067. Another Investigation

"Clang!" Han Funing sheathed his sword and looked at Lingyu and Fan Xianshu. "If there's nothing else, follow me." He didn't spare a glance at Hua Tongxu.

"Han Funing!" Hua Tongxu struggled forward, shouting angrily, "Why didn't you kill me?"

Han Funing cast him a cold, indifferent glance. "Insignificant as an ant—why bother?" With that, he turned and walked away.

Hua Tongxu stood frozen, his face alternating between red and pale, unable to speak for a long moment.

Han Funing led Lingyu and Fan Xianshu onward, then asked, "Did either of you discover anything?"

Fan Xianshu cupped his hands and replied, "Uncle Han, I was swept here by the hurricane from the beginning. Soon after, I met Senior Sister Cheng. I didn't have time to find anything."

Lingyu added, "I explored several places before, but found nothing. Later, I arrived at the water zone and came here through a whirlpool. Before the volcano erupted, I searched it thoroughly with Junior Brother Fan, but found nothing. However..."

"However what?"

Lingyu glanced at Han Funing and said, "I feel it's not likely that the volcano would erupt so easily. If the path to the Upper Realm is truly here, wouldn't it be frequently blocked?"

Han Funing stopped, pondered for a while, then turned to her seriously. "You really think so?"

Lingyu nodded firmly.

"Very well." Han Funing took a map from his sleeve and spread it out. "Which places did you search?"

Lingyu pointed out each one. "These here."

Han Funing stroked his chin and nodded. "That's quite the coincidence. I've searched all the other places myself—none yielded anything." He raised his gaze to the volcano's cavernous space. "This place is quite promising."

"Uncle Han, should we..."

"Let's take a look." Han Funing packed up the map, returned it to his sleeve, and led the way toward the recently erupted volcano.

Having just erupted, the volcano was still active, magma boiling below. Standing at the crater, they could already feel the oppressive heat.

"This is troublesome," Han Funing said, frowning.

Lingyu and Fan Xianshu exchanged glances, but said nothing. The heat was intense; paper cranes would easily ignite. Moreover, their cultivation wasn't high enough to withstand such temperatures.

Han Funing thought for a moment, then took out several talismans. "Let's try these."

Lingyu took one and was surprised. "Ice talismans?"

Han Funing replied, "Since it's too hot, we'll just make ourselves colder."

Lingyu was speechless, but upon reflection, it wasn't entirely unreasonable. If they moved quickly and exited before the ice melted, nothing would happen. Still, this approach was risky. Any mistake and they'd fall into the magma, perishing without a trace.

She stared at the restless, fiery magma below, her palm clenched. Should she try? If she truly found the path to the Upper Realm, her way to ascension would broaden. Failure, however, would mean falling into the volcano, dying, her soul extinguished, never reaching Elder Feng's level...

Just as she was about to speak, Han Funing's voice came: "I'll go."

Lingyu saw Han Funing slap an ice talisman onto himself, mount a paper crane, and prepare to fly out. She exclaimed, "Uncle Han!"

Han Funing smiled calmly, wasted no time, and rode the paper crane straight into the volcano's mouth.

Lingyu watched his figure flicker and fade amid the volcano's rising smoke, motionless for a long moment. Only then did she realize she had underestimated him.

All this time, she'd thought Han Funing was cunning and distant, never considering he had his own lofty ambitions. For that goal, he could scheme and recruit followers, oppress his peers, and—when it mattered—risk everything, stepping forward without hesitation, even if a single misstep meant total destruction.

Countless people existed in this world; few were close enough to truly know. What you see is but one facet of a person, but that doesn't mean it's the only one. Years later, Lingyu always remembered Han Funing's resolve to take that step, even though he disappeared for so long, so long that no one remembered him anymore.

"Senior Sister Cheng!" Fan Xianshu's startled voice sounded in her ear. "Are you going too?"

Lingyu nodded, slapped an ice talisman onto herself, mounted the paper crane, and plunged into the volcano.

Fan Xianshu watched her shadow flicker in the smoke, gritted his teeth, and followed.

The eruption had drastically altered the volcano's interior. As soon as Lingyu entered, she noticed many differences—some passages gone, new fissures appearing.

The once abundant magma had been expelled, revealing the deep core and mountain walls previously hidden.

Lingyu rode the paper crane, circling and searching the volcanic walls inch by inch. The ice talisman on her body slowly melted; the magma's heat surged. She checked, estimated the crane would last a while longer, and applied another ice talisman.

To thoroughly search the volcano would consume many cranes, but fortunately, their sect had prepared well for this journey to the Immortal Realm. Everyone carried plenty, so the expenditure was manageable. As for other volcanoes, they weren't as hazardous post-eruption, so searching wouldn't consume as many cranes—no problem.

When the second ice talisman was about to fail, Lingyu made a swift decision and flew out of the crater.

As she tumbled from the sky, her crane was already destroyed. Seeing her disheveled state, Luo Yun, Meng Yan, and Ding Huaqing hurried over.

"Junior Sister Cheng, what are you doing?" Ding Huaqing asked with confusion.

Lingyu smiled, accepted her help, and stood. "We're searching for the path to the Upper Realm."

The three were even more surprised. Meng Yan asked, "Isn't the Pillar of Heaven already safe?"

"The Pillar is the Pillar; the Upper Realm is the Upper Realm." Lingyu swallowed a spirit pill to replenish her energy. "Senior brothers and sisters, don't you want to see the Upper Realm for yourselves?"

They were moved, recalling the descriptions of the Upper Realm they'd heard from Master Yu Tang, yearning showing in their eyes. Yet, seeing the smoking volcano, they hesitated. "But it's so dangerous..."

No sooner had Ding Huaqing spoken than Fan Xianshu fell from the sky, landing in a heap. With their help, he climbed up. "That was close—almost didn't make it out." Despite the ordeal, he remained calm.

Luo Yun glanced at them, then at Han Funing emerging from the smoke, and gritted his teeth. "I'll go too!"

"Brother Luo!" Meng Yan and Ding Huaqing cried out together, the latter urgently trying to dissuade him. "Brother Luo, it's too dangerous! If anything happens, your uncle—"

Luo Yun glanced at Hua Tongxu, still dazed by the lake, his proud face tinged with despair. "Since reaching the fifth level of Qi Refining, I haven't advanced for two years. Someone like me, a failure, wouldn't be missed if I died..." He stepped cautiously away from Ding Huaqing. "Better to take a chance, like them—maybe I'll find a path to ascend."

Ding Huaqing looked at him, sensing his resolve, finally released him, and sighed. "Alright, if that's truly your decision..."

Lingyu summoned another paper crane, applied an ice talisman, and as she flew into the volcano, a strange thought crossed her mind: Perhaps Luo Yun was actually quite frustrated within his clan. Otherwise, why would someone with his status and cultivation risk entering the Immortal Realm...

No time for idle speculation, she focused again on searching the volcanic walls for possible passages.

Not long after, Han Funing's voice came. "Here—everyone, come!"

Found it? Lingyu was delighted, and navigated through the smoke toward Han Funing, approaching on her crane.

Han Funing had discovered a passage barely wide enough for one person. After ten or so yards, it split into three branches. He stood at the fork, waiting for them.

Luo Yun arrived, hesitant. "Uncle Han, I..."

Han Funing was briefly surprised, but quickly smiled. "No matter. Let's go together." He gestured toward the three forks. "I've walked a long way and haven't found the end. Strange. Let's split up."

Just as he finished, more figures approached the entrance—it was Meng Yan and Ding Huaqing.

"Uncle Han, may we join you?" Ding Huaqing asked, poised and calm compared to Luo Yun's nervousness.

Han Funing nodded. "Of course. Since you're all here, we'll go in pairs." He looked at Luo Yun. "Your cultivation is a bit low—follow me."

Luo Yun was surprised. Before entering the Immortal Realm, Han Funing had sternly warned him, so he'd thought Han wouldn't care about him—but now...

"Then I'll go with Brother Meng. Junior Sister Cheng, will you pair with this junior brother?" Ding Huaqing indicated Fan Xianshu.

Before Lingyu could respond, Luo Yun quickly interjected, "I'll go with Brother Meng!"

Han Funing's brow furrowed slightly. Luo Yun saw his expression, but still pressed on, "Brother Meng, let's..."

Meng Yan sensed something odd, glanced hesitantly at Ding Huaqing and Han Funing. "But..." Han Funing was the strongest, so following him would be safest, but he couldn't let his fiancée be paired with Han Funing.

Lingyu found the situation strange—Luo Yun's attitude was odd, but he seemed firm, likely for his own reasons. Though proud, he had good character; during the eruption, Meng Yan had focused only on himself, while Luo Yun remembered to help her support Fan Xianshu.

With that in mind, she spoke up, "How about I go with Senior Sister Ding? The two lowest and the highest cultivation together, and we two in the middle."

"Good, good, that's perfect!" Luo Yun nodded repeatedly, giving her a grateful look.

Ding Huaqing paused only a moment before smiling. "Fine." She glanced at Luo Yun, "Brother Luo, be careful."

ps: Ate dinner and meant to nap, but overslept. This chapter is for the 12th, so I'll add another update today.