago, this place was likely a lush river valley, with flowing water eroding the terrain into a crisscross of ravines; later, the river changed course and no longer flowed through here, allowing wind and sand to take over, sculpting one peak after another into shapes resembling screens and sails.
As long as one wished, one could walk countless paths in the Ghost Needle Stone Forest.
This was also a rare spectacle in the otherwise flat wasteland.
“This is the best ambush site,” He Lingchuan murmured, “with layers upon layers of intersections. Are we going to pass through the Ghost Needle Stone Forest?”
“We can all see it; General Nanke certainly can’t miss it,” Menban said confidently, “I don’t think we will.”
The thin guy rode up: “How about I start a betting pool? One or two silver.”
He Lingchuan laughed: “Sure, I’ll take that bet. After all, the Ghost Needle Stone Forest is too large; to go around it would at least take an extra ten hours. More time means more risk.”
“The game is on, the game is on,” the thin guy raised his voice, beaming with pride, “we’re betting on whether our team will pass through the Ghost Needle Stone Forest, starting with one or two silver!”
Though the scenery on the wasteland was beautiful, after a long time, it became monotonous.
The troops felt bored during their march, and upon hearing he was starting a betting pool, they immediately responded enthusiastically.
The thin guy couldn’t stop smiling; the house always wins, and he was about to make a profit.
...
“Why is there a commotion behind?”
Ahead of the army, General Nanke turned to take a look.
The adjutant immediately said, “I’ll go reprimand them.”
General Nanke then ignored it and instructed the messenger: “Pass my orders, detour around the Ghost Needle Stone Forest.”
The terrain of the Ghost Needle Stone Forest was too complex, making it the best place for an enemy ambush.
He didn’t need to take that risk; going a bit further around was fine.
The messenger received the order and was about to ride off to the rear when suddenly, the sound of hooves thundered ahead, and a rider galloped towards them.
The scout who had been scouting ahead had returned.
The horse was steaming, clearly having just galloped for its life.
The scout didn’t have time to dismount; while saluting, he gasped, “A large number of enemy troops have appeared in the northwest, less than fifteen miles from us!”
(End of Chapter)