After being reborn, the villain comes with a spoiler tag.

The Thousand Candles Ceremony will not officially begin until after nightfall.

However, before the last rays of the setting sun had completely disappeared into the vastness of the sky, and before the afterglow of the sunset had completely faded, people had already spontaneously flocked to the city center.

When Lian Hu led Huo Yu and Long Yucheng to the Vermilion Bird Gate, the scene before them was breathtaking—

The crowds were so large that it was impossible to pass through, and the nearby roads were completely blocked. Not even a fly could get through.

Let alone finding Wang Erniu in the vast sea of ​​people, Long Yucheng couldn't even get close to the sign for the Vermilion Bird Gate.

Upon arriving at the place, Lian Hu happened to run into his fellow镖局 (bodyguard agency) members who had come to attend the ceremony. Seeing this, Long Yucheng considerately let him reunite with his friends, and then led Huo Yu to the tallest restaurant nearby, going straight to the street-facing terrace on the third floor.

This place is farther from the Vermilion Bird Gate, but precisely because of this, it did not become the first choice for everyone to watch the ceremony. Only Huo Yu and Long Yucheng were inside the railing.

For cultivators like Long Yucheng and Huo Yu, their physical bodies have already been tempered to the limit that mortals can achieve through cultivation, so their eyesight is naturally not bad.

Long Yucheng looked towards the direction of the Vermilion Bird Gate. Even from a great distance, he could still clearly see the nobles and officials on the Altar of Heaven, who were arranged in an orderly fashion, looking as small as ants.

Around the Temple of Heaven, the Golden Feather Guards stood ready like an impregnable fortress, forming a cordon with their own flesh and blood, creating a vacuum between the crowds and the Temple of Heaven.

In the center of the Temple of Heaven stands a massive four-legged cauldron, cast entirely in bronze, with several lifelike Vermilion Bird patterns adorning its surface.

When the Thousand Candles Ceremony begins, the Sacred Flame of the Vermilion Bird will be lit in this cauldron.

Despite his own remarkable eyesight, Long Yucheng did not overlook Huo Yu and turned his head to ask:

"Senior brother, can you see what's happening over at the Temple of Heaven?"

Huo Yu nodded slightly, indicating that he had everything under control.

Seeing this, Long Yucheng breathed a sigh of relief and smiled:

"The crowds down there are so huge, even I feel cramped. It's so much more comfortable to have the whole place to myself!"

As he spoke, he took out a candle from his pocket and unconsciously rubbed it with his fingertips.

"Now, let's wait for the ceremony to begin."

Long Yucheng originally did not intend to participate in this trial.

Although the "Supreme Cave Abyss Reincarnation Scripture" that was given as a reward for completing the mission sounded impressive, Long Yucheng had never been interested in joining the Fire Worship Cult.

However, the system seemed to have seen through his thoughts. After completing the task of "getting acquainted with the Eighth Prince", the follow-up task that appeared was "entering the Vermilion Bird Illusion", and the reward was the Foundation Establishment stage cultivation method "Blazing Flame Breaking Army Technique".

With three Foundation Establishment Pills in hand, Long Yucheng, who was already at the peak of Foundation Establishment and only lacked a suitable Foundation Establishment technique, was easily subdued.

Unlike Long Yucheng, Huo Yu truly had no interest in the Vermilion Bird Trial and had no intention of entering the Vermilion Bird Illusion.

Tonight, in this Vermilion Bird City, a storm is brewing.

If Huo Yu is the mastermind, he will surely ignite the sacred flame and use the moment when everyone is drawn into the illusion as the time to close the net.

His gaze was fixed on the location of the Vermilion Bird Gate. Unlike Long Yucheng, who relied solely on his naked eyes, Huo Yu could use his divine sense.

Under the shroud of this divine sense, the entire Vermilion Bird Gate and the central Altar of Heaven, as well as every brick, tile, and minute detail, unfolded before his eyes like a scroll, crystal clear.

At this time of great gathering and potential chaos, the Zoroastrian disciples dressed in red seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving only government officials maintaining order.

So far, Huo Yu has not been able to find any trace of Zoroastrian disciples in the crowd, but he can sense that nearly a hundred Golden Core stage divine senses are converging on the Temple of Heaven from all directions of the city, as if hundreds of rivers are flowing into the sea.

Huo Yu didn't have to wait long before a man in red appeared in everyone's sight without warning, standing steadily on the altar in the center of the Temple of Heaven.

As soon as his figure appeared, Huo Yu immediately withdrew his divine sense. This person was the leader of the Fire Worshiping Sect and the only Nascent Soul stage cultivator in Vermilion Bird City.

However, both Guan Fengyue and Huo Yu clearly guessed her gender wrong.

The person, dressed in a dazzling red dress, stood quietly on the altar, like a burning flame dancing in the night.

Even standing before that enormous bronze cauldron, her figure did not appear small at all; instead, she exuded an aura of majesty and oppression that made people dare not look directly at her.

As she appeared, a flame suddenly leaped up from the giant bronze cauldron behind her, which was engraved with the Vermilion Bird pattern.

This flame was unlike any other ordinary fire; it was pure white, dazzling, and shimmering in the night sky like the first snow of winter.

At the same time, a powerful surge of spiritual energy rapidly spread outwards from the altar, instantly engulfing the entire city.

All the bells and drums in Suzaku City seemed to be summoned by this power, moving on their own without wind, emitting a neat and loud sound.

At this moment, the grand ceremony of a thousand candles officially begins.

The crowds who were eagerly waiting outside the Vermilion Bird Gate lit their candles, and Long Yucheng was the first to light his candle as well.

The flickering flames of these candles are all pure white, like a miniature version of the sacred fire of the Vermilion Bird on the altar.

In an instant, points of white light burst forth from the sea of ​​people centered around the Temple of Heaven, like countless stars, constantly converging and eventually transforming into a white ocean.

Huo Yu did not light the candle that Long Yucheng had given him earlier. In fact, after the woman appeared, Huo Yu deliberately avoided the bronze cauldron with his gaze and divine sense.

Even so, the moment the spiritual energy fluctuations appeared on the altar, Huo Yu realized that he was no longer in the same place.

……

Sunlight pierced through the dense and lush canopy of trees, and dappled light spots danced like sprites on Huo Yu's body, gilding his slender figure with a golden glow.

Although this place was just a corner of the illusion, Huo Yu could truly feel the fresh scent of soil and vegetation in the moist air, as if he were really in this vibrant forest.

Before Huo Yu lay a deep, secluded cave.

Although the cave is hidden deep in the dense forest, its surroundings are barren and devoid of vegetation, making it stand out conspicuously.

Outside the cave entrance, besides Huo Yu, stood a young man dressed in military uniform.

He stood tall and straight, like a pine tree that had weathered many storms yet remained steadfast, exuding an aura of solemnity.

Clearly, he could not see Huo Yu's presence.

"You have made a pact with me, and I will never regret it for the rest of my life. Is your mind made up?"

An androgynous voice rang out from the deep cave, carrying an undeniable authority that struck the listener's heart.

The cave is like a black hole under the sky, mercilessly swallowing every inch of light around it. Even if the sunlight tries its best to shine down, it can hardly illuminate the scene inside, leaving only deep darkness and endless unknown.

However, the man in military uniform standing outside the cave did not hesitate for a moment; his tone was firm and resolute, filled with an unquestionable determination:

"a man of his words."

The man was around twenty years old, with sword-like eyebrows that slanted upwards into his temples, a high and straight nose, and a resolute face.

He was clad in heavy armor, which bore numerous mottled wounds. The silver armor gleamed with a cold light in the dim light. The longsword at his waist was incredibly sharp, and a chilling aura emanated from its sheath, as if it were ready to cut off any obstacle in his path at any moment.

Tell me your wishes.

The sound from the cave echoed again, though not loud, each word as clear and resonant as metal striking stone.

The man in military uniform did not hesitate for a moment, his voice firm and resonant:

"My wish is for our land to be forever secure, for our people to live in peace and prosperity, and for there to be no more war, turmoil, suffering, or torment here!"