Blood trickled from between its teeth, and it made a distinct swallowing motion.

Hee Lingchuan finally understood why his party had never found a trace of Tao Bo, leader of the Baling Expedition Team and grand-disciple of Ancestor Master Zhugen. ’He must have met the same fate as Nian Songyu.’

Among the men holding Fuzzy Peach, a sand bandit wizard suddenly exclaimed, "What’s this?"

He pulled open the back of Fuzzy Peach’s collar and ripped a yellow paper effigy covered in talismanic script from his back.

The moment the paper effigy was torn away, Fuzzy Peach’s frenzy came to a sudden halt. His grip loosened, and the Treasure Saber fell.

In the chaos, no one moved to catch it.

Hee Lingchuan’s fingertips twitched, but ultimately, he didn’t reach for it.

With a CLANG, the saber landed spine-down on the hard flagstones and, under the watchful eyes of all, snapped in two.

Everyone froze as if a pause button had been pressed, their eyes locked on the Broken Blade on the ground. Then, they stole glances at the Black Dragon.

’It’s broken! The saber is broken!’

’What were Nian Songyu’s last words again?’

Only Hee Lingchuan knew that the Treasure Saber already had a deep crack. The possessed Fuzzy Peach had then smashed its spine against the wall, damaging it even further. It was a miracle it hadn’t snapped right then and there.

The fall was the last straw.

Several questions instantly flashed through Hee Lingchuan’s mind:

How did the so-called "Celestial God" know this Treasure Saber was the Black Dragon’s fatal weakness?

How did it know Hee Lingchuan had the saber?

How did it know Fuzzy Peach would be able to shatter it?

Perhaps it had noticed Hee Lingchuan returning from South City alone on the Demon Bird while Sunx Fuping was nowhere to be found, and deduced that the treasure was now in Hee Lingchuan’s possession.

But what about the other two questions?

Hee Lingchuan knew this all hinted at deeper, more complex secrets, but now that the white light had been swallowed, the answers were gone.

The white light possessing Nian Songyu had miscalculated, only to be swallowed whole by the Black Dragon. If the saber had broken just a few moments sooner, the outcome would have been completely different.

A deathly silence fell over the area, both on and below the city walls.

Then, the illusory creatures—the Demon Apes and Demon Birds—all suddenly collapsed, turning to ash.

The Black Dragon, however, slithered through the air toward the city wall.

Everyone instinctively retreated. Hee Lingchuan cleared his throat and, steeling himself, asked, "Is our previous agreement still valid?"

The demonic creatures were gone, but the Black Dragon itself had grown stronger, and the many Heroic Spirits of the Great Wind Army in the city still answered to it. If it wanted them dead, not a single person here would live to see another sunrise.

The Black Dragon glanced at the Broken Blade on the ground, then at him, and suddenly laughed. "You’re a clever one. You may keep my saber."

’Uh, what am I supposed to say? "Thanks?"’

Hee Lingchuan picked up the two halves of the Broken Blade from the flagstones and sheathed them.

"No, I should be the one thanking you." The Black Dragon shook its head, its voice surprisingly serene. "In all these years, you’re the first person to offer me three cups of wine in tribute instead of trying to dig up my grave."

’Three cups of wine in tribute?’ Hee Lingchuan wasn’t surprised. Instead, he let out a breath. "So it really was you, Zhong Shengguang."

It was a name that everyone from Black Water City knew, a name that resounded like thunder, yet it had not been heard for a hundred years.

The others who heard this were in utter disbelief.

Situ Han stammered, "He—He’s Zhong Shengguang?"

Zhong Shengguang was a famous general, but first and foremost, he was a man. How could this Black Dragon be Zhong Shengguang?

The Black Dragon ignored the others, lowering its head to the Great Wind Army. "Escort them out of the Panlong Wasteland."

Several leaders of the Great Wind Army bowed from their saddles, cupping their fists in utmost respect. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

’Of course,’ he thought. ’Who but Zhong Shengguang himself could command the undying loyalty of the proud Steel Division?’

Just then, a voice called out from the south of the city, "What about the Grand Square Pot?"

It was Hee Chunhua, who had rushed back with his subordinates.

He had reached the South City Gate to find the battle over. Nian Songyu was gone, and the Black Dragon was draped over the wall, conversing with his son. The situation didn’t look tense at all.

He immediately concluded that the Celestial God had lost.

This meant his side had won, but the goal of their expedition was still far from accomplished.

They had lost so many men, and it was all for the Grand Square Pot.

"You cannot take it." The Black Dragon glanced at him. "The Grand Square Pot is Panlong City, and Panlong City is the Grand Square Pot. They merged into one long ago. Forget mortals—not even Deities can take it away. Otherwise, it would have been gone long before now."

"You, on the other hand," it said, turning to Hee Lingchuan, "your wish just might come true."

Hee Lingchuan looked baffled, pointing to himself. "What wish?"

The Black Dragon didn’t answer. Instead, it faced South City and let out a soft sigh. "My mission is finally complete." Its voice held a mix of exhaustion, surprising joy, and a host of other emotions Hee Lingchuan couldn’t decipher.

Its gleaming, jet-black body was rapidly coated in a layer of ashen frost.

In just a few moments, the great dragon crashed from the wall with a deafening THUD that shook the very ground, shattering into innumerable fragments.

A celebrated general of his time had once again turned to the dust of history.

A billow of dust rushed toward them.

Everyone instinctively shut their eyes, covered their noses, and held their breath.

And so, no one noticed that at the very instant the light faded from the Black Dragon’s eyes, a streak of red light shot skyward from the ruins of South City!

...

When the dust settled and everyone opened their eyes, they found themselves standing before the Divine Temple in Panlong Wasteland City.

Nian Songyu had been right after all. Only with the Black Dragon’s demise could they escape the Illusion Realm alive.

Hee Lingchuan threw his arms around Hee Chunhua. "Dad! I thought you’d been turned into a blood sacrifice!"

He and Hee Chunhua were not normally so affectionate; he was simply acting on instinct.

Hee Chunhua patted his back, then pulled away, unaccustomed to such intimacy with his eldest son. "Taking out the broken comb made the Great Wind Army cease its attack, which gave us time to escape the Array. You talked with the Black Dragon the most. Did you learn any clues about the Grand Square Pot?"

Hee Lingchuan asked in surprise, "Didn’t it say the Grand Square Pot and Panlong City were one and the same, impossible to remove? Besides, we’ve already left the Illusion Realm."

"It wasn’t an Artifact Spirit. It was the Resentful Soul of a man who died over a hundred years ago. How can you be sure it was telling the truth?" Hee Chunhua said, displeased. "We made enormous sacrifices. How can we return empty-handed?"

Previously, everyone was just relieved to have escaped with their lives. But now that they were safe, they realized they had come away empty-handed, without a single spoil of victory.

The rewards for this venture were nowhere near proportional to the costs.

In fact, it was a devastating loss.

Zeng Feixiong chimed in, "Without the Grand Square Pot, what will we do about the war at Woling Pass?"

Situ Han couldn’t take it anymore. "You’re all a professional army. Can’t you fight a war without some Celestial God’s treasure?"

Hee Lingchuan drew the Long Saber from his waist to check it. It was still there; it hadn’t disappeared.

It was likely the only real object from the Illusion Realm.

"What’s your plan, Dad?"

Hee Chunhua pondered for a moment. "We’ll send someone back in to look."

The rest of the group took a simultaneous two steps back. No one wanted to enter that hellhole again.

Hee Lingchuan casually picked up a stone and tossed it into the Pool Well.

PLUNK.

Although the water was tinged with blood, everyone clearly saw the stone sink to the bottom of the pool.