Chapter 55: Chapter 56: Raging Fire Burns the City

Human memories can be altered.

People even tamper with their own memories, magnifying the good while choosing to forget the hardships and misfortunes along the way.

"The perfection of this Illusion Realm is actually its greatest flaw." He sighed and put the Handwriting away. "In the end, Tao Bo wrote that he had a bold solution and was going to try it after burying these notes. But he knew it would be difficult to succeed alone, and failure meant certain death. However, he also mentioned there’s one other place in this city that distorts reality, a place at odds with actual history. But his physical condition no longer allowed him to think on it in detail. He hoped that perhaps someone who came after could find a breakthrough there."

Fuzzy Peach hurriedly asked, "And where is that place?"

"He didn’t write it." Sunx Fuping shook his head. "Ever since entering the Illusion Realm, the exploration team felt they were being watched. Someone even claimed to have seen a giant red figure in a daze."

A giant red figure! Hee Lingchuan’s expression changed. "They saw it too?"

"Too?"

"You guys... didn’t see it?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"After I entered the pool, there seemed to be something huge in the bloody water, but I couldn’t see it clearly at all." Hee Lingchuan gave a bitter smile. "So others saw it too? I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me."

"Living or dead?"

"It was moving, but I’m not sure if it was moving on its own or just drifting with the current."

Clearly, this information didn’t provide any useful clues. Sunx Fuping turned his attention back to the problem at hand.

"Tao Bo believed it might be the Artifact Spirit of the Grand Square Pot, or a Resentful Soul deeply hidden here. That’s why he couldn’t write down his solution or the Illusion Realm’s weakness—otherwise, this world would change accordingly."

Nian Songyu frowned. "It’s irrelevant whether he wrote down the solution or not. The fact that Tao Bo didn’t make it back alive proves his method failed."

But Hee Lingchuan said, "His take on this world is interesting, though. We can start with that."

"How?"

"This world is too perfect, so it’s hiding the Grand Square Pot?" Hee Lingchuan said nonchalantly. "Well, isn’t the solution simple? If we destroy this world, the Grand Square Pot will have to appear, right?"

’You...’ Nian Songyu wanted to curse him for spouting nonsense, but on second thought, that kind of brutally simple reverse logic... seemed...

’It actually makes a lot of sense, huh?’

"Is there any better way to hide something? No wonder all those waves of explorers before us came back empty-handed!" Hee Lingchuan grew more and more pleased with his own idea. "The most important thing is that Tao Bo already searched this place high and low. There probably aren’t any real clues left, so it’s no great loss if we destroy everything."

Sunx Fuping seemed lost in thought. "About that ’place at odds’..." ’If we burn everything, it’ll be gone for good.’

"Panlong City is so big, where are we supposed to find one small flaw? We wouldn’t find it even if we spent another sixty days. Besides, I don’t think we can last another sixty days."

A shiver ran down Fuzzy Peach’s spine when he heard that.

’Tao Bo survived for sixty days by gnawing on his companions’ bodies in addition to the food and water he brought. There are four of us here now. When supplies truly run out, no matter how you slice it, I’ll be the first one to be eaten!’

At this thought, he felt the gazes of the other three were filled with deep malice. He quickly chimed in, "The Eldest Young Master’s idea makes perfect sense!"

Hee Lingchuan gave him a sidelong glance, as if seeing through his fear. "I remember the National Preceptor said that, as a last resort, we could use the nation’s fortune to get us all out?"

"Of course, but we only have one chance. We must be cautious."

"Then what is there to be afraid of?" Hee Lingchuan chuckled. "Let’s discuss how one destroys a world!"

"Fire!" This time, Nian Songyu and Fuzzy Peach actually said it in unison.

The latter immediately fell silent, while the former looked at Sunx Fuping. "Just like what happened after Panlong City fell!"

Back then, after the Immortal Ba Alliance Army breached Panlong City, they looted and slaughtered wantonly before burning the entire city to the ground.

There was no method more brutal, nor more classic.

After a moment of thought, Sunx Fuping nodded. "Let’s start gathering kindling. We’ll split up."

"Burning down a city this big won’t be easy, will it?" said Hee Lingchuan. "With just the four of us, won’t it take a month or two?"

Fuzzy Peach jumped, immediately imagining his own fate. Sunx Fuping thought for a moment. "You’re right. We’re short-handed. It would be best to call in the people outside."

’Call my father down here, too?’ Hee Lingchuan was taken aback. "You can contact them?"

"Hard to say. Let’s give it a try." This was a world within a world; it wasn’t just a matter of distance. Sunx Fuping wasn’t entirely sure it would work.

Seeing Sunx Fuping roll up his sleeves to summon them, Hee Lingchuan quickly held up a hand to stop him. "If this place is a one-way trip, they’ll be doomed. Why don’t we try first? Tao Bo was only one person when he tried."

"And that’s why he failed," Nian Songyu said with a mirthless smile. "You’re the one who said no one leaves the Panlong Desert alive during the Sandstorm Season. If we can’t get the Grand Square Pot, your father can’t leave Panlong Wasteland City either. They’re going to die here one way or another. The only difference is whether they die in here or out there."

’This kid is so ruthless. They’re not his men, so he wouldn’t care if they all died.’ Just as Hee Lingchuan was about to argue further, he had a sudden flash of inspiration. "We can burn the city with just us. We just need to turn the siege weapons on the walls around. Look, the buildings are mostly concentrated in the south. My father shouldn’t come down right now. Otherwise, who will help us hold off the Great Wind Army?"

The siege weapons on the walls?

Nian Songyu mused, offering a rare compliment, "There’s some sense in that!"

The city walls had defensive fortifications, and siege engines were generally used for long-range combat. Some hurled rolling stones or Fire Stones, while others fired giant crossbows to repel attacking forces. But if they were turned around, they could be used to start fires within the city, and from a great distance.

This would be far more efficient than four people running around setting fires by hand.

Besides, it wasn’t necessary to burn all of Panlong City to the ground. Razing the main urban district should be enough.

Hee Lingchuan struck while the iron was hot. "The siege weapons have a limited range. I’ll head to the outskirts beyond their reach and burn down the scattered houses there."

Since he’d thought it through so carefully, Nian Songyu had no further objections. Sunx Fuping, however, spoke up with an instruction: "We split up. Reconvene on the city wall in two double-hours."

"Be punctual! If anything unexpected happens, head to the South Gate immediately!" His face was grim. "This loophole we’re using was discovered by Tao Bo, but he never made it back. This suggests some irresistible force appears after the city burns. If you don’t want to die, you must stick close to me when the time comes. Remember this!"

And so, the four of them went their separate ways.

Nian Songyu headed south to inspect the siege weapons on the gatehouse and search the armory for war supplies. Having actually led troops in battle, he knew exactly where to find such things.

Hee Lingchuan went east, Fuzzy Peach north, and Sunx Fuping west.