Chapter 00057: Prisoners Among the Resentful Spirits
# Prisoners Among the Resentful Spirits
Chapter 57
Novel: After the Immortals Disappeared
Chapter 57: Prisoners Among the Resentful Spirits
Although Maotao could clearly understand the text, he wore the same blank expression as the others.
This kid wasn’t stupid.
“I only know a little of the Balin script, so it’s a bit hard for me to read. But Tao Bo requested that whoever digs up the journal should send it to Balin, and they’ll be richly rewarded. He also mentioned something about how, judging from this illusion, a certain deity has indeed fallen.”
He Lingchuan’s heart stirred: “Mitian?”
It seemed Balin knew more secrets.
But that was normal, considering they were one of the warring nations back then.
“I can’t make out those characters,” Maotao said with a bitter smile. “Also, the Great Square Pot might not be movable.”
He Lingchuan’s expression changed: “Are you sure?”
They had gone through so much trouble and risked their lives to come here, all for the sake of retrieving the Great Square Pot.
If they couldn’t take it, wouldn’t all this have been for nothing?
And what about the battle at Woling Pass?
The moment this thought crossed his mind, He Lingchuan was startled.
Since when had he started caring so much about the war situation in Yuan Country?
“I’m not entirely sure, which is why I wasn’t sure whether to bring it up,” Maotao muttered. “I only went to school for three years. If I’d known this would happen, I wouldn’t have slept through class.” It’s only when you need knowledge that you regret not having enough.
“What else?” He Lingchuan stroked his chin.
These lines must have been seen by Grandmaster Sun as well, but he hadn’t said a word.
Did the old man have a way to take the Great Square Pot, or was he hiding something else?
“Also, Tao Bo believes there’s a powerful presence in this realm,” Maotao said, sweating. “The rest of the text is too hard for me to understand, so I can’t make any wild guesses.”
A powerful presence? “You mean that peeping tom hiding in some corner?”
Maotao shrugged.
How would he know? “Brother Chuan, why didn’t Grandmaster Sun mention this?”
“Maybe he thinks we don’t need to know,” He Lingchuan said, changing the subject. “How long have we been setting fires?”
“Uh, a little over two hours?”
“It’s time to head back.”
“But the north…”
He Lingchuan cut him off: “The north might not be important.”
Where did the young master get the idea that the north wasn’t important? “The houses in the north haven’t been burned. I’m afraid Grandmaster will hold us accountable.” Outside, Maotao would’ve followed He Lingchuan’s lead without question, but here…
“Young Master, you can’t do this to me.”
“Let’s head back first. If the illusion hasn’t broken by then, I’ll go north with you,” He Lingchuan said with a smile. “Are you afraid they’ll eat you?”
This hit a nerve, and Maotao couldn’t help but shiver.
Among the four of them, he was the weakest.
If he didn’t want to be the first one eaten, he needed to ally with someone.
By now, the oil and charcoal they had been using to set fires were all gone, so Maotao didn’t object anymore.
They abandoned the cart and headed toward the south gate.
“Young Master, are we going straight there?” Why were they taking such a roundabout route, almost skirting along the eastern city wall?
“Just follow me and stop asking questions,” He Lingchuan said.
He couldn’t explain why, but the further south they went, the heavier his heart felt, as if some great disaster was looming.
That’s why he chose this path.
The buildings in the east were tall, and the area was crisscrossed with rivers, making it easier to hide.
Now, both the eastern and western parts of the city were ablaze, giving off the feeling that the end was near.
￥￥￥￥￥
Outside the Thunder Summoning Array, a sea of spirits stretched as far as the eye could see.
Ordinary resentful spirits had long been pushed aside, and only the Dafeng Army surrounded the area.
Their formation was tight and orderly, standing as still as a deep abyss, a far cry from the frenzy they had shown when they first emerged from the well.
In life and death, they were a formidable force.
Being silently stared at by tens of thousands of dead soldiers was enough to put immense pressure on the living.
The soldiers of Blackwater City felt their scalps tingle, unsure whether it was from fear or the electric charge in the air.
Could the array really protect them from so many spirits? He Chunhua had to keep shouting to boost his men’s morale: “Don’t worry, don’t be afraid! The heavenly thunder will protect us! Standing firm here is fighting for our country!”
The runes on the ground flickered with lightning, a reminder to both sides that its power was lying dormant.
Earlier, a squad leader had thrown a spear, only for it to be disintegrated by the heavenly thunder without harming anyone inside the array.
This had reassured everyone.
But who could’ve guessed that the spirits were not only intelligent and capable of assessing the situation, but also knew to send for reinforcements?
Now, the massive army outside the array didn’t look like they were just there to watch.
Once their numbers were sufficient, they would likely launch an attack.
This was everyone’s greatest fear:
The Thunder Array was indeed powerful, but it was ultimately powered by human effort, like a lever.
If the heavenly thunder’s power was tenfold, they would still need to contribute at least one part.
Could the morale of these hundred or so men, combined with the Prefect’s Imperial Decree, hold out until Grandmaster Sun emerged?
Even He Chunhua was starting to doubt.
The gathering of the spirit army was meant to overwhelm their opponents with sheer presence.
As the saying goes, the best strategy is to subdue the enemy without fighting.
They must have something else planned.
Moreover, He Chunhua was especially worried about his eldest son inside the well.
Nian and Sun had ill intentions toward the He family.
Would his son, alone inside, suffer greatly? He had sent Zeng Feixiong and others in, but with so many traps and dangers, could He Lingchuan handle it?
He Chunhua silently repeated to himself that his eldest son was a lucky general who could turn danger into safety, but he couldn’t stop worrying.
If something happened to He Lingchuan, then what would the future hold?
“What’s going on?”
“Are there prisoners among the resentful spirits?” The commotion among his men snapped He Chunhua out of his thoughts.
He looked up and was equally surprised.
The Dafeng Army parted, creating a path, and from behind them, they pushed forward hundreds of resentful spirits.
These were the spirits that had first emerged from the well.
Some were humanoid, others were bizarre and grotesque, and more than half wore military uniforms, likely soldiers from other factions.
“The Allied Forces—these are the spirits of the Xian-Ba Allied Forces.” That’s right.
The war on the Panlong Plains had dragged on for thirty-two years.
This meat grinder had claimed not only the lives of Xiluo’s citizens but also countless soldiers from the allied forces.
They, too, had been laid to rest on this blood-soaked land, only to be collected by the Great Square Pot, denied peace even in death.
These resentful spirits, who had been wailing and moaning, were now being herded by the Dafeng Army, looking panicked.
The heavenly thunder flickering within the rune array ahead made them sense their natural enemy.
He Chunhua’s expression changed: “The Dafeng Army is going to force them to charge the array!”
As soon as he finished speaking, the Dafeng Army issued a command that shook the heavens.
Swords and spears were raised, forcing the resentful spirits to charge forward.
The hundreds of spirits, driven to madness, spun in place before finally rushing toward the heavenly thunder despite their fear.
The array activated instantly.
The moment they collided with the thunder barrier, they were blasted into nothingness.
Even so, the spirits continued to charge forward, one after another.
The living could only watch as the array flickered and thunder roared, while the Dafeng Army outside remained in formation, ready for battle.
Their hearts were filled with unease.
In battles or sieges, sometimes prisoners were pushed to the front as human shields.
If the enemy hesitated to attack, the aggressors would gain the upper hand.
This method was cruel but effective, and it had never been absent from wars throughout history.
(End of Chapter)