Chapter 00075: You Can Keep My Blade
# You Can Keep My Blade
Chapter 75
Novel: After the Immortals Disappeared
Chapter 75: You Can Keep My Blade
Blood trickled from between his teeth, and he made a clear swallowing motion.
He Lingchuan finally understood why they had never been able to find the leader of the Balin exploration team, Tao Bo, the disciple of Patriarch Zhu Gen.
He had probably met the same fate as Nian Songyu.
Among the people holding onto Maotao, a sand bandit sorcerer suddenly exclaimed, "What's this?"
He pulled open Maotao's collar and tore off a yellow paper talisman covered in spells from his back.
As soon as the talisman was removed, Maotao's frenzy stopped abruptly.
His hand loosened, and the treasured blade fell.
In the chaos, no one caught the blade.
He Lingchuan twitched his fingers but ultimately didn't reach out.
With a *ding*, the back of the blade hit the hard paving stone and, in front of everyone, broke into two pieces.
Everyone froze, their eyes glued to the broken blade on the ground, then they sneaked glances at the black dragon.
It was broken! The blade was broken!
What were Nian Songyu's last words before he died?
Only He Lingchuan knew that the treasured blade already had deep cracks.
Maotao, under control, had used the back of the blade to smash the wall, further damaging it.
It was a miracle it hadn't broken on the spot.
This fall was the final straw.
Several thoughts flashed through He Lingchuan's mind:
How did the so-called "heavenly being" know that this treasured blade was the black dragon's weakness?
How did it know the blade was with He Lingchuan?
How did it know Maotao could shatter the blade?
Perhaps it noticed that He Lingchuan had returned alone on a demon bird from the south city, while Sun Fuping was nowhere to be found, leading it to conclude that the treasure had fallen into He Lingchuan's hands.
But what about the other two questions?
He Lingchuan knew there were likely more complex secrets involved, but as the white light was devoured, the answers vanished with it.
Moreover, the white light that had possessed Nian Songyu had miscalculated, ending up being swallowed by the black dragon.
If the blade had broken a few moments earlier, the situation would have been entirely different.
Both above and below the city walls, there was a deathly silence.
Then, the phantom creatures—the demon apes and demon birds—suddenly collapsed, turning to ash.
The black dragon, however, slithered toward the city wall.
Everyone couldn't help but step back.
He Lingchuan coughed and mustered the courage to ask, "Is our previous agreement still valid?"
Although the demonic creatures were gone, the black dragon's power had grown stronger.
The city was still filled with the spirits of the Great Wind Army, who obeyed its commands.
If it wanted them dead, none of them would live to see the sun.
The black dragon glanced at the broken blade on the ground, then at He Lingchuan, and suddenly smiled.
"You're clever. You can keep my blade."
Uh, what should he say? "Thank you?"
He Lingchuan picked up the broken blade from the stone and sheathed it.
"No, I should thank you," the black dragon shook its head, its voice surprisingly calm.
"In all these years, you're the first person who didn't dig up my grave but instead offered me three cups of wine."
Three cups of wine? He Lingchuan wasn't surprised.
Instead, he exhaled.
"So it really is you, Zhong Shengguang."
This was a name that resonated like thunder in Blackwater City, yet it had been silent for a hundred years.
The others were in disbelief.
Si Tu Han stammered, "He... he's Zhong Shengguang?"
Zhong Shengguang was a famous general, but first and foremost, he was a human.
How could this black dragon be Zhong Shengguang?
The black dragon ignored the others and instead lowered its head to the Great Wind Army.
"Escort them out of the Panlong Wasteland."
Several leaders of the Great Wind Army bowed from their horses, fists clasped respectfully.
Indeed, unless it was Zhong Shengguang himself, who else could command the loyalty of such a proud and unyielding army?
Suddenly, a voice came from the south of the city.
"What about the Great Square Pot?"
It was He Chunhua, who had returned with his men.
As soon as he reached the south gate, he noticed the battle was over.
Nian Songyu was nowhere to be found, and the black dragon was perched on the city wall, talking to his son.
The situation didn't seem tense.
He immediately concluded that the heavenly being had lost.
So their side had won, but the purpose of this expedition was far from achieved.
They had lost so many people, all for the Great Square Pot.
"You can't take it," the black dragon glanced at him.
"The Great Square Pot is Panlong City, and Panlong City is the Great Square Pot. They've long been one. Not even gods can take it away, or it wouldn't still be here."
"Instead," it turned to He Lingchuan, "your wish might come true."
He Lingchuan was baffled, pointing at his nose.
"My what wish?"
The black dragon didn't answer.
Instead, it faced the south city and sighed deeply.
"My mission is finally complete."
Its voice carried exhaustion, but also joy, along with many emotions He Lingchuan couldn't decipher.
Its glossy black body quickly frosted over with gray.
In just a dozen breaths, the dragon fell from the city wall with a thunderous crash, shaking the ground.
It shattered into countless pieces.
A legendary general had once again turned to dust in the annals of history.
Endless dust billowed toward them.
Everyone instinctively closed their eyes, covered their noses, and held their breath.
Thus, no one noticed that as the light in the black dragon's eyes faded, a red light shot up from the ruins of the south city!
...
When the dust settled and everyone opened their eyes, they found themselves standing in front of the temple in the Panlong Wasteland.
Nian Songyu had been right.
Only after the black dragon disappeared could they escape the illusion.
He Lingchuan spread his arms and hugged He Chunhua.
"Dad, I thought you'd been sacrificed!"
He and He Chunhua weren't usually this close, but he acted on instinct.
He Chunhua patted his back, then pushed him away, unused to such closeness with his eldest son.
"When we took out the broken comb, the Great Wind Army stopped attacking, giving us time to escape the formation. You spoke the most with the black dragon. Did you find any clues about the Great Square Pot?"
He Lingchuan frowned.
"Didn't it say the Great Square Pot and Panlong City are one and can't be taken? Besides, we've already left the illusion."
"He wasn't a spirit of the artifact but a vengeful soul who died over a hundred years ago. How can you be sure he was telling the truth?" He Chunhua was displeased.
"We've made such great sacrifices. How can we return empty-handed?"
Earlier, everyone had just wanted to escape with their lives.
Now that they were safe, they realized they had nothing to show for it.
This adventure had cost far more than it was worth.
No, it was a complete loss.
Zeng Feixiong added, "Without the Great Square Pot, how will we handle the battle at Woling Pass?"
Si Tu Han couldn't hold back.
"You're all part of the regular army. Can't you fight without the heavenly being's treasure?"
He Lingchuan pulled out the long blade at his waist.
It was still there, hadn't disappeared.
This was probably the only real object from the illusion.
"What's your plan, Dad?"
He Chunhua pondered for a moment.
"Send someone back in."
Everyone took two steps back.
No one wanted to return to that cursed place.
He Lingchuan casually picked up a stone and threw it into the well.
*Plop.*
Although the water was tinged with blood, everyone could see it sink to the bottom.
(End of Chapter)