After bowing, Zong Meng lowered his head and left respectfully.
During this process, he could feel that the Seventh Prince, who was sitting high up in the hall, was looking at him, so he did not hide his expression at all.
Whether it was reluctance, relief, or finally calmness, they were all revealed. Only when he left the hall and walked far away did he stand up straight again and walk back to his residence in the capital city with a smile.
On the way, he would greet familiar colleagues warmly.
He didn't restrain himself just because he was a Second Level Origin Returning Realm cultivator. There wasn't the slightest trace of arrogance on his body. From the beginning to the end, his expression was gentle and refined. When he returned to his residence, he lit an incense stick, sat there, took out a chessboard, and leisurely played chess.
But if one looked closely, there was a hint of innate coldness in the depths of his eyes, like a poisonous snake hiding in the belly of a lamb.
"On the first day I came here, I mentioned the Human Cauldron to the Seventh Prince, but he did not care at that time … Today, he suddenly summoned me and brought this matter up again …"
Zong Meng smiled warmly. This was his instinct. Every time he thought about a problem, he had to smile.
"The Military Governor led tens of thousands of soldiers and Ling Yun … We lost contact in Fenghai County!
"
"At this moment, the Seventh Prince asked me to bring the Human Cauldron.
"
Zong Meng's smile was even gentler, and the coldness hidden in the depths of his eyes was even more concealed.
"So you can never look at things on the surface. On the surface, he asked me to bring the Human Cauldron, but in reality, he is using me as a chess piece. He wants to use me to test the real situation in Fenghai County, and then he can analyze the real reason why the army lost contact."
"
"As for himself, he can attack or retreat. If something happens to me, he can easily shirk responsibility."
""
Zong Meng smiled and picked up a chess piece. He did not put it down, but the chessboard automatically transformed into two chess pieces.
This scene seemed simple, but if an Emptiness Returning cultivator was here to watch, they would definitely be shocked. This was because this simple action contained the ultimate use and sublimation of the laws, surpassing the Ten Thousand Transformations.
The Emptiness Returning Realm included the Thousand Transformations, Ten Thousand Transformations, Hundred Million Transformations, and Trillion Transformations.
"I like the number three."
Zong Meng smiled gently and calmly.
At the same time, in Fenghai County, in the Forbidden Immortal Land, in front of the Phoenix Hall.
As the door opened, darkness swallowed everything.
It was not just Xu Qing and Zixuan's figures that were affected. Even their minds had become one with the spreading darkness.
The hall before him was silent and empty, as cold as a dungeon. There was only a withered statue standing in the center, as if it was sealed in a cage.
She looked like a middle-aged woman, similar to Zi Xuan, but clearly not.
His appearance was graceful, and there was a smile on his face. His eyes were filled with benevolence, and there was a lamp at the corner of his eyes.
It was as if it was the most precious treasure in her life. This lamp was made from purple stone, and it looked like a blooming purple flower. A purple phoenix was perched on top of it, and its wings were spread out. It was vivid and lifelike.
The moment he saw this lamp, Xu Qing felt as if his mind was being torn apart. His lost memories began to surface one by one.
He turned to look at Zixuan. He remembered that he had been here before and had seen some images of Zixuan. He had seen a woman who looked exactly like Zixuan appear under the withered statue. He had seen the door open and a man walk in.
He also remembered the conversation in the images. That man … seemed to be the son of the Ancient Dark Abyss Emperor.
All of this appeared in Xu Qing's mind, and it turned into thunder that rumbled in his mind.
At this moment, Zixuan was trembling as she looked at the withered statue. Her expression was sorrowful, and she let go of Xu Qing's hand. She unconsciously walked toward the withered statue as she muttered.
"My dream was a world of darkness, and there was a lamp there.
"It was extinguished.
"It was extinguished. I imagined it to be a blooming redbud flower with a purple phoenix perched on top of it.
"
"This lamp has always appeared in my dreams. A dream without light.
"
"The world in my dreams is here.
"
Zixuan's voice contained an ethereal feeling in the silent hall.
It was as if it came from the past and echoed in this life.
As she walked over and stood under the withered statue, the illusory body that appeared in Xu Qing's memories overlapped with the Zixuan standing there, and they could not be distinguished from each other.
She looked at the withered statue, and there was admiration in her eyes, as well as bitterness.
Then, the scene in Xu Qing's memories appeared before his eyes again.
The figure of the prince passed through his body from behind and stood in front of Zixuan. The four-clawed golden dragon robe and the nine-pearl crown swayed, and this figure exuded a strong heavenly might.
The prince seemed to say something, but Xu Qing could not hear it. He could only see Zixuan looking at the outside world, and there was a strong sense of nostalgia and sadness in her eyes.
"In view of the general situation,
But this time, it was different from what he remembered. He heard Zixuan's voice.
"I will not leave.
"
"Father's decision was wrong. He abandoned his people, his home, and turned the Sky Beyond Heaven into a holy land. What is the meaning of life if he lives there alone?
"
"In order to survive, he ignored the catastrophe of the Ancient Gazing Era. This Ancient Emperor … He is not worthy.
"
Zixuan was furious.
Xu Qing was shaken when he heard these words.
The figure in the royal robe was silent. After a while, he stretched out his hand, as if making a final effort. Zixuan's eyes were filled with determination, and she shook her head again.
In the end, the prince's expression was lonely. He took out a small purple bottle and placed it on the withered statue. After doing this, he put the bottle to the side and silently turned around. His expression was filled with sadness, and there was even a hint of pain. He walked toward the door of the hall, passed by Xu Qing, and walked further and further away.
As he disappeared, the door of the hall slowly closed.
The entire hall was silent. Only the flame emitted by the lamp continued to burn, making a soft sound. As the flame flickered, the light illuminated the hall.
Zixuan's expression was sorrowful. She leaned against the statue and squatted down, crying silently.
The scene in Xu Qing's memories ended here.
However, this time, everything that appeared before his eyes did not end there.
Time seemed to have no value in this hall. It flowed silently until miserable wails and painful roars came from the outside world.
Blood spread outside, and faint cries for help could be heard.
Zixuan's figure stood up again. A set of battle armor appeared on her body. Step by step, she passed through Xu Qing's body and walked out of the hall.
Xu Qing was unable to move. He could only watch silently. After an unknown amount of time, the sounds from the outside world slowly disappeared. Zixuan's figure returned to the hall, exhausted and weak.
Most of her battle armor had shattered, and her body was covered in wounds.
But her hand was holding the lamp. Zixuan's figure slowly walked in front of the withered statue and stared at it.
A hint of gentleness appeared on her pale face.
"Mother, I can only kill that foreign god once. After many years, she will revive here.
But when she revives, she will no longer have the status of a god. Also, I used the curse you taught me. She will die from cannibalism in the future. Unfortunately … I won't be able to see it.
"
Zixuan spoke softly. She wanted to pick up the purple bottle and add more oil to the lamp, but she was powerless. In the end, she could only lean against the statue and slowly close her eyes.
Her soul flew away, and her spirit scattered.
The lamp was still burning, but without the addition of oil, as time passed, its flame gradually dimmed until it completely disappeared.
The entire hall fell into darkness and coldness.
As the flame disappeared, as the outside world fell silent, darkness descended and swallowed everything.
Time passed, and the years changed.
After an unknown number of years, the Forbidden Immortal Land suddenly trembled one day.
A will of revival rose, and the low roar of a god echoed. Flesh and blood appeared in the Forbidden Immortal Land.
Flesh and blood covered the ground, drowning the halls, including this place.
A long, long time passed. Until this day, in this pitch-black hall.
Inside, a purple circle suddenly appeared in front of the withered statue.
It appeared out of thin air. The moment it appeared, it immediately caused the entire Forbidden Immortal Land to rumble.
And the moment the divine sense swept over, a hand reached out from the purple circle, grabbed the extinguished lamp, and pulled it into the circle.
The hand seemed to want to grab the purple bottle, but it was too late. So it decisively left.
But it was still a little too late. The divine sense from the Forbidden Immortal Land came crashing down, fiercely slamming into the purple circle and colliding with the hand.
The circle collapsed, turning into countless fragments that merged into the endless void.
The hand trembled. Although it still left, the wick of the lamp in the hand fell off and disappeared into the void. No one knew where it went.
At this moment, the scene disappeared, disappearing before Xu Qing's eyes. Along with it, the hall and the withered statue also disappeared. This place turned back into ruins.
It was like a dream. When he woke up from the dream, everything was gone. Only Zixuan stood on the ruins, like a cold plum blossom standing proudly in the snow, standing in the quiet valley.
No matter if there was anyone watching her or not, it was like she was alone in an empty field.
She looked at the sky with a lonely expression.
After a long time, she said softly, "Let's go back."
"Let's go."
Xu Qing silently walked over and walked out with Zixuan. They didn't speak along the way until they left the Forbidden Immortal Land.
When they came, it was night. When they walked out, they didn't know how many days it was.
The sky was blue, and the sun was bright. Looking at Zixuan's lonely figure in front of him, Xu Qing suddenly called out to her.
Zixuan turned around and stared at Xu Qing. Xu Qing didn't say anything. He just asked her to reach out her hand.
Under the sunlight, Zixuan's palm was clear. The lines were like fate.
"What is in your palm?"
Xu Qing asked.
Zixuan didn't understand and shook her head.
Xu Qing looked into Zixuan's eyes and said softly.