"Forget it. Let's leave it to him to handle."
Watching Xiao Kui re-enter the Demon Sword, Murong Ziying then placed the sword into the sword case on his back. After some hesitation, Daniel decided not to mention that he could purify the evil spirits within the Demon Sword.
As for Fei Peng's reincarnation in this era, Daniel had no clue. If he really thought about it, Fei Peng had many reincarnations, and it wasn't until Jing Tian appeared that Chong Lou showed up. There might be some unknown reasons for this. Otherwise, with Chong Lou's strength, finding Jing Tian's reincarnation would have been simple, and there would have been no need to wait for Jing Tian's lifetime.
Instead of searching for Fei Peng's unfamiliar reincarnation, it might be better to wait for Jing Tian to appear. Speaking of Jing Tian's lifetime, Daniel was very curious about whether he had achieved immortality.
For others, achieving immortality was difficult, but for Jing Tian, it was no problem at all. Although this would mean Xiao Kui would have to stay inside the Demon Sword for a few more centuries, for a ghost, time passed quickly in cultivation.
After the Demon Sword was stored in Murong Ziying's sword case, the group of four continued their journey toward the Coiling Dragon Pillar. Along the way, they encountered many monsters and beasts, but under Murong Ziying's sword techniques, none of them could delay the group for even a moment.
"Is this the Coiling Dragon Pillar?"
"So tall!"
Upon reaching the base of the Coiling Dragon Pillar and gazing up at its towering height, which seemed to pierce the clouds, Han Lingsha and Yun Tianhe were both deeply impressed.
"Is this the Candle Dragon?" Daniel muttered to himself as he looked at the massive dragon statue coiled around the Coiling Dragon Pillar.
There were two legends about the Candle Dragon's location. One was the black dragon mountain range on the ground, and the other was the dragon statue wrapped around the Coiling Dragon Pillar.
If the dragon mountain range on the ground could be considered a natural wonder, then the dragon statue around the Coiling Dragon Pillar could only have been man-made.
Of course, it was also possible that neither of these was the true form of the Candle Dragon. After all, this was the legendary Candle Dragon.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Just as the four were staring at the Coiling Dragon Pillar, a series of thunderous roars echoed in the sky, followed by endless flashes of lightning.
"Is that thunder?" Han Lingsha looked at the lightning in the sky, puzzled.
"Bold mortals, why have you trespassed into Mount Buzhou? This is the territory of the Netherworld. Leave at once!" After the lightning, a strange but authoritative voice rang out in the air.
The Coiling Dragon Pillar was visible to anyone who came to Mount Buzhou, but very few could actually reach it. Sword immortals usually didn't come here, and ordinary martial artists who wanted to come lacked the ability.
Without methods like sword flight for rapid movement, reaching the Coiling Dragon Pillar was almost a death sentence.
"Ah, someone's here!"
"We're here to find a way into the ghost realm. Who are you, and where are you?" As Han Lingsha exclaimed in surprise, Yun Tianhe looked around curiously, searching for the source of the voice.
"The ghost realm? Hmph. Mere mortals, insignificant specks in the six realms, do you even know what the ghost realm is? How dare you think of entering it? Are you seeking death?"
As the voice spoke, a massive dragon head suddenly appeared in the air in front of the four. The sudden appearance startled Han Lingsha, causing her to take a step back.
"It's a dragon! A divine dragon!" Moments later, Han Lingsha became excited. The Candle Dragon—seeing it in person was an incredibly rare experience.
"I don't know what the ghost realm is like, but to find our friend, we must go there," Yun Tianhe said calmly, looking at the massive dragon head floating in the air.
Only the dragon's head and a small part of its body were visible to the four. The rest of its form remained hidden.
"Tianhe, show some respect. Greetings, Divine Dragon. We are disciples of the Kunlun Qionghua Sect, dedicated to cultivating immortality. We have come here seeking the entrance to the ghost realm for an urgent matter. We mean no offense." Murong Ziying immediately scolded Yun Tianhe and then spoke respectfully.
For Yun Tianhe, no matter the identity of the person or being, he treated everyone equally. Whether it was the Candle Dragon, the Heavenly Emperor Fuxi, the Demon Lord Chong Lou, or even a minor demon, he treated them all the same.
That was why he could face the divine dragon without any change in expression and straightforwardly state his purpose. In contrast, Daniel, Murong Ziying, and Han Lingsha were intimidated by the dragon's aura and didn't dare to speak casually.
In this regard, Daniel deeply admired Yun Tianhe. He knew he could never do the same, not even pretend to. Trying to act unaffected in front of the Candle Dragon would be too difficult.
"The Kunlun Qionghua Sect? Haha. Mortals dreaming of immortality—how laughable. Throughout the ages, how many have achieved their wish? It's better to accept the natural cycle of life and death."
The Kunlun Qionghua Sect indeed had a significant reputation in the cultivation world, even rivaling the Shu Mountain Sect. But compared to the Candle Dragon, they were on completely different levels.
"We're here only to find a way into the ghost realm. It has nothing to do with cultivating immortality." While Murong Ziying was at a loss for words due to the Candle Dragon's remarks, Yun Tianhe looked at the dragon calmly and spoke.
"Oh? Such words, such attitude. Interesting." Yun Tianhe's words and demeanor caught the Candle Dragon's attention.
"Mortals, answer me. What is your name?" For the Candle Dragon, even humans were insignificant, let alone a human's name. The fact that he personally asked for Yun Tianhe's name showed that Yun Tianhe had piqued his interest.
"My name is Yun Tianhe. She's Han Lingsha, he's Murong Ziying, and he's Daniel." Yun Tianhe honestly gave all four of their names, causing Han Lingsha to lower her head and inwardly scold Yun Tianhe for being too talkative. After all, the Candle Dragon had only asked for his name.
"Truly amusing. I don't dislike bold mortals, but I despise those who boast. Since you want to know about the ghost realm, try climbing the Coiling Dragon Pillar. Though it might cost you your lives."
"Is the entrance to the ghost realm up there?" Yun Tianhe looked up at the Coiling Dragon Pillar and asked directly.
"Mortals, you'll find out when you get there."
"Alright. My father said a real man should keep his word."
"Human, you are truly interesting. I'll be waiting for you up there."
As soon as the Candle Dragon finished speaking, the massive dragon head in the sky disappeared without a trace.
"Yun Tianhe, you're really bold. How dare you speak to the divine dragon like that? I was afraid he'd tear you apart in a fit of anger."
After the Candle Dragon disappeared, Han Lingsha finally let out a sigh of relief. Facing the legendary Candle Dragon, apart from Yun Tianhe, who lacked common sense and didn't react much, the other three were extremely nervous.
"Tear me apart? Why? I didn't sense any killing intent." Yun Tianhe looked at Han Lingsha, confused.
"Who cares about killing intent now? You're really infuriating." Seeing Yun Tianhe's innocent expression, Han Lingsha felt extremely frustrated but had no way to vent her anger. She could only stomp her feet in annoyance.
"Alright, now we have to climb the Coiling Dragon Pillar and see what happens." For Murong Ziying, he had never expected to encounter the legendary Candle Dragon. This was completely unexpected.
"It's been a while since I've seen Lingsha so spiritedly angry." As Han Lingsha stomped her feet in frustration, Yun Tianhe suddenly laughed.
"She's just worried about you," Murong Ziying sighed helplessly.
"So this is the Candle Dragon. I wonder how Fei Peng managed to become the number one divine general in the Heavenly Realm."
At first glance, Fei Peng's strength seemed impressive, but when considering the Heavenly Realm's hierarchy, it became clear that being the number one divine general didn't necessarily mean he was the strongest.
Aside from the Heavenly Emperor Fuxi, even the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden might be stronger than Fei Peng, not to mention the Candle Dragon, Ju Mang, and other gods.
"It seems we can't fly on our swords."
Following the Candle Dragon's words, the four began climbing the Coiling Dragon Pillar, following the spiral staircase that wound around it.
This was an arduous journey, akin to climbing a 90-degree mountain. Even though the four were strong, they couldn't reach the top of the Coiling Dragon Pillar as quickly as in the game. The phrase "towering into the clouds" wasn't an exaggeration.
"Let's rest here for today."
Considering that climbing the Coiling Dragon Pillar was the Candle Dragon's test, Daniel decided against suggesting they fly up on their swords. It was better to show respect to the Candle Dragon, especially for an outsider like Daniel.
Fortunately, it seemed that the immortals in this world didn't have the ability to divine the future, or Daniel might have been in trouble. However, among humans, there were those who could perform divination.
But even if a fortune-teller appeared now, it would be difficult for them to uncover Daniel's true origins.
"We're finally here." Two days later, the group of four finally reached the top of the legendary Coiling Dragon Pillar. This was only possible because Yun Tianhe and the others took turns carrying Han Lingsha.
"It's a platform. Legend says this place can reach the Heavenly Realm. I wonder if that's true or if the Coiling Dragon Pillar was once severed." In theory, if the Coiling Dragon Pillar were tall enough, it could indeed reach the Heavenly Realm, much like Qionghua Sect's plan to ascend as a whole.
"Hey, I'm here. Where are you?" Upon reaching the top of the Coiling Dragon Pillar and finding nothing after a quick search, Yun Tianhe immediately shouted into the sky.
Boom!
The next moment, a bolt of lightning struck Yun Tianhe, causing him to fall to his knees.
"Tianhe, are you okay?" Seeing Yun Tianhe struck by lightning, Han Lingsha rushed over, concerned.
"Bold mortal, do you know how disrespectful it is to call out to the divine dragon like that?" The Candle Dragon's voice echoed in the air. Moments later, a ten-meter-long Eastern dragon appeared before the four. This time, they could see the Candle Dragon's entire body.
However, it was likely not its true form, as the legendary Candle Dragon was said to be enormous, far larger than a mere ten meters.
"Disrespectful? I don't know what counts as respectful. You told us to come up here and said you had a way to the ghost realm. Of course, we hurried up to find you! What's wrong with that?"
Although struck by lightning, Yun Tianhe didn't seem seriously injured, only temporarily paralyzed.
"It seems you're truly bold and unafraid of death. But what if I told you that to enter the ghost realm, one of your three friends must die? How would you answer me?" As the Candle Dragon spoke, an invisible pressure filled the platform at the top of the Coiling Dragon Pillar—likely the dragon's aura.
"They would die? Why?" Yun Tianhe stood up, looking at the Candle Dragon in confusion.
"I said earlier that this is the territory of the Netherworld. If I let mortals enter the ghost realm without reason, how would I explain it to the King of Hell?" the Candle Dragon replied.
"Do you need to explain to the King of Hell? Just grant Yun Tianhe near-immortality. That would be an interesting explanation."
Those who sought immortality failed to achieve it, while those who didn't seek it attained it. This was the greatest irony, especially for those who pursued the path of immortality. Generally, cultivating immortality required talent, temperament, and opportunity. For most, talent was the most important. Without it, everything else was futile.
But for some, opportunity was the key. Even without considering Yun Tianhe's talent, the Candle Dragon's jest alone would make countless people jealous.
Even Daniel couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. He had worked hard to achieve his current strength, but Yun Tianhe, with the Candle Dragon's breath, not only gained near-immortality but also a significant boost in power, rivaling Xuanxiao.
"Choose quickly. I'm being quite generous by only asking for one soul. Who will it be? A beloved companion or a close friend?" The Candle Dragon chuckled, urging Yun Tianhe to decide.
"Hey, what kind of condition is that? Besides, I'm not his..." It had to be said that women sometimes focused on different things. When the Candle Dragon referred to her as Yun Tianhe's beloved companion, Han Lingsha's cheeks turned slightly red. Even so, she still wanted to refute the Candle Dragon. At this moment, Han Lingsha seemed to have forgotten her fear of the dragon.
"Do I have to choose?" Yun Tianhe looked at the Candle Dragon with a calm expression.
"Of course," the Candle Dragon nodded slightly.
"Then I choose none of them," Yun Tianhe immediately shook his head.
"Impudent! Bold mortal, how dare you mock me? If you don't choose, all three of them will die." Yun Tianhe's words seemed to anger the Candle Dragon.
"I will never sacrifice my friends. I won't change my mind." Yun Tianhe shook his head firmly. "Even though I must go to the ghost realm to find my friend, if it means losing another friend, I'd rather not! Even if we leave Mount Buzhou, we'll find another way to the ghost realm.
If you want to act, kill me. Don't harm them. It's my decision not to choose. It has nothing to do with them."
"Tianhe..." Han Lingsha looked at Yun Tianhe with concern.
"Mortals, you are truly interesting. Perhaps you are worthy of my admiration, or perhaps you are just a fool who understands nothing. But I have guarded this place for nine thousand nine hundred years and am about to complete my merit. At such a time, encountering a mortal like you is amusing. I will give you a chance.
I will release a phantom of myself from ten thousand years ago, before I ascended to immortality. If you can defeat it, I will open the path to the Hall of Impermanence in the ghost realm."
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