Chapter 1340: Returned

But the demonic sound followed like a shadow.

Whenever the Scorpion Emperor tried to strike back, the sound rang out again.

It could do nothing but flee and flee again.

Unable to shake free of the torment, it suddenly plunged from the surface and burrowed into the depths of the desert.

The instant they went beneath the sand, Wu Chang spread spiritual power outward and forced open a space around himself. He remained fixed securely to the Scorpion Emperor's back, striking the ring and cauldron together from time to time.

No one knew how long they traveled underground.

Wu Chang did not know where the Scorpion Emperor intended to go either.

He only knew that the creature kept tunneling forward without the slightest sign of fatigue.

It could not keep running forever. It had to have a destination.

So Wu Chang remained patient and continued playing along.

Then a strand of green light seeped through the yellow sand.

A curtain of green radiance swept into the space he had opened.

Before Wu Chang could understand what was happening, the Scorpion Emperor carried him straight through it.

He suddenly found himself inside a hazy green world.

When they finally emerged from that green realm, he discovered the Scorpion Emperor was already tunneling upward.

Boom!

The surface burst open.

Daylight appeared again.

Standing on the Scorpion Emperor's back, Wu Chang immediately swept his gaze around.

Then he noticed the abnormality beside the sun in the sky.

His pupils contracted sharply.

He looked over the surroundings again and murmured, "The Fifth Domain. So the Scorpion Emperor really is the guiding object..."

He suddenly snapped his head around.

The Scorpion Emperor's raised tail was trembling violently like a rattlesnake, producing a strange vibrating sound.

Not long afterward, the sand nearby burst apart with a rumble.

Another colossal creature emerged.

"Another Scorpion Emperor..." Wu Chang muttered.

He looked at the one beneath his feet, then at the newcomer.

The second creature was also shaking its tail violently.

Boom!

Another one emerged farther away.

Then another.

And another.

The desert seemed to erupt everywhere at once as gigantic sand scorpions broke through the surface one after another.

Every one of them was on the scale of a Scorpion Emperor.

There were actually so many Scorpion Emperor-level sand scorpions in this world.

For once, genuine surprise appeared on Wu Chang's face.

When the first Scorpion Emperor came charging toward him, nearly every other giant scorpion within sight launched into motion at the same time.

They all charged toward Wu Chang as their center.

Wu Chang lightly circulated his spiritual power and lifted himself several feet from the Scorpion Emperor's back.

After confirming that his full cultivation could be used normally in this world, he settled back down.

His manner became completely calm.

He had no further concern.

As the first Scorpion Emperor was about to reach him, Wu Chang spread both arms.

The cauldron and ring shot from his palms, flew in opposite arcs through the air, circled around, then slammed violently together overhead.

Dong!

A vast thunderous note rolled across Heaven and Earth.

At that single impact, the Scorpion Emperor beneath Wu Chang seemed to go weak and collapse against the sand. It gave thin, miserable screeches like a creature crying in pain.

The enormous bodies of the charging Scorpion Emperors sent sand flying in all directions as they abruptly braked.

Every one of them had fallen into obvious agitation and fear.

Hummm...

The cauldron and ring remained suspended in the air, their residual resonance continuing to vibrate.

Under the suppression of that lingering sound, the surrounding Scorpion Emperors slowly backed away.

Then some turned and fled at speed.

Others immediately burrowed into the sand.

In only moments, the swarm that had come charging so fiercely had vanished without a trace.

Only the Scorpion Emperor beneath Wu Chang remained.

It seemed to have fallen into despair.

Calling its own kind for help had been useless, and it still could not throw him off. Its body shifted and struggled in obvious frustration.

The cauldron and ring flew back into Wu Chang's hands.

Then he felt movement beneath his feet.

He looked down.

The Scorpion Emperor had risen again.

It turned in a circle, chose a direction, and began running once more.

Standing on its back, Wu Chang let it go where it pleased.

His long hair streamed behind him in the wind while his gaze moved from time to time over the surrounding landscape.

Then a raised platform appeared ahead.

Wu Chang's eyes brightened.

He vanished in a flash and tore through the air.

An instant later, he hovered above the triangular platform.

He looked down at it for a while before slowly descending.

He landed at the summit, on steps half-covered by blown sand.

His gaze settled on the square stone at the very top.

With a sweep of his hand, a layer of sand flew away, revealing the recess at the center.

"Exactly as recorded in the Demon Canon..." Wu Chang murmured.

He ran his hand over the recess.

"The Stellar Command Token. There are fluctuations in the qi of Heaven and Earth. It really is a grand formation..."

His figure flashed repeatedly.

He moved up and down the platform, probing it with spiritual power from several directions.

He found nothing he could understand.

Then he suddenly remembered something and looked back.

The Scorpion Emperor was already gone.

Wu Chang did not care.

He suddenly shot high into the sky.

His gaze turned toward the lush green lands beyond the edge of the desert.

Then he vanished again, beginning his exploration of this world.

...

"He borrowed away the State of Han's State-Protecting Divine Artifact?"

Inside the secret chamber of Maolu Annex in Nanzhou, Niu Youdao opened his eyes from meditation and asked in surprise.

Guan Fangyi, who had come to report, nodded. "That's right. The news has already spread."

Niu Youdao asked again, "Are we certain he actually took it away?"

"Almost certainly. This isn't much of a secret anymore. Han isn't trying to conceal it. They clearly want Granny Xue's side to shoulder the responsibility."

"Then there can be no doubt Chuan Ying is Wu Chang's man." Niu Youdao swung his feet off the couch and walked to the map. His gaze settled on the Boundless Desert. "I wonder whether Wu Chang has already gone there."

...

A guest had come to the Ice and Snow Pavilion.

More precisely, its true master had arrived.

Granny Xue came alone, walking with her cane.

The moment Xue Luo'er heard, she hurried out to welcome her. Upon meeting, she bowed. "Grandmother."

"Greetings, Sacred Venerable!"

The group following Xue Luo'er all performed deep formal bows.

Granny Xue raised a hand, signaling for everyone to dispense with ceremony.

Then she looked at Xue Luo'er and said mildly, "Girl, why do you look so haggard?"

There was a faint air of asking something she already knew.

Xue Luo'er had no answer.

She truly did look haggard.

Never in her dreams had she imagined that Chuan Ying, after saying he merely wanted to go out and clear his head, would end up borrowing away the State of Han's State-Protecting Divine Artifact.

And now Granny Xue had personally descended upon the pavilion.

How could Xue Luo'er not know why?

She had already sent people searching everywhere for Chuan Ying, yet none could find him.

With something this serious having happened, how was she supposed to answer for it?

How could she not be anxious and exhausted?

Granny Xue said nothing more.

She passed Xue Luo'er and continued forward step by step with her cane.

Xue Luo'er lowered her head and followed behind.

Everyone else dispersed to attend to their duties.

Inside the jade halls and pavilions of the Ice and Snow Pavilion, Granny Xue finally stopped.

No one offered her tea.

Everyone knew she did not drink hot tea or similar things.

"Where is the child? Why haven't I seen him? It's been quite a while. Bring him over so I can have a look." Granny Xue suddenly turned and addressed Xue Luo'er, who was standing stiffly behind her.

Fear instantly appeared in Xue Luo'er's eyes.

She shook her head in panic. "Grandmother, this is a matter between adults. It has nothing to do with the child."

Granny Xue frowned. "Girl, what are you thinking? In your eyes, am I some old monster with not a trace of human feeling?"

"No, no, no. Luo'er didn't mean that." Xue Luo'er hurriedly shook her head, yet had no idea how to explain herself.

Granny Xue took two steps closer.

Her ghastly pale old face came almost nose-to-nose with Xue Luo'er.

"I said I haven't seen the child for a long time and miss him a little. I like children. I only want to see him."

With the matter put that plainly, the swaddled infant was soon brought over.

Xue Luo'er took him from the servant and held him tightly, refusing to let go.

Her expression remained guarded.

Granny Xue stroked one finger lightly across the infant's cheek and clicked her tongue. "Sleeping so soundly. Exactly like you when you were little. No cares, no worries."

Then she glanced at the vigilance on Xue Luo'er's face.

Her hand left the child's cheek.

She signaled for the servant to come forward and take the infant away.

Only then did she ask, "Still haven't found your husband?"

Xue Luo'er shook her head.

Granny Xue said, "Girl, the others in the Sacred Realm are all waiting for me to give them an explanation. If both the man and the artifact have disappeared, how exactly do you expect me to explain it? I'm under a great deal of pressure. I've been waiting for your explanation all these days, and none came. So I had no choice but to come personally and ask you for one."

Thud!

Xue Luo'er dropped to her knees.

The torment of the past several days finally turned into tears.

She choked out, "Grandmother, Luo'er never imagined anything like this would happen. Even now, Luo'er doesn't know what actually happened. I don't know how to explain it."

Granny Xue bent down in front of her. "Yes. I find it strange too. Even if there were something wrong with your husband, did he marry you just for the sake of one cauldron? That doesn't quite make sense. But you need to understand something. I must give the others an explanation. If the artifact cannot return to Han intact, how do you think I should explain matters to them? Someone will have to take responsibility, won't they?"

Xue Luo'er could already hear the deeper meaning.

If the Ice and Snow Sacred Land could not explain the matter to the others, then the only option might be to hand Xue Luo'er herself over as the explanation.

And once that happened, Ice and Snow Sacred Land might not even be able to preserve its control over the Ice and Snow Pavilion.

At the thought, tears covered her face.

Granny Xue said, "Girl, does it hurt now? Do you remember how I advised you back then? You refused to listen. Why couldn't you understand? Once a person reaches your position, not just anyone is qualified to marry you."

The words had barely fallen when someone suddenly hurried in from outside to report.

"Sacred Venerable! Pavilion Master! Mr. Chuan has returned!"

Granny Xue froze for a moment.

There seemed to be genuine surprise on her face.

Xue Luo'er abruptly climbed to her feet. "Where is he?"

Before she finished speaking, she had already seen Chuan Ying hurrying toward them.

He quickly entered and first bowed to Granny Xue. "Grandson-in-law Chuan Ying pays respects to Grandmother."

Granny Xue chuckled. "Good that you're back. Good that you're back."

Something unreadable flickered in her eyes.

Xue Luo'er wiped at her tears, hurried forward, and seized Chuan Ying by the arm. "Where is the cauldron? What did you do with the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron?"

Chuan Ying paused. "Returned it. I've already returned it to Emperor Nie Zhenting of Han."

Xue Luo'er hurriedly asked, "Is there proof?"

Chuan Ying hesitated. "I returned it publicly. Many people saw it with their own eyes. Doesn't... doesn't that count as proof?"

Xue Luo'er was still anxious. "You're certain you returned it?"

"I returned it with my own hands before I came back."

"You have no idea how badly you frightened me."

Xue Luo'er struck his chest several times with both fists.

Then she threw herself into his arms and burst into loud sobs.

Chuan Ying hurriedly stroked her back. "I was wrong. It was all my fault. I lost my head for a moment."

Granny Xue interrupted them. "Chuan Ying, everything was fine. Why did you borrow someone else's Mountains and Rivers Cauldron?"

Xue Luo'er immediately pushed herself out of his embrace, wiped away her tears, and stared at him.

She wanted that answer too.

Chuan Ying's expression dimmed slightly. "Grandmother, I truly did lose my head. At the time, inside the Han imperial palace, a few words were exchanged badly between me and the people there. I felt humiliated and, in a moment of anger, had other thoughts. So I forced them to lend me the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron. But after hiding for a few days, I gradually realized the mistake was mine. There may not have been any special meaning in their words at all. I probably thought too much of it myself. Once I became afraid the matter would turn into something serious, I returned the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron."

[End of Chapter 1340]