After the Immortal Disappeared

Chapter 337: Chapter 336: Please Enlighten Me, General

Anyone who heard the news thought Eldest Sister-in-law Ji was like an old tree blooming in spring—that she had finally moved on. Who would have known that she was already pregnant with a Ghost Embryo back then!

Eldest Sister-in-law Ji was carried in on a stretcher. She looked like she didn’t even have the strength to walk, her eyes vacant.

Although she was the human mother of the Jindu Zi, she was ultimately just a mortal, so the Great Wind Soldiers didn’t restrain her.

But as the crowd of commoners grew, she, with a sudden burst of strength from who knows where, sat bolt upright and shrieked, ”Give me back my sons! Both my sons died for Panlong City, and after all the suffering I went through to give birth to these, you want to kill them too! Are you even human?! Give me back my sons! Give them back!”

She screamed herself hoarse, her voice cracking, while thrashing on the stretcher. Her face was contorted like a Fierce Ghost, scaring even the crows from the treetops.

The crowd fell silent, and her shrill screams seemed to echo in the sky.

With a cold expression, Xiao Maoliang lifted his chin. The surrounding soldiers rushed forward to gag her, bind her hands, and secure her to the stretcher before quickly carrying her inside.

Only then did Commander Xiao bow to the surrounding citizens and announce loudly, ”Elders, this woman was bewitched by an Evil God. She gave birth to a Ghost Embryo and brought harm to our citizens. Today, she has been brought to justice. You need not dwell on this matter!”

After hearing this, the crowd slowly dispersed.

Hee Lingchuan watched this unfold, an indescribable feeling in his heart. Beside him, Skinny let out a heavy sigh.

’Who was truly to blame for the tragedies of Aunt Yun and Eldest Sister-in-law Ji?’

* * *

When Wen Daolun brought his son home, the entire Wen Family erupted in chaos.

The women of the household took turns weeping, leaving Wen Daolun frantic and burning with anxiety.

Just a few double-hours later, when Zhong Shengguang saw him again, Wen Daolun seemed to have aged several years in an instant.

Accompanying Zhong Shengguang was the Red General, who looked travel-worn.

She had received an urgent report from a Sparrowhawk and had indeed rushed back from the front lines on a fast horse.

The two titans of Panlong City had finally appeared together.

Because he had interacted with Eldest Sister-in-law Ji, Hee Lingchuan had been summoned to the residence by Wen Daolun to be repeatedly questioned about the details, so he was also present.

Wen Daolun, already as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, immediately bowed deeply to the Red General. ”I beg you, Red General, save my son’s life!”

Before he could even finish his bow, the Red General caught his arm.

Her eyes remained hidden in shadow, and her voice was hollow and cold, yet she was Wen Daolun’s only hope at this moment. ”Let’s take a look first.”

Hee Lingchuan took special note that although the room was brightly lit, the light still failed to illuminate the Red General’s faceplate.

But the faceplate she wore today was different from the one at Red Peak Mountain. It was an exquisite wolf-head mask, with the wolf’s eyes positioned over her own, the entire thing a burnished gold.

In this era, wearing a faceplate in battle was not unusual; it was effective protection against a hail of spears and arrows. Many Great Wind Warriors also wore faceplates into battle, perhaps influenced by the Red General.

Once they entered the inner room, the faceplate vanished, and Hee Lingchuan once again saw that stunningly beautiful face.

Wen Xing’s sleeves and pant legs had been cut open. The Red General walked to the bedside, glanced at him, then reached out and pressed the wound on his arm a couple of times.

She didn’t draw an immediate conclusion. Instead, she carefully examined the remains of the ghost offspring on the tray, then called for a needle and picked a tiny ”pit” out of the creature’s head.

This ”pit” was broken in the middle.

Just as Hee Lingchuan found it somewhat familiar, the Red General asked, ”Who killed it?”

He could only answer sheepishly, ”I did.”

”You again,” the Red General said, her voice devoid of emotion. ”You killed both of the youngest ones.”

Hee Lingchuan was now certain. He had destroyed the Ghost Embryo’s Brain Core.

”Since the ninth son of Jindu was the one to strike, Wen Xing must have been hit with the Woodification Technique,” the Red General stated with certainty. ”This is True Monarch Tongming’s specialty, a power far beyond that of the Jindu Mother.”

The name ”True Monarch Tongming” made Hee Lingchuan’s heart skip a beat.

The Hee Family had been framed for making offerings to a deity back then, and the charge was performing a live sacrifice to this very ”True Monarch Tongming.”

He never would have expected to hear that name from the Red General’s lips at a time like this.

”Can he be saved?” Wen Daolun only cared about this one thing. ”Or... can the injury be transferred?”

Hee Lingchuan remembered that Wu Shaoyi had used the Injury Transfer Secret Technique to move a fatal wound to another bandit. Although it had many side effects, the user would at least get a few more years of life.

Panlong City was full of capable people; it seemed someone else knew this technique.

”It can’t be transferred,” the Red General said coolly. ”You think a mere Injury Transfer Secret Technique can fool the eyes of a Deity?”

Wen Daolun was utterly dejected.

The Red General seemed to weigh her words before speaking. ”If my true self were to descend, undoing this Divine Art would be a simple matter. But as things are now...”

Hearing the two words ”true self,” Hee Lingchuan realized it was actually the Divine Mitian who was speaking.

The Red General paused. ”True Monarch Tongming lent a sliver of his power to the Jindu Mother, but this cub couldn’t have done it alone. It must have devoured the other cubs and then burned through its own life force to fire that shot. Even if you hadn’t killed it, it would have died shortly after.”

With Wen Xing in critical condition, her words were not without purpose. ”You must understand that from casting to taking effect, the Woodification Technique consumes a massive amount of Life Force. Conversely, only by transfusing a tremendous amount of flesh-and-blood essence into Wen Xing’s body can he resist, or even counter, the technique’s encroachment!”

In other words, the ”woodification” process was reversible. Wen Daolun murmured, ”A tremendous amount of flesh-and-blood essence... a tremendous amount... Can you do it?”

”Forget mortals; not even a Divine General could accomplish it. Even if you were to slaughter every surrendered captive and death-row prisoner in Panlong City, it wouldn’t be nearly enough.” The Red General turned to Zhong Shengguang. ”No one possesses such an immense Life Force.”

She heavily stressed the two words ”no one.” The room fell quiet, and the atmosphere suddenly grew subtle.

’Humans can’t do it, so... what can?’

Wen Daolun, of course, did not miss the implication. His thoughts raced, and he stood stunned for a moment. ”Could it be?”

The Red General explained further, ”Nowadays, only a Divine Art can counter a Divine Art. Without a Divine Art, one can only rely on a divine...”

Before she could finish, Zhong Shengguang suddenly said sharply to Hee Lingchuan and the others, ”Everyone, out.”

”Everyone” included Hee Lingchuan and the other Guards, the servants waiting to one side, and the doctors Helian Chen and Aluo.

They all did as they were told and withdrew, leaving only Zhong Shengguang, the Red General, Wen Daolun, and the still-unconscious Wen Xing in the room.

Hee Lingchuan was the last to leave. As he closed the door behind him, he faintly heard Wen Daolun’s low whisper, ”How could this be?”

His voice was laced with such deep despair that even after shutting the door, Hee Lingchuan was still confused.

’Were the Red General’s last, interrupted words ”Divine Artifact”?’

As a Dream Enterer from over a hundred years in the future, Hee Lingchuan knew very well that a Divine Artifact was hidden in Panlong City at this very moment:

The Grand Square Pot.

’Doesn’t Wen Daolun know that Zhong Shengguang holds such a Supreme Treasure? Why would he still be so despairing?’

When the women of the Wen Family waiting outside saw everyone exit, their eyes lit up, especially when they saw Helian Chen. They swarmed him, all talking at once:

”Mr. Helian, how is our Xing?”

”Is he awake? How long until he’s cured?”

”Is his condition contagious?”

”Why did the Red General come? Does it mean something has gone wrong?”

...

Helian Chen was getting a headache. Aluo quickly stepped forward to shield him, saying, ”We can’t say anything right now, we can’t! Lord Zhong and the Red General are in an urgent discussion!”

The Wen Family women were even more alarmed. ”What does Xing’s injury have to do with the Red General! Neither of them are doctors, so why do we have to wait for them to reach a decision?”

”Why can’t Mr. Helian say anything?”

Just as Helian Chen was about to retreat into a side room, the Wen Family’s matriarch stepped forward and scolded the younger generation for their lack of manners. The doctors had just breathed a sigh of relief when the old woman herself strolled over and said, ”Doctors, let’s talk inside!”

”...”

In contrast, the eye of the storm—Wen Xing’s sickroom—was silent. A Barrier must have been placed to prevent any sound from leaking out.

After about a quarter of an hour, the door suddenly opened. Zhong Shengguang came out personally to invite the matriarch inside, saying that Wen Xing was awake.

The matriarch went inside, overjoyed, but the other women were still kept outside the door.

Hee Lingchuan stood silently in the crowd, observing Zhong Shengguang. Seeing his grim expression, which showed no sign of relief, Hee Lingchuan knew things were not good.

Before long, the masked Red General came out, closing the door behind her. She asked Zhong Shengguang, ”What’s the situation now?”

”Brother Wen has made his decision and will not change it,” Zhong Shengguang said, looking at the closed door. ”You should return to the front lines.”

The Red General nodded, strode away, and her subordinates followed closely behind.

However, she hadn’t taken two steps before she suddenly turned and beckoned to Hee Lingchuan. ”Broken Blade.”

’Is she calling me?’ Hee Lingchuan froze for a second, then hurried to catch up.

The Red General tossed him a small, transparent Glaze vial containing the broken Brain Core of the Jindu Boy. ”Your spoils of war.”

He killed the monster, so the loot belonged to him.

The Red General added, ”You’ve performed well recently. What reward would you like?”

Hee Lingchuan couldn’t think of anything on the spot, so he just said, ”I have a few questions I’d like to ask the General for clarification.”

The Red General was quite direct. ”Ask.”

”General, can Wen Xing not be saved?”

”You heard just now. He was injured by a Divine Art, which is beyond my capabilities,” the Red General said. ”A Divine Art can fundamentally alter our bodies. Today’s Magic can no longer do that.”

’Today’s? Did adding that prefix mean it was possible in the past?’

The Red General continued, ”All I could do was wake Wen Xing so he could say his final farewells to his family.”

’But if Wen Xing’s condition was incurable, they could have just announced the result. Everyone inside and out would have given up hope. Why would the three of them need to discuss it behind closed doors?’

’The strangeness of this matter must have something to do with the Divine Artifact, the Grand Square Pot.’

’Observing from the perspective of someone from the future, it wasn’t hard for Hee Lingchuan to deduce that the Red General had been about to say the Divine Artifact could save Wen Xing’s life.’

’But in the end, they actually decided not to use the Grand Square Pot to save him?’

’Why?’

’Hee Lingchuan could see the deep, loving bond between Wen Daolun and Wen Xing, a father’s kindness met with a son’s devotion, far surpassing the relationship between his own father and him. How could Wen Daolun just stand by and watch his son die? Could it be that Zhong Shengguang or the Red General disagreed?’

As if hearing his internal thoughts, the Red General suddenly spoke. ”A year ago, Wen Daolun performed a divination for his son and foresaw a great calamity in his fate, that disaster was imminent. That’s why the whole family opposed Wen Xing joining the army. Now that it has happened today, Wen Daolun is instead able to face it calmly.”