Chapter 307: Despair and Collapse
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
“Ah…”
“Everyone, look at the dome above the underground palace…”
A sudden exclamation echoed within the underground palace.
Lu Zheng Yue furrowed his brows. “I’ll go down and take a look.” Without hesitation, he selected a few people to follow him into the underground palace.
At present, the underground palace was heavily guarded, and no one was allowed entry.
“When the underground palace was first opened, the dome was adorned with numerous murals. These murals were remarkably lifelike. Because of the palace’s height, they remained untouched and well-preserved,” reported Vice General Zhu, who had already gathered information.
“Originally, the underground palace was illuminated by ever-burning lamps and night-luminescent pearls, making it as bright as daylight. But now that those have been taken, it is shrouded in darkness.”
Lu Zheng Yue held his torch high.
“The stone walls seem to depict the master of this underground palace.” Rong Che lifted his gaze.
On the stone walls, seven young disciples encircled a woman of celestial bearing.
The final mural showed the young woman floating in midair, as though ascending to the heavens, while the common people knelt beneath her, weeping.
“This young woman must be the master of the underground palace,” Rong Che murmured.
Lu Zheng Yue turned to look at his sister. Was this the past life of Lu Chao Chao?
Were those the divine disciples in their youth?
“General, look! One of the young disciples is shedding tears!” Someone pointed.
The group followed the direction of the finger, only to see that one of the disciples in the mural had black tears welling in his eyes, slowly trickling down the stone.
A chilling sight. Fear gripped their hearts tighter.
His eyes seemed to be watching them.
“I… I feel as if he’s looking right at me…”
“So eerie… It feels like he’s standing right here, watching us…”
[Your intuition is quite sharp. He has always been here, clinging to the stone wall, watching you all…]
[Even when you looted and plundered, he was watching silently.]
[That day just happened to be his weakest moment. Otherwise, he would have slaughtered the entire Desolate City.]
Lu Chao Chao sighed inwardly.
[Xing Hui… What should I do with you…]
Lu Zheng Yue’s hand trembled, nearly dropping his torch.
“Wait… The mighty War God engraved on the palace gates… he looks just like that boy in the mural!”
Lu Zheng Yue’s eyelid twitched violently.
‘Ah! My sister’s disciple is a deity! A deity personally guarding her underground palace!’
‘Oh no, these fools! They’re digging up graves right in front of a god!’
‘I’m going to die of anger! And now, innocent citizens are suffering because of their greed!’
His mind seethed with fury.
Suddenly, a shopkeeper, his face pale, stepped forward with a night-luminescent pearl cupped in his hands.
“I am willing to return this night-luminescent pearl.”
The first wave of robbers had already perished.
These were innocent people, caught in the aftermath.
They had only done business in the city and were inadvertently implicated.
“This was given to me as repayment by the looters. I now offer it back to the master of the underground palace, so she may once again bask in light.” The shopkeeper stepped forward, respectfully knelt in the underground palace, and bowed deeply.
“You were benevolent to the world, yet the world disturbed your peace. On their behalf, I kneel and seek your forgiveness.”
After bowing, he carefully placed the night-luminescent pearl back in its original position.
One after another, more citizens came forward, voluntarily returning the stolen night-luminescent pearls.
They, too, knelt and sought forgiveness.
Some even brought brooms, sweeping away the filth and debris that sullied the underground palace.
“Bring water! Wash the palace clean!” Someone called out.
Desolate City was in the middle of the desert, where water was scarce. Yet, no one hesitated. They ran to fetch water, working diligently to cleanse the palace.
“Those bastards! If they wanted silver, they should have taken silver! Why did they have to destroy the palace like this? They deserve to burn in hell!” people cursed angrily.
“Restoring the palace will be a monumental task…”
“And that shattered jade bed…”
Lu Zheng Yue took a deep breath. “Send men to seek artisans from other regions. Send an urgent message to the palace.”
Once the underground palace was cleaned, they once again scattered silver coins upon the floor.
No one dared to keep any of it.
What had been taken was returned. Even those who had consumed wealth they couldn’t return brought forth their own savings as a token of atonement.
“On behalf of those foolish scoundrels, I apologize.”
Everything was restored to its rightful place.
All that remained was to await the artisans who would mend the jade bed.
Just as they stepped out of the underground palace, the earth trembled violently beneath their feet. The ground quaked so fiercely that people struggled to remain standing. Lu Zheng Yue quickly steadied Wen Ning.
“What’s happening?”
“Does the desert have earthquakes?”
“Look at the underground palace!!”
Before their very eyes, the underground palace slowly sank into the earth. Countless grains of sand cascaded over it, burying all traces.
The underground palace had returned to the depths of the desert, undisturbed once more.
Moments later, the ground settled into stillness.
Vice General Zhu stepped forward and stomped on the ground. “It’s gone. Ah! The underground palace is gone!”
Everyone exchanged uneasy glances.
“Has the master of the underground palace forgiven us? Has the plague vanished?”
“No… The red spots on my body have worsened…” A woman collapsed to the ground, as if all strength had left her.
“Let’s return to the city.”
A solemn crowd marched back to Desolate City in silence, their heads hanging low.
The city was blanketed in a thick, oppressive aura of death.
Some had already broken down in despair, weeping as they prepared their last wills.
They could fight disease, but this was Heaven’s Punishment. None dared to challenge the heavens.
Lu Chao Chao watched from the shadows, Xing Hui by her side.
“Ah Hui, the underground palace has returned to the depths of the desert. You’ve forgiven them, haven’t you?”
Xing Hui, his expression vacant, nodded slightly.
Lu Chao Chao sighed deeply.
Xing Hui had forgiven them, but the killing intent surging within him was beyond his control. He could not save the people.
“You! If the Divine Realm learns of your descent into darkness, they will send people to eradicate you! You need to wake up already!”
She stood with hands on her hips, scolding him fiercely.
Yet, Xing Hui remained unresponsive.
In just three days, thousands in Desolate City fell ill, their bodies consumed by plague. They clung to life by sheer will alone.
Accepting their fate, the afflicted cast aside their veils.
“All of this… was caused by greed. I only hope this serves as a warning to the world. Heaven’s retribution spares no one.”
Lu Chao Chao stood amidst the dying.
The streets were filled with suffering souls, their bodies marred by hideous red spots. The stench of decay permeated the air.
Not just rot—but excruciating pain.
“It hurts… so much…”
“Every inch of my body burns. Even breathing feels like a blade slicing my throat…”
“I… I can’t hold on any longer…”
Wails of agony filled the air. Paper money fluttered through the streets, as if mourning an entire city.
Lu Zheng Yue, his eyes red, reported, “We’ve counted. Around twenty thousand people touched the treasures of the underground palace. They are all showing symptoms…”
“What news from the palace?”
“His Majesty has summoned the monks of the National Temple, but the head monk is old and frail. He won’t arrive in time.”
“We are fortunate… Eastern Ling is suffering even worse.” Eastern Ling, neighboring Desolate City, had looted even more treasures.
They had even shed blood inside the underground palace.
“Grandfather, don’t die! If you die… what will I do…” A small girl clung to her decaying grandfather, sobbing uncontrollably.
Their lives were running out.
“If only Xian Ting were here… He is the God of Life. He could purify all fiends,” Lu Chao Chao sighed.
Suddenly…
The little girl tilted her head in curiosity. “Huh? Xian Ting is the God of Life, and I’m his master… Can I summon him?”
Lu Chao Chao hesitated.
After all, the Ming Family had worshipped the God of Life for generations, yet it had been a long time since Xian Ting had answered a call.