Chapter 856 Running in Circles


    Polly stared at the grim opening of the abyss above and the dark bottomless hole below. Going up


    meant certain death, and going down was equally perilous.


    What could he do?


    All it could do was remain here, singing its sorrowful song, "Tears Behind Bars", asionally venturing


    into the abyss to drink from the spiritual springs to sustain itself.


    Polly was going back and forth. Unknowingly, it absorbed the aura and transformed it into spiritual


    energy.


    The mncholic melody of "Tears behind bars" grew louder and more impassioned with each rendition.


    At the edge of the abyss, high above the pit''s opening, the King of Cities stood, listening intently to the


    faint singing emanating from below, "Iron windows, iron doors, iron chains…"


    He remembered that Lilly had a parrot, one of the soul collectors that served the Ruler of Hell,


    responsible for capturing the souls of birds and beasts in the sky. It seemed that this bird was the one


    singing.


    However, he had no intention of descending into the abyss for a mere bird. Going down the abyss was


    no easy feat, even for him, as he was one of the Rulers of Hell. He dared not venture down lightly.


    Even if one could survive down there, the inability to return to the surface was a terrifying prospect.


    Who would willingly subject themselves to eternal confinement?


    Trapped for countless millennia, hunted and corrupted by the malevolence lurking beneath the abyss


    until bing a part of that very anomaly.


    A cruel smile spread across the King of Cities'' face.


    There''s no escape for Lilly and that damned Pablo.


    "With their current level of strength... it''s like looking for death."


    …


    Holding Lilly securely in his arms, Pablo soared through the abyss, desperately searching for a


    temporary hiding ce. However, they soon realized that the bottom of the abyss was vast and


    seemingly boundless.


    There was no longer the distinct sound of bones crunching beneath Pablo''s feet, causing him toe


    to a halt. The absence of bones seemed unlikely in Ghost Abyss, where countless bones had sunk


    over millions of years. Everywhere one went, the bones of the departed should be present.


    Taking a moment to collect himself, Pablo peered through the dense barrier of fog and caught sight of


    powdered remains scattered on the ground. It became clear that the absence of bones was not due to


    their absence but rather because they had been mercilessly crushed into pieces.


    Amidst the thick bones and ashes, there were a series of footprints, back and forth several times... and


    they belonged to Pablo.


    Pablo''s lips twitched in disbelief.


    He never imagined that a ghost of his size would one day find himself trapped within the Ghost Abyss.


    "The Ghost Abyss should never be taken lightly..." Pablo muttered to himself, his gaze shifting to Lilly in


    his arms.


    She remained in that position with her eyes closed,pletely immersed in a state of profound


    contemtion, reaching a state of selflessness.


    Pablo observed her, recognizing the signs of enlightenment.


    He was genuinely taken aback. Some individuals spend their entire lives in poverty, their hair turning


    gray, yet they nevere close to the threshold of enlightenment.


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    And here she was, only five years old, experiencing a profound revtion.


    What triggered her enlightenment?


    If Lilly could respond, she would simply say, "Nothing!"


    There was no specific cause for her enlightenment; it was a natural and effortless realization, as simple


    as eating and drinking.


    With the spirit energy coursing through her body, Lilly traversed her meridians with ease, ying along


    the pathways. She traced them around the tendons, through the limbs, and then washed over her skin


    and hair. Finally, all the spirit energy gathered in her abdomen.


    To Lilly, it was a wondrous experience!


    The energy flowed into Lilly''s abdomen, and despite not physically consuming anything, she


    experienced a remarkable sense of satisfaction akin to eating a hearty meal. She felt as though she


    had finished a substantial amount, even though only a small portion of spirit energy had gathered in her


    abdomen.


    What a small portion, who are you fooling?


    Feeling dissatisfied with the meager ration, Lilly pushed herself to "eat" even more. She moved the


    spirit energy around her body, guiding it into her abdomen. She repeated this process, absorbing new


    spirit energy, letting it flow and umte in her abdomen again and again.


    Unbeknownst to her, her abdomen gradually filled with spirit energy—the essence of her strength.


    Previously, without awakening her abdomen, she would easily grow tired during battles. Especially after


    evading the King of Cities and enduring various escape attempts, she felt overdrawn and on the verge


    of copse.


    But now, with her awakened abdomen, everything was different. The spirit energy stored within her


    abdomen served as her electric charge. It was like having a reserve of power. Previously, she could


    only run a certain distance without that extra charge, but now, with the energy stored in her abdomen,


    she could potentially run for hundreds of miles. The extent of her newfound endurance remained


    unknown.


    Lilly did not understand the reason behind how the energy could be stored in her abdomen. She simply


    knew that eating—or rather, absorbing spirit energy—was the key. Immersed in the state of mysterious


    epiphany, she focused on replenishing her energy reserves.


    Meanwhile, Pablo surveyed the floor covered in ashes, a troubled expression on his face. During his


    practice, he would typically sit cross-legged, but now, with no elevated surface or even a raised stone


    in sight, he stood there foolishly holding Lilly in his arms.


    Realizing that they were trapped within the Ghost Abyss for the time being, he knew he needed to


    assess the situation. Thus, he began to look around, searching for any signs or clues that might guide


    their next course of action.


    At the bottom of the abyss, a peculiar silence reced the screams and cries that were present in the


    upperyers. Instead, faint rustling sounds permeated the air, resembling whispers of unseen entities.


    Pablo could not shake the feeling that countless pairs of eyes were fixed upon him and Lilly, observing


    them while whispering in hushed tones. However, there was nothing visible in their surroundings except


    for the swirling aura.


    In an attempt to make sense of the situation, Pablo closed his eyes. While he continued to protect Lilly


    in his embrace, he let go of all other thoughts and focused on sensing his surroundings.


    In that moment of heightened perception, he realized that there were people all around him. They


    formed a densely packed crowd, preventing even the wind from passing through. It was no wonder he


    had not felt the usual gusts when descending to the bottom of the abyss.


    Having grasped the situation, Pablo could not help but break out into a cold sweat, feeling a mixture of


    unease and trepidation.