The Path to Another World

"With your level of cultivation, you can't yet see the secrets within. But if your life is in danger, just activate this Bagua, and it will surely protect you." Old Master Ye said with a smile, watching Ye Fan bustling around.

The two chatted for a long time at the octagonal table outside. Elder Ye explained everything Ye Fan needed to be aware of when entering the ancient tomb, including taboos and emergency procedures. Ye Fan memorized everything. Elder Ye's divination indicated that while the outcome of this mission would be auspicious, the process was fraught with danger. It seemed the journey wouldn't be simple and might even involve life, so Ye Fan studied with exceptional seriousness. Later, he pestered Elder Ye with questions about past secrets concerning immortals and deities. For Ye Fan, it was a fascinating new world, filled with curiosity about the unknown. Elder Ye excitedly answered Ye Fan's questions, recounting all the secrets he knew. They talked until almost dark before Ye Fan took the things Elder Ye had prepared, bid farewell, and went home.

The family enjoyed a harmonious dinner together. Even Old Master Ye, who usually lived a solitary life, had a meaningful family reunion dinner with Ye Fan. After dinner, Ye Fan lay alone on the rooftop, gazing at the starry sky, lulled by the rustling of the bamboo forest. In this fast-paced society obsessed with money, Ye Fan had never felt so relaxed, never felt so at ease. Thinking about his astonishing conversation with Old Master Ye during the day, he couldn't help but let his imagination run wild, his blood boiling. A man should roam the world with a sword, for only then can he truly live a worthwhile life. Ye Fan gazed at the ever-changing starry sky, lost in thought, until he finally fell into a deep sleep in the middle of the night.

As Ye Fan closed his eyes, the pendant on his chest spontaneously absorbed the essence of the sun and moon, emitting a faint blue light that enveloped him, like a pale blue eggshell. Ye Fan, already fast asleep, didn't sense anything amiss, remaining immersed in his dream, a faint smile playing on his lips.

In his dream, Ye Fan, dressed in a green robe, soared through the heavens on a ten-foot-long flying sword, exuding elegance and freedom, slaying demons and monsters, and settling scores with gusto. After all, every man harbors a martial arts dream within his heart. As the pendant's pale blue light completely enveloped Ye Fan, the scene in his dream suddenly shifted to a brutal battlefield, where countless people fought. Ye Fan watched in stunned silence, his blood boiling with excitement. Everyone was fighting fiercely, with many humans unleashing dazzling battle aura attacks. Mages, equally unreserved, seemed tirelessly pouring out their magic, unleashing walls of fire, thunderbolts, and icy spells of all sizes. Armored warriors stood firmly in front of the mages, forming a human wall of flesh to protect their comrades and allow the mages to focus on casting spells. For every fallen warrior, another fearless one stepped forward to fill the void. In the sky, giant lizard-like creatures flapped their wings, spewing forth seas of fire and other spells. Their gleaming teeth tore through the bodies of their enemies, and their thick tails whipped nearby foe away like powerful whips. Ye Fan was stunned; wasn't this a magical version of the dragons from Jurassic Park? There were also battle formations, working together like a millstone to annihilate the enemy. Ye Fan was even more astonished. There were formations of elven archers with pointed ears; short but powerful dwarves with red faces wielding huge hammers that were exaggeratedly taller than themselves; tall and strong beastmen of various types, such as tigers and minotaurs; and giants who kept throwing huge stones. There were all kinds of ethnic groups, strange and bizarre, many of which Li Jun had never heard of. It was like a collection of all kinds of races gathered together in a fantasy world.

The opposing side was even more formidable, composed of countless dark races: serpents constantly being slain yet re-merging; skeletons shattered into pieces yet struggling to rise again; three-headed hellhounds; eight-headed serpents wielding eight different spells; liches hiding in massive cloaks, exuding grotesque negative magic; and fallen elves and dark giants, their entire bodies radiating darkness and an aura of evil. While the ground battles were exhilarating, the aerial combat was even more captivating. The pinnacle figures of both sides defied the laws of gravity, hovering in the air, engaging in one-on-one duels. A mage brimming with magical power clashed with a dark mage exuding darkness; a holy swordsman radiating immense power fought a skeleton warrior who showed no signs of fatigue or pain; and an angel with several pairs of pure white wings, radiating holy light, confronted a fallen angel exuding evil—all locked in a fierce and evenly matched struggle.

Gazing at the dazzling magic and combat techniques filling the sky, Ye Fan remained unmoved. What truly captivated him were the two figures atop the heavens. One was an elegant woman of breathtaking beauty, so graceful and noble that one dared not look directly at her. She possessed an ethereal grace, like a celestial maiden from the heavens, or the opulent beauty of a peony fairy from Luoyang. Her skin was as white as snow, her hair as long as a waterfall, and her exquisite features were breathtaking. Her curvaceous and beautiful body stirred the imagination, and her holy countenance made those who wanted to approach her feel ashamed. What surprised Ye Fan even more was that around the goddess-like woman's smooth neck hung a very familiar pendant—the very same unknown pendant Ye Fan held in his hand. Opposite her was a very ordinary-looking middle-aged man, with an unremarkable face, like an ordinary person you could pick up anywhere on the street, without any special features. However, when he looked down at the battle, the sharp glint in his eyes revealed his extraordinary strength. Being able to float freely in the air without any external force, he was certainly no ordinary person.

"Ge Qiusha, you should just surrender! I really don't want to hurt you. You're no match for me, and besides, I'm not alone this time." The middle-aged man said calmly, looking at the beautiful woman, his eyes filled with a hint of affection.

"I never imagined that the infamous Death God Hades would fall into the dark side. But I cannot back down. I have this continent behind me, and billions of lives waiting for me to save. I cannot retreat." The beautiful woman said resolutely, her voice as clear and melodious as a nightingale returning to its nest, revealing an unwavering belief.

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