Infinite Puzzle City

Chapter 738 The Landing of the Lost City
Pighead didn't say a word, but his identity was self-evident. He was none other than Wu Man, who had been missing for a long time. Just as Chen Cheng had predicted, Wu Man entered the space of Ghost City, which is now the Lost City. Here, he became a member of the evil spirits.

With Wu Man guarding the gate for her, Xiao Ran could concentrate even more on twisting the writing staff.

He focused all his attention on the staff that he held tightly in his hands, which spanned three dimensions of time and space.

The enormous Yin God's Dharma Image behind him, its massive hand also covered the illusory image of the staff once again, like the giant jaws of a precision machine aimed at the core pivot.

In his mind, the three-dimensional model of the ghost city that he had built with his enormous mental energy was like a precise watch movement. It was no longer a static blueprint, but had become a dynamic maze that slowly rotated and was woven from countless rays of light representing energy nodes and spacetime.

The shadows of the past, present, and future constantly intertwine.

Each time Xiao Ran turned around, the interlacing light in front of her would change slightly. Although the process was tedious, Xiao Ran gradually became able to immerse herself in it and experience its wonders.

These things are like constantly doing practice problems; they contain both the foundation of sorcery and an understanding of the principles of sorcery.

The process of solving this problem was also a test of Xiao Ran's fundamental knowledge.

Fortunately, Xiao Ran had a very solid foundation in this area. As one number after another was solved, Xiao Ran's speed in turning the Wenzhu increased.

"Rumble..."

Violent tremors emanated from within the ghost city, as if the entire distorted building complex was convulsing in pain.

At this moment, in the spacetime of the [future], howls of extreme anger, like world-destroying thunder, violently echoed in this isolated world.

Those Netherworld Demon Gods who were forcibly descended and possessed the bodies of those with superior potential were frantically attacking the gates of the Ghost Capital, which were isolated from time and space, with their enormous, mountain-like figures.

"You bastards, let us out!!"

One of the demon gods, resembling a colossal beast encased in magma and bones, swung its massive fist, comparable to a small hill, each time carrying dark red, violent energy powerful enough to tear apart mountains and rivers, fiercely and recklessly smashing it against the seemingly empty yet most solid barrier of space!
"boom!!!"

Each impact was more than just a physical roar. The entire space of the "future" ghost city shook violently, expanded, and contracted like the surface of a mirror-like lake where a giant rock had been thrown in! Centered on the point of impact, spiderweb-like pale cracks burst open in the void, emitting a deafening spatial wail that seemed to shake the very foundations of the world! Violent energy storms swept outwards, churning up the debris on the ground and turning it into dust.

However, that invisible barrier was an unshakeable reef that these demons could not breach.

Because in a sense, these demons do not actually exist; they were simply taken from here and embedded at a certain point in the future.

Without cause or effect, it exists in a separate space-time, yet this is a barrier that these demons can easily shake.

Their terrifying power vanished without a trace in the distorted and misaligned spacetime structure.

"Godfather, these things can't get out, what do we do?"

Dai Long walked to Wang Gonggong's side and asked in a low voice.

After all, these demons are no pushovers. If they find that the demons cannot leave this place, it is possible that they will take their anger out on them.

Despite Dai Long's worries, Eunuch Wang showed no sign of panic, calmly picking up a grape and putting it in his mouth.

"Don't worry, we can't get out now, but there will be plenty of opportunities to get out later."

After saying this, Eunuch Wang raised his eyelids slightly and glanced at the meek little eunuch: "Don't worry, with this talisman, they can't do anything to us."

With a smile, Eunuch Wang took out a scroll of imperial edict that he had hidden long ago from his sleeve, flashed it in front of Dai Long, and then stuffed it back into his sleeve.

Seeing this, Dai Long smiled flatteringly and brought over a teacup: "Indeed, you are as insightful as a godfather."

As he spoke, he subtly flicked his finger, and a pill immediately fell into the teacup.

Eunuch Wang snorted coldly: "If I didn't have this mindset, how could I be sitting in this position?" After saying that, he calmly took the teacup and took a small sip.

"Ok!"

As soon as the fragrant tea entered his mouth, a strange look appeared on Eunuch Wang's face, making Dai Long's heart tighten. Fortunately, Eunuch Wang smacked his lips and spat out a tea leaf: "Today's Maple Dew is quite good. Little Li, your tea skills have improved."

"Yes, Godfather, please drink more if you like. This tea has been scalded three times, and it's just about time to bring out its flavor."

Dai Long squinted and said with a smile.

"Okay, good, good!"

Eunuch Wang nodded, then took a few more sips of tea.

Just as Eunuch Wang was drinking tea, the entire ghost suddenly shook violently.

The void trembled, and a mirage-like scene suddenly appeared in the sky. On the left was a scorched wasteland, in the middle was the terrifying city they were in, piled with severed limbs and sticky blood, and on the right was Chang'an Street, which had been ravaged by the demons!
Three completely different scenes appeared side by side in the sky, which was extremely eerie.

Among the three, a massive, silvery-white pillar of light that pierced the heavens and earth suddenly became even more dazzling, violently drilling towards the core point where the three intersected like a giant drill reaching the sky! Visible to the naked eye, twisting ripples composed of pure energy spread outwards from the base of the pillar of light in all three directions of spacetime like a raging sea.

“Rumble——!!!”

Past, present, and future are intertwined in space and time. The earth undulates wildly like a convulsing behemoth. The sturdy palace walls and majestic pavilions groan under the weight of the burden. Countless bricks and tiles fall down, and visible, spiderweb-like cracks appear in space itself!
An unprecedented spatial torrent erupted from the core point where the three were "joined"!
“Godfather, this…” Dai Long looked up at the scene before him with a face full of shock.

The demons trapped here, constantly assaulting the barrier, were first stunned, then their mountain-sized bodies suddenly stopped, and almost simultaneously, a twisted expression of extreme ecstasy appeared on their hideous and terrifying faces!
"Ugh... Ha... Hahahaha! It's open! It's open!! The damn barrier has finally crumbled!!!"

The deafening roar instantly drowned out the sound of space being torn apart!
Pairs of scarlet or eerie green eyes stared intently at the crack that was being pieced together! Some of the more impatient demons excitedly stomped the earth on the spot, rubbing their fists together, and dark red or pitch-black demonic energy erupted from their massive bodies like a volcanic eruption, instantly filling the entire space with a dense, ominous aura.

They had waited for far too long, in the underworld, for this day to arrive, eagerly anticipating it for countless years.

A meaningful smile, tinged with a knowing mockery and a morbid satisfaction, curled at the corner of Wang's lips. His voice was calm to the point of being cold.

"Look, aren't we about to leave? What's meant to happen will happen. It's the descent of gods and demons, a bloodbath for humanity, and also... our chance to escape and be reborn!" He tilted his head slightly, his slender, piercing eyes glancing sideways at Dai Long, a hint of extreme control and smugness hidden deep within them, and continued:
"It's a matter of course. No matter how powerful that junior is, how could he possibly stop this overwhelming tide?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a massive crack several miles long suddenly exploded in the sky like a black lightning bolt.

Meanwhile, inside the City God Temple, Xiao Ran was drenched in sweat, large beads of perspiration rolling down his pale cheeks. Each twist of his cane felt like pushing a heavy mountain, the strain of his intense mental state almost making his eyes bloodshot.

Just as the old eunuch Wang Qiang thought, if you want to completely seal off the entire ghost capital Chang'an, the collision of the three elements is an insurmountable obstacle!
Above the sky, the enormous rift spanning three dimensions resembled the gaping maw of a demon. Instead of being forcibly closed, it emitted a teeth-grinding "crackling" sound as the violent energy clashed and tore at the three worlds, and rapidly spread and expanded to both ends.

"Roar--!!"

A deep, resounding roar that shook the entire scorched ruins suddenly erupted from the depths of the crack!

Xiao Ran's heart sank to the bottom—the worst had happened! The demons trapped in the "future" timeline had sensed this once-in-a-lifetime opening! Their patience had run out!
At the edge of the crack, a huge claw covered in thick, jagged bone armor suddenly shot out! Countless faces struggling in agony were embossed on the bone armor, and dark red abyssal demonic fire swirled at its fingertips. It carried a terrifying power capable of tearing the earth apart and fiercely gripped one edge of the crack!
“Sizzle——!!!”

Like tearing through tough leather, the crack was forcibly ripped open by this brute force, and suddenly expanded by almost double!
A gigantic, mountain-like head covered in ghastly white scales forced its way out of the torn rift in space.

Those vertical pupils, burning with sulfurous flames, flashed with murderous intent in their cold gaze. Finally, they locked onto the silver pillar of light in the City God Temple that drew everything in, and the figure of Xiao Ran beneath the pillar!
That destructive will pierced through layers of space, like an invisible giant hammer, slamming heavily into Xiao Ran's mind.

He felt a sweet taste in his throat, a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, his hands, which were controlling the staff, trembled violently, and the Yin God Dharma Image behind him flickered and swayed.

"Get back!"

Xiao Ran's eyes widened, and a cold light shot out from his bloodshot eyes. Behind him, the arm of the Yin God Dharma Image was bulging with muscles and veins, and it twisted the end of the staff, which was like the pivot of heaven and earth, with a speed and angle far exceeding the previous one!
"Crack... Boom!!!"

This time, the backlash from the rotation was even more terrifying. The space around the City God Temple resembled a shattered glass mirror, with countless fine black spatial cracks appearing and spreading at a visible speed. The violent tremors caused the remaining beams and pillars of the temple to groan under the strain, and large swathes of charred rubble fell like rain!

As Xiao Ran forcibly reversed the direction of the text pillar, he triggered a coordinate that was buried deep in the void!
hum! ! !
A strange resonance came from the distant horizon.

Originally, at the intersection of three spacetimes, in the chaotic void, without warning, unimaginably huge objects suddenly broke through the void barrier and appeared out of nowhere!
It's a shrine!
A colossal shrine, as large as a mountain, appeared instantly in front of the enormous crack that stretched across the sky!

"Puff puff!"

Like bamboo shoots bursting through the earth after rain, or like stars descending to earth, one after another, enormous shrines emerged from the void at a terrifying speed, solidifying and crashing head-on into the expanding crack!

"Awooo!!!" Caught off guard, the demon god that had torn open the crack had its half-head and giant claws stuck by the suddenly appearing shrine barrier! A roar filled with pain and rage resounded through the sky.

"boom!!"

The dark red demonic fire erupted suddenly, scorching the bluish-gray barrier that blocked it, emitting a terrifying sizzling sound. Large clumps of ash-like debris fell off, and the shrine blocking its path exploded.

However, there were too many shrines, and the crack that stretched across the sky was instantly blocked by this mountain of shrines that suddenly rose from the ground!

The demons that wanted to break out of the rift were firmly trapped inside the crack, and for a time they could not advance an inch!
Inside the City God Temple, Xiao Ran staggered a step, and a mouthful of blood essence could no longer be suppressed. He spat it out onto the ground in front of him, instantly turning the scorched earth dark red.

At this moment, his internal organs felt like they were on fire, and even his mental energy began to deplete.

Seeing that Xiao Ran was injured, Wu Man, who was standing outside the City God Temple, immediately put her hand into the boiling bronze cauldron next to her.

He then scooped out a large, red piece of meat and tossed it to Xiao Ran.

Although there was no word, Xiao Ran knew that Wu Man giving this thing to her was obviously not an ordinary item.

The piece of meat was square, somewhat resembling braised pork. As for what it was... well, Xiao Ran didn't care at the moment and stuffed the piece of meat into her mouth.

The warm chunks of meat melted in her mouth, the strong medicinal aroma carrying a hint of indescribable sweet and pungent flavor. Before Xiao Ran could even chew, the scalding hot minced meat slid down her esophagus and into her stomach, transforming into a powerful, scorching surge of energy that exploded outwards!

This energy flow is not pure vitality; it carries a strong, mixed essence, and is further mixed with a special energy that Wu Man refined through bizarre cooking methods.

In an instant, Xiao Ran's body erupted with a series of cracking sounds from his joints, and a dark red glow emanated from beneath his pale skin. His depleted spiritual energy surged and swelled instantly, like a dried-up riverbed suddenly encountering a flood.

Finally, it turned into a surge of hot air that rushed out from his lungs, causing Xiao Ran to let out a heavy burp, expelling all the stale air from his body, and instantly feeling refreshed.

"Thanks, brother!"

He called out to Wu Man's figure outside the door, his gaze sweeping across the terrifying crack in the sky blocked by countless enormous shrines. Behind the crack, demon gods were roaring and frantically pounding on the shrines in front of them.

More hideous heads rolled and surged deep within the cracks, and the dark red demonic fire almost dyed half the sky blood red!
"Lock it up! None of you are getting out!!"

Xiao Ran's tongue thundered, his arm muscles bulged like dragons, and the surging power within him poured into the staff in his hands without reservation! The ethereal and dim Yin God Dharma image behind him suddenly solidified and expanded, like a deity awakening from an ancient slumber. The giant hand covering the staff burst forth with unprecedented power and twisted forward fiercely!

"Crackling sound—!!!"

This time, the turning was no longer about prying open a mechanism, but rather—utterly devastating!
The entire Ghost City erupted with a cracking sound as it struggled to withstand the pressure. Centered on the City God Temple, countless black streaks, like chains, pierced through three different timelines, forcibly sealing off the Ghost City.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

In an instant, the three timelines of the future, present, and past collided and crushed each other, and the spatial cracks that covered the earth increased tenfold in an instant.

The remaining palace walls collapsed like sandcastles! The air was distorted into visible turbulent vortexes, and a frenzied tearing force began to devour the surrounding ashes and debris!
Deep within the rift, the demon trapped in the shrine let out an unprecedentedly tragic howl! Its outstretched giant claws and head were at the point of crushing destruction where the past and future timelines collided violently!
“Ouch——!!!”

The skull, covered in jagged bone armor, was crushed and cracked inch by inch, with pale scales mixed with dark red demonic blood and magma-like tissue fluid spurting out! The indestructible demonic bone claws also made a series of crisp "crack" sounds.

The tough finger bones were snapped by the opposing forces of the distorted spacetime.

"Pfft! Sizzle sizzle sizzle—!"

The shrine's walls were blasted open with a huge gap, but at the same time, half of the demon god's arm, along with his shoulder, was also torn apart!
Those demons who had not yet reached the edge of the rift roared in shock and anger, and could only watch helplessly as countless chains began to seal off the void.

The staff emitted a high-frequency mournful cry in Xiao Ran's hands, and the talent on the staff was being worn away and annihilated at a visible speed.

Xiao Ran's hands were already cracked at the base of his thumbs, and hot blood dripped down his trembling arms onto the scorching earth, making a sizzling sound.

The gates to the outside world began to collapse, rebuild, and collapse again in a recurring cycle, resulting in three parallel timelines, but the gates to the Ghost City were completely sealed off.

"Success!!"

Xiao Ran's expression relaxed, and she felt as if a huge burden had been lifted off her shoulders.

"Success! Now even if you were the Demon God himself, you would be trapped here to die and never be able to get out."

Xiao Ran looked up at the crack above her head.

The cracks continued to expand, but that didn't matter anymore. The three spaces were destined to be connected, but the Ghost City had already been sealed off by itself, and these demon gods alone had no chance of getting out.

As for Xiao Ran and his group, things were simpler. Xiao Ran had previously asked Gu Xintang to find Shao Hongzhang and gave him a set of blueprints. If the plan went smoothly, Shao Hongzhang and his group were already prepared.

As long as Shao Hongzhang follows the instructions in the blueprints, he will soon be able to open a temporary portal. This portal is small, but large enough for Shao Hongzhang, the tiger demon, and Gu Xintang to leave through it.

Both Wu Man and Dai Long can leave directly by returning.

(Note: They had already completed three side quests.)
Next, Xiao Ran only needs to find the Golden Toad and use the Industry Return technique to forcibly take it out. Once the Golden Toad leaves the Ghost Capital's territory, it will naturally return to its original form.

Xiao Ran's plan was correct, but...

"Om..."

A deep, muffled groan, so intense it could stop your heart, spread across the entire Ghost City without warning.

“Boom!”

Immediately afterwards, a pale white bolt of lightning tore through the dark, low-hanging sky like a giant axe.

A massive bolt of lightning instantly engulfed the crack in the sky that had been blocked by the shrine and echoed with the roar of the demon god. The pure white light, powerful enough to incinerate everything, enveloped the entire ruins of the Ghost City. The earth trembled violently like an anvil, and the blockade that Xiao Ran had carefully constructed groaned in the face of this tyrannical power, on the verge of collapse.

The slight relaxation on Xiao Ran's face froze completely, and a bone-chilling cold from the deepest part of her soul swept over her entire body!
On the hill outside Ghost City, the Yinshan Taoist looked at the white lightning that tore everything apart and finally couldn't hold back. He slapped his thigh and laughed wildly. His withered body laughed so hard that he bent over backward, and his wrinkled face was full of morbid pleasure at the success of his plan.

His cloudy little eyes gleamed with a sharp light, as if piercing through layers of space, locking onto the staggering figure in the City God Temple. His laughter was shrill and piercing.
"Hahaha! The time has come, hahahaha, Tsukasako, the door you locked with your own hands, will you open it or not?!"

His voice grew even more manic amidst the bizarre, hysterical laughter, carrying a triumphant air of complete control and a venomous chill.

At the same time, under the huge military flag in the distance, Lu Cheng, dressed in golden armor, showed an unusual solemn expression.

"Why now of all times?!"

He stared at the white lightning bolt overhead, the large sword in his hand clanging as he gripped it.

Behind him, Liu Mu and Qing Hai were also filled with astonishment, their expressions growing increasingly grim. They both knew very well what that white lightning was.

That's a boundary lightning bolt.

The appearance of this thing means that the area shrouded in lightning is about to fall to the ground.

"Oh no, Xiao Ran and the others haven't come out yet. If this city of illusion lands, who knows where we'll end up?"

Liu Mu frowned and said worriedly, but his words were immediately met with disdain from Qing Hai: "Idiot, you still have the mind to worry about this? There are so many troops here. What if there are cities down there? If such a large army suddenly appears out of nowhere, who knows what kind of trouble it will cause?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Mu scratched his head, then suddenly realized something and turned to look at Qing Hai beside him: "If you put it that way... then if the ghosts in front of us were to fall down, wouldn't a million people be instantly squeezed into the space inside?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Mu and Qing Hai's expressions suddenly changed drastically. The two stared intently at the Ghost Capital ahead. Even though they were both demon gods of the underworld, they couldn't help but feel a sense of horror.

What would happen if millions of people were suddenly trapped inside the ghost city? Even if the two of them didn't know the current situation inside, they should be able to tell with their toes that it was probably not a peaceful place.

I'm afraid countless people will die then...

(End of this chapter)