Chapter 929: Burning Heaven Mountain Range |
…
The Fire God needs to rely on deception.
That means the Fire God and the God of Death are not of one mind.
It's understandable, after all, not everyone is the Deceased Wife Battle God.
"What's your plan?"
Faced with Chen Huaian's question, Hades just silently used his scythe to draw out a portal, then said unhurriedly, "We both participate in the Divine Trial normally. The reward for the first Divine Trial won't be a Million-Year World Ring.
Usually, it's a treasure that can promote the understanding of divinity.
But due to the Golden Dragon King's orders, the Fire God will definitely give the first trial's reward to Tang Er.
However, if you also pass the first Divine Trial, according to the rules, you can demand a better reward, such as a Million-Year World Ring."
"Then the question arises."
He glanced at Tang Er, who was beside them constantly making whimpering sounds like a zombie, and said speechlessly, "This Tang Er is almost growing mold, how can he still participate in the Divine Trial?"
"Hehehe…"
Hades let out a sinister laugh, then melted into a mass of black mist that enveloped Tang Er, seeping into him through his seven orifices.
As the black mist disappeared.
Tang Er's originally pale face became ruddy again, his back straightened, his eyes shone with vigor, and a playful, irreverent smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
"How is it?" Tang Er, or rather Hades, turned to look at Chen Huaian, spreading his arms and spinning in a circle, "Can you tell I'm not the real Tang Er?"
Hades's voice and tone were now identical to Tang Er's.
What left Chen Huaian even more dumbfounded was that even the aura matched Tang Er's perfectly.
It wasn't until he used his Divine Soul power to probe deep into Tang Er's soul that he discovered a mass of black flame burning beneath this Physical Shell—that was Hades's Death divinity.
Apart from that, there were no other flaws.
"Your… disguise effect is incredibly strong."
Chen Huaian looked him up and down, clicking his tongue in amazement, "How did you do it?"
"All things in existence have their moment of Withering, even deities are not immortal.
Once they die, they enter the rules of Death divinity."
Hades raised his palm, a mass of black mist swirling in it.
"I am the God of Death, master of Death divinity. I can simulate the soul of any deceased being.
If the deceased's Physical Shell remains, I can inhabit it, passing myself off as the real thing.
I originally thought this ability had no practical use.
Because disguise is ultimately a gimmick, a joke against an existence like the Golden Dragon King, and against ordinary deities, they wouldn't see through it, but I could also defeat them head-on anyway.
Now, with your appearance, this ability finally has room to shine."
Chen Huaian withdrew his Divine Soul power and found that indeed, he couldn't detect any flaw.
That he could see through it at all was entirely due to the advantage brought by his Golden Immortal Divine Soul.
If it were the deities of this world,
especially those whose Divine System was inferior to Hades's, they would indeed be easily fooled by Hades.
…
"Everything is ready, let's go then." Wearing Tang Er's face, Hades's facial muscles were still somewhat stiff, but it couldn't hide the urgency in his eyes.
At the same time, the portal had stabilized.
Beyond the door was no longer the cold, deathly aura of the undead,
but an overwhelming wave of scorching heat.
The three of them stepped through the portal.
The moment their feet touched the ground, a high temperature intense enough to instantly vaporize mortal flesh descended upon them like a crushing mountain.
Everything in sight was a world scorched crimson.
On a cliff to the side ahead.
A dilapidated stone stele stood upright, carved with four large characters.
—Burning Heaven Mountain Range.
"So it's here?" Li Qingran tilted her head, murmuring to herself, then said to Chen Huaian, "Master, this is the southernmost part of the Canglan World—the Burning Heaven Mountain Range.
It possesses the Canglan Realm's largest and most numerous active volcano clusters.
It's said no living creature can survive here, it's even more dangerous than the Endless Sea…"
Chen Huaian looked up.
He saw a towering, cloud-piercing giant volcano standing at the edge of the world, thick smoke billowing from its crater blotted out the sky, dyeing the firmament a stifling dark red.
Scorching magma, like the earth's blood vessels, snaked down the pitch-black mountain slopes, converging on the ground into roaring rivers of fire, occasionally bursting into brilliant sprays of sparks.
The air warped violently from the extreme heat.
Distant scenery became blurred and indistinct within the heat waves.
The fire element here was active to an extreme.
Even without deliberately cultivating, just breathing made one feel a fire burning within their lungs.
"Wow… this is way too hot!"
Even as a Peak Battle Master with powerful temperature regulation abilities, standing here, beads of sweat still formed on Li Qingran's forehead.
She waved her hand, erecting a Sword Qi protective barrier that isolated the suffocating heat waves, her large eyes sparkling as she gazed at the cascading waterfall of magma.
"It is indeed hot… this kind of heat even carries a trace of divinity now." Chen Huaian also nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the mountain peak wreathed in crimson fire clouds.
He thought to himself, 'This does have a bit of the flavor of the Flaming Mountains from Earth's myths. If I had a Banana Leaf Fan, I might even be able to enjoy a good fanning here.'
"Naturally, although the Fire God Prometheus isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, the lair he chose is indeed an excellent place."
Hades—or rather, the current Tang Er—casually waved away the sparks drifting before him and led the two toward the foot of the mountain.
Passing through a forest of stone pillars formed from black obsidian,
the view ahead suddenly opened up, revealing a rugged village built against the mountain.
The village houses were all constructed from heat-resistant red rock, appearing extremely sturdy.
At the village entrance, a group of bizarre-looking creatures was busy.
They were short and stout, averaging less than one and a half meters tall, their skin rough and cracked as if covered by a thick layer of rocky carapace.
Within the crevices of that carapace, a magma-like dark red glow faintly shone.
Though humanoid, they possessed enormous hands and feet,
each step leaving a charred footprint on the ground.
"These are the Flame Dancers."
Hades lowered his voice to introduce them, "A group of natives born with an affinity for the fire element, fanatical believers whose minds hold nothing but the Fire God.
The entrance to the Fire God's Divine Trial is within this village. The specific rules and procedures are only known to the chief of these rock-headed people."
As he spoke, a patrolling Flame Dancer spotted them.
That person raised a stone spear burning with flames and jabbered a stream of words at Hades, the sound resembling two stones grinding together, harsh and grating.
Chen Huaian and Li Qingran were completely baffled, understanding nothing.
But Hades was prepared.
His lips moved, emitting a string of equally bizarre syllables.
Hearing Hades's words, the Flame Dancer first froze, then his eyes widened.
He immediately lowered his stone spear, his attitude doing a complete one-eighty, respectfully performing a comical chest-salute toward Hades.
Then, his gaze darted around Chen Huaian and Li Qingran a couple of times, seeming somewhat puzzled and wary, but after a glance at Hades, he ultimately didn't dare to ask more, turning and stomping off with heavy steps toward the depths of the village.
"Where did that rock-man go?" Li Qingran asked curiously.
"I sent him to notify the chief." Hades crossed his arms, saying calmly, "Just said distinguished guests have arrived to participate in the Divine Trial. Of course, I mentioned some secrets only known to deities and ancient races, making them think we have significant background."
Chen Huaian didn't speak, his Divine Sense had already silently spread out. He discovered that this seemingly desolate, remote village actually concealed many formidable figures.
Apart from the busy Flame Dancers, in various corners of the village, quite a few powerful human Battle Masters were also lurking.
Some gathered in small groups under the shade of trees, conversing in low voices; others sat alone cross-legged on scorching hot rocks, meditating with closed eyes.
Without exception, the fire element fluctuations on these people were astonishingly dense. Each person's aura was above level ninety, and a few had even touched the threshold of Legendary Battle Master.
Although these people didn't interfere with each other, the look in each person's eyes as they glanced around was filled with vigilance and coldness.
The air here was not only thick with the smell of sulfur, but also permeated with a sense of impending explosive tension.
Clearly.
These were all top-tier experts who had come for the Fire God's Divine Trial.
…