<h4>Chapter 364: An Old Friend Appears</h4>


    Pang Jian stared at Sun Bin in shock.


    He had never felt that Sun Bin had wronged him and could notprehend why he was apologizing.


    After all, Sun Bin''s interest in his sister and his decision to take her to the upper world were great favors!


    He had also gifted Pang Jian the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, which allowed him to start on the path of cultivation.


    In Pang Jian''s eyes, Sun Bin hadmitted no wrongs.


    "You..." Pang Jian shook his head with a strange expression and asked, "How''s Pang Lin?"


    "The Young Mistress is out on trial and hasn''t returned to the Pure Land Sect yet," Sun Bin said, head still lowered. "I learned from the divine crane that you already knew about the young mistress''s whereabouts.


    "You need not worry about her—the Pure Land Sect is pouring all its resources into nurturing her.


    "When she returns, that divine crane will be the first to tell her that you''re alive and that you''ve be a personal disciple of Li Zhaotian.


    "The Young Mistress is always thinking about you and has been trying to find you. Unfortunately, Northern Qi was shrouded in bizarre mist, and we didn''t dare enter recklessly.


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Forgive me for not taking you along back then." Sun Bin once again bowed in apology.


    "Senior Sun, you''ve done nothing wrong. I never med you," Pang Jian said earnestly. "You don''t owe me anything. "On the contrary, my sister and I owe you—both for the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art and for taking Pang Lin to the upper worlds."


    Sun Bin was stunned. "Do you truly think that?"


    "If not for you, our lives would''ve been much worse," Pang Jian replied frankly. "You changed our lives and never held any ill intentions toward us. Not to mention, I wouldn''t be where I am today if you hadn''t given me the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art manual."


    Sun Bin had been worried Pang Jian would hold a grudge since discovering he had be Li Zhaotian''s disciple and was genuinely taken aback by Pang Jian''s words.


    After studying Pang Jian, Sun Bin realized his words were genuine.


    A weight lifted off his chest.


    The two then started to chat about Pang Lin.


    Sun Bin also revealed that the Pure Land Sect had deployed many guest elders, including himself, to head to the Third World to gather information.


    The Pure Land Sect nned to send people to the battle against the foreign races and Vicious Beasts in the near future.


    Pang Lin could be sent to the Third World once she returned from her trial.


    Pang Jian was relieved to learn more about Pang Lin''s situation.


    After a lengthy conversation, he switched topics and asked with a look of concern, "Senior, you''re from the First World, do you know where my master has gone?"


    "The council of True Gods has ended. Isn''t he back in the Sword Pavilion?" Sun Bin asked, puzzled.


    "No."


    "I''m afraid I’m not privy to the whereabouts of someone of his rank. I don''t know where your master is," Sun Bin replied apologetically.


    "It''s alright."


    After chatting for a while longer, Sun Bin took his leave.


    ***


    One day, Pang Jian was cultivating in his cave residence when his sword token hummed.


    <i>Buzz! Buzz!</i>


    It was a message from Chen Weihuang.


    "A True God is pestering our master and won''t let himmunicate with the outside world."


    Pang Jian was dumbfounded. "Why?"


    "It''s...something between a man and a woman. I don''t fully understand it myself," Chen Weihuang replied.


    "The True God is a woman? And she''s keeping Master from contacting others so he''ll stay with her?"


    "Seems like it."


    "Who is she?"


    "A rogue True God named Yin Ji."


    "I see."


    "Have you interrogated the Abyssal Demon?"


    "I have. It admitted to being behind the attack."


    "Good."


    Chen Weihuang ended themunication.


    Relieved at the knowledge his master was not in a serious situation, Pang Jian immersed himself in cultivation once more.


    A few dayster, the ck turtle contacted him.


    Establishing a connection, Pang Jian saw the Resolute Expanse heading toward the Second World, shrouded in cold mist and under the cover of night.


    The spirit vein, earthme energy beneath the volcanoes, lightning vein, and ice veins deep underground seemed to be temporary extensions of the ck turtle''s body, working together like blood vessels to a heart.


    The fragmentednd silently drifted upward.


    It seemed the murky energy had entered the Third World.


    Pang Jian then tried to establish a connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent, only to discover he could no longer sense it.


    <i>Northern Qi is engulfed in bizarre mist!</i>


    The Giant Abyssal Serpent and Yu Xin of the Celestial Race had likely entered his homnd, meaning the bizarre mist was blocking their connection.


    Pang Jian then established a connection with the World Eater Vine.


    It had shrunk to one-hundredth of its original size to blend in with the other fierce-looking trees in Misty Swamp.


    The World Eater Vine told Pang Jian that many of the powerful Wood Race warriors had been called away and were preparing to enter the Third World to join the battle against the human race.


    Sensing the situation was bing increasingly dangerous, it concealed its aura and shrank its body to be inconspicuous.


    The war would truly begin once the murky energy spread throughout the Third World.


    Pang Jian could feel iting.


    A growing sense of urgency had Pang Jian throwing himself into rigorous cultivation, tempering his body and divine soul ording to the Grand Providence Sacred Body and the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art respectively.


    Pang Jian had made up his mind.


    <i>If the Pure Land Sect orders Pang Ling to join the battle in the Third World, I''ll join too.</i>


    ***


    One cloudy night, a fragmentednd shrouded in cold mist rose past the astral winds and settled into a cluster ofrge white clouds.


    A massivendmass hovered in the distance, with clouds and fragmentednds surrounding it.


    It was the Sacred Soul Continent.


    Pang Jian stood among the white clouds and gazed at the massive continent.


    Behind him, the ck turtle, which rarely left the Resolute Expanse, uncharacteristically emerged from the dense cold mist. Its eyes were also fixed on the sacred continent that all Spirit Beasts in the Abyss revered.


    The ck turtle''s greenish eyes gleamed longingly. Its back was covered in ckish-yellow scutes that radiated a heavy aura like each scute could bear the weight of all things.


    "My bloodline will advance to Rank Eight before long, and I''ll gain the ability to transform into human form," it rumbled aloud. "I can sense it—this continent is the origin of my bloodline.


    "There''s something on this continent that I need. Once I reach Rank Eight, I''ll use my human form and go search for it."


    With that, the ck turtle retreated into the Resolute Expanse and dove beneath Frozen Thunder.


    <i>One of your ancestors was Rank Ten. It was on par with the ancient Thunder Dragon, the Primordial Serpent, and the Celestial Phoenix, </i>Pang Jian said telepathically.<i> Legend says it carried a fragmentednd on its back and wandered through the Abyss'' many worlds.</i>


    <i>I can''t sense it. It may have died</i>, the ck turtle replied solemnly. <i>I''ve heard about that legend too. I tried using secret techniques to search for it, but couldn''t sense it in the Third World. If I still can''t sense it after reaching Rank Eight...then it''s likely dead.</i>


    Pang Jian did not know what to say in response.


    <i>Something''sing!</i> The ck turtle suddenly cried in rm.


    Pang Jian immediately reached out with his divine sense to search the area.


    Something emerged from a cluster of clouds a hundred li away.


    It was a massive Gray Ape.


    The Gray Ape had detected the Resolute Expanse and was rushing toward it under the cover of night.


    <i>Something''s not right! ording to my bloodline memories, fragmentednds hidden within these clouds are invisible from the outside!</i>


    <i>It can''t be! No living being should be aware of the Resolute Expanse! </i>


    The ck turtle was horrified.


    As the giant Gray Ape drew closer, the ck turtle became increasingly uneasy.


    <i>They detected the cold aura—the cold mist, the Frozen Land, the ciers, and those ice pirs surrounding the altar!</i>


    <i>It''s very powerful! And its aura is strange. This will be a tough battle!</i>


    <i>And it''s in Rank Eight! </i>the ck turtle warned.


    Pang Jian did not respond. Instead, he fixed his gaze on the approaching Gray Ape.


    As the Gray Ape closed in, Pang Jian gained a clearer view of it through his golden divine sense.


    It had an enormous pair of ice-blue eyes and a coat of gray fur.


    Aside from its massive size, everything else about it was unmistakably the same as Pang Jian''s old friend!


    <i>Whoosh!</i>


    Pang Jian flew up to hover above the white clouds.


    When the giant Gray Ape spotted Pang Jian, it came to an immediate halt.


    Surprise and joy danced in its ice-blue eyes and the violent aura surrounding it dissipated almost instantly.


    "It is really you?" Pang Jian asked, barely able to believe his eyes.


    The Gray Ape''s reaction made Pang Jian doubly certain it was indeed the same old friend he knew.


    Sure enough, the giant Gray Ape gave a slight nod.


    Its ice-blue eyes glimmered as it pointed to the fragmentednd hidden within the clouds.


    "It''s mine." Pang Jian smiled. "That whole fragmentednd is mine. Do you...want to take a look?"


    <i>Don''t let it in! It has the strength of a Rank Eight, and I''m not sure I can beat it! Keep it away from the Resolute Expanse if you can!</i> The ck turtle''s voice trembled.


    The giant Gray Ape licked its lips as it mulled over Pang Jian''s offer.


    After a moment, it shook its head and said, "If it''s yours, then it''s fine. This isn''t the right time for us to meet yet. I''m heading to the Sacred Soul Continent. I''lle find you again if I survive."


    With that, it sped off into the distance.


    Pang Jian stood in a daze.


    He btedly realized that the Gray Ape had likely also gained the ability to assume human form after reaching Rank Eight.


    Back when Shangguan Qin had caged it in the Solitary Mountain Range, it had only just started to develop intelligence.


    Pang Jian never could have imagined that it would not only raise its bloodline to Rank Eight in the short time since theyst met but also escape from the bizarre-mist-covered Northern Qi.


    The giant Gray Ape disappeared in the blink of an eye, vanishing from the range of Pang Jian''s perception by the time he thought to question it.