"Hurry up. If you can't find the Saints' gathering place by tonight, you'll have to take a much longer detour again."
My vision was blurry. I hadn't eaten or drunk anything for three days. Moving through these barren mountains, I looked up at Entity 016 standing on the nearby summit. He looked quite pleased. The constant bickering between him and Entity 013 hadn't stopped in these three days, but the journey had been relatively smooth—except that I had to go hungry every day.
I sat down on the hillside as Entity 013 floated past me. I had wanted them to carry me and fly for a bit, but strangely, whenever they used their powers and tried to grab me, I would get bounced away.
"You probably won't live to see the sunrise tomorrow."
Entity 013 sneered as she said this. This time, Entity 016 didn't respond, just stared into the distance with excitement in his eyes. I got up and continued climbing.
A hand reached out. I grabbed Entity 016's hand, and he pulled me up. The moment I reached the top, I was stunned.
"It's beautiful."
A gentle breeze brushed past my ear. I stared blankly at the dazzling land before me. Amidst the mountains, azure, white, red, and brown intertwined, radiating a soft glow.
It seemed like an illusion, a kind of exquisite beauty that couldn't possibly exist anywhere in this world. A gentle aura washed over me.
On the azure land, I saw towering ancient trees right ahead of me. It was a world shimmering with green, with a faint layer of azure particles floating above, light flowing through the air.
A dignified, ancient voice echoed in my mind, making me stop in my tracks. I gazed at the towering, lush trees before me. Elegant wooden cabins were built upon the thick branches, each looking refined and tasteful.
The houses were two stories tall, somewhat oval in shape, with long eaves at the front like a pair of horns. The outer walls were a purplish-gray, resembling dragon scales. At that moment, I saw figures in green robes, each with horns atop their heads, stepping out of the houses to look at me.
Both men and women wore green robes, fitted at the waist and loose above and below. Their shoulders bore backward-curving pads that glimmered with cyan light, scattering particles as they moved. The women wore skirts, the men long pants. Fine golden threads on the robes formed intricate dragon patterns.
Their eyes were full of kindness. I even saw some children smiling at me, their eyes large and bright, with two tiny horns on their heads that looked adorable.
"This way, Ethan Zhang. Lord Azure Dragon is waiting for you."
I responded, and a burly, heroic-looking spirit floated over to me. I followed him through the gathered spirits, who all lowered their heads and made way. He led me weaving through the trees.
More and more spirits appeared, filling the place with an atmosphere of peace. The spirit in front of me stopped, smiled, and pointed to a spot near the roots of a tree, where a purple light glowed.
"Have something to eat first."
I nodded and flew straight to the roots. Beneath the great tree, cobblestone paths crisscrossed among vibrant flowers, like a vast garden, with several lively streams flowing through.
Near the roots grew elongated fruits glowing with purple light. I plucked one and was about to eat it when a burst of giggles caught my attention. From the flowers, pairs of tiny horns poked out.
They were adorable little spirits. I blinked, and a snot-nosed boy pointed at me.
"It won't taste good if you eat it like that."
I responded, and some of the little spirits nearby seemed shy. The boy came over, took the green fruit from my hand, glanced around, and ran to the riverbank, beckoning me to follow.
I hurried over. The boy dipped the fruit in the water, poked a small hole in it with his finger, and after a few gulps, the fruit swelled with water.
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"Eat it."
I swallowed a mouthful, unsure at first, then took a bite. Instantly, a clear, sweet liquid flowed through my body, soaking into my organs. The fruit was crisp and easy to chew.
I quickly finished one, feeling as if bathed in spring breeze—my energy was instantly restored.
"Let's go."
The burly spirit from before landed behind me. The little spirits immediately gathered around, tugging at his robes and laughing.
"Don't be naughty. We have a guest today, so behave yourselves."
Instead of flying, we walked along a path paved with blue stone slabs, heading toward the tallest, thickest tree on this verdant land.
Gradually, I saw that the tree ahead resembled a fortress. Its exposed roots looked like dragon claws. The trunk had large platforms jutting out from top to bottom, holding tables, chairs, kitchenware, and other items.
"Lord Azure Dragon, Ethan Zhang has arrived."
Arriving beneath the giant tree, the spirit beside me bowed and stood to one side of the entrance.
"Go on up, Ethan Zhang."
I nodded and stepped into the smooth, blue-purple shimmering entrance. As soon as I entered, an image flashed in my mind.
Amidst wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, a dragon soared upward, howling. Two enormous golden eyes stared at me.
In a daze, I came to my senses and found myself standing in a room like a parlor, with wooden tables and chairs lining both sides. At the far end, a staircase led up to a platform, where an old man sat—dragon-faced, human-bodied, with long white whiskers trailing to the floor.
"Rachel."
I exclaimed. Standing beside the old man was a gentle woman, smiling, with bright eyes and white teeth, long black hair, and an elegant beauty identical to the person I longed for—except for the horns on her head.
"I'm not Rachel Lan."
A voice both familiar and strange came from her lips. She walked gracefully toward me, always smiling.
"You're not Rachel."
I muttered. Her eyes were different. She truly wasn't Rachel Lan. I looked at the old man, who must be the Azure Dragon.
"Do you remember our agreement, Ethan Zhang?"
I nodded.
"Where is Rachel?"
"She's right in front of you."
I looked at the woman again as she elegantly sat down on a nearby chair.
"What do you mean?"
"Let me explain. Rachel, you may leave for now."
I looked at Rachel again. She stood, bowed slightly, and left the hall.
"You've met the Forsaken, haven't you?"
I nodded and looked at the Azure Dragon, who stood up and sighed helplessly.
"They're nothing but shameful invaders to this world."
I was shocked. What the Azure Dragon said was completely different from what Entity 004 told me.
"First, tell me what's going on with Rachel."
The Azure Dragon smiled, stroked his beard, and, seemingly unwilling to answer, continued speaking.
"What I'm about to say concerns Rachel Lan and the fate of our Four Sacred Realm. Everything hinges on whether Rachel can return."
I stared at the Azure Dragon and nodded.
"Tell me what I need to do. And where is Lan Yin?"
"He's been out searching for you for days and hasn't returned yet. He's from the Vermilion Bird's side and isn't close with us, so he doesn't live here."
"He's been out searching for you for days and hasn't returned yet. He's from the Vermilion Bird's side and isn't close with us, so he doesn't live here."
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