The Happy Farmer Wanderer-Chapter 772 Ingenious Workmanship_1

The subtlety with which the Underground Palace was designed simply broadened Li Qing’s horizons.

It was truly thorough of King Qi to even anticipate and prevent the possibility of mountain collapse.

Although in Jing Yan’s words, the man was thoroughly a ferocious and brutal character.

But Li Qing had to admire his insights and craftsmanship in certain areas, as well as his strong determination.

This was merely a Prince’s Underground Palace, yet both its grandeur and the ingenuity of its traps greatly surpassed many of the Imperial Mausoleums.

"If the outside were to collapse, what would this place become?" Li Qing asked.

"Within the mountain walls, there is a double-layered space that could fit two carriages side by side; it also serves as one of the palace’s defensive mechanisms against intruders. If the mountain were to collapse, the space would fracture, and the toxic miasma permeating it would spread out, enveloping the area for miles," Jing Yan explained. "The Underground Palace itself would gradually slide downward with the collapsing force of the mountain range, sinking deep into the heart of the mountain."

Li Qing was flabbergasted, his eyes wide with confusion. "Yan’er, are you saying this Underground Palace could actually sink further?"

Jing Yan gestured broadly with her hands and said, "Husband, the palace actually hovers within an inner cavity of the mountain, and intricate formation patterns are carved into the surrounding walls. Should the mountain range tremble and risk collapse, the Formation would automatically activate. The main part of the Underground Palace would then detach from the other chambers, seal off the passageways, and slide down to the deepest reaches."

"When creating this Underground Palace, those master craftsmen had already considered the potential changes in the mountain range. King Qi chose this location for its feng shui, but he did not wish for the palace to reappear in the world. So, if the mountain collapses, the palace will keep descending until it’s under the valley—falling all the way from the waist of the mountain to its base," Jing Yan continued.

"Wow, that’s really one massive project," Li Qing couldn’t help but click his tongue in amazement.

Hollowing out the mountain to inscribe the formation patterns and making the entire Underground Palace shift like an elevator was something he couldn’t have even imagined. Yet such a monumental feat, akin to a miracle, was right before his eyes.

Jing Yan nodded gently and said, "It is indeed a huge undertaking. To construct this place, King Qi employed countless Laborers from his domain and there was no shortage of master craftsmen. It seems these powerful figures all share the same idea; dominating all in life, and in death, they aspire to claim kingship and rule in the underworld."

"Yet, he really is dead, and I’m still very much alive. It’s such a monumental irony."

Li Qing could understand the allure of power; after all, looking through the history books, there weren’t many emperors who hadn’t done the same.

He was always curious about how King Qi met his end.

There were still quite a few people who survived just like Jing Yan, so why did the very instigator of it all die?

"Yan’er, do you think King Qi is truly dead?" Li Qing inquired.

"Are you worried that he might suddenly come back to life and hunt you down?" Jing Yan asked with a gentle smile on her lips, looking askance at Li Qing.

Li Qing shrank his neck and nodded, "I’ve shamed him so over his coffin, of course, I’m scared."

"It’s fine, when the time comes, your concubine will protect you," Jing Yan joked with a light laugh, then sobered up to say, "About this matter, I too had my suspicions before. How could such a rotten individual completely die just like that, considering he prepared everything? However, after carefully examining the Underground Palace, I came to some conclusions. He must have awakened his Divine Soul earlier than expected, and perhaps, discontented with the solitude inside the palace or aspiring to advance further in his Cultivation, he encountered complications and entered a state of demonic possession."

"You’re sure you haven’t seen him, right?" Li Qing still felt somewhat uneasy as he asked.

This matter had in fact always left him feeling rather unsure.

After all, if Jing Yan was already so powerful, the King Qi who had imprisoned them like small birds must be even more terrifying.

Jing Yan replied with a light, indifferent laugh, "My lord, be at ease, I would not mistake it. Ever since my Divine Soul awakened, I have been investigating his whereabouts, but apart from some traces in the Underground Palace, there has been no sign of him."

"If that were not the case, the very first thing I would have done after my physical body awakened would have been to exterminate his Divine Soul, not let you fuss over me on the lid of his coffin. I am even more concerned about this than you are, my lord. That man’s strength is truly fearsome, and if he is not dead, I cannot rest easy."

Only then did the small stone weighing on Li Qing’s heart fall to the ground, "That’s good to hear. Considering all that he has done, I imagine his strength cannot be weak. In his eyes, I must appear as nothing more than an ant crawling on the ground. It’s hard not to worry."

"My lord, as long as you’re at ease. Even if he’s alive, with me here, I won’t let him harm you in the slightest," Jing Yan said with utter determination.

Her words made Li Qing’s heart inadvertently sweeten.

It seemed that something called emotion had already formed between them.

In Li Qing’s heart, that feeling had long been present since he was always a person who valued relationships deeply.

But he didn’t dare to gamble or guess at Jing Yan’s feelings.

Fortunately, it seemed that everything was ultimately moving in a beautiful direction.

While they were talking, the laborers outside, who had been busy, seemed to have laid out the cords and prepared for the explosion.

Li Qing hesitated but decided to send a message to Dian Chunqiu, asking him to persuade those noble families outside to stop the explosion.

If the poison gas were to spread, many would die; Li Qing couldn’t stop them, he could only give a warning, as a way to seek peace of mind.

"My lord is a benevolent person," Jing Yan saw Li Qing’s phone and chuckled lightly.

Li Qing shook his head and smiled, "I wouldn’t say that, I just don’t want to involve these innocent people. As for those obstinate noble families, I think a few deaths might serve to deeply teach them what pain is and make them curb their arrogance."

"True benevolence is that which extends to all the people under the heavens," Jing Yan said gently with a smile, "My lord, let us go down below. If the mountain collapses, it won’t be very safe up here."

Li Qing nodded his head, and the two of them moved to a layer below—unknown which one it was, but it was within Jing Yan’s private garden anyway.

The layout of the Underground Palace was exquisite in every aspect. Although, in reality, it resembled a high-rise buried deep underground, its shape was irregular, and the transitions between layers didn’t make one feel as if they were going down.

Winding here and there, one could have descended several levels without realizing it.

Jing Yan had just boiled a pot of water, ready to brew a pot of thousand-year-old tea for Li Qing to taste when suddenly the entire Underground Palace shook violently. Immediately after, they felt a dizzying sensation as if moving downward.