【The Song of the Six Dynasties】(Episode 17, Chapter 8)

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Chapter Eight

The dark sea surged with waves, relentlessly crashing against the shore, the air still thick with the scent of fire. Mo Feng hadn't shown his face since being shot in the forest, and Zhu Yin had vanished without a trace. Except for Cheng Zongyang, who lamented the lack of fresh cabbage he hadn't yet eaten, everyone else was in high spirits. Mo

Rulin, as the host, immediately had the area cleared, a bonfire lit, and the wine and meat he had brought brought out to entertain everyone. Cheng Zongyang had also brought several bottles of red wine, which he also offered for everyone to taste. The meal wasn't lavish, but the atmosphere was lively.

During the conversation, Cheng Zongyang learned that Zhou Fei had emerged from the forest and led the Zhou clan away from the Taiquan Ancient Formation. Outsiders had vaguely heard rumors that the young master Zhou had single-handedly killed a powerful figure hiding there, adding a glorious chapter to his undefeated legend.

Xiao Yaoyi said, "Isn't this young master Zhou too eager to take the throne?"

"Young Marquis is right," Mo Rulin said. "He's confident that we're trapped in Canglan, and he can say whatever he wants outside."

Cheng Zongyang asked, "Are there still many people coming from outside these days?"

"A few," Mo Rulin said. "News in the martial world spreads by word of mouth, and the speed varies. I estimate that this matter will probably not subside for at least half a year."

"That makes things easier," Cheng Zongyang said. "As long as people come from outside, you can say that the big shot that young master Zhou killed in the Taiquan Ancient Formation was Elder Fen Wuchen of Longchen. Killing a level seven expert single-handedly will definitely make him famous."

Xiao Yaoyi clapped his hands and laughed, "That's good!" Cheng

Zongyang was only targeting the forces behind the Zhou clan; he didn't care about Zhou Fei himself at all. Without the spirit of the weapon, Zhou Fei had the title of genius, but he was just a colorful soap bubble, no matter how big it was blown, it was still empty.

The outsiders were already riddled with contradictions, and with the covert manipulation of Pang Baihong and Yan Senlei, several fierce battles ensued, resulting in heavy losses for all sides. After the Zhou clan started, other factions gradually left. Xinyong's Suofan Temple was the first Buddhist temple to leave, followed by Foguang Temple and Fayin Temple. The monk Huiyuan, who had been injured in Xiong Valley, also returned safely north under the care of his sect.

Qin Han left Canglan two days ago. Compared to the various forces that came seeking revenge with great fanfare but returned defeated, Qin Da Diao Dang was lucky; he finally obtained a Crimson Sun Sacred Fruit, so he wouldn't return to Lin'an empty-handed.

Cheng Zongyang said regretfully, "If only Eunuch Qin had been cursed."

Everyone laughed. Mo Rulin said, "Speaking of curses, there is one who wasn't so lucky."

"Who?"

"Shen Huangjing of the Yangjun Sect."

Cheng Zongyang's heart skipped a beat. "Master Shen?"

Mo Rulin nodded. The Daoist sects suffered the most heavy losses in this expedition to the Taiquan Ancient Formation. The survivors had to gather together to break through the fog.

It was too much of a coincidence that Shen Huangjing and Zhu Yin were both cursed; they had traveled together for a period of time and were likely cursed in the same location.

Cheng Zongyang voiced his guess, and Mo Rulin immediately replied, "Young Master is right, I'll have someone inquire right away."

Cheng Zongyang said, "It seems we need to open our trade routes soon, otherwise, with so many people flocking here, food alone will be a huge problem."

This was the outsiders' biggest concern, and they all perked up their ears. Mo Rulin said, "I've already arranged for people to move the rails. They should be ready in less than a month."

"The traction chains, cargo wagons, and wheels also need to be prepared as soon as possible."

"Yes!"

This railroad only required human-powered carts; there were existing rails and wheels, so the technical requirements weren't complicated. The difficulty lay in laying them in the fog. No matter how anxious the outsiders were, they couldn't help. They had been trapped here for years and had given up hope of leaving. Even a little more aid would be good.

Cheng Zongyang said, "I'll leave tomorrow. The first caravan should arrive in Canglan within a month or two." He took out a piece of paper, fluently signed his name in English, and handed it to Mo Rulin 　　. "This is my signature."

Mo Rulin carefully put away the paper. "Understood, young master."

……… ... 　　Xiao Yaoyi took a sip from the bottle. "You're leaving tomorrow? Aren't you going to look for the Crimson Sun Sacred Fruit anymore?" 　　"I was just kidding. The Crimson Sun Sacred Fruit isn't so easy to find," Cheng Zongyang said. "If it really grows by absorbing human essence, who knows how many years we'll have to wait for the result." 　　As he spoke, Cheng Zongyang took out a telescope and handed it to him. "Little fox, this is for you." 　　Xiao Yaoyi looked at it and immediately exclaimed in surprise, "How did it become so far away!" 　　"It's upside down!" 　　Xiao Yaoyi turned it over and immediately shut his mouth. Although the Six Dynasties also had monocular telescopes, they were completely different from this high-tech equipment. Not only did it have horizon, altitude, and distance measurement functions, but it also had infrared night vision. Although it was night, everything looked incredibly clear through the telescope. 　　After a long while, Xiao Yaoyi carefully put away the telescope and exclaimed in amazement, "What a treasure! Where did it come from?" 　　"Right there," Cheng Zongyang pointed to the Xuanyuan Tomb next to it. 　　Xiao Yaoyi didn't know about the existence of the secret realm. Upon hearing this, he was a hundred times more heartbroken than Cheng Zongyang. Seeing all the items Cheng Zongyang had brought out, Xiao Yaoyi's heartache level skyrocketed. He wished he could scoop up the old ghost Fen and chop him up again. 　　Cheng Zongyang handed him a backpack. "These are for Boss Meng and the others, and Uncle Chang. I'm not going back to Jiangzhou for now, so you can take them with you." 　　Xiao Yaoyi stuffed the backpack behind him as a cushion. "What about you?" 　　"I'm going straight to Jiankang." 　　Xiao Yaoyi was a little puzzled. "Wouldn't it be more convenient to go through Jiangzhou?" 　　"I'm afraid I won't make it in time." Cheng Zongyang said, "I'll stay in Yiling for a day to arrange things, and then I'll head straight to Jiankang without stopping along the way." 　　"About the Yun family?" 　　Cheng Zongyang nodded. He hadn't hidden this from the little fox; Xiao Yaoyi already knew he had taken the blame for him. Xiao Yaoyi sat up abruptly, looking accusatory. "Brother Saint, I've been unfairly blamed! Tell me, how are you going to compensate me?" 　　"One telescope isn't enough?" 　　"What a joke! My reputation is completely ruined, you know that?" 　　"Come on, what kind of reputation do you have in Jiankang? It's utterly infamous!" 　　"Nonsense! My name, Young Marquis, is worth several taels of silver in Jiankang. Besides, that's the Yun family! You've messed around, and the Yun family has turned against us, you know that? Even Boss Meng turned against me because of this, you know that? Now I've been kicked out and am homeless, you know that?" Xiao Yaoyi launched 　　into a tirade of nonsense, and Cheng Zongyang said helplessly, "Alright, tell me, what do you want?" 　　Xiao Yaoyi's spirits lifted. "Brother Saint, that chainsaw..." 　　Cheng Zongyang immediately became wary. "What are you talking about! There's only one, there isn't another one in the whole world. Don't even think about it!" 　　"That thing seems very powerful." 　　"Of course it's powerful! It can even cut through glass."

"Brother Sage, you practice swordsmanship, what kind of appearance is it to carry a chainsaw?"

"I want to!" Cheng Zongyang said, "If you want to take it from me, you'll have to pay with your life!"

"Brother Sage, you forced me to do this!"

"What? You still want to take it by force?"

Xiao Yaoyi rolled up his sleeves and then said, "Dragon Fang Cone!"

Upon hearing the words "Dragon Fang Cone," Cheng Zongyang immediately wilted like a frostbitten eggplant.

"That's more like it!" Xiao Yaoyi patted his shoulder, comforting him, "I won't mention the things that ruined my reputation, but who told you to lose my Dragon Tooth Cone? If you had just paid me back earlier, none of this would have happened, right?"

"You rascal, is that supposed to be comforting?"

"I'm just reminding you."

As Xiao Yaoyi spoke, he quickly untied the chainsaw from Cheng Zongyang's arm, slipped it onto his own wrist, and said excitedly, "This is practically made for me! How do you use it?"

Cheng Zongyang explained how to use it, and Xiao Yaoyi raised the chainsaw and rushed into the forest. A giant pine tree, as thick as two people, swayed a few times and then crashed down, as easily as if it had been blown over by the wind.

Xiao Yaoyi came out carrying the chainsaw, his handsome face almost glowing, "That was so satisfying! I'm going to try cutting a rock!"

"Be careful! Don't break it!"

Xiao Yaoyi ignored him and dashed down the steps like a gust of wind.

Old Zhu, shuffling over in his worn-out shoes, cupped his hands and said, "Little Cheng, have some of those candies you have?"

Cheng Zongyang sat up. "Forget the candies, look at what's wrong with me." He held out his wrist.

Old Zhu tentatively extended a thumb and placed it on the back of Cheng Zongyang's hand, his brows furrowing before releasing it. "I don't know. I've never seen anything like it in my life."

Cheng Zongyang said with dissatisfaction, "Your skill level is too low, isn't it?"

"Although I've never seen it, the path of cultivation is nothing more than the balance of Yin and Yang. Your life and death are originally a strange object that changes Yin and Yang, and now there's another strange object that reverses Yin and Yang. There are too many changes, and I can't figure it

out either. But don't worry," Old Zhu said magnanimously, "Anyway, you won't die." Cheng Zongyang withdrew his hand with a dark face. "That's the same as saying nothing. Hey, can you tell me now? How did you get on the bad side with Old Ghost Fen? You're not like Yue Niaoren, with enemies all over the place, are you?"

"That's a long story. Back in the day..." Old Zhu smacked his lips, then changed the subject, "Zi'er is calling you. I'll tell you the details later."

Xiao Zi was sitting under the tree with Xue Xue in her arms, all alone.

"Huh? Where are those girls? Did they all run away?"

"I told them to find a place," Xiao Zi said. "They've found one."

"What place?"

Xiao Zi smiled. "Let them tell us."

A few crisp "snap" sounds rang out, and a mechanical guard emerged, banging a board. "Clang, clang! Clang, clang! Enough with the gossip, let me tell you about our Taiquan Township! Taiquan is hidden deep in the mountains, and the township is full of strange things. Here lies a goose-winged rat, there lies a two-headed wolf. Inside, the buildings are dozens of feet high, swaying wildly in the wind. Clang, clang! Clang, clang!" These strange things are nothing compared to something even stranger. Inside, there's a whirlwind formation; a single step and you're transported to another place, another place. The whirlwind formation shines in all eight directions, thick at one end and long at the other. In the beginning, Pangu separated heaven and earth, his axe cleaving out Taiquan Township. The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors came to help, and all things are hidden within. East, west, south, north, and center, each containing one of the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams. One end connects to the great snow mountain, the other to the great ocean. Just find the right entrance, and you can travel tens of thousands of miles in a single step. Clang, clang! Clang, clang, clang…”

"Stop, stop, stop!" Cheng Zongyang said, "The teleportation array, right? Where is it!"

The mechanical guard, still not finished, continued pounding the board, "It's to the west, not far away, inside there's a dark hole. A dark hole, deep and deep, inside there's a pile of iron lumps. The iron lumps, heavy and heavy, inside there's a large disc. The large disc, smooth and smooth, inside there's a large cylinder. The large cylinder, straight and smooth, thick at one end and long at the other..."

Cheng Zongyang pried open the mechanical guard's head and pulled out a jar. The pounding stopped abruptly. Then an old man with a white beard crawled out of the jar, sobbing, "Respected master! I know I was wrong!"

"If you don't shut up, I'll smash the jar!"

The old man with the white beard immediately shut his mouth.

Cheng Zongyang tossed the jar over the mechanical guard's head and asked Xiao Zi, "Where is it?"

Xiao Zi smiled and said, "Come with me."

Cheng Zongyang called out, "Old man!"

Old Zhu came over, hopping over. "What good news?"

"Haven't you seen teleportation arrays before? Let's go take a look."

…………………………………………………………………………………

Old Zhu circled the platform, shaking his head. "I haven't seen one before. It's quite different."

The mechanical guard was about to speak when Cheng Zongyang glared at him, and he quickly shut his mouth.

Cheng Zongyang said, "The teleportation arrays of the Taiquan Ancient Array are distributed according to the five elements. There are five in total. One leads to the Great Snow Mountain in the west, and one leads to the sea?"

The mechanical guard nodded repeatedly.

"The Great Snow Mountain is to the west, and there's the sea to the east and south. Since this one is on an island, it's likely related to the sea, leading to the southeast and north."

Old Zhu shook his head. "The north is associated with water, so it probably leads to the far north."

Xiao Zi said, "Maybe it's the center. Its light is yellow."

There was a golden pillar of light on the platform, its color constantly deepening, seemingly accumulating energy.

Cheng Zongyang said, "We'll see if we try. I'll go take a look and come right back."

Xiao Zi said, "You big dummy, do you like adventure so much? Lan'er, go take a look and come right back."

"Yes."

Yin Fulan walked into the pillar of light, and her figure disappeared immediately. A short while later, Yin Fulan reappeared.

"It's in a big mountain over there. I can see smoke rising in the distance, so there seems to be a village. It's probably early morning. There seems to be a large river nearby; I can vaguely hear the sound of water, but I can't make it out," Yin Fulan said. "I've been to Yunshui before, and the scenery there is very similar to the section of the Yunshui River that flows through the mountain gorge in June

or July." The Yunshui River flows from north to south, then makes a large bend from west to east, its basin located in the middle of the Six Dynasties period. Cheng Zongyang also knew the mountain gorge Yin Fulan mentioned; it was between the mountains of Guangyang and Danyang, only a few days' journey from Jiankang.

Cheng Zongyang asked, "How far is the village?"

"Across the mountains, it would take two or three hours even if we went fast," Yin Fulan said, hesitating for a moment.

Xiao Zi said, "Just tell me." "

I heard a very strange voice over there, and the content it was saying was also very strange..."

"What did it say?"

"It said: 'Seven minutes remaining for this teleportation. Standard activation time is five hours.'"

Seven minutes? Cheng Zongyang said, "Let's take a gamble! I'll go find that village and find out what it is. If it really is Guangyang, we'll be rich!"

Xiao Zi said, "I'll go too."

Cheng Zongyang said, "Old man, what about you?"

Old Zhu grinned and said, "This is something I must see."

Cheng Zongyang said to the mechanical guard, "You come too."

The mechanical guard leaped nimbly onto the platform.

The pillar of light couldn't hold too many people, so Xiao Zi said to Yin, He, and the other women, "You stay here and guard."

The women bowed and said, "Yes."

Cheng Zongyang tightened his grip on Xiao Zi's hand, "Don't get separated this time."

Xiao Zi smiled, "Okay." The four of them walked 　　into the pillar of light together. A

flash of golden light disappeared in an instant, and the three of them were gone, leaving only the mechanical guard standing blankly on the platform.

……… ...

The golden light surrounding them gradually dissipated, and a faint electronic voice announced: "Non-teleportation item detected. Please remove immediately. Teleportation terminated. Standard activation time: five hours. Recharging in progress, estimated time: 87,600 hours..."

The three exchanged bewildered glances. Finally, Old Zhu asked, "What happened?"

Xiao Zi asked, "Is it because of the mechanical guard?"

Cheng Zongyang said, "Maybe it won't allow teleportation. The teleportation array is now out of energy and needs to be recharged. 87,600 hours... Damn! Ten years!"

This timeframe was despairingly long. No one knew what malfunction had caused the teleportation array's recharge time to be so drastically extended, but it was clear that returning to the Taiquan Ancient Array using the teleportation array was out of the question for the time being.

They were on a flat area in the mountains. The smooth rocks showed faint signs of human intervention, but unlike the Taiquan Ancient Array, this place wasn't frozen in sunlight. Over the years, it had become overgrown with vegetation, and the exposed parts were weathered and deformed.

"I hope we haven't been teleported to another world," Cheng Zongyang joked, though he was also somewhat uneasy. He checked his belongings first. Fortunately, his waist bag and backpack were still there; he had brought all the most important things, which reassured him considerably.

"Smoke," Xiao Zi pointed.

Cheng Zongyang looked into the distance and saw a wisp of smoke rising faintly from the mountains. As for the sound of water, Cheng Zongyang heard nothing. He knew it was because his cultivation hadn't fully recovered, and his senses were dulled.

"It's really far," Cheng Zongyang muttered, considering his next move, but couldn't help yawning.

Little Purple said, "I'm so sleepy. I want to take a nap."

Old Zhu glared at her, "So young, and you won't even endure a little hardship! What are you going to do to sleep in broad daylight?"

"Hey, wasn't it the middle of the night over there?" Cheng Zongyang complained, "To have to deal with jet lag after transmigrating to this era, nobody would believe it. Old man, are you going to sleep or not?"

Old Zhu said sturdily, "I'm not as delicate as you guys."

"That's perfect."

Cheng Zongyang found a sheltered hollow, took out the egg house, and the eggshell snapped open. In the blink of an eye, a gray, round object appeared on the ground. Its surface color kept changing, and after a while, it solidified, reflecting the colors of the outside world, as if blending into the surrounding scenery.

Cheng Zongyang unzipped the egg and carried Little Purple inside. Old Zhu stared wide-eyed, dumbfounded. After a long while, he pounded on the walls and screamed, "Little Cheng! What is this?!"

The door reopened, and Cheng Zongyang grabbed Xuexue by the ear and threw it out, saying to Old Zhu, "A tent. Never seen one before?" Then he closed the door.

"What tent?!"

The door, equipped with a sealing device, tightened, and Old Zhu's screams immediately ceased. The room was isolated from the outside world, a world of its own. Xiao Zi leaned against the window, looking at the scenery outside, and laughed, "This is so much fun."

The room was over twenty square meters in size. The raised parts of the floor formed tables, chairs, and beds. They felt slightly elastic to the touch, and the material was very thin but extremely sturdy.

Cheng Zongyang lay down on the bed, then opened his arms. "Come here and let me hug you!"

"You big dummy." Xiao Zi snuggled into his arms, closed her eyes, and said, "Go to sleep."

Cheng Zongyang sighed. "Staying in the Taiquan Ancient Formation for so long felt like falling into a trap; I just wanted to get out. But now that I'm out, I'm starting to miss it."

"What's there to miss?"

"You don't understand. It's like wandering for many years and suddenly returning to your hometown. Every scene and object is so familiar, yet upon closer inspection, it feels so strange. Time and space have changed, things have changed, and the loneliness is frightening..."

Xiao Zi said, "If there are more people, you won't be lonely."

Cheng Zongyang pondered for a while, "Great idea! When I have enough money, I'll simply occupy the Taiquan Ancient Formation and rebuild it! Then the two of us can live in one building, and each of your servants can have a room. We can also immigrate ten or twenty thousand people there, letting them enjoy the life of immortals. The place is so big inside, maybe there are even fields that can be cultivated and crops grown. When the population flourishes, maybe we can really restore the Taiquan Ancient Formation to its original appearance."

Cheng Zongyang became more and more excited as he thought about it. Since the Taiquan Ancient Formation was a refuge for humans, it must have all the resources that humans need to survive. However, the civilization of the Taiquan Ancient Formation has been completely lost, and no one knows how to develop and utilize it, let alone dare to settle there. If he had enough manpower, he could start with one area, clearing out the mutated monsters, leveling the land, and reusing the well-preserved city. What a sight that would be! A kingdom independent of the Six Dynasties, a self-sufficient paradise!

The Master Guigu mentioned by Xu Junfang probably thought the same thing, but unfortunately, his strength was too limited; he couldn't utilize the Taiquan Ancient Formation even after a lifetime of effort. What about himself? What could he do?

Cheng Zongyang's mind raced. He could organize outsiders into teams, starting from the entrance, clearing away the various threats within the formation layer by layer. Simultaneously, he could continuously transport various supplies from the outside, even the army from the Xingyue Lake camp, to jointly develop the area. Once an area was cleared, immigrants could be sent, starting with a hundred households and gradually expanding. The Taiquan Ancient Formation's facilities were readily available; as long as they could be used smoothly, the development speed would be astonishing. Perhaps in less than ten years, it could accommodate tens of thousands of people. But all of this required enormous financial support.

Cheng Zongyang was filled with fighting spirit; the desire to make money had never been so strong. He woke up and immediately called to Old Man Zhu, "Wake up! Wake up! Still sleeping? Let's go! If we're lucky, we might make it in time for dinner!"

Cheng Zongyang packed up the egg house, put it in his waist bag, then slung his backpack over his shoulder and led the way towards the direction where the smoke was rising.

"...You have quite a few men under you, all stuck in places like the Southern Wilderness, practically rotting away. How about it? Come work with me! In less than a year, we can establish ourselves there. You've been to the Taiquan Ancient Formation, it's actually a geomantically auspicious place. There are already houses and fields there, enough to support tens of thousands of people without any problem."

Cheng Zongyang enthusiastically touted his plan, while Old Man Zhu listened in a daze, only responding with "uh-huhs and ah-ahs."

"As the saying goes, whoever controls the land is king. The Southern Wilderness is too damp; how can it compare to the Taiquan Ancient Formation? Moreover, the Taiquan Ancient Formation is safer than the Southern Wilderness, with a fog barrier blocking the way. No matter how many enemies you have, it won't be easy for them to get in. Even if they do manage to get in, the Taiquan Ancient Formation is a place that is easy to defend and difficult to attack. Just the Naihe Bridge alone, with just a few hundred skilled warriors guarding it, no matter how many troops there are, they won't be able to break through. How about it? If you think it's suitable, I'll give you the entire fourth floor; you can do whatever you want with it."

"Oh, oh." Old Zhu nodded repeatedly.

The three of them walked in the mountains, on a small path where woodcutters gathered firewood. After crossing another mountain, they would reach the village.

Cheng Zongyang sighed, "It took us two hours to walk this short distance. If we were in the Taiquan Ancient Formation, we could drive there in twenty minutes at most. And we could sit there easily, without putting in any effort. The seats are a bit big, but they're really comfortable..."

Old Zhu chuckled, "Indeed. I've never seen such fine human skin before."

Cheng Zongyang paused, then slowly turned around. "Are you kidding me?"

Old Zhu's chuckle vanished, replaced by a look of pity. He said slowly, "Not only the car seats, but the sofa and lampshades are also made of top-quality human skin." Cheng

Zongyang stared at him in disbelief, then abruptly turned his head. "You brat!"

Xiao Zi hugged Xuexue and said softly, "I'm not afraid. If you want to stay there, I'll stay with you."

Cheng Zongyang felt his blood rushing to his head, his temples throbbing. "Humans are the masters of the Taiquan Ancient Formation. The core area is definitely human. I'm sure I'm not mistaken."

"The very center might be a cage," Xiao Zi whispered. "Those fog barriers might be protecting humans, or they might be preventing them from escaping. That's why those cursed can't pass through them."

Cheng Zongyang paused for a moment before asking, "When did you find out?" "

I only found out after entering the secret realm. The humans actually live below Xuanyuan Tomb. And that beverage shop—I opened it and saw that the cardboard boxes contained human milk."

A chill ran down his spine, and Cheng Zongyang felt as if his blood was freezing. He closed his eyes, feeling dizzy, his longing for modern life instantly collapsing. Humans weren't the masters of the Taiquan Ancient Array; they were domesticated animals kept in cages. It wasn't a refuge for humans, but their graveyard.

He suddenly realized this, and like being bitten by a venomous snake, he threw away his backpack, waist bag… everything related to the Taiquan Ancient Array.

"Something must be wrong!" Cheng Zongyang desperately told himself.

A deliberate imitation of a human city… a city without doors… a life displayed like an exhibit… no weapons… an unusually large number of women's clothing and sex shops… a huge entertainment district… no books or knowledge… a medicine box by the bed…

“Impossible! Why are we here?” Cheng Zongyang said. “If that were true, I should be seeing a Six Dynasties ruled by beasts!”

Xiao Zi gently pressed his hand. “Perhaps it never belonged here, but is another world unrelated to us.”

Cheng Zongyang slowly loosened his clenched fist and looked up. “Lord Shang, did you already know?”

Shang Zhenyu said, “I’m not sure. But I know that one day Yue Fei suddenly dug three feet into the ground and never came back.”

Cheng Zongyang knew he couldn’t accept the answer, but he still couldn’t help asking, “What did he dig up?”

“You’ve seen it. It’s that pit in the Demon Ruins.” Shang Zhenyu said, “Burned in the pit is a sand table sealed in glass. Inside are tiny figures, broken and fragmented, like broken and thrown-away toys. And it’s contaminated with a deadly poison.”

“Tiny figures?”

"Although there are many alien races in the Southern Wilderness, none are as small as these. I have carefully examined several corpses; those small people were originally living beings. The reason they shrunk must have been deliberately done by someone using some kind of magic,"

Cheng Zongyang said. "Is it made into a model like a manor?"

Shang Zhenyu nodded.

Cheng Zongyang finally understood what the toy houses he had seen were. They weren't toys, but inhabited by living people, and they were indeed toys for sale—humans that had been deliberately modified. Those toy houses were actually miniature replicas of the secret city. Or rather, the entire secret city was an enlarged version of toy houses.

His body trembled. Xiao Zi wrapped her arms around his waist, pressed her face against his chest, and said softly, "I'm not afraid. You're not afraid either. Boss Cheng, what they are has nothing to do with us. In any case, it no longer exists."

After a long while, Cheng Zongyang calmed down and whispered, "Those people are really pitiful."

"Boss Cheng, you're wrong," Xiao Zi said. "Actually, they're happier than us. Because I saw in the footage, their smiles were very genuine." Cheng Zongyang was stunned for a moment, then sighed, "You're right. Happiness has nothing to do with living conditions. Rich people may never be happy, and those we think are miserable may be happier."

Cheng Zongyang picked up his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. "Whatever was there, it's gone now. Whether it was good or bad, it has nothing to do with us. Living well in the present is what's important!"

Xiao Zi blinked. "Boss Cheng, are you still going to live there?"

"I'd rather die than go there again!" Cheng Zongyang swore. "Even if it contains the most precious treasures in the world, I won't touch a single drop! Go for it! I'll make as much money as the Six Dynasties can afford, fill the Stonehenge in Canglan with gunpowder, and blow it all up!"

"What about the things inside?"

"I'm a pragmatist. I'll take what I can use, and make the rest disappear!" Cheng Zongyang said to Xiao Zi, "From now on, forget about it completely! Pretend it never happened."

Xiao Zi laughed, "I've already forgotten."

Old Zhu said, "Blow it up, blow it up cleanly."

Cheng Zongyang perked up, flying along the mountain path as he said, "Do you know what I found strangest in the Six Dynasties? What I found strangest was why the Six Dynasties didn't develop technology, yet they had cultivation, something that was originally unimaginable. Now I think I understand a little—even the most powerful technology is an external force. On the contrary, because of the development of technology, the body has always been in the most suitable and safest conditions, with neither competition nor natural enemies. Every additional layer of safety in technology makes the body more vulnerable."

"Imagine if humanity had perfect technological safeguards from the very beginning, with all diseases isolated by technology—it would seem like paradise. But without the immunity that develops to fight viruses, a simple cold could be fatal once technology is lost. From a futuristic perspective, humans who haven't undergone natural selection are born disabled, riddled with deadly genes. From this angle, while technology ensures human safety, it also halts natural evolution."

"Cultivation may seem like an individual activity, far less beneficial than technology, but it actually promotes the overall evolution of humanity as a biological entity. A race that doesn't need technological support but relies on its own strength is truly powerful."

"Boss Cheng, what are you saying?"

"I'm talking about the direction of human evolution," Cheng Zongyang said. "Humans have a subconscious belief that they are normal, and therefore perfect, and strive to maintain this 'normality.' From another perspective, this is truly laughable. The human body is clearly not perfect. We only think about using technology to achieve interstellar travel, why not take another direction and achieve interstellar travel through the physical body? This isn't about ethics or possibility; it's about that inexplicable, self-righteous sense of superiority. Humans were once monkeys, were monkeys perfect? If other creatures on Earth can achieve it, why can't humans? We can evolve to run faster than leopards and dive deeper than whales, which is more realistic than migrating to other planets, right? After all, we're on Earth! We're also Earth species! The similarities are far greater than in other star systems!"

"Boss Cheng, I don't understand, but I can hear a lot of your complaints."

Cheng Zongyang exhaled a breath of stale air. "I admit, I'm provoked. Damn it! No matter what happened, I now believe that this world is humanity's direction and hope. Let those guys who use technology to prevent evolution die!"

Cheng Zongyang roared. Even if those humans kept as livestock were happy, it wasn't the world he longed for. He had only one thought: to forget everything about the Taiquan Ancient Formation.

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【The Song of the Six Dynasties】(Episode 17, Chapter 8)

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