Chapter 68: Mortal Clarity

He Chunhua looked down and saw that, beneath the Heavenly Lightning Array, a new web of glowing runes had appeared.

Unlike the Heavenly Lightning Array, every line in this new array was a vivid, bloody red.

Most striking of all, this array was not particularly complex, but it was undeniably ancient, full of old runes that had not been used in ages.

Situ Han noticed it too. He saw Commandery Administrator He staring wide-eyed at the array, pupils contracted to pinpoints, utterly shocked.

He grew anxious as well. “W-what’s going on?”

“It’s the Blood Sacrifice Array,” He Chunhua ground out between clenched teeth. “Sun Fuping wants to use us as offerings!”

* * *

No one noticed that just after Sun Fuping produced the ivory carving, a bird monster swooped down from the sky and landed right in front of He Lingchuan, sending up a cloud of dust that startled everyone.

Mao Tao instinctively reached for his blade, while Zeng Feixiong immediately stepped in front of He Lingchuan. Fortunately, the black flood dragon’s voice rang out at that moment, “They’re preparing a spell of divine descent. Your companions outside will soon be slaughtered as sacrifices. Are you not going to help stop them?”

He Lingchuan and Zeng Feixiong were aghast. “What did you say?”

Mao Tao shouted in disbelief, “T-that’s nonsense!”

“There’s a sacrificial array nested beneath the lightning-summoning array outside. If those two succeed in their invocation, the array will siphon the life and blood of your companions as the price for calling down a god! The pain of it is beyond what any human could endure.”

“Lies!” Sun Fuping’s voice suddenly sounded in He Lingchuan’s ear. The two turned to look, only to see that he was still sitting with eyes closed and lips moving in silent incantation. He must have used some magic to send his voice directly to them. Truly, this man had tricks up every sleeve. “The lightning-summoning array is only for summoning lightning and protecting Heishui City’s forces. Without it, your father would have already been devoured by the wrathful souls! That artifact spirit is just trying to confuse you! Don’t believe in its words!”

However, the black flood dragon pressed on, “You’re hiding here, so you’re clearly not on their side. They wouldn’t hesitate for a moment to use someone else as a sacrifice. Think about it, why are you able to enter, while everyone else outside is stuck fighting the heroic spirits?”

Its voice grew low and eerie as it continued, “If I’m right, those two originally meant to sacrifice you, as that would have been the easiest way.”

A chill swept through He Lingchuan’s heart.

He had always known these two were scheming against him and his father, as well as Heishui City’s troops, though he had never guessed how they would do it. If what the black flood dragon said was true, the only reason he had escaped disaster was that he had not gone to the southern gate just now.

But while he had dodged the trap, there was no way Sun Fuping, after all his careful plotting, would just let things slide. He might really use He Chunhua and the city’s troops to pay the price.

Taken together, the black flood dragon’s words sounded all too plausible.

Mao Tao was completely at a loss. “Young Master, what... what do we do?”

Which side was telling the truth? Who should they believe?

Perhaps seeing his hesitation, Sun Fuping urgently cried, “He Lingchuan, don’t fall for its tricks! If we can’t subdue the black flood dragon, we’re all going to die here, and He Chunhua and the Heishui City troops will be buried with you!”

He immediately added, “Zeng Feixiong, stop him! The He Family betraying the state means your entire lineage will be implicated!”

Great Yuan law decreed that traitors’ entire lineage, including subordinate retainers and dependents, were to be executed. If the He Family rebelled, Zeng Feixiong would have no hope of survival.

That threat would work on anyone. Zeng Feixiong was already wavering, thinking to urge the Young Master to calm down. After all, He Lingchuan’s reckless, impulsive ways were legendary. But after Sun Fuping’s warning, his outstretched hand paused, then withdrew. “Young Master, I’ll follow your lead!”

Even the usually shrewd Sun Fuping was stunned. He had not expected his warning to have the opposite effect.

In truth, that mention of “death” only reminded Zeng Feixiong that, when he had led his men into the Panlong Desert, it was with the expectation of never returning. All he asked was that the He Family take care of his aging father, see him through his final years. So what if those two were the state preceptor and a commandant? The most important thing now was to carry out Commandery Administrator He’s orders.

He Lingchuan had no time to worry about what Zeng Feixiong was thinking. Right now, at this very moment, he had to make a decision.

In a split second, countless thoughts flashed through He Lingchuan’s mind. Then, all of a sudden, he looked up and spoke to the bird monster at his side, “If I help you, can you guarantee our safe passage out of the Panlong Desert?”

𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

The bird nodded immediately, without the slightest hesitation.

Everyone was overjoyed. This was exactly what they had been hoping for! Their young master had made the clear-headed call.

After all, all the strange happenings in the Panlong Desert were the work of the Generous Pot; if it wanted to let them go, it would be the easiest thing in the world.

They had no choice but to trust it. Without any more hesitation, He Lingchuan ordered, “Take us up to the city wall!”

Immediately, several more bird monsters swooped down, seizing everyone by the shoulders and lifting them into the air with powerful wingbeats.

They had barely risen over thirty meters into the air when, in a flash of cold light, the bird monster carrying Mao Tao was suddenly sliced in half, letting out a screech as it plummeted to the ground.

It was Nian Songyu. Despite being in the thick of battle, he had hurled his blade to stop them from reaching the wall. He had aimed for He Lingchuan, but the bird carrying Mao Tao had thrown itself in the way and taken the blow.

Fortunately, another bird monster rushed in to catch Mao Tao mid-air.

When the group landed atop the wall, He Lingchuan pointed at the defensive artillery. “Load bolts into the ballistae! Prepare the munitions!”

Zeng Feixiong and his men obeyed in silence, but Mao Tao hesitated. “Are you really going to help the black flood dragon?”

He Lingchuan quickly shoved two spiked shells into a mortar and shot Mao Tao a sidelong glance. “What, did you not get enough excitement from Nian Songyu’s blade just now?”

Nian Songyu’s strike had cleaved the bird monster in two and nearly killed Mao Tao on the spot. After hearing He Lingchuan’s retort, Mao Tao gave up arguing and quickly loaded a meter-and-a-half-long iron bolt into a ballista.

Earlier, the defensive artillery on the wall had already fired off a volley, so they were clearly under the black flood dragon’s control. However, it had also become clear that its control over them was not flawless; for more delicate tasks, such as reloading or preparing the weapons, it still required human hands.

With all the demon apes slaughtered and unable to revive immediately, there was simply no one else to do the job. This was why the dragon turned to these uninvited little pests.

He Lingchuan had first thought to draw his own bow and take a shot or two at Sun Fuping. But he held no rank or title, and without the protection of fate, arrows fired by his hand could not possibly compare to the firepower of military artillery.

Now that his mind was made up, he was determined to see this through and do it right.

Nian Songyu was furious, his face as red as the enraged giant looming behind him. “He Lingchuan, if you dare switch sides in the middle of battle, I’ll tear you limb from limb and grind your bones to dust!”

“If you want help, try asking nicely. With an attitude like yours? Tch!” He Lingchuan hefted the last rolling stone onto a launcher, then turned to the bird monster. “Let’s begin!”

Flames erupted from the munitions and arrowheads. With a series of thunderous booms, more than ten defensive artillery fired in unison. The spiked shells made the loudest racket, ringing in everyone’s ears as they exploded.

To be honest, firing these projectiles was never this easy; He Lingchuan still had no idea how Panlong City’s siege weapons actually worked, whether it was fuses or flintlock ignition. But none of that mattered. Right now, Panlong City was under the black flood dragon’s control; everything else was handled for them.