Chapter 1011: Chapter 1007 Journey to Mount Sumeru
Ye Tian did not immediately become suspicious but directly asked, “Aishwarya, is there really a person named Asito, the Immortal?”
“Yes! I swear by my lineage!”
Aishwarya said heavily, in India where caste uniforms prevail, swearing by one’s lineage is akin to swearing a deadly oath elsewhere.
“Alright! Then I trust you!”
Ye Tian said resolutely, but the Black Widow and Dracula immediately objected.
“Boss, this scam is so obvious; it’s clearly targeting you. You can’t just ignore it!”
“That’s right, Boss! The sky won’t drop pies; although you miss your wife desperately, if it were so easy to find her, we wouldn’t need to go through such pains to come to India!”
The Black Widow and Dracula spoke from Ye Tian’s perspective, as martial artists under the Night King Hall, they naturally didn’t want anything to happen to Ye Tian.
But Ye Tian shook his head and said, “Alice, Dracula, Xinyan is the love of my life. As long as there’s any news about her, even if it’s a dragon’s den or tiger’s lair, I’d still dare to enter. What’s a mere trap in comparison?
Moreover, we were sheltered by Aishwarya at our most dangerous moment. What kind of person Aishwarya is, don’t you know? I truly cannot believe she would harm me!”
“…”
“…”
Ye Tian’s words left the Black Widow and Dracula speechless.
Though the invitation to Mount Sumeru was indeed suspicious, upon reflection, Aishwarya truly didn’t seem like someone who would want to trap Ye Tian. She had no reason to deceive him, nor any benefit if she did.
Aishwarya’s stance was clear when she sheltered Shake, who was meant as a sacrificial offering!
Seeing the softened attitudes of the Black Widow and Dracula, Aishwarya quickly added, “Yes, you two, this time, when Ye Tian and I go to Mount Sumeru, my nephew will stay here as a hostage. If anything happens to Ye Tian, you can hold my nephew accountable!”
Aishwarya made her position clear, and Shake, the young boy, wore a fearless expression.
“Yes! Alice, Dracula, during my aunt and benefactor’s absence, I will accompany you all the way. If anything happens to the benefactor, I have no face to live on!”
Shake’s firm attitude, with maturity beyond his years, forced the Black Widow and Dracula to believe…
The two recalled all their interactions with Aishwarya and Shake, and felt they were not evil people; since Ye Tian was determined, they had no way to stop him.
The Black Widow and Dracula approached Ye Tian, both showing reluctance to part…
“Boss, this time you must act carefully. Although Aishwarya is trustworthy, ultimately this is someone else’s territory, anything can happen, so don’t act on impulse!”
“Yes, Boss! As long as Mount Sumeru stands, we won’t run out of firewood! So, for the brothers of Night King Hall, you must preserve your life. If you sense anything dangerous, don’t do it!”
The Black Widow and Dracula warned repeatedly, and Ye Tian smiled and said, “Don’t worry, I will be careful.”
Then, Ye Tian turned to Aishwarya…
“Aishwarya, let’s set off now!”
“Alright!”
Aishwarya nodded, then packed her luggage and headed northward with Ye Tian.
The two departed from Betia, heading north all the way!
Ye Tian exclaimed, “Aishwarya, if we continue north, it will be out of India’s territory. Could it be that the place where the Immortal Asito resides is not within India’s borders?”
Aishwarya sighed and said, “Mount Sumeru is India’s sacred mountain, but India’s sacred mountain is not necessarily within India’s borders, which is not a surprising fact.”
“…”
Aishwarya’s words, although convoluted, were flawless.
According to Aishwarya, India has tens of thousands of believers who, almost every year, cross borders to reach the sacred Mount Sumeru they admire.
The road leading to Mount Sumeru is quite rugged, with no transportation means and air travel impossible, turning the journey into a pilgrimage for countless followers.
But for Aishwarya and Ye Tian, this journey was rather relaxed, as Ye Tian’s Qinggong was highly skilled; no matter the terrain difficulty, it posed no challenge to him.
Ye Tian held Aishwarya’s waist, moving forward at a speed akin to low-altitude flight. Whether rugged mountain paths, open plains, dense jungles, or perilous swamps, Ye Tian traversed them as if walking on flat ground.
Aishwarya was quite surprised by this!
“Ye Tian, your skills are so extraordinary. We followers from India are always anxious about our journey across the border to Mount Sumeru. Many believers have died along the way, yet your Qinggong is so advanced, it’s almost like flying. I’m astonished!”
Faced with Aishwarya’s praise, Ye Tian chuckled and said, “But compared to the Divine Race in India, my strength is probably far inferior. As a Brahmin close to the Divine Race, haven’t you enjoyed such treatment?”
“Those of the Divine Race are high above, how could they possibly care about the feelings of us humans?”
Aishwarya couldn’t help but complain.
The two traveled northward, and within a few days, they arrived at Mount Sumeru as told by Aishwarya!
What Indians call Mount Sumeru is commonly known internationally as Mount Kailash, with an altitude of 6656 meters. According to Indian beliefs, it is the mountain where gods reside.
The southern slopes of Mount Kailash are the Xiangquan River Valley, Lake Manasarovar, and Lake Rakshastal. Above 6000 meters, the area is entirely covered in snow and ice, primarily consisting of cirque glaciers and hanging glaciers.
“India’s most sacred river, the Ganges, originates from this holy mountain. That’s why, even though the mountain is outside India, it is revered by followers within India, who believe the mountain is the birthplace of the Holy Mother and the world’s center!”
Aishwarya introduced Mount Kailash to Ye Tian, though these perceptions were Indian beliefs and differed from Ye Tian’s own perspective.
In Ye Tian’s view, this mountain was merely an ordinary peak, not particularly special…
However, as Ye Tian led Aishwarya up the mountain, he quietly noticed a slight anomaly.
From the base to the mid-section of the mountain, there were human remains everywhere, some already decayed into bones, some recently deceased.
These bodies, at the time of death, all had their hands clasped together, sitting cross-legged, and the clothes they wore were without exception traditional Indian garments or monk’s robes.
Aishwarya saw this and shook her head…
“These followers came from India. Sadly, having endured hardships to finally reach the holy mountain, they fell short just a step away, dying on the path up.”
Naturally, Aishwarya had heard of the arduous pilgrimages undertaken by Indian devotees, although she’d never experienced it herself.
Luckily, when she had the chance to tread this path, Ye Tian was with her, making every challenging journey easy, and she was much more fortunate than these followers.
“But, with so many dead, we don’t have time to bury them one by one. More importantly, they died for their faith, so their deaths are not in vain. We should be pleased for them!”
Speaking, Ye Tian continued to lead Aishwarya forward several hundred meters.
Yet, the closer they got to the mountaintop, the colder it became. Ye Tian was unaffected, but Aishwarya, having come quickly without preparing warm clothing, was shivering from the cold.
Seeing this, Ye Tian placed his palm on Aishwarya’s back, channeling warmth into her body, making her feel no longer cold.
“Thank you, Ye Tian. Without you, I fear I’d never be able to climb the holy mountain in my lifetime!”
Aishwarya expressed her gratitude, while Ye Tian remained silent, his gaze falling on an Indian monk collapsed in the snow before them.
Near the top now, the snow never melts. It’s frigid terrain, posing a great challenge for those ascending on foot.
This monk lying in the snow was barely alive, but upon seeing Ye Tian and Aishwarya approach, his previously dull eyes suddenly gleamed with light!
“Save… save…”
He reached out to Ye Tian and Aishwarya. Ye Tian assumed he was seeking help for himself, but the monk’s following words surprised Ye Tian.
“Save… India… begging… Asito sage…”
Though on the brink of death, he was concerned not for his own safety but for the entire India. Such words alone made Ye Tian deeply respect him.
It seems the Indian people, under the oppression of the Divine Race, have begun to exhibit a fearless spirit!
This monk probably believed Asito sage could save India, coming with a pious heart. Sadly, his understanding of Asito sage was merely hearsay.
Aishwarya freed herself from Ye Tian’s hand, slowly walked to the dying monk, and softly said, “But, even Asito sage himself doesn’t know how to save India. Why do you believers endure this?”
After all, she often had private exchanges with Asito sage and knew much more about him than others.
She told the monk such words not to let him, even in death, live in an unrealized dream…