Chapter 480: The Dueling God’s Divine Domain
The name Tranquil Hill was known to every soul present.
Facing the human ringleader’s inquiry, Bing Xiao remained impassive, nodding slightly as he acknowledged outright, “Indeed, it is that very Tranquil Hill.”
A collective gasp erupted, faces brimming with excitement and disbelief.
Legends of Tranquil Hill’s heroic duels were household tales throughout the Ice Sculpture Kingdom.
“Who would’ve thought I could enter Tranquil Hill? To forge a connection with such a legendary land!” murmured the human ringleader, his feigned expression flawless, truly the work of a seasoned mole.
“This is incredible!” Xiong Ju roared with excitement.
He revered the heroic duel. During his battle with the dragonman youngster, the demon hybrid ringleader had secretly exerted power from outside the arena, attempting to assassinate the youngster. Xiong Ju detected it and crushed the demon's eye with a single squeeze.
Lan Zao's mouth hung slightly open, his face frozen in shock.
He wasn't skilled at concealing his emotions, and he too sought entry into Tranquil Hill. But this time, entering Tranquil Hill, he hadn't received Shuang Tu's warning.
He'd simply been swept into the fray during the battle.
When the fighting ended and he finally registered what had happened, he realized he was already inside!
Before this, he'd shared the same plan as Spring Boxer: to sail all the way to Tranquil Hill. He never imagined entering this way.
"Damn it. This means I have no clue how to get to Tranquil Hill. Even if I return to the mercenary group later, I won't be able to report back to the commander."
Bing Xiao looked at Spring Boxer. Though the latter knew the truth, his expression remained agitated.
Bing Xiao: “You are Teng Dong Lang's coffin bearer. Therefore, you need only carry the ice coffin and follow closely behind me.”
He gave Spring Boxer a brief instruction, then addressed the others: “As for the rest of you, lacking Spring Boxer's status, you must precisely tread in my footsteps. Not a single step may be missed if you wish to keep pace.”
“Tranquil Hill is safe. Achieving this isn't difficult.”
“Whoever makes a mistake is a hidden enemy. The rest of you must kill them immediately, leaving no trace behind!"
A chill ran through the group, and they obeyed without delay.
Tranquil Hill lay blanketed in snow, and Bing Xiao's footprints were clearly visible as he walked.
Following his footsteps in a single file, each person kept close behind, wary of one another, yet not a single one fell behind.
Spring Boxer faced no such constraints. Carrying the ice coffin, with every step he took, the scenery around him changed dramatically.
The distant ice peaks, visible only a few steps away, rapidly expanded within their field of vision.
Another five or six steps later, they had traversed tens of thousands of meters, arriving at the foot of the ice peaks.
Bing Xiao stepped onto the ice peaks. Following his footprints, the others took only two or three steps to reach the summit.
The mountaintop was a flat expanse dotted with numerous tombstones.
Behind each monument lay a rectangular burial pit.
A sharp gleam flashed in the human ringleader's eyes as he swiftly counted the monuments, 38 in total.
His heart surged with excitement: “This signifies at least 38 gold level powerhouses!”
Bing Xiao's expression grew grave, “Now, you need not follow my footsteps.”
“But you must all stay put. Anyone who dares move freely becomes my mortal enemy!”
Then, he nodded to Spring Boxer: “Follow me.”
Xiong Ju and the others remained frozen in place, not daring to stir. They watched silently as Spring Boxer carried Teng Dong Lang's ice coffin to his tombstone.
The translucent ice monument bore Teng Dong Lang's name and portrait.
The likeness was strikingly lifelike.
“Why is a third of the boss's tombstone missing?” Spring Boxer inquired.
Bing Xiao crouched, wiped the monument, and sighed. "It signifies the extent of the corpse's disfigurement. If the time limit is exceeded, the tombstone will vanish completely. By then, even if you bring the ice coffin, there'll be nowhere to bury it!"
Following Bing Xiao's instructions, Spring Boxer then placed Teng Dong Lang's ice coffin into the corresponding burial pit.
"Old gang leader, will the Boss truly be resurrected? When will he come back to life?" Spring Boxer asked, his voice brimming with hope.
The others held their breath; their eyes fixed intently on the scene.
Resurrection was difficult, yet not entirely impossible.
This was a world where gods exist.
Many had successfully revived the dead using divine resurrection techniques.
And according to legend, Tranquil Hill was a mystical place capable of bringing people back to life.
Bing Xiao sighed. "Resurrection... it's only possible. Even the most intact corpse isn't guaranteed a 100% chance of revival."
“But burying Teng Dong Lang here will surely yield tremendous rewards.”
Spring Boxer froze. "Resurrection isn't guaranteed? What are the actual odds of revival?"
Bing Xiao didn't answer. Instead, he beckoned. "Now is not the time for that discussion. Come to me. Kneel. Pray with me."
Spring Boxer could only turn, confusion lingering, and walk toward Bing Xiao.
Midway, his footsteps abruptly halted. He spotted the Axe Gang leader's tombstone and exclaimed in surprise, "The bald uncle has a tombstone here too? So he was also a holy warrior of Tranquil Hill?"
“Strange... there are so many cracks on Uncle's tombstone.”
"What?!" Bing Xiao's pupils contracted sharply. His heart skipped a beat as he stared at the Axe Gang leader's tombstone.
He understood the meaning of those cracks.
“The Axe Gang leader... is dead?”
“Wait, Jia Bing, Lin... they're all dead?”
Bing Xiao had been focused solely on Teng Dong Lang's tombstone. Now, scanning the area, he noticed cracks on all three monuments.
These cracks were subtle, visible only upon close inspection.
But Bing Xiao knew that even the slightest crack signified the death of the holy warrior it represented. Over time, these cracks would multiply until the entire tombstone shattered.
“What in the world is going on?!”
"These three were exceptionally close during their service. Judging by the state of the cracks, they likely perished simultaneously!"
"This suggests they probably fell on the same battlefield. Who could have struck such a blow?"
“These were three genuine gold levels, battle-hardened gold level experts at that!”
Bing Xiao suppressed his shock, forcing a composed expression, “Now, place your hands upon the tombstone and recite the prayer with me.”
"Great Dueling God, we praise You, we praise this most sacred land of Tranquil Hill. Today we come to Your divine domain to bring back Your holy warrior."
“We beseech You: grant the fallen holy warrior true peace and tranquility.”
“Watch over our new warriors. Bestow upon us their steadfast and courageous spirits, that we may learn from the successes and mistakes of our predecessors, drawing wisdom from their legacy.”
"In Your name, we pray for greater strength and wisdom to advance, to understand the trials endured by those who came before us, and to reflect upon them as our own knowledge. Grant us courage, strength, and wisdom to succeed in life's journey."
"Guide us toward the path of peace. We praise the exalted and sacred nature of Tranquil Hill, journeying together toward light and tranquility."
“Endless praise be to You, exalted Dueling God, sacred and wondrous land of Tranquil Hill!”
As the prayers of Bing Xiao and Spring Boxer spread, a solemn and sacred atmosphere swiftly enveloped the space. The others watched intently, their hearts filled with awe and growing curiosity.
"Dueling God? Does the Ice Sculpture Kingdom have such a deity?"
"Tranquil Hill... is actually the divine domain of the Dueling God?
"Was the special ritual on Flower Skirt Island to summon the divine domain? This is absurd, I've actually stepped into a domain of the gods! "
Lan Zao felt even more troubled: "So the truth behind Tranquil Hill's resurrection is the Dueling God? Does that mean to revive Miss Zi Di, we must at least convert her into a holy warrior of the Dueling God?"
“Th-that sounds incredibly difficult...”
The human ringleader, acting as an excellent mole, focused intently on the names engraved on the tombstone, trying to memorize them.
“Long Meng... The Ice Sculpture Kingdom's top gladiator was also a holy warrior of the Dueling God?”
“Mei Lin—is that the mermaid magician from the Ice Sculpture Kingdom's First Navy?”
"Bao Li Gen... Who is this? Never heard of them."
The human ringleader recognized many familiar names but also encountered unfamiliar ones.
He didn't know the meaning behind the cracks in the tombstones, but he made an effort to memorize every name on them.
“Regardless of anything else, this intelligence alone is invaluable!” the human ringleader thought, his heart racing.
Thud.
After finishing his prayer, Spring Boxer was about to rise when his eyes suddenly rolled back, and he collapsed unconscious for no apparent reason.
As the others looked on in astonishment, Bing Xiao picked up Spring Boxer. "Don't worry, this is normal. Now follow me down the mountain. We have a temporary shelter at the base."