Chapter 51: Panlong City in Another Dimension

At this time, the water sources of the Chipa Plateau were exceptionally abundant. Relying on the natural elevation differences, a few waterwheels could achieve 24-hour automated water supply.

This was understandable; the Panlong Wasteland had always been a vital transportation artery connecting the Kingdom of Siluo to foreign lands. The strategic importance of Panlong City far exceeded that of Blackwater City in later generations.

Furthermore, if the local produce were not abundant, how could Panlong City have endured for over thirty years while surrounded by powerful enemies?

Of course, walking through such a historic city, He Lingchuan felt a sense of vigilance beneath his sighs of wonder.

These two fellows had searched the temple and the Red General Temple; why hadn't they searched for Zhong Shengguang's former residence as well, but instead waited to travel with him?

There was likely something wrong with that place.

He Lingchuan felt a secret anxiety, but on the surface, he sought guidance from Sun Fuping: "State Preceptor, do those resentful spirits live here year after year, only venturing out every September?"

"Most likely."

"Since they can live and work here in peace, why go outside?"

"We shall know once we obtain the Great Fanghu."

He Lingchuan thought to himself that the State Preceptor truly deserved his title, being able to express "I don't know" so tactfully.

When tasks were assigned earlier, Nian Songyu had already visited the Zhong residence, so he was now well-acquainted with the area.

However, upon reaching the location, Nian Songyu halted his steps.

Before them stood a grey-brick residence with a high facade and a black roof. The entrance was orderly, and several clusters of green bamboo peeked out from within the high walls, truly possessing the air of a wealthy household. Two large characters were inscribed on the door

Run Garden.

"Here?"

Nian Songyu hesitated visibly before saying, "The place is correct, and the house is correct, but I went inside to look—the family living here is surnamed Chen!"

He Lingchuan was astonished. "What?"

Entering Run Garden, they found a large four-entry courtyard house. The materials used for the architecture and furniture were extremely exquisite. He Lingchuan even discovered that the spirit wall utilized Tongzhou brick carvings; over three hundred bricks combined to depict figures, landscapes, and even scenes, forming a beautiful, continuous story like a picture book. Such brick carvings remained highly sought after even in the present day; transporting them from Tongzhou to Blackwater City took over four months.

He Lingchuan knew this so clearly because the He residence in Blackwater City used such things to decorate its facade.

Naturally, such an exquisite place as Run Garden also featured a garden. Rockeries and flowing water were standard amenities, and the garden was planted with tall red maples. In the corners beneath the maple trees, exotic flowers and strange herbs were hidden.

The first dozen or so could barely be identified by shape, but their species were unknown; those further back were half-hidden in the dark shadows of the trees, making them impossible for He Lingchuan to see clearly.

Nian Songyu pointed to the garden and said, "In the He residence in the desert wasteland, this place is a storage shed filled with wooden planks and cluttered with cabinets; additionally, I saw several calling cards in the side hall, indicating the master of this house is named Chen, courtesy name Huisheng."

He Lingchuan was stunned. "Exactly what period of Panlong City is this?" The land was fertile, the people lived in peace, and the city was prosperous, without a single shadow of war. Even a celebrity like Zhong Shengguang was not living where he ought to be.

He suspected he had accidentally wandered into a Panlong City from another timeline.

Sun Fuping interjected, "If Zhong Shengguang does not live here, he must have another place of residence. Young Master He, can you think of any?"

"Me?" He Lingchuan pointed to his own nose. "How would I know?"

Nian Songyu said, "Think! Think hard!"

Sun Fuping offered a hint: "The legends of the Panlong Desert have circulated in Qiansong County for decades. You grew up listening to them; you should know many anecdotes outside of official history, even the trivial or folk tales. For instance, a commander like Zhong Shengguang must have risen through the ranks step by step. Where did he live before his promotion?"

He Lingchuan had an epiphany. "Does the State Preceptor suspect we have arrived in the Panlong City from before Zhong Shengguang became a commander?"

"It is very likely," Sun Fuping nodded. "Searching for clues in such a massive city is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Currently, the best variable to look for is Zhong Shengguang himself."

Although he had done his homework beforehand, his knowledge was ultimately limited and he could not master every minute detail, so he had to ask He Lingchuan, a local.

He Lingchuan fell into thought again for a long while before shaking his head. "No, I have no impression of it."

His understanding of Panlong City was no greater than that of an average person from Blackwater City. Trivial matters like how many times Zhong Shengguang had moved, how many times he had been ill, or how many women he had known were clearly beyond his scope of knowledge.

"You've lived in Blackwater City for over ten years, and all you've done is be a useless gourmand?" Nian Songyu said coldly. "It would have been better to just bring He Chunhua down instead."

"You..." He Lingchuan's expression flared with anger.

Nian Songyu clenched his fist, preparing to teach this fellow a lesson when he started cursing, but He Lingchuan suddenly pivoted. "You're right, we should go back and find someone." He turned to Sun Fuping. "State Preceptor, how do we go back?"

Was this kid capable of reading the situation, or was he just a coward or a clever one? Before Sun Fuping could speak, the sand bandit Mao Tao came running from the corridor, excitedly shouting, "I found something! There's something!"

The three of them only then remembered they had lost track of the boy at some point. "What is it?"

"A dead person! There are bones in the cellar."

Nian Songyu said irritably, "What's so special about a dead person..." What was so strange about it? In the desert wasteland, bones were everywhere; they saw them all along the way, serving as bloody evidence of the Xianba Allied Forces' massacre of the city.

However, he immediately reacted and swallowed the rest of his sentence: "Let's go take a look."

This was not the outside world; this was the Panlong City where time stood still. Any anomaly was a precious clue.

The group rushed to the cellar and lit a candle as they descended, indeed discovering partial remains.

In Panlong City, where summers are hot and winters are cold, large households like the Chen family did not just dig one cellar; they had separate ones for storing meat, fruits, vegetables, pickles, and ice.

Indeed, they stored solid ice in winter to consume snow and ice in summer. The stored ice could also be used to make iced fruits and iced wine, or to cool the beds during the hottest days of summer—an exclusive luxury for wealthy families.

The one Mao Tao had found was an ice cellar. It was likely early summer in the current Panlong City, as a piercing chill emanated from the cellar. But as the group descended, they saw white bones scattered in a corner; judging by the number of skulls, there were three deceased.

Sun Fuping picked up a skull and observed it closely, saying in a heavy voice, "It's true."

This was highly unusual. Why would real human remains appear in an illusionary world?

A flash of inspiration struck the four of them, and Nian Songyu cried out, "The Baoling Kingdom expedition team! They have entered the illusion as well."

That was it; the Baoling expedition team had been the first to find the entrance to the illusion, so they naturally had the opportunity to enter this Panlong City.

The key question was: how did they die?

"Looking at their posture, they were moved after death." Mao Tao crouched down to look closely and suddenly gasped. "No, the remains are all jumbled. If they weren't disturbed later, then they were... they were..."

"Dismembered after death." Nian Songyu picked up a radius and then found a scapula, holding them up to the light to inspect them. "There are marks from a sharp object on the bones, on every single piece. This shouldn't be from injuries sustained while alive."