Where Immortals Once Walked

The wooden tube was not made from just any wood. It was a Dragon Punishment Pillar made from juluo tree forks, divine bone, and other materials. A few months earlier, He Lingchuan had lacked the proper components, so he had only managed to produce a beggar’s-edition finished product.

But a Dragon Punishment Pillar was still a Dragon Punishment Pillar. As long as it could absorb nightmare qi, it was the real thing.

Now, within the transparent glass—or perhaps resin—set into the middle section of the wooden tube, a small amount of pale red liquid had gathered. At times, it flowed; at others, it shifted into red mist.

After Li Qingge’s subordinates returned from Wan’ge Swamp, they had returned this Dragon Punishment Pillar to He Lingchuan.

The cicada disaster truly had devastated the creatures of Wan’ge Swamp and the surrounding forest, so the Dragon Punishment Pillar had also collected a portion of nightmare qi. It did not come from humans alone, but from other creatures as well. No one knew the exact unit of measurement, but it looked like quite a lot.

“No matter what form it takes, it is still a Dragon Punishment Pillar. It can still be used, and Lingxu City won’t be able to trace it.” He Lingchuan cupped his fist and bowed to him. “Greetings, Heavenly God Shinan.”

The old temple attendant gave a hum. His gaze swept over the two of them before settling on He Lingchuan. “What do you seek from me? I can see that neither of you is a devout believer.”

After all, what devout believer came wearing a mask?

“There is something I would like to ask.” He Lingchuan pointed toward the wooden tube. “This Dragon Punishment Pillar will be the payment.”

His wording was very particular. He called the Dragon Punishment Pillar payment, not a token of thanks.

Payment could be settled and quantified.

This also meant that if Shinan’s answer failed to satisfy him, the Dragon Punishment Pillar would not be so easy to obtain.

The old man’s skin already drooped from his face, so no matter how he smiled, it looked like a false smile stretched over old leather. “Bargaining with a heavenly god, eh? It appears you two have no small amount of nerve.”

Dong Rui chimed in at just the right moment. “There are eleven other temples on this island. If you won’t answer, we can ask another god.”

“Them?” The old temple attendant gave two disdainful chuckles. Even so, he nodded and said, “Ask.”

This god, Shinan, had appeared in the Panlong world before.

The last time He Lingchuan entered the Panlong world before beginning the Mount Xu Plan, Shinan had borrowed a skin-sack to break into Panlong City and warn Mitian.

At the time, He Lingchuan had wanted to seize the chance to ask him a few questions, but Shinan had refused to let him freeload. He had only revealed the address of his own temple.

If mortals wanted help from a god, should they not express a little sincerity first?

To sum it up in one sentence:

An offering was required.

He Lingchuan’s first impression of Shinan was that he was not as aloof and remote as the other gods. Instead, he seemed rather worldly.

He Lingchuan guessed that this probably had something to do with his status in the divine realm.

He had called himself a minor god, a wild god. That meant he had no right to act haughty in front of a mighty existence like Mitian.

Back then, he had also shown his desire for the Dragon Punishment Pillar and nightmare qi. That was how He Lingchuan knew this would be the best possible payment, one Shinan would find very hard to refuse.

With a Dragon Punishment Pillar, he could send his own believers to battlefields to collect nightmare qi.

That was equivalent to digging into the Tianluo Star’s foundations and opening a private little kitchen for himself.

As for handing over the Dragon Punishment Pillar, He Lingchuan felt no psychological burden at all. The nightmare qi in the mortal realm would have been siphoned away by Tianluo anyway. What was the big deal if the Dragon Punishment Pillar intercepted a little of it?

He Lingchuan sorted through his thoughts. “I saw that you came straight for me just now. Why?” You better not say you mistook me for someone else. A god isn’t some old man with failing eyesight.

The old temple attendant gave a raspy, sinister laugh. “You are an excellent skin-sack. It’s hard for a god not to take notice.”

In plain terms, he had been unable to help himself.

Despite the mask covering him, Shinan had seen the mortal’s value at a glance.

The moment He Lingchuan took out the Dragon Punishment Pillar and mentioned nightmare qi, Shinan understood. This young fellow had already come into contact with the core secrets of both worlds, so there was no need for him to speak too obscurely.

He Lingchuan still remembered that when State Preceptor Sun Fuping invited a god in the Panlong Ruins, the skin-sack he had prepared was Nian Songyu. Yet the heavenly god’s avatar he summoned had not gone straight for Nian Songyu. Instead, it had prioritized He Lingchuan, only to be thrown back out by the divine seal mark in his sea of consciousness.

“What makes someone a good skin-sack? Where does that come from?”

“Mortals usually cannot bear even one percent of our power. They do not qualify as skin-sacks. Of course, there are always exceptions. Some people’s bodies can bear four or five percent of that power, and that gives them the qualifications to serve as skin-sacks. Those who can bear ten percent can be considered excellent.”

“Ten percent?” He Lingchuan was somewhat surprised. “Excellent, and it’s still only that little?”

“You humans—” Shinan’s tone could not hide its arrogance and disdain. “Bodies born under these spirit qi conditions are terribly fragile. When a divine envoy uses one of your skin-sacks, it is like wearing an outer robe made of thin paper. One careless move tears a hole in it. One careless move crushes it entirely.”

He Lingchuan thought of Lu Shishi, God Baizhantian’s skin-sack. After the possessing heavenly god left, she had indeed shattered like a paper doll.

Shinan’s metaphor was vivid enough.

It then continued, “There are exceptional individuals among you who can allow a god to exert twenty or thirty percent of their strength. But such skin-sacks are one in a million, one in ten million. Even in Beijia, they are found only by chance, never by seeking. Moreover—” It paused for a couple of moments before adding, “Every heavenly god’s power is different, and every heavenly god’s requirements for a skin-sack are not entirely the same. One skin-sack cannot be used by all heavenly gods.”

“Only twenty or thirty percent at most?”

“Only?” Shinan threw his head back and laughed. “The might of gods is not something you lowly creatures can imagine. Even if we use only twenty or thirty percent of our strength, it is enough to sweep away armies of thousands!”

Armies of thousands? Hah, he’s got to be bragging. Still, He Lingchuan was not going to argue with him over something like that. If he said so, then so be it.

“If skin-sacks are so fragile, how many times can one be used?”

“That depends on how intense the battle is, and whether the heavenly god cherishes the vessel.” The old temple attendant stroked his white beard. “If handled carefully, three or four times.”

Three or four times? But Lu Shishi had been possessed by Baizhantian and died in less than two hours.

Granted, the battle against the spider immortal had been fierce, but the main reason had probably been Baizhantian’s lack of care, right?

“Is it possible for the skin-sack to suffer no damage after being used?”

“Almost impossible.” The old temple attendant shook his head. “Even if the skin-sack is not injured in battle, divine descent itself inflicts harm. Both the skin-sack’s sea of consciousness and physical body will be damaged. They must rest and recover for a very long time before they can receive divine descent again.”

He Lingchuan gave a long, drawn-out “oh,” before asking, “Are you sure?”

“This is common knowledge. What is there to be unsure about?”

“I see.” He Lingchuan nodded. So the common knowledge is wrong.

He had not witnessed many divine descents, but the greatest counterexample was the Red General.

Zhong Shengguang had sacrificed his daughter to Mitian. He Lingchuan was basically certain that the Red General was Mitian’s skin-sack. Yet the Red General had always been full of vigor, not at all like someone damaged.

Maybe the injuries are hidden where others can’t see them?

He Lingchuan shook his head inwardly. That possibility was not high. The Red General carried heavy military duties. If her body were damaged, she would have been worn down long ago.

She even had the spare energy to go to the Martial Review Hall and impart guidance to those who were there. No matter how he looked at her, she did not seem like someone in a ruined state.