I was the Heavenly Emperor in ancient times

Chapter 22 Black Mountain Candlelight (Thanks to Zhan Taiyue for being the Alliance Leader)
The helicopter hovered in the sky.

Luo Zhen looked at the scene below, his face full of worry.

This place is already close to the western border of Xinjiang, and the national border is right next to it.

It was midday, the sun was at its highest, but the mountain below was shrouded in darkness, with no light able to penetrate it.

The entire mountain was pitch black; the rocks and trees on the mountain were all blended into its black outline.

Moreover, strange things have been happening in this shadowy place recently.

More and more figures appeared at the foot of the mountain, walking towards the black ridge, but only shadows could be seen, not people.

They were queuing up, waiting for something, I don't know.

Even now.

Then the dark and sinister shadow looked up and gazed at the helicopter overhead.

"hiss!"

Despite the loud noise of the helicopter, Luo Zhen still heard the sound of the person next to him gasp.

"There are more and more people."

"What should I do?"

"It's a big problem."

Luo Zhen looked down and said.

"It can't be delayed any longer."

Recently, some videos about supernatural powers have been circulating online. Most of them are just gimmicks and nothing to be afraid of, but what is frightening is that some of them are real.

One type of video, popular on video platforms around the world, involves holding a candle to cast your shadow and then making it move by following a specific method.

It is said that this method can take a person to the underworld, but the price is giving up their physical body in the real world.

It has become popular in various places, inspiring many people to try it.

the other side.

The people who were training in the indoor training field finally began to rest. However, the others who were training with them were exhausted, but Lu Gang and Zhao Nange seemed to feel nothing.

During breaks, they also played on their phones like everyone else, keeping up with the news outside.

In the past two days, the biggest news and the people who have received the most attention online are naturally Zhou Shentong and the Changsheng Temple.

Of course, there's also Li Jun with "double pupils".

From the day Zhou Shentong "plucked" the sun from the sky, everyone has been searching for Zhou Shentong and Li Jun. All factions recognize that these two are the most crucial figures when the so-called extraordinary era arrives.

It's not just because they possess extraordinary powers, but more importantly because they are able to create extraordinary beings.

This is equivalent to these two figures being like the Taoist patriarch and the Buddha at this time.

Unfortunately, Zhou Shentong doesn't accept just anyone. If you want to be his lackey, he has to see if you're qualified and if you're even one of his guys.

Not only did he display power that terrified everyone, but more importantly, the Temple of Longevity was hidden in a small space that did not belong to the present world.

As for Li Jun, no matter which force could find him from beginning to end, he was said to be hiding in another dimension.

only.

Seeing Zhou Shentong being called an Immortal Venerable and Li Jun being called School Uniform Hero on the internet, Lu Gang couldn't help but laugh.

"Zhou Shentong is called Immortal Venerable, and Li Jun is called School Uniform Hero. What do you think Li Jun would do if he saw this?"

Little did he know that this scene was being witnessed by others.

At this moment.

Li Jun sat cross-legged under the sacred tree amidst the clouds, drinking his now-cold cola.

He watched what was happening outside, and he also saw Lu Gang secretly laughing at his online nickname.

Meanwhile, Zhao Nange started flipping through various videos about Li Jun. After all, she was able to obtain the power of the Peach Witch because of this person's gift. It could be said that he saved her life, so she naturally wanted to understand what kind of person he was.

Zhao Nange handed over her phone: "Have you noticed any changes in him in the video you brought back from Taoshan Island, in Nangang City, and in the photo taken at the hospital?"

Lu Gang glanced at it and said, "The changes are huge. He was just an ordinary person at the beginning, then he was infected with the double pupil virus, went through all sorts of changes, and finally became a superhuman. He was constantly changing throughout the whole process."

Zhao Nange shook her head: "Don't you think he seems a bit too small?"

Lu Gang nodded: "Maybe you lost weight because you used too much energy?"

Lu Gang hadn't noticed anything yet, after all, the other changes in Li Jun were so significant that they were enough to cover up some of the details.

Li Jun, however, noticed Zhao Nange, who seemed to have a keen eye for observation.

While looking at their phones, they naturally noticed the "underworld" videos that have been circulating wildly online recently, but which have been impossible to ban.

These videos are especially widely circulated on the internet, and many people in East Korea even use VPNs to access them.

At that moment, a man training with Lu Gang opened such a video.

Man: "Have you guys seen that video about going to the underworld?"

Lu Gang: "I've seen one, but there are quite a few videos like this lately. Some are successful, some are not, and some have reportedly caused some big trouble."

A person standing nearby wiped his sweat with a towel while saying this.

"I saw one where someone was performing some kind of ritual, and the shadow went berserk and started moving, killing everyone else around them. It was incredibly evil."

The video has been downloaded; it's called "Seven Steps to Take Your Soul to the Underworld."

The scene in the film can be described as extremely eerie: a blond, blue-eyed foreigner sits on a white cloth, turns off the lights, and lights a candle.

Then, as he chanted a spell, he performed some kind of mysterious ritual step by step, but you couldn't hear clearly what he was chanting just by watching the video.

However, as the ceremony proceeded step by step, the foreigner's shadow moved in the candlelight, even though his eyes were closed.

The shadow also held a candle in its hand.

The shadow slowly stood up and walked towards the wall behind it, where a black mass seemed to have appeared, like a passage leading to the underworld.

As it left, the shadow made a gesture as if looking at the camera, and even reached out a hand to beckon.

It seems to be saying, "Come with me."

Looking at the ground now, the candlelight is still burning, but there is nothing behind the person.

The person who lost his shadow never woke up again. The video then sped up, showing the person's body beginning to rot. The video became increasingly horrific, with the images emitting a stench of death.

Finally, the door was pushed open, and a terrified scream came from outside, then the video ended.

The person playing the video put away their phone and continued talking about the incident.

"It is said that hundreds of people have gone missing both domestically and internationally because of this incident, and the number may continue to rise."

"Moreover, I heard from people within our organization that this power may be related to the power that Zhou Shentong used to plunge the world into darkness, and it is very likely that the Changsheng Temple is behind it."

"The source is very likely to be the Black Stone Peak of Zhangyin Mountain in western Xinjiang. Many of our people have been transferred there recently."

Some people said, "What are these people thinking? They dare to try anything. This is not the way to court death."

Lu Gang, however, thought of another aspect: "Things have become so serious, it might not be long before we have to take over too."

Zhao Nange remained silent until she finally spoke, at which point she asked a question.

What is the underworld like?

Lu Gang: "Who knows?"

Zhao Nange: "If the underworld is really another world that is similar to reality, it's no wonder that it's so attractive to some people."

Lu Gang: "Who knows what kind of trouble these weird things will cause if they are used indiscriminately?"

During the conversation, his cell phone rang, and Lu Gang immediately answered it and stood up.

Lu Gang glanced at the others, then his gaze finally settled on Zhao Nange.

He said, "It's come as expected; we might have to take a trip to the underworld too."

Zhao Nange asked a question: "Can you use your spatial teleportation ability again?"

Lu Gang was a little unsure how to answer, so he could only say, "I'm practicing right now!"

The others didn't have time to chat anymore and left on their own.

At that moment, one of the people's cell phones suddenly fell out of his pocket and disappeared into thin air.

The other end.

Li Jun controlled Tao Mu to watch the downloaded video on his phone, carefully examining every detail in the video.

Even after watching it several times, he was still puzzled.

"What exactly is this power?"

"Candle Dragon?"

Li Jun recalled everything he had seen in ancient times, but he didn't seem to see any trace of this thing, nor anything similar.
-
Li Jun checked the time and it was almost time. He used his mind to draw two circles in front of him, and two windows that could see the outside world appeared.

Western Xinjiang.

Black Rock Peak.

At first glance, the distant mountains look like a black dragon coiled on the earth. Lu Gang is checking the equipment. Although it is very likely that there will be no communication with the outside from inside, the footage captured by these devices can still be used.

This operation was large-scale and attracted extraordinary attention. The shadows gathering at the foot of Black Rock Peak were growing ever larger, with countless figures standing in layers at the foot of the mountain, queuing up and waiting.

The longer their ranks stretched, the greater the area from which darkness encroached upon the light.

On the other side of the border.

Personnel from various countries set up their equipment to observe the Black Stone Peak of Zhangyin Mountain.

Lu Gang believed that at this moment, there were still a large number of satellites in the sky pointing at this place, and people from all walks of life were analyzing all the changes here frame by frame on the screen, as well as their various actions.

Lu Gang thought to himself, "Is there any secrecy left in this operation?"

Through Lu Gang's perspective, Li Jun also saw the shadows of the queue in front of Zhang Yinshan.

Beneath the phantom of the sacred peach tree, Li Jun closed his eyes and pondered.

"It seems that it might be the existence of the Candle Dragon, whose power can only help these people change their forms."

"But it doesn't have the power of space, so it can't really open the door to another world, and they are also blocked outside."

"Next, they either have to wait for the Candle Dragon to fully enter the mortal world, or they can only have someone with spatial powers open this door."

Seeing this scene, Li Jun thought to himself.

Besides Li Jun, there are indeed various groups of people paying attention to Lu Gang's actions at this moment, the most direct of whom are a large number of foreign observers on the other side of Black Stone Peak.

Some of these people came on their own after hearing the news, while others were personnel from various organizations, as well as some official teams hidden among them. It was a huge, chaotic group.

"I've heard that the first exploration in the Eastern Kingdom is about to begin." Some people have already received the news.

"Do you think this exploration mission from the Eastern Kingdom will be successful?" The group stopped their observations and began to discuss.

"It will definitely fail!" Many of them were filled with malice towards the Eastern Kingdom.

“This is the power of the gods. They will surely be punished by the gods for not following the rules.” Some people have even become devout believers in the gods and Buddhas these days, even though they don’t know what caused all this.

"I heard this god's name is something like Zhulong?" Some people were talking about rumors circulating online.

The concept of longevity.

At this very moment, the entire Changsheng Temple is also carrying out a certain plan. You can see that the main hall of Changsheng Temple is filled with various instruments and equipment, and cables extend down the cliff.

Meanwhile, people kept looking at the shadow of the "black mountain range" in the distance, one of whom was Zhou Shentong.

At this moment, someone came to report on the situation outside Zhou Shentong.

"Immortal Venerable, they are preparing to enter Zhangwei Mountain."

Zhou Shentong glanced at it and laughed.

"A first-stage sorcerer also wants to open the door."

"How can it be."

Despite his mockery, he still instructed the other party to continue observing and report back to him immediately if anything happened.

at the foot of the mountain.

Lu Gang asked Luo Zhen, who was directing the operation, "What would happen if we just walked in?"

Luo Zhen replied, "I can't see anything, and my shadow is left inside. When I come out, I feel like I've lost my soul, and I haven't woken up yet."

Lu Gang then asked, "Why not use the methods circulating online to enter the so-called underworld? Wouldn't that be even more convenient?"

Luo Zhen put down the walkie-talkie and replied, "We believe that method is very likely to come at a price, and I hope you can open the entrance to the interior from here, which will be more helpful for our next steps."

Lu Gang asked Luo Zhen what to do with those shadows. Luo Zhen said that they couldn't control the others, but some of their people were also trapped inside and were currently in a vegetative state. He hoped that Luo Zhen could bring their shadows back so that they could wake up. Lu Yang nodded.

Lu Gang finally finished preparing and looked at the mountain range that resembled a black dragon.

"We've always said that after death, people go to the west. This place should be considered our west, right?"

Luo Zhen patted him on the shoulder: "Don't say it's unlucky. Let's try again this time. If your spatial abilities can open the doors to these worlds that don't belong to this world, many things will be much more convenient for us in the future."

Lu Gang wasn't very confident, but things had come to this point.

"I'll give it a try."

After saying that, Lu Gang, wearing his equipment, arrived at the foot of the mountain.

As he drew closer, the dark mountains grew taller and taller, and the surroundings became increasingly dark.

He walked past one invisible figure after another, and as those figures looked at him one after another, the scene, accompanied by the increasingly dim light, made him feel as if he were walking on the road to the underworld.

Finally, as the road approached the boundary between darkness and light at the foot of Black Stone Peak, the darkness before them no longer seemed to be nothingness, but rather transformed into something tangible, like a high black wall.

This invisible wall exists between the present world and nothingness; only by breaking through this barrier can they truly enter.

Lu Gang was a little nervous, and he stretched out his hand towards the dark mountain ridge.

"peach!"

"Peach demon, peach god, or the ancient shamans, whatever it may be."

"Give me a hand."

Lu Gang, who has always been an atheist, was now chanting incantations to invite a god to possess him, just like an ignorant believer.

At this moment, Li Jun, who was bound by the vines of light and shadow deep within Taoshan Island, slightly raised his right hand.

Then a huge commotion appeared in front of Lu Gang. First, a strong wind rose up, and the strange wind even disturbed the darkness that light could not penetrate.

"What's going on? Where is this wind coming from?"

"It's a bit strange."

“Look, those strange shadows lined up on the ground are moving in the wind.”

Lu Gang couldn't hear the distant sounds behind him, but he heard mysterious chanting in his ears.

"Boom!"

Everyone looked up and saw a door open in the darkness, with a huge black vortex spinning continuously, leading to an unknown place.

The dark mountains in the depths became increasingly real, and a rugged, winding path continued deeper along the ridge, as if leading to the underworld and the end of death.

Lu Gang raised his hand, staring in disbelief at the scene before him.

"I opened it."

"I succeeded?"

Lu Gang was overjoyed, while Li Jun on the other end also put his hand down.

It wasn't just Lu Gang who was shocked; everyone who could see this scene was stunned, just to varying degrees and for different reasons.

Those present looked at the open gate to another world, gazing at the endless black mountains stretching into the distance.

"Is that the world that belongs to gods, demons, immortals, and Buddhas?"

"What's inside? Could there really be gods there?"

"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I really wouldn't have believed it."

Some were shocked that the Eastern Kingdom had acquired such power, and feared that the Eastern Kingdom might possess some even more powerful means.

"They have already taken control of the forces that previously appeared on Taoshan Island."

"What if they use this force against us?"

"What was that person's name? The one who opened the door to another world."

"I need all his information immediately."

"We must also have this power, we must have our own extraordinary individuals."

Inside the main hall of Changsheng Temple.

When Zhou Shentong saw Lu Gang reach out and open the door, his mouth gaped open as if he had seen a ghost.

But he quickly realized that, apart from Li Jun, who understood the power of the Peach Tree Witch better than anyone else, this power could not possibly exist in Lu Gang.

"No, it's not him."

Zhou Shentong immediately walked to the other side and stood in the corridor looking at the other end.

"It's Li Jun!"

"he came."
-
The gate to the legendary Zhangwei Mountain opened, and the first to enter were not Lu Gang, but those figures who had been queuing for who knows how long at the foot of the mountain.

All that could be seen was that those beings, which were originally just shadows, transformed into people holding candles after entering the door.

in the dark.

Holding candles, they ascended the dark mountain path, transforming into a long dragon.

As the door gradually closed in, Lu Gang looked behind him.

"quick!"

"Follow me!"

Lu Gang and Zhao Nange led a field team into the dark, shadowy mountains.

Unbeknownst to Lu Gang, someone was already waiting for him on the other side.

Or rather, they were waiting for Li Jun.

(End of this chapter)