Chapter 38: High Walls and Deep Ravines

"Did I say it was man-made?" Sun Fuping snorted. "To be built seamlessly and solidly during wartime, and then to withstand the trampling of thousands of people and siege engines – only supernatural power could achieve that."

Was this bridge formed by supernatural power? Everyone looked down at the road, deeply astonished.

"There are many earth-based supernatural abilities. This might be a variation of the Mountain Shifting technique, performed by at least fifty mages working together," Sun Fuping said, kicking the bridge surface, which echoed with a metallic clang. "Yes, the cost must have been considerable."

Its quality was excellent, remaining intact after a century.

Situ Han quietly asked, "Didn't they say supernatural powers are ineffective during wartime?"

Before anyone else could speak, He Lingchuan shushed him. "You only know half the story! Supernatural powers are only less effective against armies, but no one said they couldn't be used in war. What's wrong with using them to pave roads or build bridges?"

He stroked his chin. "Given this, the bridge in front of Panlong City's South Gate must have been destroyed and rebuilt countless times, right? The reason this particular one still stands today is probably because the allied forces achieved final victory?"

"That's likely the case," Sun Fuping agreed. "Panlong City needs this bridge for connection with the south during peacetime, but it would certainly be cut off first when a major war breaks out, to block advancing enemies."

Nian Songyu kicked a watermelon-sized stone from beside his foot into the deep chasm. It was a while before the group heard the echo of the heavy object hitting the bottom.

"It's very deep; we probably wouldn't survive a fall," he said, peering down from the bridge. "This must have been the moat originally, right? I see traces of excavation at the bottom, so it seems it was deepened."

Panlong City already held a strategic chasm, and the moat in front of its gate had been meticulously modified to make the water deeper and swifter, further increasing the difficulty for enemies attempting to scale the Chipa Plateau.

At the very least, armies couldn't get up.

Over those thirty-two years, Panlong City spared no effort in its defensive security.

A slight commotion arose from the rear.

Ever since they started crossing the bridge, the possessed puppets had struggled more violently, constantly trying to run back and even biting people. One guard's left hand was bleeding profusely.

The consequence of this behavior was even stronger suppression. Eventually, they were practically carried across the bridge.

The group then arrived at the main South Gate of the ancient city of Panlong.

In reality, the outer wall of this legendary city was not as magnificent as He Lingchuan had imagined. It was only five *zhang* (about 16.6 meters) high, cylindrical, and its surface was not smooth. Patches of different colored bricks were visible everywhere, indicating countless repairs.

The wasteland was too dry for moss to grow beneath the wall, but like the bridge, it was covered in stains that over a hundred years of wind and sand had failed to erase.

These were deeply ingrained bloodstains that wouldn't fade.

The wall was riddled with small holes, slightly larger than grapefruits, too small for a person to fit through. He Lingchuan knew immediately that these indicated hidden chambers and passages for soldiers inside the wall, serving for ventilation, observing enemy movements, and projecting arrows or spears to stab climbing attackers.

However, these were standard features for city walls, and Panlong City's outer wall appeared plain and unremarkable otherwise.

But looking further up, the group discovered its more menacing aspect—

Beyond the battlements, various lengths of black wooden spikes, resembling canine teeth, protruded in all directions.

Zeng Feixiong gasped, "Hemlock wood, crocodile teeth spikes!"

He had also participated in the defense of Blackwater City. As Yanguo's frontline stronghold against the west, its city walls naturally boasted numerous defensive structures. However, the use of crocodile teeth spikes on city gates had become obsolete for nearly a century, making this his first encounter with such a design.

Siege warfare often required ladders to get ground troops onto enemy ramparts. But with the crocodile teeth spikes in the way, the top of a siege ladder could only rest on a spike, forcing soldiers to climb over the spikes themselves before they could jump onto the wall.

Needless to say, these "crocodile teeth" were perfectly round and would be greased before battle, ensuring they were too slippery to stand on. If that wasn't enough, the defenders would throw up torches to roast the attackers.

The hemlock wood used for the long spikes was fire-resistant, but humans were not.

Describing this city wall as "armed to the teeth" seemed perfectly apt.

Situ Han's eyes widened, and he murmured, "It... it really is like that!"

"Let's go in," Sun Fuping said, being the first to look away, leading the group through the outer wall.

The outermost hemlock wood gate had one leaf half-open and the other lying broken on the ground, clearly having endured brutal treatment. Scars from knives, axes, and fire were clearly visible on the door.

Seeing hemlock wood, which was harder than steel, so battered, He Lingchuan felt his eyes had been opened.

But upon passing through the gate, he still let out an astonished "Oh."

Behind the outer wall was only two hundred *zhang* (about 666 meters) of open ground, and then...

...a second high wall!

He Chunhua couldn't help but say, "This is the first time I've seen such a tall barbican."

The second wall was five *zhang* higher than the outer wall! And all the defensive structures present on the outer wall were replicated here.

He Lingchuan also spotted several catapults on the city gate.

Sun Fuping shook his head. "Who said this was a barbican?"

The group passed through the second gate, and upon closer inspection, were left speechless.

They saw a third wall!

This wall was another five *zhang* higher than the second, reaching a total height of fifteen *zhang* (over forty meters)!

Three gates, three walls – Panlong City was truly armed to the teeth.

"This is the barbican!" Situ Han gasped, taking a sharp breath. "Enemies who reached this point must have been incredibly frustrated." After immense effort flying across the chasm and breaching two walls, invaders would have expected to feast on the tender flesh after tearing through the prey's tough hide. Instead, they would have chipped their teeth again, finding another layer of thick scales underneath.

Reaching this point only to face another high wall would have drained much of their momentum and determination, leaving anyone feeling disheartened.

He Lingchuan felt that the people who built this city were quite malicious.

However, he also found bloodstains near the air vents of the third high wall, indicating that the allied forces had indeed fought their way to this point.

The perilous nature of that battle went without saying.

After crossing the three gates, the group finally entered Panlong City.

What met their eyes was a massive plaza, or perhaps a flat ground, capable of accommodating at least two thousand people. Even with their two-hundred-person group inside, it still felt remarkably vast.

Turning their heads, they saw a giant, long serpent bas-relief embedded in the barbican wall.

This serpent sculpture resembled both a snake and a python, with clear scales, but it also had horns on its head, whiskers beneath its jaw, bulging eyes, and a protruding mouth.

He Lingchuan recognized it; this was the origin of the city's name: Panlong (Coiled Dragon).

However, it wasn't a true dragon, but a *jiao* (a flood dragon, a lesser dragon).

Beneath the black *jiao* totem was a long stone offering table for residents to make their tributes. Adjacent offering towers and incense burners, nearly a *zhang* (about 3.3 meters) high, were quite impressive, though of course, no incense was burning now.

At the far end of the plaza was a large pool, now, of course, dry and empty. After more than a century, it remained largely intact, with only a few missing pieces. Situ Han tapped the edge of the pool. "What was this pool used for?"

Sun Fuping replied, "Ancient cities in the Panlong Wasteland all share a tradition of soldiers drinking water and taking an oath before going to battle."