At the end of the ascension passage, the golden light grew ever brighter.
Zhou Yan and Si Chen flew together at the very front. "...We're almost there!!!"
Behind them, Black Mountain waved his bear paws wildly in excitement. "At such a time, in such a setting, this humble scholar must recite a poem! Listen, everyone!"
"Golden light shines in the ascension passage, this humble scholar today-"
Before he could finish, golden light swallowed the entire passage, making everyone instinctively narrow their eyes.
Then...
Boom-!!!
A massive column of water shot into the sky.
Everyone had taken flight the instant they emerged from the passage. Zhou Yan snapped his fan open with a crack, blocking the spray that splashed toward him.
"Where's Black Mountain?"
"Glug, glug, glug..." A string of bubbles rose from the sea below.
Red Wind sighed, swooped down, and plunged into the water. A moment later, he dragged Black Mountain out of the sea by the back of his collar, gripped between his teeth.
Black Mountain lay sprawled on the surface, a starfish still clinging to his head as he spat water from his mouth.
"Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey... So salty..."
Everyone ignored him and surveyed their surroundings.
"This is the Demon Realm?" Murong Li asked softly, a hint of surprise in her voice. "...It's prettier... than I imagined."
Luo Hongyi looked around. Pretty? Indeed.
The sky was blue, the clouds were white, and the sea glittered.
It was much like the Endless Sea in the Eastern Region, only cleaner, with a touch more natural vitality.
The spiritual energy was no poorer than that of the Three Heavens of Zixiao Heaven in the Immortal Realm, either.
In the distance, a few small islands lay scattered across the water, shaded by lush trees, with birds circling overhead.
Song Chi sighed