pertwk Chapter 2491 A Bustling but Empty City
Chapter 2491 A Bustling but Empty City
Chapter 2491 A Bustling but Empty City
The gates of Panlong City were wide open, but there were no guards.
As the group approached, a giant dragon poked its head out from the wall, its red eyes gleaming as it scanned everyone.
Its body was integrated with the city wall, even its scales were outlined like bricks and tiles. Its huge head was wider than Mother Earth, hovering above everyone, exuding a powerful sense of oppression.
Immortal Mingke clicked his tongue in amazement: "Your city gate beast is actually in the shape of the Dragon God?"
"Historically, the guardian beast of Panlong City was this dragon, which was brought to life by Commander Zhong using the Great Evolution Heavenly Pearl."
Immortal Mingke said with a hidden meaning, "I heard that the Great Evolution Heavenly Pearl later ended up with True Person Qianhuan."
He Lingchuan glanced at him: "Your source is quite extraordinary."
Immortal Mingke laughed and said, "If you stay in Mount Ling for a long time, you will learn a lot of inside information."
The dragon examined them for a moment, then let them pass.
They followed He Lingchuan inside and saw that the entire Panlong City was brightly lit.
"Huh?" Everyone was taken aback.
Behind the city gate is the South Gate Square. The buildings, waterways, and layout seem familiar, but upon closer inspection, they are quite different.
The square is very large, at least twice the size of the South Gate Square of Panlong Ruins. The paving stones are cleaner, the water system is more abundant, and the plants have been carefully trimmed. Several towering trees are also covered with red prayer banners.
Dong Rui shaded his eyes with his hand and blurted out:
"What happened to the Temple of the Mighty Gods?"
If you walk into the ruins of the South Gate Square, no one can ignore the magnificent Mitian Temple.
But in the square before us, there are all sorts of landmark buildings, but the Temple of the Mighty God is missing!
Where the magnificent temple should have been, a colossal tower rises into the clouds, with thirty-three stories.
“Panlong City broke free from Mitian’s control in its later years, so there should no longer be any temple here.”
Dong Rui pointed at the giant tower: "Then what is this?"
"Dragon God Tower".
Dong Rui looked at him and silently swallowed three words of complaint:
shameless.
He actually built such a tall memorial tower for himself.
“It wasn’t built for me, it was built for the Dragon God.” With just one look, He Lingchuan knew what he meant. “In the later stages of Panlong City, the soldiers and civilians worshipped the Dragon God.”
He was referring to Panlongcheng in the Dafanghu pot; historically, the battle between General Hong and Mitian was not fought in broad daylight, and even the gods in heaven did not know about it, so the defection of Panlongcheng was not so blatant, and the Mitian Temple was preserved until the very last moment.
Immortal Mingke pointed to the south gate of the city: "Can we go up?"
"of course."
Immortal Mingke climbed the ladder and reached the top of the city gate in just a few steps.
In just a few days, he had visited the real Panlong Ancient City no less than seven or eight times. When he reached out and touched the battlements, he felt that the texture was similar to that in reality, but the maintenance and repair were better, and it had not suffered from wind and sand erosion.
The weapons on the city gate were seven or eight more types than in reality, arranged at intervals, looking menacing.
The crowd also came up, looking down at the city from their vantage point, and they all took a deep breath.
so big!
It's night now, and even from a high vantage point, one can't see the entire Panlong City; only the flickering lights within are visible. A rough estimate suggests its area is more than twice the size of the actual ruins!
Dong Rui exclaimed, "It's even bigger than the Jade Capital City!"
The city lights, like a galaxy in the sky, stretched into the distance.
If the real Panlong Ruins evoke a sense of desolation, loneliness, and unyielding resilience, then the Panlong Secret Realm is one of prosperity, warmth, and tranquility, always waiting for those who return late.
Putting everything else aside, the main street is different from reality; it's longer, wider, and flatter, and the buildings and shop facades are all very new, as if they've been regularly maintained.
Even when the city is deserted, it exudes an atmosphere of wealth and peace.
Immortal Mingke couldn't help but ask, "Where did the Panlong City army that fought against Changfeng Valley a few days ago go?"
That fierce and skilled army left a very deep impression on him.
"They came from somewhere else; they came to provide support, and now they've gone back."
"Not originally from the secret realm?"
"No." During the era when Zhong Shengguang was in charge of the Panlong Secret Realm, the Panlong City army in the Great Square Pot also came out to help, but once they left the Great Square Pot, they seemed to lose their memories and vitality, becoming as dull as war puppets and dolls.
He Lingchuan judged that this was borrowing its form but not its spirit.
Furthermore, He Lingchuan had recently made several attempts, but he just couldn't bring the Panlong City army into reality, even as puppets. This was quite different from the time of Zhong Shengguang. He could only deduce that as the laws of the Great Square Pot became increasingly perfect, this loophole had been plugged.
Immortal Mingke let out a long "Oh." The people and affairs related to the Great Square Pot were indeed unconventional.
"By the way, I have a question that I would like to ask the Great Emperor to answer for me."
"Just ask."
"The Duzhishan Secret Realm created by Shangguan Biao actually has people from Changfeng Valley, and their cultivation is powerful enough to fight us to a draw." This question has been troubling Immortal Mingke for many days. "Since the secret realm only shows fragments of the past, where does their power come from?"
He Lingchuan laughed: "What you really want to ask is, how could they possibly be truly powerful?"
"Yes."
“You have such doubts only because you think that the laws of the secret realm are the same as those of reality. Since it is a fake and illusory thing, how can it defeat a living person in reality?” He Lingchuan explained, “You see, you are measuring them within a framework.”
"Because... the two sides clashed in the secret realm." Isn't the battle between the people of Lingshan and the people of Changfeng Valley a clash between reality and illusion?
Since they are fighting, there will be a difference in strength.
"Then let me ask you this: if you eat all sorts of delicacies in your dream, will you feel full when you wake up?"
"of course not."
"Why?" He Lingchuan asked with a smile, "You were clearly stuffed to the point of bursting in your dream."
Immortal Mingke blurted out, "How can food eaten in a dream count in reality?"
He was also born with wisdom, and after saying this, he let out a long "Oh," as if deep in thought.
“Exactly. You see, you now know to separate them. Dreams are dreams, and reality is reality. What does it matter in reality if you eat your fill in a dream?” He Lingchuan said. “You’re starving right now, but when you fall asleep and dream, you might be stuffed to death.”
"Is the same true for secret realms?"
"The secret realm is a world unto itself, and its laws are very different from those of reality. It is isolated from reality, and the people and things in the secret realm cannot leave reality; they can only act out their own unique environment. So no matter how bizarre and fantastical it may be, it is reasonable in itself. In this respect, it is actually somewhat similar to dreams and small worlds."
"Outsiders entering the secret realm is an active act; we chose to go in ourselves. As outsiders, we must naturally abide by the laws of the secret realm itself and will inevitably be suppressed by it. As one side gains and the other loses, the creatures within the secret realm become even stronger."
"However, the power of outsiders and those in the secret realm is not entirely incomparable."
(End of this chapter)