ã€ŠTrials of the Abyssã€‹


 Chapter 1: Looking Up

    <h4>Chapter 1: Looking Up</h4>

    In the lower world, where the sun, moon, and stars had not been seen for years...

    There were fragmentednds known as the Northern Qi, which made up the northern region of the Fourth World. The sky above it was in a tumultuous state, punctuated by loud rumbles of thunder and majestic cascades of rain.

    The outskirts of the Northern Qi were close to a boundary wall, where bizarre mist would sometimes appear. A long, uninterrupted mountain range called the Solitary Mountain Range bordered this boundary wall. If someone were to look down at it from the sky, the mountain range would resemble arge snake in brumation[1] that had been slithering forward with all its might as if trying to escape. At the ¡°snake¡¯s head¡± were steep canyons, where the winds whistled like weeping ghosts.

    Unexpectedly, in the wilderness ten li[2] away, stood three stone houses. The terrible weather had the fence around the houses shaking and rattling, as if about to copse at any moment.

    A huge, green divine bird was flying overhead. With itsrge wings spread wide open, it simply hovered in the air without pping.

    The divine bird had wings several mu in size.[3] Its feathers were like divine jade and refined iron, radiating a brilliant green light that nketed the stone houses and their surroundings, making it seem as if it were a fine spring day.

    In the courtyard stood a girl in her early teens, who had just changed into her new clothes. She gazed into the distance with an apprehensive restraint in her eyes, hands gripping the hem of her gorgeous skirt as she seemingly waited for something. At the same time, Sun Bin was looking intently at the girl as though beholding a rare treasure. The longer he stared at her, the more satisfied he felt.

    After the teenage girl had cleaned her face and changed out of her coarse linen clothes, her appearance had unexpectedly changed into that of an elegant beauty, which had caused Sun Bin¡¯s eyes to light up. He had never imagined that the best thing he¡¯d find on his journey to the lower world would be the teenage girl in front of him.

    There was someone else in the courtyard; it was a short, fat, middle-aged man dressed in yellow robes. After a long period of waiting, the man had no choice but to remind Sun Bin, ¡°Elder Sun, we still have some important matters to attend to. We cannot dy for too long.¡±

    The teenage girl''s eyshes fluttered anxiously as she pleaded, ¡°My brother will be back soon!¡±

    Sun Bin nodded with a smile. ¡°Okay. We will wait a little longer.¡±

    Turning sideways, he nced indifferently at the two people behind him. The two people with bellies full ofints immediately fell silent, not daring to say anything more.

    As time passed, Sun Bin''s gaze began to waver. However, as he stared at the muddy path before him, a blurry figure in a straw raincoat slowly appeared in the pouring rain.

    Under the gray sky, the tall, powerfully built figure strode forward. He carried a bow and a bamboo basket on his back, with a long saber hanging from his waist.

    Sun Bin narrowed his eyes and took a closer look.

    Stunned, he asked, ¡°Girl, is your brother really just two years older than you? He¡¯s only fifteen years old?¡±

    Pang Lin could not see as far ahead as Sun Bin because of the torrential rain, but she replied in a low voice, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Sun Binughed softly with a strange look in his eyes and nodded. ¡°Well, perhaps there is another surprise waiting for me.¡±

    When Sun Bin examined Pang Lin, he found out that Pang Lin¡¯s navel region contained a naturally formed lightning vortex. With a little push, she¡¯d gathered the spiritual qi of the heavens and the earth during this special weather phenomenon and condensed it into a lightning bolt in her lightning vortex.

    A cultivation genius like Pang Lin was rare, even in the upper worlds. Sun Bin had never expected to find such a rare, unpolished gem in this lower world, where the spiritual qi was sparse. Naturally, he was very excited. When he saw that Pang Lin¡¯s brother also had an unusual aura, Sun Bin¡¯s heart burst with anticipation.

    ...

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    Thunder suddenly erupted from the gray sky like the wrath of the gods, causing the beasts in the depths of the Solitary Mountain Range to tremble in fear.

    Pang Jian, who often hunted in the Solitary Mountain Range and was much taller and more robust than other teenagers his age, frowned as he looked at the distant mountains that were being ravaged by the violent storm. Even under the dim sky, the young man¡¯s features were distinct, and his eyes were clear and bright.

    <i>Strange,</i> Pang Jian thought.

    As far as he could remember, the Solitary Mountain Range and its surrounding areas had not seen such severe weather in years.

    Pang Jian had returned early from the mountain so that he could head to Linshan Town to exchange his spoils for some supplies. However, there was another reason why he returned early; it was this strange weather. It had caused a sh flood in the Solitary Mountain Range, making it difficult for him to traverse.

    The thought of potentially not being able to hunt in the mountains for a while irritated Pang Jian as it meant he would not have spoils to exchange for silver. Without enough silver, his n for his sister¡¯s education would be dyed.

    In the midst of the torrential rain, Pang Jian continued to take long strides forward, getting closer and closer to his home. Momentster, Pang Jian stopped in his tracks, eyes widening as he gazed incredulously at the sky above his home.

    Arge, green divine bird was hovering high above it. The bird''s enormous wings shone with a magnificent light. Its wing bones were as bright as gold and as beautiful as jade, so much so that they were visible through the feathers. It was an astonishingly imposing sight.

    Rays of bright green light shone from the edge of the divine bird¡¯s wings, covering the stone houses and their courtyard like a tent and protecting them from the onught of the torrential rain.

    Pang Jian had been wandering around the Solitary Mountain Range under his father¡¯s guidance ever since he was a child, but he had never seen such a mythical creature before. The sight of the divine bird hovering in the sky, emitting an imposing and dazzling sacred light, shocked him deeply.

    After staring dazedly for a while, the young man gradually came to his senses. He suddenly remembered his sister, who had stayed at home.

    ¡°Pang Lin!¡±

    In a moment of panic, Pang Jian rushed home as fast as he could in the torrential rain, fearful that something might have happened to his sister.

    Pang Jian was torn with anxiety. The thunder roared and the rain pummeled the earth. His face was wet from the rain, and his vision gradually turned blurry.

    The heavy rain formed puddles along the uneven path home, causing him to stumble and fall repeatedly. Nevertheless, Pang Jian ignored his sorry state. Despite being covered in mud, he just kept scrambling to his feet and continued running as fast as he could.

    When he finally almost reached the hovering divine bird, Pang Jian shouted with all his might, ¡°Pang Lin!¡±

    However, there was no response.

    Without hesitation, he drew his bow and nocked an arrow, aiming directly at the divine bird''s forehead before releasing the shot.

    <i>Dang!</i>

    The divine bird remained motionless. The arrow that had struck its forehead only produced a few sparks; no wound could be found.

    When Sun Bin and his two bodyguards, Yin Shan and Yin Hai, saw the young man draw his bow and shoot, they could not help butugh.

    The divine bird, a Green Condor, was annoyed by Pang Jian¡¯s arrow. Its cold eyes narrowed slightly, and a change urred in the sky.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    Multiple bolts of lightning fell from the sky and bombarded the muddy ground around the young man¡¯s home, forming huge, deep pits. These pits were scorched ck, with sparks of lightning flying in all directions.

    At the same time, a vast and mighty aura suddenly enveloped the area.

    Pang Jian was horrified. He felt like the violent lightning surrounding him could st him to pieces. If he dared to make a sudden move, his body and soul would be instantly destroyed.

    ¡°Brother!¡±

    Under the brilliant green curtain of light, Pang Lin had been anxiously calling out to her brother. However, her voice could not reach beyond the divine green light.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Sun Bin growled.

    The curtain of light, which looked slightly opaque from the outside, suddenly became translucent.

    Pang Jian could finally see his sister¡¯s eager scream and make out what she was saying from the shape of her mouth. However, he could not hear her voice.

    Pang Jian was instantly wary. He realized that both the divine bird in the sky and the strange curtain of light surrounding the house were extraordinary. Even the strangers standing with his sister seemed strange.

    Despite being separated by the bright green curtain of light, Pang Jian could see that his sister was unharmed, and her usual hemp garment was reced by a gorgeous, colorful dress.

    Pang Lin¡¯s brand-new dress suited her lovely face well. Her whole appearance had changed because of it. She no longer looked like a girl from the countryside; it was as if she had be ady of a noble family.

    Beside his sister stood a skinny old man in green clothes, who was obviously of a high status, and two middle-aged men, one tall and one short.

    The old man''s eyes were bright. They were even more ring than the light curtain separating Pang Jian and his home. The old man¡¯s hands were tucked into his loose sleeves, as if he were brewing a terrible storm within them.

    Pang Jian was stunned. He had no idea what had happened in his own home, but seeing as his sister was unharmed, he breathed a sigh of relief and put down his bow.

    Then, he stared at Sun Bin with a cold gaze and inquired without a hint of fear, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Sun Bin closely examined the young man in front of him. When he noticed the young man was not afraid, he could not help but smile.

    He said, ¡°A benefactor with the ability to change not only your fate but also your sister¡¯s.¡±

    Pang Jian was unusually tall for someone of his age. His years of hunting alone in the mountain range had given him the figure, gaze, and bearing of a ferocious wild beast. Sun Bin was astonished by both the extraordinary air that Pang Jian had about him and his unusual presence. Still, Pang Jian was too far away for Sun Bin to determine his cultivation aptitude.

    ¡°Let the wild boye in,¡± Sun Bin ordered the Green Condor without raising his head.

    When the Green Condor heard this, it raised its head and let out a soft, pleasant cry. The rumbling thunder immediately died down.

    It was like a heavy load had been lifted off Pang Jian¡¯s shoulders, and he realized that he could finally hear the voices within the bright curtain of light.

    Sizing up the unfamiliar trio, Pang Jian tightened his grip on his long saber and proceeded cautiously as if he were heading toward a herd of beasts. As he crossed through the light curtain and stepped into his home, Pang Jian felt warmth emanating from within.

    Outside the light curtain, it was raining heavily and the temperature made Pang Jian cold to the bone. However, in the courtyard under the light curtain, it was as warm as spring, without a single drop of rain. It was almost like they were somewhere else, which made Pang Jian feel even more surprised.

    ¡°Boy, we think that Pang Lin is a gem. Living here with you in the lower world will only bury her talent. So, whether you or Pang Lin agree or not, I will take her to the upper world today and have her cultivate there,¡± Sun Bin said bluntly, making his intentions clear.

    He continued, ¡°This is not a decision that you or Pang Lin can change. From today onward, she will step into the upper world andpletely break away from this lower one, where the spiritual qi is sparse and tainted.

    ¡°As for you...¡±

    Sun Bin''s voice trailed off, eyebrows twitching slightly.

    A beam of green lightning suddenly shot out from the depths of Sun Bin¡¯s eyes and instantly disappeared into Pang Jian¡¯s body.

    The young man was riddled with pain, and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. As the green lightning flowed back and forth between his limbs and his internal organs, the young man felt as if numerous thin des were stabbing him.

    Sun Bin used the lightning as his eyes, delicately controlling it to probe Pang Jian¡¯s whole body.

    The young man was in agony because of the torturous probe. However, he endured it with gritted teeth, not letting any sound escape from his mouth.

    Pang Lin¡¯s pretty little face was filled with anxiety. She could see that her brother was in agony, but she did not dare to express her anger, fearing she would ruin his good fortune.

    She had it all figured out in her mind. She knew that this moment would decide if her brother could win Sun Bin¡¯s favor.

    ¡°He has a really good temperament!¡± Sun Bin eximed in admiration.

    Yin Hai and Yin Shan behind him were just as surprised.

    Mortals who had yet to officially embark on the road of cultivation were often unable to bear the torturous pain when they were subjected to the brutal Bone and Marrow Probing and often passed out within a short time. Only a few people could hold on, but even they ended up wailing like ghosts.

    The trio had never met someone like Pang Jian, who could remain standing throughout the probe without making a sound.

    ¡°Elder Sun, we really hit the jackpot this time!¡± The short and chubby Yin Hai could not contain his joy and congratted Sun Bin in advance, before thetter was done probing Pang Jian. ¡°This has been a worthwhile trip!¡±

    ¡°We almost missed out on another gem!¡± the tall and thin Yin Shan said as he red at his younger brother, who had impatiently urged them to leave earlier.

    Sun Bin grinned andughed happily.

    He waved his hand and said, ¡°After examining the little sister, I knew that her brother wouldn¡¯t fall far behind. It seems that it was not in vain that I waited for such a long time.¡±

    ¡°Sea Convergence!¡± Sun Bin shouted swiftly.

    The Soul Seeking Nether Lightning roaming all over Pang Jian¡¯s body suddenly converged in his navel region.

    Sun Bin was full of anticipation, but he suddenly frowned deeply when the sparks of lightning dispersed into the young man¡¯s navel region.

    ¡°No, why is this happening?!¡± Sun Bin eximed.

    He scratched his ears puzzledly, then stared intently at the location of the young man¡¯s navel region, carefully sensing the movement of his Soul Seeking Nether Lightning.

    Sun Bin carefully probed Pang Jian several times. Finally, after a long time had passed, he looked toward the sky and heaved a long sigh.

    Sun Bin stomped his feet and cried out with regret, ¡°They¡¯re siblings, but their cultivation talents are as different as night and day. What a waste of a good temperament!¡±

    He originally thought that the older brother¡¯s cultivation talent would not be inferior to that of his younger sister. If there was norge difference, Sun Bin would have been willing to bring the brother along to the upper world.

    However, there was no naturally formed lightning vortex inside Pang Jian¡¯s navel region. Even worse, his navel region was extremely muddy.

    Even if Pang Jiang were to embark on the road of cultivation, his progress would be extremely slow. He was destined to have little sess.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be, can it?¡± Yin Hai and Yin Shan asked.

    They were unable toprehend the situation and wanted Sun Bin to examine Pang Jian one more time.

    Hearing that, Pang Lin, who had been full of confidence that her brother would be able to gain Sun Bin¡¯s favor, felt as if she had been struck.

    She said defeatedly, ¡°How is this possible? Elder, can you take a closer look?¡±

    Pang Lin thought that her brother was the strongest and most extraordinary person in the world. Since she had outstanding cultivation talent, her brother should naturally be even better than her.

    She could not ept the result of Sun Bin¡¯s judgment of her brother.

    Sun Bin helplessly shook his head. ¡°The matter is already set in stone. There is no need to take a second look.¡±

    Theher lightning flew out of the young man¡¯s body and returned to Sun Bin¡¯s eye.

    ¡°Boy, I am sorry to inform you that we can¡¯t take you with us. You¡¯recking in cultivation talent. If I were to bring you over, I wouldn¡¯t be able to exin the matter to the higher-ups,¡± Sun Bin said indifferently. He had experienced many hardships, and in spite of his disappointment, he quickly regained hisposure. ¡°The ce that we¡¯re going to can¡¯t amodate you. It won¡¯t do you any good if you go.¡±

    ¡°If my brother can¡¯t go, then I¡¯m not going either!¡± Pang Lin yelled loudly.

    ¡°As I said, this matter is not up to you and your brother,¡± Sun Bin replied with a snort.

    ¡°Little Lin, go with them. Go to a better and wider world. I wille find you in the future.¡±

    Unexpectedly, it was Pang Jian who took the initiative to persuade Pang Lin.

    As he took a deep breath and forced himself to endure the lingering pain in his body, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will definitelye look for you in the upper world."

    Pang Jian had a determined expression, and a captivating light seemed to blossom in the depths of his limpid eyes.

    Sun Bin stared at the young man with a thoughtful gaze.

    At this moment, the two brothers, Yin Hai and Yin Shan, were also fascinated by the radiance in Pang Jian''s eyes. They could not help but think back on the hardships they had experienced, and swallowed the sarcastic words that they had been about to say.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to go!¡± Pang Lin cried out.

    She knew that it would be hard for her to meet her brother again after parting with him. With teary eyes, Pang Lin repeatedly shook her head.

    The siblings had been relying on each other ever since they were young and held deep feelings of attachment toward each other. So, Pang Lin was, of course, unwilling to leave by herself.

    ¡°Girl, it might not be realistic for him toe to the upper world to look for you in the future,¡± Sun Bin said. Then he coughed lightly and made a new suggestion. ¡°However, when you have proven yourself in the sect and broken through to the Profound Abode Realm, you will be able to return to the lower world and look for him. Then you can arrange a ce for him in the upper world.¡±

    ncing at the Solitary Mountain Range, Sun Bin said indifferently, ¡°There''s no need to stay here in the Fourth World, where the spiritual qi is sparse. It¡¯s destined to be destroyed at some point in the future.¡±

    ¡°Profound Abode Realm?¡± Pang Lin shouted, grasping at the shred of hope.

    ¡°Yes. In this world, most of the cultivators are in the Qi Practicing Realm, Meridian Opening Realm, and Marrow Cleansing Realm. In the upper worlds, there are more cultivators at the Innate Realm, Profound Abode Realm, and Spirit Condensation Realm,¡± Sun Bin patiently persuaded Pang Lin. ¡°Girl, you have extraordinary cultivation talent. As long as you cultivate diligently, it will not be difficult for you to reach the Profound Abode Realm within a hundred years.¡±

    After a moment of hesitation, he took out an old and worn-out dark yellow manual wrapped in oil paper and threw it toward Pang Jian.

    ¡°This is the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art that I obtained by chance in a restricted area. I hope it can help you embark on the path of cultivation so that you can stay alive until the day Pang Lines and gets you.¡±

    Without waiting for the brother and sister to say their goodbyes, the curtain of green light surrounding them slowly closed in from the outside. In the end, it wrapped around Pang Lin like a glowing cylindrical tube of multicolor lights and dragged her toward the divine bird.

    Before the curtain of light ascended into the sky, Sun Bin¡¯s party had already released their spiritual qi to iste themselves from the torrential rain.

    ¡°Boy, we will meet again someday,¡± Sun Bin said.

    After that, the trio soared into the sky andnded on the Green Condor¡¯s long neck.

    The divine bird let out a soft cry and flew toward the gray sky in the torrential rain.

    Pang Jian lifted his head and watched them leave. The small amount of green lightning remaining in his eyes flickered, causing his vision to improve by several folds. It was as if a hidden thread connected him and Sun Bin, allowing Sun Bin¡¯s movements to stay within Pang Jian¡¯s line of sight. He felt that some of the strange lightning had been purposefully left in his body just so he could watch Sun Bin¡¯s party gradually fly further away.

    So, his eyes gazed at the divine bird ascending into the sky.

    Pang Jian was not dismayed that they had not taken him with them. He could not help his sister, but he was gratified and proud knowing that she had made a path for herself with her talent.

    Under the gray sky, the divine bird spread its wings wide open and soared into the stormy skies, flying higher and higher.

    After the divine bird reached a certain height, the brilliant light it emitted allowed Pang Jian to vaguely see beyond the sky of dark clouds. There were countless fragmentednds that were simr to Northern Qi. They were scattered like inds all over the upper worlds.

    There were two iparably huge areas ofnd hidden deep within the dense clouds, resembling mansions built by towering celestial beings in the void. These twondmasses naturally drew in the spiritual qi of heaven and earth that was surrounding them. These two legendarynds were sacred ces that the people of the Fourth World yearned to go to.

    Pang Jian knew that it was a whole other world.

    It represented the power of the mighty ns; a rich, superior lifestyle; and powerful cultivators with long life spans.

    Pang Jian tightly clenched the old manual in his hand. Desire burned in his eyes, gradually growing more intense. He vowed to climb to the upper world for his little sister, and for himself as well.

    The divine bird continued to fly higher into the sky. Light flickered in Pang Jian¡¯s eyes as they were still glued to the Green Condor, trying to see its finalnding spot so that he could determine his little sister''s location.

    He saw the divine bird fly over the two continents of the Third World and soar higher still. As it did, Pang Jian saw that there were three othernd masses in the sky that were even more lofty and majestic than the ones he had seen in the world one level above his own.

    ¡°The Second World!¡±

    Pang Jian trembled violently. He suddenly realized that his little sister''s destination was perhaps even further out of reach than he had thought.

    It was also at this moment that he saw a bright moon surrounded by stars high up in the sky, illuminating thend below.

    Under the bright moon and stars, he saw that there were indeed another two worlds above the Third World.

    The upper worlds consisted of three worlds, each one on a higher level than thest.

    He had never seen such a magnificent scene before, not even in his dreams.

    The innocent young man was greatly shocked. As he looked up at the sky from the lower world where the sun, moon, and stars would remain unseen for eternity, he began to fantasize endlessly.

    Pang Jian now had an intense and unquenchable desire to climb to the top and stand on the highest spot in all of the heavens and the earth.

    1. Snake¡¯s version of hibernation. ?

    2. The traditional Chinese measurement unit li is about one-third of an English mile and now has a standardized length of a half-kilometer ?

    3. Mu (Chinese: Ä¶; pinyin: m¨³) is a unit of area measurement used in the Far East, and particrly in China, where it is officially standardized. It corresponds to 1/15 of a hectare, or about 666.67 m2 ?

 Chapter 2: The Skies Beyond the Sky

    <h4>Chapter 2: The Skies Beyond the Sky</h4>

    High in the sky of the Third World, a green divine bird spread its wings and flew swiftly through the sky like an immortal spirit.

    As Pang Lin sat atop the Green Condor''s crown, she was wrapped in a bright magical light, but she was still frightened by the Green Condor¡¯s terrifying flying speed.

    Sun Bin sat with Yin Hai and Yin Shan on the upper part of the divine bird''s neck, and they lowered their heads to look at thends below. The Northern Qi appeared to shrink rapidly as the Green Condor flew higher and higher into the surging clouds until it gradually turned into arge floating stone.

    Fragmentednds like the Northern Qi were numerous and widespread in the Fourth World.

    Compared to the territories that the seven major ns upied, Northern Qi was nothing special. Moreover, the Fourth World was situated close to the northern boundary wall, which meant there was a higher risk of the bizarre mist entering it. Thus, very few high-level cultivators set foot there.

    Originally, Sun Bin¡¯s trip to the Fourth World had been to see whether the bizarre mist would permeate Northern Qi''s Solitary Mountain Range. However, he had not had a chance to survey the Solitary Mountain Range. Upon arriving in Northern Qi, the first thing that Sun Bin noticed was the sky above Pang Lin, which had been filled with thunder and lightning as if drawn by some kind of strong maic field.

    In observing her, Sun Bin realized that Pang Lin had a naturally formed lightning vortex within her navel region, which could spontaneously pull in lightning from severe thunderstorms.

    As Pang Lin had not formally embarked on the road of cultivation, shecked the ability to guide the lightning into her navel region. Consequently, more and more thunderclouds and lightning continued to gather and linger overhead.

    If Sun Bin had not used the Green Condor''s divine light to shield Pang Lin, her life could have been in danger, as the thunderstorm had continued to worsen and persist for a long time.

    His meeting with Pang Lin had been a pure coincidence.

    "Elder Sun, why did you give him a cultivation method?" Yin Hai asked. He could not figure out Sun Bin¡¯s intention. "The boy doesn¡¯t have any cultivation talent, and it would be extremely hard for him to make his way to the upper world. Why did you waste it on him?

    "Even if he does not encounter any mishaps, he¡¯ll die of old age by the time the girl reaches the Profound Abode Realm. After all, living beings in the lower worlds have a limited lifespan. If he can''t live past a hundred years, he won''t be able to wait for Pang Lin''s return."

    There were very few people in the lower worlds who could live past the age of seventy, and of those, only the ones who knew how to cultivate could have a lifespan longer than a hundred years. In Yin Hai¡¯s eyes, Pang Jian''s limited cultivation talent would make it difficult for him to advance to the Marrow Cleansing Realm, even with the cultivation manual, and he would ultimately still die of old age before Pang Lin''s return.

    "What if, by chance, Pang Lin is recognized by the sect, and the sect spares no expense in helping her cultivate? Would it still be hard for her to reach the Profound Abode Realm within a hundred years then? And what if the boy can endure the passing of time and wait for Pang Lin''s return?" Sun Bin said coldly.

    Turning his head to nce at the petite figure atop the crown of the divine bird, Sun Bin continued, "Just these two possibilities are worth the cultivation manual that I gave the boy. It can be regarded as building good karma. Furthermore, the manual that I happened to acquire only contains the cultivation methods for the first six realms."

    After listening to Sun Bin''s exnation, Yin Hai and Yin Shan lightly nodded and epted Sun Bin''s scolding with humble expressions.

    The divine bird continued to fly upward and gradually crossed over the boundary of the Third World.

    A moonlit scene unfolded beneath themkes, mountain ranges, halls of hidden sects and families, as well as the ancient and magnificent cities spanning across the two continents in the Third World, slowly unfurling like a picture scroll.

    There were no howling winds and severe thunderstorms in this world.

    As the divine bird continued to soar higher, it attracted the attention of the experts on the two continents. Some of them looked up at the Green Condor from the peaks of the magnificent cities, while others watched silently from the ancient temple.

    Sun Binughed and said, "The forces in the Third World seem to be developing quite well in recent years. Several of them noticed us. It seems that I have underestimated them."

    "Aren''t the big shots in the upper worlds still the ones who determine the leaders of the forces in the Third World?" Yin Hai said arrogantly.

    "Numerous leading authorities of our world also originated from the lower worlds. All of whom fought their way up," Sun Bin said respectfully.

    Several towering figures suddenly appeared in Yin Hai''s mind, and the arrogance in his gaze disappeared instantly.

    It was at this moment that lightning suddenly shed, thunder roared, and winds began to blow fiercely in a restricted area near the bizarre mist in the Third World.

    Sun Bin was astonished and hastily gathered lightning into his eyes to investigate.

    He discovered that numerous boulders were exploding in the restricted area, an extremely dpidated area of the Third World. Rocks shaped like dragon scales and turtle shells rained down in all directions, revealing therge skeletal remains of a Celestial Phoenix.

    Under the moonlight, the Celestial Phoenix''s skeletal remains, which were several timesrger than the Green Condor, were emitting a sparkling radiance like that of white jade.

    Suddenly, many mysterious runes whizzed out from the remains, resembling the countless stars in the sky. The runes flew around as if each had a separate mind and surrounded the skeletal remains of the enormous Celestial Phoenix.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A bone shot out like lightning. In the blink of an eye, it crossed the void and headed straight for the Green Condor beneath Sun Bin.

    The Green Condor seemed to sense how terrifying the bone was. Lifting its head high, it cried out in fear as its broad wings shook. Countless of the Green Condor''s feathers radiated with a dazzling, multicolored magical light before it ascended higher with all its might.

    "A fallen Celestial Phoenix!"

    Shocked, Sun Bin turned pale and immediately flew to Pang Lin. He extended his hands that were hidden in his sleeves. Dazzling lightning appeared between his fingers, which he used to wrap around Pang Lin.

    Then, Sun Bin shouted, "Let''s go!"

    He realized that the target of the Celestial Phoenix¡¯s skeletal remains was the Green Condor. Understanding that remaining with the Green Condor would inevitably lead to losses, he ignored its anguished wails and flew away from it.

    "The Celestial Phoenix has reappeared!"

    "The skeletal remains of the fallen Celestial Phoenix have shown themselves!"

    In the Third World, from the peaks of the top sects, deep within their ancient holy temples, earth-shattering roars erupted one after another. Multiple Spirit Condensation Realm experts set aside their tasks and emerged from closed-door cultivation to rush desperately toward the restricted area where the skeletal remains had appeared.

    ***

    Northern Qi, the Fourth World...

    Watching the divine bird''s departure, Pang Jian looked toward the sky with a longing expression and made up his mind about what he would do next.

    Just as he was about to lose sight of the divine bird, he noticed a sudden change in Sun Bin''s demeanor as he picked up Pang Lin and flew away from the crown of the divine bird.

    At the very next moment, he saw a huge bone that had been ignited by a magical fire rune suddenly pierce through the divine bird like a world-destroying spear. The divine bird pitifully pped its wings while its exceptionally strong and robust body and wings were engulfed in a raging, apocalyptic fire.

    Within an extremely short amount of time, the divine bird whose overwhelming aura had left Pang Jian breathless was reduced to ashes. Likewise, the two bodyguards failed to escape in time and were annihted, vanishing in a puff of smoke.

    At this moment, the residual lightning energy in Pang Jian''s eyes that enabled him to gaze at the divine bird waspletely exhausted.

    Pang Jian was left dumbfounded, his body chilled to the core.

    The divine bird, such an enigmatic and extraordinary creature, had unknowingly disturbed a terrifying being as it was flying out of the Third World, leading to its tragic end.

    The upper world was truly dangerous and frightening.

    ***

    After some time, the torrential rain gradually waned.

    The sky in the Fourth World was dark and dull, a characteristic that had persisted through the ages. Beyond the dense clouds in the skyy the upper worlds, worlds that themon folks of the lower world yearned for. Many residents of the Fourth World, including Pang Jian, dreamed of rising up and stepping into the upper worlds.

    Pang Jian raised his head and stared at the ck clouds in the sky, seemingly in a daze.

    The leftover lightning energy in Pang Jian''s eye had beenpletely exhausted before the torrential lightning subsided. Now, he could only see the numerous small pieces ofnd suspended motionlessly in the sky like bricks and tiles.

    He could no longer see the two continents located in the cloudy depths of the distant Third World. However, he had long known of the two continents and their names¡ªCosmic Skies and Dark Abyss.

    These two continents in the Third World were well-known to the residents of the lower worlds.

    After a long time of staring, Pang Jian¡¯s neck grew stiff. Lowering his head, he muttered a string of words to himself, "Little Lin, bright moon, a vast sky full of stars, and the upper worlds."

    He wondered if Sun Bin and his little sister, Pang Lin, had made it to safety or if they were still being chased by the terrifying bone that had killed the divine bird.

    Worried for his little sister''s safety, Pang Jian continued to stare at the sky for a while. However, in the end, he still could not find the answer to his questions. The scene of the divine bird soaring through the sky and then being abruptly struck down by the bone reyed in his mind, shocking him to his core.

    "Qi practitioner. Cultivator."

    Pang Jian knew very well that formidable experts like Sun Bin were addressed as such by themoners in his world.

    The Fourth World''s scatterednds were divided into sevenrger areas, and those areas were under the firm control of Qi Practitioner ns. This was true for both the upper world and the lower world, where he was situated.

    Qi Practitioners were always held in high regard, and ordinary people like Pang Jian rarely had the chance to interact with them. The high requirements for bing a cultivator meant Pang Jian never even had the opportunity to make contact.

    Therefore, he regarded the cultivation method left behind by Sun Bin as a precious treasure. He considered it a key item that would allow him to meet his sister again in the future.

    Pang Jian pushed the oil paper aside, took out the tattered and ancient manual that Sun Bin had given him, and stared at the letters on the manual.

    ¡°Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.¡±

    Before his father went missing in the Solitary Mountain Range, he would teach Pang Jian and Pang Lin to read and write in his spare time. Thus, Pang Jian was able to read the manual.

    In the following days, besides tending to his daily needs, Pang Jian spent all his energy reading and analyzing the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art. As a result, he gradually gained an understanding of the cultivation method.

    ording to the cultivation method, a cultivator had to visualize a cauldron in their navel region. They had to guide external spiritual qi into their body and then gather it in the cauldron for purification and refining.

    Despite having been judged by Sun Bin as having a poor cultivation aptitude, Pang Jian refused to believe that his fate had already been set by the heavens. Therefore, he spent all his time pondering on the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, striving to visualize the Spirit Cauldron and set out on the path of cultivation.

    "Every living thing that exists between heaven and earth requires qi to survive. Where qi gathers, life is born. Where qi dissipates, living beings die. In the early stages of Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, one needs to calm their mind and focus their attention on sensing the existence of qi."

    Pang Jian recited the content of the manual numerous times. However, even the beginning stage of calming his mind and concentrating to sense the presence of qi caused Pang Jian to feel agitated and restless.

    After several days, Pang Jian realized that this calming of the mind and concentrating to sense the presence of qi was divided into three steps: concentration, rxation, and awakening.

    Concentration involved keeping one''s consciousness in the present and preventing their imagination from running wild. During this process, one had to wait for their body to achieve a state ofplete rxation

    Once they achievedplete rxation, they would be able to attain a clear mind and gain insight into the subtleties of their body.

    Finally, they would awaken and be able to properly sense the existence of qi.

    Although it sounded simple, Pang Jian realized just how difficult the process was when he tried to put it into practice.

    He sat down with his legs crossed and breathed slowly while trying to focus.

    However, his mind remained restless.

    Numerous thoughts and ideas flickered like will-o''-the-wisps, darting around erratically in his mind. One moment, he thought about his little sister''s whereabouts, and the next, he wondered whether his father was still alive. He also pondered about where Sun Bin came from, mulling over what he should do next.

    Pang Jian could not control the many distracting thoughts in his mind.

    "If the mind is restless, the spirit will be scattered."

    If Pang Jian were unable to keep his mind focused, he would not be able to achieve the crucial first step in the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art. Consequently, he would not be able to officially start his cultivation process.

    Nevertheless, Pang Jian was not discouraged. He continued to practice, and when distracting thoughts appeared in his mind, he would immediately stop and start anew. He would silently recite the words "Divine Cauldron" to regain control of his thoughts.

    He repeated this process again and again.

    After many days of practice, Pang Jian was gradually able to collect his disorderly thoughts, settle down, and let his consciousness stay in the present moment.

    When he was able to control his mind and prevent unrestrained, distracting thoughts from influencing his state of mind, he finally achieved a state ofplete rxation while sitting in meditation.

 Chapter 3: The First Glimpse into the Fundamentals

    <h4>Chapter 3: The First Glimpse into the Fundamentals</h4>

    ¡°Divine Cauldron, Divine Lake.¡±[1]

    One day, while Pang Jian¡¯s mind was in a rxed and calm state, things just fell into ce.

    A human''s mind was like the tranquil and clear surface of ake. So long as the surface was clear, one could see right through to the bottom, regardless of depth.

    Whenever distracting thoughts flourished or bold, imaginative ideas arose, ripples would form on the surface of the clear and calmke, as though stones were being thrown into it.

    As the ripples formed and collided with each other, the surface of theke would be turbulent, making it difficult to see through to its depths.

    It was only by eliminating the many distracting thoughts in one¡¯s mind and maintaining a calm state of focus on oneself that one could be free from their inner turmoil and gain insight into the subtleties of their body.

    Upon realizing this, Pang Jian once again put all his attention into his cultivation. He felt more and more serene and his mind gradually became clear.

    When he took a deep breath, Pang Jian could feel the subtle intion of his abdomen. It was like his internal organs were receiving a gentle massage and thus bing invigorated with energy.

    He immediately understood that the so-called ¡°awakening" was being able toprehend the mysteries of his own body.

    At this point, he finally had his first glimpse into the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    Merely reaching this step had brought tremendous benefits to Pang Jian. Every time he emerged from his meditation, he felt energized and his mind was clear.

    His hearing and eyesight also showed small improvements and the stresses and worries he felt were greatly reduced.

    On one particr day, while Pang Jian was concentrating on feeling the presence of qi, he noticed a warmth on his chest.

    ¡°Eh?¡±

    Pang Jian lifted his shirt with a frown and looked at the bronze pendant on his chest.

    Although the pendant looked primitive and crude, the back part that touched Pang Jian''s skin felt as smooth as jade. The front of the pendant was shaped like a bronze door with mysterious veins across its surface. This door also featured two ring handles, which appeared to be used for the opening of the bronze door.

    Before Pang Jian''s father had mysteriously disappeared, he had torn off this pendant from his neck and gave it to Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian had worn the bronze pendant for many years without ever noticing anything unusual or special about it. However, during his recent cultivation of the Qi Nourishing Divine Cauldron Art, whenever he sensed the presence of qi, the bronze pendant would be intensely hot.

    Pang Jian held the bronze pendant that was on his chest and ran his fingertips over its front, feeling the rough pattern on the surface. He then gently pulled on the ring handles.

    The pendant''s doors could not be opened and nothing unusual happened due to Pang Jian''s actions.

    As Pang Jian¡¯s concentration faltered, the pendant''s temperature returned to normal.

    Pang Jian was unconcerned. After freshening up, he began another round of meditation with the purpose of understanding the flow of qi.

    As he did so, the bronze pendant once again started heating up. However, Pang Jian no longer paid any attention to it.

    ***

    One day, Pang Jian was quietly observing his inner state and focusing on his cultivation when he was disturbed by a noise outside.

    Stepping out of his home, he noticed that in the murky sky above him, several dried-up bones suddenly appeared and fell on the northern part of the Fourth World like a meteor shower.

    The bones disappeared into the depths of the Solitary Mountain Range and caused the surrounding ten thousand li to shake and explode. It also caused the stone house behind Pang Jian to sway violently.

    Even from such a long distance away, Pang Jian could hear the frightened yet excited roars of the beasts in the mountain.

    Pang Jian involuntarily thought back to the sight of a white sacred bone piercing the divine Green Condor and vaguely felt that the withered bones falling from the sky might be connected to it.

    The difference was the sacred bone that killed the Green Condor appeared as bright as jade and shone with a brilliant light.

    The withered bones that fell into the depths of the Solitary Mountain Range were gray and dull. The mysterious power they contained seemed to have been exhausted, making them appear dim and lifeless.

    rmed by the abnormality, Pang Jian temporarily stopped his cultivation to pay closer attention to any changes in the sky.

    Half a dayter, Pang Jian saw a gilded chariot bathed in a magical golden light emerge from the depths of the thick clouds and fly toward the heart of the Solitary Mountain Range.

    When the chariotnded, a loud sound erupted from the mountain. A dazzling pir of golden light surged into the sky, lingering for a long period before finally subsiding.

    Another day passed.

    A huge sailboat descended from the sky. A pitch-ck g fluttered on it. At the center of the g, there was a blood-colored crescent moon rising and falling, radiating an eerie brilliance.

    Not long after, a rotating, translucent five-story white pagoda slowly descended from the upper world.

    The chariot, the sailboat, and the white pagoda were all extraordinary sights, which greatly fascinated Pang Jian.

    Gradually returning to his senses, Pang Jian realized that something major must have happened in the depths of the Solitary Mountain.

    The cultivators from the upper world were either searching for the withered bones or investigating the abnormality of the bizarre mist.

    Pang Jian had been hunting in the Solitary Mountain Range for many years and knew the ins and outs of the mountain. He knew exactly where the dangers were and which areas his father had forbidden him from entering.

    Although he was curious, Pang Jian knew that huge changes had taken ce in the Solitary Mountain Range. Therefore, for his own safety, he decided to postpone his hunting trip in the mountain and concentrate all his energy on the rare cultivation method.

    When he saw that there were no more strange objectsing down from the upper world, he returned home to continue with his cultivation.

    The qi mentioned in the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art was not like the air[2] he normally breathed. It was not simply breathed into the abdomen but required delicate guidance into one''s navel region.

    This type of qi was also known as spiritual qi. It contained magical power and was the essence of a qi practitioner¡¯s power.

    Pang Jian suppressed his curiosity and desire to explore the Solitary Mountain Range. While he was trying to sense the presence of spiritual qi, he would often hear roarsing from the heart of the mountain, alongside angry screams of humans and the anguished cries of beasts.

    He was certain that a fierce battle had broken out in the depths of the Solitary Mountain Range. However, he tried his best to bury his curiosity deep within his mind.

    ***

    "It was here."

    On this day, Pang Jian was working hard on his cultivation when he heard a sounding from his courtyard. rmed, he rushed out to have a look.

    A group of seven people riding tall, armored horses had arrived in front of his house and were standing at the fence.

    Perhaps because he was too immersed in his cultivation and on observing the subtleties of his body, Pang Jian had not noticed the sound of the horses'' hooves.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The visitors rode their horses forward without any hesitation and, in the process, destroyed the fence with the horses'' heavy hooves as they charged into the courtyard.

    "The people of Linshan Town tell us that you always hunt in the Solitary Mountain Range and you are very familiar with the mountain. Is that true?"

    A gloomy old man with a goatee rode an armored warhorse toward Pang Jian. He had no intention of dismounting as he spoke and he looked condescendingly at Pang Jian. With a tone that left no room for arguments, he stated, "We are preparing to go to the Solitary Mountain Range and we need a guide who is familiar with the area. We have decided that the guide will be you."

    Pang Jian knew that the mountains had not been peaceful recently, and so, he gritted his teeth and refused. "I am not going."

    "That is not up to you." The old man bared his teeth andughed oddly. He untied a thick, ck rope from the saddle, looking as though he was preparing to take Pang Jian away by force.

    "Let me speak to him!" a young girl shouted lightly from behind the old man.

    She urged her horse forward to stand in front of the old man, and it was clear that she also had no intention of dismounting. She tossed a pouch at Pang Jian as if she was giving alms to a beggar and said indifferently, "We are not unreasonable. We will reward you."

    The pretty and curvaceous young girl was dressed in neat clothes that gave her a heroic appearance.

    Comparing the young girl in front of him to the girls in Lin Shan Town was likeparing the shine of a grain of rice to the grandeur of a bright moon.

    Since Pang Jian was a child, he had only stayed around the Solitary Mountain Range. He even rarely went to Linshan Town. So, when he looked at the young girl, he found himself in a daze.

    Before Pang Jian could take a few more nces, a thin young man in a white robe riding a ck horse scolded him.

    ¡°If you continue to stare, I will dig your eyeballs out.¡±

    The young man¡¯s narrow eyes were full of cold disdain.

    Pang Jian said nothing. He just silently withdrew his gaze and picked up the pouch on the ground.

    Upon opening it, he found that it was filled withrge pieces of silver. It was enough for several years worth of supplies.

    Pang Jian held the bag tightly, second thoughts creeping into his mind. The mountains had been silent for a long time, so perhaps the earlier riots and discords had already died down.

    Since he was also curious about what had happened inside the mountain range, Pang Jian ultimately agreed to their demand. ¡°Alright.¡±

    "Heh, turns out he was a money-grubbing boy." The gloomy old man chuckled before raising his hand to point toward the Solitary Mountain Range. "Lead the way."

    Pang Jian looked at the snow-white horse the girl was riding and said, "It''s too slow to walk. I¡¯m going to need a horse."

    "You¡¯ll need a horse?"

    The young man in the white robe red at Pang Jian with his cold eyes. When he heard Pang Jian¡¯s request, he became angry again. "You will do whatever I tell you to do. If you dare say another word, I will cut off your tongue."

    Whenever he opened his mouth, the young man was either threatening to gouge out Pang Jian''s eyes or cut off his tongue. As Pang Jian guessed that the young man was in love with the girl in front of him, he could not help but look at the angry young man and then at the heroic, beautiful girl.

    "Can you ride a horse?" the youngdy asked coldly.

    "I am a hunter in the mountains. What do you think?" Pang Jian asked in reply.

    The girl was surprised, not expecting Pang Jian would dare to retort. With a sudden change in her bright eyes, she nodded lightly and ordered, "Liu Qi, you and Zhang Heng ride on the same horse. Let him ride yours."

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    The man named Liu Qi reluctantly dismounted. He pulled the reins and led his crimson horse to Pang Jian. He patted the horse on the head before whispering something in its ear.

    He then said, "This horse has a fierce temper. Don''t me me if you get hurt.¡±

    After saying this, he turned around with a smile and nced at the young man in the white robe.

    The young man''s eyes revealed his approval.

    Pang Jian remained silent. He returned home and prepared his bow, arrows, and long saber before lifting a bamboo basket onto his back. After that, he took the reins and mounted the horse, whipping it to rush toward the Solitary Mountain Range.

    The crimson warhorse suddenly dashed, and the sound of its footsteps reverberated through the air. It swayed wildly along the way like a violent and ferocious beast that had never been tamed.

    Pang Jian''s upper body swayed violently with the horse, but his lower body always pressed close to the horse''s back, as if it had taken root. No matter how hard the horse tried to toss him, he was not thrown off.

    The warhorse frantically dashed toward the Solitary Mountain Range, trying everything it could to toss Pang Jian, but, in the end, it still failed.

    After a while, the exhausted warhorse epted its fate and gradually calmed down.

    The old man stroked his beard thoughtfully. "This boy has some skill."

    The heroic girl sighed softly. "I hope this trip goes well."

    Her face was filled with worries. Her gaze was never on Pang Jian and the unruly horse. From the beginning, she was staring toward the depths of the Solitary Mountain Range, "Forces from the upper world, such as the Blood Moon Sect, the Sinister Soul Temple, and the Radiant Sun Sect, have sent their people into the depths of the mountains. However, to this day, none have emerged and their fates remain unknown."

    The girl paused momentarily. "The northern area of the Solitary Mountain Range is partially shrouded in bizarre mist and it has likely be a restricted area. Who knows how many terrors have spawned there."

    "You shouldn''t havee here. You are destined to go to the upper world. Why would you risk your life here?" shouted the young man in the white robe.

    The girl slowly shook her head, her white and wless face full of determination. She calmly said, "From the moment we set foot on the path of cultivation, you and I were destined to not have a normal life. Furthermore, the great disturbances have subsided, and it has be rtively safe. If I die while exploring the Solitary Mountain Range, it only proves that my abilities and luck arecking, and I wouldn''t survive long even if I went to the upper world."

    "Let''s go." After giving the order, she took the lead and rode forward, with everyone hurrying to follow.

    1. ºø (Hu), which means cauldron, and ºþ (Hu), which meanske, have the same pronunciations but different meanings. ?

    2. The Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron in Chinese is ºøÌìÑøÆø¾÷ while air is ¿ÕÆø (Kong Qi). Both qi and air share the same Chinese character Æø but the author is trying to point out that it¡¯s not the same. ?

 Chapter 4: White Fan and Blood Bamboo

    <h4>Chapter 4: White Fan and Blood Bamboo</h4>

    In the past, the ear-piercing wind that whistled like mournful ghosts weeping could be heard all year round in the Solitary Mountain Range. Now, however, the sound had miraculously disappeared and the canyon Pang Jian and his group were in had fallen silent.

    Pang Jian frequented the mountain range. However, as he rode into the canyon, his surroundings felt inexplicably unfamiliar to him.

    Listening carefully, he realized that within the canyon, he could hear no birds pping their wings or insects buzzing.

    Upon entering the canyon, the violent, crimson warhorse also fell silent, as if it too sensed the abnormality.

    From childhood, Pang Jian had been taught how to hunt by his father. As a skilled hunter, he knew that when a ce was too quiet, danger often lurked behind the silence.

    Keeping his guard up, Pang Jian unslung his bow from his back. He slowly urged the horse to move forward and carefully noted the differences in his surroundings.

    The canyons were still the same as before.

    However, as Pang Jian pressed onward, he sensed a shift in his surroundings, though he could not quite pinpoint what was different.

    Not long after, Pang Jian¡¯s horse came to an abrupt stop. Pang Jian noticed a pile of stones in front of him with a few strange corpses in the middle.

    All the corpses were dressed in the same ck clothes. On the chest of their clothes was an image of a scarlet crescent moon. The crescent moon seemed to be floating in the depths of a mysterious dark world, radiating a bloody, demonic charm.

    With just this nce, Pang Jian was reminded of the sailboat that had descended from the upper world a few days ago.

    The crescent moon on the chest of the corpses was the same as the crescent moon on the g of the sailboat.

    The corpses in the pile of stones looked young. They held bright silver bells, white paper fans, or huge bronze hammers. All of them appeared to have been running away.

    Some of them had even turned their heads to look back, as if something terrifying was chasing after them, filling them with fright and unease.

    Surprisingly though, there were neither fatal wounds on the corpses nor any sign of them being crushed by rocks.

    The corpses, frozen in a running posture, gave Pang Jian the impression that they had died in an instant, bing fixed in ce after death.

    It was like their souls had been scattered by a gust of wind, and their bodies frozen in ce by some kind of strange force that stopped time.

    However, the canyon, where the wind whistled all year round, was eerily quiet at the moment, devoid of the evil wind of Pang Jian¡¯s imagination.

    Stranger still, the corpses among the pile of rocks had not been torn to pieces and devoured by the wild beasts that often roamed the canyon.

    The sight before Pang Jian made no sense to him, and he refrained from rushing forward rashly.

    He decided to stay where he was and wait for the others.

    Not long after, Pang Jian heard the sound of the horses'' hoovesing from behind him.

    Pang Jian turned around and saw the dignified girl riding a snow-white warhorse. She looked as if she had fused with the warhorse underneath her, shooting forward like a dazzling white light.

    Her skillful riding skills and exquisite control of the horse proved that she was by no means a fledgling on the battlefield.

    Just as she was about to rush past Pang Jian, the people following behind her beganing into view one after another.

    The girl muttered, "What is this?"

    She swiftly pulled in the reins, stopping the snow-white horse beneath her before sizing up the bodies in the pile of rocks with her bright eyes.

    She slowly knit her bushy eyebrows, which were much thicker than those of an ordinary girl, and her eyes suddenly looked sharp, making her look both dignified and intimidating."It''s the people from the Blood Moon Sect!"

    Ning Yuanshan, the old man with the goatee, hurried over. With a gloomy face, he said in a deep voice, "Those guys are from the vicious and bloodthirsty Blood Moon Sect in the upper world. What happened to them? How could they die in such an odd way?"

    Ning Yuanshan could not see any fatal wounds on their bodies. Sensing that something was wrong, he warned everyone to be careful.

    "Let me go check it out," Liu Qi said, before jumping off hispanion''s horse.

    Ning Yuanshan slowly nodded. Seeing that he had received permission, Liu Qi walked toward the pile of rocks. When he passed Pang Jian, he suddenly stopped and pulled out a spear from under the belly of his horse before entering the pile of rocks.

    Ning Yuanshan turned around and said with a cold gaze, "The rest of you, don''t go in there yet!"

    The people behind him were looking at the artifacts in the corpses¡¯ hands with gleaming eyes, but hearing his words, they resentfully tightened the reins on their horses.

    If it were not for his scolding, these people would have rushed into the pile of rocks to investigate like Liu Qi.

    The Blood Moon Sect''s cultivators hade from the upper world. They must have brought some extraordinary artifacts with them. If these people were able to acquire even one of these artifacts, their trip would be worthwhile. Therefore, they were all driven by greed and almost rushed in.

    Forced to stop, these few people could only look at Liu Qi with envy as he arrived in front of the first corpse.

    It was a short young man with his hair tied in a bun and a white paper fan held high in his left hand.

    His right hand was still forming a seal as if he was trying to activate some secret life-saving technique to escape from the terrifying pile of rocks.

    The white paper fan in his hand was open, and Liu Qi could see that there were a few green bamboos painted on it, as well as a verse from a poem. As he got closer, he read the verse to himself.

    "You''re cold among pines, bamboos, and vines when over thend the setting sun shines." [1]

    He then used the tip of his spear to split open the dead young man''s robe, wanting to see if there were any fatal wounds hidden beneath his clothes.

    Suddenly, some of the green bamboos on the white paper fan lit up with a bloody light.

    A blood-colored bamboo suddenly flew out from the fan and pierced through Liu Qi''s forehead.

    Liu Qi fell to the ground, head facing up, blood flowing from between his eyebrows. He was dead.

    Pang Jian was startled, and subconsciously tightened his grip on his long saber, preparing to deal with the unknown threat.

    The sinister white paper fan and the murderous blood bamboo were anomalies that he would never have encountered in the Solitary Mountain Range before.

    After the blood-red bamboo assassinated Liu Qi, it retracted back into the white paper fan and dyed all the remaining green bamboo red.

    Among the gray pile of stones, some of the blood-red bamboos on the white paper fan began emitting a bright red light. Everyone''s expressions changed.

    "You lot almost died too," Ning Yuanshan said with a sunken face.

    Hearing this, several people behind him lowered their heads in shame and fright.

    Zhang Heng, who had shared his horse with Liu Qi, tightened his grip on the reins. He feared his horse would lose control and rushed forward.

    ¡°How sinister!¡± he eximed.

    No one dared to take a step forward.

    In their eyes, the corpses with bloody crescents on their chests had all turned into bloodthirsty monsters.

    The man in the spotless white robe, He Ziren, was not saddened by Liu Qi''s death. Instead, his eyes lit up as he raised his hand and pointed at Pang Jian. "You! Go and bring me that white paper fan."

    Ning Yuanshan frowned slightly, but due to He Ziren''s status, he could not say anything to dissuade him.

    "If you want to die, do it yourself. Don''t drag other people down with you," the young girl, Ning Yao, said with a frown. With her cold eyes, she red at He Ziren with dissatisfaction.

    Then, she looked at Pang Jian. "I know your name is Pang Jian. We are not familiar with the Solitary Mountain Range, and we still need you to help guide us."

    She undoubtedly had experienced some big tribtions before, as she appearedposed and was not intimidated by the strange happenings in the pile of rocks.

    He Ziren shook his head andughed, not intending to argue with her. "I was just saying, don¡¯t get angry."

    Ning Yao looked at Pang Jian. "You¡¯ve epted my payment, so now you must help me[2]. Can you tell me how this canyon is different from before?"

    Pang Jian answered truthfully, "It has be much quieter. The wind used to be incredibly loud, but now it¡¯s gone. Also, there used to be birds and other animals lurking around, but now they are gone."

    "Quiet...." Ning Yao said thoughtfully, "Anything else?"

    Pang Jian shook his head.

    Ning Yao stopped questioning him and asked everyone to set up camp in front of the pile of rocks. She then said, "We are not the only ones looking to explore the Solitary Mountain Range. We only arrived first because we are the closest. "Everyone, let¡¯s not rush in. Let''s observe the abnormalities of the corpses first and wait for the other parties to arrive."

    As soon as they¡¯d entered the canyon, they had stumbled upon a weird pile of rocks, which then resulted in the death of a capable subordinate. She did not dare to act rashly after that.

    "Members of the other six major families wille after hearing the news. They won''t make us wait too long," Ning Yuanshan agreed. "Let''s keep an eye on the corpses of these Blood Moon Sect cultivators first, and wait for the others to arrive. We can decide on how we should proceed after that.¡±

    The stone pile was right in front of their eyes. The Blood Moon Sect''s bells, treasure fans, and bronze hammers were also close at hand, but no one dared to covet them anymore.

    After settling down the horses, several people quickly set up camp and busied themselves.

    Pang Jian''s face was expressionless. asionally, he nced at He Ziren, who had just tried to send him to his death.

    He Ziren quickly noticed his gaze. He grinned silently before raising his hand and made a gesture of gouging his eyes.

    Ning Yao said in a slightly tired tone, "Uncle Yuanshan, everyone has traveled all the way here and needs to take a break. So I''d like to ask you to keep an eye out for now."

    "Okay." Ning Yuanshan had also had the same intention and waved for everyone to go to the tent to rest while he and Pang Jian stayed outside.

    When Ning Yao and the others had each entered their tents¡ªeither to sit quietly and recuperate or to rest with their eyes closed¡ªNing Yuanshan pulled Pang Jian aside and took the initiative to ask him questions.

    "We are from the Ning n. The Ning n...have you ever heard of us?"

    Compared with when they first met, Ning Yuanshan¡¯s attitude had be much more polite, and he no longer acted condescendingly.

    Pang Jian was stunned. "The Ning n of the seven major ns?"

    "You are not as oblivious as I thought you were," Ning Yuanshan said proudly.

    Next, he asked Pang Jian in a casual tone about the anomalies in the Solitary Mountain Range. He learned from Pang Jian that not long ago, a gilded chariot, a huge sailboat, and a white pagoda had descended one after another from the upper world.

    Ning Yuanshan stroked his beard as he murmured with a frown on his face. Through Pang Jian''s description, he quickly confirmed the origin of the descending objects.

    "The Gilded Chariot of the Star River Alliance, the Formless Sailboat of the Blood Moon Sect, and the Divine Spirit Pagoda of the Sinister Soul Temple." He then asked, "Did you see anyonee out?"

    Pang Jian shook his head as he responded, "No."

    Ning Yuanshan stopped his line of questioning. "Very well, you should also rest."

    He then asked Pang Jian to help keep an eye on the surroundings, and he went to Ning Yao''s tent. After getting Ning Yao''s permission to enter, he went inside to discuss important matters with her.

    ***

    Night fell, and as the sun, moon, and stars were not visible all year round, the sky in the Fourth World was extremely dark.

    Ordinary people who have not embarked on the path of cultivation, would not be able to see their surroundings at night in the Fourth World.

    In the tent next to Pang Jian, everyone from the Ning n was taking the opportunity to rest and prepare their bodies and minds to be in an optimal state for whatever situation might arise next.

    Pang Jian did not have the ability to see the corpses of the Blood Moon Sect''s cultivators in the dark night. Rather, it was the white paper fans, bells, bronze hammers, and other objects that emitted a faint light in the dark environment.

    Pang Jian frowned as the light shone on the corpses, making them look eerie and terrifying.

    He silently observed his surroundings. As he saw no abnormality in the corpses, and the white paper fans, bells, and bronze hammers all remained still, he gradually felt relieved.

    But in those moments where Pang Jian could not help but steal a nce at them, he always felt as though those dead Blood Moon Sect''s cultivators would suddenly continue their running at any moment.

    Pang Jian was anxious and could not calm down. Frustrated, he quietly moved away from the tent of the Ning n and found a remote ce to cultivate the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    He had finally seeded in meditating and was able to keep his mind clear, and so he was able to quickly enter the Awakened State as he examined the wonders of his body.

    The moment he entered the Awakened State, he could sense the presence of qi and felt that there was a weirdly gentle and pure energy around him.

    "Spiritual qi."

    He suddenly realized the reason he had not been able to sense the spiritual qi despite cultivating arduously at home.

    It was not because there was something wrong with his cultivation method. Rather, it was because the concentration of spiritual qi in the wilderness where his home was located was too low.

    The Solitary Mountain Range, which was only about ten li away from his home, was several times richer in spiritual qi, and he could easily sense its presence.

    Pang Jian was surprised, and he quickly tried to guide this spiritual qi into his body, absorbing it into his navel region using the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    Through his visualization, his navel region turned into a Spirit Cauldron. As he breathed in and out, the external spiritual qi of heaven and earth was sucked into the Spirit Cauldron.

    Gradually, Pang Jian not only felt the presence of spiritual qi but also discovered that the spiritual qi did not sink into his navel region through his nose and mouth as he breathed. The spiritual qi of heaven and earth around him was attracted by the Spirit Cauldron he visualized, and it entered his body directly from the acupoint below his navel region.

    A momentter, he suddenly felt another force from within the pile of rocks.

    This energy, which was also attracted by his Spirit Cauldron, was different from the spiritual qi of heaven and earth. It felt manic and sinister.

    Among the pile of stones, the white paper fans, bells, and bronze hammers held by the corpses of the Blood Moon Sect cultivators shone with eye-catching light.

    <i>Whoosh! Howl!</i>

    A wind that whistled like mournful ghosts weeping¡ªa sound Pang Jian was familiar with¡ªsuddenly emerged from the pile of rocks.

    It sounded as if there were evil spirits buried deep in the earth, and they were suddenly awakened by some kind of power as they cried and screamed in the Ninth Netherworld[3]

    1. This is part of a poem written by a Song Dynasty poet, Cao Zu. ?

    2. "ÄÃÈËÇ®²ÆÌæÈËÏûÔÖ" is amon idiom in Chinese meaning literally "Receiving one''s money and helping him/her to stop the disaster". It¡¯s something along the lines of <i>quid pro quo</i>. ?

    3. In Chinese mythology, the Ninth Netherworld (¾ÅÓÄ) is the lowest of the spiritual worlds. ording to the legends, it is a ce of pure yin energy, an environment where nothing grows. Here, the term is used to emphasize how sinister the sound is. ?

 Chapter 5: The Obstructing Rock Array

    <h4>Chapter 5: The Obstructing Rock Array</h4>

    On the other end of the campsite.

    Inside the tent, Ning Yuanshan lowered his voice and asked with a frown, "Little Yao, are you dissatisfied with the brat from the He n? He was chosen for you by your family. They asked around to make sure that he had amendable cultivation talent. And just like you, he has the potential to go to the Star River Alliance to cultivate. Moreover, our Ning n and the He n have been friends for a long time¡ª"

    "I didn¡¯t choose him," said Ning Yao impatiently. My family did." She then shook her head and sighed. "But as the daughter of the Ning n, I have no choice in the matter. Once I¡¯ve reached the Third World and I have proven myself in the Star River Alliance, I¡¯ll be able to make my own choice."

    "It won''t be so easy." As someone with experience, Ning Yuanshan bitterlyughed before he patiently exined, "In our world, both you and the He n brat can be considered to have outstanding cultivation talent. However, in the Third World, the spiritual qi of heaven and earth is much more abundant and pure. There are many children your age with superior cultivation talent."

    What Ning Yuanshan meant was that even if Ning Yao and He Ziren were to be rmended to join the Star River Alliance, they would not stand out.

    Ning Yao''s eyes shone brightly. "Cultivation talent is not the only criterion. Our effort also matters."

    Watching the bright light of her eyes, Ning Yuanshan remembered the vigor of his youth. "That''s true. I¡¯m happy that you¡¯re confident. The He n brat was quite satisfied with you. He traveled a great distance just to see you. He is pampered by the He n, and since the elders of both families have reached an agreement, if he insists...."

    Ning Yuanshan paused. "Besides, you should be aware that two others from the Ning n are alsopeting against you for the opportunity to enter the Star River Alliance."

    After a moment of silence, the corner of Ning Yao''s lips gradually revealed a cold smile. "He shouldn''t havee to the Solitary Mountain Range."

    Ning Yuanshan was stunned. He looked at Ning Yao for a moment before he anxiously said, "Don''t do anything stupid."

    However, it seemed that Ning Yao had made her decision a long time ago. "Many cultivators from the Star River Alliance, the Blood Moon Sect, and the Sinister Soul Temple have died in the Solitary Mountain Range. Liu Qi has already died, and even the two of us might not be able to leave this ce alive. What¡¯s so strange about him dying here too?"

    Ning Yuanshan rubbed his temple and sighed. "It seems you¡¯ve grown up while I wasn¡¯t paying attention."

    Having made her point, Ning Yao urged him to leave. "Alright, Uncle Yuanshan. You better go and keep watch outside. There was something fishy about that stone pile."

    It was at this moment that they heard the whistling wind outside. Without hesitation, both of them immediately rushed out of the tent.

    In the darkness of the night, the first thing they saw were a few hazy, pale gray beast shadows, apanied by the ear-piercing whistling wind from the stone pile, flying toward Pang Jian, who was sitting nearby.

    The beast shadows were blurry, with no real flesh or body. They seemed to be made up of gray mist, overflowing with impetus and ruthlessness.

    Pang Jian had also noticed the abnormalities in the stone pile and was already on guard, with a cautious expression on his face.

    "Those are the lowest-level Beast Devils, formed from the souls of dead beasts in the mountain," Ning Yuanshan shouted.

    During this time, He Ziren, Zhang Heng, and several others recuperating in their tents also rushed out one after the other. Like Ning Yao and Ning Yuanshan, He Ziren was a cultivator in the Meridian-Opening Realm.

    Catching sight of the blurry gray beast shadows, He Ziren eximed, "Beast Devils!"

    His tent was the closest to Pang Jian. However, he had no intention of rescuing Pang Jian despite seeing the Beast Devils flying toward him. He even sneered mockingly, looking forward to Pang Jian''s suffering.

    Ning Yao softly called out, "Uncle Yuanshan, we need Pang Jian alive."

    Ning Yuanshan immediately flew out.

    He arrived in front of Pang Jian in a few shes. He took out a silver stone pir engraved with a me dragon from behind his back and ced it on the ground.

    "me of the Scorching Sun!" A zing me suddenly rushed out from the top of the stone pir on the ground.

    Under the fierce mes, the engraving of the me dragon suddenly seemed toe to life, assuming a ferocious, threatening pose.

    The mes, which had surged out several meters, were supported by the divine power of the me dragon, forming a raging sea of fire above Ning Yuanshan and Pang Jian''s heads.

    As they approached this sea of fire, the lowest-level Beast Devils evaporated like water long before they could eveny a hand on Pang Jian.

    Ning Yuanshan lowered his head to look at the meditating Pang Jian.

    "What happened?" He narrowed his eyes slightly before saying coldly, "When we first met, there wasn¡¯t even a trace of spiritual qi fluctuation in your body. I simply took you for an ordinary hunter. But now that we¡¯ve entered this mountain range, I can sense a subtle presence of spiritual qi in your navel region. Care to exin?"

    "Just now, I sensed the presence of qi and absorbed a small amount of spiritual qi into my body," Pang Jian exined calmly.

    Ning Yuanshan propped the stone pir up with one hand as the sea of fire continued to burn above Pang Jian¡¯s head.

    Feeling the intense heat all around him, Pang Jian added, "Whether or not you believe me is up to you."

    Ning Yuanshan sneered. "What a coincidence! Did you really just start cultivating?"

    Pang Jian did not give any further exnation.

    "How long have you been cultivating?" Ning Yao asked from a distance, gracefully swaying her exquisite figure as she slowly walked over.

    Looking at her graceful figure and dignified appearance, Pang Jian replied, "Three years."

    Ning Yao''s thick eyebrows knitted, and a strange expression could be seen on her distinctively charming face. "It took three years for you to sense the presence of qi and absorb a bit of spiritual qi into your navel region?" Arriving in front of Pang Jian, she retrieved a round, finger-sized white jade bead from her waist and pointed it toward Pang Jian''s navel region. The bead cast light on Pang Jian. Then she said to Ning Yuanshan, "It seems that it really is just a tiny bit of spiritual qi."

    Hearing her words, Ning Yuanshan let out a cold snort and dropped his guard. He then gathered the sea of fire above their heads back into the stone pir.

    The zing temperature that had enveloped Pang Jian suddenly disappeared without a trace.

    "Don''t me me for being suspicious of you. Among the many hunters in Linshan Town, your family is the only one that is independent and also the one that stays closest to the Solitary Mountain Range," Ning Yuanshan said with a straight face. "There have been a lot of strange urrences in the mountainstely. Apart from the members of the seven major ns, others with ulterior motives might have also infiltrated, so we have to be on guard."

    "Oh," Pang Jian replied.

    "In my opinion, we should just tie him up and put him in a cage," He Ziren suggested maliciously. "If he acts suspiciously, we can kill him immediately."

    Pang Jian''s heart sank. His gaze immediately fell on the eerie pile of rocks. He¡¯d rather risk rushing into the stone pile to escape them than allow them to hold him prisoner.

    "There¡¯s no need for that. His strength and cultivation realm are very low. He doesn''t pose a threat to us," Ning Yao countered.

    "It''s up to you," He Ziren responded carelessly.

    Pang Jian''s cultivation realm was truly very low. If he did something fishy, it would only take He Ziren a split second to kill him.

    Pang Jian silently sighed in relief. As he looked at the pile of rocks, he noticed that the light from the white paper fans, bronze hammers, and bells had vanished, leaving only the ear-piercing whistling of the wind.

    Just now, Pang Jian had noticed some abnormal, invisible entities floating toward him. Those entities were likely what Ning Yuanshan and the others called the lowest-level Beast Devils.

    Under Ning Yao''s instruction, Ning Yuanshan intervened, saving him and destroying the Beast Devils. However, he felt that those Beast Devils...did not seem to be trying to harm him.

    Rather, they seemed to be involuntarily drawn to the Spirit Cauldron Pang Jian had visualized, almost as if they wanted to be absorbed into his navel region.

    Unfortunately, even if what he felt was true, Pang Jian was unable to verify it because the Beast Devils had already been eliminated by Ning Yuanshan.

    While Pang Jian was lost in thought, Ning Yao was observing the abnormalities in the pile of rocks and discussing the emergence of the Beast Devils with Ning Yuanshan and the others.

    Pang Jian secretly explored his navel region again.

    His navel region was like a secret miniature world nestled within his body. ording to the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, cultivators who had not reached the Profound Abode Realm and could not refine their divine sense were incapable of seeing the true scope of their navel region. Their perception of this world would remain vague at best.

    As Pang Jian explored, he realized that many cotton-like entities were floating within his navel region.

    These cotton-like entities hindered Pang Jian''s perception, making it difficult for him to grasp the full scope of his navel region.

    He was like a blind man navigating a room and finding himself frequently obstructed by a strange cotton-like substance that prevented him from discerning the general outline of the room.

    He also gradually became aware that the small amount of spiritual qi he had absorbed earlier would quickly disappear as soon as it came into contact with this cotton-like substance. It was like the spiritual qi was a fainther fire that melted away a tiny portion of the cotton-like substance and caused it to shrink slightly.

    Before long, the small amount of spiritual qi he had umted within his body was depleted.

    "Your navel region is extremely polluted, filled with impurities and dregs. If you want to cultivate, you must first gather spiritual qi to purge these impurities from your body. This step is like clearing the dust and debris from a room that has been sealed for a long time. Once your navel region is clean, you¡¯ll be able to retain spiritual qi and be a true qi practitioner."

    Seeing Pang Jian¡¯s confusion, Ning Yao answered his unspoken questions with an indifferent expression.

    She still needed Pang Jian''s help to traverse the mountain range. Although she believed her attitude toward Pang Jian was good, her ingrained sense of superiority remained. Her act of dispelling Pang Jian''s confusion was like giving alms to a beggar, much like when she threw him the cloth bag containing the pieces of silver.

    "Oh," Pang Jian responded indifferently.

    It turned out that Ning Yao had been secretly observing Pang Jian while talking to Ning Yuanshan and He Ziren. It was obvious that she did not fully trust him.

    With a trace of ridicule in her tone, Ning Yao continued, "Only then will you be able to perceive the size of your navel region. However...cultivators with filthy navel regions often have poor cultivation talent. Even if their navel region is purified, it will still be smaller than normal."

    She paused for a moment before adding coldly, "In the future, the space you can open up will be very limited."

    Like Sun Bin, she also judged Pang Jian''s cultivation aptitude to be mediocre.

    <i>No wonder it took him three years to sense the presence of qi. </i>Ning Yao thought to herself.

    In her mind, Pang Jian was no longer a subject of suspicion. She neither cared about Pang Jian nor did she even bother to ask where Pang Jian had learned to cultivate.

    No further words were exchanged that night.

    ***

    The next morning, the sky was brightening, but the clouds remained dim and gloomy.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The sound of wild beasts galloping could be heard from the entrance of the canyon. Soon after, a group of men on dark gray rhinoceros entered the canyon.

    The hide of the strong, one-horned rhinoceros resembled natural armor, emitting a cold, metallic gleam.

    "Zhou Qingchen!" Many servants of the Ning n shouted in surprise when they saw the group of one-horned rhinoceros approaching with a vicious aura.

    Leading the group was a tall man dressed in green, sat upright on top of thergest rhinoceros.

    Zhou Qingchen was handsome and had an imposing and overbearing aura. He was half a head taller than the people behind him, making him stand out from the crowd.

    Riding his one-horned rhinoceros, Zhou Qingchen¡¯s eyes seemed to sh with light when he blinked. The sight of Ning Yao only lit his eyes up more.

    Heughed heartily. "Miss Ning, what a surprise! Long time no see!"

    Ning Yao''s demeanor immediately became more elegant. She pursed her lips and smiled faintly before nodding in greeting.

    Pang Jian noticed that she was much more polite to the iing party than she was toward He Ziren.

    When Zhou Qingchen nced over at He Ziren, he appeared not to notice his presence. He sped his fists at Ning Yuanshan and shouted, "Uncle Yuanshan!"

    Ning Yuanshan smiled and waved warmly, "I knew that the Zhou n would be arriving soon."

    When the iing group stopped, Ning Yuanshan took the initiative to tell them about the abnormalities surrounding the pile of rocks, expressing the Ning n''s confusion and worries.

    Zhou Qingchen, who had an elegant and graceful name but a rough appearance and temperament, said to a bloated old man dressed in yellow clothes behind him, [1] "Old Han, go ahead and take a look."

    "Alright!"

    A man wearing a bright yellow robe with a copper coin pattern embroidered on the hem slipped off his one-horned rhinoceros. He then approached the pile of rocks and took out a specialpass.[2]

    He did not immediately go into the stone pile; instead, he just walked around the edge of the pile of rocks, carefully inspecting it.

    This man was Han Duping, the one that Ning Yao and Ning Yuanshan had been waiting for. They appeared to be aware of his abilities and did not warn him of the dangers. Instead, they allowed him to mutter to himself about the geomantics of the terrain. [3]

    Pang Jian also curiously observed Han Duping.

    After a while, Han Duping returned to the crowd. His plump face was solemn.

    "The scattered rocks form a kind of array that can seal off yin energy. As a result, the souls of the creatures who died nearby, be it human or beast, will not dissipate. Instead, they will be attracted to this pile of rocks."

    Raising his head, he nced at the walls of the canyon and said in confusion, "The rocks fell from the walls of the canyon, and they should be scattered around randomly. Yet somehow they¡¯ve formed a perfect Yin-energy-Sealing array. It¡¯s really strange, I can¡¯t tell if this array is natural or man-made."

    Hearing this, everyone immediately started to discuss among themselves, making various guesses and conjectures.

    Pang Jian''s mind trembled and he could not help but recall his father''s behavior from back when he used to follow his father to hunt in the Solitary Mountain Range as a child.

    Every time they passed by this area, his father would kick the scattered stones. He did not move therger and heavier rocks, but he did kick a lot of the small rocks further away.

    ording to his father, these rocks blocked the road and hindered their progress.

    1. His surname, Zhou (ÖÜ) is the tenth mostmon Chinese surname. The character Qing (Çä) can be tranted as "honorable," while the character Chen (³¾) literally means "dust" and is a Buddhist term for the mundane world. The name sounds rather schrly, in contrast with the man¡¯s bearing. ?

    2. The term used here is <i>luopan</i>, which is a geomanticpassmonly used in Feng Shui and other simr practices. ?

    3. Geomancy trantes literally to "earth divination," and the term is used for methods of divination that interpret geographic features, markings on the ground, or the patterns formed by soil, rocks, or sand. ?

 Chapter 6: The Seven Major Clans

    <h4>Chapter 6: The Seven Major ns</h4>

    The wind whistled like weeping ghosts, echoing from the stone pile and sending shivers down the spines of all who heard it.

    Pang Jian stayed silently in the corner, nk gaze fixed on the stone pile as he waited for the neers to resolve the predicament before them.

    "Old Han, can you break the formation?" Zhou Qingchen asked as he dismounted from his one-horned rhinoceros.

    Zhou Qingchen reached the stone pile and looked around curiously. With nothing blocking his path, he could clearly see Liu Qi''s body in the middle of the stone pile. Astonished, he asked, "Did one of your people die?"

    Realizing he had failed to mention it earlier, Ning Yuanshan awkwardly exined, "He coveted the artifacts left behind by the cultivators from the Blood Moon Sect. We also hadn''t realized that the pile of rocks formed an array, that''s why..."

    Zhou Qingchenughed in understanding. "If we had arrived first without Old Han here, our people likely would''ve been unable to resist the temptation of those artifacts as well."

    After he finished speaking, Zhou Qingchen turned toward the chubby Han Duping.

    Han Duping observed the surroundings of the stone pile. Stepping forward with a gentle expression on his face, he said, "Breaking the array shouldn''t be a problem, but it''ll take some time. Once the array is broken, the cold yin energy converging in the stone pile will disperse, causing the small, weak Beast Devils to scatter and disappear with it."

    After a moment, a thought seemed to have urred to Han Duping.

    He approached Ning Yuanshan and Ning Yao to inquire about the specific form of the Beast Devils.

    Ning Yuanshan earnestly exined that the Beast Devils were justmon wild beasts typically found in the mountain range. Pointing at Pang Jian, he said, ¡°He''s a hunter native to the Solitary Mountain Range, so he''s very familiar with the wild beasts in this area and their general strengths."

    "Little brother, what do the wild beasts you''vee across in this canyon look like? How strong and aggressive are they?" Han Duping asked with a polite smile.

    Pang Jian briefly described the wild beasts he had encountered before, like the pack of white wolves and the pythons.

    Han Duping nodded as he listened to Pang Jian. Feeling relieved, he said, "Those are all normal wild beasts, not Vicious Beasts or Spirit Beasts. The Beast Devils formed from their souls should be easy to deal with, so there''s nothing to worry about."

    Wild beasts, Vicious Beasts, and Spirit Beasts.

    Pang Jian stilled. He knew of wild beasts, but he had never heard of Vicious Beasts or Spirit Beasts before.

    Han Duping noticed the confusion on Pang Jian''s face and exined, "The spiritual qi of heaven and earth exists throughout the many regions of the Fourth World. However, the spiritual qi of this world is full of impurities. These impurities can be poisonous and even cause hallucinations, making it very dangerous.

    "Human cultivators like us gather spiritual qi and use it to strengthen our bodies. Some wild beasts can also channel spiritual qi into their bodies, causing them to transform. After absorbing the spiritual qi, one must purify the impurities in it to avoid causing harm to their body and mind.

    "The wild beasts that cannot purify the impurities in the spiritual qi may get stronger, but not more intelligent. These are known as Vicious Beasts. Vicious Beasts are savage and murderous, making it difficult for us to interact andmunicate with them.

    "Spirit Beasts are like us. These are the wild beasts that can purify the impurities in their bodies. As they be stronger, they also be more intelligent, often to the point of having an unusually high intellect. Spirit Beasts canmunicate normally with us humans."

    Hearing this, Pang Jian realized that the divine bird that had hovered above his home was probably one of these Spirit Beasts.

    "Alright. Now, give me some time. I''m going to break the array." Han Duping walked forward alone. Making sure not to directly enter the stone pile, he tinkered with the smaller rocks as he tried to figure out the rules that formed the array.

    Meanwhile, Zhou Qingchen discussed the changes in the upper world with Ning Yuanshan and Ning Yao. In doing this, he also intentionally ignored He Ziren, acting as though the young master of the He n did not exist.

    In the face of such an important figure, the previously domineering and arrogant He Ziren wasposed and did not get angry at Zhou Qingchen.

    "The Zhou n..." Pang Jian''s mind spun as he thought of the seven major cultivation ns that dominated the Fourth World.

    In terms of influence, the Zhou n was second only to the Dong n. The Ning n fell behind the Dong n, Zhou n, Shangguan n, and Ouyang n, but was still ranked ahead of the He n. Meanwhile, the He n was only slightly stronger than thest-ranked Su n.

    The ranking of the seven major ns was not set in stone. When a strong cultivator emerged from a n, their ranking would rise. However, this usually only happened to the ns at the lower end of the ranking, like the Shangguan n, Ouyang n, Ning n, He n, and Su n.

    The top-ranking Dong n and Zhou n held the first and second ranks and had not changed their rankings for hundreds of years.

    Given that Zhou Qingchen came from the Zhou n, it was unsurprising that he paid no attention to He Ziren of the He n, nor was it surprising that He Ziren held his tongue.

    "The skeletal remains of the Celestial Phoenix have broken apart. One of the bones is rumored to contain a mysterious inheritance. Most of its smaller bones were scattered throughout the Third and Fourth World. Many sects in the upper world have been searching for the sacred bone that may contain the inheritance," Zhou Qingchen said. "However, I think it''s unlikely that one of the smaller bones in the Solitary Mountain Range will be that sacred bone."

    When Pang Jian heard ¡°Celestial Phoenix¡± and ¡°sacred bone,¡± his ears immediately pricked up. He confirmed that the huge withered bones that fell from the upper worlds into the Solitary Mountain Range were part of the Celestial Phoenix''s skeletal remains.

    "A sacred bone that contains the inheritance of the Celestial Phoenix?" Pang Jian could not shake the feeling that the translucent white bone that had killed the Green Condor was likely the sacred bone that contained the inheritance of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Unfortunately, all he had seen was countless bright diamond-like runes whistling through the sky when the sacred bone killed the Green Condor. He had no idea where the sacred bone went after that.

    Zhou Qingchen continued, "The cultivators from the Star River Alliance, the Blood Moon Sect, and the Sinister Soul Temple in the Solitary Mountain Range either died because of the sacred bone or the bizarre mist!"

    At the mention of the bizarre mist, the faces of the Ning and Zhou n members, as well as He Ziren, darkened.

    It appeared that the bizarre mist, which had been gradually spreading toward the northern part of the Solitary Mountain Range, instilled more fear than the deaths of the cultivators from the Star River Alliance, the Blood Moon Sect, and the Sinister Soul Temple.

    Pang Jian''s brows raised. "Bizarre mist."

    The northern part of the Solitary Mountain Range, rumored to be closest to the boundary wall, was an area his father had explicitly prohibited him from entering. After his father disappeared, Pang Jian had to look after his sister, Pang Lin. Therefore, he avoided taking unnecessary risks and did not venture into the forbidden areas.

    He also vaguely understood that the bizarre mist was something the vast majority of cultivators in this world seemed to be afraid of.

    This was true for both the lower world and the upper world.

    Han Duping suddenly shouted from the pile of rocks, "It''s done!"

    Then, there was a resounding bang as if he had knocked over a huge rock.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The cold gale trapped within the pile of rocks rushed out from the newly formed crack, emitting an increasingly harsh whistling sound.

    As the gale dispersed, it blew past Pang Jian, enveloping him in a cold, gloomy feeling that caused him to shiver involuntarily. At the same time, the bronze pendant under his clothes became hot, and his cultivation of the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art quietly activated.

    Probing his navel region, Pang Jian noticed that his visualized Spirit Cauldron seemed to be gradually turning dark green.

    The cold, eerie wind that blew past Pang Jian seemed to be forcefully drawn back by a maic force, causing a trace of cold energy from the wind to seep into his navel region.

    Pang Jian was shocked.

    He secretly explored his navel region and found fragments of ice crystals mixed in with the cotton-like entities. These ice crystals had a strange power. When they came into contact with the cotton-like entities, both would melt away.

    Pang Jian slowly closed his eyes. He could sense that the cold energy contained a portion of spiritual qi.

    The cold energy resembled airborne pollutants in the way that it settled and flowed, and seemed to be what everyone referred to as impurities.

    "Everyone, please be careful. The Profound Yin energy in the dissipating spiritual qi is not something you can withstand. Those who recklessly try to channel the Profound Yin energy into their bodies without cultivating special techniques will suffer immeasurable pain," Ning Yuanshan warned.

    Even if Ning Yuanshan had not warned them, no one aside from Pang Jian dared to absorb the spiritual qi in the cold wind. They knew that the risks would outweigh the potential benefits.

    <i>Profound Yin energy?</i> Pang Jian thought.

    The strange energy in the ice crystals melted away the cotton-like entities in his navel region, making it clear and clean. He did not suffer the immense pain Ning Yuanshan had described.

    <i>Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art!</i>

    Pang Jian secretly praised the wonders of the cultivation manual. He even felt a sense of gratitude toward Sun Bin.

    In a secluded area far from the others, Pang Jian quietly guided the cold energy into his body.

    As the chilly aura spread outward with the wind, everyone''s attention shifted to the stone pile and Han Duping. No one paid much attention to Pang Jian.

    "It''s about time." With the sound of shifting rocks, Han Duping finally mustered up the courage to step into the pile of rocks.

    The harsh whistling sounding from the rocks suddenly stopped.

    Soon, Han Duping arrived before Liu Qi''s dead body. He nced at the bloody hole in Liu Qi''s forehead, then at the white paper fan.

    The once green bamboo on the white paper fan had turned blood red.

    As Han Duping''s gaze fell on the corpse holding the white paper fan, he said, "The cultivation level of these Blood Moon Sect cultivators...isparable to ours, at the Meridian Opening Realm. The sacred bone is said to contain the inheritance of the Celestial Phoenix and is most likely to appear in the upper world, so all the true talents are searching there."

    Han Duping stared at the white paper fan for a long moment as though pondering whether or not to reach out and grab it. However, Zhou Qingchen''s voice broke him out of his reverie.

    "I believe in your ability and judgment, Old Han." The tall, strong Zhou Qingchen wore a rxed smile. "The deceased are in the same cultivation realm as us and have been dead for a long time. Even the Profound Yin energy has dissipated now. There''s nothing to be afraid of."

    Once he was done speaking, Zhou Qingchen mounted his one-horned rhinoceros and took the lead into the stone pile. The servants of the Zhou n followed in his footsteps without hesitation.

    "Ning Yao, it might be dangerous inside," He Ziren cautioned.

    Ning Yao ignored him. She exchanged a look with Ning Yuanshan and led the Ning n into the stone pile.

    He Ziren and Pang Jian were the only ones left behind.

    Pang Jian was huddled in a corner. He cultivated with the overflowing Profound Yin energy to purge the dregs and impurities in his navel region, aiming to be a real qi cultivator as soon as possible.

    "Hey, do you think they''re all going to die like Liu Qi?"

 Chapter 7: Kill When Necessary

    <h4>Chapter 7: Kill When Necessary</h4>

    He Ziren finally spoke up, staring coldly at Pang Jian after Zhou Qingchen''s departure.

    Pang Jian sat alone in a secluded corner like a lone wolf, maintaining a meditating posture to regte his breathing.

    Head hanging low, he paid no attention to what was happening with the Ning n and the Zhou n inside the stone pile. He also turned a deaf ear to He Ziren''s questioning. He Ziren had harbored dissatisfaction toward Pang Jian from the beginning. When he saw Pang Jian remain silent, he could not hold himself back from snapping coldly, "I''m talking to you,"

    After being ignored by Zhou Qingchen for so long, the young master of the He n had a stomach full of anger and nowhere to vent it. He could not believe that even a lowly hunter would dare to ignore him.

    He Ziren frowned when he noticed the sinister cold energy dissipating from the stone pile had gathered densely around Pang Jian. rmed and bbergasted, He Ziren quickly sized Pang Jian up before cautiously approaching him.

    Absorbed in his cultivation, Pang Jian ignored He Ziren, assuming He Ziren would do the same. However, he did not anticipate that the young master of the He n would be unwilling to drop the matter.

    Reluctantly stopping his absorption of the Profound Yin energy, he raised his head slightly and finally replied, "I don''t know."

    "What are you doing? The spiritual qi trapped in the stone pile contains poisonous Profound Yin energy. It''s not something an ordinary person can endure. If I''m not mistaken, you were absorbing the Profound Yin energy earlier, weren''t you? You''re...still unharmed?" He Ziren took a deep breath to regain hisposure. Then, in an using tone, he asked, "Brat, what evil cultivation method are you using?"

    Only cultivators with suitable cultivation methods or loathed evil cultivators dared to guide Profound Yin energy into their bodies to refine. This lowly hunter unexpectedly knew how to refine Profound Yin energy, causing He Ziren to grow suspicious.

    He Ziren carefully examined Pang Jian. A cold light flickered in his eyes, and several torture methods shed through his mind as he muttered to himself, "Perhaps I''ll be able to reap some unexpected benefits from this hunter."

    "You''re wrong," Pang Jian said apathetically.

    "Am I?" He Ziren stepped forward, grabbing Pang Jian by his shirt and lifting him off his feet.

    The young master of the He n met Pang Jian''s eyes with a re. He shot Pang Jian a cold smile and threatened, "I could easily kill a lowly hunter like you if I felt like it."

    He Ziren grinned and raised Pang Jian up further.

    "As for you," he mocked, "with your family background and status, you''ll never find a foothold in the Fourth World if you dare to even touch me."

    He Ziren had already entered the Meridian Opening Realm. The meridians in his body were unobstructed, allowing his spiritual power to circte unimpeded. This resulted in him having extraordinary strength.

    With his formidable strength, He Ziren hauled<strong> </strong>the taller, more robust Pang Jian into the air.

    Pang Jian''s feet dangled off the ground. In a panic, he unsheathed his long saber from his waist and prepared for an all-out attack.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    He Ziren just shook his head andughed coldly. His body glowed with a faint, majestic light, enveloped in spiritual power.

    "Your long saber won''t even be able to graze my skin." He Ziren shook Pang Jian, causing him to sway like a kite. He continued to taunt him in a mocking tone, "If you don''t believe me, you can give it a try."

    <i>Cling!</i>

    Pang Jian brandished his long saber and shed at He Ziren''s arm. However, it was like striking a bronze wall. His attempt failed to inflict the slightest harm.

    He Zirenughed loudly. "I told you it wouldn''t work."

    Realizing that he was neither able to harm He Ziren nor escape, Pang Jian cast his cold gaze toward the stone pile.

    The Ning n and Zhou n needed someone familiar with the Solitary Mountain Range and could not afford to part ways with him until their search mission was done. If necessary, Pang Jian was prepared to make some noise andmotion to draw their attention.

    "Answer me or I will kill you." He Ziren abruptly stopped shaking Pang Jian, allowing his body to still. He then pressed his other hand against Pang Jian''s navel region and said softly, "As long as I can prove that you''re cultivating with an evil cultivation method, I''ll be justified in killing you. I won''t have a problem exining it to Ning Yao."

    Pang Jian knew the situation was unavoidable and had no choice but to let out a scream in an attempt to draw the attention of the Zhou n and Ning n.

    A sudden, ear-piercing whistling from the depths of the stone pile drowned out his screams.

    The strange whistling was more miserable and horrifying than before. It sounded less like the wind and more like the furious roar of a demon!

    Everyone who heard the strange, ear-piercing whistling found themselves bleeding from their ears and noses, as though suffering from some kind of violent, evil spiritual bombardment.

    This not only affected the Ning n and Zhou n members inside the stone pile, but also the rhinoceros and horses outside the stone pile as well. All of them were left looking dazed, as though recovering from a heavy blow.

    Pang Jian''s chest heated up. The bronze pendant beneath his clothes shone with a faint light, shielding his mind and consciousness from the strange whistling.

    He instantly returned to his senses.

    Pang Jian noted that the ear-piercing whistling had not only caused He Ziren''s arm to droop feebly but also made the faint, majestic light previously enveloping He Ziren''s body disappear.

    Everyone affected by the whistling sound wore expressions of confusion, eyes nk as though they no longer had any sense of self.

    As the ear-piercing whistling persisted, Pang Jian realized that the Ning n and the Zhou n had once again encountered a perilous crisis in the stone pile.

    The first thing that Pang Jian did when his feet were firmly back on the ground was grasp his long saber with both hands.

    The sharp whistling appeared to contain a demonic power capable of dragging people into the evil abyss. Wielding his long saber, Pang Jian fixed his cial stare on He Ziren''s dazed face.

    After only a moment''s hesitation, Pang Jian ruthlessly stabbed He Ziren''s heart with the tip of his saber.

    <i>Splurt!</i>

    Without the protection of the faint, divine light, the tip of Pang Jian''s saber sessfully pierced through He Ziren''s flesh, sinking deeper and deeper into his chest.

    The intense stabbing pain caused He Ziren to awaken, allowing him to resist the demonic power of the whistling.

    Still bleeding from his ears and nostrils, the young master of the He n woke up to find Pang Jian using all the strength in his two hands to drive the saber into his chest.

    The young master of the He n, born in the Fourth World and used to being revered by mortals, could not believe his eyes. Face bloody and ghastly, and eyes aze with fury, He Ziren red at Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian was still desperately trying to stab He Ziren with all his might.

    Pang Jian''s tone and expression were calm and his eyes held no hint of fear or unease as he coldly met He Ziren''s re. "I''ll give it a try then."

    The saber slid deeper. Pang Jian''s grip remained steady and unwavering as if he had done this countless times before.

    "You¡ª" He Ziren tried to speak through the sharp pain tearing through his heart, but all that came out was a mouthful of thick blood.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    He Ziren''s back hit the ground, Pang Jian''s long saber still lodged in his chest.

    Pang Jian had killed He Ziren.

    Taking a deep breath, Pang Jian fiercely pulled out his bloodstained long saber from He Ziren''s chest. He nimbly avoided the wild spray of blood and nced over at the stone pile.

    The long saber in his hand smelled of blood.

    As he pondered what horrible crisis might have befallen the n members of the Ning n and Zhou n, he suddenly saw ghostly shadows floating out from the corpses of the Blood Moon Sect cultivators.

    The ghostly shadows were blurry but had a simr aura to the Beast Devils from before. They were shaped like humans, and because they were of a much higher level than the Beast Devils, Pang Jian could see them with his naked eyes.

    Formed from the souls of the dead cultivators, these ghostly shadows flew out of the corpses and swooped toward the Ning n and the Zhou n. Some of them even took the opportunity to slip into the bodies of the living, inhabiting them.

    The inhabited lost their minds and attacked those around them.

    "Evil spirits? Departed souls?" Pang Jian stood frozen in shock, utterly taken aback by the abnormal sight.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A lofty crimson mountain emerged from behind Zhou Qingchen''s imposing figure, gradually ascending to hover above his head. The crimson mountain exuded a majestic, solemn aura that could intimidate the evils of the world.

    The emergence of the crimson mountain allowed the dazed and bewildered Zhou Qingchen to recover his spiritual consciousness. He suddenly raised his arms and shouted, "Red Clouds Roam The Sky!"

    Dazzling red clouds rushed out from the magnificent divine mountain and enveloped those around Zhou Qingchen in droves.

    Han Duping was awakened by the red clouds. Stomping his feet, he cursed, "They''re not from the Blood Moon Sect. They''re from the Sinister Soul Temple! They''re just wearing the Blood Moon Sect''s clothes! Damn it, cultivators from the Sinister Soul Temple died in this rock pile, and their souls were turned into high-level Spirit Devils!

    Ning Yuanshan, Ning Yao, and the others also awakened one after another. They all cursed the cultivators from the Sinister Soul Temple and their actions, which had led Han Duping to misjudge the situation and let them enter the stone pile.

    "Cultivators from the Sinister Soul Temple? Why would they be wearing the clothes of the Blood Moon Sect?"

    Ning Yuanshan took out the me Dragon Stone Pir from earlier with a shout. Once again, he ignited a sea of fire and used it to cover those inhabited by the Spirit Devils.

    Under the intense heat of the yang energy, the Spirit Devils were forced to leave the bodies and hide in the nearby shadows.

    Zhou Qingchen, Han Duping, Ning Yuanshan, Ning Yao, and the rest brought out their weapons to hunt them down and kill them. Several Meridian Opening Realm cultivatorsbined their efforts to either exterminate or expel the high-level Spirit Devils.

    A soft, delicateugh suddenly came from the white paper fan. "So all this still wasn''t enough to kill you."

    Everyone turned to see a blood-red bamboo flying out from the fan.

    The roots of the blood bamboo were like bones and sinews. They weaved together in mid-air, transforming into an ethereal blood shadow.

    The blood shadow did not reveal her true appearance. She justughed softly as she floated through the air and flew toward the depths of the Solitary Mountain Range.

    As she floated away, the woman with the charming figure muttered softly, "Little ones, I''ll be going in first. We''ll meet again. Heh, after centuries of being trapped in that broken fan, I''m finally free. I''ll never be sealed by the old codgers from the Sinister Soul Temple again,"

    As she drifted away, the Spirit Devils that had managed to escape the Zhou n and Ning n followed after her. One by one, they too disappeared.

    The stunned crowd tried to chase her, but they could not match her speed. They could only watch as she and the Spirit Devils left.

    <i>Rumble! Rumble!</i>

    Not long after, the Zhou n''s rhinoceros copsed and died one after another.

    Many of the cultivators apanying Zhou Qingchen had also died in the cmity. On the Ning n''s side, only Ning Yao, Ning Yuanshan, and Zhang Heng survived.

    The Zhou n and Ning n suffered heavy losses in a short period. The remaining n members were disheartened and frustrated.

    After Ning Yuanshan came to his senses, he left the stone pile only to discover the young master of the He n in a pool of blood. "Why is He Ziren also dead?"

    Blood continued to flow from the gaping hole in He Ziren''s chest. He had fallen to the ground, eyes fixed on the sky, and face contorted in fury and unwillingness.

    Pang Jian stood calmly to one side with a blood-stained long saber in hand.

    With a grave expression on his face, Ning Yuanshan asked in a cold voice, "You did this?"

    "I was also inhabited by a Spirit Devil," Pang Jian replied helplessly.

 Chapter 8: Zhou Qingchens Gesture of Goodwill

    <h4>Chapter 8: Zhou Qingchen''s Gesture of Goodwill</h4>

    Ning Yuanshan stroked his long goatee. He gazed at He Ziren''s corpse, his eyebrows knitted in contemtion. "Inhabited by a Spirit Devil?"

    Pang Jian''s face was nk.

    Ning Yuanshan had noticed that the members inhabited by the strange creatures Han Duping called Spirit Devils had turned against each other.

    Therefore, he believed that this was a logical exnation.

    Ning Yao''s captivating figure left the stone pile and she remarked, "That''s He Ziren''s misfortune. Uncle Yuanshan, we can''t me Pang Jian for this."

    Ning Yuanshan sighed andmented, "The young master of the He n died while he was with us. How am I supposed to exin this to his n?"

    Surprisingly, Ning Yao took the initiative to help Pang Jian avoid suspicion. "He Ziren is not the only one who died. His high cultivation realm caused the evil woman to take advantage of the situation and control the Spirit Devils to inhabit Pang Jian to harm him. I suspect that the Spirit Devils even entered He Ziren''s body and corrupted his mind so that the inhabited Pang Jian could kill him more easily."

    "That is indeed possible," Ning Yuanshan agreed.

    Pang Jian maintained the same neutral expression on his face. However, there were strange ripples in his heart.

    He had thought that He Ziren''s death would stir up a storm, and that the Ning n would push the me on him. He had not expected that Ning Yao would voluntarily help him resolve the issue.

    On the contrary, Ning Yao appeared to have been relieved of a huge burden.

    "Pang Jian..." Ning Yao''s eyebrows knitted, glittering eyes fixed firmly on Pang Jian''s face.

    She had noticed something odd about the situation.

    Even if Pang Jian was supposedly inhabited when he killed He Ziren, that still did not exin his calm,posed demeanor.

    Pang Jian was surprised. "What?"

    "Have you killed anyone before?" Ning Yao asked suddenly.

    "Yes," Pang Jian responded in a low tone. He hesitated briefly before continuing, "I''ve been hunting in the Solitary Mountain Range for many years. When I was younger, some of the older hunters bullied me because my father wasn''t around. They tried to take my spoils by force."

    "You were able to kill older, more experienced hunters?" Ning Yuanshan asked with a strange expression on his face.

    "I was just lucky," Pang Jian replied.

    Ning Yao was stunned. Surprise flickered across her eyes, and she could not help but seriously size Pang Jian up. She nodded and said, "I''ll have to trouble you in the future then. As for He Ziren''s death...don''t take it to heart."

    Pang Jian tactfully left after hearing this.

    In the stone pile, Zhou Qingchen was standing on the corpse of thergest one-horned rhinoceros when Pang Jian saw him suddenly look in his direction.

    The thoughtful expression on Zhou Qingchen''s face left Pang Jian confused.

    Zhou Qingchen loudly instructed the survivors of the Zhou n to remove all the artifacts and valuables from the bodies of the dead and move them to an open space in front of the stone pile.

    Everyone set to work.

    Ning Yao, Ning Yuanshan, and Zhang Heng of the Ning n shared the warhorses left outside the stone pile with the survivors of the Zhou n. Now that He Ziren was dead, Zhou Qingchen unceremoniously imed He Ziren''s ck warhorse as his own.

    Soon after, the warhorses could be seen carrying artifacts and valuables scavenged from the dead cultivators and rhinoceros out of the stone pile.

    Neither Zhou Qingchen nor Ning Yao seemed particrly sad about the deaths of their n servants. Perhaps they had long since be ustomed to death, or perhaps it was simply that the lives of servants were too inconsequential to be worthy of their grief.

    Soon after, only corpses remained in the stone pile.

    The servants of the Zhou n had left the stone pile and were grilling meat over a fire to fill their stomachs before continuing on their journey.

    Ning Yuanshan waved Pang Jian over. After a moment of hesitation, Pang Jian headed over from the other side of the stone pile. On his way, however, he noticed that the corpses inside the stone pile still contained some Profound Yin energy.

    A n formed in his mind.

    "I''m going to look around to see if anything was left behind," Pang Jian called out to Ning Yuanshan from the other side of the stone pile.

    Everyone assumed that Pang Jian was just determined to look for valuable artifacts, even though they had already scoured this bloody area. They paid him no mind and left him alone in the stone pile while they grilled meat over the fire and discussed the next part of their journey.

    "Miss Ning, what''s that young man''s name?" Zhou Qingchen asked, turning a meat skewer over the fire. As the meat sizzled, he smiled at Ning Yao and said, "You should thank him for helping you get rid of He Ziren. I heard that He Ziren had a reputation in the He n for being licentious and tyrannical. Although his cultivation talent was passable, I don''t think he was a good match for you, Miss Ning"

    "His name is Pang Jian, and the real mastermind behind He Ziren''s death was the evil woman controlling the Spirit Devils," Ning Yao replied.

    "That''s right," Zhou Qingchen said with a strange smile. He did not dwell on the subject and continued, "The evil woman doesn''t have a physical body. She''s probably a soul that was sealed by the elders of the Sinister Soul Temple."

    Zhou Qingchen frowned. He rubbed his chin and stared at the sizzling meat. "The evil woman just escaped. She''s still very weak. That''s why she hastily retreated into the mountain range after we broke free of the demonic sound."

    "That''s true. The next time we encounter her, she''ll probably be much stronger." Ning Yuanshan sighed in concern. "We don''t know much about the evil woman. She was able to set up an array in the stone pile and even disguised the cultivators of the Sinister Soul Temple as members of the Blood Moon Sect. What could her motive be?"

    "If I''d known that the bodies in the stone pile were from the Sinister Soul Temple, I wouldn''t have entered so hastily," Han Dupingmented. "The Sinister Soul Temple specializes in using strange creatures like Spirit Devils. I would''ve been much more cautious if I''d known."

    Han Duping felt guilty for the loss of so many lives and for the great losses suffered by Zhou Qingchen.

    "Don''t me yourself. No one could''ve known that those corpses were Sinister Soul Temple cultivators in disguise," Zhou Qingchenforted. "I think they''d already disguised themselves as members of the Blood Moon Sect even before they died. If I''m right, they likely changed after killing the Blood Moon Sect cultivators."

    Ning Yuanshan agreed, "Mn, they were probably setting traps for others."

    The group''s discussion could be heard from inside the stone pile.

    <i>So the formation was set up by the Sinister Soul Temple?</i> In the stone pile, Pang Jian hid himself behind a tall rock so that Zhou Qingchen could not spot him. He touched his bronze pendant with a confused expression on his face.

    Originally, he thought that if the yin energy sealing array was man-made, it might have been his father''s doing.

    However, after listening to their conversation, he was no longer certain.

    He lifted his shirt and stared at the still hot bronze pendant. Aside from the heat, the door-shaped bronze pendant was seemingly normal. However, he knew the reason he had not been affected by the ear-piercing whistle and could maintain a clear mind was because the pendant heated up.

    The bronze pendant had helped him.

    "This pendant isn''t normal." Pang Jian vaguely felt that the pendant left by his father contained some kind of divine mystery.

    His perception also seemed to sharpen significantly whenever he activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art while his bronze pendant was hot. Even now, when he calmed down and activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, he could sense that the faint Profound Yin energy in the stone pile seemed to being from the same direction.

    After a moment of contemtion, Pang Jian used his sharpened perception to search for the source of the Profound Yin energy. Every now and then, he would pause to determine the direction of his target before continuing, and after repeating this process several times, he finally arrived at a secluded corner of the stone pile, far away from the crowd.

    Pang Jian found a gray-white rock covered with numerous cracks where Profound Yin energy seemed to be faintly seeping out. The gray-white rock was not veryrge, and Pang Jian hesitated for a moment before reaching out to touch the cracks on it.

    Rich Profound Yin energy erupted from the cracks, causing his body to feel icy cold. The pure and potent Profound Yin energy flooded his body in an instant, causing his flesh and blood to stiffen.

    Shocked, he quickly activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art. Instantly, the dark-green Spirit Cauldron visualized in his mind started to absorb the Profound Yin energy permeating his flesh and blood.

    In his navel region, the extraordinary Profound Yin energy dissolved the cotton-like impurities.

    Pang Jian was surprised. <i>Fighting poison with poison?</i>

    He had not expected that the inconspicuous cracked rock would contain a considerable amount of Profound Yin energy, which was beneficial in cleansing the impurities in his navel region.

    Outside, Zhou Qingchen and the others were still engaged in a lively discussion.

    Inside the stone pile, Pang Jian remained crouched in the same spot, hand pressed against the cracks on the rock as he frantically absorbed the Profound Yin energy.

    After an unknown amount of time had passed, the chatter outside slowly subsided and many of the impurities in Pang Jian''s navel region had been purged by the Profound Yin energy from the rock.

    Suddenly, Pang Jian heard footsteps slowly approaching.

    Without hesitation, he ced the small cracked rock into the bamboo basket on his back and covered it with the bamboo lid. He then pretended to search around.

    Soon, the tall, boorish young master of the Zhou n appeared.

    In Zhou Qingchen''s hand was a skewer of meat. He smiled and handed it to Pang Jian. "Here, have something to eat. We''ll have to trouble you to lead the way from here."

    Pang Jian was pleasantly surprised. He did not expect that the person with the highest status in the group woulde to personally offer him food. He did not act coy and graciously took the wooden skewer, hungrily tearing into the meat.

    However, though the meat was charred and oily on the outside, it was dry and tough like a piece of firewood and required considerable effort to chew. Compared to the meat of the wild beasts he typically hunted and prepared himself, the meat skewer given by Zhou Qingchen tasted rather nd.

    "You don''t think it''s tasty?" Zhou Qingchen could not help but chuckle at Pang Jian''s expression. "Cultivators aren''t cooks. Just being able to make something edible is already quite the achievement."

    Pang Jian shook his head and stayed silent.

    Zhou Qingchen pondered briefly, then said, "From what I heard from Miss Ning, you''re a local hunter called Pang Jian. If you manage to leave the Solitary Mountain Range alive, would you be interested in joining my Zhou n?"

    Pang Jian looked at him in surprise. He had not expected that the young master of the Zhou n would be interested in recruiting him.

    "You can take your time to think about it. There''s no need to rush to give me an answer." Zhou Qingchen chuckled. "You can also use this opportunity to get to know me, Zhou Qingchen, and the status of my Zhou n in this world."

    Pang Jian frowned. "But my cultivation talent is only average."

    "Talent is just a stepping stone, not the whole journey," Zhou Qingchen said, waving his hand with a light chuckle. "Besides, the ruthlessness you disyed when you killed He Ziren is something I can appreciate."

    Pang Jian''s expression changed drastically.

    Zhou Qingchenughed, giving him a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Although I was in the stone pile, I still noticed He Ziren causing trouble for you. He even lifted your body high into the air. When the demonic ear-piercing whistle rang out, the evil woman concealed in the white paper fanunched a mental attack on me.

    "Her sudden attack immobilized me for a split second, but my senses and consciousness weren''t affected. I noticed that none of the Spirit Devils left the stone pile at that time, so you couldn''t have been inhabited.

    "I don''t know how you avoided the effects of the ear-piercing whistle, but regardless, I admire your ability to seize that opportunity to decisively kill He Ziren.

    "You''re young. You still have a chance to make up for yourck of talent. I, Zhou Qingchen, am willing to ept you." With this show of goodwill, the young master of the Zhou n left another skewer of cooked meat before departing in a carefree manner.

    Pang Jian silently chewed the meat and stared at the departing Zhou Qingdan''s broad back.

    It was not until Zhou Qingchenpletely disappeared from his sight that Pang Jian breathed a sigh of relief. He was grateful that the young master of the Zhou n had neither noticed the strange stone in the bamboo basket nor dwelled on He Ziren''s death.

 Chapter 9: The First Bone of the Celestial Phoenix

    <h4>Chapter 9: The First Bone of the Celestial Phoenix</h4>

    Pang Jian emerged from the stone pile just as the Zhou n servants finished their meal and prepared to depart.

    Zhou Qingchen was seated atop He Ziren''s horse. He smiled and waved Pang Jian over when he saw him leaving the stone pile. "Pang Jian, you take charge of this horse."

    Beside him was the now dead Liu Qi''s crimson warhorse that Pang Jian had ridden on the way to the Solitary Mountain Range.

    Zhou Qingchen pointed at a long spear hanging on the horse''s nk. Smiling brightly, he said, "Take the Dragonwood Spear. From now on, we''ll be fighting alongside each other. Your long saber isn''t exactly the weapon of choice for us cultivators. Miss Ning mentioned that you''ve embarked on the path of cultivation, so I''m giving you the Dragonwood Spear to try out. If you find something better in the future, you can always switch."

    The old man and young girl from the Ning n saw Zhou Qingchen''s sudden change in attitude toward Pang Jian and were unsure of his intentions.

    First, Zhou Qingchen voluntarily brought food to Pang Jian. Then, he gave a deceased subordinate''s Dragonwood Spear to Pang Jian. His strange behavior caused both of them to grow suspicious.

    Both Han Duping and Zhou n servants were equally baffled by Zhou Qingchen''s actions.

    Pang Jian, on the other hand, maintained hisposure. He softly thanked Zhou Qingchen, mounting the crimson warhorse and attempting to lift the Dragonwood Spear.

    The shaft of the long spear felt rough in his hand and had a natural wood grain that closely resembled the texture of a dragon''s scales. The spearhead was made from a shiny silver metal that radiated an ice-cold luster and was razor-sharp.

    When Pang Jian lifted the long spear, he discovered it was extremely heavy. It was several times heavier than the long saber he was using before!

    Pang Jian waved the spear around to get used to its weight. Holding the spear with both hands, he used it to point toward the mountain range. "The Solitary Mountain Range is vast. Do you have a specific location in mind?"

    Zhou Qingchen pondered for a while before replying, "Let''s head north, to the area closest to the bizarre mist."

    Hearing this, Ning Yao and Ning Yuanshan looked at Zhou Qingchen in surprise.

    In their earlier discussions, they had only talked about looking for the scattered remains of the Celestial Phoenix and the artifacts from the Blood Moon Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the Sinister Soul Temple.

    They had no intention of going to the northernmost area and risking their lives to investigate the abnormalities of the bizarre mist.

    Seeing the apprehension on their faces, Zhou Qingchenughed. "Don''t worry, we won''t enter the area covered by the bizarre mist. I just sense that the remains of the Celestial Phoenix and the three searching parties are located in the northern area, close to the bizarre mist."

    "In that case...alright," Ning Yuanshan reluctantly agreed.

    "This canyon is the southernmost part of the Solitary Mountain Range. We can head directly north, but there are two routes that we can choose from. One is shorter but follows a steep mountain path. The other is longer but follows the winding river. How would you like to go?" Pang Jian asked.

    "Since you know this ce best, you can decide," Zhou Qingchen said with an indifferent look on his face.

    "Since we''re on horseback, let''s follow the river," Pang Jian suggested.

    Zhou Qingchenughed. "Alright then."

    Ning Yao''s brows knitted slightly. A sense of dissatisfaction brewed within her. She was the one who paid to hire Pang Jian as a guide, but looking at Zhou Qingchen''s actions, it seemed more like Pang Jian had be his person.

    Although disgruntled, she did not outwardly express her dissatisfaction and remained silent.

    For the rest of the journey, Pang Jian took charge of both the itinerary and route, leading everyone along the path of the muddy river.

    Whenever they stopped to rest or eat, Pang Jian would find a secluded ce and use the cracked gray rock to cultivate the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    As long as he covered the cracks on the rocks with his palms, a rich Profound Yin energy would flow into his navel region, helping him melt away the impurities in it.

    The cracked rock allowed Pang Jian''s cultivation to improve by leaps and bounds, cleansing many of the cotton-like impurities in his navel region.

    As the cotton-like entities continued to be purified, he could feel his navel region bing more open and spacious. The spiritual qi he subsequently channeled into his navel region also encountered fewer and fewer obstacles.

    He was convinced that with the help of the cracked rock, it would not be long before he could clear all the impurities from his navel region.

    ***

    One day, as Zhou Qingchen rode his warhorse, he stared into the dense forest in the distance and eximed excitedly, "It''s a bone of the Celestial Phoenix! Can you guys see it?"

    At his shout, everyone turned their gaze to the distance. They spotted a withered bone that resembled a giant pir in the sky protruding from the forest several li away. Even from afar, it left a deep impression on the crowd.

    "Let''s go!" Everyone vigorously swung their reins and urged their warhorses to speed up.

    Stunned by the sight of therge withered bone, Pang Jian was left trailing behind. He had not realized the enormity of the Celestial Phoenix''s bones until he saw them from a closer distance.

    He could not help but wonder, <i>How huge was the Celestial Phoenix?</i>

    Noticing he was losing sight of the others, Pang Jian hastily urged his horse to catch up.

    Soon after, Pang Jian arrived at the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    The withered bone was several hundred meters in height and was stabbed into the ground like a sword, with deep, spiderweb-like fissures surrounding it. It appeared that the impact of the withered bone spearing into the ground had caused a shockwave that fractured the ground around it.

    Even from dozens of meters away, a vast, ancient divine aura could be felt emanating from the dull withered bone. This caused all who looked at it to have a strong urge to prostrate themselves in worship.

    The withered bone of the Celestial Phoenix loomed like a huge towering mountain, looking as though it could suppress all the evils in the Solitary Mountain Range.

    Pang Jian was deeply shocked.

    If a single withered bone was more than hundreds of meters long and as thick as the root of a giant tree, how shocking would the Celestial Phoenix have been when it was still alive?

    It surely would have been a creature of legends.

    There was no wonder the withered bone killed the divine bird so easily.

    While Pang Jian was lost in his wild and fanciful thoughts, Ning Yuanshan suddenly pointed toward an area behind the withered bone and shouted, "The Formless Sailboat of the Blood Moon Sect!"

    Looking over, Pang Jian saw an enormous sailboat with a pitch-ck silk banner containing a blood-colored crescent moon behind the withered bone.

    "Let''s go take a look," Following Ning Yuanshan''smand, Pang Jian and the rest rode their horses around the withered bone to inspect the sailboat.

    The sailboat was dozens of meters long. It had pulverized countless trees and was anchored in an area surrounded by fragments of dried-up tree branches.

    Around the sailboat were numerous bloody, shriveled bones. Some of these bones were wrapped in tattered clothes with crescent moon motifs.

    Ning Yuanshan took a nce and covered his nose. "These are the real Blood Moon Sect cultivators. After their death, wild beasts likely feasted on their corpses. Look over there. Some of the artifacts were even spat out by the wild beasts."

    The bones here were not the same as the corpses of the Sinister Soul Temple cultivators. These had been consumed by wild beasts and emitted a bloody, rotten smell that assailed everyone''s nostrils, causing them to feel sick.

    "Were they killed by wild beasts; the Sinister Soul Temple and Star River Alliance cultivators; or perhaps, some other dangerous threat in the Solitary Mountain Range?" Ning Yao wondered aloud.

    Pang Jian interjected, "The wild beasts in the Solitary Mountain Range shouldn''t be able to kill cultivators."

    Having frequented the Solitary Mountain Range for many years, Pang Jian was familiar with the wild beasts and their capabilities. Even the strongest wild beasts in the Solitary Mountain Range were no match for people like Zhou Qingchen and Ning Yuanshan. The deaths of the Blood Moon Sect cultivators likely had nothing to do with them.

    Zhou Qingchen''s expression was solemn. He shook his head and said with a grave tone, "No, you don''t understand the power of the bizarre mist. I''m convinced that the bizarre mist has permeated the northern part of Solitary Mountain Range from the boundary wall.

    "Wild beasts that mistakenly enter the bizarre mist and survive will surely transform into Vicious Beasts or Spirit Beasts with significantly increased strength. Once transformed, they''re not the wild beasts you''re familiar with anymore."

    Hearing this, Pang Jian was startled. He realized his understanding of the bizarre mist was shallow.

    Although he was active in the Solitary Mountain Range, he had never encountered the bizarre mist as his father had prohibited him from hunting in the northern part of the mountain range.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    A sudden gust of wind caused the ck g on the Formless Sailboat to flutter in the wind.

    In the middle of the g was a huge red crescent moon. As the g fluttered, it emitted a strange bloody light that dyed the surrounding area crimson.

    The skeletons appeared exceedingly eerie under the bloody red light.

    "Be careful," Zhou Qingchen warned, eyeing the crescent moon on the ck g. After pondering for a moment, he added, "I''ll check if the bone of the Celestial Phoenix contains the divine inheritance. As for you all...wait here. Don''t touch the artifacts left behind on the corpses and don''t go near the Formless Sailboat."

    "Okay." After the bitter experience inside the stone pile, everyone was extremely cautious and did not dare to act recklessly.

    Zhou Qingchen swiftly dismounted his horse. Leaping over the huge cracks in the ground, he soon reached the fallen withered bone.

    With his back to the crowd, he pulled something out from his chest pocket and carefully analyzed the withered bone.

    "This isn''t the one," Zhou Qingchen concluded.

    Back facing the crowd, he returned the item to his chest pocket before turning around and said, "This is just an ordinary bone of the Celestial Phoenix. There''s nothing unusual about it and the deaths of the Blood Moon Sect cultivators have nothing to do with it. They must''ve been killed by something else. Alright, now everyone can spread out to investigate but be careful."

    In Zhou Qingchen''s mind, the most terrifying thing here was the bone of the Celestial Phoenix. Seeing that it was not what he suspected, he rxed a little.

    Still, he warned, "Don''t go into the Formless Sailboat. Let''s examine the corpses and the artifacts first to see if there are any oddities."

    The group quickly spread out.

    Pang Jian knew that he was not qualified to obtain the artifacts of those cultivators, so he opted to wait for Zhou Qingchen to give them to him on his own ord. Thus, he did not follow everyone to scavenge the surroundings but silently waited.

    Not long after, Zhou Qingchen suddenly frowned and said, "Someone''sing."

    Everybody tensed, preparing themselves for a potential threat.

    Regardless of whether they were cultivators from the Blood Moon Sect or the Sinister Soul Temple, they were still from the upper world. Most of their cultivation realms were likely higher than theirs.

    If these formidable figures were dying inrge numbers in the Solitary Mountain Range, what chance did they, with lower cultivation realms, have?

    They had no choice but to be doubly cautious.

    After a while, a group of people gradually revealed themselves, emerging from the forest behind the Formless Sailboat with a low rustling sound,

    Both parties looked at each other and breathed simultaneous sighs of relief.

    "It''s the Zhou and Ning ns!"

    "What a surprise, it''s the Shangguan n!"

    With soft cries of relief, the party of nine finally dared to show themselves, appearing to have been just as cautious as the Zhou n and the Ning n.

    The person leading the party was a dignified noblewoman dressed in a gorgeous, brightly colored dress and adorned with exquisite jewelry.

    She resembled a ripe peach, with her beautiful appearance and seductive, curvaceous figure.

    The woman covered her huge, white chest and said melodramatically, "You scared the hell out of me. I thought we were about to die at the hands of survivors from the upper world."

    The voluptuous beauty swayed gracefully as she approached, throwing a wink at Zhou Qingchen from afar. "Qingchen, it''s been a long time since west met. Seeing you here puts my mind at ease."

    Zhou Qingchen smiled and said, "Auntie Qin."

    The chubby Han Duping squinted his small eyes and stared lustfully at her chest. He did not even look at her face as he said, "Little Sister Qin, your brother Han is here too. Others say that you bring bad luck to your husband. But I am not afraid. In any case, since two of your husbands have died on you, why don''t we just make do with each other?

    "As long as you wish for it, Little Sister Qin, I''ll part ways with the Zhou brat and switch alliances to your Shangguan n."

    Zhou Qingchen knew Han Duping''s personality very well. With a helpless face, heughed. "We''ve been friends for a long time. If that''s what you wish, Old Han, I''ll prepare a generous gift in addition to enduring the pain of seeing you off."

    "Pah! You fat winter melon, stop daydreaming!" Shangguan Qin''s gorgeous face was shrouded in disgust and coldness. Without giving any face to Han Duping, she sneered, "An old toad wants to eat swan meat."

    "Ha, you already caused the deaths of two men. Considering your age, you''re not exactly a young swan anymore." Han Duping chuckled.

    Angered by Han Duping, Shangguan Qin''s breathing hastened. However, it only entuated the heaving rise and fall of her chest even more.

    <i>Screech!</i>

    Thest of the Shangguan n to appear was a towering man wearing thick armor, dragging a huge iron cage behind him with one hand.

    Up to this point, Pang Jian had been blending in with the Zhou n and the Ning n, paying no attention to the neers. The man''s entrance, however, caused him to take notice of the gray ape in the iron cage.

    The gray ape''s strange ice-blue pupils shed savagely. It still emitted a murderous aura despite having been taken prisoner.

    At the same time that Pang Jian caught sight of it, the wounded gray ape also turned its stare at him.

    Standing beside Pang Jian, Ning Yao noticed that the gray ape with strange, ice-blue eyes was looking at him. Surprised, she could not help but ask, "Do you know each other?"

 Chapter 10: Friend

    <h4>Chapter 10: Friend</h4>

    "Yes," Pang Jian admitted in a low voice.

    The gray ape in the iron cage was the leader of a group of apes in the Solitary Mountain Range. Prior to bing the Ape King, it had suffered serious injuries following a fierce battle with a white bear and was rescued by the young Pang Jian and his father.

    Pang Jian''s father had been willing to lend a hand because he noticed the gray ape''s high intelligence.

    After that incident, the gray ape with the ice-blue eyes became Pang Jian''s only friend in the Solitary Mountain Range.

    In the years that followed, Pang Jian never once hunted the apes under the leadership of the gray ape, and in turn, the gray ape would intervene when Pang Jian encountered dangers and lend him a helping hand.

    Two years ago, while Pang Jian had been hunting a mountain leopard, veteran hunters of Linshan Town maliciously attacked him. They took advantage of his youth and his father''s prolonged absence to rob him of the mountain leopard he had captured.

    Though he had fought back desperately, he had almost been overwhelmed. However, in that moment of need, he received help from the gray ape and its ape followers.

    Those three hunters had bad reputations in Linshan Town. After that conflict, they vanished permanently in the Solitary Mountain Range.

    Pang Jian had been lurking at the back of the crowd, but he stepped forward when he saw the Shangguan n had imprisoned the gray ape.

    Zhou Qingchen was shocked when he saw Pang Jian step forward with a solemn expression. "You know this gray ape?"

    "He''s a friend of mine," Pang Jian answered seriously.

    "A friend..." Zhou Qingchen appeared lost in thought.

    As Shangguan Qin approached the crowd, her charming face twisted into a strange expression.

    "Earlier, this gray ape and its followers attacked us. Strangely enough, the apes under itsmand seemed unaffected by the bizarre mist. Still, we swiftly defeated them. As for this gray ape with the ice-blue eyes..." Shangguan Qin pursed her lips, ncing at Pang Jian before looking at Zhou Qingchen with a smile. "It seems to have gained intelligence."

    Zhou Qingchen was startled. "It''s gained intelligence?"

    Shangguan Qin nodded gently, eyes sparkling as she smiled and exined, "After we captured the gray ape, we confirmed that it possesses an extraordinarily high intelligence. As you all know, normal apes are already quite intelligent. However, this gray ape''s intelligence far surpasses that."

    "It''s transformed into a Spirit Beast." Zhou Qingchen realized.

    There were many precedents of wild beasts experiencing such transformations in ces with dense spiritual qi or covered by bizarre mist.

    Wild beasts that cannot cleanse the impurities in the spiritual qi could only be ssified as Vicious Beasts due to their violent nature and inability tomunicate with humans.

    Vicious Beasts were hard to tame and discipline, and thus had no value to cultivators alive.

    Spirit Beasts were different. Once a Spirit Beast was tamed, it could be apanion the cultivator couldmand.

    Shangguan Qin likely captured the gray ape alive, intending to tame it once they left the Solitary Mountain Range and have it serve the Shangguan n.

    "Friend..." Zhou Qingchen rubbed his chin, eyeing Pang Jian and the gray ape, weighing their value as he considered whether or not to buy the gray ape.

    Having fallen to the hands of the Shangguan n and possessing high intelligence, the price for the gray ape would naturally be high. Buying it would likely cost him arge fortune.

    Pang Jian''s ruthless determination when he killed He Ziren and his familiarity with the Solitary Mountain Range both held a certain value. Moreover, Zhou Qingchen sincerely hoped to recruit Pang Jian to his side.

    However, Pang Jian''s cultivation talent wascking. Unless he encountered some extraordinary fortune in the future, his achievements would be limited.

    After some consideration, the word "friend" ultimately softened Zhou Qingchen''s heart and he asked, "Aunt Qin, are you willing to part ways with this gray ape? As you heard just now, my little brother here is an acquaintance of the gray ape."

    Ning Yao, Ning Yuanshan, and the others were perplexed. They could not understand why Zhou Qingchen was treating Pang Jian so differently.

    When they first met, Zhou Qingchen did not pay any attention to Pang Jian. However, after the bloody incident in the stone pile, Zhou Qingchen took the initiative to deliver food for Pang Jian and even gave him the Dragonwood Spear.

    And now, he was trying to buy the gray ape from the Shangguan n for Pang Jian.

    Ning Yao and the others could not make heads or tails of the situation.

    After Pang Jian mentioned the word "friend," the gray ape in the iron cage went still, gazing steadily at Pang Jian with its ice-blue eyes as if it understood human speech.

    "Who is he?" Shangguan Qin asked in confusion.

    "He''s a local hunter familiar with the Solitary Mountain Range. We''re relying on him for our exploration," Zhou Qingchen replied.

    Shangguan Qin looked surprised and puzzled. "He''s just a hunter?"

    She paused, ncing at the corpses near the Formless Sailboat, as well as the crescent moon image on the clothes and the fluttering ck g on the sailboat. She suddenly asked, "Qingchen, how long have you been here? How did they die?"

    Han Duping was the one to reply, "We arrived not long ago. The corpses were already here before we came. All their belongings were still here when we arrived. In my opinion, they were ambushed and killed by wild beasts. After they died, the wild beasts ate them."

    Shangguan Qin rubbed her forehead, appearing troubled as she gazed at the huge Formless Sailboat.

    "You all probably know about the rtionship between the Shangguan n and the Blood Moon Sect. So, how about this? I hope you can sell all the artifacts from the Blood Moon Sect to the Shangguan n once we leave the Solitary Mountain Range. The Formless Sailboat and everything in it will be ours to present to the Blood Moon Sect. Do you agree?" Shangguan Qin asked, looking at Zhou Qingchen.

    She pointedly chose to ignore the opinions of Ning Yuanshan, Ning Yao, Han Duping, and the rest.

    "How''s this fair?" Han Duping could not help but speak up.

    The Formless Sailboat was massive. Without the secret technique from the Blood Moon Sect, it was difficult for mortals in the Lower World to control and fly the sailboat. The Zhou n would have a hard time seizing the sailboat, and even if they managed to do so, the Blood Moon Sect would not simply let them have it.

    However, the treasures inside the sailboat were a different story. The Zhou n arrived first and they naturally wanted to get a share. They could not simply let the Shangguan n take all the spoils.

    The gray ape had merely gained some intelligence, and its potential was yet to be determined, so its value was still limited. Shangguan Qin''s asking price was simply too much.

    "Alright," Much to everyone''s surprise, Zhou Qingchen agreed without hesitation. He then pointed to the iron cage and said to Pang Jian, "It''s all yours now."

    "Thank you," The normally reserved and taciturn Pang Jian earnestly expressed his gratitude toward Zhou Qingchen. In a low voice, he said, "I will carefully consider what you said in the stone pile."

    Zhou Qingchen''s willingness to give up such a huge benefit for the gray ape deeply moved Pang Jian. After expressing his gratitude, Pang Jian dismounted and approached the iron cage under the curious gaze of the crowd.

    With Shangguan Qin''s nod of approval, the tall, muscr man handed the iron chain linked to the cage over to Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian shook his head. He did not reach for the iron chain. Instead, he just stared at the gray ape.

    The gray ape with the ice-blue eyes stared back at Pang Jian. Its somber gaze held a hint of grief. It looked as though it was still mourning the loss of its kin.

    After a moment of eye contact between Pang Jian and the gray ape, Pang Jian unlocked the cage and lifted the cover.

    Many in the crowd looked surprised. "Err..."

    "Hide yourself and stay away from here. Don''t show yourself again anytime soon," Pang Jian whispered to the gray ape.

    The gray ape seemed to understand him. As soon as Pang Jian finished speaking, it nodded in a human-like manner and swiftly rushed out, racing toward the dense forest.

    The gray ape asionally nced back at the Shangguan n cultivators, its ice-blue eyes filled with fury.

    Under the fierce gaze of the gray ape, Shangguan Qin felt an inexplicable chill in her heart. "That gray ape is dangerous. Its spiritual advancement is too fast. I''m starting to regret this."

    She could not shake the feeling that the gray ape would bring her trouble in the future.

    "Alright, you can start searching the Formless Sailboat," Zhou Qingchen said, keeping to his promise.

    He told the Zhou n members to leave the sailboat, then beckoned Pang Jian over.

    Pang Jian waited for the gray ape to bepletely out of sight before returning to Zhou Qingchen''s side.

    "I''m surprised that you''re friends with an Ape King." Zhou Qingchenughed heartily as Pang Jian approached. "You''re quite interesting, Pang Jian."

    The Ning n had employed Pang Jian, therefore, in Zhou Qingchen''s mind, Pang Jian could also be considered under hismand.

    Ning Yao also noticed this.

    Despite being hired by Ning Yao, Zhou Qingchen''s attitude seemed to foreshadow that Pang Jian would align himself with Zhou Qingchen.

    "You, you, and you!" Shangguan Qin waved her snow-white jade arm, picking out a few individuals loyal to the Shangguan n before ordering, "Go to the Formless Sailboat and thoroughly inspect what''s inside."

    Those chosen by Shangguan Qin nodded and instantly sprang into action, heading straight for the sailboat anchored among the dried tree branches.

    Shangguan Qin left the others to approach Zhou Qingchen and Ning Yao.

    At that moment, she seemed to have finally notice Ning Yao. Her gaze fell on the slight bulge on Ning Yao''s chest. "Hey, Ning girl, you''ve grown up."

    Ning Yao''s expression changed. Just as she was going to respond, Shangguan Qin''s expression turned icy.

    "Ning Yuanshan, you''re not dead yet?" Shangguan Qin asked coldly.

    Ning Yuanshan put on a fake smile. He let out a hollowugh and chose not to engage with Shangguan Qin.

    Everyone present could see the tension between the Shangguan n and the Ning n. It seemed like there were some past grievances between them.

    Shangguan Qin did not press the issue further when she realized Ning Yuanshan was not rising to her provocation. Instead, she opted to chat casually with the young master of the Zhou n. "Qingchen, did you encounter any difficulties on the way?"

    As they chatted, the members of the Shangguan n, the Zhou n, and the Ning n kept an eye on the Formless Sailboat. They watched as the chosen few climbed a woodendder onto the sailboat deck and disappeared into the cabin.

    From their conversation, Pang Jian learned that the members of the Shangguan n had entered the Solitary Mountain Range from the east and had been ambushed numerous times by wild beasts along the way.

    Like them, the Shangguan n had also rushed over upon seeing the towering giant withered bones from a distance.

    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>

    As they were discussing the mysteries of the withered bones, terrible sounds of exploding flesh rang out from the cabin of the Formless Sailboat.

    Shangguan Qin''s expression changed. The others were equally shocked.

    Soon after, thick blood rushed out of the cabin like blood arrows, carrying an eerie, bloody aura as it was absorbed into the bloody crescent moon on the fluttering ck g.

    As the blood-red crescent moon swallowed the streams of blood, it gradually transformed into a full moon that radiated a bright crimson light.

    The full moon resembled a demonic blood eye. It was embedded into the ck g and seemed to gaze in the direction where everyone stood.

    This strange transformation sent shivers down everyone''s spine. Those looking at it felt a stinging sensation in their eyes, and their temples felt like two steel nails were being hammered into them.

    Surprisingly, Shangguan Qin was the first to regain herposure after the initial shock. She raised her hand and shouted at the ck g, "The Eye of Imprint!"

    She was extremely restless. Her eyes were filled with expectation and longing as if awaiting a favor from an evil deity.

    The terrifying blood eye on the ck g slowly turned as it searched for a suitable target to fixate on.

    Suddenly, Pang Jian felt heat radiating from his chest. His eyes were instantly dyed a thick bloody color. As he locked eyes with the demonic blood eye, vivid scenes shed in his mind.

    It was like memories were being forcefully imnted into his mind.

 Chapter 11: The Eye of Imprint

    <h4>Chapter 11: The Eye of Imprint</h4>

    "That looks like the Blood Moon Sect''s Eye of Imprint," Zhou Qingchen said as he observed the crimson blood eye on the fluttering ck g.

    "Blood Wheel Technique!" Shangguan Qin shouted excitedly, causing a dark red halo to appear from the back of her neck.

    The Shangguan n of the Fourth World had deep ties with the Blood Moon Sect of the upper world, not unlike the rtionship between the Zhou n and the Red Mountain Sect. This was a well-known fact.

    Outstanding cultivation talents in the Shangguan n were often epted into the Blood Moon Sect. Shangguan Qin had not qualified to be epted, but she had cultivated using their methods.

    After confirming that the image on the ck g was the Eye of Imprint, she activated her diligently cultivated Blood Wheel Technique, trying to attract the blood eye''s attention by using a cultivation method from the same sect.

    With the activation of the Blood Wheel Technique, blood-colored halos slowly appeared, bearing a faint resemnce to the halo surrounding the Eye of Imprint.

    As a core member of the Shangguan n, Shangguan Qin knew that the Blood Moon Sect''s mysterious Eye of Imprint could scan its surroundings and impart scenes or events of the past to a chosen person.

    Cultivators from the Blood Moon Sect could use the Eye of Imprint to gather crucial information and help them make informed decisions.

    When the Eye of Imprint behaved abnormally, it indicated that it was searching for those with connections to the Blood Moon Sect to transmit important information.

    With all the Blood Moon Sect cultivators dead, Shangguan Qin naturally assumed that the Eye of Imprint would choose to impart that information to her as she was the only one present who had cultivated the Blood Wheel Technique. Once that happened, she would be able to figure out how the Blood Moon Sect cultivators died.

    She would also be able to ascertain whether the bodies were indeed devoured by wild beasts, as well as whether the Zhou n and Ning n had any fortunate encounters upon arrival.

    Therefore, she felt it was well worth it to sacrifice a couple of servants to stimte the Eye of Imprint with blood.

    With these thoughts in mind, Shangguan Qin frantically activated her Blood Wheel Technique and patiently waited for the Eye of Imprint to impart its information to her.

    However...

    Shangguan Qin waited and waited, assuming that she would be the first and only choice by the Eye of Imprint. However, even after the blood-colored eye expanded and exploded, she still did not receive anything.

    The Eye of Imprint''s explosion sttered blood all over the ce, creating a bloody rain that showered down from above the sailboat.

    Shangguan Qin''s face was filled with shock and confusion. She was unable to ept this oue after anxiously awaiting the arrival of the information for so long.

    The towering, muscr man named Luo Meng had followed Shangguan Qin for many years and was also well aware of the Eye of Imprint''s ability. Seeing the bloody eye explode, he assumed that Shangguan Qin had received the desired information.

    Therefore, he stepped forward to inquire, "How did it go?"

    Ning Yao, Ning Yuanshan, and Han Duping all looked at Shangguan Qin in anticipation.

    They all unanimously believed that Shangguan Qin, having activated the Blood Wheel Technique, had received the crucial information from the Eye of Imprint and would now know what had happened here.

    "It wasn''t me!" Shangguan Qin screamed, expression frantic as she searched the crowd. "Who is it? Who received the information from the Eye of Imprint? WHO!"

    She was hysterical, unable to understand why the Eye of Imprint did not choose her. After all, she had cultivated with the Blood Moon Sect''s cultivation methods and actively used the Blood Wheel Technique.

    At that moment, Zhou Qingchen saw the unusual look in Pang Jian''s eyes. He could not help but ask, "Pang Jian, what did you see?"

    "Pang Jian?"

    "Pang Jian!"

    A series of surprised and bewildered gazes converged on Pang Jian.

    Nobody expected the young hunter from the Solitary Mountain Range would be the one to earn the favor of the Eye of Imprint and have its crucial information imparted to him.

    Though some were skeptical, upon carefully observing Pang Jian, they noticed shes of red light in his eyes. Within that red light, vague and indistinct images flickered.

    <i>It was actually him!</i>

    The crowd no longer harbored any doubts. Even though they were unclear what had happened, they understood that the young hunter had received the Eye of Imprint''s favor in Shangguan Qin''s ce.

    "The earth shook," Pang Jian said gravely.

    As he uttered those words, the fissured ground trembled, and a deafening rumble resounded.

    Everyone stared at Pang Jian in disbelief.

    Pang Jian was taken aback as well. He had not expected the ground beneath his feet to suddenly tremble as if in response to his words.

    Zhou Qingchen''s eyes were filled with astonishment. "What happened next?"

    Zhou Qingchen internally rejoiced. He was grateful that he had the insight to continuously extend gestures of goodwill and strong support for Pang Jian.

    "After that..." Pang Jian trailed off, muttering quietly to himself as he tried to organize the chaotic series of images and memories he had just received.

    The ground continued to tremble and the deep rumbling persisted. It felt as though some unknown horror was lurking within the gaping fissures.

    Pang Jian''s expression changed when he witnessed the next scene in the memories. He stared in horror at the fissures as if expecting something terrifying to rush out at any second. "Go! Quick, get out of here!"

    "Young Master Zhou, trust me! Let''s go, quickly!" Pang Jian mounted his horse, swiftly flicked the reins, and urged his crimson warhorse toward the forest where the gray ape disappeared.

    The tremors caused the fissures to widen and grow. Pang Jian''s warhorse leaped high into the air, avoiding the gaping chasms in the ground.

    Zhou Qingchen was conflicted. Despite his uncertainty, he chose to ce his trust in Pang Jian. He shouted, "Hurry up, follow Pang Jian!"

    The servants of the Zhou n did not hesitate. They promptly spurred their horses and followed closely behind him.

    In this perilous and uncertain time, Ning Yuanshan dithered, ncing at Ning Yao. "Little Yao, what should we do?"

    "Follow them!" Ning Yao ordered. The two members of the Ning n, along with the surviving Zhang Heng, hurriedly spurred their horses and departed.

    With the departure of the Zhou n and the Ning n, Shangguan Qin could only stare at the Formless Sailboat, appearing at a loss as a terrifying hissing emanated from underground.

    "Miss?" Luo Meng impatiently asked.

    "Let''s go!" The members of the Shangguan n had no mounts. Even so, they chose to evacuate in the same direction as the Zhou n and Ning n.

    ***

    <i>Wooo!</i>

    Ghastly howls emanated from the fissures behind them. It was as if demons lurked in the depths of the fissures and were taking advantage of the earthquake to crawl out, intent on annihting the masses on the surface.

    Pang Jian led the way, urging his horse to speed up.

    Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping followed closely behind him. The members of the Zhou n, Ning Yao, Ning Yuanshan, and the others all trailed behind them.

    The tremors and ghostly howling behind them gradually faded away.

    Pang Jian finally stopped and turned his horse around.

    Everyone followed suit.

    All of them were ovee by lingering fear as they dazedly looked back. They did not know what happened after they left. However, they instinctively felt that something was amiss.

    "What did the Eye of Imprint show you?" Ning Yao broke the silence.

    Her bright eyes harbored murderous intent. Her attitude toward Pang Jian had also be less polite, and her tone had turned extremely cold.

    "I''ll exinter. Let''s see if anyone from the Shangguan n made it out alive," Pang Jian calmly replied.

    A shiver ran down everyone''s spines. A terrifying disaster had likely urred in the area full of fissures.

    Zhou Qingchen raised his hand, signaling everyone not to panic, and waited patiently.

    <i>Whoosh! Howl!</i>

    Bone-chilling screams echoed from the area they had just fled. It sounded like the cultivators from the Shangguan n were being hunted down.

    Zhou Qingchen''s expression changed. Without a word, he cast a deep nce at Pang Jian.

    Everyone trembled with fear.

    "That was close!"

    They were grateful that Zhou Qingchen chose to trust Pang Jian, allowing everyone to promptly retreat from that terrifying ce.

    Shangguan Qin''s indecisiveness had cost the Shangguan n a heavy price. Countless of her people had likely died there.

    They did not have to wait long.

    Soon after, they saw Shangguan Qin emerge from the forest with a terrified look on her face. Her colorful dress was now tattered, partly exposing her fair skin, She could no longer maintain her captivating demeanor, and her exposed, snowy back was stained with drops of fresh blood.

    "Luo Meng," Shangguan Qin called out, asionally nced back in anticipation.

    She had always known Luo Meng''s unwavering loyalty stemmed from his admiration for her, and that he hoped to one day earn her favor. Although she was aware of it, she avoided acknowledging it while simultaneously taking advantage of Luo Meng''s feelings for her.

    In the end, Luo Meng sacrificed himself so that she could sessfully escape the terrifying ughter.

    She managed to survive. As for Luo Meng...it seemed he would never appear again.

    The other members of the Shangguan n who followed her into the Solitary Mountain Range to investigate the bones of the Celestial Phoenix had also died.

    When Shangguan Qin caught sight of Pang Jian, her mind filled with the cruel scenes of Luo Meng''s death and the deaths of the members of the Shangguan n.

    She turned hysterical, wing and screaming frantically at Pang Jian, "Why?! Why did the Eye of Imprint choose you instead of me! It''s you! You killed Luo Meng! You killed our people from the Shangguan n. You must pay with your life!"

    She truly believed that those people would not have died if she had been the one to receive the information from the Eye of Imprint.

    Zhou Qingchen flicked his reins and conjured a dark red bolt of lightning to block the frenzied attack from the deranged Shangguan Qin. "Aunt Qin, please calm down!"

    "Please don''t misunderstand, it was your own indecisiveness that caused the deaths of the Shangguan n''s members," Ning Yao coldly interjected.

    With Zhou Qingchen and Ning Yao stepping forward, the deranged Shangguan Qin finally realized that she was alone. No matter how she struggled, she was no match for them.

    She slowly calmed down. However, she continued to re at Pang Jian with hateful eyes.

    Ning Yao waited until Shangguan Qin fell silent before ncing back at Pang Jian once again with a skeptical expression on her face. "Alright, please exin now. What did the Eye of Imprint show you?"

    Pausing to recall the visions in his mind, Pang Jian looked at Zhou Qingchen and the others as he recounted the gruesome scenes, "Many seemingly conscious vine-like entities flew out from the fissures like lively serpents. They attacked and devoured the cultivators from the Blood Moon Sect. They didn''t stand a chance even though they were in the Meridian Opening Realm. The ground also seems to shake before those terrifying vine-like entities are about to attack."

    After listening to Pang Jian, Zhou Qingchen took a deep breath and looked at Shangguan Qin. "Is this true?"

    He felt a chill in his heart.

    Among his group, only he and Han Duping had reached the Meridian Opening Realm; the others were all only in the Qi Practicing Realm.

    As far as he knew, all the cultivators from the Blood Moon Sect that were attacked by the vine-like entities were in the Meridian Opening Realm, and their leader was even in the Marrow Cleansing Realm. However, even the Marrow Cleansing Realm expert had died. If he had not trusted Pang Jian, would he not have met the same fate as well?

    "It''s as he said," Shangguan Qin confirmed with an involuntary shudder. She then asked the question lingering in everyone''s mind, "I just want to know something. I cultivated with a method from the Blood Moon Sect, so why did the Eye of Imprint choose you and not me?"

 Chapter 12: Battle of Wits

    <h4>Chapter 12: Battle of Wits</h4>

    Pang Jian nkly shook his head. "I don''t know."

    When the Eye of Imprint changed, he searched the crowd for the one receiving the information. Unexpectedly, the bronze pendant his father left him had be scorching hot.

    Not wanting to reveal his secret, Pang Jian could only feign ignorance.

    However, Shangguan Qin was not willing to let the matter drop. "You don''t know? The Blood Moon Sect''s Eye of Imprint wouldn''t have just randomly selected someone like you."

    "Enough!" Zhou Qingchen interrupted. He coughed lightly before solemnly asking, "Pang Jian, did you see anything else?"

    "Anything else?" Pang Jian pondered seriously, then said, "After the vine-like entities killed the Blood Moon Sect cultivators and devoured their bodies, it retreated into the fissures. It should do the same after it''s done with the members of Shangguan n."

    The expressions on everybody''s faces turned grim.

    "Is that all?" Zhou Qingchen questioned with a heavy heart.

    "The next scene I saw after that was you leading the way there," Pang Jian replied.

    With that, the nks were all filled in. Everything else that Pang Jian had witnessed through the Eye of Imprint, Zhou Qingchen had personally experienced.

    The young master of the Zhou n recalled how Pang Jian was unaffected by the demonic sound emanating from the stone pile. Now, with the special favor shown by the Eye of Imprint, he spected that there had to be some profound mystery about Pang Jian that he either could not discern or that could not be logically exined.

    As everyone was in deep thought, Pang Jian addressed Shangguan Qin, "It should be safe to go back now. You can go collect the belongings of the deceased."

    Shangguan Qin''s previously alluring face was filled with panic and helplessness. She had yet to recover from the shock. In a cold tone, she said, "I don''t believe a single wording from your mouth!"

    Her prejudice against Pang Jian ran deep. All she could think of was capturing him by any means necessary and prying open the secrets hidden within his heart.

    Pang Jian seemed oblivious to her prejudice as he replied, "I''m willing to return and help you retrieve the belongings of the members of the Shangguan n."

    The hatred in Shangguan Qin''s eyes did not diminish. Through gritted teeth, she bit out, "You''re so kind."

    "We can go together," Pang Jian suggested.

    Shangguan Qin hesitated, a hint of uncertainty in her eyes, before she said coldly, "I don''t believe you."

    Pang Jian nced at the crowd. "What about the rest of you? If you don''t believe me, you can join me to go take a closer look."

    Zhou Qingchen was surprised. Just as he was about to express his desire to join Pang Jian, he noticed Ning Yao opening her mouth to speak. Thus, he chose to remain silent.

    "I''ll apany you," Ning Yao volunteered. Seeing everyone''s surprise, she calmly exined, "I believe Pang Jian, but it might still be dangerous, so it would be more prudent for me to apany him."

    "Ning Yao, the situation there is still unclear. It might not be the best idea for you to go," Ning Yuanshan said worriedly.

    "Don''t worry. If Pang Jian dares to go, why should I be afraid?"

    Ning Yao rode her warhorse and approached Pang Jian. She then patted her horse''s head and whispered a few words into its ear.

    Straightening her slightly protruding chest, she dered, "I''ll ride on your horse."

    Without waiting for Pang Jian''s response, she leaped up, gracefullynding behind Pang Jian. Between Ning Yao and Pang Jian was the bamboo basket on his back, conveniently serving as a barrier that prevented them from getting too close.

    She rested both her hands on Pang Jian''s waist and urged, "Let''s go."

    Pang Jian''s body and expression noticeably stiffened.

    Ning Yao''s spiritual power surged secretly in the palms on his waist, revealing her ill intentions. Sharing a horse with her felt extremely ufortable. It was like sitting on pins and needles.

    "Why aren''t we moving yet?" Ning Yao impatiently urged once more.

    The spiritual power in her jade-white hands became more wild and violent like a dormant venomous snake preparing to strike.

    Pang Jian''s heart turned cold. Without a word, he grabbed the reins and moved to spur the horse toward the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    "Miss Ning, just a friendly reminder. Pang Jian is our guide and knows the Solitary Mountain Range well. I trust him greatly. I hope you''ll take good care of him. If something were to happen to him, I''m afraid we won''t be able to properly look after Uncle Yuanshan here."

    Ning Yuanshan''s expression drastically changed. He never expected that Zhou Qingchen would use him to threaten Ning Yao and ensure she would not harm Pang Jian.

    Ning Yao snorted coldly. "As the guide hired by my Ning n, I''m naturally well aware of his importance. There''s no need for you, Young Master Zhou, to remind me."

    "That''s good to know," Zhou Qingchen said with a smile.

    With that, Pang Jian spurred the crimson warhorse, and the pair gradually disappeared from everyone''s sight.

    After Ning Yao and Pang Jian departed, Ning Yuanshan awkwardly asked with a troubled expression on his face, "Nephew Zhou, Pang Jian is just a hunter. Must you go to such lengths for him? Isn''t it a bit much to use me to threaten Little Yao?"

    The others also found it puzzling and could not help but listen intently, eager to hear Zhou Qingchen''s response.

    Even Han Duping and the Zhou n''s servants found it astonishing that Zhou Qingchen was going out of his way to take special care of Pang Jian.

    "As you said, he''s just a hunter. But he also just saved all of our lives!" Zhou Qingchen''s demeanor turned stern, and he said, "Gratitude and reciprocity. Is this simple principle something that I, a junior, need to teach you? If not for Pang Jian''s timely warning, would any of us have made it out alive?"

    Zhou Qingchen''s words left Ning Yuanshan speechless. As he reflected on the situation, he realized that he might indeed have been in the wrong. ustomed to superiority and entitlement, he had never once considered those of lower status, such as Liu Qi or the other members of the Ning n who had died in the stone pile.

    In Ning Yuanshan''s eyes, Pang Jian''s status was even lower than Liu Qi''s. Therefore, it was hard to believe that Zhou Qingchen would use him to threaten his niece for Pang Jian.

    Shangguan Qin screamed angrily, "What helped us wasn''t the little hunter, but our Blood Moon Sect''s Eye of Imprint! If he weren''t around, the Eye of Imprint would have chosen me. If I had received the information, I would''ve also warned everyone to run away. Luo Meng and the members of the Shangguan n also would not have died!"

    "Senior Shangguan." Zhou Qingchen''s expression turned slightly cold. He no longer addressed her as "Aunt Qin," and bluntly rebuked her, "What makes you so sure that the Eye of Imprint would''ve selected you? Although your cultivation method is from the Blood Moon Sect, you haven''t passed their test. You''re not a cultivator of the Blood Moon Sect.

    "The only reason you can cultivate the Blood Wheel Technique is because the elders of your Shangguan n secretly bestowed it upon you. Not even I dare to think that the world revolves around me. What makes you think the Eye of Imprint would''ve acknowledged you?"

    Zhou Qingchen snorted, chuckling coldly from where he sat on his ck warhorse. "And you dare to say it''s ''our'' Blood Moon Sect? Senior Shangguan, you will only have the right to say the words ''our Blood Moon Sect'' to me when your name is recorded into the upper world genealogical record."

    Shangguan Qin paled upon hearing Zhou Qingchen''s words.

    Although the young master of the Zhou n had always been polite to her and even addressed her respectfully as "Aunt Qin", there was still a significant gap between her Shangguan n and the Zhou n.

    She had neither been acknowledged by nor was she a real member of the Blood Moon Sect. Therefore, she could not use the word "our" when mentioning it.

    Zhou Qingchen was indeed one of the top talents in the Fourth World. The Red Mountain Sect had recruited him not long after he was born and his name had been recorded in the Red Mountain Sect''s genealogical record.

    Her Shangguan n could notpare to the Zhou n, and she could notpare to Zhou Qingchen. Even her influence was inferior.

    Therefore, she could only forcibly suppress her anger and fall into resigned silence.

    ***

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian rode stiffly. Ning Yao''s hands were still on his waist, thrumming with spiritual power.

    He feared she would lose control and st his internal organs to pieces. All through the ride, he remained tense, and his forehead was drenched in sweat.

    Once they were far out of sight, Pang Jian heard Ning Yao''s cold voice near his ear. "Pang Jian. Remember, the money you epted was from the Ning n, not Zhou Qingchen. When danger arises, you should tell me first so we can leave with you! You took our Ning n''s money and ride our Ning n''s warhorse, but the first person you told was Zhou Qingchen!"

    Ning Yao pinched the flesh on Pang Jian''s waist, causing him to inhale sharply. Pang Jian grimaced in pain, fearing that Ning Yao''s fingers would release a burst of spiritual power and kill him instantly.

    Fortunately, Ning Yao only pinched him. Though he was in excruciating pain, he knew that Ning Yao was just trying to teach him a lesson and not actually trying to kill him.

    Pang Jian said in a low voice, "The gray ape was my friend. When I made that clear, Zhou Qingchen tried his best to protect it for me. Meanwhile, you and your uncle said nothing."

    "It''s your friend, not mine. What does it have to do with me?" Ning Yao coldly chuckled.

    Pang Jian chose to remain silent.

    Not long after, the warhorse arrived at the brutal scene.

    A thick, pungent smell of blood permeated the area in front of them. After Pang Jian stopped, he caught sight of arge skeleton.

    The skeleton belonged to Luo Meng. His flesh and organs were gone, and his bones were soaked in blood. Even his eyeballs had been devoured. The hollow eye sockets looked as though they were filled with despair.

    The vine-like entities only devoured the flesh of the dead. The belongings of Luo Meng and the other members of the Shangguan n were left untouched and scattered around the skeletons.

    Ning Yao pinched her nose, shoved Pang Jian, and ordered in a disgusted tone, "Go and help Shangguan Qin retrieve their belongings."

    She liked to be clean, and the bloodstained items were simply too disgusting for her. With Pang Jian present, she saw no reason to handle them personally.

    "Alright." Pang Jian had already expected this. Dismounting, he collected the items, disregarding the bloodstains as he bound them together with hemp rope.

    Ning Yao did not dismount. Instead, she kept a watchful eye on Pang Jian as she studied the skeletal remains and the Formless Sailboat.

    She suspected Pang Jian had a hidden motive for returning and doubted he was helping Shangguan Qin out of goodwill.

    "I n to look around in the Formless Sailboat," Pang Jian suddenly said.

    This statement confirmed Ning Yao''s suspicions. She pretended to ask in surprise, "The Formless Sailboat? Everyone who went to explore it just now died. Are you sure you want to go?"

    Pang Jian nodded. "They died because the Eye of Imprint needed fresh blood. It was a blood sacrifice. Now that the Eye of Imprint has exploded, it''s safe inside the sailboat''s cabin."

    After he finished speaking, he turned toward the Formless Sailboat.

    "I''ll go have a look," Ning Yao dered as she dismounted. Swiftly leaping over the fissures on the ground and heading toward the Blood Moon Sect''s Formless Sailboat, she ordered, "You remain here. If there''s any strange movement outside, you must inform me immediately!"

    Pang Jian frowned. "Alright."

    Ning Yao turned her head to see Pang Jian looking despondent. This further convinced her that the Blood Moon Sect had left behind treasures on the Formless Sailboat. Pang Jian likely learned about them through the Eye of Imprint, which was why he insisted oning back.

    "Despite his young age, he''s wildly ambitious," Ning Yao muttered to herself. It seemed that this taciturn young man was not so simple after all.

 Chapter 13: Opening the Doors of the Bronze Pendant

    <h4>Chapter 13: Opening the Doors of the Bronze Pendant</h4>

    As Ning Yao leaped over the fissures, she asionally nced back at Pang Jian, staying aware of his movements and fearing abnormal behavior from him.

    Pang Jian stood firm like a statue, showing no signs of moving.

    It was not until she climbed the wooden stairs, reached the deck of the Formless Sailboat, searched around for a while, and descended into the cabin that Pang Jian finally stepped over to the thick, broad bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    The Celestial Phoenix''s withered bone towered high like a broad, giant sword, piercing straight into the dim dusk sky. Even the ancient trees nearby paled inparison to the bone''s height. The majestic, sacred aura emanating from it left Pang Jian in awe.

    He paced around the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    He alternated between peering up at the end of the withered bone that pierced the sky and gazing down at where it was embedded in the ground. His eyes gradually revealed a glimmer of hope.

    Ning Yao was not wrong. He was not a guileless youth. He found it hard to trust or share anything with anybody else and concealed things from Ning Yao and Zhou Qingchen. After all, he had not revealed the final scene he saw through the Eye of Imprint.

    Only he knew that a cluster of mysterious faint lights roamed within the initially unremarkable bone after the murderous vine-like entities withdrew and the tremors subsided. The mysterious lights roamed for a while before gradually fading away, with everything returning to normal.

    This was the final scene that he had kept hidden.

    The reason he was willing to risk revisiting the withered bone was not out of the kindness of his heart, but to investigate the mysterious faint light roaming inside the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    He mentioned exploring the Formless Sailboat, anticipating that Ning Yao''s distrust and wariness of him meant she would confront him head-on.

    As expected, when he mentioned wanting to go to the Formless Sailboat, Ning Yao stopped him and insisted he remain outside. This proved his intuition was correct.

    Meanwhile, Ning Yao had hastily rushed toward the Formless Sailboat, eager to unravel the mysteries hidden within the sailboat alone.

    She had yed right into Pang Jian''s hands.

    "It should appear soon." Pang Jian stared intently at the towering, broad bone of the Celestial Phoenix. He didn''t attempt to touch the bone like Zhou Qingchen, but maintained a distance and waited for the mysterious faint light to appear.

    After a while, a hazy cluster of faint white light, resembling liquid amber, emerged slowly from deep within the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    The luminous, mysterious lights looked like wandering creatures as they floated up from the bottom of the gigantic bone.

    Pang Jian fixed his gaze on that cluster of mysterious faint lights, eyes unblinking in fear of missing any detail.

    He could not help but recall the sight of the pristine white divine bone ying the Green Condor. As he observed the gleaming lights, he felt both nervous and delighted.

    <i>Did these same gleaming lights hold the same earth-shattering divine power as the divine bone that so easily pierced and killed the formidable Green Condor? </i>he wondered. <i>Would he also be affected from this distance, like those two bodyguards on the Green Condor who were annihted? </i>

    Apprehensive, Pang Jian held his breath and concentrated, carefully observing the withered bone. However, he did not detect any rming heat, nor did he see countless runes whistling like drills from the cluster of mysterious light.

    "This isn''t the same bone. Zhou Qingchen was right," He realized. The hope and anticipation in his eyes slowly turned into disappointment.

    This withered bone was not the one that he had previously seen. Itcked the power to pierce through the sky in the same way. All that remained was a hint of mystery.

    With this realization, Pang Jian''s courage increased.

    "Since it isn''t the same bone..." He approached the withered bone.

    "Mm?" Ning Yao''s surprised voice echoed from the depths of the Formless Sailboat''s cabin. It seemed she had made some discovery in the cabin as she shouted excitedly, "Pang Jian, is everything fine outside? Zhou Qingchen and Shangguan Qin haven''te over, have they?"

    Pang Jian raised his voice to reply, "No, everything''s fine here."

    The cluster of mysterious faint light roaming the bone of the Celestial Phoenix appeared to be drawn to his voice. It swiftly approached the area closest to Pang Jian as if silently observing him.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The mysterious faint lights seemed to have gained consciousness, striking the walls of the bone in an attempt to break free and enter Pang Jian''s body.

    Pang Jian''s expression changed as he stepped back in fear. He was not sure what would happen if the cluster of lights seeded in entering his body.

    He had seen firsthand what had happened to the Green Condor and the two bodyguards.

    Pang Jian had returned to the bone of the Celestial Phoenix to investigate the possible mysteries of the faint lights and potentially benefit from it, not risk his life in a situation he did not fully understand.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The mysterious faint lights broke through the bone wall!

    Frightened, Pang Jian tried to use something to block the cluster of faint amber lights, but it was toote.

    The faint lights went straight for Pang Jian''s heart, seemingly intending to pierce through it. However, just as it broke through Pang Jian''s clothing, its fierce momentum abruptly stopped.

    As Pang Jian trembled, the sealed doors on the bronze pendant hanging on Pang Jian''s chest parted slightly, revealing an opening as thin as a strand of hair.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The faint lights, which had been aiming for Pang Jian''s heart, were instead drawn into the bronze doors. The faint lights flickered and vanished, and the slit in the bronze door swiftly closed. It was as if nothing had happened.

    Unbeknownst to Pang Jian, an ancient vine, buried deep underground in the fissures, was also undergoing a strange transformation. The sinister ancient vine, with countless branching vines swaying like monstrous trees, had been pierced by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    After the cluster of faint lights was drawn into the bronze pendant on Pang Jian''s chest, all the bloodthirsty vines, including the source of the ancient vine itself, withered and died in the blink of an eye, leaving no trace of their former otherworldly presence.

    However, Pang Jian remainedpletely unaware of what had happened.

    Bewildered, he assumed a defensive posture, only to find himself blocking nothing but air.

    The mysterious faint lights that rushed out from the bone of the Celestial Phoenix had vanished.

    Even the wall of the withered bone held no trace of a crack.

    It was like nothing had happened.

    However, for some reason, when Pang Jian looked at the bone again, he could not shake the feeling that the profoundly mysterious aura of the withered bone had vanished.

    Looking around, Pang Jian noticed a subtle cut in his clothes. It was as if someone had used a sharp knife to slice open his clothing while he was distracted.

    Pang Jian''s expression turned strange as he gazed at the inexplicable slit that had appeared. He wondered if it had anything to do with the faint lights.

    He was still deep in thought, pondering where the cluster of faint lights had gone when Ning Yao excitedly rushed out from the Formless Sailboat. "Pang Jian."

    Ning Yao hauled arge sack behind her. It was filled with items, giving her figure a somewhat bulky appearance.

    "I knew it! You saw the cultivation materials left behind by the Blood Moon Sect cultivators in the Formless Sailboat!" She patted the sack with a delighted expression on her face and said, "Spirit stones are coveted by all cultivators! Just like with spiritual qi, almost all the spirit stones in our Fourth World contain impurities that are hard to get rid of. Although not high quality, the spirit stones in the Formless Sailboat don''t contain any impurities!

    Ning Yao''s face was filled with happiness. She excitedly swung her hands and eximed, "These are things we don''t have in the Fourth World!"

    Carrying therge sack on her back, Ning Yao leaped over the fissures on the ground, her speed noticeably slower than before. She could not hide the excitement on her face.

    "Congrattions," Pang Jian offered lukewarmly. Surprisingly, Ning Yao had actually found something of value inside the Formless Sailboat.

    "Let''s put it in the under the warhorse. It''s too eye-catching on my back." After Ning Yao reached Pang Jian, she immediately threw away all the worthless items that originally belonged to Liu Qi from the under the warhorse''s belly and reced them with the sack of spirit stones. Coldly, she sneered, "Are you still trying to outsmart me?"

    Pang Jian was speechless. "I honestly didn''t know there were spirit stones inside the Formless Sailboat."

    Ning Yao pursed her lips in disdain. "Don''t try to trick me! You were nning to use the bamboo basket on your back to carry the spirit stones, right?"

    Pang Jian shook his head in silence.

    "Never mind, I can''t be bothered to argue with you. Since you kept watch outside, I''ll give you a few pieces for your cultivation." Ning Yao retrieved several jade-like stones resembling shattered bricks from under the warhorse''s belly, then opened Pang Jian''s bamboo basket and threw them in.

    She froze. "What''s this?"

    A gray stone emitting a faint Profound Yin energy inside the bamboo basket had caught her attention. Pang Jian had repeatedly absorbed the stone''s Profound Yin energy, so at this moment, the Profound Yin energy the strange stone emitted was difficult to detect without touching it directly.

    Before, when Ning Yao was close to it, she only felt that the bamboo basket was a little chilly and did not give it much thought. It was only upon closer inspection that she noticed something was amiss.

    Frowning, she said, "It''s a stone rich in Profound Yin energy. This thing can''t be used by ordinary people. Only those who practice evil and bizarre techniques can absorb it. Pang Jian, where did you get this rock? Why are you carrying it with you?"

    "I picked it up from the stone pile. When I held it, it was cold to the touch, so I was nning on bringing it out of the Solitary Mountain Range to see if I could sell it," Pang Jian answered.

    "You''re right, this thing has some value on the market," Ning Yao agreed. "But the demand for such a niche spirit material is usually quite low, so its value isn''t very high."

    Without giving the stone further thought, Ning Yao casually threw several pieces of what she considered highly valuable spirit stones into the bamboo basket on Pang Jian''s back, then urged him to ride the horse back.

    "Now, remember. Don''t mention the spirit stones to the others," she warned coldly.

    "Okay," Pang Jian answered indifferently, spurring the horse to ride swiftly back to where Zhou Qingchen and the others were.

 Chapter 14: A Strange Phenomenon

    <h4>Chapter 14: A Strange Phenomenon</h4>

    After an incense stick''s worth of time[1], an enchanting spectral figure floated through the forest and arrived at the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The ghostly, blood-red figure slipped into the bone as soon as they arrived, searching for something inside.

    Their graceful form became more apparent as they floated inside the withered bone. This figure was a beautiful young woman in her prime, with exquisite features and bare feet akin to jade.

    The bone of the Celestial Phoenix did not seem to pose any threat to her as she descended to its base. There, she caught sight of a withered ancient vine, with its lifeless branches.

    "The essence of the Celestial Phoenix isn''t here." The enchanting blood shadow within the withered bone looked at the ancient vine. Her captivating face revealed a hint of doubt.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    In an instant, she flew from the bottom of the withered bone to its top.

    The eerie woman nced at the corpses littered around the Formless Sailboat, as well as the bloodstained skeletons of the Shangguan n.

    After a moment, she gazed into the distance. Her mesmerizing eyes gleamed with an eerie light.

    "Someone actually obtained the essence of the Celestial Phoenix! The cultivators in this world, with their insignificant cultivation, shouldn''t be able to extract its essence from its remains. It would only end up killing them," The woman muttered in annoyance.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The Spirit Devils apanying her howled along the fissures on the ground, acting as her eyes and helping her search for clues.

    Before long, these Spirit Devils dragged out several gray shadows from the depths of the fissures. These gray shadows were in the middle of dispersing. Their forms were faint and would have been barely discernible to anyone but her.

    With a slight wave of her hand, the fading gray shadows converged into one. This new, tall shadow took on the form of Luo Meng.

    "The Spirit Devils formed from the souls of Meridian Opening Realm cultivators need to be slightly stronger," The woman said, beckoning the shadow over with her hand.

    The gray shadow resembling Luo Meng drifted lifelessly toward the woman with an expressionless face.

    Using her spiritual consciousness, the woman glimpsed into the deceased Luo Meng''s memories through his soul.

    She learned about Luo Meng''s arrival at the Solitary Mountain Range with Shangguan Qin, their meeting with Zhou Qingchen and the others, the anomaly of the Eye of Imprint, the tremors on the ground, and Pang Jian''s warning.

    Luo Meng had passed away before Pang Jian and Ning Yao returned, so there were no memories of the pair and what they had done here.

    "The Blood Moon Sect''s Eye of Imprint chose that young man? Strange. It doesn''t make any sense," The woman muttered to herself. Waving her hand, she ordered, "Find them."

    The Spirit Devils and Luo Meng''s shadow scattered like birds, spreading out to carry out their search.

    ***

    Ning Yuanshan sighed with relief when he heard the sound of horse hooves. "They''ve returned."

    He gazed in the direction where Pang Jian and Ning Yao had disappeared. As anticipated, he soon spotted the approaching crimson warhorse.

    As before, Ning Yao was seated behind the bamboo basket on Pang Jian''s back.

    In Pang Jian''s hands was a bundle of bloodstained weapons.

    Pang Jian threw the bundle in front of Shangguan Qin. "This is what remains of your Shangguan n. If anything''s missing, the vines probably dragged it into the fissures. I''m not capable of retrieving everything for you."

    Shangguan Qin''s expression fluctuated between gloomy and uncertain as she eyed the bloodstained weapons. She did not collect them and instead stared at a giant axe with a mncholy look on her face.

    The giant axe belonged to Luo Meng, who had sacrificed his life for her.

    Pang Jian appeared as majestic as a towering mountain atop his warhorse. Zhou Qingchen chuckled as he cast an admiring look at him. "Pang Jian, are you alright?"

    Pang Jian nodded. "Everything went well."

    Ning Yao dismounted Pang Jian''s horse. As she wanted to avoid drawing attention, she refrained from retrieving the sack from under the horse''s belly and returned directly to her white warhorse.

    "Alright, then. Let''s continue our journey to the northernmost area where the bizarre mist is," said Zhou Qingchen.

    The mournful Shangguan Qin screamed, "You want to go to the northernmost area? Young Master Zhou, are you nning to explore the bizarre mist?"

    She no longer addressed him as "Qingchen", indicating the souring of their rtionship.

    "Correct," Zhou Qingchen responded calmly. He then added indifferently, "Senior Shangguan, we weren''t even traveling together in the first ce. If you had prior arrangements, we can part ways here."

    He was prepared to leave Shangguan Qin behind.

    Shangguan Qin''s expression turned grim.

    All of herpanions were dead. She would never have chosen to cozy up to Zhou Qingchen if she had any other choice, but she did not. She dared not venture into the vast and dangerous Solitary Mountain Range alone.

    Shangguan Qin awkwardly smiled. "I don''t have any prior arrangements. It''s good to havepany for mutual support. I''ll apany you all."

    "All of our Zhou n''s one-horned rhinoceros died a few days ago. Only the Ning n''s warhorses are left, and all of them are taken," Zhou Qingchen said with a troubled expression on his face, clearly reluctant to take her along.

    "It''s alright, we can squeeze a little." Shangguan Qin no longer cared about her pride. Her eyes searched through the crowd and eventually fell on Ning Yao.

    "Our ns haven''t interacted much in the past. Besides, I''m not in the habit of sharing a horse with others!" Ning Yao preemptively rejected.

    "Little Sister Qin, I already told you, I''m not afraid of your reputation as a husband killer." The chubby Han Duping patted the saddle in front of him, squeezed his horse with his legs, and grinned. "You can ride with me."

    Looking at his meaty face and the lecherous gleam in his tiny yellow eyes, Shangguan Qin felt very ufortable.

    Without giving Han Duping the chance to further persuade her, she went straight to Pang Jian and mounted his horse, taking the ce where Ning Yao had previously sat. She even threw the bundle of bloodstained weapons into the under Pang Jian''s horse, where Ning Yao had ced her sack of spirit stones.

    Ning Yao red at her, displeased her sack of spirit stones was now going to be stained with blood.

    However, those spirit stones came from the Formless Sailboat of the Blood Moon Sect. If she were to make a scene, she would expose the existence of the spirit stones and give Shangguan Qin a reason to im a share.

    Zhou Qingchen would probably want a cut too.

    Swallowing her anger, Ning Yao could only re at Shangguan Qin and curse her silently.

    Shangguan Qin had reluctantly chosen Pang Jian because of the bamboo basket behind him. However, she soon noticed the inexplicable coldness in Ning Yao''s eyes. Immediately, her female intuition told her something was going on between Pang Jian and Ning Yao, and her action had aroused Ning Yao''s jealousy.

    Although she harbored deep hatred toward Pang Jian, Shangguan Qin could not help but feel a sense of delight at Ning Yao''s frosty expression.

    She wrapped her hands around Pang Jian''s waist and said, "Take it easyter, okay? Don''t bump around too much."

    "Little Brother, you''re so lucky," Han Duping teased with a strange tone in his voice. "First, it was Miss Ning, and now it''s the beauty of the Shangguan n. I wouldn''t even dare to dream of being treated like that."

    "Haha!" Zhou Qingchen also found it amusing andughed as he waved his hand. "Let''s go."

    Even if Shangguan Qin harbored ill intentions toward Pang Jian, he believed she would not dare to act recklessly in front of him. After all, he even dared to use Ning Yuanshan''s life to threaten Ning Yao for Pang Jian. It went without saying that he would not hesitate to deal with Shangguan Qin.

    "They''re leaving," Shangguan Qin urged.

    Pang Jian cursed under his breath as he spurred his horse forward. When Shangguan Qin wrapped her hands around his waist, he felt the same subtle spiritual power in her hands as he did with Ning Yao.

    As with Ning Yao, this woman could not be trusted.

    Ning Yao was only dissatisfied that he was getting too close to Zhou Qingchen. However, Shangguan Qin ced the me for all the deaths of the Shangguan n on him.

    Thus, Shangguan Qin was naturally more ruthless and troublesome to deal with than Ning Yao.

    Pang Jian was scared witless but put on a brave face as he led the crowd to the northernmost part of the Solitary Mountain Range.

    Shangguan Qin pressed closer to Pang Jian and used the sound of the horses'' hooves to mask her threat. "Brat, you''d better pray you don''t lose sight of Zhou Qingchen. If the opportunity ever arises, I won''t hesitate to kill you to avenge Luo Meng and the others."

    The bamboo basket between them and Shangguan Qin''sparatively more ample body meant she had to exert herself significantly whenever she wished to speak to Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian chose to ignore her provocation.

    "Why did the Eye of Imprint choose you instead of me?" Shangguan Qin refused to give up despite Pang Jian''s silence. "You say nothing now, but when I get my chance, I''ll make sure you scream your lungs out!"

    Pang Jian still did not utter a single word.

    After some time, Pang Jian felt a sudden itch on his chest.

    It felt like something had made its way into his flesh, entered his ribcage, and was roaming through the crevices of his bones. Soon, he felt a painful sensation akin to tens of thousands of ants gnawing at his ribcage and his temperature rose as if he was about to fall seriously ill.

    Pang Jian did not know what was happening to him. The pain in his ribcage grew stronger and his body temperature continued to rise.

    Not long after, his whole body was scorching hot and his face flushed red.

    Shangguan Qin also noticed the peculiar changes in his body.

    She was stunned, assuming her presence had caused Pang Jian''s mind to wander and have dirty thoughts.

    "You weren''t like this when the Ning n girl was behind you." Shangguan Qin''s lips curved in a shallow smile, her eyes were filled with cold severity. "What, so you like a mature, ample woman like me? That girl is still young and her body isn''t fully developed yet. How could shepare to me?"

    Seeing Pang Jian like this, she considered how to extract the desired information from him and avenge Luo Meng and the others. However, before she could devise a n, Pang Jian suddenly fell from the horse, head plummeting straight to the ground.

    "Shangguan Qin! You dare to ignore my warning! Don''t me me for not giving face to your Shangguan n!" Zhou Qingchen erupted in fury as he leaped into the air like a hawk, lunging straight at Shangguan Qin from where he had been riding behind them.

    Shangguan Qin''s face paled and herposure shattered. Zhou Qingchen not only harbored a genuine intent to kill but was also willing to act upon it without hesitation. "No! I didn''t do anything!"

    She was well aware of Zhou Qingchen''s temper. Contrary to his name, he was extremely vtile and difficult to deal with. He always acted without restraint and she feared falling victim to his wrath for no reason.

    "It''s his impure thoughts that led him to loss of control over his qi and blood!" she screamed in panic.

    As soon as these words left her lips, Zhou Qingchen suddenly changed directions mid-leap.

    He chose to ignore Shangguan Qin for the moment, opting tond beside Pang Jian to check for signs of breathing.

    Pang Jian''s breathing was steady and he appeared to be uninjured. Zhou Qingchen''s expression turned strange, but he refrained from asking further questions.

    The others hade to a stop behind them and were left stunned at Shangguan Qin''s words.

    "Hehe, this little brother seems to be on the same page with me." Han Duping grinned with a wicked expression.

    Ning Yao stared at the fallen Pang Jian from afar with disdain in her eyes.

    1. ¡°An incense stick''s worth of time¡± is roughly 15 to 30 minutes. ?

 Chapter 15: Body Tempered by the Celestial Phoenixs Essence

    <h4>Chapter 15: Body Tempered by the Celestial Phoenix''s Essence</h4>

    Pang Jian was having a nightmare.

    The excruciating pain of being gnawed by tens of thousands of ants seemed to have be a reality within the dream world. The only difference was that, in his dream, it was not tens of thousands of ants, but rather gracefully soaring Celestial Phoenixes that were inflicting the pain.

    These countless tiny Celestial Phoenixes, as small as specks of dust, roamed his ribcage and arms. Their divine forms brought him indescribable torment from within his bone marrow.

    The agony Sun Bin inflicted when he used lightning to test Pang Jian''s talents was nothingpared to this. Back then, he could grit his teeth and endure, but this pain was so terrible he passed out.

    After Pang Jian''s fever subsided, he slowly woke up.

    Opening his eyes, Pang Jian saw Zhou Qingchen sitting cross-legged nearby and keeping an eye on him. Zhou Qingchen grinned at Pang Jian with a de of grass hanging from his mouth.

    "How did you suddenly fall sick?" he asked. "How are you feeling now?"

    Pang Jian''s stiff neck cracked when he attempted to move.

    "Hm?" His eyebrows twitched.

    It felt like he had been blessed with a mysterious divine power. His body brimmed with inexhaustible strength and a strange sensation in his chest made him feel as though his ribcage was as strong as iron and gold.

    He shook both his arms. The bones within them seemed to have been tempered.

    His body felt strange. However, he hesitated to inform Zhou Qingchen about these changes. Thus, he could only ask him indirectly, "Young Master Zhou, I heard the third cultivation realm for cultivators is the Marrow Cleansing Realm. What exactly does it entail?"

    Pang Jian recalled the bizarre scene from his dream, where divine phoenixes soared within the bone marrow of his arms and ribcage.

    "Why do you want to know? Even I have yet to step into the Marrow Cleansing Realm. You shouldn''t think about it." Zhou Qingchen chuckled. Even so, he proceeded to exin, "The first realm of cultivation is the Qi Practicing Realm. In this realm, one needs to guide the spiritual qi of heaven and earth into their dantian and spiritual sea. The process is about umtion. There''s no qualitative improvement in overall strength and cultivators in this realm aren''t much stronger than ordinary people.

    "However, the Meridian Opening Realm is different. In this realm, we channel the spiritual power from within our dantian and spiritual sea into the meridians on our limbs. Once our meridians are filled with spiritual power, we can channel it outward through our limbs to increase our strength and unleash remarkable power.

    Zhou Qingchen extended an arm, rolled his sleeve up to expose his forearm, and exerted his strength.

    A faint red light flowed through Zhou Qingchen''s meridians, all the way to his palm.

    <i>Swish!</i>

    A majestic deep red light rose from the palm of Zhou Qingchen''s hand. He skillfully transformed the light into a small, exquisite crimson mountain, smashing the illusory mountain into arge rock nearby with a casual swing of his arm.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Therge stone exploded with a resounding st.

    "This is the power of the Meridian Opening Realm," Zhou Qingchen exined calmly.

    Themotion attracted the attention of the members of the Zhou n, the Ning n, and Shangguan Qin in the distance.

    "The Marrow Cleansing Realm involves bone forging and marrow cleansing. It focuses on tempering the bones, flesh, and internal organs of one''s entire body. Achieving great sess in the Marrow Cleansing Realm often signifies a rebirth, with the shedding of one''s mortal flesh and the transcendence of one''s physical limitations." Zhou Qingchen''s eyes revealed a hint of pride as he raised his head and said, "Once I reach the Marrow Cleansing Realm, I''ll be able to cleanse away all impurities hidden within my flesh, blood, muscle, and bones, and my cultivation in the Red Mountain Sect won''t be hindered either."

    Cultivators of the Fourth World naturally retained impurities in their bodies because of the impure nature of the spiritual qi in the Fourth World. Before Zhou Qingchen officially entered the Red Mountain Sect, he would first enter the Marrow Cleansing Realm toplete his rebirth and shed his mortal body.

    "Bone forging and marrow cleansing," Pang Jian murmured, lost in thought. He had the feeling an inexplicable divine power had tempered his ribcage and arms while he was unconscious.

    He suspected the cluster of faint lights was the cause but did not have definitive proof. He also did not mention it to Zhou Qingchen.

    The sky was growing dimmer and night would soon fall.

    After that insightful discussion with Zhou Qingchen, Pang Jian nced around at his surroundings.

    He spotted the Ning n''s warhorses resting nearby. The servants from the Zhou n were busy preparing dinner. Meanwhile, Ning Yuanshan and Ning Yao rested near the campfire. However, there was a distance between them and members of the Zhou n.

    A rift had formed. The Zhou n and Ning n were no longer on friendly terms and both sides had be wary of each other.

    Han Duping was preupied with teasing Shangguan Qin, wearing a mischievous smile as if oblivious to her exasperation.

    Pang Jian slowly stood up, ncing at the mountain peak behind him before turning toward the sound of flowing water.

    A small waterfall cascaded down from the mountain peak behind him and converged into arge, dark pond.

    The water from the waterfall was crystal clear, but strangely enough, it turned ck upon hitting the pond.

    Near the base of the pond, close to the mountain wall, protruded an enormous butckluster withered bone. Taken aback, Pang Jian eximed, "Is that a bone of the Celestial Phoenix?"

    Zhou Qingchen chuckled and nodded. "Most of the bone is submerged and only a small portion is exposed."

    "I examined it while you were unconscious from your fever, but there''s nothing particrly mystical about this withered bone. It''s not the sacred bone possessing the inheritance of the Celestial Phoenix that everyone has been desperately searching for." Zhou Qingchen was convinced the sacred bone would never appear in the Fourth World.

    Pang Jian recalled the withered bone in the forest with the mysterious lights. Although it did not possess the inheritance of the Celestial Phoenix, these bones seemed to contain hidden wonders.

    "Don''t worry, we''re being very cautious this time. As soon as there''s a tremor, we''ll retreat immediately." Zhou Qingchen was rxed as he assumed tremors would prelude abnormalities around the withered bone.

    Pang Jian turned to stare at the pond behind him, expression turning grave.

    "ck...water? ckwater Pond!" he suddenly shouted. "This ce isn''t safe! You can''t camp here!"

    His father had designated ckwater Pond and its surrounding area as one of the forbidden areas of the Solitary Mountain Range. Pang Jian had faithfully adhered to his father''s instructions and, over the years, had never ventured into any area his father had ssified as forbidden.

    Pang Jian had a younger sister to care for and Pang Lin would live a troubled life if he disappeared like his father. Thus, he could not afford to take such risks.

    Pang Lin had yet to reach adulthood. Losing her father at such a young age was hard enough; she could not afford to lose him too.

    "Is there something wrong with this area?" Zhou Qingchen asked. He gestured for Han Duping to stop pestering Shangguan Qin ande over. "Old Han, get everyone ready. We need to leave as soon as possible."

    After thest time, Zhou Qingchen trusted Pang Jian unconditionally and was ready to act on his word without hesitation.

    He and Pang Jian headed toward the warhorses.

    Their actions caused Ning Yao and Ning Yuanshan to be nervous, as they had been discussing whether they wanted to go to the northernmost part of the mountain range.

    Shangguan Qin also felt unsettled. She headed over to the horses as well before Pang Jian.

    As she approached, all the warhorses frothed at the mouth and copsed.

    The warhorses had sumbed to deadly poison.

    "Zhang Heng!" Ning Yuanshan roared furiously in the direction of the forest. "I told you to feed the horses. What did you feed them?"

    "He probably poisoned them." Han Duping''s expression darkened. "He mentioned the water in ckwater Pond wasn''t very clean and went to find water elsewhere. I bet he went to meet someone!"

    "He probably poisoned the warhorses to prevent us from leaving," Zhou Qingchen added solemnly.

    The young master of the Zhou n and Pang Jian arrived in front of everyone, seemingly unafraid. They nced in the direction Zhang Heng had gone, then turned to look behind them at ckwater Pond, and the towering, smooth cliff behind it.

    That was evidently not a viable escape route.

    Despite the trees and scattered dry grass around them, the terrain fanning out in front of ckwater Pond was fairly open and viable for escape if the need arose.

    "Unless there''s some treasure precious enough to incite envy, the seven major ns rarely engage in outright conflict." As the genius of the Zhou n, Zhou Qingchen had both high status and confidence. With a calm and fearless look on his face, he dered coldly. "I''d like to see which n dares to make a move against me, Zhou Qingchen!"

    "It''s no wonder you''re the chosen genius of the Red Mountain Sect," a strange hoarse voice suddenly rang out. A person riding a python emerged from deep within the dry grass.

    The python wasrge and had an alternating ck-and-white pattern. Its tongue flickered in and out randomly, and its eyes gleamed with a fierce green light.

    The person riding the python appeared as thin as a bamboo pole and wore loose-fitting garments in a pattern that matched the python. Both his hands were tucked into his sleeves.

    "I am Hong Tai, a former member of the Blood Moon Sect. Unfortunately, I was expelled a hundred years ago," The person riding the python introduced with a chuckle. He then sighed forlornly. "I couldn''t stay in the upper world, so I could only roam the lower world."

    <i>Rustle! Rustle! Rustle!</i>

    With his appearance, more people stepped out of the waist-high dry grass.

    Zhang Heng was among them.

    "Hong Tai?"

    Members of the younger generation like Zhou Qingchen and Ning Yao were puzzled at the mention of the name. However, Han Duping wore an expression of recognition.

    "Hong Tai!" He stared at Hong Tai as he told Zhou Qingchen in a small voice, "He''s from the Shadow Specter Sect."

    "The Shadow Specter Sect?" Pang Jian looked confused.

    The looks on Zhou Qingchen''s, Ning Yao''s, and Ning Yuanshan''s faces turned grim.

    The seven major ns were the most powerful and influential forces in the Fourth World.

    They also typically had some connections to the sects from the upper world. The ns acted as these sects'' official and orthodox representatives in the Fourth World and controlled the seven major regions with the richest cultivation resources.

    The seven major ns had close ties and their rtionships were generally harmonious on the surface, with very few instances of all-out conflicts.

    The Shadow Specter Sect, however, stood apart from the seven major ns. This group of cultivators roamed and operated in the dark, peripheral regions of fragmented territory.

    The term "Shadow Specter" referred to wandering souls lurking in the dark.

    The seven major ns often joined forces to hunt down the Shadow Specter Sect. However, this organization was adept at hiding and had yet to bepletely eradicated. Thus, they continued to operate in the dark, shadowy corners of the world.

    Even the identity and cultivation realm of the Sect Master of the Shadow Specter Sect were still unknown to the seven major ns. All they knew was that he had recruited evil cultivators who could not make it in the upper worlds and provided them with refuge in the lower world.

    "News of the Celestial Phoenix''s skeletal remains being scattered throughout the lower world have reached the Shadow Specter Sect. Naturally, we''re also interested in trying our luck as well." Hong Tai then pointed at Zhang Heng and introduced, "He''s a member of our Shadow Specter Sect nted within the Ning n. There are many members like him in the seven major ns. They only reveal themselves during crucial moments to help us aplish big tasks."

    His blunt admission of traitors within the seven major ns weighed heavily on Zhou Qingchen and the rest.

    "Enough small talk. Let''s focus on the task at hand." Hong Tai pped his hands and ordered with a smile, "Kill everyone except the two women. There''s no need to leave anyone else alive."

 Chapter 16: Greenhorn

    <h4>Chapter 16: Greenhorn</h4>

    As soon as Hong Tai finished speaking, the members of the Shadow Specter Sect moved to surround the group.

    After learning that the neers belonged to the Shadow Specter Sect, the members of the three ns scattered around ckwater Pond became anxious. They immediately started to brainstorm countermeasures, strategizing how to break through the encirclement.

    Seeing the approaching Shadow Specter Sect''s members, Zhou Qingchen''s expression grew serious and no longer disyed the rxed demeanor from before. "Old Han, it seems we''ll need to split up and escape."

    Zhou Qingchen had learned from Han Duping that Hong Tai, the leader of the group, had reached the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    Marrow Cleansing Realm experts were at the pinnacle of existence in the Fourth World. Although Zhou Qingchen was on his way to, and would eventually reach the Marrow Cleansing Realm, he was still only at the Meridian Opening Realm at the moment.

    The Shadow Specter Sect used Zhang Heng to gather insider information. The fact that they still dared to start a confrontation meant they were exceedingly confident in their abilities.

    "Mn, I know what to do," Han Duping''s eyes flickered.

    <i>Thud thud!</i>

    Pang Jian suddenly dashed toward the copsed warhorses.

    The Dragonwood Spear that Zhou Qingchen gave him, his long saber, bow, and arrows were all on the horse.

    He knew nothing about the Shadow Specter Sect and could not discern their cultivation realms. All he could do was retrieve his weapons and prepare for the impending battle.

    "Everyone!" Zhou Qingchen raised his voice. "Don''t worry about me. Just try your best to escape. I, Zhou Qingchen, vow that as long as I leave this ce alive, I won''t leave to cultivate in the Red Mountain Sect in the upper world until I''ve dealt with all the intruders from the Shadow Specter Sect here today!"

    His words bolstered the morale of those loyal to the Zhou n.

    "Kill those sewer rats!"

    "Aren''t they just some shady characters lurking in the shadows? What''s there to be afraid of?"

    The Zhou n''s cultivators tightly gripped their weapons and fearlessly charged toward the members of the Shadow Specter Sect, seemingly unafraid of death.

    The space in front of the ckwater Pond was shaped like an open folding fan. Their group stood near the head, where the ribs of a folding fan would be expose. Meanwhile, the members of the Shadow Specter Sect had spread out to cover the area leading away from the pond, making it almost impossible for the group to escape withouting into contact with them.

    Soon, those loyal to the Zhou n shed with the members of the Shadow Specter Sect and fights broke out.

    During that time, Pang Jian had retrieved his bow, arrows, long saber, and Dragonwood Spear. Looking up, he saw the bloody battle hadmenced.

    "Pang Jian, I''m afraid I won''t be able to look after you during this fight. I can barely take care of myself. The best I can do is draw the worst of the fight to me," Zhou Qingchen said, ncing at the frowning Pang Jian from afar. Then, addressing the rest of the group, he shouted, "Everyone, please take care of yourself. I hope we''ll meet again!"

    With that, Zhou Qingchen dashed out like a leopard. Seven consecutive beams of deep red light burst from the Heartguard Mirror on his chest. The beams instantly killed several members of the Shadow Specter Sect, disintegrating their bones and turning them into piles of flesh.

    Zhou Qingchen''s ruthlessness and dominance shook the members of the Shadow Specter Sect, and those who had yet to reach the Meridian Opening Realm hurriedly moved out of the way.

    Zhou Qingchenughed heartily. He leaped over the piles of flesh, fearlessly charging forward as though nothing could stop him.

    Hong Tai had long since known about Zhou Qingchen''s Heartguard Mirror. Seeing him reveal it, Hong Tai squinted his eyes greedily and said, ''It appears to be a treasure bestowed by the Red Mountain Sect. Not bad, not bad at all!''"

    <i>Hiss!</i>

    He rode his python toward Zhou Qingchen, ttening the lush vegetation along the way. Wherever the python slithered, it left behind a rugged trench that dug several feet into the ground.

    Zhou Qingchen had not only attracted the main forces of the Shadow Specter Sect but also captured the attention of their leader, Hong Tai. He single-handedly bore the brunt of the Shadow Specter Sect''s primary force and significantly boosted the morale of the rest.

    Amidst the chaos, Ning Yao approached the fallen crimson warhorse. With a kick, she flipped over its lifeless body and slung the bloodstained sack of spirit stones over her shoulder.

    "Uncle Yuanshan, we need to leave quickly!" Although Pang Jian was standing beside her, she did not even spare him a nce as she joined forces with Ning Yuanshan to make their way toward the area farthest from Zhou Qingchen.

    That was exactly where the Shadow Specter Sect''s defenses were most vulnerable and where the pair nned to break through the encirclement.

    In Ning Yao''s mind, Pang Jian was already a dead man, destined to fall victim to the Shadow Specter Sect.

    "I''m returning your money. From now on, I''m no longer obligated to do anything for your Ning n," Pang Jian dered as he watched her and Ning Yuanshan''s figures getting further and further away. He retrieved the bag of silver coins from the bottom of his bamboo basket and flung it at Ning Yao.

    Ning Yao paid him no heed. She did not even turn her head.

    Her attention was on Zhang Heng, who had blocked their path. "Zhang Heng, my Ning n treated you well, yet you dare to plot against us!"

    "Treated me well?" Zhang Heng watched as Ning Yao and Ning Yuanshan rapidly approached from atop a warhorse he had hidden. "To the Ning n, those who do not bear the surname Ning are nothing but cannon fodder you can sacrifice at will. When have you, the young mistress of the Ning n, ever looked at me with respect?"

    His eyes took on a sinister glint as he stared at Ning Yao''s face. His throat emitted a low, guttural sound as if he were forcefully swallowing his saliva.

    Laughter erupted from behind a lush tree. "This time, you''ve rendered great merit for the sect. We''ll ensure this girl pays her respects to you properlyter. Elder Hong has long promised to let the girl serve you first."

    As soon as this voice rang out, Ning Yao''s expression darkened, realizing that the situation was not as simple as she had thought.

    Ning Yuanshan suddenly screamed, "Be careful!"

    Long pikes and short spears shot out like streaks of lightning from the bushes and trees in front of Ning Yao and Ning Yuanshan.

    The two frantically dodged and blocked the attack, but they could hardly keep up.

    Meanwhile, seeing the dire situation, the pale-faced Shangguan Qin decided to make a deal with the persistent fat man. "Han Duping, if you can get me out of here alive, I-I''ll let you have your way with me!"

    In her mind, gritting her teeth and reluctantly epting Han Duping''s advance was better than falling into the hands of the Shadow Specter Sect and suffering unspeakable humiliation.

    "The few pounds of meat on your body aren''t as important as my life." Despite always drooling over Shangguan Qin''s body, Han Duping could not care less about her at this critical moment of life and death.

    Han Duping enveloped himself in a shimmering suit of silver armor. Crouching down, he contracted his body and rolled on the ground like a shiny silver ball.

    The members of the Shadow Specter Sect hacked and shed at the silver ball. However, they only managed to produce a few sparks.

    Hidden within the silver ball, Han Duping took the opportunity to thrust out his needle-like weapon, killing several members of the Shadow Specter Sect that were surrounding him.

    "Han Duping! You despicable scoundrel! You''ll meet a miserable end!" Shangguan Qin, feeling insulted, cursed loudly. However, she ultimately chose to follow Han Duping in breaking through the encirclement.

    The Shadow Specter Sect had intercepted the breakout group. Only Pang Jian still lurked among the pile of dead warhorses, waiting for an opportune moment.

    "There''s still someone waiting foolishly here," said a slender member of the Shadow Specter Sect. The man leisurely approached, clutching a spiked club taller than him.

    The neer leaped into the air and brought the spiked club crashing toward Pang Jian''s head, intending to deal with him before pursuing Shangguan Qin.

    The voluptuous Shangguan Qin was just his type and he was itching with desire.

    <i>A cultivator in the Qi Practicing Realm,</i> Pang Jian noted, recalling what Zhou Qingchen had told him before.

    ording to Zhou Qingchen, cultivators that had not reached the Meridian Opening Realm could not channel their spiritual power through their meridians. As such, theirbat prowess was not much stronger than a normal person''s.

    Pang Jian calmed down. He waited with cold eyes for the approaching figure, not a shred of nervousness or fear on his face.

    Even as a child, he was not someone easily taken advantage of. Pang Jian had always been the hunter in the Solitary Mountain Range.

    Taking a deep breath, he switched to abat-ready stance. His eyes and heart were steady. An icy, murderous aura surrounded him.

    Pang Jian was ustomed to using a long saber. Seeing the spiked club approach, he discarded the Dragonwood Spear and instead used both hands on his long saber to block the club.

    <i>ng!</i>

    The impact caused Pang Jian''s hands to go numb. Even his long saber had deformed from the blow. The poor quality and rigidity of the long saber made it unsuitable forbat between cultivators.

    Pang Jian decisively reimed the Dragonwood Spear.

    Unexpectedly, the spear, which felt incredibly heavy the first time he lifted it, had now be unbelievably light.

    The weight of the Dragonwood Spear had not changed. The only thing that had changed was himself!

    A powerful force surged from the joints of his arms as he tightly gripped the spear.

    <i>That dream, with the cleansing of the bone marrow in my arms and ribcage...</i>

    The slender man from the Shadow Specter Sect was stunned that Pang Jian had withstood his attack. Adjusting the angle of the enormous spiked club, he prepared to attack again.

    Within that time, the younger, but taller and more robust Pang Jian had already approached the slender man with his spear.

    "You dare retaliate against me?" The slender man swung his spiked club, intending to crush Pang Jian''s skull and break every bone in his body.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Upon impact with Pang Jian''s spear, the spikes on the club''s head shattered and sprayed all over the slender man''s face and body. His hands on the spiked club could not withstand the force of the impact and burst open into bloody wounds.

    Pang Jian had defeated his opponent with one strike.

    Looking at the gruesome sight of the slender man, he could not help but mutter to himself, "So these are the cultivators from the Shadow Specter Sect? They''re not very impressive,"

    Pang Jian then stabbed the tip of his spear into the slender man''s neck.

    The Dragonwood Spear pierced the slender man''s neck with a squelch.

    Seeing how easily he killed the slender man, Pang Jian realized what Zhou Qingchen had told him before was true. Cultivators who had not reached the Meridian Opening Realm had not made any qualitative breakthroughs, and theirbat abilities were limited.

    Atop thest surviving warhorse, Zhang Heng let out a mournful, angry wail at the slender man''s death, "Zhang Hu!"

    He abandoned his fight with Ning Yao and Ning Yuanshan and rode his warhorse straight toward Pang Jian.

    "Little Brother!" Eyes wide with fury, Zhang Heng stared at the fallen body of Zhang Hu, hoping to detect any sign of life. Unfortunately, his younger brother Zhang Hu was as dead as the poisoned warhorses he was surrounded by.

    Zhang Hu was the only reason Zhang Heng had joined the Shadow Specter Sect. He whipped his warhorse in a rage as he screamed, "Pang Jian!"

    Pang Jian wasted no time. He nocked an arrow into his bow and shot at Zhang Heng.

    Previously, Pang Jian needed considerable effort to draw his bow. Now, however, he could fully draw his bow in the blink of an eye. He continuously shot arrows at Zhang Heng, but Zhang Heng either dodged them or blocked them with his longsword.

    Zhang Heng was steadily approaching when Pang Jian switched targets to shoot at the galloping warhorse instead.

    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>

    Arrows pierced the warhorse''s eyes, neck, and forehead. After being blinded, it thrashed wildly, flinging Zhang Heng off.

    Before Zhang Heng could even hit the ground, Pang Jian darted out like lightning, repeatedly stabbing upward with his Dragonwood Spear, piercing a series of holes in Zhang Heng''s body.

    Zhang Heng hit the ground, having met the same fate as his younger brother.

    "You were so fierce. I thought you''d actually pose a threat to me," Pang Jian muttered with a strange expression on his face as he nced at Zhang Heng''s corpse.

 Chapter 17: Bones Like Iron and Gold

    <h4>Chapter 17: Bones Like Iron and Gold</h4>

    Pang Jian''s confidence soared. Killing Zhang Heng and Zhang Hu made him realize he could win against cultivators in the Qi Practicing Realm.

    Despite this, Pang Jian did not impatiently rush out of the encirclement and instead opted to observe the situation.

    Zhou Qingchen had broken through the encirclement on the left of Pang Jian and had long since disappeared.

    asionally, Pang Jian would hear Hong Tai, the leader of the assault party, advancing while riding his python.

    The area in front of him, where Hong Tai and his python first appeared, was where Han Duping chose as his breakout route.

    Han Duping had been able to gradually break through the encirclement as a shiny silver ball in the beginning but was now being intercepted.

    Several members of the Shadow Specter Sect were holdingrge ck iron shields to block him. The silver ball collided fiercely with the ck iron shields but several people worked together to resist the impact and prevent Han Duping from advancing.

    Han Duping found himself at a loss for what to do.

    Shangguan Qin had originally nned to use Han Duping to find an opportunity to escape but had been intercepted by three members of the Shadow Specter Sect. Although armed with a red jade staff, she was surrounded. The three members attacked her while mercilessly taunting her.

    Among those in the Meridian Opening Realm, Shangguan Qin was the weakest. Thus, although she was in the same realm as one of her opponents, he was still stronger than her.

    She felt extremely distressed. Had it not been for Hong Tai''s order to keep her and Ning Yao alive, she would have sumbed to serious injuries long ago.

    Although Zhou Qingchen had boosted the morale of the loyal servants of the Zhou n, they were also struggling in the battle against the Shadow Specter Sect.

    While they were on par in cultivation realms, they were significantly outnumbered. Each person faced two to three opponents and inevitably met a swift defeat.

    In battles with significant differences in strength or numbers, determination and courage alone often were not enough to make a substantial difference.

    On the other end of the battlefield, Ning Yao and Ning Yuanshan also made no progress in breaking through the encirclement, even after Zhang Heng''s departure. On the contrary, their situation only grew more dire.

    A golden short spear impaled Ning Yuanshan, pinning him to the trunk of arge tree. He could only stare helplessly at Ning Yao.

    Ning Yao now faced the joint assault of a Meridian Opening Realm cultivator and four Qi Practicing Realm cultivators. They nned to deplete Ning Yao''s spiritual power and capture her alive.

    <i>Meridian Opening Realm.</i>

    Pang Jian found that he could identify those in the Meridian Opening Realm.

    Meridian Opening Realm cultivators could either emit a faint spiritual light from their bodies or disperse it outward through their weapons.

    Meanwhile, those at the Qi Practicing Realm mainly relied on the strength of their bodies andcked the flow of spiritual power.

    It became clear to distinguish between those in the Qi Practicing Realm and those in the Meridian Opening Realm at a nce.

    The Meridian Opening Realm cultivator leading the attack against Ning Yao suddenly noticed Pang Jian while Pang Jian was sizing him up.

    "Both the Zhang brothers have died." The Meridian Opening Realm cultivator pointed at two Qi Practicing Realm cultivators and said, "Two of you, go and kill him. Be careful, that kid''s a bit suspicious."

    "Got it." The pair rushed toward Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian no longer had the luxury to simply observe. He rallied his spirits to prepare for the next battle.

    Once again, he drew his bow and let loose an arrow. However, the two approaching members of the Shadow Specter proved to be more agile than the warhorse as they swiftly evaded Pang Jian''s shots.

    Soon, they reached Pang Jian and wasted no time tounch a coordinated attack from both sides.

    The death of the Zhang brothers caused them to be cautious and they did not dare to act rashly.

    The shorter of the two wielded a dagger and aimed straight for Pang Jian''s heart. The other held a long whip and sought to snare Pang Jian''s lower body to destabilize his stance.

    The two of them coordinated their attack seamlessly. This was clearly not the first time they hadunched a joint attack. As Pang Jian was about to raise his Dragonwood Spear to block their attacks, the long whips entangled his right ankle, causing him to stumble.

    "How are you still standing?" The one wielding the long whip had pulled with all his might but was astonished to see the staggering Pang Jian regain his bnce.

    The shorter one wielding a dagger took the opportunity to close the distance. Pang Jian''s Dragonwood Spear was useless in close-quartersbat.

    The dagger thrust toward his abdomen. With the long whip still wrapped around his right ankle, Pang Jian could not evade and instead blocked with his left arm.

    <i>Shunk!</i>

    The dagger stabbed Pang Jian''s arm.

    Fresh blood spewed from the wound, but his bones showed no signs of fracture from the dagger''s thrust. They held as resilient as iron and gold, staunchly resisting the blow.

    "It didn''t break?" The one wielding the dagger was relentless. In the blink of an eye, he swiftly delivered two more shes to the wound.

    <i>ng! ng!</i>

    Pang Jian''s arm bone emitted a strange metallic sh akin to steel striking steel.

    Although under intense pain, Pang Jian did not give his assant a chance to strike again. He grabbed the assant''s head and fiercely mmed it against his own.

    The assant''s nose bone was broken with a resounding crunch and his face was covered in blood.

    Using his hand like an iron hook, Pang Jian grabbed the assant''s arm and forcefully yanked it, dislocating his shoulder and causing his arm to hang limp.

    Disregarding his own bleeding arm, Pang Jian then gripped the assant''s shoulder with one hand while hammering punches into the assant''s chest with the other.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The assant''s ribcage exploded. He sprayed a mouthful of blood onto Pang Jian''s face and neck.

    After confirming the assant''s death, Pang Jian crouched down without hesitation and seized the whip entangled around his ankle.

    The second attacker from the Shadow Specter Sect had just witnessed hispanion''s death and was now being forcefully pulled over by Pang Jian''s terrifying strength. He staggered as he was propelled toward Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian was taller and sturdier than his peers. That,bined with his bloodied face and cold, fierce eyes instilled true fear in the heart of the second attacker.

    As he was about to reach Pang Jian, the attacker hastily let go of his long whip before turning around and fleeing.

    No longer restrained by the whip, Pang Jian did not hesitate to give chase. Without a word, he caught up to the attacker and delivered a powerful punch to his back.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The second attacker from the Shadow Specter Sect fell to the ground and died, meeting the same fate as the Zhang brothers.

    "Two useless pieces of trash," someone sneered, swinging their legs as they sat on a broad tree branch near where Han Duping tried to break through.

    The young man was dressed in exquisite attire. The leaves of the tree obscured his face.

    Neither those engrossed in battle nor the observing Pang Jian had noticed his presence before he spoke.

    With just a nce, Pang Jian determined this person was not the same as the two who attacked him. He was definitely not a cultivator in the Qi Practicing Realm.

    "Meridian Opening Realm," Pang Jian muttered to himself.

    As the man swung his legs, a distinct ripple of spiritual power emanated from him, akin to the blooming of a flower.

    This person could release spiritual power from his feet, indicating he had long since broken through to the Meridian Opening Realm. His cultivation was likely extraordinarily profound and refined.

    Pang Jain had yet to encounter an opponent in the Meridian Opening Realm. Despite his surge in physical strength and the tempering of his ribcage and arm bones, he stillcked the confidence to confront an opponent of this caliber.

    He cautiously sized up the person on the tree while secretly searching for opportunities he could take advantage of.

    "There''s something strange about your body," The person said, floating down from the tree. Hended lightly like a feather and walked straight toward Pang Jian. "There''s no spiritual power circting in any of your meridians, meaning you''ve yet to reach the Meridian Opening Realm. However, some of your bones are as sturdy as cultivators in the Marrow Cleansing Realm. How surprising."

    After hended, the cultivators attacking Shangguan Qi all scattered away in fear.

    They treated him like a terrifying wild beast.

    He ignored Han Duping and the disheveled but stunning Shangguan Qin as he made his way toward Pang Jian.

    "Jin Yang. Don''t take unnecessary risks," a hoarse voice called out from behind a ck iron shield. "You''re too important. Let me test the young man. If he''s a Marrow Cleansing Realm expert pretending to be a Qi Practicing Realm cultivator and something happens to you, I won''t be able to justify it to our Sect Master."

    A man stepped out from behind the giant shield. He wore a golden robe, with a matching golden mask adorning his face.

    The mask on his face had jagged fangs at the corners of its mouth, giving him a fierce appearance, like a demon straight out of hell.

    "I''ve heard your voice before!" Han Duping stared at the formidable figure from inside therge silver ball. "Perhaps we''ve met before!"

    Only the man''s eyes were visible through the mask. He neither confirmed nor denied Han Duping''s words.

    "A Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator this young would not be from someone from the lower world." Jin Yang chuckled. Waving his hand indifferently, he said, "Don''t worry. He''s not one of those heaven-blessed talents."

    Seeing as Jin Yang had made up his mind, the masked man stopped trying to persuade him.

    Pang Jian felt uneasy at their conversation. The young man named Jin Yang from the Shadow Specter Sect did not appear to be in the same profound cultivation realm as Hong Tai, but his status seemed higher than Hong Tai''s.

    Jin Yang was not the leader of this operation. Before this, he had merely been an observer.

    Being targeted by such a person after piquing their curiosity was not desirable for Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian''s gaze flickered as he tried to find a way to break through the encirclement. However, he quickly realized the Shadow Specter Sect had stationed hidden attackers everywhere.

    He felt helpless. No matter how he tried to flee, Jin Yang would catch up to him.

    <i>ckwater Pond, withered bone, restricted area!</i>

    These words shed through Pang Jian''s mind like lightning.

    Pang Jian turned around, desperately rushing toward ckwater Pond where a withered bone of the Celestial Phoenix stood.

    "Interesting. Instead of seeking ast glimpse of hope, he''s retreating into a dead end." Jin Yangughed as he steadily closed in on Pang Jian. "That bone of the Celestial Phoenix doesn''t contain any mystical power. I examined it earlier. We had Zhang Heng lead you here precisely because of ckwater Pond."

    The terrain around ckwater Pond was well-suited for an ambush. Thus, they arranged for Zhang Heng to bring the Zhou n and the others here under the pretext of exploring the withered bone.

    He did not think that Pang Jian could conjure any tricks with ckwater Pond and that withered bone.

 Chapter 18: Chaos

    <h4>Chapter 18: Chaos</h4>

    Several li away, a thin bloody mist enveloped a towering ancient tree with withering branches and yellow leaves. The bloody mist slowly turned into a graceful figure.

    A mysterious woman in ethereal form turned the bloody mist into a thin veil and used it to cover her delicate figure.

    She stepped onto the withered branch with elegant jade-like feet, her hazy face shielded in bloody mist as she studied the greatmotion ahead.

    Zhou Qingchen rushed forward in a frenzy, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake as he broke through the encirclement with a ferocious momentum.

    Riding a python behind him was Hong Tai, in close pursuit. Hong Tai asionally threw blood-colored spears forward and unleashed a series of exquisite techniques.

    A dark red mountain materialized from Zhou Qingchen''s dense spiritual power floated above his head.

    Most of Hong Tai''s attacks and the python''s venomnded on the towering dark red mountain, allowing Zhou Qingchen to resist several deadly attacks.

    However, the illusory red mountain gradually weakened under the repeated bombardment from Hong Tai and his python.

    It seemed that the illusory dark red mountain sheltering Zhou Qingchen would soon copse and disappear. At that moment, Hong Tai would unleash a truly deadly attack.

    Zhou Qingchen''s speed could not match the speed of Hong Tai''s python. Thus, Hong Tai was rxed in his pursuit and showed no sign of urgency.

    While the mystery woman observed Zhou Qingchen and Hong Tai''s battle, many Spirit Devils converged toward her. The sturdy, imposing figure of Luo Meng floated behind her like a guardian deity. Beside him were several other Spirit Devils, refined from the souls of Meridian Opening Realm cultivators.

    "It should be in that deep valley." The mysterious woman could hear the sounds of intense battleing from the direction Zhou Qingchen had escaped from.

    She suddenly sensed something.

    Turning in the opposite direction, she saw a tall figure, with an unusual shriveled body, walking alone through the dense mountain forest. The person''s flesh seemed to have been gnawed away from the inside, leaving behind nothing more than a skeleton wrapped in ayer of skin.

    The clothes around his heart were torn, revealing a vivid lifelike tattoo of a phoenix fluttering its wings on his chest.

    His face was twisted with pain as he headed toward ckwater Pond. It seemed he was mindlessly following the instructions of the Celestial Phoenix tattoo on his chest, panting heavily like a savage beast on the verge of losing its sanity.

    The woman lightly shook her head. "A poor soul whose heart has been devoured by the essence of the Celestial Phoenix."

    The Celestial Phoenix''s essence had invaded his heart, devouring all his flesh and internal organs, and leaving only his heart intact. He was now in a near-death state.

    When the tattoo of the Celestial Phoenix flew away from his chest, his body and soul would be destroyed.

    "There''s another bone containing the essence of the Celestial Phoenix in the valley He was drawn here by that bone."

    The woman devised a n.

    She was preparing to umte spirit materials to reforge her physical body. However, if she were to use the Celestial Phoenix''s essence as the catalyst, the body she reforged would have even greater potential than her original body.

    With this in mind, her eyes slowly lit up as she plotted to obtain the essence of the Celestial Phoenix from within the valley.

    ***

    Deep within the valley, several finger-length spirit swords, as thin as cicada wings, flew out from behind Jin Yang and shot toward Pang Jian.

    <i>Hum!</i>

    Pang Jian raced toward ckwater Pond. ncing backward, he saw the small spirit swords on his tail.

    When the flying swords got too close, he was forced to stop and raise his Dragonwood Spear to block.

    Despite the clinking of metal shing, some of the flying spirit swords still managed to pierce his arm, wounding him further.

    The flying swords retreated slightly and did not initiate a new round of attacks.

    Pang Jian gritted his teeth and moved forward.

    <i>ckwater Pond.</i>

    Even now, Pang Jian remained unaware of what sinister dangers could be lurking within the pond. The fact that his father had designated ckwater Pond a forbidden zone was enough for him to harbor a steadfast belief that there was something ominous about the ce.

    Not to mention the bone of the Celestial Phoenix embedded in it.

    With each new wound, he found himself anticipating the trembling of the earth, hoping it would split open once more and unleash some unknown evil to indiscriminately ughter those present, providing him an opportunity to escape amidst the chaos.

    It would be difficult for him to escape from the valley now that Jin Yang was targeting him. Pang Jian could only hope to rely on other peculiarities or strange phenomena to help him.

    He could only ce his hope on ckwater Pond and the mysterious bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Pang Jian finally reached the edge of ckwater Pond, clumsily fending off the flying swords with his bloodied arms as he murmured, "If there are any mysteries within, please reveal yourself soon."

    Jin Yang strolled leisurely behind him, deftly manipting his seven Cicada Wing Sword to leave a series of bloody wounds on Pang Jian''s body.

    "Both his arms and the vital parts of his chest seem to have undergone special tempering," he observed. "He obviously hasn''t reached the Marrow Cleansing Realm. So, how did he achieve that?"

    Jin Yang was in no hurry to finish off Pang Jian and was more interested in studying Pang Jian as he tried to figure out the secrets of his body.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The seven Cicada Wing Swords stopped in mid-air. Each sword pointed at one of Pang Jian''s vital areas like his waist, forehead, and throat.

    Pang Jian was now trapped between Jin Yang and ckwater Pond.

    Jin Yang smiled. "Behind you is ckwater Pond. Where will you retreat to now?"

    "I choose ckwater Pond!" Pang Jian leaped into ckwater Pond and swam toward the protruding bone of the Celestial Phoenix at its center.

    The water in the pond was deep and cold. Its depths were shrouded in darkness. Pang Jian, a skilled swimmer, swam forward with all his might.

    The Dragonwood Spear in Pang Jian''s hand was too heavy in the water and slowed him down, so he decisively threw the spear toward the center of the pond.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The seven Cicada Wing Swords flew above the pond.

    Pang Jian did not hesitate to dive underwater as he continued to swim toward the withered bone.

    The pitch-ck pond waterpletely obscured his presence and Jin Yang could not pinpoint Pang Jian''s whereabouts.

    "You can''t breathe underwater with your cultivation realm. You''ll have to emerge eventually." Jin Yang remained calm. The seven Cicada Wing Swords hovered above the pond, patiently awaiting Pang Jian''s emergence. He was keen to discover the mystery of Pang Jian''s body.

    Pang Jian could not see anything in the bone-chilling water. Although his eyes were open, the water appeared as ck as ink, just as it did from the outside.

    However, swimming in ckwater Pond was no different from any other pond. Relying on his memories for directions, he continued to swim desperately toward the withered bone.

    The withered bone was a glimmer of hope.

    He held his breath and did his best to stay well below the surface, fully aware that the Cicada Wing Swords were waiting for him to resurface to attack.

    After some time, he came into contact with the withered bone underwater.

    Unbeknownst to him, his blood silently seeped into the bone of the Celestial Phoenix the moment he touched it.

    The withered bone sucked in his blood from the surrounding waters.

    Pang Jian was struggling to hold his breath when he abruptly realized he could now see in the dark water.

    He could see the bone of the Celestial Phoenix and the seven Cicada Wing Swords flying above the surface.

    The color of the water had not changed. It was still pitch-ck.

    What changed was the fallen bone of the Celestial Phoenix submerged in the pond. An illuminating radiance emanated from the withered bone, dispersing some of the inky darkness.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    The ground started to tremble. ckwater Pond was the epicenter.

    Boulders fell from the cliff behind the pond andrge trees toppled one after the other.

    A divine force from the depths of the earth tore apart the rugged terrain of the deep valley.

    Deep fissures appeared and spread across thend, fragmenting it.

    Having experienced it once before, Han Duping, Shangguan Qin, and Ning Yao desperately tried to run for their lives when they felt the tremors.

    "Another earthquake!" Shangguan Qin had witnessed the previous tragedy firsthand and trembled with tears in her eyes. "Leave this ce! Quickly!"

    She feared the terrifying vines more than she feared the Shadow Specter Sect.

    "Deadly vines emerge when an earthquake urs near a withered bone! I''ll die, and you lot won''t be able to escape either!" Shangguan Qin screamed desperately at the members of the Shadow Specter Sect.

    Ning Yao had also ceased her struggle. She shouted the same words as Shangguan Qin, hoping to persuade the members of the Shadow Specter Sect to let her leave.

    "After the earthquake, terrors will emerge from the ground?" The members of the Shadow Specter Sect asked skeptically. They saw the fear on Shangguan Qin''s and Ning Yao''s faces, as well as the anxiety on Han Duping''s, but were uncertain about the truth of their words.

    At the same time, the Celestial Phoenix tattoo on the chest of the emaciated man outside the valley frantically pped its wings. Realizing time was running out, the man dashed toward the deep valley as fast as possible.

    The gold-masked squad leader of the Shadow Specter Sect could not help but let out a startled cry. There was an intruder with nothing but skin and bones, resembling neither man nor ghost.

    "Ouyang Duanhai! You''re Ouyang Duanhai!" he eximed. "How did you end up like this?"

    Shangguan Qin froze. "Ouyang Duanhai?"

    She abruptly turned to look at the intruder, staring fixedly at his face.

    "Duanhai? No. You''re not him! You can''t be!" Shangguan Qin screamed like a madwoman. She could not believe that her once handsome lover had turned into the ghastly figure before her.

    She had taken the initiative to enter the Solitary Mountain Range because she and Ouyang Duanhai had agreed to meet there. The two of them had killed her ex-husband.

    Ouyang Duanhai was the one she truly cared for. He was her lifelong love.

    As the ghastly figure approached, he heard her cry "Duanhai", and a glimmer of consciousness seemed to return in his eyes.

    "Little-Little Qin?" He gathered his remaining willpower to look at her, desperately trying to confirm her identity. Recognition shed in his dull eyes and he shouted, "Leave this ce! Little Qin, quickly leave this bloody battlefield! I-I will help you...survive!"

    Ouyang Duanhai abandoned all thoughts of surviving and rushed resolutely toward the cultivators of the Shadow Specter Sect.

 Chapter 19: Corrosive Water

    <h4>Chapter 19: Corrosive Water</h4>

    The masked squad leader of the Shadow Specter Sect looked at the ghastly figure of Ouyang Duanhai. He could not help himself from making snickering remarks while gesturing for his subordinates to intercept. "True love does exist! Tsk, tsk. Your tragic love story is so moving."

    Seeing Ouyang Duanhai in this hideous state brought him great satisfaction.

    Apart from hiding his identity, the other reason he constantly wore a mask was because his face was scarred and unsightly, unfit for public view. Meanwhile, the spineless coward from the Ouyang n was universally recognized by the seven major ns as a handsome man and was admired by countless women.

    The tall, handsome Ouyang Duanhai and the beautiful, charming Shangguan Qin could be considered a match made in heaven.

    Like the Shangguan n, the Ouyang n also had connections to the Blood Moon Sect of the Third World. Moreover, they had been childhood sweethearts and had nearly pledged themselves to each other when they were young.

    Unfortunately, everything changed when the people from the Blood Moon Sect came and inspected their cultivation talents.

    The Blood Moon Sect had deemed it unworthy to help them shed their mortal bodies and ascend into the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    In other words, the Blood Moon Sect would not ept them.

    The two had expected to marry each other after reaching adulthood but were forcibly separated by their families.

    A man''s handsome appearance did not count for much in worlds where strength reigned supreme. A woman''s beauty, however, could still be exchanged for resources.

    Therefore, the alluring Shangguan Qin was forced by her n to marry a member of the Dong n with high cultivation talent.

    That person had no other redeeming qualities besides his high cultivation talent and was incredibly ugly.

    No matter how Shangguan Qin sought death and raised a ruckus, she was still sent to the Dong n, the strongest n in the Fourth World, to please that man.

    Yearster, that man died during an exploration of a secret realm. The Dong n then arranged for Shangguan Qin to be the concubine of another member of their n.

    Her second husband tragically fell victim to cultivation deviation [1] and perished when he tried to break through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    Afterward, the Dong n regarded her as an inauspicious person and decided to send her back to the Shangguan n.

    Back in the Shangguan n, Shangguan Qin was not well received by her n members, and they often assigned her dangerous tasks like the exploration of the Solitary Mountain Range.

    "A truly ill-fated couple." The masked squad leader chose not to retreat due to the earthquake and secretly instructed his subordinate to spare Shangguan Qin''s life.

    Understanding his intentions, his subordinates shared knowing smiles as they surrounded Shangguan Qin and the bizarrely transformed Ouyang Duanhai.

    The masked squad leader noticed Ouyang Duanhai''s overbearing aura was intimidating his subordinates. He reassured, "This Ouyang Duanhai is not someone worth mentioning. You don''t have to¡ª"

    He abruptly frowned and fell silent, expression changing subtly.

    Ouyang Duanhai''s face contorted as he unleashed the most basic technique of the Blood Moon Sect, the Blood Hand Seal. However, the instant the blood-colored handprint emerged from his palm, it eerily transformed into feathers.

    Ouyang Duanhai mmed the eerie blood-red feathers, which seemingly weighed over ten thousand jun[2], into one of the masked squad leader''s subordinates, crushing his body with a single strike.

    The blood-red feathers, full of condensed spiritual power, seamlessly disappeared into the subordinate''s body to gnaw away at his flesh, tendons, and bones from within.

    "Be careful, he''s not the same as before," The masked squad leader of the Shadow Specter Sect warned solemnly as he stared at the Celestial Phoenix tattoo on Ouyang Duanhai''s chest.

    <i>p! p! p!</i>

    As Ouyang Duanhai wildly pped his hands, more blood-red feathers flew out one after the other and killed the approaching assants.

    In the blink of an eye, seven to eight mutted corpsesy scattered on the grass around him.

    The sinister and bloodthirsty blood-red feathers burrowed into the corpses. The flesh and bones of these corpses visibly shriveled at an rming rate. Each corpse started to resemble the emaciated Ouyang Duanhai, looking as if all the flesh in their body had been drained away.

    The light of self-awareness in Ouyang Duanhai''s eyes was slowly dissipating.

    Each time he used the Blood Hand Seal to produce blood-red feathers, his self-awareness seemed to diminish, allowing his inner demon to grow stronger.

    "Little-Little Qin, hurry...run away!" Ouyang Duanhai roared, blood flowing from his eyes. "I can''t hold on much longer!"

    Shocked at his vicious methods, Shangguan Qin stared dumbfoundedly at Ouyang Duanhai as a sense of estrangement filled her. She could not believe her usually timid lover had such a savage side to him.

    Although she and Ouyang Duanhai had conspired against her two previous husbands, she had been the one carrying out the ns.

    Ouyang Duanhai was a timid man, gentle to his core, with an aversion to filth and a distaste for bloodshed.

    She never imagined that Ouyang Duanhai could one day be so ruthless and bloodthirsty!

    "Quick!" Ouyang Duanhai urged, howling madly as he charged toward the masked man.

    Blood-red feathers flew out of the corpses and returned to his chest to be part of the tattoo of the Celestial Phoenix.

    With each feather, the self-awareness in Ouyang Duanhai''s eyes lessened. He looked to be on the verge of copse.

    Shangguan Qin stared at Ouyang Duanhai, eyes lingering on the tattoo of the Celestial Phoenix on his chest. Finally gritted her teeth, she fled and shouted, "Duanhai, I''ll wait for you at the agreed-upon location!"

    "Get her!"

    As soon as she moved, the other hidden members of the Shadow Specter Sect lurking in the forest attempted to chase after her.

    <i>p! p! p!</i>

    Ouyang Duanhai pped his hands in the air. The Blood Hand Seals once again transformed into blood-red feathers, killing those chasing after Shangguan Qin.

    Driven to madness from the ughter, he stood amidst the scattered corpses, watching with a pair of demonic red eyes as his lover fled into the distance. "As you survive, that''s enough for me. I couldn''t do much for you in this lifetime, but this demonic possession has unexpectedly granted me the strength and courage to finally do something for you."

    A sense of liberation emerged in the depths of his bloodthirsty eyes.

    Ouyang Duanhai was no longer afraid of dying.

    Meanwhile, Han Duping had originally intended to take advantage of Ouyang Duanhai''s disy of power to escape with Shangguan Qin.

    After witnessing the swift demise of the assants from the Shadow Specter Sect, however, he was unsure of Ouyang Duanhai''s condition. Fearing that a misunderstanding on thetter''s part would lead to fatal consequences, he remained rooted to the spot, not daring to move.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    The earth continued to tremble. The fissures stretched out and grew steadily with ckwater Pond as their epicenter.

    Han Duping''s heart was torn with anxiety. While he dreaded the possibility of strange creatures emerging from the widening fissures, he also feared provoking Ouyang Duanhai. Therefore, he could only helplessly scan his surroundings.

    Before long, he realized that nearly all the servants of the Zhou n had perished.

    Ning Yao had also been unable to escape and was caught in arge woven from silver threads.

    The other squad leader of the Shadow Specter Sect bound her over the with a length of rope. Using the rope as a leash, he dragged Ning Yao toward ckwater Pond, carefully navigating around the widening cracks along the way.

    As Han Duping surveyed his surroundings, he realized the rumbling of the ground was subsiding.

    His face paled. When the trembling stopped, something terrifying would surely emerge from the fissures on the ground.

    <i>ng! ng!</i>

    He suddenly heard the shing of swordsing from ckwater Pond behind him.

    Turning his head, Han Duping saw Jin Yang''s seven Cicada Wing Swords whistling around the protruding bone on the surface of ckwater Pond. Pang Jian, however, was nowhere to be seen.

    <i>That kid, could he still be alive?</i> Han Duping wondered in surprise.

    ***

    Pang Jian''s face was flushed red from holding his breath underwater. The divine light released by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix allowed him to see his surroundings and the Cicada Wing Swords flying above him.

    If he did not resurface, he would eventually drown, but if he did, he would be attacked by the Cicada Wing Swords.

    Conflicted, he endured.

    He hoped that whatever emerged from the fissures would have the ability to obliterate those from the Shadow Specter Sect!

    But the fearsome creatures did not appear.

    A sense of helplessness and despair overcame him.

    "I''ve finally found you!" Jin Yang eximed. When the divine light illuminated the water, he spotted a figure clinging to the bone of the Celestial Phoenix for support. Narrowing his eyes, he sneered coldly, "Do you really think you can continue to hide from me now that I''ve spotted you?"

    One of the Cicada Wing Swords shot toward Pang Jian''s shoulder. He nned topel Pang Jian to resurface so that he could interrogate him.

    Seeing the spirit sword approaching, Pang Jian shifted his body in an attempt to avoid the attack.

    <i>Ssh!</i>

    The moment the Cicada Wing Sword pierced the water, it encountered a thousandfold resistance, slowing its momentum to a crawl.

    In an instant, the spirit sword, which had been radiating a bright light, lost all its brilliance. It then sank toward the bottom of the pond like a piece of scrap iron.

    Pang Jian could not have evaded that spirit sword attack had it pierced through the water as intended. He watched in bewilderment as the sword sank past him.

    After considering his options for a moment, he quickly stuck his head out, gulped down a few deep breaths, and swiftly dove back into ckwater Pond before Jin Yang could react.

    He then hid himself by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix as before.

    "My Cicada Wing Swords!" Jin Yang was shocked. Then, seeing Pang Jian resurface, he moved to attack, only for Pang Jian to dive back into the water once more.

    Frowning, he moved to the edge of ckwater Pond and crouched down, peering into the inky water.

    When the spirit sword entered the water, the spiritual power he infused into it eroded, and the connection between him and the sword was severed.

    He was uncertain if this effect was caused by pond water or the divine light of the withered bone, so he decided to test it out himself.

    "I''ve inspected it thoroughly. Aside from being cold and dark, there doesn''t seem to be anything unusual about the pond water. As for the withered bone, there shouldn''t be any mystery to it. This doesn''t make any sense," Jin Yang muttered to himself.

    He extended his left hand toward the pond, wanting to examine the water one more time.

    His left palm grazed the surface of the water and he instantly flinched, pulling his arm back as though he had just been electrocuted as he broke out into a cold sweat from the intense pain.

    The skin of his slender left hand had been stripped of flesh and skin from just that brief touch, leaving nothing but bone. The skin, muscles, tendons, and blood that once made up his left hand had been corroded away in an instant.

    Staring at the stark white bones of his hand, Jin Yang gritted his teeth and shivered as he drew in the chilly air.

    He then nced over at Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian''s whole body was submerged in the water as he clung to the bone of the Celestial Phoenix bone for support.

    But he was alive and well.

    "Jin Yang, the useless trash from the Ouyang n is heading toward you!" The masked squad leader of the Shadow Specter Sect shouted. Even the masked man was no longer a match for Ouyang Duanhai after he lost his self-awareness.

    Ouyang Duanhaipletely ignored the masked man. He could no longer remember Shangguan Qin. All he could think of was going to ckwater Pond.

    Something in ckwater Pond was calling out to Ouyang Duanhai.

    At this point, the tremors had stopped for a long while and no terrifying beings emerged from the fissures on the ground.

    The other squad leader of the Shadow Specter Sect had been dragging the ensnared Ning Yao as the other members of the Shadow Specter Sect trailed after him. However, fearing that Jin Yang would be harmed, he abandoned the.

    "Intercept and kill Ouyang Duanhai!" he yelled. Then he ordered his subordinates behind him, "Take care of the girl for me!"

    This squad leader of the Shadow Specter Sect and the masked man flew toward Jin Yang.

    Jin Yang stood with his back to them, so the two of them were unaware that his left hand had already been reduced to bone.

    They were also unaware of Jin Yang''s contorted expression as he stared at Pang Jian''s figure clinging to the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    1. "×ß»ðÈëÄ§" (z¨¯u hu¨¯ r¨´ m¨®) refers to a situation where a martial artist''s cultivation or use of internal energy goes awry, leading to a state of being possessed by demons or evil spirits. This term is often used to describe when a practitioner loses control of their power, leading to negative consequences such as insanity, corruption, or even death. It''s amon trope in martial arts novels where characters face internal struggles or external temptations that threaten their mental and physical well-being. ?

    2. In traditional Chinese units of measurement, "¾û" (j¨±n) refers to a weight unit equivalent to fifteen kilograms ?

 Chapter 20: The Marvel at the Bottom of the Pond

    <h4>Chapter 20: The Marvel at the Bottom of the Pond</h4>

    The calm ckwater Pond drew much attention, with several figures swiftly approaching.

    Underwater, all Pang Jian knew was that the Cicada Wing Swords lost all their luster and mysticism upon entering the pond.

    He did not know Jin Yang''s hand had been corroded when he tried to investigate the mysterious ck water.

    Having briefly resurfaced to take a deep breath, Pang Jian closely monitored the Cicada Wing Swords flying above him. He patiently endured the agony as he held out hope that a miracle would ur so that he could escape the Shadow Specter Sect.

    Time slowly ticked by, one second at a time.

    Pang Jian had exceptional swimming skills and could hold his breath for long periods. As he waited, he watched as the Cicada Wing Swords hovered overhead.

    Unbeknownst to him, the wound on his arm had stopped bleeding.

    The divine light radiating from the bone of the Celestial Phoenix dimmed, and the area it illuminated slowly shrunk.

    <i>I wonder if I could cultivate the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art...</i>

    Pang Jian clung to the dimming bone as he tried to clear his mind.

    He no longer swam around the withered bone and instead allowed his body to sink to the bottom of the pond, entering a state of deep concentration.

    As he observed his navel region, he noticed the strange, somewhat transparent dark green Spirit Cauldron had appeared and was absorbing the avable energy nearby.

    The ink-ck pond water had a strange energy that surged relentlessly toward his Spirit Cauldron in his navel region. This energy carried a distinct acidic nature and seemed capable of corroding flesh.

    Pang Jian was startled.

    As he was going to stop cultivating the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, he found that the first wisps of corrosive energy that entered the dark green Spirit Cauldron were purging the cotton-like impurities in his navel region.

    Moreover, the speed and effectiveness of this corrosive energy far surpassed the Profound Yin energy in the cracked gray rock.

    Despite his absorption of the corrosive energy, the miniature world inside his navel region showed no sign of abnormality or disturbance.

    <i>This energy can also be absorbed? And it can cleanse the impurities in my navel region? </i>

    Pang Jian was astonished. He once again praised the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    As he sank to the bottom of the pond, he circted spiritual qi into the dark green Spirit Cauldron.

    He soon discovered that, as he cultivated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art in the icy cold water of the pond, he could utilize the pores on his arms and along his ribcage to draw in...air.

    While there was air in the water, most normal people could not breathe it.

    <i>Why can I breathe it? And why am I absorbing the air through the pores on my arms and chest? </i>Pang Jian wondered

    Earlier, when he had been attacked by the members of the Shadow Specter Sect, his arms felt as strong as iron and he experienced a sudden increase in his physical strength. Pang Jian recalled his dream of Celestial Phoenixes roaming his bones.

    The myriad of thoughts swirling in his mind interrupted his cultivation of the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art and he abruptly snapped back to reality.

    He once again forced his mind to calm down, reentering a state of deep concentration as he cultivated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art. As he did so, his body continued to sink.

    ***

    Outside the pond, the two squad leaders of the Shadow Specter Sect shouted hysterically, "Jin Yang!"

    Jin Yang''s face was filled with malice as he watched Pang Jian sink to the bottom of the pond. The small patch of light surrounding the bone of the Celestial Phoenix slowly faded away.

    He turned around.

    The eerie sight of a lifelike blood-red phoenix dancing gracefully on Ouyang Duanhai''s chest suddenly appeared before him.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Jin Yang summoned the patrolling Cicada Wing Swords back to him.

    However, he quickly discovered that Ouyang Duanhai, with his eyes devoid of intelligence, had lost all self-awareness and was not actually approaching him.

    Before the Cicada Wing Swords could return to Jin Yang, Ouyang Duanhai leaped high into the air and plunged into ckwater Pond with a loud ssh.

    Jin Yang was on high alert. He prepared to activate his magical treasures with his skeletal left hand when he noticed Ouyang Duanhai had continued to ignore him.

    Jin Yang stood there like a statue, stunned and motionless.

    When Ouyang Duanhai dove into the pond, his skeleton-like body was covered in a bloody light.

    He appeared briefly in the ck water, only to vanish from sight as he was nketed by darkness momentster.

    Lifting his skeletal left hand, Jin Yang felt immensely frustrated and ufortable. Staring at the spot where Ouyang Duanhai had disappeared, he screamed hysterically, "He wasn''t dissolved by the corrosion! He''s not dissolving! The ck water isn''t dissolving the young man named Pang Jian and this deranged strange creature!"

    At this point, the two Meridian Opening Realm squad leaders of the Shadow Specter Sect finally arrived.

    "Jin Yang, what happened to your hand?" The masked man asked in horror. "I told you earlier. You shouldn''t have gotten yourself involved! What do we do now? How will we exin this to the Sect Master when we return?"

    He feared the Sect Master of the Shadow Specter Sect would me him for this. Just the thought of the Sect Master''s cruel methods sent shivers down his spine.

    "We have ways to regenerate flesh," Jin Yang said indifferently. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, then spoke in a low voice, "The ck water of the pond is peculiar. It has the power to corrode flesh. I was careless."

    "We inspected the pond water not long ago and there was nothing unusual then, right?" The other squad leader at the Meridian Opening Realm expressed his doubt.

    "Things are different now." Jin Yang took a glove from the masked man and put it on, gritting his teeth as he replied, "Perhaps we overlooked something during our inspection."

    The two Meridian Opening Realm squad leaders of the Shadow Specter Sect nced at the dark waters of the pond, looking uncertain of Jin Yang''s ims.

    "After the ground cracked open, nothing terrifying emerged. They lied to us." The squad leader watched as his subordinates dragged Ning Yao to his side. He coldly said, "It seems like I''ll need to interrogate her."

    "They didn''t lie." Jin Yang snorted coldly. "There are some matters that Zhang Heng didn''t tell you but that he made clear to Hong Tai. Terrifying vines did actually emerge from the ground during their first encounter with a bone of the Celestial Phoenix. The vines killed all the members of the Shangguan n before devouring their bodies. The reason I was interested in the hunter was because Zhang Heng told me that the Eye of Imprint had chosen him!"

    Jin Yang was well aware of the information unavable to the two squad leaders knew, he simply had no intention of exining it to them before this.

    The two squad leaders grew concerned as they nced warily at the fissures on the ground. "What should we do next?"

    "Only those who have reached the Marrow Cleansing Realm and have shed their mortal body can breathe underwater through their pores. Pang Jian''s been underwater for so long. Either he''s already died and sank to the bottom of the pond, or perhaps..." Jin Yang frowned at the ck water and insisted, "Let''s wait a little longer!"

    The two of them could only wait obediently.

    However, neither Pang Jian nor the crazed Ouyang Duanhai emerged from the pond.

    Outside the valley, a member of the Shadow Specter Sect shouted, "Han Duping''s escaped!"

    When the masked squad leader rushed to ckwater Pond, the defenses on that side loosened, allowing Han Duping to escape.

    "Ignore him. He''s just someone familiar with arrays. He''s not that important," Jin Yang said, stopping the two squad leaders from chasing after Han Duping.

    ***

    While they conversed, a faint blood-colored shadow appeared on the ancient tree where Jin Yang had previously concealed himself. She stood amidst the lush leaves, observing as Jin Yang and the others had their discussion near ckwater Pond.

    Nobody noticed her presence.

    "It''s not just the bone of the Celestial Phoenix at the bottom of the pond. From what I know, refining and shaping every drop of the essence of the Celestial Phoenix requires a vast umtion of flesh," she murmured.

    She did not rush to dive into ckwater Pond as theck of suitable cover around the pond made it inconvenient for her to conceal her figure.

    "This essence of the Celestial Phoenix is extraordinary. I wonder what kind of strange object it pierced through to gather such abundant blood and flesh essence."

    ***

    In the depths of ckwater Pond, Pang Jian immersed himself in cultivation, allowing his body to continue sinking as he focused on absorbing the corrosive energy from the icy waters around him.

    An indescribable sense of satisfaction bloomed in his heart as he felt the emergence of a power that could be described as majestic.

    The dark-green Spirit Cauldron drank in the surging energy, rapidly purifying the impurities within his navel region.

    When he absorbed the Profound Yin energy, he had to do so strand by strand. However, submerged in the water of the pond, Pang Jian felt like he was swimming in a vast ocean of energy!

    The water around him gradually turned transparent as he cultivated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art. However, Pang Jian remained oblivious to this.

    As he absorbed the corrosive energy with the Spirit Cauldron, he became like a radiant source of light, purifying the darkness within the water.

    After a long time, his feet touched solid ground, so he opened his eyes.

    Pang Jian was amazed to find the pond''s depths were surprisingly clear.

    Lowering his gaze, he saw an olive-green scale beneath his feet, and he soon spotted some oval-shaped ck dots as he looked around.

    It was the broad body of a serpent!

    Pang Jian was horrified.

    He had seen countless serpents after hunting in the Solitary Mountain Range over many years, but he had never seen one sorge!

    Even the python Hong Tai rode was like a small earthwormpared to the giant serpent at the bottom of the pond.

    The giant serpent was coiled around the protruding bone of the Celestial Phoenix and appeared to be in the middle of trying to twist or topple it.

    The flesh of its tail had long since disappeared, leaving only a massive spine-like bone that pped weakly against the ground. However, although these strikes seemed feeble, they still caused the ground to quake.

    Its frenzied struggles were the cause of the earthquake and fissures around ckwater Pond.

    From where he stood, Pang Jian could only see the body of the giant serpent wrapped around the Celestial Phoenix bone, with its fleshless tailbone striking weakly against the floor of the pond.

    Overwhelmed by its presence, Pang Jian shifted to inspect something else.

    He then saw the massive serpent head resting on the bottom of the pond.

    The gigantic bone of the Celestial Phoenix had impaled the serpent''s head like a towering spear, pinning it to the floor of the pond.

    Despite its struggles, Its massive head remained immobile, and it could not escape the impalement of the withered bone.

    Pang Jian could almost imagine the giant withered bone falling into ckwater Pond from the upper worlds and skewered the giant serpent at the bottom.

 Chapter 21: Diligent Practice

    <h4>Chapter 21: Diligent Practice</h4>

    Pang Jian''s body was frozen in shock. The bizarre scene before him caused his imagination to go wild.

    The bone of the Celestial Phoenix had pierced through the head of the giant serpent. Its head was pressed against the rocky bottom of the pond, and despite its efforts, it could only writhe like a centipede, refusing to sumb to death''s grip.

    He did not know how long the serpent had been struggling, but regardless, it remained unable to free itself from the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, leading to the loss of flesh on parts of its body.

    Even mysterious beings like the giant serpent were utterly helpless when faced with the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    For a long time, Pang Jian gazed at the giant serpent. <i>Is the giant serpent the reason why Father designated ckwater Pond a forbidden zone?</i>

    His mind was shaken. It felt like a door to apletely new world had slowly opened up to him. It seemed the Solitary Mountain Range was not so simple after all.

    He wondered whether every forbidden zone his father designated hid a terrifying being akin to the giant serpent.

    Doubts surfaced in Pang Jian''s mind.

    <i>Did Father know of the existence of such beings, and intentionally concealed them from me? Or was he also unaware?</i>

    After some time, Pang Jian continued to inspect the abnormalities at the bottom of the pond.

    The scaly giant serpenty at the center of the pond, surrounded by skeletons that extended as far as his eyes could see.

    Some skeletons belonged to wild beasts from the Solitary Mountain Range, while others were unmistakably human skeletons.

    There was no way to know how many wild beasts and humans the giant serpent had devoured. The only trace of them that remained was their spat-out bones.

    Pang Jian could not help but feel a hint of fear.

    <i>If I hadn''t listened to Father''s warnings and ventured into ckwater Pond, would I also have ended up as a skeleton at the bottom of the pond?</i>

    Pang Jian slowly retreated, hoping to put some distance between himself, the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, and the giant serpent.

    From afar, he noticed that a third of the giant serpent''s body had deteriorated from thick, rough scales into ivory-white bones.

    The connection between the serpent''s body and head was still covered in flesh and scales. However, it looked like a mysterious force had been consuming its flesh, starting from the end of its tail and slowly moving toward its head.

    Pang Jian nced at the bone of the Celestial Phoenix pinning the giant serpent.

    <i>It''s the bone of the Celestial Phoenix!</i>

    After the bone of the Celestial Phoenix fell from the upper worlds and impaled the head of the giant serpent, it started to devour its flesh.

    Throughout the ages, survival of the fittest remained an unchanging and eternal truth in natural selection.

    The giant serpent in ckwater Pond had previously devoured the wild beasts and humans in the mountain. Now, it was destined to meet the same end, suppressed and consumed by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Pang Jian recalled the abnormalities that urred with the previous bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Following the trembling, the ground around the bone of the Celestial Phoenix cracked, and bloodthirsty vines emerged to devour the members of the Blood Moon Sect and the Shangguan n.

    After that, a cluster of gleaming faint light wandered the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Pang Jian came to a realization. The bone of the Celestial Phoenix was likely killing and devouring the giant serpent''s body to collect essence from its flesh and blood. After that, a second cluster of faint light would likely be born!

    <i>Boom!</i>

    As Pang Jian was in deep thought, the giant serpent struck the ground again, causing the ground around ckwater Pond to quake.

    However, the tremors this time were slightly weaker than before.

    <i>It''s not dead yet.</i>

    Pang Jian''s eyebrows twitched. He then abruptly realized the skin around his arms and ribcage had continued to absorb the air in the water even after he stopped cultivating the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    His body had instinctively continued to do it.

    The tension in his body loosened as a sense of ease filled him. With this ability, he could stay at the bottom of the pond for a long time. He would not have to worry about the Shadow Specter Sect for a while.

    <i>Let''s take a closer look.</i>

    Driven by curiosity, Pang Jian sank closer to the floor of the pond. He soon found the Dragonwood Spear he had previously thrown.

    Swimming over to grab the spear, he then used its weight to anchor himself to the bottom of the floor

    Emboldened by the presence of the Dragonwood Spear, Pang Jian walked over to the front of the giant serpent''s head.

    The giant serpent''s head wasrger than Pang Jian''s house. It was covered in olive-green scales, which wereyered like wrinkles on an old man''s face. Its slightly agape maw revealed the deadly bone of the Celestial Phoenix lodged behind its sharp fangs.

    Inky ck lines streamed from its fangs and floated up toward the surface.

    When he saw these ck lines, Pang Jian realized the giant serpent''s venom was the reason behind the abnormal ckness of the pond.

    The pupils of the giant serpent contracted into tight slits as it appeared to endure immense pain. The giant serpent was alive but in agony, and did not notice Pang Jian''s arrival, thus allowing him to explore freely.

    Once the bone of the Celestial Phoenix devoured the giant serpent''s body, it would go on to consume its head, and the giant serpent would truly die.

    Perhaps, after that, a faint light would emerge in the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Finished with his spections, Pang Jian wanted to thoroughly explore the bottom of the pond and so he moved further away.

    Two clusters of dark red bloody lights caught his eyes!

    Drawn by the bloody light, he tightened his grip on his Dragonwood Spear and approached the target. He wondered if there was another being at the bottom of this pool apart from the giant serpent.

    For them to survive in such a harsh environment, they would have to be savage beasts of the same rank as the giant serpent!

    Pang Jian''s worry deepened.

    Members of the Shadow Specter Sect patrolled the surface of the pond. If a new threat showed up now, he feared his escape would truly be impossible.

    As he approached the bloody light and distanced himself from the giant serpent and the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, he noticed the bottom of the pond became dimmer and more obscured.

    Pang Jian finally caught sight of the source of the bloody light. They came from two red eyes.

    A strange figure stared unwaveringly at the bone of the Celestial Phoenix as though eagerly awaiting something. The figure was as emaciated as a skeleton, with eyes that emitted a dark-red glow.

    The strange figure bore a realistic tattoo of the Celestial Phoenix on its chest. The blood-red wings on the tattoo pped as if yearning to take flight, looking so lifelike it almost appeared alive.

    Pang Jian stared at the strange figure for a long time, but they seemed oblivious to his presence, engrossed with the bone of the Celestial Phoenix lodged in the giant serpent''s skull.

    It was as if Pang Jian did not exist.

    This mysterious figure was Ouyang Duanhai. Having been underwater at the time, Pang Jian was unaware of the happenings on the surface and thus knew neither about Ouyang Duanhai''s appearance nor that he had jumped into the pond with Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian had not expected any other beings to be at the bottom of the pond, so encountering a mysterious figure like Ouyang Duanhai sent shivers down his spine.

    Had Pang Jian not been underwater, he feared he would have broken into a cold sweat. Gripping his Dragonwood Spear tightly with both hands, he waited patiently in ce for a while.

    He soon realized, however, that the strange figure before him paid him no heed, and was solely fixated on the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Pang Jian could not discern any trace of humanity in the figure''s dark red eye and started to doubt whether the creature was human at all.

    After observing for a while, Pang Jian had a thought. <i>Is he anticipating the emergence of the mysterious light within the bone of the Celestial Phoenix?</i>

    The motionless figure before him appeared to be waiting for the bone to devour the giant serpent and release the mysterious light.

    That meant Pang Jian could avoid drawing its attention as long as he refrained from confronting it.

    Nervously gripping his Dragonwood Spear, Pang Jian stealthily returned to the withered bone and deliberately selected a spot where he would not be visible to the strange figure.

    Pang Jian found himself at a loss. There were cultivators from the Shadow Specter Sect above him, an enigmatic strange figure lurking at the bottom of the pond, and the bone of the Celestial Phoenix gradually consuming the original inhabitant of ckwater Pond. With no clear path forward, he could only wait uncertainly for what to do next.

    Even after racking his brains for a long time, Pang Jian could not think of a way out. He eventually decided to stop overthinking and carried his Dragonwood Spear to find a suitable spot to settle down.

    <i>Forget it. I''ll just continue with my cultivation.</i>

    With the bone of the Celestial Phoenix acting as a shield between himself and the strange figure, Pang Jian leaned back against the withered bone for support. The figure on the other side of the bone continued to remain oblivious to Pang Jian''s presence.

    Pang Jian used the Dragonwood Spear to prop himself against the body of the giant serpent, where its scales and flesh were still intact, and then steadied himself by holding the spear with both hands.

    He started to cultivate.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Streams of corrosive energy were drawn into his dark-green Spirit Cauldron from the ck water around him.

    The venom of the giant serpent rapidly dissolved the cotton-like impurities within his navel region.

    ***

    After some time, Pang Jian was rmed to discover the Dragonwood Spear propped against the giant serpent''s body had sunk downward.

    The bone of the Celestial Phoenix had consumed the part of the giant serpent''s body he had been leaning against.

    Pang Jian moved toward the head of the giant serpent and once again used the Dragonwood Spear to prop himself against its head before continuing with his cultivation.

    This time, as he entered the state of deep focus, Pang Jian sensed that all impurities in his navel region had been cleansed!

    He started to concentrate as he slowly observed his navel region. He was like a blind person moving around an empty room. That was until he perceived a membrane-like presence that marked the end of his navel region.

    Pang Jian had finally cleansed all the impurities in his navel region and had officially entered the Qi Practicing Realm!

    Pang Jian ran through the key points of the nine stages of the Qi Practicing realm as he started the first wave of drawing spiritual qi into his body.

    <i>The Qi Practicing Realm consists of nine stages. Each stage requires the guidance of the spiritual qi of heaven and earth to undergo repeated refinement within the navel region. </i>

    <i>In the first stage, one must fill the navel region with spiritual qi before refining and cleansing it into spiritual power. In the second stage, one needs to absorb spiritual qi into the navel region until it overflows, refining it until it bes spiritual power.</i>

    As he absorbed the spiritual qi of heaven and earth, Pang Jian soon became aware that he was also absorbing the corrosive energy in the ck water alongside it!

    Pang Jian was startled. Now that the corrosive energy had dissolved all the impurities, he feared it would damage his navel region and leave him unable to cultivate ever again.

    However, as the spiritual qi and the corrosive energy merged into his navel region, he felt no difort at all.

    These diverse energies filled his navel region, starting the filling process of the first stage.

    Seeing as his navel region was unaffected, Pang Jian decided to ignore the potential dangers of the corrosive energy for the moment and use the peculiar energies within the water to cultivate.

    He focused on the dark-green Spirit Cauldron and also retrieved the cracked rock from his bamboo basket alongside the spirit stones given to him by Ning Yao.

    Disregarding any concerns about conflicting energies, he held the cracked rock and a spirit stone in each hand, leaned against the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, and focused on cultivating.

    Danger loomed in all directions. Above the pond were formidable cultivators from the Shadow Specter Sect. Meanwhile, the bottom of the pond housed a strange figure, a dying giant serpent, and the mysterious bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    All Pang Jian could do was to desperately increase his power, even if it meant taking risks.

    He could only hope to acquire the strength to protect himself.

 Chapter 22: An Anomaly from the Fifth World

    <h4>Chapter 22: An Anomaly from the Fifth World</h4>

    A profound darkness descended on the Fourth World.

    In a corner of the Solitary Mountain Range, the Shadow Specter Sect, with Jin Yang as their leader, gathered by ckwater Pond. They wore rather peculiar expressions on their faces as they stared nkly at the calm, ripple-free surface of the water.

    Only cultivators like them could perceive their surroundings in the pitch-ck night of the lower worlds. Non-cultivators found it difficult to discern their surroundings without relying on light sources likemps.

    Under Jin Yang''s orders, the members of the Shadow Specter Sect did not light anymps. Instead, they scattered like phantoms around the perimeter of the pond.

    However, despite waiting a long time, neither Pang Jian nor Ouyang Duanhai emerged from the dark pond water.

    Neither could breathe underwater for extended periods as neither had reached the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    "Regardless of whether we light amp, it seems they won''t voluntarily reveal themselves."

    "Perhaps, they''ve turned into skeletons under the water."

    "..."

    The group kept their voices low as they whispered to each other, afraid of being heard by the two individuals hiding underwater.

    The masked man was growing impatient. He said to Jin Yang, "We''ve already done what we could. When we tossed corpses into the pond, they swiftly dissolved, flesh and all. Surely they won''t be able to hold out much longer. Should we just continue waiting like this?"

    To verify Jin Yang''s im, they had brought Zhang Heng''s and Zhang Hu''s bodies, as well as the corpses of the poisoned warhorses, and dropped them into ckwater Pond. When they retrieved the corpses from the ck water, all that was left were bones, just like Jin Yang''s hand.

    All their flesh had been corroded away.

    Something bizarre had happened to the pond water. When they first investigated ckwater Pond, Jin Yang had gone near the withered bone, and some members had even touched the now corrosive pond water.

    At that time, the pond water did not contain any corrosive energy, and they were unharmed.

    It was precisely because they had not encountered abnormalities back then that Jin Yang, upon seeing one of his Cicada Wing Swords exhibiting peculiar behavior after entering the pond, daringly tested the water with his left hand. He had not expected his hand to be corroded down to the bone.

    Under the pitch-ck night sky, Jin Yang''s voice was filled with a chilling severity. Everyone present could sense the genuine anger emanating from him. "My intuition tells me that neither Pang Jian, the young hunter, nor Ouyang Duanhai have had their flesh corroded by the pond water."

    "But how are they breathing underwater?" the Shadow Specter Sect squad leader asked, standing beside the huge silver.

    "That''s what I''d like to know! How are Pang Jian''s arms and ribcage as resilient as gold and iron? Even my Cicada Wing Swords failed to cut through them!" Jin Yang eximed.

    <i>Hiss!</i>

    The group turned their heads when they heard a python approaching.

    Hong Tai, the mastermind behind the operation, arrived atop his ck and white patterned python. Letting out a sigh, he said, "The Zhou n brat has slipped through our fingers."

    He exined that Zhou Qingchen owned more than just the Heartguard Mirror and had managed to evade his fatal attacks with the help of his treasures. In the end, Zhou Qingchen fled to the side of a murky stream and plunged into the river.

    It was unclear where he swam after that.

    After the recent torrential rain, the river had be too muddy. Unable to discern Zhou Qingchen''s movements beneath the cloudy waters, Hong Tai searched in vain before returning empty-handed.

    "Our situation is quite simr. A young hunter named Pang Jian and the possessed Ouyang Duanhai are hiding in ckwater Pond. Their fates are unknown," the masked squad leader exined.

    "And the water in ckwater Pond is now capable of corroding flesh?" Hong Tai expressed visible surprise. Riding atop his massive python, he approached the edge of the pond. Giving the python beneath him a tap, hemanded, "Help me investigate the peculiarities of the pond water!"

    Hong Tai''s python slithered up to the edge of the pitch-ck pond. Its eerie green eyes emitted a strange glow as it gently tapped the water''s surface with its forked tongue.

    <i>Sizzle!</i>

    The python''s eyes filled with fear when its forked tongue emitted a puff of smoke.

    Hong Tai''splexion paled.

    He dismounted from the python and moved to its head, pressing his ear close to its smoking mouth to listen carefully.

    "A Giant Abyssal Serpent! There''s a Giant Abyssal Serpent at the bottom of the pond!" Hong Tai screamed in horror. He took several uneasy steps back, fearing the creature would suddenly appear.

    There were dozens of members of the Shadow Specter Sect gathered around ckwater Pond, but the vast majority were unaware of what a Giant Abyssal Serpent was.

    Only Jin Yang, after a momentary pause, eximed in astonishment, "Impossible! There''s no way a Giant Abyssal Serpent could cross the eternal darkness of the Fifth World and into our world on its own!"

    The two squad leaders of the Shadow Specter Sect finally understood. "A creature from the Fifth World?!"

    The Fifth World was and shrouded in eternal darkness.

    ording to legend, the lifeforms capable of surviving in the Fifth World were unimaginably evil and horrific.

    The Fifth World and the Fourth World perpetually existed in a state of conflict. Few beings from the Fourth World dared to venture down there.

    Even cultivators from the Third and Second World would not dare to step foot into the Fifth World so easily.

    Simrly, the terrifying creatures of the Fifth World could not escape from that world of unimaginable horrors.

    "If the Giant Abyssal Serpent is indeed a creature from the Fifth World, it should''ve been impossible for it to infiltrate the Fourth World, let alonee specifically to Northern Qi and hide in ckwater Pond of the Solitary Mountain Range," Hong Tai said. "I''ve heard from the Sect Master that even the weakest Giant Abyssal Serpent is a Rank Four Vicious Beast or Spirit Beast.

    "A Rank Four Vicious Beast or Spirit Beast can rival cultivators in the Innate Realm. For there to be a Giant Abyssal Serpent in ckwater Pond, it''s unlikely for it to merely be at Rank Four..."

    Even someone as strong as Hong Tai was losing confidence.

    ***

    Hidden among the dense tree branches, the bewitching blood shadow watched as Hong Tai''s tamed python confirmed the existence of the Giant Abyssal Serpent at the pond''s bottom. It too, was taken aback.

    "A snake grows into a python; a python into a serpent; a serpent into a Flood Dragon; and a Flood Dragon into a True Dragon." A chill ran down the woman''s spine as she solemnly stared at ckwater Pond. "Unless someone intentionally brought it here to raise in ckwater Pond."

    Her previousposed demeanor was because she anticipated her emergence as the most formidable presence in the Solitary Mountain Range once her strength returned.

    However, the Fifth World was regarded as a restricted area even by those from the upper worlds. If there existed someone who could not only enter the Fifth World but also capture and raise a Giant Abyssal Serpent in ckwater Pond, their strength would surely make her retreat in awe even after recovering to her peak!

    "Who could this person be? Why would such a formidable expert hide in this deste wilderness?" She became increasingly cautious and silently prepared for a worst-case scenario. If necessary, she was ready to abandon the essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    ***

    Pang Jian awoke from his cultivation at the bottom of the pond. The spirit stone and cracked rock with Profound Yin energy in his hands had disintegrated into fine sand and was slipping through the gaps between his fingers.

    Pang Jian hadpletely absorbed the pure spiritual qi of heaven and earth and the Profound Yin energy within the stones.

    These energies now circted in his navel region.

    Unfortunately, Pang Jian still could not discern the movements in his navel region due to his low cultivation realm andck of divine sense. As such, he could only vaguely perceive it.

    Pang Jian sensed the presence of a funnel-shaped whirlpool within his navel region.

    This whirlpool spun in the middle of his navel region, constantly pulling in different energies.

    The mist-like spiritual qi of heaven and earth, the pitch-ck corrosive energy, and the ash-colored Profound Yin energy slowly converged toward the whirlpool.

    As the vortex rotated, the energies were refined and extracted. The funnel-like whirlpool received the energies from above and condensed them into usable spiritual power.

    <i>So this is cultivation,</i> Pang Jian thought to himself. <i>By transforming energies into tangible forms, one can distinctly sense the presence of spiritual qi. This extraordinary sensation is like extracting strength from the vast mist and condensing it into droplets of power.</i>

    As Pang Jian''s understanding deepened, he exerted even greater effort to gather spiritual qi, immersing himself in cultivation to the point of disregarding rest and food.

    Soon, Pang Jian had exhausted all the spirit stones in his bamboo basket and could only absorb the spiritual qi and corrosive energy from the pond water.

    This continued for a while, and when Pang Jian next awoke, he discovered the giant serpent''s body hadpletely vanished. All that was left was a withered skeleton resembling the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Part of the giant serpent''s bones were still entwined with the bone of the Celestial Phoenix while the rest formed a circr pattern on the floor of the pond.

    Only the flesh on its head had yet to bepletely devoured. Resigned to its inevitable demise, the giant serpent had ceased struggling as it awaited its death.

    Pang Jian also noticed the strange figure had gotten much closer.

    The strange figure stood at the tail of the giant serpent''s skeleton. Its dark red eyes stared intently at the Celestial Phoenix''s bone and its throat gurgled as though filled with a bloodthirsty craving.

    With a slight chill in his heart, Pang Jian frowned and moved so that the giant serpent''s pierced skull and the thick bone of the Celestial Phoenix stood between him and the strange figure.

    The giant serpent continued to be consumed.

    The disappearance of its flesh had reached its head and it would not be long before the Celestial Phoenix''s bonepletely devoured it.

    Despite the excruciating pain, the giant serpent harbored a deep yearning. It wished to set its eyes onest time upon the bottom of the pond where it had been imprisoned for many years.

    The giant serpent slowly opened its cold, lifeless eyes.

    As it did so, it spotted Pang Jian. It caught sight of a small part of the bronze pendant that peeked through the gaps in Pang Jian''s clothes. Fear shed in its previously lifeless eyes as it shuddered in terror.

    It stared at Pang Jian''s face, eyes clouded with confusion before surging with an overwhelming tide of hatred momentster.

    The giant serpent summoned thest of its strength to thrash about in a desperate frenzy.

    The giant serpent''s skeleton encircling the Celestial Phoenix''s bone broke free, creating massive ripples at the bottom of the pond as it viciouslyshed out at Pang Jian.

 Chapter 23: The Stone Chamber

    <h4>Chapter 23: The Stone Chamber</h4>

    Pang Jian was taken aback. He could not understand why the giant serpent would suddenly go mad when it was already on the brink of death.

    There was no enmity between them, but the giant serpent acted as though it wanted to kill him before meeting its demise.

    Pang Jianmented silently. He could no longer afford to concern himself with the presence of the strange figure as he had no choice but to retreat, intending to withdraw to a safe distance.

    The giant serpent''s head was pinned firmly to the ground, meaning he would remain out of harm''s way as long as he stayed out of reach.

    After avoiding the attack, he could bide his time until the Celestial Phoenix''s bonepletely devoured the flesh from the giant serpent''s head and killed it once and for all.

    <i>Bam!</i>

    A muffled sound rang out from behind the bone of the Celestial Phoenix while Pang Jian was retreating.

    He stole a nce. The giant serpent''s winding skeleton had encountered an obstruction at the bottom of the pond, causing its attacks to slow significantly.

    Pang Jian soon spotted a figure hanging on to the giant serpent''s thrashing skeleton.

    The sight was truly astonishing.

    Unexpectedly, the strange figure of unknown origin had suffered as it was caught in the giant serpent''s attack, tangled in its skeleton, and dragged through the raging waters.

    The strange figure had not anticipated the giant serpent''s dying struggle. The figure fought fiercely, hugging the giant serpent''s thick bones and using all his might to pry them apart.

    Lacking rationality or any semnce of humanity, the strange figure had mistakenly believed the final assault from the Giant Abyssal Serpent was aimed at him.

    He summoned all his energy to confront the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    Pang Jian took the opportunity to flee to an area beyond the giant serpent''s reach.

    He secretly rejoiced, grateful the strange creature had intercepted an attack on his behalf. Escaping in time would have been challenging otherwise, and the giant serpent''s bones could have ensnared or impaled him.

    Even after escaping to a safe distance, he noticed the giant serpent''s eyes continued to burn with hatred.

    Pang Jian was utterly perplexed.

    It was his maiden voyage into ckwater Pond and his first encounter with the giant serpent. Why would it, in its dying moments, choose to pick a fight with him?

    ***

    The night drew to a close and the light of day once again revealed itself.

    After a night of bitter waiting, the members of the Shadow Specter Sect were surprised to find the once pitch-ck water of ckwater Pond had lightened.

    The pond water had turned from pitch-ck to dark gray.

    As they carefully examined ckwater Pond, they noticed its once cid surface now rippling with disturbance, indicatingrge movements within it.

    "There''s something in the water!"

    Even the most clueless observer could deduce from the pond''s rippling surface that there was alive and moving in its depths.

    Hong Tai knew about the Giant Abyssal Serpent in ckwater Pond and had nned to evacuate once they had assessed the situation after dawn.

    However, at this moment, he hesitated. Seeking the opinions of everyone present, he asked, "With a Giant Abyssal Serpent at the bottom of the pond, there''ll be a risk of death if we descend. Moreover, it coulde onnd to hunt us down. Let''s consider this carefully. Do we give up? Or do we wait and see?"

    His gaze remained fixed on Jin Yang''s face despite the open question.

    Although the pond''s unusual activity had also rmed Jin Yang, he was unwilling to give up.

    "I want to wait and see," he decided, releasing several Cicada Wing Swords. He set them up to watch the pond''s surface from different angles. "I have a feeling the water will soon clear up. Perhaps it won''t be long before we can see what lies beneath."

    "Hmm, the pond water is indeed bing lighter," Hong Tai affirmed.

    Through his python, Hong Tai knew the pond water had be less corrosive. Drawing upon his experience with pythons, he spected that the Giant Abyssal Serpent was absorbing the corrosive energy it had previously unleashed.

    "It can''t hurt to wait a while longer, but everyone needs to be careful. The Giant Abyssal Serpent may appear once the pond water clear,s" Hong Tai warned solemnly.

    Jin Yang nodded.

    Meanwhile, Ning Yao, still bound in the silver giant, wore an expression of profound despair.

    She struggled to sit up while entangled in the, staring nkly at the gloomy sky as if she had already given up.

    The group paid little attention to her, preupied with ckwater Pond and the uncertainty of whether the Giant Abyssal Serpent would emerge.

    Those who had coveted her, such as Zhang Heng, had mostly perished in the battle.

    Still mourning Ning Yuanshan''s death, Ning Yao cast a nk gaze toward ckwater Pond. A figure suddenly appeared in her mind as she listened to the members of the Shadow Specter Sect conversing.

    <i>Pang Jian...is he still alive?</i>

    Ning Yao had long since sumbed to despair. She could not believe that Pang Jian could survive at the bottom of the pond after so many others had died.

    <i>Pang Jian only recently gained the ability to sense the presence of qi. How could he not have drowned after such a long time? That''s not to mention the corrosive energy in the pond water. Even Jin Yang had suffered. Pang Jian had surely perished by now, </i>Ning Yao spected helplessly.

    The thought of eventually meeting a fate worse than He Ziren''s made her resolve to bite her tongue and end her life before that moment arrived.

    Everyone was lost in thought.

    The ripples on the pond''s surface gradually subsided. Although the ck hue of the pond water had lightened considerably, it had yet topletely clear up, suggesting that the corrosive energy still lingered.

    All everyone could do was wait anxiously.

    ***

    Having retreated to the rock wall bordering the bottom of the pond, Pang Jian observed as the resentment in the giant serpent''s eyes drained away with its strength.

    The more the giant serpent struggled, the quicker its strength depleted, and the faster the bone of the Celestial Phoenix consumed it.

    Pang Jian watched as the bright olive-green scales disappeared from the giant serpent''s head. The bone of the Celestial Phoenix was absorbing its flesh and blood.

    Finally, the giant serpent was entirely consumed.

    After the fierce battle, the strange figure on the other side of the Celestial Phoenix''s bone gasped heavily. Bubbles of air rose from its mouth in streams.

    Its body was covered in wounds, but not a drop of blood flowed from them.

    The strange figure continued to gasp heavily, causing more and more bubbles to rise from its mouth. Its dark red eyes remained fixed eagerly on the bone of the Celestial Phoenix as it waited for the faint light to form.

    It was like Pang Jian did not exist in its eyes.

    Pang Jian, however, felt no resentment in being overlooked.

    <i>Perhaps it''s just my lucky day. </i>

    The giant serpent finally died and the anticipated changes within the bone of the Celestial Phoenix had yet to ur. Having no choice but to wait, Pang Jian could only ponder where to go from here.

    As he surveyed his surroundings for an escape route, he noticed an open stone door in the rocky wall he was pressed against.

    The stone door was far from the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, obscured amidst a pile of jagged rocks. Despite this, the contrast between the smooth, glossy surface of the door and the rugged rocks around it made the door easy to spot.

    <i>It''s man-made! </i>

    Pang Jian could not resist his curiosity and decided to investigate.

    He arrived at the open stone door with his Dragonwood Spear in hand. Feeling somewhat nervous, he entered and discovered a narrow stone passage that appeared to lead toward the other side of the mountain.

    After a moment of hesitation, he walked down the stone passage and discovered a small stone chamber.

    The stone chamber contained a stone table, a stone chair, and a stone bed; there was nothing else.

    As he stared at the small stone chamber in the middle of the stone passage, the expression on Pang Jian''s face grew increasingly peculiar.

    Theyout of the table, chairs, and bed was identical to his house. As such, Pang Jian could not help but feel a sense of familiarity.

    His stone house had been his residence ever since his father disappeared.

    Due to their young age, he and Pang Lin shared the same stone house before his father disappeared.

    <i>This is...</i> Pang Jian was stunned. <i>Had his father been here before? Did he carve out this stone chamber?</i>

    <i>The stone chamber was undoubtedly underwater where normal people could not breathe and survive, so how did his father carve it out?</i>

    Pang Jian did not know the answer to his questions.

    Nevertheless, the narrow, deep stone passage, with its mysterious stone chamber and unknown destination, offered him a chance at survival.

    After careful consideration, Pang Jian decided not to explore the stone passage first and instead went back through the stone door.

    As he went to shut the stone door, he noticed the rugged, jagged texture on its front. Once closed, it blended seamlessly with its surroundings, camouging itpletely.

    The smoothness of the stone door was only apparent when opened.

    It was a simple concealment method.

    Pang Jian was certain it would be difficult to locate the door if he shut it from inside. Even if the members of the Shadow Specter Sectter descended to the bottom of the pond, they would have a hard time spotting the camouged stone door.

    He could seize this opportunity to flee right now, shutting the door behind him and venturing into the depths of the narrow, winding stone passage.

    However, the corrosive energy in ckwater Pond seemed to affect his cultivation, so he decided to take a risk and stayed.

    In front of the stone door, Pang Jian gazed at the bone of the Celestial Phoenix and the massive skeleton of the giant serpent.

    The faint light had yet to form in the bone of the Celestial Phoenix. The flesh and blood of the giant serpent likely held more essence than the ancient vines and required a longer time to assimte into the bone.

    The strange figure continued to fixate on the bone of the Celestial Phoenix and ignore Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian still had time to absorb the ck corrosive energy from ckwater Pond, cultivate the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, and use the whirlpool in his navel region to refine spiritual power.

    Thus, he once again entered a state of cultivation.

    Time slipped away, and in the blink of an eye, several days had passed.

    Throughout these few days, Pang Jian dedicated almost all his time to cultivation, only pausing to retrieve some dried meat to satiate his hunger.

    He firmly seized this rare opportunity to cultivate.

    ***

    On the surface, the members of the Shadow Specter Sect watched as the pitch-ck pond water lightened by the day.

    One day the pond water finally cleared.

    "The water is no longer imbued with corrosive energy," Hong Tai said, gesturing to his python. Gazing at the clear pond water, he remarked, "The pond is so deep I cannot see the bottom. Who among you is willing to explore its depths?"

    His gaze swept over the faces of the members of the Shadow Specter Sect, but no one dared to answer him.

    "Is everyone truly this timid?" Hong Tai then turned his calcted gaze to the still-bound Ning Yao. "I kept you around because I wanted to use you as bait for the Giant Abyssal Serpent. The flesh of a young girl is extremely alluring to it. It can''t resist such a delicacy."

    Ning Yao was filled with dread.

 Chapter 24: Disappointment

    <h4>Chapter 24: Disappointment</h4>

    Malicious gazes were cast toward Ning Yao.

    She had suddenly be the center of attention. She sat motionlessly, still bound in the, resembling a lifeless shell devoid of spirit.

    The light in her once bright eyes had faded. The indifferent emptiness within them was akin to the fading embers of her soul.

    She had expected the members of the Shadow Specter Sect to humiliate her and hold her ransom against the Ning n, not use her as bait for the Giant Abyssal Serpent from the Fifth World.

    Ning Yao had witnessed how the bodies of Zhang Heng and the others were used to test the corrosive pond water. Nobody knew whether the corrosive energy was confined solely to the surface of the pond or if it also permeated its depths.

    She dreaded the possibility of turning into a skeleton.

    There was also the matter of the feared Giant Abyssal Serpent, which lurked in the pond''s depths.

    Despite being terrified, she concealed her emotions behind a stoic facade. There was no point in pleading as the Shadow Specter Sect would undoubtedly ignore her.

    All she could expect now was unrestrained mockery.

    Hong Tai grabbed the rope connected to the giant silver before addressing the other members of the Shadow Specter Sect, "Fetch me some iron chains."

    He wanted to reinforce the connection while also ensuring the rope was long enough for Ning Yao to reach the bottom of the pond.

    "The flesh of a young girl is irresistible to any living Giant Abyssal Serpent. They will eagerly savor each bite before swallowing." Hong Tai paid no mind to the nk expression on Ning Yao''s face as he exined his n, "If the Giant Abyssal Serpent swallows her, I''ll sense its movements through the rope, confirming its presence in the pond. Should this ur, we will depart immediately."

    "Jin Yang!" Hong Tai called out, raising his hand to point at his python. "Should unforeseen events arise, use him to escape."

    Jin Yang stared at Hong Tai.

    Hong Tai cherished his Spirit Beast dearly. His willingness to offer Jin Yang the python to escape showed his fear that the Giant Abyssal Serpent could rush out of the pond.

    The self-centered Jin Yang exchanged a nce with Hong Tai before gratefully approaching the python.

    He knew Hong Tai had other escape ns.

    Were the Giant Abyssal Serpent to truly emerge from ckwater Pond, the members of the Shadow Specter Sect surrounding the pond under Hong Tai''smand would be the first to fall prey to it.

    At that point, those slower than him and Hong Tai would serve as meat shields to slow the Giant Abyssal Serpent down.

    As Jin Yang entertained such thoughts, Hong Tai attached the iron chain to the. He lifted the giant silver ensnaring Ning Yao and hurled her toward the center of the pond.

    <i>Ssh!</i>

    All eyes were fixed on Ning Yao as she submerged. To everyone''s relief, she did not turn into a skeleton.

    "Her cultivation is at the Meridian Opening Realm so she can hold her breath for a long time underwater. However, this could prove worse for her as she may have to witness the Giant Abyssal Serpent swallowing her with her own eyes." Hong Tai said with false casualness as he grasped the iron chain. Beneath the facade, however, he was actually very nervous.

    He had already nned his escape.

    If he felt a strong pull, that meant the Giant Abyssal Serpent from the Fifth World was still alive and had swallowed Ning Yao.

    If that happened, he could only retreat and report the situation to the higher-ups of the Shadow Specter Sect, awaiting their decision on how to deal with the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    The masked man and the owner of the giant instinctively distanced themselves from ckwater Pond as soon as it touched the water.

    Their cold gazes flickered as they observed their foolish subordinates recklessly peer into the pond, oblivious to the danger.

    The two of them had already reached the Meridian Opening Realm and this was not their first experience with Hong Tai. When Hong Tai willingly entrusted his beloved python to Jin Yang, they understood they could be treated as cannon fodder at any moment.

    The pair were also on high alert, ready to flee ckwater Pond at the slightest hint of something going wrong.

    ***

    Pang Jian awoke from his cultivation at the bottom of the pond.

    He sensed a faint throbbing acheing from his navel region. When he inspected it, he discovered his difort stemmed from the "membrane" surrounding his navel region being stretched from its expansion.

    The whirlpool within his navel region continued to spin, refining Pang Jian''s umted spiritual qi and transforming it into tangible spiritual power.

    However, the corrosive energy in the dark-green Spirit Cauldron had vanished.

    Reflecting on his recent experiences, Pang Jian realized the catalyst for his navel region''s expansion was not spiritual qi, but the corrosive energy from the giant serpent''s venom.

    <i>It seems my navel region was filled to the brim five times. Each time, the corrosive energy expanded it. Five times...does that mean I''ve reached the fifth stage of the Qi Practicing Realm?</i> Pang Jian wondered quietly.

    He also noticed the spiritual qi of heaven and earth in the pond water had be sparse. Even if he continued to cultivate, the effects would be limited.

    The bone of the Celestial Phoenix and the strange figure were still present at the bottom of the pond. However, the long-awaited faint light had yet to materialize.

    <i>The blood and flesh essence of the giant serpent must''ve been immense. Even after being consumed, it''s taking a lot of time to absorb,</i> Pang Jian mused.

    Pang Jian mulled over whether or not to leave now that there was no longer any corrosive energy in ckwater Pond.

    If he waited a little longer, the faint light would inevitably appear within the withered bone. There was also the strange figure eagerly waiting for the light to form.

    <i>But none of this has anything to do with me.</i>

    Pang Jian lowered his head to stare at his arms. The wounds no longer bled, and he recalled the strange events that had urred to his body when he fought the Zhang siblings.

    He also recalled his strange dream.

    Pang Jianid an anticipatory gaze on the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    <i>That cluster of faint light must be what boosted my strength,</i> he thought to himself. <i>Fortune favors the bold. I''ll stay a little longer to see if there''s a chance to seize the light from that strange figure!</i>

    After some time, a huge silver was dropped into the pond.

    Pang Jian stared in astonishment as he watched the ensnared Ning Yao sink further and further down. Her cheeks were puffed as if she had taken a deep breath before entering the water.

    She no longer had the aloof, haughty demeanor of their initial encounter.

    As she sank, her face paled, and her wide eyes filled with panic.

    Her gaze fell upon the skeleton of the giant serpent with the Celestial Phoenix''s bone pierced through its skull. She also spotted Ouyang Duanhai, brimming with intense desire for the bone.

    Suddenly, she noticed a figure appear at the dimly lit rocky wall at the bottom of the pond and charge straight at her.

    <i>Pang Jian!</i>

    Ning Yao was in disbelief as she struggled toprehend what she was seeing.

    The young hunter she hired before venturing into the Solitary Mountain Range was, in fact, still alive!

    <i>He-he''s here to save me!</i>

    Ning Yao was moved.

    She reflected on how she and the Ning n had dismissed Pang Jian as insignificant and recalled her past threats towards him. A twinge of shame rose within her.

    Pang Jian rapidly approached. His robust physique and sharply chiseled features resembled a sculpture. The young hunter had a unique charm¡ªan unfamiliar wildness.

    Her will to survive was reignited. She stayed vignt and kept a watchful eye on Ouyang Duanhai.

    Ning Yao feared the deranged Ouyang Duanhai woulde to block Pang Jian''s path.

    Fortunately, the inhuman Ouyang Duanhai remained fixated on the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, prompting her to inwardly sigh in relief.

    Pang Jian was just inches away.

    She used great effort to wave her hand from within the, even releasing a small amount of air to alleviate the puffiness of her cheeks and hopefully improve her appearance. Squeezing out what she thought was a decent smile toward Pang Jian, she eagerly awaited his help to break free from the silver.

    Then, the smile on her face froze. Doubt and bewilderment flickered in her eyes.

    She stared nkly at Pang Jian, watching as he retrieved the sack of spirit stones from her back through the gaps in the silver. Then, with a wave goodbye, he swiftly retreated into the darkness at the bottom of the pond.

    Confusion clouded Ning Yao''s expression at Pang Jian''s departure. The smile on her face stiffened.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    She returned to her senses when she hit the floor of the pond. With a sense of urgency akin to ignited gunpowder, she scrambled frantically in Pang Jian''s direction.

    The fact that she was a captive of the Shadow Specter Sect and at the bottom of a pond fraught with danger was no longer important. All she could think of was hunting Pang Jian down and turning the despicable, traitorous thief into ashes!

    She had pinned all her hopes on Pang Jian only to find out he had merely been coveting her sack of spirit stones!

    Sticking her hands and feet through the gaps of the, she clumsily crawled along the floor of the pond, eyes zing with fury as she rushed toward Pang Jian.

    <i>Crazy woman,</i> Pang Jian thought, gripping the sack of spirit stones as he made his way back to the stone door. Concealed in the darkness, he observed Ning Yao''s frantic actions and could not help but think that she was inviting disaster upon herself.

    On the surface, Hong Tai felt as the iron chain suddenly moved.

    Hong Tai''s hands trembled as hemanded, "Prepare to retreat! There must be something alive down there; the giant just shook violently!"

    The two squad leaders at the Meridian Opening Realm had been closely observing Hong Tai''s every move. Hearing his words, one dashed left and the other dashed right, swiftly disappearing into the depths of the valley.

    Neither even nced backward nor did they pay any heed to Hong Tai''s following words. Their sole objective was to put as much distance as possible between them and the imminent bloodbath.

    Jin Yang, too, had no time for anything else. He hastily mounted Hong Tai''s python, intending to escape.

    Hong Tai prepared to discard the iron chain and execute a secret technique to flee when he felt a pull on the chain, prompting him to tug at it.

    He could actually pull it!

    "Hold on, this isn''t right! This movement...it isn''t the Giant Abyssal Serpent! Its strength is certainly not so feeble!" Realization struck him like lightning. If the terrifying creature from the Fifth World had swallowed Ning Yao, he would not have been able to pull it. "This isn''t the Giant Abyssal Serpent!"

    He then exerted all his strength to draw the iron chain in.

    Pang Jian had been observing Ning Yao''s struggles from a dark corner of the pond and watched as she was lifted back to the surface.

 Chapter 25: Everybody Has Their Own Agenda

    <h4>Chapter 25: Everybody Has Their Own Agenda</h4>

    Standing on the edge of the pond, Hong Tai drew in the ensnared Ning Yao with a solemn expression on his face.

    As Ning Yao neared the pond''s surface, she became more visible to Hong Tai. He breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of her unharmed body and the worry in his heart eased.

    Hong Tai had been cautious in his actions up to this point and only now did he finally dare to exert more strength.

    <i>Ssh!</i>

    Ning Yao gulped down several deep breaths when her head broke the surface of the pond.

    The two Meridian Opening Realm squad leaders also awkwardly returned when they realized there was no danger.

    Xu Rui, the original owner of the silver, chuckled sheepishly. "Elder Hong, I thought the Giant Abyssal Serpent was about to attack, so we left in a hurry and forgot to bid you farewell."

    The masked man merely smiled dryly and did not try to exin himself.

    "The two of you sure are fast." Hong Tai smiled mockingly, casting a sidelong nce at the pair before his gaze settled back on the visibly shaken Ning Yao.

    He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Miss Ning, tell me everything you saw at the bottom of the pond. Once I confirm its validity, I''ll exchange you for a member of the Shadow Specter Sect currently held captive by the seven major ns. I''ll also give you my word that your body will remain untouched."

    All eyes were on Ning Yao.

    Ning Yao''s dark, wet hair naturally cascaded over her captivating shoulders. Her fury caused the delicate blood vessels on her snowy white neck to appear unusually distinct, and her soaked figure was extremely alluring as she panted heavily within the silver.

    Several members of the Shadow Specter Sect stared lecherously at her body, making her feel ufortably exposed.

    A flicker of hesitation crossed her furious eyes at Hong Tai''s assurance.

    "I will verify your im, so don''t lie to me," Hong Tai warned with a smile.

    Ning Yao clenched her teeth, voice trembling slightly as she recounted, "The Giant Abyssal Serpent you mentioned was impaled by Celestial Phoenix''s bone. Its entire body was consumed and all that''s left is a skeleton with the bone still lodged in its skull.

    "The strange man, Ouyang Duanhai, was at the bottom of the pond and seemed to be waiting for something from the bone. Pang Jian is also still alive and hiding in the pond''s depths."

    Ning Yao described what she had seen as faithfully as possible, knowing the members of the Shadow Specter Sect would eventually dive into ckwater Pond and explore its depths themselves.

    Before Hong Tai could respond to Ning Yao''s ount, Jin Yang eximed, "The skeleton of a Giant Abyssal Serpent is very valuable! Its skeleton could be worth cities if it''s a Rank Five Spirit Beast!"

    Hong Tai''s eyes brightened and he nodded with a smile.

    "Given Ouyang Duanhai''s rtively low cultivation realm, I should be able to handle him, regardless of what form he has taken." Then, turning to look at Xu Rui, Hong Tai said, "This is what we''ll do. Since you''re in the Meridian Opening Realm, you can hold your breath for longer, so you''ll be the first to enter. You don''t have to go all the way to the bottom. Just confirm the youngdy''s ims, then resurface and inform us."

    Xu Rui''s face filled with bitterness as he sighed. "I''ll assign a subordinate for this task."

    Hong Tai shook his head, adamant about sending Xu Rui down. "The pond is too deep. Only those at the Meridian Opening Realm can hold their breath long enough to reach the bottom."

    Jin Yang knitted his brow and looked at Xu Rui with a solemn expression on his face.

    Realizing he could not persuade the two of them, Xu Rui resigned himself to his fate and reluctantly entered the pond, descending into its depths.

    ***

    The area closest to the bone of the Celestial Phoenix was the brightest, and the ces farthest from it were shrouded in darkness. Pang Jian pressed his body against the rocky wall, hidden in the darkness as he vigntly watched for movement from above.

    He silently observed as Xu Rui cautiously descended to study the bottom of the pond and approached the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Xu Rui did not notice him.

    Before Xu Rui reached the bottom of the pond, he turned to swim back to the surface.

    Pang Jian realized that Xu Rui had likelye to verify Ning Yao''s ount of the situation in the pond''s depths.

    Soon, the true experts of the Shadow Specter Sect, like Jin Yang, would arrive.

    The bone of the Celestial Phoenix, the mysterious figure of unknown origin, and the imminent arrival of the Shadow Specter Sect experts disrupted Pang Jian''s n. He could not help but reconsider his strategy.

    He could either return to the stone door and leave ckwater Pond, or continue to wait and observe.

    As he contemted, Pang Jian noticed twinkling white lights emerge and gather like fireflies around inside where the bone of the Celestial Phoenix had pierced the giant serpent''s skull.

    The strange figure had been waiting for this moment. Its blood-red eyes shone several times brighter than before, looking like two blood-rednterns in the water.

    <i>Here ites!</i>

    Pang Jian no longer considered leaving and decided to risk staying a little longer.

    He tossed the sack of spirit stones he had retrieved from Ning Yao into the stone passage then partially closed the stone door to leave only a small gap that was difficult to detect.

    With these preparationsplete, he tightly gripped his Dragonwood Spear and patiently awaited the impending changes.

    He made up his mind.

    If the situation worsened, he would give up and escape through the stone passage.

    ***

    Once Xu Rui resurfaced, he took a moment to catch his breath before waving at Hong Tai.

    "The girl didn''t deceive us," he yelled. "It''s as she said, the Giant Abyssal Serpent was killed by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix! I only saw Ouyang Duanhai at the bottom of the pond. I didn''t see the young man named Pang Jian. He might have been hiding in the shadows."

    Hong Tai''s eyes lit up and heughed heartily at Jin Yang. "Our perseverance has paid off!"

    Jin Yang''s expression remained serious. Staring at his gloved hand, he said, "I hope everything goes smoothly."

    Hong Tai cleared his throat twice.

    "There shouldn''t be any major issues. We just need to deal with Ouyang Duanhai and we can obtain the skeleton of the Giant Abyssal Serpent." He then turned to address the masked figure by name, "You¡ª"

    Hong Tai abruptly cut himself off, remembering Ning Yao''s presence.

    "Those who have reached the Meridian Opening Realm can stay underwater for a longer period," he said instead. "Come with me to kill Ouyang Duanhai."

    His gaze swept across the other members, frowning as he instructed, "As for the rest of you, patrol the surrounding area and keep an eye out for any changes both inside and outside this canyon."

    The Qi Practicing Realm members of the Shadow Specter Sect nodded in acknowledgment.

    With that, Hong Tai, Jin Yang, Xu Rui, the masked man, the ensnared Ning Yao, and the python descended into ckwater Pond, leaving only the Qi Practicing Realm members of the Shadow Specter Sect on the surface.

    ***

    "The Giant Abyssal Serpent from the Fifth World was in by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix. That bone will condense the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s flesh and blood essence into the Celestial Phoenix''s essence," the mysterious woman hiding in the shadows said softly as she gazed at the pond.

    "Those fools from the Shadow Specter Sect. Haven''t they considered why a Giant Abyssal Serpent would appear in such a remote ce?" she muttered. "Can''t they see that the Giant Abyssal Serpent was imprisoned in ckwater Pond? Have they truly not considered how terrifying that person must be to have captured a Giant Abyssal Serpent from the eternal darkness of the Fifth World?"

    She then conveyed a telepathicmand.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! </i>

    Her Spirit Devils stealthily approached ckwater Pond, hiding among the bushes before pouncing on the members of the Shadow Specter Sect.

    None of the Qi Practicing Realm members of the Shadow Specter Sect escaped.

    The Spirit Devils inhabited all of them.

    The eyes of all the Qi Practicing Realm members of the Shadow Specter Sect turned vacant. They stood lifelessly around the pond, no longer conversing among themselves.

    The woman had been hiding for a long time. A faint blood mist surrounded her as she gracefully floated toward the end of the withered bone protruding from the water''s surface.

    Shended lightly on the bone of the Celestial Phoenix and peered into the pond from above, watching as the figures of Hong Tai and the others gradually faded into the darkness below.

    Even experts such as her could not see the bottom of the pond. However, instead of ordering the now-inhabited members of the Shadow Specter Sect to dive in, she patiently waited atop the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    She did not fear Ouyang Duanhai, Hong Tai in the Marrow Cleansing Realm, or the newly formed essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Her hesitation stemmed from uncertainty about whether the person responsible for imprisoning and raising the Giant Abyssal Serpent in ckwater Pond was still present.

    ***

    <i>They''ve finally arrived!</i> Pang Jian thought to himself, watching Xu Rui, Jin Yang, the masked figure, and Hong Tai descend one after the other.

    As Pang Jian caught sight of Hong Tai, he recalled Zhou Qingchen and a pang of regret washed over him. He could not shake the feeling that the honorable young master from the Zhou n had fallen victim to Hong Tai''s attacks.

    <i>If I survive, I''ll kill every Shadow Specter Sect member involved in this assault,</i> Pang Jian vowed.

    Pang Jian had spent his years hunting in the mountains and had minimal contact with others beyond trading prey for the necessities to sustain himself and his little sister.

    After Ning Yao hired him as a guide in the Solitary Mountain Range, no n member treated him with respect or regarded him as an equal, except for the young master of the Zhou family.

    Regardless of ulterior motives, Zhou Qingchen still treated Pang Jian with respect. Not to mention, he previously expressed a clear interest in recruiting him into the Zhou n even after being informed of his limited cultivation talent.

    Zhou Qingchen had even been willing to forgo his share of treasure on the Formless Sailboat to help Pang Jian free the gray ape.

    Grateful, Pang Jian only truly acknowledged Zhou Qingchen during this expedition into the Solitary Mountain Range.

    If the young master of the Zhou n had been killed, Pang Jian would help him seek revenge.

    However, at the moment, he doubted he could aplish that.

    As he contemted, Pang Jian continued to observe those descending to the bottom of the pond, paying particr attention to the one with the highest influence, Jin Yang.

    Jin Yang stared at the bottom of the withered bone, studying the glimmering white lights within the bone.

    A mix of excitement and incredulity showed on his face as he seemed to recall something

    Before reaching the bottom of the pond, Jin Yang pointed at the strange figure, signaling to Hong Tai and the others to help him kill it.

    Jin Yang seemed to recognize the mysterious glimmering light.

    Hong Tai and the other two squad leaders understood Jin Yang''s signal. Despite this, they still hesitated, unsure of whether to immediately attack Ouyang Duanhai.

    Meanwhile, Jin Yang was already rushing toward the bottom of the withered bone.

    Ouyang Duanhai had been patiently waiting for the emergence of the essence of the Celestial Phoenix. As if sensing Jin Yang''s goal, his deep blood-red eyes shifted to re at Jin Yang.

    He suddenly rushed toward Jin Yang.

    It seemed Ouyang Duanhai would deal with anyone who dared to touch the essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

 Chapter 26: The Soul of the Reluctant Beast

    <h4>Chapter 26: The Soul of the Reluctant Beast</h4>

    A battle broke out!

    Ouyang Duanhai''s sternum twisted eerily and the wings of the crimson phoenix tattoo extended to his armpits and arm bones.

    The strange phoenix tattoo enveloped his body, pulsating with power. His movements became more agile and swift.

    Like a streak of crimson light, the inhuman Ouyang Duanhai appeared before Jin Yang and effortlessly knocked the Cicada Wing Swords to the floor with his wing-like hands.

    <i>Swish!</i>

    A captivating beam of blood-red light shot out from the top of Ouyang Duanhai''s head. Leaf-like feathers whistled within it, and the faint cries of a phoenix rang out.

    Pain bloomed in the eyes of everyone at the bottom of the pond.

    At first nce, it seemed like a crimson bone of the Celestial Phoenix had pierced through the crown of Ouyang Duanhai''s head.

    rmed, Jin Yang grabbed a jade pendant adorned with a Hornless Dragon[1] from his waist and held it in front of him.

    The exquisitely carved Hornless Dragon on the jade pendant released a cold halo. The water in front of Jin Yang''s chest instantly froze, turning into a thick block of ice.

    <i>Bang! </i>

    Ouyang Duanhai violently surged forward, shattering the block of ice into countless fragments. The impact was so intense that Jin Yang spat blood and was flung to the floor of the pond, still clutching the Hornless Ice Dragon Jade Pendant.

    Once Ouyang Duanhai seeded in putting distance between Jin Yang and the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, his insatiable bloodlust was sated and he halted his assault. Retracing his steps, Ouyang Duanhai once again returned to his spot at the skull of the giant serpent.

    His blood-red eyes remained fixed coalescing light at the center of the withered bone.

    The blood-red beam shining from his head was filled with feathers, intricately arranged in a captivating pattern that resembled an array. It appeared to be attempting to extract the essence of the Celestial Phoenix contained within the bone.

    Clusters of blood floated above where Jin Yangy, and he quickly utilized the Hornless Ice Dragon Jade Pendant to absorb it.

    Ouyang Duanhai stood motionlessly on the skull of the giant serpent.

    Jin Yang urgently pointed in his direction, imploring Hong Tai and the others to deal with him.

    Hong Tai and the others had initially nned to assist him. However, after witnessing the power with which Ouyang Duanhai shattered the block of ice formed by Jin Yang''s life-saving treasure, they found themselves hesitating.

    Ouyang Duanhai''s ferociousbat ability surpassed even Hong Tai''s expectations. He did not anticipate that someone widely regarded as useless by the seven major ns would be such a formidable adversary.

    After a moment''s contemtion, he discarded the iron chains, no longer concerned with Ning Yao.

    He shook his head at Jin Yang, wordlessly advising him not to rush, thenmunicated with the two Meridian Opening Realm squad leaders through hand gestures.

    At this point, the essence of the Celestial Phoenix was on the brink of forming, and Jin Yang feared Ouyang Duanhai would seize it. Ignoring his injuries, he swam up from the floor of the pond.

    With an irritable expression, he repeatedly gestured to Hong Tai, once again urging him to eliminate Ouyang Duanhai.

    Hong Tai grew suspicious of what the light could be.

    He wasrgely in the dark about the mysteries surrounding the bones of the Celestial Phoenix as the leader of the Shadow Specter Sect had not divulged much to him when he had been instructed toe here.

    Jin Yang, on the other hand, was different. Given his connection to the Sect Master of the Shadow Specter Sect, he undoubtedly knew much more.

    Both Ouyang Duanhai and Jin Yang fixated so intently on the faint light within the withered bone.

    <i>Could it be?</i>

    Hong Tai formted a n.

    He waved his python over, gently pet its head, and instructed it to search the pond floor for potential anomalies. Beckoning Xu Rui and the masked man to join him, he positioned them so one was on his left and the other on his right.

    After doing this, he waited for Jin Yang to arrive before the four of them swam toward Ouyang Duanhai.

    ***

    Pang Jian observed the battle from a dark corner near the rock wall.

    Jin Yang had relied on his life-saving jade pendant to narrowly evade Ouyang Duanhai''s attack. This close call prompted him to adopt a more cautious and prudent approach.

    Hong Tai''s Spirit Beast scouted the bottom of the pond.

    By the time Pang Jian caught sight of the python, it had already sensed his presence and was slowly swimming toward him.

    A feeling of foreboding rose in Pang Jian''s heart.

    He had originally nned to take advantage of the chaos between the Shadow Specter Sect and Ouyang Duanhai to seize the essence of the Celestial Phoenix. However, he had not expected Hong Tai to be ruthless enough to send his python to track him down.

    Not only was Hong Tai''s python intelligent, but it was also more agile in the water than Pang Jian.

    It would be difficult for him to shake off its pursuit.

    Pang Jian immediately prepared to escape through the stone door!

    Just as he had this thought, a sharp twisting pain suddenly emanated from below his stomach near his navel region.

    A storm brewed in the depths of his constantly churning navel region.

    Pang Jian cursed his bad luck.

    The disturbance within his navel region caused him to question whether his cultivation of the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art had led him to deviate, inducing hallucinations.

    The pain was so scalp-numbingly intense that Pang Jian was unable to muster the energy to retreat to the stone door.

    Pang Jian could not clearly discern what was happening in his navel region as he did not have divine sense. He could only vaguely sense that something was attempting to break free from within.

    His face twisted into a grimace as he roared in agony. Air bubbles gurgled up in streams, creating a strange, eerie sound.

    He grasped the Dragonwood Spear in one hand while clutching his abdomen with the other. The pain forced him to crouch down and curl into himself.

    At that moment, he vowed to never again absorb energy indiscriminately while cultivating the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    He believed the peculiar situation in his navel region was because he had absorbed the Profound Yin energy in the rock and the corrosive energy in the water.

    On the brink of fainting from the excruciating pain, he strained to look ahead, only to catch sight of the python swimming toward him.

    The python was as thick as a water barrel and bore alternating ck and white scales down its body. Its head was raised high and its emerald eyes glowed like ghostly mes.

    Pang Jian inwardly sighed at his misfortune. Just when he had the unfortunate luck of being found by Hong Tai''s python, his navel region went into turmoil.

    Lacking the energy to escape, he could only watch helplessly as the python approached. Its intention was clear¡ªto devour him.

    It was reminiscent of how the bone of the Celestial Phoenix fell from the sky and consumed the giant serpent.

    He seemed destined to meet a simr fate to the giant serpent.

    Feeling utterly helpless, Pang Jian resigned himself to being eaten. However, to his surprise, he soon noticed the pain in his navel region rapidly diminishing.

    Lowering his head to inspect the situation, he saw dark strands emerging from between the fingers of the hand clutching his abdomen.

    These dark strands bore a striking resemnce to the corrosive energy from the giant serpent''s fangs.

    The pain in his navel region lessened with each emerging ck strand. As the strands appeared, they coiled around each other to take the form of a slender ck snake.

    The ck serpent was no thicker than a child''s arm. It was covered in ck iron scales, giving it the appearance of a living creature. Despite this, the serpentcked flesh and blood, instead resembling dark energy.

    He recalled the Spirit Devils and the floating blood shadow.

    They were exactly alike!

    <i>A spirit body, or perhaps...a soul?</i>

    Pang Jian stared in bewilderment at the ck serpent. He had a lingering feeling this snake was the manifestation of the giant serpent''s soul.

    Hong Tai''s python finally reached Pang Jian. As it prepared to swallow him, it saw the ck strands turning into a snake.

    The python''s emerald eyes shone with fear. It raised its neck as its head trembled slightly.

    Not too long ago, Pang Jian had been paralyzed by pain and could not escape. The python now found itself in a simr predicament.

    The python could only watch helplessly as the small ck snake slithered into its mouth and disappeared into its skull.

    The ck snake devoured the python''s beast soul and turned its body into its vessel.

    Just as Spirit Devils could inhabit cultivators of simr cultivation realms, the Giant Abyssal Serpent could inhabit the bodies of other serpents using its beast soul.

    The beast soul of the Giant Abyssal Serpent swiftly took control of the python''s body, recing its emerald eyes with pure ck ones.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent stretched its new body to be ustomed to it then charged at Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian had just regained control of his body and could barelyprehend the situation.

    The python lunged at him once again!

    Pang Jian was forced to raise his Dragonwood Spear to fight.

    He sprang up from the rocks, unleashing the formidable strength from his arm bones. Without hesitation, he jabbed at the now ck-eyed python, aiming his spear directly at its ck eyes.

    The python stared intently at Pang Jian, or rather¡ªat the bronze pendant around Pang Jian''s neck.

    A hint of fear bloomed in the ck eyes of the python.

    It writhed and twisted its serpentine body in the water, tail thrashing about erratically. This allowed it to advance while switching directions at a moment''s notice.

    It was ready to bite and kill Pang Jian when it abruptly recalled something.

    The python halted its approach. Just as Pang Jian''s spear was about toe into contact with it, its thrashing tail swiftly propelled it backward.

    It retreated!

    <i>The beast soul of the giant serpent was scattered at the bottom of the pond and I inadvertently absorbed it into my navel region when I absorbed the corrosive energy! This was the giant serpent''s final bid for survival! The bone of the Celestial Phoenix only sought the essence of its flesh and blood and disregarded its beast soul.</i>

    Pang Jian finally understood the situation.

    The ck strands forming the ck snake were the beast soul of the giant serpent. The beast soul now inhabited Hong Tai''s python and was using the body of its weaker counterpart to move about.

    By the time Pang Jian had fully grasped the situation, the retreating python hadpleted a circuit around the bottom of the pond. It reappeared behind Pang Jian and lunged.

    Caught off guard, Pang Jain was unable to defend himself as the python sank its fangs into his back.

    Pain surged through him!

    <i>Gurgle!</i>

    Pang Jian let out a scream of agony, choking on several mouthfuls of water. Surprisingly, the python had fractured neither his spine nor his ribcage.

    He once again felt the bronze pendant on his chest grow hot!

    An intense heat spread through his body and engulfed the python!

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent had been afraid to confront Pang Jian directly, so it cunningly circled behind him intending to kill him in one strike. However, it had not anticipated Pang Jian''s ribcage to be as strong as divine iron.

    Just as the python loosened its bite to retreat, a strange heat quietly spread from Pang Jian to the python.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent abruptly realized it was in danger, but it found itself unable to flee.

    1. A ó¤Áú or "Hornless Dragon" is a mythical creature from Chinese mythology. It is often depicted as a dragon with the body of a snake, symbolizing power, strength, and protection. ?

 Chapter 27: Indiscriminate Slaughter

    <h4>Chapter 27: Indiscriminate ughter</h4>

    The python''s monstrous jaws mped around Pang Jian in a dark corner at the bottom of the pond.

    Its body stiffened as the strange heat paralyzed it, and the soul of the Giant Abyssal Serpent in the python''s body felt a powerful sealing force.

    Within the depths of the python''s ck eyes were thousands of spirit snakes, as slender as strands of hair. A sea of zing light gradually engulfed them. Each of these ck spirit snakes was a strand of the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s beast soul, which was undergoing rapid dissolution and refinement.

    An overpowering, enigmatic force ensnared the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s beast soul. It could not escape.

    It could only voice its sorrowful pleas through the cries of its beast soul.

    An unknown amount of time passed. For the Giant Abyssal Serpent, it simultaneously felt like a fleeting moment and an eternity before its fragmented beast soul finally stopped being refined.

    It then overheard as Pang Jian thought to himself, <i>The venomous fangs of this python don''t seem particrly sharp</i>.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent then sensed the young man in its mouth pushing it away.

    Staring at the young man with eyes full of pain and remorse, it found Pang Jian sizing it up as various thoughts sprouted in the depths of the young man''s heart.

    It could not hear thoughts unrted to itself, but it heard clearly when Pang Jian sought to exploit it.

    <i>Things would go much more smoothly if I could ride this python into battle.</i>

    Pang Jian''s thoughts caused the Giant Abyssal Serpent to grow furious. However, it could not do anything as it sensed its beast soul once again undergoing refinement.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent fell into a panic.

    As it stared at the bronze pendant hanging from the Pang Jian''s neck, the Giant Abyssal Serpent suddenly had a moment of revtion. It took the initiative to approach Pang Jian with a glimmer of hope.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent forcefully maneuvered its neck between Pang Jian''s legs and willingly took the role of his mount.

    <i>This is merely a body I''ve inhabited. It won''t diminish my dignity, t</i>he Giant Abyssal Serpent reassured itself.

    It quickly realized that, by meeting Pang Jian''s expectations, not only was its beast soul no longer undergoing refinement, but some of the previously missing portions of its beast soul were also returning.

    Its spirit was significantly uplifted. As long as it followed Pang Jian''s instructions and willingly cooperated with him, it could restore its beast soul!

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent attempted tomunicate with Pang Jian, seeking further instructions but soon realized that Pang Jian could not hear its thoughts.

    Furthermore, it could only passively sense the thoughts Pang Jian had that were rted to itself. The Giant Abyssal Serpent felt as though an invisible set of eyes were constantly watching it, ensuring it did not delve into anything unrted to it.

    Having lost parts of its beast soul, the Giant Abyssal Serpent had also lost many crucial memories and did not understand why it harbored such hostility toward Pang Jian.

    It only vaguely recalled that the bronze pendant hanging from Pang Jian''s neck was the most terrifying thing in the world.

    To the Giant Abyssal Serpent, that object symbolized supreme authority, never to be profaned.

    ***

    <i>How strange.</i>

    Pang Jian stared in bewilderment as the very creature that had sought to bite him to death now approached him willingly and lifted him onto its neck.

    The python''s bite had left a few bloody punctures on Pang Jian''s back, but miraculously, his bones remained unbroken. Even the bloody wounds rapidly closed after bleeding for a while.

    He could not fathom why the cunning python would suddenly be so docile andpliant.

    This was especially given that the beast soul inhabiting the python''s body did not belong to Hong Tai''s Spirit Beast, but rather to the ominous creature concealed within ckwater Pond.

    Gazing at the massive carcass of the giant serpent that spanned several tens of meters, Pang Jian found himself increasingly baffled by the inexplicable presence of the Giant Abyssal Serpent that had materialized in the form of the small ck snake.

    <i>I should join the battle.</i>

    The moment the thought crossed Pang Jian''s mind, the python promptly carried him toward the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Pang Jian was taken aback. Unable to speak underwater, he mentally eximed, <i>Not now!</i>

    The python abruptly came to a halt.

    Pang Jian''s expression morphed into one of iparable astonishment. He attempted to probe with his mind, seeking to direct the now-docile python to change its course.

    The python moved in perfect ordance with his thoughts, acting as if it were an extension of his own body.

    <i>This python can sense my thoughts. It''s truly extraordinary, deserving of its status as a Spirit Beast. However, Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping never mentioned that Spirit Beasts could sense human thoughts, </i>

    Still perplexed, Pang Jian continued to probe the python and eventually confirmed the Giant Abyssal Serpent inhabiting the python''s body was fully obedient to hismands.

    However, Pang Jian could not help but feel it was a pity he could notprehend the python''s thoughts. He wanted to know why it had been at the bottom of the pond and why it now followed hismands.

    Regardless, his confidence in joining the battle grew stronger now that he had the python''s assistance.

    <i>The mysteries surrounding the bone of the Celestial Phoenix likely caused the changes in my body. I might as well try my luck.</i>

    Pang Jian did not immediately ride the python into the battle. Instead, he opted to remain in the shadows and closely observed the battle happening around the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, biding his time for the opportune moment to make his move.

    ***

    Also at the bottom of the pond was the still-bound Ning Yao.

    She puffed out her cheeks as she alternated between watching Hong Tai and the three Meridian Opening Realm cultivators besiege the renowned weakling of the Ouyang n and gazing in the direction where the python had vanished.

    She had seen Pang Jian swimming toward a shadowed area near the rocky wall after he had waved goodbye to her.

    The python Hong Tai had instructed to find Pang Jian, also swam toward that area, evidently pinpointing Pang Jian''s hiding spot.

    <i>But why is it taking so long? </i>

    Ning Yao felt deeply humiliated by Pang Jian and harbored intense hatred toward him. Thus, she eagerly anticipated seeing the python tear him to shreds.

    However, despite her long wait, the python had yet to reappear.

    Even though Hong Tai and the others were no longer concerned about her, Ning Yao still did not dare to move around too much to maintain her oxygen for longer. While she was in the Meridian Opening Realm, the fact remained that the more she struggled, the faster her breath would run out.

    If that happened, she would notst long.

    ***

    The enchanting woman stood on the very top of the Celestial Phoenix''s. After hesitating for a long time, she could no longer bear it.

    "Go down and be my eyes. Let me see what''s happening at the bottom of the pond," shemanded, hand moving gracefully amidst a thin veil of bloody mist. The Qi Practicing Realm members of the Shadow Specter Sect inhabited by her Spirit Devils jumped into the pond one after the other.

    As each of them plunged into the water, the events at the bottom of the pond unfolded in her mind like a vivid andplete panorama, depicted from multiple perspectives.

    The skull of the Giant Abyssal Serpent pierced by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix; the ongoing battle surrounding it; the inhuman Ouyang Duanhai; Hong Tai and Jin Yang''s repeated nces at the essence of the Celestial Phoenix shining within the bone; and Ning Yao''s continuous fixation with a dark corner of the pond.

    She took in all these details.

    However, she remained unsatisfied.

    She instructed the Spirit Devils to spread out and search for those responsible for raising the Giant Abyssal Serpent in ckwater Pond.

    Finally, one of the members of the Shadow Specter Sect inhabited by Spirit Devils made his way toward the dark area Ning Yao had been staring at.

    <i>I didn''t even partake in the skirmish between Hong Tai''s group and the strange figure and now these Qi Practicing Realm cultivators dare to seek me out underwater. They''re truly courting death.</i> Pang Jian snorted coldly.

    He nced back at the stone door, left barely ajar, and silently noted its position.

    <i>Apany me to kill those bastards! </i>With that thought, the Giant Abyssal Serpent rushed out from the darkness!

    The inhabited python was the most agile creature at the bottom of the pond. The inhabited members of the Shadow Specter Sect remained oblivious as it silently charged forward.

    <i>Shick!</i>

    Pang Jian thrust his long spear forward, piercing the forehead of a Qi Practicing Realm member of the Shadow Specter Sect.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent wasboring diligently under Pang Jian''s directives to restore its beast soul. However, it was shocked to discover a soul nestled within the person''s forehead, presenting it with something to feast on.

    In the depths of its dark serpent eyes, two abyssal pools akin to ckwater Pond emerged, whirlpools quietly forming within their waters.

    The abyssal whirlpools within the python''s eyes drew the shadowy soul from the person''s forehead.

    The shadowy soul disappeared into the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s eyes.

    <i>I swore to avenge you, Brother Zhou. I will naturally make use of this opportunity to eliminate those involved in the assault.</i>

    Having dispatched the member of the Shadow Specter Sect with a single thrust of his spear, Pang Jian shifted his focus to his next target, unaware the souls of these members now existed in another world.

    As the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art was inactive, he did not notice the Giant Abyssal Serpent consuming the Spirit Devils.

    <i>Onward to the next target!</i>

    Killing intent surged through Pang Jian. The Giant Abyssal Serpent beneath him eagerlyplied.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent used the fragile body it now inhabited to carry Pang Jian through the water.

    Pang Jian repeatedly thrust out his Dragonwood Spear, and the members of the Shadow Specter Sect inhabited by Spirit Devils met their demise one after another.

    Seated upright in the silver, Ning Yao watched uprehendingly as Pang Jian wielded the Dragonwood Spear and mercilessly ughtered the Qi Practicing Realm members of the Shadow Specter Sect from atop Hong Tai''s Spirit Beast.

    Ning Yao''s beautiful eyes were filled with a sense of incredulity. She felt like she was trapped in a nightmare.

    Shrouded in a thin bloody mist atop the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, the enchanting figure stamped her feet as she cursed, "Damn you! You''ve blinded all my eyes!"

 Chapter 28: Youthful Heroic Spirit

    <h4>Chapter 28: Youthful Heroic Spirit</h4>

    Above the pond surface, atop the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, the enchanting figure named Luo Hongyan furiously stamped her feet. This woman was the blood shadow the Sinister Soul Temple had sealed for hundreds of years in the white paper fan.

    The jade-like feet of her ethereal form sank into the bone of the Celestial Phoenix. Startled, she quickly withdrew them upon realizing her mistake.

    Her eerie crimson eyes turned as cold and sharp as blood-stained des. Her gazended on the clear surface of the pond.

    Since she had been released from the seal, she sought to restore her body, and the essence of the Celestial Phoenix was imperative to achieving that goal.

    By fusing her ethereal body with the essence of the Celestial Phoenix, she could rebuild her physical body and regain her former strength. With this newfound power, she could exact bloody revenge on those who had conspired against her.

    However, she feared the mysterious individual capable of raising the Giant Abyssal Serpent in ckwater Pond and dared not venture into the water in her current ethereal form.

    By making the inhabited members of the Shadow Specter Sect enter the water in her stead, she could avoid the risks and remain undetected while spying from above.

    Nobody could have anticipated that the young man chosen by the Blood Moon Sect''s Eye of Imprint would emerge from the darkness riding a python, swiftly dispatching the members of the Shadow Specter Sect. Not to mention, the python devoured the Spirit Devils she had painstakingly refined.

    "It''s merely a Rank Two spirit beast, ck and White King Python. Its spiritual awareness is still weak. It should not be able to detect the presence of the Spirit Devils, let alone consume them."

    After her initial surge of anger, Luo Hongyan gradually got a hold of herself. However, the longer she thought about it, the more she felt something was amiss.

    "How did that brat seize Hong Tai''s ck and White King Python? And after changing owners, the python began devouring my Spirit Devils. Things are not what they seem."

    She suspected the ones responsible for raising the Giant Abyssal Serpent were lurking in the shadows and using the young hunter to carry out their ns.

    Once her frenzied mind fully calmed down, she became increasingly reluctant to act.

    "I still have some Spirit Devils that I left outside the valley. It looks like I''ll need to summon some of them."

    Having lost her eyes, shemanded the Spirit Devils outside the valley to seek out wild beasts to inhabit and await her next instructions.

    ***

    <i>Blurp! </i>

    At the bottom of the pond, Hong Tai released a stream of bubbles from his mouth in shock. He had previously been engaged in battles around the bone of the Celestial Phoenix but was now staring nkly at Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian rode his spirit beast and ughtered his disobedient subordinates one after the other.

    Despite his screams, he made no sound, only expelling a stream of bubbles from his mouth.

    Bewilderment filled his heart. How long had it been since the ck and White King Python, which he had painstakingly raised for seven to eight years, gained spiritual awareness?

    He simply could not understand why the ck and White King Python would betray him and switch allegiance to the young man.

    Not to mention, he had explicitly forbidden his subordinates from entering the pond. Why would they ignore his orders?

    Hong Tai racked his brain but could not find an answer to his questions.

    Jin Yang and the two squad leaders of the Meridian Opening Realm were also stunned when they saw Pang Jian riding Hong Tai''s spirit beast and cast questioning nces at Hong Tai.

    Hong Tai solemnly shook his head in response to their questioning looks, indicating that he was also unsure.

    Jin Yang suddenly became agitated and pointed toward the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    While they were engaged in battle with Ouyang Duanhai, the white light in the bone of the Celestial Phoenix transformed into a cluster of mysterious faint light and slowly ascended toward the top end of the bone.

    "The essence of the Celestial Phoenix!" Jin Yang screamed uncontrobly, expelling a stream of bubbles of his own.

    He frantically gestured at Hong Tai and the other two, signaling them to assist him in intercepting Ouyang Duanhai.

    Meanwhile, he chased after the faint white glow, determined to intercept the essence of the Celestial Phoenix as quickly as possible!

    <i>Hmm!</i>

    Pang Jian had in all the Qi Practicing Realm members of the Shadow Specter Sect. As he rode on the python inhabited by the Giant Abyssal, he also noticed the reappearance of the mysterious light in the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    He immediatelymanded the Giant Abyssal Serpent beneath him.

    However, for the first time, the Giant Abyssal Serpent ignored him.

    Pang Jian lowered his head and saw its dark eyes filled with both boundless hatred and profound fear.

    <i>You harbor resentment toward the bone of the Celestial Phoenix for consuming your physical form. But fear? You no longer have a physical body. You''re merely inhabiting another serpent''s body. What''s there for you to fear? </i>Pang Jian silently pondered, unsure if the python could hear a thought that was not amand.

    Pang Jian came to a sudden realization. If even the Giant Abyssal Serpent was afraid of the essence of the Celestial Phoenix, then Jin Yang would likely find that coveting it for himself would not have the results he imagined.

    With his thoughts still in turmoil, Pang Jian directed the Giant Abyssal Serpent to swim closer to the top of the withered bone and trail closely behind the anxiously ascending Jin Yang.

    This time the Giant Abyssal Serpent obeyed his order.

    With a noticeably slower speed than before, the Giant Abyssal Serpent brought Pang Jian closer to Jin Yang.

    Pang Jian kept an eye on Jin Yang, asionally casting nces toward the serpent''s skull where Hong Tai and the other two squad leaders were restraining the strange figure.

    After the mysterious light had appeared, the strange figure seemed to go berserk, frantically rushing toward the faint light.

    However, with Hong Tai and the other two squad leaders attacking it, it could not leave.

    At this moment, Hong Tai wielded a golden spirit sword, the masked squad leader wielded a bamboo flute, and Xu Rui held a ck iron shield.

    Despite theirbined efforts, the trio found themselves at a disadvantage when confronted with the onught of the strange figure.

    Discontent with his ck iron shield, Xu Rui exchanged looks Hong Tai before withdrawing from the battle. He then approached the still-ensnared Ning Yao.

    Xu Rui tightened his grip on the iron chains, and with a gentle shake, released Ning Yao from the.

    Having retrieved his silver, Xu Rui did not even spare Ning Yao a nce before promptly returning to Hong Tai.

    He threw the silver giant in his hand high up in the water. The resembled a silver cloud as it whistled through the water and headed straight toward the strange figure.

    The silver ensnaring Ning Yao was obviously his weapon of choice. It was the most suitable weapon for restraining the strange figure.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian noticed the ascending Jin Yang had sneakily pulled out a lotus leaf.

    The lotus leaf looked like green jade and shimmered with a crystal-like luster underwater. Its delicate veins seemed to conceal many mysteries within.

    Jin Yang lifted his clothes, ced the lotus leaf on his chest over his heart as a protective shield, and put his clothes back down

    The confidence in his eyes grew as he charged toward the mysterious light. His lips moved as though repeatedly mouthing something.

    Although his words were silent, Pang Jian could discern what he was trying to say from the repeated movement of his lips.

    The words he was repeating were "the essence of the Celestial Phoenix."

    Pang Jian quickly worked out that the amber light emanating from the withered bone was, in fact, the essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Recalling Jin Yang''s unusual actions of covering his heart with a lotus leaf, he then nced at the strange figure with the tattoo of the Celestial Phoenix on its chest. Seeing this, he soon realized that the essence of the Celestial Phoenix sought a vessel capable of containing its power and intended to nest within the heart of the chosen host.

    Once the essence of the Celestial Phoenix sessfully entered the host''s body, the individual seemed to transform into a strange monster.

    Jin Yang knew the consequences of having his heart devoured by the essence of the Celestial Phoenix. Therefore, he used the lotus leaf to protect his heart.

    <i>Help me kill this man!</i>

    Pang Jin could notmand the Giant Abyssal Serpent to approach the essence of the Celestial Phoenix, so instead, he set his sights on Jin Yang!

    Out of all the members of the Shadow Specter Sect, Jin Yang had inflicted the most pain on Pang Jian with his seven Cicada Wing Swords, repeatedly stabbing them into Pang Jian''s back and arms.

    Thus, Pang Jian decided to put Jin Yang on the top of the list of the Meridian Opening Realm cultivators he wanted to kill.

    <i>Ssh!</i>

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent writhed its body, stirring up the water at the bottom of the pond, and bringing Pang Jian rushing toward Jin Yang.

    The current greatly reduced the strength and movement speed of those at the bottom of the pond.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent, however, waspletely unaffected. Its movement speed was faster than onnd, and it could swiftly bring Pang Jian to Jin Yang''s side.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! </i>

    Jin Yangunched his Cicada Wing Swords at Pang Jian.

    However, they had lost much of their spiritual power after Ouyang Duanhai had struck them. Additionally, they were now submerged in water, which significantly impaired the efficacy and speed of the spirit swords.

    With the aid of the Giant Abyssal Serpent, Pang Jian blocked the Cicada Wing Swords with his spear, sending them sinking toward the bottom of the pond.

    Pang Jian borrowed the momentum of the Giant Abyssal Serpent, gripping his Dragonwood Spear tightly with both hands as he aimed at Jin Yang.

    Once he drew close enough, he unleashed the strength in his arms and threw the spear forward with all his might.

    <i>Bang! </i>

    Jin Yang immediately formed a block of ice with the Hornless Ice Dragon Jade Pendant.

    It shattered upon impact with Pang Jian''s Dragonwood Spear.

    Jin Yang let out a muffled groan as he watched cracks form on his life-saving jade pendant. It would be difficult to restore its previous effectiveness without the help of experts.

    Temporarily retreating, he nced back at Pang Jian only to see him once again charging ferociously in his direction.

    With the added speed of the python, the impact of that python paired with Pang Jian''s divine strength, and the heavy force of the dragon spear, Jin Yang, who had lost his jade pendant to protect his body, secretly cried out in dismay.

    At the speed the python was going, the momentum of its impact,bined with Pang Jian''s inherent physical strength and the weight of the Dragonwood Spear would surely be immense.

    Jin Yang grimaced at the impending danger now that he no longer had the protection of his jade pendant.

    The ck and White King Python that Hong Tai painstakingly raised not only failed to assist him but even aided an outsider in attacking him.

    Still, Jin Yang could not let go of the essence of the Celestial Phoenix. He hade too far to just give it up so easily. Thus, in the end, he chose to press on with his ascent.

    If he could not evade Pang Jian''s attack, he decided he would rush out of ckwater Pond and figure out how to obtain the essence of the Celestial Phoenix beforeunching a counterattack to kill Pang Jian.

    Being underwater was profoundly frustrating as he felt neither he nor his Cicada Wing Swords could disy their full abilities.

    After they surfaced, the Rank Two ck and White King Python would not necessarily be able to overpower him.

    <i>Swish! Ssh!</i>

    Having been released by Xu Rui, Ning Yao also desperately swam upward.

    She had only recently advanced to the Meridian Opening Realm and could notpete with seasoned veterans like Hong Tai and Xu Rui. If she did not resurface soon, she risked drowning at the bottom of the pond.

    As she struggled to swim upward, she caught sight of Pang Jian riding the python in pursuit of Jin Yang.

    After Pang Jian had killed all the Qi Practicing Realm members of the Shadow Specter Sect, he seemed to have switched targets to higher-level prey.

    Ning Yao gazed intently at Pang Jian. Her heart churned like tumultuous waves and she started to harbor doubts.

    She was skeptical about whether Pang Jian was the real owner of the three stone houses.

    Was this fierce and bloodthirsty figure truly the same young man the townsfolk of Linshan Town had described?

    That young hunter lived together with his younger sister. So why did they not encounter his sister in the courtyard?

    <i>Could it be some upper-world talent impersonated Pang Jian to set up a trap for us? </i>

    Ning Yao''s mind swirled with confusion.

 Chapter 29: The Serpents Horn

    <h4>Chapter 29: The Serpent''s Horn</h4>

    Beneath the surface of ckwater Pond, Ning Yao gazed up at the heroic figure of Pang Jian riding the python. Her expression softened into a dreamy reverie, and for a moment, she was entranced by the scene unfolding before her.

    As her body started to sink, she snapped out of her stupor and resumed awkwardly swimming upward.

    Pang Jian''s movements were fluid and effortless, like a fish underwater. In stark contrast, Ning Yao''s strokes resembled a paddling dog, her movements stiff and disjointed.

    While she watched Pang Jian mp his legs around the python''s neck, body poised like a drawn sword, and repeatedly thrusting his spear toward Jin Yang, Ning Yao quietly regretted not dedicating herself to learning to swim properly.

    Pang Jian was proficient in the water and cleverly utilized the python''s momentum to imbue each thrust of his spear with formidable strength.

    Jin Yang was someone Hong Tai held in the highest regard, but even he was forced into a panicked retreat as Pang Jian continued to inflict bloody wounds on him.

    Pang Jian was just a humble hunter. Where did he find the courage to confront and attempt to kill the higher echelons of the Shadow Specter Sect?

    Was he not afraid of the Shadow Specter Sect''s furious retaliation and inhumane torture if he was captured?

    Deeper reflection caused Ning Yao to realize that the seemingly quiet and ordinary Pang Jian had consistently seized the initiative at every opportunity since entering the Solitary Mountain Range.

    Even with her esteemed status as the young mistress of the Ning n, she could not make much headway.

    The way Pang Jian looked at her was neither haughty nor humble. He never regarded her as someone of great importance.

    This waspletely different from the townsfolk she encountered in Linshan Town. They were worlds apart from Pang Jian.

    <i>He must have concealed a lot from me.</i>

    Ning Yao became more convinced that Pang Jian''s origins were not as straightforward as they seemed.

    Perhaps Pang Jian was a disciple of one of the upper-world sects, such as the Blood Moon Sect, the Star River Alliance, or the Sinister Soul Temple. After escaping from the Solitary Mountain Range, he may have disposed of the real Pang Jian and his sister, assuming their identities and lying in wait for search parties like hers to arrive.

    Ning Yao could not help but wonder, <i>What is he plotting?</i>

    ***

    On the surface of the pond, amidst an ethereal veil of bloody mist, the enchanting figure appeared both nervous and excited. Her mesmerizing eyes were fixed on the bone of the Celestial Phoenix beneath her.

    The cluster of faint light that was the essence of the Celestial Phoenix steadily drew closer to where she stood atop the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Despitecking a physical body, Luo Hongyan instinctively took a deep breath, momentarily forgetting that she did not need to breathe.

    After forming, the essence of the Celestial Phoenix realized Ouyang Duanhai was already possessed by another essence. To avoid being absorbed by Ouyang Duanhai, it had no choice but to float upward.

    Luo Hongyan frowned in contemtion. "Even Jin Yang, the brat with a passable cultivation talent, failed to capture the attention of the essence of the Celestial Phoenix?"

    Luo Hongyan had some knowledge about the essence of the Celestial Phoenix and its characteristics.

    ording to legend, when the Celestial Phoenix suffered serious injuries, it would detach its wing bones to seek out the life force of other creatures. The bone of the Celestial Phoenix would gather a vast amount of essence from the flesh and blood of these creatures and use them to form an essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    If the bone of the Celestial Phoenix was too far from its main body, the essence of the Celestial Phoenix would select a nearby creature to possess. By consuming their flesh and soul, it could achieve a rudimentary awakening of self-awareness.

    Each of the Celestial Phoenix''s bones could form an essence of the Celestial Phoenix that possessed its own independent consciousness.

    In this way, every essence of the Celestial Phoenix could select a creature to possess, with each of them capable of existing as an independent entity.

    Between the individual essences of the Celestial Phoenix, there was also an instinct to battle and consume each other, and finally merge to form the strongest Divine Guard of the Celestial Phoenix.

    The Divine Guard was tasked with protecting the Celestial Phoenix and would eventually be called back to the Celestial Phoenix''s side.

    Upon returning to the Celestial Phoenix''s side, the Divine Guards would transform into a bone imbued with divine strength and once again be a part of its wing.

    After the bone of the Celestial Phoenix fell into the Solitary Mountain Range, it killed creatures like the Giant Abyssal Serpent to form the essence of the Celestial Phoenix. These essences of the Celestial Phoenix then sought to possess other beings such as Ouyang Duanhai.

    Those possessed by the essence of the Celestial Phoenix would seek out its other bones and essences. They would either help refine these essences or consume others the Celestial Phoenix''s essence had possessed.

    This was their lifelong mission.

    The essence of the Celestial Phoenix attained independent consciousness after forming, and to prevent being refined or consumed by other essences of the Celestial Phoenix, it would swiftly seek out suitable creatures to possess.

    "I don''t have a physical body. I''m in my ethereal form, so it didn''t want me," Luo Hongyan murmured to herself, watching as the essence of the Celestial Phoenix drew closer, rising within the bone.

    Her inner turmoil intensified with each passing moment.

    With her ethereal form, she could enter the bone of the Celestial Phoenix to intercept the cluster of the essence of the Celestial Phoenix and im it as her own. After all, it yed a crucial role in forging her physical body.

    However, the moment she merged with the essence of the Celestial Phoenix, she was bound to sh with the spirit consciousness residing within it.

    She would be at her most vulnerable while subduing the essence of the Celestial Phoenix''s spirit consciousness. Additionally, once she entered the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, she would be unable to conceal her ethereal form and be visible to those at the bottom of the pond.

    She also believed that those responsible for capturing the Giant Abyssal Serpent from the Fifth World and raising it in ckwater Pond were specifically awaiting coveters of the essence of the Celestial Phoenix such as herself.

    Her inner desires nearly overwhelmed her, but she managed to restrain herself.

    She prepared to wait for a while longer.

    In the sky above her, Spirit Devils formed from the souls of cultivators in the Meridian Opening Realm, such as Luo Meng, hovered, awaiting hermand.

    ***

    <i>Puff!</i>

    Pang Jian clenched his Dragonwood Spear tightly in the water. Leveraging the momentum of the Giant Abyssal Serpent and the surge in his physical strength, he inflicted multiple bloody wounds on Jin Yang''s body.

    History did not repeat itself but it often rhymed.

    Before entering the pond, Jin Yangmanded his seven Cicada Wing Swords and relentlessly pursued Pang Jian, inflicting numerous wounds on him.

    Now, Pang Jian tightly clenched his Dragonwood Spear and continuously left bloody wounds on Jin Yang.

    Pang Jian had no desire to torment Jin Yang. After all, time was of the essence. Besides, Jin Yang, having reached the Meridian Opening Realm, could easily evade Pang Jian''s spear with agile shifts of his body.

    His spear thrusts only seeded in piercing non-vital parts of Jin Yang''s body, leaving mere holes behind.

    Jin Yang was different from the Qi Practicing Realm members of the Shadow Specter Sect. A single thrust would not kill him.

    Jin Yang had a cultivation realm one stage higher than Pang Jian and could protect his vital areas underwater.

    Fortunately, Jin Yang was slower than the Giant Abyssal Serpent, and Pang Jian could circle him with his spear.

    Jin Yang stuck close to the bone of the Celestial Phoenix and bore many bloody wounds on his waist, legs, and shoulders. Despite this, he still refused to leave the vicinity of the bone.

    Pang Jian refrained from getting too close to Jin Yang, wary that the essence of the Celestial Phoenix would suddenly fly out from the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Neither chaser nor chased emerged from the pond even after a long while.

    Unexpectedly, Ning Yao, with her poor swimming skills and awkward movements, was the first to resurface. Desperate for air, she shook her damp hair away from her face and breathed heavily, inhaling deeply to fill her lungs.

    She felt a strange sensation and turned her head to look.

    Numerous faint shadows floated near the bone of the Celestial Phoenix. Among them was the servant loyal to Shangguan Qin.

    Atop the bone of the Celestial Phoenix stood a figure shrouded in a mist of blood, exuding an aura of mystery and power.

    "It''s the wicked woman from the stone pile!" Ning Yao screamed. Neither in nor out of the water felt safe anymore.

    "Perhaps she''s a suitable candidate. When I first broke the array, my strength was insufficient to inhabit her body. Now..."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A beam of blood-red light shot forth.

    Ning Yao hesitated, watching as a blood-red beam shot out from the bloody mist. She attempted to dive back into the pond, but could not make it in time.

    The blood-red light entered the space between her eyebrows.

    A figure mesmerizing enough to topple nations gracefully materialized in Ning Yao''s mind. She spoke with a sweet, intoxicating voice, "Sorry, I''ll have to borrow your body for a while. Please bear with me."

    With those words, Ning Yao realized she was now captive within her body. She could still see what was happening around her, but she had lost control of her body and was unable to speak.

    "Don''t worry, you won''t die just yet," Luo Hongyan murmured. Then, with Ning Yao''s body, she leaped out of the pond and gracefullynded on the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    As Ning Yao''s feet firmlynded on the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, Luo Hongyan contemted her situation. Now that she inhabited a physical body, she anticipated that the essence of the Celestial Phoenix would voluntarily merge with her provided no better options presented themselves and all other avenues were exhausted.

    When that happened, she would give the essence of the Celestial Phoenix a big "surprise".

    "Spread out," With a graceful wave of her jade-like arm, shemanded the Spirit Devils to hover around the edges of ckwater Pond.

    Crouching down, she peered into the pond with Ning Yao''s eyes.

    Jin Yang continued to ascend with Pang Jian in close pursuit. They were now nearing the surface of the pond, close enough for Luo Hongyan to clearly see them from above the water.

    Upon closer inspection, she noticed the young man called Jin Yang from the Shadow Specter Sect had once again been struck by Pang Jian''s spear.

    Jin Yang had lost a significant amount of blood and abruptly fainted. His body became unnaturally limp in the water.

    Luo Hongyan shook her head. "He''s dead."

    As if hearing her words, Pang Jian''s eyes lit up as he targeted Jin Yang''s vital organs, stabbing his spear repeatedly into the back of his neck and heart.

    After confirming Jin Yang''s death, Pang Jian rushed out from atop the python. He searched Jin Yang''s body and retrieved the lotus leaf on Jin Yang''s chest.

    Pang Jian''s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. He carefully pressed therge lotus leaf against his own heart.

    He then swam back to where the hesitant ck and White King Python had been waiting at a distance from the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Luo Hongyan continued to peer down into the water from atop the bone of the Celestial Phoenix when she was overwhelmed by a strong sense of dread. She could not help but stare at the ck and White King Python.

    The ck and White King Python''s originally green eyes had turned pitch-ck. The pair of eyes resembled two abyssal pools, swallowing all light in their depths.

    Deep within the eyes of the ck and White King Python, she could discern numerous slender ck snakes swimming quietly around.

    Luo Hongyan concentrated her spiritual consciousness and empowered Ning Yao''s eyes with her spiritual power. With her heightened perception, she scrutinized the pitch-ck eyes of the ck and White King Python.

    She saw it instantly.

    Deep within the python''s pitch-ck eyes, slender snakes with olive-green scales and ck spots dotting their bodies swam around.

    Furthermore, atop the head of each small snake, a tiny horn started to emerge.

    Luo Hongyan''s expression abruptly changed. "When a python grows scales, it bes a serpent; when a serpent grows horns, it transforms into a flood dragon; and when a flood dragon grows ws, it bes a true dragon!

    <i>The ck and White King Python is inhabited by the beast soul of the Giant Abyssal Serpent! Tiny horns are growing on the small snakes in its eyes. Before it died to the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, it was in the middle of transforming into a flood dragon!</i>

    Luo Hongyan panicked upon realizing the truth.

    She finally understood why the ck and White King Python could devour her Spirit Devils. She also realized why the skeleton of the Giant Abyssal Serpentcked a horn.

    When the bone of the Celestial Phoenixnded in the pond, it shattered the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s horn, pierced through its skull, then pinned it to the bottom of the pond!

 Chapter 30: Handling it with Ease

    Chapter 30: Handling it with Ease

    Above the pond, Luo Hongyan stared at the Giant Abyssal Serpent through Ning Yao''s eyes.

    Meanwhile, in the pond, the Giant Abyssal Serpent stared coldly back at Luo Hongyan through its pitch-ck eyes from within the ck and White King Python''s body.

    She knew that its beast soul had inhabited the ck and White King Python, and the Giant Abyssal Serpent knew that her ethereal form had inhabited Ning Yao''s body.

    Having devoured all the Spirit Devils, the Giant Abyssal Serpent secretly drooled over her superior ethereal form. However, recognizing her extraordinary nature, it did not dare to rashly rush out from the pond.

    Luo Hongyan shared the same thought. She sensed the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s covert gaze, akin to a tiger fixating on its prey. Therefore, she refrained from hastily merging with the essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Both sides found themself in a delicate bnce.

    After killing Jin Yang, Pang Jian pressed the lotus leaf against his heart, feeling a chilly sensation enveloping the area where it made contact with his skin.

    <em>Jin Yang regarded this lotus leaf as a treasure, intending to use it to protect his heart to obtain the essence of the Celestial Phoenix,</em>Pang Jian thought to himself. He swam toward the python, which had cautiously distanced itself from the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, and casually mounted it.

    Following the python''s line of sight, Pang Jian noticed "Ning Yao" above the pond.

    Peering up through the now clear water, he nced at Ning Yao''s alluring drenched body and let out a snort under his breath.

    While Pang Jian was preupied with pursuing Jin Yang, Ning Yao, freed by Xu Rui, seized the chance to flee from the pond. Surprisingly, she did not leave, and instead boldly lingered atop the bone of the Celestial Phoenix as if oblivious to the concept of danger.

    Pang Jian did not have a favorable impression of Ning Yao and promptly averted his gaze to scour the area for the essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    He quickly located the essence of the Celestial Phoenix, floating within the bone of the Celestial Phoenix near the pond''s surface.

    The essence of the Celestial Phoenix possessed its own spirit consciousness. Though it initially intended to rush out from the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, it now hesitated.

    <em>Is it worried about Ning Yao? Is it thinking about entering her body, or perhaps weighing other possibilities?</em>Pang Jian mused. He once again ordered the python beneath him to bring him closer to the essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    The python remained motionless.

    It averted its gaze from Ning Yao. Its pitch-ck eyes were filled with fear and unease.

    The source of its dread was the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    <em>It seems I''ll have to go there myself.</em>As Pang Jian thought this, he noticed a disturbance in the water below him.

    Lowering his head, Pang Jian saw the flushed face of Xu Rui, the squad leader of the Shadow Specter Sect. Xu Rui had abandoned his silver to desperately swim toward the surface of the pond.

    Hong Tai and the other masked squad leader had trapped the strange figure in the giant and surrounded it, buying time for Xu Rui.

    After being underwater for so long, Xu Rui was nearing his limit. If he did not resurface for air soon, he risked drowning.

    <em>Intercept and kill him.</em>

    The instant the thought appeared in Pang Jian''s mind, the python beneath him surged into action.

    It seemed the python was willing to obey his orders as long as it did not involve approaching the essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Pang Jian fell back onto familiar tactics.

    Relying on the python''s agility, Pang Jian descended from above and thrust his spear toward Xu Rui.

    Having expended all his energy dealing with Ouyang Duanhai, Xu Rui''s sole desire was to swiftly surface for air. Thus, he swam desperately toward the pond''s surface.

    It was only when he approached the surface that he realized Jin Yang had been killed, his corpse slowly sinking downward.

    Xu Rui realized how unfavorable the situation was for him.

    Shortly after, he caught sight of Pang Jian astride the serpent, descending upon him with a spear in hand.

    s, his performance paled inparison to Jin Yang''s. With just a few thrusts, Pang Jian pierced Xu Rui''s heart.

    Another Meridian Opening Realm member of the Shadow Specter Sect met the same fate at Pang Jian''s hands.

    Even while going after Xu Rui, Pang Jian still had the luxury of observing the essence of the Celestial Phoenix. He saw it float up and down within the bone of the Celestial Phoenix instead of rushing out as he had anticipated.

    Above the water, Ning Yao crouched on the bone of the Celestial Phoenix as she patiently awaited further developments.

    A sense of relief washed through Pang Jian as he realized he had no remaining opponents. The serpent still refused to approach the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, so Pang Jian prepared to dismount and swim over himself.

    However, before Pang Jian could move, he saw Hong Tai rushing up from the bottom of the pond.

    Witnessing Jin Yang''s lifeless body sinking to the bottom of the pond, the cunning and crafty Hong Tai surmised that Xu Rui was unlikely to escape either. Thus, he tasked the masked squad leader with restraining Ouyang Duanhai and swam upward alone.

    With his cultivation in the Marrow Cleansing Realm, he believed he could swiftly deal with Pang Jian.

    <em>Is heing to fight me?</em>Pang Jian wondered.

    He dismissed his previous thought of parting ways with the python.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent obeyed Pang Jian''smands, paying no heed to Hong Tai as it swam forward.

    It circled to the opposite end of the pond, diving to the bottom to kill the masked squad leader currently upied with restraining Ouyang Duanhai.

    Despite Hong Tai''s superior battle prowess, he found himself unable to keep up with the python''s, and by extension, Pang Jian''s speed.

    After much effort, he finally caught sight of Pang Jian. However, before he could react, Hong Tai watched in astonishment as Pang Jian swiftly descended toward the bottom of the pond.

    <em>No!</em>Hong Tai had not foreseen this twist. He cursed internally before swiftly turning back to rescue his subordinate.

    But he was toote.

    Just as Hong Tai caught sight of the massive silver, he noticed that Pang Jian''s spear had pierced through the mask of the masked man.

    The mask shattered, revealing a face marred by criss-crossed scars.

    The spearhead of the Dragonwood Spear was lodged in the man''s left eye, skewering him to the ground. The sight was reminiscent of how the bone of the Celestial Phoenix pierced through the skull of the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    <em>So, he wears a mask because his face is ugly and full of scars.</em>Pang Jian observed, forcefully wrenching the Dragonwood Spear from the man''s eye socket.

    Fresh blood spurted from the wound. At that moment, Pang Jian noticed the iron chains in the man''s hand connected to the silver.

    Pang Jian knew the strange figure trapped within the silver would free itself soon and hurriedly instructed the python to leave.

    As expected, just as he and the python had left, and right before Hong Tai arrived, Ouyang Duanhai freed himself from the silver and rushed directly toward the essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    As Hong Tai descended, Ouyang Duanhai ascended.

    After being locked in a bitter battle for a long time, both sides had long since reached a point of no return. Seeing Hong Tai draw closer to him, Ouyang Duanhai did not hesitate tounch an attack on Hong Tai.

    <em>It''s chaos! Everything''s gone haywire!</em>Hong Tai seethed as he saw Xu Rui''s lifeless body drift past him and sink into the bottom of the pond.

    The corpses of Jin Yang, the masked man, and the Qi Practicing Realm members were strewn across the floor of the pond.

    Hong Tai''s gloomy, savage gaze searched the water before finally locking onto Pang Jian, still riding on the python.

    <em>Damn it! That''s the spirit beast that I raised for years!</em>

    Hong Tai cursed in his heart.

    <em>Pang Jian!</em>Hong Tai''s eyes zed with fiery intensity as he silently screamed the name in his mind. Ignoring Ouyang Duanhai, he swiftly pursued Pang Jian.

    Hong Tai pushed aside thoughts of the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s priceless skeleton, the enigmatic lights within the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, and the ramifications of Jin Yang''s demise, relegating them to the back of his mind.

    At that moment, his sole desire was to end Pang Jian''s life and unleash the torrent of anger that surged within him.

    <em>This old fool has lost his mind.</em>Pang Jian shook his head as he watched Hong Tai abandon all reason in his single-minded pursuit of vengeance.

    Pang Jian was riding on the swiftest creature in the water. It obeyed his everymand. No matter how formidable Hong Tai might be, what could he do if he could not catch up?

    The disdain on Pang Jian''s face and the mockery gleaming in his eyes only fueled Hong Tai''s rage, pushing him further into a frenzy, thoroughly obliterating any semnce of reason.

    Hong Tai only had a faint understanding of the significance behind the faint light within the bone of the Celestial Phoenix. Thus, he did not put much importance on it and did not care about Ouyang Duanhai. His re remained stubbornly fixed on Pang Jian, determined to give chase even if catching up seemed impossible.

    Pang Jian was unfazed. He knew that as long as he stayed within the confines of ckwater Pond, he could leverage the python''s speed to maintain an advantage.

    With the help of the python, Pang Jian easily evaded Hong Tai''s relentless pursuit while steadily ascending. He stared intently at the strange figure bearing the tattoo of the Celestial Phoenix on its chest, curious as to how it would acquire the essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    This situation persisted for a while, and Hong Tai''s breathing grewbored, causing bubbles to stream from his mouth.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian noticed that when the strange figure approached the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, the essence of the Celestial Phoenix would swirl around as if attempting to evade the strange figure.

    The essence of the Celestial Phoenix appeared slightly agitated as though it could sense the imminent threat of being captured and assimted by the strange figure.

    Gradually, the essence of the Celestial Phoenix moved closer and closer to the surface of the pond.

    Luo Hongyan had been patiently waiting atop the bone of the Celestial Phoenix this whole time. Seeing this, she felt a mix of joy and apprehension when she saw the essence of the Celestial Phoenix, cornered and forced into a dead end, finally taking notice of her presence.

    Happiness surged through her. She would soon be able to refine the essence of the Celestial Phoenix and take a crucial step forward in her journey to reconstruct her physical form.

    Yet, her tion was tempered by worry. Refining the essence of the Celestial Phoenix would leave her incredibly vulnerable, especially considering that the python Pang Jian rode housed the spirit of the Giant Abyssal Serpent, which posed a significant threat to her very existence.

    Furthermore, she remained uncertain whether those responsible for raising the Giant Abyssal Serpent were presently lurking at the bottom of the pond.

    Pang Jian had been entangled by Hong Tai for quite some time and also approached the essence of the Celestial Phoenix. A thought suddenly arose in his mind, prompting him to gauge the opinion of the python.

    <em>Damn old coot! Dark serpent, if you believe we can ughter him, then we shall no longer retreat!</em>

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent inhabiting the Rank Two ck and White King Python merely paused before continuing to circle Hong Tai.

    Pang Jian was not disheartened. He dismissed the idea of battling it out with Hong Tai.

    <em>Forget about it. I''ll think of something else.</em>

    At this moment, under Ouyang Duanhai''s relentless pressure, the essence of the Celestial Phoenix started to waver. Above the water, Luo Hongyan continued to weigh her options. Meanwhile, Pang Jian drew closer and closer to Ouyang Duanhai and the essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Suddenly, the bronze pendant hanging from Pang Jian''s chest surged with an intense heat!

    The zing heat enveloped the Giant Abyssal Serpent, bolstering its resolve and helping it ovee its fear of the essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Driven by this mysterious force, the Giant Abyssal Serpent went into a frenzy, charging recklessly toward the essence of the Celestial Phoenix!

    Pang Jian felt countless tiny Celestial Phoenixes, norger than specks of dust, stirring restlessly within the bones of his arms and ribcage.

    Ouyang Duanhai had been chasing after the essence of the Celestial Phoenix and had also noticed the changes in Pang Jian''s body. He threw a nce at Pang Jian as the tattoo of the Celestial Phoenix on his chest swelled with a menacing aura.

    With a sharp crack, the tattoo of the Celestial Phoenix fractured Ouyang Duanhai''s bone. Its head extended toward Ouyang Duanhai''s neck as if wanting to engulf his entire head.

    The Celestial Phoenix tattoo underwent its final metamorphosis. Its bizarre new bird body was fashioned from Ouyang Duanhai''s skeletal frame, and crowned by the majestic head of a Celestial Phoenix.

    At this moment, atop the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, Luo Hongyan also noticed the changes in Pang Jian''s aura.

    His aura closely resembled Ouyang Duanhai''s, yet the circumstances for both were vastly disparate.

    Ouyang Duanha''s heart waspletely devoured by the essence of the Celestial Phoenix, transforming him into a Divine Guard of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian had refined the essence of the Celestial Phoenix and then used it to temper his body.

    "How is this possible?"

 Chapter 31: The Struggle for the Celestial Phoenixs Essence

    <h4>Chapter 31: The Struggle for the Celestial Phoenix''s Essence</h4>

    Luo Hongyan stared at the water in disbelief, her mind struggling to ept this newfound information.

    Not to mention Pang Jian, even cultivators in the Marrow Cleansing Realm like Hong Tai, or even higher still, would struggle to refine the essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    At best, they might be able to merge with the essence of the Celestial Phoenix, ensuring their soul remains intact, but that would just be a higher-level Divine Guard of the Celestial Phoenix.

    ording to what Luo Hongyan knew, the young man named Pang Jian had just entered the Qi Practicing Realm.

    <i>Weird...</i>

    Although she had many doubts in her heart, when she sensed the aura of the Celestial Phoenix within Pang Jian''s body and realized that he had sessfully refined an essence of the Celestial Phoenix, she immediately regarded Pang Jian as someone not to be overlooked.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The essence of the Celestial Phoenix within the bone of the Celestial Phoenix saw both Pang Jian and Ouyang Duanhai drawing closer and closer, so it swiftly rushed upward to escape.

    Having undergone aplete transformation, Ouyang Duanhai finally emerged as a Divine Guard of the Celestial Phoenix, assuming the form of a strange blood-red phoenix.

    He could sense the essence of the Celestial Phoenix within Pang Jian''s body, albeit different from his own. Nevertheless, he sought to harness and refine the energy within Pang Jian''s body for nourishment.

    The Divine Guard hesitated for a moment. Ultimately, he prioritized the acquisition of the essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Two individuals vied for the essence of the Celestial Phoenix in ckwater Pond.

    Pang Jian and the Divine Guard simultaneously charged toward the top of the bone. Thetter appeared to have undergone a breakthrough afterpleting his transformation. However, his speed was still slower than Pang Jian, as he had the advantage of riding the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    "As expected, it chose me." Luo Hongyan sighed softly.

    She knew that the essence of the Celestial Phoenix was cornered. Therefore, it decided to enter Luo Hongyan''s heart and transform her into a Divine Guard of the Celestial Phoenix.

    If Ouyang Duanhai, Pang Jian, and the Giant Abyssal Serpent were not present, she would have eagerly absorbed the essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    She watched as the essence of the Celestial Phoenix ascended through the bone, with Pang Jian and the Divine Guard in hot pursuit.

    "Forget it." Luo Hongyan shook her head.

    Using Ning Yao''s body, she leaped straight into the sky from atop the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, looking like an arrow streaking through the dim and gloomy sky.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A cluster of faint light flew out from the bone of the Celestial Phoenix and shot toward her.

    The bizarre cries of a Celestial Phoenix rang out through the previously silent valley.

    This mysterious faint light transformed into a graceful, radiant Celestial Phoenix, racing fiercely toward "Ning Yao".

    <i>Ssh!</i>

    A python with a striking ck-and-white pattern broke through the pond''s surface. Its eyes brimmed with madness, fearlessly surging toward the essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Above ckwater Pond, a surreal scene unfolded in the sky.

    As "Ning Yao" soared through the sky, the faint light that was the essence of the Celestial Phoenix flew beneath her. Below it, a giant python abruptly leaped out from ckwater Pond.

    Atop the python stood a tall young man. He tore his clothes to reveal a lotus leaf pressed against his heart and assumed a stance as if inviting the essence of the Celestial Phoenix into his heart.

    Underwater, a blood-red shadow approached the surface of the pond.

    On the edges of said pond floated numerous Spirit Devils. They watched the scene unfold before them with nk expressions on their faces, not knowing what to do.

    The young man was also perplexed. Pang Jian could not fathom why the Giant Abyssal Serpent had suddenly gone berserk.

    However, now that the struggle had begun, he could no longer afford to worry. Instead, he attempted to employ Jin Yang''s method of using the lotus leaf to obtain the essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    At that moment, two distinct sensations arose in his chest.

    The door-shaped bronze pendant grew zing hot. Its heat seared Pang Jian''s chest, making it feel like it was engulfed in mes.

    The lotus leaf he had seized from Jin Yang, on the other hand, became colder and colder, allowing him to maintain hisposure in this precarious moment.

    "Ning Yao" gradually slowed her momentum, gaze fixated beneath her.

    Luo Hongyan was currently inhabiting Ning Yao''s body. If things took a turn for the worst, she could forsake Ning Yao''s body, give up on the essence of the Celestial Phoenix, and flee with her light and imperceptible ethereal form. This was vital as her ethereal form allowed her to traverse thousands of miles instantly.

    She kept her eyes locked on the essence of the Celestial Phoenix and the charging Pang Jian, bracing herself.

    The cries of another Celestial Phoenix rang out!

    The essence of the Celestial Phoenix appeared to be drawn back by a powerful maic force and flew toward Pang Jian''s chest.

    Pang Jian spread his arms wide open, revealing the cold, green lotus leaf pressed on his heart, and waited for the essence of the Celestial Phoenix to descend into it willingly.

    <i>It''s happening!</i>

    Pang Jian felt a twinge of nervousness. If Jin Yang''s method proved erroneous, he risked meeting the same fate as Ouyang Duanhai.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The shiny, Celestial Phoenix-shaped faint light raced toward Pang Jian. However, rather than settling on the lotus leaf, it inexplicably disappeared into the door-shaped bronze pendant hanging from Pang Jian''s chest!

    This time, Pang Jian witnessed where the essence of the Celestial Phoenix disappeared.

    From his perspective, Pang Jian could not see that the doors of the pendant opened to reveal a thin gap through which the essence of the Celestial Phoenix had slipped through. He only knew that it had disappeared into the bronze pendant.

    "Ning Yao", meanwhile, had been closely observing the whole scene, and had seen the door on Pang Jian''s pendant open the tiniest slit.

    The essence of the Celestial Phoenix had been instantly sucked into that door!

    After that, the bronze pendant rapidly cooled and the Giant Abyssal Serpent regained its senses.

    No longer ovee with fear, the Giant Abyssal Serpent awoke to find itself outside ckwater Pond.

    Driven by inertia, the Giant Abyssal Serpent continued its ascent into the sky. Through the eyes of the ck and White King Python, it gazed upon the dim and somber sky, recognizing the stark contrast with the Fifth World.

    In an instant, its eyes filled with dread as it remembered the restrictions imposed upon it by the terrifying individual.

    That individual had warned that it would meet its demise the moment it left ckwater Pond.

    High in the sky, the Giant Abyssal Serpent abruptly twisted its body and frantically hurled itself back toward the pond.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent knew the warning was not to be taken lightly.

    It firmly believed in the warning issued by the individual and understood that it must swiftly return to ckwater Pond, lest it truly met its demise.

    <i>Ssh!</i>

    Ouyang Duanhai emerged from the water!

    Before it had left ckwater Pond, the Divine Guard had already witnessed what had happened and knew that Pang Jian had obtained the precious essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    The instant Ouyang Duanhai left the water, it promptly relinquished control of his body.

    A blood-red Celestial Phoenix emerged from Ouyang Duanhai''s body, with feathers looking like they were dripping blood.

    No longer possessed, a mere gust of wind reduced Ouyang Duanhai''s body to dust.

    The blood-red Celestial Phoenix continued to condense its body, darting toward Pang Jian''s heart like a crimson droplet.

    From underwater, it could not see that the essence of the Celestial Phoenix had disappeared into the door-shaped bronze pendant hanging from Pang Jian''s chest and was under the impression that the essence of the Celestial Phoenix had chosen Pang Jian as its host.

    <i>Whoosh! </i>

    The blood-red Celestial Phoenix also disappeared into the bronze pendant.

    <i>Another one?</i> Pang Jian lowered his head to look at his chest in astonishment.

    <i>Ssh! </i>

    The python dove back into ckwater Pond.

    Only after the Giant Abyssal Serpent entered the pond did it realize it currently inhabited the ck and White King Python''s body. Even after death, it was still afraid of the restriction ced by that individual

    <i>Return to where we first met.</i> It suddenly heard Pang Jianmand telepathically once more. It also witnessed Hong Tai rushing to the surface of the pond.

    It chose to obey Pang Jian.

    <i>Ssh! </i>

    "Ning Yao"nded on the pond''s surface from above while Hong Tai broke through from below.

    <i>I ended upboring in vain again! </i>Hong Tai angrily gnashed his teeth as he watched Pang Jian and the python escape to the bottom of the pond.

    "The young mistress of the Ning n, you''re still alive." Hong Tai red frustratedly at "Ning Yao". His eyes shed with hostility. "All of my people are dead. You shouldn''t be alive."

    Already disappointed at missing out on the essence of the Celestial Phoenix, Luo Hongyan quickly grew exasperated with the ipetent Hong Tai.

    She uttered coldly, "A bunch of useless old fools, yed by a child. What a joke. Even the spirit beast you raised was taken by him. Where do you find the courage to speak to me?"

    After tossing a few scornful remarks, she walked to the pond''s edge, unwilling to remain on its surface.

    <i>What kind of divine object was the door-shaped bronze pendant?</i> she mused. The pendant had done strange things right in front of her not once, but twice, leaving her apprehensive about entering the pond.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent was in the middle of transforming into a flood dragon and was aware of her presence. Shecked the confidence to battle a creature from the Fifth World underwater.

    Besides, even though Pang Jian had absorbed both the essence of the Celestial Phoenix and the Divine Guard with the help of the bronze pendant, he showed no signs of losing his sanity.

    She was unlikely to find an opportunity to subdue Pang Jian at the bottom of the pond and snatch the essence of the Celestial Phoenix from his grasp.

    "You''re the one courting death so don''t me me," Hong Tai muttered.

    Knowing he could not catch up to the ck and White King Python, Hong Tai slowly approached the individual he believed to be Ning Yao. He intended to eliminate "Ning Yao" to prevent the news of what happened here from leaking out.

    If that happened, not only would the seven major ns ridicule him, but his reputation within the Shadow Specter Sect would also plummet.

    "Why would I me you? I never intended for you to leave here alive either." Luo Honyan stood on the shore, gaze filled with coldness.

    Spirit Devils like Luo Meng emerged one after another from the corners of the pond. Their eerie whistles filled the air. As they floated behind Luo Hongyan, she remarked, "Your cultivation is in the Marrow Cleansing Realm. You''ll be even more useful once I''ve refined your soul into a Spirit Devil."

    "You''re not Ning Yao!" Hong Tai panicked.

    "I''m curious to see how many secrets of the Shadow Specter Sect are hidden within your soul," Luo Hongyan mused. As she said this, a Spirit Devil flew out from the pond and entered Hong Tai''s body.

    Hong Tai''s body went cold. His thoughts became muddled as he lost all sense of self.

 Chapter 32: The Girl of Destiny

    <h4>Chapter 32: The Girl of Destiny</h4>

    Pang Jian descended into the depths of ckwater Pond on the back of the python. He wanted to leave as soon as possible.

    As he approached the floor of the pond, he saw shimmering silver light, like crystals sprinkled on the ground.

    Upon closer examination, he discovered a silver strewn on the pond''s floor.

    The masked squad leader''s bamboo flute also emitted a faint glow.

    Pang Jian nced toward the surface. As he did not see Hong Tai following after them, hemanded the python to alter their course.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent sensed his thoughts and dutifully apanied him as theybed the floor of the pond for valuable items.

    Pang Jian approached the silver first. Lifting it, he marveled at its lightness. Despite Ouyang Duanhai''s prolonged struggle within it, not a single tear marred the silver.

    After bundling up the, Pang Jian went on to retrieve the bamboo flute before searching the bodies of the three Meridian Opening Realm cultivators.

    This search yielded some silver coins, along with a handful of lower-quality spirit stones, which he put away in the leather bag previously used by Jin Yang.

    Pang Jian also grabbed the cracked Hornless Ice Dragon Jade Pendant, but it unexpectedly disintegrated in his hand when he went to put it away. Therefore, he indifferently discarded it.

    He also eyed the Cicada Wing Swords scattered across the floor of the pond, but he soon realized that most of them were now deformed and worthless.

    Sighing softly, hemented to himself. Had he known he could reap such rich rewards, he would have restrained himself.

    Resolved to depart from ckwater Pond, he made one final sweep of the bottom but found no further valuables.

    Somewhat disappointed, he rode the python back to the stone door, and after making sure Hong Tai was nowhere to be found, he opened the stone door.

    Once inside, he ced the sack of spirit stones he retrieved from Ning Yao and the items he found at the bottom of the pond into his bamboo basket.

    Carefully securing the cover on the bamboo basket, he ensured everything was in order before hoisting the heavy load onto his back. He nced at the python from behind the stone door. It had been his steadfastpanion throughout these various battles.

    As Pang Jian stared at the python, the Giant Abyssal Serpent within the ck and White King Python also silently stared back at him with its pitch-ck eyes.

    After a moment of hesitation, Pang Jian reached out from behind the stone door and affectionately patted the python''s head. A thought echoed in his mind as he asked, <i>Would you like to leave ckwater Pond with me?</i>

    The python looked nkly back at him, unsure how to respond.

    Pang Jian chuckled inwardly as he spoke, <i>Though the stone passage may be narrow, if you leave the python''s body and revert to your beast soul form, you should be able to pass through.</i>

    He knew that the true master of ckwater Pond resided within this python.

    The giant serpent in by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix was far from benevolent. Over the years, countless creatures and hunters fell victim to its highly toxic and corrosive venom.

    Even so, though he remained uncertain as to why the Giant Abyssal Serpent aided him, it was undeniable that Pang Jian''s sess in defeating the cultivators of the Shadow Specter Sect wasrgely owed to it.

    Its physical body had been consumed by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, leaving only its beast soul behind.

    Pang Jian could not help but feel that the Giant Abyssal Serpent had already received its rightful punishment. Therefore, he wanted to help this Giant Abyssal Serpent break away from this sea of bitterness.

    However, his goodwill was met with rejection.

    Despite sensing his intention, the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s pitch-ck eyes ultimately fell on the door-shaped bronze pendant hanging on Pang Jian''s chest.

    It had obeyed Pang Jian''s manymands and had seeded in reiming many fragments of its lost beast soul. Now, it was immersed in a flood of memories.

    Manyplex emotions flickered across its eyes.

    Through the warmth of the young man''s palm, it sensed his thoughts and intentions, understanding that his invitation was genuine.

    The young man had forgiven many of its misdeeds at the bottom of the pond and sincerely wished to help it escape ckwater Pond. This evoked a strange feeling of...attachment within it.

    However, it remained unable to ept the young man''s goodwill.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent nced at Pang Jian and shook its head before swimming away from the stone door.

    Pang Jian let out a sigh as he watched the Giant Abyssal Serpent swim away from the stone door ande to rest beside its skeleton.

    It circled its skeleton, scattered in a ring shape around the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, swimming back and forth.

    It seemed hesitant to leave its physical body behind as if struggling toprehend its current situation.

    Pang Jian was moved. <i>You''ve already died, </i>he said mentally.

    Separated by distance, the Giant Abyssal Serpent could no longer hear Pang Jian''s thoughts.

    Pang Jin sighed.

    <i>Forget it. </i>

    He understood that when the Giant Abyssal Serpent shook its head, it had already rejected his goodwill. It had swum away and would not be returning to his side.

    Filled with regret, the young man did not linger any longer. He firmly shut the stone door behind him and proceeded toward the dark, narrow stone passage.

    After Pang Jian closed the stone door and disappeared behind it, the Giant Abyssal Serpent quietly swam back from where it had just settled down by the head of its skeleton. With its mysterious pitch-ck eyes, the Giant Abyssal Serpent stared motionlessly at the camouged stone door.

    For a long time, it showed no signs of movement.

    Disregarding their past animosity, the young man, unaware of what the serpent had experienced, had disappeared into the stone passage. Perhaps they would never meet again.

    However, the young man''s kindness and sincerity had left a deep impression on the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    ***

    In the dark stone passage, Pang Jian passed through the stone chamber. However, with the stone door now shut, he was unable to see the stone table, chair, and bed, leaving the passage in pitch-ck darkness.

    Using the Dragonwood Spear to feel ahead, he navigated his way through the unknown depths of the stone passage.

    At this moment, he recalled the time when he shared a horse with Shangguan Qin only to copse from the heat emitted from his chest.

    Based on his experiences in ckwater Pond, he hypothesized that he had previously been attacked by the essence of the Celestial Phoenix while standing in front of the bone of the Celestial Phoenix near the Formless Sailboat.

    It was thanks to the bronze pendant his father had left behind that he managed to emerge unscathed. The bronze pendant absorbed the essence of the Celestial Phoenix that would have otherwise turned him into a monster.

    Just as it did with Ouyang Duanhai.

    Shortly after the incident, he sumbed to a high fever and copsed from his warhorse.

    <i>This new essence of the Celestial Phoenix and the Divine Guard that escaped from Ouyang Duanhai''s body will likely be even more aggressive. I can only hope that this time the re-up will ur more gradually, allowing me to endure it.</i>

    As he moved forward in the stone passage, Pang Jian pondered the origin of the bronze pendant. He wondered if his father knew about the wonders of the pendant.

    <i>Where did his father even get this bronze pendant? </i>

    His mind was abuzz with thoughts as he continued to use his spear to prod ahead, pressing forward through the dark, narrow passage.

    Time flew by quickly.

    Pang Jian felt like he had been in the stone passage for an eternity. Throughout his trek, he had yet to see even a single glimmer of light. The long, dark passage seemed endless, stretching on without end.

    As he pondered the passage of time, Pang Jian once again felt an itchy, burning heat on his chest.

    Mentally prepared, Pang Jian distinctly felt streams of strange energy leaking from the bronze pendant pressed against his skin!

    These streams of strange energy permeated through his ribcage and flowed toward his waist with his ribcage as the anchor.

    The bone-chilling, tingling pain akin to the gnawing of countless ants reappeared, apanied by a steadily rising body temperature and a throbbing, head-splitting migraine.

    Pang Jian knew that he would not be able to endure this re-up for long and that he would probably faint likest time.

    However, he was not confident he would be able to wake up once he fainted.

    Restless, Pang Jian reassured himself. After all, he could breathe through the skin on his arm and chest, so he would not drown. Furthermore, no creatures should be able to enter the stone passage.

    Thus, when he fainted, he should be safe.

    <i>Hmm! </i>

    Having braced himself for the worst, Pang Jian abruptly felt a cold sensation near his heart. As he reached up to touch it, his fingers brushed across the jade-like green lotus leaf.

    The cold, refreshing lotus leaf quietly emitted a green light that illuminated the dark stone passage. Its coldness also caused Pang Jian''s high temperature to drop by a few degrees.

    A pleased expression spread across Pang Jian''s face.

    He had not anticipated that the lotus leaf would unexpectedly be handy at such a crucial moment. It kept him from fainting and allowed him to sense the various changes within his body.

    Pang Jian gradually sensed the streams of strange energy from the bronze pendant spreading throughout the bones of his entire body.

    It felt as if numerous zing Celestial Phoenixes were soaring through his bones, relentlessly tempering them and causing sparks to fly within.

    As he endured pain equivalent to thousands of hammers striking him all over, Pang Jian unexpectedly did not faint. This was all thanks to the lotus leaf.

    Pang Jian felt an unexpected sense of gratitude toward Jin Yang. Even in death, Jin Yang had left behind such a valuable treasure for him.

    Before he could revel in his happiness for much longer, Pang Jian noticed that the light emitted from the lotus leaf was slowly fading.

    It could not withstand the changes in his body, and would not allow him to maintain his current state for much longer.

    Before long, the energy within the lotus leaf was depleted. When the light of the lotus leafpletely disappeared, it shattered into pieces underwater.

    At that moment, Pang Jian realized that Jin Yang''s n would not have seeded.

    The profound lotus leaf was unable to withstand the energying from the essence of the Celestial Phoenix. If Jin Yang had truly absorbed it, he would have transformed into a monster sooner orter.

    The zing heat within Pang Jian''s body rapidly became more and more intense.

    Pang Jian once again fainted.

    ***

    In the Second World, the exhausted Sun Bin once again teleported with Pang Lin before copsing onto a suspended solitary ind, limbs sprawled in all directions.

    The azure sky above them stretched endlessly without a single cloud in sight.

    Four immensendmasses hovered at the four corners of the sky, shining brightly and prominently.

    Gazing at the sky, Sun Bin sighed softly. "Girl, I did everything I could."

    On this bright and sunny day, Sun Bin was filled with despair. He was prepared to meet his end as he reluctantly stared at the azure sky.

    "I''ve exhausted all my life-saving spirit artifacts and secret arts, including my blood essences and other things I shouldn''t use! I truly don''t have any other way. I can''t reach out to anyone and I''ve depleted all my spiritual power."

    Sun Bin exined as he continued to stare at the sky, as though trying to prove to someone in the upper world that he had not neglected his duty.

    "Senior Sun, I don''t me you. I just can''t bear to leave my brother. With me gone, he has no one else in this world."

    There was a profound sense of reluctance on Pang Lin''s beautiful face. The only thing going through her mind was the thought of how lonely her brother must be in the lower world. She wondered what he would do in the future.

    "My brother does not even have the chance toe up here and admire this azure sky. I originally thought that I had to work hard to cultivate and bring him up here..." Pang Lin murmured, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. Much like Sun Bin, her heart was filled with despair.

    In the upper world, one could asionally catch a glimpse of the sun. A radiant moon often also graced the night sky, apanied by countless twinkling stars.

    Everything was so pretty.

    Both days and nights in the upper world were incredibly elegant and vibrant. It was a pity that his brother would not have the opportunity to see it.

    She regretted that Pang Jian could not be here.

    <i>Whoosh! </i>

    The withered bone that had been chasing her and Sun Bin once again made its appearance.

    This time, Sun Bin was too exhausted to escape.

    The bone of the Celestial Phoenix emitted a radiant light. Countless tiny runes shimmered like diamonds within it as it came to a gentle halt right in front of Pang Lin.

    The tiny runes, resembling the stars, moons, and constetions within a radiant gxy, flew away from the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, drifting and whistling before Pang Lin as if it wanted to unveil endless wonders and mysteries to Pang Lin.

    The bone of the Celestial Phoenix not only showed no intention of harming Pang Lin, but it even slowly approached her as if gently encouraging her to touch it.

    Pang Lin was stunned.

    Under Sun Bin''s bewildered gaze, she curiously extended her right index finger and lightly touched the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    A vast ocean of knowledge flowed from the tip of Pang Lin''s finger into her body.

    The countless tiny runes within the bone of the Celestial Phoenix rapidly faded away.

    Sun Bin was shocked. It took him a long time to finally react as he muttered to himself, "So, it wasn''t after the both of us. It was interested in the girl."

 Chapter 33: Worlds Within A Well

    <h4>Chapter 33: Worlds Within A Well</h4>

    A warm breeze blew gently under the boundless clear sky.

    Sun Bin watched as the countless tiny shimmering runes, resembling the stars, moons, and constetions within a radiant gxy, flowed along Pang Lin''s slender arm toward her heart.

    "The Celestial Phoenix is bestowing its legacy," Sun Bin said as he struggled to sit up. His expression was still nk and dazed, and he stared at Pang Lin in disbelief. After a moment, he shook his head lightly, nk expression turned into one of incredulity. "Perhaps I was mistaken."

    He had a sudden realization. When they flew to the upper world on the back of Green Condor, the long-lost remains of the Celestial Phoenix underwent a sudden change.

    The unexpected attack on the Green Condor was far from a coincidence.

    It was because the Celestial Phoenix sensed Pang Lin!

    The sacred bone contained the inheritance of the Celestial Phoenix, and killing the Green Condor was never its true aim. Rather, its true intention was to have Pang Lin ept its inheritance!

    "Her potential is limitless!" Sun Bin''s eyes zed with fervor, heart pounding heavily. He had truly discovered a rare treasure during his journey to the lower world.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The tiny bright runes flowed into Pang Lin''s body and converged in her heart.

    A vast trove of knowledge appeared within her heart, just waiting for her to explore.

    Pang Lin had thought herself destined to be killed by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix. Knowing she could not escape from the cmity, she used a finger to touch the bone of the Celestial Phoenix suspended in front of her.

    As the myriad of colorful lights faded away, an unexinable feeling swept through her...as if the bone of the Celestial Phoenix was a part of her.

    After an unknown amount of time had passed, all the tiny runes inside the bone of the Celestial Phoenix finally vanished into Pang Lin''s heart.

    Pang Lin felt no difort whatsoever as she grasped the suspended sacred bone with her hand, holding it upright to examine it closely.

    As she held the sacred bone, Pang Lin noticed dozens tiny dots of light scattered across its surface. Moreover, she could faintly sense their subtle movements.

    As her palm made contact with the dots of light, Pang Lin got the distinct impression that each moving dot represented a living being.

    A word suddenly appeared in her heart¡ª"Divine Guard!"

    Bewildered, she scratched her head and pondered what the word "Divine Guard" meant. Just as she thought this, a plethora of information about "Divine Guard" poured forth from the depths of her heart.

    She instinctively understood that each moving dot of light represented a Divine Guard that belonged to her.

    Not only could she see the movements of each Divine Guard, but could also issuemands to them via the sacred bone. Furthermore, she could even determine the life and death of each Divine Guard with a single thought!

    In the future, the Divine Guards would serve as her keenest eyes and most devoted retainers. They would never disobey hermand.

    To the Divine Guards, she was a supreme presence, someone they were duty-bound to protect with their very lives.

    "Gir¡ªMiss Pang, what did the sacred bone show you?" Sun Bin''s voice trembled. He now addressed her with an honorific and no longer casually referred to her as "girl".

    "A vast ocean of memories flooded into my heart," Pang Lin said as she pointed at her chest. Then, she gestured at the scattered dots of light within the sacred bone and continued, "These tiny dots of light represent my Divine Guards. They''re scattered across the different worlds and appear to be eternally devoted to me."

    "Divine Guard! The Divine Guard of the Celestial Phoenix!" Sun Bin eximed. He no longer harbored any doubts. His lips curved into a gleeful smile and he sped his hands together, saying, "Congrattions, Miss Pang, for earning the favor of the Celestial Phoenix and inheriting its memories and secret techniques!"

    Sun Bin then leaned in closer, pointing at the arm-length sacred bone held by Pang Lin, and exined earnestly, "Each dot of light in the sacred bone represents a living being. They will forever be devoted to you because you have the power to determine their life and death! Although they''re currently scattered across the different worlds, like the Third or Fourth Worlds, they''re all ultimately still under yourmand."

    Though envy gnawed at Sun Bin''s heart, he dared not let it show, fearing the wrath of the sacred bone.

    Pang Lin murmured in wonder, "I have so many followers all of a sudden?"

    "Yes, that''s the way it is. Miss Pang. Your home in the Fourth World should be right here," Sun Bin said, pointing to two dots of light on the sacred bone.

    One of the dots was noticeably brighter than the others, while the other dot gradually dimmed as if undergoing tempering and was teetering on the brink of fading away.

    "That should be the Solitary Mountain Range. A powerful Divine Guard has already emerged there. However, I can''t make heads or tails of the other dot of light," Sun Bin said, puzzled.

    Sun Bin''s words broadened Pang Lin''s perspective, and she gained an understanding of what their worlds looked like.

    "Senior Sun, why does our world look like a well?" she asked curiously.

    "You''re right, it resembles a well," Sun Bin agreed. "The walls of the well are what we call the boundary walls. That''s where the bizarre mist can be found. So far, we''ve only managed to explore up to the Fifth World, which is shrouded in eternal darkness. It''s unknown to this day if there exists a Sixth World as no living being that entered the Fifth World has managed to escape it.

    "As for the world above us..." Sun Bin exined as he pointed to the sky.

    Pang Lin looked up and saw the sun, illuminating a clear, sunny sky below it, along with four continents.

    "The First World is the ce closest to the sky, and those four continents of the First World are located in the four cardinal directions. They''re known as the Eastern Land, the Southern Gorge, the Western Loam[1], and the Northern Ruin. The sect you''re going is called Pure Land Sect[2], located in the Western Loam. Now that you''ve inherited the legacy of the Celestial Phoenix, you''ll be able topete with the most dazzling cultivation geniuses in the First World.

    "I''ll also benefit from your sess," Sun Bin added with a heartyugh. "Miss Pang, with the inheritance of the Celestial Phoenix, you won''t need a hundred years to reach the Profound Abode Ream! The Pure Land Sect will spare no effort to assist you in your cultivation. You will be the brightest rising star in the First World!

    "Don''t worry, as long as you''re alive, your brother will also benefit from your sess. The Pure Land Sect will send someone to bring him up."

    Sun Bin was secretly d he had given Pang Jian the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art he obtained from a restricted area. He was also thankful he had not spoken ill of him.

    "If I can help my brother by growing stronger, then I''ll be sure to cultivate diligently," Pang Lin swore solemnly as she tightened her grip on the sacred bone.

    ***

    In the Solitary Mountain Range.

    Pang Jian remained unaware that his beloved little sister hade across great fortune and had effortlessly achieved remarkable sess, arriving at the sacrednd that the cultivators of the Fourth World could only dream of.

    Meanwhile, he was still struggling in the lower world.

    In a dark stone passage within the mountain range, Pang Jian was intermittently forced awake by agonizing pain only to faint again momentster.

    This cycle repeated itself several times.

    As he drifted in and out of consciousness, Pang Jian felt the countless zing Celestial Phoenixes soaring and tempering his bones.

    Each blood-colored Celestial Phoenix resembled the one that had emerged from Ouyang Duanhai''s body. However, these appeared to have been fully subdued, their spiritual consciousness extinguished as they transformed into pure burning energy.

    During the periods of agonizing wakefulness, Pang Jian could sense that the energy tempering his bones originated from and had been refined by the bronze pendant.

    The essence of the Celestial Phoenix from the bone that had devoured the Giant Abyssal Serpent had yet to be fully refined. As a result, none of that energy flowed out from the bronze pendant.

    However, just the energy from the Divine Guard caused him excruciating agony.

    After countless cycles of awakening in pain, only to faint again, the terrifying energy tempering his bones finally subsided.

    Pang Jian''s rations had long been depleted at this point. A ravenous hunger gnawed at him. He did not feel like dwelling on what happened to his body and instead focused solely on finding food to satisfy his growling stomach.

    With his Dragonwood Spear in hand, he pressed on through the dark stone passage.

    After what felt like an eternity, Pang Jian''s eyes caught a faint glimmer of light. He immediately rushed toward the light and found a narrow fissure along the stone wall.

    He immediately used his Dragonwood Spear to chip away at it. A sudden burst of strength in his hands caused the stone to split apart as easily as cutting tofu.

    Pang Jian sessfully escaped the dark stone passage through the widened fissure and entered another body of water.

    Numerous fish swam in the water and aquatic nts dotted the surroundings. There was life everywhere he looked.

    It was a stark contrast from the deathly stillness of ckwater Pond.

    "Fish!" Pang Jian''s head spun from hunger. He no longer cared about anything else and frantically began spearfishing with his Dragonwood Spear.

    ***

    On the grassy bank above theke, a massive golden charioty in pieces.

    Servants from the He n and the Su n surrounded the chariot to investigate it. However, they found no trace or remains of the cultivators from the Star River Alliance.

    "We could not find even a single corpse from the Star River Alliance. Could it be that even their bones have beenpletely consumed?"

    A man named He Rong, from the He n, was known for his timidity and excessive caution. He kept his distance from the Gilded Chariot of the Star River Alliance and instead delegated the investigation to his n servants.

    He and Su Yuntian were currently conversing near the edge of theke. Su Yuntian of the Su n was not particrly tall but exuded a carefree demeanor. However, at this moment, both wore solemn looks on their faces.

    Su Yuntian furrowed his brows. "The Dong n, the Zhou n, the Ning n, and the Shangguan n have all organized search parties to enter the Solitary Mountain Range. We''ve been exploring for some time now, but we haven''t encountered any of them. We don''t know what they may have discovered."

    Among the seven major ns, the He n and the Su n were the two ranked at the bottom. Thus, they joined forces to venture into the Solitary Mountain Range.

    They had searched the Solitary Mountain Range for a while but had yet to discover anything significant. Furthermore, they had not encountered anyone from the upper worlds, dead or alive.

    Throughout their journey, they encountered no danger whatsoever. Their progress was so smooth that it bordered on the incredulous.

    They had just discovered the Gilded Chariot belonging to the Star River Alliance, yet they found no trace of any of its members. Thus, they decided to wait a little longer by the broken golden chariot in hopes that someone else would arrive.

    "Ah!"

    While the two of them were conversing, a young girl suddenly emerged from theke and let out a startled scream.

    "There''s someone at the bottom of theke!" Su Meng cried. She had been in the middle of cleaning herself and was now in a hurry to put on her undergarments underwater. She swam frantically to the shore, loudly eximing, "I saw someone hunting for fish at the bottom of theke!"

    "Come back quickly!" Su Yuntian urged, waving his hands vigorously from thekeshore.

    He cared deeply for his beloved daughter and, with a menacing re, quietly retrieved his spirit artifact, preparing to strike down the stranger once they emerged.

    "Brother Su, don''t be impulsive. That person might be a member of the Star River Alliance!" He Rong hurriedly advised. "Be careful, don''t act recklessly!"

    "Fine, I understand!"

    1. Loam refers to soil that is a mix of sand, silt, and y, with a good bnce of organic matter. It is typically fertile, well-draining, and easy to work with, making it ideal for gardening and agriculture. ?

    2. The Chinese character for the sect''s name is ¾»ÍÁ (J¨¬ngt¨³). In Buddhism, "¾»ÍÁ" (J¨¬ngt¨³) refers to the Pure Land, which is a concept in Mahayana Buddhism representing a celestial realm or paradise ?

 Chapter 34: Crescent Moon Lake

    <h4>Chapter 34: Crescent Moon Lake</h4>

    Su Yuntian remained vignt, keeping a close watch on theke''s surface to prevent any unexpected incidents.

    The serious expression on his face only eased when Su Meng finally emerged from theke and joined him at his side. She had to cover her chest with a piece of clothing, wet ck hair sticking to her cheek.

    Anger surged through Su Yuntian as he looked at his daughter. "Did you see who it was?"

    "I couldn''t see that person clearly," Su Meng said with her round, apple-like face and gleaming bright eyes. She hastily grabbed her lower garment and retreated into the bushes, her voice rising in argument, "They didn''t do anything to me. I was just startled by their sudden appearance."

    "I don''t think that person had any ill intention," He Rong cated his old friend.

    Su Yuntian continued to stare coldly at theke''s surface.

    Under the dimming sky, the Gilded Chariot''s radiance shimmered on the surface of theke, imbuing the scene with a serene tranquility.

    Near the Gilded Chariot, those loyal to the Su and He n also stopped what they were doing to cast curious nces at theke.

    A momentter, a young man surfaced, looking somewhat nkly at his surroundings.

    The young man appeared at the center of theke and was a considerable distance from the crowd. His disheveled appearance was entuated by the tangle of aquatic nts adorning his head.

    The young man raised his long spear, the shaft of which was skewered fish, resembling candied haws on a stick[1].

    "It''s just a misunderstanding," He Rong said with a faint smile, pressing down the short de in Su Yuntian''s hand. "He was too far from Su Meng to be plotting to harm her or spying."

    Su Yuntian let out a sigh of relief and called out loudly, "Little Brother!"

    Pang Jian turned toward the noise and spotted Su Yuntian and He Rong, along with the broken golden chariot.

    He instantly realized where he was.

    "Crescent Moon Lake."

    The freshwaterke in the Solitary Mountain Range resembled a crescent moon when viewed from above. As such, his father named it Crescent Moon Lake.

    Next to Crescent Moon Lake stood a towering mountain. On the opposite side of the mountainy ckwater Pond.

    Unlike ckwater Pond, which his father had designated as a forbidden area, Pang Jian was very familiar with Crescent Moon Lake and its surroundings.

    As a freshwaterke, Crescent Moon Lake boasted an abundance of fish and shrimp. Nearby wild beasts also frequented its shores for water, making it both a suitable hunting ground and a ce of repose for him.

    He never imagined that at the bottom of theke, therey a hidden fissure connected to a secret stone passage that led to ckwater Pond.

    Gazing at the familiar surroundings, Pang Jian felt an immediate sense of relief. His earlier fear and tension melted away.

    Hearing the repeated calls from thekeside, he turned, studying Su Yuntian and He Rong from the center of the vastke.

    He deduced they were members of the seven major ns. They had likely formed a search party to explore the Solitary Mountain Range like Zhou Qingchen and Ning Yao.

    After a moment of hesitation, he swam toward Su Yuntian.

    However, he did not swim to where Su Yuntian stood and instead climbed ashore a little distance away from them.

    Then, from a dense bush, Pang Jian retrieved flint stones and firewood and began to roast the fish he caught.

    Pang Jian was exceptionally familiar with Crescent Moon Lake. Theke itself was massive, so he had previously ced supplies at strategic points along its shore.

    In fact, he had done this across different regions of the Solitary Mountain Range. He even ensured there were provisions of dried meat and grains in certain areas.

    Pang Jian removed the fish from his spear and ced them on a wooden pole to roast over his newly-started fire. Su Yuntian and He Rong stared at him in astonishment.

    "He seems to be quite familiar with this area. He even prepared the firewood and cooking ingredients in advance," He Rong muttered, rubbing his chin. "He must be a local."

    "Just go and ask him," Su Meng said, adjusting her clothes as she emerged from the bushes. Rolling her eyes, she walked directly toward Pang Jian. Her wide eyes filled with curiosity as she asked. "Were you catching fish at the bottom of theke earlier?"

    "Yes," Pang Jian replied, raising his head to nce at her. He noticed that this young girl appeared to be around the same age as his little sister, Pang Lin. She looked to be around thirteen or fourteen years old.

    On her little round face was a pair of big bright eyes. Her two pigtails swayed from side to side, making her look lively and energetic.

    "I''m Su Meng. Did you happen to see anything while I was bathing in theke?" Su Meng asked sternly, both hands on her hips.

    Pang Jian shook his head and casually exined, "The Crescent Moon Lake is vast. I was busy catching fish at the bottom and didn''t see anyone on the surface."

    "Crescent Moon Lake?" Su Meng looked toward theke and found the name very fitting. Now that Pang Jian had exined himself, her feigned fierceness from earlier vanished, and she asked in astonishment, "Are you familiar with the Solitary Mountain Range?"

    "I''m a hunter from Linshan Town. I''ve been hunting in these mountains for a long time, so I know the area well," Pang Jian replied calmly.

    Meanwhile, Su Yuntian and He Rong had also approached Pang Jian.

    The two of them sized him up. The ever-cautious He Rong nced at the Dragonwood Spear that Pang Jian had ced on the ground and asked, "Are you also a cultivator?"

    Maintaining hisposure, Pang Jian quickly improvised a lie, "A few years back, an elderly man ventured into the Solitary Mountain Range in search of pill-making spirit materials. He enlisted my help in navigating the mountains, and in return, he taught me a cultivation technique and gifted me this spear."

    Although He Rong was still suspicious, he did not prod any further.

    "I am Su Yuntian. This young girl is Su Meng, and this is He Rong," Su Yuntian introduced. Lowering his guard, he casually remarked, "Things have been chaotic around heretely. Someplicated situations have arisen. We came from the other side of the Solitary Mountain Range.

    "Little Brother, since you live in nearby Linshan Town and are familiar with the Solitary Mountain Range, could you tell us if anything unusual has happened in the areately?"

    Pang Jian continued to roast his fish.

    "Not long ago, massive withered bones fell from the sky. After that..." He nced at the wrecked Gilded Chariot before continuing, "After that, I saw this chariot, as well as a huge sailboat and a white pagoda descending from the sky. For a while, there were earthquakes, and the wild beasts howled every day. I waited until the situation calmed down before venturing into the mountains to hunt."

    After hearing Pang Jian''s ount, Su Yuntian and He Rong exchanged meaningful nces.

    They suddenly heard the crisp cry of an eagle echoing above their heads. They looked up to see a dark gray eagle soaring overhead.

    The dark gray eagle stared at the crowd below with an odd expression and repeatedly nced at Pang Jian. As it circled above them, it was seemingly observing Pang Jian from various angles as if wanting to confirm something.

    Pang Jian grew irritated by the eagle''s presence. He considered using his bow to shoot it down, only to realize he had left his bow back at ckwater Pond.

    After circling overhead for a while, the eagle flew toward the opposite side of the mountain.

    "Little Brother, if you don''t mind, why don''t you be our guide?" Su Yuntian extended an invitation after the eagle departed. He smiled warmly and continued, "We''re not familiar with the Solitary Mountain Range, and we''ve only recently arrived. I''m willing to offer a suitable reward."

    With several fish roasted to perfection, Pang Jian was already indulging in a hearty meal. He mumbled through a mouthful of food, "I''ll think about it."

    ***

    On the other side of the mountain, at ckwater Pond.

    Luo Hongyan, still inhabiting Ning Yao''s body, currently had her eyes closed. She used her divine sight to connect with the gray eagle hovering in the air, looking through its eyes to observe the ground below.

    After a while, she let out a light snort. "Found you."

    Behind her floated a gray shadow more corporeal than Luo Meng. It was Hong Tai from the Shadow Specter Sect.

    Despite being in the Marrow Cleansing Realm, the captain of the Shadow Specter Sect still fell into Luo Hongyan''s clutches. She extracted his soul and refined it into a Spirit Devil, transforming him into a servant at hermand.

    <i>That brat never left ckwater Pond, yet he emerged from theke on the other side. There must be a secret passage hidden at the bottom of this pond. However, I''m unsure if the Giant Abyssal Serpent is still with him, </i>Luo Hongyan thought, staring at ckwater Pond.

    Since Pang Jian had left, she spected that the Giant Abyssal Serpent from the Fifth World had also gone with him.

    Luo Hongyan entertained the idea of exploring ckwater Pond. However, after deliberating for a moment, she sighed.

    <i>The essence of the Celestial Phoenix was absorbed by that brat''s bronze pendant. The only thing left in the water is the skeleton of the Giant Abyssal Serpent, and I can''t bring that with me.</i>

    She quickly dismissed the thought.

    After a while, her eyes lit up as she conceived a wonderful new n.

    Cloaked in a red dress, she materialized her ethereal form in Ning Yao''s sea of consciousness. She gazed at the dark area where Ning Yao''s shadowy figure was confined.

    "Ning Yao, tell me about your situation in detail. Don''t make me resort to soul-searching. I still intend to use your body for a while longer, so please cooperate with me," she began. Smiling at Ning Yao, she then threatened, "If I resort to soul-searching, your soul might be harmed. You wouldn''t want that, would you?"

    Ning Yao''s ethereal, blurry figure trembled like a candle me in the wind. Her voice quivered as she asked, "What do you want to know?"

    "I want to know everything that happened after you met Pang Jian."

    One hourter, the gray eagle returned.

    Luo Hongyan gazed at the pouch that Pang Jian had thrown back to Ning Yao, marking the end of their employment agreement. She smiled as she crouched down to pick it up.

    With Ning Yao''s body, shended on the gray eagle and smiled charmingly. "I''ll make use of this pouch of silver."

    The gray eagle soared into the sky.

    Several Spirit Devils such as Hong Tai and Luo Meng transformed into wisps of gray clouds as they followed the soaring eagle and headed to the other side of the mountain.

    ***

    At Crescent Moon Lake, Pang Jian had finished his meal. He crushed the fish bones and returned the cooking ingredients and firewood to their original spot, concealing them in the bushes.

    Retrieving his Dragonwood Spear, he then uttered in a cold tone, "I''ll be leaving now."

    Pang Jian had rejected Su Yuntian''s invitation.

    He knew that He Rong and Su Yuntian hailed from bottom-ranked ns among the seven major ones. Moreover, their intended path would lead them to ckwater Pond, a destination he had no desire to revisit.

    He had plenty of spirit stones in the bamboo basket on his back to cultivate with, and he would not starve in the Solitary Mountain Range. Thus, he had no pressing need to earn money.

    At this point, he only wanted to leave the crowd and find a quiet ce to examine his body, which had undergone a second tempering by the essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    With the Su n and He n by his side, he found it difficult to do anything.

    "Alright, we won''t force you. One more thing, why didn''t you loot the broken chariot before catching fish in theke?" Su Yuntian inquired with a tinge of regret.

    Pang Jian replied, "I didn''t think anybody woulde. I nned to search after catching some fish and having my fill. But now that you guys have arrived, I''ve abandoned the idea since I can''tpete with you."

    Su Yuntian chuckled in amusement. "You''re quite modest. You know when to advance and when to retreat."

    He cleared his throat lightly and called forth an elderly servant. He asked the elderly servant to hand Pang Jian a small pouch.

    "Here''s some silver," Su Yuntian said. "Consider it a token of appreciation for the information you provided us. It maye in handy once you leave the Solitary Mountain Range."

    Though surprised, Pang Jian did not hesitate to ept it. Taking the pouch, he replied, "Until we meet again."

    After Pang Jian departed, the members of the He n and Su n remained at Crescent Moon Lake.

    They followed in Pang Jian''s footsteps and fished in Crescent Moon Lake, using the leftover firewood Pang Jian had left behind to cook.

    As the group gathered around the bonfire, enjoying their meal, a woman approached and called out from a distance, "Where''s Pang Jian?"

    "Ning Yao!"

    1. Tanghulu(´®ÌÇºù) or candied haws on a stick is a traditional Chinese snack made by skewering hawthorn berries on bamboo sticks and coating them with ayer of sugar syrup. ?

 Chapter 35: A New Identity

    <h4>Chapter 35: A New Identity</h4>

    "Ning Yao!"

    "Sister Ning!"

    The crowd eximed in surprise.

    Since they entered the Solitary Mountain Range, Su Yuntian and He Rong''s party had not encountered any survivors from the other ns. Thus, they were overjoyed when they saw "Ning Yao".

    He Rong in particr, was exceptionally pleased.

    He knew his nephew, He Ziren, was infatuated with Ning Yao. When he saw Ning Yao, he assumed He Ziren would be close by.

    The elegant and confident Luo Hongyan arrived in a silk gown soiled by leaves and debris, a testament to her journey. Despite the weariness that clung to her, she scanned her surroundings with bright eyes.

    When she failed to find who she was looking for, she repeated in a cold voice, "Where''s Pang Jian?"

    "Who''s Pang Jian?" Su Yuntian asked curiously.

    "The one carrying a bamboo basket on his back. He was wielding a long spear when he emerged from Crescent Moon Lake," Luo Hongyan exined, her brows knitted in frustration as she scanned the surroundings. Her eyes shed with impatience as she secretly instructed the gray eagle to scour the area.

    "Oh, that young man!" Su Yuntian pointed with a smile. "He headed in that direction, but it''s been a while since he left."

    <i>Whoosh! </i>

    The gray eagle circling Crescent Moon Lake flew in the indicated direction.

    "Sister Ning, why are you alone?" Su Meng asked, stepping forward with a beaming smile on her round face.

    Luo Hongyan stared at her puzzledly, taking a moment to gather her thoughts before responding, "Oh, Su Meng. It''s been a while"

    "It''s been so long since west met. It seems you''ve nearly forgotten about me!" Su Meng twirled around, then tiptoeing slightly to make herself a bit taller, said, "Thest time we met, I was still a kid. Look how much I''ve grown!"

    Luo Hongyan did not pay her any mind. After exchanging pleasantries, she turned around and departed.

    "Ning Yao, where is Ziren?" He Rong asked, brow knitted in concern. "Ziren went to the Ning n because of you. I heard he was with you. Since you''re here in this mountain range, Ziren should be here too."

    Su Yuntian and the others also found it puzzling.

    "Ning Yao" not only appeared alone but was also anxiously searching for Pang Jian. This left them all perplexed.

    Under their suspicious stares, Luo Hongyan squinted and lowered her head. She internally turned to the true owner of this body for rification. Finally, she spoke with a hint of mncholy, "Ziren, Uncle Yuanshan, the servants of the Ning n that followed me into the Solitary Mountain Range, as well as numerous members of the Zhou n, have all fallen to the Shadow Specter Sect."

    "The Shadow Specter Sect?!" The members of both the Su and He ns turned pale with shock.

    "On the other side of this mountain lies ckwater Pond. Apart from me, Zhou Qingchen, and Han Duping, everybody else was in by members of the Shadow Specter Sect." Sighing deeply, she continued using the Spirit Devil within the gray eagle to scour for Pang Jian''s whereabouts while feigning a mournful expression. "Pang Jian, the young man I hired as a guide, is also among the survivors."

    Turning to Su Meng, she asked, "Did you witness a massive python emerging alongside Pang Jian from Crescent Moon Lake?"

    Su Meng was still in a state of shock, conjuring up images of the sinister deeds of the Shadow Specter Sect, so she replied honestly, "He came up to roast a few fish, chatted with us for a while, and then left."

    Luo Hongyan breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that the Giant Abyssal Serpent had not apanied Pang Jian. "That''s a relief. The ck and White King Python is Hong Tai''s spirit beast. If it wasn''t chasing him, it means he managed to escape"

    "That young man hid a lot of things from us!" Su Yuntian said in frustration.

    During Pang Jian''s conversation with them, he did not mention the attack by the Shadow Specter Sect, nor did he mention any contact with the Ning n and Zhou n. This omission left Su Yuntian dissatisfied.

    "On the other side of the mountain, there are heaps of corpses. Some members of the Shadow Specter Sect may still be active there, so I suggest you don''t go that way," Luo Hongyan warned. She no longer had the patience to wait for the gray eagle to find Pang Jian and excused herself, "I still have some matters to discuss with Pang Jian. I''ll take my leave now."

    "Ning Yao, how about we travel together? It''s too dangerous for you to be alone!" Su Yuntian suggested urgently.

    He Rong had been silent after receiving the news of He Ziren''s death. It was only when Luo Hongyan hurriedly began to leave that he finally spoke up.

    "Let''s go together!" he insisted.

    Poised to depart, Luo Hongyan nced back at the group and hesitated for a moment before reluctantly agreeing, "Alright."

    ***

    After he bid farewell to the Su n and the He n, Pang Jian felt a sense of freedom akin to a bird soaring in the boundless sky. He dashed through the forest, navigating effortlessly through the dense ancient trees.

    At times, he would even leap into the air beforending with a resounding thud. Then, with nimble agility, he would suspend himself from tree branches, using momentum to propel himself from branch to branch, swinging through the jungle like an agile ape.

    The long spear in his hand emanated a powerful, intimidating aura. With a casual thrust, he could pierce through a tree trunk thick enough to require several people to encircle.

    A faint smile curved his lips. His eyes narrowed sharply, gleaming with captivating brilliance.

    After this second round of tempering, his entire skeleton had been substantially enhanced. Now, not only his arms and ribcage but also his lower body was imbued with formidable strength.

    With a single leap, he could soar nearly ten meters above the forest floor, and his feet felt neither pain nor numbness uponnding.

    This sensation of seemingly boundless, surging energypelled him to seek out a worthy opponent and fight to his heart''s content.

    <i>Two rounds of tempering transformed my body, causing a profound change. If I''m not mistaken, the second essence of the Celestial Phoenix has yet to manifest itself within the bronze pendant.</i>

    Pang Jian nced at the bronze pendant hanging on his chest, feeling increasingly intrigued by its mysterious nature.

    An hourter.

    Feeling slightly fatigued, Pang Jian hunted down a deer, prepared it, and started a fire to roast it. Before long, the smell of the roasted meat filled the air.

    As he ate, Pang Jian noted that his appetite had increased significantly since waking up in the dark stone passage. He had also developed an intense craving for meat.

    In no time, the several dozen-kilogram deer was devoured, leaving nothing behind. As he stared at the scattered bone on the ground, he suddenly heard the familiar cry of a gray eagle.

    He looked up and sure enough, there was a gray eagle in the sky.

    <i>Why is it following me?</i> Pang Jian knitted his brow in confusion.

    Back at Crescent Moon Lake, this eagle had circled overhead, studying him from above. It had lingered for a long time before it reluctantly departed.

    Now that he had bid farewell to the Su n and the He n, the gray eagle had reappeared once again. Its motive was unknown.

    Evidently, the eagle''s target was Pang Jian and not the members of the Su n and the He n.

    The surveince of the gray eagle made him uneasy. Pang Jian eyed his Dragonwood Spear. As he recalled the boundless energy surging through his arms, his eyes gleamed with a cold light.

    Pang Jian picked up the Dragonwood Spear and slung the bamboo basket back over his shoulder. He then continued to make his way through the dense forest.

    At this moment, a strange feeling rose within him¡ªthe feeling that he was the undisputed King of the Solitary Mountain Range and that every de of grass, every tree, bird, wild beast, and insect belonged to him.

    "It''s not a bad feeling." Pang Jian muttered to himself as he disappeared into the dense forest.

    This time, he did not rush out from the dense forest cover and instead carefully concealed himself. Peering through the gaps in the canopy, he watched the dim sky and patiently waited.

    Having gone a long while without seeing Pang Jian, the gray eagle could not resist swooping down lower to investigate.

    Sensing the gray eagle had entered his shooting range, Pang Jian swiftly threw the Dragonwood Spear like a bolt of lightning.

    <i>Swoosh!</i>

    The Dragonwood Spear was precisely aimed at the gray eagle, soaring upward with incredible momentum and skewering the annoying bird with unwavering uracy.

    The gray eagle, impaled by the Dragonwood Spear, plummeted into the forest, dozens of meters away. Having sessfully struck the eagle, Pang Jian dashed forward with the nimbleness of a cheetah.

    Before he reached the gray eagle, a Spirit Devil, refined from the soul of a Meridian Opening Realm cultivator, emerged from its body and vanished instantly.

    When Pang Jian arrived at the body of the gray eagle, he first retrieved the Dragonwood Spear and then turned to study the gray eagle. He chuckled coldly. "Back when I was hunting in these mountains, why didn''t I see you watching my every move?"

    The Solitary Mountain Range had many gray eagles, and he couldn''t distinguish this one from the others. However, he had never noticed being "taken care of" by these gray eagles during his previous hunts.

    Having killed the gray eagle, the tension in Pang Jian''s body loosened up. He had just eaten and so had no intention of consuming the bird.

    The vast and deste Solitary Mountain Range teemed with various wild beasts. With his current strength, Pang Jian could easily hunt any wild animal he desired, so he naturally paid no mind to the gray eagle.

    He resumed his journey, heading toward the northernmost region of the Solitary Mountain Range, another area designated as a forbidden zone by his father.

    Drawing from his previous experience at ckwater Pond, Pang Jian suspected that the various forbidden zones in the Solitary Mountain Range might have been selected as potential sites for the bones of the Celestial Phoenix tond.

    The essence of the Celestial Phoenix had granted him miraculous benefits. Thus, Pang Jian decided to venture into another forbidden zone to try his luck.

    The northernmost area of the Solitary Mountain Range, along with the bizarre mist and boundary wall frequently mentioned by Zhou Qingchen and the others, stirred an unending curiosity within Pang Jian.

    The area with the bizarre mist had been the first ce his father had designated a forbidden zone. He had strictly prohibited Pang Jian from ever setting foot there.

    However, he had now experienced the wonders of the cultivation world. Thus, armed with both his greatly enhanced strength and his ambition to ascend to the summit of the upper world, Pang Jian decided to no longer heed his father''s warnings.

    ***

    On this particr night, Pang Jian felt exceptionally weary. For the first time, he broke from his usual routine and did not cultivate the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art after his meal.

    Ovee with drowsiness, he sought out a secluded spot to rest.

    He selected arge withered tree with a hollow trunk, taking care to cover the opening with a piece of dried bark as a makeshift door after entering.

    Unbeknownst to him, in the darkness of the night, a Spirit Devil was observing his every move.

    Finally settling down, Pang Jian drifted into a deep sleep within the tree hollow, sleeping soundly and peacefully.

    By the time he woke up, the sky had already brightened.

    When Pang Jian pushed open the makeshift door and stepped outside, he noticed a familiar figure seated not far away, in the shade of arge tree.

    The girl had shed her simple, sleek attire, opting instead for a silk gown. Her ck hair and long eyshes were covered in glistening dewdrops.

    In the morning mist, she looked like a forest fairy.

    Her thick eyebrows and straight nose bridge gave her a dignified appearance, but the hazy morning mist seemed to soften it into an alluring feminine charm.

    The convergence of these two contrasting qualities added anotheryer of appeal to her beauty.

    Pang Jian rubbed his eyes before taking a closer look. He asked in shock, "Ning Yao?"

    "Didn''t expect I''d still be alive?" She opened her eyes with an indifferent expression on her face, then slowly rose to her feet and walked over to Pang Jian.

    From a dozen meters away, the members of the Su n and the He n caught sight of Pang Jian''s sudden appearance when Ning Yao stood up. Both ns were astounded.

    Just before reaching Pang Jian, Luo Hongyan halted and turned to cast a cold, warning gaze at He Rong and the others.

    "I have some private matters to discuss with him. Please don''t disturb us."

    The members of the Su n and the He n frowned. They could not fathom why she acted so distant and cold to them at every turn.

    Pang Jian was taken aback. It was at this moment that he realized not only Ning Yao was present, but also the members of the Su n and the He n from before.

    "Let''s converse in the hollow tree trunk." Having patiently waited for Pang Jian to wake up, Luo Hongyan gently ced her jade-like hand on his chest and guided him into the hollow tree trunk with a gentle push before following him inside herself.

    He Rong''s face darkened as he watched the scene unfold.

    Scratching his head, Su Yuntian could not quite gauge the rtionship between the two, leaving him puzzled.

    "They..." Su Meng''s jaw dropped.

    Meanwhile, in the hollow tree trunk, Pang Jian felt ufortable.

    This hollow tree trunk was prepared for him alone, and he had never imagined it would amodate a second person.

    When he was alone, the hollow tree trunk felt spacious, but with another person present, it felt somewhat cramped.

    The two of them could not avoid physical contact.

    With each breath, Pang Jian could detect a faint fragranceing from Ning Yao''s body. Unsure of her intentions, he chose to remain silent.

    After entering the hollow tree trunk, Luo Hongyan appeared confident andposed, her bright eyes exuding a hint of aggressive determination.

    The space between their chests was small. However, looking at this closeness, the determination in her eyes only intensified.

    "I''m sorry. I sincerely apologize to you. It was all my fault!" She apologized sincerely, her gaze shifting from the small gap between their chests to Pang Jian''s face. "I shouldn''t have threatened you when we first encountered the bone of the Celestial Phoenix. Our rtionship is not that of master and servant. I''m ustomed to giving orders to servants and being in a position of authority, so my behavior was inappropriate."

    As she apologized, she bowed, and in doing so, the gap between her and Pang Jian ceased to exist.

    She "identally" brushed against Pang Jian''s chest. When she realized her action, she hastily straightened up.

    Puzzled by her actions, Pang Jian took a deep breath, and the gap between them once again closed.

 Chapter 36: No Gap

    <h4>Chapter 36: No Gap</h4>

    A faint white mist drifted like smoke in the early morning. The fresh scent of grass and trees filled the humid air of the forest.

    The members of the Su n and the He n looked at the hollow tree trunk with varied expressions on their faces.

    "That tree trunk isn''t very thick. There''s probably not much space inside. Wouldn''t it be cramped if two people went in together?" Su Meng''s face was filled with innocence and curiosity. With her tender and naive appearance, she softly asked her father, ''What do you think?''"

    Su Yuntian coughed lightly and shot her a re. "It''s none of our business!"

    Not far away, He Rong, leaning on a tree, solemnly stared at the hollow tree trunk.

    Although the hollow tree trunk was an optimal hiding spot, it was clearly not spacious. The thought of two people squeezed inside caused He Rong''s expression to sour, especially considering He Ziren was his nephew.

    He Ziren''s and Ning Yao''s engagement was the result of many discussions between the Ning n and the He n. From He Rong''s point of view, although they had not yet married, there still existed a level of intimacy between them.

    If Ning Yao and Pang Jian needed a private conversation, they could simply find an open space further away. Was it truly necessary to cram themselves into the confined space of a narrow hollow tree trunk?

    "Ziren has passed away. He and Ning Yao hadn''t even married yet, so don''t dwell on it too much," Sensing He Rong''s frustration, Su Yuntian advised. "Furthermore, even Brother Yuanshan met his end at the hands of the Shadow Specter Sect.

    "The sudden appearance of the Shadow Specter Sect in the Solitary Mountain Range poses a threat to the members of our seven major ns. Ziren''s fate can only be described as unfortunate. We, too, must carefully consider how we should proceed to ensure our survival."

    After learning of the Shadow Specter Sect''s presence, Su Yuntian had grown increasingly concerned about the perilous nature of their journey. This was especially because his daughter, Su Meng, was also present.

    Su Yuntian''s cultivation talent was average. Even if he spent his whole life working at it, the highest realm he would ever reach was the Marrow Cleansing Realm. Like his father before him, he was fated to forever remain within the confines of the Su n in the Fourth World, never to ascend to the upper world.

    However, Su Meng was different.

    When the Radiant Sun Sect descended from the upper world, they meticulously assessed Su Meng and confirmed her extraordinary potential.

    Indeed, reality confirmed this assessment. Despite her tender age, Su Meng had already reached the Meridian Opening Realm, just like him.

    The Radiant Sun Sect had explicitly stated that when Su Meng was on the brink of entering the Marrow Cleansing Realm, they would personally escort her to the upper world to assist her in the bone forging, marrow cleansing process.

    After that, Su Meng would be an official disciple of the Radiant Sun Sect.

    Su Meng came on this trip to explore the Solitary Mountain Range because Su Yuntian had given in to her pleading.

    Little did they know that the Shadow Specter Sect had alsoe upon hearing the news, lurking in various dangerous locations in the Solitary Mountain Range and ambushing the members of the seven major ns.

    "Something''s not quite right. Ning Yao seemed to know Pang Jian was in the hollow tree trunk. She''s the one who urged us to take a break here. Furthermore, when we passed by the corpse of the gray eagle, she cast a few meaningful nces at it," He Rong remarked with a grave expression, his voice barely above a whisper. "I suspect that was her gray eagle."

    Su Yuntian''s expression shifted. Carefully recalling their journey, he also felt that something was amiss.

    Their resting ce just so happened to be where Pang Jian would emerge. That was just too much of a coincidence.

    "We both know that the Ning n doesn''t specialize in rearing spirit beasts. I''ve also never heard of her having an eagle," Su Yuntian whispered.

    He Rong frowned. "In any case, she''s very suspicious."

    ***

    Pang Jian took a deep breath in the hollow tree trunk. The narrow space meant he could feel the contours of Ning Yao''s chest in front of him.

    He had never been in such close contact with a girl his age. As he watched Ning Yao apologize, he hesitated for a moment.

    He wondered,<i> Why had she changed so much after escaping from Hong Tai''s grasp? </i>

    Looking at her determined, sincere expression, Pang Jian could only knit his brow in silence.

    Though unsure about the reason behind her dramatic change in attitude, as he considered the dangers of ckwater Pond, he realized that the two ces he had yet to visit would be equally dangerous.

    The future was uncertain. Life and death hung in the bnce. The Shadow Specter Sect was scouring the area, and traveling alone would be difficult given hisbat capabilities.

    If he traveled with the young woman in front of him, as well as the members of the Su n and He n, he could significantly reduce the risk of premature death.

    Pang Jian originally thoughtrge groups to be troublesome. After all, they would only disturb him when he was cultivating. However, as he considered the challenges thaty ahead, he hesitated.

    Luo Hongyan narrowed her eyes and asked teasingly, "You always seem to bump into me when you take a deep breath. Is that...intentional?"

    At her words, Pang Jian exhaled. He pressed his back against the inner wall of the tree trunk and said, "The space here is cramped. You should get out."

    Luo Hongyan chuckled softly and lowered her head, her bright eyes focused on the protrusion on Pang Jian''s chest.

    It was the door-shaped bronze pendant. It had previously absorbed the essence of the Celestial Phoenix and the Divine Guard turned blood-red Celestial Phoenix.

    She could feel the bronze pendant under Pang Jian''s clothes. However, she did not detect anything unusual.

    Even when their chests touched earlier, no fluctuations of spiritual power emanated from the bronze pendant, nor was there any divine sense enveloping it.

    <i>What a strange object. </i>

    She had followed Pang Jian into the hollow tree trunk with a clear objective in mind. Deliberately keeping close to him, she feigned idental contact with the mysterious bronze pendant, attempting to unravel its secrets and origins.

    The first contact yielded no results, leaving her somewhat disheartened.

    Lost in thought, the sound of Pang Jian''s slightly heavy breathing prompted her to look at him, only to see Pang Jian awkwardly suppressing his urge to take deep breaths. His body appeared stiff and awkward.

    She fell silent.

    In ckwater Pond, Pang Jian rode the python and eliminated all her "eyes" with ruthless efficiency, showing no mercy whatsoever.

    He also killed Jin Yang and the two Meridian Opening Realm squad leaders.

    Why was he acting so differently now?

    Thoughts swirled through her mind. She said with false remorse, "You can''t imagine how happy I was when I saw you appear and rush toward me in ckwater Pond. I thought you hade to free me from that silver. If you had rescued me, I would''ve been willing to offer¡ª"

    She stopped abruptly, refraining from uttering "offer myself to you" at thest moment.

    Her head ducked in embarrassment and her snow-white nape flushed deeply, radiating an air of extreme shyness.

    "Pang Jian, please allow me to invite you to be my guide in the Solitary Mountain Range once more. I will definitely treat you well this time," she whispered softly.

    Having said her piece, she retrieved the pouch of silver that Pang Jian had previously thrown at her and ced it in the hollow tree trunk before quietly departing.

    Blushing, she left ample time and space for Pang Jian to mull over her offer.

    From a distance, Su Yuntian, Su Meng, He Rong, and the servants loyal to the two ns watched as the usually aloof Ning Yao emerged from the tree hollow. Whatever conversation they had seemed to have left her blushing and shy.

    "Ziren''s corpse has yet to cool![1] She, she!" He Rong stamped his foot and angrily rebuked in a low voice.

    The father-daughter pair, Su Yuntian and Su Meng, were also stunned.

    <i>I heard Sister Ning was against marrying Brother Ziren. Could her true love be that young man named Pang Jian?</i> Su Meng''s mind was filled with tales of noble youngdies falling in love withmoners and her eyes brimmed with admiration and longing.

    "This is what love should be like! From now on, I want to be like Sister Ning, not bound by the arranged marriages set by the n!" She clenched her fist and raised her hand, then forcefully shing downwards as if making a passionate oath.

    <i>Smack!</i>

    Su Yuntian knocked on her head. As she cried out in pain, he scolded, "Stop reading those useless books!"

    ***

    "Just because it''s not your body, does that mean you have to deliberately abuse it?"

    Held captive in her sea of consciousness, Ning Yao red at the mesmerizing crimson figure floating in the dim void as she angrily confronted her, "If you want his bronze pendant, why not just snatch it away?"

    In Ning Yao''s vast sea of consciousness, Luo Hongyan''s luxurious crimson gown swayed gently, causing ripples in the void.

    This space was one where Luo Hongyan''s ethereal form could freely manifest. Her extraordinary beauty seemed capable of captivating even the most malevolent of gods.

    Unfortunately, only Ning Yao was able to witness her current appearance.

    She chuckled disdainfully and said charmingly, "You''re too naive."

    Ning Yao fell into silence.

    "You think I was abusing your body?" Luo Hongyan pursed her lips as her red lips curved into a gentle smile. "You don''t know what real abuse is. If necessary, I would strip off all my clothes and press my naked body against him just to unravel the mystery of that bronze pendant. Besides, this body isn''t mine. Why would I care?"

    Sheughed unabashedly into the void.

    "Just possess me!" Ning Yao shouted in despair.

    She knew the evil woman inhabiting her body was capable of such things. The thought of Luo Hongyan going through with her threats made Ning Yao feel worse than dying.

    "Possess you?" Luo Hongyan shook her and said disdainfully, "Are you worthy to be possessed by me?"

    "Do you understand the difference between inhabiting a body and possessing one? To inhabit your body, I merely need to restrain your soul and utilize your physical form. However, to possess you, I must refine your soul and assimte your memories and experiences from this lifetime.

    "Possessing your body would mean I have full control over it and must live in this world using your body. You''re overestimating your abilities. Why would I even bother possessing you with your level of cultivation talent? You''re not worthy of bing my vessel. I wouldn''t go to such lengths for someone like you."

    This series of cold and mocking words shattered Ning Yao''s spirit. Seeing Ning Yao''s dejected face, Luo Hongyan added smugly, "I''ll allow you to watch how I, Luo Hongyan, will use your body to obtain everything I desire."

    Pang Jian suddenly emerged from the hollow tree trunk. He picked up the pouch of silver and waved it toward NIng Yao, "I ept your invitation."

    Luo Hongyan could not contain her smile, looking pleasantly surprised as she eximed, "Really? That''s wonderful!"

    In Ning Yao''s sea of consciousness, Luo Hongyan''s beautiful ethereal form gazed into the pitch-ck void. She spoke to the faint, mist-like apparition of Ning Yao, "Next, I will show you how I''ll gradually gain his trust, how I''ll make him open his heart to me, and even willingly risk everything for me."

    Ning Yao asked in a voice tinged with grief, "By using my body?"

    "If the need arises, I won''t hesitate to do so." Luo Hongyan nodded. She continued with a smile. "For me, your body is just a tool. If I can use it to earn his trust, I will."

    Ning Yao''s ethereal form trembled violently.

    1. This is a Chinese idiom, Ê¬¹ÇÎ´º®. It means that an event has just urred or is still fresh in people''s minds. It often implies it is too soon to forget or overlook a recent urrence. ?

 Chapter 37: Insect Valley

    <h4>Chapter 37: Insect Valley</h4>

    Pang Jian once again assumed the role of a guide and was entrusted with their itinerary.

    Luo Hongyan''s actions after the incident in the hollow tree trunk not only exceeded Pang Jian''s expectations but also left the Su n and the He n feeling surprised.

    All the details of the exploration and itinerary were left to Pang Jian, and she offered unwavering support regardless of where Pang Jian decided to go.

    She warned Su Yuntian and He Rong that the location they wished to explore was teeming with members of the Shadow Specter Sect and emphasized how Pang Jian not only saved the lives of many members of the seven major ns but was also very familiar with the terrain of the Solitary Mountain Range, including knowledge about its danger zones.

    Due to her persistent efforts, the Su n and the He n eventually conceded to have Pang Jian as their guide.

    Thus, under Pang Jian''s leadership, their search party continued to advance steadily toward the northernmost area of the Solitary Mountain Range.

    Along the way, Luo Hongyan stuck close to Pang Jian, conversing with him at every opportunity, eager to share even the smallest anecdotes.

    ***

    Nightfall once again descended upon them.

    He Rong angrily red at the distant campfire, where Pang Jian and "Ning Yao" were once again engaged in hushed conversation.

    asionally, Luo Hongyan would let out soft chuckles, much to He Rong''s annoyance.

    "They look like a real couple," Su Meng whispered, fueling the fire.

    He Rong stood up irritably, but Su Yuntian swiftly grabbed his arm and pulled him back down. In a voice tinged with concern, Su Yuntian reprimanded. "What''s gotten into you? Ziren has already passed away. He and Ning Yao weren''t even married yet. She isn''t your He n''s daughter-inw!"

    He Rong growled, "When I see her like this, it makes me furious to think about how infatuated Ziren was with her. It''s even more infuriating knowing that there might not even be bones left of him!"

    "People can''te back from the dead. There''s no need to be like this," Su Yuntian advised gently, urging He Rong to refrain from acting impulsively and to avoid stirring up trouble.

    Su Yuntian also found it strange. Ning Yao was normally indifferent toward others but was unusually proactive toward Pang Jian. Whenever Pang Jian was not cultivating, she would stick by his side.

    It was uncertain what she and Pang Jian talked about. However, she would asionally burst intoughter that sounded like tinkling bells and seemed to be in a rather good mood.

    The deaths of Ning Yuanshan and the Ning n''s servants did not seem to have affected her.

    Could it be that she simply did not care?

    Su Yuntian rubbed his chin, watching "Ning Yao" from afar, puzzled by the situation.

    "Sister Ning defied societal expectations by not choosing Brother Ziren. Instead, she fell in love with a hunter from the mountains. I think it''s very admirable," Su Meng whispered.

    Her words caused He Rong''s expression to grow even darker.

    "Father, you''re not allowed to interfere in my marriage decisions in the future!" Su Meng shouted.

    Su Yuntian gave her a stern re and said with a sigh of exasperation, "Considering your cultivation talent, our Su n has no right to interfere. Once you go to the Radiant Sun Sect, a master will take you under their wing. Your master will arrange these matters for you. It''s not up to our Su n to decide."

    "Then I''ll make sure to choose a good master!" Su Meng eximed

    ***

    <i>Crackle! </i>

    Pang Jian observed the woman across from him as he stoked the fire, causing sparks to scatter.

    Whenever he was not cultivating, she would approach him and start talking about the cultivation world. Sometimes, she would even briefly recount the wonders and tales of the various sects in the Third World.

    Through their conversations, Pang Jian learned that the Dong n and the Su n had a longstanding connection with the Radiant Sun Sect from the upper world and that they had set their sights on Su Meng.

    Besides that, the Zhou n had deep ties with the Red Mountain Sect, while the Ning n and the He n had a favorable rtionship with the Star River Alliance. Finally, the Shangguan n and the Ouyang n were considered vassal forces of the Blood Moon Sect in the Fourth World. Young talents from these two major ns would do everything in their power to journey to the Blood Moon Sect to cultivate.

    In the Third World above them, amidst the countless floating inds, were two continents known as Cosmic Skies and Dark Abyss.

    The most powerful factions of cultivators established their sects and schools on these two continents. These were the Radiant Sun Sect, the Red Mountain Sect, the Blood Moon Sect, the Sinister Soul Temple, and the Star River Alliance.

    The Radiant Sun Sect and the Red Mountain Sect upied the Cosmic Skies continent, while the Blood Moon Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the Sinister Soul Temple stayed on the Dark Abyss continent.

    Ning Yao had long since received the Star River Alliance''s acknowledgment. In the future, she would cultivate at the Star River Alliance in the Third World. Currently, she was raising her cultivation realm in the lower world.

    After experiencing the life-and-death ordeal at ckwater Pond, the previously aloof girl seemed to undergo a sudden change in temperament.

    Following her sincere apologies in the hollow tree trunk, she no longer behaved haughtily. Pang Jian could not find fault in anything she did after that.

    When he sought a quiet ce to cultivate with the spirit stones in his bamboo basket, Ning Yao would tactfully excuse herself. When he was in the mood to talk, she would approach and teach himmon knowledge about the cultivation world, offering him new understandings.

    She also procured ample food and clean water from the Su n and the He n for him and persuaded them to apany him on his journey.

    Her recent behavior put Pang Jian at ease and left him with noints.

    Sometimes, Pang Jian wondered if something had happened to Ning Yao after nearly drowning in ckwater Pond.

    "What are you thinking about?" Seeing his absent-minded appearance, Luo Hongyan stopped her description of some wonder of the Third World and asked Pang Jian with a smile.

    "In the Solitary Mountain Range, there are three forbidden zones that I''ve never ventured into before. The ckwater Pond is one of them. There''s also a ce called Insect Valley, and a small ind in the middle of ck Orchid Lake." Pang Jian collected in his wandering thoughts, staring into the distance as he said, "We''ll reach Insect Valley soon. I want to go and have a look."

    Luo Hongyan''s eyebrows twitched slightly, and a hint of surprise swept across her face. "Who told you about these forbidden zones?"

    There was no mention of the three forbidden zones in the real Ning Yao''s memories nor those of the Spirit Devils.

    "I heard about it from veteran hunters," Pang Jian lied. The fact that his father had been the one to forbid him from entering these forbidden areas was something he wanted to keep secret.

    "Oh, alright. About Insect Valley..." Though a hint of doubt lingered in her heart, Luo Hongyan tactfully refrained from pressing further, smiling brightly as she said, "Anyway, I''ll follow your lead. Wherever you decide to go, I''ll go with you."

    Pang Jian paused, his gaze lingering on her with a peculiar expression on his face.

    "Everyone, please get ready. Once we''ve eaten our fill, we''ll head to Insect Valley," Luo Hongyan dered as she stood up. Moving toward the Su n and the He n, she maintained a slight distance from them as she added, "Pang Jian mentioned that Insect Valley might be dangerous, so everyone has to be careful."

    She gracefully returned to Pang Jian, swaying in her hips as she walked,pletely oblivious to the anger brewing within He Rong''s eyes.

    To her, He Rong and Su Yuntian were just higher-level Spirit Devils.

    She spared their lives solely because she needed them to maintain the fa?ade of being Ning Yao.

    "Let''s continue," Pang Jian slowly rose to his feet. He advanced through the darkness with the Dragonwood Spear in hand and the bamboo basket on his back.

    The group huddled close together in the tranquil night, reluctant to stray too far apart.

    After notifying the Su n and the He n, Luo Hongyan once again stuck to Pang Jian, practically pressing herself against him.

    ustomed to such proximity, Pang Jian asionally caught a pleasant fragrance wafting from her, stirring up mixed emotions.

    Two hourster.

    Beneath the pitch-ck night sky, Pang Jian arrived at Insect Valley. He had passed this ce several times before but had never ventured into it.

    The darkness of the night meant that he could not see the bone of the Celestial Phoenix protruding from Insect Valley when he initially arrived.

    As the members of the Su n and the He n trickled in, they lit up thenterns and candles in their possession. It was only then that Pang Jian noticed something was amiss.

    The bone of the Celestial Phoenix had pierced through a huge beehive, with its sharp end buried deep into the ground, and numerous skeletons scattered around.

    Pang Jian had never seen such a massive beehive before and wondered how many bees and insects had once lived inside it.

    Recalling the fearsome sight of the enormous serpent at the bottom of ckwater Pond, Pang Jian spected that this massive beehive was the terrifying reason behind Insect Valley being designated as a forbidden zone.

    Just like the giant serpent, the beehive had also been targeted by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, which pierced straight through the beehive when it fell.

    Countless bees and insects must have perished in Insect Valley, their essence drained by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, transforming into another essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    With a torch in hand, Su Yuntian moved closer to inspect before he shouted, "The Ouyang n''s attire! Ning Yao, they''re from the Ouyang n! You mentioned encountering Ouyang Duanhai. You said he was neither human nor ghost and was ultimately killed by the Shadow Specter Sect at ckwater Pond. This must be where Ouyang Duanhai was possessed!"

    <i>A strange, human-shaped figure? Ouyang Duanhai, killed by the Shadow Specter Sect?</i> Pang Jian was stunned.

    He cast Luo Hongyan a meaningful look when he realized she had not been entirely truthful with the Su n and the He n. The strange figure named Ouyang Duanhai had been devoured from within by the Divine Guard as it transformed into a blood-red Celestial Phoenix. That Celestial Phoenix had ultimately been absorbed by Pang Jian''s bronze pendant.

    "There''s nothing of value here anymore." Luo Honyan knew that Ouyang Duanhai had already taken the essence of the Celestial Phoenix, so she found the ce rather dull. She continued, "Pang Jian, whatever wonders this ce might''ve once held, they''re already gone."

    Pang Jian also came to the same realization.

    The bone of the Celestial Phoenix had already descended and impaled the massive to the ground. Now that the essence of the Celestial Phoenix had already been formed, this ce indeed held no further value.

    "Let''s camp here for the night. Tomorrow, at dawn, we''ll head to ck Orchid Lake and check the ind there. There might be another bone of the Celestial Phoenix there." He had a strong intuition. The fact that ckwater Pond and Insect Valley, both designated as forbidden zones by his father, were chosen by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, suggested that the small ind in ck Orchid Lake might very well harbor a fourth.

 Chapter 38: Gathering Energy

    <h4>Chapter 38: Gathering Energy</h4>

    Nights in the Fourth World were always shrouded in darkness.

    As the sun, moon, or stars could not be seen throughout the year, and there was no other natural light source, once night fell in this world, the wild beasts would refrain from hunting.

    The tired crowd decided to rest up for the night and moved away from the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    The skeletons of the Ouyang n''s members were scattered around the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, and their eerie remains unsettled everyone in the darkness of the night.

    However, Pang Jian remained indifferent.

    He had nomp or fire to illuminate his surroundings as he sat cross-legged in a meditative position beside the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, which had pierced into the beehive.

    Luo Hongyan was tactful, chuckling softly as she gracefully turned to depart.

    A tacit understanding had developed between the two over recent days.

    From where he was seated by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix, Pang Jian observed as the members of the Su n and the He n lit fires and meditated at the other end of Insect Valley.

    Everyone''s vision was limited at night, but Pang Jian waited until he sensed Su Yuntian and He Rong no longer looking at him, before removing the bamboo basket from his back.

    After taking a deep breath, he focused on clearing his mind of distractions and swiftly entered a state of meditation.

    During this meditation session, he unexpectedly experienced a strange sensation of greatly heightened perception. He intuitively felt that his navel region was divided into twoyers, much like the world he currently inhabited.

    Pang Jian did not rush to absorb the spiritual qi from the spirit stone he held in his hand. Instead, he focused on assimting the diverse energies present in Insect Valley. Slowly, he sensed the spiritual qi enter his body and settle into the upperyer of his navel region.

    The spiritual qi in the upperyer resembled clusters of clouds and mist.

    As he activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, he could sense a massive whirlpool emerging between the upper and loweryers.

    This whirlpool resembled a funnel, linking the upper and loweryers of his navel region. As it spun gently, it drew in the mist-like spiritual qi from the upperyer. With each rotation, the whirlpool would refine the spiritual qi, pushing it toward the bottom of the funnel.

    This refined energy would gradually be condensed into...spiritual power.

    Strands of spiritual power slowly gathered in the loweryer of his navel region to form a small pond.

    Pang Jian''s mind spun. He now grasped thepleteyout of his navel region. He also realized that the mysterious micro world within the human body naturally seemed to consist of two parts.

    The dantian served as the gathering point for spiritual qi while the spiritual sea acted as a reservoir for the spiritual power refined from the spiritual qi.

    The dantian and the spiritual sea were connected by a funnel-shaped whirlpool. The dantian cleansed and purified the spiritual qi and other energies absorbed from the outside world, condensing them into spiritual power, which then flows into the spiritual sea below.

    With this realization, Pang Jian continued to absorb the diverse spiritual qi of the Fourth World in Insect Valley, carefully sensing the wonders of his spiritual sea.

    After a while, he suddenly felt countless mosquitoes, bugs, and bees buzzing from all directions as if they intended to swarm and devour him.

    Before he could be startled awake by the perceived threat, Pang Jian quickly realized those supposed mosquitoes, bugs, and bees were all hiding within the spiritual qi.

    Countless tiny creatures had their essence absorbed by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix in Insect Valley, causing their soul to be mixed with the spiritual qi, which Pang Jian had absorbed into his body using the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    For the whirlpool to refine and purify the spiritual qi from Insect Valley, he would first have to grind away the mosquitoes, insects, and bees.

    This was the process of removing impurities. Despite the time-consuming process, the spiritual power obtained from it was not a lot.

    He hesitated for a second before retrieving the two spirit stones, including one he had plundered from Jin Yang, Xu Rui, and the masked man.

    The two spirit stones resembled white jade. One had scattered impurities while the other was exceptionally pure.

    When Pang Jian tried to absorb the spiritual qi from the spirit stone with scattered impurities, he instantly noticed that what he absorbed was actually spiritual power with trace amounts of impurities. It did not quite resemble the mist-like spiritual qi; rather, it mirrored the spiritual power within his spiritual sea.

    However, because the spiritual power contained some impurities, Pang Jian needed to utilize the whirlpool connecting his dantian and spiritual sea to purify and eliminate these impurities.

    Still, the spiritual power he derived from the small spirit stone far exceeded what he obtained from purifying the spiritual qi in Insect Valley.

    Its efficacy was at least ten times greater.

    While both had impurities, there was a fundamental difference between spiritual qi and spiritual power. A single strand of spiritual power required ten times the amount of spiritual qi to refine.

    Meanwhile, the spirit stone already contained spiritual power, requiring no repetitive refinement from him, only needing the impurities to be removed.

    Pang Jian slowly opened his eyes to stare at the speckled spirit stone in his hand.

    He finally understood why Jin Yang and the other high-level members of the Shadow Specter Sect only had their weapons and these Fourth World spirit stones on them.

    With these spirit stones, they could rapidly replenish their strength far more efficiently than absorbing the spiritual qi in the Solitary Mountain Range.

    <i>What about the pure spirit stone? How is it different?</i> With these thoughts in mind, he shifted his attention to the unblemished, pure spirit stone.

    This spirit stone came from the sack he took from Ning Yao, and originated from the Formless Sailboat of the Blood Moon Sect.

    Pang Jian tried to absorb the spiritual power from the pure spirit stone.

    His eyes lit up.

    The spirit stone from the Third World did not contain a single speck of impurity. As he absorbed it into his dantian, it swiftly funneled through the whirlpool and flowed directly into his spiritual sea!

    There was no need to refine or purify the spiritual power for it to seamlessly integrate into his spiritual sea!

    The efficiency and speed of absorbing this spiritual power far surpassed that of cultivating with impure spirit stones!

    "No wonder Ning Yao treasured it so dearly after obtaining it from the Formless Sailboat," With his improved perception, Pang Jian could now intuitively sense the condition of his dantian and spiritual sea during cultivation. Compared to his previous experience in ckwater Pond, his understanding of his dantian and spiritual sea had deepened significantly.

    He finally understood the true value of spirit stones for cultivators.

    "With these pure spirit stones, I''ll be able to fill my spiritual sea with spiritual power," He now understood that the primary focus in the Qi Practicing Realm was to refine spiritual power until the spiritual sea was full.

    He had pure spirit stones and no intention to conserve them, so Pang Jian began his cultivation.

    ***

    In the darkness, a distance away from Pang Jian, Luo Hongyan habitually assumed a cross-legged posture on a tree branch, observing him from a higher vantage point.

    With her cultivation level and the refinement of her soul, she could faintly discern that when Pang Jian cultivated, numerous lingering souls of the mosquitoes, flies, and bugs were absorbed into his lower spiritual sea.

    Suddenly, her expression turned to one of astonishment.

    Spirit Devils such as Luo Meng were unexpectedly drawn toward Pang Jian as he cultivated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, uncontrobly attempting to fly into his dantian.

    Startled, she hastily intervened, using her willpower tomand the Spirit Devils to withdraw from Insect Valley.

    "What a domineering cultivation method. A cultivation manual of this caliber shouldn''t have originated from the Fourth World," she mused, increasingly curious about the young man''s past.

    ***

    By the time dawn approached, Pang Jian had unknowingly absorbed two pure spirit stones.

    He was abruptly awakened.

    Intuitively gripping his Dragonwood Spear, he stared coldly at the approaching He Rong.

    When he saw Pang Jian had awoken, He Rong stopped and calmly asked, "I want to know who killed He Ziren."

    "Why the need for such secrecy? If you have any doubts, you can ask Ning Yao or wait until daylight to question me," Pang Jian replied, tone tinged with annoyance.

    "Due to her past engagement to Ziren, she harbors resentment toward the He n. Her attitude toward us was cold and she was unwilling to cooperate with me," He Rong helplessly exined.

    Pang Jian paused, then said, "Among the assants from the Shadow Specter Sect, one person stood out¡ªhe wore a distinctive gold mask and seemed to be someone of note. When he perished at the bottom of ckwater Pondter on, his mask shattered into fragments, and I caught a glimpse of his face. It was marred with crisscrossing scars. He''s the one who killed He Ziren."

    The face revealed beneath the shattered mask had left the deepest impression on Pang Jian, so he used the man as a shield.

    Upon hearing this, He Rong''s expression subtly changed. He nodded, uttered a word of thanks, then turned and walked away.

    From the distant tree branches, Luo Hongyan had been observing He Rong and shifted from her seated position to stand. It was only after He Rong returned to Su Yuntian''s side that the ice gleam resembling a sharp de disappeared from her eyes.

    In the sky above Pang Jian, Hong Tai, now refined into a Spirit Devil, hovered quietly.

    As Hong Tai had been in the Marrow Cleansing Realm, as long as his Spirit Devil remained hidden in the darkness of the night, he would not be discovered by anyone, including He Rong and Su Yuntian.

    However, He Rong only inquired about the cause of He Ziren''s death before abruptly leaving with a visibly changed expression. Therefore, she did not instruct the Spirit Devil to take action.

    "It''s Dong Qianfeng! Dong Qianfeng from the Dong n had joined the Shadow Specter Sect!" He Rong''s eyes gleamed with shock, speaking in a low voice to Su Yuntian. "Dong Qianfeng killed Ziren!

    "He was once subjected to a cruel punishment by the Radiant Sun Sect where his face was shed with dozens of cuts, leaving indelible scars. Afterward, he was even expelled from the sect.

    "He wore a mask to conceal his identity and conspired with Hong Tai from the Shadow Specter Sect to kill members of the seven major ns in the Solitary Mountain Range!"

    Su Yuntian could not contain his shock and eximed, "It''s actually him!"

    "Luckily, he was killed in ckwater Pond," He Rong added.

    "Even though Dong Qianfeng has passed away..." Su Yuntian rubbed his chin, expression solemn as he continued, "If Dong Qianfeng has indeed joined the Shadow Specter Sect, could his adopted son, Dong Tianze, also have joined?"

    He Rong was taken aback. "That can''t be, can it?"

    "Father, what are you discussing in the middle of the night?" Su Meng could not help but ask, having woken up in a daze, and noticed the two of them whispering with troubled expressions.

    "It''s nothing." Su Yuntian wanted to offer aforting smile but could not muster one up. "It''s getting bright outside. You should get up too. We need to prepare to hit the road again."

    "Oh," Su Meng answered while rubbing her eyes.

    Luo Hongyan watched the two from atop the tree branches, lips pressed together with a hint of coldness.

    Having extracted numerous secrets of the Shadow Specter Sect from Hong Tai, she naturally knew who Su Yuntian and He Rong were referring to when they mentioned Dong Tianze.

    She also knew that he was currently in the Solitary Mountain Range.

 Chapter 39: Central Lake Island

    <h4>Chapter 39: Central Lake Ind </h4>

    A thin mist gracefully settled in the early light of dawn.

    Everyone was poised and ready to depart.

    As their guide, Pang Jian had long since made the necessary preparations. Seeing that everyone was ready, he started to head toward ck Orchid Lake that he had secretly set as their destination.

    After he set off, Luo Hongyanzily stretched her body and nimbly descended from the tree branches. She approached Pang Jian and asked, "How was your restst night?"

    "Not bad." Pang Jian did not mention He Rong''s visit, only exchanging pleasantries with her before resolutely continuing on his way.

    Luo Hongyan also acted as if nothing had happened the previous night and together, they continued on their journey, chatting away as they walked.

    She paid no mind to He Rong, Su Yuntian, and the others trailing behind.

    Pang Jian, on the other hand, would asionally nce back while speaking with Luo Hongyan. He noticed He Rong and Su Yuntian huddled together, whispering with faces clouded with concern.

    An hourter, Su Yuntian mustered the courage to step forward and said, "Miss Ning, please wait a moment."

    Luo Hongyan frowned impatiently. She turned her head and asked coldly, "What is it?"

    "It''s..." Su Yuntian nervously cleared his throat. Seeing He Rong continuing to stay silent, he forced himself to continue, "Do you know who killed Ziren?"

    "It was someone from the Shadow Specter Sect. He wore a golden mask and met his end at the bottom of ckwater Pond. It seems he was in by the ck and White King Python when it lost control. I was outside the pond at the time, so I cannot say for certain how he died."

    Luo Hongyan had overheard the conversation between He Rong and Pang Jianst night through the Spirit Devil and deliberately aided Pang Jian in concealing the truth.

    Pang Jian stared at her in surprise.

    "It was Dong Qianfeng!" Su Yuntian eximed with a somber tone and expression. "Pang Jian managed to get a good look at his face. It was scarred all over. It was none other than Dong Qianfeng, the man who was expelled from the Radiant Sun Sect!"

    Luo Hongyan feigned surprise. "So, it was him."

    "Though he''s in our generation, his cultivation talent far surpasses mine and He Rong''s. Neither of us was qualified to be epted by the sects in the upper world. However, Dong Qianfeng had long joined the Radiant Sun Sect." With a solemn expression, Su Yuntian continued his recount, "It''s unclear whom he offended or what mistake he made in the Radiant Sun Sect, but he was punished by having his face scarred and was ultimately expelled."

    "The Dong n did not dare to question the Radiant Sun Sect''s decision, nor did they dare to ept him back into their n. Up until now, Dong Qianfeng''s whereabouts were unknown. I would never have thought he''d return from the Third World and be a member of the Shadow Specter Sect."

    Luo Hongyan said indifferently, "He''s already dead, so what''s there to worry about?"

    "He''s dead but the leader of the search party sent by the Dong n was none other than his adopted son, Dong Tianze!" Su Yuntian said with a trembling voice.

    When he mentioned Dong Tianze, the fear in his eyes seemed to surpass that of Dong Qianfeng.

    Su Yuntian sighed heavily, rubbing his forehead in distress. "Dong Tianze isn''t a true member of the Dong n. He''s someone Dong Qianfeng brought in from outside and adopted as his own.

    "Dong Tianze is ruthless, bloodthirsty, and has formidablebat prowess, even among the Dong n''s new generation. Rumor has it he''s already embarked on the bone forging, marrow cleansing process, and rejected the Radiant Sun Sect''s recruitment attempts.

    "The Radiant Sun Sect is the backer of the Dong n. If he dared to reject the Radiant Sun Sect, it must have been because of Dong Qianfeng''s expulsion. Since Dong Qianfeng was a member of the Shadow Specter Sect, could Dong Tianze have joined them as well?

    "With his cunning and ruthlessness, if he''s colluding with the Shadow Specter Sect, none of us from the seven major ns would likely escape the Solitary Mountain Range unscathed."

    As Su Yuntian spoke, his daughter, Su Meng, appeared shocked. She was clearly aware of the danger posed by Dong Tianze.

    The members of the Su n and the He n were equally shaken by the mention of Dong Tianze''s name as if the tolling of death bells reverberated in their minds.

    Luo Hongyan remained unperturbed. "So, what are you suggesting?"

    "Both of us have decided to withdraw from the Solitary Mountain Range. We will return to report the collusion between Dong Qianfeng and the Shadow Specter Sect. The matter of Dong Tianze will be left to the Dong n to deal with," Su Yuntian said, voice tinged with apprehension.

    After he finished, he nced at Su Meng.

    The one he was most worried about was his daughter, Su Meng.

    He was not afraid of dying, but Su Meng was young and still had a promising future ahead of her. He had high hopes for her. After all, she had already caught the attention of the Radiant Sun Sect and was poised to go to the upper world to cultivate soon.

    Su Meng must not encounter any mishaps in the Solitary Mountain Range!

    "Suit yourselves," Luo Hongyan said indifferently. Ignoring Pang Jian''s bewildered gaze, she strode past him, as though abandoning the Su n and the He n.

    Her indifferent attitude left Su Yuntian and He Rong secretly displeased, but at the same time, they also breathed a sigh of relief.

    Shortly after, they approached Pang Jian to ask about the quickest route to exit the Solitary Mountain Range and return to human civilization.

    Just as Pang Jian was about to respond, a startled cry from Luo Hongyan echoed from a distance.

    Hearing her cry, Pang Jian paid no more attention to the two of them. He darted off like lightning, Dragonwood Spear in hand, leaving Su Yuntian and He Rong dumbfounded by his incredible speed.

    The two exchanged a nce. They had yet to receive the information about the route from Pang Jian, so they reluctantly decided to follow him.

    A corpsey among dried bloodstained grasses, emitting a foul stench. The body appeared to be that of a female cultivator. Her long hair was strewn about and her clothes adorned with fragmented star patterns.

    It looked like wild beasts had ravaged her body. A white jade hairpin rested in her bloody left palm.

    The white jade hairpin glowed. Contrasting starkly with the brutal and bloody scene, its radiance appeared immacte and pristine.

    He Rong and Su Yuntian rushed over. They nced at the clothing on the corpse and quickly concluded, "She''s from the Star River Alliance!"

    The Gilded Chariot had crashed next to Crescent Moon Lake, but there was no sign of any members of the Star River Alliance. It seemed they had evacuated from the chariot after the crash.

    "No wonder we couldn''t find anything valuable in the Gilded Chariot," He Rong murmured. stroking his chin.

    Su Yuntian stared at the white jade hairpin. He could not help but feel it would suit his daughter once it had been cleaned.

    "Looks like a low-grade spirit artifact," Luo Hongyan muttered from beside the corpse before kicking the hand holding the white jade pin.

    The white jade hairpin red with a bright light, unexpectedly flying out and shot toward a nearby tree. It pierced through the tree trunk andnded on the grass beside Su Meng.

    After piercing through the tree trunk, the bloodstains on the hairpin miraculously disappeared, enhancing its outstanding jade-like quality.

    Gazing at the hairpin nestled in the grass, Su Meng felt a slight longing in her heart.

    However, considering the hairpin had just been stained with blood and was kicked away by Luo Hongyan, she felt too embarrassed to pick it up.

    "Take it if you like it. I don''t care for it anyway." Luo Hongyan chuckled lightly. With an indifferent tone, she said, "If I''m not mistaken, we will probably find more spirit artifacts from the corpses of the members of the Star River Alliance ahead. There should be some as exquisite as this white jade hairpin."

    "Thank you, Miss Ning!" Su Yuntian said, rubbing his hands together. He shot a stern look at Su Meng.

    "Thank you, sister!" Su Meng said, tactfully omitting the "Ning" character.

    She happily wrapped the white jade hairpin in a handkerchief, looking forward to cleaning it thoroughly and exploring its wonderster.

    "Brother Su, we might as well take a look while we''re here," He Rong suggested.

    Su Yuntian nodded. "Sure...sure, why not."

    The two had intended to leave the Solitary Mountain Range as soon as possible, but now, they temporarily dispelled that thought. Instead, they decided to apany Pang Jian and Ning Yao for a bit longer, hoping to discover something new.

    ***

    Pang Jian continued to lead the way.

    During their journey, they encountered several corpses belonging to the Star River Alliance.

    ording to Luo Hongyan''s arrangements, all the artifacts found on the corpses were divided between the Su n and the He n, while the spirit stones were all given to Pang Jian.

    Meanwhile, Luo Hongyan did not take anything at all.

    This distribution met no objections from the members of the Su n and the He n. They perceived her actions as a sign of her affection toward Pang Jian, not taking anything for herself and only striving to secure spirit stones for Pang Jian.

    Drawn by the artifacts left on the corpses of the Star River Alliance members, Su Yuntian and He Rong no longer spoke of leaving, and everyone continued peacefully without any incidents.

    One day, Pang Jian stepped out from a waist-high thicket of grass and shouted, "We''re here!"

    As he emerged from the thicket, he was greeted by a light blueke muchrger than Crescent Moon Lake.

    Before him, theke shimmered with a subtle azure tint, distinct from the pristine white of Crescent Moon Lake.

    The reason for this contrast was the salinity of ck Orchid Lake''s waters.

    Beneath the icyke waters were many small fish swimming about. These fish tasted exceptionally delicious.

    Pang Jian licked his lips as he recalled the delectable taste of those small fish. Despite having eaten not long ago, he felt himself grow hungry again.

    The next to arrive at thekeshore was Luo Hongyan. Her eyes lit up, surprised by the scenery before her. "This is ck Orchid Lake?"

    Nestled in the center of the light blueke sat a strange little ind. The ind had a small hill adorned with colorful flowers and lush vegetation.

    There was no ce in the entire Solitary Mountain Range where the flora was as densely packed and vibrant as on that ind.

    The ind had been designated as a forbidden zone, but even the usually disinterested Pang Jian could not help but steal a few extra nces every time he passed by.

    It was just that pretty.

    However, Pang Jian always adhered to his father''s advice and never ventured to the ind in theke, only sticking to its perimeter.

    <i>Whoosh! </i>

    As Pang Jian gazed at the familiar ind in theke, he suddenly noticed something flying above the hill on the ind.

    After squinting and observing closely, he finally made out the object and eximed, "The Sinister Soul Temple''s Divine Spirit Pagoda!"

    Of the three objects descended from the sky, the Star River Alliance''s Gilded Chariot and the Blood Moon Sect''s Formless Sailboat were either crashed or grounded, unable to move.

    However, to his surprise, the Divine Spirit Pagoda of the Sinister Soul Temple was still airborne and was currently above the forbidden zone.

    ¡°What a beautiful ind!¡± Su Meng eximed as she stepped out, gazing at the picturesque Central Lake Ind with its vibrant flowers and serene light blue waters. She found herself momentarily entranced by the scene.

    She said wistfully, "I never expected to find such a beautiful ind in a deste ce like the Solitary Mountain Range."

    "It''s the Sinister Soul Temple''s Divine Spirit Pagoda!" Su Yuntian and He Rong also spotted the white pagoda.

    Luo Hongyan gazed at the ind in the middle of theke. Her expression was calm and serene, yet her eyes shone with a strange light.

    "The fact that the Divine Spirit Pagoda is airborne indicates that there are people on the ind," she muttered. She paused, knitting her brows. "Although it''s not visible from here, there must be a bone of the Celestial Phoenix on that ind, deeply embedded in the ground below."

    She then looked toward Pang Jian.

    "You''re aware that there must be a fourth bone of the Celestial Phoenix buried deep somewhere on the ind, right?" she asked.

    Pang Jian nodded.

 Chapter 40: The Unpredictable White Pagoda

    <h4>Chapter 40: The Unpredictable White Pagoda</h4>

    Pang Jian hade to the ck Orchid Lake to search for the fourth bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    The bones of the Celestial Phoenix were present in the other two forbidden zones, ckwater Pond and Insect Valley. Therefore, as another one of the forbidden zones, it stood to reason that a bone would also be on Central Lake Ind.

    If there was the possibility of finding a fourth bone on the ind, then there was also the potential for the essence of the Celestial Phoenix to form. Given the benefits he had reaped so far from the other essences of the Celestial Phoenix, he naturally came to try his luck here as well.

    Su Yuntian scanned the surroundings but did not see anyone, Fear crept into his heart. "Who is controlling the Divine Spirit Pagoda?"

    Su Yuntian and He Rong were uncertain about the mysteries hidden within the bone of the Celestial Phoenix and did not give it much thought. Rather, they feared that the person in charge of the Divine Spirit Pagoda might attack them once they set foot on the ind.

    "We''re very close to the northern boundary wall of the Solitary Mountain Range." Pang Jian stared at the towering peak behind ck Orchid Lake. His eyes attempted to look through the mountains to see unfamiliar territory on the other side.

    Behind the mountainsy the northernmost region of the Northern Qi. It bordered the boundary wall of the Fourth World and served as the origin of the bizarre mist.

    The ck Orchid Lake shimmered with a subtle azure tint under the dim sky, breathtakingly beautiful against the backdrop of the rugged peaks.

    The white pagoda floating above the ind in theke''s center gave off a solemn aura.

    ording to rumors, every Divine Spirit Pagoda from the Sinister Soul Temple was constructed from countless stacks of white bones.

    The Sinister Soul Temple of the Third World hardly interacted with other sects or factions. They also refrained from recruiting talents from the seven major ns, maintaining an air of mystery.

    Su Yuntian and He Rong had limited knowledge about this sect, causing them to harbor a sense of reverence.

    After staring at the white pagoda on the ind for a while, the pair hesitated once again, pondering whether they should set foot on the ind.

    Noticing their hesitation, Luo Hongyan felt it was best to make the most of the situation. Therefore, she took the initiative and requested, "Could you please arrange for your men to build a bamboo raft for Pang Jian and me?"

    Su Yuntian recalled their journey together and how she had refrained from iming any scavenged items. Feeling guilty, he agreed, "Certainly."

    He arranged for servants of the Su n to go to the nearby forest and cut some bamboo, using them to build a bamboo raft.

    "We should leave," He Rong suddenly suggested.

    Gazing at the white pagoda, he could not shake the feeling that something was strange about the ind.

    As he stood by thekeshore, a creeping coldness seeped into him, making him incredibly ufortable.

    "The fourth bone of the Celestial Phoenix is on the ind. Aren''t you curious about what might be inside?" As Luo Hongyan looked at them, inspiration suddenly struck her, "If you two don''t want to go, you should arrange for your servants to go and explore in your stead."

    A spark of interest appeared in He Rong''s eyes.

    He ordered the servants of He n to cut more bamboo to build additional bamboo rafts.

    "What''s the Divine Spirit Pagoda doing, hovering like that?" Su Meng wondered aloud.

    Su Yuntian and He Rong shook their heads. Although they knew the Divine Spirit Pagoda belonged to the Sinister Soul Temple, they did not know its specific purpose or abilities.

    "It''s searching for souls," Luo Hongyan answered. She looked at the white pagoda and said, "It can detect any living being with a soul within a certain range. Those with only spiritual bodies and no physical, like spirits, demons, and ghosts, will be absorbed and held captive by it."

    Luo Hongyan''s words carried a chilly edge.

    Pang Jian was puzzled. He sensed that Luo Hongyan had be somewhat different since they arrived at ck Orchid Lake.

    Her gaze toward the Divine Spirit Pagoda was filled with a subtle resentment and deep apprehension as if she had suffered previously because of the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    <i>Is it because of what happened in the stone pile? The corpses of the Sinister Soul Temple cultivators there caused the Ning n to suffer many casualties,</i> Pang Jian recalled.

    The corpses inside the stone pile wore the Blood Moon Sect''s attire. This led to Han Duping misjudging the situation and resulted in the Spirit Devils'' attack on the members of the Zhou and the Ning n.

    However, the more he thought about it, the more suspicious he found the situation.

    The Divine Spirit Pagoda of the Sinister Soul Temple hovered above ck Orchid Lake in the northernmost part of the Solitary Mountain Range. However, the Sinister Soul Temple cultivators wearing the attire of the Blood Moon Sect met their demise in the southernmost part of the Solitary Mountain Range.

    Hundreds of miles separated these two locations.

    Doubt filled Pang Jian''s heart. He decided to remain secretly vignt as he observed the drifting and elusive white pagoda.

    Shortly after, the Su n''s and the He n''s servants finished constructing several bamboo rafts. Under the orders of Su Yuntian and He Rong, four servants were divided into two groups and rowed toward Central Lake Ind.

    He Rong shouted, "New discoveries must be reported to us immediately!"

    Filled with apprehension, the four servants could only nod as they cast fearful nces toward Central Lake Ind. They could not shake the feeling that the ind, adorned with blooming flowers, was fraught with danger.

    The bamboo raft inched slowly toward the center of theke.

    Pang Jian squinted, shifting his attention from the ind to theke water before him.

    The light blue water was crystal clear, yet he could see no fish. Thekeshore was also devoid of the usual sounds of insects.

    The ck Orchid Lake had never been this quiet in the past.

    Even when he was simply passing by ck Orchid Lake before, he would see fish swimming and wild beasts prowling. He even asionally encountered hunters from Linshan Town.

    However, at this moment, everything in and around theke seemed to have vanished, leaving the entireke eerily quiet.

    Pang Jian fell silent. Su Yuntian, He Rong, and Luo Hongyan followed suit.

    The group silently watched as the two bamboo rafts reached Central Lake Ind. The four Qi Practicing Realm cultivators got off the bamboo rafts and explored the ind.

    The Divine Spirit Pagoda hovered above Central Lake Ind, showing no reaction when the four servants passed below it.

    There was no response from them after that.

    Time went by in silence. One hour passed, then two. The bamboo rafts remained on the shore of Central Lake Ind.

    The four servants seemed to vanish into thin air.

    Neither their figures nor even a distant shout could be heard from them.

    Silence continued to reign as if no one had ever been on the ind in the first ce.

    Su Yuntian drew in a deep breath.

    "Pang Jian, please tell me the best route out of the Solitary Mountain Range," he requested. With determination in his eyes, he dered, "I have decided to depart!"

    "Father, I want to go and explore the ind!" Su Meng pleaded softly.

    "Shut up!" Su Yuntian''s face turned cold. He refused to yield to her pleas this time. In a stern, authoritative tone, he said, "The Divine Spirit Pagoda is active, and unknown people are on the ind. The people from the Sinister Soul Temple are all entric and never interact with the other major sects. Let''s not provoke them!"

    He presumed experts from the Sinister Soul Temple secretly controlled the Divine Spirit Pagoda. If so, killing him and He Rong would be child''s y for them.

    Having grown increasingly anxious waiting for his subordinates'' return, He Rong ultimately followed Su Yuntian''s lead. "We will also retreat!"

    Both men turned to Pang Jian, hoping he could tell them the quickest way out.

    Pang Jian looked over at Luo Hongyan.

    Luo Hongyan stretchedzily. She pulled the nearest bamboo raft toward her, and said, "Let them do as they please."

    Pang Jian thought for a bit before he pointed and said, "Follow the base of that mountain. Don''t try to climb over it. At your pace, if nothing unexpected happens, you should be able to leave the Solitary Mountain Range in seven to eight days."

    "Many thanks!" Su Yuntian bowed gratefully. Then, ignoring Su Meng''s pleading expression, he turned to Luo Hongyan and said, "It''s clear that you two are determined to go to the ind. I can only wish you both the best of luck."

    Luo Hongyan turned a deaf ear.

    "Farewell!" Then, together with He Rong, Su Yuntian led their loyal servants in the direction Pang Jian had pointed.

    "The direction you pointed them in isn''t dangerous, is it?" After the Su n and the He n left, Luo Hongyan''s expression softened and her tone rxed.

    "That path is safe, but as you know, the Solitary Mountain Range is fraught with danger. Nothing untoward ever happened when I used to traverse that path, but I can''t say for sure anymore." Pang Jian''s expression remained calm.

    Seeing that Luo Hongyan showed no intention of setting off, he asked curiously, "Aren''t you going to the ind?"

    Luo Hongyan was using a bamboo stick to skim theke''s surface. Without looking up, she said, "Let''s just observe for now. Perhaps the four servants on the ind will suddenly appear and provide us with some important information."

    Pang Jian fell silent and left her to watch by thekeside. Having collected a number of spirit stones along the way, he found a secluded spot nearby to cultivate the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    Like those from the Blood Moon Sect, the spirit stones he scavenged from the corpses of the Star River Alliance cultivators were pure and unblemished.

    The spiritual power within these spirit stones required no cleansing or refinement, flowing smoothly into his spiritual sea once it entered the whirlpool in his dantian.

    Pang Jian''s spiritual sea had already expanded to an unknown extent. Still, he continued to fill it with spiritual power, sensing as it stretched further.

    His many spirit stones and strengthened body, tempered twice by the essence of the Celestial Phoenix, allowed him to progress rapidly through the Qi Practicing Realm.

    At this point, he had already experienced the sensation of spiritual qi overflowing from his dantian seven or eight times.

    Based on Luo Hongyan''s exnation, each time spiritual qi overflowed from his dantian, he had a breakthrough to a new level in the Qi Practicing Realm. Thus, it was likely that he had reached a very high level in his early-stage umtion.

    After a period of intense cultivation, Pang Jian suddenly heard footsteps approaching from where he had pointed the Su n and the He n before.

    Pang Jian was startled.

    A momentter, Su Yuntian and He Rong returned with their servants.

    "What happened? That path should''ve been safe. If something happened...it''s not my fault!" Pang Jian hurriedly said, not wanting to take the me.

    "Spirit Devils! Furthermore, they were high-level Spirit Devils! We were attacked by so many of them! They weren''t easy to deal with, and we had no choice but to retreat," Su Yuntian exined awkwardly.

    Pang Jian was taken aback. He recalled the Spirit Devils controlled by the evil woman in the stone pile. He wondered if that evil woman was nearby.

    "Since danger looms on both sides, we might as well apany you to the ind!" He Rong said through gritted teeth.

    "Wee back." Luo Hongyan chuckled softly. Landing gracefully on a bamboo raft, she extended a slender, graceful hand toward Pang Jian and confidently invited, "Come on, let''s take the lead and pave the way for them across theke."

 Chapter 41: Strange Movements

    <h4>Chapter 41: Strange Movements</h4>

    Luo Hongyan stood gracefully on the bamboo raft. Her lips curved in a subtle smile as she gestured for Pang Jian to take her hand and step onto the bamboo raft.

    She did not care about societal standards or norms. Her disregard for gendered rtions or roles caused her to seem eager and proactive in her approach toward Pang Jian.

    The distant mountains, the tranquilke, the bamboo raft, and the charmingly smiling woman came together to create a scene akin to a captivating ink-washndscape painting.

    Still reeling from their recent ordeal, the Su n and the He n members, alongside the young and inexperienced Su Meng, stared at her in disbelief.

    Her aloofness and indifference in the presence of the Su n and the He n perfectly aligned with the Ning Yao they knew.

    However, the stark contrast of her warm attentiveness toward Pang Jian left everyone bewildered by her unusual behavior.

    Throughout their journey, she deliberately stayed close to Pang Jian as though seeking his favor. This behavior alone puzzled both Su Yuntian and He Rong.

    Even if she had taken a liking to Pang Jian, she was the young mistress of the Ning n. Did she need to debase herself and act so humble in front of him?

    For instance, at this moment, under everyone''s watchful eyes, she voluntarily reached out her jade-like hand to help Pang Jian step onto the bamboo raft.

    Yet, the reticent young hunter ignored her outstretched hand and leaped onto the bamboo raft on his own.

    <i>Boom! </i>

    Pang Jian''s action caused the bamboo raft to abruptly sink into theke, submerging Luo Hongyan halfway in the water.

    After the bamboo raft finally floated back to the surface, not only was Luo Hongyan not angry with Pang Jian, but she even smiled at him and said, "You don''t know what''s good for you."

    When they saw her preparing to row the bamboo raft herself, the expressions on the Su n''s and He n''s faces contorted even further.

    "I''m surprised all of you managed to make it back here alive after encountering those high-level Spirit Devils," Pang Jian said, gripping his Dragonwood Spear as he cast a peculiar look at the Su n and the He n. "When we first encountered the Spirit Devils, we were caught off guard, and many lost their lives."

    As Su Yuntian and He Rong listened to him, they also could not help but feel like something was amiss.

    The Spirit Devils they encountered took aggressive stances but did not give chase when they retreated. Instead, they just grouped up in one spot and remained motionless.

    They retreated because they realized that the Spirit Devils were not ordinary and that engaging them directly woulde at a heavy cost.

    The fact that such powerful Spirit Devils, capable of dealing serious harm to them, chose to gather without taking action was indeed strange.

    "Let''s go," Pang Jian said, not dwelling on the matter. He prepared to paddle the bamboo raft with his Dragonwood Spear toward Central Lake Ind.

    "I''ll do it since my legs are already wet," Luo Hongyan offered. She had already crouched down, dipping her jade-like hand into the water behind the bamboo raft. As she let out spiritual power from her palm, ripples formed on theke''s surface, and a gentle propulsion moved the raft forward.

    The bamboo raft set off toward Central Lake Ind.

    Pang Jian stood in front of the bamboo raft with his spear in hand. His demeanor was akin to a sharp longnce as he gazed piercingly at the slowly approaching Central Lake Ind.

    Luo Hongyan crouched at the rear of the bamboo raft, head lowered as she steered the bamboo raft while keeping a watchful eye on theke.

    Pang Jian was surprised. He had not expected her to be willing to shoulder this kind of rough and tiring work.

    <i>I don''t know what her intentions are, but there are bound to be dangers surrounding the bone of the Celestial Phoenix. With these people apanying me...</i> Pang Jian thought darkly.

    They did not encounter any danger at Insect Valley. However, that was because the essence of the Celestial Phoenix had been acquired by Ouyang Duanhai beforehand.

    The first and second bones of the Celestial Phoenix were apanied by bloodbaths.

    At the first bone of the Celestial Phoenix, ancient vines devoured all the members of the Shangguan n except Shangguan Qin.

    At the second bone of the Celestial Phoenix, members of the Shadow Specter Sect ambushed them, leading to the demise of all the members of the Zhou n and Ning Yuanshan.

    Pang Jian had a hunch that the fourth bone of the Celestial Phoenix would be equally dangerous as his previous experiences. Therefore, even though he did not particrly like the woman behind him, he agreed to let her lead the exploration with the members of the Su and the He n.

    Life and death were determined by fate. If disaster truly were to strike, at least he would not be the sole target of attack.

    ***

    In the void of Ning Yao''s sea of consciousness.

    "Do you have to degrade me like this?" Ning Yao crouched in a dim corner, quietly ring at Luo Hongyan. She asked angrily, "Do you find this amusing?"

    "Of course I do. It''s not my body after all." As Luo Hongyan flew back and forth in this unfamiliar sea of consciousness, her long sleeves fluttered. She resembled a celestial maiden about to ascend to the heavens.

    Luo Hongyan broke into a graceful dance, beaming at Ning Yao''s faint soul, and said, "I will match your loftiness with him in the past with an equal measure of humility."

    "Why are you doing this?" Ning Yao asked dazedly.

    "I''m trying to please him. Can''t you see that?" Luo Hongyan was surprised.

    "You''re targeting his bronze pendant. You hesitate because you don''t fully understand its secrets. Once you do, you''ll waste no time in killing him," Ning Yao said coldly.

    Luo Hongyan came to a halt, crossing her arms over her chest. With a contemtive look in her eyes, she pondered before she said disinterestedly, "Whether I kill him or not depends on how he treats me from now on."

    Their conversation happened in Ning Yao''s sea of consciousness, hidden from the prying ears of others.

    ***

    "I can''t help but feel that when Ning Yao faces him, she behaves more like...a maidservant attending to him." Su Yuntian did not want to provoke He Rong, but the sight before thempelled him to voice his thoughts. "From what Ning Yao told us, he''s just an ordinary hunter. How did he manage to turn the proud Ning Yao into such a humble and submissive person?"

    "I would also like to know!" He Rong snorted coldly.

    Luo Hongyan''s actions brought immense humiliation to the He n. It was as if she were desecrating the corpse of his deceased nephew!

    "He must have some remarkable qualities!" Su Meng''srge eyes sparkled brightly. She waved her clenched fist as she spoke with unwavering confidence.

    "Sister Ning, with her dignified demeanor, has long been my idol. Besides, she''s already been acknowledged by the Star River Alliance. Anyone she approves of must be extraordinary. It''s just that we don''t yet know the extent of his capabilities!"

    Hearing her words, Su Yuntian and He Rong recalled Pang Jian''s speed when they first encountered the body belonging to the cultivators of the Star River Alliance.

    <i>Could he truly possess exceptional abilities? </i>The two of them could not help but wonder.

    After that, they also chose a bamboo raft and paddled toward Central Lake Ind.

    ***

    Half an hourter, Pang Jian finally arrived at Central Lake Ind.

    A beautiful disy greeted him as he approached. Hundreds of flowerspeted for attention and trees were adorned with captivatingly green leaves. The astonishing growth of all the nts spoke volumes about the ind''s vitality.

    He had never stumbled across such a miraculous ce in other regions of the Solitary Mountain Range.

    However, it had been designated as a forbidden zone by his father, and among the three forbidden zones, it was by far the most treacherous.

    "Blood-Cleansing Grass, Nine-Leaf Shattered Stars Flower, Thunderstruck Wood!" Luo Hongyan rose from the bamboo raft behind him, eyes scanning the diverse flora on the ind. Her beautiful eyes sparkled with disbelief as she eximed, "This ind is anything but ordinary!"

    Pang Jian had never heard of any of the nts she mentioned, but based on her reaction, he knew they were anything but ordinary.

    "Are the nts you mentioned very rare?" Pang Jian asked cautiously.

    "It should not be possible to find them in the Fourth World," Luo Hongyan said, taking a deep breath. She wanted to describe the nts and their uses in detail, but she knew Pang Jian would not fully grasp her exnation. Instead, she said simply, "Each of those three nts I mentioned earlier could fetch a hundred spirit stones in the Third World."

    "A hundred spirit stones?!" Pang Jian eximed.

    All the spirit stones he had acquired so far did not even amount to a hundred.

    "The spirit stones I mentioned aren''t the impure ones you took from the Shadow Specter Sect. They''re the pure ones you got from me," Luo Hongyan added with a slight smirk, fearing Pang Jian did not fully understand the value of the spirit nts on the ind.

    However, Pang Jian looked like he had not heard her subsequent words.

    As he stared at the nts on Central Lake Ind, his gaze lit up with an intense fervor that made Luo Hongyan feel uneasy.

    "I need spirit stones!" With that, Pang Jian leaped toward Central Lake Ind. He had seemingly forgotten about the white pagoda hovering above.

    Su Yuntian, He Rong, and the others watched him with intrigue.

    They saw Pang Jian eagerly leaping toward Central Lake Ind as though he was drawn in by an irresistible force.

    Pang Jian experienced a bizarre sensation midair. It was like an invisible barrier was hindering his descent.

    The bronze pendant on his chest briefly shed hot.

    After that, Pang Jian no longer sensed the invisible barrier and sessfullynded on the ind.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    The moment hended, the mysterious small ind at the center of ck Orchid Lake suddenly started to sink.

    It was as if the figure that hadnded on the ind was not a young man wielding a spear, but rather a colossal giant tens of thousands of zhang[1] tall.

    The ind in the center of theke seemingly could not bear the enormous weight descending from the sky and was thus forced to sink into the water.

    This sight caused Luo Hongyan''s heart to tremble. Meanwhile, Su Yuntian, He Rong, and the others stood in stunned silence.

    The tremors were real and not a trick of their imagination. They were not seeing things. However, they could not ascertain whether it was caused by Pang Jian.

    This was an unbelievable sight. With their limited understanding and imagination, they could notprehend how it could be linked to Pang Jian.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The white pagoda hovering about the ind plummeted onto the ind.

    It was like the white pagoda had previously rested on a barrier in the sky, and now some mysterious force removed it.

    After Pang Jiannded on the ind, the ind sank and the white pagoda plummeted to the ground.

    These strange urrences caused the Su n and the He n to see Pang Jian in a new light. They had the impression that he was a person shrouded in mystery.

    "I knew anyone Sister Ning took an interest in would be extraordinary!" Su Meng eximed excitedly.

    Her eyes gleamed with fascination.

    This only affirmed that the young man they had encountered at Crescent Moon Lake was truly exceptional. That was why her Sister Ning acted so modestly in his presence and tried to court his favor.

    "This..." Bewildered by the unexpectedmotion of the ind, Pang Jian looked around aimlessly, feeling a sense of incredulity at the sheer coincidence of it all.

    "Please be careful. Earthquakes often ur around the bones of the Celestial Phoenix. These earthquakes are often apanied by unforeseen dangers emerging from the ground," he warned the Su n and the He n.

    "What he said is true," Luo Hongyan confirmed. She knew this information and this knowledge alleviated some of her inner doubts. Still, she could not tear her gaze away from Pang Jian''s chest.

    "Is this the nt you mentioned earlier?" Pang Jian asked as he stood among the vibrant flowers. He cautiously wielded his long spear, wary of identally damaging the valuable nts. A greedy desire had taken root at the promise of arge number of spirit stones.

    Luo Hongyan rolled her eyes and opted not to leave the bamboo raft. Instead, she lingered a while longer, observing the surroundings.

    However, the white pagoda did not appear again, nor did the one controlling the white pagoda reveal themselves.

    She stepped foot on Central Lake Ind.

    Nothing happened.

    She drew in a deep breath. Before she could go to inspect the exotic nts she had a sudden realization. "There''s a spiritualnd in this fragmented world?! No wonder there are so many rare nts here. But how did a piece ofnd with such pure spiritual qi appear here?"

    Su Yuntian and He Rong had drawn closer to the ind, allowing them to overhear Luo Hongyan. "Spiritualnd?"

    "Pure spiritual qi?" Pang Jian paused to sense the spiritual qi of the ind. Indeed, the spiritual qi here contained no impurities!

    There was no need to purify the spiritual qi after absorbing it into his dantian. He could directly refine it into spiritual power.

    "This type of spiritualnd is rare even in the Third World. Though, this one is a little bit small." While Luo Hongyan marveled, Su Yuntian, He Rong, and the others stepped onto the ind.

    Feeling the pure spiritual energy of the ind and recognizing several familiar flowers and nts, they realized they had entered a treasure trove, causing an ecstatic joy to bubble up within them.

    1. ÕÉ is a traditional Chinese measurement unit equivalent to about 3.3 meters or 10.8 feet. ?

 Chapter 42: Spiritual Land

    <h4>Chapter 42: Spiritual Land</h4>

    After Su Yuntian and He Rong stepped onto the ind, they activated their n''s cultivation methods and took deep breaths. Before long, they cried out in surprise.

    "This truly is a spiritualnd!"

    "There''s actually a piece of spiritualnd hidden in the Solitary Mountain Range! Could it be because it''s right next to the bizarre mist?"

    "This is an important matter! If there''s a spiritualnd, we must relocate some of our n''s elites here for cultivation!"

    The Fourth World was regarded as part of the lower world not only because it upied the lower half of their world but also due to its sparse and impurityden spiritual qi.

    This left the seven major families feeling hopeless.

    Thick, pure spiritual qi was an indispensable resource for any sect or faction. It was the fundamental requirement for founding and establishing sects.

    There was no ce in the entirety of the Fourth World with as pure and abundant spiritual qi as Central Lake Ind.

    The fragmentednds where their sect was located wererger than Northern Qi and had slightly thicker spiritual qi.

    However, the spiritual qi there was filled with impurities, and they had to work to purify it when they absorbed it into their bodies.

    The reason they wanted to send their sons and daughters to the upper worlds was because sects such as the Red Mountain Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the Blood Moon Sect were established in spiritualnds where the spiritual qi was pure and thick.

    When cultivating in such ces, they would only need to put in half the effort for twice the reward, allowing their cultivation to advance much more rapidlypared to cultivating in the lower worlds.

    Nobody could have imagined that a spiritualnd existed near the boundary wall in the deste Solitary Mountain Range.

    As Pang Jian observed their excitement, akin to explorers discovering a new continent, he asked in amazement. "What are spiritualnds?"

    Luo Hongyan noticed Pang Jian''s confusion and casually exined, "Cultivators of the upper worlds ssified the unusual ces of our worlds into spiritualnds, restricted areas, and sacrednds.

    "Spiritualnds, like the ind beneath us, have an abundance of pure spiritual qi of heaven and earth, which allow for the growth of exotic nts and flowers. There''s also a decent chance of producing pure spirit stones. Furthermore, wild beasts that live on these spiritualnds have a high likelihood of evolving into intelligent Spirit Beasts.

    "Restricted areas, on the other hand, have strange energy that is filled with impurities, and this strange energy is often denser than the spiritual qi in that area. If ordinary cultivators were to absorb this energy, it would result in more of a loss than a gain. Most of their time would be spent purifying the impurities, and the spiritual power they would get is limited.

    "Cultivating in restricted areas also carries significant risks, as one could easily sumb to cultivation deviation. Simrly, the wild beasts that live in the restricted areas are extremely dangerous and bloodthirsty."

    "As for sacrednds..." When she said this, the Su n''s and the He n''s expressions turned nk. Luo Hongyan''s demeanor abruptly turned cold as she continued, "Sacrednds are extremely rare, and ordinary people seldom encounter them. Therefore, I will not dwell on this topic."

    "Sister Ning, we''ve all heard of spiritualnds and restricted areas, but I''ve never heard of sacrednds," Su Meng said curiously.

    He Rong and Su Yuntian exchanged nces.

    It was also their first time hearing about sacrednds.

    Luo Hongyan raised her head to stare at the sky as if trying to pierce through the clouds and reach the higher realm, then said, "If you''re fortunate enough to reach the Second World, someone will tell you about sacrednds."

    "The Second World?" Su Meng stuck out her tongue. With a face full of yearning, she said, "I''ve heard about the Second World but I don''t know if I''ll have the chance to go there. My dream is to be able to cultivate in the Third World."

    "It''s fine to have dreams." Luo Hongyan chuckled before turning toward Pang Jian. "You''re not familiar with how to harvest the exotic nts and flowers here, so refrain from touching them for now. Let''s finish exploring this ind first. If we''re still alive by then, I''ll teach you how to harvest them and trade them for spirit stones."

    Hearing this, Su Meng finally noted the exotic flowers and nts around them, and eximed, "These flowers and nts can be exchanged for spirit stones?"

    Su Yuntian and He Rong also instructed their servants not to touch the flora. They cautiously scanned their surroundings.

    Their eyes lit up with greed and excitement.

    This was their first time visiting a spiritualnd. They had only ever heard about the rare exotic flowers and nts that grew on spiritualnds, but now they could confirm for themselves that it was true.

    "The one controlling the Divine Spirit Pagoda must be near where it fell." Luo Hongyan ignored them and looked toward the small hill at the center of the ind. She knitted her brows as she continued, "Regardless of their whereabouts, once they notice that the Divine Spirit Pagoda has fallen, they will surelye and investigate."

    These words pulled everybody out of their daydreams about the spiritualnd and snapped them back to reality.

    A person capable of controlling the Divine Spirit Pagoda to search for souls on the ind had to be a formidable character. They had to be approached with caution.

    "Even though the Divine Spirit Pagod is here in the northernmost region of the Solitary Mountain Range, most members of the Sinister Soul Temple perished in the southernmost region," Pang Jianmented, brows knitted as he carefully advanced through the exotic flora with his spear in hand. "These two ces are extremely distant from each other."

    Luo Hongyan interjected from behind him, "Before we entered the Solitary Mountain Range, the Divine Spirit Pagoda must''ve brought the members of the Sinister Soul Temple to different regions of the mountain. With the Divine Spirit Pagoda''s speed, circling the Solitary Mountain Range wouldn''t have taken much time at all.

    "Perhaps itnded in the middle of the canyon or somewhere nearby. The members of the Sinister Soul Temple may have disembarked in search of something and met their demise there. The strange array in the stone pile might''ve drawn their attention."

    "That''s possible," Pang Jian agreed.

    Ignoring the Su n and the He n, the two continued their discussion while making their way to the small hill.

    Throughout their trek, flowers and nts could be seen everywhere, alongside massive trees with lush green branches. The air was filled with a refreshing vitality, bringing Pang Jian an unparalleled sense of tranquility and serenity.

    Even without a single spirit stone, living and cultivating in such a ce would be much more effective than cultivating diligently elsewhere.

    <i>It''s no wonder that the elite talents from the seven major ns aspire to gain recognition from the major sects in the Third World and be brought there for cultivation,</i> Pang Jian thought to himself.

    During their journey to the small hill, they did not encounter anyone else, nor did theye across any skeletons or wild beasts.

    Despite the idyllic, harmonious atmosphere permeating the ind, Pang Jian remained cautious.

    ckwater Pond had a giant serpent and Insect Valley had a huge beehive. Central Lake Ind had also been designated as a forbidden zone by his father, it surely had to have its own terrifying secrets as well.

    No matter how beautiful the ind appeared, Pang Jian could not shake the feeling that it concealed lurking dangers that were just waiting for the right time to strike.

    Su Meng had ventured away from her n and now trailed behind Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan, Despite being a young girl, she seemed fearless, disregarding her father''s attempts to stop her from silently following them.

    Her twin-tails swayed from side to side as she walked, curiously observing Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan all the while.

    Atop the small hill adorned with colorful flowers, Pang Jian spotted the Divine Spirit Pagoda in the distance.

    The Divine Spirit Pagoda was very sturdy. Despite plummeting down from the sky, there were no obvious signs of damage.

    From afar, Pang Jian noticed that the Divine Spirit Pagoda was remarkably tall. Even from a distance away, he could sense a cold energy emanating from it. This cold energy was Profound Yin energy, albeit much denser.

    It seemed to be constructed from the bones of some gigantic creature. In addition to the chilling Profound Yin energy, there was also a strong malevolent aura lingering around its perimeter.

    As Pang Jian studied the Divine Spirit Pagoda, the faint sounds of shing weapons and the crying of lost souls and wandering spirits echoed through the air.

    "Don''t get any closer," Luo Hongyan warned, expression frosty. "We''re lucky this thing isn''t flying. If it hovered above us, it could forcibly extract our souls. The Divine Spirit Pagoda''s purpose is actually to extract a person''s soul from their sea of consciousness."

    The crowd trailing behind her came to an immediate halt when they heard her words.

    Su Yuntian cherished his daughter deeply. He abandoned all thoughts of treasure and reluctantly stepped forward to grab Su Meng.

    "The four servants who arrived on the ind before us are nowhere to be seen," He Rong whispered.

    "Why is there nobody near the Divine Spirit Pagoda? Wouldn''t the one controlling it go investigate after it fell from the sky?" Su Meng asked.

    "I''ll go and have a look." Wary of the eerie atmosphere surrounding the Divine Spirit Pagoda, Pang Jian tightened his grip on his Dragonwood Spear and circled to the back of the white pagoda.

    Coincidentally, that was also the highest point of the small hill.

    Reaching a higher vantage point with a better view, he could overlook the ind and properly assess the situation.

    ncing at the opposite end of the ind, closest to the mountains behind ck Orchid Lake, he noticed a silk-d figure sitting nkly beside a huge well. The figure looked to be silently waiting for something.

    Pang Jian squinted his eyes for a better look. "Shangguan Qin."

    He was surprised to see the woman from the Shangguan n here.

    At ckwater Pond, he spent most of his time submerged underwater, so he was unaware of what had urred on the surface.

    He learnedter on that Shangguan Qin had been rescued by Ouyang Duanhai and managed to escape from the Shadow Specter Sect.

    Now, she appeared on Central Lake Ind and was guarding a well.

    As Pang Jian stared at Shangguan Qin in surprise, Luo Hongyan had silently approached.

    "She''s not the owner of the Divine Spirit Pagoda. She doesn''t have the ability to control it." Shifting her gaze to the well beside Shangguan Qin she continued, "That''s not a well. That''s where the fourth bone of the Celestial Phoenixnded."

    Upon closer inspection, Pang Jian noticed that the "well" Shangguan Qin guarded indeedcked any bricks or stones.

    It seemed that a bone of the Celestial Phoenix had fallen from the sky, piercing through the ind, and creating a massive hole that resembled a well from afar.

    Suddenly, he became suspicious of whether Shangguan Qin had also obtained a drop of the essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    <i>Hmm!</i>

    At this moment, Shangguan Qin caught sight of them. Like a bird startled by the twang of a bowstring, she wrapped her body tightly with her clothes before waving toward the two of them.

    She gestured repeatedly, signaling for the two of them to leave.

    Her eyes were filled with fear and she did not even dare to make a sound as she continuously gestured.

    Neither Pang Jian nor Luo Hongyan could make head or tail of the situation.

    Seeing their hesitation Shangguan Qin grew increasingly anxious and gestured more urgently.

    But she never made a sound.

    "There must be something or someone nearby that she fears will be alerted if she makes any noise," Luo Hongyan calmly assessed. "She doesn''t dare to leave because she knows she won''t get far. She''s afraid of them."

    "They must be in that hole," Pang Jian remarked.

    "Are you suggesting that someone dived into that deep hole to search for the essence of the Celestial Phoenix?"

    The two of them exchanged whispers, specting about the situation as they tried to decipher what was happening.

    "That woman bears deep resentment toward you because you gained the favor of the Blood Moon Sect''s Eye of Imprint. She''s not the kind of person to give you a warning after that." Luo Hongyan analyzed coldly. "My Ning n and her Shangguan n have never had a good rtionship, so she''s not fond of me either. In theory, she should want both of us dead.

    "She''s urging us to leave because she believes we''re no match for this person or thing. It''s also possible that she thinks our deaths would only make them stronger. She could also be urging us to leave in hopes that we''ll bring someone stronger to deal with the situation."

 Chapter 43: Testing the Waters

    <h4>Chapter 43: Testing the Waters</h4>

    Under the dimming sky on Central Lake Ind, Shangguan Qin gestured at Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan repeatedly as her face gradually filled with despair.

    Her spirit seemed drained. Her posture and gaze exuded profound negativity.

    At this moment, faint and eerie Spirit Devils appeared around the shores of ck Orchid Lake and silently drifted toward Central Lake Ind.

    When the Divine Spirit Pagoda was active and hovering above the ind, it could hunt down the Spirit Devils that entered the vicinity of Central Lake Ind.

    Within a certain radius, the terrifying soul-targeting force emitted by the Divine Spirit Pagoda was too overwhelming for any Spirit Devil to withstand.

    This was precisely why the Spirit Devils dared not reveal themselves until after the Divine Spirit Pagoda plummeted to the ground.

    It was only after Pang Jian set foot on Central Lake Ind, with the ind''s eerie sinking and the Divine Spirit Pagoda''s ungraceful descent, that the Spirit Devils dared toe out of hiding.

    Shortly after, the Spirit Devils spread out across the ind, intentionally steering clear of the Divine Spirit Pagoda perched atop the small hill.

    "As far as Shangguan Qin is concerned, the person in that deep hole can easily deal with us." Luo Hongyan pursed her lips. In her hand was a freshly bloomed red flower that she delicately plucked the petals off of one by one. She then said, "Shangguan Qin is like this flower. Her eyes are dull and her will to live is faltering.

    "My hunch is that there''s someone down in that deep hole whose heart has been devoured by the essence of the Celestial Phoenix, like Ouyang Duanhai." Luo Hongyan dropped the barren twig, now devoid of petals. Treading on the petals scattered on the ground, she pulled Pang Jian back and said, "Let''s retreat for now. We''ll follow her suggestion to not disturb whoever is lurking within the deep hole."

    As Luo Hongyan forcefully pulled Pang Jian to descend from the small hill, he failed to notice that a Spirit Devil emerged from a flower near Shangguan Qin.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Just as Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan turned around, they saw a servant loyal to He Rong running toward the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    When he was just a dozen steps away from the Divine Spirit Pagoda, the servant unexpectedly copsed with a soft thud and never rose again.

    A faint wisp of shadow emerged from his sea of consciousness on the top of his head and drifted toward a window on the highest floor of the white pagoda before vanishing from view.

    Su Yuntian and He Rong had been vigntly watching the servant. When they witnessed the servant copse and his soul forcefully extracted, their expressions turned grim.

    It was only then that they were convinced Luo Hongyan had not deceived them; the Divine Spirit Pagoda truly did have the power to extract souls.

    With a cold sneer, Luo Hongyan said, "I warned you not to approach the white pagoda."

    He Rong was already displeased with her from the beginning, and responded solemnly to her mockery, "We know nothing about the Divine Spirit Pagoda. How do we know whether you''re telling the truth unless we test it ourselves?"

    "Indeed, the best way to learn is through hardship. After all, it''s not my people who are dying. Since you''re so eager to test it, why not send a few more people over to try?" Luo Hongyan questioned, her lips curled into a sardonic smirk. Her gaze, filled with ill intent, swept over the loyal servants of the Su n and the He n.

    Having seen theirrade''s demise, the servants all instinctively averted their eyes. They were reluctant to meet the gazes of not only Luo Hongyan but also He Rong and Su Yuntian, fearing they would be tasked with probing the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    "Ning Yao, none of us know the mysteries of the Divine Spirit Pagoda. How do you know about it?" Su Yuntian asked curiously.

    "Someone from the Star River Alliance took an interest in me and shared its secrets with me," Luo Hongyan lied, staring at the seemingly pristine white pagoda. She could sense the thick Profound Yin energy emanating from it.

    She then said to Pang Jian, "At the lowest level of the Divine Spirit Pagoda, there should be an arrayid out with spirit stones. It''s used to fly the Divine Spirit Pagoda. At the highest level, there should be another array. I don''t know what spirit materials were used to construct the array, but I do know that it''s the reason the Divine Spirit Pagoda can extract souls.

    "The person in that deep hole is currently upied and probably hasn''t even noticed that the Divine Spirit Pagoda has fallen. We should destroy the array that poses the greatest threat to us before he leaves the deep hole. Once they do, we have no way of knowing whether they regain control of the Divine Spirit Pagoda and ascend into the sky."

    Pang Jian nodded, "True. Even Shangguan Qin doesn''t dare to make any sound that could disturb him."

    "Shangguan Qin!"

    "She''s also on this ind?"

    Su Yuntian and He Rong hurriedly inquired, preparing to make their way toward the peak of the small hill to verify for themselves.

    Luo Hongyan calmly exined, "She gestured for us to leave the ind. Next to her was a deep hole created by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix piercing the ground. Within that deep hole, someone may have absorbed the essence of the Celestial Phoenix and transformed into a Divine Guard. This individual could be even more formidable than Ouyang Duanhai, and Shangguan Qin believes that venturing there would only lead to our demise."

    Despite Luo Hongyan''s exnation, Su Yuntian and He Rong still decided to head to the peak of the small hill to confirm the situation for themselves.

    There, they also saw Shangguan Qin. Beside the deep hole, Shangguan Qin was gesturing frantically for them to leave.

    Luo Hongyan''s eyes flickered with uncertainty as she said, "Pang Jian, I cannot approach the Divine Spirit Pagoda. Anyone who gets close will perish. I don''t know why, but I have a feeling that you can approach the Divine Spirit Pagoda without dying. If you can get close to the array that can extract souls and break it with your Dragonwood Spear, it will stop functioning."

    Luo Hongyan''s eyes were filled with expectation as she looked at Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian pointed at himself in surprise. "Me?"

    Luo Hongyan nodded seriously as she coaxed, "The lowest floor of the white pagoda should hold many spirit stones. The spirit materials used to construct the array also hold immense value."

    Pang Jian shook his head and said, "I''m not going."

    Having seen how the He n''s servant died, fear had rooted itself in Pang Jian''s heart. He was reluctant to approach it recklessly.

    Luo Hongyan felt a surge of frustration in her heart as she red at Pang Jian''s chest.

    <i>With that miraculous bronze pendant and your body tempered by the essence of the Celestial Phoenix, your soul will stay tethered to your body, </i>she wanted to say those words aloud.

    However, she was acutely aware that uttering those words would reveal her true identity. Thus, she forcefully suppressed the urge to spill them.

    Seeing that she could not persuade Pang Jian, Luo Hongyan sighed and walked toward the Divine Spirit Pagoda. "Forget about it. I''ll try it on my own."

    As she approached the white pagoda, Pang Jian could not help but notice that the Profound Yin energy radiating from the Divine Spirit Pagoda had significantly intensified.

    Inside Ning Yao''s sea of consciousness, Luo Hongyan''s enchanting red figure suddenly shone with a bright red light, rming Ning Yao.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The red figure within Ning Yao''s sea of consciousness showed signs of being pulled by the Divine Spirit Pagoda, causing it to sway.

    At the same time, Ning Yao sensed that the force restricting her had weakened.

    The restriction Luo Hongyan ced on her was also being pulled by the Divine Spirit Pagoda and seemed to be on the verge of copsing.

    Ning Yao yearned for her freedom, and this change caused her to stir with excitement.

    "Hehe, if I were sucked away by the Divine Spirit Pagoda, do you really think you''d survive?" Luo Hongyan chuckled softly. "Before setting foot here, I had no idea that the white pagoda would fall onto the ind. I dared toe because I believed that as long as I didn''t enter the white pagoda, I could stabilize my soul within your body.

    "But even if I were sucked into the Divine Spirit Pagoda, wouldn''t your fragile soul be torn apart in an instant?" Ning Yao''s excitement was instantly doused by Luo Hongyan''s words like a bucket of cold water over a fire.

    In front of the white pagoda, Luo Hongyan abruptly turned around. Two streaks of blood trickled from her nose as she fiercely resisted the white pagoda''s attempt to extract her soul.

    Terror and despair shed in her eyes as she extended her hands toward Pang Jian, like a drowning person grasping at theirst shred of hope. Her once pretty face was drained of color as she screamed, "Pang Jian, save me! Quickly pull me back, pull me from the Divine Spirit Pagoda!"

    She felt as if she were being consumed by a terrifying, malevolent force, utterly powerless to break free from its grip. All she could do was desperately scream and plead for Pang Jian''s assistance.

    Su Yuntian, He Rong, and everyone else present were all deeply shaken. A chill ran down their spines.

    Luo Hongyan had long passed the lifeless body of the He n''s servant and stood a mere ten steps away from the Divine Spirit Pagoda!

    "Stay away from the Divine Spirit Pagoda!" He Rong ordered. Not only did he have no intention of rescuing Luo Hongyan, but he also ordered all those loyal to him to keep further distance from the ominous Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    "Father!" Su Meng screamed in panic.

    Su Yuntian calmly shook his head with a stern expression on his face. "Both of us, like her, are merely in the Meridian Opening Realm. If she cannot endure it, then neither can we. Let''s not do anything foolish!"

    Seeing the pained expression on Su Meng''s face, Su Yuntian feared she would act impulsively and quickly reached out to grab hold of her arm.

    Restrained by Su Yuntian, Su Meng could only stare helplessly at Luo Hongyan, heart filled with concern but unable to offer any assistance.

    "You sought death on your own. Why drag me into this?" Pang Jian said, his voiceced with anger and troubled expression. However, as he said this, he took a step toward Luo Hongyan.

    He took one step, followed by a second, then a third.

    Pang Jian showed no signs of difort whatsoever!

    Su Meng''s vision blurred, and when it cleared, Pang Jian had already reached Luo Hongyan''s side.

    Pang Jian did not hesitate. He firmly grasped Luo Hongyan''s slender waist and swiftly withdrew.

    "Brother...Brother Pang!"

    Su Meng wriggled excitedly in her father''s grasp. Her round face resembled a ripe apple, flushed red with excitement as she shouted and cheered.

    He Rong, Su Yuntian, and their servants all watched with stupefied eyes.

    Pang Jian''s soul did not leave his body. It had not been absorbed by the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    sped tightly in his arms, Luo Hongyan looked up at him awkwardly, eyes shining with a peculiar brilliance.

    In Ning Yao''s sea of consciousness, Luo Hongyan let out a triumphant giggle.

    Only Ning Yao could hear thisughter that brimmed with joy and happiness.

    <i>Swoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian returned in the blink of an eye. He steadied Luo Hongyan before cing her back on the ground. His sharply defined features were etched with coldness and impatience as he icily remarked, "The next time you seek death, don''t bother asking me for help."

    Luo Hongyan''s face was pale, seemingly quite shaken from the experience. She casually wiped away the traces of blood beneath her delicate, straight nose. Using her bright, star-like eyes, she gazed at Pang Jian''s face without saying a word.

    Shepletely ignored Su Yuntian, He Rong, and their servants. It was like they were invisible.

    Noticing Pang Jian''s difort under her gaze, Luo Hongyan said in a gentle voice, "Aren''t you fine? My intuition was right. You aren''t affected by the Divine Spirit Pagoda at all."

    Pang Jian stayed silent. He had not experienced any difort at all, nor did he feel any sensation of malevolent force pulling at his soul.

 Chapter 44: Hollow Skull

    <h4>Chapter 44: Hollow Skull</h4>

    On Central Lake Ind, the white pagoda emitted a faint light, giving off an eerie and sinister aura.

    As everyone in the group focused their senses, they heard the wailing of departed souls. A shiver ran down their spines.

    Looking back at the white pagoda, Pang Jian could not help but feel that the white pagoda was harmless as it had not caused him any difort to him whatsoever.

    The white pagoda belonged to the mysterious Sinister Soul Temple and had the ability to seek out souls and spirits. However, it seemed to ignore him and refrained from probing his soul.

    "I''m so happy you came to rescue me," Luo Hongyan said, pursing her lips as her bright eyes shone with happiness and satisfaction.

    Pang Jian knitted his brows and coldly said, "If you had treated me this well when we first entered the Solitary Mountain Range, I would not have turned a blind eye to you at the bottom of ckwater Pond."

    Luo Hongyan was startled.

    Meanwhile, in Ning Yao''s sea of consciousness, she proudly addressed Ning Yao''s faint soul, "See that? He didn''t rescue you when you fell into ckwater Pond, but he saved me."

    Ning Yao hung her head in regret as she said, "If only I''d known he was so remarkable, I would''ve treated him better."

    Luo Hongyan shook her head with a mocking smirk. "Youck insight. Both you and Zhou Qingchen are from the seven major ns. Zhou Qingchen saw his potential and reached out to him early on. But you? Although you met him first, you failed to see his true worth and treated him like an ordinary hunter."

    Ning Yao fell silent.

    Luo Hongyan''s words struck a chord within her. Although Ning Yao had initially ventured into the Solitary Mountain Range with Pang Jian, Zhou Qingchen was the one who extended an olive branch and worked to earn Pang Jian''s trust.

    When Ning Yao realized this, she resorted to threats instead of trying to win Pang Jian back to her side.

    Ultimately, Pang Jian had thrown the pouch of silver she had paid him onto the ground, ending his employment.

    As he gazed at Divine Spirit Pagoda from the sideline, He Rong found it difficult to put down his pride and approach Luo Hongyan. Instead, he turned to Pang Jian and coaxed, "Little brother, since you''re unaffected, why don''t you go to the top floor of the Divine Spirit Pagoda and destroy the array?"

    With an awkward smile, Su Yuntian nodded in agreement.

    Their fear of the Divine Spirit Pagoda prevented them from helping Luo Hongyan when she was in danger, leaving them feeling ashamed in her presence.

    Luo Hongyan, however, seemed unperturbed. She was only concerned with Pang Jian. With a smile, she said, "Whether you can destroy the array doesn''t matter. I trust that you''ll be fine. The Divine Spirit Pagoda of the Sinister Soul Temple can''t hurt you.

    "I saw it with my own eyes. The moment you set foot on this Central Lake Ind, it plummeted from the sky. It seemed to be...afraid of you."

    Hearing these words, the crowd could not help but recall how the white pagoda had fallen from the sky, nor how the ground had trembled.

    They looked at Pang Jian with deep confusion.

    Maybe what had happened was not a coincidence after all.

    "I''ll go take a look," Pang Jian said solemnly.

    Pang Jian also had an inexplicable feeling that the Divine Spirit Pagoda could not harm him. However, this was just a gut feeling, and he had no evidence to back it up.

    Having made up his mind, Pang Jian no longer hesitated. He walked toward the white pagoda with his Dragonwood Spear in hand.

    His pace quickened and he no longer paused to cautiously observe his surroundings.

    A momentter, he arrived at the front entrance of the white pagoda.

    All eyes were on Pang Jian. They all seemed more nervous and uneasy than Pang Jian himself.

    Luo Hongyan remained calm andposed. Her small white hand rested on her waist, her expression inscrutable.

    "This is my body!"

    Ning Yao sensed Luo Hongyan''s movement and said with barely suppressed anger, "The ces he touched are also part of my body!"

    Luo Hongyan paid no attention to her as she floated in the void of Ning Yao''s sea of consciousness.

    "I could make this body mine if I wanted to. I was just thinking that possessing you and taking over your identity isn''t a bad idea. Although your cultivation talent is somewhatcking, there are ways topensate for it. It''ll just take time and resources."

    Hearing this, Ning Yao no longer dared to express her anger and hastily suppressed her dissatisfaction.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian had entered the white pagoda.

    A thick spiritual qi permeated the room. The spiritual qi on the first floor of the Divine Spirit Pagoda was several times thicker than that of Central Lake Ind, filling the room like a white mist.

    Translucent and luminous crystal pieces were arranged on the floor of the pagoda,id out in the shapes of the Chinese character for "return"[1] to form aplex and mysterious array.

    Each of these shapes was interconnected. Bright lights flowed like water within the bright crystals that formed them.

    Standing over these crystals, Pang Jian activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    An iparably rich spiritual qi surged from the bright crystals!

    Boundless spiritual qi cascaded into his dantian like a waterfall, flowing directly into his spiritual sea!

    This was immacte, pure spiritual qi. Unlike the spiritual qi of heaven and earth, it did not need to be purified or refined. Moreover, it was extremely abundant!

    Pang Jian felt as if an entireke''s worth of spiritual qi had rushed into him!

    <i>Thump! Thump!</i> <i>Thump!</i>

    Pang Jian''s heartbeat quickened as he stared at the array beneath him in disbelief. This was the best cultivation ce imaginable!

    If he cultivated with the bright crystals, filling his spiritual sea with spiritual power would be a breeze. He would undoubtedly break through the bottleneck of the Qi Practicing Realm and have enough spiritual qi to enter the next realm!

    Taking in the wonders of the Divine Spirit Pagoda, Pang Jian took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

    This was not the time.

    Pang Jian found the stairs leading up, not daring to cast a second nce at the bright crystals as he ascended the white pagoda.

    The second, third, and fourth floors were empty. The floors and structure of the pagoda were constructed from the same material, resembling the white bones of a colossal creature.

    Pang Jian did not hesitate. He headed straight to the fifth and final floor of the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    On the fifth floor was a massive, hollow ivory-white skull.

    The top of the skull was empty, with hollow eye sockets and cheekbones. Countless ghostly apparitions, swarming like insects, surrounded a living being inside the hollow skull.

    As Pang Jian recovered from the startling sight, he heard an endless cacophony of noise; desperate screams, frenzied roars, pleading wails, and boundless resentment and curses toward the world.

    The fifth floor seemed to be filled with a myriad of sinister entities, including wandering spirits and ghosts,

    He quickly calmed his mind, refusing to listen too closely to the specific meanings behind those strange noises or to think about where they came from. Instead, he focused on the center of the hollow skull.

    Inside the hollow skull was a ck turtle. Like the surrounding spirits and ghosts, it was in ethereal form. However, it wasrger than all of them.

    The ck turtle floated in the center of the hollow skull, surrounded by ghostly apparitions that seemed to be slowly eating away its consciousness.

    Observing the situation, Pang Jian realized that the sounds wereing from the ghostly apparitions.

    The numerous ghostly apparitions swarmed around the muchrger ck turtle, clouding its thoughts and will. The ck turtle became increasingly confused and disoriented, almost losing its sense of self.

    <i>The skull is the special array,</i> Pang Jian realized.

    As he approached, a surge of pure Profound Yin energy rushed toward him.

    The hollow skull was made of jade stones imbued with Profound Yin energy.

    These jade stones were not gray, but pure white. The Profound Yin energy in these jade stones was much purer than the gray stone he had found in the stone pile.

    These jade stones contained only Profound Yin energy and not spiritual qi or other energies.

    Pang Jian continued to approach the skull, cautiously aware of its eerie, chilling aura. Meanwhile, the door-shaped bronze pendant on his chest started to warm.

    As the bronze pendant warmed, the ck turtle inside the skull suddenly seemed to sense something.

    The spirit turtle struggled to regain its awareness and made great efforts to adjust itself to face Pang Jian.

    Eventually, it caught sight of the young man, wielding a spear as if preparing to face a formidable enemy. At first, its eyes flickered with confusion before abruptly turning into a look of ecstasy!

    However, as the ck turtle studied Pang Jian, it soon realized that he was not the person it had expected. A deep disappointment filled its expression.

    Even though it existed in an ethereal form and did not possess a physical body, the ck turtle''splicated and ever-changing gaze as it watched Pang Jian betrayed its innermost thoughts.

    Even without verbalmunication, Pang Jian could read the ck turtle''s thoughts by looking into its eyes.

    "I will destroy this skull and set you free," Pang Jian promised without hesitation. After all, his sole purpose ining here was to dismantle the array.

    He grabbed his Dragonwood Spear and thrust it at the skull.

    <i>ng!</i>

    The resounding ng of metal echoed as the spearhead struck the jade stone. However, not even a spark flew from the seemingly inconspicuous jade stone.

    Pang Jian was stunned. He tightly gripped the Dragonwood Spear with both hands once more. A surging tide of brute strength flowed through his arms and the rest of his body.

    He thrust the spear at the jade stone again.

    <i>ng!</i>

    As before, a resounding ng of metal echoed out and the jade stone remained undamaged.

    <i>Is this jade stone just special?</i> Pang Jian was undeterred. He knew how terrifying his physical strength could be, so he tightened his grip on the Dragonwood Spear and targeted the other jade stones instead.

    <i>ng! ng! ng! </i>

    Even after dozens of attempts to hit different jade stones, none of the stones that made up the array were damaged. There was no sign of them even moving from their positions.

    The spirit turtle at the center of the skull closed its eyes in disappointment. It no longer seemed to hold any expectations for him.

    Pang Jian was not discouraged. After many attempts, he put down and tried to push the jade stones with both hands. However, in the end, not a single one moved.

    "Let me think of another method. I''ll definitely destroy this thing," Pang Jian dered before departing, paying no mind to whether or not the spirit turtle heard him.

    Pang Jian did not bother to retrieve the Dragonwood Spear or descend the tower via the stairs. Instead, he jumped directly out of one of the open windows.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Pang Jian fell heavily from the five-story white pagoda. Landing on the lush grass-covered ground, he rushed over to Luo Hongyan.

    The onlookers watched him with a mix of astonishment and uncertainty.

    1. The Chinese character for return is »Ø ?

 Chapter 45: Soul Departure

    <h4>Chapter 45: Soul Departure</h4>

    The resonant ng of metal echoed from the fifth floor of the white pagoda, audible to everyone outside.

    They were unsure of Pang Jian''s sess and were puzzled by his sudden leap from the white pagoda, racing back to Luo Hongyan''s side.

    Noticing Pang Jian''s somewhat dissatisfied expression, Luo Hongyan blinked in surprise and questioned, "You didn''t seed? You could not destroy the array on the fifth floor? Even with your innate divine strength?"

    "The jade stones used to construct the array were harder than gold or iron. Even with the Dragonwood Spear, I couldn''t pierce through it," Pang Jian exined.

    Despite his dissatisfaction, Pang Jian was not discouraged and calmly asked, "Perhaps my approach was wed. Is there a specific technique for moving jade stones?"

    He went on to describe the shape of the skull, the multitude of ghostly apparitions surrounding it, and the spirit turtle nestled within.

    He also recounted what he had seen on the first floor, how the array wasid out with crystal stones in the shape of the Chinese character for "return", and how it generated exceptionally dense spiritual qi.

    After listening attentively to his ount, Luo Hongyan knitted her brows in thought for a moment before saying, "The array on the bottom floor of the white pagoda serves as the power source for the Divine Spirit Pagoda. The pattern you saw in the shape of the Chinese character for ''return'' is called the Ancient Cloud Thunder Array, and those crystals filled with spiritual qi are...spirit jades."

    Pang Jian was surprised. "Spirit jades?"

    Su Yuntian and He Rong''s eyes shone with greed.

    "Spirit jades are spirit stones of higher quality and purity. There''s an even higher grade of rare stone known as spirit crystal," Luo Hong Yan exined. "As for the hollow skull, that should be the array for seeking out and absorbing souls. The reason you couldn''t break it wasn''t just because your method was incorrect, but also because your cultivation realm is too low.

    "Break a soul array involves spiritual awareness and divine soul, which are entirely unfamiliar territories for you. Even if I told you, you wouldn''t understand," she concluded.

    This caused Pang Jian to realize that he had only just embarked on his journey of cultivation. He had yet to break through to the Qi Practicing Realm and experience the qualitative changes described by Zhou Qingchen.

    Pang Jian would not be able to circte his spiritual power through his meridians or release it outwardly until he broke through to the Meridian Opening Realm. As a result, he was not much different from an ordinary person.

    It was only after he reached the Meridian Opening Realm and was able to use his umted spiritual power that Pang Jian would experience a qualitative leap.

    As Pang Jian pondered on how to deal with the situation, Luo Hongyan''s gaze fell on his dantian. "How much longer until you can break through to the Meridian Opening Realm?"

    Pang Jian narrowed his eyes, focusing intently on his inner state. After a moment of concentration, he replied with a hint of uncertainty, "I don''t think it''s too far away. Practicing within the array of spirit jades will speed up my progress greatly."

    "The person in the deep hole next to Shangguan Qin has yet toe out. You have time." Luo Hongyan looked toward the direction of Shangguan Qin before ncing at the sky, "Go and cultivate on the first floor of the Divine Spirit Pagoda. Use the spirit jades to fill your spiritual sea with spiritual power and try to break through to the Meridian Opening Realm.

    "Once you reach the first stage of the Meridian Opening Realm and can channel your spiritual power into the Dragonwood Spear, there''s a chance you might be able to break the array."

    Su Yuntian and He Rong thought that her n to have Pang Jian break through to solve their dilemma was a joke.

    Based on their limited experience, they could not fathom how someone who had just broken through to the Meridian Opening Realm could open up the meridians in their arms and release spiritual power from their palms in such a short time.

    "Alright!" Pang Jian turned and left.

    "Is he really in the Qi Practicing Realm?" Su Yuntian asked with a strange expression.

    "Sister Ning, is he really a hunter from outside?" Su Meng asked curiously.

    Luo Hongyan cast a sideways nce at her, maintaining her cold demeanor. However, she still nodded.

    Earlier, when she pretended to be unable to hold on and anxiously sought Pang Jian''s help, only Su Meng showed any indication of wanting to save her. However, Su Yuntian held her back and Su Meng could do nothing.

    "Is he really in the Qi Practicing Realm?" Su Meng repeated Su Yuntian''s question.

    This time, Luo Hongyan ignored her. She watched as Pang Jian once again disappeared into the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    Su Yuntian and He Rong studied Luo Hongyan from a distance. Feeling suspicious, they did not interrupt her and instead conversed in a low voice.

    "Ning Yao knows a lot about the Divine Spirit Pagoda. She even knew about the Ancient Cloud Thunder Array, something even I have no clue about," He Rong whispered.

    Su Yuntian also muttered under his breath, "That kid is only in the Qi Practicing Realm! With such cultivation, he can resist the sinister energy released by the Divine Spirit Pagoda. How unbelievable."

    "The spirit jade..." He Rong muttered.

    At that moment, Luo Hongyan''s meaningful gaze shifted away from the white pagoda andnded on He Rong''s face. Her lips curled with a hint of coldness.

    Harboring greed toward the spirit jades, he felt ufortable under her gaze and let out a light cough.

    He knew that Ning Yao was only at the first stage of the Meridian Opening Realm, so he was not afraid of her. However, she had been previously engaged to his nephew, and He Rong found himself increasingly disgusted with her. That was why, when Luo Hongyan was in danger earlier, he had been the first to retreat.

    Deep down, he even hoped that her soul would be extracted by the Divine Spirit Pagoda. He wanted to witness her demise as if that would wash away the humiliation she inflicted upon him and the He n.

    ***

    On the first floor of the Divine Spirit Pagoda, Pang Jian sat cross-legged above the Ancient Cloud Thunder Array. He cleared his mind and started cultivating the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    Now that his familiarity with the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art had increased, he was able to instantly enter this state when he focused his mind.

    As he focused his mind, the Spirit Cauldron manifested, drawing in strands of spiritual qi from the spirit jades beneath him.

    The spiritual qi flowing from the Ancient Cloud Thunder Array was like countless streams rushing toward the vast ocean. Pang Jian''s spiritual sea was that vast ocean, absorbing the countless streams of spiritual qi through the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    He had never experienced such efficiency in cultivation before, and its speed truly moved him.

    The spiritual qi turned into streams of light and entered his dantian, swirling around the funnel-shaped whirlpool at the center and pouring into his spiritual sea.

    He sensed the spiritual power in his spiritual sea steadily filling and expanding with each passing moment.

    In the beginning, the umted spiritual power had been nothing more than a small puddle. As time went on, it grew into a pond, then into a hugeke, and finally into a vast sea!

    It was only after the spiritual power hadpletely filled the spiritual sea and transformed it into a vast sea that one truly reached the pinnacle of the Qi Practicing Realm.

    It was a magnificent sight befitting the nine stages of qi practicing!

    Pang Jian savored the marvelous transformation of his spiritual sea. He knew he was not far from breaking through to the Meridian Opening Realm.

    Time passed quickly, and Pang Jian, immersed in his cultivation, was unaware that night had descended once again.

    Under the cover of night, neither the Su n nor the He n started a fire. Instead, they gathered together and anxiously waited for whatevery ahead.

    They were uncertain when the person Shangguan Qin feared would emerge from the deep hole. They also doubted that Pang Jian would be able to break through to the Meridian Opening Realm in such a short time and destroy the array on the top floor of the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    Having concocted a n, He Rong conferred with Su Yuntian and said, "At dawn, we''ll harvest the exotic nts and flowers on this ind. Regardless of whether Ning Yao and that young man can break the array within the white pagoda, we must first achieve our own goals."

    The exotic flowers and nts on the ind were worth cities. If they harvested them properly, the spirit nts could yield a wealth of spiritual materials when traded.

    Su Yuntian knitted his brows and said in an anxious tone, "Shangguan Qin''s gestures indicate that we should leave this ind as soon as possible and inform the elders of our ns of its existence. If she believes we can''t save her, it means that the danger lurking nearby is capable of killing us all with ease.

    "Brother He, you''re right. We can''t rely on Ning Yao and Pang Jian. Relying on their hasty n to turn the tide is simply unrealistic!"

    "Yes. Even with Ning Yao, we probably won''t stand a chance against the person in the deep hole," He Rong nervously admitted.

    The two quickly came to an agreement. They decided to harvest the exotic flowers and nts at first light, then depart on the bamboo raft.

    They also nned to take a different route from the one Pang Jian had suggested, hoping to avoid the Spirit Devils. They were willing to take extra time if it meant they could safely escape the Solitary Mountain Range.

    ***

    In the pitch-ck night, the Spirit Devils lurked in the thickets surrounding the ind, moving stealthily under the cover of darkness.

    The Spirit Devils thoroughly searched the rest of the ind, except for the area around the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    The Spirit Devils discovered a pile of bones in an area behind Shangguan Qin. Gathered there were the remains of the four servants from the Su n and the He n, as well as some cultivators from the Star River Alliance and the Blood Moon Sect.

    One of the Spirit Devils floated in the air, concealed by the darkness. It stared at Shangguan Qin and the deep hole created by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    This Spirit Devil was the one formed from Luo Meng''s soul.

    The Spirit Devil did not attempt to explore the deep hole, fearing it would alert the individual within.

    After watching silently for a while, it noticed a thin white rope coiled around Shangguan Qin''s ankle. The other end of the white rope dropped down into the well, seemingly connected to the individual she feared inside.

    If Shangguan Qin strayed too far from the well, she would pull on the white rope and alert the person below. She also seemed unable to untie the white rope and thus remained trapped near the deep hole.

    At the top of the small hill, Luo Hongyan hid in the shadows as she watched Shangguan Qin at the base of the small hill.

    In the pitch-ck night of the Fourth World, and with such a great distance between them, she could not see Shangguan Qin at all.

    However, through the Spirit Devil, she could see every move Shangguan Qin made, including details like the slender white rope.

    Suddenly, an idea struck her.

    Under hermand, the Spirit Devil Luo Meng slowly descended from the sky and came to rest in front of the distraught Shangguan Qin.

    Shangguan Qin rubbed her eyes in disbelief when Luo Meng appeared. Even after confirming that it was indeed Luo Meng, she still could not believe what she was seeing.

    She smiled nervously, waving at Luo Meng. Her shoulders trembled as she choked back a sob.

    Even while crying, she stayed quiet.

    Tears streamed down her face as she looked at the Spirit Devil Luo Meng, thinking he was an illusion.

    She recalled her many experiences with Luo Meng. He knew of her treacherous nature. He knew that she had caused the deaths of her previous two husbands. He also knew that her heart belonged to Ouyang Duanhai. Yet, he continued to silently apany her.

    In the end, this man had sacrificed himself without hesitation to save her.

    She shook her head in sorrow. She did not know how to face Luo Meng even after her death. Her heart overflowed with guilt.

    She did not dare to lift her head, afraid to even face what she thought to be an illusion of Luo Meng.

    Luo Meng was under Luo Hongyan''s control and had long lost his sense of self. He stared at her with an empty, lifeless gaze.

    The Spirit Devil Luo Meng, did not know who she was or why she was crying.

    "Unfaithful woman. Only now do you regret it, but s, it''s toote." On the small hill in the distance, Luo Hongyan lightly snorted. Seeing that Shangguan Qin had not revealed any useful information, she gestured for Luo Meng to leave.

    Luo Meng disappeared.

 Chapter 46: Reunited

    <h4>Chapter 46: Reunited</h4>

    The next day, the veil of night gradually lifted.

    Seeing that nothing strange had happened with the Divine Spirit Pagoda and that Pang Jian had yet toe out, Su Yuntian and He Rong decided to carry out their n.

    Without informing Luo Hongyan, He Rong ordered his loyal servants to harvest the spirit nts he had identified.

    Meanwhile, Su Yuntian, too ashamed to exin himself, arranged for Su Meng to go in his stead.

    Su Meng went around the white pagoda and approached Luo Hongyan. Su Meng''s small face was filled with apologies. "Sister Ning.... My father and Uncle He have decided to leave the ind. They n to harvest some of the spirit nts before they leave."

    Luo Hongyan waved her handzily, not bothering to respond.

    She had searched the entire ind with her Spirit Devils, mapping out itsyout and cataloging every type and quantity of spirit nts present.

    Having encountered high-ranked spirit nts before, she realized that none of the spirit nts she had observed through the Spirit Devils could help her rebuild her physical body.

    As a result, her mood had soured.

    Killing intent filled her heart. She had originally intended for the members of the two ns to confront the person in the deep hole to gauge that person''s strength. However, she has reconsidered since then.

    She had the Spirit Devils tail the members of the two ns. Before they left the ind, she would kill them and take the spirit nts they had harvested for herself.

    However, as she watched Su Meng''s retreating figure, a hint of hesitation flickered in her eyes.

    As Su Meng was about to disappear from sight, the girl turned around to wave at Luo Hongyan with a sweet smile. Luo Hongyan muttered, "You little brat, I''ll spare you for now."

    Having made her decision, she redirected her gaze back to the white pagoda, murmuring to herself, "Just one night. Even with the help of the spirit jades, it''s unlikely that Pang Jian will be able to fill his spiritual sea in just one night."

    She knew that this matter could not be rushed. Pang Jian could not possibly break through to the Meridian Opening Realm in a single night. Therefore, she instructed the Spirit Devils to carefully monitor the deep hole.

    From morning to noon, the members of the Su n and the He n anxiously harvested spirit nts, only sticking to the ones they were familiar with. Satisfied with their haul, they prepared to leave.

    They had no intention of getting involved with the danger lurking beside Shangguan Qin.

    They had the servants carry the harvested spirit nts to where the bamboo rafts were moored.

    Su Meng did note over to bid farewell to Luo Hongyan.

    Luo Hongyan remained silent. She had already sent out the Spirit Devils to carefully orchestrate the elimination of both ns.

    Luo Hongyan had everything nned out.

    To avoid alerting Pang Jian or the person in the deep hole, she decided to let Su Yuntian and He Rong board the bamboo rafts first. That way, she could kill them quietly on theke.

    When the time came, the members of the Su n and the He n would not have anything to protect them. Their only option would be to dive into theke, where the Spirit Devils would have an even greater advantage.

    She waited for the two ns to transfer the spirit nts onto the bamboo rafts. She would make her move once their rafts started drifting away from Central Lake Ind.

    A Spirit Devil emerged from the forest and hovered in the air. Just as she was about to act, a look of astonishment shed across Luo Hongyan''s face.

    Through the Spirit Devil, she saw two familiar figures emerge from the other side of Central Lake Ind.

    It was Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping!

    The two of them seemed to have endured a long journey since escaping the clutches of the Shadow Specter Sect. As they pushed through the towering weeds, they caught sight of the serene blue waters of ck Orchid Lake and the ind in its center.

    Their eyes lit up with excitement.

    Shortly after, Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping saw the members of the Su n and the He n on the bamboo rafts.

    Han Duping waved excitedly and shouted at the top of his lungs to get their attention.

    "Zhou Qingchen!"

    "Han Duping!"

    Su Yuntian and He Rong were overjoyed and astonished. They had not expected to encounter these two on their way back.

    A bamboo raft was sent to pick up Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping.

    After a round of greetings, Zhou Qingchen learned what had happened and eximed in surprise and joy, "Pang Jian is still alive!"

    Learning that Pang Jian was still among the living filled him with genuine happiness.

    "Let''s go to the ind!" Zhou Qingchen said with renewed vigor, shaking off his previous despondency. Turning to Su Yuntian and He Rong, he said, "To be honest, after escaping from the clutches of the Shadow Specter Sect''s Hong Tai, I put myself through rigorous training and officially entered the Marrow Cleansing Realm!"

    "You''ve advanced to the Marrow Cleansing Realm?" Su Yuntian asked in astonishment.

    Han Duping sighed. "It was a bit hasty. He should''ve waited until the exploration of the Solitary Mountain Range was over. Then, we could''ve asked the Red Mountain Sect toe to the lower world and guide him to the Marrow Cleansing Realm properly. s, by entering the Marrow Cleansing Realm early, you''ll have to undergo further refinement when you go to the Red Mountain Sect."

    Zhou Qingchen chuckled bitterly. "Old Han, the situation wouldn''t allow it. I couldn''t afford to wait!"

    Hearing that Zhou Qingchen had advanced to the Marrow Cleansing Realm to be one of the top experts in the Fourth World, Su Yuntian and He Rong were filled with confidence.

    Despite originally intending to retreat, the pair changed their minds and turned back.

    The group returned to the area around the white pagoda.

    Zhou Qingchen knitted his brows, his expression turning grim as he stared at the five-story white pagoda. Suppressing his anger, he admonished, "Miss Ning! Pang Jian is only in the Qi Practicing Realm. Even if there''s something special about him, you still shouldn''t have asked him to break the array!"

    Luo Hongyan was surprised. She had not expected Zhou Qingchen to genuinely care about Pang Jian.

    Han Duping rubbed his hands together, face filled with curiosity as he asked, "Miss Ning, how did you two manage toe out of ckwater Pond alive?"

    Back then, ckwater Pond had been guarded by Hong Tai. Several members of the Shadow Specter Sect were also in the Meridian Opening Realm. Both he and Zhou Qingchen could only escape amidst the chaos. With Ning Yao''s and Pang Jian''s cultivation realm, it was truly a miracle that they had survived.

    Han Duping had pondered this question throughout their journey to the ind, but the more he thought about it, the more confused he became.

    "It was all thanks to that madman named Ouyang Duanhai and the unexpected betrayal of Hong Tai''s ck and White King Python. Their actions allowed us to escape by the skin of our teeth."

    After answering Han Duping''s question, Luo Hongyan turned her cold gaze to Zhou Qingchen and snorted, "Nobody aside from Pang Jian has the ability to enter the Divine Spirit Pagoda. Not even you, Zhou Qingchen. So what if you''re in the Marrow Cleansing Realm? You''ll still die if you try to enter.

    "Not to mention, if the array remains intact, do you honestly believe you''ll survive when that person emerges from the deep hole and regains control of the Divine Spirit Pagoda? " Luo Hongyan did not sugar-coat her words at all. Shepletely disregarded Zhou Qingchen''s recent cultivation breakthrough, and her tone was extremely harsh.

    Zhou Qingchen opened his mouth to retort.

    Han Duping interjected, "The Divine Spirit Pagoda is indeed no trifling matter! If someone were to take control of this pagoda, even a person in the Marrow Cleansing Realm would find it difficult to withstand its might. That''s not to mention the person of unknown background and cultivation realm in the deep hole."

    Zhou Qingchen was not aware of the true dangers of the Divine Spirit Pagoda, but he trusted Han Duping''s words wholeheartedly. Shocked, he asked, "Is the Divine Spirit Pagoda truly that formidable?"

    "It''s extremely terrifying!" Han Duping answered gravely. He patted Zhou Qingchen''s shoulder and urged him not to lose hisposure, "She''s right. If we want to deal with the other person on the ind and obtain the essence of the Celestial Phoenix, it''s best to destroy the Divine Spirit Pagoda first!"

    Hearing him say this, Zhou Qingchen ceased his opposition and no longer argued.

    After that, the members of the Su n and the He n, along with Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping, gathered a distance away from the Divine Spirit Pagoda. As they awaited the news from Pang Jian, they discussed how to deal with the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    Han Duping spread his hands helplessly. With a wry smile, he said, "Don''t look at me, I don''t have any good solutions either. I''ll only know if I can break it when I''m in front of the array, and that''s only if I can ignore the entanglement and torment the array inflicts on my soul.

    "Not to mention, from my understanding of the Divine Spirit Pagoda, my soul would be extracted once I''m within ten steps of it."

    Even Han Duping could not find a solution. The rest of them found themselves even more helpless.

    He Rong could not help voicing his doubts, "Can Pang Jian really do it?"

    He Rong found Luo Hongyan to be an eyesore. However, he felt a sense of kinship toward Zhou Qingchen, the young master of the Zhou n, so he asked, "Qingchen, we haven''t had much contact with Pang Jian. What''s his background? He''s able to enter the Divine Spirit Pagoda ande out unscathed, and he actually saw that array..."

    Zhou Qingchen did not answer He Rong''s question. He recalled how the Eye of Imprint had chosen Pang Jian, as well as how Pang Jian had killed He Ziren amidst the turmoil in the stone pile.

    Instead, he said, "Maybe he''ll seed!"

    On the way here, Su Yuntian and He Rong had told him that He Ziren was also killed by the Shadow Specter Sect. Zhou Qingchen opted not to disclose the truth to He Rong and pretended not to know anything.

    Seeing that even the genius of the Zhou family had confidence in Pang Jian, He Rong became even more suspicious. He could not fathom what kind of power Pang Jian possessed.

    With no other solutions at hand, the group could only continue to wait.

    In the blink of an eye, another day flew by.

    During this time, both Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping had gone to the top of the small hill to have a look at Shangguan Qin. They were treated in the same manner by her as she urgently gestured for them to leave.

    Seeing the deep hole formed by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix and witnessing Shangguan Qin''s behavior, they believed Luo Hongyan''s assessment and understood the hidden danger lurking there.

    Zhou Qingchen also learned from the gossiping Su Meng that Luo Hongyan now took great interest in Pang Jian, tending to his every need and treating him with special care. She even suggested that they might be a couple.

    Zhou Qingchen was shocked. "Old Han, what happened at ckwater Pond? When did Miss Ning take a liking to Pang Jian?"

    Han Duping was also bewildered. "I have no idea."

    ***

    In the darkness of the night, Pang Jian woke up from his cultivation. The spirit jades beneath him had all lost their luster and were devoid of spiritual qi.

    His limbs were stiff. Realizing he had been sitting cross-legged for a long time, he stood up to stretch.

    Sensing his spiritual sea beneath his dantian, he discovered his spiritual sea brimming with vast spiritual power. Pang Jian could no longer absorb any more energy through the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    He had reached the bottleneck in the Qi Practicing Realm and was now qualified to try to break through to the Meridian Opening Realm.

    After mulling it over, he did not rush to the fifth floor of the Divine Spirit Pagoda and instead decided to leave the white pagoda to inform everyone of his situation.

    As he stepped out, he spotted Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping.

    "Pang Jian!" Zhou Qingchen waved his hand excitedly.

    Pang Jian''s eyes lit up. He thought Zhou Qingchen to have fallen victim to the Shadow Specter Sect and had not expected him to still be alive.

    Not one for words, he nodded gently and waved in response before saying. "I''ll try to destroy the array on the fifth floor first. Once it''s destroyed, I''ll catch up with Young Master Zhou."

    "I can''t go over there. You have to be careful!" Zhou Qingchen warned.

    Pang Jian nodded, then said earnestly, "Young Master Zhou, aside from Hong Tai, I''ve helped you kill all the members of the Shadow Specter Sect who participated in the assault at ckwater Pond."

    After saying these words, Pang Jian stepped back into the white pagoda.

    Zhou Qingchen had been waving his hand and abruptly froze. His expression changed to one of bewilderment.

 Chapter 47: Breaking Through

    <h4>Chapter 47: Breaking Through</h4>

    "Did Pang Jian just say that he killed all the members of the Shadow Specter Sect?" Zhou Qingchen asked.

    Han Duping watched as Pang Jian disappeared into the Divine Spirit Pagoda. Then, he turned to Luo Hongyan and asked, "Is he joking?"

    Su Yuntian, He Rong, and Su Meng all wore expressions of disbelief on their faces.

    From what Luo Hongyan had told them, they only knew that Hong Tai had led the members of the Shadow Specter Sect to ambush them at ckwater Pond.

    Although they also knew about Ouyang Duanhai''s sudden appearance and the ck and White King Python''s betrayal that enabled "Ning Yao" and Pang Jian to escape, Luo Hongyan had never really exined what had happened to Hong Tai and the other members of the Shadow Specter Sect.

    Now, Pang Jian imed to have killed all the members of the Shadow Specter Sect except for Hong Tai!

    How was this possible?

    The group looked to Luo Hongyan for confirmation.

    A strange expression crossed Zhou Qingchen''s rugged, unshaven face. Part of him already believed Pang Jian''s words, but he still wanted to know for certain. "Miss Ning, is he telling the truth?"

    "Yes." Luo Hongyan''s expression was disinterested, and she did not bother to turn around as she gazed intently at the white pagoda. She then impatiently added, "I forgot to tell you earlier, but the ck and White King Python that betrayed Hong Tai did so because of Pang Jian.

    "After you two escaped, he lured the members of the Shadow Specter Sect to the bottom of ckwater Pond and wreaked havoc while riding the giant python. Apart from Hong Tai, no one from the Shadow Specter Sect managed to escape."

    Han Duping was stunned. "So he was telling the truth..."

    "No wonder Sister Ning fell in love with him. It seems he saved Sister Ning''s life at ckwater Pond!" Su Meng eximed in revtion.

    Zhou Qingchen was lost in thought. He could not help but marvel aloud, "I never imagined that he would fulfill the vow I made before leaving ckwater Pond.

    "While I was rushing to break through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm to avenge our fallenrades, Pang Jian had already finished the job."

    He knew that Pang Jian had some secrets of his own. Although he admired many qualities in Pang Jian, he had not expected Pang Jian to use Hong Tai''s ck and White King Python to turn the tide and ughter the members of the Shadow Specter Sect.

    Luo Hongyan smirked, a disdainful glint in her beautiful eyes. She thought to herself, <i>All you do is talk big. Weren''t you the first to flee when things went south?</i>

    She cleared her throat and added, "That includes Dong Qianfeng, the one wearing the golden mask."

    "Dong Qianfeng!" Han Duping shouted in disbelief. "Wasn''t he expelled from the Radiant Sun Sect? How did he end up in the Fourth World, colluding with the Shadow Specter Sect?"

    "Doesn''t the Shadow Specter Sect consist of those unrecognized by the seven major ns or cast out by sects in the upper world?" Zhou Qingchen was not surprised. He calmly remarked, "The Radiant Sun Sect expelled him, and the Dong family didn''t dare to take him back. With his cultivation realm, it would''ve been difficult to survive in the Third World, so he had no choice but to descend to the Fourth World."

    ***

    As the others conversed outside, Pang Jian once again stood before the massive skull on the fifth floor of the Divine Spirit Pagoda. He picked up his Dragonwood Spear from where it had been left on the ground.

    The spirit turtle inside the skull showed no sign of movement as countless ghostly apparitions continued to swirl around it.

    Pang Jian slowly closed his eyes.

    The spiritual power in his spiritual sea suddenly surged, causing colossal waves to rise like mountains and swell violently within his spiritual sea.

    He carefully observed the anomaly urring within his body, sensing the churning of spiritual power and the gradual restlessness of his spiritual sea. As he did this, core information of the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art surfaced in his mind.

    Difort rose within him, and Pang Jian allowed the spiritual power beneath his dantian to erupt even more violently!

    A sharp, throbbing pain radiated from his navel region.

    The searing pain made Pang Jian feel like his spiritual sea harbored restless giant serpents and celestial dragons, all eager to break free from his spiritual sea and rampage through his meridians.

    As he felt this terrifying pain, he allowed this fiery sensation to burn fiercer still as he roared excitedly in his heart.

    <i>The first stage of the Meridian Opening Realm involves opening the Eight Extraordinary Meridians and using spiritual power to connect the four limbs! Each limb has two meridians for eight meridians in total. These eight meridians act as the link between the spiritual sea and the four limbs.</i>

    As Pang Jian ran through his knowledge of how to break through to the Meridian Opening Realm, the increasingly terrifying pain caused his expression to twist maniacally.

    Fervent desire zed within him!<i> I have to seed!</i>

    The surging waves in his spiritual sea peaked, and just as quickly came crashing down with a resounding roar!

    The immense power crashing down from above found an outlet at the bottom of Pang Jian''s spiritual sea, piercing through eight deep channels.

    Like floodgates that had been opened, violent spiritual power poured into the eight deep channels, rushing out from the spiritual sea beneath his dantian.

    Pang Jian''s abdomen let out a roar! It sounded like Celestial Gods beating drums and the Thunder Dragon soaring toward Heaven!

    Amidst the intense pain, he sensed as the four meridians linking his arms to his spiritual sea were flooded by the raging tide that rushed toward his palms with a momentum that could swallow mountains and rivers!

    Pang Jian''s meridians were like a narrow river inundated by a majestic flow of river water. His arms went numb and his entire body shook uncontrobly.

    <i>ng!</i>

    The Dragonwood Spear fell to the ground. Pang Jian could no longer hold onto it.

    Pang Jian sat down. His shoulders shook uncontrobly and his trembling arms felt as though they had been electrocuted.

    With great difficulty, he slowly rolled back his sleeves, staring wide-eyed at his arms.

    Holding up his bare arms, he noticed small streams of light rushing from his shoulders to his palms as they flowed along the four meridians.

    These streams of light were boundless spiritual power.

    The surge of spiritual power rushing through Pang Jian''s narrow meridians resembled flood water reiming barren fields, washing away umted debris at the bottom of dry riverbeds.

    Unfortunately, this process of opening up the meridians was apanied by an intense stabbing pain, causing Pang Jian to grit his teeth in agony.

    Gritting his teeth, he forcefully controlled the flood-like spiritual power with his mind while keeping a close eye on his arms.

    Below his spiritual sea, the four meridians linked to his legs were also opening up. However, he forcefully suppressed it.

    Pang Jian wanted to focus solely on opening the four meridians in his arms.

    For the majority of people, the limited spiritual power in their spiritual sea made it exceedingly difficult to open all eight meridians at once when breaking through from the Qi Practicing Realm to the Meridian Opening Realm.

    Only a few individuals were able to open all eight meridians at once, with most opting to open just one or two. Of these, most chose to open the meridians in their hands.

    The capacity of one''s spiritual sea when first filled is limited. Generally speaking, the stored spiritual power is often insufficient to fully open even one meridian in either the left or right hand.

    Reaching the initial stage in the Meridian Opening Realm of unblocking the Eight Extraordinary Meridians often required continuous and gradual umtion over time.

    The reason was that most people''s spiritual seas were simply not spacious enough. A single filling of the spiritual sea with spiritual power did not go far, so the opening of the meridians had to be carefully nned out.

    This was not a task that could be aplished in one fell swoop.

    Pang Jian initially nned to open one of the two meridians in his dominant right hand, allowing spiritual power to flow to his palm. Then, with the Dragonwood Spear to enhance his strength, he could attempt to break the array.

    However, after the eight meridian channels appeared, he felt he had enough spiritual power stored in his spiritual sea to open up the four meridians connecting to both arms in one go.

    He decided to trust his intuition!

    So he opened four meridians at the same time. He kept his eyes open to see if his n would seed.

    As he endured the intense pain, he could distinctly see the streams of spiritual power slowly advancing through the four meridians.

    Pang Jian also carefully monitored his spiritual sea. If the spiritual power within his spiritual sea depleted too fast, he would promptly adjust his strategy and focus on only opening up one meridian.

    However, every time he checked his spiritual sea, he felt that the spiritual power within it remained abundant.

    At this moment, he realized that his spiritual sea was likelyrger and could store more spiritual power than other cultivators at the same level.

    <i>ckwater Pond! The corrosive energy in the ck water helped to expand my spiritual sea!</i> Pang Jian realized.

    Pang Jian''s thoughts wandered as he endured the intense pain. He no longer needed to focus his mind or activate the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    Time passed in this way.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A tiny green light appeared on his left palm, like a firefly in the night.

    At the sight of the green light, Pang Jian snapped awake and eximed, "I seeded!"

    That was the light emitted by the overflow of spiritual power!

    The color of this light varied based on one''s cultivation method. Pang Jian cultivated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, and the color of his spiritual power was green.

    To avoid wasting spiritual power, he gently exerted his will and cut off the flow of spiritual power into that meridian.

    Spiritual power no longer flowed through the open meridian, and the corresponding channel in his spiritual sea closed off.

    It was a truly miraculous sensation. Once all eight meridian channels were opened, he would be able to control them as he pleased.

    Pang Jian focused his energy on the remaining three meridians, continuing to open them methodically.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    One hourter, the remaining three meridians connecting his palms to his spiritual sea sessfully opened, with each marked by the appearance of the green light on his palms.

    Pang Jian had reached the Meridian Opening Realm and had even sessfully opened four meridians all at once.

    And one-third of his spiritual power still remained in his spiritual sea!

    If he did not have an array to destroy, he could have used the remaining spiritual power to open two of the meridians connected to the soles of his feet.

    However, he did not do that.

    Destroying the skull array required spiritual power, and he could not afford to squander it. He had to reserve his strength for more important matters.

    "It''s about time," he finally said.

    Pang Jian did not waste time to feel the changes in his body. After casually moving his arms around a few times, he lifted the Dragonwood Spear.

    He aimed the spearhead at one of the stones on the hollow skull imbued with Profound Yin energy.

    With the slightest thought, his previously calm spiritual sea in his dantian surged once more. Spiritual power rushed out like a waterfall, coursing through the meridians in his right arm and flowing into the Dragonwood Spear.

 Chapter 48: Destroying the Array

    <h4>Chapter 48: Destroying the Array</h4>

    At the top floor of the Divine Spirit Pagoda, Pang Jian wielded his Dragonwood Spear and squinted his eyes as he immersed himself in the sensation of surging spiritual power.

    His eyes were as sharp as the tip of his spear.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    In the blink of an eye, spiritual power burst forth from Pang Jian''s palms, its speed so fast that it quickened his heartbeat.

    A radiant light illuminated the dark room!

    Pang Jian lowered his head and saw the natural wood grain on his spear''s shaft shimmering like dragon scales!

    As the spear gleamed brightly, Pang Jian could distinctly feel that the array in the scale-like wood grain of the spear. After being infused with green spiritual power, the spear''s strength and sharpness had been greatly amplified.

    His strength increased dramatically, and the tip of the Dragonwood Spear became razor-sharp.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A beam of green light shot out from the tip of the Dragonwood Spear and struck a stone on the array.

    <i>Ding!</i>

    A small, shallow hole had appeared on the stone, no bigger than a toenail.

    However, the Dragonwood Spear had note into contact with that stone.

    Pang Jian''s morale was greatly boosted!

    Despite exerting all his strength with the Dragonwood Spear before, Pang Jian could not even leave a mark on the stones, let alone dislodge them.

    Now, with four meridians in his body opened up, coupled with the support from the array within the Dragonwood Spear, he managed to damage a stone.

    He could destroy the array on the top floor!

    Anchoring his feet, Pang Jian tightened his core, twisting his body as he infused the Dragonwood Spear with spiritual power in preparation for a precise strike!

    The long spear became perfectly straight and a dazzling light resembling a tiny sun radiated from its tip!

    Pang Jian''s eyes shed. He thrust his spear toward the skull-shaped array.

    His spiritual power poured into the Dragonwood Spear, the array on the spear''s shaft amplifying its strength and sharpness of the spear. The brilliant light at the tip of the spear grew even more dazzling!

    Outside the white pagoda, Zhou Qingchen and the others were shocked by the appearance of a radiant light emanating from its fifth floor. They could not help but look toward it.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Pang Jian pierced a stone imbued with Profound Yin energy. The tip of the Dragonwood Spear prated deeply into the hollow skull.

    The deep green turtle, surrounded by ghostly apparitions that constantly ate at its consciousness, became aware of the spear.

    The deep green turtle opened its eyes again, exerting considerable effort to adjust its angle to gaze at the tip of the spear piercing through the skull.

    Pang Jian smiled with a triumphant grin. He had seeded with a single strike. Exerting his strength, he wrenched the Dragonwood Spear out.

    The instant he dislodged the Dragonwood Spear, the hollow skull made from numerous peculiar stones copsed and disintegrated.

    Damaging just one area triggered a chain reaction throughout the seamlessly integrated array.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    The mysterious array crumbled like a tower struck by an earthquake. Pieces of stone shattered and fell to the ground.

    It was only then that the spirit turtle in the skull dared to believe the array binding it had been destroyed.

    The spirit turtle yelled out silently. Now free, it broke through the roof of the white pagoda and soared directly to the sky above the ind.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The ghostly apparitions that had surrounded the deep green turtle flew out from the skull and escaped from the four open windows on the fifth floor.

    Pang Jian was startled.

    The ghostly apparitions, akin to a swarm of insects, erged a hundredfold and transformed into blurry figures once they left the copsing skull.

    Some of the blurry figures were clearly human, while the others resembled the mightiest beasts of the Solitary Mountain Range. Some figures looked neither human nor beast. They were unlike any creature he had ever seen before.

    <i>The spirit turtle...</i> Pang Jian returned to his senses. He leaped out from an opened window andnded on the ground with a resounding thud before looking up toward the sky.

    Nearly a hundred ghostly apparitions flew in the gloomy, dim sky, attempting to escape from Central Lake Ind.

    Above the ghostly apparitions, a huge turtle a dozen mu in size hovered steadily in the sky. It gazed down at the ind with sorrow and nostalgia.

    Its eyes were filled with reluctance. It did not want to leave its territory and embark on a new journey.

    "Pang Jian seeded!"

    "He destroyed the soul array on the top of the Divine Spirit Pagoda and released all the ghostly apparitions held captive there!"

    "The Divine Spirit Pagoda has lost its most terrifying ability!"

    Han Duping, Su Meng, and He Rong yelled excitedly. They raised their heads and looked toward the ghostly apparitions that had escaped from the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    Meanwhile, Spirit Devils drifted out from the edges of Central Lake Ind and preyed on the weaker ghostly apparitions.

    Among them were two Spirit Devils whom Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping were familiar with. It was Hong Tai and Luo Meng!

    Han Duping was scared witless. "That evil woman is also on this ind. She killed Hong Tai!"

    The Shadow Specter Sect''s Hong Tai was killed and refined into a Spirit Devil. This indicated that the evil woman they met at the stone pile had recovered most of her strength.

    Shangguan Qin was also startled by themotion at the top of the small hill and soon caught sight of the Spirit Devil Luo Meng. "Luo-Luo Meng..."

    "It wasn''t my imagination. That night, that was truly Luo Meng! He came to see me. Even after his death, he came to see me!" Unable to restrain herself any longer, Shangguan Qin forgot to stay silent. She cried uncontrobly, her sobs filled with madness and sorrow.

    She stood on the tips of her toes and desperately waved at Luo Meng, hoping he woulde to her like before. However, Luo Meng was now a Spirit Devil. He no longer recognized her,

    High in the sky, the massive spirit turtle had been gazing fondly at the ind and reminiscing about times past. Still, when Spirit Devils drifted out, it no longer dared to reminisce and hastily flew toward the northern area of the Solitary Mountain Range.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The spirit turtle, still in its ethereal form, crashed into an invisible barrier, causing a thunderous boom in the sky above the ind.

    Hesitating briefly, it swiftly condensed into a beam of green light before once again heading toward the northernmost area of the Solitary Mountain Range.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The beam of light that was the spirit turtle broke through the barrier and escaped.

    The ghostly apparitions previously surrounding the spirit turtle could not break through the barrier. One by one, they were gradually consumed and absorbed by the Spirit Devils.

    "So there was actually a seal in the sky and the creature it was sealing was....a mysterious turtle." Standing on the top of the small hill overseeing Shangguan Qin and the deep hole, Luo Hongyan watched as the spirit turtle departed. She did not dare tomand her Spirit Devils to pursue it.

    The mysterious turtle was a rare Spirit Beast that roamed the upper world. It was mightier than the Giant Abyssal Serpent in ckwater Pond.

    Although the spirit turtle was currently in its ethereal form, it was still stronger than her Spirit Devils. If it were not for its misgivings, her Spirit Devils like Hong Tai and Luo Meng would have long be its prey.

    <i>The three forbidden zones of the Solitary Mountain Range: ckwater Pond, Insect Valley, and Central Lake Ind. All housed a mystical creature. ckwater Pond had the Giant Abyssal Serpent; Insect Valley, a giant beehive; and now, on Central Lake Ind, there''s this mysterious turtle. </i>

    <i>Whoever is behind this not only captured a Giant Abyssal Serpent from the eternal darkness of the Fifth World, but also reached the Second World, or even the First World to capture this mysterious turtle!</i>

    <i>Who are they?</i> Luo Hongyan wondered to herself.

    The mysterious turtle had long disappeared from her line of sight. Luo Hongyan knitted her eyebrows and looked toward the deep hole.

    <i>If the person in the deep hole is the creator of these three forbidden zones, then everyone on the ind will...</i> Bitterness curled the corners of her mouth downward.

    The destruction of the soul array in the white pagoda and the subsequent escape of the multitude of ghostly apparitions seemed to have alerted the person in the deep hole.

    "Ah!" Shangguan Qin let out a cry of horror.

    Her cries immediately caught the attention of the crowd looking at the sky.

    The reason Pang Jian destroyed the array was because they were afraid that the person in the deep hole woulde out and control the Divine Spirit Pagoda to extract their souls.

    Shangguan Qin''s terrified scream undoubtedly indicated movement in the deep hole. The person within...was about to appear!

    Everyone gathered at the top of the small hill, wanting a clear view of the person emerging from the deep hole.

    When he saw the Spirit Devils preying on the ghostly apparitions after he had destroyed the array, Pang Jian knew that the evil woman was on the ind.

    After the spirit turtle escaped toward the northernmost area of the Solitary Mountain Range, he heard Shangguan Qin''s scream and hastily went over to the top of the small hill.

    When Zhou Qingchen saw Pang Jian approaching, he pushed Han Duping aside and made room for Pang Jian.

    "Pang Jian, congrattions! You actually pulled it off!" Ignoring Han Duping''s displeasure, Zhou Qingchen smiled brightly and said, "You just entered the Meridian Opening Realm, but you managed to open up a meridian and destroy the soul formation with the Dragonwood Spear. I knew I was right about you!"

    Pang Jian did not mention that he had opened up four meridians in one go. Instead, he said, "The Dragonwood Spear you gave me was very useful."

    "The Dragonwood Spear is just a low-grade spirit artifact. However, there''s a fundamental difference between a spirit artifact and the long saber you used before. Spirit artifacts can be imbued with spiritual power, while ordinary weapons cannot," Zhou Qingchen exined with a chuckle. "I knew you''d reach the Meridian Opening Realm even back when I gave you the Dragonwood Spear! But I didn''t expect you to do it so quickly!"

    As he chatted with Pang Jian, Zhou Qingchen asionally nced toward Shangguan Qin, gaze fixed on the deep hole beside her.

    The others did the same.

    Meanwhile, Luo Hongyan stood a distance away from the others, seemingly out of ce among the crowd. She waved her hand to beckon Pang Jian over.

    "Come here," she said.

    Zhou Qingchen chuckled, expression somewhat ambiguous as he joked, "I heard that, after we parted ways, this girl had quite the change of heart toward you."

    "Yes, she indeed changed a lot," Pang Jian replied before walking toward Luo Hongyan.

    "Here ites," He Rong said in a low voice.

    Curious eyes stared intently at the deep hole formed by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Soon, they saw a naked man, covered in viscous blood, slowly climb out.

    His face, hair, and body were all covered in sticky, fresh blood, obscuring his true appearance from everyone.

    Shangguan Qin trembled uncontrobly at the sight of him. She looked at him as if he were the most terrifying being in the world.

    He simply smiled at Shangguan Qin, causing her to shiver in fear. Then, he nced at the small hill where Pang Jian and the others were gathered.

    In the end, he said nothing. Without a hint of concern, he jumped into ck Orchid Lake to wash off the viscous blood on his body.

 Chapter 49: Ruthless Adversary

    <h4>Chapter 49: Ruthless Adversary</h4>

    The blood-soaked man acted as though no others were present, nonchntly washing off the blood under everyone''s gawking stare.

    The boldness and haughtiness he disyed caused displeasure among those watching him. However, no one dared to act rashly as they had yet to figure out who he was.

    Pang Jian''s eyes were fixed on the man''s chest. When the man jumped into theke, he did not see the sinister tattoo of the Celestial Phoenix on his chest.

    Zhou Qingchen knitted his brows. Then, with unwavering certainty, he said, "That''s Dong Tianze!"

    Su Yuntian''s and He Rong''splexion abruptly changed. They turned their heads toward Zhou Qingchen. "Dong Tianze?!"

    "Yes, there''s no mistake about it. He''s the killing machine of the Dong n," Zhou Qingchen said in a cold voice.

    Luo Hongyan had been feeling uneasy. However, when she heard that the man was Dong Qianfeng''s adopted son, she breathed a sigh of relief.

    No matter how powerful Dong Tianze was, he could not be the creator of the three forbidden zones in the Solitary Mountain Range.

    Pang Jian''s eyebrows knitted as he carefully examined the man in theke. His expression turned serious. "This guy..."

    The young man bathing in ck Orchid Lake had clearly seen those gathered on the small hill, but he did not seem to be worried or rmed. Conversely, his eyes gleamed with excitement.

    Pang Jian had only seen that excitement in the eyes of the strongest wild beasts in the Solitary Mountain Range. When these wild beasts saw their prey banded together, their eyes would shine with anticipation.

    The eagerness in this young man''s eyes was the same as that of cruel wild beasts hunting their prey.

    Pang Jian was instantly on guard.

    "Who is he?" Pang Jian asked.

    Han Duping answered with a bitter smile, "A wolf cub addicted to killing."

    "The masked man you killed in ckwater Pond was called Dong Qianfeng. He was Dong Tianze''s adopted father," Zhou Qingchen said grimly. His expression deepened into a look of disgust as he continued, "Dong Tianze isn''t from the Dong n. Dong Qianfeng brought him back to the Dong n when he was a child and gave him the name Dong Tianze.

    "In the beginning, the Dong n didn''t treat him as one of their own, and they made him go through the bloodiest trials of the Dong n.

    "However, he sessfully passed every one of those trials. He killed almost everyone who participated in the trials alongside him, regardless of whether they were from the Dong n or not.

    "Because of this, he managed to gain the Dong n''s recognition. Whenever there are conflicts between the Dong n and other ns, he''s the one tasked with carrying out assassinations.

    "Many members of my Zhou n died by his hand, and that''s not to mention the people he killed from the other ns!"

    Zhou Qingchen''s mood noticeably soured as he spoke, his anger threatening to erupt at any second.

    "All six major ns despise him. He''s not even a true member of the Dong family. His end wille sooner orter!" He Rong snorted.

    "But despite his reputation, the Radiant Sun Sect took notice of him and they even extended an olive branch. However, due to Dong Qianfeng''s expulsion from the Radiant Sun Sect, he refused their goodwill," Han Duping interjected.

    Han Duping paused to nce at the pristine Divine Spirit Pagoda before adding, "He must''ve joined the Sinister Soul Temple a while back, or he wouldn''t be able to control the Divine Spirit Pagoda!"

    "The Sinister Soul Temple!"

    Shock rippled through the crowd. However, the more they thought about it, the more Han Duping''s words rang true.

    In terms of influence, the Sinister Soul Temple rivaled the Radiant Sun Sect, and its origins were even more mysterious. They also rarely interacted with the Star River Alliance, the Blood Moon Sect, or the Red Mountain Sect, and did not recruit disciples from the seven major ns.

    Having joined the Sinister Soul Temple, Dong Tianze was qualified to go to the upper world and did not need to care about the Radiant Sun Sect or the Dong n.

    "It''s good that it''s him," Luo Hongyan said offhandedly. The terrifying soul array in the white pagoda had already been destroyed. Besides, Dong Tianze was not the person she feared.

    With a rxed demeanor, she descended the small hill.

    Zhou Qingchen had broken through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm. Seeing her descend, he followed her and said, "I''ve fought with Dong Tianze before. I''m not afraid of him."

    Staring curiously at Dong Tianze from afar, Pang Jian hurriedly followed behind Luo Hongyan and Zhou Qingchen.

    Meanwhile, Dong Tianze, in the middle of washing up, suddenly dove into theke. When he resurfaced, a ck-gold dagger was clenched in his mouth.

    He seemed to have stashed the dagger in theke.

    The dagger''s handle was wrapped in tough shark skin, and its crescent-moon-shaped jet-ck de let off a faint golden glow. Along the crescent-shaped de was a row of nine holes that whistled when the wind blew through them.

    "That dagger is called Ghost''s Cry," Zhou Qingchen said in a low voice.

    Pang Jian nodded lightly.

    <i>Ssh! </i>

    Dong Tianze returned to the edge of the deep hole, bare-chested with his waist wrapped in the same sharkskin as the dagger''s handle.

    His upper body was covered in wounds. It was evident that he had endured countless bloody battles and survived severe injuries through sheer resilience and tenacity.

    Having washed away the blood, Dong Tianze grabbed the ck-gold dagger from where it was clenched in his mouth. His slender phoenix eyes exuded a chilling madness.

    When he reached Shangguan Qin, he said in a sinister yet pleasant voice, "Auntie, those people gathered on the small hill sneakily damaged my Divine Spirit Pagoda. Would you happen to be aware of this?"

    Shangguan Qin was horrified, trembling as she shook her head frantically. "I don''t know! I don''t know anything!"

    Dong Tianze chuckled. He grabbed her by her jet-ck hair and turned her fear-stricken face toward Pang Jian, Luo Hongyan, and Zhou Qingchen as they approached.

    "I''ll ask again. When I was using the blood essence of the ck turtle to undergo the bone forging, marrow cleansing process, did you see them?" Dong Tianze wore a charming smile. He looked harmless, his voice still gentle and pleasant.

    Shangguan Qin was terrified beyond measure as she watched the three figures approach. Unable to bear it any longer, she screamed in terror, "Yes, I saw them! I saw them!"

    "That''s more like it. You know, I''ve always disliked liars," Dong Tianze said offhandedly, tracing the ck-gold dagger across Shangguan Qin''s face.

    Then, without warning, he dug the dagger in, slicing a deep gash across her once beautiful face. The wound was deep enough to expose bone, utterly destroying the alluring face she had once been so proud of.

    "This is just a small punishment for you." His voice never shifted from its gentle, pleasant tone, even as he held Shangguan Qin''s hair and inflicted this cruel act on her.

    Shangguan Qin did not have exceptional cultivation talent and could only rely on her beauty. However, her face was now ruined by Dong Tianze.

    Her cries were filled with pain and anguish.

    Luo Hongyan knitted her brows and stopped in her tracks.

    "You sick wild dog!" Zhou Qingchen roared.

    Pang Jian''s expression turned frosty. This was the first time he had met someone as crazy and cruel as Dong Tianze.

    "Auntie, don''t you like apanying me on this ind?" Dong Tianze asked mockingly, demeanor disturbingly psychotic. He affectionately called her "Auntie" as if taking great pleasure in using the title.

    "Auntie, when you were in our Dong family, you managed to kill two of your husbands. You either found them ugly orcking in taste. Tsk tsk, but strangely enough, you seemed quite enamored with that spineless Ouyang Duanhai, who has nothing but a pretty face," Dong Tianze continued as if he could not see Pang Jian and the others.

    He maintained his smile and said gently to Shangguan Qin, "Wasn''t that useless Ouyang Duanhai possessed by the essence of the Celestial Phoenix after obtaining a drop of it?

    "Everyone in the Solitary Mountain Range who has obtained an essence of the Celestial Phoenix will eventuallye to this ind to fight me. I''m just undergoing the bone forging, marrow cleansing process with the ck turtle''s blood essence while waiting for useless individuals like Ouyang Duanhai toe and fight me on their own ord.

    "Auntie, the reason I''m keeping you here is so that when Ouyang Duanhaies, I can threaten him with your life. When that timees, I will ruin your face in front of him," Dong Tianze said, reaching out to pinch the unharmed side of Shangguan Qin''s face.

    "Kill me! Just kill me!" Shangguan Qin screamed hysterically, iling her arms like a frightened bird.

    Everyone on and around the small hill fell silent. A myriad of thoughts raced through their minds as they watched Dong Tianze and Shangguan Qin.

    Shangguan Qin''s n had arranged for her to marry into the Dong n. Her first husband had been a distant rtive of the Dong n with a somewhat exceptional cultivation talent. Despite his unattractive appearance, he had treated her with genuine affection.

    Unfortunately, he had met his untimely death during an exploration of a secret realm. After his death, Shangguan Qin had been arranged to be a concubine to another member of the Dong n.

    Dong Tianze had been adopted by Dong Qianfeng and was technically considered a member of the Dong n. Thus, he used to address Shangguan Qin as "Auntie" in the past.

    Shangguan Qin could not have expected that Dong Tianze would hold her captive on this secluded ind in the Solitary Mountain Range. Furthermore, he nned to use her as a hostage against Ouyang Duanhai and kill him as quickly as possible.

    "From what you''ve said, this is your meeting point with that worthless wretch. Did you really think you could wait for him here?" Dong Tianze chuckled lightly. His face brimmed with anticipation as he said, "I do hope he shows up. I hope he can see your new appearance with his own eyes.

    "My adoptive father was also handsome once. No worse than that wretch, at least. He pulled me from a pile of corpses and gave me a chance at life. After I kill Ouyang Duanhai, I might just give you to him. He might appreciate someone like you"

    Dong Tianze''s mocking words came to an abrupt halt.

    His gazended on a person, then at an object in that person''s hand.

    Confusion filled his eyes.

    At some point, Pang Jian had pulled out a bamboo flute. He waved it at Dong Tianze.

    "The Jadeite Flute?" Dong Tianze was taken aback.

    "After I pierced the forehead of the individual wearing the golden mask, his mask shattered, revealing a face covered in scars." Pang Jian eyed Dong Tianze''s bare upper body with disgust and disdain, "The scars on his face are just as ugly as the ones on your body."

    The usually silent and reserved Pang Jian unexpectedly chose to provoke the deranged Dong Tianze.

    Zhou Qingchen and Luo Hongyan stared at him in bewilderment. Neither could understand why he would act in such a manner.

    Pang Jian''s words had also stunned the members of the Su n and the He n on the top of the small hill. Their attention involuntarily shifted from Dong Tianze to Pang Jian.

    Su Meng clenched her fist, her round face flushing red as she whispered, "Those covered in scars looked really ugly!"

    Luo Hongyan rolled her eyes and scolded Pang Jian, "That woman only has herself to me. Why are you sticking up for her? Her two husbands treated her very well, but she plotted to kill them with Ouyang Duanhai. A woman like that deserves her fate. She brought it upon herself."

    Pang Jian said in a low voice, "I just detest people like him."

    Zhou Qingchen broke intoughter before praising Pang Jian, "You always manage to surprise me with your actions, yet I can''t help but admire them."

    Dong Tianze paused. He then grinned maliciously before sinking his teeth into Shangguan Qin''s snowy white neck.

    Shangguan Qin screamed and thrashed wildly, but she could not escape. The more she struggled, the more blood flowed from her neck.

    Dong Tianze trembled slightly before gradually calming down.

    He soon rxed his bite. He did not bother to wipe the blood from his mouth as he casually tossed Shangguan Qin''s body away like a piece of trash.

    Returning from a state of morbid savagery, Dong Tianze regained hisposure. He no longer allowed anger to distort his mind.

    He stared calmly at Pang Jian and asked gently, "May I know your name?"

    "Pang Jian."

    "Alright, I''ve noted that. You will be thest one to die." Dong Tianze nodded seriously.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    With a stomp of his foot, Dong Tianze shot straight toward the small hill like a dazzling bolt of lightning!

    A sharp tip cut through the air as if slicing the space above Pang Jian''s head in half, causing even Zhou Qingchen''s face to pale slightly.

    Dong Tianze leaped past Zhou Qingchen and Luo Hongyan, appearing on the small hill where he started to ruthlessly ughter the members of the Su n and the He n.

    The ck-gold dagger named Ghost''s Cry emitted a piercing and mournful shriek. Dong Tianze darted between the members of the He n and Su n like a deadly wraith.

    One by one, heads fell to the ground like watermelons. Blood gushed from the necks of the headless bodies and rushed toward the sky like a reverse waterfall.

    The gruesome and bloody scene shook Su Yuntian and He Rong to their cores. Even the previously indignant Su Meng was now trembling in fear, unable to utter a single defiant word.

    "Mister Han, please save my daughter!" Su Yuntian''s face was drained of color. Without hesitation, he pushed Su Meng toward Han Duping.

    Han Duping watched Su Meng stumble toward him as he transformed himself into arge silver ball. He shouted back at Su Yuntian, "I may not be able to save her!"

    "Su Meng! Hurry! Go down the mountain and find Zhou Qingchen!" Su Yuntian urged desperately. His heart was torn with anguish as he watched as the heads of his servants fell to the ground one by one, blood gushing from their necks like fountains.

    "A very tragic yet beautiful sight," Dong Tianze remarked as he stood among the falling bodies and heads, relishing in the spectacle of blood.

    Blood sttered all over his bare upper body, staining his grim scars crimson, revealing a terrifying and evil image.

    He smiled up at the sky.

    Watching as the Spirit Devils preyed on the ghostly apparitions, he said, "It doesn''t matter who''s controlling you. Since you dared to damage my Divine Spirit Pagoda, you''ll stay here with me."

    He cut Ghost''s Cry through the air, causing the holes in the de of the dagger to whistle in the wind.

    A maic field simr to the soul array in the Divine Spirit Pagoda suddenly appeared!

    The Spirit Devils and the ghostly apparitions were all drawn to the ck-gold dagger known as Ghost''s Cry, disappearing into the holes in its de.

    Luo Hongyan''s eyebrows knitted at the sight.

 Chapter 50: Jumping into the Deep Hole

    <h4>Chapter 50: Jumping into the Deep Hole</h4>

    Dong Tianze continued his ughter.

    Pang Jian stared silently at Dong Tianze''s every move from the bottom of the small hill, his hand clutching his Dragonwood Spear as he attempted to find a gap in his attacks.

    The brutal ughter of the Su n and the He n did not affect Pang Jian. His heart remained as unyielding as a rock.

    All Pang Jian could think about was how to effectively counterattack while preserving his own life when facing Dong Tianze.

    Dong Tianze had obviously mastered some kind of movement technique. His movements were as elusive and agile as lightning, making it hard to keep up with him.

    The advantage of numbers was useless in the open terrain as he was able to attack them one by one with his swift speed.

    He had to be confined to a narrow space!

    While Pang Jian was calmly devising a n to deal with Dong Tianze, Zhou Qingchen abruptly turned his head and shouted, "You two, be careful! I''ll deal with Dong Tianze!"

    A long saber gleaming with cold light appeared from the silver ring under his sleeve. Zhou Qingchen wielded the long saber and rushed straight toward the small hill!

    The edge of the long saber did not look sharp. It even had many nicks. However, when Zhou Qingchen wielded it, there was a sense of added weight as though he was holding a mountain.

    "That long saber was forged from cold iron. Cold iron, like ck gold, is a type of high-grade metal," Luo Hongyan casually exined. Surprise shed in her eyes as she watched Zhou Qingchen wielding the long saber, and she said, "He has a storage-type spirit artifact on him. There are very few people in the Fourth World who own storage-type spirit artifacts.

    "Dong Tianze doesn''t want to make Zhou Qingchen his first opponent because Zhou Qingchen, like him, has stepped into the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    "He''s worried that we and Han Duping will support and attack from a distance if he fights Zhou Qingchen. So, he chose to avoid Zhou Qingchen and use his movement technique to kill the weaker ones first!"

    Luo Hongyan had long seen through Dong Tianze''s intentions. The corner of her lips twitched as she asked, "Were you trying to provoke him with the bamboo flute so that we could deal with him first?

    "If we engaged him in battle, he would''ve found it difficult to break free from the encirclement, especially with Han Duping''s support. Unfortunately, he managed to regain hisposure and refrain from doing something foolish by biting that woman."

    Luo Hongyan calmly offered her thoughts as she watched the battle in front of her. She believed she had seen through Pang Jian''s intentions.

    Seeing Pang Jian remain silent, she raised her eyebrows and chuckled lightly. "You''re usually aloof and always ignore others. I didn''t expect there to be a hint of arrogance lurking inside you."

    "I wasn''t thinking that far ahead. I just don''t like him," Pang Jian replied.

    ording to Dong Tianze, those with an essence of the Celestial Phoenix woulde to Central Lake Ind and fight to the death here with him.

    Pang Jian had acquired more than one essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Since they were destined to fight to the death, Pang Jian naturally racked his brain toe up with a n to eliminate Dong Tianze.

    He would find a way to kill anyone who posed a threat to his life, ensuring that there were no lingering dangers.

    Pang Jian soon noticed that Zhou Qingchen was much slowerpared to Dong Tianze.

    After arriving at the small hill, Zhou Qingchen ripped the Heartguard Mirror hanging on his chest and threw it to Han Duping. "Old Han, use this to protect yourself!"

    He then darted toward Dong Tianze.

    At that moment, the blood-soaked Dong Tianze was fighting barehanded with Su Yuntian and He Rong.

    The ck gold dagger named Ghost''s Cry hovered in the sky like the Divine Spirit Pagoda, capturing both ghostly apparitions and Spirit Devils.

    The more ghostly apparitions it captured, the more powerful it became.

    When he saw Zhou Qingchen approach imposingly, Dong Tianze shed a wicked grin. Ghost''s Cry swiftly descended and hovered above Zhou Qingchen''s head.

    The numerous ghostly apparitions that were captured and stored inside Ghost''s Cry flew out from the holes on its de and swarmed Zhou Qingchen in a way reminiscent of the spirit turtle in the hollow skull.

    Zhou Qingchen found himself ensnared in a quagmire of ghostly apparitions. Anguish could be seen in his eyes as he fought desperately against the encroachment of the ghostly apparitions on his soul.

    "It seemed that Dong Tianze avoided Zhou Qingchen because he needed to enhance the power of his spirit artifact by capturing ghostly apparitions. The more his spirit artifact captures, the more powerful it bes." Luo Hongyan''s cold eyes stared at the sky as she sensed the aura emanating from Ghost''s Cry.

    "Don''t worry too much. Zhou Qingchen is not a pushover. He should be able to hold his own. After all, the Ghost''s Cry is not like the soul array in the Divine Spirit Pagoda. It''s not as terrifying as it may seem," she said, grabbing Pang Jian and pulling him toward the deep hole. "Zhou Qingchen should be fine for now. Dong Tianze is only using his spirit artifact to restrain him, and give himself a chance to kill the rest."

    Pang Jian had originally faced the small hill. However, when Luo Hongyan pulled him, he was forced to turn around. He spotted a familiar-looking Spirit Devil descending toward the deep hole.

    "Luo Meng!" Pang Jian shouted.

    Shangguan Qin had also caught sight of the Spirit Devil Luo Meng. In between sobs, she cried out, "Luo Meng! Are youing to save me?"

    "Luo Meng" ignored her, directly descending into the deep hole that Dong Tianze had climbed out from and vanishing without a trace.

    Shangguan Qin stood there nkly, face covered in blood. She could not ept the fact that the loyal Luo Meng would choose to ignore her.

    After a moment, she screamed frantically, "Damn you, you worthless man! Now that I''ve lost my beauty, even you abandon me! Now that I''m ugly and repulsive to look at, you choose to leave me..."

    As she cupped her cheeks, blood seeped through her fingers, causing her to hastily hide her face.

    She buried her head in the grass and sobbed bitterly, too ashamed to lift her head to face anyone again.

    "Luo Meng died a long time ago. The one you''ve been longing to see again, Ouyang Duanhai, also met his demise at ckwater Pond," Luo Hongyan remarked as she leisurely approached. She wanted to add a few more sarcastic remarks but decided against it when she saw that Shangguan Qin was on the verge of losing her mind.

    Hearing that even Ouyang Duanhai had died, Shangguan Qin''s world copsed around her. She crumpled onto the grass and murmured dazedly to herself, "Yes, I deserve it, it was all my fault. It was me who caused the death of my Ouyang Duanhai. My beloved Duanhai, for your whole life, I''ve let you down. I''m so sorry..."

    In her heart, Ouyang Duanhai may not have been her husband but he shared the essence of marriage with her. He was the only man in her life.

    "The evil woman from the stone pile is also on this ind!" Pang Jian reminded Luo Hongyan.

    Luo Hongyan stopped. She rolled her eyes and snorted. "Isn''t that even better? Zhou Qingchen may not be able to handle the troublesome Dong Tianze alone. With that woman interfering, our chances of sess will be higher."

    "No, the evil woman controls the Spirit Devils. I think she''s more troublesome than Dong Tianze," Pang Jian said earnestly.

    Infuriated by his repeated use of "evil woman," Luo Hongyan retorted coldly, "She has neither killed you nor your friends. Stop calling her an evil woman just because everybody else does!"

    Pang Jian was baffled.

    Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping had been calling her that, so why couldn''t he?

    Before Pang Jian could ponder too deeply, Luo Hongyan dragged him to the edge of the deep hole and said, "There''s blood essence of the ck turtle in the deep hole. The ck turtle was killed by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix piercing its heart. The essence of the Celestial Phoenix, formed from the essence of the ck turtle, is likely in Dong Tianze''s possession.

    "The ck turtle is far stronger than the Giant Abyssal Serpent in ckwater Pond. A single drop of the essence of the Celestial Phoenix doesn''t require all of its blood essence to produce.

    "Dong Tianze is using the remaining essence of the ck turtle to undergo the bone forging, marrow cleansing process."

    Luo Hongyan told Pang Jian everything she had observed at the bottom of the deep hole through the Spirit Devil.

    "The giant serpent at the bottom of ckwater Pond is called the Giant Abyssal Serpent..." Pang Jian paused and asked, "ck turtle? The one that just appeared in the sky?"

    Luo Hongyan nodded. "Yes, that was the ck turtle''s beast soul! In fact, the entire ind is the shell of the ck turtle! If you dive deep enough, you''ll see that the ck turtle is standing on its four limbs and carrying the ind on its back."

    Pang Jian was astonished. "Is the ck turtle that big?"

    "This ck turtle is considered small. It was only able to transform such a small ind into a spiritualnd."

    Luo Hongyan nced at the gloomy sky and sighed. "Legend has it that there exists an evenrger ck turtle, carrying andmass equivalent to the one beneath our feet and wandering across the three worlds above.

    "Thendmass on the back of that ck turtle is so rich in spiritual qi that it''s a ce where sects are founded. Countless experts aspiring to establish their own sect secretly seek out that ck turtle, hoping to tame it and establish their sect using thend it carries on its back as their sacred ground."

    Pang Jian was even more shocked.

    Since he was young, he had only ever been to the Solitary Mountain Range and Linshan Town. He had never left the continent named Northern Qi.

    It was hard for him to imagine that a ck turtle could carry such a vast expanse ofnd on its back and wander across the three worlds above.

    "Dong Tianze is different from Ouyang Duanhai. Although they both obtained a drop of the essence of the Celestial Phoenix, Ouyang Duanhai''s heart was devoured by it while Dong Tianze maintained his spiritual consciousness. This means that he has refined the essence of the Celestial Phoenix, making him much more terrifying as a Divine Guard!"

    Luo Hongyan watched with growing unease as Dong Tianze killed He Rong and Su Yuntian with his bare hands.

    She had always known that He Rong harbored subtle hostility toward her, but she had paid it no mind.

    The deaths of He Rong and Su Yuntian did not stir any ripples in her heart. It was exactly what she had anticipated.

    However, she never thought that it would happen this quickly.

    While Su Meng cried, Han Duping activated the Heartguard Mirror that Zhou Qingchen had thrown earlier. A towering red mountain appeared above his and Su Meng''s heads.

    The red mountain resembled the peak at the Red Mountain Sect, radiating a deep crimson light that enveloped the two.

    Dong Tianze had smashed He Rong''s eyes with his punch and wiped the bloodstains from his fists with the sharkskin. He then stood up and walked toward Han Duping and Su Meng.

    Han Duping hastily transformed himself into a silver ball, then said to Su Meng from inside, "Youngdy, we''re both in the Meridian Opening Realm. I can''t protect you. I''ll be rolling down the mountain soon. I won''t be able to take care of you."

    Han Duping held Zhou Qingchen''s Heartguard Mirror, so the towering red mountain would follow him wherever he went.

    The towering red mountain suspended above his head was capable of fending off the mental attacks. Having curled up into a silver ball, he could also fend off Dong Tianze''s barehand attacks.

    His words were to remind Su Meng to follow him in fleeing the small hill, so the towering red mountain could also help shield her.

    However, seeing her father brutally murdered in front of her, Su Meng no longer cared about Han Duping''s words. In her grief, she even attempted to break free from the protective shield of the towering red mountain.

    Han Duping reached out from the silver ball and grabbed her, angrily asking, "Do you want to die too?"

    "Pang Jian, aren''t you going to save her?"

    At the foot of the small hill, Luo Hongyan cast a strange nce at Pang Jian and said, "That little girl is quite cute, and she hasn''t been annoying. She''s about to be killed by Dong Tianze. Aren''t you going to lend a hand?"

    Pang Jian stayed silent as he jumped into the deep hole.

    Luo Hongyan was stunned.

    On the top of the small hill, Dong Tianze had been walking toward Su Meng and Han Duping when he suddenly stopped in his tracks!

    He had been closely monitoring the entire ind and was alerted when Pang Jian unexpectedly jumped into the deep hole.

    His expression changed as he nced between Han Duping, now transformed into a silver ball; the floating crimson mountain; and the temporarily restrained Zhou Qingchen.

    After a fierce internal struggle, he roared, "He just loves courting death!"

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    He stomped the ground with his feet and soared into the sky. Like a hawk diving for prey, he aimed straight for the deep hole.

    He did not even spare a nce at Luo Hongyan or Shangguan Qin even though they were both next to the deep hole.

    In his eyes, both women were insignificant side characters. Whether he killed them now orter was inconsequential.

    "Curse you!"

    Luo Hongyan acted as though she was unaware of Dong Tianze''s rapid approach. She angrily leaned over the deep hole and yelled, "Don''t you realize you''re also putting me in danger by constantly provoking him?"

    "I was hoping you woulde down too," Pang Jian shouted from below.

    "You want me toe down too? Who told you I was nning to fight him? Do you think I care about the Su n or the He n or even Zhou Qingchen?" As Luo Hongyan cursed Pang Jian, she nimbly moved aside to avoid blocking Dong Tianze''s descent into the deep hole.

    <i>Boom! </i>

    Dong Tianze collided with something hard, leaving him dizzy and disoriented, and was forcefully ejected from the deep hole.

 Chapter 51: The Blood Essence of the Black Turtle!

    <h4>Chapter 51: The Blood Essence of the ck Turtle!</h4>

    Pang Jian stood in a pool of blood at the bottom of the deep hole and stared upward with cold eyes.

    He adjusted his breathing in a way that rxed his body but kept his mind focused. He tightened his grip on the Dragonwood Spear as he waited for Dong Tianze''s descent.

    Pang Jian''s body had undergone tempering by the essence of the Celestial Phoenix. He also had experience in killing cultivators with a higher cultivation realm than him, such as Jin Yang. Now that he had broken through to the Meridian Opening Realm, he dared to confront Dong Tianze.

    He had carefully observed Dong Tianze before and was confident he would be able to withstand Dong Tianze''s barehanded attack after witnessing how he killed He Rong and Su Yuntian.

    The mental attack using the ghostly apparitions from Ghost''s Cry dagger also would not affect him.

    Dong Tianze''s speed advantage would be greatly reduced within the narrow space in the deep hole. Having jumped into the deep hole ahead of Dong Tianze, he would have ample opportunity to attack Dong Tianze when he descended.

    As long as he could withstand one wave of attacks from Dong Tianze, once Zhou Qingchen and the others arrived, they would be able to kill Dong Tianze in the narrow space!

    He had jumped into the deep hole after this careful consideration.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Thoroughly prepared for the battle ahead, Pang Jian patiently waited for Dong Tianze tond in the deep hole but a beautiful scarlet lotus appeared out of nowhere and blocked Dong Tianze''s descent.

    It was an astonishing sight.

    ***

    Above the deep hole, Dong Tianze rubbed his head. The sudden appearance of a barrier in the empty deep hole perplexed him.

    He leaned over the deep hole formed by the bone of the Celestial Phoenix and saw a scarlet lotus appear out of thin air.

    In the deep, dark hole, a stunning scarlet lotus bloomed, giving off a deep red glow.

    This was an extremelyplex and mysterious array. Numerousplex and mysterious lines made up the exquisite lotus, with a red spiritual power acting as its ink.

    The eerie lotus exuded a gruesome beauty, instilling a sense of awe in all its beholders.

    Dong Tianze quickly calmed down, staring at the eerie lotus as he contemted its significance.

    The strange lotuspletely covered the opening of the deep hole and acted as a barrier preventing his descent. Seeing this, Dong Tianze did not try to descend into the deep hole again.

    <i>Spirit Devils have appeared on the ind. The seven major ns don''t know how to refine Spirit Devils.</i>

    As the Dong n''s designated de against the outside world, he was familiar with the seven major ns in the Fourth World. However, as he racked his brain, Dong Tianze still could not figure out the person behind the Spirit Devils.

    He concluded that another expert was manipting the Spirit Devils on Central Lake Ind.

    Surveying his surroundings, he let out a cold snort. He could not see or sense any hidden expert.

    His heart was set on obtaining the blood essence of the ck turtle, so he once again gathered his strength and charged into the deep hole with the beautiful deep red blood lotus.

    Meanwhile, Luo Hongyan slowly retreated with a faint smile.

    <i>Boom! </i>

    Dong Tianze collided once again with the scarlet lotus with a resounding boom, like a heavy object striking a drum.

    The beautiful scarlet lotus at his feet rippled with waves of scarlet radiance.

    A sinister, bloodthirsty energy surged along the soles of Dong Tianze''s feet and rushed to his legs.

    Dong Tianze was startled. He hurriedly leaped away from the blood lotus and returned to the edge of the deep hole.

    After steadying himself, Dong Tianze''s fierce gaze fell upon "Ning Yao" and he asked, "Are you behind this? After he went down, only you''ve approached to peer into the deep hole. Did you put the scarlet lotus there?"

    "That''s right, it was me!" Luo Hongyan answered. Still smiling, she continued to retreat, as if afraid that Dong Tianze would chase after her.

    "It wasn''t you. If you had the ability to put the scarlet lotus in the deep hole, you wouldn''t be afraid of me." Dong Tianze coldly snorted. ncing at Ghost''s Cry, that had released countless ghostly apparitions to restrain Zhou Qingchen, he said, "That scarlet lotus can stop me, but can it stop my Ghost''s Cry?"

    Dong Tianze summoned Ghost''s Cry to his side with a single thought. He wanted to use the spirit artifact to pierce through the lotus-shaped array.

    <i>Whoosh! </i>

    A withered Spirit Devil leaped out from the pile of corpses and lunged at Dong Tianze''s back.

    Sensing the impending danger, Dong Tianze turned, only to witness the Spirit Devil, Hong Tai, vanish into his body.

    "Hong Tai!"

    He recognized the captain of the Shadow Specter Sect. He roared angrily as he struggled against the Spirit Devil, trying to prevent Hong Tai''s tainted and malevolent thoughts from corrupting his mind.

    The ruthless and upromising Dong Tianze had a heart as unyielding as iron. He was extremely resistant against the encroachment of entities like Spirit Devils and swiftly regained hisposure and steadied himself.

    Surprisingly, despite Hong Tai being in the Marrow Cleansing Realm, the Spirit Devil refined from his soul did not have much impact on Dong Tianze.

    Dong Tianze even had spare energy to summon Ghost''s Cry.

    <i>Woo! Woo!</i>

    Ghost''s Cry floated among the ghostly apparitions. Their wails echoed like a sea of soulsmenting in the depths of theherworld, cries piercing the eardrums of all who heard them.

    Ghost''s Cry drifted away from Zhou Qingchen''s head, dragging along many unrefined ghostly apparitions back toward Dong Tianze.

    Apart from Luo Hongyan, every living being suffered excruciating headaches from the wailing of ghosts.

    The wailing of the ghostly apparitions also affected the Spirit Devil Hong Tai in Dong Tianze''s body, and the suppression he exerted over Dong Tianze was greatly reduced.

    Dong Tianze raised his head and let out an angry roar, "Who is secretly manipting the Spirit Devils? I can control the Divine Spirit Pagoda of the Sinister Soul Temple! If it weren''t for the damage to the pagoda, I would''ve instantly captured and in all the Spirit Devils!

    "Those who can control ghostly entities in the Fourth World are mostly affiliated with the Sinister Soul Temple! And I, Dong Tianze, have been bestowed the Divine Spirit Pagoda by them. I''ve been designated an official member by the Sinister Soul Temple!"

    Dong Tianze made his affiliations known, retrieving a jet-back triangr token adorned with ghostly images and raising it high into the air.

    He suspected that the person hidden on Central Lake Ind was also a member of the Sinister Soul Temple. Thus, he boldly revealed his status to intimidate the other party.

    When Dong Tianze raised the token into the air, the Spirit Devil Hong Tai in his body ignited in a self-immting ze.

    ck smoke streamed from Dong Tianze''s seven orifices as he clutched his head in agony and cursed.

    "Sinister Soul Temple!"

    Luo Hongyan wore a satisfied expression as she watched Dong Tianze''s suffering from a distance. She was willing to sacrifice the strongest Spirit Devil in her possession just to torment him.

    For hundreds of years, the Sinister Soul Temple had imprisoned her in the white paper fan, fostering a deep hatred within her toward them.

    The Ethereal Ghost Token Dong Tianze had raised up was reserved for core disciples of the Sinister Soul Temple. Seeing it, Luo Hongyan realized that the Sinister Soul Temple regarded Dong Tianze as a seedling to be nurtured.

    "All of you, get over there!" Seizing the opportunity, Luo Hongyan summoned her Spirit Devils to attack Dong Tianze. At the same time, she instructed the recovered Zhou Qingchen, "Intercept that ck-gold dagger!"

    As she said this, she picked up a stone from the ground and hurled it toward Ghost''s Cry hovering in the air.

    <i>ng! ng! ng!</i>

    She threw the stones with great force and precision. Each one sessfully hit Ghost''s Cry hovering among the ghostly apparitions.

    Ghost''s Cry swayed among the countless ghostly apparitions as though intoxicated. Unable to maintain a straight line, its speed toward Dong Tianze slowed significantly.

    Meanwhile, another Spirit Devil took the opportunity to infiltrate Dong Tianze''s body like Hong Tai. Once inside, it promptly ignited in self-immtion, further exacerbating Dong Tianze''s injuries.

    Luo Hongyan was well aware that once Dong Tianze managed to get hold of Ghost''s Cry, all the Spirit Devils'' attacks would be ineffective against him.

    Rather thanpliantly allowing the Spirit Devils to be devoured, she used them tounch a devastating attack on Dong Tianze before he could get hold of Ghost''s Cry.

    "Coming!" Zhou Qingchen understood the stakes. Although he did not know why the Spirit Devils were attacking Dong Tianze, he still joined Luo Hongyan with his cold iron saber in hand.

    ***

    In the deep hole, Pang Jian bitterly waited in the pool of blood.

    He had witnessed Dong Tianze gather his strength and descend into the deep hole, only to be once again obstructed by the strange scarlet lotus. Shortly after, he vanished without a trace.

    After that, Dong Tianze did not attempt to descend into the deep hole again.

    Pang Jian wanted to lure Dong Tianze into the deep hole and fight him in the narrow space. However, he waited for a long time but saw no sign of the enemy. With nothing else to do, he casually surveyed his surroundings.

    Looking down, he saw his calves were submerged in viscous blood. Beside him was withered flesh that resembled old tree bark.

    The "wall" of the deep hole resembled cured meat, confirming Luo Hongyan''s suspicion that Central Lake Ind was on the body of the ck turtle!

    The bone of the Celestial Phoenix had pierced through the body of the ck turtle!

    He stood inside the ck turtle''s body, atop the bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    The viscous blood beneath him brimmed with tremendous energy.

    Not long ago, Dong Tianze submerged his naked body in this pool of blood and used the tremendous energy in the blood of the ck turtle to undergo the bone forging, marrow cleansing process.

    <i>Hmm!</i>

    Pang Jian suddenly saw Luo Meng appear in the space above him.

    When he activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art in the stone pile, he was able to absorb Spirit Devils refined from the souls of wild beasts.

    He was even able to ignore the soul array on the top floor of the Divine Spirit Pagoda. Therefore, he was not afraid of Spirit Devils.

    Pang Jian stared at the Spirit Devil Luo Meng and silently waited for it to attack. However, the Spirit Devil remained motionless.

    Luo Meng hovered above Pang Jian, seemingly acting as the eyes of the evil woman and showing no intention of engaging him in battle.

    <i>The ck turtle''s blood essence...</i> Pang Jian looked at his calves submerged in the viscous blood. He hesitated. <i>Should I climb out now or should I continue to wait for Dong Tianze here? </i>

    He soon made up his mind to stay and wait for Dong Tianze in the deep hole. He also decided to collect the ck turtle''s blood essence, which was capable of cleansing marrow.

    When Pang Jian activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, he could more clearly sense the tremendous energy emanating from the viscous blood beneath him.

    However, he could not absorb it.

    He recalled Dong Tianze''s blood-soaked state when he climbed out of the deep hole.

    <i>Perhaps it''s absorbed through the body?</i> With this thought in mind, Pang Jian promptlyy in the pool of blood like Dong Tianze.

    Supporting the back of his head with both his hands, heid down, leaving only his head exposed while the rest of his body was submerged in viscous blood.

    Adjusting his posture, he once again activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art. But he still could not refine the energy in the ck turtle blood essence.

    Despite being submerged in the ck turtle''s blood, his chest, limbs, internal organs, muscles, and bones did not undergo any changes.

    <i>Do I have to be in the Marrow Cleansing Realm? Can I not use the blood essence of the ck turtle to temper my body if I haven''t reached the Marrow Cleansing Realm?</i>

    After several attempts, he shook his head in regret and moved to stand.

    At this moment, he was astonished to discover a small water vortex had formed in front of his chest.

    The blood of the ck turtle flowed rapidly toward the bronze pendant on his chest so quickly that it created a water vortex!

 Chapter 52: Setting a Trap

    <h4>Chapter 52: Setting a Trap</h4>

    The viscous blood of the ck turtle flowed along the small water vortex and entered the bronze pendant.

    In the blink of an eye, the pool of the ck turtle''s blood seemed to have reduced.

    Pang Jian wore a strange expression on his face as he recalled the asions when he had obtained the essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    The essence of the Celestial Phoenix emitted a radiant white light and had a tangible form.

    The blood-red Celestial Phoenix that emerged from Ouyang Duanhai''s body was also refined from thick, viscous blood, and also had a tangible form.

    The blood essence of the ck turtle was the same!

    The bronze pendant that his father had left behind seemed to be able to absorb these strange, special entities with tangible forms.

    Meanwhile, the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art was limited to the spiritual qi of heaven and earth, the spiritual power within the spirit stones, and bizarre energy like Profound Yin energy.

    Be it qi or energy, none had a tangible form as they were pure forms of energy.

    The Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art was unable to absorb tangible objects like the essence of the Celestial Phoenix and the blood essence of the ck turtle.

    However, the bronze pendant could.

    Hands supporting the back of his head once more, Pang Jian listened to the sh ofbat and Zhou Qingchen''s shouts echoing from outside the deep hole. However, there was no sound of Dong Tianze''s rmed cries, nor did he reappear at the mouth of the pit.

    The enchanting scarlet lotus at the mouth of the deep hole blocked most of his field of view.

    Luo Meng hovered in a corner between the bone of the Celestial Phoenix and the scarlet lotus, staring at Pang Jian with a hollow and wooden expression and seemingly observing his every move.

    <i>The evil woman is probably lurking nearby and using the Spirit Devil to spy on me, </i>Pang Jian mused with a frown.

    Before long, he noticed that a significant portion of the ck turtle''s blood in the deep hole had been absorbed by the bronze pendant.

    As the pool of blood continued to reduce, a tiny gap became visible on the bronze door-shaped pendant that Pang Jian had left outside his clothing.

    "The door on the pendant does open!" Pang Jian cried, having finally noticed the tiny crack between the doors of the mysterious bronze pendant!

    Pang Jian''s eyes brightened. He realized that the two essences of the Celestial Phoenix and the blood-red phoenix had all been absorbed into the bronze pendant through the crack in the bronze door. He simply had not noticed at the time.

    Having noticed the tiny gap between the doors, he focused intently to take a closer look. However, to his surprise, his gaze could not prate the slit. He could not see whaty beyond the bronze doors, leaving him curious about its contents.

    Pang Jian recalled Luo Hongyan''s words, <i>Those in the Profound Abode Realm can refine their divine sense. Divine sense acts as an eye, allowing one to perceive even the tiniest details. </i>

    It seemed that only after he had broken through to the Profound Abode Realm and refined his divine sense would he be able to explore the mysteries inside the bronze door.

    At his present cultivation realm, he would not be able to perceive anything.

    Lost in his thoughts, Pang Jian noticed that the blood at the bottom of the hole was almost depleted. Without contact with the blood, the bronze door could no longer continue its absorption.

    Thus, Pang Jian removed the bronze pendant from his neck and pressed the side adorned with patterns and copper rings against the area with the thickest blood.

    Sure enough, the blood of the ck turtle flowed into the bronze pendant once again.

    It absorbed the blood at the bottom of the hole like a sponge soaking up water.

    It was only when not a single trace of blood remained that Pang Jian carefully refastened the ne around his neck.

    A drop of the Celestial Phoenix''s essence, formed from devouring the Giant Abyssal Serpent, remained in the bronze pendant.

    Now, with the ck turtle''s blood essence in the bronze pendant as well, Pang Jian had two mysterious items at his disposal.

    Unfortunately, he could neither see nor ess the secrets behind the bronze door. All he could do was wait passively, anticipating the same intense heat that had engulfed him twice before.

    Looking at the bright red scarlet lotus at the mouth of the deep hole, Pang Jian pondered whether to climb out and assist Zhou Qingchen in dealing with Dong Tianze.

    However, as soon as he thought about Dong Tianze''s speed and the eerie nature of the spirit artifact, Ghost''s Cry, he hesitated.

    <i>It''s better to wait for him toe in. If he rushes in and sees that not a drop of ck turtle''s blood remains, he''ll surely lose his cool.</i> Pang Jian contemted how he could better leverage the timing and the terrain at the bottom of the deep hole.

    With his Dragonwood Spear in hand, Pang Jian paced around slowly. He scrutinized the deep hole for anything that could be used to his advantage and pondered the ns he could implement.

    Pang Jian used the Dragonwood Spear to measure the distance between the two walls, assessing the range of his attack based on the length of the spear''s shaft before considering where he should position himself when the time came.

    With the limited space at the bottom of the deep hole and the rtively long Dragonwood Spear, his range of movement during intensebat would undoubtedly be limited. He could not afford to identally hinder himself with the spear at a crucial moment.

    He continuously adjusted his position, carefully considering the most strategic ces to stand if Dong Tianze were to be in a certain location.

    He meticulously went over every detail and repeatedly weighed his options.

    Not long after, he retrieved the silver from the bamboo basket on his back. It appeared small when folded but wasrge when unfurled.

    The threads of this silver were extremely resilient. Even the possessed Ouyang Duanhai had not been able to break free.

    If Dong Tianze were to inadvertently fall into this silver, there was no guarantee that he could instantly break free either.

    Pang Jian unfurled the silver and stared at the "walls" of the deep hole.

    He pierced the "wall" with his Dragonwood Spear to create a few new holes. Holding one corner of the silver, he nimbly climbed up seven to eight meters and secured the corner of the silver on the wall with the bamboo flute.

    He moved around the walls of the deep hole.

    He alternated between climbing up to the bright red blood lotus to peer down into the deep hole and descending into the deep hole and gazing upward.

    The Spirit Devil Luo Meng stared nkly at Pang Jian the whole time. Whenever Pang Jian approached, he always moved to avoid him.

    The Spirit Devil was actively avoidinging into conflict with Pang Jian. To prevent any misunderstandings, it always observed him from a distance.

    Pang Jian paid it no heed and busied himself with his own tasks.

    After a while, the giant silver was anchored to the "wall" above Pang Jian with several sharp impure spirit stones as well as the bamboo flute.

    He meticulously confirmed that he could see the silver giant through the dim light from above when looking up from below.

    From above, the bottom of the deep hole appeared pitch ck, making it difficult to discern the silver without closer inspection, especially from beneath the bright red scarlet lotus.

    If one were to stand at the mouth of the deep hole, their view would be obscured by the eerie red glow of the enchanting blood lotus, making it even more challenging to perceive the.

    "You may be a wolf from the Dong n, but I am the master of this forest. I want to see how you''ll avoid this when you break through that scarlet lotus and descend to the bottom of the deep hole!"

    With a calm andposed mind, Pang Jian set the Dragonwood Spear within arm''s reach and patiently waited for Dong Tianze to walk right into his trap.

    When the scarlet lotus was struck, he would be alerted and would be able to react promptly.

    While waiting for Dong Tianze, Pang Jian took out pure spirit stones from the upper world and replenished his spiritual sea.

    In this way, he silently waited.

    ***

    Above the deep hole, Dong Tianze endured the torment of the Spirit Devils'' self-immtion. Wisps of faint ck smoke enveloped his body, and he had no strength to attack the array in the deep hole.

    While Dong Tianze quelled the soul-burning mes ignited by the Spirit Devils, blood oozed out from his eyes and nose, causing his appearance to be even more sinister and terrifying than before.

    <i>ng! ng! </i>

    Zhou Qingchen and Luo Hongyan continuously threw stones and sharp spirit artifacts like steel needles or silver pitchforks at Ghost''s Cry, causing it to veer off course.

    Ghost''s Cry wobbled unsteadily as if about to copse in the middle of the many ghostly apparitions. Even after a long time, it had failed to reach Dong Tianze.

    Finally, Dong Tianze wiped away thest remnants of ash from thest Spirit Devil off his body. He knitted his brows as he cast a nce at the nearby Shangguan Qin.

    The bloody scar on her face had been inflicted by Dong Tianze. Seeing his miserable new appearance after being tormented by the Spirit Devil''s self-immtion, Shangguan Qin felt satisfaction rise within her.

    The hatred in her eyes was almost palpable. Her sole purpose of surviving seemed to be to witness Dong Tianze''s demise.

    "Auntie, do you really want to see me dead?" Dong Tianze asked with a smirk.

    Shangguan Qin hurriedly lowered her head. "No, I don''t!"

    "I''ve said it before, I hate when people lie to me. If you want me dead, at least have the courage to say it outright, or else it''ll be your demise."

    Freed from the torment of the Spirit Devils, Dong Tianze''s hand flew out like a bolt of lightning and snapped Shangguan Qin''s neck with a resounding crack.

    Just like that, Shangguan Qin died.

    Dong Tianze rushed toward Ghost''s Cry and appeared among the ghostly apparitions.

    The moment he grasped Ghost''s Cry, Dong Tianze''s demeanor underwent a sudden transformation. With a swift motion, he swung Ghost''s Cry at Zhou Qingchen.

    With the mournful wailing of tens of thousands of ghosts, the ghostly apparitions amalgamated into a ferocious, colossal Demon God. Its malevolent figure threatened to tear Zhou Qingchen to pieces.

    "Take this!" Han Duping cried, hastily throwing the Heartguard Mirror down from the mountainside and at Zhou Qingchen''s head.

    A towering crimson mountain materialized above Zhou Qingchen''s head, blocking the attack of the colossal Demon God.

    With a cold snort, Dong Tianze gently pulled on Ghost''s Cry to manipte the colossal Demon God while he dealt with Luo Hongyan first.

    The astute Luo Hongyan had somehow appeared beside Han Duping and was standing next to the sobbing Su Meng. She kindly reminded Dong Tianze from afar, "Your ck turtle''s blood essence is still at the bottom of that hole."

    Dong Tianze suddenly came to his senses. He spared the evasive Luo Hongyan and had no intention of fighting Zhou Qingchen to the death. Instead, he carried Ghost''s Cry and dashed toward the mouth of the deep hole.

    With Ghost''s Cry in hand, he was confident he could break through the blood lotus and eliminate Pang Jian at the bottom of the deep hole.

    He worried that Pang Jian possessed the ability to refine the remaining blood essence of the ck turtle, or worse, maliciously contaminate it, rendering his subsequent marrow cleansing unsessful.

    "Pang Jian is still down there!" Zhou Qingchen''s face darkened with anger as he red at Luo Hongyan.

    Luo Hongyan remained indifferent, pursing her lips and chuckling lightly. "Of course, I know he''s still down there."

    "Old Han, follow me into the deep hole. Let''s join forces and kill Dong Tianze! Ning Yao, can''t you do anything besides stir up trouble?!" Zhou Qingchen shouted angrily.

    He brandished the long saber forged from cold iron and headed straight for the deep hole.

    However, Dong Tianze was simply too fast. He had reached the mouth of the deep hole before Zhou Qingchen could even catch up.

    "Damn it!" Roaring furiously, Zhou Qingchen hurled his cold iron long saber toward the deep hole to reduce his weight before leaping into the towering crimson mountain suspended above his head.

    The massive mountain transformed into crimson clouds, carrying Zhou Qingchen through the air, and heading straight for the deep hole below.

    "I''ming!" Han Duping shouted. He transformed into a massive silver ball and rolled down the mountain, following Zhou Qingchen to the deep hole.

    Even though he knew full well the ferocity of Dong Tianze, when Zhou Qingchen called, Han Duping followed without hesitation, ready for a battle to the death.

    "Sister-Sister Ning, Pang Jian, he..." Su Meng''s sight was blurred by her tears. Luo Hongyan''s figure in her eyes appeared hazy, seeming to simultaneously possess both a divine and a demonic aura. She muttered, "My father and Uncle He are dead. Please don''t let Pang Jian die too."

    Luo Hongyan tucked her hands into her sleeves. She looked down from the top of the small hill with an impassive look on her face. "We''ll see who''s the one to die."

 Chapter 53: A Light in the Darkness!

    <h4>Chapter 53: A Light in the Darkness!</h4>

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Like an elusive wisp of smoke, Dong Tianze activated the Nine Ghost Melodies Technique and gracefully drifted to the edge of the deep hole.

    He ignored Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping following behind him, prioritizing the blood essence of the ck turtle.

    The mournful wailing from Ghost''s Cry ceased, and the colossal Demon God formed from the ghostly apparitions vanished into the nine holes on the dagger''s de.

    There had always been two distinctly different ways of wielding Ghost''s Cry.

    Ghost''s Cry could let off the mournful wailings of tens of thousands of ghosts, during which its sharpness and durability weakened. However, its influence on the soul of the living increased dramatically.

    On the other hand, when used without the mournful wailing, the array on Ghost''s Cry would activate, increasing its sharpness and transforming it into an iparably sharp dagger.

    Dong Tianze did not need the mournful wails to split open the scarlet lotus. He only needed to unleash its sharp de.

    As Dong Tianze drifted toward the mouth of the deep hole like a ghost, a thinyer of frost coated the arm that wielded Ghost''s Cry.

    The frost was his bone-chilling spiritual power. As he poured spiritual power into his dagger, cold air seeped out from his skin and formed a thinyer of frost.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian had been patiently waiting at the bottom of the deep hole for Dong Tianze. He jumped to his feet like a coiled spring.

    He sensed unusual activity outside of the deep hole!

    Holding the Dragonwood Spear with both hands, Pang Jian hid in the darkest corner of the deep hole, blending in with the shadows.

    He had meticulously evaluated that spot as the most strategically advantageous for attacking.

    Most of the red lines on the scarlet lotus converged at its bud, appearing to gather into a cluster of crimson clouds that blocked an area of dim light and causing a small patch of darkness to appear at the bottom of the deep hole.

    Pang Jian hid in this shadowed area. He gathered his spiritual power and guided it along the four meridians, connecting his palms to his spiritual sea.

    In the pitch-back bottom of the deep hole, the tip of the Dragonwood Spear glinted with a green light that resembled a razor-sharp needle.

    It was almost as sharp as Pang Jian''s gaze.

    Dong Tianze had finished gathering his strength. He dove headfirst into the deep hole, thrusting Ghost''s Cry at the scarlet lotus as he cried, "Pang Jian, here Ie!"

    Meanwhile, Luo Hongyan gently closed her eyes.

    "Let me see how you will stay alive!" he eximed. Meanwhile, the edge of Ghost''s Cry shone with golden light, filling the nine holes on its de.

    The golden light was a testament to its sharpness, and once it appeared, the dagger stabbed at the bud of the lotus!

    The red lines that formed the lotus silently vanished.

    The lotus disappeared!

    The full force of Dong Tianze''s attack fell on empty air. The inertia and immense momentum of the attack sent him hurtling uncontrobly toward the bottom of the deep hole!

    Sensing something was amiss, Dong Tianze frantically looked around and caught sight of a gleaming silver giant.

    "Silver Silkworm Net!" Dong Tianze screamed.

    He shed and stabbed fervently at the Silver Silkworm Net, tearing a gaping slit in it with Ghost''s Cry.

    Despite this, he still became entangled in the Silver Silkworm Net due to his high speed. Cocooned like a silkworm, he continued to fall into the deep hole.

    At the dark bottom of the deep hole, a lone figure stood atop the pristine bone of the Celestial Phoenix.

    He remained as still as a rock. His hands gripped the spear with unparalleled steadiness. It was as though time had frozen him for him.

    Composure and calmness were reflected in his cold, nk gaze.

    Standing in Dong Tianze''s blind spot, he remained hidden in the shadows, watching Dong Tianze draw closer as he patiently waited for the perfect moment to reveal himself.

    He exuded patience. There was no sense of urgency surrounding him and it was almost as if he could wait for that moment for another thousand or even ten thousand years.

    <i>Where is he?</i> Dong Tianze panicked. He saw neither the ck turtle''s blood essence nor Pang Jian.

    Twisting desperately, he attempted to free himself from the silver before his body hit the ground. However, entangled in the Silver Silkworm Net, this range of motion was severely restricted, greatly diminishing his ability to effectively wield Ghost''s Cry.

    <i>Swoosh!</i>

    A strange sharp sound rang out!

    Dong Tianze turned ashen with shock. His eyesnded on the glimmer of green light even before he could find Pang Jian!

    The glimmer of green light stood out vividly in the deep dark hole, momentarily dazzling Dong Tianze.

    Just as Dong Tianze was about to focus his mind and unleash the soul-capturing melody of Ghost''s Cry, he suddenly felt a chilly sensation at the back of his head.

    The Spirit Devils had invaded him and were using self-immtion to disrupt his mind, rendering him unable to maintain precise control over himself!

    He cursed vehemently as he struggled within the Silver Silkworm Net.

    Pang Jian''s body surged with strength. He steadied himself, transferring strength from his feet to his waist and abdomen, all the while, pouring a torrent of spiritual power into the Dragonwood Spear. He then activated the array on the spear, amplifying its strength and sharpness to its limits!

    Pang Jian had be one with the Dragonwood Spear. His spiritual power flowed seamlessly to the tip of the spear!

    The green light shining from the tip of the spear was so bright that even he, the wielder of the spear, found it blinding!

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The Dragonwood Spear struck Dong Tianze''s back, impaling him against the wall of the deep hole!

    Pang Jian did not hesitate, wrenching back the Dragonwood Spear in a spray of blood, only to thrust it at Dong Tianze again!

    When Pang Jian pulled back the Dragonwood Spear, Dong Tianze''s body, still entangled in the Silver Silkworm Net, slid toward the ground. His descent was stopped when Pang Jian swiftly pinned him back against the wall with another thrust of his spear!

    These two sessive heavy blows overwhelmed Dong Tianze with pain and dizziness. At this moment, the Spirit Devil that had infiltrated his mind finally burned to ashes.

    His mind cleared.

    Still restrained by the Silver Silkworm Net, he hastily activated another function of Ghost''s Cry.

    The mournful wailing of tens of thousands of ghosts emanated from the nine holes on the de of Ghost''s Cry.

    Pang Jian felt as though he had stepped into an eerie ghost realm. Everywhere he looked, there were ghostly apparitions. Their ominous and chilling aura seemed to seep into his pores, affecting his very being.

    The bronze pendant hanging from his chest turned scorching hot.

    The tiny spark illuminated Pang Jian''s mind. Despite being on the brink of being overwhelmed by the ghostly apparitions, he unexpectedly became invulnerable to all evil influences.

    Pang Jian pulled back the Dragonwood Spear and thrust it at the horrified Dong Tianze once more.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The Dragonwood Spear ran Dong Tianze through for the third time.

    Dong Tianze''s body finally grazed the ground.

    The onught of numerous Spirit Devils had already tired Dong Tianze out. Now, with Pang Jian piercing through his body again and again, he could barely muster any strength.

    His mind went nk as he watched Pang Jian emerge from the shadows.

    <i>How did it end up like this? </i>

    <i>How is this possible? </i>

    He opened his mouth to speak but only vomited a mouthful of blood.

    A ruthless and cold-blooded individual like him could endure physical pain. However, the intense sense of defeat that came with being heavily wounded by Pang Jian was something he could not bear!

    <i>Celestial Phoenix Transformation! </i>Dong Tianze recalled, just as Pang Jian was about to pull his spear out again.

    He gritted his teeth as he silently recited the forbidden technique in his mind.

    A Celestial Phoenix appeared between his brows, an imprint on his forehead, exuding supreme majesty!

    The multicolored Celestial Phoenix radiated a bright light in the dark deep hole. It then released a majestic aura that permeated Dong Tianze''s entire body.

    The noble and magnificent Celestial Phoenix contrasted starkly with Dong Tianze''s grim and battered appearance.

    It shone like the most brilliant gem in the universe, reaching the pinnacle of splendor.

    The horrifying wounds on Dong Tianze''s body stopped bleeding, the skin stitching back together at an astonishing speed.

    Dong Tianze curled up, softly chanting something with a devout and humble appearance.

    In the depths of his consciousness, he felt the presence of his master high above the sky, as if bestowing blessings upon him.

    He received the patronage of his deity-like master. It bestowed upon him the power to survive.

    Dong Tianze regained his strength. Before the Dragonwood Spear could leave his body, he bit his tongue to regain his senses and swung Ghost''s Cry to cut the silver threads of the.

    Pang Jian forcefully pulled back the Dragonwood Spear, only to find that not a single drop of blood flowed from the massive wound.

    Urgent footsteps could be heard from outside the deep hole, along with Zhou Qingchen''s sharp scream. "Pang Jian!"

    Zhou Qingchen had only just made it over.

    In the deep hole, Dong Tianze had freed himself from the Silver Silkworm Net. He stared at Pang Jian with bloodthirsty eyes.

    Pang Jian remained unmoved, channeling his spiritual power into the Dragonwood Spear in preparation for his next attack.

    Dong Tianze felt faint. Even with the blessings of his master from above, the repeated assaults on his mind and excessive blood loss meant he would not be able to hold on for much longer.

    Ghost''s Cry''s mournful wailing did not affect Pang Jian, making it difficult to deal with him given Dong Tianze''s already wounded state.

    Even if he managed to kill Pang Jian, he would still be trapped at the bottom of the deep hole. He would not escape it alive once Zhou Qingchen and the others arrived.

    Thoughts raced through Dong Tianze''s mind like lightning. He used Ghost''s Cry to clear a path and headed straight toward the mouth of the deep hole.

    <i>Drip!</i>

    Blood dripped from the tip of Pang Jian''s spear. With knitted brows, he watched as Dong Tianze climbed upward.

    The appearance of the Celestial Phoenix''s imprint on his forehead caused Dong Tianze to be extremely dangerous. It was as if it had unleashed his infinite potential, instilling fear in even Pang Jian.

    Striking now would not be wise. Pang Jian risked provoking the trapped beast into a fight to the death.

    <i>If I don''t want this to haunt me in the future, I must cut off the problem at its roots! </i>Pang Jian decided

    Pang Jian climbed the walls following the grooves he had carved into them. With his spear in hand, he steadily drew closer to Dong Tianze.

    <i>How persistent!</i> Dong Tianze thought, face brimming with ruthlessness and savagery.

    If not for the threat of Zhou Qingchen, he would have turned around and killed Pang Jian in a fit of rage.

    From beginning to end, he had not managed to deliver a single strike to Pang Jian and had instead suffered three bloody wounds. Even so, he had considered sparing Pang Jian''s life.

    However, Pang Jian persistently followed him, hunting him down with murderous intent. This ignited a zing anger in Dong Tianze''s heart.

    "Pang Jian, the evil woman is still on the ind! You must hold on!" Zhou Qingchen shouted from a distance.

    Zhou Qingchen''s shout lifted Pang Jian''s fighting spirit and intimidated Dong Tianze. It only reminded Dong Tianze of the hidden adversaries on the ind.

    He had ended up in this miserable state because a dozen Spirit Devils self-immted within him, and the person controlling said Spirit Devils had yet to reveal themselves.

    That realization snapped Dong Tianze back to his senses. A cold dose of reality extinguished the raging mes of anger within him.

    Dong Tianze helplessly summoned the ck turtle''s blood essence that he had gathered in his body to use for cleansing his marrow and shot upward toward the mouth of the deep hole like a sharp arrow.

    He no longer wished to engage with Pang Jian.

    Knowing that he could not catch up, Pang Jian threw the Dragonwood Spear, striking Dong Tianze in his behind just as he was about to leave the deep hole.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    "Aaaah!" Dong Tianze roared, swinging his hand to knock off the spear.

    After exiting the deep hole, he used Ghost''s Cry to block Zhou Qingchen''s attack.

    Without looking back, Dong Tianze leaped into ck Orchid Lake and disappeared beneath the water''s surface.

 Chapter 54: Unscathed

    <h4>Chapter 54: Unscathed</h4>

    Zhou Qingchen was startled. The arm holding his cold iron saber trembled.

    Dong Tianze''s counterattack had almost caused the hilt of his saber to split open his palm.

    The Sinister Soul Temple''s cultivation method was renowned for its assassination ability and agility in the Third World. However, in terms of raw physical strength, it fell short whenpared to the Red Mountain Sect''s cultivation method practiced by Zhou Qingchen.

    However, Dong Tianze shattered Zhou Qingchen''s preconceived notions about the Sinister Soul Temple!

    The counterattack of the ck-gold dagger unleashed a terrifying force that stunned Zhou Qingchen.

    By the time Zhou Qingchen had ovee the soreness and swelling in his arms, Dong Tianze had vanished. There was not even a hint of blood on theke''s surface.

    The image of the dazzling Celestial Phoenix between Dong Tianze''s eyebrows stirred a sense of unease within Zhou Qingchen.

    When Dong Tianze brandished his Ghost''s Cry, he was bursting with formidable power. Dong Tianze was known for his savageness and brutality. However, with the presence of the strange Celestial Phoenix, he unexpectedly exuded a sacred and awe-inspiring aura.

    Han Duping rushed over and found Zhou Qingchen standing motionless. Concerned filled his eyes as he assumed Zhou Qingchen was seriously injured. "Are you alright? Don''t chase after Dong Tianze. He''s not in a normal state right now."

    Luo Hongyan leisurely descended the small hill and casually remarked, "He''s right, don''t chase after desperate foe."

    Zhou Qingchen red angrily at her.

    Smirking, Luo Hongyan said, "Both of you are in the Marrow Cleansing Realm, but Dong Tianze has tempered his muscles, bones, and organs with the ck turtle''s blood essence, and you have not. Furthermore, he has refined a drop of the Celestial Phoenix''s essence. Pursuing him while he''s injured will only lead to your demise."

    Luo Hongyan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

    After Spirit Devil Luo Meng self-immted in Dong Tianze''s mind, she could no longer see what was happening in the deep hole and was unsure if Pang Jian had seeded.

    Pang Jian was indeed full of mysteries. However, Dong Tianze was in the Marrow Cleansing Realm and was no pushover.

    She had feared Pang Jian was no match for Dong Tianze.

    It was not until she saw Dong Tianze emerge from the deep hole, Dragonwood Spear still in his bottom, that she realized Pang Jian had severely injured him after trapping him in the silver.

    For her, killing Dong Tianze was not important. Her interesty solely on Pang Jian and the bronze pendant hanging from his neck.

    Dong Tianze had unleashed astonishing potential on the brink of death. With him still wielding Ghost''s Cry, she had no interest in diving into theke to search for him.

    Not to mention, the Spirit Devils she painstakingly refined had all perished in the battle.

    With a stern expression, Zhou Qingchen red coldly at Luo Hongyan. However, he chose not to pick a fight with her, instead walking toward the deep hole to shout, "Pang Jian, how are you holding up?"

    "I''m fine." Pang Jian knitted his brows at the bottom of the deep hole as he picked up the Dragonwood Spear and said, "His life force is remarkably strong. I left several gaping wounds on his body, but he still managed to escape alive."

    Having said his piece, Pang Jian quickly climbed out from the deep hole.

    Several pairs of eyes instantly fixated on him.

    His body was covered in the viscous blood of the ck turtle, giving off a strong stench of blood, and appearing like a reincarnation of a bloodthirsty ughter god.

    However, upon closer inspection, the trio noticed that the blood on his body did not belong to him. There were no signs of injury on his clothes or body.

    "You''re unscathed?!" Zhou Qingchen eximed in disbelief.

    He had experienced Dong Tianze''s prowess firsthand when his cold iron saber shed with Dong Tianze''s Ghost''s Cry.

    When Dong Tianze reemerged from the deep hole, his body had been severely wounded, and he looked as though he had been through a bloody battle.

    His only enemy in the deep hole was Pang Jian. <i>So how did Pang Jian manage toe out unscathed? </i>

    Zhou Qingchen could not make sense of it.

    Luo Hongyan did not know what happened in the deep hole after Spirit Devil Luo Meng''s demise. Her eyes shimmered with a strange light as she sighed. "You are even more abnormal than that madman Dong Tianze.

    "Dong Tianze tempered his flesh with the ck turtle''s blood essence and sessfully refined a drop of the Celestial Phoenix''s essence. Among the Divine Guards of the Celestial Phoenix, Dong Tianze stands out by far.

    "Fighting against such a formidable individual on your own, one would expect toe out with at least a scratch, yet you emerged unscathed...

    Luo Hongyan clicked her tongue in amazement. "Pang Jian, you''ve truly exceeded my expectations!"

    "Enough with the sarcastic remarks!" Zhou Qingchen grunted.

    From his perspective, all Luo Hongyan did throughout the ordeal was pick up some stones to throw at Ghost''s Cry to obstruct its movement. Aside from that, she did not do anything else.

    Zhou Qingchen was displeased with Luo Hongyan''s reluctance to engage in battle and her refusal to use the spirit artifact of the Star River Alliance. Naturally, he did not look kindly upon her.

    "Someone helped me from the shadows." Pang Jian no longer called this person an "evil woman". He continued, "The one who created the Spirit Devils secretly assisted me, ensuring my ambush on Dong Tianze went smoothly. When Dong Tianze jumped down, the enchanting scarlet lotus unexpectedly vanished into thin air, causing Dong Tianze to misjudge and plunge straight down due to the immense inertia."

    Pang Jian then exined what had happened at the bottom of the deep hole, including how Dong Tianze was entangled in the silver giant, and how thest Spirit Devil had disappeared into Dong Tianze''s body when he had been about to swing Ghost''s Cry.

    He also knew that the deranged Dong Tianze''s mental state was already extremely exhausted when he charged into the deep hole.

    "While I might have been able to seriously injure him without her assistance, there''s no way I would havee out unscathed. Furthermore, Dong Tianze''s hasty departure was also because you have reminded him of her," Pang Jian said as he looked at Zhou Qingchen.

    "Dong Tianze will find somewhere to lick his wounds. Once he regains his strength, he''ll return for revenge," Han Duping said worriedly. "I never imagined Dong Tianze could be so terrifying. The Sinister Soul Temple has acknowledged Dong Tianze. He will be a formidable adversary in the Third World."

    Han Duping was worried about Zhou Qingchen''s future.

    Zhou Qingchen sighed. "Once I reach the Red Mountain Sect, I willplete the bone forging, marrow cleansing process using the Red Mountain Sect''s extraordinary materials. However, their materials may not necessarily surpass the value of the ck turtle''s blood essence or the mysterious essence of the Celestial Phoenix."

    "We still need to be cautious of that evil¡ªthe one who hasn''t shown themselves yet," Pang Jian carefully reminded.

    Thanks to her assistance, he was able to inflict serious injuries on Dong Tianze without suffering any injury himself. It felt embarrassing to continue to call her an "evil woman".

    Also, he could not shake the feeling that the woman was somewhere on the ind, secretly observing them.

    Luo Hongyan looked coldly at him. Seeing him wisely refrain from using the term "evil woman" again, she snorted, "So, how many of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians have you opened?"

    "I''ve opened up the four meridians in my arms," Pang Jian replied truthfully.

    Luo Hongyan was stunned. She nodded in feignedposure and said, "Not bad, not bad at all."

    "Four meridians. You just broke through to the Meridian Opening Realm and you''ve already opened up four meridians?!" Zhou Qingchen cried out in disbelief.

    Han Duping also cried out, "How is that possible? Wait, no! When we first met you, you hadn''t even reached the first stage of the Qi Practicing Realm, right?"

    The plump Han Duping looked at Pang Jian as if he were looking at a ghost.

    "How long has it been?" he muttered in disbelief.

    He deeply admired Zhou Qingchen''s foresight in extending an olive branch to Pang Jian. He believed that Zhou Qingchen''s insight made him a rare talent indeed!

    Pang Jian would stand out not just among the seven great ns, but also in the entire Third World. He was an exceptionally talented cultivator.

    Zhou Qingchen said with utmost seriousness, "Pang Jian, if we manage to leave the Solitary Mountain Range alive, I will rmend you to the Red Mountain Sect."

    Pang Jian''s eyes lit up, and he earnestly sped his hands together. "Thank you, Young Master Zhou."

    After his sister had been taken to the upper world, his greatest wish was to ascend to the upper world and reunite with his sister there.

    He had never thought that this once unattainable dream would evere into reach.

    "No need to thank me. With your talent and ability, all the major sects in the upper world will be eager to recruit you." Zhou Qingchenughed heartily. "Except for the Sinister Soul Temple of course. Dong Tianze is an important member of their sect and even wielded the Ethereal Ghost Token. You''ve also sabotaged the Divine Spirit Pagoda, so the Sinister Soul Temple might not be too keen on having you."

    Pang Jian did not seem to mind.

    At that moment, Luo Hongyan suddenly said, "The ck turtle has passed away and its beast soul has escaped. The spiritual qi on this ind will gradually dissipate. We should collect the exotic nts on the ind before they wither. Oh, and speaking of which, Pang Jian, are there any treasures in the white pagoda?"

    She had no interest in these forbidden zones anymore. Dong Tianze had departed, and only Su Meng was the sole survivor from the Su n and the He n. Luo Hongyan did not want to stay on the ind any longer.

    Many of her Spirit Devils had perished due to Dong Tianze, but with Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen watching, she could not seize this opportunity to refine more Spirit Devils. The souls of Su Yuntian, He Rong, and others would dissipate in vain.

    She silentlymented the loss in her heart.

    "I drained the spiritual power in the spirit jades when breaking through to the Meridian Opening Realm," Pang Jian said. He thought for a moment before continuing, "There were also stones imbued with Profound Yin energy on the fifth floor of the white pagoda. Those stones were used to construct the soul array."

    "Those are Profound Yin stones!" Luo Hongyan''s eyes lit up. She nodded and said. "The value of Profound Yin stones in the upper world is higher than that of spirit stones. They are rare materials used to construct soul arrays!"

    With that said, Luo Hongyan no longer paid attention to the others and headed straight for the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    Su Meng was still crying bitterly next to Su Yuntian''s corpse. Luo Hongyan did not even pause as she passed her, but Su Meng timidly called out to her. "Sister Ning, where did Dong Tianze flee to?"

    "No matter where he''s fled, he isn''t someone you can deal with right now." With a cold expression, Luo Hongyan pointed to the dim sky overhead and said, "All you can do now is go to the Radiant Sun Sect and diligently cultivate with their resources. Once your cultivation realm surpasses Dong Tianze''s, you can consider avenging your father.

    "Remember, you must be at least one realm higher than him to sessfully confront him. In the entire Fourth World, the only one who can fight Dong Tianze in the same realm is Pang Jian!

    ncing toward the deep hole, the corners of Luo Hongyang''s lips pulled downward. "Even Zhou Qingchen cannot do so."

 Chapter 55: Minor Argument

    <h4>Chapter 55: Minor Argument</h4>

    "Sister Ning, is this why you fell in love with him?" Su Meng kneeled beside her father''s corpse as she looked at the headless bodies of her n members. She asked dejectedly, "How can I be like Brother Pang Jian and leave a few gaping wounds in Dong Tianze''s body?"

    When Dong Tianze had left the deep hole, she suppressed her sorrow to look, hoping to see Dong Tianze meet his demise.

    When she saw Dong Tianze fly out from the deep hole, there were several terrifying bloody wounds on his body, and even the Dragonwood Spear stuck to his behind.

    She knew that in the strange deep hole, Pang Jian had inflicted severe wounds on Dong Tianze.

    She also knew that, if not for Pang Jian jumping into the deep hole, she would have likely met the same fate as her father.

    Pang Jian''s incredible disy left a deep impression on her. Therefore, when Luo Hongyan imed that only Pang Jian could rival Dong Tianze, she neither doubted it nor thought it was an exaggeration.

    She wished to be like Pang Jian. She wanted to have the power to severely injure Dong Tianze, or even kill him.

    "That''s something that you have to be born with and not attainable through effort alone. Don''t take him as your role model," Luo Hongyan responded callously, recalling what she had observed in the deep hole through the Spirit Devil Luo Meng.

    Pang Jian''s calm and meticulous demeanor amazed her. He set up traps, took his time to carefully pick out where he would stand, and kept his cool before dealing the heavy blow on Dong Tianze.

    She knitted her brows in deep thought. "Is he born with it, or was he taught? If all these characteristics were taught, then the one who taught him..."

    After a brief silence, she turned her back to the heartbroken Su Meng and added, "When you''re ready to move on from your grief, I can teach you how to harvest the truly valuable nts on this ind.

    "Tsk tsk, the stuff your father and He Rong harvested wouldn''t have fetched much in the upper world. Remember, if you want to be powerful, you will need those spirit nts."

    After leaving those words for Su Meng to mull over, Luo Hongyan vanished into the white pagoda to search for the Profound Yin stones.

    ***

    On the foot of the small hill.

    "She still died in the end," Han Duping said, staring at Shangguan Qin''s corpse. He sighed, "In the end, she didn''t manage to wait for Ouyang Duanhai."

    Han Duping felt grateful to Ouyang Duanhai. If not for his timely appearance, Han Duping would have fallen into the hands of Dong Qianfeng from the Shadow Specter Sect and would not have been able to leave the ckwater Pond alive.

    Ouyang Duanhai had been willing to sacrifice himself for Shangguan Qin, an act which earned Han Duping''s admiration. Unfortunately, this affectionate couple did not have a happy ending, and each of them lost their life next to different bones of the Celestial Phoenix.

    "She didn''t contribute much during the battle, but when the time came to reap the rewards, she became quite energetic," Zhou Qingchen said as he watched Luo Hongyan enter the white pagoda. He snorted, then said to Pang Jian, "Dong Tianze''s severe injuries were because of your hard work. The most valuable things on this ind belong to you."

    "I already took it," Pang Jian answered.

    "You already took it?" Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping were surprised.

    The spirit jades at the bottom of the white pagoda and the remaining blood essence of the ck turtle in the deep hole," Pang Jian exined before adding, "Although, I''ve lost the silver."

    "That silver isn''t worth much." Zhou Qingchen was speechless. He did not ask about the whereabouts of the ck turtle''s blood essence, instead patting Pang Jian on the shoulder as he said, "You should rest. I''ll explore the ind with Old Han to see if we can locate the evil woman."

    After that, he and Han Duping went off to search the ind.

    The two of them were tense. The evil woman had killed several members of the Zhou n in the stone pile, and they could not help but feel that she was hiding somewhere and waiting for an opportune moment to make her move.

    They also wanted to see if they could find out where Dong Tianze went.

    After Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping had left, Pang Jian jumped into the cold water of the ck Orchid Lake to wash away the blood on his body.

    He dove down and sure enough, he saw four thick, wide stone pirs supporting Central Lake Ind.

    Central Lake Ind really was on the back of the ck turtle.

    He then swam toward the direction of the turtle''s head, only to find that the small rocky ind that should have been there had disappeared.

    He vividly remembered that a small ind previously protruded from Central Lake Ind. It was probably the head of the ck turtle.

    The small ind was originally piled with rocks, which likely served as camouge for the ck turtle''s head. Now, there was nothing left.

    Pang Jian originally thought that Dong Tianze had hidden himself there. However, as he did not discover anything, Pang Jian decided to return to the base of the small hill. He then took the spirit stones from his bamboo basket and filled his spiritual sea with spiritual power.

    It was easy to transition from frugality to luxury, but difficult to transition from luxury to frugality. Having experienced the wonders of spirit jades, the spirit stones from the upper world felt incredibly slow.

    He could previously fill his vast spiritual sea with spiritual power so quickly because of the spirit jades used to power the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    <i>Unfortunately, there are no spirit jades left.</i> Pang Jian sighed as he entered his cultivation state.

    He could sense that the pure spiritual qi of heaven and earth on the ind was slowly draining away.

    The ck turtle had died and its beast soul had flown to the other side of the Solitary Mountain Range. Central Lake Ind was no longer as extraordinary as before.

    As nightfall approached, Pang Jian looked toward the northernmost region of the Solitary Mountain Range. Once he crossed the mountains, he would face the bizarre mist that every cultivator feared.

    That was also a forbidden zone he had never ventured into during his many years in the Solitary Mountain Range.

    The northernmost region was more dangerous than ckwater Pond, Insect Valley, and Central Lake Ind, and was shrouded in mystery.

    <i>Maybe the reason Father forbade me from exploring the northernmost region of the Solitary Mountain Range was because I was not a cultivator and my battle prowess was too weak.</i>

    Since Pang Jian had survived the three forbidden zones, he believed he could also investigate the bizarre mist more closely if he wanted to.

    The sky grew darker and darker.

    After absorbing the spiritual power from the spirit stones in his hand, Pang Jian took out a bundle made from animal hide and retrieved the dry clothes within. Once he had changed, Pang Jian headed to the mouth of the deep hole.

    On the way, he saw Su Meng digging deep pits in the bushes.

    She buried the bodies of Su Yuntian and He Rong, along with members of both ns who had been decapitated, in the deep pits. Despite her fear, she also bravely returned the decapitated heads to their rightful ces.

    Finally, she kneeled in front of her father''s grave. Her lips moved inaudibly.

    After watching for a while, Pang Jian wielded the Dragonwood Spear and leaped into the deep hole. He then retrieved the bamboo flute and the spirit stones he had used to secure the silver to the walls of the deep hole.

    He meticulously inspected the grooves on the walls of the deep hole, and after ensuring that Dong Tianze had not hidden anything there, he climbed out.

    Once outside, he saw Su Meng.

    The delicate and petite Su Meng looked timidly at him as she pointed at Shangguan Qin''s corpse and asked, "Big-Big Brother Pang, can I bury her too?"

    Pang Jian nodded.

    The little girl once again grabbed a spirit sword and started to dig nearby.

    The kind-hearted Su Meng''s face was filled with sorrow. Despite having no connection with Shangguan Qin, Su Meng could not bear to leave the woman''s body exposed in the wilderness.

    Han Duping had once coveted her beauty, but after her untimely demise, did not even spare her another nce.

    Meanwhile, the naive andpassionate Su Meng suppressed her grief over her father''s death to ensure that all the deceased wereid to rest.

    ***

    Night fell.

    Central Lake Ind and ck Orchid Lake were engulfed in darkness, and Pang Jian heard the sounds of arguinging from the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    The argument was between Luo Hongyan and Zhou Qingchen.

    Pang Jian knitted his eyebrows. After pondering for a moment, he said to Su Meng, "Don''t stay here on your own. If Dong Tianzees back, you won''t be able to survive."

    Su Meng had since finished burying Shangguan Qin. She trembled slightly.

    She had a clear understanding of her own limitations. With her cultivation realm, If Dong Tianze were to truly return, she did not doubt that she would be instantly killed.

    "Then..." Su Meng''s wide eyes flickered with panic.

    "Let''s go and see what they''re arguing about," Pang Jian said, leading the way to the top of the small hill.

    With the word plunged into darkness, Su Meng hastily followed Pang Jian, fearing he would vanish from her line of sight.

    The pair soon arrived at the white pagoda and noticed the light flickering from the fifth floor. Thus, they headed straight for the fifth floor.

    "You''ve arrived just in time," Zhou Qingchen said. With a stern expression, he pointed at the scattered Profound Yin stones from the copsed soul array and said, "These Profound Yin stones might be the most valuable spirit material on this ind. They should rightfully belong to you."

    Pang Jian was taken aback. He never thought that Zhou Qingchen was arguing with Luo Hongyan on his behalf.

    With a cold expression, Luo Hongyan argued, "Pang Jian already took the most useful things for him."

    She was displeased because Pang Jian had taken the spirit jades on the ground floor of the Divine Spirit Pagoda, as well as the blood essence of the ck turtle in the deep hole.

    Luo Hongyan had contributed the most and suffered the greatest loss in the battle with her sacrifice of her Spirit Devils.

    Profound Yin stones were used as materials in constructing soul arrays. If she refined the Profound Yin energy within them, she could use it to reforge her physical body.

    She had to obtain it no matter what!

    <i>Zhou Qingchen, you ignorant fool. Despite knowing nothing, you still insist on arguing with me over the Profound Yin stones, only to hand them to Pang Jian on a silver tter. </i>

    The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She contemted standing up to him and giving him a piece of her mind.

    Pang Jian''s gaze swept across the Profound Yin stones as he nodded thoughtfully. ncing at Luo Hongyan, he asked, "Do you have use for these stones?"

    Luo Hongyan nodded. "Yes."

    "Young Master Zhou, let her have these stones as I do not have a use for them." With that, he turned and walked away. "Let''s go down so she can have the floor to herself. Let''s talk about other matters downstairs. For instance, what have you and Han Duping experienced after we parted ways."

    Zhou Qingchen was stunned. He never thought Pang Jian would be generous enough to concede all the Profound Yin stones.

    Puzzled, he suddenly noticed a strange look in Su Meng''s eyes. He smacked his head in realization. "Oh, I see, my bad. It seems that during our time apart, you two..."

    He did not finish his sentence. Chuckling, he pulled Han Duping and descended the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

 Chapter 56: Innate Talent

    <h4>Chapter 56: Innate Talent</h4>

    The Fourth World was shrouded in darkness.

    Luo Hongyan stood in the center of the scattered Profound Yin stones on the fifth floor of the Divine Spirit Pagoda. She had changed her clothes, and her slender figure was now adorned in an intricately designed dress.

    The Profound Yin stones glowed faintly, nketing her skin in a snow-like radiance and making her appear like an exquisite white lotus.

    Her eyes gleamed inquisitively and her gaze lingered in the direction where Pang Jian had vanished. Knitting her brows, she murmured to herself, "Have I finally breached that greedy boy''s defenses?"

    With a smirk, she sought out Ning Yao in Ning Yao''s sea of consciousness.

    "Did you see that? That kid always takes my side. I''ve used your body to gain his approval just by altering the way I approach and interact with him."

    In the quiet and vast expanse of Ning Yao''s sea of consciousness, Luo Hongyan was breathtakingly captivating. Adorned in a vibrant red dress, she could enchant the hearts and minds of all who beheld her.

    Having absorbed some Profound Yin energy from the Profound Yin stones, Luo Hongyan''s ethereal form had solidified significantly, and the veins under her skin became more distinct.

    Only those with an ethereal form like Luo Hongyan could use the energy in the Profound Yin stones to wash away the impurities in their souls.

    Meanwhile, Ning Yao was trapped within her own sea of consciousness and had to watch the proud Luo Hongyan show off. She had to admit that the evil woman was truly stunning, a beauty the likes of which she had never seen before in the mortal realm.

    Luo Hongyan had only be prettier after absorbing Profound Yin energy, and Ning Yao could not help but feel ashamed of her inferiority.

    If this was Luo Hongyan''s true appearance in her original body, her beauty would have brought kingdoms to their knees.

    Even the revered beauty of Shangguan Qin seemed utterly insignificant in the face of the evil woman before her. She was not even worthy of being mentioned in the same breath.

    The more Ning Yao looked at Luo Hongyan, the lower her self-confidence dropped. Therefore, she turned away and responded coldly, "When Pang Jian and I explored the first bone of the Celestial Phoenix, I saw a piece of cracked gray rock in his bamboo basket. It was a stone containing both spiritual power and Profound Yin energy."

    Luo Hongyan hesitated before asking, "Are you saying he knows I''m using the Profound Yin stones to refine my ethereal form?"

    "I think so. Remember, he''s been here multiple times. He destroyed the soul array and fractured it into Profound Yin stones. Now that you''ve absorbed the Profound Yin energy from the Profound Yin stones, they''ve all turned into normal stones. He might''ve noticed something."

    Ning Yao had observed the battle through her own eyes and had been reflecting on her behavior. She had to admit that she had been short-sighted.

    Although Pang Jian had yet to embark on the path of cultivation and was just a normal hunter at the time, he still had many redeeming qualities.

    Furthermore, she failed to notice Pang Jian''s mysterious nature.

    "He knew that I could use the Profound Yin stones to cultivate so he conceded them to me? Hehe, he truly does care about me." Luo Hongyan chuckled as she activated her cultivation methods amidst the pile of Profound Yin stones.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! </i>

    From the outside, cold strands of Profound Yin energy rushed toward "Ning Yao''s" brows, vanishing into Ning Yao''s sea of consciousness where Luo Hongyan absorbed it.

    The radiant light within each Profound Yin stone was extinguished one by one.

    ***

    Night descended, and everything was engulfed in profound silence.

    Atop the small hill, dozens of zhang[1] away from the white pagoda, Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen sat together by a bonfire. They conversed over the rations previously prepared by the members of the He n.

    Zhou Qingchen retrieved several strong liquor jars from his spatial bracelet and gave one jar to Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian slipped the bamboo basket off his back and threw aside his Dragonwood Spear. He took the jar of strong liquor and knitted his brows.

    "Give this jar of hard liquor a try!" Zhou Qingchen encouraged, tearing open the sealed paper on the jar and boldly gulping it down.

    Following Zhou Qingchen''s lead, Han Duping also gulped down the liquor with gusto. He eximed, "This liquor is really something!"

    Pang Jian hesitated briefly before mimicking their actions and taking big gulps of the strong liquor.

    When the liquor rushed down his throat, Pang Jian coughed violently. However, although he was not ustomed to the taste of liquor, he gradually got used to it.

    "Big Brother Zhou, could you also give me a jar?" Su Meng pleaded softly.

    Looking into her grief-filled eyes, Zhou Qingchen knew that she had yet to ovee Su Yuntian''s death. He handed her a jar of liquor and whispered, "When my father passed away, I was just a child. I wasn''t as strong as you are now. I cried for a long time before I got over it."

    Su Meng held the jar with both hands and gingerly sipped the liquor. She neither ate nor spoke.

    Zhou Qingchen chatted with Pang Jian about other topics.

    He described how he and Han Duping had contacted each other with their secret technique after escaping from ckwater Pond.

    After meeting up again, they believed that Hong Tai and the other members of the Shadow Specter Sect had killed everyone aside from Shangguan Qin.

    They did not want the Shadow Specter Sect to guess their whereabouts, so they did not rush to leave and instead ventured deeper into the dangerous northernmost region.

    They both believed that the assault party of the Shadow Specter Sect would not dare to set foot in the northernmost region of the Solitary Mountain Range, where the bizarre mist could be found.

    Along the way, they stumbled upon several bones of the Celestial Phoenix. Unfortunately, none of them had stabbed into beings with strong life energy and therefore failed to produce any essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    On their journey to ck Orchid Lake, they did not encounter any other cultivators, although they dide across the corpses of wild beasts.

    Pang Jian omitted many details of his experiences and only mentioned that the ck and White King Python had aided his escape at ckwater Pond.

    After both sides recounted their experiences, the intoxicated Han Duping could no longer hold back his curiosity and asked, "Did you really open up four meridians in one go?"

    Zhou Qingchen also turned to him with drowsy eyes.

    Slightly dizzy from the alcohol, Pang Jian nodded and softly affirmed, "Yes."

    "You opened up the four meridians in your arms soon after breaking through to the Meridian Opening. This proves one thing," Zhou Qingchen said with a hint of envy, "Your spiritual sea below your dantian isrger than that of other cultivators in the same cultivation realm.

    "Only those with a sufficiently broad spiritual sea and a far superior reserve of spiritual power can achieve such a feat! And yet, you still im to have poor cultivation talent!"

    When Zhou Qingchen recruited Pang Jian back in the stone pile, Pang Jian had told him that his cultivation talent was poor. He hadforted Pang Jian, saying that cultivation talent was not the sole indicator of a cultivator''s future, and advised him not to dwell too much on it.

    Han Duping shook his head and sighed. "If Pang Jian''s cultivation talent is poor, then the young generation of the seven major ns are all garbage. Even you, young Zhou, only opened up half a meridian when you entered the Meridian Opening Realm before your spiritual power was depleted.

    "Among the seven major ns, you have an outstanding, top-notch cultivation talent! Others like Ning Yao or He Ziren, couldn''t even open up a single meridian when they just advanced to the Meridian Opening Realm!"

    Han Duping and Zhou Qingchen had a warm rtionship, with Han Duping yfully calling him "young Zhou" all the time. Zhou Qingchen did not mind at all, smiling and joking along.

    Su Meng had been taking small sips of the liquor when she suddenly raised her head to stare nkly at Pang Jian. Based on Han Duping''s words, Luo Hongyan''s praise for Pang Jian seemed too conservative inparison.

    Luo Hongyan had said that only Pang Jian was qualified to challenge Dong Tianze in the same cultivation realm and that apart from Pang Jian, there were no others deemed worthy of doing so, including Zhou Qingchen.

    Su Meng''s n members had told her about Dong Tianze. When Dong Tianze reached the Meridian Opening Realm, the number of meridians he had opened up was significantly fewer than Pang Jian.

    "The spiritual sea often expands with every breakthrough into a higher realm. Pang Jian, your spiritual sea is already impressively vast considering your cultivation realm. As you reach even higher cultivation realms, it will only expand further!" Zhou Qingchen clicked his tongue in wonder. Although envious, he also could not resist boasting, "I didn''t misjudge you at all!"

    Pang Jian silently took another sip of his liquor.

    Four meridians had not been his limit. His spiritual sea had actually retained some spiritual power. However, he had stopped opening more meridians in order to swiftly destroy the soul array and conserve his strength for the subsequent battle with Dong Tianze.

    "I''ve heard that cultivation prodigies from the upper world, with the help of their mysterious cultivation methods, can also open up multiple meridians just after reaching the Meridian Opening Realm," Han Duping said dreamily, gazing at the pitch-ck sky. "The upper world I am referring to here is not the Third World."

    ***

    At the bottom of Central Lake Ind, a portion of one of the thick stone pirs'' base had been excavated, forming a small caverge enough for someone to take shelter in.

    The cave was located on the sole of the ck turtle''s foot.

    The severely wounded Dong Tianzey curled up in the cave. The eye-catching Celestial Phoenix Imprint shone brightly from between his brows.

    Gasping for air, he used the blood essence of the ck turtle to heal the wounds caused by the Dragonwood Spear.

    Dong Tianze''s incredibly tenacious vitality and astonishing self-healing abilities allowed him to slowly heal his wounds.

    However, his consciousness teetered on the blink of copse from the exhaustion caused by the Spirit Devils'' self-immtion.

    With his cultivation realm, he could not restore his extreme mental fatigue through cultivating and could only remedy it through deep and prolonged sleep.

    Dong Tianze eventually drifted into a deep slumber. Meanwhile, the Celestial Phoenix Imprint on his forehead continued to glow brightly in the dark cave.

    In his sleep, he sensed the presence of his master.

    His master had previously bestowed upon him a thread of power. He sensed that his master was far away in the upper world, observing him through a divine artifact.

    Dong Tianze''s mind trembled.

    As the essence of the Celestial Phoenix formed and fused into his heart, he underwent a rare and formidable tribtion.

    If he could not ovee this great tribtion, he would end up like Ouyang Duanhai, heart devoured by the essence of the Celestial Phoenix and turned into a mindless puppet.

    After enduring the great tribtion, the essence of the Celestial Phoenix moved from his heart to his sea of consciousness, merging with his soul to be an imprint.

    As the sacred imprint of the Celestial Phoenix formed, Dong Tianze let out a long sigh of relief. He now had a master.

    His master was a mysterious and omnipotent existence. Residing in the upper world, his master wielded an artifact capable of determining the life and death of the Divine Guards of the Celestial Phoenix.

    At this moment, his master used the artifact to observe him from the upper world.

    Enduring the pain in his body, he kneeled, bowing his head down in the small cave, hoping to show his master his sincere humility and devotion.

    He could sense his master''s vast, majestic aura and unparalleled dignity and understood that he had to continuously demonstrate his abilities and loyalty to garner even fleeting attention from his master.

    The reason for his existence was to one day answer his master''s call and protect him in the upper world.

    He had earned his master''s favor and received a thread of power to sustain his life because his master held a special affection for the spiritually barren and deste Solitary Mountain Range.

    <i>Previously, Dong Qianfeng, my foster father, saved my life. This time, it''s my master. </i>

    Unaware of the distortion inflicted upon his soul by the imprint of the Celestial Phoenix, Dong Tianze quietly reaffirmed his conviction. His thoughts were solely dedicated to how he could earn his master''s trust and win his favor in the days toe.

    In Dong Tianze''s heart, his master''s authority and glory surpassed everything, even his own life.

    Protecting their master was the lifelong goal of every Divine Guard.

    1. zhang(ÕÉ) is a traditional Chinese unit of length, equivalent to 10 feet or 3.3 meters. ?

 Chapter 57: Identity Exposed

    <h4>Chapter 57: Identity Exposed</h4>

    On the fifth floor of the Divine Spirit Pagoda in the dark and silent night, strands of Profound Yin energy continued to flow into Ning Yao''s sea of consciousness.

    Luo Hongyan hovered within her sea of consciousness, growing increasingly defined and radiant as time passed.

    Darkness nketed the outside, but the white pagoda emitted a faint glow from its bone-like walls.

    Luo Hongyan stared coldly at the staircase leading to the fifth floor, eyes narrowed. Soon, the figure of the intoxicated Pang Jian emerged, clutching a jar of liquor.

    Chuckling, the icy coldness vanished from her eyes and her demeanor eased.

    This was Pang Jian''s first time drinking alcohol, and he found himself unable to refine the liquor permeating his bloodstream. His mind was muddled and heavy.

    Luo Hongyan teased, "What happened? First time drinking?"

    Even from within the White Pagoda, Luo Hongyan could hear the voices of Pang Jian, Zhou Qingchen, and the others chatting and drinking around the bonfire.

    "Yes," Pang Jian replied, reeking of alcohol as he took a seat. He nced at the nearby Profound Yin stones and took another gulp of liquor. Suddenly, his gaze sharpened as he asked, "Why help me?''

    Luo Hongyan was startled. "What are you talking about?"

    Pang Jian answered coldly, "I''m asking you, why did you use the scarlet lotus and Spirit Devils to help me attack Dong Tianze?"

    Luo Hongyan''s smile faded and a yful glint flickered in her bright eyes. Casually picking up a Profound Yin stone, she asked coolly, "When did you figure it out?"

    Pang Jian''s face darkened. "I had my suspicions earlier on, but I couldn''t confirm them until now. What sealed it for me were the Profound Yin stones. I''ve cultivated with cracked Profound Yin stones before. I know what happens when the Profound Yin energy inside is drained."

    Pointing at the Profound Yin stone closest to Luo Hongyan, he coldly said, "These Profound Yin stones are visibly cracking. That''s a clear sign that the Profound Yin energy within them is nearly depleted. The true Ning Yao would never resort to Profound Yin stones for cultivation as it would bring her more harm than good.

    "That is, unless you are not Ning Yao!"

    Luo Hongyan said nothing.

    Pang Jian continued, "After I dove back into ckwater Pond, the Shadow Specter Sect''s Hong Tai vanished without a trace. Considering Ning Yao''s capabilities, she shouldn''t have been able to escape from Hong Tai. I should''ve known. You killed Hong Tai and took over Ning Yao''s body!"

    Luo Hongyan sighed in resignation and admitted, "I killed several of Zhou Qingchen''s subordinates using Spirit Devils in the stone pile. That''s why I didn''t reveal my identity. Inhabiting Ning Yao''s body was just a way to ensure that you would continue to lead us through the Solitary Mountain Range.

    "Pang Jian, I hope you know that I mean you no harm."

    Luo Hongyan''s eyebrows knitted, clear eyes brimming with sincerity as she sought to dispel Pang Jian''s hostility.

    Pang Jian frowned. "Why did you help me kill Dong Tianze?"

    When he recalled their seamless coordination, Pang Jian felt she would be a great asset if she became his battlepanion.

    The disappearance of the enchanting scarlet lotus, followed by the unexpected invasion of the Spirit Devil Luo Meng at the most opportune moment, had thoroughly disrupted Dong Tianze and left him unable to react.

    Luo Hongyan''s presence and cooperation enabled Pang Jian to capitalize on that fleeting opportunity. He patiently waited for Dong Tianze to exhaust himself by luring him into the Silver Silkworm Net before delivering a decisive blow.

    The reason he had urged Zhou Qingchen to descend the white pagoda and concede ownership of the Profound Yin stones was to thank Luo Hongyan for her assistance.

    Luo Hongyan had not shown any obvious malice so far. Thus, Pang Jian did not reveal her identity to Zhou Qingchen to avoid provoking his anger and reigniting their conflict.

    "I''m helping you because I want to eliminate ourmon threat," Luo Hongyan said, a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes.

    In her heart, she thought, <i>At least this guy recognizes my efforts. Unlike that blockhead Zhou Qingchen.</i>

    Outwardly, she continued, "You should understand that if I truly harbored ill intent toward you, not only would you have failed to harm Dong Tianze, but you would''ve lost your life at the bottom of that deep hole."

    After a brief silence, Pang Jian asked curiously, "Why did you join us?"

    "I don''t have a physical body," she exined. "Moving around in my ethereal form attracts too much attention. Most of the time, I have to remain concealed. Additionally, entities like me, whock a physical form, face immense threats from Dong Tianze''s Ghost''s Cry and the Sinister Soul Temple''s Divine Spirit Pagoda."

    Luo Hongyan approached with a graceful sway in her steps and stood before Pang Jian. Smiling, she said, "Pang Jian, I want to know why so many bones of the Celestial Phoenix have gathered and fallen here. I''ve chosen you as my partner, and I hope to unravel the secrets of this ce together with you."

    Pang Jian knitted his brows in contemtion.

    He questioned the truthfulness of Luo Hongyan''s words and suspected she had ulterior motives.

    "Pang Jian, if you''re willing to ept me, I''ll even offer you this body I inhabit..." With that, she boldly removed her dress, presenting her naked upper body to Pang Jian.

    The radiant glow from the white pagoda''s walls softly illuminated her snow-white skin, dazzling Pang Jian into lightheadedness.

    Softly chuckling, she stepped forward and removed Pang Jian''s shirt. Then, standing on her toes, she pressed her upper body against his, closing the gap between them.

    Pang Jian looked at her disinterestedly, devoid of previous distractions and restlessness.

    "I know you weren''t fond of Ning Yao before, but now I can make you like her by using her body," she said with a coy smile as she gazed at Pang Jian, her seductive face was very enticing.

    As she said this, a thread of divine sense from her ethereal form silently flew toward the bronze pendant on Pang Jian''s chest.

    This strand of divine sense wanted to explore the mysteries behind the bronze door. However, just as it was about toe into contact with the bronze pendant, intense heat red out, causing her strand of divine sense to vanish instantly.

    Pang Jian snorted coldly and shoved her away. "Scram!"

    Luo Hongyan fell among the shattered Profound Yin stones. Hastily regaining herposure, she pulled up her clothes and covered her porcin-like upper body. She lowered her head in disappointment and softly asked, "You don''t like it?"

    "No." With a stern expression on his face, Pang Jian pulled up his own shirt and said coldly, "Regardless of your true intentions, I suggest you leave sooner rather thanter. Don''t bother us again."

    Still seated on the floor, Luo Hongyan pondered deeply. She cast him an earnest look as she softly pleaded, "Pang Jian, somebody hurt me. This led to me losing my physical body and bing what I am now. I''m not as bad as you think. I hope you can give me a chance. Spend some time with me and see for yourself. I can prove I''m worthy of your trust and capable of being your ally."

    However, Pang Jian''s voice remained unfeeling as he replied, "I hope you''re gone by tomorrow morning."

    With that, he leaped out of one of the windows.

    "I won''t go!" Luo Hongyan screamed.

    ***

    At the bonfire, after Pang Jian left, Zhou Qingchen quietly asked Su Meng about the rtionship between Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan.

    Despite her grief, Su Meng mustered her strength and replied uncertainly, "It appears Sister Ning has strong affections for Brother Pang, but he seems dissatisfied with her. He''s been acting distant toward her."

    Zhou Qingchen pped his thigh in admiration and said, "Pang Jian really has his ways! Ning Yao has always looked down on everyone from the seven major ns, even disregarding her fiance, He Ziren. I heard she was nning to look for someone worthy in the Star River Alliance in the Third World, but Pang Jian seems to have won her affection."

    How long had they been separated?

    Ning Yao had previously acted cold and indifferent toward Pang Jian, but now unexpectedly harbored affection for him. Zhou Qingchen was beyond impressed and even considered seeking advice from Pang Jian.

    "Pang Jian has only just reached the first stage of the Meridian Opening Realm and opened up four of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians. He hasn''t delved into the Twelve Principal Meridians surrounding his organs." Han Duping coughed lightly. His tiny eyes gleamed mischievously as he chuckled, "In other words, he still can''t use his spiritual power to refine or expel the alcohol in his stomach."

    Perplexed, Zhou Qingchenmented casually, "Hmm, it''s his first time drinking. Although he holds his alcohol well, he''s probably quite drunk by now."

    Han Duping winked at Zhou Qingchen. Smiling ambiguously, he said, "He''s going to look for Ning Yao all tipsy and in the dead of night...I wonder what will happen between them?"

    "Oh!" Zhou Qingchen finally realized what Han Duping had been hinting at.

    At that moment, they saw Pang Jian leap out from a fifth-floor window andnd with a resounding thud.

    The strange materials used to construct the white pagoda glowed faintly in the darkness, illuminating Pang Jian''s figure as he stood at the base of the white pagoda. They saw him knit his brows as he adjusted his clothes.

    Zhou Qingchen was dumbstruck.

    Han Duping clicked his tongue in amazement.

    Su Meng appeared lost in thought.

    "What''re you all looking at?" Pang Jian asked, puzzled at their reactions.

    Han Duping chuckled mischievously. "Oh, nothing much. We''re all just surprised to see youe out of nowhere like that."

    Zhou Qingchen said nothing and merely grinned widely as he gave Pang Jian a thumbs-up.

    Worried that Pang Jian would not see his gesture from a distance, he even moved his raised thumb above the bonfire.

    Pang Jian was baffled. Shrugging it off, he casually found a patch of grass to sit down and continued sipping the liquor from his jar.

 Chapter 58: Pang Jians Decision

    <h4>Chapter 58: Pang Jian''s Decision</h4>

    Luo Hongyan stood by the window on the fifth floor of the Divine Spirit Pagoda, watching angrily as Pang Jian disappeared into the darkness.

    In Ning Yao''s sea of consciousness, the real Ning Yao was overwhelmed with grief and resentment. She red at Luo Hongyan and asked, "Are you trying to humiliate me to death?"

    Luo Hongyan''s lips curled in disdain. "Do you actually believe I was trying to humiliate you by allowing Pang Jian to make contact with your body?"

    "Weren''t you?" Ning Yao eximed indignantly.

    Luo Hongyan softly snorted, once again gathering the energy in the Profound Yin stones to refine her ethereal form.

    She impassively said, "You''ve lost your sense of touch. So, when I made skin contact with him, you felt nothing. However, I still granted you the ability to see through your own eyes. Therefore, you should already know that he opened up four meridians upon entering the Meridian Opening Realm.

    "Ning Yao, let me ask you this. When you entered the Meridian Opening Realm, how many meridians did you open?"

    Luo Hongyan''s eyes were filled with mockery.

    Ning Yao hesitated before responding, "I didn''t manage to open a single one."

    "So, why do you feel that I was humiliating you when I used your body to approach Pang Jian?" Luo Hongyan continued to pull on strands of Profound Yin energy as she brashly scorned Ning Yao. "Are you still clinging to the belief that being born into one of the seven major ns grants you a higher status than Pang Jian?"

    Ning Yao was stunned.

    "What a foolish woman. Even in the Third World, you''d be hard-pressed to find someone with Pang Jian''s level of cultivation talent." With a cold expression, Luo Hongyan shook her head and sarcastically remarked, "Just based on this fact alone, he has surpassed your Ning n''s lineage by several levels.

    "You still haven''t realized it, have you? You, Ning Yao, are the toad, while Pang Jian is the swan you should be admiring." [1]

    Those words seemed to deal a heavy blow to Ning Yao, enveloping her in a cloud of dismay.

    "Take some time to consider my words carefully. Stop living in your fantasies."

    ***

    The next morning, Pang Jian woke up from his drunken stupor slightly dizzy. He noticed that he had been lying in the ind''s bushes, covered by a fur nket.

    His bamboo basket and Dragonwood Spear rested on the grass beside him.

    He vaguely recalled that the nket belonged to the deceased He Rong.

    Confused, he guessed that Su Meng had seen him drunk and asleep, and brought a nket to keep him warm through the night.

    <i>She''s indeed a kind-hearted girl,</i> Pang Jian nodded silently to himself. Pushing aside the nket, he nced at the nearby bushes. Noticing the absence of dew, he realized it was veryte.

    Pang Jian had not expected the alcohol to hit him that hard and leave him in such a state of drunkenness.

    He silently reminded himself to drink in moderation in the future. If the evil woman fromst night had tried to attack him while he was drunk, or if he had encountered someone like Dong Tianze, he would not have known what hit him.

    After scanning the surroundings and finding no one in sight, Pang Jian climbed toward the summit of the small hill.

    On top of the small hill, he spotted the evil woman guiding Su Meng through the lush greenery, teaching her how to harvest the exotic nts.

    Su Meng nodded repeatedly, showing earnest dedication to her learning and asionally asking a question or two in a soft voice.

    "She''s still here!" Pang Jian snorted. He had not expected the evil woman to linger and continue masquerading as Ning Yao afterst night''s incident.

    Pang Jian could not urately gauge the true strength of the evil woman at the moment. However, seeing as she had not shown any immediate hostility, he decided to continue observing for now.

    Collecting his thoughts, he let his gaze wander and caught sight of Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping riding a bamboo raft toward the foot of the northern mountain.

    The pair were heading toward the mountain peak leading to the far north, seemingly determined to investigate the bizarre mist on the other side of the mountain.

    There were no new arrivals on Central Lake Ind, and Dong Tianze remained elusive, so Pang Jian settled down where he was.

    He retrieved some low-quality spirit stones from his bamboo basket. Using the dissipating spiritual qi on the ind and in the spirit stone, he started cultivating

    He could only open the four meridians in his legs with abundant spiritual power. After his battle with Dong Tianze, only one-fifth of his spiritual power remained within his spiritual sea.

    Pang Jian did not feel secure with that amount. He urgently wanted to replenish his spiritual sea as soon as possible.

    In the blink of an eye, it was evening once again.

    Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping emerged from the northern mountains. Their expressions were grave as they silently returned to the ind on a bamboo raft.

    Shortly after, Luo Hongyan and Su Meng also headed toward Pang Jian.

    Following their conversation the previous night, Pang Jian''s attitude toward Luo Hongyan was noticeably colder than before. In contrast, Luo Hongyan acted as if nothing had happened, chatting andughing with Su Meng along the way.

    However, Su Meng found it difficult to smile. Her attempts to mimic Luo Hongyan''s smile looked forced and strained.

    "You''re the most rxed among us, not having to do anything. Ah, the rest of us havebored all day, unwittingly passing the day in toil." Luo Hongyan wiped the nonexistent sweat from her forehead, putting on a show of fatigue as she pointed at a pile of spirit nts stacked next to the white pagoda. "The spirit nts He Rong harvested were of too low value. Even if we sold them, we wouldn''t have gotten many spirit stones in return.

    "What Su Meng and I harvested today are the most valuable of the spirit nts. We have Blood Cleansing Grass, Nine-Leaf Shattered Star Flower, and Thunderstrike Wood. With this, we should be able to exchange for a least a thousand spirit stones in the market in the Third World."

    After she finished speaking, Su Meng''s big eyes lit up.

    Pang Jian responded indifferently, "Oh."

    The one busy harvesting the spirit nts had been Su Meng. Meanwhile, Luo Hongyan had done nothing but bark instructions. And now, she was pretending to be tired.

    "I''ll take the Profound Yin stones. The rest of you can divide the spirit stones exchanged for these herbs among yourselves."

    Luo Hongyan, annoyed by Pang Jian''s attitude, rolled her eyes. Despite this, she added, "You contributed the most, so you should receive arger share. Later, when Zhou Qingchen arrives, I''ll talk to him and see how much more he can fit in his spatial bracelet."

    Pang Jian had a strange expression. After a moment of silence, he curiously asked, "Are those spiritual nts really worth a thousand spirit stones?"

    "Today it''s only a thousand because Su Meng is¡ªbecause we''re not yet proficient. But tomorrow, the amount of the spiritual nts we can harvest should be worth two thousand five hundred spirit stones," Luo Hongyan calmly exined.

    "You''ve worked hard," Pang Jian said, pointedly looking at Su Meng.

    Su Meng quickly replied, "It''s all thanks to Sister Ning''s excellent teaching."

    Momentster, Zhou Qingchen and Han Dupingnded the bamboo raft on the ind''s shore and headed up the small hill to look for the trio.

    Han Duping, typically known for his frivolity, wore an uncharacteristically solemn expression as he said, "We saw the bizarre mist. We didn''t dare to venture inside and only kept a vignt watch from a distance. The bizarre mist is anything but stagnant. It''s slowly creeping toward us. At this rate, it will cross the mountain peaks and engulf the entirety of ck Orchid Lake within ten days."

    Zhou Qingchen helplessly said, "I think we should leave the Solitary Mountain Range as soon as possible."

    Luo Hongyan knitted her brows and asked, "Will it really spread over here so quickly?"

    "More or less," Han Duping answered.

    "We''ve already explored the mysteries of the Solitary Mountain Range. It''s time for us to return and ry our findings to our respective ns," Zhou Qingchen said.

    "Young Master Zhou, if I walk out from the Solitary Mountain Range alive, I will go to the Zhou n to find you," Pang Jian softly said.

    Zhou Qingchen was so taken aback that he started anxiously pacing back and forth as he took in the meaning of Pang Jian''s words. "Pang Jian, do you really intend on exploring the bizarre mist?!"

    Pang Jian nodded.

    He had a lingering suspicion that the bizarre mist was where his father had disappeared. Countless tales from other cultivators had painted the bizarre mist as the biggest restricted area in this world.

    However, he resolved to take the risk to venture inside and see for himself.

    Zhou Qingchen red at him and asked in a low growl, "Pang Jian, are you even aware of the dangers involved?!"

    "I can imagine," Pang Jian answered.

    ''No, you can''t!" Zhou Qingchen violently shook his head. Taking a deep breath, he exined, "Ever since I can remember, every story I''ve heard about the bizarre mist has been filled with death, unknown terror, and mysterious disappearances. Forget cultivators like you and me, even cultivators with abilities hundreds or thousands of times greater than ours have perished within its depths!"

    Han Duping and Luo Hongyan said nothing, but their expressions were equally grave. They were clearly reluctant to broach the subject of the bizarre mist.

    Meanwhile, Su Meng stared nkly at the mountain peaks in the far north.

    Pang Jian remained silent.

    Looking at him, Luo Hongyan knew no one could dissuade him once he had made up his mind. She suggested, "How about this? We still have some time, so why don''t we all take this time to carefully consider the situation at hand?"

    "Zhou Qingchen. Su Meng and I have gathered some valuable spirit nts, but weck storage-type spirit artifacts. We need to borrow your spatial bracelet to store our harvests. We should also discuss how to distribute them among us. I want to make it clear that I won''t take any of the spiritual stones obtained from the sale of the spirit nts, but Pang Jian must have the lion''s share!"

    Last night, on the fifth floor of the white pagoda, she and Zhou Qingchen had argued over the ownership of the Profound Yin stones.

    This time, however, she took the initiative to fight for Pang Jian to ensure he would obtain thergest share.

    Zhou Qingchen sighed and nodded. He then turned to Pang Jian and said, "Please think over the matter of the bizarre mist again."

    Pang Jian looked at Luo Hongyan with a peculiar expression and nodded. "Okay."

    Over the next few days, Luo Hongyan continued to direct Su Meng in harvesting the spirit nts around the ind.

    Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping, on the other hand, wandered around ck Orchid Lake, asionally exploring the surrounding area in hopes of finding traces of Dong Tianze.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian used the spiritual stones he had on hand to tirelessly gather spiritual power.

    As time passed, the pure spiritual qi of the ind also showed signs of contamination.

    As everyone gathered one evening, Luo Hongyan said, "There used to be a barrier on the ind that restricted the departure of ghostly apparitions and purified spiritual qi. Now, with the death of the ck turtle and the departure of its beast soul, the barrier has also disappeared. With the barrier gone, the spiritual qi has be increasingly polluted and there are no more spirit nts worth collecting anymore."

    She and Su Meng had nothing else to do now.

    Han Duping suddenly screamed, "The bizarre mist has crossed the mountain peak!"

    Pang Jian turned to look at the north side of ck Orchid Lake. A hazy mist steadily crept over the closely clustered mountain peaks.

    1. In Chinese mythology, the toad (¸òó¡) and the swan (Ìì¶ì) are often used as symbols to represent different qualities or statuses. The toad is typically associated with lower status or unattractiveness, while the swan represents elegance, beauty, and higher status. This imagery is often used metaphorically to illustrate the stark contrast between two individuals or situations. ?

 Chapter 59: Sudden Appearance of the Bizarre Mist

    <h4>Chapter 59: Sudden Appearance of the Bizarre Mist</h4>

    The vast bizarre mist was like an ocean of smoke. It crept slowly over the mountain peaks and filled the expansive horizon.

    Under the veil of the bizarre mist, the towering mountain peaks appeared like mere molehills, swallowed by its haze.

    Although separated by hundreds of zhangs, as everyone looked at the thick, grayish mist, a sense of foreboding seeped into their souls.

    Under the spreading shroud of the bizarre mist, it felt as if all living beings were inexorably heading toward ruin.

    The bizarre mist steadily approached.

    Pang Jian''s eyes dted as he stared intently at it, witnessing this terrifying phenomenon that sent shivers down the spine of all living beings.

    "Pang Jian, I''m willing to apany you into the bizarre mist. If wee out alive, can you promise me one thing?" Luo Hongyan looked straight at Pang Jian''s sharply defined face, seemingly oblivious to Zhou Qingchen and the others present. She said softly, "The bizarre mist is terrifying but I''m willing to risk my life with you. You only need to promise me one thing!"

    Hearing her words, Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping could not help but stare nkly at her.

    Su Meng was even more shocked, her hand instinctively flying to cover her mouth to stifle a gasp. Her bright eyes shimmered as she stared in disbelief.

    Over the few days she followed Luo Hongyan to harvest spirit nts, Su Meng realized that Luo Hongyan''s perspective of the world and her knowledge about spirit nts had reached an exceptionally profound level. Few could match her in the Fourth World.

    It was not only Luo Hongyan''s knowledge of spirit nts but also her remarkable understanding of cultivation techniques and unique insights into the geography of the upper world that had earned Su Meng''s admiration.

    This also made her feel indignant on behalf of her Sister Ning.

    Despite Ning Yao''s sincerity and good intentions toward Pang Jian, he never responded or treated her well in return.

    "There''s no need for that," Pang Jian coldly refused.

    A tinge of bitterness crept onto Luo Hongyan''s face as she added, "I have some knowledge about the bizarre mist. Whatever your n is, I can help you."

    Pang Jian shook his head and said, "No!"

    Su Meng muttered softly, "Big Brother Pang, Sister Ning is actually very nice. She¡ª"

    "Shut your mouth!" Luo Hongyan interrupted with a cold snort.

    Su Meng lowered her head, heart full of grievances.

    Zhou Qingchen cleared his throat.

    "Ning Yao, to be honest, I used to look down on you. Your cultivation talent was average, and your aloof, arrogant demeanor made me view you as nothing special. However, your recent actions have earned my respect," he praised generously. "To boldly open up and gamble with your life to secure a promise from Pang Jian..."

    Zhou Qingchen gave Luo Hongyan a big thumbs-up.

    Meanwhile, Han Duping patted Pang Jin on the shoulder and winked. "Kid, you have some real skill. If I had half your skills, I would''ve already won over a woman like Shangguan Qin."

    He truly admired him.

    Han Duping recalled how an intoxicated Pang Jian had asked for a jar of liquor before entering the Divine Spirit Pagoda. Soon after, he leaped from the window, clothes disheveled.

    While intoxicated, he could have taken advantage of the youngdy, but still would notmit to her.

    After sobering up, he maintained his cold and indifferent demeanor. He left the youngdy with no choice but to stake her life in a daring gamble, demanding a promise from him publicly, only to be mercilessly rejected.

    In Han Duping''s mind, Pang Jian was a heartless man who discarded others once his appetite was sated.

    Despite that, the youngdy stubbornly refused to show any sign of anger or resentment, instead maintaining a remarkably humble demeanor.

    "I must confess, I''m thoroughly impressed." Han Duping shook his head with a newfound understanding that he should not rely solely on his seniority to assert superiority. Instead, he now strived to take a page from Pang Jian''s book and learn his methods of charming women.

    "The bizarre mist is approaching. If you guys don''t leave soon, it will engulf us all," Pang Jian warned, brows knitted.

    Pang Jian knew that the evil woman was inhabiting Ning Yao''s body. Pang Jian only hoped that she would depart shortly. He had no intention of venturing into the bizarre mist alongside her.

    Everyone was lost in thought when a horrifying scene unfolded before their eyes.

    The bizarre mist drifted over the clustered mountain peaks and closed in on ck Orchid Lake.

    The towering mountains suddenly crumbled like sand.

    There was no thunderous crash of mountains copsing. Each peak was ttened as solid rocks turned to fine powder, and trees were reduced to mere dust.

    It all happened in absolute silence.

    Pang Jian and the others stared in disbelief as the towering mountains disintegrated.

    A chill ran down everyone''s spine!

    The terrifying power of the encroaching bizarre mist had exceeded their realm ofprehension. They could not fathom a force that could so casually erase mountains thousands of zhang tall!

    And to erase them inplete silence!

    Pang Jian''s scalp tingled with fear. He now understood why his father forbade him from venturing to the northernmost region of the Solitary Mountain Range, and why he was not allowed toe into contact with the bizarre mist.

    The dangers of ckwater Pond, Central Lake Ind, and Insect Valley were nothingpared to the immense terror of the bizarre mist.

    "Pang Jian, I have always treated you as my brother, but I simply cannot risk my life for you!" Zhou Qingchen''s teeth ttered and his legs felt weak. Facing the terrifying bizarre mist was iparable to confronting Hong Tai of the Shadow Specter Sect. "Pang Jian, I implore you once more, don''t venture into the bizarre mist. Please, whatever you do, don''t go in!"

    "I''ll prepare the bamboo raft, we''re leaving immediately!" Han Duping was done with the idle chatter. Unwilling to spend any more time on Central Lake Ind, he warned, "If the bizarre mist continues to spread, the Solitary Mountain Range, and perhaps the entire Northern Qi, could vanish! If you don''t leave, you may very well be reduced to dust!"

    Pang Jian had initially nned to venture into the bizarre mist. However, after witnessing its terror, he hesitated.

    His eyes narrowed as he stared intently at the bizarre mist. It seemed impervious to any obstacles and steadily drew closer.

    He watched for movement in the bizarre mist.

    As long as there was a single living being, it meant there was a way to survive in the bizarre mist. Pang Jian could then proceed with his exploration with renewed determination.

    Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, his gaze could not prate the thick haze of the bizarre mist and he could not see what was happening inside it.

    The bizarre mist crossed over the ttened mountain peaks.

    The crumbled mountains vanished into the depths of the bizarre mist, bing a part of the eternal silence and destion within.

    The bizarre mist finally made contact with ck Orchid Lake.

    Solid ice stretched across ck Orchid Lake. It was as if the extremely cold energy from the bizarre mist had permeated the water and swiftly froze the entireke!

    "Old Han,e back!" Zhou Qingchen''s face instantly paled. Shocked by the horror of the bizarre mist, he shouted, "Don''t touch the bamboo raft!"

    Meanwhile, Han Duping had reached the northern shore of the ind, unaware that the ck Orchid Lake''s water was freezing over.

    "What''s wrong?" he called back.

    "Come back quickly!" Zhou Qingchen yelled anxiously.

    Han Duping had known Zhou Qingchen for a long time and rarely saw him in such a panic. Hearing the urgency in Zhou Qingchen''s voice, Han Duping unhesitatingly abandoned the bamboo raft and hastily headed back to the small hill.

    Looking down at ck Orchid Lake from the small hill, he finally understood the reason for Zhou Qingchen''s anxiety.

    In a short time, half of ck Orchid Lake, from the northernmost point where the bizarre mist approached up to the northern edge of Central Lake Ind, had frozen solidly from surface to floor!

    The bamboo raft Han Duping had intended to move was now frozen in solid ice. It was now stuck like a locust in an amber.

    If Han Duping had been standing on the bamboo raft and hade into contact with the unknown energy, he might have turned into an ice sculpture.

    The ck Orchid Lake continued to freeze at a weird yet rapid pace.

    Turning around, Pang Jian noticed the water south of the ind was also starting to freeze.

    "It''s toote," Pang Jian said, knitting his brows. It seemed that they could no longer escape. "I hope this ind will remain unaffected."

    Meanwhile, Luo Hongyan felt increasingly irritated by the bizarre mist and said, "If the extreme cold only affects theke water, we''ll be able to hold out on this ind for a while. The spread of the bizarre mist is actually quite slow. We still have time to figure out a way to escape."

    Everyone subconsciously nced down at the ind beneath their feet.

    "Moreover, not all living beings entering the bizarre mist will instantly turn to dust like those mountains," Luo Hongyan reassured. She calmly exined, "As far as I know, only those who attempt to reach the source of the bizarre mist, the boundary wall, will be obliterated."

    The bizarre mist originated from the boundary wall. The closer to the boundary wall, the thicker the bizarre mist became. Furthermore, the boundary wall encircles the entirety of the world.

    ording to Luo Hongyan, as long as they did not attempt to reach the boundary wall, they would not encounter the most terrifying aspect of the bizarre mist.

    The mysterious woman from the upper world took the initiative and said in a raised voice, "All of you, take out all your spirit stones. Purity doesn''t matter. The Sinister Soul Temple''s Divine Spirit Pagoda is our only hope to escape from this ind.

    "Pang Jian did not destroy the Ancient Cloud Thunder Array on the ground floor. He merely exhausted the spiritual power of the spirit jades. If we rece the spirit jades with spirit stones, we might have enough power to get off the ind."

    With that said, she led the way to the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    Su Meng did not hesitate to follow Luo Hongyan. She said, "Sister Ning, let me help you. Although they contain impurities, I still have a lot of spirit stones."

    "Hm, it could be of use."

    "Old Han!" Zhou Qingchen retrieved his spatial bracelet from his sleeve and gave it to Han Duping, "All of my spirit stones are inside. Take it to Ning Yao and monitor her closely!"

    "Alright!" Han Duping received the spatial bracelet from Han Duping and headed straight toward the Divine Spirit Pagoda, not daring to waste any time.

    Only Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen remained on the top of the small hill.

    As Zhou Qingchen watched the bizarre mist''s steady approach, nervousness rippled behind hisposed exterior. Eager for a distraction, Zhou Qingchen turned to Pang Jian and said, "Ning Yao isn''t that bad. Your standard is too high. Could it be that you have someone else in mind?"

    Pang Jian shook his head. "No."

    As they conversed, the entirety of ck Orchid Lake had frozen solid, transforming it into a massive, translucent crystal of ice.

    The frozenke glistened brightly and in stark contrast to the depressing terrain.

 Chapter 60: Ancient City from Three Thousand Years Ago

    <h4>Chapter 60: Ancient City from Three Thousand Years Ago</h4>

    Su Meng stood to the side as she watched Luo Hongyan dig out the depleted spirit jades that were embedded in the first floor of the Divine Spirit Pagoda. Luo Hongyan carefully sifted through the spirit stones she had ced beside her.

    This time, Luo Hongyan did not ask her to do anything and instead took matters into her own hands.

    Su Meng felt a pang of heartache.

    In her heart, Sister Ning was not only knowledgeable but also incredibly brave. Yet, she continued to endure humiliations at the hands of Pang Jian!

    <i>Not long before, it was here that the intoxicated Pang Jian... </i>

    Su Meng sighed softly to herself, then whispered, "Sister Ning, is it worth enduring such great humiliation for him?"

    Luo Hongyan used a unique method to embed the different quality spirit stones into the array.

    She did not raise her head as she replied, "It depends on the person. I can''t be bothered to spare a second nce at someone like Zhou Qingchen. However, Pang Jian is worth it. Someone as tough and cold as him needs some extra effort. He''s rejecting me now, but he might eventuallye around."

    Su Meng was surprised. "Is he that good?"

    Luo Hongyan chose not to acknowledge her question this time.

    Han Duping entered the Divine Spirit Pagoda with Zhou Qingchen''s storage bracelet in hand. Overhearing Luo Hongyan''s belittlement of Zhou Qingchen and her fixation on Pang Jian, he could not help but harbor a hint of reverence toward Pang Jian.

    "Ning Yao, you can use these spirit stones." Han Duping stacked the faintly glowing square spirit stones in front of him. "While they may not match the quality of those from the upper world, they''re still considered top-notch in the Fourth World."

    "Just leave it over there," Luo Hongyan said without lifting her head. Focusing intently on sorting through the spirit stones in her hands, she continued, "With spirit jades, the Divine Spirit Pagoda could fly us to the Third World. The pure spirit stones from the Third World can carry us through the Fourth World. Meanwhile, spirit stones with impurities can only take us out of the Solitary Mountain Range.

    "But we need to be fast. If we dy any longer, we might not be able to escape."

    "You''re adept at identifying spirit nts and now you''ve mastered arrays as well. The teachings from the Star River Alliance must have been truly extensive," Han Duping offhandedly remarked.

    After toiling for what seemed like ages, Luo Hongyan finally paused. She lifted her head to meet his gaze. With a wry smile, she said, "There are indeed others aside from the Star River Alliance who have imparted their knowledge to me. However, I''m afraid I can''t reveal who they are."

    Han Duping tried to probe her, brows knitted. "They must be remarkable individuals."

    As someone proficient in arrays himself, Han Duping observed her for a moment and quickly concluded that her method of filling the ground with those spirit stones was likely correct.

    However, back in the canyon, the Ning n had clearly been troubled by the Yin-Energy-Sealing array.

    <i>If she''s proficient in arrays, why didn''t she attempt to destroy it back then? </i>

    Han Duping was puzzled.

    ***

    At the top of the small hill, Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen stood side by side as they watched the bizarre mist''s imminent approach.

    Pang Jian broke the silence. "Young Master Zhou, when I climbed out from the deep hole, I mentioned that I had acquired the blood essence of the ck turtle. Why didn''t you ask me about it?"

    Taken aback, Zhou Qingchen asked. "Are you trying to test me with the ck turtle''s blood essence?"

    Pang Jian shook his head. "I thought you would offer me something to trade for it."

    Zhou Qingchen''s expression eased.

    After contemting for a moment, he exined earnestly, "While the blood essence of the ck turtle is indeed valuable and something I need, I can use other spiritual materials to cleanse my marrow once I join the Red Mountain Sect. It''s only a matter of time. We''re not in immediate danger, so it won''t hurt me to wait a while longer.

    "Pang Jian, do you recall our conversation at the stone pile? I said that cultivation talent wasn''t the only factor determining a cultivator''s future sess."

    Pang Jian nodded. "I remember."

    "Upon entering the Meridian Opening Realm, you opened four meridians. I''m well aware of the vastness of your spiritual sea, and your talent is one that even I envy." Zhou Qingchen chuckled. "When Iforted you back then, it was because I visited the Third World before and spent some time in the Red Mountain Sect.

    "In the Fourth World, I, Zhou Qingchen, am considered a cultivation genius. However, in the Red Mountain Range, I''m nothing special.

    "There are many sects simr to the Red Mountain Sect, such as the Radiant Sun Sect, the Star River Alliance, the Blood Moon Sect, and the Sinister Soul Temple. Many of my peers in the Third World far surpassed me.

    "Those words I said to you back then, someone once said to me as well. If I were to be narrow-mindedly envious of you because of your talent, then with so many talents above us, I would bepletely ovee with envy.

    "Rather thanpeting with others, what I want is to outdo myself, time and time again!"

    His words stirred Pang Jian''s heart. "No wonder Han Duping has such a good rtionship with you."

    Zhou Qingchenughed. "Haha, once we''ve experienced a few more life-and-death situations together, we''ll also be as close as brothers, no longer harboring suspicions or keeping guard against each other.

    "Once we leave the Solitary Mountain Range, you can choose whether to join my Zhou n or to go elsewhere. Don''t worry, I promise to rmend you to the Red Mountain Sect regardless! Of course, with your talent, not to mention the Red Mountain Sect, the other upper world sects will be eager to have you."

    Meanwhile, ck Orchid Lake hadpletely frozen through, transforming the ind''s surroundings into a world of ice.

    Suddenly, a brilliant light shone from theke next to the deep hole.

    Standing atop the small hill, Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen instantly caught sight of the radiant glow. Exchanging a knowing nce, they swiftly descended to the ind''s edge and leaned over to peer into theke.

    ck Orchid Lake was now a massive ice crystal, allowing them to see through to the bottom of theke.

    At the bottom of theke was a person encased in solid ice.

    The person was bare-chested and stood frozen by the ck turtle''s limb. A magnificent Celestial Phoenix Imprint gleamed on his forehead.

    The radiant glow of the Celestial Phoenix enveloped his body, allowing him to move his neck with difficulty despite being encased in ice.

    "Dong Tianze!" Both of them shouted in unison.

    They had not expected that the escaped Dong Tianze had been hiding at the bottom of theke this whole time. It was only due to the approaching bizarre mist and the freezing of ck Orchid Lake that he was forced to emerge.

    <i>Whoosh! </i>

    Beneath the ice, a mirage-like scene slowly appeared. Broad streets formed and ancient stone buildings rose from the ground.

    Before long, an ancient and majestic city emerged at the bottom of ck Orchid Lake!

    The ancient city stood in an Eight Trigrams formation[1]. It was unknown whether it was real or merely an illusion.

    The ind they were on was the center of this Eight Trigrams formation. Streets extended out from the center, lined with rows of stone buildings on both sides.

    Meanwhile, the frozen Dong Tianze had disappeared without a trace. It was as if he had been crushed by the city below.

    The entire city was built using white and cyan stone bricks. White bricks paved the streets while cyan bricks were used to construct the building. Everything was meticulously arranged.

    However, not a single figure roamed the wide streets of the city.

    The cyan-brick buildings were simrly lifeless. The entire city was engulfed in silence.

    The city had appeared out of nowhere and manifested before Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen''s eyes. The pair felt like they could no longer distinguish between reality and illusion.

    At this moment, Pang Jian noticed the bizarre mist had also ceased its advance.

    The appearance of the ancient city seemed to be connected to the halting of the bizarre mist.

    Zhou Qingchen was dumbfounded, rubbing his eyes in disbelief as he stared at the city below the icyke. He said, "I feel like I''ve heard of this city before, but I can''t seem to recall its origins at the moment!"

    "It''s not real. It can''t be. I''vee to ck Orchid Lake many times, and apart from this ind, I''ve explored every corner of theke. There''s no city at the bottom of theke!" Pang Jian said with absolute certainty.

    "Pang Jian, don''t be so sure. You''re unaware of the mysteries of the bizarre mist." Zhou Qingchen took a deep breath and continued, "The bizarre mist can create something out of nothing. It can also make such a city vanish into thin air at any moment!"

    Zhou Qingchen paused. He seemed to have recalled something.

    "I remember now, it''s called Eight Trigrams City! Eight Trigrams City disappeared three thousand years ago!" Zhou Qingchen pped his forehead as he eximed, "Pang Jian, this city is neither from the Fourth World nor the Third World!

    "I''ve been to the archives of the Red Mountain Sect. I''ve read about Eight Trigrams City from a scroll detailing the mysteries of the bizarre mist! Eight Trigrams City must have vanished from the Second World after being shrouded by the bizarre mist!"

    <i>Whoosh! </i>

    The white pagoda suddenly lit up as it floated slowly upward.

    Su Meng waved excitedly at the entrance of the white pagoda. "We did it! Big Brother Zhou, Big Brother Pang,e here! We can fly off this ind now!"

    Behind her, Han Duping grinned at Zhou Qingchen and said, "Heaven never cuts off all paths!"

    "Old Han! Eight Trigrams City, that had been lost for three thousand years, has appeared at the bottom of ck Orchid Lake!" Zhou Qingchen yelled loudly.

    Having stepped in front of Su Meng to jump down from the white pagoda, Han Duping nearly stumbled when he heard Zhou Qingchen''s words. He was dumbfounded. "Eight Trigrams City? The one from the Second World?"

    "Eight Trigrams City!?" Luo Hongyan''s surprised cry rang out from within the white pagoda. The white pagoda immediately floated toward Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen.

    1. Eight Trigrams formation (°ËØÔ) is an important concept in traditional Chinese culture, typically describing a symbolic systemposed of eight emblematic symbols representing various natural and philosophical concepts such as heaven, earth, yin and yang, the four seasons, and the five elements. It is usually represented by a series of eight trigrams arranged around a central point, forming a circr pattern. ?

 Chapter 61: Mirror Tunnel

    <h4>Chapter 61: Mirror Tunnel</h4>

    Beneath the crystal-clear ice of the now-frozenke, a magnificent city reappeared in the mortal world.

    Three thousand years flew by as swiftly as galloping steeds, carrying away every living soul from the city''s embrace and leaving the city to stand alone in the realm of the unknown.

    <i>An ancient city that had been lost for three thousand years!</i> Pang Jian''s heart trembled as he marveled at the city beneath theke. He could not fathom how such a city could have vanished.

    The city stood quietly at the bottom of theke, seemingly untouched by the passage of time. Its streets remained pristine as if the stone brick had been newlyid, and the walls gleamed without a speck of dust.

    <i>The cityes from the Second World, where it once stood tall amidst the sky. Why did it appear in ck Orchid Lake after three thousand years? </i>Pang Jian wondered. An abrupt realization struck him. <i>The bizarre mist! </i>

    Pang Jian''s eyes widened in astonishment as he shifted his gaze from the ancient city to the motionless, dense gray mist.

    <i>Did the bizarre mist bring forth the lost ancient city and project it onto the bottom of ck Orchid Lake? </i>

    "Everyone, don''t act recklessly!" Luo Hongyan''s voice could be heard from within the Divine Spirit Pagoda, which hovered unsteadily in the air.

    Pang Jian turned to see the white pagoda floating above his head. He was secretly amazed.

    He did not expect that she could actually repair the Divine Spirit Pagoda just with the spirit stones that everyone had on hand.

    <i>Swoosh!</i>

    The wobbling white pagoda slowly floated upward under the gaze of Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen.

    Luo Hongyan''s graceful figure could be seen from the window of the fifth floor of the white pagoda, peering down at ck Orchid Lake as her bright eyes gleamed in contemtion.

    As Pang Jian observed her, he noticed that her eyes seemed to shimmer with countless specks of light when she was lost in thought.

    Zhou Qingchen was still reeling from the shock of the long-lost ancient city''s appearance. He stared fixedly at the city and remained oblivious to Luo Hongyan''s presence.

    "The bizarre mist has stopped its advance and a long-lost ancient city has inexplicably appeared at the bottom of theke," Luo Hongyan muttered softly.

    She controlled the white pagoda to hover over theke to survey the city from different angles.

    The wobbling white pagoda became increasingly stable.

    All she needed to do at this point was lower the white pagoda to pick up Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen. They could then leave the strange ck Orchid Lake before the bizarre mist moved again.

    But she did not do that.

    After observing from the sky for a while, she directed the white pagoda to stop above the ind. Following Pang Jian''s previous example, she gracefully leaped out of the window andnded lightly in front of Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen.

    "Zhou Qingchen, how much do you know about Eight Trigrams City?" Luo Hongyan inquired.

    After contemting briefly, he answered, "I only know that it''s an ancient city that was once part of the Second World. It resided in a region near the boundary wall of the Second World. One day, the bizarre mist unexpectedly spread, and the entire city vanished without a trace.''"

    "I''ve never been to the Second World, so I''m not familiar with the details," he added sheepishly.

    Han Duping and Su Meng had also witnessed the magnificent city from within the white pagoda when it ascended into the sky. Both of them were equally astounded by the sight.

    "The bizarre mist shouldn''t advance while Eight Trigrams City is below theke," Luo Hongyan said. She pondered for a long while before reluctantly adding, "Someone once told me that when mirage-like phenomena like this appear near the bizarre mist, Mirror Tunnels will often form.

    "A Mirror Tunnel will form somewhere on the surface of ck Orchid Lake. Eight Trigrams City exists, but it''s not actually under theke beneath us. I don''t know where exactly it is, but what I do know is that the Mirror Tunnel should bring us to the real Eight Trigrams City."

    "Mirror Tunnel?"

    The unfamiliar term puzzled everyone. Even the experienced and knowledgeable Han Duping was unsure what it meant.

    Seeing the confusion on everyone''s faces, Luo Hongyan continued her exnation.

    "Yes. It''s called a Mirror Tunnel. When something like this urs, not only the Solitary Mountain Range, but also certain restricted areas in the Third World, and some peculiar regions in the Second World might form simr Mirror Tunnels.

    "These Mirror Tunnels will allow people to travel to Eight Trigrams City and explore the truth behind its disappearance. Once inside, one will face many uncertainties within the city and may encounter people from other worlds."

    Luo Hongyan''s expression turned serious. She felt unsettled and feared Pang Jian would insist on going to the city.

    "Eight Trigrams City holds profound mysteries within. You can consider the appearance of the Mirror Tunnel as a trial, but your opponents wille from different worlds," Luo Hongyan continued. Sighing, she added, "For those of you from the Fourth World, encountering people from the other two worlds might be..."

    She shook her head.

    Zhou Qingchen, Han Duping, and even Su Meng, all showed signs of curiosity. They were deeply intrigued by her words.

    Pang Jian went straight to the point and asked, "What cultivation realms are our opponents likely to be in?"

    "There''s an upper limit on the cultivation realm to enter the Mirror Tunnel. Since it also appeared in the Fourth World, the upper limit is the Marrow Cleansing Realm. You won''t encounter anyone with a cultivation realm over the Marrow Cleansing Realm," Luo Hongyan affirmed confidently.

    "The strongest won''t be above the Marrow Cleansing Realm?" Pang Jian took a deep breath, eyes lighting up in a fiery ze.

    Seeing his determined look, Luo Hongyan sighed. She knew that she probably would not be able to dissuade him now.

    Zhou Qingchen smiled wryly. "Pang Jian, the Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators from the Third World and Second World are on apletely different level from those in our world. Their cultivation methods, spirit artifacts, and even their resources are beyond our wildest imaginations."

    Pang Jian nodded. He understood what Zhou Qingchen was worrying about.

    ording to Zhou Qingchen, many geniuses in the Red Mountain Sect of the Third World had surpassed him. The Second World surely housed even more extraordinary talents.

    The Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators from the two worlds above, with their special cultivation techniques and the trials they had endured, were iparable to them.

    Encountering such characters in Eight Trigrams City would be far from a pleasant experience.

    Luo Hongyan reluctantly dered, "Pang Jian, if you want to go to Eight Trigrams City, I am willing to apany you."

    "What can we find in Eight Trigrams City?" Zhou Qingchen asked.

    "Something that Red Mountain Sect would never be able to give you," Luo Hongyan answered.

    Zhou Qingchen''s eyes lit up with curiosity, and he grinned. "I''m also in the Marrow Cleansing Realm. I''d like to enter Eight Trigrams City and take a look. If I miss this opportunity, who knows when I''ll have such an encounter again!"

    "I-" Su Meng timidly nced at Luo Hongyan and asked softly, "Sister Ning, if you''re going, could you...take me along too?"

    "You''re too weak. I should just use the Divine Spirit Pagoda to send you away from ck Orchid Lake," Luo Hongyan said coldly.

    "I want to avenge my father. Dong Tianze is too powerful. Without a fortuitous encounter, I will never be able to get revenge in my lifetime," Su Meng pleaded, her round face contorted with anguish.

    Zhou Qingchen abruptly shouted, "Dong Tianze briefly appeared at the bottom of theke. He might have gone to Eight Trigrams City! He seemed to have been hiding near one of the ck turtle''s limbs and was already at the bottom of theke when Eight Trigrams City emerged."

    Before Zhou Qingchen could finish describing Dong Tianze''s appearance, Pang Jian interjected, "I''ll enter Eight Trigrams City."

    Luo Hongyan''s eyes gleamed with a sense of helplessness. However, she did not bother to dissuade him and instead asked, "Su Meng, do you want me to send you away?"

    Su Meng frantically shook her head.

    "Fine." Luo Hongyan nodded. She then raised her hand and pointed at the white pagoda, "Pang Jian, on the lowest floor of the white pagoda are some spiritual stones that Iid out but did not use. Go and draw upon the spiritual power within them, and open up the four meridians connecting to the soles of your feet as quickly as you can.

    "While you do that, I''ll seek out the Mirror Tunnel on theke''s surface and find a way for us to reach Eight Trigrams City. Pang Jian is an integral part of our group. Does anyone object to him using those spirit stones to enhance his strength?"

    "I have no objections!" Su Meng hurriedly responded, not wanting Luo Hongyan to change her mind about allowing her to stay.

    An excited Zhou Qingchen shrugged and grinned. "I don''t think Eight Trigrams City willck spirit stones!"

    Luo Hongyan''s lips curled with a hint of mockery. She nced at him as though looking at a country bumpkin and said, "There are many legends about Eight Trigrams City of the Second World. All of them mention a plethora of cultivation materials."

    "Hurry up and go to the Divine Spirit Pagoda. Don''t waste everyone''s precious time!" Zhou Qingchen chuckled as he yfully shoved Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian headed toward the white pagoda.

    "All of you, get ready. I''ll go look for the entrance to Eight Trigrams City." Luo Hongyan moved gracefully away from the ind''s center. She did not step onto the crystallineke surface and wandered around the ind''s edge.

    "Young Zhou, let''s have a private chat," Han Duping said, pulling Zhou Qingchen aside as he deliberately avoided Su Meng.

    He quietly voiced his suspicions about "Ning Yao''s" sudden knowledge of spirit nts andplex arrays.

    "Yeah, I noticed something was off a while ago," Zhou Qingchen agreed with a nod. "It''s okay, we''ll just have to be careful. I just wonder how much of what she said about Eight Trigrams City is true."

    "We''ll only know once we''re in." Han Duping sighed with a solemn expression on his face. "Have you thought it through? How confident are you in facing off against those from the Third and Second World?"

    "I''m not that confident, but I still want to try. Eight Trigrams City isn''t hidden deep within the bizarre mist. What''s there to be afraid of?"

    "Alright then, this old man will apany you!"

    ***

    On the lowest floor of the white pagoda, Pang Jian nced around at the spirit stones and returned to the spot he had previously used to cultivate.

    When he entered the state of cultivation, all the distracting thoughts about Eight Trigrams City instantly left his mind.

    Strands of spiritual power, mixed with different impurities, flowed into his dantian to be purified and refined.

    Unlike before, the spiritual power this time was significantly inferior in purity and density.

    However, he understood that this was the best he could do with what he had.

    Even Luo Hongyan, with her resourcefulness, could not conjure something out of nothing. Getting the white pagoda back into the sky without the spirit jades was already quite the achievement.

    ***

    The deep darkness of night descended once again, and with it, a sense of foreboding.

    The frozen ck Orchid Lake shimmered brightly in the night of the Fourth World.

    The light came from the city beneath theke.

    Eight Trigrams City gleamed brightly beneath theke''s surface, illuminating the eerie atmosphere of ck Orchid Lake. Only the ind in the center was shrouded in darkness.

    Zhou Qingchen, Han Duping, and Su Meng observed the unusual scenes of Eight Trigrams City.

    Suddenly, they noticed tiny dots of light, like fireflies, appearing on the edges of Eight Trigrams City.

    These small dots of light moved through the dazzling streets of Eight Trigrams City, seemingly advancing toward its center.

    Some of these lights collided with each other as if engaged in fiercebat, and some of them were asionally extinguished.

    Zhou Qingchen raised an eyebrow and shouted, "People have already entered!"

    He realized that those dots of light were all cultivators like himself, possibly from the Third World or the Second World.

    The extinguished dots of light likely signified someone leaving Eight Trigrams City, or perhaps meeting their demise within its confines.

 Chapter 62: No Sense of Romance

    <h4>Chapter 62: No Sense of Romance</h4>

    Han Duping''s expression darkened, sensing the impending danger hidden within Eight Trigrams City. He knew that only peril and uncertainty woulde with entering the city.

    "Young Zhou, are you sure you don''t want to reconsider?" he asked.

    Zhou Qingchen shook his head. Turning to Su Meng, he kindly advised, "Why don''t you let Ning Yao escort you away at dawn?" This is your first time venturing out, and you haven''t experienced many bloody battles. I fear Eight Trigrams City may be too much for you to handle."

    When night descended, a myriad of glowing tiny dots appeared within Eight Trigrams City. The appearance of these dots inevitably came with many brutal shes.

    Each glowing dot represented a living being, a cultivator, like them.

    Moreover, most of them hailed from the Third World and the Second World, with far superior cultivation methods and spirit artifacts.

    Competing against geniuses from the upper two worlds greatly increased the possibility of them meeting their demise in Eight Trigrams City.

    "I will persuade Sister Ning to leave," Su Meng replied with her head bowed.

    Zhou Qingchen nodded and said, "Okay, that''s reassuring."

    ***

    Luo Hongyan sought out the trio after wandering the ind''s perimeter for the better part of the night.

    "I couldn''t find the entrance." She sighed.

    Han Duping was secretly relieved. "Didn''t you say you would be able to find it?"

    Luo Hongyan wore a look of helplessness on her face.

    "I''ve only heard of Mirror Tunnels and have never been through one myself. I thought my knowledge of arrays would help me find it, but it didn''t," she said, forcing a smile as she chuckled softly. "Perhaps not finding the entrance is a blessing for everyone."

    Luo Hongyan had also witnessed the tiny dots of lights and their skirmishes while she was searching for the Mirror Tunnel. Naturally, she also understood what the extinguishing of the lights represented.

    Su Meng''s hesitance to speak out and Han Duping''s relief that Luo Hongyan could not find the entrance was not lost on her. She knew that both of them were now having second thoughts.

    "Let''s wait until dawn to decide. If we can''t find the way in, we''ll just have to let this opportunity pass," Luo Hongyan said with a hint of resignation. She waved for Su Meng to follow her before turning to Zhou Qingchen. "Don''t try entering through ck Orchid Lake without a proper entrance. You might end up as an ice sculpture and I don''t know how long you''ll be sealed for."

    Zhou Qingchen replied with an indifferent, "Oh."

    As the night passed, the group continued to observe Eight Trigrams City from different parts of the ind.

    They watched as the tiny dots of light emerged and headed toward the center of the city, only to vanish one after the other.

    The sight left them heavy-hearted and dejected, and the idea of leaving the ind grew more and more appealing.

    ***

    The daylight of the Fourth World did not arrive with the new day.

    The bizarre mist hadpletely obscured the sky above ck Orchid Lake!

    It shrouded them like a canopy, and not even a hint of the sky could be seen through the dense mist.

    Everyone looked around in shock. The bizarre mist had engulfed everything apart from ck Orchid Lake!

    "Last night!" Han Duping shouted, his face pale.

    The bizarre mist, which they had assumed to be still and motionless, had stealthily advanced during the pitch-ck darkness of the previous night. Inexplicably though, it had spared ck Orchid Lake.

    At this point, the bizarre mist had surrounded them, trapping them on the ind. Even if they activated the Divine Spirit Pagoda now, it would only fly them into the bizarre mist.

    Where could they possibly flee to now?

    This had happened just as they had entertained the thought of leaving. They found themselves dumbfounded and at a loss, unsure of their next move.

    A hint of bitterness flickered in Luo Hongyan''s eyes. The movements of the mysterious bizarre mist were beyond her expectations.

    She hesitated for a moment before saying, "Until ck Orchid Lake returns to its original state, there''s nothing we can do. This might not be a bad thing. Others entering the Solitary Mountain Range won''t be able to reach ck Orchid Lake either, so we won''t be disturbed."

    "True. Anyone from the outside trying to explore ck Orchid Lake will find it engulfed by the bizarre mist and won''t venture further," Han Duping said.

    "After some time passes, the people from our n will probably think that both of us died in the Solitary Mountain Range." Zhou Qingchen grinned and shook his head. "Things just got interesting."

    "Let''s wait for Pang Jian. Perhaps he can find a way to enter Eight Trigrams City," Luo Hongyan suggested.

    Han Duping and Su Meng were taken aback. "Pang Jian?"

    A thoughtful look appeared in Zhou Qingchen''s eyes.

    ***

    The dim day passed in silence.

    With the bizarre mist obscuring the already dim daylight of the Fourth World, the day felt more like night.

    Only once the absolute darkness had set, and they could no longer even see the fingers on their hands, did they realize that night had truly descended.

    The bright light from ck Orchid Lake and Eight Trigrams City appeared dazzling and radiant in the dark. Thus, it was only on the edges of the ind that they could see each other''s faces without relying on torches or other sources of light.

    New dots of light appeared along the borders of Eight Trigrams City.

    New batches of cultivators had entered after night had fallen.

    "It seems that we have to enter at night," Han Duping said with a newfound understanding.

    ***

    That same night, Pang Jian finally came out of the white pagoda.

    He had stayed two nights and one day in it, utilizing the array on its ground floor to meticulously open up his other four meridians. He even depleted the spirit stones within his bamboo basket.

    His spiritual sea was now filled to a quarter of its capacity.

    Before stepping out of the white pagoda, he memorized the contents of the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art. Then, with a flick of a flint, he burned it, reducing it to ashes.

    The cultivation method recorded in the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art only epassed the first six realms, ending at the Spirit Condensation Realm.

    With the spirit stones depleted, his bamboo basket now only held the bamboo flute. Thus, he opted to leave it behind and only took the Dragonwood Spear.

    Stepping out of the white pagoda, Pang Jian realized that the night was darker than any he had ever seen before.

    <i>Why is the sky so dark? </i>

    It was so dark that he could not even make out the objects directly in front of the white pagoda.

    Gazing further into the distance, he saw a bright glowing from the surface of ck Orchid Lake.

    The absolute darkness of the ind at night only made the glowing of theke more prominent.

    "Pang Jian!" Luo Hongyan''s shout echoed from the top of the hill. She did not apany Zhou Qingchen and the others at the ind''s edge, instead opting to wait at the hill.

    Although the ind was engulfed in darkness, the faint glow of the white pagoda illuminated its surrounding area slightly. Therefore, she spotted Pang Jian the instant he emerged.

    At that moment, numerous threads of dark cyan light materialized.

    The ind was on the shell of the ck turtle, and these threads of light appeared in the space where the ck turtle''s head once was. Its head was magically brought to life as threads of dark cyan light interwove, sketching its outline into existence.

    It was a fusion of light and mysterious otherworldly power!

    "The entrance to Eight Trigrams City!" Luo Hongyan shouted, staring at the newly formed ck turtle''s head.

    Realization struck her. It appeared right after Pang Jian stepped out of the white pagoda. Shifting her gaze back to Pang Jian, she saw a fleeting glow emanating from his chest.

    Luo Hongyan''s heart quickened.

    Pang Jian felt his bronze pendant warm when he heard Luo Hongyan''s voice.

    "Ning Yao?" he called out, unable to see her figure. He had heard her soft call from nearby but could not pinpoint her exact location.

    The glow of the white pagoda faintly illuminated Pang Jian''s figure. However, Luo Hongyan stood at the top of the dark hill and could not be seen.

    "It''s me," Luo Hongyan responded, gathering herposure. She steadied her voice and said, "Come over here and find me."

    "Alright." Pang Jian headed toward her voice.

    Luo Hongyan once again shouted from the top of the hill, "Zhou Qingchen, Han Duping, head toward the dark cyan light! Pang Jian and I will regroup with you there!"

    The trio had originally intended to climb up the small hill but stopped upon hearing Luo Hongyan''s shout.

    Once they spotted the dark cyan light, Zhou Qingchen and the others hurried over.

    In the absolute darkness, Pang Jian listened to Luo Hongyan''s instructions to Zhou Qingchen while navigating in her direction.

    When he no longer heard Luo Hongyan''s voice, he cautiously asked, "Where are you?"

    Luo Hongyan did not respond.

    "Where are you?" Pang Jian raised his voice. Concerned that something might have happened to her, he hurried in her approximate direction.

    Suddenly, Pang Jian felt a delicate and cool body fall into his arms.

    A familiar figure tightly embraced him in the pitch-ck darkness before he could reach. "It''s me!"

    Pang Jian caught on and retorted, "I called out to you. Why didn''t you respond?"

    "I wanted you toe and find me."

    Luo Hongyan''s arms coiled around Pang Jian''s neck like a snake. Her breath smelled like lilies as she said, "You keep rejecting me. I want to see if your heart is truly made of stone!"

    She boldly leaned in to kiss Pang Jian.

    Neither she nor Pang Jian could see each other in the darkness. Her kiss brushed against Pang Jian''s nose, thennded on his cheek when he turned his head.

    In frustration, she pecked at Pang Jian''s face like a bird.

    "Scram!" Pang Jian pushed her away in irritation, and without waiting for her to get up, he left.

    "You jerk! You have no sense of romance at all!" Luo Hongyannded on her butt and vented her frustration with a string of curses. A strong sense of defeat filled her heart.

    One time, two times, three times.

    After being repeatedly rejected by Pang Jian, she could not help but doubt herself. She wondered if she had lost her charm.

    She had once been the center of attention. Her beauty was unparalleled, and her name was synonymous with allure. Countless outstanding men were willing to dive into scalding water and jump into raging fires just for her.

    How could she have fallen so far?

    In Ning Yao''s sea of consciousness, the real Ning Yao''s emotions sank from despair and resentment to utter numbness. Her body felt like it was drifting further and further away from her.

    She could not imagine what other despicable acts the evil woman would carry out if she continued to control her body.

    "It''s all because you''re ugly, isn''t it? There''s no way he would push me away if I could approach him with my true appearance and body." Luo Hongyan reasoned to herself. She ced the me on Ning Yao as she sneered, "You''re just an ugly girl with a childlike body, but you fooled yourself into thinking you were beautiful. Even offered up on a silver tter, nobody wants you!"

    Nearly driven insane by Luo Hongyan''s taunts, Ning Yao screamed, "I beg you, stop tormenting me! Just killed me already!"

 Chapter 63: Entering the City!

    <h4>Chapter 63: Entering the City!</h4>

    Beneath the inky-ck sky, the ck Orchid Lake gleamed with brilliant splendor.

    Eight Trigrams City stood out in this splendor as the most dazzling source of light.

    On the edge of the ind, Su Meng anxiously scanned behind Pang Jian as he emerged alone from the darkness, but she did not see the familiar figure she was expecting.

    "Where''s Sister Ning?" she asked.

    Su Meng had never experienced such intensely dark nights before and could not tell if hidden dangers lurked in the darkness. This caused her to worry for her "Sister Ning".

    "It''s dark at the top of the hill and she fell on the way here," Pang Jian responded callously. His gaze fell on the mysterious head of the ck turtle, a fusion between dark cyan light and eerie power.

    Zhou Qingchen was taken aback. "You didn''t help her up?"

    "She''s perfectly fine. Why should I help her?" Pang Jian asked, puzzled.

    "Uh..." Zhou Qingchen was at a loss for words.

    "Young Zhou, you should learn a thing or two from Little Brother Pang here. You can''t be too kind to a woman and always cater to her feelings!" Han Duping eximed. "If you had half of Pang Jian''s skill, Senior Sister Jiang Li from the Red Mountain Sect wouldn''t have¡ª"

    "Shut up!" Zhou Qingchen snapped, face flushed red.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian observed the ck turtle''s head on the frozenke''s surface, formed with threads of dark cyan light and a mysterious power. Surprised, he asked, "This is the entrance to the Mirror Tunnel?"

    "Yes, that''s what Ning Yao said." Han Duping nodded. "Based on my limited knowledge of arrays, it does seem to be the entrance to the Mirror Tunnel."

    Pang Jian wondered aloud, "Once we''ve entered, how do we find our way back?"

    "We''ll only know once we''re inside." Han Duping chuckled wryly.

    "Alright." Pang Jian did not press for details and instead turned to the trio beside him. "Are you all going to enter?"

    "Of course!" Zhou Qingchen dered.

    "If he insists on going, what can I do? I can only apany him." Han Duping drooped his head, resigned.

    "Alright." Pang Jian tightened his grip on the Dragonwood Spear. He prepared to leap onto theke''s surface where the ck turtle''s heady and lead the group.

    "You''re not going to wait for Sister Ning?" Su Meng shouted angrily.

    Pang Jian had been waiting a long time for this and did not bother to respond. He leaped into the air and descended toward the ck turtle''s head.

    As he descended the ck turtle''s head transformed.

    The ck turtle''s head tilted upward. Mysterious ripples swirled around its neck, expanding outward in concentric circles.

    At a nce, it looked likeyers of nes surrounded the ck turtle''s head.

    <i>Swoosh!</i>

    Pang Jiannded on the raised head of the ck turtle and vanished at the center of the rippling.

    "We should hurry up and follow him, lest we fall behind and get separated once we''re inside!" Zhou Qingchen said, acting swiftly. Having confirmed it was an essible passage, he leaped into it without hesitation.

    Han Duping promptly followed suit.

    In the blink of an eye, only Su Meng stood before the glowing, rippling ck turtle''s head.

    Everything was silent on the pitch-ck ind. Su Meng''s heart trembled as she timidly called into the darkness, "Sister Ning, they''ve all gone down. Are you still here?"

    "I''m here." The tired voice of Luo Hongyan, tinged with resentment, came from the darkness. Su Meng breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

    Before long, Luo Hongyan appeared and leisurely approached Su Meng.

    Luo Hongyan knitted her delicate brows. Her eyes gleamed with astonishment as she gazed toward the northern expanse of ck Orchid Lake.

    There was where the dense bizarre mist had first appeared.

    "Sister Ning, what are you looking at?" Su Meng whispered.

    She found it strange that Luo Hongyan did not look at the Mirror Tunnel on the ck turtle''s head but instead gazed toward the other end of theke.

    "I''m not looking at anything. I just feel like...something is watching us in the bizarre mist," Luo Hongyan said with an inexplicable sense of unease.

    The sensation sent shivers down her spine.

    She was previously apprehensive about entering Eight Trigrams City, but now she no longer hesitated. She grabbed Su Meng''s hand and the pair leaped toward the ck turtle''s head.

    They too vanished in an instant.

    Once no one was left on the ind, a figure slowly emerged from the dense bizarre mist, standing where Luo Hongyan had been staring earlier.

    This figure was a massive gray ape. It exuded a chilling and tyrannical aura, entuated by its piercing blue eyes.

    If Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen were still here, they would recognize this gray ape as the one Shangguan Qin had captured. The gray ape was ultimately released at Pang Jian''s earnest plea.

    However, its size had increased drasticallypared to when it bid farewell to Pang Jian.

    Resembling a gray hill, it emerged from the depths of the bizarre mist and strolled along the icyke''s surface.

    <i>Crack! Crack!</i>

    The gray ape approached the ck turtle''s head. Its broad feet cracked the thick ice with each stride, causingrge fissures to spread as it struggled to withstand the immense weight of the gray ape''s steps.

    However, as the gray ape walked past the fractures, the intense cold permeating the air would once again mend the shatteredyers of ice, restoring them to their original state.

    The gray ape seemed to have waited within the dark bizarre mist for a long time and only revealed itself once Pang Jian and the others disappeared into the Mirror Tunnel.

    Its once dense, gray fur had turned silver-gray, shimmering with an unusual gleam that resembled steel needles.

    The gray ape walked to the front of the ck turtle''s head beforeing to a halt.

    With its icy blue eyes, the gray ape gazed coldly at the entrance and the bustling Eight Trigrams City below.

    After a moment, it crouched down and sat on the frozenke.

    ***

    Elsewhere.

    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>

    Five figures fell to the ground, their heads dizzy upon impact.

    Zhou Qingchen rubbed his burning butt, fuming, "Why did we fall from the sky?"

    Before he could get his answer, Zhou Qingchen froze in disbelief.

    Before him was a massive city gate, constructed entirely from cyan stone bricks and towering at a dozen zhang high. It was a grand and imposing sight.

    "Eight Trigrams City! We''re in Eight Trigrams City!" Zhou Qingchen cried out in surprise. He then spotted Pang Jian, simrly standing before the massive city gate.

    Following Pang Jian''s gaze, he saw two eye-catching characters engraved above the city gate.

    North Gate.

    Luo Hongyan, arriving shortly after, approached with visible irritation. "Pang Jian, couldn''t you have waited for me?"

    Pang Jian acted as though he did not hear her.

    He stared at the two characters above the city gate and quietly activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    "The spiritual qi here is dense and pure, far surpassing that of Central Lake Ind," hemented.

    "Historically, Eight Trigrams City was situated in the Second World. It naturally boasts a denser spiritual qipared to the barrennds of the Fourth World," Han Duping said matter-of-factly.

    "But behind us..." Pang Jian turned around, facing away from the northern gate of Eight Trigrams City to gaze into the absolute darkness behind them.

    One by one, the others followed his lead. A look of astonishment reflected on their faces as they turned.

    An infinite expanse of darkness stretched out before them, enveloping the space surrounding Eight Trigrams City.

    The radiant glow emanating from the brightly lit Eight Trigrams City seemed to be desperately trying to prate the darkness beyond. However, the dazzling lights only lit up a range of about three zhang.

    Beyond that was endless darkness, without a glimmer of light in sight.

    With a solemn expression, Pang Jian said, "The aura in the depths of the darkness ispletely different from that of Eight Trigrams City!"

    Before the others arrived, he had already tried probing ahead. However, as soon as he entered the darkness, he hastily withdrew.

    The air in the darkness was filled with strange odors. The acrid and putrid stench permeated his system and quietly corroded his flesh and blood, leaving him antsy.

    When he activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, he discovered that the Spirit Cauldron in his mind was no longer dark green, but had transformed into a pure ck hue.

    It was so ck that the Spirit Cauldron seemed to emit an eerie glow!

    The energy he absorbed in the darkness was murky and filled with impurities. The spiritual qi was scarce to the point of almost being imperceptible.

    That brief moment of cultivating was enough for numerous impurities to appear in his dantian and spiritual sea.

    The cirction of his spiritual power instantly turned sluggish, and the whirlpool connecting his dantian and spiritual sea gradually stalled. Sensing that something was seriously amiss, he hastily retreated from the darkness.

    <i>Colorless, green, dark green, ck,</i> he pondered about the color of the Spirit Cauldron, eyebrows knitted. He eventually arrived at a conclusion.

    His Spirit Cauldron remained colorless if he absorbed the spiritual qi of heaven and earth during cultivation. This was true even with the extremely sparse spiritual qi of the Fourth World and its minor impurities.

    When he cultivated using pure, unblemished spirit stones and spirit jades to directly absorb the spiritual power into his spiritual sea, his Spirit Cauldron turned green.

    His Spirit Cauldron turned dark green when he cultivated with impure spirit stones from the Fourth World, special stones like the Profound Yin stones, or the corrosive energy within ckwater Pond.

    The more impurities it contained, the darker his Spirit Cauldron would be. Conversely, if the absorbed energy contained significantly more spiritual qi than impurities, the dark green hue of his Spirit Cauldron would lighten.

    Earlier, when he experimented with the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art in the darkness, his Spirit Cauldron unexpectedly turned a rare jet-ck hue.

    This was something he had never encountered before.

    Pang Jian described his experience to the others, "In the depths of darkness, there''s a very dense energy that''s apanied by a strong putrid stench. There seems to be some spiritual qi mixed in, but it''s barely noticeable and is hardly worth mentioning whenpared to the murky energy."

    Zhou Qingchen and Su Meng looked puzzled, while Han Duping and Luo Hongyan''s expressions subtly changed after hearing Pang Jian''s description.

    ¡°Pang Jian, don''t ever venture into the darkness again. Everyone, listen to me. Do not leave Eight Trigrams City, and do not attempt to explore the darkness!¡± Luo Hongyan eximed. She gestured for everyone to step back, urging them to retreat into Eight Trigrams City as soon as possible.

    "Listen to her!" Han Duping also shouted.

    Pang Jian looked at the two, puzzled. "What''s the story behind the darkness outside Eight Trigrams City?"

    Han Duping licked his lips and said with a strained tone, "I''m just specting, but it''s possible that outside Eight Trigrams City...is the Fifth World."

    "The Fifth World?!" Zhou Qingchen and Su Meng shouted in unison.

 Chapter 64: The Fifth World!

    <h4>Chapter 64: The Fifth World!</h4>

    <i>The Fifth World!</i>

    Pang Jian''s heart skipped a beat as he stared into the darkness. His expression became grave and solemn.

    "It''s entirely possible that it''s the Fifth World. Its harsh and peculiar environment is just as Pang Jian described!" Han Duping eximed, already stepping back and urging Zhou Qingchen to follow suit.

    Terrified, Su Meng darted toward the city gate like a frightened bird, fearing she woulde into contact with the endless darkness.

    Pang Jian quickly regained hisposure and once again sensed the abnormalities within his body.

    The energy had filled his dantian with impurities when he briefly activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art. Pang Jian felt as if he had returned to before he entered the Qi Refining Realm and was repeatedly cleansing the cotton-like entities.

    The impurities and foreign substances caused the cirction within his dantian to be sluggish and the flow of spiritual power in his meridians to stagnate.

    He could only rotate the whirlpool connecting his spiritual sea and dantian to purify and cleanse the impurities within.

    This, in turn, depleted his stored spiritual power.

    In other words, cultivating in the darkness would be counterproductive because the murky energy there far outweighed the spiritual qi, resulting in more harm than good when absorbed into his body.

    Pang Jiban instantly became vignt as he realized that attempting to absorb the spiritual qi in the darkness would deplete his strength.

    He also could not afford to inhale too much of the air in the darkness, as it seemed too harsh for his internal organs to handle.

    It was hard to imagine how any living creature could exist in such a harsh environment.

    Could the vanished Eight Trigrams City truly have ended up in the Fifth World three thousand years ago?

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A person appeared out of nowhere. They grumbled while rubbing their backside before standing up.

    The neer was around the same age as Su Meng, with a fairplexion and clear eyes. He looked like he had never suffered any hardships in life.

    He was quite tall and had a slightly pudgy build. The exquisite silk garments he wore were embroidered with pearls, giving him an air of elegance and luxury.

    The ne around his neck, silver bracelets on his arms, and gemstone rings on his fingers, all added to his extravagant appearance.

    As he rose to his feet, he sipped unknown liquid from a ss bottle he held in one hand. He looked at Pang Jian and the others in surprise. "Ah, Why are there people here? Where did all of youe from?"

    No one paid him any mind.

    They stood before the northern gate of Eight Trigrams City, gazing into the endless darkness. None of them had processed the situation quite yet.

    Like Pang Jian, they all had only one thought in their minds.

    <i>Why would Eight Trigrams City be in the Fifth World?</i>

    <i>Had they really gone from the Fourth World to the Fifth World using the Mirror Tunnel?</i>

    "Are you all mute or something? Whatever. I don''t have time for this. I''m going home. The Mirror Tunnel to get back is in the heart of the city, in the pool at the City Lord''s residence." Seeing no response from the group, the young man muttered to himself. He inserted a straw into the ss bottle, took a sip of the green juice inside, then turned to leave.

    "We should leave while we still can!" Han Duping shouted, pulling Zhou Qingchen toward the North Gate of Eight Trigrams City. He dared not linger near the gate any longer. "Don''t explore the unknown darkness. We must hurry to the center of the city and use the Mirror Tunnel to return to ck Orchid Lake!"

    At that moment, he finally understood why the dots of light all rushed toward the center of the city.

    They were actually anxious to return via the Mirror Tunnel there!

    Eight Trigrams City, located in an unknown region in the Fifth World, shone prominently in the darkness. Who knew what strange creature it might attract or what they would face if they did not leave this eerie ce soon?

    Turning around, Luo Hongyan nced at the young man and his luxurious essories. Her bright eyes lit up.

    <i>Spatial rings.</i>

    Luo Hongyan softly called out, "Please wait!"

    To Luo Hongyan, the young man seemed like an easy target. The young man turned around nkly and asked, "What? Are you nning to rob me?"

    Luo Hongyan sneered, "That''s right."

    "Bring it on! I knew this wasing. Those old things at home tricked me intoing here just so I could face this trial. They had ill intentions when they named me Li Jie[1] back then!"

    The young man introduced himself without prompting. With a reed straw dangling from his mouth and a ss bottle containing green fruit juice in one hand, he struck a pose, as if preparing for battle.

    "You think you can bully me just because my cultivation level is low and I''m alone? Come on, I''m not afraid of you!" he yelled, voiceced with bravado and trepidation.

    Everyone present was dumbfounded.

    The neer decked out in glittering jewels and finery, seemed to be unting himself as a prime target.

    Prepared to be robbed, he clenched fists and took a stance that showed he was ready for a fight. However, not a hint of spiritual power rippled from him.

    Was he merely in the Qi Refining Realm?

    With his cultivation at the Qi Refining Realm, he boldly entered Eight Trigrams City in such a mboyant manner. Was he seeking death?

    Zhou Qingchen chuckled at his antics. "We''re not going to rob you."

    The young man named Li Jie pointed at Luo Hongyan and Han Duping as he sneered, "She and that fat man over there clearly want to rob me! It''s obvious. Those two are up to no good. They''re eyeing my spatial rings and my spirit artifacts!"

    "Well, you''re not wrong about that." Han Duping smirked. Then, turning to Zhou Qingchen, he suggested, "Young Zhou, this guy''s loaded with treasures, not to mention the spatial rings. If we don''t rob him, someone else will. Why don''t we just rob him without killing him?"

    "Why would we rob him for no reason?" Zhou Qingchen looked at Han Duping in disdain, then turned to Li Jie and said, "I have some questions for you."

    "You''re really not going to rob me?" Li Jie looked surprised. He seemed unsettled by the idea.

    Zhou Qingchen shook his head. "No, we won''t."

    "If you''re not going to rob me, I''ll be on my way." With a chuckle, he wasted no time waiting for Zhou Qingchen''s reply. Under the watchful gaze of everyone present, he entered Eight Trigrams City through its North Gate.

    He sped along a wide street, heading directly toward the center of the city at an astonishing speed.

    His boot lit up with many intricate patterns, seemingly enhancing his speed.

    "That guy decked himself out in treasures and is deliberately unting it. I reckon he''s intentionally seeking death bying to Eight Trigrams City." Han Duping shook his head, casting a regretful nce at Li Jie as he departed with the aid of his boots. He secretly med Zhou Qingchen for being too soft-hearted.

    Sensing Li Jie''s low cultivation realm, Luo Hongyan''s murderous intent surged. She wanted to catch up and seize what he had.

    Turning around, she found Pang Jian remained unmoved and reluctantly gave up on the idea.

    As Li Jie dashed through the city streets, two figures abruptly leaped out from the towering stone buildings on both sides, one from the left and the other from the right. They headed straight for him!

    The two figures seemed to have been lurking in the buildings along the entrance, waiting to ambush new arrivals!

    A dark red bloody glow surrounded one of them. The other seemed to conjure a zing sun in his palm as he struck out his hand.

    "The Blood Moon Sect!"

    "It''s the Radiant Sun Sect!"

    Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping shouted simultaneously.

    The lurking assants were both in the Meridian Opening Realm, evidenced by the spiritual power flowing through their palms and bodies!

    "I told you we should''ve been the ones to rob him!" Han Dupingmented, stomping his foot in regret. "At least, we wouldn''t have killed him."

    He had barely finished speaking these words when...

    <i>Boom! Boom!</i>

    Just as the two assants were about to reach the young man, their bodies unexpectedly exploded in mid-air. Their flesh and limbs burst into shreds and the pair were undoubtedly dead.

    Meanwhile, Li Jie continued to dash forward, seemingly oblivious.

    Chunks of flesh and bone rained down with a bloody mist.

    As Han Duping watched this sequence of events unfold, his mouth gaped, but no sound came out.

    Luo Hongyan was also silent.

    "Old Han, don''t be so impulsive in the future. Greed will kill you." Zhou Qingchen sighed. His words were directed not only at Han Duping but also at Luo Hongyan.

    No one had expected the deceptively harmless little sheep to actually be quite fearsome.

    Relying solely on some unknown spirit artifacts, he had dealt with the two higher-realm cultivators in the blink of an eye.

    "Let''s enter the city," Luo Hongyan said, turning to the silent Pang Jian. "You''re not nning to just stay at the city gate, right?"

    Pang Jian shook his head.

    The formidable power of the spirit artifact had also surprised him. He realized for the first time the immense power that powerful spirit artifacts could unleash.

    Luo Hongyan walked toward the scattered remains of the two cultivators. As she walked, she said offhandedly, "I seem to remember that you''re stillcking an offensive spirit art. The methods you use to condense spiritual qi and advance your cultivation realm aren''t suitable forbat.

    "It was fine when you were in the Qi Refining Realm, but now that you''re in the Meridian Opening Realm, not having abat-oriented technique could put you at a disadvantage."

    Hearing her words, Pang Jian recalled all her attempts to please him since they met.

    At that time, Su Yuntian and He Rong were still alive. On their way to ck Orchid Lake, they often sat around the bonfire to eat.

    At some point, he mentioned that he only possessed cultivation techniques andckedbat techniques.

    Luo Hongyan had unexpectedly remembered that even after such a long time.

    "She''s really good to you. Sometimes I feel like you treat her too coldly." Zhou Qingchen sighed in envy. If his esteemed Senior Sister Jiang Li treated him even a quarter as well as Luo Hongyan treated Pang Jian, he would not have resorted to drinking to drown his sorrows.

    The jars of liquor he stocked in his spatial bracelet were there precisely for those moments of mncholy. It was why he always had a vast stock on hand.

    "Sister Ning is the most capable woman I''ve ever met!" Su Meng summoned her courage and shot Pang Jian a fierce re. She then chased after Luo Hongyan.

    Luo Hongyan stood among the scattered remains and used a blood-stained fragment of bone to rummage around. She then lifted a fish skin pouch stained red with blood. "Hey, a spatial pouch. Not bad."

    Waving the spatial pouch at Pang Jian, she said, "This item can store objects. While it may not be as impressive as Zhou Qingchen''s spatial bracelet, it''s still quite useful. You can have it."

    Luo Hongyan did not wait for Pang Jian to approach before taking the initiative to allocate the item to him.

    Han Duping had opened his mouth, intending to ask for it, only to abruptly shut it as he wore an awkward smile when Zhou Qingchen unexpectedly agreed as well.

    Zhou Qingchen nodded and said to Pang Jian, "Spirit artifacts that can be used for storage are divided into spatial pouches, spatial bracelets, and spatial rings. Spatial pouches have the lowest value and have the smallest storage space."

    "However, you shouldn''t underestimate them. The space inside is still two to three timesrger than the bamboo basket you often carry on your back."

    Pang Jian''s eyes lit up.

    "Pang Jian, aren''t you going to take it? It''s stained with blood, but you''ll have to clean it yourself. I''m not wiping it for you. Also, there''s an offensive spirit art inside that suits you."

    Using the blood-stained bone fragment, Luo Hongyan poked at the spatial pouch and extracted a small booklet from within.

    Pang Jian no longer hesitated.

    "Wait, be careful!" Zhou Qingchen suddenly shouted.

    Tightening his grip on the Dragonwood Spear, Pang Jian immediately shifted his attention to the area further down the wide street.

    Seven figures appeared from both sides of the street that the treasuredenmb had previously traversed.

    The seven individuals seemed to have waited for quite some time in the cyan stone buildings and only dared to reveal themselves once the fatmb had moved far away.

    "The Star River Alliance!"

    1. His name, Àî½Ù, has the same pronunciation as facing tribtion (Àú½Ù) ?

 Chapter 65: Seven Paupers

    <h4>Chapter 65: Seven Paupers</h4>

    Han Duping narrowed his eyes as he noticed the constetions of small stars embellishing the robes of the neers.

    "Young Zhou, they probably intend to rob the new arrivals, just like the two from the Blood Moon Sect and the Radiant Sun Sect." Han Duping chuckled coldly. The cautious demeanor of the seven individuals had given away their intentions. He said with a sneer, "They''re only holding back because those two met such a miserable end."

    Zhou Qingchen grinned. "Seems like it."

    Pang Jian knitted his brows as he stared at the spatial pouch Luo Hongyan had lifted with a bone fragment.

    After learning of its marvelous properties, he strongly desired to have it. However, with the appearance of the seven members of the Star River Alliance, he was concerned that he would not be able to im the spatial pouch for himself.

    "Fortunately, they''re all quite old. Those are cultivators that have never aplished anything significant in their lives," Han Duping remarked as he scrutinized the neers. He noticed that the leader, with his clean, fairplexion, carried himself with the demeanor of a gentle schr.

    But he looked to be around thirty years old.

    The other six people behind him, both men and women, were also in theirte twenties. They wore the robes of the Star River Alliance but had no valuable essories on them.

    "A bunch of paupers." Han Duping shrugged, looking visibly relieved. He chuckled lightly as he exined to Pang Jian, There''s no need to worry too much about older cultivators from the Third World. The fact that they are in Eight Trigrams City means their cultivation level is simr to ours and have at most only reached the Marrow Cleansing Realm."

    He shook his head disdainfully and said, "They''re insignificant in the Third World and probably don''t have any formidable spirit artifacts."

    As Han Duping said, when the seven individuals noticed that, apart from Han Duping, the rest were only fifteen or sixteen years old, they became even more cautious than Pang Jian''s group.

    The leader of the seven smiled warmly as he introduced himself from a distance, "Greetings, everyone. My name is Jian Yaoyang. I''m from the Star River Alliance of the Third World. While exploring a restricted area in search of the remains of the Celestial Phoenix, we stumbled upon a Mirror Tunnel and found ourselves here in this city. We have no intention of offending anyone here."

    The leader paused and stared at Luo Hongyan, His hands, concealed within his sleeves, seemed to clutch something.

    <i>The Star River Alliance...</i> Luo Hongyan sneered inwardly. The original owner of this body, Ning Yao, had also been on track to join the Star River Alliance for cultivation.

    Whenever individuals with exceptional talents appeared among their n members, the Ning n and the He n of the Fourth World would send them to join the Star River Alliance.

    Her beautiful face bore an air of indifference as she calmly replied, "I am Ning Yao of the Ning n from the Fourth World."

    Behind Jian Yaoyang, a woman in herte twenties eximed, "Ning Yao, I''ve heard of you! My master is Han Huiying. She intends to ept you as her direct disciple when you join the Star River Alliance."

    This woman was named Qiu Li. Qiu Li had an ordinary appearance and her words wereced with jealousy.

    "The Ning n from the Fourth World?"

    "I was so scared! I thought she was like the previous lunatic and came from the upper world."

    "Thankfully, that isn''t the case."

    The seven individuals breathed a collective sigh of relief. Their tense nerves eased as they quickened their pace considerably.

    Jian Yaoyang''s expression softened into a warm smile as he approached the blood pool. "What a surprise, Junior Sister Ning! We all hail from the Star River Alliance. You''ll join the Star River Alliance sooner orter, so we''re all family here."

    Luo Hongyan''s figure and beauty far outshone Qiu Li''s. Seeing this, Jian Yaoyang''s smile became warmer. "Junior Sister Ning, this city is eerie and strange. It would be better if we stick together as we navigate it."

    While exchanging pleasantries with Luo Hongyan, Jian Yaoyang saw Pang Jian approaching with his Dragonwood Spear. Pang Jian unceremoniously picked up the fishskin pouch and the blood-stained booklet that Luo Hongyan had found earlier.

    Jian Yaoyang and the six individuals behind him were unsure who Pang Jian was. When they realized what was happening, Pang Jian had already picked up the items off the ground.

    "Hm, who''s this?"

    "He''s with us," Zhou Qingchen said, arriving shortly after to stand beside Pang Jian. He cast a sidelong nce at the seven individuals and grinned. "I''m Zhou Qingchen, hailing from the Zhou n in the Fourth World. I have made quite a name for myself at the Red Mountain Sect."

    ¡°The Zhou Qingchen from the lower world!¡± Surprises shed in their eyes. It seemed most of them had heard of him before.

    With an arrogant demeanor, Zhou Qingchen said, "What''s the matter? Did the fatmb from before frighten you so badly you didn''t dare to act after that?"

    Jian Yaoyang looked genuinely surprised and pretended to be puzzled. "What fatmb are you talking about? The seven of us were scattered around, searching for valuable materials in the buildings on both sides. We didn''t notice anyone passing by."

    "Is that so?" Zhou Qingchen smirked.

    Jian Yaoyang remainedposed, but the rest were faintly embarrassed and avoided Zhou Qingchen''s gaze in guilt.

    Zhou Qingchen did notment on theirck of response. He could not be bothered to beat around the bush with them and impatiently said, "That''s alright, we''re not interested in teaming up with you. Let''s just go our separate ways. Ning Yao, are you going with them or with us?"

    Luo Hongyan responded disinterestedly, "I will only go with Pang Jian."

    "Haha, we''re on the same path then." Zhou Qingchen chuckled, disregarding the surprised expressions of the seven individuals. " Eight Trigrams City has eight roads leading to the city center. This is just one of them. If you guys don''t want to take the same path as us, you''re free to choose another one."

    With that said, Zhou Qingchen grabbed Pang Jian and walked away.

    Luo Hongyan and the others did not linger either. They all walked past the seven individuals and headed toward the center of Eight Trigrams City.

    Once Pang Jian and the others left, the seven members of the Star River Alliance rummaged through the remains of the two dead cultivators.

    "Senior Brother Jian, we couldn''t find anything worthwhile."

    "It seems Junior Sister Ning got to the valuable items before us. We''re toote."

    The group was disappointed.

    "Let''s find a ce to rest. It''s not safe to linger on the streets for too long," Jian Yaoyang suggested calmly.

    Not long after, they sought an empty tavern they had explored earlier to settle down.

    "Senior Brother Jian, what''s the n?" asked Lin Quanshan. His gaunt cheeks and slightly sinister visage gave him an intimidating appearance.

    "I''ve observed them carefully. Only Zhou Qingchen has reached the Marrow Cleansing Realm. The rest are all at the Meridian Opening Realm," Jian Yaoyang replied with a hint of helplessness. Maintaining his pleasant demeanor, he continued, ¡°But have you considered the consequences?¡±

    The other six fell into silence.

    "Zhou Qingchen is different from us. He''s a key figure in the Red Mountain Sect. If we were to make a move against him and fail, encountering him in the Third World afterward would be quite troublesome.

    "More importantly, Ning Yao is also a member of our Star River Alliance. How could we do this?" Jian Yaoyang rubbed his temples in frustration.

    Qiu Li lowered her head and whispered, "Senior Brother Jian, you and Ie from ordinary families in the Third World. We''re not like Ning Yao. Although she''s from the lower world, the previous generations of the Ning n have established a strong foundation in the Star River Alliance.

    "She has better talent than me, and my master has already prepared a weing gift for her. Once she arrives at the Star River Alliance, she will undergo the bone forging, marrow cleansing process."

    Qiu Li wore a bitter yet helpless expression on her face. "I''ve been in the Meridian Opening Realm for nine years, and my master has never indicated that she would prepare marrow-cleansing spiritual materials for me. She told me to gather them myself, but I''ve been trying for so many years and still haven''t gathered enough!"

    The other five individuals also appeared disheartened.

    In the group, only Jian Yaoyang had reached the Marrow Cleansing Realm. The others were all in the Meridian Opening Realm.

    In their eyes, this trip to Eight Trigrams City was their only chance to umte enough wealth to exchange for marrow-cleansing materials when they left.

    Lin Quanshan noticed his hesitation and added, "Senior Brother Jian, Ning Yao hasn''t officially joined us yet, so she doesn''t really count as a member of our Star River Alliance. She also chose to apany Zhou Qingchen instead of us."

    Jian Yaoyang continued to shake his head in indecision.

    "Senior Brother Jian, your master has passed away, and you don''t have any strong backing in the Star River Alliance. Opportunities like entering a mysterious realm through a Mirror Tunnel don''te by often in our lifetime. If we don''t seize this opportunity, we might regret it for the rest of our lives," Qiu Li persuaded.

    Jian Yaoyang only sighed in response.

    As their senior brother and the only one in the Marrow Cleansing Realm, the final decision rested in Jian Yaoyang''s hands. No one dared to act rashly until he made up his mind.

    "Senior Brother, I know that you like young girls. Ning Yao meets all your requirements. Furthermore, she''s the Ning n''s young mistress. How about we let you have your way with her before she dies?" the youngest woman in their group said through gritted teeth.

    The others fell silent at her words, too apprehensive to gauge Jian Yaoyang''s reaction.

    They were all aware their youngest junior sister was using her body to curry favor with Jian Yaoyang and gain the chance to team up with everyone.

    Jian Yaoyang shot her a cold re, eyes shing with killing intent. He snorted disdainfully. "You all forced my hand! If this matter leaks out and any of them survive, none of us will have a foothold in the Third World. We''ll be forced to join the Shadow Specter Sect in the lower world."

    "We understand!" The others shouted in unison, murderous intent palpable.

    ***

    Further up the street, Han Duping shook his head and chuckled with disdain. "The seven paupers wanted to team up with us. They''re all pushing thirty, but they''re all still in the Meridian Opening Realm. Their leader looks older than me, but he''s only in the Marrow Cleansing Realm!"

    Han Duping did not consider the seven individuals worthy of his attention.

    "Young Zhou, when will you finish gathering the materials for my bone forging and marrow cleansing?" he questioned angrily.

    "Soon. It''s almost done," Zhou Qingchen replied nervously, offering some empty reassurances, "Don''t worry, once I go to the Red Mountain Sect, I''ll gather everything as quickly as possible for you. You know how difficult it is to acquire quality bone forging and marrow cleansing materials in the Fourth World."

    "I''ve already passed thirty, I can''t wait that long," Han Duping said despondently.

    "Old Han, count on me! You have my word!" Zhou Qingchen promised, pping his chest confidently.

    At this moment, Pang Jian halted his steps.

    On one side of the wide street, under the eaves of a stone building, he spotted a water tank containing some clear water.

    Retrieving the palm-sized fish-skin pouch, made from a material simr to the handle of Dong Tianze''s Ghost''s Cry, Pang Jian cleaned it with the water.

    Once clean, he reached inside.

    His eyes lit up in excitement.

    It was as Luo Hongyan had said. Although the spatial pouch appeared norger than his palm, its holding capacity exceeded his expectations. It was easily equivalent to four of the bamboo baskets he normally carried.

    The spatial pouch proved incredibly portable. It could be attached to his waist or discreetly concealed within his clothing. Its convenience far surpassed the bamboo baskets, offering unmatched ease of use.

    Reaching inside the spatial pouch, Pang Jian was surprised to find dozens of spirit jades, some spare clothing, assorted bottles and jars, and numerous strange dark-red stones.

    A quantity of the strange stonesy at the bottom of the spatial pouch and were warm to the touch. Unlike the clear and translucent spirit jade, these stones were cloudy, with clusters resembling fiery clouds within.

    Pang Jian did not know what the strange stones were and instead opted to dampen the spare clothing within the spatial pouch with water and use it to wipe away the bloodstains from the small booklet.

    As he listened to Zhou Qingchen''s and Han Duping''s conversation, he cleaned off the bloodstains from the booklet before finally turning his attention to its title.

    "Earth ze Technique."

 Chapter 66: The One Who Strikes First Prevails

    <h4>Chapter 66: The One Who Strikes First Prevails</h4>

    "Earth ze Technique."

    Pang Jian opened the booklet and roughly skimmed through the contents of the booklet. It was a method of attack cultivated through the umtion of earthme.

    Earthme referred to the fierce mes that erupted from volcanoes.

    The Earth ze Technique entailed harnessing earthme from the vicinity of volcanoes and refining it within the spiritual sea to unleash its explosive power in battles.

    ording to records of the Earth ze Technique, cultivators with a certain level of mastery could summon fierce earthmes from the palm of their hands.

    In the mid-tote stages of the Earth ze Technique, cultivators needed to refine the power within boiling magma to further enhance its potency.

    Pang Jian meticulouslybed through his memories, only to realize no volcanoes existed near the Solitary Mountain Range. There was no ce for him to cultivate the Earth ze Technique.

    He reached into the spatial pouch and pulled out a dark red stone.

    A thought came to mind. Gazing at the Earth ze Technique, he flipped to the next page of the booklet, where he found a note.

    ording to the annotation, if one wanted to cultivate the Earth ze Technique butcked a suitable training ground, they could also rely on Earth ze Stones.

    Earth ze Stones could be found deeply buried beneath volcanoes. They contained not only spiritual qi but also substantial earthme energy.

    <i>This must be an Earth ze Stone,</i> Pang Jian thought to himself.

    Feeling around the bottom of the spatial pouch, he found a considerable number of Earth ze Stones. He reckoned he had sufficient resources for the initial stages if he wanted to cultivate the Earth ze Technique.

    ncing at the characters of "Earth ze Technique" on the cover of the booklet, Zhou Qingchen knew it had nothing to do with the Radiant Sun Sect.

    He remarked, "This offensive spirit art doesn''t belong to the Radiant Sun Sect. The cultivator from the Radiant Sun Sect likely considered the Earth ze Technique a supplementary technique toplement the Radiant Sun Sect''s cultivation method when unleashing their power."

    He also told Pang Jian about the authentic technique of the Radiant Sun Sect, which manifested as a zing sun in the palm during attacks.

    The Earth ze Technique resembled the techniques of the Radiant Sun Sect, and whenbined, could amplify each other''s power. This was likely the reason why the cultivator chose to cultivate them together.

    "This technique is quite suitable for your initial cultivation," Luo Hongyan added, having also discerned the characteristics of the technique. As she was about to say more, her brows subtly knitted, and she said coldly, "Let''s find a stone building first!"

    Without further exnation, she grabbed Pang Jian and headed toward a three-story building.

    Su Meng trailed along behind them, uncertain of what to do.

    Han Duping and Zhou Qingchen exchanged a nce. Their expressions darkened and they also entered the building.

    The stone building they entered appeared to be an inn. The ground floor had been furnished with heavy wooden tables and chairs, seemingly meant for meals and tea drinking.

    The second and third floors consisted of individual guest rooms, catering to guests seeking rest and refreshment after dining downstairs.

    The entire three-story inn had only one main entrance and two windows.

    When Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping entered the building, Luo Hongyan ordered, "Close the door and shut the windows."

    The two swiftlyplied, closing the door and gently shutting the windows, leaving only a narrow gap.

    The interior of the inn grew dark.

    Surveying the inn, Pang Jian realized it was primarily lit up by the street outside. Once the doors and windows were shut, the inside of the inn plunged into darkness.

    With a cold smile ying at the corner of her lips, Luo Hongyan''s eyes gleamed with a hint of hostility. "Those seven individuals from earlier harbor ill intentions."

    Su Meng was taken aback. "Why? We have no grievances with them. Why would they harbor ill intentions toward us?"

    Luo Hongyan sneered, "Because they''re poor. Extreme poverty breeds malice."

    Su Meng shook her head. She did not understand.

    "Their life in the Star River Alliance must be filled with hardship. They''re already so old, yet they don''t seem to have anything valuable. Upper world cultivators usually bring all their possessions when they venture out for training because they''re unsure if they''ll return alive. But I haven''t seen anything valuable on any of them."

    Luo Hongyan said disdainfully. "Trash like them aren''t valued in the Star River Alliance. Even their masters wouldn''t bother preparing bone forging, marrow cleansing spirit materials for them."

    As she said this, she nced at Han Duping.

    Han Duping looked embarrassed. His friendship with Zhou Qingchen had initially stemmed from the hope of leveraging Zhou Qingchen''s status and power to prepare spirit materials for his breakthrough into the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    Hecked innate talent and was born into an ordinary family. It was difficult for someone like him to gather all the spirit materials needed for the bone forging, marrow cleansing process.

    "The spirit materials for bone forging, marrow cleansing are expensive. Some people can''t gather them even after decades and remain stuck in the Meridian Opening Realm for their entire lives," Zhou Qingchen added. "Those guys are trying to break through to a higher cultivation realm. They''ll do whatever it takes to find spirit materials."

    Han Duping nodded lightly and sighed. "I just didn''t expect they would still dare to harbor murderous intentions even after knowing Ning Yao is from the Star River Alliance."

    "This is Eight Trigrams City. If we all die, no one will ever know it was them." Luo Hongyan said coldly.

    Pang Jian silently peered through the crack in the window at the wide street while he listened to their conversation.

    Zhou Qingchen stood at another window with Han Duping, simrly gazing through the narrow gap like Pang Jian.

    Before long, they saw Jian Yaoyang silently darting across the street.

    An expression of urgency was pasted on his face. It looked as if he had suddenly remembered something and wanted to catch up to them to say a few words.

    Meanwhile, the six others with lower cultivation realms trailed behind him.

    The six Meridian Opening Realm cultivators did not rush to catch up with Jian Yaoyang. Instead, they split up and darted into the stone buildings on either side of the street, searching them one after another.

    Watching their actions, Pang Jian''s brows knitted. He had a rough idea of what was going on.

    The seven were unaware of their whereabouts or if they had headed straight for the city center. Therefore, the fastest among them rushed forward to pursue, while the others searched the buildings on both sides one by one.

    This way, they could ensure they would find Pang Jian and the others.

    "It''s unavoidable," Luo Hongyan said, wiping down a table with a handkerchief before taking a seat. ncing at Zhou Qingchen with great interest, she asked, "What''s your n?"

    Zhou Qingchen hesitated before he said, "They have clear motives for murder and robbery, but they haven''t acted on them yet. What I''m thinking is¡ª"

    Luo Hongyan interrupted him before he could continue. She shifted her gaze to Pang Jian and asked, "What about you?"

    With a stony expression on his face, Pang Jian said, "Don''t give them the chance to enact their n. Let''s hunt them down directly."

    He had experience in this regard.

    Since the other party had already revealed their murderous intentions, rather than waiting for them to attack, it was better to strike first to assert dominance.

    The strategy and difficulty of such a situation wouldpletely change depending on whether they decided to wait for the enemy to attack first or preemptively strike.

    "Directly kill them..." Zhou Qingchen said as he rubbed his chin, seeming to still have some reservations.

    "They''re only just entertaining the idea of murdering us. They haven''t actually taken any action yet. Perhaps they''ll change their minds?" Su Meng suggested softly.

    Luo Hongyan''s voice hardened. "Should we invite them over, engage them in casual conversation, and wait passively for them to attack?"

    Su Meng did not dare to utter another word.

    Luo Hongyan''s approving gaze lingered on Pang Jian''s face for a moment before she calmly said, "Let me remind you, the leader of their group is in the Marrow Cleansing Realm and he''s over thirty years old, so he''s been in this realm for quite some time.

    "The other six are all in the Meridian Opening Realm. If they were to ambush us...do you think we''ll survive?"

    Luo Hongyan''s sharp eyes swept over Zhou Qingchen and the others with a cold and menacing expression on her face.

    Zhou Qingchen gritted his teeth and said, "Alright then, let''s do it!"

    Luo Hongyan nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. She looked at Pang Jian and said, "From now on, consider those seven individuals as prey to be hunted down in the wilderness. It''s up to you to devise a n."

    Pang Jian was shocked.

    "Why not me?" Zhou Qingchen asked in discontent.

    Han Duping chimed in, "Pang Jian,e up with a n? I think it should be me! Ning Yao, I have experience in this area. Entrusting it to Pang Jian seems like child''s y¡ª"

    Luo Hongyan cut him off with an icy tone. "Let me ask the two of you one question. If it were you two at the bottom of that deep hole on Central Lake Ind facing Dong Tianze''s ambush, would you have emerged unscathed while inflicting injuries so severe that Dong Tianze had to flee?"

    The two instantly fell silent.

    Pang Jian wasted no time. He showed a new side of himself when faced with a life-or-death situation.

    Walking straight to the table at the center of the floor, he gestured for everyone to gather around.

    "Tell me about the strengths and weaknesses of the spiritual artifacts you possess, as well as your preferredbat styles," he said.

    Apart from Luo Hongyan, the other three swiftly conveyed their skills to Pang Jian.

    Zhou Qingchen''s Heartguard Mirror possessed defensive capabilities and could emit a dazzling light that blinded opponents. His spiritual power was also incredibly robust, and he could both attack and defend.

    Han Duping exined that he could transform himself into a silver ball and excelled in charging into the fray. He favored chaotic situations the most.

    Su Meng had nobat experience and her specialties were practically useless inbat. Therefore, Pang Jian did not let her join the battle.

    After a moment of contemtion, Pang Jian finally shared his thoughts. "Here''s the n."

    The group listened quietly, their expressions growing more and more peculiar as they listened, eventually bordering on fear. They looked at him as if he were a demon.

    "Senior Han, do you have any poison powder or toxic gas? Bring it out. When the chaos ensues, Young Master Zhou and I can use it to paralyze them for a while," Pang Jian suggested.

    Han Duping''s face flushed red and angrily replied, "What did you say? Why would I have such despicable things on me? Why don''t you ask Ning Yao and Young Zhou? Why single me out?"

    Han Duping appeared somewhat exasperated.

    "Because I have a feeling you do." Pang Jian said seriously.

    Zhou Qingchen softly cleared his throat. "Ahem, Old Han, please bring it out."

    Han Duping reluctantly retrieved several packets of poison powder. He passed some to Zhou Qingchen first, then to Pang Jian. With a grave expression, he said, "Pang Jian, you''re truly...poisonous."

    Zhou Qingchen could not help but feel amazed. "Dong Tianze managed to escape with only severe injuries from the bottom of the deep hole. He''s indeed lucky. I''m impressed."

 Chapter 67: Scum of the Cultivation World

    <h4>Chapter 67: Scum of the Cultivation World</h4>

    Perpetual daylight reigned in Eight Trigrams City.

    Jian Yaoyang ran down the wide street to the city center and back, looking like a ghost stepping on starlight.

    <i>Swoosh!</i>

    Lin Quanshan exited a stone building. Standing in the middle of the street, he stared at where Jian Yaoyang stood, about a dozen zhang away.

    Neither of them said a word.

    Jian Yaoyang pointed at the rows of stone buildings lining the wide street between them. This silent gesture conveyed that he had not seen their targets when he had rushed ahead and indicated to Lin Quanshan that the other party was likely in one of the buildings.

    Lin Quanshan nodded in understanding.

    Jian Yaoyang stood at the corner of the street and signaled Lin Quanshan to inform the others to continue searching each building.

    Lin Quanshan turned around and headed toward another building.

    At the top of a pagoda-like stone building, out of Jian Yaoyang''s sight, a window was pushed open from the inside.

    Having bid farewell to Pang Jian and the others at the North Gate, Li Jie leaned against the window as he sipped his green fruit juice from a ss bottle with a reed straw, eagerly watching Jian Yaoyang''s hunting operation.

    <i>I wonder who will emerge victorious in the end,</i> Li Jie thought with a radiant smile, eyes gleaming with excitement as though watching a drama.

    After using his spirit artifact to kill the two cultivators from the Blood Moon Sect and the Radiant Sun Sect, he continued forward only to sense Jian Yaoyang and his sixpanions lurking nearby.

    The group of seven had intended to ambush him, but the swift and gruesome demise of the earlier pair left them too intimidated to reveal themselves.

    Li Jie had lingered around instead of heading straight to the center of the city because he knew Pang Jian and others were still at the north gate. He had hoped to witness the sh between these two groups but was surprised to see them part ways without incident after having a brief conversation.

    As boredom seeped in and he prepared to depart, he noticed a change in the air.

    <i>One side has seven people while the other has five. The group of seven has the advantage in both numbers and cultivation levels. </i>

    Sipping his green fruit juice, Li Jie chuckled as he analyzed the situation. <i>But we can''t just rely on numbers and cultivation. In that group of five, there''s also that sinister woman with a strange aura of a wandering soul.</i>

    His presence wentpletely unnoticed by Jian Yaoyang and the others.

    Meanwhile, Jian Yaoyang stood in a corner in the street ahead, watching Lin Quanshan and the others search each stone building. He gradually grew frustrated.

    Numerous towering buildings lined both sides of the street, ranging from one to four stories tall. The meticulous search was incredibly time-consuming and Jian Yaoyang was concerned that another group would arrive.

    After contemting the situation briefly, Jian Yaoyang finally cleared his throat, straightened his attire, and stood gracefully in the middle of the street. Raising his voice, he called, "Junior Sister Ning, are you nearby?"

    When they heard his voice, Lin Quanshan and the others knew that Jian Yaoyang had grown impatient. Thus, they all stopped their search.

    Some stayed inside the stone buildings while others stepped out onto the street.

    A clear and pleasant voice rang out from a three-story stone building between Jian Yaoyang and Lin Quanshan.

    "I''m here," Luo Hongyan said. "Senior Brother Jian, we found something. Would you like toe and take a look?"

    Jian Yaoyang''s eyes lit up. "That''s great, I have something to discuss with you too."

    The remaining members of the Star River Alliance silently emerged from the stone buildings. Jian Yaoyang and Lin Quanshan exchanged a knowing nce before heading toward the stone building where they had heard Luo Hongyan''s voice.

    The other five quickly closed in.

    Soon, the seven of them stood in front of the three-story stone building. The door was tightly shut and the que above it read "Peaceful Inn".

    Having previously scoped out the street, Jian Yaoyang knew that many shops, taverns, and inns lined it. Many ces along the wide street were simr to the Peaceful Inn.

    "We were held up, so we thought Senior Brother Jian and the others had already gone ahead," Luo Hongyan said softly from inside the inn.

    Jian Yaoyang said nothing as he signaled Lin Quanshan and the others, silently gesturing for them to prepare to force their way in. He had no intention of waiting until he was inside to ambush them.

    In this way, he also instructed Lin Quanshan and the most radical member, Qiu Li, to guard the windows on both sides.

    Understanding his instructions, the group positioned themselves ordingly.

    Once everyone was in position, Jian Yaoyang responded gently, "We were discussing some matters, so we were held up as well¡ª"

    Dazzling starlight burst forth from his left hand pressed against the door panel, and a formidable force surged through it.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Although the heavy stone door did not shatter into pieces, Jian Yaoyang managed to push it open.

    On a wooden table at the end of the unlit room were numerous sparkling bottles and jars, a pile of translucent spirit jades, and several ancient books.

    Jian Yaoyang''s breathing quickened.

    Luo Hongyan, with a look of panic on her face, stood beside the wooden table and eximed, "Senior Brother Jian! You¡ª"

    Jian Yaoyang did not waste time responding to her. He rushed in with four others following behind him.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Arge, shiny silver ball rolled across the stone floor, carrying tremendous momentum as it headed straight toward Jian Yaoyang.

    <i>Zzzt Zzzt!</i>

    Countless steel needles shot out at them from the shiny silver sphere.

    Jian Yaoyang hesitated. He prepared to dodge sideways, only to realize that tables and chairs blocked both sides.

    He cursed in his heart as he realized the predicament he was in.

    With a slender spirit sword, he activated the Star River Alliance''s spirit art to draw out dazzling starlight in front of him to block the flying steel needles.

    Only then did he manage to scream, "Ambush!"

    But before he could even turn around, a spearhead and chilling long saber flew out from the gaps between the tables and chairs on both sides.

    <i>Bang! </i>

    <i>Thud! Thud!</i>

    As the two people behind him tried to retreat, they collided with the other two and were pierced by the chilling long spear and long saber.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A dazzling light burst forth from the second floor. A mirror shone brightly, blinding the eyes of the group.

    Powdery mist drifted toward the dazed bunch, causing them to inadvertently inhale some of it. Dizziness set in, and a fiery, stinging sensation itched in the back of their throats.

    "Poison powder!"

    "How despicable!"

    "Junior Sister Ning, we have no grievances between us. Why are you resorting to such despicable means?" Jian Yaoyang angrily rebuked.

    "There''s no need for grievances, I just want to kill you," Luo Hongyan said with a light smile as she watched Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen repeatedly hack and stab the four people behind Jian Yaoyang. Trapped in the narrow gap between the tables and chairs, the four had nowhere to go and could only fall one after another into a pool of blood.

    Realizing something was amiss, Lin Quanshan shouted from outside one of the windows, "Senior Brother Jian!"

    <i>Bang!</i>

    A sharp spear burst through the window and pierced Lin Quanshan''s neck.

    Standing at the window on the other side of the door, Qiu Li turned her head to see Lin Quanshan with a spear protruding from her neck.

    Scared out of her wits, she no longer cared about Jian Yaoyang''s desperate cries for help and ran down the street.

    Having killed Lin Quanshan, Pang Jian wrenched his Dragonwood Spear out of her neck and casually pushed open the window before jumping out.

    Standing on the wide street, he channeled a steady stream of spiritual power along the four meridians and into the soles of his feet.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    With a stomp, he soared several zhang into the air and tracked Qiu Li like an eagle.

    As Qiu Li ran, she nced back, only to see the stone-faced Pang Jian, spear in hand, descending toward her. She hurriedly took out a dark wood shield to defend herself.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A violent eruption akin to a copsing mountain surged through the Dragonwood Spear and shattered the dark wood shield that was as hard as iron.

    With her dark wood shield shattered, Qiu Li sumbed to Pang Jian''s fierce blow. The Dragonwood Spear pierced through her heart and she died.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Qiu Li fell backward, the Dragonwood Spear still impaled in her chest. As shey dying, she deeply regretted harboring murderous intentions toward her fellow disciples.

    However, it was toote.

    Pang Jian did not hesitate to rip out the Dragonwood Spear and fix his icy gaze on the pagoda-like stone building ahead.

    He had noticed Li Jie calmly watching him from within the stone building when he was in the air.

    Seeing Pang Jian preparing to attack, Li Jie choked on his green fruit juice in his rush to exin, "Cough, cough! I''m not acquainted with them, we''re not together. Please don''t misunderstand."

    He had never imagined that, despite having the advantage in both strength and numbers, Jian Yaoyang and the others would actually be defeated.

    Moreover, the defeat happened almost instantaneously, leaving him with little time to react.

    Seeing that Pang Jian had no intention of backing down, Li Jie hurriedly lifted the ss bottle, reed straw still in his mouth, and sprinted madly across the rooftops of the stone buildings.

    "Don''t bothering after me because you can''t catch up anyway. Don''t waste your time!" he yelled behind him.

    He disappeared in the blink of an eye.

    He was unbelievably fast.

    Realizing it was impossible to catch up, Pang Jian gave up. Without sparing a nce at Qiu Li''s body, he rushed back to the Peaceful Inn where the ambush had been set up.

    When Pang Jian jumped out the window, only Jian Yaoyang had remained. Furthermore, he was poisoned.

    While Pang Jian did not think Jian Yaoyang would be able to survive for much longer, he still turned back just to be safe. He wanted to make sure that all their enemies had beenpletely eliminated.

    At the entrance of the Peaceful Inn, Pang Jian was met with a pile of bodies. Among them was Jian Yaoyang''s body as well.

    Holding his long saber made from cold iron, Zhou Qingchen leaned against the door and stared nkly at the corpses.

    Seeing that Pang Jian had returned with his blood-stained spear, Zhou Qingchen snapped out of his daze, his expression peculiar.

    As he thought about the battle, Zhou Qingchen sank into contemtion.

    <i>This was too easy. This wasn''t even a battle. It was a one-sided massacre. Perhaps I should also consider changing my approach in the future.</i>

    Given his and Han Duping''s usual style, if he had nned this surprise attack, it would have surely resulted in a fierce battle.

    All his hidden treasures would have had to be brought out for them to have a chance at killing Jian Yaoyang and the others. Even then, he would not have been able to guarantee that their side would not suffer serious injuries or deaths as a result.

    However, following Pang Jian''s n, the operation to hunt down Jian Yaoyang and the others went smoothly to the point of unease.

    With almost no effort at all, they were able to deal with Jian Yaoyang and the others. Not only were none of them injured, but they also barely used any spiritual power.

    Finallying to his senses, Zhou Qingchen retrieved a jar of liquor and took a fewrge gulps before saying, "I''m d you''re one of us. Dong Tianze was unbelievably lucky to have escaped alive after being stabbed by you a few times."

    Han Duping appeared at the doorway, unscathed but covered in the blood of their assants.

    "What about the two outside?" he asked.

    "Pang Jian''s already taken care of them," Zhou Qingchen replied.

    Han Duping nced at Pang Jian and said indignantly, "Pang Jian, don''t you feel ashamed using such malicious and brutal methods against others?"

    Pang Jian was startled.

    When facing ferocious wild beasts in the Solitary Mountain Range, one had to use every means at their disposal.

    <i>What''s there to be ashamed of with a method that can allow one to survive and hunt down wild beasts simultaneously?</i>

    Zhou Qingchen paused, then chuckled and scolded, "Old Han, spare me the lecture. I can see you practically jotting it down for future reference."

    "There''s a saying, ''While one should avoid harming others, one must also be vignt against those who seek to harm you.'' I''m jotting that down now!" Han Duping retrieved a small notebook, dipped a brush into the bloodstains on the ground, and started writing.

    Zhou Qingchen squinted his eyes to have a better look. He could faintly discern phrases like "Utilizing dim environments, creating dazzling lights, and employing poison powder".

    Han Duping''s earnest expression contrasted his grumbling, "I''m afraid that in the future, I''ll encounter scoundrels with no regard for the rules like Pang Jian. I can''t afford to be caught off guard."

 Chapter 68: Earth Blaze Technique

    <h4>Chapter 68: Earth ze Technique</h4>

    As oldrades-in-arms, Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping had a habit of drinking together after a battle to rx their nerves.

    Han Duping asked for a jar of liquor, and the pair stood guard at the door, chatting leisurely while drinking.

    After ensuring no enemies remained in the inn, Pang Jian dragged Qiu Li''s and Lin Quanshan''s corpses over and tossed them into the Peaceful Inn.

    Under the curious gaze of Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping, he also wiped away the bloodstains from where Qiu Li and Lin Quanshan had died.

    Once Pang Jian finished cleaning up, he washed the blood off his hands at a water basin in the inn and said to the two, "I''m going to rest across the street."

    With that said, he pushed open the door of the building opposite the inn, went in, and closed the door behind him.

    The two men had been drinking quietly as they watched Pang Jian do all this.

    After Pang Jian disappeared into the stone building opposite the inn, Han Duping gulped down a mouthful of his drink before sighing. "Is it really that tough being a hunter in the mountains?"

    Zhou Qingchen chuckled wryly. "Indeed, being a hunter in the mountains demands strategic nning and swift execution. It''s important to leave no trace behind, and when striking, it''s all or nothing,"

    Han Duping stared intently at the building Pang Jian had entered, rubbing his forehead in frustration. "Why do I feel like I can''t even be apetent hunter in the Solitary Mountain Range?"

    Hearing this, Zhou Qingchen''sughter faded. His expression turned solemn as he fell silent.

    When Jian Yaoyang entered the inn, he and Pang Jian simultaneously attacked from both sides.

    From beginning to end, Pang Jian remained calm andposed. The memory of his cool and collected eyes sent shivers down Zhou Qingchen''s spine.

    After seeing Jian Yaoyang inhale the poison powder, Pang Jian did not hesitate to stab through the window with his spear, killing the person standing guard outside. He then leaped out of the window to y the other female cultivator.

    His decisiveness, ruthlessness, and cold-blooded demeanor, made Zhou Qingchen shudder in recollection. That was the second time he had seen Pang Jian take action.

    The first time was outside the stone pile when Pang Jian took advantage of the ear-piercing demonic sound to assassinate He Ziren. Zhou Qingchen had left early in the subsequent battle at ckwater Pond, so he did not witness what followed.

    He also did not witness firsthand how Pang Jian inflicted severe wounds on Dong Tianze in the deep hole.

    This time, however, he finally witnessed how terrifying Pang Jian could be in battle.

    Zhou Qingchen sighed. "Some people are just naturally suited for the battlefield, and inherently inclined towards bloodshed and warfare. Pang Jian is probably one of those people. Even if he''s a hunter of the Solitary Mountain Range, he is also the king of these mountains and forests. The rest of the wild beasts and hunters will never gain any advantage on him."

    "Your words have lightened my mood a bit," Han Duping said hoarsely.

    Luo Hongyan''s cold voice suddenly rang out from inside the inn. "Have you two finished your drinks? It''s time toe inside and tidy up. Unless you''re not interested in these people''s spirit stones and belongings?"

    "Alright, alright, we''reing."

    ***

    "Earth ze Technique."

    Pang Jian sat in the corner of the dimly lit shop, reading the contents of the booklet using the faint light that shone through the gap in the windows as he took out a piece of fiery-hot Earth ze stone.

    After carefully running through the first few chapters of the Earth ze Technique several times, Pang Jian was determined to use the Earth ze stone to cultivate.

    Resting the Earth ze stone against his navel, he activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art to refine its energy. Soon, he felt strands of fiery power appear in his dantian and mingle with his spiritual power.

    Following the instructions in the Earth ze Technique, he refined the earthme energy within his dantian and spiritual sea.

    As usual, the spiritual power flowed smoothly into his spiritual sea.

    The earthme energy absorbed alongside the spiritual power from the Earth ze stone seemed to transform into thin streaks of fiery meteors, shooting down from his dantian into his spiritual sea.

    In his vast spiritual sea, a small area voluntarily dispersed spiritual power outward to wee the descent of the fiery meteors.

    Strands of earthme energy converged in that area to form a small fiery pool within Pang Jian''s spiritual sea.

    The fiery pool only upied a tiny area of his vast spiritual sea, serving solely as a container for the earthme energy and preparing it for the subsequent execution of techniques.

    One piece, two pieces, three pieces.

    Before long, Pang Jian had depleted the earthme energy from seven Earth ze stones and had channeled it into the newly-created fiery pool.

    Afterward, he retrieved the Earth ze Technique booklet and flipped to theter chapters.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    With a single thought, the earthme energy within the fiery pool was connected to two meridians linking his spiritual sea to his arms.

    Streams of crimson earthme energy and shimmering green spiritual power flowed through his meridians.

    <i>First fast, then slow. Roll it back to amass momentum before releasing,</i> Pang Jian recited mentally.

    Strands of delicate crimson earthme energy, enveloped by his spiritual power, raced through the meridians of his arm.

    The earthme energy alternated between darting toward his palm and slowing down before abruptly rolling back to umte momentum with the iing earthme energy and spiritual power to gather into a formidable wave of power.

    The Earth ze Technique could neither be mastered overnight nor in a single burst of effort.

    As it flowed into his palm, it rolled back several times, merging with earthme energy and spiritual power from behind and erupting with unparalleled ferocity.

    Pang Jian repeatedly attempted to roll back the earthme energy in waves, converting it into a more potent blend of earthme energy and spiritual power.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A ball of intense, fiery red energy erupted in his palm. Pang Jian instinctively pointed it toward the nearby cab, sting it into charred, shattered fragments.

    A faint scent of magma and sulfur lingered in the room.

    Pang Jian stood up. "Earth ze Technique!"

    Imbued with special attributes energy, the force unleashed by the technique was surprisingly potent and far surpassed that of simply channeling spiritual power.

    At this moment, he recalled how a small crimson mountain would appear when Zhou Qingchen used his offensive killing moves.

    The individual from the Radiant Sun Sect, whose palm seemed to be able to conjure a miniature sun, likely employed a simr offensive technique to the Earth ze Technique.

    <i>The cirction of the earthme energy is still too sluggish. I''m not adept at it yet. It takes me too long to build up enough earthme energy for the eruption</i>.

    Pang Jian found his rolling forward and backward of the earthme energy too slow.

    If he wanted to unleash the Earth ze Technique with a single thought, he would have to repeatedly practice the motion and familiarize himself with this new method of circting energy.

    <i>Knock! Knock!</i>

    A knock sounded out, followed by the voice of Luo Hongyan. "It''s me. Let me in."

    Pang Jian knitted his brows. He had not heard footsteps, meaning Luo Hongyan had likely been standing outside, waiting for him to destroy the cab with earthme energy before knocking on the door.

    "The door isn''t locked," Pang Jian replied coldly.

    "Oh." Luo Hongyan pushed open the door and upon entering, she caught a whiff of the faint scent of magma and sulfur. Surprised, she eximed, "You''re already able to unleash the power of the earthme?"

    She closed the door behind her and tossed a cloth bag toward Pang Jian in the dimly lit room.

    "This isn''t a spatial pouch but it contains some spirit stones. It''s rightfully yours," she said, lips curling in disdain. "Seven paupers indeed. I''ve never seen such pathetic folks before. Their things aren''t worth much. No wonder they resorted to desperate measures."

    Pang Jian took the cloth bag and found only about twenty spirit stones inside. Surprised, he asked, "Is this all?"

    "Yeah, they were probably struggling to make ends meet. They were probably reluctant to use spirit stones in their daily cultivation so they could replenish their strength when encountering danger. They likely brought all their belongings with them on this risky journey."

    Luo Hongyan knitted her brows and shook her head regretfully. "I''ve searched through everything, but there''s nothing worth taking. They only had basic techniques taught by the Star River Alliance. There''s nothing suitable for you."

    Pang Jian transferred all the spirit stones into his spatial pouch without saying another word.

    "Pang Jian, I truly mean no harm to you. Please believe me," Luo Hongyan said.

    Pang Jian looked at her indifferently.

    "When the Divine Spirit Pagoda trapped me on Central Lake Ind, you rescued me in the nick of time. I fought for these things for you because you didn''t abandon me like you abandoned Ning Yao in ckwater Pond."

    With that said, Luo Hongyan did not wait for Pang Jian to respond before turning and walking away

    It was not until she reached the door that she added, "You should get ready. It''s time for us to continue our journey."

    ***

    In Ning Yao''s sea of consciousness.

    Ning Yao had been imprisoned in the darkness for a long time without uttering a word. Gazing at the enchanting silhouette before her, she said, "You''ve gone to great lengths to get close to him, all for that bronze pendant on his chest. Why do you insist on gaining his trust?"

    Luo Hongyan nced at her and shook her head, "You know nothing."

    Ning Yao knitted her brows. "We''ve already arrived in this city. Just find a way to get the bronze pendant. Why bother wasting your effort on useless tasks?"

    "Lately, I''ve been considering whether I should fully possess you," Luo Hongyan said with a smile.

    Shaken, Ning Yao did not dare to say another word.

    Luo Hongyan snorted. "Good. Don''t bother me again."

    She recalled the days of her cultivation in a sect several hundreds of years ago.

    In that long-lost sect, she had experienced nothing but deceit, betrayal, and treachery.

    Those she believed to be her closest friends had merely been lusting after her beauty. Once she firmly rejected their advances, they revealed a side of themselves she did not recognize, capable of the most despicable acts.

    The way she now interacted as Ning Yao with Pang Jian, Su Meng, Zhou Qingchen, and the others was something she had never experienced before in her life.

    Although they were all somewhat wary of her, none of them harbored any malicious intent toward each other, nor did they fight over resource allocation either.

    They trusted each other and conversed freely with one another. Zhou Qingchen, despite being a young master, carried no air and did not hold himself in high regard.

    Compared to the cold, cruel sect where despicable deeds weremon among fellow disciples, this small and weaker group was refreshing to her.

 Chapter 69: Appearance of Strange Treasure

    <h4>Chapter 69: Appearance of Strange Treasure</h4>

    In Eight Trigrams City stood a luxurious mansion with an interior courtyard decorated with flowing streams, pavilions, and elegant structures.

    In this courtyard, Dong Tianze used his Ghost''s Cry to slit the throat of a female disciple from the Radiant Sun Sect. His eyebrows knitted as he waited for her soul to be drawn into Ghost''s Cry.

    As the female disciple breathed herst breath, her soul was instantly pulled away by the bs beneath him.

    "It''s all the same." A hint of uncertainty flickered in Dong Tianze''s cold, sharp eyes as he used the female disciple''s clothes to clean off the blood on Ghost''s Cry.

    Beside him, a woman with a cold demeanor silently observed his actions.

    In the elegantly renovated courtyard, numerous corpsesy scattered haphazardly.

    These corpses all belonged to members of the Radiant Sun Sect.

    Dong Tianze had found the members of the Radiant Sun Sect hiding in the courtyard and led five cultivators from the Sinister Soul Temple to ughter them all.

    After observing silently for a while, the woman could not resist asking, "Junior Brother Dong, why are you so fixated on hunting down the members of the Radiant Sun Sect?"

    This woman was Leng Yuan, an ordinary disciple in her twenties from the Sinister Soul Temple, and the leader of the Sinister Soul Temple''s expedition to Eight Trigrams City.

    At least, she used to be.

    Leng Yuan relinquished her leadership position to Dong Tianze after encountering him in Eight Trigrams City. He had shown off his Ethereal Ghost Token, so she stepped down to be the second-inmand.

    Dong Tianze possessed incredible individualbat prowess and often employed brutal means, quickly earning the confidence of other members of the Sinister Soul Temple.

    Leng Yuan was eager to reach the city center. However, Dong Tianze was determined to search and hunt down others along the way.

    Dong Tianze seemed to be searching for someone specific and was not in a rush to move forward.

    Including the one in the courtyard, six teams had already fallen to Dong Tianze''s hands on their way to the city center.

    Dong Tianze took his time, intent on hunting down the teams lurking on both sides of the street before he was satisfied.

    His eyes glinted murderously. ncing at Leng Yuan''s graceful figure, he said coldly, "You don''t need to concern yourself with my affairs. All you need to know is, if you stick close to me you stand a chance of surviving until the end."

    Under his intense gaze, Leng Yuan could not help but shiver. She no longer dared to inquire further.

    Suddenly, Dong Tianze stared vigntly into the distance from the courtyard.

    On top of a towering stone hall, stood a figure with a ss bottle in hand and a reed straw hanging from their mouth. They seemed to have been secretly observing Dong Tianze and the others for a long time.

    With a sneer, Dong Tianze soared to the rooftop like a hawk and activated his Nine Ghost Melodies Technique, intending to chase after the figure.

    "What a madman." Startled by Dong Tianze''s actions, Li Jie hastily turned and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

    He enjoyed watchingmotion but had no desire to be entangled in one. Therefore, he chose to avoid engaging with Dong Tianze.

    "I wonder who''ll make it out alive if that group of five from the other street and the lunatic leading the Sinister Soul Temple cross paths," Li Jie murmured to himself.

    ***

    On another wide street, a group of five cautiously made their way forward.

    As they made their way to the city center, Luo Hongyan mused out of the blue, "The souls of those who perish in Eight Trigrams City instantly vanish into the walls and stone bs. It''s quite strange,"

    She had nned on refining Spirit Devils from the souls of Jian Yaoyang and the others earlier, so when Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping were drinking and chatting at the door, she never called them in.

    Su Meng was afraid of blood and had remained on the upper floors, presenting her with a perfect opportunity to do so.

    Unfortunately, before she could execute her n, the souls of Jian Yaoyang and the others vanished underground and disappeared without a trace.

    Sensing that something was amiss, she observed her surroundings along the way to the city center. Even after carefully releasing her divine sense, she failed to detect the presence of any spirits or ghosts.

    This was a brutal battlefield, where cries of ughter echoed everywhere. In such an environment, the absence of souls or spirits was abnormal.

    "We''re not like those folks from the Sinister Soul Temple. We don''t need to collect souls and spirits," Zhou Qingchen said in a carefree tone. He eximed, "Pang Jian, have you made some progress in your cultivation of the Earth ze Technique?"

    "Yes," Pang Jian replied sinctly. He was his normal quiet self and paid no attention to their conversation. Throughout their journey, he remained focused on familiarizing himself with the Earth ze Technique.

    asionally, mes would burst from his fingertips, apanied by the smell of sulfur. It was clear that he had been diligently cultivating.

    "Eight Trigrams City is always bright, with no sun, moon, or stars to mark the passing of time. Yet, in the brief period we spent sorting through the belongings of Jian Yaoyang and his group, you can already release intense mes with it. It seems you''re well-suited for this technique," Zhou Qingchen affirmed with a smile.

    The young master from the Zhou n nced at Luo Hongyan and said, "The spirit art you selected for him is quite impressive."

    Luo Hongyan replied disinterestedly, "Enough with the chatter."

    Zhou Qingchen grunted in response and said no more.

    "Although Eight Trigrams City had disappeared for three thousand years, I have a feeling it has secretly revealed itself multiple times!" Han Duping said with a gleam of contemtion in his small eyes as he observed the buildings on both sides of the street, "It''s one thing not to have any living beings around, but even within all these stone buildings, there isn''t a single valuable spiritual material!"

    He had searched through them earlier and was disappointed to find nothing remarkable in any of them.

    "Ning Yao, ording to you, Eight Trigrams City should be brimming with treasure. If what you said is true, someone must havee and looted all the precious spirit materials before us," remarked Han Duping.

    Luo Hongyan could not be bothered to exin to him in detail and simply said, "I''ve only heard about the legend of Eight Trigrams City from others. This is my first time entering it myself."

    Han Duping sighed despondently. "Isn''t it rather pointless to reach the city center without finding anything of significant value? It''s meaningless to return to ck Orchid Lake through the Mirror Tunnel like this."

    Jian Yaoyang and the others were all poor and had nothing of value on them. Even if he were to take everything they had, it did not evene close to providing enough materials for his bone forging, marrow cleansing process.

    Without fortuitous windfalls, one could not easily amass wealth. If he could not gather a vast fortune in Eight Trigrams City, he would have to rely on Zhou Qingchen''s gradual umtion of bone forging, marrow cleansing spirit materials once he established himself in the Red Mountain Sect.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    As if in response to Han Duping''smenting words, an eye-catching beam of divine light burst forth from the center of the city.

    The street they were on stretched endlessly onward, and that divine light appeared all the more dazzling against its vast emptiness.

    The light pierced through the sky of Eight Trigrams City, captivating the gaze of everyone present.

    Ancient bronze chests, dazzling robes, and gleaming weapons seemed to float within the radiant beam of divine light.

    Numerous divine weapons and treasures materialized within the beam of light. All the onlookers were dazzled, longing to immerse themselves in its radiance and grasp each coveted item.

    "This..." Han Duping wore a dumbfounded expression. He paused, then hastily bowed toward the radiant sky. "Oh, Divine Spirits above, I sincerely apologize for any offense. My words were merely spoken in jest!"

    Luo Hongyan''s eyes lit up as she stared at a glowing, white jade bottle floating in the divine light.

    The white jade bottle contained a drop of light blue blood, which rolled continuously inside the bottle as it bobbed up and down.

    Within this light blue blood bloomed a crystal-clear lotus flower.

    <i>Crystal Snow Lotus!</i>

    It was a treasure that could help Luo Hongyan refine her physical body. She danced excitedly in Ning Yao''s sea of consciousness.

    "It seems like¡ªit seems like many treasures have appeared!" Su Meng clenched her fists as her small face flushed with excitement. She yearned to rush over and seize them.

    "There truly are amazing treasures here!" Zhou Qingchen eximed in awe, unable to contain his amazement.

    Pang Jian turned around and looked back at the North Gate where they hade from. He vaguely noticed the light there dimming.

    He pondered in silence, expression turning grim.

    He could imagine the boundless darkness of the Fifth World spreading from the North Gate toward the center of Eight Trigrams City, gradually devouring its light.

    The acrid and murky sinister energy would inevitably surge forth with the darkness, engulfing the entire Eight Trigrams City.

    "The darkness is encroaching upon Eight Trigrams City!" Pang Jian shouted.

    As Pang Jian''s words rang out, Zhou Qingchen and the others broke out from their trance. Turning away from the mesmerizing pir of light to look behind them, they too noticed the light behind them diminishing.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Figures darted out from both sides of the street ahead, each racing toward the city center.

    Han Duping was startled.

    He realized more than a dozen groups simr to Jian Yaoyang''s had been waiting along their path to the city center!

    If the towering pir of light had not appeared, they would have walked straight into countless perilous ambushes on their way.

    "It seems like we''re thest group to arrive. It doesn''t seem like anyone else has appeared at the North Gate after us," Zhou Qingchen said.

    "Li Jie was thest to enter the city from the North Gate," Pang Jian interjected calmly. Recalling the young man sipping green fruit juice and leisurely watching the scene unfold from a high pagoda''s window, he added, "I forgot to mention this. While we were fighting tooth and nail with Jian Yaoyang and the other members of the Star River Alliance, Li Jie was observing us from up high."

    "Li Jie, facing tribtion.[1] Could this cmity in Eight Trigrams City be somehow rted to him?" Su Meng''s big eyes sparkled with curiosity.

    Han Duping shook his head and shouted in disbelief, "How is that possible?"

    "Let''s not waste any more time," Pang Jian said, tightening his grip on the Dragonwood Spear. "We''re already behind. If we don''t reach the city center soon, we''ll be the first to be engulfed by the darkness."

    With that said, the group did not hesitate to hurry onward. "Let''s go!"

    ***

    Eight Trigrams City, with its eight wide streets leading to the city center, witnessed the same events simultaneously on each street.

    Numerous groups of cultivators from the Third World and the Second World no longer concealed their presence as the sight of all the treasures within the pir of light caused them to abandon their stealth.

    Nearly a thousand figures darted out from the buildings and rushed toward the center of Eight Trigrams City.

    Leng Yuan saw Dong Tianze''s murderous intent as he red at the sudden appearance of some figures up ahead. She hurriedly pleaded, ¡°Junior Brother Dong, don''t act recklessly! They''re formidable figures from the Second World! You have to trust me. They''re beyond our league. Please don''t endanger everyone."

    Dong Tianze sneered. "Afraid of dying? Then you shouldn''t have set foot on the path of cultivation!"

    "At most, they''re in the Marrow Cleansing Realm. There''s nothing to fear. Either we die, or they do!" He paused, casting a cold nce ahead as he shouted, "Pang Jian, I hope you''re here too!"

    1. His name, Àî½Ù, has the same pronunciation as facing tribtion (Àú½Ù) ?

 Chapter 70: The Darkness Encroaches!

    <h4>Chapter 70: The Darkness Encroaches!</h4>

    The group of five ran along the silent street. They headed straight for the city center, fearing the ever-expanding darkness would engulf them.

    "Stop!" Pang Jian shouted,ing to a halt.

    Zhou Qingchen and the others followed close behind him and followed suit to stop in their tracks.

    Holding his Dragonwood Spear, Pang Jian solemnly walked toward the corner of a nearby building. His eyes were fixed on a figure draped in a pitch-ck robe adorned with a crimson mountain emblem on its chest.

    This was the uniform of the Red Mountain Sect.

    "A member of our Red Mountain Sect!" Zhou Qingchen cried out. Approaching the corpse, he said coldly with a stern expression, "They were killed and dumped here in the corner. The killer probably intended to continue with their killing spree, so they hastily disposed of the body to avoid drawing attention from any passersby."

    "There are several bodies on this side, all from the Red Mountain Sect," Han Duping called out from the other corner of the building. Surprised at his discovery, he curiously asked, "Pang Jian, how did you notice this when we were moving so fast?"

    Pang Jian responded callously, "Habit."

    An essential trait of an outstanding hunter was their ability to keenly observe their surroundings and pay close attention to every detail.

    After years of hunting in the Solitary Mountain Range, he had developed a habit of taking note of his surroundings and scrutinizing every inch of whatever terrain he traversed.

    While the others kept their gaze fixed ahead during their advance, he remained aware of everything around him.

    The corners of other stone buildings alsoy more than the bodies they had discovered. Along their journey, he had spotted quite a few corpses.

    This street had witnessed many bloody battles before they had entered Eight Trigrams City.

    Not everybody took the time to clean up the battlefield and meticulously wipe away the bloodstains.

    Most people simply dragged the bodies from the streets to a corner and left them there haphazardly. So long as they were not too conspicuous or easily noticed by passersby, it was sufficient.

    "The bodies are vanishing," Pang Jian calmly informed the others.

    That was what had truly grabbed his attention, prompting him to stop and take a closer look.

    The others'' faces paled in shock as they turned their gaze toward the corpses of the Red Mountain Sect''s members before them. They watched the corpse slowly meld into the stone floor like water merging into the vast ocean.

    The ground of Eight Trigrams City seemed to transform into a bloodthirsty beast that was leisurely devouring the corpses within the city.

    Luo Hongyan knitted her brows as she gracefully crouched down for a closer look. "I said it before. When we killed Jian Yaoyang and his group, their souls vanished underground."

    As she gazed at the disappearing corpse, she noticed that it was not only the flesh and blood but also the clothing and hair of the body that vanished along with it.

    Her brows rose in astonishment as she muttered, "First the soul, then the flesh and blood. This ancient city is not what it seems."

    The bones of the Celestial Phoenix that fell into the Solitary Mountain Range had merely aimed to kill its target and extract its essence.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent in ckwater Pond and the ck turtle in ck Orchid Lake had managed to survive without the bone of the Celestial Phoenix absorbing their beast soul.

    Even when near a bone of the Celestial Phoenix, she had been able to refine Luo Meng''s and Hong Tai''s souls into Spirit Devils, indicating that it was not interested in souls.

    However, in Eight Trigrams City, not even the souls were spared.

    An uneasy feeling filled Luo Hongyan.

    "When the light filled with extraordinary treasures emerged in the city center, the darkness from outside also started encroaching on the city. It seems the city is either guiding or forcing everyone toward its center," Han Duping said with a serious expression.

    "Cultivators from the eight streets are all rushing toward the city center because of the extraordinary treasures there..." A chill ran down Zhou Qingchen''s spine. "Perhaps, we shouldn''t be hasty! If my intuition is right, the city center is likely engulfed in a bloodbath right now!"

    Su Meng shrank into the corner. Her voice trembled with fear as she asked, "What do we do then?"

    Behind them was the endless expanse of darkness of the Fifth World that continued encroaching on the city, forcing them to move toward the city center to avoid being swallowed.

    The Mirror Tunnel was at the city center. The city center was also where the extraordinary treasures had revealed themselves. This meant that it was inevitably bound to be a brutal battlefield.

    Moving forward meant that they would face the baptism of a bloody battleground.

    If they retreated, the endless darkness would engulf them.

    Neither advancing nor retreating was a favorable option.

    "The darkness is encroaching on the city, but it won''t reach us that soon," Pang Jian said, staring at the darkness behind them. He pondered for a moment, then earnestly suggested, "Moving forward is our only way out, but if we can suppress our desire for the treasures at the city center, there''s no harm in slowing down our pace."

    He looked at the others.

    Su Meng was the first to speak up. "Then let''s take it slow!"

    Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping exchanged a nce, then nodded in agreement.

    Luo Hongyan was the one most eager to reach the city center. However, she soon calmed down as she watched the bodies vanish. She also nodded in agreement. "Alright then, let''s take it slow."

    ***

    In the tallest tower of Eight Trigrams City, Li Jie sipped on his green fruit juice as he squinted his eyes and took in the sights of the eight streets below.

    Not a single person on any of the streets could escape his gaze.

    On one of the streets, he spotted a girl in white making her way along the corner of the street all alone.

    Ten zhang behind the girl in white was the steadily advancing tide of darkness from the Fifth World.

    The girl seemed aware that the iing darkness would not yet engulf her. She maintained a constant distance from the encroaching darkness, neither hastening nor slowing her pace as she leisurely advanced.

    There were no signs of other people on the street ahead of her

    "She''s astute," Li Jie muttered, gaze roaming until he spotted Pang Jian and his group.

    "Huh!" Li Jie was astonished.

    Previously, when the pir of light rose in the city center, Pang Jian and his group, like everyone else on that street, sprinted toward the city center.

    Seeing this, Li Jie silently shifted his attention and chose not to observe them further.

    He had not anticipated that they would abruptly stop midway and unexpectedly switch to moving at a leisurely pace.

    "Did they suppress their inner greed or did they discover something?" Li Jie murmured, a glimmer of curiosity flickered in his eyes.

    As he pondered, his eyes wandered and settled on Dong Tianze. His group had almost reached the city center. Dong Tianze was someone he paid close attention to and he was eager to see Dong Tianze''s performance.

    Li Jie nodded to himself. "He''s quite ruthless."

    Dong Tianze rushed out of the street and did not hesitate to join the brutal battlefield. He fought fiercely in the blood-soaked central square, and in the blink of an eye, he had killed everybody on his side of the square.

    The members of the Sinister Soul Temple apanying did not even get a chance to act. They merely watched as Dong Tianze became the center of attention.

    Li Jie was rmed. He turned his head to watch another street.

    In an area engulfed in the darkness of the Fifth World, near the city gate, there were signs of a person!

    Li Jie''s expression grew grave. "Was someone cultivating in one of the stone buildings and, unaware of the extraordinary treasures or the encroaching darkness, is now trapped inside? Or did someone intentionally conceal themselves there?"

    The former was not an issue. However, if that person had intentionally concealed themselves, they would undoubtedly be a problem in the future.

    Thus, that area became the focal point of Li Jie''s observations. His eyes frequently swept over it, wary of any unforeseen developments.

    Li Jie sped his hands together in prayer. "Oh God, this is the first trial my family has arranged for me. Please, let nothing go wrong."

    ***

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A crimson ze burst forth from the tip of the Dragonwood Spear.

    Having slowed down their pace, Pang Jian had time to analyze the intricacies of the Earth ze Technique. He channeled the earthme energy into his spear''s shaft and used the array within to amplify it, resulting in a burst of the crimson ze.

    The spear''s shaft had turned crimson, and as he wielded the Dragonwood Spear and thrust it forward, the entire Dragonwood Spear resembled a fiery meteor.

    Zhou Qingchen nced over and helplessly said, "Pang Jian, the Dragonwood Spear I gave you won''tst much longer. Its shaft is made from dragonwood, and even though it has an array that enhances its strength and sturdiness, it''s difficult for a wooden shaft to endure the power of the Earth ze Technique for a long time."

    Luo Hongyan nodded in agreement. "The Earth ze Technique you''re cultivating isn''tpatible with the Dragonwood Spear. As your earthme energy grows, you''ll eventually need a new spear. The shaft of the new spear must be crafted from refined metal to withstand the power of the Earth ze Technique.

    "We don''t have such a weapon in our possession. However, there''s no need to worry. I saw a spear within the pir of light. Its shaft is made from some kind of rare refined metal."

    Pang Jian''s eyes lit up.

    While there were no issues when he only channeled spiritual power into the Dragonwood Spear, he noticed that the conduction rate was much slower when he mixed his spiritual power and earthme energy to circte within the spear''s shaft.

    The arrays within the spear''s shaft were also ipatible with his newly refined earthme energy.

    However, after hearing about a suitable spear appearing within the strange pir of light in the city center, Pang Jian was filled with anticipation.

 Chapter 71: Slaughter Battlefield

    <h4>Chapter 71: ughter Battlefield</h4>

    Every street In Eight Trigrams City was bracketed on one end by a bloody battlefield, and the other by an encroaching darkness.

    Most cultivators in the city did not take the time to consider their situation and instead just blindly rushed forward.

    Pang Jian kept a close eye on whaty behind him.

    Their group of five maintained a safe distance from the encroaching darkness behind them as they leisurely strolled toward the city center.

    Having slowed down their pace, Pang Jian could take the time to experiment with the Earth ze Technique, in hopes of increasing hisbat prowess when a battle inevitably erupted.

    A delicate voice suddenly rang out from a nearby stone building, "Junior Brother...Junior Brother Zhou."

    The timid voice was tinged with surprise as if the owner of the voice could not believe what they were seeing.

    Zhou Qingchen trembled, and his rugged face brightened with ecstatic joy.

    Turning toward the stone building, he suppressed the excitement in his heart, calling out in a low voice, "Senior Sister Jiang, is it really you?"

    "Junior Brother Zhou..." An elegant woman poked her head out from a window. She wore ck robes, embellished with a red mountain on the chest.

    Her delicate oval face was slightly pale. Glistening beads of sweat trickled down on her smooth forehead as though she was enduring excruciating pain.

    Zhou Qingchen let out a strange cry, startling everyone around him. He rushed toward the stone building and shouted, "Senior Sister Jiang, what are you doing here?"

    Seeing that it was indeed Zhou Qingchen, the woman in the stone building breathed a sigh of relief.

    Shortly after, her expression turned sorrowful. As she walked out of the stone building, she recounted her experience, "After the remains of the Celestial Phoenix appeared, they scattered far and wide in the lower worlds. Some fellow disciples and I were exploring one of the locations where the bones fell when we saw a white mountain with a Mirror Tunnel on its cliff¡ª"

    "Senior Sister Jiang, what happened to your left hand?" Zhou Qingchen eximed when the graceful woman named Jiang Li fully revealed herself.

    "Someone chopped it off," Jiang Li said with a bitter smile, ncing at where her arm ended at her elbow. "We were making our way to the city center. We could not have known..."

    The bodies from the Red Mountain Sect that Pang Jian and the others had encountered earlier belonged to Jiang Li''s group. They had been ambushed along the way.

    Only Jiang Li managed to escape by hiding in a nearby stone building.

    The others were all ruthlessly ughtered.

    Only after everyone rushed toward the city center following the emergence of the pir of light and the extraordinary treasures within did Jiang Li dare to show herself.

    Due to her severe injuries, she trailed behind, careful not to venture too close to the city center. Unexpectedly, she encountered Zhou Qingchen and his group, who had also deliberately slowed their pace to maintain a safe distance from the encroaching darkness.

    "Who did this?" Zhou Qingchen asked as he stepped forward, hastily retrieving various vials and bottles from his spatial bracelet. His eyes were bloodshot. "Here are some healing potions, Senior Sister Jiang..."

    "There''s no need for that. I''ve already bandaged it myself. The bleeding stopped long ago." Jiang Li forced a smile.

    Zhou Qingchen''s anger surged as he shouted, "Who did this?!"

    "Someone from the Second World. They call him Qi Qingsong. That''s all I know."

    Jiang Li''s delicate eyebrows trembled at the sight of Zhou Qingchen''s enraged expression. Unwilling to deceive him any longer, she tearfully confessed, "Junior Brother Zhou, the reason I avoided you and refused your advances before is because...I''m older than you. My cultivation talent is limited and my background isn''t good.

    "I''m sorry for treating you harshly. The truth is, I don''t feel worthy of you. I don''t want to hold you back." Jiang Li shook her head incessantly. Her glistening tears sshed onto the stone floor with each shake.

    With reddened eyes, Zhou Qingchen forced his mouth to stretch into what he thought was a brilliant smile. "Senior Sister, I don''t care about any of that. I''ve liked you from the moment I firstid eyes on you. I''ve always wanted you to know that."

    "I know," she whispered, shoulders trembling slightly.

    "Senior Sister..."

    Zhou Qingchen reached into a smallpartment within his spatial bracelet and retrieved a green pear wrapped in a pristine white handkerchief.

    He meticulously wiped the green pear clean and offered it to Jiang Li with a grin. "I know you like pears, so I always carry one on me. You never epted the ones I offered you before, but please have this one today."

    The green pear shone brightly after his thorough wiping, and the skin looked close to being rubbed off.

    Jiang Li''s eyes welled up with tears as she stared at the green pear. The determined and sincere expressions on Zhou Qingchen''s face reminded her of the first time she met him, and how shy he was back then.

    At the time, she had found it amusing. However, as time passed, she realized that he was only shy in front of her.

    That same shy boy was calm andposed when interacting with other senior disciples of the Red Mountain Sect, showing no signs of nervousness or hesitation.

    "Alright." Jiang Li took the pear with a smile. She did not utter another word as she lowered her head and bit delicately into it.

    Zhou Qingchen had waited a long time for this. He watched her with a silly, endeared grin as if the way she ate the green pear was the most adorable thing in the world.

    He paid no mind to the endless darkness from the Fifth World inching closer with every passing second.

    Seeing that Su Meng''s eyes were brimming with tears, and Luo Hongyan was maintaining an unusual silence, Han Duping took it upon himself to urge, "Young Zhou, we need to pick up the pace."

    Luo Hongyan had always regarded Han Duping and Zhou Qingchen with disdain and was always aloof with them. However, she now silently observed Zhou Qingchen and Jiang Li, and when she heard Han Duping''s urging, she icily remarked, "You''re so annoying!"

    Han Duping grimaced. "We really do need to hurry."

    "Got it," Zhou Qingchen nodded. He knew they could not afford to dy for much longer.

    He wanted to help support Jiang Li, but she held the green pear with one hand, and her other hand was injured, leaving him unsure of what to do as he stood there awkwardly,

    "I can manage on my own, it''ll just be a bit slow. I-I''m afraid I might slow you down," Jiang Li said worriedly, ncing at the unfamiliar faces of Pang Jian, Luo Hongyan, and Su Meng.

    Luo Hongyan said offhandedly, "Except for Pang Jian, the rest are all burdens. Having one more won''t make any difference."

    "Thank you." Jiang Li bowed slightly in gratitude. She did not wait for Zhou Qingchen''s assistance and sensibly walked forward on her own.

    Zhou Qingchen red at Han Duping. He instructed Han Duping to walk ahead and look after Jiang Li while Zhou Qingchen stayed behind with reddened eyes.

    Once Su Meng and Luo Hongyan followed suit to continue onward, Zhou Qingchen took a deep breath and turned to the silent Pang Jian. "Help me kill Qi Qingsong. I don''t care who he is in the Second World! You have to help me! No matter what it takes, I have to kill him!"

    Pang Jian nodded, and uttered with a single word, "Okay."

    ***

    All streets eventually came to an end.

    When the group arrived at the city center, they were greeted by a vast za filled with corpses.

    A towering stone building stood in the center of the za. The stone tiles surrounding it resembled white jade. Inscribed at its summit were three prominent characters: City Lord''s Mansion.

    The towering pir of light and its treasures originated from the City Lord''s Mansion.

    The mysterious City Lord''s Mansion stood right in the center of the za, where nearly a hundred people were engaged in fiercebat.

    Pang Jian''s heart wavered.

    The za carried a pungent smell of blood. Hundreds of corpses littered the ground.

    All the battles he had fought before, whether against the Shadow Specter Sect or Dong Tianze, were small-scale skirmishes.

    This was the first Pang Jian had seen such a gruesome scene. Countless cultivators were locked in chaotic battles. Blood flowed like rivers and severed limbs were scattered across the battlefield.

    Zhou Qingchen scanned the battlefield before turning to Jiang Li with an intense look in his eyes. "Senior Sister Jiang, do you see Qi Qingsong?"

    He did not recognize a single person out of the nearly hundred cultivators fighting in the za.

    "No, he''s not here." Jiang Li bit her lip. With a pale face, she urged, "Junior Brother Zhou, I appreciate your concern for me, but I don''t want you to die here. That person...he only severed half of my arm. Hees from the Second World, and hisbat prowess is formidable. I don''t want any of you to die because of me."

    She felt it would be difficult for Zhou Qingchen and the others to kill Qi Qingsong as they were right now.

    Jiang Li already felt fortunate that she had survived to meet Zhou Qingchen again. She did not want Zhou Qingchen and the others to die on her behalf.

    Zhou Qingchen did not respond to her words, so she whispered again, "I''m happy to be able to return home. I forbid you to risk your life for me. It''s not worth it."

    "For you, everything is worth it!" Zhou Qingchen said firmly.

    Pang Jian noticed a girl d in white emerging from the street on their left side.

    "Someone''sing," he warned.

    The white-d girl wore a thin veil over her face. It seemed she had been trailing behind just like them and had just arrived.

    Noticing Pang Jian''s gaze, the girl in white coldly acknowledged their presence with a disinterested nod.

    "Let''s leave this street for now and observe from the sidelines to see if the darkness behind us spreads to the za," Luo Hongyan suggested, prompting everyone to enter the white za.

    They diverted their attention from the battling crowd and turned toward the steadily approaching darkness behind them.

    It was not only them.

    As the endless darkness from the Fifth World emerged from the intersections of the eight streets, even the cultivators engaged inbat halted their actions.

    Nervousness and apprehension filled the air as everyone watched the darkness approach.

    Remarkably, the darkness halted at the intersections. The radiance from the za seemed to prevent it from advancing beyond the intersections.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The cultivators breathed a sigh of relief at the sight and resumed their battles once more.

 Chapter 72: Pushover

    <h4>Chapter 72: Pushover</h4>

    Nearly a hundred cultivators surrounded the City Lord''s Mansion in the center of Eight Trigrams City. These cultivators engaged in fiercebat, and their thunderous roars shook the ground.

    shy beams of light and rainbow lightning streaked through the air, spilling fresh blood. Tall figures copsed into pools of blood one after another.

    The thick scent of blood permeated the air around the City Lord''s Mansion. The stone tiles resembling white jade were stained red with blood.

    The bodies of the fallen, flesh and garments and all, slowly melted away.

    Everyone seemed to know that Eight Trigrams City would eventually swallow up the deceased, but nobody paid it any heed.

    Standing on the edge of the za, Pang Jian impassively observed his surroundings. He mentally transformed the chaotic battlefield into a three-dimensional map and imprinted it deeply in his mind.

    A total of eight streets led to the center of the city. A girl d in white stood at the second intersection to his left.

    The girl stood at the edge of the za like them. Her gaze was calm and serene as if she knew the darkness behind her would not spill into the za.

    Pang Jian shifted his attention to his right.

    Both the first and second intersections on his right were deserted.

    However, as Pang Jian gazed at the second intersection on the right, a sense of unease and foreboding gripped him.

    Studying the intersection more carefully, he noticed that the darkness there was different from that of the other intersections.

    At the other intersections, the darkness remained stagnant, but at the second intersection to his right, the darkness remained in a constant state of agitation.

    It was as if something lurked within the darkness.

    That something seemed to have concealed itself in the endless darkness, standing at the intersection as it observed the battles around the City Lord''s Mansion.

    "There''s something there," Pang Jian said, pointing at the intersection.

    Following the direction of his pointing, Zhou Qingchen and the others saw that the darkness at that particr intersection was distinctly different from the rest.

    Despite losing half of her left arm, Jiang Li still exuded an elegant demeanor. However, the elegance gave way to gripping fear once they arrived at the city center, and seeing the agitated darkness at that intersection only heightened her sense of dread and apprehension.

    Nevertheless, she waved cordially at the white-d girl and asked, "Little girl, are you alone? Would you like to join us?"

    The veiled girl shook her head in disinterest.

    Zhou Qingchen did not mind that Jiang Li''s kind invitation had been refused and he decided to warn the girl, "There''s something unusual in the darkness at the intersection across from you. Be careful."

    A hint of rm shed in the girl''s eyes at Zhou Qingchen''s words.

    The Lord''s Manor upied a sizable space in the center of the za. The intersection where the girl stood and the intersection with unusual activity in the darkness were separated by the City Lord''s Mansion.

    The girl was directly opposite that intersection, the City Lord''s Mansion loomed between them, obstructing her view and preventing her from seeing the strange activity in the darkness ahead.

    After receiving Zhou Qingchen''s warning, the girl muttered to herself as she walked along the wall on the left side, avoiding Pang Jian''s group to take a look for herself.

    "Senior Sister Jiang, your kindness knows no bounds." Zhou Qingchen''s eyes held a trace of heartache as he looked at Jiang Li. He did not me her for her kindness and offered someforting words. "That girl dares to explore this city without a hint of panic in her eyes. This means she has confidence in herself. Ifpare that to Su Meng, who is of simr age to the girl..."

    Jiang Li turned her head to see Su Meng utterly overwhelmed by the brutal scenes unfolding before her. She was too consumed by fear to pay attention to her surroundings.

    Su Meng recoiled at the sound of her name. Casting a bewildered gaze at everyone present, she asked, "Why? Why must they resort to such ughter?"

    "Eight Trigrams City demands sacrifices. The Mirror Tunnel will not reveal itself and the barrier guarding the treasures will remain intact until it has its fill," Li Jie exined, suddenly appearing on their right side as he sauntered toward them.

    The reed straw that typically hung from his mouth was inserted into a ss bottle, giving the impression that Li Jie was perpetually sipping on green fruit juice.

    When he reached the street with the agitated darkness, Li Jie stopped.

    He stood at the intersection and stared into the darkness.

    The churning darkness was mere inches away from him. Under his curious and scrutinizing gaze, the churning darkness unexpectedly quieted down.

    Li Jie chuckled. He no longer stared at the darkness and walked toward the intersection to the right of Pang Jian''s group before retrieving a recliner weaved from bamboo from his spatial ring.

    He settledfortably on the recliner, pulling jerky and dried fruit from his spatial ring as he savored his green fruit juice.

    "I was on the opposite side of the za at the main entrance of the City Lord''s Mansion, which stood between us," Li Jie said, chuckling lightly to himself. "You arrived toote. You missed out on a spectacr scene.

    "At first, everything was peaceful, but once it became known that Eight Trigrams City required blood sacrifices for the Mirror Tunnel to open and the treasures to reveal themselves, a bloodbath naturally erupted."

    Li Jie enjoyed a good spectacle. pping his thigh, he eximed, "It was truly spectacr!

    "Groups with long-standing grudges and grievances shed, and the fighting slowly spread to everyone else. Soon, everyone was fighting and all they could see was red.

    "The strongest few have already entered the City Lord''s Mansion and are waiting on the elevated tform beside the pool. Meanwhile, the ughter outside is still ongoing.

    "If the number of deaths within Eight Trigrams City does not pass a certain threshold, the mysteries within the City Lord''s Mansion will not fully manifest. This bloodbath will continue until that threshold is reached."

    Li Jie lounged in his chair, munching on jerky and sipping fruit juice as he animatedly exined the situation to them.

    "This brat is really annoying," Han Duping said disdainfully.

    If he had not witnessed the miserable ends of the two cultivators from the Blood Moon Sect and the Radiant Sun Sect, Han Duping would not hesitate to teach Li Jie a lesson and plunder all his treasure.

    "I''ll go and have a look," Pang Jian suddenly said. Before anyone could react, he had already walked in the direction the girl d in white had headed earlier.

    As he walked along the edge of the za, he studied the intersections on his left and the City Lord''s Mansion.

    Soon, he saw the girl d in white in front of the main entrance of the City Lord''s Mansion, where Li Jie had been earlier.

    When she saw him approach, the girl''s expression turned cold.

    Pang Jian did not get any closer. Instead, he stared at the area in front of the City Lord''s Mansion''s entrance, where the fighting was the fiercest.

    After a few moments, Pang Jian nodded at the girl with an aloof expression before retracing his steps.

    Upon returning, Pang Jian conveyed his findings, "The City Lord''s Mansion has a front and back entrance. The street we were on faces the back entrance, but it is sealed off. Although the front entrance is open, no one is entering."

    "Why bother checking for yourself when you could ask me?" Li Jie cut in from the side. With a cheerful smile, he continued, "Those seeking entry through the front entrance of the City Lord''s Mansion must first prove themselves by demonstrating their formidable personalbat abilities.

    "Alternatively, you could reveal some kind of status, position, or reputation that would strike fear into the hearts of the people around you. Those outside hesitate to enter because they know they''re no match for those within. They''re fighting outside because they understand that, despite its ferocity, it''s better than confronting the formidable individuals within the City Lord''s Mansion.

    "In any case, they only need to continue the bloodbath outside the City Lord''s Mansion. Once the death toll meets the threshold, the barrier holding the treasures will be lifted. At that point, those inside will no longer bother with them and the ones outside can also enter to look at the treasures," Li Jie exined.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A small yet muscr cultivator emerged from a pile of corpses, his body drenched in blood.

    His bloodthirsty gaze swept across Pang Jian''s group and heughed cruelly. "The death toll needs to reach a certain threshold. I want this bloodbath to end as soon as possible, so I guess I''ll have to kill you all to meet the quota!"

    This cultivator had been in fiercebat outside the City Lord''s Mansion for quite some time. His body was covered with cuts and bruises.

    If the fighting persisted, he could very well end up as one of the corpses trampled beneath everyone''s feet.

    He was keenly aware that this terrifying bloodshot would only end once the barrier within the City Lord''s Mansion was lifted and the extraordinary treasures were revealed.

    Only then did he have a chance to survive.

    In the chaos of battle, those who knew they could not hold out for much longer found a glimmer of hope upon hearing his words.

    "He''s right!"

    Some people nced at the lounging Li Jie. Fear filled their eyes and they instantly abandoned their ns.

    They had previously suffered at the hands of Li Jie and were now afraid to provoke him.

    "We must kill that man as brutally as possible, or only trouble will follow," Luo Hongyan advised. "Any disy of weakness will make us seem like pushovers. If that happens, more and more people will try to kill us to reach the required threshold as soon as possible."

    Pang Jian and the rest felt a chill run down their spine.

    Pang Jian, Zhou Qingchen, and Han Duping''s eyes shed with strong killing intent, no longer concealing their murderous aura.

    They knew Luo Hongyan was right.

    The cultivators fighting outside the City Lord''s Mansion would only be deterred once the unidentified cultivator met a swift and brutal demise.

    "Young Zhou, don''t hold back. Whatever you do, don''t show mercy!" Han Duping said gravely.

    Zhou Qingchen nodded resolutely.

    Jiang Li gritted her teeth. She also wanted to join the battle.

    "Senior Sister Jiang, stay here! Your left hand is severely injured, and you haven''t adapted to the new fighting style yet. Don''t make trouble for us!" Zhou Qingchen solemnly warned Jiang Li. This was the first time he addressed Jiang Li with a less-than-favorable expression.

    With that said, Zhou Qingchen boldly took the lead, brandishing his cold iron long saber as he stepped forward.

    As he advanced, he took out his Heartguard Mirror and ced it on his chest. His unarmed left hand was encased in a ck iron glove adorned with menacing spikes.

    Jiang Li wanted to speak out, but Luo Hongyan interrupted her with a gentle hand on her shoulder. She whispered, "Listen to him. He''s not all bad. When you''re around, he actually shows his manly side."

    "Pang Jian, do you have any good ideas?" Han Duping asked.

    Pang Jian shook his head.

    The za was open and had no cover. It was impossible to n for this kind of battle.

    Zhou Qingchen charged fiercely at his opponent. When he was only a few meters away, he halted and tossed a packet of poison powder into the air.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A mist of poisonous powder scattered above the man''s head, enveloping his entire body.

    "Damn it!" The man hastily closed his eyes as he cursed furiously.

    Han Duping was preparing to charge forward, only to freeze in astonishment at the sight of the poisonous cloud.

    Pang Jian was also shocked.

 Chapter 73: Intimidation

    <h4>Chapter 73: Intimidation</h4>

    Han Duping snapped out of his stupor and turned to re fiercely at Pang Jian. With righteous indignation, he scolded, "Pang Jian, look at what you''ve done! Your actions have led the honorable Young Zhou astray! What have you turned him into?"

    After his outburst, he discreetly stashed away a packet of poison powder in his sleeve before also charging forward.

    Pang Jian was taken aback.

    <i>Weren''t you the one who told Zhou Qingchen not to hold back and to use every means necessary? Why are you ming me?</i>

    Pang Jian moved to join the battle but found himself frozen in shock for the second time.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Heartguard Mirror on Zhou Qingchen''s chest let off a dazzling light that shone directly on his opponent''s face.

    His opponent held his breath and shut his eyes to guard against the poisonous powder.

    Enduring the tingling of his skin, the man managed to escape the cloud of poison powder. However, when he opened his eyes, he was instantly blinded by a sh of light.

    "Damn you!" He cursed furiously.

    The man''s heart was heavy with emotion, but tears eluded him. He iled his hands in a desperate attempt to defend himself, but Zhou Qingchen unhesitatingly delivered a fatal sh to his abdomen.

    By the time Han Duping arrived, Zhou Qingchen had already ripped his long saber out of the man''s body, leaving his corpse to fall to the ground.

    "This..." Su Meng''s eyes widened as she stared nkly at Zhou Qingchen.

    <i>Didn''t I use the Heartguard Mirror to blind our opponent earlier in the inn? Why would Big Brother Zhou use this tactic?</i>

    Worried about Zhou Qingchen''s safety, Jiang Li watched closely as he killed his opponent. Although relieved, her expression also changed. This was different from the Zhou Qingchen she remembered.

    Next to her, Luo Hongyan cast Pang Jian a peculiar nce and shook her head in silence.

    Turning around, Zhou Qingchen noticed Jiang Li''s peculiar gaze. Feeling like a guilty child, he flusteredly exined, "Senior Sister Jiang, this is not how I normally fight. Uh, Pang Jian recently taught me these tactics. I was concerned about your safety and that Su Meng and the others might be harmed, so I wanted to resolve the situation as quickly as possible."

    Jiang Li nodded gently with a faint smile to assure him not to dwell on it.

    Zhou Qingchen breathed a sigh of relief. He feared Jiang Li would look down on him and think he used unfair methods to secure his victories.

    "How despicable!" Li Jie shook his head. He stared at Zhou Qingchen in shock before disdainfully remarking, "It''s not like you wouldn''t be able to win without resorting to such methods. Why stoop so low?"

    "Despicable!"

    "To think someone of Marrow Cleansing Realm would resort to poisoning and underhanded tactics against a mere Meridian Opening Realm opponent!"

    "Kill those rule-breaking bastards!"

    Zhou Qingchen had acted ording to Luo Hongyan''s instructions to assert dominance. However, before he could exchange more than a few words with Jiang Li, the crowds that had gathered at the back entrance of the City Lord''s Mansion had filled with righteous indignation.

    His attempt to intimidate had inadvertently sparked public outrage.

    Han Duping did not have the time to reprimand Zhou Qingchen. Seeing several more people angrily charged toward them, his expression abruptly changed. "What terrible luck! Our n has backfired on us!"

    The first to arrive was a tall, broad-shouldered man with muscles as hard as rocks.

    He loudly mobilized the crowd and raised its morale.

    "Let''s kill the three youngdies first. They all seem to be at the Meridian Opening Realm! Be careful! Only the brat wielding the long saber has reached the Marrow Cleansing Realm! If they die, we might not need any additional sacrifices!"

    That person''s instigation ignited the fury of the crowd, and several more people approached with a menacing look in their eyes.

    Zhou Qingchen achieved victory by relying on poisonous powder and had yet to demonstrate hisbat prowess. Therefore, they were under the impression that he was not very strong.

    Soon, over a dozen people split off from the brutal battlefield to approach Pang Jian and the others. They intended to pick off the three youngdies first, perceiving them to be the weakest targets.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A spear resembling a fiery meteor flew forward with explosive, scorching heat.

    A hideous bloody hole appeared on the muscr chest of the man rallying the crowd.

    The man lowered his head and stared in disbelief at the horrifyingly gaping wound in his charred chest before copsing.

    "Pang Jian!" Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping cried out at the same time.

    A blur crossed their eyes as Pang Jian darted past them to tear his blood-stained spear out of the fallen corpse.

    Pang Jian gave his Dragonwood Spear a slight shake, sending blood sttering, before once again thrusting it at the iing crowd.

    The Dragonwood Spear moved with graceful fluidity. With every hit and strike, blossoms of deep crimson sttered out, each hauntingly beautiful in its tragic elegance.

    The Meridian Opening Realm cultivators died one after the other under the relentless assault of the Dragonwood Spear, chests or necks pierced through.

    Those making thergest racket were also the weakest outside the City Lord''s Mansion. They hoped to escape death by killing those weaker than themselves and hitting the threshold mandated by Eight Trigrams City.

    These individuals were only at the Meridian Opening Realm and theirbat prowess was mediocre. Pang Jian could effortlessly kill them.

    Pang Jian was like the embodiment of a reaper as he solemnly wielded the Dragonwood Spear. Each thrust of his spear imed a fresh life.

    The essence of the Celestial Phoenix had tempered his body, giving him a synergy between his muscles and bones that far surpassed those in the same cultivation realm. Nobody in the Meridian Opening Realm couldpare to him.

    In the blink of an eye, over a dozen corpses were strewn between Pang Jian and the back entrance of the City Lord''s Mansion.

    <i>Drip! Drip!</i>

    Blood dripped onto the ground before disappearing into the stone tile of the za, which remained as smooth as jade.

    Pang Jian stood determinedly in this sea of corpses. With the Dragonwood Spear in hand, he firmly fixed his gaze ahead.

    The cultivators had originally targeted the youngdies in their group and fanned out to surround them. However, they all fell silent when they saw Pang Jian and no one dared to make a move.

    Pang Jian''s imposing aura shook one of the cultivators. He licked his dry lips and forced a wan smile as he said, "Little Brother, please don''t misunderstand. We were just upset with the despicable fellow wielding the long saber for using poison powder in battle. We admire honorable warriors like Little Brother!"

    "He''s right!"

    "Now, that''s a warrior worthy of our admiration!"

    "I respect you as a man. I won''t touch the three women you''re protecting!"

    The crowd expressed their admiration one after another.

    No one dared to suggest hunting down this group ofte arrivals again.

    Pang Jian remained silent. He carelessly wiped the blood from the Dragonwood Spear on the clothes or a nearby corpse before turning away.

    Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping had been nning to intercept those targeting Jiang Li and breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing them retreat.

    "Let''s go," Pang Jian said from where he stood beside them. Staring puzzledly at the two of them, he asked, "What are you two staring at?"

    "No-Nothing," Han Duping stuttered out awkwardly. He then turned to pat Zhou Qingchen''s shoulder. "Let''s go, despicable fellow. If I''m being honest, I don''t approve of your actions either!"

    Zhou Qingchen was shocked.

    Seeing the trio return with no lingering threat of provocation, Luo Hongyan knitted her brows and muttered to herself. "I wonder if the girl in white died in the front entrance of the City Lord''s Mansion,"

    At that moment, the cultivators fighting along the back entrance stopped their battles and waited to see if anything strange had urred within the City Lord''s Mansion.

    A bored male voice drawled out from the City Lord''s Mansion, "It''s not enough. Don''t stop. Continue with the ughter."

    Hearing those words, the mes of ughter reignited in the eyes of the surrounding cultivators once more.

    The carnage erupted once again with a resounding roar!

    Luo Hongyan''s brows twitched as she looked at the frightened Jiang Li. "Is the one speaking just now the same person who cut off your arm?"

    As Jiang Li was about to answer, she noticed Zhou Qingchen had returned. She hastily shook her head.

    Luo Hongyan nodded. She exhaled sharply and said, "It''s ok, I understand."

    She understood that the person was indeed the one responsible for the deaths of the Red Mountain Sect''s members and the loss of Jiang Li''s forearm.

    Meanwhile, Zhou Qingchen felt like everyone was staring at him with strange eyes and hastily exined himself to Jiang Li with faint embarrassment, "Senior Sister Jiang, please don''t misunderstand. I''m not this kind of person. I didn''t know that guy was only at the Meridian Opening Realm. Old Han asked me to go all out, so..."

    "You don''t need to exin yourself. All that matters to me is that you''re alive. I don''t care what methods you use." Jiang Li shook her head and continued softly, "Back then, if we could have relied on poison powder to survive, I would have done the same."

    Relief washed over Zhou Qingchen at her words.

    With that worry alleviated, Zhou Qingchen reflected on his actions, pondering whether he had made a mistake.

    It had simply been too easy when he cooperated with Pang Jian to kill Jian Yaoyang and the others. He did not need to exert much effort to resolve all the threats. Thus, when he encountered a simr situation again, he intuitively resorted to simr methods to deal with the enemy.

    The result...

    It turned out unexpectedly well but it also attracted a lot of criticism.

    "The most important thing is to survive," Pang Jian murmured.

    Hearing this, Zhou Qingchen smiled and added, "Indeed, surviving is what matters, the process is secondary."

    ***

    Arge square-shaped pool was in the center of the courtyard of the City Lord''s Mansion. At the bottom of the pooly an ancient bronze chest, a gleaming silver spear, a colorful robe, and a white jade bottle.

    The radiant brilliance of these treasures converged into a beam of light that shot toward the sky, showcasing them for all in Eight Trigrams City to see.

    Several people had already gathered around the square pool.

    Each corner of the pool had a tall tform resembling a stone pir, and each tform had people on it.

    Sitting cross-legged on one of these tforms was a blue robe person with a handsome appearance. This was the person whomanded the cultivators outside to continue their ughter.

    Across from him was Dong Tianze. Dong Tianze sat on the other tform with Leng Yuan from the Sinister Soul Temple standing behind him.

    Having long since recovered from his injuries, he had proven his strength through his previous killings outside and earned himself a ce on a tform.

    Dong Tianze frowned, seeming to have heard a familiar name over the noise of the za.

    "Pang Jian." After a moment, he shook his head dismissively. "It''s probably my imagination,"

    The sounds of ughter outside soared to the sky, resounding with the sh of metal. Dong Tianze assumed he subconsciously heard the name because he frequently muttered it to himself.

 Chapter 74: Li Jies Generosity

    <h4>Chapter 74: Li Jie''s Generosity</h4>

    Outside the City Lord''s Mansion, the killing continued.

    After the announcement that the bloodshed was still not enough, the remaining cultivators once again raised their spirit artifacts and resumed battle.

    Deafening roars resounded through the za. Spirit artifacts danced in the air. Dazzling beams of light lit up all around.

    Those who could not react in time fell into pools of blood.

    Pang Jian''s group was no longer a target, and no one dared to approach them.

    Heaving a sigh of relief, Pang Jian surveyed the battlefield, watching the reckless fight of the other cultivators.

    He soon realized that those in the Meridian Opening Realm were the first to be attacked and killed. Those willing to serve the people within the City Lord''s Mansion and act as their "killing sword" were predominantly in the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    Pang Jian recalled Jian Yaoyang and his group.

    If Jian Yaoyang''s group of seven had survived and made it to the za, the six Meridian Opening Realm cultivators would not havested long.

    Given Jian Yaoyang''s cultivation realm andbat prowess, he would have been fit to carry out the killings outside, but he would not have been qualified to enter the City Lord''s Mansion.

    A keen realization of the cruelty of the cultivation world sank into Pang Jian.

    Most of the corpses on the ground belonged to those in the Meridian Opening Realm, with a few Marrow Cleansing Realm ones mixed in.

    In Northern Qi, or even the Fourth World, cultivators in these cultivation realms were regarded as exceptional figures. Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators were treated as honored guests in the seven major ns.

    However, in Eight Trigrams City, cultivators in the Marrow Cleansing Realm like Jin Yang or Dong Qianfeng were nothing more than cannon fodder.

    Not even Hong Tai was an exception to this.

    Sighing, Pang Jian turned to Zhou Qingchen.

    "I''ll go and have a look at the front entrance," he said, before heading to the front entrance where the girl d in white stood.

    He wanted to take the opportunity to survey the battlefield once more.

    As Pang Jian approached the main entrance, he saw the white-d girl standing alone in front of the intersection.

    A veil covered the lower half of the girl''s face, but her eyes conveyed a cold apathy toward life. Several bodies were strewn haphazardly on the ground around her.

    None of these bodies were intact.

    When Pang Jian arrived at the front entrance, she turned her head to gaze nkly at him.

    Pang Jian came to a halt and nodded at her before turning his gaze toward the cultivators fighting around the main entrance.

    The cultivation realm of these cultivators was mostly in the Marrow Cleansing Realm, with few in the Meridian Opening Realm. They seemed to be waiting for the barrier inside the City Lord''s Mansion to be lifted, so they could be the first to rush in.

    Pang Jian finally understood the situation.

    The back entrance was sealed off, so it had be where the weakest cultivators were gathered.

    There was no guarantee that the back entrance would open even after the quota for killing had been met, so those eager to enter the City Lord''s Mansion had no choice but to gather around the main entrance.

    <i>No wonder she came to the main entrance,</i> Pang Jian thought after observing for a while.

    Having seen what he had wanted to see, Pang Jian continued in the same direction, to fully circle the za.

    Many battling cultivators noticed the indifferent young man strolling along the wall while carrying a blood-stained spear.

    These cultivators were in other sections of the za and had not seen the ughter at the back entrance. However, despite being eager to reach the killing quota, no one dared to attack.

    Pang Jian did not encounter any trouble as he arrived at the intersection with the previously lively darkness.

    Coming to a halt, he stared into the darkness. However, it no longer exhibited any peculiar movements andy still like the darkness at the other intersections. Whatever had been lurking within seemed to have long departed.

    Li Jie lounged on his recliner and leisurely sipped his green fruit juice. He seemed oblivious to the bloody ughter happening around him. Seeing Pang Jian''s actions, he chuckled and said, "There''s nothing interesting to see anymore. Even if there was some mysterious creature in the darkness, they wouldn''t reveal themselves now."

    Meanwhile, Luo Hongyan, Zhou Qingchen, and the others spotted Pang Jian. They waved and called for him to return, "Pang Jian!"

    Pang Jian nodded and walked toward them.

    As Pang Jian was about to walk past Li Jie, Li Jie smiled and said, "Little Brother, when the pir of light retracts into the pool in the City Lord''s Mansion, the departing Mirror Tunnel will open. When that happens, you will have two options.

    "You could suppress your desires for the treasures in the pool and leave through the Mirror Tunnel for the highest chance of survival, or you can stay behind to seize the treasures in the pool. I wonder what you''ll do."

    Zhou Qingchen and the others had also heard Li Jie''s words, prompting them to contemte this decision.

    "We''ll decide once we''re inside and see the situation for ourselves," Pang Jian replied decisively to Li Jie.

    "True. You can only let go and make the best choice after seeing it with your own eyes." Li Jie shot him a friendly smile and retrieved three ss bottles of green fruit juice from his spatial ring. Sitting up, he handed one to Pang Jian. "Let me treat you to some fruit juice."

    Pang Jian was bewildered. "Why would you treat me?"

    Li Jie pointed at Zhou Qingchen and Su Meng. "I''m also treating them. That''s why I''m giving you three bottles."

    Before Pang Jian could inquire further, Li Jie took the initiative to exin, "I''ve wandered each of the eight streets of Eight Trigrams City, but only three people, upon seeing how I''m dressed, did not covet my treasures and had no intention of killing me for them. You three showed neither greed nor hostility toward me, so I''m treating you to my fruit juice."

    "Oh, alright then." Pang Jian epted the bottles of green fruit juice and left, a puzzled expression still on his face.

    Returning to Zhou Qingchen''s side, he handed the bottles to Zhou Qingchen and Su Meng. "He said these are for you to drink."

    "What a strange fellow," Zhou Qingchen muttered under his breath. He then seemed to recall something as he turned to shout at Li Jie, "Hey, did my Senior Sister Jiang show any interest in your treasures?"

    Li Jie was dumbfounded. He shook his head. "She hasn''t seen me. She was hiding the whole time and didn''t have the opportunity to covet my treasures."

    "Didn''t she meet you just now? She didn''t covet your treasures then, so why didn''t you offer her a bottle?" Zhou Qingchen questioned, ring at Li Jie.

    "Junior Brother Zhou, why are you like this?" Jiang Li tugged at his sleeve, silently telling him not to cause trouble.

    "Ah, you''re quite the character." Li Jie sighed. He tossed another bottle of fruit juice toward Zhou Qingchen and said with a hint of amusement, "Consider it an oversight on my part."

    Zhou Qingchen took a few steps forward and caught the bottle of green juice. He handed the bottle to Jiang Li and said with a grin, "This thing isn''t important. Senior Sister Jiang is a kind person. I couldn''t let him tarnish your reputation like that."

    Jiang Li''s eyes gleamed as she looked at Zhou Qingchen''s earnest face. Her heart overflowed with gratitude.

    Taking the initiative to hold Zhou Qingchen''s hand, she took a moment to muster her courage and said, "Junior Brother Zhou, can you promise me something?"

    "I''ll promise you anything!" Zhou Qingchen eximed, puffing out his chest.

    "Later, when we enter the City Lord''s Mansion, can we just leave immediately through the Mirror Tunnel? I''m exhausted and drained. I just want to escape this dreadful city as soon as possible. Junior Brother Zhou, can you promise me this?" Jiang Li pleaded, gently shaking his arm.

    Seeing her delicate and frail demeanor, Zhou Qingchen''s heart softened. He was about to agree when his expression abruptly turned serious. "No! I have to kill the person who severed your arm before leaving! I may forsake the treasure inside, but that person needs to die!"

    Zhou Qingchen firmly refused her plea.

    Luo Hongyan found it hard to continue watching them and bluntly voiced Jiang Li''s concerns. "You fool. She''s worried that person will kill you, so she wants you to escape through the Mirror Tunnel. She believes the one who severed her arm is too powerful, and that you''re simply no match for him."

    "No, that''s not it," Jiang Li exined in a low voice.

    Zhou Qingchen snorted. "Even so, I still want to give it a try!"

    "I''ll apany you," Pang Jian said softly.

    Zhou Qingchen let out an odd chuckle and gave Pang Jian''s shoulder a firm pat.

    "What a good brother!" he dered before staring at Han Duping. "Old Han, why aren''t you taking a stand and dering that you''ll face life and death with me too?"

    Han Duping drooped his head, resigned. "If there''s even a glimmer of hope, I''ll naturally stand by you. But if there''s no chance and it''s clearly a death trap, we should just part ways."

    Azy voice rang out from the City Lord''s Mansion. "All right, that''s enough."

    As the person said this, the pir of lighting from the City Lord''s Mansion gradually retracted.

    Pang Jian stared at Li Jie.

    Li Jie seemed to know about the many mysteries of Eight Trigrams City and the City Lord''s Mansion. Everything he mentioned appeared to be true. The retraction of the pir of light, for instance, had indeede to pass.

    "This guy, he..." Pang Jian appeared to be lost in thought.

    Noticing Pang Jian''s gaze, Li Jie smiled, raised the ss bottle in his hand, and gave it a yful shake in his direction as he reminded, "Remember to drink the fruit juice."

    Pang Jian did not reply. He knitted his brows as he stared at the bodies scattered outside the City Lord''s Mansion.

    The severed limbs and pools of blood were vanishing into the stone tile at an elerated pace!

    He had a hunch that the more bodies vanished into the stone tile, the faster they disappeared, and the more quickly the pir of light within the City Lord''s Mansion retracted.

    The fiercely battling cultivators hastilyposed themselves upon hearing the voice from the City Lord''s Mansion. Realization finally sank in as they stared at the retracting pir of light and the disappearing bodies.

    "We''ve reached the threshold!"

    "The treasures within the City Lord''s Mansion will be revealed!"

    "We can finally enter the City Lord''s Mansion!"

    Everyone converged at the main entrance.

    "Zhou Qingchen, the person who just spoke is the one who severed your Senior Sister''s arm," Luo Hongyan bluntly revealed. She no longer helped Jiang Li conceal the truth. "That person is called Qi Qingsong. Once you''re inside, remember to find and kill him."

    Zhou Qingchen took a deep breath and nodded firmly. "I will!"

    "You guys should go in now," Li Jie said, stowing his reclining chair into his spatial ring. He winked at Pang Jian and advised. "I''ll remind you once again, you should drink the green juice I gave you sooner rather thanter. Don''t worry, I, Li Jie, am an upright and honest person. I didn''t put poison in it or anything like that."

    Zhou Qingchen had just finished drinking the fruit juice. He gripped his empty ss bottle and looked at Li Jie with a terrified expression.

    Li Jie rolled his eyes. "Don''t you understand humannguage? I said I wouldn''t poison it. Why do you still look like you''ve drunk a bellyful of poison?"

    Zhou Qingchen''s face contorted into a bitter expression as he openly acknowledged his oversight, "I didn''t think about the possibility of you poisoning it earlier. I felt a chill down my spine at your words. Old Han has always emphasized the importance of staying vignt against others!"

    Li Jie red at Zhou Qingchen before ignoring them and proceeding toward the main entrance.

 Chapter 75: Who Is Qi Qingsong?

    <h4>Chapter 75: Who Is Qi Qingsong?</h4>

    <i>Burp... </i>Su Meng let out a burp as she held the ss bottle. Green fruit juice dotted the corners of her mouth.

    Everybody turned to look at her.

    Luo Hongyan''s expression turned icy. Knitting her brows, she asked, "Aren''t you afraid it''s poisoned?"

    "It''s just too delicious! I couldn''t resist the smell, I just had to drink it!" Su Meng''s eyes widened as she savored the lingering green fruit juice at the bottle''s rim. She sighed regretfully. "I wish there was more."

    She gazed longingly at the departing figure of Li Jie. She wanted another bottle but was too embarrassed to ask.

    "What a lucky little girl," Li Jie muttered to himself. Then, without turning his head, he said, "You all should enter the City Lord''s Manor as soon as possible. Don''t linger outside any longer."

    Zhou Qingchen was about to ask him a few questions when his expression abruptly changed.

    He squinted and silently activated the cultivation method of the Red Mountain Sect to feel the subtle changes within his body. Momentster, specks of grayish-ck impurities oozed from the pores of his exposed skin.

    Refreshing energy forcefully expelled the impurities umted within his flesh and organs in an instant!

    Back in the Solitary Mountain Range, he was forced to hasten his breakthrough to the Marrow Cleansing Realm due to the threat of Hong Tai and had used an iplete set of marrow cleansing spirit materials to aplish it.

    Han Duping had gathering a set of marrow cleansing spirit materials, but it had still been iplete.

    Zhou Qingchen was aware that breaking through the Marrow Cleansing Realm with those marrow cleansing spirit materials would never fully cleanse his body, and that he would need to go through the bone forging, marrow cleansing process once more when he went to the Red Mountain Sect.

    However, the power of the green fruit juice had just forced out those lingering impurities!

    Zhou Qingchen stared at Li Jie''s departing figure in shock.

    Unfortunately, the entric young man had long since disappeared without a trace.

    Returning to his senses, Zhou Qingchen hurriedly asked, "Su Meng, do you feel anything strange?"

    Su Meng shook her head. "Just a slight cool sensation in my stomach, nothing else."

    Despite being out of sight, Li Jie''s voice echoed from the front entrance of the City Lord''s Mansion, "The effects of the medicine willst for a while. When she advances to the Marrow Cleansing Realm, it will nourish her body."

    Zhou Qingchen did not hesitate to urge Jiang Li, "Senior Sister Jiang, drink the green fruit juice!"

    Seeing Zhou Qingchen''s expression, Jiang Li knew the green fruit juice was not poisoned. Although puzzled, she obediently drank it as instructed.

    As she sipped the green fruit juice, a delighted smile formed and she could not help but remark, "No wonder he''s always drinking this."

    "Senior Sister Jiang, the green fruit juice can help youplete the preliminary stage of marrow cleansing. When you advance to the Marrow Cleansing Realm, it''ll cleanse the impurities in your body, allowing you to refine your bones and organs!"

    Gazing at the direction where Li Jie had disappeared, Zhou Qingchen''s eyes glinted with excitement as he said in a low voice, "He muste from an extraordinary background!"

    Han Duping stomped his foot in frustration. "What? The green fruit juice helps with marrow cleansing?"

    Having cultivated to thete stage of the Meridian Opening Realm, he onlycked one set of marrow cleansing spirit materials before he could advance to the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    He did not expect that the green fruit juice Lie Jie had so casually gifted could help himplete the most vital stage of the bone forging, marrow cleansing process.

    Realizing that Pang Jian had yet to drink his fruit juice, Han Duping started to turn to him as he cried out, "Pang Jian! You''re still far from the Marrow Cleansing Realm, so maybe, uh..."

    "What?" Pang Jian asked, setting down an empty ss bottle.

    He had gulped down the green fruit juice in one go.

    It left a cool sensation in his stomach and abdomen, which waspletely different from the burning of alcoholic beverages.

    Pang Jian had yet to break through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm, so he could not experience the full wonders of the green fruit juice that Zhou Qingchen had.

    "It''s nothing." Han Duping sighed regretfully. If he had known of Li Jie''s generosity, he would have ingratiated himself to Li Jie when he had the chance.

    Now that Pang Jian had gulped down thest bottle of green fruit juice, Han Duping''s hope of advancing to the Marrow Cleansing Realm was extinguished.

    Pang Jian''s expression suddenly changed. "Hurry, we have to enter the City Lord''s Mansion!" he shouted.

    Tossing the empty ss bottle aside, he tightly clenched the Dragonwood Spear and darted forward.

    Luo Hongyan also realized what was happening. The motionless darkness that had halted at the intersection was now spilling into the za.

    "The darkness is encroaching once again!" she cried out.

    Everybody''s faces paled as they finally understood why Li Jie urged them to enter the City Lord''s Mansion. They rushed to catch up to Pang Jian.

    As Pang Jian led the way, he also informed the group of his observations, "The light emitted from the city walls and stone tiles has faded, allowing the darkness to continue its advance. It seems like something is deliberately drawing the light into the walls and the ground, allowing darkness to drive everyone toward the City Lord''s Mansion."

    Hearing this, the mood of the group turned solemn. They felt as if an unseen, malevolent force was orchestrating everything from the shadows.

    They soon disappeared from the section of the za behind the City Lord''s Mansion.

    At that moment, the intersection with the previously surging darkness saw a resurgence of tumultuous activity.

    The strange entity within seemed to advance alongside the encroaching darkness toward the City Lord''s Mansion.

    ***

    Pang Jian returned to the front entrance of the City Lord''s Mansion, only to find the wide-open front entrance was deserted.

    Only a pile of slowly disappearing bonesy on the ground.

    Dozens of corpsesy on the shiny stone tile, but not a drop of blood could be found.

    Thest time Pang Jian was here, there had been pools of blood everywhere.

    In the short time he was gone, the pristine white jade-like stone tile floor had absorbed all that blood.

    Pang Jian was about to inform the others of this eerie situation but changed his mind when he turned his head and saw rapidly approaching darkness.

    "Quick, get inside!"

    He no longer hesitated as he took the lead to rush into the City Lord''s Mansion. Passing through a dark stone passage, he arrived at a spacious courtyard.

    The others followed closely in his wake.

    Cultivators gathered around the pool in the middle of the courtyard.

    The water in the square-shaped pool was crystal-clear, and the pool floor could be seen. A dazzling light descended from the sky, converging at the bottom of the pool.

    Each corner of the square pool had a raised tform, and each tform had someone sitting facing the pool in silent meditation.

    The four raised tforms appeared to be designed so that those atop them could observe the treasures floating within the pool.

    When Han Duping entered the courtyard, he caught sight of a familiar figure and almost let out a scream. The figure sat upright on one of the raised tforms with his back turned to them.

    His weapon, Ghost''s Cry, rested beside him.

    "Dong Tianze!"

    Su Meng gritted her teeth. Her petite figure trembled uncontrobly as she red at the figure she longed to kill.

    She both hated and feared Dong Tianze.

    Luo Hongyan smirked. Eyeing Pang Jian in interest, she whispered, "Fate loves to y games."

    Pang Jian knitted his brows and remained silent.

    He had considered the possibility of encountering Dong Tianze in Eight Trigrams City, but he had not expected Dong Tianze to have been inside the City Lord''s Mansion all along.

    This meant Dong Tianze had already carved out a bloody path in Eight Trigrams City and earned the qualification to enter the City Lord''s Mansion.

    Luo Hongyan hesitated briefly before pointing at the pool. "I''m going to take a closer look. Aren''t you curious about the treasures as well?"

    "I''m not in a hurry," Pang Jian replied indifferently.

    Behind them, Han Duping stood on tiptoe as he scanned his surroundings for Li Jie. He was prepared to set aside his pride to shamelessly request a bottle of green fruit juice from him.

    Unfortunately, no matter how much he searched, he could not find Li Jie.

    Zhou Qingchen was thest of their group to enter and he soon noticed that everyone''s attention was fixed on the pool. However, the crowd of cultivators ahead of him obscured his view.

    Regardless, this was of no importance to Zhou Qingchen as he knew Qi Qingsong was most likely one of the people on the raised tforms.

    "Which one is Qi Qingsong?" he quietly asked Jiang Li,

    Jiang Li shook her head in distress. She held Zhou Qingchen''s arm and whispered, "Junior Brother Zhou, please don''t! Don''t risk yourself for me!"

    Shaking his head, Zhou Qingchen forcefully brushed her off his arm. Standing at the edge of the courtyard, he roared, "Who is Qi Qingsong?!"

    The cultivators had been focused on the pool and Zhou Qingchen''s roar had startled them, causing them to curse and re at him.

    Zhou Qingchen remained unfazed.

    As Dong Tianze turned his head, he caught sight of Pang Jian and shouted angrily, "Pang Jian!"

    His face and his eyes filled with madness, scaring many people behind him into hastily backing away.

    A narrow pathway opened between him and Pang Jian.

    Leng Yuan was taken aback. She had never seen Dong Tianze lose control like this before.

    Up to this point, she had only witnessed him emotionlessly killing others.

    This uncontrolled and emotional Dong Tianze was unfamiliar to her.

    ncing at the spear-wielding young man standing at the entrance, she only became more confused.

    The young man was tall and lean and wore a cold expression. However, his cultivation did not seem particrly high.

    Puzzled, she asked, "Junior Brother Dong, is there anything special about him?"

    Dong Tianze let out a cold snort andpletely ignored her. His hostile re remained fixated on Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian tightened his grip on his spear and stoically raised his head to look at Dong Tianze without saying a word.

    Even as Pang Jian did this, his eyes searched the crowd for the man named Qi Qingsong.

    When Zhou Qingchen found out that Jiang Li had lost an arm, he pleaded with Pang Jian to help him kill Qi Qingsong.

    Back then, Pang Jian had responded with a simple "okay".

    That was his solemn promise to Zhou Qingchen!

    Now that he was finally here, Pang Jian kept his promise in mind and set aside his grievances with Dong Tianze to focus solely on searching for Qi Qingsong.

    "Are you ignoring me?" Dong Tianze''s eyes turned cold as he prepared to stand up.

    "I''m Qi Qingsong," said a man in blue across from Dong Tianze. He had been leisurely gazing at the pool when he heard someone shout his name, leaving him puzzled and surprised. Looking at Dong Tianze, he said, "The one surnamed Dong, would you mind stepping aside so that I can see who''s calling my name?"

    Pang Jian and the others stood behind Dong Tianze, and Qi Qingsong could not see them from where he sat on the raised tform.

    Dong Tianze had originally intended to settle the score with Pang Jian. However, he hesitated as he nced at Qi Qingsong and the two individuals on the raised tforms to his left and right. Despite hearing Zhou Qingchen''s roar, the two did not even lift their heads.

    After a brief moment of contemtion, Dong Tianze unexpectedly stepped aside, allowing Qi Qingsong to have a clear view of the person shouting his name.

    Qi Qingsong stood up, staring curiously at Zhou Qingchen and his group. Perplexed, he asked, "Big guy, why are you calling out to me? I don''t believe we''ve met before."

    Zhou Qingchen growled and pointed at Jiang Li. "What about her? Do you remember hacking off her forearm?"

    Qi Qingsong was taken aback. He took an earnest look at Jiang Li, thenzily rubbed his forehead. "I think I vaguely recall that, but I''ve killed so many people it''s hard for me to remember."

    Having killed so many like Jiang Li along the way, he genuinely had a hard time remembering the few who managed to survive.

 Chapter 76: The Sword Pavilion

    <h4>Chapter 76: The Sword Pavilion</h4>

    Qi Qingsong had always beenzy.

    Jiang Li managed to survive not because he could not have killed her, but simply because he felt it was not worth the effort.

    He did not harbor any personal grudge against Jiang Li and did not pay much heed to whether she lived or died. If not for the foolhardy member of Jiang Li''s group provoking him, he would not have even bothered targeting the Red Mountain Sect.

    "You don''t remember?"

    Zhou Qingchen grinned menacingly, brandishing his cold iron long saber and taking out his Heartguard Mirror.

    Luo Hongyan watched as Dong Tianze stepped aside and the man named Qi Qingsong stood up. At that moment, she noticed the sword-shaped pavilion embroidered on the chest of Qi Qingsong''s blue attire.

    The pavilion resembled a downward-pointing sword divided into nine segments, each representing a floor of the pavilion. The sword-shaped pavilion exuded a sharpness that made it seem poised to burst forth.

    Luo Hongyan finally understood why Jiang Li refused to let Zhou Qingchen seek vengeance on her behalf. Knitting her brows, she cautioned, "Zhou Qingchen, I think it might be best to forget about it. Your opponent hails from the Sword Pavilion Sect of the Second World."

    "The-the Sword Pavilion Sect!" Han Duping''s lips trembled uncontrobly. He hastily restrained Zhou Qingchen and urged, "Don''t be rash, Young Zhou! There are numerous sects in the Second World, but the Sword Pavilion Sect is the most formidable. We can''t afford to provoke them!"

    "Sword Pavilion Sect!" Zhou Qingchen seethed as he stared intensely at Qi Qingsong.

    He had also noticed the sword-pavilion emblem on Qi Qingsong''s chest. Having heard about the Sword Pavilion of the Second World from some of the members of the Red Mountain Sect, he understood what the Sword Pavilion symbolized.

    However, his beloved had half her arm severed, and the other party did not even remember her, making it difficult for him to control himself.

    Jiang Li held his free hand and shook her head. She was on the verge of tears when she pleaded, "Don''t! Please don''t risk your life for me! I''ve only lost half of my arm. I''m still alive.

    I''m not worth you putting your life in danger like this. If your feelings for me remain in the future, I''ll apany you for as long as I''m allowed. I know I can''t be with you till the end, but I''ll cherish every moment we share together."

    Jiang Li cried as she tried to appeal to Zhou Qingchen''s emotions, hoping to persuade him to calm down.

    "If you don''t want to fight, just forget it," Qi Qingsong said disinterestedly. He was known for hisid-back demeanor and had been gearing up for a fight. However, seeing the provocateur held back by hispanions, he lost interest in the whole affair.

    He did not have any grudge against the group, nor had he suffered any losses. Thus, he could not be bothered to make a scene once Zhou Qingchen no longer provoked him.

    Hesitation crept into Zhou Qingchen''s heart as Jiang Li and Han Duping held him back. He was torn between his desire to seek revenge and the fearsomeness of the Sword Pavilion and decided to seek Pang Jian''s opinion.

    "Pang Jian, if it were you..." He turned his head to look at Pang Jian, but only saw Han Duping, Luo Hongyan, Su Meng, and Jiang Li beside him. "Where''s Pang Jian?"

    Pang Jian was nowhere to be found.

    Zhou Qingchen, Luo Hongyab, and Han Duping simultaneously cried out in rm, "Damn it!"

    The thought that Pang Jian fled under the pressure of the Sword Pavilion Sect never even crossed the trio''s minds. None of them doubted Pang Jian''s recklessness!

    "Pang Jian!"

    Almost everyone''s attention was drawn to themotion, all watching for any unusual movements from Zhou Qingchen and his group.

    Only one person had vigntly kept an eye on Pang Jian from beginning to end.

    The person was Dong Tianze!

    He curled his lips and bared his teeth as he nced at Qi Qingsong of the Sword Pavilion. "It''s not over yet."

    "What do you mean by ''it''s not over yet''?" Qi Qingsong asked in surprise.

    As the words left his mouth, a zing streak of light shot up from below!

    Qi Qingsong had been looking at Dong Tianze from where he stood on the raised tform when a ming spear unexpectedly thrust toward him!

    "Meridian Opening Realm," Qi Qingsong muttered with a frown, instantly discerning the cultivation of the spear-wielding young man.

    Bringing two fingers of a hand together to form a sword, he pointed it toward the iing spear. A chilling sword intent burst forth from his fingers in a dazzling show of light and stabbed toward the tip of the spear.

    Dong Tianze let out a cry, relishing in Pang Jian''s impending misfortune.

    <i>Zzzt! Zzzt!</i>

    The sword intent emanating from Qi Qingsong''s fingers sliced through the mes above the spear tip, shattered the crimson earthme energy and green spiritual power, and stabbed through the tip of the spear.

    An overwhelming, savage force suddenly erupted from the Dragonwood Spear!

    Although the raging mes dwindled, and the earthme energy and spiritual power were depleted, Pang Jian''s spear still stubbornly thrust toward the finger swording from Qi Qingsong''s two fingers!

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Qi Qingsong had underestimated his opponent and found his fingers shattered and bleeding profusely from the impact. The force surpassed what an ordinary Meridian Opening Realm cultivator should possess.

    Qi Qingsong drew in a sharp breath as he shook his hand out, flicking out a spray of blood.

    "Pang Jian!" Zhou Qingchen cried, a tremor running through his body. He forcefully pushed Jiang Li and Han Duping back, no longer concerned about Qi Qingsong''s status as a disciple of the Sword Pavilion.

    The Heartguard Mirror on Zhou Qingchen''s chest activated, and seven crimson beams burst out one after another, aiming straight at Qi Qingsong.

    Zhou Qingchen brandished his saber, stomping his feet as he leaped into the air as if chasing after the seven crimson beams.

    Still grimacing in pain, Qi Qingsong casually flicked out his other hand and pointed at the iing crimson beams.

    A spirit sword concealed in his sleeve materialized in his hand.

    A faint sword light shed, shattering the crimson beams from Zhou Qingchen''s Heartguard Mirror.

    He had suffered greatly from underestimating Pang Jian''sbat prowess and did not want to make the same mistake again. After shattering the crimson beams, he followed up with another stab at the iing Zhou Qingchen.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A second faint sword light burst forth.

    Zhou Qingchen was still in midair, far from the raised tform as he had yet to soar over the pool.

    The faint sword light struck Zhou Qingchen, sending him and his long saber flying.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    Hended heavily beside Jiang Li and Han Duping. He had been injured in the blink of an eye, and blood streamed from his hands holding the long saber.

    "He actually injured me," Qi Qingsong said, ncing at his bloodied fingers. He lowered his gaze to where the young man had fallen back to the ground below the raised tform.

    Qi Qingsong did not explode in anger, Instead, he stared curiously at Pang Jian as he asked the smirking Dong Tianze, "Dong Tianze, do you know him?"

    Dong Tianze restrained his manic grin. He nced at the spear-wielding young man from where he stood on the opposite raised tform. "I do. His name is Pang Jian. Like me, he also hails from the lower worlds that you disdain."

    Qi Qingsong shook his head in bewilderment. "Is everyone from the lower world this fearless and defiant of death? How could a mere Meridian Opening Realm cultivator from the Fourth World dare attempt an assassination on someone of a higher cultivation realm? Does he not understand the concept of ''death''?"

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Qi Qingsong swung his spirit sword, causing faint sword lights to surge forth, aiming down at Pang Jian''s head.

    As Pang Jian lifted his head, hundreds of dazzling sword lights surrounded him, covering every inch of the area around him.

    Surrounded by sword lights, a looming feeling of resignation toward his impending death filled him.

    However, it was just a feeling. While the sword light could shatter the will of some, it did not affect everyone in the same way.

    Pang Jian was one of those people.

    The sword lights only affected him for a split second before he forcefully brushed off the impending sense of doom. Relying on sheer willpower, he broke free from the influence of the sword lights and took a step back.

    <i>Rip!</i>

    The strike that should have pierced him from head to toe only managed to leave a shallow wound on the left side of his body. The wound was not caused by the sword lights, but by the sword intent Qi Qingsong imbued in the attack.

    Pang Jian winced as a sharp pain shot through his side. He peered up at Qi Qingsong, from the middle of the bustling crowd.

    <i>Sword Pavilion! </i>

    He grimly realized that there was a vast gap between him and the powerhouse from the upper world.

    Pang Jian fell significantly short of Qi Qingsong in terms of spirit artifacts, cultivation methods, and cultivation level.

    The only reason he had been able to shatter Qi Qingsong''s fingers was because Pang Jian''s attack had been unexpected and his opponent had underestimated him.

    "Are you seeking revenge for that woman too?" Qi Qingsong asked curiously.

    As a disciple of the Sword Pavilion, cultivators in Eight Trigrams City would avoid him as soon as they caught sight of the emblem on his attire.

    Qi Qingsong found it difficult toprehend how a young man at the Meridian Opening Realm from the lower world dared to challenge him.

    "No." Pang Jian shook his head but offered no further exnation.

    "He''s trying to kill you for my sake!" Zhou Qingchen shouted at Qi Qingsong as he crawled to his feet. A trace of blood could be seen at the corner of his mouth.

    "Brotherly affection?" Qi Qingsong shook his head in disbelief, voice dripping with disdain. "How utterlyughable."

    On another raised tform, a woman had been sitting with her eyes closed when she abruptly opened them and impatiently said, "Enough with the bickering. The Mirror Tunnel is ready. Those who wish to leave should do so now."

    Her words seemed to carry a devilish power. The mor in the courtyard ceased.

    Those present seemed more than willing to follow her instructions.

    The woman was dressed in a long, bright yellow skirt. At first nce, her appearance appeared ordinary, but her gaze darted about erratically, leaving one uncertain of where exactly she was looking.

    Embroidered all over her long skirt were colorful blossoming characters that resembled vibrant flowers.

    However, all these characters were actually the same.

    Each one formed the character for "Demon", and these characters bloomed like a field of colorful flowers on her long skirt.

    "The Demon Sect!"

    A sense of apprehension flickered in the eyes of the crowd as they stared at the varied colors and sizes of the character "Demon".

 Chapter 77: The Demon Sect

    <h4>Chapter 77: The Demon Sect</h4>

    The Demon Sect was the top-ranking sect of the Second World, even surpassing the Sword Pavilion.

    The Demon Sect had numerous branches, but regardless of the specific branch, itmanded the respect of all the cultivators present.

    There were many sects scattered throughout the different continents of the Second World, such as the Sword Pavilion, the ck Valley Sect, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, and the Dragon Lair Sect. However, the Demon Sect''s influence andbat prowess always reigned supreme.

    This was why, despite being quietly immersed in her own world prior to this, the woman from the Demon Sect, Lan Xi, could effortlessly diffuse the tension with just a few words.

    The noisy crowd quieted instantly.

    Qi Qingsong had been about to strike with his spirit sword again when she spoke up. He reluctantly sat down and said in a respectful tone, "As long as those two stop seeking death, I have no desire to draw my sword again."

    With that said, he retrieved an ointment from his spatial bracelet and applied it to his bleeding fingers.

    Dong Tianze had been preparing to make a move but hesitated after seeing Qi Qingsong defer to Lan Xi. In the end, he decided to hold off on his n for the time being as well.

    Dong Tianze had to go through many bloody and brutal battles to prove his strength and secure a ce within the City Lord''s Mansion. However, the other three individuals on the raised tforms did not need to prove themselves. A mere hint of their identities was enough for everyone to step aside willingly.

    These three individuals were Lan Xi, Qi Qingsong, and Lin Beiye, hailing from the Demon Sect, the Sword Pavilion, and the ck Valley Sect respectively. These sects were some of the most powerful forces in the Second World.

    The cultivators from the Second and Third World shing outside the City Lord''s Mansion recognized the insignias of these three individuals. They would rather engage in life-and-death battles than approach or provoke the trio in any way.

    "Those who wish to leave should do so now." Lan Xi hummed in satisfaction when the crowd fell silent at her words.

    Her tall, imposing figure was perched upright on the raised tform as she calmly nced at a corner of the pool. The water there had solidified into ice and gave off an enchanting glow.

    The ice crystal floated in the corner of the pool and appeared to be connected to different realms.

    Many people widened their eyes as they stared at the ice crystal, subconsciously approaching it.

    "The Mirror Tunnel!"

    With the three individuals from the Demon Sect, the Sword Pavilion, and the ck Valley Sect present, most cultivators did not dare to covet the treasures in the pool. They only wished to leave the treacherous city as soon as possible.

    However, a small minority remained steadfastly rooted in ce, gazes flickering with uncertainty.

    "Hm!" Pang Jian eximed softly. The wound on his body was gradually healing.

    As his wound healed, he experienced a familiar, refreshing sensation, reminiscent of when he drank the green fruit juice.

    A flicker of astonishment shed in his eyes.

    Zhou Qingchen''s expression also changed as he said in a low voice, "The bottle of green fruit juice!"

    Having also sustained an injury, he too felt the green fruit juice within his body actively aiding in his healing and rapidly improving his condition.

    Their eyes sifted through the crowd, searching out Li Jie, but they could not spot him.

    Having failed to locate his target, Zhou Qingchen raised his hand behind the crowd and waved it, beckoning Pang Jian to hurry over.

    Pang Jian spotted the hand emerging behind the crowd. Maintaining his vignce, he silently made his way over.

    He could feel a spine-chillingly cold gazeing from the raised tforms. He knew the intense stare did note from Qi Qingsong of the Sword Pavilion. Instead, it came from Dong Tianze, whose body he had once pierced several times over.

    Pang Jian pretended not to notice it.

    "Heh." Dong Tianze red at Pang Jian like a tiger watching its prey. He sneered but apprehensively did not take action.

    This was not ck Orchid Lake of the Fourth World.

    Those still standing beside the pool were mostly in the Marrow Cleansing Realm, with a few in the Meridian Opening Realm, each more formidable than thest.

    He had briefly crossed paths with a few of them outside the City Lord''s Mansion and was well aware that theirbat prowess only fell short of his own by a narrow margin.

    If he rushed to kill Pang Jian and unexpected mishaps urred, those individuals would be more than willing to take advantage of the situation and turn against him.

    Furthermore, the three individuals hailing from the Demon Sect, the Sword Pavilion, and the ck Valley Sect sat on the raised tforms. Their mere presence instilled fear in the cultivators below. All of this served to pacify the usually irritable Dong Tianze.

    When Pang Jian reached the group, Zhou Qingchen did not even get the chance to open his mouth before Luo Hongyan had already started reproachfully reprimanding Pang Jian, "Are you crazy? Zhou Qingchen is being reckless. Why would you apany him in this suicidal endeavor? Pang Jian, do you even realize what the Sword Pavilion represents?"

    Pang Jian looked at her with a puzzled expression.

    "Sects like the Blood Moon Sect, the Sinister Soul Temple, and the Red Mountain Sect can''t evenpare to the Sword Pavilion. His cultivation realm, spirit artifacts, and cultivation method, all far surpass yours. Where do you get the confidence to attack him?"

    Zhou Qingchen opened his mouth to speak, but Luo Hongyan shot him a furious re. With a cold voice, she said, "If you want to die, then go die alone. Don''t drag others down with you!"

    Zhou Qingchen hesitated. He wanted to argue but was unable to find the right words.

    The situation had indeed been dangerous!

    Both he and Pang Jian had underestimated Qi Qingsong''sbat prowess. They had never thought Qi Qingsong would be so much more formidable than Dong Tianze despite both of them being in the same Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    If Lan Xi from the Demon Sect had not intervened, or if Qi Qingsong had continued to attack, he and Pang Jian would likely not have escaped from the cmity.

    Weighed down by his guilty conscience, Zhou Qingchen pounded his fist heavily on Pang Jian''s chest with reddened eyes. "You''re a good brother! From now on, if I have meat soup, you can have the meat. I''ll just drink the soup!"

    Even he hesitated under the terrifying pressure from the Sword Pavilion. However, Pang Jian dared to confront Qi Qingsong head-on!

    That was the Sword Pavilion from the Second World!

    The Red Mountain Sect of the Third World was not even close to the same level as the Sword Pavilion. The Sword Pavilion was a towering presence that demanded his respect.

    Luo Hongyan continued to sneer mockingly, "Stop it with the brotherly affection. If it weren''t for that woman from the Demon Sect, both of you would''ve died."

    Jiang Li was moved to the verge of tears. She tightly gripped Zhou Qingchen''s hand and refused to let go. She was determined to prevent him from making any more reckless moves.

    Noticing Zhou Qingchen''s hostile gaze toward Qi Qingsong, Luo Hongyan feared he would continue to act recklessly. So, with heartfelt sincerity, sheforted, "Zhou Qingchen, a severed arm can be regrown. The Blood Moon Sect of the Third World possesses such a secret technique. Are you aware of it? A severed arm can be regrown but a lost life cannot be restored."

    Zhou Qingchen''s heart skipped a beat and a glimmer of hope flickered in his eyes. "The Blood Moon Sect has such a technique? Why wasn''t I aware of it?"

    "You''ve yet to officially join the Red Mountain Sect. You don''t have a master''s guidance, so it''s normal for you not to know," Luo Hongyan patiently exined.

    She did not want the situation to be even moreplicated because of their impulsiveness. However, seeing the fiery emotions hidden beneath his icy exterior, she knew Pang Jian would not heed her advice.

    Pang Jian acknowledged Zhou Qingchen, and if Zhou Qingchen impulsively decided to confront Qi Qingsong, Pang Jian would fearlessly apany him. Thus she could only hope to dissuade Zhou Qingchen from further reckless actions.

    "A severed arm can be regrown..." Zhou Qingchen muttered, heart aching as he looked at Jiang Li''s severed arm. With this knowledge, he eventually calmed down.

    They were finally able to properly assess the situation.

    Lan Xi, Qi Qingsong, Lin Beiye, and Dong Tianze each upied a raised tform and stared at the treasures in the pool.

    The cultivators around the pool started to leave through the Mirror Tunnel.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Cultivators disappeared one after another through the ice crystal.

    Most cultivators chose to retreat, unwilling to waste time in Eight Trigrams City in fear of bing yet another corpse.

    The crowd around the pool shrank rapidly.

    Turning his head to look behind him, Pang Jian noticed the endless darkness of the Fifth World lingering at the entrance. It did not spill into the courtyard.

    He secretly breathed a sigh of relief and reminded everyone to stay away from the darkness behind them.

    As more and more cultivators left through the Mirror Tunnel, the once-crowded courtyard became more spacious.

    Pang Jian''s group was no longer huddled near the main entrance as they slowly made their way to the pool.

    Only then did they notice the dazzling pir of light shooting up from the center of the pool, projecting the treasures within onto the sky, so that it was visible to everyone in Eight Trigrams City.

    The pir of light was still in the process of retracting.

    "Young Zhou, do you want to stay or leave?" Han Duping asked with a deep breath. His eyes flickered with signs of wanting to retreat, but he licked his lips and said, "I don''t mind waiting a few more years for my bone forging, marrow cleansing spirit materials."

    Han Duping was only in the Meridian Opening Realm. On the way here, the corpses he witnessed were all cultivators in the same cultivation realm as him.

    Hecked Pang Jian''s courage and did not possess the youthful fervor and impulsiveness of the younger generation. All he wanted now was to use the Mirror Tunnel to leave this ce of turmoil as soon as possible.

    Jiang Li came to her senses and gently advised Zhou Qingchen, "Let''s go. You already know that the three from the Demon Sect, the Sword Pavilion, and the ck Valley Sect won''t be easy to deal with."

    Zhou Qingchen solemnly nced at Qi Qingsong before turning to stare at the treasures in the pool. A feeling of hesitancy and uncertainty lingered in his heart.

    A faint female voice suddenly rang out from beside them, "Should we work together?"

    They looked over.

    It was the girl they had encountered outside the City Lord''s Mansion, dressed in white and wearing a thin veil.

    When they entered the courtyard, it was so crowded they did not notice her presence. They had not anticipated that, as other cultivators began to leave, she would reappear and offer to work together.

    Before anyone else could respond, Luo Hongyan sneered and bluntly asked, "Work together? What are we working together for? Are you nning to snatch the treasures in the pool? Heh, what gives you the confidence to think you cany your fingers on those treasures?"

    The girl did not spare a nce at Luo Hongyan as she coldly remarked, "I''m not asking you."

    Luo Hongyan''s expression frosted over as she knitted her brows. She waved her hand dismissively and said, "You should leave through the Mirror Tunnel. If you wait any longer, it''ll be toote."

    "Should we work together?" The girl in white asked once more. She nced at Pang Jian before turning to Zhou Qingchen.

    Zhou Qingchen curiously asked, "What are you proposing we work together for?"

    "I don''t want the treasures in the pool. All I want is to kill the one from the Sword Pavilion. We can work together to kill him." Killing intent shed in her cold eyes as she lowered her voice and said, "Don''t ask me for a specific reason. I want him dead simply because he''s from the Sword Pavilion!"

    Zhou Qingchen frowned. "What''s your cultivation realm?"

    "Late stage Marrow Cleansing Realm," The girl answered.

    Raising his head to nce at Dong Tianze, Pang Jian also lowered his voice and said, "If we choose to stay, we''ll also have one other opponent besides the one from the Sword Pavilion."

    The girl in white nodded gently. "I noticed. We can kill him as well."

    "Ahem, could you count me in as well?" Li Jie suddenly chimed in from a corner.

    "No!" The girl coldly rejected him.

    Li Jie sipped his green fruit juice and chuckled. "I''m just kidding, I don''t have time to y with you guys. Well, for those who received my fruit juice, let me give you some friendly advice.

    "Don''t work with that girl! You should leave Eight Trigrams City as soon as possible, before you get too deeply involved and end up losing your life."

    With that said, Li Jie took out a recliner andy down on it, looking more at ease than anyone present.

    He seemedpletely uninterested in the treasures within the pool or the Mirror Tunnel.

    It appeared he stayed behind just to watch the show.

 Chapter 78: Stay or Leave

    <h4>Chapter 78: Stay or Leave</h4>

    The cultivators gathered around the pool in the City Lord''s Mansion and gradually left Eight Trigrams City through the Mirror Tunnel.

    With the three individuals from the Demon Sect, the Sword Pavilion, and the ck Valley Sect present, they knew their chances of obtaining the treasures within the pool were slim. Therefore, they were unwilling to risk their lives.

    Soon, the crowd had thinned out.

    The girl in white ignored Li Jie and continued to stare at Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen, the pair who had dared to go against Qi Qingsong earlier.

    Jiang Li and Han Duping continued to urge Zhou Qingchen not to act recklessly, while Luo Hongyan sneered disdainfully. Su Meng could not get a word in, so she chose to remain silent.

    Pang Jian asked solemnly, "If you were to face the person from the Sword Pavilion alone, what are the odds of you being able to kill him?"

    The girl in white did not hesitate. "Fifty percent!"

    Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen looked at her with newfound respect, while Luo Hongyan skeptically sneered, "Is that true?"

    The girl candidly replied, "If I was on my own, it''s hard to say which of us would survive a battle to the death. But with your assistance, I''m confident we''ll have an eighty to ny percent sess rate. I''ve noticed that both of you also wish for his demise, which is why I''vee to seek your assistance."

    Pang Jian hesitated. Just as he was about to agree, Zhou Qingchen took the initiative and said, "Let''s do it!"

    As Zhou Qingchen had spoken up, Pang Jian did not say anything and simply nodded.

    Seeing the number of cultivators had dwindled, Zhou Qingchen turned his head and called out. "Old Han!"

    "What''s the matter now?" Han Duping sighed grimly and shook his head. He prepared himself to follow Zhou Qingchen, regardless of whether he chose to advance or retreat.

    Regardless of his dissatisfaction, if Zhou Qingchen were truly engaged in a life-or-death battle, Han Dupin would apany him, no matter how unwise.

    "Old Han, I have a favor to ask of you. Please take Jiang Li and Su Meng with you and leave first," Zhou Qingchen said earnestly.

    Jiang Li shook her head with tears streaming down her face. "I''m not leaving!"

    "I''m not leaving either!" Su Meng protested.

    Han Duping shared a deep bond with Zhou Qingchen and was about to open his mouth to object as well.

    Zhou Qingchen stared straight into his eyes and said gravely. "Old Han, I rarely ask you for anything this seriously!"

    Han Duping''s small eyes flickered with a hint of resignation as he sighed. "Alright."

    Han Duping had witnessed too many farewells and separations. He had seen countless young girls like Su Meng and Jiang Li lying lifeless on the streets.

    He did not care if Jiang Li and Su Meng died. But he did care about Zhou Qingchen.

    "Both of youe with me. If you stay, you''ll only be a burden to Young Zhou." Han Duping snorted and grabbed Jiang Li and Su Meng by the arms. Before they could protest, he sighed bitterly. "Even if I stayed, I''d only be a burden to Young Zhou."

    Jiang Li and Su Meng fell silent at his bitter, self-deprecating words.

    "If we don''t want to endanger them, we should avoid bing a burden on them," Han Duping said as he pulled the two toward the Mirror Tunnel.

    Li Jie was leisurely sipping his green fruit juice, and as they passed him, hezily called out to Han Duping. "Fatty..."

    Han Duping looked at him with a bewildered expression.

    Li Jie removed the reed straw and tossed the bottle of green fruit juice to Han Duping, "Here, there''s still half left. If you don''t mind that I''ve drunk from it, you can have it."

    "I don''t mind! I don''t mind at all!"

    Han Duping licked his lips and forced out a ttering smile. He released Su Meng''s hand and, upon receiving the bottle of green fruit juice, guzzled it down in front of Li Jie.

    Bowing repeatedly at Li Jie, he profusely expressed his gratitude before finally leading Jiang Li and Su Meng away.

    Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen watched as Han Duping led the two women into the Mirror Tunnel and disappeared.

    "There are some redeeming qualities in him," Li Jie murmured. He then took out a new bottle of green fruit juice, inserted the reed straw, and continued sipping. "But he''s still only worthy of drinking my leftovers."

    His spatial ring seemed to contain an endless supply of green fruit juice and gave the impression that it would never run out.

    After Han Duping and the other two had disappeared into the Mirror Tunnel, Luo Hongyan remarked, "I''m also in the Meridian Opening Realm. Why wasn''t I told to leave as well?"

    "Is anyone stopping you from leaving?" Zhou Qingchen asked puzzledly. "Senior Sister Jiang and Su Meng didn''t want to leave, so I had to force them. You''ve always been free to go. If you want to leave now, you still can."

    Luo Hongyan said coldly, "I wasn''t talking to you!"

    "Oh, you were talking to Pang Jian," Zhou Qingchen realized. He shrugged and chuckled. "Well, you didn''t mention his name, so how was I supposed to know who you were talking to?"

    Pang Jian frowned. "You''re free to leave."

    "I hate it when you say things like that." Luo Hongyan snorted in frustration. She secretly rolled her eyes before she said softly, "I''m fine regardless of whether you want me to leave or stay. What annoys me is your indifference. It''s like you don''t care about my presence at all."

    Pang Jian remained silent.

    "I didn''t include you in my n to kill the one from the Sword Pavilion." The sharp gaze of the girl in white swept over Luo Hongyan. "You should leave. You''re no different from those three. If you stay you would just be a burden. Actually, you can''t even be considered a burden if they don''t care whether you live or die."

    These words infuriated Luo Hongyan to the point of wanting to vomit blood.

    "The number of people is dwindling. If we continue to whisper like this, we risk being overheard," the girl in white cautioned.

    With a glint of murderous intent hidden in her eyes, she scanned the sparse crowd and said, "I''ll make the first move. You two just need to follow my lead. Don''t do anything reckless before I make my move."

    Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen nodded in acknowledgment.

    After a while, all those who wanted to leave had left through the Mirror Tunnel, leaving the courtyard within the City Lord''s Mansion much more open and spacious than before.

    Pang Jian also moved to the edge of the pool.

    He could finally examine the extraordinary treasures submerged in the pool.

    There was a weathered ancient bronze chest embellished with gold and copper threads that glowed faintly at the bottom of the pool.

    A splendid robe with intricate embroidery depicting stars, suns, and moons floated gracefully in the water, exuding an elegant and ethereal aura.

    A long spear quietly rested at the bottom of the pool, its tip melded seamlessly with the shaft, radiating an unparalleled sharpness.

    Finally, a white jade bottle containing a drop of pale blue blood swayed gently underwater as the white jade bottle bobbed in the water. The drop of blue blood resembled a radiant blue gemstone.

    Upon closer inspection, Pang Jian also noticed a radiant snow lotus blooming within the pale blue blood and exuding an otherworldly aura

    The chest, the robe, the long spear, and the white jade bottle were the only four items in the pool!

    The other treasures that had appeared within the pir of light earlier were nowhere to be seen. It seemed they had merely been illusions designed to draw everyone''s attention, rather than tangible objects.

    Once the stream of people leaving through the Mirror Tunnel stopped, a taciturn man, dressed in white with an emblem of a ck valley on his chest, said in a hoarse voice. "I want the Crystal Snow Lotus in the white jade bottle."

    This man was Lin Beiye from the ck Valley Sect. He had been staring at the pool the whole time and ignoring themotion around him.

    "The Crystal Snow Lotus..." Hearing his words, Luo Hongyan''s expression turned cold.

    "I want the ancient chest and the robe," said Lan Xi from the Demon Sect. She nced at Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion and Dong Tianze from the Sinister Soul Temple. "The two of you should decide who the long spear belongs to."

    Dong Tianze''s face darkened.

    His original n had been for each person to choose one item so the four treasures would be evenly distributed among them.

    This way, they would not have to fight over the distribution.

    Even someone as fierce as Dong Tianze had mentally prepared himself to im whatever was left behind as Lan Xi, Qi Qingsong, and Lin Beiye were all stronger than him.

    However, Lan Xi unexpectedly staked her im on two treasures, leaving only the long spear for him and Qi Qingsong.

    "Lin Beiye, do you have any objections?" Lan Xi asked the man from the ck Valley Sect.

    "No," Lin Beiye replied in his hoarse voice.

    Lan Xi then looked at Qi Qingsong. "What about you?''

    Qi Qingsong sighedzily and said, "I don''t have any objections. I''m just unsure if Dong Tianze from the lower world will have any issues with it."

    The implication in his words was clear. He was not giving Dong Tianze a choice. He had already decided to have the long spear for himself.

    Dong Tianze rose to his feet and grinned mockingly. "What? Just because I came from the lower world, I''m not considered a person in your eyes?"

    "More or less," Lan Xi said disinterestedly.

    "Junior Brother Dong, quick, sit down!" Behind him, Leng Yuan desperately pulled on Dong Tianze''s arm to urge him to sit down.

    Leaning in, she whispered a few words in his ear to urge him not to act impulsively. She told him that the existing distribution also had its uncertainties. Therefore, he should not be hasty, lest he risk bing the collective target of Lan Xi, Lin Beiye, and Qi Qingsong.

    Leng Yuan also advised him to let the other three sh first. Only then would he have a chance to obtain what he desired.

    Dong Tianze cast a cold gaze at Qi Qingsong and Lan Xi before unexpectedly reigning in his anger and sitting back down.

    "Heh, you acted all high and mighty at ck Orchid Lake. I thought you were so amazing."Luo Hongyan chuckled disdainfully. "In Eight Trigrams City, you''re just a timid turtle, meekly epting humiliation from others."

    Dong Tianze turned his head and red fiercely at her.

    Luo Hongyan remained undaunted. Her lips curled in contempt as she mockingly questioned, "Did I say something wrong?"

    "Your biggest mistake was choosing to stay here instead of leaving when you had the chance," Dong Tianze responded darkly.

    Luo Hongyan was about to retort when the young woman in white interjected sharply, "That''s enough!"

    Her primary target was Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion.

    She did not want to sh with Dong Tianze before dealing with Qi Qingsong and risk revealing her secret techniques.

    If that happened, she would no longer be able to restrain him with those same techniques.

    "The pir of light is about to retractpletely," Pang Jian reminded everyone with a small voice.

    Luo Hongyan had intended to argue with the girl in white but upon hearing Pang Jian''s words, directed her attention toward the pir of light above the pool. She saw as it slowly retracted into the pool.

    They would soon be able to retrieve the treasures from the bottom of the pool.

    "Be careful," Zhou Qingchen warned Pang Jian in a low voice.

    Pang Jian nodded.

 Chapter 79: Everyone Sprang into Action!

    <h4>Chapter 79: Everyone Sprang into Action!</h4>

    In the center of the courtyardy a pool, with green raised tforms several zhang high erected at each corner.

    These tforms appeared to be designed to allow those standing atop them to have a clear view of the four exotic treasures disyed within the pool.

    At this moment, seated on the tforms were Lan Xi from the Demon Sect, Lin Beiye from the ck Valley Sect, Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion, and Dong Tianze, who had obtained an essence of the Celestial Phoenix.

    The rest were scattered around the edge of the pool.

    The pir light was still retracting and was about to vanish into the pool.

    Not only Lan Xi, Lin Beiye, and Qi Qingsong, but also the look on Dong Tianze''s face that turned grave.

    As greedy, fiery gazes pierced the pool''s surface like needles, many people''s breaths quickened.

    Pang Jian grew wary. As he silently observed his surroundings, he noticed the people around him were all in the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    However, there were no obvious emblems on their clothes, so they likely did not have prestigious backgrounds like Qi Qingsong and the other two did.

    In the space between Dong Tianze''s and Lan Xi''s raised tforms, a portion of the pool water had solidified into ice, forming a translucent ice crystal that floated on the pool''s surface.

    This peculiar ice crystal was the Mirror Tunnel and was the hope for survival in the eyes of many.

    As Pang Jian studied the situation, he spotted the girl in white approaching Qi Qingsong''s tform in a move reminiscent of Pang Jian''s earlier actions.

    Pang Jian let out a soft gasp. "You..."

    Noticing him, the girl pressed a slender finger against her lips beneath her veiled face, signaling him to keep quiet.

    Pang Jian gently nudged Zhou Qingchen''s shoulder, bringing the girl''s movements to his attention.

    "Hm," Zhou Qingchen hummed in acknowledgment. He had also been vigntly watching the girl in white and secretly preparing himself.

    A sudden upheaval urred!

    As the pir of lightpletely retracted into the pool, the figures gathered around all rushed toward it.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Those lingering around the pool had been waiting for this opportunity!

    Their n was simple; rush into the pool, retrieve the desired treasures, then promptly enter the Mirror Tunnel, thus acquiring the treasure and escaping in one fell swoop.

    If they were fast enough and the situation devolved into sufficient chaos, even the trio from the Demon Sect, the Sword Pavilion, and the ck Valley Sect could not stop them in time. Or rather, they could not stop everyone.

    Someone among them was bound to seed!

    "Be careful!" Zhou Qingchen warned in a low growl.

    He had not expected that the dozen or so people left would move with such unity and rush toward the pool the instant the pir of lightpletely retracted into it.

    However, he knew that the individuals on the raised tforms would never allow these people to have their way.

    On one of the raised tforms, Lan Xi remained sat cross-legged. Her ordinary-looking face bore a disdainful smirk as she regarded the group below like a bunch of clowns.

    She gently flicked her skirt.

    Numerous colorful "Demon" characters flew out from her skirt with a rustle. Like a swarm of bloodthirsty butterflies, they gracefully flew toward anyone daring to approach the ancient chest and the robe.

    These eye-catching "Demon" characters pierced through several people in the pool. Those in the water were unaware of what had struck them and floated belly-up like dead fish.

    The faces of these floating corpses were filled with terror. They looked as though the horror continued to haunt their souls even in death.

    The taciturn man with a hoarse voice had been watching the white jade bottle in the pool the whole time. Icy killing intent flickered in his eyes.

    Standing at the edge of the raised tform, he extended his palms toward the pool and murmured iprehensible words under his breath.

    Two dark halos emerged from his palms, like bottomless ancient wells filled with life-reaping darkness.

    Whoever his palm faced in the pool would be swirled around, their flesh and bones torn into pieces as they spun.

    The clear pool water was now tainted with blood, and body parts were scattered everywhere.

    "What a hassle." Qi Qingsong sighed, drawing the spirit sword that had caused great trouble for Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Beams of ethereal white sword light fell onto those in the pool. Those touched by the sword light were cleaved apart like blocks of tofu.

    Pang Jian''s eyes widened in horror. He could not help but take a deep breath. The Dragonwood Spear in his hand felt like it had be heavier.

    Although Lan Xi of the Demon Sect, Lin Beiye of the ck Valley Sect, and Qi Qingsong of the Sword Pavilion were also in the Marrow Cleansing Realm, their conduct in killing those in the same cultivation realm was rxed and casual like ughtering mere animals.

    "I knew it would turn out like this. What a bunch of short-sighted fools. They deserved to die the way they did," Luo Hongyan said disdainfully as she watched the scene unfold. She shook her head and snickered. "They actually believed that acting together in a group meant that someone could seize the treasure and escape. How naive."

    Meanwhile, Dong Tianze had stood up on one of the raised tforms, intending to join the battle when he noticed those in the water were being ughtered one-sidedly.

    Some were cut in half by Qi Qingsong''s sword light before they even entered the pool, causing their severed limbs and belongings to scatter outside the water.

    Those in the pool could not even get close to the treasure before they met their untimely demise.

    Corpses floated along the surface, and the once crystal-clear water turned crimson with blood.

    The blood did not taint the ancient chest, the floating robe, the silver spear, and the white jade bottle, and the treasures remained as radiant as ever.

    The gruesome scene before them caused Dong Tianze to knit his brows, while Leng Yuan pursed her lips behind him.

    After scratching his nose awkwardly, Dong Tianze sat down once again.

    He finally understood why the trio only needed to show off the emblems on their chests to be avoided. They did not need to go through the bloody ughter like he did to im a seat on the raised tforms.

    Dong Tianze was puzzled by how the trio acted in such unison when the dozen or so cultivators rushed into the pool.

    It was like some sort of rule book guided their actions within their respective sects.

    "Are you two really going to work together with that girl?" Luo Hongyan asked with a cold snort as she turned to look at Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen. The pair''s faces darkened with each passing second. <i>Those few fellows did quite well in showing off their strength.</i>

    The two beside her should have reined in their impulsiveness and refrained from acting recklessly by now.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    An explosion erupted from the raised tform where Qi Qingsong had been standing, sending debris flying in all directions.

    Pang Jian turned toward the explosion and saw the girl in white raise her hands high like she was levitating a massive object in the air.

    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>

    The shattered rocks gathered above her head, seemingly enveloped by a violent storm that was madly swirling them.

    Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion was caught in it, pulled in by the storm''s terrifying maic field. He was tossed and spun wildly within.

    The petite girl could seemingly control gravity and used it to create a violent storm above her head.

    Her eyes were filled with coldness as she twisted her waist and pivoted in ce, spinning the massive storm. Qi Qingsong was trapped in the violent storm, unable to fly away or descend.

    "It''s your turn!" she shouted.

    Although Luo Hongyan had warned them, when Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen saw the girl had single-handedly trapped Qi Qingsong in a violent storm, they unhesitatingly dashed forward.

    "The two fools! They don''t even realize they''re being used as pawns!" Luo Hongyan cursed, stomping her foot in frustration as she felt her advice had fallen on deaf ears.

    Zhou Qingchen took the lead, tossing a bag of poison powder toward the storm. He nullified all the defensive properties of his Heartguard Mirror and transformed it into a crimson beam that sted at Qi Qingsong.

    "Qi Qingsong! Die!"

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    The shattered rock debris swirling in the violent storm with Qi Qingsong disintegrated one after another under the assault of the crimson beam. The beam also hit Qi Qingsong, causing blood to trickle from the corner of his mouth.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Following the crimson beam, a spear resembling a fiery meteor streaked toward the violent storm.

    Qi Qingsong hastily raised his spirit sword to block and deflect the spear hurled by Pang Jian.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian picked up the short swords and spears strewn across the floor and infused them with spiritual power before hurling them at Qi Qingsong.

    Zhou Qingchen tightened his grip on the Heartguard Mirror and wildly infused his spiritual power into it, unleashing the full force of its offensive potential.

    The refined spiritual power, enhanced by the arrays on the mirror''s surface, converged into a ferocious beam that hit its target with unrestrained power.

    Each time the crimson beam struck Qi Qingsong, he let out a stifled groan, leaving him in a state of weightlessness as blood spewed uncontrobly from his mouth.

    Pang Jian alternated between picking up his Dragonwood Spear and other misceneous spirit artifacts found nearby andunching them into the storm at Qi Qingsong.

    Before long, Qi Qingsong was covered in wounds from head to toe.

    However, not a drop of his sttered blood fell to the ground. Instead, it vaporized into a bloody mist, dyeing the violent storm a deep scarlet hue.

    "That girl is quite strong." Luo Hongyan stared in astonishment at the girl in white.

    She was finally convinced the girl in white robes had not lied to them and truly possessed thebat prowess to match Qi Qingsong.

    Her abilitypletely restrained Qi Qingsong. Just a few allies on her side allowed her to defeat him without any difficulty.

    Due to their previous aggression toward Qi Qingsong, Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen were naturally prime candidates for such a role.

    After observing for a while, Luo Hongyan could tell that without external intervention, Qi Qingsong would soon be overwhelmed by the trio. "They might actually seed."

    Meanwhile, Qi Qingsong could not contain his frustration as he shouted hoarsely, "Lin Beiye, you bastard, how much longer are you going to watch?"

    Luo Hongyan''s expression changed, and she shouted, "Pang Jian,e back!"

    Zhou Qingchen was greatly shaken.

    Even the girl in white looked astonished at Qi Qingsong''s words.

    Lin Beiye had been silently focused on the white jade bottle in the pool this whole time and replied impatiently. "You¡¯re not dead yet."

    Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen cried out in near unison.

    "Young Master Zhou, quick, return to ck Orchid Lake!"

    "Pang Jian, let''s go!"

    Pang Jian retrieved his Dragonwood Spear while Zhou Qingchen fully activated the defensive abilities of his Heartguard Mirror. They then sprinted toward the Mirror Tunnel in perfect coordination!

    The treasures in the pool were the least of their concerns. All they wanted now was to escape before Lin Beiye made his move.

    The pair understood that Lin Beiye from the ck Valley Sect and Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion had long since formed an unspoken alliance.

    No matter how reckless or impulsive Zhou Qingchen was, he knew that the joined forces of Lin Beiye and Qi Qingsong spelled certain death for them. They would not stand a chance.

    Their only chance for survival was to leave through the Mirror Tunnel as quickly as possible!

    Luo Hongyan stood below the raised tform of the Demon Sect''s Lan Xi. Pang Jian, determined to retreat, nced at her from afar and urged her to leave as well, "Let''s go!"

    Luo Hongyan''s hesitant gaze fell on the white jade bottle gently bobbing in the pool.

    It was so close to her.

    "You two go ahead, don''t worry about me. I''m just a burden no one cares about anyway," Luo Hongyan stubbornly retorted, ignoring Pang Jian''s urging.

 Chapter 80: The Price of Impulsiveness

    <h4>Chapter 80: The Price of Impulsiveness</h4>

    Pang Jian could see that the treasures in the pool had captivated Luo Hongyan and no longer wasted time persuading her.

    "Pang Jian, let''s go!" Zhou Qingchen shouted. He activated his Heartguard Mirror to form a crimson mountain from his spiritual energy and hurled it to the top of Pang Jian''s head.

    The towering mountain hovered in midair and emitted rays of deep crimson light that formed a solid protective barrier. Wherever Pang Jian went, the mountain would follow and protect him.

    Zhou Qingchen followed closely behind Pang Jian with his long saber in hand. He frequently turned his head to watch their rear.

    Lin Beiye from the ck Valley Sect was now standing on his raised tform, ck palms outstretched toward the violent storm formed from shattered rocks.

    A thick beam of ck light, filled with mysterious runes, shot toward the storm.

    All the rocks were instantly pulverized, and the mysterious runes encircled Qi Qingsong one by one to ensure his safety.

    Zhou Qingchen had been anxious about the possibility of Lin Beiye obstructing his and Pang Jian''s retreat. However, he soon realized Lin Beiye considered neither him nor Pang Jian worthy of his attention.

    Lin Beiye did not even spare the two of them a nce.

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    Golden dagger light cleaved onto the crimson mountain, scattering red and golden light everywhere.

    Zhou Qingchen''s expression changed. "Dong Tianze!"

    "What? Did you forget I was still here?"

    Dong Tianze rose from his raised tform, clutching his golden Ghost''s Cry, and bared his teeth at Zhou Qingchen.

    Swinging his Ghost''s Cry, Dong Tianze created a sea of golden dagger light that rained down on Pang Jian.

    <i>Crash! tter!</i>

    Both the crimson mountain and the golden dagger light shattered, showering onto Pang Jian like torrential rain and leaving him covered in wounds.

    Pang Jian grunted, gaze fixed on the Mirror Tunnel before him. He gritted his teeth and stubbornly charged onward.

    "You won''t get away," Dong Tianze said with a shake of his head. He mercilessly swung his Ghost''s Cry, creating more and more golden dagger light.

    As Pang Jian raced toward the Mirror Tunnel, a sea of golden dagger light materialized before him. Seeing no other option, he merged with his Dragonwood Spear, transforming into a fiery meteor to stab through the sea of golden dagger light.

    The ear-splitting sh of metal rang out from within the sea of golden dagger light, followed by the sharp, crisp sound of a spear shaft shattering.

    The Dragonwood Spear was destroyed!

    The golden dagger light pierced Pang Jian''s hand gripping his ruined spear shaft. Long, thin wounds shed open his skin.

    He discarded the Dragonwood Spear and rolled to the ground as he continued to rush toward the Mirror Tunnel.

    Dong Tianze relentlessly swung his Ghost''s Cry, conjuring more golden dagger light above Pang Jian. It loomed above him like a celestial canopy, imprisoning him and preventing him from soaring into the sky.

    The sea of golden dagger light blocked Pang Jian''s path, and he could not avoid the deadly dagger light if he wanted to enter the Mirror Tunnel.

    As Dong Tianze watched Pang Jian rolling and struggling on the ground, he could not help but release his pent-up resentment as he sneered, "At ck Orchid Lake, you not only snatched my ck turtle''s blood essence but also set up an ambush that left me heavily injured.

    "I searched tirelessly for you in this bloody city for days but never saw you. Heh, perseverance truly does pay off! Little did I expect to find you within the City Lord''s Mansion."

    Pang Jian acted as though he did not hear Dong Tianze''s mocking words and struggled onward beneath the sea of golden dagger light.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Leng Yuan leaped down from where she stood behind Dong Tianze on the raised tform. She effortlessly leaped past the sea of golden dagger light and rushed toward Zhou Qingchen.

    Once Leng Yuan confirmed that Pang Jian was Dong Tianze''s primary target, she took the initiative to confront Zhou Qingchen so that he could concentrate on killing Pang Jian.

    <i>Swoosh! Swoosh!</i>

    Colorful ribbons flew from Leng Yuan''s slender waist like a rainbow and circled Zhou Qingchen.

    Leng Yuan pursed her lips and said with a faint smile, "My junior brother will take good care of your little friend. I just need to keep an eye on you."

    <i>Swish! Swish! Swish!</i>

    Daggers formed within the sea of golden dagger light, sharp edges gleaming as they shot down at Pang Jian.

    These sharp daggers struck Pang Jian and left bloody wounds across his body.

    Dong Tianze chuckled in satisfaction. "I''ll make sure your whole body is riddled with holes!"

    Ovee with grief and remorse at the pitiful sight of Pang Jian, Zhou Qingchen cried out, "Pang Jian, I''m sorry!"

    Regret filled Zhou Qingchen. He should have left with Han Duping and the others instead of trusting the girl in white.

    He was willing to die for Jiang Li.

    However, the only reason Pang Jian ended up in such a miserable situation was because of him. Zhou Qingchen was overwhelmed by guilt.

    As he watched Pang Jian''s bloody figure struggling to even roll under the sea of golden dagger light, tears welled up in Zhou Qingchen''s eyes.

    "I''m so sorry. I, Zhou Qingchen, have wronged you," Zhou Qingchen apologized. "I''m sorry, I''m so sorry..."

    Through it all, he was struggling desperately against theshing of the ribbons, and he was soon covered in wounds himself.

    Zhou Qingchen was only a few years older than Pang Jian. As a young man, when he saw his beloved with half of her arm hacked off, his blood boiled, and he yearned to seek revenge on her behalf.

    He was in the Marrow Cleansing Realm and also possessed many spiritual artifacts. This was why he dared to boldly shout for Qi Qingsong as soon as he entered the City Lord''s Mansion.

    His confidence in his abilities, paired with Pang Jian''s capabilities, made him believe that the two of them had a chance of killing Qi Qingsong if they worked together.

    However, Qi Qingsong had easily neutralized their initial attack.

    At that moment, Zhou Qingchen realized there was a significant gap between his Marrow Cleansing Realm and Qi Qingsong''s Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    The harsh reality dampened his eagerness and impulsivity, bringing him back to his senses.

    If the girl in white had not instigated him and had not imed to be on par with Qi Qingsong inbat prowess, Zhou Qingchen would never have dragged Pang Jian into another fight.

    While the girl in white ultimately proved capable of standing toe-to-toe with Qi Qingsong, nobody could have expected Lin Beiye and Qi Qingsong to have already established a tacit understanding.

    Consumed by guilt, Zhou Qingchen ignored theshing of the multicolored ribbons and tore the Heartguard Mirror from his chest before hurling it toward the sea of golden dagger light.

    "Pang Jian!" Zhou Qingchen roared. "Promise me you''ll get out of here alive!"

    Tiny cracks appeared on the surface of Zhou Qingchen''s precious Heartguard Mirror as if a long-sealed power was about to be unleashed.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The Heartguard Mirror shattered. The bright fragments of the mirror fell into the sea of golden dagger light looming over Pang Jian.

    Raising his head, Pang Jian watched as fragments of the mirror fell from the sky like stars.

    Each mirror fragment radiated a dazzling light, brimming with a strange power that seemed to tear through space and shatter the sea of golden dagger light above him.

    "Go!" Zhou Qingchen yelled.

    Swinging his cold iron long saber, Zhou Qingchen conjured a series of faint, undting mountains with his dense spiritual power.

    The faint mountains disregarded the tangle of colorful ribbons and instead charged straight at Leng Yuan.

    Zhou Qingchen''s ferocious attack caused Leng Yuan to hesitate.

    In the end, she decided not to unleash her trump card or engage in a battle of life and death with Zhou Qingchen.

    Zhou Qingchen only wanted to leave with Pang Jian, not kill her and Dong Tianze. Leng Yuan did not want to risk her life just for that.

    Not to mention, Lin Beiye and Qi Qingsong were still present, and Lan Xi of the Demon Sect had yet to take action. This caused Leng Yuan to be even more reluctant to seriously battle Zhou Qingchen.

    Thus, she did not unleash the true extent of her spiritual power through the colorful ribbons.

    Zhou Qingchen freed himself from her grasp and redirected the faint mountains to Dong Tianze.

    Appearing within the sea of golden dagger light, he grabbed Pang Jian and said, "Let''s go!"

    Dong Tianze''s sea of golden dagger light shattered. As he swung his dagger to strike down the approaching mountains, he scowled at Leng Yuan.

    "Useless."

    A chill ran down Leng Yuan''s spine. Gathering her spiritual power, she pursued Zhou Qingchen.

    Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen were covered in blood, but still, they pressed on toward the Mirror Tunnel.

    After dealing with the approaching mountains, Dong Tianze wielded his Ghost''s Cry and flew down from the raised tform toward Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen.

    Zhou Qingchen stopped and raised his head to look at Dong Tianze. However, Dong Tianze''s attention was entirely fixed on Pang Jian.

    Both of them had expended all their strength in trying to get to the Mirror Tunnel, and their chance of winning a fight against the formidable Dong Tianze was slim.

    "Pang Jian, you go first! I''ll hold him off!" Zhou Qingchen smiled bitterly. "Remember to avenge me!"

    Circting his remaining spiritual power, Zhou Qingchen tightly gripped his long saber, preparing to soar into the sky and intercept Dong Tianze.

    "Big Brother Zhou, please live on well."

    This was the first time Pang Jian had addressed Zhou Qingchen as Big Brother Zhou instead of Young Master Zhou.

    Zhou Qingchen grinned through a face full of tears and a trembling heart. "I won''t make it. All that matters to me is that you survive!"

    He felt overwhelmed with emotion. He knew that Pang Jian had called him Big Brother Zhou to show his sincere affection for him.

    Hearing that, Zhou Qingchen felt like he could die with no regrets.

    That was when Pang Jian suddenly pushed him toward the Mirror Tunnel.

    The brute force of the shove seemed to be done with all the strength Pang Jian could muster. It was more fierce and powerful than Zhou Qingchen could have imagined.

    Before Zhou Qingchen could process the situation, he was already flying toward the Mirror Tunnel.

    He stared nkly at Pang Jian.

    Dong Tianze swooped down from above, Ghost''s Cry aimed directly at Pang Jian''s head.

    Turning to face Zhou Qingchen, Pang Jian''s lips quirked as he muttered a quiet, "Goodbye."

    He then rolled backward to evade Dong Tianze''s attack.

    Any hope of Pang Jian''s escape was lost as he moved further away from the Mirror Tunnel.

    Zhou Qingchen felt like his heart was being torn apart. Before he hit the Mirror Tunnel, he unleashed a beast-like roar.

    "Pang Jian!"

    He disappeared without a trace.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The hard white stone tile was split open on the ground where Pang Jian previously stood, revealing a deep crack.

    Dong Tianze cast a disdainful nce at the retreating Pang Jian. He then sneered and swung his Ghost''s Cry once more.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    A new sea of golden dagger light appeared above the Mirror Tunnel.

    Dong Tianze did not care about Zhou Qingchen''s escape. After ensuring the Mirror Tunnel was once again blocked off, he turned his attention back to Pang Jian and said, "No matter whether Zhou Qingchen hides, be it in the Zhou n in the Fourth World or the Red Mountain Sect in the Third World, I will find and kill him.

    "Back at ck Orchid Lake, you were the one who inflicted the most damage upon me! My intuition tells me that you''re a greater threat than Zhou Qingchen, so I must kill you!"

 Chapter 81: Disappearing into the Darkness

    <h4>Chapter 81: Disappearing into the Darkness</h4>

    <i>Drip! Drip!</i>

    Blood slid down Pang Jian''s arm and to his fingertips before dripping to the ground.

    The stone tiles of the city absorbed his blood like a ravenous demon, leaving no trace behind.

    Pang Jian retreated to the main entrance of the City Lord''s Mansion, where he watched Zhou Qingchen disappear into the Mirror Tunnel. He let out a sigh of relief.

    The one Dong Tianze wanted to kill was him. Even if Zhou Qingchen had fought desperately to block Dong Tianze, Dong Tianze would have used everything he had to prevent Pang Jian from escaping.

    It would be almost impossible for Pang Jian to escape with Dong Tianze targeting him. However, he judged that if he stayed behind to distract Dong Tianze, Zhou Qingchen had a slim chance of survival.

    And Pang Jian''s judgment was right.

    "You truly value your brotherhood with Zhou Qingchen," Dong Tianze remarked, studying Pang Jian''s injuries and watching as blood streamed down his hand.

    "You tried to assassinate the one from the Sword Pavilion twice. I admit you have guts, but you''re just a cultivator in the Meridian Opening Realm. Aren''t you thinking too highly of yourself just because you managed to ambush and injure me in that deep hole?"

    To this day, Dong Tianze still could not ept what had happened at ck Orchid Lake.

    If not for the sudden disappearance of the strange scarlet lotus and the Spirit Devils'' attacks, he would not have been in such a sorry state when hended in the deep hole, and Pang Jian would not have had the chance to attack him!

    Dong Tianze said this to rify to Pang Jian that his disy of power in the deep hole was merely an ident.

    <i>Drip!</i>

    Pang Jian stayed silent. He heard his blood dripping onto the ground as he watched Dong Tianze approach.

    The first sea of golden dagger lights had pierced him several times. The essence of the Celestial Phoenix had tempered his bones, but all that guaranteed was that his head would not leave his body.

    Dong Tianze was a cultivation realm above Pang Jian and was armed with his dreaded Ghost''s Cry. Pang Jian knew his body would struggle to withstand the onught.

    There was not only the disparity between him and Dong Tianze, but also with Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion.

    Pang Jiangged far behind in all areas: cultivation realm, techniques, and spirit artifacts.

    "You have nowhere to run now, huh?" Dong Tianze sneered. Pointing at the Mirror Tunnel, he ordered Leng Yuan, "Keep an eye on the Mirror Tunnel for me!"

    Luo Hongyan was not far from the Mirror Tunnel, and Dong Tianze wanted to prevent her from escaping while his attention was elsewhere.

    Leng Yuan understood his intention and said, "Rest assured, I won''t let anyone else escape!"

    Dong Tianze nodded coldly, gaze fixed on Pang Jian like a cat sizing up its prey. He thought over something before remarking, "You''re different from the rest. Simply chopping off your head won''t give me much satisfaction. Let me think, how should I¡ª"

    "Dong Brat, don''t be impatient," Qi Qingsong interrupted, finally breaking free from the violent storm.

    Qi Qingsong stood up among the debris of rocks, covered in blood with his white spirit sword in hand. He then said, "You let one of the brats who dared to attack me escape. You''re really useless, aren''t you?"

    Dong Tianze''s face darkened.

    "Please give me a moment," Qi Qingsong said, taking off his tattered blue garments in front of everyone. He then took out a bottle of green liquid and poured it over his head.

    His exposed wounds, deep enough for the bone to peek through, started to heal rapidly.

    Qi Qingsong sucked in a sharp breath from the pain.

    Pulling out brand new clothes in the same style as before, he put them on before saying to the girl in white, "If I''m not mistaken, your name is Yuan Lengshan, right?"

    The girl in white frowned.

    She did not continue her assault on Qi Qingsong after her violent storm was nullified because Lin Beiye had been staring at her from the raised tform. If she made any sudden movements, Lin Beiye and Qi Qingsong would attack her.

    "It''s fine if you don''t want to speak." Qi Qingsong was in no hurry. He needed time for his wounds to heal. Raising his head, he nced at Lan Xi and said, "I heard your master recently took in a new personal disciple. One who appears to have won her favor."

    Hearing his words, Lan Xi from the Demon Sect chuckled and nodded.

    "Those from the Demon Heart Sect always like toplicate things just to show off." Qi Qingsong chuckled disdainfully and said coldly, "One in the open, one in the shadow. One of you sat conspicuously on the raised tform, pretending not to intervene, while the other lurked in the shadows, concealing her true identity.

    "You quietly plotted to have the one in the shadows eliminate me, then Dong Tianze, before joining forces to bring down Lin Beiye.

    "The Demon Heart Sect''s modus operandi has always been to leave nothing for others. You covet all four treasures in the pool and have no intention of sparing anyone."

    Qi Qingsong looked back at the girl in white. "Am I right?"

    "I am Yuan Lengshan," the girl finally admitted.

    Dark "Demon" characters appeared on her snow-white dress, gleaming with a terrifying ck light that sent shivers down one''s spine. Crimson "Heart" characters also emerged and mingled with the dark "Demon" characters on her dress.

    Dark demon, crimson heart. This was the unique emblem of the Demon Heart Sect.

    The appearance of the "Demon" and "Heart" characters meant that she no longer intended to hide anymore.

    Since her carefullyid ns had been exposed, she could only resort to a more direct approach and use brute strength to remove all the obstacles in her path.

    "Even without the two from the lower world, I could still easily kill you. But doing so would reveal my identity and prematurely alert Lin Beiye," Yuan Lengshan said. Her expression was indifferent, but her tone was arrogant. "I originally intended to hold back, working with those two to kill you, then the one surnamed Dong. I didn''t expect you to figure out who I am."

    Qi Qingsong sighed with a bitter smile. "With people from the Demon Heart Sect around, I had to be cautious."

    None of the cultivators from the Second World paid any attention to Pang Jian. Even Dong Tianze was only mentioned in passing.

    As a cultivator in the Meridian Opening Realm, Pang Jian was nothing more than an ant they could crush at will.

    "Enough. Since things havee to this point, that brat is worthless to you now," Qi Qingsong said. "If you don''t mind, would you let me deal with him first to let off some steam?"

    "Do as you wish," Yuan Lengshan replied in disinterest.

    Pang Jian watched all of this unfold from the entrance of the City Lord''s Mansion.

    Yuan Lengshan, who had used him and Zhou Qingchen; Lin Beiye and Lan Xi, who ignored him; and Qi Qingsong, who held control over his fate.

    The apathy and disdain these upper world powerhouses showed toward their lives ignited Pang Jian''s inner fire.

    His frosty gaze repeatedly swept over them, as if etching their indifferent faces into the depths of his soul.

    Pang Jian will forever remember this moment!

    "As long as you''re fine with it." Qi Qingsong smiled as he leisurely approached Pang Jian and said, "I''ve never even met you before, yet you attempted to stab me with a spear from below the raised tform after entering the City Lord''s Mansion. Despite that, I generously spared your life. But here you are, being instigated to make a second attempt on my life."

    Qi Qingsong shook his head angrily, his expression grim.

    "Qi Qingsong..." Dong Tianze expressed his displeasure.

    "Get lost!" Qi Qingsong''s expression turned hostile. "You couldn''t even kill the one who escaped through the Mirror Tunnel. What right do you have to talk to me?"

    Hearing Qi Qingsong''s words, Dong Tianze shot Leng Yuan a fierce re and fell silent.

    Far from the pool''s edge, Li Jie sat up in his recliner. A reed straw dangled from the corner of his mouth, but he no longer sipped the green fruit juice.

    His usual smile faded as he stared at Pang Jian. He then nced at where Luo Hongyan stood silently below Lan Xi''s raised tform.

    Li Jie had sensed that another soul was residing within Ning Yao''s body.

    The woman clearly cared greatly for Pang Jian, and he was eager to see what she would do.

    "I wonder what your next move will be," he muttered.

    "I told you countless times to stay out of Zhou Qingchen''s business and to ignore that girl''s instigations, but you just wouldn''t listen." Luo Hongyan sighed, staring at the blood-covered Pang Jian. She shook her head helplessly and prepared to intervene.

    Pang Jian was baffled. "Why aren''t you leaving?"

    Luo Hongyan smiled and said, "I don''t want to leave yet."

    "Oh." Pang Jian nodded and gave her a serious look, before leaving her with a simple farewell. "Take care of yourself."

    "Keep an eye on the Mirror Tunnel!" Dong Tianze shouted.

    Leng Yuan tightened her grip on her colorful ribbons as she preemptively circted dense spiritual power through them.

    Contrary to what both she and Dong Tianze anticipated, Pang Jian did not rush toward the Mirror Tunnel that was blocked by the sea of golden dagger light.

    Before this, Lan Xi, Yuan Lengshan, and Lin Beiye could not be bothered to spare Pang Jian a nce, but now they could not help but look over in surprise.

    Pang Jian charged toward the tunnel leading out of the City Lord''s Mansion.

    The passage was engulfed in the darkness of the Fifth World and was filled with the thick, putrid stench of decay! It was a restricted area utterly inhospitable to any normal being!

    "Pang Jian, get back here!" Luo Hongyan shouted anxiously.

    She abandoned the white jade bottle within arm''s reach and flew straight toward the tunnel.

    But Pang Jian had already rushed into the darkness.

    Li Jie shook his head, reed straw still dangling from his mouth, and said to Luo Hongyan, "It''s toote."

    Luo Hongyan flew to the entrance to the tunnel and shouted in a tone that did not quite fit her usual demeanor. "Pang Jian, get your ass back here!"

    At that moment, she was the true Luo Hongyan.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    When Pang Jian did not respond, she charged into the darkness!

    However, as soon as she touched the darkness, the sinister energy from the Fifth World surged toward her soul, threatening to corrupt her very essence.

    Luo Hongyan paled.

    Half-swallowed by the darkness, she was forced to retreat into the light of the City Lord''s Mansion.

    She turned around and red at Dong Tianze and the still-approaching Qi Qingsong.

    "You lot..."

    A deep crimson hue emerged in her icy gaze.

    Dong Tianze screamed, "You''re not Ning Yao!"

    She nodded and gracefully flew to the raised tform Dong Tianze had previously upied. Extending her hand, she pointed at the sea of golden dagger light.

    Scarlet stars flew gracefully from her fingertips toward the sea of golden dagger light, instantly riddling it with holes.

    The tiny scarlet stars also swarmed Leng Yuan and disappeared into her body.

    She was a Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator from the Sinister Soul Temple, but when the scarlet stars entered her body, she grabbed her hair in terror, nearly ripping it from her scalp.

    In her sea of consciousness, the scarlet stars all vied to be the first to devour her soul.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Leng Yuan fell into the pool, bing one of the many floating corpses.

    Luo Hongyan sat gracefully on the tform and nced at everyone with a cold smile. "The man I''m interested in doesn''t die so easily."

    With a wave of her hand, the white jade bottle containing the Crystal Snow Lotusnded in her palm.

    She raised the white jade bottle at Lin Beiye and said mockingly, "Do you want it? Thene and try to take it from me."

    Lin Beiye''s expression hardened, but he did not move. He asked in a grave tone, "Who are you?"

 Chapter 82: Rekindled Hope

    <h4>Chapter 82: Rekindled Hope</h4>

    Pang Jian''s sorry figure stumbled through the dark tunnel. All he wanted to do was leave the City Lord''s Mansion and return to the familiar street they had entered from.

    He did not care about the corrosive, filthy energy in the darkness, and could only hope to hold out for as long as he could.

    <i>Bang! ng!</i>

    Unable to see anything in the darkness, Pang Jian collided with a warm body, knocking over several tables and chairs, and causing tes of fruit and food to scatter across the ground.

    He felt like he had collided with a girl...

    He recalled the abnormal movement of the darkness that seemed to indicate someone lurking within it. It was an anomaly that he and Li Jie had considered a significant threat.

    <i>So, it was a girl.</i> Pang Jian scrambled to his feet, identallying into contact with her in the process. He hastily muttered an apology.

    Before the girl could react, he hurriedly left the tunnel and headed toward the familiar street.

    Unlike Pang Jian, the girl could see in the darkness.

    She watched as Pang Jian rushed out of the tunnel, steadying himself with a hand against the wall, seeking to return to the familiar street as he disappeared from view.

    The stunned girl returned to her senses as she looked at the scattered fruit tes and dishes. She sat up with an annoyed expression, rubbing her sore bottom as she did.

    ¡°Damn scoundrel!¡± she cursed under her breath as she righted the table to once again block the tunnel. She then picked up arge chair and brought out a new spread of dishes.

    Holding an exquisite little wine jar, she red in Pang Jian''s direction before angrily taking arge sip.

    But Pang Jian was already nowhere to be found.

    She turned back around just in time to see Luo Hongyan shatter the sea of golden dagger light and kill Leng Yuan.

    The girl stopped worrying about Pang Jian. Hidden in the darkness of the Fifth World, she gazed into the brightly lit courtyard of the City Lord''s Mansion, asionally ncing at Li Jie.

    ***

    Inside the City Lord''s Mansion, Lin Beiye asked, "Who are you?¡±

    Despite seeing Luo Hongyan seize the white jade bottle containing the Crystal Snow Lotus, Lin Beiye did not dare to snatch it back. The way Leng Yuan died had been too brutal and sudden.

    Leng Yuan had been in the same cultivation realm as them and could stand behind Dong Tianze, proving she was not weak.

    The effortless way Luo Hongyan killed Leng Yuan was reminiscent of how they killed those coveting the treasures in the pool.

    This meant Luo Hongyan''s strength wasparable to theirs!

    "I''m Ning Yao, from the Ning n in the Fourth World. I practice the cultivation method of the Star River Alliance¡ª"

    Dong Tianze cut her off with a cold snort, "You''re not Ning Yao! You controlled the Spirit Devils to self-immte in my sea of consciousness at ck Orchid Lake. You''re also the one who set up that scarlet lotus in the deep hole. Am I right?"

    "Oh, so you''re not a fool after all. You managed to figure me out." Luo Hongyan chuckled.

    Despite being found out, she made no move to leave Ning Yao''s body. Her soul had transcended the Marrow Cleansing Realm, and she was unsure what would happen if it were exposed in Eight Trigrams City.

    To avoid any unforeseen circumstances, she opted to remain cautious and continue inhabiting Ning Yao''s body.

    "Hey, you, from the ck Valley Sect, are you going to take back the Crystal Snow Lotus or not?" She brazenly waved the white jade bottle at Lin Beiye.

    ¡°There are few from the Fourth World, or even the Third World, who can recognize the Crystal Snow Lotus at first nce,¡± Lin Beiyemented in surprise. The ambiguity surrounding Luo Hongyan''s true identity made him even more hesitant to act rashly.

    "Scared?" Luo Hongyan chuckled, lips curled in disdain. She pointed a delicate finger at Yuan Lengshan and said breezily, "Well, I have a proposal, let me tell you all about it."

    Qi Qingsong''s interest was piqued when he saw Luo Hongyan point at Yuan Lengshan. "I''m all ears."

    Zhou Qingchen had escaped through the Mirror Tunnel and Pang Jian had charged into the darkness, leaving Qi Qingsong with no one to vent his anger on.

    His only enemy left in the City Lord''s Mansion was Yuan Lengshan from the Demon Heart Sect, the mastermind behind it all!

    "We''re all familiar with the methods and style of the Demon Heart Sect, even if we haven''t experienced it firsthand." Luo Hongyan''s voice was pleasant, but her eyes were cold. "That little wench, Yuan Lengshan, tricked my Pang Jian into attacking you as part of her n to hunt down everyone here.

    "So, I propose to kill this pair of senior and junior sisters from the Demon Heart Sect first. We can talk things over properly once they''re dead!"

    Outside the City Lord''s Mansion, the kind-hearted Jiang Li had seen Yuan Lengshan alone and invited her to join them.

    Zhou Qingchen had also told her about the anomalies in the darkness and warned her to be careful.

    Not only did Yuan Lengshan show no gratitude, she even used Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen as her pawns, and almost led the two of them to their demise.

    Among everyone present, the one Luo Hongyan detested and resented the most was Yuan Lengshan!

    "I agree." Lin Beiye was the first to speak up.

    Qi Qingsong nodded. "Exactly my thoughts!"

    "Then it''s settled," said Luo Hongyan, before Dong Tianze could even voice his opinion.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The crystal-like Mirror Tunnel on the pool''s surface suddenly turned back into water.

    It vanished without a trace.

    Luo Hongyan and the others were startled.

    Even if they were to obtain the precious treasures within the pool, they could not escape Eight Trigrams City without the Mirror Tunnel.

    "All of you just carry on with what you were doing! Rest assured, the Mirror Tunnel will reappear in due time. Patience is key," Li Jie advised, seemingly hoping for more entertaining chaos as he continued to lounge on his recliner and sip his green fruit juice.

    Inquisitive gazesnded on him, only to be silently withdrawn in tacit understanding.

    For some unknown reason, there was no sense of threat from Li Jie.

    Li Jie simply did not appear interested in the treasures. As long as no one provoked him, he would not interfere.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The talented Yuan Lengshan from the Demon Heart Sect leaped into the air andnded on the raised tform next to Lan Xi.

    ck "Demon" and crimson "Heart" characters flew out from her pristine white dress and swirled around her.

    She sat down and knitted her brows. "Senior Sister, don''t you think it''s a little cramped up here?"

    Even though Yuan Lengshan had released many circling "Demon" and "Heart" characters, there was still a lot of space on the raised tform.

    However, Lan Xi tactfully agreed, "Yes, I feel the same way."

    She then obediently flew down from the raised tform and stood silently below.

    Despite being the senior sister, Lan Xi had surprisinglyplied with Yuan Lengshan''s words. There was a hint of fear in her actions as if she did not dare to defy Yuan Lengshan.

    "Thank you, Senior Sister," Yuan Lengshan said, but her eyes showed no gratitude. She then extended her hand out toward the pool.

    The silver spear floating at the bottom of the pool was drawn to her hand, flying out tond firmly in her palm.

    Her eyes gleamed with a peculiar light as she grasped the spear. Turning to Qi Qingsong, she then said, "If the young man earlier had been holding this silver spear instead of the one he had, you''d be dead already."

    Qi Qingsong smiled dismissively and shook his head. "''Ifs'' don''t matter. What matters is that I''m alive, while he''ll be tainted by the corrosive energy of the Fifth World. He''ll either die or be a mindless aberration."

    "That''s true." Yuan Lengshan nodded in acknowledgment of Qi Qingsong''s assessment. "The Mirror Tunnel hasn''t reappeared yet. If nobody''s in a rush to fight, I have a little story to tell first."

    Qi Qingsong smiled and said, "Sure. I like listening to stories."

    "Do you know the surname of the lord of the City Lord''s Mansion? It''s Yuan," Yuan Lengshan''s eyes swept over those gathered around the pool. "Technically speaking, you''re all guests in my home."

    ***

    Still covered in blood, Pang Jian stumbled through the darkness, headed for the back entrance of the City Lord''s Mansion and toward the street they hade from.

    There were a total of eight streets leading to the City Lord''s Mansion, but he had ultimately chosen the one he was most familiar with.

    Even if he could not see in the darkness, he would at least have a rough idea of his surroundings and could flee if he encountered danger.

    However, there was no one pursuing him.

    Neither Dong Tianze nor Qi Qingsong, his two most formidable adversaries, rushed into the darkness of the Fifth World as he did. They did not dare to expose themselves to the putrid and corrosive environment.

    <i>I don''t know how long I can hold on.</i> Pang Jian gritted his teeth through the pain as he sat on the floor at the dark intersection. He did not dare to use the tainted energy of the Fifth World to heal his wounds.

    The acrid energy in the air corroded his abdomen with every breath he took, causing his flesh to prickle and ache with difort.

    The miraculous medicinal effects of Li Jie''s green fruit juice had long been depleted and provided him with little to no assistance.

    <i>I''m afraid my bone forging, marrow cleansing process is out of reach now, </i>he thought as he leaned against the wall. He stared coldly ahead.

    All he could see was darkness.

    Everything from the sky above to his surroundings was shrouded in it.

    Eight Trigrams City had been engulfed by endless darkness.

    It was like Pang Jian was the only person left in the entire world.

    An endless sense of loneliness, coupled with the corrosive energy in the darkness, slowly seeped into his soul, wearing down his fighting spirit and willpower.

    Hope, life, future. The endless darkness erased any uplifting thoughts from his mind.

    <i>Upper world, lower world...</i>

    People from the upper world appeared in his mind. He saw Yuan Lengshan from the Demon Heart Sect, Lin Beiyi from the ck Valley Sect, and Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion, with their indifferent stares and tant disregard toward him.

    Their apathy was like a searing brand that etched itself into Pang Jian''s mind and consumed his thoughts.

    He keenly understood he meant nothing to the talented youths from the upper world.

    A fierce killing intent bubbled up within him. His eyes gleamed with defiance!

    "The lower world..." he muttered through gritted teeth, suppressing the pain in his body as he carefully examined his body''s condition.

    He broke free from the endless solitude of the darkness. He refused to lose himself to madness and sumb to despair.

    He would not resign himself to death!

    The me of hope reignited in his heart!

 Chapter 83: Fighting for Survival!

    <h4>Chapter 83: Fighting for Survival!</h4>

    Disregarding the pain in his body, Pang Jian regted his emotions and focused on sensing the condition of his dantian and spiritual sea.

    After executing two consecutive attacks on Qi Qingsong and struggling arduously to break through Dong Tianze''s attack in the courtyard of the City Lord''s Mansion, Pang Jian''s spiritual power had dwindled to only around ten to twenty percent.

    His priority was to replenish his depleted spiritual power as soon as possible.

    Enduring the pain of his injuries, Pang Jian retrieved several spirit stones from his spatial pouch, intending to absorb the pure spiritual power they contained.

    As soon as the pure spirit stone left Pang Jian''s spatial pouch, something bizarre happened!

    The tainted energy of the Fifth World surged madly toward the spirit stones in Pang Jian''s hand, tainting the pure spiritual power within.

    Pang Jian had intended to absorb the spirit power within the spirit stones but instead absorbed a thick, corrosive energy with a putrid aura.

    ck raindrops were falling on his vast spiritual sea with a hiss, swiftly tainting his spiritual power.

    Scared and uneasy, Pang Jian tried to stop the absorption of the spiritual power from the spirit stones, only to find himself unable to.

    The thick, murky energy rushed into his spiritual sea from the spirit stones and his surroundings.

    Pang Jian was so distressed that he could not achieve the tranquil state necessary for cultivating. Despite this, the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art was activated on its own.

    A shining ck Spirit Cauldron resembling a small ck sun fervently started to devour the murky energy of the darkness.

    The funnel-shaped whirlpool between his dantian and spiritual sea had long ceased its movements and sank into a state of absolute stillness.

    The unending stream of polluted energy transformed into ck raindrops, ck mes, and even dark rocks, and plummeted directly from his dantian into his spiritual sea.

    Soon, not a shred of spiritual power remained within him.

    The muddy energy of the Fifth World tainted his vast spiritual sea and infused his body with unknown, chaotic energies!

    Puzzlingly, despite the absence of spiritual power within him, Pang Jian felt no difort whatsoever.

    He conversely felt that the air seemed less putrid and unpleasant than before.

    <i>Strange,</i> Pang Jian thought to himself, leaning against the sturdy stone wall in the darkness of the street corner, deep in contemtion.

    He still could not see anything around him.

    However, he could sense the murky energy continuing to surge uncontrobly toward him!

    Soon, his spiritual sea turned into a pitch-ck expanse, filled with vast amounts of tainted energy that saturated his dantian with its foul odor.

    Unbeknownst to Pang Jian, a storm was subtly brewing around him in the enveloping darkness!

    The surrounding murky energy was all being drawn into Pang Jian''s spiritual sea from every direction!

    ***

    At the tunnel leading into the City Lord''s Mansion, where the boundary between the light and darkness was razor-thin, the girl hidden in the darkness indulged in avish feast.

    As she observed the scheming and plotting of those gathered around the pool in the courtyard, she tossed a grape into her mouth and sipped some fruit juice.

    "Are they not going to fight?" she grumbled impatiently.

    She abruptly turned with rm to stare puzzledly at the entrance of the tunnel.

    "Why is the tainted energy of the Fifth World suddenly converging in one area? Did some powerful being from the Fifth World seize the opportunity to infiltrate Eight Trigrams City?" she muttered to herself. She shook her head in disbelief. "That''s impossible."

    Eight Trigrams City sat at the top of a Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir in the Fifth World.

    For thousands of years, countless evil spirits and demon apparitions from the Fifth World had attempted to either destroy or ascend the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs.

    However, the power hidden within the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs struck down all who dared to make contact with it. Not even the most malevolent deities escaped unharmed.

    Over time, the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs were regarded as a restricted area by the residents of the Fifth World.

    The mightiest beings of the Fifth World strictly forbade anyone from approaching the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs, lest they face its devastating wrath.

    Seven Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs were scattered throughout the Fifth World, instilling fear in the hearts of the Fifth World''s inhabitants.

    The pirs had the words "Heaven Ascension" in their names and supposedly offered the inhabitants of the Fifth World a path to the upper worlds. However, in truth, theypletely severed one''s chance to ascend.

    The seven immenselyrge Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs had never shown any anomalies, and the inhabitants of the Fifth World could not ascend them.

    "Did the young man just now trigger this massive surge of muddy energy?" The girl was astonished. However, she shook her head once more and said, "Impossible. If that were the case, the murky energy would just consume him more quickly and he''d perish."

    After a moment, the girl decided to redirect her attention back to the pool within the City Lord''s Mansion.

    ***

    Meanwhile, in the darkness, Pang Jian could not do anything but watch as the tainted energy of the Fifth World poured into his spiritual sea.

    Every time he breathed in the sour, putrid air, he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen as if many tiny needles were stabbing his internal organs.

    He understood that the murky energy was corroding his flesh.

    The tainted, murky energy carried an aura of destruction and annihtion, as though it wanted to obliterate everything between heaven and earth, strangling the life out of all the beings in the world.

    After silently observing for a while, Pang Jian was puzzled.

    <i>It seems my dantian and spiritual sea remain untainted and intact.</i>

    His vast spiritual sea was filled with dense murky energy, turning into a ck sea that exuded a sense of danger and mystery. The ck hue deepened as if slowly umting power.

    The murky energy of the Fifth World continued to pour in unabated.

    Using the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, Pang Jian had previously amassed spiritual power from many spirit jades and spirit stones; along with the spiritual qi of heaven and earth to purify and open up his spiritual sea. That same spiritual sea was now filled to the brim with murky energy from the Fifth World.

    His once tranquil ck spiritual sea roiled with tumultuous waves!

    Towering ck waves swelled powerfully, shaking Pang Jian''s soul!

    A rampaging sinister energy, imbued with the aura of destruction and annihtion, surged upward with the ck waves, as though aiming for Pang Jian''s dantian!

    It was like the inhabitants of the Fifth World, repeatedly assaulting the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs in an attempt to shatter the ancient seal, break free from the endless oppression, and ascend into the upper worlds.

    Each assault carried eons of resentment and unyielding will, growing more desperate and agitated with each sessive strike!

    Earth-shattering ck waves mmed fiercely against the sky, only to be repelled and forced to crash back down heavily with each futile attempt.

    At the bottom of his ck spiritual sea, Pang Jian sensed abnormal changes urring in twelve areas.

    These twelve areas connected to his internal organs, and had always been separated by a natural barrier.

    Every time the ck waves crashed back down to his spiritual sea, the natural barrier was affected, bing increasingly fragile.

    Fear filled Pang Jian.

    He recalled his advancement into the Meridian Opening Realm.

    Pang Jian had broken through to the Meridian Opening Realm in the Divine Spirit Pagoda on ck Orchid Lake, piercing through eight meridians and enabling the flow of spiritual power from his spiritual sea to his limbs.

    But that was spiritual power!

    At this moment there was no spiritual power in his spiritual sea!

    His spiritual sea had been filled with the murky energy that reeked with an aura of destruction!

    Those twelve areas were the Twelve Principal Meridians connecting to his internal organs!

    Once the twelve channels were pierced through, the tainted energy of the Fifth World would be able to infiltrate the twelve meridians and spread throughout his internal organs!

    What would happen to him then?

    A mere breath of the tainted air was enough to erode his flesh.

    If the murky energy flowed through his Twelve Principal Meridians and poured into his chest...

    The very thought sent shivers down Pang Jian''s spine.

    Unfortunately, despite how much he dreaded it, his worst fears were inevitably realized.

    As the ck waves swelled and crashed, the barrier protecting one of the twelve areas shattered.

    Finding no path upward, the polluted energy of the Fifth World instead decided to go downward!

    The rampaging murky energy poured through the channel connecting to his internal organs!

    The agony that erupted within Pang Jian from opening this single channel was far more excruciating than opening the meridians in his limbs. He let out a tormented scream in the darkness.

    As the muddy energy descended into his meridian, more waves were formed, crashing down heavily and shattering through more channels connecting to his meridians.

    The second meridian, the third, the fourth, eighth, twelfth!

    All twelve meridians connecting to the channels beneath his spiritual sea were forcibly pierced through!

    Murky energy ceaselessly poured into Pang Jian''s body!

    Pang Jian let out a scream of such tormented agony it sounded inhuman.

    Not far away, the girl hidden in the darkness indulged in a feast, eagerly anticipating the outbreak of battle within the City Lord''s Mansion.

    She watched as Yuan Lengshan recounted the tragic history of the Yuan Family from Eight Trigrams City, vehemently condemning the mastermind behind its destruction.

    Those listening to her disyed remarkable patience, attentively listening to Yuan Lengshan''s story and refraining from interrupting her as she spoke.

    The girl in the darkness suddenly heard screamsing from the streets outside the City Lord''s Mansion.

    Hearing the tortured screams, the girl sighed and gently shook her head. "In the end, he couldn''t escape."

    She recalled how Pang Jian risked his life twice for Zhou Qingchen before sending Zhou Qingchen into the Mirror Tunnel and rushing into the darkness himself.

    The scene had left a deep impression on her.

    "He''s a good person. But he chose to send his friend away and enter the darkness of the Fifth World to endure the baptism of the murky energy. It''s too bad he couldn''t find a way to deal with its corroding effects. Most people meet the same end after the tainted energy infects their body."

    Her opinion of Pang Jian was rtively positive. Now that she knew that he was dying a slow death, she no longer held their previous collision against him.

 Chapter 84: Body Tempering!

    <h4>Chapter 84: Body Tempering!</h4>

    Chapter 84: Body Tempering!

    A heart-wrenching scream echoed through the dark street.

    Only the girl in the dark tunnel leading to the City Lord''s Mansion heard Pang Jian''s scream.

    Currently, Pang Jian was curled up and lying on the cold, hard ground, engulfed by the dense, murky energy.

    The tainted energy of the Fifth World flowed relentlessly into his body.

    <i>Pop! Pop! Pop!</i>

    Strange popping sounds emanated from Pang Jian''s chest.

    Twelve violent streams rampaged through his Twelve Principal Meridians and obliterated everything within.

    It feltpletely different from the opening of his Eight Extraordinary Meridians.

    He had used his spiritual power to open each meridian in the Divine Spirit Pagoda. Although it had caused him to wince in pain, it was still tolerable and never reached the point of driving him to the brink of despair.

    However, this time was different.

    The murky energy filling his ck spiritual sea was imbued with an indescribable aura of destruction.

    Its ferocity was beyond imagination!

    The twelve streams of murky energy were like twelve bloodthirsty ck dragons, roaring and writhing within his meridians.

    Pang Jian''s slender meridians could not withstand such terrifying energy, and multiple meridians ruptured.

    Terror rooted itself in Pang Jian''s heart.

    He had a feeling that the murky energy would soon forcibly rupture all twelve meridians connecting to his internal organs!

    Although he could not see his own body in the darkness, he could sense the meridians in his chest expanding.

    Pang Jian did not faint despite the excruciating pain and could only alleviate some of his suffering by howling and screaming.

    As he teetered on the brink of death, twelve meridians on the verge ofplete rupture, the bronze pendant around his neck turned scorching hot!

    A rich vitality poured out from the side of the pendant resting against his skin!

    <i>The ck turtle''s blood essence!</i>

    Pang Jian felt the rich vitality sought out his damaged meridians and healed them!

    Thanks to the ck turtle''s blood essence, his meridians managed to withstand the violent onught of the murky energy.

    The excruciating pain was still present but Pang Jian no longer felt the despair of imminent death.

    He continued to scream in agony, but the rich vitality continued to flow from the bronze pendant into his body and restore his damaged meridians.

    As Pang Jian''s twelve slender meridians were repeatedly damaged and restored, they gradually broadened and became more resilient.

    This development invigorated Pang Jian, and even his hoarse roars grew in rity and power.

    At that moment, the tainted energy in his spiritual sea found the Eight Extraordinary Meridians connecting to his limbs, and they too were invaded by the murky energy of the Fifth World.

    Pang Jian''s spiritual power had already opened his Eight Extraordinary Meridians. Thus, even though the murky energy surged through them, the pain was not as debilitating.

    As his Eight Extraordinary Meridians swelled and ruptured under the onught of the murky energy, the rich vitality restored them.

    His Eight Extraordinary Meridians and Twelve Principal Meridians were all enduring the onught of the tainted energy from the Fifth World!

    His vast spiritual sea had turned ck and seemed to contain endless murky energy.

    No matter how much he expended or lost, new tainted energy constantly replenished his spiritual sea!

    The murky energy from other streets was attracted toward Pang Jian and converged around his body.

    Time passed in this manner.

    Pang Jian was on the verge of mental copse. He felt neither the pain nor the healing effects of the ck turtle''s blood essence on his damaged meridians.

    The tainted energy in his ck spiritual sea flowed unimpeded through his entirework of meridians, permeating his chest, limbs, and other smaller channels.

    After enduring the inhumanly excruciating pain, every meridian within Pang Jian''s body had adapted to the murky energy from the darkness.

    His spiritual sea was filled with tainted energy and not even a drop of spiritual power remained within him. Despite this, Pang Jian found himself once again sensing...strength.

    It was a new, unfamiliar strength. One filled with the aura of annihtion, destruction, and chaos!

    After a long time in the darkness, Pang Jian''s eyes suddenly shone brightly.

    He could see his surroundings!

    He saw the familiar street he was on, his hands and feet, and could even see the sweat coating his skin.

    Beyond the street, he saw the za where the bloodbath had taken ce, and the City Lord''s Mansion standing tall in the center.

    Pang Jian rubbed his eyes, thinking it was a hallucination caused by his blurry consciousness.

    He squinted his eyes and once again took a good look at his surroundings.

    Eventually, he was convinced that he had fully adapted to the darkness of the Fifth World and could truly see in the absolute darkness!

    He noticed the wounds on his body had also healed at some point.

    The wounds the sea of golden dagger light had inflicted on his chest, back and arms had all scabbed over, and with a gentle pull, they fell away.

    Pang Jian sat leaning against the cold wall at the corner of the street and stared nkly into the air.

    <i>The Meridian Opening Realm consists of two stages. The first stage consists of opening the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, while the second stage opens the Twelve Principal Meridians,</i> he thought to himself.

    ording to the manual of the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, the opening of the Twelve Principal Meridians in one''s chest and internal organs signified that the second stage of the Meridian Opening Realm had been reached.

    In the first stage of the Meridian Opening Realm, spiritual power could flow along the limbs and erupt outward.

    In the second stage, spiritual power could flow along the Twelve Principal Meridians and protect one''s internal organs.

    While the internal organs of those in the second stage could not withstand sharp weapons, spiritual power could still protect them from being injured by physical blows.

    More importantly, one could only start the bone forging, marrow cleansing process after the Twelve Principal Meridians were opened.

    The bone forging, marrow cleansing process purged one''s body of impurities and washed away all contaminants.

    One''s bones, meridians, internal organs, and blood would then undergo sessive refinement and purification with the rich vitality of one''s blood and the aid of spirit materials.

    If the Twelve Principal Meridians were obstructed, vital energy would not be able to flow through one limbs and bones, rendering the bone forging, marrow cleansing process impossible.

    Pang Jian sat on the ground for a while and pondered.

    The essences of the Celestial Phoenix had tempered his bones.

    Now, the murky energy from the Fifth World had opened his meridians.

    The alternating destruction and restoration of his meridians by the tainted energy and the ck turtle''s blood essence had also strengthened his meridians.

    First destruction, then restoration. This was also a form of tempering!

    Pang Jian could feel that his meridians had be significantly broader and more resilient than before.

    <i>The bone forging, marrow cleansing process involves first cleansing the body of impurities, then tempering the bones, followed by the meridians, and finally the internal organs and blood...</i> Pang Jian pondered. Part of him was skeptical he had reached the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    <i>If I''ve truly broken through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm, it was not only the rich vitality of the ck turtle''s blood essence from the bronze pendant that allowed me to break through but also the murky energy from the Fifth World.</i>

    Pang Jian remained lost in his thoughts for a while.

    While he had never had direct contact with the Fifth World, the murky energy in his ck spiritual sea was unmistakably that of the Fifth World!

    Unlike the fair, calm spiritual power, this energy was imbued with the aura of annihtion, destruction, and chaos. Nheless, it was an energy he could wield.

    If the Fifth World had powerful experts, they would have had to cultivate using this murky energy.

    <i>What have I be?</i>

    Pang Jian sat in the darkness for a long time, mind dazed and confused. He felt as though he had turned into a monster from the Fifth World.

    The tainted energy flowed unimpeded through his Eight Extraordinary Meridians and Twelve Principal Meridians, as well as his dantian and spiritual sea.

    An outrageous thought shed in his mind.

    Perhaps his spiritual sea was suitable for such energy!

    Sun Bin had judged his cultivation talent as poor. Ning Yao had also said his future achievements were limited. Both their assessments were because his spiritual sea was filled with cotton-like substances.

    Perhaps Pang Jian''s true talent did not lie in the upper world, but in the perpetual darkness of the Fifth World!

    After letting his thoughts run wild, Pang Jian stood up from his seated position and tried to move his limbs.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The meridians in his arms and legs were imbued with the violent murky energy of the Fifth World, filling his body with strength.

    Whenever the murky energy in his ck spiritual sea depleted, it would instantly and continuously be replenished as he stood in the darkness.

    He no longer cared whether others would see him as an anomaly, a demon, or a monster. Standing in the dark street, he experimented with the newfound power coursing through his body!

    Once he could effortlessly mobilize the power within him, Pang Jian decided to return to the City Lord''s Mansion.

    ***

    In the tunnel leading into the City Lord''s Mansion, the girl in the darkness leisurely sipped on her fruit wine as she watched Yuan Lengshan tell her stories from up on the raised tform.

    She abruptly turned her head around.

    The presumably long-dead Pang Jian emerged from the other end of the tunnel.

    The girl instinctively covered her mouth, fearing that she would scream.

    However, she soon remembered that her voice would not escape the darkness and asked with a shocked expression, "How are you not dead yet?"

    Pang Jian was stunned.

    At this point, he could see the blurry figure of a girl lounging on a chair with her legs crossed in an udylike manner. She held a ss bottle resembling Li Jie''s in one hand and a braised chicken foot in the other.

    Oil marinate still stained the corners of her mouth.

    Spread across the wide table was a feast of foods and drinks, including braised meats, chicken feet, and more.

    Pang Jian had wondered what had made the resonant crashing sound when he had collided with the table before.

    This girl hidden in the darkness certainly knew how to indulge.

    Pang Jian watched the enigmatic girl in bafflement.

    "I¡ª" He hesitated, not knowing how to exin himself.

    "Ah! You can see me?" The girl screamed. She hastily righted her posture to upright like a proper youngdy. The girl pointed toward the light of the mansion and solemnly exined, "They''ve been rambling for ages, and still haven''t started fighting. I was bored out of my mind and felt a bit hungry, so I prepared a little something to eat."

 Chapter 85: The Girl Who Just Wants to Watch

    <h4>Chapter 85: The Girl Who Just Wants to Watch</h4>

    In the tunnel, the girl uncrossed her legs and straightened her slender body. She then gracefully and methodically wiped the oil stains from the corners of her mouth and each of her ten fingers using a handkerchief.

    In the blink of an eye, herportmentpletely transformed, embodying the image of a dignifieddy from a prominent family.

    "By the way, how can you see me?" The young girl asked with curiosity written all over her beautiful face.

    At the same moment, she noticed the dense murky energy of the Fifth World swirling around Pang Jian like a thick wall.

    Her bright eyes glimmered strangely as she studied Pang Jian. With each passing moment, Pang Jian seemed to grow increasingly enigmatic in her eyes.

    Fearing she would misunderstand him, Pang Jian earnestly exined, "When I bumped into you earlier, I couldn''t see you. After enduring the contamination of the murky energy, I could see in the darkness."

    He never would have imagined that the figure lurking in the darkness that filled both him and Li Jie with apprehension was a girl.

    The girl appeared to be of simr age to him. She wore a ck dress that blended seamlessly with the darkness. Although her face carried a hint of baby fat, she was undeniably beautiful and had an irresistible charm.

    For some reason though, Pang Jian felt that if she ate slightly less and slimmed down, her face would be several times more beautiful than it already was.

    Eyeing the table filled with braised pork, chicken feet, chicken wings, and the exquisite little wine pot, he concluded that the girl probably would not be slimming down anytime soon.

    "Never mind. I''m feeling generous, I''ll overlook you bumping into me earlier," the girl said, waving her hand sheepishly.

    She had assumed Pang Jian dead after hearing his mournful wailing before. Thus, when he appeared before her, the first words that left her mouth were "Howe you''re not dead yet".

    As he stood before her, alive and well, she could not help but feel embarrassed by her choice of words.

    A thought crossed her mind as she recalled Pang Jian''s words.

    "The tainted energy of the Fifth World isn''t something just anyone can endure. From what I know..." she trailed off with a frown before shaking her head in annoyance. "Forget it! They''re still babbling about their endless stories in there. It''s driving me crazy."

    Retrieving another lounge chair from her spatial ring, she ced it at the opposite end of the table and waved Pang Jian over.

    "Since you can also conceal yourself in darkness, would you like to watch together?" she invited.

    "Sure."

    He stood at a considerable distance away from the entrance of the City Lord''s Mansion. The tables, chairs, and the mysterious girl, blocked his line of sight into the courtyard.

    Thus, Pang Jian could only make out a faint silhouette from where he stood. A familiar figure reced Dong Tianze to sit atop the raised tform. However, he could not see much apart from that.

    Upon receiving the girl''s invitation, Pang Jian wasted no time. He briskly walked toward the girl and plopped onto the newly added chair.

    The table filled with foody between him and the girl.

    Pang Jian''s view of the City Lord''s Mansion was much wider from the chair, allowing him to grasp details he could not see before.

    He realized the figure seated on the raised tform was none other than Luo Hongyan!

    Dong Tianze, on the other hand, stood next to the pool, alongside Qi Qingsong and Lan Xi from the Demon Sect.

    Only three people remained seated on the raised tforms, Luo Hongyan, Yuan Lengshan, and Lin Beiye from the ck Valley Sect.

    Pang Jian was stunned.

    "Do you want something to eat?" The girl beside him kindly asked.

    Pang Jian''s mind was in disarray and he subconsciously shook his head, wondering what had transpired within the mansion after he retreated into the darkness.

    Luo Hongyan was not involved in the two attempts on Qi Qingsong''s life. Thus, when he left earlier, Pang Jian figured that Luo Hongyan could still escape through the Mirror Tunnel.

    After all, there were no deep-seated grudges between Luo Hongyan and the others remaining in the City Lord''s Mansion. Her life would not be in danger as long as she did not covet the treasures in the pool.

    Pang Jian''s eyes suddenly widened in astonishment.

    Luo Hongyan had her back to him, and as she moved her hand from her front to her side, the previously obscured white jade bottle entered his line of sight.

    She was participating in the struggle for the treasures!

    <i>Growl!</i>

    Pang Jian had declined the girl''s invitation before, only for his stomach to betray him with an involuntary growl. The delectable aroma of the feast beside him was incredibly tempting.

    Staring at the table full of delicious food, he hesitated before asking, "Can I have some?"

    "Of course," The girl narrowed her eyes and smiled flippantly. "I can''t finish all this food by myself anyway. Let''s eat together, and I''ll tell you everything that happened in the mansion after you left."

    "Mm, okay." Pang Jian''s "mm" was clearly articted, but the roast chicken in his mouth muffled the "okay" that followed.

    Grabbing the roast chicken closest to him, he tore off two glistening drumsticks and devoured them in the blink of an eye.

    The girl mentally rolled her eyes.

    In no time at all, Pang Jian finished off the entire te of roast chicken and reached for the braised beef.

    "My name is Li Yuqing," the girl introduced.

    "Pang Jian," he replied shortly, too focused on the food to give a proper response.

    "I already know your name is Pang Jian. I heard it earlier."

    "Mm."

    Pang Jian swept through thevish feast on the table, devouring the spread of meat dishes with an unstoppable gusto.

    As he regained hisposure after the agonizing ordeal earlier, Pang Jian realized his transformed body required arge amount of food to replenish his exhausted strength.

    This hunger was simr to when he crawled out of the stone passage beneath Crescent Moon Lake after the essence of the Celestial Phoenix had tempered his body.

    After introducing herself, the girl stayed silent.

    She had invited him to join her because she thought it would be awkward to eat alone while Pang Jian watched from the sidelines.

    But how could she have known that Pang Jian had no intention of being polite?

    Pang Jian polished off the majority of the braised meat, roast chicken, and beef on the table in a short span of time.

    Despite this, he showed no signs of stopping!

    Li Yuqing red at him in annoyance. "Aren''t you curious about what happened in the mansion after you left?"

    "Yes, please go ahead," Pang Jian mumbled through a mouth full of meat.

    The girl sighed. "Never mind, I''ll tell youter."

    If she were to take the time to tell him, he wouldpletely devour her food by the time she finished her exnation.

    Falling silent, she irritatedly began topete with Pang Jian for the food.

    Inside the City Lord''s Mansion, Yuan Lengshan continued to tell her story. Meanwhile, in the dark tunnel, the young man and the girl were using both hands to grab food from the table.

    The girl stuffed the food into her mouth, causing her cheeks to bulge. Pang Jian had been doing the same from the beginning.

    Before long, the two had devoured the food closest to them and reached for the braised chicken feet and chicken wings in the center of the table.

    Their greasy hands collided as they reached for the same chicken wing.

    Pang Jian was taken aback, however, he soon returned to his senses.

    His eyes met Li Yuqing''s fierce re as he peered up at where she sat across from him. Despite her mouth full of grease, she still managed to give off an aura of intimidation.

    Pang Jian sheepishly withdrew his hand.

    The girl let out a snort. Triumphantly picking up the chicken wing, she thought, <i>At least he knows when to back off.</i>

    <i>Burp!</i>

    Pang Jian let out a satisfied burp. The intense hunger from before was easing, so he stopped reaching for more food.

    <i>Cough! Cough!</i>

    Her frenzied eating caused the girl to choke on a piece of food. She had never fought so voraciously for food before, and after coughing a few times, she shot Pang Jian a fierce re and said, "This is your fault!"

    "I was really hungry," Pang Jian replied awkwardly.

    "Forget it."

    Now that Pang Jian admitted his mistake and was no longerpeting with her for food, she could finally slow down her pace.

    Li Yuqing had kept a close eye on the situation both within and around the City Lord''s Mansion from within the darkness and her impression of Pang Jian was not bad at all.

    He had protected Luo Hongyan, Su Meng, and Jiang Li at the back entrance of the City Lord''s Mansion as he single-handedly killed more than a dozen cultivators with his spear.

    That had been the moment when she took notice of Pang Jian.

    Later, within the City Lord''s Mansion, Li Yuqing was surprised to see that Pang Jian, despite only being in the Meridian Opening Realm, dared to attack Qi Qingsong for Zhou Qingchen. He then used thest of his strength to send Zhou Qingchen through the Mirror Tunnel while risking his own life by charging into the darkness.

    Watching this had deeply moved Li Yuqing.

    Thus, when Pang Jian collided with her and knocked her to the ground, she did not hold it against him.

    However, she could not save Pang Jian from being contaminated by the murky energy in the darkness. Despite feeling sympathy and pity for his agonizing screams, she could not do anything for him.

    She willingly offered him a seat and invited him to watch the battle with her when he unexpectedly reappeared because his actions had left a favorable impression on her.

    Even the invitation to eat was driven by that good impression.

    Unfortunately, she had not anticipated just how much Pang Jian could eat.

    Eating at a much more leisurely pace, Li Yuqing recounted the happenings within the mansion, "There''s another soul inhabiting the body of the woman in your group. The one who didn''t leave. She willingly revealed herself after you charged into the darkness."

    Pang Jian nodded in acknowledgment. "I know she has another soul within her. The soul is that of an evil woman..."

    "Evil woman?" Li Yuqing knitted her brows and earnestly searched her memories. "From what I''ve seen, she genuinely cares about you. Her actions seem motivated by the desire to seek revenge on your behalf. The worry on her face when you escaped into the darkness seemed authentic to me."

    Pang Jian was taken aback. He stared at Luo Hongyan with aplicated expression.

    Luo Hongyan was still seated on the raised tform, engaging in feigned civility with the others in the City Lord''s Mansion.

    After finishing her exnation, Li Yuqing ced a copper basin full of water on the table and prepared to wash the grease from her hands.

    "Wash your hands first," she instructed. "We''ll talk moreter."

    Pang Jian stood up, reaching over to do as instructed when Li Yuqing stopped him.

    "Wait a minute!" She red. "Let me wash my hands first!"

    "Oh." Pang Jian obediently halted.

    Pang Jian watched Li Yuqing meticulously wash her greasy hands in the copper basin and wipe them thoroughly with a towel. He waited until after she was done to wash his own hands in the same basin.

    "So, how did you break through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm after stumbling blindly through the darkness?" Li Yuqing asked curiously.

 Chapter 86: Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea

    <h4>Chapter 86: Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea</h4>

    "I''ve broken through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm?" Pang Jian asked in return. At this point, he was unsure of his own condition.

    Earlier, in the darkness, he had been violently assaulted by the dense murky energy of the Fifth World. The excruciating pain left him disorientated and uncertain about what had urred.

    Li Yuqing''s words shocked him.

    "Yeah. Your bones have been tempered. That means you broke through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm."

    Li Yuqing wore an expression of utter certainty. Her bright eyes were devoid of deceit as she earnestly exined things to Pang Jian.

    "The early stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm is about tempering one''s tendons and bones; the mid-stage is focused on refining one''s muscles and internal organs; and thete stage is about purifying one''s blood.

    "But, you''re...very strange."

    Li Yuqing stared at Pang Jian in confusion for a long time before continuing, "When the darkness of the Fifth World engulfed you, you wailed like a ghost and howled like a wolf for a long while, only to advance to the Marrow Cleansing Realm."

    "The early stage...tempering one''s tendons and bones..." Pang Jian murmured thoughtfully to himself. After a moment, he turned to her and said, "ording to what you''ve said, it seems I''ve truly broken through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm."

    The girl abruptly remembered something and gently covered her mouth as if afraid of letting out a startled cry.

    In a tone of disbelief, she asked, "Did you use the tainted energy of the Fifth World to open your meridians?"

    Pang Jian nodded.

    "Freak!" Li Yuqing could not help but scream.

    She gazed at Pang Jian with astonishment as she sized him up.

    Pang Jian remained silent.

    "I''ve heard rumors of a special spiritual sea that can adapt to all kinds of energy. Whether it''s the pure spiritual qi of heaven and earth, the murky energy of the Fifth World, or other chaotic energies, like Profound Yin energy and poisonous energy."

    Li Yuqing sighed deeply, as though filled with conflicting emotions.

    <i>Profound Yin energy? Poisonous energy?</i> Pang Jian thought as he recalled the acidic and poisonous energy he had absorbed using the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art back in ckwater Pond.

    He had also absorbed a considerable amount of Profound Yin energy in the stone pile, but his dantian had felt no difort.

    Therefore, he asked Li Yuqing, "What is this special spiritual sea?"

    "It''s called the Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea, also known as the Sea of Turmoil," The girl exined with a strange look on her face.

    Pang Jian was momentarily stunned.

    Meanwhile, in the courtyard, the girl in white seated on one of the raised tforms finally finished her lengthy tale as she said, "Alright, I''ve finished telling my story."

    Pang Jian wanted to inquire further about the Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea. However, seeing Li Yuqing''s gaze shift toward the girl in white within the City Lord''s Mansion, he decided to hold off on his questions.

    Based on what he saw earlier while eating, he had learned that the girl in white was named Yuan Lengshan. She and Lan Xi came from a branch of the Second World''s Demon Sect called the Demon Heart Sect.

    He also discovered that Yuan Lengshan and Lan Xi had intended to eliminate those fighting for the treasures in the pool and that Yuan Lengshan had manipted him and Zhou Qingchen like pawns.

    Yuan Lengshan''s story revealed that Eight Trigrams City was originally under the control of the Yuan Family and housed tens of thousands of inhabitants.

    However, Eight Trigrams City vanished overnight and was used for a blood sacrifice on a Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir.

    Her ancestors, along with all the inhabitants of Eight Trigrams City, had be sacrifices to nourish the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir.

    As a descendant of the Yuan Family, she should have been the master of Eight Trigrams City, and now that she had returned to the city, she was determined to uncover the true reason behind its disappearance.

    Li Yuqing sneered as she stared intently at Yuan Lengshan. "Eight Trigrams City, the Yuan Family. I''ve heard rumors about the Yuan Family. They''re not known for their good deeds, that''s for sure.

    "All those involved with Eight Trigrams City three thousand years ago, whether from the Yuan Family or those simply residing here, deserved to die.

    "The decision to make Eight Trigrams City disappear was reached after many discussions between different parties, all for the sake of eliminating them once and for all,"

    It was apparent that Li Yuqing did not harbor any goodwill toward the Yuan Family or even Eight Trigrams City as a whole.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Before Pang Jian could mull over it further, he saw the gleaming silver spear that had been at the bottom of the pool shoot out from Yuan Lengshan''s hand.

    Her target was Luo Hongyan!

    Luo Hongyan chuckled and casually waved her hand as the spear approached.

    A dazzling neb swirled around the spear shaft, causing it to veer off course.

    The spear resembling silver lightning headed straight for the tunnel engulfed in darkness.

    Pang Jian was taken aback.

    Without hesitation, he positioned himself in front of Li Yuqing to intercept the spear.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Dong Tianze stood by the tunnel entrance and blocked the silver spear with his Ghost''s Cry. It fell to the ground with a resounding ng and came to a half beside the tunnel.

    Pang Jian realized that the true target of the silver spear was not the tunnel entrance but Dong Tianze!

    Dong Tianze red at Luo Hongyan. "I didn''t attack you earlier. Why are you targeting me?"

    Even though the silver spear was on the ground before him, Dong Tianze did not dare to pick it up.

    Yuan Lengshan had been caressing the spear shaft as she recounted the truth behind Eight Trigrams City. Dong Tianze was unsure if she had tampered with the silver spear and feared it was a trap.

    "You misunderstand me. I just casually flicked it aside. How could I have known that it would fly straight at you."

    Luo Hongyan pointed at Lan Xi without turning her head and said, "You team up with the brat from the ck Valley Sect to kill the older one. I''ll join forces with the one surnamed Qi to deal with the younger one."

    As soon as she finished speaking, she leaped toward Yuan Lengshan.

    "You insolent wench, I''ve had my eye on you for a long time," Luo Hongyan said with a snort.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    In response to her words, Lin Beiye and Qi Qingsong also rushed toward the raised tform where Yuan Lengshan and Lan Xi were.

    Qi Qingsong charged straight at Yuan Lengshan, seated atop the raised tform, while Lin Beiye headed toward where Lan Xi stood below.

    The duo from the Sword Pavilion and the ck Valley Sect acted ording to Luo Hongyan''s instruction and unhesitatinglyunched their attacks.

    As things hade to this point, Dong Tianze did not bother to say much more as he wielded his Ghost''s Cry and charged toward Lan Xi.

    Once again, the chilling wail of the Ghost Cry rang out, sending shivers down everyone''s spine.

    ***

    "Despicable women," Li Yuqing muttered under her breath. It was unclear whether her contempt was directed at Yuan Lengshan or Luo Hongyan.

    She stood behind Pang Jian in the dark tunnel, watching as he acted like a guardian deity, shielding her from danger. He also inadvertently obstructed much of her view.

    Her bright eyes were filled with astonishment as she asked incredulously, "Do I look like that pathetic spear would be enough to stab me to death?"

    Pang Jian did not turn around. Instead, he ced his full attention on the battle in the courtyard. "I don''t know whether the spear would stab you, but I''ve eaten your food, so I feel obliged to shield you from harm."

    "Oh, so it''s because you ate my food."

    Li Yuqing suppressed a smile, finding his exnation amusing. "Did you eat his food too, the silly big guy named Zhou Qingchen? Otherwise, why would you risk your life for him? You had a chance to escape, but instead, you sent him through the Mirror Tunnel and took his ce."

    "Yes, I did," Pang Jian said, recalling the skewer of grilled meat Zhou Qingchen had brought to him in the stone pile.

    <i>He must be at ck Orchid Lake by now. He should be alive, </i>he thought to himself.

    "You''re quite loyal," Li Yuqing said, leaning forward and gesturing for him to stop standing guard so she could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him.

    Before them was the entrance to the courtyard in the City Lord''s Mansion, so even though they were standing right next to each other, it did not feel cramped at all, and they had an unobstructed view of the battle unfolding around the pool.

    Li Yuqing pursed her lips while looking at the gleaming silver spear not far from them. After a moment of contemtion, she said, "That spear...I vaguely remember you staring at it."

    "My Dragonwood Spear had a wooden shaft, which didn''t feel quite right in my hand. I was told on our way here that this spear that had emerged in the pir of light would suit me better."

    "Oh, that''s simple then." Li Yuqing nodded, extending her slightly chubby left hand toward the silver spear.

    Pang Jian anxiously tried to stop her. "Even Dong Tianze didn''t dare to touch it, you shouldn''t¡ª"

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A small golden grappling hook flew out from a spatial ring on her left hand.

    The grappling hooktched onto the spear tip and dragged the silver spear into the darkness.

    Before Pang Jian could finish his sentence, the silver spearnded in Li Yuqing''s hand.

    As he stood, staring at her in shock, Li Yuqing held the spear with one hand while her other traced the length of the spear shaft, effortlessly removing the spiritual power Yuan Lengshan had left in the silver spear.

    She then handed the silver spear to Pang Jian. "Here, for you."

    Pang Jian stared at her dumbfoundedly.

    "It''s fine. I''ve already examined it. You can use it now."

    When Pang Jian made no move to take the silver spear, Li Yuqing angrily shoved it into his hand. "Don''t worry, I won''t harm you!"

    "Oh, okay, thank you," Pang Jian said, clutching the heavy silver spear. It felt remarkablyfortable in his hand as if it was made for him.

    "Hey! Where''s the Startling ughter Spear?" Li Jie shouted in surprise from within the City Lord''s Mansion.

    He had been enjoying the lively battle before him when he noticed that the silver spear had mysteriously vanished.

    Li Jie was shocked. His gaze shifted toward the dark tunnel.

    "Where''s the spear?" Dong Tianze''s, Qi Qingsong''s, and Luo Hongyan''s expressions changed subtly at Li Jie''s words.

    They eyed their surroundings uneasily, sensing a lurking presence in the shadows.

    "Have we been exposed?" Pang Jian tightened his grip on the Startling ughter Spear and looked worriedly at Li Yuqing. "Shouldn''t you stay farther away? If they make their way here, I''m afraid you¡ª

    "It''s okay," Li Yuqing interrupted with a dismissive wave of her chubby white hand. "Rest assured, not everyone is a freak like you, capable of staying in darkness unscathed.

    "The woman you called an evil woman tried to follow you into the darkness and almost lost her life.

    "Honestly, I believe she genuinely does care about you and was deeply concerned for your well-being."

 Chapter 87: A Shift in Perception

    <h4>Chapter 87: A Shift in Perception</h4>

    Li Yuqing had been hiding in the darkness from the beginning and could recount the events following his departure to Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian learned that Luo Hongyan attempted to chase after him when he escaped into the darkness. However, she could not withstand the murky energy and was forced to retreat.

    After hearing Li Yuqing''s ount, Pang Jian stood in a daze, gaze fixed on Luo Hongyan. His emotions grew increasingly conflicted.

    Scene after scene shed through his mind.

    He remembered the journey to ck Orchid Lake. Luo Hongyan had frequently requested meals from the Ning n and the He n for him, imparted her knowledge of cultivation realms to him, and educated him about the intricate details of breakthroughs of each realm.

    She also exined the restriction and control the sects in the Third World exerted over the lower worlds, as well as their deep connections with the seven major ns and various factions.

    On Central Lake Ind, he had recklessly leaped into and ambushed Dong Tianze at the bottom of the deep hole.

    The sudden copse of the scarlet lotus and the Spirit Devil Luo Meng''s timely possession of Dong Tianze enabled Pang Jian to heavily injure Dong Tianze and cause him to panic and retreat.

    After that, she acquired many spirit stones from Zhou Qingchen and the others to aid him in opening up the remaining meridians connecting to his limbs.

    In Eight Trigrams City, she gave him a spatial pouch and found a copy of the Earth ze Technique for him to cultivate.

    These events flowed through Pang Jian''s mind like a river of memories, backgrounded by Li Yuqing''s ount of what happened in the mansion,

    Finally, his memories ended and he conjured up the image of Luo Hongyan charging angrily into the darkness, only for the tainted energy to force her to retreat into the mansion.

    Pang Jian realized that his cold treatment toward Luo Hongyan was solely due to his preconceived notions.

    Ning Yao had arrogantly fled without even sparing him a nce during the incident at ckwater Pond, and he had subconsciously associated Luo Hongyan with her.

    When he tried to view Luo Hongyan in a different light and perceive her as a separate person, he quickly realized that this "new" Luo Hongyan had never done anything against him.

    She always looked out for him and considered his feelings in everything she did.

    Every benefit she received was offered to him first.

    Before this, Pang Jian had not been paying much attention to those in the City Lord''s Mansion, but now, he started to take notice of Luo Hongyan.

    He stared into the City Lord''s Mansion, where the battle, which had briefly paused, had erupted once more.

    Luo Hongyan and Qi Qingsong worked in tandem to attack Yuan Lengshan.

    Colorful "Demon" characters surrounded Lin Beiye and Dong Tianze, making it look like a sea of butterflies engulfed them.

    "What are you thinking about?" Li Yuqing asked curiously.

    "Nothing." Pang Jian shook his head, gaze turning icy as he nced at Yuan Lengshan.

    Outside the City Lord''s Mansion, they had kindly warned her to be careful of the anomaly lurking in the darkness. However, she turned out to be ruthless, using him and Zhou Qingchen as pawns and nearly causing them to die in the City Lord''s Mansion.

    Ironically, the person lurking in the darkness turned out to be a girl akin to Li Jie, merely wanting to observe the spectacle.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A person suddenly appeared at the entrance of the tunnel.

    The tall but slightly chubby figure of Li Jie stood before Pang Jian.

    Li Yuqing had been standing shoulder to shoulder with Pang Jian and instinctively shrunk behind him at the sight of Li Jie as if she was afraid of him noticing her.

    The darkness separated them from Li Jie.

    Though a reed straw still dangled from Li Jie''s lips, the absent-minded expression on his face and the innocent sparkle in his eyes had disappeared.

    With a piercing gaze, he asked, "Who are you?"

    The stark contrast between the man before him and the Li Jie that Pang Jian was familiar with was unnerving.

    Li Yuqing seemed familiar with Li Jie as she quietly reminded Pang Jian from behind, "You don''t have to be afraid. Your voice can''t be heard beyond the darkness. He can enter the darkness like me butcks a spirit artifact that allows him to see in the dark. Even if hees in here, he won''t be able to see you."

    Pang Jian was surprised. "Can I tell him that the one in the darkness is me?"

    "That''s up to you, but don''t mention me," Li Yuqing whispered.

    "Okay." Pang Jian nodded.

    Poking his head out from the tunnel, he answered Li Jie, "It''s me. Don''t stand here. You''re blocking my view."

    Pang Jian only stuck his head out for a brief moment and quickly withdrew back into the shadows.

    The solemn expression on Li Jie''s face vanished in an instant.

    Staring into the darkness, Li Jie whispered in astonishment, "You''re still alive! It seems your decision to send Zhou Qingchen away stemmed from your confidence in adapting to the corruption of the Fifth World. Since you''re the one in the darkness, Pang Jian, and you''re unharmed..."

    Li Jie paused in thought. "You shouldn''t reveal your presence if it''s safe in the darkness. The disappearance of the Mirror Tunnel is only temporary. It''ll reappear once everything settles down. When that happens, you''ll be able to leave safely."

    Li Jie did not linger in front of the tunnel after saying his piece, adjusting his recliner so Pang Jian had a clear view of the City Lord''s Mansion.

    He remained rxed, sipping his green fruit juice whilezily observing the battles unfolding in the City Lord''s Mansion.

    "Are you afraid of him?" Pang Jian asked Li Yuqing, turning around to shoot her a puzzled look. "He doesn''t seem to harbor any ill intentions toward anyone. He even gave us some of his green fruit juice. I don''t think he''ll harm anybody as long as they don''t provoke him. Why are you afraid of him?"

    Li Yuqing tilted her head back, ced her hands on her hips, and smirked. "Me? Afraid of him?"

    She appeared to have something to say, but after a few cold chuckles, remained silent

    "Do you two know each other?" Pang Jian asked suspiciously.

    "Yeah...yeah, you could say that."

    She gently bit her lips and said with exasperation, "Why are you asking so many questions? I''ve already given you the Startling ughter Spear. You better familiarize yourself with it!"

    "Okay." Pang Jian said, stopping his line of questioning.

    Following her advice, Pang Jian started to examine the spear that Li Jie had previously referred to as the Startling ughter Spear.

    Both its shaft and spearhead were forged from the same refined steel. The shaft was filled with an intricatework of lines in ce of the dragon scale patterns on the Dragonwood Spear.

    Thework of lines resembled human blood vessels and extended throughout every part of the silver spear.

    Pang Jian gauged the weight and found that the Startling ughter Spear was significantly heavier than the Dragonwood Spear.

    Despite having advanced to the Marrow Cleansing Realm, he found the spear surprisingly heavy. If he had attempted to wield the spear before making a breakthrough, it would have been shockingly heavy for him.

    Seeing his confusion, Li Yuqing exined, "The spear is inscribed with seven arrays. Most of the arrays are aimed at fortifying the shaft, amplifying the cirction of spiritual power, and enhancing the sharpness of the tip. But you probably wouldn''t understand these things so I won''t go into the details.

    "The Startling ughter Speares with three spear techniques. First is the Explosive Dance, whichbines your spiritual power into an explosive force capable of covering a wide area. This is a form of wide-area offensive technique. The denser your spiritual power is, therger the area the Explosive Dance can cover.

    "The next technique is the Silver Crescent, where you swing the spear to draw a circr arc that resembles a round moon. The Silver Crescent is a spear technique that can both defend and attack.

    "Finally, there''s the Edge of Startling ughter, where you gather your strength to deliver a piercing thrust. When the force reaches its peak, it can even cause the spearhead to detach from the spear shaft.

    "The shaft and spearhead of the Startling ughter Spear may appear seamlessly integrated, but they can actually be separated. A chain connects the spearhead to the shaft, allowing the spearhead to retract back to the shaft."

    Despite only touching the spear for a brief moment, Li Yuqing seemed to haveprehended every intricate detail about the Startling ughter Spear. It was as though she had delved into its very core.

    She even demonstrated to Pang Jian how to unleash the three spear techniques of the Startling ughter Spear, leaving Pang Jian in awe.

    After her demonstration, she concluded, "That''s about it. Just remember what I showed you. You can take your time to practice in the future. The Startling ughter Spear is a few levels above your previous spear, so it should serve you well for quite some time."

    Pang Jian stared at her dumbfoundedly.

    "What are you looking at?" Li Yuqing asked, puzzled.

    "You only touched it briefly. How do you know so much about it?"

    "I''ve seen many spiritual artifacts like this before. I may not be able to inscribe those arrays, but I''ve known about them since I was young." Li Yuqing tilted her head back, voice tinged with pride. "In my family, every generation has individuals devoted to mastering the craft of forging extraordinary spiritual artifacts. Those uninterested in such pursuits focus solely on their cultivation.

    "I fall into the second category. However, since childhood, I''ve been acquainted with various methods of crafting extraordinary spiritual artifacts found throughout the world.

    "Alright now, go and familiarize yourself with the Startling ughter Spear. I have a feeling you''ll be leaving the darkness regardless of Li Jie''s advice, so it''s best to familiarize yourself with the spear as soon as possible."

    Leaning against the tunnel wall, she held an exquisite little jar in her hand, taking asional sips as she eagerly observed the battle unfolding within the City Lord''s Mansion.

    "Explosive Dance. Silver Crescent. Edge of Startling ughter," Pang Jian muttered,mitting every detail of her exnation to memory. He then turned to Li Yuqing. "Could you please keep an eye on that evil¡ªI mean, the woman from my group? If she''s in danger, please let me know."

    The only person Pang Jian was concerned about among all those battling in the City Lord''s Mansion was Luo Hongyan.

    The others were all his enemies.

    However, she was not the real Ning Yao. She was full of mysteries, and Pang Jian''s intuition told him she would not be so easily defeated.

    "Mmm," Li Yuqing responded half-heartedly.

    She could tell that the one Pang Jian was worried about was certainly no saint. Unless something significant happened, there was no real need for her to pay attention.

    Pang Jian left the tunnel.

    The tunnel was not spacious enough to swing the Startling ughter Spear, so he went outside to practice.

    Outside the main entrance of the City Lord''s Mansion, Pang Jian practiced the three spear techniques of the Startling ughter Spear.

    Neither a single corpse nor a drop of blood remained in the vast za.

    <i>The energy circting in my meridians is no longer spiritual power, but the tainted energy of the Fifth World. I wonder...</i>

    Although uncertain of its feasibility, Pang Jian attempted to infuse the Startling ughter Spear with the ck murky energy.

    Surprisingly, it flowed without resistance!

 Chapter 88: Analyzing Spear Techniques

    <h4>Chapter 88: Analyzing Spear Techniques</h4>

    Pang Jian stood in the darkness, spear gripped firmly in his hand.

    ck murky energy surged through the spear shaft like ck lightning, activating the arrays hidden deep within it in an instant.

    Pang Jian keenly discerned that the intricate lines on the entire spear shaft acted like extensions of the meridians in his arms!

    The fine lines were like insatiable sponges, greedily absorbing the ck murky energy he infused into the Startling ughter Spear, causing it to glow in the darkness.

    As the murky energy passed through the spear shaft, seven regions lit up asplex arrays silently activated.

    Even without a single swing, as Pang Jian held the Startling ughter Spear, it seemed to fit naturally in his hand.

    After being infused with his ck murky energy, the silver spear felt like an extension of his body and soul.

    The wondrous harmony between the spear and his soul deeply moved Pang Jian. It was a sensation that the Dragonwood Spear could never provide.

    The destruction of the Dragonwood Spear no longer filled him with regret or dissatisfaction as Pang Jian now regarded the Startling ughter Spear as a key part of his life.

    "Explosive Dance!"

    Recalling the spear technique, Pang Jian tried to wield the Startling ughter Spear in the darkness. The ck murky energy in the spear suddenly flowed into three of the seven arrays on the spear shaft.

    These arrays possessed the extraordinary ability to stack and amplify power exponentially. With each array that was activated, one''s spiritual power skyrocketed.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Momentster, a dark sphere exploded at the spearhead.

    The force of the explosion reverberated through the darkness, carrying with it a unique aura of destruction, devastation, and fury, and causing Pang Jian''s arm to tingle with a slight numbness.

    Pang Jian''s eyes lit up.

    Thebination of the tainted energy of the Fifth World and the Explosive Dance spear technique of the Startling ughter Spear created an incredibly powerful attack!

    <i>The Explosive Dance is a wide-area attack...</i>

    Although he had grown ustomed to the Dragonwood Spear, Pang Jian found himself unusuallyfortable with the Startling ughter Spear. With a twist of his body, he thrust the long spear into the void.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    Dark spheres exploded one after another in mid-air, resounding like deafening ps of thunder in the Fifth World.

    A sea of frenzied explosive energy materialized in the sky above Pang Jian, created by the sessive thrusts of the Startling ughter Spear.

    This ck sea of explosive energy emanated an aura of destruction and corrosion, almost seemingly like a forbidden zone for the living or a deste realm for spirits.

    Pang Jian''s heart swelled with tumultuous emotions.

    If he had been wielding the Startling ughter Spear earlier, he could have easily shattered Dong Tianze''s sea of golden dagger light.

    Realizing the potential ofbining the ck murky energy and the Startling ughter Spear, Pang Jian excitedly continued his experiments.

    He soon discovered that the seven arrays engraved on the spear''s body could easily transform into other spear techniques with minor adjustments.

    "Silver Crescent!"

    Pang Jian swung the Startling ughter Spear, forming a massive ck halo above his head.

    The instant the halo formed, its core abruptly contracted, forcefully drawing a portion of the ck murky energy from within him.

    The core of the ck halo transformed into a dark curtain and enveloped him in a protective barrier.

    Pang Jian shook his head, dissatisfied with the result. "It''s too slow. I''m not proficient enough with it yet."

    Engaged in repetitive drills, he strived to swiftly rotate the spear and effortlessly draw out a perfect circle in the shortest possible time.

    New ck halos materialized above Pang Jian''s head one after another.

    With each new halo, the process became quicker as Pang Jian grew increasingly skilled with each subsequent attempt!

    The most surprising thing to Pang Jian was the seemingly endless reservoir of ck murky energy at his disposal when he stood in the darkness.

    Whenever he utilized the ck murky energy from his spiritual sea, the constant influx of new energy from his surroundings replenished it, ensuring his spiritual sea remained perpetually full.

    This enabled him to practice his spear techniques outside the City Lord''s Mansion without having to rest or worry about depleting his strength.

    ***

    Li Yuqing sat in the tunnel engulfed in darkness, nibbling on fruits and sipping fruit wine from a small jar. Her eyes filled with surprise as she watched Pang Jian.

    She silently observed him before concluding, "He''s a genius. His cultivation talent almost matches mine."

    She merely exined how to apply force and activate the arrays within the spear to activate the Explosive Dance and Silver Crescent spear techniques, vaguely demonstrating the spear techniques as she did so.

    However, just by practicing a few times outside the City Lord''s Mansion, Pang Jian could now fully unleash those two spear techniques.

    Moreover, he was using the ck murky energy to unleash them, unexpectedly enhancing their potency.

    "Those fighting inside the mansion have no idea the threat brewing outside, silently sharpening its fangs," Li Yuqingmented with an amused smile. Shaking the small wine jar in anticipation, she said, "It''s bound to be a spectacr sight when Pang Jian charges into the mansion with the Startling ughter Spear."

    Seeing that Pang Jian had no issues, she quietly retreated into the tunnel.

    ***

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Inside the City Lord''s Mansion, "Demon" characters formed arge hand and sent Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion flying from the raised tform.

    Qi Qingsong leaped out of the pool and red at Luo Hongyan. "Are you merely a spectator in this battle?"

    Throughout the battle, Luo Hongyan had yet to use her full strength.

    He found himself at a disadvantage, but each time he was on the brink of being seriously injured, Luo Hongyan would shower starlight down to intercept Yuan Lengshan''s attack.

    This frustrated Qi Qingsong endlessly.

    "If I were just a spectator, you''d be dead by now." Luo Hongyan said from where she hovered over the edge of the pool. She sneered disdainfully, "You attacked Pang Jian with your sword intent. Consider yourself lucky I didn''t kill you."

    "It was him who attacked me for no reason!" Qi Qingsong angrily eximed.

    However, Luo Hongyan had no intention of reasoning with him at all.

    "That''s also your fault. You shouldn''t have retaliated." Qi Qingsong was almost on the verge of spitting blood from anger when she finally said, "But the one who deserves to die the most isn''t you. It''s that despicable girl in white."

    Yuan Lengshan was about to wave her hand to initiate another round of attacks when she heard Luo Hongyan''s words. She knitted her brows and asked, "When Dong Tianze chased Pang Jian, why didn''t you intervene?"

    "He wasn''t in immediate danger," Luo Hongyan replied snappily as she snorted in disdain. "If he doesn''t face the consequences of his actions, he would''ve continued to be misled by that loose girl and would''ve ended up sacrificing himself for that big fool."

    The derogatory terms "despicable girl" and "loose girl" were pointedly directed toward Yuan Lengshan, causing Yuan Lengshan''s eyes to fill with anger.

    "A bunch of misfits from the Second World, strutting around in this Eight Trigrams City as if they own it. Don''t you guys feel ashamed?" Luo Hongyan condemned. Casting a sidelong nce at Qi Qingsong, she said, "You''re approaching twenty, but you''re still honing your swordsmanship at the Sword Pavilion. You haven''t even advanced to the Innate Realm. Yet, here you are, strutting around like you own the ce."

    Qi Qingsong''s face darkened but he stayed silent, offering no response.

    He knew deep down that Luo Hongyan''s words held some truth.

    As a member of the Sword Pavilion, he indeed held significant sway in Eight Trigrams City, and nobody dared to provoke him.

    However, in the Sword Pavilion of the Second World, he was nothing more than an ordinary outer disciple often overlooked by others.

    Luo Hongyan then nced at Lin Beiye from the ck Valley Sect and sneered, "A sorry excuse of a man who had his tendons severed, plummeting him to the Marrow Cleansing Realm. He now clings to the hope of healing himself with Crystal Snow Lotus."

    Lin Beiye''splexion turned ashen.

    "Then there''s the oldest among us. Who knows what connections she leveraged to join the Demon Heart Sect? Realizing her mediocre talents, she willingly ys the role of a protector for her junior sister, hoping to ride on the coattails of her sess."

    Luo Hongyan tutted, shaking her head. Her words dripped with sarcasm. "A bunch of misfits fighting tooth and nail for the treasures in the pool. It''s trulyughable."

    Luo Hongyan insulted Yuan Lengshan as a "despicable" and "loose" girl but did notbel her as a good-for-nothing like the others.

    Despite not cultivating for as long as the others, Luo Hongyan could see that Yuan Lengshan''s cultivation realm and strength far surpassed that of Qi Qingsong, Lin Beiye, and Lan Xi. This was a testament to her exceptional cultivation talent and unwavering dedication.

    She also did not mock or ridicule Dong Tianze. Since Dong Tianze hailed from the Fourth World, his cultivation realm was deemed passable.

    Lan Xi from the Demon Heart Sect took a deep breath. Seeing Lin Beiye stop his attacks, she proposed, "Why don''t we first take care of this arrogant loudmouth inhabiting someone else''s body?"

    "Agreed," Lin Beiye concurred.

    Qi Qingsong hesitated.

    "Hmph." Luo Hongyan flew to the raised tform where Lin Beiye had previously stood. Turning to face Yuan Lengshan, she said. "This is Eight Trigrams City and the City Lord was surnamed Yuan. This despicable girl spun quite a tale for us to hear. It appears she''s biding her time, waiting for the mysteries of the City Lord to reveal themselves."

    Yuan Lengshan was taken aback. "Who exactly are you?"

    Luo Hongyan responded with a cold smile.

    Everyone suddenly turned to the wall in shock.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Shadowy figures emerged from the green walls of the mansion. Although initially faint and fuzzy, their figures soon became clear and distinct.

    Many figures in ancient garb seemed to have stepped out from the depths of history as if transported from a distant ce that existed three thousand years ago.

    Some of these figures were engaged in lively conversations as if in a bustling market. Their varied expressions and interactions were remarkably lifelike.

    The mansion was soon filled with the chatter of voices.

    Even Lan Xi found herself bewildered by the scene before her. Yuan Lengshan had not mentioned anything like this to her.

    "Junior Sister, who are they?" Lan Xi could not help but ask.

    "They''re the original inhabitants of Eight Trigrams City. They knew nothing about the blood sacrifice." Yuan Lengshan''s face turned cold as she looked at Luo Hongyan. She said quietly, "Before my ancestors from the Yuan family even knew what was happening, they were sentenced to death and wiped out overnight!"

    Qi Qingsong and Lin Beiye knitted their brows at Yuan Lengshan''s words, evidently finding the circumstances to be a little too cruel.

    Li Jie had been observing them and decided to add in a small voice, "That''s because they deserved it."

    Yuan Lengshan turned toward Li Jie.

    Li Jie shrunk back. "I''m not looking for trouble. I''m just a spectator. Besides, I was just speaking the truth."

 Chapter 89: Spirit Food

    <h4>Chapter 89: Spirit Food</h4>

    Outside the City Lord''s Mansion, Pang Jian was practicing the spear techniques of the Startling ughter Spear.

    He unleashed the formidable power of the Edge of Startling ughter and was already capable of separating the spearhead from the shaft.

    However, he was far from proficient.

    All of a sudden, the once tranquil za and its eight streets came alive with voices.

    Darkness still prevailed in the areas engulfed in the murky energy of the Fifth World. However, Pang Jian could see within the darkness.

    The sight before him shocked him.

    Many figures dressed in ancient garbs appeared and were engaging in lively conversations.

    These figures stood in the za and loitered on the streets. Some even appeared along the tunnel leading to the City Lord''s Mansion.

    They were everywhere.

    Judging from the essories on their clothing, these people were all cultivators.

    Pang Jian''s scalp tingled as he dumbfoundedly took it all in. The racket of the crowd surrounded him and he was forced to listen to countless conversations all at once.

    The figures were all talking about spirit food, discussing who had harvested the most spirit food in the lower world and how much tribute should be offered to the City Lord.

    Gentle smiles adorned their faces and they all exuded an air of friendliness.

    In his panic, Pang Jian had discreetly prepared for a potential confrontation, only to realize that none of the ancient figures seemed to have even noticed him.

    The ancient figures'' appearance and discussions about spirit food caused Pang Jian to feel as though he had been transported through time and space.

    Pang Jian felt reassured after realizing these ancient figures were not ghostly apparitions like Spirit Devils.

    He could not detect any unusual energy from the ancient figures. They seemed as insubstantial as air.

    A man and woman approached Pang Jian while holding hands.

    He watched as the smiling couple passed through his body as they headed toward the City Lord''s Mansion.

    Despite being on high alert, he felt nothing when the couple passed through his body.

    The couple, and all the other ancient figures, were merely projections from a different time and space.

    However, Pang Jian could see their mannerisms and hear their conversations, all of which revolved around spirit food.

    Bewildered by the strange urrence, he stared in stupefaction at the extraordinary scene before him.

    He felt increasingly unnerved.

    Worried Li Yuqing would be afraid, he set aside his spear technique practice and dashed toward the tunnel with the Startling ughter Spear in hand.

    He returned to Li Yuqing''s side within moments. With a solemn voice, he asked, "Are you alright?"

    Many ancient figures passed through the tunnel to the mansion, seemingly wanting to pay homage to the City Lord. Some even passed through Li Yuqing''s body.

    Li Yuqing stood gracefully in the tunnel, holding an exquisite wine jar in one hand while nibbling on a crimson fruit in her other. Her eyes gleamed with excitement as she stared at the mansion.

    Hearing Pang Jian''s question, she turned to him with a puzzled expression and asked, "Why would something be wrong with me?"

    "These, and these..." Pang Jian pointed at a gray-robed old man walking past him, then at a morous woman standing next to Li Yuqing.

    "Hmph." Li Yuqing pursed her lips and smiled mischievously, "Did you think these ghostly things would frighten me?"

    Before Pang Jian could respond, she waved her hand dismissively and said, "Don''t worry, I knew this would happen when I came here. These aren''t living beings. They can''t even be considered ghosts. I don''t fear them in the slightest."

    "You knew this would happen?" Pang Jian asked in astonishment.

    "Yes." Li Yuqing nodded.

    She beckoned Pang Jian over to her side.

    The tunnel was no longer furnished with tables and chairs, and Li Yuqing stood alone.

    Pang Jian walked over to her side, standing before the barrier formed by the darkness. Their gazes once again fell onto the mansion and the happenings within it.

    Yuan Lengshan was standing on a raised tform and seemed to be interrogating Li Jie.

    Li Jie wore a stony expression, appearing reluctant to engage in conversation with her.

    Numerous ancient figures could also be seen in the courtyard of the City Lord''s Mansion. They poured in from the tunnel and passed through walls.

    A handsome man, dressed in a white robe and exuding an imposing aura, stood by the pool''s edge. Pang Jian had never seen him before.

    Upon closer inspection, however, Pang Jian realized the man was like the ancient figures. He was one of the anomalies Li Yuqing had described as neither a living being nor a ghost.

    The man''s lips curved into a smile, his demeanor extraordinarily elegant.

    He conversed with each tribute giver, epting the offerings they presented, and exchanging a few quiet words with them.

    After presenting their tributes, each person bowed in gratitude and departed.

    The continuous stream of tribute givers moved along in an orderly fashion, and the scene seemed peaceful and harmonious.

    Taking a sip of her fruit wine, Li Yuqing noticed Pang Jian''s curious expression and whispered, "Do you know what they mean by spirit food?"

    Pang Jian shook his head.

    "Living soul," Li Yuqing said with a frown.

    Pang Jian''s expression darkened, and he said in a low voice, "The spirit food those people are discussing refers to living souls? The souls of the living?"

    "Yes." Li Yuqing nodded.

    "Three thousand years ago, Yuan Shishan ruled Eight Trigrams City. He practiced forbidden arts and fed on living souls.

    "He propagated this forbidden art, forcing the inhabitants of Eight Trigrams City to practice it. Those who refused were not allowed to live in the city.

    "Soon, every inhabitant of Eight Trigrams City, without exception, was practicing the forbidden art of consuming living souls.

    "They often ventured out to cities in the Third World or towns and viges in the Fourth World to secretly hunt down powerful cultivators and harvest their living souls. To live in Eight Trigrams City, they had to offer spirit food to Yuan Shishan at regr intervals.

    "What you''re seeing now is one such tribute session. This happens to be thest tribute in Eight Trigrams City from three thousand years ago," Li Yuqing revealed.

    A chill ran down Pang Jian''s spine. He knitted his brows and asked, "How many people from the Third and Fourth World died at the hands of these Eight Trigrams City inhabitants?"

    "Several hundred thousand," Li Yuqing replied.

    Pang Jian remained silent for a long while before saying, "The City Lord, Yuan Shishan, and all the inhabitants of Eight Trigrams City deserved to die."

    "Yes, that''s what those in the upper world believed. So, during thest tribute, Eight Trigrams City vanished into thin air and reappeared on top of this Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir."

    Li Yuqing sighed deeply. "The decision to make Eight Trigrams City a blood sacrifice atop the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir and sentence everyone in the city to death was made by a collective of many different parties."

    "Different parties?"

    Li Yuqing nodded. "The sects from the First World of the Abyss."

    "The Abyss?"

    "Yes, our world is called the Abyss," Li Yuqing affirmed.

    ***

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The battles inside the City Lord''s Mansion were on the verge of erupting once again.

    Dong Tianze brandished his Ghost''s Cry and attempted to absorb the strange figures into the holes on the Ghost''s Cry to enhance his strength.

    However, the excited Dong Tianze soon realized that wielding Ghost''s Cry did not yield the result he expected. The ancient figurescked any trace of the energy typical of spirits or ghosts.

    Unfortunately, when he brandished Ghost''s Cry, causing it to emit the wailing cries of countless spirits, Lan Xi mistakenly thought he was about to unleash a deadly attack.

    Snorting coldly, Lan Xi produced a basket filled with flowering branches and hurled it toward Dong Tianze.

    As the basket flew through the air, the flowering branches turned into swords andunched toward Dong Tianze.

    Once Lan Xi moved to attack, Lin Beiye from the ck Valley Sect swung his Coiled Dragon Staff without a word.

    Dragons formed from spiritual power streamed out of Lin Beiye''s Coiled Dragon Staff and shed against the gigantic "Demon" characters flying out from Lan Xi''s dress.

    The stalled battle erupted once more.

    Lan Xi let out a cold snort. Her flowing dress swirled as she conjured more bright red "Heart" characters. Some flew toward Lin Beiye, while the others headed for Dong Tianze.

    "Shatter Heart!" Lan Xi shouted.

    The "Heart" characters flying toward Lin Beiye and Dong Tianze shattered.

    Lin Beiye and Dong Tianze groaned in unison as a sharp pain pierced their hearts. They panickedly summoned their spiritual power to purge the sinister curse Lan Xi had unleashed on them.

    Lan Xi struck the Coiling Dragon Staff with her palm, unleashing many enormous ck "Demon" characters, taking advantage of Lin Beiye''s inability to counterattack to deal with the conjured dragons.

    She then infused spiritual power into the flower basket, causing it to radiate an intense light.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The basket struck Dong Tianze, instantly fracturing several bones.

    "You''re the weakest, so I''ll kill you first," Lan Xi dered as she closed in on Dong Tianze. She aimed to swiftly dispatch Dong Tianze so that she could focus her full attention on Lin Beiye.

    Yuan Lengshan was her hope for the future.

    She staked everything on her youngest junior sister. Her establishment in the Demon Heart Sect in the future, and the advancement of her cultivation realm all depended on Yuan Lengshan.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    As she soared through the air toward Dong Tianze, brilliant starlight resembling a gxy appeared behind her.

    Lan Xi turned in horror. She conjured a myriad of "Demon" characters in her palm and struck at the brilliant starlight.

    She had no time to spare on Dong Tianze, gliding over his head before forcibly turning in midair and retreating.

    The "Demon" characters collided with the approaching starlight and exploded in a blinding sh.

    The ferocious momentum caused Lan Xi to retreat further.

    She looked up at the tform where Luo Hongyan stood, face filled with apprehension.

    Unbeknownst to her, she was nearing the dark tunnel where Pang Jian had vanished.

    "Ah!" Lan Xi screamed. Her keen senses detected an extremely sharp presence emerging from the darkness behind her.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The fragmented starlight before her exploded. The force from the explosion pushed her body backward, causing her to get closer and closer to the tunnel.

    <i>Shunk!</i>

    Lan Xi flew backward, only to be stopped by a long spear protruding from her chest. Its spearhead glowed radiantly.

    In an unexpected turn of events, a long spear had pierced Lan Xi of the Demon Sect through her chest. Her limp body hung in the air. Her vacant eyes stared nkly at the crowd in the City Lord''s Mansion.

    The other end of the spear, anchoring her body and preventing her from touching the ground, remained concealed in the darkness.

    Everyone fighting in the City Lord''s Mansion froze as they stared in horror at Lan XI''s lifeless body.

    None of them had killed Lan Xi!

 Chapter 90: Stepping Out of the Darkness!

    <h4>Chapter 90: Stepping Out of the Darkness!</h4>

    Everybody stopped midbat, freezing in ce and staring in horror at Lan Xi''s lifeless body.

    Lan Xi of the Demon Sect met her demise in front of the dark tunnel, impaled from behind with a shining silver spear!

    The spearhead pierced through her heart, with the spear shaft keeping her body suspended in the air.

    Her eyes were filled with profound terror and her final expression was one of bewilderment.

    It seemed she had not quite grasped her situation even in her final moments.

    The end of the spear remained concealed in the depths of the darkness.

    One by one, those in the City Lord''s Mansion shifted their attention toward the dark tunnel, expressions grave.

    Nobody dared to act.

    No one knew who wielded the spear, or if the wielder was even human.

    Faced with the unknown, everyone remained cautious, disying great restraint.

    Something eerie had also happened when the spear skewered Lan Xi.

    The ancient figures that had emerged from the river of time and popted the City Lord''s Mansion all vanished into thin air.

    It was as if they had never appeared at all, like their conversations about spirit food had never taken ce and they had never lined up to pay tribute to the City Lord.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Dong Tianze was the first to react, hastily retreating.

    The flower basket that had been chasing Dong Tianze fell to the ground with a thud. After Lan Xi died, it no longer had any spiritual power, and its flowering branches cracked into splinters.

    The "Demon" and "Heart" characters encircling Lin Beiye dropped to the ground like withered flowers and disappeared without a trace.

    The City Lord''s Mansion fell into silence.

    Eyes filled with contemtive curiosity nced between Lan Xi''s lifeless body, the gleaming tip of the spear, and the dark tunnel.

    Luo Hongyan raised her eyebrows and let out a soft chuckle.

    She had not expected this surprising turn of events.

    When Lan Xi soared through the air to attack Dong Tianze, she had been dangerously close to the dark tunnel. Thus, Luo Hongyan took advantage of the situation to strategically unleash a dazzling starlight in her direction.

    She wanted to pressure Lan Xi to move closer to the tunnel, hoping she would fall into the darkness.

    Luo Hongyan had experienced the murky energy firsthand, and how contact with the darkness of the Fifth World tainted her soul

    The spear Li Jie referred to as the Startling ughter Spear had fallen close to the tunnel, only to mysteriously disappear soon after.

    She also knew that there was something hidden within the darkness.

    Still, she had not anticipated the Startling ughter Spear to strike down Lan Xi before she could fall into the darkness.

    Yuan Lengshan was also aware of the anomalies in the darkness and had noticed the disappearance of the Startling ughter Spear. Her eyes shed eerily as she gazed at her senior sister''s body hanging in the air.

    She knew there was something suspicious happening in the darkness.

    She had spent some time infusing the Startling ughter Spear with her spiritual power, imbuing it with "Demon" and "Heart" characters.

    These "Demon" and "Heart" characters were primed to detonate on contact, rendering the hand of anyone brave enough to touch the spear useless.

    However, after falling to the ground, the Startling ughter Spear mysteriously vanished while the rest of them were upied with battle.

    The dark "Demon" characters and crimson "Heart" characters were connected to Yuan Lengshan and she could sense that they had also been erased.

    This caused her to be wary.

    Yuan Lengshan considered the figure hidden in the darkness a significant threat!

    "Who are you?" Yuan Lengshan asked coldly, breaking her silence.

    She showed no hint of emotional distress despite the death of her Senior Sister Lan Xi.

    Her cold eyes only lingered briefly on Lan Xi''s body before shifting to the darkness where the spear shaft emerged.

    There was no response.

    Li Jie knitted his eyebrows, setting aside the reed straw in his mouth as he straightened up in his recliner.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Lan Xi''s suspended body moved!

    The sudden movement startled those in the City Lord''s Mansion. Their nerves were all stretched taut.

    Dong Tianze, Qi Qingsong, and Lin Beiye tightened their grips on their spirit artifacts and released their spiritual power to prepare for battle.

    Meanwhile, Li Jie, Luo Hongyan, and Yuan Lengshan were unperturbed as they maintained their original stances.

    They soon realized that it was not Lan Xi''s lifeless body that was moving, but the gleaming spear that had pierced through her.

    The person hidden in the depths of darkness slowly stepped out.

    "Pang Jian!"

    "Pang Jian!"

    Luo Hongyan and Dong Tianze eximed in unison.

    Li Jie shook his head and let out a bitterugh. "I told you not to reveal yourself..."

    Yuan Lengshan, Lin Beiye, and Qi Qingsong had not even spared a nce at Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen when Dong Tianze and Leng Yuan had chased them.

    All three were taken aback.

    They could hardly believe that Pang Jian had not only endured the contamination of the murky energy but also used the Startling ughter Spear to kill Lan Xi!

    Pang Jian stood in front of the tunnel with Lan Xi''s body still impaled on the Startling ughter Spear, stonily observing the stunned expressions on their faces.

    Those hailing from the Second World thought highly of themselves, but after Lan Xi''s death, they finally acknowledged his existence.

    The profound shock on their faces starkly contrasted with their previous nonchnce.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Dark, snake-like beams burst forth from the Startling ughter Spear and ripped Lan Xi''s body apart.

    The gruesome scene caused everyone''s hearts to sink.

    His actions showed his true reason for emerging from the darkness; Pang Jian wanted to vent his rage.

    The exploded remnants of Lan Xi''s flesh and blood seemed to take on a life of their own and hurtled straight toward Dong Tianze!

    Dong Tianze swung his Ghost''s Cry, drawing forth dazzling arcs of light.

    A brand new sea of golden dagger light manifested before Pang Jian.

    "Pang Jian, you struck Lan Xi when she was unprepared. It was just a cheap shot. Heh, you don''t honestly think¡ª" Before Dong Tianze could finish his sentence, ck spheres emerged from the spearhead of the Startling ughter Spear.

    <i>Boom! Rumble!</i>

    A violent force, imbued with the aura of destruction and devastation, erupted like bolts of dark lightning, shattering the vast sea of golden dagger light!

    The fragments of shattered dagger light and ck spheres mingled with Lan Xi''s exploded remains and fell onto Dong Tianze''s body.

    "Marrow Cleansing Realm! You actually broke through in the darkness!" Dong Tianze eximed as he was forced to retreat.

    His face was filled with disbelief.

    In Dong Tianze''s eyes, Pang Jian resembled a demon from the Fifth World emerging from the darkness.

    Qi Qingsong let out a startled cry. "Marrow Cleansing Realm?"

    He was certain that Pang Jian had only been at the first stage of the Meridian Opening Realm before rushing into the darkness. His Twelve Principal Meridians had not even been opened!

    Pang Jian had attacked him twice using the Dragonwood Spear and other spirit artifacts, so he was well aware of Pang Jian''s spiritual power and cultivation realm.

    "Pang Jian..." Luo Hongyan murmured. She was the only one happy to see him.

    With the aid of the bronze pendant, she knew that Pang Jian would not sumb to the tainted energy of the Fifth World so easily.

    What she had not anticipated was that Pang Jian would progress from the early stages of the Meridian Opening Realm to the Marrow Cleansing Realm in such a short time!

    Unable to contain her joy, Luo Hongyan stood on the raised tform, chuckling lightly as she peered smugly at Yuan Lengshan, Lin Beiye, and Qi Qingsong. "I''ve said it before. The person I''m interested in isn''t so easily killed!"

    She was genuinely happy for Pang Jian.

    Seeing Dong Tianze retreat, Pang Jian stopped in his tracks.

    At the sound of Luo Hongyan''s triumphantughter, Pang Jian nced at her and asked curiously, "What''s your name?"

    Luo Hongyan''s smile stiffened. Pang Jian''s curious question made her uneasy.

    However, Pang Jian''s gaze was different from before. It now carried an unfamiliar gentleness.

    Ever since she inhabited Ning Yao''s body, regardless of how she tried to approach Pang Jian, he always distanced himself from her.

    Her attempts at flirtation also yielded no positive results.

    She could never have dreamed that Pang Jian would undergo an unexpected change in attitude!

    "Luo-Luo Hongyan. My name is Luo Hongyan," she stuttered with a nervous smile.

    Li Jie, Yuan Lengshan, Qi Qingsong, and Dong Tianze stared at her in bafflement.

    After revealing that she was not the real Ning Yao, this woman ruthlessly killed Leng Yuan. She had never been worried nor even taken the disputes in the City Lord''s Mansion seriously.

    But just a single question from Pang Jian could make her anxious...

    Li Jie and the others all wore strange expressions. They were uncertain of her rtionship with Pang Jian.

    "Luo Hongyan. Alright, I got it." Pang Jian nodded. His expression shifted into a more serious one as he said, "In the darkness, I realized that the one I despised was Miss Ning. But you haven''t done anything to hurt me, Luo Hongyan, so I don''t despise you."

    When Pang Jian said those words, Luo Hongyan''s alluring ethereal form quivered in Ning Yao''s deste sea of consciousness.

    Her very soul was moved.

    "Thank you, thank you for not despising me." Luo Hongyan took a deep breath. At this moment, Pang Jian seemed irresistibly charming.

    Luo Hongyan had originally intended to use Ning Yao''s body to steal Pang Jian''s bronze pendant. Despite that, as they spent more time together, her mindset had subtly shifted.

    On Central Lake Ind, when Dong Tianze had almost killed Su Meng, Pang Jian took out a bamboo flute and deliberately provoked him, which allowed Su Meng to escape unscathed.

    Pang Jian recklessly attempted to kill Qi Qingsong because of a promise he had made to Zhou Qingchen. And not just once, but twice!

    In that desperate situation, he pushed Zhou Qingchen into the Mirror Tunnel and chose to venture into the darkness alone.

    As these memories shed through Luo Hongyan''s mind, the young man before her seemed to grow taller and more imposing in her heart.

    More than once, she had wondered how different things would have been if herpanions back then had not been her scheming fellow disciples, but instead people like Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen.

    If she had never been betrayed, never abandoned by those around her, would her fate have been different?

    "But there are some people who are truly despicable," Pang Jian said, pointing the Startling ughter Spear toward Yuan Lengshan.

    In the entire City Lord''s Mansion and Eight Trigrams City, the person Pang Jian hated the most was neither Dong Tianze nor Qi Qingsong, but Yuan Lengshan!

    Before they entered the City Lord''s Mansion, they had shown kindness toward Yuan Lengshan. Jiang Li and Zhou Qingchen had worried about her being alone and even invited her to join them.

    However, Yuan Lengshan ended up using them!

    When he and Zhou Qingchen were desperately fleeing for their lives, Yuan Lengshan not only did not consider offering a hand, she could not even be bothered to spare them a nce.

    Qi Qingsong also only targeted him after obtaining Yuan Lengshan''s permission.

    This was why, when Pang Jian saw Lan Xi being forced closer to the tunnel by Luo Hongyan''s attack, he could not help butsh out.

    He ignored Li Jie¡¯s advice and emerged from the darkness to kill Yuan Lengshan and vent his rage!

 Chapter 91: Provocation

    <h4>Chapter 91: Provocation</h4>

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Yuan Lengshan leaped down from the raised tform.

    She stood at the edge of the pool and dipped her delicate white hand into the water, seemingly oblivious to the cold hostility in Pang Jian''s eyes.

    Pang Jian''s brows knitted, taking note of the murky energy within him as he maintained his connection with the Startling ughter Spear.

    The murky energy within him was not replenished after he unleashed the Explosive Dance.

    Now that he was out of the darkness, the endless murky energy could no longer stream continuously into his spiritual sea.

    Weighing his options, he decided his remaining strength was enough to battle Yuan Lengshan.

    In terms of his cultivation realm, he was now equal to Yuan Lengshan. Moreover, he held the highlypatible Startling ughter Spear in his hand.

    With his spirits high and at the peak of his abilities, he felt confident facing Yuan Lengshan from the Second World in a fight to the death.

    <i>Ssh!</i>

    Yuan Lengshan stirred the pool water with her hand.

    The pool was filled with corpses and reeked of blood. Despite that, two objects in the foul water remained unstained by blood.

    The first was a chest thaty undisturbed at the bottom of the pool.

    The second was a robe that drifted unceasingly through the pool.

    As Yuan Lengshan stirred the pool water, her eyes were fixed on the robe embroidered with sun, moon, and stars. Her crystalline lips curled into a slight smile as she softlymanded, "Come here."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The resplendent robe flew toward her and Yuan Lengshan caught it by its hem.

    Pulling the mysterious treasure out of the pool, she shook it gently, scattering the water droplets clinging to the robe like shattered crystals.

    She then draped the robe over her shoulders.

    With the robeyered over her white dress, she walked toward Pang Jian.

    As she moved, the sun, moon, and stars embroidered on the resplendent robe shimmered and came to life

    She exuded a holy aura. It was as if the sun, moon, and stars were shielding her from the sinister forces of the world.

    Pang Jian was unfazed as he coldly awaited her approach. The murky energy in his chest surged wildly, echoing within him like beating drums.

    Standing on the raised tform, Luo Hongyan''s expression shifted. "Be careful. I tried to take that robe earlier but couldn''t get it to respond."

    Lin Beiye''s face darkened as he growled, "It happened again!"

    People like them did not have to enter the pool to retrieve the treasures by hand.

    Both he and Luo Hongyan had secretly attempted to pull the four treasures from the pool.

    Luo Hongyan sessfully imed the white jade porcin bottle containing the Crystal Snow Lotus.

    Unfortunately, despite Lin Beiye''s many attempts, he could not move any of the treasures. The sight of Yuan Lengshan''s sess made him feel increasingly frustrated.

    "That should belong to me," Qi Qingsong muttered, expression darkening in resentment.

    He had also attempted to summon the Startling ughter Spear with spiritual power in the middle of ying those seeking the treasures in the pool.

    But like Lin Beiye, he had also failed.

    Yuan Lengshan had summoned the Startling ughter Spear, and now she also obtained the mysterious robe. This left the others feeling displeased.

    The robe did not suit Yuan Lengshan. She lookedically like a child dressed in adult clothes when wearing the imposing garment.

    However, Yuan Lengshan did not seem to mind. As she walked, shemented offhandedly, "Speaking of which, outside the mansion, you were the one who informed me about a potential anomaly hidden within the darkness of one of the streets."

    Qi Qingsong, Lin Beiye, and Dong Tianze were visibly taken aback by her words.

    The trio had entered the City Lord''s Mansion much earlier than the others. Thus, they were unaware of the lurking anomaly in the spreading darkness.

    Their sharp gazes instantly shifted to the darkness.

    "Pang Jian, did the anomaly lurking in the darkness save your life?" Yuan Lengshan snorted. "The anomaly spared your life and infused your body with murky energy. From that moment on, you ceased to be a member of the four Worlds and became an aplice to the anomaly."

    The expressions of the others changed as they looked at Pang Jian.

    "That''s right, the energy he''s infusing into the spear is not spiritual power! It''s the murky energy of the Fifth World!" Dong Tianze eximed,

    Qi Qingsong and Lin Beiye''s expressions turned grave.

    Yuan Lengshan nced at them and said, "Both of you are from the Sword Pavilion and the ck Valley Sect respectively. You''re different from these insignificant ants. You should know where Eight Trigrams City is located.

    "We all know the evil creatures from the Fifth World cannot reach here.

    "The anomaly lurking in the darkness also came to Eight Trigrams City through the same means as us. However, the creatures from the Fifth World have corrupted it. The fact that it can hide in the darkness for so long means it has gained the favor of the evil creatures from the Fifth World.

    "Since Pang Jian survived with its help, he must''ve also be one of them."

    With just a few words, Yuan Lengshan painted Pang Jian as an anomaly allied with the creatures from the Fifth World.

    She threw a sidelong nce at Luo Hongyan and sneered, "As for you...it''s not that you don''t want to give it your all. You only intervene at crucial points because the person you inhabit has a low cultivation realm.

    "Her spiritual power is limited. Even if you have exquisite control and can unleash its full potential, that fact doesn''t change. She''s weak, and her spiritual power is scarce. It can''t sustain you in prolonged battles.

    "You used a ruthless method to kill that woman just so that you could intimidate everyone and make them wary of you. In other words, you''re limited by her cultivation realm and aren''t strong enough to face us head-on!

    "Even though your soul surpasses ours, you didn''t dare to reveal yourself in Eight Trigrams City because you were afraid of being suppressed by the city''s rules."

    Yuan Lengshan paused, staring frostily at Luo Hongyan. "Did I miss anything?"

    "Everything you''ve said is correct." Luo Hongyan nodded with a calm smile. "If this body was in the same cultivation realm as you, all of you would have died long ago. I wouldn''t have had the patience to listen to you go on and on about the petty affairs of the Yuan Family."

    Qi Qingsong cut in, "Yuan Lengshan, are you saying all this to ask for our help?"

    Yuan Lengshan shook her head. "All I''m asking is for you guys to watch quietly from the sidelines. I''ll pry out the identity of the anomaly lurking in the darkness from Pang Jian."

    "Okay," Qi Qingsong readily agreed.

    In the darkness, Li Yuqing stopped sipping her fruit wine and red at Yuan Lengshan.

    "What utter nonsense," she sneered. ncing at the stern-faced Li Jie, she sighed. "How could you be so foolish as to believe her nonsense?"

    Her muttering could not be transmitted beyond the darkness. She also had no intention of revealing herself. She was just worried about Pang Jian.

    "Great ns are ruined by impatience. If you just held back and refrained from killing that woman, they would''ve ended up fighting amongst themselves. Stepping in would''ve been much easier for you after that." She shook her head with a sigh.

    She knew that despite Pang Jian''s icy exterior, he had a heart as fiery as erupting volcanoes.

    Compelled to vent his frustrations, Pang Jian had chosen the wrong moment to step into the City Lord''s Mansion.

    After Yuan Lengshan leaped down from the raised tform, Pang Jian stayed silent, waiting for her to stop before him.

    He neither exined himself nor mentioned that the anomaly in the darkness was just a girl indulging in food and drinks while watching the battles unfold.

    Pang Jian instead opted to respond with his spear!

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    ck spheres surrounded Yuan Lengshan and exploded one after another,

    The murky energy within Pang Jian surged forth, converging on Yuan Lengshan!

    The robe Yuan Lengshan had draped over her shoulders shone brilliantly!

    Countless stars, a radiant sun, and a gleaming crescent moon flickered on the surface of her robe.

    Tucking her head into the robe, she used its mystical power to withstand the explosive attacks from Pang Jian.

    She was secretly shocked.

    Pang Jian had not only broken through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm and acquired the Startling ughter Spear, but also mastered its spear techniques within such a brief period of time!

    The attacks came with astonishing speed and ferocity. Had she not preemptively obtained the robe from the pool, she would not have dared to stand boldly before Pang Jian.

    Standing on the raised tform, Luo Hongyan''s eyes gleamed in fascination. Pang Jian''s newfound power was utterly dumbfounding.

    Luo Hongyan sneered in disdain as she watched Yuan Lengshan block the explosion with the resplendent robe.

    "Ster Shift." With a flick of her hand, dazzling starlight blossomed from each of her fingertips.

    Luo Hongyan maneuvered the twinkling stars to Yuan Lengshan''s robe, guiding them to the unembroidered areas of the robe.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The nk parts of the robe violently exploded.

    Yuan Lengshan let out a muffled groan. Crimson blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

    Staggering backward, she red at Luo Hongyan.

    "Impressive. You can see through how the stars on the robe work and even neutralize them with your power." Yuan Lengshan gracefully leaped toward Luo Hongyan."I guess I''ll just have to kill you first."

    Dark "Demon" characters and crimson "Heart" characters flew from her palm and surrounded Luo Hongyan.

    In her heart, Luo Hongyan secretlymented.

    Yuan Lengshan was right. Ning Yao was only in the Meridian Opening Realm. The spiritual power she had umted in her spiritual sea was limited and was indeed not enough for Luo Hongyan to sustain herself in a prolonged battle.

    There was no way for her to confront someone like Yuan Lengshan head-on. Therefore, she had no choice but to retreat.

    Qi Qingsong and Lin Beiye believed Yuan Lengshan''s im about an anomaly lurking in the darkness, including Pang Jian''s connection to it, and so they quietly stood by and watched with cold eyes.

    Pang Jian once again thrust his spear at Yuan Lengshan and shouted to Luo Hongyan, "Stand behind me!"

    Luo Hongyan was taken aback.

    "I can hold off her frontal assault!" Pang Jian shouted again.

    Luo Hongyan nodded. Spinning in a graceful circle on the raised tform, she sessfully dodged the dark "Demon" characters and crimson "Heart" characters targeting her andnded smoothly behind Pang Jian.

    Her bright eyes sparkled with a peculiar light as she stared at Pang Jian''s resolute figure. She softly said, "I''m afraid of Dong Tianze''s Ghost''s Cry. That deadly weapon from the Sinister Soul Temple could severely wound me if I leave my host''s body."

    Pang Jian simply grunted in acknowledgment without turning back.

 Chapter 92: Violent Slaughter!

    <h4>Chapter 92: Violent ughter!</h4>

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Yuan Lengshannded on the raised tform where Luo Hongyan had stood before. Numerous dark "Demon" characters and crimson "Heart" characters swirled around her.

    Looking down at Pang Jian, she said coldly, "It''s just as well that you two are together."

    As her words left her mouth, the dark "Demon" characters transformed into a demonic eye seemingly capable of devouring one''s soul.

    Pang Jian instantly felt like demons surrounded him and he was trapped in some eerie demonic realm.

    He was momentarily dazed.

    "Heart Inferno." Yuan Lengshan stood tall on the raised tform, hands weaving intricate seals with practiced precision. The crimson "Heart" characters danced around her like a swarm of butterflies.

    Yuan Lengshan''s technique had ensnared Pang Jian.

    From Pang Jian''s perspective, bloodthirsty fiends and demons seemed to loom in every direction and were swiftly closing in on him.

    His heart swelled with searing heat as a fierce energy invaded him, threatening to reduce him to ashes.

    Yuan Lengshan scoffed disdainfully. "I retrieved that spear from the pool myself. I know its intricacies inside out."

    With her hands crossed over her chest, she maintained the seals on her hands and unleashed a secret technique of the Demon Heart Sect.

    "You seem tock other offensive techniques aside from your spear techniques. I wonder where you find the courage to challenge me." She shook her head, looking down on Pang Jian as though he were a fool.

    Even now, she still could not understand where Pang Jian had found the audacity to attack Qi Qingsong.

    She merely incited the two to target Qi Qingsong as a diversion as she did not want to prematurely reveal her strength and arouse suspicion in others.

    Pang Jian''s and Zhou Qingchen''s fervor had been bothughable and utterly meaningless in her eyes.

    "Pang Jian!" Luo Hongyan called from behind.

    Her voice carried a sharp note, akin to a de, that helped Pang Jian to break free from the clutches of the Demon Heart Sect''s secret technique.

    Pang Jian returned to his senses.

    Lifting his head, he saw many dark "Demon" characters and crimson "Heart" characters circling above him.

    The "Demon" characters could distort one''s mind while the "Heart" characters emanated a terrifying fiery force that incessantly swept toward his chest.

    Pang Jian abruptly threw away the Startling ughter Spear.

    The silver shaft of the spear glowed red-hot like a branding iron, searing Pang Jian''s hand.

    Pang Jian was shocked.

    He soon realized that his sess in killing Lan Xi had been heavily dependent on luck.

    Although his heart was usually as steadfast as a rock, Yuan Lengshan''s dark "Demon" characters and crimson "Heart" characters had affected him. Even his bronze pendant could not help him.

    With little effort, the fiery energy of the "Heart" characters permeated the Startling ughter Spear, causing its shaft to burn red-hot and forcing Pang Jian to toss it in surprise.

    "You have no spear nor any offensive techniques now. I wonder how you n to withstand my power," Yuan Lengshan sneered, moving her crossed hands downward.

    In response to her gesture, the dark "Demon" characters and crimson "Heart" characters descended on Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan like torrential rain.

    <i>Offensive techniques...</i> Pang Jian recalled the Earth ze Technique he had practiced earlier.

    After entering the darkness, his spiritual sea had been filled with murky energy. Even the small fiery pool he had once created with earthme energy now brimmed with it.

    With no earthme energy at his disposal, Pang Jian was unsure if he could even unleash the Earth ze Technique.

    But he was determined to try.

    Pang Jian tried to circte his tainted energy to unleash the Earth ze Technique.

    His serene spiritual sea quaked and churned!

    The dense murky energy flowed unhindered through his meridians with an unbelievable speed.

    The second stage of the Earth ze Technique spontaneously activated.

    The murky energy started from the acupuncture point at the back of his neck, traveling through his acupuncture points, from the soles of his feet to the palms of his hands.

    This was an entirely new way of exerting power!

    He could almost hear the dense murky energy rushing violently through his body like rivers of moltenva.

    Behind him, Luo Hongyan nced at the now glowing Startling ughter Spear and whispered, "It''s okay, let me handle this. The little vixen manipted the spear. She had countermeasures prepared."

    The hem of Luo Hongyan''s skirt shimmered with starlight, which condensed into clusters of clouds.

    "I''ve got this!" Pang Jian growled.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    Pang Jian raised his left hand toward the iing attack. Three colossal beams of light materialized from his palm one after the other.

    One beam was dark green, filled with a sinister energy capable of eating away at all living beings.

    Another beam was ck and red, resembling moltenva.

    The final beam was glossy ck and carried an aura of destruction.

    These three beams of light flew toward Yuan Lengshan.

    The dark "Demon" characters and crimson "Heart" characters looming over Pang Jian''s head suddenly ceased to have any effect.

    The first deep green beam, filled with corrosive energy, melted all the "Demon" characters and contaminated all the spiritual power within them!

    Watching from afar, Qi Qingsong and the others were shocked at the sight. They did not know what was happening.

    Yuan Lengshan''s expression changed as she hastily retreated into the folds of her resplendent robe, covering her head and limbs.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The corrosive beam of dark green light hit the robe and erased the sun, moon, and all the stars!

    The ck and red beam of magma-like energy reduced the robe into ashes!

    Before Yuan Lengshan could even scream, the third, destructive beam struck her.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Yuan Lengshan exploded into a mist of blood.

    Her blood rained morbidly into the pool. She was undeniably dead.

    This talented young girl from the Demon Heart Sect had schemed tirelessly, sowing discord and forcing Lin Beiye and Qi Qingsong to watch from the sidelines. She had nned to take on Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan alone, only for Pang Jian to kill her brutally and mercilessly.

    "Uh..." Luo Hongyan had been preparing to fight to the death and now stared nkly at Pang Jian with a cluster of neb condensed in front of her chest.

    Lin Beiye and Qi Qingsong inhaled sharply. Their faces ashen as they remained speechless.

    Dong Tianze silently approached the two of them.

    Li Jie continued to suck on the reed straw in his mouth, unaware that the green fruit juice in the ss bottle had been gone for quite some time.

    After a long pause, Luo Hongyan asked in confusion. "Pang Jian, is this an offensive technique you learned from the anomaly in the darkness?"

    Like Yuan Lengshan, she now believed that Pang Jian had allied with the anomaly from the Fifth World. After his body had been cleansed and empowered with secret techniques, he was likely taught terrifying dark arts that rivaled those of the Demon Sect and the Sword Pavilion!

    How else could one exin the three terrifying beams of sinister energy?

    Luo Hongyan''s question stunned Pang Jian

    "No. No one taught me any offensive techniques." He hesitated, then softly said, "That''s the Earth ze Technique."

    "The Earth ze Technique...?" Luo Hongyan''s expression morphed into one of disbelief.

    Luo Hongyan had personally selected the Earth ze Technique for Pang Jian to study. How could she not know its true power?

    When she watched Pang Jian tirelessly practice the Earth ze Technique, she felt a pang of guilt for not finding a more suitable technique for him.

    She would not have felt such guilt if she had known the Earth ze Technique was so terrifyingly powerful,

    "Wait for me here, I have something to attend to," Pang Jian said. He then ventured back into the darkness once again with no further exnation.

    The others all looked on in bewilderment.

    Pang Jian killed Lan Xi, then used an eerie dark art to obliterate Yuan Lengshan, thus eliminating the two troublesome disciples from the Demon Heart Sect. Now, he had unexpectedly returned to the darkness.

    Nobody knew what was going on in his mind.

    ***

    As soon as Pang Jian reentered the tunnel engulfed in darkness, he started heaving deep breaths.

    <i>Haah! Haah! Haah!</i>

    The murky energy of the Fifth World once again poured madly into his parched spiritual sea.

    Li Yuqing watched as the murky energy converged around Pang Jian and streamed into his spiritual sea. A nce at Pang Jian''s exhausted expression told her everything she needed to know.

    "Did yourst strike exhaust all your spiritual power?" She chuckled in both amusement and exasperation. "I can sense that your spiritual sea is broader than most people''s. Did you really exhaust yourself with that one move?"

    "It was my first time using it. I''m not used to it so I may have used too much spiritual power," Pang Jian replied honestly

    The immensely powerful Earth ze Technique had exhausted all the murky energy within his spiritual sea and meridians to form the three beams of light.

    Yuan Lengshan had been caught off guard and was killed on the spot.

    The robe renowned for its formidable defensive capabilities had beenpletely destroyed.

    Pang Jian''s strength had also been depleted all at once.

    "The first time..." Li Yuqing thought for a moment, then asked, "Where did you learn that offensive dark art from the Fifth World?"

    "Offensive dark art from the Fifth World?" Pang Jian frowned. "It''s not some dark art from the Fifth World. It''s a technique called the Earth ze Technique."

    He retrieved the manual from his spatial pouch and handed it to Li Yuqing. "This is the technique manual."

    Li Yuqing was utilizing a special spiritual artifact that granted her vision in the dark and shielded her from the influence of murky energy. epting the manual, she meticulously perused the contents of the manual in the darkness.

    Once done, she handed the Earth ze Technique manual back to Pang Jian with a peculiar expression. "I don''t know what to tell you. The technique you''re practicing, this Earth ze Technique, could also be called the Earth Demon Technique. Its method of harnessing force and circting spiritual power perfectly resonates with the energy within your body.

    "It likely originated from the Fifth World, but the cultivator who discovered it likely didn''t have ess to the Fifth World''s corrupt energy, so they adapted it to harness earthme energy instead."

    She was overwhelmed with emotion.

    From what she could gather, the Earth ze Technique was essentially an offensive dark art from the Fifth World with a different name.

    Pang Jian had inadvertently practiced the offensive dark art from the Fifth World.

    When he unleashed the Earth ze Technique, his body was filled with corrupt, murky energy, and his inexperience caused him to release it all at once. His exceptionally vast spiritual sea could contain arge amount of tainted energy, enabling him to kill Yuan Lengshan with a single strike.

    "The most concentrated energies around this Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir are those of destruction, corrosion, and magma. Remarkably, the Earth Demon Technique you unleashed separated and showcased these three most prominent energies that make up the murky energy of the Fifth World." Li Yuqing wore an expression of intrigue.

    Pang Jian''s face twisted into confusion.

    She continued, "There are many different types of energy mixed within the tainted energy of the Fifth World, and the types of energies near the other Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs may differ from this one. However, I believe the Earth Demon Technique is adaptable to any region within the Fifth World."

    Pang Jian was at a loss for words.

    "Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea, Earth Demon Techniques..." Li Yuqing trailed off. Hesitating slightly, she said with a peculiar expression on her face, "The woman you killed mentioned you might be in league with the anomalies from the Fifth World. I think there might be some truth to her words. You should consider staying in the Fifth World. You seem quite suited to it."

    "No." Pang Jian shook his head. "I''m done."

    "Done?"

    "My strength has returned."

    "Um, alright then." Li Yuqing paused. However, she could not shake the feeling that Pang Jian would be considered a top-tier genius in the Fifth World, and decided to advise him, "Pang Jian, please reconsider. If you stay in the Fifth World, you have the potential to be a formidable overlord."

    Pang Jian shook his head again. "I believe I have the potential to do that in the upper world as well."

    With that, he stepped out of the darkness.

    "Up there too?" the girl murmured, gazing thoughtfully at his departing figure.

 Chapter 93: Qi Qingsongs Ruthlessness

    <h4>Chapter 93: Qi Qingsong''s Ruthlessness</h4>

    "Tsk tsk, how pitiful." Luo Hongyan stood at the pool''s edge and washed two spatial bracelets in a spot where the water was slightly less bloody.

    Once she had cleaned them to her satisfaction, she wore them on her left arm.

    The two spatial bracelets belonged to Lan Xi and Yuan Lengshan.

    "Ah, the resplendent robe. What a pity. I could''ve made good use of it." She shook her head and sighed. Her bright eyes fell on Qi Qingsong and the other two with a yful smile curling her lips.

    After Pang Jian returned to the darkness, Qi Qingsong, Dong Tianze, and Lin Beiye all fell into a solemn silence, not daring to act against Luo Hongyan. They watched helplessly as she imed the spatial bracelets from Yuan Lengshan and Lan Xi.

    Yuan Lengshan''s death had been truly horrific.

    With Pang Jian attacking her from behind, Lan Xi''s demise could be chalked up to chance.

    However, even though Yuan Lengshan''s talent and strength surpassed that of Lan Xi''s, Pang Jian managed to brutally kill her right before their eyes!

    Yuan Lengshan had exploded into a cloud of bloody mist. Not even her bones remained.

    Even after Pang Jian returned to the darkness, the three beams of light, each with different colors and distinct energies, were engraved into their memories!

    Dong Tianze turned his head and stared at Lin Beiye. "Didn''t you want the Crystal Snow Lotus? Why aren''t you seizing it now? Are you nning to wait until Pang Jian returns from the darkness and joins forces with that woman to kill us?"

    Lin Beiye remained impassive. He nced discreetly at Luo Hongyan but said nothing in reply.

    Qi Qingsong shook his head with a bitter smile and kept his thoughts to himself.

    Knowing he could not escape, Dong Tianze urged in a low voice, "It''s alreadye to this, what are you hesitating for? If we wait until Pang Jian returns and joins forces with that woman, they''ll be even harder to deal with. I''m certain I won''t be able to escape. Neither of you can either, right?"

    Qi Qingsong continued to smile bitterly and stayed silent.

    After a moment of thought, Lin Beiye''s eyes shone fiercely, seemingly prepared to ept Dong Tianze''s proposal.

    Luo Hongyan watched the three with a smile. She was aware of what they were whispering about.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian stepped out from the dark tunnel.

    Peering at the Startling ughter Spear, he noticed it was no longer glowing bright red, so he reached down to pick it up.

    As Lin Beiye was about to make a move, Pang Jian approached them with the Startling ughter Spear in hand. Seeing Pang Jian''s cold eyes, he unintentionally recalled Yuan Lengshan''s miserable death and hesitated once more.

    "Pang Jian, they''re nning to team up against us." Luo Hongyan chuckled, raising her fair arm to admire the two spatial bracelets. "I found two spatial bracelets. They''re better than your spatial pouch. The disciples of the Demon Sect sure have some excellent treasures. Once these eyesores are gone, I''ll give you one."

    "Okay," Pang Jian replied simply.

    While Lin Beiye hesitated, Pang Jian abruptly darted toward Dong Tianze like an arrow released from a bowstring.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    ck spheres exploded above Dong Tianze, Lin Beiye, and Qi Qingsong. Pang Jian gave them no chance to speak.

    Qi Qingsong cursed and hastily retreated. He had no intention of blocking the attack straight on.

    "You can''t escape!" Dong Tianze roared. He swung his Ghost''s Cry and conjured a sea of golden dagger light above him.

    Lin Beiye knew he could not escape this cmity either. Snorting, he shouted, "I''ll deal with the woman!"

    As the sea of golden dagger light and the ck spheres shed and exploded, Lin Beiye quietly slipped away, leaving Pang Jian to Dong Tianze.

    Dong Tianze now faced the monstrous Pang Jian alone.

    The two he had counted on as his allies either avoided the fight or chose to deal with Luo Hongyan, leaving him to fight the most formidable opponent on his own.

    Dong Tianze nearly coughed up blood in his fury.

    "Two cowards from the Second World!"

    He silently cursed both Qi Qingsong and Lin Beiye, along with all their ancestors. Unfortunately, he still had no choice but to brace himself to fight the increasingly powerful Pang Jian.

    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>

    The sea of golden dagger light shattered into fragments of light.

    Pang Jian was now in the same cultivation realm as Dong Tianze and wielded the Startling ughter Spear. With his broader spiritual sea and a seemingly endless supply of murky energy, Pang Jian did not take long to gain the upper hand.

    As the sea of golden dagger light shattered, Dong Tianze saw Pang Jian raise his left hand and extend his palm toward him.

    A chill ran down Dong Tianze''s spine.

    Pang Jian had killed Yuan Lengshan with the same gesture. The three beams of light from his palm had destroyed the resplendent robe protecting her, then Yuan Lengshan herself.

    Realizing the direness of his situation Dong Tianze desperately sought a way to counter Pang Jian''s attack.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A dark green beam of light with potent corrosive energy shot out from Pang Jian''s palm.

    Dong Tianze sighed and reluctantly took out the Ethereal Ghost Token before tossing it into the air.

    The many evil spirits engraved on the token flew out, surrounding the token and protecting it from the iing beam of light.

    The corrosive energy instantly dissipated the evil spirits on contact, transforming them into wisps of smoke.

    Dong Tianze''s expression changed drastically. Deciding to retreat, he turned and frantically chased after Qi Qingsong.

    The dark green, corrosive beam of light relentlessly pursued him, sshing corrosive energy everywhere in its wake.

    "Damn you!" Qi Qingsong saw Dong Tianze giving chase and swung his sword at him.

    A streak of white sword light flew out. Its sharp sword intent threatened to tear Dong Tianze apart.

    "Do you really think you can just escape and do nothing?!" Dong Tianze roared at Qi Qingsong, but under the threat of the sharp sword intent, was forced to stop.

    Suddenly, Dong Tianze felt a piercing pain in his brow. A resplendent Celestial Phoenix with a glowing divine aura emerged as if branded onto his forehead.

    The Celestial Phoenix unleashed an astonishing pressure as if it had sensed that Dong Tianze was in imminent danger.

    "Celestial Phoenix Imprint! This guy''s a Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard!" Li Jie eximed from where he had been watching the battle unfold.

    He appeared before Dong Tianze so quickly it was as if he had teleported there.

    "Pang Jian, give me some face and spare this man!" Li Jie cried, throwing the nearly empty ss bottle in his hand at the iing corrosive beam of light.

    The empty bottle exploded, and its fragments eradicated the beam of light.

    Pang Jian stopped with a grunt.

    The second and third beams of light forming in his palm did not materialize due to Li Jie''s intervention.

    Pang Jian had nothing against Li Jie, so he knitted his brows and waited for Li Jie''s exnation.

    He knew Li Jie would not interfere without reason.

    "A Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard!" Qi Qingsong silently cursed his bad luck.

    As a member of the Sword Pavilion, he had recently heard many legends about the Celestial Phoenix and had learned some inside information.

    "The Celestial Phoenix Imprint is indeed mysterious. Even I couldn''t see through it," Li Jie remarked. Then, seeing Pang Jian''s confusion, he sighed and exined, "Beforeing to Eight Trigrams City, I received news that the Celestial Phoenix''s inheritance had been imed. Pang Jian, the sect the inheritor joined has a close rtionship with my family, and now that I''ve identified a Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard, I must ensure his survival."

    The inheritor of the Celestial Phoenix had joined the Pure Land Sect, and his family had a close rtionship with them.

    The Pure Land Sect had kept a tight lid on the details of the inheritor. Even Li Jie did not know the details.

    However, he knew that every Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard would be a loyal subordinate of the inheritor.

    Although Eight Trigrams City was located in the Fifth World, and this Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard and the inheritor could notmunicate, Li Jie had to show respect to the Pure Land Sect by saving Dong Tianze.

    Having narrowly escaped death, Dong Tianze quietly listened to Li Jie''s exnation with a sullen expression.

    He knew it was best to say nothing at this moment.

    On the other side of the mansion, a dazzling neb materialized in front of Lin Beiye''s chest.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    His eyes filled with terror as Luo Hongyan flung him high into the air.

    Lin Beiye was dead before hended.

    Luo Hongyan sneered at Lin Beiye''s corpse, "Yuan Lengshan might have posed a threat to me, but did you, with your fallen cultivation realm, really think I was an easy target?"

    Using a secret soul technique she had temporarily restricted Lin Beiye''s movement to kill him in a single strike, and now she had another spatial bracelet in her possession.

    Aside from Yuan Lengshan, she was only wary of Dong Tianze''s Ghost''s Cry. Lin Beiye and Qi Qingsong were not threats to her.

    Meanwhile, seeing Li Jie protect Dong Tianze, Pang Jian decided not to continue his attack.

    "Alright, he can wait."

    In that split second of contact, he had sensed Li Jie''s unfathomable strength.

    Not to mention, Li Jie had given him, Zhou Qingchen, Su Meng, and Jiang Li bottles of green fruit juice. He even gave Han Duping half a bottle of green fruit juice before he left.

    To some extent, they all owed him a favor.

    "I''ll deal with the one from the Sword Pavilion first," Pang Jian said, walking past Li Jie and toward Qi Qingsong.

    Qi Qingsong groaned, "I''m so unlucky,"

    Pang Jian had attacked him twice on the raised tform, but he had only managed to strike Pang Jian once, injuring him with his sword intent.

    He held no personal grudge against Pang Jian, having met for the first time in Eight Trigrams City. Even so, Pang Jian refused to let him go, leaving him feeling extremely aggrieved.

    "Pang Jian, we have no feud. Why are you doing this?" Qi Qingsong hurriedly tried to persuade. "Besides, I didn''t even participate when Dong Tianze and Lin Beiye attacked you, did I?"

    "You''ve severed half of Jiang Li''s arm. I made a promise to someone," Pang Jian replied coldly.

    "Just because of that?"

    "Yes, just because of that!"

    Qi Qingsong nced at Lin Beiye''s corpse, then at the smiling Luo Hongyan, and finally at the approaching Pang Jian.

    "Fine!" Gritting his teeth, Qi Qingsong used his spiritual sword to cut off his left arm.

    "Take this arm to the one surnamed Zhou as revenge for that woman! I cut off half of her arm, and now I''m returning a whole arm. Isn''t that enough?" Qi Qingsong kicked his severed arm toward Pang Jian as he sweated profusely from the pain.

    Pang Jian stopped. He nced at the arm before him, then at the ruthless and decisive Qi Qingsong.

    "He''s a tough one." Luo Hongyan nodded. Her eyes were filled with admiration as she looked at the grimacing Qi Qingsong. "Such a person could either be a friend or should be eliminated to prevent future trouble."

    "I''ll be a good friend!" Qi Qingsong yelled desperately, voice tinged with a sob.

 Chapter 94: The Eeriness of the Pool

    <h4>Chapter 94: The Eeriness of the Pool</h4>

    "Shut up already." Li Jie snorted, annoyed by Qi Qingsong''s incessant rambling. "If you keep yelling, I''ll throw you into that darkness."

    Qi Qingsong immediately fell silent.

    He had not paid much attention to Li Jie before, but now it was different.

    Li Jie had not only rescued Dong Tianze from Pang Jian, but he had also mentioned that his family had deep ties with the sect that had taken in the inheritor of the Celestial Phoenix''s inheritance.

    Li Jie''s image in Qi Qingsong''s eyes changed and he no longer dared to offend him.

    Pang Jian squatted down, preparing to pick up the severed arm to show Zhou Qingchenter. If Zhou Qingchen was unsatisfied, they could join forces again to kill Qi Qingsong.

    However, as he reached out, Qi Qingsong''s arm sank into the stone floor and vanished.

    Pang Jian was shocked.

    He then remembered that corpses and severed limbs in Eight Trigrams City did not remain on the ground for long.

    "It seems I won''t be able to exin to Young Master Zhou after all." Pang Jian frowned.

    Qi Qingsong, still sweating from the pain of cutting off his arm, felt his scalp tingle as if sensing danger, and hurriedly said, "Pang Jian, I have ways to regenerate severed limbs. If I can regrow mine, so can that girl!"

    "No wonder you were so decisive. You nned to grow your arm back once you got out," Pang Jian replied.

    "I''ll make sure the girl does too!" Qi Qingsong said, stepping backward warily. "I promise you! When I get out, I''ll find a way to help that girl with her arm. That Zhou guy is from the Red Mountain Sect of the Third World. I can easily find him. I swear!"

    "Forgive and forget." Li Jie was soft-hearted, and the sight of Qi Qingsong cutting off his arm and making such a vow filled him with pity. "Pang Jian, I''ll watch him for you. If he swears it, I''ll ensure he keeps his word."

    Qi Qingsong raised his hand and swore an oath without hesitation.

    "Alright, that should do." Li Jie nodded, before heading toward the ce where the Mirror Tunnel had previously been.

    He then seemed to grab some invisible thing at the edge of the pool and gently pulled it back.

    It was like an invisible curtain was being drawn.

    The Mirror Tunnel reappeared.

    It seemed it had never disappeared in the first ce and had merely been hidden behind an invisible curtain.

    After Li Jie restored the Mirror Tunnel, he nced at the pool, expression serious.

    Pang Jian turned to see that the once bloody pool had be clear.

    He had long noticed that the pool was the most special ce in the City Lord''s Mansion and Eight Trigrams City.

    When cultivators died outside the pool, their souls and bodies disappeared into the ground.

    But the pool was an exception.

    Lan Xi, Qi Qingsong, and Lin Beiye had killed those coveting the treasures in the pool. Those cultivators had dived into the pool in an attempt to seize the treasures, only to die there.

    Their corpses had floated in the pool and did not disappear, leaving it stained with blood.

    The seemingly normal pool was also unexpectedly exhibiting the same unusual behavior now.

    This caught Li Jie off guard as well.

    "It cleared up after Yuan Lengshan died," Dong Tianze said from the corner. "After she had be a bloody mist and rained down into the pool, all the corpses and blood started disappearing. And...and, even the souls of the deceased are gathering in one ce.

    "I first sensed the movement of the souls with my Ghost''s Cry, and noticed the strangeness of it all after observing more closely."

    He pointed at the bottom of the pool, where a copper chest entwined with golden and silver threads emitted a yellow light. "They''re all heading toward that chest."

    Everyone stared at the copper chest in surprise.

    Sure enough, they could see fine threads of blood drifting toward it.

    The belongings of the deceasedy scattered in the now-clear pool, devoid of any luster.

    Only the copper chest continued to emit a faint glow.

    Li Jie paled in realization. "Yuan Lengshan! It must be because of Yuan Lengshan!"

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Taking advantage of everyone''s shock, Dong Tianze shot toward the Mirror Tunnel.

    He had been prepared to seize any opportunity to leave Eight Trigrams City and did not waste time.

    Pang Jian moved to unleash the Startling ughter Spear''s spear technique, but Li Jie stopped him. "Pang Jian, let him go!"

    Heeding Li Jie''s instruction, Pang Jian quietly watched as Dong Tianze stepped into the Mirror Tunnel and disappeared.

    The mor of before suddenly resumed.

    "Spirit food!"

    "Haha, the City Lord has finally gathered enough spirit food!"

    "Congrattions, City Lord!"

    The ancient figures reappeared once again, like shadows projected from another world.

    These ancient figures were all looking at the pool and engaging in enthusiastic discussions.

    However, this time, their discussion was not about events from three thousand years ago or their tributes to City Lord Yuan Shishan.

    They were talking about what was happening right now!

    Li Jie looked deeply troubled as he nced between the ancient figures and the now-clear pool.

    Feeling uneasy, Qi Qingsong pleaded, "Everyone...can I leave now?"

    "Go on." Li Jie waved his hand impatiently.

    Qi Qingsong stared at Pang Jian, not daring to move yet.

    "Remember your promise," Pang Jian said coldly. "If Jiang Li''s arm isn''t restored, I will find you."

    "Understood." Qi Qingsong nodded before hastily leaving through the Mirror Tunnel as well.

    "Li Jie, how much do you know about the secrets of Eight Trigrams City?" Pang Jian asked.

    Li Jie stared at the copper chest in the pool, watching as thest wisp of blood finally entered it.

    Li Jie sighed and turned to Pang Jian. "Pang Jian, the two of you should leave. This time, I''m the Trial Master of Eight Trigrams City. I can send you to whichever world you want through the Mirror Tunnel.

    "I''ve already sent Han Duping, Zhou Qingchen, and the others to the Third World. If you want, I can send you two there as well. What happens next isn''t your concern. You don''t need to stay.

    "I don''t know what''s going to happen next. It could very well be a trial aimed at me."

    "Pang Jian, the two of you should hurry up and leave," he said with a wave.

    The term Trial Master confused Pang Jian. More perplexing still was the many privileges Li Jie could exercise in Eight Trigrams City.

    "I have a feeling that whatever''s going to happen next won''t be good." Luo Hongyan said with a frown. Tugging on Pang Jian''s sleeve, she persuaded, "Let''s listen to him and leave. I don''t fully understand the situation, but I feel he''s saying this for our sake."

    "Pang Jian, trust me. You need to leave now," Li Jie repeated.

    "Hold on." Pang Jian shook Luo Hongyan off and ignored Li Jie. He then turned to head back down the dark tunnel.

    He wanted to bring the girl hiding in the darkness along with him.

    When he entered the tunnel, the tainted energy of the darkness surged toward him as before and filled his depleted spiritual sea.

    However, Li Yuqing was nowhere to be found.

    Pang Jian paused, then rushed out of the tunnel to stand outside the mansion.

    His eyes darted to each of the eight streets connecting to the square, only to find them all empty.

    "Li Yuqing!" he shouted into the darkness. "It''ll be dangerous in Eight Trigrams City soon. You should also leave and stop hiding."

    His voice echoed through the darkness, reverberating through the eight streets and growing louder and louder.

    No one responded.

    He even went to the intersection of each street and yelled at them the same way.

    Li Yuqing still did not respond.

    "Could something have happened to her?" He knitted his brows in concern. He feared the girl had encountered some kind of misfortune in the darkness.

    "Pang Jian,e back! We need to go!" Luo Hongyan called impatiently from inside the mansion.

    Luo Hongyan had noticed an invisible force prying open the golden and silver threads entwining the ancient copper chest.

    The shimmering threads twisted and broke.

    The ancient copper chest at the bottom of the pool seemed to be breaking free from some kind of seal and was about to burst open.

    Pang Jian sighed, reluctantly returning to the mansion.

    As he passed through the tunnel, he recalled his fight with the girl over food and instinctively nced at where he had fallen when he first entered the tunnel.

    A row of crooked characters had been hastily carved there.

    <i>Don''t tell them who I am, and don''te looking for me.</i>

    Pang Jian stared at the words in astonishment

    "She doesn''t want me to look for her..." He looked puzzledly around the darkness, then nodded and returned to the light.

    ***

    Li Yuqing reappeared in the corner where Pang Jian had once curled up and screamed in agony as he endured the invasion of the tainted energy into his body.

    She silently stared at the tunnel leading to the mansion.

    Watching from the shadows, she had seen Pang Jian shout her name, warning her of theing danger and rushing to each street intersection to call for her.

    She chuckled at the thought of Pang Jian''s foolishness and muttered to herself, "He actually came back to look for me. He seemed genuinely worried about me. Heh, as if anything could happen to me."

 Chapter 95: The City Lord

    <h4>Chapter 95: The City Lord</h4>

    The ancient figures around the City Lord''s Mansion pointed at Li Jie and Luo Hongyan.

    "The City Lord is about to awaken. Let''s see how they die."

    "The City Lord has waited for this day for three thousand years. He''ll soon see the light of day again."

    "The curse that has gued Eight Trigrams City for three thousand years is about to be lifted!"

    The ancient figures spoke among themselves about what was happening in the present.

    A chill ran down Luo Hongyan''s spine.

    She eyed the dark tunnel. Pang Jian had yet to return. Feeling uneasy, she called out once more, "Pang Jian, we need to go!"

    "Coming."

    Pang Jian emerged from the darkness, his spiritual sea now replenished with murky energy. Carrying the Startling ughter Spear, he joined Luo Hongyan.

    He instantly noticed the eerie atmosphere in the mansion and overheard the ancient figures'' conversations about him.

    "People from the upper world have be such degenerates. Even someone filled with murky energy like him cane to our Eight Trigrams City."

    "Hmph, I wonder who in the Fifth World is colluding with outsiders and letting someone like him enter Eight Trigrams City."

    "They say our souls are corrupted, but isn''t he the same?"

    The ancient figures were everywhere. Some stood near the walls, others by the pool, and some surrounded the raised tform.

    They all resembled real people. However, theycked the aura of souls or ghosts. It was almost as if they did not exist.

    Pang Jian frowned.

    It felt different when the ancient figures were speaking about him.

    When he and Li Yuqing spectated from the dark tunnel, the inhabitants of Eight Trigrams City had talked only about spirit food.

    It was as if someone had projected a scene from three thousand years ago onto the city.

    This time was different.

    The inhabitants appeared to have self-awareness, thoughts, and intelligence. They could even point and gossip about Pang Jian and the others.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Li Jie, the self-dered Trial Master, flew to the raised tform where Yuan Lengshan had once sat. His previous casual demeanor had disappeared.

    Sitting solemnly upright, he stared at the ancient copper chest at the bottom of the pool and snorted coldly. "Stop hiding and ying tricks. I don''t care who you are. Come out and face me if you have the guts!"

    The chatter stopped.

    The mansion fell silent. The eyes of all the ancient figures were focused on Li Jie.

    They no longer gossiped or conversed among themselves and instead stared silently at him.

    Li Jie was unfazed.

    "Pang Jian, we really should leave," Luo Hongyan said in a panic. She sensed something terrible was about to happen. It was not a good idea to stay.

    Pang Jian also realized that the situation was dire.

    Despite that, he hesitated. He nced at Li Jie and asked, "Li Jie, do you need help? You''ve gifted us all that green fruit juice. If you need help, I can..."

    "I do, actually." Li Jie sighed with a bitter smile, eyes still fixed on the ancient copper chest at the bottom of the pool. "But neither of you can help me. Your cultivation realm is too low. Staying here would be a death sentence."

    Pang Jian knitted his brows. "Isn''t entry into Eight Trigrams City restricted to those in the Marrow Cleansing Realm?"

    "That''s for those of you entering to face the trial. As the Trial Master, I''m not bound by that restriction," Li Jie said, shaking his head.

    Li Jie''s true cultivation realm was far higher than he had previously let on.

    As he stared at the young, immature-looking Li Jie, Pang Jian realized Li Jie had long since broken through to the cultivation realm beyond the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    After pondering for a moment, Pang Jian said, "It seems I can''t help you after all."

    He no longer resisted Luo Hongyan''s attempts at dragging him and voluntarily walked toward the Mirror Tunnel.

    As Pang Jian prepared to leave, Li Jie asked, "Pang Jian, can you tell me who you met at the entrance to the dark tunnel?"

    Pang Jian shook his head. "Sorry, I promised not to say anything."

    "Alright then." Li Jie shifted his gaze back to the ancient copper chest with a helpless look on his face. "As the Trial Master, I was informed there were three treasures at the bottom of the pool. A long spear, a resplendent robe, and a white jade bottle containing the Crystal Snow Lotus. Once all the treasures were imed, your trial came to an end. You should''ve left a long time ago."

    Li Jie said nothing about the copper chest he stared intently at.

    "Pang Jian, I''ll send you both to the Fourth World. There''s only one Mirror Tunnel connecting there."

    Luo Hongyan dragged Pang Jian toward the Mirror Tunnel. "Let''s go!"

    Pang Jian did not resist.

    He did not fully understand what being a Trial Master meant, but Li Jie''s cultivation realm was far beyond theirs, and he realized Li Jie''sing trial was not something he could help with.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The golden and silver threads snapped, and a crisp crack came from inside the copper chest.

    The yellow glow of the copper chest dimmed to nothing and the chest swung open.

    Pang Jian had been about to leave, but could not help but nce back in curiosity.

    A tall figure in ancient white robes emerged from within the chest. His long hair draped loosely over his face, obscuring his features.

    Both of his hands were hidden inside the long sleeves of his robes.

    The figure seemed to exist in another dimension. Although he stood in the chest at the bottom of the pool, his clothes remainedpletely dry.

    A cold, ethereal voice suddenly echoed through the silent mansion, sending shivers down everyone''s spine.

    "Pang Jian..."

    The voice continued to reverberate.

    The ancient figures all turned to look at Pang Jian, repeating in unison, "Pang Jian, Pang Jian."

    "Yuan Lengshan!" Pang Jian eximed in horror.

    The cold, ethereal voice that initially rang throughout the mansion was that of the deceased Yuan Lengshan!

    At the sound of her voice, the ancient figures all stared at Pang Jian as they repeated his name. The eeriness of it all was extremely diforting.

    Pang Jian was frozen in shock

    Luo Hongyan did not hesitate to pull him toward the Mirror Tunnel. "Let''s go!"

    Meanwhile, the person standing in the chest used a hand to push aside the hair covering their face.

    The pale, ghastly face underneath was Yuan Lengshan''s.

    Pang Jian no longer allowed himself to be dragged as he dug his heels in. "Yuan Lengshan!"

    Li Jie stood upright and stared coldly at the figure in the chest. "So, you''re finally showing yourself!"

    Yuan Lengshan''s pale lips twitched as she let out a sinister chuckle.

    Pang Jian noticed that the hand Yuan Lengshan used to push her hair aside had neither skin nor flesh. It was purely made up of her white, bony skeleton.

    The bone of her neck was simrly exposed. It dripped with blood as hideous veins and tendons knitted together to form clumps of flesh.

    The flesh of her neck regrew, and the rest of her body followed suit.

    "Pang Jian, why aren''t you moving?" Luo Hongyan turned to ask. As she did, she also caught sight of the face of the person standing in the chest.

    "Congrattions, City Lord!"

    "Master Yuan, you''ve finally returned!"

    "Eight Trigrams City will reappear in the world!"

    The ancient figures congratted Yuan Yishan with beaming faces.

    The copper chest Yuan Lengshan was standing in slowly started to rise.

    Her previously skeletal neck, hands, and chest rapidly regenerated and filled out.

    As the chest emerged from the pool, the figure in the chest changed, seeming to have descended into Eight Trigrams City from another dimension.

    He had returned to his familiar City Lord''s Mansion!

    Yuan Lengshand had transformed into the City Lord of Eight Trigrams City, Yuan Shishan. She had been reced with a heroic and extraordinary man.

    His eyes shifted from the pool to the three unupied raised tforms, the jade-like stone floor, and the green walls.

    Nostalgia shed in his eyes.

    "It''s been too long, far too long. I can finally see the city I built with my own hands again." His gentle gaze fell on Li Jie. Smiling broadly, he said, "You must be the Trial Master this time?"

    Li Jie nodded silently.

    Yuan Shishan enthusiastically raised his arms, as though reliving his past glory. "Everyone, wee to my Eight Trigrams City!"

    The ancient figures bowed their heads to pay respect. They chanted his name in celebration of the return of the City Lord.

    Yuan Shishan was tall and handsome, exuding an awe-inspiring aura as he stood on the chest in the pool, gesturing for the cheering ancient figures to quiet down.

    The noise abruptly ceased.

    In the blink of an eye, the inhabitants of Eight Trigrams City had lost their spirits.

    They no longer showed any signs of intelligence and simply stood rigidly in ce like wooden statues.

    "Did you use the remains of your descendant Yuan Lengshan to reappear?" Li Jie asked curiously.

    Yuan Shishan smiled faintly. He neither confirmed nor denied Li Jie''s spection and simply said, "Three thousand years have passed quietly. Many descendants of the Yuan Family havee to Eight Trigrams City to undergo trial over the years, but she was the only exceptional one.

    "The soul seeds I nted long ago took root and sprouted in the bodies of my descendants, but only hers bore fruit. If not for that, I would''ve reappeared long ago."

    He sighed deeply, seemingly overwhelmed with emotion.

    "Let''s go!" Luo Hongyan dragged Pang Jian to the Mirror Tunnel and they moved to step through the ice crystal.

    <i>Bang! Bang!</i>

    They stepped onto the ice crystal, only to find they could no longer leave.

    "I told you to leave earlier, but you hesitated. Now you can''t leave anymore." Li Jie said helplessly, peering down at them. "The City Lord has emerged and is now temporarily restricting the Mirror Tunnel. You''re stuck here with me."

    Li Jie''s voice shocked Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian heard two ovepping voices echoing simultaneously, one from his ears and one in his mind.

    "Pang Jian, I am Li Jie. Listen to me, since you can adapt to the darkness of the Fifth World, you should return to it soon. Right now, Yuan Shishan may be weak, but he still isn''t someone you can handle. Don''t worry about me. I''m the Trial Master. I''ve long known what I would face."

 Chapter 96: Changes to the Bronze Pendant

    <h4>Chapter 96: Changes to the Bronze Pendant</h4>

    Li Jie used an unknown method to talk to Pang Jian, causing his voice to echo within Pang Jian''s mind.

    He advised Pang Jian to return to the tunnel, use the darkness of the Fifth World to avoid Yuan Shishan, and escape the fallout.

    Pang Jian was stunned. He met Li Jie''s eyes, nodded slightly, and pulled Luo Hongyan back.

    Luo Hongyan nced at him in confusion.

    ¡°Follow me,¡± Pang Jian whispered.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Luo Hongyan did not ask any questions and wordlessly followed him.

    Warmth bloomed in Pang Jian''s chest.

    After they had sensed something amiss about the pool, Li Jie and Luo Hongyan had urged him to leave.

    However, he had returned to the darkness to look for Li Yuqing, causing a dy.

    Despite this, Luo Hongyan stayed and waited for him.

    Even after returning, his curiosity drove him to linger despite Luo Hongyan''s urging.

    The City Lord of Eight Trigrams City, Yuan Shishan, emerged from the ancient copper chest and temporarily sealed the Mirror Tunnel, leading to him and Luo Hongyan being trapped in this predicament.

    From beginning to end, Luo Hongyan neither med nor resented him for putting them in this situation.

    Pang Jian led her to the dark tunnel.

    Luo Hongyan silently allowed Pang Jian to pull her along and followed him to the tunnel''s entrance.

    When he stopped, Luo Hongyan sighed, freed herself from his grasp, and smiled. ¡°Pang Jian, I have to stay here. I cannot withstand the corrupt energy of the darkness.¡±

    Pang Jian stared nkly at her.

    Luo Hongyan shook her head, her beautiful eyes filled with resignation. ¡°I have no other choice. You and I are different. Not everyone can adapt to the darkness of the Fifth World like you. If I enter the darkness, my soul will soon be tainted and dissipate.¡±

    Pang Jian recalled Li Yuqing¡¯s words.

    She mentioned that Luo Hongyan had tried to follow him into the darkness but was forced to retreat due to the murky energy.

    Pang Jian said with thoughtful deliberation, ¡°The main target of Yuan Shishan is not us. Here, I can disy my full strength.¡±

    Luo Hongyan smiled. ¡°That''s why I came with you.¡±

    <i>Swish!</i>

    The water from the pool flew into the air and floated above Yuan Shishan¡¯s head.

    Smiling faintly, he and the ancient copper chestnded on the raised tform.

    He stepped out of the copper chest and looked up. The pool water covered the sky above the courtyard like a celestial canopy.

    ¡°Back then, I epted their tribute of spirit food because I was quite adept at the Dao of Souls," Yuan Shishan said, seemingly reminiscing.

    A myriad of souls appeared in the celestial canopy above Yuan Shishan. Their figures gradually came into focus.

    Lan Xi from the Demon Sect, Lin Beiye from the ck Valley Sect, Jian Yaoyang from the Star River Alliance ...

    One after another, both familiar and unfamiliar souls appeared in the celestial canopy.

    The celestial canopy emitted a sinister and eerie aura that filled every corner of the mansion.

    Pang Jian felt like he had returned to the top floor of the Divine Spirit Pagoda and was standing before the skull-shaped array.

    Luo Hongyan''s expression changed.

    "Those are real souls!" She gently pushed Pang Jian toward the darkness as she whispered, ¡°The City Lord, Yuan Shishan, controls the souls of the deceased. I might be able to hold out.¡±

    Pang Jian did not move. He looked up at the sky with knitted brows.

    <i>Swoosh! Swoosh!</i>

    Two streams of pool water wrapped around the souls of Lan Xi and Lin Beiye then flew toward Li Jie from both sides like branches of a dark river.

    Yuan Shishan smiled. ¡°Let''s see if there''s anything special about the Trial Master this time.¡±

    ¡°Very well.¡± Li Jie flicked his hands. Rings flew from his fingers.

    The rings were iid with different gems and jades, shining with divine light as they hovered above Li Jie¡¯s head.

    Some rings emanated with a power capable of cleansing the filth of heaven and earth. Others radiated a pure brilliance that could solidify into mountains and rivers. Some even stirred up a sea of raging mes.

    Li Jie''s rings unleashed a variety of divine powers. They not only sted the streams of water around Lan Xi''s and Lin Beiye¡¯s souls into fine droplets but also struck at the watery expanse resembling a celestial canopy above their heads.

    <i>Boom! </i>

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    The celestial canopy exploded, and the pool water rained like a waterfall, mostlynding in the pool or the surrounding stone tiles.

    "So, you''re from the Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect." Yuan Shishan snorted. ¡°Three thousand years have passed, and the Li Family remains prosperous, with each generation more outstanding than thest. If I¡¯m not mistaken, you must''ve chosen the path of spirit artifact crafting in the Li Family.¡±

    <i>The Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect...Spirit artifact crafting...</i>

    Pang Jian turned toward the darkness.

    The girl also had the surname Li and mentioned that her family had two paths from which they could choose.

    One path focused on cultivation and the other on crafting different exotic treasures and spirit artifacts.

    Based on that, he could guess the girl''s background.

    ¡°The Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect!¡± Luo Hongyan eximed in astonishment.

    Pang Jian was surprised. ¡°You¡¯ve heard of this family?¡±

    Luo Hongyan nodded. ¡°The Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect is known to everyone in the upper world.¡±

    ¡°You''re right. I didn¡¯t like fighting even from a young age, so I chose the path of spirit artifact crafting,¡± Li Jie admitted frankly. He then ranted in frustration, ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect that spirit artifact crafting also required a corresponding cultivation realm! If not, I wouldn¡¯t havee to this fifth Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir and wasted my time on an old ghost like you who died three thousand years ago.¡±

    Yuan Shishan¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Who said I¡¯m dead?!¡±

    ¡°You used the blood and bones of your descendants, as well as the soul seeds in them, to reincarnate through a borrowed body, but that doesn''t change the fact that you¡¯re still just a fragmented soul. A fragmented soul is a fragmented soul. As long as your soul is iplete, you''ll remain nothing more than a ghostly spirit.¡±

    Li Jie sneered mockingly, ¡°Yuan Shishan, do you think those old masters capable of making Eight Trigrams City disappear overnight are fools? You retained some of your sentience and a fragment of your soul because Eight Trigrams City needs an array core!

    ¡°The chest preserving your fragmented soul is the array core of Eight Trigrams City. They allowed you a sliver of sentience and left you a shred of hope because the array core requires a soul!

    ¡°Did you really think that you, Yuan Shishan, a City Lord of a remote city in the Second World, could escape their meticulous scheming?¡±

    Li Jie did not bother to sugarcoat his words as he revealed the harsh truth.

    Yuan Shishan had been brimming with vigor and self-assurance, believing his meticulous nning had allowed him to preserve his soul seed and finally witness his ne to fruition.

    Li Jie''s words stunned him.

    His dignified image and gentle smile twisted into something grotesque and terrifying.

    ¡°Only because they needed it¡ªbecause Eight Trigrams City needed it¡ªthat''s why I retained a sliver of sentience...¡± Yuan Shishan rubbed his head in confusion. His expression grew increasingly warped.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you! I, Yuan Shishan, am clearly alive! I can still appear in this world! My Eight Trigrams City will surely break free from the Fifth Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir and return to the Second World!¡±

    <i>Ssh! Ssh! Ssh!</i>

    The pool water spilled over and flowed along the stone tiles. It enveloped the souls of those who died during the tribtion and spread outward.

    The pool water acted as the souls'' bodies. The souls turned into semi-transparent entities within it.

    Some of these entities moved toward Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan.

    However, most entities and the pool water inched up the raised tform where Li Jie stood.

    ¡°This is my Eight Trigrams City!¡± Yuan Shishan roared. The scattered belongings and spirit artifacts of the dead cultivators rose in response.

    Swords, treasure vases, feather fans, and shields.

    The spirit artifacts radiated brilliant lights, absorbing the dense spiritual qi within the mansion, and surrounding Li Jie.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The raised tform Li Jie was on exploded.

    The pool water and the strange entities climbed up the raised tform and joined the spirit artifacts to surround the Tribtion Master from the Divine Treasure Sect''s Li Family.

    ¡°Qilin Bell!¡± With a flick of his hand, arge greenish-gray bell floated above Li Jie¡¯s head, giving off a greenish glow.

    A vivid Qilin appeared on the bell''s surface and roared at the attacking entities.

    The bodies of the entities were made of pool water and burst like bubbles with each roar from the Qilin. The greenish glow from the bell enveloped Li Jie, protecting him from the bombardment of spirit artifacts.

    ¡°Get out of here, you two.¡±

    Li Jie waved at Pang Jian, urging him to retreat into the dark tunnel.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Under the control of Yuan Shishan, several spirit swords and bone hammers suddenly shot toward Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan.

    Pang Jian did not hesitate. He wielded his Startling ughter Spear and employed the Silver Crescent technique.

    With a swing of his spear, a ck halo filled with the murky energy of the Fifth World formed.

    The spirit swords and bone hammers were blocked by the ck halo.

    However, these spiritual artifacts contained power far beyond that of someone like Yuan Lengshan and the ck halo exploded with a resounding boom.

    The terrifying power knocked Pang Jian into the darkness.

    "Pang Jian!" Luo Hongyan cried. She wanted to rush into the tunnel to check on him but could not because of the tainted energy in the darkness.

    Thus, she could only anxiously stare into the darkness.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Pang Jian yelled back, but his voice could not prate the barrier of the darkness, so Luo Hongyan could not hear him.

    Meanwhile, Luo Hongyan asked anxiously, ¡°Pang Jian, how are you?¡±

    Blood trickled from Pang Jian''s mouth. He stood up and casually wiped the blood from his lips as he prepared to return to fend off Yuan Shishan¡¯s next attack.

    Though Yuan Shishan was only a fragment of a soul, his power was far beyond that of Dong Tianze, Lan Xi, and the rest.

    ¡°Ugh!¡± Just as he was about to leave the darkness, he sensed something unusual within his body.

    The tainted energy in his spiritual sea was being drawn toward his chest.

    Within this murky energy were two highly distinctive energies: corrosion and destruction.

    These were two of the three energies that had formed his Earth Demon Technique earlier.

    The two dense, sinister energies rushed through his meridians toward his chest.

    They were heading toward the ancient bronze pendant!

    The bronze door on the pendant had previously seemed permanently closed. But now, it was in an unprecedented state of being half-open!

    Pang Jian held it up to his eyes to get a closer look.

    Astonishingly, a thick gray fog swirled behind the bronze door. It looked like the fearsome bizarre mist!

    Four peculiar objects floated in the depths of the thick bizarre mist; a ck serpent, a beehive, a sapling-like vine, and a palm-sized ck turtle.

    The ck serpent was muchrger than the other three objects and was greedily absorbing the corrosive and destructive energies of the Fifth World.

 Chapter 97: The Four Peculiar Objects

    <h4>Chapter 97: The Four Peculiar Objects</h4>

    The sight behind the bronze doors of the pendant left Pang Jian dumbstruck.

    He could never have imagined the tightly closed bronze doors would unexpectedly open to reveal such a spectacle!

    The strange serpent in the depths of the bizarre mist looked exactly like the beast soul of the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    It was a new Giant Abyssal Serpent!

    Aside from the serpent, there was also a beehive, a vine, and a ck turtle.

    The beings killed by the bones of the Celestial Phoenix had reappeared within the mysterious space behind the bronze door and were floating in the dense bizarre mist.

    Cultivators feared the bizarre mist. This same bizarre mist permeated the inner world of the bronze pendant, exuding an aura of endless mystery.

    The strange serpent, beehive, vine, and ck turtle appeared to have been reborn within the bizarre mist!

    Pang Jian¡¯s mind spun.

    The previously sealed bronze door had unexpectedly opened.

    It was deeply shocking.

    The peculiarities within the pendant impressed him more than the sight of the Green Condor!

    Thoughts shed through his mind like a flurry of lightning.

    Thinking back to the ferocious vines that had violently emerged from the fissures in the ground, Pang Jian concluded that the bone of the Celestial Phoenix had killed a terrifying vine nt residing deep underground.

    Back then, a drop of Celestial Phoenix''s essence had inadvertentlye into his possession and was absorbed by the bronze pendant.

    His first round of body tempering was achieved because of that first drop of the Celestial Phoenix''s essence.

    In ckwater Pond, he obtained another essence of the Celestial Phoenix condensed from the corpse of the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    The bronze pendant had also absorbed the blood-colored Celestial Phoenix that emerged from Ouyang Duanhai¡¯s body.

    The blood-colored Celestial Phoenix from Ouyang Duanhai had been formed from the beehive and bees in Insect Valley.

    His second tempering was done through that blood-colored Celestial Phoenix.

    At that time, in his hazy state, he could feel fiery Celestial Phoenixes soaring within his bones.

    Not long ago, when the murky energy had ravaged his meridians, the ck turtle''s blood essence had aided him, causing his meridians to rupture and heal repeatedly.

    Only the essence of the Celestial Phoenix formed from the Giant Abyssal Serpent remained inactive.

    <i>Did that essence of the Celestial Phoenix facilitate the rebirth of a new Giant Abyssal Serpent? But then, why did the beehive, vine, and ck turtle also appear?</i> Questions overwhelmed Pang Jian¡¯s mind.

    Pang Jian forced himself to calm down. He carefully studied the mysterious space within the bronze pendant.

    The bronze door of the pendant was only partially open and he could not enter.

    He studied the newly born Giant Abyssal Serpent. Floating slightly further away were the beehive, vine, and ck turtle.

    Thetter three were much smaller than the Giant Abyssal Serpent and did not yet exude an extraordinary aura.

    Pang Jian had no idea how big the space inside the bronze door was or what other mysteries the bizarre mist concealed.

    He noticed the Giant Abyssal Serpent was staring at him from the mysterious space inside the bronze door.

    The dark obsidian eyes of the newly born Giant Abyssal Serpent showed fear and restlessness. It seemed it wanted toe out and be close to Pang Jian.

    <i>Huff! Huff! Huff!</i>

    Aplex mix of emotions shed in the Giant Abyssal Serpent. As it watched him, it continued to devour the murky energy from Pang Jian''s spiritual sea.

    It only absorbed the densest, most unique energies of corrosion and destruction.

    A small sharp horn slowly grew on the Giant Abyssal Serpent¡¯s forehead.

    This newly born Giant Abyssal Serpent appeared to be growing astonishingly fast. Even from birth, it differed from the one at the bottom of ckwater Pond.

    Pang Jian held the bronze pendant up, looked at the Giant Abyssal Serpent inside, and asked tentatively, ¡°Can youe out?¡±

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent¡¯s ck eyes brimmed with confusion. It did not understand his words.

    Unlike the one inhabiting the ck and White King Python at ckwater Pond, this Giant Abyssal Serpent was much less intelligent, like a naive infant.

    In Pang Jian''s eyes, this Giant Abyssal Serpent''s starting point seemedparatively higher as it was born with a sharp horn on its forehead.

    Unfortunately, its wisdom and sentience were not as remarkable.

    It seemed the serpent still needed time to improve in that regard.

    Pang Jian hesitated.

    Holding the bronze pendant with one hand, he beckoned the Giant Abyssal Serpent toe out with his other.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent stared nkly at him. As it watched Pang Jian gesture from outside the bronze door, it tried to move toward him.

    It instinctively sensed that the world of the beckoning man held the power it urgently needed.

    That power was crucial for its growth!

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    It crossed the threshold of the bronze door and entered Eight Trigrams City.

    <i>Snap!</i>

    The bronze door crisply snapped shut.

    The serpent in the dark tunnel was three meters long, muchrger than Pang Jian had imagined.

    Pang Jian had extended his hand in preparation to catch the Giant Abyssal Serpent in his palm. However, it wasrger than anticipated, and Pang Jian¡¯s expression shifted.

    <i>Huff! Huff! Huff!</i>

    Afternding on the stone tiles, the Giant Abyssal Serpent instantly started gorging on the murky energy of the darkness. It no longer needed to rely on Pang Jian.

    Dense murky energy carrying an aura of corrosion and destruction rushed toward its open mouth.

    Hard green scales appeared on the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s body, gleaming like refined iron.

    Pang Jian dazedly stared at it.

    He could feel a close connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    It felt like he now had two extra eyes.

    When Pang Jian closed his eyes, he was amazed to find he could see through the eyes of the Giant Abyssal Serpent!

    ¡°Pang Jian!¡± Luo Hongyan screamed from within the brightly lit City Lord¡¯s Mansion. She feared for Pang Jian''s safety.

    The strange phenomenon of the bronze door had distracted Pang Jian. At Luo Hongyan''s scream, his eyes flew open, and he could no longer see through the Giant Abyssal Serpent¡¯s eyes.

    He looked toward the mansion.

    Luo Hongyan conjured dazzling starlight and summoned blood-red lightning as she effortlessly destroyed the semi-transparent entities in the pool water.

    It was not difficult for Luo Hongyan to deal with the souls Yuan Shishan had summoned, and they dissipated one after another as she attacked.

    However, the attacks using the scattered spirit artifacts caused Luo Hongyan significant trouble and she had already sustained several injuries.

    Meanwhile, Li Jie, the Trial Master, sat calmly in a pile of rubble. The Qilin Bell floated above his head, allowing him to face Yuan Shishan¡¯s overwhelming offensive with remarkableposure.

    Li Jie had known what he would face and was well-prepared.

    Based on his demeanor, the Qilin Bell alone seemed sufficient to sustain him indefinitely.

    Pang Jian knew Li Jie had numerous treasures at his disposal. It seemed unlikely Yuan Shishan could break through his formidable defenses.

    ¡°There''s no need to worry about him,¡± Pang Jian muttered under his breath. He looked at the beleaguered Luo Hongyan before ncing back down at his feet.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent seemed content to absorb the murky energy of the Fifth World.

    Pang Jian nodded in relief, then confidently rushed out with his spear.

    <i>Swish!</i>

    His Startling ughter Spear unleashed another ck halo, intercepting the many rocks Yuan Shishan was hurling.

    Luo Hongyan looked at him with joyful surprise at the sight of him alive and well. ¡°You''re okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I was held up by something,¡± Pang Jian replied.

    ¡°If you¡¯re fine, you should''ve said something!¡± Luo Hongyan scolded.

    ¡°Even if I had, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to hear it.¡±

    Meanwhile, Yuan Shishan stood on a raised tform with his hair disheveled as he muttered hysterically, ¡°A soul, they saw me as a necessary soul for the array core of Eight Trigrams City...¡±

    Unable to ept reality, he used all his power to bombard the Trial Master, Li Jie, with spirit artifacts.

    Li Jie stayedposed. The Qilin Bell floated above his head and effortlessly fended off the onught of spirit artifacts.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The invisible barrier at the entrance of the dark tunnel was unexpectedly destroyed.

    The previously restrained darkness now spread into the mansion.

    Even the usuallyposed Li Jie stood up and stared in shock at the sight.

    ¡°How is this possible?¡± As the Trial Master, he controlled the lights within Eight Trigrams City.

    He could activate or extinguish the lights from the stone tiles and walls of the city at will.

    The darkness outside the city was eternal, but as long as there was light in Eight Trigrams City, it would not be able to enter.

    The encroachment of darkness toward the City Lord¡¯s Mansion had been Li Jie''s doing as he gradually extinguished the lights.

    The lights could only be extinguished from outside in, forcing everyone toward the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, then the pool in the courtyard

    The darkness would only engulf everything after his trial ended and everyone left Eight Trigrams City.

    After many years, when the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir needed new souls and sacrifices, a new Trial Master woulde to Eight Trigrams City.

    When that happened, Eight Trigrams City would light up again.

    However, Li Jie''s trial was not over. He was still in Eight Trigrams City.

    The darkness was entering the mansion early!

    This was the second anomaly Li Jie had encountered since his arrival in Eight Trigrams City.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Pang Jian saw the Giant Abyssal Serpent swim toward him. It seemed to have broken through an invisible barrier.

    The moment the Giant Abyssal Serpent emerged from the tunnel, the darkness spread rapidly into the mansion.

    It could not be stopped!

    The darkness spread like ck ink into the mansion, and the souls within the pool water corroded away as it engulfed them.

    Li Jie¡¯s expression changed dramatically as he shouted in rm. ¡°Pang Jian, who exactly is hiding in the alley?¡±

    He suspected that the anomaly in the darkness hade from an enemy faction of his family and was intentionally disrupting his trial to plunge him into an inescapable doom.

 Chapter 98: The First Appearance of the Young "Dragon"!

    <h4>Chapter 98: The First Appearance of the Young "Dragon"!</h4>

    The darkness flooded into the mansion, advancing steadily toward the pool.

    The newly born Giant Abyssal Serpent hid in the forefront of the darkness as it eagerly approached Pang Jian. It did not dare to leave the darkness.

    It seemed afraid of the light within the mansion.

    <i>Ssh! Ssh! Ssh!¡±</i>

    The souls in the pool water vanished, and all the pool water returned to the pool like iron drawn to a ma.

    The empty pool filled up with water once more.

    ¡°Pang Jian!¡± Li Jie shouted in a slightly fearful voice.

    He sensed an anomaly in Eight Trigrams City that was beyond his control, which made him uneasy.

    Li Jie''s sight could not pierce through the darkness. He did not know who or what lurked within it and feared it was a plot against him.

    His shout to Pang Jian was a call for information.

    Pang Jian thought about it, then said uncertainly, ¡°I don''t think the presence in the darkness is your enemy.¡±

    He did not reveal the presence of Li Yuqing nor the Giant Abyssal Serpent to Li Jie.

    His intuition told him neither of them saw Li Jie as a target.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it.¡± Li Jie sighed as he vigntly eyed the approaching darkness. He no longer paid attention to Yuan Shishan.

    Yuan Shishan was also visibly panicking at the premature arrival of the darkness. ¡°This isn¡¯t how it¡¯s supposed to be! This is different from before!¡±

    He had been trapped here for years and experienced simr events several times already, but it had never unfolded like this. The darkness was not supposed to flood the mansion this early!

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The darkness approaching Pang Jian changed directions and headed toward Yuan Shishan.

    It charged at Yuan Shishan like a dark dragon!

    The excited Giant Abyssal Serpent in the darkness had set its sights on Yuan Shishan!

    ¡°What the hell is that?¡± Yuan Shishan screamed in horror.

    Luo Hongyan sighed in relief when the darkness switched targets. She then shook her head bitterly. ¡°Pang Jian, I can¡¯t withstand the terrifying power of the darkness. I''ve experienced it before. The murky energy within the darkness severely corrodes my soul.¡±

    After struggling to obtain the Crystal Snow Lotus, a core ingredient in reconstructing her physical form, she was unexpectedly faced with the tainted energy''s corruption.

    Luo Hongyan sighed regretfully. ¡°In the end, I never got to seek revenge.¡±

    Hearing this, Pang Jian knitted his brows. He remained quiet as he racked his brains for a solution.

    The darkness continued to spread.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent only took part of the darkness with it. The remaining darkness from the tunnel flowed like water, fanning out in every direction.

    Pang Jian was the first to be engulfed by it.

    Submerged in the darkness, he noticed the tainted energy within had be unprecedentedly dense!

    It was as though the murky energy throughout Eight Trigrams City had been gathered and injected into the City Lord¡¯s Mansion!

    Although he remained unharmed, everyone else, including the souls, would not be able to withstand the intense corruption of this dense murky energy!

    The darkness engulfed Luo Hongyan.

    She shed a sorrowful and helpless smile. He felt her soul weakening as the darkness eroded it, leaving her blind and vulnerable.

    The darkness then swallowed Li Jie.

    <i>Hiss! Hiss!</i>

    The Qilin Bell descended to cover Li Jie.

    The lifelike Qilin on the bell¡¯s surface hissed, as if in response to the corruption of the tainted energy.

    When Yuan Shishan was engulfed, his white clothes turned ck.

    The dense murky energy frantically invaded his body, like he was an outlet for the unrelenting flow.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent slithered up the raised tform and headed straight for Yuan Shishan.

    Pang Jian could vaguely sense its hunger for Yuan Shishan¡¯s body.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent reached the raised tform and eagerly bit into Yuan Shishan¡¯s body.

    Yuan Shishan could not even fight back.

    In the darkness, he could not even see what had attacked him.

    The terror of being eaten by an unseen creature caused the City Lord to let out a despairing and shrill scream.

    His scream made Luo Hongyan¡¯s heart tremble.

    ¡°Pang Jian, what¡¯s happening? I can¡¯t see anything. My soul is being corroded, and I''m growing weaker,¡± Luo Hongyan asked in a panic as she turned blindly.

    Reaching out to grasp her hand, Pang Jian noticed her whole body was trembling. The fear of the unknown and the helplessness of the blindness suffocated her.

    Although she could not see, she could still hear Yuan Shishan¡¯s screams.

    The helplessness of not knowing when it would be her turn or what she would face terrified her beyond belief!

    Meanwhile, Li Jie was hiding within the Qilin Bell as he used the spirit artifact to resist the contamination of the murky energy. He shouted in rm, ¡°Pang Jian! What¡¯s happening to Yuan Shishan?!¡±

    "Something''s devouring him," Pang Jian replied honestly.

    Luo Hongyan trembled even more violently at Pang Jian''s words.

    Tightly gripping Pang Jian''s hand, she said, "I can''t hold out for much longer. Pang Jian, I admit that I had ulterior motives when I first approached you, but I truly came to believe you were a decent person. Even that Zhou brat...is not bad.

    "I''m not some kind of evil woman who kills indiscriminately. Most of the people I''ve killed deserved it! Pang Jian, I ended up like this because I was wronged! I used to be far more beautiful than Ning Yao, but you never got to see me like that..."

    Luo Hongyan clung to Pang Jian''s hand, resigned to the knowledge that her end was near.

    This was the only way she could fearlessly face the terrifying beings in the darkness and stay calm while waiting for her soul to perish.

    "You''re not going to die!" Pang Jian shouted. He grasped her hand tightly and dragged her to the pool.

    The crystalline Mirror Tunnel had reappeared after the water had flowed back into the pool!

    Yuan Shishan was now powerless, and could no longer prevent anyone from leaving through the Mirror Tunnel.

    "Where are you taking me?" Luo Hongyan asked softly.

    "I''m going to help you survive," Pang Jian replied as they arrived at the Mirror Tunnel. Turning to the Qilin Bell with Li Jie hiding inside, then shouted, "If you still have any power left, as the Trial Master, send her to the Fourth World!"

    "I''ll try," Li Jie responded from inside the Qilin Bell, then quickly added, "I can do it!"

    Pang Jian pushed Luo Hongyan toward the Mirror Tunnel, shouting after her, "I''ll meet you over there in a bit!"

    He then watched as she disappeared through the Mirror Tunnel like Zhou Qingchen, Han Duping, Jiang Li, and the others before her.

    <i>Crunch! </i>

    <i>Crack!</i>

    Yuan Shishan stopped screaming. The only sound that remained was the crunching of the Giant Abyssal Serpent devouring his body.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent relished in its feast.

    Pang Jian nced at the Qilin Bell and asked, "Yuan Shishan just died. Does this mean your trial is over?"

    "Maybe."

    The Qilin Bell rose into the air with Li Jie in it and flew toward the Mirror Tunnel.

    Dense murky energy had mostly corroded the lifelike Qilin on the bell''s surface, and even now, continued to pour into it and erode it.

    Li Jie knew he could not stay for much longer either. The light barrier he had painstakingly set up within the bell would soon copse.

    "Pang Jian, I can''t see what''s happening, but I have to leave," Li Jie said when the Qilin Bell hovered by the Mirror Tunnel.

    "You should leave as soon as possible," Li Jie advised. "Even I, the Trial Master, don''t know what''s happening in Eight Trigrams City anymore. You''ll appear in the Fourth World when you go through the Mirror Tunnel, just like she did. That''s the best I can do for you now.

    "Farewell!"

    Remaining inside the Qilin Bell, Li Jie entered the Mirror Tunnel and vanished.

    Only Pang Jian and the Giant Abyssal Serpent remained in the City Lord''s Mansion.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent was still gnawing on Yuan Shishan''s bones. Pang Jian stared at it and asked, "Are you leaving?"

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent ignored him.

    Pang Jian frowned. He wondered if it was better to leave it here as it seemed to belong in the Fifth World,

    After a moment of hesitation, he pointed at the copper chest on the raised tform and said, "Give me that chest."

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent stared nkly at him.

    Feeling frustrated, Pang Jian leaped toward the raised tform.

    Thinking Pang Jian wasing to capture it and take it away, the Giant Abyssal Serpent swallowed Yuan Shishan''s remaining bones in a single gulp, then flew off the raised tform andnded on the ground with a heavy thud.

    With a loud bang, the Giant Abyssal Serpent knocked open the back entrance of the mansion, ncing wistfully back at Pang Jian before disappearing into the darkness.

    Pang Jian watched until it was out of sight before reaching for the copper chest.

    When his fingers touched the chest, an overwhelming wave of resentment and anger surged into his mind, driving him to the brink of insanity.

    He suddenly felt like he had be Yuan Shishan, the City Lord of Eight Trigrams City, imprisoned for three thousand years.

    The years of confinement filled Yuan Shishan with insurmountable negative emotions that now dissipated with his death.

    If one touched the chest for too long when the intense negative emotions had yet to be fully dispelled, they would be the next Yuan Shishan!

    Terrified, Pang Jian forcefully suppressed the negative emotions and hastily threw the copper chest into his spatial pouch, vowing not to touch it again until he was strong enough.

    He then fled through the Mirror Tunnel and disappeared.

    ***

    After a while, Li Yuqing entered through the main entrance of the City Lord''s Mansion. The darkness had swallowed everything inside, leaving nothing behind.

    "Is it over?" She frowned.

    ording to her information, the trial would end once the darkness had fully engulfed the pool.

    The Trial Master, Li Jie, would have already left.

    <i>He must''ve made it through. Oh well, I''ll ask him when I get back.</i>

    The girl nced around. She had the strangest feeling that something was amiss, but she could not put a finger on it.

    <i>Pang Jian''s probably also fine..</i>.

    The girl gracefully approached the Mirror Tunnel. She was thest to disappear from Eight Trigrams City.

    Eight Trigrams City had been plunged back into absolute darkness.

    Only a newly born Giant Abyssal Serpent roamed freely through its empty streets, growing more and more green scales along the length of its body.

 Chapter 99: Return

    Chapter 99: Return

    Pang Jian emerged from the Mirror Tunnel on the crystal-clear surface of ck Orchid Lake in the Fourth World. He had juste from Eight Trigrams City in the Fifth World.

    The first thing he saw when he arrived was a breathtakingly beautiful figure.

    Luo Hongyan stood gracefully by theke in a bright red dress. A blood-red mist surrounded her, only emphasizing her breathtaking beauty.

    All Pang Jian could see was her enchanting visage. Her image etched itself into his mind.

    Pang Jian stood there in awe.

    It was his first time seeing such a captivatingly beautiful woman. He could not take his eyes off her. Her beauty was so mesmerizing that he even forgot to survey his surroundings for potential danger.

    Luo Hongyan hovered in the air, quietly looking at him. Her beautiful eyes lit up as she whispered, "Pang Jian..."

    Her quiet words snapped Pang Jian back to reality and he tentatively responded, "Luo Hongyan?"

    Luo Hongyan''s exquisite face brightened in joy.

    She nodded gently, lips curling into a charming smile.

    "Do you remember how, back in the darkness, I told you I was much prettier than Ning Yao? At that time, my greatest regret was not showing you my true appearance, so..." she trailed off.

    She daintily stretched her limbs, swaying elegantly within the faint blood mist, unting her slender figure and long legs to Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian wordlessly watched her, eyes filled with appreciation as if admiring a work of art.

    After a while, he agreed, "You weren''t exaggerating."

    Although Ning Yao of the Ning n was attractive, Luo Hongyan''s beauty was truly in a league of its own. It was likeparing heaven and earth.

    As he took in Luo Hongyan''s true appearance, Pang Jian realized she had not been exaggerating. Comparing her to women like Shangguan Qin and Ning Yao was likeparing a goddess to mere mortals.

    Still slightly dazed, Pang Jianposed himself enough toment, "You finally decided to reveal your true form."

    "I had no choice. The murky energy of the darkness nearly destroyed my soul. There''s no way Ning Yao could have withstood it," she said offhandedly. The extinguishing of Ning Yao''s soul did not impact Luo Hongyan whatsoever. "I wanted to spare her life so she could witness this moment as well, but she couldn''t hold on."

    Ning Yao''s body meant nothing to Luo Hongyan without her soul. In that dire situation, Luo Hongyan had struggled to protect herself, let alone fully possess Ning Yao''s body.

    "Oh." Luo Hongyan''s reveal did not affect Pang Jian. He had assumed Ning Yao had died long ago, so her death did not bother him.

    More surprising to him was Luo Hongyan''s stunning looks.

    Unfortunately, Luo Hongyan did not have a real physical body.

    Whoosh!

    Therge ice crystal beneath his feet shot toward his chest and disappeared into the bronze door.

    Pang Jian jumped to Luo Hongyan''s side to avoid falling into theke.

    "The Mirror Tunnel is gone." Luo Hongyan''s beautiful eyes shed with an unusual light as she nced at his chest, but she did not ask any questions.

    The extreme cold energy freezing ck Orchid Lake suddenly returned to the bizarre mist.

    The water in ck Orchid Lake unfroze, returning to liquid.

    Feet firmly on the ground, Pang Jian reached into his clothing to touch the bronze pendant.

    It even swallowed the Mirror Tunnel... Pang Jian suspected the bronze door had changed somehow, but with the door sealed shut once more, he had no way of determining what had urred.

    Pang Jian peered upward. The bizarre mist still covered the sky like a vast canopy. Despite that, the bizarre mist around ck Orchid Lake was unexpectedly dissipating.

    He watched in astonishment as the bizarre mist around theke disappeared and the area surrounding ck Orchid Lake came back into view.

    Luo Hongyan silently observed the strange changes alongside Pang Jian.

    After a moment, Pang Jian asked, "Did you see Dong Tianze?"

    "No, we''re alone here." Luo Hongyan shook her head with a smile. "Li Jie is from the Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect and was obliged to protect Dong Tianze. As the Trial Master, he could control the destinations of the Mirror Tunnel. He probably sent Dong Tianze to the Third World."

    "What¡¯s the story behind the Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect?" Pang Jian asked in surprise.

    "In the First World, there''s a sect called the Divine Treasure Sect. They''re known for crafting all kinds of unique treasures and spirit artifacts," Luo Hongyan exined. "Let me put it this way, most highest-grade spirit artifacts in the upper and lower worldse from the Divine Treasure Sect. The leaders of the Divine Treasure Sect have always had the Li surname so you could even consider the sect belonging to the Li Family''s."

    "The First World?!" Pang Jian eximed.

    "Yes, I realized that everything with Eight Trigrams City was just an opportunity for Li Jie from the Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect to undergo his trial." Luo Hongyan sighed helplessly. "But let''s not talk about this any further. The Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect in the First World is too far away to think about right now."

    "Oh." Pang Jian took a deep breath. As he did, he noticed the pure spiritual qi on Central Lake Ind had been reced with murky energy.

    However, the tainted energy here differed from the darkness of the Fifth World.

    The murky energy hereprised Profound Yin energy, the bloodthirsty energy of wild beasts, and the toxicity of venomous creatures.

    These energies wereparatively easy to cleanse and remove when cultivating.

    In contrast, the terrifying energies of destruction, corrosion, and annihtion from the darkness of Eight Trigrams City were harsh enough to erode Li Jie''s Qilin Bell and overwhelm Yuan Shishan. Those energies were far more dangerous than the ones that made up the tainted energy on Central Lake Ind.

    "Ah!" he eximed, noticing the vibrant flowers and nts on the ind had withered and died.

    The changes in spiritual qi and the addition of murky energy meant Central Lake Ind was no longer a spiritualnd. The vibrant flora could no longer survive and had rapidly withered away.

    What should we do next... Pang Jian frowned in thought.

    "Pang Jian, if you want to survive in the Fourth World, you won''t want the tainted energy of the Fifth World in your body," Luo Hongyan advised seriously, furrowing her delicate eyebrows. "You need to find a way to expel all the corrupt energy from your body, or other cultivators will treat you as a freak."

    Pang Jian nodded. "I understand."

    He retrieved the Startling ughter Spear from his spatial pouch and started unleashing spear techniques using the murky energy within him.

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    With the Startling ughter Spear, Pang Jian recreated the beams of light that had killed Yuan Lengshan.

    Three terrifying beams of light rushed forth.

    Pang Jian''s target was the small hill on Central Lake Ind. The small hill crumbled. ck and red mes charred thend and the withered nts turned to ash under the corrosive beam of light.

    The murky energy within Pang Jian''s body poured out, and his spiritual sea and meridians were soon depleted.

    Luo Hongyan stared in shock at the destroyed hill, unable to find her words.

    Pang Jian sat down, took out some pure spirit stones, and absorbed the spiritual power within them. Spiritual power slowly filled his spiritual sea.

    Spiritual power could fill his spiritual sea without issue now that it had been emptied of tainted energy!

    Pang Jian nodded in satisfaction. "I''ll umte spiritual power first."

    "You really are a monster," Luo Hongyan muttered, snapping out of her daze. She shot him a look of annoyance and griped. "The Divine Spirit Pagoda was still on that small hill and we still have use for it. Now that you¡¯ve destroyed the hill, I''ll have to extract the pagoda from the ruins. Oh well, it''s always me doing the dirty work..."

    She flew toward the ruined hill, grumbling the whole way over.

    The two spatial bracelets she had taken from Lan Xi and Yuan Lengshan flew out from a nearby pile of stones to follow after her.

    The spatial bracelets contained many pure spirit stones, enough to fill the array on the ground floor of the white pagoda.

    Pang Jian was already ustomed to the strange dynamics of their rtionship and did not go to help her. Instead, he focused on filling his spiritual sea with the spirit stones from Eight Trigrams City.

    He kept his mind clear and his spiritual sea tranquil as he cultivated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    Time passed in this manner.

    Suddenly, he gained a new sense of sight!

    He was seeing through the eyes of the newly born Giant Abyssal Serpent!

    It was like he was back in the endless darkness of Eight Trigrams City!

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    Scenes shed through his mind.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent was moving swiftly through the deserted streets of Eight Trigrams City!

    The stone buildings on either side of the street and the empty square ahead flickered in his mind.

    Pang Jian snapped out of his cultivation state, shaken by the unexpected sight. The scenes vanished instantly.

    Although brief, the connection exhausted him mentally. He felt drained of energy and felt tired enough to sleep. However, the adrenaline kept him from dozing off, and his breathing was still fast and uneven.

    The Fifth World!

    Luo Hongyan was not beside him to witness him startle. After calming down, Pang Jian picked up the bronze pendant and examined it closely.

    The bronze door remained closed, and he could not see the world behind it.

    He recalled how the bronze door had partially opened in the darkness of the Fifth World, showing four peculiar objects floating in the bizarre mist.

    Pang Jian peered up at the sky.

    Although the bizarre mist still shrouded the sky, it had disappeared from around ck Orchid Lake and no longer surrounded it.

    He suspected his bronze pendant was connected to the bizarre mist that terrified all cultivators.

    For now, though, he had yet to figure out the details of the pendant or puzzle out the mysteries surrounding the bronze door.

    After some time, he decided to re-enter his cultivation state.

    Closing his eyes, he once again gained the ability to see through the eyes of the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    The familiar stone buildings of Eight Trigrams City and the wide and deste streets reappeared in his mind.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent was heading toward the city gate where they hadnded.

    He did not have to wait long. Soon, Pang Jian saw the familiar characters of "North Gate" through the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s sight.

    That was where their group hadnded upon arriving in Eight Trigrams City. Li Jie had alsonded there after them!

    Back then, the entire stretch of the street, from the North Gate to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, was brightly lit, with all the stone tiles and jade-like walls glowing.

    Beyond the North Gatey the absolute darkness, filled with dense murky energy that had contaminated him at the slightest touch.

    Now, through the Giant Abyssal Serpent¡¯s eyes, Pang Jian could see everything surrounding the dark North Gate.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent continued onward.

    Soon, it reached the edge, No more stone tilesid ahead, only an endless void.

    Pang Jian felt like he was standing high in the air, on the edge of a t stone tform.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent turned its head, allowing Pang Jian to see behind it.

    The majestic and grand Eight Trigrams City could be seen in the distance.

    Before Pang Jian could examine it more closely, the Giant Abyssal Serpent turned back and looked down.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Pang Jian saw an unimaginablyrge pir standing in the deste wilderness below.

    Strange corpses and massive bones littered the vast wastnd.

    The corpses were unlike the creatures of the Fourth World. Enormous bones, asrge as Central Lake Ind, were scattered haphazardly across the wastnd, which seemed to stretch endlessly!

    Among the corpses and bones was the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir that Li Jie and Li Yuqing had previously mentioned.

    Further away were towering mountains, appearing much smaller than the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir.

    He could not see whaty beyond the mountains.

    Many powerful beings from the Fifth World appeared to have traveled from all over to gather around this giant Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir.

    They seemingly attempted to ascend to the upper worlds, only to all perish here.

    A sense of destion, decay, sorrow, and despair permeated the wastnd for what seemed like millennia.

    The sobering sight of all the corpses deeply shocked and moved Pang Jian.

 Chapter 100: Bidding Farewell to the Homeland

    Chapter 100: Bidding Farewell to the Homnd

    Rumble!

    On Central Lake Ind in the Fourth World, a white Divine Spirit Pagoda emerged from the rubble.

    Luo Hongyan had filled the first floor of the white pagoda with spirit jades and activated the array within to gain control of the pagoda.

    "It finally worked." She sighed. Standing at the entrance of the white pagoda in her, she guided the white pagoda toward Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian was lying on the ground, spirit stones in both hands.

    "Pang Jian!" she yelled in concern, flying out from the pagoda before it could even reach him.

    She reached Pang Jian in the blink of an eye.

    As she examined him closely, she found his breathing steady and his blood full of vitality. He was merely in a deep sleep.

    Relieved, Luo Hongyan smiled and watched the sleeping Pang Jian. "You''ve fallen asleep. You''re really at ease with me, aren''t you"

    Memories of their time together in Eight Trigrams City flowed through her mind. A faint smile curled the corners of her lips.

    "If you had fallen into such a deep sleep when we first met, I would''ve tried every means possible to pull the bronze pendant from your chest and uncover its secrets."

    She smiled wistfully.

    After spending so much time together, those thoughts had long faded, leaving only a mild curiosity about the secrets of the bronze pendant. She had given up the idea of forcefully taking it from Pang Jian.

    She now had the Crystal Snow Lotus in her possession. Once she gathered a few more rare spirit materials, she could forge a new body for herself. Thus, her desire for the essence of the Celestial Phoenix had also waned.

    She stayed by Pang Jian''s side, alternating between watching him and the bizarre mist.

    Time passed quietly in this manner.

    At night, with the bizarre mist covering the sky, ck Orchid Lake plunged into a darkness simr to Eight Trigrams City.

    Fortunately, the Divine Spirit Pagoda from the Sinister Soul Temple glowed in the pitch-ck night, preventing total darkness.

    Under the light of the white pagoda, Luo Hongyan observed the sleeping Pang Jian. Her heart ached in sympathy.

    "The battles in Eight Trigrams City and the struggles with those from the Second World have exhausted him." She sighed guiltily. She had not been able to help much without a physical body. "This won¡¯t do. Those from the upper world coulde to investigate. We need to leave the Solitary Mountain Range as soon as possible."

    The trial in Eight Trigrams City was over. Dong Tianze, Qi Qingsong, Li Jie, and the others had sessfully left.

    In the City Lord''s Mansion, Pang Jian''s use of the murky energy of the Fifth World aroused suspicion in Qi Qingsong, Dong Tianze, and Li Jie that he was colluding with the beings from the Fifth World.

    Luo Hongyan feared the survivors from the upper world woulde down to investigate. She also feared that Yuan Lengshan''s death would alert powerful figures from the Demon Heart Sect.

    She mulled over these fears throughout the night. Eventually, dawn broke, though the sky remained dim due to the bizarre mist.

    Whoosh! Whoosh!

    The two spatial bracelets from Lan Xi and Yuan Lengshan flew out from the white pagoda, deftly attaching themselves to Pang Jian''s wrists before lifting his sleeping body into the air.

    The spatial bracelets then carried Pang Jian to the ground floor of the white pagoda.

    The spirit jades from Lan Xi and Yuan Lengshan from the Second World filled the white pagoda with spiritual power. As soon as the sleeping Pang Jiannded, he instinctively absorbed the pure spiritual power around him.

    It was almost like a reflex.

    "Even in his sleep, he still remembers to fill his spiritual sea," Luo Hongyan chuckled warmly.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    The white pagoda rose into the air.

    Luo Hongyan dared not break through the bizarre mist covering the sky. Instead, she directed the pagoda southward, intending to leave the Solitary Mountain Range and Northern Qi that way.

    She knew that Pang Jian, Zhou Qingchen, Ning Yao, and the others had entered from the south side of the Solitary Mountain Range.

    The white pagoda left Central Lake Ind and ck Orchid Lake.

    A massive gray ape appeared where the bizarre mist had firste into contact with theke. It had grown bigger than before and towered like a mountain, though much of its body remained hidden in the mist.

    With its strange ice-blue eyes, it watched the Divine Spirit Pagoda fade into the distance as if bidding a silent farewell to those inside.

    No one knew how long it had stayed in that mist.

    Luo Hongyan was unaware of these happenings.

    With an abundance of spirit jade, she could freely maneuver the white pagoda, flying south through the Solitary Mountain Range.

    The white pagoda flew over Insect Valley, ckwater Pond, and the withered vine nt.

    The pagoda paused asionally as Luo Hongyan extended her divine sense to check the surrounding area. When she found no abnormalities or signs of powerful beings, she continued.

    Soon, the white pagoda flew out of the Solitary Mountain Range and stopped above the three stone houses where Pang Jian and his sister had lived.

    Luo Hongyan nced down at the still-sleeping Pang Jian and sighed. "Still not awake, huh? Oh well, you cane backter."

    With that, the white pagoda flew past the stone houses.

    On their journey, Luo Hongyan was shocked to find the bizarre mist remained in the sky. It did not dissipate even after leaving the Solitary Mountain Range!

    When they reached the southernmost part of Northern Qi, she noticed the bizarre mist stretch down from the sky to thend.

    The bizarre mist was not just covering the sky of Northern Qi, it was enveloping the entire region!

    Something felt amiss, and she quickly determined, No matter what happens, I have to risk it and just try rushing out!

    Staring at the gray bizarre mist, she guided the white pagoda forward.

    She took out a white jade porcin bottle in preparation.

    If things got too dangerous, she nned to use the Crystal Snow Lotus to prematurely refine her bones, even if it meant having a partially formed skeletal body.

    Soon, the white pagoda entered the bizarre mist, and she lost all her senses. Even her divine sense dissipated the instant she tried to release it

    She could neither hear nor see anything inside the pagoda. She did not even know if the white pagoda was still moving.

    Whoosh!

    After a long and arduous wait, the white pagoda emerged safely on the other side of the bizarre mist, flying out of the fragmentednds known as Northern Qi and into the regr expanse of the Fourth World.

    At that moment, Pang Jian finally woke up.

    Breathing a sigh of relief, Luo Hongyan yfully scolded, "You scared me. I thought we were going to die in the bizarre mist."

    Pang Jian sat up slowly. The memories of what he had seen from the Fifth World still lingered. He recalled the corpses and bones of the powerful creatures of the Fifth World scattered across the vast wastnd, having tragically perished in their attempt to ascend to the upper worlds.

    It took him a while to regain hisposure.

    Luo Hongyan did not rush him. She simply watched and waited for him to collect his thoughts.

    After leaving the bizarre mist, Luo Hongyan maneuvered the white pagoda to hover stationarily.

    When Pang Jian finally gathered himself, he turned to ask Luo Hongyan, "How long was I asleep for?"

    "You''ve slept for a very long time." Luo Hongyan smiled gently. "You must''ve been exhausted, your mental and physical strength werepletely drained. Your cultivation realm is still low, and you haven''t been able to refine your divine sense. Once you rxed, you couldn''t stay awake."

    Pang Jian remained silent.

    He knew his mental and physical exhaustion was due to his secret connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent, but he did not mention this.

    Checking his body, he found his spiritual sea filled with spiritual power.

    Pang Jian stood and moved to the entrance of the white pagoda. He saw the bizarre mist ahead, shrouding a piece ofnd.

    "What''s that?" Pang Jian asked in astonishment.

    "The fragmentednd you previously lived in," Luo Hongyan replied with a smile. "The trial ended after you and Li Jie left Eight Trigrams City. Your body was filled with the corrupt energy of the Fifth World and I was worried that the others were suspicious of your alliances, so I wanted to bring you away from Central Lake Ind.

    "Also, I wasn''t aware that the bizarre mist hadpletely enveloped Northern Qi, but regardless, I managed to bring us out."

    Pang Jian was stunned.

    He nned to umte spiritual power and ask Luo Hongyan to guide the white pagoda to the north.

    Unfortunately, by the time he had awoken, he had already left Northern Qi.

    "It''s not impossible toe back and visit if you want toter, but it''s best not to do so soon." Seeing the regret on his face, Luo Hongyan suggested, "It seems like you''ve never left Northern Qi. Why don''t you take this opportunity to explore the Fourth World?"

    The white pagoda changed directions.

    Pang Jian stood at the entrance, watching as the view shifted from the bizarre mist covering Northern Qi to the floating fragments ofnd that was the Fourth World.

    The fragmentednds varied in size. Narrow stone bridges connected some, while others were not connected at all.

    Small sailboats crawled like snails between the fragmentednds, seemingly transporting people and goods.

    Pang Jian knitted his brows as he stared at the strange sight. "This ce...Do these fragmentednds, like Northern Qi, make up the Fourth World?"

    Luo Hongyan nodded with a smile. "The fracturednds you see before you are under the control of the Ning n."

    Pang Jian fell silent, momentarily lost.

    Peering up at the gray sky, he stared toward the two continents hidden behind the clouds and asked, "Can the Divine Spirit Pagoda reach the Third World?"

    "It can." Luo Hongyan nodded gently. "But I don''t rmend going there now."

    Pang Jian fell silent, realizing she likely had valid reasons for that, and after mulling it over for a bit, found that he agreed.

    "Pang Jian, there''s no need to rush to the Third World. There are ces in the Fourth World that are also suitable for you. Trust me, it''s safer for us to stay here for now. You just entered the Marrow Cleansing Realm and need to gather spirit materials to continue strengthening your body," Luo Hongyan advised earnestly.

    "Where would be suitable for me?" Pang Jian asked.

    Luo Hongyan paused, then smiled. "Do you remember the Shadow Specter Sect?"

    Pang Jian nodded.

    "After killing Hong Tai, I learned some secrets about the Shadow Specter Sect. We should head to their base of operations." Luo Hongyan hesitated, then added, "I also need to rebuild my physical body, and we might find the necessary spirit materials there. Please help me."

 Chapter 101: The Fragmented Lands of Divine Fortune

    <h4>Chapter 101: The Fragmented Lands of Divine Fortune</h4>

    The blood-red setting sun shone upon a crimson, barren mountain in the Red Mountain Sect on the Cosmic Skies Continent of the Third World.

    The red glow of the sun cast an extrayer of bloodiness on the famous mountain.

    From a distance, the mountain resembled a giant beehive, its surface pockmarked with caves.

    The spiritual qi within these caves grew denser the higher up one went, and the status of the inhabitants upying these caves also rose ordingly.

    The many viges at the foot of the mountain relied on the Red Mountain Sect for their livelihoods, with the vigers preparing meals for the members of the Red Mountain Sect or growing medicinal herbs in the surrounding forests.

    Zhou Qingchen, Han Duping, and Jiang Li sat in a courtyard in one such vige, enjoying the cool air and staring absentmindedly at the crimson sky.

    Noticing the wine jar in Zhou Qingchen''s hand was empty, Jiang Li handed him a new one and said softly, "Don''t worry too much. Pang Jian''s a good person, and good fortune wille his way. He''ll return safely."

    Recently, Zhou Qingchen had been neglecting his cultivation. He did not even stay in his own cave dwelling and instead went to Han Duping''s ce to drown his sorrows in wine.

    Jiang Li would often apany him, trying to console him whenever she saw his spirits declining.

    Zhou Qingchen epted the new wine jar, took a deep swig, and said drunkenly, "I often think about how he pushed me into the Mirror Tunnel and stayed behind alone. I can''t forget it. Every time I meditate and cultivate, I can''t help but recall that scene.

    "When I left, Dong Tianze, Qi Qingsong, Lin Beiye, and two disciples from the Demon Heart Sect were still in the mansion. Pang Jian, he..."

    Zhou Qingchen shook his head, eyes bloodshot and voice hoarse.

    "The Star River Alliance went to investigate after that as well. The entire Solitary Mountain Range is now shrouded in the bizarre mist. So far, no sect or faction has dared to enter the mist''s cover and explore." Han Duping sighed. "Brother Pang is native to the Solitary Mountain Range, so maybe..."

    Han Duping could not bring himself to finish his sentence.

    Although Han Duping admired Pang Jian''s loyalty, he knew Pang Jian was likely in grave danger.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The door of the front entrance burst open.

    A man in blue clothing stepped inside and saidzily, "It took me a while to figure out that you weren''t on the mountain but hiding here instead."

    "Qi Qingsong!" The trio in the courtyard paled, drawing their weapons and preparing for a fight.

    Jiang Li''s face turned ashen. She never expected this scourge would dare intrude into a vige at the foot of Red Mountain Sect!

    <i>Do disciples from the upper worlds so tantly disregard the lives of those from the lower worlds?</i>

    Panicked, Jiang Li prepared to scream, hoping that any members of the Red Mountain Sect nearby woulde to help.

    "Stop! This is the Red Mountain Sect! I''ve not gone crazy, nor do I have the time toe down from the upper worlds to seek revenge on you three," Qi Qingsong hurriedly shouted. He shook his empty left sleeve and said forlornly, "I cut off my entire left arm topensate for that girl''s lost limb. And also..."

    Qi Qingsong retrieved a bottle of ointment from his bosom and handed it to Jiang Li with a pained expression.

    Smiling bitterly, he said, "This is Exquisite Jade Bone Regrowth Ointment. It can regrow your severed arm. I spent a lot of resources to obtain this. Use it first. I''m still trying to secure another bottle."

    Jiang Li stood frozen in shock, staring at the Exquisite Jade Bone Regrowth Ointment. She was too afraid to reach out and take it.

    Zhou Qingchen red at Qi Qingsong. "What are you ying at?"

    "I''m not joking," Qi Qingsong said with a bitter smile.

    Seeing his missing arm, Zhou Qingchen hesitantly took the Exquisite Jade Bone Regrowth Ointment and asked, "What happened?"

    "That fellow from the Divine Treasure Sect''s Li Family said he would keep an eye on me. I was afraid he would take it seriously." Qi Qingsong paused in hesitation before exining with a pained expression, "A lot happened after you left. Pang Jian disappeared into the darkness. No one knows what he encountered. While in the dark tunnel, he killed Demon Sect''s Lan Xi, then after emerging, sted Yuan Lengshan into pieces. He then forced me to cut off my arm for a chance at survival..."

    Qi Qingsong recounted the subsequent events.

    The trio listened in stunned silence.

    Once Qi Qingsong was finished, Zhou Qingchen asked excitedly, "Where''s Pang Jian now?"

    Qi Qingsong shook his head and said, "Before I left, the atmosphere in the mansion had be strange. I don''t know what happened to him and Li Jie afterward.

    "Northern Qi in the Fourth World has been shrouded in the bizarre mist. Even if he managed to escape, he would still be trapped in the Northern Qi."

    Although the trio had been thrilled after hearing about Pang Jian''s exploits, they were now once again at a loss.

    ***

    Outside of Divine Fortune City, located in the fragmentednds of Divine Fortune in the Fourth World, was a vige called Misty Swamp Vige. This vige was situated next to Misty Swamp.

    Misty Swamp spanned thousands of miles and was perpetually covered in poisonous miasma. Poisonous insects, Vicious Beasts, and Spirit Beasts inhabited its many swamps

    Misty Swamp Vige was located between Divine Fortune City and Misty Swamp and was simr to other viges in the area.

    In arge house in Misty Swamp Vige, an elderly woman, dressed in a loose gray robe and using a cane, appeared out of nowhere at the Shadow Specter Sect''s branch. Two beautiful women stood behind her.

    "I am Meng Qin. From today, I will take over all the affairs of the Shadow Specter Sect in and around Divine Fortune City," the elder woman introduced. Standing in the dimly lit hall, she looked at a group of cultivators before her and announced, "Hong Tai died in the Solitary Mountain Range in Northern Qi. Hispanions, Xu Rui and Jin Yang, also perished."

    The members of the Shadow Specter Sect in the hall had already heard the news and showed no reaction.

    Eyeing the silent crowd, Meng Qin prompted, " I''m new here, so please tell me about any recent events rted to the Shadow Specter Sect."

    Everybody started talking all at once. They brought up matters in Divine Fortune City and new Vicious Beasts in Misty Swamp. They also discussed the recruitment of notable rogue cultivators into the Shadow Specter Sect.

    The highest-ranking member in the group, Fan Liang, reported to Meng Qin, "Hall Master Meng, two weeks ago, Hong Tai''s nephew came by, saying Hong Tai had arranged for him to join the Shadow Specter Sect. He brought Hong Tai''s token, so his identity seems genuine. However, we''re unsure¡ª"

    "Hong Tai''s nephew?" Meng Qin interrupted in surprise.

    "Yes, that''s right. Before Hong Tai went to the Solitary Mountain Range on his mission, he informed us that he would arrange for a distant nephew to join the Shadow Specter Sect. Unfortunately, his nephew, Hong Jian, arrived after Hong Tai had already perished in the Solitary Mountain Range."

    Fan Liang sighed. Then, sneaking a nce at Meng Qin, he lowered his head and continued, "At that time, we didn''t know Hong Tai had died since he hadn''t returned, so we arranged for his nephew to stay."

    "Where is he now?" Meng Qin asked.

    "We ced him at one of our strongholds in Misty Swamp."

    Meng Qin considered his words, then asked, "What''s Hong Jian''s cultivation realm?"

    "He seems to be in thete stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm. He''s also quite young," Fan Liang answered earnestly.

    "The Marrow Cleansing Realm..." Meng Qin nodded and nced back at her two long-time disciples.

    The two women shrank back a bit, appearing somewhat embarrassed.

    "I need to meet him before deciding whether to keep him. After what happened in the Solitary Mountain Range, the seven major ns have been hunting us down. We need to be cautious," Meng Qin said prudently.

    "Should I arrange for someone to bring him here?" Fan Liang asked quickly.

    "There''s no need for that, I''m going to Misty Swamp anyway. I''ll meet him at the stronghold."

    ***

    In a corner of the Misty Swamp stood an inconspicuous small hill covered in vegetation. The dense weed on the hillside hid a small stone cave.

    In the center of the stone cave was a pool recessed into the rock, with its walls made of intricately arranged rare blood jade.

    The pool was filled with the blood of Vicious Beasts and Spirit Beasts.

    The piles of radiant spirit jade beside the pool kept the spiritual qi and blood essences within it bnced and abundant.

    A white jade porcin bottle containing a peculiar crystalline snow lotus floated in the bloody water.

    A stunning figure sat atop the snow lotus.

    Strands of refined blood essences and pure spiritual power drifted toward the bottle and were absorbed by the beautiful woman.

    Pang Jian sat near the tightly closed cave entrance near the pool. Luo Hongyan was using Hong Tai''s secret blood pool to refine her body, and Pang Jian asionally opened his eyes to check on her.

    They had been here for half a month.

    Traveling by night to avoid detention, Luo Hongyan had steered the Divine Spirit Pagoda to the fragmentednds of Divine Fortune.

    Divine Fortune was under the jurisdiction of the Shangguan n. They had also built the city known as Divine Fortune City.

    Within the fragmentednds was a restricted area known as Misty Swamp. The murky atmosphere of Misty Swamp far exceeded its spiritual qi, nurturing many Vicious Beasts and poisonous insects. It also attracted many rogue cultivators.

    The Shadow Specter Sect had established a branch here.

    Half a month ago, Pang Jian had followed Luo Hongyan''s instructions to find Fan Liang in Misty Swamp Vige.

    After that, he did not go to the ce Fan Liang had arranged for him and instead spent most of his time acquiring the blood of Vicious Beasts and Spirit Beasts for the blood pool to aid in the reconstruction of Luo Hongyan''s physical body.

    He also spent time cultivating, immersing himself in the second stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm, and using the beasts'' blood essence to temper his internal organs.

    The two of them had an ample supply of spirit stones and spirit jades, so he was not worried about his cultivation resources.

    Luo Hongyan sat on the Crystal Snow Lotus in her miniaturized ethereal form in the white jade porcin bottle, smiling sweetly as she said, "Pang Jian, you don''t need to stay here. You know I have Spirit Devils nearby.:

    The cave, adorned with its illuminating gemstones, only brightened further with her smile.

    "I don''t know where to go," Pang Jian replied woodenly.

    "You must build connections with the Shadow Specter Sect, rogue cultivators, and the Shangguan n. I can''t go out right now, but you should find out more about the new Hall Master of the Shadow Specter Sect and see if they''ve been assigned here," Luo Hongyan said, smiling at him. "Only the Hall Master can obtain high-grade beast blood. We have plenty of spirit stones butck precious auxiliary materials."

    Pang Jian frowned but said nothing.

    "Did you seldom interact with others when you lived in Linshan Town?" Luo Hongyan asked in surprise.

    Pang Jian nodded.

    "That''s not good. You need to build connections with the Shadow Specter Sect and the rogue cultivators in Misty Swamp Vige to stay well-informed," Luo Hongyan gently advised. As a cultivator, one could not always focus solely on bitter cultivation.

    She needed to concentrate on refining the Crystal Snow Lotus. Between her patrolling Spirit Devils and her own strength, she was not particrly worried about her safety in Misty Swamp.

    With Pang Jian''s strength, as long as he stayed cautious, he would not be in any life-threatening danger.

    Luo Hongyan saw that Pang Jian had be increasingly reluctant to interact with others after leaving the Solitary Mountain Range.

    However, cultivation was not just about solitary practice. For Pang Jian''s growth, she could only encourage him to go out more.

    "Oh, alright," Pang Jian relented. Standing up, he left the hidden cave and stepped out into the gray sky of the Fourth World.

 Chapter 102: The First Tribulation!

    <h4>Chapter 102: The First Tribtion!</h4>

    Although it was daytime, the sky outside the cave was gloomy.

    As Pang Jian stepped outside, he saw a vast, humid swamp spread out before him.

    He looked to his left.

    Heading left would lead him to where Fan Liang had arranged for him to stay. Many rogue cultivators gathered there, and it was also the Shadow Specter Sect''s stronghold in Misty Swamp.

    He then looked to his right.

    That path led deeper into Misty Swamp, where many Vicious Beasts simr to the ck and White King Python and one-horned rhinoceros roamed.

    Pang Jian hesitated. After mulling it over some more, he decided to head right.

    Forests, swamps, poisonous miasma, Vicious Beasts, and Spirit Beasts. These were the environments he was ustomed to.

    ***

    On the other side of the swamp were wooden huts scattered haphazardly around.

    Dozens of rogue cultivators gathered, discussing the Vicious Beasts within Misty Swamp.

    Meng Qin, the newly appointed Hall Master of the Shadow Specter Sect, appeared with her two female disciples. The rogue cultivators'' expressions instantly brightened as they cast lecherous nces in her direction.

    Meng Qin snorted coldly.

    A tan, skinny man appeared behind her, grinning maliciously at the crowd.

    "Ling Qing!" At the sight of the skinny man, the rogue cultivators'' expressions changed as they hastily hid their audacious gazes.

    These rogue cultivators had long been active in Misty Swamp and had no sect to back them.

    Meanwhile, Ling Qing was different. Although his background was uncertain, they knew he had an organization behind him.

    Moreover, Ling Qing was also themander responsible for overseeing this stronghold.

    Meng Qin nodded in satisfaction. She then went to the most well-kept wooden hut, per Ling Qing''s arrangements.

    After closing the door, Ling Qing bowed and reported, "Hall Master Meng, that boy visited once and has since disappeared. He said he wanted to explore Misty Swamp, but half a month has passed, and he hasn''t reappeared."

    Meng Qin knitted her brows.

    She had intended to see if Hong Tai''s nephew had any potential. After hearing that he had not shown up for a long time, she did not dwell on it and instead asked, "I''ve heard that the fragmentednds near Divine Fortune have been acting strangelytely..."

    "Hall Master, not many people know about this, but we, the Shadow Specter Sect, havee to know it." Ling Qing replied, nodding vigorously as he did, eyes wide with surprise. He paused to gather his thoughts. His look of surprise shifted into fear. "The tainted energy of the Fifth World is permeating the fragmentednds under the jurisdiction of the Ouyang n."

    Meng Qin took a deep breath and asked solemnly, "Have many people died in the worst affected fragmentednds?"

    Among the many hall masters of the Shadow Specter Sect, the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect favored Meng Qin the most. She had rushed to the fragmentednd of Divine Fortune to verify the truth of the matter.

    Ling Qing''s voice trembled slightly as he replied, "There are few survivors, and the survivors are said to have turned into terrifying aberrations. The murky energy of the Fifth World is fundamentally different from the murky energy in Misty Swamp or other restricted areas in the Fourth World!

    "Even the city lords and their families that the Ouyang n assigned to those fragmentednds don''t seem to have survived either!"

    Ling Qing licked his dry lips before he continued, "The Ouyang n has sealed off the information. The other ns may not be aware of this yet. I just hope the anomaly in that region won''t affect us."

    The two female disciples behind Meng Qind paled at his words.

    "That''s strange. The Sect Leader mentioned that such disasters haven''t urred for many years." Meng Qin shook her head bitterly. "The Sect Leader sent me here to understand why the murky energy of the lower worlds has started to permeate the Fourth World."

    ***

    Pang Jian traveled alone through Misty Swamp. Although he asionally encountered cultivators hunting Vicious Beasts, those cultivators would hurriedly avoid him once they saw him.

    Half a month ago, shortly after arriving in Misty Swamp, he had killed a group of rogue cultivators with ill intentions.

    Luo Hongyan''s Spirit Devils had been refined from those rogue cultivators'' souls.

    That act made other nearby rogue cultivators aware of his proimed identity as Hong Tai''s nephew. His ruthless actions and Hong Tai''s fearsome reputation meant no one had dared to provoke him since.

    Pang Jian wandered the swamp aimlessly, eventually arriving at the bog where the Divine Spirit Pagoda was buried.

    After vigntly watching the area and confirming that no one had noticed the white pagoda, he ventured deeper into the swamp.

    By nightfall, he had reached an unfamiliar forest.

    The trees and nts here were exceptionally lush, and the humid air was filled with the scent of vegetation.

    Taking a deep breath of the humid air, Pang Jian felt an unexpected urge to cultivate.

    Since arriving in Misty Swamp, he had only cultivated with spirit stones and spirit jades for efficiency.

    Now, for the first time since they had arrived, he felt the impulsive desire to cultivate using his surrounding spiritual qi.

    Sitting down, he entered a state of cultivation, silently practicing the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    Pang Jian''s thoughts drifted to the Giant Abyssal Serpent. He wanted to check on it.

    However, thest time he did so, his mind had been so severely drained that it had caused him to faint. Thus, he forcibly suppressed the desire to spy on the Fifth World.

    Clearing his mind of all distractions, he started to cultivate. As he used the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art to absorb the mixed spiritual qi of heaven and earth, he sensed a fresh and natural essence of vegetation mixed with some strange energy. This energy flowed into his dantian alongside the surrounding spiritual qi.

    The spiritual qi in the area was extremely scarce.

    Pang Jian had learned from Luo Hongyan that any energy that was not pure spiritual qi was considered mixed energy.

    Some special techniques, such as the Earth ze Technique or the Mystic Yin Technique, used mixed energies to enhance one''sbat power.

    <i>The essence of vegetation should also have a corresponding special technique, likely rted to growing medicinal herbs.</i>

    Pang Jian tried to refine the dense essence of vegetation around him.

    The strands of vegetation essence he absorbed into his dantian seemed to flow along his meridians toward the bronze pendant.

    This sensation was identical to how the Giant Abyssal Serpent in the bronze pendant had absorbed the murky energy from his body.

    Pang Jian briefly wondered about the secrets of the bronze pendant but soon returned his focus to diligently practicing the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    Time flowed like water, and Pang Jian entered a state of deep concentration.

    Once he felt he had nearly exhausted the nearby essence of vegetation, Pang Jian finally opened his eyes.

    All the trees and nts in the ten-zhang radius around him had withered and died!

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A lush green sapling unexpectedly emerged from the bronze pendant. It flew through the air, glowing with a jade-like green hue.

    Pang Jian was taken aback.

    He did not even think before following the sapling, fearing rogue cultivators would spot and seize it.

    It did not fly for long.

    The mystical sapling soon found another vibrant forest andnded on the forest floor.

    It immediately took root!

    Its appearance dulled, no longer emitting the strange green radiance and blending seamlessly with the surrounding vegetation.

    Had Pang Jian not kept his eyes on it the entire time, he would not have been able to realize its extraordinary nature.

    <i>First, it was the Giant Abyssal Serpent. Now, it''s this peculiar...vine sapling? Could the urge to absorb the essence of vegetation havee from it?</i> Pang Jian wondered.

    The sapling was absorbing the essence of the nearby vegetation like he had done earlier.

    This too was simr to the Giant Abyssal Serpent. Once the Giant Abyssal Serpent had emerged from the bronze pendant, it could draw in the murky energy from the darkness without his assistance.

    <i>Strange...</i>

    A thought suddenly urred to Pang Jian. Closing his eyes, a new, strange sense appeared in his mind.

    He felt as if he had be that sapling. He saw towering ancient trees and gigantic flowers and nts. The grass around him barely reached his chest.

    <i>It''s the sapling''s perspective!</i>

    Pang Jian was astounded.

    The bronze pendant in his chest abruptly turned icy cold.

    Peering down, he saw the bronze pendant covered in ayer of ice crystals, like the Mirror Tunnel on the surface of ck Orchid Lake.

    Another perspective appeared in his mind.

    It was the Giant Abyssal Serpent in the Fifth World.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The ice crystals covering the bronze pendant shot a beam of strange light toward the sapling.

    Pang Jian and the bronze pendant on his chest were pulled into the sapling!

    An overwhelming pain enveloped Pang Jian. It was like his body was being torn apart and his head was about to explode.

    As he adapted to the pain, Pang Jian also sensed the loss of spiritual power within his body.

    Murky energy had once again tainted the spiritual power in his spiritual sea, just like when he had first entered the dark tunnel in Eight Trigrams City.

    However, the murky energy this time was much weaker than Eight Trigrams City, and his spiritual power was being tainted at a slower pace.

    Pang Jian opened his eyes.

    He was no longer in Misty Swamp. There was no sapling beside. The sky above was not a gloomy gray either.

    It was absolute darkness!

    <i>The Fifth World!</i>

    Pang Jian was horrified.

    He soon spotted the Giant Abyssal Serpent not far away, shaking its olive-green scales as it devoured an unknown beast.

    The newly born Giant Abyssal Serpent sensed Pang Jian''s presence and nced up at him in confusion.

    Terrified, Pang Jian turned to take in his surroundings.

    He was not in Eight Trigrams City. This appeared to be the mountainous region he had seen through the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s vision at the top of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir.

    As he continued to turn, Pang Jian saw the majestic stone pir, true to its name, stretching toward the distant sky.

    The Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir dwarfed the surrounding mountains.

    ncing up at the pir from the ground, Pang Jian could not see the top. He could not even spot Eight Trigrams City. The pir stood in the deste wilderness of the Fifth World AS IF it had been suppressing all beings for millennia.

    Countless beings from the Fifth World tried to ascend to the upper worlds using the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir, only to be reduced to corpses and skeletons.

    The newly born Giant Abyssal Serpent had descended into the wilderness of the Fifth World from Eight Trigrams City, which was at the top of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir!

    It had crossed the vast wastnds littered with endless corpses and bones and had arrived in the mountains teeming with evil vitality. It grew ever stronger as it hunted the Vicious Beasts of the Fifth World.

    "Ah!" Pang Jian cried out in surprise.

    Sparse "raindrops" fell from the pitch-ck sky. Each of these "raindrops"nded with a boom, bursting into pieces.

    Pang Jian realized they were corpses.

    They were not just ordinary people, they were cultivators!

    The sparse "raindrops" continued to fall all across the Fifth World.

    Pang Jian breathed deeply topose himself. An unimaginable catastrophe seemed to be happening in the world above him.

    The Fourth World.

 Chapter 103: The Great Catastrophe!

    <h4>Chapter 103: The Great Catastrophe!</h4>

    The strange phenomena in the sky of the Fifth World filled Pang Jian with immense fear.

    Much like when he had gaped up at the upper worlds with Sun Bin''s residual power in his family''s courtyard, he now gazed at the peculiar sight in the Fifth World''s sky.

    Most of the "raindrops" disintegrated into ash as soon as they came into view.

    It seemed normal people never even made it to the ground and were reduced to ash the moment they appeared in the Fifth World.

    Those people were likely mortals without any cultivation.

    Mortals were instantly turned to dust as they passed through some barrier that bordered the Fourth and the Fifth Worlds.

    The strong bodies of cultivators could withstand the terrifying force of that barrier, only to explode on impact with the ground.

    <i>What in the world is happening in the Fourth World?</i>

    Soon, he noticed wisps of murky energy floating up from the Fifth World and into the Fourth World.

    It was like an evil force from the Fifth World had broken through a barrier to invade the Fourth World.

    This affected the inhabitants of the Fourth World, forcing them to flee their homes and leap from the fragmentednds. Some disintegrated to dust mid-fall, while others smashed into the ground.

    A catastrophe beyond imagination unfolded before Pang Jian''s eyes, filling him with a deep sense of unease.

    Something significant had happened somewhere in the Fourth World.

    The powerful beings of the Fifth World would surely notice the dramatic changes in the sky.

    At this moment, Pang Jian did not care about observing his surroundings. He sat beside the Giant Abyssal Serpent and attempted to connect with the little sapling.

    He prayed that the Vicious Beasts of Misty Swamp had not eaten it, or that passing rogue cultivators had not trampled it.

    Despite his restless state, Pang Jian eventually cleared his mind of distractions. He held the bronze pendant in his hand as he tried to establish a connection with the sapling.

    A blurry vision soon emerged in his mind and he sessfully sensed the sapling.

    He could return to the Fourth World and Misty Swamp with the same method!

    <i>Howl!</i>

    Just as he was about to act, an earth-shattering roar erupted from a nearby mountain range. It seemed capable of triggering an avnche or a tsunami.

    The defiant roar tore through the silence, shaking Pang Jian out of his cultivation state.

    Opening his eyes, he saw the Giant Abyssal Serpent cowering in fear.

    Pang Jian nced in the direction of the roar.

    A mountain range unexpectedly shot up in the distance!

    It was a one-eyed giant, as massive as a mountain, with its body covered in thick rock.

    The mountain turned out to be a giant that had been sleeping for millennia and had just woken up!

    The one-eyed giant was a thousand zhang tall and radiated an overwhelming aura.

    From what Pang Jian could recall, no mountain in the Solitary Mountain Range or Misty Swamp could match the height of this one-eyed giant from the Fifth World!

    The giant''s enormous eye stared at the dark sky of the Fifth World.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A beam of thick crimson light burst forth from the giant''s singr eye, like a river of light flowing upstream, piercing toward the unfathomably high pitch-ck sky.

    A wave ofplex emotions, filled with sorrow, rage, and despair, emanated from the colossal body of the one-eyed giant, saturating thend within a thousand-zhang radius.

    Every living being within that area seemed to sense the emotions imnted within the crimson beam.

    Pang Jian could even see the faint outlines of grand mountains and rivers, and a majestic kingdom built from massive stones within the soaring crimson beam. It seemed as though that was once the homnd of the one-eyed giant and was a manifestation of its deepest desires.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir glowed with an azure light.

    Pang Jian could not help but stare at it.

    The azure brilliance of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir illuminated the surrounding ten-thousand-zhang!

    The mountains, rivers, Vicious Beasts, and corpses within that radius were now visible.

    Pang Jian felt like he had returned to Eight Trigrams City.

    He could now see the countless glimmers of light on the jade-like azure pir.

    From a distance, the glimmering lights looked like mysterious ancient texts; the sun, moon, and stars; talismanic symbols shaped like weapons; and divine beasts like qilins, celestial phoenixes, heavenly dragons, and ck turtles.

    These divine charms and celestial symbols all manifested within the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir, exuding an aura of endless mystery that shook Pang Jian''s soul and intimidated all the beings in the realm!

    The immense power of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir had forcibly suppressed the crimson beam of light from the giant''s eye!

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The kingdom of giant stones, with its mountains and rivers, within the crimson beam shattered!

    The one-eyed giant let out a wretched howl. Blood flowed from its single eye as it roared madly at the sky.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A silvery-white skeletal dragon suddenly appeared.

    It roared, flying toward the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir and wrapping its long skeletal body around it.

    The ancient texts; sun, moon, and stars; talismanic symbols; and divine beast lights on the azure pir erupted with unparalleled divine power.

    <i>Howl!</i>

    The silvery white skeletal dragon howled as its massive skeletal body shattered, its bone fragments scattered everywhere.

    It continued to howl as it took to the air, collecting its scattered silvery white bones one by one to reform its skeletal body.

    Soon, the silvery white skeletal dragon was whole once more. This time, it dared not attack the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir.

    Looking upward, Pang Jian saw a mysterious woman with six pairs of white wings appear high in the sky, next to the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir.

    The mysterious otherworldly woman flew toward the top of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir in an attempt to reach Eight Trigrams City.

    The brilliant lights of the pir rushed upward, seemingly trying to stop the mysterious woman.

    <i>Roar!</i>

    <i>Howl!</i>

    The roars of the beings from the Fifth World overwhelmed Pang Jian.

    Many strange and Vicious Beasts appeared near the deep valley where he stood.

    These gigantic Vicious Beasts found the fallen corpses of cultivators and devoured them.

    Before he could study them further, Pang Jian was wracked with pain as thorny brambles coiled around him.

    The sharp thorns of the green brambles pierced his flesh and sucked on his blood.

    Turning his head, he saw more man-eating brambles flying toward him.

    The green brambles did not only target him but also the Giant Abyssal Serpent next to him.

    <i>Rip!</i>

    Pang Jian took out his Startling ughter Spear, forcefully twisting it as he used his remaining untainted spiritual power to cut through the entwining brambles.

    The Startling ughter Spear emitted a light almost identical to the divine radiance of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir.

    The Vicious Beasts of the Fifth World devouring the corpses of cultivators nearby turned their heads to look at him.

    Their eyes shone with bloodthirsty ferocity as they charged toward him.

    Pang Jian''s face paled. Each Vicious Beast was stronger than a cultivator at the Marrow Cleansing Realm, and there were so many of them!

    If these Vicious Beasts surrounded him, there would be no chance of escape.

    Ignoring his wounds and the deafening howls and roars around him, Pang Jian entered a state of cultivation, reaching out to sense the small sapling.

    He managed to establish a connection.

    <i>Go!</i>

    The bronze pendant turned icy cold and was again covered in ice crystals. It shot a strange light at the forehead of the equally panicked Giant Abyssal Serpent, and in the blink of an eye, he and the bronze pendant disappeared into the peculiar light.

    <i>Howl!</i>

    As soon as Pang Jian vanished, the Giant Abyssal Serpent became the new target of the Vicious Beasts and had no choice but to flee for its life.

    ***

    Pang Jian, still holding his Startling ughter Spear, copsed on the grass of Misty Swamp in the Fourth World. He was bleeding all over and gasping for breath.

    Not far in front of him was the small sapling.

    The sapling had grown in the short while he was gone, blending seamlessly with the surrounding weeds.

    Pang Jian breathed a sigh of relief at the sight. He had sessfully escaped death in the Fifth World.

    <i>That was terrifying...</i>

    He did not even bother to get up, lying motionlessly on the ground as he stared nkly at the gray sky.

    The thousand-zhang tall one-eyed giant; the silvery white skeletal dragon; the woman with six pairs of white wings; the bloodthirsty Vicious Beasts that had charged at him; and the azure Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir with its mystical lights that suppressed the beings of the Fifth World.

    The nightmarish experience shed in his mind. Even now, the thought of it filled him with dread.

    The wounds on his body, from when the brambles pierced his flesh, reminded him that it was not a nightmare.

    <i>The city really is at the top of the pir.</i>

    After witnessing the overwhelming power of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir, he realized that the trial they had experienced in Eight Trigrams City was nothing.

    The true power of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir was beyond his imagination. It shouldered the responsibility of suppressing the beings of the Fifth World.

    <i>But why was the murky energy of the Fifth World floating up into the Fourth World?</i>

    Pang Jian was puzzled.

    He felt there was something wrong with the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir. How else would one exin the bizarre sight of the inhabitants of the Fourth World falling into the Fifth World?

    After sorting out his thoughts, Pang Jian finally sat up.

    He retrieved some healing ointment from his spatial pouch and applied it to his wounds. Using the Startling ughter Spear, he released his remaining spiritual power and the murky energy that had infiltrated his spiritual sea. Then, taking out a spirit jade, he reluctantly absorbed its spiritual power.

    Once his drained spiritual sea was filled to about twenty percent, he switched from the spirit jade to spirit stones.

    "There must be a great catastrophe happening somewhere in the Fourth World. I should go to the Shadow Specter Sect and ask about the situation."

 Chapter 104: The Three Mysteries of the Bronze Pendant

    <h4>Chapter 104: The Three Mysteries of the Bronze Pendant</h4>

    The sky was dark and gloomy in the vast Misty Swamp.

    Pang Jian hesitated when he passed by the small mountain where Luo Hongyan was refining her physical body, but ultimately decided not to go in and greet her.

    He continued toward the Shadow Specter Sect''s stronghold.

    Recalling the incredible events he experienced in the Fifth World, he pondered over the wonders of the bronze pendant.

    He now knew of three miraculous uses of the bronze pendant.

    Firstly, he could resist certain spirit and soul-rted attacks when he wore it.

    The bronze pendant had fended off Luo Hongyan''s soul-snaring demonic melody in the stone pile and the soul array within the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    However, during the battle with Yuan Lengshan in Eight Trigrams City, the secret technique of the Demon Heart Sect still trapped him in an illusion.

    This made him realize the bronze pendant was not absolute in this regard.

    Secondly, through some unknown means, the bronze pendant could cause strange entities like the Giant Abyssal Serpent, the beehive, the vine nt, and the ck turtle to be reborn.

    On the way to the fragmentednds of Divine Fortune, Luo Hongyan told him the Celestial Phoenix possessed the power of Nirvana and rebirth. She also mentioned that thest time the Celestial Phoenix fell, its ability to be reborn was suppressed.

    Pang Jian suspected that the Celestial Phoenix''s essence absorbed by the bronze pendant still retained the power of Nirvana and rebirth. The power of the Celestial Phoenix''s essence and the bronze pendant revived those four strange entities.

    The bone of the Celestial Phoenix devoured the vine nt, and the bronze pendant absorbed the resulting essence of the Celestial Phoenix. This was also true for the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    Although Ouyang Duanhai had obtained the essence of the Celestial Phoenix from the beehive, his bronze pendant had still ultimately absorbed the blood-colored Celestial Phoenix that emerged from Ouyang Duanhai.

    Dong Tianze obtained the essence of the Celestial Phoenix formed from the ck turtle, but the bronze pendant absorbed the ck turtle''s blood essence at the bottom of the deep hole.

    The ck turtle''s blood essence,bined with the divine power of the existing essence of the Celestial Phoenix'' in the bronze pendant, gave birth to a brand-new ck turtle.

    Thirdly, after absorbing the Mirror Tunnel at ck Orchid Lake, he could now use the bronze pendant to transport himself to the strange creatures born from it.

    Pang Jian found the fact he could travel to the Fifth World using the bronze pendant incredibly magical.

    <i>Strangely enough, I was not mentally and spiritually exhausted when I arrived in the Fifth World.</i>

    When he returned from the Fifth World, he only felt immense physical pain but no mental exhaustion, which he found rather odd.

    With this in mind, he tried once more to sense the Giant Abyssal Serpent on his way to the Shadow Specter Sect''s stronghold.

    As he closed his eyes and cleared his mind, two scenes emerged.

    The first was of the many Vicious Beasts from the Fifth World chasing the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    The newly born Giant Abyssal Serpent was now forced to hide and struggle to survive.

    Pang Jian could not bear to watch out of guilt and quickly cut off the connection.

    However, he still felt mentally exhausted.

    Calming himself, he connected with the sapling and observed its surroundings through its sight.

    After cutting off the connection, he felt no difort and was mentally alright.

    Pang Jian finally understood.

    <i>It''s the distance.</i>

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent was in the Fifth World while he was in the Fourth World. This meant establishing a connection and peering through the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s eyes greatly drained his mental strength.

    The sapling was in Misty Swamp, close enough to cause minimal mental fatigue.

    Once he realized this, he started frequently establishing a connection with the sapling and stopped using the Giant Abyssal Serpent to observe the Fifth World.

    One day, while he was connected with the sapling, he saw a Formless Sailboat from the Blood Moon Sect appear in the sky.

    Several cultivators from the Blood Moon Sect flew out from the massive sailboat, skillfully targeting and capturing high-ranking Vicious Beasts nearby.

    A Rank Three Ice Armored Beast, a ck and White King Python, and arge lizard were all captured and brought onto the sailboat.

    The Formless Sailboat then continued on its way.

    <i>What are the Blood Moon Sect doing in the fragmentednds of Divine Fortune?</i> Pang Jian wondered.

    After another half day of traveling, he finally arrived at the stronghold where many rogue cultivators had gathered and sought out the tan Ling Qing.

    "The new hall master, Hall Master Meng is here. I''ll take you to see her!" Ling Qing said, leading him to the cleanest and most spacious wooden house in the stronghold without further ado. After getting permission at the door, he brought Pang Jian inside and introduced, "Hall Master Meng, this is Hong Tai''s nephew, Hong Jian."

    Meng Qin nodded coldly and waved. "Alright, you go outside and keep watch."

    Ling Qing bowed and left the wooden house. Meng Qin did not rush to speak even after they were left alone and instead squinted her eyes to size up Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian studied the old woman with a cane in return. He found nothing special about her, but the two beautiful sisters behind her caught his attention.

    The two women had different body shapes. One was voluptuous while the other was slender.

    However, their appearances were extremely simr. Even if they were not twins, they were likely siblings close in age.

    Surprisingly, Meng Qin was not angry when she saw Pang Jian staring at the two sisters behind her. Rather, she seemed used to it.

    She casually said, "Hong Jian, I''m an old acquaintance of your uncle, Hong Tai. He''s never mentioned you to me before, but Fan Liang said Hong Tai intended to let you join the Shadow Specter Sect."

    Pang Jian had already prepared a story with Luo Hongyan and replied earnestly, "I was born on the Dark Abyss Continent and only came to the Fourth World with my uncle a few years ago. Back then, I was still young and needed to focus on cultivating, so my uncle didn''t introduce me."

    "The Dark Abyss Continent?"

    "A person born in the upper world?"

    The sisters, Bai Wei and Bai Zhi, felt a deep reverence.

    Meng Qin was also a bit surprised. "I see."

    She knew that Hong Tai was a native of the upper world, but the Blood Moon Sect had driven him out and he was forced to join the Shadow Specter Sect in the lower world.

    Meng Qin did not continue her questioning, so Pang Jian did not say more to avoid revealing any ws in his story.

    After Luo Hongyan refined Hong Tai into a Spirit Devil, she learned about his background while searching for information about the Shadow Specter Sect.

    Hong Tai did have a nephew born on the Dark Abyss Continent in the Third World, but that nephew had poor cultivation talent and did not qualify to join the major sects in the Third World.

    Hong Tai was expelled from the Blood Moon Sect because he had harmed a fellow disciple while exploring a restricted area.

    Hong Tai''s expulsion from the Blood Moon Sect and his nephew''s limited talent meant Hong Tai had no choice but to bring him into the Shadow Specter Sect.

    Meng Qin then asked questions about Hong Tai, such as why he was expelled and how he tamed the ck and White King Python.

    These were secrets to outsiders, and even many insiders of the Shadow Specter Sect did not know what Hong Tai had done in the Blood Moon Sect.

    Pang Jian answered them one by one.

    "Well, you''re undoubtedly somebody close to Hong Tai, or you wouldn''t know these things. Your background isn''t an issue." Meng Qin nodded and prepared to ask Pang Jian about his cultivation realm and personal strengths.

    "Ahem!" Ling Qing coughed softly from where he was on guard outside.

    Meng Qin stopped talking and waited for Ling Qing to speak.

    "Hall Master, a Formless Sailboat from the Blood Moon Sect is approaching. I can see it with my naked eyes," Ling Qing whispered.

    Meng Qin''s expression changed. Bai Wei paled, and the slender Bai Zhi looked surprised.

    "Master, are theying for us?" Bai Wei quivered fearfully, causing her ample upper body to tremble slightly. "We''ve just arrived in Divine Fortune. Could someone already know about us?"

    "The Blood Moon Sect wouldn''t go to such lengths for us!" Meng Qin''s words were firm and resolute as she scolded her, "Use your head! We, the Shadow Specter Sect, are only active in the Fourth World. We don''t even dare to confront the seven major ns head-on. The Blood Moon Sect wouldn''t mobilize a Formless Sailboat just for us, would they?"

    The slender little sister, Bai Zhi, appeared calm as she persuaded Bai Wei, "Sister, in the eyes of the Blood Moon Sect, we''re just a group of insignificant mice. There''s no need to panic."

    "Ling Qing, you''re in charge here. If the Formless Sailboat stops and people from the Blood Moon Secte down, they''ll likelye to you for questioning. You better watch out," Meng Qin reminded him solemnly.

    "Your subordinate understands!" Ling Qing replied from outside.

    "The g on that ship bears the Blood Moon Sect''s Eye of Imprint, which can detect those with strong blood essence," Meng Qin said, calmly retrieving a yellow pill from her spatial pouch and swallowing it. "I''m at the Marrow Cleansing Realm. It''s better to take a pill to suppress my blood essence so the Eye of Imprint doesn''t sense me."

    <i>The Eye of Imprint can detect those with strong blood essence... </i>Pang Jian pondered the meaning behind Meng Qin''s words.

    Recalling how the Eye of Imprint had taken a special interest in him in the past, he coughed lightly and said, "Hall Master Meng, please give me one of those pills as well, so I can suppress my blood essence."

    "You don''t need it." Meng Qin frowned, shaking her head. "While it''s a testament to your talent and upper world origins that you reached the Meridian Opening Realm at such a young age, the Eye of Imprint can only detect those in the Marrow Cleansing Realm. Those at the Meridian Opening Realm haven''t tempered their flesh and bones, so they''re not within its sensing range."

    Pang Jian said in a low voice, "I''ve broken through recently."

    Bai Wei and Bai Zhi looked at him in disbelief.

    Meng Qin took a deep breath to calm herself.

    "When did this happen?" she asked, pretending to beposed

    "After returning from Misty Swamp Vige, I reported to Ling Qing then went into Misty Swamp to temper my marrow. My uncle left me some materials for marrow cleansing, and I was lucky," Pang Jian exined.

    "Hong Tai indeed has a good nephew." Meng Qin sighed, handing a yellow pill to Pang Jian before turning her head to re fiercely at Bai Wei and Bai Zhi. "You two useless wastes!"

    The sisters nced bitterly at Pang Jian before lowering their heads in silence.

    "If in half a year, you still can''t open up your Twelve Principal Meridians and fail to advance to the second stage of the Meridian Opening Realm, I''ll send two of you away!" Meng Qin threatened grimly.

    "No, Master!"

    "We''ll do our best to break through!"

    The two girls pleaded desperately. Neither seemed particrly confident in their ability to do so.

 Chapter 105: Forcibly Taking the Two Sisters

    <h4>Chapter 105: Forcibly Taking the Two Sisters</h4>

    The mysterious pill entered Pang Jian''s stomach.

    Pang Jian squinted as he sensed a membrane formed, covering the inside of his chest. This membrane appeared to iste the blood essence from his internal organs, muscles, and bones.

    The pill did not suppress his blood essence but merely isted it temporarily.

    While Pang Jian contemted this, the older sister, Bai Wei, approached him.

    "Hong Jian, what are the upper worlds like?" she asked, curiously examining Pang Jian. Although this cold young man was not particrly handsome, she thought he possessed a uniquely wild charm. "Are all people from the upper worlds as talented as you?"

    Her slender younger sister, Bai Zhi, also nced at Pang Jian, eyes sparkling.

    The two sisters were attractive, with graceful figures and features like paintings. They were both charming in their own way.

    Had they not taken Meng Qin as their master, their beauty and grace would have put them at great risk in any of the restricted areas in the Fourth World.

    Pang Jian thought for a moment. "Most people born in the upper worlds aren''t qualified to join sects like the Blood Moon Sect, the Star River Alliance, or the Radiant Sun Sect. The spiritual qi in the upper worlds is generally free of impurities, and sects like the Blood Moon Sect and Star River Alliance have pure, rich spiritual qi in their sects.

    "It''s much easier to cultivate in the upper worlds than down here, and even ordinary people have longer lifespans," he exined.

    He had learned this information from his conversations with Luo Hongyan and was now putting it to good use.

    "The upper worlds seem so much better," Bai Wei said longingly. She bit her lip and chuckled softly, eyes bold as she said, "Hong Jian, if we can''t break through to the second stage of the Meridian Opening Realm within half a year, shall we ask Master to give us to you?"

    Bai Zhi red sharply at Bai Wei. "Sister!"

    Between the two sisters, Bai Wei was bolder regarding matters between men and women, but more fearful and timid when faced with danger.

    In contrast, her sister did not dare discuss matters between men and women but could maintain her calm in dangerous situations.

    "I don''t have much confidence." Bai Wei sighed bitterly. She nced at where Meng Qin was staring out the window and whispered, "If we are indeed to be given away, we might as well choose someone pleasing to the eye. At least it wouldn''t be disgusting to serve them."

    Bai Zhi froze, then said, "He''s so young. Even if our Master does give us away, it would be to someone more important."

    Understanding her sister''s thought process, Bai Wei whispered in response, "We''re both over twenty, but we still haven''t even reached the second stage of the Meridian Opening Realm. This shows ourck of talent. Hong Jian is only fifteen or sixteen but has alreadypleted his marrow cleansing. If he survives, he''ll undoubtedly stand out in the Shadow Specter Sect."

    Bai Zhi mulled over Bai Wei''s words before ultimately agreeing. She scrutinized Pang Jian once more and decided that Pang Jian was eptable.

    "Bai Wei, your quick thinking never ceases to amaze me," Bai Zhi said.

    Meng Qin had been observing the happenings outside when she turned around to face them. She nced at the twin sisters, then fixed her somber gaze on Pang Jian.

    "Honestly, joining the Shadow Specter Sect is beneath someone of your talent. The most crucial step in the Marrow Cleansing Realm is the marrow cleansing process. After sessfully tempering your bones, the rest is much easier." She stroked her chin in contemtion.

    "If you can reach the refining blood stage within two years, your status within the Shadow Specter Sect will definitelye to surpass mine. If that happens, it won''t matter if I give you my two useless disciples."

    Bai Wei''s eyes lit up at Meng Qun''s words.

    Bai Zhi, on the other hand, lowered her head.

    Pang Jian looked thoughtfully at the sisters and said, "Ick the pills and beast blood to refine my blood essence."

    Meng Qin snorted. "You''re not the only one. Every cultivator in the Marrow Cleansing Realm needs resources. In the early stages of the Marrow Cleansing Realm, resources are required not only for marrow cleansing and bone tempering but also for widening one''s meridians.

    "The following stages involving the internal organs, flesh, and blood, all rely heavily on the rich vitality of beast blood and meat. The blood and meat of Rank Three Vicious Beasts are scarce for every cultivator in the Marrow Cleansing Realm. In our Fourth World, they''re always in high demand and short supply.

    "Only the seven major ns and we, the Shadow Specter Sect, can procure some. Even if rogue cultivators have the spirit stones, there''s nowhere to buy them!"

    Pang Jian remained silent.

    On hisst visit to the stronghold, he had purchased some beast blood from Ling Qing. He needed it not only for himself but also so Luo Hongyan could forge her physical body.

    However, the beast blood he bought mostly came from Rank One and Rank Two Vicious Beasts, which possessed limited vitality.

    Ling Qing had admitted to him then that most of the Vicious Beasts in Misty Swamp were only Rank One or Two. Rank Three beasts were rare in Misty Swamp, and rogue cultivators were unwilling to risk their lives hunting them.

    Only the hall masters of the Shadow Specter Sect could acquire the blood of Rank Three or higher Vicious Beasts through their connections.

    Redirecting her attention back outside, Meng Qin eximed, "Hey! That''s a Blood Moon Sect beast-hunting sailboat! A beast-hunting sailboat should have a lot of Vicious Beast blood and meat."

    An idea shed through Pang Jian''s mind.

    Luo Hongyan told him that disciples in sects like the Star River Alliance, the Red Mountain Sect, and the Radiant Sun Sect often used blood-enhancing pills and spiritual power to refine their internal organs and flesh afterpleting their marrow cleansing.

    The Blood Moon Sect, on the other hand, used the blood of Vicious and Spirit Beasts, collecting it into blood pools for disciples in the Marrow Cleansing Realm to cultivate with.

    The Formless Sailboats from the Blood Moon Sect would expressly venture into areas frequented by Vicious Beasts to hunt and collect their blood and meat.

    Part of the beast blood and meat that the Blood Moon Sect harvested were used for their disciples'' cultivation, and the remainder was sold to outsiders.

    Thus, Pang Jian became quite excited when he heard the sailboat approaching them was a beast-hunting sailboat from the Blood Moon Sect.

    A wave of energy suddenly red out above the stronghold, covering everyone inside.

    The wave of energy came from the Eye of Imprint, searching for those with strong bodies at or above the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    Amanding voice rang out, "Everyonee out!"

    Meng Qin paled. ncing over at Bai Wei and Bai Zhi, she sighed. "Let''s hope we can get through this safely."

    She had not expected the Blood Moon Sect to act unpredictably this time and demand that everyone leave their houses.

    "Hong Jian, no one can hide from the Eye of Imprint. It can tell how many people are hiding in each house. However, it won''t be able to detect our cultivation realm. You should be careful." With that, Meng Qin opened the door and led Bai Wei and Bai Zhi outside.

    When Bai Wei stepped out, she covered her mouth in shock. Her eyes filled with fear as she cried, "Ling Qing!"

    Pang Jian was trailing behind, and when he stepped out of the wooden house, he saw a man in Blood Moon Sect''s uniform stepping on Ling Qing''s neck, forcing him to kneel on the ground.

    The skinny Ling Qing had a cultivation realm at the second stage of the Meridian Opening Realm. He was themander of this stronghold. Regardless, he was made to kneel with his head lowered while facing Pang Jian, Meng Qin, and the others.

    "You built these wooden houses and created a gathering ce for rogue cultivators, yet you im to know nothing?" scoffed a pale man with a long beard. This man was Fei Zheng. "I don''t believe that no one from the Ouyang n''s territories has escaped to this ce, or that no rogue cultivators seeking refuge have settled here!"

    "There''s truly nobody!" Ling Qing stammered, keeping his head low.

    Fei Zheng''s foot pressed further into Ling Qing''s neck as he sneered, "If you know nothing, then what''s the point of this stronghold? Also, I heard a man named Hong Tai appeared in Misty Swamp and tamed a ck and White King Python. Is that true?"

    ''Yes, it''s true. But he hasn''t been here for a long time. He probably came to Misty Swamp just to capture the ck and White King Python."

    "Speaking of which, I happen to be an old acquaintance of Hong Tai," Fei Zheng said with a strange smile. He patted Ling Qing harshly on the back, causing him to scream in pain as his bones fractured.

    Fei Zheng then caught sight of Bai Wei and Bai Zhi as they stepped out from behind Meng Qin. Eyes gleaming, he pointed to the two sisters and said, "You two,e here. I have a great opportunity for you. One that could take you to the upper worlds."

    Not long ago, Bai Wei had expressed her eagerness to go to the upper worlds, but Fei Zheng''s words filled her with fear.

    The sisters looked at Meng Qin for guidance.

    The hand Meng Qin rested on her cane trembled slightly as she whispered, "Go ahead."

    The Formless Sailboat hovered above Fei Zheng. He was the only one to disembark, but no one knew how many more Blood Moon Sect members remained onboard.

    "Oh, you''re their guardian, right?" Fei Zheng questioned, finally noticing Meng Qin. He shot her a casual smile. "We at the Blood Moon Sect are not unreasonable. Here, these are ten spirit stones, consider it payment. I have an elder who likes beautiful pairs of sisters. This is their fortune, so don''t worry about them."

    "I''m not worried. I believe the elder will take good care of them," Meng Qin replied in a strained voice.

    From where Pang Jian stood behind her, he could see that Meng Qin''s back was trembling. It was unclear whether it was from anger or fear.

    "You''re sensible. Good," Fei Zheng said with a faint smile. When the pale-faced Bai Wei and Bai Zhi arrived in front of him, he grabbed each of them by the hand, then told them, "I''ll take you to Divine Fortune City first. After meeting the people from the Shangguan n, I''ll take you to the upper worlds for a better life."

    As members of the Shadow Specter Sect, the two sisters understood what it meant to leave with the Blood Moon Sect. The prospect left them too terrified even to speak.

    They peered at Meng Qin with pleading eyes.

    Meng Qin was hunched over, still trembling slightly as she lowered her head helplessly. She could not meet their gaze.

    The sisters fell into despair. They did not beg for help from anyone else and simply bowed their heads in resignation.

    "Pay attention, we''re leaving!" Fei Zheng called out. With a tight grasp on the sisters, he leaped up toward the hovering Formless Sailboat andnded on its deck.

    Pang Jian looked up and saw the familiar blood-red crescent moon emblem on the ck g fluttering above the Formless Sailboat.

    At that moment, he truly felt the immense influence the cultivators from the upper worlds wielded over those in the lower worlds. It reminded him of themanding presence exerted by disciples from the Demon Sect, the Sword Pavilion, and the ck Valley Sect as they stood on the raised tforms, casting their dominance over the rest.

    This was a gathering area for rogue cultivators, and as long as the Formless Sailboat was present, the members of the Blood Moon Sect could do as they pleased.

    Everyone could only silently endure while swallowing their anger.

    Even Meng Qin, the hall master of the Shadow Specter Sect, could only ept everything with silent resignation and resentment.

    Under the crowd of fearful and anxious stares, the Formless Sailboat flew toward the Shangguan n''s Divine Fortune City.

 Chapter 106: Pang Jians Proposal!

    <h4>Chapter 106: Pang Jian''s Proposal!</h4>

    Ling Qing leaned against the wooden wall in a crude wooden house, gritting his teeth in pain with a soft whimper.

    Meng Qin''s thin, withered hand was holding her cane so tightly that veins were protruding.

    The atmosphere was unbearably heavy.

    The new hall master of the Shadow Specter Sect was seething with rage. Ling Qing was severely injured and her disciples, Bai Wei and Bai Zhi, had been forcibly taken by the Blood Moon Sect. Even so, she could not afford to retaliate.

    Pang Jian stood nearby, taking it all in. He now understood the immense power and influence sects like the Blood Moon Sect had over the cultivators in the Fourth World.

    The Shadow Specter Sect has been in constant conflict with the seven major ns and usually fought fiercely with them. Yet, when confronted by someone from the upper world¡¯s Blood Moon Sect, even someone like Meng Qin, a hall master, didn''t consider resisting from start to finish. The deep-rooted deterrence of the sects from the upper worlds was deeply engrained in the inhabitants of the Fourth World!

    After a while, Ling Qing said through gritted teeth, "Hall Master, it seems the Blood Moon Sect is also unaware of the exact cause behind the catastrophe urring in the Ouyang n''s fragmentednds."

    He avoided mentioning Bai Wei''s and Bai Zhi''s abduction to spare Meng Qin further embarrassment.

    <i>So, the catastrophe urred in the fragmentednds within the Ouyang n''s territory...</i>

    Pang Jian now knew the exact location of the catastrophe. The rising murky energy from the Fifth World had led to the near extinction of all life in those fragmentednds.

    The Ouyang n and Shangguan n had ties to the Blood Moon Sect, and their respective territories were adjacent. The Formless Sailboat tasked with capturing Vicious Beasts had likelye to Divine Fortune City to investigate.

    Meng Qin said nothing in response.

    Seeing this, Ling Qing asked with a pained expression, "Hall Master, what should we do next?"

    "What can we do?" Meng Qin squeezed her cane with two hands and said grimly, "They''re from the Blood Moon Sect. They''re far superior to Shangguan Dong in Divine Fortune City! The person who injured you is also at the Marrow Cleansing Realm. Not to mention, we have no idea how many people are on that sailboat or what their cultivation realms are!"

    Ling Qing sighed and nodded. "I understand."

    "Hall Master, we could raid that beast-hunting sailboat, rescue your two disciples, and seize the beast''s blood and meat on board," Pang Jian suggested.

    He required a lot of blood and flesh brimming with strong vitality for his cultivation and for Luo Hongyan to reforge her physical body. Additionally, he sensed the ck turtle within the bronze pendant would need abundant blood essences to be reborn.

    Pang Jian had only joined the Shadow Specter Sect to obtain high-grade beast blood through the hall master''s connections. Now, with the knowledge that the beast-hunting sailboat held arge amount of beast blood and meat, he could not help but be tempted.

    Ling Qing stared at Pang Jian in shock. "Raid the Blood Moon Sect''s beast-hunting sailboat?! Kid, do you know what you''re saying?"

    Meng Qin was equally shocked. She took a deep breath and said. "You certainly have guts,ing from the upper worlds! Since its inception, the Shadow Specter Sect has only fought against the seven major ns and has never dared to provoke sects in the upper world! You dare to have such audacious ideas!"

    In her eyes, if the Shadow Specter Sect truly provoked sects like the Blood Moon Sect or the Star River Alliance, they would be mercilessly eradicated from the Fourth World.

    Thus, even when her disciples were forcibly taken, she could only swallow her anger and did not consider attacking the beast-hunting sailboat.

    Pang Jian exined his thought process, "If the murky energy of the Fifth World has contaminated the fragmentednds in the Ouyang n''s territory, Divine Fortune may not escape unscathed either. In such a scenario, the Shadow Specter Sect, the Shangguan n in Divine Fortune City, and the Blood Moon Sect''s emissaries could all perish here.

    "Under these circumstances, even if something happens to a Blood Moon Sect beast-hunting sailboat, the me would not necessarily fall on the Shadow Specter Sect!"

    Meng Qin''s and Ling Qing''s faces turned serious at the mention of murky energy.

    <i>Squeak! Squeak!</i>

    Meng Qin unconsciously tightened her grip on the cane.

    "Raid the beast-hunting sailboat, raid the beast-hunting sailboat..." she repeated, eyes glinting fiercely. Meng Qin stood up abruptly. "I need to find out how many Marrow Cleansing Realm experts from the Blood Moon Sect are on that sailboat! Also, we can''t do this alone. I need to consult the Sect Leader and gather forces in Divine Fortune City!"

    Ling Qing was stunned. "Hall Master Meng, you are not serious, are you?"

    Meng Qin recalled the sight of her two disciples pleading with their eyes¡ªhow she could only lower her head and avoid their gazes¡ªand felt a spark reignite within her. Instead of answering Ling Qing''s question, she turned to Pang Jian to seriously ask him, "Hong Jian, do you dare to attack the Blood Moon Sect beast-hunting sailboat?"

    "Yes, I dare!"

    "Good! From now on, you''re a member of the Shadow Specter Sect!" she dered. "If by any chance this n actually seeds, I''ll let you choose between Bai Wei and Bai Zhi."

    "I''m more interested in the beast blood¡ª"

    "Hmph!" Meng Qin snorted, staring at Pang Jian as though she could see through him. "Don''t be too greedy, young man. Even if you want both, your body can''t handle it. That''s settled then! Ling Qing, you stay here and keep an eye on the Ouyang n''s fragmentednds. Hong Jian,e with me to Misty Swamp Vige!

    "I''ll have Fan Liang inform our people in Divine Fortune City to determine the cultivation realms of the Blood Moon Sect members on that beast-hunting sailboat, as well as its final docking location. I''ll also consult with the Sect Leader to see if this n has any chance of sess,"

    Now that her mind was made up, excitement surged through Meng Qin, leaving her eager to take action.

    Her age and rtively low ranking among the hall masters of the Shadow Specter Sect hall masters meant she was always at risk of being reced.

    She had reached her limit in her cultivation, making further advancement difficult. If she could not contribute to the sect in some significant way, she would struggle to maintain her position despite the Sect Leader''s trust.

    Raiding Blood Moon Sect beast-hunting sailboat was a high-stakes gamble in her twilight years. If she failed, she would die in the fragmentednds of Divine Fortune. But if she seeded, she could firmly reestablish herself in the Shadow Specter Sect!

    "Hall Master, I left some things in Misty Swamp. Let me retrieve them, and I''ll meet you in Misty Swamp Vige," Pang Jian said.

    "Very well." Meng Qin nodded in agreement.

    ***

    Pang Jian traveled without rest, and half a dayter, he arrived at the cave where Luo Hongyan was reforging her physical body.

    He then faithfully recounted the events that had transpired at the stronghold and exined his n.

    "If we sessfully raid the beast-hunting sailboat, we can solve all our problems in one go. And you won''tck the beast blood you need for reforging your physical body," he concluded.

    The blood pool filled with the blood of Rank One and Rank Two Vicious Beasts was now very shallow.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The enchanting figure of Luo Hongyan, shrouded in a mist of blood and wrapped in an illusory crimson gown, flew out from the mouth of a white jade bottle to hover gracefully above the blood pool. Her body had already formed red crystalline bones, but her internal organs had yet to develop.

    A captivating smile appeared on her stunning face. "You''re bing moreposed and cool-headed. I''m pleased. Back in the City Lord''s Mansion in Eight Trigrams City, even though I warned you about Qi Qingsong being a disciple of the Sword Pavilion, you still recklessly attacked him."

    Pang Jian felt slightly embarrassed.

    The first time he attacked Qi Qingsong was indeed impulsive. He had acted based on his promise to Zhou Qingchen and attacked without knowing the true strength of a disciple from the Sword Pavilion.

    At that time, he was only at the Meridian Opening Realm.

    That was his most impulsive act to date, and Qi Qingsong''s spirit sword had almost been the end of him.

    When Pang Jian stood there awkwardly in response, Luo Hongyan smiled sweetly and encouraged him, "However, I havee to appreciate you more precisely because of your impulsiveness and passion. You''ve only just left the mountains, so you should have some youthful vigor!

    "This time, you did very well. Instead of acting recklessly, you watched the beast-hunting sailboat leave and even mobilized the power of the Shadow Specter Sect.

    "Yes, you did very well. You evene back to discuss it with me. With my help, our chances of sess will be much higher. When the timees for the actual operation, you should wear a spatial bracelet since a spatial pouch can''t hold much beast blood and meat."

    Luo Hongyan nodded in satisfaction. "Pang Jian, I''m very happy to see your growth."

    ***

    In Misty Swamp Vige, Fan Liang conveyed the findings of their investigations to Meng Qin.

    "Reporting to Hall Master, we''ve found out that there are four Marrow Cleansing Realm experts on that Blood Moon Sect beast-hunting sailboat. Their leader is called Fei Zheng. He is at thete stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm and is likely to advance to the Innate Realm soon.

    "Shangguan Dong arranged for them to stay in arge mansion in Divine Fortune City. They have no intention of leaving any time soon and are currently indulging within the city. We''ve also discovered that Fei Zheng instructed Shangguan Dong to send someone to the Ouyang n''s territory to survey the situation."

    Fan Liang paused, hesitating briefly before continuing, "Hall Master, Fei Zheng ns to offer your two disciples as a tribute to Elder Jiu Yuan of the Blood Moon Sect."

    With his report concluded, Fan Liang silently gazed at Meng Qin in the dim hall while waiting for her response. A newfound respect bloomed within him. He had not expected her to take action against the Blood Moon Sect for the sake of her two disciples.

    Meng Qin considered Fan Liang''s words, stilling as their meaning dawned on her. "Jiu Yuan? Are you sure it''s Jiu Yuan?"

    Fan Liang nodded with a bitter smile. "Hall Master, you''ve probably guessed it too. Jiu Yuan is the only one in the Blood Moon Sect who enjoys torturing and killing sisters. And we know about him thanks to Hong Tai."

    "Jiu Yuan!" Meng Qin growled, her resolve only growing stronger. "I would rather see Bai Wei and Bai Zhi die in Divine Fortune City than be sent to Jiu Yuan!"

    Fan Liang sighed. "Hall Master, should I arrange to have them poisoned to save them from that fate?"

    "No! Don''t do that until the veryst! Let me think...four Marrow Cleansing Realm experts..." Meng Qin frowned in deep thought. "Initiate the Ghost Altar rituals! I''ll report to the Sect Leader and request a Marrow Cleansing Realm expert to be dispatched to the Divine Fortune immediately!"

    "Are we really going to do this?" Fan Liang asked in shock.

    Meng Qin nodded heavily, eyes filled with determination. "I''m old, and this may be thest impulsive act of my life. Those girls'' parents entrusted me to take good care of them before they died. No matter what happens, whether we can save them or not, at least I tried."

    Fan Liang shouted, "Then let''s do it!"

    <i>Knock knock!</i>

    A knock sounded on the door. After receiving permission, a Shadow Specter Sect member entered. "Hong Jian is here."

    Meng Qin nodded and said to Fan Liang, "That young man has potential. When I was at the stronghold at Misty Swamp, I epted him into our Shadow Specter Sect. Now, he''s one of us."

    "Should I arrange for him to stay or bring him to you?" Fan Liang asked.

    "Have him stay for now. I need to perform the Ghost Altar ritual to report to the Sect Leader. I''ll meet with him once our reinforcements arrive."

    "Understood."

 Chapter 107: Discussion Among the Hall Masters

    <h4>Chapter 107: Discussion Among the Hall Masters</h4>

    Night fell on the Shadow Specter Sect''s stronghold within Misty Swamp Vige.

    Under the light of an oilmp, Pang Jian set down a fractured Earth ze Stone and squinted to sense the newly formed fiery pool in his spiritual sea.

    <i>It''s a pity my spiritual sea isn''t filled with the tainted energy of the Fifth World. If it were, the power of the Earth ze Technique would be enough to annihte even the strongest Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators.</i> He sighed regretfully.

    The aplishment of killing Yuan Lengshan with three beams of light in the City Lord''s Mansion in Eight Trigrams City was reliant on the dense, murky energy in the darkness.

    Although Pang Jian had triedbining the earthme energy from the fiery pool with his spiritual power, the resulting power was far inferior to the effects of the tainted energy.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian took out a bottle containing the blood of a Rank Two Ice Armor Beast from his spatial pouch and gulped it down.

    A surge of potent blood essence formed in his stomach.

    He then promptly circted his spiritual power,bining the vigorous blood essence with his spiritual power and directing it through his meridians to nourish his internal organs.

    Although cleansing one''s bones and marrow was crucial in the Marrow Cleansing Realm, this was only true in the early stage. The middle stage, on the other hand, was focused on strengthening one''s internal organs.

    Using the vigorous blood essence in beasts'' blood to invigorate the internal organs also extended one''s lifespan.

    "Reaching this stage will ensure a long life, and prevent one from dying of old age," Pang Jian muttered mockingly as he recalled Sun Bin''s words.

    An hourter, he had fully absorbed the blood essences from the bottle of Rank Two Ice Armor Beast''s blood.

    Taking out the remaining six bottles of beast blood from his storage ring and arranging them in front of him, Pang Jian shook his head.

    <i>It''s not enough.</i>

    Only one of the six bottles came from a Rank Two wind-element Spirit Beast, while the rest were from Rank One Vicious Beasts.

    <i>ng!</i>

    A sound of ss hitting wood rang out from a nearby cab.

    Startled, Pang Jian opened the cab door and retrieved a white jade porcin bottle bundled in cloth.

    The Crystal Snow Lotus within the bottle had fewer jade-like lotus leaves than before. Luo Hongyan''s beautiful, shrunken figure sat on top of the lotus.

    Pang Jian opened the bottle''s stopper, releasing a strong, bloody scent.

    Without leaving the porcin bottle, she asked, "What did the Shadow Specter Sect say?"

    "I''ve been here for two days, and no one has summoned me yet," Pang Jian replied honestly.

    "They haven''t decided yet?" Luo Hongyan paused, knitting her brows, and said, "Pour all six bottles of beast blood into this porcin bottle. Pang Jian, now that I''ve started to reforge my physical body, I can''t stop."

    "Understood." Pang Jian unhesitatingly poured all six bottles of beast blood into the white jade porcin bottle.

    Despite that, only a small pool of blood formed at the bottom of Luo Hongyan''s bottle.

    The Crystal Snow Lotus floated above the blood pool and absorbed the beast''s blood with its remaining lotus leaves to help Luo Hongyan temper her crystalline bones.

    Luo Hongyan sighed frustratedly. "Ah, despite having spirit jade and spirit stones, I can''t acquire Rank Three Vicious Beast''s blood in the lower world. It was an oversight on my part. Without the Blood Moon Sect''s blood pool, I''ll need to purify the impurities from the blood in this bottle. What a hassle.

    "I hope the Shadow Specter Sectes to a decision soon. Otherwise, you''ll have a tough time hunting Vicious Beasts for me in the vast Misty Swamp."

    Pang Jian nodded.

    Sensing someone approaching, Luo Hongyan whispered, "Put the stopper back on and return this bottle to the cab."

    Pang Jian followed her instructions, recing the stopper and putting the porcin bottle back in the cab. He then covered it with cloth and closed the cab''s door.

    "Little Brother Hong!" Fan Liang called softly from outside. "Hall Master Meng requests your presence!"

    "Coming." Pang Jian headed out.

    "Hong Jian, let me quickly brief you on the situation," Fan Liang said as they walked. "Five people have arrived, all in the Marrow Cleansing Realm. Two of them are Hall Masters..."

    Pang Jian listened attentively.

    In the Shadow Specter Sect, there was the Sect Leader, followed by nine Hall Masters, and below them weremanders.

    The previous Hall Master of Divine Fortune Hong Tai, and the current was Meng Qin. Both of them were in the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    Fan Liang, Ling Qing, and thete Xu Rui weremanders under their Hall Masters and were mostly in the Meridian Opening Realm.

    Below them were ordinary Shadow Specter Sect members, generally at the Qi Nurturing Realm.

    "One of the Hall Masters is called Yang Yuansen while the other is called Zhao Ling..."

    Pang Jian silently memorized the names.

    Following Fan Liang''s lead, he soon arrived at a hall illuminated by gemstones instead of the usual oilmps.

    After respectfully greeting the people inside, Fan Liang left.

    "Hong Jian,e here," Meng Qin beckoned him from within the hall.

    Besides Meng Qin, there were five other strangers in the hall.

    As Pang Jian walked toward her, he sized up the strangers, trying to match them with the names Fan Liang had told him.

    "These are Hall Masters Yang Yuansen and Zhao Ling," Before he could figure it out, Meng Qin introduced two of them to Pang Jian. She then pointed to Pang Jian. "This is Hong Tai''s nephew, Hong Jian."

    "Heh, Hong Tai was unlucky. He led a group to the Solitary Mountain Range in Northern Qi, but it resulted in the death of Jin Yang," sneered a robust man with a shaved head, loose robes, and two elderly men nking him.

    This man was Yang Yuansen, and Pang Jian could sense he was still in his prime.

    Yang Yuansen continued, "I heard Jin Yang was someone important from the Third World, and our Sect Leader was tasked to take care of him. The Sect Leader now has to exin this situation to the upper world. Luckily for Hong Tai, he''s dead, or the Sect Leader would''ve held him ountable!"

    "Elder Meng, you''re not young anymore, yet here you are, taking such a big risk. I never thought you''d consider going against the Blood Moon Sect!" said an athletic woman wearing a light purple dress. The woman stood leaning against a pir in the hall, and her long, straight legs were strikingly beautiful.

    This woman in her early twenties was Zhao Ling. Her appearance was not only outstanding but she also exuded an intimidating aura. Her eyebrows nted down like daggers, giving the impression that she was extremely battle-hungry.

    "We''re all at the Marrow Cleansing Realm Realm and need high-grade beast blood and meat, but it''s hard to request from the Sect Leader. Even the Sect Leader seems to struggle with them and sometimes doesn''t respond to the request at all," Meng Qin replied, redirecting their focus to personal interests.

    Zhao Ling sighed. "That''s true. I prepared some spirit stones to exchange for high-grade beast blood and meat with the Sect Leader, but he didn''t even reply."

    Yang Yuansen grunted. "I don''t know the exact reasons, but it seems our Sect Leader has a rough time getting things from the Blood Moon Sect."

    "Exactly. That''s why the Sect Leader was very interested when I mentioned raiding the Blood Moon Sect''s beast-hunting sailboat," Meng Qin said.

    Zhao Ling eyed Pang Jian coldly. "What we''re discussing is confidential. Even if he''s Hong Tai''s nephew, he has no right to be here listening to our ns!"

    "Yeah, why''s this kid here?" Yang Yuansen alsoined.

    Meng Qin calmly replied, "Like us, he is also at the Marrow Cleansing Realm."

    Zhao Ling and Yang Yuansen were taken aback and regarded Pang Jian seriously for the first time since he entered.

    Yang Yuansen sized Pang Jian up with a strange smile. "Such a young Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator is unprecedented in our Shadow Specter Sect. Elder Meng, you now also have a Marrow Cleansing Realm subordinate! Haha, Hong Tai was mediocre, but he has a talented nephew!"

    Then, as if suddenly recalling something, he pped his thigh and said, "Zhao Ling, with him joining our Shadow Specter Sect, he''s be our youngest Marrow Cleansing Realm member! If I remember correctly, you were twenty when you advanced to the Marrow Cleansing Realm, right?"

    Zhao Ling snorted. "So what?"

    "Heh, nothing, nothing. It''s just that you''ve always lorded your age over us, but now it seems you can''t do that anymore," Yang Yuansen said with a dryugh.

    Seeing the two about to argue, Meng Qin intervened, "Let''s get down to business!"

    "Alright, let''s talk business! Elder Meng, I need to rify that I agreed to join this mission for a reason!" The bald Yang Yuansen shouted, staring directly into Meng Qin''s eyes. "If this mission seeds, aside from my share of loot, your two female disciples must be mine! The three of us will take care of Fei Zheng from the Blood Moon Sect! If you disagree, you can find another hall master to help you. I''ll back out!"

    Meng Qin frowned.

    "Elder Meng, you know me. I''m just a womanizer, but I won''t do anything as cruel as torturing and killing them. Besides, we''re all in the Shadow Specter Sect. If they follow me, you can still see them often. If they''re handed over to Jiu Yuan of the Blood Moon Sect, you know better than I do what their fate will be."

    Meng Qin''s frown deepened at the mention of Jiu Yuan.

    No other hall master in the Shadow Specter Sect could mobilize three Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators at once, and Yang Yuansen was in thete stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm, making him one of the strongest.

    Zhao Ling crossed her long legs, took out a map of Divine Fortune City, and nced down at it disdainfully."Yang Yuansen, is that all you aspire to? No wonder you''ve been stuck at the Marrow Cleansing Realm for so long. With your mind always on women, you deserve to stay in the lower world forever!"

    "Hehe, Zhao Ling, if you agreed to be with me, I wouldn''t need those sisters. I''ll give up all my women for you." Yang Yuansen''s lecherous gaze lingered on her long legs before moving up to her ample chest. "I have average talent, but you, Zhao Ling, are exceptional. If we had a child, they''d surely make a name for themselves in the upper worlds!"

    Zhao Ling did not even spare him a nce. She kept her eyes on the map in her hand as she let out a coldugh.

    "To me, you''re as useless as Hong Tai. You maintain a middle-aged appearance after reaching the Marrow Cleansing Realm, but you''re actually over seventy years old. I would''ve already left the Shadow Specter Sect at your age and made a name for myself in the Third World. Do you really think you''re worthy of having a child with me?" Zhao Ling mocked.

    Yang Yuansen''s face darkened,ughing sinisterly before ring at Meng Qin. "Elder Meng, what do you think?"

    "I agree." Meng Qin said through gritted teeth. She then looked helplessly at Pang Jian and sighed.

    Pang Jian remained silent.

    He needed high-grade beast blood and was not interested in Bai Wei and Bai Zhi, so there was no reason for him to protest

    With that sorted, the group discussed possible ns, with Pang Jian listening quietly.

    He learned there were four Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators on the Blood Moon Sect''s beast-hunting sailboat.

    The strongest among them was Fei Zheng as he was just one step away from the Innate Realm.

    The Blood Moon Sect aside, Shangguan Dong, the City Lord of Divine Fortune City, was also in the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    There were several Meridian Opening Realm cultivators in the city as well.

    The discussion in the hall gradually grew heated.

    Yang Yuansen proposed attacking the Formless Sailboat after it left Divine Fortune City. He believed theirbined strength was enough to kill all four Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators and the remaining Meridian Opening Realm cultivators.

    Zhao Ling, on the other hand, suggested theyunch their attack within Divine Fortune City, preferably when the four Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators were scattered.

    She rmended raiding the mansion where the Formless Sailboat was docked, seizing the beast''s blood and meat, rescuing the pair of sisters, and leaving without engaging the Blood Moon Sect in a prolonged fight.

    Divine Fortune City wasrge and dense, making it easier to escape.

    Outside the Divine City was a vast in, ill-suited for running and hiding.

    "Hong Jian, what do you think?" Meng Qin asked.

    "I prefer to attack within the city. If there are unknown dangers on the beast-hunting sailboat, it''s easier to hide and retreat from inside Divine Fortune City," Pang Jian replied.

    He did not believe the Shadow Specter Sect knew everything, so he preferred to have a backup n.

    Zhao Ling nodded slightly and her gaze toward Pang Jian softened. "You''re more reliable than that old fool Hong Tai. I worked with him once, and he almost got me killed!"

    Pang Jian now understood why she initially had shown hostility toward him.

    "What do you think about attacking inside the city?" Meng Qin asked Yang Yuansen.

    "Whatever." Yang Yuansenughed indifferently. "As long as we''re dealing with the Blood Moon Sect, I don''t care if it''s inside or outside the city. I''m just eager to get started."

    "Alright, let''s go over the details." Meng Qin nodded.

 Chapter 108: Scouting Divine Fortune City

    <h4>Chapter 108: Scouting Divine Fortune City</h4>

    Zhao Ling moved gracefully to the center of the hall and ced a map of Divine Fortune City on a long table. She then called softly, "Mr. Wu."

    Wu Yi had been sitting quietly in a corner and stood up when she called him.

    Pang Jian nced over and saw a middle-aged man dressed like a schr and holding a feather fan.

    "Everyone,e and have a look," Wu Yi beckoned.

    Pang Jian, Meng Qin, and Yang Yuansen moved toward the long table.

    The two men behind Yang Yuansen remained motionless, like cold, hard statues.

    Wu Yi pointed at a circled spot on the map with his feather fan. "This is the mansion where the beast-hunting sailboat is docked. Divine Fortune City¡¯syout is no different from most cities in the Fourth World. Four main streets connect to the city gates in the east, south, west, and north, dividing the city into four districts..."

    He continued to exin to the group.

    Pang Jian leaned in,mitting the map to memory, trying not to miss any details.

    "The eastern district houses the Shangguan n and other influential figures affiliated with them. The Blood Moon Sect''s ship is docked at one of these luxurious mansions.

    "The western district is where themoners live, and most of our informants within the city are based here.

    "The northern district is home to the families of the Shangguan n''s loyal retainers. The retainers themselves stay in this area when not out on duty.

    "The southern district is where rogue cultivators gather. It''s filled with shops, taverns, and inns. Those whoe to hunt Vicious Beasts in Misty Swamp or pass through Divine Fortune City generally operate in this area."

    Wu Yi continued to point out key locations and even informed them that the eastern gate had the strongest defenses while the western gate was the least guarded.

    Apart from Yang Yuansen, who was only pretending to listen, the rest were attentive to Wu Yi''s words.

    Pang Jian, in particr, had a sharp, focused look as if he were ingraining the map in his mind.

    Wu Yi was surprised to see Pang Jian''s intense focus.

    An idea struck him, and he smiled. "Hong Jian, right?"

    Pang Jian nodded.

    "Here is the Blood Moon Sect''s stronghold. If you were our leader, what would you do?" Wu Yi asked, wanting to test Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian stared at the map on the table as he considered the situation. "It depends on our main goal. Are we trying to seize their resources? Or are we aiming to kill them?"

    "We need to rescue people too!" Meng Qin interjected, her gaze lingering on Pang Jian.

    <i>This kid saw that I agreed to Yang Yuansen''s demand to hand over Bai Wei and Bai Zhi, so he''s not even considering rescuing them. Truly cold-blooded and pragmatic,</i> she thought.

    "Killing them isn''t the main objective. Our main goal is to seize the beast''s blood and meat. Rescuing people is...secondary." Wu Yi smiled.

    "Then there''s no need to block the exits of the mansion. We should create as much chaos as possible. We can have our people poison the well and food supplies in advance. When we make our move, it would be best if Divine Fortune City is thrown into chaos. Our operations will be much easier if the different districts are set aze and violent disturbances break out."

    After the events in Eight Trigrams City, and with Luo Hongyan''s recent influence, Pang Jian had be more adept at handling such matters.

    When he finished speaking, he noticed everyone had fallen silent, prompting him to look up.

    Meng Qin, Zhao Ling, and Yang Yuansen shot him strange looks.

    Wu Yi''s eyes, however, lit up.

    "Hong Tai, that bastard, has raised a nephew just as cunning and ruthless as he was!" Yang Yuansen sneered. "I only thought of blocking the doors and leading people in for a night raid. But you suggest poisoning, creating chaos, and inciting a riot in Divine Fortune City. These ideas must havee from Hong Tai, right?"

    Pang Jian did not answer.

    Zhao Ling''s sharp eyes flickered with a strange light, staring deeply at Pang Jian before she asked, "Mr. Wu, what do you think?"

    "My thought process is simr. We only need a few minor adjustments, but I agree with his approach overall." Wu Yi nodded to Pang Jian with a look of appreciation. "As expected of someone from the upper world, your nning is indeed prehensive."

    Meng Qin snapped out of her daze and said, "Hong Jian, you may leave now."

    "Hall Master Meng, could I have a few more of those pills that suppress blood essence?" Pang Jian requested.

    "What do you need them for?" Meng Qin asked in surprise.

    "I n to go to Divine Fortune City to scout the area. I need to familiarize myself with the area because maps can only tell so much, and I need to understand the situation on the ground," Pang Jian replied.

    Wu Yi''s appreciation for him grew even more.

    "Oh, alright." Meng Qin handed him a few yellow pills and reminded him, "You only need to take them near the Formless Sailboat. They onlyst for half an hour. Unless you''re engaging inbat, others won''t be able to detect your true cultivation realm, so there''s no need to be overly cautious."

    Pang Jian nodded, took the pills, and left.

    "Elder Meng, when did he advance to the Marrow Cleansing Realm? Does he have anybat experience?" Zhao Ling questioned as soon as Pang Jian disappeared. "We need to know if he can y his part or if he''ll hold us back."

    "I think he advanced about half a month ago," Meng Qin replied.

    "Just advanced? Did Hong Tai previously assign him elsewhere for training?" Zhao Ling shook her head in disappointment. We can''t rely on him to help share the burden. No matter how smart a new Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator is or how cautious he acts, withoutbat experience, he''ll be of little use against those Blood Moon Sect members. Let''s just hope he doesn''t get scared senseless."

    "Heh, it''s a pity Hong Tai died early and didn''t have the chance to limate him to the harsh battlefield of our Shadow Specter Sect." Yang Yuansenughed. "Zhao Ling, you''re still our youngest Marrow Cleansing Realm expert. You should be able to hold your own."

    Yang Yuansen''s words implied Pang Jian''s chances of survival in this battle were slim.

    ***

    Using the token Fan Liang had given him, Pang Jian easily entered Divine Fortune City through the west gate that evening.

    As he walked along the dirty streets, looking at the small houses built with gray, blue, ck, and white stones, Pang Jian felt a mix of emotions.

    Themoners in the western district wore shabby clothes and lived in small houses, keeping busy day after day as they lived in a state of ignorance.

    They either made clothes to be sold to the cultivators in the city or worked on newly reimednd outside the city, growing crops in exchange for silver coins.

    Despite a lifetime of hard work, most did not live past fifty.

    Most of them never even had the opportunity to leave the fragmentednds of Divine Fortune, let alone consider the upper world.

    Pang Jian thought about how he had left Northern Qi and could now move about Divine Fortune City as a cultivator. He had also visited the Fifth World''s Eight Trigrams City and witnessed the might of those Fifth World inhabitants.

    As he considered this, Pang Jian suddenly felt he was quite fortunate.

    Pang Jian was dressed neatly with clean hands. The members of the street gangs were all cunning individuals, and one nce was enough for them to realize he was on the path of cultivation.

    Thus, no one dared to provoke him. They only wondered why he had not entered through a different gate.

    After wandering around the western district andparing theyout with the map in his mind, Pang Jian headed to the southern district.

    The southern district was noticeably more lively.

    The streets were bustling with rogue cultivators, and loud voices came from the taverns, shops, and inns on both sides.

    This was entirely different from the streets in Eight Trigrams City.

    "Finally, a ce with some liveliness," Pang Jian muttered as he randomly entered a shop.

    When he left, he had added several Earth ze Stones to his spatial pouch, but his attempt to purchase beast blood and meat was unsessful.

    He learned from the shopkeeper that the Shangguan n controlled the sale of beast blood and meat. They bought the blood and meat of Vicious Beasts that rogue cultivators hunted in Misty Swamp at a low price, and these were also the main tributes the Shangguan n offered to the Blood Moon Sect.

    The shopkeeper also told him that beast blood and meat were avable in several towns outside Divine Fortune City and some strongholds within Misty Swamp, so he suggested he try there.

    Pang Jian continued to wander around the southern district, visiting different shops and acquiring poisons and toxic powders.

    As he passed a pavilion filled withughter from women, standing on a street corner, he spotted a familiar figure.

    Fei Zheng from the Blood Moon Sect.

    Fei Zheng was sat by a window upstairs in the pavilion. Several people in fine clothes ttered him while he drank and reveled in their attention.

    Each of these people had a beautiful woman by their side, and they frequently offered a toast to Fei Zheng from the Blood Moon Sect.

    City guards dressed in the Shangguan n''s uniform stood guard at the entrance, not allowing anyone to enter. The pavilion seemed to be reserved exclusively for Fei Zheng.

    ncing at the sign, Pang Jian noted the name: Fragrance Pavilion.

    Fei Zheng, with his flushed face and drunken eyes, enjoyed the ttery of the local nobles.

    No one in Divine Fortune City dared to oppose him, so he paid no mind to the rogue cultivators on the streets.

    He had to be cautious in the Blood Moon Sect of the Third World, but in the Divine Fortune City of the Fourth World, he was like an emperor.

    Even the City Lord, Shangguan Dong, had to serve him carefully, offering the best wine and the most beautiful women, making Fei Zheng reluctant to leave.

    <i>It looks like he doesn''t spend every night on the beast-hunting sailboat. That makes things easier.</i>

    After observing from the shadows for a while, Pang Jian quietly left.

    He then went to the northern and eastern districts, exploring Divine Fortune City andparing the streets to the map he had memorized.

    Finally, after taking a yellow pill, he arrived at the mansion in the eastern district where the Formless Sailboat was docked.

    The Formless Sailboat had not been concealed at all.

    It was docked in the mansion''s courtyard, its deck higher than the pavilion. The blood-red crescent moon on its ck g was striking.

    It seemed the Blood Moon Sect''s cultivators never even considered the possibility that anyone would dare to attack them.

    Pang Jian had learned from Meng Qin and Zhao Ling that the Shadow Specter Sect had previously never dared to target the upper world sects, fearing a ruthless retaliation by them.

    Once night fell, Pang Jian stayed in a dpidated building in the western district belonging to the Shadow Specter Sect. He took out the white jade porcin bottle from his pocket, and removing the stopper, waited for a wisp of strong blood essence to escape. He then looked at the beautiful miniature figure of Luo Hongyan on the crystalline lotus.

    He was momentarily dazed.

    Luo Hongyan''s devastating beauty could topple kingdoms, and it was because he was frequently exposed to her magnificence that he remained indifferent to women like Bai Wei and Bai Zhi.

    "This is not Misty Swamp Vige," Luo Hongyan observed. "The Shadow Specter Sect has decided to take action?"

    "Yes, they n to strike within the next few days," Pang Jian exined. He then detailed the situation and his observations of Divine Fortune City before asking, "What''s your actualbat strength? You need to be clear so I can have a better idea."

    "As long as I don''t encounter an expert from the Sinister Soul Temple proficient in soul-capturing techniques, I can kill any Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator. I didn''t go to the Third World because there are too many strong cultivators. With our cultivation realms as they are, that would be far too dangerous, but there''s nothing to worry about in the Fourth World as long as we''re cautious," Luo Hongyan said proudly.

    "Alright, that''s good to know."

 Chapter 109: Zhao Lings Doubts

    <h4>Chapter 109: Zhao Ling''s Doubts</h4>

    In the eastern district of Divine Fortune City at night, Bai Wei and Bai Zhi sat facing each other in a room on the second floor of the Formless Sailboat.

    The table in front of them was filled with delicious food and snacks.

    Neither of them touched it.

    The beast-hunting sailboat had three floors.

    The first floor housed Vicious Beasts, with people working around the clock to process their blood and meat. The residents of the first floor were not cultivators but simply workers handling the beast''s blood and meat for the Blood Moon Sect.

    The second floor was where the Blood Moon Sect''s Meridian Opening Realm cultivators resided.

    Finally, the third floor was for high-ranking members like Fei Zheng.

    "Blood Moon Sect, Elder Jiu Yuan..." Bai Wei stood up and looked out the window. Seeing several Blood Moon Sect cultivators sitting on the ship''s deck, she shook her head and sighed. "We can''t escape."

    She learned from the people delivering their food that Fei Zheng nned to offer them to Elder Jiu Yuan.

    From what the Shadow Specter Sect had learned from Hong Tai, Elder Jiu Yuan had a notorious penchant for sisters who looked alike. These sisters rarely met a good end.

    "I wish we had nevere to Divine Fortune and never encountered the Blood Moon Sect," Bai Zhi muttered in despair.

    At that moment, the drunk Fei Zheng led two seductive women onto the ship and up to the third floor.

    Soon, the sounds of the women''s moans echoed from above.

    Bai Wei clenched her teeth in anger. "That man deserves to die. He''s so drunk. Do you think we stand a chance against him?"

    "Not a chance." Bai Zhi shook her head with a bitter smile. "He''s only drunk because he wants to be. With his cultivation realm, he could purge the alcohol from his body in an instant. Don''t even think about it. It''s impossible."

    Bai Wei sighed. After a long while, she said, "Let''s wait and see. Maybe our master wille to rescue us out of pity."

    Bai Zhi looked at her and asked softly, "Sister, do you really believe that?"

    Bai Wei fell into silence. Deep down, she did not truly believe their master woulde to save them.

    The Shadow Specter Sect had consistently avoided provoking upper world sects like the Blood Moon Sect. They would not make an exception for the two of them.

    The sisters fell into silence.

    Bai Zhi suddenly said, "Sister, I like Hong Jian. I don''t know why, but I like his cold demeanor..."

    "Why didn''t you say so back then?"

    Bai Zhi lowered her head. "You know I was too scared."

    Bai Wei shook her head, a bitter smile curling on her lips. "To be honest, I like him too. It''s a pity we won''t have the chance to see him again and tell him we both like him."

    ***

    In the western district, Pang Jian abruptly woke from his meditation. He set down the Earth ze Stone and stared at the door with a frown.

    The thump of footsteps stopped at the door. "Hong Jian, it''s Wu Yi."

    Pang Jian opened the door to reveal both Wu Yi and Hall Master Zhao Ling of the Shadow Specter Sect.

    "Let''s talk inside." Zhao Ling entered the room unceremoniously, ncing at theyout and the Earth ze Stone on the bed. "This ce belongs to the Shadow Specter Sect. It was easy for us to find you."

    Pang Jian nodded.

    "It''s like this..." Wu Yi trailed off with a chuckle. "It''s not just us. Yang Yuansen and his subordinates; Hall Master Meng and Fan Liang; and some of our Meridian Opening Realm cultivators have all entered Divine Fortune City.

    "Unless there are any unexpected developments, we''re nning to act tomorrow night," Wu Yi exined, excitedly rubbing his hands together.

    Pang Jian was surprised. "So soon?"

    "Tonight, Hall Master Meng arranged for Fan Liang to capture the family members of the Fragrance Pavilion''s manager. With them as hostages, the manager will be under our control. Tomorrow night, when Fei Zheng goes to the Fragrance Pavilion to indulge again, I''ll poison his wine myself!"

    "Are you nning to kill Fei Zheng at the Fragrance Pavilion?" Pang Jian asked curiously.

    "No, the poison is special. It''ll only take effect when Fei Zheng circtes his spiritual power to purge the alcohol from his body," Wu Yi exined smugly. "We found out that Fei Zheng indulges every night and enjoys the feeling of having alcohol in his system. He won''t purge it from his body unless there''s danger.

    "He always returns to the beast-hunting sailboat with his femalepanions in the dead of night. When we raid the beast-hunting sailboat, the poison will activate as soon as he tries to purge the alcohol, thus reducing hisbat strength.

    "Of course, I can''t directly kill him with poison, but it will weaken him significantly. Riots will then simultaneously break out in various districts of Divine Fortune City.

    "The beast-hunting sailboat has plenty of clean water and food, so those on board don''t depend on the Shangguan n for that. We won''t be able to tamper with the food and water on the ship, but during the raid, we could try using crossbows to shoot a few packets of poison powder over."

    Pang Jian nodded repeatedly as Wu Yi outlined their n.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Zhao Ling''s slender legshed out from beneath her tight dress. It came at Pang Jian with such speed he could almost hear the crack of thunder.

    Pang Jian reacted instantly, channeling his strength into his arm and raising his right forearm to block.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The force shook Pang Jian''s arm, causing it to go numb. He staggered back a few steps.

    Once he regained his bnce, he looked at Zhao Ling with confusion.

    Zhao Ling slowly lowered her leg with a nod. She wore a satisfied expression on her beautiful face. "Not bad. You reacted in time, and your physical strength is impressive."

    Pang Jian continued to stare at her in bewilderment.

    "Tomorrow night, you''ll be ourrade in battle. I need to know yourbat abilities. When a Blood Moon Sect''s Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator attacks you, I need to know how many strikes you can withstand so I can prepare ordingly."

    With that, Zhao Ling turned to address Wu Yi, "Let''s go. He has somebat ability, but I don''t know if he''s experienced real bloodshed. Let''s hope he doesn''t get scared."

    Wu Yi nodded. He patted Pang Jian''s shoulder, and cautioned, "After the raid tomorrow night, we''ll all leave separately and meet up at the stronghold in Misty Swamp. Remember, don''t return to Misty Swamp Vige and avoid all the towns outside the city."

    "Understood."

    ***

    Not long after, in a dpidated building not far from Pang Jian, Wu Yi was astonished to see Zhao Ling applying ointment to her snow-white knee.

    "What happened?" Wu Yi asked in disbelief.

    After applying the ointment, Zhao Ling pulled down her pant leg with an annoyed frown. She gingerly massaged the spot where her knee had collided with Pang Jian''s forearm.

    "I wasn''t nning to seriously injure him, so I didn''t put much force into my leg. But who would have thought¡ª" She cut herself off with a curse. "That kid''s arm bones are harder than refined iron. I''ve never encountered anyone in the Marrow Cleansing Realm with bones tempered to such an extent!"

    "That can''t be!" Wu Yi eximed in shock.

    "Do you think I''d lie to you?" Zhao Ling snorted coldly. "It''s said that the best material for marrow cleansing is the blood essence of strong Spirit Beasts. But in our Fourth World, such high-ranked Spirit Beasts don''t exist, and neither does their blood essence."

    Wu Yi was speechless. He shook his head with a strange expression. "You don''t seriously think his Marrow Cleansing Realm was achieved using the blood essence of top-tier Spirit Beasts, do you? Such materials are even beyond the reach of geniuses in the Second and Third Worlds. Even if Hong Tai had great divine powers, he couldn''t have gotten his hands on such rare materials."

    "Didn''t Hong Tai go to the Solitary Mountain Range? Didn''t the bones of the Celestial Phoenix fall there?" Zhao Ling spected.

    "Stop overthinking. Hong Tai is dead. Jin Yang is dead. Everyone we sent there was wiped out. The entire Northern Qi region is shrouded in bizarre mist. No one dares to enter, and no one cane out."

    "I''m just saying," Zhao Ling replied. "I noticed he doesn''t say much around us, probably due to long-term secluded cultivation. He might not have experienced real bloodshed. I truly hope he can bring out his strength in our fight with the Blood Moon Sect."

    Wu Yi nodded. "That kid is talented. I like him. It''d be a shame if he died."

    ***

    After they left, Pang Jian thought over Wu Yi''s strategy,bining it with his mental map of Divine Fortune City and refining the details in his mind.

    In thetter half of the night, Pang Jian used the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art to calm his spirit and attempted tomunicate with the sapling in Misty Swamp.

    Surprisingly, he found that the sapling had taken root in a new location.

    It appeared the sapling had exhausted the essence of the nts nearby and had moved to find more.

    The sapling had grown significantly since he hadst checked on it and his field of vision when connected to it was different as well.

    <i>I wonder what happened to the Giant Abyssal Serpent.</i>

    He tried to connect with the Giant Abyssal Serpent in the Fifth World.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent had sessfully escaped its pursuers and was continuing to devour simr creatures in the deep mountains and valleys of the Fifth World.

    Pang Jian breathed a sigh of relief.

    He instinctively felt that there was more to his connection with the sapling and Giant Abyssal Serpent than met the eye.

    These two wonders were rapidly growing stronger and would stabilize with time. Once that happened, Pang Jian spected they could reciprocate the connection and respond to him.

    <i>It''s still unclear what the beehive needs to emerge from the bronze pendant. The ck turtle, on the other hand, likely requires a lot of blood essence. I must secure as much beast blood and meat as possible during tomorrow night''s operation!</i>

    Pang Jian felt no camaraderie with Zhao Ling, Meng Qin, and Yang Yuansen from the Shadow Specter Sect.

    If he could achieve his goal on this mission, he would no longer need to rely on the Shadow Specter Sect''s connections, and it would not matter if hepletely broke away from them.

 Chapter 110: Facing the Challenge Head On!

    <h4>Chapter 110: Facing the Challenge Head On!</h4>

    The next morning, a minormander from the Shadow Specter Sect responsible for controlling the city''s street gangs was waiting outside Pang Jian''s door early in the morning.

    "Little Brother Hong, Mister Fan is requesting your presence."

    Pang Jian got up and followed him.

    In the same impoverished western district, in front of a secluded wooden house at the end of an alley, the minormander knocked on the door and respectfully said, "He''s arrived."

    "Let him in. You stand guard outside the alley." Fan Liang''s hoarse voice rang out from inside the house.

    Pang Jian pushed the door open and walked to the center of the dimly lit room. Fan Liang, Meng Qin, Zhao Ling, and Wu Yi were all present

    Their faces were grim. Fan Liang''s eyes were bloodshot and he seemed exhausted.

    Meng Qin and Zhao Ling were both frowning deeply. Their high spirits from the previous day had vanished.

    "Hong Jian, the operation is canceled," Meng Qin said solemnly. "Last night, a rogue cultivator recognized two of Yang Yuansen''s subordinates in the southern district.

    "The Shangguan n and the Ouyang n gathered their forces, deploying five Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators and several Meridian Opening Realm cultivators to raid their inn in the southern district. Yang Yuansen''s two subordinates were killed on the spot. Yang Yuansen escaped through the south gate and the Shangguan n and the Ouyang n are still hunting him down."

    Pang Jian was stunned.

    The operation was supposed to be tonight and relied heavily on Yang Yuansen and his subordinates. The unforeseen events had disrupted their n.

    "With this incident, we have no choice but to cancel the operation." Meng Qin sighed. "Divine Fortune City is no longer safe. I n to report to the Sect Leader and relocate our branch."

    "Elder Meng, why did the Shangguan n and the Ouyang n suddenly have five Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators in Divine Fortune City?" Zhao Ling asked.

    She thought it fortunate that Yang Yuansen''s mishap urred. Otherwise, their nned attack on the Blood Moon Sect could have led to theirplete annihtion.

    Meng Qin nced over at her. "Do you know why the Sect Leader agreed to this operation?"

    Zhao Ling shook her head.

    This had previously puzzled her and Wu Yi. They could not understand why the Sect Leader approved this operation. After all, there was no precedent.

    Meng Qin took a deep breath and revealed, "The Ouyang n''s territory, adjacent to Divine Fortune, has experienced a great catastrophe. The Sect Leader sent me to rece Hong Tai, not because he cares about Divine Fortune''s branch, but to understand the situation. This catastrophe stems from the rising murky energy of the Fifth World. No one in the affected area has survived, and few people know about it."

    "What?!" Zhao Ling and Wu Yi paled.

    Pang Jian already knew of the catastrophe and so did not react.

    "The Sect Leader feels a strong sense of urgency, which is why he dared to take such a risk," Meng Qin exined again.

    "This, this¡ª" Wu Yi rubbed his hands together anxiously. "Elder Meng, has there ever been such a situation before? Since the Sect Leader sent you here, he must''ve told you something about the tainted energy of the Fifth World, right?"

    Meng Qin nodded. She hesitated briefly, then said, "The Sect Leader told me that in the best-case scenario, the murky energy is limited to a small area and will not continue to spread. Once the situation stabilizes and it is confirmed that the murky energy will not spread, high-ranking figures from the upper worlds wille down to handle it."

    Wu Yi asked in surprise, "High-ranking figures from the upper worlds? From the Second World or the First World?"

    Meng Qin shook her head. "The Sect Leader doesn''t know either."

    "Elder Meng, what''s the worst-case scenario?" Zhao Ling asked.

    "The murky energy contaminated the entire Fourth World!"

    Pang Jian was stunned.

    The Fourth World was divided into seven regions with numerous fragmentednds. If the tainted energy contaminated the fragmentednds, the Fourth World would be doomed.

    The Shadow Specter Sect was located in the Fourth World, as were the seven major ns. It was no wonder the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect was so worried.

    Meng Qin continued, "The Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators from the Shangguan n and the Ouyang n arrived just yesterday. They didn''t know Yang Yuansen was here. They were just trying to understand what happened in those fragmentednds. The attack on Yang Yuansen''s group was purely incidental. Fortunately, it happened early. Otherwise...

    Meng Qinughed bitterly. "Yang Yuansen is indeed formidable. Despite losing two of his subordinates, he severely injured two Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators. The remaining Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators from the two ns are pursuing him relentlessly.

    "The two ns seem to want to capture him alive to extract info from him."

    "The Blood Moon Sect isn''t involved?" Pang Jian asked.

    Meng Qin nced at him and exined, "To the Blood Moon Sect, we, the Shadow Specter Sect members, are insignificant. They left the cleanup to the Shangguan n and the Ouyang n. They consider dealing with us beneath them."

    Zhao Ling had already decided to withdraw and said coldly to Wu Yi, "Mister Wu, we should leave."

    Wu Yi nodded. "I agree."

    "Elder Meng, take care of yourself," Zhao Ling said, preparing to get up and leave.

    "Wait!" Pang Jian called out.

    The others looked at him in surprise.

    "Can the operation continue tonight?" Pang Jian straightened up, exuding an intimidating aura. "Can I take over the tasks assigned to Yang Yuansen''s group? I will take responsibility for killing Fei Zheng from the Blood Moon Sect. You can proceed with your original n against the others."

    His words made everyone look at him as if he were a madman.

    Wu Yi rubbed his temples. "Kid, don''t y with our lives. Fei Zheng is only one step away from the Innate Realm. The poisons I prepared can only limit part of his strength and won''tst long.

    "Only someone of Yang Yuansen''s level, along with his two skilled subordinates, could hope to kill Fei Zheng. As for you..." he trailed off, shaking his head gently.

    "Hong Jian, we have no interest in joining your reckless gamble!" Meng Qin scolded. "I know youe from the upper world and have extraordinary experience and courage, but you have no idea how powerful Fei Zheng is in thete Marrow Cleansing Realm! Even Zhao Ling and I don''t dare to face him head-on!"

    Zhao Ling snorted as well. "Are you out of your mind?"

    "There''s a street that leads to the mansion where the beast-hunting sailboat is docked. Mr. Wu mentioned that Fei Zheng returns through that street every night," Pang Jian said calmly, undeterred by their ridicule. "Trust me just this once and proceed with the original n. I will kill him on that street before he returns to the ship.

    "You guys only need to hide in the tall buildings on either side of the street and watch me kill him. Then, you can raid the beast-hunting sailboat. If I die on that street, you don''t need to do anything. Just retreat quietly.

    "Think about it."

    With that, Pang Jian left.

    The room fell into a deathly silence.

    After a long pause, Zhao Ling broke the silence. "He''s actually serious! ording to his n, as long as we don''t take action, we''ll just be bystanders."

    Wu Yi nodded "As long as we don''t act or stick our necks out for him, no one will know we''re there."

    Meng Qin asked, "Zhao Ling, you don''t n to stay and watch, do you?"

    "He only advanced to the Marrow Cleansing Realm half a month ago, and he wants to kill Fei Zheng from the Blood Moon Sect on that street tomorrow night!" Zhao Ling muttered irritably as she paced back and forth. "He doesn''t seem like a madman, but if he is, he must have the strength of one! But we''re talking about Fei Zheng in thete stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm here!"

    Meng Qin and Wu Yi silently watched her.

    After a long while, Zhao Ling finally decided, "Let''s watch him tonight! Elder Meng, the main forces of the Shangguan n and the Ouyang n are outside the city chasing after Yang Yuansen. Secure the buildings on both sides of that street quickly. We''ll observe from above tonight. If Hong Jian is killed, we''ll pretend nothing happened.

    "But if he does seed in killing Fei Zheng, we''ll proceed with the original n to raid the beast-hunting sailboat! What do you think?"

    Zhao Ling looked expectantly at Meng Qin.

    Meng Qin gritted her teeth and nodded.

    ***

    At noon, Fan Liang came over and knocked on the door of Pang Jian''s wooden house.

    He entered, looking over at where Pang Jian sat calmly by the bed.

    With aplicated expression, Fan Liang said, "The two hall masters have decided. Tonight, they''ll watch from the buildings on both sides of the street as you intercept and kill Fei Zheng from the Blood Moon Sect!

    "Remember, you must seed first. Only then will they reveal themselves and proceed with the n to attack the beast-hunting sailboat. If you die, they''ll act as if nothing happened and leave."

    Pang Jian nodded in acknowledgment.

    Fan Liang looked at him silently for a long while. "Hall Master Meng said that if you seed in killing Fei Zheng and rescuing Bai Wei and Bai Zhi from the beast-hunting sailboat, she will ensure the two sisters serve you together in the future."

    Pang Jian was stunned.

    "Little Brother Hong, you are more admirable than¡ª" Fan Liang hesitated. "You are more admirable than your uncle! In the past, during his operations, we were always the ones on the front lines, the first to be sacrificed if there was any danger. Little Brother Hong, I hope this isn''t a reckless move on your part. I truly hope you seed!"

    With that, Fan Liang left the wooden house.

    "Uncle...?" Confusion filled Pang Jian before he realized Fan Liang was referring to the former hall master, Hong Tai. It seemed that Fan Liang had some grievances against him.

    ***

    That night, Meng Qin, Zhao Ling, Wu Yi, and Fan Liang gathered on the third floor of a building on the street known as Musical Instrument Street.

    "Is everything ready?" Meng Qin asked Fan Liang.

    "Yes, I watched Fei Zheng enter the Fragrance Pavilion. The manager''s wife, children, and parents are in our hands. He won''t dare to disobey," Fan Liang said. "Severalrge houses around the beast-hunting sailboat are filled with our people. All our preparations can be put to use. As soon as I signal with the cannon, everyone will respond!

    "Of course, if Little Brother Hong dies, we''ll act as if nothing happened."

    Meng Qin nodded.

    They knew Pang Jian was waiting in a building across the street for Fei Zheng to appear.

 Chapter 111: The Ambush at the Street Corner!

    <h4>Chapter 111: The Ambush at the Street Corner!</h4>

    Fei Zheng appeared on Musical Instrument Street in Divine Fortune City at midnight, drunkenly leading two women toward the mansion where the beast-hunting sailboat was docked.

    Oilmps lit up the streets of the eastern district, making it convenient for the nobles living there to move about.

    Fei Zheng looked up at the pitch-ck night sky andmented inwardly, <i>My days of living like this are numbered.</i>

    He was in thete stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm and was only a step away from the Innate Realm. Once this mission waspleted and he returned to the Blood Moon Sect, he would go into seclusion to break through.

    For the past few days, he had been wantonly indulging himself in Divine Fortune City as a way to rx.

    He aimed to gain Elder Jiu Yuan''s favor by presenting him with the pair of sisters and breaking through to the Innate Realm.

    After that, he would qualify to participate in the Blood Moon Sect''s operations to hunt high-ranking Vicious Beasts.

    <i>Although the lower world isfortable, it''s not conducive to my cultivation progress. I mustn''t get too caught up in it,</i> he thought to himself.

    As he walked, Fei Zheng noticed that the closer he got to the beast-hunting sailboat, the quieter Musical Instrument Street became. However, he paid it no mind.

    With the Formless Sailboat docked in the mansion, the nobles living nearby often stopped their families from going out as much as possible.

    They did this for two reasons. First, to avoid identally offending them, and second, to prevent the Blood Moon Sect members from taking a fancy to the noble family''s beautiful women and demanding them.

    If that happened, even the City Lord, Shangguan Dong, would not stop them and instead did everything to satisfy their demands. As a result, the nobles would not be able to do anything.

    Due to simr past incidents, the nobles living in the eastern district were now extremely careful to keep any beautiful female family members as far away from them as possible.

    Fei Zheng was well aware of this.

    Seeing the towering beast-hunting sailboate into view, he could not help but sigh.

    "The lower world is so wonderful. I hope the catastrophe in the Ouyang n''s fragmentednds doesn''t spread further. I don''t want to leave Divine Fortune City. Even after breaking through to the Innate Realm, I want toe back and have some fun."

    Hearing this, the two seductive women apanying him looked at him in confusion.

    "Hehe, you two beauties don''t need to know what I''m talking about." Fei Zheng mockingly pinched their cheeks.

    He then thought regretfully, <i>Unlike those sisters, these ordinary women don''t understand cultivation. If I didn''t need to please Jiu Yuan, I would''ve kept them for myself...</i>

    In the middle of inwardly grumbling, Fei Zheng abruptly stopped to nce at a corner of Musical Instrument Street in surprise.

    A young man stood at the street corner, calmly staring at him.

    <i>This boy, I feel like I''ve seen him somewhere...</i>

    Fei Zheng could not recall the boy in his drunken stupor. Not to mention, he had also only seen Pang Jian briefly behind Meng Qin.

    Even if he did remember, it would not matter much to him.

    This was Divine Fortune City, under the control of the Shangguan n, and he was a member of the Blood Moon Sect from the Third World.

    In the lower world, the cultivators of the seven major ns and the Shadow Specter Sect did not dare provoke someone like him.

    Therefore, he continued forward with the two women.

    The two heavily made-up women walking with Fei Zheng peered curiously at the boy standing on the street corner.

    In the buildings on either side of the street, Meng Qin, Zhao Ling, and Wu Yi squinted their eyes, peering out from a half-open window at Fei Zheng on the street below.

    Fan Liang stood beside them.

    Although he wanted to take a closer look, there was not enough space by the window, so he resigned himself to anxiously rubbing his hands together to ease his nerves.

    The four of them were silent.

    Meng Qin, Zhao Ling, and Wu Yi had all taken pills to suppress their blood essence in advance so that the Blood Moon Sect''s Eye of Imprint would not detect them.

    On the building on the other side of the street, a white jade porcin bottle sat by a slightly open window.

    The stopper had been removed and faint traces of blood-colored mist quietly seeped out.

    Luo Hongyan, still sitting atop the Crystal Snow Lotus, peered through the transparent white porcin at the street below.

    Her beautiful lips curled into a charming smile. "Late stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm."

    She knew Pang Jian''s truebat strength well.

    With bones tempered by the essence of the Celestial Phoenix, Pang Jian undoubtedly had the most solid foundation in the Marrow Cleansing Realm. The divine strength his muscles and bones could unleash was iparable to the Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators of the lower world.

    His Startling ughter Spear was also at least a high-grade spirit weapon.

    Moreover, the Earth ze Technique also seemed to have a unique power when in his hands, to the point of killing the Demon Sect''s Yuan Lengshan and forcing the Sword Pavilion''s Qi Qingsong to sever his arm.

    Pang Jian was superior to any Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator, whether in terms of cultivation realm, spirit artifacts, or techniques!

    In Eight Trigrams City, he had oncepeted with strong individuals from the Demon Sect, the Sword Pavilion, and the ck Valley Sect. That event had given him immense confidence.

    This was why Luo Hongyan readily agreed when Pang Jian asked her to hold the line.

    Her role was to deal with anything unexpected that could emerge from the beast-hunting sailboat.

    "He''s bing more mature andposed, and much less reckless than before," She smiled proudly. "I hope there''s enough beast blood and meat on the beast-hunting sailboat to satisfy our future cultivation needs.

    "I''ve wronged himtely, taking all the beast''s blood for my own use."

    ***

    "Huh!" Fei Zheng frowned, eyes filled with surprise.

    As he passed the boy at the street corner, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the previously empty-handed boy now holding a shining silver spear.

    Fei Zheng snorted coldly, preparing to speak, but the boy with the spear charged at him, swift as a hunting leopard.

    A barrage of spear thrusts erupted like zing meteors and thunderous booms broke the silence of the night!

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    zing, radiant fireballs erupted one after another, engulfing the area where Fei Zheng stood, lighting up the sky above him in a dazzling disy!

    Fei Zheng instantly channeled his strength, causing a surge of immense vitality in his blood.

    "Ugh!" He grunted, eyes filled with horror. "The wine was poisoned!"

    When he mobilized the immense vitality in his blood, the dormant poison activated, causing his body to turn sluggish and his strength to falter.

    With the fiery meteors about to explode above his head, Fei Zheng did not hesitate. He grabbed the two women apanying him and lifted them above his head to shield himself.

    <i>Boom! Boom!</i>

    The two women were reduced to bloody pulps.

    Meanwhile, Fei Zheng finally managed to gather some of his blood essence.

    Like a blood-red phantom, he escaped from the area targeted by the Explosive Dance technique.

    <i>There''s someone in the lower world who actually dares to ambush me?!</i>

    Fei Zheng''s face was full of disbelief.

    <i>Boom! </i>

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    More fiery meteors exploded where Fei Zhengnded.

    Fei Zheng was caught in the fiery explosion and could not dodge it in time. With no other women to shield him this time, the mes of the Earth ze Technique hit their mark, causing his skin to char and crack.

    Pang Jian stood behind the barrage of fiery meteors with a cold expression, unaffected by Fei Zheng''s fury.

    His spiritual power surged like lightning toward the spear in his hand through his palm and was amplified by each array it passed through!

    "You''re going to die here," Pang Jian calmly dered, drawing close enough to send a chill down Fei Zheng''s spine.

    Now fully sober, Fei Zheng only needed one look at Pang Jian''s cold, steady eyes to realize the bloodthirsty young man had undoubtedly experienced life-and-death battles.

    Only such a person would not fear his status or his cultivation level.

    "Damn it, where is everyone?" he roared in the direction of the beast-hunting sailboat.

    As he did, a cloud of bloody mist silently spread around Fei Zheng, floating toward the fiery meteors.

    Fei Zheng moved like a blood-red phantom in the narrow space as he nimbly dodged the silver spear thrusts.

    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>

    The windows of the second and third floors of the beast-hunting sailboat were thrown open and the Blood Moon Sect members soon spotted Fei Zheng.

    They rushed out one after another!

    Fei Zheng''s angry shout had also startled Bai Zhi on the second floor.

    She had been aimlessly pacing by the window, and at Fei Zheng''s shout, instinctively looked out. Her eyesnded on Fei Zheng, then on Pang Jian with the spear.

    "Sister, it''s Hong Jian!" Bai Zhi shouted in surprise. She banged on the window, crying frantically, "It''s Hong Jian! Sister, Hong Jian hase to save us!"

    Bai Wei had been eating a pastry when this unfolded. She choked on her food in her rush to the window and peered out at Musical Instrument Street with Bai Zhi.

    "It''s Hong Jian! It''s actually him!" Bai Wei''s eyes welled up with tears. Feeling both moved and worried, she said, "Damn it, why did hee? How could he be so reckless?"

    Only Pang Jian was there on the long street, chasing Fei Zheng with a gleaming silver spear. No other Shadow Specter Sect members were in sight.

    "This kid!" Zhao Ling snapped a wooden board at the window, her bright eyes shing with a terrifying light as she stared at Pang Jian below. "He actually, he actually¡ª"

    "Don''t be hasty!" Wu Yi warned.

    Fan Liang rushed over. "Hall Masters, what''s happening down there?"

    "Fan Liang, get ready!" Meng Qin turned to him, no longer watching the battle on the street. Her eyes burned with a terrifying ze. "At mymand, prepare the cannons. We''re going to attack the Blood Moon Sect!"

    Her voice trembled.

    "Ah!" Fan Liang shouted in surprise, "Hall Master, does that mean Fei Zheng is dead?"

    They agreed to attack the sailboat once their toughest opponent, Fei Zheng, had been killed.

    If Fei Zheng did not die, they would quietly retreat.

    "Pang Jian has a chance to kill Fei Zheng!" Zhao Ling shouted excitedly. "If there''s an opportunity or any chance of sess, we should go all out!"

    "Fan Liang, fire the cannon!" Meng Qin ordered loudly.

    "Got it!"

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A cannon fire shot into the sky, ring brightly against the night!

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    Many small cannons in the courtyards surrounding the beast-hunting sailboat fired streaks of poison powder at the sailboat.

    Masked members of the Shadow Specter Sect in the Meridian Opening Realm then jumped out of windows before charging toward the beast-hunting sailboat.

    "Zhao Ling! Go and help Hong Tai kill Fei Zheng! Wu Yi and I will intercept the iing Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators!" Meng Qin shouted.

    "Got it!"

 Chapter 112: The Razor-Sharp Edge!

    <h4>Chapter 112: The Razor-Sharp Edge!</h4>

    The eastern district of Divine Fortune City was plunged into chaos!

    Under themand of Hall Master Meng Qin, the meticulously nned operation went into action and poison powder rained down in a mist.

    Even the Shadow Specter Sect members charging toward the beast-hunting sailboat could not help but nce back at the spear-wielding Pang Jian.

    Commander Fan Liang had told them that the most crucial battle would happen on Musical Instrument Street.

    The oue of the fight with the Blood Moon Sect''s Fei Zheng would determine the sess of their ambush!

    The spear-wielding youth named Hong Jian had sessfully persuaded Hall Masters Meng Qin and Zhao Ling to stay in Divine Fortune City and act, even after Yang Yuansen and his group encountered trouble.

    "Hong Jian!" Meng Qin called out.

    "That''s Hong Tai''s nephew!"

    "He''s much more formidable than Hong Tai ever was!"

    The Shadow Specter Sect members frequently looked back at Pang Jian as they rushed toward the beast-hunting sailboat.

    Bright, silver halos appeared in session, hanging in the night sky of the Fourth World like moons.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Blood-colored clouds twisted into thin snakes, attempting to bypass the halos of the Silver Crescent technique to devour Pang Jian''s flesh.

    Pang Jian retreated.

    He relentlessly spun the Startling ughter Spear, creating more silver halos to defend against Fei Zheng''s techniques.

    After escaping from the Explosive Dance, Fei Zheng, now able to unleash his full strength, shifted from defense to offense.

    With each wave of Fei Zheng''s hand, he used the Bloodthirsty Cloud Technique, forming clusters of blood-colored clouds from the blood of the two women that flew toward Pang Jian.

    The bright silver halos intercepted Fei Zheng''s furious assault.

    <i>Bang! Bang!</i>

    The blood-colored clouds collided with the silver halos. Pang Jian tightly gripped his spear, his arms going numb from the shock as he fought to dissipate the attacking force.

    Fei Zheng was about to intensify his efforts when he felt his spiritual power and blood energy stagnate.

    He spat out a mouthful of blood.

    This mouthful of blood transformed into a blood arrow that shot toward Pang Jian like lightning.

    Pang Jian spun his spear and skillfully shattered the blood arrow. He then merged the earthme energy from the fiery pool in his spiritual sea with his spiritual power and became one with the Startling ughter Spear.

    A streak of silver lightning shot straight at Fei Zheng!

    Fei Zheng''s face paled in horror.

    He felt an unstoppable, razor-sharp spear intent. His eyes stung just looking at the spearhead!

    Pang Jian was moving so fast he seemed to disappear, leaving only a streak of silver lightning cutting through the sky toward him!

    Fei Zheng hastily tore a hexagonal iron te from his waist to block Pang Jian''s Edge of Startling ughter.

    The hexagonal iron te expanded to a dozen times its original size, turning into arge, dark hexagonal shield with a cold metallic sheen.

    An intricate bloody pattern formed many sturdy arrays on the surface of the ck shield.

    Pang Jian paid it no mind.

    The wonders of the Edge of Startling ughter were fully disyed as he fiercely thrust the spearhead at the giant hexagonal shield.

    The spearhead made contact with the shield, causing dazzling red and silver lights to burst out!

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The hexagonal shield exploded with a thunderous roar, shattering into scattered fragments.

    In the chaos, Fei Zheng managed to grab one of therger fragments and used it to shield himself.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The Startling ughter Spear pierced through the surface of the shield once more!

    Pang Jian pushed off with his feet and surged forward with unstoppable momentum!

    Fei Zheng gripped the spear shaft behind the spearhead with both hands to prevent it from spearing through his forehead.

    Pang Jian''s terrifying strength forced Fei Zheng back.

    Fei Zheng''s eyes and hands turned crimson, and blood flowed uncontrobly from the corners of his eyes as he used a forbidden technique of the Blood Moon Sect, sacrificing his life force to hold back the spear.

    The spearhead was so close to his forehead that it tingled from the imminent threat of being pierced through!

    <i>Crash! </i>

    Fei Zheng''s back crashed through a wall, causing a stone building to copse. Even so, he continued to hold the spear shaft tightly.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    Rubble fell, but Fei Zheng did not let go. He knew that any weakness on his part would result in his skull being impaled!

    <i>You''re destined to die, </i>thought Pang Jian as rubble continued to rain down on Fei Zheng. He then unleashed the most sinister technique of the Startling ughter Spear.

    The spearhead suddenly detached from the spear shaft, piercing through Fei Zheng''s forehead!

    It then automatically returned and reattached itself to the spear shaft.

    With that, Pang Jian took a step back.

    Fei Zheng''s body was buried under the rubble.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A person with a powerful pair of long legs jumped down from a nearby building, smashing the hard stone bs with theirnding.

    Even without looking, Pang Jian knew it was Zhao Ling from the Shadow Specter Sect.

    "Fei Zheng!" she roared afternding.

    Before leaping down, she saw Pang Jian forcing Fei Zheng backward. He had still been tightly gripping the spear shaft when he crashed into a stone building and was buried in the rubble. She did not see Pang Jian''s spearhead detach and kill Fei Zheng.

    Unaware that Fei Zheng was already dead, she wielded an iron staff, ready to join forces with Pang Jian to finish him off. But Fei Zheng did not rise from the rubble.

    "He''s dead," Pang Jian said coldly.

    Turning around, he saw Zhao Ling, the Hall Master of the Shadow Specter Sect, poised like a leopard ready to pounce and wielding a blue iron staff that crackled with lightning.

    His words stunned her.

    "Dead?" she asked, still eyeing the rubble.

    Pang Jian noted in surprise, "It seems youunched the attack ahead of schedule."

    ording to the n, the Shadow Specter Sect would only attack the Blood Moon Sect after Fei Zheng''s death. Pang Jian had not expected the Shadow Specter Sect to act while his fight with Fei Zheng was still ongoing.

    The Hall Master Zhao Ling had even leaped down from the building in preparation to lend him a hand.

    Zhao Ling did not answer his question. Her beautiful eyes shed, cautiously watching the rubble as she skeptically asked, "Is he really dead? Don''t underestimate a peak Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator. Unless his heart or head has suffered a fatal blow¡ª"

    <i>Bang! </i>

    Before she could finish, Pang Jian used his spear to flick away the rubble, revealing Fei Zheng''s body lying beneath.

    Fei Zheng''s gruesome bloodied forehead instantly caught Zhao Ling''s eye!

    She could not say anything after that.

    "Spatial pouch!" Pang Jian eximed as he noticed the spatial pouch on Fei Zheng''s waist. He went over and yanked it off.

    Reaching inside, he found several containers filled with an unknown liquid. When he pulled his hand out, he saw it was stained with thick blood, and his eyes lit up.

    "Beast blood!" he said excitedly.

    Pang Jian had suspected Fei Zheng would have beast blood in his spatial pouch.

    Before he could properly investigate, an urgent cry rang out from the beast-hunting sailboat''s deck.

    "Zhao Ling! Hong Jian!" Meng Qin called out.

    Zhao Ling and Hong Jian nced over to see her fighting three peak Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators from the Blood Moon Sect.

    When Fei Zheng did not rise from the rubble, the trio decided not to head to Musical Instrument Street and instead joined forces to fight Meng Qin and Wu Yi.

    Meanwhile, chaos erupted in other parts of Divine Fortune City. Cries and mes filled the air as the members of the Shadow Specter Sect caused havoc.

    "Coming!" Zhao Ling''s nimble figure swiftly leaped past Pang Jian. Lightly touching the ground, she jumped onto the eaves of a stone building and soonnded on the deck of the beast-hunting sailboat to join forces Meng Qin and Wu Yi.

    Pang Jian discreetly nced at a white porcin bottle perched on the window of a building then rushed to the sailboat as well.

    "Seems like he got some beast blood." Luo Hongyan smiled. Her ethereal figure materialized from a bloody mist and hovered in the air. "The souls of peak Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators make for excellent Spirit Devils."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Shrouded in a bloody mist, she gracefully descended into shadowed rubble and extracted Fei Zheng''s soul. She then left an imprint on it with her divine sense.

    After Zhao Ling and Pang Jian left, no one paid attention to Musical Instrument Street anymore. Thus, no one noticed a stunningly beautiful blood-red shadow moving through its dark corners.

    The only silent observer was a blood-red crescent moon on a pitch-ck g. It noticed everything from Fei Zheng''s death, the Shadow Specter Sect''s ambush, to Luo Hongyan''s appearance.

    "Ah, the Eye of Imprint." Luo Hongyan chuckled, captivating gaze fixed on the fluttering g.

    ***

    "Hong Jian!" Meng Qin cried out.

    "Master!" Bai Wei and Bai Zhi called from the second floor of the beast-hunting sailboat. The pair waved excitedly, faces filled with joy.

    They had originally thought that only Pang Jian hade and were surprised to see so many Shadow Specter Sect members rushing out from the nearby houses and buildings.

    It felt like they were in a dream.

    Meng Qin red at the sisters. "Can''t you two careless girls be more cautious? What are you shouting for?"

    Distancing herself from her opponent, Meng Qin prepared to regroup andunch another attack.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    A cluster of fiery meteors struck a Blood Moon Sect cultivator in the early stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm. The pungent smell of sulfur permeated the air as the Blood Moon Sect cultivator howled in agony.

    Meng Qin was stunned when a spear-wielding figure darted past her, heading straight for the cabin of the beast-hunting sailboat.

    "Hong Jian!" Meng Qin eximed.

    With Zhao Ling''s arrival, she and Wu Yi could each take on an early-stage Marrow Cleansing Realm opponent.

    Meng Qin was confident in her ability to kill her opponent, but she knew it would not be easy!

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian effortlessly killed the Blood Moon Sect cultivator with only a few explosive fiery meteors from his spear!

    "This boy..." Meng Qin muttered as she nced at her two still-cheering disciples on the second floor. Perhaps Bai Wei and Bai Zhi would be better off with Pang Jian than with her.

    "Hong Jian, we''re fine!"

    "We''re here!"

    Bai Wei and Bai Zhi eagerly waved at Pang Jian.

    However, Pang Jian just nced indifferently at them before heading into the cabin of the beast-hunting sailboat instead ofing up to help them.

    "Sister, it seems we were just imagining things," Bai Zhi said in a mix of embarrassment and disappointment.

 Chapter 113: Nipping Things in the Bud!

    <h4>Chapter 113: Nipping Things in the Bud!</h4>

    The battle inside the cabin of the sailboat was fierce. The blood of both the members of the Shadow Specter Sect and the Blood Moon Sect flowed like rivers. The shing of spiritual power and the weapons were deafening.

    After entering the cabin, Pang Jian calmly stood at the staircase and surveyed the battlefield.

    The spacious cabin contained an array simr to the one on the ground floor of the Divine Spirit Pagoda. It was embedded with spirit jades. Iron cages with Vicious Beasts lined the corners of the cabin.

    There were several blood pools in the center of the cabin surrounded by cabs filled with coagted chunks of blood. The workers responsible for processing the beasts cowered near the cages, watching the battle between the Shadow Specter Sect and the Blood Moon Sect in terror.

    These people were not members of the Blood Moon Sect. They were merely workers tasked with solidifying the blood of the Vicious Beasts into chunks.

    When the members of the Shadow Specter Sect saw Pang Jian, they cheered excitedly, their morale soaring.

    "You killed Fei Zheng?"

    "If you''re here, that means Fei Zheng is dead! Hong Jian, you''re much stronger than Hong Tai!"

    They had witnessed Pang Jian''s ambush on Fei Zheng at Musical Instrument Street and knew that his presence on the sailboat meant Fei Zheng was likely dead.

    "He killed Fei Zheng?" The Blood Moon Sect cultivators paled at these words, their resistance weakening significantly.

    Pang Jian ignored everyone present and headed straight for the cabs filled with coagted beast blood. One by one, the beast blood vanished into his raised palm. Concealed under his sleeve was a spatial bracelet with ten times the capacity of a spatial pouch, enabling him to discreetly take the coagted beast blood.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    On the deck, Zhao Ling shattered the skull of a Blood Moon Sect cultivator at the Marrow Cleansing Realm with a thunderous explosion from her blue staff. With that, only one Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator from the Blood Moon Sect remained on the beast-hunting sailboat.

    With Meng Qin and Zhao Ling closing in from both sides, the Blood Moon Sect cultivator in the mid-stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm yelled madly, "The Shadow Specter Sect must have a death wish! After today, the Blood Moon Sect will surely eradicate you!"

    Zhao Ling snorted. The floating ball of lightning within her blue staff glowed brightly and crashed around him with a terrifying rumble.

    "Even the future of the seven major ns is uncertain. Whether the Shadow Specter Sect remains is not for the Blood Moon Sect to decide!" she shouted back.

    Now that she was aware of the catastrophe urring in the Fourth World, she was urgently gathering spirit materials to advance to the Innate Realm as soon as possible.

    She was still young. If she could advance to the Innate Realm, she still had a chance of surviving in the Third World.

    Meanwhile, a stunning figure shrouded in bloody mist had silently appeared at the mast of the Formless Sailboat.

    She floated gracefully before the crescent moon on the ck g, which let off a crimson light.

    The crescent moon was like an eye and could record the happenings around the Formless Sailboat for future review by the Blood Moon Sect.

    "I can''t let the Blood Moon Sect see too much," Luo Hongyan muttered, extending a red crystalline arm to grasp the crimson crescent moon on the g.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    She snapped the illusory crescent moon into half like it was solid. The shattered pieces disappeared into the spatial bracelet on her arm.

    On the deck, Zhao Ling, Wu Yi, and Meng Qin had just killed thest Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator. As they were about to rush into the cabin, they noticed the abrupt dimming of the crimson light overhead and looked up to see a blurry, ethereal crimson figure gracefully floating in mid-air.

    "Ah!" The trio were horrified. Anyone with the ability to hover in mid-air like that was not someone they could deal with.

    "Why-why would someone this powerful be here..." Meng Qin''s voice trembled. She prepared to call off the ambush and retreat.

    "Don''t be scared, I''m not with the Blood Moon Sect," Luo Hongyan said with a gentle smile. She winked at Meng Qin from mid-air. "Like you, I''m here to raid this beast-hunting sailboat and take some beast blood and meat."

    Meng Qin froze at her words.

    Zhao Ling was more daring. She hastily stepped aside, pulling Wu Yi with her to expose the staircase leading to the cabin.

    "Please go ahead. You can take what you want, just leave some for us." Zhao Ling bowed. Her prominent figures could be seen as she bent over.

    "Smart girl." Luo Hongyan floated toward the staircase and said warmly, "Don''t worry, I''ll leave some for you."

    "Thank you!" Meng Qin also bowed in gratitude.

    Realizing that all their Marrow Cleansing Realm experts had been killed, the remaining Blood Moon Sect cultivators stopped fighting and fled the scene.

    ***

    Inside the cabin, Pang Jian was excitedly collecting chunks of coagted blood when he heard a strange sounding from arge barrel.

    The massive barrel was taller than him and he could hear the sound of sshing blood inside.

    "You''re so young and from the lower world, yet you possess a spatial bracelet." A cold male voice came from the barrel.

    The lid of the barrel flew off, instantly filling the room with the metallic scent of blood!

    A writhing blood shadow then appeared.

    Pang Jian thrust his Startling ughter Spear at the massive blood shadow, and fiery meteors sted it apart. However, after the bombardment, the blood shadow instantly reformed from the scattered blood light!

    "Trickster!" Pang Jian yelled.

    "You have a high-grade spirit weapon? Impressive, very impressive!" the blood shadow eximed in surprise.

    The mysterious blood shadow exuded a fierce aura that pressured Pang Jian far more than even Fei Zheng did.

    The other cultivators inside the cabin appeared unaware of the blood shadow as they nced around in confusion at the rising aura of intimidation.

    The blood shadow floated out of the barrel, its head taking shape to reveal the face of a middle-aged man with a square jaw.

    "Boy, Imissioned the Blood Moon Sect to forge me a new body. If you take all the beast blood away, the forging of my new body will halt." The blood shadow drifted toward Pang Jian. "Leave everything behind. Put down your spear and spatial bracelet, and I''ll pretend nothing happened."

    Everybody in the cabin, regardless of sect or cultivation, started to spew blood.

    <i>Cough! Cough! Cough!</i>

    Everyone aside from Pang Jian was coughing up blood. The ordinary workers died within seconds while cultivators gradually copsed one after another.

    Pang Jian paled.

    An inexplicable force infiltrated his body, trying to gather his blood and expel it. He hastily activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, barely suppressing the evil force and avoiding the same fate as the others.

    The blood shadow''s offer to let him leave was a tant lie. It had already initiated its attack on him.

    "You''re not leaving?" the blood shadow asked, staring at Pang Jian. "Then you won''t leave at all."

    The sticky blood on the ground suddenly rushed toward Pang Jian, engulfing him in a crimson cocoon.

    At that moment, Luo Hongyan floated gracefully into the cabin to see Pang Jian being wrapped up in thick, sticky blood, which then solidified within seconds.

    "The Blood Cocoon Technique!" she eximed.

    Meng Qin, Zhao Ling, and Wu Yi arrived shortly after.

    "Hong Jian!" they cried out in rm.

    As they took in the sight of everyone coughing up blood and Pang Jian cocooned in solidified blood, the trio quickly realized the severity of the situation.

    "Hall Master Meng! Hall Master Zhao!" Fan Liang called from the deck, attempting to enter with more Shadow Specter Sect members.

    "Everyone, leave the beast-hunting sailboat immediately! No one is allowed to enter the cabin!" Meng Qin shouted toward the staircase.

    The blood shadow now bore the face of a middle-aged man, which shifted into a grave expression upon seeing Luo Hongyan. "Who are you? I''m not a member of the Blood Moon Sect. I justmissioned them to forge a body for me. I mean no offense."

    "I know." Luo Hongyan nodded with a gentle smile. "There''s a rich vitality in your body that I need, so... my apologies."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Luo Hongyan transformed into a crimson mist that swallowed the giant blood shadow.

    Zhao Ling and the others watched as the blood shadow disintegrated within the crimson mist.

    "You witch, my true body wille for you!" the blood shadow screamed furiously.

    "Even if your true bodyes looking for me, it won''t know I did this." Luo Hongyanughed dismissively. "I destroyed the Blood Moon Sect''s Eye of Imprint beforeing down, so there will be no record of what happened. I''ll also erase this fragment of your soul. Even if your true body descends from the upper world, it won''t know who killed you."

    Her terrifying power overwhelmed the blood shadow and shattered its soul fragment.

    Meng Qin, Zhao Ling, and Wu Yi watched silently from the staircase, not daring to descend.

    "Don''t worry, I will leave some for you," Luo Hongyan assured as a spatial bracelet floated out of the crimson mist. The spatial bracelet glowed red as it hovered between the cabs.

    Chunks of coagted beast blood disappeared one after the other

    After some time, Luo Hongyan''s melodious voice rang out from the mist, "This should be enough. The remaining beast meat and spirit jades in the cabs are yours."

    She then silently floated toward the exit.

    The trio hurriedly stepped aside, watching as she drifted up the staircase.

 Chapter 114: Returning with Riches

    <h4>Chapter 114: Returning with Riches</h4>

    After Luo Hongyan disappeared, Zhao Ling and the others breathed a sigh of relief before specting about her identity and background.

    "Who is she?"

    "She seems to know a lot about the Blood Moon Sect. She easily destroyed the Eye of Imprint and dealt with that strange blood shadow."

    "Such a person shouldn''t be in the Fourth World!"

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The blood cocoon exploded. The freed Pang Jian saw the astonished trio from the Shadow Specter Sect.

    Although he had been immobilized in the blood cocoon, he could still hear the conversation between Luo Hongyan and the mysterious figure, so he had a rough understanding of what had transpired.

    "I''m lucky I had backup," he muttered solem.

    Even the Blood Moon Sect members present did not know about the mysterious blood shadow, let alone the Shadow Specter Sect. This was exactly the unexpected element Pang Jian had feared.

    Without Luo Hongyan''s intervention, he would have been in grave danger as the mysterious blood shadow would likely have dealt with him once the blood cocoon immobilized him.

    He could have been severely injured or even killed.

    "Hong Jian, are you alright?" Wu Yi asked, stepping through the pools of blood as he hurried over.

    "I''m fine." Pang Jian shook his head, pulling his sleeve down to cover the spatial bracelet on his wrist. He put on a mask of surprise as he asked, "Who was that woman just now?"

    "Someone like us, who was plotting against the Blood Moon Sect," Zhao Ling answered shakily as she finally pulled her gaze from the staircase where Luo Hongyan had left. "If not for her..."

    Meng Qin was also relieved. "Yes, without her intervention, the consequences would''ve been unimaginable!"

    "Hong Jian, you really surprised me. You killed Fei Zheng of the Blood Moon Sect. You''ll surely make a name for yourself within the Shadow Specter Sect! The Sect leader will pay special attention to you and might even meet you personally!" Wu Yi said admiringly.

    Zhao Ling also looked at him with newfound respect. She nodded. "I underestimated you. I thought yourck of battle experience would drag us down."

    Meng Qin was also about to praise him when Fan Liang''s terrified screams rang out from the deck, "Hall Masters! The Gilded Chariot of the Star River Alliance and the Fire Cloud Ship of the Radiant Sun Sect are descending from the sky!"

    Meng Qin and Zhao Ling''s expressions changed dramatically. "We must leave quickly! Powerful people areing!"

    "Hurry! Collect whatever you can from the cabin and leave this beast-hunting sailboat immediately!" Wu Yimanded, pulling out a spatial pouch as he searched the cabin.

    Meng Qin and Zhao Ling also leaped into action, ignoring the blood and corpses on the ground.

    Only Pang Jian stayed still.

    After breaking free from the blood cocoon, he saw a familiar spatial bracelet floating toward the staircase behind Luo Hongyan. He knew Luo Hongyan had not been idle when he saw the empty cabs.

    He and Luo Hongyan had collected almost all of the beast blood, so he had no interest inpeting with Meng Qin and the others for the remaining scraps.

    "Hong Jian, why are you just standing there? Hurry and collect the beast''s blood!" Zhao Ling said, standing on the corpse of a Blood Moon Sect member as she used her spatial pouch to collect beast blood from a high shelf. "You fought so hard to kill Fei Zheng for this beast blood, didn''t you?"

    "Not necessarily," said Wu Yi. "Hall Master Meng promised to send Bai Wei and Bai Zhi to serve Little Brother Hong. Heh, the courage of young men oftenes from women!"

    Hearing those words, Zhao Ling looked at Pang Jian with disdain and snorted. "You''re just like Yang Yuansen!"

    "Hong Jian, I''ll keep my word. The two sisters will be under your care from now on," Meng Qin stated firmly.

    Pang Jian shook his head. "No need."

    He then walked toward the staircase.

    The appearance of the Star River Alliance and the Radiant Sun Sect gave him a sense of foreboding. The catastrophe in the Ouyang n''s territory was likely spreading. That was the only reason he could think of for the powerful sects of the Third World to appear so frequently in the Fourth World

    As soon as he left the cabin, he heard Bai Wei''s cheerful voice.

    "Hong Jian!"

    The two sisters stood at the staircase leading to the cabin. They saw a stunningly beautiful figure wrapped in a bloody mist depart, but before they could react, Pang Jian emerged after her.

    The sisters cheered and rushed toward Pang Jian.

    He ignored them as he looked up at the night sky.

    The chariot bathed in golden light and the ship supported by fiery clouds were both strikingly visible in the darkness of the night.

    Based on his knowledge of spirit artifacts, Pang Jian knew that these two descending flying vessels would soon arrive in Divine Fortune. They would likely dock near Divine Fortune City and question the members of the Shangguan n about the situation.

    "Hong Jian." The bold Bai Wei tugged at Pang Jian''s arm. "My master, is she...those from the upper worlds areing. Will my master and the others be alright?"

    The fragrance from her body wafted to Pang Jian, causing his nose to twitch. He turned his attention to the pair of sisters before him.

    The older sister had a voluptuous figure with a face that exuded innocence and allure. The younger sister was more delicate and slender with a timid demeanor that evoked one''s protective instinct.

    "They''ll be fine. They''lle up soon." Pang Jian looked at them, then added, "I have to go."

    He put away his Startling ughter Spear and returned to the building on Musical Instrument Street where he had ced the white porcin bottle, leaving the two sisters behind.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Luo Hongyan emerged from the shadows, smiling as she looked at him. "Those pretty sisters seemed quite disappointed."

    "Not as pretty as you," Pang Jian replied offhandedly.

    "Of course," Luo Hongyan readily agreed. She removed the spatial bracelet from her snow-white wrist, ced it on the table, and gracefully floated back into the white porcin bottle before saying with a serious expression, "We need to get to the blood pool in Misty Swamp as soon as possible. We have plenty of beast blood now, but I still need to purify it through the blood pool."

    "Alright."

    Once she settled on top of the Crystal Snow Lotus, Pang Jian sealed the bottle with a stopper to prevent her presence from leaking out.

    "The Star River Alliance, the Radiant Sun Sect, and the Blood Moon Sect are already here. Other upper world sects may alsoe. The fragmentednds of Divine Fortune will likely be very lively. I hope the Shadow Specter Sect can hold out."

    ***

    Meng Qin poked her head out from inside the cabin and saw her two disciples staring dejectedly toward Musical Instrument Street.

    "Where''s Hong Jian?" she asked in confusion

    "He...he left," Bai Wei replied bitterly.

    "He left?" Meng Qin was taken aback. "I promised him you two would serve him together after this mission. How could he leave without taking you?"

    "Ah!" The younger sister, Bai Zhi, gasped. Her eyes revealed a hint of joy.

    "We, um, he¡ª" Bai Wei stammered in shock.

    "You two useless girls. You couldn''t even keep him here!" Meng Qin snorted, looking up at the sky. "Quick, follow me out!"

    Bai Wei and Bai Zhi hastily went after her.

    "Hong Jian actually left first," Wu Yi said with a peculiar expression as he watched the two sisters following Meng Qin off the deck. "That''s odd. Is that boy truly not interested in those sisters?"

    Zhao Ling was also puzzled.

    "He didn''t take the beast''s blood or meat from the cabin, nor did he pry out the spirit jades or spirit stones. Those sisters, whom even Yang Yuansen coveted, didn''t interest him at all." Shaking her head, Zhao Ling wondered aloud, "What''s he after?"

    Wu Yi coughed awkwardly in response to herments. "Maybe he already got what he wanted. I noticed he took Fei Zheng''s spatial pouch. It likely contains beast blood, probably from Rank Three Vicious Beasts."

    Zhao Ling nodded in agreement.

    ***

    An hourter, the City Lord of Divine Fortune City, Shangguan Dong, dressed in a yellow brocade robe, led a group of cultivators from the Shangguan n and the Ouyang n to the Formless Sailboat. They stood on the deck littered with corpses.

    The ck g on the mast had arge hole in it, and the Eye of Imprint had disappeared.

    The gruesome carnage inside the cabin was nauseating.

    "It''s the Shadow Specter Sect!" Shangguan Dong shouted angrily.

    "It seems the Shadow Specter has gone all out this time!" Ouyang Quan frowned. "Fei Zheng was at the peak of the Marrow Cleansing Realm, and even he was killed. The Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter may have personallye to Divine Fortune. Also, Yang Yuansen and his two subordinates likely revealed their identities on purpose to distract us!"

    The Blood Moon Sect backed both the Shangguan n and the Ouyang n. Neither n knew how to face the Blood Moon Sect''s wrath after a raid that looted all their beast blood and meat, while also killing four of their Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators.

    An advisor from the Shangguan n came rushing from the southern district. "City Lord, the Radiant Sun Sect and the Star River Alliance are asking for you. The Gilded Chariot and the Fire Cloud Ship are docked in front of the south gate. They don''t know about the misfortune that''s befallen the Blood Moon Sect yet."

    Hearing this, Shangguan Dong nodded bitterly.

    He ordered the city guards to hunt down the members of the Shadow Specter Sect and track their movements, then headed to the south gate.

    ***

    The following evening, in Misty Swamp, several powerful members of the Shadow Specter Sect gathered at the rendezvous point.

    Yang Yuansen burst into the room as they were counting their spoils.

    "The Shangguan n and the Ouyang n were hunting me and you didn''t even think to help. Instead, you went to raid that beast-hunting sailboat!" He red at Meng Qin, Zhao Ling, and Wu Yi, and shouted, "Where''s that Hong Jian kid? I want to see how he killed Fei Zheng!"

    His subordinates had told him that Meng Qin had given the rescued sisters to Pang Jian.

    He had lost two of his capable Marrow Cleansing Realm subordinates and had been injured by Shangguan Dong and the others but had received nothing in return. Meanwhile, Meng Qin, Zhao Ling, and the others had reaped great rewards.

    So, he hade to im his share.

 Chapter 115: Late-Stage Marrow Cleansing Realm

    <h4>Chapter 115: Late-Stage Marrow Cleansing Realm</h4>

    Meng Qin nced calmly at the furious Yang Yuansen and said, "Hong Jian hasn''t shown up yet. The deaths of your two capable subordinates and your being hunted by the two ns are because of your own carelessness. Don''t me us.

    "Also, you didn''t contribute much to the raid on the beast-hunting sailboat, so my previous promise is naturally void."

    Yang Yuansen sneered. He opened his mouth to speak when Zhao Ling interrupted, "Old Yang, to be honest, even if Hong Jian were here, I don''t think you''re his match."

    Wu Yi added, "It''s strange. This was the agreed-upon location, yet he hasn''te."

    The words of the three Marrow Cleansing Realm experts caused Yang Yuansen''s face to darken further.

    His gaze fell on the two sisters standing behind Meng Qin. Suppressing his fury, he said, "Elder Meng, I don''t need the beast blood and meat, or the spirit stones and jades you obtained. But those two girls were promised to me! I came to Divine Fortune specifically for them. They muste with me aspensation for the deaths of my two Marrow Cleansing Realm subordinates."

    "Master..." Bai Wei and Bai Zhi clung to Meng Qin, tearfully shaking their heads.

    Even though Pang Jian had not taken them, they still felt more inclined toward him. Especially after learning that Pang Jian not only persuaded Meng Qin and Zhao Ling to continue the operation but also took on the responsibility of killing Fei Zheng.

    The sight of Pang Jian battling Fei Zheng on Musical Instrument Street was deeply etched in their hearts. To them, Pang Jian was a beacon of hope that had rescued them from a life of suffering under Jiu Yuan.

    "Sorry, I already promised them to Hong Jian. I''ll be handing them over to him when he appears," Meng Qin said, dismissing Yang Yuansen''s anger with a shake of her head. "We gained quite a bit from this operation. We have two hundred spirit jades, nearly seven thousand pure spirit stones, and a lot of blood and meat from Rank One and Rank Two Vicious Beasts. The Sect Leader is very pleased with us."

    Yang Yuansen calmed down slightly at the mention of the Sect Leader.

    "The Sect Leader is extremely pleased that I recruited Hong Jian into our Shadow Specter Sect," Meng Qin continued, tapping the ground lightly with her cane. "The Sect Leader wants me to step down as the hall master of the fragmentednds of Divine Fortune and have Hong Jian rece me."

    "What?!"

    Yang Yuansen, Zhao Ling, and Wu Yi stared at her in shock.

    Meng Qin nodded. "I performed a Ghost Altar ritual andmunicated with the Sect Leader beforeing here. I didn''t have time to tell you two."

    "This kid made a name for himself overnight in our Shadow Specter Sect by killing Fei Zheng. It''s a meteoric rise." Wu Yi sighed. He nced at Zhao Ling and added, "We''ve never had such a young hall master in the history of our Shadow Specter Sect."

    Zhao Ling nodded in agreement. "Given hisbat ability and meticulous mind, he''s fully capable of assuming the role of a hall master."

    With the trio''s mention of the Sect Leader, Yang Yuansen was left with no way to argue. He could only look longingly at Bai Wei and Bai Zhi, helpless to do anything.

    <i>Knock knock!</i>

    Fan Liang entered, bowing to the three hall masters before he said with a grave expression. "Something terrible has happened! In just one morning, all our contacts in Divine Fortune City were either killed or captured by the Shangguan n and the Ouyang n.

    "This afternoon, the guards and advisors of the two ns will sweep the surrounding towns. Within two or three days, all our branches and strongholds in Divine Fortune City and the nearby towns will be discovered!"

    Zhao Ling frowned. "Elder Meng, perhaps we should leave. We have a Cloud Sail. We don''t need to rely on the seven major ns."

    "Hall Master Zhao, the location of the Cloud Sail seems to have been exposed," Fan Liang reported bitterly. "Moreover, all Cloud Sails entering and leaving Divine Fortune City are being checked. I heard the other ns have also arrived and are gathering in Divine Fortune City."

    Zhao Ling was shocked. "Does that mean we''re trapped in Divine Fortune?"

    Meng Qin''s expression changed. "I feel like something major has happened that we''re unaware of."

    ***

    Half a monthter.

    Pang Jian was submerged in the blood pool absorbing the abundant blood essences. A white porcin bottle floated next to him

    The blood crystals around the pool''s edge filtered out the impurities in the blood.

    Pang Jian had no intention of rejoining the Shadow Specter Sect now that he had an ample reserve of beast blood. He stayed in the blood pool for half a month, using the blood essence to temper his internal organs.

    When hungry, he cooked and ate the beast meat Luo Hongyan had collected from the sailboat''s cabin. His spatial pouch was also filled with clean water. Thus, there was no need for them to go outside.

    At this moment, he was refining strands of blood essence, mixing it with his spiritual power, and circting it through the twelve meridians connected to his internal organs. Some blood essence dispersed into his muscles, making him even stronger.

    His entire body brimmed with vitality. He seemed to have boundless strength.

    Now and then, he would connect with the sapling, which asionally moved from ce to ce. This little nt resembled the surrounding vegetation and knew how to blend in well.

    Wherever it took root, it would nearly exhaust the vegetation essence in the area before moving again.

    Luo Hongyan''s ethereal figure flew out of the bottle to hover above the blood pool. Her brows knitted in concern as she said, "Pang Jian, something''s not right. Through the Spirit Devils, I saw the Shangguan n and the Ouyang n killing many rogue cultivators. The Shadow Specter Sect have also retreated into the depths of Misty Swamp to avoid pursuit."

    Pang Jian opened his eyes to look at her jade-like figure. "They raided the Blood Moon Sect''s beast-hunting sailboat and obtained substantial resources. They should''ve left Divine Fortune a long time ago."

    "Yes, they should''ve expected that the Ouyang n and the Shangguan n wouldn''t let them go easily," Luo Hongyan agreed with a nod.

    "We have plenty of beast blood. We don''t need to worry about them," Pang Jian said before closing his eyes again.

    "Alright." Luo Hongyan floated around the stone cave, stretching her limbs within the crimson mist. She noticed fine blood vessels forming on her crystal-like arms and smiled with satisfaction.

    <i>Soon, I''ll be able to reveal my true appearance to the world. It''ll surely leave him speechless. </i>With that thought, she turned into a crimson mist and re-entered the white porcin bottle.

    Like Pang Jian, she paid no more attention to the outside world and concentrated solely on absorbing the abundant blood essence from the blood pool.

    ***

    One day, after changing the blood in the pool, Pang Jian activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art to absorb the blood essence as usual.

    Suddenly, some of the blood essence started to flow toward the bronze pendant on his chest.

    It seemed like something inside the bronze pendant was absorbing the blood essence in his body.

    <i>The ck turtle</i>!

    The tiny ck turtle floating in the bizarre mist within the pendant was likely starting the process of being reborn, just like the Giant Abyssal Serpent and the sapling!

    Before long, the blood essence in the blood pool was depleted. Pang Jian retrieved more chunks of coagted beast blood from his spatial bracelet and added them to the pool.

    However, the blood essence in the pool soon drained once more.

    Luo Hongyan, perched on the Crystal Snow Lotus within the porcin bottle, looked at him in surprise. "Pang Jian, you''re a mid-stage Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator. Do you really need so much blood essence to refine your organs and body? It feels like you need more blood essence than I do to forge a whole new body."

    "You mentioned that my marrows had been tempered by the essence of the Celestial Phoenix, making them far stronger than those of an ordinary Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator. Perhaps that''s why I need more blood essence at this stage," Pang Jian replied.

    "Very well." Luo Hongyan nodded.

    From then on, Pang Jian was constantly busy. Every day, he had to repeatedly add chunks of beast blood to the pool to supply himself and Luo Hongyan with the necessary blood essence.

    As time passed, Luo Hongyan soon noticed that the blood essence was flowing in an abnormal direction. Smart as she was, she quickly realized a third entity was sharing the blood essence with them but chose to say nothing about it.

    A few dayster.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Luo Hongyan gracefully flew out of the porcin bottle and hovered in the cave. Her exquisite face twisted in confusion. "Many cultivators from the upper worlds are flooding into Misty Swamp."

    Using her Spirit Devils, she saw Meng Qin and the others from the Shadow Specter Sect hiding like lost dogs. The two sisters now had eyes full of despair and helplessness.

    She then eavesdropped on their conversations.

    After some time, Luo Hongyan softly called out, "Pang Jian..."

    Pang Jian had sessfully refined his inner organs and muscles and was in the middle of recalling the key points of the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art as he prepared to refine his blood.

    He had finally reached thete stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    "What is it?" Pang Jian asked.

    Luo Hongyan was still listening in on the Shadow Specter Sect''s conversations when her eyebrows lifted.

    She burst outughing, hands pping in delight. "The Shadow Specter Sect wants you to be a hall master! Pang Jian, I think you should consider it. From what I know, hall masters of the Shadow Specter Sect canmunicate with the Sect Leader by performing a ritual with the Ghost Altar. You could use it for bartering."

 Chapter 116: Performing the Ghost Altar Ritual

    <h4>Chapter 116: Performing the Ghost Altar Ritual</h4>

    A Cloud Sail slowly descended toward Divine Fortune City.

    The Cloud Sail was the mostmon means of transport for both goods and people in the seven major ns of the Fourth World. It traveled between the fragmentednds at a slow pace and could not fly to the Third World.

    A man named He Hui stood on the deck of the Cloud Sail as he looked at the approaching Divine Fortune City. He had amanding presence and had just entered the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    A loyal advisor of the He n apanied He Hui in gazing at Divine Fortune City andmented, "It''s much more empty than before. The influential families loyal to the Shangguan n have all evacuated via Cloud Sails.

    "The rogue cultivators have to pay an exorbitant fee. Their memories are also searched to ensure they have no ties to the Shadow Specter Sect before being allowed to leave."

    The advisor nced toward the western district and shook his head.

    "Themoners are unaware of the impending danger. They only know that the city''s poption is dwindling."

    He Hui did not respond. He had been in a terrible mood since finding out that both his brother, He Rong, and his son, He Ziren, had perished in the Solitary Mountain Range.

    Not long ago, he learned from the Su n that Hong Tai of the Shadow Specter Sect had killed his son, He Ziren, and that his brother had died at the hands of the traitor, Dong Tianze of the Dong n.

    Only Su Meng, Zhou Qingchen, and Han Duping had survived, having escaped to the Third World through a Mirror Tunnel.

    "Ziren is dead. Hong Tai has a nephew named Hong Jian who is making a name for himself in Divine Fortune City!" He Hui suppressed his inner grief. "I''vee to Divine Fortune City not only to understand the extent of the catastrophe but also to ensure the death of Hong Jian!"

    The advisor nodded. "My lord, Shangguan Dong and Ouyang Quan are also searching for Hong Jian. Hong Tai is said to have killed Ouyang Duanhai, Shangguan Qin, and their n members in the Solitary Mountain Range as well."

    He Hui coldly dered, "No one from the Shadow Specter Sect will leave Divine Fortune alive!"

    ***

    Three Cloud Sails, each filled with cultivators from the seven major ns, roamed the skies above Misty Swamp.

    They patrolled day and night.

    Those aboard the Cloud Sails targeted Shadow Specter Sect members and rogue cultivators unable to prove their dissociation from the sect.

    Resistors were killed on the spot. Non-resisters were captured and imprisoned, destined to be handed overter to the Radiant Sun Sect and the Star River Alliance. The Gilded Chariot and the Fire Cloud Ship transported them to the fragmentednds contaminated by murky energy.

    The Star River Alliance imnted Ster Eyes into these prisoners before tossing them into the contaminatednds to observe what was happening below.

    ***

    Standing in a marsh shrouded in pale green miasma were the three hall masters, Meng Qin, Yang Yuansen, and Zhao Ling.

    Even if a Cloud Sail passed overhead, it was impossible to see through the haze without descending into the marsh.

    Nothing could be seen at night.

    The group stood around a four-sided altar.

    This was the Ghost Altar, constructed with a mix of Profound Yin Stones and Ethereal Spirit Jade.

    Colorful small gs inscribed with unknown runes were nted along its edges. Next to these gs were depressions that held cultivation techniques, marrow cleansing materials, exquisitely crafted spirit artifacts, and pill bottles.

    The projection of a gray shadowy figure appeared in the center of the Ghost Altar.

    "Greetings to the Sect Leader!" The three hall masters bowed respectfully to the shadowy figure.

    The Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect said hoarsely, "Aside from the Zhou n, which is furthest from the Shangguan n''s territory, the other six major ns have arrived. Additionally, members of the Star River Alliance, the Radiant Sun Sect, and the Blood Moon Sect are present.

    "You must find your own way to leave the fragmentednds of Divine Fortune. Even if I mobilized the entire Shadow Specter Sect, it would still be difficult to fight our way into Divine Fortune City to bring you out."

    Although the trio had anticipated this harsh truth, hearing it directly from the Sect Leader still brought a wave of despair to the three hall masters.

    "Meng Qin, Zhao Ling. Both of you have families outside Divine Fortune. You can offer some of your precious items here, and I will ensure your families are well taken care of," the leader added softly.

    Meng Qin moved first, cing beast blood, spirit jades from the beast-hunting sailboat, and a cherished mid-grade spirit artifact into an empty depression on the altar.

    "I have no children of my own. My brother died of old age long ago and his family members have no cultivation talent. I only hope his family can live a life of wealth and honor," she said.

    "I promise your brother''s family will enjoy all the wealth and honor in the mortal world." The Sect Leader nodded. Meng Qin''s items disappeared.

    Zhao Ling hesitated, then ced her prepared items into the depression before her. "I hope my brother can receive a set of marrow cleansing materials when he reaches that stage."

    "That''s simple enough." The Sect Leader nced at the offered items. "The value of these items exceeds that of a single set of marrow cleansing materials. Do you have any other requests?"

    Zhao Ling replied, "I know of your capabilities, Sect Leader. If catastrophe truly spreads across the Fourth World, I hope you can bring my brother to the Third World. It doesn''t matter where it is in the Third World, as long as he survives."

    The Sect Leader took a moment to consider her request before finally nodding. "I promise I''ll bring your brother to the Third World."

    With those words, Zhao Ling''s items were also teleported away.

    "Thank you, Sect Leader!" she bowed.

    The Sect Leader then turned to Yang Yuansen. "What about you?"

    "Sect Leader, I have no children or family to worry about. You can deal with the women who followed me as you see fit. Give them away or sell them, it doesn''t matter to me. I''m going to die in Divine Fortune anyway. I couldn''t care less about people who aren''t rted to me by blood," Yang Yuansen said with a cold smile.

    The Sect Leader nodded. "Very well. You three, take care of yourselves. Let''s hope we meet again someday."

    With that, the shadowy figure vanished from the Ghost Altar, alongside the remaining items in the depressions on the altar.

    Meng Qin stood up, removing the small gs from the altar, and preparing to dismantle it.

    "We probably won''t need this Ghost Altar anymore," she grumbled.

    Someone suddenly appeared in the distance, and in the blink of an eye, closed the gap to appear before three of them, giving them tremendous fright.

    "Hong Jian!" Meng Qin eximed. She looked around and asked in a chastising tone, "Are all our lookouts dead?"

    "No. It''s dark, and I''m too fast for them to notice," Pang Jian replied calmly.

    ncing at the Ghost Altar Meng Qin was dismantling, Pang Jian sensed a familiar aura. He had felt this eerie aura when he destroyed the skull-shaped array in the Solitary Mountain Range.

    <i>Perhaps the Shadow Specter Sect has connections to the Sinister Soul Temple,</i> Pang Jian thought.

    "You''ve been gone for a long time," Zhao Ling said, standing up and staring at Pang Jian. "While you were gone, we..."

    She shook her head as her voice trailed off, unwilling to continue.

    Their strongholds had been dismantled one after another, Fan Liang had been captured, and many of their subordinates in the Meridian Opening Realm had been killed or injured.

    The remaining members of the Shadow Specter Sect in Divine Fortune numbered fewer than forty. Most were scattered across Misty Swamp, hiding in caves or submerged inkes, and living in constant fear of being discovered by the Cloud Sails patrolling above.

    "Is this the Ghost Altar?" Pang Jian asked with an intent gaze. "I heard hall masters can use it tomunicate with the Sect Leader and exchange rare materials."

    "It can only be reactivated after a while," Meng Qin nodded. Smiling bitterly at him, she said. "Hong Jian, it''s a pity you didn''t leave Divine Fortune earlier. With your cultivation realm and youth, if you had gone to another branch of the Shadow Specter Sect, you would''ve been given a grand wee."

    "I heard the Sect Leader intends for me to take over as the hall master of Divine Fortune?" Pang Jian asked.

    Meng Qin was speechless. "The seven major ns are hunting us all down. Does being a hall master still hold any significance to you now?"

    Pang Jian was silent for a long moment before finally saying, "You all may die, but I might not."

    "Kid!" Yang Yuansen shouted angrily. "Where were you when we were fleeing in disgrace and our subordinates were being killed? ording to the n, you should''ve joined us the next day! Do you really think you can survive?"

    "Yes."

    Meanwhile, Wu Yi, Bai Wei, and Bai Zhi approached upon hearing themotion.

    Seeing Pang Jian, they cried out, "Hong Jian!"

    "We thought you were already dead," Bai Wei said, eyes red with heartfelt sorrow. "So many people have died, familiar faces killed day after day. I thought you were among them."

    Bai Zhi bit her lower lip, and silently but eagerly stared at him.

    "Elder Meng, you know I''ve always been interested in these two sisters. We''re all destined to die in Divine Fortune anyway, so why don''t you just let me have them, fulfill my wish, and let me die in peace in Divine Fortune ?" Yang Yuansen boldly suggested.

    "I don''t want that!"

    "I don''t want to be with him!"

    Bai Zhi and Bai Wei screamed simultaneously. They then nced hopefully at Pang Jian.

    If they were destined to serve someone before dying, they wanted it to be him.

 Chapter 117: Seizing the Ghost Altar

    <h4>Chapter 117: Seizing the Ghost Altar</h4>

    "Yang Yuansen, why do you insist on clinging to this matter?" Zhao Ling sneered. "Just now you told the Sect Leader that all those women you forced yourself upon before meant nothing to you. People like you only think about themselves. Why harm others even in your final moments?"

    "Because that''s just the type of person I am!" Yang Yuansen grinned shamelessly at the Bai sisters. "We''re all going to die anyway. You two can''t escape, so why not make the most of your final days and experience a real man? I may not be good at much else, but I''m an expert in this area. I guarantee you''ll have the time of your lives!"

    "We don''t want to be with you!" Bai Wei screamed. She was on the verge of tears.

    Bai Zhi mustered her courage and said, "Our master told us that we belong to Hong Jian."

    "That''s right, our master said we would be given to Hong Jian!" Bai Wei added defiantly, grabbing her sister''s hand to hide behind Pang Jian.

    This act made it clear that the one they truly cared for was the young man who had rescued them from their suffering.

    "I made myself clear. When Hong Jian returned, the sisters would belong to him," Meng Qin stated firmly, shooting the sisters a look of approval.

    Although she could not suppress the vicious Yang Yuansen with her cultivation realm, Pang Jian could.

    Pang Jian had originally intended to use the Shadow Specter Sect''s connection to exchange for some rare spiritual materials. When Bai Wei and Bai Zhi hid behind him, he shifted his attention away from the Ghost Altar to Yang Yuansen.

    "I heard that only hall masters in the Shadow Specter Sect can possess a Ghost Altar. Yang Yuansen, since you''ve prepared to die, why not give your Ghost Altar to me?" Pang Jian said.

    This statement puzzled Zhao Ling and Meng Qin.

    Yang Yuansen grinned.

    In the blink of an eye, Profound Yin Stones, Ethereal Spirit Jade, and several small colorful gs were spilling out of Yang Yuansen''s spatial pouch.

    "You have to reassemble the Ghost Altar. These things mean nothing to me now. You can have them," Yang Yuansen said to Pang Jian. Then, raising his voice, he shouted, "Old Meng! You heard him. This kid is willing to give up the sisters for my Ghost Altar. Now you can''t say anything!"

    Meng Qin looked at Pang Jian with a frown, unsure of his intention.

    Zhao Ling and Wu Yi also stared at him with confusion.

    Despair washed over Bai Wei and Bai Zhi, leaving their eyes dull and lifeless.

    They knew their master, Meng Qin, could not protect them from Yang Yuansen. They had ced their hopes on Pang Jian, but now they feared he was abandoning them for the Ghost Altar.

    "Kid, I want what you don''t. It seems there won''t be any conflict between us," Yang Yuansen said, stepping forward to seize the pair of sisters.

    "I said I want your Ghost Altar. I never said I would trade it for anything." Pang Jian stared at Yang Yuansen like he was an idiot. "Don''t assume things."

    "Kid, are you ying with me? Why would I give you my Ghost Altar just because you want it? Even if I don''t need it, I''d rather destroy it than give it to you for nothing!" Yang Yuansen roared.

    The Startling ughter Spear appeared in Pang Jian''s hands!

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    Clusters of blue and red lights exploded above Yang Yuansen like brilliant fireworks.

    Yang Yuansen''s expression changed. Pulling out a golden purple alms bowl, he hurriedly activated a powerful secret technique.

    Golden bars, copper pieces, silver ingots, and iron balls flew out from the golden purple alms bowl, turning into a strange sea of metallic fragments above his head.

    Pang Jian closed the distance, infusing his spear with fiery energy as he leaped into the air like a zing meteor and thrust his spear down toward Yang Yuansen.

    Explosive fiery energy erupted.

    The sharp spearhead of the Startling ughter Spear struck the sea of metallic fragments with lightning speed. Gold bars and copper pieces were smashed to smithereens.

    Pang Jian''s explosive force obliterated the sea of metallic fragments.

    Waves of violent energy surged downward toward Yang Yuansen, piercing his skin like scalding steel needles.

    Yang Yuansen screamed in pain, eyes wide as he stared at the immense vitality surging from Pang Jian''s chest.

    Clutching his golden purple alms bowl, he retreated, avoiding the explosive fiery power as he eximed, "Late-stage Marrow Cleansing Realm! Didn''t you just enter the Marrow Cleansing Realm?"

    Meng Qin''s eyes widened as she gaped at Pang Jian in disbelief.

    Yang Yuansen''s assessment was correct. The immense vitality pouring from Pang Jian''s chest indicated he hadpleted the refinement of his internal organs and had officially reached thete stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm!

    "Late-stage Marrow Cleansing Realm," Zhao Ling muttered in shock.

    Wu Yi licked his dry lips and sighed. "A monster. We''ve epted a little monster into the sect."

    Yang Yuansen backed away. When Pang Jian continued to advance with his spear, he screamed desperately, "Hong Jian! My Ghost Altar is yours. Just give me one of the sisters! You can choose first, and I''ll take the other!"

    Pang Jian ignored him and continued to approach.

    A chill ran down Yang Yuansen''s spine as he recalled Pang Jian''s violent spear technique. He shouted, his voice frantic, "Forget it, forget it! I don''t want either of them! I''m so damn unlucky. I shouldn''t havee to Divine Fortune. This time I''mpletely screwed."

    His shouting came to an abrupt halt as he stopped retreating.

    The others also looked on in surprise as Pang Jian stopped at the scattered Ghost Altar materials, crouching down to gather the materials needed to assemble the altar.

    He had not been aiming to attack Yang Yuansen but rather to collect the materials needed to construct a Ghost Altar.

    Yang Yuansen''s fear andck of confidence caused him to surrender without even a word from Pang Jian. He had voluntarily given up his im on the Bai sisters.

    Pang Jian did not even nce at Yang Yuansen. Instead, he turned to Hall Master Meng Qin and said coldly, "It should be their decision who they want to follow. They''re notmodities. From our very first meeting, I disliked how you treated them, saying that you would give them away if they didn''t meet your expectations.

    "They''re your disciples. Not spirit stones to be used to curry favor with others. If you had protected them from the beginning, Hall Master Yang would never have had any reasons to harbor such thoughts about them."

    Shamed filled Meng Qin, rendering her speechless.

    Bai Wei and Bai Zhi stood unmoving. Their eyes welled up with tears as they processed Pang Jian''s words.

    A glimmer of admiration appeared in the depths of Zhao Ling''s bright eyes as she lightly nodded in agreement.

    With his piece said, Pang Jian silently returned to gathering the scattered materials, wondering how to assemble them into a Ghost Altar.

    Seeing this, Zhao Ling stepped forward.

    "I''ll teach you!" she said, crouching by him and instructing him on the assembly process. As she taught him, she patiently exined, "Typically, we need to send a note through the Ghost Altar first, informing the Sect Leader when we n to activate it. We can specify what we want to discuss or what materials we wish to exchange.

    "Then, at the appointed time, we simply activate the Ghost Altar and wait for the Sect Leader to appear. If he sees the note and deems it necessary to meet or is willing to trade with us, he''ll show up at the specified time. It''s not guaranteed he''ll show up every time as he''s also extremely busy.

    "The Ghost Altar allows us to send information to the Sect Leader and transfer or trade items as small objects can be sent and received directly through the Ghost Altar. But the Ghost Altar is not all-powerful and living beings with physical bodies cannot be transported through it."

    Hall Master Zhao Ling guided Pang Jian through assembling Yang Yuansen''s Ghost Altar then helped him ce the small colorful gs around the altar''s edge.

    Finally, she pointed to a spot where he could ce a note detailing his request and said, "You can write your request on a piece of paper and ce it here. The Sect Leader will look at it when he has time."

    "Alright." Pang Jian nodded.

    He borrowed a piece of paper and a brush from Zhao Ling, wrote down his request, and ced the note in the designated spot.

    Zhao Ling then instructed him to activate the Ghost Altar with his spiritual power. Following her guidance, Pang Jian infused green spiritual power into the altar. He felt the jade stones withine to life as a mysterious array activated.

    The note vanished.

    "That''s it. The Sect Leader will look at your request when he''s. You just need to activate the Ghost Altar at the agreed time and wait for him to appear. If he doesn''t show up, it could mean he didn''t notice the request or isn''t interested in responding," Zhao Ling exined.

    Pang Jian nodded once more.

    ***

    Inside an expansive cavern, deep within the mountains of the Dark Abyss Continent in the Third World, was arge Ghost Altar.

    Colorful gs and spirit materials surrounded the altar. The setup was several timesrger than the one Meng Qin and her group had used.

    An emaciated man named Han Zhiyuan left the center of the Ghost Altar and turned to Dong Tianze.

    "The people of the upper worlds need a sect like the Shadow Specter Sect. That''s why it exists in the first ce.

    "The Shadow Specter Sect and these painstakingly constructed Ghost Altars allow us tomunicate with beings from the Fifth World at specific times or barter with them.

    "This is because many rare spirit materials only exist in the Fifth World. The people of the upper world cannot conveniently travel there or interact with its beings, so they need a secret channel.

    "My work in the Sinister Soul Temple is simr to what you do in the Dong n. Both involve unsavory, ndestine activities, such as controlling the Shadow Specter Sect."

    "In the future, I want you to help share the burden of these matters," Han Zhiyuan said, gazing intently at Dong Tianze.

 Chapter 118: The Seven-Day Agreement

    <h4>Chapter 118: The Seven-Day Agreement</h4>

    Dong Tianze''s expression was as icy as ever.

    "I want to know the situation in the Solitary Mountain Range," he said coldly.

    Even when facing his master, Han Zhiyuan, the Vice Cult Leader of the Sinister Soul Temple, he showed little reverence.

    Han Zhiyuan had been the one to take a liking to him and bestow upon him the Ethereal Ghost Token. Han Zhiyuan had also told him about Dong Qianfeng secretly joining the Shadow Specter Sect, which led to his betrayal of the Dong n.

    His deceased foster father, Dong Qianfeng; and his lofty master, the sessor of the Celestial Phoenix, were the most important people in Dong Tianze''s heart. This master of his in the Sinister Soul Temple was not one of them.

    Han Zhiyuan frowned, sighing. "No one dares to enter the Solitary Mountain Range, nor can anyonee out with the bizarre mist shrouding the region.

    "I arranged for Hong Tai and the others to go there. You even personally led the party on the Dong n''s side, but still, there were unexpectedplications."

    <i>Ding!</i>

    A sudden sound came from the Ghost Altar.

    Han Zhiyuan waved his hand and a piece of paper fell into his palm.

    His eyes widened in surprise as he skimmed the contents of the paper. "Hong Tai''s nephew didn''t die in Divine Fortune and wants to assume the position of hall master. He even handed over a list of items he wanted to purchase. Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder, Refined Ghost Miasma, Blood Cirction Pills..."

    He paused, puzzled. "Does that kid n to fight the seven major ns to the death in Divine Fortune? Even if he managed to kill Fei Zheng, with people from the Radiant Sun Sect, the Blood Moon Sect, and the Star River Alliance there it''ll be hard for him to survive."

    Han Zhiyuan had already inwardly abandoned Divine Fortune and the members of the Shadow Specter Sect there.

    Even the two hall masters, Meng Qin and Zhao Ling had bade him farewell.

    "In seven days? "I won''t be free in seven days. The Cult Leader wants to discuss important matters with me and I don''t have time to deal with him," Han Zhiyuan muttered. He then handed the paper to Dong Tianze. "Tianze, you deal with him."

    Dong Tianze reluctantly took the paper and asked, "What exactly should I do?"

    "Just sit on the Ghost Altar the way I taught you. They can''t see your face. Also, it''s best to only meet with Hong Tai''s nephew since he''s never seen me and won''t know if you''re real or fake. The other three hall masters have seen my true face, so avoid meeting them to prevent misunderstandings," Han Zhiyuan instructed.

    "Seven days..." Dong Tianze stared at the paper, brows knitted in thought.

    ***

    Atop a majestic crimson mountain, deep in the Emberrock Mountain Range on Western Loam in the First World, was a young girl.

    She sat at a table filled with delicious foods, drinking alone, and watching the fiery red sunset when a tall, handsome middle-aged man named Li Yuanli walked up.

    Li Yuanli stood next to her with a helpless expression on his face. "Girl, something happened in the lower world,"

    "What happened?" Li Yuqing turned her head.

    Her beautiful face had a hint of baby fat, and her eyes were incredibly clear and bright.

    "The fragmentnds in the Ouyang n''s territory in the Fourth World has been contaminated by the murky energy rising from the Fifth World." The handsome Li Yuanli frowned. "Beneath the Ouyang n''s territory lies the Fifth Continent, where the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir with Eight Trigrams City stands."

    Li Yuqing was taken aback. "Father, are you saying Li Jie¡¯s trial caused an ident?"

    "Not necessarily. I believe the Celestial Phoenix''s remains and the scattering of its divine bones are the main causes of the catastrophe."

    "How is it rted to the Celestial Phoenix?" Li Yuqing asked in surprise.

    Li Yuanli sighed. "It would''ve been difficult to erect the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs in the Fifth World without the Celestial Phoenix''s assistance. The Celestial Phoenix yed a significant role in their creation. Thanks to the presence of these pirs, there haven''t been any incidents in the Fifth World for many years.

    "Everyone believed the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs would stand eternally in the Fifth World. Because of this belief, they cast aside the Celestial Phoenix once it had served its purpose. Everyone assumed that even if it perished, it wouldn''t impact the pirs or the containment and deterrence of the Fifth World.

    "Who would''ve thought..." Li Yuanli trailed off, shaking his head with a bitter smile.

    Li Yuqing was lost in thought.

    "Of course, it could also have something to do with Eight Trigrams City," Li Yuanli added. "You and your brother chose different paths. He focused on spirit artifact crafting, and I was worried he would run into trouble in Eight Trigrams City, so I had you secretly watch over him.

    "When he returned, he mentioned that some strange things had happened in Eight Trigrams City but I didn''t pay much attention at the time. Now that there''s a catastrophe in the lower world, I feel like something isn''t quite right," Li Yuanli said while rubbing his temples.

    "Father, I was thest to leave Eight Trigrams City, and I didn''t notice anything unusual." Li Yuqing was puzzled.

    "Before you entered the mansion, the City Lord of Eight Trigrams City was devoured by an unknown entity in the darkness," Li Yuanli revealed. "Yuan Shishan''s soul was integral to the Eight Trigrams City. When the unknown entity devoured him, this likely caused an issue with the arrays.

    "The copper chest representing the array core also disappeared after his death, and shortly after you returned, the Mirror Tunnel to Eight Trigrams City vanished.

    "Now, we can no longer descend to Eight Trigrams City through the Mirror Tunnel, so we can''t even investigate where the problem lies. We also don''t know what devoured Yuan Shishan. The fact that it appeared in Eight Trigrams City, where the murky energy is so dense, and moved freely in the darkness, indicates that it can adapt to that environment.

    "Oh, and Li Jie also said he suspected you were the entity in the darkness."

    Hearing this, Li Yuqing was troubled. "Father, you didn''t tell him it was me?"

    "I was afraid he would resent me for not trusting him, so I didn''t tell him the truth," Li Yuanli admitted. "If there''s no issue with the Fiffth Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir, the tainted energy of the Fifth World wouldn''t be able to seep into the Fourth World.

    "This problem started because of Li Jie but he has recently been focusing on new spirit artifact crafting techniques. You should go to the lower world in his ce and check it out."

    Li Yuanli''s daughter possessed a rare treasure that protected her from the contamination of the murky energy and allowed her to see clearly in the dark.

    With this treasure, Li Yuqing would have no issues investigating in the lower world.

    Li Yuanli was confident in his daughter''s abilities andbat strength!

    "Alright, I''ll go to the Fourth World and have a look." Li Yuqing nodded in agreement. Suddenly recalling the boy in the dark tunnel, she asked, "By the way, Father, has anyonee out of the Solitary Mountain Range shrouded in bizarre mist?

    "There was a boy named Pang Jian in Eight Trigrams City who was very special. Li Jie said he should''ve returned safely to the Solitary Mountain Range in Northern Qi through the Mirror Tunnel. Did he evere out?"

    Li Yuanli shook his head.

    Recently, both his children had brought up the name Pang Jian, which greatly piqued his curiosity.

    A boy from the Fourth World had identally entered Eight Trigrams City and caught the attention of his proud children.

    Li Yuanli asked, "Is there something you two are hiding about this boy?"

    "Nothing, nothing. You don''t need to get involved in the matters of us young people," Li Yuqing said nervously, shaking her head and packing up the table in a rush.

    She then soared into the sky, leaving Western Loam and descending to the lower worlds without the aid of any flying vessels or special spirit artifacts.

    ***

    The sky was starting to brighten in Divine Fortune in the Fourth World.

    Meng Qin watched Pang Jian''s figure disappear with aplicated expression before turning to Bai Wei and Bai Zhi. "As your master, what happened in the past is my fault. I just wanted to scare you to motivate you to cultivate diligently..."

    "We understand." Bai Zhi nodded, biting her lips.

    The two sisters'' gazes were still fixed on the faint white mist where Pang Jian had left.

    After learning how to use the Ghost Altar from Zhao Ling, Pang Jian packed up the materials needed to set it up and left, iming that everyone should disperse and hide.

    He seemed oblivious to the pleading looks from Bai Wei and Bai Zhi.

    "He''s only sixteen or seventeen years old. He probably doesn''t yet understand the allure of women. He may have refused now, but in the future, he might not," Wu Yiforted the two sisters.

    "The future? What future?" Yang Yuansen sneered. As soon as Pang Jian left, his arrogance returned. "The Sect Leader has abandoned us. We''re all destined to die in Divine Fortune. There''s no future for anyone here!"

    Meng Qin was silent for a long while before she finally said, "I feel like he came purely for the Ghost Altar."

    "I think so too." Wu Yi nodded. "He seems confident he can survive in Divine Fortune. I really don''t know where he gets his confidence."

    Zhao Ling smiled bitterly. "So, what do we do now?"

    "Let''s take it one step at a time. We should try to stay hidden for as long as we can." Meng Qin sighed.

    ***

    Pang Jian returned to the cave and reported the good news to Luo Hongyan, "I managed to obtain a Ghost Altar. In seven days, I''ll have the chance to meet the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect."

    "Good. Obtaining some rare spirit materials and sinister spirit artifacts will benefit both of us. We can use our spirit jade and spirit stones to trade with the Sect Leader, as long as he appears at the Ghost Altar." Luo Hongyan''s eyes lit up in anticipation as she said, "Pang Jian, it won''t be long before I can appear fully before you."

    With that, the pair spent their days cultivating in the blood pool and prepared to activate the Ghost Altar on the seventh day.

    Even though forces from the upper worlds were active in Divine Fortune, Pang Jian was not nervous.

    After all, he and Luo Hongyan still had a Divine Spirit Pagoda they could use.

    They could always activate the Divine Spirit Pagoda and escape Divine Fortune at a speed far exceeding that of a Cloud Sail.

    Even if Divine Fortune became contaminated, he could simply have Luo Hongyan enter the white jade porcin bottle and seal it with the stopper.

    He had advanced to the Marrow Cleansing Realm using the dense murky energy in Eight Trigrams City and did not fear the thin wisps of tainted energy drifting upward from the Fifth World.

    In the worst-case scenario, he could convert the spiritual power in his body into murky energy and transform the Earth ze Technique into the Earth Demon Technique.

    Furthermore, hisbat strength drastically increased when his peculiar spiritual sea was filled with murky energy.

    One day, Luo Hongyan received some critical information from her Spirit Devils. "Pang Jian, the people from the Radiant Sun Sect are preparing to drench the perimeter of Misty Swamp with oil and burn down the entire swamp."

    Pang Jian''s face changed dramatically. "The sapling!"

 Chapter 119: The Little Trees Gift

    <h4>Chapter 119: The Little Tree''s Gift</h4>

    A Fire Cloud Ship quietly docked in the empty central square of Misty Swamp Vige.

    On deck were powerful figures from different ns, along with the members of the Radiant Sun Sect and the Blood Moon Sect, all staring into the distance and waiting.

    Not long after, arge Gilded Chariot flew in their direction.

    Before the Gilded Chariot came to a full stop, a woman in the Innate Realm named Huang Ying leaped gracefully from it andnded steadily on the Radiant Sun Sect''s Fire Cloud Ship.

    The person in charge of the Radiant Sun Sect was a thick-browed,rge-eyed man named Xiao Pei. He anxiously asked Huang Ying, "What''s the situation?"

    Next to Xiao Pei stood Dong Yao from the Dong n and Zhu Yuanxi from the Blood Moon Sect.

    Standing further back were Shangguan Dong, the City Lord of Divine Fortune City, Ouyang Quan from the Ouyang n, He Hui from the He n, Ning Wei from the Ning n, and Su Hongfei from the Su n.

    The influential figures from the six prominent ns of the Fourth World were all present. The only one missing was the Zhou n, whosends were on the opposite end of the Fourth World.

    "A catastrophe is inevitable," said Huang Ying of the Star River Alliance. She looked at the waiting crowd with a grave expression and fearful eyes. "We imnted Ster Eyes into the captured members of the Shadow Specter Sect and threw them into the contaminated fragmentednds.

    "Most of them died quickly, their internal organs rotting away. Those who didn''t die went mad and aimlessly wandered the contaminatednds, bing food for mutated Vicious Beasts. Evenrge nts have adapted to the murky energy, bing monstrous and bloodthirsty.

    "Those who went insane soon died off as well. Skeletons are scattered throughout the towns within the contaminated fragmentednds. The entire area is dead silent. We''ve yet to see any survivors through the Ster Eyes." Huang Ying sighed, shaking her head.

    Everyone was horrified. They had expected the situation to be dire, but hearing Huang Ying''s report still filled them with fear and despair.

    Even more terrifying was the fact that the tainted energy of the Fifth World was still spreading to the surrounding areas!

    Shangguan Dong turned and instructed his subordinate, "Arrange for those in the city with no enmity with our Shangguan n to leave on Cloud Sails immediately!"

    His subordinate nodded and left.

    Dong Yao, one of the pirs of the Dong n known for his tall stature and well-dressed appearance, turned to address Xiao Pei, "Brother Xiao, what are the ns of the three sects?"

    "Huang Ying''s report aligns with what we know," Xiao Pei began, "There have been previous instances of murky energy from the Fifth World rising to the upper worlds, and it has happened more than once.

    "But thest time it happened was a long time ago. ording to information from the Radiant Sun Sect, most humans, including cultivators like us, die not long after being corrupted by the tainted energy from the Fifth World.

    "Vicious Beasts and nts, however, adapt more easily to it and mutate as a result. After mutation, they be extremely violent and bloodthirsty. Theirbat strength also increases and they may even achieve breakthroughs in rank."

    The atmosphere became heavier with every word of Xiao Pei''s exnation.

    "Huang Ying, you''ve just returned from the fragmentednds. Is the murky energy already spreading?" Xiao Pei asked.

    Huang Ying nodded. "Yes, it''s spreading to the surrounding areas, with Divine Fortune being the first to be affected."

    "We have no other choice," Xiao Pei said bitterly, shaking his head. "I''ve already had Brother Shangguan join forces with the Ouyang n to pour oil around the perimeter of Misty Swamp. Once the oil spreads, we''ll set it aze and burn the entire swamp, eliminating all the Vicious Beasts and nts that will inevitably be contaminated by the tainted energy and reducing future threats."

    Dong Yao asked curiously, "Brother Xiao, aren''t we going to leave as soon as possible?"

    "Not yet. We need to understand the situation fully," Xiao Pei replied. "Those from the upper world also want to know the extent and level of this contamination.

    "When the murky energy spreads to Divine Fortune, we''ll observe the changes in the bodies and minds of the rogue cultivators and non-cultivators from the sky through the Star River Alliance''s Ster Eyes.

    "We need this information to gauge the severity of the contamination and how to handle it."

    The faces of those from the six ns looked increasingly grim.

    Ning Wei from the Ning n hesitated before quietly asking, "What about the future? Where will the people be relocated if the murky energy consumes the entire Fourth World?"

    Dong Yao, Shangguan Dong, Ouyang Quan, and the others from the seven major ns stared expectantly at Xiao Pei.

    Xiao Pei sighed. "The Third World can''t amodate so many people. The higher-ups will arrange ces for your direct n members and some attached nobles. As for the non-cultivators...we''ll have to see if there are any suitable ces in the fragmentednds of the upper world."

    A chill settled in everyone''s hearts.

    If a massive catastrophe truly broke out, the major sects of the upper world would only save a portion of the poption and abandon the rest.

    Those abandoned were destined to face a grim fate in the contaminated world.

    ***

    Pang Jian quietly left the cave under the cover of the night sky, watching the skies for patrols as he moved stealthily through Misty Swamp.

    Luo Hongyan told him the Radiant Sun Sect had prepared oil, arranging for the Shangguan n and the Ouyang n to pour it around the perimeter of Misty Swamp to burn and eradicate all the Vicious Beasts and nts in the swamp.

    When Misty Swamp was engulfed in mes, the sapling from his bronze pendant would turn to ashes. Thus, he left the cave at night, hoping to retrieve it and return it to the pendant.

    Pang Jian stood under the dense foliage, peering up through the leaves, and saw a Cloud Sail drifting by.

    "Another Cloud Sail," he muttered.

    The Cloud Sail was filled with cultivators from the six major ns.

    He had specifically chosen to travel at night because Luo Hongyan mentioned that two more Cloud Sails had been added to the existing patrol, and had warned him to be doubly cautious.

    After two hours of sneaking and hiding, Pang Jian finally reached the sapling, which had grown into a little tree and was now taller than him.

    Just a few days ago, it had only reached his knees. Its growth rate was truly astonishing!

    <i>Rustle!</i>

    When he arrived, the little tree gently swayed its tender green branches.

    But there was no wind.

    It seemed the little tree had gained self-awareness!

    Pang Jian could feel the little tree''s joy as it weed him. This was an emotion he had never experienced before.

    "Misty Swamp is about to be engulfed in mes. All the trees will be burned to ashes, and you won''t be an exception," Pang Jian said to the little tree. He then pointed to the bronze pendant on his chest. "Here! If possible, return here. When I leave this fragmentednd, I''ll find new soil for you."

    The little tree only swayed its branches as if uprehending and did not enter the bronze pendant.

    After a moment of hesitation, Pang Jian sat down and closed his eyes in an attempt to convey his message through their connection.

    In response, the little tree pulled its roots from the ground, flew to the nearby swamp waters, and submerged itself.

    Not long after, it emitted a radiant green glow, floated back up from the bottom of the swamp waters, and then sank into the soil.

    It then disappeared into the ground!

    It was trying to tell Pang Jian that it was not afraid of the mes as it could hide in the swamp waters or even underground.

    Pang Jian was stunned.

    Then he recalled the time near the Blood Moon Sect''s Formless Sailboat when bloodthirsty vines emerged from the fissures on the ground.

    That giant vine had been deeply buried underground.

    The little tree possessed a simr ability.

    <i>I was worrying too much,</i> Pang Jian thought with a self-deprecating smile.

    Now that he knew it could understand his words, he said, "If you don''t want to return to the bronze pendant, that''s fine. Just be careful. Besides the mes, you also need to watch out for cultivators. They¡ª"

    Before he could finish, the little tree re-emerged from the ground. Its green glow vanished, and it became indistinguishable from the surrounding trees.

    "Alright then."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A dazzling green light as bright as jade shot from one of the little tree''s branches and entered Pang Jian''s chest.

    Pang Jian felt a mysterious healing power in his chest.

    This power carried a strange vitality that spread a cooling sensation throughout his heart and lungs as if nourishing his internal organs.

    It was the little tree''s gift to Pang Jian.

    "Take care of yourself," Pang Jian said, patting his chest where he felt the new power before silently leaving.

    He feared staying would attract the attention of the Cloud Sails flying overhead and expose the little tree.

    On his way back, the beast-hunting sailboat from the Blood Moon Sect suddenly roared from a distance, flying toward Pang Jian at a speed far exceeding that of a Cloud Sail.

    "There''s a cultivator in the Marrow Cleansing Realm!" A man named Ni Chen shouted, holding a blood-red crystal ball in his hand as he pointed in Pang Jian''s direction. "Over there!"

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The beast-hunting sailboat elerated.

    Soon, sharp-eyed members of the Blood Moon Sect spotted Pang Jian darting through the bushes.

    "That''s Hong Jian! He''s the one who killed Fei Zheng!"

    "Hong Jian of the Shadow Specter Sect!"

    "He won''t escape!"

    Two Marrow Cleansing Realm experts of the Blood Moon Sect stood up in shock.

    "He''s so young!"

 Chapter 120: Breaking Through the Encirclement

    <h4>Chapter 120: Breaking Through the Encirclement</h4>

    Below a cliff on the other side of Misty Swamp was a stone tform concealed by pine trees.

    On the tform were roughly a dozen surviving members of the Shadow Specter Sect, hiding carefully as they vigntly watched the night sky.

    The group held their breath as they caught sight of a familiar beast-hunting sailboat.

    Just as it got close to them, it abruptly turned and elerated in a different direction!

    It seemed to have discovered something!

    Those on the stone tform were surprised to see the sailboat leave. They then noticed three figures flying out from the sailboat, transforming into blood-red streaks of light andnding in a muddy area in the distance.

    "Those are three Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators!" Wu Yi eximed. "After Fei Zheng''s death, more powerful members of the Blood Moon Sect were dispatched! Their figures radiate a blood-red light that can be seen from this distance, indicating that they''re all in the Marrow Cleansing Realm!"

    "Who could provoke three Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators from the Blood Moon Sect?" Zhao Ling asked, looking puzzled.

    Meng Qin shook her head. "Perhaps there''s a powerful figure in Misty Swamp that we aren''t aware of."

    As ofte, the beast-hunting sailboats from the Blood Moon Sect and the Cloud Sails from major ns frequently patrolled Misty Swamp, capturing Vicious Beasts and rogue cultivators alike.

    However, this was their first time seeing the Blood Moon Sect simultaneously deploy three Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators.

    "You''ve forgotten about Hong Jian, '''' Yang Yuansen grinned sinisterly. He took out a small embroidered g, shook his head, and gleefully said, "That kid isn''t even trying to be cautious. He actually alerted the Blood Moon Sect''s beast-hunting sailboat. Many surviving members of the Blood Moon Sect saw him kill Fei Zheng on Musical Instrument Street. There''s no way he''s getting away this time."

    "Hong Jian?" Wu Yi was startled. "He could indeed provoke three Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators."

    Bai Wei and Bai Zhi covered their mouths, gazing far into the distance where the three blood-red lights had fallen before ncing imploringly at Meng Qin.

    "How do you know it''s him?" Meng Qin asked sternly.

    Yang Yuansen smugly held up the small embroidered g to everyone. "This g is connected to the Ghost Altar he took. I can sense his location with it."

    The small embroidered g faintly emitted waves of spiritual power and was inscribed withplex runes resembling ghostly images.

    "There''s something you two might not know, but since the Sect Leader has abandoned us, I''ll tell you." Yang Yuansen pointed to the runes on the small g then asked Zhao Ling and Meng Qin, "Do you know what these runes represent?"

    The two frowned and shook their heads.

    Zhao Ling''s and Meng Qin''s Ghost Altars had simr gs that bore the same runes but they did not know their specific meaning.

    They activated the Ghost Altar each time by arranging the gs based on the Sect Leader''s instructions.

    "I paid a high price to ask an expert and learned that this rune represents the character ''hidden.'' This rune isn''t meant to hide us, but to conceal the Sect Leader''s appearance," Yang Yuansen snorted. "I had doubts about the Sect Leader''s identity. After learning the secret of this g, I intentionally left it out when activating the Ghost Altar.

    "He didn''t notice. Sometimes he hides his appearance, sometimes he shows it. But after I removed this g, I could see his appearance regardless."

    Yang Yuansen paused and looked at Meng Qin and Zhao Ling.

    "Sometimes the Sect Leader is toozy to change his attire and simply hides his appearance, not knowing I can see him when he responds to my Ghost Altar. Sometimes, I see him wearing the robes of the Sinister Soul Temple!"

    "The Sinister Soul Temple!" Wu Yi, Zhao Ling, and Meng Qin eximed in shock.

    Zhao Ling and Meng Qin had seen Han Zhiyuan before and had suspected he was their Sect Leader. Now Yang Yuansen was essentially confirming their suspicions!

    "Sometimes, the one responding to the Ghost Altar wasn''t even the Sect Leader himself!" Yang Yuansen continued, dropping another bombshell. "The Sect Leader spends most of his time at the Sinister Soul Temple. When he''s busy, he has others respond to us!"

    "Maybe the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect can''t save us, but an expert from the Sinister Soul Temple could. But the Sect Leader doesn''t think our value is worth exposing his identity or risking conflict with the Blood Moon Sect, the Radiant Sun Sect, and the Star River Alliance.

    "I didn''t intend to use this g against Hong Jian. It was just stored separately from the Ghost Altar and I forgot to give it to him. I didn''t expect..." he trailed off, ncing in the direction the beast-hunting ship had flown with a chuckle. "He won''t be able to escape with that beast-hunting sailboat chasing him. He''ll die before any of us do."

    "Master!" Bai Wei and Bai Zhi stared pleadingly at Meng Qin.

    "Three Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators...Hong Jian might not be able to hold out alone but with our help..." Zhao Ling gritted her teeth. "We can''t escape Divine Fortune anyway. We might as well join Hong Jian and fight the Blood Moon Sect to the death!"

    Wu Yi agreed, "That''s right. With our help, Hong Jian might not lose!"

    "Do what you want, but don''t count me in," Yang Yuansen sneered. "Maybe I''ll get a chance to survive if I wait till the end."

    Zhao Ling did not expect his help. Ignoring him, she turned to Meng Qin and asked, "Elder Meng, what do you think?"

    Meng Qin nodded. "Let''s go find Hong Jian!"

    Bai Wei and Bai Zhi cheered softly in delight.

    "You two stay behind!" Meng Qin red at them. "You''re too weak. You''ll only be captured by the Blood Moon Sect if you join us."

    "Master, we''d rather take the risk than stay here!" Bai Wei said fearfully, ncing at Yang Yuansen.

    Meng Qin hesitated, realizing that if she, Zhao Ling, and Wu Yi left, Bai Wei and Bai Zhi would be at Yang Yuansen''s mercy.

    "Fine!" she reluctantly agreed.

    They joined Zhao Ling, Wu Yi, and a few other Shadow Specter Sect members at the Meridian Opening Realm, and rushed toward Pang Jian''s location.

    Watching the group depart, Yang Yuansen mocked, "The sooner you die, the sooner you''re reborn. Good luck."

    In his eyes, shing with the Blood Moon Sect now was a death wish.

    The sky above Misty Swamp was filled with Cloud Sails carrying powerful members from the seven major ns.

    The unusual movements of the Blood Moon Sect''s sailboat would rm those on the Cloud Sails, leading to a gathering of powerful cultivators.

    ***

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    Fiery meteors exploded, causing the three Meridian Opening Realm cultivators from the Blood Moon Sect to howl in pain and stagger back as they coughed up blood.

    Pang Jian, wielding his Startling ughter Spear, had severely injured the three Meridian Opening Realm cultivators as he continued to attempt his escape.

    The three Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators, led by Ni Chen, descended from the beast-hunting sailboat and followed closely behind Pang Jian.

    "This kid''s tough!"

    "He managed to kill Fei Zheng. It doesn''t seem like it was due to Fei Zheng''s carelessness. Everyone, be on your guard!"

    The triomented while pursuing Pang Jian.

    Streaks of blood-colored light burst forth from their spirit artifacts. Some missed, exploding the grass around Pang Jian. Others struck his back. Pang Jian grunted in pain but kept running forward.

    Pang Jian had no intention of fighting them head-on. He fled under the cover of night at an astonishingly fast speed

    If not for the beast-hunting sailboat above, which kept locking onto his location and sending Meridian Opening Realm cultivators to intercept him, Pang Jian would have long escaped the trio behind him.

    "Everyone on the sailboat, stay where you are and obstruct him from there! This kid is strong. Those of you at the Meridian Opening Realm will only throw your lives away if youe down!" Ni Chen roared up toward the sailboat.

    The Blood Moon Sect cultivators on deck visibly sighed in relief.

    They remained on the sailboat, using its high speed to follow Pang Jian, shooting light des and blood arrows from a distance.

    Pang Jian could only dodge and press forward with all his might.

    Under this onught, regardless of his agility or his familiarity with the area, he inevitably sustained injury after injury.

    His body was riddled with wounds.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    A blood arrow pierced his shoulder.

    Pang Jian pulled out the blood arrow, seeming to feel no pain as he dashed forward another seven or eight zhang.

    When he finally reached the marsh where the Divine Spirit Pagoda was hidden, he breathed a silent sigh of relief.

    He then noticed a Spirit Devil had disappeared.

    Luo Hongyan had Spirit Devils guarding the Divine Spirit Pagoda so they could respond promptly if anything happened.

    This ce was close to the cave where Luo Hongyan was forging her body.

    Pang Jian believed Luo Hongyan was aware of his situation through her Spirit Devils and would soon summon the Spirit Devils scattered throughout the swamp to assist him in the battle.

    His pursuers had no chance against thebined power of hisbat strength and Luo Hongyan''s assistance.

    The Blood Moon Sect members were doomed to die here.

    "Eh!" Pang Jian gasped in astonishment.

    After stopping, he noticed his wounds had stopped bleeding and were tingling strangely. Pure vitality-filled energy enveloped the wounds, healing them at a speed visible to the naked eye.

    <i>The little tree''s gift!</i>

    In a short time, his injuries had partially healed to the point where they no longer affected his ability to fight in the uing battle.

    "He''s stopped!"

    "Kid, why aren''t you running anymore?"

    "Is this the grave you''ve chosen for yourself?"

    The Blood Moon Sect''s Meridian Opening Realm cultivators shouted mockingly at Pang Jian from the sailboat.

    "Yes, this is the grave I chose for you," Pang Jian replied, nting the Startling ughter Spear in the ground.

    Taking out several blood-replenishing pills from his spatial pouch, he swallowed them, slowly adjusting his breathing as he waited for the three Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators to reach him.

    Zhao Ling''s and Wu Yi''s voices could suddenly be heard in the distance.

    "Hold on, Hong Jian!"

    "We''reing!"

 Chapter 121: Counterattack!

    <h4>Chapter 121: Counterattack!</h4>

    The Blood Moon Sect''s beast-hunting sailboat hovered in the night sky.

    Pang Jian prepared himself as he waited for the arrival of Ni Chen and the other two Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators.

    He nned to kill all his pursuers with Luo Hongyan''s assistance and support.

    Zhao Ling''s and Wu Yi''s loud voices caused him to knit his brows.

    "The Shadow Specter Sect..." Pang Jian muttered softly.

    From the beginning, he never had a good impression of them.

    Back at ckwater Pond, he ughtered many members of the Shadow Specter Sect. He had killed Jin Yang, Xu Rui, and many more.

    If the Shadow Specter Sect realized he had been the one to kill Jin Yang and ruin their Sect Leader''s ns, they would not let him off so easily. Therefore, he guarded against everyone from the sect.

    Pretending to be Hong Tai''s nephew in Misty Swamp was purely to take advantage of the Shadow Specter Sect''s resources.

    He maintained an aloof front when interacting with Meng Qin and Zhao Ling as he did not wish to get involved with them.

    Unexpectedly, in this dire situation, with the Blood Moon Sect cultivators on his tail, these members of the Shadow Specter Sect were rushing over to help him.

    This left Pang Jian with mixed feelings.

    "Let theme!" Ni Chenughed loudly, voice echoing through the dense grass. "We''ll catch them all in one go!"

    The other two Blood Moon Sect cultivators at the Marrow Cleansing Realm stopped trying to intercept Zhao Ling''s group, allowing them to reach Pang Jian.

    Zhao Ling was dressed in a light purple robe. Her piercing eyes sparkled under her sharp brows.

    "Hong Jian!" she yelled, staring intently at Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian stood tall, his silver spear nted in front of him, and his chiseled face calm andposed.

    He and the spear seemed to have fused into one and exuded an extremely fierce aura.

    Even after pulling the spear from the muddy ground, his eyes showed neither fear nor nervousness. Far from being amb at the mercy of the Blood Moon Sect, he instead appeared as if he were the hunter.

    "Even in the face of death, you''re still so confident," Zhao Ling mocked outwardly. In her heart, however, she felt drawn to hisposed demeanor.

    <i>No wonder Bai Wei and Bai Zhi are so infatuated with him. He has a unique charm... </i>she thought to herself.

    "Hong Jian!" Bai Wei and Bai Zhi appeared next, their beautiful eyes fixed on Pang Jian.

    Meng Qin was guarding the rear and appearedst. When she saw Pang Jian covered in dried blood, her brows knitted as she asked, "Can you still hold on?"

    "I''m fine." Pang Jian said with a shake of his head. "Why did youe?"

    Thest time they met, he had rudely criticized Meng Qin. Surprisingly, she not only held no grudge against him but also showed up with Zhao Ling and Wu Yi.

    "We thought we could kill more Blood Moon Sect members if we fought alongside you," Meng Qin replied without hesitation. "We don''t expect to survive this ordeal. If we''re going to die in Divine Fortune, we''d rather die fighting a glorious battle with you than be humiliated and killed in the end."

    Pang Jian nced at Zhao Ling.

    Zhao Ling smiled wrily in response. "My thought process is different from hers. I have a feeling you''ll get through this catastrophe safely. I know it''s unrealistic, but I still want to take the risk. At worst, I''ll just die a little sooner than expected."

    Pang Jian nodded wordlessly at her before turning his attention to the muddiest part of the swamp.

    Therey the Divine Spirit Pagoda of the Sinister Soul Temple.

    "Is this all that''s left of the Shadow Specter Sect?" Ni Chen taunted as he emerged from the tall grass with his two fellow cultivators.

    Ni Chen tossed the blood-red crystal ball in his hand into the sky.

    "Blood Moon Rising!"

    Crimson blood streamed from the beast-hunting sailboat and swirled around the blood-red crystal ball.

    The thick blood floated in the air, emitting a pungent smell.

    As the blood-red crystal ball was encased in thick blood, it slowly transformed into a crimson full moon, casting an eerie blood-red light.

    The Shadow Specter Sect members felt restless after the full moon formed.

    "Under the blood moon, ourbat strength increases by ten to twenty percent, while yours decreases by the same amount," Ni Chen said, stroking his sparse long beard. Squinting at the Bai sisters, he praised, "Fei Zheng had good taste. He knew Elder Jiu Yuan''s preferences and found such fine goods in the lower world."

    Bai Wei bit her lip, moving closer to her sister, as she whispered, "Birds of a feather."

    "In the eyes of those upper world folks, everyone in the lower world, aside from the members of the seven major ns, are just resources to be plundered," Bai Zhi whispered back.

    A tan man named Qi Yue licked his lips as he stared captivated at Zhao Ling''s long legs. "Brother Ni, Brother Zhao, I¡ªThis is my first time in the lower world. I didn''t expect to find such outstanding people among the Shadow Specter Sect members!"

    His throat trembled as if wanting to swallow Zhao Ling whole. His eyes burned with intense desire.

    "Her name is Zhao Ling, a hall master of the Shadow Specter Sect. She''s in the same cultivation realm as you," Ni Chen said indifferently.

    "A hall master who is also in the Marrow Cleansing Realm!" Qi Yue''s body trembled excitedly. "No wonder that bastard Fei Zheng insisted on taking the mission to hunt Vicious Beasts in the lower world! For us, the lower world is a wonderful paradise. I really hope nothing happens to it!"

    As they had this conversation, the blood-red full moon above them absorbed the beast blood flowing from the beast-hunting sailboat, readying a forbidden technique to target the blood of those below.

    Ni Chen and his twopanions were in no hurry to attack and continued chatting leisurely.

    The blood in Qi Yue''s body seemed to boil in response to the blood moon above. He gulped audibly, utterly enamored with Zhao Ling. "Brother Ni, Brother Zhao, I want this hall master alive! You can name any condition afterward!"

    Ni Chen nodded. "I''ll be careful, but if she resists too much, I won''t hold back."

    The third Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator, the usually quiet Zhao Muye said, "I want that spear the kid is holding!"

    Zhao Muye had looked into it earlier and learned that the spear-wielding youth had shattered Fei Zheng''s hexagonal shield before killing him. That spear was undoubtedly an extraordinary weapon.

    He was not interested in beauty. He only wanted to find a suitable high-grade weapon that could unleash the full potential of hisbat power.

    "I can give it to you right now." Pang Jian''s hand on the Startling ughterk Spear radiated fiery energy that filled his surroundings with the scent of sulfur.

    He shuddered, and the dried blood on his body ked off. There were no visible wounds underneath!

    "How is this possible?!" Zhao Muye shouted in disbelief.

    Zhao Muye''s blood-colored beams had struck Pang Jian several times, and the blood arrows and de lights from the Blood Moon Sect members in the sky had also pierced him many times.

    He assumed that Pang Jian had been riddled with bone-deep wounds and thought he had stopped because he was bleeding out and could no longer hold out.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Fiery meteors flew toward Zhao Muye before he could react.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Zhao Muye hastily used his Blood Shadow Technique, splitting into three blurry blood shadows that dodged in different directions.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The fiery meteors exploded all three blood shadows.

    The Explosive Dance''s wide-area attackpletely overwhelmed Zhao Muye.

    "You dare covet my spear when you''re weaker than Fei Zheng?" These were thest words Zhao Muye heard before he died.

    Zhao Muye had been blown to pieces.

    "Hong Jian!" Bai Wei and Bai Zhi cheered, waving their fists around in excitement.

    Zhao Ling was also shocked by the bloody scene. She watched in amazement as the three blood shadows exploded, leaving only gruesome chunks of flesh.

    Even though Zhao Muye was also in thete-stage Marrow Cleansing Realm, he died much faster than Fei Zheng!

    This meant Pang Jian''sbat power had increased significantly during his disappearance!

    "He was in the mid-stage Marrow Cleansing Realm when he killed Fei Zheng, but now he''s at thete stage!" Wu Yi eximed. "From what I''ve seen, we''re not the ones who should be afraid, these arrogant Blood Moon Sect members are!"

    "Attack!" Meng Qin, Zhao Ling, and Wu Yi coordinated their attack on Qi Yue, leaving the toughest opponent, Ni Chen, for Pang Jian. They believed Pang Jian could kill any Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator without difficulty.

    "Blood Moon Suppression!" Ni Chen screamed at the deep red full moon in the sky and hastily retreated into the tall grass.

    The blood around the deep red full moon rippled and waves of blood-colored light spread out, casting a light that suppressed those below.

    Meng Qin, Zhao Ling, and Wu Yi had just surrounded Qi Yue when they all groaned simultaneously.

    The cirction of their blood became sluggish. The deep red full moon suppressed the abundant vitality in their chests and internal organs, preventing them from gathering their strength.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    ming spears, blood arrows, and beams of light rained down from the beast-hunting sailboat, leaving a myriad of wounds on the trio''s bodies.

    Qi Yue took the opportunity to escape their encirclement.

    In the tall grass, Ni Chen held up a blood talisman capable of transmitting messages and shouted into it, "Old Zhu, Zhao Muye is dead! There''s a troublesome kid named Hong Jian here. I need you toe in person! Also, have the Cloud Sails of the seven major ns rendezvous with our beast-hunting sailboat as soon as possible!"

 Chapter 122: Misunderstandings

    <h4>Chapter 122: Misunderstandings</h4>

    Zhu Yuanxi was a cultivator in the Innate Realm. He was drinking and having fun in Misty Swamp Vige with Ouyang Quan when the blood talisman on his waist received a transmission.

    Putting down his wine cup, Zhu Yuanxi pushed away the girl Ouyang Quan had arranged to serve him and grabbed the blood talisman. After listening to the message, his expression changed. "Something''s happened!"

    Ouyang Quan stood up. "What''s going on?"

    It was not only the Blood Moon Sect''s beast-hunting sailboat that patrolled Misty Swamp but also the Cloud Sails of the seven major ns.

    They had been hunting down the remnants of the Shadow Specter Sect and capturing rogue cultivators.

    He could not imagine what could have gone wrong.

    "It''s Meng Qin, Zhao Ling, and a kid named Hong Jian from the Shadow Specter Sect!" Zhu Yuanxi yelled, rushing out of the stone building toward the Radiant Sun Sect''s Fire Cloud Ship.

    "Brother Zhu, what''s the matter?" Xiao Pei, the person in charge of the Radiant Sun Sect, looked over in surprise.

    Next to him were Dong Yao and Su Hongfei from the Dong and the Su ns respectively. The trio had been studying the map of the nearby fragmentednds, discussing how to divide their forces and investigate the surrounding anomalies when they saw Zhu Yuanxi rush over.

    "Our people have encountered the remnants of the Shadow Specter Sect in Misty Swamp, and they''re proving to be tough adversaries," Zhu Yuanxi said anxiously. "Brother Xiao, please activate the Fire Cloud Ship and take me to Misty Swamp to eliminate this threat!"

    "The Shadow Specter Sect still dares to cause trouble?" Dong Yao asked, stunned.

    "I also wasn''t expecting it." Zhu Yuanxi smiled bitterly.

    He did not apany Ni Chen in patrolling Misty Swamp because there were also Cloud Sails from the seven ns backing them up.

    Since they had started their rounds, all he had heard were reports of the Shadow Specter Sect members being relentlessly hunted down and captured.

    He believed the remaining members of the Shadow Specter Sect would not dare show themselves now that the Radiant Sun Sect, the Star River Alliance, the Blood Moon Sect, and the powerful members of the seven major ns had arrived at Divine Fortune.

    Once the murky energy spread, those still in hiding would eventually die.

    Believing the Shadow Specter Sect''s members to be doomed, Zhu Yuanxi did not take the matter seriously and stayed behind in Misty Swamp Vige with Xiao Pei and Huang Ying.

    "Brother Zhu, they''re just a bunch of clowns. Is it worth mobilizing our forces?" Xiao Pei shook his head with augh.

    "I didn''t take it seriously before, but I received news that one of the three Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators who came with me was killed," Zhu Yuanxi said, brows knitted in concern. "I need to get to the battlefield as soon as possible, and only your Fire Cloud Ship or the Star River Alliance''s Gilded Chariot can get me there fast enough."

    Xiao Pei sighed. "Activating the Fire Cloud Ship will consume a lot of spirit jades."

    "I''m willing to bear the cost!" Zhu Yuanxi said.

    "Very well." Xiao Pei nodded.

    The blood talisman in Zhu Yuanxi''s hand abruptly lit up. "Old Zhu, Qi Yue is also dead! I-I fear I will¡ª"

    With that, the light of the blood talisman went out.

    The expressions on Xiao Pei''s, Dong Yao''s, and Su Hongfei''s faces changed after hearing the message.

    They had dismissed the hidden remnants of the Shadow Specter Sect and had not nned on cooperating with the Blood Moon Sect to eliminate them.

    After all, the ones the Shadow Specter Sect''s members had raided and killed were the Blood Moon Sect. This matter did not concern them.

    They were astonished that another Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator from the Blood Moon Sect was in trouble.

    "Something''s not right," Dong Yao said. He used a secret method tomunicate with the leader of his n''s Cloud Sail, urging them to hurry to the Blood Moon Sect''s beast-hunting sailboat to see what was happening.

    "Activate the Fire Cloud Ship!" Xiao Pei ordered. He then instructed Su Hongfei, "Go to the Gilded Chariot and tell Huang Ying of the Star River Alliance that there are formidable members of the Shadow Specter Sect causing trouble in Misty Swamp."

    "Got it!"

    ***

    In a corner of Misty Swamp, the Startling ughter Spear pierced Ni Chen''s chest, causing him to fall backward into a pool of his own blood.

    After killing Ni Chen with the Edge of Startling ughter technique, Pang Jian squatted down to stare at the sparkling red talisman in Ni Chen''s hand.

    Ni Chen had tightly gripped this talisman and shouted into it in his dying moments.

    "It can even transmit sound," Pang Jian noted, then unceremoniously took both the talisman and Ni Chen''s spatial pouch.

    After ughtering Zhao Muye and Ni Chen, Pang Jian was convinced that Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators from the Third and Fourth Worlds were no match for him in a one-on-one fight.

    Even if the ruthless Dong Tianze from the Sinister Soul Temple dared toe down to the lower world, Pang Jian was confident he could kill him.

    Gazing up at the night sky, he saw the deep crimson full moon that had been suppressing them had broken.

    While he pursued Ni Chen, he noticed Spirit Devils flying up and tearing apart the Blood Moon Sect''s forbidden technique.

    The screams of Blood Moon Sect''s cultivators could still be heard from within the beast-hunting sailboat. The terrified Blood Moon Sect''s members shouted about the Sinister Soul Temple attacking them as they jumped down from the sailboat.

    Spirit Devils invaded them in mid-air, and without spiritual power to protect them, they fell to their deaths.

    "You came rather quickly," Pang Jian muttered.

    The Spirit Devils were under Luo Hongyan''s control. Earlier, he saw a familiar silhouette heading toward the beast-hunting sailboat.

    At that moment, he knew a one-sided massacre was about to ur.

    "Spirit Devils!"

    "I saw Spirit Devils!"

    "People from the Sinister Soul Temple are here!"

    Meanwhile, Zhao Ling, Meng Qin, and Wu Yi had just killed Qi Yue and were joyfully looking at the beast-hunting sailboat in the sky when they saw Spirit Devils invading the Blood Moon Sect cultivators'' bodies.

    Only members of the Sinister Soul Temple could refine Spirit Devils, and the higher their cultivation realm, the stronger the Spirit Devils they could refine.

    In the eyes of the remaining Shadow Specter Sect members, the appearance of the Spirit Devils, the shattering of the deep crimson full moon in the sky, and the horrific deaths of the Blood Moon Sect cultivators could only mean one thing; Their Sect Leader had not abandoned them!

    They knew from Yang Yuansen that their Sect Leader was a Sinister Soul Temple cultivator, and a burst of excitement filled them.

    <i>Roar!</i>

    The Blood Moon Sect''s beast-hunting sailboat sprang back to life.

    It then crashed into an approaching Cloud Sail, causing those on the Cloud Sail to curse.

    The impact knocked the Cloud Sail to the ground, killing an unknown number of people.

    The beast-hunting sailboat then targeted another Cloud Sail.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    <i>Boom! Boom!</i>

    The sailboat collided into three sessive Cloud Sails, causing the members of the seven major ns to curse the Blood Moon Sect for their madness.

    Finally, the beast-hunting ship reached its limit and exploded into pieces.

    "This..." Wu Yi stared nkly at the destroyed beast-hunting sailboat. "The person who saved us is incredibly strong! They controlled the Spirit Devils and ughtered the Blood Moon Sect''s cultivators, then piloted the beast-hunting sailboat and destroyed the iing Cloud Sails one after another!"

    "To act at this moment, they must be extraordinary!" Zhao Ling marveled.

    She then stomped heavily on the face of the deceased Qi Yue, causing his already deformed face to shatter.

    "Someone like you dared to have indecent thoughts about me?" she sneered. Satisfied at Qi Yue''s now unrecognizable face, she said, "Even if we end up dying in Misty Swamp, I have no regrets. At least the Sect Leader made an effort!"

    "We''ve misunderstood Sect Leader," Meng Qin said with a guilty sigh.

    They all believed the appearance of the Spirit Devils was Han Zhiyuan''s doing, thinking he had used the resources of the Sinister Soul Temple toe to Misty Swamp and save them.

    "It''s a pity the beast-hunting sailboat was destroyed. They should''ve used it to pick us up and take us out of Divine Fortune," Wu Yi said regretfully.

    "That would be difficult. It would be hard for the beast-hunting sailboat to break through with the Radiant Sun Sect''s Fire Cloud Ship and the Star River Alliance''s Gilded Chariot around." Meng Qin shook her head.

    Pang Jian emerged from the tall grass in the middle of their conversation

    "Thest cultivator is dead," Pang Jian said calmly as he approached Zhao Muye''s corpse and looted his spatial pouch.

    "I knew he wouldn''t be able to escape," Zhao Ling said. A relieved smile spread across her face. "Hong Jian, I have good news for you. The Sect Leader hasn''t abandoned us. We saw Spirit Devils!"

    "Yang Yuansen said that the Sect Leader is from the Sinister Soul Temple," Meng Qin exined.

    "The Sinister Soul Temple..." Pang Jian was speechless.

    Luo Hongyan hated the Sinister Soul Temple to her core. But Zhao Ling and the others mistakenly believed the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect had sent her as reinforcement.

    The red talisman in Pang Jian''s hand lit up and Zhu Yuanxi''s voice could be heard.

    "Ni Chen, hold on! We''re on our way!

    "We have Xiao Pei from the Radiant Sun Sect, Huang Ying from the Star River Alliance, and cultivators from the Dong n, the Su n, and the Ouyang n. We''reing on the Fire Cloud Ship and the Gilded Chariot!

    "Even if the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect himself shows up, they''re doomed!"

    The previously joyful Shadow Specter Sect members stared at the red talisman in Pang Jian''s hand. Their smiles faded.

    The shadow of death loomed over them once more, suffocating them with its weight. Survival seemed impossible.

    "Xiao Pei, Huang Ying, and Zhu Yuanxi are all Innate Realm cultivators from the Radiant Sun Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the Blood Moon Sect respectively. They frequentlye to the Fourth World, so we have detailed information on them," Meng Qin sighed, ncing over at the crash site of the beast-hunting sailboat. "Even the Sect Leader''s reinforcements can''t hold them off!"

    Pang Jian''s expression darkened. He had never had contact with Innate Realm experts before and was unsure of their strength.

    While Luo Hongyan''sbat power had increased with the forging of her physical body, Pang Jian was unsure how she would fare against Innate Realm experts from the upper world.

    Pang Jian suddenly saw the Spirit Devil of Fei Zheng appear in the night sky.

    The Spirit Devil was pointing in a direction.

    "This ce isn''t safe anymore. Follow me," Pang Jian instructed.

 Chapter 123: Yearning for the Upper World

    <h4>Chapter 123: Yearning for the Upper World</h4>

    An hourter, the Fire Cloud Ship of the Radiant Sun Sect and the Gilded Chariot of the Star River Alliance descended at the crash site of the beast-hunting sailboat.

    The remaining Cloud Sails patrolling around Misty Swamp also arrived one after another.

    Zhu Yuanxi stood on the deck of the Fire Cloud Ship with a grim expression, blood talisman in hand. "Ni Chen is dead. His blood talisman was destroyed, so I can''t use it to pinpoint the enemy''s location."

    Shangguan Dong and Ouyang Quan summoned their nsmen to search the surrounding area for the remnants of the Shadow Specter Sect.

    Both ns depended on the Blood Moon Sect, and Zhu Yuanxi, an Innate Realm cultivator, often represented the Blood Moon Sect in the lower world. He was not someone they could afford to offend.

    As the Blood Moon Sect suffered repeated heavy losses, they became more and more anxious than Zhu Yuanxi. If the murky energy contaminated the entire Fourth World they would have to rely on the Blood Moon Sect''s Formless Sailboat to seek refuge in the upper worlds.

    "Meng Qin, Zhao Ling, Hong Jian..." Xiao Pei frowned, conjuring a fierce me on his fingertip. "Our people searched the area and found no trace of them."

    "Finding them is more difficult at night as it''s easier to hide," Dong Yao said. "Brother Zhu, do you still have the Blood Moon Sect''s Eye of Imprint or the blood-colored crystal ball that can detect life?"

    Zhu Yuanxi shook his head. "I gave thest crystal ball to Ni Chen to hunt strong Vicious Beasts."

    Dong Yao sighed. "That makes things difficult. We''ll have to wait until daylight before continuing our search."

    "Brother Xiao," Zhu Yuanxi nced at Huang Ying from the Star River Alliance. "The three of us need to have a private conversation."

    Xiao Pei nodded.

    Before he could speak, those from the seven major ns of the Fourth World tactfully dismissed themselves.

    The members of the Radiant Sun Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the Blood Moon Sect moved away from where the three Innate Realm experts gathered, giving them privacy.

    "My people told me that Spirit Devils attacked the beast-hunting sailboat. Ni Chen''s blood moon, formed from the blood-colored crystal ball, was torn apart by the Spirit Devils," Zhu Yuanxi began with a frown.

    "Also, during the attack on the beast-hunting sailboat at Divine Fortune City, a stunning woman destroyed the Eye of Imprint. Because of this, I couldn''t get important information from it.

    "Afterward, that woman entered the cabin. In the cabin, we were crafting a new body for a client. The client''s new body was also destroyed.

    "The client is a Spirit Condensation Realm rogue cultivator from the Third World. Even if the new body wasn''t fully formed, their strength still surpassed the Marrow Cleansing Realm." Zhu Yuanxi paused.

    "Spirit Devils and a mysterious woman." Huang Ying mulled it over and said, "Are you suggesting the Sinister Soul Temple is involved?"

    Zhu Yuanxi''s gaze fell on the crash site of the beast-hunting sailboat with a snort. "Don''t the Star River Alliance and the Radiant Sun Sect also suspect that the Shadow Specter Sect is rted to the Sinister Soul Temple? I believe the Sinister Soul Temple is involved! How else could the Shadow Specter Sect''s hall masters dare to attack our beast-hunting sailboat?"

    "I will report this to our sect," Xiao Pei said seriously.

    He was also suspicious. After all, it was known that those with the ability to refine high-level Spirit Devils were most likely connected to the Sinister Soul Temple.

    "The Sinister Soul Temple has crossed the line!" Huang Ying snorted coldly. "I''ll report this to our sect as well, so they can monitor the Sinister Soul Temple''s movements!"

    "Brother Xiao, I suggest we ignite the mmable oil and burn Misty Swamp immediately!" Zhu Yuanxi urged.

    Xiao Pei was startled. "Ignite it now?"

    Zhu Yuanxi nodded. "I originally nned to use the beast-hunting sailboat to hunt Vicious Beasts and recoup our previous losses. Now that the beast-hunting sailboat is destroyed, there''s no point in waiting."

    "Very well, I''ll inform Dong Yao," Xiao Pei agreed.

    "I want to see where the Shadow Sect members can hide once the mes spread throughout Misty Swamp!" Zhu Yuanxi said fiercely.

    ***

    Pang Jian led the Shadow Specter Sect members through a crystal-clear river in Misty Swamp. The river led to an underground cave Luo Hongyan had discovered through the Spirit Devils.

    Halfway there, he tore the red talisman in half.

    Once inside the cave, Meng Qin and Zhao Ling''s subordinates lit torches, allowing everyone to see their surroundings.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    Waterfalls and underground rivers stretched across the deep, spacious cave.

    "Hong Jian, how did you find this ce?" Meng Qin stood on the hard rock ground, studying the intricate stctites in the cave with the light of her torch. Hearing the sound of distant waterfalls, she marveled, "This mountain we''re under isn''t very tall, but the cave underneath is so deep!"

    Pang Jian hesitated before saying, "They n to burn Misty Swamp. We can only avoid being burned alive if we''re in a ce like this."

    "What?" Zhao Ling eximed in shock.

    Her exmation echoed through the cave, startling the others.

    "Rest here for a bit. I''ll cover the cave entrance and check if the Fire Cloud Ship and Gilded Chariot are still nearby." Pang Jian jumped back into the river.

    After swimming for a while, he arrived at the cave entrance.

    "I always knew you had a warm heart beneath that cold exterior," Luo Hongyan said, appearing at the cave entrance with several Spirit Devils floating behind her.

    Pang Jian saw Spirit Devils refined from the souls of Ni Chen, Zhao Muye, and Qi Yue.

    She had been busy.

    Smirking, he said, "They think you''re a powerful Sinister Soul Temple reinforcement sent by the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect to save them."

    Luo Hongyan''s eyes shed. "The Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect is connected to the Sinister Soul Temple?"

    "Hong Tai didn''t know?" Pang Jian asked.

    Luo Hongyan shook her head.

    Pang Jian then ryed Meng Qin''s words, mentioning that Hall Master Yang Yuansen had inadvertently discovered this secret.

    "So it is the Sinister Soul Temple!" Luo Hongyan snorted coldly then advised, "When you activate the Ghost Altar, it''s best not to reveal your true appearance. Try to conceal yourself."

    "Okay." Pang Jian nodded.

    "Did you tell them about the n to burn Misty Swamp because the murky energy is about to invade?" Luo Hongyan asked.

    "Not yet," Pang Jian replied.

    As the number of Luo Hongyan''s Spirit Devils increased, so did her sources of information. She knew Misty Swamp would be burned because the ns and sects feared the mutation of the Vicous Beasts and nts. She also knew it would not be long before the tainted energypletely engulfed this fragmentednd.

    Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan nned to stay in the cave, sealing the entrance with stones to escape the burning of Misty Swamp.

    When the murky energy seeped in and engulfed Divine Fortune, Luo Hongyan would shrink into the white jade porcin bottle, which Pang Jian would seal tightly.

    The Radiant Sun Sect, the Blood Moon Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the other major ns would retreat after the tainted energy invaded. As Pang Jian was immune to the murky energy, he could take the white jade porcin bottle to the white pagoda and escape from Divine Fortune.

    This was the n they had meticulously devised.

    "Pang Jian, the cave can only withstand the burning of Misty Swamp," Luo Hongyan reminded. Looking at him seriously, she added, "The cave has several entrances that connect to the outside. When the murky energy invades, it won''t be safe inside."

    Pang Jian nodded in acknowledgment.

    "Dawn is approaching. Stay here and don''t return to the blood pool during the day," Luo Hongyan advised softly. "I''ll leave some Spirit Devils here. If there''s an emergency, you can speak to the Spirit Devils. I''ll hear you."

    "Alright."

    With that, Luo Hongyan floated away.

    Pang Jian then returned to the underground cave and met up with the surviving members of the Shadow Specter Sect once more.

    He exined to the Shadow Specter Sect members about the inevitable invasion of murky energy in Divine Fortune and how the forces from the upper worlds had decided to burn Misty Swamp out of fear of the Vicious Beasts and nts mutating.

    Hearing this, the Shadow Specter Sect members gave up hope of leaving Divine Fortune alive.

    They believed the powerful Sinister Soul Temple reinforcement could not escape from this cmity either and was doomed to perish in Divine Fortune with them.

    "I heard that in the Third World, you can see the sun, moon, and stars on a clear day," Bai Wei said longingly. "It''s a pity I''ll only ever see them in paintings. Hong Jian, you''re from the Third World. Can you tell me what the sun, moon, and stars look like in the sky?"

    Her eyes were full of anticipation as she turned to Pang Jian.

    "The sun, moon, and stars..." Pang Jian murmured.

    He had caught a glimpse of a starry night sky and a bright moon just once, through the divine power left by Sun Bin.

    After thinking for a while, he gave a simple description.

    Listening intently were not only Bai Wei and her sister Bai Zhi, but also Meng Qin, Zhao Ling, and Wu Yi. They all wore longing expressions on their faces.

    "I hope my brother gets to see that scene," Zhao Ling murmured, lowering her head. Her sharp eyes softened and a smile appeared on her face. "He''s naughty but has a decent talent for cultivation. He''s just not willing to work hard. He used to rely on me being around, so no one dared to bully him, and he always talked about enjoying life."

    Her expression darkened.

    "He''ll start working hard once he hears about my death and realizes no one is there to take care of him. The Sect Leader must have some conscience since he was willing to send reinforcements. He''ll keep his promise. My brother will be taken to the Third World and won''t suffer the hardships of the Fourth World," Zhao Lingforted herself.

 Chapter 124: Activating the Ghost Altar

    <h4>Chapter 124: Activating the Ghost Altar</h4>

    A few dayster, Pang Jian was setting up the Ghost Altar in the cave where he and Luo Hongyan had been cultivating.

    Next to the blood pool was a small cave newly carved with the Startling ughter Spear. Inside the hollow, Pang Jian carefully retrieved the materials for the Ghost Altar and arranged them ording to Zhao Ling''s instructions.

    "Be careful," Luo Hongyan reminded softly from the blood pool. "I can only help you alter your appearance. You must watch your voice and expressions to avoid giving yourself away."

    "Got it," Pang Jian replied, before sealing off the small cave with arge stone.

    The sealed cave had several luminous pearls embedded in the ceiling, preventing it from being plunged into darkness.

    After sealing off the entrance to the small cave, Pang Jian picked up the small gs and arranged them around the Ghost Altar.

    Once everything was ready, he channeled his azure spiritual power into the Ghost Altar.

    With Luo Hongyan''s help, he now appeared as a young man with a sallowplexion.

    His eyebrows, eyes, and cheekbones had been subtly altered to make him look like apletely different person.

    Pang Jian deliberately hunched his back when he sat down to contrast with his usual upright posture.

    After finishing his preparations, he watched silently as his green spiritual power flowed through the Profound Yin Stones and Ethereal Spirit Jades on the Ghost Altar, activating the hidden arrays and causing spatial ripples to emerge.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A familiar figure materialized in the center of the Ghost Altar.

    The figure asked hoarsely, "Is that you, Hong Jian?"

    Pang Jian instinctively lowered his head.

    A storm raged within him. He had not expected the person appearing on the Ghost Altar to be Dong Tianze!

    Although Dong Tianze likely thought his appearance was concealed, the "hidden" g when setting up the altar meant he was actually visible.

    Pang Jian did not reply, keeping his head down as his thoughts spun.

    Dong Tianze stared coldly at Pang Jian in a dim cave in the Third World.

    The limited light from the luminous pearls and Pang Jian''s altered appearance meant Dong Tianze did not recognize him.

    "I asked you a question!" Dong Tianze snapped, speaking in a deliberately hoarse voice.

    Pang Jian kept his head down, adopting a strange, muffled voice as he said, "It''s me. About the items I requested, Sect Leader¡ª"

    "They''re ready," Dong Tianze interrupted impatiently. He ced Pang Jian''s requested materials in the depression before him. "As per the rules, you''ll need to provide items of equal value in exchange."

    Pang Jian ced the prepared spirit jades, spirit stones, and several spirit artifacts looted from Fei Zheng, Ni Chen, and Zhao Muxie, into the depressions on the altar.

    "Sect Leader, do these suffice?" Pang Jian asked in his faux muffled voice, head still ducked down, avoiding eye contact with Dong Tianze.

    This was Dong Tianze''s first time presiding over the ritual of the Ghost Altar. He assumed Pang Jian was simply showing him respect and did not pay much attention to his behavior.

    Dong Tianze''s gaze fell upon a bracelet with blood-colored patterns and a bloodstained long saber. "These items...Why are they all Blood Moon Sect''s spirit artifacts?"

    "It''s because I recently raided a beast-hunting sailboat from the Blood Moon Sect," Pang Jian exined.

    Dong Tianze said nothing as he turned his attention to the spirit jades and spirit stones and mentally calcted their worth.

    He had visited the Sinister Soul Temple''s treasury and auction market on the Dark Abyss Continent to gather the requested materials, spending a considerable amount of his resources to obtain them.

    <i>This is a profitable exchange,</i> Dong Tianze soon concluded.

    The spirit jades, spirit stones, and the Blood Moon Sect spirit artifacts were worth far more than the requested materials.

    "Yes, their value is sufficient," he confirmed, satisfied. Dong Tianze sized up the hunched figure of Pang Jian projected in front of him and said indifferently, "Unfortunately, the situation in Divine Fortune is dire. You won''t be able to hold out for long."

    His implication was clear. There likely would not be a second trade through the Ghost Altar.

    "That''ll be all," Dong Tianze said, triggering the spatial array with the Ethereal Spirit Jade that exchanged the presented items.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Dong Tianze''s and Pang Jian''s items disappeared.

    Before Pang Jian could react, his requested spirit materials appeared. Each item was exceptionally rare in the lower worlds.

    Dong Tianze had also disappeared.

    Pang Jian sat dumbfounded.

    "It worked? Just like that?"

    He reached out to touch the spirit materials with a dazed expression to confirm they were the items from Luo Hongyan''s list.

    After a while, he removed the small gs and dismantled the Ghost Altar.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    Pang Jian moved the stone blocking the cave entrance and stepped out. He then ced the Nine Heavenly Profound Thunders, jars of Refined Ghost Miasma, Blood Cirction Pills, Serenity Elixir, Bone-Casting Paste, and other materials next to the blood pool.

    Luo Hongyan was sitting atop the white jade porcin bottle and beamed at him when he emerged.

    "It worked?" she asked. "The Nine Heavenly Profound Thunders and Refined Ghost Miasma were decoys to mislead the Shadow Specter Sect''s Sect Leader into thinking we were nning a major operation in Divine Fortune. The Blood Cirction Pills, Serenity Elixir, and Bone-Casting Paste were what we truly needed."

    Her eyes gleamed excitedly as she nced at the now petalless Crystal Snow Lotus.

    "With these materials, I can reforge my body with just one more trade!" she eximed.

    They had nned to use this as a test run before negotiating a second deal.

    "Are you okay?" Luo Hongyan asked, noticing Pang Jian''s strange expression. "What''s wrong?"

    "Nothing went wrong. The exchange went smoothly, but..." Pang Jian shook his head. "But the person I spoke with wasn''t the Sect Leader. It was Dong Tianze."

    "Dong Tianze?!" Luo Hongyan was momentarily stunned. She then burst into a charmingugh. "You two are destined to cross paths! At the bottom of the deep hole on Central Lake Ind, you nearly assassinated him. I remember how your spread was lodged in his butt when he flew out!

    "You would''ve finished him off in Eight Trigrams City if it hadn''t been for that kid from the Divine Treasures Sect''s Li Family protecting him.

    "Fate truly works in mysterious ways. He''s now be our supplier, searching for various spirit materials for us in the Third World!"

    "Pang Jian, he didn''t recognize you, did he?" Luo Hongyan asked, flying gleefully around the cave like a blood-colored fairy.

    "He wasn''t paying much attention so he didn''t notice. He knows of the situation in Divine Fortune and assumes I''ll be dead soon, so he thinks this is thest trade we''ll ever make," Pang Jian replied.

    "Let''s give him a surprise then!" Luo Hongyanughed, finding the situation increasingly amusing. "We need to perform at least one more exchange with him. Pang Jian, remember not to reveal your identity. It won''t matter if he finds out after we get everything we need."

    "Got it." Pang Jian nodded. After a moment of hesitation, he asked, "You seem to know a lot about the Sinister Soul Temple''s methods for refining Spirit Devils and the many secret arts of the Blood Moon Sect. Who were you before?"

    Luo Hongyan''s mirth abruptly vanished. Her red lips curved into a bitter smile. "I have a few enemies who have be powerful individuals, I''ll keep my background to myself for now.

    "As for how I can forge a new body using the Blood Moon Sect''s secret art and understand the Sinister Soul Temple''s methods for refining Spirit Devils, that''s because..." she trailed off, pausing to gather her thoughts.

    "A long time ago, there was a sect called the Blood Spirit Sect in the Second World. This sect was once as renowned as the Demon Sect, the Sword Pavilion, and the Dragon Lair Sect. However, due to internal strife, it declined and lost its foothold in the Second World."

    "Its name eventually disappeared from the Second World. But two sects emerged in the Third World following its fall: the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple."

    Pang Jian was shocked. "I didn''t expect the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple to share amon origin."

    "Yes, I was caught in the middle of that internal strife. After the Blood Spirit Sect disappeared, my body was destroyed, and I was imprisoned in that paper fan." Luo Hongyan recounted with a sorrowful sigh.

    "I see." Pang Jian did not press further.

    The two then continued with their respective cultivation.

    Two dayster, Luo Hongyan prepared a new list for Pang Jian to transmit through the Ghost Altar and arranged another trade for seven dayster.

    Pang Jian sent the list as instructed and prepared to reactivate the Ghost Altar in seven days.

    Three dayster, Luo Hongyan received a message from her Spirit Devils.

    "Pang Jian, the fire has been spreading inward for several days. The mes will soon reach both this cave and the one underground."

    Pang Jian nodded. "Neither cave will be affected by the fire."

    Luo Hongyan smiled gently. "That''s true, but I was trying to say it won''t be long before murky energy seeps in from the lower world. I can retreat into the white jade porcin bottle and you have no issue reabsorbing the tainted energy, but the members of the Shadow Specter Sect won''t be able to escape this catastrophe."

    Her eyes met Pang Jian''s.

    Pang Jian was silent for a long while. Finally, he said, "I''ve thought about it, but I can''t save them."

    The members of the Shadow Specter Sect needed to leave Divine Fortune before the murky energy arrived. They would need to escape using flying vessels to survive. However, the sky was constantly being monitored and patrolled. If theyunched the Divine Spirit Pagoda now, they would only be a target.

    Pang Jian''s and Luo Hongyan''s true identities would be exposed when the Divine Spirit Pagoda appeared. If Dong Tianze realized, it could even prompt an attack from the Sinister Soul Temple.

    "Mm, I''m d you''re not as impulsive as before. You''ve be much moreposed." Luo Hongyan revealed a satisfied smile. "It''s best for us to wait until everyone has left Divine Fortune and everything has settled down. Only then can weunch the Divine Spirit Pagoda without anyone noticing."

 Chapter 125: The Forgotten Copper Chest

    <h4>Chapter 125: The Forgotten Copper Chest</h4>

    The emaciated Han Zhiyuan arrived at Dong Tianze''s cultivation cave in the Sinister Soul Temple in the Third World and asked, "Did you trade with that kid using the Ghost Altar?"

    Dong Tianze nodded and took out a new list of spirit materials. "He ns to make a second deal. This is the new list of materials."

    Han Zhiyuan took the list and looked it over. Finding no issues, he handed it back to Dong Tianze.

    "They''re making quite themotion over at Divine Fortune. The Blood Moon Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the Radiant Sun Sect were questioning the Cult Leader, asking if we''re harboring the Shadow Specter Sect," Han Zhiyuan remarked.

    Dong Tianze''s eyes shed with curiosity.

    "They recently attacked the Blood Moon Sect''s beast-hunting sailboat, resulting in the deaths of three Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators. Someone from the Blood Moon Sect also saw Spirit Devils. And as you know, most cultivators who can refine Spirit Devilse from our Sinister Soul Temple."

    "I was also attacked by Spirit Devils on Central Lake Ind in the Solitary Mountain Range!" Dong Tianze eximed.

    As he recalled those unpleasant memories, he subconsciously reached to touch his behind, remembering the spear.

    Han Zhiyuan sighed. "We don''t know whether the ones in the Solitary Mountain Range and Divine Fortune are the same person. Some of our followers went missing after being expelled and could''ve ended up in the lower worlds.

    "The Cult Leader has assured those sects that the Spirit Devils in Divine Fortune have nothing to do with us. The next time you trade with that kid, try to find out if he knows who''s behind it."

    "I haven''t acquired the listed spirit materials yet, so I''m not sure if there''ll be a next trade," Dong Tianze said hesitantly. "I''ve heard that the sects and ns have started burning the swamp in Divine Fortune. Not to mention, the murky energy will soon spread there."

    "That''s true. Do what you think is best," Han Zhiyuan said, nodding. "Don''t worry, we have our reasons for existing. No matter what we do, we''ll be able to stand strong for as long as the upper worlds need us tomunicate with the Fifth World. The Blood Moon Sect, the Radiant Sun Sect, and the Star River Alliance know our importance and wouldn''t dare to attack."

    ***

    In Misty Swamp, Pang Jian suddenly awoke from his cultivation and touched his chest.

    It felt like a green leaf had appeared in his chest.

    When he had bid farewell to the little tree, a jade-green divine light containing miraculous life energy had shot into his heart.

    That divine light had now condensed into a leaf in his chest.

    He had yet to advance to the Profound Abode Realm and had not formed his divine sense so he could not see the leaf. However, he could feel the life energy it emanated, nourishing his entire body.

    His body''s ability to heal had been significantly enhanced thanks to the presence of this green leaf.

    Pang Jian then established a connection with the little tree.

    All the nts from the little tree''s roots extending to arge radius around it had withered. It seemed it had drained all their life energy in a short time.

    Pang Jian''s perspective rose until he was on the highest branch of the little tree. The higher vantage point meant he could see the roaring mes and billowing smoke in the distance.

    He felt a sense of urgency from the little tree rooted in Misty Swamp.

    It had desperately absorbed as much life energy from the nearby nts as possible, knowing that the wildly spreading fire would soon burn the surrounding vegetation to ashes anyway.

    The little tree had absorbed a vast amount of life energy in a short time, leading to a surplus which it then used to transform the divine light in Pang Jian''s chest into a leaf.

    Luo Hongyan saw he had awoken from his cultivation and said, "Misty Swamp will turn to scorched earth within a day. It won''t be long before the murky energy invades Divine Fortune."

    Pang Jian nodded.

    Through the little tree''s vision, he saw the Radiant Sun Sect''s Fire Cloud Ship capturing those fleeing from the burning area.

    Among them was Yang Yuansen from the Shadow Specter Sect.

    Yang Yuansen was unaware of the approaching me and had not found a suitable ce to escape the fire. Thus, he was forced to reveal himself and was captured by the Radiant Sun Sect.

    Pang Jian was indifferent to his fate, apathetically closing his eyes to continue his cultivation.

    He soon discovered that, with the life energy from the leaf in his chest, his efficiency in refining blood essence had significantly improved.

    Another day passed, and when he established a connection with the little tree again, he found it had sunk deep underground.

    This meant the mes hadpletely engulfed Misty Swamp.

    The gradually spreading tainted energy would soon reach Divine Fortune.

    That same day, Pang Jian was having his meal when he nced at the white jade porcin bottle floating on the blood water and recalled something.

    <i>The old copper chest.</i>

    Yuan Shishan, the City Lord of Eight Trigrams City, had absorbed the blood of his descendant, Yuan Lengshan, through the copper chest and resurrected himself.

    Like Luo Hongyan''s white jade porcin bottle, the copper chest also came from the pool in the City Lord''s Mansion.

    <i>Could it also iste the murky energy?</i>

    With that thought in mind, Pang Jian retrieved therge copper chest from the bottom of his spatial pouch.

    He ced the copper chest on the ground, studying it carefully. It still had snapped remnants of gold and copper wires wrapped around from when Yuan Shishan emerged. The chest was also no longer locked.

    Pang Jian touched the copper chest. When nothing happened, he sighed in relief.

    The terrifying negative emotions that once filled the copper chest had dissipated over time.

    "This chest!" Luo Hongyan eximed, "You actually brought it from Eight Trigrams City?"

    Although she found that she could move the white jade porcin bottle, the Startling ughter, and the garment from the pool, she ultimately chose the porcin bottle with the Crystal Snow Lotus.

    However, she had not been able to move the strange copper chest at the bottom of the pool at all.

    Later events proved the strangeness of the chest as the City Lord of Eight Trigrams City, Yuan Shishan, resurrected through it.

    "I took it after the City Lord died, but didn''t touch it afterward because of its peculiarities," Pang Jian exined. "Now, I want to see if it can iste the murky energy. Since it, like the white jade porcin bottle, also came from the City Lord''s Mansion, it might have the same properties."

    With that said, he lifted the lid of the copper chest.

    "Be careful!" Luo Hongyan cried out in rm, hastily floating out of the white jade porcin bottle to hover above the open chest.

    The chest was empty aside from a yellow cloth lining the bottom. This cloth emitted a yellow light simr to that of the chest.

    Pang Jian leaned in and took a sniff, then infused it with spiritual power, but sensed nothing unusual.

    The copper chest looked like an ordinaryrge chest.

    Luo Hongyan released her divine sense, scanning the box inside and out, but found nothing special.

    "How strange..." She murmured with knitted brows. The chest''s ordinary appearance made it even more suspicious in her eyes.

    "I''ll go inside and have a look," Pang Jian said, jumping into the chest and closing the lid from inside, lying t within it.

    A bright full moon and dazzling stars appeared inside the pitch-ck chest!

    Pang Jian felt like he was lying beneath the night sky.

    The moon and stars were so close, they were almost within reach!

    Before he could investigate further, the chest was abruptly opened.

    Luo Hongyan''s beautiful face was lined with concern as she anxiously asked, "Are you okay?"

    "I''m fine. When the lid was closed, I saw the stars and the moon," Pang Jian said, dazed, as he sat up inside the chest.

    "What?!" Luo Hongyan was taken aback.

    Swapping ces with Pang Jian, she also entered the box, closing the lid from the inside like Pang Jian.

    She saw neither stars nor moon in the pitch-ck chest. Instead, she felt like she was sealed in endless darkness!

    Terrified, she felt around with both hands, but could not find the lid. All she touched was emptiness!

    After closing the lid, she could no longer feel the confines of the chest. It was as if she had been transported to another dimension.

    She screamed desperately, calling Pang Jian''s name, but her voice did not carry through to the outside

    It was not until Pang Jian, concerned for her safety, opened the lid from the outside that she returned to the real world.

    She instantly flew out in fear!

    Hovering in mid-air, she gazed at the chest like it was a terrifying demon. Her voice trembled as she said, "I felt like I was back in Eight Trigrams City, but it was enveloped in darkness! Only there was no dense murky energy, just endless void and silence!"

    Pang Jian shook his head in confusion. "That''s not right. My experience waspletely different."

    Luo Hongyan said nothing.

    She silently recalled how the hidden barrier of Central Lake Ind triggered as soon as Pang Jiannded, causing the Divine Spirit Pagoda to crash and the ind to sink slightly.

    After that, the Mirror Tunnel only appeared after Pang Jian stepped out of the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    Hesitating slightly, she softly suggested, "How about you try entering the chest without the bronze pendant?"

    Pang Jian gave her a strange look but did as she suggested, cing the bronze pendant on the ground.

    "Do you trust me that much?" Luo Hongyan asked with a gentle smile. Her beautiful eyes sparkled as her heart filled with delight at being trusted.

    "I didn''t before, but I do now," Pang Jian replied softly before once again entering the box.

    When he closed the lid again, he experienced the same thing as Luo Hongyan had!

    There were no dazzling stars or bright moon, only endless darkness. He could not feel the lid or even the bottom of the box.

    His limbs were unable to touch anything substantial. All he could feel was deathly silence and emptiness!

    The bronze pendant had given him a different experience in the chest!

 Chapter 126: Absorbing the Moon and Stars into the Dantian

    <h4>Chapter 126: Absorbing the Moon and Stars into the Dantian</h4>

    Next to the blood pool, the stunningly beautiful Luo Hongyan''s captivating pair of eyes lit up.

    Her elegant red figure floated in the red mist, performing a graceful, happy dance that resembled a fairy wishing to ascend to the heavens.

    Each time she nced at the bronze pendant on the ground, her clearughter would fill the cave.

    The bronze pendant had been her original reason for approaching Pang Jian.

    Now, Pang Jian was likely trapped inside the chest.

    He probably could not touch or open the lid without the bronze pendant, effectively sealing him in that dark, mysterious ce.

    It was nearly impossible for him to escape, and the bronze pendant was right in front of her.

    "You, really..." Luo Hongyan''s joy practically bubbled out of her. This was her first time experiencing this level of trust.

    Her efforts to increase Pang Jian''s goodwill toward her had been meaningful after all.

    "Wait for me. Once I reconstruct my body, I''ll embrace you in my most perfect form," she muttered, heart brimming with anticipation.

    <i>Creak!</i>

    She opened the copper chest, pulling Pang Jian from the deathly silence and emptiness.

    Pang Jian stepped out of the chest, picked up the bronze pendant, and put it back on.

    "I had the same experience as you," he said. Then, running his finger over the pendant''s surface, he stared at Luo Hongyan with considering eyes and asked, "Did you already know about the pendant''s mysterious nature?"

    Luo Hongyan nodded with a smile.

    Pang Jian hesitated. He wanted to exin but he had yet to figure out the pendant''s secrets himself.

    Seeing his troubled expression, Luo Hongyan chuckled. "There''s no need to exin. Everyone has their secrets. To be honest, I approached you as Ning Yao because I saw an essence of the Celestial Phoenix enter the pendant in ckwater Pond. Like the Crystal Snow Lotus, it can be used as the main material for reforging my physical body,"

    Pang Jian snorted. "No wonder you tried to get close to me while in Ning Yao''s body. You had an ulterior motive."

    "At first, yes, I was interested in the pendant. But after some time, it wasn''t about it anymore." Luo Hongyan winked mischievously.

    Pang Jian coughed awkwardly, feeling uneasy under her intense gaze. He then re-entered the chest and shut the lid.

    Another round of unrestrainedughter burst out of Luo Hongyan.

    After Pang Jiany down and shut the lid, the brilliant full moon and the glittering stars reappeared.

    He felt like he had been teleported to another dimension. This mesmerizing sight was one that Bai Zhi, Bai Wei, and Zhao Ling all yearned for.

    It was peaceful inside the sealed chest as he gazed at the vast starry sky.

    Pang Jian started cultivating the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, stimting his vigorous blood essence and drawing on the life energy from the leaf in his heart to refine his blood.

    A profound feeling filled him!

    As he cultivated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, he felt the moonlight and starlight be tangible, condensing into a refreshing energy that was absorbed through his Spirit Cauldron and drawn into his dantian.

    Before long, a tiny round dot resembling a small full moon materialized in his dantian!

    Around the full moon were pinpricks of light, twinkling like scattered stars.

    The moon and stars seemed to have been absorbed into his dantian!

    Outside, Luo Hongyan noticed the chest emitting a brilliant light!

    The pure radiance lit up the previously dim cave.

    Luo Hongyan was stunned.

    For a second, she felt like she was back in Eight Trigrams City.

    The light from the chest was the same as the light that had emanated from the walls and floors of Eight Trigrams City!

    "Array core, soul of the array!"

    Back then, Li Jie had told Yuan Shishan, the City Lord of Eight Trigrams City, that the chest was the array core of Eight Trigrams City and was what kept Yuan Shishan''s remnant soul intact.

    Yuan Shishan''s soul was essential to the array core.

    <i>If the chest was the array core, does that mean that the light that drove away the darkness in Eight Trigrams City came from this chest?</i>

    The light emitted from the chest illuminated the cave walls, making the cave as bright as daylight.

    <i>Creak!</i>

    Pang Jian pushed open the lid and sat up in the chest with an astonished face.

    "While cultivating inside the chest, it felt like I could gather the light of the stars and moon and absorb it into my dantian," he excitedly informed Luo Hongyan.

    "You should step out of the chest and have a look," Luo Hongyan said softly.

    Pang Jianplied, puzzled. It was only after stepping out of the chest that he noticed the chest was casting a light that illuminated the entire cave.

    "Pang Jian, your bronze pendant might be rted to Eight Trigrams City. I feel like it''s the key to unlocking many mysteries! Just like how the Mirror Tunnel on Central Lake Ind did not appear until you stepped out of the white pagoda," Luo Hongyan theorized.

    Pang Jian silently recalled how the bronze pendant had absorbed the Mirror Tunnel after he left Eight Trigrams City.

    His strange experiences inside the chest when wearing the pendant confirmed its connection to Eight Trigrams City.

    "Li Jie from the Divine Treasures Sect''s Li Family imed he triggered the trial in Eight Trigrams City." Luo Hongyan nced at Pang Jian. "I don''t know why, but I''ve always felt like he was just a front. You''re the true trigger of the Mirror Tunnels appearing across the different worlds and the catalyst for the trials of Eight Trigrams City."

    "That can''t be true, can it?" Pang Jian was taken aback.

    "Forget it, let''s not talk about that." Luo Hongyan shot him a faint smile. "You brought out the chest to see if it can hold the members of the Shadow Specter Sect and possibly save them, right? Now, you''ve found a way."

    "You mean the light from the chest can dispel the murky energy from the Fifth World?" he asked.

    "The tainted energy in Eight Trigrams City was far denser than what''s about to invade Divine Fortune. The city''s light blocked that murky energy. It can handle this." Luo Hongyan sighed fondly. "You kind-hearted fool, go bring the ones who came to help you here, even if they didn''t do much."

    Pang Jian hesitated. "If theye here, won''t you be exposed?"

    "You can open a new cave for them nearby. There are no more Cloud Sails above us, and the Radiant Sun Sect''s Fire Cloud Ship is high in the sky. They won''t be able to see you at night.

    "The Vicious Beasts and nts in Misty Swamp have all burned to ashes, and those hiding will be overwhelmed by the murky energy. No one will be watching this ce closely," Luo Hongyan said.

    "Alright." Pang Jian nodded and put away the magical copper chest.

    When the chest disappeared, the bright cave reverted to its dimly-lit state.

    "I''ll take care of it as soon as possible," Pang Jian said, stepping out of the cave.

    It was another dark night outside.

    All Pang Jian could see was scorched ground and ckened trees.

    Nearly all the living beings and nts in Misty Swamp had died.

    There were no flying vessels like the Cloud Sails in sight. Even the sounds of the insects in the swamp were absent.

    The entire world had be eerily silent.

    "Who knows what this destend will be when the murky energy invades and covers it with the evil aura of the lower worlds." Pang Jian sighed deeply.

    When he thought about how this once vibrantnd had turned into a wastnd, and how this would continue to happen for as long as the tainted energy spread, he could not help but feel affected.

    ***

    In the underground cave, Zhao Ling tore apart a small g and smashed the materials used to construct the Ghost Altar one by one.

    "Liars! They''re all liars. He betrayed our trust!" she raged. "He didn''t even bother to deceive us!"

    Meng Qin sighed deeply and silently shook her head.

    Wu Yi wore a bitter expression on his face.

    Bai Wei and Bai Zhi hung their heads, tears streaming down their faces.

    Just moments ago, Zhao Ling had activated the Ghost Altar and asked the Sect Leader if he had sent a powerful Sinister Soul Temple cultivator to help them.

    The Sect Leader denied any connection with the cultivator and asked them how much they knew about them.

    Zhao Ling instantly realized the mysterious cultivator had nothing to do with their Sect Leader.

    The Sect Leader then informed them about the tainted energy from the lower worlds spreading toward Divine Fortune.

    Feeling desperate and helpless, Zhao Ling asked if they would receive help.

    The Sect Leader''s only response was to leave.

    Thest bit of hope Zhao Ling had was extinguished. The knowledge of the imminent arrival of the murky energy filled her with despair and she destroyed her Ghost Altar in a fit of rage.

    She then destroyed Meng Qin''s Ghost Altar as well.

    The group had lost all support, leaving them hopeless andpletely disillusioned with the Shadow Specter Sect.

    It was at this point that Pang Jian arrived.

    Bai Zhi rubbed her eyes in disbelief and shouted in surprise, "Hong Jian! It''s Hong Jian! Hong Jian is back!"

    "Hong Jian?" Everyone turned to look in unison.

    A soaked Pang Jian was climbing out of the river.

    "You''re still alive," Pang Jian said with a nod. "It''s chaos outside. All the Vicious Beasts and nts perished in the fire. The seven major ns and the people from the upper worlds are no longer paying attention to this ce."

    "So what?" Wu Yi frowned. "When the murky energy arrives, we have nowhere to go."

    Standing in the rubble of the ruined altars, Zhao Ling stared at Pang Jian and asked in confusion, "Why did youe back?"

    They had assumed Pang Jian was hiding somewhere, waiting to die like them.

    "I''m here to offer you guys a chance at survival."

 Chapter 127: The Great Sun Hanging in the Sky

    <h4>Chapter 127: The Great Sun Hanging in the Sky</h4>

    Before dawn, Pang Jian led Zhao Ling and the others out of the underground cave and carved a new one next to a low hill.

    Standing in the small cave, Pang Jian said, "This will do for now. Don''t go out during the day. If you want to expand the cave, try to do it at night and keep the noise to a minimum as there''s a Fire Cloud Ship from the Radiant Sun Sect still patrolling high in the sky."

    "Can you really help us survive this ordeal?" Zhao Ling asked skeptically.

    "Yes, I''ll know when the murky energy invades," Pang Jian replied calmly. "I''lle here to get you when that happens. Don''t worry, I have a way to protect you from the murky energy. Once everyone leaves Divine Fortune, I''ll take you away."

    With that, he stepped out of the cramped cave.

    After he left, the members of the Shadow Specter Sect blocked the entrance withrge stones.

    The voluptuous Bai Wei stared nkly at the entrance where Pang Jian had left. "Do you think he can help us survive?"

    "We have no choice but to trust him," Zhao Ling said, leaning against the uneven, rocky cave wall. She took out some water, took a few sips, and continued in a low voice, "The Sect Leader has abandoned us. The powerful Sinister Soul Temple cultivator has nothing to do with the Shadow Specter Sect. Just as I was despairing and preparing to face death, he showed up..."

    She smiled. "I believe in him!"

    Wu Yi knitted his brows. "I''ve heard that some great figures from the upper world can enter the Fifth World and survive. Could Hong Jian be connected to the upper world?"

    "That doesn''t include the Third World," Meng Qin interjected solemnly, her wrinkled face was full of worry. "Only the great figures of the Second World and First World dare to venture into the Fifth World, but even they must be careful and constantly resist the tainted energy. Theirbat power greatly diminishes as a result. Such great figures are beyond our reach, so stop daydreaming."

    ***

    Three Cloud Sails rose from the Divine Fortune City''s southern, northern, and western districts.

    Members of the Star River Alliance moved through the different districts and ced Ster Eyes on every street corner.

    These Ster Eyes were made of Ster Stones and allowed Huang Ying to observe the city from a distance.

    On one of the Cloud Sails, Dong Yao, Shangguan Dong, Ouyang Quan, He Hui, and Su Hongfei were chatting leisurely as they looked down at Divine Fortune City.

    In the corner of the Cloud Sail, cages that once held Vicious Beasts now imprisoned the disheveled Yang Yuansen and other rogue cultivators.

    "Apart from themoners, the higher-ups are mostly concerned about the reactions cultivators like us would have if we were to be affected by the murky energy," said Shangguan Dong, the City Lord of Divine Fortune City.

    Only a fewmoners and rogue cultivators remained in Divine Fortune City, destined to be contaminated by the tainted energy.

    Su Hongfei looked at Dong Yao and asked, "Why are we doing this?"

    Dong Yao exined, "The higher-ups in the upper worlds want to learn more about the murky energy. Theposition of the tainted energy of the Fifth World is said to differ from ce to ce. They want to understand theposition of the spreading murky energy and assess its strength.

    "They''ll also be sending people to the Fourth World to inspect the contaminated areas as the changes in the bodies and minds of those affected provide them with a reference. That way, they can determine the strength andposition of the murky energy and n appropriately based on that information."

    The eavesdropping Yang Yuansen finally understood why they were kept alive.

    He had been tortured and was covered in blood from head to toe.

    "If I had known, I would''ve joined Zhao Ling and Meng Qin to kill a few more members of the Blood Moon Sect!" He red coldly at the speakers and taunted, "I joined the Shadow Specter Sect because I despise your big ns! You¡¯re nothing but a bunch ofpdogs! The Star River Alliance, the Blood Moon Sect, the Radiant Sun Sect¡ªyou just do whatever they tell you!"

    "Humph!" He Hui from the He n stabbed Yang Yuansen in the waist with his sword.

    Yang Yuansen gritted his teeth in pain but did not beg for mercy. Instead, he grinned savagely. "I hope this murky energy engulfs the entire Fourth World. I want to see where you''ll run then!"

    He Hui sneered, "We can go to the Third World."

    "Haha! The seven major ns might rule the Fourth World, but once you go to the Third World, you''ll be worse off than dogs!" Yang Yuansen mocked, having nothing to lose now that he knew his fate was to be thrown into the murky energy. "The local ns in the Third World already upy the areas with pure spiritual qi. There''s no room for you!"

    "Shut his mouth," Dong Yao said irritably. "Being mute won''t hinder the Star River Alliance from using the Ster Eyes to monitor his physical and mental state."

    He Hui nodded and stabbed Yang Yuansen twice more, finally silencing him.

    "If the entire Fourth World is indeed invaded, our future..." Dong Yao trailed off, looking at the dark sky, unsure of the fate of their seven major ns.

    ***

    Pang Jian once again set the copper chest down next to the blood pool and entered it. This time, he did not see the moon and stars but a zing sun!

    A great sun hung in the sky of the chest, warming his body with its scorching rays.

    <i>When it''s daytime outside, it shows the sun. When it''s nighttime, it shows the moon and the stars!</i>

    The phenomena inside the chest changed with the alternation of day and night in the outside world!

    <i>So this is the sun? The legendary sun...</i>

    Pang Jian stared at it with his face full of wonder.

    He felt like he was beneath the real sky, experiencing the true warmth of the sun''s radiance.

    Using the remnants of Sun Bin''s divine power, he previously had the fortune of glimpsing the moon and stars. It looked exactly like what he saw in the chest earlier.

    Today, he faced the legendary sun and bathed in its warmth. The novelty of the experience was exciting.

    Thus, he did not rush to cultivate or enter the meditative state of Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art but simply stared at the sun in awe.

    He had no idea how much time had passed.

    <i>Creak!</i>

    Luo Hongyan lifted the lid.

    The great sun vanished instantly.

    Seeing Pang Jian still lost in thought, Luo Hongyan smiled softly as she prompted, "By my calctions, it''s almost time for you to activate the Ghost Altar and trade with Dong Tianze again."

    "Alright." Only then did Pang Jian step out of the chest.

    He noticed the light cast by the chest was even more dazzling than before.

    By entering the chest during the day, the sun''s radiance flowed into it, making its light more brilliant.

    "Let me adjust your appearance," Luo Hongyan said, floating over.

    Her jade-like hand held a brush dipped in some unknown dye as she approached Pang Jian to paint his face.

    Pang Jian closed his eyes, still quietly marveling at the chest''s strangeness.

    "You''re quite handsome, but your expression is harsh, which makes you seem cold," Luo Hongyan observed as she applied the strange dye to Pang Jian''s cheekbones. "I can''t bring myself to make you ugly."

    When she finished applying the dye to his face, she gently pinched his cheek with her newly formed hand and said with satisfaction, "You can go now."

    Pang Jian opened his eyes.

    Her pinch to his cheek seemed unnecessary, but he tactfully said nothing. He then entered the small carved-out cave.

    After sealing the entrance, he retrieved the materials for constructing the Ghost Altar and set it up.

    Momentster, Dong Tianze appeared in the center of the Ghost Altar. Putting on an air of mystery and speaking in a deliberately hoarse voice, he said, "I didn''t expect you to be alive."

    He had learned about the Radiant Sun Sect''s efforts to burn Misty Swamp with the cooperation of the seven major ns from the Sinister Soul Temple. He feared the spirit materials he prepared would have to be resold for cheap.

    Unexpectedly, the transaction proceeded as scheduled.

    "These are the things I''ve prepared." Pang Jian ced the spirit jade, spirit stones, and a few uniquely shaped items into the depression on the altar.

    This time, the items for trade were not from his collection but had been scavenged by Luo Hongyan using the Spirit Devils. Pang Jian did not know the actual value of these items but trusted that Luo Hongyan would give him items that Dong Tianze would be satisfied with.

    Sure enough, Dong Tianze nced at the items, nodded slightly, and ced his spirit materials in front of him.

    "Alright," he said. "Some of these materials are used for refining souls and are unique to ou¡ªto the Sinister Soul Temple."

    Dong Tianze nearly said our Sinister Soul Temple but managed to correct himself.

    "You''re in the Marrow Cleansing Realm, still far from the Innate Realm. Why are you rushing to buy soul-nurturing materials for the Profound Abode Realm and the Spirit Condensation Realm?" Dong Tianze asked suspiciously.

    "I''ll eventually reach those realms, so it''s better to prepare in advance," Pang Jian replied with his head lowered.

    "Eventually..." Dong Tianze eyed the newly appointed hall master and said coldly, "The murky energy is about to invade Divine Fortune. I hope I''ll still receive messages from you in the future."

    He then vanished from the Ghost Altar.

 Chapter 128: New Life Sprouts from the Ashes

    <h4>Chapter 128: New Life Sprouts from the Ashes</h4>

    Luo Hongyan gazed at the newly acquired spirit materials from Pang Jian''s second trade. Her glistening red lips curved into a smile. "I need two more months. We no longer need to be concerned with the Shadow Specter Sect."

    The soul-nurturing and body-tempering spirit materials before her would be enough to restore her former glory in two months.

    Pang Jian washed the dye off his face, casually wiping it on his sleeve as he noted, "The murky energy is about to invade."

    Luo Hongyan nodded with a smile.

    A thoughtful expression crossed her face as she said, "The chest that can iste the murky energy must stay in this cave so I can continue using the blood pool. Hm...Let''s do it this way. You can bring those burdensome people here."

    Pang Jian asked curiously, "Won''t their presence disturb you?"

    "It doesn''t matter," Luo Hongyan replied with an enchanting smile.

    Once the murky energy arrived, Divine Fortune would be abandoned. With the chest Pang Jian brought from Eight Trigrams City, she could use the blood pool to reforge her physical body without worry.

    Lately, the areas yet to be contaminated by the murky energy were chaotic and full of unrest. By contrast, fragmentednds like Divine Fortune which were considered doomed had been ssified as forbidden zones for living beings and were being ignored.

    As for the members of the Shadow Specter Sect, Luo Hongyan did not care about them and they would not affect her.

    "Alright," Pang Jian said. "When you see the murky energy appear in Divine Fortune through the Spirit Devils, I''ll bring them over."

    He then went to lie down in the mysterious chest.

    During the day, he saw the great sun hanging in the sky.

    At night, he saw the scattered stars and a bright moon.

    He cultivated day and night, Hebined the abundant blood essence from the beast blood with the life energy from the leaf in his chest before integrating them into his blood.

    Using the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, he also absorbed the power of the sun, moon, and stars.

    Soon, there were not just a tiny full moon and pinprick stars but also a miniature sun in his dantian!

    His dantian now harbored the sun, moon, and stars.

    One day, Luo Hongyan opened the lid of the chest.

    <i>Creak!</i>

    Pang Jian awoke from his cultivation. When he saw the solemn look on her unbelievably beautiful face, he understood what had happened.

    "It''s here?"

    "Yes, it''s seeping into Divine Fortune."

    Pang Jian wasted no time. He left the spacious cave and headed to where the members of the Shadow Specter Sect were hiding.

    Stepping into the carved-out cave, he nced at the bewildered members of the Shadow Specter Sect and said, "Follow me."

    They hastily got up and followed him.

    Soon, they arrived at the cave with the blood pool and saw Luo Hongyan floating in mid-air.

    "Ah!" They screamed in surprise at the sight of Luo Hongyan.

    "In Divine Fortune City, I helped you destroy the Blood Moon Sect''s Eye of Imprint. I also controlled the Spirit Devils to hijack the beast-hunting sailboat and crash it into the Cloud Sails of the seven major ns," Luo Hongyan said gracefully. She then pointed to Pang Jian and smiled. "I''m his sister."

    "Now it makes sense!" Zhao Ling eximed. "No wonder Hong Jian dared to suggest attacking the beast-hunting sailboat. Of course he''d have the confidence with someone like you backing him!"

    Zhao Ling could not take her eyes off the stunning Luo Hongyan.

    Then, in a barely audible whisper, she muttered, "It''s truly frustrating topare oneself to her."

    Wu Yi and the survivingmanders of the Shadow Specter Sect could not even say a word in front of Luo Hongyan.

    Luo Hongyan''s breathtaking beauty, bright smile, and elegant movements bewitched them, causing them to fall for her.

    Thesemanders were only in the Meridian Opening Realm, and they only became more nervous when they recalled her astonishing disy of power on the beast-hunting sailboat and her exquisite control over the Spirit Devils.

    "So beautiful, like a fairy..." Bai Zhi lightly bit her lip.

    ncing between Luo Hongyan and Pang Jian, she came to a realization, lowering her head with a subtle sadness on her face.

    Luo Hongyan''s unparalleled beauty was intimidating and Bai Zhi dared not stare for too long. The longer she looked, the less confidence she had in her own appearance.

    Although Bai Wei also felt inferior, a surprising relief also filled her. "With such a beautiful sister, it''s no wonder he didn''t pay us much attention..."

    "All of you will stay in this cave and behave yourself. Don''t ask any unnecessary questions. When the timees, my brother and I will take you away with us. If you upset us or ask inappropriate questions, I''ll drive you all out," Luo Hongyan warned them with a lightugh.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    She transformed into a deep red light, entered the white jade porcin bottle floating on the blood pool, and appeared on the Crystal Snow Lotus within.

    At this point, all that was left of the Crystal Snow Lotus was its stalk.

    Once she settled in, strands of blood essence streamed through the mouth of the bottle.

    The blood pool, the white jade porcin bottle, and the glowing chest amazed the Shadow Specter Sect members.

    They had many questions but held back due to Luo Hongyan''s warning. They feared that a few careless words would identally offend these mysterious siblings.

    Half a dayter, Pang Jian went to the cave entrance and peered through the cracks in the stones.

    <i>Rumble! </i>

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    It was storming outside the cave. Thunder roared and heavy rain pelted the ground. The sky was incredibly dark.

    It had been storming just like this when Pang Jian saw the Green Condor hovering above his home.

    As he stared at the bad weather outside, he recalled how Sun Bin had taken his sister to the upper world and was overwhelmed with emotions.

    <i>It''s been a long time, I wonder how Pang Lin is...</i>

    The memories of living with his sister in the Solitary Mountain Range shed through his mind, filling his heart with a profound longing for his sister.

    Pang Jian stayed like this for a long time before finally murmuring some words offort to himself, "Going to the upper worlds is better than staying here in the lower worlds."

    In the distance, murky energy approached.

    Pang Jian quickly gathered his scattered thoughts and squinted, carefully studying the murky energy. It came in clusters. Some resembled cotton while others appeared like a light mist.

    The tainted energy infiltrated every inch of Misty Swamp and soon arrived at the low hill where Pang Jian and the others were.

    Taking a deep breath, Pang Jian took a few steps back and watched as the murky energy tried to seep through the cracks between the stones.

    As expected, it could note in.

    Zhao Ling and the others held their breaths behind him, anxiously watching his every move.

    Pang Jian finally rxed. Turning to face them, he nced at the luminous copper chest and said, "It''s alright now. The murky energy can''t enter this cave. You can stay here without worry."

    Zhao Ling sighed in relief, nerves easing as she gazed at the glowing chest with intense curiosity.

    Pang Jian had previously told them that the chest''s radiance could resist the invasion of tainted energy. With his im now confirmed, their curiosity about it grew immensely.

    However, Luo Hongyan''s warning rang through their minds and they refrained from asking.

    "As long as you don''t leave this cave, you''ll be safe," Pang Jian said.

    After confirming there were no issues or potential threats, he returned to the chest to cultivate.

    One day, while inside the chest, Pang Jian tried to establish a connection to the little tree.

    Luo Hongyan had told him that Vicious Beasts and nts were more adaptable to the murky energy, so he wanted to check on the little tree hiding underground.

    <i>It¡¯s not working. </i>

    Pang Jian found he could connect to neither the little tree nor the Giant Abyssal Serpent in the Fifth World.

    He pushed the lid open.

    Zhao Ling and the others looked at him nervously when he emerged from the chest.

    "Everything''s fine," he assured offhandedly.

    Leaving the chest on the ground, he went to the small cave where he had traded with Dong Tianze and tried to establish a connection with the little tree once more.

    This time, he seeded.

    A surprising scene appeared in his mind.

    The little tree had burrowed underground to escape the fire but had since resurfaced and taken root in the marsh.

    It had grown taller, seemingly thriving in the contaminated Misty Swamp!

    The rain-soakednd surrounding the little tree had sprouted new, unusual nts!

    These nts were just beginning to bud.

    As Pang Jian studied the new growth, he realized they were entirely different from the nts growing in Misty Swamp before,

    The new nts had jagged, menacing branches, appearing vicious and bloodthirsty.

    <i>The Fifth World!</i>

    Pang Jian recalled his struggle to escape the clutches of the terrifying nts when he tried to leave the Fifth World.

    His mind reeled at the discovery.

    Shifting his perspective upward to get a wider view of the swamp, he found that only the ground near the little tree was sprouting!

    <i>Could it be that the little tree originally came from the Fifth World?</i>

    Pang Jian was shocked. It seemed that the tree had not only remained unaffected by the murky energy but also somehow fostered the growth of Fifth World nts nearby.

    The menacing nts spread outward, with the little tree at the center.

    Doubt and uncertainty filled Pang Jian.

    Suddenly, he felt a strange sensation in his chest and instinctively reached up to touch it.

    It was a second leaf!

    The little tree had gifted him another leaf! It formed in his chest, brimming with the same life energy as before!

    The little tree had survived the harsh conditions and was now growing in ways Pang Jian could not understand!

    In Pang Jian''s eyes, it seemed like Misty Swamp would eventually return to its original lush state thanks to the little tree. Only this time, it would be filled with nts from the Fifth World!

    The little tree seemed capable of single-handedly transforming the entire swamp¡¯s ecosystem!

    New life sprouted from the ashes of the mes.

    The zing fires and murky energy had not led to the total devastation of life.

    A miraculous little tree had rooted itself deeply into the scorched earth, silently transforming Misty Swamp and the entire Divine Fortune in its own way.

 Chapter 129: Two Monsters

    <h4>Chapter 129: Two Monsters</h4>

    One morning, Huang Ying of the Star River Alliance stood with Ning Wei and He Hui before a prismatic Ster Eye made of Ster Stone.

    The trio could see the horrific events unfolding in Divine Fortune City below them through these enormous Ster Eyes.

    Fragmented bones littered the streets and alleys in the western district where the non-cultivators lived. Murky energy corroded their bodies, leaving behind only skeletons.

    The rogue cultivators in the southern district fell into a frenzy as the tainted energy seeped in. Even the lucky survivors soon turned into piles of bones.

    The cultivatorssted a little longer than the non-cultivators, but they still met the same fate in the end.

    "The air below contains toxins that corrode flesh and tainted energy that induces violence. Even Yang Yuansen onlysted half a day despite being at thete stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm," Huang Ying said coldly as she put down her notebook. "There''s likely no survivors left in Divine Fortune."

    She believed the remaining hall masters of the Shadow Specter Sect had met the same fate as Yang Yuansen and had been reduced to bones.

    Ning Wei sighed softly. "The murky energy is still spreading. If the higher-ups can¡¯t stop it, we¡¯ll have to migrate to the Third World."

    She and He Hui had witnessed the hellish conditions in Divine Fortune City through the enormous Ster Eye on the Gilded Chariot.

    They saw the flesh of non-cultivators and cultivators alike dissolve, leaving only bones.

    Divine Fortune City had turned into a nightmarish ce. Once the murky energy reached their own territories, the people there would inevitably meet the same fate.

    "The upper worlds will surely find a solution once I submit this report," Huang Yingforted. "You¡¯ve served the Star River Alliance for many years. We''ll take care of your nsmen if ites to that."

    "What about the others? What''ll happen to the rogue cultivators and retainers loyal to the Ning n and their families?" Ning Wei asked with a bitter smile.

    "How many people we can take in will be decided after the alliance has deliberated," Huang Ying said.

    As she spoke, the Gilded Chariot hovering above Divine Fortune City ascended.

    Huang Ying looked down at Misty Swamp from above and was surprised to see a thriving patch ofnd.

    "nts are so tenacious. The fire and the murky energy have killed all the Vicious Beasts. But the seeds buried underground have sprouted with renewed vigor," Huang Ying remarked offhandedly.

    Ning Wei and He Hui peered down to see the small area Huang Ying was referring to.

    ***

    Two monthster, the white jade porcin bottle floating in the blood pool cracked.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    Luo Hongyan gracefully flew out wearing a bright red dress. Her skin was fairer than snow and her eyes were as bright as jewels.

    Knitting her brows, she examined her arms and touched her slender waist.

    She chuckled in satisfaction. "Not bad."

    The members of the Shadow Specter Sect scattered throughout the cave stared at her in a daze, momentarily entranced by her presence.

    Luo Hongyan had always been stunningly beautiful, but now there was a realness to her that was not there before.

    "It''s time for you to wake up," Luo Hongyan said, flying to the glowing copper chest and lifting the lid.

    The gorgeous Luo Hongyan was the first thing Pang Jian saw upon opening his eyes.

    A hazy bloody mist no longer surrounded Luo Hongyan. She also no longer seemed illusory. Her breathtaking beauty and joy were tangible.

    Pang Jian stared up at her in a daze. "You..."

    "Yes," Luo Hongyan replied with a serene smile, eyes gleaming. "I finished reforging my body."

    "Congrattions," Pang Jian said, stepping out of the chest.

    He then noticed Zhao Ling, Meng Qin, Wu Yi, and the rest staring at Luo Hongyan in awe.

    Themanders loyal to Zhao Ling and Meng Qin appeared to be in a blissful daydream and showed no signs of waking up anytime soon.

    Luo Hongyan had intended to showcase her new body to Pang Jian, but as she nced at the members of the Shadow Specter Sect, she suppressed her desire to show off.

    Pang Jian turned toward the cave entrance. "We should leave Divine Fortune. Do you have any ns?"

    These words snapped Zhao Ling and the others out of their daze. They quickly averted their eyes. It was the only way for them to calm their minds and focus on the issues at hand.

    "My Spirit Devils will help you raise the white pagoda from the bottom of the marsh. You''ll need to arrange the spirit jades in the array. Using one of my Spirit Devils, I''ll guide you through the controls for the white pagoda," Luo Hongyan exined.

    Pang Jian lightly nodded.

    Their conversation left the members of the Shadow Specter Sect puzzled. They had many questions, but out of respect for Luo Hongyan, they did not ask.

    "Hong Jian, should we go with you?" Bai Wei asked timidly.

    When she heard about a white pagoda submerged at the bottom of a marsh in Misty Swamp and how Pang Jian would need to activate it, she assumed Pang Jian would bring the chest along to ward off the murky energy.

    "No, you guys can stay here," Pang Jian replied,

    "What?" Bai Wei was shocked. "How will you survive?"

    "Hold on," Luo Hongyan said, floating over to the cave entrance.

    She extended a jade-like finger through the gaps in the rocks and exposed it to the murky energy outside.

    A faint sizzle sounded as smoke rose from her finger.

    Luo Hongyan knitted her brows thoughtfully, then smiled and said to Pang Jian, "I overestimated the murky energy here. It''s much weaker here than in Eight Trigrams City."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A hazy blood-colored mist enveloped Luo Hongyan''s body. She then removed the rocks blocking the cave entrance and, to everyone''s astonishment, flew out of the cave.

    The group watched as she stood in the tainted energy, blood-colored mist sizzling around her.

    She turned around to smile at Pang Jian. "I can hold out for a while. I''ll go with you."

    "Alright." Pang Jian nodded, stepping out of the cave and sealing the entrance with rocks once more. He then muttered, "So weak."

    The murky energy in Misty Swamp was far less intense than that of the Fifth World. It was not evenparable to Eight Trigrams City!

    When he first entered the dark tunnel, the pain had been excruciating, and he endured unimaginable suffering. Even Luo Hongyan could not withstand it and had been forced to retreat.

    The tainted energy in the darkness of Eight Trigrams City was far more intense and ferocious than Misty Swamp.

    As Pang Jian stood outside the cave, he realized he did not need to exhaust his spiritual power and fill his spiritual sea with murky energy.

    He could easily reach the submerged white pagoda before his spiritual power was depleted.

    "Let''s go," Pang Jian did not bother taking out his Startling ughter Spear. He simply allowed his spiritual power to slowly erode as he walked away with Luo Hongyan.

    Wu Yi watched the siblings through the gaps of the stones with a bewildered expression on his face. "Are those two siblings even human?"

    "Has Misty Swamp truly been contaminated by murky energy?" Zhao Ling wondered aloud.

    Feeling doubtful, she mimicked Luo Hongyan and extended a finger through a gap in the stones.

    Her finger instantly sizzled and smoked!

    The flesh on her finger corroded, causing her to grimace in pain.

    She hastily circted her energy, wrapping her finger with spiritual power to slow the corrosion of her finger.

    As she watched the silhouettes of the two figures fade into the distance, she could not help but exim in horror, "They''re monsters!"

    Suddenly, a surge of murderous intent rose uncontrobly within Zhao Ling, filling her with the urge to kill Wu Yi, Bai Zhi, Bai Wei, and the loyalmanders.

    Fearfully withdrawing her finger, she stamped down the homicidal impulse and then showed her bloodied finger to everyone.

    Any remaining doubters within the group fell silent at the sight of her finger.

    "It¡¯s not just the corrosion of flesh. There¡¯s also an evil power at work that made me want to kill all of you," Zhao Ling exined, her voice trembling. "I''ve reached thete stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm! I don''t think I''dst even half a day out there before my bodypletely dissolved. If we all left, we would fall into a murderous frenzy and start killing each other, which would only lead to a quicker death!"

    Wu Yi eximed, "What kind of monsters are those siblings?!"

    Meng Qin took a deep breath, ncing at the blood pool and the copper chest. "The Sect Leader abandoned us while Hong Jian saved us. Without him, we wouldn''t have survived the fire, let alone the murky energy. If I leave Divine Fortune alive, I won''t serve the Shadow Specter Sect anymore, nor will I contact the Sect Leader again."

    She then looked at her loyalmanders.

    "Old Meng, we''ll follow you!" they dered one after another.

    Zhao Ling was surprised. "You''ve followed the Sect Leader for years, but even you''ve given up on him. You must be disappointed."

    Wu Yi sighed dejectedly. "The Fourth World is about to descend into chaos. Even if we manage to leave Divine Fortune alive, we''ll need to find a way to go to the Third World."

    "Go to the Third World? That''s easier said than done," Meng Qin said with a shake of her head. "I just hope the murky energy spreads slowly. I still have some unfulfilled wishes I hope to aplish."

    There was a long silence as everyone contemted her words.

    "If those siblings are willing to take us in, I''d like to follow them," Zhao Ling abruptly said.

    The others'' eyes lit up at her words.

 Chapter 130: The Might of the Sun and Moon!

    <h4>Chapter 130: The Might of the Sun and Moon!</h4>

    Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan traveled together under the night sky.

    ncing at the floating Luo Hongyan, Pang Jian curiously asked, "What realm are you in?"

    He had assumed Luo Hongyan''s ability to fly was due to her ethereal form. Surprisingly, she still maintained this ability even after gaining a physical body.

    "My situation is unique and can''t be defined with realms," Luo Hongyan replied with a smile. "I can only tell you that, with this body, I can establish myself in the Third World. Among the Blood Moon Sect, the Radiant Sun Sect, the Sinister Soul Temple, and the Red Mountain Sect, I only fear the old guys in the Spirit Condensation Realm."

    Pang Jian felt a deep respect for Luo Hongyan. "Does having a physical body really enhance your strength that much?"

    "Of course," Luo Hongyan replied, gazing upward with her beautiful eyes. "With a physical body, I can finally use the secret techniques I cultivated in the past."

    Pang Jian nodded and did not question her further.

    As they traveled, he soon realized the murky energy only affected his spiritual sea. The sun, moon, and stars in his dantian were unaffected.

    "You''re quite the monster," Luo Hongyan observed. "Other cultivators in the Marrow Cleansing Realm wouldn''t survive in Misty Swamp right now."

    "The murky energy here is weakpared to Eight Trigrams City," Pang Jian replied.

    "That''s why I said you''re a monster. I couldn''t even endure the terrifying murky energy in Eight Trigrams City with my ethereal form," Luo Hongyan said, her bright eyes filled with wonder. "Yet you managed to break through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm inside it."

    Pang Jian did not reply.

    Settling back into afortable silence, Pang Jian''s mind wandered when a thought urred to him.

    He then took out his Startling ughter Spear and gathered his earthme energy. As he did so, he tried to harness the sr energy condensed in his dantian.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The spearhead shone with a dazzling light.

    Exhrated at the idea of his experiment working, Pang Jian performed the Explosive Dance and unleashed a shower ofrge fiery meteors.

    The earthme energy from the Earth ze Technique and sr energy exploded within the fiery meteors.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    It was like multiple zing suns had exploded in Misty Swamp. Violent spiritual power mixed with two types of scorching energy, clearing the surrounding murky energy.

    "Your spear technique has be even more terrifying. Even those in the Innate Realm might not withstand it!" Luo Hongyan eximed. "Why did I sense the Radiant Sun Sect''s sun power in your spear technique?"

    Pang Jian did not respond.

    He rotated his wrist, drawing a circr arc in the air with the spearhead, and performed Silver Crescent, the second technique of the Startling ughter Spear.

    This time, he tried to harness the power of the moon condensed in his dantian.

    A cool lunar energy merged with his spiritual power to form a silver halo through the Startling ughter Spear.

    The silver halo hovered above him like a bright silver moon. It emitted a cold, ethereal glow.

    Luo Hongyan felt increasingly astonished and intrigued. "How did you do that?"

    Pang Jian still said nothing. Instead, he charged at the silver moon hanging in the air and struck it.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    The silver moon was still intact!

    "Ha!" A rare smile appeared on Pang Jian''s face.

    Much to his delight, the fusion of his spiritual power and the lunar energy had created a silver moon with the sturdiness of a shield.

    "I''ve never seen you smile before. You''re quite handsome when you do." Luo Hongyan''s eyes sparkled as she watched him. "You should smile more often instead of always having a cold, unapproachable look."

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Pang Jian channeled his strength into the Startling ughter Spear and explosively shattered the silver moon.

    As the silver light scattered Pang Jian finally exined, "I unintentionally absorbed the power of the sun, moon, and stars from the sky within the copper chest while cultivating inside. This was the result of me integrating the power of the sun and moon into my spear techniques."

    "The sun, moon, and stars?" Luo Hongyan was astonished. After a moment of contemtion, she then took off a spatial bracelet and tossed it to Pang Jian. "Don''t use a spatial pouch anymore. With your power, you can protect this spatial bracelet."

    "Okay." Pang Jian took the jade-green bracelet and transferred the contents of his spatial pouch into it.

    The space inside the spatial bracelet was several timesrger than his spatial pouch. It also already contained some spirit jades and spirit stones.

    "The two trades have nearly exhausted our spirit artifacts and spiritual stones," Luo Hongyan sighed. "I''ve used up most of the rare spirit materials you obtained. I''ll make it up to you in the future."

    "Alright," Pang Jian replied simply.

    A quarter of an hourter, they reached the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    Pang Jian saw many Spirit Devils floating near the muddy marsh.

    "It seems your recent gains are significant," Pang Jian remarked.

    "It''s average." Luo Hongyan smiled proudly and said, "I had thousands of Spirit Devils like these in the past. At my peak, even the weakest Spirit Devil under mymand was stronger than the ones here."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    She suddenly jumped into the mud, bloody mist still surrounding her, and dove straight to the bottom of the marsh.

    "Stay here. I''ll activate the Divine Spirit Pagoda," said her muffled voice.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian was stunned at the idea of so many Spirit Devils floating in the sky.

    <i>Thousands of Spirit Devils!</i>

    He could hardly imagine the grandeur of releasing thousands of Spirit Devils at once.

    Luo Hongyan was undoubtedly a well-known figure in the Second World before her misfortune.

    Cultivation was divided into ten realms: the Qi Practicing Realm, the Meridian Opening Realm, the Marrow Cleansing Realm, the Innate Realm, the Profound Abode Realm, the Spirit Condensation Realm, the Soul Wandering Realm, the Nirvana Realm, the Immortal Realm, and the True God Realm.

    Luo Hongyan had mentioned that the Demon Sect, the Sword Pavilion, the ck Valley Sect, the Dragon Lair, and the Celestial Lagoon Sect in the Second World all had powerful cultivators in the Nirvana Realm.

    Pang Jian believed that, at her peak, Luo Hongyan had likely reached the Soul Wandering Realm or even the higher Nirvana Realm.

    If that were true, by regaining her physical body, Luo Hongyan was essentially starting anew on her path of cultivation.

    Her starting point was vastly higher than an ordinary person''s, which exined her confidence in establishing herself in the Third World.

    <i>Her enemies must be just as powerful. </i>Pang Jian frowned.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    The Divine Spirit Pagoda broke through the mud and flew into the air. It spun gently in mid-air, shaking off the dirty water until it was clean again.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Luo Hongyan''s Spirit Devils entered the windows on the fifth floor of the pagoda one after the other.

    Standing at the entrance on the first floor, Luo Hongyan gestured for the white pagoda to stop spinning.

    "You cane up now," she shouted, waving at Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian leaped up andnded in the familiar white pagoda. As he entered, he noticed the array on the first floor was already filled with spirit jades.

    "I''ve intentionally saved some spirit jades specifically so the Divine Spirit Pagoda can take us away from the Fourth World," Luo Hongyan said brightly. "Pang Jian, I can now take you to the Third World."

    Pang Jian''s body trembled in excitement. He had always longed to ascend to the upper world and had not expected his wish toe true so quickly.

    Zhou Qingchen, Han Duping, Su Meng, and the rest were likely in the Third World. Dong Tianze was also in the upper world''s Shadow Specter Sect. Pang Lin was probably in the Second World or even the First World.

    Pang Jian could finally fulfill the dreams of those in the lower world and ascend to the upper world!

    "Let''s go!" Pang Jian was still slightly emotional as the white pagoda flew toward the low hill.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Luo Hongyan exploded the rocks at the cave entrance with a casual point of her finger, exposing the members of the Shadow Specter Sect.

    "The Sinister Soul Temple''s Divine Spirit Pagoda!" Meng Qin eximed.

    The Divine Spirit Pagoda, like the Radiant Sun Sect''s Fire Cloud Ship and the Star River Alliance''s Gilded Chariot, was a flying vessel capable of traveling between worlds. It was far superior to the Cloud Sail.

    With a Divine Spirit Pagoda, they could effortlessly escape Divine Fortune!

    Luo Hongyan moved the entrance of the Divine Spirit Pagoda close to the cave entrance and motioned for them to enter. "Come on in."

    Pang Jian entered the cave and picked up the copper chest. "Follow me."

    The radiance of the copper chest dispelled the murky energy.

    The group hastily went after him.

    "We n to go to the Third World," Luo Hongyan said indifferently. "We can drop you off at a fragment uncontaminated by the murky energy or take you directly to the Third World. But we don''t have time to look for your rtives. You can decide whether toe with us or not."

    Bai Wei and Bai Zhi were orphaned and had no reason to stay in the Fourth World.

    "The Third World!" They cried, clenching their fists, eyes brimming with yearning.

    Meng Qin''s body trembled with excitement. "I want to go to the Third World with you!"

    "I want to go to the Third World too!" Wu Yi hurriedly added.

    They had all desired this for a long time and instantly agreed when they heard Luo Hongyan was willing to take them along.

    Only Zhao Ling was still hesitating.

    "Your brother will be fine. Once you establish yourself in the Third World and your cultivation realm improves, you can find a way to bring him over," Wu Yi urged. "If you miss this chance to go to the Third World, you might never get another!"

    "I understand." Zhao Ling nodded gently. "I''ll go with you."

    Their subordinates also became excited. The future of the Fourth World was uncertain as the murky energy could spread further. Unlike Meng Qin and Zhao Ling, their subordinates had nothing tying them to the Fourth World and did not hesitate when such a great opportunity presented itself.

    "Once we reach the Third World, I''ll randomly stop at a fragmentednd, and we''ll part ways," Luo Hongyan said coldly. "We won''t carry burdens like you for long."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Divine Spirit Pagoda soared into the sky.

    Once they ascended, Luo Hongyan had Pang Jian put the copper chest back into his spatial bracelet as there was no more murky energy in the sky.

    "Alright." Pang Jianplied and put the copper chest away. He touched the spatial pouch hanging from his waist before taking it off and tossing it to Bai Wei. "I don''t need this anymore. It''s yours."

    Bai Wei was overjoyed. She rushed to catch it, sniffing it happily before blushing and lowering her head.

 Chapter 131: The First Step to the Upper Worlds!

    <h4>Chapter 131: The First Step to the Upper Worlds!</h4>

    The Divine Spirit Pagoda slowly ascended into the sky.

    Pang Jian stood at the pagoda''s entrance, peering down at Misty Swamp and gazing at where the little tree had taken root.

    Vegetation thrived for miles, spreading in every direction with the miraculous little tree at the center.

    At this rate, Misty Swamp would be filled with ferocious and bloodthirsty nts within the year.

    The little tree would also grow to an astonishing height!

    Pang Jian realized the contaminated Misty Swamp was the most suitable ce for the little tree''s growth.

    He would someday return, but for now, the little tree would not leave Misty Swamp.

    As Misty Swamp gradually shrank in the distance, Pang Jian quietly connected to the little tree and expressed his thoughts.

    Despite growing up in the Solitary Mountain Range, he had no interactions with the people of the nearby Linshan Town and had no attachments to the Fourth World.

    The few people he had connections with, like Zhou Qingchen, had already gone to the Third World from Eight Trigrams City. There was no one in the Fourth World that he cared about, except for this extraordinary little tree that emerged from the bronze pendant.

    "I''ll stay in touch with you often," he murmured.

    ***

    A Divine Spirit Pagodanded on a nameless fragmentednd in the Third World under the cover of the night.

    "We''ve arrived." Luo Hongyan opened her eyes and coldly ordered, "You all need to get off now."

    The meditating members of the Shadow Specter Sect obediently stood up and nced at the entrance of the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    Zhao Ling was the most straightforward. She was the first to step out of the Divine Spirit Pagoda and stand under the night sky of the Third World.

    "I can see the stars and the moon!" she eximed softly as she gazed at the sky.

    Her face shone with a crystalline radiance as it was bathed in the soft glow of the moon and the stars.

    "The night in the Third World is much brighter than in the Fourth World! The starry sky with the moon is truly moving!"

    Zhao Ling spread her arms as if embracing the starlight and moonlight.

    Hearing her delight, Bai Wei and Bai Zhi hurried out of the Divine Spirit Pagoda, eyes gleaming as they followed in her footsteps and peered up at the night sky.

    A crescent moon hung high with tiny stars scattered around it.

    They had never seen such a sight before.

    "It''s so beautiful!"

    "I can''t believe we got to see the stars and the moon in our lifetimes!"

    The two sisters spun around in joy, unable to contain their happiness.

    Meng Qin, Wu Yi, and the Shadow Specter Sect''smanders also left the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    They too looked up at the night sky and curiously took in their surroundings.

    Wu Yi tried to absorb the spiritual qi and sighed. "The spiritual qi here is pure, but...it''s very sparse. There''s no need to refine it as there are no impurities to remove, but there''s not much of it."

    The others tried it for themselves and soon revealed disappointed expressions when they realized what Wu Yi said was true.

    "This is a nameless fragmentednd. Naturally, it doesn''t have much spiritual qi," Luo Hongyan said indifferently. "The Cosmic Skies Continent and Dark Abyss Continent have ten times this spiritual qi. The nearest ce with denser spiritual qi is a group of inds called the Three Immortals Ind. It''s a more suitable ce for you all to cultivate.

    "Not long from now, a Cloud Sail will arrive. You''ll need to pay fifty spirit stones to travel from here to the Three Immortals Ind."

    With that, the Divine Spirit Pagoda flew away.

    "Keeping a stern face every day makes my face stiff," Luo Hongyanined as she massaged her cheeks. She turned to face Pang Jian, lips curving into a radiant smile. "I didn''t want to get too involved with them. I had to treat them coldly to avoid giving them unrealistic hopes."

    Pang Jian nodded lightly.

    The Divine Spirit Pagoda stopped at the opposite end of the fragmentednd.

    "This fragmentednd is even smaller than Divine Fortune. Cloud Sails asionallye by because of the few volcanoes here," Luo Hongyan exined.

    Pang Jian peered down and saw several medium-sized volcanoes on the hard, rocky ground.

    Hotva flowed from one of the volcanoes, winding down through the valleys of the mountains and branching out in every direction.

    Surprise shed in Pang Jian''s eyes.

    "I found this ce specifically for you!" Luo Hongyan smiled sweetly. "I left them on the other side of this fragmentednd. We''ll stay in this volcanic area for a while. After some time, we''ll also take the Cloud Sail to the Three Immortals Ind. That ce is upied, so it''s inconvenient to go with the Divine Spirit Pagoda."

    As she exined, the Divine Spirit Pagoda descended.

    She then let out a small chuckle and pushed Pang Jian out.

    Pang Jian was startled. He hastily circted his energy and protected himself with spiritual power.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    His feet felt numb from falling tens of meters. Surprisingly, the rocky ground beneath him did not crack.

    Luo Hongyan''sughter echoed from the Divine Spirit Pagoda. "You stay here. I''ll return after finding a ce to hide the Divine Spirit Pagoda."

    "Alright," Pang Jian acknowledged, squinting as he watched the Divine Spirit Pagoda fly away into the night.

    ***

    On the other side of the fragmentednd, Zhao Ling and the others watched as the Divine Spirit Pagoda flew into the distance.

    "The Divine Spirit Pagoda left."

    "They''re gone."

    Everybody thought Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan had left the fragmentednd they were on.

    "Everyone, keep this in mind. We must keep the Divine Spirit Pagoda and those siblings a secret!" Meng Qin reminded solemnly. "We owe them a debt of gratitude!"

    Wu Yi nodded. "That''s right. Without their help, we would''ve died in Divine Fortune. They saved our lives and brought us to the Third World. We don''t want to cause them any trouble."

    "Yes, let''s take this time to get familiar with our surroundings. When the Cloud Sail arrives, we''ll head to the Three Immortals Ind," Zhao Ling said.

    The group started to survey the fragmentednd.

    "Master, we''ve reached thete stage of the Meridian Opening Realm," Bai Zhi softly whispered to Meng Qin.

    Meng Qin was stunned. "You two have finally shown some promise."

    "Hall Master Zhao, we''ve also reached thete stage of the Meridian Opening Realm. We''re just missing one ingredient for the bone forging, marrow cleansing process," One of Zhao Ling''s loyalmanders said softly.

    Zhao Ling was taken aback. Unexpectedly, it seemed everyone''s cultivation had advanced in the two months they had hidden in Misty Swamp.

    She, Meng Qin, and Wu Yi had all broken through to thete stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm and were in the process of refining their blood.

    They had obtained the beast blood, beast meat, spirit jades, and spirit stones from the Blood Moon Sect beast-hunting sailboat. These they sent to their Sect Leader, Han Zhiyuan, through the Ghost Altar, in exchange for him protecting the people they cared about.

    Believing they were doomed, they had traded most of their spirit material, leaving almost nothing behind for themselves. Little did they know they would escape and arrive in the Third World.

    "I know all of you need spirit materials for the marrow cleansing process." With an embarrassed expression, Zhao Ling said, "After giving what I had to our Sect Leader, I''m now short on resources myself. I don''t even have enough beast blood for my own cultivation."

    Wu Yi shook his head and sighed. "Who would''ve thought we''d survive!"

    "Let''s go to the Three Immortals Ind first," Meng Qin suggested. "Once we''re there, we can figure out how to get spirit stones."

    ***

    Several days passed in the blink of an eye, with Pang Jian eventually finding a cave inside a volcanic crater to cultivate the Earth ze Technique.

    The volcano''s crater resembled a sharp spire and had boilingva below. Fortunately, theva did not bubble violently, making it rtively safe.

    Lining the sides of the crater were several man-made caves, indicating many others had been here before.

    Luo Hongyan told Pang Jian that this nameless fragmentednd attracted many rogue cultivators due to its volcanoes and the presence of minerals like Earth ze Stones.

    Some rogue cultivators came to mine these minerals to sell on the Three Immortals Ind. Others, like Pang Jian, came to cultivate their special offensive techniques that required this unique environment.

    Once they had mastered their techniques and filled themselves with earthme energy, they would leave with the Earth ze Stones.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Luo Hongyannded gracefully.

    "The members of the Shadow Specter Sect have boarded a Cloud Sail to the Three Immortals Ind," she informed. "The Three Immortals Ind consists of threerger fragmentednds connected by stone bridges. It attracts many rogue cultivators and has a decent trade fair selling various spirit materials."

    Pang Jian mulled over her words for a long moment, then said, "Soon, I''ll attempt to break through to the Innate Realm."

    Luo Hongyan''s eyes sparkled, and she smiled brightly. "Now that we''re in the Third World, we can purchase cultivation materials ourselves without using the Ghost Altar. You can focus on your cultivation. I''ll find the spirit materials and techniques suitable for you."

    She then took out three technique manuals and tossed them to Pang Jian.

    "I found these three techniques for you over the past few days. They involve the Radiant Sun Sect and the Star River Alliance. They''re all rted to the sun, moon, and stars, so take some time to study them.

    "Don''t worry about me. I''ve been going around at night with the Divine Spirit Pagoda to rob people."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A hazy blood-colored mist surrounded Luo Hongyan, transforming her into a person with a cold face and fierce eyes.

    She looked like Dong Tianze!

    Luo Hongyanughed mischievously, returning to her normal appearance as she exined, "This is a rudimentary Mirage Flower Technique. I''ve been using the Divine Spirit Pagoda to wander around as Dong Tianze so everyone will think it''s the work of the Sinister Soul Temple. I''m deliberately causing trouble and putting them in a difficult situation!"

    Luo Hongyan''s gleefulughter could still be heard as she flew away.

    Pang Jian was dumbfounded.

    Luo Hongyan left him here and then used the Divine Spirit Pagoda to rob nearby cultivators while disguised as Dong Tianze. This would undoubtedly cause misunderstandings for the Sinister Soul Temple.

    "Just ignore her," Pang Jian muttered to himself.

    He picked up the manuals and looked over the titles: Primordial Sun Technique, Starflow Technique, and Lunar Edge Technique.

    Luo Hongyan had carefully selected these techniques to help him harness the power of the stars, sun, and moon within him.

    Pang Jian opened a manual and started to read.

    ***

    On the Dark Abyss Continent, Han Zhiyuan approached Dong Tianze.

    "Go to the Three Immortals Ind and find out who''s robbing rogue cultivators in your name," he ordered with a frown. "The rogue cultivators controlling the Three Immortals Ind are extremely resentful and are causing trouble for the Cult Leader."

    Dong Tianze looked utterly bewildered.

 Chapter 132: I Am Pang Jians Tree!

    <h4>Chapter 132: I Am Pang Jian''s Tree!</h4>

    Dong Tianze was baffled. He had quietly remained in his cave dwelling, yet trouble still managed to find him.

    For the past two months, he had been refining his blood in his cave dwelling, hoping to advance to the Innate Realm.

    asionally, he would respond to the Shadow Specter Sect''s hall masters in the Fourth World.

    They told him that the murky energy had contaminated the entire fragmentednds of Divine Fortune. The Cloud Sails of the seven major ns had also withdrawn from Divine Fortune soon after.

    The newly appointed hall master had disappeared since then, and Dong Tianze assumed he was dead.

    He had not left the Sinister Soul Temple for two months and was shocked to hear that someone wasmitting crimes using his identity.

    "I know it''s not you," said the gaunt Han Zhiyuan as he massaged his temples. "Someone''s impersonating you. What''s strange is that they possess a Divine Spirit Pagoda."

    Dong Tianze was startled. "Could it be one of our people?"

    "Unlikely." Han Zhiyuan shook his head. "But over the years, we''ve lost several Divine Spirit Pagodas. I can only say that the impersonator is familiar with us."

    "Very well, I''ll go to the Three Immortals Ind," Dong Tianze said coldly as he stood up. "I need to stretch my legs anyway. I''ve been feeling restless recently. I''ve been stuck at the final step of the Marrow Cleansing Realm, unable to break through."

    "Be careful," Han Zhiyuan said as he walked toward the exit. Pausing at the cave entrance with his back still facing Dong Tianze, he said, "There are others in the Third World who have obtained the essence of the Celestial Phoenix like you. I''ve heard there''s a tradition of mutual hunting among the Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard. Be cautious on the Three Immortals Ind."

    "Master!" Dong Tianze''s body trembled.

    "The news about your being a Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard came from the Red Mountain Sect and the Radiant Sun Sect. Zhou Qingchen from the Red Mountain Sect and a girl named Su Meng from the Radiant Sun Sect imed to have seen the Celestial Phoenix Imprint on your forehead.

    "Don''t worry. Your status as a Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard benefits the Sinister Soul Temple. The Cult Leader heard from a reliable source that the Pure Land Sect of the First World took in the true sessor of the Celestial Phoenix. Your master has the potential to stand at the pinnacle of the First World.

    "The Red Mountain Sect, the Radiant Sun Sect, the Blood Moon Sect, and the Star River Alliance wouldn''t dare to harm a Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard. The only thing you need to be wary of is other Celestial Phoenix Divine Guards. The mutual hunting andpetition among the Celestial Phoenix Divine Guards is a rule that other sects cannot interfere with," Han Zhiyuan exined.

    Dong Tianze had been worried that his status as a Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard would affect his cultivation in the Sinister Soul Temple, so when he heard Han Zhiyuan''s exnation, he heaved a sigh of relief.

    "Master, are you suggesting that Celestial Phoenix Divine Guards might try to hunt me on the Three Immortals Ind?" he asked

    Han Zhiyuan nodded. "That''s my guess."

    "That suits me perfectly!" Dong Tianze was pleased.

    A single drop of the essence of the Celestial Phoenix had benefited him greatly.

    After that, he sessfully underwent the bone forging, marrow cleansing process at ck Orchid Lake, refined his internal organs in Eight Trigrams City, and was now in the process of refining his blood.

    He knew he would be stronger if he found another Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard, killed them, and absorbed their Celestial Phoenix Imprint.

    The trip to the Three Immortal Inds and the potential hunt for a Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard was a new challenge for him.

    ***

    Zhou Qingchen arrived at the vige at the foot of the Red Mountain Sect on the Cosmic Skies Continent.

    "Old Han, I''ve received information that Dong Tianze is wandering about in a Divine Spirit Pagoda and killing rogue cultivators near the Three Immortals Ind!" he shouted, kicking open the courtyard gate. "Pang Jian''s fate in the Solitary Mountain Range is still unknown. I must kill Dong Tianze to avenge him!"

    He could not forget the heroic scene of Pang Jian sending him through the Mirror Tunnel while drenched in blood.

    "Sword Pavilion''s Qi Qingsong said that Pang Jian nearly killed Dong Tianze after you left. He''s already avenged himself," said Han Duping.

    With the help of Li Jie''s green fruit juice, Han Duping hadpleted the bone forging, marrow cleansing process and was now in the mid-stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    Han Duping took a deep breath and continued, "Dong Tianze is very cunning. His status as a Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard means that even the Li Family of the Divine Treasures Sect has to give his master some face. Can''t you stay calm?"

    "Just answer me, are you going or not?" Zhou Qingchen snapped.

    "I''m going! Damn it, I''ll go with you, alright?"

    ***

    Silver, dagger-like Lunar Edges spun around Pang Jian on the unnamed fragmentednd.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    These Lunar Edges were simr to Jin Yang''s Cicada Wing Swords. They flew around for a while then abruptly shot toward a rock wall.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The hard red rock in the volcanic crater was sted into pieces.

    "It''s not very powerful," Pang Jian said, tossing the Lunar Edge manual into the pool ofva below.

    The Lunar Edge technique was refined from the lunar energy in his dantian and could only be used to kill weaker cultivators. It would only ever serve as aplementary attack against formidable opponents like Qi Qingsong or Dong Tianze and could not turn the tides of battle.

    <i>Still, it''s an additional offensive technique,</i> Pang Jian thought as he took out the Primordial Sun Technique and Starflow Technique manuals.

    As he was about to go through them, he sensed a faint cry for help.

    Pang Jian was taken aback. Entering a focused state using the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, he soon determined the plea wasing from the little tree in the Fourth World!

    Up to this point, he had always been the one to initiate contact with the little tree. This was the first time the little tree had reached out to him on its own!

    With a single thought, he connected to the little tree''s sight and saw Misty Swamp.

    A familiar person appeared before his eyes!

    A beautiful and elegant girl hovered under the dim sky of the Fourth World!

    The girl wore a simple green dress, entuating her tall, graceful figure. An exquisite jade ring adorned the ring finger of her pale, slender left hand. Aside from that, she wore no other essories.

    A massive silvery-white sword as wide as a mountain floated behind her, emitting a terrifying pressure.

    The ferocious nts below her, including the little tree, all trembled in fear.

    "Li Yuqing!"

    The girl could not hear Pang Jian''s startled exmation.

    Even through the little tree, he could feel the terrifying pressure emanating from the massive silver-white sword!

    The enormous sword stood hundreds of zhang tall. It seemed capable of destroying Divine Fortune with a single strike!

    Misty Swamp, which spanned thousands of miles, could be reduced to dust in the blink of an eye!

    "She''s so powerful!" Pang Jian could feel Li Yuqing''s world-shattering strength from a world away!

    He could not have imagined the girl he had met and eaten with within the dark tunnel of Eight Trigrams City possessed such terrifyingbat power!

    All the formidable human cultivators he had encountered so far like Sun Bin, Yuan Shishan, and Luo Hongyan seemed to pale inparison to Li Yuqing.

    "World Eater Vine," Li Yuqing muttered in confusion. "I remember this fearsome nt was supposed to be extinct in the Fifth World. Why did it suddenly appear in this ordinary fragmentednd?"

    Li Yuqing had been busy surveying the fragmentednds within the Ouyang n''s territory, investigating the anomalies caused by the murky energy.

    In the forested forbidden areas where Vicious Beasts and wild beasts roamed, she saw that some fortunate beasts had transformed, significantly elevating their bloodline, and allowing them to be rulers in those regions.

    Many nts in the Fourth World became violent and bloodthirsty, exhibiting characteristics of nts from the Fifth World.

    Only humans were unable to adapt to the murky energy. They either dissolved into piles of bones or leaped off the edges of the fragmentednds into the Fifth World.

    After examining the fragmentednds in the Ouyang n''s territory, she arrived at the Shangguan n''s territory and saw new vegetation had sprouted in the burned Misty Swamp.

    Suspecting something was amiss, she released her divine sense and discovered that all the nts in Misty Swamp were channeling their energy into a single tree, like offering tributes to a deity.

    She soon confirmed the seemingly ordinary little tree was a World Eater Vine!

    Although she had never seen a World Eater Vine firsthand, she had heard numerous stories about its fearsome nature.

    Having established that a young World Eater Vine was the root of the abnormalities in Misty Swamp, she prepared to destroy the entire fragmentednds of Divine Fortune to ensure the vine had no chance at survival.

    "The World Eater Vine from the Fifth World," Pang Jian murmured. Li Yuqing''s mutterings had taught him the name of the little tree that emerged from his bronze pendant.

    The young World Eater Vine sensed Li Yuqing''s murderous intent and the overwhelming pressure of her massive sword.

    Realizing the girl''s intent to decimate Divine Fortune, it desperately sent Pang Jian a plea for help, hoping he could do something.

    "Whatever the reason, you should not exist here," Li Yuqing said decisively.

    The massive silvery-white sword behind her radiated a divine light, and an earth-shattering sword intent enveloped Divine Fortune!

    The overwhelmed Pang Jian could sense the young World Eater Vine''s despair and helplessness. However, being in the Third World, hecked a medium like the Giant Abyssal Serpent to reach the vine using the bronze pendant. His voice and thoughts also could not be conveyed through the World Eater Vine.

    <i>What should I do? What should I do?</i>

    Thoughts shed through his mind like lightning.

    An idea struck him!

    Pang Jian quicklymunicated with the World Eater Vine, desperately trying to convey his thoughts and intentions.

    <i>Quick, do exactly as I say!</i>

    The World Eater Vine released a radiant green glow from its branches and leaves, no longer concealing its mystical nature.

    A sharp branch started to scratch out words on the ground.

    <i>I...</i> A small, crooked character appeared in a muddy scrawl.

    Li Yuqing paused her attack and stared at the World Eater Vine''s hasty scribbles.

    <i>I am..</i>

    <i>I am Pang...</i>

    <i>I am Pang Jian''s...</i>

    <i>I am Pang Jian''s Tree!</i>

    A line of hastily scrawled characters was etched into the ground of Misty Swamp.

 Chapter 133: The World Eater Vine and the Black Turtle

    Chapter 133: The World Eater Vine and the ck Turtle

    I am Pang Jian''s Tree!

    Li Yuqing''s expression shifted into one of astonishment.

    Her slightly plump but beautiful face was filled with disbelief.

    She recalled the time in Eight Trigrams City when she had hastily carved a line of words into the stone pavement, telling Pang Jian not toe looking for her.

    She also vividly remembered hiding and watching as Pang Jian rushed out from the City Lord''s Mansion and anxiously called her name in the square, telling her to leave Eight Trigrams City.

    "Pang Jian''s tree..." Li Yuqing knitted her delicate brows.

    Every green, glowing leaf of the young World Eater Vine trembled.

    The line of characters had been scratched out based on Pang Jian''s instructions. The World Eater Vine could not read and did not understand the meaning of the characters. It was too scared to move an inch.

    Its young mind could notprehend much. It did not understand why the girl in the sky wanted to destroy it and was utterly terrified.

    The plea for help was instinctively sent to Pang Jian out of fear and helplessness. It sensed that a mysterious bond tied it and Pang Jian together, and while it did not know how Pang Jian could help, it had no choice but to seek his aid.

    The World Eater Vine sensed the girl floating before it was vastly more powerful than Pang Jian and possessed the terrifying power to destroy the entire Divine Fortune.

    Secretly doubting its scrawlings could change the girl''s murderous intent, it could only tremble in quiet apprehension.

    As it waited in despair, it eventually noticed the terrifying girl had been in a daze the whole time.

    The earth-shattering sword intent of the massive silver-white sword had vanished.

    Although deeply confused, it resolved to engrave the line of characters into its memory.

    These unknown characters held a mysterious power that had dispelled the girl''s deadly intent toward it.

    The young World Eater vine was determined to learn this strange script well in the future.

    After some time, Li Yuqing snapped out of her daze. She stared at the strange and potentially dangerous World Eater Vine and asked, "Where''s Pang Jian?"

    The branch of the World Eater Vine that had carved out the characters pointed upward.

    Li Yuqing looked up and eximed in surprise, "The Third World?"

    The World Eater Vine shook its leaves as if responding to her.

    "So, it really is a World Eater Vine. It already has remarkable sentience despite being so young." Li Yuqing hesitated, then added, "As you grow, your vines will extend infinitely, eventually linking Divine Fortune and the fragmentednds in the surrounding Shangguan n''s territory together. You used to be one of the sources of the murky energy in the Fifth World¡­

    "But you''re also Pang Jian''s tree." The girl sighed.

    Whoosh!

    The massive silver-white sword behind her shrank and flew into her spatial ring.

    "I''ll spare you for now! I''ll decide whether or not to eliminate you after I meet Pang Jian!"

    The girl then turned into a streak of light and vanished from Divine Fortune.

    ***

    The exhausted Pang Jian sat drenched in sweat in a volcanic cave in the Third World. He severed the connection with the young World Eater Vine, ignoring its flurry of confused thoughts.

    Maintaining a connection with the World Eater Vine in the Fourth World while being in the Third World had massively drained his energy. It was vastly different from his asional check-ins while in Misty Swamp.

    It''s the distance! The World Eater Vine''s too far from me. It was incredibly taxing on my mind."

    The fatigued Pang Jian was about to fall asleep.

    His mind whirled with immense shock and a sense of intimidation.

    He did not realize that the girl from the dark tunnel was so powerful!

    He was even more surprised that the World Eater Vine''s scrawl had been enough to stop Li Yuqing!

    He had heard Li Yuqing''s terrifying description of the World Eater Vine.

    As the World Eater Vine grew, its vines would extend to and link the nearby fragmentednds.

    Furthermore, it used to be one of the sources of murky energy in the Fifth World!

    Pang Jian realized the fearsome nature of this young World Eater Vine far surpassed that of the Giant Abyssal Serpent!

    Pang Jian''s thoughts continued to wander, and he soon drifted off while clutching the Primordial Sun Technique manual.

    When he woke up, the first thing he saw was Luo Hongyan.

    "You''re being too careless," Luo Hongyan scolded, shooting him a sharp re. "Given your cautious nature, I expected you to have set up some defenses before sleeping, like cing some Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder or Refined Ghost Miasma at the cave entrance.

    "How did you not wake up when I entered the cave and stood right next to you?"

    Luo Hongyan shook her head in displeasure.

    "I''ve been exhaustedtely," Pang Jian responded dismissively.

    His prolonged connection with the World Eater Vine had drained so much of his mental energy that he fell into a deep sleep.

    "Bnce your cultivation with rest. Don''t strain your mind too much or it''ll hinder your progress," Luo Hongyan advised.

    "Besides sleeping, how else can one restore mental energy?" Pang Jian asked earnestly.

    "Some spirit-nourishing pills and herbs can help quickly restore mental energy. However, it''s best to wait until after you reach the Profound Abode Realm. You can learn a soul-nourishing technique after forming your divine sense."

    Luo Hongyan then took out a few bottles of pills from her spatial bracelet and handed them to Pang Jian with a smile.

    "Take these bottles of Mind Soothing Pills and use them as needed. With your cultivation at the Marrow Cleansing Realm, you typically wouldn''t exhaust so much mental energy. You shouldn''t need the Mind Soothing Pills in the first ce."

    Pang Jian epted the Mind Soothing Pills without hesitation.

    He took a few, instantly feeling more alert as the medicinal effects spread through his body.

    If he had had these Mind Soothing Pills earlier, he would not have had to sleep at all.

    A brilliant light suddenly illuminated the small cave as Luo Hongyan revealed dozens of spirit jades, hundreds of spirit stones, and the blood and meat of both Vicious Beasts and Spirit Beasts.

    "These are some of my recent acquisitions," Luo Hongyan said, eyes gleaming with delight as she pushed them toward Pang Jian. "The beast blood and meat are from Rank Four and Rank Five Vicious Beasts and Spirit Beasts. I used most of our cultivation resources back in Misty Swamp to reforge my physical body. It''s time for me to repay you.

    "Dong Tianze and the members of the Sinister Soul Temple are on their way. I''ll take this opportunity to stir up some more trouble and create more enemies for them. Once they arrive, I''ll leak the information and incite the rogue cultivators I''ve robbed to attack them."

    Humming an unknown tune, she cheerfully flew out of the volcanic crater.

    "The blood and meat of Rank Four and Rank Five Vicious Beasts and Spirit Beasts," Pang Jian repeated with a stunned expression.

    The Third World was indeed on a different level. The beast blood and meat they had painstakingly obtained in Misty Swamp were at best from Rank Three Vicious Beasts.

    In contrast, in the Third World, Luo Hongyan had acquired a considerable amount of blood and meat from high-ranked beasts in a short time.

    I don''t need the excess blood essence from the blood and meat but the ck turtle does.

    Pang Jian stored the spirit jades and spirit stones in his spatial bracelet and then started absorbing the blood essence of the high-ranked beasts'' blood and meat.

    "The blood essence from higher-ranked Vicious Beasts and Spirit Beasts is so abundant!" he eximed excitedly.

    The small ck turtle within his bronze pendant soon sensed the rich blood essence flowing through his stomach.

    The pendant started to absorb the blood essence!

    In the following days, Pang Jian remained on the nameless fragmentednd, practicing the Primordial Sun Technique and Starflow Technique while consumingrge quantities of the beast blood and meat.

    Half a monthter, the ck turtle emerged sluggishly from a crack in the bronze door of the pendant.

    Whoosh!

    Pang Jian was jolted out of his cultivation.

    This ck turtle wasrger than his palm and looked exactly like the ethereal form of the ck turtle he had seen on Central Lake Ind.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    As he studied the ck turtle, the ck turtle also curiously stared back at him. Both of them were sizing each other up.

    After a while, the small ck turtle crawled into a crack in the volcanic rock wall and headed toward the center of the nameless fragmentednd.

    The ck turtle took a long time to reach the center of the fragmentednd.

    Once there, it fell into a deep sleep.

    The ck turtle''s presence caused the nameless fragmentednd to actively absorb the spiritual qi of heaven and earth. The concentration of spiritual qi on the fragmentednd started to gradually increase.

    Pang Jian was speechless.

    Two dayster, a veiled Luo Hongyan flew into the cave.

    "I saw a Cloud Sail approaching us. If I''m not mistaken, it''s heading to the Three Immortal Inds. We should take this opportunity to board that Cloud Sail and go," she urged with a smile.

    Pang Jian nodded and stood to leave.

    When he left the cave, he noticed Luo Hongyan had changed into a rose-red dress and was wearing embroidered shoes. Surprisingly, she was walking on the rocky ground.

    Noticing his curious gaze, Luo Hongyan exined, "If I keep flying around, those on the Cloud Sail will be too scared to ept our spirit stones."

    "What would happen if a ck turtle entered a fragmentednd?" Pang Jian abruptly asked.

    "The fragmentednd would be a spiritualnd, just like the small ind on ck Orchid Lake. The stronger the ck turtle, the denser the spiritual qi," Luo Hongyan casually exined, unperturbed by his sudden questioning. "ck turtles are veryzy and rarely move. They''re also known as Earth Spirits as they possess immense power and can bless thend they inhabit.

    "If a ck turtle in a fragmentednd reaches a high enough rank, it could create a blessednd. Strange mineral veins, priceless herbs, and rare spirit materials can all be nurtured in such a blessednd."

    "Why didn''t the ck turtle in ck Orchid Lake create such a blessednd?" Pang Jian asked curiously.

    Luo Hongyan shot him a fond look of exasperation then patiently exined, "Firstly, that ck turtle wasn''t strong enough. Secondly, the Solitary Mountain Range is in the Fourth World, where the spiritual qi is sparse and mixed with impurities. That ultimately stunted its growth.

    "If that ck turtle were in a different environment, such as the First World, the Second World, or even the Third World, the fragmentednd it inhabited might''ve be a blessednd."

 Chapter 134: The Giant Stone Palace

    Chapter 134: The Giant Stone Pce

    A Cloud Sail, loaded with people and goods, left a nameless fragmentednd and flew toward the Three Immortal Inds.

    Cloud Sails were much simpler than Formless Sailboats or Fire Cloud Ships andcked private rooms or multiple decks.

    Its slow speed and fragile structure meant Cloud Sails could not travel between worlds.

    All the passengers were on deck with their belongings, with some finding a random spot to sit.

    Pang Jian leaned over the bow of the Cloud Sail and looked down at the fragmentednd below where the ck turtle was hidden.

    ck turtle. Earth Spirit.

    Pang Jian was filled with anticipation as he quietly activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, closing his eyes as he tried to connect to the small ck turtle.

    Surprisingly, his vision was not limited to the depths of the fragmentednd where the ck turtle resided!

    He could also see parts of the fragmentednd!

    His vision epassed the volcanoes and streams of flowingva.

    And it was still expanding!

    The ck turtle seemed to be merging with the nameless fragmentednd. Its aura was slowly spreading and would soon cover the entire fragmentednd!

    Earth Spirit!

    Pang Jian''s heart stirred as he opened his eyes. He now realized the significance of the name.

    The ck turtle, known as the Earth Spirit, lived up to its name. It had an unimaginable influence over thend it resided.

    That nameless fragmentednd would undoubtedly undergo a wonderful transformation due to the ck turtle''s presence!

    A spiritualnd. It could even form a blessednd, nurturing mineral veins and growing rare herbs.

    Pang Jian''s eyes lit up.

    "Ahem, esteemed guests..." The manager of the Cloud Sail approached with a fawning smile, stopping a few meters away.

    "What''s the matter?" Luo Hongyan asked, eyeing the manager suspiciously.

    She sat next to Pang Jian on an exquisitely embroidered carpet with a white veil concealing the bottom half of her beautiful face.

    Pang Jian snapped out of his thoughts as he turned and looked at the manager in puzzlement.

    Roughly a dozen rogue cultivators were ogling Luo Hongyan from behind the goateed manager.

    A few of them gulped audibly as if swallowing their saliva with great difficulty.

    Even though her face was veiled, the top half was still exposed, revealing her smooth forehead and bright eyes. Combined with her perfect figure, this was enough for those men to drool with desire.

    The rogue cultivators were distracted from their cultivation. Although they tantly gaped at Luo Hongyan, they did not dare to act on their improper thoughts.

    "I have some news to share with our two esteemed guests. Free of charge." The manager, Gao Yuan, nced at the spatial bracelets on their wrists and said ingratiatingly, "It''s about the lower worlds."

    When Luo Hongyan and Pang Jian boarded the Cloud Sail, he noted their spatial bracelets and casually asked where they came from.

    Luo Hongyan told Gao Yuan they hade from the Second World and that she was apanying her brother in exploring the Third World.

    Gao Yuan immediately viewed them in a new light.

    No wonder they dare to show off their spatial bracelets, he thought.

    "What happened in the lower worlds?" Luo Hongyan asked coldly.

    Feeling pressured by her gaze, Gao Yuan lowered his head and said quietly, "You came from the Second World, so you probably haven''t heard the news. I came across this information by chance, and it''s currently being kept under wraps.

    "The territories of the Ouyang n and the Shangguan n in the Fourth World below have been contaminated by the murky energy from the Fifth World!

    "Many fragmentednds within their territories have turned into living hells, a scene of utter devastation!"

    Pang Jian remained unfazed.

    Luo Hongyan feigned surprise and eximed, "How could this be?"

    "I don''t know the details." Gao Yuan shook his head. "I mean no harm. I just want you to be aware of this. It''s fine to wander in the Third World, but avoid going to the Fourth World for now."

    With that, he tactfully withdrew.

    This news had yet to spread but would inevitably circte throughout the different worlds. Gao Yuan hoped to build goodwill with the siblings by offering it now for free.

    After all, they were from the Second World, so he naturally hoped to earn their favor.

    Should he ever have the fortune to reach the Second World ande across them again, the goodwill he sowed today could benefit him.

    Gao Yuan prided himself on his keen insight, which allowed him to own a Cloud Sail and operate as a rogue cultivator across the fragmentednds of the Cosmic Skies Continent and Dark Abyss Continent.

    ***

    "We''re almost there," Gao Yuan''s shout caused everyone scattered on the deck to stand up.

    Many aboard the Cloud Sail had never been to the Three Immortal Inds. Thus, they curiously moved to the edge of the vessel to peer down at it.

    Pang Jian also opened his eyes from his meditation.

    He gazed at the deep night sky, taking in the sight of the twinkling stars and the full moon.

    For the past two days, he had been secretly trying to use the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art to draw the power of the sun, moon, and stars into his body.

    Unfortunately, while the miniature sun, moon, and stars in the dantian could absorb the celestial energies, the efficiency was extremely lowpared to when he was lying inside the copper chest.

    He couldy directly beneath the sun, moon, and stars inside the copper chest. It felt like the sky was within arm''s reach. In that state, his speed in absorbing the lunar energy, ster energy, and sr radiance was much quicker.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The absorption efficiency in the copper chest was more than ten times faster than outside.

    The Third World is still too far from the sky.

    He decided that if he wanted to absorb the power of the sun, moon, and stars in the future, it would be better to find a hidden ce and enter the copper chest.

    With this in mind, he stood up and leaned over the bow of the Cloud Sail to look at the ind below.

    Beneath the Cloud Sail were three fragmentednds, each about the size of the Divine Fortune. They wereid out in a triangle with stone bridges connecting them.

    Pang Jian squinted his eyes for a better look at the three fragmentednds. If the edges of thends were brought closer together, they could almost form aplete ind.

    "The Three Immortal Inds consist of Ice Rock Ind, Gold Stone Ind, and Cloud Ind. Even though they''re collectively called the Three Immortal Inds, they''re actually three different fragmentednds. It''s said that these fragmentednds were originally one piece but were split into three during a battle," Gao Yuan loudly exined to the passengers on deck.

    "Gold Stone Ind and Ice Rock Ind are barren and are made up entirely of rocks. Gold Stone Ind has rich mineral veins, which attract many miners. Meanwhile, Ice Rock Ind is perpetually cold.

    "Cloud Ind, on the other hand, is humid and covered with forests, making it ideal for growing spirit materials and rare nts. Some rogue cultivators cultivate rare herbs and nts on Cloud Ind in exchange for spirit materials.

    "Our destination is the Giant Stone Pce on Ice Rock Ind where Maverick Ling Yun''s trade fair will be held in three days. Once the trade fair ends, I''ll steer the Cloud Sail to the next fragmentednd.

    "If you wish to continue traveling, it''ll cost fifty spirit stones per person. Of course, there are many other Cloud Sails near the Giant Stone Pce, so you can always choose to board another Cloud Sail as well."

    The Cloud Sail descended as he spoke.

    The Giant Stone Pce¡­

    Pang Jian nced down and saw a ruined city on Ice Rock Ind.

    The city was made up of giant rocks, and all its buildings had copsed, with no intact structures in sight.

    However, even the copsed buildings stood tens of zhangs high!

    The broken windows and doors were absurdlyrge, seemingly not built for humans. Humans would appear like dwarves in and of giants in thisrge and imposing city.

    Suddenly, an image shed through Pang Jian''s mind.

    He once saw a towering one-eyed giant in the Fifth World. It had shot a crimson beam from its single eye, and within that vast beam was the image of majestic mountains, flowing rivers, and a magnificent kingdom built from giant stones.

    That giant stone kingdom bore a striking resemnce to the ruined Giant Stone Pce below.

    Could this have once been the city of the one-eyed giants?

    Pang Jian was startled by his own spection.

    One-eyed giants existed in the perpetually dark Fifth World and could never ascend to the upper worlds due to the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs. Despite that, a giant stone kingdom had fallen into ruins here on Ice Rock Ind in the Third World.

    Boom!

    Gao Yuan''s Cloud Sail came to a stop and its passengers disembarked.

    Pang Jian left the Cloud Sail with Luo Hongyan and stood before the copsed buildings of the Giant Stone Pce. He saw many other Cloud Sails anchored nearby, seemingly not allowed to fly into the city.

    Some rogue cultivators headed straight toward the Giant Stone Pce after disembarking.

    Luo Hongyan was staring intently at something over Pang Jian''s shoulder. Her beautiful eyes swirling with coldness. "Perhaps I should''ve left them on a fragmentednd in the lower world instead of bringing them to the Third World..."

    Puzzled by her strange words, Pang Jian followed her gaze to a pile of rubble outside the Giant Stone Pce.

    The rubble seemed to serve as a dumping ground for corpses. Many rogue cultivators were thrown into the pile like trash.

    Zhao Ling, Meng Qin, Bai Wei, Bai Zhi, Wu Yi, and themanders of the Shadow Specter Sect were all there.

    The members of the Shadow Specter Sect had arrived at the Three Immortal Inds before Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan.

    They had fulfilled their wish of escaping the lower world and had the opportunity to set eyes on the bright moon, twinkling stars, and scorching sun, only to end up as nothing more than another corpse in the rubble.

 Chapter 135: A Cruel Sight

    <h4>Chapter 135: A Cruel Sight</h4>

    After disembarking from the Cloud Sail, Pang Jian stood on the icy ground of Ice Rock Ind, frozen like a statue.

    He stared nkly at the corpses haphazardly thrown into the pile of rubble.

    Wu Yi and Meng Qin had deep cavities in their chests, and dark blood dripped from their mouths, suggesting they had suffered fatal internal injuries.

    Zhao Ling was likely tortured before her death as her body had been shed all over and her long, beautiful legs bore many ghastly wounds.

    Bai Wei and Bai Zhi seemed to have died from poison as they had purplish-blue lips with blood staining the corners of their mouths.

    Bai Wei''s left hand clutched a small piece of the spatial pouch Pang Jian had given her. It was evident that someone had tried to snatch the spatial pouch, but she refused to let go. The spatial pouch was torn apart during the struggle, leaving only a scrap behind.

    Even in death, her hand tightly gripped that scrap of the spatial pouch, signifying its importance to her.

    The bodies of the Shadow Specter Sect''smanders were not even whole, with stray limbs scattered about.

    The Shadow Specter Sect members were not particrly noticeable in the mountain of corpses.

    But Pang Jian could not take his eyes off of them.

    He stood there, staring at them in silence.

    The harsh and cold wind caused Pang Jian''s face to ache. The chill seeped in from the icy ground, through his feet, and into his body.

    The frigid air of Ice Rock Ind perfectly mirrored Pang Jian''s mood.

    Meanwhile, Gao Yuan was standing on the deck of the Cloud Sail when he saw Luo Hongyan and Pang Jian staring fixedly at the pile of corpses.

    "Old Yuan!" Gao Yuan called loudly.

    A person popped their head out of a Cloud Sail a dozen zhang away. "Why are you shouting?"

    Gao Yuan pointed at the pile of corpses and asked in bafflement, "What happened to those two girls? They''re clearly sisters. You and I both know the rtionship between Maverick Ling Yun and Elder Jiu Yuan of the Blood Moon Sect. With such a beautiful pair of sisters, surely he would''ve tried to send them to the elder, so why did they die in his territory?"

    "Fei Zheng from the Blood Moon Sect also had the same thought," Yuan Fei, a fellow rogue cultivator and old acquaintance of Gao Yuan, sneered. "This group was going to participate in the trade fair hosted by Maverick Ling Yun after arriving at Ice Rock Ind.

    "Someone among them attempted to exchange some items for marrow cleansing materials. Maverick Ling Yun recognized one of these items as something he had sold to a Blood Moon Sect member but had heard that this person died in Divine Fortune while on a beast-hunting expedition with Fei Zheng.

    "Maverick Ling Yun found it suspicious, so he used secret methods to inform his friend, Elder Jiu Yuan, about the matter. He also described the appearances of the sisters to Elder Jiu Yuan.

    "Not long after, Zhu Yuanxi, a cultivator in the Innate Realm from the Blood Moon Sect, arrived on a Formless Sailboat under Jiu Yuan''s orders. They soon confirmed that this group belonged to the Shadow Specter Sect from the lower world, and with Maverick Ling Yun''s approval, Zhu Yuanxi killed them.

    "When the sisters heard they were to be sent to Elder Jiu Yuan, they used poison tomit suicide. Zhu Yuanxi interrogated the others about how they escaped Divine Fortune and arrived in the Third World. They were tight-lipped, reportedly refusing to disclose anything before their deaths, and thus, they were all killed.

    "I wondered where the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect found the courage to attack the Blood Moon Sect''s beast-hunting sailboat. Even now, Zhu Yuanxi has yet to figure out how they traveled from the lower world to the Three Immortal Inds.

    "Before this, onlyrge sects like the Blood Moon Sect, the Radiant Sun Sect, and the Sinister Soul Temple could bring people from the lower world using their flying artifacts," Yuan Fei concluded, shaking his head in confusion.

    Gao Yuan was equally astonished.

    Yuan Fei sighed and changed the topic, "You''re so lucky, Gao Yuan. You managed to make it here without any trouble. You don''t know how scared I was when I heard that Dong Tianze from the Sinister Soul Temple was raiding Cloud Sails in this area with his Divine Spirit Pagoda. I was terrified the whole way here, afraid that mad dog would target me."

    "What''s the Sinister Soul Temple thinking?" Gao Yuan eximed. "Even if they''re reclusive, offending all the rogue cultivators makes no sense. What benefit do they gain from stirring up so much resentment?"

    "The one stirring up trouble is Dong Tianze from the lower world. That guy is insane and capable of anything," Yuan Fei exined.

    The two rogue cultivators chatted idly by their respective vessels.

    "Let''s go," Pang Jian whispered to Luo Hongyan. He turned away from the pile of corpses and headed into the Giant Stone Pce.

    "Remember toe back and use my Cloud Sail after the trade fair! I''ll give you both a discount," Gao Yuan called out after them when he saw them heading into the Giant Stone Pce.

    "Sure," Luo Hongyan responded coldly.

    Gao Yuan beamed with joy. "I''ll be waiting for you!"

    Once Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan disappeared into the Giant Stone Pce, Yuan Fei left his Cloud Sail and approached Gao Yuan''s vessel.

    "Who are they?" Yuan Fei frowned. "That kid just nced at the sisters'' corpses for a few seconds and you went out of your way to ask me about them. Are they someone important you''re trying to curry favor with?"

    "I knew I couldn''t hide it from you." Gao Yuan grinned and pointed at the sky. "They''re a pair of siblings from the Second World. I''m still trying to ingratiate myself with them, but my chances of sess are uncertain. You know how it is. Anyone from up there could very well be an important person. I''d consider it a great honor if they even nce at me."

    "The Second World?" Yuan Fei''s eyes flickered in surprise before he cursed, "Damn you, Gao Yuan. You should''ve hinted earlier so I could curry favor with them too! If I''d known they were from the Second World, I would''ve been more detailed in my exnation."

    "Have you heard about the catastrophe in the lower world?" Gao Yuan abruptly changed the subject.

    Yuan Fei''s face turned serious. He nodded and said, "It won''t stay hidden for long. After dealing with the members of the Shadow Specter Sect, Zhu Yuanxi took the Formless Sailboat to Cloud Ind. I heard the Blood Moon Sect ns to take over Cloud Ind to reward the Shangguan and Ouyang ns for their loyalty."

    "The world is getting more chaotic." Gao Yuan smiled bitterly. "If the catastrophe in the lower world continues to spread, the people from the seven major ns will enter the Third World andpete with us for resources."

    Yuan Fei sighed. "We should make more trips and earn as many spirit stones as possible. Who knows what the future holds?"

    ***

    After passing beneath the shattered, massive walls of the Giant Stone Pce, Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan entered the city, only to find ruins and crumbling structures.

    "Let''s find a secluded area so I can give you a new look," Luo Hongyan said as she scanned the area. Once she found a secluded corner, she dragged Pang Jian over and used some dye to adjust his appearance.

    Pang Jian was silent. His expression remained wooden as he allowed her to do as she pleased.

    Soon after, Pang Jian''s face was transformed into one with a dark reddishplexion and a slightly chubby appearance.

    "That''s more like it," Luo Hongyan said in satisfaction. Putting the dye back into her spatial bracelet, she added, "Anyone who has seen you before, be it Dong Tianze or someone from the Blood Moon Sect, won''t recognize this face."

    After a long silence, Pang Jian said tly, "We shouldn''t have brought them to the Third World."

    Luo Hongyan sighed. It was apparent that the tragic deaths of the Shadow Specter Sect members had left Pang Jian feeling depressed and guilty.

    Although Pang Jian had not been all that close to Zhao Ling, Meng Qin, and the others, they had still spent time together and even fought battles as allies. The fact that Pang Jian had given his spatial pouch to Bai Wei indicated that he had a good impression of the sisters.

    It was natural for him to feel downcast after discovering the tragic fate of Zhao Ling and the rest.

    "I was the one to suggest targeting the Blood Moon Sect''s beast-hunting sailboat," Pang Jian said tonelessly.

    He sighed deeply, then shook his head.

    "I''m not ming myself. The problem started when the Blood Moon Sect''s beast-hunting sailboat docked at the Shadow Specter Sect''s stronghold in Misty Swamp. When Fei Zheng saw Bai Wei and Bai Zhi, he abducted them to please Jiu Yuan."

    Pang Jian paused.

    "Fei Zheng''s death was his own fault," he finally concluded.

    Luo Hongyan nodded, then asked softly, "So, what do you want to do now?"

    "The Giant Stone Pce is Maverick Ling Yun''s territory. Everyone whoes to trade here must pay him spirit stones. In theory, every trader should be under his protection, but instead, he betrayed Zhao Ling and the others to Jiu Yuan," Pang Jian said solemnly.

    "Rules are often used to restrain others. Those who make the rules aren''t personally bound to them," Luo Hongyan said sardonically.

    "Maverick Ling Yun, Jiu Yuan, and Zhu Yuanxi." Pang Jian stared seriously into Luo Hongyan''s eyes and said, "I want them dead."

    The image of Bai Wei''s corpse clutching a scrap of the spatial pouch lingered in his mind. Rage welled up inside of him. Pang Jian felt he would be left with an unresolved knot in his heart if he did not vent this simmering anger.

    Luo Hongyan did not hesitate to offer her support.

    "Alright, I''ll help you." After a moment of silence, she added, "I''ve always deliberately kept a distance from the members of the Shadow Specter to avoid any emotional attachments. Once you start to care about them, you''ll inevitably feel sad when they die.

    "I know how cruel the cultivation world is, and I knew that, at their cultivation level, it would be difficult for them to survive in the Third World. But I didn''t expect it to happen so quickly. I could''ve done better. At the very least, I shouldn''t have let you see the cruel sight of their deaths so soon," Luo Hongyan murmured, voice filled with self-reproach.

    She had subconsciously wanted to protect Pang Jian, hoping he could focus on his cultivation and remain undisturbed by trivial matters. While Pang Jian was outwardly cold, at his core he was a warmhearted person, which was why she did not want him to get too attached to the members of the Shadow Specter Sect.

    Thus, shortly after arriving in the Third World, she decisively parted ways with them.

    "It''s good that I saw it," Pang Jian said in a low, dull voice. "I''ll go through these experiences sooner orter. Their deaths are a warning to me about the world''s cruelty."

    "You''ve grown so fast," Luo Hongyan praised.

 Chapter 136: Another Glimpse into the Fifth World

    <h4>Chapter 136: Another Glimpse into the Fifth World</h4>

    Luo Hongyan donned a loose gray robe that hid her figure and then applied the same dye to her forehead and neck to match Pang Jian''s appearance.

    Her in appearance was vastly different from the Luo Hongyan aboard Gao Yuan''s Cloud Sail and she no longer possessed her stunning allure.

    "Pull your sleeves down to cover your spatial bracelet," she reminded Pang Jian.

    Luo Hongyan had originally nned to only stay on Ice Rock Ind for a few days, intending to leave on a Cloud Sail after attending Maverick Ling Yun''s trade fair. However, the deaths of the Shadow Specter Sect''s members and Pang Jian''s festering resentment meant they were now plotting an assassination.

    This meant she could not attract any attention.

    "Alright." Pang Jian pulled his sleeves down to cover his spatial bracelet with his cuffs.

    "Let''s go pay the spirit stones to participate in the trade fair and get our tokens," Luo Hongyan said, leading the way.

    Not long after, they reached the southeastern corner of the Giant Stone Pce, where many rogue cultivators had already gathered.

    In front of Pang Jian stood a domeless stone hall. It was nearly fifty zhang high and towered over the copsed stone towers and houses. Although the stone hall was also in ruins and its walls filled with cracks, it was still the most intact structure in the area.

    The rogue cultivators were gathered around the stone hall and asking a gray-robed man questions. After obediently paying spirit stones, they would then receive a wooden token.

    "I''ll go exchange for the tokens," Luo Hongyan said, heading toward the gray-robed man.

    She no longer attracted attention in her disguise, and no one paid her any special attention while she got the tokens.

    Pang Jian stopped to survey their surroundings.

    Several thick stone pirs supported the grand stone hall. The dome of the stone hall had caved in, allowing faint starlight to filter through. Several people stood at the top of the copsed dome, condescendingly gazing down in judgment at the people below.

    As Pang Jian studied the stone hall, he noticed crude murals carved into the thick stone pirs.

    The murals depicted many one-eyed figures conducting a solemn ceremony, cing different items on an altar to worship their deity. The stone pirs were broad, and the murals were massive, allowing Pang Jian to make out the details of the murals.

    The offerings included winding serpents, spirit turtles,rge fruits, and giant trees that gave off lightning.

    Some offerings were tiny inparison to the one-eyed figures. These were mostly boys and girls with exquisite appearances.

    These figures seemed to be humans!

    Intrigued, Pang Jian moved closer to take a better look.

    He was certain he had not misinterpreted what he saw.

    The captivatingly beautiful boys and girls were offerings from the one-eyed giants to their deities.

    Pang Jian grew increasingly puzzled.

    <i>Did one-eyed giants live here in some bygone ancient era? Did they offer humans to their deities?</i>

    Luo Hongyan returned.

    "Let''s find a ce to stay. In three days, we''ll use these tokens to attend the trade fair," she said, waving two ck wooden tokens at Pang Jian but did not attempt to hand one to him. "That Maverick Ling Yun is copying Old Monster Cao''s methods. All transactions at the trade fair must be conducted with spirit stones. For each transaction, the buyer and the seller must each give him a ten percentmission."

    Pang Jian was puzzled.

    Seeing his confusion, Luo Hongyan exined, "For example, if a bottle of elixir costs a hundred spirit stones, both the buyer and seller must give him ten spirit stones each. In addition to the fifty spirit stones paid to participate, he takes a twenty percentmission from every trade, with both sides paying ten percent each."

    "That''s greedy," Pang Jian remarked.

    "Yes, he learned it from Old Monster Cao," Luo Hongyan said, leading the way through the city. "ording to the memories of Fei Zheng and the others from the Blood Moon Sect, there''s someone called Old Monster Cao in the Third World with arge territory of fragmentednd.

    "Old Monster Cao has a high cultivation realm and is highly respected by people from the Red Mountain Sect, the Blood Moon Sect, and the Sinister Soul Temple.

    "Every three years, he hosts a trade fair in his territory. Participants must pay five hundred spirit stones to join. Each participant is thoroughly checked to ensure they qualify. Participants must possess at least ten thousand spirit stones or bring high-quality spirit materials or spirit artifacts for trade.

    "Old Monster Cao''s trade fair is famous in the Third World. It attracts not only rogue cultivators but also members of major sects."

    Pang Jian was astonished.

    "His trade fair charges ten times the entry fee of Maverick Ling Yun''s trade fair?" he asked, baffled. "And he also takes a twenty percentmission from each trade?"

    "Yes, the rule of taking a ten percentmission from both sides was his idea." Luo Hongyan nodded, eyes sparkling with interest. "I n to visit Old Monster Cao''s fragmentednds. His next trade fair should be in two months. That''s the real grand event of the Third World."

    "A grand event?" Pang Jian asked curiously.

    "Old Monster Cao''s trade fair is renowned in the Third World because truly priceless treasures appear there," Luo Hongyan exined enthusiastically. "Rare items from the Fifth World, as well as the Second World or even the First World, can be found at his trade fair!"

    Pang Jian felt a deep admiration and respect for Old Monster Cao.

    After leaving the stone hall, they found a broken stone wall and carved out a spacious cave to hide in.

    Luo Hongyan then exined Maverick Ling Yun''s rules to Pang Jian, "Fighting is prohibited in and around the Giant Stone Pce. Once we leave Ice Rock Ind, you can fight as you please."

    Pang Jian snorted derisively. If that were true, Zhao Ling and the others would not have died in the Giant Stone Pce.

    "Maverick Ling Yun is at thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm. I should be able to handle him as long as he doesn''t have external help." Luo Hongyan paused in thought then continued, "Zhu Yuanxi from Blood Moon Sect is currently on Cloud Ind. I don''t know if he''ll join the trade fair in three days.

    " Zhu Yuanxi is in the Innate Realm. He came with another Innate Realm cultivator and several Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators.

    "Jiu Yuan''s not on the Three Immortal Inds. He''s a Spirit Condensation Realm expert. Jiu Yuan...he''s a tough opponent even for me. I heard he might attend Old Monster Cao''s trade fair in two months. He''s been searching for some rare spirit materials that might appear there."

    Lately, she had been wandering near the Three Immortal Inds disguised as Dong Tianze, robbing rogue cultivators along the way but not killing them. This allowed her to gather a lot of useful information.

    "Innate Realm, Profound Abode Realm, and Spirit Condensation Realm..." Pang Jian murmured to himself.

    Even the weakest, Zhu Yuanxi, was an entire cultivation realm above him. At Pang Jian''s cultivation level andbat strength, he could only kill Zhu Yuanxi. Without Luo Hongyan''s help, he could not take on Maverick Ling Yun. Jiu Yuan was tougher still and was someone he could not afford to provoke at the moment.

    "I still don''t know how many rogue cultivators are gathered on Ice Rock Ind or if there is anyone stronger than Maverick Ling Yun," Luo Hongyan said thoughtfully. "Let''s attend the trade fair in three days and assess the situation then. If we decide to take action against Maverick Ling Yun, we should do it after the trade fair ends."

    Pang Jian nodded. "Since fighting is prohibited in the Giant Stone Pce, I''ll wander around and returnter."

    Luo Hongyan smiled. "If anything happens, just shout, and I''ll hear you."

    "Alright," Pang Jian said as he left the cave.

    He habitually scouted the terrain in advance, wandering alone through the Giant Stone Pce and imprinting theyout of the ruined city into his mind.

    As he explored, he saw many murals depicting the former glory of the one-eyed giants. Some murals showed the sun, moon, and stars in the sky, indicating that the one-eyed giants once lived beyond the perpetual darkness of the Fifth World. Based on the size and rity of the sun, moon, and stars, it appeared they had once lived much closer to the sky.

    Most of the rogue cultivators Pang Jian encountered during his exploration were either in the Meridian Opening Realm or the Marrow Cleansing Realm. Maverick Ling Yun''s rule prohibiting fights meant no one caused trouble for Pang Jian.

    Four hourster, Pang Jian returned to the cave after thoroughly mapping out every corner of the Giant Stone Pce.

    As he entered the cave, hemented questioningly, "I saw many murals rted to the one-eyed giants. They seemed to use humans as offerings. Could it be that they once roamed our world?"

    Luo Hongyan was taken aback.

    She considered his question for a long while, then said with a troubled expression, "I''m not sure. I only know that a long time ago, beings from the Fifth World attempted to rebel against the upper worlds. Those beings were either killed or suppressed, and have long since vanished.

    "Powerful figures from the upper worlds sealed and suppressed the inhabitants of the Fifth World. It''s said that the stronger they are, the harder it is for them to break free. I don''t know the specifics though, as these old events are too far removed. Nowadays, there aren''t any beings like that active in our world and only some powerful figures will asionally descend to the Fifth World."

    That night, Pang Jian decided he would try to connect to the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    Now that he had Mind Soothing Pills, he did not have to worry about exhaustion. Furthermore, he had not checked on the Giant Abyssal Serpent in a long time. He also had burning questions about the Giant Stone Pce.

    After calming his mind, he connected to the Giant Abyssal Serpent, and its vision was shared with him.

    The first thing he saw was a tall woman with six pairs of white wings!

    The woman stood with her back to him at the peak of a high mountain, seemingly gazing into the distance.

    Viges and towns inhabited by non-humansy scattered in the ins below the mountain. These beings knelt devoutly toward the mysterious woman, voices rising in thunderous reverence.

    The woman with six pairs of white wings appeared to be something akin to a deity for them.

    Pang Jian was taken aback.

    The mysterious woman with white wings had once appeared near the top of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir, attempting to fly up toward Eight Trigrams City, which sat at its peak.

    She was a being on par with the one-eyed giant and the silver-white skeletal dragon.

    <i>How did the Giant Abyssal Serpent be involved with her?</i>

 Chapter 137: The Show Begins

    <h4>Chapter 137: The Show Begins</h4>

    "It''s time for us to go," the mysterious woman in the Fifth World whispered.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    She disappeared.

    Pang Jian felt a cool body straddle the Giant Abyssal Serpent through their connection.

    Shock filled him as he realized what was happening.

    The mysterious woman with six pairs of wings was riding the Giant Abyssal Serpent!

    Pang Jian''s connection to the Giant Abyssal Serpent also allowed him to experience sensations through its body.

    Thus, he was able to feel the sensation of somebody straddling him.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent appeared to both revere and be familiar with the mysterious woman from the Fifth World.

    It had be her mount and appeared to have apanied her for quite some time as a tacit understanding had developed between them.

    Pang Jian felt a pang of bitterness. He had been too busy to pay attention to it and now it had found a newpanion.

    Despite nurturing it with the murky energy from his spiritual sea in Eight Trigrams City, he did not even have a chance to ride it before this mysterious woman imed it.

    To make matters worse, the Giant Abyssal Serpent seemed to enjoy it.

    "When your bloodline advances to Rank Six, your intelligence will increase significantly. When that happens, I hope you''ll be able to tell me how you survived the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir," The mysterious woman said, gently patting the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s forehead and stroking its small horns.

    Pang Jian felt strange when her touch echoed through the connection.

    "Let''s go," The mysterious woman urged softly.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent started to move.

    Pang Jian''s mental connection with it was abruptly severed.

    Opening his eyes in the Giant Stone Pce, Pang Jian rubbed his forehead with a peculiar expression. It felt like there was a small horn there.

    A deep mental and physical exhaustion rapidly set in, and he hastily consumed a Mind Soothing Pill. Peering into the Fifth World from the Third World had significantly exhausted his mental energy.

    <i>Traitor.</i> He silently fumed at the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    He had not expected that the Giant Abyssal Serpent would find a new master so soon after leaving Eight Trigrams City. Its new master seemed to treat it well and value it highly. Moreover, she appeared to hold a high status in the Fifth World and was revered by countless foreign races there.

    The World Eater Vine had also emerged from the bronze pendant. To show its gratitude, it gifted Pang Jian two leaves filled with life energy to help him advance his cultivation.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent, on the other hand, had given him nothing in return and had instead found a new master.

    <i>Its new master knows it interacted with the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir and even has ns to enhance its bloodline,</i> Pang Jian thought grimly.

    "What technique are you practicing that causes such severe mental exhaustion?" Luo Hongyan asked curiously. She had watched him meditate with closed eyes only to look unwell upon waking up. "Pang Jian, are you practicing some kind of forbidden art?"

    "No." Pang Jian, still feeling tired, took out the copper chest. "I''m going to rest for a while. Wake me up in three days."

    He intended to absorb the power of the sun, moon, and stars within the chest to prepare for the trade fair.

    "Alright." Luo Hongyan was puzzled, but seeing that Pang Jian did not intend to exin, she decided not to press further.

    <i>***</i>

    In an underground cave on Gold Stone Ind, Dong Tianze used his Ghost''s Cry to assassinate a Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard.

    <i>Whoosh</i>!

    The bright Celestial Phoenix Imprint on Dong Tianze''s forehead absorbed a blood-colored Celestial Phoenix.

    An hourter, Dong Tianze''s body shuddered and he eximed, "The Innate Realm!"

    He had finally broken through his bottleneck and advanced from the peak of the Marrow Cleansing Realm to the Innate Realm!

    Dong Tianze hade from the Sinister Soul Temple to the Three Immortal Inds to find out who was impersonating him. However, as soon as he arrived, he sensed another Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard through the Celestial Phoenix Imprint on his forehead.

    He initially assumed this Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard was the impostor, but upon finding them, he realized they were just a rogue cultivator in the Marrow Cleansing Realm. The essence of the Celestial Phoenix had devoured them, turning them into a creature simr to Ouyang Duanhai.

    Dong Tianze gained some of the person''s memories after absorbing the essence of the Celestial Phoenix and confirmed they had never left the cave in the past few months.

    <i>If it''s not him, then who is it?</i>

    Dong Tianze walked out of the cave in confusion.

    A gleaming white Divine Spirit Pagoda floated silently toward him.

    Many rogue cultivators in the barren mines of Gold Stone Ind watched the floating pagoda with helpless anger.

    "Senior Brother Wang, the suspect I killed wasn''t the one impersonating me," Dong Tianze said upon entering the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    Wang Yisen was a Profound Abode Realm cultivator assigned by Han Zhiyuan to escort Dong Tianze and was in charge of controlling the pagoda.

    As the Divine Spirit Pagoda ascended, he pointed at a lush fragmentednd and said, "I''ve just received news that Zhu Yuanxi of the Blood Moon Sect is on Cloud Ind. The Blood Moon Sect ns to upy Cloud Ind to relocate the Shangguan n and the Ouyang n there."

    Dong Tianze was aware of the events in the lower world. While it made sense for the Blood Moon Sect to prepare a new territory for the two ns that were loyal to them, he did not understand why Wang Yisen brought it up.

    "Junior Brother Dong, sometimes I also oversee the Ghost Altar..." Wang Yisen said with a light cough. Seeing Dong Tianze''s brows knit together, he continued, "I also knew Hall Master Meng Qin and Zhao Ling."

    "And?" Dong Tianze asked impatiently.

    "A few days ago, Zhu Yanxi killed Meng Qin, Zhao Ling, and some other members of the Shadow Specter Sect. Their corpses are now disyed outside the Giant Stone Pce," Wang Yisen exined.

    "Impossible!" Dong Tianze eximed.

    "Yes, I also think it''s impossible," Wang Yisen nodded seriously. "With their cultivation realms, they could not have escaped Divine Fortune, much less reach the Third World without external help. The Blood Moon Sect suspects that we''re secretly aiding them. I believe your impersonator is from the Blood Moon Sect!"

    Dong Tianze knitted his brows even more tightly, eyes glinting coldly as he growled, "Divine Fortune was covered in murky energy. The Star River Alliance had confirmed there were no survivors. We know we didn''t provide any help, so how did those two hall masters make it up here?"

    Wang Yisen shook his head. "That''s what puzzles me too."

    Dong Tianze mulled it over. "Maverick Ling Yun is close with Elder Jiu Yuan of the Blood Moon Sect. Let''s ask him directly! He''ll know if the Blood Moon Sect is scheming behind the scenes. I want to see who dares to frame me!"

    He felt confident after breaking through to the Innate Realm. With the Sinister Soul Temple backing him and Wang Yisen, a Profound Abode Realm expert, apanying him, Dong Tianze did not believe Maverick Ling Yun would dare oppose him.

    ***

    A Formless Sailboat from the Blood Moon Sect flew in from Cloud Ind and stopped above the pile of corpses outside the Giant Stone Pce.

    Zhu Yuanxi had returned to Ice Rock Ind after expelling the rogue cultivators from Cloud Ind and setting up the Blood Moon Sect''s people there.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    He jumped down from the sailboat.

    "Has anyone inquired about or paid special attention to these lowly members of the Shadow Specter Secttely?" Zhu Yuanxi asked coldly. He stood with his hands behind his back, gaze fixed on Yuan Fei''s Cloud Sail.

    Yuan Fei instantly thought of Pang Jian and his sister. However, the siblings came from the upper worlds, and he hesitated to reveal anything, fearing the consequences if they found out.

    With this concern in mind, he shook his head and said, "No one has shown any special interest in those lowly beings from the lower world."

    Gao Yuan also remained silent, his expression unchanged as he nced at Yuan Fei.

    "Don''t let me find out you''re lying to me," Zhu Yuanxi said coldly, shooting him a re. Then, raising his head toward the members of the Blood Moon Sect on the Formless Sailboat above, he shouted, "Return to Cloud Ind. Come back to pick me up after the trade fair is over."

    The sailboat flew away.

    Zhu Yuanxi nced at the corpses of the Shadow Specter Sect members in the rubble before entering the Giant Stone Pce.

    Many Blood Moon Sect cultivators had died in Divine Fortune City and Misty Swamp, but some had survived.

    Through these survivors, Zhu Yuanxi learned that a new hall master named Hong Jian was still missing among the deceased members of the Shadow Specter Sect.

    He also learned from captured Shadow Specter Sect members that Hong Jian was Hong Tai''s nephew.

    Having worked with the cunning Hong Tai before, he was wary about keeping an eye out for his nephew and had deliberately ced the bodies of the Shadow Specter Sect''s members outside the pce to see if he could lure out Hong Jian.

    The secret Zhao Ling, Meng Qin, and the others had died trying to protect was likely rted to the missing Hong Jian!

    Zhu Yuanxi believed that finding Hong Jian would lead him to the person responsible for bringing the Shadow Specter Sect''s members to the Third World.

    ***

    <i>Creak!</i>

    Luo Hongyan opened the lid of the copper chest.

    Pang Jian sat up, puzzled. "Is it time?"

    "Not yet," Luo Hongyan replied. A small smile tugged at her lips and her beautiful eyes shone with intrigue. "A Divine Spirit Pagoda from the Sinister Soul Temple is hovering above the Giant Stone Pce. Someone is tantly disregarding Maverick Ling Yun''s rules."

    "Is it Dong Tianze?" Pang Jian asked solemnly.

    "It is. Zhu Yuanxi from the Blood Moon Sect is also here. We''re in for a good show," Luo Hongyan said as she left the cave, staring at the sky eagerly. "Among all the sects in the Third World, the one with the worst rtionship with the Sinister Soul Temple is the Blood Moon Sect. Despite originally being part of the same sect, they''ve been in intense conflict since they split."

 Chapter 138: A Calm Face Hiding the Storm in Ones Heart

    <h4>Chapter 138: A Calm Face Hiding the Storm in One''s Heart</h4>

    It was a gray and gloomy day on Ice Rock Ind.

    Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan stood among the gathering rogue cultivators near the Giant Stone Pce to observe the unfolding spectacle.

    The rogue cultivators were gaping at the sky in shock as they clutched their wooden tokens.

    A Divine Spirit Pagoda from the Sinister Soul Temple hovered brazenly in the air, tantly disregarding Maverick Ling Yun''s rules.

    "The Sinister Soul Temple!"

    "Dong Tianze!"

    Angry mutterings filled the crowd.

    "Rules mean nothing in the face of absolute power."

    "Maverick Ling Yun''s rules have always only constrained rogue cultivators like us with no backing."

    "Members of the Sinister Soul Temple or the Radiant Sun Sect never care about his rules."

    The rogue cultivators sneered in resentment.

    The Blood Moon Sect was the only major sect in the Third World to dock their sailboats outside the city out of respect for Maverick Ling Yun''s connection with Jiu Yuan. The other sects tantly ignored his rules and defiantly flew their vessels above the Giant Stone Pce.

    Pang Jian looked up and saw a familiar figure standing at the entrance of the white pagoda.

    Dong Tianze looked arrogantly down at the Giant Stone Pce with a grim expression on his face and a cruel glint in his eyes. A person sat behind him in silent support.

    Maverick Ling Yun and his trusted aide hovered above the stone hall where the trade fair was set to take ce. Zhu Yuanxi from the Blood Moon Sect also apanied him.

    "He dares to show himself so openly?"

    "The Sinister Soul Temple''s actions are bing more and more brazen. They''re even robbing us now!"

    "People from the lower world don''t follow any rules, do they?"

    Many rogue cultivators present had been robbed and were ring at Dong Tianze as they whispered among themselves. Although they were indignant, Dong Tianze still had the Sinister Soul Temple''s backing. The other person sitting inside the white pagoda further deterred them from acting rashly.

    "He''s advanced to the Innate Realm," Luo Hongyan whispered, leaning against a cracked boulder near a stone pir.

    Pang Jian was surprised. "You can tell with just a nce?"

    "Of course," Luo Hongyan replied coolly. "He harmonizes perfectly with the dense spiritual qi at the entrance of the Divine Spirit Pagoda. His spiritual power and vigorous blood essence are well-contained.

    "Only those in the Innate Realm can return to one''s true self and exercise exquisite control over their bodies. After reaching the Innate Realm, the body can sustain itself for long periods without breathing as one gains control over every pore in their body. Only extremely potent poisons can harm someone in this realm," Luo Hongyan exined.

    Pang Jian nodded earnestly. "I''m close to my own breakthrough."

    "I know. When we left Divine Fortune, you were already at the peak of the Marrow Cleansing Realm. It won''t be long before you advance to the Innate Realm." Luo Hongyan smiled. Pausing to nce around, she shook her head and said, "I''ve overestimated these rogue cultivators."

    After everything she had done while disguised as Dong Tianze, she had thought the rogue cultivators would unite against him.

    However, now that Dong Tianze had shown himself, they only dared to whisper theirints.

    No one dared to confront him.

    "I''vee specifically to tell you all that the one who had been robbing the Cloud Sails was someone else," Dong Tianze dered coldly. "I came from the lower world, so you might not be familiar with me. In theing days, members of the seven major ns will arrive. When they do, you''ll understand that the person robbing you wasn''t me.

    "Because if it were me, Dong Tianze, who robbed you, I wouldn''t have left any survivors!"

    At these words, the rogue cultivators fell silent in fear. They sensed that Dong Tianze''s murderous nature differed from the person who had robbed them.

    Dong Tianze seemed like a madman who killed indiscriminately. If he had been the one to rob them, they would not have survived. His menacing appearance and violent demeanor intimidated them and made them even more reluctant to act rashly.

    "The Blood Moon Sect has secret methods to alter bone structure and appearance, transforming someone into another person," Dong Tianze said coldly.

    From the Divine Spirit Pagoda, he could see a man in the attire of the Blood Moon Sect hovering above the domeless stone hall.

    He turned to this man and asked coldly, "Are you Zhu Yuanxi? Did you and Maverick Ling Yun conspire to rob the rogue cultivators under my name?"

    Zhu Yuanxiughed heartily. "Dong Tianze, are you still trying to deny it? You must''ve seen the corpses in the rubble outside, right? While others might not know about the rtionship between the Sinister Soul Temple and the Shadow Specter Sect, do you think we, the Blood Moon Sect, are unaware?

    "You incited the hall masters of the Shadow Specter Sect to rob our beast-hunting sailboat in Divine Fortune, stealing our beast blood and meat, and killing many of our members. Did you think we wouldn''t find out?

    "Dong Tianze, we''ve investigated it thoroughly. Your foster father, Dong Qianfeng, is a member of the Shadow Specter Sect!" Zhu Yuanxi revealed with a cold smile.

    Wang Yisen sat behind Dong Tianze. Hearing Zhu Yuanxi''s usations, he said sternly, "Don''t make baseless usations without concrete evidence to try and frame us!"

    Maverick Ling Yun was startled.

    "That''s Wang Yisen," he whispered to Zhu Yuanxi. "He''s an Elder of the Sinister Soul Temple and is in the same realm as me, thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm. I suggest we avoid a confrontation."

    Maverick Ling Yun wore luxurious light yellow brocade robes and a conspicuous spatial bracelet on his wrist. His tall, imposing figure, and the feathered crown on his head, exuded an aura of ethereal grace.

    He had always been one to bully the weak and fear the strong. Thus, he made noints when he saw the Divine Spirit Pagoda suspended high above the Giant Stone Pce in tant disregard of his rules.

    When Dong Tianze shouted from his Divine Spirit Pagoda, Maverick Ling Yun pretended not to hear.

    Wang Yisen''s intervention allowed him to confirm the man''s identity, and he went out of his way to warn Zhu Yuanxi in fear that a confrontation would force him into action.

    Although he and Wang Yisen were both in the Profound Abode Realm, Maverick Ling Yun had advanced to thete stage rtively recently inparison to Wang Yisen. While he had some confidence in his abilities in a fight, he was unwilling to make enemies with the Sinister Soul Temple.

    Furthermore, Zhu Yuanxi hade to the Three Immortal Inds on his friend, Jiu Yuan''s, orders. If Zhu Yuanxi were to die on his territory while he did nothing, he would find it difficult to exin himself to him.

    Once the Blood Moon Sect found out, they would retract their support for him in the future, and his esteemed position on the Three Immortal Inds would be jeopardized.

    He was caught between a rock and a hard ce as he struggled to find a way to mediate between the two.

    "I''ve had no contact with my foster father since he was expelled from the Radiant Sun Sect. Don''t spout nonsense," Dong Tianze said coldly.

    After stabilizing his cultivation realm on Gold Stone Ind, he arrived at the Giant Stone Pce and saw the bodies of Meng Qin and Zhao Ling in the rubble.

    He had seen these two Shadow Specter Sect''s hall masters before through the Ghost Altar.

    Though he found the situation peculiar and was puzzled about how they managed toe to the Third World, he would never voice these questions nor admit any connection to them.

    Beforeing to the Three Immortal Inds, Han Zhiyuan had repeatedly instructed him to deny any ties to the Shadow Specter Sect. Therefore, Dong Tianze did not address their corpses and steadfastly imed the Blood Moon Sect and Maverick Ling Yun had impersonated him to rob the rogue cultivators.

    In response, Zhu Yuanxi righteously proimed that Dong Tianze had conspired with the Shadow Specter Sect, orchestrating the robbery of their beast-hunting sailboat and the murder of their people in the lower world.

    Both sides argued incessantly, and even after a long time, no conclusion was reached.

    Inside the Divine Spirit Pagoda, Wang Yisen advised, "Junior Brother, I think our purpose has been achieved. The rogue cultivators should now know you weren''t the one who attacked them.

    "Maverick Ling Yun and the Blood Moon Sect are in cahoots. His cultivation realm is on par with mine, and fighting him won''t benefit us. The Divine Spirit Pagoda has been here for half a day. You''ve already intimidated him. I think it''s enough."

    Dong Tianze stayed silent.

    Meanwhile, Maverick Ling Yun also urged Zhu Yuanxi to hold back and exercise restraint.

    From below, Pang Jian saw Maverick Ling Yun quietly persuading Zhu Yuanxi at the edge of the stone hall.

    Neither Zhu Yuanxi nor Maverick Ling Yun hovered at the center of the domeless hall but rather at its edge. This was intentional as Maverick Ling Yun could see all the rogue cultivators below from that vantage point and observe their reactions toward him.

    Simrly, those standing below could also see him.

    <i>Maverick Ling Yun. Zhu Yuanxi.</i>

    The images of Bai Wei tightly clutching the torn scrap of the spatial pouch and Zhao Ling being tortured to death shed through Pang Jian''s mind.

    Luo Hongyan watched as Pang Jian stared wordlessly at Maverick Ling Yun and Zhu Yuanxi. Even though she knew an intense rage burned inside him, his outward expression remained calm.

    "You''ve be more rational than before. That makes me very happy," she praised.

    A calm face hiding the storm in one''s heart. [1] This was Pang Jian now. Her careful guidance over the past few months had truly sunk in.

    The once innocent young man from the Solitary Mountain Range was growing and adapting to this cruel world.

    Pang Jian was no longer as impulsive as he had been in the City Lord''s Mansion. Back then, he had attacked without understanding the situation or calcting the difference in power between him and the disciples of the Sword Pavilion, the Demon Sect, and the ck Valley Sect.

    In contrast, despite Maverick Ling Yun and Zhu Yuanxi now hovering right above him, he still maintained a calm mind. Luo Hongyan also sensed that Pang Jian''s heartbeat, breathing, and other subtle aspects were well-controlled.

    Pang Jian quietly retreated, moving next to a stone pir below the stone hall as he searched for a spot where no one could see him.

    "Help me adjust my appearance to how I looked when I met Dong Tianze with the Ghost Altar."

    Luo Hongyan was taken aback.

    "If they don''t start fighting, our chances will be slim. I''ll take on Hong Jian''s appearance and expose Dong Tianze as the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect. We must force them into a confrontation." Pang Jian said, moving behind the pir.

    After a moment of stunned silence, a smile slowly spread across Luo Hongyan''s face as she followed after him.

    1. This is a Chinese idiom. It describes someone who remains calm andposed on the surface despite having intense emotions or turmoil inside. ?

 Chapter 139: Shadow Specter Sects Hong Jian!

    <h4>Chapter 139: Shadow Specter Sect''s Hong Jian!</h4>

    Dong Tianze, pacified at his Senior Brother Wang Yisen''s advice, snorted coldly. "Zhu Yuanxi, if you dare nder the Sinister Soul Temple again without evidence, don''t me me for being rude!"

    He nned to leave now that he had unted his power on Ice Rock Ind and cleared himself of suspicion.

    Wang Yisen nodded lightly in approval.

    Maverick Ling Yun breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

    He stood at the edge of the stone hall, watching as Dong Tianze made to leave. He red at Zhu Yuanxi and signaled for him to stay quiet to avoid further provocation from Dong Tianze.

    Maverick Ling Yun''s expression darkened as he nced at the rogue cultivators below. He mentally noted the faces of those who had quietly mocked him and shown disrespect.

    Once the Divine Spirit Pagoda left the Three Immortal Inds, he nned to teach those rogue cultivators a lesson at the uing trade fair.

    He had never been a forgiving person.

    "Sect Leader!" A heart-wrenching cry broke the silence!

    The voice seemed to carry endless grief and resentment.

    Dong Tianze was stunned. The hoarse voice sounded familiar to him.

    Peering down in confusion, he saw a figure emerge from behind a thick stone pir under the stone hall.

    That person appeared to have been hiding there all along, not daring to reveal himself.

    It was a young man with a sallowplexion...

    <i>That''s Hong Jian!</i> Dong Tianze''s cried out in his heart. His expression changed as his eyes wavered with uncertainty.

    Wang Yisen cursed inwardly. He sensed that Dong Tianze would not be able to handle what was about to unfold.

    The changes in Dong Tianze''s expression and his inability to maintain his calm demeanor did not escape the attention of others.

    "Sect Leader?" Maverick Ling Yun, Zhu Yuanxi, and the rogue cultivators turned their attention to the source of the scream.

    A sallow-faced young man stepped out from behind a thick stone pir. In a quick motion, he threw several silver balls toward the subordinates of Maverick Ling Yun standing in front of the stone hall.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The silver balls exploded, transforming into a sea of raging thunderclouds and surrounding several cultivators at the Meridian Opening Realm and the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    "Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder!"

    "Who is this guy? He''s attacking Maverick Ling Yun''s men!"

    "Damn it, that almost got me too!"

    The rogue cultivators cursed as they hastily backed away. They eyed the young man as though looking at a lunatic.

    "Who is this crazy brat?!" Two Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators under Maverick Ling Yun''smand rushed forward angrily.

    The sallow-faced young man flung out a cloud of bluish-gray smoke.

    <i>Poof!</i>

    A bluish-gray smoke twisted and condensed into a fierce ghost with a blue face and fangs, enveloping the iing cultivators with its poisonous miasma.

    The two mid-stage Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators screamed in agony. Blood streamed from their seven orifices as though their souls were being devoured.

    "Refined Ghost Miasma!"

    "That''s the Refined Ghost Miasma of the Sinister Soul Temple!"

    Maverick Ling Yun and Zhu Yuanxi were both shocked. Their expressions turned grim as they gazed at the sallow-faced young man.

    As more of his subordinates rushed toward the young man, Maverick Ling Yun coldly ordered, "Stop!"

    His three mid-stage Marrow Cleansing Realm subordinates instantly halted their advance.

    "Who is he calling Sect Leader?" Zhu Yuanxi asked with a stern face.

    Maverick Ling Yun paid no mind to the death of his subordinates. Instead, he focused on a crucial detail that caught his attention. "Sect Leader...if I''m not mistaken, the leader of the Shadow Specter Sect is called Sect Leader. Could it be...?"

    He stared in amazement at the sallow-faced young man.

    The young man''s eyes were red as he scowled at Dong Tianze and roared, "Sect Leader! Those two scoundrels, Zhu Yuanxi and Maverick Ling Yun tortured Hall Master Zhao and Hall Master Meng to death! You must avenge them!

    "Sect Leader, the Ghost Altar I used tomunicate with you came from Yang Yuansen. It was missing an invisibility g, so I saw your face! You''re the leader of the Shadow Specter Sect, our Sect Leader! So please, seek justice for us!"

    Luo Hongyan watched Pang Jian in astonishment from behind the stone pir with bright eyes shining in surprise.

    She shook her head lightly and sighed. "Isn''t he growing up a bit too fast? How did he be so cunning without me noticing?"

    Dong Tianze gritted his teeth but did not respond.

    He had assumed that Hong Jian had long perished in Divine Fortune. He never expected he would appear on Ice Rock Ind and even recognize him through the Ghost Altar.

    "Don''t admit it, no matter what!" Wang Yisen whispered urgently from behind Dong Tianze. He sensed that Dong Tianze would struggle to lie convincingly after being recognized by the young man below.

    "Dong Tianze!"

    "He''s the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect?"

    The rogue cultivators erupted in chaos.

    "Brat, who are you?" Zhu Yuanxi asked curiously as he looked down at the young man.

    "I''m Hong Jian from the Shadow Specter Sect!" the sallow-faced young man shouted vehemently. Fearlessly looking up at Zhu Yuanxi, he cursed, "You scoundrel, you killed two of our hall masters. Do you dare toe down and fight me?"

    "Hong Jian!" Zhu Yuanxi was overjoyed. Nodding repeatedly in approval, he eximed. "We''ve been searching for you for so long! You''ve finally shown yourself!"

    Pang Jian did not use this sallow appearance when he attacked the Blood Moon Sect in Divine Fortune City and Misty Swamp. Luckily, the other Blood Moon Sect members had returned to Cloud Ind on the Formless Sailboat, leaving no one to point out the inconsistency in his looks.

    "Dong Tianze, what do you have to say for yourself?" Zhu Yuanxi shouted angrily. "Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder aside, the Refined Ghost Miasma is exclusive to your Sinister Soul Temple!

    "Hong Jian, a hall master of the Shadow Specter Sect, was using the Refined Ghost Miasma in his attacks. Where else could it havee from besides your Sinister Soul Temple?"

    Dong Tianze''s face twitched.

    The person he traded with using the Ghost Altar was now on Ice Rock Ind, exposing his identity. He had personally selected the Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder and the Refined Ghost Miasma for trade. It would be difficult to deny it with both eyewitness and material evidence present.

    Given his twisted and murderous nature, he would rather kill everyone than do as Wang Yisen suggested.

    "Sect Leader! You must avenge them!" Pang Jian''s voice was hoarse and filled with rage. "Don''t you want to know how we got up here?"

    Dong Tianze irritably rubbed his forehead.

    Beneath his browy the brilliant Celestial Phoenix Imprint.

    Dong Tianze was now in the Innate Realm and was confident he could kill Zhu Yuanxi with the aid of the mystical imprint!

    He could probably take Maverick Ling Yun on as well!

    "Senior Brother Wang, I can''t lie through my teeth, so..." Dong Tianze trailed off, taking a deep breath as his eyes shed with murderous intent. "No one in the Giant Stone Pce or Ice Rock Ind can live.

    "Every rogue cultivator who heard him call me Sect Leader must be killed. As long as we wipe out all living beings on this ind, my involvement in the Ghost Altar affair will be covered up."

    Wang Yisen stood up from his seated position behind him and sighed deeply.

    "You''re truly aplete madman. Our Sinister Soul Temple took you in, but I don''t know if that was a blessing or a curse," Wang Yisen said with a heavy heart.

    Despite having a higher cultivation realm than Dong Tianze, his ns still left Wang Yisen slightly fearful of his bloodthirsty nature.

    "Thank you, Senior Brother."

    After gaining Wang Yisen''s approval, Dong Tianze took out his spirit artifact, Ghost''s Cry, then swallowed a pill filled with blood essence.

    He then admitted loudly, "It was me. I traded with him under the guise of the Shadow Specter Sect''s Sect Leader. What do you want to do about it?"

    The fierce light in Dong Tianze''s eyes grew more intense.

    "You actually dare to admit it? The Sinister Soul Temple''s done countless dirty deeds over the years but they''ve never owned up to any of them!" Zhu Yuanxi sneered, still unaware of Dong Tianze''s ns.

    He thought the inexperienced Dong Tianze had ruined the Sinister Soul Temple''s grand ns, and that he could seize this opportunity to earn great merit.

    With Dong Tianze''s admission in front of so many witnesses, the Radiant Sun Sect, the Red Mountain Sect, and the Star River Alliance could no longer feign ignorance!

    The Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple were mortal enemies. If Zhu Yuanxi could borrow the power of those other sects to eliminate the Sinister Soul Temple from the Third World, the Blood Moon Sect would surely favor him!

    "This is bad," Maverick Ling Yun said, feeling his temples throb as Dong Tianze admitted his identity.

    The feathered crown on his head suddenly exploded.

    Maverick Ling Yun gaped in horror at the Divine Spirit Pagoda. A soul-crushing pressure emanated from its fifth floor and bore down on him. If the feathered crown had not blocked part of it, his soul would have suffered severe damage!

    "Zhu Yuanxi, you''ve ruined my ns!" Maverick Ling Yun red at Zhu Yuanxi and hurriedly flew away from the stone hall.

    Pang Jian stomped his foot and shot up from below like a sword when he saw that only a stunned Zhu Yuanxi remained above the stone hall.

    As hended, he unleashed a barrage of dazzling Lunar Edges and shot them toward Zhu Yuanxi from all around.

    Dong Tianze was also about to attack and could not help but praise Pang Jian for his fearless attack on Zhu Yuanxi.

    In his heart, Dong Tianze felt a slight pang of guilt for the deceased. After all, he had presided over several Ghost Altar trades as the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect.

    Zhao Ling, Meng Qin, and other hall masters in the lower world had always treated him with utmost respect, not daring to show the slightest bit of negligence.

    After Dong Tianze took on the role of the Sect Leader, a part of him felt like they were under hismand. Deep down, seeing their bodies earlier had left him unsettled.

    Thus, when he saw the new hall master bravely challenge Zhu Yuanxi to avenge his fallen friends, Dong Tianze could not help but admire him.

    "Senior Brother Wang, I''ll leave Maverick Ling Yun to you. I''ll take care of the others," Dong Tianze said before leaping down from the Divine Spirit Pagoda. With a swing of his Ghost''s Cry, a piercing screech rang out and the souls of those killed by Pang Jian flew directly toward him.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Dong Tianze unleashed a sea of golden dagger light that swallowed the rogue cultivators. In the blink of an eye, dozens of rogue cultivators were killed, only for Ghost''s Cry to also absorb their souls.

    Dong Tianze started to ughter indiscriminately to amass more strength!

    "This lunatic Dong Tianze is killing us too!"

    "It seems he wants to silence everyone on Ice Rock Ind to hide the truth!"

    "Run!"

    The rogue cultivators screamed in horror as they ran away.

    At that moment, they finally believed Dong Tianze''s words. If he had been the one robbing the Cloud Sails, he would not have left any survivors to testify against him!

    This lunatic really would do anything!

 Chapter 140: Silently Enduring

    <h4>Chapter 140: Silently Enduring</h4>

    The rogue cultivators on Ice Rock Ind fled in panic, their faces filled with terror as they cursed Dong Tianze and the Sinister Soul Temple.

    Dong Tianze''s Ghost''s Cry unleashed a sea of golden dagger light across the streets of the Giant Stone Pce.

    <i>Woooooo!</i>

    The soul-crushing wails from the Ghost''s Cry tore at the souls of the rogue cultivators and filled them with dread.

    Only Pang Jian and Zhu Yuanxi remained at the domeless stone hall.

    Shifting to a defensive stance, Pang Jian unleashed a mixture of Lunar Edges and Silver Crescents to fend off Zhu Yuanxi''s attacks.

    Although they were a cultivation realm apart, Pang Jian refrained from exerting his full strength or using his Startling ughter Spear to avoid drawing too much attention and fought while continuously evading.

    ***

    Meanwhile, Gao Yuan and Yuan Fei stood on Yuan Fei''s Cloud Sail outside the Giant Stone Pce.

    Gao Yuan frowned as his gaze fell on the cold corpses of Zhao Ling, Meng Qin, and the Bai sisters. The frigid winds on Ice Rock Ind preserved the bodies discarded on the pile of rubble.

    "Strange..." Gao Yuan muttered as he stared at the bodies.

    Pang Jian, Zhu Yuanxi of the Blood Moon Sect, and Dong Tianze of the Sinister Soul Temple had all shown unusual interest in the Shadow Specter Sect''s members from the lower world.

    This made Gao Yuan suspicious.

    "You saw it. I didn''t say a word about those siblings paying special attention to them," Yuan Fei said in an ingratiating tone. "Gao Yuan, when those siblingse out, remember to vouch for me!"

    He had withstood Zhu Yuanxi''s pressure to help Pang Jian conceal the truth, leaving him feeling closer to the siblings.

    Gao Yuan knitted his brows. "Something''s not right. The death of some small-time cultivators from the lower world shouldn''t attract this much attention.

    "Why did the siblings from the upper world, Zhu Yuanxi from the Blood Moon Sect, and the little lunatic from the Sinister Soul Temple all take an interest in them? Why did Zhu Yuanxi, who killed them, continue to inquire if anyone had paid special attention to them?"

    Gao Yuan could not make heads or tails of the situation.

    Yuan Fei was equally puzzled. "I don''t know either."

    "We should be careful. The Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple have never gotten along. Let''s hope they don''t sh on Maverick Ling Yun''s territory and drag us into it," Gao Yuan said anxiously.

    "That won''t happen," Yuan Fei replied with a calm smile. He thought Gao Yuan was being overly concerned. "We''re just rogue cultivators. We have never provoked the Blood Moon Sect or the Sinister Soul Temple. Their conflict doesn''t involve us."

    "True," Gao Yuan agreed.

    They were quite a distance from the Giant Stone Pce, so they did not hear the exchange between Dong Tianze and Zhu Yuanxi and continued to chat leisurely.

    Suddenly, they heard a loudmotioning from the stone hall where Maverick Ling Yun was. Rogue cultivators participating in the trade fair howled and cursed as they fled.

    Yuan Fei''s face paled.

    "Something''s wrong. We should leave!" Yuan Fei decided not to wait for the rogue cultivators he was supposed to transport and urged Gao Yuan to do the same, "Something big has happened inside the Giant Stone Pce. We can''t stay here!"

    Gao Yuan was also rmed.

    No longer caring about earning spirit stones from the rogue cultivators, he made to leave, but then he remembered his promise to the siblings and hesitated.

    He had told the sister he would wait for them outside the Giant Stone Pce to take them to their next destination with his Cloud Sail. If his Cloud Sail left Ice Rock Ind, he would miss them when they came out of the Giant Stone Pce.

    "You go ahead. I''m going to wait for them. I''ll take this gamble!" Gao Yuan decided after a brief hesitation. "Old Yuan, see youter! Wish me luck! Those siblings came from the upper world. I bet they''ll be safe. I bet the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple won''t dare to harm them!"

    Yuan Fei saw the other Cloud Sails leaving and hurriedly started his vessel.

    "Take care!" Yuan Fei yelled at Gao Yuan.

    Gao Yuan leaped off Yuan Fei''s Cloud Sail and headed to his own as Yuan Fei set off.

    "Wang Luhai! Dong Tianze, that lunatic from the Sinister Soul Temple, is on a killing spree on this Ice Rock Ind. Take me with you!"

    "Li Yun! Dong Tianze is the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect. Now that it''s exposed, he''s killing everyone to cover it up. I''ll pay three hundred spirit stones! Don''t leave me behind, Li Yun!"

    "Wang Yu!"

    Rogue cultivators desperately cried for help outside the Giant Stone Pce as they tried to board the departing Cloud Sails.

    Wang Luhai, Li Yun, and Wang Yu were all Cloud Sail owners like Gao Yuan and Yuan Fei.

    Horrified by the Sinister Soul Temple''s killing spree and Dong Tianze''s rampage, they chose to flee Ice Rock Ind as fast as possible, too scared to stay and earn extra spirit stones,

    However, something unexpected happened as the Cloud Sails ascended!

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The Divine Spirit Pagoda crashed into the departing Cloud Sails, smashing them into pieces like delicate ss. The Cloud Sails were incredibly fragilepared to the pagoda and could notpete in durability.

    The Cloud Sails exploded. When those on board fell from the sky, their souls were instantly sucked into the soul array on the fifth floor of the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    "The Sinister Soul Temple!" Yuan Fei watched in horror.

    A chill ran down his spine. He quickly halted his Cloud Sail, no longer daring to leave Ice Rock Ind.

    "It''s over. The Sinister Soul Temple has truly gone mad! Everyone on Ice Rock Ind is being hunted!" Yuan Fei muttered in despair.

    As his Cloud Sail ascended, he saw the chaos inside the Giant Stone Pce. He watched as Dong Tianze used his spirit artifact to unleash a sea of golden dagger light and directed fierce ghosts to hunt down the fleeing rogue cultivators.

    He also saw an unfamiliar young man fending off Zhu Yuanxi''s attacks with countless Lunar Edges.

    Maverick Ling Yun, the overlord of Ice Rock Ind, was nowhere to be seen.

    When Yuan Fei docked, Gao Yuan once again boarded his vessel.

    Yuan Fei shot him a bitter smile. "Gao Yuan, we''ve be coteral damage in this mess. It looks like we won''t escape this disaster. We''re truly unlucky. We''re going to be silenced even though we didn''t even go into the Giant Stone Pce."

    Gao Yuan was also devastated.

    "I heard it too," he said helplessly. "Dong Tianze is the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect. He''s avenging the dead Shadow Specter Sect''s members. To keep this secret, he''ll ughter everybody who knows about the connection between the Sinister Soul Temple and the Shadow Specter Sect."

    Both felt an overwhelming sense of frustration and helplessness.

    The situation had nothing to do with them. They were just Cloud Sail owners. All they did was transport people here and now they were caught up in the Sinister Soul Temple and Shadow Specter Sect''s exposed secrets.

    ***

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Zhu Yuanxi''s punch shattered another Lunar Edge.

    He was at the mid-stage of the Innate Realm and could not be bothered to summon his treasured spirit artifact to deal with a mere hall master of the Shadow Specter Sect.

    A casual strike from him sent Pang Jian retreating as Zhu Yuanxi shattered round after round of his Lunar Edges.

    Zhu Yuanxi''s protective shield effortlessly deflected the seemingly sharp Lunar Edges, leaving them unable to breach his defenses. The shield shrouded him in a dark red glow, and despite the relentless attacks from the Lunar Edges, the light shield remained unbroken.

    As he casually fended off Pang Jian''s attacks, Zhu Yuanxi''s attention frequently shifted to Dong Tianze and the Divine Spirit Pagoda crashing into Cloud Sails above. His eyes also searched the ind for the missing Maverick Ling Yun.

    He had many things and people to watch out for.

    Pang Jian was not one of them.

    "You''re nothingpared to Hong Tai, and even he couldn''t even defeat me back then," Zhu Yuanxi sneered, smashing another Lunar Edge with his fist. "The only reason you''re still alive is because I want to pry the secret of how you escaped Divine Fortune from you.

    "Those two female hall masters were tough. Even when I broke their bones and crushed their internal organs, they didn''t reveal a thing. I wonder if you''re as tough as they are."

    Zhu Yuanxi was used to demoralizing and provoking others duringbat.

    Pang Jian stopped at the edge of the stone hall, moderating his breathing and spiritual power. He did not summon his Startling ughter Spear or use his full strength.

    Pang Jian responded to Zhu Yuanxi''s taunts with stony silence.

    Zhu Yuanxi evidently did not see him as a worthy opponent, facing Pang Jian''s attacks with casual indifference and instead focusing on Dong Tianze, the Divine Spirit Pagoda, and the missing Maverick Ling Yun.

    Now that Pang Jian had sessfully instigated the conflict, he knew he could not reveal his true strength as wielding his Startling ughter Spear would only expose him to Dong Tianze.

    The battle between both sides had erupted. Dong Tianze''s actions forced Wang Yisen from the Sinister Soul Temple to assist in eliminating everyone on Ice Rock Ind, including Maverick Ling Yun.

    Given the circumstances, the life and death of Wang Yisen and Maverick Ling Yun were the crucial matters that would determine the overall oue. As long as one died and the other was injured, Luo Hongyan could deal with whoever remained.

    Pang Jian aimed to avoid disying too much strength and simply focus on preserving his life. The less attention he drew and the less he got involved, the more effective his strategy would be.

    Thus, when faced with Zhu Yuanxi''s provocations, Pang Jian remained silent.

    He tried to convey a mix of rage over the Shadow Specter Sect members'' deaths and a fear of Zhu Yuanxi''s strength through his eyes.

    Zhu Yuanxi snorted. "Forget it. It seems there''s no point in keeping you alive to testify that Dong Tianze is the leader of the Shadow Specter Sect."

    Even as he said those words, part of him felt like something was amiss. Pang Jian had mysteriously appeared, shouting usations and fearlessly charging at him, only to be docile and adopt a defensive stance.

    Zhu Yuanxi tried to provoke Pang Jian with words, thinking he would lose control and expose weaknesses out of recklessness, but he had unexpectedly maintained hisposure.

 Chapter 141: Stirring Up a Storm

    <h4>Chapter 141: Stirring Up a Storm</h4>

    Just as Zhu Yuanxi had the mind to be bewildered by Pang Jian''s behavior, Pang Jian abruptly leaped down from the domeless stone hall and broke off their confrontation.

    Pang Jian''s voice rang out from below. ¡°Our Sect Leader is here. He''s your true opponent.¡±

    Zhu Yuanxi was taken aback. Looking down, he saw Dong Tianze charging at him with his charged Ghost''s Cry.

    ¡°Sect Leader, avenge them!¡± Pang Jian pleaded as he passed the ascending Dong Tianze in mid-air.

    ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Dong Tianze snorted. His usually fierce eyes gleamed with a hint of respect as he looked at Pang Jian.

    Despite only being in the Marrow Cleansing Realm, Pang Jian had held his own against Zhu Yuanxi for a long time, greatly impressing Dong Tianze.

    Though Dong Tianze considered Pang Jian his subordinate, he was not all that concerned about whether he lived or died. However, Pang Jian boldly confronted Zhu Yuanxi, buying precious time for Dong Tianze to hunt rogue cultivators and gather strength for his Ghost''s Cry.

    Not only had Pang Jian survived, but he also decisively jumped down from the stone hall upon seeing Dong Tianze fully charged.

    His timing was perfect.

    This subordinate of his had potential.

    ¡°Thank you, Sect Leader!¡± Pang Jiannded with a thud, his eyes brimming with gratitude.

    Dong Tianze lightly nodded and responded with a grunt.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    As Dong Tianze ascended, a towering green Demon God loomed over the army of ghostly apparitions and floated above his head.

    Seeing the familiar Demon God appear, Pang Jian knew that Dong Tianze''s Ghost''s Cry had absorbed enough souls.

    The secret technique of Ghost''s Cry allowed the imposing green Demon God to be formed. This Demon God had also made an appearance on Central Lake Ind.

    Thus, Pang Jian could tell from experience that Dong Tianze was about to unleash his full strength to kill Zhu Yuanxi of the Blood Moon Sect.

    Relief washed over Pang Jian. He had sessfully pitted Dong Tianze and Zhu Yuanxi against each other.

    ncing around, he saw the corpses of rogue cultivators littering the streets. Seas of golden dagger lights pursued the remaining rogue cultivators and ughtered them mercilessly.

    There were no more onlookers present.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Having halted the escaping Cloud Sails in their tracks, the Divine Spirit Pagoda returned to hover above the Giant Stone Pce.

    Looking up, Pang Jian saw someone step out of the Divine Spirit Pagoda and slowly float down.

    ¡°The soul array needs some souls to activate...¡± Wang Yisen muttered, tossing a talisman with ghostly images to Pang Jian. ¡°Junior Brother Dong has something to ask youter. Hold onto this Soul Suppressing Talisman.¡±

    Alright." Pang Jian nodded, not fully understanding the purpose of the talisman.

    The white pagoda gave off a faint ethereal light as the soul array on its fifth floor activated. It created an ominous fluctuation that suppressed the souls of the living and absorbed the souls of the weak.

    Pang Jian felt like his soul was about to be ripped out. Before the bronze pendant on his chest could react, the Soul Suppressing Talisman activated, holding his soul firmly in ce.

    <i>Wooo!</i>

    The rogue cultivators running from Dong Tianze¡¯s seas of golden dagger lights felt their souls being twisted.

    The seas of golden dagger lights killed some. The rest had their weak souls sucked into Divine Spirit Pagoda¡¯s soul array. Strands of gray souls flew up and entered the soul array through the fifth-floor window.

    Pang Jian''s expression turned peculiar.

    He recalled how he had destroyed the soul array on Central Lake Ind that imprisoned the soul of the ck turtle. At that time, everyone feared what would happen once the owner of the Divine Spirit Pagoda returned and activated the array.

    After seeing the results of Wang Yisen activating the soul array, Pang Jian now knew the importance of destroying it back then. The consequences would have been unimaginable if Dong Tianze had gained control of the Divine Spirit Pagoda after stepping out of the deep hole.

    ¡°Ling Yun, did you think I could not sense you if you hid underground?¡± Wang Yisen sneered. ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to be our enemy, but we can''t turn back now that things havee to this.

    "If you want to me somebody, you should me Zhu Yuanxi for being unreasonable and revealing this secret! He doesn¡¯t realize the Radiant Sun Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the Red Mountain Sect aren''t willing to concern themselves with this.

    ¡°Did he really think those three sects would join forces with the Blood Moon Sect to destroy our Sinister Soul Temple if he revealed this secret? Ridiculous!

    "Without this Divine Spirit Pagoda, my victory would not have been guaranteed. But now that I¡¯ve activated the soul array, Ling Yun, you¡¯re doomed!¡±

    With that, Wang Yisen also disappeared.

    Maverick Ling Yun did not respond to Wang Yisen''s taunts. His whereabouts remained unknown.

    The ground beneath Pang Jian turned frigid.

    Bone-chilling air surrounded the fallen rubble in the ruined stone hall and the weather across Ice Rock Ind worsened as the temperature dropped.

    Maverick Ling Yun¡¯s grim voice finally rang out from the depths of the earth, ¡°Wang Yisen, don¡¯t force me! I¡¯ve been cultivating on thisnd for years. I know all its wonders! If you and Dong Tianze leave now, I¡¯ll pretend nothing happened. But no one wille out unscathed if you force me to fight!¡±

    "So what if I force you?" Wang Yisen called back. "If you don''te out, I¡¯ll go into the ground and find you myself!¡±

    The stone hall shook violently like something was burrowing into the earth.

    The Divine Spirit Pagoda continued to draw in gray soul shadows with its sinister soul-devouring ability.

    The Soul Suppressing Talisman in Pang Jian''s hand allowed him to remain unharmed.

    ¡°You¡¯ve truly grown up,¡± Luo Hongyan¡¯s rxed voice came from beneath the corpses of two female cultivators.

    Pang Jian turned to see her lying under the two corpses, pretending to be dead.

    Luo Hongyan lifted the hair covering her eyes, winked at him, and smiled. ¡°As long as one of the two Profound Abode Realm cultivators dies, I can handle whoever remains.¡±

    Her voice was so quiet it was barely audible. Even if someone had been standing nearby, they likely would not have been able to hear it.

    "Alright."

    Now that he had aplished his goal of inciting conflict between the two parties, Pang Jian casually sat down to wait for the oue between the two sides.

    After stirring up trouble, he silently observed as others got caught up in the ensuing storm, struggling and fighting for their lives.

    This was a novel experience for him.

    <i>Boom! </i>

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Collisions and explosions continued outside the Giant Stone Pce.

    Whenever someone tried to leave on a Cloud Sail, the Divine Spirit Pagoda floating above the Giant Stone Pce would smash it to pieces.

    Wang Yisen thoroughly carried out Dong Tianze''s orders. Even after disappearing into the ground, he used his divine sense to control the Divine Spirit Pagoda to kill anyone who dared to leave the ind.

    The rogue cultivators near the Giant Stone Pce had their souls ripped out and absorbed by the Divine Spirit Pagoda. Those attempting to leave on Cloud Sails had their vessels destroyed, losing their lives in the process.

    Aside from Luo Hongyan, even the other rogue cultivators faking death had their souls sucked away by the Divine Spirit Pagoda''s terrifying soul array.

    Ice Rock Ind had turned into a death trap.

    It was a ughterhouse for rogue cultivators.

    Gao Yuan and Yuan Fei stood next to the pile of rubble, watching in fear as the Divine Spirit Pagoda and Dong Tianze¡¯s seas of golden dagger lights mercilessly harvested the lives of rogue cultivators inside the Giant Stone Pce.

    The pair had yet to be targeted as they were on the outskirts of Ice Rock Ind and were temporarily safe as long as they did not attempt to leave on their Cloud Sails.

    However, once the Divine Spirit Pagoda finished devouring the souls of those within the Giant Stone Pce, it would eventually expand its range of attacks.

    In the end, regardless of whether or not they attempted to escape on their Cloud Sails, they would still be killed.

    It was simply a choice between an immediate death or a slow one.

    The two were on the verge of tears. They could angrily curse the Sinister Soul Temple and Dong Tianze all they wanted but it did not change anything. They could only passively wait for death toe.

    ¡°Gao Yuan, do you think those siblings from the upper worlds are dead too?¡± Yuan Fei asked with a sigh.

    ¡°I don''t think they''ll be able to escape. Despite their powerful origins, the Sinister Soul Temple has shown they intend to leave no survivors. Unless their cultivation realms surpass Wang Yisen, he won''t hesitate to kill them." Gao Yuan paused in thought. ¡°They seemed like they were in the Marrow Cleansing Realm. Not strong enough to cause Wang Yisen any trouble.¡±

    Yuan Fei could only sigh in despair.

    Pang Jian sat inside the Giant Stone Pce with a spirit stone in each hand as he replenished his spiritual power.

    As he meditated, he was surprised to find thick spiritual qi streaming from the bronze pendant into his dantian.

    When he probed the bronze pendant, he sensed the ck turtle!

    The ck turtle had detected his abnormal consumption of spiritual power and was transferring him rich spiritual qi through the bronze pendant

    The little spiritual power Pang Jian had expended while defending against Zhu Yuanxi was gradually being replenished.

    The ck turtle could unexpectedly serve as an additional reservoir of spiritual power!

    Even duringbat, it could transfer some spiritual power to help him recover. Although it was slow, Pang Jian felt hopeful.

    The ck turtle was still in its infancy. The fragmentednd it upied could also only absorb limited spiritual qi. However, once the ck turtle grew stronger and gained better control over the fragmentednd, it could potentially provide enough spiritual power in critical moments to turn the tide of battle!

    Pang Jian thought of the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    <i>The World Eater Vine gave me life energy and the ck turtle can replenish spiritual power. But that guy...</i>

    He snorted internally. After swallowing a Mind Soothing Pill, he tried tomunicate with the traitor in the Fifth World.

    Majestic stone buildings, each hundreds of feet tall, appeared before him.

    Dozens of massive giants stood in front of a hall with no walls. They seemed to be waiting for someone.

    The towering stone buildings and dozens of one-eyed giants made Pang Jian feel incredibly small.

    ¡°Wee, Celestial Maiden, to Split Sky City!¡± The one-eyed giants cried out, kneeling and bowing their heads in reverence toward Pang Jian.

    ¡°No need for such formalities.¡±

    A soft female voice came from above Pang Jian and he became abruptly aware of someone straddling his back.

    The speaker was the mysterious woman with six pairs of white wings. At this moment, the Giant Abyssal Serpent was acting as her mount.

 Chapter 142: Revenge!

    <h4>Chapter 142: Revenge!</h4>

    A group of one-eyed giants knelt in reverence as they addressed the mysterious woman they called the Celestial Maiden. They remained kneeling throughout the exchange, showing utmost respect to the mysterious woman.

    Pang Jian could hear their conversation through the Giant Abyssal Serpent as the mysterious woman was still mounted on it.

    The mysterious woman was preparing to ascend to the upper world. The powerful seal of the fifth Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir had weakened and both foreign races and Vicious Beasts below Rank Five could now ascend safely.

    She hade to Split Sky City to prepare a group of one-eyed giants below Rank Five to be the first to ascend to the upper worlds alongside four other groups from different races.

    She also mentioned that the first group to ascend would most likely die.

    Although the Fourth World was filled with murky energy, she was unsure if the human experts in the upper world would send people to the Fourth World.

    The first group to ascend to the Fourth World were essentially sacrificial soldiers.

    But the ascension had to happen.

    The upper worlds had vital spirit materials they urgently needed. Obtaining these key spirit materials was their only hope of breaking the seals on the other Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs, ending the eternal suppression of their world.

    Pang Jian listened thoughtfully. Unfortunately, it was not long before he felt mentally exhausted. He knew the effects of the Mind Soothing Pill were wearing off, making it impossible to maintain his connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent for much longer.

    Breaking the connection, he opened his eyes and took another Mind Soothing Pill.

    Taking another look at the ruins around him, he realized the one-eyed giants had undeniably been the previous inhabitants of the Giant Stone Pce.

    The majestic city he saw through the eyes of the Giant Abyssal Serpent was extremely simr to the Giant Stone Pce. The main difference was that the Giant Stone Pce was in ruins, while Split Sky City in the Fifth World was still intact.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A tremendous noise erupted from beneath the icy rock.

    Luo Hongyan stopped ying dead, moving aside the corpses on top of her as she stood up. "The Sinister Soul Temple cultivator was defeated."

    Pang Jian looked at her in surprise.

    "The Divine Spirit Pagoda has stopped moving. The connection was severed. Something must have happened to him underground." Luo Hongyan''s eyes flickered with surprise. Frowning, she said, "They''re both in the Profound Abode Realm, yet Maverick Ling Yun, a mere rogue cultivator, managed to kill a member of the Sinister Soul Temple."

    Pang Jian asked worriedly, "Will you be alright?"

    "Don''t worry, I''ll be fine," Luo Hongyan said with a light smile. "Although Maverick Ling Yun won, I can sense that he''s used up most of his energy and is injured. Pang Jian, you shouldn''t be getting involved in battles between those at the Profound Abode Realm right now. Don''te. You''ll justplicate things for me."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    She floated away gracefully.

    "Profound Abode Realm..." Pang Jian muttered softly.

    Momentster, Zhu Yuanxi of the Blood Moon Sect fell from the domeless stone hall and crashed heavily to the ground.

    Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he panted heavily. His torn clothes revealed wounds on his back so deep the white of his bones could be seen.

    A massive eight-armed Demon God hovered above him and let out an ear-piercing scream.

    The deadly scream caused fresh blood to flow from Zhu Yuanxi''s ears.

    Noticing the stillness of the Divine Spirit Pagoda, Zhu Yuanxi''s eyes brightened.

    It no longer harvested the souls of rogue cultivators and the oppressive force suppressing his soul had vanished.

    He knew exactly what this change meant!

    <i>I underestimated Maverick Ling Yun. I didn''t expect him to be able to kill Wang Yisen!</i> Zhu Yuanxi marveled inwardly.

    Zhu Yuanxi no longer wanted to fight Dong Tianze to the death. Although his cultivation realm was higher than Dong Tianze''s, hisbat power was inferior.

    Regardless, there was no need to continue battling Dong Tianze now that Maverick Ling Yun had emerged victorious. It would be a grievous waste if he identally died at Dong Tianze''s hands.

    After all, once Maverick Ling Yun appeared, Dong Tianze''s fate would be sealed!

    "Zhu Yuanxi!" A deep, cold voice rang out.

    Zhu Yuanxi turned in surprise to see Hong Jian, the new hall master of the Shadow Specter Sect, approaching him.

    The young hall master wore a stern expression. His eyes were filled with killing intent, and he stared at Zhu Yuanxi as though looking at a corpse.

    Pang Jian''s gaze greatly displeased Zhu Yuanxi.

    "Brat, are you here to die?" Zhu Yuanxi grinned, holding a ruler made of blood jade as he coldly watched Pang Jian approach.

    Zhu Yuanxi no longer felt any sense of urgency or fear.

    Wang Yisen was dead, and Dong Tianze did not have the strength to kill him before Maverick Ling Yun appeared.

    Once Maverick Ling Yun emerged from beneath the Giant Stone Pce, the Sinister Soul Temple''s massacre would end and Dong Tianze would be captured alive.

    Even if they could not kill him, they could still take him back to the Blood Moon Sect. The Blood Moon Sect had plenty of ways to use Dong Tianze to make the Sinister Soul Temple pay a heavy price.

    Meanwhile, when Dong Tianze saw Zhu Yuanxi fall to the ground he did not rush to pursue him as he sensed something was amiss.

    The Divine Spirit Pagoda under Wang Yisen''s control was behaving abnormally, indicating Wang Yisen was either in dire straits or was already dead. If Wang Yisen was dead, it meant the n to kill everyone on Ice Rock Ind had failed and there was no hope of its sess.

    If that was the case, the best course of action was to leave Ice Rock Ind as soon as possible as staying longer would only bring trouble for him.

    Thus, he did not bother with Zhu Yuanxi and instead focused on establishing a connection with the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    However, Zhu Yuanxi''s words caught his attention.

    Looking down, he saw the new hall master of the Shadow Specter Sect walking toward Zhu Yuanxi.

    Dong Tianze knitted his brows and said coldly, "Don''t go seeking death. Stay where you are. I''ll take you away with the Divine Spirit Pagoda"

    Dong Tianze had a good impression of the new hall master and thought he was a worthy subordinate. Therefore, he intended to bring Pang Jian with him when he left Ice Rock Ind.

    A familiar silver spear suddenly appeared as the hall master approached Zhu Yuanxi!

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    zing suns exploded one after another under the dark sky!

    The violent fluctuations of spiritual power and the heat of the scorching sun surrounded Zhu Yuanxi.

    The familiar explosive energy and spear left Dong Tianze momentarily stunned and unable to react.

    He watched as the heavily injured Zhu Yuanxi frantically retreated, trying to block Pang Jian''s attacks with his ruler as he did.

    His attempts at blocking were ineffective.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The zing suns sted Zhu Yuanxi''s ribs and the familiar silver spear pierced his chest.

    "Pang Jian!" Dong Tianze roared, finally snapping out of his daze.

    "Sect Leader, thank you for injuring him so severely I could kill him in one strike," Pang Jian said, looking up to express his gratitude. Staring at Dong Tianze''s crazed expression, Pang Jian calmly added, "And thank you for the rare spirit materials you provided during our two transactions."

    "Sect Leader..." Dong Tianze repeated in humiliation. His face twitched with rage.

    <i>Rumble! Rumble!</i>

    The ground shook violently as a battle raged underground.

    The Divine Spirit Pagoda remained motionless.

    It became apparent to Dong Tianze that the newbatant was not Wang Yisen but someone else.

    Dong Tianze assumed the person fighting Maverick Ling Yun was Pang Jian''s aplice as Pang Jian no longer seemed to fear exposure and was boldly wielding his Startling ughter Spear.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Dong Tianze unleashed the Nine Ghost Melodies Technique and flew toward the Divine Spirit Pagoda. Entering the pagoda, he took control of it and made it ascend once more.

    The Divine Spirit Pagoda hovered in the sky and the soul-devouring array was reactivated.

    At the same time, Pang Jian used his Startling ughter Spear to sever Zhu Yuanxi''s head. ncing at the Divine Spirit Pagoda above, he picked up Zhu Yuanxi''s head and started to make his way out of the Giant Stone Pce.

    The soul array of the Divine Spirit Pagoda did not affect him, especially since he still held the Soul Suppressing Talisman given by Wang Yisen.

    Dong Tianze appeared at a fifth-floor window of the Divine Spirit Pagoda, fierce eyes filled with manic fury as he roared, "Pang Jian!"

    Pang Jian could not fly. Unhurriedly walking toward the entrance of the Giant Stone Pce, he nced up at the sky and asked, "Sect Leader, is there anything else?"

    Dong Tianze''s temples throbbed with rage at the sound of Pang Jian calling him Sect Leader. His frustration and anger had reached a boiling point.

    The fuming Dong Tianze desperately wanted to know what happened in Eight Trigrams City after he left. He also wanted to know how Pang Jian had emerged from the Solitary Mountain Range when it was shrouded in bizarre mist.

    Not to mention why he had taken the name Hong Jian and why he had been operating in Misty Swamp as a member of the Shadow Specter Sect.

    More importantly, he wanted to know how Pang Jian hade to the Third World.

    He had many questions but knew asking them would be pointless and instead chose to remain silent after his angry roar.

    Even though he had advanced to the Innate Realm, refined an eight-armed Demon God with the souls of the rogue cultivators, and sessfully taken back control of the Divine Spirit Pagoda, he still did not dare to face Pang Jian head-on in a fight.

    The memory of Pang Jian emerging from the darkness at the City Lord''s Mansion and killing Yuan Lengshan with three beams of light still haunted him.

    Zhu Yuanxi''s instant death at the hands of the Startling ughter Spear also terrified him.

    Dong Tianze had only ever felt insecure orcked confidence in his abilities when facing Pang Jian. Despite being one cultivation realm above Pang Jian, he still dared not act rashly.

    Thus, the Divine Spirit Pagoda merely followed Pang Jian as he walked out of the Giant Stone Pce.

    He watched Pang Jian leave the Giant Stone Pce and toss Zhu Yuanxi''s severed head to the ground.

    Pang Jian kicked Zhu Yuanxi''s head as he walked toward the rubble.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Zhu Yuanxi''s head rolled on the ground like a ball.

    Bright red blood stains appeared on the cold rocky ground, trailing from the Giant Stone Pce to the rubble where the remains of Zhao Ling, Bai Wei, Bai Zhi, Meng Qin, Wu Yi, and the othersy.

    Stopping before the rubble, Pang Jian stepped on Zhu Yuanxi''s head and turned it so that his bloody face was gazing at their bodies.

 Chapter 143: Growth

    <h4>Chapter 143: Growth</h4>

    A group of surviving rogue cultivators stood beside Gao Yuan''s and Yuan Fei¡¯s Cloud Sails, which were docked on the edge of Ice Rock Ind, next to the rubble.

    Their eyes stayed fixed on Pang Jian as he left the Giant Stone Pce and kicked Zhu Yuanxi''s head. They watched as Pang Jian stopped in front of the rubble, stepped on Zhu Yuanxi''s head, and gazed at the pile of corpses in relief.

    The terrifying Divine Spirit Pagoda of the Sinister Soul Temple trailed after him, and their bewildered gazes danced between Pang Jian, Zhu Yuanxi''s head, and the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    "That''s Zhu Yuanxi from the Blood Moon Sect!" Someone in the crowd whispered.

    No one, not even Gao Yuan and Yuan Fei, recognized the young man with the sallowplexion. However, the sight of Zhu Yuanxi''s severed head being kicked around like a ball was deeply shocking.

    The fact that the Divine Spirit Pagoda did not attack him frightened them further, causing them to question his rtionship with the Sinister Soul Temple.

    Dong Tianze stood by a window in the Divine Spirit Pagoda. His expression was dark and his emotions conflicted as he stared down at Pang Jian.

    ncing up at Dong Tianze, Pang Jian said, "I''ve avenged them."

    Dong Tianze was stunned. He finally understood the reason for Pang Jian''s unusual actions.

    <i>It was to avenge the Shadow Specter Sect''s members...</i>

    Dong Tianze''s expression turned strange.

    He could notprehend why Pang Jian cared about those insignificant members of the Shadow Specter Sect. When he discovered Hong Jian was Pang Jian, he had also assumed that Pang Jian, like him, looked down on them.

    <i>He experienced the trial in Eight Trigrams City, ughtering numerous Meridian Opening Realm and Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivators, including prominent figures like Yuan Lengshan and Lan Xi of the Demon Sect. Why would he care about such insignificant members of the Shadow Specter Sect? </i>Dong Tianze wondered.

    Even after assuming the position of the Shadow Specter Sect''s Sect Leader, he held no attachment to its members and saw them as disposable subordinates. He thought Pang Jian felt the same.

    He had not expected that everything Pang Jian did on Ice Rock Ind, including forcing him and Wang Yisen to fight, was to avenge them.

    "Gao Yuan, do you have any oil?" Pang Jian asked, turning to look at Gao Yuan. "I want to cremate them."

    Gao Yuan was startled but soon recognized the familiar voice.

    "Yes! I have some!" he said, jumping off his Cloud Sail in a fluster.

    "I have some too!" Yuan Fei leaped off his Cloud Sail and retrieved several barrels of oil from his spatial pouch.

    Pang Jian nodded. "Thank you."

    He removed the bodies that did not belong to the Shadow Specter Sect from the rubble, then added Yuan Fei''s and Gao Yuan''s oil and firewood before setting it all alight.

    The bones of Meng Qin and the others crackled and popped in the roaring mes.

    Pang Jian stood motionless before the burning rubble.

    The haunting image of Bai Wei clutching a scrap of the spatial pouch faded with the fierce mes.

    "You and the lunatic from the sinister Soul Temple..." Gao Yuan asked in a low voice.

    The survivors still did not know what had transpired inside the Giant Stone Pce. They could still faintly sense an oppressive aura from the Divine Spirit Pagoda and believed Wang Yisen was inside. Dread filled them as they feared an attack woulde at any moment.

    "Wang Yisen of the Sinister Soul Temple is dead. You don''t have to worry anymore," Pang Jian said calmly.

    "Wang Yisen is dead!"

    "That lunatic can''t kill us all without Wang Yisen!"

    "I''m in the Innate Realm too! If it weren¡¯t for that damned Divine Spirit Pagoda, I''d have fought that madman Dong to the death!"

    The survivors shouted toward the sky.

    These survivors were the elite among the rogue cultivators, some even being in the Innate Realm. Despite this, they still feared the Divine Spirit Pagoda and could only yell their empty threats at the sky.

    Yuan Fei said solemnly, "I never realized Maverick Ling Yun was so powerful. To think Wang Yisen of the Sinister Soul Temple lost his life on Ice Rock Ind."

    The source of this c??ntent is .

    "Yes, although Maverick Ling Yun is devious, his strength is formidable," Gao Yuan agreed.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A woman in loose robes, with hazy blood-colored mist surrounding her, ascended from the depths of the Giant Stone Pce and hovered in the air.

    "Luo Hongyan!" Dong Tianze cried out in shock.

    He did not need to see her face to know the woman in the blood-colored mist was the one apanying Pang Jian in Eight Trigrams City.

    "No wonder! No wonder the spirit materials you traded with me were mostly rted to soul refining!" Dong Tianze realized as he hurriedly activated the Divine Spirit Pagoda to retreat.

    Luo Hongyan''s appearance meant Maverick Ling Yun was dead.

    Dong Tianze knew from firsthand experience how troublesome Luo Hongyan could be. When he saw Luo Hongyan hovering in the air, he realized that hiding within the Divine Spirit Pagoda would not be enough to evade her and that staying would be life-threatening.

    Therefore, he did not hesitate to flee.

    "He sure ran off quickly," Luo Hongyan said with a smirk.

    All she did was nce in Pang Jian''s direction and the Divine Spirit Pagoda had already be a small dot in the distance.

    Looking at Pang Jian, she noticed the zing fire and the head on the icy ground.

    "Are you using Zhu Yuanxi''s head to honor them? If so, that''s not enough," Luo Hongyan muttered before diving underground to retrieve Maverick Ling Yun¡¯s head.

    When she reappeared, she went over to Pang Jian and ced Maverick Ling Yun''s severed head next to Zhu Yuanxi''s.

    "Maverick Ling Yun!" The surviving rogue cultivators gasped.

    A second ago, they had beenplimenting Maverick Ling Yun''s extraordinarybat skills only for his severed head to now be ced on the ground before them.

    "You''re..." Gao Yuan stared at Luo Hongyan in a daze. He could hardly contain his excitement. Although he restrained himself from asking questions, his eyes visibly gleamed as he turned to Yuan Fei.

    Yuan Fei trembled. He also realized that Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan were the two siblings from the upper world.

    "We should be able to survive now." Yuan Fei sank to the ground in relief.

    Luo Hongyan''s bright eyes fixed on the excited Gao Yuan. "Gao Yuan, leave your Cloud Sail for us. The rest of you can leave Ice Rock Ind if you don''t want to die here."

    The rogue cultivators moved like lightning toward Yuan Fei''s Cloud Sail. "Yuan Fei, take us away!"

    Yuan Fei was still sitting on the ground in shock. He also wanted to stay and build a rtionship with the siblings, but it seemed only his and Gao Yuan''s Cloud Sails were left.

    As Gao Yuan was going to transport the siblings, he had no choice but to take the rogue cultivators.

    <i>Ah, I truly can''tpare to Gao Yuan. He not only had insight but also the courage to take a gamble with them,</i> Yuan Fei thought regretfully to himself.

    When the crisis began, Yuan Fei suggested leaving Ice Rock Ind while Gao Yuan insisted on staying behind, betting the siblings would survive.

    Gao Yuan had indeed won that bet!

    Yuan Fei gathered the surviving rogue cultivators on his Cloud Sail before cupping his hands and yelling in a deep voice, "Gao Yuan! Until we meet again!"

    "Until we meet again!"Gao Yuan responded with a radiant smile.

    Yuan Fei then activated his Cloud Sail and departed.

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    The dry wood soaked in oil burned fiercely, and the bodies of Meng Qin and the others soon turned to ashes.

    "Gao Yuan," Luo Hongyan called out softly.

    "Here! I''m here!" Gao Yuan beamed.

    Luo Hongyan nodded with a smile. "The rogue cultivators killed by the Sinister Soul Temple are scattered all over the Giant Stone Pce. Go gather their belongings."

    Gao Yuan shouted, "Got it!"

    He did not ask questions and left his Cloud Sail to head toward the Giant Stone Pce. He did not ask about the rtionship between Pang Jian and Dong Tianze, why Pang Jian was carrying Zhu Yuanxi''s severed head, or how Luo Hongyan killed Maverick Ling Yun.

    "When things turned dangerous, you didn''t leave and were willing to wait for us. You''re a trustworthy person," Luo Hongyan said, staring at his back.

    Gao Yuan paused, turned, and shot her a bright smile. "I promised to wait for you. Naturally, I would keep my word!"

    At Luo Hongyan''s returning nod, he happily ran toward the Giant Stone Pce. His faith in the siblings had paid off

    He felt a deep respect for Luo Hongyan. He had not expected her to have heard the conversation between him and Yuan Fei and was secretly relieved he had not said anything inappropriate behind their backs.

    Once Gao Yuan''s figure disappeared, Luo Hongyan removed the white veil covering her face.

    "Pang Jian, your performance this time surprised me," she said with a smile. "At Divine Fortune, you reigned in your impulsiveness to think calmly. Today on the Three Immortal Inds, you exploited the enmity between the Sinister Soul Temple and the Blood Moon Sect to incite conflict and profit."

    Pang Jian said indifferently, "I''m bound to grow as I meet more people and experience more things."

    "True." Luo Hongyan smiled contentedly. Extending her jade-like left hand, she said, "Hold my hand, I''ll take you underground to see something interesting."

    Pang Jian took her hand without hesitation.

 Chapter 144: Before the Collapse of Ice Rock City

    <h4>Chapter 144: Before the Copse of Ice Rock City</h4>

    A giant circr altar made of rubble filled a vast underground stone hall deep beneath the Giant Stone Pce. Six thick stone pirs surrounded the altar. These pirs were decorated with mysterious runes and murals of one-eyed giants performing sacrificial rites.

    Wang Yisen''s and Maverick Ling Yun''s bodiesy near the pirs beside the altar.

    Pang Jian stood outside the altar, using the earthme energy from his spiritual sea and the sun in his dantian to resist the soul-chilling coldness permeating the air.

    As Pang Jian studied the cracks and gaps in the altar and pirs, he soon realized these structures had been previously destroyed only to be rebuilt from the rubble.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    An otherworldly figure wearing a feathered crown silently emerged from the shadows.

    "Maverick Ling Yun!" Pang Jian eximed before realizing it was one of Luo Hongyan''s Spirit Devils.

    "The soul of the Sinister Soul Temple cultivator was stronger, but unfortunately, it couldn''t be refined into a Spirit Devil." Luo Hongyan sighed regretfully.

    Maverick Ling Yun had been aware of the peculiarities of the Sinister Soul Temple and had used the power of the altar to kill Wang Yisen and dissipate his soul. By the time Luo Hongyan descended underground, Wang Yisen had already died, and she had not been able to sense any remaining fragments of his soul.

    "Pang Jian, your guess was right. One-eyed giants built the city above us. The city shares its name with Ice Rock Ind and is known as Ice Rock City," Luo Hongyan exined. "Even Maverick Ling Yun didn''t know why Ice Rock City was here or how it was destroyed.

    "There was nothing unusual about this fragmentednd when he first upied it, but after discovering this underground pce and rebuilding it from the rubble, the cold leaked out of the altar and into the air.

    "The underground pce we''re in now is the real Giant Stone Pce."

    Luo Hongyan continued to share what she had learned from Maverick Ling Yun''s memories, exining how the one-eyed giants had originally used the underground Giant Stone Pce and the partially rebuilt altar tomunicate with ice demons.

    After the broken altar was rebuilt, the Giant Stone Pce became bitterly cold, and so Maverick Ling Yun named the fragmentednd Ice Rock Ind.

    Maverick Ling Yun harnessed the cold of the altar and leveraged its power to kill Wang Yisen.

    "Did he manage tomunicate with the Ice Demons?" Pang Jian asked curiously.

    Luo Hongyan shook her head. "The altar only retained a small part of its mystical power after being rebuilt. Maverick Ling Yun tried countless times but never seeded.

    "But...you could go to the altar and feel it yourself."

    "Me?" Pang Jian was taken aback.

    "Yes, don''t worry. The altar can''t be activated now that Maverick Ling Yun is dead. Just sit on the altar. You''ll feel something remarkable," Luo Hongyan said with a mysterious smile.

    Pang Jian frowned and walked down the steps to the altar before sitting down.

    Looking around, he touched the cold rocks and felt around the gaps, but noticed nothing unusual.

    "Try closing your eyes," Luo Hongyan suggested.

    Pang Jian closed his eyes.

    An all-epassing sense of loneliness overwhelmed him. It was like he was in a dark, empty world. There was no sign of life around him, only eternal silence and emptiness.

    A terrifying icy aura enveloped him. The cold aura seemed capable of freezing his body and soul.

    Pang Jian''s face paled. Cold sweat dripped down his back.

    If not for the extreme cold, it would have felt like he was lying in the copper chest without the bronze pendant, in a dark world of eternal emptiness and deathly silence.

    The only difference was that, on the altar, he could touch the cold stones with his hands and feel the rocks beneath him. Aside from that, it was almost identical to being in the copper chest without the bronze pendant.

    "Do you feel it?" Luo Hongyan asked, eyes gleaming. "The altar feels like the chest from Eight Trigrams City."

    The experience had horrified her when she first encountered the altar.

    "Perhaps the Ice Demons'' world resembles that?" Pang Jian wondered aloud.

    "The one-eyed giants are now in the Fifth World. Perhaps the Ice Demons are also somewhere in the Fifth World," Luo Hongyan spected.

    Pang Jian shook his head. "No, the Fifth World doesn''t feel like that."

    Luo Hongyan was taken aback. Then, she recalled how Pang Jian had entered the murky energy in Eight Trigrams City. Between them, he was undoubtedly more familiar with the atmosphere of the Fifth World.

    <i>One-eyed giants, Ice Rock City, Split Sky City.</i>

    Pang Jian suddenly wanted to study Split Sky City in the Fifth World. Split Sky City was also a city of one-eyed giants, and the Celestial Maiden could still be there discussing the matter of the ascension with them.

    Calming his mind, he activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art and prepared to establish a connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    <i>Whoosh! </i>

    The harsh icy aura of the altar flooded his spiritual sea when he activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art. Pang Jian''s eyebrows and hair were covered with frost in the blink of an eye.

    "Quick, get down from the altar!" Luo Hongyan shouted in rm. "Maverick Ling Yun activated this altar''s power. That''s why it''s so cold here. It''s how he killed Wang Yisen!"

    She feared the altar would freeze and shatter Pang Jian''s body and soul, killing him instantly.

    "I''m fine," Pang Jian said. His eyebrows and hair were covered in frost but he quietly endured the cold. "I want to use this altar to cultivate. My body and soul can withstand the cold. I can absorb its energy."

    Luo Hongyan was taken aback. Her eyebrows raised in shock. "Are you saying..."

    "The cold energy is beneficial to me!" Pang Jian replied firmly.

    Luo Hongyan''s expression turned strange, but she eventually nodded.

    "You don''t need to stay here. I''ll be fine," Pang Jian added.

    "No." Luo Hongyan shook her head. She was determined to stay by Pang Jian''s side.

    Pang Jian did not try to dissuade her.

    He stopped trying to establish a connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent and focused on using the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art to absorb the cold energy from the altar. Soon, he had seemingly turned into ice. Ayer of frost covered his body and his limbs glistened like crystals.

    Luo Hongyan stood guard on the side. As she watched Pang Jian, she saw cold lights shoot out from the altar like lightning and enter Pang Jian''s frozen body.

    White cold air rose from the gaps in the altar and enveloped Pang Jian.

    The temperature in the Giant Stone Pce rose. The extreme cold leaking out of the broken altar was now being reabsorbed.

    On the surface of Ice Rock Ind, Gao Yuan was pulling a spatial pouch from a rogue cultivator''s corpse when he noticed a peculiar change beneath his feet. The cold ground beneath him was no longer frozen over and the chill in the air had dissipated.

    The climate of Ice Rock Ind was subtly changing.

    Deep beneath the Giant Stone Pce, Pang Jian sat on the altar, eyes closed in meditation.

    He felt like he had been transported to an icy void.

    As he absorbed the streams of cold energy, it condensed into crystalline ice crystals and formed a small ice pool not far from the fiery pool in his spiritual sea.

    As this happened, fragmented images from the past flickered through Pang Jian''s mind.

    Pang Jian''s back was toward the clear, sunny sky. Below him was Ice Rock City before it copsed. One-eyed giants bustled about the grand and majestic city, using crude stone tools to start fires and cook.

    Male one-eyed giants, dozens of zhang tall and wearing only animal skins around their waists,ughed heartily as they emerged from a golden mountain range, hauling high-ranked Vicious Beasts behind them.

    One giant in particr stood out among them. He was taller than his kin and exuded an aura as vast as mountains and seas. A pale green serpent coiled around his waist, and he carried a giant axe that seemed capable of splitting the heavens. Laughing heartily, he led his hunting party into Ice Rock City, where they were greeted with cheers of admiration.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The scene changed.

    The chieftain of the one-eyed giants kneeled on one knee as he held a small one-eyed infant in his broad left palm. His eyes glistened with tears as he gazed down at the shriveled heart in his child''s chest. The child''s life force was steadily waning.

    "Ah Man!" The old chieftain cried out in grief, unable to ept the cruel reality that his newborn heir was doomed to die, and bing increasingly despondent in the following days.

    Wanting to help his child survive, the chieftain brought out an ancient stone tool of his tribe and chiseled out the Giant Stone Pce underground. He then installed a giant incense burner and set up an altar tomunicate with the Ice Demons.

    Th?? most uptodate novels are published on .

    His grandfather had repeatedly warned him not to use forbidden techniques tomunicate with the Ice Demons. However, those warnings were nothing in the face of potentially extending his child''s life.

    ck smoke rose from the giant incense burner as he established a connection with the Ice Demons through the altar. Following the Ice Demons'' instructions, he sacrificed a serpent, a spirit turtle, and a number of vermillion fruits in exchange for a life-extending liquid.

    After consuming the liquid, Ah Man''s shriveled heart no longer lost its life force and his young son lived on.

 Chapter 145: Breaking Through!

    <h4>Chapter 145: Breaking Through!</h4>

    Although the chieftain''s son, Ah Man, survived and grew up, he never grew tall. Nor did he inherit his father''s immense strength. The tribe often mocked him for being weak.

    Wanting to make Ah Man a strong warrior like himself, Yanshan, the Chieftain, once again offered sacrifices to the Ice Demons. Following the Ice Demons'' orders, he sought out human children with specific birth dates.

    He found the Ice Demons'' requested children in a fragmentednd inhabited by humans, only to learn the children were destined to be offered to the Thunder Dragon.

    Despite knowing how dangerous the Thunder Dragon was, he still desperately hoped for his son''s robust growth.

    Assuming the Thunder Dragon would not mind, he brought the boys and girls back to Ice Rock City, intending to sacrifice them to the Ice Demons at the altar.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The scene shifted again.

    A massive blue dragon appeared, spewing thunderballs the size of millstones, and obliterating Ice Rock City!

    The offended Thunder Dragon destroyed the magnificent Ice Rock City, killed Chieftain Yan Shan, and tore apart the fragmentednd of the one-eyed giants.

    In a show of intimidation to other races in the Third World, the Thunder Dragon banished the surviving one-eyed giants to the Fifth World as punishment. From then on, one-eyed giants no longer lived in the Third World.

    ***

    Pang Jian had no idea how much time had passed.

    <i>Chieftain Yan Shan, young Ah Man, and the Thunder Dragon.</i>

    Thoughts swirled through his mind as he awakened from what felt like a long dream.

    Pang Jian opened his eyes to find himself still sitting on the altar. The ice on his body had melted, leaving him drenched in water. Sweat beaded his forehead and cheeks.

    The Giant Stone Pce was no longer freezing. Ice Rock Ind had lost its chilly atmosphere. The six stone pirs beside the altar had crumbled in the time he had been cultivating and the cracks in the altar he sat on had widened significantly.

    Luo Hongyan looked at him with bright eyes and said teasingly, "Pang Jian, you''re finally awake. Do you know how long you''ve been cultivating for?"

    Pang Jian did not reply. As he sorted through the chaotic visions, he recalled Chieftain Yan Shan and his son Ah Man. He was uncertain if what he saw were past events or just a dream.

    When Pang Jian did not reply, Luo Hongyan quietly added, "You''ve broken through."

    Pang Jian''s body trembled in shock, and he jumped to his feet. "Broken through?"

    "Yes, you broke through two days ago and became one with the spiritual qi of heaven and earth," Luo Hongyan exined with a smile.

    "Two days ago?!" Pang Jian was stunned. It felt like only a few hours had passed.

    "Actually, five days have passed since you started cultivating." Luo Hongyan sighed. "In these five days, some Cloud Sails tried tond on Ice Rock Ind, but I drove them away. The Formless Sailboat on Cloud Ind left after learning what happened from the escaping rogue cultivators.

    "If you did not wake up, I would have woken you up myself. Themotion on the Three Immortal Inds was too great. News spread with the surviving rogue cultivators, and it won''t be long before the major sects in the Third World send people to investigate. They''ll likely send people in the Spirit Condensation Realm."

    Gao Yuan had long since sorted through the deceased rogue cultivators'' belongings and had urged her to leave many times. Although she knew it was not wise to stay on Ice Rock Ind for too long, she resolutely waited for Pang Jian to wake up from his breakthrough.

    Pang Jian started to exin, "I¡ª"

    "Let''s leave Ice Rock City and the Three Immortal Inds first. We can talk about everything elseter," Luo Hongyan cut him off as she wanted to leave as soon as possible.

    Without waiting for Pang Jian''s response, she grabbed his arm and flew him back to the surface.

    Landing on the Cloud Sail anchored above the ruins, Luo Hongyan instructed, "Gao Yuan, set sail."

    Gao Yuan had been waiting anxiously for several days and was eager to leave. The instant he saw the siblings, he started the Cloud Sail.

    The Cloud Sail lifted off from Ice Rock Ind.

    "Ice Rock Ind doesn''t seem as cold anymore," Pang Jian muttered.

    Luo Hongyanughed lightly. "That''s because of you."

    She exined that his cultivation state and absorption of the cold energy from the altar had caused the external cold to dissipate. The reconstructed altar was nowpletely useless and beyond repair.

    "You''ve reached the Innate Realm? So, you''ve broken through!" Gao Yuan eximed in surprise. "The spiritual qi on Ice Rock Ind has thinned in the past few days. Was that because of your breakthrough?"

    Pang Jian was stunned.

    Luo Hongyan smiled and nodded.

    "You''ve be one with the world!" Gao Yuan said excitedly.

    As a cultivator in the Innate Realm, he knew firsthand there was a significant leap between the Marrow Cleansing Realm and the Innate Realm. Gao Yuan''s own dantian and spiritual sea had expanded greatly when he advanced to the Innate Realm.

    Gao Yuan had barely managed to break through to the Innate Realm even after constructing an array in a cave with five hundred spirit stones and over a dozen spirit jades.

    However, highly gifted cultivators could break through to the Innate Realm through sudden enlightenment. Such breakthroughs involved frenzied absorption of nearby spiritual qi, which would naturally flow into and be refined in the cultivator''s body.

    This state was known as bing one with the world and was a rare, mysterious urrence in the cultivation world.

    Even so, this mystical way of advancing came with advantages and disadvantages.

    On one hand, the breakthrough was more aligned with the essence of cultivation due to its spontaneous nature.

    On the other, theck of forewarning meant the breakthrough would fail if the environment was hazardous or the surrounding spiritual qi was thin and impure. This could result in cultivation deviation, which was the cause of many cultivators'' deaths.

    Moreover, while bing one with the world, the cultivator was unaware of their surroundings as they were only semi-conscious. Without a protector, the cultivator could easily fall prey to Vicious Beasts or enemies. Passing cultivators could detect abnormal spiritual qi fluctuations and take advantage of the opportunity to kill and rob the cultivator.

    In short, breaking through while bing one with the world came with rewards and risks. Though it offered many wonderful benefits, it also carried a high risk of death.

    "What''s bing one with the world?" Pang Jian asked in confusion.

    Luo Hongyan smiled. After exining the profound nature of bing one with the world, she added, "When core disciples of major sects reach the pinnacle of the Marrow Cleansing Realm and feel like they''re about to break through, the sect arranges for protectors to apany them.

    "I''ve been staying close to youtely because I sensed you would advance to the Innate Realm by bing one with the world."

    ncing at Gao Yuan, she snorted. "Finding a cave, setting up arrays, and locking oneself in to forcefully breakthrough isn''t the best method."

    Gao Yuanughed awkwardly. "I don''t have a good sister or protector to apany me. With my talent and abilities, bing one with the world is nearly impossible. Instead of chasing that elusive state, it''s better to take a steady approach and forcefully advance to the Innate Realm."

    Many exceptionally talented cultivators wandered through famous mountains and rivers, wasting half their lives without ever bing one with the world. When they finally epted reality and forcefully broke through to the Innate Realm, they realized they had squandered decades of their life.

    The peers of such cultivators often surpassed them, reaching higher cultivation realms like the Profound Abode or even the Spiritual Concentration Realm. Therefore, Gao Yuan believed his choice was correct.

    <i>Breaking through to the Innate Realm through a naturally urring state is ideal, and forcing it through preparations without waiting for the right moment is less desirable,</i> Pang Jian noted to himself.

    The Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art did not include steps for forcefully breaking through to the Innate Realm.

    Rather than practicing hard, it emphasized that after reaching the pinnacle of the Marrow Cleansing Realm, one should travel around and appreciate the beauty of nature, understand theplexities of human hearts, and marvel at the wonders of the seasons.

    In doing so, one would naturally achieve bing one with the world.

    Based on this, Pang Jian concluded the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art was likely a profound cultivation method that followed the most orthodox and optimal path.

    Luo Hongyan gently reminded, "Your advancement to the Innate Realm was different from other peoples'' as you absorbed more than just the spiritual qi of heaven and earth."

    She had witnessed Pang Jian''s breakthrough and knew he had absorbed not only the spiritual qi of heaven and earth but also the cold energy from Ice Rock Ind.

    The cold energy was deeply embedded within the rocks far beneath Ice Rock Ind, and people like Gao Yuan could only faintly detect it.

    However, Luo Hongyan had stood vigil by Pang Jian''s side, watching as he transformed into an ice sculpture, and seeing streams of cold energy enter his body. Thus, she was fully aware of what had happened.

    "True," Pang Jian said, sitting on the Cloud Sail''s deck. He then closed his eyes and silently examined the changes in his body.

    He was shaken to his core!

    His already vast spiritual sea had doubled in size!

    His expansive spiritual sea was brimming with pure spiritual power and was ready to be utilized at any time.

    As he attempted to draw upon the spiritual power within his spiritual sea, he distinctly felt that it circted through his Eight Extraordinary Meridians and Twelve Principal Meridians several times faster than before!

    His harmony with his spiritual power had be much more profound!

    This meant that the Earth ze Technique, Primordial Sun Technique, Starflow Technique, Lunar Edge, and the three spear techniques of the Startling ughter Spear could now be unleashed several times faster than before!

 Chapter 146: Obsessed with Cultivation

    <h4>Chapter 146: Obsessed with Cultivation</h4>

    Pang Jian''s heart surged with excitement.

    <i>The Innate Realm!</i>

    Unexpectedly, a single session of deep meditation had allowed him to unknowingly break through the bottleneck of his cultivation realm and advance to the Innate Realm!

    Pang Jian closed his eyes and tedly noted that the rate of his absorption of the spiritual qi of heaven and earth had increased several times over.

    He was overjoyed.

    <i>Whoosh! </i>

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    He unleashed several Lunar Edges to exhaust some of the spiritual power in his spiritual sea then took out a spirit stone to replenish it. In the blink of an eye, the spirit stone was drained.

    Discarding the drained spirit stone, he took a moment to marvel at the immense difference in his abilities after his breakthrough.

    <i>Every aspect of my body has improved!</i>

    Advancing from the Marrow Cleansing Realm to the Innate Realm had expanded his spiritual sea and increased the speed at which spiritual power flowed through his body several times. Additionally, his efficiency in absorbing both the spiritual qi of heaven and earth; and the spiritual power from spirit stones and spirit jades had significantly improved.

    He clicked his tongue in amazement then proceeded to examine his spiritual sea.

    The ice pool in his spiritual sea was several timesrger than the adjacent fiery pool and contained a vast amount of cold energy.

    <i>Cold energy and lunar energy...</i>

    An idea sparked in his mind. He attempted tobine the cold energy from the ice pool with lunar energy and spiritual power, forming a new Lunar Edge.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A brand-new Lunar Edge appeared among the ones he had previously unleashed. Its dazzling brilliance stood out!

    Its pure, gem-like luster exuded a sense of icy elegance.

    If the other Lunar Edges were ice flowers, this one was their king. It was stunningly radiant and exceptionally prominent.

    Luo Hongyan''s bright eyes sparkled as she watched.

    Gao Yuan was also astonished, eximing, "What concentrated and refined spiritual power!"

    Gao Yuan felt confident he could withstand Pang Jian''s first round of Lunar Edges without suffering severe injury. However, this new Lunar Edge felt exceptionally sharp and emitted an icy chill that seemed capable of freezing his soul and bones!

    Gao Yuan was truly amazed. He likely could not endure if several of those Lunar Edges surrounded him.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    This newest Lunar Edge cut through the previous Lunar Edges like a knife through butter. In an instant, only the dazzling Lunar Edge remained, hovering in front of his chest.

    Pang Jian''s eyes brightened.

    <i>Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea. Sea of Turmoil.</i>

    He recalled Li Yujing telling him about a mysterious type of spiritual sea that could adapt to all kinds of energies: the spiritual qi of heaven and earth, Profound Yin energy, fiery energy, poisonous energy, and even the murky energy from the Fifth World.

    His unique spiritual sea allowed him to diverge from the conventional approach of adhering to a single cultivation method or energy source. Instead, he could integrate multiple paths and energies seamlessly. Gathering these different energies worked to his advantage and seemed to be the key to his breakthroughs!

    Despite reaching the peak of the Marrow Cleansing Realm and meticulously refining his muscles, bones, internal organs, and blood, there was no opportunity to break through to the Innate Realm.

    Only after he sat on the altar and absorbed its cold energy did he advance to the Innate Realm. In other words, the true key to this breakthrough was in gathering different energies into his Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea!

    He could also utilize his Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea to blend energies with simr attributes to elevate his offensive techniques. For instance,bining lunar and cold energy or fiery and sr energy greatly boosted his attack power.

    Pang Jian finally understood the cultivation method most suitable for him.

    Taking out his Startling ughter Spear, he rotated his wrist to draw a circr arc. He channeled a mix of lunar energy, cold energy, and spiritual power through the spear shaft.

    "Silver Crescent!"

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A brilliant, silver full moon formed!

    Despite the dismal weather hiding the bright moon and twinkling stars in the sky, a chillingly radiant moon had appeared above the Cloud Sail!

    Its radiant glow caused Gao Yuan to shiver uncontrobly as a chill seeped into his body.

    Luo Hongyan abruptly stood up, her beautiful eyes shing in surprise. This silver moon contained a terrifying power and even held traces of the profound essence of the Dao.

    Just as Qi Qingsong¡¯s sword light contained a sharp sword intent, this chilling silver moon contained an innate coldness that slowed the blood cirction of those gazing at it, causing them to shiver.

    "You!" Luo Hongyan eximed softly.

    Pang Jian held the Lunar Edge and the radiant silver moon in each hand. They then disappeared into his palms.

    The energies used to form the Lunar Edge and the silver moon were broken down and reabsorbed into his spiritual sea. This was something Pang Jian could not do in the Marrow Cleansing Realm!

    "You never cease to amaze me," Luo Hongyan said, staring nkly at Pang Jian.

    His natural talent sent a wave of defeat through her and she sat down dejectedly.

    She had once been a dazzling cultivation genius in the upper worlds, nurtured with all the resources her sect could muster, with dedicated protectors apanying her.

    Despite this, her cultivation insight back when she was at this stage of her cultivation was hardlyparable to Pang Jian''s. In terms ofbat prowess, she was only further outssed!

    "Is everybody from the upper worlds this terrifying?" Gao Yuan muttered.

    Gao Yuan had doubted Pang Jian''s identity earlier when he addressed Dong Tianze as Sect Leader and said he avenged the members of the Shadow Specter Sect. He suspected that Pang Jian also came from the lower world like Dong Tianze.

    However, these doubts had been erased after witnessing Pang Jian''s abilities. Even if Pang Jian had been to the lower world, it would have been because his elders assigned him a training arrangement there.

    Advancing to the Innate Realm by bing one with the world, effortlessly controlling his power, and even reabsorbing the Lunar Edge and silver moon at will were all techniques far beyond what the seven major ns of the Fourth World could teach.

    Even the geniuses of the Third World from the Radiant Sun Sect, the Blood Moon Sect, the Red Mountain Sect, and the Star River Alliance were unlikely to disy such breathtaking prowess upon advancing to the Innate Realm.

    "Advancing to the Innate Realm has brought me significant improvement," Pang Jian said with a smile.

    <i>He¡¯s smiling again...</i> Luo Hongyan''s beautiful eyes lit up. Fondly rolling her eyes, she thought, <i>He''s truly obsessed with cultivation.</i>

    The first time Luo Hongyan had ever seen Pang Jian smile was when he infused the silver moon with lunar energy and created a new silver moon.

    This time, Pang Jian smiled because he had created an even more wondrous silver moon by infusing it with cold energy.

    Both times he had grasped the subtleties of a new technique and discovered abination of different energies that affected the silver moon. Mastering a stronger offensive technique was the only thing that brought him true joy.

    Killing enemies such as Zhu Yuanxi, being gifted the sisters by Meng Qin, receiving praise from Zhao Ling, or acquiring a mountain of spirit stones did not move his heart or make him genuinely smile.

    <i>I should find him more exquisite techniques to make hisbat prowess even more formidable, so he can continue to be happy,</i> Luo Hongyan thought to herself.

    ncing down at the Three Immortal Inds below, Pang Jian noted how the edges of the three inds appeared to align perfectly with one another.

    <i>The Three Immortal Inds.</i>

    <i>Ice Rock Ind, Gold Stone Ind, Cloud Ind.</i>

    <i>Ice Rock City, Gold Stone Mountain Range, Cloud Wilderness. </i>

    Pang Jian''s eyebrows twitched as he realized the strange visions he saw while bing one with the world were real events from the past!

    The Gold Stone Mountain Range became Gold Stone Ind and the Cloud Wilderness became Cloud Ind. These three fragmentednds were originally one whole piece!

    When the Thunder Dragon killed Chieftain Yan Shan, it also destroyed thend the one-eyed giants lived on, splitting it into threends now known as the Three Immortal Inds.

    <i>The Thunder Dragon...</i> Pang Jian frowned.

    He wanted to ask Luo Hongyan if a terrifying Thunder Dragon was active in the Dragon Lair Sect of the Second World but held himself back. Gao Yuan was under the impression they were from the upper world and Pang Jian did not want to ruin their cover.

    Sitting down, Pang Jian then took out a Mind Soothing Pill and swallowed it. He intended to check on the discussions between the Celestial Maiden and the one-eyed giants in Split Sky City through the traitor in the Fifth World.

    As he activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, a strong sense of fatigue came from the ck turtle. It seemed like the ck turtle had expended a lot of energy and desperately wished to fall back asleep but had stubbornly waited for him to initiate contact!

    Confused, Pang Jian established a connection with the ck turtle and noticed the spiritual qi of that nameless fragmentednd had be much thinner.

    Astonishment briefly filled him before he remembered the ck turtle could transfer him spiritual qi through the bronze pendant.

    Pang Jian had not only absorbed the spiritual qi from Ice Rock Ind when breaking through to the Innate Realm but also the spiritual qi from the ck turtle!

    His spiritual sea was muchrger than those of the same cultivation realm, thus the spiritual qi required for his breakthrough was also much greater!

    If he had relied solely on the sparse spiritual qi of Ice Rock Ind and did not have the ck turtle''s assistance, he likely would not have seeded in his breakthrough. Even if he did seed, it would have taken far longer than five days!

    He vowed to repay the ck turtle.

    <i>I''ll remember this. Rest well.</i>

    The ck turtle fell into a deep sleep.

 Chapter 147: The Little Trees Request

    <h4>Chapter 147: The Little Tree''s Request</h4>

    The first thing Pang Jian saw through the vision of the Giant Abyssal Serpent in the Fifth World was not Split Sky City, but a gray rock mountain a hundred zhang tall. In front of the mountain was a giant incense burner billowing thick ck smoke.

    Looking around, Pang Jian noticed the Celestial Maiden hovering high in the air as she spoke to a one-eyed giant. Were the one-eyed giant to stand up, it would have towered to a height of a thousand zhang!

    This was no gray rock mountain, but rather a seated one-eyed giant!

    <i>That incense burner is giving off thick ck smoke,</i> Pang Jian pondered. He recalled the visions he had while bing one with the world.

    Chieftain Yan Shan, the leader of the one-eyed giants in Ice Rock City, disregarded his grandfather''s warning and built a sacrificial altar tomunicate with Ice Demons to extend his son''s life. Next to that altar was a giant incense burner that also gave off thick ck smoke.

    <i>Could it be?</i>

    "Ancestor Ah Man, please, you must assist us!" The visibly excited Celestial Maiden bowed in the sky.

    Pang Jian was shocked.

    <i>Ah Man? Is it really him?!</i>

    He had not expected this majestic towering one-eyed giant to be the infant once born with a shrunken heart and doomed to live a short life.

    His father, Yan Shan, had made a deal with the Ice Demon to extend his life, inadvertently provoking the Thunder Dragon in the process.

    This led to a catastrophe for the entire one-eyed giant race. Yanshan died in battle against the Thunder Dragon and the prominent one-eyed giant race was exiled from the Third World to the Fifth World.

    After countless years, the infant Ah Man had grown into a towering giant and had be an ancestral figure known as Ancestor Ah Man.

    Pang Jian could easily imagine how difficult it had been for the one-eyed giants to survive after being exiled to the harsh Fifth World. Many would have perished and the survivors would have been on the brink of extinction.

    However, against all odds, the one-eyed giants from the upper world survived and established themselves in the Fifth World.

    Ah Man endured countless arduous years and was fortunate enough to be the protective figure known as Ancestor Ah Man. Even the revered Celestial Maiden sought his approval and assistance.

    "If the members of my race wish to return to their homnd, I''ll lead them back," Ah Man said in a powerful, deep voice that rumbled like thunder. "Ten thousand years have passed since we were exiled from the upper world and we''ve long adapted to life in the Fifth World.

    "Initially, many could not withstand the murky energy and perished, but we eventually overcame it. Nowadays, one-eyed giants use murky energy to grow their bodies and break through their limitations.

    "What good would returning to our homnd do? They no longer know how to temper their flesh with spiritual qi. They would have to readjust all over again if they went back.

    "Celestial Maiden, I do not wish for my people to go to war with the humans of the upper worlds just because of your ambitions. The human race has changed. They are no longer the weak beings we once knew. Even the dragons are now ridden by humans. What chance do we have?"

    The Vicious Beasts, including the Giant Abyssal Serpent, all prostrated themselves on the ground in terror as Ah Man''s voice thundered through the sky.

    "Ancestor Ah Man, don''t you want to avenge your father? Though ten thousand years have passed, the Thunder Dragon that destroyed your homnd still slumbers in the Dragon Lair Sect. Don''t you want to storm the Dragon Lair Sect and kill that old dragon?" The Celestial Maiden asked softly.

    "Who-who told you?!" Ah Man roared.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The surrounding mountains and rivers shook with his roar and earthquakes could be felt within a thousand-mile radius. The power of the mountains flowed toward him, causing the rocks covering his skin to fall off.

    "Please calm down. I can''t say who told me of your past. I simply wish to inform you that the scattered bones of the Celestial Phoenix have resonated with the stars in the sky and caused the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs suppressing us to be unstable.

    "This is the case for our Fifth Continent''s pir, and the exalted beings in the other six continents have also sensed the anomalies in their Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs.

    "Ancestor Ah Man, ascending to the upper worlds is inevitable, and you cannot remain uninvolved. Please prepare yourself. This is an opportunity to storm the Second World and reach the Dragon Lair Sect!"

    With that, the mysterious woman with six pairs of white wings descended gracefully, and Pang Jian once again felt someone straddling him.

    The raging one-eyed giant quieted at her words, muttering in a low rumble, "This is an opportunity...to storm the Second World...and reach the Dragon Lair Sect..."

    He gazed at the Celestial Maiden with his single eye. A deep red light shone in the depth of that eye, and an overwhelming aura descended, abruptly severing Pang Jian''s connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    ***

    Pang Jian panted heavily on the Cloud Sail, hands trembling as he swallowed a Mind Soothing Pill.

    The gaze of that one-eyed giant carried such terrifying power. Although Pang Jian knew the giant''s change in mood had unintentionally caused it, he still felt as though his soul was about to be extinguished like a candle.

    <i>He''s so powerful! Ah Man, the current chieftain of the one-eyed giant tribe in the Fifth World, has be so terrifying!</i>

    Pang Jian broke out in a cold sweat.

    His earlier pride and joy from advancing to the Innate Realm through bing one with the world and forming a new silver moon using the lunar energy, cold energy, and spiritual power, vanished in the blink of an eye.

    He realized now how weak he waspared to such formidable beings.

    "Here are three more bottles of Mind Soothing Pill. Take them all," Luo Hongyan said as she handed them over to Pang Jian. She then stared at Pang Jian with a peculiar expression and murmured, "Your cultivation method is very unusual. It consumes a great deal of mental energy."

    Pang Jian did not stand on ceremony. After receiving the Mind Soothing Pills from Luo Hongyan, he did not hesitate to swallow two before saying, "Once I reach the Profound Abode Realm and form my divine sense, things should get better."

    "That''s true." Luo Hongyan nodded lightly.

    Pang Jian said nothing more as he waited for the Mind Soothing Pills to take effect.

    After his mental energy had significantly recovered, he decided to check on the World Eater Vine in the Fourth World as well. It would consume less mental energy as the distance between him and the World Eater Vine was not as far.

    With that though, he established a connection.

    The World Eater Vine was only slightly taller than its surrounding vegetation. Using a sharp branch, it repeatedly scratched a line of words on the muddy ground.

    <i>I am Pang Jian''s Tree!</i>

    <i>I am Pang Jian''s Tree!</i>

    <i>I am Pang Jian''s Tree!</i>

    Rows and rows of these words were scribbled into the marsh around the World Eater Vine. This peculiar little tree seemed to believe the phrase possessed some mysterious power, and obsessively scratched it into the ground.

    Pang Jian was taken aback.

    After a moment of contemtion, he conveyed the meaning of the phrase to the little tree through their connection. The little tree stopped its scrawlings.

    A vague thought then came from the little tree. It desired the seeds and saplings of a variety of nts and flowers.

    As Pang Jian studied the little tree''s environment, he soon realized that, while there were many nts, there were only a few species. Thisck of diversity was not conducive to the little tree''s growth.

    <i>Don''t worry, leave it to me, </i>Pang Jian assured.

    Regardless of how Li Yuqing viewed the World Eater Vine, Pang Jian had greatly benefited from it. It had gifted him two leaves filled with life energy that significantly enhanced his body''s self-healing abilities.

    The World Eater Vine was also well-behaved and had evenprehended the deeper meaning of the phrase "I am Pang Jian''s tree", unlike the rebellious traitor who had acknowledged a new master.

    <i>I''ll do my best to meet your request,</i> Pang Jian promised before severing the connection.

    Taking another Mind Soothing Pill, he watched as Gao Yuan respectfully presented the looted spatial pouches to Luo Hongyan and reported their contents.

    "The belongings of the rogue cultivators in the Third World areparable to those of the Shadow Specter Sect''s hall masters. I obtained sixty-five spatial pouches, and their contents have been cataloged.

    "There are 7,500 pieces of pure spirit stones and just over fifty pieces of spirit jade. There are 150 assorted low-level spirit artifacts, but only seven mid-level ones. The rest are mostlymon pills and cultivation manuals," Gao Yuan read from his booklet.

    "Alright, when we reach Old Monster Cao''s territory, I''ll find a way to sell them." Luo Hongyan nodded in satisfaction. She then smiled at Gao Yuan. "Everyone involved gets a share. You can take one-fifth of the collected materials."

    Gao Yuanughed heartily and said seriously, "These items don''t matter to me. I felt a connection with you two siblings when we first met, which is why I was willing to risk my life waiting for your return. Being with you makes me feel secure, and I''m willing to work for you without expecting anything in return."

    Luo Hongyan looked at him with a faint smile but did not expose his obvious ttery.

    "We have too many misceneous items, and their origins are suspicious. If we sell them to Old Monster Cao, their value will be reduced," Gao Yuan pondered aloud. "It''s best to find another channel."

    "Even at a lower price, it''s still a windfall," Luo Hongyan said indifferently.

    <i>Another channel...</i>

    Thinking of the little tree''s request, Pang Jian instructed Gao Yuan, "Find a ce tond. I want to stretch my legs."

    "Alright!" Gao Yuan readily agreed. He had assumed Pang Jian wanted to test hisbat prowess after his breakthrough.

    Not long after, Gao Yuan''s Cloud Sailnded on an unknown fragmentednd. It was covered with mountains, valleys, and vegetation, but its spiritual qi was sparse.

    Finding a random abandoned wooden hut, Pang Jian entered and shut the door behind him. He then started to set up a Ghost Altar.

    Luo Hongyan had followed him into the wooden hut and her beautiful eyes filled with surprise at his actions

    "What are you doing?" she asked.

    "I need saplings and seeds of a variety of nts and flowers. I''ll send a message to Dong Tianze to see if he can procure them for me," Pang Jian exined honestly.

    Luo Hongyan was stunned. She looked at him with an extremely peculiar expression and asked, "Do you think he''ll still help you?"

    "I¡¯m not expecting a freebie. I''ll pay him with spirit stones," Pang Jian said as hepleted setting up the Ghost Altar. He then wrote a small note and ced it in a slot before activating the array to send it.

 Chapter 148: Sect Leader, I Am Pang Jian

    <h4>Chapter 148: Sect Leader, I Am Pang Jian</h4>

    In the Sinister Soul Temple on the Dark Abyss Continent, the emaciated Han Zhiyuan sighed helplessly.

    "You stay in this cave for now, don''t leave the Sinister Soul Temple in theing days. Wait until this storm blows over," he said, shaking his head. "The temple has no choice but to me you and make you bear this infamy."

    Dong Tianze leaned against the cold, hard rock wall and said indifferently, "It doesn''t matter."

    His reputation in the Fourth World was already bad, with the other six major ns regarding him as the executioner of the Dong n.

    It was true that in the few years he spent in the Dong n, he had been involved in many unsavory deeds. Deep down, he knew he had never truly been a member of the Dong n. If he had not done those dark deeds to eliminate dissidents for them, he would not have been able to survive there.

    Being cursed behind his back was better than dying inexplicably.

    He knew what he would face after leaving the Three Immortal Inds and had calmly epted the reality.

    "The rogue cultivators who escaped that day spread the news that you are the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect. This matter has already stirred up a storm in the Third World." As the true Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect, Han Zhiyuan felt guilty. "To clear the temple''s name, we had to confirm their ims."

    Dong Tianze smirked. "As expected."

    "Don''t resent the temple. There was no other choice. Publically, we''ve said that we''ll imprison you and subject you to severe torture," Han Zhiyuan consoled. "But everyone on the inside knows you''re innocent. Just stay here for now. Your status as a Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard will keep you safe."

    Han Zhiyuan paused for a long while, seemingly pondering carefully about something.

    Appearing to havee to a decision, he revealed to Dong Tianze, "The Cult Leader told me that the contamination of the Fourth World is due to a problem with the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs.

    "The Celestial Phoenix yed arge part in the construction and erection of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs in the Fifth World. Although it''s been dead for many years, the pirs have remained stable.

    "The higher-ups believed the pirs would stand eternally in the Fifth World and suppress the demonic forces there. No one expected that the disintegration of the Celestial Phoenix''s remains and the scattering of its bones would cause anomalies in the pirs.

    "The Celestial Phoenix''s role in their construction means that any changes to the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs also require its divine power. Thus, your Master has now be a crucial figure.

    "The Pure Land Sect and the higher-ups aremitted to nurturing her with the utmost care, in the hope that she''ll reach the level of the Celestial Phoenix as soon as possible and repair the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs in the Fifth World.

    "As someone destined to stand behind her as a loyal guard, no sect in the Third World would dare touch you," Han Zhiyuanforted.

    After giving Dong Tianze a reassuring pat on the back, Han Zhiyuan left the cave.

    "The Master I''m sworn to protect is actually..." Dong Tianze felt a surge of longing. "There are many Celestial Phoenix Divine Guards and we mustpete against each other to rise to the top! Ultimately, the one who stands behind Master will be me!"

    Dong Tianze''s eyes were resolute.

    After the storm passed, he nned to leave the Sinister Soul Temple to hunt the other Celestial Phoenix Divine Guards as this seemed the quickest way for him to advance his cultivation realm and enhance his power.

    <i>Ding!</i>

    The Ghost Altar beside him suddenly let out a strange sound.

    Dong Tianze had presided over the Ghost Altar many times and knew the sound meant a hall master from the Shadow Specter Sect had sent him a message. With a casual wave of his hand, a note flew from the Ghost Altar andnded in his palm.

    He nced at the note.

    <i>Sect Leader, I am Pang Jian.</i>

    The first line of words made Dong Tianze erupt in fury!

    Suppressing the urge to tear the note apart, he continued reading.

    <i>I need the saplings and seeds of different nts and flowers. The more, the better. Name your price and we''ll trade in seven days.</i>

    When he finished reading the note, Dong Tianze''s face rippled like water, veins bulging on his forehead as his eyes shed murderously.

    <i>Huff! Huff!</i>

    Dong Tianze panted heavily. He red at the words on the note as he struggled to calm his turbulent emotions.

    Still trembling, he took a brush and wrote a short question with gritted teeth.

    <i>Why aren''t you dead yet?</i>

    He then threw the note at the Ghost Altar, ring menacingly at it as he waited for Pang Jian''s response.

    While a formal trade required a more extensive setup of the Ghost Altar, the setup for exchanging notes was fairly simple.

    Dong Tianze had sent his note rtively quickly and Pang Jian had likely yet to dismantle the Ghost Altar on his side.

    Momentster, another ding sounded from the Ghost Altar.

    Dong Tianze once again waved his hand, pulled the new note into his palm, and looked down to read it.

    <i>Please, Sect Leader, help me out. I have other matters to attend to. See you in seven days.</i>

    A ferocious expression contorted Dong Tianze''s face. Despite forcing deep breaths in an attempt to stay calm, he could not help but explode into curses, "Damn you, Pang Jian! What do you take me for? I''m the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect, not yourckey!"

    The cave echoed with the sounds of him punching walls and stomping the ground.

    After a long time, Dong Tianze eventually calmed down. ncing at the notes from Pang Jian, an intense inner conflict washed over him, and he finally shouted, "I want to see what tricks you''re up to!"

    Ignoring Han Zhiyuan''s advice, he left the cave and said to a man sitting quietly outside, "Senior Brother Liu, I need to purchase saplings and seeds of various nts and flowers."

    The man named Liu Yan was charged with watching over Dong Tianze. Thinking Dong Tianze had lost his mind, he asked, "What do you need those for?"

    "I can either buy them myself or you get them for me," Dong Tianze said coldly.

    "I''ll do it. For the time being, you should stay inside."

    The bewildered Liu Yan then left to purchase saplings and seeds from the Sinister Soul Temple and its surrounding markets.

    ***

    A Fire Cloud Ship from the Radiant Sun Sect passed through the thick gray clouds bordering the Third and Fourth Worlds.

    "Is Zhou Qingchen from the Red Mountain Sect here?" asked a graceful woman named Zhou Yuan''e. She sat quietly on a jade-like light boat, gazing at the Fire Cloud Ship belonging to the Radiant Sun Sect. and said, "Have hime out to see me."

    The huge Fire Cloud Ship was almost empty, with hardly anyone on board.

    Xiao Pei from the Radiant Sun Sect nced at Zhou Qingchen, Han Duping, and a few others in hesitation before asking, "And you are?"

    "I''m an elder of his family," Zhou Yuan''e replied, smiling faintly.

    Zhou Qingchen was momentarily dazed. Snapping back to reality, joy overcame him, and he leaped from the Fire Cloud Ship to the light boat.

    He and Han Duping were originally traveling to the Three Immortal Inds on a Cloud Sail, but had encountered the Fire Cloud Ship of the Radiant Sun Sect heading to the lower world and met Su Meng onboard.

    Through Su Meng, he learned a terrible catastrophe had befallen the Fourth World. This Fire Cloud Ship had transported members of the Dong n up to the Third World a few days ago and was now going back down to the Fourth World to pick up more people and supplies.

    Thus, Su Meng had taken the opportunity to visit her family.

    After hearing this, Zhou Qingchen postponed his n to seek revenge on Dong Tianze and instead hitched a ride with Han Duping on the Fire Cloud Ship to the lower world.

    As soon as hended on the light boat, Zhou Qingchen kowtowed, head banging loudly on the deck. "Matriarch! I have long admired your great name! The Zhou n could only stand firm in the Fourth Realm and remain at the forefront because of your presence!"

    "You managed to escape from Eight Trigrams City alive. Truly, fortune smiles upon you," Zhou Yuan''e said with a faint smile. "You, Dong Tianze, and Qi Qingsong have proven your extraordinary potential by surviving the trials in Eight Trigrams City.

    "Especially thete-blooming Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion¡ªhe''s truly remarkable. He''s broken through two cultivation realms since returning from Eight Trigrams City and is now in the Profound Abode Realm. He''s since been promoted from an outer sect disciple to an inner sect disciple."

    Zhou Qingchen was astonished. "I just saw him not too long ago. He''s already reached the Profound Abode Realm?"

    "Not only that, I believe he''ll soon advance to the Spirit Condensation Realm," Zhou Yuan''e said, eyes shining with admiration. "Qi Qingsong''s talent shone brightly in his youth. However, he waszy, and his cultivation slowed as he grew older.

    "He''d been stuck at the Marrow Cleansing Realm for several years, longing to advance to the Innate Realm by bing one with the world but never seeding. But after returning from Eight Trigrams City, he sessfully advanced through his desired method and reached the Innate Realm.

    "Since then, his progress has been unstoppable. He broke through to the Profound Abode Realm in just a few months, dazzling the entire Second World."

    Zhou Qingchen scratched his head in embarrassment. "Matriarch, I only recently reached thete stage of Marrow Cleansing Realm."

    "You''ve done well enough." Zhou Yu''e nodded. "A great catastrophe is approaching, and I won''t have much time toe down often. I hope the new rising star of the Zhou n can help us through this catastrophe."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    She produced a crimson crystal ball, which she flicked into Zhou Qingchen''s chest.

    "The Divine Origin Pearl has been with me for many years. Today, I bestow it upon you. May you lead the Zhou n out of its difficulties."

    With that, Zhou Yuan''e waved her hand and sent Zhou Qingchen back to the Fire Cloud Ship before taking off on her light boat.

    She had seen everything she needed to see regarding the situation in the Fourth World. It was time for her to return and report her findings to the higher-ups.

    ***

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A sparkling ice meteor shot from Pang Jian''s palm and plummeted downward. The ice meteor was hauntingly beautiful, yet hidden within it was lethal intent.

    Pang Jian focused his mind. The ice meteor abruptly altered its trajectory mid-flight and gracefully glided through the sky below.

    <i>So this is the Starflow Technique when executed with spiritual power, ster energy, and the cold energy from the ice pool,</i> Pang Jian thought, standing at the edge of the Cloud Sail as he watched the ice meteor changing its trajectory in mid-air.

    He had been experimenting with the cold energy from the ice pool formed in his spiritual sea and had discovered itbined well with his Lunar Edge, Silver Crescent, and Starflow Technique.

    The cool light of the moon and starsplemented the cold energy and merged well together.

    Pang Jian thought that since the moon and stars appeared in the night sky and shared simr auras, they could likely be fused to unleash even more astonishing power. However, he had yet to figure out a method of effectivelybining the powers of these celestial bodies.

    As the ice meteor exhausted its power and vanished, Pang Jian returned to his senses. He sat on the Cloud Sail''s deck and took out another Mind Soothing Pill.

    <i>Let''s see what''s happening with that traitor.</i>

    He established a connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    Suddenly, he felt a gentle hand softly touch his forehead and caress the small, sharp horn. A tender voice whispered, "Xiao Hei, what should I do?"

 Chapter 149: The Celestial Maidens Worries

    <h4>Chapter 149: The Celestial Maiden''s Worries</h4>

    The darkness of the Fifth World was all-consuming, and only those limated to it over a long period could see within it.

    <i>Plop! Plop!</i>

    Corpses fell from the sky, hitting the filthy, parched earth like raindrops.

    "It''s no use..." The Celestial Maiden watched as human corpses fell into the water of a ckke as she gently stroked the small, sharp horn of the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    A deep sorrow tinged her voice as she confided her heartfelt worries to the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    Pang Jian listened silently, piecing together information from her monologue.

    The woman with six pairs of white wings came from a race called the Celestial Race. Although this race was small in number, it held a high reputation in the Fifth World. The Celestial Maidens from the Celestial Race were held in the highest esteem and revered by all the races.

    Her mission this time was to gather warriors below Rank Five from all major races and send them to the upper worlds while the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs were malfunctioning.

    The formidable seal of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs meant the true powerhouses still could not pass through.

    Despite knowing the human race would likely purge any warriors sent to the upper worlds, she still had to proceed with her mission.

    The spread of the murky energy in the Fourth World had severed their secretmunications and trade channels with the upper world and they could no longer obtain the resources they needed.

    Their trade partners feared being identified as allies aiding in the ascension of the inhabitants of the Fifth World, and as a result, their resources had be extremely scarce.

    Rare materials from the upper worlds were required to craft powerful weapons to destroy the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs and forge flying vessels for the ascension. Many of their ns could not be executed without the necessary resources.

    Even though suppression of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs was weakening, this scarcity of materials posed significant challenges. Thus, they prioritized using their remaining resources to construct a few flying vessels and send warriors to the upper worlds in search of these materials.

    Unfortunately, the warriors that could be sent were not exceptional in theirbat abilities and were limited to those under Rank Five due to the suppression of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs.

    The Celestial Maiden was troubled. Knowingly sending these warriors to their deaths filled her with guilt.

    Pang Jian eavesdropped for a while, then severed the connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent as he grew tired.

    After taking another Mind Soothing Pill, he sat on the Cloud Sail''s deck and closed his eyes as he became lost in thought.

    <i>I can go to the Fifth World through the Giant Abyssal Serpent. Maybe I couldmunicate and trade with her</i> <i>in the future, </i>Pang Jian mused.

    He had a hunch that once he broke through to the Profound Abode Realm and formed his divine sense, he couldmunicate with the Celestial Maiden through the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    The materials she sought were obtainable in the upper worlds. With the bronze pendant, he could go to the Fifth World, make the trade, and then use the pendant to return safely.

    After a while, he shook his head and muttered, "I still need to n carefully. It''s best to minimize contact with the races in the Fifth World to avoid bing a public enemy of the human race in the four upper worlds."

    ***

    Gao Yuan stood at the front of his Cloud Sail, ncing at the fragmentednd below with a frown. "That fragmentednd...It used to be a ce for rogue cultivators. Why''s it now upied?"

    Luo Hongyan rose gracefully and peered down. "The Radiant Sun Sect has nted their g."

    A banner with an image of a zing sun fluttered in the wind.

    "I''ll go down and check the situation," Gao Yuan said, steering his Cloud Sail down to hover above the fragmentednd.

    After disembarking, he headed toward the Radiant Sun Sect''s banner to gather information.

    Not long after, Gao Yuan returned with a troubled expression. He boarded the Cloud Sail and flew it a short distance away from the fragmentednd before bringing it to a stop.

    Turning to Luo Hongyan and Pang Jian, he exined, "The catastrophe in the lower world has continued to spread. The Radiant Sun Sect, the Star River Alliance, the Blood Moon Sect, and the Red Mountain Sect, are seizing fragmentednds for the people from the lower world."

    "The old guys in the upper worlds still haven''t resolved the lower world''s contamination?" Luo Hongyan frowned.

    From what she had heard, simr incidents had happened before, but the powerful sects and god-like talents in the upper worlds had swiftly resolved them. The uncontrolled spread of the murky energy across the fragmentednds of the Fourth World had not happened in a long time.

    Gao Yuan sighed. "The contamination has spread to the He n''s and the Ning n''s territories. They likely won''t be able to hold out for long and the murky energy will soon overwhelm them.

    "The major sects of the Third World upy the Dark Abyss Continent and the Cosmic Skies Continent. The cultivators from these five powerful sects resided on these two prosperous continents alongside their families and retainers.

    "Their descendants, families, and the ns loyal to them, refuse to ept the seven major ns from the lower world. Left with no other options, the major sects have started to take over the surrounding unnamed fragmentednds to amodate those migrating from the lower world.

    "Powerful rogue cultivators like Old Monster Cao and Maverick Ling Yun upy many of these fragmentednds, so they can''t just seize them. Therefore, the fragmentednds of the weaker rogue cultivators have be their primary targets."

    Gao Yuan sighed. Rogue cultivators like him and Yuan Fei with no background would not have many ces to go in the future with the seven major ns from the Fourth World upying their spaces.

    "Oh, by the way, Yuan Fei has spread the news that you two are from the upper world," Gao Yuan informed Luo Hongyan. "After hearing that you and your brother are from the upper world, the Blood Moon Sect has decided not to avenge Maverick Ling Yun.

    "After all, Maverick Ling Yun wasn''t a member of the Blood Moon Sect, so they didn''t care much about his death. As for Zhu Yuanxi, he was only in the Innate Realm, so his death wasn''t significant enough for the Blood Moon Sect to risk offending you."

    Gao Yuan also briefly exined how the Sinister Soul Temple had handled the matter with Dong Tianze.

    The Sinister Soul Temple had med Dong Tianze and refused to acknowledge any connection with the Shadow Specter Sect. They insisted Dong Tianze was the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect, iming they had mistakenly epted him as a disciple and had since imprisoned him for interrogation.

    Luo Hongyan burst intoughter. "Dong Tianze is really unlucky."

    If it had not been for Pang Jian repeatedly shouting "Sect Leader" on Ice Rock Ind, the Sinister Soul Templet would not have chosen Dong Tianze as the scapegoat.

    ncing at Pang Jian, she chuckled softly at the knowledge that, in two days, Pang Jian would activate the Ghost Altar once more to conduct a third trade with the "Sect Leader" of the Shadow Specter Sect.

    ***

    The Cloud Sail continued to the fragmentednds controlled by Old Monster Cao.

    On the way, Gao Yuan encountered some Cloud Sails and boatmen he was familiar with and learned more news from them. Of the information gathered, one particr piece of news caught the attention of both Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan.

    "Qi Qingsong..." Pang Jian was stunned.

    Gao Yuan''s eyes sparkled with interest.

    "You know him? I suppose that''s not surprising. Qi Qingsong is from the Sword Pavilion in the Second World, where you''re from." Gao Yuan pped his thigh and praised, "Qi Qingsong is remarkable! He''s be a distinguished guest of Old Monster Cao and is currently receiving his warm hospitality!

    "I heard Qi Qingsong shone brightly in the Sword Pavilion during his youth and reached the Marrow Cleansing Realm at just twelve. However, he made no progress in his cultivation for eight years after that.

    "Knowing this, he voluntarily gave up his status as an inner sect disciple to avoid embarrassing his master. Even after turning twenty, he remained in the Marrow Cleansing Realm and could not break through. His peers in the Sword Pavilion and the Second World ridiculed him for over eight years, and everyone thought he was destined to stagnate.

    "Who could''ve expected that he would be one with the world and break through to the Innate Realm after participating in the trials of Eight Trigrams City? After reaching the Innate Realm, he broke through to the Profound Abode Realm within a few months! Qi Qingsong''s truly ate bloomer! He''s astonished everyone with his progress!"

    "Advancing two cultivation realms after leaving Eight Trigrams City. I underestimated him," Luo Hongyan said in surprise.

    She had mocked Qi Qingsong in Eight Trigrams City for his cultivation. Pang Jian even forced him to cut his hand off on Zhou Qingchen''s behalf. She had not expected Qi Qingsong to experience such a significant breakthrough in his cultivation after returning.

    Pang Jian suddenly asked, "How many arms does he have?"

    Gao Yuan was taken aback. "He has two arms, of course. Why do you ask?"

    "Nothing." Pang Jian shook his head.

    Two dayster, Gao Yuan finally found a deserted fragmentednd where they could rest. Its spiritual qi was so scarce that even rogue cultivators were unwilling to live there.

    "The five major sects have taken over all the nearby fragmentednds. This is the only ce left where we can rest for a while," Gao Yuan said helplessly. "Should we travel further into Old Monster Cao''s territory?"

    Old Monster Cao was incredibly powerful, and no sects dared to provoke him. The fragmentednds under his jurisdiction were unlikely to have been taken over.

    "No need, this ce is fine," Pang Jian said with a nod.

    He and Luo Hongyan left the Cloud Sail and descended to the barrennd below, which had no vegetation, mountains, rivers,kes, or valuable minerals.

    Pang Jian casually dug out a cave underground and set up the Ghost Altar inside, leaving Luo Hongyan to stand guard at the entrance. He then activated themunication array.

    Luo Hongyan looked over at the Ghost Altar. "Do you think he''ll respond?"

    "In Eight Trigrams City, he unleashed a sea of golden dagger lights with his Ghost''s Cry and severely injured me, forcing me into darkness. I didn''t hold it against him then, so why wouldn''t he respond to me?" Pang Jian said calmly.

    "You made him take the me. Now, everyone thinks he''s the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple had no choice but to imprison him." Luo Hongyan chuckled.

    Pang Jian snorted. "But he was the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect. In the end, I still traded with him as the Sect Leader twice, didn''t I?"

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Dong Tianze appeared on the Ghost Altar.

 Chapter 150: The Third Trade

    <h4>Chapter 150: The Third Trade</h4>

    A small cave in the Sinister Soul Temple echoed with Dong Tianze''s enraged roars.

    "Pang Jian, you have some nerve, meeting with me!

    "At ck Orchid Lake, you stabbed me multiple times and severely injured me, forcing me to flee!

    "In Eight Trigrams City, you emerged from the darkness to wound me once more and forced me to retreat prematurely!

    "At the Three Immortal Inds, you tarnished my name and made me the target of universal scorn!

    Dong Tianze stood on the Ghost Altar with a fierce expression, like a volcano on the verge of eruption. Unlike before, he neither disguised his voice nor concealed his identity as he vented his fury.

    Simrly, Pang Jian no longer disguised himself with a sallow appearance.

    Luo Hongyan watched keenly from the cave entrance, ncing between the explosive Dong Tianze and the indifferent Pang Jian. If Dong Tianze was an erupting volcano, Pang Jian was a cier. No matter how vtile Dong Tianze''s outburst was, Pang Jian remained motionless and unresponsive.

    "This guy''sck of a reaction could drive someone crazy." Luo Hongyan chuckled softly.

    Once Dong Tianze''s manic roars finally subsided, Pang Jian coldly asked, "Are you done, Sect Leader?"

    "Not yet!" The word "Sect Leader" reignited Dong Tianze''s fury.

    "I''m the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect, not someone you can summon at will! Pang Jian, you have some nerve, using me repeatedly in the lower world!

    "In our previous two trades, you knew who I was yet you still asked me to collect spirit materials for you! The Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder and the Refined Ghost Miasma¡ªyou used these materials to expose me!

    "Pang Jian, you¡ª"

    Dong Tianze continued to rage.

    Despite his ears ringing from the shouting, Pang Jian remained calm, letting Dong Tianze''s angry roars echo through the cave until he finally exhausted himself.

    An overwhelming frustration simmered in Dong Tianze at Pang Jian''s indifferent reaction.

    "Sect Leader, are you done this time?" Pang Jian asked again.

    Dong Tianze almost choked on his next words as he forcibly suppressed his wrath.

    "I''m done," he finally said, gasping for breath.

    "Good." Pang Jian nodded. Ignoring their past grievances, he went straight to the point, "Sect Leader, have you prepared the items?"

    Dong Tianze red murderously at him then sat down and coldly said, "Yes, they''re ready. What do you n to trade?"

    "I guarantee you''ll be satisfied."

    Gritting his teeth, Dong Tianze used his spiritual power to pull hundreds of saplings and seeds of rare spirit nts and flowers onto the depressions on the altar.

    Pang Jian''s eyes lit up. "Thank you for your trouble, Sect Leader."

    The little tree in Misty Swamp had simply requested the saplings and seeds of different types of nts and flowers. It did not specify that they had to be rare spirit nts.

    When Pang Jian sent the note, he had asked for the same thing and did not mention anything about rare spirit nts.

    Dong Tianze had misunderstood him. The saplings and seeds glowed faintly and were clearly rare spirit nts that cultivators meticulously nurtured in their herb gardens.

    As Pang Jian thought about it, he realized thatmon saplings and seeds held no value in the eyes of Dong Tianze and the Sinister Soul Temple. Naturally, Dong Tianze would not assume that Pang Jian sought ordinary nts.

    "Stop talking nonsense. What did you prepare?" Dong Tianze forcefully suppressed his anger.

    "Here!" Several spatial pouches appeared beside Pang Jian. He pulled out an array of spirit artifacts, leather armor, blood-stained spirit stones, and low to mid-grade ores of the metal, wood, water, fire, and earth elements. There were also some unknown jars and bowls among the spread.

    The veins on Dong Tianze''s forehead bulged as he sprang up with a furious roar!

    His senior brother, Wang Yisen, died in the battle on Ice Rock Ind, and Dong Tianze was branded the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect. Now, he was the target of universal scorn and was forced into seclusion by the Sinister Soul Temple.

    This was all because the man before him had repeatedly called him "Sect Leader" on Ice Rock Ind!

    After his identity was exposed, he tried to ughter everyone on Ice Rock Ind and killed many rogue cultivators with the Divine Spirit Pagoda and his Ghost''s Cry.

    When Luo Hongyan appeared, he had retreated hastily, leaving behind many valuable items.

    Now, Pang Jian was trading those very same items with him!

    "These-these¡ª!" Dong Tianze gasped. He was about to explode with rage. "These should be my spoils of war! I killed those people. These items rightfully belong to me! Pang Jian, you despicable scum, how dare you try to trade with me with these items?"

    Luo Hongyan could not help but smile.

    Pang Jian had plenty of spirit stones and spirit jades to buy those saplings and seeds from Dong Tianze, yet he chose to trade using the loot from the rogue cultivators. She felt like the disgraced Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect would die from sheer rage at this rate.

    "Sect Leader, you can only me yourself for leaving early and not collecting these items," Pang Jian said calmly. "Of course, you''ve put in a lot of effort, so I never nned on making an even trade. I intended to give you more than a fair deal."

    Dong Tianze felt like continuing to interact with Pang Jian would inevitably lead to an early death, Forcing himself to calm down despite his unsteady breaths, he asked, "What do you mean?"

    "Sect Leader, how many spirit stones did you spend on those seedlings and seeds?" Pang Jian asked

    Dong Tianze coldly replied, "Around six thousand!"

    Pang Jian silently clicked his tongue upon hearing the amount.

    Pretending to be in pain, he pulled out more low and mid-grade spirit artifacts from his spatial bracelet, alongside several hundred spirit stones, and presented them.

    Sighing, he said, "The value of these should be around seven thousand spirit stones."

    Although he had discussed things with Luo Hongyan beforehand, he still could not urately determine the value of the items and discreetly nced at Luo Hongyan for confirmation.

    Luo Hongyan smiled and gently nodded.

    Pang Jian continued, "These are worth seven thousand spirit stones. You only used six thousand spirit stones, so it should be enough topensate¡ª"

    "Ten thousand! Unless the total value reaches ten thousand spirit stones, it won''t be enough to pay for my losses! Those rogue cultivators died because of me, so I should take a share!" Dong Tianze loudly interrupted.

    A sense of satisfaction washed over Dong Tianze at Pang Jian''s pained expression. The value of the spirit stones did not matter to him. What mattered was causing Pang Jian to suffer.

    "If it''s ten thousand..." Pang Jian wore a troubled expression, appearing reluctant.

    Dong Tianze''s mood greatly improved at this, and his anger and frustration eased considerably.

    He arrogantly dered, "This is what you owe me. If you want to trade through the Ghost Altar again in the future, you must firstpensate me for my losses. And next time, when you request a trade, show some humility. Beg me, and I might respond to you."

    The thought of making Pang Jian grovel for a response through the Ghost Altar made the disgraced Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect feel much better.

    <i>Regardless of how formidable Pang Jian was at ck Orchid Lake or Eight Trigrams City, he still needs my help. If he''s asking for my help, it means he''s still under mymand!</i>

    This sense of superiority over Pang Jian was something Dong Tianze relished.

    "Ten thousand it is!" Pang Jian gritted his teeth and took out more misceneous spirit artifacts and spirit stones. "This is all I have!"

    "I''ll let you off easy this time!" Dong Tianze snorted coldly. "Remember to behave yourself in the future. Stop ying tricks behind my back and doing those underhanded things!"

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The items were exchanged.

    Dong Tianze also disappeared from the Ghost Altar.

    After stepping out of the Ghost Altar, he moved the items from the Ghost Altar and called toward the cave entrance, "Senior Brother Liu!"

    "I''m here." Liu Yan stepped inside the cave and stared at the mountain of items before him. "Junior Brother Dong, what is this?"

    "I killed a bunch of rogue cultivators on Ice Rock Ind and looted these from them," Dong Tianze said, pointing at the pile. Although he was the junior brother, he arrogantlymanded Liu Yan, "Senior Brother Liu, go and exchange these for spirit stones for me."

    "Alright." Knowing that Dong Tianze was highly regarded by Han Zhiyuan and had a powerful background, Liu Yan obediently collected all the items.

    "I haven''t been out of the cave for a while. I''m going for a walk and will be back shortly," Dong Tianze then left the busy Liu Yan and stepped out of the cave in a good mood.

    He could not help the pleasing sense of triumph filled him as he basked in the warmth of the sun.

    "It isn''t so bad having subordinates," he murmured contentedly.

    He felt he had firmly surpassed Pang Jian in both power and status.

 Chapter 151: Transfer of Resources

    <h4>Chapter 151: Transfer of Resources</h4>

    After Dong Tianze disappeared, Pang Jian looked at the faintly glowing saplings and seeds with a frown and muttered, "No manners at all. I wasn''t even finished talking."

    He had intended to ask how the Shadow Specter Sectmunicated and traded with those in the Fifth World. He had also wanted to learn more about the otherworldly beings in the Fifth World and how the Shadow Specter Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple viewed them.

    Unexpectedly, Dong Tianze left as soon as the trade was over.

    "Is Dong Tianze an idiot?" Luo Hongyan could not hold back herughter any longer. "I didn''t expect him to ept your request to trade through the Ghost Altar. He collected so many saplings and seeds for you.

    "Pang Jian, what made you so sure he would respond to you?"

    After a moment of hesitation, Pang Jian replied, "Don''t you think there''s something wrong with his head? When he gets agitated and violent, his thoughts be chaotic and unclear. He seems unstable."

    "Uh..." Luo Hongyan''s beautiful eyes showed a hint of surprise as she chuckled. "You think he''s an idiot?"

    Pang Jian nodded. "I''ve always felt he wasn''t quite right in the end. I don''t think he often receives acknowledgment from others, and there seems to be psychological reasoning behind his fierceness. I wasn''t sure he would agree to trade with me, but I thought it wouldn''t hurt to try."

    "Alright," Luo Hongyan said with a smile. She then nced at the saplings and seeds scattered around the cave and asked curiously, "Can you tell me what you n to do with these things now?"

    Although she was puzzled about Pang Jian''s intentions with the saplings and seeds, she still supported Pang Jian unconditionally.

    "It''s not me who needs them." Pang Jian pulled out the door-shaped bronze pendant from inside his clothes. "It''s the bronze pendant that needs them."

    Luo Hongyan''s eyes shed in understanding and she wisely left the cave entrance without asking any more questions. She was well aware of the mystical nature of the bronze pendant, so his simple answer was enough for everything to make sense to her.

    Pang Jian sat among the saplings and seeds, holding the bronze pendant as he knitted his brows in thought. "I could ce these saplings and seeds into my spatial bracelet, then return to the ck turtle''s fragmentednd. From there, I could bring them to Misty Swamp through the ck turtle, but..."

    Pang Jian was slightly troubled.

    He had previously traveled to the Giant Abyssal Serpent through the World Eater Vine and returned to the World Eater Vine using the same method.

    Based on his previous experiences, he could locate the wondrous beings nurtured in the bronze pendant through it and travel between them using its power.

    The problem was he needed to return to the ck turtle''s fragmentednd to travel between the Third and Fourth Worlds to deliver the saplings and seeds to the World Eater Vine in Misty Swamp.

    This would take considerable time and he would be forced to cancel his ns to travel to Old Monster Cao''s territory with Luo Hongyan.

    <i>Is there a way to do this directly through the bronze pendant?</i>

    Pang Jian racked his brain as he tried to figure out an alternative.

    Holding the bronze pendant in his left palm, he traced its surface using his right hand as he established a connection with the World Eater Vine.

    <i>Objects can be transferred through the Ghost Altar. Perhaps the bronze pendant could do it too.</i>

    Sensing the World Eater Vine in Misty Swamp, he mentally repeated his wish, hoping to trigger something unusual.

    He felt a sudden chill in his palm!

    An ice crystal, imbued with spatial power, covered the bronze pendant in frost, and a circle of mystical light rippled from his palm.

    A Mirror Tunnel had formed in his palm!

    It looked just like the one made of ice crystals on the surface of ck Orchid Lake!

    The Mirror Tunnel on ck Orchid Lake contained dark cyan lights with intertwining lines that outlined the shape of the ck turtle''s head.

    Now, the pendant was also enveloped in this mysterious light!

    <i>This could actually work!</i>

    Pang Jian picked up the sapling closest to him and tossed it into the glowing pendant in his palm.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The sapling vanished into thin air!

    On the other end, the sapling flew out from the thickening root base of the World Eater Vine in Misty Swamp.

    Pang Jian was overjoyed!

    Without further hesitation, he picked up the saplings and seeds and threw them into the glowing pendant in his palm.

    The saplings and seeds disappeared one after another!

    Under the gray sky of Misty Swamp In the Fourth World was a mystical little tree with saplings and seeds endlessly flying out from its branches and roots!

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Dozens of saplings and nearly a hundred seeds of different types of nts and flowers appeared!

    The World Eater Vine''s branches glowed with a mystical green light.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The dazzling green light twisted and turned like rivers. The faintly glowing saplings and seeds floated in these pure green streams of the concentrated essence of vegetation. Astonishingly, the saplings and seeds in these green rivers were rapidly growing!

    Each sapling grew bigger!

    The tiny seeds broke through their shells and sprouted!

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The rivers of concentrated essence of vegetation extended far and wide, nourishing the saplings and seeds within them as they dispersed them throughout Misty Swamp.

    Ten miles, thirty miles, a hundred miles!

    A magical scene unfolded in Divine Fortune. Unfortunately, because of the murky energy, no one was there to witness it.

    The World Eater Vine transported the saplings and seeds through Misty Swamp, aiming to transform it into a magical realm under its dominion.

    As this happened, the World Eater Vine was endlessly conveying its appreciation and joy to Pang Jian. Although it had only sought ordinary saplings and seeds, Pang Jian had surprisingly provided it with spirit nts and rare exotic flowers. This was far beyond its expectations, filling it with profound gratitude.

    It had recently gained self-awareness and intelligence and thus realized the immense value of the saplings and seeds. Unable to express itselfplexly, it could only repeatedlymunicate its thanks to Pang Jian.

    Inside the cave in the Third World, Pang Jian felt exhausted after thest batch of saplings and seeds disappeared into the glowing light of the bronze pendant

    "It worked..." He sighed, cutting off his connection with the World Eater Vine as he swallowed a Mind Soothing Pill.

    The joy and gratitude of the little tree made Pang Jian smile.

    "Dong Tianze gave me a surprise, and I, in turn, gave the little tree a big surprise," Pang Jian murmured with a smile. "I''m sure that sending these saplings and seeds to the World Eater Vine will lead to a remarkable transformation in Misty Swamp!"

    The World Eater Vine would only grow more rapidly, eventually bing the terrifying source of murky energy that Li Yuqing had mentioned.

    Pang Jian believed that the little tree, which had profound trust and reliance on him, would surely reward him with a great surprise once it grew.

    <i>The ck turtle and the little tree are much more loyal than that traitor.</i>

    With a light snort, Pang Jian established a connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    ***

    In the Fifth World, the Celestial Maiden stroked the forehead of the Giant Abyssal Serpent, sighing as she stared at a barren stone mountain in front of her andmented, "There''s no thunder or lightning in our Fifth World. Where can we find Thunderstruck Wood?

    "Sr Essence Stones only have a small chance of forming in mountain ranges and mines exposed to sunlight. The sun, moon, or stars cannot be seen in the Fourth World above us. Even if our warriors reach the Fourth World, it''ll be difficult for them to find.

    "Gold Obsidian is also scarce in this Fifth World. The Fifth World is at the lowest level and never sees the light of day. But what can we do?"

    <i>Thunderstruck Wood, Sr Essence Stones, Gold Obsidian...</i>

    As he listened to the Celestial Maiden through the Giant Abyssal Serpent, Pang Jian realized he had some Thunderstruck Wood and Gold Obsidian on him. These materials hade from the deceased rogue cultivators on Ice Rock Ind and were leftover from his trade with Dong Tianze.

    After a moment of contemtion, Pang Jian had an idea.

    Maintaining his connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent, he mentally repeated his wish, just as he had done with the World Eater Vine.

    The pendant was once again encased in ice crystal and let off a radiant light.

    <i>It worked!</i>

    Pang Jian retrieved the Gold Obsidian and Thunderstruck Wood from his spatial bracelet and tossed them into the glowing pendant.

    Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen!

    He soon realized the pain was not his but the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s!

    <i>Wooo!</i>

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent in the Fifth World felt an inexplicable pain, its pitch-ck eyes filled with terror as it writhed on the ground, rolling back and forth in agony. As it struggled, it started to howl and retch.

    <i>Plop!</i>

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent vomited chunks of gold-colored stones and branches with lightning patterns.

 Chapter 152: Celestial Maiden Yu Xin

    <h4>Chapter 152: Celestial Maiden Yu Xin</h4>

    The Gold Obsidian and Thunderstruck Wood miraculously appeared before the Celestial Maiden in the Fifth World!

    The Celestial Maiden was named Yu Xin and was a member of the Celestial Race. She had been frustrated over theck of these essential materials since losing contact with her connections in the upper worlds when these rare resources miraculously appeared before her.

    Her eyes were dazed. It was almost like the gods had bestowed these items upon her.

    The brilliance of the Gold Obsidian and the lightning patterns on the Thunderstruck Wood made Yu Xin instinctively rub her eyes. She thought it was an illusion.

    Picking up a piece of Gold Obsidian and feeling its cold hardness, her body trembled.

    "Xiao Hei! My Xiao Hei!" She gently hugged the neck of the Giant Abyssal Serpent. It was unclear whether she was deeply moved or quietly sobbing, but she kept whispering, "Xiao Hei, how did you do this?"

    She knew the Giant Abyssal Serpent was extraordinary and had seen images of Eight Trigrams City deep within its dark eyes.

    Using her soul-probing secret technique, she had also detected mysterious runes from the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir imprinted inside the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s heart. Even its blood held peculiar mysteries.

    Knowing the Giant Abyssal Serpent had a mysterious origin, she had named it Xiao Hei and regarded it as herpanion. She nned to help the Giant Abyssal Serpent increase its strength, patiently awaiting the day it would gain the self-awareness and intelligence to reveal its secrets.

    Unexpectedly, in her time of need, Xiao Hei produced Gold Obsidian and Thunderstruck Wood!

    "You¡ªyour intelligence had yet to experience a qualitative leap. I still can''tmunicate with you telepathically. How..." Tears welled in her eyes as she hugged the Giant Abyssal Serpent tightly.

    Once she had calmed herself, Yu Xin stood before the serpent and faced it directly.

    Her tranquil eyes gazed into the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s slitted pupils as she said tenderly, "So, even though you can''t speak and we can''tmunicate telepathically, you understand me. Xiao Hei, you actually understood me. But how did you get the Gold Obsidian and Thunderstruck Wood?"

    Yu Xin was both moved and astonished. It seemed like she was trying to stare into the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s soul through its slitted pupils. She longed to have a genuine conversation with her beloved Xiao Hei.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian saw the face of the mysterious woman with six pairs of white wings for the first time.

    Pang Jian was secretly amazed.

    The Celestial Maiden waspletely different from the one-eyed giants and the Vicious Beasts of the Fifth World. Her six pairs of white wings were the only feature distinguishing her from humans.

    She wore a pure white robe that draped delicately over her graceful figure. Her willow-leaf eyebrows and serene ck eyes looked like a normal human woman''s.

    At first nce, her features were small, and Pang Jian did not find her particrly stunning. Compared to Luo Hongyan and Li Yuqing, two women Pang Jian found extraordinarily beautiful, she was rather ordinary.

    However, the longer Pang Jian stared at her, the more beautiful she seemed to be.

    Her eyes and gentle demeanor left a deep impression on him, and her calming presence brought peace and tranquility to one''s heart.

    "Xiao Hei, you''ve been so good to me. How should I repay you?" Yu Xin whispered in a teary voice.

    <i>Repay...</i>

    Pang Jian tried tomunicate with the Giant Abyssal Serpent, wanting to request saplings and seeds from the Fifth World from Yu Xin.

    Despite being the first to awaken from the bronze pendant, the Giant Abyssal Serpent could not understand him and remained at aplete loss.

    <i>The dumbest of the bunch! </i>Pang Jian cursed in his heart.

    Suddenly, he thought of the little tree in Misty Swamp and recalled how it had used its branches to carve words into the ground.

    Changing his approach, he directed the Giant Abyssal Serpent to write some words on the ground.

    A strange light shone from the depths of the confused Giant Abyssal Serpent''s eyes. It twisted its tail, thrust it downward, then scraped it gratingly against the rocky ground.

    Yu Xin watched in bewilderment, eyes fixed on the movements of its tail.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Gently pping her wings, Yu Xin slowly ascended into the air, watching as a line of words was carved into the ground.

    <i>I need the saplings and seeds of different types of nts and flowers.</i>

    An odd light flickered in Yu Xin''s ck eyes. Surprised, she asked, "Xiao Hei, you¡ªyou''re not an herbivore, are you?"

    A pang of guilt hit Yu Xin. She felt like she had made a colossal mistake.

    "I-I didn''t know you were a herbivore! Wait for me!" she eximed, face turning red in distraught as she hurriedly flew away.

    Pang Jian sighed in relief.

    <i>She recognized the human race''s script,</i> he noted in surprise.

    He then realized she had been speaking in humannguage this whole time, which is why he could understand her!

    <i>Is thenguage and script of the human race also used in the Fifth World? </i>Pang Jian wondered.

    Feeling something was amiss, he maintained his connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent and waited for the Celestial Maiden to return.

    While waiting, Pang Jian focused on conveying his thoughts to the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    <i>After leaving the bronze pendant, the World Eater Vine and the Earth Spirit showed gratitude. But you, after leaving the bronze pendant, not only failed to do so, you even pledged allegiance to a new master!</i>

    Shortly after this thought was transmitted, a dense murky energy, brimming with destructive power and corrosive energy, flowed through the Giant Abyssal Serpent into the bronze pendant and poured into Pang Jian''s spiritual sea.

    Pang Jian let out a muffled groan and severed his connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    The bronze pendant slipped from his hand, and the radiant light used to transfer materials to the Giant Abyssal Serpent vanished.

    <i>Cough! Cough!</i>

    Pang Jian coughed violently, scratching his head in embarrassment as he realized he had misunderstood the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    The ck turtle could bestow upon him the spiritual qi of heaven and earth, while the World Eater Vine could transfer life energy through its two miraculous leaves to help heal serious injuries.

    Meanwhile, the Giant Abyssal Serpent could only offer the dense murky energy it had used to grow stronger in the dark depths of Eight Trigrams City.

    Unless Pang Jian''s spiritual sea had been drained beforehand, the murky energy from the Giant Abyssal Serpent would only contaminate it and sh with his spiritual power, providing no benefit at all.

    Luckily, he had not sought help from the Giant Abyssal Serpent duringbat. He would have likely died if he had.

    With that in mind, he swallowed two more Mind Soothing Pills and re-established a connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    <i>You don''t have to give me your energy anymore, </i>he said awkwardly.

    "Xiao Hei!" The graceful Yu Xin pped her white wings and descended from the high mountains above.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    She spread out her six pairs of white wings like feathered fans. On each wing were menacing-looking saplings and barbed flower seeds.

    "So, unlike other giant serpents, you primarily eat nts..."

    She gently shook her wings, sending the saplings and seeds flying toward the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s mouth.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent gritted its teeth and refused to open its mouth at the sight. The stone and branches from earlier had caused it to howl in agony. It could not imagine what horrors would ensue if these menacing saplings and terrifying seeds entered its stomach.

    <i>Open your mouth! Swallow them! </i>Pang Jian roared.

    Feeling extremely aggrieved, the Giant Abyssal Serpent had no choice but to open its mouth. Each sapling and seed it swallowed appeared from the bronze pendant in the Third World.

    "Xiao Hei, I''ve wronged you. From now on, I''ll only feed you nts."

    That was thest thing Pang Jian heard before severing his connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    Feeling sorry for the Giant Abyssal Serpent, he could not help but wonder if it would be thinner the next time he established a connection.

    Pang Jian then connected to the World Eater Vine in the Fourth World and sent over the saplings and seeds from the Fifth World using the same method as before.

    As the World Eater Vine received the saplings and seeds from the Fifth World, its joy increased to euphoria. Seeing its delight, Pang Jian did not linger to bask in its affection and gratitude and promptly severed their connection.

    As he stepped out of the cave, the mentally and physically exhausted Pang Jian habitually reached for a Mind Soothing Pill, only to find the bottle in his spatial bracelet was empty.

    "Do you have any more Mind Soothing Pills?" Pang Jian asked the moment he saw Luo Hongyan.

    "I gave you all of mine," Luo Hongyan said with a strange look in her eyes. ¡°You''re only at the Innate Realm. Why do you act like an old monster in the Spirit Condensation Realm? Are you that desperate for mind tranquility and concentration pills?¡±

    "Yes." Pang Jian nodded. "I''m exhausted. I''m going to sleep for a while. If we reach Old Monster Cao''s territory early, keep an eye out for Mind Soothing Pills or any pills with simr effects for me. And also Sr Essence Stones,"

    Once theynded on the Cloud Sail, the utterly exhausted Pang Jian sat down and instantly fell into a deep sleep, filling the air with snores.

    "What''s going on with your brother?" Gao Yuan asked in bewilderment.

    "He''s exhausted from his cultivation. Don''t worry about him," Luo Hongyan casually replied. "Don''t worry about anything else and just head straight to the fragmentednds under Old Monster Cao''s control. Time is running out for his trade fair and the Cloud Sail is too slow. Don''t dy any further."

    Gao Yuan smiled wryly. "I''m just worried¡ª"

    "There''s nothing to worry about." Luo Hongyan snorted coldly.

    "Alright, I understand."

 Chapter 153: The Real Cultivation Genius

    <h4>Chapter 153: The Real Cultivation Genius</h4>

    As the sun rose, the sky in the Third World was bathed in vibrant colors.

    Luo Hongyan gently shook Pang Jian awake. He asked groggily, "Have we arrived at Old Monster Cao''s fragmentednds, the Primordial Wilderness?"

    "Almost." Luo Hongyan shook her head and smiled, her bright eyes gleaming with amusement as she pointed behind Pang Jian. "We''ve run into an acquaintance."

    Pang Jian was still half-asleep as he stood and looked at where she was pointing. Behind them, he saw a ship bathed in the glow of the morning light. Its hull glowed a brilliant crimson as it sailed rapidly through the thick clouds above.

    The ship was made from refined iron and seemed to soar in the sky as if supported by crimson clouds. Arge ck g with a red mountain symbol fluttered in the wind.

    A ck g with a red mountain. That was the emblem of the Red Mountain Sect of the Third World.

    The ship was also heading toward the Primordial Wilderness but was much faster than their Cloud Sail.

    From their distance, Pang Jian could not make out the details on the ship and could only vaguely see a solitary girl in ck clothing with silver hair standing at the bow, gazing off into the distance. Her silver hair was in a ponytail and she had a red gourd asrge as her upper body strapped to her back.

    Though he could only see her blurred profile, Pang Jian felt an air of solitude and pride emanating from her that seemed to warn strangers to keep their distance.

    "I don''t know her." Pang Jian shook his head.

    Luo Hongyan rolled her eyes at him and said, "Look down the middle of the Scarlet Dawn Boat!"

    Pang Jian looked again.

    The Scarlet Dawn Boat had small groups of people milling about on its deck. Pang Jian caught a glimpse of a vaguely familiar woman in the crowd, though he could not recall who she was.

    Seeing his confused expression, Luo Hongyan stopped being mysterious and said, "It''s Jiang Li."

    "Ah!" Excitement welled up in Pang Jian''s chest, "Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping¡ª"

    "They''re not here," Luo Hongyan cut him off. "Jiang Li''s severed arm has grown back."

    Pang Jian was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

    "Perhaps Zhou Qingchen and the Red Mountain Sect helped Jiang Li regenerate her arm, or perhaps...Qi Qingsong kept his promise," Luo Hongyan spected.

    Gao Yuan overheard their somewhat hushed conversation and smiled. "Do you know Zhao Yuanqi?"

    "Zhao Yuanqi?" Luo Hongyan asked, puzzled.

    "Aren''t you talking about her? ck clothes, silver hair, and a big red gourd on her back. She''s under twenty years old and already in the Profound Abode Realm!" Gao Yuan said admiringly.

    Pang Jian raised an eyebrow. "Under twenty and already in the Profound Abode Realm?"

    Luo Hongyan was surprised. "She would be an eye-catching cultivation genius even in the Second World. She''s probably famous throughout the Third World, right?"

    "Absolutely!" Gao Yuan stood up and walked to the edge of the Cloud Sail. Gazing at the Scarlet Dawn Boat in the distance, he said enviously, "If she advances to the Spirit Condensation Realm, she''ll be promoted to an elder in the Red Mountain Sect.

    "Her future almost certainly lies in the upper worlds. The Red Mountain Sect is well aware that she won''t be confined to the Third World and are pouring their resources into nurturing her, hoping that she''ll remember their support once she seeds in the future," Gao Yuan exined.

    Luo Hongyan nodded. "Such a person will undoubtedly be highly valued when she goes to the Second World. She''s so young and already in the Profound Abode Realm. She could even make a name for herself in the First World!"

    Pang Jian was secretly amazed and could not help but recall Zhou Qingchen''s heartfelt words on Central Lake Ind. Zhou Qingchen had said that his cultivation talent, while extraordinary in the Fourth World, was nothingpared to the dazzling geniuses of the Third World.

    Zhao Yuanqi appeared to be one of these geniuses Zhou Qingchen had been referring to. It was no wonder he had said those words in the Solitary Mountain Range. He likely felt defeated after visiting the Red Mountain Sect and learning about Zhao Yuanqi.

    The Scarlet Dawn Boat had elerated while Pang Jian was lost in thought, and by the time Pang Jian turned back to catch another glimpse at the talented Zhao Yuanqi, the boat had already disappeared from view.

    "The Gilded Chariot is sturdy; the Fire Cloud Ship, spacious; and the Formless Sailboat, extravagant; but if there''s one thing the Scarlet Dawn Boat excels in, it''s speed!" Gao Yuan exined. "There are no amodations for cultivators on the Scarlet Dawn Boat, so it appears rather rudimentary with its small hull, but it''s the fastest flying vessel in the Third World!

    "It''s the most expensive among the major sects'' flying vessels, costing around a million spirit stones! It''s also the only of the major sects'' flying vessels to be procured from the Divine Treasure Sect!" Gao Yuan said enviously.

    As amon Cloud Sail owner among rogue cultivators, he could only imagine how impressive it would be tomand a Scarlet Dawn Boat!

    <i>A million spirit stones for one and it''s a product of the Divine Treasure Sect...</i> Pang Jian silently took note.

    From Gao Yuan''s expression, it was clear that flying vessels from the Divine Treasure Sect were of the highest quality. The Fire Cloud Ship, Formless Sailboat, and Gilded Chariot were all lower-tier products inparison.

    ***

    On the Scarlet Dawn Boat, Zhao Yuanqi turned to Jiang Li and called, "Senior Sister Jiang, we''re almost at the Primordial Wilderness. Come and have a look."

    Jiang Li stood up and walked over with a smile. The other disciples from the Red Mountain Range looked on with envy as Jiang Li received special attention from Zhao Yuanqi.

    Zhao Yuanqi was destined to ascend to the Second World and enjoyed many privileges within the Red Mountain Sect. The Scarlet Dawn Boat, for instance, while nominally belonging to the sect, was actually her private possession.

    The Sect Leader and all the elders treated Zhao Yuanqi like a revered figure, knowing she could protect the Red Mountain Sect in the future!

    However, when Zhao Yuanqi first entered the Red Mountain Sect to cultivate, her astonishing talent had not yet manifested, and many showed malice toward this proud girl.

    Zhao Yuanqi was exceptionally precocious when she was younger and had striking silver hair by the time she turned twelve or thirteen. Her silver hair only made her stand out in the Red Mountain Sect, and she was frequently ridiculed behind her back.

    Back then, the silver-haired girl had been even more reclusive than she was now and had no one to talk to. Only the gentle Jiang Li took the initiative to approach her. It had taken a long time for Jiang Li to earn Zhao Yuanqi''s trust, but in doing so, she became her only friend.

    When Zhao Yuanqi''s explosive talent revealed itself, her status within the Red Mountain Sect rose significantly, but she remained fond of Jiang Li alone.

    The delicate and charming Zhao Yuanqi fixed her cold, crystal-like eyes on Jiang Li''s newly grown arm.

    "Is your hand alright?" she asked, biting her lower lip. "I told you I''d get the spirit materials for your bone forging, marrow cleansing process after my seclusion, but you still insisted on participating in that trial with the others!"

    Jiang Li smiled faintly. "You have your path in life, and I have mine. I can''t rely on you to take care of me forever."

    Jiang Li had joined Zhao Yuanqi in her journey to Old Monster Cao''s Primordial Wilderness because they would pass by the Three Immortal Inds on the way.

    After hearing Dong Tianze would be at the Three Immortal Inds, Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping boarded a Cloud Sail to seek revenge and refused to take her with them.

    Worried about their safety, Jiang Li waited for Zhao Yuanqi toe out of seclusion and boarded her Scarlet Dawn Boat. Other members of the Red Mountain Sect also took the opportunity to join them on their journey to the Primordial Wilderness.

    Along the way, the Scarlet Dawn Boat made a special stop at the Three Immortal Inds for her. There, she met people from the Radiant Sun Sect and learned Zhou Qingchen had gone to the lower world instead of the Three Immortal Inds.

    Relieved, she continued her journey with Zhao Yuanqi to Old Monster Cao''s Primordial Wilderness.

    "Qi Qingsong is also at the Primordial Wilderness." Zhao Yuanqi''s eyes shed coldly.

    "I no longer hold any grudge against him. Don''t meddle in our affairs." Jiang Li raised her newly grown arm with a smile. "He cut off one of his arms because of Pang Jian. Even so, he didn''t use the Exquisite Jade Bone Regrowth Ointment on himself first and instead endured the pain and sought me out so he could let me regrow my arm first.

    "Also, I didn''t fully understand the situation in Eight Trigrams City. When he came to the Red Mountain Sect a few months ago to find me, he told me that one of our senior brothers had attacked him first"

    "Pang Jian..." The aloof Zhou Yuanqi knitted her brows. Jiang Li had mentioned the name many times. Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping had also brought him up more than once, so she naturally took note.

    Qi Qingsong had since advanced two cultivation realms, shocking the entire Second World, and bing a distinguished guest of Old Monster Cao. Knowing this, she could not help but feel even more curious about Pang Jian.

    <i>What kind of person could''ve forced the now-famous Qi Qingsong to cut off his own arm? Even after obtaining the Exquisite Jade Bone Regrowth, he didn''t use it on himself but instead brought it to Jiang Li first, only having peace of mind after her arm regrew, </i>Zhao Yuanqi wondered.

    Jiang Li was also thinking about Pang Jian.

    <i>Hopefully, Pang Jian''s safe. I hope I get to see Sister Luo''s true appearance one day</i>.

    Qi Qingsong had told Jiang Li that a person named Luo Hongyan had been inhabiting Ning Yao''s body. Though Luo Hongyan appeared aloof, Jiang Li knew that Luo Hongyan had quietly taken care of her and Su Meng.

    She was grateful to both Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan, and longed to see what Luo Hongyan looked like after leaving Ning Yao''s body.

    ***

    Several dayster, on a bright, sunny day, a Cloud Sail with only three passengers approached arge fragmentednd.

    "We''ve arrived." Gao Yuan stood up with a smile.

    Waking up from his cultivation, Pang Jian also stood up. Holding onto the edge of the Cloud Sail, he gazed at the famous fragmentednds known as the Primordial Wilderness, governed by one of the strongest rogue cultivators in the Third World, Old Monster Cao.

 Chapter 154: Jiu Yuan of the Blood Moon Sect

    <h4>Chapter 154: Jiu Yuan of the Blood Moon Sect</h4>

    Pang Jian had been deeply immersed inprehending the mysteries of the Innate Realmtely. When he heard they had arrived at the Primordial Wilderness, he stood up to peer down at the scenery.

    Nine towering peaks rose majestically from the verdant earth, standing tall and imposing.

    The Primordial Wilderness wasrger than the Three Immortal Inds, with a total area four to five times that of Divine Fortune. Thend was covered in wilderness, with nine towering peaks in the center.

    A pce-like structure stood at the summit of a two thousand zhang tall peak. The other eight peaks had no buildings and were upied by Fire Cloud Ships, Formless Sailboats, Scarlet Dawn Boats, Gilded Chariots, and Cloud Sails.

    However, most of the Cloud Sails were anchored in the forests as theycked the privilege tond at the peaks.

    Pang Jian''s eyes swept across the fragmentedndscape and noticed several Fire Cloud Ships and Formless Sailboats docked at the slightly shorter peaks. It was evident the members of the Radiant Sun Sect and the Blood Moon Sect had arrived separately.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Cloud Sails headed toward the Primordial Wilderness below one after another.

    Pang Jian estimated roughly a hundred Cloud Sails docked in the forests. This did not include the advanced flying vessels from the Radiant Sun Sect, the Blood Moon Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the Red Mountain Sect.

    Considering each Cloud Sail could carry dozens of people, the number of cultivators in the Primordial Wilderness was likely in the thousands.

    "The First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness is where Old Monster Cao holds the trade fair. Most of his subordinates are concentrated there," Gao Yuan exined. "Those qualified tond at the Second Peak to the Eighth Peak are either from the five major sects or are renowned rogue cultivators in the Third World.

    "The Primordial Wilderness is vast, and Old Monster Cao cannot manage it all. Combat is only prohibited on the First Peak and its surrounding areas.

    "Participants whock confidence in their strength and fear ambushes from rogue cultivators can spend arge amount of spirit stones to stay in the caves of the First Peak. They won''t have to worry about trouble as long as they stay there until they leave the Primordial Wilderness."

    Gao Yuan wanted the siblings to be aware of the rules so they could decide whether they would stay at the First Peak afternding.

    That was when an unexpected message came in from a talisman for short-distancemunication under Gao Yuan''s robes.

    "Yuan Fei is also here. He called me over to chat." Gao Yuan said, ncing around. Spotting a Cloud Sail stopped mid-air, he turned to Luo Hongyan. "If it won''t dy us, I''d like to¡ª"

    "Take your time." Luo Hongyan nodded.

    "Thank you." Gao Yuan bowed, then directed his Cloud Sail toward Yuan Fei''s ship.

    "Maverick Ling Yun and Wang Yisen had nearly 100,000 spirit stones and many rare items. I''ll go and exchange these for two participation tokenster," Luo Hongyan said softly to Pang Jian.

    "Profound Abode Realm cultivators have that many spirit stones on them?" Pang Jian was astonished.

    The spirit stones, spirit artifacts, and pills in the spatial pouches of the deceased rogue cultivators on Ice Rock Ind only added up to about ten to twenty thousand spirit stones each.

    The number of spirit stones these two powerful cultivators possessed far exceeded that of hundreds of deceased rogue cultivatorsbined!

    "Rogue cultivators in the Marrow Cleansing Realm and Meridian Opening Realms don''t have much wealth. The few Innate Realm rogue cultivators on the ind managed to survive and make it to Yuan Fei''s Cloud Sail," Luo Hongyan said regretfully.

    "Ah!" Gao Yuan suddenly screamed.

    Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan had been engrossed in their conversation and had not been paying attention to Gao Yuan. The pair turned to look for what had caused his scream.

    A yed corpse hung from the mast of Yuan Fei''s Cloud Sail!

    The bloody corpse had been left exposed under the scorching sun and looked incredibly gruesome. While the face of the corpse was rtively intact, the eyes had been gouged out, leaving only empty sockets filled with congealed blood.

    "Yuan Fei!" Gao Yuan cried.

    <i>If Yuan Fei was dead, who sent him the message?</i>

    Gao Yuan trembled as a sense of foreboding washed over him. Suppressing his curiosity, he prepared to turn his Cloud Sail around and make a hasty departure.

    As a rogue cultivator, he was like rootless duckweed in this harsh world. Encounters with powerful disciples from the five major sects could easily result in his death and meeting stronger rogue cultivators could lead to an inexplicable demise. Despite his overwhelming curiosity, he did not dare to investigate further or ask questions.

    A deep, hoarse voice came from below Yuan Fei''s corpse. "This old man is Jiu Yuan."

    Gao Yuan''s scalp tingled.

    Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan frowned at the familiar name.

    While the deaths of the Shadow Specter Sect''s members had been due to Maverick Ling Yun''s information and Zhu Yuanxi''s actions, the true mastermind that had ordered it all was Jiu Yuan!

    In the Fourth World, Fei Zheng had forcibly abducted Bai Wei and Bai Zhi to curry favor with Jiu Yuan, leading to the Shadow Specter Sect and Pang Jian''s joint raid on the beast-hunting sailboat.

    From the beginning, the root cause of the bloody conflict between the Shadow Specter Sect and the Blood Moon Sect had been Jiu Yuan!

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A burly man with broad shoulders and a crimson cloak stood up with a smile. He flew toward Gao Yuan''s Cloud Sail and said, "Don''t be in such a hurry to leave. I sent you a message because I wanted to have a chat."

    Although he was talking to Gao Yuan, Jiu Yuan''s eyes remained fixed on Luo Hongyan and Pang Jian.

    Yuan Fei had confessed everything he knew under intense interrogation. Thus, Jiu Yuan learned about the mysterious siblings from the Second World appearing on Ice Rock Ind.

    The brother had paid special attention to the Shadow Specter Sect members'' bodies and had referred to Dong Tianze as the Sect Leader. He had also killed Zhu Yuanxi, seemingly to avenge the members of the Shadow Specter Sect.

    <i>They''re from the upper world but have connections to the Shadow Specter Sect. I wonder what the situation could be...</i>

    Jiu Yuan did not know much about Luo Hongyan and Pang Jian, so he refrained from acting rashly. After learning they were traveling with Gao Yuan, he decided to wait for them on Yuan Fei''s Cloud Sail to see them in person.

    When Jiu Yuannded, Gao Yuan immediately bowed, his body going cold with fear.

    "This young one is Gao Yuan. At your service, Elder Jiu Yuan," he greeted

    With Jiu Yuan''s status in the Blood Moon Sect, killing rogue cultivators like him and Yuan Fei was no different from ughtering a chicken. Even within the Primordial Wilderness, Jiu Yuan could kill Gao Yuan at will unless he stayed at the First Peak.

    Jiu Yuan nodded without even ncing at Gao Yuan. Instead, his crimson pupils gazed intently at the veiled Luo Hongyan.

    Smiling brightly, he said, "Don''t take offense. This old man just wanted to see who killed Ling Yun and Zhu Yuanxi. Everyone knows Zhu Yuanxi was my subordinate and Ling Yun...Well, we were close."

    "I''m the one who killed them," Luo Hongyan responded calmly, returning Jiu Yuan''s stare with a mocking smile. "What do you intend to do about it?"

    Her strength would soar as long as she could find the necessary rare spirit materials at Old Monster Cao''s trade fair. Once that happened, she would have no reason to fear Jiu Yuan.

    She dared to be brazen in front of Jiu Yuan because she could dramatically increase herbat prowess in a short time.

    Jiu Yuan suppressed his anger and asked, "Could you give me a reason?"

    "There''s no reason!" Luo Hongyan''s attitude was firm.

    "Then could you tell me where youe from?" Jiu Yuan asked again.

    "You''re not qualified to know."

    Jiu Yuan took a deep breath, his chest swelling like a balloon, making him appear even bulkier than before. He cast a long, deep stare at Luo Hongyan before smiling faintly and nodding. sping his hands together, he said, "Please pardon my intrusion."

    As soon as he finished speaking, he left Gao Yuan''s Cloud Sail. The instant hended on Yuan Fei''s Cloud Sail, it exploded.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The Cloud Sail burst into a spray of wooden chips which were then pulverized into dust by a crimson light.

    Having nowhere else to vent his anger, Jiu Yuan headed to the Fourth Peak of the Primordial Wilderness in a swirl of dust.

    Gao Yuan copsed onto the deck, drenched in sweat. He wiped his brow while gasping for breath.

    "I''m still alive," he muttered, his face deathly pale.

    "It''s unlucky that we encountered this guy before even arriving at the Primordial Wilderness." Luo Hongyan snorted, ncing at the unruffled Pang Jian. "Do you know why I kept defying him? The more you stand up to him, the more he fears you."

    Pang Jian nodded in acknowledgment.

    "People like him won''t hesitate once they''re certain they can eliminate you without trouble." Eyeing Gao Yuan''s sprawled form, she mocked, "Are you that afraid of him?"

    "If it weren''t for you two, I''d have ended up like Yuan Fei. He would''ve skinned me alive," Gao Yuan said, still gasping for air. He was clearly shaken.

    Although Yuan Fei''s Cloud Sail had been destroyed, the image of Yuan Fei''s bloody, skinned corpse hanging from the mast still lingered. It would likely haunt him for years toe.

    Rogue cultivators like him did not have the protection of a sect and were destined to face horrific ends if they inadvertently provoked someone like Jiu Yuan.

    The only way for rogue cultivators tomand the respect and caution of the five major sects was to reach the level of someone like Old Monster Cao.

    "We''ll stay at the First Peak to be safe. It might cost more spirit stones, but at least during the trade fair, you two won''t face any trouble," Luo Hongyan said decisively.

    Gao Yuan nodded vigorously in agreement. "I''ve decided. I''ll spend all my savings if I have to. As long as Jiu Yuan is in the Primordial Wilderness, I''m not leaving the First Peak!"

    The tragic death of Yuan Fei forced him to exercise extreme caution as he did not wish to fall victim to Jiu Yuan or his subordinates.

    Soon, their Cloud Sail descended toward the Primordial Wilderness.

    Two Formless Sailboats were anchored on the Fourth Peak. The muscr Jiu Yuan stood at the summit with his crimson cloak billowing in the wind, watching as Gao Yuan''s Cloud Sail descended into the valley of the First Peak.

    <i>So, they''re from the upper world. Are they from a noble family? Or one of those sects?</i> Jiu Yuan wondered with a frown.

 Chapter 155: Self-Created Technique

    <h4>Chapter 155: Self-Created Technique</h4>

    Avishly decorated Cloud Sail descended, stopping mid-air at the Fourth Peak upied by the Blood Moon Sect. A burly man named Lei Kun, with a square face and rugged features,ughed heartily as he flew out from the Cloud Sail andnded beside Jiu Yuan.

    "Brother Jiu Yuan!"

    The members of the Blood Moon Sect on the Fourth Peak sat down in silence when they recognized the neer.

    Jiu Yuan shifted his attention from Gao Yuan''s Cloud Sail to hisrades-in-arms. He and Lei Kun had explored many restricted areas together.

    "Lei Kun, what brings you to Primordial Wilderness?" he asked curiously. "Is there something you need among Old Monster Cao''s treasures?"

    Before Lei Kun could reply, the coquettish voices of several beautiful women came from within his Cloud Sail.

    "Master Lei, we also want to take a look around."

    "Old Lei, we want to explore the summit."

    A beautiful woman poked her head out, nced at the Blood Moon Sect cultivators, and quickly retracted her head.

    "All of you, stay inside!" Lei Kun''s stern gaze swept over the pampered women. He then turned back to Jiu Yuan with a cheerful smile. "I don''t know what exactly Old Monster Cao has avable. However, his men have a list of spirit materials from the participants, and the lightning attribute spirit materials I need are on it.

    "I''ve obtained the ck Thunder True Art but don''t dare to guide heavenly thunder into my body to cultivate. You know how domineering the ck Thunder True Art is. One mistake and I''ll be obliterated."

    Lei Kun sighed with a bitter smile.

    Jiu Yuan and Lei Kun were cut from the same cloth. Thus, Jiu Yuan tacitly understood the hidden meaning behind his words.

    "I understand. I''ll refine a new body for you as a backup," Jiu Yuan replied and gazed lustfully at the beautiful women within the Cloud Sail.

    Lei Kunughed heartily. "Feel free to take your pick if any of them catch your eye!"

    When Lei Kun''s words reached the ears of the previously moring women, their faces paled as they realized the hard truth. Despite his disys of affection, they were merely disposable in Lei Kun''s eyes.

    A sense of dread settled over them. Jiu Yuan''s notorious reputation and tales of the grim fates of the women unfortunate enough to cross his path only heightened this feeling.

    "I''m not interested in your ythings." Jiu Yuan shook his head. The ordinary, vulgar women in the Cloud Sail were not his type, and he could not be bothered to ask Lei Kun for them.

    "By the way, how did the new body I asked you to refine get into trouble in the lower world? How did the insignificant Shadow Specter Sect from the Fourth World dare to attack your Blood Moon Sect''s beast-capturing sailboat?" Lei Kun''s face turned cold. "Even if the new body only contained a fragment of my soul, it shouldn''t have been something a Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator could handle!"

    Jiu Yuan frowned as he recalled a minor detail from the surviving members of the Blood Moon Sect''s reports.

    When the Shadow Specter Sect had attacked the beast-hunting sailboat and were fighting the members of the Blood Moon Sect on the deck, a mysterious woman appeared.

    This mysterious woman had destroyed the Eye of Imprint, and her immense power had struck fear into the hearts of the Blood Moon Sect cultivators, causing them to flee the sailboat in panic.

    Some disciples had seen her entering the cabin where Lei Kun''s new body had been kept.

    "A stunning woman and the younger brother of a pair of siblings addressing Dong Tianze as the Sect Leader and iming to avenge the members of the Shadow Specter Sect..." Jiu Yuan muttered, thoughtfully stroking his chin.

    After contemting for a moment, he exined his suspicions to Lei Kun, "I suspect a pair of siblings from the upper world participated in the attack on the beast-hunting sailboat. The destruction of your new body might be the sister''s doing, but I haven''t figured out their names yet."

    Lei Kun snorted coldly. "Are they in the Primordial Wilderness?"

    "Yes, they just moved into a cave dwelling on the First Peak. I''m uncertain about their backgrounds, and as a Blood Moon Sect''s elder, I have to consider the consequences of my actions.

    "But you...you''re just a rogue cultivator. Even if theye from a noble family or a powerful sect, you won''t bring trouble to your sect," Jiu Yuan hinted.

    "I''ll check them out."

    "Good. I only know that the rogue cultivator apanying them is called Gao Yuan. Be careful." Jiu Yuan''s eyes shed with violence as he grinned. "If they''re confirmed as the attackers and aren''t actually from the upper world, I''ll make them wish they were dead."

    "Got it, I know your temper." Lei Kun nodded with a bitter smile. "You still need to continue refining a new body for me. Without a new vessel to transfer my soul into, I don''t dare cultivate the ck Thunder True Art."

    "I understand. I''ll make the necessary arrangements."

    ***

    "Two hundred spirit stones for a single day?" Pang Jian clicked his tongue as he stood at the entrance of the cave dwelling number fifty-six.

    Their assigned cave dwelling was on the neenth floor of the First Peak in the Primordial Wilderness.

    Gao Yuan stood at the entrance of cave dwelling number fifty-five to his right.

    "Yes, it costs two hundred spirit stones for a single day," Gao Yuan said with a pained expression. "The First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness has thirty-six floors, each with cave-dwellings like these. The cave dwellings on the neenth floor, where we are, are considered higher tier, so the price is naturally higher."

    Theirte arrival meant the cheaper cave dwellings below the neenth floor had long since been taken. Rogue cultivators from the Third World and descendants of noble families from the Cosmic Skies Continent and the Dark Abyss Continent all gathered at Old Monster Cao''s Primordial Wilderness to broaden their horizons.

    Those fearing ambushes and attacks could only spend spirit stones to stay at the First Peak, ensuring their safety while in the Primordial Wilderness.

    "I live next door. If you need anything,e and find me. I saw some familiar rogue cultivators just now, also staying on the First Peak, so I''ll try to gather some information."

    With that, Gao Yuan left.

    In front of the row of cave dwellings was a stone pathway leading to stone steps on each end. Gao Yuan descended one of these steps and headed to the lower floors.

    <i>His rogue cultivator friends must be staying below us.</i>

    Pang Jian watched as Gao Yuan stopped at a lower floor and entered a few cave dwellings on the left.

    <i>He went to the seventh floor</i>.

    After noting Gao Yuan''s location, Pang Jian entered his cave dwelling and gently closed the stone door.

    The cave dwelling was tidy and simply furnished with a table, chairs, and a bed. A meditation mat was ced for cultivation, and the walls were iid with luminous pearls, brightly lighting up the space. Despite theck of arrays, the ce was rich with natural spiritual qi.

    "It''s a nice ce," Pang Jian said softly.

    Of all the ces he had been since leaving the Solitary Mountain Range, the fragmentednd of the Primordial Wilderness had the richest spiritual qi.

    Divine Fortune, Ice Rock Ind, and the nameless fragmentednd where the ck turtle resided all paled inparison to the Primordial Wilderness in terms of size and spiritual qi.

    It was no wonder Cao Meng, the number one rogue cultivator in the Third World, had chosen to make the Primordial Wilderness his territory.

    "I wonder if she''s doing well," Pang Jian muttered, staring at the empty cave dwelling.

    After spending so much time with Luo Hongyan, he felt unsettled to be in the cave dwelling alone.

    Luo Hongyan had only gone to pay to participate in the trade fair. Old Monster Cao''s men would check the amount of spirit stones and exchange them for a participation token.

    <i>Jiu Yuan wouldn''t dare to cause trouble with her cultivation realm. Not to mention, we''re on the First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness.</i>

    Still slightly worried, Pang Jian sat on the meditation mat and took out a stack of cultivation technique manuals.

    <i>Profound Yang Technique, Divine Star Art, Yellow Star Technique, zing Fire Art, Lunar Eye...</i>

    Each manual contained low to mid-level cultivation techniques and offensive arts rted to fire, the sun, the moon, and the stars. These had all been salvaged from the deceased rogue cultivators on Ice Rock Ind.

    He deliberately kept hold of these rtively basic cultivation techniques and offensive arts because of his unique dantian and spiritual sea, which could amodate different energies.

    His cultivation path differed from that of regr cultivators due to the extraordinary nature of his spiritual sea as he did not need to stubbornly focus on mastering a single profound and intricate technique.

    Rather, the key to significantly enhancing hisbat prowess and breakthrough in his cultivationy in the fusion of different energies.

    These low and mid-level techniques could all exhibit extraordinary power when executed withbined energies.

    Pang Jian had his own unique path in cultivation.

    ***

    That same day, Pang Jian stood by the dome-shaped rock wall in his cave dwelling and moved both hands in unison to form a brilliant river of stars.

    This magnificent river of stars appeared to be filled with the sun, moon, and stars and seemed to contain the profound mysteries of the starry sky.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Dazzling starlight, sr rays, and Lunar Edges shot out from the radiant river and descended like meteors. The ground of cave dwelling number fifty-six crackled as craters formed.

    Pang Jian had harnessed the unique capabilities of his Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea tobine the Primordial Sun Technique, the Profound Yang Technique, the Earth ze Technique, the Lunar Edge Technique, the Divine Star Art, and several other low to mid-level cultivation techniques and offensive arts to forge a powerful offensive secret technique.

    "I''ll call it...Cosmic Fission," Pang Jian said with satisfaction.

    This offensive technique was inspired by the Starflow Technique, which refined ster energy into meteors. With this as his foundation, he first integrated sr energy and earthme energy, then cold energy, and finally incorporated lunar and ster energies to form a rtivelyplete cosmic construct.

    A true cosmic construct made of not only the stars but also the sun and the moon. The term "fission" came from the first move of his Startling ughter Spear, the Explosive Dance. Whenbined with his improved Starflow Technique, they formed Cosmic Fission.

    He was well aware of the uniqueness of his spiritual sea and did not rigidly adhere to a single technique. Instead, he worked with his Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea to experiment and fuse different techniques together.

    Seeing the resulting power, he felt quite satisfied.

    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>

    Angry pounding suddenly came from the rocky ground beneath his feet.

    The person beneath his cave dwelling on the eighteenth floor below was dissatisfied with hismotion and was angrily cursing and pounding on their ceiling.

 Chapter 156: Making Peace

    <h4>Chapter 156: Making Peace</h4>

    "Are you done?"

    Embarrassingly, a furious female voice came from the rocky ground beneath Pang Jian. Despite holding back his strength, he still disturbed the person below.

    Pang Jian knew he was in the wrong and chose not to respond to the angry woman''s "gentle" inquiry, hoping to quell her anger with his silence.

    <i>Bang! Bang!</i>

    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>

    The women hade to pound on the stone door of Pang Jian''s cave dwelling

    Pang Jian reluctantly opened the door to apologize but the beautiful woman standing outside the stone door did not give him the chance.

    "Can you not practice such destructive techniques inside? Don''t you know others need peace to cultivate? Where did such a wild brate from? No sense of manners at all! My head feels like it''s about to explode because of you. What''re you trying to do?"

    "Brat, don''t think you''re impressive just because you live above me! I''m only down there because I''m short on funds. Otherwise, I''d be on the upper floors too!"

    The woman reprimanding Pang Jian was named Han Ting. A while back, she and a few rogue cultivators had explored a restricted area. After being seriously injured, she escaped to the Primordial Wilderness and was now recuperating on the First Peak.

    She nned to seek revenge once she recovered, but the constant noise from above had disturbed her rest. She had tried to be tolerant, but themotion had only grown louder, preventing her from healing peacefully.

    "I didn''t know someone was staying below me. I''m sorry." Pang Jian cupped his hands in apology.

    "Brat, don''t say I didn''t warn you! You''ll have to pay if you damage Old Monster Cao''s cave dwelling!" Han Ting scolded. "You''ve been disturbing me for half a day now. You owe mepensation for my loss!"

    Pang Jian knew he was in the wrong and quietly allowed her to vent her dissatisfaction with him.

    As he was about to appease her, a person emerged from cave dwelling number fifty-seven to his left, grinning as he said, "Damaging Old Monster Cao''s cave dwelling is expensive. I hope you prepared enough spirit stones forpensation."

    Pang Jian turned to look at the neer.

    His heart trembled!

    Back in the cabin of the beast-hunting sailboat in Divine Fortune City, a blood shadow with a square face and the appearance of a middle-aged man had floated out of a blood barrel.

    The person before him was the same as the blood shadow back then!

    Though his mind was in turmoil, Pang Jian''s expression remained calm and he retorted, "It''s none of your business!"

    Lei Kun grinned maliciously. As he was about to reply, Han Ting shoved Pang Jian into his cave dwelling and mmed the door shut.

    "That kid..." Lei Kun frowned as he stared at the stone door.

    A hint of surprise flickered in Pang Jian''s eyes when he saw Lei Kun, but it was unclear whether this was due to Lei Kun''s words or because he recognized him.

    Aside from his initial surprise, Pang Jian showed no other abnormal reactions and even boldly snapped back at him. This puzzled Lei Kun even more. Logically, if Pang Jian had raided the beast-hunting sailboat and seen his new body, he likely would not have dared to retort with "None of your business."

    "Was Jiu Yuan wrong? Maybe it''s not him," Lei Kun muttered.

    A look of surprise was insufficient to determine if Pang Jian and his sister had been involved in the Shadow Specter Sect''s operation.

    He decided to keep observing.

    ***

    Pang Jian stared at Han Ting in confusion inside his cave dwelling, sizing her up properly for the first time.

    The female cultivator before him wore a neat, simple purple outfit. A spatial pouch hung from her waist and her long ck hair fell naturally over her shoulders. Aside from the spatial pouch, she wore no essories, hairpins, or jewelry.

    Although her appearance was only slightly above average, her figure was voluptuous, with her chest and hips seeming like they were about to burst out of her clothes.

    This female cultivator appeared to be in her early twenties. When Pang Jian sensed her aura, he discovered she was naturally attuned to the spiritual qi within the cave dwelling, indicating she was in the Innate Realm.

    He also noticed her blood essence was weak and her face was somewhat pale.

    <i>Perhaps she''s still recovering from a severe injury.</i>

    "Brat, you really don''t know what''s good for you!" Han Ting''s temper was reignited when she saw Pang Jian staring at her figure. ring at him, she angrily said, "You''re about to die, yet you still dare to ogle? Do you know who you just offended?"

    Pang Jian shook his head. He was curious about the square-faced man, whose new body had been killed by Luo Hongyan on the beast-hunting sailboat.

    The man''s new body had threatened to seek revenge but Luo Hongyan had been unruffled. Afterward, she told Pang Jian the man''s soul fragment could not contact his true body at his current cultivation realm.

    In other words, the man would only know his new body had been destroyed, but not who had killed him.

    "That''s Lei Kun! He''s a renowned rogue cultivator in the Third World, known for his explosive temper and expertise in thunder-attribute techniques!" Han Ting revealed in a low voice. "Does he have a grudge against you?"

    Pang Jian shook his head. "I''ve never met him before."

    "Then why''s he in the cave dwelling next to you?" Han Ting asked suspiciously. "He''s in the early stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm, and though he''s not as famous as Old Monster Cao, he''s still a noteworthy rogue cultivator in the Third World.

    "Furthermore, he has a good rtionship with Jiu Yuan, an elder of the Blood Moon Sect. As long as he doesn''t provoke the geniuses and elders of the Star River Alliance, the Red Mountain Sect, or the Radiant Sun Sect, he can do as he pleases in the Primordial Wilderness.

    "He has no reason to stay on the First Peak. Even if he wanted to stay here, he should be on the uppermost floor, not the neenth floor."

    Han Ting saw Pang Jian did not know Lei Kun''s status and feared he would run his mouth, inadvertently bringing unnecessary trouble upon himself. Thus, she pushed him inside the cave dwelling to exin.

    <i>A famous rogue cultivator in the early stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm who is also acquainted with Jiu Yuan... </i>Pang Jian silently pondered.

    He soon concluded Lei Kun''s presence was likely rted to the Blood Moon Sect''s Jiu Yuan. It appeared rted to the raid on the beast-hunting sailboat, with Jiu Yuan likely suspecting them and sending Lei Kun to investigate.

    Jiu Yuan and Lei Kun were both Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators.

    Pang Jian felt a headache looming.

    He knitted his brows as he contemted how to dispel Lei Kun''s suspicions against himself and Luo Hongyan.

    <i>If I were truly from the upper worlds with no prior connection to him, my reaction after learning who he is should be...</i> Pang Jian deliberated.

    Meanwhile, Han Ting had switched tracks to warn him against damaging the cave dwelling or causing further disturbances.

    "Wait here for a moment," Pang Jian interrupted.

    Han Ting was taken aback. "What?"

    Ignoring her, Pang Jian left the cave dwelling and headed straight to Lei Kun''s adjacent cave dwelling.

    Lei Kun had been eavesdropping on their conversation with his Spirit Condensation Realm cultivation. He had left his stone door, wanting to keep an eye out for Luo Hongyan and catch her off guard to observe her reaction to him.

    He suspected she had destroyed his new body on the beast-hunting sailboat without her brother present. If Pang Jian had not been at the scene and had not seen his true face, it made sense that he had not shown any noticeable signs of fear or recognition.

    Unexpectedly, Pang Jian had appeared at his door.

    "Senior Lei," Pang Jian greeted, bowing respectfully. "I just learned that Senior Lei is a Spirit Condensation Realm master. I deeply regret my disrespectful words earlier and hope you won''t hold it against me.

    "Here are some spirit jades as a small token of my apology."

    Revealing the spatial bracelet on his wrist, Pang Jian calmly retrieved ten spirit jades and ced them on the stone ground at the entrance of Lei Kun''s cave dwelling.

    Lei Kun was stunned. He let out an involuntary grunt of surprise at the sight of the spirit jades beingid out in front of him.

    <i>He has a spatial bracelet, spirit jades, and a steadfast demeanor...</i>

    Lei Kun could not help but associate Pang Jian with the noble families and major sects from the upper worlds.

    Cultivators in the Third World typically used spirit stones while cultivators in the Second World normally used spirit jades when conducting transactions.

    Pang Jian''s use of spirit jades to apologize, spatial bracelet, and hisck of fear after learning about Lei Kun''s cultivation realm, convinced Lei Kun that Jiu Yuan had set him up.

    <i>Would he dare approach me like this if he destroyed my new body? Shouldn''t he be avoiding me at all costs?</i>

    Lei Kun became increasingly convinced that Jiu Yuan had maliciously sent him to provoke these siblings from a prominent upper-world family.

    "I won''t disturb you any longer, Senior." As Lei Kun pondered, Pang Jian turned and returned to his cave dwelling after leaving the spirit jades.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Lei Kun raised his hand and sucked the ten spirit jades into his palm.

    Tracing the smooth surface of the spirit jade with a finger, he muttered with a frown, "It''s probably not them. Even if they did kill Ling Yun and Zhu Yuanxi, why would they have ties to a sect like the Shadow Specter Sect?

    "They have the bearing of someone from arge, prominent family and are equipped with spatial bracelets and spirit jades. Why would they covet the blood and meat of Vicious Beasts?"

    With that in mind, Lei Kun decided there was no longer any need to keep an eye on Pang Jian.

    This courteous young man from the upper worlds had apologized and even offered him spirit jades. Standing up, Lei Kun headed over to Pang Jian''s cave dwelling, hoping to use this opportunity to befriend him.

    When he reached the tightly closed stone door, Lei Kun remembered the voluptuous female cultivator was also inside.

    Lei Kun hesitated before deciding not to spoil the young man''s fun. He then left the neenth floor without bothering to knock or eavesdrop.

 Chapter 157: Luo Hongyans Disappearance

    <h4>Chapter 157: Luo Hongyan''s Disappearance</h4>

    "Well done," Han Ting praised after Pang Jian shut the stone door. "After you realized you couldn''t provoke him, you did not hesitate to apologize and even offered a gift. You''ll be able to live a long with that cautious approach."

    "Yes, if I can''t afford to provoke someone, I should stay low-key," Pang Jian replied calmly. He sat on the meditation mat and looked up at Han Ting''s voluptuous figure. "I''ll be careful from now on and won''t disturb you again."

    "Good." Han Ting nodded, satisfied at his sincere acknowledgment of his mistake, and did not pursue the matter further.

    <i>Knock knock!</i>

    "Little Brother!" Gao Yuan called from outside the stone door.

    Having just sat down, Pang Jian sighed before standing to open the door.

    "Little Brother, I''ve gathered a lot of information. Old Monster Cao''s trade fair has brought together the talented cultivators of the Third World in one ¡ªuh...Han Ting!" Gao Yuan eximed in surprise, "Han Ting, what''re you doing here?"

    A lone man and woman in a closed cave dwelling conjured inappropriate images in Gao Yuan''s mind.

    "Han Ting, I heard yourpanions attacked you during your recent exploration of a restricted area because you wanted to take all the gains for yourself. What-what are you doing with Little Brother?" Gao Yuan asked.

    ring coldly at the nosy boatman, Han Ting snapped, "Who said I wanted to take everything for myself? After a Vicious Beast wounded me, they tried to take advantage of me. I found their advances disgusting, so I fought them off and escaped with serious injuries."

    "Calm down, calm down! I just heard those rumors from others." Gao Yuanughed awkwardly. ncing at the attractive and hot-tempered rogue cultivator, he licked his lips and asked, "Han Ting, what''re you doing in the Little Brother''s cave dwelling?"

    Gao Yuan''s lecherous expression betrayed his thoughts.

    Seeing this, Han Ting could not help but curse, "I live below him! He made so much noise that I couldn''t concentrate. Can''t Ie up and ask about it?"

    "Oh, you live below him, and he disturbed your peace, so you came up..." Gao Yuan maintained a respectful tone with Pang Jian and Luo Hongyan but bantered freely with Han Ting, a fellow rogue cultivator. "I get it."

    Han Ting red coldly at Gao Yuan and retorted, "Your scoundrel friend got skinned and hung on the mast by Jiu Yuan. Why are you still alive?"

    Gao Yuan fell silent. When he recalled Yuan Fei''s miserable fate and the fact that Jiu Yuan was here in the Primordial Wilderness, he no longer felt like joking around with Han Ting.

    "That''ll teach you to mess with me!" Han Ting glowered before stepping out of Pang Jian''s cave dwelling and returning to her own.

    Gao Yuan took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Little Brother, besides Zhao Yuanqi from the Red Mountain Sect, Yang Rui from the Radiant Sun Sect, Xie Xiwen from the Star River Alliance, and Fang Boxuan from the Blood Moon Sect are also here in the Primordial Wilderness.

    "These individuals are all exceptionally young cultivators at the Profound Abode Realm and are considered prodigies in their respective sects."

    Gao Yuan then described the elders and the talented young cultivators from the major sects present in the Primordial Wilderness for the trade fair. He also mentioned renowned rogue cultivators like Lei Kun.

    "Lei Kun is staying in cave dwelling number fifty-seven," Pang Jian casually mentioned. "He left just before you arrived."

    Gao Yuan was startled. "Lei Kun? Living next to us? How is that possible?"

    Like Han Ting, he also found Lei Kun''s presence strange.

    "I suspect he''s trying to investigate me and my sister," Pang Jian said solemnly.

    Gao Yuan nodded in understanding. "He and Jiu Yuan are old friends, but unlike Ling Yun, Lei Kun is in the Spirit Condensation Realm and has equal status with Jiu Yuan, so Jiu Yuan doesn''t have the authority to order him around."

    Pang Jian shook his head, indicating he did not know the reason.

    "Why isn''t your sister back yet?" Gao Yuan asked in puzzlement as he nced inside the cave dwelling. Frowning, he said, "Going to the thirty-fifth floor to register with Old Monster Cao''s subordinates shouldn''t take this long."

    Pang Jian''s expression darkened.

    They had already been here for two days. There was no reason why paying the spirit stones and receiving the participation token would have taken so long. Under normal circumstances, Luo Hongyan would have returned by now.

    Pang Jian thought it over, then offered ackluster excuse, "Maybe she''s gathering information about the Primordial Wilderness, just like you did."

    "Mm, that''s possible." Gao Yuan nodded and said no more on the matter. "The trade fair is in ten days, so there''s no rush. Don''t worry."

    With that, he went back to his cave dwelling next door.

    Pang Jian closed the stone door behind Gao Yuan and paid no more attention to Luo Hongyan''s disappearance. Though he did not know the full extent of Luo Hongyan''sbat prowess, he knew she had not suffered any significant losses since reforging her body.

    Luo Hongyan herself had said that the only cultivators she would have issues dealing with were those in the Spirit Condensation Realm and above. Moreover, they were in Old Monster Cao''s Primordial Wilderness.

    The registration site was also on the First Peak, so she would not have encountered any dangers.

    With this in mind, Pang Jian continued studying his low and mid-level cultivation techniques and offensive arts. This time, he refrained from experimenting with his new ideas to avoid provoking Han Ting.

    One day, a new green leaf appeared in his chest after establishing a connection with the World Eater Vine.

    The three green leaves emitted a constant flow of life energy, nurturing his flesh and organs. If Pang Jian were to be seriously injured again, his injuries would heal faster than before. If he directly harnessed the life energy from the three leaves, his healing ability would reach another level.

    <i>The little tree knows how to show its gratitude</i>. Pang Jian nodded to himself.

    His efforts had not been in vain. The appreciative World Eater Vine always kept him in mind and reciprocated after each growth spurt.

    As the days passed, Pang Jian grew more and more anxious.

    Luo Hongyan still had yet to return.

    Feeling restless, Pang Jian pushed open the stone door and stepped outside. From the neenth floor of the First Peak, he stared out at the surrounding lower peaks.

    His gaze swept over the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Peaks, taking in the flying vessels from the major sects anchored to their summits. The valleys and forests between the peaks were dotted with Cloud Sails.

    <i>Could something have happened?</i> he wondered.

    Feeling uneasy, he hesitated before heading up to the thirty-fifth floor.

    A rogue cultivator loyal to Cao Mang frowned at Pang Jian and said sternly, "Stop right there! Registration time is over! You''re toote. Be better prepared next time ande back in three years!"

    "I''m not here to register. My sister came to register a while ago and then disappeared." Pang Jian then described Luo Hongyan''s appearance, mentioning her red dress and veiled face.

    "I remember her," The man said as he recalled Luo Hongyan''s graceful figure. "She paid the spirit stones, and after we checked her spirit stone reserves, we gave her the participant token. I''m sure she left right after. Didn''t she go back to your cave dwelling?"

    Pang Jian shook his head.

    The man thought for a long while then said sternly, "Any form of conflict or fighting is strictly prohibited on the First Peak. I can assure you that no deaths have urred here! If she''s not in your cave dwelling, perhaps she went to one of the other peaks."

    "I see." Pang Jian did not press further.

    Returning to his cave dwelling, he closed the stone door and sat silently, tightly knitting his brows.

    Pang Jian had grown ustomed to being with Luo Hongyan at all times of day, and his mood grew increasingly gloomy due to her unexined disappearance. He was worried about Luo Hongyan''s safety but had no idea who to ask for information.

    <i>Was it Jiu Yuan from the Blood Moon Sect? Or someone else?</i>

    His mind wandered.

    It could be dangerous to leave the First Peak if Luo Hongyan had encountered trouble.

    Old Monster Cao''s subordinates had dismissed him, and the only people he knew in the Primordial Wilderness were Gao Yuan and Qi Qingsong, the honored guest of Old Monster Cao.

    Pang Jian thought back to how he forced Qi Qingsong to sever his own arm in Eight Trigrams City. He did not consider Qi Qingsong a friend.

    <i> Jiang Li from the Red Mountain Sect?</i>

    She could not even gather a set of marrow cleansing materials, so her status in the Red Mountain Range could not be high. Pang Jian doubted she could help.

    After much deliberation, he knocked on Gao Yuan''s door and asked him to gather information through his rogue cultivator friends.

    Gao Yuan was startled when he heard Luo Hongyan was still missing. "Don''t worry, Little Brother. This is the First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness. She won''t be in danger as long as she doesn''t leave! Wait for me, I''ll ask around. Don''t panic!"

    He then hurried toward the lower cave dwellings.

    Half a dayter, Gao Yuan knocked on Pang Jian''s stone door with a grave expression. "Someone saw your sister fly down from the eighth floor of the First Peak and into the valley below."

    Pang Jian''s expression changed. His worst fear hade true.

    ording to Old Monster Cao''s rules, nothing would happen to Luo Hongyan as long as she did not leave the First Peak.

    However, private fights or assassinations in other areas of the Primordial Wilderness were not Old Monster Cao''s concern.

    "My friends are too afraid to leave the First Peak, so they can''t find out more," Gao Yuan said helplessly. "The trade fair is in a few days. Maybe something distracted her and she''ll return after."

    "Alright, I understand." Pang Jian waved Gao Yuan away and closed the stone door.

    The luminous pearls in the cave walls had not dimmed, but as the door shut, Pang Jian felt like the cave and his mood had darkened.

 Chapter 158: A Transaction

    <h4>Chapter 158: A Transaction</h4>

    <i>Why did you leave without informing me? Did something or someonepel you to leave the First Peak? </i>

    Pang Jian was irritated and depressed.

    He was used to having Luo Hongyan by his side, taking care of everything for him. He never had to worry about cultivation techniques, spirit stones, or other resources with her around. She had even handled the spirit stones and materials for his trade with Dong Tianze.

    Only after she disappeared did he realize how much he hade to rely on her.

    <i>Please be alright. If you encounter misfortune, I...</i>

    A fierce glint shed in Pang Jian''s eyes.

    Luo Hongyan had been with him from the Solitary Mountain Range and held a special ce in his heart. The thought of her possibly being in trouble stirred a violent rage within him.

    The two hall masters of Shadow Specter Sect and the pair of sisters had just been passingpanions. Their deaths made him feel frustrated and depressed, but he had not been unbearably pained.

    However, the mere thought of something happening to Luo Hongyan caused him genuine anguish.

    Pang Jian mentally prepared for the worst.

    Taking out his bronze pendant, he connected to the little tree in Misty Swamp while silently summoning the Mirror Tunnel.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Ice crystals covered the pendant, and radiant ripples resembling a space-time tunnel appeared.

    As Pang Jian gazed at these magnificent, mysterious ripples, he sensed he could travel to Misty Swamp in the Fourth World if he entered it.

    <i>I''m safe as long as I don''t leave the First Peak. Even if something happens, I can escape using the pendant! </i>Pang Jian thought decisively.

    With that, he severed the connection, causing the radiant ripples to disappear, then ced the bronze pendant back around his neck.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian took out the Startling ughter Spear, the copper chest, spirit jades, spirit stones, low to mid-level cultivation techniques, bottles of poison, and healing pills from his spatial bracelet.

    He counted dozens of spirit jades, nearly three thousand spirit stones, and other misceneous items of little value. Staring at his cultivation resources, Pang Jian knitted his brows in thought.

    He decided to find a way to take part in Old Monster Cao''s trade fair to see if the Blood Moon Sect''s Jiu Yuan, rogue cultivator Lei Kun, or anyone else there mentioned her disappearance and hopefully discover some clues.

    These Spirit Condensation Realm experts were not people he could contend with, so his primary goals were to identify his targets and learn what had happened. If the worst-case scenario urred, he could always use the pendant to return to Misty Swamp in the Fourth World or the nameless fragmentednd where the ck turtle resided.

    This would allow him to avoid being killed outside the First Peak in the Primordial Wilderness. As long as he escaped the Primordial Wilderness alive, he could go into hiding, bide his time, and seek revenge when his cultivation realm was high enough.

    After organizing his thoughts, he visited Gao Yuan and exined he wanted to obtain a token to participate in Old Monster Cao''s trade fair.

    "I didn''t register, so I don''t have a token." Gao Yuan shook his head with a bitter smile. "There''s only three days left before the trade fair and the registration deadline has passed. The only way now is to get a token from someone else."

    Gao Yuan paused in consideration.

    After a long while, he finally gritted his teeth and said, "I''ll see what I can do!"

    He then headed down to the lower levels.

    Later that night, Gao Yuan knocked on Pang Jian''s door, with Han Ting by his side. Bowing and scraping, he said, "Little Brother is from the upper world, and his sister is missing. He also offended the Blood Moon Sect on Ice Rock Ind. Han Ting, even if you don''t do it for my sake, think about your own future and make a valuable friend."

    Unlike before, Gao Yuan was extremely respectful and did not dare to joke around.

    Pang Jian was surprised to see Gao Yuan had brought Han Ting with him after making his rounds.

    "Little Brother, I had no other choice. My rogue cultivator friends are all poor. They may have the five hundred spirit stones needed to register, but none have the ten thousand spirit stones required to show to Old Monster Cao''s subordinates. I thought about it and realized Han Ting is rtively well-off. She also has a token to participate," Gao Yuan exined with a bitter smile.

    Han Ting reluctantly came over because of Pang Jian''s origins in the upper world. She reassessed Pang Jian, taking in his spatial bracelet, well-built physique, and chiseled features.

    <i>He''s not exactly handsome, but he has a certain charm, </i>Han Ting silently evaluated.

    "I was severely injured and nned on using the token to participate in the trade fair to see if there were any miraculous healing medicines. Brat, I don''t care where you''re from or what happened with you and your sister. What can you offer me in return for my token?" Han Ting asked, casting a scrutinizing gaze in his direction.

    "Severely injured and looking for miraculous healing medicine," Pang Jian murmured thoughtfully.

    After a moment, he said, "Gao Yuan, please step outside and close the door. I need to speak with her privately."

    "Uh, alright." Gao Yuan retreated to the door, ncing interestedly at Han Ting''s exceptional figure onest time before shutting it.

    <i>Perfectly round and firm, exceptionally alluring. I wonder how the little brother ns to persuade her,</i> Gao Yuan wondered.

    "Spit it out!" Han Ting unceremoniously sat down on a wooden chair. Her round hips filled every inch of the seat, making it look small.

    "May I see your injuries?" Pang Jian asked.

    "My injuries?" Han Ting chuckled dismissively. "Do you even know how to heal injuries? Brat, to be honest, my injuries also involve poison. If it were that easy to treat, I wouldn''t have to hide on the First Peak."

    "Let me try," Pang Jian said, moving behind her. Before she could respond, Pang Jian ced a finger on her shoulder and silently sent out a wisp of life energy.

    Han Ting immediately tensed up and moved to stand.

    "Hold on. Just take a second to feel it," Pang Jian said.

    Han Ting calmed down. Her eyes flickered with surprise as she sensed the wisp of mysterious life energy entering her body.

    The life energy was imbued with the essence of vegetation, stimting her body''s self-healing potential. She could keenly sense the unusual vitality within her body.

    "No, it''s not there," Han Ting whispered, sensing the life energy''s direction. "My injury is a bit lower."

    "Sorry." Pang Jian tried to guide the life energy within Han Ting''s body.

    "It''s a bit to the left. Further left. Too far!" Han Ting was getting anxious.

    She could feel the extraordinary power of the mysterious life energy wandering within her body. However, Pang Jian did not know where her injury was and could not urately target the wound despite her verbal guidance.

    Han Ting was bold by nature. Thus, she lowered her clothes down to her waist and wrapped them around her chest to expose her smooth back to Pang Jian, allowing him to see her injury.

    <i>A woman injured her... </i>

    A small dark purple handprint stood out conspicuously on Han Ting''s glossy back. It was deeply embedded beneath her skin like a blotch of dark ink. As Pang Jian studied it, he sensed a scorching fire poison infiltrating Han Ting''s internal organs.

    "The little wench I treated like a sister turned against me when it mattered most!" Han Ting angrily cursed.

    Uninterested in the story of their sisterhood, Pang Jian did not ask for details and instead focused on channeling his life energy into the dark purple handprint. He was unsure if the mysterious life energy would work on Han Ting''s injury, but he had no choice but to try.

    The dark purple handprint on Han Ting''s back lightened, while the vibrant green of the three leaves in his chest faded.

    The cursing Han Ting fell into silence as the streams of life energy from Pang Jian entered her wound. Her eyes sparkled with excitement!

    After a while, the three leaves in Pang Jian''s chest, although still present, were drained of their green hue.

    Pang Jian said exhaustedly, "One session isn''t enough. It''ll probably take another day or two. Come back tomorrow."

    Han Ting silently shrugged her robes back on before turning to stare deeply at Pang Jian. She then tossed a token onto the table.

    "Old Monster Cao''s trade fair is in three days. I''lle for three consecutive days. That should be enough," Han Ting said in feigned calmness, suppressing her excitement at the miraculous life energy. "I''lle back tomorrow."

    With that, she pushed open the stone door.

    "Gao Yuan!" she eximed, ring at the person outside. "What''re you doing sneaking around in front of the door?"

    Standing on the stone path outside Pang Jian''s cave dwelling, Gao Yuan nced at the moonlit night sky and coughed. "Admiring the moon."

    "Admire your big head!" She shot him a fierce look and deliberately stomped on his foot as she passed him.

    Gao Yuan grimaced in pain and squatted down to rub his foot. Turning to look at Han Ting''s retreating figure, he noticed her adjusting the front of her clothes.

    Full of questions, he stood up to see Pang Jian ying with a token in the cave dwelling.

    "She''lle over for three consecutive days. She''ll be back tomorrow..." Gao Yuan muttered with a peculiar expression on his face.

    <i>Little brother didn''t sell himself to her, did he? No, that can''t be. She has a great reputation among rogue cultivators and I''ve never heard of her having a fling with anyone. This doesn''t make sense!</i>

 Chapter 159: The Black Turtles Evolution

    <h4>Chapter 159: The ck Turtle''s Evolution</h4>

    In cave dwelling number fifty-six on the eighteenth floor of the First Peak, Han Ting sat on a simr wooden chair and stared nkly at the ceiling.

    Theyout of this cave dwelling was almost identical to Pang Jian''s above. In the cave dwelling above hers, Pang Jian was likely sitting on either the chair she had sat on or the meditation mat, holding the token she had left behind.

    Han Ting''s thoughts were in turmoil. She touched her slightly flushed cheeks, unable to stop thinking about the feeling of the youth''s finger on her shoulder.

    His finger did not move an inch even after she had exposed her back to him. The indifferent youth had not touched her wound nor any other part of her back, with his finger staying respectfully on her shoulder from beginning to end.

    <i>Not a single inappropriate action. He has no interest in me at all.</i>

    Han Ting sighed in a strange mix of relief and disappointment.

    Over the years, she had teamed up with rogue cultivators several times to explore restricted areas and capture high-ranked Vicious Beasts and exotic creatures. Her striking figure had often caused unnecessary conflicts and entanglements.

    As she reflected on thest incident, she realized thepanion she treated like a sister likely tried to kill her because the person her "sister" had a crush on had coveted Han Ting''s body.

    She had grown ustomed to the invasive stares of male rogue cultivators and almost instinctively attacked when his finger touched her shoulder. The only reason she had managed to hold back was the genuine effectiveness of his healing.

    Even though she pretended to be calm, she had actually been quite nervous. She feared he would take advantage of the situation, but to her surprise, he had stayed respectful throughout the entire thing.

    <i>Perhaps disciples from the upper world''s noble families and major sects have higher standards, </i>Han Ting thought with a wry smile.

    Focusing her mind, she circted her energy to examine the extent of her recovery.

    "Wow!" Her eyes lit up.

    Not only had the fire poison in the injury been cleared, but the toxins eroding her flesh and internal organs had also been significantly reduced. His mysterious power had even healed some old internal injuries from past wounds.

    The miraculous energy had spread from her shoulder, where his finger had rested, and down to her injured back. All the hidden injuries in her internal organs and meridians along this path had been quietly healed.

    "What an incredible technique!" Han Ting was amazed.

    ***

    On the neenth floor, after closing the stone door, Pang Jian sat in the wooden chair Han Ting had upied and examined the ck iron token.

    Engraved on the front of the token was a single character, Mang. [1]

    He studied the token for a while longer. Finding nothing special, he put it away and closed his eyes to connect to the little tree in Misty Swamp.

    <i>I need to replenish my life energy,</i> Pang Jian said.

    The small tree responded almost instantly. Within seconds, the three leaves in Pang Jian''s chest regained their vibrant green hue!

    <i>You never let me down.</i> Pang Jian nodded in satisfaction.

    Han Ting arrived on the second and third days as agreed, and Pang Jian followed the same routine of infusing her with life energy to help detoxify and heal her wounds.

    "I still don''t know your name," Han Ting said as she adjusted her clothes. Probing the condition of her body, she then added with a look of embarrassment. "I''m not fully healed yet. It might take another two or three days."

    Pang Jian nodded and replied indifferently, "I''ll help you eliminate the remaining poison."

    Tomorrow was the day of Old Monster Cao''s trade fair and Luo Hongyan was still missing. Pang Jin did not feel like talking to Han Ting.

    "You can be considered my benefactor now. I want to know your name," Han Ting hinted again. Pang Jian''s reluctance to engage in conversation irritated her, and after a moment of silence, she said, "What, you think you''re special just because you came from the upper world? It''s been three days, and you still won''t tell me your name."

    "Pang Jian," he eventually said, pointing at the stone door with an aloof expression. "Remember to close the door on your way out."

    Han Ting gritted her teeth in silence.

    Mustering her courage, she added, "Pang Jian, that token cost me 500 spirit stones. Although I showed Old Monster Cao''s subordinates 10,000 spirit stones worth of spirit materials, I didn''t actually give them anything."

    Pang Jian stared at her, confused.

    "In other words, that token is only worth 500 spirit stones!" Han Ting huffed. "I had prepared 8,000 to 9,000 spirit stones to buy healing and detoxifying medicines tomorrow, but you''ve been doing that for me every day with your abilities and techniques, so I feel like I''m getting a great deal, so¡ª"

    "Oh," Pang Jian finally understood what she was trying to say. His expression softened slightly but still maintained a tone of indifference as he replied, "Old Monster Cao''s trade fairsts more than one day. You can think it over and decide how much you want to pay me. Just make sure topensate me."

    "Alright, fine." Han Ting stood up and stormed out of the cave dwelling, mming the stone door shut on her way out.

    "What''s her problem?" Pang Jian muttered with a frown.

    He could not understand why she was angry.

    <i>I''m healing her injuries and she offered topensate me, so why did she get upset and m the door after I agreed?</i>

    Pang Jian could not figure it out so he decided not to dwell on it.

    He once again established a connection with the little tree in Misty Swamp, replenishing the life energy in the three leaves.

    Although Pang Jian was not connected with the little tree for long, because it was in the Fourth World, he could not help but feel tired.

    <i>It''s the distance. It''s still because of the distance.</i>

    He no longer had any Mind Soothing Pills on hand, so he had avoided connecting to the traitor in the Fifth World to keep his mind sharp.

    <i>The ck turtle is closest. Let''s see if it''s awake.</i>

    With that, he established a connection with the ck turtle.

    The scene before him was shocking.

    Since breaking through to the Innate Realm on Ice Rock Ind, he had not checked on the ck turtle. The nameless fragmentednd where the ck turtle resided was now underneath another fragmentednd!

    The sky was overcast, with no full moon or twinkling stars in sight.

    A small fragmentednd shrouded in thick clouds floated beneath arger fragmentednd. The spiritual qi of the smaller fragmented was disturbed, with deep rumbling sounds reverberating through the ground.

    A golden lightning bolt was forcibly extracted from the bottom of therger fragmentednd above to strike the smaller one below. As this happened, mountains copsed and deep fissures appeared on the surface of therger fragmentednd.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The golden lightning bolt vanished into the depths of the small fragmentednd, followed by a faint golden glow appearing on one of its barren stone peaks.

    <i>Is it absorbing a mineral vein?</i>

    A chill ran down Pang Jian''s spine, breaking him out of his meditative state, and severing his connection with the ck turtle.

    Pang Jian abruptly stood up from the meditation mat to pace back and forth in his cave dwelling as his mind raced.

    <i>There are spirit veins and mineral veins. Spirit veins can produce spirit stones, spirit jades, and spirit crystals. </i>

    <i>Depending on their attributes, mineral veins can yield rare minerals like Gold Obsidian, Earth ze Stone, and Water Essence Stone. All of these are valuable cultivation resources.</i>

    <i>The ck turtle, known as the Earth Spirit, can absorb mineral veins from other fragmentednds!</i>

    <i>It may appear dormant within its fragmentednd but it can maneuver it to locate and absorb mineral veins. This process seems important to its creation of blessednds and its own advancement.</i>

    Pang Jian''s gloomy mood brightened a little at this discovery.

    Gathering hisposure and calming his excitement, he reestablished a connection with the ck turtle. This time, he saw the small fragmentednd stealthily fly away.

    A slender golden mineral vein had undoubtedly disappeared from therger fragmentednd above. From now on, the mines in that fragmentednd would no longer yield gold-attribute minerals.

    The ck turtle, drowsy from absorbing a mineral vein, severed the connection with Pang Jian without further interaction.

    <i>Is this one of its ways of evolving?</i> Pang Jian wondered in amazement.

    That night, Pang Jian did not enter a deep meditative state as usual and instead pondered the mysteries of the World Eater Vine and the ck turtle.

    ***

    Early the next morning, Han Ting knocked on Pang Jian''s stone door with a proud smile. Raising a new token, she said, "I got my hands on another token and came to take you to the trade fair!"

    As the sun rose and illuminated the sky, its rays bathed the towering peaks in the Primordial Wilderness in golden light.

    Stepping out of his cave dwelling, Pang Jian nced at Han Ting. Her face was glowing with the golden hue of the sun''s rays.

    He took a deep breath of the fresh morning air and nodded lightly. The trade fair was about to start but Luo Hongyan had yet to return, leaving him tense.

    <i>It''s either the Blood Moon Sect or the Sinister Soul Temple.</i>

    Luo Hongyan''s disappearance was likely due to one of these two sects.

    He would observe the attitudes of the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple members toward him during the trade fair. Hopefully, their reactions would help him identify the culprit.

    "Little Brother." Gao Yuan opened his cave door with a worried expression. He had not slept all night and did not feel like joking around even after seeing the fiery Han Ting at Pang Jian''s door early in the morning.

    Like Pang Jian, Luo Hongyan''s disappearance weighed heavily on him. Gao Yuan feared Jiu Yuan would disregard the siblings'' status and find an excuse to have him killed.

    After all, Luo Hongyan had killed Maverick Ling Yun while Pang Jian had beheaded Zhu Yuanxi, and Jiu Yuan had been close to both of them. As their guide, Gao Yuan felt the pressure weighing on him.

    "Your sister?" Gao Yuan asked.

    Pang Jian shook his head.

    Gao Yuan sighed and went back into his cave dwelling. He had no interest in the trade fair.

    Pang Jian did not mind him. Instead, he stood on the stone path outside his cave dwelling, watching the stream of rogue cultivators emerging from their caves. Some rogue cultivators conversed with expectant expressions, while others left their caves with cold expressions and climbed the stone steps toward the upper floors of the First Peak.

    Those living on the lower floor also left their caves, ascending the peak with participation tokens in hand.

    Those staying in Cloud Sails or mountain valleys in the distance converged on the First Peak.

    Above Pang Jian, in the caves on the higher floors, well-dressed youth left their caves while engaging in lively discussions.

    1. This character, Ã§, is the same as the one in Old Monster Cao''s name, Cao Mang, ²ÜÃ§. ?

 Chapter 160: Sects, Noble Families, Rogue Cultivators

    <h4>Chapter 160: Sects, Noble Families, Rogue Cultivators</h4>

    <i>Rogue cultivators, noble families, and sects, </i>Pang Jian mused as he observed the cultivators converging from all over.

    From his past conversations with Luo Hongyan and Gao Yuan, he had a rough understanding of the cultivationndscape in the Third World.

    The most powerful forces in the Third World were the five major sects; the Radiant Sun Sect, the Blood Moon Sect, the Red Mountain Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the Sinister Soul Temple.

    Following the sects were the noble families. The noble families of the Third World were mostly based on the Cosmic Skies Continent and the Dark Abyss Continent. They built cities and governed themon folk.

    These noble families were dependent on the five major sects!

    Any child with cultivation talent in these families would be sent to the major sects. The elders of these major sects would also select suitable talents from the cities controlled by these families.

    When catastrophe struck the Fourth World, the five major sects imed the scattered fragmentednds in the Third World for the seven major ns of the Fourth World to live on.

    The noble families did not permit the seven major ns to stay on the Cosmic Skies Continent and the Dark Abyss Continent, fearing they wouldpete with them for resources.

    Below the five major sects and noble families were the rogue cultivators.

    Those not in the major sects or part of a noble family were collectively referred to as rogue cultivators. Their status in the Third World fell below cultivators in major sects and noble families. Only highly renowned rogue cultivators like Cao Mang and Lei Kun were exceptions to this.

    <i>No wonder Yuan Fei met such a tragic end and Gao Yuan feels so insecure.</i>

    Pang Jian''s thoughts were a whirlwind as he watched the continuous stream of participants climbing the mountain.

    After some time, he noticed that prominent figures from sects like the Radiant Sun Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the Blood Moon Sect on the other peaks, were not hurrying to the First Peak. He supposed the early stage of the trade fair could not attract them.

    As he was about to ascend the mountain, Pang Jian realized Han Ting was no longer with him.

    Curious, he turned to see Han Ting ring resentfully at a group of rogue cultivators. Four men and one woman were in the group, each holding participant tokens. They arrived from a valley beside the First Peak to climb up from the first floor. It appeared they were going to participate in the trade fair too.

    The leader was a man with a short beard,rge eyes, and thick eyebrows, seemingly in his early thirties. A spatial pouch hung from the waist of his blue robe. As the group climbed, he chatted andughed with a petite woman beside him.

    The petite woman was quite attractive but had a t figure and was far less voluptuous than Han Ting. She appeared meek as she daintily covered her mouth andughed softly as she spoke with the man in blue.

    The other three men followed behind, having a lively conversation and asionally nodding or greeting other rogue cultivators they recognized.

    Han Ting''s resentful eyes intently followed the group of five. Her attention was entirely focused on them, and she made no move to ascend the mountain.

    Pang Jian pieced together what was happening.

    "Pang Jian, let me borrow your cave dwelling for a minute!" Han Ting gritted her teeth. Without waiting for Pang Jian''s permission, she pushed open the stone door, went inside, and locked it from within.

    Not long after, Han Ting stepped out in a light blue dress with a touch of makeup. Her narrow waist was cinched with a belt, entuating her curves. Exquisite hairpins pinned up her flowing ck hair to reveal her alluring face.

    "Let''s go!" She pulled Pang Jian to one of the stone steps further away that extended from the base of the mountain to its peak then turned to say pleadingly to him, "Please wait for me."

    Pang Jian nodded.

    "Hey, Han Ting!"

    "Isn''t that Han Ting?"

    "I heard you stole Zhang Bin and his group''s share of the loot and fled to the First Peak after getting injured. Did you know Zhang Bin is here too?"

    Rogue cultivators greeted Han Ting one after another. Most male rogue cultivators were staring lustfully at Han Ting''s alluring figure. Meanwhile, the female cultivators were polite on the surface but held an undertone of malice in their greetings.

    Han Ting remainedposed, evidently used to it. She did not bother to exin and let the other cultivators gossip until the group of five she had been staring at noticed her from a distance.

    When that happened, Han Ting''s breath became uneven and her calm facade slipped.

    "Sister Ting," The petite woman timidly greeted from the lower steps. She shrank back slightly to let the bearded man in blue named Zhang Bin step forward.

    "Sister? I don''t deserve that title!" Han Ting said with a sneer. "I got these severe injuries thanks to you. When I found the Fiery Poison Palm technique for you, I never imagined you''d mix in different poisons and strike me with it when I wasn''t expecting!"

    "Sister Ting, don''t nder me. You wanted to take all the loot for yourself, so..." The petite woman shook her head.

    "You know exactly what you did!" Han Ting said coldly.

    Many cultivators climbing the stone steps paused and looked in their direction due to the dispute. Even disciples from noble families above them watched themotion with keen interest.

    "That woman...what an enticing figure!"

    "Indeed, her looks may not be top-notch, but her body is drool-worthy."

    "It''s too bad, She''s just a rogue cultivator with no sect background. Her status is quite low."

    The disciples from the noble families whispered between themselves.

    Zhang Bin stopped climbing and turned to the petite woman named Fang Xin to ask, "Do you know the young man in ck standing next to Han Ting? You never mentioned she had such a rogue cultivator friend."

    Fang Xin sighed inwardly. Zhang Bin was still hung up on Han Ting. When he saw her standing with a man, the first thing he did was inquire about the man''s identity.

    "I don''t recognize him. I''ve never seen him before." Fang Xin nced at the young man in ck.

    The young man appeared to be only sixteen or seventeen. He was taller than Han Ting and had a refined physique, a rugged face, and a pair of calm eyes.

    Fang Xin could not help butpare him to Zhang Bin.

    Although Zhang Bin''s appearance and demeanor were not as striking as the young man''s, he was in thete stage of the Innate Realm and was on the verge of breaking through to the Profound Abode Realm.

    <i>Nothing else matters. Only a high cultivation realm holds any value in this world.</i>

    Fang Xin had always been secretlypeting with Han Ting. Although she was scoffing inwardly, she maintained her timid facade and said to Zhang Bin, "I''m worried she''s found a powerful backer and will use their strength to get revenge on us."

    Zhang Bin knitted his brows in contemtion then climbed the stone steps.

    Soon, he was standing in front of Han Ting. His deep gaze lingered on Pang Jian before he shifted his attention to address Han Ting, "As long as you return our share of the loot you took, we won''t make things difficult for you."

    "I nearly died. You call that not making things difficult?" Han Ting sneered. "Don''t y games with me! Zhang Bin, do you think I don''t know what you''re after? You want both me and the loot, right?"

    "I''m not arguing with you," Zhang Bin said, shaking his head before continuing his ascent.

    "Heh, he wants both the loot and the person. That''s how brutal and shamelesspetitions among rogue cultivators can be."

    "If it were me, I''d only want the person. The loot wouldn''t matter."

    "Let''s move on, there''s nothing more to see."

    The noble family disciples above loudlymented. Then, seeing that the show was over, they quickly lost interest and continued climbing.

    Han Ting did not move. She watched silently as Fang Xin moved to a different set of stone steps and rejoined the other three rogue cultivators in their group. They gradually ascended higher up the First Peak.

    After taking a deep breath, Han Ting turned to Pang Jian. "Sorry for wasting your time and making you witness that embarrassment."

    Pang Jian shook his head but remained silent.

    <i>Rogue cultivators...</i>

    He roughly understood the situation after listening to thements of the noble families'' disciples and taking in Zhang Bin''s and Fang Xin''s reactions. He also gained insight into life of rogue cultivators in the Third World.

    Pang Jian and Han Ting started to climb the stone steps.

    Han Ting was lost in thought and did not speak on the way.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian was preupied with his own worries and also remained silent throughout the journey.

    When they reached the thirty-fifth floor, the two presented their tokens and were ushered to the summit of the First Peak.

    On the summit, Pang Jian was greeted with the bustle of activity. Hundreds of early arrivals were scattered around and engaging in conversation.

    "You two know the rules, right? Always keep your tokens on you so we can monitor your conversations. For every transaction, you must give us ten percent regardless of whether you''re buying or selling," a woman in white exined to Pang Jian and Han Ting. She sat in a wooden tower at the end of the stone steps. "Also, the trading halls aren''t open on the first three days, so you can only trade outside the halls."

    "I know the rules. This isn''t my first time participating," Han Ting said.

    "Good." The woman in white nodded with a smile.

    ncing around, Pang Jian noticed many wooden towers nearby, each with a woman in white sitting inside, exining the rules to the participants.

    Many participants listened attentively, nodding repeatedly throughout the exnation as if afraid of missing any details. It was clear this was their first time attending such a grand event.

    Peering down at the stone steps, Pang Jian saw cultivators swarm toward the summit like an army of ants.

 Chapter 161: Trade Fair on the Summit

    <h4>Chapter 161: Trade Fair on the Summit</h4>

    Wooden towers were scattered around the center of the summit of the Primordial Wilderness''s First Peak. A gentle, warm breeze invited one to rx and soak in the breathtaking mountain scenery.

    On the highest peak in the Primordial Wilderness, one could take in the panoramic view of the surrounding mountains, gazing down at the beautiful peaks and the faint mist rising from the valleys below.

    "I''m back again after three years," Han Ting said with a radiant smile, her eyes alight with excitement.

    Pang Jian silently surveyed his surroundings.

    Many meditation mats wereid out on the smooth stone floor of the summit. Each had a wooden stall in front for disying items. Dozens of wooden towers, each several meters high, stood separated by the meditation mats and stalls. At the top of each tower sat a woman in white, a loyal subordinate of Old Monster Cao.

    Hundreds of meditation mats and stalls were arranged in a circr pattern around the wooden towers. Rogue cultivators chose a meditation mat, sat down, and disyed their spirit materials, precious crystals, pills, techniques, and spirit artifacts on the stall.

    Those interested in buying spirit materials strolled between the stalls, eyes scanning for items of interest.

    After observing for some time, Pang Jian was stunned to realize the roles of buyers and sellers among the rogue cultivators were fluid.

    Buyers would find an empty meditation mat and start selling their items after browsing for spirit materials and finding nothing of interest. Conversely, sellers would pack up their items and be buyers if they spotted something they needed at another stall.

    Each cultivator held a token engraved with the character "Mang". Once a deal was made, both parties would inform a woman in white on the nearest wooden tower and each would pay ten percent of the transaction value in spirit stones. The tokens and the women in white overseeing the transactions ensured no one made deals in secret.

    Pang Jian soon noticed no cultivators from the Blood Moon Sect or the Sinister Soul Temple were present. Only rogue cultivators and disciples from noble families wandered the summit.

    He quietly asked Han Ting about it.

    "The items being traded on the first three days aren''t that valuable, and the trading halls aren''t open yet," Han Ting exined, pointing to the wooden buildings. "More valuable items will appear inside the trading halls when they open. On the final day, Old Monster Cao will bring out rare treasures, which participants can acquire by drawing lots."

    Pang Jian was puzzled. "Drawing lots? Isn''t it supposed to go to the highest bidder?"

    "The appeal of Old Monster Cao''s trade fair is that the rare treasures on thest day aren''t sold to the highest bidder but are given to those with luck," Han Ting exined, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "If it went to the highest bidder, the rare treasures would always end up with the Blood Moon Sect, the Radiant Sun Sect, the Sinister Soul Temple, or the Star River Alliance.

    "Old Monster Cao is also a rogue cultivator, so he gives rogue cultivators a chance. The rare treasures he brings out on thest day are priced in advance. Those who want them draw lots and the winner buys it at the set price.

    "The representatives from the five major sects and the disciples from noble families have no special privileges and can''t break the rules by offering higher prices. This ensures rogue cultivators can obtain the spirit materials they desperately need at a rtively low cost."

    "Is he doing it out of goodwill? Doesn''t he want to earn spirit stones?" Pang Jian asked in surprise.

    "He''s already made plenty from the transactions in the first six days," Han Ting said patiently. "The fairness and value of the rare treasures on thest day is what makes his triennial trade fair so popr.

    "He takes a twenty percent cut from every transaction on the first six days. That alone already fills his coffers." Han Ting looked enviously at the wooden towers and added, "Through these triennial trading events, Old Monster Cao earns enough spirit stones to meet his cultivation needs."

    Pang Jian nodded in understanding.

    The two then wandered around, browsing for items.

    Pang Jian noticed Zhang Bin casting meaningful nces at them as they wandered. Each time Zhang Bin looked over, Han Ting would, intentionally or not, move a little closer to Pang Jian.

    After exploring for some time, Pang Jian came across a stall selling stones with a radiant sunlight glow. Above the stones was abel that read "Sr Essence Stones".

    Recalling how the Celestial Maiden from the Fifth World had highly desired these stones, he stopped to examine them closely.

    The seven Sr Essence Stones were collectively priced at two thousand spirit stones. Below the price was a small inscription describing their rarity and uses.

    Getting the attention of the stall owner, Pang Jian gestured to show he wished to purchase them.

    "You''ve got a good eye, young man," the short, stout stall owner said with a cheerful smile. He eagerly waved to a woman in white on a nearby wooden tower. "We''ve made a deal here!"

    He then led Pang Jian to the base of the wooden tower, where he handed over two hundred spirit stones as the transaction fee. The woman in white epted the spirit stones with a smile before turning to Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian handed over two hundred spirit stones and paid the stall owner his two thousand spirit stones for the seven Sr Essence Stones.

    The stall owner then packed up his stall and moved to another stall to purchase something he had had his eye on. He had sold the Sr Essence Stones to get the two thousand spirit stones he needed for a particr item.

    "Damn it!" the stall owner cursed, stomping his foot. "How long has it been? The technique I had my eye on is already gone?"

    Han Ting interrupted Pang Jian''s observation of the stall owner as she asked, "What do you need Sr Essence Stones for? Only the Radiant Sun Sect seems to need them."

    Pang Jian did not answer and continued browsing.

    Soon, he found more items the Celestial Maiden needed, such as Thunderstruck Wood and Gold Obsidian, and bought them with his spirit stones.

    He spent three thousand spirit stones and twenty spirit jades in just two hours and was only left with 13 spirit jades. Even if one spirit jade could be exchanged for a hundred spirit stones, he only had one thousand three hundred spirit stones remaining.

    Suddenly, he noticed someone selling Mind Soothing Pills. A bottle containing ten pills was three thousand spirit stones. He did not even have enough spirit stones to buy a single bottle, let alone cover Old Monster Cao''s transaction fee.

    Pang Jian hesitated in front of the stall before turning to Han Ting. "I recall you mentionedpensating me with spirit stones."

    Han Ting was surprised. "You want Mind Soothing Pills?"

    Pang Jian nodded.

    "Alright." Han Ting sighed. Addressing the leering stall owner, she said, "I''ll take a bottle of Mind Soothing Pills."

    "Sure thing!" The tall, skinny stall owner led her to the nearest wooden tower.

    After each paying three hundred spirit stones, Han Ting handed over the additional three thousand spirit stones for the Mind Soothing Pills and gave the bottle to Pang Jian.

    "That''s it for today," Pang Jian said as soon as he got the Mind Soothing Pills. He had no interest in further browsing due to hisck of funds.

    "Is this really your first time here? You''re just going to buy a few items and call it a day?" Han Ting asked in surprise.

    The first time Han Ting had participated in the trade fair, she had wandered around the summit until nightfall, only leaving when the women in white announced its closure for the day.

    Stall owners rarely disyed all their goods at once, and rogue cultivators could sit down and disy their treasures at a whim.

    "I¡¯m short on spirit stones. I¡¯ve already spent everything I have on the things I want," Pang Jian admitted.

    Han Ting was taken aback. In her mind, disciples from the upper world always carried thousands of spirit stones.

    <i>How could this guy run out after spending just a few thousand?</i>

    After a moment of hesitation, Han Ting offered, "I can lend you some."

    "No need." Pang Jian shook his head.

    "Alright, then. You go ahead. I¡¯ll keep looking around," Han Ting said without pressing further.

    "Okay." Pang Jian left the summit and headed back to his cave dwelling.

    After closing the stone door of his cave dwelling on the neenth floor, Pang Jian swallowed a Mind Soothing Pill and established a connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent in the Fifth World.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent¡¯s vision slowly came into focus.

    A Vicious Beast, covered in thick ice,y in a pool of blood. Curiously, the beast''s blood was light blue and contained tiny ice crystals that sparkled like stars.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent was beside the massive Vicious Beast''s corpse, greedily drinking its light blue blood.

    The six-winged Celestial Maiden watched from nearby and murmured tenderly, "You¡¯ve suffered during this time. Look at you. You¡¯ve lost weight, and your bloodline advancement has stalled. It''s my fault. I was stupid to think a Giant Abyssal Serpent would be a herbivore..."

    <i>Ugh, ark!</i>

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent choked on something in its throat and vomited violently.

    "Sr Essence Stones! Thunderstruck Wood! Gold Obsidian!" Yu Xin pped her wings excitedly and let out a delighted scream. "Xiao Hei, you''re so good to me. I don''t know how to repay you¡ª"

    "No! Wait! The ice beast''s horn! You won''t be able to digest it!" Yu Xin shouted in panic.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent had swallowed the severed horn in one gulp.

    "This Ice Crystal Beast is a Rank Seven Vicious Beast! Its horn is extremely cold and sharp. It''ll pierce your organs!" She frantically tried to stop him.

    However, the Giant Abyssal had already swallowed the Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast¡¯s horn, transporting it from the Fifth World to the Third World, into the cave dwelling number fifty-six.

 Chapter 162: Nurturing the Black Turtle

    <h4>Chapter 162: Nurturing the ck Turtle</h4>

    Pang Jian examined the ice crystal horn inside cave dwelling number fifty-six and nodded in satisfaction. It was twice the length of his arm and came together with several buckets of thick, ice-blue blood.

    The cave was now bone-chillingly cold, and Pang Jian felt like he was once again sitting on the altar in Ice Rock City.

    <i>What rich, pure cold energy!</i> Pang Jian clicked his tongue and involuntarily shivered, his eyes brightened.

    <i>A Rank Seven Vicious Beast!</i>

    Having sensed the value of the horn, Pang Jian had instructed the Giant Abyssal Serpent to swallow and deliver it to him.

    Rank Seven Vicious Beasts possessbat strengthparable to a cultivator in the Soul Wandering Realm, a level above the Spirit Condensation Realm.

    Even the sect leaders and elders of the five major sects in the Third World were only in the Spirit Condensation Realm.

    <i>This thing must be worth a fortune.</i>

    Pang Jian was exhrated.

    He was short on funds because of Luo Hongyan''s sudden disappearance. Even if he found rare spirit materials, he could not afford them.

    If Han Ting had not been there today, he would not have been able to get even a single bottle of Mind Soothing Pills.

    Therefore, after sending the Sr Essence Stones, Gold Obsidian, and Thunderstruck Wood to the Celestial Maiden, he had the Giant Abyssal Serpent swallow the horn of a Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast alongside arge amount of its blood.

    He could now exchange these items for spirit stones.

    After some thought, he ced the Ice Crystal Beast''s horn and five buckets of light blue blood into his spatial bracelet, causing the intense cold in the cave to disappear.

    ncing at the remaining half-bucket of blood, Pang Jian hesitated briefly before picking it up and drinking it inrge gulps.

    Pang Jian turned into an ice sculpture after drinking most of the blood, reminiscent of when he sat on the altar in Ice Rock City. The bone-chilling cold energy, mixed with abundant blood essence, dispersed from his stomach.

    Activating the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, the strange ice pool in his spiritual sea expanded rapidly as the cold energy from the Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast''s blood flowed into it, and the ice on his body gradually melted.

    His flesh and blood were also slowly refined due to therge amount of blood essence. However, his body only absorbed a small fraction of it as he quickly encountered a bottleneck.

    Pang Jian did not have a sophisticated body-strengthening technique, so he could not fully utilize this abundant blood essence, and the surplus wandered his body without being absorbed.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The excess blood essence flowed into the bronze pendant on his chest.

    Elsewhere, the half-asleep ck turtle took a deep breath, eagerly absorbing the blood essence from Pang Jian.

    <i>The ck turtle...</i>

    Pang Jian had a sudden epiphany.

    cing the bronze pendant on his palm, he connected to the ck turtle while silently calling forth the Mirror Tunnel in his mind. Radiant light rippled out, and he threw the bucket with the remaining Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast''s blood into the light.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    He heard the wooden bucket split as the light blue blood materialized within the ck turtle''s mouth.

    The previously hibernating ck turtle was invigorated as it eagerly gulped down the blood of the Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast.

    Rocks cracked deep within the ck turtle''s fragmentednd, splitting apart as it started to grow at an astonishing rate.

    <i>So, the abundant blood essence in the blood of a Rank Seven Vicious Beast is actually extremely beneficial to the ck turtle. </i>

    Pang Jian was astonished.

    The Celestial Maide had in the Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast to gift it to the Giant Abyssal Serpent out of guilt for causing it to lose weight.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent''s new owner could y Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beasts, so Pang Jian knew it would notck food in the future. Given he had provided many spirit materials, taking a portion of the Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast''s blood from the Giant Abyssal Serpent aspensation only seemed fair.

    <i>Hm?</i>

    Dense cold energy and pure spiritual qi appeared in his spiritual sea. The ice pool rapidly expanded once more!

    The ck turtle only needed the abundant blood essence and had returned the unused cold energy from the blood to Pang Jian.

    <i>You''re quite considerate</i>. Pang Jian nodded in satisfaction.

    Although he had exhausted all the Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast''s blood he had, the size of the ice pool in his spiritual sea had doubled!

    <i>After reaching the Innate Realm, most cultivators abandon the pursuit of refining and strengthening their physical bodies and instead focus on expanding their spiritual sea, attuning themselves more closely to the spiritual qi of heaven and earth, and refining their divine sense</i>, Pang Jian mused.

    The Qi Practicing Realm, Meridian Opening Realm, and Marrow Cleansing Realm were the three essential stages for cultivators to build a solid foundation.

    Body refinement was no longer a priority after advancing to the Innate Realm, though some sects like the Blood Moon Sect still emphasized the benefits of a strong body. These sects had secret techniques for body refinement that allowed cultivators to continue strengthening their bodies even after reaching the Innate Realm.

    Pang Jian''s Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art did not include techniques for body refinement after the Innate Realm, as it adhered to mainstream cultivation methods.

    However, his body had been tempered by the essence of the Celestial Phoenix and the life energy in the three leaves in his chest. Thus, he felt he had unlimited potential for further physical enhancement and had no intention of giving up on body refinement.

    <i>I need to find a body refinement technique in theing days.</i>

    Pang Jian realized then that he had been cooped up in his cave dwelling for quite some time, and Han Ting had not appeared for her daily healing session. Feeling stifled, he pushed open the stone door and stepped out of his cave dwelling.

    The night sky was bright with the light of the moon and stars. As Pang Jian gazed at the clear sky, he tried to use the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art to draw in ster and lunar energy. Unfortunately, like his previous attempts on Gao Yuan''s Cloud Sail, the efficiency was significantly lower than cultivating inside the copper chest.

    "Han Ting, you''ll regret this," Zhang Bin''s voice rang out from the adjacent cave dwelling.

    Looking over in astonishment, Pang Jian saw Zhang Bin step out of cave dwelling number fifty-seven with a sullen expression on his face.

    "Regret? I''ll never regret anything because of you, Zhang Bin!" Han Ting followed after him. Smiling coldly, she said, "I wish Fang Xin could hear what you just said about her throwing herself at you and how you reluctantly epted. And about how you don''t truly like her.

    "Fang Xin risked everything for you, even sneaking an attack on me from behind, yet you have the nerve to say such things! Disgusting! Get lost, I''ll never let someone like you have your way!"

    Han Ting spat in disdain, her eyes filled with loathing.

    "Good! Very good!" Zhang Bin nodded heavily, eyes brimming with murderous intent. "Take good care of yourself then!"

    With that, he turned, intending to leave before his pride was wounded further.

    "Zhang Bin!" Han Ting called out, making him pause.

    She sensuously walked over to Pang Jian and warmly wrapped her arms around his to press her soft, firm chest against his arm.

    Zhang Bin''s eyes red with rage.

    Han Ting beamed. "What you desire but can never have, I gave him a few days ago. Pang Jianes from a noble family in the upper world, a status you could never match. I would rather be his concubine, or even be used by him for nothing than let a scum like you have me!"

    "Han Ting, you''re such a¡ªa slut!" Zhang Bin was audibly grinding his teeth.

    "You''re absolutely right. I''m a slut for Pang Jian! I like it. What''re you going to do about that?" Han Tingughed. Her lips curved into a smug smile as she pressed closer to Pang Jian. "I like being his slut. I enjoy sleeping with him and serving him. I would never let a disgusting dog like you touch even a single toe on my foot!"

    "Bitch, let''s see how you survive after leaving the First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness!"

    With that, Zhang Bin turned and walked away. He feared his rage would drive him to break Old Monster Cao''s rules if he stayed.

    "Come on, let''s get intimate in your cave." Han Ting pulled Pang Jian toward his cave dwelling and mmed the stone door shut.

    After Pang Jian and Han Ting were gone, the stone door of cave dwelling number fifty-five next door was pushed open.

    "Pang Jian, so Little Brother''s name is Pang Jian. I''ve served those siblings for so long, and they never told me their real names. A woman''s charm is truly something." Gao Yuan sighed enviously.

    He had long suspected something between the two and had quietly opened his door to eavesdrop when he heard Han Ting shouting. What he overheard had confirmed his suspicions.

    The coveted Han Ting had given herself to Pang Jian and even openly admitted she enjoyed being with him.

    <i>Little Brother is from a noble family in the upper world. With such a background, it''s no wonder Han Ting willingly threw herself at him. </i>Gao Yuan nodded sagely. <i>Han Ting is quite clever. She knows exactly how to secure a connection with a disciple from a noble family.</i>

 Chapter 163: The Path to Growing Wealth

    <h4>Chapter 163: The Path to Growing Wealth</h4>

    After Han Ting entered cave dwelling number fifty-six, she released Pang Jian''s arm and sincerely apologized, "Sorry for dragging you into this. I just wanted to upset Zhang Bin."

    Her flushed face and clenched fists could be seen under the light of the luminous pearls in the cave. It seemed her actions had required great courage on her part.

    Pang Jian had been silent outside the cave. Once they entered, he nodded indifferently. "Let''s heal your wounds."

    "Okay." Han Ting sighed in relief before going to sit on a wooden chair.

    Her bold flirtatiousness outside the cave had disappeared without a trace. As Pang Jian knew the exact location of her injuries, there was no need to undress as she did before. Instead, she turned her back to him and slightly lowered her top to reveal her smooth shoulder.

    Pang Jian ced his fingers on her shoulder and skillfully transferred life energy into her body.

    "Don''t worry, Zhang Bin is a coward. You''re from a noble family in the upper worlds, so he won''t dare do anything to you," Han Ting exined nervously, her head lowered in guilt. "He''s the type to bully the weak and fear the strong. He doesn''t dare to show anger toward members of the five major sects, let alone someone from the upper worlds."

    Pang Jian did not respond. Zhang Bin was the least of his concerns. With Luo Hongyan missing, his only goal was to identify the culprit before using the bronze pendant to disappear from the First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness.

    Once he disappeared, there would be no chance for him to interact with people like Han Ting and Zhang Bin.

    Han Ting rambled on about her past adventures with Zhang Bin and others, and how they had teamed up to hunt a Rank Five Vicious Beasts in a restricted area.

    Pang Jian had a sudden thought.

    "Have you ever heard of the Ice Crystal Beast?" he asked.

    He intended to sell the Ice Crystal Beast''s horn but knew little about the beast itself. If it was unique to the Fifth World, the horn could raise suspicion when brought out as Old Monster Cao and the other participants would undoubtedly question its origin.

    Thus, he needed to confirm it was not exclusive to the Fifth World, to ensure selling the horn went smoothly.

    "Ice Crystal Beast? There was once a powerful Rank Six Ice Crystal Beast in the Third World. At the time, the Blood Moon Sect dispatched three Spirit Condensation Realm elders to hunt it down," Han Ting recalled. "Ice Crystal Beasts typically live in icy restricted areas.

    "A Rank Six Ice Crystal Beast''sbat power is enhanced in such environments. I heard two of the Blood Moon Sect''s Spirit Condensation Realm elders were injured during the hunt for this Rank Six Ice Crystal Beast.

    "Why do you ask?" Han Ting shot Pang Jian a curious look.

    "Just curious," Pang Jian said casually. "And how much would a Rank Six Ice Crystal Beast''s horn be worth in spirit stones?"

    "The blood, skin, heart, and bones of Rank Six Ice Crystal Beasts are all extremely valuable. However, the most precious part is its horn, which can be used to craft ice-attribute spirit artifacts," Han Ting exined. "If I were to guess, a Rank Six Ice Crystal Beast''s horn is worth at least forty to fifty thousand spirit stones."

    Pang Jian''s eyes lit up. "What about a Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast''s horn?"

    "Rank Seven?" Han Ting hummed in consideration before replying, "I believe its value could be ten times higher."

    <i>Ten times, meaning four to five hundred thousand spirit stones!</i>

    Pang Jian''s fingers on Han Ting''s shoulder trembled in excitement and Han Ting felt his breath be uneven.

    The life energy flowing from his fingers no longer targeted her wounds precisely and instead spread without direction or guidance throughout her whole body.

    Han Ting silently rejoiced. Although she did not know what had excited him, the dispersed life energy was conveniently helping to cleanse her hidden ailments.

    Pang Jian took a moment to gather hisposure and refocus the life energy on Han Ting''s wounds.

    <i>Ten times!</i> Pang Jian was thrilled. He had not expected a Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast''s horn to be worth such an absurd amount.

    Even if he were tobine the loot from the Blood Moon Sect''s beast-hunting sailboat in Divine Fortune City and the dead rogue cultivators in Ice Rock City, it still would not add up to four hundred thousand spirit stones.

    Pang Jian had felt a financial strain after Luo Hongyan''s disappearance, but it seemed he had discovered an effective method of earning spirit stones.

    He did not have to rob rogue cultivators, attack Blood Moon Sect''s beast-hunting sailboats, or venture into restricted areas to hunt Vicious Beasts. All he needed to do was trade with the Celestial Maiden from the Fifth World to gain enormous returns!

    Thebined worth of all the Gold Obsidian, Thunderstruck Wood, and Sr Essence Stones he had given the Celestial Maiden so far was only around ten thousand spirit stones. In return, he obtained the horn of a Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast, which could be sold for forty to fifty times that amount!

    Additionally, he had a significant amount of blood left from the Ice Crystal Beast. If he sold everything, he would make a substantial profit, far surpassing Luo Hongyan''s gains in robbing rogue cultivators near the Three Immortal Inds.

    Sensing that the life energy in the three leaves was almost depleted, Pang Jian stopped and calmly said, "We''re done for today. Come back tomorrow night. Another two nights and your injuries will be fully healed."

    "Thank you." Han Ting adjusted her clothes and prepared to leave. Pausing at the stone door, she said, "Lei Kun left cave dwelling number fifty-seven after meeting us that day and hasn''t continued renting it. I noticed it was vacant, so I spent a few more spirit stones to stay there. That way, I could see you more often."

    Pang Jian nodded. He knew his proactive apology had sessfully dispelled Lei Kun''s suspicions. The Spirit Condensation Realm expert no longer stayed in cave dwelling number fifty-seven to spy on him.

    <i>Luo Hongyan''s disappearance likely has nothing to do with Lei Kun. Otherwise, he would still be watching, </i>Pang Jian thought silently.

    "Are you attending the trade fair tomorrow?" Han Ting asked from the doorway.

    Pang Jian shook his head. "I n to wait until the trading halls are open three days from now."

    "Okay, got it." Han Ting pushed open the stone door and left Pang Jian''s cave dwelling.

    Back in cave dwelling number fifty-seven, she stared wistfully at the rock wall bordering her and Pang Jian''s cave dwellings.

    "He''s from the upper world, and a noble family no less. It''s a pity he has no interest in me." Han Tingughed self-deprecatingly. "I wouldn''t mind being his concubine if he wanted."

    ***

    Pang Jian took a Mind Soothing Pill to steady his excited mind. He wanted to check in on the little tree to see if the exotic nts and flowers growing in Misty Swamp had bloomed or borne fruit. He nned to harvest some rare nts to sell at the trading market.

    With that thought in mind, he connected with the World Eater Vine.

    Pang Jian could observe the thousand-mile expanse of Misty Swamp from several angles. All the nts and flowers rooted in Misty Swamp had be extensions of the little tree''s perception.

    The ck turtle also had the same ability in the nameless fragmentednd.

    Pang Jian could observe the surroundings of any given area as long as there were nts and flowers.

    As he studied Misty Swamp, he noticed mighty birds flying in the distant sky!

    Dark blue hawks, golden eagles, gray falcons, and giant rocs flew majestically from another fragmentednd. Suspended from the talons of these birds were non-flying Vicious Beasts.

    These massive birds carried ck and White King Pythons, lizards, Ice Armor Beasts, one-horned rhinoceroses, and more like cargo.

    After dropping the Vicious Beasts at the edge of Divine Fortune, they flew back to the fragmentednd from which they came.

    Through the omnipresent sight of the little tree, Pang Jian noticed hundreds of Vicious Beasts had already been left in Divine Fortune.

    The massive birds were transporting the mutated Vicious Beasts that had undergone rank breakthroughs in other contaminated fragmentednds to Divine Fortune.

    Vicious Beasts did not have Cloud Sails, Fire Cloud Ships, or Gilded Chariots, and so could only migrate in this primitive way.

    <i>Why are theying to Divine Fortune? Aren''t Vicious Beasts supposed tock intelligence? These mutated Vicious Beasts clearly have a leader! What are they nning?</i>

    Pang Jian''s mind was filled with questions.

    Over the next two days, he continued to closely monitor the situation with the help of the Mind Soothing Pills, watching as more and more Vicious Beasts were transported to Divine Fortune.

    Herbivorous Vicious Beasts fed on the contaminated nts in Misty Swamp, appearing extremely excited after sensing the nts contained far more energypared to other fragmentednds.

    Famished carnivorous Vicious Beasts also charged in, attacking the herbivorous Vicious Beasts. An increasing number of fierce Vicious Beasts joined the fray, driven by hunger, resulting in a bloody carnage across the vast Misty Swamp.

    The grasnds were stained red, and the marshes and streams turned muddy with blood. This, however, seemed to benefit the nts and flowers in Misty Swamp, creating a delicate bnce of life and death.

    The scorchednds of Misty Swamp were gradually returning to their former glory. nts thrived and Vicious Beasts roamed free. Territories were upied and battles were fought, as the Vicious Beasts feasted on the corpses of their fallen opponents to survive.

    Survival of the fittest yed out as before in Misty Swamp.

    The only difference in Divine Fortune before and after the murky energy''s contamination was theplete absence of humans.

    One day, a massive ck roc flew in from a distant fragmentednd, exuding an awe-inspiring aura that made all the Vicious Beasts in Misty Swamp instinctively look up.

    The eyes of this extraordinary ck roc shone with intelligence as it gazed toward an uncontaminated fragmentednd in the distance. A craving for the flesh and blood of human cultivators could be seen in its eyes.

 Chapter 164: The Trading Halls

    <h4>Chapter 164: The Trading Halls</h4>

    The massive ck roc soaring above Divine Fortune had a wingspan of over a dozen zhang and resembled a cluster of dark clouds. Its feathers and joints were akin to refined iron, and it exuded an aura of immense strength.

    Its eyes shone with a greedy desire for the flesh and blood of cultivators.

    Pang Jian sensed this creature''s remarkable intelligence and extreme hatred for human cultivators through the World Eater Vine.

    Many Vicious Beasts that had mutated after being tainted by the murky energy seemed to follow its lead.

    Pang Jian had originally intended to obtain some rare nts and exotic fruits from the World Eater Vine but temporarily gave up his n due to the massive ck roc''s presence. After silently observing for some time, he eventually cut off his connection with the World Eater Vine.

    He sat cross-legged on a meditation mat in cave dwelling number fifty-six with knitted brows and a somber expression.

    The massive ck roc had to have been a formidable Vicious Beast even before the murky energy had contaminated the Fourth World. Its strength rapidly increased after the contamination, and its intelligence underwent a significant transformation, allowing it to be the leader of the mutated Vicious Beasts.

    Pang Jian spected that it hade from the Ouyang n''s fragmentednd and intended to invade other human territories. Divine Fortune was likely just a temporary stop for it.

    These mutated Vicious Beasts would soon attack the uncontaminated territories of the Dong n, the Su n, the Ning n, and the Zhou n.

    These Vicious Beasts would likely also target the group sent by the Celestial Maiden from the Fifth World. Even though the seals on the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs had loosened, they still restricted stronger beings from ascending, only allowing those below Rank Five to break through the barrier.

    <i>What''ll happen when Rank One to Rank Four beings arrive in the fragmentednds of the Ouyang n and the Shangguan n and encounter these mutated Vicious Beasts?</i>

    The strength of the terrifying ck roc had undoubtedly surpassed that of a Rank Four Vicious Beast and was still rapidly increasing.

    It did not originate from the Fifth World. It was filled with hatred for the human race and likely would not care about the foreign races from the lower world either. The Vicious Beasts under itsmand seemed solely driven by the desire to devour the flesh of the strong.

    The sudden rise in power of the mutated Vicious Beasts meant the situation in the Fourth World would only be more chaotic. The space in which the seven major ns could operate would only decrease.

    <i>Migration to the Third World would need to elerate. If they dy...</i>

    <i>Knock, knock, knock!</i>

    A knock on the door broke Pang Jian out of his thoughts.

    Han Ting gently called from outside, "Pang Jian, it''s time to go to the trade fair today."

    At this point, she had fully recovered from her injuries. She felt refreshed and invigorated, radiating with vibrant energy as she bathed in the golden sunlight.

    "Alright,ing." Pang Jian stepped out and nodded at her with a frown. "Our agreement endedst night. You don''t have to¡ª"

    "I''m really thankful for your help," Han Ting interrupted. "I have nothing else to do anyway, and since this is your first time attending Old Monster Cao''s trade fair, I thought I''d help you familiarize yourself with it."

    "Alright then." Pang Jian did not argue.

    Soon after, the two of them reached the summit of the First Peak.

    Unlike before, the doors of the trading halls were now wide open, and many early arrivals were already heading into these wooden buildings.

    "Only those who have conducted transactions in the past three days are allowed to enter," Han Ting exined to Pang Jian, raising her token with a smile. "The ten percentmission we give to those women in white is recorded for every transaction we make. The trading hall requires at least one transaction recorded in your token to enter."

    Pang Jian was surprised. Taking out his token, he noticed several marks beneath the Mang character. He had previously purchased Sr Essence Stones, Thunderstruck Wood, and Gold Obsidian. Eachplete transaction resulted in an added mark.

    "At least one transaction in the trading halls is required to participate in the grand finale of Old Monster Cao''s trade fair, which is held on the seventh day." Han Ting walked gracefully toward the trading halls. "Each transaction in the trading halls involves tens of thousands of spirit stones. Some even involve hundreds of thousands of spirit stones. Themissions from these alone earn Old Monster Cao a substantial sum!"

    The two soon arrived at one of the wooden doors. A woman in white stood at each door, checking the tokens of those entering. One such woman nced at the marks on Pang Jian and Han Ting''s tokens, smiled, and allowed them to pass.

    Theyout of the trading halls was simr to the outside, with mediation mats arranged in a circr pattern with wooden stalls in front of each mat. Arge round tform was also set up in the center of the trading hall. Many women in white sat around the perimeter of the tform, smiling at those moving about inside the hall.

    An elegant woman dressed in an indescribably luxurious gown stood out among the women in white. A pearl ne adorned her slender neck, and her slim waist was embellished with fine jade. Her hairpin was also decorated with gems. This dignified and opulent woman smiled gently as she nodded at those she recognized.

    "That''s Lady Hua. She''s Old Monster Cao''s woman and is in charge of the trading halls," Han Ting introduced in a soft voice.

    The instant Han Ting uttered her name, the dignifieddy turned toward them. She could seemingly hear when someone mentioned her name no matter how noisy and chaotic the environment was.

    When Lady Hua shifted her attention to them, Han Ting hastily forced a smile and bowed. "My friend is participating for the first time and doesn''t know how everything works, so I''m exining things to him. Please forgive us, Lady Hua."

    Lady Hua gave a barely perceptible nod and turned elsewhere, no longer paying attention to Han Ting.

    Suddenly, Pang Jian felt a prickling sensation on his back. He turned to see Zhang Bin ring daggers at him from a corner of the trading hall.

    When Pang Jian turned to face him, Zhang Bin immediately concealed the coldness in his eyes and looked elsewhere with a faux calmness.

    "Useless coward!" Han Ting sneered, having also noticed Zhang Bin. "He only dares to re at you from the shadows. The moment you catch him, he hides his hatred. Your status as a disciple of an upper-world noble family makes him despise and fear you, forcing him to conceal his resentment.

    "Hmph, I could never be interested in a man like him"

    Pang Jian nodded.

    Han Ting then pulled him to a corner and whispered, "Today''s participants will be fewer in number but much higher in status."

    "I''ve noticed." Pang Jian had already seen many people wearing the robes of the five major sects mingling in the crowd.

    Most of the rogue cultivators from the first three days were nowhere to be seen, evidently aware theycked the spirit stones to make it worthwhile participating in the trade fair. Noble family disciples, members of the five major sects, and elite rogue cultivators were the main participants in today''s trade fair.

    "You must purchase or sell something over the next three days to participate in Old Monster Caos'' grand finale. That''s why you''ll see many renowned figures from the Third World here," Han Ting exined in a low voice.

    "Little Brother, you''re here too?" Lei Kun greeted Pang Jian from another wooden door. After entering, he spotted Pang Jian and Han Ting. Approaching them with a smile, he said, "I stayed in cave dwelling number fifty-seven for a while but had other matters to attend to, so I didn''t continue renting it and didn''t get a chance to say goodbye."

    "Greetings, Senior," Pang Jian said with a slight bow.

    Lei Kun also disyed considerable politeness, smiling warmly as he said, "Little Brother, you truly embody the demeanor of someone from a noble family. Despite the minor misunderstanding at the time, you were willing to lower yourself to exin the situation. It made Old Lei here feel quite honored."

    Pang Jian modestly replied, "It was indeed my words that offended Senior Lei. It was generous of Senior not to hold it against me."

    Lei Kun''s smile brightened further. He nodded and nced at Han Ting before saying, "I won''t disturb you then. I''ll take a look around."

    "Seems like Sister Ting has truly climbed up the socialdder," Fang Xin muttered through gritted teeth as she watched this interaction from a short distance away.

    Pulling away from where she had been leaning against Zhang Bin, she quietly sized at the tall, stern-looking young man in ck next to Han Ting before ncing at Zhang Bin beside her.

    <i>They''re both in the Innate Realm, but he''s from a noble family in the upper world. Although Zhang Bin''s cultivation realm is high, he''s older and a rogue cultivator. Why? Why does Han Ting have a better fate than me? Just because she has a big chest and a big butt?</i>

    Fang Xin''s expression shifted as her heart filled withplex emotions.

    <i>Lei Kun!</i> Zhang Bin took a deep breath and lowered his head, no longer daring to stare too intently at Pang Jian and Han Ting.

    He feared his actions would eventually anger Pang Jian. After all, even Lei Kun was courteous to him, meaning he had to be from a truly noble family that a rogue cultivator like him could not provoke.

    As he nced over at the heartbroken Fang Xin, Zhang Bin saw through her thoughts and lost interest in her.

    <i>This shallow bitch, </i>he thought. <i>I should''ve sincerely apologized to Han Tingst night and asked for her forgiveness.</i>

    <i>If worstes to worst, I''ll capture this bitch Fang Xin and hand her over to Han Ting. Hopefully, after having her way with Fang Xin, she''ll calm down and forgive our past actions.</i>

    "Ah!" Lady Hua smiled brightly and floated toward a wooden door. ring reproachfully at the woman in white, she said, "You clueless girl! She''s Zhao Yuanqi from the Red Mountain Sect. She doesn''t need a token!

    "Miss Zhao, pleasee in!"

    Lady Hua bowed and personally weed Zhao Yuanqi at the door.

    A silver-haired girl with a ponytail and arge wine gourd on her back walked in with a cold expression. Jiang Li followed timidly behind her, hesitating as she also had no token.

    "Come in." Zhao Yuanqi took her hand and led her into the trading hall. "Most of the rules in the Primordial Wilderness don''t apply to us."

    "Miss Zhao''s presence brings great honor to the Primordial Wilderness. Of course, we''ll make an exception for you!" Lady Hua nodded enthusiastically, guiding Zhao Yuanqi into the trading hall. "Today''s just the beginning. There might not be anything interesting yet, but rest assured, there''ll definitely be rare treasures that catch your eye on thest day!"

    "Why don''t the rules apply to her?" Pang Jian asked curiously.

    Han Ting smiled wryly. "Because she''s Zhao Yuanqi."

 Chapter 165: Those With Special Privileges

    <h4>Chapter 165: Those With Special Privileges</h4>

    "Because she''s Zhao Yuanqi."

    This simple sentence from Han Ting caused Pang Jian to realize that rules were not absolute.

    A favored individual like Zhao Yuanqi could enjoy more privileges than an ordinary person.

    Zhao Yuanqi wandered around the wooden stalls with Jiang Li. Whenever she took a fancy to something, she would simply make the transaction, pay the spirit stones, take the item, and leave.

    She did not need to pay the ten percentmission when she bought something. The sellers, on the other hand, still had to obediently find one of Old Monster Cao¡¯s subordinates at the central tform and pay themission.

    "She..." Pang Jian trailed off with a frown.

    "The five major sects have a few dazzling individuals who enjoy such privileges," Han Ting said with a face full of envy. "This privilege is reserved for those like Zhao Yuanqi. For instance, Fang Boxuan from the Blood Moon Sect, Xie Xiwen from the Star River Alliance, and Yang Rui from the Radiant Sun Sect.

    "As long as these four don''t die, they''ll surely be famous in the Second World, so even Old Monster Cao is willing to show them some goodwill.

    "Not even Jiu Yuan from the Blood Moon Sect or the Spirit Condensation Realm elders of the major sects have such privileges. Well-known rogue cultivators like Lei Kun must also follow Old Monster Cao¡¯s rules and pay the ten percentmission!"

    Pang Jian nodded in understanding. He had noticed Lei Kun needed to pay the ten percentmission when purchasing items. Although Lady Hua''s smile did be noticeably brighter when facing Lei Kun, even exchanging a few pleasantries with him, that was the extent of his preferential treatment.

    "Let''s take a look around."

    Pang Jian wandered casually, intending to blend into the crowd and go unnoticed.

    Jiang Li did not notice him.

    As he explored, he noticed the items in the trading hall were priced much higher than the spirit materials he saw on the first day. The spirit materials sold by rogue cultivators on the first day mostly cost a few thousand spirit stones and rarely exceeded ten thousand.

    Meanwhile, the prices in the trading hall were all over ten thousand spirit stones.

    Stopping at a stall, he nced at a bottle of dark green pills and noted the description below. "Soul Nourishing Pill."

    "These pills are one grade higher than the Mind Soothing Pills you purchased earlier. Spirit Condensation Realm experts used them to refine their divine soul," Han Ting exined. "After breaking through to the Profound Abode Realm, cultivators must first form their divine sense, using Mind Soothing Pills to enhance it.

    "However, Spirit Condensation Realm experts must not only manage to refine their divine sense but also solidify their divine soul. The Soul Nourishing Pill nourishes the divine soul and is more effective than the Mind Soothing Pill."

    Pang Jian nodded. "I see."

    A bottle of ten Soul Nourishing Pills was priced at thirty thousand spirit stones, ten times the price of Mind Soothing Pills.

    "Pang Jian, I''m sorry, but I can''t afford this Soul Nourishing Pill. There''s really nothing I can do," Han Ting said apologetically, with an embarrassed look on her face.

    "If you can''t afford it, don''t get in the way," The seller shooed them away with displeasure. "You''re blocking others from seeing my stall!"

    "Sorry." Han Ting pulled Pang Jian away and whispered, "That''s Lian Feng, a rogue cultivator in the Spirit Condensation Realm. Although his name isn''t as well-known as Lei Kun, he''s still quite formidable. Soul Nourishing Pills are rare spiritual materials used by experts at his level, so it''s surprising he is selling them."

    Pang Jian muttered to himself, "Thirty thousand..."

    Not long after, he stopped at another stall and looked at a book encased in a wooden box. In a low voice, he noted, "The Grand Providence Sacred Body, fifty thousand spirit stones!"

    "Yes, fifty thousand, although it''s an iplete technique," the vendor smiled slyly.

    Pang Jian looked at him in surprise.

    The vendor had a sleazy appearance. His robe was gaudy and he had his gray-white hair casually draped over his shoulders. Eyes gleaming with a cunning light, he said, "Didn''t you notice this body refining technique has the word ''Sacred'' in it?"

    Han Ting¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. "It''s a saint-grade technique?"

    "Yes, since it''s an iplete saint-grade body refining technique, I¡¯m only asking for fifty thousand spirit stones. If it wereplete, the price would be ten times higher!" The vendor sighed wistfully. "Current mainstream cultivation techniques no longer emphasize the refinement and tempering of the physical body.

    "In the past, when body refining techniques were prevalent, a saint-grade body refining technique like this would never have appeared in a ce like this!"

    <i>Saint grade...</i>

    Cultivation techniques, spirit artifacts, and pills were categorized into basic, intermediate, advanced, saint, and divine grades.

    Most of the items Pang Jian had previously seen on sale were in the intermediate or advanced grade, with values in the tens of thousands. Saint-grade treasures were rumored to be coveted even by experts in the Soul Wandering Realm and Nirvana Realm in the Second World.

    "Can I take a look?" Pang Jian asked sincerely.

    "No," the vendor said, shaking his head with a cold, stern expression. "Pay fifty thousand spirit stones, and you can take it home to study. The Grand Providence Sacred Body manual only consists of the first part. The second part is lost, and I haven¡¯t found it. I don''t even know where it might be.

    "Of course, if I ever find the second part, I certainly won''t be selling it!"

    Pang Jian remained silent.

    A bottle of Soul Nourishing Pills was thirty thousand, and this fragment of a technique was fifty thousand. Just the cost of these two items alone was astronomical.

    <i>Unless...</i>

    His eyes brightened as he found an empty mat next to the vendor and sat down. He then took out the horn of the Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast and ced it on the wooden stall in front of him.

    "What!" The sly-looking vendor next to Pang Jian shivered unexpectedly. ncing at the horn, he eximed, "A horn from a Rank Seven Vicious Beast!"

    Han Ting also shivered from the cold. She finally understood why Pang Jian had asked about the value of a Rank Six Ice Crystal Beast''s horn a few days ago. He actually had a horn from a Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast!

    "So cold!"

    "Who brought out such an extremely cold treasure without storing it in a proper container?"

    "Damn, I''m freezing!"

    The intense cold from the horn of the Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast also affected the other cultivators nearby, causing them to look over in astonishment.

    Pang Jian picked up a wooden sign, wrote a line, and ced it by the horn.

    <i>Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast''s horn, four hundred thousand spirit stones.</i>

    "Pang Jian!" Jiang Li''s familiar voice rang out.

    "Who?" Zhao Yuanqi asked in bewilderment before recalling the familiar name. "Senior Sister Jiang, are you saying...?"

    Her suspicious gaze fell on a young man in ck surrounded by a cold mist. "Is he the Pang Jian you were talking about?"

    "Yes, it''s him!" The overjoyed Jiang Li immediately walked toward Pang Jian. Her bright eyes gleamed with excitement.

    "Oh my god, a Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast horn?"

    "Four hundred thousand spirit stones, that¡¯s reasonable!"

    "Who is this guy? Rank Seven Vicious Beasts are rare in our Third World. Where did he get it?"

    Many cultivators gathered upon hearing the news,menting curiously as they repeatedly nced at Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian remained calm andposed.

    <i>As expected of someone from a noble family in the upper world. The items he casually brings out can astonish everyone,</i> Lei Kun thought, standing a distance away.

    He did not approach Pang Jian and simply nodded as if he did not find the situation surprising.

    Zhang Bin''s eyes dimmed as he sighed, racking his brain for ways to make Han Ting let go of her hostility toward them.

    "Pang Jian, what are you doing here?" Jiang Li asked, pushing through the crowd to stand before Pang Jian. Her excitement was palpable.

    Pang Jian nodded at her and said, "I stay on the neenth floor of the First Peak, in cave dwelling number fifty-six. We can talkter."

    "Okay, okay." Jiang Li held back from asking further. When Zhao Yuanqi came over, she tightly gripped her arm and whispered, "Without him, Junior Brother Zhou and I would''ve been long dead long, and my arm wouldn''t have grown back."

    The aloof girl nodded. Looking at the upright young man in ck, Zhao Yuanqi said, "I''m Zhao Yuanqi from the Red Mountain Sect. I''ll visit your cave dwelling tonight."

    Her words caused an uproar.

    No one expected this prominent figure from the Red Mountain Sect to show interest in Pang Jian and even directly state she would visit him tonight.

    Han Ting stood behind Pang Jian, inwardly screaming, <i>Zhao Yuanqi! That''s Zhao Yuanqi!</i>

    Pang Jian calmly nodded and said, "Alright."

    "See youter." With that, Zhao Yuanqi pulled Jiang Li and withdrew from the crowd.

    As they left, Jiang Li frequently nced back at Pang Jian, eyes filled with questions. She wondered about her admired Sister Luo, curious about her absence.

    Pang Jian remainedposed as the crowd gathered.

    Many cultivators came over to look at the Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast horn with obvious interest, but no one stepped forward to trade.

    "Little brother, your item is indeed a treasure, but its high price makes it unaffordable for most." The crafty vendor next to him kindly suggested, "Now that the news of you selling a Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast horn has spread, you can inform Lady Hua ande back tomorrow or the day after at a specific time.

    "Those truly interested in the horn and with sufficient spirit stones will naturally show up at the appointed time."

    After saying that, heughed and destroyed the wooden sign next to the technique Pang Jian had been eyeing. He then ced down a new wooden sign.

    <i>The Grand Providence Sacred Body, eighty thousand spirit stones!</i>

    Pang Jian''s brief gratitude for the vendor''s advice quickly faded. He fumed in silence.

    Lian Feng, the vendor selling Soul Nourishing Pills, also returned to his stall with conflicted feelings. After a brief hesitation, Lian Feng simrly raised the price of the Soul Nourishing Pills from thirty thousand to fifty thousand spirit stones.

 Chapter 166: A Four Hundred Thousand Transaction!

    <h4>Chapter 166: A Four Hundred Thousand Transaction!</h4>

    <i>Eighty thousand...</i>

    Pang Jian''s face twitched when he saw the new price of the Grand Providence Sacred Body manual.

    "How shameless!" Han Ting eximed. "You''re tantly raising the price!"

    Her almond-shaped eyes filled with anger. The sly vendor was neither a well-known rogue cultivator like Lian Feng nor dressed in the robes of the five major sects. Sensing his cultivation realm was only slightly higher than hers, she boldly dared to criticize him,

    "Haha!" The vendorughed shamelessly, not feeling offended at all. He nodded. "You''re right, I am raising the price. We can change our prices at any time before they''re sold. Your friend here is rich. Eighty thousand spirit stones are just a drop in the ocean for him, so you don''t need to feel bad for him.

    "I''m Huang Qi, and I''m specifically reserving this iplete Grand Providence Sacred Body for you, young friend, so it''s normal for the price to be higher. Fifty thousand spirit stones is a reasonable price for this iplete technique. Even without you, my young friend, I could still have sold it.

    "However, you still need to sell the horn of the Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast. So, to ensure this iplete technique doesn''t get taken by someone else during that time, I had to raise its price. Only such a high price can deter many people. The extra thirty thousand spirit stones are nothing if you truly want this iplete technique."

    The anger on Han Ting''s face faded as Huang Qi exined. His reasoning made sense.

    After thinking it over carefully, Pang Jian also felt there was no issue and said, "Alright, just wait for me for a while."

    "Haha, I raised the price just to wait for you!" Huang Qiughed heartily.

    Pang Jian patiently waited, allowing the people in the trading hall to stare while he subtly observed those wearing the robes of the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple.

    The sect members present were just ordinary disciples, and elders like Jiu Yuan were not among them. Unfortunately, he could not detect anything unusual from their expressions.

    The horn of the Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast was priced at four hundred thousand spirit stones and was not something just anyone could afford. He grew impatient after waiting a long time without anyone approaching to trade.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Lady Hua floated gracefully down from the tform with a charming smile. She stood before Pang Jian''s stall and said upfront, "Young man, I''ll take this horn of a Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast."

    "Lady Hua, have you already found a buyer?" Huang Qi asked with a cheeky smile.

    Lady Hua frowned as she nced at Huang Qi. Seeing he was not somebody of note, she replied curtly, "Whether I have or haven''t found a buyer is none of your business."

    Turning back to Pang Jian, she smiled and said, "I''ll buy it for four hundred thousand spirit stones."

    "Deal," Pang Jian agreed readily

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pieces of spirit jade were piled onto Pang Jian''s wooden stall and overflowed onto the cultivation mat.

    "Four thousand spirit jades, each worth a hundred spirit stones, totaling precisely four hundred thousand. Make sure to count them carefully," Lady Hua said with a smile.

    "Okay." Pang Jian stood up, preparing to count the jade when Han Ting stopped him. "Pang Jian, there''s no need to count carefully."

    Huang Qi chuckled. "Don''t worry, young man. Lady Hua has a good reputation,"

    "Alright." Pang Jian nodded and handed the horn to Lady Hua. After transferring the spirit jade into his spatial bracelet, he asked, "Do I need to pay amission?"

    "There''s no need to paymission when you trade with me," Lady Hua said with a wave. Smiling warmly, she said, "By selling the horn to me, you saved forty thousand spirit stones."

    "Yes, that does save quite a bit," Pang Jian replied.

    He then headed to Huang Qi''s stall and took out eight hundred pieces of spirit jade to exchange for the iplete Grand Providence Sacred Body manual.

    "What about my transaction with him?" Pang Jian asked Lady Hua.

    "A deal is a deal. You must pay a ten percentmission for purchasing his technique."

    "Okay." Pang Jian carefully counted out eighty pieces of spirit jade. After a moment, he took out fifty more pieces of spirit jade and ced them on his wooden stall. "I have another transaction. I''ll pay themission for both deals now."

    He had already seen Lian Feng raise the price of the Soul Nourishing Pills in the distance.

    "I like people who follow the rules." Lady Hua smiled, watching as Pang Jian bought a bottle of Soul Nourishing Pills from Lian Feng. She then pointed to Huang Qi and Lian Feng. "You, and you. Remember to pay the ten percentmission."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    She then returned to the tform with the horn of the Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast in hand.

    <i>Old Ghost Dongye has asked us to find a high-ranked, cold-attribute Vicious Beast''s horn. This horn from a Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast will be worth at least double when we sell it to him! </i>she thought in delight.

    With these thoughts in mind, she nced over at Pang Jian again, finding him more and more pleasing to the eye.

    Having acquired what he needed, Pang Jian quickly found the few people he had previously noted and bought some Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder and other consumables like Refined Ghost Miasma.

    He then turned and headed out.

    Han Ting still wanted to look around. Hesitating, she said, "Pang Jian, I''ll continue to look around for a bit more. Let''s meetter."

    "Alright," Pang Jian responded indifferently.

    "We won''t have to wait until tonight after all. Let''s visit him now," Zhao Yuanqi said to Jiang Li as she watched Pang Jian leave. "Let''s go, Senior Sister Jiang."

    Jiang Li nodded gently.

    Back in his cave dwelling, Pang Jian was preparing to study the Grand Providence Sacred Body manual when he heard a knock on the stone door.

    When he opened the door, he saw the silver-haired Zhao Yuanqi with Jiang Li standing beside her.

    "Zhao-Zhao Yuanqi!" Gao Yuan eximed from the adjacent cave dwelling. He had heard Pang Jian''s return and opened his stone door to ask about the situation, only to see Zhao Yuanqi from the Red Mountain Sect.

    Baffled, Gao Yuan stared at Zhao Yuanqi in disbelief.

    "Come in," Pang Jian invited, stepping aside to allow Zhao Yuanqi and Jiang Li in and closing it behind them

    Gao Yuan stood in the corridor, staring at the shut stone door in bewilderment.

    Inside Pang Jian''s cave dwelling, Jiang Li bit her lips and bowed. With heartfelt sincerity, she said, "Pang Jian, thank you for everything you did for Junior Brother Zhou and me in Eight Trigrams City.

    "After Junior Brother Zhou returned, he was depressed for a long time because of you and lost interest in cultivation. Han Duping and I were also worried about you and Sister Luo but didn''t know how to help with our limited abilities.

    "When Junior Brother Zhou heard Dong Tianze was going to Three Immortal Inds, he left me behind and went there. Along the way..."

    Jiang Li continued to recount what happened to Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping.

    Pang Jian learned Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping had nned to ambush Dong Tianze at the Three Immortal Inds, but decided to instead rush to the Fourth World after hearing of the terrifying catastrophe there.

    "Where is Sister Luo?" Jiang Li asked, ncing around the cave. "Qi Qingsong told me Sister Luo was inhabiting the body of the Ning n''s youngdy. She took care of Su Meng and me and I want to see Sister Luo so I can thank her personally."

    Sitting on the cultivation mat, Pang Jian nced between Jiang Li and Zhao Yuanqi.

    "Senior Sister Jiang''s matter is my matter," the aloof girl dered.

    Jiang Li and Zhou Qingchen had frequently brought up Pang Jian over the past few months. This youth from the lower world dared to attack Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion for Zhou Qingchen''s sake, and she could not help but admire his actions.

    Jiang Li''s attachment to him meant Zhao Yuanqi was willing to help with whatever matter arose.

    "On our first day here in the Primordial Wilderness, I stayed in this cave dwelling while Luo Hongyan went to get a token for the trade fair. On her way back, she disappeared. A rogue cultivator saw her leave the First Peak." Pang Jian hesitated briefly. "We have some enmity with the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple. I suspect they had a hand in it."

    "Junior Sister..." Jiang Li looked expectantly at Zhao Yuanqi.

    "You guys chat, I''ll go ask around." The girl with therge wine gourd swiftly left the cave dwelling to inquire about Luo Hongyan.

    "Pang Jian, don''t be fooled by her young age. My junior sister is a capable person. Even the elders in the Red Mountain Sect listen to her," Jiang Li said earnestly.

    "Yes, I''ve heard a lot about her." Pang Jian nodded, feeling hopeful. Zhao Yuanqi''s status and connections were beyond him. She could uncover what he could not.

    After that, he and Jiang Li engaged in casual conversation. He kept his guard up, only mentioning that he and Luo Hongyan arrived in the Third World through the Mirror Tunnel, and had wandered around the fragmentednds.

    After they heard about Old Monster Cao''s grand event, they came on a Cloud Sail.

    Outside, Gao Yuan stared at Pang Jian''s cave dwelling with aplex expression and muttered, "Zhao Yuanqi stayed in his cave dwelling for a long time before leaving. There''s still another girl from the Red Mountain Sect inside. I wonder what they''re talking about."

    Suddenly, Gao Yuan heard someone counting as they approached from a distance.

    "Fifty-three, fifty-four, fifty-five..." The young man stopped and looked at Pang Jian''s cave dwelling with a bright smile. "Cave dwelling number fifty-six!"

    "Are you also here to see Little Brother Pang?" Gao Yuan asked tentatively.

    The blue-robed young man had azy demeanor and a handsome face. He nodded with a smile. "Yes, I''m here to see my...good friend Pang Jian."

    At the word "friend", a hint of pain appeared in his eyes as if recalling some unpleasant memories.

    <i>As expected, </i>Gao Yuan thought, not noticing the changes in Qi Qingsong''s expression.

    As he was about to say there were people inside, he noticed the emblem on the young man''s chest. On the emblem was a tower resembling a sharp de pointing downward. The de was split into nine segments, with each also doubling as a floor of the tower.

    "Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion!" Gao Yuan cried out in shock.

    Qi Qingsong smiled faintly. Touching his face, he said smugly, "It seems my reputation for being handsome has spread throughout the Third World. Even rogue cultivators like you know me."

    Qi Qingsong then knocked on the stone door.

    "Pang Jian!"

 Chapter 167: Qi Qingsongs Choice

    <h4>Chapter 167: Qi Qingsong''s Choice</h4>

    Inside cave dwelling number fifty-six, Pang Jian''s and Jiang Li''s expressions changed as they heard thezy voice of the person knocking.

    Worry was evident on Jiang Li''s face as she fretted, "My junior sister just happens to be away! He lost an arm because of you. He''s probably here for revenge!"

    "Don''t worry, this is the First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness." Pang Jian regained hisposure as heforted in a deep voice, "Cultivators are strictly forbidden from fighting and killing each other on the First Peak. No one is allowed to break the rules."

    Although he reassured Jiang Li, Pang Jian was still uncertain of Qi Qingsong''s intentions as he stood up and opened the stone door.

    Outside the cave, Qi Qingsong, dressed in blue, looked much the same as in Eight Trigrams City. His severed arm had regrown and a bright smile adorned his face.

    Before Pang Jian could invite him in, Qi Qingsong pushed Pang Jian aside and walked in as if he owned the ce.

    "Oh, you''re here too." He nodded in Jiang Li''s direction. Sitting on a wooden chair, he took up the demeanor of a host as he grinned at Pang Jian and Jiang Li. "Have you two finished your conversation?"

    Jiang Li opened her mouth to reply.

    Before she could get a word out, Qi Qingsong added, "I have something to discuss with Pang Jian. If it''s not urgent, you cane back another time."

    Jiang Li took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and said sternly, "Qi Qingsong, my cultivation is low, and I''m no match for you, but my junior sister Zhao Yuanqi is very close to me. If you dare harm Pang Jian..."

    Qi Qingsong chuckled in disbelief and shook his head. "What are you thinking? This is the First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness. I wouldn''t dare disrespect Old Monster Cao''s rules. I''m just here to catch up with an old friend."

    "Friend..." Pang Jian instinctively nced at Qi Qingsong''s regrown arm, recalling how Qi Qingsong had proimed he would be his friend in Eight Trigrams City.

    After leaving Eight Trigrams City, Qi Qingsong had advanced two cultivation realms and had been reinstated as an inner disciple of Sword Pavilion, making waves in the Second and Third World with his Profound Abode Realm cultivation.

    Thus, when he mentioned "friend", Pang Jian felt Qi Qingsong was mocking him.

    Pang Jian hesitated briefly before saying to Jiang Li, "It''s fine, I''ll talk to him alone."

    "Well, alright then," Jiang Li said, warily eyeing Qi Qingsong. Before she shut the stone door, she added, "I''ll be right outside. If anything happens, just scream."

    Outside the cave, a man and a woman conversed, asionally ncing at Pang Jian''s cave dwelling as they did.

    Recognizing the woman, Jiang Li eximed, "Oh, it''s you!"

    The woman was the one apanying Pang Jian in the trade hall.

    "So that was Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion," Han Ting murmured.

    After returning from the trade fair, Han Ting saw a blue-robed young man enter Pang Jian''s cave dwelling. Seeing Gao Yuan standing on the stone path, she asked about the man''s identity and was shocked to learn it was Qi Qingsong.

    Still feeling the shock, Han Ting smiled and nodded at Jiang Li.

    Jiang Li forced out a smile and joined them. "You two..."

    "Friends of Little Brother Pang," Gao Yuan quickly exined.

    Han Ting simply replied with a hum, unsure how to define her rtionship with Pang Jian. Though she felt it had not reached the level of "friends", she was reluctant to deny it.

    Hearing they were friends of Pang Jian, Jiang Li earnestly said, "It''s truly fortunate to be able to be Pang Jian''s friend!"

    Meanwhile, inside the cave, Qi Qingsong frowned and said, "Give me your participation token."

    Why?" Pang Jian asked, puzzled.

    "We can''t talk freely with that thing here," Qi Qingsong said, pointing at the table and signaling Pang Jian to ce his token down.

    Pang Jianplied.

    A clear purple crystal appeared in Qi Qingsong''s palm, with strands of purple lightning inside forming a mysterious pattern, and he ced it over Pang Jian''s token as if shielding it.

    Qi Qingsong visibly rxed once the purple crystal was covering the token,zily leaning back in the wooden chair and crossing his legs,

    "As long as the token is here, Lady Hua can sense whenever someone mentions Old Monster Cao''s or her names, as well as some other sensitive words," he revealed. "Old Monster Cao was boasting about how he and Lady Hua have turned the First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness into arge array.

    "Lady Hua can detect if anyone''s vital energy drops significantly or their soul is extinguished. She''s been setting this up since the creation of the cave dwellings, and if anyone dies on the First Peak, she''ll send someone to investigate or even take action herself."

    Qi Qingsong exined the mysteries of the First Peak.

    Pang Jian''s expression changed. "The token spies on everyone?"

    He thought about how he had transferred the Gold Obsidian and Sr Essence Stones to the Fifth World and received the Ice Crystal Beast''s horn in the cave. The realization made him shiver.

    Qi Qingsongughed and shook his head. "It doesn''t spy, it just asionally listens. Lady Hua doesn''t have the energy to eavesdrop on every single resident of the First Peak. She only pays attention when someone mentions Old Monster Cao or her name.

    "She can''t keep track of everybody if many people simultaneously talk about her and Old Monster Cao. Rx. It''s not as magical as you think," Qi Qingsong said nonchntly.

    "Oh." Pang Jian sat on the cultivation mat and leaned against the hard rock wall. Knitting his brows, he asked, "How did you know I was here?"

    "The horn of a Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast, valued at four hundred thousand spirit stones, was today''s biggest deal in the trading halls," Qi Qingsong said, shooting Pang Jian a serene smile. "You caused such amotion. It was impossible not to attract attention.

    "Furthermore, Jiang Li called out your name in the trading hall, so I asked around and found out it was you. Besides, I guessed you would be in the Primordial Wilderness."

    "You knew I was in the Primordial Wilderness?" Pang Jian was taken aback.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Qi Qingsong pulled out two blue and white porcin wine jars from his spatial bracelet and casually tossed one to Pang Jian. Tearing open the seal on the other, he took a couple of sips and said, "Let''s drink and chat."

    "Alright." Pang Jian mimicked him, peeling off the greasy seal and savoring the rich aroma of the wine.

    As he took a couple of sips, he felt the rich liquor warm his body. Qi Qingsong''s wine was smoother and more mellow than Zhou Qingchen''s wine, and also not as spicy.

    ¡°You brat, back then we had no enmity, and you, a mere Meridian Opening Realm cultivator, dared to attack me with your spear for that fool Zhou Qingchen.¡± Qi Qingsong sighed deeply and stared at Pang Jian with a strange expression. ¡°And you did it twice!¡±

    Seeing Qi Qingsong bringing up old grievances, Pang Jian silently drank and kept his head down.

    "After failing, you sent Zhou Qingchen into the Mirror Tunnel despite being pursued by Dong Tianze and stayed behind yourself." Qi Qingsong said, eyelids drooping with drowsiness.

    Pang Jian stared at him.

    <i>His alcohol tolerance doesn''t seem very good. It seems he drank just to reach a tipsy state where he could say things he normally wouldn''t.</i>

    "Pang Jian, when I found out you were in the Primordial Wilderness and staying on the First Peak, I was faced with a dilemma..." Qi Qingsong slurred, taking a few more gulps of wine. His face was flushed. "In Eight Trigrams City, you forced me to sever an arm and proim I would be your...friend. You know that wasn''t sincere."

    Pang Jian nodded lightly.

    "So!" Qi Qingsong snorted coldly. "So, with my Profound Abode Realm cultivation, my status in the Sword Pavilion, and Old Monster Cao''s intention to curry favor with me, I could get revenge for that day!

    "From the moment I stepped into this cave, I could''ve been your enemy, first mocking you coldly, then asking Old Monster Cao to find an excuse to expel you from the First Peak. Once you were off the First Peak, I could attack you, washing away the humiliations you caused me in Eight Trigrams City.

    "Remember, it was two times you humiliated me!" Qi Qingsong held up two fingers. Then thinking it wasn''t enough, he added a third finger and angrily said, "No, three times! Forcing me to sever my arm was one! Attacking me twice as a Meridian Opening Realm cultivator was the other two humiliations!"

    Pang Jian drank in silence and listened to him vent.

    "Li Jie from the Divine Treasure Sect''s Li Family is naturally of high status and thinks highly of you. But now that I''ve broken through two cultivation realms and be an inner disciple of Sword Pavilion again, even his status can''t suppress me!"

    Qi Qingsong smiled arrogantly, his wild demeanor on full disy.

    "Back in the day, I was one of the most talented disciples in the Sword Pavilion. I only encountered setbacks because I sought the elusive state of bing one with the world. After bing one with the world and advancing to the Innate Realm, I overcame my inner demons and regained everything that was rightfully mine!"

    As Qi Qingson spoke, he became increasingly animated, enthusiastically guzzling the wine with loud gulps. He did not use spiritual power to counteract the alcohol, and thus, with his poor tolerance, he soon became drunk.

    After boasting about himself and talking in long-winded circles, he eventually arrived at the point of his ramble.

    "One option was to avenge my humiliation in Eight Trigrams City. The other was to let go of the grudge and keep my promise of bing your friend. I thought it over for a long time and finally chose thetter.

    "I know you have your secrets, but I''m not afraid of you. I truly believe I could kill you here on the First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness!

    "I chose to befriend you because of how you treated that fool Zhou Qingchen! I also long for a friend who would risk their life to challenge an impossible enemy for me and would stay behind to die so I could leave alive. A friend who would not betray me the moment I turned my back.

    "I, Qi Qingsong, have never had such a friend in my entire life!"

 Chapter 168: Luo Hongyans Whereabouts

    <h4>Chapter 168: Luo Hongyan''s Whereabouts</h4>

    Qi Qingsong sat with a dazed expression inside cave dwelling number fifty-six. He loungedzily on the wooden chair with his legs crossed, guzzling wine as he poured out his heart.

    Pang Jian sat silently on a cultivation mat nearby, leaning against the hard rock wall as he quietly drank his wine.

    The drunk Qi Qingsong seemed to be unloading years of pent-up frustrations as he recounted his glorious past and how highly the Sword Pavilion had regarded him when he was an inner disciple. He also spoke of the despicable behaviors of his former inner disciple brothers after he had been demoted to an outer disciple

    Pang Jian patiently listened to Qi Qingsong''s stories about his past.

    From this, he learned that Qi Qingsong had gone through a long period of depression before entering Eight Trigrams City for the trial. He had no one to confide in during those years and had experienced the full spectrum of human rtionships.

    Not knowing how tofort him, Pang Jian just silently drank his wine as he listened to Qi Qingsong vent. Soon, Qi Qingsong fell into an unguarded sleep, letting out soft snores that echoed through the cave dwelling.

    "A prodigy who once hit rock bottom is now shining brightly again," Pang Jian remarked softly as he stared at him.

    After a long while, an urgent knock came at the door.

    <i>Knock, knock, knock!</i>

    It startled Pang Jian out of his meditation and jolted Qi Qingsong awake from his deep sleep.

    "Ugh, I can''t believe I fell asleep." Qi Qingsong looked slightly embarrassed. He rubbed his eyes with his sleeve, wiped the drool from his mouth, then smiled. "I guess I must really trust you."

    Pang Jian gently nodded.

    "It''s Zhao Yuanqi!" The cold voice of the aloof girl rang out from the outside.

    The now fully awake Qi Qingsong said in surprise, "Zhao Yuanqi from the Red Mountain Sect?"

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A strong stench of alcohol wafted from his body through his pores as he used his spiritual power to purge the alcohol in his system.

    Zhao Yuanqi caught a whiff of the pungent smell of alcohol when Pang Jian opened the stone door.

    "You two..." The silver-haired girl wrinkled her nose. "How much have you two been drinking?"

    Jiang Li peeked in from outside the cave and was also hit by the strong smell of alcohol.

    "Not much, it''s just my tolerance isn''t good, but I wanted to indulge," Qi Qingsong said frankly. With a wave of his sleeve, a sharp sword intent brought a gust of wind that blew all the alcohol fumes out of the cave.

    The silver-haired girl snorted and finally stepped inside once most of the smell had dissipated. She then closed the stone door.

    Once the stone door was shut, no one could hear the conversations inside unless they were someone like Lei Kun in the Spirit Condensation Realm. This was one of the wonders of the First Peak''s cave dwellings.

    Curiosity flickered across her eyes when she nced at the purple crystal covering the token. "The token...to prevent prying eyes?"

    Qi Qingsong nodded with a smile.

    "You two..." Zhao Yuanqi trailed off hesitatingly, knitting her brows as she nced at Qi Qingsong.

    "We''re friends," Pang Jian said, noticing her apprehension.

    Qi Qingsong grinned broadly. "That''s right, Pang Jian and I are <i>good</i> friends, the kind with no secrets!"

    "Oh, if that''s the case," Zhao Yuanqi appeared skeptical but continued, "Pang Jian, I''ve asked around. Old Monster Cao captured the person you and Senior Sister Jiang mentioned."

    "Old Monster Cao?" Pang Jian stood up abruptly, expression dark. "We have no enmity with Old Monster Cao!"

    Even after mulling it over carefully, he was certain they had no dealings with Old Monster Cao. He could not understand why the master of the Primordial Wilderness would capture Luo Hongyan.

    Qi Qingsong chuckled. "So you were gathering information for Pang Jian."

    "Do you have more urate information?" Zhao Yuanqi stood in the center of the cave and stared at him fearlessly, showing no unease despite him being an inner disciple of the Sword Pavilion.

    "It just so happens that I do," Qi Qingsong said with a slight smirk. He tapped the wooden table with his finger as his expression turned serious. "Pang Jian, I specifically came here to tell you about this. My information is more urate and detailed because ites directly from Old Monster Cao himself!"

    Pang Jian''s back straightened to attention.

    Zhao Yuanqi nodded in surprise. "My information is vague. Someone saw Old Monster Cao and a veiled, beautiful woman shing on arge meteorite outside of the Primordial Wilderness, but I don''t know why they fought."

    Pang Jian took a deep breath and said coldly, "We followed his rules to attend his event. Why did he attack her?"

    "It''s like this..." Qi Qingsong began.

    Old Monster Cao''s event did not require his presence in the early days, so he had gone out for some errands. He had been passing a meteor field outside the Primordial Wilderness when one of his treasures issued a warning.

    Curious, Old Monster Cao investigated the meteors and discovered an array capable of trapping souls inside a meteorite. It was filled with Spirit Devils, including Maverick Ling Yun from Three Immortal Inds.

    The suspicious Old Monster Cao then used his treasure to eliminate the Spirit Devils to force their master to reveal themselves. Soon, a veiled, beautiful woman angrily flew out of the Primordial Wilderness, and a conflict erupted.

    The fight ended with Old Monster Cao capturing the woman.

    Intriguingly, the woman used the Blood Moon Sect''s secret techniques during the battle and knew how to condense Spirit Devils. After capturing her, he contacted the elders of the Sinister Soul Temple, and they soon confirmed the woman was a remnant of the long-suppressed Blood Spirit Sect.

    Jiu Yuan eventually also came across this news.

    The Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple both demanded the woman from Old Monster Cao. Not wanting to offend either side, Old Monster Cao decided to sell the captured woman on thest day of the trade fair, nning to set the price at one million spirit stones and allow the two parties to draw lots for her.

    "When Old Monster Cao told me about this, he also mentioned the woman''s body had been reforged with a Crystal Snow Lotus. I guessed it was Luo Hongyan when I heard about it and assumed you were likely also in the Primordial Wilderness.

    "Coincidentally, when you brought out the horn of a Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast to sell, Jiang Li called out your name, so I came looking for you," Qi Qingsong exined.

    Zhao Yuanqi nodded. "His information is indeed more detailed than mine."

    Pang Jian forced himself to stay calm as he sat heavily on the cultivation mat. He finally understood why Luo Hongyan had suddenly disappeared.

    Luo Hongyan did not have a ce to keep the Spirit Devils and had ced them in a meteorite outside the Primordial Wilderness just in case. When Old Monster Cao attacked the Spirit Devils, she rushed over, only to be overpowered.

    Few knew of the incident as it had urred outside the Primordial Wilderness and had been deliberately concealed by Old Monster Cao.

    "The Blood Moon Sect, the Sinister Soul Temple, and Old Monster Cao..." Pang Jian muttered, his eyes growing cold.

    "Pang Jian, I heard Luo Hongyan is a remnant of the Blood Spirit Sect. The Blood Spirit Sect had a terrible reputation in the past. Old Monster Cao may be courteous to me, but my status isn''t high enough to make him release her. Moreover, this involves the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple. I''m truly powerless here," Qi Qingsong said with a bitter smile.

    He then pulled out a blue disciple robe with the Sword Pavilion''s emblem, ced it on the wooden table, and weighed it down with a silver token bearing the Sword Pavilion insignia.

    "This token will indicate your status as an outer disciple of Sword Pavilion. I''m afraid we can''t save Luo Hongyan, but at the very least, I can get you out of the Primordial Wilderness. As long as you wear this robe and hang this silver token on your waist, I''ll be able to keep you safe," Qi Qingsong said sincerely.

    Zhao Yuanqi blinked in surprise. "I suppose I won''t need to rmend you to the Red Mountain Sect anymore."

    On the way back, she had already decided to use her status in the Red Mountain Sect to rmend Pang Jian''s admission and help him avoid this disaster.

    Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping had told her that Pang Jian was just a hunter from the Solitary Mountain Range in the Fourth World. Before meeting Pang Jian, she had promised Zhou Qingchen and Jiang Li she would use her status to rmend him to the Red Mountain Sect once he appeared.

    She was confident she could safely take Pang Jian away as long as he no longer involved himself with Luo Hongyan.

    "Killing someone like Zhu Yuanxi of the Blood Moon Sect won''t be an issue for an outer disciple of Sword Pavilion. However, you must not get involved with Luo Hongyan. The Blood Spirit Sect is far too sensitive an issue," Qi Qingsong advised.

    "That''s right. The Blood Spirit Sect''s notorious reputation was well-deserved. Their destruction was a great relief to many. It''s better if you don''t have any connection with them," Zhao Yuanqi agreed, nodding.

    "You two go out first. Let me think it over on my own," Pang Jian could not stomach any more advice. Learning the truth about Luo Hongyan''s disappearance had left him with a heavy heart.

    "Alright," Qi Qingsong said, nodding in understanding as he stood up from the wooden chair. "I''ll be in the Primordial Wilderness for a while. You can contact me with that silver token if you need anything. If it''s within my power, I won''t refuse."

    He then addressed Zhao Yuanqi, "Let''s give him some space."

    Zhao Yuanqi stepped out of the cave without a word, with Qi Qingsong following behind.

    After closing the stone door gently behind him, Qi Qingsong turned to the group outside and said, "He''s not in a good mood. Don''t bother him for the next couple of days."

 Chapter 169: The Sacred Tree of the Wood Race

    <h4>Chapter 169: The Sacred Tree of the Wood Race</h4>

    Pang Jian''s cave dwelling fell back into a tranquil silence.

    Sitting cross-legged on the cultivation mat, he anxiously sipped Qi Qingsong''s wine, expression clouded with worry. His deep gaze asionally flitted to the blue robe and the silver token Qi Qingsong had ced on the wooden table.

    <i>Should I just stay out of it? Walk away? </i>

    Pang Jian shook his head grimly, exuding a violent, chilling aura.

    <i>Cao Mang, the master of the Primordial Wilderness; Jiu Yuan, the elder from the Blood Moon Sect; and the unnamed elder from the Sinister Soul Temple...</i>

    Their figures shed through his mind, and he mulled over the situation for a long time.

    "One million spirit stones," Pang Jian muttered, eyes filled with tangible killing intent.

    A burning rage ignited within him when he thought about Luo Hongyan being captured and treated as merchandise to be sold for one million spirit stones to the Blood Moon Sect or the Sinister Soul Temple elders.

    Taking deep breaths to calm himself down, he frowned in contemtion as he considered the situation. After some time, he eventually made up his mind.

    <i>Clink-nk!</i>

    Pang Jian took the glistening spirit jades from his spatial bracelet and piled them in front of the meditation mat.

    The Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast''s horn brought him four thousand spirit jades. After deducting the eight hundred eighty spirit jades for the Grand Providence Sacred Body and the five hundred fifty spirit jades for the Soul Nourishing Pills, he had about two thousand five hundred spirit jades left.

    He would need one million spirit stones¡ªor ten thousand spirit jades¡ªto participate in the lottery, meaning he needed another seven thousand five hundred spirit jades to qualify.

    <i>Seven thousand five hundred spirit jades, seven thousand five hundred spirit jades... </i>Pang Jian pondered.

    Then, after taking a Mind Soothing Pill, he established a connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent in the Fifth World.

    This time, he found himself in a forest teeming with menacing nts and towering trees. These carnivorous trees were several dozen zhang tall and blocked out the sky. Even the shrubs and flowers appeared terrifyingly bloodthirsty.

    "Yu Xin!"

    "Celestial Maiden!"

    A group of people flew out from treehouses hanging on the towering ancient trees. Most of them prostrated themselves uponnding, seemingly in worship of him.

    Only an elderly woman approached with trembling steps, leaning on a green wooden cane for support.

    While the group called her "Celestial Maiden", only the elderly woman addressed the mysterious woman as "Yu Xin''''. The two of them evidently had a close rtionship.

    As Pang Jian studied the group of people, he noticed that, while they had human limbs and forms, their skin resembled tree bark.

    The skin of the younger ones had a greenish hue while the elderly had dry and withered skin like old tree bark. Their eye colors also varied, with younger ones having emerald green eyes and the older ones having deep brown eyes.

    They lived harmoniously with the surrounding menacing nts, which seemed capable ofmunicating with them.

    "Grandma Mu Yuan! I haven''t visited you or the Wood Race for many years." The Celestial Maiden Yu Xin dismounted the Giant Abyssal Serpent and walked toward the elderly woman with an affectionate smile. Stepping forward to support the elderly woman, she teased, "You used to visit me often when I was little, but you haven''t shown up in years."

    "Yu Xin, my dear. I''m too old now. The life energy within me is nearly depleted." Mu Yuan shook her head with a bitter smile. Her face was cracked in many ces, like a tree on the verge of withering. "Silly girl, you know our Wood Race has lost its faith.

    "Our worshiped Sacred Tree has long withered, and our lifespans can no longer be prolonged. I''m d you came to see me. If you hade anyter, you would''ve only seen my dried bones."

    Mu Yuan sighed despondently as she grasped Yu Xin''s hand.

    The members of the Wood Race were still prostrated among the towering ancient trees and looked up to gaze sorrowfully at the elderly Mu Yuan. The Sacred Tree was their spiritual pir, and its death had dealt them a severe blow.

    "Grandma Mu Yuan, the World Eater¡ªyour Sacred Tree, our Celestial Race is also trying to find its seeds. Unfortunately, we haven''t found any despite searching all seven continents of the Fifth World," Yu Xin said regretfully.

    "I know." Mu Yuan sighed helplessly. "The death of the Sacred Tree is why our Wood Race has be the weakest of all the races. We relied heavily on the Sacred Tree. Our entire race''s survival and the enhancement of our powers depended on it. Without it, we''ve fallen into decline and can no longer regain our former glory."

    She then reminisced about the Wood Race''s past prosperity and glory under the protection of the Sacred Tree.

    Pang Jian had been silently listening to Yu Xin and Mu Yuan through the Giant Abyssal Serpent, and their conversation shook him.

    Yu Xin had undoubtedly said "World Eater" before quickly correcting herself to "Sacred Tree".

    <i>The World Eater Vine!</i>

    Pang Jian was certain the Sacred Tree was the little tree rooted in Misty Swamp.

    The Wood Race had long yearned for it and the Celestial Race had searched far and wide for it to no avail. Unbeknownst to them, a sapling of the World Eater Vine was thriving in Misty Swamp!

    The Wood Race it as their Sacred Tree, iming their n''s strength and continuity of life were closely tied to it.

    The extinction of the Sacred Tree in the Fifth World resulted in Mu Yuan''s lifespan nearing its end.

    <i>For the sake of the little tree, I need to confirm it.</i>

    Pang Jian hesitated briefly before instructing the Giant Abyssal Serpent to approach Mu Yuan.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent was sprawledzily on the grass, uninterested in Yu Xin and Mu Yuan''s conversation. At Pang Jian''s instructions, it reluctantly slithered toward them, pitch-ck eyes fixed on the elderly Mu Yuan as it pondered its next move.

    Assuming it was restless, Yu Xin gently patted its forehead and reassured it with a smile, "Be patient. I haven''t seen Grandma Mu Yuan in a long time, and we have much to catch up on. Once your intelligence has made a qualitative leap, I''ll have a proper talk with you too."

    "What''s there to talk about with this Giant Abyssal Serpent?" Mu Yuan asked curiously.

    Giant Abyssal Serpents were not rare in the Fifth World. Yu Xin could easily capture a higher-ranked Giant Abyssal Serpent as a mount with her abilities, and Mu Yuan could not understand why she held this one in such high regard.

    Yu Xin replied proudly, "It''s my closestpanion. It''s different from other Giant Abyssal Serpents, you know."

    Mu Yuan was stunned. <i>It''s just an ordinary Giant Abyssal Serpent. How remarkable can it be?</i>

    Despite Mu Yuan''s thoughts, she did not dampen Yu Xin''s enthusiasm and closely examined the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    "Ah!" she suddenly screamed.

    Her wooden cane glowed a green luminescence that spread over a hundred-mile radius, causing thousands of nts and trees to be intensely hostile toward the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent trembled in fear.

    "Grandma Mu Yuan! Xiao Hei!" Yu Xin shouted. She saw her Xiao Hei opening its mouth wide, seemingly about to swallow Mu Yuan''s hand.

    The startled Mu Yuan instinctively went on the defensive, signaling all the nts and trees in the area to target Xiao Hei. However, she saw no malice in Xiao Hei''s eyes.

    Yu Xin recalled how Xiao Hei had produced Gold Obsidian, Thunderstruck Wood, and Sr Essence Stones through itsrge mouth and turned to Mu Yuan.

    "Grandma Mu Yuan, Xiao Hei means no harm. ce your hand on its tongue. Trust me, Xiao Hei listens to me. It won''t hurt you. Xiao Hei might even surprise you. Please trust me, Grandma Mu Yuan," Yu Xin pleaded.

    Surprise flickered in Mu Yuan''s dark brown eyes. Taking a moment to think over the situation, she then smiled and said pridefully, "It merely startled me. It''s not strong enough to harm me with its strength."

    Mu Yuan then boldly rested her withered-branch hand on the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s tongue.

    "Yu Xin, is it seriously injured and needs my help?" Mu Yuan wondered aloud. "I don''t see any wounds, and I''m too old to perform healing anyway. I usually leave that to others¡ª"

    Mu Yuan''s withered frame abruptly started to tremble!

    "Life-life energy! The life energy that extends our lifespan, enhances our bloodline, and even revives us! Only the Sacred Tree can condense life energy!" Mu Yuan eximed, moved to tears.

    She knelt awkwardly, body trembling, as one of her hands remained inside the mouth of the Giant Abyssal Serpent. Letting go of the wooden cane, she pressed her other hand against her chest in reverence and cried in a trembling voice, "I believe our worshiped Sacred Tree has been reborn in another world! The dawn of our Wood Race''s resurgence hase!"

    All the Wood Race members instantly prostrated themselves. Their foreheads touched the ground and their bodies trembled with excitement as they chanted strange, reverent hymns in praise of the Sacred Tree.

    "Thank you, Celestial Maiden, for bringing us this blessing!"

    "Thank you, Celestial Maiden!"

    Soon, all the Wood Race members were bowing their heads and cheering.

    Yu Xin stared at the Giant Abyssal Serpent in stunned disbelief.

    A distinct life energy flowed from Xiao Hei''s mouth into Mu Yuan. Mu Yuan''s body emitted a faint green radiance, and her aged face grew younger at a pace noticeable to the naked eye.

 Chapter 170: The Mysterious Being

    <h4>Chapter 170: The Mysterious Being</h4>

    After severing the connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent, Pang Jian sat in cave dwelling number fifty-six in the Third World, mind racing and unable to calm down for a long time.

    <i>As expected, the little tree is the Wood Race''s worshiped Sacred Tree. Its life energy extended the old woman''s life...</i>

    He knew the little tree was not normal, but he could not have imagined that it was closely tied to an intelligent race in the lower world.

    Once the Wood Race members from the Fifth World reached the Fourth World and saw the miraculous little tree in Divine Fortune, they would undoubtedly worship it as their deity!

    The little tree would have a tribe ready to defend it to the death.

    <i>The little tree originated from my bronze pendant and obeys my everymand. Doesn''t that mean the Wood Race will also follow my orders in the future?</i>

    <i>Will the lush Divine Fortune continue to grow after weing the members of the Wood Race and allow the little tree to continue to evolve?</i>

    Many thoughts shed through Pang Jian''s mind.

    Though he had originally intended to ask Yu Xin for spirit materials from high-ranked Vicious Beasts, after their most recent revtion, he decided to give Yu Xin and the Wood Race some time to digest everything.

    <i>A single Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast''s horn is worth four hundred thousand spirit stones, so it''s definitely possible to earn a million.</i>

    Pang Jian resolved to participate in the final day of the trade fair and secure a glimmer of hope for Luo Hongyan from the elders of the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple.

    He nned to wait a while before requesting Yu Xin of the Celestial Race for rare spirit materials from high-ranked Vicious Beasts.

    ***

    Only three people were on Zhao Yuanqi''s Scarlet Dawn Boat on The Fifth Peak of the Primordial Wilderness.

    The other disciples from the Red Mountain Sect had either gone off to sightsee around the Primordial Wilderness or participate in the trade fair on the First Peak.

    "I''m sorry, Yuanqi. I can''t help." The tall, handsome Fang Boxuan looked at the silver-haired girl''s beautiful face and exined helplessly, "It''s not that I don''t want to help, but you know Elder Jiu Yuan and I have never gotten along in the Blood Moon Sect. I can''t influence him."

    Fang Boxuan was a fellow genius from the Third World, a few years older than Zhao Yuanqi, and also in the Profound Abode Realm. A few years ago, they had led their respective teams to explore a spiritualnd and had bonded after fighting together

    As the strongest new-generation disciple in the Blood Moon Sect, Fang Boxuan had a good impression of the silver-haired girl and had subtly expressed his admiration. Unfortunately, he had never received a response.

    Thus, when Zhao Yuanqi took the initiative to invite him today, he was quite ttered. When she asked him to request someone from Jiu Yuan though, he had been forced to refuse after understanding the situation.

    "Forget it." Zhao Yuanq closed her eyes dismissively and said, "I won''t see you off."

    Fang Boxuan smiled bitterly. He got up, bowed, and left the Fifth Peak.

    "The Sinister Soul Temple has never been on good terms with us. I can''t find anyone to help either." Zhao Yuanqi sighed.

    "Junior Sister, I''m already very grateful for everything you''ve done for me," Jiang Li said worriedly from where she had been sitting quietly in a corner. "I never expected Sister Luo to be a survivor of the Blood Spirit Sect. I don''t know why the elders of the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple insist on taking her away. Regretfully, my cultivation realm is low, and I don''t have enough spirit stones."

    Zhao Yuanqi knitted her brows. "It''s a million spirit stones. Not even I can gather that amount in such a short time."

    "Sister Luo always looked out for me during our time in Eight Trigrams City, and I want to do something for her." Despite racking her brains, Jiang Li could not think of a way to rescue Luo Hongyan from Old Monster Cao.

    "Pang Jian will be able to avoid this cmity. Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion will protect him with all his might," Zhao Yuanqiforted, hoping to ease her sadness.

    ***

    Pang Jian took out the manual he had purchased for eighty thousand spirit stones from his spatial bracelet and studied the iplete manual under the light of the luminous pearls, intending to enhance hisbat prowess as much as possible.

    <i>The Grand Providence Sacred Body.</i>

    <i>The path of body refinement has declined and is no longer mainstream today. The road ahead is fraught with difficulties. Choose wisely...</i>

    A note caught Pang Jian''s eyes. Frowning, he continued to read.

    As he read he learned that body refining techniques like the Grand Providence Sacred Body relied heavily on the blood and flesh of Vicious and Spirit Beasts in the early stages.

    Most cultivators no longer pursued the continuous strengthening of their bodies afterpleting the bone forging, marrow cleansing process. As their cultivation realm improved, their dantian and spirit sea would also hold more spiritual power, which they could use to protect their body and form numerous terrifying killing moves.

    Condensing one''s spiritual power into a shield, high-grade armor, and spirit artifacts were all methods cultivators could use to protect their bodies.

    Moreover, spiritual energy was ubiquitous, and one could refine spiritual qi almost anywhere.

    If cultivators found a good ce, they could gradually enhance their cultivation realm without spirit stones or spirit jades. The progress could be slow, but it was doable.

    On the other hand, if cultivators wished to continue to focus on body refining, they needed to regrly consume the blood and flesh of powerful Vicious and Spirit Beasts. Additionally, spending too much time and effort on body refining could dy their cultivation breakthroughs.

    After advancing to the Innate Realm, the strength of a cultivator''s body did not affect their cultivation, meaning body refining was no longer necessary.

    Thus, over time, body refining fell out of the mainstream.

    The first step of the Grand Providence Sacred Body involved opening a new area outside of his dantian and spiritual sea that was capable of storing arge amount of blood essence.

    <i>The Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint.</i>

    Looking at a diagram in the manual, Pang Jian traced a finger below his chest, just beneath his heart.

    <i>This is the acupoint!</i>

    He channeled blood essence from his limbs and bones into the Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint. However, the acupoint remained unmoved, and his efforts were akin to a mosquito hitting an iron board.

    <i>This is much harder to open than the Eight Extraordinary Meridians.</i>

    After some hesitation, Pang Jian retrieved some Vicious Beasts'' blood from his spatial bracelet. This blood was from Rank Four and Rank Five Vicious Beasts that Luo Hongyan had looted from rogue cultivators.

    <i>Gulp gulp!</i>

    Pang Jian drank the blood and waited for the abundant blood essence to disperse.

    Gathering the blood essence, he condensed it together tounch another assault on the Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint.

    This time, the acupoint trembled under the immense impact of the blood essence, though it was still far from opening fully.

    <i>Does opening the Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint require patience and persistence? Like water eroding stone over time? Or perhaps...</i>

    As he thought back to the powerful surge of blood essence from the Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast, he wondered if a richer blood essence would make it easier to open the Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint.

    Pang Jian decided to ask Yu Xin for more high-ranked Vicious Beasts'' blood.

    Before he could establish a connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent, he noticed the sky brightening outside and heard a knock on the stone door.

    "Pang Jian, it''s me, Han Ting. Are you going to the trade fair today?" Han Ting asked from outside the cave.

    Pang Jian opened the door to find her standing outside alone. He shook his head. "Not for now."

    "Qi Qingsong, Zhao Yuanqi, and her senior sister left shortly after you closed the door," Han Ting said.

    "Mm." Pang Jian nodded, ncing over at the peaks where the ships of the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple were anchored.

    "Last night, Zhang Bin led Fang Xin over to apologize." Han Ting hesitated, then continued disgustedly, "I kicked both of them out."

    Pang Jian did not care about these trivial matters. Turning away, he said indifferently, "I won''t be going out today."

    He then shut the door.

    Those outside could not hear what was happening inside once the stone door was closed. Han Ting and Gao Yuan could not hear his conversation with Qi Qingsong about Luo Hongyan. Thus, they neither knew she was a remnant of the Blood Spirit Sect nor that Old Monster Cao had captured her.

    The idea of Zhang Bin leading Fang Xin to apologize wasughable to him as they did not understand the situation.

    <i>It''s been one night. Yu Xin and the Wood Race would''ve had the opportunity to discuss many things by now.</i>

    Pang Jian then established a connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    Yu Xin sat by a pool, beautiful eyes full of endless confusion as she watched the Giant Abyssal Serpent swim back and forth in the water.

    "Xiao Hei, you..." she muttered.

    She had left the Wood Race''s territory, with the members of the Wood Race endlessly bowing and thanking her the whole way.

    The rejuvenated Mu Yuan now believed their Sacred Tree existed in the upper worlds. It had used the Giant Abyssal Serpent as a medium to bestow life energy upon her, extending her life and preventing her from dying of natural causes.

    Mu Yuan had many questions about the Giant Abyssal Serpent, but even Yu Xin could not provide the answers.

    "Xiao Hei, where did youe from?" Yu Xin wondered aloud.

    <i>Ssh!</i>

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent leaped out of the pool, and using its tail like a sharp de, it started craving words into the ground.

    Yu Xin''s eyes lit up. She hastily flew into the sky and peered down.

    <i>There''s a young sapling of a World Eater Vine in Divine Fortune in the Fourth World.</i>

    <i>I''m from the upper worlds and ammunicating with you through the Giant Abyssal Serpent. I''m the one who nurtured it and put it in the Fifth World.</i>

    <i>Right now, I need high-ranked Vicious Beasts'' eyes, horns, and blood. In the future, I will do my best to meet your needs.</i>

    Lines of messy characters were scratched on the ground.

    Yu Xin''s beautiful eyes sparkled, and she covered her mouth in disbelief. It turned out there was a mysterious, powerful being behind Xiao Hei!

    The mysterious being had overheard hermentations and had sent Gold Obsidian, Sr Essence Stones, and Thunderstruck Wood to her through Xiao Hei.

 Chapter 171: A Crazy Idea!

    <h4>Chapter 171: A Crazy Idea!</h4>

    "From the upper worlds..." Yu Xin was momentarily stunned. She then asked fearfully, "Are you from the human race?"

    <i>You don''t need to know too much. We can trade normally through bartering. All your connections with the upper worlds have been severed, but I have now opened a new path for you.</i>

    Reading the words, Yu Xin hesitated but decided not to probe further into the mysterious being''s identity.

    "Alright, I''ll prepare what you need. I can only acquire key parts from Rank Eight Vicious Beasts. I can''t obtain those from Rank Nine," Yu Xin said honestly.

    <i>Rank Seven will suffice. I need some of their blood as well.</i>

    "Very well, please give me half a day to prepare."

    <i>Alright.</i>

    ***

    The night sky was brightly illuminated with the stars and the moon.

    Han Ting knocked on the stone door of cave dwelling number fifty-six and entered. Biting her lip, her face flushed red as she said, "I came to say goodbye."

    Pang Jian was lost in thought and replied indifferently, "Safe travels."

    "Pang Jian." Han Ting wore a sheer dress that entuated her curves and showed off her deep, white cleavage. Lowering her head, she said softly, "We may never meet again after today. Thank you for healing me. Many of my internal ailments were cured thanks to your mysterious technique."

    "You''re wee," Pang Jian said, unaffected by her appearance. Han Ting''s bashful demeanor seemed out of character, causing him to feel that something was amiss.

    "Well," Han Ting started, still not daring to meet Pang Jian''s eyes. "Although I''m a rogue cultivator, I''ve always maintained my purity. Over the years, many have coveted my looks and...my body.

    "Pang Jian, if you have even the slightest interest in me, even if it''s just for my body, I''m willing to¡ªI''m willing to spend the night with you."

    As she spoke, her voice and head gradually lowered. It had taken a long time for her to muster the courage to knock on Pang Jian''s door and say these words.

    She had wandered alone for many years, without a sect or a powerful rogue cultivator backing her. Teaming up with Pang Jian had led to a misunderstanding with Zhang Bin and the others. This was the main reason she was safe in the Primordial Wilderness.

    Zhang Bin had even dragged Fang Xin over to plead with her, fearing she would use Pang Jian''s influence against them. Those coveting her would think twice after she hinted at a rtionship with a disciple of a noble family from the upper worlds.

    If something did happen between her and Pang Jian, it would provide her with much-needed extra security, especially with Zhao Yuanqi''s visit and Qi Qingsong''s friendly attitude.

    Pang Jian''s respectful behavior while healing her had also left a good impression on her.

    Staring at her with a strange expression, Pang Jian frowned and repeated emotionlessly, "Safe travels."

    "Alright, I understand." Han Ting forced a smile, left the cave in disappointment, and gently closed the door behind her.

    Pang Jian stood in silence. Then, taking out Qi Qingsong''s silver token, he pushed a trace of spiritual power into it and tentatively said, "Qi Qingsong."

    "I''m here." Qi Qingsong''s voice came from the token, "This token can only transmit sound over short distances. Beyond that, it''s useless. Pang Jian, have you made up your mind?"

    "I''m nning to participate in the trade fair the day after tomorrow," Pang Jian said firmly.

    "What?! You want topete with the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple for Luo Hongyan? Pang Jian, a million spirit stones is no small amount. Even I can''t gather that much!

    "Besides, even if you participate, you only have a one-third chance!

    "Also, her identity as a remnant of the Blood Spirit Sect has been exposed. Say you''re lucky enough to win the draw, the elders from the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple will just ambush you when you leave the Primordial Wilderness!

    "I can save you under the pretense that you''re an outer disciple of our Sword Pavilion, but I can''t save her. She was even previously imprisoned by the Sinister Soul Temple!

    "Pang Jian, you''ll just be wasting a million spirit stones!"

    Pang Jian listened to Qi Qingsong''s disapproval for a while, and eventually ced the token and the blue robe back into his spatial bracelet.

    Later that night, Pang Jian again established a connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    Ripples of bright light came from the bronze pendant in his hand.

    Meanwhile, Yu Xin of the Celestial Race ibe threw the prepared rare spirit materials into the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s mouth.

    There was a Rank Seven Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf''s eyeballs, tendons, muscles, and nine barrels of its blood; a Rank Seven Double-Faced Ghost Spider''s silk, legs, and venom; a Rank Seven Blood Lizard''splete lizard skin, tendons, muscles, and five barrels of its blood.

    Pang Jian watched as rare spirit materials flew out from the ripple of light and piled up in his cave dwelling.

    "Is that enough?" Yu Xin softly asked.

    <i>Almost.</i>

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent carved the words with its tail.

    Pang Jian guessed he could exchange the rare spirit materials for arge amount of spirit stones. He could easily take Luo Hongyan away if he were lucky enough to draw the lot for her.

    Once they returned to cave dwelling fifty-six, they could use the bronze pendant to disappear from the Primordial Wilderness and go to the nameless fragmentednd where the ck turtle resided.

    <i>But if he didn''t win the lottery...</i>

    Pang Jian''s face darkened at the thought. A desire for revenge stirred in his heart.

    Suddenly, a crazy idea shed through his mind!

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent scrawled out more words.

    <i>The day after tomorrow, there may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to send some of your people and Vicious Beasts to the Primordial Wilderness in the Third World. I can''t guarantee it, but you should discuss whether you want to take the risk.</i>

    <i>Vicious Beasts and warriors of different races below Rank Seven should be able to pass through safely. However, travel through the Mirror Tunnel is unreliable for those above Rank Seven, and it could be fatal for everyone.</i>

    Yu Xin''s breathing quickened as she read the words.

    Her eyes shed with a piercing light and she tightly clenched the hem of her robe with both hands as she thought, <i>The Rank Seven Vicious Beasts and warriors of different races wouldn''t even need flying vessels to ascend and they could even directly reach the Third World!</i>

    Yu Xin took a few deep breaths to regain herposure. Gazing at the pitch-ck sky, she said, "I can tell you my answer now. We''ll be ready to send a group of Vicious Beasts and warriors over the day after tomorrow. We''re willing to take the risk, even if they all end up dying!"

    <i>Alright, I''ll stay in touch!</i>

    Pang Jian then severed the connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    It waste at night when Pang Jian left his cave dwelling, lost in thought.

    Thete hour meant everyone in the Primordial Wilderness was either meditating or sleeping, and the stone doors of the other cave dwellings were tightly shut. Only the faint buzz of insects could be heard in the valleys between the peaks.

    Pang Jian stared intently at the summits of the two distant Fourth and Seventh Peaks where he knew Jiu Yuan of the Blood Moon Sect and the elder of the Sinister Soul Temple were.

    The two elders would join him in drawing lots to decide Luo Hongyan''s fate the day after tomorrow.

    <i>If I win the draw, I won''t have to act. I''ll just take her and disappear from the Primordial Wilderness. But, if I don''t win the draw... </i>Pang Jian''s expression darkened.

    None of the resting or meditating cultivators could have known that a crazy idea had taken root in Pang Jian''s heart. A bloody storm brewed in his mind.

    Pang Jian silently surveyed the valleys between the major peaks, contemting the details of his n before finally returning to his cave dwelling.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The silver token engraved with the Sword Pavilion''s emblem appeared in his palm. Injecting a sliver of spiritual power, he activated themunication array within.

    "Are you there?" Pang Jian asked lowly.

    Soon after, Qi Qingsong''szy voice came through the token, "I''m here."

    "Why are you always there?"

    "I keep the token on my waist. Of course, I can respond immediately." Qi Qingsong then grumbled. "Pang Jian, did you leave the token in your spatial bracelet? Why didn''t you respond when I tried to reach you?"

    "Yes," Pang Jian said honestly. Then, going straight to the point, he asked, "How much should I sell a pair of eyes from a Rank Seven Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf for?"

    Qi Qingsong was silent for a few seconds. "Five hundred thousand spirit stones."

    Pang Jian''s eyes lit up. "And how should I price five, two-foot-long strands of silk from a Rank Seven Double-Faced Ghost Spider? I also have its eight legs and two barrels of venom."

    Qi Qingsong took longer to respond this time.

    Pang Jian waited patiently.

    A short whileter, Qi Qingsong said with a faux calmness, "Don''t sell them separately. It''s better to sell them as a bundle for four hundred thousand spirit stones.

    "The spider silk, spider legs, and venom can be used together to craft a high-grade bow. The spider silk can be used as the bowstring, the legs can be used to craft the bow itself or be carved into arrows, and the venom can be applied to the arrowheads."

    Pang Jian took a deep breath.

    <i>Five hundred thousand and four hundred thousand spirit stones! If hebined that with the two hundred fifty thousand spirit stones worth of spirit jades he had remaining, he had more than enough topete for Luo Hongyan!</i>

    Taking a moment topose himself, Pang Jian asked once more, "How should I price aplete skin from a Rank Seven Blood Lizard?"

    Qi Qingsong fell silent again.

    This time, he regained hisposure much quicker as he replied, "Aplete skin from a Rank Seven Blood Lizard can be used to make special drum skins for war drums. A reasonable price for it would be three hundred fifty thousand spirit stones."

    Pang Jian nodded. "Alright, I understand."

    As he was about to put the token back into his spatial bracelet, Qi Qingsong, sensing Pang Jian was done with the conversation, called out, "Pang Jian..."

    "Yes?"

    "Did you raid a secret vault in Eight Trigrams City after I left?"

    "Why would you think that?"

    "Where else did you get so many rare spirit materials from Rank Seven Vicious Beasts? And in such quantities no less!"

 Chapter 172: Opening the Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint!

    <h4>Chapter 172: Opening the Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint!</h4>

    Qi Qingsong was extremely frustrated. Even though his cultivation had advanced to the Profound Abode Realm and he had regained his position as an inner disciple of the Sword Pavilion, he could not obtain rare spirit materials from Rank Seven Vicious Beasts or Spirit Beasts.

    He would need to break through to the Soul Wandering Realm to hunt a Rank Seven Vicious Beast alone and, even then, it would be better to have one or two people assisting him.

    He knew Pang Jian''s character. The precious spirit materials were undoubtedly in Pang Jian''s possession!

    <i>He has spirit materials from a Rank Seven Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf, a Rank Seven Double-Faced Ghost Spider, and a Rank Seven Blood Lizard!</i>

    After some thought, he concluded Pang Jian had likely obtained the rare spirit materials from Eight Trigrams City!

    Rank Seven Vicious Beasts and Spirit Beasts were almost nonexistent in the Third and Fourth Worlds. Even if Pang Jian had somehow located some, his cultivation realm was not high enough for him to be able to hunt them.

    Qi Qingsong took a deep breath and cursed, "I would''ve staunched my bleeding and stayed in Eight Trigrams City for longer if I''d known. It would''ve been great to get a share of the loot too!"

    He had been pressed for expensive cultivation resources since advancing to the Profound Abode Realm. Even after umting spirit stones for a long time, he only had about three hundred thousand.

    Even one of Pang Jian''s rare spirit materials was worth more than that!

    Moreover, a spirit sword he recently set his sights on cost well over a million spirit stones. He had been hanging around in the Third World as ofte, trying to find ways to gather more spirit stones.

    "Well, kind of," Pang Jian replied ambiguously before tossing the token into his spatial bracelet.

    <i>Five hundred thousand, four hundred thousand, and three hundred fifty thousand spirit stones... </i>Pang Jian mentally noted as he ced the rare spirit materials into his spatial bracelet.

    He carefully separated the barrels of Vicious Beasts'' blood and the venom of the Double-Faced Ghost Spider to avoid identally mixing them up, leaving a single barrel of the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf''s blood out before him.

    <i>The blood of a Rank Seven Vicious Beast...</i>

    Ignoring the pungent smell, Pang Jian lifted therge barrel of blood and gulped it down. The sensation of a volcano erupting within his internal organs filled him as the thick Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf''s blood entered his stomach.

    The wave of blood essence surged forth with an energy infused with sulfurous magma!

    Pang Jian was unaware that the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf, also known as the Scarlet me Demon Wolf, resided near volcanoes. A Rank Seven Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf could dive into scorching magma pools, tempering its body with the unique energy of the magma, enhancing its bloodline and internal organs.

    <i>Luckily, this is me we''re talking about...</i>

    Rather than being frightened like most people, Pang Jian was actually excited.

    He activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art and directed the violent fiery energy into his spiritual sea.

    The fiery pool instantly started to expand!

    The violent infusion of fiery energy was filling the pool!

    At the same time, the rich blood essence within the Rank Seven Vicious Beast''s blood was rampaging through his flesh and internal organs like ferocious scarlet wolves.

    <i>The Grand Providence Sacred Body!</i>

    Pang Jian focused the rampaging blood essence into streams to target the acupoint beneath his heart. It felt like a pack of Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolves were relentlessly battering the fortress of his acupoint with unstoppable ferocity.

    His face twisted in pain as he let out an involuntary hiss of agony.

    Opening the Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint was as painful as the marrow-cleansing process he had endured in the endless darkness of Eight Trigrams City. However, he knew it was necessary to cultivate the Grand Providence Sacred Body.

    He had to endure!

    The veins on his chest bulged and streams of scarlet light converged on the acupoint beneath his heart. If a Soul Wandering Realm expert were to take a closer look, they would have seen miniature scarlet wolves in the streams of scarlet light.

    Pang Jian roared in pain.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A thunderous sound reverberated from his chest, and the surging blood essence madly poured into the newly opened acupoint.

    <i>The Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint has been opened!</i>

    Despite the horrific expression on his face from the excruciating pain, he could not help but grin in satisfaction.

    Pang Jian probed a blood mist within the Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint beneath his heart.

    It was the blood essence!

    The blood mist grew thicker and denser as streams of scarlet light poured into the Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint.

    Before Pang Jian could fullyprehend the mysteries of the Grand Providence Sacred Body, an urgent knocking came on the stone door.

    <i>Bang bang bang!</i>

    "Pang Jian!" Qi Qingsong called anxiously. "Today''s the second day of the trade fair. You''d better hurry if you want to sell your spirit materials! Half the day''s already gone, and you''re still holed up in your cave. What''re you thinking?"

    Qi Qingsong realized Pang Jian had likely tossed the token back into his spatial bracelet after several failed attempts to contact him through it. With time running out, Qi Qingson eventually decided to call on him in person.

    "It seems quite some time has passed," Pang Jian muttered, frowning as he hurriedly got up and opened the stone door.

    Qi Qingsong cast him a long look. "What were you doing holed up in there?"

    "Cultivating," Pang Jian calmly replied.

    Peering inside the cave to find nothing unusual, Qi Qingsong said, "Come on, I''ll go with you to make sure no one swindles you."

    "Who would swindle me?" Pang Jian was baffled.

    "Lady Hua! Well, it''s not exactly swindling. It''s more about an information imbnce between the two of you," Qi Qingsong exined as they made their way up to the trading halls. "She ns to sell your Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast horn to a rogue cultivator named Old Ghost Dongye double the original price.

    "Old Ghost Dongye instantly started making his way over from the Cosmic Skies Continent when he heard the news. Not that you''ll meet him. Even if he hurries, it''ll take him half a month to reach the Primordial Wilderness. By then, we''ll have traveled far away."

    Pang Jian was astonished at this information. It seemed spirit materials from high-ranked Vicious Beasts could fetch higher prices when sold to the right buyers.

    The pair arrived at the trading hall just past noon.

    "It''s Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion!"

    "Pang Jian!"

    Many cultivators eximed in shock when they saw the two arriving together.

    The elegantly dressed Lady Hua approached them with a charming smile and greeted them cheerfully, "Qingsong, are you acquainted with this young man?"

    "Is there anything you don''t know about in the Primordial Wilderness?" Qi Qingsong teased with a yful grin, sneaking nces at the fair skin on Lady Hua''s chest. "Didn''t you figure it out when I went to look for Pang Jian on the First Peak?"

    Although aware of Qi Qingsong''s roguish nces, Lady Hua did not get angry. Instead, she simply continued to smile warmly as she guided them.

    "Nonsense. I don''t have time to pry into your private matters. You''rete today. All the good stuff has already been sold. What''s left might not interest you." She then added coquettishly, "Qingsong, tomorrow''s trade fair will be personally hosted by Old Man Cao, so make sure toe early."

    Qi Qingsong smiled. "I''m just here to apany Pang Jian. I''m not looking to buy anything in particr."

    <i>I''m not well-off. Even if I found some rare treasure I liked, I likely couldn''t afford it, </i>Qi Qingson thought, casting a slightly resentful nce at Pang Jian with a quiet sigh.

    He was an inner disciple of the Sword Pavilion in the Second World. It was deeply frustrating that he was not as wealthy as a young hunter from the Fourth World.

    "Apanying Pang Jian..." A peculiar light shed in Lady Hua''s eyes.

    She had looked into Pang Jian''s background after he sold the horn of a Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast and bought the Grand Providence Sacred Body manual and Soul Nourishing Pills.

    She learned Pang Jian had arrived at the Primordial Wilderness with the captured woman. He was staying in cave dwelling number fifty-six on the neenth floor of the First Peak and was set to leave on a Cloud Sail after tomorrow''s trade fair if nothing unexpected happened.

    ording to her sources, Pang Jian was a disciple of a noble family from the upper worlds and was acquainted with Jiang Li, Zhao Yuanqi''s senior sister. Qi Qingsong even went out of his way to visit him.

    The corners of Lady Hua''s lips tilted down slightly. <i>Old Man Cao captured that woman and is going to let the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple draw lots to have her for a million spirit stones. There shouldn''t be any problems, right?</i>

    With these worries racing through her mind, Lady Hua pulled Qi Qingsong aside, and raising an alluring eyebrow, asked, "Qingsong, are you close with Pang Jian? Old Man Cao and I have treated you well during your time here. You know how reckless Old Man Cao can be..."

    She blinked expectantly, wordlessly hinting at Luo Hongyan being captured by Old Monster Cao.

    "I''m very close with Pang Jian." Qi Qingsong smiled brightly.

    Rogue cultivators like Old Monster Cao and Lady Hua in the Third World did not matter much to him.

    It would not take him long to reach the Spirit Condensation Realm at his pace, and with the Sword Pavilion backing him, his future achievements would far surpass those of these rogue cultivators.

    Thus, although his cultivation and wealth were currently inferior to theirs, he still did not regard them highly.

    Pang Jian, on the other hand, was different.

    Qi Qingsong intended to treat Pang Jian as a keypanion on his long cultivation journey. Pang Jian was someone he nned to keep in contact with throughout his life.

    "Qingsong, let''s talk moreter," Lady Hua said softly.

    Qi Qingsong nonchntly hummed in response.

    At that moment, a racket rippled through the trading hall.

    "The eyes of Rank Seven Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf!"

    "Silks, legs, and venom of Rank Seven Double-Faced Ghost Spider!"

    "The skin of Rank Seven Blood Lizard!"

    "It''s him again!"

    The cultivators had been stirred into a frenzy!

    Qi Qingsong could not help butugh. During his brief chat with Lady Hua, Pang Jian had put his rare spirit materials on disy, instantly causing amotion in the trading hall.

    "It''s him again!" Lady Hua''s eyes also shone with astonishment. She no longer paid attention to Qi Qingsong as she appeared before Pang Jian.

    "Haha! I was just about to leave. I wasn''t expecting such a wonderful surprise!" A loud voice boomed from the other end of the trading hall.

    A burly man in a crimson cloak, with shoulders as broad as a mountain, strode toward Pang Jian with his head held high.

    "Jiu Yuan!"

 Chapter 173: Commotion in the Trading Hall

    <h4>Chapter 173: Commotion in the Trading Hall</h4>

    "Jiu Yuan!"

    The crowd murmured in awe, and many cultivators stepped aside to make way for him.

    Pang Jian was slightly shaken, but his expression remained unchanged as he continued to sit unmoving on the cultivation mat.

    The image of Bai Wei clutching the torn scrap of a spatial pouch appeared in his mind. She hadmitted suicide by poison, and her body had been tossed into the rubble on Ice Rock Ind.

    The gruesome images of Zhao Ling, Meng Qin, and Wu Yi, and their tragic deaths also shed through his mind.

    Jiu Yuan was the instigator of their deaths.

    "Little Brother, we meet again." Jiu Yuanughed from a distance. He had amanding presence about him as he approached. To the unknowing observer, it appeared as though Jiu Yuan and Pang Jian were old friends.

    "Jiu Yuan, you..." Lady Hua knitted her brows.

    Jiu Yuan grinned wickedly. "Pang Jian, or should I say Hong Jian?"

    He had since confirmed the person impersonating Hong Tai''s nephew was none other than Pang Jian!

    His old rival, Lou Yunming from the Sinister Soul Temple, had told him that the paper fan imprisoning Luo Hongyan had been brought to the Solitary Mountain Range on a Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    The paper fan was an extraordinary treasure intended for Dong Tianze.

    The Sinister Soul Temple held Dong Tianze in high regard, seeing him as a peer to Zhao Yuanqi and Fang Boxuan. Thus, the Sinister Soul Temple provided him with many treasures for protection even before he officially joined them.

    With his Ghost''s Cry, Dong Tianze could suppress the soul within the paper fan and fully utilize its power. However, the paper fan had splintered apart in the Solitary Mountain Range, allowing the imprisoned Luo Hongyan to escape.

    After learning this, Jiu Yuan quickly realized the new hall master of the Shadow Specter Sect, Hong Jian, was actually the person standing before him¡ªPang Jian.

    "Little Brother, you''re quite impressive. I''m very curious about how you obtained these spirit materials from Rank Seven Vicious Beasts," Jiu Yuan said with a sinisterugh. His dark red eyes gleamed with a bloodthirsty light, and his crimson robe gave off a strong stench of blood.

    "Noment," Pang Jian replied coldly.

    Jiu Yuan chuckled in response.

    Staring maliciously at Pang Jian, he took on a demeanor of faux surprise. "Oh, where''s your sister?"

    Pang Jian''s face remained as still as water as he replied indifferently, "If you''re not here to buy anything, don''t block my stall."

    "That''s right, don''t cause trouble here," Qi Qingsong interjected, positioning himself behind Pang Jian. With azy smile, he said, "Everyone here is busy. No one has the time to listen to your nonsense."

    Remembering Pang Jian''s recklessness in Eight Trigrams City, Qi Qingsong feared Pang Jian would be goaded into losing his temper and would attack Jiu Yuan impulsively.

    Pang Jian was two cultivation realms below Jiu Yuan, and if he dared to rashlyunch an attack, he would be killed on the spot!

    The Primordial Wilderness had its rules and even Jiu Yuan had to follow them. He would not dare cause trouble in the First Peak''s trading hall.

    But if Pang Jian lost control and attacked Jiu Yuan first, even Old Monster Cao could not say anything if Jiu Yuan killed Pang Jian.

    "I''ll buy!" Jiu Yuanughed loudly. He nced at the emblem on the young man''s chest and realized he was the Sword Pavilion genius Elder Cao was hosting. "I''ll buy this Blood Lizard skin!

    "I do need this Blood Lizard skin. I could snatch it from you after you leave the Primordial Wilderness, but I''m afraid someone else will buy it first. Three hundred fifty thousand spirit stones it is!

    "Honestly, it doesn''t matter. Even if I give you the three hundred fifty thousand spirit stones now, I can always take it back once you leave the Primordial Wilderness," Jiu Yuan threatened shamelessly,ughing heartily the whole time.

    Based on the information he had obtained from Old Monster Cao and the Sinister Soul Temple, Jiu Yuan was certain Pang Jian was not a disciple of a noble family from the upper worlds and therefore had no reservations about threatening him.

    "Do these two have a personal grudge?"

    "What''s the conflict between Jiu Yuan of the Blood Moon Sect and this young man?"

    Hearing Jiu Yuan''s words, the surrounding cultivators drew closer in curiosity.

    Today was thest day of the trade fair, and there were not many good spirit materials left. Those wandering around had not found anything special ever since noon had passed.

    Pang Jian''s rare spirit materials from Rank Seven Vicious Beasts had been enough to cause a stir.

    Now, with Jiu Yuan''s words, it was inevitable that everyone in the trading hall was paying close attention to Pang Jian''s stall.

    As Pang Jian was about to speak, he felt Qi Qingsong behind him lightly pat his shoulder.

    Pang Jian gave Qi Qingsong a slight nod, recognizing his concern, then turned to address the woman beside Jiu Yuan, "Lady Hua, I can decide who I sell to, right?"

    "Of course," Lady Hua replied with a bright smile.

    Pang Jian ced both his hands on the wooden tform in front of him and gazed calmly at the grinning Jiu Yuan. "I''m not selling these spirit materials to anyone from the Blood Moon Sect or the Sinister Soul Temple. That includes disciples and elders."

    Jiu Yuan''s smile dropped. "Brat, are you looking to die?"

    Pang Jian ignored him and looked at Lady Hua. "Is that eptable?"

    "Of course!" Lady Hua reaffirmed. She then added seriously, "This doesn''t vite Old Man Cao''s rules. Since the items are yours, you can sell them to whomever you choose. You can also set any price you want before the official transaction. We only take a ten percentmission when the final transaction amount is confirmed."

    "Little Brother!" Huang Qi, the seller of the Grand Providence Sacred Body manual, appeared out of nowhere. Squinting at the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf''s eyes, he said, "I''ll take these eyes!"

    "Hold on," Pang Jian said.

    <i>Snap!</i>

    Breaking the price tag into two, Pang Jian then picked up a new tag and changed the price from five hundred thousand to six hundred thousand spirit stones.

    "Done." He raised the new price tag and showed it to Huang Qi. "This is the new price."

    Huang Qi''s face twitched, and he said bitterly, "Little Brother, isn''t that too harsh? I only raised the price of the Grand Providence Sacred Body by thirty thousand, but you¡ª"

    "I''ll take it for six hundred thousand spirit stones!" A young voice cut in.

    Many people were surprised by the owner of the voice.

    Lady Hua turned her head to see a tall figure hurrying over. "Yang Rui!"

    At one of the wooden doors of the trading hall stood a towering young man with a radiant sun emblem on the chest of his robes. His body radiated with the residual glow of the sun, exuding an awe-inspiring aura.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    In an instant, he appeared between Lady Hua and Jiu Yuan in a dazzling streak of light.

    Standing directly in front of Pang Jian, he pointed at the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf''s eyes and said firmly, "I want these!"

    "Yang Rui, did youe here after hearing the news?" Lady Hua was taken aback.

    "Yes." The imposing young man drew everyone''s attention. Countless eyes were secretly observing him.

    <i>Yang Rui of the Radiant Sun Sect. He''s in thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm, just a step away from the Spirit Condensation Realm, </i>Pang Jian recalled.

    "Six hundred thousand it is!" Huang Qi hastily said, stomping his foot in defiance as he hurriedly prepared to pay. "Firste, first served, you know that, right?"

    <i>Doesn''t he know who Yang Rui is?</i>

    Lady Hua found this situation strange. Huang Qi was just a rogue cultivator in the Profound Abode Realm. Even rogue cultivators in the Spirit Condensation Realm would not darepete with the young master from the Radiant Sun Sect for spirit materials.

    "Little Brother, you have the right to decide who to sell to," Yang Rui said, crossing his arms over his chest with an air of superiority. Locking eyes with Pang Jian, he added, "However, if you sell to me, you''ll gain a new ally."

    "Little Brother!" Huang Qi anxiously said. "The Grand Providence Sacred Body is an iplete manual. I could find the remaining part in the future!"

    "Sorry, firste, first served. I''m selling to him." Pang Jian nodded at Huang Qi, cing his hand over the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf''s eyes as he waited for him to produce the spirit stones.

    Huang Qi breathed a sigh of relief and said sheepishly, "The other day was my fault. Thank you for your generosity, Little Brother!"

    Yang Rui nodded. Without looking at Pang Jian again, he turned to Lady Hua and asked, "What''s his name?"

    "Pang Jian."

    "Alright, I''ll remember that." Yang Rui then transformed into a rainbow light and left just as quickly as he had arrived.

    "You dare to offend Yang Rui of the Radiant Sun Sect?" Jiu Yuan raised a thumb at Pang Jian, smirking. "I was worried you would sell to Yang Rui and I would''ve had to give him some face. But now...haha!

    "You''re not really from a noble family in the Second World. You''re just a lowly hunter from the lower world who got lucky in a hidden trial and obtained some rare spirit materials. Honestly, the fact that you''ve survived this long is already a miracle.

    "If you want to me someone, me Dong Tianze. After returning from that trial, he searched everywhere for someone named Pang Jian. A little digging revealed the Pang Jian he was looking for six months ago was just a young hunter from the Solitary Mountain Range in the Fourth World.

    "You caused some trouble in the lower world under the protection of the remnants of the Blood Spirit Sect, but that doesn''t change your fate!"

    Lady Hua was filled with doubt. She stared at Pang Jian and then at Qi Qingsong. <i>A lucky hunter from the Fourth World?</i>

    Meanwhile, hidden in the crowd, Zhang Bin and Lei Kun were also staring intently at Pang Jian.

 Chapter 174: Massive Gains of Spirit Stones!

    <h4>Chapter 174: Massive Gains of Spirit Stones!</h4>

    Pang Jian maintained hisposure throughout the usations.

    Qi Qingsong nodded approvingly.

    The impulsive and reckless youth from before had clearly grown. Not only did he not let Jiu Yuan''s provocative words influence his decisions, but he also handled everyone''s criticisms calmly.

    <i>Good, he''s adapting to the cultivation world well. I don''t need to guide him as much as I thought. </i>Qi Qingsong smiled inwardly.

    "Spirit stones!" Pang Jian called out to Huang Qi.

    "Alright!" Huang Qi smiled and nodded, piling spirit jades on Pang Jian''s wooden stall.

    With a wave of Lady Hua''s sleeve, seven wooden tables moved to surround Pang Jian

    Soon, each table was piled high with crystal-clear spirit jades, shining dazzlingly under the light of the luminous pearls above.

    "Six thousand spirit jades!"

    The spectacr scene caused many cultivators'' eyes to light up with envy.

    <i>So what if he''s a hunter from the lower world? There are thousands of cultivators gathered here in the Primordial Wilderness, but how many cane out with so many spirit jades at once?</i>

    As the crowd eyed the other spirit materials on the table, they could not help but wonder what kind of trial he had undergone.

    "The Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf''s eyes are yours," Pang Jian said, standing to store the spirit jades into his spatial bracelet. Separating six hundred spirit jades on another table for Lady Hua, he added, "These six hundred are for themission."

    Lady Hua epted them with a bright smile and ordered a white-robed woman to collect them.

    As Huang Qi reluctantly handed over six hundred spirit jades to the white-robed girl, another rogue cultivator approached and said, "Little Brother, I want to buy the spirit materials from the Double-Faced Ghost Spider with spirit stones."

    ncing at him, Pang Jian silently crushed the wooden tag marked at four hundred thousand spirit stones.

    "I knew it." Lian Feng smiled bitterly.

    He had followed Huang Qi''s example and had sold the Soul Nourishing Pills to Pang Jian at a raised price. If he had known Pang Jian had rare spirit materials from the Double-Faced Ghost Spider, he would not have done so, but it was toote to feel regret.

    Pang Jian held up the new wooden price tag. "New price, four hundred fifty thousand spirit stones."

    "Not bad, not bad. Only a fifty thousand increase. I can ept that." Lian Feng was relieved.

    With a smile, he swiftly produced the spirit jades andpleted the transaction with Pang Jian. They both then handed over the requiredmission to a white-robed woman.

    Now, only the skin of the Rank Seven Blood Lizard remained on Pang Jian''s stall.

    Pang Jian was even more collected than before. Even if the Blood Lizard''s skin did not sell, he had enough spirit stones topete for Luo Hongyan tomorrow.

    Jiu Yuan had said nothing throughout the two transactions as he sneered from the sidelines.

    "Little Brother..." A man slowly approached, first standing next to Jiu Yuan, then in front of Pang Jian''s stall.

    "Lei Kun, he and his sister were the ones who attacked the beast-hunting sailboat," Jiu Yuan warned.

    Lei Kun hummed in acknowledgment.

    He had noticed Qi Qingsong still standing behind Pang Jian and remembered Zhao Yuanqi from the Red Mountain Sect had also expressed interest in him.

    <i>Even without a noble family background, the attention from Qi Qingsong and Zhao Yuanqi indicates he''s somebody extraordinary. Moreover, what kind of trial would produce so many rare treasures from Rank Seven Vicious Beasts? How did he obtain them?</i> Lei Kun wondered.

    After struggling internally for some time, Lei Kun eventually said, "I''m not a member of the Blood Moon Sect. Can I buy this Rank Seven Blood Lizard''s skin?"

    Pang Jian was surprised. He eyed Lei Kun warily, noting his deep, contemtive expression.

    <i>Lei Kun is close to Jiu Yuan, but even after Jiu Yuan revealed I was the one who attacked the beast-hunting sailboat, he still wants to buy the Blood Lizard''s skin...</i>

    Even after further consideration, Pang Jian still could not fathom Lei Kun''s intentions or predict his ns. However, Lei Kun had neither made a move against him nor shown any clear malice.

    <i>At least not yet, </i>Pang Jian thought.

    "Alright." He nodded.

    "Good." Lei Kun ced his spirit jades on the wooden tables and straightforwardlypleted the transaction with Pang Jian.

    "Thank you, Brother Lei." Jiu Yuan grinned, assuming Lei Kun was buying the Blood Lizard''s skin for him. "I''ll speed up the process of refining the new body youmissioned. I''ll get it done as soon as possible."

    "Hmm, we''ll discuss itter." Lei Kun took the Blood Lizard''s skin and left the trading hall.

    Pang Jian also stood up. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he handed over themission to the white-robed woman, decisively left the trading hall, and returned to his cave dwelling, with Qi Qingsong following closely behind.

    "What''re you thinking? Even if you manage to rescue her with a million spirit stones tomorrow, it''ll be challenging to get her out of the Primordial Wilderness alive.

    "The Sinister Soul Temple confirmed that she''s a remnant of the Blood Spirit Sect. I neither have the ability nor a valid reason to save her. The Blood Spirit Sect is an extremely sensitive matter, and even with my status as an inner disciple of the Sword Pavilion, I can''t do anything for her.

    "The best I can do is protect you as much as possible, but you need to distance yourself from her. Tomorrow, wear that outfit and hang the Sword Pavilion''s token on your waist. Just say you''re an outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion. As long as you wear that outfit and distance yourself from her, Jiu Yuan won''t dare to touch you," Qi Qingsong rambled.

    Pang Jian sat on the meditation mat in his cave dwelling as he listened and finally replied with a simple, "Got it."

    "Don''t leave the First Peak. I''lle to take you away tomorrow!" Qi Qingsong said before turning to leave.

    After the stone door was closed, Pang Jian took out the bronze pendant and established a connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent in the Fifth World.

    Yu Xin of the Celestial Race had not moved from her spot by the pool.

    However, unlike before, there were thousands of warriors from different races and many bloodthirsty Vicious Beasts surrounding the pool!

    Yu Xin had already made the preparations!

    Winged warriors from the Celestial Race, towering one-eyed giants, Wood Race members with bark-like skin, skeletal Ghost Race warriors, and Demon Scale Race members covered in silver scales were scattered around the pool. Many rode powerful Vicious Beasts and exuded a fierce fighting spirit.

    The Celestial Race, the Ghost Race, the Wood Race, the Demon Scale Race, and one-eyed giants were the main races upying the Fifth Continent in the Fifth World.

    <i>An invasion of this scale in the Primordial Wilderness... </i>

    Pang Jian instructed the Giant Abyssal Serpent to wave its tail.

    As soon as the Giant Abyssal Serpent moved, Yu Xin ordered, "Everyone, retreat thirty miles away!"

    The warriors all mounted their Vicious Beasts and moved away from the pool.

    Once no one could see the Giant Abyssal Serpent, Yu Xin said, "We heard a man named Cao Mang from the Primordial Wilderness of the Third World trades with races on the Second Continent."

    Pang Jian was momentarily stunned. Directing the Giant Abyssal Serpent to scratch out words on the ground with its tail, he detailed his n.<i> </i>

    <i>I''ll reiterate. Tomorrow there''s an opportunity, but sess isn''t guaranteed. Xiao Hei needs to be in the pool, and a passage will form on the surface of the water.</i>

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent jumped into the pool and opened itsrge mouth once submerged. A brilliant ripple of lights emerged from its mouth, forming a Mirror Tunnel above the pool.

    Yu Xin bit her lip as her delicate body trembled in excitement.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent then returned to shore and continued writing with its tail.

    <i>Here''s the situation. There''s a trade fair with people I need to protect in the Primordial Wilderness in the Third World. I need to ensure the warriors and Vicious Beasts you send won''t harm those I''m protecting.</i>

    "That''s simple. I''ll give you some herbal juice. Have those people drink it. They''ll emit a special scent. As long as that scent is present, the warriors I send won''t attack them. The scent willst for several days, long enough for your people to leave the Primordial Wilderness," Yu Xin proposed.

    <i>There''s also a woman named Luo Hongyan who has been imprisoned. I need her to stay alive and unharmed. Here are her physical characteristics...</i>

    The two conversed back and forth in this manner, agreeing to keep everything secret at the end.

    After their conversation, bottles of greenish herbal juice appeared in Pang Jian''s cave dwelling. Pang Jian drank a bottle and found no issues. The only change was the faint scent of rotting leaves now emanating from his body.

    He infused each bottle with a wisp of his life energy, then went to knock on Gao Yuan''s door.

    A haggard-looking Gao Yuan opened the door and said, "Little Brother Pang, I''ve heard about your situation. Even if you''re not from a noble family, it doesn''t change my respect for you."

    Gao Yuan believed that even if Pang Jian was just a regr hunter from the Fourth World, Qi Qingsong and Zhao Yuanqi''s attitude toward him indicated he was someone extraordinary.

    "This herbal juice will benefit your body. Drink it." Pang Jian handed him a bottle.

    ttered, Gao Yuan drank it in one gulp and felt a strange power nourishing his blood and internal organs. Before he could express his gratitude, Pang Jian went to knock on Han Ting''s door.

    "She''s not staying there anymore," Gao Yuan said. "With her injuries healed and Zhang Bin and Fang Xin apologizing, she figured they would not dare to go after her anymore, so she moved to an outer valley."

    Pang Jian handed another bottle to Gao Yuan. "Find a way to get this to her and make sure she drinks it. If it''s inconvenient for you to leave the First Peak, ask a friend to deliver it to her."

    "Don''t worry, I''ll take care of it," Gao Yuan replied.

    "Here are two more bottles. Find a way to deliver them to Jiang Li and Zhao Yuanqi of the Red Mountain Sect. Tell them it''s a token of my goodwill."

    "No problem," Gao Yuan agreed.

 Chapter 175: The Mid-Stage of the Innate Realm!

    <h4>Chapter 175: The Mid-Stage of the Innate Realm!</h4>

    After making the necessary arrangements, Pang Jian returned to his cave dwelling.

    The thought of Old Monster Cao''s event the next day weighed heavily on his mind. It had been a long time since he hadst seen Luo Hongyan. For him to see her again only for her to be sold like merchandise was suffocating.

    <i>Old Monster Cao...</i> He snorted, silently resenting the master of the Primordial Wilderness for his actions.

    <i>Knock knock!</i>

    A knock abruptly came at the stone door just as he was about to sit down and cultivate. Assuming Gao Yuan had some questions, Pang Jian got up to open the door.

    Outside the cave stood an unexpected visitor¡ªLei Kun.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to invite me in?¡± he asked.

    Pang Jian invited him inside with a suspicious frown. ¡°What brings you here, Senior?¡±

    Lei Kun gave him a deep look before grinning. ¡°I gave that Rank Seven Blood Lizard skin to Jiu Yuan.¡±

    Pang Jian nodded without saying a word.

    His and Luo Hongyan''s looting of the beast-hunting sailboat was no longer a secret after Jiu Yuan''s reveal. Naturally, Lei Kun also knew they had destroyed the new body the Blood Moon Sect had specially forged for him. Therefore, Pang Jian suspected Lei Kun bore ill intentions when he came to his cave dwelling.

    Lei Kun broke the silence. ¡°I¡¯m not here to seek revenge over the loss of a new body. I''m here to tell you that your sister was captured by Old Monster Cao and will appear at the trade fair tomorrow. I¡¯ll be leaving Primordial Wilderness tonight to avoid being used by Jiu Yuan.¡±

    Pang Jian was stunned. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a new body. The Blood Moon Sect still has to follow the rules and reforge another one for me since I''ve paid for it.¡± Lei Kunughed. ¡°At most, it''ll only set me back a little. But my instincts tell me it¡¯s best not to be your enemy. I don¡¯t want to get involved in your conflict with Jiu Yuan, so I have to leave.¡±

    Pang Jian nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be enemies with you either, Senior.¡±

    Lei Kun chuckled. ¡°Someone who can retrieve spirit materials from so many Rank Seven Vicious Beasts during a terrifying trial likely won''t die so easily at Jiu Yuan¡¯s hands. Pang Jian, I hope we meet again someday.¡±

    With that, Lei Kun left cave dwelling number fifty-six.

    "Who will die is still uncertain," Pang Jian muttered in Lei Kun''s wake.

    After calming his emotions, he took out a barrel of the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf''s blood, drank it, and cultivated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    A fierce fiery energy and a violent blood essence surged forth.

    Focusing intently, Pang Jian directed these two energies separately to his spiritual sea and the Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint in his chest.

    The fiery pool in his spiritual sea expanded!

    Meanwhile, the blood mists in his Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint also thickened!

    <i>The early stage of the Innate Realm allows one to close their pores and hold their breath to greatly enhance the refinement and cirction of spiritual power.</i>

    <i>In the middle stage, spiritual power bursts out from every pore, forming a protective shield.</i>

    <i>In thete stage, spiritual power prates the brain, stimting one''s potential as preparation to form their divine sense, </i>Pang Jian recalled.

    He then attempted to release his spiritual power within his body through his pores.

    <i>Swoosh!</i>

    A green protective shield formed around him.

    <i>The mid-stage of the Innate Realm!</i>

    Pang Jian''s heart trembled. ording to Luo Hongyan and the manual of the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, the formation of the protective shield from spiritual power signified advancement to the middle stage of the Innate Realm!

    Once his initial excitement died down, Pang Jian could not help but feel puzzled. <i>I haven¡¯t been cultivating diligentlytely, so how could this happen? </i>

    Squinting, he examined the translucent protective shield formed from his spiritual power. It was shaped like an egg and enveloped his entire body.

    He recalled how Zhu Yuanxi from the Blood Moon Sect had deployed a dark red protective shield that had repelled all the Lunar Edges he had unleashed on Ice Rock Ind.

    The protective shield was the hallmark of reaching the middle stage of the Innate Realm. He had not expected that a casual attempt would result in him sessfully forming the protective shield.

    <i>Could it be the special properties of the Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea or the absorption of cold energy from the sacrificial altar beneath Ice Rock City? </i>Pang Jian did not know the answer to his questions.

    Shaking his head, he stopped dwelling on the mysteries of his rapid advancement and focused on the present.

    <i>If the protective shield is formed with spiritual power, can it bebined with lunar energy, ster energy, or cold energy?</i>

    Pang Jian experimentally infused the green protective shield with these three energies from his spiritual sea.

    The green protective shield became several times denser!

    It seemed that merging lunar energy, ster energy, and cold energy would greatly enhance the protective shield''s defensive capabilities!

    Next, he tried to add in sr energy and fiery energy.

    However, these two energies shed with the lunar energy, ster energy, and cold energy, and the instant they entered the shield, it shattered with a resounding boom.

    <i>Energies with ipatible attributes, if forciblybined, will only backfire, </i>Pang Jian realized

    Reforming the protective shield, he instead tried integrating sr energy and fiery energy without having lunar energy, ster energy, and cold energy in the mix.

    <i>Swoosh!</i>

    The green protective shield turned deep red, radiating intense light and heat. It felt simr to the sr brilliance Yang Rui from the Radiant Sun Sect had emitted when he appeared at the trading hall earlier today.

    <i>My protective shield can transform in two distinct ways by incorporating different energies.</i>

    Pang Jian excitedly continued practicing within the cave, experimenting with the unique properties of both types of protective shields.

    The next morning, Qi Qingsong knocked on the stone door once again.

    <i>Bang bang bang!</i>

    "Time waits for no one!" he shouted from outside. "Whatever decision you''ve made, you need to act quickly."

    Pang Jian opened the stone door and handed him a bottle of herbal juice. ¡°Drink this. It''s good for you.¡±

    Qi Qingsong did not hesitate and drank it in one gulp, smacking his lips as he felt its effects. ¡°Hmm, this is good stuff. It can not only heal wounds but also seems to enhance my perception.

    ¡°Got any more?¡± He shamelessly extended his hand.

    Pang Jian grudgingly handed over another bottle.

    Qi Qingsong once again drank it all in one gulp. He squinted his eyes as he silently felt its effects and clicked his tongue in amazement. "I''m in the Profound Abode Realm and am in the process of refining my divine sense. This potion seems to help with that.

    ¡°Pang Jian, how many treasures do you have? As brothers, don¡¯t forget about me when youe across good stuff!¡±

    He then shamelessly demanded, ¡°One more bottle!¡±

    Pang Jian gritted his teeth and handed over another bottle. ¡°This is thest one!¡±

    "Mm-hmm!" Qi Qingsong nodded with a grin as he downed the herbal juice.

    <i>Swoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian summoned his green protective shield once again with a single thought.

    ¡°Wow! You¡¯ve advanced to the mid-stage of the Innate Realm!¡± Qi Qingsong eximed. ¡°I heard you were in the early stage not long ago. How did you break through so quickly?¡±

    ¡°Is it that strange?¡± Pang Jian frowned. ¡°You advanced two cultivation realms after leaving Eight Trigrams City. If you can achieve that in a few months, why can¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s different for me. I advanced to the Innate Realm by bing one with the world,¡± Qi Qingsong boasted. ¡°Anyone who advances to the Innate Realm this way will progress rapidly in both the Innate Realm and the Profound Abode Realm.

    "The early, middle, andte stages of the Innate Realm are essentially about the refining and precise use of one''s spiritual power. Since I advanced through bing one with the world, my affinity with spiritual power is extraordinarily high, so mastering the intricacies of spiritual poweres naturally to me."

    Qi Qingsong puffed up with pride.

    Pang Jian was taken aback. ¡°So, you mean that those who break through by bing one with the world will advance through the Innate Realm and the Profound Abode Realm much more quickly?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it also benefits future cultivation, but the progress is particrly noticeable in the Innate Realm and the Profound Abode Realm,¡± Qi Qingsong exined seriously. ¡°That¡¯s why I was willing to wait until I could advance through bing one with the world before I attempted my breakthrough.

    ¡°Those senior brothers of mine are still in the Profound Abode Realm. I may have been slow to start, but since my breakthrough to the Innate Realm, I''ve advanced to the Profound Abode Realm ten times faster than them!

    ¡°And in the future, the gap between us will only growrger!¡± Qi Qingsong eximed with confidence.

    ¡°I see.¡± Pang Jian nodded. ¡°It seems I''ll be able to catch up to you soon and advance to the Profound Abode Realm as well.¡±

    ¡°You?!¡± Qi Qingsong was shocked.

    ¡°Yes, we''re the same,¡± Pang Jian confirmed.

    ¡°You...¡± Qi Qingsong took a deep breath and pped Pang Jian on the shoulder. ¡°Since you¡¯re as much of a genius as I am, don¡¯t get yourself killed in the Primordial Wilderness! That woman, Luo Hongyan, isn¡¯t even your real sister. Just let it go.¡±

    Pang Jian ignored him and exited the cave. Qi Qingsong sighed and quickly followed.

    ¡°Little Brother Pang, I¡¯ve delivered everything you asked,¡± Gao Yuan said at the door.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Pang Jian nodded in gratitude.

    Not long after, he and Qi Qingsong arrived at the trading hall. Pang Jian''s eyes fell on Luo Hongyan as soon as they entered.

    A giant prismatic crystal stood on the central tform of the trading hall. Inside the crystal was the devastatingly beautiful Luo Hongyan. Her fair skin, perfect figure, and deep, mysterious eyes captivated all whoid their eyes on her.

    She caught the attention of everybody entering the trading hall, especially the male cultivators. All the cultivators could not help but marvel at her beauty, and no matter where they were in the hall, they could not help but sneak repeated nces at her.

    ¡°Who''s that woman?¡±

    ¡°Why has Old Monster Cao imprisoned her? Is she another exotic treasure for sale today?¡±

    ¡°Jiu Yuan of the Blood Moon Sect and Lou Yunming of the Sinister Soul Temple have been paying close attention to her. Are those two old guys nning to fight over her?¡±

    The cultivators whispered among themselves.

    Luo Hongyan was frozen within the crystal, and only her eyes could move. As she was not facing the wooden door through which Pang Jian had entered, she did not know he had entered until someone called out his name.

    "Pang Jian!"

 Chapter 176: Cao Mang the Dwarf

    <h4>Chapter 176: Cao Mang the Dwarf</h4>

    Luo Hongyan''s heart trembled.

    <i>Pang Jian?</i>

    She strained her bright eyes within the prismatic crystal, trying to find the person she believed could not possibly be there.

    <i>Impossible. He can''t be here. I must be hallucinating. I must''ve heard wrong,</i> she thought to herself.

    She had long been cut off from the outside world after being imprisoned by Old Monster Cao for many days.

    Old Monster Cao had either killed or collected all her Spirit Devils, meaning she had also lost all her spies. Since being captured, she had been kept in a dark cave and had no clue as to the recent happenings within the Primordial Wilderness.

    After waiting for her return in vain, she assumed Pang Jian would not have stayed until thest day of the trade fair and would have left the Primordial Wilderness with Gao Yuan.

    She even considered the possibility that the reveal of her identity had led both Pang Jian and Gao Yuan to fall victim to Jiu Yuan''s schemes.

    "Pang Jian!" A gloomy voice rang out.

    Luo Hongyan was startled. She could not help but look in the direction of the voice.

    It was Jiu Yuan from the Blood Moon Sect!

    Jiu Yuan called out Pang Jian''s name.

    <i>So it wasn''t her imagination! </i>

    Still, she could not help the lingering feeling of doubt.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A tall, refined young man dressed in ck appeared before her. The familiar young man wore a stern expression, and his chiseled features were as striking as ever.

    <i>Pang Jian!</i> Luo Hongyan screamed internally. Her beautiful eyes were alight with urgency and anger. <i>Why did youe? Pang Jian, you shouldn''t havee!</i>

    Despite her despairing situation, Pang Jian''s appearance did not bring her joy. She was furious. She desperately wanted to scold Pang Jian but could do nothing in her sealed state.

    "You''ve suffered," Pang Jian said softly. His chest heaved violently, breathing rough and unsettled.

    Having spent so much time together, Pang Jian understood Luo Hongyan''s gaze very well. Even though she could not speak, he could tell she was fuming, silently scolding him for losing hisposure and showing up in front of her at the trading hall.

    Pang Jian took a deep breath. Despite being in such a dire situation, Luo Hongyan still worried about his safety, fearing he would meet the same fate.

    Forcing himself to stop staring at Luo Hongyan, he turned toward Jiu Yuan and the coldlyposed Lou Yunming standing beside the giant crystal.

    <i>You''ve suffered...</i> Luo Hongyan''s deep, mysterious eyes welled with tears at his words.

    Afterposing himself, Pang Jian nced over at her again and said seriously, "You''ll survive. Nothing will happen to you. Trust me."

    Luo Hongyan''s eyes filled with more tears.

    "Brat, having a million spirit stones doesn''t guarantee you''ll win her," Jiu Yuan sneered. "Even if you win her and take her away from the First Peak, you won''t leave the Primordial Wilderness unscathed!"

    Jiu Yuan then nced at Qi Qingsong and mocked, "Even an inner disciple of the Sword Pavilion isn''t qualified to take someone from us. Especially a remnant of the Blood Spirit Sect! Qi Qingsong, even if your master were here, he''d have to think twice about rescuing a remnant of the Blood Spirit Sect!"

    Qi Qingsong touched the token at his waist and smiled. "You''re right. The Blood Moon Sect and Sinister Soul Temple are powerful. I can''t provoke you."

    "Don''t drag our Sinister Soul Temple into this!" Lou Yunming red coldly at Jiu Yuan and said in an equally icy tone, "She was originally our prisoner and only escaped after she went to the Solitary Mountain Range in the lower world. I''m here to take responsibility and bring her back to the Sinister Soul Temple for re-imprisonment."

    "She killed Ling Yun and looted our beast-hunting sailboat in the lower world. I won''t let you have her so easily," Jiu Yuan replied.

    "I''m the one who captured her. The two of you can draw lots for herter. Whoever wins gets to take her," a rough, hearty voice rang out.

    "Old Monster Cao!"

    "The master of the Primordial Wilderness has arrived!"

    Everyone in the trading hall turned to look at the owner of the voice.

    Pang Jian turned his head to see a man with thick eyebrows,rge eyes, and a short stature descend from the sky andnd in the center of the tform. He stood next to the smiling Lady Hua, but he was only slightly taller than her seated figure. Cao Mang exuded an air of righteousness and grandeur in his golden robes and a feathered crown. Unfortunately, his short stature made him appear diminutive.

    <i>Whoosh whoosh whoosh!</i>

    As he descended, wooden boxes containing exotic treasures and rare items, ss bottles, and scrolls materialized,nding on the edges of the tform in a dazzling array of light and color.

    Pang Jian nced around. There wererge pills in some of the ss bottles, gleaming spirit swords in the wooden boxes, and advanced cultivation manuals. Everything a cultivator could desire was put on disy.

    "Pang Jian, Sister-Sister Luo!" Jiang Li''s startled cry came from the wooden door in front of Luo Hongyan.

    Zhao Yuanqi led Jiang Li into the trading hall. The pair gazed curiously at the stunning woman imprisoned in the prismatic crystal.

    Zhao Yuanqi shook her head. <i>Such beauty. It''s a pity she''s from the Blood Spirit Sect. If not for that, I could''ve found another way to help. </i>

    Jiang Li approached Pang Jian and bowed toward Luo Hongyan. "Sister Luo, thank you for looking after me in Eight Trigrams City. I''m sorry I wasn''t able to help you."

    Luo Hongyan nced at her briefly before shifting her gaze back to Pang Jian. It was clear that Jiang Li''s words did not matter to Luo Hongyan.

    "Yang Rui!"

    "Fang Boxuan!"

    "Xie Xiwen!"

    Following Zhao Yuanqi, the three other geniuses of the Third World arrived at the trading hall one after another, precisely on time. Their appearance caused quite a few murmurs, and many rogue cultivators in the Profound Abode Realm and the Spirit Condensation Realm observed the three from throughout the trading hall.

    Pang Jian frowned, uninterested in the neers.

    The tall, handsome Fang Boxuan approached Zhao Yuanqi.

    ncing at Luo Hongyan, he remarked in awe, "Yuanqi, is she the one you asked me to help with? She''s stunning, but unfortunately, she''s a remnant of the Blood Spirit Sect."

    Fang Boxuan shook his head regretfully.

    "Brat, are you trying topete with me for her?" Jiu Yuan asked through gritted teeth.

    Jiu Yuan and Fang Boxuan were both members of the Blood Moon Sect. Jiu Yuan had not favored Fang Boxuan in the beginning and had been stingy with his cultivation resources.

    However, Fang Boxuan had several fortunate encounters, causing his cultivation realm to soar, and he soon became the most dazzling talent of the Blood Moon Sect.

    Since then, Fang Boxuan constantly opposed him, and they umted many grudges.

    Fang Boxuan snorted. "I have my eye on something and I don''t have extra spirit stones topete with you. After all, I''m still too young andck your umtion of wealth. But in a few years, once I reach the Spirit Condensation Realm, your influence in the Blood Moon Sect will diminish."

    Jiu Yuan''s expression darkened at Fang Boxuan''s words.

    Yang Rui from the Radiant Sun Sect stepped in front of Cao Mang and Lady Hua. Pointing at Luo Hongyan, he asked curiously, "Senior Cao, could you tell us about the woman in the prismatic crystal? Is she also being sold as an exotic treasure?"

    "Yes, for one million spirit stones, anyone can try to bid for her," Cao Mang said indifferently. Unlike the enthusiastic Lady Hua, he remained reserved toward a genius like Yang Rui. "The Sinister Soul Temple informed me that she''s a survivor of the Blood Spirit Sect.

    "Her original body was destroyed and her soul was suppressed for hundreds of years. After escaping, she found a Crystal Snow Lotus and forged a new body. Although her cultivation realm is unclear, herbat prowess is roughly at the early stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm.

    "Yang Rui, her true strength surpasses yours. I advise you not to bid for her,"

    "What''s her rtionship with Pang Jian?" Yang Rui asked again.

    The master of the Primordial Wilderness thought for a long moment. "They''re said to be siblings."

    "Siblings?" Yang Rui considered this for a while, then dered, "I want to participate in the bidding!"

    Pang Jian''s gaze snapped toward him.

    Yang Rui met Pang Jian''s gaze and calmly said, "If you had sold me the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf''s eyes yesterday, this wouldn''t be happening."

    He was handsome and imposing, standing there like a statue radiating light and heat.

    Many rogue cultivators inwardly frowned, apprehension clear in their eyes as they did not dare to provoke him.

    Despite being younger than Qi Qingsong, he had already reached thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm and was on the brink of refining his divine sense.

    With his talent and abilities, if he had joined the Sword Pavilion, the Demon Sect, or the ck Valley Sect instead of the Radiant Sun Sect in the Third World, he would have also been a prominent figure in the Second World.

    <i>Yang Rui.</i>

    Just as Yang Rui had done yesterday, Pang Jian made sure to return the favor and engrave Yang Rui''s name in his mind as well.

    After exchanging a nce from a distance, Pang Jian nodded and then looked away.

    "Senior Cao, shall we start with her?" Yang Rui suggested.

    The dwarf, Cao Mang, squinted at the prismatic crystal containing Luo Hongyan and asked, "Who else is bidding?"

    "I am," Pang Jian responded.

    "And me," Huang Qi called out slyly from an unnoticed corner, chuckling softly. Seeing Pang Jian¡¯s displeased expression, he hurriedly exined, "Little Brother, the more bidders, the better the chances. Don¡¯t worry, if I win, I¡¯ll sell her to you at the same price.

    "You made an enemy for no reason because of those Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf''s eyes. I feel bad about it, and I want to make it up to you."

    Pang Jian hesitated, then nodded lightly.

 Chapter 177: What Gives You The Right?

    <h4>Chapter 177: What Gives You The Right?</h4>

    "Who else wants to join the bidding?" Cao Mang asked. His powerful voice echoed through every corner of the trading hall as stood on the tform and looked around.

    The attendees'' gazes fell on Luo Hongyan''s wless face inside the crystal, but no one spoke up.

    Those present at the trading hall today were either an elite elder of a major sect or a renowned rogue cultivator from the Third World.

    Jiu Yuan, Lou Yunming, and Yang Rui had all stated their intention to bid for Luo Hongyan, with Jiu Yuan being particrly determined to win. Even if new bidders sessfully drew the lot for Luo Hongyan, they had to consider if they could leave the Primordial Wilderness alive afterward.

    <i>Old Man Cao, they say Pang Jian is her brother. Qi Qingsong and Zhao Yuanqi are close to him. Will this cause problems for us?</i> Lady Hua asked Cao Mang through a secret telepathic technique.

    Cao Mang maintained his neutral expression. <i>It''s no problem. He may know Qi Qingsong and Zhao Yuanqi, but he isn''t Qi Qingsong or Zhao Yuanqi!</i>

    Lady Hua gave a barely perceptible nod. <i>It''s rumored that Qi Qingsong, Zhou Qingchen, and Dong Tianze went through a trial together a few months ago. Pang Jian was one of the participants. He even provoked Dong Tianze.</i>

    <i>His true identity is that of a hunter from the Solitary Mountain Range in the Fourth World, </i>Cao Mang exined. <i>Regardless of how highly Qi Qingsong and Zhao Yuanqi regard him, that fact remains unchanged. I won''t give up a million spirit stones just because of his connections with Qi Qingsong and Zhao Yuanqi!</i>

    Cao Mang valued wealth over anything else. Having overseen the Primordial Wilderness for many years, collecting rare treasures from different worlds and hosting trade fairs every three years to gather cultivation resources for himself and Lady Hua, he naturally would not let this fortune slip through his fingers.

    <i>Good, as long as you understand,</i> Lady Hua conceded.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Lady Hua gracefullynded next to Huang Qi and said with a smile, "Every bidder must prove they have enough wealth. We won''t allow bids without verification."

    Jiu Yuan, Lou Yunming, Yang Rui, and Pang Jian all undoubtedly had a million spirit stones. Huang Qi, on the other hand, was unfamiliar to her, and his cultivation realm appeared to be around the Profound Abode Realm. Concerned he would cause troubleter down the line, she thus signaled for him to show his wealth.

    "It seems you don''t believe me," Huang Qi said, feigning insult. His lecherous eyes raked over Lady Hua''s ample bosom before retrieving his spirit jades from his spatial bracelet. Soon, the spirit jades were piled so high they almost buried him!

    "Is this enough?" Huang Qi grinned at Lady Hua.

    Lady Hua nodded repeatedly. "Enough! That''s enough!"

    Then, she shot Cao Mang another telepathic message. <i>This man is of unknown origin. He sold the first part of the Grand Providence Sacred Body manual to Pang Jian and disregarded Yang Rui to buy the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf''s eyes for six hundred thousand spirit stones yesterday. </i>

    <i>I didn''t expect him to have another million spirit stones! His cultivation seems to either be in the Profound Abode Realm, or at most, the early Spirit Condensation Realm, </i>she said excitedly.

    On the tform, Cao Mang remained expressionless. <i>Have someone follow him. Once he leaves the Primordial Chaos, I''ll deal with him myself!</i>

    Lady Hua''s eyes sparkled with delight.

    Cao Mang was one of the most powerful rogue cultivators in the Third World and had amassed much of his wealth through unsavory dealings. In the upper world, he maintained connections with notorious figures in the Second and Third Worlds. In the lower world, he maintained contact with the foreign races of the Fifth World.

    Over the years, many wealthy rogue cultivators like Huang Qi would often disappear after the trade fair.

    "Jiu Yuan, Lou Yunming, Yang Rui, Pang Jian, and Huang Qi," Lady Hua listed, taking out a round wooden bucket and cing five bamboo sticks inside. "Only one stick is marked as the winner. You five will draw lots."

    <i>tter! tter!</i>

    She stood in front of the prismatic crystal imprisoning Luo Hongyan, shaking the wooden bucket to mix up the bamboo sticks.

    "Who''ll go first?" Lady Hua asked with a smile.

    Yang Rui from the Radiant Sun Sect strode silently toward the central tform.

    Staring intently at the rxed Qi Qingsong, he said, "It won''t be long before I enter the Second World and make a name for myself there. I joined the Radiant Sun Sect first and cultivated their techniques, so I won''t be an inner disciple of the Sword Pavilion or the Demon Sect once I reach the Second World, but I could still be an honorary elder.

    "If I were to join the Sword Pavilion, as an inner disciple, you''d have to show me respect if your cultivation realm isn''t as high as mine."

    Qi Qingsong smiled nonchntly and did not respond.

    "I''ll go first!" Huang Qi stepped forward.

    He stood with his back to the crowd in front of Lady Hua, sly eyes fixated on her chest as he extended a withered left hand toward the bamboo sticks in the round wooden bucket.

    The bamboo sticks shone with a silvery glow that prevented Huang Qi from using his divine sense to locate the bamboo stick marked with the character "Winner".

    Eyes still fixed on Lady Hua''s chest, Huang Qi reached out, only for his hand to brush against Lady Hua''s smooth white one holding the round wooden bucket.

    "Ah! Sorry, I must''ve grabbed the wrong thing!" Huang Qi feigned innocence, giving her hand a quick squeeze before hurriedly drawing a bamboo stick, right as her anger was about to re.

    ncing at his chosen bamboo stick, he shook his head helplessly and shot Pang Jian a bitter smile. "Sorry, Little Brother."

    Pang Jian simply hummed in response.

    Meanwhile, Cao Mang was ring dagger at Huang Qi from up on the central tform. He was already plotting how he would deal with Huang Qi once he left the Primordial Wilderness.

    The onlookers nced between Huang Qi and Cao Mang, in silent admiration at Huang Qi''s boldness. Many whispered among themselves, wondering about Huang Qi''s background and origins.

    Huang Qi dared to make moves on Lady Hua right in front of Cao Mang. His future appeared grim.

    Given Cao Mang''s temperament, they believed Huang Qi would not survive long after leaving the Primordial Wilderness.

    "Who''s next?" Lady Hua asked in barely concealed anger.

    "Let me try my luck." Yang Rui stepped forward.

    He showed no interest in Lady Hua. Instead, he kept his eyes fixed on Luo Hongyan as he marveled, "A million spirit stones for such an extraordinary woman! It''s worth it, despite the circumstances."

    Drawing a bamboo stick, he nced at it and red coldly at Pang Jian.

    "Too bad I can''t use her to spite you," he sneered, reducing the bamboo sticks to ashes with a burst of me.

    Disappointed, he turned away and walked to the other end of the tform to eye a wooden box containing a pill.

    Pang Jian turned to stare at the seething Cao Mang and asked calmly, "Cao Mang, has my sister ever offended you?"

    He addressed Cao Mang without any titles or honorifics.

    Even geniuses like Yang Rui addressed Cao Mang as Senior Cao. Elders like Jiu Yuan and Lou Yunming usually called him Brother Cao or Junior Cao. All the cultivators in the Primordial Wilderness showed proper respect to this renowned Third World rogue cultivator.

    Today, however, there was an exception.

    "I can''t remember thest time someone called me by my name," Cao Mang murmured to himself, staring coldly at Pang Jian. Then, in a louder voice, he said, "No, she never offended me."

    "Cao Mang, we came to your event and stayed on the First Peak," Pang Jian continued, voice calm but steady. "Why? Why did you destroy her soul array on the way back and force her to leave the First Peak? Why did you capture her and sell her as merchandise?

    "What gives you the right?"

    The trading hall fell into silence. Cultivators nced between Pang Jian and Cao Mang in surprise as everyone contemted his words.

    "Brother!" Huang Qi gave Pang Jian a thumbs-up. "Well said!"

    "That''s right. What gives him the right?!" Jiang Li called out softly, biting her lip.

    Zhao Yuanqi gazed thoughtfully at Pang Jian''s tall figure. <i>No wonder Zhou Qingchen and Jiang Li hold him in such high regard. If I were in his ce, I would not have the courage to address Cao Mang by name and question him so boldly.</i>

    "Indeed, what gives Old Monster Cao the right to capture her without reason? Just because she''s from the Blood Spirit Sect?" a young woman in a Star River Alliance robe chimed in quietly. This woman was Xie Xiwen, one of the four geniuses of the Third World.

    "Little Xie, watch your words!" Liang Ying, an elder of the Star River Alliance, scolded.

    "Pang Jian has no family or sect backing him, but he still dares to speak out. Why should I be afraid?" Xie Xiwen retorted. "Or are you saying our Star River Alliance is too weak to stand up to a rogue cultivator?"

    "We''re on his territory, so we need to show some respect. It''s justmon courtesy!" Elder Liang Ying replied in exasperation.

    "Oh." Xie Xiwen appeared confused.

    Cao Mang stepped down from the central tform to stand before Pang Jian.

    Although short in stature, he exuded a towering presence as he stood with his hands sped behind his back. He was like the First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness, overlooking and suppressing all the surrounding mountains.

    Jiu Yuan, Lou Yunming, Liang Ying, and the other elders from the major sects gazed solemnly at Cao Mang. Though they were all in the Spirit Condensation Realm, the elders were only in the early stages. Cao Mang was a cut above them.

    "It has nothing to do with her being a remnant of the Blood Spirit Sect.

    "I, Cao Mang, can do as I please in my territory. Not even the five major sects of the Third World can intervene!" he said domineeringly, eyeing Pang Jian with tant derision and scorn.

 Chapter 178: Numb

    <h4>Chapter 178: Numb</h4>

    Cao Mang''s domineering presence filled the air.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    The first peak of the Primordial Wilderness trembled violently as if in response to his anger.

    "Impressive! Truly impressive!" Huang Qi smacked his lips and mocked, "No wonder they call you Old Monster Cao, a cultivator in the mid-tote stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm. Oh, by the way, are you in the middle stage or thete stage?"

    Lady Hua frowned coldly as she asked, "Who exactly are you?"

    Huang Qi''s repeated provocations were testing her patience.

    "Huang Qi. I''m just a rogue cultivator." The sly-looking Huang Qi let out a derisiveugh and cast a meaningful nce at Pang Jian. "I alsoe from the Fourth World and am not from one of the seven major ns.

    "I was fortunate to hitch a ride on a flying vessel to the Third World after breaking through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    "I don''t have a noble background like the two of you. I''m just a rogue cultivator who has had some fortunate encounters. But I don''t pretend to tter the major sects while secretly harming other rogue cultivators."

    <i>The Fourth World. No wonder I''ve never heard of him before, </i>Lady Hua thought to herself.

    She felt more at ease now, figuring that once Huang Qi left the Primordial Wilderness, it would be simple to deal with him discreetly.

    "Are you that interested in whether I''m in the middle orte stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm?" Cao Mang asked in a deep voice.

    Huang Qi ignored his question. Dropping his jovial facade, his thin face turned serious as he recounted, "Three years ago, a rogue cultivator named Huang Yu sessfully won a Spirit Condensation Pill for three hundred thousand spirit stones in the Primordial Wilderness. He was in thete Profound Abode Realm and had bought the pill to increase his chances of a smooth breakthrough to the Spirit Condensation Realm."

    He nced at Cao Mang, then Lady Hua. The two remained silent under his gaze.

    "Huang Yu disappeared without a trace shortly after leaving the Primordial Wilderness," Huang Qi continued, eyes scanning the faces of the Profound Abode Realm rogue cultivators in the crowd, words heavy with implication. "I know of at least a dozen simr incidents."

    The crowd fell into a contemtive silence.

    "We only oversee the happenings of the First Peak. We don''t interfere with what happens outside, not even the fights and robberies between rogue cultivators," Lady Hua said coldly.

    She knew Huang Qi was trying to intentionally cause trouble by exposing her and Cao Mang''s dirty deeds.

    <i>Huang Yu?</i> She tried to recall. If he had only been in the Profound Abode Realm, Cao Mang would not have bothered to deal with him personally, so she would have been the one to kill him.

    "Don''t spread baseless rumors. Huang Qi, the Primordial Wilderness no longer wees you. Leave immediately!" Cao Mang said, expression unchanged. He would have struck Huang Qi down if not for the fact that killing him now would be seen as silencing a witness.

    "I knew this would happen." Huang Qi nodded, satisfied with nting the seeds of doubt, and left the trading hall.

    <i>So, they have even more dark secrets...</i> Pang Jian thought. He was certain Cao Mang and Lady Hua were involved in many sinister deeds.

    The mentioned victim, Huang Yu, likely had a deep connection with Huang Qi. Huang Qi had likely been waiting for this day to expose Cao Mang and Lady Hua.

    Pang Jian wondered if Huang Qi had a n to leave the Primordial Wilderness alive.

    "Now that unrted guest is gone, let''s continue!" Cao Mang raised his voice.

    Everyone present could sense that Old Monster Cao was in a foul mood.

    "Who''s next?" Lady Hua called out.

    "It''s my turn!" Jiu Yuan stepped up impatiently and reached into the round wooden bucket.

    Inside the bucket, the silver glow that blocked divine sense suddenly dissipated. Seeing the character "Winner" on one of the bamboo sticks with his divine sense, Jiu Yuan''s eyes lit up and he pulled it out in a burst ofughter.

    "I knew my luck was goodtely!" he eximed.

    Jiu Yuan knew the spiteful Lady Hua had rigged the draw in his favor after Pang Jian''s offense of addressing Old Monster Cao by name. This was why he could sessfully draw the lot for Luo Hongyan!

    Holding up the bamboo stick with the "Winner" character for all to see, Jiu Yuanughed maniacally. "Pang Jian, you''ve ruined my ns multiple times. I didn''t even get a chance to see the pair of sisters from the lower world before theymitted suicide on Ice Rock Ind. What a waste.

    "Your sister is so beautiful and has a body reforged from a Crystal Snow Lotus. I''ve never had the taste of such a rare beauty. Haha, a million spirit stones for her is a steal! Lou Yunming after I''ve had my fill, you can buy her soul for a million spirit stones!"

    His lecherous gaze lingered on Luo Hongyan''s pale cheeks and neck.

    Luo Hongyan closed her eyes in despair. Her fate was sealed the moment Jiu Yuan drew that bamboo stick.

    "Our Sinister Soul Temple only wants her soul. Her body doesn''t matter," Lou Yunming said coldly, ncing at Luo Hongyan. "I''ll contact you in half a month to discuss the purchase of her soul."

    "Deal!" Jiu Yuanughed.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A palm-sized crystal flew from Cao Mang''s hand to Jiu Yuan.

    "The sealing techniques are all in there. Instructions for breaking and maintaining the seal are detailed inside."

    "Great!" Jiu Yuan started counting the spirit jades in his spatial bracelet.

    "Sister Luo..." Jiang Li''s eyes filled with tears. She cursed her inability and low cultivation realm.

    Cao Mang, Lady Hua, Yang Rui, Xie Xiwen, Liang Ying, Lian Feng, and many others stared at Pang Jian.

    Luo Hongyan had closed her eyes in resignation, no longer having the will to look at anyone.

    Pang Jian stood before the prismatic crystal like a frozen statue, utterly motionless. A bone-chilling cold emanated from his body, making him appear as though he had turned into a block of ice.

    Qi Qingsong stepped forward and patted his shoulder. "Pang Jian..."

    <i>Snap!</i>

    Theyer of ice covering Pang Jian''s shoulder cracked, and his piercing gaze shifted toward the maniacallyughing Jiu Yuan, the grim-faced Lou Yunming, the gloating Yang Rui, and then finally to Lady Hua and the imposing Cao Mang.

    Everyone he looked at frowned. There was a strange coldness in his eyes, and they could sense a hidden danger behind his silence.

    However, no one felt truly threatened when they remembered his cultivation realm and his origins as a young hunter from the Fourth World.

    <i>A mere hunter from the Fourth World. His cultivation is only at the Innate Realm. He can''t stir up much trouble, even with friends like Qi Qingsong.</i>

    <i>To think he wanted to rescue someone! He may not even leave the Primordial Wilderness alive himself!</i>

    Pang Jian turned and walked out of the trading hall under the weight of their mocking and disdainful gazes.

    Qi Qingsong hurried after him and called out softly, "Pang Jian, don''t leave the First Peak! Wait for me in your cave dwelling. After I get what I need, I''ll personallye to take you out of the Primordial Wilderness! Remember, wait for me in the cave!"

    Pang Jian only hummed in response as he left the trading hall.

    "Be careful," Qi Qingsong added quietly.

    Regardless of how displeased he was, Old Monster Cao would not break his own rules, so as long as Pang Jian stayed on the First Peak, he would be safe.

    The major figures in the Primordial Wilderness were all bidding on treasures in the trading hall. Thus, Qi Qingsong was not overly worried about Pang Jian.

    Jiu Yuan contacted his subordinate telepathically, <i>Xu Li!</i> <i>That kid has left the trading hall. Keep an eye on him. After the trade fair is finished, I''ll deal with him! Watch him, and see whose Cloud Sail he boards! Cloud Sails are slow, so even if he leaves the Primordial Wilderness, he can''t escape!</i>

    Xu Li was a Blood Moon Sect disciple in thete stage of the Innate Realm and was stronger than Zhu Yuanxi. He mingled with rogue cultivators outside the trading hall, and once he saw Pang Jian leave, he followed.

    "Elder, he''s left the First Peak!" Xu Li reported via a transmission talisman.

    <i>Watch him, but don''t act yet. Observe his every move,</i> Jiu Yuan instructed.

    <i>Noted.</i>

    ***

    Between the Sixth and Seventh Peaks of the Primordial Wildernessy a sparkling Emerald Lake.

    Many Cloud Sails and tents were scattered around theke. This was the chosen spot to stay for rogue cultivators with not much wealth and no enemies.

    These cultivators were mainly in the Meridian Opening Realm, the Marrow Cleansing Realm, or the Innate Realm, and were not qualified to participate in the final day''s grand event.

    Some were negotiating with Cloud Sail owners about leaving and inquiring about their next destinations to see if they matched their own.

    Zhang Bin approached a green tent, face stern as he said coldly, "Han Ting, you were deceived by him. He''s not from a noble family. He fooled all of us. We really thought he was someone important! He''s just a hunter from the Fourth World. I was worried for days over nothing!

    "Han Ting, I found out everything. He doesn''t know Zhao Yuanqi; he only knows Jiang Li from the Red Mountain Sect! Also, the Pang Jian that Dong Tianze from the Sinister Soul Temple was searching for earlier? It''s him!

    "Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion is also just using him, probably eyeing the precious materials he has!"\

    "He''s just a fat sheep with valuable treasures, without a strong background or the cultivation realm to match. Han Ting, there''s no way he can leave the Primordial Wilderness unscathed, yet you...

    "You''re truly foolish to have let someone like him deceive you!" Zhang Bin burst out angrily.

    "I wanted to," Han Ting replied disdainfully. "I wanted to sleep with him. I even offered myself to him. It''s none of your business."

    "Say that again!"

    "Zhang Bin, just being near you makes me feel disgusted. Get lost!" Her contempt for him was written all over her face.

    "You''ll regret this!" Zhang Bin growled as he turned and left.

    On his way back to his tent, he saw a familiar figure in ck walking toward Emerald Lake with a cold expression on his face.

    <i>Pang Jian!</i>

 Chapter 179: Like Slaughtering Chickens

    <h4>Chapter 179: Like ughtering Chickens</h4>

    <i>Pang Jian!</i>

    Zhang Bin''s expression turned sinister and his gaze grew somber.

    He let out a cold snort, assuming Pang Jian hade to Emerald Lake to find Han Ting.

    Last night, Gao Yuan had asked a friend to deliver something to Han Ting. Zhang Bin knew Gao Yuan and Han Ting had no previous connections, meaning Pang Jian was the one to send the item.

    He figured Pang Jian was trying to win Han Ting back after his identity as a hunter from the lower realm was exposed. After all, the only thing Pang Jian could rely on now was his wealth.

    <i>Spirit stones and rare spirit materials! </i>Zhang Bin realized in excitement. <i>This is Emerald Lake, not the First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness. Private fights aren''t prohibited here!</i>

    <i>Jiu Yuan, Lou Yunming, and Yang Rui are all in the trading hall on the summit of the First Peak, along with Qi Qingsong, Zhao Yuanqi, and others!</i>

    <i>If they killed Pang Jian, seized his spatial bracelet, and escaped from the Primordial Wilderness before the trade fair ended...</i>

    A rush of anticipation swept through Zhang Bin as his mind raced!

    "Fang Xin, Lin Fan, Tu Hui, Zhang Long!" Zhang Bin shouted as he rushed into their tent. His voice had be rough with excitement. "I saw Pang Jian! Most rogue cultivators near Emerald Lake don''t recognize him. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us to gain immense wealth!"

    He then detailed his n.

    "There are at least a million spirit stones in Pang Jian''s spatial bracelet! A million!"

    "Zhang Bin, let''s kill him! What woman couldn''t you get with that spatial bracelet?"

    "Let''s do it!"

    The group of rogue cultivators were ustomed to living dangerously and did not hesitate to take the risk.

    "Let''s go!" The group stepped out of the tent to follow Pang Jian.

    By that time, Han Ting had already returned to her tent and was unaware that Pang Jian was on the opposite end of Emerald Lake.

    Although the rogue cultivators around Emerald Lake noticed Pang Jian walking alone, they did not pay him much attention.

    A few mornings ago, Pang Jian had appeared briefly at the trading hall to sell a Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast''s horn and had left soon after the deal was done. The rogue cultivators near theke had yet to reach the summit at that time due to their distance, so they had not seen him.

    The second time Pang Jian sold precious spirit materials in the trading hall had been past noon on thest day of the free trade period, and most of the rogue cultivators only participated during the first two days.

    Therefore, although Pang Jian''s name was well-known in the Primordial Wilderness, not many knew what he looked like.

    Pang Jian stopped in a secluded spot with no tents or Cloud Sails nearby.

    Forcefully suppressing his inner turmoil, he gazed at the glistening Emerald Lake and silently activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art to keep himself calm.

    <i>There was no chance to bid...</i>

    The young man wore a gloomy expression. His heart was like a volcano on the verge of eruption.

    Pang Jian had painstakingly gathered a million spirit stones in hopes of rescuing Luo Hongyan and quietly disappearing from the Primordial Wilderness. He truly did not wish to stir up a bloody storm that would affect all the cultivators in the Primordial Wilderness, but Cao Mang, Lady Hua, and Jiu Yuan had left him no choice.

    <i>Only those below Rank Seven can traverse the Mirror Tunnel from the Fifth World to the Third World. Even the strongest among them can only match those in the Spirit Condensation Realm.</i>

    <i>Although there are many human cultivators in the Primordial Wilderness right now, they still have a chance of winning. Even in the worst-case scenario, powerful cultivators from the Second World cane down to help deal with the situation. </i>

    <i>It''s better to let these strong cultivators face them instead of letting them ascend to the Fourth World and attack mortal cities.</i>

    <i>The major sects in the Third World have heavily restricted migration, and are only allowing the seven major ns and their vassals to migrate here, leaving themoners to their fate. </i>

    <i>Are themoners supposed to just wait helplessly for death? </i>

    <i>No! The mes of war shouldn''t be borne by the Fourth World alone. I''ll make them burn directly in the Third World as well!</i>

    Aplex mix of emotions flickered in Pang Jian''s eyes. There was a hint of ruthlessness tinged with hesitation.

    Taking a deep breath to gather hisposure, he went through his n once more.

    He had chosen Emerald Lake for his purposes long ago, nning to discreetly slip into theke, bury himself in the mud at the bottom, and release the radiant ripple of light from his bronze pendant. The ripple of light would then form a Mirror Tunnel on theke''s surface that connected to the Fifth World.

    Pang Jian would rather ignite a war in the Primordial Wilderness than allow Luo Hongyan to fall into Jiu Yuan''s hands!

    <i>Cao Mang and Lady Hua must pay for their actions!</i>

    Pang Jian was determined to destroy the Primordial Wilderness!

    "Hmm?" He sensed someone stealthily approaching.

    Suppressing the malicious thoughts bubbling up within him, Pang Jian knitted his brows and waited for the person toe closer.

    A group of five soon appeared.

    Zhang Bin''s eyes were full of malice. "Pang Jian, you''re just a hunter from the Fourth World, but you pretended to be a disciple from a noble family to deceive others. Even Han Ting was fooled by you."

    Fang Xin and the other three spread out to surround Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian had no intention of listening once he saw the malicious intent in their eyes.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Lunar Edges flew from his palm, glistening with icy cold light.

    These Lunar Edges were infused with lunar energy, cold energy, and pure spiritual power, They resembled a magnificently blooming flower, exploding into countless petals with Pang Jian at its center.

    The Lunar Edges whistled through the air, releasing bone-chilling cold as they went.

    <i>Swick!</i>

    The Lunar Edges instantly decapitated Fang Xin!

    Fang Xin had no chance to disy her intricate techniques or utilize her faintly glowing spirit weapon. The Lunar Edges simply sliced through her like a knife through vegetables.

    She had died before Zhang Bin had even finished speaking!

    The three rogue cultivators named Lin Fan, Tu Hui, and Zhang Long paled as they hastily summoned their protective shields. The respective yellow, teal, and white shields were shattered almost as soon as they were formed.

    The three rogue cultivators were all in the middle stage of the Innate Realm like Pang Jian, but could not help but feel their scalps tingle with fear.

    "Zhang Bin, this kid is tough!"

    "I think we should¡ª"

    Before they could finish speaking, Pang Jian waved his hand and unleashed more Lunar Edges, forcing his way into their formation.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian summoned a shimmering green protective shield¡ªformed from spiritual power, ster energy, lunar energy, and cold energy¡ªto withstand Lin Fan''s halberd, Tu Hui''s blood-colored spear, and Zhang Long''s silver broad ax as he continued his advance.

    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>

    Pang Jian''s fists mmed into the trio''s chests like bloodthirsty hammers, copsing their rib cages and shattering their internal organs, killing them in an instant.

    "Pang Jian, I¡ª" Zhang Bin retreated in fear.

    <i>Pang Jian?! </i>Han Ting thought in bewilderment, having heard Zhang Bin''s terrified scream from her tent. Lifting the p, she rushed toward the source of the sound.

    "Someone''s fighting in the corner of Emerald Lake!"

    "Let''s go check it out!"

    The other rogue cultivators also rushed toward themotion like Han Ting.

    "Pang Jian, you..." Zhang Bin summoned a light blue protective shield and rapidly formed hand seals to conjure clusters of dark blue mes.

    Dozens of dark blue mes appeared inside his protective shield, circling like a Ferris wheel. He backed up so far that even the approaching rogue cultivators could see his pathetic state.

    Zhang Bin was frantically retreating, staring at a dense thicket with an expression of sheer horror as his body and voice both trembled!

    "Who is it?"

    "Who''s chasing Zhang Bin?"

    "I thought I heard a familiar name..."

    The rogue cultivators wondered aloud as they approached.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A dazzling silver spear shot out from the dense thicket, streaking toward Zhang Bin like a bolt of lightning.

    As the silver spear flew through the air, it left a long trail of white mist in its wake. The bitter cold radiating from the mist caused surrounding grass and trees to freeze with a crackle!

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The spear effortlessly pierced through Zhang Bin''s protective shield. The cold energy extinguished all the dark blue mes!

    Zhang Bin shuddered and felt a sharp pain in his chest. A bone-chilling cold seeped into his body.

    The spear did not remain lodged in his body and instead, it continued forward. Zhang Bin''s corpse was swiftly encased in ice, which eerily propped him up, preventing his body from falling to the ground.

    The surrounding rogue cultivators could do nothing but witness Zhang Bin''s brutal death.

    Han Ting gasped, covering her mouth in shock.

    She had rushed over out of concern for Pang Jian''s safety. Unexpectedly, the first thing she saw upon arriving was Zhang Bin''s death!

    "Damn it!" A curse rang out as an unknown cultivator retreated.

    The silver spear was shooting toward him.

    The cultivator was Xu Li. He was not wearing his Blood Moon Sect attire and had no time to report back to Jiu Yuan or change into his sect''s robes.

    Although Xu Li was at thete stage of the Innate Realm, he fled in panic.

    After all, Zhang Bin had the same cultivation level as him!

    Zhang Bin''s gruesome death had shattered his confidence. Xu Li wanted nothing more than to get away from the deadly spear and call for help from the Blood Moon Sect''s Profound Abode Realm experts.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The gleaming silver spear released a soul-freezing chill as it relentlessly pursued Xu Li, driving him toward the rock wall at the foot of the Seventh Peak.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The spear nailed Xu Li to the rock wall.

    In the end, Xu Li did not manage to call for help or reveal his identity as a member of the Blood Moon Sect.

    "Pang¡ª" Han Ting cut herself off, biting her lip. Her beautiful eyes shone with excitement as she stared dumbfoundedly at the young man in ck slowly emerging from the thicket.

    Surprisingly, despite the young man''s cultivation realm being lower, he had effortlessly ughtered Zhang Bin like a chicken.

    <i>How did he do it?</i>

    Han Ting did not wonder why Zhang Bin had provoked Pang Jian, nor why Pang Jian had attacked. She was simply in utter disbelief at Pang Jian''s terrifyingbat prowess.

 Chapter 180: Spear Manipulation!

    <h4>Chapter 180: Spear Maniption!</h4>

    Vivid red clouds hung across the sky as dusk fell in the Primordial Wilderness.

    The battle at Emerald Lake had rmed many disciples from the Star River Alliance and the Sinister Soul Temple on the Sixth and Seventh Peaks. Many disciples from the two sects stood on the edge of the summits and peered down at the scene below.

    "That young man in ck down there¡ª"

    "That''s Pang Jian!"

    "Pang Jian? You mean the one with all those Rank Seven Vicious Beast spirit materials?"

    "Yes, that''s him!"

    It took a while for the disciples of the Star River Alliance on the Sixth Peak and the members of the Sinister Soul Temple on the Seventh Peak to recognize Pang Jian.

    These ordinary disciples did not have the privilege to participate in the final day of the trade fair and had been waiting at their respective peaks for their elders to return. With nothing to do but idle away, themotion below had caught their attention, and they eagerly watched the spectacle unfold.

    "The person who died at the foot of our mountain looks like Xu Li from the Blood Moon Sect!" eximed a disciple from the Sinister Soul Temple. He had often battled the Blood Moon Sect and had quickly recognized the impaled figure.

    "This Pang Jian is incredibly strong!"

    "His expertly controlled spear killed twote-stage Innate Realm cultivators! Has he advanced to the Profound Abode Realm?"

    "It doesn''t seem like it!"

    The disciples on the two peaks discussed fervently. Pang Jian''s name and ruthless ferocity were deeply etched into their minds.

    Below, the ck-d Pang Jian stepped out from the waist-high grass.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The vegetation before him froze and shattered as the Startling ughter Spear flew past.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Even the roots could not withstand the destructive cold energy and exploded with a loud bang.

    The Startling ughter Spear''s winding trajectory created many meandering paths in the nearly half-mile distance ahead of Pang Jian. The crackling of frozen vegetation filled the air. Wood chips and leaves were scattered all over.

    "Pang¡ªhe''s Pang Jian!" A rogue cultivator pieced together. "Pang Jian was the one selling the spirit materials of the Rank Seven Ice Crystal Beast, the Rank Seven Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf, the Rank Seven Blood Lizard, and the Rank Seven Double-Faced Ghost Spider at the trade fair!"

    Dozens of astonished gazesnded on Pang Jian.

    "Zhang Bin..." Gazing at Zhang Bin''s frozen, rigid corpse, a rogue cultivator soon realized what had transpired. "Zhang Bin and his group always work together. If Zhang Bin showed up, Lin Fan, Tu Hui, and Zhang Long must be nearby! Pang Jian emerged from that remote area up ahead. Could it be that they¡ª"

    "They wanted to kill him and steal his treasures!"

    "That must be it!"

    The rogue cultivators finally understood the situation.

    The wealthy Pang Jian had appeared in a secluded corner of Emerald Lake and had been attacked by Zhang Bin and his group. They had nned to defeat him and seize his vast collection of spirit stones only to end up being killed themselves!

    "Pang Jian," Han Ting called out softly, further confirming the ck-d youth''s identity.

    Many rogue cultivators wore expressions of envy at the realization.

    Han Ting had been the object of many a cultivator''s private fantasies because of her incredibly alluring figure, with many dropping countless hints toward her.

    Unfortunately for them, Han Ting had always maintained her purity. The many "flies" buzzing around her found no opening and had eventually given up.

    Zhang Bin was the exception to this as he remained persistently fixated on her. But in the end...

    Everyone turned toward Pang Jian, realizing Zhang Bin''s death was likely also rted to the rumors surrounding Pang Jian and Han Ting.

    <i>Wasn''t the one spreading those rumors and gossiping behind their backs none other than Zhang Bin''s femalepanion, Fang Xin?</i>

    "Why haven''t you left yet?" Pang Jian asked, staring at Han Ting with a frown. "Did you drink the herbal juice Gao Yuan sent you?"

    "Yes, I did." Han Ting nodded with a smile, warmth welling up in her heart.

    She had been too ashamed to stay at cave dwelling number fifty-seven after Pang Jian''s cold rejection of her advances. Unexpectedly, Gao Yuan had someone deliver Pang Jian''s herbal juice to her. Drinking it had soothed her inner sadness and made her feel like Pang Jian still cared about her.

    Han Ting could not help but suspect that Pang Jian''s sudden appearance at Emerald Lake was rted to her. She even suspected he had killed Zhang Bin and his group to help her permanently resolve her grudges.

    "I originally nned to head to the Dark Abyss Continent, but only two Cloud Ships were scheduled to go. Both ships leave after the trade fair ends tomorrow so I have no choice but to wait," Han Ting exined softly.

    Pang Jian nodded without a word.

    Squinting his eyes, he reached out to the energies infused in the Startling ughter Spear, and with a single thought, it returned to him in a straight silver streak.

    A bone-chilling aura emanated from Pang Jian when the spearnded in his palm.

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    Spiritual power, cold energy, lunar energy, and ster energy rushed into the spear shaft, causing it to glow a dazzling silver and radiate an icy coldness.

    "Go!" The recharged Startling ughter Spear once again transformed into a silver streak and pierced through an Innate Realm rogue cultivator''s chest, killing him on impact.

    "Pang Jian!"

    "You!"

    The rogue cultivators shouted in horror.

    "Zhang Bin and his group coveted my spatial bracelet and tried to kill me for my spirit stones. The one who died at the foot of the Seventh Peak and the one I killed just now had the same idea."

    Pang Jian rotated his wrist in the air, causing the Startling ughter Spear to wind and twist in response.

    "All of you, leave this area now!"

    The silver spear circledmandingly around Pang Jian, forming a ring of white mist that forced back the approaching rogue cultivators. As it circled, the cold white mist spread, freezing the surrounding vegetation and causing the rogue cultivators to feel like they had plunged into an icy abyss.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The tents around Emerald Lake exploded and the rogue cultivators retreated while cursing. Before long, all the rogue cultivators had fled, leaving only Han Ting behind.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Startling ughter Spear returned to Pang Jian once more.

    <i>The Innate Realm, the vast expanse of my spiritual sea, and spear maniption!</i>

    Pang Jian tightened his grip on the Startling ughter Spear, eyes gleaming with a piercing intensity. Han Ting was afraid to meet his sharp gaze.

    Throwing the Startling ughter Spear to the retreating Zhang Bin had merely been a spur-of-the-moment attack. However, he quickly realized that the infused energies in the spear kept it under his control!

    As long as he imbued the Startling ughter Spear with his spiritual power, cold energy, lunar energy, and ster energy, he could exert precise control over it. Unfortunately, infusing additional energy into the spear after it left his hand was challenging.

    This meant he could only manipte his spear to surprise weaker opponents as he would struggle to recall the Startling ughter Spear if the infused energies were exhausted.

    Moreover, the Startling ughter Spear could only unleash its full power when it was in his hand. He had dared to manipte his spear to kill Zhang Bin because he sensed that Zhang Bin, although in thete stage of the Innate Realm, had a spiritual sea less than a quarter the size of his own!

    "Pang Jian, I heard your sister..." Han Ting trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.

    Latest night, Old Monster Cao had released information about a rare treasure to be sold at today''s event. After some investigation, those in the Primordial Wilderness learned it was a beautiful woman in a red dress.

    Han Ting had also heard that the stunning woman in the red dress had arrived with Pang Jian and Gao Yuan.

    Pang Jian''s heart tightened and his gaze turned cold. "Quick, go find Gao Yuan and have him move his Cloud Sail to the sky. It won''t be long before I leave the Primordial Wilderness. I''ll be joining you soon."

    "Why not now?" Han Ting asked.

    "I need time to sort through the items on Zhang Bin and his group," Pang Jian replied.

    "Oh!" Han Ting nodded in understanding. Following Pang Jian''s instructions, she headed straight to the First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness.

    ncing up, Pang Jian took a moment to note the blurry figures dotting the summits of the Sixth and Seventh Peaks.

    He then went on to loot Zhang Bin''s and Xu Li''s spirit artifacts and spatial pouches.

    Surprisingly, he found a blood talisman grasped in Xu Li''s hand. Ni Chen, from the battle in Misty Swamp, had also possessed a blood talisman.

    <i>The Blood Moon Sect. He''s Jiu Yuan''sckey!</i> Pang Jian realized.

    Xu Li had followed him all the way to Emerald Lake. Pang Jian had noticed his presence early on and nned to lure him to a secluded spot to kill him. However, Zhang Bin and his group had attacked first.

    Thus, after dealing with Zhang Bin''s group, Pang Jian took the opportunity to kill Xu Li while he was at it, assuming Xu Li was just another rogue cultivator with bad intentions. He had not expected that Xu Li was a member of the Blood Moon Sect.

    "Xu Li? Where are you?" Jiu Yuan''s deep voice echoed from the blood talisman.

    Pang Jian did not respond.

    Returning to the secluded area in the thicket, he stripped the spatial pouches from the bodies of Fang Xin and the others, not bothering to check the contents.

    Pang Jian then sat down in the densest part of the thicket, took out some spirit stones, and closed his eyes to meditate.

    The disciples on the Sixth and Seventh Peaks had watched Pang Jian''s actions the whole time. They saw him kill, collect his spoils, then sit facing Emerald Lake and use spirit stones to recover his energy.

    In their eyes, this was the expected routine of a rogue cultivator after a kill, and the disciples from the Star River Alliance and the Sinister Soul Temple soon lost interest in Pang Jian.

 Chapter 181: Those Ascended to Face Death

    <h4>Chapter 181: Those Ascended to Face Death</h4>

    The trading hall of the First Peak in the Primordial Wilderness was still bustling with activity.

    "Lady Hua, Pang Jian went to Emerald Lake alone. He appears to have gone to find a female rogue cultivator named Han Ting. Five rogue cultivators tried to kill and rob him when they saw him alone, but he ended up killing them all. He then killed two more rogue cultivators in what seems to be a fit of rage,"<i> </i>Lady Hua''s subordinate reported through the white jade token in her hand.

    At the same time, she was selling Spirit Condensation Pills to geniuses like Yang Rui, Zhao Yuanqi, Xie Xiwen, and Fang Boxuan with a charming smile.

    She had trained all the white-d women in the Primordial Wilderness and had spies on every major peak. Every move Pang Jian made after he left the First Peak was ryed back to her, and her sources of information were more detailed and urate than even Jiu Yuan''s.

    "After going on a killing spree at Emerald Lake, he immediately used spirit stones to recover,"<i> </i>her subordinate continued.

    Lady Hua took a moment to consider her subordinate''s words before replying telepathically,<i> Don''t act rashly. Let him stay by Emerald Lake. It''s crucial to know which Cloud Sail he eventually boards. </i>

    <i>By the way, where is the rogue cultivator named Huang Qi now?</i>

    The people assigned to monitor Huang Qi responded apologetically.

    "Lady Hua, we lost him."

    "Huang Qi left the First Peak, stayed in a forest for a while, then vanished."

    "Please forgive our ipetence!"

    Lady Hua masked the sinking feeling in her heart with a calm smile. "Ladies and gentlemen, a single Spirit Condensation Pill costs three hundred thousand spirit stones. This''ll help you refine your divine soul more swiftly and effectively when advancing to the Spirit Condensation Realm."

    "I''ll bid for it!" Yang Rui shouted. He was in thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm.

    "Me too." Qi Qingsongzily smiled.

    "I''ll join the bidding too!" dered Xie Xiwen from the Star River Alliance.

    "Count me in!" said Fang Boxuan from the Blood Moon Sect.

    All the top talents, except Zhao Yuanqi, nned to try their luck to draw for the Spirit Condensation Pill, hoping it would aid their breakthrough into the Spirit Condensation Realm.

    ***

    "Hm?" A member of the Star River Alliance noticed Pang Jian had disappeared after casually ncing down toward Emerald Lake. Puzzled, he peered around and wondered aloud, "When did that guy leave?"

    His question drew the attention of the other cultivators, causing them to also look down in search of Pang Jian.

    <i>Weird...</i> Still, they did not think much of it beyond that.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian was burying himself in the mud on Emerald Lake''s floor, leaving only his bronze pendant exposed as he established a connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    Yu Xin flew nervous but excited circles above the pool in the Fifth World.

    <i>The Primordial Wilderness in the Third World... </i>Her usually clear eyes were cloudy from excitement.

    The Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs had suppressed the foreign races in the Fifth World for a long time. All the intelligent beings of the Fifth World had dreamed of ascending to the upper worlds, but none had seeded in thousands of years. Without exception, the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs would strike down anybody attempting to ascend!

    However, they would seed today!

    Furthermore, they were heading to the Primordial Wilderness in the Third World, where many rogue cultivators with rare treasures were trading!

    This was a godsend!

    The Fifth World was scarce in resources. The inhabitants of the Fifth World desperately needed rare spirit materials from the upper worlds. They were willing to pay any price for them, including the lives of warriors and Vicious Beasts!

    <i>I hope they seed. Only those below Rank Seven can ascend this time, so I can''t go through for now. I hope to one day ascend to the upper worlds too, </i>Yu Xin prayed silently.

    <i>Ssh!</i>

    Xiao Hei sprang up from where it was lying beside the pool and plunged into the water.

    Yu Xin instantly knew there was hope, and every feather on her body seemed to tremble with nervous anticipation.

    <i>Please, please give us a chance! I know this batch of warriors will ultimately die up there, but still, I beg you... </i>Yu Xin sped her hands in prayer toward Xiao Hei''s mysterious backer.

    This batch of warriors and Vicious Beasts were destined to die in the Primordial Wilderness of the Third World. Thebined strength of the five major sects in the Third World and the terrifying human experts in the Second and First Worlds would inevitably annihte them.

    She could only hope they could obtain the needed spirit materials and throw them down to the Fifth World before they were killed.

    If resources from the upper worlds fell down to the wilderness of the Fifth World, they would have a seed of hope. Strong warriors and Vicious Beasts could then break the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs'' seals, ascend to the contaminated Fourth World, and establish themselves there!

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian used his Innate Realm cultivation to close his pores and merge with theke, as if he were a lifeless rock at the bottom of Emerald Lake.

    Focusing his mind and spirit, he then activated the hidden power within the bronze pendant.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A bright light was projected onto theke''s surface to form a Mirror Tunnel!

    "It worked!" Yu Xin cheered. "Lord Yu Gu!"

    Lord Yu Gu was a man with six pairs of wings from the Celestial Race and was hovering a few dozen miles away. At Yu Xin''s excited call, he roared, "All races warriors, enter the pool and march toward the Primordial Wilderness in the Third World!"

    Members of the Ghost Race, the Wood Race, and the Demon Scale Race, all rode their massive Vicious Beasts toward the pool. The towering one-eyed giants also rushed over.

    "Celestial Maiden!" Yu Gu flew to Yu Xin and respectfully saluted, face full of gratitude. "In our darkest hour, you found us a new path!"

    "Lord Yu Gu, my rank is exactly seven, so I can''t apany you to fight in the Third World. Please take care!" Yu Xin said softly.

    Members of the Celestial Race gained an extra pair of wings for every two ranks they broke through. Therefore, Yu Xin and Yu Gu both had six pairs of wings, even though she was at Rank Seven while Yu Gu was at Rank Six.

    "Don''t worry, we know what kind of dangers await in the upper worlds." Yu Gu smiled calmly. "I''ll be sure to get the spirit materials we urgently need before I die!"

    Holding back her sadness, Yu Xin reminded gently, "Remember everything I told you."

    She had conveyed all the mysterious being''s instructions to Yu Gu. Nothing could be overlooked as this would inevitably affect their rtionship with the mysterious being moving forward.

    Yu Gu was wise and cautious, and she believed he would not disappoint her.

    "Don''t worry. I remember everything!"

    Then, seeing that the warriors and Vicious Beasts had arrived at the pool, Yu Gu took a deep breath and shot toward the Mirror Tunnel.

    "Everyone, follow me to the upper worlds and face death!" he called.

    "Let''s go!"

    "Ascend to the upper worlds!"

    "Fulfill the dream of our ancestors for generations!"

    "Return to our ancestral homnd!"

    The members of the Ghost Race, the Wood Race, the Demon Scale Race, and the one-eyed giants roared as they stepped into the Mirror Tunnel.

    ***

    In the First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness, Lady Hua handed a Spirit Condensation Pill to the genius of the Radiant Sun Sect with a smile. "Yang Rui, congrattions. If there are no idents, you''ll be able to advance to the Spirit Condensation Realm by this year."

    Lady Hua was slightly envious of Yang Rui''s talent and backing as it had taken her nearly four times longer than him to reach the Spirit Condensation Realm.

    Although she appeared young and beautiful, she was actually over a hundred years old. She could not help but sigh in admiration when she saw geniuses like Yang Rui, Xie Xiwen, and Fang Boxuan.

    "It seems it won''t be long before I''ll go to the Second World." Yang Rui held the Spirit Condensation Pill and peered smugly at Qi Qingsong. "My luck is better than yours. This fact will be true in the future as well."

    Qi Qingsong smiled cidly. "Let''s meet in the Second World if we have the chance."

    "Next, we have a spirit sword valued at nine hundred thousand spirit stones," Lady Hua called out, ncing at Qi Qingsong and Xie Xiwen from the Star River Alliance. "This spirit sword falls between the quality of an advanced grade and a saint-grade spirit artifact!"

    Xie Xiwen hade to the event specifically for the sword and instantly shouted, "I''ll bid!"

    Qi Qingsong smiled bitterly and shook his head. "I''ll pass."

    A spirit sword that was almost at the saint grade had the potential to be a true saint-grade weapon if sessfully obtained and nurtured with spiritual power and divine sense for many years.

    Although Qi Qingsong also longed for such a spirit sword, he had not returned to being an inner disciple for long and had yet to umte his wealth.

    At the moment, he simply did not have nine hundred thousand spirit stones.

    Suddenly, a flurry of messages came from jade talismans andmunication tokens throughout the trading hall.

    "Lady Hua!"

    "Elder Lou!"

    "Elder Jiu Yuan!"

    "Elder Liang!"

    "A Mirror Tunnel has appeared on theke surface of Emerald Lake. The situation is unclear!"

    "The members of the Star River Alliance and the Sinister Soul Temple are closely watching the Mirror Tunnel, but they don''t know where it leads!"

    "Elder, something is amiss. I sense danger!"

 Chapter 182: The Storm Begins!

    <h4>Chapter 182: The Storm Begins!</h4>

    When the elders and geniuses stepped out of the trading hall to stand at the summit of the First Peak, a tall, otherworldly man with six pairs of white wings shot up from the surface of Emerald Lake to hover gracefully between the Sixth and Seventh Peaks. The man''s handsome face was filled with excitement as he took in his surroundings.

    ¡°The Celestial Race!¡±

    ¡°The Celestial Race from the Fifth World!¡±

    "My goodness!"

    Cultivators cried out in shock and fear at the sight.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The man gently pped his six pairs of white wings, causing sharp des of light to fly out, ughtering the weaker disciples of the Star River Alliance and the Sinister Soul Temple on the Sixth and Seventh Peaks.

    ¡°I am Yu Gu from the Celestial Race in the Fifth World, and I am here at the invitation of the master of the Primordial Wilderness, Cao Mang!¡± Yu Gu said as he gracefully descended to stand on the summit of the Sixth Peak. Gazing at the First Peak, he said in perfect humannguage, ¡°Cao Mang has been trading privately with my race for many years, and has graciously invited us to his grand trading event.

    ¡°With our participation, this year''s trade fair will surely capture everyone''s attention!¡±

    With that, Yu Gu bowed in the direction of the First Peak, seemingly in gratitude to Cao Mang.

    "Cao Mang!"

    "Old Monster Cao!"

    ¡°Are you crazy?¡±

    The elders and geniuses at the summit of the First Peak were nearly bursting with rage.

    ¡°I...¡± The bewildered Cao Mang was rendered speechless and did not know how to exin himself when faced with the using res of the crowd.

    He had indeed conducted private trades with the exotic races of the Fifth World, but the Celestial Race was not one of them. Moreover, he had not invited any of those races to his event, not to mention the fact that he did not have the ability to construct a perfect Mirror Tunnel connecting the Primordial Wilderness to the Fifth World.

    However, the Celestial Race member named Yu Gu dered that Cao Mang had invited them. Additionally, the Mirror Tunnel had indeed appeared in Emerald Lake, which was in the Primordial Wilderness.

    Sects like the Sinister Soul Temple and the Radiant Sun Sect had also undeniably heard rumors of his dealings with the Fifth World. Thus, Cao Mang was left with no defense against Yu Gu''s ims.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t us. It has nothing to do with us, don''t believe their lies!¡± Lady Hua screamed in horror. If this were proven true, both she and Cao Mang would face dire consequences, and she was not ready to die yet.

    As the crowd at the summit berated Cao Mang, savage Vicious Beasts, and warriors from various races in the Fifth World emerged from the surface of Emerald Lake andnded on theke''s shore.

    "The Third World!"

    "The Primordial Wilderness!"

    "Humans!"

    The members of the Ghost Race, the Wood Race, and the Demon Scale Race, as well as the one-eyed giants, pounded their chests and roared, releasing their millennia-long resentment and defiance from being imprisoned in the lower world.

    "Kill!"

    The foreign race warriors rode their Vicious Beasts out from Emerald Lake,unching their attack.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Warriors from the Celestial Race flew toward the summits of the various peaks and seized the flying vessels anchored there like the Scarlet Dawn Boat, the Formless Sailboat, the Divine Spirit Pagoda, the Fire Cloud Ship, and the Gilded Chariot.

    ¡°They''re seizing our flying vessels!¡± Liang Ying, an elder of the Star River Alliance, stomped her foot and red at Cao Mang. ¡°Old Monster Cao, there''ll be no ce for you in the human realm for daring to collude with foreign races!¡±

    ¡°Lady Hua, the higher-ups will never let you off!¡± Lou Yunming, an elder of the Sinister Soul Temple, shouted.

    These people no longer cared about the trade fair and instead hurriedly led their subordinates off the First Peak and toward the peaks where their flying vessels were anchored.

    After all, if their flying vessels were destroyed, they would be trapped in the Primordial Wilderness. They did not know how long the Mirror Tunnel wouldst or how many foreign race warriors hade from the Fifth World.

    All they knew was that they needed a flying vessel to escape the Primordial Wilderness and avoid this cmity if they wanted to get out of this alive.

    ¡°Scarlet Dawn Boat!¡± Zhao Yuanqi sat down and used her divine sense to summon her vessel.

    The Scarlet Dawn Boat flew up from the Fifth Peak and Zhao Yuanqi''s voice rang out from it, ¡°All disciples, board the Scarlet Dawn Boat!¡±

    The bewildered disciples of the Red Mountain Sect hurriedly climbed aboard, not knowing what was happening.

    The Scarlet Dawn Boat then took off and flew straight toward Zhao Yuanqi.

    ¡°Divine Spirit Pagoda!" Lou Yunming of the Sinister Soul Temple also tried to establish a connection with the white pagoda using his divine sense. Groaning, blood flowed from his eyes as his face twisted in horror. ¡°The Celestial Race warriors have seized our Divine Spirit Pagoda!¡±

    The Divine Spirit Pagoda was located on the Seventh Peak, the peak closest to Emerald Lake. The warriors of the Celestial Race naturally seized the Sixth and Seventh Peaks first as they were the closest, and as a result, the Divine Spirit Pagoda of the Sinister Soul Temple and the Gilded Chariot of the Star River Alliance quickly fell into their hands.

    ¡°This is bad...¡± Qi Qingsong''s expression changed drastically as he watched the Cloud Sails frantically take off amidst the terrified screams and wails of the rogue cultivators.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    When the Cloud Sails flew a few dozen zhangs above the Primordial Wilderness, the foreign race warriors would target them. Some were violently destroyed by foreign race warriors riding Vicious Beasts while others were smashed to pieces by the massive arms of towering one-eyed giants.

    The air was filled with cries of despair and horror. All the cultivators throughout the vast expanse of the Primordial Wilderness, from the nine towering peaks to thekes and forests in between were now cursing one person¡ªCao Mang!

    ¡°I¡ªwe...¡± Gao Yuan¡¯s voice trembled uncontrobly. Terror filled both him and Han Ting as his Cloud Sail took off from the Primordial Wilderness.

    Gao Yuan watched as the other Cloud Sails were either smashed to pieces by the one-eyed giants or blown apart by Demon Scale Race warriors riding ck wyverns. He felt like his Cloud Sail would inevitably be next, and he and Han Ting would also meet their demise.

    A towering one-eyed giant, with arms like iron walls, was about to strike their Cloud Sail when it unexpectedly hesitated. Their massive arm then swung past the side of Gao Yuan¡¯s Cloud Sail as if identally missing due to a sudden bout of fatigue.

    Gao Yuan nervously steered his Cloud Sail away from the one-eyed giant only to see a Demon Scale Race warrior riding a ck wyvern approaching them head-on.

    The Demon Scale Race warrior was covered in pitch-ck scales and had a slender build with barbs on their knees and elbows. The warrior''s cold, icy eyes red at Gao Yuan and Han Ting. Then, taking a deep breath, the warrior red their nostrils and rode away on his ck wyvern.

    ¡°Han Ting, do you think his eyesight is bad?¡± Gao Yuan¡¯s voice trembled as he stared nkly at the departing Demon Scale Race warrior.

    He rubbed his eyes and took another look, only to confirm that the Demon Scale Race warrior was indeed flying away from them. Gao Yuan sensed something was amiss.

    ¡°Aren''t we too lucky?¡± he wondered aloud

    None of the other Cloud Sails that took flight had escaped unharmed. They had all been destroyed mid-flight, and the cultivators onboard were hunted as they fell from the sky. Many of them were killed before they even hit the ground.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Han Ting was also bewildered. Gazing toward Emerald Lake in the distance, she gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Gao Yuan, Pang Jian is over by Emerald Lake!¡±

    Gao Yuan shuddered again, his heart pounding with fear. "It''s not that I don''t want to go, but the foreign races from the Fifth World came from Emerald Lake! Han Ting, let''s fly higher and assess the situation from above!"

    With that said, he piloted the Cloud Sail high into the air and became the first flying vessel to escape the Primordial Wilderness.

    Luo Hongyan opened her eyes to find only a few white-d women remained inside the trading hall on the First Peak. All the elders and sect geniuses had disappeared.

    <i>A Mirror Tunnel appeared at Emerald Lake in the Primordial Wilderness?</i> Luo Hongyan wondered in confusion.

    She had heard about the Mirror Tunnel through Lady Hua and the elders'' jade talismans and wasrgely unaware of the situation outside as she was still confined within the crystal.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A wooden door was violently smashed open. Jiu Yuan of the Blood Moon Sect entered and stared at her with frightening eyes. "Damn it, you''re a living being, so I can''t put you in a spatial bracelet!

    "You cost me a million spirit stones to obtain from that traitor Cao Mang. I can''t just abandon you! There''s no other choice; I''ll have to carry you out myself!"

    Gritting his teeth, Jiu Yuan hoisted the massive prismatic crystal onto his back, nning to find a Cloud Sail to escape the Primordial Wilderness.

    The Blood Moon Sect¡¯s Formless Sailboat could not be summoned with divine sense like the Scarlet Dawn Boat or the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    His and Fang Boxuan''s Formless Sailboats on the Fourth Peak were doomed. His only hope was to board a Cloud Sail.

    The blood talisman in his hand suddenly lit up.

    ¡°Jiu Yuan, I¡¯ve killed your men. You won¡¯t escape either,¡± Pang Jian''s voice rang out from the blood talisman.

    "Pang Jian!" Jiu Yuan''s face darkened.

    Luo Hongyan''s eyes shone with a subtle light.

    After Jiu Yuan had drawn the winning bamboo stick from Lady Hua, Luo Hongyan had resigned herself to her fate and had lost all hope for any kind of future.

    She had been relieved when she heard Qi Qingsong''s words to Pang Jian when he left the trading hall. Under her careful guidance, Pang Jian had finally learned to remain calm and restrained, knowing when to withdraw decisively when things were beyond his control.

    As long as Pang Jian escaped safely from the Primordial Wilderness, she knew that someday¡ªwhether it was a few years, a few dozen years, or even decadester¡ªPang Jian would eventuallye back to look for Cao Mang, Lady Hua, Jiu Yuan, Lou Yunming, and Yang Rui!

    Pang Jian would surely avenge her. As long as he lived, her vengeance would be fulfilled!

    Unexpectedly though, Pang Jian had not yet left the Primordial Wilderness and even dared to provoke Jiu Yuan through the blood talisman after killing his subordinates.

    <i>What earth-shattering events are happening outside? </i>Luo Hongyan could not help but feel puzzled as she listened to themotion outside and observed Jiu Yuan''s odd behavior.

 Chapter 183: Those Favored by God

    <h4>Chapter 183: Those Favored by God</h4>

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Another wooden door was violently knocked down.

    The puzzled Luo Hongyan stared in astonishment at the broken wooden door from within the prismatic crystal.

    "Senior Jiu Yuan!" Qi Qingsong called as he entered. Seeing Jiu Yuan carrying the prismatic crystal on his back, he added solemnly, "The fighting outside is fierce, and the foreign race warriors are charging the First Peak. Carrying such arge crystal is extremely inconvenient for both fighting and fleeing.

    "How about..." Qi Qingsong trailed off, ncing at Luo Hongyan. ¡°I''ve gained nothing from this trip. I have only three hundred thousand spirit stones and I haven¡¯t spent a single one yet. How about you sell her to me?

    "Three hundred thousand spirit stones are all I have, but I''m being sincere in my offer! Senior Jiu Yuan, I''m an inner disciple of the Sword Pavilion. Consider this an establishment of a good rtionship between us. What do you say?¡±

    <i>Foreign race warriors, fierce fighting...</i> Luo Hongyan was shocked by Qi Qingsong''s words.

    "Kill!"

    ¡°Prepare for battle!¡±

    ¡°The Celestial Race and the Demon Scale Race are here!¡±

    Fierce shouts and angry cries came from outside the trading hall.

    Luo Hongyan finally understood what had happened with the Mirror Tunnel on the surface of Emerald Lake.

    ¡°Qi Qingsong, if not for you being acquainted with Pang Jian and protecting him this whole time, I would''ve given her to you for that price,¡± Jiu Yuan sneered, shaking his head.

    Based on Pang Jian''s earlier threat and the coldness in his eyes, Jiu Yuan knew that he would not let him go as long as Pang Jian lived. Furthermore, if Jiu Yuan were to hand Luo Hongyan over to Qi Qingsong, Qi Qingsong would undoubtedly release her.

    Cao Mang had made it clear to Jiu Yuan that Luo Hongyan was a powerful cultivator and a troublesome figure from the early years of the Blood Spirit Sect. If she were to continue regaining her strength, it would not be long before even Cao Mang could not handle her. She had to either die or be eternally suppressed by the Sinister Soul Temple.

    In other words, she could not be allowed to escape unscathed.

    ¡°Three hundred thousand spirit stones is quite a bit, Senior Jiu Yuan. Don¡¯t be so uptight. Be merciful when you can,¡± Qi Qingsong persuaded.

    ¡°She''s not for sale!¡± Jiu Yuan coldly snorted.

    ¡°Fine then, good luck to you.¡± Qi Qingsong nodded decisively and headed outside.

    As soon as he stepped outside, he saw warriors from the Celestial Race and the Demon Scale Race charging toward the First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness.

    ¡°Cao Mang, from now on, you''ll no longer have a ce in the human world!¡±

    ¡°Lady Hua, even if you survive this cmity, you''ll still be doomed!¡±

    Rogue cultivators with higher cultivation realms were angrily rebuking Cao Mang and Lady Hua on the summit of the First Peak. Many cultivators were panicking and the situation was slowly but surely descending into chaos.

    Seeing this, Qi Qingsong decided not to waste any time and hastily descended the stone steps to cave dwelling number fifty-six.

    "Pang Jian, the foreign race warriors have suddenly invaded the Primordial Wilderness. Hurry and follow me to escape¡ª" Qi Qingsong''s words abruptly cut off when he realized cave dwelling number fifty-six was empty. "What?!"

    Qi Qingsong''s anger red. Grabbing his token, he shouted furiously into it, ¡°Pang Jian, where did you go? Why didn¡¯t you stay in the cave? I told you to stay put!¡±

    There was no response.

    Qi Qingsong''s heart sank.

    The situation in the Primordial Wilderness was chaotic. The foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts from the Fifth World were everywhere, shing fiercely with the cultivators attending the trade fair. The peaks with flying vessels had be primary targets for the foreign race warriors.

    Pang Jian had left the First Peak and was likely to have encountered trouble.

    "I should first find a flying vessel to leave. If that''s not possible, I''ll then look for a Cloud Sail!" Qi Qingsong decided, heading to the adjacent cave dwelling to look for Gao Yuan. Unfortunately for him, the boatman had long since left and was nowhere to be found.

    <i>Boom! </i>

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The Scarlet Dawn Boat was flying from the Fifth Peak to the First Peak when the massive arm of a towering one-eyed giant struck it. Sparks flew from its iron hull as several visible cracks appeared from the impact. Despite its unsteady flight, it managed to evade further attacks from the one-eyed giant and reached the summit of the First Peak.

    "As expected of a high-quality flying vessel crafted by the Divine Treasure Sect!" Qi Qingsong eximed admiringly, rushing up toward the summit of the First Peak.

    Qi Qingsong had since apologized to Jiang Li and even helped her regenerate her severed arm, thus he hoped that Zhao Yuanqi would be willing to give him a ride out of the Primordial Wilderness on the Scarlet Dawn Boat.

    However, just as he arrived at the summit, he saw Zhao Yuanqi and Jiang Li leaving on the Scarlet Dawn Boat, ignoring the desperate shouts from below.

    ¡°Everyone, the Scarlet Dawn Boat Boat is damaged and can¡¯t carry too many people. Please take care of yourselves.¡± Zhao Yuanqi stood at the front of the Scarlet Dawn Boat and shook her head at the hopeful onlookers below. "I''m sorry, but I can''t help you!"

    If the one-eyed giant had not damaged the Scarlet Dawn Boat, she would have taken in more people. But now, she had to prioritize the safety of her sect members and ensure the Scarlet Dawn Boat could safely leave the Primordial Wilderness. She could not afford to y the role of a good Samaritan.

    ¡°Damn it, I shouldn''t have gone looking for that bastard Pang Jian!¡± Qi Qingsong felt like crying. If he had not gone to Pang Jian''s cave dwelling and had instead stayed on the summit with Zhao Yuanqi, he could have had a chance to board the Scarlet Dawn Boat with Jiang Li.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The ground rumbled.

    Peering down, Qi Qingsong saw members of the Ghost Race and the Demon Scale Race, along with many Rank Five Vicious Beasts like Ghost Apes, Demon Armor Beasts, Ice Sculpture Beasts, and Blood-Marked Pythons, gathering around the foot of the First Peak.

    Cultivators loyal to Cao Mang and Lady Hua left their cave dwellings to fight in fierce battles against the Vicious Beasts and foreign race warriors.

    The First Peak had be the focus of the foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts'' attack.

    "Cao Mang and Lady Hua are at the summit. Perhaps they really are behind this...¡± Qi Qingsong muttered to himself as he climbed down the stone steps.

    Armed with a white protective shield and a glowing sword, Qi Qingsong was prepared to confront the warriors from the Ghost Race and Demon Scale Race, as well as the Rank Five Vicious Beasts as he descended the mountain. Rank Five Vicious Beasts were equivalent to cultivators in the Profound Abode Realm like himself, so he readied himself for a tough fight.

    Strangely enough, he found that neither the short, sinister Ghost Race warriors; the towering, fierce Demon Scale Race warriors; nor the Rank Five Vicious Beasts noticed him despite their proximity. It was as if they had all gone blind and werepletely unaware of his presence.

    He faced no resistance on his descent from the summit to the foot of the First Peak. From the ground, he could see foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts shing with human cultivators in front of every cave on the First Peak.

    ¡°This...¡± Qi Qingsong scratched his head in bafflement.

    Turning around, he saw that the branches of giant trees had pierced through the hull of several Cloud Sails anchored at the foot of the mountain. Many rogue cultivators were engaged in fierce battles with these monstrous trees as warriors from the Wood Race had seamlessly merged with the trees and were controlling them to attack the rogue cultivators.

    Just like when he was descending, despite the warriors from the Wood Race surrounding him, he was not attacked!

    A Wood Race warrior with pale green eyes rubbed his nose, as if he had caught a whiff of something unpleasant, and consciously averted his gaze from Qi Qingsong.

    ¡°Do I stink or something?¡± Though bewildered, Qi Qingsong took the opportunity to escape, cautiously avoiding the Wood Race warriors in the forest at the mountain¡¯s base.

    Surprisingly, no one paid him any attention.

    <i>***</i>

    A massive green boulder came whistling down from the sky toward the summit of the First Peak. Yu Gu pped his wings to control the wind and guided the boulder with pinpoint uracy toward Jiu Yuan, who was carrying the prismatic crystal on his back.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The massive green boulder exploded with the terrifying power of a Rank Six one-eyed giant, sending dozens of millstone-sized fragments raining down on Jiu Yuan.

    Jiu Yuan soon found himself in a rain of falling rocks. His steps grew incredibly heavy as his body felt like it had been filled with lead. It was as though an invisible cage had confined him and was rendering him immobile.

    As the green rocks came crashing down, they struck his feet and the prismatic crystal on his back.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The prismatic crystal on Jiu Yuan''s back cracked as the falling debris struck it.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    More millstone-sized fragments relentlessly pounded Jiu Yuan''s back, eventually burying him in rubble.

    Cao Mang, Lady Hua, and rogue cultivators like Lian Feng stared at the buried Jiu Yuan with perplexed expressions. They could not understand why the Celestial Race warrior was singling Jiu Yuan out.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Jiu Yuan cursed from under the rubble.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A seductive figure shrouded in a blood-colored mist emerged from the debris.

    Luo Hongyan had broken free.

    ncing down at the buried Jiu Yuan, she then turned to stare deeply at Cao Mang before hastily flying away. She knew she was no match for either of them. Thus, she seized the opportunity to distance herself from the First Peak as quickly as possible using the unique properties of her body forged with the Crystal Snow Lotus.

    ¡°If that woman survives, she''ll be a major threat to us!¡± Lady Hua whispered through gritted teeth.

    Cao Mang nodded seriously, prepared to pursue and eliminate Luo Hongyan.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    At that moment, Yu Gunded in front of Cao Mang on the summit of the First Peak and said politely, "Cao Mang, I''m the one your trade partner from the Fifth World."

    Countless curses boiled up inside Cao Mang, but he knew that voicing them would be useless. Noticing the suspicious looks from those still on the summit, Cao Mang instantly gave up on pursuing Luo Hongyan.

    Proving his innocence took precedence as he would no longer have any ce in the human world otherwise. That was far more threatening than Luo Hongyan surviving!

    "Don''t nder Old Man Cao! He never had any dealings with any foreign races!" Lady Hua shouted. ¡°You¡¯re deliberately ndering Old Man Cao to incite internal conflict and facilitate your n!¡±

    She then secretly transmitted a mental message to Cao Mang. <i>Old Man Cao, the only way to prove our innocence is to kill these foreign race warriors! As long as we wipe them out and kill them all, we can clear ourselves of any suspicion!</i>

    <i>Got it. </i>Cao Mang unhesitatingly charged at Yu Gu.

 Chapter 184: Transmission from the Sword Pavilion Token

    <h4>Chapter 184: Transmission from the Sword Pavilion Token</h4>

    Luo Hongyan was exhausted both physically and mentally when she fled the First Peak. There was a panicked expression on her beautiful face as she flew away, at a loss of where to go or what to do next.

    A powerful Demon Scale Race warrior riding an Ice Sculpture Beast locked his icy, cold gaze on her from afar.

    <i>A Rank Six Ice Sculpture Beast and a Rank Six Demon Scale Race warrior.</i> Luo Hongyan silently cursed her bad luck.

    The battle with Cao Mang had nearly drained all her strength. After being imprisoned in that prismatic crystal, she had been immobilized with no chance to ess any spirit stones or blood to recover her strength.

    Cao Mang had even stripped her of her spatial bracelet, leaving her with nothing she could use to recover even after she had escaped.

    She had barely been able to muster up the strength to fly away from the First Peak only to have the misfortune of being targeted by a powerful foreign race warrior.

    Luo Hongyan sighed deeply. This was likely the end for her.

    "Hm?" Luo Hongyan was puzzled. The powerful foreign race warrior had merely nced coldly at her before heading toward the First Peak on his Ice Sculpture Beast as if she was not there. "What''s going on?"

    Turning her head, she saw a Celestial Race warrior flying directly past her toward the First Peak, seemingly unable to see her as well.

    The Ice Sculpture Beast spewed ice shards on the First Peak, instantly killing a rogue cultivator in the Profound Abode Realm.

    Luo Hongyan grew even more confused.

    "So, they''re not blind."

    Surveying the Primordial Wilderness, she soon noticed there were no foreign race warriors or Vicious Beasts on the summit of the Fifth Peak, having all left following the departure of Zhao Yuanqi''s Scarlet Dawn Boat.

    "Let''s head to the Fifth Peak!" Luo Hongyan surrounded herself in a thin blood-colored mist and summoned her remaining strength to head toward the Fifth Peak.

    As she flew, she nced down and saw Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion gliding between the valley of the mountains. The foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts were also ignoring him.

    "It seems some mysterious power is favoring me and that boy from the Sword Pavilion, making us invisible to the invading forces from the Fifth World," Luo Hongyan murmured to herself.

    ***

    In the sky above the Primordial Wilderness, the Scarlet Dawn Boat wobbled as it struggled to escape from the gravitational pull.

    Standing at the edge of the boat, Jiang Li saw a Cloud Sail carrying two people escaping the Primordial Wilderness ahead of them.

    "Gao Yuan?" she eximed in surprise. "Is Pang Jian not with you guys?"

    Gao Yuan replied with a mournful expression, "Han Ting said he went to Emerald Lake, where the foreign race warriors appeared. We couldn''t contact him and didn''t dare go looking for him."

    Han Ting was anxiously scanning the ground from the Cloud Sail, trying to spot Pang Jian, but could not locate him.

    "How did you guys manage to escape from the Primordial Wilderness?" Zhao Yuanqi asked in surprise. "All the other Cloud Sails were destroyed by one-eyed giants and foreign race warriors riding ck wyverns. You two are incredibly lucky."

    "Junior Sister, we''re quite fortunate ourselves," Jiang Li whispered.

    After being struck by a one-eyed giant, the Scarlet Dawn Boat had unsteadily taken off from the First Peak of Primordial Wilderness. Remarkably, the rest of their journey went smoothly.

    As the Scarlet Dawn Boat ascended, she witnessed many Cloud Sails being attacked by the foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts, but the Scarlet Dawn Boat had thankfully emerged unscathed.

    "I''m favored by the heavens. It''s only natural we escaped safely," Zhao Yuanqi said proudly. "They can''t possibly have the same heavenly favor as I do. How did they manage to escape the bloody battlefield ahead of us?"

    "I have no idea." Gao Yuan shook his head with a bitter smile.

    "Why are you still lingering after escaping from the Primordial Wilderness?" Zhao Yuanqi shot Gao Yuan a strange look before piloting the Scarlet Dawn Boat to fly away.

    As the Scarlet Dawn Boat left, Gao Yuan once again peered down the edge of the Cloud Sail to scan the Primordial Wilderness and eximed, "That''s Pang Jian''s sister! She''s on the Fifth Peak!"

    Han Ting squinted to see a stunning woman in red standing gracefully on the Fifth Peak of Primordial Wilderness with a shroud of blood-colored mist around her.

    "She managed to escape!" At this point, Gao Yuan already knew Luo Hongyan was a remnant of the Blood Spirit Sect.

    Gao Yuan had been one of the first to escape when the forces from the Fifth World swept through the Primordial Wilderness. Although he could have fled and avoided danger, he hesitated and finally said, "Han Ting, I want to try and fetch Pang Jian''s sister!"

    Han Ting nodded without hesitation "Alright!"

    Gao Yuan was surprised. "You¡ª"

    Han Ting interrupted, "Go for it!"

    With that, the lucky Cloud Sail descended back into the Primordial Wilderness toward the Fifth Peak. Just like before, it encountered no attacks from foreign race warriors or flying Vicious Beasts along the way, and it came to a smooth halt over the summit of the Fifth Peak.

    The heavily injured Luo Hongyan did not have a flying vessel and had assumed she would have no chance to leave the Primordial Wilderness. Thus, when she saw the familiar Cloud Sail descend and head toward her, her heart filled with excitement and gratitude.

    <i>Pang Jian...</i> She mistakenly believed that Pang Jian was on the Cloud Sail and had instructed Gao Yuan to pick her up.

    When the Cloud Sail reached a suitable height, she leaped aboard and called out for Pang Jian. However, to her dismay, he was nowhere to be seen.

    "Gao Yuan, where''s Pang Jian? Why isn''t he with you? Why didn''t your Cloud Sail take him along when you flew out?" Luo Hongyan asked angrily.

    "I¡ª" Gao Yuan had risked his life to pick her up and replied in an aggrieved voice, "Pang Jian was at Emerald Lake when the Mirror Tunnel appeared and the foreign race warriors invaded. I fear Pang Jian...may have met with an ident."

    "Impossible!" Luo Hongyan''s eyes shed red as she shouted, "Hemunicated with Jiu Yuan using a blood talisman, so he must still be alive! Gao Yuan, quick, go to Emerald Lake and bring Pang Jian back!"

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilionnded on the Cloud Sail.

    He had been gliding through the valleys between the mountains when he saw Gao Yuan''s Cloud Sail descending toward the Fifth Peak.

    Like Gao Yuan and the others, the invading forces from the Fifth World had left him alone, and so had arrived at the summit with no resistance while Luo Hongyan and Gao Yuan were conversing.

    "Hm, Pang Jian isn''t here?" Qi Qingsong asked, ncing around with brows knitted in confusion.

    Suddenly, the token at his waist let off a sound, and he hurriedly tore it off.

    "Qi Qingsong, I''m fine. Don''t worry about me. You should be safe too, right?" Pang Jian''s calm voice came from the token.

    Luo Hongyan, Han Ting, and Gao Yuan''s startled gazes all fell on the Sword Pavilion Token in Qi Qingsong''s palm with strange expressions.

    "Pang Jian, where the hell are you?!" Luo Hongyan asked sharply.

    Hundreds of foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts were scattered throughout every valley and forest in the Primordial Wilderness. They were all at Rank Five and Rank Six, which was equivalent to the Profound Abode Realm and Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators of the human race.

    This invading force had the power to destroy the entire Primordial Wilderness and kill all the cultivators within it!

    Many Cloud Sails had been destroyed, and only the Scarlet Dawn Boat had safely escaped. She was both angry and worried as she feared something had happened to Pang Jian.

    After her sharp shout, the token in Qi Qingsong''s hand went silent, with no further response from Pang Jian. Gao Yuan, Han Ting, and Qi Qingsong all stared expectantly at it.

    Finally, Pang Jian''s relieved voice could be heard from the other end. "I''m d you''re safe. My greatest worry was you."

    "I''m fine, I was worried something happened to you," Luo Hongyan said, voice choked with emotion and eyes welling up with tears.

    She took a second topose herself before questioning Pang Jian about his whereabouts.

    "Pang Jian, she and I, as well as the rogue cultivator, Han Ting, are on Gao Yuan''s Cloud Sail. We''re at the Fifth Peak. Where are you? We''ll find a way to reach you," Qi Qingsong said urgently.

    "Jiang Li and that Red Mountain Sect disciple, Zhao Yuanqi, are they with you?" Pang Jian asked.

    "They left before us," Qi Qingsong replied.

    "That''s good." An underlying tension in Pang Jian''s voice audibly rxed as if a great burden had been lifted. Pang Jian continued, "The Primordial Wilderness is close to the Dark Abyss Continent. You guys should head there as soon as possible. My...sister''s identity is special.

    "Be careful of the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple. Both sects are on the Dark Abyss Continent."

    At the word "sister", Luo Hongyan''s eyebrows and heart trembled with emotion.

    "I''ll meet you guys on the Dark Abyss Continentter on." Pang Jian paused, then added, "Qi Qingsong, if you decide to stay there, I''ll try to contact you through the token."

    "If we''re going to leave, we''ll leave together!" Luo Hongyan shouted.

    "Pang Jian, where exactly are you?" Qi Qingsong asked gravely, brows knitted in concern. "The Primordial Wilderness is too dangerous right now. You can''t stay here for long. We''ll find a way to reach you and take you with us!"

    "No, I can''t leave just yet. Trust me. I''ll reach the Dark Abyss Continent safely. Take care, all of you."

    "Luo¡ªsister, take care. See you on the Dark Abyss Continent. Don''t worry, believe in me as you always have. I''ll be fine."

    With that, Pang Jian''s voice could no longer be heard from the token.

    No matter how Qi Qingsong roared, the token in his hand remained silent. He knew Pang Jian had likely thrown the token back into his spatial bracelet.

    "What should we do now?" Gao Yuan looked at the others.

    Luo Hongyan took a deep breath and gritted her teeth. "Activate the Cloud Sail. Let''s leave the Primordial Wilderness. I believe he''ll be fine. He must have something very important toplete. We''ll meet him on the Dark Abyss Continent!"

    "Alright." Gao Yuan piloted the Cloud Sail to smoothly ascend into the sky, and fly away from the Primordial Wilderness.

    ***

    Pang Jian sat inside a green protective shield at the bottom of Emerald Lake as he put away the token.

    "I''ll bring Jiu Yuan, Lou Yunming, and Cao Mang''s heads to you," he promised, knowing Luo Hongyan could not hear him.

 Chapter 185: Unlocking Ones Potential

    <h4>Chapter 185: Unlocking One''s Potential</h4>

    Pang Jian retracted the green protective shield formed from his spiritual power and buried himself in the mud on the floor of Emerald Lake.

    He knew the Primordial Wilderness was in chaos and the foreign race warriors he had released were in fierce battle with human cultivators.

    As the mastermind behind the invading forces from the Fifth World, Pang Jian felt little to no guilt. Cao Mang, Lady Hua, Jiu Yuan, and Lou Yunming had thoroughly angered him with their actions in the Primordial Wilderness.

    The ascension of the foreign race warriors to the upper worlds had been inevitable as they had originally nned to go to the Fourth World to search for rare spirit materials.

    Rather than letting the cities full of non-cultivators in the Fourth World endure such a disaster, it was better to let the cultivators in the Third World deal with it.

    The foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts he had released were all below Rank Seven and were within the capability of the major forces in the Third World to handle.

    <i>Since you embarked on this path of cultivation, you should be prepared. You could encounter Rank Six Vicious or Spirit Beasts even when exploring restricted areas and spiritualnds. Just treat this as a trial,</i> Pang Jian thought.

    With that, he retreated into the mud at the bottom of Emerald Lake and took out a spirit jade to cultivate.

    <i>Thete stage of the Innate Realm...</i>

    Pang Jian contemted the profound techniques recorded in the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, then skillfully channeled his spiritual power upward through the meridians in his chest and into those in his neck.

    Throughout the process, he maintained an intense focus. A prickling sensation could be felt as the spiritual power seeped into the meridians in his neck, making him even more cautious.

    In the earlier stages of cultivation¡ªQi Refining, Meridian Opening, and Marrow Cleansing ¡ªone had to circte their spiritual power through their internal organs and bones to open the meridians connecting to the limbs.

    However, these stages did not involve the brain or the neck as they were sensitive and were not to be recklessly tampered with. One wrong move could lead to cultivation deviation at best or instant death at worst.

    Without precise control over their spiritual power, it was ill-advised for one to attempt tempering around the head. Each cultivator had to ensure their spiritual power could dissipate through their entire body to form a protective shield before trying to temper the area above the neck.

    "I should be able to do it," Pang Jian muttered.

    Pang Jian condensed his spiritual power into threads several times finer than hair and cautiously inched the strands of green light along the meridians on his neck and toward his brain.

    He was much more cautious now than he had been when he opened the Eight Extraordinary Meridians in his limbs as even just one misstep could cause the delicate meridians and blood vessels in his neck to burst.

    <i>Finally! </i>

    A thread of spiritual power passed through the delicate meridians on his neck and entered his head. There, he sensed many pathways that were far finer than his spiritual power.

    These pathways were not meridians but nerve fibers connected to his mind and body, governing one''s memories, emotions, and thoughts.

    Pang Jian then further refined that thread of spiritual power, making it thinner, allowing it to prate those nerve fibers.

    Eventually, Pang Jian felt his perception improve. He could sense the distant movements of fish and slight tremors of the earth miles away even from the bottom of Emerald Lake.

    <i>What a marvelous feeling. So, thete stage of the Innate Realm involves developing the brain, unlocking the body''s life potential, and preparing for the formation of divine sense. Hm, life potential...</i>

    Pang Jian thought of the three leaves in his chest, brimming with life energy. These green leaves not only helped Han Ting detoxify and heal her wounds but also prolonged the life of Mu Yuan from the Wood Race.

    Suddenly, an image shed through Pang Jian''s mind. The one-eyed giants'' chieftain of Ice Rock City, Yanshan, had traded with Ice Demon to obtain a strange green liquid to extend the life of his young son, Ah Man.

    <i>Could that green liquid havee from a World Eater Vine?</i>

    <i>Did the mysterious Ice Demon obtain the life-extending liquid from a World Eater Vine?</i>

    <i>Had the Ice Demon also been in the Fifth World back then?</i>

    Questions raced through his mind. Pang Jian sensed that his perspective had expanded and his thinking had be much more profound. It was as if his wisdom had been subtly elevated.

    <i>Life energy, developing the brain during thete stage of the Innate Realm, and unleashing life potential...</i>

    As Pang Jian pondered, an idea came to mind.

    Besides nourishing the nerve fibers in his brain with extremely fine spiritual power, he also wanted to try channeling the life energy from the three green leaves in his chest into his brain.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Strands of life energy raced along the fine meridians in his neck toward his brain. They moved much faster than his spiritual power!

    In the blink of an eye, this strange green life energy reached his brain and permeated his nerve fibers like spring water nourishing parchednd.

    A green light enveloped Pang Jian''s head, making him appear as though he was wearing a glowing green helmet.

    <i>It works!</i>

    Pang Jian was ted.

    With this discovery came the realization that he could cultivate the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art without needing a clear mind or deliberate focus.

    <i>Many wonders manifest once the brain is developed!</i>

    The little tree''s life energy would significantly elerate his progress in thete stage of the Innate Realm and would likely continue to help him even after he advanced into the Profound Abode Realm!

    The life energy''s ability to heal injuries appeared to be one of its minor functions. Nourishing the brain, enhancing life potential, and increasing intelligence¡ªthese were the proper uses of life energy!

    An hourter, Pang Jian noticed his perception, insight, hearing, and sense of smell had all significantly improved.

    With a single thought, he established a connection with the little tree and willed, <i>Give me some life energy.</i>

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The three leaves in his chest glowed a vibrant green once again.

    Overjoyed, Pang Jian quickly gathered the life energy from the three leaves and channeled them into his brain once more.

    ***

    A figure emerged from underneath an ancient tree embedded in the cliff of the Fifth Peak and peered up at Gao Yuan''s safely escaping Cloud Sail.

    "They managed to escape? Are the Rank Six powerhouses of the Celestial Race and Demon Scale Race all blind?" the figure wondered aloud with a frown.

    He had personally witnessed the strange Cloud Sail escape the Primordial Wilderness, descend back down to hover over the Fifth Peak, pick up Luo Hongyan and Qi Qingsong, and then once again leave unharmed.

    He found the situation incredibly odd.

    All the other Cloud Sail had been destroyed by Demon Scale Race warriors riding ck wyverns or smashed by the one-eyed giants whenever they ascended more than a few dozen zhang into the sky.

    This Cloud Sail was the only exception.

    "They all know Pang Jian, but they didn''t bring him along. That kid..." the figure muttered, features trembling as they slowly morphed into Huang Qi. Squinting in the direction of Emerald Lake, he said, "That kid was there when the foreign race warriors emerged. He¡¯s likely in grave danger.

    "He acquired the Grand Providence Sacred Body. If he truly cultivates it, he could be considered a fellow disciple. He sold me the eyes of the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf even under the pressure of Yang Rui from the Radiant Sun Sect. The kid isn''t bad; I''ll keep an eye on him."

    With that, Huang Qi quietly disappeared from the mountainside.

    ***

    Night descended upon the Primordial Wilderness. This evening, there was no bright moon in the sky and only a smattering of stars could be seen

    Every peak, valley, forest, and rocky area in the Primordial Wilderness was engulfed in fierce battles.

    The elders and geniuses from the major sects, alongside the rogue cultivators from across the Third World, all unleashed astonishingbat power when they realized their flying vessels had been seized by the foreign race warriors, trapping them in the Primordial Wilderness.

    Many Rank Five foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts met their end in these battles.

    The First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness was enveloped in radiant brilliance as dense spiritual energy surged from the cave dwellings carved into the thirty-six levels of the mountain.

    Intricate arrays buried beneath the stone paths in front of the caves activated, trapping the Vicious Beasts and causing the warriors from the Ghost Race and Demon Scale Race to be disoriented.

    Noble families scions and disgruntled rogue cultivators alike seized the opportunity to kill these foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts.

    The First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness had revealed its formidable side. Many foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts suffered casualties on their way up the mountain due to the activation of the giant array.

    Cao Mang and Lady Hua held their ground at the summit of the First Peak, using the arrays within the mountain to fend off the onught of foreign race warriors. The sudden burst of power and brilliance from the First Peak inspired many human cultivators, causing them to rush toward it for safety.

    "We''ve underestimated Old Monster Cao!" Liang Ying, an elder of the Star River Alliance said with a gleam in her eyes. She twirled a giant umbre, causing its spokes to shoot out dazzling starlight.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    She activated a hidden array, and the spokes of the umbre detached from its frame like dozens of sword des, stabbing several Ghost Race warriors riding Ghost Apes.

    "Too bad, the stars aren''t that bright tonight, so the power of the Star Crushing Umbre can''t be fully disyed." Liang Ying snorted.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The bloodstained spokes flew out from the bodies of the Ghost Race warriors and returned to the frame.

    The members of the Star River Alliance sheltered under the giant umbre, looked up to see the returning spokes had turned the stars on the Star Crushing Umbre red.

    Liang Ying spun the handle again, and the droplets of blood sttered away.

    Five hundred meters away, a Ghost Race warrior with green skin and sharp tusks crouched on the shoulder of a Ghost Ape, letting out an ear-splitting wail.

    The Ghost Race warriors riding the tall Ghost Apes no longer charged at Liang Ying.

    "Retreat!" The sharp-tusked warrior cried awkwardly in humannguage as he led the dozens of Ghost Race warriors away.

 Chapter 186: Rogue Cultivator Huang Qi

    <h4>Chapter 186: Rogue Cultivator Huang Qi</h4>

    "He wasn''t all that powerful," remarked Xie Xiwen of the Star River Alliance, beautiful jade-like face twisted in confusion. "Why did he sound so awkward when he spoke in the humannguage?"

    One member of the Star River Alliancemented, "These Ghost Race warriors truly live up to their name. They really do look like ghosts."

    "Those from the Celestial Race are much more pleasant to look at!" a young man in his early twenties added. "The Celestial Race looks very simr to us, but the Ghost Race...not at all!"

    Elder Liang Ying took a second to consider her words before saying with a hint of uncertainty, "I''ve never been to the Fifth World, nor do I possess the power to do so. Only the truly powerful cultivators dare to venture there. ording to their reports, the Ghost Race and Demon Scale Race are the original inhabitants of the Fifth World."

    "Original inhabitants?" Xie Xiwen was astonished.

    "Yes, they are the native intelligent beings of the Fifth World." Liang Ying paused in hesitation.

    <i>It''s necessary to share this knowledge with the disciples now with the foreign races of the Fifth World having invaded the Primordial Wilderness and the Fourth World also in chaos, </i>she thought.

    After a moment, she continued, "The Celestial Race and one-eyed giants are said to have lived in the upper worlds in ancient times."

    "What?!" The disciples of the Star River Alliance eximed in surprise.

    "They either left voluntarily or were expelled from the upper worlds and ended up in the eternally dark Fifth World," Liang Ying exined cautiously, careful not to go into the specifics. "Eventually, they abandoned their old ways of living and adapted to the murky energy of the Fifth World.

    "The Wood Race can control trees andmunicate with nts. They used to live in both the Fifth World and the upper worlds. But after siding with the foreign races of the Fifth World in an ancient war, they were no longer allowed to reside in the upper worlds and were confined to the Fifth World forever.

    "Remember, it doesn''t matter that they once lived in the upper worlds like us. They''ve be ustomed to strengthening themselves with the murky energy of the Fifth World and are considered foreign races. The beings of the Fifth World harbor great hatred for the human race and must not be shown any mercy."

    Xie Xiwen then curiously asked, "Elder Liang, why have we never heard you mention this before?"

    Liang Ying coughed. "I only recently learned about the foreign races of the Fifth World myself. After the higher-ups realized they were losing control of the Fourth World, they anticipated the emergence of these foreign races and decided to share this knowledge.

    "In the past, the higher-ups believed the foreign races of the Fifth World would never set foot in our world again, so it wasn''t brought up."

    Then, ncing at the brilliantly lit First Peak, she added, "Let''s head to the Sixth Peak and try to reim the Gilded Chariot!"

    ***

    Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, three days had passed.

    One dawn, while cultivating at the bottom of Emerald Lake, Pang Jian sensed a powerful aura through his enhanced perception.

    It was a human cultivator with a powerful aura rivaling that of a Rank Six Vicious Beast!

    Pang Jian''s eyes shot open. He knew he had been discovered as an overwhelming aura had seeped into theke and was steadily closing in on his location.

    "Who could it be?" Pang Jian''s heart tightened as he cautiously sat up.

    The invading forces from the Fifth World had emerged from Emerald Lake, so no human cultivator had dared to approach it over the past few days, fearing they would encounter a stronger, more terrifying army of foreign race warriors. This was the first human cultivator to havee close to theke since then.

    Pang Jian had stayed in Emerald Lake not only so he could focus on his cultivation but also to avoid contact with other human cultivators.

    His experience with Zhang Bin''s group had made him acutely aware that he was a prime target since the information about him possessing one million spirit stones had spread.

    In the Primordial Wilderness, his biggest threats were not the foreign race warriors or Vicious Beasts but rather fellow human cultivators like himself.

    "Why don''t youe out?" Pang Jian heard a familiar voice with his heightened hearing.

    "Huang Qi?" Pang Jian was stunned. Realizing he could no longer hide, Pang Jian shot out from Emerald Lake like an arrow.

    "Pang Jian!" Huang Qi eximed from thekeshore. He had not expected Pang Jian to be hiding in the same Emerald Lake where the foreign race warriors had emerged!

    "You..." Pang Jian was taken aback at the familiar voiceing from a man with a vastly different face and physique. The man before him was tall, with long hair draped over his shoulders and hands asrge as palm fans. Rather than Huang Qi''s usual sly appearance, this man appeared dignified and imposing.

    Pang Jian knitted his brows and channeled his spiritual power into his wrist, ready to summon the Startling ughter Spear in a split second should he need it.

    <i>Huang Qi knows me. He bought the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf''s eyes from me and is undoubtedly aware I possess many spirit stones. His cultivation realm is also higher than mine.</i>

    Pang Jian tensed and nced around vigntly. He was well aware of the harsh realities of the cultivation world.

    Huang Qi rubbed his face andughed heartily. "Don''t I look more handsome than before?"

    Pang Jian nodded but remained on guard. He was prepared for Huang Qi to make a move at any moment.

    Huang Qi was extremely pleased with himself. "Ha ha! Once you cultivate the Grand Providence Sacred Body to my level, you''ll be able to change your appearance and physique at will. Tall, short, fat, thin, handsome, or ugly¡ªit''s all up to me!"

    Pointing to his face, Huang Qi then said with a serious expression, "To be honest, this is my true appearance. I deliberately made myself look ugly at the trading hall just to disgust Lady Hua!"

    Pang Jian was shocked. Although Huang Qi appeared to show no malice, Pang Jian could not gauge his intentions.

    For some reason, he could not shake the feeling that this handsome version of Huang Qi was not the real him. The sly, weasel-like Huang Qi just seemed to fit the man better.

    "Tell me, why are you here at Emerald Lake?" the handsome-looking Huang Qi asked. He took out a smoking pipe, lit it, and casually squatted on a rock by thekeshore. Taking a deep drag that revealed a set of yellow teeth through the swirling smoke, he continued, "The Primordial Wilderness is quite vast. Why are you here, of all ces?"

    "The most dangerous ce is often the safest." Pang Jian had prepared an excuse beforehand and so went on to exin, "Since the foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts emerged from Emerald Lake, no one dared toe near. I came to investigate and found nobody here, so I decided it was safer to hide in theke."

    "Smart kid!" Huang Qi pped his thigh in approval. "You have no idea how many have died in these three days! Not just the human cultivators, but the invading foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts too."

    Huang Qi smoked his pipe while squatting on the rock as he discussed the situation in the Primordial Wilderness with Pang Jian. He was tall, handsome, and had fair skin, but his rough demeanor shed with his outwardly refined appearance, causing Pang Jian to find him increasingly odd.

    However, when Pang Jian imagined Huang Qi squatting and smoking with his previous sly appearance, the scene felt unexpectedly harmonious.

    Pang Jian was certain the handsome-looking Huang Qi was a facade, and the one in the trading hall was his true appearance!

    "Cao Mang, that old dog, has some tricks up his sleeve. He fortified the First Peak to be impregnable. Those foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts he invited over couldn''t gain any advantage," Huang Qi criticized, going on to describe the happening in the Primordial Wilderness over the past three days.

    Cao Mang and Lady Hua had led a group of powerful rogue cultivators to protect the First Peak, using the arrays within the mountain to force a stalemate with the foreign race warriors, chiefly the Celestial Race and Demon Scale Race.

    Another group of foreign race warriors had figured out how to control the Fire Cloud Ship, the Formless Sailboat, the Divine Spirit Pagoda, and the Gilded Chariot. These advanced flying vessels of the four major sects were now in the hands of the foreign race warriors, which they used to fly into the sky of the Primordial Wilderness.

    Now, the escaping Cloud Sails were no longer destroyed by the one-eyed giants and Demon Scale Race warriors riding ck wyverns but rather these advanced flying vessels controlled by the foreign race warriors.

    "So far, only the Scarlet Dawn Boat of Red Mountain Sect and a single Cloud Sail escaped on the first day." Huang Qi smacked his lips and cast Pang Jian a sidelong nce. "On that escaped Cloud Sail were Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion, the red-clothed woman you care about, and two other rogue cultivators. They got lucky and somehow escaped without any trouble."

    "It seems they were indeed extremely lucky." Pang Jian feigned surprise.

    Huang Qi shook his head. "I don''t think it was luck."

    He had puzzled over this matter for the past couple of days but could not figure it out, so he ultimately decided not to dwell on it any further.

    "The invading forces from the Fifth World seem to value spirit materials. I''ve observed them for a while and found that they kill primarily in pursuit of spirit materials. But they won''t escape! Once news spreads and reinforcements from the five major sects arrive, they won''t be able to leave here unscathed."

    ncing at the sky, Huang Qi added, "Moreover, there are two more worlds above us. With their limited numbers and strength, how much trouble can they cause?"

    Pang Jian nodded silently.

    He was well aware of Yu Xin''s n. These forces would do their utmost with their limited strength to gather the spirit materials they desperately need, then use flying vessels like the Fire Cloud Ship and Formless Sailboat to descend from the Third World to the Fourth World.

    Their chance of survival in the contaminated Fourth World would increase significantly. At the very least, the cultivators of the five major sects in the Third World could not enter the Fourth World inrge numbers to deal with them.

    For the major powers in the Second and First Worlds to send people into the Fourth World would also require considerable time.

    The foreign race warriors could then transport the vital spirit materials from the Fourth World to the Fifth World to aid their kin in sending more powerful warriors in the future.

 Chapter 187: The Black Turtle Approaches

    <h4>Chapter 187: The ck Turtle Approaches</h4>

    "Kid, Emerald Lake is too dangerous; you''d better not stay here. Find another ce to hide," Huang Qi said after a long-winded exnation. "Don''t worry, these invading foreign race warriors won''t be able to cause trouble for long.

    "If you can hold out for a few more days and they haven''t left the Primordial Wilderness, thebined forces of the five major sects will crush them.

    "Oh, and if you''ve begun cultivating the Grand Providence Sacred Body, then keep at it."

    After giving a few more pieces of advice, Huang Qi finished his pipe and thoroughly examined Emerald Lake. He did not notice anything unusual.

    "I''m heading to the First Peak now. I hope those foreign race warriors manage to breach it. I just want to see Cao Mang''s and Lady Hua''s miserable states." Before leaving, Huang Qi put away his pipe, gave Pang Jian a deep look, and said, "Kid, you''re right to be cautious of me.

    "Remember, you should be wary of anyone who knows you. A million spirit stones are enough to make even the elders of the major sects envious. It''s not hard for them to kill you."

    With that, Huang Qi flew away.

    Pang Jian did not hesitate to dive back into Emerald Lake.

    Burying himself in a muddy corner at the bottom of theke, he held a piece of spirit jade in each hand and continued to develop his brain using his spiritual power and life energy. The life energy gifted by the little tree in Misty Swamp was immensely helpful and he felt he could soon advance to the Profound Abode Realm.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The green spiritual power and life energy flowed into the nerve fibers in his brain as well as the acupoints at the top of his head. Arge area of his brain, including several acupoints, seemed to be transforming into a hazy sea of clouds.

    <i>First, form the sea of consciousness, then manifest the divine sense,</i> Pang Jian recalled.

    He knew that the hazy sea of clouds was the embryonic form of the sea of consciousness and would soon develop into his divine sense. The formation of his divine sense would signify his advancement to the Profound Abode Realm, and his perception and insight would undergo an instant qualitative transformation as a result.

    <i>Having advanced to the Innate Realm by bing one with the world, and with the little tree''s dense life energy on top of that, I should break through quickly! </i>

    Pang Jian''s spirit soared.

    <i>Qi Qingsong also advanced to the Innate Realm by bing one with the world. He then broke through to the Profound Abode Realm within a few months. If Qi Qingsong can do it, so can I!</i>

    The mysteries hidden within his body were even more wondrous than Qi Qingsong''s and the little tree in Misty Swamp could provide him with endless support. The life energy and bing one with the world meant that Pang Jian was undoubtedly close to breaking through to the Profound Abode Realm.

    <i>The Profound Abode Realm.</i>

    Pang Jian suddenly recalled Sun Bin''s words before he had taken his sister, Pang Lin, away.

    Sun Bin had told Pang Lin that if she could prove her abilities and reach the Profound Abode Realm within a century, she could return to the Solitary Mountain Range and bring Pang Jian to the upper worlds.

    Now, looking back, reaching the Profound Abode Realm within a hundred years seemed like child''s y!

    <i>If I advance to the Profound Abode Realm...</i>

    With his Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea, as long as Pang Jian could advance to the Profound Abode Realm, even those in the same cultivation realm like Yang Rui and Qi Qingsong would not be his match.

    <i>When breaking through to the Profound Abode Realm, will I also endlessly draw in the surrounding spiritual qi like when I broke through to the Innate Realm?</i>

    With this question in mind, he established a connection with the ck turtle.

    To his surprise, the ck turtle had not only awakened from its slumber but had also grown several timesrger!

    The ck turtle was now a hundred zhang long, surpassing even the Giant Abyssal Serpent in size!

    <i>That ce...</i> Pang Jian was startled when he noticed the nameless fragmentednd the ck turtle was residing in had drifted to a familiar area.

    The nameless fragmentednd was now between the Three Immortal Inds and the Primordial Wilderness. The ck turtle had controlled it to cross the Three Immortal Inds and was now heading straight for the Primordial Wilderness.

    <i>This guy...</i>

    In his daze, Pang Jian also noticed that the nameless fragmentednd had expanded. The newly added area was teeming with life, with its valleys, forests, and streams.

    There was only one exnation for the nameless fragmentednd''s growth¡ªit had merged with other fragmentednds!

    The nameless fragmentednd could actually absorb other fragmentednds and make them part of its own!

    <i>Those valleys and forests seem familiar...</i>

    Pang Jian was once again taken aback. His acute intuition told him the newly added area in the nameless fragmentednd was from Cloud Ind of the Three Immortal Inds. It resembled the Cloud Wilderness from the era of the one-eyed giants!

    The ck turtle had somehow absorbed the core area of the Cloud Wilderness and Cloud Ind and integrated into the nameless fragmentednd. The spiritual qi in the nameless fragmentednd had also be much denser and was now several times richer than when Pang Jian had first stepped foot there.

    <i>This ck turtle is continuously growing by absorbing more fragmentednds and mineral veins. At this rate, won''t that nameless fragmentednd eventually berger than the Primordial Wilderness? Is it possible for that nameless fragmentednd to rival a continent once the ck turtle bes strong enough?</i>

    Pang Jian''s mind wandered and countless ideas shed through his head. The more he thought about it, the more excited he became.

    He dared to stay behind alone in the Primordial Wilderness because of the bronze pendant. With it, he could go to Divine Fortune in the Fourth World or the ck turtle''s nameless fragmentednd.

    As long as he was not instantly killed, he could disappear in the blink of an eye. The ck turtle''s quiet approach toward the nameless fragmentednd only increased his confidence.

    Another three days passed with Pang Jian cultivating diligently at thekebed when he was awakened by something outside theke.

    <i>Who is it now?</i> He frowned.

    Pang Jian''s divine sense had not yet manifested, so he could not use it to identify the neer. All he could sense from the aura fluctuations of the approaching individuals was that they were also humans from the Primordial Wilderness.

    While he wondered about the neers'' identities, several cultivators from the Star River Alliance nervously entered theke. One of the disciples, upon entering the clear water, was startled at the sight of Pang Jian sitting up and hurried back to the surface.

    <i>Ssh!</i>

    Rushing out of theke, he shouted to Liang Ying, "Elder Liang, there''s someone at thekebed!"

    "Human? A human like us?" Liang Ying anxiously sought confirmation.

    "Yes! A human like us, not a foreign race!" The disciple confirmed.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian reluctantly flew out of theke andnded on the shore. He frowned at the dozen or so Star River Alliance disciples and asked, "What are you guys doing here?"

    "Pang Jian!" Xie Xiwen and Liang Ying simultaneously eximed.

    "What are you doing here?" Liang Ying asked Pang Jian coldly after getting over her initial shock. "Foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts emerged from theke. You shouldn''t be here!"

    Meanwhile, the young, beautiful Xie Xiwen stared at Pang Jian with curious eyes.

    "I heard your sister managed to escape," Xie Xiwen said.

    Pang Jian was stunned at herment. He then recalled how this attractive Star River Alliance disciple had spoken up for Luo Hongyan at the trading hall, only to be rebuked by Liang Ying.

    "Why are you hiding here?" Liang Ying repeated coldly.

    "This is the safest ce." Pang Jian gave her the same excuse he had told Huang Qi. "I was cultivating in a nearby cave when the foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts emerged, so I hid there and didn''te out. Since they didn''t return to theke and no other cultivators dared approach, I decided to stay at thekebed as it seemed like the safest ce."

    "How long have you been here?" Liang Ying asked skeptically.

    "A few days," Pang Jian casually answered. Taking in Liang Ying''s bloodstained clothes and Xie Xiwen''s and the other disciples'' disheveled appearances, he could not help but ask, "What happened to you?"

    Liang Ying did not answer immediately. ring Xie Xiwen and the others into silence, she then took a moment to study Pang Jian, monitoring his heartbeat and breathing to ensure he was not lying.

    Noticing nothing out of the ordinary, she let out a long sigh. "We left the First Peak early on, nning to head to the Sixth Peak to see if we could reim our Gilded Chariot. On our way, we encountered a group of Ghost Race warriors, were ambushed by the Wood Race, and finally battled a one-eyed giant. We were just about to reach the Sixth Peak when we saw our Gilded Chariot take off."

    "Elder Qin died, and all the disciples on the Gilded Chariot perished in battle against the foreign race warriors," a petite female disciple in the Qi Refining Realm softly added.

    Liang Ying shook her head and sighed. "The ones who suffered the most were us and the Sinister Soul Temple as we were the closest to Emerald Lake."

    The members of the Star River Alliance started talking all at once and Pang Jian learned that the invading forces had left the Sixth and Seventh Peaks after sessfully taking control of the Gilded Chariot and the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    This area now had neither foreign race warriors nor rogue cultivators.

    After escaping from the one-eyed giant, Liang Ying and her group had ended up here partly because the foreign race warriors had not returned and partly to investigate what was happening at Emerald Lake.

    In the end, they only found Pang Jian.

    "Like you guys, I''m hiding from the foreign race warriors. The difference is, I was already nearby, so I got here earlier," Pang Jian said.

    Liang Ying was no longer suspicious of Pang Jian and asked if he had noticed anything or anyone suspicious near Emerald Lake.

    Pang Jian pretended to think for a moment before mentioning that a rogue cultivator named Huang Qi had been there.

    "Huang Qi?" Liang Ying knitted her brows in thought.

    <i>I vaguely remember him. He has the appearance of a weasel and is not a good person. His cultivation level isn''t high, but he had a lot of spirit stones. Lady Hua and Old Monster Cao also found him suspicious, saying his background could be problematic. Could Huang Qi be connected to this invasion? </i>she wondered.

    With these thoughts in mind, she then asked Pang Jian, "Where did he go?"

    "The First Peak."

    After answering her questions, Pang Jian decided not to stay with the Star River Alliance. He cupped his hand and bade his farewell, "You all can keep watch over Emerald Lake. I''ll find another ce to hide."

    The fact that the foreign race warriors had taken control of the Gilded Chariot and killed a Star River Alliance elder made him feel slightly...guilty.

    ¡°Pang Jian, the entire Primordial Wilderness is in chaos, with foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts still attacking human cultivators,¡± Xie Xiwen said in concern. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous for you to be alone. Why don¡¯t you stay with us?¡±

    "No need," Pang Jian firmly rejected.

    Without another word, he turned and made his way toward the edge of Emerald Lake.

    "Xie Xiwen, you stay here for now. I still have some questions for him," Liang Ying instructed as she turned to follow after his disappearing figure.

    "Elder, what about us?" a timid disciple asked.

    "I won''t be long. I just have a few more questions," Liang Ying reassured with a smile before hurrying after Pang Jian.

 Chapter 188: Divine Sense!

    <h4>Chapter 188: Divine Sense!</h4>

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian took out his Startling ughter Spear, drank a bottle of Yu Xin''s gifted herbal juice, and elerated to his maximum speed!

    Before he left Emerald Lake, he sensed a faint, thread-like energy settling onto him. This trace of foreign energy quietly lingered on his body and seemed capable of pinpointing his location and movements.

    Pang Jian snorted. <i>Liang Ying from the Star River Alliance!</i>

    Liang Ying was using her Spirit Condensation Realm cultivation to release a trace of divine sense to follow his every move.

    He was well aware of Liang Ying''s intentions. Any guilt he had felt from the death of an elder from the Star River Alliance hadpletely disappeared.

    Liang Ying had performed impably in front of her sect members and disciples. By the end of their conversation, her expression had gentled and she had shown considerable concern for him.

    Unexpectedly, once Pang Jian left Emerald Lake, a trace of divine sense had locked onto him.

    If not for Liang Ying pursuing him under the pretense of questioning him, he would have suspected that someone else was secretly observing him. After all, if Liang Ying truly wished to ask him something, all she needed to do was call out to him.

    But she did not call out. Instead, she silently pursued him, and Pang Jian immediately knew what this seemingly kind elder had in mind.

    <i>Jiu Yuan revealed my background as a hunter from the Solitary Mountain Range in the Fourth World. In other words, a rogue cultivator without the protection or backing of a sect. </i>

    <i>The situation in the Primordial Wilderness is chaotic now, and the prospect of killing me to seize my million spirit stones was too tempting for her to resist. She could easily attribute my death to the invading forces from the Fifth World. </i>

    <i>All of them are cut from the same cloth!</i> Pang Jian sneered.

    "Pang Jian, there''s one more thing I don''t understand. Please stop and exin!" Liang Ying shouted, using a thread of her divine sense to lock onto Pang Jian''s position. Even though they had already left Xie Xiwen and the other''s sight, she still spoke with a gentle tone. "Also, I hope you can join us. After all, with my Spirit Condensation Realm cultivation, I can protect you."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian did not stop. Instead, he fled at an even greater speed.

    Liang Ying was taken aback. A sh of coldness appeared in her eyes as she muttered, "Stubborn brat. You insist on doing this the hard way, huh?"

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Circting her spiritual power, she formed a thin protective shield around her that radiated with bright starlight. After summoning the thin, cicada-wing-like shield, Liang Ying rose into the air and glided over the nts around Emerald Lake with ethereal grace.

    As a cultivator in the Spirit Condensation Realm, she could rapidly close the distance by flying, though it was extremely draining.

    However, Liang Ying did not care about using up her spiritual power. Her priority was to catch up and deal with Pang Jian as swiftly as possible.

    <i>Damn it!</i> Pang Jian''s heart turned cold.

    Liang Ying had resorted to flying, meaning she was preparing for a quick and decisive battle.

    <i>I can''t fly, and running is too slow. She''ll definitely catch up.</i>

    Pang Jian desperately racked his brains for a n. His eyes lit up as he thought of his newfound ability to manipte his spear.

    Frantically infusing the intricate arrays within the Startling ughter Spear with his spiritual power, ster energy, lunar energy, and cold energy, Pang Jian hastily stepped onto the spear.

    His tall figure clung firmly to the spear as he propelled himself forward, expending a massive amount of his internal energies to achieve brief flight using the miraculous properties of the Startling ughter Spear.

    <i>This Startling ughter Spear from Eight Trigrams City is a truly remarkable spirit artifact, </i>he marveled joyously.

    He nced back, only for the triumph on his face to be quickly overshadowed by gloom. Despite his efforts, Liang Ying was still rapidly closing the distance, leaving Pang Jian in shock.

    <i>I still couldn''t shake her off even after flying!</i>

    "Pang Jian, are you hiding something? Is that why you won''t stop?" Liang Ying shouted as she pursued him. "What''s your connection to those foreign races that emerged from Emerald Lake? Stop and exin everything to me!"

    Even while chasing him, Liang Ying did not forget to nder Pang Jian, branding him as a traitor colluding with the foreign races.

    Although what she said was not entirely false¡ªPang Jian did bring the invading forces from the Fifth World into the Primordial Wilderness¡ªhe knew she was just looking for an excuse to attack him in case other human cultivators had seen her actions.

    <i>Human cultivators are truly my worst enemy. In this situation, the foreign race warriors and the Vicious Beasts are my allies!</i>

    Spotting a one-eyed giant in the distance, Pang Jian''s spirits lifted and his eyes shone brightly as he charged toward the giant with all his might!

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The sharp tip of the Startling ughter Spear pierced through the air and its speed increased!

    "You''re courting death!" Liang Ying furiously cursed from behind him.

    The one-eyed giant had been tasked with roaming the surrounding forests and destroying any Cloud Sails that took flight. Not long ago, the Star River Alliance disciples and Liang Ying had encountered this very one-eyed giant. After a fierce battle, they barely escaped, with the one-eyed giant having crushed several disciples to a pulp.

    <i>He refused to stop no matter what I said. Instead, he charged toward the one-eyed giant with a spatial bracelet containing a million spirit stones. Isn''t he just throwing himself into the fire and handing over his spirit stones to the foreign races?</i>

    Although furious, Liang Ying did not dare to approach, unwilling to engage in another fierce battle after already suffering losses. Thus, she had no choice but to stop her pursuit.

    Gritting her teeth, she red at Pang Jian from a distance, watching as he rode the silver spear under the one-eyed giant.

    The one-eyed giant''s single eye clearly noticed the silver streak flying by as it peered down at Pang Jian in confusion.

    "Not only is he dead, he''s also wasted a spatial bracelet filled with spirit stones!" Liang Yingmented as she turned to leave, assuming Pang Jian would soon be overwhelmed by the one-eyed giant''s mental attack now that he had been targeted.

    <i>If his spear even stalls for a second, the one-eyed giant will smash him into a pulp</i>.

    It was not Pang Jian she cared about but rather the loss of the spirit stones to the foreign races.

    Frustrated, Liang Ying deactivated her protective shield and returned to Emerald Lake.

    She regretfully informed the members of the Star River Alliance, "He entered the range of that one-eyed giant and was locked onto by its single eye."

    "Ah! Those locked onto by the eye of the one-eyed giants will have their minds scrambled and their wills confused!"

    "Why did he have to go to where the one-eyed giants roam?"

    "He''s doomed!"

    The disciples of the Star River Alliance eximed.

    Sadness shone in Xie Xiwen''s bright eyes as she asked, "Elder Liang, why didn''t you save him?"

    "I¡ª" Liang Ying shook her head and sighed bitterly. "I was heavily injured trying to save you all in our battle against the one-eyed giant. If I tried to save him, I could''ve been severely injured and might not have made it back. If something happened to me, all of you..."

    "We understand," the disciples assured.

    Although they felt sorry for Pang Jian, they knew their chances of surviving in the Primordial Wilderness would be slim if something happened to Liang Ying. Therefore, they could not me her for not saving him.

    ***

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian nced upward as he passed under the one-eyed giant with a pounding heart.

    The one-eyed giant''s head filled most of his vision. Its massive, bewildered eye was fixed on him and its nose twitched slightly.

    Nothing happened.

    Pang Jian passed beneath the one-eyed giant without incident and continued flying on his spear until he reached a densely forested area.

    In a tree dozens of zhang tall, a Wood Race warrior quietly activated his bloodline power to calm all the trees under his control. He silently watched as Pang Jian rode his silver spear over the treetops.

    <i>This person has a strange aura that makes me want to worship him. It seems like the purest form of life energy! How strange. Is it possible for a human to also exude such rich life energy?</i>

    The Rank Five Wood Race warrior had never left the Fifth World before this and was now in an unfamiliarnd. Due to his unique bloodline, he could detect the presence of life energy within Pang Jian, which puzzled him.

    Not long after, Pang Jian used the tip of the Startling ughter Spear to carve out a small cave at the foot of the Fifth Peak and blocked the entrance with uprooted trees. After carefully concealing the entrance, he hid inside, sealing it behind him with rocks.

    <i>Liang Ying of the Star River Alliance.</i> Pang Jian noted, letting out a sigh of relief.

    Had it not been for the one-eyed giant wandering nearby, he would have had to use the bronze pendant to escape to the ck turtle''s nameless fragmentednd.

    Even an innocent man would find trouble because of his wealth. A million spirit stones were tempting to even experts in the Spirit Condensation Realm, like Liang Ying. His background as a rogue cultivator without the backing of a powerful sect and an ordinary hunter from the Fourth World only made him an easier target.

    <i>I must reach the Profound Abode Realm as soon as possible. Only after advancing to that realm and manifesting my divine sense will I have the confidence to face the dangers ahead.</i>

    Pang Jian continued to temper his brain using the spirit jades and the life energy from the three green leaves in his carved-out cave. He cultivated relentlessly, day and night, seemingly oblivious to the passage of time.

    Whenever the life energy in the three leaves was depleted, he would request more from the little tree in Misty Swamp.

    Time passed in this manner, and Pang Jian gradually started to sense his sea of consciousness. Many acupointsy beneath the hazy sea of clouds, appearing like springs in his sea of consciousness.

    One day, a few slender threads flowed out from these mystical springs. These slender threads drifted aimlessly in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness.

    Although Pang Jian sensed a mysterious connection with those slender threads, he could not yet control them and could only watch passively as more threads emerged, drifting around like fish in his sea of consciousness.

    <i>That¡¯s my divine sense!</i>

 Chapter 189: Advancing to the Profound Abode Realm!

    <h4>Chapter 189: Advancing to the Profound Abode Realm!</h4>

    <i>After developing the sea of consciousness, one''s divine sense will naturally emerge. The formation of one''s divine sense indicates that one has reached the Profound Abode Realm! </i>Pang Jian recalled from the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art manual.

    He was certain the slender threads emerging from the acupoints in his sea of consciousness were his divine sense!

    ording to Luo Hongyan''s and Qi Qingsong''s exnations, the formation of one''s divine sense signified one''s breakthrough into the Profound Abode Realm and marked a significant advancement in cultivation.

    What puzzled Pang Jian was theck of fluctuations in his spiritual sea. Unlike the Innate Realm, his spiritual sea neither expanded nor absorbed a significant amount of the surrounding spiritual qi. His body also showed no noticeable changes.

    The breakthrough to the Profound Abode Realm was unexpectedly uneventful whenpared to the painful experience of opening his meridians to advance to the Meridian Opening Realm, his agony in the darkness of the Fifth World when breaking through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm, and the wonderful feeling of bing one with the world when advancing to the Innate Realm.

    He could not help but question whether or not he had actually broken through.

    <i>I still can''t control my divine sense. Does that mean I''m not in the Profound Abode Realm yet? But based on what I know, the ability to skillfully manipte divine sense is an advanced skill of those who reached the Profound Abode Realm...</i>

    The longer he thought about it, the more he felt something was off.

    <i>The description of the Profound Abode Realm states that once the divine sense is formed, it allows for detailed insight into the intricacies of one''s internal organs and soul, as well as enables one to scrutinize their surroundings...</i>

    Pang Jian decided to test his perception. He closed his eyes and concentrated.

    A marvelous scene appeared in his mind!

    Although his eyes were closed, he could see himself sitting in the cave and could perceive everything around him from above his head to beneath his feet.

    It was as if there were eyes all over his body!

    This meant he would not be vulnerable to ambush during battle as he could even sense the enemy''s attacks from his blind spots!

    <i>Is this the Profound Abode Realm?</i> Pang Jian wondered, standing up.

    Eyes still closed, he continued to test his newfound ability and found the situation remained consistent.

    A three-dimensional image with him at the center appeared in his mind, allowing him to see all around him. This extraordinary state was simr to when he was connected to the World Eater Vine in Misty Swamp and shared its perception of the world.

    <i>Perhaps, I''ve indeed broken through. Let me try to look into my body!</i> Sitting down again, Pang Jian attempted to look into his dantian and spiritual sea.

    In his vast spiritual sea, he saw the fiery pool and the ice pool!

    He could also see the moon, the small sun, and the scattered stars in his dantian. They were no longer just faint impressions!

    It was as if he had grown eyes in his dantian and spiritual sea, allowing him to see every detail with great rity!

    The mes dancing in the fiery pool, the explosive scent of magma and sulfur, and the glistening crystals in the ice pool, all appeared vividly in his mind''s eye!

    The mystical wells connected to his meridians at the bottom of his spiritual sea could also be seen.

    With a single thought, the scene changed to the three green leaves covering his thumping heart. He could discern the intricate patterns on the three leaves, the life energy flowing through them, and their nourishing effect on his heart.

    Next, he examined his stomach, liver, spleen, and other internal organs. He saw how his bones glowed a faint red, and how the meridians transporting spiritual power and blood appeared to have been magnified dozens of times over.

    As Pang Jian observed he noticed his meridians and blood vessels also had some differences. Some of the delicate meridians in his limbs only circted spiritual power and various energies. Meanwhile, certain blood vessels only allowed blood and blood essence to flow through them.

    Although he could not skillfully use the divine sense in his sea of consciousness at the moment, its presence was incredibly enlightening for Pang Jian.

    <i>There''s no doubt about it. I''ve reached the Profound Abode Realm!</i>

    Pang Jian was exhrated. All signs pointed to him having sessfully broken through. His divine sense allowed him to observe his environment and examine the subtleties of his body!

    <i>Let''s see if I canmunicate with the Celestial Maiden.</i>

    Pang Jian established a connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent in the Fifth World.

    "Xiao Hei, I wonder how Yu Gu and the others are doing in the Third World," Yu Xin of the Celestial Race muttered, anxiously caressing the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s forehead as she gazed at the stillke.

    "It''s been many days now, and many must have died. I just hope the human experts in the Second World haven''t noticed the upheaval in the Primordial Wilderness. Yu Gu, please, you must survive..."

    <i>Wares with sacrifices. Most of them are still alive, and the harvest is quite good.</i> Pang Jian tried to send a thought through the beast soul of the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent''s pitch-ck eyes filled with confusion, perplexed at sensing Pang Jian speaking through it.

    "Ah!" Yu Xin heard the mysterious being''s mental voice!

    Yu Xin''s fingers on the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s forehead trembled. As she examined the Giant Abyssal Serpent, she found foreign strands of consciousness within its beast soul.

    "What should I do? How can I serve you?" Yu Xin asked respectfully.

    She did not dare to inject her thoughts and consciousness into the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s beast soul, fearing that multiple streams of consciousness would cause it to fall into a state of confusion.

    Looking into the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s eyes, she added nervously but sincerely, "It was you who sent our warriors to the Primordial Wilderness in the Third World. We all thank you for your help. Please, tell us what we can do for you."

    <i>The members of the Wood Race who have left the Primordial Wilderness on flying vessels should go to Divine Fortune in the Fourth World. They''ll find their Sacred Tree there, </i>Pang Jian advised.

    "Thank you for your guidance. I''ll inform Grandma Mu Yuan. She has been growing impatient," Yu Xin replied respectfully.

    <i>Mm. </i>Pang Jian hummed in acknowledgment.

    Suddenly, his expression changed and he cut off the connection.

    "Who''s in there?" A voice could be heard from outside of the cave.

    Pang Jian hastily summoned his Startling ughter Spear, and after making some preparations, kicked down the rocks blocking the cave entrance.

    A group of cultivators in the attire of the Blood Moon Sect were standing below the cave at the foot of the Fifth Peak. One of them was looking up at the cave with a blood-colored orb in hand and had to step back when the rocks of Pang Jian''s cave crumbled.

    <i>The Blood Moon Sect!</i>

    Standing at the cave entrance, Pang Jian scanned the group and spotted a familiar face from the trading hall¡ªFang Boxuan, the prodigy of the Blood Moon Sect. He was in the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm and had just turned twenty.

    Aside from Fang Boxuan, there were six other Blood Moon Sect disciples in the Innate Realm and the Profound Abode Realm. They all wore the same robes and peered up at him from the foot of the mountain.

    "Pang Jian!" Fang Boxuan called out.

    "Pang Jian?"

    "The Pang Jian that Elder Jiu Yuan is determined to kill?"

    "He''s still alive?"

    The Blood Moon Sect disciples had not seen Pang Jian but recognized his name.

    One of the disciple''s eyes lit up. "I heard that he has a million spirit stones!"

    Another person licked his lips. "Indeed! He failed to draw the lot for the woman from the Blood Spirit Sect. The spirit stones he exchanged from Rank Seven Vicious Beasts'' spirit materials are still in his possession!"

    Fang Boxuan frowned.

    Meanwhile, the six Blood Moon Sect disciples stared greedily at Pang Jian''s spatial bracelet.

    Pang Jian was all too familiar with the look in their eyes.

    <i>There are seven of them including Fang Boxuan. Most of them are in the Innate Realm and the Profound Abode Realm. It''ll be troublesome if I get surrounded, but if I stretch out the battlefield, I could have a chance. </i>

    Pang Jian quickly formted a n.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    He held onto his Startling ughter Spear and leaped from the cave entrance, rushing toward the Fourth Peak the moment hended.

    "He''s quite smart!"

    "Chase him!"

    Five disciples of the Blood Moon Sect did not hesitate to pursue Pang Jian.

    "Junior Brother Fang, what about you?" A rather attractive woman named Chen Min knitted her brows. When she saw that Fang Boxuan was not giving chase, she too suppressed her urge to chase Pang Jian. "I know you don''t get along with Elder Jiu Yuan, but that doesn''t stop you from taking the million spirit stones, right?"

    In the Third World, only Spirit Condensation Realm elders of the major sects were likely to have umted a million spirit stones over the years. Although Fang Boxuan was an incredible talent, he had not been cultivating long enough to gather such wealth.

    Even if he left the Blood Moon Sect in the Third World for the upper worlds in the future, he would still have to rely heavily on spirit stones, so Chen Min found it strange that Fang Boxuan did not act.

    "Zhao Yuanqi from the Red Mountain Sect once asked me to help her senior sister, who seems to have some connection with him," Fang Boxuan exined honestly. "Zhao Yuanqi, Yang Rui, Xie Xiwen, and I will all go to the Second World to cultivate. I don''t want Zhao Yuanqi to resent me for killing Pang Jian."

    Chen Min snorted inwardly. <i>Zhao Yuanqi again!</i>

    She had always had feelings for the tall and handsome Fang Boxuan, but although she had openly shown her affection for him, he had always remained indifferent to her.

    Two days ago, after they finally escaped the Wood Race''s siege, she had actively approached him to offer herself. She had hoped Fang Boxuan would remember her and provide her with some cultivation resources once he achieved great sess in the future.

    However, he had once again rejected her. Now, hearing that Fang Boxuan''s concern for Pang Jian stemmed from Zhao Yuanqi, Chen Min felt even more ufortable.

    "If you won''t do it, I will!" Chen Min huffed before turning to chase after Pang Jian.

    <i>If I can obtain a million spirit stones, I can advance to the Spirit Condensation Realm and maybe even be an elder of the Blood Moon Sect like Jiu Yuan! </i>she thought.

    Her determination to kill grew even stronger.

 Chapter 190: Pang Jian of the Sword Pavilion!

    <h4>Chapter 190: Pang Jian of the Sword Pavilion!</h4>

    When the sun rose, Bai Guanjie transformed into a swift red shadow, leading the charge into the valley between the Fifth Peak and the Fourth Peak.

    Aside from Fang Boxuan, the only ones in their group to have reached the Profound Abode Realm were him and Chen Min. Based on what he knew, Pang Jian was a cultivator in the Innate realm.

    <i>An Innate Realm cultivator should be a piece of cake.</i> Bai Guanjie smirked.

    He could vaguely see the summit of the Fourth Peak from the depths of the valley.

    Their group had traveled from the direction of the Fourth Peak, following the narrow valley and using a blood-colored orb to track energy fluctuations and avoid the invading forces from the Fifth World before finally arriving at the foot of the Fifth Peak.

    Thus, he knew no powerful foreign race warriors or Vicious Beasts roamed the valley between the two peaks.

    "Huh?" Bai Guanjie stopped. Up ahead was a figure in blue, with their back facing him.

    The ck-d Pang Jian was nowhere to be seen.

    <i>Where did he run off to?</i> Bai Guanjie cautiously nced around, but he could not determine where Pang Jian had gone.

    Hesitating briefly, he walked toward the blue-d figure and shouted, "Friend, have you seen a young man in ck?"

    As he approached, the figure entered the range of his divine sense, allowing Bai Guanjie to see their face even from behind.

    "Pang Jian!" Bai Guanjie eximed in surprise. Pang Jian had simply changed his clothes!

    "Yes, it''s me." Pang Jian turned to face Bai Guanjie, with his Startling ughter Spear in hand.

    Using this method, Pang Jian confirmed that the person before him was also in the Profound Abode Realm, as he recognized him from behind.

    They were both in the Profound Abode Realm and although Pang Jian could not gauge Bai Guanjie''s exact strength, he was confident he could kill him.

    "Ah, you!" Bai Guanjie eximed again.

    Earlier, he had only focused his divine sense on Pang Jian''s face and had not noticed anything else. After Pang Jian turned around, he spotted the distinctive emblem of the Sword Pavilion on Pang Jian''s chest and the sword-shaped token hanging from his waist.

    "That''s right, it''s the Sword Pavilion!" Pang Jian shouted, charging forward with his spear while Bai Guanjie was still in shock.

    Bai Guanjie hesitated, but Pang Jian did not waver for a moment!

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    zing meteors radiating a dazzling light and intense heat instantly surrounded Bai Guanjie!

    "Explosive Dance!"

    The zing meteors erupted violently, causing Bai Guanjie''s face to change dramatically.

    "It''s a misunderstanding! I didn''t know you were from the Sword Pavilion!" Bai Guanjie cried out, trying to exin.

    ording to his information, Pang Jian was a hunter from the Solitary Mountain Range with no sect backing. The sight of Pang Jian wearing the Sword Pavilion''s attire and carrying their identity token caught him off guard and forced him to reconsider his actions.

    Bai Guanjie grew increasingly panicked as the zing meteors continued to explode around him. Pang Jian ignored his pleas, his cold eyes filled with intense killing intent.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian leaped high into the air.

    "You''re not in the Innate Realm! You''re in the Profound Abode Realm!" Bai Guanjie cried in terror as he desperately used his Blood Shadow Technique.

    Six blood shadows emerged from where he stood and scattered like startled birds. Each blood shadow carried his blood essence and life force, making them appear real.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The ground Bai Guanjie had previously been standing on was now filled withrge, charred craters, each sinking several zhang deep into the earth!

    Once he was out of the danger zone, Bai Guanjie hastily gathered his six blood shadows. Six blood talismans appeared in his palm as he frantically tried to exin again, "Pang Jian, it''s really a misunderstanding!"

    Although they were both in the Profound Abode Realm, Bai Guanjie no longer had any confidence in winning after learning that his opponent was a disciple from the Sword Pavilion in the Second World.

    He had long since abandoned the idea of killing Pang Jian for his spirit stones.

    "It doesn''t matter whether it''s a misunderstanding or not. Since you dared to chase after me, you''ll die." The Startling ughter Spear thrust toward Bai Guanjie''s head. Pang Jian stepped onto the silver spear and unleashed a series of attacks.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Starlight, sunlight, Lunar Edges, and ice shards cascaded onto Bai Guanjie''s head like a copsing gxy.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Gritting his teeth, Bai Guanjie once again used the Blood Shadow Technique to create blood shadows with the blood talismans and hid his true body among them.

    <i>The concentration of life force among blood shadows is different... </i>Pang Jian noted, stepping on the Startling ughter Spear as he continued to rain down more destructive attacks.

    Soon, the area with the blood shadows was engulfed in starlight, sunlight, and Lunar Edges, allowing Pang Jian to pinpoint Bai Guanjie''s true body.

    "Go!" His attacks focused on a single blood shadow, shattering the dark red protective shield around Bai Guanjie.

    Bai Guanjie could not escape the chaotic barrage of different energies and could only brace himself.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Startling ughter Spear stopped above Bai Guanjie''s head, then abruptly plunged downward.

    As Pang Jiannded smoothly on the ground, the expertly controlled spear cleaved through the Profound Abode Realm cultivator from head to toe.

    Havingpleted its lethal task, the bloodstained spear once again hovered in the air like a crimson vessel of death.

    "Senior Brother Bai!" The other Blood Moon Sect disciples arrived just in time to see the bloody spear leave Bai Guanjie''s split head.

    They had no time to process the sight before they saw Pang Jian, dressed in the Sword Pavilion''s attire, flying toward them on the spear.

    "Sword Pavilion!"

    Their expressions drastically changed. Like Bai Guanjie, all the disciples of the Blood Moon Sect held a deep reverence for the Sword Pavilion. Thus, their first thought was not to fight but to exin.

    "Pang Jian, it''s a misunderstanding!"

    "We didn''t know you were an outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion!"

    "It was Bai Guanjie who misled us!"

    Unfortunately, Pang Jian had already marked them for death the moment they had shown intent to kill. Moreover, they were all from the Blood Moon Sect!

    It did not take long for Pang Jian to kill all the Blood Moon Sect disciples pursuing him.

    Not a single one escaped alive.

    Apart from the slightly challenging Bai Guanjie, the rest were dispatched with little effort.

    When Chen Min reached the valley, she saw Pang Jian wiping his bloody spear on the robes of her dead senior brothers and sisters. She also noticed the prominent Sword Pavilion insignia and the sword-shaped token on Pang Jian.

    "S-Sword Pavilion!" Chen Min''s voice trembled as she paled with fear, deeply regretting her decision.

    "Another one at the Profound Abode Realm," Pang Jian muttered, interest piqued as he casually threw the Startling ughter Spear.

    The dazzling silver streak immediately locked onto Chen Min.

    ***

    After some time, Fang Boxuan went in search of his senior brother and sister, having grown impatient waiting for their return. He soon arrived at the valley, which reeked of blood.

    His senior sister, Chen Min,y on the ground with a gaping wound through her chest and abdomen. Her eyes were wide open in disbelief and the surrounding grass was stained red with her blood.

    In front of her, several of his senior brothers and sisters in the Innate Realmy with their throats slit. Their corpses were surrounded by a chilling aura and the blood that had flowed from their wounds had congealed into blood-colored crystals on the ground.

    Further ahead, his senior brother, Bai Guanjie had died standing upright with blood flowing in a line from the top of his head down to his lower body.

    Six of his senior brothers and sistersy dead in the valley. Both Bai Guanjie and Chen Min had been in the early stage of the Profound Abode Realm, while the other four had been in the Innate Realm. Despite this, they had all been gruesomely killed.

    Fang Boxuan carefully examined the scene and confirmed a spear-like weapon was used in killing Chen Min and Bai Guanjie.

    <i>Was it really him?</i> Doubt shed in Fang Boxuan''s eyes and a look of apprehension appeared on his face.

    Fang Boxuan was in the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm. As the genius of the Blood Moon Sect, he was armed with treasures and superior techniques, but he stillcked the confidence to deal with someone who had so effortlessly killed Chen Min and the others in such a short time.

    "Elder Jiu Yuan has provoked a formidable opponent, and he''s still so young," Fang Boxuan said seriously.

    He did not n to seek revenge on Pang Jian. Instead, he stayed in the valley and took out a blood talisman. "Elder Jiu Yuan, are you still alive on the First Peak?"

    "Fang Boxuan, I''m not dead yet!" Jiu Yuan''s panting voice rang out from the blood talisman. "You, along with those senior brothers and sisters and a fewmanders, did you all manage to seize a Formless Sailboat?"

    "You know we didn''t reach the Fourth Peak in time. The two Formless Sailboats seized by the foreign race warriors have already flown away," Fang Boxuan replied coldly.

    One of the Formless Sailboats belonged to him, while the other belonged to Jiu Yuan. Unfortunately, both had been seized by the foreign race warriors.

    "Useless, how do you even have the nerve to contact me?" Jiu Yuan sneered. "We''ve reached a stalemate with the foreign race warriors thanks to the arrays here so we''re not losing ground! If they dare to linger in the Primordial Wilderness, they''ll find it impossible to escape! Kid, you''d better keep hiding like a turtle for as long as possible!"

    "I mean no harm. I just wanted to inform you that Pang Jian is still alive and hisbat prowess has skyrocketed," Fang Boxuan said into the blood talisman. "He killed both Bai Guanjie and Chen Min when they tried to hunt him down. Given his current strength, in a few years, he will be strong enough to seek revenge on you."

    "What?! Both Bai Guanjie and Chen Min were killed by him? Those useless fools!" Jiu Yuan roared furiously.

 Chapter 191: The Tenacious Genius

    <h4>Chapter 191: The Tenacious Genius</h4>

    Dazzling lights crisscrossed over the t rocky area on the summit of the First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness, resembling sharp des that emanated a cold brilliance. From a distance, this dense web of lights nketing the summit resembled a cultivator''s protective shield.

    A Demon Scale Race Warrior instructed a Rank Five Demon Armor Beast to stealthily climb the stone steps below.

    <i>Shing!</i>

    As soon as its natural steel-like skin touched the sharp light, its scales were sliced open. The Rank Five Demon Armor Beast howled in pain as its flesh was torn apart and it retreated in horror.

    Yang Rui stood at the edge of the summit shing a long de covered in me at the Rank Five Demon Armor Beast.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    As he swung his long de, a dazzling sea of des formed, leaving the Demon Armor Beast in pieces.

    "Yang Rui, well done," Lady Hua openly praised.

    The rogue cultivators, Blood Moon Sect''s members, and the Sinister Soul Temple''s members on the summit all nodded in agreement.

    The valiant Yang Rui, with his Profound Abode Realm cultivation, guarded a corner of the summit. Whenever foreign race warriors or Vicious Beasts emerged, he would greet them with his de.

    Those warriors and Vicious Beast below Rank Six rarely escaped after thebined attack of the Spirit ughtering Astral Array and Yang Rui. Even the Rank Six powerhouses from the Demon Scale Race and the Celestial Race feared his strength.

    "It''s all thanks to the Spirit ughtering Astral Array," Yang Rui said modestly, shaking his head with a calm expression. "If it weren''t for the grand array connected to the spirit vein in the Primordial Wilderness, the First Peak would have fallen long ago."

    Yang Rui''s imposing figure seemed to glow under the sunlight. Coupled with the radiant sun emblem on his robe, he almost appeared as if he could be the son of the sun god. Female cultivators gazed at him with admiration and adoration.

    Most women were drawn to strength. Yang Rui had exceptional talent, outstandingbat prowess, and a tall, imposing stature. Not to mention, he was the cherished genius of the Radiant Sun Sect. These factorsbined made it impossible for him to remain low-key.

    "It''s also the result of everyone''s joint efforts," said the exhausted Lady Hua. She did not forget to throw Yang Rui a flirtatious nce before sighing heavily. "After this battle, the spirit vein in the Primordial Wilderness will probably take hundreds of years to recover."

    Deploying the Spirit ughtering Astral Array to fend off the fierce assaults of the foreign race warriors was slowly depleting the reserves of the underground spirit vein.

    "We just need to hold on a bit longer," Lou Yunming of the Sinister Soul Temple said, wearily swallowing a Soul Nourishing Pill after a tough fight with a Rank Six Demon Scale Race warrior. "I''ve already reported to our sect master using secret techniques. He said that flying vessels from the major sects are being used to transport people and supplies to and from the lower worlds..."

    As he spoke, he nced at Jiu Yuan of the Blood Moon Sect and Wei Wenhan of the Radiant Sun Sect.

    When the invading forces from the Fifth World first appeared, Wei Wenhan, an elder of the Radiant Sun Sect, had tried to reach the peak where their Fire Cloud Ship was anchored.

    Along the way, he and Yang Rui encountered frenzied assault from the foreign race warriors and the Vicious Beasts, forcing them to retreat to the First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness.

    "Yes, I understand the situation is unusual and reinforcements from the major sects won''t arrive as soon as we hoped." Wei Wenhan nodded, gazing toward the sky with a heavy heart. "Given the usual approach from the higher-ups, as long as they know the attacking foreign race warriors aren''t above Rank Seven, they''ll likely stand by and do nothing."

    Jiu Yuan cursed, "The attacking forces probably know the habits of the higher-ups, so they didn''t send any Rank Seven powerhouses or Vicious Beasts!"

    Cao Mang remained silent. He had asionally visited the Second World and was well aware of the situations Wei Wenhan and Jiu Yuan had described as such urrences had happened before.

    Even if terrifying Vicious Beasts or foreign races caused trouble in the dangerous restricted areas in the Third World, the upper worlds would let the five major sects handle it themselves as long as the threat was below the Rank Seven.

    Only when they truly could not handle it and suffered significant losses would the higher-ups in the upper worlds step in. It was like an unwritten rule.

    "We must find out how they got here!" Wei Wenhan frowned at Cao Mang.

    Suppressing his anger, Cao Mang said coldly, "I''ve activated the Spirit ughtering Astral Array and led the charge, killing many foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts. Isn''t that enough to clear your doubts about me?"

    Wei Wenhan remained indifferent. "Your secret dealings with the Fifth World are real. Who knows? Maybe you leaked some information or provided key spirit materials for them, leading them to create a Mirror Tunnel and target the Primordial Wilderness?"

    "Wei Wenhan, if you nder me again, I''ll chase you off the First Peak!" Cao Mang roared, unable to contain his anger.

    Cao Mang felt utterly wronged. He knew someone was deliberately framing him. However, he could not fathom who had the power to convince the invading foreign race warriors to insist he had invited them.

    "Cao Mang," Wei Wenhan addressed him directly by name, arrogantly waving the sleeve of his old schrly robes. "You should think about your future after this battle. The higher-ups will investigate. It does not matter whether or not you invited these invading forces from the Fifth World. It still happened under your watch, so you can''t escape your responsibility!"

    Cao Mang''s expression darkened at his words.

    ***

    In the valley between the Fourth Peak and Fifth Peak, Fang Boxuan put away his blood talisman after his exchange with Jiu Yuan.

    Scanning the area, he noticed the spatial pouches on Bai Guanjie and Chen Min''s bodies. In the area between these two bodies were the belongings of his senior brothers in the Innate Realm.

    <i>Pang Jian left in a hurry, likely fearing I''d catch up and kill him, so he didn''t have time to take their spatial pouches.</i>

    "Senior Sister Chen, it''s not that I''m oblivious, but your looks really didn''t interest me..." Fang Boxuan murmured as he grabbed Chen Min''s spatial pouch.

    He then gathered the belongings from the frozen bodies of his senior brothers and sisters in the Innate Realm.

    Finally, he arrived before Bai Guanjie''s body.

    Looking at the cleaved body of his senior brother, Fang Boxuan sighed. "Senior Brother Bai, you were unlucky. You led the charge and were killed in the most gruesome way. You should''ve figured out your opponent''s cultivation realm first. What a pity."

    Fang Boxuan shook his head as he removed the spatial pouch from Bai Guanjie''s waist.

    Preparing to inspect the contents of the spatial pouches, Fang Boxuan muttered to himself, "Next time¡ª"

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    He hastily summoned a crimson protective shield.

    Without warning, Bai Guanjie''s body exploded!

    <i>Boom!</i>

    An explosive force of heavenly thunder emerged from the sttering of flesh and limbs. The lightning and thunder coalesced into a sphere and mmed into his protective shield, causing Fang Boxuan to groan and stagger backward.

    Fang Boxuan''s face darkened. "Despicable!"

    Further ahead in the valley leading to the Fourth Peak, a tall figure in a blue robe appeared and swiftly approached Fang Boxuan.

    "Pang Jian, you''re wearing the Sword Pavilion''s attire!" Fang Boxuan cried out in shock.

    "Qi Qingsong secured a spot for me as an outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion. Once I reach the Sword Pavilion in the Second World, I can officially register with this token." Pang Jian pointed to the sword-shaped token hanging from his waist.

    "They''re not Jiu Yuan. Wearing that robe and showing your Profound Abode Realm cultivation would''ve made them hesitate. Why kill them all?" Fang Boxuan asked, warily taking a few steps back and keeping his protective shield up.

    As he neared his senior brothers'' and sisters'' ice-covered bodies, Fang Boxuan tensed up and cautiously avoided them out of fear of more traps.

    "Should I just let them kill me then if I didn''t have this attire?" Pang Jian replied coldly.

    Fang Boxuan paused.

    "Leave the spatial pouches behind and you can leave this valley. There''s something important inside." Pang Jian snorted as he approached Fang Boxuan.

    "When you called out my name, six of your group immediately showed killing intent. They chased me as I fled. They dared to harbor ill intentions and wanted to kill me for my spirit stones, so why shouldn''t I kill them?"

    Fang Boxuan knitted his brows in contemtion but did not voice any rebuttal.

    <i>There''s something important in the spatial pouches? </i>he wondered, instinctively releasing a thread of his divine sense to probe their contents.

    He wanted to see what was so crucial inside the spatial pouches that Pang Jian desired them.

    The instant his divine sense entered one of the spatial pouches.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A cloud of grayish-green smoke burst from the opening of the spatial pouch. Fang Boxuan let out another muffled groan. His strand of divine sense dissipated as the smoke enveloped him.

    "Pang Jian, you''ll die a horrible death!" Fang Boxuan screamed as he threw away the spatial pouch. A blood-colored jade pendant on his chest glowed, protecting his sea of consciousness from the Refined Ghost Miasma. "I''ve never seen someone so despicable and shameless!

    "Junior Sister Zhao from Red Mountain Sect must be blind to help someone like you! First, it was the Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder, and now it''s the Refined Ghost Miasma. You even deceived me with words, iming there was something important inside!"

    Fang Boxuan cursed and swore as he fled. His heart was filled with resentment and he felt deeply wronged.

    The six corpses of his senior brothers and sisters had been lined up from Chen Min to Bai Guanjie. None of the bodies nor spatial pouches showed any abnormalities up until Bai Guanjie, so he assumed there would not be any issues there either. He had not expected...

    Fang Boxuan was on the verge of tears.

    Pang Jian had used the first few bodies to lower his guard, only to trigger the Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder inside Bai Guanjie''s body when he least expected it. He then used words to trick him into probing the spatial pouches with his divine sense, activating the Refined Ghost Miasma.

    <i>His schemes are so malicious! If it weren''t for my life-saving treasures, I could have fallen victim and died here without being able to defend myself.</i>

    Fang Boxuan had rarely experienced such treachery and was filled with bitterness. As he fled, he could not help but look back at Pang Jian in utter fear.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    As Fang Boxuan ran past a fractured rock, he was struck again by an exploding Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder.

    In the blink of an eye, Pang Jian reached Fang Boxuan with his spear maniption, unleashing a series of Lunar Edges, starlight, and ice shards as he attacked Fang Boxuan with the ferocity of a raging tempest.

    "Ugh!" Fang Boxuan spat a mouthful of blood as his protective shield shattered before hurriedly taking out a blood-colored pearl to protect himself.

    Ripples of dark red light spread out, but barely held for a second before Pang Jian''s Startling ughter Spear destroyed it as well.

    Fang Boxuan screamed miserably, "Pang Jian, we have no personal grudge, I just¡ªI just!"

    <i>Boom!</i>

    He summoned a palm-sized bronze bell and ced it over his head, but Pang Jian''s spear cracked it with a single strike. Biting his tongue in fear, Fang Boxuan shrank into the cracked bronze bell and activated an escape technique.

    "Pang Jian, you won''t die a good death!" Fang Boxuan''s anguished screams echoed in his wake.

 Chapter 192: The Marvelous Uses of Divine Sense

    <h4>Chapter 192: The Marvelous Uses of Divine Sense</h4>

    "Divine sense truly does have many marvelous uses," Pang Jian murmured as he watched a blood-colored light fade into the distance.

    He did not bother to give chase as he knew he would not be able to catch up to Fang Boxuan.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Three silver spheres flew out from a crack in a rock, a pile of dead grass, and a patch of mud respectively. These three Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder then disappeared into his spatial bracelet.

    If Fang Boxuan had stayed to fight, Pang Jian would have maneuvered or lured him toward the ces where the Nine Heavenly Profound Thunders were hidden before detonating them for a devastating blow.

    Unfortunately, the terrified Fang Boxuan only sought to escape, leaving Pang Jian''s preparations unused.

    Earlier, he had detonated the Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder remotely using his divine sense. Although he could not yet precisely control the divine sense within his sea of consciousness, it had still allowed him to manipte his spiritual power from a distance¡ªa feat he could not achieve while in the Innate Realm.

    In the Innate Realm, his spiritual power would lose connection with him shortly after leaving his body. Whether it was unleashing the Explosive Dance or gathering spiritual power for the Starflow Technique or Lunar Edges, he would lose control of them not long after they left his body.

    The energies infused into the Startling ughter Spear maintained their connection for slightly longer, likely due to the spear''s unique nature. Even then, he had to periodically recall the spear to restore his connection with the energies within it.

    Now that he was in the Profound Abode Realm, he could maintain his connection with the energies infused into the Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder and the Refined Ghost Miasma, and even detonate them with a mere thought.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Startling ughter Spear flew into the air like a silver dragon, guided by Pang Jian''s will. It soared up, twisting and turning as if striking at imaginary enemies.

    The spiritual power, cold energy, ster energy, and lunar energy in the spear were all under his control. The divine sense in his sea of consciousness allowed him to precisely manipte the energies within the spear.

    However, he still could not infuse energy into the spear from a distance. Once the energies in the spear were exhausted, he had to hold it to recharge it.

    <i>If I could infuse energy into the spear from a distance, the spear''s power would increase significantly. My spear techniques would also be even more unpredictable. I could even strike from dozens of miles away and then recall the spear after a kill,</i> Pang Jian mused.

    For the next while, as he adapted to his new Profound Abode Realm cultivation, he operated near the Fourth Peak and the Fifth Peak, switching between his usual ck attire and the Sword Pavilion''s robe.

    In doing this, he realized the power of the blue robe and sword-shaped token Qi Qingsong had gifted him.

    As long as he wore the Sword Pavilion''s robe, rogue cultivators and noble families scions from the Third World would show him respect. Even though they knew his identity and the spirit stones he carried, they did not dare to act rashly.

    After pondering the matter, Pang Jian concluded the reason behind the other cultivators'' reactions was twofold.

    Firstly, his status caused them to doubt their ability to kill him. Secondly, they probably feared possible witnesses if they tried to kill him. After all, if someone saw them kill a Sword Pavilion outer disciple and the news spread, they would face endless trouble.

    Cultivators were hidden all over the Primordial Wilderness due to the chaotic situation, and there was no way they could be certain that their attempt to kill him and steal his treasures would not be seen.

    Conversely, whenever he switched to his usual ck outfit, other cultivators often became aggressive and were eager to kill him for his spirit stones.

    <i>A powerful sect background is like a high-grade protective talisman. It really is useful.</i>

    After experimenting with switching outfits, Pang Jian had to admit that the backing of a well-established sect could indeed help him avoid many troubles.

    One day, Pang Jian left the Fourth Peak dressed in ck and headed toward the Third Peak.

    Unlike the First Peak and the Second Peak, the Third Peak was covered in vegetation with an uneven summit. For that reason, no flying vessels had been anchored on the Third Peak even before the attack from the Fifth World.

    Pang Jian stopped and squinted into the distance.

    <i>The Wood Race...</i>

    Many Wood Race members, along with a few Ghost Race members, moved through the dense foliage of the Third Peak. Members of the Celestial Race and the Demon Scale Race had also gathered at the smooth summit of the Second Peak.

    "Pang Jian, what are you doing here?" Huang Qi suddenly appeared.

    Startled, Pang Jian looked toward the source of the voice and saw a dozen cultivators of varying cultivation realms, including noble families elders, huddled behind a moss-covered rock.

    "The kid from the Sword Pavilion!" A Profound Abode Realm rogue cultivator eximed softly.

    "Sword Pavilion?" A noble family elder was puzzled. "I saw him in ck clothes just yesterday evening!"

    Another person added, "I saw him kill two Profound Abode Realm cultivators!"

    As Pang Jian listened to their startled exmations, he tried to use his divine sense to investigate more closely behind the mossy but found that the distance was too far. He was still only in the early stage of the Profound Abode Realm and the range of his divine sense was limited.

    "Have you broken through?" Huang Qi asked loudly as he approached Pang Jian.

    <i>Just a few days ago, he was still in the Innate Realm, but now he''s already in the Profound Abode Realm. </i>Huang Qi was greatly surprised.

    Looking at the handsome Huang Qi, Pang Jian asked in confusion, "What are you all doing here?"

    "Just huddling together for warmth." Huang Qi said nonchntly before updating Pang Jian on thetest situation.

    A group of foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts had left the Primordial Wilderness using the seized flying vessels. These departing invaders brought many rare spirit materials with them and seemed to be headed to the contaminated Fourth World.

    The remaining foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts had gathered their forces and settled on the Second and the Third Peaks while they tried to break through Cao Mang and Lady Hua''s meticulously built defenses on the First Peak.

    Aside from these few peaks, there were almost no foreign race warriors or Vicious Beasts in the rest of the Primordial Wilderness. The surviving cultivators only needed to stay as far away from the conflict and hide in secluded ces to survive this ordeal.

    "The major sects will eventually gather their forces ande to the Primordial Wilderness. The invaders can''t hold out for long. Unexpectedly, Cao Mang¡ªthat old dog¡ªis actually so formidable.

    "He used an underground spirit vein in the Primordial Wilderness to build a Spirit ughtering Astral Array with the First Peak as the base. If the foreign races can''t break through the array, they can''t reach the summit and can only watch Cao Mang unt his power!"

    "It''s really infuriating!" Huang Qi cursed in frustration.

    Pang Jian gazed into the distance. A radiant light surrounded the two-thousand-zhang-tall First Peak. The de-like lights intertwined like a giant, enveloping the entire summit.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Spiritual qi continuously converged on the summit of the First Peak, bathing it in divine light, creating a majestic and mystical sight.

    Pang Jian could not see Cao Mang, Lady Hua, or Jiu Yuan, but he could sense a powerful killing intent emanating from the First Peak.

    "Cao Mang and Jiu Yuan, are the two of them still alive?" Pang Jian asked.

    "Unfortunately for you, those bastards are alive and well thanks to the Spirit ughtering Astral Array." Huang Qi sighed deeply. He did not care if the nearby rogue cultivators and noble family elders overheard them. "Why didn''t the foreign races bring any Rank Seven powerhouses?"

    "Rank Seven?" Pang Jian''s curiosity was piqued. "What would happen if Rank Seven foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts arrived?"

    "I was just joking." Huang Qi rolled his eyes and shook his head with a bitter smile. "Let''s hope they don''te. The Third World can''t handle Rank Seven foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts. If a few were toe, the Primordial Wilderness would have fallen long ago. You, me, and everyone else would be dead.

    "Rank Seven foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts can not only destroy the Primordial Wilderness in a short time but also threaten the nearby fragmentednds and even the Dark Abyss Continent.

    "Rank Seven beings are equivalent to Soul Wandering Realm cultivators. They shouldn''t exist in the Third World and is beyond what the five major sects can handle."

    "Oh." Pang Jian nodded and dismissed his idea.

    <i>An underground spirit vein...</i>

    Raising his eyebrows, Pang Jian tentatively asked, "If the underground spirit vein were to be destroyed, would the Spirit ughtering Astral Array still work?"

    "Of course not." Huang Qi shot him a look that suggested he should know better. "Even though the Primordial Wilderness only has a small spirit vein, it''s still extremely precious.

    "All the major sects like the Radiant Sun Sect, the Star River Alliance, the Red Mountain Sect, and the Blood Moon Sect relied on spirit veins when they were first established. If the spirit veins were destroyed, the foundations of these sects would be ruined.

    "Even the arrays protecting these sects are often linked to spirit veins. If the spirit veins were severed or depleted, the sects would have to find new grounds and relocate."

    Pang Jian listened attentively to Huang Qi''s exnation and nodded in understanding

    Then, seeing that some people were approaching out of curiosity, Pang Jian bade Huang Qi farewell, "This ce is too dangerous. I''d better not stay here."

    Near a river valley adjacent to the Third Peak, Pang Jian stopped by a winding stream and established a connection with the ck turtle.

    The ck turtle''s nameless fragmentednd was now extremely close and it would not be long before it reached the Primordial Wilderness.

    <i>There''s a spirit vein in the Primordial Wilderness. Can you absorb it?</i> Pang Jian asked.

    The ck turtle soon replied, telling Pang Jian it was headed toward the Primordial Wilderness specifically for that spirit vein.

 Chapter 193: The Desperate Battle of the Foreign Races

    <h4>Chapter 193: The Desperate Battle of the Foreign Races</h4>

    <i>So you''reing for that spirit vein!</i> Pang Jian eximed in excitement.

    After forming his divine sense, Pang Jian noticed hismunication with the ck turtle had be much smoother. The ck turtle understood his transmitted thoughts more urately and could express itself more easily as well.

    <i>Divine sense may not drastically boost mybat prowess, but its versatile applications are incredibly beneficial to me, </i>Pang Jian thought.

    Delighted, Pang Jian continued to converse with the ck turtle.

    The ck turtle told Pang Jian that his presence in the Primordial Wilderness had allowed it to detect the underground spirit vein. For the ck turtle, a spirit vein was far more precious than a mineral vein as it was crucial for its advancement and the creation of a blessednd.

    <i>In that case, let me help you be stronger and assist you in obtaining that spirit vein! </i>

    Sinking to the riverbed, Pang Jian retrieved the barrels containing the blood of the Rank Seven Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf and the Rank Seven Blood Lizard from his spatial bracelet and sent them over to the ck turtle using his bronze pendant.

    The ck turtle eagerly devoured the blood of the Rank Seven Vicious Beasts, causing its body to swell once again. Its massive feet glowed with divine light and the natural patterns on its shell seemed to wriggle as if they were alive. Finally, an immense surge of blood essence burst forth.

    The nameless fragmentednd rumbled as clusters of faint spiritual qi were rapidly drawn to it.

    The ck turtle then transmitted an astonishing message. As long as Pang Jian set foot on its territory, he could wield some of its power. This would allow Pang Jian to harmonize with thend, greatly enhancing his strength and granting him unique abilities.

    <i>Harmonizing with thend?</i> Pang Jian wondered, brows twitching.

    Maintaining his connection with the ck turtle, he attempted to examine the nameless fragmentednd.

    His perception through the ck turtle was amplified a thousandfold!

    Pang Jian could sense every de of grass, tree, mountain, stone, and creature within the forest of the vast nameless fragmentednd!

    He could even sense the blood flowing within the birds and beasts.

    Even the smallest insects and the thin wings on their backs were visible to Pang Jian.

    <i>So this is harmonizing with thend!</i>

    Pang Jian realized he could direct the increasingly dense spiritual qi within the nameless fragmentednd at will. He could concentrate the spiritual qi in the forest on Cloud Ind or divert it elsewhere.

    <i>If I can manipte the spiritual qi in the nameless fragmentednd, does that mean I could infuse my attacks with the abundant spiritual qi while I''m there? Could I deny my enemies ess to spiritual qi if they were on the nameless fragmentednd?</i> Pang Jian pondered.

    Noting the direction of his thoughts, the ck turtle informed Pang Jian that the fragmentednd''s power could suppress and weaken anyone on it, preventing them from fully utilizing their strength.

    Pang Jian was amazed.

    <i>I can weaken my enemy''s strength while significantly enhancing mine!</i>

    He recalled how Ni Chen from the Blood Moon Sect had attempted to create a sinister crimson canopy in Misty Swamp, iming it would boost the Blood Moon Sect disciples'' strength while limiting the strength of outsiders.

    However, Luo Hongyan''s Spirit Devils had torn apart the canopy before it could fully form, so Pang Jian never got to experience its intricacies.

    ording to the ck turtle, its nameless fragmentednd worked in the same way, allowing it to achieve an almost god-like status while restricting all other inhabitants on it.

    <i>Thanks to you, I can wield your authority on that nameless fragmentednd. I can freely use the spiritual qi and observe everyone''s every move. If anyone dares to oppose me, their strength will be greatly diminished while mine increases. This... </i>Pang Jian''s eyes lit up with excitement.

    <i>If what the ck turtle says is true, wouldn''t I, Pang Jian, with only my Profound Abode Realm cultivation, be able to contend with Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators on its nameless fragmentednd?</i>

    Pang Jian could not help but fantasize about luring Jiu Yuan, Lou Yunming, and the other Spirit Condensation Realm elders to that nameless fragmentednd and killing them one by one.

    <i>Crack! </i>

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The ck turtle continued to grow, causing the surrounding stones to crack and the ground of the fragmentednd to shake. The blood of Rank Seven Vicious Beasts had provided the ck turtle with immense help in boosting its strength and size.

    As it was about to enter a brief slumber, the ck turtle transmitted onest message, stating that it could influence parts of the Primordial Wilderness and turn it into its dominion once it arrived.

    <i>I could influence the Primordial Wilderness! </i>A n began to form in Pang Jian''s mind.

    Over the next few days, Pang Jian remained patient, periodically connecting to the ck turtle as he awaited the arrival of the nameless fragmentednd. The fragmentednd continued to travel onward despite the ck turtle being in a state of hibernation.

    The ck turtle had cleverly maneuvered the nameless fragmentednd beneath thick clouds bordering the Third and Fourth World so it could travel undetected.

    The thick clouds beneath the Third World meant that the inhabitants of the Fourth World only ever saw a perpetual gray sky and could never see the sun, moon, or stars. At best, they could asionally glimpse the floating fragmentednds above the clouds.

    One day, in a cave on the Fourth Peak, after lying in the copper chest to absorb sr, lunar, and ster energies, Pang Jian reestablished a connection with the ck turtle.

    The ck turtle was now extremely close to the Primordial Wilderness. It was so close that he could see the vague outline of the Primordial Wilderness from the nameless fragmentednd.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    A Fire Cloud Ship and a Formless Sailboat left the Primordial Wilderness and headed toward the Fourth World. Boarded on the flying vessels were members of the Celestial Race, the Ghost Race, the Demon Scale Race, and the Wood Race.

    These foreign race warriors were carrying their spoils from the Primordial Wilderness to the contaminated Fourth World, intending to deliver the crucial spirit materials from the Fourth World to the Fifth World.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    In the cave, Pang Jian suddenly felt the ground tremble. Pushing aside the rocks blocking the entrance, he stood on the mountainside of the Fourth Peak and gazed into the distance.

    Five towering one-eyed giants, each several dozen zhang tall, were climbing the First Peak under the cover of night. Although they had bodies as tough as granite, they were covered in bone-deep wounds. Strangely enough, no blood flowed from these wounds.

    Blinding lights shot out from the cave dwellings and killing arrays embedded within the stone paths as the one-eyed giants climbed the First Peak.

    The two-thousand-zhang-high First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness was like a spiked beast inflicting constant injury to the one-eyed giants.

    Despite their growing wounds, the howling one-eyed giants relentlessly continued their ascent.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The warriors of the Celestial Race and the Demon Scale Race on the Second Peak flew toward the summit of the First Peak. The members of the Wood Race and the Ghost Race had already left the Third Peak and coordinated with the one-eyed giants tounch a fearless assault on the summit of the First Peak.

    It was destined to be a fierce battle.

    A one-eyed giant finally managed to reach the summit when an enormous three-legged cauldron appeared. The cauldron''s walls were engraved with nine suns, which zed with a brilliant light.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The cauldron struck the one-eyed giant. and it fell from the First Peak, causing the ground to tremble once more. Just like that, the powerful one-eyed giant was met with a heroic end.

    "The Nine Suns Cauldron is truly extraordinary!"

    "The Radiant Sun Sect must trust Yang Rui immensely to bestow such a high-grade spiritual artifact upon him for protection."

    Exmations of awe echoed from a distant valley and Pang Jian could faintly hear their words from where he stood halfway up the Fourth Peak

    Pang Jian continued to watch the battle closely.

    That night, three one-eyed giants met their end. Dozens of warriors from the Ghost Race, the Wood Race, and the Demon Scale Race perished, and over a hundred Rank Four and Rank Five Vicious Beastsy dead.

    Their bodies were strewn across the valleys of the First Peak.

    None of the invading forces had managed to break through the Spirit ughtering Astral Array and reach the summit of the First Peak. The foreign race warriors eventually retreated, regrouping at the Second Peak and the Third Peak to heal their injuries and prepare for another assault.

    "The foreign race warriors won''tst much longer." Huang Qi''s voice came from beneath a long, narrow rock below Pang Jian. He grinned and waved at Pang Jian before continuing, "The weaker foreign race warriors have already flown away on flying vessels. The ones left behind don''t seem to n on leaving alive.

    "Cao Mang and the others won''t need reinforcements after one or two more waves of their suicidal assaults on the summit. At that point, Old Monster Cao will likely even leave the summit to hunt them.

    "They''ll eventually meet their doom if they can''t break the Spirit ughtering Astral Array and just keep attacking recklessly," Huang Qi said, shaking his head regretfully.

    Pang Jian leaped down and stood beside Huang Qi to stare at the scattered rogue cultivators and noble family elders in a distant valley.

    <i>Those people...</i>

    "Shouldn''t the foreign race warriors have noticed them?" Pang Jian asked. "Why haven''t they attacked?"

    "They tried," Huang Qi said with a smile. "But whenever the foreign race warriors riding ck wyverns approached, they scattered and hid in the nearby forests, caves, and valleys before concealing their presence.

    "The foreign race warriors have limited manpower now that they''ve lost some of their numbers and sent people to the Fourth World. They don''t have the resources to y hide-and-seek with these cultivators.

    "They also seem to have realized the spirit materials these cultivators carry arergely redundant and aren''t worth their time to pursue.

    "The invading forces are more interested in capturing the First Peak and seizing the treasures from Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators like Cao Mang, Lady Hua, Jiu Yuan, Lou Yunming, and Wei Wenhan. Their main objective ining here is to collect rare spirit materials, not to kill human cultivators."

    Pang Jian nodded in understanding.

    The two chatted for some time on the mountainside of the Fourth Peak when Pang Jian noticed a giant umbre approaching from the Fifth Peak.

    "Liang Ying of the Star River Alliance," Pang Jian said coldly.

 Chapter 194: Harmonizing with the Land!

    <h4>Chapter 194: Harmonizing with the Land!</h4>

    As Pang Jian stared at therge umbre, he could not help but recall Liang Ying''s hypocritical face as she pursued him after leaving Emerald Lake.

    Huang Qi chuckled. "It seems everyone knows the foreign races are at the end of their rope. They n to switch from defense to offense the moment the foreign races are defeated and hunt down the stragglers to umte wealth.

    "The bodies of Rank Five and Rank Six Vicious Beasts and foreign races are treasures. The scales of the Rank Six Demon Scale Race warriors, the eyes of the one-eyed giants, the heart of the Wood Race warriors, and the skin of the Ghost Race warriors¡ªtsk tsk, their bodies are full of excellent spirit materials.

    "The Blood Moon Sect is quite skilled at handling the corpses of the foreign races." Huang Qi''s eyes shone with greed. It was clear he also nned to take a share of the spoils at the First Peak after the invading forces from the Fifth World were defeated.

    Pang Jian remained silent.

    Suddenly, he sensed the presence of the ck turtle.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The Primordial Wilderness trembled.

    Quickly establishing a connection to the ck turtle, Pang Jian saw that the ck turtle''s nameless fragmentednd was now hanging upside down to merge with the Primordial Wilderness from below.

    <i>The ck turtle had arrived!</i>

    At that moment, a profound sensation struck Pang Jian as he abruptly gained a god-like perspective of thend.

    He could see all the mountains surrounding the First Peak, from the warriors from the Celestial Race and the Demon Scale Race; the Wood Race and Ghost Race warriors hidden among the dense leaves, tree hollows, and caves; to Cao Mang, Lady Hua, Jiu Yuan, Yang Rui, and the other cultivators gathered on the summit of the First Peak!

    None could escape his gaze!

    No matter how well the elders of noble families and the rogue cultivators hid in the valleys, forests, andkes, Pang Jian could still see them. If he concentrated, he could even hear their conversations, sense the blood essence in their bodies, and judge the strength of their spiritual power within their spiritual seas.

    Pang Jian felt like a god in the Primordial Wilderness, looking down at the living beings within his domain.

    He also saw a winding, crystalline vein, coiling like a snake deep within the heart of the First Peak.

    <i>The underground spirit vein!</i>

    This was the key to the Spirit ughtering Astral Array.

    He then saw the massive ck turtle preparing to absorb the spirit vein.

    <i>Wait!</i> Pang Jian called out.

    The ck turtle hade specifically for the spirit vein and sent a confused inquiry to Pang Jian.

    <i>The spirit vein will be yours but just wait for a more opportune moment, </i>Pang Jian reassured.

    Pang Jian then eavesdropped on the conversations of both the invading forces from the Fifth World and the human cultivators.

    Cao Mang did not seem to be worried at all. The cultivators on the First Peak nned tounch a counterattack against the foreign race warriors after one more wave. The elders from noble families of the Third World, rogue cultivators, and Liang Ying''s group nned to work with them.

    Fang Boxuan was also part of the group, and Pang Jian saw him coordinating their attack with Jiu Yuan through a blood talisman.

    On the other hand, the foreign race warriors had decided to wait a bit longer before attacking the First Peak again as they believed the reserve of the underground spirit vein was nearly exhausted.

    Unwilling to give up, they nned to use their remaining forces tounch onest assault on the First Peak, aiming to kill key figures like Cao Mang.

    The foreign race warriors had gathered information from the human cultivators they had hunted and had learned that Cao Mang, Lady Hua, and a few other powerful cultivators possessed items their race members in the lower world urgently needed.

    If they could kill these targets and obtain their spatial bracelets, the warriors in the lower world would have a chance to break the seal of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs, allowing them to send stronger race members to the upper worlds.

    The warriors of the Celestial Race could fly and the Demon Scale Race had the ck wyverns, so they nned to make a desperate attempt to kill Cao Mang and the others before swiftly retreating from the Primordial Wilderness.

    <i>A great battle was imminent. The key to this battle is the Spirit ughtering Astral Array and, by extension, the underground spirit vein!</i>

    Now that Pang Jian fully understood the bigger picture, he started to experiment with the wonders of harmonizing with thend.

    He tried to observe Huang Qi through the ck turtle and saw a mysterious area below Huang Qi''s heart where a vast sea of deep red mist churned.

    <i>The Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint!</i>

    Pang Jian was astonished. Huang Qi had cultivated the Grand Providence Sacred Body to a high level of mastery. As he probed further, he found that the immense blood essences surging within Huang Qi''s body wereparable to that of a Rank Six Vicious Beast!

    Moreover, the spiritual power in Huang Qi''s seemingly limited spiritual sea was extremely refined. Each strand of Huang Qi''s spiritual power appeared several times stronger than his own.

    A passage from the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art shed in Pang Jian''s mind.

    <i>Upon reaching the Spirit Condensation Realm, one''s spiritual sea will expand again, and one''s spiritual power will be even more refined.</i>

    Huang Qi was not an ordinary Profound Abode Realm cultivator, but rather a highly aplished Spirit Condensation Realm cultivator!

    Not to mention, he also had a Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint to store blood essence, making him one of the top fighters in the Primordial Wilderness!

    No wonder he dared to openly confront Cao Mang and Lady Hua back at the trading hall.

    Pang Jian then shifted his god-like vision to Liang Ying of the Star River Alliance.

    Liang Ying''s spiritual power was extremely refined, but she did not have a special acupoint for storing blood essence. She was in the Spirit Condensation Realm and had seven dazzling stars above her dantian. The stars in her dantian were fewer but muchrger than those in his own dantian.

    Pang Jian curiously turned his attention to Xie Xiwen. There were dozens of bright yet mysterious stars in her rtively small dantian. Although she had far more stars than Liang Ying, they were also slightly smaller.

    Next was Fang Boxuan from the Blood Moon Sect. He had an acupoint above his navel that also stored extraordinary blood essences, and every meridian and blood vessel in his body was so refined they emitted a dazzling red light. Evidently, Fang Boxuan also practiced body refining techniques and had an incredibly strong body.

    "Strange," Huang Qi muttered uneasily. "Can that old dog, Cao Mang, and that woman spy on me through the array? I felt as if a gaze was scanning my body just now. How strange."

    Pang Jian was taken aback.

    <i>Huang Qi, a rogue cultivator, could vaguely sense my probing. He''s truly formidable.</i>

    "There''s a person on the side of the Fourth Peak." Xie Xiwen from the Star River Alliance grasped the star disk hanging at her slender waist. Her bright eyes gleamed as she spotted Pang Jian and Huang Qi on the star disk.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Her eyes shone as bright as diamonds as she gathered her ster energy and channeled it into the star disk.

    Although she did not recognize Huang Qi with his changed appearance, she was familiar with the other person.

    "Pang Jian!" she eximed. Turning her head to nce at the puzzled Liang Ying, she asked, "Elder Liang, didn''t you say the one-eyed giant locked onto him and that he should''ve died long ago?"

    Liang Ying frowned. She found the situation strange as well. "Before I went back to find you, he flew under the crotch of a Rank Six one-eyed giant. Since it targeted him, I thought he was dead for sure."

    "Did he escape the one-eyed giant''s pursuit?" Xie Xiwen said with a hint of admiration.

    Fang Boxuan shuddered, staring toward the Fourth Peak and spotting the familiar blurry figure.

    "Pang Jian..." he muttered, eyes flickering with a strange light.

    He had not mentioned his previous encounters with Pang Jian to the Star River Alliance nor the altercation between Pang Jian and his senior brothers and sisters.

    While passing through that valley earlier, he had deliberately avoided the area where the corpses of Bai Guanjie and the othersy. He did not want to nce at it or even recall those memories.

    It was like a piece of his dark past was buried there. Unexpectedly, Xie Xiwen discovered Pang Jian before they even reached the Fourth Peak, causing his mood to sink.

    "You''ve encountered him too?" Xie Xiwen asked in surprise.

    Fang Boxuan nodded calmly. "After leaving the First Peak, I had a brief encounter with him."

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian, noticing he had been discovered, took a moment to ponder his next actions.

    "I''ll go down and talk to the people from the Star River Alliance," he finally said.

    "Suit yourself, I don''t like people from the major sects anyway. I''d rather go ahead and find those rogue cultivators," Huang Qi replied.

    The two then parted ways.

    Pang Jian wore the blue robe of the Sword Pavilion then slid down from the mountainside of the Fourth Peak, waiting patiently for the arrival of the Star River Alliance.

    <i>There was no one around at Emerald Lake. If I had worn these robes...</i>

    Pang Jian shook his head. He had not yet advanced to the Profound Abode Realm back then and Liang Ying had been on his tail, leaving him no time to change his clothes.

    Besides, he had a feeling his robes would not have altered Liang Ying''s intent to kill. Liang Ying''s cultivation realm had been two realms higher than his at the time and could have killed him instantly.

    Moreover, a Spirit Condensation Realm elder of the Star River Alliance had no reason to fear an outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion in the Innate Realm.

    "What?! The Sword Pavilion?" Xie Xiwen eximed in surprise.

    "The Sword Pavilion!" The surviving disciples of the Star River Alliance were also surprised to see Pang Jian wearing the robe of the Sword Pavilion.

    "Greetings, Elder Liang." Pang Jian cupped his hands in greeting and stared directly into Liang Ying''s eyes. "I left in a hurry earlier and could not ept your kind invitation to join forces. May I ask what Senior wanted to ask me back then?"

    Pang Jian''s expression was calm as if nothing had happened between them.

 Chapter 195: Joining Forces

    <h4>Chapter 195: Joining Forces</h4>

    Liang Ying did not reply. Her gaze stopped at the emblem on Pang Jian''s chest, then dropped to the sword-shaped token hanging on his waist.

    <i>The Sword Pavilion...</i>

    A deep sense of regret filled her.

    When Pang Jian had left Emerald Lake, she hesitated to summon her Star Crushing Umbre because she was concerned about what Xie Xiwen and the other disciples would think. As a result, Pang Jian had escaped unscathed.

    "I just wanted to ask you some questions about Huang Qi," Liang Ying casually replied. "What''s with that outfit of yours?"

    "I once went through a trial with Qi Qingsong. Back then, he promised to find a way to secure me a spot as an outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion but I didn''t take his words seriously. Surprisingly, when I encountered him again here in the Primordial Wilderness, he had be an inner disciple and had kept his promise," Pang Jian said calmly.

    "Securing you a spot as an outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion wouldn''t be too difficult for Qi Qingsong given his status now." Liang Ying nodded, smiling kindly even as she secretly used her divine sense to probe Pang Jian. "However, even after you take the token to the Sword Pavilion, you''ll still have to undergo tests. The Sword Pavilion is very cautious even when epting an outer disciple. They wouldn''t¡ª"

    Liang Ying cut herself off mid-sentence.

    "Profound Abode Realm!" she eximed in shock.

    Pang Jian had broken through to a new realm in the few days since they met at Emerald Lake!

    "Profound Abode Realm?" The disciples of the Star River Alliance were stunned by her words.

    Pang Jian was visibly under twenty years old. A Profound Abode Realm cultivator his age would cause a sensation anywhere in the Third World!

    Only exceptional talents like Xie Xiwen and Fang Boxuan could advance to the Profound Abode Realm before the age of twenty, and they were both cherished by their sects like precious treasures.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian, with his rumored background from the Solitary Mountain Range of the Fourth World, had not officially joined the Sword Pavilion but had already reached the Profound Abode Realm!

    "Sword Pavilion will likely ept you as an inner disciple once they meet you in person," Liang Ying said with mixed emotions.

    <i>Amazing! </i>A round-faced female disciple from the Star River Alliance thought, ncing between Pang Jian and Fang Boxuan. <i>Fang Boxuan is more handsome but Pang Jian appears colder. They''re both close in age and in the Profound Abode Realm. </i>

    <i>Fang Boxuan is the cultivation genius of the Blood Moon Sect while Pang Jian has a good chance of bing an inner disciple of the Sword Pavilion like Qi Qingsong.</i>

    <i>Such a tough choice... </i>The girl bit her lip in contemtion.

    "I heard Cao Mang and the others at the summit of the First Peak are nning tounch a counterattack after the foreign race warriors strike again," Pang Jian said. "You must''ve received the news as well. That''s why you rushed here from Emerald Lake, right?"

    "That''s correct," Liang Ying replied with a smile. Inwardly, she wondered if Pang Jian knew she had harbored ill intentions when she pursued him before.

    "If you don''t mind, can I stay with you all?" Pang Jian asked.

    "Of course," Xie Xiwen eagerly agreed before Liang Ying could respond. The innocent Xie Xiwen had been pampered since childhood and was unaware of the malice in people''s hearts. "Back then at Emerald Lake, I asked you to stay, but you insisted on leaving."

    Pang Jian''s fearless rebuke of Old Monster Cao to rescue Luo Hongyan had earned her deep respect for him, which was why she was willing to extend an olive branch.

    "Many thanks." Pang Jian cupped his hands.

    Afterward, they stopped at the foot of the Fourth Peak and waited for the foreign race warriors tounch their offensive. As night fell, the members of the Star River Alliance did not light any campfires and instead scattered in different areas.

    Liang Ying brought out her Star Crushing Umbre to shelter some of the weaker disciples, reminding them to be cautious and warning them about the dangers posed by the warriors of the Ghost Race and the Demon Scale Race.

    Fang Boxuan stood in a more secluded area, sneering into the blood talisman in his hand, "Jiu Yuan, not only is Pang Jian alive, but he''s also broken through to the Profound Abode Realm and possesses a Sword Pavilion identity token. Once he reaches the Sword Pavilion, he has a chance to be an inner disciple. Hehe, good luck with that,"

    "Jiu Yuan, I''ll kill you," Pang Jian''s voice suddenly rang out from behind Fang Boxuan.

    His abrupt appearance startled Fang Boxuan. "How did you get here without making any sound?"

    Fang Boxuan was in the Profound Abode Realm and should have been able to sense those around him within a certain range. This was an innate ability of someone in the Profound Abode Realm. For him to not have detected Pang Jian''s approach was clearly abnormal.

    Already traumatized from his previous encounter with Pang Jian, Fang Boxuan nced toward the Star Crushing Umbre and hastily said, "Pang Jian, don''t do anything reckless! Liang Ying is nearby, and I don''t want to fight you to the death!"

    The only reason he did not flee was because the Star River Alliance was nearby.

    "I deliberately concealed my presence," Pang Jian calmly said.

    Fang Boxuan felt relieved when Pang Jian did not move to attack but remained on guard. "You''ve just entered the Profound Abode Realm and are still a notch below me. You shouldn''t be able to evade my senses!"

    "Pang Jian?" Jiu Yuan''s harsh, mockingugh came from the blood talisman. "You want to kill me? Brat, you''ve just advanced to the Profound Abode Realm. What gives you the courage to say such things? Fang Boxuan, how did you end up entangled with him?

    "He killed Bai Guanjie and the others. Even if he is a disciple of the Sword Pavilion, you shouldn''t let him go!"

    As soon as Jiu Yuan started scolding him, Fang Boxuan hurriedly put away the blood talisman.

    <i>Harmonizing with thend is truly wonderful.</i> Pang Jian was ted.

    He had approached Fang Boxuan to test his abilities and found that he couldpletely conceal his presence from Fang Boxuan''s divine sense.

    Being able to avoid detection would be useful if he ever needed to assassinate someone.

    "I came here to tell Jiu Yuan I''ll make sure he dies here in the Primordial Wilderness." With that, Pang Jian promptly turned and left.

    <i>Fang Boxuan is in the Profound Abode Realm while Liang Ying is in the Spirit Condensation Realm. I wonder...</i>

    Pang Jian concealed his presence once more and stealthily approached the Star Crushing Umbre.

    It felt like he had merged with the world around him, bing one with the ancient mountains, the streams flowing through the valleys, the lush trees, and even the small pebbles on the ground.

    His physical presence, spiritual power fluctuations, and thoughts had disappeared to be part of the Primordial Wilderness.

    He slowly approached the Star Crushing Umbre, curious how long it would take for Liang Ying to sense him.

    While cultivators in the Profound Abode Realm could use their divine senses to observe their surroundings when needed, they did not do so constantly.

    Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators like Liang Ying also were not constantly using their divine senses to monitor their surroundings. However, they had their heightened awareness that they could rely on.

    When a powerful individual approached, their blood essence, spiritual power, and soul fluctuations would invariably attract their attention.

    Thirty steps, twenty steps, seven steps.

    Pang Jian, having harmonized with thend after the ck turtle''s arrival, could see the ripples in Liang Ying''s spiritual sea.

    The arrays hidden in the handle, ribs, and stars of therge Star Crushing Umbre activated unexpectedly.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The stars on the canopy of the Star Crushing Umbre lit up.

    Liang Ying stood up in surprise. She then turned to see Pang Jian standing only seven steps away. Puzzled, she asked, "What are you doing here?"

    <i>She noticed me when I was seven steps away. I can see her spiritual sea, physical state, and the arrays of the Star Crushing Umbre, but I can''t see into her sea of consciousness,</i> Pang Jian mused as he quietly tested his abilities.

    Having prepared an excuse in advance, Pang Jian said, "I just advanced to the Profound Abode Realm and there are many profound aspects of it I''m not clear about, so I wanted to ask Miss Xie for some guidance."

    He turned his attention to the innocent, kind-hearted Xie Xiwen and bowed.

    Standing up, Xie Xiwen cheerfully said, "Sure, I''ll exin it to you."

    Pang Jian thanked her and walked away from the group, with Xie Xiwen following closely behind.

    An older Profound Abode Realm disciple knitted his brows and red at Pang Jian''s broad back. "That boy isn''t nning to make a move on Xie Xiwen, is he? Xie Xiwenes from a prestigious family. She was pampered and sheltered from a young age and is unaware of theplexities of human nature. I fear this boy from the lower world will mislead her."

    "If he really did be an inner disciple of the Sword Pavilion, he would indeed have the qualifications to pursue Xie Xiwen," another disciple said dejectedly.

    "I think that''s exactly what he ns to do! He didn''t ask Elder Liang or any of us, but specifically sought out our junior sister and took her elsewhere!"

    "That bastard has impure intentions!"

    The male disciples of the Star River Alliance cursed Pang Jian in low voices, ring daggers at him the whole time.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The dazzling starlight within the Star Crushing Umbre was inexplicably extinguished. Theplex arrays engraved on the umbre appeared to malfunction, and the flow of spiritual power stagnated.

    Liang Ying''s expression dropped as she tightly gripped the umbre handle and carefully examined it with her divine sense.

    <i>There¡¯s no damage at all? All the arrays were intact. How could the flow of spiritual energy suddenly stop?</i>

    In a foul mood, Liang Ying could not be bothered about the usations thrown at Pang Jian and waved everyone away from the Star Crushing Umbre. She methodically inspected it, determined to ensure there was nothing wrong with the Star Crushing Umbre.

    The Star Crushing Umbre was the most powerful spirit artifact in her possession and was crucial to her survival!

    She could not afford to have any issues with it!

    If the Star Crushing Umbre were to malfunction while she was fighting against a Rank Six foreign race warrior or Vicious Beast, she could pay with her life.

    <i>Impossible. An advanced-grade spirit artifact forged by the Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect could never have any issues!</i> Liang Ying reassured herself as she repeatedly checked the Star Crushing Umbre over.

    She infused it with spiritual power and divine sense over a dozen times and did not find any abnormalities with the flow of spiritual power.

    <i>It was probably just a minor incident. </i>Liang Ying breathed a sigh of relief, but could not let go of the lingering worry in her heart.

    She no longer cared about Pang Jian''s appearance, his status as an outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion, and his request to see Xie Xiwen.

    <i>Why did he call Xie Xiwen aside? </i>Fang Boxuan wondered as he watched Pang Jian from behind a boulder.

    Pang Jian''s series of actions left him utterly baffled. First, he had approached Fang Boxuan only to then stealthily move closer to the Star Crushing Umbre.

    <i>What''s he nning?</i>

 Chapter 196: The Potential of Cultivating Ones Soul

    <h4>Chapter 196: The Potential of Cultivating One''s Soul</h4>

    <i>I can disrupt the flow of spiritual power in the array of a spirit artifact!</i> Pang Jian¡¯s eyes gleamed excitedly at the revtion that he had sessfully sabotaged the Star Crushing Umbre.

    After some experimenting, Pang Jian discovered he could cause theplex arrays within Liang Ying¡¯s Star Crushing Umbre to malfunction when harmonizing with thend. This realization only boosted his confidence.

    ¡°In the early stages of the Profound Abode Realm, when divine sense first manifests, one can observe the intricacies of one''s body and perceive one''s surrounding environment...¡± Xie Xiwen trailed off as her delicate oval face twisted into a frown. Noticing Pang Jian''s distracted gaze, she asked in displeasure, "Pang Jian, are you listening to me?"

    ¡°I¡¯m trying out what you''ve told me,¡± Pang Jian hurriedly apologized.

    "Oh, I see." Embarrassed, she added softly, "You can take your time and try it out once I''m finished. I''ll exin it to you in more detail then."

    She then exined that one should carefully nurture their sea of consciousness in the early stages of the Profound Abode Realm and aim to form more strands of divine sense.

    Each cultivator''s innate talent was different, so the amount of divine sense each cultivator could produce varied based on the individual. Only after one''s brain had been fully developed and no more divine sense could be manifested, could one hope to control their divine sense and advance to the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm.

    <i>So the initial amount of divine sense a cultivator can form depends on the individual?</i>

    Pang Jian then realized that he could not peer into the sea of consciousness of the young girl in front of him, even while harmonizing with thend. He found it simrly difficult to peer into the sea of consciousness of other nearby cultivators like Liang Ying and Fang Boxuan.

    The sea of consciousness within the human brain was so mysterious that Pang Jian could not glimpse it even in his god-like state of harmonizing with thend. It was a true forbidden zone within all beings that even deities could not touch.

    Unable to unravel the mysteries of the sea of consciousness, Pang Jian moved on.

    "How many strands of divine sense have you manifested?" he asked.

    ¡°Ny-three strands so far,¡± Xie Xiwen replied with undisguised pride. ¡°Most cultivators in the early stage of the Profound Abode Realm can''t manifest more than fifty strands. It¡¯s said that only core disciples of the major sects in the First World have the potential to manifest more than a hundred strands.

    "Divine sense, once fully cultivated to its limit in the early stage of the Profound Abode Realm, will not increase in number until the cultivator reaches the Spirit Condensation Realm. Only by refining one''s divine soul can the total strands of divine sense be increased again."

    She then eagerly exined that the total amount of divine sense one could form in the Profound Abode Realm indicated one¡¯s talent and potential for soul cultivation.

    <i>Most cultivators won¡¯t form more than fifty strands of divine sense...</i>

    Pang Jian looked into his sea of consciousness and realized his strands had already exceeded fifty. He had not paid much attention to the quantity before, but now noticed he had sixty-eight strands.

    Moreover, he had recently been using the life energy from three green leaves to nourish his sea of consciousness, causing more strands of divine sense to emerge over time. This meant his number of strands was still increasing.

    Only when no more strands could be produced could he try to control them and advance to the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm.

    ¡°Thank you for enlightening me,¡± Pang Jian sincerely thanked Xie Xiwen. Taking out a bottle of herbal juice from his spatial bracelet, he gave it to Xie Xiwen and said seriously, ¡°I participated in a trial with Qi Qingsong and Dong Tianze and was fortunate to obtain this herbal juice. Drinking it can help you avoid attacks from the invading forces of the Fifth World.¡±

    Xie Xiwen held the bottle of herbal juice in her jade-white hand, bright eyes shining with curiosity.

    "I heard many cultivators entered Eight Trigrams City through a Mirror Tunnel," she remarked. ¡°Pang Jian, is Eight Trigrams City really located on a Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir in the Fifth World?¡±

    Pang Jian nodded. ¡°There are seven Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs in total. Eight Trigrams City is situated on the fifth pir.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s true!¡± Xie Xiwen eximed. She put away the herbal juice and let out a rxed smile. "I probably won''t need it. It''ll be our turn to hunt and kill the invading forces from the Fifth World after the next assault on the First Peak.

    With that, Xie Xiwen turned and left.

    ¡°Not necessarily...¡± Pang Jian murmured once she had gone.

    After distancing himself from the Star River Alliance, he harmonized with thend to monitor the situation in the Primordial Wilderness.

    Yu Gu of the Celestial Race had gathered the leaders of the Ghost Race, Demon Scale Race, and Wood Race to discuss the offensive that would be carried out at nightfall the next day.

    Yu Gu dered he would burn his blood essence to attack the First Peak with an unwavering determination.

    The other leaders also resolved to burn away their lives in the final battle. They hoped to destroy the First Peak¡¯s grand array and seize the precious spirit materials from the Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators, paving the way for their Race members to ascend to upper worlds in the future.

    ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s battle will be brutal,¡± Pang Jian muttered emotionlessly.

    After calming his mind, he took out spirit jades to cultivate, channeling his spiritual power and the life energy from three leaves into his brain¡¯s acupoints and nerve fibers.

    Exhausting the life energy from the leaves had allowed him to form two more strands of divine sense in his sea of consciousness.

    <i>The life energy from the little tree has greatly aided me in manifesting my divine sense!</i>

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Two new green leaves suddenly formed in his heart.

    The World Eater Vine in Misty Swamp had never forgotten about Pang Jian and would always surprise him at unexpected moments.

    Establishing a connection with the World Eater Vine, Pang Jian saw that Misty Swamp was now covered in nts and trees.

    The tallest tree had already exceeded ten zhang in height!

    Misty Swamp was continuing to slowly expand outward!

    The World Eater Vine had sent a batch of seeds and saplings to Misty Swamp Vige and Divine Fortune City, allowing strange nts and flowers to grow in every nook, cranny, and crevice.

    Divine Fortune appeared lush and verdant when viewed from above as it brimmed with a sinister vitality.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Vicious Beasts roamed Misty Swamp Vige and Divine Fortune City, breaking wooden and stone doors to scavenge.

    He also heard the cries of birds.

    Many flying beasts could be seen carrying wounded Vicious Beasts as they returned from distant fragmentednds.

    The flying avians and Vicious Beasts had clearly been engaged in fiercebat. Bloody holes resembling arrow wounds marred the golden eagles, gray falcons, and dark blue hawks. They were all heavily injured, with some even having severed limbs.

    The giant roc''s horde had engaged in bloody battles against those in the uncontaminated fragmentednds and they had suffered heavy casualties.

    Many cultivators had likely also died in the human cities they attacked.

    <i>I wonder which n''s fragmentednds they attacked</i>, Pang Jian wondered.

    Pushing the question to the back of his mind, he shifted his attention to the World Eater Vine and informed it about the Wood Race members from the Fifth World. They would revere it as a deity, so he asked the little tree to be mindful of their arrival.

    In response, the World Eater Vine told Pang Jian that the Wood Race members were already descending and had long sensed their presence.

    Pang Jian was astonished. The Wood Race members had reached Divine Fortune unexpectedly fast. He also marveled at how smooth hismunication with the little tree had be.

    It was unclear whether this was due to his newly manifested divine sense or the little tree¡¯s growing intelligence.

    After exchanging a few more words with the World Eater Vine, Pang Jian severed the connection.

    He habitually reached for a Mind Soothing Pill only to realize he did not feel tired.

    A quarter of his divine sense in his sea of consciousness had slightly thinned, but his usual exhaustion and drowsiness were absent.

    After swallowing a Mind Soothing Pill, some of the thinned strands of divine sense slowly regained their fullness, and Pang Jian realized his mental strength was responsible for replenishing them.

    His strands of divine sense became thicker when his mental strength was abundant and thinner when he was mentally exhausted.

    <i>I wonder how many strands of divine sense I can form.</i>

    Pang Jian once again started to nourish his sea of consciousness with spiritual power and the life energy from five leaves.

    The next day, at nightfall, an ear-piercing voice rang out from the summit of the Primordial Wilderness''s Second Peak.

    "Cao Mang, today is the day you die!"

    Everyone within a radius of several miles heard the shout.

    Pang Jian stood up and gazed at the darkening sky.

    The sun had just set, and the moon and stars had yet to appear. Neither the members of the Radiant Sun Sect nor the Star River Alliance could enhance their powerful spiritual artifacts and techniques with the power of the sun, moon, and stars.

    Yu Gu pped his six pairs of wings as he flew toward the summit of the First Peak. His wings grew visiblyrger and radiated dazzling blue divine light.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Clusters of azure mes spewed from Yu Gu''s wings and transformed into a sea of fire. Yu Gu''s body rapidly withered. It seemed he was burning his very blood essence to unleash the attack.

    ¡°He''s doomed to die, no matter how this battle ends,¡± Liang Ying sneered at the sight. ¡°It¡¯s useless. He can¡¯t break the Spirit ughtering Astral Array. The foreign race warriors are doomed!

    ¡°Everyone, be ready. Once this Celestial Race leader dies, we¡¯ll hunt down the invading foreign races!¡±

    The members of the Star River Alliance responded with a resounding affirmation.

    "The foreign races are desperate, but their fate is sealed. They''ll all perish in the Primordial Wilderness!"

    The rogue cultivators, elders from the noble families of the Third World, and other cultivators all emerged from their hiding spots.

    Their gazes were fixed on the summit of the First Peak, watching as the Rank Six powerhouses from the Demon Scale Race, the Wood Race, and the Ghost Racefollowed Yu Gu''s lead tounch their attack.

    Colossal one-eyed giants, Ghost Race warriors riding Ghost Apes, and surviving Rank Four and Rank Five Vicious Beasts gathered at the foot of the First Peak to attack the human cultivators who had finallye out of hiding.

    ¡°Kill them!¡±

 Chapter 197: The Final Battle Begins!

    <h4>Chapter 197: The Final Battle Begins!</h4>

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    A Rank Six one-eyed giant charged forward, drawing massive boulders from the mountain valley. The boulders orbited around it like stars, further enhancing its imposing aura.

    Several Rank Five one-eyed giants channeled their strength as they followed the Rank Six one-eyed giant.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The hundreds of boulders resembled a meteor shower as they crashed into the valley where Huang Qi and the others had gathered.

    The rogue cultivators and noble family elders cursed as they summoned their powerful spirit artifacts to fend off the falling meteors and then engaged in battle with the charging Vicious Beasts.

    <i>It''s begun!</i>

    Pang Jian harmonized with thend to observe the battlefield from a god-like perspective.

    A Rank Six female Wood Race warrior sat on an Ice Sculpture Beast as she flew toward the First Peak. She wore a thorn crown on her head and softly chanted incantations.

    The thorns on the crown pierced the delicate blood vessels on the head of the mighty Wood Race warrior, greedily siphoning her thick blood essence and life force.

    Towering trees sprang up from the ground, branches soaring high into the sky before rushing toward the summit of the First Peak.

    The leader of the Demon Scale Race burned his blood as he rode his Rank Six ck wyvern, causing it to rain down from the sky. Each drop carried the intense heat of the Fifth World''s earthme magma, along with corrosive and destructive energy.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Spirit ughtering Astral Array on the First Peak hissed as the blood corroded it. Unfortunately, the blood seeped through the mesh of spiritual power to ssh uselessly onto the rocky ground, and the corroded web of lights swiftly reformed.

    <i>Underground...</i>

    Pang Jian focused his mind. Countless spirit jades were piled beside the radiant spirit vein deep beneath the First Peak and were being used to enhance the spirit vein''s magical properties.

    Thousands of light beams extended from the summit of the First Peak down into the depths of the earth, draping over the spirit vein and drawing on the spiritual power within the spirit jades. Like meridians, they transported this spiritual power to the heart of the First Peak, the cave dwellings, and the arrays within the stone pathways.

    Dozens of Lady Hua''s white-d women followed an underground passage into the depths of the spirit vein. They carefully ced new piles of spirit jade around the glowing spirit vein before discarding the depleted ones.

    The spirit vein resembled a slender crystalline serpent coiled deep within the heart of the First Peak. The Spirit ughtering Astral Array wrapped around the spirit vein as it continuously channeled spiritual power to the heart of the First Peak.

    <i>There must be tens of thousands of spirit jades.</i> Pang Jian clicked his tongue in astonishment.

    Thisrge-scale battle would undoubtedly cause significant losses for Cao Mang. Tens of thousands of spirit jades, equivalent to millions of spirit stones, were constantly being consumed.

    Once a spirit jade was depleted, it had to be swiftly reced to maintain the array and prevent it from stuttering.

    This was not the first time the invading forces from the Fifth World hadunched an attack on the First Peak. Each assault would have consumed a tremendous amount of spirit jades and Cao Mang could only endure it in silence.

    Pang Jian continued to monitor the battlefield, watching the movements of the foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts, considering when to issue the order to the ck turtle.

    Liang Ying raised her hand. The Star Crushing Umbre expanded to several dozen times its original size and loomed above everyone''s heads like a second sky.

    "Everyone, get ready!" she cried.

    The disciples of the Star River Alliance and Fang Boxuan of the Blood Moon Sect huddled under the Star Crushing Umbre.

    The intricate channels of spiritual power could be seen on the skeleton of the umbre, flowing like radiant divine water to ignite the tiny stars on its canopy.

    Fang Boxuan peered up at the river of stars and said, "Senior Liang, I heard this advanced-grade spirit artifactes from the Divine Treasure Sect."

    Liang Ying smiled and nodded. "I specifically went to the Second World and bought it for forty thousand spirit jades from a branch of the Divine Treasure Sect that sells spirit artifacts."

    "Forty thousand spirit jades?" Fang Boxuan repeated in astonishment. "Forty thousand spirit jades is equivalent to four million spirit stones. I suppose my only hope is to curry favor with my sect if I want to possess such a powerful spirit artifact."

    He was rather envious of Yang Rui. The Nine Suns Cauldron was also an advanced-grade spirit artifact like the Star Crushing Umbre and was capable of both offense and defense.

    The wealthy Radiant Sun Sect had bestowed the Nine Suns Cauldron upon Yang Rui early on, making him the top Profound Abode Realm cultivator in the Third World.

    No other Profound Abode Realm cultivator in the Third World could match up to Yang Rui due to thebination of histe-stage Profound Abode Realm cultivation and the Nine Suns Cauldron.

    "Don''t belittle yourself." Liang Ying frowned slightly. "In the eyes of the Blood Moon Sect, your status is equivalent to Yang Rui''s. They haven''t given you an advanced-grade spirit artifact of equal power because you haven''t reached thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm yet. They fear you won''t be able to fully utilize its power."

    ncing at Xie Xiwen, she added, "Xie Xiwen, the same goes for you. Once you reach thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm and are ready to break through to the Spirit Condensation Realm, our sect will bestow you a powerful advanced-grade spirit artifact."

    "It doesn''t matter to me," Xie Xiwen said, unfazed. "I just hope the alliance allows me to participate in more dangerous trials and restricted area explorations. Fang Boxuan, Yang Rui, and Zhao Yuanqi have participated in many trials after advancing to the Profound Abode Realm, but I..."

    Xie Xiwen bit her lower lip in frustration.

    "Isn''t this also a trial?" Liang Ying smiled.

    "Yes!" Xie Xiwen''s eyes sparkled with excitement. "I look forward to more challenges like this. I don''t want to be confined to secluded cultivation within the sect."

    "The sect is concerned about your parents and doesn''t want to prematurely put you in danger." Liang Ying sighed.

    Xie Xiwen belonged to the prestigious Xie Family of the Third World, one of the foremost powerful families. Both her parents were formidable cultivators and she had been born with a silver spoon in her mouth.

    Although her parents originally came from the Star River Alliance, they were now active in the Second World, but remembering their roots, they decided to send Xie Xiwen there after her birth.

    <i>Given her background, how could the Star River Alliance not handle her with care?</i>

    The Star River Alliance had not bestowed an advanced-grade spirit artifact with lethal power on Xie Xiwen because they did not want her to take risks.

    Her parents would retrieve her once she smoothly broke through to the Spirit Condensation Realm. Wanting to ensure Xie Xiwen''s safety during this time, the Star River Alliance naturally refrained from assigning her dangerous tasks.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A Gilded Chariot from the Star River Alliance flew out of a newly formed cave on the Third Peak. Many Ghost Race warriors riding Ghost Apes instantly boarded it.

    The Gilded Chariot then flew toward the valley where Pang Jian was located, and upon reaching an appropriate height, the Ghost Race warriors and their Ghost Apes descended into the valley to attack the cultivators below.

    <i>Howl!</i>

    Rank Four and Rank Five Vicious Beasts also charged in, attempting to attack Liang Ying and the others.

    "Pang Jian! Get under the Star Crushing Umbre!" Xie Xiwen shouted as she waved her hand. She feared he would be killed by the Ghost Race warriors when she saw him standing alone in the distance.

    "I''m fine." Pang Jian declined, calmly shaking his head.

    Liang Ying gritted her teeth in anger. "That''s our Gilded Chariot!"

    As she watched the chariot fly away, she reached out with her divine sense to try tomunicate with it, but a sinister force tore it apart as soon as it left her sea of consciousness.

    "Spirit Condensation Realm, elder, Liang Ying..." The leader of the Ghost Race perched on the shoulder of a Rank Five Ghost Ape with his gaze fixed on Liang Ying. In awkward-sounding humannguage, he said, "You have something we need!"

    The one-meter-tall Ghost Race leader was gaunt and resembled a ghastly ghost. A segmented snake skeleton circled his scrawny waist and a ck snakeskin covered his small frame. His venomous green eyes shed with streaks of green lightning.

    <i>Screech!</i>

    He pulled at his toothed mouth and let out a shrill shriek.

    Pang Jian''s head immediately felt like it was splitting. His omniscient view of the Primordial Wilderness was also disrupted as he was forced to steady his mind.

    A Ghost Race warrior charged at Pang Jian on the back of a Ghost Ape, intending to kill Pang Jian while his soul was in pain.

    Pang Jian watched their approach in slight bafflement.

    <i>The Ghost Race is attacking me?</i>

    He quickly realized why. It had been some days since he had drunk the herbal juice so he no longer carried its scent. Thus, he was indistinguishable from other humans in the eyes of the Ghost Race.

    Although caught off guard, Pang Jian did not hesitate to summon his Startling ughter Spear and steady his mind. The Ghost Race leader''s shriek had caused several strands of divine sense in his sea of consciousness to thin and had rapidly deteriorated his mental strength.

    <i>The shriek can directly attack a cultivator''s sea of consciousness.</i>

    Realizing this, Pang Jian restored his god-like perception and focused on the Ghost Race warrior before him.

    <i>A Rank Five Ghost Race warrior and a Rank Four Ghost Ape. Their physical strength and blood essence are far inferior to the warriors from the Celestial Race and Demon Scale Race, but...</i>

    As Pang Jian studied the Rank Five Ghost Race warrior, he noticed gray ghostly figures clinging to its internal organs!

    Most of these ghostly figures were shrunken remnants of human cultivators'' souls and several Vicious Beasts'' souls.

    The Ghost Race was not as strong as the Demon Scale Race and the Celestial Race, but they could absorb the remnants of their enemies'' souls and store them in their bodies to use as power.

 Chapter 198: The Soul Flame of the Ghost Race

    <h4>Chapter 198: The Soul me of the Ghost Race</h4>

    "Die!"

    The Ghost Race warrior threw a bone chain strung with beast bones at Pang Jian.

    Each beast bone on the swaying chain held a howling beast soul. The souls of lower-ranked Demon Armor Beasts, Ice Crystal Beasts, and Blood Lizards were faintly visible within the beast bones, twisting together to create an evil force capable of tearing souls apart.

    At the Ghost Race warrior''s shout, the beast souls within the bone chain infiltrated Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness and tried to drive him insane.

    The dazed Pang Jian saw the beast souls of Rank Four and Rank Five Vicious Beasts roaring in his sea of consciousness as they attempted to tear apart each strand of his divine sense.

    <i>This is a type of sinister soul technique...</i> Pang Jian stabilized his mind and schooled his expression.

    In the blink of an eye, he freed himself from the Ghost Race''s sinister soul technique and restored his mental state.

    Pang Jian could easily counter the sinister soul technique without relying on his mysterious bronze pendant as he was still harmonized with thend.

    The fanged Ghost Ape charged toward Pang Jian with the Ghost Race warrior on its back.

    The Ghost Race''s preferred method ofbat seemed to involve using a sinister soul technique to confuse their opponent first, then allowing the Ghost Ape to close in for the kill.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The Ghost Ape leaped high into the air and pounced, reaching for Pang Jian''s with its sharp, bloodstained ws.

    Seven human cultivators in the Primordial Wilderness had already died at its hands and its cruel eyes gleamed with excitement at the prospect of an eighth kill.

    The Ghost Ape and the Ghost Race warrior worked skillfully together. After the Ghost Race warriors cast their sinister soul technique, human cultivators would fall into confusion, allowing the Ghost Ape to attack, and it assumed Pang Jian would be no different.

    It was not until a silver spear shot toward the Ghost Ape in a dazzling streak that it realized something was wrong.

    <i>The prey below had not lost his mind!</i>

    But it was toote.

    <i>Splurt!</i>

    The Startling ughter Spear pierced through the Rank Four Ghost Ape, then the Rank Five Ghost Race warrior on its back, killing them both.

    <i>The Rank Four Ghost Ape is equivalent to a cultivator in the Innate Realm, and the Rank Five Ghost Race warrior isparable to those in the Profound Abode Realm.</i>

    Pang Jian pulled out the Startling ughter Spear and coldly muttered, "The Ghost Race are physically weak but excel in sinister soul techniques. It''s not hard to kill them if you can maintain a clear mind and resist their soul techniques."

    Pang Jian picked up the bone chain and crushed it with his hand. He then infused it with his zing sr and earthme energy to exterminate the residual beast souls within.

    <i>Pop! Pop! Pop!</i>

    The beast souls were exterminated one after another.

    Rank Five Ghost Race warriors and Ghost Apes were not difficult for Pang Jian to deal with. Scanning the area, he saw more Ghost Ape riders charging toward the Star Crushing Umbre under the Rank Six Ghost Race leader''smand.

    Liang Ying and the others huddled beneath the giant umbre. The mysterious Star Crushing Umbre emitted a dazzling radiance. The stars on its canopy shone brightly and beams of rainbow light hung down from its edges.

    The members of the Star River Alliance and Fang Boxuan from the Blood Moon had taken out their spirit artifacts to battle the Ghost Race warriors.

    The presence of the Star Crushing Umbre meant the Ghost Race warriors could not gain the upper hand.

    "Hm?" A slight movement in the body of the Rank Five Ghost Race warrior Pang Jian had just killed caught his attention.

    Having sensed it through harmonizing with thend, Pang Jian focused his mind further to see a fingernail-sized me flickering in the dead warrior''s head.

    The tiny me was deep green and exuded a ghastly aura. It seemed to have been within the Ghost Race warrior''s head all along but only became detectable to Pang Jian after the warrior''s death.

    <i>What''s this tiny me?</i> Pang Jian wondered.

    <i>That me is the Soul me of the Ghost Race, </i>exined the ck turtle, having sensed Pang Jian''s question through their connection.<i> It only appears after the death of a Rank Five Ghost Race member. Members of the Ghost Race can collect the Soul me after it leaves the body and use it to revive the deceased warrior.</i>

    The ck turtle knew about the Ghost Race''s Soul me from ancient memory imprints in its mind and advised Pang Jian to handle it with care.

    <i>I should extinguish it.</i>

    Pang Jian pressed the palm of his left hand against the Ghost Race warrior''s head to extinguish the me with his spiritual power when the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art suddenly activated.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The tiny green me floated out andnded in Pang Jian''s palm before disappearing into his sea of consciousness!

    The Soul me drifted into his sea of consciousness and vanished into one of the acupoints within it.

    Pang Jian hurriedly examined the absorbed Soul me, uncertain of the consequences it would bring. He feared the intrusion of the Ghost Race''s Soul me would disturb his sea of consciousness and disrupt the formation of his divine sense.

    After carefully inspecting his sea of consciousness, Pang Jian''s eyes quietly lit up. Three new strands of divine sense had emerged from the acupoint where the Soul me had entered.

    It had refined the Soul me and formed three new strands of divine sense in the blink of an eye!

    <i>It can do that?</i> Pang Jian felt a surge of excitement.

    He now understood why powerful cultivators from the Second World and the First World asionally ventured into the Fifth World.

    Cultivators were right in calling high-ranked members of the foreign races walking treasures!

    A Profound Abode Realm cultivator could directly absorb the Soul me from the dead Rank Five Ghost Race warrior to increase their divine sense.

    <i>How extraordinary! </i>

    Pang Jian had previously nned to watch from a distance, but had quickly changed his mind and was now actively rushing toward the Star Crushing Umbre where many Ghost Race warriors were gathered. After all, he had discovered a shortcut to swiftly increase his divine sense!

    Xie Xiwen stood on a star disk, hovering beneath the Star Crushing Umbre as she battled against a Rank Five Ghost Race warrior.

    She groaned lightly as her soul took a heavy hit, trying to steady her sea of consciousness when she saw Pang Jian approaching with his spear.

    "Pang Jian, don''te over!" she shouted in warning

    <i>She''s the only one in the Star River Alliance who treats me sincerely. The rest? Hmph!</i> Pang Jian snorted coldly in his heart.

    As he reached the edge of the Star Crushing Umbre, Pang Jian spotted another Ghost Race warrior, also riding a Ghost Ape, charging toward him.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Ghost Ape leaped over ten meters into the air, using a sinister tactic simr to the first Ghost Race warrior.

    However, Pang Jian now knew their tricks. Maintaining the rity in his sea of consciousness, he patiently waited for the Ghost Ape to reach the peak of its jump.

    <i>ck turtle, Earth Spirit, bestow the power of thend upon me! </i>Pang Jian called out mentally. <i>Gravity Shift!</i>

    A surging maic force suddenly targeted the Ghost Ape from the core of the Primordial Wilderness!

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The Rank Five Ghost Ape and the Ghost Race warrior on its back both mmed heavily to the ground.

    The thick-skinned Ghost Ape howled in pain. Meanwhile, the more fragile Rank Five Ghost Race warrior had his bones broken from the fall. Before the Ghost Race warrior could even get up, a silver spear pierced his heart and lungs, killing him instantly.

    <i>Another Soul me.</i>

    Pang Jian once again pressed his palm against the head of the Ghost Race warrior and absorbed another deep green me. Soon after, three new strands of divine sense appeared in his sea of consciousness.

    <i>This process is faster than nurturing my brain with life energy.</i>

    "Pang¡ª" Xie Xiwen cut herself off in shock.

    She had not expected Pang Jian to be so powerful!

    Only a few days had passed since they bade farewell at Emerald Lake and it was evident that Pang Jian had only recently advanced to the Profound Abode Realm.

    Pang Jian''s feat of consecutively killing two Ghost Apes and two Rank Five Ghost Race warriors nearly made Xie Xiwen drop her jaw in shock.

    Her eyes sparkled as she gazed curiously at Pang Jian.

    "I told you, he''s full of sinister tricks. He''s not the kind of person you think he is." Fang Boxuan scoffed from under the Star Crushing Umbre.

    Fang Boxuan had suffered at Pang Jian''s hands before and could not help but shudder at the memory of the Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder and the Refined Ghost Miasma.

    Thus, he knew very well the kind of fiend this young man from the lower world truly was.

    "Instead of worrying about him, you should be more concerned about yourself," Fang Boxuan added.

    <i>Sizzle!</i>

    A shooting star fell on a nearby Ghost Race warrior and Fang Boxuan promptly delivered a killing blow with his bloodstained dark-golden spirit sword.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian appeared, ced his hand on the Ghost Race member''s head, and crushed its skull with a resounding crack.

    "That was unnecessary!" Fang Boxuan eximed in displeasure. "Pang Jian, do you not trust me? I already pierced its heart. Why did you need to strike again?"

    "No, that''s not it." Pang Jian shook his head. Then, unwilling to reveal the existence of the Ghost Race''s Soul me, he said, "I just like crushing their heads."

    Fang Boxuan felt a chill in his heart and a look of apprehension shed in his eyes. In his mind, Pang Jian was a bloodthirsty madman, in the same category as Dong Tianze of the Sinister Soul Temple. Believing Pang Jian to be mentally unstable, he promptly decided to avoid provoking him as much as possible in the future.

    <i>Jiu Yuan, you''d better hope he doesn''t step into the Spirit Condensation Realm or the entire Blood Moon Sect could be implicated with you! </i>

    "The Sword Pavilion indeed has a good eye!" a young female disciple said admiringly.

    "It''s not the Sword Pavilion, it''s Qi Qingsong''s discerning eye!" said another.

    The young female disciples of the Star River Alliance could not help but watch in awe as Pang Jian ambushed and killed Ghost Race warriors around the Star Crushing Umbre.

 Chapter 199: The Hidden Hand Behind the Scenes!

    <h4>Chapter 199: The Hidden Hand Behind the Scenes!</h4>

    <i>Crack!</i>

    Pang Jian crushed another Ghost Race warrior''s head and absorbed a new Soul me.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Ghost Race leader prepared to chase after Pang Jian on its Ghost Ape only for Pang Jian to fly away on his spear.

    The enraged Ghost Race leader perched on the broad shoulders of the Rank Five Ghost Ape and screamed curses in the Ghost Racenguage, but Pang Jian had already flown far away.

    <i>Ny strands!</i> Pang Jian was ted.

    He had manifested over a dozen new strands of divine sense from Rank Five Ghost Race warriors'' Soul mes.

    Based on his observations, it seemed that only Rank Five Ghost Race warriors were capable of producing Soul me after death.

    Additionally, although all the Ghost Race warriors he killed had been Rank Five, some Soul mes manifested three strands of divine sense, while others only formed two. Pang Jian believed this was likely rted to the strength of the deceased Ghost Race warrior.

    Pang Jian also discovered that the Soul me had to be collected immediately or it would dissipate.

    Some Soul mes had disappeared before Pang Jian could collect them as they had been killed on the other side of the Star Crushing Umbre.

    Liang Ying, Xie Xiwen, and Fang Boxuan seemed unaware of the existence of the Soul mes as none of them absorbed it after killing the Ghost Race warriors.

    Cultivators from the Third World in this day and age likely had no chance to encounter the Ghost Race and did not know of the wonders of their Soul me. Meanwhile, the powerful sects in the Second World and the First World asionally ventured into the Fifth World and were likely aware of the marvels of the Ghost Race''s Soul me.

    Perhaps the great sects in the Second World and the First World specifically sent their disciples to the Fifth World to enhance their strength through the foreign races.

    <i>If the Soul me from a Rank Five Ghost Race warrior is already so wondrous, then how extraordinary would a Rank Six be? </i>Pang Jian wondered, turning his gaze toward the leader of the Ghost Race.

    The Ghost Race leader''s true target appeared to be Liang Ying. He likely intended to kill her, seize her spatial bracelet, and then make a hasty retreat with the rest of the Ghost Race.

    However, he had underestimated the strength of the Star Crushing Umbre as Liang Ying had easily deflected his attempts to use sinister soul techniques. The members of the Star River Alliance hid under the Star Crushing Umbre and were left mostly unscathed as they continued to kill the Ghost Race warriors with the help of the spirit artifact.

    After some time, Liang Ying tightened her grip on therge umbre and gazed at the remaining Ghost Apes and Ghost Race warriors.

    "You can all venture out now," she said with a cold smile.

    The giant umbre shrank as she spoke and her Spirit Condensation Realm aura abruptly surged. She then calmly walked toward the Ghost Race leader with the Star Crushing Umbre in hand.

    "You foreign races have no idea how a powerful spirit artifact and profound arrays can influence the battle." She smiled mockingly. "I''ll kill the leader. The rest of you can handle the stragglers."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Liang Ying pointed the Star Crushing Umbre at the Ghost Race leader. The tiny stars on the umbre''s canopy shone dazzlingly as they shot forward like brilliant shooting stars.

    At that moment, the Ghost Race leader gave the order to retreat in the Ghost Race''snguage.

    The Ghost Race warriors and Ghost Apes scattered, fleeing in any direction they could.

    "I''ll pursue the leader, you all handle the rest," Liang Yingmanded.

    Squinting, she used her divine sense to locate the Ghost Race leader. Once she found him, she pursued him with the Star Crushing Umbre.

    Pang Jian remained motionless, watching with cold eyes as the Ghost Race leader fled toward the valley between the Fourth Peak and the Fifth Peak with Liang Ying on his tail.

    "The Rank Six Ghost Race leader, the mysterious Soul me, and Elder Liang who once harbored ill intentions toward me," Pang Jian muttered under his breath.

    While the Star River Alliance members chased after the fleeing Ghost Race warriors, Pang Jian hid behind a boulder and followed Liang Ying.

    <i>Harmonize with thend to suppress my aura.</i> With a single thought, the fluctuations of Pang Jian''s blood essence, spiritual power, and consciousness vanished, allowing him to blend seamlessly into his surroundings.

    "Where''s Pang Jian?" Xie Xiwen asked, looking around.

    She tried to locate him with her divine sense but could only detect the nearby members of the Star River Alliance, as well as the fleeing Ghost Race warriors and Ghost Apes. There was no sign of Pang Jian.

    "Junior Sister, you''re paying too much attention to him," admonished a young man in the Profound Abode Realm with a refined appearance. "He''s excessively ruthless and cruel. You''d best stay away from him. He even goes so far as to crush the heads of already dead Ghost Race warriors. Such behavior is truly despicable!"

    "That''s right, he''s just like Dong Tianze from the Sinister Soul Temple. He''s aplete madman!" someone else echoed loudly.

    They had all witnessed how Pang Jian would crush the heads of the in Ghost Race warriors. Although they all agreed the Ghost Race was hideous, Pang Jian''s actions still seemed excessive.

    "His methods are indeed cruel," Xie Xiwen whispered with pursed lips.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian came to a stop when he saw that Liang Ying had caught up with the Ghost Race leader atop his Ghost Ape.

    Not wanting to get involved before the oue was decided, Pang Jian halted his advance and observed them for a while before shifting his attention to the summit of the First Peak.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The pitch-ck scales of the Demon Scale Race leader fell off piece by piece. He let out monstrous howls when Yang Rui''s Nine Suns Cauldron struck him. As he burned away his blood, the Demon Scale Race leader prepared to unleash his final burst of strength.

    The six pairs of wings on Yu Gu of the Celestial Race''s back were stripped of their feathers, making him look like a plucked divine bird.

    The leader of the Wood Race had also overdrawn her life force. The skin on her body and cheeks was severely cracked, splitting into fissures wide enough to trap mosquitoes and flies.

    The corpses of the one-eyed giants had seemingly fused with the scattered boulders at the foot of the First Peak to be one with the rugged terrain.

    Several Rank Six foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts around the First Peak were in simrly dire conditions. Most appeared to be on theirst breath.

    They all felt despair.

    "The Spirit ughtering Astral Array," Yu Gu muttered bitterly as he gazed at the terrifying array enveloping the First Peak. A feeling of hopelessness welled up within him.

    <i>It''s time,</i> Pang Jian finally told the ck turtle.

    The ck turtle had been eagerly waiting for this moment and let out a strange cheer only Pang Jian could hear.

    The Primordial Wilderness shook violently!

    <i>Boom! Boom!</i>

    The Second Peak and the Third Peak copsed, sending giant boulders tumbling down them.

    <i>Crack! Crack!</i>

    Deep fissures appeared on the First Peak and severed many spiritual power channels throughout the mountain.

    The sharp light beams intertwined at the summit were extinguished one after the other.

    "Old Man Cao, what''s happening? Old Man Cao?!" The previouslyposed Lady Hua screamed hysterically.

    Using a secret technique tomunicate with her subordinates handling the spirit jades, she asked desperately, <i>What''s going on underground?</i>

    Jiu Yuan''s face paled. "Old Monster Cao! How could the Spirit ughtering Astral Array malfunction now of all times?"

    "Cao Mang, maintain your control of the Spirit ughtering Astral Array!" Wei Wenhan of the Radiant Sun Sect shouted in rm.

    The summit of the First Peak had fallen into chaos.

    Young disciples from noble families with low cultivation realms rushed out from where they had been hiding in the trading hall to see the Spirit ughtering Astral Array disappearing.

    "It''s the spirit vein! The spirit vein deep beneath the Primordial Wilderness is no longer channeling the spiritual power from the spirit jades!" Cao Mang panicked

    He had lost connection with the spirit vein!

    He knew what this meant.

    "The invading foreign race warriors are on theirst legs. We can still annihte them, even without the Spirit ughtering Astral Array!" Cao Mang desperately encouraged. "Prepare for battle, we''ll fight to the death!"

    The Rank Six powerhouses of the Celestial Race, the Demon Scale Race, the Ghost Race, and the Wood Race were on the brink of death when they saw the Spirit ughtering Astral Array disappear.

    "The array is broken!"

    "Hope! Our hope has appeared!"

    "Even if we die, we must obtain those spirit materials to pave a smooth path for future ascenders!"

    The surviving powerhouses of the foreign races reignited their remaining strength andnded on the summit of the First Peak.

    They did not hesitate to drink all the bottles of blood and medicinal liquid originally meant to prolong their lives. Intense vitality and murky energy flowed through their dried-up meridians, restoring some of theirbat strength.

    ¡°Kill!¡±

    The Rank Six foreign race powerhouses and the human cultivators in the Spirit Condensation Realm on the summit of the First Peak shed in a fierce battle.

    Pang Jian withdrew his focus from the First Peak and redirected his attention to the fight between Liang Ying and the leader of the Ghost Race.

    "The Star Crushing Umbre is too powerful. It must be suppressed or there won''t be any suspense at all," Pang Jian muttered with knitted brows, watching as brilliant shooting stars flew out from the umbre to kill the Rank Five Ghost Ape.

    Pang Jian focused his mind and Liang Ying lost connection to the intricate arrays on the umbre.

    The flow of her spiritual power within the umbre''s channels came to an abrupt halt, causing Liang Ying to groan as if struck on the head. A trickle of crimson blood flowed down the corner of her mouth.

    <i>I can''t believe the Star Crushing Umbre, forged by the Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect, is actually this unstable!</i> Liang Ying cursed inwardly.

    Gripping the Star Crushing Umbre tight, she tried to channel her spiritual power and ster energy once more, hoping to reactivate its intricate arrays and restore its extraordinary abilities.

    However, the umbre still did not shine with its usual brilliance even after several attempts. Liang Ying''s mood plummeted and she swore to go to the Divine Treasure Sect''s branch in the Second World to demand an exnation from them after this battle!

 Chapter 200: Breaking the Limits

    <h4>Chapter 200: Breaking the Limits</h4>

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Lightning bolts red up deep within the eyes of the Ghost Race leader only for a burst of dark green fire to rece it.

    He had summoned his Soul me and fused it into his eyes.

    When the Ghost Race leader nced at Liang Ying''s spiritual artifact with his Heavenly Ghost Evil Pupil he noticed it appeared to be having issues.

    His spirits lifted.

    He removed the snake skeleton around his waist and thick, inky smoke began to seep out.

    The murky energy from the Fifth World slowly engulfed the Ghost Race leader and spread out to cover his surroundings.

    <i>Hiss!</i>

    As the murky energy spread, a massive green snake, over a dozen zhang long, emerged from its depths.

    The Ghost Race leader was barely a meter tall and could squat on the elevated head of the snake. When he pointed at Liang Ying, the massive snake obediently lunged at her through the foul-smelling smoke with its mouth wide open.

    After a moment''s hesitation, the Ghost Race leader also removed the snake skin he was wearing and threw it to the ground.

    This was an evil artifact meant to preserve his life.

    The discarded snake skin floated like a carpet in the smoke, releasing a denser murky energy than the skeleton.

    The artifact not only protected the Ghost Race leader but also served as a reservoir for murky energy.

    Using the released murky energy to recover slightly, the Ghost Race leader readied himself for a fight to the death.

    His icy gaze locked onto Liang Ying.

    "Upper world, the Star River Alliance, elder, die!" the Ghost Race leader eximed stiltedly as he unleashed threads of green lightning from his eyes.

    Liang Ying''s expression changed drastically. If the Star Crushing Umbre were functioning properly, she could have used it to fend off the murky energy and kill the Ghost Race leader when he got close.

    Unfortunately, the Star Crushing Umbre had malfunctioned at a critical moment.

    <i>Even the Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect can''t be trusted!</i> Liang Ying cursed inwardly, reluctantly summoning an intermediate-grade spirit artifact, the Meteorite Pearl.

    The fist-sized Meteorite Pearl appeared to contain a brilliant gxy. Tossing it into the air, the Meteorite Pearl floated above her head and released a dazzling radiance.

    Unlike the Star Crushing Umbre, its light could only shield the area around her and could not closely follow her movements. Its power, coverage, and flexibility were far inferior to the Star Crushing Umbre and its limitations forced Liang Ying to remain stationary.

    "A Rank Six Ghost Race warrior is still physically weak. You dare approach me?" Liang Ying activated the power of the Meteorite Pearl and unleashed clusters of starlight to strike the approaching green snake. "A mere beast soul remnant dares to act up in front of me?"

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    Bright clusters of starlight crashed down, and the massive green snake summoned by the Ghost Race leader was instantly disintegrated.

    However, the Ghost Race leader quickly revived it.

    The green snake was repeatedly destroyed and reformed, bringing the Ghost Race leader and the dense murky energy closer to Liang Ying in the process.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian hid in the valley between the Fourth Peak and the Fifth Peak a short distance away.

    He first buried a Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder before taking out a tube of Annihtion Needles he had purchased from the trading hall. He then ced the Annihtion Needles in a cracked rock and covered it with a strip of blood-stained cloth.

    While he did this, he also kept an eye on the battle between Liang Ying and the Ghost Race leader.

    Unlike before, he did not use the Refined Ghost Miasma as he knew it was not very effective against a Spirit Condensation Realm cultivator.

    After everything was in ce, he once again monitored the battlefield through the god-like perspective of harmonizing with thend.

    The murky energy had surrounded Liang Ying but she still managed tond a heavy blow on the Ghost Race leader using the starlights from the Meteorite Pearl.

    The injured Ghost Race leader unleashed several sinister soul techniques, but they failed to make Liang Ying lose control of her soul as she was in the Spirit Condensation Realm.

    A cluster of starlight crashed down and destroyed the green snake once more, but this time, the Ghost Race leader did not have the strength to revive it.

    Pang Jian''s eyebrows twitched and he headed toward them.

    "How dare you filthy rats from the gutterse to our human world and wreak havoc?" Liang Ying shouted, raising her hand to unleash a secret technique of the Star River Alliance.

    Blinding beams of starlight shot out from the Meteorite Pearl above Liang Ying''s head and pierced the retreating Ghost Race leader''s body, leaving behind bloody, gaping holes.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The frail body of the Rank Six Ghost Race leader fell outside the area covered by the murky energy.

    A blue-d figure appeared and cracked the Ghost Race leader''s skull with a burst of explosive energy.

    The leader''s dark green Soul me entered Pang Jian''s palm and drifted into his sea of consciousness. It then vanished into several acupoints within his sea of consciousness.

    A cold, ghastly breeze caused Pang Jian''s eyes to light up. As he carefully examined his sea of consciousness, he saw strands of new divine sense emerging from different acupoints!

    <i>Ny-five, ny-seven, ny-nine!</i>

    Once the divine sense in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness reached ny-nine strands, the Ghost Race''s Soul me hidden within his acupoints surged like a tumultuous storm.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The dark green Soul me exploded, splitting into more mes that were then broken down and refined in different acupoints. These acupoints glowed a greenish hue. It seemed the life energy he had used to nourish his brain was now unleashing itstent power.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Greenish streams rushed out from his acupoints within his sea of consciousness, each containing new strands of divine sense!

    <i>One hundred, one hundred and one, one hundred and five, one hundred and eight! </i>Pang Jian counted excitedly.

    From the one-hundredth strand onward, his divine sense no longer drifted out from the acupoints one by one but rather erupted like streams. This was entirely different from how his divine sense had manifested before!

    One hundred strands appeared to be some kind of shackle, and once this limit was broken, an entirely new phenomenon urred!

    Xie Xiwen''s divine sense was limited to ny-three strands in the Profound Abode Realm, and this number would remain unchanged until she broke through to the Spirit Condensation Realm.

    ording to her, only peerless geniuses in the Second World and the First World could manifest more than one hundred strands of divine sense in the Profound Abode Realm.

    <i>I already have one hundred and eight strands! And this isn''t even my limit!</i>

    Pang Jian was thrilled.

    The Soul me of a Rank Five Ghost Race warrior was only the size of a fingernail, but the Soul me of the Rank Six Ghost Race leader was asrge as a fist!

    Its hidden power and mysteries far exceeded those of its Rank Five kin!

    An insatiable feeling lingered even after Pang Jian hadpletely absorbed the Ghost Race leader''s Soul me.

    "Pang Jian?" The murky energy had gradually dissipated after the death of the Ghost Race leader and Liang Ying could now see Pang Jian. "Why are you here?"

    "I was worried you would not be able to handle it, Elder Liang, so I came to assist you," Pang Jian replied solemnly.

    Liang Ying gave Pang Jian a strange look and smiled faintly. "It''s me. I was the one chasing the Rank Six Ghost Race leader and he was already injured before he fled. How much trouble could he give me?

    "You thought a Rank Six Ghost Race warrior would be carrying a treasure from the Fifth World and was trying to take advantage of the situation, weren''t you?"

    "You saw through me, Elder Liang," Pang Jian said, crouching down to obliterate the lingering beast soul. Then, picking up the inconspicuous snake skeleton, he raised it toward Liang Ying and said, "This is my trophy."

    As soon as he finished speaking, he headed toward the valley between the Fourth Peak and the Fifth Peak.

    Through harmonizing with thend, he saw Xie Xiwen from the Star River Alliance and Fang Boxuan from the Blood Moon Sect locked in a fierce battle against the Vicious Beasts in the valley between the Fourth Peak and the Fifth Peak.

    After observing for a moment, Pang Jian deduced that they would ultimately emerge victorious, though it woulde at a cost.

    <i>Elder Liang, please don''t disappoint me. </i>Pang Jian smirked as he dashed toward the Fifth Peak.

    <i>This brat! </i>Liang Ying thought.

    Checking the snake skin on the ground with her divine sense, she only detected a faint trace of residual murky energy and did not bother picking it up. She also found nothing of value after searching the Ghost Race leader''s corpse.

    Disappointed, Liang Ying considered her next course of action, and a murderous intent soon shed in her eyes as she looked intently toward the Fifth Peak.

    "Pang Jian!" she called, waving her sleeve to summon two clusters of starlight.

    The clusters of starlight allowed her to fly through the air and retrieve her Star Crushing Umbre without touching the ground.

    Pang Jian turned and looked at her in astonishment.

    "Elder Liang, you..." he trailed off, pausing briefly. "The Ghost Race leader is dead, but Xie Xiwen and the others are still fighting the remaining Ghost Race members and Vicious Beasts. You should be helping them. What could be more important than their safety that you came after me?"

    "I wanted to discuss some of my doubts with you." Liang Ying smiled, eyes darting around as she quietly used her divine sense to scan for nearby rogue cultivators. "I suspect that rogue cultivator, Huang Qi, is colluding with the invading forces from the Fifth World. Tell me more about him."

    As Liang Ying spoke, she glided through the air toward Pang Jian.

    Oddly enough, her wandering gaze never focused on Pang Jian but rather constantly scanned her surroundings.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder buried beneath a patch of grass suddenly exploded, engulfing her in blue lightning and explosive thunder.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Although she had summoned her protective shield in time, the explosive force of the Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder still struck her, causing her to let out a muffled groan as blood seeped from the corner of her eye.

    The lightning had severely damaged her Star River Alliance robe and had rendered many of its intricate arrays ineffective.

 Chapter 201: Turning the Tables to Plunder!

    <h4>Chapter 201: Turning the Tables to Plunder!</h4>

    Night had fallen in the Primordial Wilderness, but the moon and stars had yet to appear.

    "Who buried Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder here?" Liang Ying looked around angrily.

    She assumed a rogue cultivator or an elder from a noble family had set this trap earlier as a counterattack against the invading forces from the Fifth World and did not connect it to Pang Jian.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The tube containing the Annihtion Needles exploded as well!

    Dozens of hair-thin needles pierced through Liang Ying''s protective shield, prating her flesh and covering her in tiny wounds.

    The needles moved within Liang Ying''s body and the pain caused her to break out in a cold sweat.

    "Annihtion Needles!" Liang Ying screamed in horror.

    The vicious needles were specifically designed to prate the protective shields of cultivators and even she could not block them with her Spirit Condensation Realm cultivation.

    "That''s right, they''re Annihtion Needles," Pang Jian said maliciously.

    Liang Ying had been concentrating on suppressing the Annihtion Needles in her body and only now focused her wandering gaze on Pang Jian.

    Her eyes locked onto him!

    He was holding another tube of Annihtion Needles in his hands!

    "Elder Liang, please ept this gift."

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The second tube of Annihtion Needles exploded. The needles shot out like a rainstorm, piercing through Liang Ying''s protective shield and covering her body with more tiny wounds.

    Liang Ying could only hastily protect her chest and forehead with her arms. Her face still ended up with littered cuts, causing her to appear extremely terrifying as blood dripped from the tiny wounds. Her usually kind and gentle face was now unrecognizable.

    "Pang Jian!" she yelled, ring venomously at Pang Jian once she realized what was happening. "You dare attack me? Pang Jian, do you know what you''re doing?"

    "I know."

    Pang Jian took out his Startling ughter Spear and stepped onto it, effortlessly manipting it to close in on Liang Ying. As he did so, he maintained his connection with the ck turtle and used his heightened perception to monitor her every move.

    He saw the ripples in her spiritual sea, her attempts to destroy the Annihtion Needles with her ster energy and spiritual power, and the severity of her wounds.

    He also saw the intricate arrays within the Star Crushing Umbre in her hand, alongside the strands of spiritual power and divine sense Liang Ying had infused into it.

    <i>A Spirit Condensation Realm cultivator can have their divine sense leave their sea of consciousness and enter their spiritual artifact, </i>Pang Jian marveled as he halted in his tracks.

    Standing on the Startling ughter Spear, Pang Jian lowered his head to stare at Liang Ying with eyes devoid of emotion. "This is the second time."

    "The second time? Pang Jian, what are you talking about?!" Liang Ying screamed as she swallowed a pill. She tried to gather her strength to destroy the tiny Annihtion Needles within her body while waiting for the pill to take effect and help stabilize her injuries.

    "This is the second time you''ve tried to kill me and seize the million spirit stones I possess," Pang Jian calmly looked into her eyes.

    Panic flickered through Liang Ying''s eyes, but she vehemently denied, "Pang Jian! What nonsense are you spouting? I approached you twice out of goodwill! I was worried you couldn''t handle those foreign race warriors and wanted to bring you under my Star Crushing Umbre. It''s one thing if you don''t appreciate it, but to use me?"

    She kept up a righteous and aggrieved demeanor.

    Pang Jian sneered inwardly and was about to speak when he noticed Fang Boxuan of the Blood Moon Sect appear at the foot of the Fourth Peak through his god-like perspective.

    Fang Boxuan had seen the corpses of the Rank Six Ghost Race warrior and the Rank Five Ghost Ape. After meticulously searching the corpses, he then rushed over to Pang Jian and Liang Ying''s location.

    Pang Jian decided not to waste his breath and stated bluntly, "You know exactly what you were trying to do. I''m not here to argue with you. I''m only telling you this to exin why I''m going to kill you."

    "Kill me? Haha, you want to kill me? Pang Jian, do you even know your own limits?" Liang Yingughed mockingly.

    <i>A young man who just advanced to the Profound Abode Realm dares to im he''ll kill me?</i>

    Despite being wounded from the battle with the Ghost Race leader, the Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder, and the Annihtion Needles, Liang Ying still found Pang Jian''s words ludicrous.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Startling ughter Spear shot forward.

    Its sharp spearhead made Liang Ying frown.

    She tried to lock onto Pang Jian''s aura with her divine sense and Spirit Condensation Realm cultivation to track his movements, but to her horror, she could not.

    This had never happened to her before in her hundred years of living.

    She then noticed another terrifying oddity.

    Pang Jian had not only merged with his surroundings but also locked onto her with uncanny precision as he approached on his spear.

    Every movement she made, the ripples of her spiritual sea, the spiritual power flowing through her meridians and internal organs, and every Annihtion Needle prating her body was under his scrutiny!

    It was like he had divine eyes that could see through all her secrets!

    "Pang Jian!" Fear filled Liang Ying''s heart. Her face paled as she cried, "You, you¡ª"

    She suspected that Pang Jian''s cultivation realm was actually far above hers and was perhaps even in the Soul Wandering Realm or the Nirvana Realm!

    That was the only way she could ount for the overwhelming feeling she was experiencing.

    "How vicious! You secretly deceived everyone by pretending to be a cultivator in the Profound Abode Realm. You could''ve effortlessly resolved the crisis of the invading forces from the Fifth World in the Primordial Wilderness, but instead, you-you!

    "You''re actually¡ª"

    Liang Ying summoned the Star Crushing Umbre in a desperate,st-ditch attempt at survival.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The arrays on the umbre malfunctioned and the brilliant stars on its canopy shone briefly before going out again.

    Liang Ying then tossed the Meteorite Pearl into the air in hopes that its defensive power could buy her some time.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The Meteorite Pearl also spiraled out of control and all its intricate arrays ceased to function.

    At the same time, a colossal force from deep within the ground disrupted Liang Ying''s spiritual sea, preventing her from gathering her spiritual power to form a protective shield.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Liang Ying watched helplessly as the silver spear beneath Pang Jian pierced through her dantian and spiritual sea in her lower abdomen. Leaping down, he grabbed the spear shaft with one hand and mercilessly dragged it upward.

    The sharp spearhead sliced through her navel, cutting through her internal organs as it slowly closed in on her heart.

    Liang Ying could do nothing to stop Pang Jian. In her eyes, Pang Jian was an evil cultivator whose cultivation realm far surpassed hers. She could not even muster the will to struggle.

    "You''re right about one thing," Pang Jian said, slowly carving through her flesh with the Startling ughter Spear. "I could''ve effortlessly resolved the invasion of the Primordial Wilderness. After all, I''m the one who invited them here."

    <i>Splurt!</i>

    Liang Ying''s attempt at a response only resulted in her spitting blood.

    The spearhead continued to travel upward until it reached her heart. Just before she died, she saw her Star Crushing Umbre floating above Pang Jian''s head.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The advanced-grade spirit artifact radiated brilliant starlight, and a bright, pristine moon appeared on its canopy. The Star Crushing Umbre disyed a myriad of new transformations in Pang Jian''s hands.

    <i>Someone from the upper worlds is plotting to destroy the millennia-old foundation of the human race!</i>

    This was thest thought that shed through Liang Ying''s mind before she died.

    Meanwhile, Fang Boxuan hade to a stop a hundred zhang away.

    <i>Pang Jian!</i>

    His expression morphed into one of shock as he took in the familiar valley where the massacre of his senior brothers and sisters had taken ce!

    Fang Boxuan had stealthily crept over, hoping to scavenge for leftovers, only to freeze when he saw Pang Jian pulling the sharp spear out of Liang Ying''s chest.

    Pang Jian stood there with the Star Crushing Umbre in one hand and the silver spear in the other.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Liang Ying fell backward to the ground. Even in death, her eyes were wide open and her face was lined with fear.

    Her Star Crushing Umbre was now in Pang Jian''s hands. As it expanded, its canopy sparkled with a sea of stars and a bright, pristine moon.

    Pang Jian''s face could be seen under the light of the stars and moon as he used Liang Ying''s clothes to wipe the blood off his spear.

    Night had fallen, but the stars and moon had not yet appeared in the sky. Even so, Pang Jian shone brightly in the dark valley because of the light emanating from the umbre.

    Fang Boxuan shuddered at the sight.

    <i>Pang Jian killed Liang Ying, a Spirit Condensation Realm elder of the Star River Alliance. He''s also taken control of the Star Crushing Umbre!</i>

    Fang Boxuan''s mind was in turmoil. His thoughts were in disarray. He felt like he had lost his grip on reality.

    Continuing to observe Pang Jian, Fang Boxuan watched as he removed Liang Ying''s spatial bracelet and dropped a Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder into the gaping hole in her chest.

    The bright light of the Star Crushing Umbre revealed traces of Annihtion Needles on Liang Ying''s body alongside many tiny wounds.

    <i>Annihtion Needles!</i> Fang Boxuan felt a pang in his heart.

    He suspected Pang Jian had used simr methods as before, ambushing Liang Ying and killing her after she was severely injured.

    Even so, Fang Boxuan''s heart still trembled with fear.

    After all, an entire cultivation realm separated Liang Ying and Pang Jian.

    Liang Ying had been in the Spirit Condensation Realm for decades, while Pang Jian had only recently broken through to the Profound Abode Realm.

    "This madman is truly capable of anything and possesses power far beyond his cultivation realm!"

    Fang Boxuan''s scalp tingled and the psychological trauma in his heart grewrger.

 Chapter 202: Fang Boxuan Forced to Give False Testimony

    <h4>Chapter 202: Fang Boxuan Forced to Give False Testimony</h4>

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder in Liang Ying''s body exploded, leaving only scattered pieces of flesh and broken limbs behind. The evidence of her spear wound had now been covered up.

    Pang Jian''s cold gaze thennded on Fang Boxuan.

    A meaningful smile curved the corners of his mouth.

    Fang Boxuan froze.

    "I didn''t see anything!" he screamed, turning to flee in a crimson streak. All he wanted was to get as far away from Pang Jian and this nightmarish valley as fast as possible.

    The corpses of Bai Guanjie, Chen Min, and his other senior brothers and sisters were still in the valley. He had also previously suffered from Pang Jian''s vicious schemes here, and now, he had witnessed Pang Jian brutally kill Liang Ying in the same ce.

    Fang Boxuan vowed never to return to the valley between the Fourth Peak and Fifth Peak. He did not even want to think about it.

    <i>Jiu Yuan, you''ve provoked someone you shouldn''t have. Tough luck for you but don''t bring disaster upon the rest of us in the Blood Moon Sect!</i> he cursed.

    Before, he had used a blood talisman tomunicate with Jiu Yuan and inform him of Pang Jian''s growing potential andbat prowess. That had been solely to provoke Jiu Yuan and psychologically burden him.

    Now that Fang Boxuan had witnessed Pang Jian kill Liang Ying, a cultivator in the Spirit Condensation Realm, he resolutely decided not to utter a single word about it.

    Fang Boxuan had always been at odds with Jiu Yuan and was eager to see the expression on Jiu Yuan''s face when Pang Jian eventually fought him.

    <i>Perhaps Pang Jian can help me get rid of Jiu Yuan!</i> Fang Boxuan could not help but feel slightly excited at the thought.

    "He sure ran away quickly." Pang Jian scoffed.

    After testing his skills on Liang Ying, a cultivator in the Spirit Condensation Realm, Pang Jian no longer regarded geniuses like Fang Boxuan as a threat.

    With the ck turtle''s assistance, all the Profound Abode Realm cultivators in the Primordial Wilderness were merelymbs for ughter in his eyes.

    Pang Jian tossed the Meteorite Pearl into his spatial bracelet and used his divine sense to check the contents of Liang Ying''s spatial bracelet. He only found about three thousand spirit jades, some pills, some ores, and other spirit materials he could not name.

    Liang Ying had mainly relied on the Star Crushing Umbre and the Meteorite Pearl forbat.

    "I can also use this umbre. I can even disy its intricacies better than Liang Ying could," Pang Jian said, unceremoniously iming the Star Crushing Umbre as his own.

    Mysterious patterns covered the umbre''s canopy when he experimented with channeling ster energy, spiritual power, lunar energy, and cold energy into it.

    Returning to the Ghost Race leader''s corpse, Pang Jian saw that most of the murky energy had flowed back into the snake skin on the ground.

    After examining it, he curiously picked up the snake skin and confirmed it could store the murky energy from the Fifth World.

    Pang Jian''s eyes lit up. "In my hand, this item could be quite useful."

    He had used the murky energy in Eight Trigrams City to cleanse his bones and marrow, and advance to the Marrow Cleansing Realm. Although his spiritual power still conflicted with murky energy, his body could adapt.

    If he were ever in a situation where his spiritual power was exhausted, he used the snake skin to switch to murky energy and kill his opponents using the energy from the Fifth World. The snake skin could also create an area rich in murky energy, giving him an advantage over human cultivators.

    "This is a good item," Pang Jian murmured as he put the snake skin away.

    Looking around and finding no other valuable items, he returned to the Fourth Peak.

    Along the way, he used the god-like perspective to check on the members of the Star River Alliance. They had sessfully eliminated the remaining Ghost Race warriors, Ghost Apes, and Vicious Beasts.

    ***

    "Fang Boxuan, where did you run off to?" Xie Xiwen asked suspiciously. Swallowing a Mind Soothing Pill, she carefully washed the blood off her star disk with clean water and nced at Fang Boxuan. "Did you take the opportunity to escape while we were fighting against the foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts?"

    "How could I escape? I was worried something had happened to your master so I went to check the valley between the Fourth Peak and the Fifth Peak," Fang Boxuan replied with a false casualness.

    An older disciple named Shen Lei noticed his distracted demeanor. "Fang Boxuan, your face is pale. Did something happen? Elder Liang shouldn''t have had any trouble. What did you see? Did Elder Liang kill the Rank Six Ghost Race leader?"

    "I didn''t see anything." Fang Boxuan shook his head guiltily, not wanting to recall the disturbing scene. "I didn''t see Elder Liang and didn''t want to go further so I came back."

    Shen Lei''s expression darkened. Something seemed off with Fang Boxuan but he could not pinpoint what it was.

    A Star River Alliance disciple in the Innate Realm was slumped in front of his fallenpanion and weeping sorrowfully when he looked up and saw the Star Crushing Umbre approaching them. "The Star Crushing Umbre! It''s Elder Liang''s Star Crushing Umbre!"

    The other members of the Star River Alliance turned their gaze toward the Star Crushing Umbre in unison.

    "Elder Liang!"

    Fang Boxuan felt a chill in his heart. He stubbornly refused to turn around and instead chose to stare in the direction of the Third Peak.

    As expected, he soon heard the startled cries of the members of the Star River Alliance.

    "Pang Jian!"

    <i>Please don''te after me, it''s none of my business, I didn''t say anything, I know nothing, </i>Fang Boxuan prayed.

    Pang Jian had single-handedly killed Liang Ying, and so had be a terrifying figure in Fang Boxuan''s mind.

    The fact that Pang Jian dared to kill Liang Ying meant he had no reason to be concerned about the remaining members of the Star River Alliance as he could easily kill them all.

    "Pang Jian, why do you have the Star Crushing Umbre? Where''s Elder Liang?" Fang Boxuan heard Xie Xiwen ask.

    He still refused to turn around, pretending to know nothing as he resolutely stared at the Third Peak.

    "She was killed by the Ghost Race leader in the valley between the Fourth Peak and the Fifth Peak. When I arrived, the Ghost Race leader was barely alive, so I finished him off and avenged her." Pang Jian''s indifferent voice reached Fang Boxuan''s ears.

    Fang Boxuan''s face twitched. <i>You liar!</i>

    "What?"

    "Elder Liang is dead? How''s that possible?"

    "How could Elder Liang be dead? The Star Crushing Umbre is an advanced-grade spirit artifact. The Ghost Race leader couldn''t break through its defense before!"

    "Pang Jian, stop talking nonsense!"

    The members of the Star River Alliance red at Pang Jian in agitation, urging him not to make such reckless statements. Only Xie Xiwen solemnly took in his words as she stared intently at the Star Crushing Umbre in his hand.

    <i>If Liang Ying isn''t dead, why is the Star Crushing Umbre in his hand?</i> Xie Xiwen did not know what to believe.

    "If you don''t believe me, you can ask Fang Boxuan. He saw everything." Fang Boxuan heard Pang Jian''s voice ring out again.

    Fang Boxuan had been determined to remain uninvolved and had not even turned his head after the Star Crushing Umbre appeared. He did not want to be associated with Pang Jian in any way, but Pang Jian had dragged him into the matter uncaring of his desires.

    Thus, Fang Boxuan had no other choice but to turn around, repeatedly cursing Pang Jian in his mind.

    ncing at Pang Jian''s indifferent expression and cold eyes, Fang Boxuan''s heart could not help but tremble.

    Sighing and forcing a smile, he confirmed, "I didn''t want to make all of you sad. I was afraid you couldn''t bear the blow, so I didn''t dare to reveal the truth."

    "What!"

    As the Star River Alliance disciples recalled Fang Boxuan''s distracted demeanor and pale face, they started to believe him.

    "If Elder Liang is dead, her Star Crushing Umbre, Meteorite Pearl, and spatial bracelet must be brought back to the sect!" Shen Lei''s expression darkened, extending his hand toward Pang Jian with a frown."Those items belong to the Star River Alliance. Please hand them over."

    "They''re my reward for avenging her," Pang Jian said bluntly before turning to head to the Third Peak.

    "Pang Jian! You can leave, but you must leave Elder Liang''s belongings behind!" Shen Lei shouted coldly. Summoning a protective shield that radiated faint starlight, he chased after Pang Jian. "Judging by your attitude, there''s something suspicious about Elder Liang''s death!"

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A bright moon and a sea of tiny stars appeared on the Star Crushing Umbre. Their pristine light illuminated the valley. Sharp shooting stars, like spears refined from stardust, shot out from the edges of the umbre and shattered Shen Lei''s protective shield.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The shooting stars broke Shen Lei''s ribs, causing him to spit out a mouthful of blood and fall heavily on the ground as he stared at Pang Jian in an uprehending daze.

    Pang Jian had activated Liang Ying''s Star Crushing Umbre and had even unleashed such astonishing power!

    The appearance of the shooting stars indicated Pang Jian not only had full control over the umbre but also possessed ster energy!

    How could Pang Jian, a prospective disciple of the Sword Pavilion of the Second World, possess such incredible ster energy?

    The members of the Star River Alliance were all stunned.

    <i>Advanced-grade spirit artifacts, when used correctly, can unleash extraordinary power.</i> Pang Jian marveled as he held the Star Crushing Umbre.

    As he walked away, he tried infusing it with different energies and considered alternative ways of harnessing its potential.

    Pang Jian ignored the members of the Star River Alliance. After all, he could easily kill them with the Star Crushing Umbre, even without the ck turtle''s help. They simply were not worth his attention.

    His true targets were Jiu Yuan from the Blood Moon Sect, Lou Yunming from the Sinister Soul Temple, and Cao Mang, the master of the Primordial Wilderness.

    Pang Jian nned to climb to the summit of the First Peak and kill them.

 Chapter 203: Absorbing Another Soul Flame

    <h4>Chapter 203: Absorbing Another Soul me</h4>

    At the foot of the Fourth Peak, the young and beautiful Xie Xiwen stared at Pang Jian''s departing figure.

    "Pang¡ª" she cut herself off. Although she wanted to stop him, she could not help but hesitate, and in the end, she simply bit her lips in silence.

    She had many questions but felt that asking anything now would be inappropriate. The rest of the Star River Alliance did not dare to utter a word.

    As a cultivator in thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm, Shen Lei was the strongest among them after Elder Liang and was thus regarded as a senior figure in the Star River Alliance.

    His rash actions had instantly resulted in severe injuries. The fact that he had been injured using Liang Ying''s Star Crushing Umbre only added salt to the wound.

    <i>What can we do against someone like Pang Jian when our cultivation realms andbat prowess are lower than Shen Lei?</i>

    "Pang Jian is not someone all of you can afford to provoke. Don''t even think about taking back the Star Crushing Umbre from him," earnestly advised Fang Boxuan, having been deeply scarred by his past experiences. "Really, take my word for it. No matter where he goes or what he ns to do next, don''t bother trying to retrieve Elder Liang''s belongings from him."

    Shen Lei sighed and asked with a grave expression, "Did you suffer at his hands too?"

    "How could that be possible?!" Fang Boxuan eximed, his face turning red.

    His reaction caused Shen Lei''s face to darken. "If you knew he was so difficult to handle, why didn''t you warn me?"

    "Would you have believed me if I did?" Fang Boxuan replied with a bitter smile.

    Shen Lei went silent, shaking his head with a sigh.

    "He only just broke through to the Profound Abode Realm, and just yesterday, he was asking me about the details of its different stages. If I were in your ce, I wouldn''t have believed he was that strong either," Xie Xiwen said softly.

    Her clear, bright eyes remained fixed on the mysterious Pang Jian.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Figures slid down from the summit of the First Peak toward the foot of the mountain one after another.

    The members of the Star River Alliance finally shifted their attention from Pang Jian due to the sudden changes at the First Peak.

    The figures scrambling down from the summit of the First Peak were disciples from noble families and rogue cultivators with low cultivation realms.

    Peering up at the summit, they were shocked to discover that the Spirit ughtering Astral Array had vanished!

    "Old Monster Cao''s array is destroyed!"

    "This is bad. With the array destroyed, those at the summit are no longer safe!"

    "The remaining foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts must be fighting fiercely against Old Monster Cao and the others, forcing the bystanders to flee in a hurry!"

    The members of the Star River Alliance shouted in panic.

    Fang Boxuan''s expression also drastically changed. Staring at Pang Jian''s figure in the distance, he wondered, <i>What is he nning to do? Does he intend to climb the First Peak?</i>

    Pang Jian appeared to be heading to the First Peak. He had also mentioned more than once that he wanted to kill Jiu Yuan.

    Fang Boxuan had a strong premonition that Pang Jian was about to do something that would shock the entire Primordial Wilderness.

    <i>Are you really going to climb the First Peak?</i>

    ***

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Tiny stars, a bright moon, and an ice pool appeared on the canopy of the Star Crushing Umbre.

    Pang Jian walked forward with the Star Crushing Umbre in hand. A strange light flickered in his eyes when he noticed the characters engraved on the handle¡ªThe Divine Treasure Sect.

    <i>So, the Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect forged this advanced-grade spirit artifact,</i> Pang Jian thought in surprise.

    Pang Jian did not put away the Star Crushing Umbre and instead experimented with it as he walked, aiming to master it as soon as possible in preparation for the uing bloody battles.

    When he killed Liang Ying, Pang Jian relied on Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder and Annihtion Needles. However, the summit of the First Peak was an open space, and he could not use underhanded tricks there.

    If he wanted to kill Luo Yuanming, Jiu Yuan, and Cao Mang, he had to increase his strength and make preparations in advance. This included bing well-acquainted with the Star Crushing Umbre.

    Pang Jian infused ster energy, lunar energy, and cold energy into the umbre, taking note of different phenomena appearing on its canopy. The tiny stars, miniature moon, and the ice pool in his dantian and spiritual sea could all be manifested on the Star Crushing Umbre.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Sharp light beams shot out from the ribs supporting the fabric of the umbre. These lethal light beams were infused with Pang Jian''s spiritual power, ster energy, lunar energy, and cold energy.

    When Pang Jian twisted the handle, the Star Crushing Umbre spun rapidly, unleashing more light beams from each rib. The surrounding boulders and trees exploded with a series of resounding booms.

    <i>The Star Crushing Umbre can unleash a barrage of light beams that are useful for crowd control and wide-area attacks. When the umbre is closed, the top and bottom of the handle can be used as spear tips. Although it''s not as sharp as the Startling ughter Spear, it can still serve as a good weapon during critical moments if the umbre is destroyed during battle.</i>

    <i>Swish!</i>

    Pang Jian opened the umbre and used his divine sense to examine it. The amber, translucent canopy of the umbre seemed to be made from the hide of a powerful Spirit Beast.

    Although he did not know the quality and rank of the Spirit Beast''s hide, the material contained many natural patterns that the masters from the Divine Treasure Sect had further refined. They engraved arrays within these patterns, blending them seamlessly in an intricate show of craftsmanship that gave the umbre its many wondrous properties.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian summoned his green protective shield and infused the Star Crushing Umbre with different energies once more. The radiance of the tiny stars, moon, and ice pool on the umbre''s canopy cascaded down to surround him and his spiritual shield, effectively giving him twoyers of defense.

    <i>It can be used for both offense and defense!</i> As Pang Jian walked, he experimented with the Star Crushing Umbre, unveiling more new abilities.

    As he was about to reach the area where Huang Qi and the others had previously settled, Pang Jian focused his mind and saw a familiar Rank Six one-eyed giant lying in a pool of blood. This one-eyed giant had allowed him to escape back when Liang Ying had chased him from Emerald Lake.

    Many elders of noble families and rogue cultivators with high cultivation realms stood on the still-breathing one-eyed giant, pointing and discussing among themselves.

    The lifeless bodies of several Rank Five one-eyed giants and some Rank Four and Rank Five Vicious Beastsy around the Rank Six one-eyed giant.

    The rogue cultivators and noble family elders used sharp des to cut valuable spirit materials from the Vicious Beasts'' bodies. Some rogue cultivators were even arguing over it.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A Spirit Condensation Realm noble family elder pursued a Rank Six Ghost Race warrior on his spirit sword. The Ghost Race warrior''s arms had been severed and his body was engulfed in mes as he fled in Pang Jian''s direction. Just as the elder was about to catch up with the warrior, Pang Jian secretly intervened with the help of the ck turtle.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The pull of gravity on the noble family elder increased tenfold and his spirit sword crashed to the ground.

    The fleeing Rank Six Ghost Race warrior quickly gained some distance, only for the mysterious gravitational force to simrly restrict him. His feet were rooted in the ground and his injured body was much heavier than before, requiring him to exert tens of times more effort with each movement.

    The Ghost Race warrior then saw a stern-looking young man in blue approach him with a radiant umbre adorned with tiny stars and a bright moon.

    Not long after, Lin Yuanfeng, an elder of the Lin Family from the Third World and pursuer of the Ghost Race warrior, once again flew forward on his spirit sword and saw Pang Jian crushing the head of the wounded Ghost Race warrior.

    "Pang Jian?"

    <i>Pang Jian is wearing the blue robe of the Sword Pavilion and holding Liang Ying''s Star Crushing Umbre!</i>

    "A Ghost Race squad attacked us, and Elder Liang Ying was unfortunately killed, leaving the Star Crushing Umbre behind. Now that it''s in my possession, I intend to kill more Ghost Race warriors in her stead."

    Pang Jian felt therge Soul me enter the acupoints within his sea of consciousness.

    <i>This Rank Six Ghost </i>Race <i>warrior is stronger than the one who fought Liang Ying. His Soul me is alsorger! </i>Pang Jian thought excitedly.

    Pang Jian had a strong feeling this dark green Soul me would be the one to push his divine sense to the limit!

    "Liang Ying is dead?" Lin Yuanfeng''s expression changed. He was unaware of the existence of the Ghost Race''s Soul me, so he did not pay much attention to Pang Jian''s actions and instead focused on Liang Ying''s death.

    At that moment, Lin Yuanfeng heard themotion from the First Peak and turned to see many members of his Lin Family scrambling down from the summit. He had stationed the younger members on the First Peak due to their low cultivation realms, but they were now fleeing for their lives.

    Lin Yuanfeng took a closer look and noticed the Spirit ughtering Astral Array had vanished. Blinding lights, shes of lightning, and zing mes filled the summit of the First Peak. The shing of spirit artifacts rang out in dull thuds and resounding booms.

    "The Spirit ughtering Astral Array is gone! Everyone, be careful of the foreign race warriors'' counterattack!" Lin Yuanfeng shouted. Like him, many others had also noticed the disturbances on the First Peak and were already crying out in panic.

    Something was not right!

    Based on theirmunications with those on the summit of the First Peak, the Spirit ughtering Astral Array was not supposed to have disappeared so early. Cao Mang and the other Spirit Condensation Realm experts had not yet exhausted the remaining foreign race warriors. The invaders still had the strength tounch several more desperate attacks.

    <i>One hundred fifteen, one hundred twenty, one hundred...twenty-eight!</i>

    Pang Jian stood motionless as he counted the strands of his divine sense. A total of one hundred twenty-eight strands existed within his sea of consciousness, resembling a school of swimming fish as they floated around. His perception grew sharper and expanded outward, allowing him to observe arger area even when he was not harmonizing with thend.

    <i>I''ve reached my limit. No new strands of divine sense are manifesting even though there''s some unrefined Soul me left. One hundred twenty-eight strands is my limit. Only after reaching this limit can I attempt to control my divine sense. Once I can manipte it at will, I''ll have reached the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm!</i>

    Even so, Pang Jian silently waited for his sea of consciousness to refine the remaining Soul me just in case he was mistaken. However, no new strands of divine sense manifested.

    Searching the Ghost Race warrior over and finding no valuable or unique items on him, Pang Jian quickened his pace and headed to the foot of the Third Peak.

    The one-eyed gianty in a pool of blood at the foot of the Third Peak, its single eye turned into a huge bloody hole. Looking around, Pang Jian noticed that all the one-eyed giants had their eyes gouged out.

    The rogue cultivators and noble family elders took apart the fallen Vicious Beasts, using special containers to store the body parts before putting them into their spatial pouches and bracelets.

    The Innate Realm and Profound Abode Realm rogue cultivators and noble family members descended from the First Peak recounted the situation at the summit.

    Pang Jian paid them no attention and continued forward.

    After a while, he finally reached the foot of the First Peak.

    While others fled from the summit, Pang Jian headed toward it with the Star Crushing Umbre.

    Pang Jian climbed the First Peak step by step.

 Chapter 204: Climbing the First Peak

    <h4>Chapter 204: Climbing the First Peak</h4>

    The foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts that had originally upied the Second Peak had long since gone.

    Huang Qi, having reverted to his old appearance, sat on a protruding boulder halfway up the mountainside of the Second Peak and puffed on his pipe.

    As he watched the situation on the First Peak, a strange sight caught his attention. The bloody battles on the summit caused the weak cultivators to scramble down the mountain. Despite this, a long figure holding an umbre was climbing up the First Peak.

    <i>Liang Ying of the Star River Alliance?</i>

    Huang Qi squinted and took a closer look.

    "Pang Jian!" he cried out in surprise.

    <i>Pang Jian was climbing the First Peak with Liang Ying''s Star Crushing Umbre!</i>

    Huang Qi rubbed his eyes and took another look to make sure he was not mistaken.

    The one holding the umbre was really Pang Jian!

    "Has this brat gone crazy?" A thick gray smoke billowed from Huang Qi''s nostrils, ears, and the corners of his mouth as his expression morphed into one of disbelief.

    After leaving the rogue cultivators and noble family elders behind, Huang Qi had been closely monitoring the changes at the summit of the First Peak and had seen the Spirit ughtering Astral Array disappear.

    The remaining forces from the Fifth World hadunched a desperate attack after its sudden disappearance, and only Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators or Rank Six foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts dared to remain on the summit after that.

    The only exception was Yang Rui, the genius from the Radiant Sun Sect, with his Nine Suns Cauldron.

    Besides that, the other Innate Realm and Profound Abode Realm cultivators on the summit had retreated down the mountain. Surprisingly, Pang Jian had chosen to climb the First Peak during this chaotic time.

    Although he harbored a deep hatred toward Cao Mang and Lady Hua, Huang Qi was still waiting for the perfect opportunity to make his move. However, Pang Jian had already taken the lead and started climbing the First Peak before him!

    "You¡ªI don''t even know what to say to you!"

    Huang Qi took a deep drag from his pipe, only to choke and cough repeatedly.

    He had been biding his time on the mountainside of the Second Peak, but now stomped his foot and rushed toward the Second Peak''s summit.

    There was nobody on the summit of the Second Peak now that the foreign race warriors were gone.

    Huang Qi looked toward the First Peak.

    "I hope you''re not really nning to go to the summit and just left something behind in your cave dwelling," Huang Qi said with a gloomy expression.

    ***

    "Who''s that young man with the umbre?"

    "Is he-is he climbing the First Peak?!"

    "Has he gone crazy?"

    The fleeing rogue cultivators and disciples from noble families with low cultivation realms were shocked when they saw someone climbing the First Peak.

    "Kid, the summit has be a bloody battlefield! Don''t go up there and get yourself killed!" warned a disciple from a noble family in the Third World.

    Pang Jian acted as though he did not hear him.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Star Crushing Umbre in Pang Jian''s hand expanded as he infused it with various energies. He continued to experiment with it as he climbed the First Peak and discovered the hide used to make the umbre''s canopy was incredibly stic.

    The umbre continued to expand and eventually grew to several times its original size. The spiritual power, ster energy, lunar energy, and cold energy on its canopy also became increasingly turbulent.

    The stars and the bright full moon shining in the night sky were contributing their ster energy and lunar energy to the Star Crushing Umbre!

    These celestial bodies in the deep, radiant night sky enhanced the power of the Star Crushing Umbre.

    <i>The Star River Alliance and the Radiant Sun Sect can enhance theirbat power under the stars, moon, and sun. Even their spirit artifacts can gain strength depending on the weather, </i>Pang Jian realized.

    He then harmonized with thend to closely observe the fierce battles unfolding on the summit of the First Peak. As hemunicated with the ck turtle, he also learned more about the profound abilities avable to those harmonizing with thend.

    He was well-prepared for the battle ahead and was brimming with confidence.

    Due to the distance, Xie Xiwen couldn''t see Pang Jian''s figure under the umbre but she noticed the expanding Star Crushing Umbre.

    The radiant Star Crushing Umbre could be seen as it steadily made its way to the summit of the First Peak.

    Jiu Yuan''s anxious voice roared from the blood talisman in Fang Boxuan''s hand. "Fang Boxuan, tell Liang Ying toe to the summit to provide support and inform all the other Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators to climb the mountain as well!

    "The foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts are on theirst legs. If we have more Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators to assist us, they''ll soon be wiped out!"

    The battle at the summit of the First Peak was likely extremely fierce based on Jiu Yuan''s impatient tone.

    "Liang Ying..." Fang Boxuan stared at the slowly ascending Star Crushing Umbre with aplicated expression.

    "Is Liang Yinging? One isn''t enough! Ask all the noble family elders and surviving Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators to climb the First Peak and ughter the foreign race warriors!" shouted Jiu Yuan.

    Irritated, Fang Boxuan put away the blood talisman. He then nced at the dazed members of the Star River Alliance and said with false casualness, "The Star Crushing Umbre seems even more remarkable in Pang Jian''s hands. He could y a bigger role in the battle on the summit than even Elder Liang could."

    No one responded to Fang Boxuan. The members of the Star River Alliance stared fixedly at the Star Crushing Umbre, watching in awe as the advanced-grade spirit artifact expanded and filled with the radiance of the stars and moon.

    "He-he''s reached the summit," whispered a female disciple in the Innate Realm.

    Xie Xiwen''s slender frame trembled, biting her lower lip as she watched with her mind in turmoil. Although she did not know what Pang Jian intended to do, the sight of his steady ascent amid the other fleeing cultivators caused her heart to race!

    <i>What immense courage it must take!</i>

    "Someone''s climbing the First Peak!"

    "That person''s reached the summit!"

    "The Star Crushing Umbre. It must be Liang Ying of the Star River Alliance!"

    "Elder Liang truly lives up to her name. She actually dares to climb the most perilous ce in the Primordial Wilderness!"

    Cultivators gathered at cave dwellings and mountainsides of the First, Second, and Third Peaks had been closely monitoring the situation on the summit of the First Peak when they noticed the Star Crushing Umbre steadily moving upward.

    They saw the umbre climb from the foot of the First Peak to the summit. As the Star Crushing Umbre had originally been Liang Ying''s, many assumed she was climbing the First Peak to offer support to Cao Mang and Jiu Yuan.

    At the summit of the First Peak, Cao Mang, Lady Hua, Jiu Yuan, Luo Yunming, Yang Rui, Lian Feng, and other human cultivators all shouted in excitement when they saw the familiar umbre slowly approaching from below.

    "The Star Crushing Umbre!"

    "Liang Ying!"

    Having been engaged in fiercebat against the foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts, they had no time to peer down the mountainside at the person holding the umbre and were unaware that it now had a new owner.

    Thus, when they saw the Star Crushing Umbre, they naturally assumed Liang Ying had arrived.

    <i>Liang Ying wouldn''t climb alone. Other Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators like Lin Yuanfeng must be with her!</i>

    The group was thrilled and their fighting spirit soared. With the arrival of reinforcements, the fierce battle would soon end. The invading foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts would be annihted and their fame would spread throughout the Third World.

    Then, they saw Pang Jian step onto the summit with the Star Crushing Umbre in hand.

    "Pang Jian!" Several people cried out angrily.

    It was like their hope had been extinguished. The cultivators on the summit red fiercely at Pang Jian.

    "Brat, where''s Liang Ying? Her umbre is here, but where is she?" Lady Hua asked breathlessly as she frantically waved her sleeves to destroy the withered branches entwining her. Her pristine skin was streaked with blood and her appearance disheveled.

    Sinister giant trees floated ominously in the air. Their withered branches resembled sharp des as they relentlessly pursued her. Stepping onto a colorful carpet, she waved one hand and brandished a gleaming short sword with the other. Despite the chaos, she still managed to find the time to shoot a questioning re at Pang Jian.

    "She''s dead," Pang Jian said coldly.

    ¡°Dead?¡± Wei Wenhan from the Radiant Sun Sect was shocked.

    He was dressed like an old Confucian schr and had only one arm remaining. Swinging the Fire Dragon Ruler with his right hand, he unleashed a dragon with ming scales that charged toward a Demon Scale Race warrior.

    "How did she die?" Wei Wenhan asked. Then, in his moment of distraction, he was sshed with the demon blood of the Demon Scale Race warrior, causing him to howl in pain.

    Meanwhile, tree branches had pierced several bloody holes in Lian Feng''s body.

    "Pang Jian, you¡ª" Lian Feng shook his head, recalling how Pang Jian had not raised the price too much when selling him the spirit materials of the Double-Faced Ghost Spider. "Quick, leave this mountain. You can''t stay here! You won''t survive! Staying any longer means certain death!"

    Jiu Yuan bared his teeth. His crimson cloak had turned into a sea of blood and he wielded a blood-soaked long saber as he fought a Rank Six Demon Armor Beast.

    When Jiu Yuan saw Pang Jian appear, he could not help but grin wickedly.

    As heughed, the Demon Armor Beast, which resembled a rhinoceros and wore demonic armor, charged toward him.

    Jiu Yuan grunted, unable to spare a moment for arrogant words.

 Chapter 205: Revenge

    <h4>Chapter 205: Revenge</h4>

    On the summit of the First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness, Pang Jian stared coldly at those before him as he nonchntly sat down. The Star Crushing Umbre hovered above him and he ced his Startling ughter Spear within easy reach.

    The Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators were engaged in fiercebat with Rank Six foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts. Despite this, Pang Jian showed no intent to join the fray.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The radiant lights of the stars and moon on the Star Crushing Umbre cascaded down from the canopy''s edge and enveloped Pang Jian in a pristine glow.

    <i>Cao Mang, Jiu Yuan, Lou Yunming, Lady Hua...</i>

    Pang Jian''s icy gaze swept over the battlefield. The events in the trading hall reyed vividly in his mind. He looked at Cao Mang and the others as though they were nothing more than lifeless corpses.

    Harmonizing with thend, Pang Jian saw both the intricate details and therger scope of the battlefield.

    Dozens of foreign race warriors and Rank Six Vicious Beasts fought against nearly twice as many human cultivators in the Spirit Condensation Realm. These battles were not limited to the open outdoor space of the summit. Vicious Beasts also pursued Spirit Condensation Realm rogue cultivators in the trading hall, spilling their blood all over the cultivation mats.

    The heavily injured rogue cultivators struggled to fend off the Vicious Beasts'' attacks. The remains of Ice Sculpture Beasts, Ghost Apes, and Demon Scale Race warriors were scattered across the summit.

    The air was thick with the stench of blood. Broken bones and shattered pieces of spirit artifacts mingled with dirty blood and severed limbs.

    <i>Jiu Yuan, Lady Hua, and Lou Yunming are all in the early stages of the Spirit Condensation Realm. Wei Wenhan and Cao Mang are in the middle stages.</i>

    Pang Jian''s scrutinizing gaze could discern the cultivation realm of anyone he looked at. Barring the forbidden regions such as the brain and sea of consciousness, he could perceive the strength and purity of not only the spiritual power within the human cultivators but also the murky energy within the invading forces from the Fifth World.

    He could even see the extent to which their bodies had been tempered.

    The smallest details of a living being''s body, including the flow of spiritual power and blood were visible to him. With his newfound ability to harmonize with thend, Pang Jian was akin to a demigod in the Primordial Wilderness. Although his cultivation realm was lower than those on the summit, he had other profound abilities that far surpassed everyone else.

    <i>Even though Cao Mang is in the middle stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm, with the Spirit ughtering Astral Array bolstering him, hisbat prowess is equivalent to someone in thete stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm. No wonder he''s so arrogant. </i>Pang Jian sneered.

    The battle between the human cultivators and invading forces was unceasing as everyone struggled to fend off the enemies before them.

    Pang Jian''s sudden appearance and bizarre act of sitting calmly on the ground aroused suspicion among the crowd, but nobody had time to investigate further.

    Some said nothing because they were aware of Pang Jian''s low cultivation realm and felt his participation in the battle would not affect the oue. Meanwhile, those who disliked him, such as Jiu Yuan, Lou Yunming, and Cao Mang, were too preupied to deal with him.

    Pang Jian was the only bystander on the chaotic battlefield.

    <i>I''ll kill whoever dares toe at me first, regardless of whether they''re human or foreign race.</i>

    Pang Jian maintained his connection with the ck turtle and continued to observe the battlefield.

    He then noticed the ck turtle, which had hidden in the nameless fragmentednd below, had actually grown to a sizeparable to the one on Central Lake Ind!

    The ck turtle Pang Jian had nourished with meat and blood from high-ranked Vicious Beasts only revealed its enormous body when it emerged to absorb the underground spirit vein.

    Without Pang Jian''s noticing, it had grown to the size of the one on Central Lake Ind.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    The mountains in the Primordial Wilderness quaked, forming fissures and sending boulders rolling down.

    The spirit vein deep within the Primordial Wilderness had unfurled from its coiled state as the ck turtle pulled it down toward its nameless fragmentednd clinging to the bottom of the Primordial Wilderness.

    Once the underground spirit vein was fully transferred to the nameless fragmentednd, the Primordial Wilderness would experience catastrophic earthquakes, with the nine peaks likely copsing.

    The renowned fragmentednd would be barren, ceasing to be a coveted trading hub for rogue cultivators and it would lose its rich spiritual qi.

    <i>You dared to capture someone close to me. For that, I will destroy your home.</i> Pang Jian coldly snorted.

    Pang Jian quietly monitored the entire battlefield, mind brimming with malicious intent as he patiently waited for somebody to attack him.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A familiar-looking Spirit Devil lunged at him from behind.

    Pang Jian''s eyebrows twitched. <i>Maverick Ling Yun</i>.

    Luo Hongyan''s Spirit Devil was connected to an iron cauldron with a ck crow emblem in Lou Yunming''s hand. It was clear Lou Yunming had secretly released it.

    It seemed Cao Mang had given Lou Yunming some of the captured Spirit Devils.

    The elder of the Sinister Soul Temple was now fighting a Rank Six Ice Sculpture Beast.

    <i>You''re first.</i>

    Pang Jian stood up and slowly turned the Star Crushing Umbre with his left hand.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A bone-chilling white beam shot out from one of the umbre''s ribs and pierced the Spirit Devil Maverick Ling Yun.

    <i>Poof!</i>

    The extremely cold energy instantly destroyed the Spirit Devil.

    <i>A Profound Abode Realm Spirit Devil dares to seek trouble with me?</i>

    Pang Jian coldly called, "Lou Yunming!"

    Lou Yunming was taken aback. The elder of the Sinister Soul Temple had been observing Pang Jian through the Spirit Devil, not expecting that Ling Yun would be destroyed so quickly.

    Realizing his attack had been exposed, Lou Yunming''s face darkened as he replied, "I''m here."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Lou Yunming formed a gray, cloud-like protective shield and rushed straight toward Pang Jian. The Rank Six Ice Sculpture Beast he had been fighting chased after him

    "You''re a member of the human race. Since you dared to climb the summit, you should be fighting the foreign races with us!" Lou Yunming scolded righteously. "How dare you wear the Sword Pavilion''s robes!"

    He resented Pang Jian for revealing the connection between Dong Tianze and the Shadow Specter Sect on Ice Rock Ind, nearly causing the Sinister Soul Temple to take the me. If the Sinister Soul Temple were to copse, the very foundation of Lou Yunming''s survival would be gone.

    "You should be fighting the enemies with the Star Crushing Umbre, not sitting on the sidelines!" Lou Yunming maliciously led the Rank Six Ice Sculpture Beast toward Pang Jian.

    He intended to use it to kill Pang Jian without getting his hands dirty as he could not afford to openly attack a fellow human during a fight with the invading forces of the Fifth World.

    However, while Lou Yunming had his reservations, Pang Jian did not.

    <i>ck turtle, don''t swallow the entire underground spirit vein just yet. Leave some for me to draw strength from,</i> Pang Jian said.

    The ck turtle agreed.

    As Lou Yunming led the Rank Six Ice Sculpture Beast toward Pang Jian, his gray protective shield abruptly shattered with a resounding boom.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Radiant light appeared beside his protective shield and obliterated his defenses.

    "Spirit ughtering Astral Array!" Lou Yunming screamed in horror.

    The burst of sharp light from the ground had torn through his gray, cloud-like protective shield!

    This was the light of the Spirit ughtering Astral Array under Cao Mang''s control!

    "Cao Mang! You¡ª" Lou Yunming instinctively looked toward where Cao Mang was fighting a bitter battle against Yu Gu.

    <i>Did the Spirit ughtering Astral Array reactivate without Old Monster Cao''s knowledge? </i>he wondered in bewilderment.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A giant umbre descended from the sky.

    The sparkling stars and a bright full moon cast their radiant light on Lou Yunming as a cold mist wafted down from the ice pool overhead.

    Lou Yunming felt as though he had been transported from the First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness into the depths of a starry night sky.

    It was not until he saw Pang Jian, standing on a silver spear in the river of stars above him, that Lou Yunming realized something was wrong.

    "Pang Jian?!" Lou Yunming''s mind was in turmoil.

    Trapped within the small world inside the Star Crushing Umbre, Lou Yunming felt an overwhelming celestial force suppress and constrain him.

    Pang Jian, surrounded by the radiance of the stars and moon, was like a deity ruling over the small world within the umbre. This sight filled Lou Yunming with a profound sense of fear and unease.

    "That''s right. It''s me," Pang Jian calmly replied. He descended on his silver spear and used his spiritual power to manipte the umbre''s handle.

    The Star Crushing Umbre started to spin. It was like Pang Jian had set a brilliant gxy in motion.

    The stars streaked across the fabric of the umbre like shooting stars. The bright moon was like an all-seeing eye that reflected Lou Yunming''s every move. A cascade of otherworldly light descended from the umbre and formed a cage that separated Pang Jian and Lou Yunming from the outside world.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The Rank Six Ice Sculpture Beast that had been chasing Lou Yunming crashed heavily into the umbre''s expanded canopy.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Boundless ster and lunar energy burst forth in a surge of immense power that rippled across the umbre''s canopy, targeting the Ice Sculpture Beast and causing its wings to bleed profusely.

    The heavily injured Rank Six Ice Sculpture Beast let out a sharp screech and flew away to attack a Spirit Condensation Spirit Realm rogue cultivator.

    "Lou Yunming is trapped under the Star Crushing Umbre!"

    "Pang Jian can control the umbre!"

    "Damn it, he''s targeting Lou Yunming!"

    "Pang Jian, do you know what you''re doing?"

    "He''s gone mad!"

    The other cultivators had noticed the unusualmotion at the corner of the summit.

    They watched as the Star Crushing Umbre grewrger andrger before crashing down from the sky and enveloping Lou Yunming.

    The radiant light of the umbre turned murky, obscuring Pang Jian and Lou Yunming from the outside world.

 Chapter 206: The First to Die!

    <h4>Chapter 206: The First to Die!</h4>

    On the summit of the Second Peak, Huang Qi had turned pale with shock as he stared at the now massive Star Crushing Umbre.

    "Has he gone crazy? The battle with the invading forces of the Fifth World is still ongoing, and he dares to do that?!" He rubbed his hair anxiously and growled in frustration, "He trapped Lou Yunming under the Star Crushing Umbre. Does he intend to kill him?"

    If Pang Jian made a move against Lou Yunming, he would be everyone''s target, regardless of the oue. Most likely, Pang Jian would fall to Lou Yunming under the umbre.

    "You''re too reckless. I can''t get involved with you. This goes against the greater good of the human race!" Huang Qi paced back and forth on the mountain peak.

    The other cultivators scattered around the mountains and valleys of the Primordial Wilderness could not see the situation on the summit of the First Peak as they were on lower ground.

    The Star Crushing Umbre had disappeared from their view once it moved away from the edge, and they could not catch sight of it no matter how much they strained to look. Thus, they had no idea what happened after the Star Crushing Umbre reached the summit of the First Peak.

    "Let''s climb the First Peak!"

    "Elder Liang Ying has gone ahead. Should we follow her?"

    "Maybe we should wait a bit longer?"

    The Spirit Condensation Realm rogue cultivators and elders of the noble families, believing Liang Ying had climbed the First Peak, started to converge toward the First Peak.

    ***

    "Lou Yunming of the Sinister Soul Temple." Pang Jian controlled the Star Crushing Umbre with his mind and gracefullynded with his spear in hand as he calmly dered, "You''re the first."

    "The first? What do you mean by that?" The elder of the Sinister Soul Temple held the ck Crow Cauldron, appearing outwardlyposed while raging on the inside.

    Lou Yunming could no longermunicate with the outside world as his spiritual power and divine sense could not extend beyond the umbre. Moreover, he could not break through its confinement!

    Although he was not close to Liang Ying, they still knew each other. Liang Ying''s advanced-grade spirit artifact did not possess such terrifying power and did not have the ability to iste him from the outside world when in her hands.

    Unbeknownst to Lou Yunming, when the umbre''s strange radiance touched the rocky ground, it established a connection with thework of spiritual power channels buried deep within the First Peak and allowed Cao Mang''s Spirit ughtering Astral Array to merge with the Star Crushing Umbre.

    This was the reason Lou Yunming''s divine sense and spiritual power could not prate the umbre. Simrly, cultivators on the outside could not see or sense what was happening beneath the umbre due to the otherworldly light falling from the Star Crushing Umbre''s canopy.

    "You''ll be the first one I kill," Pang Jian answered.

    "You want to kill me? Pang Jian, you¡ª" Sharp spiritual power originating from the Spirit ughtering Astral Array emerged from underneath Lou Yunming and sliced through the soles of his feet.

    The fierce look in his eyes morphed into one of confusion as his lower legs were left in a bloody mess.

    "Cao Mang!"

    "He''s been colluding with the Fifth World all along. He was just waiting for you to becent with the promise of victory before dismantling his deadly array and joining forces with the foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts to ughter you all," Pang Jian lied through his teeth.

    Meanwhile, the Startling ughter Spear in his hand was far from idle.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A thunderous explosion erupted as enormous spheres of blinding light were formed at the tip of the Startling ughter Spear and sent crashing down toward Lou Yunming''s head.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    On the umbre''s gxy-like canopy, ster energy morphed into shooting stars, lunar energy into sharp Lunar Edges, and cold energy into ice shards and des.

    These celestial forces and mystical attacks assailed Lou Yunming from every direction¡ªbeneath his feet, above his head, and from his sides!

    Lou Yunming''s mind was in turmoil. He hastily gathered a few strands of his divine sense and sent them into the ck Crow Cauldron.

    "Go!" He threw the ck Crow Cauldron at Pang Jian.

    A jet-ck crow screeched as it flew out from the surface of the cauldron. Hundreds of Spirit Devils merged to transform into the crow''s wings, beak, eyes, and ws.

    The ck crow pped its wings, stirring up a soul-chilling aura as its dark, eerie eyes locked onto Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness. A ck thread shot out, aiming to pierce Pang Jian''s forehead and invade his mind.

    "Devour his soul!" Lou Yunming screamed as he frantically tried to fend off the overwhelming attacks.

    The sharp tip of the Startling ughter Spear ignited in a ze, scorching everything in its path. It struck the ck thread shooting toward Pang Jian''s forehead with pinpoint uracy.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The searing sr radiance at the tip of the spear, the moltenva from the fiery pool, and Pang Jian''s spiritual power all blended together to engulf the ck thread.

    If one were to magnify the thread a million times, one would see countless pitch-ck crows drowning in raging mes and moltenva. Their shrill cries echoed briefly before they disintegrated.

    The violent moltenva and the searing sr radiance rushed up the thin ck thread toward therge ck crow, annihting it instantly.

    While this was happening Pang Jian had also thrown out a Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder.

    It exploded the eerie ck crow into pieces with a thunderous boom. The moltenva and zing mes swallowed up what remained, ensuring the crow and the Spirit Devils that formed it were all irrevocably destroyed.

    The effects of this destruction were rebounded onto Lou Yunming. He suffered a severe soul injury and started to bleed from his seven orifices. The connection between his mind and body became sluggish and the Lunar Edges, ice shards, and shooting stars soon overwhelmed him.

    Lou Yunming''s body was torn to shreds.

    "That''s one."

    Pang Jian stepped forward and tossed the ck Crow Cauldron into his spatial bracelet. He then swiftly decapitated Lou Yunming.

    "If Lou Hongyan had possessed a spirit artifact capable of storing Spirit Devils, Cao Mang would not have been able to capture her," Pang Jian muttered.

    Sighing, he then wrapped Lou Yunming''s blood-stained head with a piece of cloth.

    He did not rush to emerge from beneath the Star Crushing Umbre and instead took some time to review the battle in his mind.

    The Star Crushing Umbre, whenbined with the profound abilities of the Spirit ughtering Astral Array and his demigod-like perception of harmonizing with thend, made killing a cultivator like Lou Yunming astonishingly easy.

    Although Pang Jian could not see into Lou Yunming''s sea of consciousness, he could still see the strands of divine sense emerging from it.

    He had noticed Lou Yunming directing his divine sense into the ck crow within the cauldron during the fight. Lou Yunming had brought the ck crow to life by wrapping the Spirit Devils with his divine sense.

    Pang Jian could also observe the ripples in Lou Yunming''s sea of consciousness and fluctuations of spiritual power to predict his next move. Once Pang Jian knew the flow of Lou Yunming''s spiritual power and the direction of his divine sense, Pang Jian could anticipate his actions and take appropriate countermeasures.

    Killing a cultivator one cultivation realm above him was not particrly difficult with this foresight and insight. After carefully reviewing the battle, Pang Jian nodded and grasped the umbre handle.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The umbre''s dazzling radiance retracted into its canopy like a flowing river reversing its course, unveiling the shrouded world beneath.

    Pang Jian held the Startling ughter Spear with his right hand, its tip stabbed into the ground. His blue robe was unstained by blood.

    The radiance from the twinkling stars and bright moon cascaded down from the hovering umbre, bathing Pang Jian''s upright figure in an icy light.

    Pang Jian exuded an imposing aura that was hard to ignore.

    Before him, the headless corpse of Lou Yunmingy in pieces, bloodied and disfigured. He was only identifiable by the remnants of his clothing on the mutted limbs.

    "Pang..."

    Lian Feng''s eyes flitted between Pang Jian and the iplete corpse of Lou Yunming. The rogue cultivator was so terrified he could not even utter Pang Jian''s full name.

    "Lou Yunming is dead!"

    "Pang Jian has killed the elder of the Sinister Soul Temple!"

    "Oh my god, how dare he?"

    The Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators were deeply shaken. Their ongoing battles against the foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts had be disorganized and frantic. They could not fathom how Pang Jian, with his low cultivation realm, had managed to kill Lou Yunming.

    <i>Was it due to the Star Crushing Umbre? But Lou Yunming''s ck Crow Cauldron was also an advanced-grade spirit artifact, and Lou Yunming himself was a Spirit Condensation Realm cultivator!</i>

    Cao Man stood on the summit of his spirit artifact, the ck Iron Mountain, which resembled the treacherous and unyielding First Peak. He had broken four pairs of the Celestial Race leader''s wings.

    Despite his diminutive stature, Cao Mang radiated an awe-inspiring aura.

    Cao Mang frowned. staring intently at Pang Jian.

    The Celestial Race leader, Yu Gu, appeared so miserable it seemed he would keel over at any moment. More than half of his bones were fractured and he only had two pairs of bony wings left.

    He only managed to escape from the ck Iron Mountain because of Cao Mang''s distraction.

    Yu Gu panted heavily. Blood flowed profusely from his wounds and his bones creaked with eachbored breath as he stared at Pang Jian in astonishment.

    There had been no internal strife among the human cultivators before this. Previously, the human cultivators had all fought together, determined to eliminate the foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts as quickly as possible.

    However, once the Star Crushing Umbre reached the summit and this blue-d youth ascended, the situation suddenly changed.

    Yu Gu sensed that the formidable couple, Cao Mang and Lady Hua, as well as powerful cultivators like Jiu Yuan, Lou Yunming, and even Yang Rui, all harbored ill will toward this blue-d youth.

    Even more peculiar was that the blue-d youth reciprocated their animosity. Moreover, he possessed extraordinary power, which led to the gruesome death of the troublesome elder from the Sinister Soul Temple.

    "Change brings opportunity!" Yu Gu roared fiercely, still eyeing Pang Jian beneath the Star Crushing Umbre.

    The remaining powerhouses from the other foreign races and the surviving Rank Six Vicious Beasts followed Yu Gu''s gaze to Pang Jian. They understood the underlying meaning behind his fierce roar: Do not attack the blue-d human youth.

    A sudden realization shed in the emerald green eyes of the female Wood Race leader as she gazed at Pang Jian.

    She remembered a race member''s report about a human youth wielding a silver spear. This youth exuded the scent of the Celestial Maiden''s herbal juice, marking him as an untouchable individual.

    The report also mentioned that the youth carried a rich, pure life energy within him.

 Chapter 207: Please Die First!

    <h4>Chapter 207: Please Die First!</h4>

    The Wood Race leader observed Pang Jian for a while before informing Yu Gu in a secretnguage, "Lord Yu Gu, he once drank the herbal juices bestowed by the Celestial Maiden. He was never someone we should''ve been dealing with. The effects of the herbal juices on him have merely dissipated."

    A strange look appeared in Yu Gu''s eyes.

    "Pang Jian, how dare you kill Elder Lou?!" Cao Mang exploded, unable to contain his fury.

    Pang Jian looked calmly at the former owner of the Primordial Wilderness. "Yes, I killed him."

    "How dare you incite internal conflicts among the human cultivators?" Cao Mang roared from atop the ck Iron Mountain.

    Jiu Yuan, Yang Rui, and other Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators like Wei Wenhan, temporarily cast aside their opponents to stare at Pang Jian in shock.

    During a desperate battle between humans and the foreign races, Pang Jian dared to incite internal conflict. There could be no greater atrocity.

    Pang Jian''s open admission to this act meant he had be the public enemy number one of the human race!

    "Why wouldn''t I dare?" Pang Jian retorted.

    Scorn shed in his eyes as he recalled how he had questioned Cao Mang in the trading hall about his right to capture Luo Hongyan. Cao Mang''s domineering response was still fresh in his memory.

    "I, Pang Jian, can do as I please in my territory. Not even the five major sects of the Third World can intervene!" he mockingly repeated Cao Mang''s words, recing Cao Mang''s name with his own.

    With the ck turtle here, Pang Jian could harmonize with the Primordial Wilderness, making him the rightful new master of the Primordial Wilderness!

    His deration of the Primordial Wilderness as his territory was legitimate.

    In the past, Cao Mang had merely dominated the First Peak and constructed the Spirit ughtering Astral Array. This was nothingpared to the authority that Pang Jian now possessed.

    "Your territory?!" Cao Mang''s chest wound burst open from rage at Pang Jian''s words, causing him to vomit a mouthful of blood.

    His face flushed crimson and he pointed fiercely at Pang Jian, so furious he could only breathe heavily.

    Jiu Yuan, Yang Rui, Wei Wenhan, and many other powerful cultivators were also in shock.

    <i>The Primordial Wilderness is his territory?</i>

    <i>How dare he say that?</i>

    Their bewildered gazes fell on Pang Jian. The cultivators on the summit of the First Peak could not help but feel like Pang Jian had gone insane and was simply spouting nonsense.

    "Your territory?!" Cao Mang bellowed.

    <i>This is my Primordial Wilderness. I spent nearly a century building up the First Peak. I''ve painstakingly organized countless trade fairs here!</i>

    <i>I''ve poured my heart and soul into the Primordial Wilderness and invested half my life into it. My cultivation and future are intertwined with it!</i>

    <i>So, when did the Primordial Wilderness be someone else''s territory?</i> Cao Mang was beyond furious.

    Lady Hua also regarded the Primordial Wilderness as a part of her life. Pang Jian''s im momentarily distracted her, allowing a withered branch to stab through her waist.

    <i>Splurt!</i>

    Blood trickled down from the corner of her mouth as she flew away from the Wood Race powerhouse.

    "Pang Jian!" Lady Hua screamed hysterically. "You despicable little wretch. Wearing the robe of the Sword Pavilion does not make you a real Sword Pavilion disciple! Remember this! Until you reach the Sword Pavilion and are officially recorded in its registry, you''re not a real Sword Pavilion disciple!

    "Even if you were a true Sword Pavilion disciple, you''ve incited internal conflict during a fight against the foreign races. Your actions are no different from a death sentence!"

    Lady Hua seemed angrier than Cao Mang.

    She rode a multicolored carpet toward Pang Jian, intending to kill him on the spot.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Towering trees hovering in the air intercepted her advance. The Wood Race leader, suspecting Pang Jian possessed rich life energy, did her utmost to help him.

    "The Primordial Wilderness is my territory. Besides, Lou Yunming tried to kill me first. I merely retaliated," Pang Jian exined indifferently. He then turned his attention to Jiu Yuan. "Luo Yunming provoked me first, so he deserved to die. As for you? You''ll die regardless.

    "You''ve heard me say more than once now that I''ll make sure you die in the Primordial Wilderness. So, it''s time for you to die."

    The Star Crushing Umbre shot toward Jiu Yuan. Pang Jian followed, dragging the Startling ughter Spear behind him. The sharp spearhead created sparks as it scraped along the hard ground.

    The invading forces from the Fifth World stood motionless as they allowed Pang Jian to pass. As if fearing Pang Jian''s distrust, the bloodied warriors of the Demon Scale Race even retreated as he approached, hoping to show him they had no intention of attacking.

    The strange behavior of the foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts made Pang Jian''s actions seem even more bizarre.

    "He actually dares!" Lian Feng''s expression dramatically changed.

    When Pang Jian exined that Lou Yunming''s death was his own fault for attacking first, rogue cultivators like Lian Feng believed that Pang Jian would not act against his own race unless provoked.

    Then, Pang Jian suddenly pointed his spear at Jiu Yuan with the intent to kill,pletely disregarding the foreign races'' invasion or the unspoken pact against internal conflict among human cultivators during this challenging time!

    Pang Jian was determined to kill Jiu Yuan, and the invading forces were even going out of their way to make it easier for him!

    "Pang Jian, you''re courting death!" Jiu Yuanughed.

    Having freed himself from his fight with the troublesome Demon Armor Beast, Jiu Yuan floated in a sea of blood, watching as Pang Jian released the Star Crushing Umbre and charged at him with his silver spear.

    He grinned fiercely. His uncontroble rage far surpassed his initial surprise.

    Even Jiu Yuan found the situation before him hard to ept.

    <i>Regardless of his cultivation realm, how could he raise his weapon against me during an invasion from the Fifth World and disy such an intense killing intent?</i>

    Pang Jian said icily, "After I kill you and settle our old grievances, I''ll deal with the invading forces from the Fifth World. Jiu Yuan, I can''t focus unless you''re dead. If I can''t focus, I can''t deal with the invading forces. So, please die first."

    With that, the Star Crushing Umbre came crashing down, hovering over the dense sea of blood where Jiu Yuan stood while Pang Jian charged forward with his spear!

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The Star Crushing Umbre enveloped Jiu Yuan and his dense sea of blood in a dazzling radiance as tiny stars, a pristine moon, and threads of icy crystalline lightning appeared in its canopy.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian rushed into the radiance with his spear.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The Star Crushing Umbre expanded once again, covering the entire area below it and isting it from the rest of the summit.

    All the living beings on the summit of the First Peak¡ªhuman cultivators, foreign race warriors, and Vicious Beasts alike¡ªstared at the Star Crushing Umbre.

    They could only vaguely see the outlines of Jiu Yuan and Pang Jian underneath.

    "Continue the ughter!" Yu Gu suddenly shouted in humannguage.

    The battles, which had paused for a moment, erupted in bloodshed once again as the brutal shes between the foreign races and human cultivators resumed.

    Cao Mang, Lady Hua, Yang Rui, and the others were forced to engage their opponents once more, but their attention frequently drifted toward the Star Crushing Umbre.

    "Pang Jian..." Yang Rui from the Radiant Sun Sect frowned, expression somber.

    Unexpectedly, the young hunter from the Fourth World had not only survived the chaotic situation in the Primordial Wilderness but had also seized Liang Ying''s Star Crushing Umbre.

    Yang Rui could hardly believe that Pang Jian dared to climb to the summit of the First Peak to enact his revenge against Lou Yunming of the Sinister Soul Temple,pletely disregarding the unity of the human race against external threats!

    He even said Jiu Yuan''s death was necessary for him to focus on dealing with the foreign races.

    <i>He asked Jiu Yuan to die first... </i>Yang Rui subconsciously rubbed his forehead as though to smooth out the wrinkles. <i>The things I did to retaliate against him in the trading hall have probably earned his hatred. He''ll likely target me as well. I need to be cautious. I can''t let my guard down.</i>

    Yang Rui was the top Profound Abode Realm cultivator in the Third World. Even so, he regarded Pang Jian as his most formidable opponent.

    In the small world under the umbre, the irritable Jiu Yuan floated in his sea of blood and roared, "An ant trying to shake a tree. You''re overestimating yourself!"

    Jiu Yuan then flicked his finger.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A drop of crimson blood, infused with divine sense, spiritual power, and blood essence, shot toward Pang Jian.

    A dense trail of light dragged behind it, transforming into a ferocious one-horned blood beast. Its horn aimed straight at Pang Jian''s heart.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian gathered his spiritual power, ster energy, lunar energy, and cold energy to summon a protective shield far thicker than that of others in his cultivation realm.

    As soon as the green protective shield appeared, the one-horned blood beast shattered as if it had collided with an iron wall.

    <i>How can a Profound Abode Realm cultivator''s protective shield be so solid?</i> Jiu Yuan was taken aback.

    <i>sh!</i>

    Pulling a scarlet longsword from the sea of blood, Jiu Yuan used his divine sense to propel it toward Pang Jian.

    The de radiated an enchanting glow that seemed to reverse the flow of blood within Pang Jian''s body.

    Most cultivators with cultivation realms lower than Jiu Yuan''s would lose control of their blood before the Blood Reversal de struck them. Jiu Yuan would then bring down the longsword to leave his opponents decapitated or sliced in half.

    However, Pang Jian''s blood was unaffected and he thrust his Startling ughter Spear at the scarlet longsword before it could even get close.

    A chilling light beam struck the Blood Reversal de with pinpoint uracy.

    <i>ng!</i>

    It was like a massive weight had struck the longsword, causing it to fall back into the sea of blood.

    Pang Jian noticed the sea of blood was actually the blood flowing from Jiu Yuan''s crimson cloak. Jiu Yuan stood on an erged version of the cloak and so appeared to be floating on a sea of blood. When Jiu Yuan unleashed his power, thick blood continuously flowed out from the cloak.

    "Jiu Yuan. You, Lou Yunming, and Liang Ying are all in the early stages of the Spirit Condensation Realm. All of you have simrbat prowess. Liang Ying is dead. Lou Yunming is also dead. Do you honestly think you can escape the same fate as them?

    "I''ve stated multiple times that I''d kill you. Even if you had wings, you can''t escape from me in my territory, the Primordial Wilderness.

    "The Blood Moon Sect''s body tempering technique seems inferior to the Grand Providence Sacred Body. The blood essence you''ve umted with your Spirit Condensation Realm cultivation isn''t much richer than mine."

    Interwoven beams of spiritual power emerged from beneath the sea of blood and sliced the crimson cloak under Jiu Yuan''s feet. Blood sttered and the crimson cloak disintegrated into pieces, causing Jiu Yuan to scream in agony as if his own flesh was being torn apart.

    "The Spirit ughtering Astral Array!" Jiu Yuan let out a horrified scream simr to Lou Yunming''s.

 Chapter 208: Shifting the Blame

    <h4>Chapter 208: Shifting the me</h4>

    "Cao Mang!" Jiu Yuan bellowed.

    His immediate assumption was that Old Monster Cao had reactivated the array to ambush him within the small world under the umbre.

    <i>sh!</i>

    The Spirit ughtering Astral Array shredded the crimson cloak beneath his feet, destroying his precious spirit artifact.

    "Damn it! That bastard Cao Mang really is colluding with the foreign races!" Jiu Yuan was utterly distraught.

    After all, Cao Mang was the only one who could control the Spirit ughtering Astral Array.

    Jiu Yuan suspected Cao Mang and the foreign races were deliberately putting on a show and toying with everyone.

    <i>Cao Mang''sbat prowess increases dramatically with the help of the array. Since he dares to attack me, the array may kill me if I stay on the First Peak!</i>

    Grabbing his Blood Reversal de, he channeled his blood essence and spiritual power into it.

    "Absorb!" Jiu Yuan roared.

    With that, the longsword absorbed all the blood that had flowed out from Jiu Yuan''s shredded crimson cloak.

    Grabbing thergest scrap of the shredded cloak, he shed at the light curtain separating him and Pang Jian from the outside world, creating a small opening.

    Jiu Yuan escaped from beneath the umbre.

    Once he put some distance between himself and the Star Crushing Umbre, Jiu Yuan red at Old Monster Cao with bloodshot eyes filled with deep hatred.

    "Cao Mang!" he shouted angrily. "You dared to secretly collude with the foreign races. The high-ups will never let you go!"

    Jiu Yuan was now convinced that Cao Mang was behind everything.

    "To think I trust you so much! Cao Mang, you''ll pay for what you have done today!"

    Cao Mang was still engaged in fiercebat with Yu Gu when he heard Jiu Yuan''s yell.

    Stunned, he was baffled as to why Jiu Yuan was once again using him of colluding with the foreign races.

    ¡°Cao Mang, that bastard, could freely control the Spirit ughtering Astral Array." Pang Jian''s cold voice rang out from under the Star Crushing Umbre. "He intentionally dispelled the array to let the foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts enter the summit. It''s clear he intended for everyone to die here.¡±

    Seeing that Jiu Yuan believed the former owner of the Primordial Wilderness had ambushed him, Pang Jian decided to y along and follow up on Jiu Yuan''s usations.

    "Cao Mang ns to kill both the human cultivators and the invading foreign races. He wants to seize the treasures from both sides!" Pang Jian used.

    "Pang Jian!"

    "You little scoundrel!"

    Cao Mang and Lady Hua screamed in rage.

    "Be careful of Cao Mang!" Jiu Yuan warned.

    Shaking the torn fragment of his crimson cloak, he summoned a blood-colored cloud. He then stepped onto the cloud, flew away, and became the first to escape from the summit of the First Peak.

    The other cultivators were left bewildered and unsure of what to believe.

    "Pang Jian!" Cao Mang rushed toward Pang Jian on the ck Iron Mountain.

    The ck Iron Mountain smashed into a frenzied Demon Armor Beast along the way, killing it instantly as its bones were crushed.

    Cao Mang was determined to eliminate the eyesore that was Pang Jian.

    No one in the entire Primordial Wilderness was more angry and aggrieved than Cao Mang. He had fought desperately on the summit of the First Peak to clear his name and had even deployed his treasured Spirit ughtering Astral Array to fend off wave after wave of attacks from the invading forces from the Fifth World.

    He even asked sect elders such as Jiu Yuan, Wei Wenhan, and Lou Yunming to use sound transmission talismans to inform others in the Primordial Wilderness that he had no ties with the foreign races.

    From beginning to end, he did all he could to avoid any association with the foreign races!

    As a result, even the Spirit ughtering Astral Array, which he had spent over a century creating, malfunctioned.

    Despite this, scoundrels like Jiu Yuan and Pang Jian continued to nder him, maliciously using him of conspiring with the Fifth World to kill everyone.

    <i>Spurt!</i>

    Cao Mang was so enraged he vomited blood.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian chased after the fleeing Jiu Yuan with a shrunken Star Crushing Umbre in hand. Before he got far, Pang Jian said frostily, "I''ll kill Jiu Yuan first. I''lle back for you after, you treacherous scum."

    "Me, a treacherous scum? You little scoundrel! You¡ª" Cao Mang leaped from the ck Iron Mountain, ready to kill Pang Jian.

    Yu Gu pped his broken wings and forcefully pulled him back down, taking the opportunity to angrily rebuke, "Cao Mang, you''re so vicious and deceitful! You used us to kill your own kin and now you want to silence us as well. The human race is truly despicable to the extreme!"

    Cao Mang''s small frame trembled with fury as he jumped up and down on the ck Iron Mountain. Baring his teeth, he cursed, "I-I''ll kill you!"

    Never in his whole life had he been subjected to such nder!

    Despite having done nothing wrong, both sides had branded him as treacherous scum. The endless usations and condemnations drove him to the brink of mental copse.

    Lady Hua desperately tried to reach Cao Mang, but several withered branches impaled her before she could get close to him. Sharp ice ws tore apart her multicolored carpet.

    Lian Feng and Yang Rui had been standing nearby and originally nned to rescue her. However, with Jiu Yuan''s usations, they chose to stand by and do nothing.

    This caused her to suffer severe injuries.

    Her once beautiful face was filled with bitter resentment as she red at the retreating Pang Jian.

    "Pang, Pang Jian..."

    On the Second Peak, Huang Qi was left speechless as he watched the chaotic situation on the First Peak.

    He saw how Pang Jian used the Star Crushing Umbre to trap and kill the elder of the Sinister Soul Temple, Lou Yunming, before using the same technique to trap Jiu Yuan from the Blood Moon Sect.

    Although Jiu Yuan had escaped from the Star Crushing Umbre alive, he appeared to have lost his mind as he vehemently used Cao Mang of colluding with the foreign races.

    Jiu Yuan then became the first to flee from the First Peak.

    Pang Jian now chased after Jiu Yuan with the umbre in one hand and his silver spear in the other!

    The sight was beyond anything Huang Qi could have imagined.

    "Pang Jian!" Xie Xiwen, Shen Lei, and Fang Boxuan eximed in astonishment.

    Their faces were full of disbelief.

    From where they were stationed at the foot of the mountain, they could not see what was happening at the summit of the First Peak and did not know what had transpired.

    They watched as Jiu Yuan''s blurry figure flew away on a blood-colored cloud. His pursuer was armed with the Star Crushing Umbre and a silver spear.

    This could only be Pang Jian.

    "That''s impossible!" Xie Xiwen gritted her teeth and retrieved her star disk from her waist. Channeling her ster energy into her eyes, she stared intently into the sky with her Star Eyes.

    The blurry figure of the pursuer became clear.

    Pang Jian held the Star Crushing Umbre and his silver spear, unleashing dazzling shooting stars, Lunar Edges, and ice shards at a cursing Jiu Yuan.

    ¡°It-it''s really him! How''s that possible?¡± Xie Xiwen''s bright starry eyes were filled with confusion.

    She could not fathom why someone like Pang Jian would recklessly kill his own kin during a critical moment in the struggle against the foreign races.

    "Even if you have deep grudges against them, you could''ve waited until the foreign races were defeated to settle them. How could you act like this?" Xie Xiwen murmured helplessly.

    She had never met someone as brazen and reckless as Pang Jian. Although she faulted Pang Jian for his actions, she could not help but also feel a twinge of excitement.

    "He lost in the drawing of lots back then. Seeing Jiu Yuan''s gloating expression must have made him furious. Jiu Yuan must be someone Pang Jian feels he needs to eliminate in his lifetime. The invasiones after Jiu Yuan''s death.

    "How thrilling it must be for someone like him to act this way." Xie Xiwen bit her lip and her eyes lit up.

    "As expected, you really made your move." Fang Boxuan sighed with a bitter smile. Pang Jian''s actions did not surprise him at all. "But I''m curious about why you chose to act while the battle against the invading foreign races is still ongoing."

    Fang Boxuan had witnessed Pang Jian kill Liang Ying with his own eyes and knew Jiu Yuan of the Blood Moon Sect would be Pang Jian''s primary target when he saw Pang Jian climb the First Peak.

    The sight before him had proved his judgment correct.

    However, the foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts were still fighting with the human cultivators on the summit of the First Peak. Thus, he could not help but wonder why Pang Jian would choose this moment to kill Jiu Yuan.

    "He''s a madman. He''s crazier than Dong Tianze!" Fang Boxuan concluded.

    At the same time, a few Spirit Condensation Realm rogue cultivators focused their gazes and sessfully identified the two figures flying away from the summit of the First Peak.

    "The one on the blood-colored cloud is the elder of the Blood Moon Sect, Jiu Yuan."

    "As for the one holding the umbre and chasing after the cloud...that''s Pang Jian! Pang Jian is chasing after Jiu Yuan!"

    Human cultivators gathered in the valleys, at the foot of the mountains, on the protruding cliffs, and atop towering trees, all stared at the two figures in the sky.

    Their minds were filled with questions.

    <i>Where did Pang Jian find the courage to chase after Jiu Yuan? Has he always possessed such strength?</i>

    <i>And why is Jiu Yuan fleeing from the First Peak?</i>

    ***

    "Gravity Shift!" Pang Jian murmured.

    Jiu Yuan was riding the blood-colored cloud, enveloped in a protective shield, when he noticed a shift in the gravitational pull.

    His blood-colored cloud plummeted from over a thousand zhang high.

    Jiu Yuan paled with fright, instinctively steering the blood-colored cloud ording to his blood talisman.

    "Fang Boxuan is also a member of the Blood Moon Sect. There should be some Blood Moon Sect members with him."

    The wobbling blood-colored cloud headed straight toward Fang Boxuan.

    Pang Jian brandished his spear as he gave chase.

    Lunar Edges engulfed Jiu Yuan like a sea of sharp knives, shing at his protective shield and causing blood-colored light to scatter in all directions.

    Pang Jian could see that the spiritual power in Jiu Yuan''s unimpressive spiritual sea was nearly depleted from fighting against the foreign races.

    He attacked relentlessly, aiming to deplete Jiu Yuan''s spiritual power so he could no longer resist.

 Chapter 209: The Defiant Fang Boxuan

    <h4>Chapter 209: The Defiant Fang Boxuan</h4>

    Lunar Edges shot toward Jiu Yuan one after another under the night sky of the Primordial Wilderness.

    The elder of the Blood Moon Sect cursed loudly as he fended off the Lunar Edges with his Blood Reversal de. At times, he was even forced to resummon his protective shield.

    Regardless of how he chose to respond to Pang Jian''s attacks, his spiritual power was steadily depleting.

    He swallowed some pills to restore his spiritual power.

    Deep down, he knew it was futile. Jiu Yuan had fought the invading forces for a long time even before the Spirit ughtering Astral Array malfunctioned. A few pills could not possibly restore his spiritual power in such a short amount of time.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    Jiu Yuan''s protective shield flickered unsteadily under Pang Jian''s relentless attacks, causing his spiritual power and blood essence to rapidly drain away.

    As he turned around to look at the imposing Pang Jian, Jiu Yuan could not help but feel a sense of bewilderment and fear.

    <i>Why? Why hasn''t this brat shown any signs of fatigue? How does he, a Profound Abode Realm cultivator, have such vast spiritual power?</i>

    Even if Pang Jian had advanced to the Profound Abode Realm, it made no sense that his spiritual power was so vast to be seemingly inexhaustible.

    <i>He killed Lou Yunming and even battled me in the world under the umbre. Despite that, he still has the strength to relentlessly attack me with his Lunar Edges. Does this brat possess unlimited spiritual power?</i>

    Fear took root in Jiu Yuan''s heart.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Lunar Edges once again shattered Jiu Yuan''s protective shield and he let out a muffled grunt as blood flowed from his nose.

    His wobbling blood-colored cloud drifted steadily toward Fang Boxuan, passing through the valley between the Second Peak and the First Peak on the way.

    Those in the valley raised their heads to see Pang Jian and Jiu Yuan flying several hundred zhang above them.

    One chased relentlessly, while the other fled frantically.

    The pursuer was calm as the hunted panicked.

    The contrast between the two was striking.

    "Jiu Yuan!"

    "Pang Jian is chasing after Jiu Yuan of the Blood Moon Sect!"

    "Am I seeing this right? Did Pang Jian chase Jiu Yuan from the summit of the First Peak? Oh my god!"

    Shocked exmations rang out throughout the valley.

    The cultivators were all aware of the feud between Pang Jian and Jiu Yuan. They also knew the beautiful woman Jiu Yuan had drawn the lot for was Pang Jian''s sister.

    Regardless, Jiu Yuan was a cultivator in the Spirit Condensation Realm, while Pang Jian, despite his extraordinary talent, was still only in the Profound Abode Realm.

    It was unprecedented for a cultivator in the Profound Abode Realm to chase a Spirit Condensation Realm cultivator as they fled desperately.

    Everyone''s brows raised in astonishment.

    "Damn it, my lifelong reputation is bound to be ruined today!" Jiu Yuanmented.

    A wave of sorrow swept over Jiu Yuan as he peered down at the crowd and overheard their words.

    A lowly scum from the lower world like Pang Jian was chasing him, a powerful cultivator in the Spirit Condensation Realm. This was probably the most humiliating moment of his life!

    Even so, he was powerless to retaliate.

    While in the small world under the umbre, Pang Jian had explicitly told Jiu Yuan that he had killed Liang Ying. Jiu Yuan had also been there when Lou Yunming''s dismembered body was revealed from beneath the umbre.

    It did not matter how Pang Jian did it. The key point was that Lou Yunming, a cultivator with the same cultivation realm as Jiu Yuan, had died.

    If Pang Jian could kill Lou Yunming, he could also kill Jiu Yuan. Moreover, Jiu Yuan was already exhausted from fighting the foreign races, and the soul technique he had secretly unleashed was ineffective against Pang Jian.

    Considering all these factors, Jiu Yuan knew he could not deal with Pang Jian in the harsh environment of the First Peak''s summit and had to temporarily avoid confrontation.

    Regrettably, that resulted in many rogue cultivators and noble family elders seeing him in this wretched state.

    <i>I probably won''t have the face to stay in the Third World after this battle. </i>Jiu Yuan despaired.

    At that moment, Fang Boxuan, Xie Xiwen, Shen Lei, and the other members of the Star River Alliance came into view, and hope rose up in Jiu Yuan.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Jiu Yuan''s protective shield was shattered yet again.

    As he floated down to where Fang Boxuan and the others were, he shouted, "Pang Jian killed your Elder Liang and seized her Star Crushing Umbre. Help me kill him!"

    Fang Boxuan and the others stared at Jiu Yuan in shock.

    "Pang Jian killed Elder Liang?!" Shen Lei shouted,

    "He said so himself!" Jiu Yuan yelled back.

    Shen Lei and the other members of the Star River Alliance immediately cast suspicious nces at the approaching Pang Jian.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Star Crushing Umbre drifted into view.

    Holding the Star Crushing Umbre, Pang Jian floated down, bathed in its radiant light.

    The umbre''s canopy was adorned with exquisitely intricate arrays that resembled a brilliant gxy filled with the moon and stars.

    Pang Jian looked like the divine child of the stars and moon under the shimmering green light of the umbre,

    "Pang Jian..." Fang Boxuan felt a pang of inferiority and bitterness as he shook his head in resignation.

    The Star Crushing Umbre disyed a mysterious profoundness in Pang Jian''s hands far surpassing what it could in Liang Ying''s possession.

    The sight was a heavy blow to Fang Boxuan as he prided himself on being a cultivation genius.

    "Pang Jian, did you kill our Elder Liang?!" a female disciple from the Star River Alliance questioned sharply, her voice rising with righteous indignation.

    Xie Xiwen''s starry eyes also shone with anger. She bit her lower lip and red at Pang Jian, "Pang Jian, is what Jiu Yuan said true?"

    Had they not personally witnessed Pang Jian chase down Jiu Yuan, they would not have believed him even if he had previously imed to have killed Liang Ying.

    But now they knew Pang Jian indeed possessed such strength!

    Not to mention, Jiu Yuan imed to have heard it from Pang Jian himself, and given Jiu Yuan''s status, he would not lie about such a matter.

    Therefore, they demanded an exnation from Pang Jian. They wanted Pang Jian to prove Liang Ying died at the hands of the Ghost Race leader.

    "Yes, I killed Liang Ying."

    To everyone''s surprise, Pang Jian admitted it.

    "Pang Jian, the Star River Alliance will not forgive you!" a female disciple screamed, hands iling like a wild cat. "Elder Liang was so kind. Why did you kill her? You deserve to die! She was even willing to shelter you under the Star Crushing Umbre. How could you do this to her?"

    Some of the other younger disciples previously under Liang Ying''s care also shouted indignantly at Pang Jian.

    Frowning, Pang Jian fixed his cold stare on Jiu Yuan of the Blood Moon Sect and said "When she separated from you all at Emerald Lake, she pretended to question me with the intention of killing me and taking my spatial bracelet."

    Pang Jian paused, gaze shifting from Jiu Yuan to the members of the Star River Alliance.

    "After I narrowly escaped, she ambushed me again in the valley between the Fourth Peak and the Fifth Peak, once again intending to kill me and seize my million spirit stones.

    "You may have experienced her so-called kindness, but that kindness of hers didn''t extend to someone like me.

    "Liang Ying had tried to kill me twice. Why shouldn''t I kill her? Am I supposed to just stretch out my neck for her to chop off? Is there any logic to that?" Pang Jian questioned frostily.

    The members of the Star River Alliance were speechless.

    Pang Jian''s cold eyes then turned to the equally shocked Fang Boxuan and said, "Fang Boxuan of the Blood Moon Sect witnessed the entire event. If you don''t believe me, you can ask him."

    Stunned, Fang Boxuan cursed inwardly. He had only seen Pang Jian kill Liang Ying and had not witnessed the events leading up to it. Thus, when he saw Xie Xiwen staring stonily at him, he was unsure how to respond.

    He then noticed Shen Lei and two senior disciples of the Star River Alliance showing signs of sudden realization. Pang Jian''s exnation did not seem to surprise them.

    Fang Boxuan''s mind turned.

    The younger generation, like Xie Xiwen, did not know about Elder Liang''s ruthlessness. The senior disciples like Shen Lei, on the other hand, had been in the Star River Alliance for many years and were aware that Liang Ying was not as kind and gentle as she portrayed herself to be!

    "I saw it with my own eyes!" Fang Boxuan nodded solemnly. With a pained expression on his face, he then said to Xie Xiwen, "Junior Sister Xie, I hate to expose this ugly truth in front of you! After all, it concerns Elder Liang''s reputation and is a stain on your Star River Alliance!

    "Pang Jian was wearing the outer disciple robes of the Sword Pavilion when Elder Liang attacked him. She was truly ruthless!" Fang Boxuan condemned as though he had indeed witnessed the entire event.

    "Fang Boxuan!" Jiu Yuan roared, Fang Boxuan''s words enraged him to the point of wanting to stomp his feet in anger. He wanted to kill Fang Boxuan.

    Senior disciples like Shen Lei hung their heads in silence. They were fully aware of Liang Ying''s personality and knew what Fang Boxuan had told them was the truth.

    "How could this be? I don''t believe it," Xie Xiwen murmured, shaking her head in denial.

    "Fang Boxuan! How dare you provide false testimony for an outsider!" Jiu Yuan snarled in fury as his face twisted with hatred. Based on his demeanor, he intended to kill Fang Boxuan once he regained his strength.

    "Elder Liang Ying''s character should be clearer to you than to me. The two of you have explored several restricted areas together. You should know in your heart whether what I''m saying is true," Fang Boxuan sneered.

    Fang Boxuan''s words unexpectedly silenced the endlessly cursing Jiu Yuan.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    At that moment, the Star Crushing Umbre once again floated toward Jiu Yuan.

    Realizing neither Fang Boxuan nor the members of the Star River Alliance would fight for him, Jiu Yuan turned to escape once more¡ªonly to find his feet glued to the ground.

    He was rendered immobile and could not escape being enveloped by the Star Crushing Umbre for a second time!

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The radiance of the Star Crushing Umbre cascaded down from the edges of its canopy and connected to the ground, Fang Boxuan, Xie Xiwen, and the others outside the umbre could see Pang Jian''s and Jiu Yuan''s blurry figures but could not hear their conversation.

    "Pang Jian!" Jiu Yuan was much more terrified now that his feet were rooted to the floor.

    As he watched Pang Jian step into the small world within the umbre, he abruptly realized something.

    "Cao Mang didn''t activate the Spirit ughtering Astral Array and tear my cloak apart with those interwoven light beams! It was you!"

    Jiu Yuan finally understood what had happened.

    Pang Jian could not only manipte the gravity of the Primordial Wilderness but also activate the Spirit ughtering Astral Array!

 Chapter 210: Killing Jiu Yuan

    <h4>Chapter 210: Killing Jiu Yuan</h4>

    Jiu Yuan trembled with fear at the realization and nced around in panic at the small world under the umbre.

    He could not fathom orprehend how Pang Jian, a Profound Abode Realm cultivator, could manipte the gravity of the Primordial Wilderness.

    He also understood why Lou Yunming, a fellow Spirit Condensation Realm cultivator, had died at Pang Jian''s hands.

    Pang Jian could control thews of heaven and earth in the Primordial Wilderness. Hisbat prowess could not be judged using the same standard as other Profound Abode Realm cultivators!

    Pang Jian nodded with a slight smile. "You''ve figured it out, but it''s toote."

    After studying Jiu Yuan''s condition, Pang Jian concluded Jiu Yuan could no longer escape from the Star Crushing Umbre. He also knew Fang Boxuan, Xie Xiwen, and the others could not hear what was happening inside the umbre.

    Therefore, Pang Jian did not fear being overheard.

    "I''ve said this before. I, Pang Jian, can do as I please in my territory. Not even the five major sects of the Third World can intervene!

    "I can harmonize with the Primordial Wilderness, bing the sovereign of this fragmentednd and possessing unfathomable powers. Killing you, Jiu Yuan, is a simple matter."

    The handle of the Star Crushing Umbre rotated. The stars, the full moon, and the bone-chilling ice pool above unleashed a vast force targeting Jiu Yuan.

    Shooting stars fell like a shower of light and icy Lunar Edges condensed into clusters of miniature storms to bombard Jiu Yuan.

    Gravity increased by dozens of times, making it impossible for the already exhausted Jiu Yuan to move.

    He could only brandish his Blood Reversal de to cut down the shooting stars. Despite that, Lunar Edges still surrounded him and shattered his protective shield.

    Jiu Yuan''s spiritual sea was already depleted and his blood essence was so thin it was hardly worth mentioning.

    Pang Jian!" Jiu Yuan roared, taking out a purplish gold pendant covered in sword marks and pressing it against his chest. The pendant absorbed the blood flowing from his chest before abruptly shattering.

    <i>Shing! Shing! Shing!</i>

    Purplish gold sword light burst forth and attacked Pang Jian.

    The purplish gold sword light carried a sword intent that exuded an extraordinarily sinister aura, seemingly capable of withering all living things.

    Without hesitation, Pang Jian summoned his thick green protective shield. However, the sword light broke through his protective shield in an instant, and the withering sword intent seeped into Pang Jian''s body.

    Pang Jian felt as if he were in a deste world where all living beings had perished. He saw piles of bones and purplish gold sword lights flying through the air.

    "If I die, you won''t live either!" Jiu Yuanughed maliciously.

    Strands of sword intent shed at Pang Jian''s body, mangling his body and leaving him covered in blood.

    The terrifying sword intent, capable of corroding flesh and draining life force, rampaged through Pang Jian''s internal organs.

    Pang Jian let out a sharp scream of agony.

    Then, gritting his teeth through the pain, he threw the Startling ughter Spear and pierced Jiu Yuan''s immobilized body.

    Pang Jian sat down heavily, attempting to use the sr energy and earthme energy from his spiritual sea to intercept the terrifying sword intent.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The purplish gold sword light darted around like living creatures in Pang Jian''s body, only for the scorching rays and raging mes to intercept and extinguish them.

    Sweat poured from Pang Jian like rain. The pain was so excruciating it nearly made him lose consciousness.

    He had sessfully ground down the purplish gold sword intent invading his body with great effort, but the sword intent had still covered his chest with wounds so deep the bones were visible.

    "Brat, how do you like the taste of that?" Jiu Yuanughed mockingly. "Even if I die here, I''ll take you with me!"

    He could feel his life force slipping away and knew he could not escape death.

    As he stared into Pang Jian''s eyes, he continued tough at Pang Jian''s miserable state. "Pang Jian, you won''t make it out alive either!"

    "Maybe a typical Profound Abode Realm cultivator would''ve died from such injuries, but not I''m not normal. After all, I can kill a Spirit Condensation Realm expert like you," Pang Jian said with cold sweat dripping from his forehead.

    He then spread the life energy from the glowing green leaves throughout his body. Gaping wounds closed, severed meridians reconnected, and ruptured internal organs healed.

    "What kind of monster are you?" Jiu Yuan, with the Startling ughter Spear still embedded in his chest, watched in horror as Pang Jian staggered to his feet.

    Pang Jian''s bleeding had already stopped. As he regained his mobility, he steadily approached Jiu Yuan.

    Jiu Yuanpletely lost the ability to fight back.

    <i>Rip!</i>

    Pang Jian tore off a thick blood clot from his abdomen, revealing wounds interwoven with green light beneath.

    The green light brimmed with boundless vitality and stitched up Pang Jian''s horrific wounds like threads controlled by a celestial being.

    Pang Jian''s deep wounds were healed in the blink of an eye, enveloped by life energy so intense even Jiu Yuan could sense it.

    <i>Thump! Thump! Thump!</i>

    Pang Jian''s strong heartbeat released life energy like an erupting volcano. Soon, his entire being was enveloped in an indescribably rich life energy.

    Jiu Yuan saw Pang Jian''s wounds and severed meridians heal rapidly.

    Such extraordinary healing ability was not something even Soul Wandering Realm cultivators could achieve, let alone Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators!

    Only those deeply versed in body tempering techniques could possess such heaven-defying self-healing abilities. These individuals and techniques were thought to have only been around during the legendary era when body tempering was still highly valued.

    "Not even the Grand Providence Sacred Body has such divine ability!" Jiu Yuan eximed in shock.

    Pang Jian grasped the shaft of the Startling ughter Spear and stared into Jiu Yuan''s horrified bloodshot eyes as he lifted the spear upward. "This ends here. I still have to kill Cao Mang and Lady Hua. I don''t have time to waste on you."

    <i>Rip!</i>

    Jiu Yuan''s body was cut in half and his internal organs spilled out.

    When the spear reached his neck, Pang Jian twisted the spear shaft.

    <i>Plop!</i>

    Jiu Yuan''s head dropped to the ground like a watermelon.

    Pang Jian frowned. Flicking the spear shaft, he sent Jiu Yuan''s bloody head flying toward him before wrapping it in a piece of cloth and stowing it away in his spatial bracelet.

    He then collected Jiu Yuan''s spatial bracelet and Blood Reversal de.

    <i>ck turtle, gather spiritual qi for me, </i>Pang Jian said.

    Dense waves of spiritual qi surged into his dantian, quickly restoring most of his spiritual power.

    The reason Pang Jian had dared to expend his energy to exhaust Jiu Yuan was because of the ck turtle hiding in the smaller fragmentednd below the Primordial Wilderness. He could always draw spiritual qi from the ck turtle to replenish his own spiritual sea.

    Spiritual qi gathered from all over the valley and poured into the Star Crushing Umbre.

    Pang Jian felt as if he were swimming in a vast ocean of spiritual qi. His eyes lit up with joy as he absorbed it with his dantian and through every pore in his body.

    In no time, his spiritual sea was brimming with spiritual power.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The radiance cascading down from the Star Crushing Umbre retracted back into the umbre''s canopy and Pang Jian emerged from beneath it.

    "Jiu Yuan!" the group outside eximed simultaneously.

    Fang Boxuan stumbled backward two steps at the sight. A surge of intense cold chilled his heart.

    Xie Xiwen, Shen Lei, and the other members of the Star River Alliance were at a loss for words as they nced between Jiu Yuan''s dismembered body and the blood-soaked Pang Jian.

    Unlike before, the anger and hostility in Xie Xiwen''s eyes had now disappeared.

    While Pang Jian and Jiu Yuan battled in the small world within the umbre, Shen Lei, fearing the overly righteous Xie Xiwen would confront Pang Jian about Liang Ying''s death, told her the truth about Elder Liang.

    He feared Xie Xiwen would drag the entire Star River Alliance into the matter and felt he had no choice. Thus, he recounted how Elder Liang Ying had murdered rogue cultivators for their treasure more than once while leading her disciples on training missions.

    With her image of Liang Ying now shattered, Xie Xiwen finally believed Liang Ying had attacked Pang Jian with murderous intent, leading to Pang Jian killing her.

    "Pang Jian, Jiu Yuan''s actions do not represent our Blood Moon Sect!" Fang Boxuan hastily rified. "Jiu Yuan is the ck sheep of our Blood Moon Sect. Many people are fed up with him and despise his character! I hope you won''t hold a grudge against our entire Blood Moon Sect because of him!"

    The members of the Star River Alliance looked at this genius of the Blood Moon Sect strangely as if seeing a new side of him.

    No matter how bad his rtionship with Jiu Yuan was, they were both members of the Blood Moon Sect. It was inappropriate for Fang Boxuan to stand by and watch as an outsider killed Jiu Yuan in front of him. Worse still, he maliciously ndered Jiu Yuan right after his death.

    <i>This Fang Boxuan is shameless. How could he be like this? I must''ve been blind before!</i> thought a female disciple from the Star River Alliance.

    Fang Boxuan ignored their disdainful looks. "The conflict between you and Jiu Yuan is a personal one. Please don''t drag our entire Blood Moon Sect into this! When I return to the sect, I''ll report to the Sect Master and tell him that Jiu Yuan had ordered his subordinates to search for girls in the Fourth World¡ª"

    Fang Boxuan''s persuasions were abruptly cut off as Pang Jian once again manipted his long spear and flew away with the Star Crushing Umbre in hand.

    This time, Pang Jian did not manually climb the mountain. Manipting his spear, he took advantage of the buoyancy of the Star Crushing Umbre and flew straight to the summit of the First Peak.

    Pang Jian climbed the First Peak for the second time!

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Fang Boxuan fell to the ground, unable to maintain his righteous facade any longer. He wiped the sweat from his brow and said, "That fiend is finally gone."

    The members of the Star River Alliance looked at Pang Jian with eyes full of awe, then stared disdainfully at Fang Boxuan. In their mind, this so-called genius of the Blood Moon Sect was an utterly shameless person.

    "He''s truly a fierce character with an overwhelming aura." Shen Lei shook his head in amazement. He now realized how impossible it would be to ask Pang Jian to return the Star Crushing Umbre.

 Chapter 211: Climbing the First Peak Again

    <h4>Chapter 211: Climbing the First Peak Again</h4>

    At the foot of the Fourth Peak, Fang Boxuan sighed, eyes filled with dread and fear as he watched Pang Jian''s departing figure.

    Shen Lei of the Star River Alliance was stunned. "Fang Boxuan, you¡ªwhy are you so afraid of him?"

    Fang Boxuan coldly snorted. "Pang Jian killed Jiu Yuan and your Elder Liang. He killed two Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators and he''s only just advanced to the Profound Abode Realm.

    "Our Blood Moon Sect shouldn''t make an enemy of someone like him just because of Jiu Yuan.

    "Pang Jian dares to eliminate his enemy during a foreign race invasion. When he advances to the Spirit Condensation Realm, who in our Blood Moon Sect or your Star River Alliance can confidently say they can defeat him?

    Fang Boxuan took a sharp breath, anxiety clear in his voice. "If he were to go rogue and start hunting down our Blood Moon Sect, any who dares to leave the sect out of fear will forever live in his shadow!"

    Shen Lei''s face paled. He could no longer utter a word of reproach toward Fang Boxuan.

    Xie Xiwen''s eyes were fixed on Pang Jian''s figure, and she eximed, "He-he''s climbing the First Peak again!

    "Someone is about to meet a grim fate, whether it''s Yang Rui of the Radiant Sun Sect or Cao Mang and Lady Hua," Fang Boxuan remarked. Although he initially felt some schadenfreude, after a moment of contemtion, he could not help but sigh. "Revenge is one thing, but can''t he wait until the invading foreign races are dealt with first?"

    "It''s one thing to go after Cao Mang since he kidnapped his sister." Xie Xiwen frowned. "But he could''ve killed the foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts before dealing with Jiu Yuan. He''s too reckless."

    Fang Boxuan responded with a solemn expression, "This kind of reckless, rule-breaking person is the most terrifying and unpredictable!"

    Xie Xiwen fell into deep thought.

    Shen Lei and the others could only smile bitterly.

    ***

    A silver streak shot through the star-lit night sky and headed straight toward the First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The cultivators scattered near the First Peak stared at the figure with the long spear climbing the First Peak once again.

    "Pang Jian!"

    "He''s climbing the First Peak again!"

    "Who is this guy anyway? Even the inner disciples of the Sword Pavilion don''t possess this kind of power, do they?"

    As the long spear passed over the cultivators'' heads, they saw that Pang Jian''s Sword Pavilion robe was now stained with dried blood.

    Clearly, Pang Jian had just experienced a bloody battle.

    Earlier, he relentlessly pursued Jiu Yuan of the Blood Moon Sect from the summit of the First Peak until theynded at the foot of the Fourth Peak.

    Now, Jiu Yuan was nowhere to be seen, but Pang Jian had reappeared with his spear.

    An insane thought sprung up in everyone''s minds.

    <i>Could he have killed Jiu Yuan?</i>

    An intense horror filled them.

    "Jiu Yuan is dead!" a cultivator cried out from the Fourth Peak.

    This voice reverberated through the valley, causing all to peer up at Pang Jian as though looking at a monster.

    "Pang Jian killed Jiu Yuan!"

    "Elder Jiu Yuan of the Blood Moon Sect has been killed. His head was cut off!"

    "Pang Jian also killed Elder Lou Yunming of the Sinister Soul Temple on the summit of the First Peak!"

    Talk of Pang Jian''s fierceness reached across the Primordial Wilderness before he even reached the summit of the First Peak.

    His cultivation realm and actions on the First Peak summit spread like wildfire. Cultivators from all corners of the Third World took note of his name as one associated with bloodshed and madness.

    <i>***</i>

    Pang Jian''s cold gaze swept over the cultivators below as he stood on his long spear.

    He expressionlessly observed the situation on the summit of the First Peak from a god-like perspective.

    Multiple tree branches had severed Lady Hua''s arm, which was white as a lotus root.

    A tree caught her arm as it flew through the air and delivered it to the Wood Race leader wearing a thorny crown.

    The Wood Race leader excitedly took off the jade-white bracelet on the severed arm.

    The leader''s withered body resembled a tree on the brink of death, with gray-brown eyes that had seemingly lost their spark of life.

    Even so, she clutched the jade white bracelet as if holding a priceless treasure and cheered ecstatically, "Obtaining this bracelet makes all the deaths worthwhile!"

    Pang Jian¡¯s eyes gleamed with a peculiar light.

    Earlier, Pang Jian had eavesdropped on Yu Gu and others discussing their n on the summit of the Second Peak through harmonizing with thend and knew that their primary target was Lady Hua''s spatial bracelet.

    Cao Mang was afraid of his wife, so most of the rare spirit materials and treasures he had collected over the years were in Lady Hua''s possession. She kept these treasures in the jade-white spatial bracelet.

    The jade-white bracelet was hard-won after so many assaults on the summit of the First Peak and the sacrifices of countless kinsmen.

    The contents of the spatial bracelet would greatly facilitate their kin''s ascension to the upper world if they could escape from the Primordial Wilderness with it.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A Gilded Chariot descended from the clouds above the Primordial Wilderness and headed toward the First Peak.

    This was the same Gilded Chariot that had carried Ghost Race warriors to ambush Liang Ying and the rogue cultivators and was thest seized flying vessel still in the Primordial Wilderness.

    From its movements, it intended to pick up the Wood Race leader and transport the jade-white spatial bracelet to the Fourth World.

    <i>They were prepared.</i> Pang Jian silently nodded.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The Celestial Race leader, Yu Gu, was crushed beneath Cao Mang''s ck Iron Mountain with a deafening boom. His flesh and bones were reduced to a mangled paste under the immense weight.

    Even in his final moments, the Celestial Race leader hurled vicious insults at Cao Mang, using him of luring them to the Primordial Wilderness and using their forces to ambush the human cultivators at the trade fair.

    Yu Gu imed Cao Mang had orchestrated the conflict to benefit from both sides.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The Fire Dragon Ruler caught a Rank Six ck wyvern carrying a dying Demon Scale Race warrior.

    The ruler resembled a zing divine spear as it engulfed the ck wyvern with searing mes before striking down the dying Demon Scale Race warrior.

    "It''s time to end this." Yang Rui stood at the edge of the Nine Suns Cauldron, which spun with the intensity of a zing sun as it smashed a ruthless Demon Armor Beast to death.

    Noble family elders and powerful rogue cultivators in the Spirit Condensation Realm rushed to the summit of the First Peak, arriving to deliver the fatal blow before the foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts were wiped out in hopes of iming a share of the spoils.

    Huang Qi had also arrived at the summit of the First Peak while Pang Jian and Jiu Yuan had been fighting.

    "Lady Hua." Huang Qi slowly walked over to where the disheveled Lady Hua was lying in a pool of blood. With a squinting smile, he said, "Who would''ve thought a wicked couple like you and Cao Mang would see a day like this?"

    Lady Hua paid no attention to the approaching Huang Qi. With thest bit of her strength, she red at the Wood Race leader holding her jade-white spatial bracelet. "Kill her, kill that Wood Race leader. She stole my spatial bracelet!"

    Her severed arm could be regenerated, but the treasures within the jade-white spatial bracelet could not be reced. It could not fall into the hands of the foreign races!

    ¡°Cao Mang! Stop that Wood Race leader!¡± Lady Hua dropped her usual formality and referred to him by his name.

    Cao Mang swallowed a few healing and restorative pills to recover his strength after killing Yu Gu with the ck Iron Mountain.

    Although intending to catch his breath, when he heard the foreign race warriors had taken the jade-white spatial bracelet, he forced himself to gather his strength and channel his spiritual power to control the ck Iron Mountain once more.

    "The rules of the Primordial Wilderness are no longer in effect. Lady Hua, you killed my brother and now you''ll pay the price." Huang Qi squatted down, grabbed Lady Hua by her neck, and sneered, "I originally nned to leave the Primordial Wilderness after the trade fair concluded and wait for you to seek me out.

    "I never expected you would invite the foreign races here and turn the Primordial Wilderness into a living hell. You and your husband should be held ountable for this."

    <i>Crack!</i>

    Huang Qi snapped Lady Hua''s neck. A surge of violent blood essence from his palm pulverized her head.

    "Huang Qi!"

    Cao Mang had just stood up on the ck Iron Mountain and was about to attack the Wood Race leader when he saw Huang Qi kill Lady Hua. He immediately went berserk.

    "I''m here." Huang Qi slowly stood up and smiled fearlessly at Cao Mang. "I wanted to fight you outside the Primordial Wilderness but the foreign races disrupted my n. Now that they''re nearly wiped out, it''s time to settle the score between you and me."

    Huang Qi''s previous sly demeanor was now reced with an overwhelming aura that could shake mountains and rivers. Powerful spiritual power and blood essence surged within him. His slender frame seemed to grow taller and more imposing by the moment.

    "Spirit Condensation Realm!"

    "And middle stage at that!"

    Yang Rui and Wei Wenhan of the Radiant Sun Sect cried as they carefully scrutinized the rogue cultivator before them for the first time.

    "No wonder he dared topete with me for the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf''s eye." Yang Rui frowned. "He''s a rogue cultivator with the same cultivation realm as Cao Mang, but he''s unknown in the Third World. Even Cao Mang and Lady Hua couldn''t figure out his background.

    ¡°Perhaps he''s not active in the Third World. A rogue cultivator at the middle stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm could be as renowned as Old Monster Cao in the Third World or just an inconspicuous figure in the Second World.¡±

    Wei Wenhan said solemnly, "Sometimes it''s better to be a small part of something great than to lead something insignificant. Everyone has their own choices."

 Chapter 212: A Night of Relentless Slaughter

    <h4>Chapter 212: A Night of Relentless ughter</h4>

    Cao Mang rose to his feet on the ck Iron Mountain, eyes glinting with a bone-chilling intensity as he red at Huang Qi.

    Throwing his head back, Cao Mang let out a furious roar. Jet-ck demonic light shot out from the depths of his pupils and clusters of ck demonic mes surged from the ck Iron Mountain.

    Dead Demon Armor Beasts, Ice Sculpture Beasts, and Blood-Marked Pythons appeared within the ck demonic mes.

    The Vicious Beasts thrashed wildly in an attempt to escape from the eerie ck Iron Mountain. Unfortunately, no matter how hard they tried, they could not break free from the ck demonic mes. They let out mournful howls at the realization.

    Cao Mang''s face twisted into a grimace, resembling a creature that had fallen into the path of evil.

    "Huang Qi!" Cao Mang bellowed before swallowing a few pills, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, and forcing himself to calm down. His re remained fixed on Huang Qi as he contemted his next move.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The eerie ck Iron Mountain changed directions to rush straight toward the Wood Race leader.

    Cao Mang prioritized the jade-white spatial bracelet containing precious spirit materials over avenging his wife. Huang Qi could always be killed at ater date. The spatial bracelet, on the other hand, could not fall into the hands of the foreign races!

    <i>Roar!</i>

    The bloodthirsty Vicious Beasts from the Fifth World roared at the Wood Race leader from within the ck demonic mes. It was as if the ck Iron Mountain had twisted their minds and wills after they were absorbed.

    "It''s the Primeval Demon Illusory Beast Art, a technique from the Demon Sect!" Wei Wenhan eximed, face darkening. "Cao Mang actually obtained and cultivated the Demon Sect''s techniques! And it looks like he''s reached a high level of mastery as well!"

    The souls of the howling Vicious Beasts erupted from the ck demonic mes, and the weakened Wood Race leader clutched the jade-white spatial bracelet as she desperately summoned ancient trees to resist Cao Mang''s attacks.

    The Vicious Beasts'' souls destroyed the giant trees one after another.

    <i>Almost there. I must hold on. That Gilded Chariot is on its way. </i>The Wood Race leader thought anxiously, heart burning with worry.

    She then reluctantly threw out her thorny crown.

    The crown transformed into a lush forest before the advancing Vicious Beasts'' souls.

    Clusters of ck demonic light exploded, crushing all the giant trees as they approached the Wood Race leader.

    "It''s toote." She stared at the jade white spatial bracelet in despair.

    All their deaths would be worthwhile as long as she could get the spatial bracelet to the Fifth World. If Cao Mang reimed the spatial bracelet, their efforts in the Primordial Wilderness would be in vain. The future generations of her race would face many more obstacles on their path to ascend to the upper worlds.

    "This is fate. I can only ept it." She sighed bitterly.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A giant umbre floated up from below the summit of the First Peak and positioned itself in front of her, separating her from the ck Iron Mountain.

    <i>Snap!</i>

    Tree branches snapped and a loud boom reverberated through the air

    The ck Iron Mountain beneath Cao Mang collided with the giant umbre and was brought to an abrupt halt

    The radiance of the stars and moon enveloped the roaring Vicious Beasts, causing their souls to flicker like candle mes in the wind.

    No matter how hard the Vicious Beasts tried, they could not prate the thick, solid radiance of the stars and moon, nor could they breach the canopy of the Star Crushing Umbre.

    A tall, blood-soaked figure appeared in front of the Wood Race leader. The figure, gripping a spear with his right hand and the handle of the umbre with his left, used the ever-expanding umbre to block Cao Mang''s ck Iron Mountain.

    "It''s him!" The Wood n leader eximed in shock.

    "Pang Jian!" Cao Mang roared furiously.

    Pang Jian tossed his gleaming spear, and it soared over the giant umbre like a silver dragon to strike Cao Mang.

    The Primordial Wilderness, with its vast spiritual energy, greatly amplified the power of the spear and created a towering wave of mystical energy.

    Cao Mang and the ck Iron Mountain were swept up by an abnormal spiritual qi like a ship on the open ocean forced to endure the onught of a violent storm.

    The arrays within the ck Iron Mountain suddenly went haywire and Cao Mang felt an abrupt but deep malice from the Primordial Wilderness.

    "This..." Cao Mang was overwhelmed with fear. He could not help but feel like a deity was targeting him.

    Pang Jian turned around, eyes cold, and charged toward the Wood Race leader.

    The Wood n leader was stunned. She assumed the young human cultivator was also after the jade white spatial bracelet in her hand.

    Although a race member had previously informed her that the young man possessed life energy, she was not in a position to care about his possible connection to their Sacred Tree. Thus, she stretched out her withered, vine-like arm to block his attack.

    The young man released his hold on the umbre, clenched his empty fist, and delivered a powerful punch.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The violent force from the punch knocked the exhausted Wood n leader back.

    However, after gritting her teeth and enduring the blow, a faint green light appeared in the depths of the Wood Race leader''s eyes, which had turned from a gray-brown to a dark brown.

    She stared incredulously at Pang Jian.

    "She''s mine." Pang Jian snorted coldly. The rogue cultivators looking to take advantage of the situation stopped in their tracks. "Anyone who dares to take my loot will meet the same fate as Jiu Yuan and Lou Yunming¡ªdeath."

    His voice was as icy as ciers and deterred the rogue cultivators from approaching.

    "We''re just here to check the situation, don''t get the wrong idea, young man," a rogue cultivator in the Spirit Condensation Realm hurriedly exined.

    Pang Jian''s back was to the rogue cultivators as he said frostily, "Take another step, and it won''t be a misunderstanding."

    With that, Pang Jian returned to unleashing heavy punches capable of splitting mountains against the arms of the Wood Race leader.

    The injured Wood Race leader screamed in agony as she blocked Pang Jian''s punches. With every strike, the green light in her eyes grew stronger, and her body was gradually pushed toward the edge of the summit of the First Peak.

    Pang Jian then delivered a final punch.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The dying Wood Race leader was sent tumbling down from the two-thousand-zhang-high summit into the valley below.

    As she fell, her now bright green eyes stared fixedly at the young man atop the First Peak.

    Then, the Gilded Chariot descended from the sky, caught her falling body, and carried her away.

    "My life''s possessions!" Cao Mang roared hysterically. "Pang Jian, I''ll tear you to pieces!"

    The Wood Race leader now knew the young man''s name.

    "Pang Jian..." she softly whispered, still clutching the jade-white spatial bracelet.

    Her cracked skin mended and the fractured bones in her chest slowly healed as a surge of life energy flowed through her body.

    "Elder Mu said that our Sacred Tree has reappeared and is flourishing in the Fourth World. Pang Jian must be a follower of our Sacred Tree, he has to be!" Her green eyes shone with excitement.

    ***

    "What a pity." Pang Jian frowned as he turned to look at Lian Feng and several other noble family elders. "She was lucky to have escaped from me. I wanted that jade-white spatial bracelet."

    "She fell off into the valley only to be caught by the Gilded Chariot. She was indeed fortunate." Lian Feng sighed regretfully.

    The others were equally disappointed at this turn of events.

    Pang Jian remained silent as he watched the Gilded Chariot depart, knowing the Wood Race leader would survive.

    The Wood Race in the Fifth World regarded the World Eater Vine as the pir of their faith. Their race''s rise and fall was closely linked to the little tree in Misty Swamp. Thus, Pang Jian could not help but regard the Wood Race as his vassals.

    The little tree''s vassals were also his vassals and their survival would benefit the little tree.

    Pang Jian guessed the Rank Six Wood Race leader''s next stop would be Divine Fortune in the Fourth World.

    "Pang Jian!" Cao Mang''s frantic roar was deafening.

    Pang Jian let out a cold snort as he recalled the Star Crushing Umbre, which had been blocking Cao Mang this entire time.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Startling ughter Spear also returned to Pang Jian.

    "Pang Jian, you caused me to lose that jade-white spatial bracelet!" Cao Mang raged, panting heavily as he stared toward where the Gilded Chariot had disappeared. He felt like the sky was falling.

    His wife was dead, he was used of colluding with the foreign races, and now, he had also lost the jade-white spatial bracelet.

    All of this pushed Cao Mang to the brink of a mental breakdown.

    "I would''ve taken that spatial bracelet if I had seeded in killing the Wood Race leader. It would''ve had nothing to do with you either way, Cao Mang." Pang Jian looked calmly at Cao Mang and added, "When you captured my sister without reason and took her spatial bracelet, did you ever think this day woulde?"

    Cao Mang hacked up blood in his fury before screaming, "She was just a remnant of the Blood Spirit Sect! The materials in her spatial bracelet were only worth a few thousand spirit stones! How can that spatial braceletpare with all my life''s possessions?!"

    "In my eyes, the two of you are worth less than her spatial bracelet," Pang Jian responded coldly.

    Faint beams of light suddenly streaked through the sky, signaling the end of a long night.

    "It''s over," Wei Wenhan of the Radiant Sun Sect said, looking at the sea of corpses on the summit of the First Peak.

    There were no more foreign race warriors or Vicious Beasts in sight.

    "We made it through the deadly cmity! We annihted the invading forces!" he cheered excitedly.

    Many of the noble family elders broke into delighted smiles like clouds parting to reveal a clear sky. They started to scavenge valuable spirit materials from the bodies of the invading forces.

    Rogue cultivators like Lian Feng did not hesitate to join in.

 Chapter 213: The Rising Sun

    <h4>Chapter 213: The Rising Sun</h4>

    The long night of ughter finally came to an end.

    The invading forces from the Fifth World hadunched one final desperate assault, and with the Spirit ughtering Astral Array suddenly malfunctioning, had been able to set foot on the summit of the First Peak.

    Rays of sunlight shone down from the sky. All other participants in the final assault aside from the Wood Race leader had perished in battles.

    Pang Jian had climbed the First Peak with his spear twice that night.

    Liang Ying, Lou Yunming, and Jiu Yuan, three Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators, lost their lives to him. His fierce reputation shook the Primordial Wilderness overnight and his name was destined to spread throughout the Third World.

    After the threat of the foreign races was eliminated, those scavenging for spoils silently kept an eye on Cao Mang and Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian''s gaze, as sharp as his spear under the sunlight, was fixed on the former master of the Primordial Wilderness.

    "Cao Mang." His calm voice carried a violent killing intent. "You will die here in the Primordial Wilderness!"

    Cao Mang replied in a tone filled with deep hatred, "I don''t care whether you''re a disciple of the Sword Pavilion. Regardless of your background, you''ll die by my hand in my Primordial Wilderness."

    Pang Jian frowned. "I will destroy your Primordial Wilderness."

    Pang Jian had been monitoring the entire Primordial Wilderness from his god-like perspective and saw the ck turtle slowly dragging the spirit vein toward the small nameless fragmentednd.

    The dense spiritual qi from the other peaks converged toward the spirit vein deep beneath the Spirit ughtering Astral Array. This spiritual qi, umted in the Primordial Wilderness over the centuries, nourished the spirit vein.

    The ck turtle was not just trying to steal the spirit vein, it was also using it to gather the spiritual qi of the Primordial Wilderness.

    The once-solid foundations of the other peaks in the Primordial Wilderness became unstable due to the disturbances in the spiritual qi.

    Pang Jian had a feeling that this famous fragmentednd in the Third World would be deste and lifeless once this spirit vein was removed.

    Regardless of whether Cao Mang lived or died, the Primordial Wilderness would be destroyed.

    "You, Pang Jian, alone will destroy my Primordial Wilderness?" Cao Mang''s anger gave way toughter.

    Thick demonic mes surged from the ck Iron Mountain beneath him. Bright spirit jades tumbled from his sleeve and disappeared into the eerie mountain.

    Cao Mang took the opportunity to swallow two more pills, and his chest swelled as he slowly recovered his strength.

    "From today onward, the Primordial Wilderness will be a destend, and you, Cao Mang, will die with it," Pang Jian dered.

    Drawing in the surrounding spiritual qi, he then channeled it into the Star Crushing Umbre, causing the advanced-grade spirit artifact to expand.

    The umbre grew several times its original size,rge enough to cover the sky and block out the sun.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! </i>

    Dense spiritual qi poured into the Star Crushing Umbre, making it seem like the giant umbre had gained the favor of the heavens.

    "Those who advanced to the Innate Realm by bing one with the world can make spiritual qi respond to them in battle. I''ve seen such prodigies before, but none had Pang Jian''s level of control!" Huang Qi scratched his head in a mix of confusion and astonishment.

    Wei Wenhan said solemnly, "I''ve never seen or heard of anyone reaching such proficiency in bing one with the world before!"

    "Those who became one with the world can''t freely manipte the spiritual qi of a fragmentednd like this!" Yang Rui said in a low voice.

    Although Yang Rui had also advanced to the Innate Realm by bing one with the world, he could notmand the spiritual qi in the Primordial Wilderness to instantly pour into his Nine Suns Cauldron like that.

    "Is he nning to kill all those that had wronged him?" Huang Qi muttered.

    He had prepared himself for a bloody battle with Cao Mang after he killed Lady Hua. Huang Qi believed Cao Mang was no match for him after being exhausted from the fight against the foreign races.

    However, Pang Jian bluntly stated his intention to kill Cao Mang himself. Huang Qi stood beside Lady Hua''s corpse and decided to observe the pair fight from the sidelines. If Pang Jian was outmatched, he could always intervene.

    He was also curious about Pang Jian''s miraculous methods of killing Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators such as Jiu Yuan, Lou Yunming, and Liang Ying.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Star Crushing Umbre floated into the air.

    The radiance of the stars and moon on the umbre''s canopy was dazzling even under the sunlight.

    Sparks flew from the tip of Pang Jian''s spear as he dragged it on the rocky ground behind him.

    He stared into Cao Mang''s eyes as he approached. "Let me ask you again. What gives you the right?"

    Cao Mang was teetering on the brink of copse and was stunned by Pang Jian''s bizarre question. "What gives me the right?"

    He then realized it was the same question Pang Jian had asked him in the trading hall, back when he was questioning why Cao Mang had captured his sister to sell for a million spirit stones.

    "I¡ª" Cao Mang could say nothing in response. His expression darkened and Rank Six Vicious Beasts appeared in the ck demonic mes beneath his feet.

    Cao Mang resembled a king of a hundred beasts with the illusory Vicious Beasts surrounding him.

    He panted heavily, dark mes bursting forth from his eyes. The effects of the pills he swallowed spread through his body, slowly replenishing his spiritual power and healing his injuries.

    Despite his earlier rage and indignation, Cao Mang had surprisingly calmed down as he realized a terrifying fact.

    His priority was not the loss of the jade-white spatial bracelet or the hatred he felt toward Huang Qi for killing his wife. It was the possibility that he, Cao Mang, could die here today in the fragmentednd he had ruled for over a hundred years!

    Pang Jian had killed Lou Yunming and Jiu Yuan, and now, he was directing that intense killing intent toward Cao Mang. Not to mention, the Spirit Condensation Realm rogue cultivator, Huang Qi was also here.

    Cao Mang¡ªheavily injured and exhausted from sessive battles against the invading forces¡ªwas at a severe disadvantage.

    One wrong move could lead to his death.

    Once he came to this realization, he no longer cared about the jade-white spatial bracelet or the hatred he felt due to his wife''s murder.

    Survival became his most pressing concern.

    Back in the trading hall, he had told Pang Jian that his actions were justified simply because he was Cao Mang. Now, faced with the same question, he had no choice but to feign righteousness in his exnation. "She''s a remnant of the Blood Spirit Sect, a threat to be eradicated by all. There''s nothing wrong with me capturing her."

    "A scum who colludes with foreign races dares to call others a threat?" Pang Jian mocked.

    "I never colluded with foreign races!" Cao Mang roared in fury.

    Although the others on the summit of the First Peak were busy dissecting the bodies of the Vicious Beasts, they still listened closely to Cao Mang and Pang Jian''s exchange.

    Wei Wenhan of the Radiant Sun Sect frowned. "Pang Jian, you and Jiu Yuan both im Cao Mang was colluding with foreign races. Do you have any evidence?

    "He killed the leader of the Celestial Race and many Vicious Beasts. If you have no solid proof of his collusion with foreign races, you shouldn''t make baseless usations just because of a personal grudge."

    Many ambiguous gazes fell on Wei Wenhan.

    The sun rose higher into the sky and bathed the summit of the First Peak in sunlight.

    Yang Rui''s Nine Suns Cauldron and Wei Wenhan''s Fire Dragon Ruler gleamed brightly under the sun''s radiance.

    The sun significantly enhanced the Radiant Sun Sect''s cultivation techniques and spirit artifacts.

    No elders from the Blood Moon Sect, the Sinister Soul Temple, the Star River Alliance, or the Red Mountain Sect remained in the Primordial Wilderness, leaving Wei Wenhan as the only one left to represent the five major sects.

    Cao Mang had turned himself into a sharp weapon, killing countless foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts in an attempt to prove he had no ties with foreign races. As a result, he was now severely injured and had exhausted most of his spiritual power in battle.

    With the threat of the foreign races eliminated, Wei Wenhan could start considering future matters.

    Pang Jian''s rise to prominence and Huang Qi''s emergence made him feel the situation was bing difficult to handle.

    Cao Mang had always been close to the five major sects, so Wei Wenhan believed he would be easier to control.

    Therefore, he spoke out on Cao Mang''s behalf.

    "Cao Mang put in the most effort to kill the foreign races."

    "Indeed. The foreign races kept iming he invited them. It seems a little too deliberate."

    "True. The Wood Race leader even severed Lady Hua''s arm and took her jade-white spatial bracelet. What''s more, the foreign races seem intent on killing the two of them."

    "If they were truly colluding with the foreign races, they wouldn''t have ended up in such a sorry state, with one heavily injured and the other dead."

    Noble family elders and rogue cultivators on the summit erupted into lively discussion.

    "Cao Mang probably has nothing to do with the foreign races!" Lin Yuanfeng chimed in. "Pang Jian, you can''t use Cao Mang of colluding with the foreign races without evidence!"

    The Lin Family had always been close to the Radiant Sun Sect. As an elder of the Lin Family, Lin Yuanfeng knew whose side he had to take.

    Cao Mang gasped for breath as desperately tried to recover his strength. As he stood on the ck Iron Mountain with a grim expression, he noticed many cultivators speaking on his behalf after Wei Wenhan spoke up and did not rush to take action.

    Pang Jian and Huang Qi were both formidable opponents. Cao Mang needed as much time as possible to heal his injuries and recover his strength. Thus, he was more than willing to see Wei Wenhan dy things on his behalf.

    Huang Qi stepped forward, determined to see Cao Mang dead. "The foreign races came from Emerald Lake. Cao Mang is the master of the Primordial Wilderness. Of course he''s the prime suspect!"

    "We know you have a personal grudge against Cao Mang," Wei Wenhan said evenly. "Once Cao Mang recovers, you can have a fair fight. You shouldn''t take advantage of the situation or make baseless usations."

 Chapter 214: Beware of Cao Mang the Dwarf!

    <h4>Chapter 214: Beware of Cao Mang the Dwarf!</h4>

    The elder of the Radiant Sun Sect denounced Huang Qi with an air of righteous authority.

    Huang Qi''s face darkened, but he dared not confront Wei Wenhan directly. As a rogue cultivator, he knew the importance of picking his battles.

    His grudge against Cao Mang was a private fight among rogue cultivators. As long as he killed Cao Mang, the issue would be resolved because Cao Mang was also a rogue cultivator and did not have the backing of a sect.

    However, Wei Wenhan was different.

    He was a Spirit Condensation Realm elder of the Radiant Sun Sect and had a close rtionship with Yang Rui. In other words, Wei Wenhan represented the whole Radiant Sun Sect.

    With this in mind, Huang Qi did not dare to act rashly despite his displeasure and could only stay silent.

    Satisfied with Huang Qi''spliance, Wei Wenhan shifted his attention to Pang Jian.

    "Pang Jian, although you''re destined to enter the Sword Pavilion, there''s still something I need to remind you of." Wei Wenhan adopted the authoritative demeanor of an elder instructing a junior as he gently persuaded, "The woman named Luo Hongyan is a remnant of the Blood Spirit Sect. You should break off any ties with her. You''ll only end up bringing trouble upon yourself otherwise.

    "Not to mention¡ª"

    "Can you shut up?" Pang Jian snapped impatiently.

    Wei Wenhan''s authoritative act following the battle against the invading forces had long annoyed Pang Jian.

    Moreover, Wei Wenhan''s repeated reminders that Luo Hongyan was a remnant of the Blood Spirit Sect only fueled Pang Jian''s anger.

    "What?" Wei Wenhan was taken aback.

    Wei Wenhan had not involved himself in the dispute between Pang Jian and Cao Mang, Lou Yunming, and Jiu Yuan, nor did he have personal grievances with Pang Jian. Thus, he assumed Pang Jian would at least hear him out if he adopted the stance of an advising elder.

    He did not expect Pang Jian to rudely interrupt him.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian was already displeased with the Radiant Sun Sect because of Yang Rui and did not have the patience to listen to Wei Wenhan''s incessant chatter.

    "I''ve said this before. I, Pang Jian, can do as I please in my territory. Not even the five major sects of the Third World can intervene!" Brazenly fixing his threatening gaze on Wei Wenhan and Yang Rui, he added arrogantly, "If I say Cao Mang colluded with the foreign races then he did. Even if he didn''t, I want to kill him anyway. Does anyone have a problem with that?"

    Pang Jian had the Spirit ughtering Astral Array, all the spiritual qi of the Primordial Wilderness, and the ck turtle on his side.

    The fate of every cultivator on the summit of the First Peak was in Pang Jian''s hands.

    He had the power to determine who lives and who dies!

    After all, he even dared to kill Liang Ying, Lou Yunming, and Jiu Yuan. There was no reason for him to fear a mere elder from the Radiant Sun Sect.

    Wei Wenhan was so angry he was fuming. Pointing his Fire Dragon Ruler at Pang Jian, he angrily scolded, "You have no respect for your elders! I don''t care what extraordinary spirit artifact the Sword Pavilion has given you. Even if you managed to kill Jiu Yuan and Lou Yunming, you''re still just a junior in the Profound Abode Realm. How dare you speak to me like this!"

    Wei Wenhan assumed Pang Jian''s extraordinary cultivation talent earned him the favor of the Sword Pavilion and believed Qi Qingsong had brought some terrifying spirit artifacts from the Sword Pavilion for him. This allowed Pang Jian to exploit the chaotic situation in the Primordial Wilderness and rise in fame.

    In other words, Wei Wenhan attributed the deaths of Jiu Yuan and the others to some powerful spirit artifacts and not Pang Jian.

    The Star Crushing Umbre slowly expanded and flew toward the meditating Cao Mang. Pang Jian followed close behind with his spear, his fierce gaze fixed on Wei Wenhan and Yang Rui.

    "I''m going to kill Cao Mang now. I''ll kill whoever dares to stop me."

    Pang Jian''s words caused an uproar on the summit of the First Peak.

    No one expected Pang Jian to show such tant disregard for Wei Wenhan of the Radiant Sun Sect.

    Regardless of whether he was set to be an inner disciple of the Sword Pavilion, Pang Jian''s arrogance and audacity were undoubtedly excessive.

    Those on the summit of the First Peak were stunned. They had never seen anyone as bold as Pang Jian before.

    "This brat..." Huang Qi clicked his tongue in astonishment.

    Huang Qi knew Pang Jian had killed Jiu Yuan, Lou Yunming, and Liang Ying, but he had never truly witnessed Pang Jian''s fierce determination firsthand. Now, watching him on the summit of the First Peak, he finally realized how mad the young man was.

    Pang Jian dared to say things he would not dare to utter!

    Pang Jian dared to do things he would not dare to do!

    <i>I wonder what it would''ve been like if somebody like this existed in the Providence Sect before it was destroyed... </i>Huang Qi wondered. He then smiled bitterly and sighed. <i>If there really were such awless individual in the Providence Sect, it likely would''ve been wiped even faster.</i>

    "Do those from the lower worlds all have such disregard for etiquette and rules?" Lian Feng eximed in surprise.

    Many rogue cultivators on the summit of the First Peak stared at Pang Jian in a mix of shock and admiration.

    This was their first time seeing someone treat an elder of the five major sects with such contempt. While they admired Pang Jian''s courage, they also worried Wei Wenhan would use the Radiant Sun Sect to suppress him.

    Cao Mang took the opportunity to fan the mes. "He doesn''t even take you seriously. It''s like his word is the only one that matters in the entire Primordial Wilderness! Brother Wei, your reputation will suffer if you don''t kill him!"

    Wei Wenhan''s Fire Dragon Ruler zed with fiery light after Pang Jian humiliated him.

    Sneering coldly, he spat, "What an ungrateful brat! I want to see what extraordinary spirit artifact you, a Sword Pavilion disciple, possess that makes you so arrogant!"

    An intensely hot protective shield enveloped Wei Wenhan''s tall frame.

    Pang Jian shot toward Cao Mang. Wei Wenhan charged after him, intending to teach him a lesson.

    Cao Mang was severely injured, but that did not mean the Primordial Wilderness was now under Pang Jian''smand!

    <i>I can''t believe a mere brat from the lower world would dare to act so arrogantly in the Primordial Wilderness!</i>

    Intertwined light beams shot up from the ground as Wei Wenhan leaped into the air.

    A miniature Spirit ughtering Astral Array suddenly appeared!

    The sharp light beams shattered Wei Wenhan''s protective shield, piercing through his body. A muffled groan escaped his lips as he frantically tried to block the light beams with his Fire Dragon Ruler.

    "Cao Mang! You deserve to die a thousand deaths!" Wei Wenhan shouted angrily.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The light beams shot upward in relentless pursuit of Wei Wenhan.

    He had to continuously swing the Fire Dragon Ruler and summon fiery dragons to counter the terrifying light beams.

    "Cao Mang!" Wei Wenhan roared, ring hatefully at Cao Mang.

    Cao Mang would have to die a thousand times for the rage in Wei Wenhan''s heart to be quelled.

    Wei Wenhan had tried to protect Cao Mang and help secure a chance for him to recover, only for Cao Mang to ambush him!

    Protecting Cao Mang was the most foolish thing Wei Wenhan had ever done.

    The false usations pushed Cao Mang to the brink of madness. He opened his mouth to exin. "I¡ª"

    The radiance from the canopy of the Star Crushing Umbre above Cao Mang''s head cascaded down and isted him from the outside world.

    "I didn''t! I didn''t activate the Spirit ughtering Astral Array! It wasn''t me! It honestly wasn''t me!" Cao Mang''s desperate screams echoed within the small world beneath the umbre. Unfortunately for him, not a single word reached the outside world.

    The mastermind behind the activation of the Spirit ughtering Astral Array, Pang Jian, stood outside the umbre. He watched as Wei Wenhan cursed Cao Mang with an unexpectedly intense lividity.

    Once the Spirit ughtering Astral Array was activated, Wei Wenhan instantly regarded Cao Mang as his mortal enemy.

    "Pang Jian, I misunderstood you! Kill him! Kill Cao Mang for me!" Wei Wenhan shouted in slight embarrassment.

    He finally understood why Jiu Yuan and Pang Jian imed Cao Mang to be the mastermind.

    The Spirit ughtering Astral Array''s sudden activation was undeniable proof!

    Not to mention, the ck Iron Mountain beneath Cao Mang was the array core of the deadly Spirit ughtering Astral Array!

    Cao Mang and Lady Hua spent over a century creating the Spirit ughtering Astral Array. It was their pride and joy. No one aside from Cao Mang could control the array.

    <i>Who else could be ambushing him if not Cao Mang?</i>

    Wei Wenhan no longer had any doubts. He firmly believed Cao Mang was aiming to eliminate him now that the foreign races were out of the picture.

    "Pang Jian, be careful of the Spirit ughtering Astral Array. It''s an extraordinary array, and its core is the ck Iron Mountain under Cao Mang the dwarf!" Wei Wenhan viciously insulted.

    He was furious at Cao Mang''s deception and even suspected that Cao Mang had other deadly tricks up his sleeve.

    "Everyone, be careful!" Wei Wenhan warned. "The Spirit ughtering Astral Array is still under Cao Mang''s control. Anyone here could be his target!

    "Cao Mang surely has more deadly tricks up his sleeve. If he''s daring to act now, it must be because he''s confident in his ability to kill us all!

    "Be careful of Cao Mang the dwarf!"

    The interwoven light beams of the array continued to run wild.

    Yang Rui let out a muffled groan and hastily summoned his Nine Suns Cauldron. Jumping inside it, he said in a deep voice, "The truth has been revealed! Now that the foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts are dead, Cao Mang is no longer hiding his murderous intent!"

    "Damn you, Cao Mang!" Lin Yuanfeng cursed as he leaped into the air.

    <i>sh!</i>

    The interwoven light beams had sliced his legs into a bloody mess.

    The Spirit ughtering Astral Array also attacked several others on the summit of the First Peak. They cursed Cao Mang as they hurriedly fled toward the foot of the mountain.

    The situation had taken a dramatic turn.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Sharp light beams burst forth on the summit of the First Peak, resembling a blooming carnivorous flower as it attacked everyone within reach.

    "Cao Mang!"

    Cultivators on the summit of the First Peak cursed Cao Mang as they fled.

    Wei Wenhan soared into the air with the Fire Dragon Ruler in hand. After scanning the summit, he swiftly floated toward the Yang Rui''s Nine Suns Cauldron.

    Standing at the edge of the cauldron, Wei Wenhan coldly remarked, "Cao Mang the dwarf must have long been corrupted by demonic influences. He''s even more detestable than the foreign races from the Fifth World!"

    "The Spirit ughtering Astral Array has be even stronger," Yang Rui noted solemnly.

    "I know." Wei Wenhan stared at the Star Crushing Umbre enveloping the ck Iron Mountain and said worriedly, "If Cao Mang dared to make a move, it must be because he has more tricks up his sleeve. We must be cautious!"

 Chapter 215: Destroying Your Foundation!

    <h4>Chapter 215: Destroying Your Foundation!</h4>

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The walls of the Nine Suns Cauldron emitted sr radiance that repelled the light beams rising from below.

    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>

    The light beams constantly attacked the radiance from the Nine Suns Cauldron, causing Yang Rui''s tall figure to tremble.

    Yang Rui broke out in a cold sweat. "The array is too fierce!"

    Before, the Spirit ughtering Astral Array appeared as arge interwoven grid, forming a massive protective shield over the summit of the Primordial Wilderness''s First Peak. Any foreign race warriors or Vicious Beasts attempting to cross the bounds of the array would be severely injured.

    At that time, the Spirit ughtering Astral Array felt like just another array to Yang Rui¡ªmerely an inanimate object. The interwoven grid did not show any intricate or mysterious changes and had simply risen from the edges of the summit without harming the people and objects within.

    This time, however, was different.

    The Spirit ughtering Astral Array now acted as though it was alive!

    Every beam of light was like a living being. They emerged from every corner of the summit and precisely honed in on their intended targets.

    It almost seemed like someone was controlling each light beam like a master sculptor wielding a chisel.

    The craftsmanship had to be unparalleled for an array to be refined to this degree, practically reaching the level of Dao itself.

    "Cao Mang is truly a genius to evolve this array to such an extent." Wei Wenhan sighed in admiration.

    "Pang Jian..." Yang Rui''s eyebrows twitched as he looked at the blurry figures beneath the Star Crushing Umbre. "As long as Cao Mang is in control of this peerless deadly array, he''s invincible in the Primordial Wilderness. No matter how strong Pang Jian is, he''s destined to die under the umbre."

    Yang Rui secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The thought of Pang Jian dying under the umbre lifted a weight off his chest.

    "What a pity." Wei Wenhan shook his head and sighed. "The Sword Pavilion must''ve valued him greatly to bestow an extraordinary spirit artifact on him. This allowed him to shine brightly in the Primordial Wilderness.

    "Yang Rui, do not be discouraged. Pang Jian was able to kill Jiu Yuan and Lou Yunming because of external aid, not because he''s inherently strong!

    "In my eyes, you, Yang Rui, are the top Profound Abode Realm cultivator in the Third World! No elite rogue cultivator or disciple of the five major sects canpare to you!"

    Wei Wenhan''s encouraging words allowed the demoralized Yang Rui to once again straighten his back in pride.

    The two of them drifted away from the First Peak in the Nine Suns Cauldron and gradually made their way toward the Second Peak.

    The other cultivators on the summit of the First Peak simrly retreated. Some summoned a cloud, like Jiu Yuan did, or escaped using spirit artifacts.

    Those without spirit artifacts or Spirit Condensation Realm cultivation simply ran down toward the foot of the mountain.

    Huang Qi retreated to a corner of the summit and watched as beams of light asionally appeared in the hazy world beneath the Star Crushing Umbre.

    "Pang Jian..." He could not help but sigh. "With such a fierce array in hand, Cao Mang is bound to fight back as though his life is on the line. Even I may not be his match unless he leaves the First Peak."

    After a moment of hesitation, Huang Qi finally retreated, bing thest cultivator to leave the summit of the First Peak.

    He feared Cao Mang would target him next if he stayed any longer.

    Huang Qi and Cao Mang were both Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators. Given Cao Mang''s injuries, Huang Qi felt confident about their fight as long as it did not take ce on the First Peak.

    He could not allow Cao Mang to control the Spirit ughtering Astral Array.

    The indiscriminate attacks of the evolved Spirit ughtering Astral Array forced all the cultivators to flee the summit of the First Peak, leaving only Pang Jian and Cao Mang under the Star Crushing Umbre.

    <i>***</i>

    A sharp beam of light snaked through the gaps in Pang Jian''s outstretched fingers.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The thin, sharp beam avoided Pang Jian''s flesh with astonishing precision as if attuned to his mind, flying past in a way Cao Mang could notprehend.

    More and more light beams from the Spirit ughtering Astral Array surrounded Pang Jian, enveloping him like a shield of thorny brambles.

    This sight left Cao Mang dumbfounded and his eyes filled with horror. "It''s you! Pang Jian, you''re the one secretly controlling the Spirit ughtering Astral Array!

    "I spent millions of spirit stones and over a hundred years to create this array. How did it end up in your control?!

    "Pang Jian, you''ve gone too far!"

    <i>Spurt!</i>

    Cao Mang spat out a mouthful of blood.

    He had been trying desperately to suppress his tumultuous emotions and calmly deal with the situation.

    However, when he saw the Spirit ughtering Astral Array disying even more intricate andplex changes under Pang Jian''s control, he could no longer stamp down his rage.

    "You caused the array to malfunction that first time too! You also used it to attack Jiu Yuan when he was under the umbre, causing him to view me as an enemy after he escaped!

    "It was you, Pang Jian! Your maniption of my Spirit ughtering Astral Array caused everyone to misunderstand me!

    "Pang Jian!"

    Cao Mang''s furious roars echoed in the small world under the umbre, but not a single word escaped into the world beyond.

    Pang Jian calmly faced the frenzied Cao Mang with his spear in hand, patiently listening to his raging tirade. Once Cao Mang was done, he smiled coldly and said, "There''s more."

    "More what?" Cao Mang panted heavily. The wounds on his chest tore open and blood rushed out. "Pang Jian, what else have you done? You''re seeking revenge on me just because I captured that woman, Luo Hongyan!"

    "My Primordial Wilderness, my First Peak, my wife!"

    Cao Mang suddenly copsed onto the floating ck Iron Mountain.

    His array, his life''s work, and his beloved were all being destroyed before his eyes. Cao Mang''s diminutive frame could not withstand the shock any longer.

    An overwhelming feeling of helplessness filled him as he slumped to the ground.

    "I was the one who opened the Mirror Tunnel on Emerald Lake and led the invading forces from the Fifth World here," Pang Jian revealed, knowing full well that Cao Mang was doomed. "I led the foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts here to destroy your foundation."

    <i>Spurt!</i>

    Blood gushed uncontrobly from Cao Mang''s mouth and chest.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    The First Peak shook violently.

    The tremor rippled outward, affecting all the other peaks as well!

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The mountains Cao Mang was so proud of copsed one after another, starting from the Ninth Peak, then the Eighth Peak, the Seventh Peak, and the Sixth Peak. Thousands of giant boulders tumbled down the mountains and crashed into the surrounding valleys and clearkes.

    The most famous fragmentednd in the Third World was crumbling down at a speed visible to the naked eye!

    "Pang Jian! You bastard! My Primordial Wilderness! My life''s work!"

    Cao Mang charged forward recklessly with his ck Iron Mountain, seemingly merged with it. Ferocious Ice Sculpture Beasts, Blood-Marked Pythons, and Demon Armor Beasts appeared in the ck demonic fire surrounding the ck Iron Mountain and tried to tear Pang Jian apart.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Countless beams of light filled the small world under the umbre, filling the space between Pang Jian and the ck Iron Mountain before climbing over the ck Iron Mountain like creeping ivy.

    The sharp light beams swallowed the Vicious Beasts, the ck demonic mes, Cao Mang''s protective shield, and his spirit artifact!

    Pang Jian''s control over the Spirit ughtering Astral Array had reached a level Cao Mang could never hope to achieve in his lifetime thanks to the ck turtle.

    Killing a severely injured Cao Mang was now as easy as crushing an ant for Pang Jian.

    ***

    On the still-intact summit of the Second Peak, onlookers intently watched the fight happening on the First Peak.

    "Pang Jian is done for."

    "Cao Mang''s control over that array has reached a near-Dao level. Look at all those beams of light around his ck Iron Mountain."

    "Even if Pang Jian escapes Cao Mang''s ck Iron Mountain, he''s still within range of the Spirit ughtering Astral Array."

    "The kid had a bright future, but unfortunately, he provoked the master of the Primordial Wilderness. His arrogance and recklessness were bound to cost him."

    Fang Boxuan of the Blood Moon Sect stood on a protruding stone tform on the mountainside of the Second Peak with Xie Xiwen and other members of the Star River Alliance.

    The group gazed toward the First Peak. They had learned that Cao Mang had reactivated the Spirit ughtering Astral Array with the intention of killing all the powerful figures on the summit from cultivators fleeing the First Peak.

    They also learned that Pang Jian had summoned the Star Crushing Umbre and was single-handedly fighting against Cao Mang.

    "Cao Mang colluded with the foreign races and tried to take advantage of the situation to kill others with his array! He deserves to be executed a thousand times over!" a young disciple of the Star River Alliance angrily condemned.

    "Pang Jian turned out to be a hero. What a pity..." Another disciple sighed regretfully, believing it would be difficult for Pang Jian to survive as he had not retreated from the summit in time.

    "I''m sure Cao Mang still has other tricks up his sleeve." Shen Lei frowned as he observed the Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators hovering around the summit of the First Peak. "He activated the Spirit ughtering Astral Array and is attacking everyone. He must have immense confidence in winning and likely ns to go after those who left the summit."

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    In the distance, the Ninth, Eighth, and Seventh Peaks continued to crumble.

    A chill ran down Shen Lei''s spine. "The unusual activity of those mountains indicates that Cao Mang definitely has further measures prepared for the rest of us once he deals with Pang Jian!"

    Xie Xuwen and Fang Boxuan were horrified at Shen Lei''s sound reasoning sound.

 Chapter 216: Slaughtering Through the Primordial Wilderness!

    <h4>Chapter 216: ughtering Through the Primordial Wilderness!</h4>

    "Watch out for that dwarf, Cao Mang!"

    "Cao Mang, that madman! His tricks go far beyond the grand array on the First Peak! He''ll definitely target the rest of us once Pang Jian dies! I''m afraid he''s walking the demonic path now!"

    "To Cao Mang, everyone in the Primordial Wilderness is a target he must kill. He never intended to let anyone live!"

    "I think he deliberately let Lady Hua die!"

    Many cultivators around the First Peak shared Shen Lei''s thoughts and believed Cao Mang had further measures prepared.

    They were convinced Cao Mang''s madness would continue.

    In their eyes, Pang Jian could only hope to temporarily stall Cao Mang and was destined to be torn apart by the Spirit ughtering Astral Array.

    The beams of light on the summit of the First Peak suddenly receded into the rocky ground. Those surrounding the ck Iron Mountain inside the Star Crushing Umbre also vanished.

    Countless astonished gazes stared fixedly at the scene beneath the Star Crushing Umbre. Two blurry silhouettes could be seen through its translucent cover.

    One person stood tall and upright while the shorter figure was hunched over.

    The tall, upright figure stood atop the fallen ck Iron Mountain, with one hand pressing down on the neck of the short, hunched figure while the other held a dazzling silver light.

    In a streak of silver light, the tall figure severed the head of the shorter one.

    The horrifying sight greatly shocked those lucky enough to survive!

    "Pang Jian!"

    "Pang Jian beheaded Cao Mang!"

    "Am I seeing things? Did Pang Jian actually kill that scoundrel Cao Mang?"

    "Cao Mang the dwarf is dead!"

    The uproar spread across the mountain peaks, valleys, streams, and caves in the Primordial Wilderness.

    The cultivators in the Primordial Wilderness had been worrying over Cao Mang''s possible ruthlessness after Pang Jian''s death, only for Pang Jian to behead him in the small world inside the umbre.

    "Disciples of the Sword Pavilion are truly extraordinary!"

    "Qi Qingsong isn''t as talented as him!"

    "While so-called geniuses like Yang Rui and Fang Boxuan struggled to survive the chaos, Pang Jian seized the opportunity to execute the mastermind behind it all and free us from our predicament!"

    Soon, Pang Jian''s name rippled through the Primordial Wilderness.

    "Pang Jian!"

    Xie Xiwen, Shen Lei, and Fang Boxuan were all dumbfounded.

    The sight of the tall, upright figure beheading the shorter one seared itself into their very souls. It was something they would never forget.

    The eyes of young female disciples gleamed as their hearts fluttered with admiration.

    "He-he actually did it..." Huang Qi muttered in a barely audible voice.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The radiance cascading from the Star Crushing Umbre''s canopy retracted to reveal the small world below.

    The headless, diminutive figure kneeling on the summit of the ck Iron Mountain could be seen from all over the Primordial Wilderness.

    Everybody could see that the headless figure was indeed Cao Mang!

    The Spirit ughtering Astral Array seemed to have been deactivated with Cao Mang''s death, with the beams of light all vanishing. The onlookers concluded that Cao Mang''s subsequent deadly moves had been thwarted before they could be unleashed.

    Rays of bright sunlight streamed from the sky as the Star Crushing Umbre drifted to the side.

    Pang Jian, bathed in sunlight on the summit of the ck Iron Mountain, seemed to radiate light and warmth.

    At the moment, Pang Jian looked more like the son of the sun than Yang Rui of the Radiant Sun Sect, who was curled up inside his Nine Suns Cauldron, which was hovering above the First Peak.

    "Pang Jian..." Yang Rui''s lips curled into a bitter smile.

    Like everyone else, he had also assumed Pang Jian was destined to die at Cao Mang''s hands. Unexpectedly, Pang Jian beheaded Cao Mang in the small world beneath the umbre.

    Pang Jian''s fearsome reputation would surely resound throughout the Third World and possibly even the Second World following this event.

    Looking back, Yang Rui''s threats to Pang Jian at the trading hall seemed utterly ridiculous.

    He, Yang Rui, the prodigious disciple revered by the Radiant Sun Sect as a proud son of heaven, had be nothing more than a joke in front of Pang Jian.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The humiliated Yang Rui piloted his Nine Suns Cauldron away from the First Peak, ignoring Wei Wenhan''s protests as he did.

    He simply could not bear to look at the triumphant Pang Jian any longer. With every additional nce at Pang Jian, the sense of oppression in his heart deepened.

    "Pang Jian..." Yang Rui repeatedly murmured Pang Jian''s name. He felt he could never raise his head in front of Pang Jian again.

    ***

    Pang Jian, having effortlessly killed Cao Mang using the Spirit ughtering Astral Array on the summit of the First Peak, pushed Cao Mang''s corpse off the ck Iron Mountain.

    Looking around, he noticed the valuable spirit materials from the foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts had all already been looted.

    No rare spirit materials had been left behind.

    "The Primordial Wilderness," Pang Jian muttered.

    Using his god-like perspective, he gazed down into the depths of the Primordial Wilderness and saw the ck turtle loosening its grip on the spirit vein.

    The ck turtle had fully extracted the bright, slender spirit vein from the Primordial Wilderness.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    Tremors could be felt across the Primordial Wilderness and deep fissures opened up in the valleys.

    The Primordial Wilderness would never return to its former glory now that the underground spirit vein was gone.

    Even if a stronger rogue cultivator took over afterward, this famous fragmentednd in the Third World would never regain its former splendor.

    Extracting the spirit vein from the Primordial Wilderness was like a Vicious Beast having its heart removed or a cultivator with a high cultivation realm losing their soul.

    "Lou Yunming, Jiu Yuan, Cao Mang, and Lady Hua. All those who deserved to die have perished," Pang Jian whispered with a sense of relief.

    He had fulfilled the promise he made to himself.

    The severed heads of his enemies were all stored in his spatial bracelet and he had also seized an abundance of spoils.

    It was at this moment Pang Jian finally noticed all the eyes on himing from every direction. Seeing Cao Mang''s demise, many cultivators were making their way toward the summit of the First Peak.

    If Pang Jian stayed in the Primordial Wilderness, he would undoubtedly face endless questioning.

    He frowned. <i>It was best not to linger in the Primordial Wilderness any longer.</i>

    <i>I can''t escape into the nameless fragmentednd where the ck turtle resides and disappear without a trace. It would arouse too much suspicion.</i>

    Rogue cultivators like Huang Qi were now approaching the summit.

    Extending his perception into the ck Iron Mountain, Pang Jian saw a pool formed from piled spirit jades inside its hollow interior. Raging ck demonic mes and the beast souls of howling Vicious Beasts could be seen within the pool.

    Unique arrays simr to the Spirit ughtering Astral Array were inscribed along the interior walls of the ck Iron Mountain, providing it with many wonderful abilities.

    Among these were arrays rted to levitation and flight, which used spirit jades and the burning beast souls.

    Traces of Cao Mang''s divine sense and spiritual power still lingered in the pool with raging ck demonic mes and along the arrays on the walls.

    <i>Destroy Cao Mang''s lingering influence!</i>

    With a single thought, Pang Jian summoned a rush of spiritual qi from his surroundings and poured it into the ck Iron Mountain, erasing all traces of Cao Mang.

    Cao Mang''s divine sense was already fading due to his death, and the infusion of external spiritual qi effectively eradicated whatever remained.

    Pang Jian then infused the ck Iron Mountain with his own spiritual power to rece Cao Mang''s. As his spiritual power flowed through the spiritual artifact, he could grasp the intricacies of the wondrous arrays.

    With him harmonizing with thend, Pang Jian''s perceptiveness and insight instantly permeated every corner of the ck Iron Mountain. He swiftly analyzed the abilities of the arrays as they activated.

    <i>Though somewhat small with limited capacity, it''s actually a unique type of flying vessel.</i>

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Pieces of spirit jade released dazzling light and many beast souls within the pool were ignited as fuel.

    The ck Iron Mountain rose into the sky with Pang Jian on it.

    "Pang Jian!" Huang Qi called out from where he had nearly reached the summit. "Pang Jian!"

    He had hurried over to talk to and question Pang Jian, but Pang Jian did not wait for him.

    Rogue cultivators and noble family elders watched from the mountainside, summit, and valleys of the Second Peak as the ck Iron Mountain soared higher and higher into the sky.

    The small flying vessel flew away from the Primordial Wilderness under the fervent gazes of the survivors.

    Pang Jian did not speak to anyone or receive the cheers and praises of the crowd after killing Lou Yunming, Jiu Yuan, and Cao Mang.

    Instead, he chose to leave the Primordial Wilderness.

    The earthquakes in the Primordial Wilderness intensified after the ck Iron Mountainpletely disappeared from view.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The towering peaks and mountains crumbled, breaking into giant boulders.

    Thosecking the ability to escape the fragmentednd hastily distanced themselves from the mountains as fast as they could.

    They attributed the drastic changes in the Primordial Wilderness to Cao Mang.

    The violent earthquakes caused the mountains to copse, sending a shower of giant boulders tumbling down.

    In their eyes, if Cao Mang were still alive, he would have targeted cultivators with the giant boulders.

    They spected that the drastic changes in the Primordial Wilderness were actually the result of some deadly move Cao Mang unleashed after the Spirit ughtering Astral Array.

    However, with his death, the bloody massacre came to an abrupt end.

    <i>Pang Jian.</i>

    The name of their savior was deeply imprinted on their hearts and minds, filling them with a mix of shock and gratitude.

 Chapter 217: The Resolute Expanse

    <h4>Chapter 217: The Resolute Expanse</h4>

    Late into the night the next day, a nameless fragmentednd emerged from the thick clouds bordering the Third and Fourth Worlds.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The ck Iron Mountain gracefully descended upon the fragmentednd under the bright light from the moon and stars.

    After changing out of his tattered Sword Pavilion robe and into a new ck robe, Pang Jian nced around at the fragmentednd and eximed, "From today onward, this fragmentednd will be called the Resolute Expanse!

    "My name consists of the character Jian[1], meaning as firm or resolute as a rock. Therefore, I name this fragmentednd, the Resolute Expanse."

    Settling down on the deste fragmentednd, Pang Jian squinted and smiled. Staring at the lush forest, he added, "That area will be called the Cloud Wilderness, as it was in the bygone era."

    Taking a deep breath, he noticed that the concentration of spiritual qi on the Resolute Expanse had surpassed that of Ice Rock Ind.

    Deep beneath the Cloud Wildernessy a slender spirit vein that glowed faintly.

    This spirit vein increased the Resolute Expanse''s efficiency in absorbing the surrounding spiritual qi.

    As he stood in the Cloud Wilderness, Pang Jian harmonized with thend, observing the tiny creatures in the mountains and feeling the concentration of the spiritual qi.

    After a while, he frowned. "As the spiritual qi in this fragmentednd increases, it''ll eventually attract attention from others. I must find a safe ce soon."

    As the murky energy contaminated the Fourth World, the five major sects would continue to take over more and more fragmentednds in the Third World.

    The major sects would surely assign their disciples to select suitable fragmentednds in the Third World for the seven major ns from the Fourth World to migrate to.

    The Resolute Expanse had merged with the Cloud Wilderness, seized a mineral vein, and extracted the spirit vein from the Primordial Wilderness, rapidly increasing its spiritual qi.

    As long as this fragmentednd existed in the Third World, it would eventually be noticed, even if it remained hidden beneath the clouds.

    "I cannot let my fragmentednd fall into the hands of others." Pang Jian snorted.

    He then established a connection with the ck turtle.

    After extracting the spirit vein, the ck turtle appeared somewhat sluggish and was seemingly ready to fall into a deep sleep again in the depths of the fragmentednd.

    When Pang Jian expressed his concerns, the ck turtle informed him it would sink the fragmentednd into the thick clouds of the Third World.

    It would then move the fragmentednd to the boundary wall of the Third World.

    ording to the ck turtle, the bizarre mist near the boundary wall meant most cultivators dared not venture there.

    If a powerful being were to target the Resolute Expanse, the ck turtle could easily move it deep into the bizarre mist.

    Just like the Northern Qi.

    <i>The Northern Qi, the Solitary Mountain Range, and the bizarre mist...</i>

    Pang Jian''s eyes glinted with a strange light.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent, the World Eater Vine, and the ck turtle had alle from the dense bizarre mist inside the bronze pendant.

    This was likely why the ck turtle did not fear the bizarre mist and was actually naturally close to it.

    It instinctively wanted to retreat into the bizarre mist when it sensed danger.

    Pang Jian focused his mind and attempted to probe the door-shaped bronze pendant with his divine sense.

    However, his divine sense could not pierce through it.

    Although the number of divine senses within his sea of consciousness had reached their limit, Pang Jian still could not control them.

    The inability to move his divine sense at will indicated that he was still in the early stage of the Profound Abode Realm and had not yet advanced to the middle stage.

    <i>I''ll likely only be able to glimpse the bronze pendant''s mysteries when my divine sense can enter it.</i>

    A beehive still floated in the world within the bronze pendant, having not yet developed enough to leave the pendant.

    Unfortunately, Pang Jian did not know what energy the beehive needed to grow.

    <i>In that case, you should go ahead and move the Resolute Expanse to the edge of this world. I''ll head to the Dark Abyss Continent, </i>Pang Jian told the ck turtle.

    When he bid farewell to Luo Hongyan and Qi Qingsong, he made it clear he would reach the Dark Abyss Continent alive. Not to mention, he wanted to see what aplete continent in the Third World looked like.

    So far, he had only been to fragmentednds and had yet to see aplete continent. Pang Jian wanted to experience the majestic scenery of a continent.

    After cutting off the connection with Pang Jian, the ck turtlezily retreated to the depths of the fragmentednd to rest.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian scattered the items from the looted spatial bracelets on the grass.

    Crystal-like spirit jades piled up like a mountain, emitting a faint radiance.

    The four Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators, Jiu Yuan, Liang Ying, Lou Yunming, and Cao Mang, had the most spirit jades in their spatial bracelets.

    Pang Jian estimated that the total number of spirit jades in the spatial bracelets of these four great cultivators exceeded fifty thousand.

    Fifty thousand spirit jades were equivalent to five million spirit stones. It was an astronomical number of spirit stones that Pang Jian had never dared to imagine before.

    <i>If I add in the over ten thousand spirit jades I already have...</i>

    It was an exciting thought.

    Spirit jades were the universal currency for purchasing cultivation resources in the worlds above.

    <i>I have over sixty thousand spirit jades now. If I ever went to the Sword Pavilion, I should be able to freely choose whatever I want at the Divine Treasure Sect''s branch in the Second World, right?</i>

    <i>Pills, high-tier cultivation manuals, spirit artifacts¡ªeverything would be avable, wouldn''t it?</i>

    Just as the excitement took root, the glowing spirit jades started to disappear!

    The ck turtle residing deep within the fragmentednd was pulling the spirit jades toward the slender spirit vein.

    Pang Jian harmonized with thend to observe the abnormality deep within the ground.

    A downpour of radiant light was showing the slender spirit vein from the Primordial Wilderness!

    The radiant light was actually Pang Jian''s fifty thousand spirit jades!

    The ck turtle used its innate ability as an Earth Spirit to transform the pure spiritual power in each spirit jade into drops of radiant light, which it then poured onto the slender spirit vein.

    Despite receiving nourishment from fifty thousand drops of radiant light, the long, slender spirit vein only grew slightly thicker.

    However, the ck turtle was still dissatisfied with the amount.

    It then conveyed some information about the spirit vein to Pang Jian.

    Most of the existing spirit veins in the Third World were in the Cosmic Skies and Dark Abyss Continents, firmly under the control of the five major sects.

    Each major sect was located in an area with hidden spirit veins.

    Powerful rogue cultivators like Cao Mang took control of the few small spirit veins in fragmentednds like the Primordial Wilderness.

    A spirit vein could gather the spiritual qi of heaven and earth and enrich its surroundings.

    It would eventually reach its maximum capacity after umting spiritual qi for hundreds or thousands of years. Once that happened, the surplus energy would be infused into the stones around it.

    These infused stones would then be spirit stones.

    If a spirit vein existed for thousands of years, it would transform.

    It would not only grow longer and thicker but also gain the ability to transform nearby spirit stones into spirit jades.

    A spirit vein that grew undisturbed for tens of thousands of years would eventually produce spirit crystals.

    ording to the ck turtle, the concentration of spiritual qi in the Third World was insufficient for the spirit veins in Cosmic Skies and Dark Abyss Continents to form anything beyond spirit stones.

    That was why spirit stones were the universal currency in the Third World.

    The spirit veins belonging to the Sword Pavilion, the Demon Sect, the ck Valley Sect, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, and the Dragon Lair Sect in the Second World could produce spirit jades. Thus, spirit jades were the universal currency in the Second World.

    The spirit veins beneath the million-year-old sects in the First World could produce spirit crystals.

    Sadly, the spirit vein in the Resolute Expanse could only help thend gather spiritual qi more quickly.

    Its small size and the Spirit ughtering Astral Array''s excessive drainage meant that was all it could manage for the time being.

    Without external help, the spirit vein could only slowly absorb the surrounding spiritual qi from the fragmentednd to recover over hundreds of years.

    Neither the spirit vein itself nor Cao Mang could rapidly enhance its abilities.

    As an Earth Spirit, the ck turtle could help the spirit vein recover more quickly, but it needed spirit jades.

    It could transform the abundant spiritual power within the spirit jades into brilliant drops of radiant light and channel each drop into the spirit vein.

    Only then could the spirit vein rapidly regain its strength and growrger.

    Once the spirit vein grewrger, the Resolute Expanse would undergo a significant breakthrough, giving rise to even more profound wonders with the ck turtle''s innate abilities.

    <i>I still have some spirit jade. </i>

    Pang Jian reluctantly took out the ten thousand spirit jades he had originally intended to use to bid for Luo Hongyan from his spatial bracelet andid them out with a wry smile.

    The ck turtle did not hesitate to turn these ten thousand spirit jades into ten thousand drops of radiant light.

    These drops once again poured into the spirit vein at the heart of the fragmentednd, but as before, the spirit vein only grew slightly thicker.

    The ck turtle had spent sixty thousand spirit jades in the blink of an eye. Despite this, the spirit vein in the heart of the Resolute Expanse had yet to regain its strength.

    <i>Raising the ck turtle and creating a blessednd turned out to be incredibly difficult and resource-intensive.</i>

    Still, Pang Jian could not help but feel that the high initial investment of spirit jades was worthwhile. In the future, the spiritual qi in the Resolute Expanse would be as dense as white mist and produce rare spirit materials.

    Pang Jian could likely establish his own sect on the Resolute Expanse.

    Additionally, Pang Jian held supreme authority in the Resolute Expanse and controlled all the spiritual qi within it.

    He could suppress any cultivator, Vicious Beast, or Spirit Beast that set foot on the Resolute Expanse if necessary, thus allowing him to challenge cultivators with higher cultivation realms than him.

    Furthermore, this boost inbat power for him would only be greater as the spiritual qi grew denser and the wonders the fragmentednd held grew more abundant.

    As long as the ck turtle resided in the Resolute Expanse, Pang Jian could restore his depleted spiritual qi no matter where he was.

    The Resolute Expanse was equivalent to his backup¡ªor even a second¡ªspiritual sea!

    The denser the spiritual qi of the fragmentednd, the faster he would recover his spiritual power during future battles.

    With this in mind, regardless of how much he had to invest in the Resolute Expanse, he would undoubtedly reap the benefits in the future.

    1. Pang Jian''s name consists of the Chinese characters ÅÓ and ¼á. The character ¼á means solid, firm, or resolute. ?

 Chapter 218: Pang Jians Network for Offloading Stolen Goods

    <h4>Chapter 218: Pang Jian''s Network for Offloading Stolen Goods</h4>

    <i>I''ll find a way to get more spirit jades to support you and the Resolute Expanse.</i>

    Pang Jian''s gaze wandered over the spirit artifacts, barrels of beast blood, and scattered spirit materials on the ground, nning to sell them.

    These misceneous cultivation resources came from Cao Mang, Lou Yunming, Jiu Yuan, and Liang Ying. Most were unfamiliar to Pang Jian, and he did not know their value.

    However, considering they belonged to cultivators in the Spirit Condensation Realm, he believed they were surely extraordinary.

    Pang Jian carefully looked over each item.

    He did not hesitate to keep the three bottles of Soul Nourishing Pills from Lou Yunming''s spatial bracelet for himself. He also set aside the meat and blood of Rank Five and Rank Six Vicious Beasts from Jiu Yuan''s spatial bracelet.

    When he tested Jiu Yuan''s Blood Reversal de, he found that the spirit artifact could only amodate spiritual power and blood energy.

    Ster energy, lunar energy, sr energy, and cold energy immediately dispersed when channeled through the Blood Reversal de. It simply could not amodate all these energies and did not allow Pang Jian to fully make use of his unique spiritual sea.

    The spirit artifact went into the pile to be sold.

    The ck Crow Cauldron, on the other hand, he nned to give to Luo Hongyan to house her Spirit Devils, so Pang Jian ced it in the keep pile.

    The Meteorite Pearl, capable of gathering ster and lunar energy, also went into the keep pile.

    The most valuable item from Cao Mang, the ck Iron Mountain, was a small flying vessel that could travel to the Fourth World or even the Second World above.

    It also went into the keep pile.

    Pang Jian methodically sorted through the items, keeping the spirit artifacts, pills, and beast blood he found useful, and moving the unfamiliar or unnecessary items into a separate pile.

    After four hours, he had divided the items into two piles, with the excess empty spatial bracelets sitting in the sell pile.

    <i>I wonder if I should barter with Yu Xin of the Celestial Race or...</i>

    Pang Jian ultimately decided not to contact Yu Xin to avoid revealing his identity as the leader of the Wood Race knew he had killed Jiu Yuan, Lou Yunming, and the others.

    Instead, he took out the Ghost Altar and assembled it.

    Once the Ghost Altar was sessfully set up, three pieces of paper appeared before him.

    Pang Jian had not used the Ghost Altar for a long time and was stunned to see the three pieces of paper. After a moment, he realized they were messages from Dong Tianze.

    The first paper read:

    <i>Pang Jian, my sect elder, Lou Yunming, is currently in the Primordial Wilderness. He found a woman named Luo Hongyan. Damn it, it turns out the Sinister Soul Temple originally meant to send me Luo Hongyan and the fan!</i>

    The second piece of paper read:

    <i>Pang Jian, foreign races haveunched arge-scale invasion against the Primordial Wilderness. Elder Lou has sent an urgent message to our Cult Leader. Since Luo Hongyan is in the Primordial Wilderness, you must be there too. You''ll probably die in that fragmentednd!</i>

    The third piece of paper read:

    <i>Pang Jian, are you dead yet?</i>

    Dong Tianze had sent these three messages at different times.

    These pieces of paper would appear whenever Pang Jian activated the Ghost Altar.

    Dong Tianze appeared exceptionally concerned about his fate, sending three messages in session when Pang Jian did not respond.

    As Pang Jian stared at the messages, his expression becameplex, and he fell into deep thought.

    Dong Tianze had joined the Sinister Soul Temple on the Dark Abyss Continent, where the Star River Alliance and the Blood Moon Sect also resided.

    Lou Yunming had been able to secretlymunicate with the Cult Leader of the Sinister Soul Temple while in the Primordial Wilderness.

    The reason Lou Yunming eventually stopped sending messages was because Pang Jian had killed him.

    The Blood Moon Sect and the Star River Alliance likely also had ways tomunicate with Jiu Yuan and Liang Ying from the Dark Abyss Continent.

    Like Lou Yunming, Pang Jian had also killed both these elders in the Primordial Wilderness.

    It had only been a day since the battle in Primordial Wilderness ended. With Lou Yunming, Jiu Yuan, and Liang Ying dead, the three major sects on the Dark Abyss Continent were likely still uninformed about the situation in the Primordial Wilderness.

    After some consideration, Pang Jian moved Lou Yunming''s belongings further back.

    Then, Pang Jian wrote a note, infused it with his spiritual power, and sent it through the Ghost Altar.

    Meanwhile, Dong Tianze had been in seclusion in the Sinister Soul Temple on the Dark Abyss Continent. He had recently reached thete stage of the Innate Realm and was close to breaking through to the Profound Abode Realm.

    Suddenly, he opened his eyes in his dark cave dwelling.

    The long-dormant Ghost Altar quietly lit up.

    Dong Tianze frowned and said with some irritation, "Is it another plea for help from the Shadow Specter Sect''s hall masters in the Fourth World?"

    The members of the Shadow Specter Sect and the seven major ns had all gathered in the fragmentednds under the jurisdiction of the Zhou n and Dong n in light of the recent contamination of murky energy and increased Vicious Beast attacks.

    Those fragmentednds were among the few remaining sanctuaries for the human race in the Fourth World.

    Several hall masters of the Shadow Specter Sect continually sought help from their leader, Dong Tianze, when they noticed the murky energy was spreading.

    Lately, the messages Dong Tianze had received were all from those hall masters asking him for help. He mostly ignored them.

    Eventually, those hall masters gave up, and the number of messages he received lessened to none.

    "You''re not the only ones in trouble. The foreign races had invaded the Primordial Wilderness, causing thousands of casualties. Nobody has time to deal with your issues," Dong Tianze grumbled.

    ncing at the piece of paper from the Ghost Altar, he saw a familiar line of text.

    <i>Sect Leader, it''s me, Pang Jian.</i>

    Dong Tianze''s mind reeled as he squinted at the paper before curling his lips into a smirk. "He''s still alive?"

    He continued to read.

    "What? He has many rare spirit artifacts and spirit materials of great value? He must''ve made a fortune off the dead in the Primordial Wilderness! He''s proposing a trade and wants it all in spirit jade?"

    Dong Tianze stood up in shock.

    Lou Yunming had yet to make contact with their Cult Leader, so they were left unaware of the situation in the Primordial Wilderness.

    It was not only them, as the Blood Moon Sect and the Star River Alliance were also in the dark.

    Therefore, when Pang Jian made contact, Dong Tianze could not help but be excited.

    He hesitated briefly before finally taking a piece of paper and writing two simple words, <i>Three days.</i>

    After mulling it over, he decided the matter was too important to put off, so he tore up the paper and wrote a new note, <i>Three hours!</i>

    He then threw the message into the Ghost Altar and left the cave to look for Liu Yan, the person meant to be watching over him. However, he was nowhere to be seen.

    Dong Tianze then sought out his master, Han Zhiyuan, and informed him about this recent development.

    "Pang Jian!"

    Han Zhiyuan was equally shocked by the news. After a moment of hesitation, he took Dong Tianze to the Cult Leader of the Sinister Soul Temple.

    Three hourster, the Cult Leader of the Sinister Soul Temple, Yin Yiqing; one of the Vice Cult Leaders, Han Zhiyuan; and Dong Tianze, whom the Sinister Soul Temple regarded as a geniusparable to Yang Rui, were all gathered before therge Ghost Altar in Dong Tianze''s cave.

    "Cult Leader, it wouldn''t be wise for the two of us to be seen by that kid," said the emaciated Han Zhiyuan to the ethereal-looking Yin Yiqing. "We should stand away from the Ghost Altar and watch from a distance.

    "We can send our questions about the Primordial Wilderness to Dong Tianze through the Ethereal Ghost Token using our divine sense so Pang Jian won''t notice us."

    Yin Yiqing nodded in agreement, exuding a gentle yet eerie aura.

    The two of them moved to a corner of the cave and watched as Dong Tianze stepped onto the Ghost Altar.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian''s tall, ck-d figure appeared, surrounded by lush forest.

    "Sect Leader," Pang Jian politely greeted.

    Dong Tianze coldly replied, "I can''t believe you''re still alive."

    "Luck was on my side," Pang Jian said nonchntly. "Let''s get down to business."

    He then revealed Jiu Yuan''s Blood Reversal de, infusing it with spiritual power and blood energy to allow the long de to emit a dazzling blood-colored light.

    "Give me an estimate for this de."

    Pang Jian did not have Luo Hongyan or Qi Qingsong to tell him the true value of the Blood Reversal de, so he decided to allow Dong Tianze to set a price.

    Dong Tianze, also from the Fourth World, was also unfamiliar with the value of the long de and was momentarily stunned.

    "Blood Reversal de!"

    "Jiu Yuan''s Blood Reversal de!"

    The shocked voices of Yin Yiqing and Han Zhiyuan simultaneously rang out from the Ethereal Ghost Token in Dong Tianze''s pocket, startling him.

    The gazes of the two leaders were also extremely peculiar.

    Dong Tianze was bewildered. Unbeknownst to him, the Sinister Soul Temple, having always been at odds with the Blood Moon Sect, was extremely familiar with several of the Blood Moon Sect''s elders.

    Although Dong Tianze was uninformed, the two leaders of the Sinister Soul Temple knew everything rted to the Blood Reversal de.

    This de had killed dozens of disciples from the Sinister Soul Temple, so they naturally knew of its capabilities and value.

    Thus, the two leaders were understandably astonished.

    <i>Why does Pang Jian have the Blood Reversal de?</i>

    <i>Did Jiu Yuan die in the Primordial Wilderness?</i>

    <i>How would Pang Jian have gotten hold of the Blood Reversal de if he weren''t dead?</i>

    Questions filled the two leaders'' minds, and Yin Yiqing quietly sent a transmission through the Ethereal Ghost Token, "Tianze, ask him how he got that long de."

    "Pang Jian, how did you get hold of this long de?" Dong Tianze asked.

    "Jiu Yuan is dead and left this long de behind. I happened to stumble upon it by chance."

    "How did Jiu Yuan die?" Dong Tianze asked again.

    Pang Jian paused for a moment, then calmly said, "He died in a battle against Rank Six Vicious Beasts. I happened to be nearby and managed to pick up this long de. Now, enough chit-chat. Just give me a price."

    Dong Tianze remained silent as he secretlymunicated with the two leaders through the Ethereal Ghost Token.

    Momentster, Dong Tianze said, "Fifteen thousand spirit jades!"

    <i>Fifteen thousand...</i> Pang Jian''s heart pounded at the price.

    The Blood Reversal de was worth 1.5 million spirit stones,parable to the total value of the spirit materials from Rank Seven Vicious Beasts he had previously sold.

    "Deal!"

    Pang Jian promptly ced the long de in the depression on the altar.

    Dong Tianze piled up the owed spirit jades, which the two leaders had provided in advance, in front of the Ghost Altar.

    The first transaction was swiftlypleted.

 Chapter 219: Slightly Embarrassed

    <h4>Chapter 219: Slightly Embarrassed</h4>

    Pang Jian threw the fifteen thousand spirit jades he had just acquired onto the ground of the Resolute Expanse.

    <i>Here you go.</i>

    The ck turtle swept up the spirit jades and directed them toward the spirit vein with its divine ability.

    The newly acquired spirit jades transformed into drops of radiant light that rained down onto the spirit vein in the heart of the fragmentednd.

    "You better not disappoint me," Pang Jian muttered. His heart ached at the loss of the spirit jades, but he was determined to continue. "Next!"

    Pang Jian took out Jiu Yuan''s spirit materials, including a series of strange bones and the hide of a Rank Seven Blood Lizard, and ced them all in a pile.

    The dazzling array of spirit materials left Dong Tianze bewildered. He had no idea of their value.

    "Rank Seven Blood Lizard''s hide!"

    "Celestial Crystal Beast''s skull!"

    "Blood Origin Parasite!"

    Yin Yiqing and Han Zhiyuan''s exmations echoed through the Ethereal Ghost Token.

    "Did all of Jiu Yuan''s rare treasures and his spatial bracelet fall into this kid''s hands?"

    "Did the Vicious Beast that killed Jiu Yuan not take his spatial bracelet? How did Pang Jian get hold of it?"

    "This kid''s luck is unbelievably good!"

    The two leaders'' words left Dong Tianze astonished and slightly envious.

    He had not expected Pang Jian to profit amidst the chaos in the Primordial Wilderness.

    After a while, the whispered discussions of the two leaders finally stopped, with the Cult Leader, Yin Yiqing, estimating the total value of the items at twenty-seven thousand spirit jades.

    "Twenty-seven thousand spirit jades. I took some time to calcte, and this is the rough price I''vee up with," Dong Tianze said, repeating Yin Yiqing''s words like a puppet.

    "Deal!" Pang Jian said eagerly.

    After finalizing the trade with Dong Tianze, he then threw the huge sum of spirit jades onto the ground, where they were swept up by the ck turtle and poured into the spirit vein.

    "Next!"

    This time, items belonging to Cao Mang and Liang Ying appeared.

    "How on earth did this kid obtain these rare spirit materials in the Primordial Wilderness? Liang Ying of the Star River Alliance used the Ster Condensing Pearl for cultivation. How did it end up in his hands?"

    "Was Liang Ying also killed?"

    Yin Yiqing and Han Zhiyuan''s voices echoed from the Ethereal Ghost Token in Dong Tianze''s hand.

    Dong Tianze''s face twitched as he red sullenly at Pang Jian.

    A surge of anger rushed through Dong Tianze.

    Had Pang Jian not framed him, the Sinister Soul Temple would not have been forced to pretend they had imprisoned him.

    If not for this, he would have also been in the Primordial Wilderness, participating in the deadly battle against the foreign races.

    <i>If Pang Jian could profit from the chaos, surely I could have too!</i>

    <i>He''s already earned tens of thousands of spirit jades in a short amount of time. I''ve never possessed such enormous wealth in my life.</i>

    <i>Damn you, Pang Jian! If it weren''t for you framing me, I... </i>Dong Tianze cursed inwardly.

    Pang Jian''s haul had also astonished the Cult Leader and Vice Cult Leader of the Sinister Soul Temple. They wanted to question him in detail about the situation in the Primordial Wilderness after the transactions wereplete.

    <i>Cough! Cough!</i>

    Pang Jian suddenly coughed twice as if his throat itched. His expression was somewhat awkward and slightly embarrassed.

    Dong Tianze had never seen Pang Jian with such an expression before and felt a sense of foreboding.

    During their third transaction through the Ghost Altar, Pang Jian had been calm andposed as he ced the belongings of the rogue cultivators on the Ghost Altar. Even then, he showed no signs of embarrassment despite Dong Tianze being the actual one to kill some of those rogue cultivators.

    "The Ethereal Ghost Token!"

    "The Sinister Soul Staff!"

    "Soul Custodian Wood!"

    Yin Yiqing and Han Zhiyuan''s startled cries came from the Ethereal Ghost Token in Dong Tianze''s hand, causing him to shudder.

    From the corner of his eye, he saw the two leaders in the corner of the cave almost rush forward.

    The two leaders were clearly struggling to control their emotions as they red at Pang Jian like they wanted to devour him.

    Dong Tianze had a feeling the two leaders would have already attacked if Pang Jian were physically present.

    They would have skinned Pang Jian alive and used soul-searching techniques to extract his deepest memories.

    "Cult Leader, Elder Lou is dead..." Han Zhiyuan''s voice rang out from the Ethereal Ghost Token.

    Dong Tianze finally understood what had happened.

    Pang Jian was trying to sell the belongings of their deceased elder back to him, the cherished genius of the Sinister Soul Temple!

    No wonder this bastard was slightly embarrassed!

    No wonder the two leaders reacted so strongly!

    The spirit materials and spirit artifacts on the Ghost Altar belonged to the two leaders'' deceased old friend. The fact that they had not stormed out of the dark corner showed their immense self-control and ability to scheme.

    "I don''t even know what these things are. I just picked them up from a pile of corpses." Pang Jian shook his head and sighed with a solemn expression. "Too many people died, either ughtered by the foreign race warriors or torn apart and devoured by Vicious Beasts.

    "Corpses were scattered all over the Primordial Wilderness. The Vicious Beasts didn''t take these items, so I picked them up after they left."

    With these few words, Pang Jian effectively conveyed the bloody reality in the Primordial Wilderness, calming the trio in the cave.

    "Cult Leader, it seems Elder Lou has fallen. Don''t be too upset," Han Zhiyuan consoled through his divine sense with a sorrowful expression on his face. "Jiu Yuan and Liang Ying are dead. We should have anticipated that Elder Lou wouldn''t survive either. He hasn''t sent any messages recently, so you should have been mentally prepared for this."

    "I was prepared." Yin Yiqing took a deep breath to calm his chaotic mind and sighed. "I just didn''t expect this kid to bring out his belongings."

    "Should we continue with the transaction?" Han Zhiyuan asked softly.

    "It''s hard to ask questions without finishing the transaction. Continue."

    This time, Yin Yuqing did not need to take time to calcte before giving out a reasonable value.

    "Twenty-three thousand," he said.

    "Twenty-three thousand spirit jades," repeated Dong Tianze.

    "Deal!" Pang Jian promptly nodded in agreement and swiftly carried out the transaction.

    He did not know how the Sinister Soul Temple would react when they eventually learned that Lou Yunming had actually died by his hand.

    All he knew was that this transaction had to be done quickly.

    He would rather take a loss and sell off all the stolen goods before the true events at the Primordial Wilderness spread. After all, it would be difficult to make transactions with Dong Tianze once that happened.

    <i>Fifteen thousand, twenty-seven thousand, and twenty-three thousand spirit jades. That''s a total of sixty-five thousand spirit jades! That''s equal to six million five hundred thousand spirit stones! </i>

    <i>That means that over ten million spirit stones have already gone into nourishing the fragmentednd''s spirit vein altogether...</i>

    Pang Jian sighed with mixed emotions as he watched the spirit jades turn into drops of radiant light,

    The majority of the four Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators'' belongings had been turned into spirit jades and given to the ck turtle. The once slender spirit vein now looked somewhat fuller.

    However, it was still far from being able to produce spirit stones.

    <i>Cough! Cough!</i>

    Awkwardly coughing once again, Pang Jian took out four spatial bracelets and ced them on the Ghost Altar.

    "These..." Pang Jian trailed off, looking at Dong Tianze.

    "Spatial bracelets, four thousand each, for a total of sixteen thousand spirit jades!" Dong Tianze dered.

    "Deal!"

    Thest transaction was concluded even faster than before.

    "Pang Jian..." Seeing that Pang Jian had run out of items to sell, Dong Tianze, under the urging of the two leaders, asked stiffly, "What''s the situation in the Primordial Wilderness? Are the invading forces from the Fifth World still hunting human cultivators?"

    Pang Jian was about to answer when his eyebrows twitched.

    Then, slowly adopting a more arrogant demeanor, he said, "Each piece of information will cost you one thousand spirit jades. Think carefully before you ask, Sect Leader."

    Dong Tianze was stunned.

    "Ask!"

    "Ask!"

    Yin Yiqing and Han Zhiyuan''s urgent voices rang out simultaneously.

    "Alright!" Gritting his teeth, Dong Tianze ced one thousand spirit jades on the Ghost Altar and asked his first question, "What''s the current state of the battle between the invading forces from the Fifth World and the human cultivators?"

    After epting the spirit jades with a smile, Pang Jian casually tossed them onto the ground and said, "The battle is over. Most foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts have died in the Primordial Wilderness. Some of the weaker foreign race warriors escaped early on with flying vessels and headed to the contaminated Fourth World."

    Pang Jian looked encouragingly at the silent Dong Tianze, wordlessly asking him to take out more spirit jades and continue his interrogation.

    "Ask!"

    "Ask him how many survivors are left, focusing on Old Monster Cao and the other elders!"

    Yin Yiqing and Han Zhiyuan urged.

    As the Cult Leader and Vice Cult Leader of the Sinister Soul Temple, they could easily take out a million spirit jades if needed.

    Spending a few thousand spirit jades to gain critical information about the Primordial Wilderness before the Blood Moon Sect and the Star River Alliance seemed like a bargain.

    The first to obtain urate information could make arrangements in advance and prepare countermeasures sooner.

    Dong Tianze ced more spirit jades in the Ghost Altar and continued parroting the two leaders'' questions.

    Pang Jian received the thousand spirit jades.

    "Cao Mang is dead. Elder Wei Wenhan of the Radiant Sun Sect is alive, as is Yang Rui."

    Another thousand spirit jades.

    "How did Cao Mang die?"

    "I don''t know either. Ask another question."

    "Have they figured out how the Mirror Tunnel was formed?"

    "It''s said that Cao Mang colluded with the foreign races. He activated the Spirit ughtering Astral Array and tried to kill everyone."

    And so it went.

    Whenever the questions involved himself, Pang Jian did not lie. He simply feigned ignorance and told Dong Tianze to ask another question.

    He based all his answers on real events but conveniently avoided mentioning that Jiu Yuan and Cao Mang had died because of him.

    After Pang Jian earned seven thousand spirit jades, Dong Tianze stopped asking questions.

    Pang Jian then stood up and dismantled the Ghost Altar.

 Chapter 220: Cultivation and Covert Surveillance

    <h4>Chapter 220: Cultivation and Covert Surveince</h4>

    ??Cult Leader Yin Yiqing''s long, narrow eyes gleamed coldly as he stood in Dong Tianze''s dark cave dwelling in the Sinister Soul Temple,

    Spirit materials belonging to the deceased Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators surrounded therge Ghost Altar.

    Yin Yiqing stared at a familiar Ethereal Ghost Token and sighed. "Elder Lou..."

    Lou Yunming''s death deeply pained him. Spirit Condensation Realm elders were the pirs of their sects.

    "Cult Leader, how should we handle these spirit materials and spirit artifacts we obtained from Pang Jian?" Han Zhiyuan asked bitterly.

    "You should personally handle them. Make sure no one knows we had contact with Pang Jian." Yin Yiqing frowned. "The total value of these spirit materials is actually a bit higher than what we estimated for Pang Jian, but dealing with them is quite troublesome."

    It would undoubtedly attract criticism if it became known that the Sinister Soul Temple was selling the personal effects of Jiu Yuan, Liang Ying, and others.

    "Don''t worry, I have experience in this," Han Zhiyuan said solemnly.

    Yin Yiqing nodded before turning toward where Dong Tianze had descended from the Ghost Altar. "You don''t need to focus solely on your cultivation anymore. You can leave the sect to seek your opportunities. Dismantle this Ghost Altar and take it with you."

    Still feeling depressed at Pang Jian''s earnings, Dong Tianze stared nkly at the Ghost Altar and slowly nodded.

    "What excuse should we use?" Han Zhiyuan asked curiously.

    "When the foreign races invaded the Primordial Wilderness, we sent our people there, leaving our sect''s forces thin. He took the opportunity to escape," Yin Yiqing said casually. "The Fourth World is in chaos and the foreign races invaded the Third World. No one will care about these trivial matters during such a tumultuous time."

    Han Zhiyuan nodded. "Got it."

    Yin Yiqing extended a finger and pointed at the ground. Some misceneous items, like the Sinister Soul Staff, flew into the spatial bracelet that had once belonged to Lou Yunming.

    The bracelet then floated toward Dong Tianze and slipped onto his arm.

    "We''ve lost an elder. I hope you''ll diligently cultivate and reach the Spirit Condensation Realm as soon as possible," said Yin Yiqing.

    The Radiant Sun Sect had Yang Rui while the Blood Moon Sect had Fang Boxuan. The Sinister Soul Temple, on the other hand, did not have any outstanding talents.

    Despite being born in the Fourth World, Yin Yiqing and Han Zhiyuan believed that Dong Tianze was a rising star who could rival those geniuses.

    However, to be regarded as such, there was one crucial condition¡ªthey had to advance to the Spirit Condensation Realm before the age of twenty. Only then could they be considered true geniuses.

    "Thank you, Cult Leader." Dong Tianze bowed and dismantled the Ghost Alter under the gazes of the two leaders.

    He made up his mind. As soon as he left the Sinister Soul Temple, he would use the Celestial Phoenix Imprint on his forehead to search the Third World for those possessing the essence of the Celestial Phoenix. He would then kill them to strengthen himself.

    "I will handle the follow-up arrangements." With that, Yin Yiqing floated out of the cave.

    Ten dayster, after Dong Tianze left the Sinister Soul Temple, a shriek echoed through the grand and eerie halls. Yin Yiqing''s shriek was like the wailing of ten thousand ghosts from hell and left numerous deep scratches on the iron walls of the hall.

    Beside a ck stone pir covered in ghostly runes, the emaciated body of Han Zhiyuan trembled violently as he cried, "Pang Jian!"

    The shrill cries of the pair could tear eardrums apart.

    They had just learned that Pang Jian had been the one to kill Lou Yunming in the Primordial Wilderness!

    Pang Jian had used the Shadow Specter Sect''s Ghost Altar and traded Lou Yunming''s belongings with them for arge amount of spirit jades!

    The two sect leaders felt maliciously deceived!

    Killing Lou Yunming was one thing. The greater insult was that Pang Jian had despicably exploited the information disparity to conduct transactions using the Ghost Altar!

    Han Zhiyuan trembled with rage, body practically shaking apart. "That brat treated us like fools!"

    "If he dares to show his face again, I''ll make sure he never reaches the Sword Pavilion alive!" Yin Yiqing roared.

    ***

    The sun zed high in the sky.

    The Resolute Expanse, now hidden deep within thick clouds, had long since left the Primordial Wilderness. Rather than part ways with the ck turtle, Pang Jian opted to go into seclusion in the depths of the Cloud Wilderness.

    "Strange, I still can''t control my divine sense and have yet to advance to the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm."

    Pang Jian pushed open the door of a wooden cabin to stand in the misty forest of the Cloud Wilderness.

    As long as he was in the Resolute Expanse, Pang Jian would always be harmonized with thend even without needing to focus his mind. With a single thought, the entirety of the fragmentednd became visible to him.

    Pang Jian let out a deep sigh.

    He had been trying to control his divine sense for the past ten days and achieve a breakthrough in his cultivation.

    Despite his efforts, he could not consciously move any of the one hundred and twenty-eight strands of divine sense floating in his sea of consciousness.

    His cultivation had rapidly advanced in the Primordial Wilderness, but now he seemed to have stagnated.

    <i>Maybe my previous breakthroughs happened too quickly and I just need some time to let my cultivation realm stabilize, </i>Pang Jianforted himself.

    Pang Jian felt dejected as he stood outside the wooden cabin built by rogue cultivators. After a moment, heposed himself and instead decided to check on the situation in Divine Fortune in the Fourth World.

    He wondered whether the little tree had made contact with the Wood Race yet.

    His perspective shifted.

    The leader of the Wood Race, who he had secretly aided in escaping, and dozens of Wood Race members busied themselves in various parts of Divine Fortune.

    Their faces were filled with excitement and joy as they scattered seeds across the fragmentednd.

    Some nted seeds and saplings in Divine Fortune City, some at the edges of the fragmentednd, and others in the towns between Divine Fortune City and Misty Swamp.

    Once he established a connection with the little tree, Pang Jian found that he could perceive the locations, emotions, and thoughts of all the members of the Wood Race.

    <i>I can hear the thoughts of the Wood Race! What a wonderful feeling, </i>Pang Jian thought before investigating this newfound perception further.

    His perception when connected with the little tree was not as profound or detailed as in the Resolute Expanse.

    He could not sense the movements of all living beings, delve into the ground, or view ces without nts. He also could not manipte the spiritual qi of heaven and earth, feel the blood energy within Vicious Beasts, or extend his perception beyond Divine Fortune.

    In other words, he could not harmonize with thend in Divine Fortune.

    But he could still hear the innermost thoughts of the Wood Race.

    His perception was entirely from the viewpoint of the World Eater Vine.

    This confirmed that the little tree, which the Wood Race regarded as a pir of faith, was indeed a god-like presence among them.

    Upon closer inspection, Pang Jian also discovered that each member of the Wood Race was connected to himself¡ªor rather, to the little tree.

    All the members of the Wood Race in Divine Fortune were linked to the little tree through these connections, and the little tree was drawing a faint trace of their mental energy.

    The little tree appeared to be using this to enhance its intelligence.

    This discovery shocked Pang Jian.

    Its power slowly increased with the arrival of the Wood Race and the nting of saplings and seeds throughout Divine Fortune.

    It also drew soul essence from the bodies of the Wood Race whenever it nourished them with life energy.

    The World Eater Vine and the Wood Race were perfectplements, and their rtionship was mutualistic.

    Pang Jian then used the vegetation throughout Divine Fortune to observe further and found that most of the bloodthirsty Vicious Beasts that followed the ck roc had disappeared from Divine Fortune.

    The Vicious Beasts loyal to the Wood Race now ruled over the native Vicious Beasts of the Fourth World residing in Divine Fortune. These loyal Vicious Beasts had descended to Divine Fortune from the Third World with the Wood Race.

    Divine Fortune was now firmly under the control of the Wood Race. They evidently regarded it as their stronghold and nned to make it their new home.

    <i>Not bad, the development here is impressive. Guiding the Wood Race to Divine Fortune was worth it.</i>

    Pang Jian cut the connection after a brief exchange with the little tree. He then shifted his perception to the Giant Abyssal Serpent in the Fifth World.

    Yu Xin of the Celestial Race was leading many foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts to gather beside a towering Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir.

    Among them, Pang Jian spotted a Celestial Race powerhouse with eight pairs of wings, the one-eyed giant Ah Man, a Demon Scale Race powerhouse riding a winding silver-white Skeletal Dragon, and a Ghost Race powerhouse perched on the shoulder of a giant Ghost Ape.

    Powerful figures from the foreign races were gathered around the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir.

    Sinister artifacts and strange spirit materials wereid out in the field of broken bones surrounding the pir.

    The one-eyed giant named Ah Man roared.

    His roar reverberated through the air, causing the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir to emit a bright green light, illuminating the darknd for miles.

    Pang Jian''s connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent was abruptly cut off.

    Before the connection was severed, he sensed that the Giant Abyssal Serpent had...fainted.

    <i>Useless. </i>Pang Jian snorted lightly.

    After establishing connections with both the little tree in the Fourth World and the Giant Abyssal Serpent in the Fifth World, Pang Jian examined his sea of consciousness and noticed that some of his divine sense had thinned.

    After swallowing a Mind Soothing Pill, his divine senses soon returned to their original size.

    In the following days, Pang Jian stayed on the Resolute Expanse, seeking a breakthrough to the middle stage of the Profoud Abode Realm.

    He used many methods to try and control his mysterious divine sense, but none yielded any results.

    During this time, through harmonizing with thend, Pang Jian noticed many Cloud Sails heading toward the Primordial Wilderness.

    It seemed the news of Old Monster Cao''s death and the eradication of the foreign races had spread in the Third World.

    The convergence of Cloud Sails from other parts of the Third World allowed the trapped cultivators to finally leave the Primordial Wilderness.

    Pang Jian''s name would only spread further across the Third World with every Cloud Sail leaving the Primordial Wilderness.

 Chapter 221: Renowned Throughout the Third World

    <h4>Chapter 221: Renowned Throughout the Third World</h4>

    A hazy moon and a scattering of stars hung in the enchantingte-night sky.

    The Resolute Expanse floated quietly above the clouds, absorbing the spiritual qi of heaven and earth.

    The ck turtle grew stronger by the day, its size continuously increasing deep underground.

    Focusing his mind, Pang Jian saw three distinct ridges on the ck turtle''s ckish-yellow carapace that exuded a sharp aura.

    The ck turtle''s stron was a brownish-yellow hue and emitted a strange radiance.

    Its limbs, as thick as giant pirs, were pure ck and seemed capable of supporting the heavens.

    Fine scales sharp enough to tear through flesh lined the back of its olive-colored neck.

    Many extraordinary physical features of the ck turtle were emerging, and each time Pang Jian gazed at it, he could not help but feel its future potential was boundless.

    Also deep underground was the spirit vein. The crystal-clear, winding spirit vein had partially recovered from the Spirit ughtering Astral Array''s excessive drainage after being nourished by over a hundred thousand spirit jades.

    Everything was moving in a positive direction.

    Pang Jian looked up at the captivating night sky.

    <i>It won''t be long before Luo Hongyan learns that I''ve killed Jiu Yuan, Lou Yunming, and Cao Mang.</i>

    His lips curled into a slight smile and he dered determinedly into the deste Resolute Expanse, "One day, my name will reach the worlds above. Pang Lin will eventually hear my name and know I''ve been living well.

    "No matter where she is, I hope I''ll have the strength to protect her in the not-too-distant future."

    Pang Jian had protected Pang Lin since they were young. He did not even consider relying on her status or achievements to ascend to the upper worlds.

    All he ever wanted was to protect his sister and gain the ability to stand up for her if she was ever bullied.

    The world above was vast and boundless. Pang Jian did not know how to find Pang Lin or where she was.

    Rather than searching for a needle in a haystack, he preferred to spread his name, Pang Jian, across every world.

    Once that happened, Pang Lin would hear his name through the cultivators around her no matter where she was.

    She would know that a young man named Pang Jian had risen from the Solitary Mountain Range of the Fourth World, dazzling the heavens and earth like aet shooting through the sky.

    Pang Lin would then know that her brother had sessfully ascended to the upper worlds and now possessed the power to protect her.

    This was also the significance of Pang Jian''s dazzling disy in the Primordial Wilderness.

    Pang Jian took out the copper chest and ced it in the wooden cabin. In the days that followed, hey inside it, bathing in the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars.

    Since he had yet to find a way to break through to the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm and control his divine sense at will, he instead decided to focus on refining his spiritual sea.

    The day gave way to night and back again with the passage of time. The scattered stars, bright moon, and zing sun in his dantian grew stronger as Pang Jian absorbed the radiance of the sun, moon, and stars from within the copper chest.

    One day, recalling the body-strengthening benefits of the Grand Providence Sacred Body, he took out the iplete body-tempering manual to carefully study its profound secrets.

    <i>After opening the Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint, the Grand Providence Sacred Body is divided into three realms; the Jade Body Realm, the Illusory Bone Realm, and the Vital Blood Realm.</i>

    <i>The Jade Body Realm focuses on the refinement of the skin, making it so resilient it bes impervious to water and fire. The skin also gains a glossy, jade-like sheen.</i>

    <i>The Illusory Bone Realm involves re-tempering all the bones in one''s body. Oncepleted, one can adjust the length of their bones and change their appearance at will. In the Illusory Bone Realm, the bones in one''s body be as sharp as a de, making it easy to pierce through metal with a simple hand chop or fingertip thrust.</i>

    <i>The Vital Blood Realm allows one to refine one''s blood, endowing every drop with infinite profoundness.</i>

    Pang Jian carefully analyzed the contents of the manual.

    He could not freely manipte his strands of divine sense, and there were no earth-shattering changes to his dantian and spiritual sea. Thus, he decided to shift his focus to tempering his body.

    Barrels of blood and chunks of meat from Rank Five and Rank Six Vicious Beasts wereid out around him, taken from his spatial bracelet. When thirsty, he drank the blood brimming with immense blood essence, and when hungry, he roasted and ate the meat of the high-ranked Vicious Beasts.

    In this way, the blood and meat of the Vicious Beasts were rapidly consumed.

    Pang Jian gathered the rich blood essence and dispersed it across his skin, repeatedly tempering it ording to the Grand Providence Sacred Body manual.

    The ample supply of Vicious Beasts'' blood and meat,bined with his inherently resilient and extraordinary body, meant his progress in the Jade Body Realm was faster than expected.

    Within half a month, Pang Jian''s body emitted a silver radiant glow after another period of intense cultivation.

    Stepping out of the wooden house to stand deep within the Cloud Wilderness, he gazed at the fragmentednd enveloped by the thick leaden clouds bordering the Third and Fourth Worlds.

    "Rise!"

    Pang Jian gathered his blood essence to activate the Jade Body Realm. The pores on his skin closed and his entire body emitted a silver radiance.

    It was like his skin was covered in ayer of silver armor.

    After a moment of contemtion, he summoned his Startling ughter Spear and lightly jabbed the tip toward the back of his hand, making sure not to infuse it without spiritual power or special energies.

    <i>ng!</i>

    A streak of silver sparks flew when the tip of the spear met Pang Jian''s skin.

    The toughness of Pang Jian''s skin while in the Jade Body Realm was like being coated with ayer of hard but flexible metal. It would be impossible to prate his skin unless one had particrly sharp weapons or special attacks like mes or lightning.

    "Let''s try again."

    Pang Jian then infused the spear with his spiritual power and stabbed it into the back of his hand.

    The spear sliced through the silver skin on the back of his hand, leaving behind a bloody cut.

    His powerful self-healing abilities then activated on their own, instantly healing the cut with life energy.

    Not even a scar remained. His skin was smooth as if nothing had happened.

    "Again!"

    This time, Pang Jian not only infused the spear with his spiritual power but also ster energy, lunar energy, and cold energy.

    The spear tip glowed brightly.

    He then stabbed it into the back of his hand once more.

    The glowing spear tip pierced through Pang Jian''s silver skin, stopping as it had struck a bone.

    <i>If I first summon a protective shield, then use the Jade Body Realm within it, and add the protection of the Star Crushing Umbre on top of that...</i>

    Pang Jian''s eyes gleamed as brightly as the tip of the Startling ughter Spear.

    As long as his peers did not have high-grade spirit artifacts like the Nine Suns Cauldron, Pang Jian felt that they would not be able to harm his body now that he had these threeyers of defense.

    Once he got close to them, his opponents would struggle to withstand his fierce attacks and would swiftly be crushed.

    <i>If I cultivate using this Jade Body Realm...</i>

    After withdrawing the blood essence covering his skin, Pang Jian opened his pores from their closed state, took a deep breath, and absorbed the spiritual qi of heaven and earth into his body.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The omnipresent spiritual qi in the Cloud Wilderness drifted toward Pang Jian, transforming into delicate threads that entered his body through his pores. The spiritual qi dispersed to his limbs and bones and, under Pang Jian''s guidance, either converged into his spiritual sea or permeated the rest of his body.

    Reaching the Jade Body Realm of the Grand Providence Sacred Body also enhanced Pang Jian''s efficiency in gathering spiritual qi, allowing him to recover his strength at a faster rate than before.

    "Next is the Illusory Bone Realm!"

    Pang Jian once again threw himself into seclusion. The Resolute Expanse remained hidden in the depths of the thick cloud cover during the day, only asionally surfacing at night.

    As he had arge supply of high-ranked Vicious Beasts'' blood and meat in hand, he could devote himself to tirelessly cultivating the Grand Providence Sacred Body.

    Time passed quickly with Pang Jian in seclusion.

    During this time, many Cloud Sails flew over the Resolute Expanse.

    The ck turtle would always steer the fragmentednd deeper into the leaden clouds, disappearing from the range of a cultivator''s perception whenever it sensed an approaching Cloud Sail.

    For this reason, the Resolute Expanse managed to remain hidden in the Third World.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian''s name was spreading across the Third World.

    It did not matter whether it was the Dark Abyss Continent, the Cosmic Skies Continent, or the fragmentednds floating above the clouds. Tales of Pang Jian''s exploits in the Primordial Wilderness could be heard throughout the Third World.

    Pang Jian, a disciple of the Sword Pavilion, became a hero after ying the malevolent Cao Mang and saving countless cultivators from peril.

    His reckless pursuit of revenge against Jiu Yuan and Lou Yunming before the battle against the foreign races had ended was deliberately overlooked because he brought Cao Mang to justice.

    ***

    On the Dark Abyss Continent was a mountain called Saddle Ridge Mountain, which was shaped like two camel humps.

    Luo Hongyan and Han Ting stood at a corner of Saddle Ridge Mountain with altered appearances, watching as a crowd gathered at the foot of the mountain.

    Qi Qingsong of the Sword Pavilion had parted ways with them to inquire about news from the Blood Moon Sect and the Star River Alliance after they arrived at Saddle Ridge Mountain.

    ording to Qi Qingsong, he needed to rely on his status as an inner disciple of the Sword Pavilion to make these inquiries, making it inconvenient to bring others along. However, he told them he would inform Pang Jian of their location if Pang Jian ever contacted him with the sword token.

    "I hope Pang Jian''s safe," whispered Han Ting.

    "He''ll be fine," Luo Hongyan gazed with captivating eyes at the Cloud Sailsnding below Saddle Ridge Mountain.

    Having long since regained her strength, she was now waiting for Gao Yuan''s return so she could venture deeper into the Dark Abyss Continent on his Cloud Sail.

    She was confident she could defeat early-stage Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators like Jiu Yuan and Lou Yunming if she encountered them again.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Cloud Sails drifted in from the distant sea of clouds, stopping on the barren in around Saddle Ridge Mountain.

    Lately, the arriving Cloud Sails no longer brought in rogue cultivators, but rather members of four of the seven major ns from the Fourth World.

    The Ning n and the He n were affiliated with the Star River Alliance, while the Ouyang n and the Shangguan n were vassals of the Blood Moon Sect.

    Their n members were first transported to the Third World by Gilded Chariots and Formless Sailboats. They were then brought to Saddle Ridge Mountain using Cloud Sails.

    The Star River Alliance and the Blood Moon Sect had not found enough fragmentednds for these four ns, and it was impossible for them to suddenly amodate so many people from the Fourth World.

    Thus, Saddle Ridge Mountain turned into a temporary settlement for the neers.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Gao Yuan''s Cloud Sail flew in from the distant sky, the deck visibly crowded with people.

    He was transporting cultivators to earn spirit stones, charging per head.

    With so many members of these four nsing, he could make two to three thousand spirit stones each trip. Thus, he worked tirelessly to earn as much as possible during this time.

    "Gao Yuan, have you heard any news about Pang Jian?" Han Ting called out the moment Gao Yuan came within hearing range.

    Luo Hongyan''s bright eyes sparkled.

    "I actually do have news about Little Brother Pang this time!" Gao Yuan''s face was red with excitement as he shouted back to the two expectant women, "Little Brother Pang''s name has spread from the Primordial Wilderness and will soon be known by everyone in the Third World!"

    "What?!" Luo Hongyan and Han Ting eximed in unison.

    "Is he¡ªis he okay?" Luo Hongyan asked, biting her lip.

    "He''s fine." Gao Yuan took a deep breath, then said with an expression of disbelief, "You might not believe it, but Little Brother Pang killed Liang Ying of the Star River Alliance, Jiu Yuan of the Blood Moon Sect, and Lou Yunming of the Sinister Soul Temple.

    "He also killed the master of the Primordial Wilderness, Cao Mang!"

    Luo Hongyan and Han Ting were stunned. Their faces were frozen in shock and they could not even exim in surprise.

 Chapter 222: Migrants from the Lower World

    <h4>Chapter 222: Migrants from the Lower World</h4>

    On a fragmentednd named Astral Pearl within the Zhou n''s territory in the Fourth World stood Zhou Qingchen, conjuring a crimson protective shield.

    He had recently advanced to the middle stage of the Innate Realm with the help of the Divine Origin Pearl.

    Seven des of varying lengths hovered above his head, releasing dazzling lights that shed through the dense packs of Vicious Beasts.

    The Divine Origin Pearl hovered a hundred zhang in the air, letting off brilliant rays of light that caused Vicious Avians to screech and plummet from the sky.

    Members of the Zhou n, led by Zhou Huaian, were resisting the onught of Vicious Beasts with the assistance of the Divine Origin Pearl.

    Mutated venomous pythons and giant lizards slithered among the rocks, while Ice Armor Beasts and one-horned rhinoceroses with scales as tough as iron worked with the golden eagles, gray falcons, and giant rocs tounch wave after wave of attacks on Astral Pearl.

    The battle had been raging for several days with both sides locked in a deadly stalemate.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A young girl in a green dress appeared in the sky riding a massive silver sword.

    The girl was leisurely eating a bunch of grapes and reluctantly stood up from the sword asrge as a ship.

    Peering down at the fierce battlefield below with eyes as bright as gemstones, she murmured, ¡°How troublesome.¡±

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Dazzling sword lights shot out from the massive silver sword beneath her feet, transforming into brilliant rivers of sword light and cutting through even the strongest Vicious Beasts in sprays of blood.

    With one effortless move, the girl had resolved Zhou n''s crisis in Astral Pearl.

    As the silver sword floated away, Zhou Huaian hurriedly shouted up at her from the ground below to express his gratitude.

    However, the girl ignored him.

    "She''s truly a divine being," Zhou Huaian said as he watched the giant sword disappear into the distance.

    Heaving a sigh of relief, he turned to face Zhou Qingchen. Zhou Qingchen''s face was covered with a full beard and he exuded a fierce aura.

    "That girl roams the fragmentednds of both our Zhou n and the Dong n with her sword," Zhou Huaian exined, voice full of admiration and gratitude. "She goes to areas with the fiercest Vicious Beast attacks and often resolves everything with a single strike.

    ¡°Without her, many fragmentednds would''ve fallen, and the Vicious Beasts would''ve devoured many people.¡±

    "She truly is admirable," Zhou Qingchen agreed, swallowing a pill to restore his spiritual power.

    He then called on Han Duping and the remaining members of the Zhou n to eliminate the weaker Vicious Beasts.

    Only once he saw the Vicious Avians carrying the surviving Vicious Beasts away did Zhou Qingchen finally rx.

    Not long after, several Cloud Sails rose from Astral Pearl to head toward the Zhou n¡¯s main city.

    Scarlet Dawn Boats from the Red Mountain Sect were waiting there to take the Zhou n to the Third World.

    ¡°The murky energy will eventually spread to this ce; the Fourth World will fall sooner orter.¡± Han Duping sighed.

    Han Duping had recently broken through to the early stage of the Innate Realm after a prolonged period of arduous battle.

    With a bitterugh, he asked, "Are the higher-ups nning to send more powerful cultivators down here to solve the contamination problem?"

    ¡°If they could solve it, it would already be resolved,¡± Zhou Huaian said, slightly frazzled and distressed. He gazed in the direction the Vicious Beasts had retreated with a heavy expression. ¡°Almost the entire Fourth World is contaminated, with the exception of the fragmentednds under the Dong n and our Zhou n.

    "It''s only a matter of time before these fragmentednds are also covered in murky energy. All I can hope for now is to migrate as many of our n members as possible.¡±

    The Fourth World had changed dramatically in just over a year, bing a world of widespread devastation and sorrow. Human cultivators and mortals alike were suffering all over the Fourth World.

    To make matters worse, hordes of Vicious Beasts¡ªmutated by the murky energy and hostile to the human race¡ªseized the opportunity to attack the yet-untaintednds, causing bloodshed as the humans took refuge in the uncontaminated cities.

    The remaining human cultivators would have long been overwhelmed if not for the girl with the massive silver sword.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Two Scarlet Dawn Boatsnded in Astral Pearl like two streaks of rainbow.

    ¡°Senior Sister Jiang, Senior Sister Zhao!¡± Despite having be more reserved due to his n''s ordeal, Zhou Qingchen stood up and shot them a now rare smile. ¡°Why have youe?¡±

    ¡°Junior Brother Zhou...¡± Jiang Li softly called, her gentle eyes filled with deep affection.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Elders and disciples of the Red Mountain Sect descended from the other Scarlet Dawn Boat, dressed in red robes. They nodded in greeting to Zhou Qingchen, Zhou Huaian, and the others.

    ¡°Elder Qi! Senior Lin, Senior Qin!¡± greeted Zhou Qingchen.

    ¡°Sorry for the dy. There was an issue in the Primordial Wilderness, so we had to head there first," exined Qi Wei, a Spirit Condensation Realm elder of the Red Mountain Sect, gesturing for Zhou Huaian, Zhou Qingchen, and the others to be at ease. "However, before we arrived, the problem at that fragmentednd was miraculously resolved, so we instead made our way to the Fourth World.

    "Qingchen, leave the rest to us. You can return to the Third World on Zhao Yuanqi¡¯s Scarlet Dawn Boat.

    "Wei Wenhan from the Radiant Sun Sect is leading a team to support the Dong n. Some elders from the Star River Alliance and the Blood Moon Sect originally headed for the Primordial Wilderness have alsoe down to help resolve the Vicious Beast crisis in the Fourth World.¡±

    Qi Wei then abruptly changed the subject as he asked, "Qingchen, are you acquainted with Pang Jian?"

    Zhou Qingchen¡¯s eyes reddened, and he replied without hesitation, ¡°He¡¯s a brother I¡¯ve shared life-and-death experiences with!

    ¡°Elder Qi, do you have news about Pang Jian? Has he left the Solitary Mountain Range?¡±

    Zhou Qingchen had been seeking news about Pang Jian since leaving Eight Trigrams City but could not find anything about Pang Jian''s situation or whereabouts.

    Qi Wei¡¯s sudden mention of Pang Jian gave him a glimmer of hope.

    ¡°Your brother is truly remarkable.¡± Qi Wei nced at the sky with a look of admiration. ¡°He¡¯s currently in the Third World, though his exact location is unknown. His deeds have spread throughout the Third World. Ask anyone up there and they''ll be able to tell you just how famous your brother is now!¡±

    "What?!" Zhou Qingchen eximed in surprise.

    ***

    A Cloud Sail departed from the Cosmic Skies Continent in the Third World, passed by the Three Immortals Ind and the Primordial Wilderness, and sailed toward the Dark Abyss Continent under the scorching sun.

    The captain of the boat, Wang Ying, was an attractive middle-aged woman. She nced around at the three distinctly different groups on the deck with her seductive, shimmering eyes.

    Of the three groups, she treated the noble family disciples previously stranded in the Primordial Wilderness the most warmly.

    The destruction of their own Cloud Sail forced these pampered young noble family disciples to take hers instead.

    They frequentlyined about her Cloud Sail¡¯s poor condition and found fault with everything.

    Even so, Wang Ying dared not offend them, so she kept a smile of faux enthusiasm on her heavily powdered face.

    She acted colder toward the groups of rogue cultivators who were simply roaming the fragmentednds in the Third World.

    The final group consisted of those from the Fourth World. The Star River Alliance was sending them to the deste fragmentednds. Rumor had it that two of the group were actually core members of the He n and the Ning n.

    Wang Ying''s attitude toward the people from the Fourth World was by far the worst of the three groups and she often responded to their questions with irritation.

    ¡°s, the world is growing more chaotic. Even lowly migrants from the Fourth World areing up topete for our territory,"mented a young man from a family allied with the Star River Alliance as he nced at the He n and the Ning n. ¡°The major families in the Third World may soon be forced to give up cities for them.¡±

    He then smiled mockingly at the group of rogue cultivators. "The fragmentednds where you rogue cultivators roam will also be forcibly taken over, and the space you can operate will only shrink."

    Hearing this, many of the rogue cultivators could not help but re at the migrants from the lower world with resentful eyes.

    He Hui of the He n and Ning Wei of the Ning n could only smile wordlessly in the face of these mocking remarks and Wang Ying''s preferential treatment from Wang Ying.

    They had realized just how unwee they were upon arriving in the Third World.

    He Hui and Ning Wei had recently broken through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm. Their apanying n members were of even lower cultivation realms, with most being in the Qi Practicing Realm and Meridian Opening Realm.

    Some were even ordinary mortals who had yet to cleanse their spiritual seas.

    Their group had previously been left in a deste fragmentednd, with the Star River Alliance instructing the two leaders to wait for passing Cloud Sails. The Gilded Chariots that had brought them up to the Third World then left to descend back to the Fourth World.

    The pair knew the Gilded Chariots were in limited supply and were operating at full capacity to shuttle people between the Fourth and Third Worlds.

    They were aware that the Gilded Chariots were going to the Fourth World to fetch more of their n members, so they dared notin.

    However, they did not expect those on the passing Cloud Sail to have such high cultivation realms, with none below the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    Several imposing figures even appeared to be in the Profound Abode Realm, causing them to act even more cautiously.

    Unnervingly, a sallow-faced rogue cultivator in ck was casting meaningful nces toward them, leaving He Hui and Ning Wei terrified.

    ¡°The Star River Alliance is backing us. The rogue cultivators wouldn''t dare act recklessly with that in mind. And those noble family disciples are either allied with the Star River Alliance or the Blood Moon Sect!¡± He Hui whispered.

    Ning Wei nodded bitterly. ¡°I just hope we can safely reach the fragmentednd that the Star River Alliance arranged for us. Neither the rogue cultivators nor the noble family disciples dare to act rashly there with the elders of the Star River Alliance in charge.¡±

    He Hui sighed. ¡°I wish our Fourth World was not contaminated. I''d rather stay in the lower world thane up here.¡±

    ¡°Who wouldn''t?¡± Ning Wei agreed.

    As the vassals of the Star River Alliance, the He and Ning ns were like local tyrants in the fragmentednds they governed in the Fourth World.

    In their territories, they were revered, and every n member roaming their cities did so with pride and had never faced any kind of humiliation.

    However, after the Star River Alliance brought them to the Third World, they faced disdain and contempt everywhere.

    The other people on board the Cloud Sail were either noble family disciples of higher status or rogue cultivators with superior cultivation realms. They could not afford to offend any of them.

    The stark contrast from being revered in the lower world to being humbled in the upper world was too great for them to ept all at once.

    The sallow-faced ck-d man nced at He Hui once more.

    <i>That''s He Ziren''s father, </i>thought the man in ck.

    He Hui dared not meet the man''s gaze, instinctively looking away in fear of inadvertently offending him.

    He could not help but feel that this ck-d man was the most formidable person on this Cloud Sail.

 Chapter 223: The Restricted Area, Cloud Lightning

    <h4>Chapter 223: The Restricted Area, Cloud Lightning</h4>

    The man in ck was none other than Pang Jian.

    Having achieved some sess in his cultivation of the Illusory Bone Realm, he had subtly altered his cheekbones to conceal his true appearance and hid himself among the rogue cultivators.

    He had learned the identities and backgrounds of He Hui and Ning Wei by secretly eavesdropping on their conversations and confirmed that He Hui was actually the father of He Ziren.

    Pang Jian had killed He Ziren in the Solitary Mountain Range.

    The twists of fate were truly unpredictable.

    Pang Jian had reached the Profound Abode Realm since leaving the Solitary Mountain Range, making him the most powerful individual on the Cloud Sail.

    If he wanted, he could summon his Startling ughter Spear and the Star Crushing Umbre to ughter everyone on this Cloud Sail.

    The only thing stopping him was the fact that he was afraid to expose his identity.

    In contrast, the once high and mighty He and Ning ns did not dare to meet his gaze, appearing humble and fearful.

    The discussions of some noble family disciples could be heard on the Cloud Sail.

    "Pang Jian disappeared on the ck Iron Mountain after killing public enemy number one of the human race, Cao Mang the dwarf."

    "This young man from the lower world is truly extraordinary, just like Dong Tianze."

    "The Sword Pavilion must already consider him as an inner disciple. After all, they granted him powerful spirit artifacts capable of killing Cao Mang the dwarf!"

    "Even armed with a powerful spirit artifact, his cultivation realm is still only in the Profound Abode Realm. Cao Mang the dwarf was a cultivator in the Spirit Condensation Realm!"

    "That''s why it''s so remarkable!"

    Ning Wei listened intently to their conversation and remarked with eyes sparkling in admiration, "This young hunter also hails from the Fourth World like us. He is truly extraordinary.

    "Every few decades, our Fourth World produces one or two extraordinary individuals who shine in the upper worlds. This Pang Jian must be one of them."

    He Hui nodded in agreement.

    The noble family disciples did not mention that Pang Jian was the same as Hong Jian from the Shadow Specter Sect or that he had wreaked havoc on Ice Rock Ind.

    Thus, He Hui and Ning Wei had no clue that the supposedlymendable Pang Jian was actually the young Shadow Specter Sect Hall Master who had raided the Blood Moon Sect''s beast-hunting sailboat in Divine Fortune.

    Both of them wore expressions full of admiration.

    <i>My identity as the Shadow Specter Sect hall master has beenpletely overlooked; no one even mentions it, </i>Pang Jian thought, growing tired of listening to discussions about himself.

    Closing his eyes, he established a connection with the ck turtle.

    The ck turtle was maneuvering the Resolute Expanse through the thick clouds toward the edge of the Third World, nning to hide near the bizarre mist.

    Cao Mang''s ck Iron Mountain was on the Resolute Expanse and could be summoned to Pang Jian as he pleased.

    He had yet to ustom himself to the spirit artifact and it could not be stored inside his spatial bracelet. Additionally, the ck Iron Mountain was extremely conspicuous.

    Thus, he chose not to use it to leave the Resolute Expanse and instead waited for a Cloud Sail to approach and obediently paid fifty spirit stones to board.

    <i>My next stop is the restricted area, Cloud Lightning. I hope it''ll be the key to my breakthrough.</i>

    His cultivation realm had been stagnant for a long time.

    Despite diligently tempering his body and advancing his cultivation of the Grand Providence Sacred Body from the Jade Body Realm to the Illusory Bone Realm, he had yet to move a strand of his divine sense.

    The stars shone brightly in his dantian, and the radiance of the sun and moon floating there was also exceedingly brilliant.

    But none of this helped him break through to the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm.

    After much contemtion, he realized that his breakthrough to the Innate Realm had urred in the underground pce of Ice Rock Ind. There, he had absorbed the cold energy from the one-eyed giants'' altar to condense an ice pool in his spiritual sea.

    It was through the formation of this ice pool that he had advanced to the Innate Realm.

    Therefore, he suspected that his prolonged stagnation was due to the unique nature of his Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea.

    Back on the Resolute Expanse, he had attempted to absorb different energies from the spirit materials that he possessed, such as lightning and water, but to no avail.

    Nothing resembling the ice pool or fiery pool formed in his spiritual sea.

    Out of options, he decided to try his luck in a restricted area.

    The restricted area, Cloud Lightning, was rumored to have constant lightning storms in its basin, so Pang Jian wanted to go and have a look for himself.

    Wang Ying''s Cloud Sail soared across the Third World.

    Half a monthter, Wang Ying finally announced, "We''ve arrived."

    She then nced at He Hui, Ning Wei, and the other migrants from the Fourth World with cold eyes.

    "The teau and hills surrounding the restricted area, Cloud Lightning, are shrouded in faint spiritual qi. This is the ce the Star River Alliance found for you to settle," she exined. "The basin in the center is a well-known restricted area in the Third World. If you don''t want to die, don''t go in there.

    "Though, I''m sure the Star River Alliance has also warned you of this already."

    The Cloud Sail descended as she spoke.

    Pang Jian followed the others'' lead to stand up and peer down from the edge of the Cloud Sail.

    The sight was shocking.

    Cloud Lightning was arge square area nestled into the thick leaden clouds below the Third World, unlike the Primordial Wilderness or the Three Immortals Ind, which floated above the clouds.

    The towering teaus and hills around Cloud Lightning emerged from the depths of the clouds.

    upying thergest area in the center was the basin, which was shrouded in thick, gray mist.

    Pang Jian squinted, catching sight of asional shes of lightning illuminating the basin, with ps of thunder reverberating through thend.

    ¡°The surrounding teaus and hills have pure but thin spiritual qi. The central basin is considered a restricted area and is filled with various types of energies, predominantly those of lightning,¡± Wang Ying exined as the Cloud Sail descended.

    Her eyes suddenly widened in horror.

    "A Mountain Stream Spirit Boat from the Celestial Lagoon Sect!"

    A giant sailboat, with a sail resembling a scroll of ink wash painting ofndscapes, floated leisurely in the depths of the misty basin.

    Pang Jian looked over the rail of the Cloud Sail. The enormous sailboat Wang Ying called the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat resembled a giant Vicious Beast wandering through the sea of clouds.

    Some cultivators on board wore clothes that resembledndscape paintings, some had the character "Demon" engraved on the chests of their clothes, and others wore the distinctive insignia of the ck Valley Sect.

    Wang Ying was taken aback.

    "The Demon Sect and the ck Valley Sect are also on the Celestial Lagoon Sect''s Mountain Stream Spirit Boat. They must all be here to explore Cloud Lightning."

    She stopped her Cloud Sail and called for the members of the He and Ning ns to disembark. She then urged the rogue cultivators who had paid fifty spirit stones to do the same.

    "Fifty spirit stones only get you to the Cloud Lightning. Pay another fifty if you want to go to the Dark Abyss Continent. Otherwise, get off my ship!" Wang Ying shouted aggressively.

    Like Pang Jian, Wang Ying was a cultivator in the Profound Abode Realm. This allowed her to act more domineeringly than Gao Yuan when it came to running her Cloud Sail.

    Even so, when facing Pang Jian, a fellow cultivator in the same cultivation realm as her, she behaved much more politely.

    "My friend, I suggest you avoid Cloud Lightning as the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat of the Celestial Lagoon Sect is here," she advised Pang Jian. "While their presence indicates that something unusual is happening, it also means that others won''t have a chance."

    Pang Jian remained silent.

    "Fifty!"

    "Damn it, what bad luck!"

    "I was hoping to try my luck in Cloud Lightning, but there''s no point in staying with those from the Second World here."

    "Let''s go. Let''s head straight for the Dark Abyss Continent."

    Most of the rogue cultivators forked out another fifty spirit stones and decisively gave up on exploring the basin.

    None of the noble family disciples disembarked from the Cloud Sail.

    They had been on the road for a long time and had experienced the massacre in the Primordial Wilderness. All they wanted now was to return home as soon as possible.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Pang Jian leaped from the Cloud Sail andnded on the teau below.

    Wang Ying shook her head and snorted inwardly.

    <i>To think having Profound Abode Realm cultivation would make him so reckless, </i>she thought as she piloted her Cloud Sail upward and disappeared from sight.

    Pang Jian saw a Profound Abode Realm elder of the Star River Alliance rushing over from afar as he passed by He Hui.

    Unbeknownst to He Hui, the ck-d man passing him by was not only his son''s killer but also the Shadow Specter Sect''s Hong Jian he had wanted to kill in Divine Fortune.

    The rogue cultivators who had opted to stay behind sighed and cursed the presence of the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat as they made their way down to the basin.

    Pang Jian nced at the simple stone and wooden houses hastily built along the edges of the restricted area.

    He had not expected the Star River Alliance to arrange for the He and Ning ns to settle down in such a ce.

    "This ce is far inferiorpared to the Resolute Expanse," Pang Jian muttered as he headed toward the basin.

    As he walked, he took a deep breath, drawing in the strange energies of Cloud Lightning into his chest to discern their different types. He also silently observed his surroundings.

    <i>There is abundant water energy permeating the mist.</i>

    <i>There are also some mild toxins, but they aren''t significantly harmful.</i>

    <i>Lightning and thunder can randomly appear anywhere in the basin. They must be handled with great caution.</i>

    Unlike in the Primordial Wilderness, Pang Jian no longer had the assistance of the ck turtle, and could only use crude methods to explore Cloud Lightning.

    The restricted areas in the Third World differed from contaminated fragmentednds. They simply contained an amalgamation of different types of energies.

    Unlike spiritual qi, these energies were not suitable for every cultivator and normal cultivators needed to purify them once they absorbed them into their dantian.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A mysterious bolt of lightning struck the cultivator ahead of Pang Jian as they descended from the teau into the mist below.

    The cultivator was sted to pieces right before Pang Jian''s eyes!

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    Slender bolts of gleaming white lightning eerily appeared at the impact point and then disappeared just as quickly.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The rogue cultivators in front and behind Pang Jian summoned their protective shields before continuing their descent with pale faces.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Lightning struck a rogue cultivator''s protective shield, causing it to shine brightly. The cultivator frantically gathered their spiritual power to withstand the strike, and the lightning disappeared after a few seconds.

    "I''m not risking my life anymore!" The cultivator, feeling particrly unlucky, turned to head back to the teau and gave up on his original n to explore the basin.

    Pang Jian was taken aback.

    <i>If I absorb the lightning and improve my Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea, I wonder if I''ll advance to the next stage of the Profound Abode Realm.</i>

    Two dayster, the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat flew away from Cloud Lightning.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Many cultivators in the restricted area breathed a sigh of relief when the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat left.

    Pang Jian was among them.

 Chapter 224: The Despicable White Crane

    <h4>Chapter 224: The Despicable White Crane</h4>

    As Pang Jian wandered the basin, he gathered information from other earlier arrivals. The other exploring rogue cultivators told him that Cloud Lightning had recently experienced some disturbances.

    That was why the Celestial Lagoon Sect''s Mountain Stream Spirit Boat had been dispatched.

    The Demon Sect and the ck Valley Sect from the Second World each sent a group of disciples to join the Celestial Lagoon Sect''s expedition to Cloud Lightning and seek their fortunes.

    Most of these disciples were either in the Innate Realm or the Profound Abode Realm, with none reaching the Spirit Condensation Realm.

    Only the elder of the Celestial Lagoon Sect controlling the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat was a cultivator in thete-stage Spirit Condensation Realm.

    It was said that this elder was bound to the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat; wherever he went, the boat followed. The boat''s departure indicated the Spirit Condensation Realm elder had left as well.

    Without the ck turtle, Pang Jian could not harmonize with thend and so did not have the benefits that came with it. This left him with only his Profound Abode Realmbat prowess.

    Pang Jian did not wish to encounter the Spirit Condensation Realm elder from the Celestial Lagoon Sect while in the restricted area, so the elder''s departure suited him perfectly.

    Thus, when he saw the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat disappear into the distance, he could finally rx andfortably venture deeper into the basin.

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    A bolt of white lightning shed in the mist ahead.

    The lightning struck a careless rogue cultivator before he could summon his protective shield. The rogue cultivator died instantly, body charred ck.

    Pang Jian approached the charred corpse, but two other rogue cultivators had gotten there before him.

    ¡°This basin is designated a restricted area because it kills people,¡± a cultivator in the Profound Abode Realm said to the other cultivator in a cold voice, as he nicked the spatial pouch on the corpse. "Remember, even though maintaining a protective shield is extremely draining for someone in the middle stage of the Innate Realm, it''s best to keep it up at all times.

    ¡°This is what happens if you let your guard down.¡± He pointed at the charred corpse. Then ncing at the shieldless Pang Jian, he warned, ¡°You need to be careful, even with your Profound Abode Realm cultivation. Only those skilled in body refinement might withstand one or two lightning strikes.¡±

    The rogue cultivator''s protective shield was pale blue and emitted a cold aura. He evidently cultivated with a frost-based cultivation method.

    Pang Jian nodded indifferently and said, ¡°Thank you for the advice.¡±

    Despite expressing his gratitude, Pang Jian made no move to summon his protective shield.

    ¡°Those who overestimate themselves in Cloud Lightning often end up dead.¡±

    With that, the cultivator floated away from the corpse.

    Once he left, the middle-stage Innate Realm cultivator hastily summoned a grayish-yellow protective shield.

    The rogue cultivator silently assessed the rapid depletion of his spiritual power and smiled wryly.

    He could only maintain the shield for two to three hours with his middle-stage Innate Realm cultivation and the amount of spiritual power in his spiritual sea.

    After that, his spiritual power would bepletely drained.

    ¡°Forget it." The Innate Realm cultivator sighed, deciding not to continue exploring Cloud Lightning.

    He nced at Pang Jian and the departing cultivator before heading back toward the towering hills.

    Pang Jian, however, maintained hisposure and continued deeper into the basin.

    His exposed skin glistened with a silvery sheen. The Grand Providence Sacred Body gave him a ¡°silver membrane¡± that differed from a protective shield.

    This "silver membrane" meant Pang Jian did not need to summon a protective shield to explore the restricted area.

    Moreover, Pang Jian seemed to have incredibly good luck, as the lightning had yet to strike him.

    Unfortunately, unlike the other cultivators, Pang Jian was actually actively wishing for the lightning to strike him. He could then absorb it into his spiritual sea and hopefully break through to the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm.

    Theck of lightning strikes was disappointing to him.

    When night fell, Pang Jian reluctantly sat down by ake. The lightning had still yet to strike him despite his long wait.

    He took out the meat of high-ranked Vicious Beasts and started eating, washing it down with half a bucket of Rank Five Vicious Beasts'' blood.

    As the rich blood essence surged through him, Pang Jian immersed himself in cultivating the Grand Providence Sacred Body, tempering his bones once again with focused determination.

    Pang Jian had already had some sess in the Illusory Bone Realm and eagerly anticipated achieving full mastery, which would allow him to freely manipte the tendons connecting his bones and alter his height at will.

    With full mastery of the Illusory Bone Realm, he could abruptly retract or extend his limbs duringbat.

    The bones in his hands and feet were already as sharp as knives. Being able to unexpectedly extend or retract his arms duringbat would allow him to catch his opponent off guard and kill them.

    With this in mind, Pang Jian diligently cultivated, and time passed swiftly.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    An elegant white crane flew gracefully above theke and dropped the body of a man dressed in Celestial Lagoon Sect''s attire into theke.

    It then let out a triumphant, melodious cry.

    The slender white crane had killed a disciple of the Celestial Lagoon Sect. Its eyes still gleamed with pride.

    Just as Pang Jian noticed it, the crane also looked over, having sensed the immense blood essence within him.

    Its intelligent eyes shed with surprise. It then flew over Pang Jian''s head and dropped a spatial pouch.

    The crane even pped one wing in mid-flight as if waving at Pang Jian and telling him not to be too grateful for its favor.

    Pang Jian was taken aback. He casually picked up the spatial pouch, only to find it empty upon inspection.

    When he looked up, the crane winked mischievously at him, clearly pleased with its prank.

    The crane then happily flew away.

    Pang Jian could not help but smile.

    He had never encountered such an intelligent and yful creature in the Solitary Mountain Range, Misty Swamp, or the Primordial Wilderness. It was clearly not a mindless Vicious Beast.

    Unbothered by the white crane¡¯s prank, Pang Jian continued to cultivate the Grand Providence Sacred Body by theke.

    At night, the basin was shrouded in thick mist, blocking the light of the stars and moon from above. The darkness made Pang Jian feel as though he had returned to the Fourth World.

    <i>Nights without stars and moon don¡¯t affect my vision. On the contrary, nighttime works to my advantage,</i> Pang Jian mused.

    An hourter, two men and a woman approached and surrounded Pang Jian while he was cultivating diligently.

    ¡°That¡¯s Junior Brother Liu¡¯s spatial pouch!¡±

    Their vision, also unaffected by the darkness, was fixed on the spatial pouch next to Pang Jian, eyes filled with hostility.

    The trio were from the Celestial Lagoon Sect and had been searching for their long-missing junior brother when they found Pang Jian.

    As soon as they arrived, they saw the spatial pouch beside Pang Jian and shot harsh usations at him.

    ¡°Junior Brother Liu has been murdered!¡±

    ¡°Damn it. How dare someone from the Third World kill a member of the Celestial Lagoon Sect?¡±

    ¡°Heartless scoundrel!¡±

    The white crane had framed Pang Jian.

    "I¡ª" Seeing the hostile expressions on their faces, Pang Jian reluctantly exined, "It has nothing to do with me. A white crane killed the person you''re looking for. The body is in theke. Before the white crane flew away, it dropped an empty spatial pouch near me."

    ¡°A white crane?¡± sneered the fair and beautiful woman from the Celestial Lagoon Sect, a cold glint in her starry eyes. ¡°Do you even believe that yourself?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the truth,¡± Pang Jian said coldly.

    "Go!" The woman threw a pearl into theke.

    The pearl acted as her eyes, allowing her to see the body of her junior brother at the bottom of theke.

    "Junior Brother Liu''s deceased body is indeed at the bottom of theke!" she eximed.

    She was now even more convinced that the man before her had killed their junior brother and was ming it on a white crane.

    "Where did youe from? How dare you kill a member of the Celestial Lagoon Sect!"

    ¡°Did our Junior Brother offend you?¡±

    The two male disciples of the Celestial Lagoon Sect questioned coldly.

    One took out a silver sword with a fish-scale handle, while the other held a gilded bottle containing some liquid.

    Clearly, neither had any intention of listening to Pang Jian¡¯s exnations as they were already infusing their spirit artifacts with spiritual power and preparing to attack.

    Pang Jian shook his head and silently sensed their auras.

    Their cultivation realms were roughly on par with his own.

    The two men appeared to be in the early stage of the Profound Abode Realm, while the woman¡¯s cultivation was slightly higher. Even so, she was at most still only in the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm.

    <i>The Celestial Lagoon Sect, two men and one woman, all in the Profound Abode Realm...</i>

    Pang Jian silently contemted his options.

    Just as he was about to retrieve a weapon from his spatial bracelet, Pang Jian noticed the sword-shaped token.

    Not wanting to engage in a needless fight due to a misunderstanding, Pang Jian took out the sword-shaped token and attached it to his waist.

    "Sword Pavilion!"

    ¡°You¡¯re a disciple of the Sword Pavilion!¡±

    The trio from the Celestial Lagoon Sect eximed. The glow from their spirit artifacts abruptly dimmed.

    Pang Jian''s identity as a Sword Pavilion disciple had made them more wary.

    The Demon Sect and the Sword Pavilion were among the most powerful sects in the Second World, far surpassing the Celestial Lagoon Sect. They dared not recklessly kill a Sword Pavilion disciple without knowing all the facts.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m an outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion.¡±Pang Jian stood up and exined with a frown, ¡°I¡¯ve been traveling in the Third World and heard about the anomalies in Cloud Lightning, so I took a Cloud Sail here to investigate.

    "Your junior brother¡¯s death truly has nothing to do with me. I don¡¯t want to fight you for no reason."

    ¡°Was it truly a white crane?¡± asked the fair, beautiful woman from the Celestial Lagoon Sect.

    The two men had previously been unwilling to listen to any exnation and were prepared to kill Pang Jian. They could then search his belongings to determine if he had killed their Junior Brother Liu.

    However, in light of Pang Jian''s reveal, the two restrained themselves.

    ¡°It really was a white crane.¡±

    Pang Jian described the white crane, exining that it was extremely intelligent and yful. He then pointed the trio in the direction it had flown.

    "We''ll believe you for now," the woman from the Celestial Lagoon Sect said with a snort. "It''s only because you are from the Sword Pavilion that we''re willing to give you a chance to prove that our Junior Brother Liu¡¯s death has nothing to do with you."

    <i>The status of an outer disciple from the Sword Pavilion is useful, </i>Pang Jian mused.

 Chapter 225: An Opportunity Arises

    <h4>Chapter 225: An Opportunity Arises</h4>

    One of the Celestial Lagoon Sect disciples noticed Pang Jian was not wearing the typical blue robe of the Sword Pavilion and, after a moment of hesitation, asked, ¡°Little Brother, could I take a look at your token?¡±

    The woman from the Celestial Lagoon Sect was taken aback. ¡°Senior Brother Xiao, would anyone dare to impersonate a Sword Pavilion disciple in the Third World?¡±

    ¡°It''s happened before.¡± The young man named Xiao Hang was unflustered as he stared into Pang Jian''s eyes as though trying to detect any hint of deception.

    "Sure." Pang Jian casually tossed the token over, knowing they would find nothing wrong with it.

    Xiao Hang caught the token, held it in his palm, and infused it with spiritual power. The sharp aura of the Sword Pavilion could be sensed within the token.

    Xiao Hang stepped forward with a smile and returned the token to Pang Jian.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been active in the lower worlds and know that some audacious rogue cultivators forge tokens of upper-world sects to swindle others," he exined gently. "My name is Xiao Hang. I''m an outer disciple of the Celestial Lagoon Sect.¡±

    Xiao Hang pointed to the other man in the trio. ¡°This is Lin Ruilin, also an outer disciple of the Celestial Lagoon Sect.¡±

    Lin Ruilin nodded in greeting.

    Xiao Hang then nced at the woman. She had eyes as clear as autumn dew, skin as white as snow, and silky hair cascading down her back.

    He smiled, and instead of pointing, said softly, ¡°Lu Xiangyi, an inner disciple of the Celestial Lagoon Sect.¡±

    The voluptuous Lu Xiangyi proudly puffed up her chest and added, "My master is Yuan Xi."

    Pang Jian did not know who Yuan Xi was. Even so, he cupped his hands and responded with feigned politeness, "I''ve heard a lot about you."

    Back in cave-dwelling number fifty-six, Pang Jian had listened to Qi Qingsong drunkenly vent about his circumstances in the Second World.

    As a result, Pang Jian knew about the differences between the cultivation sects in the Second World and the Third World.

    The five major sects in the Third World did not distinguish between inner and outer disciples. Jiang Li, Zhou Qingchen, and Zhao Yuanqi were all simply disciples of the Red Mountain Sect.

    Elders of the Red Mountain Sect could choose any new disciples to teach and guide.

    The Star River Alliance, the Blood Moon Sect, the Radiant Sun Sect, and the Sinister Soul Temple were simr.

    However, sects in the Second World were different.

    Long-standing sects like the Sword Pavilion, the Demon Sect, the ck Valley Sect, and the Celestial Lagoon Sect distinguished between inner and outer disciples.

    New disciples looking to join a sect in the Second World had to pass a strict selection process before their names were recorded in the registry. After that, they would undergo rigorous testing for their aptitude, cultivation realms, talent, perseverance, and other qualities.

    Whether a disciple became an inner or outer disciple was usually determined at the outset.

    Outer disciples could choose from the sect''s authorized cultivation methods and secret techniques for cultivation, participate in sect activities, and act on behalf of their sect when venturing outside.

    Those proving to have exceptional talent and potential became inner disciples. Sect elders often took in inner disciples with high cultivation realms as their students.

    Their master would guide their cultivation and help them understand difficult orplex cultivation methods.

    If a master took a special interest in a disciple and saw potential in them, they would often provide them with additional cultivation resources such as spirit artifacts, secret techniques, and pills.

    As a result, inner disciples were always destined to achieve greater sess than outer disciples.

    ¡°You are...?¡± Xiao Hang prompted when Pang Jian did not introduce himself in return.

    ¡°Luo Yuan, an outer disciple of Sword Pavilion. I don¡¯t have a master,¡± Pang Jian said calmly.

    At that moment, the white crane returned.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The white crane''s eyes gleamed maliciously as it flew straight toward them.

    ¡°There really is a white crane!¡± Xiao Hang eximed.

    Lu Xiangyi smiled apologetically at Pang Jian. ¡°Luo Yuan, it seems we misunderstood you."

    She then tossed several talismans into the air.

    The talismans released dense mist that coalesced into a sphere of water infused with spiritual power.

    The talismans darted around within the sphere of water, gradually increasing its size.

    "Mystic Water Prison!"

    The water sphere flew toward the approaching white crane.

    Xiao Hang, seeing the more powerful Lu Xiangyi take action, held back and instead shouted coldly at the crane, ¡°Wretched beast, how dare you kill our Celestial Lagoon Sect member!¡±

    A look of disdain could be seen in the intelligent white crane''s eyes as the water sphere approached.

    It opened its beak and spat out a thumb-sized ball of lightning.

    As the small lightning ball left its beak, it caused a sudden upheaval in Cloud Lightning.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Slender white lightning bolts engulfed Lu Xiangyi''s water sphere in a deafening roar of thunder.

    The water sphere was instantly riddled with holes and the talismans floating within it were torn to pieces.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Thunder rumbled and pped as more and more lightning bolts burst forth, engulfing the trio and Pang Jian.

    The white crane cried joyfully, spreading its wings high above their heads.

    The trio from the Celestial Lagoon Sect cursed loudly as the white crane''s lightning bolts struck them repeatedly.

    Gripping their talisman, they summoned transparent protective shields resembling water curtains to fend off the relentless lightning.

    Not wanting to reveal his abilities too soon, Pang Jian also gathered his spiritual power and summoned a green protective shield to withstand the lightning strikes.

    Even so, he deliberately allowed a few lightning bolts to pass through his protective shield.

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    A white lightning bolt struck his arm, causing a burst of numbing pain. Pang Jian quietly activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art and attempted to absorb the lightning.

    Now that he was in the Profound Abode Realm, he could clearly see as the strands of lightning entered his body, only for his own power to neutralize it.

    <i>My body automatically eliminates any harmful foreign force that enters my body in self-defense. I must consciously suppress my power.</i>

    With this thought in mind, Pang Jian allowed the white lightning to strike his body while actively stopping his power from counteracting it.

    Astonishingly, despite suppressing his power, the threatening strands of lightning were still reduced to delicate wisps that posed no danger to his body.

    His spiritual sea then attempted to absorb these wisps.

    Unfortunately, the weak lightning dissipated before it could be fully drawn into his spiritual sea.

    <i>The natural lighting in Cloud Lightning can definitely be absorbed into my spiritual sea, but it needs to be stronger and more sustained!</i>

    Rather than being discouraged at the failed attempt, Pang Jian felt excited and hopeful.

    While Pang Jian was upied with this, the wicked white crane transformed into a streak of lightning and swiftly flew away.

    "That white crane is truly sinister!" The disheveled Xiao Hang eximed.

    His protective shield had been breached and a lightning bolt had struck him, leaving his hair slightly charred.

    Staring dejectedly at the departing white crane, he muttered in confusion, ¡°Why has a white crane appeared in Cloud Lightning?¡±

    Lin Ruilin shook his head wordlessly.

    His arms were visibly smoldering as he had raised both arms to shield himself when his protective shield had also shattered like Xiao Hang''s.

    Among the three, only Lu Xiangyi''s protective shield had remained intact and she only appeared slightly tired.

    Taking a jade pendant from her waist, she held it in her palm and shouted into it, ¡°Everyone, be cautious of a treacherous white crane. It killed our Junior Brother Liu and just attacked us.

    ¡°If you see that white crane, immediately summon your protective shields and defend with all your might.

    "The white crane seems capable of controlling the lightning in Cloud Lightning and can concentrate the lightning in one ce.

    ¡°Stay in contact and report any strange urrences. I have a feeling this ce is more troublesome than we thought.

    Lu Xiangyi then quietly listened to the responses from the pendant and issued new instructions.

    The excited Pang Jian dispelled his green protective shield and stared toward where the white crane had vanished. He then said to the trio, ¡°Until we meet again.¡±

    He did not wait for the trio to respond before swiftly dashing away, covering dozens of meters in an instant.

    The white crane could manipte and concentrate the lightning in Cloud Lightning. This was a pivotal chance for Pang Jian to break through to the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm.

    Thus, he eagerly hoped for another fierce assault from the white crane.

    ¡°Why does Luo Yuan seem to dislike ourpany?¡± Xiao Hang frowned as he put on a small green hat to cover his singed hair. ¡°His protective shield didn¡¯tst long before the lightning breached it.¡±

    ¡°He''s in the early stage of the Profound Abode Realm. That¡¯s about all he can manage,¡± Lu Xiangyi said indifferently.

    ¡°What I mean is¡ªhe can¡¯t face that white crane alone. Why doesn¡¯t he stay with us?¡± Xiao Hang wondered aloud. ¡°From the looks of it, he seems to be chasing after that white crane.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t stop him from seeking death if that''s what he wants to do.¡± Lu Xiangyi snorted dismissively.

    Xiao Hang nodded. ¡°You''re right. It''s not our concern if he''s seeking death.¡±

    ***

    In the following days, Pang Jian did nothing but pursue the strange white crane and keep a close eye on it.

    The white crane attacked anyone venturing in Cloud Lightning.

    It did not matter if they were rogue cultivators or members of the Demon Sect, the ck Valley Sect, or the Celestial Lagoon Sect from the Second World. The white crane would attack them on sight.

    Its attacks were straightforward and violent.

    The white crane could draw out the seemingly sporadic lightning of Cloud Lightning and concentrate it to attack.

    Each time this happened, Pang Jian would rush toward the victims'' locations and deliberately jump into the lightning, enduring the strikes with his protective shield.

    Pang Jian''s strong tendency for self-punishment and peculiar behavior drew the white crane¡¯s attention.

    The cultivators in Cloud Lightning found the white crane strange and eerie, but the white crane thought the seemingly fearless human cultivator was even more peculiar than itself.

 Chapter 226: The Lightning Chaser

    <h4>Chapter 226: The Lightning Chaser</h4>

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A group of rogue cultivators were bombarded by lightning.

    Seeing this, Pang Jian charged in head first, with only a thin, green protective shield for defense.

    A rogue cultivator stared at him in horror. The rogue cultivator, Qin Le, was the same one who had previously advised Pang Jian to maintain his protective shield at all times.

    He found it unbelievable that a maniac like Pang Jian would voluntarily throw himself into the fray of the white crane''s attacks.

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    Bolts of lightning prated Pang Jian''s green protective shield Pang Jian and struck his body.

    At first, it was only one or two bolts, then two or three, and eventually...

    Pang Jian''s protective shield shattered.

    His skin glowed a faint silver as lightning surrounded his body. Gritting his teeth, Pang Jian endured the continuous barrage of lightning.

    "This man..." Qin Le looked at Pang Jian like he was out of his mind.

    Soon after, the white crane, having depleted the surrounding lightning in the area, red at Pang Jian before flying away.

    <i>Crackle! Crackle! Crackle!</i>

    Pang Jian''s eyes lit up as tiny lightning bolts flickered across his silver skin.

    Lightning seemed to sh deep within his pupils.

    <i>There it is!</i>

    Strands of fine, thread-like lightning slowly converged in the depths of his spiritual sea, and a small lightning vortex was starting to take shape.

    The small lightning vortex was neither explosive nor turbulent as it was not fully formed.

    Pang Jian had a feeling he would finally make headway in his cultivation when this lightning vortex fully formed.

    "Brother..." Qin Le went to check on the disheveled Pang Jian when he noticed the sword-shaped token hanging from Pang Jian''s waist. "The Sword Pavilion!"

    Qin Le''s expression changed dramatically.

    Pang Jian was actually a disciple of the Sword Pavilion!

    "The Sword Pavilion!" the other rogue cultivators eximed in shock, having also noticed the token. A hint of suppressed anger and resentment shed in their eyes.

    They recently encountered some disciples of the Demon Sect and the ck Valley Sect in the basin. The arrogant attitudes of these disciples from the Second World had left asting impression on them.

    "Let''s go," one of them called to Qin Le, silently telling him that it was best to stay away from those from the Second World.

    Qin Le nodded in understanding and the group departed without another word.

    He wisely chose not to mention that he and Pang Jian had both arrived together on Wang Ying''s Cloud Sail.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian was staring toward where the white crane had disappeared, expression brimming with excitement as he prepared to continue the pursuit.

    Suddenly, he felt a faint heat from the bronze door-shaped pendant beneath his clothing.

    It had been a long time since the mysterious pendant hadst acted abnormally.

    Pang Jian''s heart skipped a beat. Perhaps the beehive, the final object hidden within the bronze pendant, was on the verge of revealing something extraordinary.

    He took out the pendant and examined it closely.

    The bronze door remained sealed.

    Pang Jian could neither see the swirling bizarre mist inside nor the beehive suspended deep within it.

    "Weird," he muttered, flipping the pendant over to examine it further.

    A mark had appeared on the very top of the bronze pendant!

    Pang Jian was puzzled.

    "Could the lightning have struck the top of the pendant, creating this mark?"

    After thinking it over carefully, Pang Jian concluded the lightning was not strong enough to leave such a mark on his mysterious pendant.

    "Something''s not right. I need to pay closer attention."

    With that in mind, he once again set off in pursuit of the white crane.

    A few hourster, a group of disciples from the ck Valley Sect caught sight of the white crane in a swamp.

    "That''s the white crane Lu Xiangyi mentioned! It''s here!"

    "Everyone, be careful! This white crane will attack with lightning on sight!"

    "Damn it, it''sing for us!"

    The disciples from the ck Valley Sect stood up and summoned their protective shields in preparation for the white crane''s attack.

    A familiar scene yed out once again.

    As the white crane swooped down, drawing the surrounding lightning and concentrating it toward the ck Valley Sect disciples, a ck-d youth fearlessly charged into the storm.

    The tall youth gritted his teeth and endured the barrage of lightning strikes.

    His eyes shone with an excitement that greatly displeased the crane.

    The white crane could not help but feel that the unhinged ck-d youth was exploiting it somehow. Though the youth appeared to be seeking abuse, his relentless pursuit hinted at a deeper, unknown intent.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Crackle!</i>

    Thunder crashed, and lightning scattered in all directions.

    Pang Jian deliberately allowed the lightning bolts he could withstand to pass through his green protective shield, silently weing them with his Illusory Bone Realm body while also keeping an eye on the pendant on his chest.

    Explosive lightning rained down on him.

    <i>Crackle</i>!

    One of the lightning bolts caught Pang Jian''s keen eye.

    Although it looked no different from the other bolts of lightning, he noticed that it appeared to have sliced through space itself.

    An incredibly fine crack appeared in the lightning bolt and bizarre mist swirled ominously inside.

    "It¡¯s not just lightning¡ªthere¡¯s a strange spatial disturbance!"

    Pang Jian was astonished.

    At that moment, the strange lightning bolt pierced through his green protective shield, breaking it with ease!

    It was the only lightning bolt Pang Jian had not deliberately allowed in!

    The lightning bolt shot straight toward his chest, striking the bronze pendant beneath his clothes before disappearing.

    To the outside observer, it was no different from the other lightning bolts striking Pang Jian''s body.

    But Pang Jian knew it was different.

    Eventually, the lightning storm subsided.

    Two ck Valley Sect disciples with lower cultivation realmsy rigid on the ground, unable to move.

    Tiny sparks shed at the corners of their eyes, a clear sign they were beyond saving.

    Pang Jian was long ustomed to such scenes and silently watched as the white crane flew away before continuing his relentless pursuit.

    The surviving ck Valley Sect disciples showed no hint of sorrow at theirrades'' deaths. Instead, they nonchntly took out pills and swallowed them before staring in the direction Pang Jian had disappeared.

    "That''s the outer disciple from the Sword Pavilion that Lu Xiangyi mentioned."

    "Yes, his name is Luo Yuan. Recently, he''s been chasing the white crane."

    "Or rather, he''s been chasing the lightning."

    The ck Valley Sect disciples had already learned about the Sword Pavilion outer disciple named Luo Yuan''s relentless pursuit of the white crane through theirmunication talismans.

    This man frequently ced himself in the sinister white crane''s explosive lightning storms.

    "What a strange guy."

    After a brief discussion, the group salvaged the spatial pouches from their fallenrades and divided up the spoils.

    Pang Jian came to a stop ten li away. After ncing around to check that there were no others around, he took out the bronze pendant from under his clothes.

    Flipping it over, he found a second mark!

    "A unique lightning bolt with a crack that contains a dense, bizarre mist..."

    Pang Jian''s expression turned contemtive.

    As the days went by, he continued to roam Cloud Lightning, always in pursuit of the malicious white crane.

    Sometimes, he endured the fury of the lightning alongside other rogue cultivators; other times, it was with disciples of the Demon Sect, the ck Valley Sect, and the Celestial Lagoon Sect.

    He soon realized the concentration of the lightning in the basin did not corrte with the depth.

    Some areas around the basin''s edge also had terrifyingly powerful lightning capable of killing cultivators.

    As he endured the violent onughts of lightning, he asionally noticed special lightning bolts with a strange crack.

    These lightning bolts consistently broke through his protective shield before slipping into the bronze pendant and infusing it with a beam of spatial energy.

    Soon after, a new mark would appear on the back of the pendant.

    One day, Pang Jian stared at the back of the pendant in shock as he stood among the charred remains of three Innate Realm rogue cultivators.

    The marks from the special lightning now clearly depicted the character for "Gate."

    The character only took up one-quarter of the pendant''s back, suggesting that more characters had yet to be revealed.

    Driven by immense curiosity, Pang Jian continued his pursuit of the white crane.

    A few dayster, the characters "of" and "the" appeared on the pendant''s back, only stimting Pang Jian''s excitement.

    "Almost there! Just one more character left¡ªthis should reveal the pendant''s true name!"

    Four dayster, standing among the remains of yet another group of rogue cultivators, Pang Jian once again examined the back of the bronze pendant.

    Thest character had finally appeared.

    <i>Abyss.</i>

    <i>Gate of the Abyss!</i>

    This was the true name of the bronze pendant!

    After all this time, Pang Jian finally knew the true name of the door-shaped bronze pendant.

    It could transport him to the ck turtle, the World Eater Vine, and the Giant Abyssal Serpent, enabling him to traverse theyers of the Abyss. Li Yuqing had previously told him in Eight Trigrams City that their fiveyered world was known as the Abyss.

    Gate of the Abyss was a fitting name for the pendant''s form and function!

    "So, this is your true name¡ªthe Gate of the Abyss."

    Pang Jian excitedly clutched the bronze pendant and repeatedly examined it. The more he looked, the more he realized the Gate of the Abyss concealed endless mysteries.

    The characters "Gate of the Abyss" revealed the pendant''s profound nature. After all, the pendant allowed Pang Jian to traverse between and connect to the worlds within the Abyss.

 Chapter 227: A Battle of Attrition

    <h4>Chapter 227: A Battle of Attrition</h4>

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    The white crane abruptly returned, unleashing lightning bolts from its wings. Pang Jian was caught off guard as the lightning enveloped him.

    Pang Jian''s expression changed drastically.

    Sensing the lightning the white crane was unleashing this time was far more terrifying than the naturally urring ones, he hastily summoned his green protective shield, making sure to infuse it with ster, lunar, and cold energy as well.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The newly formed protective shield was far more robust than the flimsy one Pang Jian had summoned earlier.

    The heaven-shaking power of the lightning made it evident that the white crane was attacking to kill him and Pang Jian dared not let the lightning enter his body.

    Thick bolts of explosive lightning cascaded down like dazzling waterfalls.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The stars on Pang Jian''s protective shield flickered and the ice shattered as beams of green light shot out.

    Pang Jian grunted and spat out a mouthful of blood.

    "He''s still not dead?" the sinister white crane said in a sharp, piercing voice.

    Pang Jian was taken aback.

    "It can talk in human tongue?" he muttered in bewilderment.

    He did not even have time to wipe the blood seeping from the corner of his mouth before more bolts of blinding, explosive lightning violently shot out from the crane''s de-like wings.

    A violent lightning storm formed in the sky above Pang Jian.

    "I''ve had enough of you!" the white crane cried, its voice piercing through the silent night sky.

    It stirred up a tidal wave of lightning, drawing in lightning bolts from its surroundings to target Pang Jian.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The ground beneath Pang Jian fractured under the immense pressure.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    Lightning shed and thunder roared within a hundred-zhang radius of Pang Jian, charring the ground around him

    The relentless lightning strikes caused the ground to give way, and Pang Jian sank further and further down as he could do nothing but endure the onught with his green protective shield.

    Soon, the ster, lunar, and cold energy in his spiritual sea had all beenpletely depleted!

    Even so, he did not dare to withstand the lightning with only his Illusory Bone Realm body.

    This white crane was determined to kill him, and he knew his body could not endure such a violent onught.

    He even suspected that the white crane had carefully chosen to wait for him to stand in a specific spot that could better concentrate the surrounding lightning.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    More bolts of lightning tore toward him, and he swiftly channeled whatever energies remained in his spiritual sea.

    "Earthme energy, sr energy!"

    He summoned a new crimson protective shield before his green protective shield could shatter. The crimson shield radiated intense light and heat.

    "Ah! Why isn''t he dead yet?!"

    The sinister white crane furiously pped its wings as it soared through the storm, cursing Pang Jian and his entire family the whole time.

    It did not expect Pang Jian to summon a new protective shield just as the old one was about to shatter.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian then tossed out the Meteorite Pearl he had obtained from Liang Ying and used its radiance to defend himself.

    In mere moments, the lightning had reduced the intermediate-grade spirit artifact to dust.

    Gritting his teeth, Pang Jian took out the Star Crushing Umbre and threw it into the air.

    He could not afford to care about concealing his identity when life and death hung in the bnce. Determined to survive the white crane''s onught, he decisively used whatever he had to defend himself.

    "Ah! Damn you! An advanced-grade spirit artifact¡ªI''m going to kill you!"

    The white crane was so enraged it coughed up blood.

    This blood transformed into tiny lightning beads that intensified the ferocity of the lightning.

    The canopy of the Star Crushing Umbre shone blindingly.

    "I can''t kill him! Damn it, I can''t kill him!" cursed the white crane. "This wretched scoundrel has so many treasures. He even has two protective shields and mastered a body-tempering technique.

    "Damn you! Why are you chasing me? Every time I conjure a bit of lightning, you recklessly dive right in¡ªare you mocking me?

    "I''ve killed so many people. Why won''t you die?!"

    Pang Jian and the white crane were locked in a fierce battle, with one attacking and the other defending.

    The white crane unleashed all its secret techniques, intent on killing its foe.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian stubbornly held his ground with his endless supply of life-saving treasures and protective shields.

    No one knew how long the battlested.

    Eventually, the white crane fell from the sky, frothing at the mouth.

    It weakly raised a wing to point at Pang Jian, eyes filled with sorrow and hatred. "You despicable human brat, I swear I''ll kill you. Cloud Lightning is my treasure trove, my blessednd¡ªno one will every a hand on my fortune!"

    Ten zhang away, Pang Jian sat on the ground, panting heavily.

    The Star Crushing Umbre had fallen from the air andy not far from him, now devoid of its former brilliance.

    His silver-glowing skin crackled with tiny lightning bolts, and blood mixed with traces of lightning oozed from his mouth, nose, and ears.

    This was the first time Pang Jian had expended all his strength in such a way since leaving the Solitary Mountain Range.

    His ster, lunar, sr, earthme, and cold energies had all beenpletely drained. Even the blood essence from his Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint had been depleted.

    Even his vast spiritual sea, which had been fully replenished in the Resolute Expanse with the spiritual power had also run dry!

    Now that the white crane had finally stopped its attack, Pang Jian''s spiritual sea could gradually fill with spiritual power once more.

    The battle had forced the ck turtle out of its slumber to provide him a steady stream of spiritual qi, allowing him to withstand the onught.

    The World Eater Vine in Misty Swamp had also assisted him by continuously infusing the five green leaves with life energy to heal his injuries.

    The white crane was at the end of its rope, and Pang Jian was on the verge of copse.

    Both Pang Jian and the white crane were exhausted.

    After the white crane fell from the sky, Pang Jian rose unsteadily to his feet to retrieve the Star Crushing Umbre and took out the Startling ughter Spear.

    His spiritual sea was refilling with spiritual power with the ck turtle''s help, giving him some confidence.

    "Is that all you''ve got?" Pang Jian coldly taunted.

    He nned to umte more spiritual power before channeling it into the Startling ughter Spear to strike down the vicious white crane from a distance.

    "I can still fight, but you appear to be on yourst legs."

    The tip of the Startling ughter Spear glowed a cold green.

    "Luo Yuan, you bastard son of a bitch!" The white crane desperately pped its wings, wobbling unsteadily as it lifted into the air. Its eyes were filled with a mix of false bravado and malice. "I''ve got other matters to attend to¡ªI''lle back for youter!"

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The white crane pped its tattered wings, gathering the surrounding lightning to increase its speed.

    ¡°Luo Yuan, you''d better not run! I''ll definitely kill you here in my territory, Cloud Lightning!

    ¡°I''ll remember you, Luo Yuan!

    "Luo Yuan, damn you, you despicable bastard!"

    The white crane''s cursing gradually faded as it flew into the distance.

    Pang Jian slumped back down to the ground in frustration. "It ims that this restricted area is its territory. It even knows my fake name and can control the lighting in Cloud Lightning at will..."

    Pang Jian''s expression flickered with uncertainty.

    <i>Could this strange white crane harmonize with thend in Cloud Lightning? Did it have the same kind of authority I myself have on the Resolute Expanse? </i>Pang Jian wondered.

    Even though the white crane had not been present when he had introduced himself to Lu Xiangyi and the others, it still knew his fake name.

    That implied the white crane could hear things happening miles away, just as Pang Jian could on the Resolute Expanse.

    The white crane had likely been aware of him from the very beginning!

    "And it calls me despicable?" Pang Jian sneered.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian stowed away the Startling ughter Spear, pulled out a spirit jade, and moved to a different spot to meditate and recover.

    He also gulped down a barrel of Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf blood, replenishing both the blood essence in his Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint and the earthme energy in his fiery pool.

    Using the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, Pang Jian refined the spiritual qi brimming his dantian into potent spiritual power, which cascaded gently down to gather in his spiritual sea.

    At this moment, Pang Jian noticed a small lightning vortex, only about the size of a baby''s fist, quietly floating above his spiritual sea.

    Scattered and fragmented lightning coalesced into a swirling vortex that resembled a bird''s nest, creating a maic field that drew in the lightning still coursing through his body.

    <i>It''s formed!</i>

    Pang Jian was ecstatic.

    Unexpectedly, the life-or-death struggle with the sinister white crane had led to a lightning vortex forming, giving birth to a new, extraordinary phenomenon within his Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea.

    <i>Sea of consciousness, divine sense!</i>

    Pang Jian probed his sea of consciousness.

    Strands of divine sense drifted in his sea of consciousness. The ones most attuned to him were sessfully nudged into movement and he found he could now direct them to specific locations ording to his will!

    <i>The middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm!</i>

    An overwhelming sense of relief and joy filled Pang Jian, as though he had just emerged from a long, grueling ordeal. Even the brutal defensive battle he had just fought against the white crane seemed insignificant inparison.

    <i>Let''s forget about the potential uses of divine sense for now. There''s no rush to explore further. I need to focus on restoring my strength as quickly as possible! </i>Pang Jian thought determinedly.

    A few hourster, Pang Jian had half-replenished his spiritual sea with spiritual power.

    He then switched to drinking the blood of Rank Six Vicious Beasts with ice attributes, which had previously belonged to Jiu Yuan.

    His ice pool filled with bone-chilling cold energy.

    <i>Now for ster, lunar, and sr energy.</i>

    Pang Jian used the Startling ughter Spear to dig a hole several zhang deep into the ground.

    After retrieving the copper chest from his spatial bracelet, he used dry grass to partially cover the hole, thenid down in the copper chest to absorb the energies of the sun, moon, and stars.

    Barely a day had passed before the fierce white crane returned to face Pang Jian with another overwhelming lightning storm.

    With a single p of its powerful wings, Pang Jian''s hiding spot was revealed. "You damn rascal, Luo Yuan! Did you think I wouldn''t find you if you hid in a hole?!"

    Pang Jian''s spiritual power had been replenished and his injuriespletely healed thanks to the help of the ck turtle and the World Eater Vine,

    Pushing open the copper chest, he leaped out. "Enough with the nonsense¡ªlet''s fight!"

    After yet another grueling battle, the white crane pped his bloodied wings while cursing, "Luo Yuan, you actually recovered in just one day¡ªdamn you!

    "This is my Cloud Lightning, how could you recover faster than me?!

    "Heaven is unfair! I can''t take this anymore!"

    With that, the white crane fled the scene for the second time.

    It nced back at Pang Jian with eyes filled with hatred and fear.

    The white crane had been confident its second attack would secure it a decisive victory, especially after the stalemate in their first encounter.

    It thought Pang Jian was doomed to die.

    However, Pang Jian had not only withstood its lightning storm for a second time but also did so with even greater ease than before!

 Chapter 228: Mastery Over Lightning

    <h4>Chapter 228: Mastery Over Lightning</h4>

    After the white crane left, Pang Jian nced at the deep, charred pits around him. A deep frustration filled him, and he almost wanted to curse aloud.

    He could not understand why the white crane was so fixated on him.

    <i>I need to recover my strength quickly. Who knows when it mighte back?</i>

    Pang Jian then moved to a different area and dug a new pit.

    Once again, hey at the bottom of the copper chest, gazing at the starry and moonlit sky, and taking in the gentle, pure radiance.

    The tiny stars and miniature moon in his dantian absorbed the radiant light like a sponge.

    He also consumed the blood of Vicious Beasts, then swallowed a Mind Soothing Pill and a Blood Enhancing Pill.

    In the meantime, he also steadily drew in pure spiritual power from the spirit jades he held in each hand.

    The five vibrant green leaves in his chest released dense life energy that healed his wounds.

    Pang Jian exerted every effort to restore his strength.

    As it seemed the white crane would not let go of their grudge so easily, Pang Jian decided to consider it a formidable lifetime adversary.

    While restoring his strength, he noticed the small lightning vortex in his partially filled spiritual sea had grown significantly.

    Threads of white lightning danced erratically within the vortex, creating a feeling of boundless energy.

    The number of lightning bolts in the vortex was also much higher than before the second battle!

    <i>I absorbed some of the smaller lightning bolts while enduring the barrage of lightning during the second sh with the white crane, </i>Pang Jian realized.

    Stepping out from the copper chest several hourster, he sat on top of its closed lid and sensed the presence of the ck turtle and the little tree.

    The five leaves on his heart slowly regained their green hue.

    The dense spiritual qi in Pang Jian''s dantian was refined into spiritual power using the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art before gently cascading down into his spiritual sea.

    <i>The ck turtle and the little tree...</i>

    Pang Jian silently vowed that he would do everything in his power to fulfill the needs of the ck turtle and the World Eater Vine in the future, no matter what it was.

    The ck turtle''s spirit required an astronomical amount of spirit jades, and he was determined to find a way to acquire them for the ongoing evolution of the Resolute Expanse.

    The ck turtle and the World Eater Vine were crucial to him.

    Had they not assisted him during the white crane''s attack, his spiritual sea would have been depleted, and his injuries would have taken much longer to heal.

    The white crane would have killed him if the ck turtle and the World Eater Vine had not helped him during the battle.

    In the end, the white crane had been forced to flee after exhausting itself.

    <i>You two will be my greatest allies in the future!</i>

    Four hourster, the spiritual power in Pang Jian''s spiritual sea had grown denser and the five leaves were filled with life energy.

    Pang Jiany back down in the copper chest.

    The sky inside the copper chest was bright. Arge sun hung above him, giving off immense light and heat.

    Pang Jian settled in to absorb the radiant sr energy.

    Several more hourster, all the spiritual qi in his dantian had been refined and his sr energy had been replenished.

    He was satisfied with his progress, so he pushed open the chest lid and stepped out.

    <i>I''ve recovered about sixty to seventy percent of my full strength.</i>

    Pang Jian flew out of the hole to stand on the basin, ready to face the white crane''s third attack.

    Despite waiting for quite some time, the white crane did not appear. So, he instead used the time to experiment with the lightning vortex in his spiritual sea

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    A strand of lightning from the lightning vortex in his spiritual sea appeared on the tip of his left index finger.

    With a single thought, the serpentine lightning stretched and contracted, emitting a fierce aura.

    <i>I''m now in possession of an entirely new energy in addition to my ster, lunar, sr, cold, and earthme energies. </i>

    A smile tugged at the corners of Pang Jian''s lips.

    Fully aware of the peculiarities of his Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea, Pang Jian started to try variousbinations of the lightning with the other energies he already possessed.

    He first infused earthme energy and universally harmonizing spiritual power into the white lightning at his fingertip.

    The white lightning instantly turned crimson, crackling fiercely like an untamed red serpent.

    <i>Earthme energy works!</i>

    Pang Jian''s eyes brightened. He then added a touch of sr energy as it had a simr nature to earthme energy.

    The crimson lightning red with a blinding intensity.

    "Go!" he cried, flicking his finger.

    The crimson lightning, filled with spiritual power, earthme energy, and sr energy, struck the nearby ground, sting a fiery crater into the earth.

    At a nce, the crater looked as if a fiery meteor had struck it. mes flickered around its edges and the bottom was charred ck.

    <i>Its might is quite impressive.</i>

    Pleased, Pang Jian created a new strand of lightning, which he imbued with only spiritual power.

    The slender lightning grew thicker and longer.

    He then tried infusing it with ster energy and lunar energy.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The lightning exploded the moment the ster and lunar energies entered it, mangling Pang Jian''s fingertip.

    Pang Jian cried out in pain.

    After using life energy to heal his mangled finger, he summoned a strand of lightning on his right index finger.

    This time, he only added spiritual power and cold energy from the ice pool.

    As the cold energy flowed into the lightning, it transformed into a sharp and menacing ice spike.

    <i>Ice and lightning can be merged!</i>

    With a single thought, the sharp ice spike flew toward an ancient tree.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The lightning within it erupted the instant the ice spike pierced the tree trunk, blowing the ancient tree into splinters.

    "Wow!" he eximed excitedly before taking out his Startling ughter Spear.

    Using his newfound understanding, he infused the spear with lightning and unleashed the Explosive Dance technique.

    The gleaming spear tip shot out both zing fireballs imbued with lightning and ice-cold lightning balls, scorching Pang Jian''s surroundings into deep ck pits.

    <i>Lightning with cold energy, and lightning with earthme and sr energies. Each of thesebinations produces different powerful effects.</i>

    His eyes gleamed with joy as he experimented.

    For him, the formation of the lightning vortex was akin to acquiring a new toy.

    He tried varyingbinations and attacks using the energies in his Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea, bringing many of his imaginative ideas to life.

    Some ideas were fruitless due to the ipatibility of the energies, while others resulted in astonishing power.

    Pang Jian soon lost track of the time. Before he knew it, he had expended a significant amount of energy, only stopping when he noticed the sun in his dantian had shrunk considerably.

    <i>I hope the white crane doesn''te now. </i>Pang Jian frowned.

    As he was about to store his silver spear and retreat into the pit to recover his strength, he saw someone in the distant sky flying toward him under the bombardment of numerous spirit artifacts.

    Blinding lightning surrounded them, and Pang Jian could not discern their appearance.

    A quarter of an hourter, the man arrived in front of Pang Jian.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The mannded with a loud sound, and his true appearance was finally revealed as the lightning around him dissipated.

    Before Pang Jian stood a square-faced man with a rugged appearance and tattered yellow silk robes.

    It was the rogue cultivator Lei Kun!

    "Those little scoundrels from the upper worlds are shameless!" Lei Kun panted heavily.

    He took out a pill and swallowed it with a loud crunch before ncing over to size up Pang Jian.

    "The Lightning Chaser of the Sword Pavilion, Luo Yuan!" He knitted his thick, bushy brows and coldly remarked, "Hey, brat from the Sword Pavilion, you''re not in league with those from the ck Valley Sect, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, or the Demon Sect, are you?"

    Pang Jian was taken aback. "Senior Lei, you''ve heard of me?"

    "You recognize me?!" Lei Kun looked even more surprised than Pang Jian. He stared suspiciously at Pang Jian and muttered under his breath, "When did my name be so famous in the upper worlds?"

    "My senior brother is Qi Qingsong. He saw you at the trade fair in the Primordial Wilderness and described your appearance to me," Pang Jian exined.

    Fortunately, Lei Kun did not recognize him as he was still in the guise of a sallow-faced young man.

    "Ah, I see!" A look of realization crossed Lei Kun''s face.

    Lei Kun had bought the hide of a Rank Seven Blood Lizard from Pang Jian on thest day of the free trading period. At that time, Qi Qingsong had been standing right behind Pang Jian.

    Thus, he had a strong impression of Qi Qingsong.

    Still, he had never even interacted with this neer of the Sword Pavilion, so he had not expected him to know his name.

    "Sword Pavilion disciples are indeed polite and well-mannered, unlike those little pests from the Demon Sect and the ck Valley Sect," Lei Kunmented.

    He instantly developed a favorable impression of the Sword Pavilion.

    Grinning, he said, "Your name, Luo Yuan, has been quite prominent in Cloud Lightningtely. Not long after I arrived, I heard many rogue cultivators and disciples fromrge sects talking about you. They even nicknamed you the Lightning Chaser."

    "The Lightning Chaser," Pang Jian repeated in astonishment.

    "Since you''re also a lightning-attribute cultivator, we should exchange insights," Lei Kun suggested, having taken a liking to Pang Jian. Unlike the others, Pang Jian did not rely on numbers and spirit artifacts to hunt him down. "By the way, have you seen that white crane around these Lightning Retribution Grounds?"

    Pang Jian''s face twitched. A hint of pain and resentment flickered in his eyes. "I''ve seen it."

    "It also attacked you?" Lei Kun chuckled. "You''re quite something to have survived until now.

    "The white crane can fully unleash its mystical powers in the Lightning Retribution Grounds. It can draw in distant lightning and unleash them in a targeted area! Not long ago, before I went to the Primordial Wilderness, I encountered it while cultivating here. It sted me so badly that I had to flee, forcing me to leave Cloud Lightning earlier than nned.

    "Yet you..."

    Lei Kun was amazed.

    <i>The Lightning Retribution Grounds.</i>

    Pang Jian''s heart stirred. It seemed Lei Kun was well-versed in anything rted to lightning and had a deep understanding of Cloud Lightning.

    After some pondering, Pang Jian curiously asked, "Why did those chasing you stop? Why didn''t theye here?"

    Pang Jian had taken out the Star Crushing Umbre while fighting against the white crane and was worried his identity had been exposed.

    "They saw the white crane unleashing two violent lightning storms here in the Lightning Retribution Grounds, so they didn''t dare toe here," Lei Kun exined. He then paused and looked suspiciously at Pang Jian. "Were those two lightning storms targeting you?"

    Pang Jian''s face darkened.

    "So it was you? Luo Yuan, you actually survived!" Lei Kun eximed in surprise.

 Chapter 229: The Lightning Retribution Grounds

    <h4>Chapter 229: The Lightning Retribution Grounds</h4>

    Lei Kun stared at Pang Jian in amazement.

    <i>Are all Sword Pavilion disciples this ridiculously strong?</i>

    <i>After I left the Primordial Wilderness, Pang Jian killed Liang Ying, Luo Yunming, Jiu Yuan, and Cao Mang.</i>

    <i>And now, there''s Luo Yuan, who managed to survive attacks of that magnitude with just his Profound Abode Realm cultivation!</i>

    Unaware the two were the same person, Lei Kun could not help but let his thoughts wander.

    "Senior Lei, could you tell me more about the Lightning Retribution Grounds?" Pang Jian asked curiously.

    In the Primordial Wilderness, Pang Jian had already noticed Lei Kun''s preupation with saving face. The fiery-tempered rogue cultivator was easy to get along with as long as he was shown the proper respect.

    "Of course."

    Lei Kun rarely encountered a polite disciple from the upper world, especially one from a sect he respected like the Sword Pavilion, so he was more than happy to exin.

    "Cloud Lightning is a fragment that fell from the First World," he began.

    Pang Jian was taken aback. "A fragment?"

    "Yes, it''s a fragment of arger piece ofnd!" Lei Kun exined seriously. "Before that white crane appeared, I woulde here regrly to cultivate. I''m a lightning-attribute cultivator, so I paid particr attention to this restricted area. I doubt anyone in the Third World understands it better than I do."

    He paused and nced up at the sky.

    "Legend has it that Cloud Lightning belonged to a sect called the Profound Lightning Pavilion, which once stood in the First World!

    "Thousands of years ago, an ancient Thunder Dragon attacked the Profound Lightning Pavilion, and the Pavilion Master was killed on the spot.

    "The enraged Thunder Dragon tore apart the massivendmass belonging to the Profound Lightning Pavilion, and a fragment fell into the Third World.

    "That fragment is Cloud Lightning, which we''re standing on right now," Lei Kun solemnly recounted.

    <i>It''s another Thunder Dragon!</i> Pang Jian frowned.

    A Thunder Dragon had also split apart the Three Immortals Ind, driving out the one-eyed giants and forcing them into the Fifth World.

    The vision he had seen while bing one with the world on the icy altar had shown him just how powerful Thunder Dragons could be.

    "That ancient Thunder Dragon is still alive, hibernating in the Dragon Lair Sect in the Second World. It¡ª" Lei Kun abruptly lowered his voice and whispered reverently, "The Pavilion Master of the Profound Lightning Pavilion had a great conflict with the Thunder Dragon over the Dao of Lightning, which is why the Thunder Dragon killed him.

    "This Thunder Dragon has done a great service to our human race, having helped eradicate several evil races during ancient times.

    "I also heard that this Thunder Dragon yed a significant role in the fall of the Celestial Phoenix.

    "Because of this, the powerful sects of the First World did not seek revenge against the Thunder Dragon, even though it killed the Pavilion Master of the Profound Lightning Pavilion, and instead allowed it to stay in the Dragon Lair Sect.

    "As for the Lightning Retribution Grounds beneath us, it''s said that Profound Lightning Pavilion once used it to attract and harness lightning.

    "Since it was originally in the First World, close to the sky of the Abyss, it was prone to drawing down profound thunder from beyond the heavens."

    Lei Kun had dedicated himself to training in Cloud Lightning and was extremely knowledgeable about its history.

    "In the past, this restricted area was home to many Vicious Beasts that thrived by absorbing lightning. But when that white crane appeared, it cunningly killed off all these Vicious Beasts. It treats Cloud Lightning like its personal territory and attacks anyone who dares to enter.

    "Damn it! Before it showed up, I was the strongest one here!" Lei Kun cursed angrily.

    A crane''s cry suddenly pierced the air.

    Lei Kun''s eyes sparked with lightning as he red at the misty sky. "It''sing again!"

    The white crane reappeared in the clouds, pping its wings and sending thick bolts of lightning crashing down.

    "My master will eventually y the ancient Thunder Dragon in the Dragon Lair Sect. My master has already imed the Dao of Lightning path to godhood!

    "An old one and a young one, two lower world scum. The two of you dare to linger in my territory!

    "Hmph, did you think I couldn''t hear what the two of you were talking about? I''ve been watching your every move this whole time!"

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Lightning bolts engulfed the area around Pang Jian and Lei Kun with a thunderous roar.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The two reacted in near unison¡ªwith one summoning a green protective shield and the other releasing lightning to form a small pool of lightning.

    Lei Kunughed as he tossed out a silver thunder bead. "The fact that you couldn''t kill Luo Yuan shows that you''ve grown weak, you feathered beast!"

    He calmly used the bead to absorb some of the weaker lightning, then channeled it into the lightning pool surrounding him.

    Pulling out a g, Lei Kun taunted, "The ancient Thunder Dragon has long dominated the Dao of Lightning''s path to godhood. How dare your master challenge the Thunder Dragon for this divine path?

    "In the Abyss, the ultimate power of lightning belongs to that ancient Thunder Dragon in the Dragon Lair Sect!

    "No one else will sessfully ascend to godhood by following this Dao for as long as it lives!"

    "Shut your filthy mouth! You wretched fool, you don''t know the might of my master!" the white crane screeched in fury. "This path to godhood by the Dao of Lightning belongs to my master now. If that old dragon won''t step aside, he''ll have to die!"

    It seemed to consider anyone who insulted or doubted its master its mortal enemy.

    <i>A path to godhood...is that something that can be fought over? Can only one True God emerge on any given path in the Abyss?" </i>Pang Jian pondered as he endured the lightning strikes with his green protective shield.

    The conversation between Lei Kun and the white crane had brought about new revtions. The path of cultivation was indeed fraught with hidden obstacles.

    "You two lowly scums from the lower world will die today! Especially you, you old dog!" the white crane squawked. "I''ve calcted it perfectly this time. There''s a special void right mixed into this wave of lightning!

    "Let''s see how you two survive this!"

    Lei Kun looked confused.

    "A special...void rift?" he muttered, seemingly unaware that such a thing existed in Cloud Lightning.

    Pang Jian, however, remained calm.

    He had long since noticed a slender streak of abnormal lightning among the storm of lightning bolts. It seemed to tear through the void, carving out a narrow rift in the sky above the restricted area.

    Dense bizarre mist appeared within the strange rift. The rift seemed like it was connected to the edge of the Abyss.

    The special "lightning" he had absorbed with the bronze pendant was likely simr to this void rift.

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    Though the rift widened, it did not force its way through Pang Jian''s protective shield or enter the bronze pendant.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Golden lightning bolts shot out from the rift and mingled with the white lightning.

    The sinister white crane''s white lightning shone with a golden hue when the golden lightning touched it.

    Moreover, the lightning seemed to be frozen in time.

    Dozens of massive lightning bolts hung above the Lightning Retribution Grounds like solid golden waterfalls.

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    One end of the gold-tinged lightning stretched toward the sky and the other pierced straight into the ground.

    The two ends moved in opposite directions, but the middle section remained suspended unmoving in the air.

    The white crane''s eyes filled with horror.

    "Ah! How could this happen?" it cried.

    It had not expected the void rift to widen unendingly, with no signs of sealing back shut.

    At that moment, the bronze pendant¡ªalso known as the Gate of the Abyss¡ªstarted to heat up.

    An eerie realization struck Pang Jian as he stared at the ever-widening rift.

    It seemed the Gate of the Abyss'' presence was causing the rift to tear open even further, allowing golden lightning to shoot out from within.

    Meanwhile, cultivators wandering in other parts of the restricted area had noticed the unusual phenomenon urring in the Lightning Retribution Grounds.

    "A golden lightning storm appears in the southwest!"

    "That white crane, Lei Kun, and Luo Yuan are all caught in it!"

    "We have to see what''s going on!"

    Despite knowing the dangers, they desperately rushed over from all over to investigate.

    Massive golden lightning bolts were frozen in ce in the Lightning Retribution Grounds.

    Lei Kun was stunned to find the lightning was no longer attacking him. His shock deepened as he turned to gaze at the void rift, which was splitting open more and more.

    "Bizarre mist!" he cried in horror as he caught a glimpse of the bizarre mist within the void rift.

    He was already contemting how to escape.

    Cultivators in the Abyss revered the supernatural bizarre mist, viewing it as a mysterious force beyond even the power of gods.

    Therefore, when Lei Kun caught sight of the bizarre mist, his first thought was to flee as quickly as possible. He no longer wished to remain in Cloud Lightning.

    Pang Jian, on the other hand, felt a strange affinity with the bizarre mist and watched in captivation as the void rift widened.

    Carefully avoiding the thick golden lightning bolts, he approached the void rift, eager to see what mysteriesy hidden within the depths of the bizarre mist.

    "Luo Yuan, don''t go near it!" Lei Kun shouted in rm.

    Pang Jian acted as though he had not heard him.

    The white crane dodged the soaring golden lightning in the sky. Its control over the lightning hadpletely spiraled out of its grasp, and it could no longer attack Pang Jian and Lei Kun.

    "Something''s not right; this isn''t how it''s supposed to be! You two lower-world scums, you must''ve messed up my ns!" it cursed.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Slender golden lightning bolts shot out from the depths of the bizarre mist within the void rift like golden dragons, creating a chaotic mix of energies in the area.

    <i>Crackle! Crackle!</i>

    The golden lightning hung like waterfalls in the sky. As its ends stretched, it drilled deep caverns into the basin below as if intending to pierce straight through Cloud Lightning.

    On the teau of the towering hills, He Hui, Ning Wei, and an elder from the Star River Alliance had also noticed the unusual phenomena in the basin. They watched as streaks of golden lightning shot straight into the sky.

    "What on earth is happening?!" shouted all who saw the terrifying sight.

    By this time, Pang Jian had already reached the edge of the void rift. Maintaining his sturdy green protective shield as a precaution, he squinted as he peered into the depths of the bizarre mist within the void rift.

    He saw a massive creature attempting to emerge from the bizarre mist.

 Chapter 230: The Strange Being in the Bizarre Mist

    <h4>Chapter 230: The Strange Being in the Bizarre Mist</h4>

    A gigantic skeleton traversed the boundless void within the depths of the dense bizarre mist.

    Its bones looked as though they were forged from molten gold, and its skeletal body resembled a cross between a lion and a tiger. Two massive seas of golden lightning made up its enormous pair of wings.

    The lightning was so blinding that Pang Jian''s eyes ached and teared up after just a single nce into the rift.

    It was as if the skeleton held supreme authority over the mysteries of lightning.

    Wiping away the tears from his bloodshot eyes, Pang Jian continued to risk his life by staring at the bizarre mist in the void rift.

    The thick bolts of lightning within the strange creature''s lightning wings seemed to transform into strange lifeforms.

    In one sea of golden lightning, the lightning bolts morphed into bizarre and fierce beasts.

    In the other, they condensed into slender, humanoid figures.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Thunderous explosions reverberated deafeningly around them.

    Each thunderp sounded like the copse of a Great Dao, containing the terrifying will to obliterate the heavens and earth with lightning.

    The thunderous sounds were so powerful they seemed capable of allowing those in the highest cultivation realm with mastery of the essence of lightning to grasp the Dao of Lightning just by listening.

    Pang Jian was deeply shaken.

    The only other time he had felt such terrifying power was with the shattering of the Celestial Phoenix''s bones.

    <i>What is it? And why is it drifting in the bizarre mist? </i>Pang Jian wondered in bewilderment.

    As Pang Jian gazed at it, two clusters of golden lightning formed within the empty eye sockets of the strange being.

    The golden lightning traced out a character in the depths of each eye socket¡ªThe Abyss!

    As soon as the character appeared, Pang Jian had the eerie feeling that the strange creature had locked onto his location in Cloud Lightning.

    The Gate of the Abyss heated up against the skin of Pang Jian''s chest.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The one hundred and twenty-eight strands of divine sense in his sea of consciousness shrunk rapidly.

    His mental energy drained away madly!

    As Pang Jian gazed at the colossal being, he felt as if he had traversed down the vast river of time to peer into its past.

    It once had flesh and blood, with a body that radiated dazzlingly golden divine light. It seemed to be a God of an unknown world and resembled a mix between a lion and a tiger.

    One day, it ventured into the depths of the bizarre mist. Once it entered, it could not find its way back. No matter how hard it tried, it could not escape, and could only drift aimlessly in the depths of the bizarre mist.

    Over the course of countless millennia, its flesh, tendons, organs, and eyes had worn away, gradually disintegrating from its body and fading into nothingness.

    In the end, all that remained was this fleshless, golden skeleton.

    The massive creature desperately sought a way back from the endless bizarre mist. It felt as though it had drifted for millions of years.

    It had no sense of the passage of time and had no idea how long it had been trapped in the depths of the bizarre mist.

    Then, one day, a void rift appeared in Cloud Lightning while Pang Jian was there. Or, more importantly, while the Gate of the Abyss was present.

    It finally had a clear coordinate!

    The characters formed from golden lightning in the depths of its eye sockets locked onto the Gate of the Abyss on Pang Jian''s body.

    <i>The Abyss.</i>

    The strange being was pointing toward the world known as the Abyss!

    Pang Jian let out a muffled groan as the many thoughts and images in his mind suddenly vanished.

    He felt as though he had just traversed countless eons in a second.

    As the scenes of the past disappeared from his mind, Pang Jian watched helplessly as the strange being flew desperately toward him.

    It was gettingrger!

    The one hundred and twenty-eight strands of divine sense in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness were now as thin as hairs, and his mental energy was nearly exhausted.

    Hastily taking out the Mind Soothing Pills, he did not hesitate to toss half a bottle into his mouth at once.

    A strong sense of unease surged in his heart as he watched the strange creature approach.

    Despite being trapped in the depths of the bizarre mist for countless years, he had a terrible intuition that the strange being still possessed formidable power.

    Its flesh had beenpletely eroded and its power was far from its peak, but it could always reim its rightful power, so long as it could step into the Abyss.

    <i>This creature can never appear in the Abyss, or it''ll unleash a catastrophic disaster, </i>Pang Jian thought fearfully.

    As soon as he had this thought, the Gate of the Abyss and the four deeply engraved characters on its back started to cool down.

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    The void rift started to close at an astonishing rate!

    He then saw the characters in the strange being''s eye sockets mysteriously disappear.

    It seemed to have lost its target.

    It was once again trapped in the depths of the bizarre mist, doomed to wander for another million years, waiting for its next opportunity.

    Dense golden lightning burst forth from its two wings, seemingly in despair and frustration, but there were no targets for it to attack in the bizarre mist.

    The void rift sealed shut.

    The golden lightning from the rift and the originally white lightning of Cloud Lightning hung in the air like golden waterfalls.

    Pang Jian was drenched in sweat as he stood in the middle of these broad golden waterfalls, staring with extreme astonishment at where the void rift had closed.

    <i>The Gate of the Abyss.</i>

    His right hand instinctively pressed against his chest, touching the bronze pendant through his clothes.

    A storm raged in his heart.

    The bronze pendant known as the Gate of the Abyss seemed to have be incredibly heavy.

    A gate was also a directional coordinate.

    Pang Jian seemed to have gained the authority to open and close such gates now that the characters "Gate of the Abyss" had appeared on the bronze pendant!

    <i>If I hadn¡¯t closed the gate in time just now, and the void rift continued to tear...</i>

    He could not imagine what would have happened if that terrifying being had actually managed to cross the bizarre mist and step into Cloud Lightning.

    <i>Why is this object in my possession? What right do I have to wield such power?</i>

    Pang Jian¡¯s mind raced.

    It seemed an incredibly heavy burden had been forcibly ced on his shoulders. This world could be plunged into an apocalypse if he was not strong or cautious enough!

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    Thunderous lightning strikes erupted all around.

    Pang Jian, spirit battered and divine sense weakened, could only turn his head to look behind him.

    Disciples of the ck Valley Sect, the Demon Sect, and the Celestial Lagoon Sect brandished their magical treasures and spirit artifacts to attack the white crane.

    The white crane cursed as it soared through the lightning.

    The foul-mouthed white crane had a pair of jet-ck ws, one of which was adorned with a small spatial bracelet.

    Its other w grasped a withered bone covered in cracks.

    It flew back and forth in the sky, using the withered bone to magically absorb the massive waterfalls of golden lightning.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The massive lightning bolts piercing the sky and the earth of the restricted area transformed into thin strands of golden lightning the moment it entered the withered bone.

    Even while collecting the golden lightning, the white crane''s stream of profanities never stopped, constantly cursing the parents and unborn children of its opponents.

    Interestingly, the white crane made sure to carefully avoid mentioning its master when fighting against the disciples of the major sects.

    "Screw you all! Die!" the white crane screeched, pulling in dazzling white lightning bolts from afar to strike down upon the disciples in the Lightning Retribution Grounds.

    The weaker disciples in the early stage of the Profound Abode Realm or the Innate Realm died one after another.

    Gradually, the white crane''s once agile flight through the air slowed, bing heavy and burdened.

    Pang Jian watched closely and soon noticed that the white crane''s graceful flight would falter every time the withered bone in its w collected a golden lightning bolt.

    Although the collected golden lightning bolts appeared as fine as hair, it seemed that they still weighed down the withered bone once inside.

    Even so, the white crane was determined to collect all the golden lightning and did not put the withered bone back into its spatial bracelet.

    The disciples of the Demon Sect, the ck Valley Sect, and the Celestial Lagoon Sect continued to chase the wicked crane down.

    They had also noticed that the white crane was slowing down and wanted to seize its withered bone.

    Lei Kun approached Pang Jian after the void rift disappeared.

    "Luo Yuan, you¡ªyou were so close to that void rift. Did you see anything?" he asked in a deep voice.

    Pang Jian shook his head, "I only saw some lightning bolts shooting out from the endless bizarre mist."

    "The bizarre mist envelops the entire Abyss. That void rift...could it lead to the edge of the Abyss?" Lei Kun did not doubt Pang Jian''s words. Frowning, he continued, "Cultivators who identally enter the bizarre mist almost always mysteriously disappear.

    "It''s not just us. Even the powerful cultivators of the upper worlds avoid the bizarre mist. Luo Yuan, you were too reckless just now. You shouldn''t have gotten so close."

    The disciples from the Second World were still battling the white crane.

    They and the white cranepletely ignored Pang Jian and Lei Kun, having no time to deal with them.

    "You''re right, I was careless. I won''t do it again," Pang Jian agreed, humbly epting the advice.

    Lei Kun smiled with satisfaction. "It''s good that you can listen to reason. You''re not bad at all."

    He found the Sword Pavilion disciple in front of him quite agreeable.

    "I know of another disciple from your Sword Pavilion who has recently garnered much attention. His name is Pang Jian.

    "I''m d I didn''t listen to Jiu Yuan back then and decisively withdrew. Otherwise..." Lei Kun trailed off with a sigh.

 Chapter 231: The Old Dragon Dominating the Path to Godhood for Millennia

    <h4>Chapter 231: The Old Dragon Dominating the Path to Godhood for Millennia</h4>

    Pang Jian was stunned.

    "You know him too, Luo Yuan?" Lei Kun asked curiously. "You bothe from the Sword Pavilion and are active in the Third World. Have you ever met?"

    Pang Jian shook his head. "I haven''t been to the Primordial Wilderness."

    "Oh, I see. Let me tell you, your fellow disciple is really something. I''ve heard he hasn''t even reported to the Sword Pavilion yet. Once he goes to the Second World, the Sword Pavilion will surely give him a spot as an inner disciple!"

    Lei Kun went on to excitedly recount things Pang Jian had already grown tired of hearing.

    Pang Jian decided to make use of this opportunity to clear up his concerns.

    "He killed Liang Ying of the Star River Alliance, Jiu Yuan of the Blood Moon Sect, and Lou Yunming of the Sinister Soul Temple. Our Sword Pavilion...will they pursue this matter?" he tentatively asked.

    "The Sword Pavilion has plenty of ways to handle these things!" Lei Kun nced at the sky and pointed at the disciples chasing the white crane. "As you can see, the disciples from the upper world''s Demon Sect, ck Valley Sect, and Celestial Lagoon Sect act with impunity in the lower worlds.

    "The Sword Pavilion has always protected its own and values talent immensely. They''ll definitely resolve any trouble for Pang Jian."

    Pang Jian nodded slowly.

    His gaze then at where the void rift had disappeared.

    He had a feeling the boundary wall and bizarre mist surrounding the Abyss served as protections for their world.

    The idea of that strange being crossing through the bizarre mist to the Abyss was terrifying.

    Not to mention, there could be other mysterious beings hidden within the depths of the bizarre mist.

    <i>Could there be other god-like beings lost in the bizarre mist? Drifting in for millions of years, unable to find their way home or out?</i>

    The bizarre mist hadpletely eroded the strange being''s flesh over time. It was doomed to endure a hopeless and agonizing struggle.

    <i>Could other mighty beings trapped in the bizarre mist have had their very bones ground to dust, bing part of the void? </i>Pang Jian wondered.

    "The owner of that white crane must be extremely terrifying," Lei Kun remarked, cutting through Pang Jian''s musings. He grabbed Pang Jian, led him away from the area still crackling with golden lightning, and whispered, "That white crane was collecting the lightning.

    "Before I went to find you, I tried to collect some myself, but my lightning bead..." he trailed off with a bitter smile.

    He opened his left hand to reveal some bead fragments in his palm.

    "I couldn''t collect the golden lightning, and I didn''t dare to touch it. If I did, I''d die instantly. This isn''t something I can handle right now," Lei Kun said heavily as they walked away from the battle between the white crane and the disciples. "I walked the path of the Dao of Lightning, and I can faintly sense a trace of divine power within the golden lightning.

    "It''s said that only True Gods can imbue lightning with divine power. I can''t think of anyone else with such abilities in the Abyss besides that ancient Rank Ten Thunder Dragon."

    Pang Jian was shocked to his core.

    <i>Imbue lightning with divine power...the ancient Rank Ten Thunder Dragon.</i>

    <i>Does that mean the strange being in the bizarre mist is the same rank as that ancient Thunder Dragon? After all, its wings are formed from seas of that golden lightning! </i>

    The bizarre mist had eroded at that strange being until only its bones remained.

    Perhaps, in a few more years, even its golden skeleton would bepletely worn away as well.

    Still, it was a being on par with the ancient Thunder Dragon and could even be a deity worshiped in some other world.

    <i>The bizarre mist, the Gate of the Abyss...</i>

    Pang Jian decided he would never mention the bronze pendant to anyone ever again.

    "Senior Lei, does anyone know what lies outside the Abyss?" he asked sincerely.

    "Outside the Abyss?" Lei Kun shook his head and smiled bitterly. "Above the sky of the First World exists a natural barrier. Only True Gods can attempt to break through it. However, many True Gods have failed.

    "Those who sessfully break through the barrier and leave the Abyss are as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. They''re all legends whose names resound throughout the Abyss.

    "But even those people..." Lei Kun frowned deeply, shaking his head with a grave expression. "None of them have ever returned and reappeared in the Abyss. We don''t even know if they''re alive or dead."

    He then turned to gaze up at the sky, eyes burning with passion.

    "Even so!" he shouted. "Those who have ascended to true godhood in the First World continue to challenge the natural barrier, relentlessly trying to break free from this prison and see the world beyond.

    "Even death is worth it!"

    Lei Kun''s fighting spirit red, and he grinned wickedly.

    "That old Thunder Dragon is a coward! At Rank Ten, it''sparable to a True God, possessing the power to break through the natural barrier, yet it''s never dared to attempt it.

    "It''s lived for many years, killing all who sought to achieve godhood through the Dao of Lightning and cutting off that path to godhood for all who came after.

    "It upies this path to godhood but doesn''t try to break the natural barrier. The Thunder Dragon simply doesn''t dare to leave the Abyss!

    "I think everyone would be overjoyed if the master of that white crane killed that old dragon and took over that path to godhood."

    Lei Kun sighed deeply. "Unfortunately, that''s easier said than done. The Thunder Dragon had dominated this Dao for tens of thousands of years. As long as he lives, no new Lightning God can be born. But who can kill him before bing a True God?

    "It''s a dead-end path!"

    Lei Kun was a lightning-attribute cultivator. If he were ever fortunate enough to climb to the pinnacle and reach the Immortal Realm, he would have to kill that ancient Thunder Dragon to be a True God through the Dao of Lightning!

    As long as the Thunder Dragon were alive, he would never be a True God!

    Any lightning-attribute cultivator would have to face the Thunder Dragon upon reaching the Immortal Realm or be forced to stagnate forever.

    Meanwhile, the white crane had finished collecting all the golden lightning bolts.

    "You little brats, one day I''ll find you and kill you all!" the white crane threatened as it wearily flew off.

    It had sessfully seized the opportunity it sought and was nning to return to its master.

    There was no longer any reason for it to tangle with or kill those in Cloud Lightning.

    Unfortunately for the white crane, just because it wanted to leave did not mean the disciples of the Demon Sect, the ck Valley Sect, and the Celestial Lagoon Sect were unwilling to let it go.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Disciples from the Demon Sect unleashed ck-purple "Demon" characters that bit at the white crane''s wings.

    The white crane let out a piercing screech as feathers fell from its pristine white wings.

    Disciples from the ck Valley Sect unleashed needle-like beams resembling ck lightning, which pierced through the white crane and left it riddled with bloody holes.

    A Blue Water Pearl, weighing over ten thousand jun[1] smashed into the unsteady white crane, causing the lightning on its body to scatter wildly.

    The white crane was struck heavily after putting away the withered bone. Although it no longer had the withered bone weighing it down, it was now too injured to make an effortless escape.

    Its injuries deepened with every attack, and it eventually crashed to the ground with a thud.

    The disciples from the Second World were exhrated.

    "It''s done for!"

    "Its crimes are countless. It deserves to die here in Cloud Lightning!"

    "It killed our Senior Brother Liu and nine of our fellow disciples. Let''s see where it can run now!"

    The disciples paid no attention to Pang Jian and Lei Kun as they headed for the white crane''s fallen body.

    The white crane would soon be executed, never to stir trouble again.

    "Serves it right!" Lei Kun spat on the ground. Snorting coldly, he nced at the fallen white crane and said, "It''s done so much evil.

    "It cleared out all the Vicious Beasts and Spirit Beasts in Cloud Lightning the moment it arrived and attacked anyone who entered the restricted area. It deserves to be killed by those brats!"

    Pang Jian asked, "Aren''t you going to join them?"

    Lei Kun shook his head like a rattle drum.[2] "I know my limits. I can''t afford to provoke the white crane''s master or these disciples from the Second World."

    His face darkened. "I''m a rogue cultivator. I don''t have a powerful sect backing me up. No one will stand up for me. Why do you think those disciples of the major sects got away unscathed when they hunted me down and tried to rob me of my lightning bead?

    "I''m in the Spirit Condensation Realm, damn it!" Lei Kun cursed bitterly.

    Pang Jian nodded in understanding.

    "I see. In that case, I''ll join the fray." He shook his robe, causing the sword-shaped token to sway slightly. "After all, I''m a disciple of the Sword Pavilion from the Second World. I''m not afraid of offending them."

    He then rushed empty-handed toward the fallen white crane.

    "Luo Yuan, where''s your sword?" Lei Kun shouted.

    "It broke when the white crane attacked me with lightning bolts," Pang Jian replied without looking back.

    It was indeed unusual for a Sword Pavilion disciple to be without a spirit sword.

    "Wait!" Lei Kun called out.

    He had developed a fondness for Pang Jian due to thetter''s respectful attitude.

    Tossing a sword over, he said, "Luo Yuan, I hope you don''t mind an intermediate-grade spirit sword. We''re both lightning-attribute cultivators. This sword has a hidden lightning seal, so it should be of use to you!"

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The spirit sword shot toward Pang Jian''s hand like lightning.

    Pang Jian channeled strands of lightning from the lightning vortex within his spiritual sea toward the spirit sword. Clusters of lightning seals appeared on the silvery white de, absorbing the lightning he released.

    Pang Jian''s eyes lit up and he bowed deeply toward Lei Kun. "Thank you, Senior Lei!"

    Lei Kun replied with a somewhat ttered expression, "There''s no need to be so polite, Young Brother. Unlike the disciples from other sects, those from the Sword Pavilion are courteous and don''t use their influence to bully others."

    In his heart, he mused, <i>Both you and Pang Jian are like this.</i>

    "We''ll chat moreter, Senior Lei!" Pang Jian said as he sped off.

    1. ¾û is an ancient unit of measurement equivalent to 15 kilograms. ?

    2. The rattle drum referred to here is ²¦ÀË¹Ä, a traditional Chinese percussion instrument known as a "rattle-drum" or "wave drum." It consists of a small, usually circr drum attached to a handle, with beads or pellets on strings attached to the sides. When the handle is twisted or shaken, the beads strike the drumheads, producing a rhythmic sound. ?

 Chapter 232: Meddling

    <h4>Chapter 232: Meddling</h4>

    The spirit sword in Pang Jian''s hand was about two fingers wide and asionally red with crimson lightning or gleamed silver.

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    "It''s quite handy," he said, the corner of his mouth quirking slightly in satisfaction.

    Surprisingly, the spirit sword Lei Kun had gifted him could harness two different types of energy.

    A dozen or so disciples from the Second World were still chasing the injured white crane with their unique spirit artifacts.

    The staggering white crane had learned its lesson and no longer soared through the sky.

    Instead, it skulked through the grasnds and marshes of Cloud Lightning, periodically drawing lightning to strike its pursuers.

    The white crane no longer focused solely on escaping as quickly as possible. It used theplex terrain of the restricted area to evade capture, making it increasingly difficult for its pursuers.

    The disciples from the Second World would lose track of it, only for lightning to strike them when they finally caught sight of it again.

    Despite their cursing and grumbling, they refused to give up.

    "Luo Yuan!" Lu Xiangyi from Celestial Lagoon Sect called out when she saw Pang Jian join the chase. Frowning, she asked, "Luo Yuan, are you here for revenge or to snatch the white crane''s spatial bracelet?"

    "Both," Pang Jian replied in a deep voice.

    The white crane had struck him three times in the Lightning Retribution Grounds. He would not let go of this enmity so easily.

    Moreover, he also wished to seize the golden lightning the white crane had collected using the withered bone for himself.

    "There''s too many people and too little to go around. If you''re here for revenge, that''s fine, but if you''re after that spatial bracelet, I suggest you reconsider," Lu Xiangyi cautioned, her almond-shaped eyes shing warningly. "You''re the only one from the Sword Pavilion here. Don''t go looking for trouble.

    "Also, it''s not just our Celestial Lagoon Sect here. Inner disciples from the Demon Sect and the ck Valley Sect are also here.

    "You can''tpete with us for the spatial bracelet, so take my advice and don''t even try. Let''s avoid making things ugly," Lu Xiangyi persuaded, wanting to prevent a potential sh out of "good" intentions.

    A few outer disciples from the Celestial Lagoon Sect nked her, but Pang Jian simply shook his head and moved past them with the spirit sword in hand.

    "Junior Sister Lu, what does he mean by this?" asked one of the outer disciples from Celestial Lagoon Sect with a frown. "He seems displeased with your kind advice. We arrived here on the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat with the disciples of the Demon Sect and the ck Valley Sect, not the Sword Pavilion!"

    "The opportunities in Cloud Lightning are meant for those from these three sects. We can''t let him interfere!" another Celestial Lagoon Sect disciple muttered in displeasure, "Lightning Chaser? Hmph, he thinks he canpete with us for treasure just because he made a name for himself as a lightning-attribute cultivator. In his dreams!"

    An hourter, the evasive white crane finally stumbled and crashed into a nearbyke under the unrelenting attacks of the disciples'' spirit artifacts.

    As luck would have it, this was the sameke where Pang Jian had once sat in meditation before the white crane flew in and threw in the corpse of a Celestial Lagoon Sect disciple.

    It was also here that Pang Jian revealed his sword-shaped token and avoided a fight against Lu Xiangyi and herpanions.

    <i>Ssh!</i>

    The white crane plunged headfirst into theke.

    Disciples from the three sects surrounded theke, killing any rogue cultivators wandering around it.

    "Hmm, rogue cultivators?"

    "Still looking? What''s so interesting to look at?"

    The disciples sneered as they ruthlessly attacked the bystanding rogue cultivators.

    One of these rogue cultivators was Qin Le, who had previously advised Pang Jian to keep up his protective shield at all times.

    "We''ll back off!"

    "Please, we''re not here topete with you for that white crane!"

    "We-we just happened to be nearby. We have no intention of bing your enemies!"

    The rogue cultivators begged for their lives.

    The disciples from the Second World were unmoved, showing no mercy even as the rogue cultivators retreated.

    At that moment, Pang Jian arrived.

    "Sword Pavilion''s Luo Yuan."

    "The Lightning Chaser."

    "Another one trying to take a piece of the pie."

    The disciples from the Demon Sect and the ck Valley Sect voiced their discontent when they saw Pang Jian standing by theke.

    Though displeased, they would not attack Pang Jian as long as he showed no intention ofpeting for the crane''s spatial bracelet.

    The disciples continued their ughter of the rogue cultivators.

    "Luo Yuan!" Qin Le looked pleadingly at Pang Jian as he cried out angrily, "We did nothing wrong! We were just wandering nearby. Why are you killing us for no reason?

    "We''ve been avoiding disciples of the major sects like you in Cloud Lightning! We don''t dare provoke you, nor do we darepete with you. What wrong have we done?

    "Is it because we''re rogue cultivators? Should we die for simply being in this restricted area?"

    Blood seeped from the corners of Qin Le''s eyes.

    Resentment filled his heart and his hatred for the major sect disciples at the moment knew no bounds.

    "If you were from sects like the Radiant Sun Sect, the Red Mountain Sect, or the Star River Alliance in the Third World, we might show some leniency," a ck Valley Sect disciple said coldly, controlling Violet Crystal Pagoda to attack Qin Le. "But a mere rogue cultivator? Killing you is no different from killing Vicious Beasts to harvest their body parts."

    Pang Jian frowned.

    <i>Sects, noble families, and rogue cultivators...</i>

    If Qi Qingsong had not given him the blue robe and sword-shaped token of the Sword Pavilion, Pang Jian would have been just another rogue cultivator in Cloud Lightning.

    He would have met the same fate as Qin Le.

    Back in Misty Swamp of the Fourth World, Fei Zheng of the Blood Moon Sect had treated the members of the Shadow Specter Sect the same way this ck Valley Sect disciple was treating Qin Le.

    Disciples from the upper-world sects carried an inherent sense of superiority when they entered the worlds below them.

    "Go!"

    Pang Jian threw the spirit sword.

    It shot across theke to precisely strike the Violet Crystal Pagoda about to crush Qin Le''s skull.

    <i>ng!</i>

    The pagoda was sent flying.

    "Luo Yuan!" Ye Fei, the owner of the pagoda, shouted, expression darkening and eyes gleaming with cold light. "How dare you touch my belongings! You''re just an outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion. Do you think you''re Qi Qingsong?"

    "This person is an old acquaintance of mine. I hope you''ll show some leniency," Pang Jian said calmly, flying over to Qin Le''s side to retrieve the hovering spirit sword.

    He fully intended to meddle in the situation.

    ncing at the severely injured Qin Le, he advised, "You''re the only one left alive. Once you leave thiske, you should disappear from Cloud Lightning as soon as possible."

    Qin Le struggled to his feet and cupped his hands in thanks, coughing out a mouthful of blood when he tried to speak.

    When he saw Ye Fei of the ck Valley Sect preparing to use the Violet Crystal Pagoda again, Qin Le did not linger to express his gratitude and fled in a hurry.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Violet Crystal Pagoda tried to pursue Qin Le.

    <i>ng!</i>

    Pang Jian struck it down with his spirit sword as before.

    "Luo Yuan!" Ye Fei bellowed. He had been controlling the pagoda from a distance and was forced to fly through the air to grab the pagoda to replenish its exhausted spiritual power. "If you were like Qi Qingsong, an inner disciple of the Sword Pavilion, I would show you some respect and spare this old acquaintance of yours.

    "But you''re not. You''re just one of the many unknown outer disciples of the Sword Pavilion. You don''t have the authority to protect this person!"

    Ye Fei once again threw out the Violet Crystal Pagoda.

    The recharged Violet Crystal Pagoda flew through the air at an even greater speed than before, trailing dazzling purple light in its wake.

    Strange light patterns emerged deep within the enchanting purple radiance, carrying a mysterious power capable of disrupting one''s mind.

    Qin Le groaned in the distance, ck blood trickling down his nostrils and pupils rupturing. His movement technique faltered and he plummeted headfirst from the sky.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian wordlessly threw his sword again.

    The spirit sword, which had previously been translucent with a silver glow, now turned a fiery crimson. Crimson lightning crackled along its de, bathing the sword in a zing, sun-like brilliance.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The spiritual sword surged forward, struck the Violet Crystal Pagoda for the third time, and destroyed it!

    "My Violet Spirit Pagoda!" Ye Fei screamed.

    Qin Le, having narrowly escaped death, hastily scrambled to his feet and took off into the air, shooting nces back at Pang Jian as he did.

    The gratitude in his eyes was evident to all who saw it.

    He never expected that a disciple of the Sword Pavilion he had met by chance would repeatedly offend an inner disciple of the ck Valley Sect just to save him.

    <i>Luo Yuan, I hope I can repay you someday.</i> Qin Le thought as he made his escape.

    Ye Fei approached the shattered Violet Crystal Pagoda and started to pick up whatever was left of it. Every scattered fragment of the pagoda was another wound on his aching heart.

    Lu Xiangyi of the Celestial Lagoon Sect witnessed this scene as she arrived at theke.

    "Luo Yuan!" Lu Xiangyi stared at Pang Jian in shock. Frowning in confusion, she muttered, "The treasure on the white crane hasn''t even appeared yet. Even so, he chose to confront Ye Fei to protect an old acquaintance. And a rogue cultivator as well."

    "Ye Fei is an inner disciple of the ck Valley Sect!" One of the Celestial Lagoon Sect disciples eximed, ncing at the visibly shaken Ye Fei in fear. "It was unwise for Luo Yuan to provoke him over a rogue cultivator."

    "Junior Sister Lu, you''ve warned him repeatedly, but he just wouldn''t listen." Another disciple frowned, ring at Pang Jian with disdain. "The members of the ck Valley Sect won''t wait until after they kill the white crane¡ªthey''ll want to settle the score with Luo Yuan first."

    The disciples from the Demon Sect whispered among themselves as they cast cold nces at Pang Jian.

    They were well aware of Ye Fei''s character and knew he would not let this matter go so easily¡ªespecially not after suffering a loss.

    "I told you he was an old acquaintance of mine and asked you to show mercy, but you just wouldn''t listen." Pang Jian gazed unwaveringly at Ye Fei. A hint of regret flickered across his face as he sighed. "A pagoda destroyed just like that¡ªit''s truly unfortunate."

 Chapter 233: The White Craneéˆ¥æªš Underhanded Moves

    <h4>Chapter 233: The White Crane¡¯s Underhanded Moves</h4>

    "Luo Yuan!" Ye Fei screamed.

    The spatial bracelet on his arm shone a dark crimson and a silver-framed treasure mirror flew out.

    Crimson dragonfish swam around in the world within the mirror.

    "The Dragonfish Mirror!" Lu Xiangyi''s expression changed and she said tentatively, "Ye Fei, the Violet Crystal Pagoda was only an intermediate-grade spirit artifact. Luo Yuan broke it, and we can always have himpensate you.

    "If you take out that Dragonfish Mirror, this will be a battle to the death, and I don''t think that''s necessary."

    "It is necessary!" Ye Fei cried, expression cold as he red at Pang Jian. "He meddled first! He dares to destroy my Violet Crystal Pagoda, I must make him pay!"

    With that, he aimed the silver-framed mirror at Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian looked curiously at the mirror filled with crimson dragonfish and felt the instant the dragonfish targeted him.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A beam of silvery light shot from the Dragonfish Mirror to Pang Jian''s pupils, connecting a shimmering, silver river between the two.

    The crimson dragonfish in the mirror swam along the beam of silvery light and headed straight for Pang Jian''s eyes.

    A searing pain filled Pang Jian. His eyes felt like they were about to rupture.

    Six fierce dragonfish appeared in his sea of consciousness, ready to devour his divine sense.

    The Dragonfish Mirror was designed to attack the soul and sea of consciousness. It was capable of devouring the opponent''s divine sense.

    Pang Jian''s face darkened.

    Without hesitation, he sent his spiritual power and life energy rushing into his sea of consciousness to intercept the strange dragonfish.

    He simultaneously manipted the strands of divine sense to evade the dragonfish''s attacks.

    <i>Fortunately, I''ve advanced to the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm and can control my divine sense! </i>Pang Jian thought in relief.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! </i>

    Pang Jian''s green spiritual power and life energy surged into his sea of consciousness, ready to encircle and y the dragonfish.

    "Ah!" Ye Fei suddenly screamed in horror, eyes filling with fear.

    The inner disciple of the ck Valley Sect instantly recalled the dragonfish from Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness into the Dragonfish Mirror.

    "It''s a misunderstanding!" he shouted.

    Pang Jian had been preparing to fight with all his might and was taken aback by Ye Fei''s unexpected reaction.

    Ye Fei gazed at Pang Jian as though seeing him in a new light. His gaze was filled with deep apprehension.

    "Luo Yuan, I should''ve given you the respect you deserve. I was being unreasonable earlier," Ye Fei conceded, backing down.

    Everyone around stared at him in bewilderment.

    "Ye Fei, you¡ª" an outer disciple of the ck Valley Sect, over fifty and in thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm, frowned deeply. "Our ck Valley Sect has a reputation to uphold."

    "Shut up!" Ye Fei red at him and said coldly, "Remember this. You may be older and have a higher cultivation realm than me, but I''m still the leader of this expedition for our ck Valley Sect!"

    The man''s expression changed, and he quickly lowered his head. "I understand."

    "Good."

    Ye Fei turned back to Pang Jian, demeanor shifting to one of politeness.

    With an awkward smile, he asked, "Luo Yuan, could we talk privately?"

    Pang Jian, although perplexed, nodded nheless.

    The two of them moved to a grassy area away from theke under the puzzled stares of the disciples from the Demon Sect and the Celestial Lagoon Sect.

    "Luo Yuan, you''re not just an ordinary disciple of Sword Pavilion. You have one hundred and twenty-eight strands of divine sense!

    "Anyone who can refine over a hundred strands of divine sense in the Profound Abode Realm in our Second World can instantly be promoted from an outer disciple to an inner disciple! This applies to the Demon Sect, the Sword Pavilion, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, and my ck Valley Sect!

    "And that''s just for over a hundred strands, let alone your one hundred and twenty-eight!"

    Ye Fei''s arrogance had disappeared when he saw Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness through the dragonfish.

    "Luo Yuan, I don''t know why you''re hiding your identity, but I don''t want to be enemies with someone like you over an intermediate-grade spirit artifact.

    "So...how about we just consider this a misunderstanding?" Ye Fei said, sping his hands in apology.

    Pang Jian smiled. <i>So that''s the reason.</i>

    After a brief pause, he casually asked, "You seem to be at the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm too. How many strands of divine sense do you have?"

    "Just barely over a hundred, at one hundred and one strands." Ye Fei smiled bitterly "From what I know, once one has over a hundred strands of divine sense, every ten strands after that bes a major hurdle.

    "Going from a hundred and ten strands to a hundred and twenty strands is like crossing a great chasm.

    "None in the Second World have managed to exceed one hundred and thirty strands of divine sense while in the Profound Abode Realm over thest eight hundred years.

    "Even your one hundred and twenty-eight strands is the most anyone has had in thest three hundred years, Luo Yuan." With every word, Ye Fei became more and more despondent. He had lost all desire to fight Pang Jian. "I could tell you didn''t want anyone to know about this, so I brought you here to talk."

    Pang Jian nodded calmly. "Yes, please keep it a secret."

    "Of course, of course!" Ye Fei nodded like a pecking chicken.

    A battle that could have been deadly was resolved because Ye Fei had seen Pang Jian''s strands of divine sense through the Dragonfish Mirror.

    As the two conversed, Lu Xiangyi tossed a pearl into theke, revealing an area on theke''s floor filled with corpses of both Vicious Beasts and Spirit Beasts.

    The white crane could be seen pecking at the flesh of a Vicious Beast, consuming it to restore its strength.

    "The white crane is recovering!"

    "There are many corpses of Vicious and Spirit Beasts in a corner of theke bottom. It''s among the corpses!"

    "Let''s dive in and hunt the white crane!"

    The onlooking disciples cried out.

    <i>Whoosh! Ssh!</i>

    The disciples summoned their protective shields and jumped into theke.

    "Luo Yuan, you have the qualifications to im a share of the treasures in the white crane''s spatial bracelet, but you''ll need to contribute as well," Ye Fei advised.

    Pang Jian nodded.

    He and Ye Fei then summoned their protective shields and dived into theke as well.

    Many oval-shaped protective shields could be seen at the bottom of theke.

    Vicious Beasts and Spirit Beasts that could enhance their strength through lightning, such as Lightning Serpents, Electric Eels, Thunder Eagles, and Rock Rhinos,y scattered at a corner of theke.

    The dejected and listless white crane ripped apart the body of a Lightning Serpent with its talons and pecked out its gall dder before eating it.

    Theke was its personal food cache.

    The Vicious Beasts and Spirit Beasts it had hunted were all stored here for the white crane to consume when injured.

    The disciples from the Second World gradually made their way toward the white crane, still encased in their protective shields.

    A gleam of cunning triumph shone in the white crane''s eyes.

    Pang Jian was immediately suspicious as he was familiar with the white crane''s deceptive nature.

    His green protective shield thickened several times over as he infused it with additional lightning and cold energy.

    The cold energy transformed Pang Jian''s protective shield into something resembling a solid ice crystal, with streaks of white lightning flickering around it.

    He was fully prepared to defend with all his might.

    <i>Crackle! Crackle! Crackle!</i>

    Lightning bolts burst out of the corpses of the lightning-attribute Vicious Beasts and Spirit Beasts, linking the scattered bodies together.

    The corpses were abruptly transformed into an array capable of concentrating and releasing lightning.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Lightning shattered the protective shields of several disciples from the Celestial Lagoon Sect at the forefront, killing them instantly.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The violent lightning struck the Demon Sect and ck Valley Sect disciples.

    Thosecking powerful protective spirit artifacts with low cultivation realms met their ends the moment the lightning shattered their protective shields.

    <i>Boom! Crackle!</i>

    Streaks of lightning struck Pang Jian''s icy protective shield.

    Pang Jian''s protective shield not only did not shatter but also absorbed a portion of the lightning.

    The lightning vortex in Pang Jian''s spiritual sea started to spin, causing the lightning in his new spirit sword to extend and contract.

    A loud screech echoed and the heavily injured white crane flew toward the surface of theke, surrounded by lightning.

    It expended much effort to p its wings, causing the lightning-gathering array below to continuously draw in lightning.

    The bottom of theke rumbled as lightning shattered more and more protective shields.

    The disciples from the Second World had mistakenly thought themselves to be hunters, only for the white crane to lure them into a trap at the bottom of theke.

    In the blink of an eye, more than half of them were dead.

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    The array formed from the linked corpses of the Vicious and Spirit Beasts continued to rain down terrifying bolts of lightning.

    The lightning vortex within Pang Jian''s spiritual sea allowed him to move freely at the bottom of theke while everyone else was immobilized.

    Ye Fei of the ck Valley Sect and Lu Xiangyi of the Celestial Lagoon Sect were barely holding on, movements sluggish as the lightning battered at their shields.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The white crane broke through the surface of the lightning-filledke.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian chased it down, still encased in his icy protective shield.

    "Luo Yuan, you vile dog from the lower world! How did you not die at the bottom of theke?!" the white crane cursed through its exhaustion.

    The lightning array built from beast corpses had been its trump card.

    It had expected everyone in theke to die or be trapped there once it activated the array, allowing it to escape Cloud Lightning.

    The white crane could not have predicted that a freak like Pang Jian would not only survive the violent lightning but also manage to chase after it.

    ncing around and seeing no one around theke, Pang Jian summoned his Startling ughter Spear.

    "Go!" he cried, controlling his spear to pursue the white crane.

    The white crane was still injured and could not fly very high.

    zing spheres of light flew out from the tip of Pang Jian''s spear to surround the white crane.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The light spheres exploded simultaneously, with the force of zing suns and volcanoes.

    The white crane let out a piercing scream as it fell from the sky once more.

 Chapter 234: The White Cranes Mysterious Master

    <h4>Chapter 234: The White Crane''s Mysterious Master</h4>

    The white crane once again crashed into the grass, wings scorched and riddled with holes.

    Thick smoke rose from its body and its feathers released a pungent smell of sulfur as if soaked in moltenva.

    The white crane tried to stand on its thin, trembling legs and take flight.

    However, its legs were injured and could no longer support its weight.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    It copsed back into the grass.

    "You little wretch! How dare you attack me! I won''t let you off!" The white crane shrieked and cursed spitefully.

    Pang Jian approached atop his spear.

    Seeing the white crane gravely injured and close to death, Pang Jian leaped down from his silver spear, still maintaining his icy protective shield.

    Pang Jian¡¯s left hand reached out from his protective shield to grab the white crane by its long neck.

    He then pped both sides of its slender, feathery face with his right hand, having had enough of its foul mouth.

    Each strikended with a loud smack, sending sparks flying.

    "Dog thief!"

    <i>Whack! Whack!</i>

    "Lowly scum from the lower world!"

    <i>Whack! Whack!</i>

    Every time the white crane dared to utter a word, Pang Jian would swiftly p its beak.

    He hit its beak so hard it became misshapen. Each p stripped away some of the feathers on its face, gradually turning it bare.

    The wicked white crane fell silent after receiving dozens of ps, its beak numb from the beating.

    Pang Jian held the white crane by its neck, forcing its hate-filled eyes to meet his. "When I ask you something, you will answer truthfully. Understood?

    "Now, where did youe from?"

    The exhausted white crane spat a blood arrow at Pang Jian.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The blood arrow hit Pang Jian¡¯s protective shield but failed to prate it.

    Pang Jian¡¯s expression turned cold, and he pped the crane until its neck twisted, leaving it on the brink of death.

    "I¨CIe from the Pure Land Sect of the Western Loam. I''m the Sacred Crane of the Pure Land Sect!" The white crane said desperately. It no longer dared to hurl insults, choosing to re venomously at Pang Jian as it weakly hissed, "The master I serve is the new Saintess of the Pure Land Sect!

    "She is the chosen one, a cultivation genius the likes of which hasn¡¯t appeared in the Fourth World for a thousand years! The day she left the Fourth World, the remains of our avian spiritual guardian, the Celestial Phoenix, shattered, and she was chosen as the heir to its legacy.

    "A naturally formed lightning vortex exists in her spiritual sea, making her perfectly suited for the lightning cultivation method!

    "That ursed ancient Thunder Dragon was an aplice in the attack on the Celestial Phoenix all those years ago, which is why the Celestial Phoenix chose her. The Celestial Phoenix intends to help her ascend to godhood through the Dao of Lightning.

    "The Celestial Phoenix wants her to y the ancient Thunder Dragon and reim the divine path that has been dominated for ten thousand years!

    "The master I serve is under the protection of the Pure Land Sect, which is why her name isn''t widely known yet. But it won''t be long before her fame spreads across the many worlds of the Abyss!"

    "My master..." the white crane trailed off, ring menacingly at Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian listened silently, brows furrowing as he murmured, "A genius from the Fourth World, born with a lightning vortex, and on the day she left the Fourth World, the Celestial Phoenix''s remains shattered..."

    <i>Thump! Thump! Thump!</i>

    Pang Jian¡¯s heart thundered in his chest.

    His grip on the crane¡¯s neck involuntarily tightened as his emotions surged.

    "Ugh! Ugh!" The white crane gasped, unable to formplete words.

    Pang Jian¡¯s breathing grew heavy and his eyes shone with a light that made the crane shudder in fear.

    Staring at the crane with a terrifying expression, he demanded, "What is the name of your master?!"

    Once Pang Jian''s grip on its neck loosened, the white crane choked out a familiar name, "Pang¨CPang Lin!"

    Pang Jian was stunned.

    He tossed the nearly lifeless white crane aside, emotions in turmoil as he gazed up at the sky.

    Clouds swirled overhead, but his gaze seemed to pierce through them to reach the Western Loam in the First World.

    Pang Lin was there!

    "To think¡ªto think..." Pang Jian''s usually stoic and reserved face broke into a wide grin as he gazed at the cloudy sky.

    "Hahaha!" Heughed until his breathing becamebored and tears streamed from his eyes. Hisughter was like a wild beast that had been freed from the chains binding its body and soul.

    "I never expected that she¨Cshe..." Pang Jian babbled incoherently. Even he did not know what he was trying to say.

    The sister he had worried about all this time was not only alive but had be the Saintess of the Pure Land Sect!

    She was the master of this white crane!

    Pang Lin had also be the master of the Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard, which included Dong Tianze!

    The heavy burden deep within his heart lifted. The world seemed brighter. Every de of grass overflowed with newfound beauty.

    "You little wretch, are you scared now?" the white crane boasted, ready to hurl more threats. "I¡¯ll have you know that my master¡ª"

    Pang Jian shifted his attention from the sky to the white crane. A strange smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

    A chill ran down the white crane''s spine and it swallowed the rest of its threats.

    "Are the golden lightning bolts you collected with the withered bone meant as an offering to your master?" Pang Jian asked calmly.

    His sudden change in attitude did nothing to reassure the white crane. Instead, it made the white crane even more suspicious.

    The white crane warily replied, "Brat, you¡¯re just an outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion. You can¡¯t afford to provoke me, much less my master!"

    "Enough nonsense! I asked if you¡¯re offering the golden lightning bolts to your master!" Pang Jian snapped, ring at the white crane.

    "Yes, I am!" The white crane puffed out its chest. "Only my master can decipher and refine the Dao of Lightning within these golden lightning bolts. The ancient Thunder Dragon of the Dragon Lair Sect is destined to be her enemy. That¡¯s why the Celestial Phoenix chose her."

    The crane was about to start singing its master¡¯s praises. "My master¡ª"

    "That''s enough." Pang Jian cut off its rambling before it could even begin.

    He assessed the white crane''s severe injuries with squinting eyes. After a moment''s thought, he pressed his right palm against the most grievous wound on its body.

    The white crane was convinced Pang Jian was about to kill it.

    "You little scoundrel, I¡¯ve answered everything you asked, and you still want to kill me!

    "I knew I wouldn¡¯t escape death, so I¡¯ll curse you to the end!

    "Even if I die, the Pure Land Sect won¡¯t let you off, and my master certainly won¡¯t! I¡¯ll remember you, Luo Yuan of the Sword Pavilion!" it frantically insulted, determined to curse Pang Jian until itsst breath.

    Unlike before, Pang Jian did not p its beak.

    "It¡¯s over. It¡¯s really over. He¡¯s not even hitting me. He''s definitely going to kill me this time." the white cranemented.

    To its surprise, rich life energy flowed from Pang Jian''s palm into its most grievous wound, mending its ruptured meridians.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Life energy spread throughout the white crane¡¯s body and healed its injuries!

    The white crane stared at Pang Jian in bewilderment. Its stream of curses abruptly stopped.

    The white crane¡¯s spirits lifted as its strength was partially restored and it arrogantly remarked, "Heh, brat, you¡¯ve finallye to your senses, haven¡¯t you? You¡¯ve realized you can¡¯t afford to offend the one backing me!

    "It¡¯s not toote. After all, I''m still alive. I''m willing to overlook your earlier offenses.

    "You were ignorant, so you¡¯re not to me. You¡¯ve recognized your mistakes and are willing to correct them, I¡¯ve decided not to hold your earlier pursuit against me."

    The white crane slowly stood up.

    Some of its white feathers had fallen to the ground, but the continued infusion of life energy and the white crane''s own strange abilities meant new feathers were already growing in their ce.

    "Luo Yuan, is it?" The white crane, satisfied with Pang Jian¡¯s actions, nodded haughtily and said in a friendly tone, "You¡¯re not bad, unlike those little brats from the Demon Sect, the ck Valley Sect, and the Celestial Lagoon Sect.

    "I''ll put in a good word for you when I return to the Pure Land Sect and meet my master. If you evere to the Pure Land Sect in the First World In the future, just mention my name and say we were old friends from the lower world.

    "But you mustn¡¯t speak of my master¡¯s name nor mention it to anyone for now! My master¡¯s existence is a great secret of the Pure Land Sect. This is to avoid provoking that ancient Thunder Dragon too soon."

    The white crane was extremely pleased as it watched Pang Jian carefully tending to its wounds.

    When it thought about how it had lured Pang Jian to the Lightning Retribution Grounds and tried to strike him down twice with the surrounding lightning, it could not help but feel a twinge of guilt.

    The five leaves in Pang Jian''s chest withered and came back to life several times. Every time Pang Jian drained their life energy, the little tree would repeatedly replenish them.

    "That should be enough," Pang Jian eventually said, grabbing the crane by its talons and tossing it into the air. "Maybe we¡¯ll meet again, you foul-mouthed creature."

    Pang Jian waved the white crane goodbye.

    The white crane pped its wings and realized it had been healed enough to fly.

    It gave a few more arrogant ps and said haughtily, "Luo Yuan, you''re not bad. If you ever find yourself out of favor with the Sword Pavilion, you cane to the Pure Land Sect and look for me.

    "I carry some weight in the Pure Land Sect as I have my master''s protection."

    It then pped its wings and soared into the sky.

    Pang Jian squinted as he watched it ascend.

    "Pang Lin and that Rank Ten Thunder Dragon in Dragon Lair Sect are destined to sh when she attempts to y the dragon and ascend to godhood. It¡¯s my duty as her brother to help her."

    The ancient Thunder Dragon in the Dragon Lair Sect had be a target for Pang Jian to eliminate.

    Pang Lin could not be a True God as long as the Thunder Dragon lived.

    Therefore, the dragon had to die.

    <i>Crackle! Crackle! Crackle!</i>

    The lightning array in theke weakened once the white crane left.

    Taking onest nce at theke, Pang Jian decided not to get involved with the disciples from the Second World and instead flew off to find Lei Kun.

    An hourter, when Ye Fei, Lu Xiangyi, and other disciples from the Second World finally emerged from theke, they caught sight of a luxurious Cloud Sail, filled with beautiful women, setting sail from Cloud Lightning.

 Chapter 235: Catching a Ride on a Cloud Sail

    <h4>Chapter 235: Catching a Ride on a Cloud Sail</h4>

    ''"That Cloud Sail belongs to that rogue cultivator in the Spirit Condensation Realm," a disciple from the Demon Sect remarked as he watched Lei Kun''s Cloud Sail sail away. "Luo Yuan could leave theke before the rest of us because he cultivates the lightning cultivation method.

    "He was with that rogue cultivator earlier, so they likely left together."

    Discontent was written all over the disciple''s face.

    The disciples from the Demon Sect, the ck Valley Sect, and the Celestial Lagoon Sect had all worked together to chase down the white crane for so long, only for them to suffer heavy losses.

    After all that effort, they had gained nothing, leaving them frustrated and dissatisfied.

    Lu Xiangyi looked at the remaining few disciples and said solemnly, "We entered Cloud Lightning with dozens of people but didn''t find any treasures or fated encounters. Now, almost all of us are dead."

    The others sighed in agreement.

    "If the white crane is dead, Luo Yuan must''ve been the one to kill it," Ye Fei from the ck Valley Sect suddenly said.

    "Ye Fei..." An older outer disciple from the Demon Sect in thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm could not contain his curiosity and asked, "After you lost the Violet Crystal Pagoda, why did you suddenly withdraw and put away the Dragonfish Mirror so quickly? What did you discover?"

    Lu Xiangyi also turned her gaze toward Ye Fei.

    Ye Fei hesitated for a moment before shaking his head and sighed. "I can''t say. I can only tell you that Luo Yuan is not your usual outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion."

    "There''s more..." He paused consideringly before continuing, "Recently, Pang Jian''s notorious reputation has spread throughout the Third World. He killed several Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators in the Primordial Wilderness, shocking even those at the Sword Pavilion.

    "Qi Qingsong recruited Pang Jian for the Sword Pavilion, but he has yet to be officially recorded in their registry.

    "Let me say this frankly¡ªPang Jian can''tpare to Luo Yuan. They''re not even on the same level."

    Ye Fei''s words sent a wave of shock through the crowd.

    Since descending from the Second World on the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat, they had frequently heard Pang Jian''s name. Every cultivator they encountered from the Third World spoke of him.

    He had effortlessly killed several cultivators in the Spirit Condensation Realm with his Profound Abode Realm cultivation.

    The news had been shocking, and they had etched his name in their mind as a rising star destined to shine in the Sword Pavilion and throughout the Second World.

    Unexpectedly, Ye Fei was now asserting that Pang Jian, formidable as he was, still did not measure up to the obscure Luo Yuan. He even imed that they were onpletely different levels.

    "I''m genuinely curious about what you saw with the dragonfish in Luo Yuan''s sea of consciousness," Lu Xiangyi from the Celestial Lagoon Sect said, eyes gleaming with curiosity.

    Ye Fei shook his head with an air of mystery. "I can''t say."

    His odd behavior and cryptic remarks left the surviving disciples from the Second World with asting impression of yet another disciple from the Sword Pavilion, this time named Luo Yuan.

    ***

    High above the vast sea of clouds, Pang Jian turned away from the view of Cloud Lightning and sighed regretfully. "In the end, the white crane still managed to escape."

    "A crane that can speak in a human tongue must be a rare species. Its master must be someone formidable." Lei Kun smiled. "Perhaps not catching up to it was a blessing in disguise."

    The two chatted casually.

    Lei Kun told Pang Jian about his small, secret home in Cloudy Skies City on the Dark Abyss Continent, and mentioned that he was nning to return there for a visit.

    Unbeknownst to the group of women in the rear cabin of the Cloud Sail, his most treasured possessions lived in that little hidden home¡ªhis son, and the woman who had given birth to him.

    Lei Kun roamed the Dark Abyss Continent and the surrounding fragmentednds on his Cloud Sail, apanied by women whose lives he cared little for.

    However, most of his spoils were actually handed over to his son and that woman.

    Lei Kun knew his talent and achievements had their limits, so he focused all his efforts on ensuring his son''s sess.

    <i>It''s only natural for parents to wish for their children to seed and aplish something great, </i>Pang Jian silently reflected.

    Lei Kun then exined that he had obtained an authentic lightning cultivation manual from the original Profound Lightning Pavilion, which could attract profound lightning to temper his soul.

    Fearing he would not survive the process, he had asked the Blood Moon Sect to forge a new body for him.

    Lei Kun was unaware that Pang Jian had actually encountered that body in the Blood Moon Sect''s Formless Sailboat in Divine Fortune City.

    <i>Tempering the soul with profound lightning, </i>Pang Jian mused in slight astonishment.

    As the sky darkened, the two men chatting on the deck eventually fell silent.

    Lei Kun then arranged for Pang Jian to stay in a guest room on the second floor.

    Meanwhile, Lei Kun retired to a cabin on the first floor to enjoy thepany of the women he had brought along.

    The spacious and tidy guest room was filled with the scent of sandalwood.

    Pang Jian knew Lei Kun would not barge in without knocking, so after a moment of contemtion, he confidently took out the materials for the Ghost Altar and set it up.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A piece of paper filled with profane curses appeared.

    <i>Pang Jian, you killed Elder Lou! And you still had the audacity to bring his belongings to me and exchange them for spirit jades?!</i>

    <i>My Sinister Soul Temple will never forgive you, Pang Jian! I won''t ever respond to you again!</i>

    <i>How dare you take me for a fool! The next time we meet, it''ll be a fight to the death!</i>

    The small piece of paper was covered in frantic scrawl, clearly written by a furious Dong Tianze.

    Pang Jian could just imagine Dong Tianze''s face twisted with rage as he wrote the message.

    "Divine Guards are eternally loyal to the heir of the Celestial Phoenix''s legacy, so you must be one of Pang Lin''s protectors," Pang Jian muttered.

    His perspective on Dong Tianze shifted.

    The bloodthirsty, deranged man no longer seemed so iprehensible. In fact, Pang Jian now found him somewhat endearing.

    <i>If this fanatical, unstable character bes the most powerful Divine Guard, forever standing by Pang Lin''s side...</i>

    Pang Jian pulled out a piece of paper, wrote four characters, and then tossed it onto the Ghost Altar.

    Although he did not know when Dong Tianze would respond, he was in no hurry to dismantle the altar.

    He sat quietly next to the altar and reflected on his recent experiences.

    In his time in Cloud Lightning, he had formed a lightning vortex in his spiritual sea, allowing him to break through the bottleneck holding him back.

    If Pang Jian ever encountered another seemingly insurmountable barrier in his cultivation, he now knew he could search for a new energy to help him break through.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian pulled a barrel of blood from a Rank Five Lightning Serpent previously belonging to Jiu Yuan from his spatial bracelet and gulped it down.

    Soon, potent blood essence and thin strands of lightning were flowing through his internal organs.

    He carefully guided the blood essence into his Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint.

    The slender strands of lightning were absorbed using the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art and drawn into his spiritual sea to merge with his lightning vortex.

    Pang Jian''s face took on a contemtive expression.

    <i>I can only start gathering lightning like this after forming the lightning vortex in my spiritual sea. </i>

    <i>Lightning-infused ores and the blood of Vicious Beasts like the Lightning Serpent aren''t enough to create a lightning vortex.</i>

    <i>I''ll need to rely on rare and mysterious phenomena found in nature if I want to gain new types of energy in the future,</i> he noted to himself.

    He then established a connection with the World Eater Vine in Misty Swamp and the ck turtle in the Resolute Expanse.

    Both of them had expended a significant amount of energy during Pang Jian''s prolonged battle with the white crane and had be somewhat weakened as a result.

    The ck turtle had entered a brief period of hibernation, causing the Resolute Expanse to float unmoving within the thick cloud cover.

    The World Eater Vine had also paused its flow of life energy to the Wood Race and halted its own growth.

    <i>You two have worked hard.</i>

    Pang Jian then checked in on the Giant Abyssal Serpent in the Fifth World.

    Fleets of flying vessels crafted from the skeletons of giant beasts departed the Fifth World from where the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir stood and headed straight for the clouds.

    The skeletal behemoths had entirely different designs from the flying vessels of the upper worlds, with eerie demonic mes burning in the areas where the beasts'' skulls and hearts would have been.

    Warriors from the Celestial Race, the Demon Scale Race, the Ghost Race, and the towering one-eyed giants stood atop the skeletal behemoths, gazing anxiously at the sky.

    A thick sea of clouds covered the sky of the Fifth World, not unlike that of the Fourth World. The only difference was that the Fifth World''s sky was pitch ck instead of gray.

    As the fleets of skeletal behemoths entered the clouds bordering the Fifth World and the Fourth World, the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir, with Eight Trigrams City at its peak, radiated with azure light.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Beams of divine light burst forth from the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir.

    These beams seemed imbued with a will that could annihte everything in its path.

    The sky trembled as waves of dazzling divine light rippled outward, and several skeletal behemoths were destroyed with a resounding crash.

    The skeletal behemoths that the divine light struck disintegrated in an instant, with only about a third managing to withstand the impact.

    The surviving foreign race warriors on the remaining skeletal behemoths erupted into cheers of triumph.

    The warriors of the Celestial Race, the Demon Scale Race, the Wood Race, the Ghost Race, and the one-eyed giants watching from the ground all roared in unison, voices a surging flood in the deste wastnd.

    "We did it!"

    "A batch has sessfully ascended to the upper world!"

    "How many years has it been? We finally managed to send some of our people to the upper worlds despite the deadly assault of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir!"

    The warriors of the five great races knelt on the ground, praying to unknown deities as they watched the skeletal behemoths disappear into the clouds.

    They had crafted eighteen skeletal behemoths in total. Twelve of those had been designed to absorb the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir''s attack, each constructed with special spirit materials from the Third World.

    These spirit materials triggered the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir to release its devastating divine light, regardless of whether there were any living beings on board.

    The remaining six skeletal behemoths, which carried the warriors of various races, were forged from incredibly sturdy spirit materials like Gold Obsidian, Sr Essence Stones, and other rarer, sturdier materials forged from refined iron.

    These six skeletal behemoths were also equipped with arrays designed to weaken the power of the divine light, allowing them to withstand its deadly assault.

    "The power of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir has been weakened!" cried the elder of the Wood Race, Mu Yuan.

    She no longer appeared old and frail but had transformed into a woman in a green robe.

    With a surprised expression, she said, "In the past, there would be additional waves of divine light specifically targeting powerful beings, locking onto each strong life form to annihte them. But this time, those divine inscriptions failed to activate."

    "It''s because of the rare spirit materials from the upper worlds!" Yu Xin eximed excitedly. "They aided the powerful magical and demonic artifacts of each race in disrupting the divine inscriptions within the pir!"

 Chapter 236: Rescuing Dong Tianze from Peril

    <h4>Chapter 236: Rescuing Dong Tianze from Peril</h4>

    One cloudy night, Dong Tianze gritted his teeth and retreated into a massive cave in the deste depths of an unnamed fragmentednd in the Third World.

    He fought through the pain, pulling out several spirit jades and regting his breath in an attempt to focus on his meditation.

    Although his spiritual sea was still rtively full, he had a gaping wound on his lower left back, deep enough to reveal bone and oozing an endless stream of blood.

    His opponent''s de had stabbed through his waist when his protective shield shattered.

    Desperate, he had unleashed Spirit Devils with his Ghost''s Cry, giving him enough time to escape.

    Even so, he knew his opponent would surelye looking for him once they dealt with the Spirit Devils.

    After all, his opponent was a Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard like him. They both bore the Celestial Phoenix Imprint on their forehead and could sense each other''s presence in the barren wastnd.

    "A Divine Guard in the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm," Dong Tianze muttered, face pale.

    His expression was aplicated mix of fierce and helpless.

    Dong Tianze had truly hit a brick wall this time.

    Feeling provoked by Pang Jian, Dong Tianze had left the Dark Abyss Continent to hunt down other Celestial Phoenix Divine Guards, deliberately seeking out locations where the remnants of the Celestial Phoenix had fallen.

    His hunt had gone smoothly in the beginning, and he located three Divine Guards with cultivation realms that were either lower or the same as his.

    He had killed all three of them.

    This had allowed him to advance to thete stage of the Innate Realm, and he was now only one step away from advancing to the Profound Abode Realm.

    Dong Tianze had set out in search of a fourth Divine Guard but was unlucky enough to encounter one with cultivation in the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm.

    The treasures the Sinister Soul Temple had bestowed on him had allowed Dong Tianze to hold his ground during their first two battles.

    However, the vast difference between their cultivation realms became apparent once those treasures were damaged and their power depleted, and he soon found himself overwhelmed.

    Dong Tianze had been seriously injured in theirst battle.

    <i>The Ethereal Ghost Token allows me tomunicate with the Sinister Soul Temple, but it''s unlikely they could help in time.</i> He frowned in thought. <i>I need a pill rich in blood essence to heal my body''s severe injuries, but I''ve already used up the ones I have.</i>

    As he mulled over his next move, he abruptly recalled the Ghost Altar.

    He clung to a desperate hope, gritting his teeth through the pain and setting up the enormous Ghost Altar.

    Dong Tianze nned to ask Pang Jian if he had any pills that could heal serious injuries and was willing to use spirit jades to trade if necessary.

    As soon as the Ghost Altar was set up, a slip of paper appeared before him.

    <i>How have you been?</i>

    His face twitched and he wrote two words beneath the message before tossing it back.

    Pang Jian had been observing the ascension of the foreign races through the Giant Abyssal Serpent when he noticed a faint glow from the Ghost Altar.

    A piece of paper flew out.

    Dong Tianze had written two words beneath Pang Jian''s question.

    <i>Not good.</i>

    Pang Jian''s expression became weird.

    He cut off his connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent and went to the Ghost Alter, adding a few missing gs around its edge to restore its full functions.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Dong Tianze appeared in the center of the Ghost Altar.

    His face was pale and blood seeped from his waist.

    "Pang Jian!" Dong Tianze forgot his purpose for contacting Pang Jian the moment heid eyes on him and could not help himself from yelling. "You killed Elder Lou and you¡ª"

    "Shh!" Pang Jian raised his finger to his lips and gestured for Dong Tianze to lower his voice. "Keep your voice down. I''m in a guest room aboard a Cloud Sail. Other people will hear you if you keep yelling."

    Dong Tianze gritted his teeth and cursed in a low voice, "How dare you take Elder Lou''s belongings and trade them with me? Pang Jian, you''re tantly disrespecting the Sinister Soul Temple. We won''t let you off!"

    Pang Jian ignored Dong Tianze''s whispered rebuke and asked, "Who injured you?"

    "A rogue cultivator in the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm. They''re also a Divine Guard," Dong Tianze coldly replied. "I haven''t reached the Profound Abode Realm yet, so I suffered some losses while hunting him."

    Pang Jian raised an eyebrow. "You''ve got guts."

    "Not as much as you, daring to kill the likes of Jiu Yuan and Liang Ying!" Dong Tianze retorted coldly.

    He had found himself in this predicament because of Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian''s feats of killing several Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators while still in the Profound Abode Realm had clouded Dong Tianze''s judgment, influencing him into thinking that cultivators in a higher cultivation realm were not necessarily that fearsome.

    If Pang Jian could defeat Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators while in the Profound Abode Realm, then surely Dong Tianze could also take down a middle-stage Profound Abode Realm cultivator while still in thete stage of the Innate Realm.

    Unfortunately, reality was far from what he had envisioned.

    The more he thought about his situation, the angrier Dong Tianze became.

    In his mind, Pang Jian was partly to me, and he could not help but find everything about Pang Jian annoying.

    Despite that, he had no choice but to swallow his anger as he mentally prepared himself to ask Pang Jian if he had any pills that could rapidly heal his injuries.

    But before he could even open his mouth, Pang Jian voluntarily asked, "How can I help you?"

    "I have quite a few spirit jades, but I don¡¯t have any pills to heal serious physical injuries." Dong Tianze rambled, "The Sinister Soul Temple focuses on soul cultivation and quick advancement in cultivation realms, unlike sects like the Blood Moon Sect that also emphasize body tempering, so...

    "I want to buy some pills to restore blood essence. You should have some after killing Jiu Yuan."

    "I''ll give them to you," Pang Jian said without hesitation.

    Dong Tianze eyed Pang Jian suspiciously.

    Taking out a Blood Enhancing Pill, Pang Jian infused it with a surge of potent life energy, ced it on the depression on the Ghost Altar, and sent it over before Dong Tianze could even take out any spirit jades.

    The pill appeared on the Ghost Altar before Dong Tianze.

    "This¡ª" Dong Tianze''s pale face morphed into an expression of utter disbelief. "Pang Jian, when you took it out, it was clearly dark red. Why is it green now? Did you just poison it?

    "You bastard! I agreed to trade with you multiple times, and I didn''t even hold you ountable for those times you messed with me! Now, when I need help the most, you¡¯re trying to stab me in the back with a poisoned pill!"

    "Pang Jian! You deserve to die a miserable death!" Dong Tianze cursed between gasping breaths.

    Pang Jian''s face darkened. He had the sudden urge to rush over to where Dong Tianze was and p him a few times.

    <i>My good intentions are being taken for malice!</i>

    <i>That Blood Enhancing Pill has been enhanced with rare life energy, significantly boosting its healing properties!</i>

    <i>I can overlook Dong Tianze not appreciating the gesture, but to use me of poisoning?</i>

    Pang Jian desperately reminded himself that Dong Tianze could one day be a powerful ally for his sister and stomped down his rising anger.

    Taking a deep breath to calm himself down, he exined, "The pill turned green because it was stored in the bottle for too long. Trust me, there''s nothing wrong with it. Your wounds should heal significantly if you take it."

    "Trust you? Never!" Dong Tianze roared, crushing the pill. "You didn¡¯t even ask for a huge amount of spirit jades or take advantage of the situation. This is definitely a poisoned pill!

    "Pang Jian, do you think I don¡¯t know how vicious and greedy you are? There''s no way you''d just give me a genuine pill for free!"

    Dong Tianze rose to dismantle the Ghost Altar, seething with animosity toward Pang Jian.

    He swore that he would stop at nothing to kill Pang Jian if he made it through this ordeal.

    The thought of Pang Jian sending a poisoned pill when Dong Tianze needed help the most made him despise Pang Jian to his core.

    Pang Jian gritted his teeth through the frustration of being falsely used and held back his impulse to tear Dong Tianze apart.

    "Take a closer look," he said calmly. "The green energy within the pill is¡ª"

    "In your dreams!"

    A surge of fear gripped Dong Tianze''s heart.

    He started to regret crushing the pill and feared the green energy would corrode his flesh if it touched his skin.

    A fierce glint appeared in his eyes and he contemted severing his hand to halt the spread of the poison.

    At that moment, the life energy within the pill fragments started to seep into his skin and flowed toward the wound on his waist.

    Dong Tianze fell into silence as he quietly sensed the changes in his body.

    Then, without hesitation, he swallowed the remnants of the pill on his hand. He even gathered the remaining fragments that had fallen onto the Ghost Altar¡ªdisregarding the dust and dirt¡ªand consumed those too.

    "I¡¯ll give you another one." Pang Jian ced a new Blood Enhancing Pill on the Ghost Altar.

    Dong Tianze spat out the grains of sand in his mouth.

    "You should have said there was more!"

    He grabbed the new Blood Enhancing Pill and swallowed it down.

    As the severe wound on the back of his waist healed, his expression only grew more and moreplicated.

    "Pang¡ª"

    Dong Tianze wanted to apologize but could not force the words of apology out.

    He tried again.

    "Pang¡ª"

    His face turned red from the effort.

    "It''s alright, there''s no need for such formalities between us," Pang Jian said with a magnanimous wave of his hand.

    <i>One is in the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm while the other is in thete stage of the Innate Realm. Although they''re both Celestial Phoenix Divine Guards, Dong Tianze has greater potential.</i>

    <i>Let''s see, the Sinister Soul Temple specializes in controlling souls. In that case...</i>

    "Wait here for a moment!" Pang Jian said before disappearing from the Ghost Altar.

    On the Ghost Altar, Dong Tianze was stunned.

    "There''s no need for such formalities? When did we be so close?" Dong Tianze wondered aloud.

    Still feeling slightly suspicious, he took the opportunity to assess his injury.

    His confusion only deepened when he realized it was indeed healing without issue.

    Dong Tianze racked his brain, trying to understand why the usually sinister, greedy, and cunning Pang Jian would offer him help for free.

    At that moment, Pang Jian returned.

    "Cao Mang''s ck Iron Mountain is filled with powerful beast souls. I''m lending it to you to defeat your opponent," he said, cing a pitch-ck mountain in front of the Ghost Altar and activating the teleportation array.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Cao Mang''s colossal spirit artifact appeared before the stunned Dong Tianze.

    "I wish you luck. Hurry up and kill that middle-stage Profound Abode Realm Divine Guard so you can advance to the Profound Abode Realm."

    With that, Pang Jian disappeared once again.

    "Pang Jian..." Dong Tianze stood in the center of the Ghost Altar and stared at Cao Mang''s ck Iron Mountain with dazed eyes.

 Chapter 237: Lei Kuns Aspirations for his Son

    <h4>Chapter 237: Lei Kun''s Aspirations for his Son</h4>

    Lei Kun''s Cloud Sail drifted tirelessly through the sea of clouds as it made its way toward the Dark Abyss Continent.

    The journey was long and arduous, but Pang Jian had settled infortably.

    Lei Kun would asionally call him out to the deck, where they would drink together under the setting sun or the starry night sky.

    For the most part, however, Pang Jian stayed in his cabin and concentrated on his cultivation.

    He focused his mind and attempted to simultaneously control as many strands of his divine sense as possible.

    ording to the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, the peak of the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm was hallmarked by the skillful control of every single strand of one''s divine sense.

    At the moment, Pang Jian could only control about a dozen strands at once.

    The feeling of Ye Fei''s dragonfish invading his sea of consciousness was vividly etched into his memory.

    Back then, Pang Jian could only control the few strands closest to the dragonfish to evade their attacks instead of manipting all his strands of divine sense at once.

    Once he could fully control all his strands of divine sense, he could cultivate soul techniques revolving around his divine sense, allowing it to undergo intricate transformations.

    He could then easily intercept external spiritual entities invading his sea of consciousness.

    With this goal in mind, Pang Jian spent most of his days on Lei Kun''s Cloud Sail honing his control over his divine sense.

    Whenever he cultivated for too long and felt mentally exhausted, he would take a few Mind Soothing Pills to recuperate. Soon, the amount of divine sense Pang Jian could control increased to thirty strands.

    One day, the Ghost Altar beside Pang Jian flickered and a piece of paper flew out.

    The paper bore a familiar handwriting.

    <i>Pang Jian, I''ve killed that middle-stage Profound Abode Realm Divine Guard. I also broke through to the Profound Abode Realm and have started condensing my divine sense!</i>

    Pang Jian smiled. He quickly penned a response beneath the message and sent it back.

    <i>Congrattions. Remember to return my ck Iron Mountain.</i>

    Not long after, a new piece of paper appeared.

    <i>This spirit artifact is quite handy. I''ll return itter. I learned from my fallen opponent that there''s another, stronger Divine Guard nearby. I don''t stand a chance of winning without Old Monster Cao''s ck Iron Mountain.</i>

    Although they were exchanging messages in real-time, Dong Tianze did not activate his Ghost Altar and instead opted tomunicate through papers. It seemed he was not yet ready to properly face Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian frowned.

    <i>Are you nning to steal my ck Iron Mountain?</i>

    Dong Tianze''s response was quick and dismissive.

    <i>It''s not stealing; it''s borrowing! I need to refine my divine sense further, so I don''t have time to argue with you. I''ll talk to youter.</i>

    Pang Jian snorted and thought, <i>This guy''s be rather shameless. He actually dares to hold onto my ck Iron Mountain without returning it.</i>

    Even so, he decided not to pursue the matter further as Dong Tianze would one day be a powerful ally for Pang Lin.

    Pang Lin was the heir of the Celestial Phoenix''s legacy and was destined to sh with the old Thunder Dragon of the Dragon Lair Sect, so Pang Jian wanted to give her the best odds possible.

    Pang Jian willingly offered his help because he believed Dong Tianze would be a valuable asset to Pang Lin in the future.

    The sky glowed gold with the evening sun.

    Lei Kun took out a table and chairs from his spatial bracelet and set them up on the deck. He thenid out some braised meat and cooked dishes on the table.

    "Luo Yuan,e out and have a drink with me," he called loudly. After taking out two porcin jars of white wine, he noticed Pang Jian still had note out and shouted, ¡°You''re not going to master your divine sense overnight. Come out and eat something."

    "I''ming." Pang Jian pushed open the door.

    "You could just jump out of the window. Why bother walking all the way here?" Lei Kun asked curiously.

    "Jumping out of the window would be too disrespectful. I''d rather take a few extra steps since I''m riding on Senior Lei''s Cloud Sail," Pang Jian lied.

    The truth was, he was toozy to constantly take apart and set up the Ghost Altar, and leaving the window open risked exposing it to others.

    Lei Kun chuckled. "Haha, I don''t care about those kinds of rules."

    Tearing open the seal on the wine jar, he poured it into tworge drinking bowls.

    "Old Lei, we want to drink too!"

    "Master, let us out to drink with Brother Luo!"

    "Tiger Lei, you only know how to enjoy yourself. You don''t care about us at all!"

    The discontent voices of beautiful women could be heard from an open window on the first-floor cabin.

    ¡°What business do women have at the table? I¡¯m not starving you. Just eat something in the room,¡± Lei Kun scolded yfully.

    As soon as Pang Jian sat down, Lei Kun raised his bowl and took a drink before settling down to share some news.

    "Luo Yuan, while you were cultivating in your room, I visited an old friend on a fragmentednd.

    "Strange events have been urring in the restricted areas and spiritualnds across the various worlds. I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on, but even some ancient sacred sites in the First World have begun disying terrifying anomalies."

    Pang Jian was familiar with Lei Kun''s temperament and would asionally tter him to encourage his enthusiastic sharing.

    Unfortunately, what Lei Kun knew was limited, and he could not detail the specifics of these strange events.

    From what he gathered, the upward spread of murky energy from the Fifth World to the Fourth World had triggered major changes throughout the Abyss. This caused unusual phenomena in many restricted areas and spiritualnds in the First and Second Worlds.

    The regions near the boundary wall and bizarre mist experienced abnormalities more frequently, and the major sects of the upper worlds were overwhelmed with addressing them.

    "Anomalies are appearing more and more frequently...it seems the Abyss itself is changing," Pang Jian muttered with a frown.

    He instinctively recalled the fearsome being he had seen through the void rift in Cloud Lightning.

    "I heard it''s due to issues with the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs," Lei Kun continued. "The Celestial Phoenix could have repaired it, but the True Gods of the First World and the old Thunder Dragon have already killed it.

    "Now that it''s dead, there''s no one left who can fix the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs. Even if we kill the Vicious Beasts and invading foreign races pouring into the Fourth World, more will keeping, and the problem will never truly be solved."

    Pang Jian was taken aback.

    After pondering for a while, he asked, "Is it possible for the heir of the Celestial Phoenix''s legacy to repair the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs?"

    "Perhaps."

    A strange light flickered in Pang Jian''s eyes.

    ording to the white crane, the naturally existing lightning vortex in Pang Lin''s spiritual sea was the reason the Celestial Phoenix''s skeletal remains shattered when she left the Fourth World.

    Afterward, the sacred bone of the Celestial Phoenix pursued her and bestowed a mysterious inheritance upon her.

    Pang Lin would need to reach an extremely high cultivation realm if she were to repair the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs in the future.

    She could even be required to achieve godhood!

    <i>The fallen Celestial Phoenix harbors an intense hatred for the Thunder Dragon. Did it choose Pang Lin because she was the ideal candidate to defeat the old Thunder Dragon?</i>

    <i>If Pang Lin fails to be a True God, she may not be able to descend to the Fifth World and repair the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs, even with the Celestial Phoenix''s inheritance.</i>

    <i>Anyone who seeks to ascend to godhood through the Dao of Lightning in the Abyss must first kill the old Thunder Dragon.</i>

    <i>Does that mean that powerful figures of the First World would be forced to protect Pang Lin to ensure the sessful repair of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs? Wouldn''t they have to prevent the old Thunder Dragon from killing her?</i>

    <i>The Celestial Phoenix''s ns are truly meticulous if that''s true.</i>

    <i>Perhaps the changes to the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs are the Celestial Phoenix''s way of getting retribution after dying at the hands of the Thunder Dragon and the human race.</i>

    <i>No wonder the Pure Land Sect hasn''t announced Pang Lin''s existence. They probably don''t want to prematurely provoke the Dragon Lair Sect,</i> Pang Jian mused.

    "Ahem, Luo Yuan..." Lei Kun suddenly lowered his voice, sounding a bit embarrassed. "We''ll reach the Dark Abyss Continent in about ten days, and I have a small favor to ask."

    "Please, Senior Lei, feel free to ask!" Pang Jian responded solemnly. He had a favorable impression of the prideful rogue cultivator.

    "My son...he''s in his early teens and his cultivation is at the Meridian Opening Realm. I''d like to send him to one of the upper-world sects for cultivation once he cleanses his marrow.

    "When that timees, could you put in a good word for him?" Lei Kun''s face darkened as he sighed. "In Cloud Lightning, the disciples from the Demon Sect, the ck Valley Sect, and the Celestial Lagoon Sect kept attacking me just because I¡¯m a rogue cultivator.

    "My cultivation is higher than theirs, but I was still too afraid to fight back.

    "I don''t want my son to end up like me, a sect-less, drifting rogue cultivator who is constantly being bullied by others.

    "Luo Yuan, I promise I''ll train him well over the next few years. I know the Sword Pavilion has limited slots for outer disciples each year, so I hope..." Lei Kun trailed off, voice pleading.

    "As long as the talent of Senior''s son isn''t toocking, I''ll do my best to help him secure a spot as an outer disciple," Pang Jian solemnly reassured.

    <i>Even if I don''t have much influence, I can always rely on Qi Qingsong.</i>

    Despite Jiu Yuan''s attempt to kill him, Lei Kun had not turned against him in the Primordial Wilderness.

    He had even gifted him a spirit sword in Cloud Lightning and allowed Pang Jian to hitch a free ride on his Cloud Sail.

    Thus, Pang Jian would do what he could to lend Lei Kun a hand.

    ¡°Luo Yuan, let me, Old Lei, raise a jar in your honor!¡± Lei Kun cheered, face flushed with excitement as he took out another jar of wine and drank in celebration.

    ***

    Half a monthter, Lei Kun''s Cloud Sail finally reached the Dark Abyss Continent and hovered over Saddle Ridge Mountain.

    "Luo Yuan, this is a rest stop," Lei Kun informed. Standing at the front of the descending ship, he nced downward and saw a makeshift town filled with cultivators from the lower world. "Huh, it seems many ns from the lower world have settled on the barren Saddle Ridge Mountains.

    "Luo Yuan, unlike other rogue cultivators, I don''t need to stop here. I have an estate in Cloudy Skies City. I''m friends with the city lord there. You''re wee to visit Cloudy Skies City with me."

    Lowering his voice, he whispered, "My son, and the woman who bore him, both live in Cloudy Skies City."

    He then nced toward his room.

    "A bunch of useless women. They''ve been traveling with me through the Third World for years, but none have given me another child. It''s not like I can''t afford to raise more kids, damn it!"

    In his heart, the woman who gave him a child was the only one he had to take seriously.

    <i>Ding!</i>

    The sword token hanging at Pang Jian''s waist made a sound.

    As he took hold of the token, Pang Jian cleared his throat, and Lei Kun, sensing the need for privacy, tactfully stepped back.

    "Pang Jian, where are you right now?"

    It was not Qi Qingsong!

    An oddly familiar female voice came through the token, but Pang Jian could not figure out where he had heard it before.

    Caught off guard, Pang Jian hesitated before asking tentatively, "Who is this?"

    "You ate my food and drank my wine in Eight Trigrams City, and now you''ve forgotten me?" demanded the voice,ced with barely suppressed anger.

    Pang Jian''s scalp tingled with shock.

 Chapter 238: The Dark Abyss Continent

    <h4>Chapter 238: The Dark Abyss Continent</h4>

    The voice belonged to none other than Li Yuqing!

    Pang Jian''s eyes were filled with bitterness as he felt the sword token in his hand grow heavier.

    The image of the giant silver sword hovering behind the young girl in a crumbling Divine Fortune shed across his mind.

    Divine Fortune would have ceased to exist if she had truly shed down with that sword.

    Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators such as Jiu Yuan, Luo Yunming, and Cao Mang were nothingpared to this incredibly powerful girl.

    She was the strongest human cultivator Pang Jian had ever met.

    "Why aren''t you saying anything? Feeling guilty, are you?" Li Yuqing''s cold voice came through the sword token. "A World Eater Vine capable of destroying an entire world was born on Divine Fortune. I intended to cut it down once and for all, but it imed to be yours."

    Pang Jian''s worries hade true after all. Sighing inwardly, he exined with a pained expression, "It''s like this¡ª"

    "I''ll wait for you to exin to me in person!" Li Yuqing snorted before asking, "Where are you?"

    "Saddle Ridge Mountain in the Dark Abyss Continent. I just arrived." Pang Jian obediently replied.

    "Saddle Ridge Mountain..." Li Yuqing went silent for a moment before saying, "Come to a restricted area named Spirit Offering to find me. Don''t contact me before you arrive.

    "Also, refrain from using your identity as Pang Jian for the time being. Qi Qingsong has been summoned back to the Sword Pavilion, and they''re conducting a thorough investigation of your background.

    "Don''t reveal your identity while on the Dark Abyss Continent until the Sword Pavilion makes a decision. Do you understand?"

    "I understand."

    "Good. Take care of yourself." With that, Li Yuqing cut the connection.

    Pang Jian had intended to inquire about Luo Hongyan''s whereabouts when the sword token turned unresponsive, and he could only reluctantly put the sword token back into his spatial bracelet.

    He was well aware that it was best not to expose his identity at this time.

    The Blood Moon Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the Sinister Soul Temple were located on the Dark Abyss Continent and he had killed Spirit Condensation Realm elders from each of these sects.

    They would undoubtedlye after him if they learned he had set foot on the Dark Abyss Continent.

    The Sword Pavilion had likely summoned Qi Qingsong back to investigate not only Pang Jian''s background but also to decide whether to take him in as a disciple and disregard three major sects of the Third World in the process.

    Once the Sword Pavilion confirmed his background, they would probably reach out to him, but that would take time.

    "Senior Lei." Pang Jian raised his head to look at Lei Kun and said in an apologetic tone, "My Senior Brother Qi has summoned me to Spirit Offering, so I must bid you farewell."

    "Spirit Offering!" Lei Kun eximed with a frown. "That mysterious restricted area lies between the three major sects. Luo Yuan, there''ve been a lot of unusual phenomena in Spirit Offering recently. You must be careful on this journey."

    A thought crossed Pang Jian''s mind. "Senior Lei, how much do you know about the restricted area, Spirit Offering?"

    "I was born and raised on the Dark Abyss Continent, so I know a bit about that famous restricted area," Lei Kun began. "When I was young, an older rogue cultivator once took me to explore it."

    Lei Kun sighed deeply, expression grave. ¡°The two Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators leading that expedition perished. One was even in the middle stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm.

    "Back then, I was only in the Innate Realm, and I only survived because of that elder. I was essentially one of his subordinates.¡±

    Pang Jian''s expression turned serious.

    "Spirit Offering has always been fraught with danger. The Blood Moon Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the Sinister Soul Temple always send several Spirit Condensation Realm elders to lead their expeditions there.

    "I heard that there''ve been more anomalies there than usualtely. It''s attracted the attention of many powerful factions. Even strong individuals from the Second World have descended to investigate."

    He stroked his chin and said with an air of mystery, "The elder I once followed told me that Spirit Offering is special because the foreign racesmunicated with deities there in ancient times.

    "Back then, our human race had not yet gained prominence, and other races ruled the Abyss.

    "Many powerful foreign races were said to have secret techniques and dark arts that allowed them tomunicate with deities of unknown origin.

    "They needed special rituals and altars to do this, which had to be done in special locations. Spirit Offering was one such ce suitable for them to establish contact with deities.

    "Once the human race became the masters of the Abyss, those foreign races were either exterminated or driven to the Fifth World, and Spirit Offering was deemed a restricted area.

    "Nowadays, only cultivators practicing dark arts dare to operate within Spirit Offering. The Blood Moon Sect and the Star River Alliance asionally join forces to conduct purges, preventing those heretical cultivators from growing too powerful.

    "Luo Yuan, Spirit Offering and Cloudy Skies City are on different routes, so I won''t be apanying you. There are many Cloud Sails below. I''ll help you find one heading there."

    Pang Jian shook his head and declined, "I''ll go on my own. There''s no need to trouble you, Senior Lei. I don''t want to reveal my identity as a disciple of the Sword Pavilion while on the Dark Abyss Continent.

    "You''re a renowned cultivator in the Third World. It would draw too much attention if you escorted me."

    After a moment of thought, he added, "Senior Lei, when you take your son to the Sword Pavilion in the future, you can mention my Senior Brother, Qi Qingsong, as well as...Pang Jian."

    "Pang Jian?" Lei Kun was surprised.

    "Yes. I''m close with Senior Brother Qi. Since he''s also on good terms with Pang Jian, we''ll naturally be friends once Pang Jian goes to the Sword Pavilion."

    Pang Jian sincerely wanted to help Lei Kun, but he was unsure how long he would or could maintain his identity as Luo Yuan.

    The name Luo Yuan would mean nothing when Lei Kun took his son to the Sword Pavilion, so Pang Jian gave both Qi Qingsong''s and his real name instead.

    "In that case, thank you very much!" Lei Kun gratefully cupped his hands.

    The two then parted ways.

    Half a dayter, Pang Jian was on a Cloud Sail bound for Spirit Offering.

    He had maintained his sallowplexion and concealed his identity to blend in with the other rogue cultivators.

    "What a coincidence." Wang Ying, the owner of the Cloud Sail, chuckled and clicked her tongue in surprise. "I heard all the rogue cultivators in Cloud Lightning died except for Qin Le. I didn''t expect you to survive too."

    She had been active in the Dark Abyss Continenttely and had heard about the events in Cloud Lightning.

    A wicked white crane had apparently ughtered the disciples of the Demon Sect, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, and the ck Valley Sect, along with many rogue cultivators.

    She thought only Qin Le had survived among those she had ferried to Cloud Lightning, and the rest had perished.

    Unexpectedly, she ended up meeting Pang Jian again at Saddle Ridge Mountain.

    "I left early and didn¡¯t encounter the white crane," Pang Jian replied casually.

    "Knowing when to retreat is the best survival instinct one can have," a horse-faced rogue cultivator agreed seriously. "Being able to resist temptation and decisively retreat is admirable. Especially when facing the disciples from the Second World and the deadly lightning of Cloud Lightning.

    "Brother, I respect your decision. I would''ve made the same choice as well." The rogue cultivator cupped his hands in a friendly manner and introduced, "I''m Wang Yun."

    "Gao Song." Pang Jianbined parts of Gao Yuan''s and Qi Qingsong''s names to create a new name on the spot.

    He was worried the name Luo Yuan and his reputation for chasing lightning would have already spread in the Dark Abyss Continent.

    Sure enough, he was right.

    "Brother, did you encounter The Lightning Chaser, Luo Yuan, in Cloud Lightning?" Wang Yun asked, leaning in curiously. "I heard he''s an outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion.

    "The disciples from the Second World suspect Luo Yuan killed the wicked white crane and took its spatial bracelet.

    "What is Luo Yuan¡¯s cultivation realm? He must be quite formidable to single-handedly kill that tough white crane and snatch its spatial bracelet from the disciples of the Demon Sect, the ck Valley Sect, and the Celestial Lagoon Sect," Wang Yungmented.

    The other rogue cultivators around them also expressed their own opinions on the subject.

    "The disciples of the Sword Pavilion have really been in the spotlighttely! First Pang Jian, now Luo Yuan. I bet many young talents from the Second World will want to try their luck when the Sword Pavilion opens their recruitment period next year."

    "Pang Jian and Luo Yuan are only famous in the Third World, which isn¡¯t that significant to a sect in the Second World."

    "To truly prove their excellence, they''ll need to shine in the Second World, where they must surpass the top inner disciples of the ck Valley Sect, the Demon Sect, and the Celestial Lagoon Sect."

    "Indeed, the few inner disciples from the Second World sects in Cloud Lightning such as Lu Xiangyi and Ye Fei aren''t that outstanding."

    "Killing that white crane doesn¡¯t prove much."

    Some marveled while others remained skeptical.

    Pang Jian, on the other hand, remained silent. No matter how Wang Yun questioned him, he only shook his head and said he did not know.

    Pang Jian nced at the sky.

    <i>Lu Xiangyi and Ye Fei are inner disciples but aren''t among the outstanding few. </i>

    He then wondered about the ancient Spirit Offering and the deities the foreign racesmunicated with.

    <i>Where did theye from?</i>

    When he sat on the cold altar beneath Ice Rock Ind, he experienced the sensation of being in a dark, icy void. It had been as though he was in an entirely different world from the Abyss.

    That alternate world seemed to be where the Ice Demon resided.

    <i>Could the deities that the foreign racesmunicated with in Spirit Offering alsoe from these alternate worlds?</i>

    Pang Jian was filled with questions.

    ***

    Wang Ying''s Cloud Sail drifted high above the Dark Abyss Continent.

    Although the Cloud Sail¡¯s destination was Spirit Offering, it still passed by many cities and towns along the way, where Wang Ying would stop to allow passengers to disembark or board.

    When passing by those massive cities, Wang Ying would often pilot the Cloud Sail around them rather than flying directly overhead.

    Flying vessels such as Formless Sailboats, Divine Spirit Pagodas, and Gilded Chariots, belonging to the three major sects on the Dark Abyss Continent, wouldpletely disregard the feelings of those below and arrogantly soar over the cities.

    "Sects truly do stand above the noble families," Pang Jian murmured with mixed emotions as he watched a Formless Sailboat from the Blood Moon Sect fly over a magnificent city.

 Chapter 239: The World Tree

    <h4>Chapter 239: The World Tree</h4>

    "Of course, the noble families are justpdogs of the major sects. They wouldn''t dare bark at their masters," Wang Yun, the rogue cultivator, sneered mockingly from the side.

    Pang Jian did not respond.

    Most of the passengers on Wang Ying''s Cloud Sail were not new to the Dark Abyss Continent, so they were not particrly curious about it.

    They sat on the deck, either silently meditating or whispering among themselves.

    Unlike the others, Pang Jian often stood at the edge of the Cloud Sail, gazing at the far away vastndscape or taking in the majestic cities as they passed. After all, he was not from the Third World.

    Pang Jian''s indifferent expression did not urately portray his excitement at seeing a real,plete continent for the first time.

    It had only been a little over two years since the Ning n broke the fence of his house and forced him to guide them through the Solitary Mountain Range.

    Two years ago, he had been gazing at the sky from his family courtyard and fantasizing about the scenery above.

    The Cosmic Skies and the Dark Abyss, the two legendary continents in the Third World, had been nothing more than a distant, unattainable dream for him.

    He could never have imagined that he would find himself standing in the upper worlds he had only dreamed of as a child.

    Now, he was a middle-stage Profound Abode Realm cultivator with limitless potential.

    If all went well, the Sword Pavilion in the Second World would soon officially recognize him as one of their disciples.

    It all felt like a dream.

    Pang Jian was filled with emotion.

    He took a deep breath and looked back at the towering cities the Cloud Sail had flown past.

    The Dark Abyss Continent was truly enormous. Even dozens of Divine Fortunesbined would not match its size.

    The massive Dark Abyss Continent was home to many famous mountains and rivers, with dozens of human-built cities scattered like stars across thend.

    Noble families allied with the Blood Moon Sect and the Star River Alliance ruled these cities.

    The spiritual qi of heaven and earth was more concentrated in the cities, allowing both cultivators and non-cultivators living there to experience its wondrous effects.

    Even non-cultivators could live to a hundred years old if they resided in these cities.

    Cultivators in the Meridian Opening and Marrow Cleansing Realms could live up to two hundred years, and those with higher cultivation realms enjoyed even longer lifespans.

    It was no wonder that those in the Fourth World longed toe toplete continents like the Cosmic Skies and Dark Abyss Continent.

    One day, Pang Jian sat quietly in a corner of the deck, refining his control over his divine senses.

    At the moment, he could freely manipte fifty strands of his divine senses at once.

    With a single thought, he could gather these fifty strands of divine sense in one spot or disperse them across the corners of his sea of consciousness.

    But that was his limit.

    He could only control about two-fifths of his one hundred and twenty-eight strands of divine sense. Once he had control over all one hundred and twenty-eight strands, he would be ready to advance to thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm.

    In the middle of refining his control over his divine senses, Pang Jian suddenly sensed a call for help from the little tree in Misty Swamp.

    Thest time the little tree had sought help, Li Yuqing intended to destroy Divine Fortune, leaving the little tree with no choice but to seek aid from its master.

    This was the second time the little tree had ever called for Pang Jian''s help and he did not dare take it lightly.

    Pang Jian established a connection.

    "Hmm?!" The little tree instantly drained the divine sense in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness dry.

    The finger-thick strands of divine sense shrunk as the mental energy within was rapidly siphoned away.

    Pang Jian stifled a grunt as he turned his attention to the situation in Divine Fortune and tried to figure out what was happening.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Thick branches filled Pang Jian''s sight.

    These thick branches, glowing with green divine light and as thick as dragons, shot out from the edges of Divine Fortune.

    Dozens of these thick, glowing branches extended toward the distant sea of clouds.

    Pang Jian was shocked.

    Deep underground in Divine Fortune, a small mountain of tangled roots from the World Eater Vine radiated incredibly dense life energy.

    All the vegetation in Divine Fortune was channeling their energy to the roots of the World Eater Vine.

    Clusters of green light were concentrated along the World Eater Vine''s roots.

    Above ground, members of the Wood Race sat quietly beneath its canopy. They reverently held its drooping leaves and branches, faces alight with excitement and joy.

    The World Eater Vine was gathering energy from the strange flowers and nts it had nurtured within Divine Fortune. It also gathered the members of the Wood Race in one ce.

    It was about to annex another fragmentednd!

    The thick, glowing branches could grow and extend outward indefinitely, allowing it to reach another fragmentednd and merge it with Divine Fortune.

    The World Eater Vine had gathered all the life energy it could muster from the surrounding vegetation to achieve this.

    The problem was mental energy.

    <i>I understand!</i>

    Pang Jian unhesitatingly allowed the World Eater Vine to draw upon the unique energy within his sea of consciousness.

    If not for the selfless help of the World Eater Vine and the ck turtle, the white crane''s lightning would have long struck Pang Jian down in Cloud Lightning.

    He, the little tree, and the ck turtle in the Resolute Expanse shared a bond of mutual prosperity and decline¡ªno matter how much energy he had to give, it was worth it.

    Half an hourter, dozens of thick, dragon-like branches had extended hundreds of miles through the sea of clouds in the Fourth World.

    Some of the strange flowers and nts in Misty Swamp started to wither and Pang Jian¡¯s one hundred and twenty-eight strands of divine sense had be hair-thin.

    The little tree hadpletely drained his mental energy.

    But it still demanded more.

    Pang Jian, now groggy and on the verge of copse, knew the little tree was at a critical moment. Forcing himself to stay awake, he reached into his spatial bracelet for a Mind Soothing Pill, only to realize he had run out.

    <i>I''ll just have to use Soul Nourishing Pills!</i>

    Although a Soul Nourishing Pill was worth ten Mind Soothing Pills, Pang Jian did not hesitate to take one out and swallow it.

    A distinct wave of soul essence spread out as the pill took effect. Pang Jian actively guided it straight into his sea of consciousness.

    Pang Jian''s dried-up strands of divine sense swelled and strengthened.

    <i>Soul Nourishing Pills are far more effective than Mind Soothing Pills.</i>

    All of Pang Jian''s earlier fatigue vanished and he felt revitalized.

    He then decisively swallowed another Soul Nourishing Pill.

    The soul essence released in his body became even more noticeable with two pills in his system, drawing the attention of many on the Cloud Sail.

    "Such rich soul essence!"

    "The soul essence that nourishes divine sense¡ªthis isn¡¯t something a Mind Soothing Pill can produce. This is a Soul Nourishing Pill!"

    "Oh my god! This guy is so wasteful! Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators use Soul Nourishing Pills to temper their souls, and he''s just using it to cultivate divine sense!"

    "And not just one¡ªhe swallowed two Soul Nourishing Pills!"

    Many aboard the Cloud Sail stared at the meditating Pang Jian in shock.

    In their eyes, Pang Jian was a reckless spendthrift and a treasureden sheep ripe for the picking.

    A rogue cultivator in thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm licked his lips and sidled up to Wang Ying. "Sister Ying, what¡¯s the deal with him? He¡¯s got a spatial bracelet and can casually pull out two Soul Nourishing Pills¡ªhe can¡¯t be some nobody, right?"

    Wang Ying was also staring at the now incredibly eye-catching Pang Jian in surprise.

    After a brief hesitation, she frowned and warned, "Crazy Ma, don''t cause trouble on my Cloud Sail."

    "Of course, I¡¯ll show you some respect while I''m aboard your Cloud Sail. But once we disembark...heh heh," replied the rogue cultivator, whose real name was Ma Feng. He grinned wickedly and asked again, "Do you know who he is?"

    "I only know he calls himself Gao Song," Wang Ying said lowly, eyes still on the meditating Pang Jian. "He''s one of the rogue cultivators who managed to make it out from Cloud Lightning alive, but I¡¯ve never seen him fight. My guess is that he¡¯s in the early to middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm.

    "Crazy Ma, it''s best not to provoke him if you don''t know anything about him. Anyone who can pull out two Soul Nourishing Pills like that isn¡¯t just some nobody. I advise you to think twice before acting!"

    As Wang Ying spoke, her gaze remained fixed on Pang Jian, eyes glinting with uncertainty.

    It seemed she, too, was tempted.

    "Hehe, if I get what I want, I''ll share some with you." Ma Feng chuckled.

    Several other rogue cultivators huddled around Ma Feng and Wang Ying, whispering among themselves as they eyed Pang Jian.

    Meanwhile, in the Fourth World, dozens of thick, green branches extended thousands of miles from Divine Fortune.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The green-glowing branches finally pierced into another fragmentednd called Divine Fortress like a knife through tofu.

    Once inside, the branches spread throughout the fragmentednd, sprouting thorns that resembled barbed spikes as they went.

    <i>Rumble! Rumble!</i>

    Both Divine Fortune and Divine Fortress shook.

    The two adjacent fragmentednds that were thousands of miles apart drew closer to each other.

    "The Sacred Tree did it!"

    "Our Sacred Tree, the World Tree, has taken a crucial step!"

    "It''s exercising its innate abilities!"

    The members of the Wood Race trembled with excitement when they felt the gentle movement of Divine Fortune. Some were even moved to tears.

    Li Yuqing had called the little tree the World Eater Vine, but to the Wood Race, it was the World Tree.

    World Eater. The World. [1]

    Pang Jian was shocked.

    <i>The World Tree.</i>

    He then realized that the little tree had stopped draining Pang Jian''s divine sense once its branches had deeply embedded their barbed thorns into Divine Fortress.

    Seeing the drained state of his sea of consciousness, he quietly took out a third Soul Nourishing Pill, closed his eyes, and continued to meditate.

    1. The Chinese characters for World Eater (Ê´½ç) and World (ÊÀ½ç) have the same pronunciation but different meanings. ?

 Chapter 240: A Minor Distraction

    <h4>Chapter 240: A Minor Distraction</h4>

    "A third one!"

    "And it''s also a Soul Nourishing Pill!"

    "He must be filthy rich!"

    The eyes of all the rogue cultivators aboard the Cloud Sail gleamed with greed. Some even rubbed their hands in anticipation.

    Ma Feng grinned wickedly. The fiery glint of desire in his eyes became increasingly hard to hide.

    The owner of the Cloud Sail, Wang Ying, took a deep breath and forced herself to look away from Pang Jian. She feared the temptation would bring out an ugly side of her.

    <i>Interesting.</i> Pang Jian chuckled inwardly when he noticed their gazes.

    His deep eyes fell on the rogue cultivators eyeing him suspiciously from where they stood beside Wang Ying.

    Disregarding their gazes, he calmly closed his eyes.

    An hourter, Wang Ying''s Cloud Sail came to a halt atop a barren mountain peak.

    Wang Ying''s gentle voice announced, "We''ve arrived at Golden Peak. I''ll be anchored here for two hours. Those getting off, do so quickly and clear some space for others. Don''t waste my time and hold me up."

    Some passengers immediately disembarked.

    The rogue cultivators already waiting on Golden Peak approached Wang Ying to ask about her Cloud Sail''s next destination. A few rogue cultivators paid their spirit stones upon learning the final stop was at Spirit Offering.

    However, most rogue cultivators turned away the moment they heard the words Spirit Offering, shaking their heads as if it was a ce of ill omen.

    "Gao Song, aren''t you going to take a look around? Golden Peak has a small marketce that sells cultivation materials. You might find something you need," Wang Ying "kindly" suggested.

    Pang Jian stood up, gave her a cold nce, and nodded. "Alright."

    "You''ve already paid your spirit stones, so I''ll take you to your final destination. Just be sure to get back within two hours," Wang Ying said with a nervous smile.

    Ma Feng and the others had promised her a share if they managed to rob Pang Jian of his spatial bracelet. However, the way Pang Jian looked at her sent chills down her spine and had her hair standing on end.

    "Understood." Pang Jian then leaped down from the Cloud Sail.

    Using his divine sense to survey the area, he noticed several smaller Cloud Sails anchored along the elongated mountain peak.

    The marketce Wang Ying had told him about was even cruder than she described. Six or seven small stone huts dotted the street, each with signboards hanging out front indicating what they were selling.

    The lower mountain peaks surrounding Golden Peak were sharp and covered by lush forests, making them unsuitable for Cloud Sails to dock.

    Several haphazardly dug-out caves could be seen on those lower mountains, likely the work of rogue cultivators. Most of these caves were unupied.

    The spiritual qi on Golden Peak was far less concentrated than the Primordial Wilderness before its spirit vein was extracted.

    Along the way, Pang Jian had noticed the distribution of spiritual qi across the Dark Abyss Continent was uneven. The thin spiritual qi of this region was likely the reason no noble families or sects had imed thend, allowing it to be a haven for rogue cultivators.

    "The spiritual qi here is thin, but it''s still better than nothing," Pang Jian muttered as he watched Ma Feng and a few other rogue cultivators disembark.

    He grinned when they followed him.

    An hourter, Pang Jian summoned his green protective shield, allowing Ma Feng and the others to attack as they pleased.

    The thick barrier absorbed every strike without even cracking once.

    Not long after, five cold corpses littered the ground. Pang Jian snatched up their spatial pouches, peeked inside, and shook his head in disappointment.

    The wealth of these fivete-stage Profound Abode Realm rogue cultivators was not even worth his attention. He casually exchanged all the effects at a small shop for just over 300 spirit jades.

    <i>The amount of spirit jades needed for the Resolute Expanse is enormous. This is merely a drop in the ocean, </i>he thought with a troubled frown.

    Returning to Wang Ying''s Cloud Sail, he sat back on the deck and closed his eyes to meditate once more.

    In his eyes, killing and looting were nothing more than a minor distraction that was not worth dwelling on.

    Wang Ying and a few rogue cultivators stared at him in silence. They had previously harbored ill intentions toward Pang Jian but dared not act due to their lower cultivation realms.

    They had watched as an icy spirit sword soared through the air, ughtering Ma Feng and the others on a remote mountain.

    After killing Ma Feng and the others, Pang Jian appeared deep in thought, visiting a nearby shop before returning to the Cloud Sail. It was as if killing them had not fully satisfied him and had instead left him disappointed.

    "Gao Song..." Wang Ying muttered guiltily.

    She suppressed her wicked thoughts and greed, not daring to entertain any more treacherous intentions for the rest of the journey.

    Seven dayster, Wang Ying carefully anchored her Cloud Sail in an open area.

    "We''ve arrived," she announced. Pointing ahead, she said to Pang Jian, "Beyond this stone forest lies the restricted area, Spirit Offering. Sorry, but I don''t dare go any further. This is as far as I can take you."

    Pang Jian nodded and leaped down from the Cloud Sail.

    Summoning the spirit sword Lei Kun gifted him, he shed the Cloud Sail behind him.

    A dazzling bolt of lightning with a chilling aura cleaved the dozen-zhang-long Cloud Sail into two halves.

    Wang Ying screamed and desperately tried to defend herself, but the chilly bolt of lightning still managed to leave a deep wound on her chest.

    Pang Jian''s cold gaze bore down on her.

    "You, the owner of the Cloud Sail, harbored malicious intent and plotted to rob your passengers. You were the one who broke the rules first."

    Blood gushed from the wound on Wang Ying''s chest.

    She wept bitterly as she stared at her destroyed Cloud Sail. It had cost her a fortune, and Pang Jian had split it in two with a single strike.

    It was apparent now that Pang Jian had long seen through her scheming, but had not made a move simply because they had yet to reach their destination.

    "I¡ª" Wang Ying sobbed, trying to plead for life.

    Pang Jian ignored her. He turned around and entered the stone forest.

    Once in the stone forest and out of sight from the other rogue cultivators, Pang Jian retrieved the sword token from his spatial bracelet and sent a message to Li Yuqing. "I''ve arrived at Spirit Offering."

    Pang Jian continued onward as he waited for a response from the sword token.

    Half an hour passed, then an hour, but Li Yuqing still did not reply.

    Pang Jian came to a halt, frowning as he slipped the sword token into the inner pocket of his robe. This way, if any response came from the token, he would notice it immediately.

    <i>Could something have happened to her in Spirit Offering? She has the power to wipe out an entire fragmentednd with a single sword strike. Even the leaders of the Blood Moon Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the Sinister Soul Temple shouldn''t be a match for her...</i>

    Pang Jian''s thoughts raced.

    Since he left Saddle Ridge Mountain, he had been worrying about how to exin the existence of the World Eater Vine once he met Li Yuqing.

    Unexpectedly, now that she was failing to respond as promised, he was not relieved but instead worried about her safety.

    Even he could not understand why his mindset had changed so drastically.

    <i>It must be because of the peculiarities of Spirit Offering.</i>

    Pang Jian spected that there was some kind of barrier in the restricted area ahead, preventing him frommunicating with Li Yuqing through the sword token.

    So, he ventured deeper into the stone forest.

    Along the way, Pang Jian established his connection with the little tree in Misty Swamp. Divine Fortune and Divine Fortress had sessfully merged into onerger fragmentednd.

    The Wood Race now popted Divine Fortress, nting seeds and saplings around to spread the influence of the little tree throughout the fragmentednd.

    Pang Jian felt a surge of anticipation.

    <i>Everything''s on track.</i>

    The little tree''s growth would undoubtedly elerate after taking over Divine Fortress.

    Soon, the Divine Fortress would also be filled with trees and nts capable of nourishing the World Eater Vine, just like Divine Fortune.

    The World Eater Vine would only grow stronger as it annexed more and more fragmentednds.

    <i>Everything seems to be on track with the little tree. I wonder how things are progressing with the ck turtle.</i>

    Pang Jian then shifted his attention to the Resolute Expanse, hidden beneath a sea of clouds and slowly drifting toward the edge of the Third World.

    Massive boulders floated above the thick leaden clouds concealing the Resolute Expanse.

    Some of thergest boulders had straight, sword-like withered bones embedded in them!

    Pang Jian was shocked.

    "This must be where the Celestial Phoenix''s bones originally shattered!" His loud exmation echoed through the stone forest.

    It was no longer a secret that the Celestial Phoenix''s remains had exploded in a restricted area near the bizarre mist in the Third World. Its bones had been scattered, with some even falling into the Fourth World.

    Pang Jian heard the restricted area had turned into a sea of massive boulders.

    Thus, when he saw the familiar bones embedded in those boulders, he was certain that thend above the Resolute Expanse was where the Celestial Phoenix''s remains had originally shattered!

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A ck mountain suddenly streaked across the sky above the massive boulders.

    Pang Jian was startled once more.

    The figure atop the ck mountain was none other than Dong Tianze!

    Dong Tianze had tracked down where the Celestial Phoenix''s remains shattered and was hunting down a fellow Divine Guard there.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A scar-faced man flew toward the ck Iron Mountain on an ancient zither.

    <i>Useless! Even with the ck Iron Mountain, he''s still being chased.</i> Pang Jian scoffed.

    The entirety of the Resolute Expanse was like a massive eye to Pang Jian when harmonizing with thend, allowing him to observe the surrounding area around the Resolute Expanse as well.

    The two figures shed by in quick session. Dong Tianze fled as the scar-faced man on the ancient zither hunted him down.

    <i>Wake up, </i>Pang Jian said to the ck turtle. <i>The ck Iron Mountain you once watched over is above you. I want the guy being hunted to win this battle. Think of a way.</i>

    In response, the Resolute Expanse trembled as it slowly soared upward, locking onto the twobatants above.

    A powerful gravitational force suddenly acted on the ck Iron Mountain under Dong Tianze''s feet, causing it to plunge straight down.

    The ck Iron Mountain plummeted through the thick clouds and hit the ground with a loud bang.

    "How did a fragmentednd appear beneath the sea of massive boulders?" Dong Tianze nced around the deste fragmentednd below the clouds with a bewildered expression, still dazed and disoriented from the fall.

    He looked as though he had seen a ghost in broad daylight.

 Chapter 241: The Black Turtles Gift

    <h4>Chapter 241: The ck Turtle''s Gift</h4>

    Dong Tianze was shocked.

    The unusually dense spiritual qi and the lush forests of the fragmentednd hidden beneath the cloud were truly dumbfounding.

    <i>A fragmentednd like this should''ve been discovered long ago.</i>

    <i>How could it have remained undiscovered? </i>

    <i>The leaders of the five major sects in the Third World personally investigated this area after the Celestial Phoenix''s remains shattered. </i>

    <i>How did they miss this fragmentednd?</i>

    Dong Tianze was utterly baffled.

    "Let''s see where you can run now, Dong Tianze!" The scar-faced man roared as he dived down on his ancient zither. "Arrogant fool! Do you think you''re invincible because the Sinister Soul Temple bestowed powerful spirit artifacts on you?

    "We''re both Celestial Phoenix Divine Guards, servants of our master. You''re not any more noble than I am!

    "The Sinister Soul Temple has no right to interfere in the rivalries between Divine Guards!"

    The scar-faced man followed the ck Iron Mountain down and soon discovered the unfamiliar fragmentednd below as well.

    "What is this?!" he cried, just as stunned as Dong Tianze at the hidden fragmentednd.

    Suddenly, the gravity above the fragmentednd increased by dozens of times!

    The scar-faced man and his zither plummeted toward the Resolute Expanse like meteors.

    The zither was smashed to pieces the moment it hit the ground, and the man''s bones fractured with a resounding crack upon impact.

    <i>Splurt!</i>

    Gravely injured, the scar-faced man spat out blood as he sat among the splintered remains of his zither.

    His body was like a block of iron, and the ground like a powerful ma, firmly holding him in ce. He could not move an inch.

    It was as though the fragmentednd beneath the clouds was filled with malice toward him and was actively targeting him.

    When Dong Tianze saw the scar-faced man rushing toward the fragmentednd, he had braced himself for a tough battle.

    Unexpectedly, the scar-faced man was pulled to the ground, destroying his zither and severely injuring the man himself.

    "This...my descent wasn''t nearly as fast, so I wasn''t injured like he was."

    Dong Tianze then attempted to move the ck Iron Mountain.

    To his surprise, the ck Iron Mountain floated effortlessly into the sky, and the pool inside, lined with spirit jades, filled with dense spiritual qi.

    The ck Iron Mountain seemed incredibly light on this fragmentednd, and its speed was faster than before.

    Dong Tianze''s eyes lit up with excitement.

    "This ce is practically a paradise for me!"

    He cautiously maneuvered the ck Iron Mountain, edging it closer to the scar-faced Divine Guard while secretly observing the man''s expression.

    Soon, he noticed the despair and frustration in the man''s eyes.

    Dong Tianze''s confidence soared.

    elerating the ck Iron Mountain, he simply and brutally brought its immense weight crashing down on the man.

    The man could only struggle helplessly as the ck Iron Mountain loomed over him.

    Despite being in thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm, he was like a grasshopper pinned to the ground by a nail¡ªno matter how he twisted his body, he could not move an inch.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The man was crushed to a pulp.

    A glowing Celestial Phoenix Imprint floated out from the pile of bones and was absorbed into Dong Tianze''s forehead.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Celestial Phoenix Imprint on Dong Tianze''s brow brightened, and threads of mystical energy flowed into every part of his body.

    "A breakthrough! I''m going to break through again!"

    Dong Tianze''s crazedughter echoed from atop the ck Iron Mountain.

    The power contained within the Celestial Phoenix Imprint of a Profound Abode Realm Divine Guard was enough to propel him to the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm.

    His muscles, bones, and divine sense would all receive a significant boost as a result.

    Pang Jian, watching from the other side of the Third World, sneered with disdain. "Pathetic. We''re both in the Profound Abode Realm, yet you still needed me to secretly aid you with the Resolute Expanse just to kill a Divine Guard in thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm."

    He then sent a mental message to the ck turtle, instructing it to drive Dong Tianze out of the Resolute Expanse once his breakthrough stabilized.

    The ck turtle responded in acknowledgment.

    Just as Pang Jian was about to sever the connection, the ck turtle stopped him and asked him to use the bronze pendant to create a ripple of light capable of transferring items.

    <i>Is it nning to send something over? </i>Pang Jian wondered.

    Pang Jian raised an eyebrow, shook his head, and replied, <i>Let him keep the ck Iron Mountain for now. I''m in no hurry to take it back.</i>

    <i>It''s not the ck Iron Mountain, </i>said the ck turtle.

    Pang Jian was taken aback.

    After scanning his surroundings and confirming the stone forest was empty, Pang Jian slipped behind a thick stone pir and took out the Gate of the Abyss.

    A dazzling light wave shed into existence.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A ckish-yellow turtle scute[1] the size of a palm emerged from the ripple of light and adhered itself to Pang Jian''s chest.

    Like Zhou Qingchen''s Heartguard Mirror, the scute shielded Pang Jian''s heart, preventing sharp weapons from piercing it.

    Pang Jian chuckled in disbelief.

    <i>First, it was the little tree with its five magical leaves covering my heart. Now, it''s the ck turtle''s tough scute. Both of them are so worried I''ll die if my heart gets pierced.</i>

    The heart and head were vital areas that could be fatal to a cultivator if struck.

    The little tree in Misty Swamp and the ck turtle in the Resolute Expanse were both concerned his heart would be destroyed, so they each took special care to protect it.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The ck turtle scute suddenly absorbed the blood circting through Pang Jian''s organs and the blood essence in his Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint.

    It then fused with the tissue around his heart.

    Pang Jian felt like the scute had be a part of his body. It was almost as if it could breathe.

    The ck turtle then sent a message, stating that its growth and evolution depended not only on the flesh and blood of high-ranked Vicious Beasts but also on the unique environment of the fragmentednd it inhabits.

    The moreplete and unique the fragmentednd, the stronger the ck turtle became.

    Recently, it had undergone a critical breakthrough thanks to the mineral vein, small spirit vein, and the over hundred thousand spirit jades Pang Jian had sacrificed to nourish the spirit vein.

    After it broke through, the ck turtle managed to refine a scute to protect Pang Jian''s heart.

    ording to the ck turtle, the scute drew power from Pang Jian''s blood essence.

    It was not only as tough as refined iron and could defend against lethal strikes to his heart, but also granted him two fundamental abilities of an Earth Spirit¡ªEarth Dive and Mountain Phase.

    Pang Jian''s face lit up with excitement.

    Following the ck turtle''s instructions, he gathered his blood essence into the ck turtle scute and activated the natural patterns etched into it.

    <i>Earth Dive!</i>

    Pang Jian sank into the ground of the stone forest.

    A profound sensation washed over him as he found himself ten zhang underground.

    His eyes were filled with astonishment.

    With Earth Dive, it was like he had plunged into the depths of ake, moving as effortlessly as he would underwater.

    The ground was no longer solid but fluid like water or air.

    He could move freely underground with Earth Dive.

    <i>Let''s go deeper!</i>

    Delighted, Pang Jian sank further.

    Once he reached thirty zhang below ground, he found he could not go any deeper.

    Thirty zhang was his limit.

    However, his movement forward and backward was still unhindered.

    Deep underground, he could see tiny insects, dead tree roots, decaying leaves, and the broken bones of Vicious Beasts and Spirit Beasts.

    <i>I''ve gained another escape method.</i>

    Pang Jian roamed through the depths of the earth, wandering back and forth in fascination.

    Unfortunately, it was not long before most of his blood essence was exhausted.

    <i>This ability consumes far too much blood essence. I''ll have to use it sparingly and not treat it as a regr technique, </i>Pang Jian noted as he resurfaced.

    ncing at the stone pirs around him, he activated the scute''s Mountain Phase ability.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    He passed through a stone pir as if moving through the air, encountering no resistance whatsoever.

    <i>As expected of an Earth Spirit, even its initial innate abilities are extraordinary.</i>

    Pang Jian''s eyes brightened.

    Mountain Phase allowed him to ignore rock walls and traverse through great mountains.

    It could be used to search for hidden treasure, hunt down elusive enemies, or simply allow him to guard his own life and make a quick escape.

    The small turtle scute covering his heart unexpectedly gave him such useful abilities.

    <i>Those 100,000 spirit jades were well spent!</i>

    <i>Will the ck turtle grant me more incredible abilities as it grows? </i>Pang Jian wondered before deciding to ask the ck turtle directly.

    It confirmed his suspicions.

    ording to the ck turtle, once it reached a certain profound realm, it could refine even more mystical scutes and eventually craft aplete set of armor for Pang Jian.

    That armor would fuse with his body, allowing Pang Jian to wield the Earth Spirit''s abilities and essentially be an Earth Spirit in human form.

    <i>An Earth Spirit in human form...</i>

    The image sparked a deep sense of longing in Pang Jian.

    While Pang Jian was lost in his vision of the future, the slightly exhausted ck turtle severed its connection to him.

    Pang Jian then swallowed a blood-replenishing pill and a bucket of Rank Six Vicious Beast''s blood. After a brief rest, he continued with his journey.

    Whenever his blood essence was replenished, he would use the ck turtle''s abilities to dive underground or phase through stone pirs.

    He simply could not get enough of experiencing the wonders of the scute.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Pang Jian suddenly mmed into something hard while using Mountain Phase, forcing him to stop in his tracks.

    Rubbing his head and slightly dazed from the impact, Pang Jian stared in bewilderment at a grayish-white stone pir over ten zhang tall, firmly rooted in the ground.

    There was no obvious outward difference between this pir and the others in the stone forest.

    However, Mountain Phase was ineffective on this particr pir.

    "There must be something unusual inside," Pang Jian muttered with a frown.

    1. A scute is a thickened horny or bony te on a turtle''s shell or on the back of a crocodile. ?

 Chapter 242: Ancient Ruins

    <h4>Chapter 242: Ancient Ruins</h4>

    Pang Jian summoned the Startling ughter Spear and used its sharp tip to chisel away at the stone pir, prying off the loosened fragments as he did.

    The towering stone pir was gradually whittled down as Pang Jian chipped away at it like plucking kernels from a cob of corn, causing stone pieces to fall one by one.

    <i>ng!</i>

    The sharp spear''s tip produced a crisp, ringing sound like it had hit solid steel.

    Pang Jian sped up his efforts to chip away the stone pir.

    Before long, arge, ck-furred ape clutching a ck iron staff was revealed.

    The nearly one-zhang-tall ape wore chainmail over its waist and chest. Although it had been dead for countless years, it still exuded a menacing aura, seemingly unaffected by the passage of time.

    The ape tightly gripped the ck iron staff like an iron w. Dried, clotted blood caked the wounds around its tightly shut eyes.

    As Pang Jian stared at the ape within the stone pir, he could not help but recall the gray ape with icy blue eyes in the Solitary Mountain Range.

    This ape, however, was clearly different.

    It was d in chainmail and wielded a ck iron staff, showing its higher intelligence andbat prowess than the gray ape. After all, protecting oneself with armor and wielding weapons effectively were the marks of higher intelligence.

    The gray ape in the Solitary Mountain Range seemed far from possessing such intelligence. The Shangguan n could not have captured it otherwise.

    The massive ape suddenly started to crumble away like sand in the wind.

    In the blink of an eye, the ape exuding the fierce aura was reduced to dust.

    It seemed it had been frozen within the stone pir for millions of years, preserving its body from decay over time.

    Unfortunately, once the ape was exposed to the outside world, the effects of time rapidly caught up, reducing it to mere dust.

    The ck iron staff, on the other hand, remained unaffected by the ravages of time.

    Pang Jian did not hesitate to grab the staff, intending to study it closely.

    The one-zhang-tall ape''s ck iron staff was so thick Pang Jian could not grasp it with one hand, and ended up having to use both hands to get a proper grip.

    He pulled with all his strength, but the ck iron staff did not budge an inch.

    It was firmly embedded into the pir.

    Pang Jian''s expression darkened and he channeled spiritual power into his arms, preparing to give it another go.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Parts of the stone pir crumbled away as the ck iron staff slightly shifted.

    Pang Jian tried to infuse the ck iron staff with his spiritual power, but not a trace could seep in. The staff seemedpletely impervious to pure spiritual power.

    "Rise!" Pang Jian yelled, exerting his strength.

    Drawing upon the blood essence in his Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint, Pang Jian activated his Illusory Bone Realm. His skin gleamed silver as he once again tried to pry the ck iron staff loose.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    The ck iron staff was dislodged with a burst of rubble and came crashing toward Pang Jian.

    An immense force, powerful enough to shake the heavens and earth, erupted from the ck iron staff, sending a chill down Pang Jian''s spine.

    He hurriedly let go of the staff.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The staff crashed heavily to the ground, carving a long, narrow trench into the earth. Web-like cracks spread out from the impact.

    Pang Jian stared grimly at the ck iron staff. It stood taller than the one-zhang-tall ape, and afterparing its length to the reach of his arms, he confirmed he would never be able to wield it.

    "This isn''t something a normal human can use. I''ll put it away for now."

    He did not bother to inspect it further and simply touched the ck iron staff with his spatial bracelet to store it away.

    <i>A long-dead ape and a peculiar ck iron staff. This stone forest...</i>

    As he nced around at the towering stone pirs, he had the unsettling thought that there could be other strange creatures hidden within them.

    <i>Mountain Phase!</i>

    Silently activating the ability of the ck turtle scute, he carefully phased through one stone pir after another as he continued onward.

    Eventually, he crossed through the stone forest and reached an open, deste wilderness, but discovered no other anomalies.

    ncing back at the stone forest behind him, he decided he had no desire to return just to check every single stone pir.

    Pang Jian took out his sword token and infused it with spiritual power, intending to contact the battle-hardened girl from the Divine Treasure Sect''s Li Family.

    <i>It''s not working. The array within the sword token ispletely stagnant.</i>

    His expression hardened.

    Summoning the Star Crushing Umbre, the Startling ughter Spear, and the spirit sword gifted by Lei Kun, he then tested them one by one.

    He infused each with spiritual power in an attempt to activate their mystical powers, only to find the Star Crushing Umbre no longer shimmered with dazzling radiance, the arrays within the Startling ughter Spear had all ceased functioning, and the power of the spirit sword had drastically diminished!

    It seemed all the arrays within his spirit artifacts had be useless as soon as he left the stone forest and stepped into the wilderness.

    Arrays were manifestations of humanity''s understanding of the Daos of the world.

    Flying vessels, spirit artifacts, sect protection arrays, and talismans all relied on arrays!

    All the arrays within Pang Jian''s spirit artifacts did not function in this area.

    <i>Li Yuqing must be here!</i>

    The Li Family girl''s sword token could not function properly while she was here, which was why he could not contact her earlier.

    Still, he was uncertain if he was in the right ce.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A familiar Formless Sailboat whistled through the sky, boldly flying over Spirit Offering.

    As soon as it crossed over the wilderness, the array driving the flying vessel failed, and it plummeted to the ground with a deafening crash.

    Blood-colored light surged into the sky, revealing the members of the Blood Moon Sect within.

    Panicked and unintelligible cries faintly echoed in the distance.

    This scene left Pang Jian stunned.

    Soon after, a Gilded Chariot from the Star River Alliance descended from the skies above Spirit Offering.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The Gilded Chariot also crashed deep within the restricted area.

    Pang Jian''s expression grew even more puzzled.

    The Blood Moon Sect and the Star River Alliance bordered Spirit Offering.

    They had explored this ce countless times before and would surely know that arrays did not work in this area.

    Unless the abnormalities within Spirit Offering had only recently emerged and had caught the Blood Moon Sect and the Star River Alliance off guard!

    That was the only way this bizarre situation made sense.

    There was no spiritual qi or other special energy within the air, but it also did not contain any harmful toxins.

    Pang Jian took a deep breath, mood growing heavier, and attempted to establish a connection with the ck turtle and the little tree.

    Fortunately, he could stillmunicate with the ck turtle and the little tree.

    He sighed in relief.

    Wanting to understand more about this strange anomaly, he Infused his Startling ughter Spear and spirit sword with spiritual power once more.

    He realized his spiritual power flowed through them just fine¡ªit was only the arrays within them that were not functional.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    Clusters of zing light spheres and silver lightning burst forth from the tip of his spear.

    Without the amplification from the spear''s arrays, these light spheres and lightning were only the size of a child''s fist and were much weaker than before.

    Fortunately, the malfunctioning of spirit artifacts, the inability of the arrays to function, and theplete absence of spiritual qi would affect everybody in the area.

    Pang Jian stowed away his spear, gripped the spirit sword, and ventured deeper into the restricted area.

    A short whileter, he came across a shattered stone statue with pitch-ck wings lying in the deste wilderness.

    If the statue were intact, it would likely have been dozens of zhang tall,parable to the one-eyed giants from the Fifth World.

    The statue was carved from ck stone and resembled the Demon Scale Race from the Fifth World. It also had a single pair of enormous ck wings far broader than those of the Celestial Race

    The head, torso, and limbs had all broken apart and were scattered across the ground.

    Pang Jian slowly approached the statue''s head and examined its ghost-like face.

    Suddenly, a sharp whistling wind arose out of nowhere.

    The eerie whistling sounded like the murmurs of malevolent spirits, sending chills down one''s spine and clouding one''s mind with confusion.

    Pang Jian''s mind instantly sharpened with vignce.

    Upon closer inspection, he realized the strange whistling came from the statue''s hollow eye sockets and open mouth.

    It appeared as though the statue''s eyes and mouth had been pierced by some sharp weapon, leaving empty cavities that produced unsettling whistles when the wind blew.

    Pang Jian listened for some time.

    "Something''s not right..."

    Strands of his divine sense within his sea of consciousness were rapidly thinning, a sign his mental energy was being consumed.

    Silently swallowing a Soul Nourishing Pill, he walked past the ck-winged statue and ventured deeper into the restricted area.

    As he walked, he encountered more ruined altars, broken stone pirs, statues, and peculiar wooden carvings, each with a distinct style.

    These remnants were scattered all along his path.

    It was not hard to imagine that many intelligent beings had once inhabited Spirit Offering, building altars, statues, and carvings tomunicate with their Gods.

    After the foreign races were defeated and the human race became the rulers of the Abyss, Spirit Offering was destroyed.

    Humans razed the altars, statues, and carvings the foreign races used tomunicate with their Gods.

    The foreign races were fated to either go extinct or be sealed away in the eternal darkness of the Fifth World.

    Pang Jian pressed forward for four long hours, taking minimal breaks as he went, beforeing to a stop at a shattered circr altar surrounded by six broken stone pirs.

    Unrecognizable runes and murals of one-eyed giants worshipping the Ice Demon adorned the surface of the broken pirs.

    It was clear that this was yet another of the one-eyed giants'' altars used tomunicate with the Ice Demon.

    Pang Jian had advanced to the Innate Realm through bing one with the world at a simrly broken altar beneath Ice Rock City.

    There, he witnessed the one-eyed giant, Yan Shan, extending the life of his child, Ah Man.

    After a moment of hesitation, Pang Jian stood atop the damaged altar and gazed at the six broken stone pirs lying on the ground.

    He then sat down on the altar.

    "Ice Demon..." he muttered as he closed his eyes and focused on sensing his surroundings as he had done beneath Ice Rock City.

    His expression twisted into one of shock and horror.

 Chapter 243: The Fall of a Genius

    <h4>Chapter 243: The Fall of a Genius</h4>

    A bone-chilling cold cut straight into Pang Jian''s soul!

    As soon as Pang Jian closed his eyes on the severely damaged altar, a strange sensation of being in another world emerged.

    It felt like he was in a dark, icy, and lifeless void¡ªa world filled with nothing but deathly silence.

    Worse still, that terrifying coldness and emptiness did note from his physical body.

    It came from his soul!

    A deep chill spread through his soul, and the one hundred and twenty-eight strands of his divine sense within his sea of consciousness slowly froze as soon as he closed his eyes.

    Pang Jian even found it difficult to open his eyes. It was like his soul and sea of consciousness were truly on the verge of being frozen solid!

    The ck turtle and the World Eater Vine sensed his bizarre situation and urgently called out to him, jolting his numbed and stiffened soul back to focus!

    Pang Jian used all his strength to force his eyes open!

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Gasping for breath, Pang Jian staggered off the altar, feeling like he had returned from another world.

    He stared at the broken altar with shock in his eyes.

    If not for the ck turtle''s and the World Eater Vine''s calls, he would have died, his sea of consciousness and soul frozen over.

    <i>Spirit Offering!</i>

    This restricted area may not have been so terrifying in the past, but it was now teeming with danger.

    One wrong step could lead to eternal doom!

    With that in mind, Pang Jian cautiously ventured deeper into Spirit Offering.

    The stars and moon shone brightly in the night sky, giving a pentagram-shaped white stone altar a mesmerizing sheen.

    The brilliant light of the white stone gave the cracks in the altar the illusion of being mended by radiant starlight

    Several disciples, dressed in the Star River Alliance''s robes, sat around the pentagram altar, faces lit up with delight.

    They looked as though they had encountered something incredible¡ªas if they had gained insight into the mysteries of the stars or broken through long-standing bottlenecks in their cultivation.

    But these expressions were merely what remained on their faces.

    They had been dead for quite some time.

    There was not only no sign of life, but their spatial pouches and spirit artifacts had also long been looted.

    Their stiff corpses remained seated, expressions suspended in a perpetual state of delight, seemingly untouched by the passage of time.

    It seemed a thousand or even ten thousand years could pass without their expressions changing.

    Not long after, Pang Jian encountered another altar, shaped like a sun and cobbled together from rubble.

    Members of the Radiant Sun Sect, some still clutching the pieces of stone in a futile attempt to restore the altar, had long since perished as well.

    Unlike the members of the Star River Alliance, they seemed to have seen something unimaginably horrifying in their final moments.

    Their expressions were twisted in horror, pupils scorched by mes, and orifices stained with trails of ckened blood.

    It was a grotesque sight.

    There was even an elder in the Spirit Condensation Realm among them!

    Pang Jian dared not approach the sun-shaped altar and hastily distanced himself from the chilling scene.

    Simr scenes appeared with increasing frequency.

    Many rogue cultivators, dressed in mismatched attire,y dead¡ªsome beside grotesque stone statues, others by shattered altars.

    Strange and eerie corpses could be found everywhere.

    Pang Jian walked through Spirit Offering with a grim expression on his face.

    <i>What a terrifying catastrophe, </i>he thought, feeling a twinge of regret.

    The ominous atmosphere of Spirit Offering gave him the feeling that malevolent beings like the Ice Demon were watching him from the shadows of this cursed ce.

    These powerful beings would eliminate anyone who was not a follower of their faith or part of the races that once worshiped them.

    The chaotic changes sweeping across the Abyss had evidently spread to the once-sacred Spirit Offering as well.

    These disturbances seemed to have called the attention of malevolent beings from distant worlds back to the destroyed altars, statues, carvings, and stone pirs in Spirit Offering.

    "Help-help me..."

    A man struggled desperately in the center of another ruined sun-shaped altar. He was engulfed in mes and a massive cauldron hovered over his head.

    Fire ate away at his flesh, hair already long since burned away, and blood flowed from his mouth like moltenva.

    The ruined altar pinned him in ce, and he could not break free from the few red stones beneath him no matter how much power he exerted.

    The man cried out in agony, hoping that someone from the Radiant Sun Sect would hear him, or that an elder from the Blood Moon Sect, the Star River Alliance, or the Red Mountain Sect woulde to save him.

    That man was none other than Yang Rui.

    The genius of the Radiant Sun Sect, unmatched in the Profound Abode Realm, had fallen to such a miserable state.

    Hovering above his head was the famous spirit artifact of the Radiant Sun Sect¡ªthe Nine Suns Cauldron!

    The cauldron had once manifested nine suns on the summit of the Primordial Wilderness''s First Peak, but now showed no trace of its former power or brilliance.

    The restrictions of Spirit Offering had also affected it, rendering its internal arrays useless.

    Pang Jian silently watched Yang Rui''s pitiful struggle from behind a broken stone pir a ways away from the altar.

    Several grim-faced cultivators stood near the broken altar, coldly observing as Yang Rui burned, waiting for him to die.

    An elderly cultivator in thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm with a mostly bald head spat disdainfully and sneered, "Did you really think you were the Sun God''s chosen one? The Sun God''s favored race has been sealed in the Fifth World for thousands of years. Why would he bother with someone like you?"

    "The Radiant Sun Sect, the so-called Sun God''s chosen one. What a joke." Another cultivator chimed in with a snort. "The true Sun God''s chosen races are the me Race of the Third Continent and the Radiant Race of the Second Continent in the Fifth World. The Radiant Sun Sect''s techniques are just hand-me-downs from those two races."

    "The me Race and Radiant Race are on the verge of returning to the upper worlds!" said a third cultivator. "Times are changing. The ancient gods hidden away have finally set their sights back on the Abyss.

    The three cultivators were what Lei Kun hadbeled as heretical cultivators. The trio stood beside Yang Rui, mocking him as they watched the genius of the Radiant Sun Sect meet his demise.

    Pang Jian suppressed his aura and quietly listened to their conversation, eyes flickering with a strange light.

    The trio''s discussion about the Sun God, the Radiant Race, and the me Race had caught Pang Jian''s attention.

    Their conversation confirmed his suspicion that certain mysterious beings had turned their attention back to the Abyss.

    <i>How could the Radiant Sun Sect''s techniques originate from a race eternally sealed away?</i> Pang Jian wondered as he eavesdropped on the three heretical cultivators.

    As he listened in on their conversation, he learned that unknown mysterious beings had once again discovered the Abyss and were causing the anomalies in Spirit Offering through the shattered altars, statues, and carvings.

    It seemed the Abyss had been hidden from these mysterious beings in the past.

    However, something had changed recently, and the Abyss, which had disappeared from their perception, had be essible once more.

    <i>It can''t be, can it?</i>

    Pang Jian instinctively touched the bronze pendant on his chest.

    Back in Cloud Lightning, the bronze pendant had absorbed several void rifts, and the characters "Gate of the Abyss" had be visible on its back.

    Shortly after, a void fissure had torn open, and a colossal being,parable to the Rank Ten Thunder Dragon, attempted to cross into the Abyss through the bizarre mist.

    The mysterious being had drifted in the bizarre mist for countless millennia, unable to find its way back or escape.

    Then, it suddenly locked onto the Abyss.

    "No, it can''t be. The recent anomalies can''t have anything to do with me or this pendant," Pang Jian muttered, shaking his head in denial.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The raging mes engulfing Yang Rui abruptly extinguished.

    The most gifted genius of the Radiant Sun Sect''s younger generation had been reduced to a charred skeleton atop the crumbling altar.

    His spatial bracelet, which had not been affected by the mes, still adorned his ckened skeletal hand and continued to glow faintly.

    The Nine Suns Cauldron no longer hovered above his head and ttered to the ground.

    The once-mighty cauldron was now nothing more than scrap metal without its arrays and Yang Rui''s spiritual power.

    Even so, the cauldron was an advanced-grade spirit artifact with tremendous power and its arrays would be functional again once it was out of Spirit Offering.

    Pang Jian smiled.

    His dantian contained a suspended sun, meaning he could likely wield the Nine Suns Cauldron as well!

    "I want that cauldron!"

    "I want his spatial bracelet!"

    "What about me? If you two take the key items, what do I get?"

    The three heretical cultivators argued between themselves.

    "You''re only in the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm. Just being able to witness this sight is your fortune. The real show is just beginning; what''s your hurry?"

    "It''s precisely because a great cmity is upon us that I need powerful spirit artifacts to survive!"

    As the trio argued, a tall figure dashed out from behind a stone pir under the cover of a thick, green protective shield and headed straight for the charred skeleton at the center of the altar.

    "There''s no need to argue anymore. I''ll save you all the trouble as I''ll be taking both," Pang Jian announced from the edge of the altar.

    He first stored away the Nine Suns Cauldron, then shed off Yang Rui''s charred arm to retrieve his spatial bracelet.

    The three heretical cultivators barely had time to react before the coveted items were in Pang Jian''s hands.

    Murderous intent instantly surged from the trio. Their eyes burned with fury as they prepared to surround Pang Jian.

    "Take my advice¡ªdon''t follow me," Pang Jian said coolly as he left

    "Should we go after him?"

    Two of the heretical cultivators looked toward the bald one.

    "What do you think?" the bald heretical cultivator sneered. "We might have to be cautious of him outside Spirit Offering, but why should we fear someone like him in thisnd distorted by divine forces?

    "Even Yang Rui is dead. He''s nothing inparison."

 Chapter 244: First Battle Against Heretical Cultivators

    <h4>Chapter 244: First Battle Against Heretical Cultivators</h4>

    The moonlight was as clear as water in the night sky of Spirit Offering as Pang Jian came to a stop next to a shattered stone statue.

    The statue was carved from grayish-white stone and depicted a strange creature with the face of a human and the body of a spider.

    Its spear-like spider legs had been severed long ago, leaving only broken stumps. Its spider body had also been sliced into segments, which were scattered across the ground together with its severed limbs.

    However, its seductive female face remained perfectly preserved.

    The lifelike face of the gray stone statue glowed an enchanting white under the gentle moonlight.

    Pang Jian cautiously eyed the statue''s beautiful face.

    It was like those who had initially entered Spirit Offering and destroyed the altars and statues had felt a sense of pity after cutting off its spider legs and dismembering its body.

    It seemed they could not bring themselves to damage the statue''s alluring female face and had left it untouched.

    <i>A human face and a spider body...is this another foreign being?</i> Pang Jian wondered.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Despite his warnings, the three heretical cultivators had pursued him

    Pang Jian shook his head and sighed. "I told you not to follow me."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A blinding sword light, infused with lightning and cold energy, shed toward the bald heretical cultivator at the front.

    "A lightning-attribute cultivator? No, there''s also...cold energy!" The bald heretical cultivator''s expression shifted as he narrowly avoided the sword light. As he watched the sword light shatter a piece of green stone behind him, he sneered, "This clearly isn''t an orthodox cultivation method. It seems you''re also one of us."

    He then pulled out a white weapon made of bone.

    The bald heretical cultivator swung the thick-jointed beast bone like a heavy hammer, smashing down onto Pang Jian''s spirit sword.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The spirit sword was deformed on impact.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A surge of powerful energy rushed into it, instantly destroying the arrays within.

    The fierce energy surged down the de toward the hilt of the sword, seemingly intending to shatter Pang Jian''s hand.

    Pang Jian remainedposed.

    "Blood essence, spiritual power, and even a trace of beastly ferocity..." he muttered.

    The sword hilt radiated a crimson light.

    Fine threads of lightning, mixed with earthme energy and sr energy, exploded outward, destroying his opponent''s ferocious energy in the sword.

    Without its core arrays, the spirit sword could not withstand the sh of such immense forces and snapped with a crisp crack.

    The bald heretical cultivator was shocked. He quickly retreated with his bone weapon, face full of disbelief.

    The other two heretical cultivators also grew serious when they realized they were dealing with a formidable opponent.

    "No, you''re not one of us!" the bald heretical cultivator cried, discreetly signaling the other two to surround Pang Jian. "Only naturally formed objects can unleash their full power in Spirit Offering. Anything artificially refined and engraved with arrays loses its effectiveness here!

    "Natural treasures are inherently imbued with Dao, but the sects of this era foolishly go against the natural order.

    "They vainly attempt to decipher the mysteries of heaven and earth through arrays. How utterly misguided."

    The bald heretical cultivator suddenly leaped into the air.

    The thick-jointed beast bone in his hand radiated a sun-like brilliance. It was like the innate powers of a long-dead beast had been reawakened.

    He dove straight toward Pang Jian.

    An illusory fiery-red beast with eyes like zing suns and three tails appeared. It enveloped the bald heretical cultivator and the beast bone as it charged ferociously toward Pang Jian.

    The mystical power within the beast bonebined with the bald heretical cultivator''s strength to bring a Fiery Sr Beast to life.

    <i>Roar!</i>

    The altar that had engulfed Yang Rui in mes red with radiant sunlight in response to the Fiery Sr Beast''s roar.

    Pang Jian frowned, sensing the overwhelming blood essence and foreign energy even before the Fiery Sr Beast fully manifested.

    The bald heretical cultivator was also skilled in body-tempering techniques and had an exceptionally strong physique.

    A blinding sea of sunlight zed outward!

    The Fiery Sr Beast descended gracefully as it stepped on radiant waves of sunlight.

    Out of nowhere, the image of a sunlit pce appeared, withvishly decorated chariots pulled by high-ranked fiery beasts flying out of it.

    The scene struck Pang Jian''s soul with such force it nearly crushed his will to resist. An overwhelming urge to kneel and ept his fate filled him.

    <i>It''s an illusionary technique of malevolent beings!</i>

    Pang Jian coldly snorted, snapping himself out of it and summoning his green protective shield.

    Threads of silver lightning crackled and thunderous booms echoed within the thick barrier.

    Pang Jian was like a master of lightning and ice within the protective shield, and its defenses allowed him to break free from the illusion''s control.

    Thevish chariots and sunlit pce were gone, but the lifelike illusion of the Fiery Sr Beast remained.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The Fiery Sr Beast''s w smashed into Pang Jian''s green protective shield, distorting it as shards of ice and lightning scattered, and leaving it on the brink of copse.

    "Hmm?!"

    "What!"

    Both the bald heretical cultivator and Pang Jian were taken aback.

    The other two heretical cultivators took the opportunity to act. One threw a cluster of withered yellow leaves while the other tossed out a smooth piece of beast hide.

    Pang Jian''s vitality rapidly drained when the withered leaves appeared.

    His protective shield could not block the sinister energy within the withered leaves.

    Pang Jian was reminded of Jiu Yuan''s purple-gold pendant from when he had been about to strike Jiu Yuan down in the Primordial Wilderness.

    The pendant had absorbed Jiu Yuan''s blood and had released a sword light with a simr aura once it shattered. It was an aura of decay that corroded both vitality and flesh.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    A dark green miasma seeped out of the smooth beast hide, carrying a sinister energy that weakened Pang Jian''s will and made him drowsy.

    "These techniques are quite troublesome."

    Faced with heretical cultivators'' attacks for the first time, Pang Jian wisely chose not to rely on his protective shield as it did not seem effective.

    Pang Jian surged forward before the bald heretical cultivator couldnd another strike and sessfully avoided the trio''s encirclement.

    Brilliant white and crimson lightning crackled in his hands as he fired them at the three heretical cultivators.

    <i>Crackle! Bang! Bang!</i>

    Lightning struck the two cultivators wielding the withered leaves and the beast hide.

    They screamed in agony as their bodies were stained with ck blood, but they stubbornly maintained control over their withered leaves and beast hide.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The beast hide chased after Pang Jian in a cloud of dark green miasma.

    The bald heretical cultivator stood inside the illusory Fiery Sr Beast''s menacing maw, roaring in unison with the beast.

    "Brat, Spirit Offering is now under the attention of mysterious beings," he bellowed. "Our strength has all been significantly enhanced. But you, having likely never detected the presence of the mysterious beings, are fighting us with methods from the outside world. That clearly shows this is your first time here.

    "And yet you still dare to seize our spoils!"

    The Fiery Sr Beast roared at Pang Jian again.

    A wide stream of mes spewed from its menacing maw, carrying a searing heat capable of melting everything in its path.

    The mes targeted Pang Jian, aiming to reduce him into a pool of blood.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian took out the Startling ughter Spear and unleashed a Silver Crescent that stood like a giant shield before him.

    Even without the arrays within the Startling ughter Spear enhancing it, the Silver Crescent still emitted a chill, with faint starlight flickering within it, blocking the fiery stream.

    Within that time, the withered leaves and the miasma-filled beast hide had closed in on Pang Jian from both the front and back.

    The decaying aura of the withered leaves and the green miasma of the beast hide surrounded Pang Jian.

    The abilities of Pang Jian''s most powerful spirit artifacts like the Startling ughter Spear and the Star Crushing Umbre were greatly reduced in Spirit Offering.

    In contrast, the heretical cultivators'' beast bone, beast hide, and withered leaves were natural objects and were not only unaffected but even slightly enhanced in Spirit Offering.

    The imbnce made the fight difficult for Pang Jian and forced him to constantly adapt.

    <i>Time to test the ck turtle scute''s innate ability, </i>he thought. <i>Earth Dive!</i>

    Pang Jian vanished into the ground like water pouring into the sea.

    He disappeared right under the heretical cultivators'' noses.

    The withered leaves and the beast hide lost their target.

    "Be careful!" the bald heretical cultivator shouted in rm.

    The middle-stage Profound Abode Realm heretical cultivator controlling the beast hide sensed a sharp presence beneath his feet.

    All he saw when he looked down was the Startling ughter Spear piercing up and through him, killing him instantly.

    The Startling ughter Spear once again vanished into the ground.

    "He''s underground!" the bald heretical cultivator cried, panicked. He no longer dared to stay in one ce and continuously leaped into the air.

    Despite the illusory Fiery Sr Beast enveloping him, he was still on edge. He anxiously watched the ground below, fearing the spear would strike at any moment.

    The cultivator controlling the withered leaves also avoided touching the ground and opted to perch atop a broken stone pir.

    A few secondster, a silver spear pierced through his body, killing him instantly and leaving him impaled above the stone pir.

    The sessive deaths of hispanions caused the bald heretical cultivator''s expression to change drastically.

    It was like the ground, the scattered statues, stone pirs, and altars all hid a deadly opponent.

    His fearful eyes darted around vigntly, constantly scanning his surroundings as if convinced that Pang Jian could spring out from any object at any moment.

    At that moment, he noticed his fallenpanions'' beast hide and withered leaves had both disappeared.

    "Brat, what kind of sinister technique are you using? If you have the guts,e out and fight me head-on, instead of sneaking around in the shadows!" shouted the bald heretical cultivator from within the illusory Fiery Sr Beast.

    He continuously leaped into the air, circling the arachnid statue.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian was ten zhang underground, body surrounded by a dark yellow radiance despite not having activated his protective shield.

    The light came from the ck turtle shell on his chest.

    Looking upward from beneath the earth, he saw the bald cultivator, shrouded by the massive figure of the illusory Fiery Sr Beast, anxiously leaping through the air, not daring to stop for even a moment.

    As Pang Jian carefully observed him from underground, he soon realized the Fiery Sr Beast was actually a manifestation of concentrated blood essence.

    The bald cultivator used spiritual power and blood essence to revive the Fiery Sr BEast using the inherent power of the thick-jointed beast bone in his hand.

    "The methods of heretical cultivators truly differ from mainstream cultivation practices."

 Chapter 245: Outer God

    <h4>Chapter 245: Outer God</h4>

    Pang Jian quietly observed from underground.

    Earth Dive''s consumption of blood essence was manageable as long as Pang Jian remained still while underground.

    Although Pang Jian could remain motionless, the bald heretical cultivator above could not.

    The bald heretical cultivator repeated the cycle of leaping into the air andnding, not daring to linger on the ground for too long.

    The situation clearly worked in Pang Jian''s favor.

    Pang Jian did not rush to attack and instead took the time to inspect one of the withered leaves more closely.

    He infused a wisp of spiritual power into it and squinted as he silently sensed the flow of spiritual power through the natural veins of the leaf.

    The leaf abruptly emitted an aura that sapped vitality.

    All living beings seemed destined to wither and wilt away under the leaf''s sinister power.

    Pang Jian frowned as he tried toprehend the sinister, deathly aura of the withered leaf.

    Its decaying aura seemed not to affect him because his spiritual power was the withered leaf''s source of power.

    He then took the smooth piece of beast hide and infused it with spiritual power.

    The smooth hide started to wrinkle and soon resembled the skin beneath a Vicious Beast''s neck.

    Dark green miasma seeped out and corroded his skin, but the silver sheen of Illusory Bone Realm body blocked most of the toxins.

    <i>The effects of this one are indiscriminate,</i> he noted.

    Pang Jian stopped the flow of spiritual power and purged the small amount of poison that had entered his body.

    Soon, the remaining toxins affecting his blood and internal organs werepletely neutralized.

    <i>The withered leaf has natural veins, while the beast hide contains patterns hidden beneath its wrinkles. They''re both naturally formed rather than artificially refined or carved, which is why they can be used in Spirit Offering.</i>

    Pang Jian had identified the key aspect of Spirit Offering.

    The ck turtle scute on his chest was natural like the beast hide and withered leaves. That was why he could use Earth Dive and Mountain Phase, thus allowing him to kill the two heretical cultivators.

    "Hmph, trying to flee now?" Pang Jian sneered coldly, noticing the now exhausted bald heretical cultivator trying to escape.

    <i>If the ck turtle can grant me control over gravity once it grows, my future opponent won''t even be able to get off the ground,</i> Pang Jian thought as he moved silently underground.

    "Hmm?"

    Pang Jian suddenly noticed something unusual above him¡ªthreads of crimson blood were moving as if drawn by some unknown force.

    The bald heretical cultivator did not seem to notice the abnormal movements of the blood.

    <i>The statue! </i>Pang Jian realized.

    After taking a closer look, Pang Jian confirmed the threads of blood were flowing toward the beautiful face of the arachnid statue.

    The blood came from the two heretical cultivators he had killed with the Startling ughter Spear!

    Sensing something was amiss, Pang Jian abandoned his standoff with the bald cultivator and decisively withdrew.

    Pang Jian flew out of the ground in the opposite direction from the bald cultivator and headed to another region, deliberately allowing the bald heretical cultivator to notice him leaving.

    "That crafty brat hid underground the whole time and only showed himself when he saw I was about to leave," the bald heretical cultivator sneered.

    The arachnid statue now stood between him and Pang Jian.

    Despite losing hispanions, the heretical cultivator did not rush to leave and instead cautiously observed their corpses from afar.

    "Even though the beast hide and withered leaves are gone, they still have spatial pouches," he muttered.

    After a moment of hesitation, he cautiously turned back toward the corpses.

    He remained on high alert, fearing Pang Jian was only pretending to leave so he could sneak back and ambush him.

    Soon, he reached the first corpse, and as he grabbed the spatial pouch, his eyes widened in horror.

    He could not help but cry out in shock.

    Hispanion''s body had been drained of every drop of blood, reducing it to a shriveled corpse within a short span of time.

    "What kind of sinister technique is that brat practicing?"

    A wave of unease surged in the bald heretical cultivator''s heart.

    Despite this being Pang Jian''s apparent first time entering Spirit Offering, he was even more terrifying than their group.

    The bald heretical cultivator could not help but feel that Pang Jian had likely sacrificed himself to some malevolent God and gained a technique that allowed him to drain human blood.

    "This guy could be a real threat in Spirit Offering. I''ll need to be careful in the future."

    The bald heretical cultivator then moved to the second corpse to loot its spatial pouch and found another dried-out body.

    He suspected that Pang Jian had not stayed hidden underground to ambush him but to drain hispanions'' blood.

    "Could it be the technique of the Blood Moon Sect? No, the Blood Moon Sect doesn''t absorb human blood, they draw power from the rich blood essence in the blood of Vicious Beasts."

    As the bald heretical cultivator puzzled over it, he suddenly felt a presence watching him.

    He turned and saw an eerily beautiful face smiling faintly at him.

    The bald heretical cultivator''s hair stood on end and a chill ran down his spine.

    The statue''s beautiful face had grown flesh, radiating a soft, luminous glow.

    Its sinister yet captivating face held an allure that could drag one''s soul into oblivion, with eyes resembling the mysterious depths of a ripplingke.

    The face smiled and its eyes narrowed.

    "Ah!" the bald heretical cultivator shrieked in horror.

    Pang Jian stopped in his tracks when he heard the shrill scream.

    Although he was unsure of exactly what had transpired, he could make an educated guess: the statue had likely turned its attention to the bald heretical cultivator after draining the two corpses.

    Resisting the urge to look back out of curiosity, Pang Jian waited until the cries ceased before speeding away.

    Afterward, he moved cautiously, avoiding all destroyed statues, carvings, and iplete altars while maintaining a respectful demeanor toward them.

    Pang Jian did not touch or explore anything,pletely suppressing his curiosity.

    He ventured deeper into the deste wilderness.

    Without the ability to manipte his spear, he was left to traverse the seemingly endless wilderness on foot.

    It was not until he encountered something truly astonishing that he came to a stop.

    A massive beehive filled with chambersid before him like a toppled mountain.

    The copsed beehive was farrger than the one he had seen in Insect Valley of the Solitary Mountain Range.

    Upon closer inspection, Pang Jian realized the beehive had not been carved into a single massive boulder but an entire mountain!

    Pang Jian''s shock deepened.

    <i>A beehive...is this another Outer God?</i>

    The crumbling statue with the face of a human and the body of a spider was already bizarre enough. It had likely devoured the flesh and blood of the three heretical cultivators and seemed to resemble some malevolent God.

    Whether this was also true for the beehive in front of him was yet to be determined.

    Pang Jian took out the bronze pendant, held it in his palm, and warily approached the beehive.

    The terrifying statue from before still lingered in his mind. He feared this beehive would also exhibit unexpected dangers, leading him to suffer the same fate as those heretical cultivators.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A deep crimson protective barrier appeared around him, infused with a variety of energies.

    He then activated the Illusory Bone Realm, the ck turtle scute in his chest, and the five leaves covering his heart.

    He also maintained a constant connection with the ck turtle and the little tree.

    If a deadly threat appeared, he nned to abandon his curiosity and flee from the beehive carved into the mountain.

    Thirty steps, twenty steps, ten steps away!

    Despite all his precautions, Pang Jian sensed no abnormalities in his surroundings.

    The only anomaly was the bronze pendant in his hand, which grew warm to the touch.

    <i>There''s something here!</i>

    Pang Jian felt a surge of excitement.

    Seven steps, five steps, three steps, one step away!

    Pang Jian stopped in front of a broken fragment of the beehive and, after some thought, touched it with the bronze pendant instead of his hand.

    <i>ng!</i>

    A crisp metallic sound rang out when the pendant touched the beehive.

    The seemingly solid piece of the beehive silently crumbled into dust.

    Pang Jian froze for a moment before moving to another piece of the copsed beehive, tapping it with the pendant again.

    It, too, crumbled to dust.

    The sight reminded Pang Jian of Central Lake Ind in ck Orchid Lake, where he had watched as the bizarre mist turned towering mountains into dust.

    <i>What if I touch it with the Startling ughter Spear instead of the bronze pendant?</i>

    Pang Jian then moved to another broken chunk of the beehive and struck it with the spear tip.

    <i>ng!</i>

    Sparks flew when the spear tip hit the beehive.

    Unlike before, the beehive remained intact, and a trace of soul-corrupting sinister energy flowed toward Pang Jian''s hand holding the spear.

    The bronze pendant absorbed the sinister energy as soon as Pang Jian sensed it.

    His eyes widened in surprise. The beehive was no ordinary object and only disintegrated into dust when the Gate of the Abyss came into contact with it.

    Sinister energy would invade the soul of anyone who used anything else to touch the chunks of the copsed beehive.

    Pang Jian methodically used the bronze pendant to touch the beehive, eventually reducing the whole thing to dust.

    <i>ng! ng! ng!</i>

    Therger and smaller chunks all crumbled away, turning the area into a sea of dust.

    When no fragments of the beehive remained, Pang Jian noticed the bronze gate on the pendant had cracked open to be slightly ajar.

    He narrowed his eyes as he peeked through the gap.

    Deep within the dense bizarre mist inside the Gate of the Abyss was a small beehive with a tiny...pupa inside.

    The pupa was golden and shone with dazzling brilliance!

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The Gate of the Abyss mmed shut.

    Pang Jian was still puzzled when he abruptly felt the bronze pendant drawing two types of energy from within him.

    It was absorbing his blood essence and mental energy!

    In an instant, Pang Jian''s divine sense shrank and the thick blood mist in the Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint within his chest thinned.

 Chapter 246: Breaking Fundamental Rules

    <h4>Chapter 246: Breaking Fundamental Rules</h4>

    <i>The giant beehive produced a pupa while I was in Spirit Offering!</i>

    Pang Jian deduced this first pupa was likely a Bee Sovereign.

    The queen would then likely nurture whatever pupae appeared after.

    <i>Its absorption speed is astonishing!</i>

    Pang Jian''s one hundred and twenty-eight strands of divine sense had shrunk significantly in the brief time he was lost in thought.

    His blood essence was also being consumed at an rming rate!

    Pang Jian hastily took out a Soul Nourishing Pill and gulped down buckets of blood from Vicious Beasts right there in the sea of dust to keep himself in optimalbat condition.

    ***

    Back at the previous battlefield, arge stone, wrapped inyers of blood and flesh, floated up from a pile of bones and hovered eerily in mid-air.

    <i>Scrunch!</i>

    As the flesh covering the stone slowly tightened and fused, the beautiful female face of the statue became increasingly refined and lifelike.

    An entity not of this world started to manifest through a blood-soaked process in the stillness of the night.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Several stone spider legs and fragments of a stony spider''s body floated up from the ground.

    The entity used its power to reconnect the legs to its body in an attempt to form a wless whole.

    Its eyes rippled with waves of light as it searched for a living body to extract flesh from, but none could be found.

    It could not reattach the broken pieces of its body and legs unless it had more flesh.

    At the moment, the Outer God only had a beautiful woman''s face. Its remaining spider legs and body were still made of stone.

    The entity floated away from the blood-soakednd in search of new prey, a fleshy head floating amongrge stones.

    ***

    Hundreds of li away, a ten-zhang-tall wooden figure walked alone across the destend.

    Its vaguely humanoid form was carved from wood, with slightly blurred facial features and stiff limbs.

    What distinguished it from a regr wooden statue were its grayish-brown eyes¡ªeyes filled with the aura of death and decay.

    With a nce, the nts, insects, and birds it gazed at shriveled up and died in an instant.

    <i>Tap! Tap! Tap!</i>

    Its wooden legs struck the cold, hard ground of Spirit Offering like the tolling of a death knell.

    A wave of decay rippled out from it, though the range was limited to within thirty zhang.

    A group of heretical cultivators engaged in a dispute noticed the wooden figure wandering through the deste wilderness and reverently bowed down in worship.

    It shook its head.

    Its sinister eyes brimmed with the aura of decay as they swept across the heretical cultivators.

    The group of heretical cultivators were drained of their life force, falling dead to the ground one after another.

    ***

    In a deep valley within the restricted area, a tattered dark yellow banner fluttered in the wind as it drifted out from an altar that had crumbled into hundreds of pieces.

    The cloth of the banner had dozens of holes and looked like sharp des had stabbed through it all over.

    Suddenly, the holes turned into eerie eyes.

    It was as if beings from another world were peering through the holes in the banner, using them to observe this strange world.

    As the banner fluttered in the wind, strange murmurs echoed from the eyes within the holes. It was like countless mysterious beings were exchanging insights¡ªor perhaps the shing thoughts of a single God, quarreling with itself.

    ***

    Back at the sea of dust, Pang Jian wearily swallowed another Soul Nourishing Pill, allowing the pupa within the bronze pendant to continue draining his mental energy.

    Whenever he sensed that he was out of blood essence, he would consume the meat and blood of high-ranked Vicious Beasts to keep himself going.

    He poured all his resources into nurturing the pupa.

    It was impossible to tell how long this processsted or how many Soul Nourishing Pills and buckets of blood he consumed.

    Finally, the Bee Sovereign, still in its pupa form, ceased its insatiable demands for mental energy and blood essence.

    It then sent a faint, unclear message, pleading for Pang Jian to collect divine consciousness.

    Pang Jian had not fully recovered and was still feeling slightly dizzy.

    He had no idea what divine consciousness was.

    When he tried to ask the pupa, he found it had be dormant and was no longer responding.

    <i>Divine consciousness¡ªcould it be like the divine sense in my sea of consciousness? No, if that were the case, it wouldn''t need me to collect it.</i>

    <i>If it''s divine, then maybe it''s something only Gods possess.</i>

    <i>Could it be?</i>

    Pang Jian formed a bold hypothesis.

    After regaining most of his energy andbat strength, Pang Jian resumed his activities in Spirit Offering.

    Before long, Pang Jian came across a destroyed wooden statue carved from dark green tree roots.

    It was a God from another world.

    There were no corpses around the wooden statue and it showed no obvious abnormalities.

    <i>I think it''s safe to try.</i>

    Pang Jian approached and used the bronze pendant to touch the broken piece of the wooden statue.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The dark green piece of wood disintegrated into a flurry of wood shavings.

    A near-imperceptible wisp of energy escaped the wood shavings and was absorbed into the bronze pendant.

    <i>It works!</i>

    Pang Jian used the Gate of the Abyss to tap all the pieces of the wooden statue he could find.

    As the wood turned to powder, Pang Jian noticed the pendant was absorbing faint traces of energy.

    <i>Could this be what the pupa referred to as divine consciousness?</i>

    Pang Jian searched Spirit Offering with renewed excitement and caution.

    He tested every altar, stone statue, and wooden carving along the way with the bronze pendant.

    Some disintegrated into dust upon contact, releasing faint wisps of energy for the pendant to absorb.

    Unfortunately, the bronze pendant did not affect most of them as they contained no divine remnants.

    <i>Perhaps some Gods couldn''t withstand the passage of time and perished in another world,</i> Pang Jian spected.

    One day, after reducing another wooden statue to dust using the bronze pendant, a mysterious force quietly flowed into his sea of consciousness.

    A new strand of divine sense emerged from one of his acupoints within his sea of consciousness!

    Pang Jian''s total number of divine senses suddenly increased from one hundred and twenty-eight strands to one hundred and twenty-nine!

    He had just broken one of the fundamental rules of cultivation!

    Once a cultivator in the Profound Abode Realm established their total number of divine strands in the early stage, it became fixed and could not be altered.

    However, despite being a cultivator in the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm, he had just manifested an additional strand of divine sense as a result of the bronze pendant''s absorption of divine consciousness!

    This defied the established rules for Profound Abode Realm cultivators!

    <i>Every additional ten strands after one hundred strands is like entering a whole new realm. I''m at one hundred and twenty-nine strands right now. If I can gather one or two more, I''ll surpass the threshold of one hundred and thirty strands...</i>

    Pang Jian''s heart surged with excitement.

    ording to Ye Fei, no one in the Second World had surpassed the threshold of one hundred and thirty strands of divine sense while in the Profound Abode Realm in the past eight hundred years.

    The newfound existence of divine consciousness and the mysterious properties of the bronze pendant gave Pang Jian a glimmer of hope.

    <i>I have to keep trying!</i>

    Over the next two days, Pang Jian eagerly searched for broken altars and statues within Spirit Offering.

    He then condensed another strand of divine sense with the newly absorbed divine consciousness.

    <i>One hundred and thirty strands!</i>

    Joy danced in Pang Jian''s eyes.

    He stumbled onto the fragments of a Gilded Chariot from the Star River Alliance a dayter

    A massive hand rested on the ground, with its palm facing upward.

    The massive hand was constructed from the bones of some massive beast.

    At a nce, the uniquely shaped altar looked like a massive hand reaching out from the depths of the earth.

    A familiar figure sat in the palm of this massive hand.

    It was Xie Xiwen of the Star River Alliance.

    Chunks of fingers from the massive handy scattered around the altar.

    Shen Lei''s body alsoy nearby.

    Contented smiles stretched across the faces of the corpses of two Star River Alliance elders.

    Despite the eerie atmosphere, the graceful Xie Xiwen sat quietly in meditation, seemingly unbothered.

    Her expression was peaceful, and her body radiated a strong vitality.

    Pang Jian cautiously approached, ready to flee at a moment''s notice.

    Suddenly, her longshes trembled. It seemed she was about to awaken from her meditation.

    A look of agony crossed her face. She appeared to be enduring unbearable torment as some terrifying force drove her body and mind to their limits.

    Her lips quivered as she tried to speak, but no sound emerged.

    Despite theck of sound, Pang Jian could clearly read the words on her lips.

    "Help me, help me, someone please save me!"

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Pang Jian''s head throbbed like hammers were pounding against his skull.

    The pain nearly drove him to the brink of a mental copse.

    He froze in his tracks, then slowly backed away, step by step.

    His eyes stayed fixed on Xie Xiwen as he whispered bitterly, "I''m sorry, I can''t help you. I''m not willing to risk my life."

    Xie Xiwen had shown him rare kindness and was one of the few willing to speak up for him in the Primordial Wilderness.

    But he simply was not capable of offering any assistance.

    Xie Xiwen''s lips moved again.

    "Little Brother."

    Her voice was soft and gentle.

    An icy chill gripped Pang Jian when he noticed she had opened her eyes. They shone with a silver glow as they gazed knowingly at him.

    Under the starlit sky, her demeanor seemed ethereal and otherworldly, like a celestial fairy.

    Pang Jian dared not admire her nor show the slightest hint of disrespect. He continued retreating without pause.

    She patted the spot beside her and smiled warmly. "Won''t youe sit with me? Let''s chat for a bit."

    Her melodious voice carried a seductive allure that made it hard to resist. Listening to her left Pang Jian dizzy like he was drunk.

 Chapter 247: Battle of the Gods

    <h4>Chapter 247: Battle of the Gods</h4>

    <i>Tap!</i>

    Pang Jian abruptly halted his retreat.

    "Xie Xiwen" smiled invitingly.

    "Come here."

    Wisps of smoke drifted around her like a dreamlike mist. Her sinister power spread outward from the giant hand, seeping into her surroundings.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The cold, hard ground split open like a sharp de had been driven into it, forming jagged fissures as stones exploded outward.

    Her smile remained unchanged, but her eyes let off a strange, demonic light, like two bottomless wells that drew in any who dared to gaze into them.

    Pang Jian locked eyes with her.

    Then, like a sh of lightning, he shot toward her with incredible speed.

    Her smile widened.

    The ck turtle scute on Pang Jian''s chest started to actively absorb his blood essence, snapping Pang Jian''s clouded mind back to reality.

    Stopping himself mid-step, he turned and fled, not daring to look at "Xie Xiwen" again.

    "I have important matters to attend to. I don''t have time to chat with you," Pang Jian rejected coldly as he ran away.

    In the blink of an eye, he had put a hundred zhang between him and "Xie Xiwen," visibly disheveled as he retreated.

    "Xie Xiwen''s" smile faded into a slight frown.

    "Go," she softlymanded.

    The dead members of the Star River Alliance around the altar, including Shen Lei and the two Spirit Condensation Realm elders, stood up in stiff, unnatural movements.

    Their hollow eyescked human emotion and shone with a silver radiance.

    They chased after Pang Jian, slow at first, but gradually speeding up until they became streaks of dazzling meteors.

    Having witnessed the sinister nature of the arachnid Outer God, Pang Jian could not help but nce back after fleeing a great distance.

    Shen Lei and the others were racing toward him like shooting stars as their piercing howls sliced through the air.

    Pang Jian immediately activated the scute''s Earth Dive ability and vanished underground, watching as the reanimated members of the Star River Alliance sped by from deep beneath the earth.

    <i>An Outer God must have possessed or inhabited Xie Xiwen</i>, Pang Jian thought grimly as he hid underground.

    Strange phenomena seemed to be urring all over Spirit Offering. Crumbling altars, copsed statues, and broken carvings that had been dormant for millennia were now reawakening one after another.

    Gods from unknown ces had turned their attention to the ancient ruins in Spirit Offering, peering into the restricted area from afar.

    Every cultivator in Spirit Offering had to beware of these Outer Gods'' scrutiny and guard against their malevolent intent.

    All it took was one wrong move for these entities to kill them.

    <i>The Abyss will descend into even greater chaos.</i>

    Pang Jian shook his head in silence.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Massive grayish-white stones floated in the sky above Pang Jian.

    The massive stones constantly crashed into each other like they were trying to merge into a single structure but were missing some essential binding force.

    A beautiful yet sinister face with silvery white hair floated among the colliding stones, radiating an evil power that rippled outward and allowing the God to observe the restricted area from its distant location.

    Deep underground, Pang Jian cursed.

    The God possessing Xie Xiwen had already driven him to hide in fear, and now another, even more powerful one had arrived.

    The Outer God above him turned its attention to the reanimated members of the Star River Alliance.

    The God''s broken spider legs started to pull back as if tugging at the very fabric of time.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The God''s outward spreading power tainted the reanimated cultivators from the Star River Alliance, and they rushed toward the God like moths to a me.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    Shen Lei, the two Spirit Condensation Realm elders, and several others burst into clouds of bloody mist.

    The dense bloody mist enveloped the detached spider parts and gruesome flesh regenerated at a speed visible to the naked eye.

    Parts of its body and face fused together.

    Pang Jian, still underground, stared up in shock.

    <i>The Gods in Spirit Offering aren''t allies! </i>he realized.

    As expected, the God possessing Xie Xiwen let out a soul-rending screech in the distance.

    The arachnid Outer God showed no fear when it heard the threatening cry and instead grew even more excited.

    <i>Whoosh! </i>

    It shot across the sky above Pang Jian with its remaining broken limbs, heading directly for the God possessing Xie Xiwen.

    <i>Crash!</i>

    A cataclysmic sh erupted in the distance as two terrifying wills and powers collided fiercely.

    The ground sank, the sky trembled, and destructive divine power surged like a tidal wave, sweeping across everything in its path.

    Pang Jian could feel the earth-shaking force seeping into the depths of Spirit Offering from where he was hidden underground.

    He hastily went deeper, reaching the thirty-zhang limits of his Earth Dive ability in hopes of avoiding the iing shockwaves.

    He poured blood essence into the ck turtle scute, activated the defensive properties of his Illusory Bone Realm body, and summoned his green protective shield, bracing for the aftershocks.

    Streams of corrosive light and specks of grayish-white radiance collided and moved through the ground, carving out tunnels through the earth as they went.

    The web-like tunnels spread out, expanding in every direction

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Pang Jian''s green protective shield shattered instantly.

    The two terrifying forces finally reached Pang Jian, subjecting him to immense pressure as they fought.

    His body and face contorted with the crushing force.

    If not for the sturdiness of his reinforced bones, the overwhelming pressure alone would have shattered his skeleton and torn him apart.

    The blood vessels in his chest burst, and Pang Jian quickly realized that even the underground was unsafe.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Gritting his teeth, he escaped to the surface and fled in panic without a single nce backward.

    He clicked his tongue in astonishment.

    <i>They''re way too powerful.</i>

    He knew these were not the Gods'' true forms, and this battle only showed a fraction of their divine power.

    However, even this small disy was enough to carve out a maze of tunnels deep underground.

    If their true bodies were to truly manifest here, their battle would tear apart Spirit Offering, and possibly even the entire Dark Abyss Continent.

    <i>Perhaps beings as powerful as True Gods could also break apart the fragmentednds.</i>

    A sense of awe filled Pang Jian, but he dared not turn back for fear of feeling the full force of the two Gods'' power.

    He had a strong feeling that, if he had not fled as he did, and even a hint of their power had touched him, the two mysterious entities would have be aware of a living being hiding deep underground.

    They would then drag him out from the ground once the battle ended.

    If he had not escaped when he did, he would have surely died.

    ***

    An hourter, the arachnid Outer God hovered over Pang Jian''s previous hiding ce. It scattered star-like grayish-white lights and sent them deep into the ground.

    It scanned the ground below with cold, indifferent eyes, searching for energy it could absorb.

    The grayish-white lights were extensions of its divine consciousness and could prate a hundred zhang into the ground.

    The lights then spread outward.

    Finding nothing, the God frowned, and its divine consciousness surged.

    <i>Rumble! Rumble!</i>

    The ground shook violently.

    The grayish-white lights bore countless holes into the earth as they returned to the God''s body.

    It was like enormous wells leading to the earth''s core had been dug.

    After hovering for a while, the God drifted away.

    At the massive hand-shaped altar, only a seated skeleton wearing the robes of the Star River Alliance remained.

    The genius of the Star River Alliance had long since died, and the arachnid Outer God had defeated the God possessing her.

    ***

    Pang Jian continued to roam Spirit Offering.

    He carefully used the bronze pendant to extract strands of divine consciousness to help the pupaplete its metamorphosis and be a true Bee Sovereign.

    Two dayster, he condensed another strand of divine sense within his sea of consciousness.

    <i>One hundred and thirty-one strands!</i>

    Pang Jian noticed his sea of consciousness had also expanded in conjunction with the new milestone.

    The space within his sea of consciousness had grown much wider.

    Unexpectedly, his divine sense''s capacity for mental and spiritual power had also surpassed its previous limit as each of the one hundred and thirty-one strands of divine sense had grown longer.

    Pang Jian realized Ye Fei from the ck Valley Sect had been right.

    Every additional ten strands after achieving one hundred strands represented a new threshold.

    Surpassing one hundred and thirty strands was an exceptionally difficult barrier!

    Crossing it had brought forth new, extraordinary changes.

    Six dayster, Pang Jian''s total strands of divine sense had reached one hundred and thirty-six strands. However, his sea of consciousness did not expand further, and the strands of divine sense did not lengthen.

    At this point, he could no longer find anything in Spirit Offering from which to extract divine consciousness and no new Gods appeared either.

    One day, a broad beam of sword light shot skyward, like a waterfall flowing in reverse.

    A sword intent powerful enough to tear through the heavens burst from the silver sword light.

    From afar, Pang Jian watched as a massive silvery white sword struck down a God with ck wings!

    The ck-winged God unleashed waves of ck divine mes in an attempt to escape the pursuit of the silver sword but was still felled with a single strike.

    The God crumbled to dust before it could even hit the ground, leaving no hint that it had ever existed.

 Chapter 248: Reunion

    <h4>Chapter 248: Reunion</h4>

    <i>Li Yuqing!</i>

    Pang Jian''s heart trembled.

    The Gods that had driven him to hide beneath the ground and made him flee at every turn had been in by none other than the Li Family girl he met in the tunnel of Eight Trigrams City.

    She truly had the power to destroy an entire fragmentednd such as Divine Fortune with a single sword strike!

    <i>Is it her own strength, the power of her divine sword, or bothbined? </i>Pang Jian wondered as he hurried over.

    The journey was unexpectedly smooth.

    The massive silver-white sword slowly retracted and descended beforeing to rest behind the green-robed girl.

    There was no makeup on the delicate girl''s round face and she wore no ornaments except for a single spatial ring.

    She sat atop a smooth ck stone pir, eyes as clear as gemstones.

    Excitement filled Pang Jian.

    Many people from various sects had gathered around the ck stone pir, including those from the Star River Alliance, the Blood Moon Sect, the Sinister Soul Temple, and the Red Mountain Sect.

    These people all gazed at her in shock like she was a God of the Abyss¡ªjust as Pang Jian had once done.

    Familiar faces like Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping stood with Zhao Yuanqi and Jiang Li beside the ck stone pir.

    Pang Jian''s emotions surged.

    It had been nearly two years since he hadst seen Zhou Qingchen.

    He suppressed the urge to rush forward and greet them, instead scanning the other faces.

    Han Ting and Gao Yuan were among the rogue cultivators, though Luo Hongyan was nowhere to be seen.

    Fang Boxuan from the Blood Moon Sect was also present, with a group of Blood Moon Sect elites apanying him.

    Cultivators from the Star River Alliance and Sinister Soul Temple had also gathered, but Pang Jian did not recognize them.

    "Another survivor has appeared," Fang Boxuan remarked as he nced at the sallow-faced young man who had just arrived. "It''s been a while since we''ve seen any new survivors; this guy''s luck is incredible."

    "Your luck is better," The Sect Master of the Blood Moon Sect, Tang Hongxiong, said in a deep voice.

    He stood taller than everyone else, with muscles straining against his loose robe. His very presence was intimidating and his voice boomed like thunder.

    "Yang Rui from the Radiant Sun Sect and¡ª" He nced at an elegant woman in the Star River Alliance before continuing, "Among the new generation, only you and Zhao Yuanqi remain alive."

    The Alliance Leader of the Star River Alliance, Ling Meiyu sighed sorrowfully and murmured, "I have no idea how I''ll exin this to her parents."

    "Disasters like this are happening not just in the Third World. I''m sure her parents will understand," Tang Hongxiong replied.

    Ling Meiyu regretfully said, "I shouldn''t have let her go ahead."

    "Alliance Leader, it was her fate. No one could have changed it."

    "Alliance Leader, please restrain your grief ande to terms with the inevitable."

    Two Star River Alliance elders consoled her.

    They had recently received news that nothing remained of Xie Xiwen but a skeleton.

    This matter weighed heavily on their hearts.

    The Cult Leader and Vice Cult Leader of the Sinister Soul Temple, Yin Yiqing and Han Zhiyuan, kept their distance from the Star River Alliance and the Blood Moon Sect.

    They stood with several Spirit Condensation Realm elders, whispering among themselves.

    "It''s a good thing we sent Tianze elsewhere," Han Zhiyuan muttered quietly, ncing at Yin Yiqing with a relieved expression. "Otherwise, he would''ve entered Spirit Offering and experienced this once-in-a-millennium catastrophe.

    "He could''ve ended up like Yang Rui and Xie Xiwen, chosen by an Outer God to be consumed for its descent."

    The ruthless Cult Leader, Yin Yiqing, remained silent, eyes fixed on Li Yuqing atop the ck stone pir.

    "The Li Family''sbat genius..."

    Yin Yiqing was deeply shaken.

    The bloodshed in Spirit Offering would have been even more extreme if she had not been present. Even the strongest among them, those already at the pinnacle of power in the Third World, would not have survived.

    This realization filled him with sincere respect for the Li Family girl.

    As he observed Li Yuqing, he noticed her gemstone-like eyes started to glow with a strange light.

    Following her gaze, Yin Yiqing saw that the person catching her attention was none other than the sallow-faced rogue cultivator who had just arrived.

    Li Yuqing''s lips parted to utter a name that made Yin Yiqing fume whenever he heard it.

    "Pang Jian," she called out softly.

    "Pang Jian?"

    "Pang Jian!"

    The name stunned everyone gathered there.

    Zhou Qingchen was visibly shaken, eyes turning red as he followed her gaze to the sallow-faced man.

    He sighed in disappointment.

    It was not the person he had been longing to see. Li Yuqing''s soft murmur was likely just her talking to herself.

    "Why are you only arriving now?" the green-robed girl asked, still looking at the sallow-faced man.

    Pang Jian''s appearance had been altered using his Illusory Bone Realm technique. Reluctantly turning around, he pretended to adjust his disguise, shifting his features as he did.

    When he turned back, he once again wore his true face.

    "I''ve been here for a while. I couldn''t contact you through the sword token, so I just wandered around," Pang Jian replied honestly.

    "Pang Jian!" Zhou Qingchen roared, rushing over in excitement.

    The piercing gazes of Sect Master Tang Hongxiong from the Blood Moon Sect, Alliance Leader Ling Meiyu from the Star River Alliance, and Cult Leader Yin Yiqing and Vice Cult Leader Han Zhiyuan from the Sinister Soul Temple all shot toward him like sharp swords. "Pang Jian!"

    "Pang Jian!"

    Gao Yuan and Han Ting trembled in shock.

    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>

    Zhou Qingchen pounded Pang Jian''s chest a few times, then pulled him into a powerful bear hug before finally letting go.

    "You-you rascal!" Zhou Qingchen stammered, not knowing what to say as he stared at Pang Jian with reddened eyes.

    "Big Brother Zhou," Pang Jian said softly.

    "As long as you''re alright, as long as you''re okay. I''ve been searching everywhere for you these past two years, I¡ª" Zhou Qingchen choked on his words, overwhelmed with emotion and unable to fully express himself.

    "Pang Jian!" Fang Boxuan jumped in fright and hurriedly whispered to Tang Hongxiong, "He''s Pang Jian!"

    "Hmm, I''m not deaf, I heard it," the towering, hot-blooded Sect Master of the Blood Moon Sect replied with a low chuckle. "The Profound Abode Realm cultivator who managed to kill Jiu Yuan¡ªI can''t help but admire him."

    "Sect Master, the Sword Pavilion has issued a warning. You mustn''t... Fang Boxuan urged softly.

    Tang Hongxiongughed. "I won''t jeopardize Blood Moon Sect''s future."

    "That''s good¡ªSect Master is wise!" Fang Boxuan quickly praised him.

    Ling Meiyu of the Star River Alliance sized up the young man with eyes sparkling with starlight.

    "The Sword Pavilion..." A bitter smile tugged at her lips as she stared at the youth who had killed Elder Liang Ying of the Star River Alliance.

    Before entering Spirit Offering, she had received a letter from the Sword Pavilion.

    She knew the same letter had also been sent to the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple.

    <i>Pang Jian will be epted as an inner disciple of the Sword Pavilion. The Pavilion Master will personally train him.</i>

    Those words were as heavy as a mountain, weighing down on her, Tang Hongxiong, and Yin Yiqing. There was no longer any need for them to discuss the matter as they all immediately abandoned any thoughts about seeking revenge against Pang Jian.

    It was said that Cult Leader Yin Yiqing, known for his ruthlessness, had sat in meditation for a long time at the main temple before entering Spirit Offering.

    When he emerged, he acted like he had never even heard the name Pang Jian.

    A personal disciple of the Sword Pavilion''s Pavilion Master.

    They all knew the kind of person the Pavilion Master of the Sword Pavilion was.

    Therefore, when they encountered Pang Jian, they could only maintain theirposure despite theplex emotions churning within them.

    Even more startlingly, the extraordinary Li Family girl from the Divine Treasure Sect also seemed to be well acquainted with Pang Jian.

    <i>The Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect in the First World. </i>Ling Meiyu grew increasingly frustrated when she realized the Star River Alliance would never regain its honor.

    Liang Ying''s death would go unavenged.

    As everyone else remained deep in thought, Zhou Qingchen led Pang Jian to his group, gesturing toward Zhao Yuanqi before realizing they had already met.

    Zhou Qingchen awkwardly introduced them with a sheepish scratch of his head.

    The cool, silver-haired girl nodded, "What you did in the Primordial Wilderness was very impressive. I''d love to know how you managed to kill Jiu Yuan, Lou Yunming, and Liang Ying."

    Her words caused a ripple among the leaders of the three major sects. Their carefully controlled expressions betrayed a hint of difort.

    Jiang Li tugged at her sleeve. "Let''s not talk about that now!"

    "Oh, I forgot they were here too," Zhao Yuanqi said offhandedly.

    The three leaders'' expressions darkened further.

    "Pang Jian!" Han Duping greeted with a smile.

    Pang Jian returned the gesture politely, then looked up at Li Yuqing atop the ck stone pir.

    "You wanted to ask me something?" he asked.

    The elegantly dressed Li Yuqing gave a gentle nod and said, "We''ll talkter."

    "Alright."

    Feeling slightly more at ease, Pang Jian waved at the group of rogue cultivators, signaling Gao Yuan and Han Ting to join them.

    Among them stood a few familiar Spirit Condensation Realm powerhouses he had met in the Primordial Wilderness such as Lian Feng, the seller of Soul Nourishing Pills.

    Gao Yuan beamed and eagerly ran over.

    He was a mere Innate Realm cultivator and felt out of ce among such powerful rogue cultivators. Naturally, he was even more nervous around the elites from the Red Mountain Sect, the Blood Moon Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the Sinister Soul Temple.

    If Pang Jian had not called him over, he would not have dared to approach.

    The voluptuous Han Ting also felt out of ce among the rogue cultivators and let out a sigh of relief at Pang Jian''s signal.

    She followed behind Gao Yuan.

    "Old Ghost Dongye, that girl belongs to Pang Jian. Stop eyeing her," Lian Feng warned coldly. "Cao Mang, Jiu Yuan, and Lou Yunming are all dead. If you want to survive, you''d better not mess with Pang Jian."

    Dongye Jing, the one with the highest cultivation realm among the rogue cultivators, hid the lustful glint in his eyes and regretfully eyed Han Ting''s curvaceous figure. "I''m not foolish enough to go courting death."

 Chapter 249: The Little Drunkard of the Li Family

    <h4>Chapter 249: The Little Drunkard of the Li Family</h4>

    The lustful rogue cultivator Dongye Jing reluctantly dismissed his wicked thoughts.

    Dongye Jing had a tall, slender figure and exuded a chilling aura.

    Gently waving a feathered fan with an air of false elegance, he stared thoughtfully at Pang Jian.

    <i>The Primordial Wilderness, Pang Jian...</i>

    Pang Jian had returned to his true appearance and was dressed in ck robes. His chiseled face radiated a cold, imposing aura, giving him an extraordinary presence.

    Han Ting did not have an exceptionally striking face but her explosive curves that seemed to burst out of her dress still made Dongye Jing''s heart itch with desire.

    Despite trying to curb his evil intentions, he could not help but repeatedly nce at Han Ting''s back with a deep sense of regret.

    "I watched with my own eyes as Pang Jian cut off the head of that dwarf friend of yours," Lian Feng coldly reminded.

    Dongye Jing shook his head with a bitter smile.

    "I know."

    <i>***</i>

    "Little Brother Pang!" Gao Yuan greeted, making sure to nod and bow to everyone when he arrived at the group of Red Mountain Sect cultivators.

    Han Ting appeared slightly uneasy and only shot Pang Jian a bright smile.

    Inwardly, she was praising her fortune¡ªif not for the ambiguous rumors between her and Pang Jian back in the Primordial Wilderness, she feared she would not have escaped Dongye Jing''s clutches.

    Pang Jian nodded in return, then asked, "Where is she?"

    Gao Yuan''s smile faded and he sighed. "We were separated from her as soon as we entered Spirit Offering."

    He then exined the situation to Pang Jian.

    One day, Luo Hongyan said she felt a force deep within Spirit Offering calling her and asked Gao Yuan to steer his Cloud Sail there.

    Gao Yuan obediently followed her instructions.

    However, as they flew over Spirit Offering, the Cloud Sail malfunctioned, leading to a catastrophic crash.

    Before the impact, Luo Hongyan had pulled him and Han Ting to safety, then headed off on her own.

    They had not seen her since.

    Pang Jian frowned in silence when he heard this, a heavy weight settling in his heart.

    There had been many anomalies in Spirit Offeringtely, and he feared Luo Hongyan was in danger with so many terrifying Gods wandering about.

    "Pang Jian, don''t worry too much. You made it here. She''s probably fine too. She''s resourceful, she''ll find her way," Zhou Qingchen consoled, tossing a jar of wine over. "Tell me about what happened after you left Eight Trigrams City."

    Pang Jian nced at Li Yuqing in silent question.

    "Go ahead and drink. It''s not like you can do much to help anyway. These Outer Gods may not be able to descend in full force and they''re not something you can deal with," Li Yuqing said offhandedly, with an ethereal grace of a powerful celestial being.

    A silver-white sword floated behind her and the hem of her green robe fluttered in the breeze.

    Her presence alone kept everyone gathered calm and unconcerned about the threats posed by the Outer Gods.

    She had repeatedly demonstrated her strength, either ying or heavily injuring any God that dared to approach.

    "Pang Jian, what she said may be harsh, but it''s the truth." The chubby Han Duping sighed, shaking his head. "Don''tpare yourself to her. You''ll only end up frustrated. Herbat strength alone surpasses everyone herebined!"

    The silver-haired Zhao Yuanqi lightly bit her lip, looking slightly despondent as well.

    "That''s true," Han Ting and Gao Yuan agreed.

    "Just drink already!" Li Yuqing urged in an oddly dissatisfied tone.

    She seemed somewhat...displeased.

    "Here, have some too." Pang Jian stepped forward and offered a jar of wine to Li Yuqing. "You''re strong enough not to worry about those guys, so why not have a drink?"

    Everyone was stunned.

    Ling Meiyu from the Star River Alliance; Tang Hongxiong and Fang Boxuan from the Blood Moon Sect; the two leaders from the Sinister Soul Temple; and the gathered rogue cultivators all looked on with bewilderment.

    The genius girl from the Li Family had barely interacted with anyone since she arrived.

    Those trying to befriend her had been met with cold indifference.

    Was Pang Jian trying to cozy up to her by offering wine?

    Li Yuqing''s gem-like eyes showed a trace of hesitation.

    Her craving for alcohol had been gnawing at her, but she had been holding back to maintain her image as a proper youngdy.

    The sight of Zhou Qingchen taking out wine and handing some to Pang Jian only made her want to drink even more.

    Pang Jian held up the jar and said earnestly, "I know you''re a drinker."

    Li Yuqing gritted her teeth. <i>You scoundrel!</i>

    Outwardly, she only hummed in annoyance and said tly, "His wine must taste awful."

    She did not take the jar from Pang Jian and instead brought out two delicate little sks before tossing one to Pang Jian.

    "Drink mine."

    After an initial eager mouthful, she went on to drink in small, refined sips, carefully maintaining herdylike demeanor.

    The cultivators stared at her in shock when they realized the powerful girl from the Li Family was, in fact, a little drunkard.

    Pang Jian followed her lead, alternating between gulps from the wine jar and the exquisite silver sk.

    <i>Gulp! Gulp!</i>

    "Tastes pretty simr to me," Pang Jian muttered.

    Li Yuqing snorted disdainfully. "You country bumpkin, you know nothing about wine."

    Their exchange only made the onlookers more perplexed. It was apparent the pair were far from strangers.

    "Pang Jian, her wine...it''s definitely a higher grade," Zhou Qingchen said with an awkwardugh.

    "Tastes the same to me." Pang Jian shrugged, admittedly not much of a connoisseur.

    He took turns sipping from both drinks, feeling the warmth spread through him as he chatted with Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping.

    Zhou Qingchen told him that he had gone to the Fourth World to help his n fend off Vicious Beasts'' invasion after reaching thete stage of the Innate Realm.

    Only parts of the Zhou n''s and the Dong n''s territories remained untainted by murky energy in the Fourth World.

    "The murky energy will eventually consume all the fragmentednds in the Fourth World. Those in the Fourth World will have no choice but to migrate upward," Han Duping said, shaking his head and takingrge gulps of wine. "The harsh reality is that those with family backgrounds get taken to the Third World.

    "I''m a rogue cultivator myself. If not for Zhou Qingchen bringing me along, I''d be stuck in some city, hoping to be saved once all the noble families were gone. Even then, it''s like I''d have been left behind."

    Gao Yuan interjected with a pained expression, "It''s tough being a rogue cultivator. At least I''m in the Third World. The space where we can operate is shrinking, but we''re still alive."

    "Have you ever thought about what we''ll do if the murky energy starts to seep into the Third World?" Han Ting quietly asked.

    "That''s impossible!" Gao Yuan and Han Duping shouted in unison.

    Zhou Qingchen, Zhao Yuanqi, and others from the Star River Alliance and the Blood Moon Sect instinctively looked toward where Li Yuqing was drinking atop the ck stone pir for confirmation.

    "It''s possible," Li Yuqing said, cheeks flushed from the alcohol.

    Everyone fell silent, no longer having the heart to continue the conversation.

    Most of them were from the Third World. If the murky energy guing the Fourth World started to contaminate the Third World, the same disasters urring in the world below would eventually affect them as well.

    "Miss Li, is there any solution from above?" Ling Meiyu of the Star River Alliance could not help but ask.

    "To my knowledge, in the worst-case scenario, even the Second World could be tainted by the murky energy," Li Yuqing said, eyes slightly drowsy and face flushed. "Such cmities have urred before the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs were erected in the Fifth World.

    "If that kind of disaster happens, it won''t just affect the Fourth World¡ªeven the Third and Second Worlds won''t be spared."

    The crowd paled with fear at her words.

    "Zhou Qingchen, give me a jar of wine too!" the silver-haired Zhao Yuanqi said solemnly, joining in on the drinking.

    "I''d like a jar of wine too," Jiang Li whispered.

    "Alright!"

    Zhou Qingchen stood up and handed out the wine.

    As Pang Jian drank himself into tipsiness, he noticed the rogue cultivators, the Blood Moon Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the Sinister Soul Temple had all been caught up in the drinking mood as well.

    It did not take long for unruly curses to be voiced.

    "What are those in the upper worlds doing? Why are the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs having issues?"

    "Why aren''t they dealing with the problems down here? What are they so busy with?"

    "Damn it! Where will we escape if the murky energy reaches the Second World?"

    "How did I get so unlucky to face this cmity?"

    The rogue cultivators were the first to speak up, ring at the sky as theyined about the powerful sects of the upper worlds.

    Li Yuqing simply drank silently like she did not hear their grumblings.

    "Oh, by the way, Pang Jian. The Sword Pavilion sent a message to the Star River Alliance, the Blood Moon Sect, and the Sinister Soul Temple, officially recognizing you as an inner disciple," informed the cool, silver-haired Zhao Yuanqi, a hint of envy in her eyes. "It seems the Pavilion Master intends to take you as his personal disciple."

    "What?!" Gao Yuan and Han Ting eximed in shock.

    Han Duping took a sip and said, "Pang Jian, those words¡ªthe Pavilion Master''s personal disciple¡ªalone are enough to clear all obstacles for you in the Third World!"

    Zhou Qingchen patted Pang Jian on the shoulder and said with genuine pride, "Brother, I''m so happy and proud of you!"

    The fact that the reclusive Pavilion Master of the Sword Pavilion had decided to take Pang Jian as his personal disciple showed just how much he valued him.

    <i>The Pavilion Master''s personal disciple. </i>Pang Jian was visibly moved.

    "The Pavilion Master''s swordsmanship is unparalleled. His strength is terrifying. He could even lead Sword Pavilion back to the First World, allowing it to once again be one of the most powerful sects in the Abyss," Li Yuqingmented from atop the ck stone pir.

 Chapter 250: United Against a Common Enemy

    <h4>Chapter 250: United Against a Common Enemy</h4>

    "Lead the Sword Pavilion back to the First World?" Pang Jian peered up at her in confusion.

    The tipsy Zhou Qingchen also looked up in puzzlement and saw that Li Yuqing''s gaze not only remained steady but grew increasingly sharp despite her alcohol intake.

    The youngdy from the Li Family seemed to have an impressive tolerance for alcohol.

    Nodding gently, Li Yuqing exined, "Yes, both the Sword Pavilion and the Demon Sect were once the top factions in the First World. However, due to the sessive deaths of their True Gods, they were forced to leave the First World, and newer factions from the lower worlds reced them.

    "Weaker sects sink lower, while stronger sects rise higher¡ªthis is an unchanging rule in the Abyss.

    "Any sect with enough top-tier experts can gradually migrate upward, world by world."

    Her meaningful gaze swept across the three leaders of the Blood Moon Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the Sinister Soul Temple.

    Tang Hongxiong grinned and said, "My ambition is to bring the Blood Moon Sect to the Second World!"

    "If you can break through to the Immortal Realm, the Blood Moon Sect could indeed have a chance to stand in the Second World," Li Yuqing responded calmly, eyes growing even more focused. "The spot that once belonged to the Blood Spirit Sect would be yours."

    "The Immortal Realm..." Tang Hongxiong licked his lips and nced up at the clear sky. "It''s notpletely out of reach."

    "That spot will belong to our Sinister Soul Temple sooner orter," Yin Yiqing interjected. The Cult Leader of the Sinister Soul Temple was equally determined to im the empty spot of the Blood Spirit Sect. "I''ll reach the Immortal Realm before you do."

    The two had long been at odds due to their shared origins with the Blood Spirit Sect.

    As the pair drank, their deep-seated obsessions and desires unwittingly surfaced for all to see.

    Li Yuqing rolled her eyes inwardly.

    <i>These two guys have barely stepped into the Soul Wandering Realm and are already dreaming about the Immortal Realm</i>[1]<i>, s</i>he thought to herself.

    "By the way, what''s the cultivation realm of the one who wants to take me as a disciple?" Pang Jian inquired.

    "Peak Immortal Realm, on the brink of bing a True God. The most important thing is he''s still very young and possesses limitless potential," Li Yuqing answered seriously.

    Pang Jian could not help but feel a sense of awe. He found himself rather eager to meet this master of his.

    The group then shared their stories of what they had experienced since parting ways. Gao Yuan and Han Ting also joined in, recounting their adventures after reaching the Dark Abyss Continent.

    asionally, Li Yuqing would chime in with a few words.

    From their discussions, Pang Jian learned that the Outer Gods were actually Gods from beyond the Abyss.

    In the past, races like the Celestial Race and the one-eyed giants lived in the upper worlds and worshiped these Outer Gods.

    ording to Li Yuqing, when the Fifth World¡ªa ce of eternal darkness¡ªwas sealed, the foreign races within could no longermunicate with the Outer Gods.

    Their world, the Abyss, was closed to the outside and only opened every few hundred or a thousand years. When closed, it was difficult for those in the upper worlds to connect with these Outer Gods.

    The only exceptions were special ces like Spirit Offering, where contact could be re-established with the help of altars and statues.

    Once contact was established, Outer Gods could channel a fraction of their power into the Abyss through their affiliated altars and statues.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    As they conversed, yet another Outer God drifted over.

    Withered leaves gathered into a swirling sea of eerie darkness that blocked out the clear sky. A massive figure resembling a bat emerged, shrouded in sinister shadows.

    "Miss Li, this one doesn''t seem too powerful. Allow me to handle it," volunteered the drunk Cult Leader of the Sinister Soul Temple.

    "Go ahead." Li Yuqing said with a nod.

    "Thank you!" Yin Yiqing sped his hands in gratitude, body swelling with spiritual power, instantly flushing out the alcohol in his system.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A massive stele flew out.

    Thousands of Spirit Devils carried the stele as they charged toward the Outer God hidden within the sea of withered leaves.

    Thick, liquid-like Profound Yin energy surged from the stele and pale inscriptions appeared on its deep green surface.

    "I, Yuan Feng, born on the Cosmic Skies Continent, died in Wildreed Brook."

    "I, Guo Wen, born on the Three Immortals Ind, died on the Dark Abyss Continent."

    The Spirit Devils recited the inscriptions on the stele, ghostly voices echoing far and wide.

    The Spirit Devils seemed to regain a trace of their memories, recalling their glory days as they read their own epitaphs.

    An ocean of Profound Yin energy surrounded the stele as the battle began.

    "Spirit Offering is limiting its power. The arrays within the Stele of Wandering Souls cannot be fully activated," Yin Yiqing sighed.

    "Go!" A dark green soul with Yin Yiqing''s appearance drifted out from the center of his forehead and took control of the Stele of Wandering Souls, guiding it alongside tens of thousands of Spirit Devils to confront the bat-like Outer God.

    Many rogue cultivators eximed in astonishment.

    "It''s the Soul Wandering Realm, where one''s soul leaves the body!"

    "He''s actually in the Soul Wandering Realm! No wonder he dares to dream of the Immortal Realm so soon!"

    "The Cult Leader of the Sinister Soul Temple is truly remarkable!"

    The crowd praised Yin Yiqing.

    <i>The Soul Wandering Realm... </i>Pang Jian watched curiously as Yin Yiqing''s soul took control of the Stele of Wandering Souls and directed the Spirit Devils to attack the retreating Outer God.

    <i>Perhaps these Outer Gods aren''t as powerful as they seem.</i>

    "This Outer God''s strength is less than a ten-thousandth of its true body," Li Yuqing remarked coolly, seeing through his thoughts.

    "I see," Pang Jian immediately curbed his underestimation of the Outer Gods.

    "Well done, Master Yin!"

    "The Outer God is retreating!"

    Cheers erupted from the rogue cultivators.

    Yin Yiqing''s soul had taken control of the Stele of Wandering Souls and sessfully pushed the Outer God back, forcing it to flee.

    "Don''t pursue it," Li Yuqing called out.

    "I''m well aware."

    Yin Yiqing''s soul guided the stele back from the distant sky. His soul reentered his body and the stele returned to his spatial ring.

    His expression was unflustered as though the battle had taken little effort, which only drew more praise from the crowd.

    "Not bad." Tang Hongxiong smirked. It was unclear whether his praise was sincere or mocking.

    "That one was here to scout," Li Yuqing said, gaze fixed on the retreating Outer God. "I have a bad feeling."

    Everyone turned to look at her in confusion.

    "It seems like the Outer Gods now have a leader. They''re established territories within Spirit Offering." Li Yuqing''s normally serene expression turned slightly pinched. "The battles ahead will be much tougher if the Outer Gods are no longer fighting among themselves."

    She had hoped the Outer Gods would continue fighting each other, leaving her to deal with the strongest survivor. Her task had be significantly more challenging with them working together.

    "Miss Li, is there no help from above?" asked Ling Meiyu of the Star River Alliance.

    Li Yuqing shot her a cold nce. "Aren''t I here? The disturbances of the Outer Gods aren''t limited to the Third World. More powerful and intact Outer Gods have also appeared in the First and Second Worlds."

    Ling Meiyu sighed. "Has this happened before?"

    "Frequently. Every few hundred or thousand years, when the Abyss opens up," Li Yuqing replied solemnly. "But it''s more troublesome this time."

    "Why?"

    "Because the foreign races and murky energy from the Fifth World are migrating into the Fourth World.

    "The situation will be much more dire if the Outer Gods and those foreign races join forces."

    Li Yuqing then exined the rtionship between Outer Gods and the foreign races from the Fifth World.

    Pang Jian listened attentively.

    Before the human race took control of the Abyss, the foreign races dominated the upper worlds.

    These foreign races had long masteredmunication with Outer Gods, with many of them gaining powerful techniques by worshiping these Outer Gods.

    The foreign races refined their bodies using the Outer Gods'' secret techniques, allowing the Outer Gods to descend into the Abyss through the foreign races when the Abyss opened up.

    Only the foreign races could properly host these Outer Gods and fully manifest their power.

    When the human race took control over the Abyss, they drove these foreign races into the Fifth World and sealed it.

    This prevented the foreign races frommunicating with the Outer Gods, even when the Abyss opened.

    Even if the Outer Gods could sense the altars, statues, and carvings, and managed to imbue a portion of their divine consciousness into them, theirbat effectiveness remained severely limited without the foreign races'' aid and presence.

    This included the bat-like Outer God repelled by Yin Yiqing or the winged Outer God in by Li Yuqing with a single sword strike.

    The Outer Gods needed a suitable medium and the appropriate foreign race to host their divine power so they could unleash their true strength.

    "If these altars, statues, and carvings could still be sensed when the Abyss opened, why weren''t they destroyedpletely back then?" Ling Meiyu asked curiously.

    Li Yuqing was silent for a moment.

    "Some people want to learn more about the world beyond the Abyss through them," she finally said. "The altars are destroyed and the foreign races have been driven to the Fifth World, so the Outer Gods are weak when they descend.

    "Dealing with them isn''t difficult, and as long as nothing unexpected happens, I can handle all the Outer Gods in this restricted area on my own.

    "Those above don''t consider these Outer Gods a real threat. After all, their strength is a mere fraction of their true power."

    1. In case anyone forgot, the cultivation realms go from Qi Practicing Realm -> Meridian Opening Realm -> Marrow Cleansing Realm -> Innate Realm -> Profound Abode Realm -> Spirit Condensation Realm -> Soul Wandering Realm -> Nirvana Realm -> Immortal Realm -> True God Realm ?

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 251: The Present Situation

    <h4>Chapter 251: The Present Situation</h4>

    Li Yuqing slowly sipped from her delicate wine sk as she exined, starry eyes asionally ncing at the sky.

    Everybody present listened in captivation.

    "The True Gods of the First World are also uncertain about the situation beyond the Abyss," she said. "They''re both curious and worried about the world beyond.

    "Many True Gods want to venture out, but they fear doing so, hoping instead to learn about the outside world through the Outer Gods."

    She then shook her head and did not borate further on the topic.

    "Beyond the Abyss?"

    "The world beyond the Abyss..."

    Her words left many people in deep thought.

    No new Outer Gods appeared even after a long time

    Daylight gave way to a dim, overcast night without the stars of the moon to light up the sky.

    Pang Jian was chatting with Zhou Qingchen and the others when Li Yuqing abruptly spoke up.

    "Pang Jian, let''s talk," she said before flying off into the distance.

    Pang Jian knew there was no avoiding this so he obediently got up and followed her.

    Several hundred zhang away, the young girl in green traced a circle with her sword light, creating a barrier that shut out all prying eyes.

    As soon as Pang Jian entered, she huffed, "You forgot my voice."

    Although her face was slightly flushed, her clear eyes remained bright, showing no trace of drunkenness.

    Pang Jian froze, unsure of how to respond. He had braced himself to be interrogated, so her casualint was a surprise.

    Li Yuqing red at Pang Jian with dissatisfaction, then brought out a familiar set of tables and chairs alongside an array of prepared dishes.

    "I''m a bit hungry," she said, taking a seat before staring pointedly at the empty chair across from her.

    Pang Jian sat down stiffly and she immediately started devouring the food.

    "There were too many people watching me just now. I felt too embarrassed to grab anything to eat," she mumbled through a mouthful of food.

    Watching her tear into the meat with greasy hands sent a wave of nostalgia through Pang Jian. He felt like he was back in the dark tunnel in Eight Trigrams City two years ago.

    Li Yuqing had not changed. She was still the same girl who loved meat and wine.

    However, Pang Jian''s mindset had shifted.

    He now knew her esteemed identity, had witnessed her terrifying strength, and was aware she held some leverage over him.

    These factorsbined meant he felt far less at ease than he used to when facing her.

    "How could you forget my voice?" Li Yuqing stared at Pang Jian with a cold expression, a greasy chicken leg grasped in her hand.

    Pang Jian awkwardly exined, "We didn''t even meet once after leaving Eight Trigrams City. It''s been a long time. Isn''t it normal for me to not immediately recognize your voice?"

    "Is that so?" Li Yuqing''s gem-like eyes gleamed with a piercing light that seemed to see through Pang Jian. "Then can you exin why the World Eater Vine in Divine Fortune wrote that message when I was about to kill it?"

    Pang Jian fell silent.

    After some thought, he tentatively asked, "You know I canmunicate with it?"

    "Obviously!" Li Yuqing rolled her eyes, picked up a piece of braised beef, and confidently said, "No matter what kind of rtionship you have with it, the fact that it wrote that message proves you two are connected!

    "When I was about to kill it, it deliberately wrote that line. You must''ve told it to do so.

    "And you still dare to say you haven''t seen me?"

    Pang Jian awkwardly scratched his head.

    "You''ve changed. You''ve started to lie. You''re no longer as straightforward and honest as you were in Eight Trigrams City," shemented. Noticing Pang Jian sitting stiff and not touching any food, she pushed a te of chicken wings toward him. "Tell me, where did you find that World Eater Vine sapling?"

    "The Solitary Mountain Range," Pang Jian continued to lie, now gnawing on a chicken wing. "A bone from the Celestial Phoenix fell from the sky and pierced through a World Eater Vine buried deep in the ground. I found the sapling next to its dead roots."

    Li Yuqing was surprised. "The Solitary Mountain Range?"

    "Yes, the one now covered by the bizarre mist."

    Pang Jian thought this would deter her from investigating.

    Li Yuqing looked intrigued.

    "This mountain range seems interesting. I''ll make time to check it out," she said, contrary to Pang Jian''s expectations. "The World Eater Vine can''t grow into a World Tree without the nourishment of murky energy and the support of the Wood Race.

    "In the past, no matter how much it grew in the Solitary Mountain Range, it had its limits. However, it has endless possibilities with Divine Fortune as it is now.

    "Before I left the Fourth World, I took another look at the fragmentednd. The World Eater Vine is already trying to merge with other fragmentednds, and a powerful tribe from the Wood Race is protecting it.

    "Even if I wanted to kill it now, it would be tough given that it''s in control of its own domain," Li Yuqing said with some frustration.

    She had not expected the World Eater Vine to grow so powerful in such a short time. It had grown strong enough to be a headache even for someone like her.

    Pang Jian remainedposed on the surface, but he was inwardly excited.

    <i>Has the little tree really be that formidable?</i>

    "Be honest with me. Can you control it?" Li Yuqing''s gaze sharpened. Pang Jian could almost feel a slight stinging sensation on his face. "Think carefully before answering. If you can''t control it, I''ll have to find a way to destroy it."

    "I can!" Pang Jian answered resolutely.

    "You''re so weak, how can you control it?"

    "I''ll keep getting stronger."

    "I doubt you can grow faster than it. I''m worried it''ll turn on you."

    "It won''t!"

    They argued as they ate.

    Before long, they had finished all the food on the table. Not even a single piece of meat was left.

    "Forget it." Li Yuqing pped her hands and brought out a basin to wash up. "The world is already chaotic enough. Adding one more World Eater Vine that might never be a World Tree won''t make things much worse. I can always cut it down once I be a True God if it does."

    It appeared she was giving Pang Jian some leeway and had decided not to preemptively eliminate the potential threat.

    Pang Jian hastily expressed his gratitude.

    After she finished washing up, Pang Jian did the same, just like they once did in Eight Trigrams City.

    "What''s the situation with your Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea?" Li Yuqing casually asked.

    "I have sr energy, ster energy, lunar energy, cold energy, earthme energy, and lightning," Pang Jian shared openly. "When I was stuck in the early stage of the Profound Abode Realm and could not break through, I went to Cloud Lightning and absorbed the lightning there.

    "After I formed a lightning vortex in my spiritual sea, my realm advanced."

    Li Yuqing''s eyes brightened. "Oh, so you''re Luo Yuan?"

    "How do you know everything?!" Pang Jian was shocked.

    "I''m from the Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect. Our family has a vast informationwork. Word got around that someone named Luo Yuan in Cloud Lightning killed that annoying crane from the Pure Land Sect.

    "Of course, I also know the crane didn''t die. It''s already returned to the Pure Land Sect."

    Li Yuqing put away the table and chairs, then wiped her hands with a handkerchief.

    After a moment of thought, she added, "The sky above Spirit Offering is riddled with seals the Outer God created long ago. When the Abyss opens, these seals will activate, and I can only use my sword to take one person away.

    "Pang Jian, remember to stay close to me. If something truly unexpected happens, I''ll take you out of Spirit Offering.

    "We''re acquainted. Not to mention, the Sword Pavilion intends to take you as a personal disciple and I owe them a favor.

    "So, if I can only take one person with me, that person will be you," she said seriously

    Pang Jian was stunned. "Are you saying you may not be able to handle the Outer Gods scattered around Spirit Offering?"

    "I can deal with the scattered ones. The problem is, they have a leader now." Li Yuqing frowned. "An Outer God capable of uniting the weaker Outer Gods¡ªI''m not confident against that.

    "Pang Jian, what I''m relying on is a divine artifact. I''m only in the Soul Wandering Realm myself," the young girl said helplessly.

    "What about everyone else?" Pang Jian asked.

    "Everyone else?" Li Yuqing pursed her lips. "The Blood Moon Sect, the Sinister Soul Temple, and the Star River Alliance will lose their leaders, but new ones will rise.

    "Pang Jian, you have to learn to let go. More and more people will die as time goes on, and we can''t save everyone.

    "The Outer Gods may wipe out the sects in the Third World, but new ones will eventually rise after the Outer Gods are cleared out.

    "Countless sects have been lost to history already. As for cultivators?" Li Yuqing sighed and shook her head. "Far more of them have perished."

    Despite her young age, she exhibited an extraordinary detachment¡ªor perhaps, a cold indifference¡ªregarding the cycles of life and death.

    With that, she rose into the air and gracefullynded atop a ck stone pir to quietly rest with her eyes half-closed.

    Pang Jian returned to the sight of Zhou Qingchen''s cheerful face; Gao Yuan and Han Ting chatting nervously with the members of the Red Mountain Sect; and the chubby Han Duping standing with Jiang Li.

    <i>Let''s hope it doesn''te to that.</i> Pang Jian thought gloomily as he made small talk with the group.

    He struggled to maintain the carefree demeanor that came so naturally to Li Yuqing.

    The next day, the zing sun hung high in the clear sky.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    An Outer God with the face of a human and the body of a spider appeared in the distance and slowly flew closer.

    <i>It''s him! </i>Pang Jian''s expression changed.

    The appearance of the arachnid Outer God fully confirmed that the Outer God possessing Xie Xiwen had been defeated.

    Unlike before, the spider limbs and human face had since merged to form aplete being.

    <i>This Outer God''s power has definitely increased, </i>Pang Jian noted.

    <i>Tap! Tap! Tap!</i>

    A ten-zhang-tall wooden figure emitting corrupting energy appeared from the opposite direction.

    It had an aged, male face, with a sinister force capable of withering all life into destion emanating from the depths of its grayish-brown eyes.

    Just looking at it drained Pang Jian''s vitality.

    The wooden figure stared straight at Li Yuqing with its eerie eyes.

    It clearly knew she was the most formidable opponent among their group.

 Chapter 252: High-Ranking Outer God, Luo Hongyan!

    <h4>Chapter 252: High-Ranking Outer God, Luo Hongyan!</h4>

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The bat-like Outer God the Sinister Soul Temple''s Cult Leader had driven away reappeared in the distant sky.

    An ominous dark yellow banner full of holes fluttered beside it, with cold, sinister eyes peering out of the ragged holes in the banner.

    Soon after, two more Outer Gods, each with three heads and six arms, arrived together.

    Six Outer Gods in total now surrounded their group. There was the arachnid god, the wooden figure, the ck bat, the dark yellow banner, and the two three-headed gods.

    <i>Crackle! Crackle! Crackle!</i>

    Silver light red overhead.

    In the blink of an eye, the overwhelming sword intent had shed with waves of malicious energy hundreds of times.

    A massive silver sword hung motionless in the air. Its radiant sword light shredded the malicious energy trying to encroach upon them, keeping them safe beneath its protection.

    "These aren''t the masterminds," Li Yuqing said calmly.

    Streams of silver sword light transformed into swirling petals, blossoming into visions of wind, flowers, snow, and moonlight. They condensed into towering mountains and vast rivers and even morphed into grand pces and stately pavilions.

    These images merged into a boundless sea of brilliant sword light above Li Yuqing''s head to be a separate realm embodying the unyieldingws of heaven and earth.

    The gathered Outer Gods gazed solemnly at the sea of sword light, expressions dark and eyes wary.

    Li Yuqing ignored their cautious stares, frowning as her eyes stayed locked on the distant horizon.

    None of these six Outer Gods was the leader.

    "Sister¨CSister Luo!" Jiang Li cried out in shock.

    Pang Jian''s heart skipped a beat as he followed her gaze. A graceful figure had appeared atop the ck bat''s head¡ªit was none other than Luo Hongyan!

    Vivid flowers bloomed in the space behind Luo Hongyan and the melodic chants of divine hymns filled the air.

    As she lightly stepped on the Outer God''s head, fantastical worlds unfolded behind her, as though each blossoming flower had been ced in a distant, otherworldly time and space.

    Divine light radiated from the ethereal worlds behind Luo Hongyan, coalescing around her to create an overwhelming aura of sovereign authority.

    "Miss Luo!" Gao Yuan and Han Ting shouted in rm.

    "Why''s she standing on the head of an Outer God?" Zhao Yuanqi''s face paled.

    "She''s a remnant of the Blood Spirit Sect. An Outer God must''ve possessed her. She''s just a puppet for its descent now," Tang Hongxiong sneered, scornfully eyeing the stunning figure atop the bat. "An Outer God using her body to descend means her soul has long since been obliterated."

    "Pang Jian!" Zhou Qingchen firmly grabbed Pang Jian''s shoulder. "She''s not the person you once knew. You must stay clear-headed!"

    "Don''t do anything reckless, Pang Jian!" Han Duping also advised solemnly.

    Pang Jian''s breath grew heavy, eyes locked on Luo Hongyan as if he had not heard the others'' warnings.

    Luo Hongyan was still in her red gown. A faint blood mist surrounded her graceful figure, and her stunning face exuded a serene calmness.

    Her gaze swept across their group as though observing mere rocks and trees.

    However, when her eyes fell on Pang Jian, a flicker ofplex emotions crossed her face like she was recalling distant memories.

    "She''s the one¡ªshe''s a high-ranking Outer God!" Li Yuqing eximed.

    The massive silver sword unleashed a terrifying sword intent that seemed to tear heaven and earth apart. Sharp waves of sword intent shed through the air, ripping apart the very fabric of space.

    Everyone beneath the massive sword felt the world around them spinning.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    The ground split into deep chasms and the sky tore apart as space itself distorted.

    "Dissipate!" Li Yuqing yelled as she adjusted her sword stance.

    A ring of silvery-white sword light expanded outward from above. It was like a Star Crushing Umbre magnified millions of times.

    The sword light obliterated the toxins, dark anomalies, malevolent energy, and corrupting divine consciousness attempting to invade.

    She had nullified thebined assault of the six Outer Gods with a single sweep of her sword!

    Once the sword light faded, the sky returned to normal and the earth no longer trembled.

    The groups felt like Li Yuqing''s sword strike had sent them to, then pulled them back from another dimension.

    The tip of the massive silvery-white sword pointed skyward, piercing through the sea of silvery sword light in the sky like a towering mountain in a vast ocean.

    "Pang Jian, they''re right. Now that a high-ranking Outer God has possessed her, she''s no longer the Luo Hongyan you knew," Li Yuqing warned solemnly. "Don''t try to approach her ormunicate. It''s pointless.

    "When the will of a high-ranking Outer God descends, the host''s original consciousness is erased.

    "Remember, the Luo Hongyan you knew is dead. What you see now is an Outer God. She''s their leader and our greatest enemy."

    Pang Jian stared almost uprehendingly at Luo Hongyan as memories of their past interactions shed through his mind.

    She had the same body, but her soul...

    Her soul had likely changed.

    He had wanted to tell her he had killed Jiu Yuan, Lou Yunming, and Cao Mang to avenge her, but now, there was no longer any point,

    "Brother, stay strong," Zhou Qingchen consoled. Seeing that Pang Jian was holding up rtively well, he released his grip and said lowly, "Too many have already died in Spirit Offering. These Outer Gods killed Yang Rui, Xie Xiwen, and other exceptional talents from the Third World. Now that she''s fallen too. All you can do is ept it."

    Jiang Li bit her lip, "I never thought Sister Luo would end up like this."

    "The remnant of the Blood Spirit Sect should''ve remained sealed. She never should''ve been freed," Cult Leader Yin Yiqing said coldly as he red at Luo Hongyan. "We kept her sealed for centuries to prevent exactly this¡ª"

    Yin Yiqing''s words came to an abrupt halt when Luo Hongyan''s gaze swept over him, eyes briefly shing with a cold light.

    The Cult Leader of the Sinister Soul Temple released the Stele of Wandering Souls, unleashing thousands of Spirit Devils and sending his soul out of his body tomand them as before.

    The Spirit Devils chanted ancient inscriptions, and Yin Yiqing''s soul, perched atop the stele,manded them like the ruler of the underworld.

    The sky transformed into a ghostly realm as the Spirit Devils surged forward with the massive stele like an army of phantom soldiers.

    Dense, bone-chilling Profound Yin energy filled the space beneath the sea of silver sword light. Everyone''s bodies and souls, including Pang Jian, shivered like Yin Yiqing was dragging them into the underworld.

    Rogue cultivators in the Spirit Condensation Realm, such as Lian Feng and Dongye Jing, had been filled with anxiety and fear. However, their expressions shifted to awe when they saw Yin Yiqing unleashing an aura more overwhelming than before.

    "The Cult Leader of the Sinister Soul Temple is truly formidable with his Soul Wandering Realm cultivation," a rogue cultivator said admiringly.

    Tang Hongxiong let out a cold snort. "Hmph. It seems this guy never went all out in our previous shes."

    <i>The power of high-ranking Outer Gods is something I''ve only heard of but never seen. Perhaps this Yin Yiqing might... </i>Li Yuqing silently raised her guard.

    She did not intervene, wanting to observe how the high-ranking Outer God possessing Luo Hongyan would respond.

    Some of the other Outer Gods¡ªthe arachnid god, the wooden figure, and the dark yellow banner¡ªwatched Yin Yiqing''s soul like they were looking at a dead man.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Massive lotus flowers blossomed in the sky above Luo Hongyan.

    An overwhelming divine presence radiated from each lotus blocking out the sky. Some were as red as blood and others as cold as ice.

    Luo Hongyan, surrounded by a mist of blood atop the bat-like god, floated gracefully toward the giant stele.

    The blood mist expanded outward!

    Luo Hongyan''s special body, forged from the Crystal Snow Lotus, slowly grewrger within the blood mist.

    In just ten breaths time, her body had astonishingly grown a hundredfold in size!

    Her head touched the sky and her feet rested on the ground. Colossal lotus flowers surrounded her towering figure.

    She then extended her hand out toward the Stele of Wandering Souls.

    Her crystalline hand, sorge it seemed capable of uprooting mountains, grabbed the massive stele like a mere pebble.

    Yin Yiqing''s soul was trapped within her crimson hand, sizzling away into dark green smoke under her terrifying power.

    In just a few seconds, his soul was reduced to a mere wisp, which she then turned into a Spirit Devil and ced into the stele.

    The Stele of the Wandering Souls had gained another soul.

    <i>Thump!</i>

    Yin Yiqing''s physical body stiffened, then copsed backward, lifeless.

    "Cult Leader!" Han Zhiyuan paled in shock.

    He knelt beside Yin Yiqing, checking for breath and a heartbeat, but found none¡ªhis old friend was dead.

    Yin Yiqing dreamed of ascending to the Immortal Realm and leading the Sinister Soul Temple to the Second World. Unfortunately, the remnant of the Blood Spirit Sect had effortlessly in him.

    After wresting control of the Stele of Wandering Souls from Yin Yiqing, Luo Hongyan turned her attention toward Tang Hongxiong of the Blood Moon Sect.

    A faint light flickered in her serene eyes once more.

    "I''ll handle this!" Tang Hongxiong roared.

    He soared toward the sky, crossed the sea of silver sword light, andunched a furious assault on Luo Hongyan.

    A massive blood-gushing well appeared beneath Tang Hongxiong''s feet. He stepped onto it and released the vigorous blood essence within his body.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    Massive blood orbs exploded like shattered suns, forming a vast sea of blood that engulfed Luo Hongyan, her lotuses, and everything else in its path.

    "Another fool just rushing to his death." Li Yuqing regretfully shook her head.

    Before she could finish her sentence, all the blood in the sky recoiled back into the well, with Tang Hongxiong''s towering frame following suit!

    "Aahhhh!" Tang Hongxiong howled in agony as he was forced into the well.

    His bones snapped and his muscr body rapidly withered.

    The massive well swallowed him whole.

    Luo Hongyan then nonchntly extended her hand and pulled the well toward her.

 Chapter 253: Divine Might!

    <h4>Chapter 253: Divine Might!</h4>

    In the blink of an eye, the leader of both the Sinister Soul Temple and the Blood Moon Sect had perished at the hands of Luo Hongyan.

    The deaths of the two Soul Wandering Realm cultivators shocked everyone, giving them a glimpse of the terrifying power of a high-ranking Outer God.

    "Don''t go out there, and avoid looking at her as much as possible," Li Yuqing warned. "The techniques of the Sinister Soul Temple and the Blood Moon Sect stem from the Blood Spirit Sect.

    "The one residing in Luo Hongyan''s body likely grasped the secret arts of the Blood Spirit Sect, allowing her to counter Yin Yiqing and Tang Hongxiong with ease.

    "Stay close to me. As long as you remain close, any move she makes will have to pass through my sea of sword light first."

    Everyone hurried over and crowded around the stone pir where Li Yuqing was perched.

    The wooden figure approached from behind the crowd, emitting foul, corrupting energy.

    When the wooden figure crossed Li Yuqing''s range of protection, streaks of sword light sharp enough to tear through the heavens rained down upon it from the sea of silvery sword light above.

    Pain flickered in its eyes of death and decay as the sword light shed at its ten-zhang-tall wooden body.

    The wooden figure abruptly halted, then swiftly retreated dozens of zhang to avoid the terrifying sea of silvery sword light.

    With that brief contact, it understood why its leader lured Yin Yiqing and Tang Hongxiong into making the initial move instead of attacking directly.

    The sword-wielding girl''s sea of silvery sword light was extraordinarily terrifying.

    "Prepare yourself for the worst," Li Yuqing suddenly said, eyes still fixed on Luo Hongyan. "I have no experience fighting a high-ranking Outer God. All I can promise is that I''ll do my best to stop her. But...if I determine it''s impossible to hold her off, I''ll leave Spirit Offering."

    Despair filled the eyes of everyone present.

    They had hoped to rely on Li Yuqing to protect them and defeat the Outer Gods.

    Unexpectedly, she swiftly doused those hopes with the cold water of reality and extinguished theirst shred of optimism.

    "I''m not going to spout empty titudes or fabricate lies to deceive you. In short, I''ll protect you if I can, but don''t me me if I can''t," the young girl said indifferently.

    Pang Jian was equally shocked.

    He assumed her earlier words in private had been meant only for him and figured she would simply abandon them without forewarning if the situation was hopeless.

    He had not expected her to reveal her intentions so openly.

    "If you have anything you want to leave behind, you''d better write it down now. I''ll take it with me and deliver it to your sects if ites to that," she continued.

    Fang Boxuan of the Blood Moon Sect, Han Zhiyuan of the Sinister Soul Temple, and the other cultivators all stared at her in a daze.

    "Miss Li, what about the higher-ups..." Ling Meiyu gazed anxiously at the sky.

    Li Yuqing shook her head. "Communication devices that rely on arrays don''t work within Spirit Offering. I can''t reach my family either."

    Ling Meiyu grew even more desperate.

    Then, to everyone''s surprise, the Alliance Leader of the Star River Alliance took out some writing utensils and started to write.

    Pang Jian nced over and saw she was appointing a new leader for the Star River Alliance. She also exined that Xie Xiwen''s death was due to the invasion of an Outer God and not the fault of the alliance.

    Following her lead, Han Zhiyuan of the Sinister Soul Temple, Zhao Yuanqi from the Red Mountain Sect, and several others also started writing their wills.

    Pang Jian, on the other hand, focused his mind and attempted to establish a connection with the ck turtle.

    The Resolute Expanse was once again deserted after Dong Tianze''s departure.

    The fragmentednd still floated beneath the vast sea of massive boulders, steadily absorbing the surrounding spiritual qi of heaven and earth.

    <i>I can still connect to the ck turtle. That means the Gate of the Abyss'' teleportation abilities should also still work. </i>

    Pang Jian''s eyes swept across those around him¡ªZhou Qingchen, Han Duping, Jiang Li¡ªand considered how to safely evacuate them if things became truly hopeless.

    <i>Earth Dive!</i>

    A sh of inspiration struck Pang Jian.

    He discreetly pulled Gao Yuan, Han Ting, Zhao Yuanqi, and the others he cared about close to him.

    This way, he could activate Earth Dive, create a Mirror Tunnel above him, and safely teleport them away.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Meanwhile, Luo Hongyan floated high in the sky, grasping the Stele of Wandering Souls in one hand and a massive well in the other as she channeled her two divine powers into them.

    Her divine power reshaped Yin Yiqing''s and Tang Hongxiong''s powerful spirit artifacts, branding them with her unique imprint.

    Theworks of arrays within the stele and the well were reconfigured into a new framework that an Outer God could activate and that could function within Spirit Offering.

    The Outer Gods temporarily under hermand patiently waited while she did this.

    They seemed to understand that only her power could break through the sword-wielding girl''s sea of silvery sword light and allow them to conquer Spirit Offering with minimal losses.

    Not long after, Luo Hongyan''s massive body floated higher into the sky, with enormous lotus flowers blooming all around.

    She resembled a True God gazing down from the heavens with the stele and the well in each hand.

    Peering down at the sea of silvery sword light below and the massive silvery-white sword embedded within it, she turned her calm gaze toward Li Yuqing.

    Then, she suddenly pressed the hand holding the stele downward.

    Nine Yellow Springs[1], infused with Spirit Devils and runes, rushed out from the massive stele and down onto the sea of silvery sword light below.

    At that moment, Luo Hongyan resembled the ruler of wandering souls and ghostly apparitions, the final destination for all spirits.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Thick streams of blood gushed from the giant well and swirled around her colossal body.

    Her body, forged from a Crystal Snow Lotus, absorbed the vigorous blood essence from those streams, causing her exposed skin to radiate a crystalline brilliance.

    Crimson lotuses and icy, crystalline lotuses bloomed above and around her.

    The lotus leaves formed miniature worlds where strange creatures appeared and bowed in reverence to her.

    These creatures chanted her praise innguages iprehensible to anyone present.

    The entirety of Spirit Offering echoed with grand chants exalting her greatness.

    Luo Hongyan stood as the sovereign of all Outer Gods within Spirit Offering!

    Her divine might fanned outward to cover every nook and cranny of the restricted area!

    Everyone except Li Yuqing was involuntarily drawn to her, gazing up in awe as if overwhelmed by her vast divine might.

    Many weaker-willed rogue cultivators had already fallen to their knees in worship, just like the strange creatures on the lotus leaves.

    Gao Yuan and Han Ting had subconsciously dropped onto one knee as well, awkwardly looking up at her while muttering words they themselves did not understand.

    Li Yuqing''s earlier warnings and cautions became meaningless in the face of Luo Hongyan''s divine might.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The nine Yellow Springs,den with Spirit Devils and runes, cascaded like waterfalls into the sea of silvery sword light!

    Beams of sword light shed fiercely with the divine power within the Yellow Springs.

    The sword intent radiating from the sword light obliterated the residual wills of the Spirit Devils and crushed the runes carrying Luo Hongyan''s divine might.

    Li Yuqing stood beneath the silvery-white giant sword with a solemn look as her hands rapidly formed sword seals.

    One sword light after another shot out from her hands as she formed the sword seals, surging into the sea of silvery sword light above her.

    <i>Hmm! Hmm! Hmm!</i>

    Eerie hums resonated from the enigmatic sea of silvery sword light as the essence of the Dao manifested in its razor-sharp sword beams.

    The humming embodied the principles of the Dao of the Sword, coalescing into Dao Projections that seemed to possess a consciousness of their own.

    As Luo Hongyan''s divine body grew more imposing in the sky, a hint of admiration could be seen flickering in her eyes.

    The hand holding the massive well moved downward. Luo Hongyan''s palm grewrger while the well shrank.

    Soon, the well looked like a grain of sand in her vast palm.

    Her crimson crystal-like palm had expanded to cover the entire sky of Spirit Offering.

    From the perspective of those on the ground, it looked like the sky had turned blood-red!

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    The blood-red crystalline sky bore down with overwhelming force.

    An unimaginable divine might shattered the kneecaps of those still standing, forcing them to their knees.

    Those already kneeling in worship to Luo Hongyan were unaffected.

    They remainedpletely unharmed under the crushing pressure, continuing to sing her praises in anguage they themselves could not understand.

    Pang Jian had cultivated the Grand Providence Sacred Body to the Illusory Bone Realm and stood firm under the overwhelming pressure.

    Those beside him all copsed as their kneecaps fractured.

    Zhao Yuanqi visibly struggled to hold on, with blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. More blood would well up no matter how many times she wiped it away.

    ncing around, Pang Jian saw that even powerful Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators like Ling Meiyu and Han Zhiyuan wore expressions of agony.

    Li Yuqing''s voice echoed in Pang Jian''s mind. <i>Pang Jian, I''ll take you away shortly. She''s far stronger than I imagined. </i>

    Pang Jian looked up and saw the young girl standing atop the ck stone pir, trying to shield everyone. Blood seemed to flow endlessly from her mouth.

    Her hands forming the sword seals were streaked with thin, bloody gashes deep enough to gruesomely expose her bones.

    Even someone as strong as her was struggling and showing signs of retreat when faced with a high-ranking Outer God.

    She was undeniably giving everything she had, as she promised she would, but it was simply not enough. The apocalyptic pressure of Luo Hongyan''s divine might had already left her injured and faltering.

    <i>Pang Jian, be ready to leave with me. If you don''t, you''ll die here, </i>Li Yuqing repeated.

    1. In Chinese mythology and literature, Yellow Springs(»ÆÈª) is often associated with the underworld or the realm of the dead. It represents the afterlife, where spirits of the deceased go, akin to the concept of the River Styx in Greek mythology. ?

 Chapter 254: As You Wish!

    <h4>Chapter 254: As You Wish!</h4>

    The high-ranking Outer God possessing Luo Hongyan''s body gazed at Pang Jian with aplex expression.

    Her indifferent gaze flickered with nostalgia.

    She looked at Pang Jian as if reminiscing about past memories that remained vivid even after bing an Outer God.

    "Luo¡ª" Pang Jian cut himself off, shaken to his core.

    He locked eyes with Luo Hongyan. Their gazes cut throughyers of divine abilities to bind them closely together.

    Scenes yed out in the depths of her eerie crimson eyes.

    Pang Jian saw multiple versions of himself within them!

    "What''s your real name?" he saw himself earnestly asking her in Eight Trigrams City.

    There was him repeatedly standing in front of her, protecting her. He caught a glimpse of his own broad back through Luo Hongyan''s eyes.

    In the cave in Misty Swamp, he ced the bronze pendant on the ground and entered the copper chest.

    Vivid memories shed through Luo Hongyan''s eerie crimson eyes one after another.

    Her cold, indifferent gaze revealed more and more humanity with every memory that flickered past.

    The being in the sky no longer seemed like a lofty Outer God, but the "Sister Luo" who had apanied Pang Jian through thick and thin.

    Unlike before, there was now...emotion in Luo Hongyan''s eyes.

    Just as Li Yuqing prepared to retreat with Pang Jian, and as he was about to use Earth Dive to burrow underground and secretly evacuate Zhou Qingchen and the others¡ªLuo Hongyan abruptly reverted from an Outer God back to a human!

    Pang Jian stared nkly at her, watching as a subtle light flickered in her eyes and a faint smile tugged at her lips.

    After a moment of hesitation, Pang Jian retrieved three heads wrapped in cloth from his spatial bracelet.

    He unwrapped the first one, revealing Lou Yunming''s head, and held it high.

    "This person was from the Sinister Soul Temple. He told Old Monster Cao you were the person sealed in the paper fan. He''s why the dwarf Cao Mang dared to target you! I took his head in the Primordial Wilderness!" Pang Jian dered resolutely.

    The crowd looked at him in confusion. Powerful cultivators like Ling Meiyu and Han Zhiyuan wore expressions of bewilderment.

    "It''s useless. She''s not Luo Hongyan anymore. She won''t listen," Li Yuqing said with a gentle shake of her head.

    A strange glimmer appeared in Luo Hongyan''s eerie crimson eyes.

    Pang Jian then unveiled the second head.

    "This is Jiu Yuan! Jiu Yuan gave the order that led to the deaths of Zhao Ling and the other members of the Shadow Specter Sect. His interference also prevented me from saving you with a million spirit stones.

    "I killed him in the Primordial Wilderness and took his head too," Pang Jian''s voice rang out with conviction.

    This statement caused the strange glimmer in Luo Hongyan''s eyes to intensify.

    Li Yuqing was stunned. The overwhelming pressure bearing down on them was weakening.

    "Impossible! Is he really awakening that woman''s self-awareness? No, that doesn''t make sense!" The young girl from the Li Family was utterly perplexed.

    Pang Jian lifted the third head, revealing the dwarf Cao Mang''s face.

    "This is Cao Mang!" He locked eyes with Luo Hongyan''s massive divine form through the crimson crystalline sky and shouted, "I took his head too! I avenged you!"

    "It''s pointless. A high-ranking Outer God has already possessed her. Her human consciousness is long gone, and what you''re doing is meaningless." The Alliance Leader of the Star River Alliance, Ling Meiyu, shook her head.

    Pang Jian ignored her. He continued to hold Cao Mang''s head high, making sure Luo Hongyan could see it clearly from the sky.

    He had a strong intuition that the Luo Hongyan he knew was slowly returning!

    After what felt like an eternity, Luo Hongyan''s bright red lips moved and she spoke for the first time since appearing.

    "Pang Jian."

    Pang Jian felt his very soul tremble!

    An Outer God could never utter his name with such emotion and familiarity!

    "What?!" Li Yuqing covered her mouth in shock as she stared at the Outer God in the sky.

    The unshakable truths her father, the great figures allied with the Li Family, and she herself believed about the Outer Gods were shattered with two simple words!

    The self-awareness of a human possessed by a high-ranking Outer God could be restored!

    "How could this be?" Ling Meiyu and Han Zhiyuan were in disbelief and felt like they were in a dream.

    "Pang Jian," Luo Hongyan softly uttered once again from where she hovered high in the sky.

    Worlds seemed to be born and destroyed in the depths of her crimson eyes and the strange creatures on the lotus leaves in the sky behind her vanished like bubbles in water.

    The chanting gradually faded and the world went quiet.

    "What''s going on?"

    "Who was I singing praises to?"

    "Wh-Why am I kneeling?"

    Those kneeling in worship looked around in confusion as Luo Hongyan withdrew her divine might,pletely unaware of what had just transpired.

    They then noticed Pang Jian holding a severed head up toward Luo Hongyan.

    Pang Jian shook his head gently, eyes still fixed on Luo Hongyan. "Don''t."

    Li Yuqing let out a sigh of relief.

    The overwhelming divine might pressing down on them had halted the moment Luo Hongyan uttered Pang Jian''s name.

    The sea of silvery sword light, which had been on the verge of copsing under the pressure of Luo Hongyan''s divine might, had not shattered.

    "How''s this possible?" Li Yuqing still could not believe what was happening.

    <i>A woman possessed by an Outer God would never stop at such a critical moment. She would never halt her assault on this world, and she definitely wouldn''t call out Pang Jian''s name.</i>

    "Don''t kill everyone here," Pang Jian requested.

    He was certain the Luo Hongyan hovering in the sky, wielding boundless divine might, was still the person he knew!

    Throughout his exploration of Spirit Offering, every Outer God he had encountered had looked at him with cold apathy, devoid of any emotion.

    However, Luo Hongyan was different.

    There was a suppressed emotion beneath her cold, indifferent gaze. Li Yuqing was wrong¡ªa high-ranking Outer God had not erased Luo Hongyan''s consciousness!

    She was still Luo Hongyan!

    "You..." Luo Hongyan''s brows knitted

    <i>Screeech!</i>

    <i>Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!</i>

    <i>Hiss! Hiss!"</i>

    The Outer Gods let out displeased cries.

    Luo Hongyan''s expression turned frosty.

    The lotuses filling the sky behind her descended upon the two most vocal low-ranking Outer Gods.

    The descending lotuses engulfed the two low-ranking Outer Gods with three heads and six arms.

    <i>Grrrk! Grrrk! Grrrk!</i>

    The lotuses rotated like grinding wheels.

    The two discontent Outer Gods were subjected to brutal dismemberment. Small fragments of their stone bodies were flung out from the heart of the lotuses.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    After killing the two Outer Gods, the lotuses floated back into the air behind Luo Hongyan.

    The arachnid Outer God; the enormous wooden figure; the many-eyed banner; and the ck bat went silent, no longer daring to make a sound.

    "You haven''t changed." Luo Hongyan looked at Pang Jian with a shake of her head.

    Pang Jian''s heart surged with emotion.

    Li Yuqing''s judgment was indeed wrong. Luo Hongyan had retained her self-awareness and was far from being an emotionless Outer God!

    "No, this isn''t right." Li Yuqing''s expression shifted.

    Her expression grew increasingly uneasy and grave.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Luo Hongyan retracted the massive crimson crystalline hand, causing the blood-red radiance shrouding the sky to instantly vanish.

    The stele and massive well floated to either side of her colossal divine form.

    Pang Jian opened his mouth, wanting to ask what was happening.

    Before he could speak, Luo Hongyan shook her head, cold eyes sweeping over the people below as she said, "Pang Jian, as you wish."

    She then slowly withdrew her divine might from throughout Spirit Offering.

    The suffocating force suppressing the crowd disappeared in an instant.

    Casting a nce at the remaining Outer Gods, Luo Hongyan let out a strange cry and shot toward the sky to shatter an invisible barrier.

    She then morphed into a streak of crimson light and shot toward a distant location in the Second World.

    In a single breath, she traveled tens of thousands of lis and vanished from sight.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The remaining Outer Gods reluctantly followed her lead and ascended into the skies to disappear from Spirit Offering one after another.

    <i>Thump!</i>

    Jiang Li copsed onto the ground with shattered kneecaps, looked in the direction of where Luo Hongyan had disappeared, and muttered, "Sister-Sister Luo, what''s going on?"

    "She''s not an Outer God. She still has self-awareness. She still has humanity," Pang Jian said as he stared at Li Yuqing.

    Unexpectedly, despite the crisis in Spirit Offering being resolved, Li Yuqing did not appear relieved. Instead, her expression grew increasingly solemn.

    After a long silence, Li Yuqing said helplessly, "You''re right, but not entirely. An Outer God didn''t possess or inhabit her. She <i>is</i> an Outer God!"

    Pang Jian was taken aback. "She''s an Outer God?"

 Chapter 255: Assisting a Breakthrough

    <h4>Chapter 255: Assisting a Breakthrough</h4>

    Jiang Li was in disbelief. "Outer God? Sister Luo is an Outer God?"

    Zhou Qingchen froze, pausing his application of healing ointment to his, Jiang Li''s, and Han Duping''s knees.

    "The one inhabiting Ning Yao in the Solitary Mountain Range? How could she be an Outer God?" he asked in shock.

    "An Outer God?" The other survivors were equally baffled.

    The earlier disy of power had deeply shaken them all.

    It was one thing if a high-ranking Outer God was possessing her body, but for Luo Hongyan herself to be an Outer God...

    "How could a human body possibly bear the power of an Outer God?" The gaunt Han Zhiyuan gazed despondently at the sky where Luo Hongyan had vanished. "She killed our Cult Leader. If she''s truly an Outer God...what did the Blood Spirit Sect do back then?"

    Ling Meiyu murmured, "She spared us because of Pang Jian."

    "She has to be an Outer God." Li Yuqing nodded as she exined, "A person possessed by an Outer God wouldn''t have retained their original consciousness, nor would they care about Pang Jian''s pleas or feelings.

    "The only logical exnation for this is if she was originally an Outer God. If this is true, it just proves she''s more terrifying and difficult to deal with than expected.

    "Pang Jian, that woman named Luo Hongyan is far moreplicated than you think. If I''m not mistaken, she''s likely always been an Outer God. A normal human body could never withstand her divine might!

    "Han Zhiyuan, you''re the Vice Cult Leader of the Sinister Soul Temple. How much do you know about her?" Li Yuqing questioned.

    Noticing her gaze, Han Zhiyuan silently put away his written will and responded with a frown. "Even ourte Cult Leader didn''t know much about her. The Cult Leader before him also didn''t say much about her.

    "He only mentioned that she must be eternally sealed within that fan and never allowed to escape."

    Li Yuqing appeared even more puzzled. "It seems I''ll need to go to the Second World to ask about her."

    "She waspletely normal while we were with her. Nothing like the Outer Gods you described," Jiang Li quietly remarked.

    "You have no idea. Some Outer Gods have multiple facets, even multiple personalities." Li Yuqing sighed, a cloud of worry appearing on her brow. "The person you knew might only be one of her personalities. As she regains her power, other personalities may emerge, potentially overshadowing the one you knew."

    "Multiple facets? Multiple personalities?" Jiang Li was confused.

    The others also looked bewildered.

    Li Yuqing did not offer further exnation and instead flew into the sky, breaking through some sort of barrier in the restricted area to gaze down at Spirit Offering.

    After observing for a moment, she descended and said, "There are no more Outer Gods in Spirit Offering. The few that survived have already left, though I''m unsure where they went."

    She then turned to Pang Jian.

    "Pang Jian, Spirit Offering should be safe now, so you don''t have to worry about the others'' safety. I''m heading to the Second World soon and can take you along if you want to join me."

    Pang Jian hesitated.

    If he went to the Second World, he would be taken to the Sword Pavilion and be the Pavilion Master''s personal disciple.

    However, he still had yet to fully master his divine sense, and Zhou Qingchen, Jiang Li, and the others were seriously injured.

    Pang Jian''s silent reluctance was enough of an answer for Li Yuqing.

    "In that case, wait for someone from the Sword Pavilion toe and escort you," she said with a gentle nod.

    With that, she soared into the sky once more and headed straight for the Second World without the aid of a flying vessel.

    "The Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect possesses such powerful spirit artifacts! No wonder they''ve remained unshakable in the First World for so many years!"

    "She''s so young and already so terrifying. She''s sure to achieve godhood in the future!"

    "This is what a true heaven''s chosen should be!"

    The surviving rogue cultivators sighed as they watched her disappearing figure.

    Pang Jian was also lost in thought.

    Li Yuqing''sbat prowess could y Outer Gods. Meanwhile, Luo Hongyan had be a high-ranking Outer God.

    His mind was in turmoil as he processed these revtions.

    "An Outer God..." The silver-haired Zhao Yuanqi stared at the sky for a long time, unable to snap out of her daze.

    "Everyone, please wait. I''ll check the situation in the restricted area first!" Ling Meiyu of the Star River Alliance flew into the sky and released arge prism, which cast light onto Spirit Offering.

    She carefully observed the images within the prism, searching for any signs of abnormalities, but saw no traces of Outer Gods.

    After a while, the tension in her brows eased. "It seems the Outer Gods are truly gone. Everyone, you can leave now. Be careful."

    With that, Ling Meiyu hastily led the members of the Star River Alliance out, eager to leave the restricted area and contact the upper-world sects to deal with the remaining Outer Gods.

    The members of the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple also departed with heavy hearts.

    Lian Feng approached as the representation of the rogue cultivators to express his gratitude to Pang Jian before leaving. "Thank you for your help, Pang Jian."

    Soon, only Zhou Qingchen, Zhao Yuanqi, and their group remained with Pang Jian.

    Zhou Qingchen''s kneecaps had since healed thanks to the healing ointment. Slowly standing, he curiously asked, "Pang Jian, how do you know the youngdy from the Li Family? Was it through Li Jie?"

    "Sort of." Pang Jian nodded without revealing the truth. "Big Brother Zhou, what''s your cultivation at?"

    "I''m in thete stage of the Innate Realm," Zhou Qingchen replied with a hint of embarrassment and self-consciousness on his slightly stubbled face. "I''ve always known my talent is only average in the Fourth World. I''m nothingpared to the truly outstanding figures of the upper worlds."

    Li Yuqing''s disy had made Zhou Qingchen feel rather insignificant.

    "Don''t be too discouraged. The Li Family girles from a background that few can match. She also has extraordinary talent and wields divine artifacts," Zhao Yuanqi said with a determined gleam in her eyes. "The path of cultivation is long. Breaking through quickly in the early stages doesn''t guarantee prominence in the end.

    "Yang Rui from the Radiant Sun Sect was already at thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm, but he still died in Spirit Offering.

    "Not to mention, many geniuses eventually became stuck in a certain cultivation realm for decades¡ªeven centuries. We''re still young, so don''t underestimate yourself!"

    Zhou Yuanqi''sst sentence was directed both at Zhou Qingchen and at herself.

    Li Yuqing had in an Outer God, and Luo Hongyan could be an Outer God. These two figures had stirred a sense of defeat into the silver-haired girl known as the genius of the Red Mountain Sect.

    Seeing Jiang Li and Han Duping still applying healing ointment to their knees, Pang Jian turned to Zhou Qingchen and said, " Big Brother Zhou, let''s talk somewhere else."

    "Oh, alright."

    Although Zhou Qingchen was puzzled, he followed Pang Jian as they slowly walked away.

    Han Duping sat on the ground to apply ointment to his knee and said to Gao Yuan and Han Ting, "You two are lucky to have met Pang Jian in the Third World."

    The two rogue cultivators absentmindedly murmured in agreement.

    The pair had not fully recovered from their worship of Luo Hongyan under her overwhelming divine might and were still slightly dazed.

    Meanwhile, in the spot where Pang Jian and Li Yuqing had previously conversed, Pang Jian softly said, "Big Brother Zhou, I''d like to assist you in breaking through to the next realm."

    "Breaking through to the Profound Abode Realm? Isn''t that just about nourishing the sea of consciousness and waiting for a wisp of divine sense to emerge? Can such a breakthrough be assisted?" Zhou Qingchen asked in surprise.

    "I have a way," Pang Jian reassured before moving behind Zhou Qingchen.

    cing a hand on Zhou Qingchen''s crown, Pang Jian slowly channeled the life energy from the five leaves into Zhou Qingchen''s sea of consciousness.

    Threads of green life energy streamed into Zhou Qingchen''s sea of consciousness and sank into his acupoints.

    "I identally acquired an energy that can enhance one''s potential. It''ll help you quickly cultivate divine sense. Please keep this a secret," Pang Jian said as he channeled life energy into Zhou Qingchen.

    Zhou Qingchen''s face lit up with joy when he felt the wondrous effects of life energy. "You must''ve had some amazing encounters since leaving Eight Trigrams City!"

    He finally understood why the Sword Pavilion had notified the Star River Alliance, the Blood Moon Sect, and the Sinister Soul Temple that Pang Jian was to be taken in as the Pavilion Master''s personal disciple.

    In the following days, Pang Jian and the others roamed Spirit Offering but found no trace of Outer Gods or heretical cultivators.

    They too decided to leave the restricted area.

    One day, after passing through a stone forest and exiting Spirit Offering, a gleam of excitement shed in Zhou Qingchen''s eyes.

    He sat down, took out two spirit jades, and started cultivating silently.

    Before long, a wisp of divine sense emerged from the depths of his sea of consciousness.

    "The Profound Abode Realm! Pang Jian, I''ve formed my first strand of divine sense!" he eximed ecstatically.

    He had sessfully broken through after half a month of Pang Jian''s regr infusion of life energy!

    "Congrattions, Big Brother Zhou," Pang Jian sincerely offered his congrattions.

    "You two..." Watching the exchange of knowing nces between them, Zhao Yuanqi suspiciously asked, "You didn''t cultivate some kind of demonic technique, right? You shouldn''t have broken through this quickly, even with the help of a Divine Origin Pearl!"

    "You don''t have to feel pressured. I''ve already turned twenty," Zhou Qingchen said with a grin.

    In the Third World, the greatest marker of exceptional talent was the ability to reach Profound Abode Realm before turning twenty.

    "Pressure? What pressure could you possibly give me? I''m just worried you''ve strayed to the demonic path!" Zhao Yuanqi scoffed proudly. "I forgot to mention, I recently broke through again. I''m now in thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm!"

    "Thete stage?" Jiang Li eximed excitedly, "One more step and you''ll be at the Spirit Condensation Realm. You''ll be eligible to be an elder of our sect!"

    "Very impressive!" Han Duping and Gao Yuan praised.

    "What''s so special about that?" The silver-haired girl sighed with a hint of mncholy. "There''s always someone stronger. You''ve seen it for yourselves. Besides, Sister Jiang, bing an elder of the Red Mountain Sect isn''t my goal.

    "Pang Jian, my goal is the Second World as well, and it won''t be long before I get there!"

 Chapter 256: Rank Eight Flame Dragon

    <h4>Chapter 256: Rank Eight me Dragon</h4>

    Morning mist lingered outside the stone forest as the silver-haired girl stood with a confident gaze. Her delicate, fair face seemed to glow with a mysterious radiance.

    "I knew that all along, I''ve always known," Jiang Li said with a gentle smile. "You''ll be the pride of our Third World. We all hope you''ll bring glory to the younger generation of the Third World!"

    Yang Rui was dead, and Xie Xiwen had turned into a skeleton.

    Only she and Fang Boxuan remained among the geniuses of the new generation.

    Fang Boxuan had achieved nothing noteworthy in Spirit Offering and the Primordial Wilderness.

    Naturally, as a member of the Red Mountain Sect and a friend of Zhao Yuanqi, Jiang Li believed Zhao Yuanqi was far stronger than Fang Boxuan.

    "Brother Pang, what''re your ns after this?" Han Duping suddenly asked.

    Slightly taken aback, Pang Jian instinctively looked up at the sky.

    "The Sword Pavilion in the Second World, right?" Han Duping clicked his tongue in amazement. "Back when we met you in the Solitary Mountain Range, you were just a guide for the Ning n and the He n. Who could''ve imagined that you''d eventually enter the Second World as a personal disciple of the Sword Pavilion''s Pavilion Master?"

    Pang Jian remained silent.

    For now, he nned to advance his cultivation realm and increase his strength in preparation for ying the old Thunder Dragon in the Dragon Lair Sect.

    After that, as the wielder of the Gate of the Abyss, he hoped one day to break free from the Abyss and see the world beyond.

    He was not in any hurry to get to the Sword Pavilion.

    "Everyone, wait here for a while. I''ll summon someone from the Qi n in Snow Peak City to send a Cloud Sail over," Zhao Yuanqi said, taking out a sound-transmitting talisman. "Snow Peak City, where the Qi n is located, is quite a distance from here, so it might take a day or two."

    Gao Yuan and Han Ting approached Pang Jian together.

    "Little Brother Pang! It''s been an honor to know someone like you, but..." Gao Yuan nced at Han Ting before continuing, "We''re not nning to go to Snow Peak City. We want to head to where rogue cultivators gather to collect information about the Dark Abyss Continent."

    Han Ting gave a respectful bow. Complex emotions welled up in her watery eyes.

    Every other woman connected to Pang Jian was an extraordinary figure¡ªthe high-ranking Outer God Luo Hongyan, the genius girl from the Li Family, and the talent of the Red Mountain Sect, Zhao Yuanqi.

    Han Ting''s sense of inferioritypletely extinguished her hidden hopes.

    Pang Jian nodded. "Gao Yuan, did your Cloud Sail crash?"

    "It did." Gao Yuan smiled bitterly. "Even Miss Zhao''s Scarlet Dawn Boat was destroyed in Spirit Offering. What hope was there for my Cloud Sail? I had intended to stay aboard and wait outside the restricted area, but Luo...she urged us to move quickly, so I took the risk and steered the Cloud Sail in."

    "How much does a Cloud Sail cost?" Pang Jian asked.

    "Little Brother Pang, I don''t mean anything by this!" Gao Yuan hastily rified.

    Zhao Yuanqi cut in, "Around 150,000 spirit stones.".

    "So, about 1,500 spirit jades." Pang Jian''s brows twitched slightly as he retrieved Yang Rui''s spatial bracelet, took out 2,000 spirit jades, and pushed them toward Gao Yuan. "Please, you must ept these."

    Gao Yuan hesitated for a moment, but seeing Pang Jian''s determined expression, he gratefully epted the gift.

    "We may never meet again after this, Pang Jian, but it''s been a pleasure knowing you," Han Ting said before reluctantly leaving with Gao Yuan.

    Zhao Yuanqi was surprised. "This spatial bracelet looks familiar. Is it...?"

    "It''s Yang Rui''s," Pang Jian revealed.

    He then openly summoned the Nine Suns Cauldron and channeled streams of sr energy into it. The dormant arrays within its walls awakened as new power surged through the cauldron.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Nine zing suns floated on the cauldron''s walls, radiating warm light.

    "You..." Zhao Yuanqi and the others looked at him as if he were a monster.

    The treasured spirit artifact of the Radiant Sun Sect appeared just as effective in Pang Jian''s hands as it had been in Yang Rui''s.

    Ignoring their astonishment, Pang Jian channeled earthme energy from his fiery pool into the Nine Suns Cauldron.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The rim of the nine suns on the cauldron''s walls ignited with scorching mes, further enhancing the power of the Nine Suns Cauldron.

    "Not bad. This is a handy treasure." Pang Jian nodded in satisfaction.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Nine Suns Cauldron hovering in front of Pang Jian flew uncontrobly into the air.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The cauldron rapidly expanded and the mes surrounding the nine suns grew fiercer.

    It was like the mes hadpletely swallowed the nine suns!

    Suddenly, a violent force overrode the energies Pang Jian infused into the cauldron, causing him to groan and cough up a trickle of blood.

    A booming, arrogantugh echoed. "A neat little trinket."

    zing mes shot out from a distance and reached the Nine Suns Cauldron in an instant.

    A towering middle-aged man with skin as red as boiled shrimp and two prominent crimson jade horns on his forehead grabbed the Nine Suns Cauldron with one hand and descended before the group.

    The proximity was enough to feel a scorching heat radiating from the middle-aged man. It was like the entire area had turned into a volcanic area.

    Zhao Yuanqi''s expression grew serious.

    "Which esteemed figure from the Dragon Lair Sect might Senior be?" She respectfully stepped forward and bowed. "We''re from the Red Mountain Sect."

    Zhou Qingchen and the others paled with fear. They were too terrified to even breathe as they continuously wiped the sweat beading on their foreheads.

    <i>The Dragon Lair Sect! </i>Pang Jian inwardly snorted in disdain, but his expression remained calm as he quietly observed the dragon from the Dragon Lair Sect.

    Only dragons and Spirit Beasts at Rank Eight or above could take human form.

    That meant the dragon before him was at least at Rank Eight!

    Rank Eight was equivalent to the Nirvana Realm among human cultivators!

    "I''m Long Yan." The dragon from the Dragon Lair Sect chuckled. He did not acknowledge those from the Red Mountain Sect as he asked, "Are there still any Outer Gods lurking in Spirit Offering?"

    "Long Yan..." Zhao Yuanqi seemed to recognize the name, and her demeanor grew even more cautious. Head lowered, she replied, "We''re not sure, but we didn''t encounter any more Outer Gods when we left."

    "Ah, so they must''ve fled elsewhere."

    Long Yan seemed lost in thought as he absentmindedly held the Nine Suns Cauldron.

    "Lord Long Yan, the Nine Suns Cauldron belongs to Pang Jian. He''s a personal disciple of the Sword Pavilion''s Pavilion Master," Zhao Yuanqi said in a low voice.

    Long Yan''s expression instantly changed.

    "A personal disciple of the Pavilion Master?" He did not even bother verifying the truth of the im before casually flicking his finger to send the Nine Suns Cauldron back to Pang Jian. "I just cleaned out the lingering evil energy of the Outer Gods inside for you¡ªno need to thank me.".

    Despite being a Rank Eight me Dragon, the words "personal disciple of the Pavilion Master" were enough for Long Yan to hand off the Nine Suns Cauldron to Pang Jian like a hot potato.

    Pang Jian simply stared at him in silence.

    "I had no idea you were that guy''s disciple. I thought you were just from the Red Mountain Sect," Long Yan exined with a forced smile, evidently wary of the Sword Pavilion''s Pavilion Master. "I already returned the item to you. I even refined it a bit, so it should be easier to use now."

    Pang Jian still said nothing, but he did notice the Nine Suns Cauldron now felt unusually warm to the touch and had gained strange dragon patterns.

    "I''m a me Dragon from the Dragon Lair Sect. Refining small trinkets like this is second nature to me. Rest assured, I left no traces or imprints inside. It''spletely clean!" Long Yan assured with an awkward grin.

    It was obvious Long Yan was extremely fearful of the Sword Pavilion''s Pavilion Master and was eager to avoid any trouble resulting from his reckless actions.

    Pang Jian continued to remain silent.

    He had never had a good impression of the Dragon Lair Sect, which dominated the Sacred Soul Continent in the Second World. This encounter only reinforced his view of how overbearing and arrogant the dragons were.

    Fortunately, the words "personal disciple of the Pavilion Master" carried enough weight, or he would never have gotten the Nine Suns Cauldron back.

    "Please give my regards to your master."

    Long Yan shed Pang Jian a bright smile, soared into the sky, and transformed into his true form in mid-air.

    He turned into a massive dragon, over a thousand zhang long and covered in crimson crystal scales.

    When Long Yan reverted to his dragon form, the searing heat of his dragon aura bathed the area where their group stood.

    Many of the surrounding nts and trees burst into mes.

    Long Yan let out a resounding roar before flying back over.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    His crimson dragon scales red open, unleashing torrents of mes onto Spirit Offering.

    <i>Rumble! Boom!</i>

    The ground rumbled with violent explosions.

    The crimson mes reduced the remaining altars, statues, wooden carvings, and heretical cultivators to ashes.

    "A Rank Eight me Dragon like Long Yan relies not on spirit artifacts but on his own strength," Zhao Yuanqi said bitterly. Crimson clouds still lined the sky after Long Yan disappeared. "If only he hade earlier and joined forces with the girl from the Li Family, perhaps¡ª"

    Sensing her words were slightly inappropriate, she hastily changed the subject.

    "Pang Jian, the dragons from the Dragon Lair Sect all have bad tempers¡ªyou''ll get used to it. This time, we were only treated politely because of your identity as the Pavilion Master''s personal disciple.

    "The Red Mountain Sect doesn''t have that kind of influence. Don''t hold this against the Dragon Lair Sect. Long Yan simply didn''t know your true identity."

    She sensed that Pang Jian harbored deep animosity toward the Dragon Lair Sect and was particrly displeased with Long Yan.

    Pang Jian suppressed his inner hostility.

    "I won''t."

    Even without Long Yan, he already viewed the Dragon Lair Sect in the Sacred Soul Continent as his greatest threat.

    After all, the ancient Thunder Dragon obstructing the Dao of Lightning rested deep within the Dragon Lair Sect.

    Long Yan''s forceful seizing of the Nine Suns Cauldron, including the overriding of Pang Jian''s spiritual power and the light injury he incurred in the process, was a debt Pang Jian would remember.

    He would settle that score in the future.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 257: Master?

    <h4>Chapter 257: Master?</h4>

    Half a dayter, a Cloud Sail from the Qi n came to pick up Pang Jian and the others.

    The Cloud Sail descended upon Snow Peak City after two days of travel.

    Exhausted from their ordeal in Spirit Offering, the group retired to the rooms the Qi n had arranged for them to rest.

    <i>None of the remaining Outer Gods have caused any bloodshed on the Dark Abyss Continent, </i>Pang Jian pondered in confusion inside his room.

    ording to Qi Pinghai, the head of the Qi n, the remaining Outer Gods that left the restricted area had not shown up anywhere on the Dark Abyss Continent.

    The most horrific tragedy on the Dark Abyss Continent took ce in Spirit Offering, where the leaders of both the Sinister Soul Temple and the Blood Moon Sect perished.

    That incident caused a huge uproar throughout the Third World.

    Spirit Offering was now considered the most dangerous ce in the Third World, with heavy warnings against any wishing to enter.

    The Blood Moon Sect and Sinister Soul Temple had also recalled all their Spirit Condensation Realm elders and Profound Abode Realm cultivators back to their sects.

    Many of the Dark Abyss Continent''s native inhabitants fled on Cloud Sails, fearing the remaining Outer Gods would wreak havoc on the continent.

    Everyone was on edge, anxiously waiting for the Outer Gods to strike, but nothing had happened.

    The Outer Gods that vanished alongside Luo Hongyan seemed to have disappeared into thin air.

    <i>Where did they go? </i>Pang Jian wondered.

    Hanging the sword token on his waist, he decided to prepare for the Sword Pavilion to pick him up.

    He spent his days and nights focusing on mastering his divine sense in the private room the Qi n had arranged.

    During this time, he also maintained constantmunication with the ck turtle and the World Eater Vine.

    The little tree in Misty Swamp continued to grow steadily, while the ck turtle remained peacefully nestled in the Resolute Expanse, absorbing spiritual qi from the surrounding clouds.

    The ck turtle would asionally express its desire for more spirit jades to strengthen the spirit vein.

    Pang Jian could only sigh helplessly in response.

    The astronomical number of spirit jades the ck turtle desired was a challenge even for him.

    It was no longer appropriate for Pang Jian to ask Yu Xin of the Celestial Race for expensive materials now that the foreign races in the Fifth World had sessfully ascended to the Fourth World.

    One day, Pang Jian took out Yang Rui''s spatial bracelet and sifted through its contents.

    He alsoid out the ck iron rod he had obtained from the stone pir, along with the withered leaves and the beast hide from the two heretical cultivators.

    <i>All of this can be sold. I just don''t know how much I can get for them.</i>

    Stepping out of his room, he told Zhou Qingchen about his intention to sell some spirit materials.

    Zhou Qingchen immediately went to speak with the head of the Qi n.

    "There''s a ce called the Dark Cloud Pavilion in the north of the city," he said to Pang Jian when he returned.

    "Thanks, Big Brother Zhou."

    That evening, Pang Jian went alone to the northern part of Snow Peak City and arrived at the shop known as the Dark Cloud Pavilion.

    Heid out everything he intended to sell, including Yang Rui''s spatial bracelet.

    An hourter, he had acquired nine thousand spirit jades.

    Unfortunately, the shop had firmly refused the ck iron rod, the withered leaves, and the beast hide, so Pang Jian had no choice but to take them back.

    After Pang Jian left, the master of the Dark Cloud Pavilion sent a message to Han Zhiyuan, informing him about Pang Jian''s visit.

    "Leave him be," Han Zhiyuan coldly replied.

    ***

    Several dayster, the sword token on Pang Jian''s waist let out a strange sound.

    <i>Ding!</i>

    Pang Jian was unprepared. He did not n on going to the Sword Pavilion quite yet.

    "So soon?" he muttered, bracing himself as he firmly grasped the sword token.

    In the next moment, a wild and unruly voice came from the sword token in Pang Jian''s hand.

    "Disciple, take this sword strike!"

    The sword token in Pang Jian''s hand sharpened so that every edge felt like it was slicing through his skin.

    Pang Jian also keenly sensed the engraved back of the bronze pendant resting on his chest had abruptly turned smooth.

    The characters "Gate of the Abyss" had inexplicably disappeared and the mysteries hidden within the bronze pendant were concealed!

    "I¡ª"

    Pang Jian opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, a fierce sword intent flowed through his palm and rushed straight toward his dantian and spiritual sea.

    "Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea! There''s the sun, moon, stars, ice, lightning, earthme¡ªhow interesting!

    "Huh, your foundation is the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art! Haha, I''ve hit the jackpot this time!

    "Qi Qingsong, you''ve done the Sword Pavilion a great service! You deserve a hefty reward!"

    The overwhelming sword intent in Pang Jian''s dantian and spiritual sea condensed into a bulky, rotund man.

    The man wore a loose blue robe and had thick joints, arge build, and wide facial features. His bulky frame exuded tremendous power.

    Han Duping was a hefty figure, but this man was muchrger inparison. However, despite his broad facial features, he did not appear sleazy and instead radiated a rugged masculine charisma.

    The man in Pang Jian''s spiritual sea chuckled.

    "My dear disciple, let me check out your sea of consciousness!"

    Another wave of sword intent, formed from soul essence, flowed from the Sword Pavilion token in Pang Jian''s hand and shot straight into his sea of consciousness.

    "The middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm, divine sense...one hundred thirty-six strands? Am I seeing this right? Is it really one hundred thirty-six strands? Hahahaha!"

    Another rotund man in blue robesughed uncontrobly from where he hovered over Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness.

    "A Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea and one hundred thirty-six strands of divine sense! From now on, kid, you''re officially my personal disciple!

    "I won''t take any more disciples for as long as you don''t kick the bucket. With you as my personal disciple, I can confidently say I''ve done my part for the Sword Pavilion."

    The two rotund men in Pang Jian''s spiritual sea and sea of consciousnessughed heartily.

    After they finishedughing, the blue-robed men looked upward in unison.

    Pang Jian felt like he was simultaneously gazing at the pair of identical, rotund men¡ªone formed from spiritual power and the other from soul essence.

    The two men stroked their chins in contemtion.

    "You''ve reached the Profound Abode Realm using the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art. It would be a waste to stop halfway."

    "The Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art manual I have only goes up to the Spirit Condensation Realm," Pang Jian said hesitantly.

    "That''s no problem. The Sword Pavilion wiped out the Divine Cauldron Sect, so we have theplete cultivation manual. And you know,bining our Sword Pavilion''s aggressive sword arts and killing techniques with the orthodox life-nurturing Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art could be a surprisingly good match," the blue-robed men mused.

    Pang Jian was stunned.

    <i>The Sword Pavilion wiped out the creators of the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, the Divine Cauldron Sect?</i>

    "I''ve also been cultivating the Grand Providence Sacred Body. It''s also an iplete technique..." Pang Jian quietly added.

    "Heh, what a coincidence. We also wiped out the Providence Sect." The two men grinned mischievously. "If anyone else mixed so many random techniques, I wouldn''t acknowledge them as my disciple! But you, with your innate Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea, are perfectly suited to cultivating all sorts of messy and diverse arts!

    "Feel free to cultivate these techniques. If you can''t find the whole manual, I''ll provide them to you.

    "Hmm, I''ll need to think about what sword techniques to teach you¡ªyour Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea isn''t suited for my Dao of Sword."

    The men muttered to themselves for a while, then chuckled mischievously and asked, "Kid, how many close femalepanions do you have?"

    Pang Jian was taken aback. "What kind of close femalepanions?"

    The two blue-robed menughed mischievously. "The kind you''ve slept with, of course!"

    Pang Jian fell into silence.

    "That won''t do!" The rotund men said seriously, "As my disciple, you must share my taste. I have close femalepanions across various worlds! You can''t disgrace me in this area!

    "Are you nning to sleep with that girl, Li Yuqing?

    "I heard from Li Yuqing that you have a special rtionship with an Outer God named Luo Hongyan. If you''re truly interested in that Outer God, your master can lend you a hand." The blue-robed menughed heartily. "An Outer God? Tsk tsk. Even I, your master, have never tried that before."

    Pang Jian''s expression froze. "Are you really the Sword Pavilion''s...Pavilion Master?"

    "Isn''t it obvious?" The rotund men sneered and proudly said, "Few dare to impersonate me in the Abyss! Even the True Gods in the First World don''t im they can easily defeat me.

    "Once I achieve godhood, I''ll tear through this entire world just to see who''s been cing all these restrictions on us!

    "Alright, I''ve seen and said enough. You cane to the Sword Pavilion whenever you''re ready.

    "I''ll spend some time figuring out which sword techniques are best suited for you, or maybe...I''ll develop an entirely new Dao of Sword just for you."

    With that, the two rotund men retreated back into the sword token.

    Pang Jian sat quietly in his room, sword token still in hand, feeling rather unsettled.

    The unease did not fade even after a long time, so he decided to go knock on Zhao Yuanqi''s door despite thete hour.

    The silver-haired girl answered the door, eyeing him warily.

    "What kind of person is the Pavilion Master of the Sword Pavilion?" he reluctantly asked.

    Zhao Yuanqi breathed a sigh of relief.

    Recalling the description the Sect Master of the Red Mountain Sect gave her, she solemnly replied, "It''s said that he''s charming and extremely handsome, with close connections to many beauties across various worlds."

    Pang Jian''s face darkened. He felt he had been tricked.

    <i>The rotund men in blue robes can''t be the Pavilion Master of the Sword Pavilion!</i>

    <i>But who else besides the Pavilion Master can channel two extraordinary sword intents into my sea of consciousness and spiritual sea through a mere token?</i>

    "Sect Master Liu holds the Pavilion Master in high regard..." Zhao Yuanqi hesitated for a few seconds before whispering, "I heard the Red Mountain Sect''s backer is the Sword Pavilion in the Second World."

    Pang Jian blinked in surprise and asked, "Is your Sect Master male or female?"

    "Sect Master Liu''s full name is Liu Lingyun. She is, of course, a woman," Zhao Yuanqi replied.

    "Alright, sorry to bother you." Pang Jian cupped his hands and left.

 Chapter 258: The Giant Abyssal Serpents Plea for Help

    <h4>Chapter 258: The Giant Abyssal Serpent''s Plea for Help</h4>

    Liu Lingyun and a towering yet stout man sat at a table at the peak of a crimson bald mountain, within the secluded cultivation chamber of the Sect Master in the Red Mountain Sect on the Cosmic Skies Continent.

    The man was bare-chested, with only a blue robe covering his lower half.

    The Sect Master of the Red Mountain Sect, Liu Lingyun attended to him with her robes half undone, eyes shimmering with deep satisfaction from their recent intimacy.

    A te of carefully chosen delicacies and a pot of fragrant tea wereid out on the white jade table.

    She leaned in affectionately, offering the fragrant tea as she said in a warm, gentle voice, "Dear, did youe down to the Third World specifically to see me, or are you here to check on your newly epted disciple?"

    "Of course, I came just to see you, Yun''er." The Pavilion Master, Li Zhaotian, chuckled and downed the tea in one gulp. Before Liu Lingyun could refill his cup, he grabbed the teapot and drank directly from it.

    "Still as uncouth as ever!" Liu Lingyun yfully scolded, looking at him with infatuated eyes.

    Li Zhaotian pulled her into hisp with a bear hug. The Sect Master of the Red Mountain Sect was tall by normal standards but looked as small as a little girl when sitting on Li Zhaotian''s hairy leg.

    "That kid hasn''t evene to the Sword Pavilion to pay his respects yet! How could he be more important than you?" Li Zhaotian shook his head in dissatisfaction and grumbled, "My disciple''s temperament isn''t much like mine. It needs some fixing!"

    "Like you? I think it''s better if he wasn''t." Liu Lingyun repeatedly shook her head.

    "By the way, your Red Mountain Sect has a girl named Zhao Yuanqi with decent cultivation talent. How many strands of divine sense has she refined in the Profound Abode Realm?" Li Zhaotian asked, grinning mischievously as his hands wandered.

    "One hundred and seven," Liu Lingyun responded between heavy breaths.

    "Barely passable, just so-so." Li Zhaotian grinned triumphantly. "My disciple is also at the Profound Abode Realm, and his divine sense totals one hundred and thirty-six strands. No one in the past one thousand two hundred years has surpassed that number in the Second World."

    Sect Master Liu Lingyun let out a gasp, though it was unclear whether it was from shock or something else.

    "In the future, you could hand over the position of Sect Master to that girl. She and my disciple could be like us. What do you think about that?" Li Zhaotian asked with a sly smile.

    "I, I¡ª" Liu Lingyun stammered, unable to respond coherently.

    ***

    Two dayster, Zhao Yuanqi received a message from the Red Mountain Sect, informing her that a brand-new Scarlet Dawn Boat would be delivered to Snow Peak City in half a month.

    Sect Master Liu Lingyun''s message also instructed her to stay with Pang Jian and the others during this time.

    "Why should we keep himpany?" The silver-haired girl huffed in displeasure. "We should all just go our separate ways once the Scarlet Dawn Boat arrives."

    ***

    In Snow Peak City, Pang Jian devoted himself to intense cultivation and finally reached the point where he could control over a hundred strands of his divine sense.

    When he was not cultivating, he would drink in the courtyard with Zhou Qingchen and the others, enjoying a rare period of tranquil rxation.

    One day, while cultivating, Pang Jian received his first-ever plea for help from the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    He quickly established a connection between them.

    An expanse of inky ck sea filled Pang Jian''s vision, with numerous inds rising from the dark waters.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent and Yu Xin from the Celestial Race were on the shore of one such ind.

    Yu Xiny unconscious in a pool of her own blood. Her pure white robes were stained crimson and her six pairs of glorious white wings were stripped bare, leaving only bloodied wing bones.

    Gashes riddled the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s scaly body. Blood oozed from its wounds as it stared out at the distant ck sea, seemingly dreading the approach of some enemy.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent had urgently reached out to Pang Jian for help as itcked the ability to heal its severely injured master.

    Pang Jian was astonished at the sight.

    Yu Xin of the Celestial Race was highly respected among the foreign races, with nearly all of them obeying her without question.

    Pang Jian could not imagine what entity would want her dead so badly.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent quickly informed him that their enemies were from another continent in the Fifth World.

    <i>So it''s finally able to convey its thoughts more clearly.</i>

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent seemed to have undergone a significant transformation under Yu Xin''s care, leading to a rapid increase in its intelligence.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent continued to beg Pang Jian to save its master.

    <i>Swallow her and ce her on your tongue,</i> Pang Jian instructed.

    The injured serpent obediently slithered across the sand and gently swallowed Yu Xin.

    At that moment, Pang Jian noticed the Giant Abyssal Serpent had grown muchrger than the one in ckwater Pond.

    The small horn on its forehead had be longer and sharper, gleaming with a dark, glossy sheen.

    <i>I''m starting now.</i>

    A surge of life energy was transferred from Pang Jian in the Third World to the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s mouth.

    Waves of green life energy enveloped Yu Xin''s delicate body.

    Her ruptured organs and shattered wing bones hungrily absorbed the life energy.

    The blood seeping from the serpent''s wounds also stopped as its injuries healed. The once-red blood gradually turned green and brimmed with powerful vitality.

    After a long while, Pang Jian started to feel exhausted. Swallowing a Soul Nourishing Pill, he mentally thanked the little tree in Misty Swamp.

    Channeling such a vast amount of life energy from the Third World to a person and beast in the Fifth World took a tremendous toll on Pang Jian''s mental strength.

    "Xiao Hei, Xiao Hei..." Yu Xin anxiously called out for the Giant Abyssal Serpent as she slowly regained consciousness.

    Her brows furrowed as if trapped in a nightmare, and her hands instinctively reached out to pull the serpent''s head closer to her wings.

    <i>Your chosen master isn''t so bad,</i> Pang Jian quietly remarked.

    He then told the Giant Abyssal Serpent to spit out the Celestial Maiden of the Celestial Race.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpentplied.

    The blood stains on Yu Xin''s six pairs of wing bones had already disappeared. She kneeled with her head lowered and regted her breathing.

    After a moment, she ced her delicate hand on her exposed chest where her injury had been. Her dark eyes filled with gratitude as she looked at the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    "It was you...you saved me."

    Wincing through the pain, she bowed slightly in gratitude.

    She then ced a hand on the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s forehead, establishing a connection between her and Pang Jian that allowed him to continue channeling life energy to both her and the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    Pang Jian''s consciousness materialized within the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s mind.

    <i>What happened? </i>he asked.

    <i>I was invited to visit the Fourth Continent. Between our Fifth Continent and the Fourth Continent lies a vast ck sea, home to a race known as the Bat-Winged Race. Our Celestial Race exiled them to the inds within this sea.</i>

    <i>The Bat-Winged Race has always been weak and fearful of us, never daring to resist. </i>

    <i>Recently, an Outer God they worship descended with a broken body. With the help of this Outer God, the once timid and fearful Bat-Winged Race found the courage tounch an attack against me.</i>

    Yu Xin''smunication with Pang Jian became smoother as the life energy healed her.

    <i>The Bat-Winged Race and an Outer God? </i>Pang Jian wondered to himself, recalling the ck bat-like Outer God that had escaped from Spirit Offering.

    He projected the image of the ck bat into the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s mind for Yu Xin to see.

    <i>That''s the one! </i>Yu Xin eximed in shock, <i>You saw it in the upper worlds?</i>

    <i>It came from Spirit Offering in the Third World, </i>he replied.

    <i>Spirit Offering is one of the sacred grounds for some of the foreign races.</i>

    Yu Xin used the hand pressed against her chest to retrieve several bottles of medicinal liquid.

    Pang Jian glimpsed her exposed, faintly raised chest through the serpent''s eyes.

    Yu Xin''s pale cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she downed all seven bottles of medicine. A divine radiance enveloped her six pairs of wing bones and new white feathers sprouted.

    "I lost my weapon during the battle," Yu Xin muttered aloud.

    Pang Jian still had many questions about Spirit Offering, the foreign races, and the Outer Gods, but he suppressed the urge to ask immediately. Instead, he decided to offer her some help first.

    Momentster, the Giant Abyssal Serpent whimpered and spat out a massive ck iron rod, several withered leaves infused with sinister energy, and two beast hides.

    One of the hides was the snakeskin Pang Jian had originally obtained from the Ghost Race in the Primordial Wilderness, which could emit dense, murky energy.

    Yu Xin removed her hand from the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s forehead and approached the massive ck iron rod.

    Crouching down, she used her six pairs of wings¡ªstill growing new feathers¡ªto cover part of the rod.

    Her willow-leaf brows knitted slightly as she carefully probed its nature.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The massive ck iron rod shrank to a size and thickness perfect for her to wield with one hand.

    A bloodthirsty aura emanated from the now much smaller rod and her eyes lit up with excitement.

    "Very good, truly impressive!" she eximed gratefully, staring into the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s eyes.

    Using her other hand, she pointed at the two beast hides and the withered leaves, causing the items to float toward her.

    "I can make good use of all of this."

    Yu Xin leaned in and gently stroked the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s forehead.

    <i>What can I do for you?</i> she asked Pang Jian through the serpent.

    <i>Spirit jades.</i>

    <i>Spirit jades?</i>

    <i>Yes.</i>

    <i>I''ll bring you spirit jades once I defeat that Outer God and punish the Bat-Winged Race.</i>

    <i>Good.</i>

 Chapter 259: Unexpected Windfall!

    <h4>Chapter 259: Unexpected Windfall!</h4>

    In high spirits after their brief exchange, Pang Jian continued sending waves of life energy to Yu Xin and the Giant Abyssal Serpent and only stopped at Yu Xin''s signal.

    Yu Xin closed her eyes and spent several hours silently recovering in this way.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A colossal ck bat appeared on the distant ck sea and flew toward Yu Xin and the Giant Abyssal Serpent with several Bat-Winged Race warriors perched on its wings.

    The slightly fatigued Pang Jian perked up at the sight of the ck bat.

    <i>As expected, it''s one of the Outer Gods that vanished after leaving Spirit Offering.</i>

    The warriors from the Bat-Winged Race on the bat-like Outer God''s wings had the heads of humans and the bodies of bats.

    Standing up, they pointed at the Giant Abyssal Serpent and shouted, "Capture that Giant Abyssal Serpent and offer it as a vessel for our god!"

    Despite them speaking in a differentnguage, Pang Jian found he could understand every word. He quickly realized it was because the Giant Abyssal Serpent understood theirnguage.

    <i>Are you the source of this mess? </i>Pang Jian wondered, surprised the Outer God was after the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    "Kill!"

    "Kill the Celestial Maiden!"

    The short Bat-Winged Race warriors screeched as they flew off the Outer God''s wings.

    Pang Jian watched the bat-like Outer God closely and noticed it was seriously injured.

    Deep gashes riddled its enormous wings, revealing dark brown stone beneath the shredded flesh.

    The ck bat was evidently not a true living creature but a stone statue brought to life. In its battle with Yu Xin, it had failed to secure a decisive victory and was severely wounded.

    Yu Xin pped her wings to hover above the ck sea.

    "You will all die here, and the Bat-Winged Race will be wiped out," she dered, eyes filled with killing intent as she gently grasped the ck iron rod.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Yu Xin''s wings churned the inky waters into towering waves that transformed into bizarre sea creatures and charged forward as her vassals.

    Her white robes, embroidered with patterns of flowers, birds, insects, and fish, lit up with dazzling light.

    Four different mystical energies flowed from the designs on Yu Xin''s robes into her body as she swung the ck iron rod toward the approaching Bat-Winged Race warriors and the Outer God.

    <i>Howl!</i>

    A thousand-zhang-tall ck giant ape d in chainmail appeared above the ck sea while the ck iron rod expanded a thousandfold.

    The giant ape firmly grasped the ck iron rod and swung the massive weapon, smashing it down onto the Bat-Winged Race warriors.

    Its ferocious aura and the crashing waves from the ck sea unleashed an overwhelming force that reduced the iing warriors to a rain of blood.

    The giant ape dominated the sky, wielding the ck iron rod like a scaled-down Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir. It struck the bat-like Outer God with a thunderous crash.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The massive ck bat was crushed into tiny stone fragments, blowing like dust into the ck sea.

    After the strike, the ferocious giant ape vanished back into the ck iron rod.

    Yu Xin, the Giant Abyssal Serpent, and Pang Jian were all dumbfounded.

    None of them had expected the ck iron rod to disy such terrifying power and destroy the Outer God with a single swing.

    The first to recover was the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    With a ssh, it dove into the ck sea, swallowed the remnants of the Outer God into its body, and eagerly absorbed the divine-power-infused dark energy seeping from the stone fragments.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent only emerged from the sea once it was satisfied.

    Meanwhile, Yu Xin remained in the air, still in a daze as she stared at the brutally powerful weapon in her hand.

    Descending in front of the serpent, she ced her hand on its forehead and asked, <i>Do you want this rod back?</i>

    <i>No need. Just make sure you have enough spirit jades ready. That''s all for now, </i>Pang Jian replied before severing the connection.

    Back in Snow Peak City, Pang Jian swallowed another Soul Nourishing Pill and sat quietly in his dark room with a gloomy expression.

    <i>I can''t use the ck iron rod as it''s not meant for a human cultivator, but it''s unbelievably terrifying in her hands!</i>

    Slightly disheartened at this revtion, Pang Jian left his room and walked to the courtyard, which was filled with pavilions, artificial hills, and flowing water. Standing on a stone bridge, he gazed at the night sky in deep thought.

    <i>Maybe I should check all the stone pirs in the stone forests around Spirit Offering.</i>

    The shocking power of the seemingly insignificant ck iron rod caused Pang Jian to reconsider his earlier decision.

    <i>Creak!</i>

    A door was pushed open.

    Zhao Yuanqi walked into a pavilion and waved at Pang Jian. Her silver hair draped freely over her shoulder, glowing a faint silver under the moonlight.

    A loose gray cotton robe and a bunch of crystal-clear grapes in her hand contrasted her usual ck robes andrge red wine gourd on her back.

    Her delicate face held none of its usual aloofness and instead carried a hint of worry.

    "In a little while, a brand-new Scarlet Dawn Boat will be delivered from the Red Mountain Sect," she said once Pang Jian approached.

    The surrounding courtyard housed only their group¡ªZhou Qingchen, Jiang Li, and Han Duping¡ªso she was not concerned about outsiders overhearing their conversation. Biting her lip, she said softly, "Our Sect Master sent word, asking me to...get closer to you."

    Pang Jian was taken aback. "My connection with Big Brother Zhou and Miss Jiang means my rtionship with the Red Mountain Sect will always be strong."

    "That''s not what the Sect Master meant!" Zhao Yuanqi spat out a grape seed in annoyance and lowered her voice. "I asked around, and the Pavilion Master of the Sword Pavilion is exactly as you described!"

    Pang Jian coughed and lowered his voice too. "Butst time you said¡ª"

    "That''s what our Sect Master told me!" Zhao Yuanqi red at Pang Jian and continued in a hushed tone, "The Pavilion Master''s name is Li Zhaotian. He''s known for being a notorious yboy! I''m pretty sure something''s going on between him and our Sect Master since she described him as charming!"

    <i>Why are you ring at me? Even if something is going on between them, it has nothing to do with me, </i>Pang Jian thought, dumbfounded.

    "She told me to get closer to you!" Zhao Yuanqi grumbled with a cold look.

    Pang Jian was speechless, He recalled how Li Zhaotian had urged him to pursue Li Yuqing and Luo Hongyan, as well as how he insisted Pang Jian''s character matched his own.

    Now, with Zhao Yuanqi''s suspicions and her Sect Master''s strange instructions...

    "No way. You are not my type."

    Pang Jian vigorously shook his head, turned around, and hurried back to his room, mming the door behind him.

    The silver-haired girl was left standing alone in the pavilion. The grapes in her mouth now seemed tasteless. Although initially embarrassed, she gradually felt her anger building at Pang Jian''s reaction.

    Zhao Yuanqi ground her teeth. "I''m not your type?"

    The good impression Pang Jian had left on her in the Primordial Wilderness instantly vanished.

    Meanwhile, Zhou Qingchen had been staying in Jiang Li''s room, teasing her until her face flushed red with embarrassment.

    Hearing voices in the courtyard, the pair had quietly leaned toward the window to peek through the gaps and eavesdrop.

    "Senior Sister Jiang, what just happened?" asked Zhou Qingchen. "I didn''t catch everything they said."

    Jiang Li, struggling to restrain Zhou Qingchen''s rough hands and breathing heavily, replied, "Junior Sister Zhao was self-conscious as a child. Even though she''s now the chosen of the Red Mountain Sect, she still hides behind a cold exterior. She''s really just a little girl at heart. Don''t let Pang Jian bully her."

    "She''s already at thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm. Who could bully her?" Zhou Qingchen chuckled softly, then patted his forehead. "Bute to think of it, Pang Jian might just be capable of it!"

    Two dayster, Pang Jian once again received a message from the Giant Abyssal Serpent. The first thing he saw after establishing a connection was a mountain of spirit jades!

    Piles of spirit jades were stacked on a remote ind in the ck sea.

    Flying above them was a majestic man with eight pairs of wings, wielding the ck iron rod Pang Jian had sent over and destroying the Bat-Winged Races'' inds one after the other.

    Shadows of the ck iron rod multiplied in the sky, with the fierce ck giant ape asionally appearing within.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The inds sunk into the depths of the sea.

    <i>That''s my brother, my blood brother, </i>Yu Xin said, gently pressing her slender finger against the Giant Abyssal Serpent''s forehead.

    She had fully recovered since thest time Pang Jian had seen her.

    Gesturing to the pile of spirit jades, she said, <i>All the spirit jades we obtained from the Primordial Wilderness in the Third World are all here. The key contributor was a woman named Lady Hua. </i>

    <i>Her spatial bracelet alone held three hundred thousand spirit jades. The rest add up to about a hundred and fifty-seven thousand spirit jades.</i>

    <i>I didn''t bother gathering spirit stones since you didn''t ask for spirit stones.</i>

    <i>You saved both my life and Xiao Hei''s. Not to mention, that miraculous rod is priceless. But this is all I could gather for you. </i>

    Guilt shed across Yu Xin''s beautiful face.

    Pang Jian stared at the mountain of spirit jades and simply said, <i>That''ll do for now. I wish you the best of luck in the Fourth Continent.</i>

    <i>Thank you for your kind wishes!</i>

    An hourter, a dazzling rain of spirit jades cascaded onto the spirit vein in the Resolute Expanse.

    The once-thin spirit vein swelled with vitality, significantly boosting the fragmentednd''s ability to absorb the surrounding spiritual qi.

    The ck turtle in the depths of the Resolute Expanse stretched its bodyfortably and sent Pang Jian a message.

    It was preparing to hunt an Outer God.

 Chapter 260: Teaching

    <h4>Chapter 260: Teaching</h4>

    <i>An Outer God? Which one?</i> Pang Jian asked in surprise.

    The ck turtle informed Pang Jian that the arachnid Outer God was wandering in the sea of massive boulders above the Resolute Expanse.

    It also mentioned that it would need time to prepare and could require Pang Jian''s assistance once ready to take action.

    <i>Understood,</i> Pang Jian agreed without hesitation.

    After severing the connection, he wondered, <i>The arachnid Outer God is in the sea of massive boulders near the ruins of the Celestial Phoenix¡ªwhat could it be nning?</i>

    Pang Jian then realized his perspective had been visible to the ck turtle in Spirit Offering. Back then, he had established a connection to it, intending to send Zhou Qingchen and the others to the Resolute Expanse when the situation was dire.

    The ck turtle had seen the Outer Gods surrounding them and thus knew to refer to the creature with the face of a human and the body of a spider as an Outer God.

    ***

    Two dayster, Pang Jian was meditating in his room, once again focusing on mastering his divine sense.

    <i>Ding!</i>

    His sword token rang, and Pang Jian gripped it uneasily as he prepared to listen to whatever bizarre words his entric master had to say.

    Pang Jian had mixed feelings toward his unpredictable master. On one hand, he admired his incredible abilities, but on the other, he was wary of the unorthodox nature of his teachings.

    Li Zhaotian''s boomingughter came from the sword token.

    "Pang Jian, channel your spiritual power into the sword token and pay close attention to what I''m going to show you!"

    <i>Here we go again. </i>Pang Jian sighed to himself before obediently following the instruction.

    He could not shake the feeling that his master was actually rather unreliable.

    Although Li Yuqing had expressed praise and admiration for the Pavilion Master, Pang Jian could not help but suspect it was because of the close ties between the Divine Treasure Sect''s Li Family and the Sword Pavilion, with Li Yuqing herself also wielding a massive silver sword.

    Pang Jian channeled his spiritual energy into the sword token.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    His spiritual power coalesced into a shallow pool within the miniature world inside the sword token.

    Tiny stars shimmered above the pool, alongside a thumbnail-sized sun and moon. Within the pooly a piece of an ice crystal, a flickering me, and a swirling vortex of lightning.

    Pang Jian''s Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea had been meticulously replicated within the world of the sword token!

    As Pang Jian focused his consciousness within the world of the sword token, he felt like he was gazing directly into his own Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea.

    The only difference was therge, imposing man in a blue robe sitting above the pool of spiritual power.

    "My dear disciple, after pondering for a few days, I''ve realized the existing sword techniques in the Sword Pavilion don''t quite align with your Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea. So, I''ve created a new sword technique tailored just for you!

    "This sword technique is uniquely suited to you and will be the foundation of your future path!"

    With that, the manifestation of Li Zhaotian''s soul started to expand the small world within the sword token, shaping its inner space.

    Bringing his two fingers together, he drew in the powers of the sun, moon, stars, ice, earthme, and lightning. These energies swirled around his fingertips, forming an intricate sword intent as a gleaming sword light extended outward.

    "The sword technique I''ve created for you is called the Chaos Sword Technique. When you advance to the Immortal Realm in the future, you will ascend to godhood through the Dao of Chaos.

    "After much deliberation, I''ve concluded that chaos is the foundation of your Dao.

    "Watch this..."

    <i>Hiss!</i>

    Li Zhaotian twirled his two fingers. One fingertip held a sword light formed from cold energy, while the other had one formed from earthme energy.

    The two ipatible forces of ice and fire slithered side by side like two serpents, before suddenly tangling together.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The entangled sword lights exploded in a devastating burst of destructive force.

    "That''s not all."

    Li Zhaotian then demonstrated the violent detonation of sr and lunar energy colliding, as well as the explosion fusion of cold and sr energy.

    "Your Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea can hold ipatible energies and keep them stable within your spiritual sea.

    "When youbine energies that naturally harmonize, you achieve decent power. But the resulting impact and destructive power of forcibly merging opposing forces is far more terrifying!

    "My disciple, I want you toprehend the Chaos Sword Technique so you can reveal the other side of your Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea.

    "This method of forcibly melding ipatible energies, in defiance of the natural order, will be the path of your future Dao!"

    Li Zhaotian stood up and swung his sword.

    His sword movements were grand and sweeping, exuding an imposing aura that was sometimes as unshakable as a mountain, and at other times, seemingly sharp enough to split the heavens with a single strike.

    Despite his bulky form, Li Zhaotian''s movements were fluid and natural.

    "The Dao of Sword is a Heavenly Dao. Toprehend a Dao of Sword is to grasp a facet of the Heavenly Dao," Li Zhaotian casually exined as he unleashed sword strikes.

    The energies stored in Pang Jian''s Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea were represented in each strike, blending with chaotic, violent, and reality-warping sword techniques Pang Jian could never have imagined.

    Thebination of ipatible energies created explosive power that tore through the very fabric of space.

    "So it can be done like this..."

    Pang Jian was amazed, having never considered using the energies within him in such a manner.

    When fusing energies, he had always been cautious to avoid any contact between conflicting ones.

    His usualbat style involved mergingpatible energies like sr energy, earthme energy, and lightning, orbining cold energy, lunar energy, ster energy, and lightning into a single attack.

    This strategy had given him an edge over most cultivators at his level.

    However, the Pavilion Master of the Pavilion Sect had devised an entirely newbat technique for him after just a few days!

    "Take your time to study it. There''s no rush," said the manifestation of Li Zhaotian''s soul before disappearing.

    Although his soul had disappeared, afterimages of Li Zhaotian remained within the small world of the sword token, endlessly demonstrating the Chaos Sword Technique.

    <i>Hiss!</i>

    <i>Boom!</i>

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Although there were initially around a dozen or so afterimages and sword lights embodying the essence of chaos, they gradually multiplied.

    As new radiant sword lights appeared, the small world within the sword token expanded.

    Though Li Zhaotian''s soul had vanished, the sword intent and sword light he had left behind generated an ever-increasing number of variations.

    Pang Jian was astonished.

    <i>The Immortal Realm! Is his sword intent and sword light eternal and indestructible?</i>

    For the following days, Pang Jian focused on studying the Chaos Sword Technique within the sword token.

    Every few hours, he would emerge mentally exhausted, with his divine sense weakened and thinned. Comprehending the Chaos Sword Technique was even more draining thanmunicating with the Giant Abyssal Serpent in the Fifth World.

    Each time, he consumed a Soul Nourishing Pill to recover.

    <i>The Dao of Chaos is indeed the one best suited for me. It''ll be the key to my future ascension into godhood.</i>

    Pang Jian enthusiastically delved deeper into his studies.

    Over time, the small world within the sword token expanded, eventually housing thousands of Li Zhaotian''s afterimages!

    The rotund men in blue robes continuously developed new sword techniques ording to the Dao of Chaos.

    Tens of thousands of sword lights crisscrossed like webs of lightning, flowing like rivers and filling the sky within the sword token. Every inch of space was saturated with sword intent.

    Some sword lights contained cold and earthme energies, while others blended sr and earthme energies, or lightning and cold energy. Some evenbined ster energy, earthme, and cold energy.

    Endlessbinations manifested within the sword lights, with only a few managing to merge harmoniously.

    Most of the sword lights exploded at some point, unleashing the destructive power born from the chaotic collision of ipatible energies.

    When sword lights exploded, Li Zhaotian''s afterimages reformed new ones.

    Although the real Li Zhaotian was elsewhere, he had the power to supply a constant stream of energy to the sword token''s world, allowing the afterimages to endlessly develop the sword techniques.

    It seemed even the passage of time or the copse of worlds would not erase his presence.

    But Pang Jian finally reached his limit.

    Once he ran out of Soul Nourishing Pills, his final attempt toprehend the Chaos Sword Technique ended with him falling into a deep sleep.

    He slept for an entire day and night.

    He only woke up when someone shook him.

    When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Zhou Qingchen''s clean-shaven face.

    "Big Brother Zhou..."

    Pang Jian''s head spun and his mind was still filled with the afterimages of sword light. Clenching his fist, he realized the sword token was still gripped tightly in his hand.

    Focusing on Zhou Qingchen, he asked, "Why are you here?"

    "The Red Mountain Sect''s new Scarlet Dawn Boat has arrived. We wanted to ask where you n to go next." Zhou Qingchen frowned at him. "I knocked on your door for ages, but you didn''t respond, so I had to break in. I never expected that you''d be out cold like that!"

    Jiang Li and Han Duping were also in the room, looking at him with puzzled expressions.

    "Little Brother Pang, if it weren''t for the fact that you live alone, I''d have thought you were up to something shady!" Han Duping teased suggestively.

    "Enough nonsense!" Jiang Li''s face flushed.

    Three days ago, Han Duping had been looking for Zhou Qingchen, but could not find him in his room. So, he started shouting in the courtyard, and before long, he saw Zhou Qingchen leaving Jiang Li''s room.

    Pang Jian rubbed his temples.

    "I''m fine, just drained from trying to control my divine sense."

    He was eager to head to the shops in Snow Peak City to purchase more Soul Nourishing Pills so he could continue studying the Chaos Sword Technique.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A loud explosion came from outside the estate where they were staying.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 261: Returning the Black Iron Mountain to its Rightful Owner

    <h4>Chapter 261: Returning the ck Iron Mountain to its Rightful Owner</h4>

    "What''s going on?"

    "Someone''s fighting!"

    Zhou Qingchen and Han Duping said simultaneously, looking toward the source of the explosion.

    Stepping out of the room, Pang Jian immediately caught sight of the familiar ck Iron Mountain.

    The ck Iron Mountain hovered amidst surging demonic mes. Dong Tianze wielded his Ghost''s Cry as he fought Zhao Yuanqi.

    The aloof silver-haired girl in ck sat atop therge red gourd she typically carried on her back.

    Rays of multicolored light poured out the open mouth of the gourd.

    The vibrant multicolored radiance, as brilliant and lustrous as silk, overwhelmed the beast souls and Spirit Devils.

    Dong Tianze''s face was grim, cold eyes gleaming menacingly from where he stood atop the ck Iron Mountain.

    Demonic mes surrounded him as he wielded his Ghost''s Cry to control the beast souls and Spirit Devils in a desperate attempt to tear through the beams of light.

    Although the light shattered, new beams poured from the gourd beneath Zhao Yuanqi.

    The silver-haired girl had been in a poor moodtely and could not restrain herself from arrogantly mocking, "You''re so reliant on the ck Iron Mountain. Without it, you would''ve been defeated long ago."

    "And if you didn''t have that gourd filled with radiant lights, you''d already be dead," Dong Tianze sneered back.

    "Dong Tianze!" Zhou Qingchen roared and charged forward.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Several long des spread out behind him like a peacock''s tail, surging toward Dong Tianze in a brilliant flurry of light.

    Zhou Qingchen came from the same Red Mountain Sect and practiced simr techniques, so his fighting style was strikingly simr to Zhao Yuanqi''s.

    "He''s a traitor of the Sinister Soul Temple! Getting rid of him isn''t an issue!" Han Duping grunted.

    He and Zhou Qingchen regarded Dong Tianze as a sworn enemy after learning about what happened in Eight Trigrams City from Qi Qingsong.

    "There''s no need. I''ve long since settled things with him," Pang Jian hastily tried to exin.

    No one was listening.

    "What''s wrong with you people?!" Dong Tianze''s temper red.

    He maneuvered the ck Iron Mountain to dodge Zhao Yuanqi''s attack before unleashing a sea of golden dagger light that shattered the radiant lights emanating from Zhou Qingchen''s long des.

    "I''m here to see Pang Jian!" he shouted, finally noticing Pang Jian standing nearby.

    "Stop!" Pang Jian helplessly yelled.

    Zhao Yuanqi nced over coldly.

    Zhou Qingchen was stunned. "Pang Jian, he¡ª"

    "This is between me and him. We''ll handle it ourselves. I don''t need anyone else''s help." Pang Jian stepped forward, rested a hand on Zhou Qingchen''s shoulder, and put on airs. "Big Brother Zhou, times have changed. Dong Tianze is no longer a match for me. You don''t need to stand up for me anymore."

    "That''s true," Zhou Qingchen realized.

    <i>Pang Jian even killed Lou Yunming of the Sinister Soul Temple in the Primordial Wilderness, what could Dong Tianze do to him?</i>

    Meanwhile, themotion had caught the attention of the major ns of Snow Peak City.

    "Dong Tianze of the Sinister Soul Temple!"

    "When did he return?"

    "Didn''t the Sinister Soul Temple imprison him? Didn''t they treat him like a traitor?"

    "That''s just what they say to outsiders! His master, Han Zhiyuan, was recently appointed as the new Cult Leader of the Sinister Soul Temple. It''s only natural for his disciple to return."

    Cultivators of the major ns gossiped.

    Although many of the ns in Snow Peak City were loyal to the Blood Moon Sect and the Star River Alliance, the city itself was close to the Sinister Soul Temple, and members of the Sinister Soul Temple frequently passed through.

    Many of the shops in the city catered specifically to the Sinister Soul Temple.

    Thus, the major ns were well aware of the internal affairs of the Sinister Soul Temple and had heard the Sinister Soul Temple still considered Dong Tianze a core member.

    Pang Jian raised his head and softly called out to Zhao Yuanqi, "Miss Zhao, pleasee down."

    "Pang Jian, this guy treated you horribly in Eight Trigrams City. He''s a traitor of the Sinister Soul Temple now, killing him won''t bring any trouble," Zhao Yuanqi said, puzzled.

    Pang Jian frowned impatiently. "I said it''s between us. There''s no need for others to interfere."

    "You!" Feeling like her good intentions were disregarded, Zhao Yuanqi shot Pang Jian a cold re before descending with her gourd. "Pang Jian, you killed Cao Mang in the Primordial Wilderness. I heard you left that ce using the ck Iron Mountain. Is the ck Iron Mountain Dong Tianze controlling yours?"

    "Yes, I sold it to him," Pang Jian answered with a low voice.

    "Sold it to him...?" Zhao Yuanqi was even more confused than before. "This guy is always causing trouble. It''s best if you keep your distance. He''s killed a lot of people. He''ll likely meet a violent end without the Sinister Soul Temple protecting him."

    "If we''re talking about causing trouble, I''d say Pang Jian here is even more troublesome than Dong Tianze," quipped Qi Pinghai, the head of the Qi n, as he approached.

    He knew Dong Tianze was still a core member of the Sinister Soul Temple and sought to prevent a major conflict between the two sides.

    Smiling warmly, he said, "Why not sit down and discuss things calmly? There''s no need for a deadly fight."

    The ck Iron Mountain slowly descended.

    "I have something to discuss with Pang Jian. Everyone else, stay out of it!" Dong Tianze showed no respect for Qi Pinghai. ring at the distant buildings and the people watching from the Cloud Sail hovering in the sky, he shouted, "Get lost!"

    The Cloud Sail quickly descended.

    The n elders hiding in the tall buildings of Snow Peak City hastily retreated, wanting to avoid a confrontation with Dong Tianze.

    "Alright, I''ll talk to him alone."

    Pang Jian leaped onto the ck Iron Mountain.

    As soon as Pang Jian was on board, the ck Iron Mountain shot toward a snow-covered peak nearby.

    Han Duping scratched his head. "What''s going on between those two?"

    Zhou Qingchen was equally baffled. "I can''t figure it out either."

    "Their rtionship isn''t as bad as you might think," Qi Pinghai said with a smile.

    As the leader of a n neighboring the Sinister Soul Temple, he knew the Sinister Soul Temple had recently sold many items from the Star River Alliance and the Blood Moon Sect discreetly through the Dark Cloud Pavilion.

    Han Zhiyuan, former Vice Cult Leader and current Cult Leader of the Sinister Soul Temple, backed the Dark Cloud Pavilion.

    Qi Pinghai had previously wondered why so many high-grade items from the Blood Moon Sect and Star River Alliance were being sold there, but now understood after seeing Cao Mang''s ck Iron Mountain under Dong Tianze''s control.

    The Shadow Specter Sect¡ªor more urately, the Sinister Soul Temple¡ªwas Pang Jian''swork for selling stolen goods!

    <i>***</i>

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The heavy ck Iron Mountain crashed onto a snowy peak, sending snow flying.

    Pang Jian spread his hand, watching the snowkes drift down with curious eyes.

    "Snow..."

    This was Pang Jian''s first time seeing snow. It never snowed in the Solitary Mountain Range, and none of the other regions he had been to after leaving had falling snow either.

    "Hillbilly!" Dong Tianze sneered mockingly.

    Pang Jian turned his head and nced at Dong Tianze. "Have you ever seen snow? Or mountain peaks like these?"

    Dong Tianze instantly shut up.

    "We''re both from the Fourth World. You''ve only been here a year or so longer than me. I''ve never seen snowy peaks or falling snow in the Fourth World. Have you?" Pang Jian asked curiously.

    "Enough with the nonsense!" Dong Tianze snorted in frustration before changing the topic. "Pang Jian, I discovered a mysterious fragmentednd beneath a sea of massive boulders near the Celestial Phoenix remains!"

    Pang Jian was taken aback.

    Dong Tianze leaped down from the ck Iron Mountain, boots crunching in the snow as he excitedly faced the general direction of the Resolute Expanse.

    "That fragmentednd is still undiscovered and has a high concentration of spiritual qi! It''s strange, it pulled me and the ck Iron Mountain in, then spat us right back out.

    "I haven''t told anyone about this, but you delivered me the ck Iron Mountain, so..." He paused, back still facing Pang Jian. "Pang Jian, I''m inviting you to explore this unknown fragmentednd with me. We''ll split everything we find equally!"

    After speaking, Dong Tianze waited in silence.

    An unexplored fragmentednd was something no one could resist. He had not even told his master, Han Zhiyuan, because he believed Pang Jian, having once saved his life with the miraculous Blood Enhancing Pill and the ck Iron Mountain, would be a reliable partner.

    "Pang Jian?"

    After waiting a long time without receiving a response, Dong Tianze could not help but turn around.

    Pang Jian was flying away on the ck Iron Mountain.

    Dong Tianze was dumbfounded.

    "I''m not interested in that fragmentednd," Pang Jian shouted back at Dong Tianze as he flew across the snowy peaks. "Yin Yiqing is dead, and your master has be the new Cult Leader of the Sinister Soul Temple. If you want the ck Iron Mountain, just gather enough spirit jades to buy it.

    "Oh, and I need Soul Nourishing Pills and Mind Soothing Pills to nurture my divine sense¡ªthe more, the better.

    "I''ll just consider this trip as you returning the ck Iron Mountain to me."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The ck Iron Mountain flew away.

    Dong Tianze hadid so much groundwork, expecting to pique Pang Jian''s interest enough for him to ask for more details, only for Pang Jian to leave.

    His face contorted into a hideous expression of fury.

    "Pang Jian! I''m talking serious business here!" Dong Tianze roared at the ck Iron Mountain, sprinting across the snowy peak and leaping high like a roc taking flight. "You bastard! I never intended to keep the ck Iron Mountain for myself!

    "That fragmentednd is incredibly special¡ªI wanted to invite you to explore it together! Pang Jian, I would never have shared this with you if not for you saving my life!"

    Afraid Dong Tianze would actually catch up, Pang Jian hastily steered the ck Iron Mountain further away and called back, "Sorry, I''m just not interested in what you''re offering."

    "Then, at least take me back to the Sinister Soul Temple!" Dong Tianze begged.

    "It''s not that far. You can walk a few steps yourself."

    "Pang Jian! Don''t expect me to ever respond to you again through the Ghost Altar!"

 Chapter 262: My Strongest Battlefield!

    <h4>Chapter 262: My Strongest Battlefield!</h4>

    In the following days, a small, pitch-ck mountain could often be seen near the stone forests surrounding Spirit Offering.

    Pang Jian used Mountain Phase to move through one stone pir after another in search of anomalies, but despite his efforts, he found nothing.

    No matter how much blood essence he expended or how many stone pirs he investigated, he only gained a more refined mastery of his Mountain Phase ability.

    Pang Jian sighed in frustration. <i>Forget it. Some things can''t be forced.</i>

    As he was about to return to Snow Peak City to bid farewell to Zhou Qingchen and the others, he received a message from the ck turtle.

    The massive Resolute Expanse beneath the thick clouds was moving once again. The ck turtlezily stretched before bursting out from where it usually hid within the ground.

    Its body had grown to over three thousand zhang!

    It was now several timesrger than the Rank Eight me Dragon that had wreaked havoc in Spirit Offering!

    The three prominent ridges on its massive ckish-yellow shell looked like mountain peaks, with jet-ck limbs supporting its enormous body like towering pirs.

    The ck turtle stood in a barren, rocky region of the Resolute Expanse, green eyes coldly fixed on the sky as if locked onto its prey.

    <i>Is the Outer God approaching? What rank are you at now?</i> Pang Jian asked, shocked at the sight of the ck turtle''s true form.

    Its response astonished Pang Jian.

    <i>You''re Rank Six? That''s the equivalent of the Spirit Condensation Realm. How are you so huge? You''re even more imposing than the dragons!</i>

    The ck turtle then exined that its species was among thergest in existence. Even dragons of the same rank were inferior in size.

    Additionally, within the Resolute Expanse, it could exercise strength far beyond what a normal Rank Six ck turtle could.

    Pang Jian was stunned.

    Suddenly, he saw the Outer God with the face of a human and the body of a spider descending from the clouds above.

    The Outer God exuded a malevolent aura, its silver-white hair swayed like strands of seaweed in search of living creatures to ensnare.

    Ripples appeared in its eyes as it scanned for traces of soul essence.

    Before long, its attention turned to the Resolute Expanse below.

    The Outer God''s spidery limbs trembled with anticipation as it let out an excited screech.

    <i>It seems stronger than before.</i>

    After a brief discussion with the ck turtle, Pang Jian stored the sword token on his waist in his spatial bracelet.

    He then sent Cao Mang''s ck Iron Mountain from Spirit Offering to the Resolute Expanse, where itnded near one of the ck turtle''s massive limbs,

    Heading deeper into Spirit Offering, Pang Jian first scanned his charred surroundings before sinking into the ground with Earth Dive.

    Pang Jian then willed the ck turtle scute off his chest.

    ording to the ck turtle, the scute could be used as a teleportation marker for the Gate of the Abyss.

    He buried the scute deep within the ground and then used the Gate of the Abyss to teleport to the ck turtle.

    A mirror-like radiance enveloped Pang Jian.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    He appeared in the Resolute Expanse.

    An overwhelming sense of control filled Pang Jian the moment hended. It was as though everything on the fragmentednd was within grasp.

    <i>Harmonizing with the Resolute Expanse massively boosts mybat prowess. I could even take on that Outer God,</i> Pang Jian mused with growing anticipation.

    Back in Spirit Offering, Pang Jian''s spirit artifacts had been rendered useless, forcing him to flee at the sight of even the weakest Outer God.

    However, the Resolute Expanse was essentially his and the ck turtle''s fortress, with Pang Jian''s strength being considerably enhanced!

    He felt confident enough to face the Outer God head-on on the Resolute Expanse!

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian summoned the Star Crushing Umbre and the Nine Suns Cauldron, both of which floated in mid-air.

    The power of his spirit artifacts skyrocketed on the Resolute Expanse.

    The Star Crushing Umbre expanded, with stars and moons glowing blindingly on its canopy.

    Nine zing suns appeared on the walls of the Nine Suns Cauldron, which had also grownrger. Slender me dragons roared within the torrents of mes spewing from the nine suns, amplifying the spirit artifact''s already formidable power.

    Probing the Nine Suns Cauldron, Pang Jian realized the me dragons were nothing more than marks Long Yan had left behind, and did not contain his dragon aura or soul.

    <i>Good.</i> Pang Jian sighed in relief and then summoned his Startling ughter Spear.

    A dazzling light appeared on the spear''s tip, faintly infused with chaos sword intent.

    "Resolute Expanse truly is my strongest battlefield!" Pang Jian eximed as he gazed up at the clouds.

    The fragmentednd stopped moving and everything fell into silence.

    The Outer God that had once made Pang Jian tremble in fear within Spirit Offering finally revealed itself.

    Its eyes were devoid of human emotion as it stared nkly at whaty below.

    A colossal ck turtle, more than three thousand zhang long, stood as its primary target.

    Astonishment shed across her alluring yet eerie face.

    A man stood atop a ck mountain, holding a silver spear with a giant umbre and a ming cauldron hovering next to him!

    This man had appeared out of nowhere!

    The Outer God recognized him from Spirit Offering.

    He had paraded around with severed heads and sessfully persuaded their leader to stop the attack.

    Back in Spirit Offering, the man had fled at the mere sight of it, too frightened to even meet its gaze. In contrast, he now stared at it with an irritatingly confident expression.

    <i>He''s no longer fearful. There''s no panic in his eyes. Does he think I''m his prey?</i>

    Fury surged within the Outer God.

    It licked its lips, silver hair thrashing wildly as divine power seeped from its spider legs and rained down on the ck turtle.

    Thick beams of grayish-white light descended upon the giant ck turtle like a divine downpour.

    <i>y it, devour its flesh, and use its bones to craft a more suitable puppet, </i>thought the Outer God as it headed down toward the fragmentednd.

    The ck turtle''s green eyes gleamed mockingly.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Massive whirlpools of spiritual qi formed across the Resolute Expanse and swallowed the descending grayish-white beams. The ck turtle effortlessly nullified the malevolent energy trying to corrupt the fragmentednd.

    <i>Impressive. </i>Pang Jian nodded approvingly. It was his first time seeing the ck turtle''s abilities.

    Confident after neutralizing the initial attack, the ck turtle arrogantly told Pang Jian it could easily deal with this weakened Outer God on its own.

    "I''m already here, so I''m not going to just stand by and watch. That Outer God terrorized me several times in Spirit Offering," Pang Jian said, aiming his Startling ughter Spear at the Outer God.

    Pang Jian''s audacious attack stance enraged the Outer God.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Its spider legs transformed into sharp spears that stabbed downward in a gleam of cold metal and corrupting energy.

    The spider legs churned within the massive spiritual qi whirlpools, causing them to be unstable due to the divine power within the spider legs.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The spiritual qi dispersed and the whirlpools exploded.

    "Let me handle this," Pang Jian said, softly whistling as he tossed the Star Crushing Umbre into the air.

    The umbre, which had grown to dozens of times its normal size, acted like a colossal shield that blocked the falling spider legs.

    <i>Boom! Boom!</i>

    Thunderous crashes came from the expansive canopy of the Star Crushing Umbre, causing starlight and moonlight to cascade down like a torrential rainstorm.

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    A massive ice well sprang up on the umbre''s canopy.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The icy crystals forming the well fractured into tiny ice shards.

    The Outer God shrieked in soul-rending pain as the bone-chilling ice shards struck its falling spider legs.

    The Outer God''s icy eyes locked onto Pang Jian''s, focusing its terrifying will on him.

    Silvery-white spider webs had appeared in the Outer God''s eyes.

    The Outer God''s silver hair manifested within Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness and wove into a web.

    The sinister power within the web tugged at Pang Jian''s divine sense, attempting to ensnare it.

    Startled, Pang Jian hastily took control of his divine sense and steered it away from the silver web.

    He instantly realized his control over his divine sense was far greater in the Resolute Expanse!

    The silver-hair web failed totch onto even a single strand of Pang Jian''s divine sense.

    The Outer God''s eyes briefly flickered with human-like confusion. It could not understand how this once-weak boy had gained such strength and resilience since it had encountered him in Spirit Offering.

    After the failure of its soul attack, the Outer God resumed its assault, stabbing its razor-sharp spider legs toward the Star Crushing Umbre.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    Grayish-white light red from the umbre''s surface.

    <i>The power it wields now is but a mere fraction of its true self. It''s barely even worth mentioning.</i>

    Pang Jian then hurled the Nine Suns Cauldron forward.

    The Nine Suns Cauldron shot toward the Outer God with explosive force, engulfed in raging mes and surrounded by nine zing suns.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The cauldron struck the arachnid Outer God and sent it crashing down from the sky.

    <i>No wonder someone like Yin Yiqing could force the Outer Gods to retreat despite having only just entered the Soul Wandering Realm.</i>

    <i>Their power in this world is truly limited without a proper body to descend into. They can only do so much when relying on altars, statues, and carvings.</i>

    Pang Jian''s spirits soared at the realization.

 Chapter 263: Hunting an Outer God!

    <h4>Chapter 263: Hunting an Outer God!</h4>

    <i>Skritch! Skritch!</i>

    The Outer God wed at the hard, rocky ground with its spidery legs, attempting to rise back into the vast sky.

    An overwhelming gravitational force suddenly pressed down on it.

    The naturalw of the world shackled its spider legs, burdening them with overwhelming weight.

    Despite repeated attempts to get off the ground, the Outer God was firmly confined to the Resolute Expanse.

    Its malevolent gaze fell on the ck turtle, sinister energy brimming within its eyes.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    In response, the ck turtle lifted one of its enormous limbs and stomped heavily, causing the earth to quake.

    This single action made it clear the ck turtle was responsible for manipting thews of nature and trapping the Outer God to the Resolute Expanse.

    The Outer God trembled.

    "It can''t escape now," Pang Jian called to the ck turtle, flying toward the fallen Outer God on the ck Iron Mountain. "These iplete Outer Gods will fall one after another on our fragmentednd."

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The enormous Star Crushing Umbre and the Nine Sun Cauldron hurtled toward the Outer God.

    The ck turtle stood unmoving, curious gaze fixed on Pang Jian.

    It had not expected Pang Jian to unleash such formidable power upon returning to the Resolute Expanse, to the point of even overwhelming an Outer God.

    After a brief hesitation, it sent another message, informing him of a second Outer God roaming in the sea of massive boulders above, seemingly searching for something.

    It wanted to lure it down and kill it.

    "There''s another one?" Pang Jian pondered for a moment, then asked, "How confident are you in handling one Outer God on your own? Could you win against two if I wasn''t here?"

    The ck turtle told him it could confidently defeat one, but not two.

    Pang Jian''s fighting spirit surged.

    "Let''s lure it down!"

    Fighting on the Resolute Expanse had greatly bolstered his confidence.

    The arachnid Outer God did not give him the feeling of suffocating pressure it once did in Spirit Offering.

    He firmly believed that he and the ck turtle could easily take it down!

    <i>Skritch! Skritch!</i>

    The Outer God''s spider legs continued to stab into the ground, gouging deep holes in the cold, hard rock.

    It appeared to be struggling.

    Pang Jian charged toward the Outer God on the ck Iron Mountain, wielding his shining silver spear.

    The Outer God abruptly ceased its movements and its cold, indifferent eyes fixed on Pang Jian.

    Its eyes rippled with eerie waves, radiating a sinister power capable of leading souls astray.

    The Outer God manipted the web woven from silver hair in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness, spreading it out and ensnaring Pang Jian''s divine senses.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The web seemed to transform into an extension of the Outer God''s eyes, rippling with mysterious waves to generate a terrifying pull!

    Pang Jian''s well-controlled divine sense turned unruly under the Outer God''s renewed attack.

    His one hundred and thirty-six strands of divine sense were all drawn toward the silver web.

    The web, infused with sinister power, resembled the gaping maw of the Outer God, ready to devour Pang Jian''s divine sense.

    Pang Jian hurriedly refocused his mind, halting the ck Iron Mountain as he concentrated on regaining control over his divine sense.

    As he did this, he also threw the Startling ughter Spear toward the Outer God''s enchanting face.

    A line of silver streaked through the air.

    <i>ng!</i>

    The Outer God''s spider legs intercepted the Startling ughter Spear.

    The Outer God continued to exert pressure, manipting the web in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness and pulling at his divine sense.

    "Go!" Pang Jian activated the Star Crushing Umbre, briefly dividing his focus.

    The umbre spun rapidly in the sky. Its ribs shot out one after another, transforming into arcs of starlight and moonlight that struck the Outer God''s spider body.

    Although two spider legs had shielded the Outer God''s bewitching face, its spider body was riddled with holes, revealing the grayish-white rock of the statue beneath.

    The ck turtle dug its limbs into the ground, unleashing a power that made the earth tremble.

    The entire Resolute Expanse responded to itsmand as it exerted its authority as an Earth Spirit!

    A ring of green light unfurled from the ground beneath the ck turtle and swiftly enveloped the Outer God.

    <i>Crack! </i>

    The ck turtle dismembered the Outer God!

    The Outer God was instantly reduced to a pile of mangled limbs and shredded flesh.

    It let out a piercing screech and its divine consciousness surged into Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness.

    The silver web in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness expanded, leaving no room for his divine sense to escape.

    The Outer God was trying to use Pang Jian''s body to descend!

    It aimed to devour Pang Jian''s divine sense and seize control of his sea of consciousness.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian desperately tugged at his divine senses, trying to distance it from the ever-expanding silver web.

    A wave of soul-deep pain caused blood to trickle from the corners of Pang Jian''s eyes as he struggled to resist the Outer God''s attempt at possession.

    The web caught two strands of his divine sense and instantly obliterated them.

    Pang Jian felt a profound weakness. It was like his very essence was being eroded.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Silvery threads shot out from the web and caught hold of Pang Jian''s divine sense.

    Another two strands of divine sense were captured and pulled back to the web, vanishing on contact.

    The web had devoured four strands of his carefully refined divine sense.

    A deep sense of despair consumed Pang Jian.

    The ck turtle could not assist Pang Jian with the battle within his sea of consciousness.

    Pang Jian was only in the Profound Abode Realm and had no effective means to counter an Outer God adept in soul attacks.

    His so-called defense was merely a frantic effort to keep his divine sense as far away from the web as possible.

    The silver web continued to grow.

    The Outer God hadpletely abandoned its damaged puppet body and was fully intent on possessing Pang Jian.

    <i>One''s sea of consciousness is paramount. If it falls, I''m done for!</i>

    Desperation gnawed at Pang Jian as he searched for a solution.

    <i>Gate of the Abyss!</i> Pang Jian shouted inwardly, hoping against all odds that it could help him fend off this soul-targeting attack.

    <i>Buzz!</i>

    A dazzling, golden bee resembling a gleaming gold nugget appeared within Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness.

    As Pang Jian focused on pulling his divine sense away from the web, it buzzed eagerly as it dove headfirst into the silver web.

    It grabbed hold of the web''s threads and started gnawing furiously!

    The Outer God''s cold eyes shed with fear.

    It shrieked, trying desperately to fly upward, attempting to at least have its enchanting face escape the gravitational hold.

    Its spider body and limbs were all but forgotten.

    All the Outer God wanted was to escape to the sky. It did not want to stay in this cursed ce any longer.

    The Outer God appeared to recognize the golden bee.

    It seemed to know its web woven from its divine consciousness was no match for the bee''s ravenous bite.

    <i>When did it emerge from its cocoon?</i>

    Pang Jian was also taken aback.

    When he instinctively shouted "Gate of the Abyss" out of desperation, he had not expected the Bee Sovereign to awaken!

    The Bee Sovereign had entered his sea of consciousness without him noticing. The bronze pendant also had not experienced any changes.

    By the time Pang Jian realized something was amiss, the golden bee was already feasting on the web.

    It appeared to be enjoying its meal immensely.

    Pang Jian''s thoughts stirred as he realized he could still sense the presence of the bee pupa. Taking out the bronze pendant, he noticed a small crack in the Gate of the Abyss.

    The golden pupa was still in the beehive.

    <i>Is that the Bee Sovereign''s soul?</i>

    Pang Jian was astounded.

    The Bee Sovereign pupa had sensed the Outer God''s intrusion into Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness and sent its soul there. It could already devour the arachnid Outer God''s web even though it had yet to hatch.

    A fully-emerged Bee Sovereign would surely be far more terrifying.

    The golden bee glowed intensely after devouring a third of the silver web.

    <i>Buzz! Buzz!</i>

    The bee had split into two!

    The two golden bees continued their eager feasting on the web.

    After a short while, the two bees split again, totaling four golden bees.

    The web was consumed at a startling speed.

    Before long, the web waspletely devoured.

    The four identical golden bees had round, full bellies, looking thoroughly satisfied after their hearty feast.

    The transparent wings of the golden bees fluttered as they flew down to an acupoint at the bottom of Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness.

    <i>Plop! Plop! Plop! Plop!</i>

    The four golden bees spat out four drops of golden honey into the acupoint.

    The bees'' swollen bellies shrank and they disappeared from Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness.

    Before Pang Jian could react, the bronze pendant started greedily absorbing the blood essence from his body once more.

    Rich blood essence surged from his Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint and poured into the beehive within the bronze pendant.

    Four golden glowing pupae had appeared beneath the Bee Sovereign''s pupa.

    Pang Jian''s blood essence was used to nourish and grow these new bee pupae.

    <i>The Outer God''s web in my sea of consciousness was nothing more than a source of energy for the Bee Sovereign to create new bee pupae!</i>

 Chapter 264: Golden Divine Sense!

    <h4>Chapter 264: Golden Divine Sense!</h4>

    <i>Thud!</i>

    The enchanting face desperately trying to escape the gravitational pull of the Resolute Expanse suddenly fell lifelessly to the ground.

    The Outer God lost its divine consciousness when the golden bees finished devouring the silver web in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Grayish-white beams of light shot out from the severed spider limbs of the Outer God.

    The ck turtle opened its mouth and inhaled, drawing in the beams of divine power.

    It lifted its gaze to the sky with a satisfied burp.

    The clouds above were thick and heavy as the ck turtle eagerly awaited the arrival of another approaching Outer God.

    Its green eyes gleamed with excitement.

    Truthfully, the ck turtle had not expected much from Pang Jian. However, Pang Jian had revealed one powerful spiritual artifact after another, injured the Outer God, and even drew away its divine consciousness before ultimately erasing it altogether.

    With the loss of its divine consciousness, the Outer God became nothing more than an empty shell, making it much easier for the ck turtle to finish it off.

    The strength Pang Jian disyed gave the ck turtle confidence, and it told Pang Jian to prepare for the imminent arrival of another Outer God.

    <i>This Outer God''s divine consciousness is denser and stronger than the arachnid one, </i>informed the ck turtle. <i>The power the Outer Gods project through the altars, statues, and carvings is known as divine power.</i>

    <i>Divine power is akin to human cultivators'' spiritual power and also epasses energies like cold, sr, lunar, or ster energy.</i>

    <i>Divine consciousness, on the other hand, stems from their soul and isparable to divine sense.</i>

    As its strength grew, the ck turtle gradually awakened some of its bloodline imprints, unlocking parts of its inherited memories and allowing it to gain a deeper understanding of the Outer Gods!

    These memories were passed down from one generation of ck turtles to the next and included the experiences of previous generations that had once fought against these beings.

    The memories of these battles were sealed within bloodline imprints, only to be unlocked as a new generation of ck turtles advanced in power.

    This was a unique method of inheritance for Spirit Beasts.

    <i>The ck turtle refines divine power, while the beehive absorbs divine consciousness.</i>

    As Pang Jian carefully examined the bronze pendant, he noticed the slightly ajar door on the Gate of the Abyss was slowly closing. He also saw four new golden pupae forming beside the Bee Sovereign.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent, the World Eater Vine, the ck turtle, and the beehive¡ªthe four peculiar objects he had acquired from the Solitary Mountain Range all shed through his mind, and his eyes glimmered with realization.

    It was like some mysterious force had arranged for these rare, peculiar beings to be there for him to discover in the Solitary Mountain Range. They seemed to have been deliberately ced there for him to collect with the bronze pendant.

    The golden bees that had terrified the Outer God with their presence in his sea of consciousness were clear evidence these creatures had fearsome reputations even among the Outer Gods.

    The formation of the first pupa relied on the divine consciousness absorbed from the altars and statues in Spirit Offering.

    Many Outer Gods, having sensed their corresponding altars and statues in the restricted area, had projected part of their divine consciousness to the Abyss, only for his bronze pendant to absorb it.

    Without him, the bronze pendant, and the golden Bee Sovereign pupa, more Outer Gods would have likely manifested.

    As Pang Jian''s thoughts wandered, something stirred within his sea of consciousness.

    Four new strands of divine sense emerged from the well-like acupoints at the bottom of his sea of consciousness and drifted freely within his mind.

    The four strands of divine sense the Outer God consumed had reformed.

    But they were different now!

    These four newly-formed strands of divine sense were not the usual grayish-brown color and instead gleamed with a brilliant gold like they were gilded, exuding an aura of mystic power.

    They appeared to be infused with sacred energy unique to God.

    Upon closer observation, Pang Jian realized the four golden strands had formed through thebination of the golden honey of the bees and his own power.

    When he tried to control them, he discovered the golden strands of divine sense were almost unbelievablypatible with him. The golden strands brimmed with divine might and appeared to possess endless transformative possibilities.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The four strands of golden divine sense streaked through his sea of consciousness like bolts of golden lightning.

    Their speed was astonishing, far surpassing that of his regr divine sense. The golden strands could instantly reach any part of his sea of consciousness with just a thought.

    Pang Jian was filled with wonder and decided to experiment further.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The four strands of golden divine sense merged and transformed into a small golden shield, seemingly capable of blocking powerful mental attacks.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The four strands of golden divine sense transformed into a golden spear, a small golden sword, then even leaves and grains of sand.

    The golden divine sense could change form at will, perfectly materializing ording to Pang Jian''s imagination.

    <i>Perhaps I could instantly master soul techniques if I had more strands of golden divine sense, </i>

    Pang Jian''s eyes shone with excitement.

    Soul techniques, cultivated in the Profound Abode Realm, involved arranging strands of divine sense in intricate patterns simr to arrays.

    Pang Jian had focused on refining his control over his divine sense precisely so he could begin studying these advanced techniques.

    Earlier, when faced with the Outer God''s soul invasion and its silver web, all he could do was helplessly pull his divine sense away in a futile attempt to escape.

    With the offensive and defensive capabilities of soul techniques, he would no longer be so powerless in such situations.

    The four strands of golden divine sense had perfect resonance with his mind, and Pang Jian was certain that using them to practice soul techniques would yield greater results and power.

    <i>It''s too bad I only have four strands...</i>

    Pang Jian felt a pang of regret but quickly shifted his focus, looking eagerly toward the sky.

    He anxiously awaited the arrival of the new Outer God.

    <i>Woooo! Woooooo!</i>

    Before long, a mournful wail could be heard from the vast clouds above.

    Pang Jian''s spirits soared as he stood atop the ck Iron Mountain, wielding the Star Crushing Umbre and the Nine Suns Cauldron, fully prepared for the battle ahead.

    The ck turtle''s green eyes were also locked onto the sky.

    Although Pang Jian was still maintaining his god-like perspective on the Resolute Expanse, he could not see the approaching entity. It was as if some mysterious power was obscuring his perception.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A tattered dark yellow banner appeared!

    The gaping holes riddling the banner were filled with eerie eyes, as if beings from another dimension were peering through to observe the Resolute Expanse below.

    The banner abruptly halted its descent and hung motionless in the air.

    The chaotic whispers of the Outer God fell silent.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Without warning, the banner shot upward and vanished.

    Pang Jian and the ck turtle had been eager for a fight and were left dumbfounded at the banner''s actions.

    The new Outer God had fled without even engaging them!

    The ck turtle''s gaze shifted to Pang Jian as if using him of scaring the Outer God away.

    "It''s not my fault," Pang Jian protested.

    The ck turtle continued to stare at him with skeptical green eyes.

    "That can''t be, I''m not that intimidating. Think of a way to lure it back down!" Pang Jian retorted. "You and I could easily kill it on this fragmentednd. Its divine consciousness will help my divine sense evolve. We can''t let it escape and fall into someone else''s hands."

    The ck turtle''s green eyes glimmered like tiny stars as it pondered, gazing up toward the sky.

    After a while, it informed Pang Jian the Outer God had already retreated far from the Resolute Expanse, causing it to lose track of it.

    The ck turtle also revealed it had inherited memories rted to this particr Outer God. The Outer God was aptly known as the "Observer," with its many sinister eyes that gazed into the Abyss through the tattered banner from an unknown dimension.

    The Observer was a mid-tier Outer God that could bewitch minds and souls. It could also perceive hidden mysteries within its targets.

    Thus, the ck turtle believed the Observer likely detected something terrifying within Pang Jian, causing it to retreat posthaste.

    "Me?"<i> </i>Pang Jian asked in disbelief.

    The ck turtle gave a slow, solemn nod.

    <i>Rumble!</i>

    It then retreated back into the earth.

    Pang Jian, on the other hand, gazed at the sky with a frown.

    Although the banner had fled, it had likely stayed somewhere within the sea of massive boulders above the Resolute Expanse.

    Unfortunately, the ck turtle could not risk exposing itself by leaving the fragmentednd. Pang Jian also doubted his chances if he encountered the Observer out in the open, without the advantages the Resolute Expanse gave him.

    <i>I''ll have to let it go, </i>Pang Jian thought, sighing in disappointment.

    Shifting his focus, he confirmed the ck turtle scute was still buried deep within Spirit Offering.

    He could always teleport back there using the Gate of the Abyss, but Pang Jian was not ready to give up.

    <i>Let''s wait a bit longer. Maybe another Outer God will appear.</i>

    The Observer did not reappear even after several days of waiting.

    Unexpectedly though, Pang Jian received a distress signal from the little tree in Misty Swamp, so he established a connection with it.

    The World Eater Vine swayed, scattering green lights over the Wood Race warriors around it.

    The dozens of Wood Race warriors surrounding the World Eater Vine were all engaged in fierce battles!

    Pang Jian was shocked.

    A massive wooden figure was cutting through the lush Misty Swamp and heading straight for the little tree.

    The wooden figure emanated corrupting energy, and its grayish-brown eyes were filled with the aura of decay and death.

    The flowers, grass, and trees on its path withered as it walked.

    Its arrival threatened to turn the vibrant and flourishing Misty Swamp into a lifeless wastnd.

    Its sinister power had already corrupted some Wood Race warriors, causing their bodies to be shrouded in the aura of death, just like the wooden figure.

 Chapter 265: The Black Turtleéˆ¥æªš New Ability

    <h4>Chapter 265: The ck Turtle¡¯s New Ability</h4>

    Pang Jian''s eyebrows raised.

    <i>Another Outer God? </i>

    He had waited fruitlessly for the Observer and could not help but feel excited at the sight of the wooden Outer God descending upon Divine Fortune.

    <i>I can refine more strands of golden divine sense if I hunt down more Outer Gods and obtain more divine consciousness!"</i>

    Pang Jian continued to observe the situation in Misty Swamp.

    Soon, he realized the ten-zhang-tall wooden figure was not actually heading for the World Eater Vine.

    Instead, the Outer God circled it, causing all the nts and trees around the World Eater Vine to wither and die.

    Its sinister divine power slowly seeped into the ground, rotting and decaying the roots of the trees.

    Meanwhile, the corrupted Wood Race warriors were exhausting their life force in battle with their uncorrupted kin.

    These corrupted Wood Race warriors were wrapped in a shroud of deathly aura and copsed one after another as their life forces drained.

    The Outer God''s grayish-brown eyes remained fixed on the World Eater Vine, brimming with a fiery light.

    ording to the World Eater Vine, this Outer God was its destined nemesis!

    Although the Outer God had merely anchored its divine power onto a wooden carving as it could not fully descend, it was still a formidable opponent the World Eater Vine needed to eliminate as fast as possible.

    Otherwise, it would severely hinder its growth and advancement!

    The fusion of the lush, abundant Divine Fortune and Divine Fortress was crucial for the World Eater Vine''s growth.

    The invading Outer God was spreading its deathly aura to enhance its power. If it were to reduce these fragmentednds to a dead wastnd, the World Eater Vine would be forced to seek out new territory and start its evolution anew.

    <i>Don''t worry, I''ll do everything in my power to help you y this Outer God,</i> Pang Jian solemnly vowed

    The thought of an Outer God destroying the flourishingnd he and the World Eater Vine had painstakingly built ignited a fierce killing intent within him.

    Stomping his feet, Pang Jian shouted to the ck turtle, "Wake up! We''re going to the Fourth World to hunt an Outer God!"

    The ck turtle had been digesting the divine power of the arachnid Outer God in the depths of the earth andzily sent out a querying thought in response.

    After learning about Pang Jian''s intention to lead it into a contaminated fragmentednd to hunt another Outer God, it carefully considered for a moment before declining his invitation.

    It candidly admitted that it was not in the right condition to leave the Resolute Expanse, and the contaminated environment would poison its flesh and blood.

    Moreover, its strength was significantly lower outside of the Resolute Expanse.

    Thus, it suggested that Pang Jian instead find a way to lure the Outer God to the Resolute Expanse, where it could be more easily defeated.

    "I''ll see if I can lure it here. If not, I''ll just have to fight it head-on."

    Pang Jian turned his attention back to the ongoing battle in the Fourth World.

    The wooden figure moved leisurely through Misty Swamp, spiraling inward toward the World Eater Vine and destroying the surrounding nts and trees as it steadily approached.

    It seemed it was nning to first wither the flowers, nts, and trees surrounding the little tree before engaging it.

    Seeing that there was still time before a battle broke out, Pang Jian decided to first teleport to Spirit Offering.

    He then dove deep into the ground with Earth Dive and retrieved the ck turtle scute before cing it over his chest.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The scute radiated a ckish-yellow light as it absorbed wave after wave of Pang Jian''s blood essence.

    The peculiar scute was granting him a new ability after returning to his body¡ªGravity Maniption!

    Pang Jian''s eyes lit up.

    He immediately established a connection with the ck turtle, seeking toprehend the intricacies of this new, third ability.

    The new ability, Gravity Maniption, could be applied to both himself and his enemies.

    When used on himself, it allowed him to be as light as a feather, as if unaffected by the pull of gravity.

    Activating the ability, he leaped into the air without the aid of a spirit artifact and shot up a hundred zhang into the sky.

    The ckish-yellow glow enveloping him allowed him to move freely with just a single thought. The glow bore a striking resemnce to the blood-colored mist that often surrounded Luo Hongyan.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian soared through the air at a hundred zhang off the ground, gradually developing a better sense of the ability.

    <i>So, a hundred zhang is the maximum height this ck turtle scute can allow me to fly, </i>Pang Jian noted. <i>As for using it on others...</i>

    Soaring above Spirit Offering, he searched for a target to test his Gravity Maniption on.

    However, even after circling the restricted area a few times, he found no living beings.

    Spirit Offering was littered with charred craters after the me Dragon had burned it to the ground. Neither rogue cultivators nor sect experts from the Dark Abyss Continent dared to venture into the dreaded restricted area.

    <i>Forget it. I''ll just wait until I go to Misty Swamp. It''s time to return.</i>

    Pang Jian then instructed the little tree tomand the Wood Race warriors to remove themselves from the area where he would soon appear.

    The Wood Race warriors with independent will fought the corrupted warriors as they distanced themselves from the little tree.

    The corrupted warriors were slowly lured away from the little tree, and soon, the area waspletely vacated.

    Momentster, a dark shadow appeared behind the World Eater Vine¡ªhidden from the Outer God''s sight¡ªand vanished into the ground.

    At that point, all the vegetation within a ten-mile radius around the World Eater Vine had withered away.

    After some time circling the World Eater Vine, the Outer God finally stopped, satisfied. It then released its malevolent divine power and scanned the area before heading toward the little tree.

    <i>Tap! Tap! Tap!</i>

    Waves of grayish-brown light rippled outward whenever its feet came into contact with the ground, corrupting the earth beneath.

    The waves of decaying light snuffed out all life within thend, even down to the smallest of insects.

    Pang Jian, having dove thirty zhang underground with Earth Dive, could see as the waves of light killed off the worms in the mud above him.

    Fortunately, the light only prated about ten zhang deep, or he would have been prematurely exposed.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Tendrils resembling thorny vines shot out from the Outer God''s feet and burrowed into the ground.

    These thorny tendrils twisted like monstrous serpents as they slithered their way toward the roots of the little tree.

    The World Eater Vine''s thick, intertwined roots radiated a brilliant green light as it met the Outer God''s thorny tendrils head-on in a fierce sh underground.

    Vibrant life energy and decaying divine power shed like two armies of celestial soldiers, battling in the form of intertwining roots.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The ground of Misty Swamp split into deep ravines from the intense battle.

    Underground, the verdant roots of the World Eater Vine and the thorny tendrils of the Outer God tore at each other like ferocious dragons.

    Two small tendrils sprouted from the forehead of the Outer God. Its face had turned ancient and weathered.

    The fierce battle forced it to fully unleash its divine power, revealing more of its true form.

    <i>The little tree has grown quite strong.</i>

    Pang Jian realized it was time to act as the battle intensified.

    Activating his teleportation ability once again, he instantly transported himself back to the base of the World Eater Vine.

    He stood before the radiant World Eater Vine and coldly eyed the wooden Outer God.

    The Outer God froze.

    The Outer God had been spreading waves of decaying divine power and fiercely battling the little tree when it saw Pang Jian.

    It was just as startled to see Pang Jian as the arachnid Outer God had been before.

    After all, this young man was the reason their leader had called an end to the bloody feast that should have taken ce in Spirit Offering.

    A cold, fierce anger flickered in the Outer God''s eyes.

    They could have eradicated the powerful human cultivators of the Third World and devoured their flesh and bones to strengthen themselves.

    Instead, they lost their leader and failed to amass the power they needed because of the young man before it.

    "We meet again," Pang Jian calmly greeted the Outer God.

    As he spoke, Pang Jian threw out the Star Crushing Umbre, summoned the Startling ughter Spear, and called forth the Nine Suns Cauldron.

    The giant umbre hovered high in the air as Pang Jian summoned a green protective shield.

    <i>Hiss!</i>

    The decaying energy started to eat away at Pang Jian''s protective shield as soon as it formed.

    "Die!" The Outer God roared, grayish-brown eyes firmly locked onto Pang Jian.

    A wave of divine power shot out from the Outer God''s chest and shattered Pang Jian''s green protective shield.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Pang Jian''s body was sent flying through the air and crashed heavily into the trunk of the World Eater Vine behind him.

    Tender green vines instantly extended toward Pang Jian, wrapping him into arge green cocoon.

    The World Eater Vine, assuming Pang Jian had been severely injured, hurriedly tried to heal him, fearing he would be killed in just one exchange.

    "There''s no need for that." Pang Jian shook his head and broke free from the green cocoon infused with life energy.

    Although Pang Jian''s chest ached fiercely and corrupting energy was invading his body, his bones and internal organs remained intact.

    The toughness of his Illusory Bone Realm body and the resilience of the ck turtle scute had allowed him to withstand the Outer God''s blow despite his protective shield shattering.

    "I''m fine. Its divine power is terrifying, but I can withstand it," Pang Jian assured. "You''re still locked in battle with it, so it can''t unleash its full strength against me."

    Pang Jian cautiously checked the condition of his body again and confirmed he could indeed endure the attacks from the wooden Outer God after deploying all his abilities.

    "Also, I''m confident I can help you kill it," Pang Jian added as he directed the Star Crushing Umbre.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The giant umbre shimmered brilliantly as it floated toward the Outer God.

 Chapter 266: Dao of Chaos

    <h4>Chapter 266: Dao of Chaos</h4>

    A giant umbre emitting brilliant radiance drifted across the dim sky of the Fourth World like a river of dazzling light.

    The ten-zhang-tall wooden figure nced coldly at the approaching giant umbre, slowly raising one of its hands.

    The raised withered hand released a dense, corrupting energy from its palm that merged with the murky energy on the fragmentednd.

    <i>Hiss!</i>

    Dozens of thorny tendrils shot out from the cracked earth and wrapped around the umbre''s handle. The tendrils crawled along the handle like malevolent creepers, infusing decaying divine powerced with potent, corrosive toxins into the Star Crushing Umbre.

    The bright stars on the umbre''s canopy dimmed and started to go out one after another. The Outer God''s decaying divine power also swallowed the moon and the frosty well on the umbre.

    The Star Crushing Umbre had turned dull and lifeless, filled with an overwhelming aura of death and weakness.

    Pang Jian''s expression changed and he prepared to throw out the Nine Suns Cauldron.

    At that moment, the Outer God''s cold eyes fixed on Pang Jian''s navel region, where his dantian and spiritual sea resided.

    It uttered a sharpmand in an unknownnguage, "Permeate."

    The corrupting energy released from its body drew upon the murky energy already on the fragmentednd before forcing its way into Pang Jian''s body, infiltrating his organs, and reaching his dantian and spiritual sea.

    A multitude of corrosive energies, alongside the destructive and chaotic power of demonic mes, raged wildly within Pang Jian''s body as they surged toward his dantian and spiritual sea.

    ck, gray, dark green, inky blue...

    Pang Jian''s once serene ocean of green glowing spiritual power rapidly changed color as the infiltrating murky energy ate away at it.

    It seemed the wooden figure not only possessed the power to extinguish life but also wielded multiple forms of toxic, corrupting energy.

    The Outer God''s corrupting energy could manipte the murky energy in the Fourth World and concentrate its assault on Pang Jian, filling his body and spiritual sea with tainted energy.

    In that same unknownnguage, the Outer God said with cold indifference, "The Human Race..."

    Pang Jian could understand the foreignnguage because of his connection to the World Eater Vine.

    The corners of Pang Jian''s mouth tugged upward, revealing a strange smile to the Outer God.

    He did not resist the invasion of the decaying divine power and corrupting energy. Instead, he simply smiled and spread his arms wide, as if weing an even more violent onught of corruption.

    His eyes held no fear or panic as the corrupting energies eroded all his spiritual power.

    The World Eater Vine channeled a constant stream of life energy into Pang Jian, palpably concerned as his spiritual power drained away.

    Pang Jian shook his head with a smile. "There''s no need to do that."

    It did not take long for Pang Jian''s body and spiritual sea to bepletely tainted. Not even a trace of his spiritual power was left!

    At that moment, the corrupting energies still circting within Pang Jian''s body rushed violently toward his spiritual sea!

    This time, they were acting outside of the Outer God''s control!

    Pang Jian''s dantian transformed into a pitch-ck cauldron that devoured everything within reach like a mysterious void!

    ck, murky "seawater" appeared in Pang Jian''s depleted spiritual sea!

    "Yo-you¡ª" The wooden Outer God was visibly shocked.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    All the murky energy within a dozen-mile radius rushed toward Pang Jian''s Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea!

    An expansive, boundless ck ocean filled Pang Jian''s spiritual sea in no time!

    The ice pool and fiery pool still existed within the sea of murky energy. The stars, sun, and moon above also remained unchanged, and the swirling lightning vortex only grew more fierce!

    None of these other energies had ever conflicted with murky energy. The sh had always been between murky energy and pure spiritual power!

    Pang Jian rose, wielding his spear.

    "Cosmic Fission!"

    A profound darkness condensed around the silver spear in Pang Jian''s hand and descended upon the Outer God.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The sun, moon, and stars burst forth in the endless darkness!

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    Hail, massive bolts of lightning, and fiery meteors rained down on the Outer God.

    The terror in the Outer God''s eyes deepened!

    "Chaos!" Pang Jian muttered to himself.

    The sun and moon collided; hail and fiery meteors forcibly fused; lightning streaked chaotically; and stars exploded like shattering diamonds within the dark depths of Cosmic Fission.

    Pang Jian had fused Li Zhaotian''s Chaos Sword Technique with Cosmic Fission to elevate his spear technique to new heights!

    A dark cosmos smashed onto the Outer God''s head, releasing a torrent of chaotic, violent forces.

    The Outer God crouched down and clutched its head.

    Hundreds of thorny tendrils wrapped tightly around it to form a dense shield of dried wood.

    <i>Boom! Crackle!</i>

    Blinding shes of light, interspersed with the descending darkness, slowly engulfed the Outer God.

    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>

    The thorny tendrils splintered apart under the force of the ever-fissioning dark cosmos, gradually exposing the Outer God''s wooden body as if peeling away its skin.

    A grayish-brown light containing a trace of the Outer God''s divine power scattered as the tendrils fell apart onto the withered ground.

    The light sank into the ground like water merging with the sea and the roots of the little tree quickly absorbed it.

    The little tree''s soul was boiling with excitement!

    It had not expected Pang Jian to disy even greater strength after his spiritual power was eroded.

    He had be stronger than ever before!

    Pang Jian used the Startling ughter Spear to unleash the inexhaustible murky energy within him.

    Back in Eight Trigrams City, the genius girl of the Li Family had once suggested he stay in the eternally dark Fifth World as his unique Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea was best suited to it.

    Pang Jian now realized Li Yuqing was right.

    The murky energy was amplified within his Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea, producing astonishing power!

    Even he had not anticipated that he could unleash such formidable power with murky energy after reaching the Profound Abode Realm.

    <i>I''m much stronger now than in the Marrow Cleansing Realm, and my Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea has be even more mysterious.</i>

    <i>Not to mention, I have the added boost of the Chaos Sword Technique.</i>

    Pang Jian transformed the Startling ughter Spear into a silver lightning bolt and wielded it like a sword.

    A murky sword light, filled with chaotic sword intent, shed down at the wooden figure.

    The Outer God, severely wounded by Pang Jian''s Cosmic Fission, could no longer rise from its crouched position.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    Pang Jian''s strike cleaved the Outer God''s wooden body into two.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Grayish-brown smoke drifted out from the destroyed body and seeped into Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness, attempting to poison his soul with divine consciousness.

    <i>As I expected! </i>Pang Jian, more pleased than surprised, did not hesitate to summon the Bee Sovereign from the Gate of the Abyss.

    <i>Buzz!</i>

    Four golden bees appeared in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness.

    The golden bees eagerly pped their transparent wings as they ravenously chased after the clusters of grayish-brown smoke and absorbed them.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The four bees split, bing eight.

    The eight golden bees worked together to absorb the remaining divine consciousness of the Outer God.

    Soon, all eight bees had swollen bellies, thoroughly satisfied.

    Grateful for their feast, the eight bees descended to the acupoints at the bottom of Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness and each deposited a drop of golden honey.

    With that, the golden bees vanished from his sea of consciousness.

    The slightly ajar Gate of the Abyss then drew upon Pang Jian''s blood essence to nourish new bee pupae.

    Squinting, Pang Jian saw that the beehive had unexpectedly produced eight new bee pupae!

    There were now thirteen bee pupae in the beehive, including the Bee Sovereign.

    <i>How strange,</i> Pang Jian thought, perplexed at the formation of the bee pupae.

    Pang Jian initially assumed the four golden bees that first appeared were the spirits of the four pupae already inside the beehive. However, after the golden bee split from four into eight, the beehive astonishingly formed eight new pupae instead of four as he expected.

    While Pang Jian was lost in thought, the thorny tendrils deep in the ground of Misty Swamp were disintegrating as they no longer had divine power to nourish them.

    The split halves of the Outer God also fell to the ground.

    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>

    The corrupted members of the Wood Race copsed, dead.

    Even after death, their corpses continued to taint the fragmentednd, causing the surrounding trees, flowers, and nts to wither and die.

    "What a terrifying entity!"

    "I hope our Sacred Tree is unharmed."

    The surviving members of the Wood Race gazed sorrowfully at their fallen kin. They were now aware that there existed an evil capable of infecting their entire race.

    Suddenly, their attention was drawn to a distant light.

    The little tree''s verdant leaves radiated a dazzling divine light, swaying with the joy of surviving a cmity.

    It then conveyed a message to Pang Jian.

    While joyful, it was also deeply worried about the future.

    From its inherited memories, it knew that once an Outer God like the wooden figure appeared, it had to be prepared to face them continuously.

    The wooden figure was merely a puppet of an Outer God and was not its true body.

    Although it had managed to deal with the wooden figure with Pang Jian''s help, the Outer God was now aware of its existence.

    The two were fated to be mortal enemies. Now that the Abyss was open, the Outer God would not rest until it dealt with the little tree, seeking to destroy everything it had.

    Moreover, the Outer God had the powerful ability to corrupt members of the Wood Race, using its filthy, corrupting power to control them.

    The Outer God also had an intimate understanding of the little tree.

    The little tree feared the Outer God would try different, more insidious methods to target it in theing days.

    "We must grow quickly," Pang Jian replied. "Only then can we face the invading Outer Gods withposure in this era of chaos and cmity."

 Chapter 267: The Leaves of Life

    <h4>Chapter 267: The Leaves of Life</h4>

    A nine-story pavilion hung upside down amid the mountains on the Heaven Awakening Continent in the Second World.

    The Pavilion was taller than the highest mountains and resembled a giant sword with its tip pointing downward from a distance.

    Upon closer inspection, one would see that the inverted nine-story pavilion was adorned with peculiar and ancient spirit swords.

    Brilliant sword lights shot out from these spirit swords, releasing profound sword intent as they weaved through the different floors of the pavilion.

    This was the Sword Pavilion.

    Qi Qingsong was in the middle of breaking through to the Spirit Condensation Realm in a secluded chamber on the mountainside overlooking the Sword Pavilion when his door was suddenly pushed open.

    "Master!" Qi Qingsong eximed in surprise.

    Liu Junhong, a man with a goatee and graying hair tied into a bun, entered the room.

    "Pause your breakthrough to the Spirit Condensation Realm for now," he said, tossing a spirit sword forged from blue crystal to Qi Qingsong. "Here. This is the Blue Dream Sword you''ve been wanting."

    Qi Qingsong caught the sword with a face full of joy and burst intoughter. "Thank you for your kindness, Master!"

    He infused a wisp of spiritual power into the spirit sword, causing it to emit a dreamy, ethereal blue glow.

    Bright lights flickered within the crystalline de, revealing a series of fantastical and mysterious dreamscapes on closer inspection.

    "You''ve always been a dreamer. The Blue Dream Sword is perfect for you. It even contains aplete sword technique within," Liu Junhong said with a smile.

    The ttered but confused Qi Qingsong asked, "Master, you''ve never treated me this well before. What''s different today?"

    "Before?" Liu Junhong snorted. "I never expelled you, even when you were stuck in the Innate Realm for so long. You were the one who felt embarrassed and voluntarily moved to the outer sect.

    "You were the one who was unmotivated for all those years, wasting your days idling around and daydreaming, and now you want to me me for it?"

    "Your disciple wouldn''t dare."

    Qi Qingsong, enamored with the Blue Dream Sword, started to memorize the sword technique contained within it.

    "Don''t focus on the sword technique you practiced before anymore," Liu Junhong said seriously. "Since you enjoy dreaming so much, you should keep on dreaming. From now on, this Dream Sword Technique will be the foundation of your Dao.

    "If you''re lucky enough to advance to the Immortal Realm with the Dream Sword Technique, you could even have a chance to be a god."

    "Be a god through the Dao of Dreams?" Qi Qingsong was stunned and his eyes filled with yearning. "Has anyone done it before?"

    Liu Junhong shook his head. "Many new paths to godhood have been painstakingly forged by those who came after. Thest and strongest practitioner of the Dream Sword Technique reached the peak of the Immortal Realm but, unfortunately, passed away while attempting to ascend to godhood.

    "But just because he failed to be a god with the Dream Sword Technique doesn''t mean others will fail as well.

    "The Dream Sword Technique, at the very least, offers hope for godhood. Your previous sword techniques held no such possibility."

    Qi Qingsong quickly thanked his master. He then asked, "Master, this Blue Dream Sword is a sacred artifact, and the Dream Sword Technique has the potential to lead to godhood. Given what I know about our Sword Pavilion, I wouldn''t have received this sword unless I achieved something great. What have I done to earn this?"

    "The Pavilion Master said you gave a sword token to Pang Jian and helped the Sword Pavilion recruit an extraordinary talent," Liu Junhong said with a slight frown.

    While Liu Junhong did not doubt the Pavilion Master''sbat prowess, he sometimes had reservations about Li Zhaotian''s decisions.

    Thus, he could not help but question whether the so-called exceptional talent Li Zhaotian spoke of was truly deserving of such praise.

    "That kid, Pang Jian, does he live up to the title of an extraordinary talent?"

    "More or less." Qi Qingsong chuckled. "Like me, he also ascended to the Innate Realm through bing one with the world."

    "That''s far from extraordinary." Liu Junhong''s face darkened as he red at Qi Qingsong. "You should know the level of an extraordinary genius in the Second and First Worlds. You, Qi Qingsong, are barely a passable inner disciple of our Sword Pavilion. You''re nowhere close to extraordinary!"

    Qi Qingsong slumped. "Master, do you have to crush your disciple''s spirits like this?"

    "Stop whining. I need you to exit seclusion right now and lead a team into Absolute Heaven.

    "Forces from the Demon Sect, the ck Valley Sect, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, and even sects from the First World will also be entering the restricted area alongside our Sword Pavilion.

    "That restricted area is shrouded in bizarre mist and has seen the intrusion of many Outer God Puppets, along with the emergence of some Vicious Beasts and malevolent spirits.

    "The bizarre mist will taint cultivators with Spirit Condensation Realm cultivation and above if they venture too deep, so it''s up to you and your peers to handle it.

    "This is also a major trial by fire involving both the Second and First Worlds, so don''t embarrass the Sword Pavilion," Liu Junhong warned.

    "Absolute Heaven? Outer God Puppets?" Qi Qingsong was shocked. "Master, what has happened while I''ve been in seclusion?"

    "Go to the Sacred Soul Continent first. You''ll be briefed on the recent upheavals in the Abyss on the way," Liu Junhong replied solemnly.

    "What about Pang Jian? Has hee here? I want him to represent the Sword Pavilion with me on this journey to Absolute Heaven and meet the geniuses from both worlds," Qi Qingsong said urgently.

    "He left the sword token in his spatial bracelet and the Pavilion Master doesn''t know where he is. The Pavilion Master even personally inquired with the Red Mountain Sect and was told that Pang Jian had gone to Spirit Offering again," Liu Junhong said, frowning. "The Pavilion Master intended for him to join you in Absolute Heaven."

    "Master, you must think of something and bring Pang Jian to me as soon as possible! I''ll feel much more confident with him by my side!"

    "You hold him in such high regard?"

    "Of course!"

    "Alright, I''ll see what I can do."

    ***

    Pang Jian sat quietly beneath the World Eater Vine in Misty Swamp, consuming the meat of Vicious Beasts to nourish the bee pupae.

    While retrieving the meat from his spatial bracelet, he noticed the sword token he had tossed inside.

    <i>The Chaos Sword Technique...</i>

    Just the thought of the small world within the sword token, where Li Zhaotian''s afterimages demonstrated the intricate and profound sword technique, made Pang Jian itched with anticipation.

    Pang Jian had used the newlyprehended, albeit rudimentary form, of the Chaos Sword Technique to kill the Outer God, and it had proved remarkably effective.

    Thebination of the Chaos Sword Technique, the murky energy in his Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea, and the gathering of energies from the stars, sun, moon, ice, lightning, and earthme, was the reason he could annihte the ten-zhang-tall wooden figure on the spot.

    He was sorely tempted to take out the sword token, delve into the deeper mysteries of the Chaos Sword Technique, andprehend more of its profound transformations.

    After a moment, Pang Jian shook his head, dismissing the idea.

    "No, if I take the sword token out of the spatial bracelet, the Pavilion Master can track my location."

    Sweeping his consciousness through his spatial bracelet, he noticed he was running low on Vicious Beast meat he had obtained in the Primordial Wilderness.

    <i>I need to stock up on Soul Nourishing Pills and the meat of Vicious Beasts so I can replenish my mental energy and blood essence.</i>

    At that moment, the bronze pendant was still absorbing his blood essence, so Pang Jian gulped down a barrel of blood from a Rank Five Spotted Shadow Leopard.

    An hourter, the beehive within the bronze pendant finally stopped drawing blood essence from Pang Jian''s body.

    Eight new strands of golden divine sense emerged from the acupoints at the bottom of Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness!

    His total number of divine senses increased from one hundred and thirty-six strands to one hundred and forty-four strands. Of these, twelve strands were golden divine sense!

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness expanded once again, its boundaries pushing outward as if reconstructing his mentalndscape.

    Pressure filled Pang Jian''s mind and a golden light suddenly shone deep within his eyes.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The twelve strands of golden divine sense streaked through his sea of consciousness like lightning.

    Unexpectedly, the ck turtle in the Third World, the Giant Abyssal Serpent in the Fifth World, and the World Eater Vine in Misty Swamp simultaneously sent him messages expressing their gratitude.

    Pang Jian was taken aback.

    Aftermunicating with the ck turtle, the Giant Abyssal Serpent, and the World Eater Vine, he realized the changes and strengthening of his sea of consciousness also benefited these peculiar beings that emerged from the Gate of the Abyss due to their bonds with him.

    <i>So, transformations in my sea of consciousness can also benefit them and even enhance their intelligence, </i>Pang Jian thought. <i>This qualitative leap must be due to the increase in golden divine sense, as well as the breakthrough from one hundred and thirty strands to one hundred and forty strands.</i>

    Pang Jian marveled at the wonder of the golden divine sense, resolving not to miss his opportunity to hunt another Outer God down if he ever encountered another.

    After that, he focused on mastering his divine sense under the little tree.

    Several dayster, all one hundred and forty-four strands of divine sense harmoniously resonated with Pang Jians''s thoughts and will.

    The once uncontroble strands that drifted freely through his sea of consciousness now felt like extensions of his hands and feet.

    Pang Jian had reached the peak of the Profound Abode Realm and could work toward advancing to thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm.

    <i>Not bad, </i>he thought with a smile.

    ncing around, Pang Jian noticed fresh grass and new saplings emerging in the soil around the little tree.

    The divine power the little tree had absorbed with the death of the Outer God seemed to have greatly benefited it.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The little tree''s branches swayed gently, green leaves glowing with divine light as it released astonishing vitality.

    Pang Jian felt a slight tremor.

    Three new green leaves the size of a fingernail had formed over his heart.

    Eight green leaves now covered his heart, each radiating a rich life energy.

    The little tree told Pang Jian the name of these leaves and promised to imbue them with miraculous power when it underwent its next transformation.

    <i>The Leaves of Life?</i> Pang Jian thought excitedly.

    His future cultivation path would only be smoother if these eight Leaves of Life could disy extraordinary abilities that assisted in battle like the ck turtle scute.

    Another two days passed, and Pang Jian, eager to take advantage of the momentum to advance to thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm, felt no sign of an impending breakthrough.

    Feeling slightly disheartened, Pang Jian decided to construct the Ghost Altar, intending to contact Dong Tianze in the Third World and gather information on the situation above.

    Dong Tianze''s image appeared as soon as the Ghost Altar wasplete.

    Seeing the familiar cave dwelling in the background, Pang Jian realized Dong Tianze had returned to the Sinister Soul Temple and was no longer wandering the Third World.

    "You have some nerve, reconstructing the Ghost Altar!"

 Chapter 268: The Spirit of the Sacred Tree

    <h4>Chapter 268: The Spirit of the Sacred Tree</h4>

    "Pang Jian, I walked an entire day and night to get back to the Sinister Soul Temple from that snowy peak!

    "Even if you wanted to take back the ck Iron Mountain, you should''ve at least dropped me within the Sinister Soul Temple''s territory!"

    Dong Tianze then broke out into a stream of curses, expression as cold and menacing as ever.

    Pang Jian remained unfazed as he habitually stayed silent in response to Dong Tianze''s curses.

    Based on his understanding of Dong Tianze, he knew it was better not to speak up yet, or he would only provoke an even more intense outburst from Dong Tianze.

    Sure enough, after cursing until he was out of breath, Dong Tianze finally asked, "You''re not in Spirit Offering?"

    He could see Pang Jian standing in a lush swamp through the Ghost Altar. It was clearly not the barren and lifeless Spirit Offering.

    "Who told you I was in Spirit Offering?" Pang Jian asked curiously.

    "The Sword Pavilion had people from the Red Mountain Sect looking for you," Dong Tianze exined. "Zhao Yuanqi piloted the Scarlet Dawn Boat near Spirit Offering with Zhou Qingchen and others, but they didn''t dare to enter the restricted area.

    "There''s a restricted area in the Second World shrouded in bizarre mist called Absolute Heaven. It''s been designated a trial by fire by the higher-ups.

    "Many Vicious Beasts, malevolent spirits, and Outer God Puppets have appeared in Absolute Heaven. No one knows what they''re nning to do inside.

    "Absolute Heaven is said to be very strange, with bizarre mist that prevents Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators and above from entering.

    "The higher-ups are worried the Outer God Puppets inside are plotting something terrifying, so they''ve organized a trial by fire.

    "Sects from both the Second World and the First World are participating in it with the goal being to hunt the Outer Gods within Absolute Heaven.

    "Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion specifically requested that you join him in entering the restricted area," Dong Tianze added.

    <i>Outer Gods? </i>Pang Jian was instantly interested.

    Eager to search for Outer Gods to refine more golden divine senses, he asked, "Are the Outer God Puppets simr to those in Spirit Offering, formed from altars, statues, and wooden carvings?"

    Dong Tianze nodded. "They are. It''s said that some of the awakened Outer Gods from other restricted areas in the Second and First Worlds have also entered Absolute Heaven."

    "What makes the higher-ups think that cultivators below the Spirit Condensation Realm can handle those Outer Gods?" Pang Jian asked, puzzled.

    "I heard the Outer God puppets entering Absolute Heaven aren''t particrly strong. Also, the peerless geniuses from the First and Second Worlds will be entering the restricted area as well. Most of them wield sacred artifacts. Some of them could even possess divine artifacts."

    <i>Sacred artifacts and divine artifacts? </i>

    Pang Jian recalled how Li Yuqing had used the massive silvery-white sword to unleash abat prowess far surpassing thete Cult Leader Yin Yiqing and thete Sect Master Tang Hongxiong.

    <i>Cough! Cough!</i>

    "Ahem." Pang Jian cleared his throat and presented the ck Iron Mountain. "This item can be activated with your soul techniques from the Sinister Soul Temple and is useful for both offense and defense."

    Dong Tianze snorted coldly. "I knew it! You''re trying to take advantage of me. Name your price!"

    Dong Tianze had been watching over the Ghost Altar in his cave for some time, hoping to purchase this ck Iron Mountain.

    The spirit artifact not only contained many beast souls and several high-level Spirit Devils but could also fly. It was an ideal weapon for him.

    "You set the price," Pang Jian said calmly.

    Dong Tianze hesitated, expression conflicted, before he finally said, "I discussed it with my master. Cao Mang''s ck Iron Mountain is worth about seventy thousand spirit jades. I can also offer five bottles of Soul Nourishing Pills, with ten pills per bottle."

    "Deal!" Pang Jian agreed without hesitation.

    Pang Jian could soar a hundred zhang into the air using only his blood essence with the ck turtle scute''s Gravity Maniption.

    In other words, he could fly even without the ck Iron Mountain.

    Pang Jian also did not need the beast souls and Spirit Devils inside the ck Iron Mountain as they were not his specialty. Not to mention, the spirit artifact could not be stored in his spatial bracelet, making it rather inconvenient to keep around.

    "Prepare to receive the spirit jades!" Dong Tianze eagerly ced the seventy thousand spirit jades and five bottles of Soul Nourishing Pills Han Zhiyuan had given him and activated the arrays.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The ck Iron Mountain materialized in Dong Tianze''s cave, while seventy thousand spirit jades and five bottles of Soul Nourishing Pills appeared in Misty Swamp.

    "Another seventy thousand. The bottomless pit that is the Resolute Expanse still needs to be filled," Pang Jian muttered to himself, moving away from the Ghost Altar so he could discreetly use the bronze pendant to send the spirit jades to the Resolute Expanse.

    When he returned, he found Dong Tianze still waiting quietly for him.

    "Is there anything else?" Pang Jian asked, surprised.

    "I''m going to Absolute Heaven as well," Dong Tianze suddenly said. "I''ve convinced my master, and he''s arranging for me to be sent to Absolute Heaven.

    "I heard Zhao Yuanqi has also requested the Sect Master of the Red Mountain Sect to let her go to Absolute Heaven, to challenge the peerless geniuses from the First and Second Worlds.

    "We''re all in the Profound Abode Realm, so we won''t necessarily be weaker than the geniuses from the upper worlds. You and Qi Qingsong are both going, so there''s nothing we should fear," Dong Tianze said coldly.

    "Is there a rush to get to Absolute Heaven?" Pang Jian asked.

    "It doesn''t seem particrly urgent, but you should still contact the Red Mountain Sect as soon as possible."

    "Alright then, I''ll see you in Absolute Heaven," Pang Jian said before dismantling the Ghost Altar.

    ***

    The gaunt and bony Han Zhiyuan stood in a corner of Dong Tianze''s dwelling in the Sinister Soul Temple, silently watching the transaction between Dong Tianze and Pang Jian.

    He hade to discuss the matter of Absolute Heaven with Dong Tianze but happened to arrive just as Pang Jian activated the Ghost Altar.

    "Tianze, Cult Leader Yin is gone and Pang Jian is now Pavilion Master Li Zhaotian''s disciple. Going forward, your rtionship with him..." Han Zhiyuan reminded.

    "Master, I understand. Don''t worry, the grudge between us was resolved when he sent me Blood Enhancing Pills without asking for anything in return," Dong Tianze said as he guided the ck Iron Mountain away from the Ghost Altar.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    ck mes ignited around the ck Iron Mountain with Dong Tianze standing within them, face somber and expressionplicated.

    He was still angry that Pang Jian had taken back the ck Iron Mountain without safely returning him to the Sinister Soul Temple.

    However, it was hard to continue harboring deep resentment toward Pang Jian when he remembered how Pang Jian had selflessly sent him multiple potent Blood Enhancing Pills and the ck Iron Mountain during his time of need.

    "We may be rivals, but we won''t be mortal enemies. There''s no need for us to fight to the death," Dong Tianze murmured within the ck mes.

    "That''s good." Han Zhiyuan smiled and nodded. Approaching the ck Iron Mountain, he reached out to touch it and said, "This item is well-suited to our techniques. I can help you further refine the beast souls and soul-gathering arrays inside.

    "Tianze, don''t be too reckless on your trip to Absolute Heaven. Our Sinister Soul Temple''s techniques and your tools don''t offer much of an advantage when faced with the geniuses from the First and Second Worlds.

    "The sects from the upper worlds are using this trial by fire to test the abilities of their younger generations, but that doesn''t include our Sinister Soul Temple.

    "So, there''s no need for you to stand out too much. Our Sinister Soul Temple doesn''t need to draw that kind of attention," Han Zhiyuan advised.

    "Understood," Dong Tianze replied, expression cold.

    He inwardly thought that he was not just a disciple of the Sinister Soul Temple.

    After all, he also had his mysterious master of noble status behind him.

    He felt like his master was paying more attention to him now that he had killed several Divine Guards and advanced to the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm

    <i>I must prove my potential and capability to my master during this journey to Absolute Heaven!</i>

    ***

    In Misty Swamp, a tender green branch drooped down in front of Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian opened his eyes and stared at the branch with a strange look on his face.

    On the branch was a palm-sized green leaf as smooth and translucent as crystal with radiant divine light wrapping around it.

    "Father..."

    A crisp voice rang out.

    The voice resonated not only in Pang Jian''s ears but also in the depths of his heart.

    Pang Jian watched, dumbfounded, as a delicate figure appeared within the crystalline leaf.

    The little girl wore a light green gauze dress.

    Her translucent green spirit body beneath the gauze dress felt almost illusory and most of her facial features were blurry as if shrouded in mist, with only her emerald-green eyes standing out clearly.

    When Pang Jian did not respond, she timidly tried another form of address.

    "Dad?" She waved at Pang Jian from within the leaf. "It''s me, I''m Pang Jian''s little tree."

    Pang Jian rose to his feet.

    Leaning closer to the peculiar leaf to get a better look at the ethereal little girl inside, he eximed in shock, "You...have a spirit body?"

    "I''ve always had one, but I couldn''t materialize it or take on the form I desired before," she said with a squinting smile. "I absorbed some of that terrifying Outer God''s divine power when it died. Your soul has also grown stronger, enhancing my spiritual intelligence. All of that allowed me to learn how to condense a spirit body."

    She danced lightly within the leaf, showing off her form to Pang Jian.

    Her spirit body was that of a little girl, around twelve or thirteen years old. After twirling around, she adorably exhaled and asked with an easy smile, "Should I call you Father? Or Dad? Your surname is Pang, so what should my name be?"

    Pang Jian was in a daze.

    "Father, the arrival of the Wood Race and the bonds they established with my soul helped elerate my spiritual enlightenment.

    "After observing their actions and listening to their conversations, I learned that you created me. So, that means I''m your child.

    "Your surname is Pang, I should also have the surname Pang. Please, Father, give me a name."

    She grasped the hem of her gauze dress and gracefully curtsied to Pang Jian from within the leaf, her emerald-green eyes filled with anticipation.

    "Pang..." Pang Jian trailed off, still thrown off at the unexpected development. "How about Pang Ling[1]?"

    1. Pang Ling (ÅÓÁé) is distinct from Pang Lin (ÅÓÁÕ). In this context, "Áé" refers to the soul or spirit, while "ÁÕ" refers to a gem. ?

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 269: Frog in a Well

    <h4>Chapter 269: Frog in a Well</h4>

    "Pang Ling!

    "My name is Pang Ling! I have a name now!"

    Her skirt released flecks of divine light that brimmed with life energy as the small, delicate spirit body of the Wood Race''s Sacred Tree twirled gleefully within the leaf.

    The light drizzled on the ground below, causing the newly sprouted grass and flowers to grow at a visibly elerated pace, with small des of grass shooting up in an instant.

    Pang Ling was overwhelmed with excitement, dancing in celebration at her new body.

    Pang Jian stared in amazement at the spirit of the little tree.

    "My...child."

    The little tree had been born in the Gate of the Abyss and nted in Misty Swamp. After two years, the little tree developed a spirit body, allowing Pang Jian to smoothlymunicate with her without needing to convey his thoughts telepathically.

    A strange emotion welled up inside him. It was a sense of inexplicable sentimentality.

    "How should I address you, Father? Or maybe Dad?" Pang Ling asked curiously as she danced about.

    Pang Jian''s expression was slightly odd. When she called him "Father" and "Dad", he could not help but feel like his soul was floating in the clouds, and his mind had turned dizzy and light.

    "Just call me Pang Jian!" he said sternly.

    "Whatever Father says goes! Pang Jian, it is!" Pang Ling replied sweetly, pping her hands in delight. "Father, since you''vee all this way, you must stay with me for a while. Don''t leave too soon."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The crystalline leaf she resided in detached from the branch and floated into the air.

    "Father, let me show you around. I was able to take over the fragmentednd called Divine Fortress with your help, but you haven''t visited it yet."

    The leaf carrying her spirit body drifted into the distance.

    "I don''t want the Wood Race to see me!" Pang Jian hastily said.

    "They won''t," Pang Ling replied as the crystalline leaf holding whirled joyfully through the air.

    A slender, green river of light formed above the leaf, radiating vibrant life energy in the sky above Misty Swamp.

    "I have a name now! I''m Pang Ling and I''m aplete life form now!"

    Her merryughter echoed in Pang Jian''s soul.

    Pang Jian followed the mystical leaf with mixed emotions, moving from Misty Swamp, where the World Eater Vine had taken root, toward the annexed Divine Fortress.

    Not a single member of the Wood Race appeared along the way.

    asionally, they encountered unintelligent Vicious Beasts that curiously eyed Pang Ling''s leaf as she led Pang Jian through Misty Swamp.

    Some of the Vicious Beasts would abruptly charge at Pang Jian, eyes filled with killing intent.

    Each time, towering ancient trees would intercept and restrain the Vicious Beasts to the muddy ground, preventing them from getting anywhere near Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian could not help but recall what Li Yuqing had told him about the little tree.

    <i>The World Eater Vine, also known as the World Tree, is one of the sources of the murky energy and possesses the power to destroy an entire world.</i>

    However, looking at the innocent Pang Ling within the leaf, he found it impossible to associate her with the source of murky energy that Li Yuqing had described.

    <i>Maybe Li Yuqing was mistaken and the Outer God possessing the wooden figure is the true source of murky energy,</i> Pang Jian thought.

    Soon after, they arrived at their destination.

    <i>Divine Fortress City. </i>Pang Jian frowned as he gazed at the vast city.

    Theyout and structure of Divine Fortress City were almost identical to Divine Fortune City.

    Dense vegetation had overgrown Divine Fortress City and bones were scattered across the empty streets.

    The remaining cultivators and non-cultivators left behind in Divine Fortress City had been unable to withstand the corruption of the murky energy.

    Their flesh had been eroded, leaving only bones behind.

    Destion and death hung in the air. The stench of decay from the murky energy filled the atmosphere.

    "This wasn''t my doing. It was already like this when I took over," Pang Ling timidly exined from within the leaf, like a child afraid of being scolded. "The energy drifting up from the lower caused all of this. It has nothing to do with me."

    "I know." Pang Jian took a deep breath.

    Although he had no personal attachment to the people of Divine Fortune City or Divine Fortress City, the sight of so many skeletons still stirred something within him.

    Simr sights were undoubtedlymonce in other contaminated fragmentednds across the Fourth World.

    The same fate had likely fallen on all who had not relocated to the Third World and could not escape the contaminated fragmentednds in time.

    It was unlikely that anyone else in the Fourth World had a Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea like Pang Jian''s, let alone sessfully cleansed their marrow in Eight Trigrams City using the murky energy of the Fifth World.

    It was nearly impossible for anyone to survive in such an environment without his unique circumstances unless they were a peerless genius like Li Yuqing.

    "Father, I''ve chosen a special ce. Let me take you there now." The leaf carrying Pang Ling rippled, resembling the rings of ancient trees. Smiling, she said, "I think Father will like it there. I even had it cleaned up for you. Let''s hurry over!"

    She continued to lead the way.

    Pang Jian followed the crystalline leaf to an elegant mansion in Divine Fortress City.

    Inside the courtyard was a uniquely designed pond with artificial mountains and streams filled with blooming green lotus flowers.

    The walls of the mansion were covered in lush ivy vines and next to the pond was a small flower bed in full bloom, filled with colorful flowerspeting for attention.

    "Father, I thought you wouldn''t feelfortable staying too long in the ce where I''ve taken root. It''s still too deste there, and there are no others like you, only trees. So, I found this ce for you."

    As the leaf carrying Pang Ling floated about, it scattered wisps of green light that infused the lotus flowers in the pond and the flowers in the bed with life energy.

    The crystalline leaf hovered above a chair.

    "There''s even a lounge chair here."

    Warmth bloomed in Pang Jian''s heart when he saw the little girl inside the gently swaying leaf gazing at him with a hopeful expression.

    Hey down on the wooden lounge chair as Pang Ling suggested, facing the pond of blooming lotus flowers.

    A sense of peace and tranquility filled him.

    Living a serene life in a city like this would be a pleasant experience with his sister, Pang Lin, and friends like Zhou Qingchen and Qi Qingsong by his side.

    That was, of course, if there was no more chaos in the world¡ªno more Outer Gods appearing and no conflict between the human race and the foreign races of the Fifth World,

    Unfortunately, he had caught sight of too many skeletal remains on the way to the mansion, on street corners, inside wooden houses and stone buildings, and even by dried-up wells.

    This was far from a time of peace. Every world in the Abyss was currently filled with wars and disasters.

    It would not be possible for him to settle down and enjoy a peaceful life even if he wanted to.

    He still had to keep in mind the mysterious being powerful enough to rival the Rank Ten Thunder Dragon lurking in the bizarre mist, the Outer God trying to kill the little tree, and the Observer watching the Abyss.

    These formidable beings from beyond the Abyss could appear at any point. When that happened, Pang Jian would surely regret beingcent.

    "Father, can you stay with me for a few more days?" Pang Ling softly pleaded.

    "Fine," he agreed, unable to bring himself to refuse when faced with the spirit body of the little tree.

    ncing around, he guessed Pang Ling had presumably arranged for the Wood Race members to clear away any remaining skeletons within the mansion long ago, so they would not be an eyesore when he arrived.

    "Father, I''m scared. I''m afraid of dying. That Outer God has set their sights on me and will definitely reappear.

    "I don''t know when they''lle, but when you''re by my side, I feel safe¡ªless fearful of them."

    Pang Jian rested on the lounge chair, gazing at the blooming lotus flowers in the pond while listening to Pang Ling pour out her heart.

    Pang Ling thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Pang Jian and chattered away endlessly.

    Noticing that Pang Jian seemed a bit tired, she considerately paused her rambling and guided the leaf holding her spirit body up into the sky.

    "Father, please rest while I organize the Wood Race."

    She hovered in mid-air, telepathicallymunicating with the Wood Race.

    Pang Jian rubbed his temples and nced at his spiritual sea.

    The energy from the sun, stars, and moon within his spiritual sea had been greatly depleted from his battle against the wooden Outer God, and they were now slightly dim.

    The ice pool, fiery pool, and lightning vortex, however, had been replenished from the Vicious Beasts meat he had consumed.

    <i>The future is unpredictable. A battle could break out at any moment. I need to keep the energy from the sun, moon, and stars at full capacity.</i>

    Pang Jian retrieved the mysterious copper chest and, after informing Pang Ling,y down inside to absorb the sr, ster, and lunar energies.

    Inside the copper chest, the zing sun hung unexpectedly close to Pang Jian. It was almost within his arm''s reach!

    Waves of intense heat surged toward Pang Jian alongside the radiant sunlight, which he absorbed into his dantian using the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    The sun in his spiritual sea shone brightly.

    <i>Why is the sun so close?</i> Pang Jian wondered as he stared at the sun.

    Suddenly, strands of golden divine sense drifted out from his sea of consciousness and entered his eyes.

    Pang Jian''s eyes turned gold.

    As he looked up at the enormous sun above with his golden eyes, he felt as though he was being pulled closer to it.

    The sun grewrger andrger, as if he were flying toward it!

    Then, a grand golden pce appeared.

    Pang Jian was awestruck. His eyes faintly stung like the radiant light of the pce was piercing them.

    The sun suspended high in the sky outside the Abyss actually concealed a golden pce!

    The shocking discovery made Pang Jian''s scalp tingle.

    <i>Is this real? Or is it an illusion?</i>

    Pang Jian''s heart surged with anticipation as he focused his attention on the sun once more. At the highest point of the golden pce was a staircase that seemed to lead straight to the heavens.

    A golden throne exuding an aura of sacred majesty sat at the end of the staircase.

    Several Three-Legged Golden Crows flew above the golden throne, wings aze with divine sr mes. They appeared to be waiting for something.

    The vacant throne was carved with divine beasts like celestial phoenixes, dragons, qilins, and ck turtles. Above it were familiar ripples of spatial fluctuation.

    It seemed a powerful being was about to emerge from another world.

 Chapter 270: Sun Temple

    <h4>Chapter 270: Sun Temple</h4>

    A grand golden pce appeared within the eternally zing sun, like the abode of a god.

    Pang Jian''s eyes burned just looking at it. The sun''s mes seemed to scorch his bones and soul.

    Even so, he continued to stare determinedly.

    He had to know whether it was real or an illusion. He needed to be certain.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Each Three-Legged Golden Crow stirred up endless divine sr mes as if manifesting and evolving the Dao of the Great Sun.

    The light of the mystical golden throne grew more and more intense.

    Pang Jian''s eyes teared up from the blinding light and he had no choice but to close them.

    After closing his eyes, he noticed the miniature sun within his dantian emitting a simr radiance.

    <i>Sizzle!</i>

    Strands of zing sr radiance flowed into Pang Jian''s eyes, tempering his pupils and adapting them to the terrifying power of the sun overhead.

    The sunlight tempered Pang Jian''s golden eyes, and soon, he no longer shed tears.

    <i>Could this be an illusion?</i>

    Pang Jian reached out to confirm that he was still inside the copper chest.

    Looking over his body, he found no other abnormalities besides the miniature sun within his dantian channeling sr radiance into his eyes.

    Feeling slightly skeptical, Pang Jian opened his eyes and focused on the sun above once more.

    Unlike before, the intense sunlight no longer affected him as his eyes gradually adapted.

    <i>The golden throne...</i>

    Pang Jian tried to bring himself closer to the majestic pce.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The enormous golden throne reappeared, filling Pang Jian''s entire vision.

    The Three-Legged Golden Crows still circled above the throne, wings creating seas of divine sr mes.

    Pang Jian then directed his attention away from the golden throne with rippling spatial fluctuations.

    The magnificent golden pce appeared to be floating above the zing sun.

    The sun''s surface constantly erupted with scorching mes, creating terrifying storms and strange sunspots.

    Although the majestic golden pce resting above this turbulent surface endured the repeated bombardment of violent sunspots, it remained steadfast and unmoving.

    Pang Jian stared unblinkingly, unaware the divine consciousness infused into the golden divine sense within his golden eyes was gradually being drained.

    <i>Howe I''ve never seen a golden pce above the sun?</i>

    <i>Could the Sun God those heretical cultivators in Spirit Offering talked about really reside on the sun?</i>

    <i>The me Race and the Radiant Race in the Fifth World of the Abyss worship the Sun God. Could he be the owner of that pce?</i>

    Pang Jian''s mind raced.

    The mysterious pce on the sun had likely appeared because the Abyss had opened up. He could likely see it because of the copper chest, the bronze pendant known as the Gate of the Abyss, and the strands of golden divine sense.

    As Pang Jian observed, he came to believe that this was not an illusion, but a direct glimpse into what was happening on the sun in real time!

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A towering figure appeared on the golden throne.

    The Three-Legged Golden Crows circling the golden throne descended and bowed in worship on the sacred stones around the throne.

    Although Pang Jian tried to study the towering figure, he could not see his face. He also could not estimate the neer''s height and build as he could not determine the size of the throne.

    All he could see was the figure sitting upright on the golden throne, back facing Pang Jian and covered in golden armor.

    The armor did not look like a man-made object but instead a part of his body.

    A zing sphere of light protruded from the center of the figure''s back. Pang Jian could not help but feel this sphere of light was a refined, condensed version of an actual sun!

    "I came because the Abyss has reopened," the figure said to the Three-Legged Golden Crows prostrating on the ground.

    His divine power surged as his divine voice rang out.

    Pang Jian felt his golden eyes burn painfully again. Tears flowed uncontrobly, and he could no longer see or hear the figure.

    <i>He''s a real Outer God!</i>

    He was now certain the towering figure on the golden throne was a genuine Outer God!

    It was highly likely that he was the Sun God the heretical cultivators had mentioned!

    A strong sense of unease rose in Pang Jian''s heart.

    <i>The sun is right outside the Abyss, and people from the First, Second, and Third Worlds can all see it when the weather is clear. That means the sun isn''t far from the Abyss.</i>

    <i>Could an Outer God enter the Abyss in their true body?</i>

    <i>Would the True Gods in the First World of the Abyss stand a chance if he came?</i>

    <i>What would happen to the beings in the Abyss if the True Gods were defeated? Would they face annihtion or eternal envement?</i>

    The more Pang Jian thought about it, the more pessimistic he felt about the future. An overwhelming feeling of hopelessness filled him.

    It seemed time was running out.

    No matter how hard he, the World Eater Vine, and the ck turtle worked to improve themselves, they would be helpless to resist if an Outer God like the Sun God were to descend in their true form.

    Pang Jian, no longer able to gaze at the sun above, could only sit in the copper chest, mind restless and eyes in pain.

    <i>If the Sun God could enter the Abyss, wouldn''t that mean the Outer God targeting the World Eater Vine could also do the same? </i>Pang Jian pondered in restless silence.

    Eventually, the stars and a bright full moon reced the zing sun in the sky.

    <i>The stars and the moon...</i>

    Pang Jian could not resist.

    As he stared at the moon, he channeled his golden divine sense into his eyes, hoping to get a closer glimpse.

    A barren, pockmarkedndscape appeared.

    <i>This is the moon?</i>

    Pang Jian was taken aback.

    He had always thought the moon was enchanting, but its surface was unexpectedly bleak and deste.

    A corpse abruptly appeared before him.

    It was an elderly male of the Celestial Race in a fine robe and twelve pairs of pure white wings.

    Surprisingly, his face and body had not decayed at all. They had been preserved intact.

    The elderly member of the Celestial Race leaned against a small pile of stones on the moon''s surface with his eyes shut.

    He wore no ornaments and had no items by his side, only a finely crafted robe wrapped around his slightly thin body.

    It was unclear how long he had been dead.

    <i>A member of the Celestial Race with twelve pairs of wings...</i>

    Pang Jian studied him for a moment before shifting his attention elsewhere, hoping to explore more of the moon''s mysteries.

    Suddenly, an overwhelming sense of exhaustion hit Pang Jian.

    The twelve strands of golden divine sense flowing into his eyes had be as thin as hair.

    His thoughts became foggy and disjointed, making it hard to think. Pang Jian quickly pushed open the copper chest and swallowed a Soul Nourishing Pill.

    As the pill dissolved, soul essence slowly seeped into his sea of consciousness.

    But the soul essence from the Soul Nourishing Pill did not strengthen the depleted strands of golden divine sense.

    <i>Ordinary divine sense allows me tomunicate with the ck turtle in the Third World, the little tree in this world, and the Giant Abyssal Serpent in the Fifth World.</i>

    <i>Golden divine sense is infused with divine consciousness and allows me to gaze into the starry skies, but they cannot be restored with Soul Nourishing Pills, </i>Pang Jian theorized.

    To test this theory, he tried to establish a connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent in the Fifth World while his twelve strands of golden divine sense were weak.

    The connection was established instantly!

    A massive Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir was anchored in an icy wilderness, with bones and intact corpses of Vicious Beasts surrounding it, filling the cold and destend.

    Like the other Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir, this one also emitted the same azure radiance and aura of suppression.

    Yu Xin had crossed the endless ck sea with the Giant Abyssal Serpent from the Fifth Continent and was gazing at the Fourth Continent''s Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir from afar.

    The leaders of all the races of the Fourth Continent had gathered beneath the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir, eagerly waiting to hear her experiences.

    They wanted to know how those from the Fifth Continent managed to send their people to the Fourth World despite the terrifying threat of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent abruptly stopped in its tracks.

    "What''s wrong, Xiao Hei?" Yu Xin asked in surprise as she dismounted from the back of the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    She understood the moment she peered into the serpent''s deep, dark eyes.

    "It''s him."

    cing a finger on the forehead of the Giant Abyssal Serpent, she established a connection with Pang Jian.

    <i>What power level would a being with twelve pairs of wings have in your Celestial Race? </i>Pang Jian immediately asked.

    <i>Twelve pairs?! </i>The Celestial Maiden was stunned at the question. After all, even she had only seven pairs of pure white wings.

    She thought for a moment before replying, <i>There has never been a member with twelve pairs of wings in the history of our Celestial Race. Such beings only exist in our legends. </i>

    <i>Ten pairs of wings for the Celestial Race signifies a bloodline of the Rank Ten, which is equivalent to a True God for the human race.</i>

    <i>ording to legend, when we still lived in the First World of the Abyss, there were ounts of members sensing a being with twelve pairs of wings when the Abyss opened.</i>

    <i>Unfortunately, its authenticity could never be verified as there was never a direct sighting and it was ssified as a legend.</i>

    <i>It is true though that the wings of our Celestial Race do increase with each breakthrough in our bloodline. If a being with twelve pairs of wings truly exists in this world, it would undoubtedly surpass what you humans call a True God.</i>

    <i>Such a being would likely fall into the category of divine beings.</i>

 Chapter 271: Call Me Master

    <h4>Chapter 271: Call Me Master</h4>

    Pang Jian was lost in thought as he gazed nkly at the lotuses in the pond of the mansion in Divine Fortress City in the Fourth World.

    <i>Twelve pairs of wings, beyond a True God...</i>

    Something stirred deep within him. The world beyond the Abyss was far more wondrous and dangerous than he had imagined.

    The Sun God in the golden pce above the sun and the dead Celestial Race man with twelve pairs of wings on the moon were probably just the tip of the iceberg.

    Beings like the Observer and the Outer God possessing the wooden carving were surely also observing the Abyss using means beyond Pang Jian''sprehension.

    The Sun God, the Observer, and the wooden Outer God¡ªhe had not been able to see any of their true bodies.

    <i>But the Celestial Race man with twelve pairs of wings looked exactly like the Celestial Race of the Abyss.</i>

    <i>Where was this Celestial Race man with twelve pairs of wings born? The Abyss? Or some other world?</i>

    <i>What kind of divine being from another world is that majestic figure on the golden throne?</i>

    <i>If the world beyond the Abyss is so vibrant and filled with many Outer Gods, why have those who ascended to True God and left the Abyss never returned?</i>

    An endless stream of questions shed through Pang Jian''s mind.

    The concerns of the little tree and the issue of the mysterious beings of the outer world weighed heavily on Pang Jian.

    He had a feeling that the cmity sweeping through the Abyss had only just begun.

    The contamination of the murky energy and the attempts of the Fifth World¡¯s foreign races to escape were not the real troubles of the Abyss.

    "I hope there''s still time. I hope I''ll have the strength to protect myself when the true horror arrives," Pang Jian muttered.

    In the following days, he continued to stay in the residence the little tree had prepared for him, keeping a close eye on his sea of consciousness.

    The thin strands of golden divine sense did not naturally recover.

    His cultivation remained stagnant despite his mastery over his divine sense. The weakened state of his golden divine sense prevented him from advancing to thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm.

    He tried various methods like nourishing them with life energy or cleansing them with blood essence, but nothing worked.

    The weakened strands of golden divine sense remained as thin as a wisp.

    <i>Perhaps golden divine sense can only be rejuvenated by killing Outer Gods. </i>Pang Jian sighed helplessly.

    Although he had initially nned to wait for his golden divine sense to recover before lying in the copper chest again to peek at the sun, moon, and stars, he had no choice but to abandon that idea.

    Two more dayster, Pang Jian told the little tree, "I''m heading back to the upper world."

    Pang Ling watched reluctantly as Pang Jian dissipated the murky energy within his body before activating the teleportation function of his bronze pendant.

    In an instant, Pang Jian appeared in the Resolute Expanse.

    Half a dayter, with the help of spirit jades and the ck turtle, Pang Jian''s depleted spiritual sea was once again brimming with spiritual power.

    Activating Gravity Maniption, Pang Jian ascended to the floating sea of massive boulders in the clouds above the Resolute Expanse.

    <i>Here will do.</i>

    Pang Jian then instructed the ck turtle to guide the Resolute Expanse back below the clouds.

    <i>The sea of massive boulders...</i>

    Boulders of varying sizes surround him.

    Some boulders covered several mu, while others were nearly a thousand murge. Sharp bones jutted out from the cracks of the boulders.

    The remains of the Celestial Phoenix had shattered here, causing the restricted area to explode and turning it into a sea of massive boulders.

    <i>If the Outer God known as the Observer appears, I''ll lead it to the Resolute Expanse, </i>Pang Jian thought.

    Maintaining a connection with the ck turtle, he released his aura and life force, hoping the yellow banner would detect him and reveal itself.

    Unfortunately, it did not go as he wished.

    The Observer did not appear ever after half a day.

    Pang Jian also did not see anyone else around.

    The sea of massive boulders no longer hid any Divine Guards after Dong Tianze''s visit, and the cultivators of the Third World seemed to have forgotten about the ce.

    Pang Jian stood in the deserted sea of massive boulders, stared at the sky, and took out the sword token.

    Channeling his consciousness inside, he saw thousands of rotund men in blue, still using their fingers as swords, demonstrating variations of sword technique ording to the Dao of Chaos.

    He once again immersed himself in the Chaos Sword Technique.

    Sometimeter, while Pang Jian was standing on the boulder, wielding his Startling ughter Spear like a sword, and contemting sword techniques, he heard his unreliable master''s voice.

    "Pang Jian!"

    The rotund men in blue abruptly stopped their swordy.

    Li Zhaotian injected his consciousness into the sword token¡¯s small world and the rotund men in blue shouted in sync, "Kid, why did you put the sword token away? I''ve been looking for you for a long time! Where did you run off to?"

    "The sea of massive boulders where the Celestial Phoenix¡¯s remains shattered," Pang Jian answered honestly.

    "Stay there and don''t move. The girl from the Red Mountain Sect wille to pick you up with her new Scarlet Dawn Boat. A strange restricted area has appeared in the Second World. Qi Qingsong is leading the Sword Pavilion''s team. He specifically asked to bring you along."

    "Okay," Pang Jian replied simply, having already learned what was happening from Dong Tianze. Then, holding the sword token, he gazed at the afterimages of Li Zhaotian and asked, "Can Outer Gods descend in their true bodies into the Abyss?"

    Li Zhaotian grinned andughed. "Call me Master. No ''Master,'' no answer."

    "...Master," Pang Jian reluctantly added.

    "Good. What an obedient disciple." Li Zhaotian nodded in satisfaction. Then, with a serious tone, he continued, "I''ll answer your question. To my knowledge, Outer Gods cannot descend in their true bodies even when the Abyss is open.

    "At most, they can only descend into the bodies of their worshippers."

    Pang Jian quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

    The issue of the Outer Gods had been weighing heavily on him, and he felt much more at ease after hearing that such terrifying entities could not descend with their true bodies.

    "Outer Gods are not something you should be worrying about," Li Zhaotian said nonchntly. "As long as you cultivate well and achieve godhood through the Dao of Chaos, you''ll find that Outer Gods are not so frightening.

    "In my eyes, those divine beings are simply the powerful beings who''ve broken free from other worlds.

    "Many True Gods have left our Abyss. Although they''ve never returned, they''ve likely also be Outer Gods in some other world.

    "For example, if I were to achieve godhood and leave the Abyss, I''d probably be considered one of the divine beings in the outside world.

    "Alright, keep cultivating the Chaos Sword Technique. After youe out of Absolute Heaven, I''ll take you to the Sword Pavilion to pick a good sword.

    "The Heaven-Splitting Sword of the girl from the Li Family came from our Sword Pavilion. I hope you''re lucky enough to find a divine artifact to call your own."

    With those encouraging words, Li Zhaotian withdrew his consciousness.

    The rotund men in blue resumed demonstrating sword techniques within the sword token.

    <i>Divine artifact, the Heaven-Splitting Sword...</i>

    Pang Jian took a deep breath.

    In the days that followed, Pang Jian stayed on the floating boulder, awaiting the arrival of the Scarlet Dawn Boat. As he waited, he continued toprehend the Chaos Sword Technique within the sword token with the help of Soul Nourishing Pills.

    He also examined the Star Crushing Umbre, which had been tainted by the corrupt divine power of an Outer God, and found it was still functional.

    As time stretched on, Pang Jian secretly hoped the Observer woulde after him.

    It never did.

    One day, a Scarlet Dawn Boat appeared above the sea of massive boulders.

    Pang Jian was surprised when he saw the people on board.

    Zhou Qingchen, Fang Boxuan, and even Dong Tianze were on Zhao Yuanqi''s Scarlet Dawn Boat.

    "Pang Jian!" Zhou Qingchen waved excitedly.

    Fang Boxuan from the Blood Moon Sect forced an awkward attempt at a friendly smile.

    The ck Iron Mountain suddenly flew out of the Scarlet Dawn Boat and headed straight for Pang Jian.

    "Pang Jian!" Dong Tianze said sternly, "I need to talk to him alone!"

    Zhao Yuanqi called back coolly, "Don''t take too long. I don''t want to wait for you two to chat."

    With that, the Scarlet Dawn Boat came to a stop.

    In no time, the ck Iron Mountainnded on the boulder where Pang Jian stood.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    ck demonic mes surged, transforming into a ring of fire that obscured the boulder, preventing those on the Scarlet Dawn Boat from overhearing their conversation.

    "Despicable! I shared this enormous secret with you, nning to explore it together, but you took back the ck Iron Mountain, pretended to go to Spirit Offering, and then sneaked over here alone!" Dong Tianze coldly used. "Pang Jian, I didn''t expect you to be this kind of person. I really misjudged you!"

    He had been fuming since he learned Pang Jian was in the sea of massive boulders and assumed Pang Jian wanted to secretly explore the wonders of that hidden fragmentednd alone.

    "It''s not what you think..." Pang Jian felt immensely wronged, but he did not want to reveal that the Resolute Expanse was actually his, so he truly could not exin.

    Dong Tianze''s face remained cold as he asked, "Did you find it? Any discoveries?"

    "No, I''m not looking for that." Pang Jian shook his head. "An Outer God that escaped from Spirit Offering appeared here. I came for that Outer God."

    "Spare me that nonsense!" Dong Tianze sneered. "Pang Jian, I''ve seen your true colors today. You did it but don''t dare to admit it!"

    Pang Jian did not bother to argue further and simply resigned himself to allowing Dong Tianze to think whatever he wanted.

    "Are you done talking?" Zhao Yuanqi shouted impatiently from the Scarlet Dawn Boat. "Qi Qingsong from the Sword Pavilion is already waiting for us on the Sacred Soul Continent. Don''t waste everyone''s time!"

    "We''re done talking," Pang Jian said decisively, having nothing more to say to Dong Tianze.

    Forming a sword with his finger, he summoned dazzling lightning to coil around his fingertips and shed through the demonic mes filled with beast souls.

    ncing at Zhou Qingchen, he asked, "Big Brother Zhou, are you all going to Absolute Heaven as well?"

    "Yes, the Pavilion Master has permitted it." Zhou Qingchen said with a smile. "The Pavilion Master mentioned that anyone with Profound Abode Realm cultivation can enter Absolute Heaven. He permitted Sister Zhao and I to join after our Sect Master asked.

    "As for those two"¡ªhe nced at Fang Boxuan and Dong Tianze¡ª"the Sword Pavilion said they had topensate the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple because you killed elders from those two sects, so they allowed them toe along as well."

    "Oh." Pang Jian nodded, then activated the Gravity Maniption ability of the ck turtle scute.

    A ckish-yellow glow surrounded him and he flew up to board the Scarlet Dawn Boat.

    "Pang Jian, we meet again," Fang Boxuan greeted warmly. Grinning, he said, "I thought you and Dong Tianze would have a little spar down there. Haha, the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple don''t get along. If you two had a life-or-death battle, I''d firmly stand by your side!"

    He acted like a close friend of Pang Jian and disyed more enthusiasm than even Zhou Qingchen.

    Zhou Qingchen frowned. "Does Pang Jian still need you by his side when Sister Zhao and I are here?"

    "It''s precisely because you have the numbers that I want to side with you. If Dong Tianze had more people on his side or had stronger cultivation, I wouldn''t even care about the feud between the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple," Fang Boxuan shamelessly replied.

 Chapter 272: Dong Tianzes Suspicions

    <h4>Chapter 272: Dong Tianze''s Suspicions</h4>

    The Scarlet Dawn Boat shot up into the sky.

    Pang Jian stood by the rails and peered down at the shrinking sea of massive boulders below, eyes focused as he tried to spot the Outer God known as the Observer.

    But still, there was nothing.

    The massive boulders soon turned into specks in the distance as the Scarlet Dawn Boat left the Third World behind.

    "Pang Jian, I must say, I''m only able to join this trip to Absolute Heaven thanks to you," Zhou Qingchen said, sitting next to him with a smile.

    Pang Jian sat down next to Zhou Qingchen. "Big Brother Zhou, how many strands of divine sense have you condensed?"

    "A bit over forty," Zhou Qingchen replied with slight embarrassment.

    Many exceptionally talented individuals were on board this Scarlet Dawn Boat, such as Zhao Yuanqi, Fang Boxuan, the highly regarded Dong Tianze from the Sinister Soul Temple, and his life-and-deathpanion, Pang Jian.

    Each of them was a brilliant genius in their own right.

    Zhou Qingchen had always known his talent in cultivation was not on par with the others, but the knowledge that he was the weakest among them made him feel a bit self-conscious.

    "Big Brother Zhou, do you remember what you told me back on Central Lake Ind?" Pang Jian asked.

    Zhou Qingchen was momentarily stunned, then burst outughing as he nodded.

    "That''s right, I shouldn''tpare myself to you guys. The onlyparison I need to make is with my past self!" The knot in his heart seemed to untangle at the reminder. Leaning in, Zhou Qingchen asked quietly, "Pang Jian, how many strands of divine sense do you have?"

    The others on the Scarlet Dawn Boat¡ªFang Boxuan, Dong Tianze, and even the aloof silver-haired girl¡ªcast curious nces over when they heard his question.

    A few strands of silver hair danced across Zhao Yuanqi''s forehead with the wind, cold eyes glinting with curiosity.

    Sect Master Liu Lingyun had both openly and subtly suggested she get closer to Pang Jian. She even mentioned Li Zhaotian of the Sword Pavilion, stating that he had high hopes for Pang Jian as his cultivation talent was one in ten thousand.

    However, Zhao Yuanqi had never seen Pang Jian''s talent orbat prowess for herself.

    During the incident in the Primordial Wilderness, she had left the ughter early aboard the Scarlet Dawn Boat and had not witnessed Pang Jian''s battles. During their most recent encounter at Spirit Offering, they had all been under Li Yuqing''s protection.

    So, she could not help but be skeptical about Pang Jian''s talent and found it hard to believe the rumors.

    Noticing the attention Zhou Qingchen''s inquiry had garnered, Pang Jian replied calmly, "Not much."

    "Over a hundred, right?" Fang Boxuan questioned.

    Pang Jian had left a deep impression on him back in the Primordial Wilderness. Thus, he felt slightly intimidated when he first heard that he would be going to Absolute Heaven with Pang Jian.

    After mulling it over though, Fang Boxuan decided that he and Pang Jian could not be considered enemies anymore as both Sect Master Tang Hongxiong and Jiu Yuan were dead.

    Fang Boxuan had seen Pang Jian kill Liang Ying and Jiu Yuan firsthand, and so harbored extreme wariness and a healthy amount of fear toward Pang Jian.

    Therefore, he was convinced that Pang Jian''s divine sense had undoubtedly exceeded a hundred.

    "More or less," Pang Jian replied vaguely.

    "I''m at one hundred and five strands, Zhao Yuanqi''s at one hundred and seven strands, and Yang Rui used to be the strongest among us with one hundred and eleven strands," Fang Boxuan shared.

    ncing at the stern-looking Dong Tianze, he asked, "What''s yours?"

    "More than yours, that''s for sure," Dong Tianze replied coldly.

    Dong Tianze could not care less about anyone on board besides Pang Jian and had no interest in talking to them.

    "More than mine..." Fang Boxuan knitted his brows and curiously sized up this thorny character. "No wonder the Sinister Soul Temple insists on protecting you, even after it was revealed that you were the Sect Leader of the Shadow Specter Sect."

    Dong Tianze red coldly at Pang Jian at the reminder of the reveal.

    "How many exactly?" Zhao Yuanqi pressed, eyes fixed intently on Pang Jian

    Fang Boxuan and Zhou Qingchen initially thought she was pressing Dong Tianze for a specific number, but realized her interest in Pang Jian when they saw her gaze locked onto Pang Jian.

    "I''m about the same as Yang Rui, over a hundred and ten strands," Pang Jian reluctantly said.

    After all, one hundred and forty-four was indeed more than one hundred and ten strands, so he was not technically lying.

    "As expected..." Zhao Yuanqi nodded, unsurprised.

    "Not bad, you''re not far behind me," Dong Tianze said arrogantly, ncing up at a piece of continent growingrger above. "You can''t make a name for yourself beyond the Third World if your divine sense doesn''t exceed one hundred and ten."

    "You!"

    Zhou Qingchen and Fang Boxuan''s expressions darkened.

    Zhao Yuanqi wore a look of surprise.

    They were all shocked that Dong Tianze had exceeded one hundred and ten.

    "Big Brother Zhou, your number of divine sense is not yet determined. It might not be lower than his," Pang Jianforted.

    Zhou Qingchen smiled bitterly and shook his head, saying nothing more.

    "One''s total number of divine sense isn''t fixed. It''s possible to increase it even after breaking through the early stage of the Profound Abode Realm," Pang Jian added.

    Zhou Qingchen was taken aback. "That doesn''t match the information I have."

    "Pang Jian, who told you that it''s possible to refine more divine sense after the early stage of the Profound Abode Realm?" Fang Boxuan asked skeptically.

    Pang Jian hesitated before ultimately deciding not to reveal the truth.

    He would divulge the secret about the divine consciousness of Outer Gods refining more divine sense when it was just him and Zhou Qingchen in Absolute Heaven.

    "Where do you get that information?" Dong Tianze''s face darkened as he stood up from where he sat. He red at Pang Jian and shouted, "You knew that hunting Divine Guards and absorbing the Celestial Phoenix Imprint on their foreheads could help me condense more divine sense, didn''t you?

    "You went to the sea of massive boulders to hunt Divine Guards. Did you tamper with the ck Iron Mountain as well?"

    Dong Tianze''s anger red.

    Dong Tianze had always been suspicious of Pang Jian''s schemes and could not shake the feeling that Pang Jian harbored ill intentions toward him.

    "I knew it! You wouldn''t be so generous as to let me use the ck Iron Mountain to hunt Divine Guards for free! Pang Jian, you''re despicable! Always scheming with underhanded tactics!" Dong Tianze used harshly.

    "Can you truly keep condensing more divine sense?" Fang Boxuan asked excitedly. "Hunting Divine Guards and merging with their Celestial Phoenix Imprint can increase the number of divine sense? Damn it, I would''ve done so too if I knew!"

    Zhao Yuanqi was also tempted when she heard this.

    The number of one''s divine sense was closely linked to the refinement of the soul and was an important indicator of future potential.

    Major sects in the First and Second Worlds ced immense weight on the number of divine sense their Profound Abode Realm disciples could form.

    It was widely believed that the more divine sense in the Profound Abode Realm, the stronger one''s future soul cultivation.

    Dong Tianze sneered, "I''m the strongest Divine Guard in the Third World. Feel free to give it a try. Pang Jian, stop ying dumb¡ªdid you go hunting Divine Guards?"

    Pang Jian wanted to twist Dong Tianze''s head off. He took a deep breath and internally talked himself down.

    <i>He''s a Divine Guard. He is Pang Lin''s protector. Don''t stoop to his level...</i>

    Pang Jian forced himself to remain silent.

    "Despicable!" Dong Tianze shot Pang Jian a cold re, convinced he had gone alone to im the mysterious fragmentednd and hunt Celestial Phoenix Divine Guards to condense more divine sense.

    Half a dayter, the Scarlet Dawn Boat flew through a clear sky when a powerful astral wind swept in.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The Scarlet Dawn Boat had been crafted by the Divine Treasure Sect''s Li Family and was armed withyers of radiant mist that could activate to withstand the impact of astral winds.

    <i>Crackle! Sizzle!</i>

    Sparks flew from the hull of the Scarlet Dawn Boat. Its upward momentum shifted and the boat shook violently.

    "Everyone, be careful. We''ve just had the misfortune of running into the astral windyer below the Second World," Fang Boxuan informed. "The Scarlet Dawn Boat can withstand astral winds, but we should also activate our protective shields."

    With that, Fang Boxuan summoned a deep crimson protective shield.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Zhou Qingchen, Dong Tianze, and Zhao Yuanqi followed suit and summoned their respective protective shields.

    Pang Jian, on the other hand, did not rush to activate his protective shield. Standing by the railing, he used his body to feel the full force of the raging astral wind, sensing the sharp wind des shing at him from every direction.

    <i>ng! ng! ng!</i>

    des of wind shed against Pang Jian''s silver Illusory Bone Realm body, causing sparking streaks of silver light.

    His body was strong enough to withstand the astral winds without a protective shield.

    "Pang Jian, you''d better be careful," Zhou Qingchen shouted over the wind. "I heard that even the Sinister Soul Temple¡¯s Divine Spirit Pagoda, the Radiant Sun Sect''s Fire Cloud Ship, the Star River Alliance''s Gilded Chariot, and the Blood Moon Sect''s Formless Sailboat can be torn to shreds when the astral winds are bad.

    "The only flying vessel from the Third World that can withstand the most intense astral winds is the Scarlet Dawn Boat built by the Divine Treasure Sect''s Li Family.

    "That''s why we''re taking a Scarlet Dawn Boat to the Sacred Soul Continent in the Second World. So, don''t be reckless!" Zhou Qingchen urged, concerned for Pang Jian''s safety.

    "Alright," Pang Jian acquiesced, activating his green protective shield.

    Not long after, a fierce bout of astral wind did indeed st through, causing his green protective shield to flicker.

    <i>Skrreech!</i>

    The wind scratched long narrow gouges along the refined iron hull and deck of the Scarlet Dawn Boat.

    However, as Zhou Qingchen said, the Scarlet Dawn Boat managed to withstand the harsh astral winds and continued its shaky ascent.

    "Everyone, hang in there. We''ll break through theyer of astral wind in less than half an hour!" Fang Boxuan shouted encouragingly.

    Pang Jian peered upward curiously. A massive expanse ofnd rested in a cluster of white clouds with smaller floating fragmentednds surrounding it.

    A pure ck ship sailed horizontally toward the continent.

    "Down below, there''s a Scarlet Dawn Boat from the Red Mountain Sect." Someone on the ship chuckled. "Haha, they''re trapped in the astral winds. The Scarlet Dawn Boat is shaking quite violently."

    "Let''s go mess with them."

    "Let''s go!"

    The pure ck ship dove down like a ferocious beast, stirring up an even more powerful astral wind in the direction of the Scarlet Dawn Boat.

    The Scarlet Dawn Boat was already struggling to ascend, only for this more intense round of astral wind to engulf it and stop it in its tracks.

    It started to plummet.

    "Haha, I bet it won''t make it up here!"

    "It can''t make it up here even though that''s only four times the force of a normal astral wind. The Scarlet Dawn Boat is indeed no match for our Demon Incursion Ship."

    "That goes without saying."

 Chapter 273: The Four Great Spirit Beasts

    <h4>Chapter 273: The Four Great Spirit Beasts</h4>

    Near the Sacred Soul Continent in the Second World, a hundred-zhang-long, thirty-zhang-wide Demon Incursion Ship floated in the air like a ck Vicious Beast.

    Inparison, the Scarlet Dawn Boat was like a small fish in a river facing a Vicious Beast in the sea.

    A woman, dressed in purple robes with gemstones sewn into the hem, sparkling earrings, and a pearl ne, stood on the viewing tform on the fifth floor of the Demon Incursion Ship.

    She smiled as she watched the disciples of the Demon Sect on deck teasing the Scarlet Dawn Boat.

    The mast of the Demon Incursion Ship had a white g emzoned with a singlerge ck character¡ª"Demon".

    "Wu Yuan, the little rascals below are teasing the Scarlet Dawn Boat of the Red Mountain Sect," said Chen Lushi, the curvaceous woman in the purple robes.

    She turned to smile at the man emerging from a private room on the fifth floor.

    "It''s nothing serious," she said indifferently. "They only slowed down its ascent. The intensified astral winds will naturally dissipate after we leave. They''ll still make it up."

    Wu Yuan was a man with thick eyebrows and a steady demeanor. He appeared unconcerned when he heard it was only a Scarlet Dawn Boat from the Red Mountain Sect.

    "I heard the Sect Master of the Red Mountain Sect has quite a close rtionship with Li Zhaotian." Chen Lushi blinked her beautiful eyes and teased, "Wu Yuan, you''re too upright. You should learn to enjoy life."

    She licked her red lips.

    "I''m willing to teach you..."

    "I can''t afford to provoke you." Wu Yuan shook his head. "I heard the Sword Pavilion has arranged for Qi Qingsong to lead the team. Come to think of it, I haven''t seen him since he voluntarily left the inner sect of the Sword Pavilion."

    Chen Lushi pursed her lips when Wu Yuan did not take her bait. "Yes, Qi Qingsong has risen through the ranks and reached thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm. Wu Yuan, will you feel pressured when you face him again?"

    "Pressure?" Wu Yuan looked surprised and a hint of pride shed in his eyes. "He was beneath me even when he was an inner disciple. Surely you don''t think he''s my match now just because he''s also reached thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm, do you?"

    "Heh, of course not." Chen Lushi chuckled, the corners of her mouth curling. "Your cultivation of the demonic arts emphasizes patience. No one can match your solid foundation in the Profound Abode Realm.

    "Even those from the First World may not be on part with you if they did not have their powerful spirit artifacts."

    The two were from the same sect and Chen Lushi was well aware of Wu Yuan''s prowess.

    ***

    Two hourster, the Scarlet Dawn Boat stubbornly surged upward and finally broke free from the astral winds after enduring another round of violent astral winds.

    "I saw a huge ck ''Demon'' character on that white, eerie banner," Dong Tianze said coldly.

    "That would be the Demon Incursion Ship, a flying vessel of the Demon Sect," Fang Boxuan said bitterly.

    The Scarlet Dawn Boat''s strenuous ascent had caused him to consume more than half of his spiritual power and he quickly took out spirit jades to recover.

    Zhou Qingchen and Zhao Yuanqi were also busy recovering their spiritual power with spirit jades with solemn expressions on their faces.

    The Scarlet Dawn Boat did not rush toward the Sacred Soul Continent and instead stopped to rest on a cloud.

    "The Demon Sect..." Dong Tianze frowned.

    Fang Boxuan sighed as he nced at the silent Pang Jian. "The Pavilion Master of the Sword Pavilion may be recognized as the strongest human cultivator in the Second World, but in terms of sects, the Demon Sect is the most powerful.

    "Li Zhaotian is in thete stage of the Immortal Realm and has unparalleled swordsmanship. No one in the Second World is his match when ites to one-on-onebat. But Li Zhaotian is also the Sword Pavilion''s onlyte-stage Immortal Realm cultivator.

    "Meanwhile, the Demon Sect has threete-stage Immortal Realm cultivators, which is why it''s considered the most powerful sect in the Second World."

    Surprise flickered in Pang Jian''s eyes at this newfound information.

    "They didn''t truly mean us harm. They were just ying around. Let''s not think about seeking revenge," Fang Boxuan said with a bitter smile, wanting to keep a low profile and avoid trouble. "We weren''t seriously injured, and the Scarlet Dawn Boat wasn''t destroyed. Let''s not dwell on this."

    "We''ll settle things in Absolute Heaven." Zhao Yuanqi snorted.

    Their antics had cost her nearly a thousand spirit jades, and she would soon need to head into the Scarlet Dawn Boat''s cabin to rece the depleted spirit jades in the arrays with fresh ones.

    "If possible, try not to provoke the Demon Sect in Absolute Heaven. I''m serious," Fang Boxuan advised.

    <i>Ding!</i>

    The sword token hanging from Pang Jian''s waist rang crisply.

    Pang Jian reached down to grab it.

    "Pang Jian! You finally arrived!" Qi Qingsong eximed. "You should be near the Sacred Soul Continent. Hurry over and find me!

    "I''ve been waiting for you for a long time!"

    The sword token Qi Qingsong had given him still maintained its basic sound-transmitting capabilities even after Li Zhaotian''s modifications.

    Thus, Qi Qingsong could sense when Pang Jian was within a certain range of him with the sword token.

    "Give me a location," answered Pang Jian.

    "Southwest of the Sacred Soul Continent, in a fragmentednd called Eternal Crossing. Hurry up and get over here. Also, don''t put the sword token back into your spatial bracelet. We need to stay in touch."

    "Do you know where a fragmentednd called Eternal Crossing is?" Pang Jian asked Zhao Yuanqi.

    The silver-haired girl shook her head. "I don''t know where Eternal Crossing is, but I know how to get to the southwest of the Sacred Soul Continent. Everyone, let''s recover first. Once we''ve regained our strength, I''ll activate the Scarlet Dawn Boat."

    The group quietly started to meditate.

    Pang Jian had barely expended any spiritual power, and so chose not to meditate. Instead, he walked to the edge of the Scarlet Dawn Boat and stared out at the Sacred Soul Continent, nestled among numerous floating fragmentednds with drifting white clouds around it.

    The Dragon Lair Sect was on the Sacred Soul Continent.

    The continent also boasted vast groups of Spirit Beasts.

    In the Second World, the Demon Sect, the ck Valley Sect, and some smaller sects controlled the Demon Abyss Continent.

    The Sword Pavilion, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, and some smaller forces dominated the Heaven Awakening Continent.

    The Demon Abyss Continent and the Heaven Awakening Continent were domains of human sects, while the Sacred Soul Continent was a haven for Spirit Beasts.

    This continent was unique in the Abyss as the onlypletend without human sects and entirely controlled by Spirit Beasts.

    The Dragon Lair Sect was the most powerful force on the Sacred Soul Continent.

    An hourter, Zhao Yuanqi entered the cabin to rece the spirit jades in the array.

    Dong Tianze stood up and walked over to Pang Jian with a stern expression.

    Copying Pang Jian, Dong Tianze leaned on the ship''s railing and stared out at the Sacred Soul Continent.

    Then, in a deep voice, he said, "I don''t know why, but just looking at this continent makes my blood boil."

    Pang Jian looked at him in surprise.

    Despite harboring deep resentment toward Pang Jian, Dong Tianze was only willing to talk with him.

    He pointed at his forehead, where a dazzling Celestial Phoenix Imprint briefly appeared. "The Celestial Phoenix Imprint has a special connection to the Sacred Soul Continent. Whoever created the essence of the Celestial Phoenix and condensed the Celestial Phoenix Imprint likely visited the Sacred Soul Continent more than once."

    Fang Boxuan casually interjected, "The Celestial Phoenix was once one of the overlords of the Sacred Soul Continent. It constantly suppressed the Thunder Dragon before its demise."

    Dong Tianze''s eyes brightened. "How do you know?"

    "That''s what our deceased Sect Master Tang said," Fang Boxuan replied, still sitting cross-legged with spirit jades in each hand. "During the peak era of the Sacred Soul Continent, four Rank Ten Spirit Beasts resided there: the Celestial Phoenix, the Thunder Dragon, the ck Turtle, and the Primordial Serpent.

    "Sadly, the Celestial Phoenix died; the ck Turtle left the Sacred Soul Continent and its whereabouts are unknown; and the Primordial Serpent is said to have tried breaking out of the Abyss. It ultimately failed though, and nobody knows whether it survived the attempt.

    "Now, only the ancient Thunder Dragon remains in the Sacred Soul Continent, slumbering in the Dragon Lair Sect. Because of this, the Sacred Soul Continent, which the powerful sects of the First World once feared, has gradually declined.

    "However, the weakness of the Sacred Soul Continent is only whenpared to the superpowers of the First World.

    "Even the demoted Sword Pavilion and Demon Sectck the profound heritage of the Sacred Soul Continent in the Second World.

    "As long as the ancient Thunder Dragon is alive, the real strength of the Dragon Lair Sect still surpasses that of the Demon Sect and Sword Pavilion," Fang Boxuan exined.

    "The Four Great Spirit Beasts: The Celestial Phoenix, the Thunder Dragon, the ck Turtle, and the Primordial Serpent!" Zhou Qingchen took a deep breath, stood up, and leaned on the ship''s edge. Gazing out at the distant Sacred Soul Continent, he said, "A continent in the Second World that was once stronger than the human sects of the First World, entirely governed by sentient Spirit Beasts. How extraordinary."

    "Yes, but our destination isn''t the Sacred Soul Continent," Zhao Yuanqi reminded as she left the cabin. "We''re just stopping nearby for a while. We''re not staying long, so don''t get too excited."

    After a long break, the Scarlet Dawn Boat eventually roared back into motion.

    The Sacred Soul Continent grewrger as they approached.

    The floating fragmentednds around the continent were lush with vegetation. Flying vessels could be seen docked on them, with some even having cities with unmistakably human design.

    "What are those cities?" Zhou Qingchen asked.

    "People who serve the Spirit Beasts and do business with them can''t build cities on the Sacred Soul Continent, so they gather on the floating fragmentednds around it. They specialize in trading with the Spirit Beasts of the Sacred Soul Continent," Fang Boxuan replied with a smile.

    "Have you been here before?" Zhou Qingchen asked in surprise.

    Fang Boxuan nodded with aplex expression. "Yes, I''ve been here."

    With that, he suddenly lost interest in the conversation.

    Before Zhou Qingchen could ask more, Fang Boxuan closed his eyes, swallowed a Blood Enhancing Pill, and resumed cultivating with spirit jades.

    Under Zhao Yuanqi''s piloting, the Scarlet Dawn Boat arrived at Eternal Crossing by dusk.

    Pang Jian nced down and saw a fragmentednd shaped like a long sword.

    A silver boat docked at the hilt of the "sword" next to a constantly shing array.

    "A teleportation array?" Pang Jian was stunned.

 Chapter 274: Personal Disciple of the Pavilion Master

    <h4>Chapter 274: Personal Disciple of the Pavilion Master</h4>

    Qi Qingsong stood at the front of the Sword Boat, waving enthusiastically at the distant Scarlet Dawn Boat.

    "Pang Jian!" he called. "Come on down. Eternal Crossing is part of the Sword Pavilion. I''ll introduce you to my senior brothers and sisters."

    Pang Jian looked down.

    The hundred-zhang-long Sword Boat shimmered silver under the serene moonlight. It looked like an unsheathed sword and exuded an intimidating sharpness.

    <i>Swish! Swish!</i>

    Streaks of brilliant sword light shed across the smooth deck, carrying with it profound sword intent.

    Dozens of Sword Pavilion disciples in blue robes stood on the Sword Boat and near the teleportation array. Some were drinking and enjoying themselves, while others sipped hot tea.

    As soon as Qi Qingsong called out Pang Jian''s name, a flurry of curious gazes shifted to the slowly descending Scarlet Dawn Boat, eyes searching for Pang Jian.

    "I want to see what kind of person the Pavilion Master personally chose."

    "I heard that Pang Jian is supposed to be the Pavilion Master''s final disciple."

    "His final disciple? Does the Pavilion Master think that highly of him?"

    "Qi Qingsong sure got lucky. He got his hands on the Blue Dream Sword because he found this guy during a trial."

    "The Dream Sword Technique can potentially help someone reach godhood through dreams. I''m so envious."

    The Sword Pavilion disciples whispered among themselves as the Scarlet Dawn Boatnded.

    Pang Jian leaped down, eyes fixed on the bustling spatial teleportation array nearby.

    "Hillbilly." Qi Qingsong chuckled as he flew over, nodding at Zhou Qingchen and Zhao Yuanqi. His face darkened when he spotted Dong Tianze. "What are you doing here?"

    Back when Pang Jian had been hunting down Dong Tianze in Eight Trigrams City, thetter had tried to stick close to Qi Qingsong, nearly getting him killed. Qi Qingsong still held a grudge over that matter.

    Although Qi Qingsong was the Sword Pavilion''s leader for the trial of fire in Absolute Heaven, he had only been informed about the Red Mountain Sect disciples apanying Pang Jian. He was unaware the Sinister Soul Temple and the Blood Moon Sect had also been permitted to send someone.

    "Why can''t I be here?" Dong Tianze responded coldly.

    Like Pang Jian, he was also intrigued by the hexagonal teleportation array when he felt the spatial fluctuation emanating from it.

    "The Pavilion Master allowed them to join," Zhao Yuanqi exined as she disembarked.

    "Listen, Dong Tianze. Don''t cause trouble for me!" Qi Qingsong warned with a sharp re.

    He then pulled Pang Jian over to the teleportation array.

    "Both the Second and First Worlds have these spatial teleportation arrays," he exined. "The one on Eternal Crossing is connected to both the Heaven Awakening Continent, where our Sword Pavilion is located, and the Demon Abyss Continent.

    "We have even higher-level spatial teleportation arrays in our Sword Pavilion that can take us straight to the First World!

    "Let me tell you, constructing each of these arrays costs a fortune in spirit jades. The weaker sects in the Second World don''t have the financial capability to build one.

    "As for the sects in the Third World? They''re not even qualified to construct them. They''re not permitted to, even if they had enough spirit jades."

    Qi Qingsong stopped in front of a hunched elder sitting beside the teleportation array.

    "Elder Mu," he greeted with a bow. "This is Pang Jian."

    Mu Aichuan was the overseer of Eternal Crossing and guardian of the teleportation array.

    "Greetings, Elder Mu." Pang Jian imitated Qi Qingsong''s bow.

    Mu Aichuan silently observed Pang Jian with eyes filled with restrained brilliance before he finally nodded. "Not bad, young man. The Pavilion Master holds you in high regard, so don''t let him down,"

    His eyes were fixed on Pang Jian''s forehead, intending to glimpse into his sea of consciousness. After a moment of thought, he realized it could be seen as disrespectful to the Pavilion Master''s judgment and ultimately decided against it.

    "Though you''ve not formally entered the sect, your name has already been recorded in the sect''s registry as an inner disciple and a personal disciple of the Pavilion Master. Do not tarnish the sect''s reputation in Absolute Heaven!" he warned sternly.

    Pang Jian nodded. "Junior understands."

    "Good. I trust the Pavilion Master''s judgment. You must uphold the honor of the Sword Pavilion." Pointing to the Sword Pavilion''s Sword Boat, Mu Aichuan added, "There''s no teleportation array within Absolute Heaven. You can only reach it via the Sword Boat.

    "You don''t need to worry about the journey. I can provide support until the boat enters the restricted area as long as Qi Qingsong has the sword token."

    The old man''s expression was calm, yet quietly confident.

    It was as if he could resolve any trouble Qi Qingsong could face as long as the sword token remained intact.

    Qi Qingsong''s face lit up, and he hurriedly bowed in gratitude. "With Elder Mu''s support, I can rest assured when dealing with meddling Spirit Beasts while setting sail for Absolute Heaven."

    "Spirit Beasts usually don''t provoke our Sword Boat." Mu Aichuan smirked with a hint of mockery. "The Demon Sect''s Demon Incursion Ship, the Celestial Lagoon Sect''s Mountain Stream Spirit Boat, and ck Valley Sect''s ck Cloud Sail are their preferred targets."

    Qi Qingsong smiled as he understood the hidden meaning behind Mu Aichuan''s words. Cupping his hands to Mu Aichuan, he led Pang Jian onto the Sword Boat.

    "Zhao Yuanqi, the Scarlet Dawn Boat is too fragile. Leave it on Eternal Crossing," Qi Qingsong called as he signaled the others to board the Sword Boat. "I''ve been waiting for you all. Let''s not waste any more time and set off immediately."

    Zhao Yuanqi, Dong Tianze, Zhou Qingchen, and Fang Boxuan boarded the Sword Boat one after another.

    "Pang Jian, I''m Guo Hongyuan, an outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion in the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm."

    "Pang Jian, I''m Nie You, in thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm. My master is Wang Ce."

    Dozens of Sword Pavilion disciples in blue robes introduced themselves to Pang Jian one after another.

    Pang Jian nodded back at each one.

    Those with masters were inner disciples of the Sword Pavilion, of which there were nine in total, most of whom were in thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm.

    The remaining ones without masters were all outer disciples. There were over thirty of them, all in the Profound Abode Realm.

    Not a single Sword Pavilion disciple greeted Zhao Yuanqi and the others. In their eyes, Zhao Yuanqi''s group was like air, practically nonexistent.

    "Senior Brother Han, let''s set sail!" Qi Qingsong shouted.

    The Sword Boat shot up into the sky like a sword gliding through the air, silver light gleaming as it sped toward its destination.

    It was much faster and more stable than the Scarlet Dawn Boat.

    "Pang Jian, let me show you to your room," Qi Qingsong said with a bright smile, pointing to the top floor of the boat. "You and I both have private rooms on the third floor. The other inner disciples can choose rooms on the first and second floors. The outer disciples don''t have this privilege and can only stay on deck."

    "Big Brother Zhou,e with me," called Pang Jian.

    Zhou Qingchen was caught off guard. "Huh? Me? Pang Jian, isn''t that a bit inappropriate?"

    He had been at ease on Zhao Yuanqi''s Scarlet Dawn Boat, partly because he knew Zhao Yuanqi well and partly because he was a disciple of the Red Mountain Sect.

    On the Sword Boat, with dozens of disciples from the Sword Pavilion surrounding him, he could not help but feel somewhat out of ce.

    These disciples were all in the Profound Abode Realm, with most being in the middle tote stages, and Zhou Qingchen had a feeling that any one of them could easily overpower him.

    Thus, he could not help but feel inferior.

    "No need to worry about that," Pang Jian assured, waiting for him to join.

    "It''s fine. Pang Jian has his own room. If he wants to bring you along, that''s his choice." Qi Qingsong shrugged with a warm smile. "Brother Zhou, show me the same spirit you had when you tried to kill me!"

    Zhou Qingchen recalled the time he and Pang Jian had teamed up to kill Qi Qingsong in Eight Trigrams City under the maniptions of Yuan Lengshan of the Demon Sect.

    Chuckling, he joined Pang Jian and Qi Qingsong on the third floor of the Sword Boat.

    After they left, Fang Boxuan remarked, "Pang Jian seems like a decent guy. He didn''t forget about Zhou Qingchen even after bing a disciple of Li Zhaotian."

    Finding a corner to sit in, he patted the space beside him and gestured to Dong Tianze. "We''re all from the Third World. Let''s stick together."

    Dong Tianze ignored him, choosing to stay where he was with his ck Iron Mountain by his side.

    ***

    Qi Qingsong had prepared a feast of fine wine and savory dishes in Pang Jian''s room on the third floor of the Sword Boat.

    "Brother Zhou, you''re a friend of Pang Jian, so make yourself at home. I witnessed your brotherly bond back in Eight Trigrams City.

    "Come on,e on. Help yourself to some food and drink! Let''s start with a pot of wine!"

    In his heart, Qi Qingsong acknowledged Pang Jian as his most important ally on his cultivation path. Therefore, out of respect for Pang Jian, he treated Zhou Qingchen as a friend as well.

    After a few rounds of food and drink, the three quickly bonded, and their past conflict in Eight Trigrams City became a topic of amusement.

    "The Demon Incursion Ship? They messed with you when you guys were ascending?" Qi Qingsong''s face darkened. "There are two leaders on the Demon Incursion Ship. I happen to know them both. One is Wu Yuan, an old rival of mine. The other is Chen Lushi from the Demon Heart Sect.

    "You both met Yuan Lengshan and Lan Xi in Eight Trigrams City. They were her senior sister and junior sister, respectively.

    "Wu Yuan isn''t one for petty tricks. When he makes a move, he goes for the kill. This must be Chen Lushi''s doing. She''s got a small mind and a knack for schemes.

    "Yuan Lengshan, Lan Xi, Chen Lushi¡ªthe Demon Heart Sect sure has its share of wicked women!"

    When Qi Qingsong recalled Yuan Lengshan''s betrayal, he could not help but be slightly upset.

    Pang Jian, however, kept hisposure. "We''ll deal with them when we get into Absolute Heaven."

    "Hmm."

 Chapter 275: Enemies Meet Again

    <h4>Chapter 275: Enemies Meet Again</h4>

    Half a dayter, the speeding Sword Boat came to a halt.

    "The Demon Incursion Ship has been destroyed!"

    Pang Jian, Qi Qingsong, and Zhou Qingchen were still drinking and chatting when they heard themotion outside. Channeling their spiritual power to cleanse the alcohol from their bodies, the trio hurried to the observation deck on the third floor of the Sword Boat.

    "Senior Brother Qi!" The inner disciples of the Sword Pavilion were gathered on the observation deck and pointing into the distance.

    Pang Jian looked over.

    The destroyed Demon Incursion Ship floated in a cluster of white clouds.

    Disciples from different factions of the Demon Sect stood on the wreckage with gloomy expressions.

    A tall woman in a purple dress and sparkling jewelry on her earlobes, neck, and hem of her robes stood gracefully among the crowd. Her demeanor was calm and revealed no trace of anxiety.

    Her features were exceptionally striking, with a prominent beauty mark at the corner of her mouth that added to her alluring charm.

    She alone remainedposed in a sea of sighing andining Demon Sect disciples. When she spotted the approaching Sword Boat, she waved and called the Sword Pavilion disciples for help in a gentle voice.

    Many of the Sword Pavilion disciples responded with cheerful smiles and started to engage in discussions about her.

    "That''s Chen Lushi." Qi Qingsong snorted. "She''s the one who yed tricks on your Scarlet Dawn Boat with the Demon Incursion Ship."

    Zhou Qingchen coldly noted, "She doesn''t look like a decent woman!"

    "Which one is Wu Yuan?" Pang Jian asked.

    Qi Qingsong pointed to a tall young man sitting calmly on the wreckage. "That''s him."

    Wu Yuan was meditating with his eyes closed, looking out of ce among the others.

    "Are white clouds buoyant?" Zhou Qingchen asked.

    Pang Jian was also intrigued.

    Qi Qingsong nodded. "The clouds in the Abyss do indeed possess buoyancy. Clouds cover the entire Third World in a dense, grayyer that fragmentednds and continents float above.

    "This thickyer of clouds lines the bottom of the Third World, meaning those living in the Fourth World can never see the sun, moon, or stars.

    "The clouds in the Second and First Worlds do not fill the entire world and there are much fewer of them inparison. Also, their color isn''t lead-gray, but white, as you see here.

    "White clouds are only abundant near continents and fragmentednds. Cultivators like us can use our power to float on them. However, once one leaves these white clouds, gravity''s pull increases, causing those with weaker cultivation to fall.

    "This is why the Demon Sect disciples could only stay on the white clouds after the Demon Incursion Ship was destroyed," Qi Qingsong exined.

    After a moment, he frowned. "I wonder who dared to attack the Demon Incursion Ship."

    "Senior Brother Qi."

    "Junior Brother Qi."

    The inner and outer disciples of the Sword Pavilion turned to Qi Qingsong for instruction. "Should we give them a lift?"

    "Heh," Qi Qingsong sneered, shaking his head. "Get close enough to give them hope, then pull away!"

    The Sword Pavilion disciples burst intoughter.

    "Alright!"

    "They yed tricks on you, so let''s y some tricks on them in return." Qi Qingsong patted Pang Jian on the shoulder, saying, "As brothers, I''ve got your back."

    "Very good! If I''d known you were like this back then, we''d never have fought in Eight Trigrams City." Zhou Qingchen grinned.

    Qi Qingsong rolled his eyes. "You two were just stupid! How could you two trust a little bitch from the Demon Heart Sect? Good thing Yuan Lengshan is dead or she''d just be another headache."

    The Sword Boat approached the wreckage.

    "Brother Qi..." Chen Lushi brushed her hair behind her ear, moist eyes brimming with emotion as she stared at Qi Qingsong.

    In a winsome voice that made one''s spine tingle, she said, "Spirit Beasts hidden in the white clouds attacked us, causing our Demon Incursion Ship to end up like this. We''re all headed to Absolute Heaven. Perhaps we could hitch a ride with you?"

    Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen stood beside Qi Qingsong and could feel the woman''s eyes roaming over them.

    Though the woman was speaking to Qi Qingsong, her attention was on Pang Jian. She seemed particrly interested in the sword token hanging at his waist.

    "Haha, our Sword Boat sped over here just to¨C"

    Qi Qingsong deliberately paused.

    Chen Lushi''s eyes lit up with hope, lips curling slightly, making her beauty mark appear even more enchanting. "I knew Brother Qi was kind-hearted and wouldn''t leave us to die."

    "¨Cjust to see your sorry state," Qi Qingsong continued with a heartyugh.

    Zhou Qingchen grinned widely andughed along.

    On the deck below, Fang Boxuan pped his thigh and chuckled gleefully.

    The silver-haired Zhao Yuanqi recognized the Demon Incursion Ship as the one sabotaging them when they were desperately fighting against the astral wind.

    A cold glint shed in her eyes. "Serves them right!"

    "Qi Qingsong!" Chen Lushi''s expression turned cold.

    Wu Yuan awakened from his meditative state, opened his eyes, and stood, towering over everyone.

    "Long time no see." Wu Yuan''s expression remained impassive. He had no intention of picking a fight when he nced at Qi Qingsong and said, "Congrattions on being reinstated as an inner disciple. Like me, you''ve also advanced to thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm."

    Qi Qingsong''s smile faded. "Wu Yuan, if we sh in Absolute Heaven, I will defeat you."

    Wu Yuan did not respond and simply shook his head indifferently.

    "Just wait and see!" Qi Qingsong snorted, then urged the Sword Pavilion disciple inside the cabin to sail on.

    The Sword Boat drifted away.

    After the Sword Boat disappeared, Chen Lushi turned to Wu Yuan and said, "The five people from the lower worlds on that Scarlet Dawn Boat are all on that Sword Boat. Two of them were standing beside Qi Qingsong. The other three were on the deck.

    "They must have a close rtionship with Qi Qingsong to stand by his side. The one in ck was wearing a sword token. He''s likely Li Zhaotian''s new disciple."

    Many Demon Sect disciples gasped. "Pang Jian!"

    "Pang Jian." Wu Yuan nodded.

    Recently, news had spread that the Sword Pavilion''s Pavilion Master, the strongest cultivator in the Second World, had taken on a new personal disciple.

    All the major sects, including the Demon Sect, the ck Valley Sect, and the Celestial Lagoon Sect, had taken notice.

    They soon learned that the young man named Pang Jian had made a name for himself in the Primordial Wilderness of the Third World.

    He had killed Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators and single-handedly dismantled the heretical cultivator Cao Mang''s conspiracy while only in the Profound Abode Realm.

    "It''s said his association with Qi Qingsong began during a trial in Eight Trigrams City," Chen Lushi said with a cold smile. "My junior sister, Yuan Lengshan, was highly valued by the sect and should''ve risen like aet. Unfortunately, she died in Eight Trigrams City despite Lan Xi secretly protecting her."

    Wu Yuan''s eyes shed with interest. "There''s more to this story?"

    "The one who killed my junior sister wasn''t Qi Qingsong. It was Pang Jian," Chen Lushi said softly.

    Wu Yuan looked at Chen Lushi with a peculiar expression. "As far as I know, you''ve never been one for sect loyalty. I''ve never heard you mention this Yuan Lengshan before."

    "She was someone I found and brought into the Demon Heart Sect."

    Wu Yuan paused, then nodded. "I see."

    ***

    Two hourster, the Sword Boat came across the wreckage of a ck Cloud Sail of the ck Valley Sect.

    Its splintered debris drifted atop white clouds, not unlike the Demon Incursion Ship.

    As the Sword Boat approached, the disciples of the ck Valley Sect waved their arms and called for help.

    After inquiring about what had happened, it was found that they had experienced the same fate as the Demon Incursion Ship. Spirit Beasts hiding within the white clouds had also attacked them, smashing their ck Cloud Sail into pieces.

    "Senior Brother Qi, should we help them?" a Sword Pavilion disciple asked Qi Qingsong.

    Pang Jian stood on the third floor''s observation deck, gaze casually sweeping over the crowd before it settled on a familiar face.

    <i>What a coincidence.</i>

    It was Ye Fei.

    Ye Fei had fought against Pang Jian in Cloud Lightning, using his Dragonfish Mirror after Pang Jian destroyed his Violet Crystal Pagoda with a single sword strike.

    Qi Qingsong nodded. "The ck Valley Sect''s rtionship with our Sword Pavilion is neither good nor bad. Let''s lend them a hand."

    The Sword Boat slowly approached.

    When the Sword Boat entered the cluster of white clouds, the perceptive disciples of the ck Valley Sect hastily expressed their gratitude and leaped onto the Sword Boat''s deck.

    A young woman holding a bamboo flute was thest to board. Afternding gracefully on the deck, she nodded slightly toward Qi Qingsong in greeting.

    She appeared to be in her early twenties with jade skin and bright eyes. Her striking figure was dressed in neat, light green robes.

    "Lu Lingchan of the ck Valley Sect," she introduced.

    Then, not one for talking, she silently leaned against the railing.

    Meanwhile, the Sword Pavilion disciples were abuzz, casting astonished looks at her like she was some mythical beast.

    "Lu Lingchan!"

    "The personal disciple of the ck Valley Sect''s Valley Master!"

    "So she''s the leader of this ck Valley Sect expedition party!"

    Fang Boxuan of the Blood Moon Sect nced at her with a peculiar expression, face darkening slightly as he murmured, "No wonder she didn''t mention her status or her master was. Even just her name was enough for everyone to know who she is."

    "You know her?" Zhao Yuanqi asked curiously.

    Fang Boxuan frowned and shook his head. "I don''t."

    "Brother Qi." A man jumped up to the third floor''s observation deck before cupping his hands with a smile. "Thank you."

    "Brother Shen, you¡ª" Qi Qingsong stared at him in shock and disbelief. "You''re still in the Profound Abode Realm? How did you end up like this?"

    The man from the ck Valley Sect was named Shen Dong and appeared to be in his fifties. He had long scars running down both cheeks and two intersecting scars that crossed his nose to form an "X".

    "I was attempting to refine my soul on the Sacred Soul Continent when a Spirit Beast attacked me. As a result, not only did I fail to advance, but I also suffered serious injuries. My realm has stagnated ever since," Shen Dong exined. He wiped his face as he spoke. "That Lin Beiye, who went on that trial with you years ago, didn''t he also be a fallen cultivator like me?"

    "Lin Beiye..." Qi Qingsong nced at Pang Jian.

    Luo Hongyan had killed Lin Beiye of the ck Valley Sect back in Eight Trigrams City.

    "Brother Qi, I want to inquire about someone. His name is Luo Yuan. I heard he''s an outer disciple from your Sword Pavilion," Shen Dong said, lowering his head to exchange looks with Ye Fei in the crowd. "Is he joining you on this trip?"

    "Luo Yuan?"

 Chapter 276: Entering the Bizarre Mist

    <h4>Chapter 276: Entering the Bizarre Mist</h4>

    "Luo Yuan?" Qi Qingsong turned to Nie You with a puzzled look. "Is there an outer sect disciple named Luo Yuan?"

    The small-framed Nie You thought for a moment and shook his head. "There are many outer sect disciples and I don''t know them all, but I''ve never heard of such a person."

    Shen Dong was stunned.

    <i>ording to Ye Fei, Luo Yuan is extraordinary. He can''t possibly be an obscure figure in the Sword Pavilion. How could Qi Qingsong and Nie You not know him?</i>

    "Did this Luo Yuan do something?" Qi Qingsong curiously asked.

    "Oh, nothing." Shen Dongughed it off, then turned to Pang Jian. "If I''m not mistaken, you must be Pang Jian?"

    Pang Jian nodded.

    "I''ve heard of your exploits! It''s impressive to have in several Spirit Condensation Realm experts while still in the Profound Abode Realm!" Shen Dong praised generously.

    Pang Jian gave a few perfunctory responses as he nced at where Ye Fei was eagerly awaiting news from Shen Dong.

    <i>***</i>

    Meanwhile, the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat from the Celestial Lagoon Sect hade across the destroyed Demon Incursion Ship and picked up all the Demon Sect disciples.

    The Celestial Lagoon Sect disciples invited Wu Yuan and Chen Lushi to the upper floor.

    Jiang Chao, the leader of the Celestial Lagoon Sect''s expedition, was pouring tea for himself inside a spacious cabin. When the pair entered, he beamed and hurriedly invited them to sit.

    Once Wu Yuan and Chen Lushi were seated, Jiang Chao waved his hand to dismiss the others, turned his gaze to Chen Lushi, and inquired with a hint of concern, "How was the Demon Incursion Ship destroyed?"

    Chen Lushi smiled charmingly, drawing attention to the alluring beauty mark at the corner of her lips, before pursing her lips,

    "We had some bad luck, but fortunately, we came across you all. Thank you, Brother Jiang, for lending a helping hand." Then, her eyes turned cold, and she snorted. "Before you arrived, a Sword Boat from the Sword Pavilion also happened to pass by. They not only refused to help us, but they also humiliated us."

    "Qi Qingsong didn''t give you face?" The handsome Jiang Chao pped his forehead in understanding. "I almost forgot, Wu Yuan once defeated him in a duel back in the day. He must still be holding a grudge.

    "Ugh, how petty. How many years has it been?" Jiang Chao said, deliberately trying to stir things up.

    "Make sure the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat stays clear of those white clouds," Wu Yuan sternly advised.

    "Why?"

    "That''s how the Demon Incursion Ship was destroyed."

    After their brief exchange, Jiang Chao set down his teacup and left the room to instruct those steering the ship to stay vignt.

    "That cloud!" someone shouted from the deck of the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat.

    Wu Yuan and Chen Lushi exchanged a nce.

    Neither waited for Jiang Chao to return, instead pushing open the windows and directly flying out.

    Wu Yuan headed up to the mast.

    A cluster of white clouds, spanning several mu, was drifting close to the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat. Following Jiang Chao''s instructions, the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat stopped just as it was about to sail over the clouds.

    As the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat shifted to change directions, the cluster of white clouds rapidly approached the boat.

    "It''s that damned Spirit Beast again!"

    "Damn it! Can''t we catch a break?"

    The Demon Sect disciples cursed loudly.

    The Celestial Lagoon Sect members were in a panic.

    Wu Yuan snorted when he saw the white clouds approaching.

    A dark blue banner suddenly flew out from the center of his forehead, fluttering violently in the wind.

    The banner erged a thousandfold!

    Three ominous entities appeared on the banner before rushing toward the white clouds.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The three ominous figures plunged into the depths of the white clouds in a ze of fire and demonic light.

    "The Demon-Sealing Banner!"

    "That''s the sacred artifact of the Heavenly Demon Sect!"

    The members of the Celestial Lagoon Sect shouted in surprise.

    "We were caught off guardst time. That won''t happen again," Chen Lushi said coldly as she watched the three terrifying entities enter the clouds.

    She was confident in the powers of the Demon Sealing Banner and felt secure in the knowledge that the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat would remain unharmed.

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    Silver lightning appeared deep within that cluster of white clouds, forming a massive lightning vortex.

    The lightning rapidly struck the three terrifying figures, forcing them back into the Demon Sealing Banner.

    The cry of a crane echoed through the air.

    The Spirit Beast had initially nned to ambush and destroy the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat. Realizing its n had been foiled, it swiftly enveloped itself in white clouds, flew into the distance, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

    Wu Yuan, still perched on the mast, turned slightly pale as he pulled the Demon-Sealing Banner back into his sea of consciousness and nurtured it with his divine sense.

    "A crane''s cry..." Lu Xiangyi, an inner disciple of the Celestial Lagoon Sect, hurriedly sought out Jiang Chao. "Senior Brother Jiang, we encountered a vicious white crane during our trial in Cloud Lightning. I told you about it before.

    "I suspect the mysterious white crane didn''t die and is among these white clouds!"

    She had suffered great losses at the hand of the white crane and could not help but shiver when she thought of that foul-mouthed creature.

    The crane had ughtered many disciples from the Demon Sect, the ck Valley Sect, and the Celestial Lagoon Sect.

    Although she had assumed that Luo Yuan from the Sword Pavilion had killed it after it escaped from theke, the sound of that familiar cry had caused her to suspect otherwise.

    She had a feeling that the white crane had actually survived and was now lurking outside Absolute Heaven, plotting to harm them.

    "Yes, I''ve heard about that white crane before." Jiang Chao''s face grew serious. There is a race of Thunder Cranes on the Sacred Soul Continent who were once staunch followers of the Celestial Phoenix.

    "The Thunder Crane Race has always been at odds with the Thunder Dragon Race of the Dragon Lair Sect. After the Celestial Phoenix passed away, the Dragon Lair Sect heavily suppressed them, and the surviving cranes migrated from the Sacred Soul Continent.

    "But..." Jiang Chao frowned. "Our Celestial Lagoon Sect has no grudge against the Thunder Crane Race. Why would this white crane act so viciously?"

    Lu Xiangyi shook her head.

    "A Thunder Crane..." Chen Lushi from the Demon Heart Sect said hesitatingly, "If the Thunder Crane Race were once under the Celestial Phoenix, then it makes sense. After all, our Demon Sect was involved in the demise of the Celestial Phoenix."

    ***

    The Sword Boat reached a thick sea of bizarre mist.

    "We''ve arrived," Qi Qingsong said solemnly. "This region has been explored before, and the higher-ups believe it to be rtively safe, but no one knows what has changed inside after the Abyss opened.

    "Before going in, we should all summon our protective shields and closely guard our seas of consciousness.

    "Remember, this restricted area is shrouded in bizarre mist that only allows Profound Abode Realm cultivators and below to enter. Even so, cultivators can still break through to the next realm once already inside.

    Shen Dong from the ck Valley Sect and others familiar with Absolute Heaven also gave their own warnings.

    Pang Jian took a deep breath. Excitement surged through him as he stared at the bizarre mist.

    He had long suspected that his missing father had vanished into the bizarre mist. Even the bronze pendant he wore around his neck appeared connected to it.

    When he left Northern Qi, he had been unconscious and had no idea how the Divine Spirit Pagoda had escaped the bizarre mist.

    Yearster, he stood in front of a restricted area covered in bizarre mist in the Second World of the Abyss.

    He also knew many Outer God Puppets, Vicious Beasts, and malevolent spirits roamed this restricted area.

    <i>Outer God Puppets, the mystery of the bizarre mist, the restricted area...</i>

    A quiet anticipation was building within him.

    "Brother Qi, don''t all the cultivators in the Abyss fear the bizarre mist? Why are so many people being allowed to enter?" Zhou Qingchen asked in confusion.

    "The closer the bizarre mist is to the boundary wall, the more dangerous and terrifying it bes," Qi Qingsong exined. "Absolute Heaven is simr to Northern Qi in the Fourth World, which you''ve explored before.

    "It''s shrouded in a thinyer of bizarre mist that seeped out of the boundary wall, but we only need to pass through that thinyer to enter Absolute Heaven.

    "We aren''t exploring the bizarre mist, and Absolute Heaven, although on the border of the Second World, is still rtively far from the boundary wall of the Abyss. Others have ventured in and returned safely in the past."

    Then, lowering his voice, Qi Qingsong added, "A fair few in our Abyss have already figured out some of the bizarre mist''s mysteries and patterns. How else would Eight Trigrams City reappear at the top of a Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir even though it was swallowed in the bizarre mist?

    "Those in the Third and Fourth Worlds are too far removed from the most powerful figures and sects in the Abyss to know much about the secrets of the bizarre mist.

    "To put it simply, prominent figures in the First World have spent immense effort exploring the bizarre mist, and have managed to gain some insight."

    With that, Qi Qingsong raised his voice to everybody on the boat.

    "Prepare yourselves!"

    Everyone, including Pang Jian, activated their protective shields and guarded their seas of consciousness.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Sword Boat plunged into the dense bizarre mist.

    Feeling slightly uneasy, Pang Jian cautiously sensed his surroundings and found no strange energy seeping into his green protective shield.

    He noticed the smooth back of the bronze pendant against his skin had turned rough when he entered the bizarre mist. The characters "Gate of the Abyss" had reappeared.

    Pang Jian also tried to establish connections with the little tree, the ck turtle, and the Giant Abyssal Serpent from within the bizarre mist.

    Nothing happened.

    Even in Spirit Offering, he could establish connections with and borrow help from the ck turtle and World Eater Vine.

    But not within the bizarre mist.

    As the Sword Boat sped forward with a whistling roar, Pang Jian felt an increasing sense of distance from the Abyss.

    <i>The ck turtle scute and the Leaves of Life.</i>

    Pang Jian tried activating the two mystical items.

    Fortunately, the ck turtle scute''s abilities could still be used.

    The Leaves of Life could also still provide Pang Jian with life energy, but without a connection to the World Eater Vine, the life energy was no longer infinite.

    This meant Pang Jian''sbat prowess was diminished inside the bizarre mist as he could no longer rely on the ck turtle or World Eater Vine for support.

    "There''s no strange force trying to invade the body."

    "There seems to be no danger aside from being unable to extend our perception. It''s just like traveling through a sea of mist."

    "Seems like there''s no need to maintain the protective shield indefinitely."

    The disciples of the Sword Pavilion and ck Valley Sect gradually rxed and lowered their protective shields.

    They died violently, one after another!

    Their sudden deaths happened inexplicably and without warning.

 Chapter 277: The Observer Appears Again

    <h4>Chapter 277: The Observer Appears Again</h4>

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Shen Dong from the ck Valley Sect had also retracted his protective shield, and just like the others, he copsed to the ground with a loud thud.

    He died without any warning. His expression was serene, but his open eyes were filled with confusion.

    "Shen Dong!" Qi Qingsong cried out in shock

    He had been on somewhat familiar terms with the man and moved closer to see if there was any way to save him.

    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>

    Bodies copsed on the third floor, the second floor, in cabins, and on the deck.

    Pang Jian''s expression changed. Instinctively moving to Zhou Qingchen''s side, he said in a deep voice, "Big Brother Zhou, don''t stray too far from me."

    Zhou Qingchen asked in rm, "How did they die?"

    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>

    More bodies copsed.

    Over a dozen people had died in an instant.

    "Do not retract your protective shields!" Lu Lingchan from the ck Valley Sect calmly shouted. "Invisible entities will infiltrate your bodies once your shields are down."

    The bewildered disciples of the Sword Pavilion and the ck Valley Sect frantically reinforced their protective shields, causing each one to glow more brightly than before.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A vibrant, gracefully dancing Celestial Phoenix unleashed a divine aura from the center of Dong Tianze''s brow.

    A radiant light burst from the Celestial Phoenix Imprint on Dong Tianze''s forehead and wrapped tightly around his body.

    Dong Tianze''s expression was panicked as he quickly reactivated his protective shield.

    He, too, had carelessly retracted his protective shield.

    However, the Celestial Phoenix Imprint on his forehead sensed danger and used its power to protect him, allowing him to narrowly avoid death.

    Meanwhile, Zhou Qingchen had kept his protective shield up the whole time, aware of his low cultivation and not daring to act rashly,

    "I knew the bizarre mist was incredibly dangerous." He nced down at Zhao Yuanqi on the deck. "Sister Zhao, are you okay?"

    "I''m fine."

    The silver-haired girl in ck clothes and a giant gourd on her back wore a haughty expression.

    Four disciples from the Sword Pavilion and the ck Valley Sect had perished near her.

    She snorted and disdainfully nced at the panicked Sword Pavilion and ck Valley Sect disciples beside her. "They must have a death wish to act so carelessly in the bizarre mist."

    The surviving disciples shot her cold looks.

    "We haven''t even entered Absolute Heaven yet..." Shaken, Fang Boxuan moved away from the corpses and approached Lu Lingchan from the ck Valley Sect.

    He seemed to think he would be safer if he stayed close to the quiet girl.

    A middle-aged woman in her forties or fifties behind Lu Lingchan stared at Fang Boxuan, repeatedly looking him up and down.

    "Fang Xuan? Are you Fang Xuan?" she asked. "Fang Xuan, is that you?"

    "You''ve got the wrong person. I''m Fang Boxuan from the Blood Moon Sect. I''m not Fang Xuan." Fang Boxuan frowned.

    "No! I''ve seen you before. You''re Fang Xuan!" The elderly woman pointed at Fang Boxuan, her tone firm. "You disappeared right before the Fang n was exterminated. It turns out you went to the Third World!

    "Yes, it makes sense. The Fang n, knowing they had provoked the Demon Sect, probably sent you to the Third World to avoid being found!

    "Fang Xuan, I know it''s you!"

    Lu Lingchan of ck Valley Sect looked at Fang Boxuan in surprise, her thick eyshes fluttering slightly. "The Fang n from the Demon Abyss Continent...Fang Xuan, is that really you?"

    "It''s not me! You''ve got the wrong person!" Fang Boxuan''s expression darkened and he went to stand by Dong Tianze instead.

    Dong Tianze, sitting alone atop the ck Iron Mountain, looked at him strangely and said, "No wonder you''re so familiar with the Sacred Soul Continent and even know about the legend of the Four Great Spirit Beasts. You''re actually from the Second World."

    Fang Boxuan shook his head. "As I said, they have the wrong person."

    "Miss, it''s him, Fang Xuan!" The elderly woman with a long, narrow face behind Lu Lingchan cried. "To think, you two were even engaged back then. The Demon Sect killed all the direct descendants of the Fang n except for Fang Xuan, who was sent to the Third World."

    Lu Lingchan, from the Lu n of the Second World, said softly, "I was still young back then and never had the opportunity to see him in person."

    She gazed at Fang Boxuan from afar, with eyes filled with doubt, curiosity, and sympathy.

    <i>He probably didn''t expect Aunt Huang to recognize him when he neared me. Did he get so close to...see me? </i>she wondered.

    "Fang Xuan..." Qi Qingsong thoughtfully nced at Fang Boxuan from the third floor of the Sword Boat.

    Pang Jian, on the other hand, paid no attention to Fang Boxuan''s identity.

    With his protective shield still activated, he squatted down to examine Shen Dong''s corpse. After some hesitation, he summoned the Startling ughter Spear and poked the body a few times with its tip.

    <i>St!</i>

    Blood oozed out of holes pierced into the corpse.

    "Junior Brother Pang, the man is already dead. Is there a need to examine him like this?" Nie You, an inner disciple of the Sword Pavilion, frowned. "If you keep poking his body, he won''t even have an intact corpse anymore."

    Several other inner disciples of the Sword Pavilion also chimed in, "Junior Brother Pang, what''s the point of doing this?"

    "To make sure you don''t end up dying as mysteriously as he did," Pang Jian replied coldly, not even bothering to look up.

    After stabbing around Shen Dong''s body with the Startling ughter Spear and finding nothing unusual, he used the tip of the spear to flip the body over and continued poking.

    When the spear tip pierced the back of Shen Dong''s skull into his brain, the twelve strands of golden divine sense in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness suddenly slipped into his eyes.

    His eyes instantly turned golden!

    Green ants with swollen abdomens were crawling out of Shen Dong''s eyes, ears, nostrils, and mouth!

    Each ant looked quite satiated.

    Pang Jian scanned the deck and the third floor, a chill running down his spine.

    A swarm of green ants crawled in and out of the seven orifices of every corpse!

    The green ants with swollen abdomens were invisible to the naked eye and could not be detected with normal divine sense.

    They were only visible through the golden divine sense infused with divine consciousness in Pang Jian''s eyes!

    These green ants could not break through protective shields and could only infiltrate the brains of cultivators when they let their guard down.

    They also seemed to devour brain matter!

    Once he grasped the situation, Pang Jian channeled his sr and earthme energies, causing the tip of the Startling ughter Spear to burst into intense mes.

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    Shen Dong''s corpse caught fire. The green ants crawling from his skull sizzled in the ze.

    A faint strand of foreign energy seeped from the dead green ants, visible only to his golden eyes.

    It contained a faint divine consciousness...

    Pang Jian''s eyes brightened as he contemted how to collect the foreign energy.

    <i>Zap!</i>

    Golden lightning shot from his eyes.

    The golden lightning streaked through the air, absorbing the foreign energy from the dead green ants.

    The fine golden lightning slowly grewrger!

    <i>It works!</i>

    Pang Jian was thrilled.

    Leaping down to the deck, he repeated the process with the bodies there.

    zing mes enveloped the bodies of the Sword Pavilion and ck Valley Sect disciples, burning all the green ants he could see.

    More bolts of golden lightning shot out from Pang Jian''s eyes, capturing the faint traces of divine consciousness from the dead green ants.

    "Pang Jian, what are you doing?"

    "They''re already dead! Why are you burning them to ashes?"

    "Is this really necessary?"

    Disciples from the Sword Pavilion and the ck Valley Sectined loudly.

    Lu Lingchan watched coldly as Pang Jian set the body of a cherished senior sister aze. "Stop!"

    Pang Jian acted as though he had not heard her.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The bamboo flute in Lu Lingchan''s hand released colorful lights from each hole¡ªgold, ck, dark green, and azure blue...

    Waves of sound, each carrying a force capable of shattering souls, locked onto Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness, preparing to strike.

    Qi Qingsongnded on the deck, stood before Pang Jian, and red at Lu Lingchan.

    "Lu Lingchan, I''ll have the ck Valley Sect get the hell off this Sword Boat right now if you dare make a move!" he shouted. "If you don''t understand, then shut up and stop talking nonsense!"

    He then roared at the Sword Pavilion disciples, "And the rest of you, are you blind? Can''t you see they''ve been poisoned?"

    "Poisoned?"

    Everyone shivered with fear and hastily moved away from the burning corpses.

    Lu Lingchan frowned at Qi Qingsong''s threat to kick all ck Valley Sect disciples off the Sword Boat. "He''d better be right."

    Pang Jian paid her no mind, continuing to absorb divine consciousness with the six bolts of golden lightning from his eyes.

    He created a series of zing fireballs with his spear.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The zing fireballs chased down the green ants trying to escape from the heads of the corpses.

    After a while, Pang Jian activated the ck turtle scute''s Gravity Maniption and leaped from the Sword Boat to pursue the fleeing green ants.

    "Senior Brother Han! Follow Pang Jian with the Sword Boat. Follow him wherever he goes!" Qi Qingsong ordered. Then to Pang Jian, he shouted, "Pang Jian, what''s going on?"

    The Sword Boat roared forward, chasing Pang Jian deep into the bizarre mist.

    A quarter of an hourter, a tattered, dark yellow banner full of holes appeared deep in the thick bizarre mist.

    Still flying with Gravity Maniption and protected by his green protective shield, Pang Jian halted in front of the dark yellow banner with his Startling ughter Spear in hand.

    Thousands of green ants with swollen abdomens were crawling into the torn holes of the banner.

    It looked as though they were crawling into the many eyes of the Outer God known as the Observer.

    The Observer had released these brain-eating green ants to devour the brains of cultivators. It appeared to also devour their souls and thoughts.

 Chapter 278: A Once-in-a-Hundred-Millennia Event

    <h4>Chapter 278: A Once-in-a-Hundred-Millennia Event</h4>

    <i>Crackle! Crackle!</i>

    Pang Jian swiftly pulled the golden lightning back into his golden glowing eyes.

    "An Outer God!"

    "We''ve seen that thing before!"

    Zhou Qingchen and Fang Boxuan cried out in shock.

    "Do you see that?" Qi Qingsong reprimanded sternly, staring down the stunned Nie You, the frowning Lu Lingchan, and the disciples from the Sword Pavilion and the ck Valley Sect. "When youe across something you don''t understand, learn to think about the reasons behind it."

    Nie You nodded and the disciples of the ck Valley Sect fell silent.

    Pang Jian had precisely located the tattered banner, which meant everything he had done was purposeful.

    "The opening of the Abyss this time is different from before."

    "Every hundred thousand years, a grand event spanning multiple worlds and dimensions unfolds within the bizarre mist."

    "Now that you''re fortunate enough to have entered, prepare to witness this grand event."

    Murmurs echoed from the holes of the banner. It was like several different consciousnesses were conversing with each other.

    Suddenly, the banner floated away.

    It vanished into the bizarre mist and could no longer be sensed.

    <i>Every hundred thousand years, multiple worlds, multiple dimensions...</i>

    Pang Jian''s heart trembled.

    ncing behind him, he saw the confused faces of Qi Qingsong, Lu Lingchan, and Zhao Yuanqi. They could not grasp the deeper meaning behind the Observer''s words.

    "Senior Brother Qi!" Pang Jian called.

    "Here! I''m here!"

    "How long has it been since the human race dominated the Abyss and became its rulers?" Pang Jian asked solemnly.

    Qi Qingsong shook his head uncertainly. "Around...maybe twenty or thirty thousand years?"

    "Thirty thousand years," Lu Lingchan interjected, staring in the direction the banner had disappeared before turning her gaze to Pang Jian. "Junior Brother Pang, I was hasty in my judgment earlier. I don''t know you well and may have been slightly rude."

    Lu Lingchan had initially held some contempt for this stern young man from the lower worlds.

    She was a personal disciple of the ck Valley Sect''s Valley Master and a descendant of a powerful n in the Second World, while Pang Jian was from the Fourth World.

    Despite this, Li Zhaotian, the strongest cultivator from the Second World, had taken him in as a personal disciple by Li Zhaotian.

    From the moment she saw Pang Jian, she could not help butpare herself to him, no matter how much she tried to suppress it.

    Herparisons only made her more certain that her cultivation realm, talent, andbat prowess surpassed Pang Jian''s in every way.

    She simply could not understand how someone like him had be a personal disciple of the leader of the most powerful cultivator in the Second World.

    Fang Boxuan stared at Lu Lingchan from a distant corner with an odd expression. "So, she knows when to apologize."

    The Lu n was the most powerful n in the Second World, and the proud, arrogant Lu Lingchan was one of their most outstanding members.

    As far as he knew, the ck Valley Sect highly favored Lu Lingchan, and she had never had to suffer any grievances or apologize to anyone.

    "Thirty thousand..." Pang Jian said with a contemtive expression.

    Thirty thousand years ago, powerful foreign races like the Celestial Race, the one-eyed giants, the me Race, and the Radiant Race dominated the Abyss.

    The human race had a shallow understanding of the history of the Abyss beyond thirty thousand years.

    Events from a hundred thousand years ago were even less likely to be known.

    If a grand event spanning multiple worlds and dimensions truly took ce in the depths of the bizarre mist every hundred thousand years, this would be the first time the human race of the Abyss had encountered it.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Seven figures dressed in blue flew out from the windows of the rooms on the Sword Boat,unching attacks on the Sword Pavilion and the ck Valley Sect disciples.

    These seven had lowered their protective shields in their private rooms, meaning Pang Jian did not burn them, allowing them to slip through the cracks.

    They started wreaking havoc as soon as the Observer departed.

    Blinding sword lights danced through the air. The rmed disciples of the ck Valley Sect and the Sword Pavilion joined forces to besiege the seven attackers, piercing their bodies and stabbing holes through their hearts.

    Despite this, the seven continued to fight relentlessly.

    Using his rejuvenated golden divine sense, Pang Jian noticed small green ants still moving within the empty brain cavities of the corpses.

    "Each of them has a tiny green ant in their head that is invisible and undetectable to you," Pang Jian said coldly.

    "Green ant?"

    Nie You and Ye Fei nced at Pang Jian while fighting, awaiting his instructions.

    "You must sever or st their heads off, or they''ll just keep fighting," Pang Jian instructed.

    Nie You, Ye Fei, and others quickly summoned their spirit artifacts and targeted the heads of the seven.

    The seven figures were soon destroyed and the green ants hiding in their brain cavities were crushed with spiritual power.

    The green ants were terrifying only because they were invisible.

    They were neither strong nor fast, and once their existence was known, they became much easier to kill.

    <i>Zap!</i>

    A wisp of golden lightning shot from Pang Jian''s eyes and absorbed the faint divine consciousness leaving the dead green ants.

    "Pang Jian, what kind of soul technique are you cultivating? Why is your divine sense so blindingly gold?" Qi Qingsong questioned. "Can you see things we can''t? No wonder you could track down the banner''s location!"

    "So, you''re also in thete-stage of the Profound Abode Realm," Zhao Yuanqi sneered coldly. "Earlier, you said you were mid-stage of the Profound Abode Realm. I guess you just didn''t trust us."

    Pang Jian was taken aback.

    Extending one''s divine sense beyond one''s sea of consciousness was a hallmark of thete-stage Profound Abode Realm.

    However, only his golden divine sense could leave his sea of consciousness. The rest could not.

    This made him unsure of his true cultivation realm.

    "If not for Pang Jian burning those other bodies, the consequences would have been unimaginable," Fang Boxuan said.

    His words sent a shiver down everyone''s spine.

    Pang Jian''s mes had incinerated over a dozen bodies before, preventing them from rising and attacking everyone.

    Unlike the seven, those bodies were not hiding in rooms. They would not have burst out and attracted attention like the seven had.

    After all, their corpses were right at everyone''s feet!

    There would have been no time to prepare for their ambush.

    Everyone''s heart raced just imagining it.

    "Pang Jian, we misunderstood you before." Nie You bowed deeply, expression apologetic.

    "Junior Brother Ye, how does this Pang Jianpare to the Luo Yuan you encountered in the Cloud Lightning?" Lu Lianchen, an outer disciple from the ck Valley Sect, asked softly.

    "I can''t say for sure, but I feel the two are...very simr."

    "Very simr?"

    "Yes, they''re alike in many ways. The only difference is their appearance" Ye Fei said softly, a hint of doubt in his voice.

    Pang Jian returned to the third floor of the Sword Boat.

    Pointing at Dong Tianze and Lu Lingchan, he said, "We need to talk privately."

    Dong Tianze had been keeping to himself and was visibly stunned at Pang Jian''s summons.

    "Come, Big Brother Zhou, let''s go together."

    Pang Jian made certain not to leave out his closestpanion, Zhou Qingchen.

    Soon, Dong Tianze, Lu Lingchan, Zhou Qingchen, and Qi Qingsong were gathered in Pang Jian''s room.

    "Dong Tianze, what did you feel when those green ants tried to enter your mind?" asked Pang Jian

    "Not much, just a chill all over before the Celestial Phoenix Imprint on my forehead reacted," Dong Tianze recalled. "After that, I activated my protective shield. My Celestial Phoenix Imprint probably killed the green ants."

    "Alright, that''s all I needed from you. You can leave now." Pang Jian waved him away.

    Dong Tianze snorted coldly. He did not get up as instructed, staying seated with an indifferent look.

    Pang Jian did not force him out and simply continued with a serious expression, "The banner you all saw harbors an Outer God known as the Observer. This Outer God can release invisible insects that eat away at your brain matter before leaving one behind to take over your body.

    "Now, this isn''t too terrifying because I can still see them. But if what it said about the grand event held every hundred thousand years is true..."

    Pang Jian paused to sweep his gaze over everyone in the room.

    "As we venture deeper into Absolute Heaven, we may face more than just the beings we''re familiar with from the Abyss."

    Zhou Qingchen shot to his feet, breath quickening as he asked, "Are you serious?"

    "Couldn''t the banner just be saying things at random?" Qi Qingsong eximed at the same time.

    Lu Lingchan remained silent.

    Dong Tianze was equally shocked.

    The mysteries beyond the Abyss were an enigma the human race had yet to uncover even after thirty thousand years.

    A restriction binding the Abyss allowed only True Gods to attempt to break through, and these mighty True Gods that broke free never returned to reveal whaty beyond.

    Furthermore, boundary walls shrouded in bizarre mist also surrounded the Abyss like a well.

    It was like an enormous cage imprisoning the inhabitants of the Abyss, leaving them no option but to break through to godhood and pierce the heavens to seek answers.

    But now, they had the chance to encounter intelligent beings from other worlds within Absolute Heaven.

    "Who knows what awaits us? I have a feeling that only a few of us will survive if we keep going deeper," Pang Jian said after giving them a moment to digest the information. "Think it over. Do we press on into Absolute Heaven, or do we head back to inform the sects in the First World?"

    "Go back? I don''t even know how to go back," Qi Qingsong said with a frown. "ording to my master, the bizarre mist covering Absolute Heaven is thin. We should''ve passed through it with the Spirit Boat fifteen minutes after entering.

    "But now, we''re lost. I can''t even tell whether we''re moving further in or out.

    "So, there''s no need for anyone to agonize over whether we should retreat or press on. The Sword Boat will go wherever it leads us," Qi Qingsong concluded helplessly.

    Zhou Qingchen sighed in resignation. "In that case, all we can do is prepare ourselves to face beings from other worlds. We can consider it our job to learn what''s out there. After all, we have no other choice."

 Chapter 279: The Crisis of Being Lost

    <h4>Chapter 279: The Crisis of Being Lost</h4>

    The Sword Boat sailed aimlessly in the bizarre mist.

    Without the sun, moon, or stars, it was impossible to distinguish between day and night. The passage of time became as elusive as the workings of the human heart.

    Pang Jian often stood by the window on the third floor, watching the dramatic shifts in everyone''s emotions.

    At first, the Sword Pavilion and ck Valley Sect disciples below directed their me at him.

    They imed his unnecessary actions of pursuing the green ants had led the boat off course.

    The users believed they would have already arrived at Absolute Heaven if not for his interference.

    Time passed slowly, but it was hard to tell if it had been a few days or half a month without the cycle of day and night.

    The Sword Boat continued to drift through the bizarre mist.

    Both the route to Absolute Heaven and the way back felt distant.

    The passing time wore on everyone''s patience, and even those sitting to cultivate with spirit jades grew increasingly agitated.

    "Everyone, stop cultivating. Just maintain your protective shields. What''s the point of advancing in our cultivation realms if we can''t escape this bizarre mist?" shouted an outer disciple of the ck Valley Sect.

    His eyes were filled with despair and he let out a bitter smile.

    "Qi Qingsong, there''s no point in letting the Sword Boat sail aimlessly anymore. It''s just a waste of spirit jades.

    "We''ve tried countless times, but we''ve still failed to break through this bizarre mist and reach Absolute Heaven

    "If our directions are wrong, it won''t matter how long we fly the Sword Boat for, we''ll still be wandering within the bizarre mist," the outer disciple despaired.

    Qi Qingsong stood on the third-floor balcony, frowning at the outer disciple''s words.

    The man responsible for refilling the array with spirit jades and charting the course of the Sword Boat came out of the ship''s hold after hearing this.

    "What he said isn''t without reason," the middle-aged Han Lu told Qi Qingsong, "We''ve consumed neen thousand spirit jades since entering the bizarre mist. I have thirty-one thousand left, but they''ll inevitably be consumed if the Sword Boat keeps moving.

    "And, eventually, they will run out." He shook his head bitterly.

    Qi Qingsong also had no solution for the problem they were facing."Then let''s stop for now."

    "We should all try and see if any of ourmunication talismans can reach those outside the bizarre mist," shouted Nie You of the Sword Pavilion.

    "We''ve already tried. There''s no response."

    "We lose all five senses once we enter the bizarre mist. How can we possiblymunicate with the outside world?"

    "It''s useless."

    The disciples of the Sword Pavilion and ck Valley Sect sighed despondently.

    Inside Pang Jian''s room on the third floor, Pang Jian leaned against the window to observe the Sword Pavilion and ck Valley Sect disciples on deck. He saw a mix of helplessness, confusion, disappointment, and deepening despair on their faces.

    "Big Brother Zhou, how many spirit jades do you have left?" he asked. "How long can youst?"

    Zhou Qingchen smiled wryly. "If it''s just to maintain my protective shield, I can probablyst another two months."

    His face had be unkempt again and he had grown a full beard.

    "Who would have thought that the Sword Boat would get lost in what was supposedly a rtively safe bizarre mist?" Zhou Qingchen sighed.

    "Big Brother Zhou, if you don''t have enough spirit jades, let me know in advance."

    "Sure, I won''t be polite with you."

    Pang Jian nodded.

    He still had several thousand spirit jades and arge number of spirit stones in his spatial bracelet.

    To conserve his precious spirit jades, he had instead opted to set up small-scale spirit gathering arrays with his spirit stones.

    As his green protective shield was solely for guarding against the bizarre mist, he only used spiritual power and did not infuse it with any other energies.

    The seven possessed individuals that Nie You and Ye Fei killed had crumbled to ashes long ago.

    Even without the brain-eating green ants, prolonged exposure to the bizarre mist had gradually eroded their flesh and blood.

    Pang Jian shifted his attention to his sword token.

    The thousands of blue-d afterimages demonstrating sword techniques within the world inside the sword token had disappeared.

    Even the powerful Li Zhaotian could infuse his spiritual power into the sword token after it was cut off from the Abyss, causing the afterimages to vanish.

    Time flowed by like water.

    No one knew how long had passed.

    The Sword Boat remained anchored in the dense bizarre mist.

    Everyone on board could only hope another group would happen upon them, such as the Demon Sect, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, or perhaps even an expedition group from the First World.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The protective shield of a reserved outer disciple of the ck Valley Sect vanished like a candle me snuffed out by the wind.

    Lu Lianchen, another outer disciple of the ck Valley Sect, rushed over. "Wang Ji, you¡ªWhat happened?"

    "I''ve exhausted all my spirit jades," Wang Ji muttered, lowering his head. "I''m the first to run out, but I won''t be the only one. Senior Brother Lu, there''s no need to waste your time on me. We''re all going to die anyway. We''re all going to perish in this bizarre mist.

    "As they say in the legends, those lost in the bizarre mist will die in the bizarre mist. They''ll eventually vanish forever."

    Wang Ji looked up calmly as Lu Lingchan tried to hand him a spirit jade.

    "It''s useless," he said quietly. "Without a way out, it''s only a matter of time before we all die. Junior Sister Lu, don''t waste your resources on me. I''ve epted my fate."

    Wang Ji then lowered his head and fell into silence.

    Everyone stared at him with mixed emotions.

    <i>Zzt!</i>

    Golden light flickered in Pang Jian''s eyes before quietly receding.

    From the third-floor window, he shouted, "No green ants appeared."

    "Wang Ji, tell us what you''re feeling!" Ye Fei of the ck Valley Sect shouted. "You''re the first to be exposed to the bizarre mist without green ants eating your brain! If you survive, it''ll mean we don''t have to keep up our protective shields! That way, we could hold out longer¡ªmaybe until someone finds us!"

    Disciples from the Sword Pavilion and the ck Valley Sect also chimed in.

    "That''s right! Wang Ji, you must hold on!"

    "No matter what, tell us exactly how you feel. We need to know how to survive!"

    "Hang in there, Wang Ji!"

    Many female disciples choked on low sobs as they encouraged him.

    These female disciples were not genuinely concerned for Wang Ji''s safety, but rather overwhelmed by a shared sense of impending doom.

    After all, whatever happened to him would eventually happen to them.

    If Wang Ji did not make it, then neither would they.

    Wang Ji quietly probed his own body, carefully examining the eerie sensation of the bizarre mist enveloping his flesh.

    "I¡ª"

    Before he could utter another word, he passed away.

    Pang Jian watched closely, but no brain-eating green ants appeared.

    The omnipresent bizarre mist slowly seeped into Wang Ji''s skin and pores, filling his lungs with every breath.

    Wang Ji slowly withered away. His flesh disintegrated bit by bit, and his bones crumbled into nothingness, bing one with the gray, hazy bizarre mist.

    The atmosphere on the Sword Boat grew unbearably heavy.

    Wang Ji''s death snuffed out thest glimmer of hope in everyone''s hearts.

    "He was right. We''re all going to die in the bizarre mist. It''s just a matter of time."

    "Haha! The elders said the bizarre mist in Absolute Heaven was safe. What nonsense!"

    "The enigmatic bizarre mist nketing the Abyss is the most terrifying thing in this world! It''s beyond anyone''sprehension!"

    "No matter how many spirit jades we have, we''ll eventually run out. Prepare yourselves to die."

    More and more pessimists vented their negative emotions.

    They desperately drained the spiritual power from anything they could find¡ªspirit artifacts, armor, and essories. All anyone could do was take it one day at a time.

    Fang Boxuan approached the expedition leader of the ck Valley Sect, Lu Lingchan.

    "Lu Lingchan," he greeted with a calm smile before addressing the elderly woman behind her, "Huang Ying, you''re right¡ªI am Fang Xuan."

    With the situation as it was, Fang Boxuan no longer bothered to hide.

    "I knew it was you!" Huang Ying sneered.

    "You''re a ve of the Lu n. You never had the guts to speak to me like this before." Looking at Lu Lingchan, he said, "My Fang n, before it was annihted, was superior to your Lu n. Do you agree?"

    Lu Lingchan gently nodded, gestured for Huang Ying to be quiet, and said, "The reason the Demon Sect purged your Fang n has always been a mystery to me. Can you tell me why?"

    "Because of you." Fang Boxuan shot her a smile that did not reach his eyes.

    Lu Lingchan was puzzled. "Me?"

    "You and I were engaged, but your cultivation talent was so exceptional that it greatly pleased the Valley Master of ck Valley Sect. After taking you as his personal disciple, he decided to betroth you to someone from the Forsaken Expanse Sect of the Northern Ruin in the First World.

    "That person''s master even came down from the First World to assess your innate potential and aptitude. Satisfied, the master proposed a condition to the Demon Sect¡ªto have me assassinated, thereby ending our engagement once and for all.

    "The master feared that if I was alive, his disciple would harbor grudges and affect his cultivation.

    "My grandfather loved me very much and refused to agree to my execution, so he sent me away. This is why the Demon Sect purged my Fang n," Fang Boxuan revealed with a smile.

    Lu Lingchan quietly looked at Fang Boxuan, then sat down and closed her eyes. She said nothing for a long time.

    "Aunt Huang, is what he said true?" Lu Lingchan finally asked, back facing Huang Ying.

    "More or less."

    Lu Lingchan nodded and sighed. "Fang Xuan, I didn''t know anything about this. I¡ª"

    "I don''t me your Lu n. Our ns have been allies for generations. This matter wasn''t up to your Lu n. It was your master, that person from the Northern Ruin, and the Demon Sect that caused my n''s demise."

    Fang Boxuan''s smiling facade faltered, and a look of bitter resignation took its ce.

    "It''s infuriating. I''ve endured for so long, but it all seems meaningless in hindsight."

 Chapter 280: Tempering Ones Heart

    <h4>Chapter 280: Tempering One''s Heart</h4>

    Pang Jian leaned against the window of his room on the third floor, expression calm as he absorbed what he had overheard from Fang Boxuan.

    The genius of the Blood Moon Sect elite turned out to have an unexpected background.

    <i>He''s the young master of the Fang n in the Second World?</i>

    Pang Jian recalled how Fang Boxuan persuaded everyone not to seek revenge against the Demon Sect after the Demon Incursion Ship toyed with Zhao Yuanqi''s Scarlet Dawn Boat.

    He also repeatedly reminded everyone that the Demon Sect was the strongest sect in the Second World.

    The Fang n had once served the Demon Sect and had been the foremost great n in the Second World, only to be met with a catastrophic end simply because they did notply with the Demon Sect''s orders.

    Pang Jian was perplexed.

    <i>Fang Boxuan is a victim. He should hate the Demon Sect to the core. So why did he advise everyone to remain calm?</i>

    <i>Does he just not want the Demon Sect to notice him? Is he so afraid he doesn''t even dare to think of revenge?</i>

    Pang Jian simply could not understand.

    Time continued to pass on the motionless Sword Boat.

    Everyone held out hope for another group or some other intelligent being to arrive.

    They yearned for someone toe and pull them out of the endless bizarre mist.

    Even the banner that had released countless green ants would bring them joy and excitement at this point.

    The unchanging situation left everyone restless and struggling to endure for what felt like an eternity.

    Despite this, there was no sign of the situation changing.

    The me of hope in everyone''s hearts slowly died out with the flow of time.

    Eventually, everyone lost the will to cultivate, expressions dazed as they stared nkly into the ever-present bizarre mist.

    Pang Jian no longer pondered over the Chaos Sword Technique. He merely maintained his protective shield and silently observed the myriad human emotions that passed through those on the Sword Boat.

    One day, an outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion broke down, having had enough of the prolonged fear and despair.

    "I can''t wait for a miracle anymore. I don''t want to end up like Wang Ji, sumbing to the bizarre mist when my spirit jades run out," he screamed madly from the deck.

    <i>Splurt!</i>

    He slit his own throat with his spirit sword and fell dead to the ground.

    The wave of despair from his suicide spread quickly.

    Everyone watched as his flesh dposed and his bones crumbled into dust, bing part of the bizarre mist.

    An outer disciple of the ck Valley Sect approached his junior sister.

    "Wang Xin, before I die, I want to..." he trailed off hopefully, no longer able to suppress his feelings. "I''m an outer disciple, and you''re an inner disciple. Your master has always disapproved of us.

    "I don''t have many spirit jades left. I doubt I canst more than a few days. Wang Xin, if you''re willing, we could..."

    He looked nervously at his beloved.

    The petite female disciple from ck Valley Sect bit her lip, tears welling up as she nodded gently. "I''m willing."

    The two then went hand-in-hand to the first floor of the Sword Boat and found an empty room to consummate their feelings.

    An outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion summoned his spirit sword and pointed it at his fellow disciple. "Zhao Liqun! I''ve tolerated you for a long time! My Phantom Cloud Sword developed problems after you borrowed it for a few days! You despicable scoundrel, I almost died in a beast hunt because of that!"

    Zhao Liqun sneered, "You and I both had a chance to be promoted to inner disciples in the next test. You were my biggestpetitor. It was only natural for me to want you dead."

    "Haha! Zhao Liqun, we''re all going to die anyway, but at the very least, I can make sure you die before me!"

    The two disciples from the Sword Pavilion dueled on therge deck.

    Qi Qingsong watched on with a dark look on his face.

    They each shattered the other''s protective shields in a blinding show of sword light, and the strange forces in the bizarre mist tainted them at almost the same time.

    Their flesh corroded and their blood-stained bones turned to powder before blowing away.

    Qi Qingsong remained silent throughout.

    At a time when no hope was in sight, order had little meaning.

    He could not restrain those resigned to fate and those who sought death.

    His words held no meaning to those determined to die.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    A beautiful female outer disciple from the ck Valley Sect had been leaning against an inner disciple when she abruptly struck him with a fatal blow that caved his chest in.

    The tan, short, and ugly inner disciple could hardly believe it.

    Pointing his finger at her, he asked, "Why?"

    <i>Ptui!</i>

    The female disciple spat at the inner disciple and stepped away from his dimming pale blue protective shield.

    "If not for you giving me pills now and then and teaching me cultivation techniques, I would never have served someone as disgusting as you!" she snapped. "Take a good look at yourself. Did you really think I would love you and serve you willingly?"

    Her expression darkened and sheughed maniacally.

    "Liu Hai, I''ve avenged you. Back then, you were killed by Fan Qi''s schemes. I knew I wasn''t his match, so I pretended not to know and endured. But today, I finally killed him!"

    After confirming the inner disciple named Fan Qi had truly died, the female disciple let out a relievedugh and ended her own life.

    Despair spread like an infection.

    Simr incidents urred frequently on the Sword Boat as negative emotions fermented and brewed.

    Everyone soon became numb to it.

    "Life is ever-changing, but the human heart is full of unpredictability and deceit," Zhou Qingchen said as he joined Pang Jian by the window. After a moment of reflection, he said, "Pang Jian, I''m running low on spirit jades."

    Pang Jian hummed in acknowledgment.

    Taking out half of his own spirit jades, he handed them to Zhou Qingchen.

    Aplex mixture of emotions welled up within him.

    He felt like he had witnessed the fullplexity of the human heart during this time on the Sword Boat.

    The actions of the desperate could no longer surprise him.

    In fact, they were almost expected.

    Through a void rift in Cloud Lightning, Pang Jian had seen a mighty, lion-and-tiger-like mysterious creature go berserk upon sensing a precise coordinate of the Abyss.

    He now understood the fervent hope and sense of urgency in that being''s heart.

    It was not until he found himself lost in the bizarre mist that he truly grasped how excruciatingly unbearable it was to endure in such an endless, hopeless environment.

    Death would indeed be a release.

    They had nothing to do but watch their spirit jades dwindle and see those around them disintegrate into nothingness when they sumbed to the bizarre mist.

    For those with weak willpower, this was a slow, torturous assault on the heart and soul more terrifying than death.

    Pang Jian did not know how long they had been trapped in the bizarre mist.

    The people on the Sword Boat were already showing their ugliest sides. The dark corners of everyone''s hearts surged to the surface.

    <i>How many years did that mysterious creature drift in the bizarre mist? </i>he wondered.<i> How long did it endure such torment?</i>

    That creature did not even have a single intelligent being to talk to.

    However, even with its flesh corroded to only a skeleton, it still fought to survive.

    <i>The strong remain strong because of their unwavering will and their refusal to give up, </i>Pang Jian realized.

    He viewed this situation as a trial to temper his heart and strengthen his will.

    Steeling his resolve, he prepared himself to never give up, even if he was standing at death''s door.

    After some more time had passed, Pang Jian left his room to find Qi Qingsong. He found him sitting listlessly on the third-floor balcony.

    "We should collect and distribute the belongings of the deceased that still contain spiritual power," Pang Jian suggested. "We can prioritize those with no spirit jades left, so long as they''re still holding out hope and are willing to keep waiting."

    Qi Qingsong was startled. "You still haven''t given up?"

    "As long as we''re alive, there''s still hope."

    "I..."

    A ripple of emotion stirred in Qi Qingsong''s otherwise calm heart.

    The ripple grew, and a light filled his previously dull eyes.

    "Alright, I''ll takemand and handle the distribution!"

    Qi Qingsong flew down from the third-floor balcony of the Sword Boat and collected the belongings left by the disintegrated bodies.

    He tried to rally everyone with words of encouragement, loudly urging everyone to keep holding on and not to give up.

    Not many truly listened.

    Most stared at him with nk eyes.

    Although they were still breathing, a lifeless grayness clouded their gaze.

    They no longer had the heart, willpower, or desire to survive and did not respond regardless of what Qi Qingsong said to them.

    They simply sat on the deck in a daze, body numb as they mechanically gripped spirit jades in their palms and absorbed the spiritual power within.

    Once the spiritual power in the spirit jades ran out, they would take out another spirit jade or two and repeat the process.

    When they ran out of spirit jades, they would let their protective shields disappear and allow themselves to be part of the bizarre mist.

    They were still alive, but they acted like they were already dead.

    "It''s useless. Nothing you say will get through to them. I don''t think they can even hear you anymore because they''ve already given up," the silver-haired Zhao Yuanqi said to Qi Qingsong, sitting wearily on the deck. "What people fear most is losing all hope.

    "The only thing that''ll rouse them is if this Sword Boat reaches Absolute Heaven or returns to the Abyss.

    "If not, it doesn''t matter what you say. It won''t matter. They can''t hear it. Perhaps they don''t want to hear it." Zhao Yuanqi shook her head with a sigh.

    Qi Qingsong was horrified.

    As he stared at the living dead sitting there numbly, a profound fear surged within him.

    He turned to look at Pang Jian on the balcony.

    <i>If Pang Jian hadn''te to find me and spoken to me¡ªif Pang Jian hadn''t helped me regain my faith and resolve, would I have be like those people?</i> he wondered.

    He could not remember how long he had been sitting idly, nor how long it had been since hest spoke before Pang Jian came looking for him.

    Those needing to vent their negative emotions or settle old scores had done so already.

    It had been a long time since there had been any conflict on the boat.

    Although there were still a fair few survivors left on the Sword Boat, nobody had spoken in ages.

    Everyone had eventually just...stopped.

    Qi Qingsong himself had also grown numb, like one of those hopeless, living dead.

    A sudden, overwhelming terror gripped his heart.

    When he looked closely, he realized that those with life still in their eyes were indeed few.

    "How could this be?"

 Chapter 281: Living Dead

    <h4>Chapter 281: Living Dead</h4>

    Qi Qingsong looked around at the few still aware enough to pay attention to his words.

    There was Zhao Yuanqi, Dong Tianze, Fang Boxuan, Lu Lingchan, Ye Fei...

    "Pang Jian, go to every room! Bring anyone still alive and moving to the third-floor balcony!"

    "Got it!"

    Pang Jian started his search.

    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>

    Pang Jian kicked open door after door on the third floor.

    Suddenly, something happened on the deck!

    A sharp silver hairpin shot out from behind Lu Lingchan, piercing through her protective shield and stabbing into her back.

    <i>ng!</i>

    Li Lingchan''s heart-protecting armor deflected the fatal blow.

    She spun around, eyes filled with disbelief as she stared at her attendant.

    Voice trembling, she asked, "Aunt Huang, why?"

    Huang Ying had taken care of her since childhood and was someone she regarded as a second mother. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine Huang Ying would betray her and try to kill her!

    If not for the heart-protecting armor her master had gifted her, the silver hairpin would have pierced her heart!

    "Aunt Huang, why would you do this to me?"

    Lu Lingchan''s voice was choked with emotion.

    The terrifying bizarre mist had not broken her and watching herpanions die one by one had not shaken her resilient heart.

    But Huang Ying''s betrayal shattered her spirit.

    She could not ept it!

    Fang Boxuan grinned wickedly from a distance. "Huang Ying, haha, how interesting!"

    Qi Qingsong was also stunned.

    "Your surname may be Lu, but mine is Huang.

    "Years ago, when I was a rogue cultivator, I was invited to your Lu n as a guest. One night, your father barged into my room and forcefully had his way with me.

    "Later, he gave me many cultivation resources and made me a bunch of unfulfilled promises.

    "He even¡ªhaha¡ªhe even made me take care of you from a young age and treat you like my own daughter!

    "Howughable! You, Lu Lingchan, are not my child. Why should I care for a child he had with another woman?

    "Even so, I feared him and your master. What could I do? I had no choice but to fake a smile and endure the humiliation as I obediently followed their orders.

    "But since I''m about to die, I won''t endure it any longer!

    "I hate you, Lu Lingchan! I hate your father and your entire Lu n!"

    Huang Ying knew she had lost her chance after failing to kill Lu Lingchan in one strike. So, after airing her grievances, she slit her throat.

    Fang Boxuan had initially wanted to mock Huang Ying but could only sigh after hearing her story.

    "The human heart is the mostplex thing." He shook his head. "She could endure it and with a smile for as long as she had hope for a future. But once she knew she would die, she could no longer suppress her hatred and instead chose to take a desperate gamble."

    Lu Lingchan, still in shock, watched as Huang Ying''s body became one with the bizarre mist.

    She appeared lost. It was like her soul had departed.

    Meanwhile, on the third floor of the Sword Boat, Pang Jian stood at the entrance of a room and frowned slightly as he looked at the bed.

    <i>Nie You...</i>

    Nie You, the disciple of Elder Wang Ce and inner disciple of the Sword Pavilion, was nowhere to be found. Only his clothes were left on the bed in his room¡ªNie You had died.

    Pang Jian checked Nie You''s spatial bracelet with his divine sense and found hundreds of spirit jades still inside.

    Although Nie You could have held on for a little longer, it seemed he could not bear the prolonged agony and ultimately decided to end his life early.

    <i>Character and willpower have nothing to do with one''s cultivation talent,</i> Pang Jian thought.

    Wang Ce had chosen him as an inner disciple of the Sword Pavilion, proving Nie You had exceptional talent.

    <i>So what? </i>Pang Jian sighed inwardly. <i>His willpower was weak and he could not hold on for long before giving up.</i>

    He then searched the next room, finding more leftover belongings and clothes.

    Everything left behind waspletely drained of spiritual power.

    There was not even a single spirit jade left.

    This person held on to the very end.

    <i>This one''s a little better.</i>

    Pang Jian carried on his search.

    Not long after, he stood at the left-open doorway of another room with a look of surprise. "Senior Sister, you¡ª"

    A graceful woman with long ck hair that cascaded like a waterfall sat at the dressing table, carefully grooming herself in her blue robe.

    Her brows were delicately drawn, her face elegant, and her demeanorposed.

    Smiling faintly, she said, "I heard you. Go ahead to the balcony. I''ll join youter."

    Pang Jian asked tentatively, "May I ask your name, Senior Sister?"

    Although he had encountered many senior brothers and sisters from the Sword Pavilion on the Sword Boat, he had no recollection of this woman.

    This woman had never shown herself from the moment they left Eternal Crossing!

    She had likely stayed hidden in her room through all the strange and terrifying happenings within the bizarre mist, never stepping out or interacting with anyone as she quietly watched the events unfold from her window.

    Even now, she appeared at ease and took the time to care for her appearance.

    Pang Jian had never encountered such a person before.

    The woman held her eyebrow brush and replied with a smile, "Zhuang Yuyan."

    "Alright, Senior Sister Zhuang."

    Pang Jian left the room and descended the stairs to the second floor, still slightly bewildered.

    Zhuang Yuyan''s room was at the corner of the third floor. It was the farthest from the third-floor balcony but was still in a necessary passage between the second and third floors.

    <i>Was the door always open? Or did she hear me breaking down doors and so left her room door open to avoid me damaging it?</i> Pang Jian wondered.

    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>

    Pang Jian kicked open the tightly closed doors one after another but found no more living souls.

    The ck Valley Sect couple wishing to consummate their feelings had also turned to nothingness, leaving only their clothes and belongings behind.

    Zhuang Yuyan''s calm voice drifted from the third floor to the first.

    "Those who haven''te out on their own at this point are most likely already dead," she said. "Gather the belongings ande up."

    "Okay," Pang Jian replied.

    Before long, eleven people were gathered on the third-floor balcony of the Sword Boat: Pang Jian, Qi Qingsong, Zhou Qingchen, Dong Tianze, Fang Boxuan, Zhao Yuanqi, Lu Lingchan, Ye Fei, Zhuang Yuyan, Lu Lianchen, and Guo Hongyuan.

    More survivors were on the deck, but they were already like the living dead, turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to what was happening around them.

    They were all quietly awaiting death in their own little worlds.

    "I called everyone here because if we don''t interact and just sit around aimlessly, we''ll end up like those below." Qi Qingsong sighed deeply. "As long as we''re still alive, there is hope. I hope everyone can hold onto that.

    "Feel free to talk about cultivation, interesting stories from your life¡ªanything is fine. Just don''t stay silent and keep spiraling into despair."

    Lu Lingchan stayed quietly dejected after the severe blow of Huang Ying''s betrayal.

    Zhou Qingchen, Fang Boxuan, and the others exchanged nces.

    Neither Zhao Yuanqi nor Dong Tianze were in the habit of interacting with people and remained coldly silent after hearing his words.

    Lu Lianchen and Guo Hongyuan were the only outer disciples of the ck Valley Sect and the Sword Pavilion respectively and kept silent because they felt self-conscious.

    Zhuang Yuyan observed everyone with a smile, seemingly amused by the situation, but she, too, said nothing.

    Nothing had changed despite Qi Qingsong''s efforts.

    Everyone was gathered together, no one seemed interested in talking.

    Time passed slowly, and eventually, Qi Qingsong took out some wine jugs and cups, set them down in the middle of the group, and suggested, "Why don''t we have a drink?"

    Zhou Qingchen was the first to respond.

    "Sounds good."

    Raising his hand, he sent out a thread of spiritual power to pull a wine jug and cup toward him, then filled a cup and drank.

    Surprisingly, the second to respond was Lu Lingchan, the personal disciple of the ck Valley Sect''s Valley Master.

    With a flick of her bamboo flute, she pulled over a silver jug of wine and drank directly from it.

    She ignored the looks the others sent her as she drank more wildly than Zhou Qingchen!

    In no time, she emptied the jug and shifted to stare at Qi Qingsong.

    Qi Qingsong brought out more silver jugs of wine and ced them before everyone. "There''s no need to hold back! I have plenty of wine, so drink to your heart''s content!"

    "My wine isn''t great, but I have some too," Zhou Qingchen added, retrieving a few jars of strong liquor and pushing them in front of everyone.

    "I''ve got food!" Fang Boxuan chimed in, pulling out dried meats and a selection of cooked dishes from his spatial bracelet. "Even if we see no hope, we should still enjoy thesest moments of life!"

    "Shut up, Fang Xuan!" Qi Qingsong snapped.

    "I''m just speaking the truth, unlike you, spouting empty titudes," Fang Boxuan retorted.

    The two started to argue.

    Dong Tianze did not care about the quality of the wine and randomly took one of the jars Zhou Qingchen had brought out since he was sitting nearby.

    After hesitating for a moment, he decided to drink like the others.

    Before long, he turned visibly drunk and was the most intoxicated among them.

    His face was as red as a liver. Grabbing another jar of wine, he continued drinking, bloodshot eyes fixed on Pang Jian.

    "Dong Tianze, is this your first time drinking?" Qi Qingsong asked in surprise.

    Dong Tianze ignored him.

    Suddenly, filled with anger, he red at Pang Jian and demanded, "Tell me the truth! Did you secretly go to that sea of massive boulders after taking back the ck Iron Mountain?

    "Were you nning to keep that unnamed fragmentednd and those divine guards to yourself?"

 Chapter 282: Finding Joy in Suffering

    <h4>Chapter 282: Finding Joy in Suffering</h4>

    Pang Jian was taken aback.

    He did not realize Dong Tianze''s obsession with this matter ran so deep.

    Dong Tianze, having be drunk during his first foray into drinking, unexpectedly brought up the matter once again.

    "The sea of massive boulders? An unnamed fragmentednd?"

    Zhao Yuanqi and Fang Boxuan''s eyes lit up.

    Unsure whether he could survive this ordeal, Dong Tianze had drunkenly revealed the existence of that unnamed fragmentednd.

    "What a pity. I wonder if we''ll even live to see it." Fang Boxuan sighed quietly.

    Learning about an unnamed fragmentednd was useless when all that awaited them in the bizarre mist was death.

    Cultivation, fame, and power held no meaning now.

    "Pang Jian!" Dong Tianze shouted, ring at Pang Jian with palpable hatred. "Why are you still hiding at this point?

    "No one knows what the future holds. We''re likely going to die here anyway. Why are you afraid to admit it?"

    Dong Tianze hadpletely lost hisposure under the influence of alcohol, with a drunken frenzy recing his usual cold demeanor.

    From his stance, he was prepared to throw caution to the wind and fight Pang Jian to the death right then and there if Pang Jian''s answer did not satisfy him.

    "Dong Tianze, what are you making a fuss about?" Qi Qingsong snorted.

    "This is between me and Pang Jian. It has nothing to do with anyone else."

    Dong Tianze''s eyes shed with malice as he red at Pang Jian, silently demanding an answer to his question.

    "If you can''t hold your liquor, don''t drink so much," Pang Jian said irritably.

    "Cut the crap! I''m asking you, did you appear in that sea of massive boulders with the intention of keeping everything to yourself?" Dong Tianze asked, consumed with rage and ready to turn hostile at any moment.

    Pang Jian frowned and replied in a low voice, "Is this matter really that important to you?"

    "It is!"

    "I had no intention of keeping it all to myself, nor did I do anything shady to the ck Iron Mountain." Pang Jian answered. Then, after some thought, added, "As for that fragmentednd, I''ve known about it for a while.

    "Wasn''t the one chasing you back then a rogue cultivator with a face full of scars? If I''m not mistaken, he was following you on a zither, am I right?"

    Dong Tianze''s face paled and he stared at Pang Jian in shock. "You, you¡ª"

    "Dong Tianze, the reason you survived in that fragmentednd wasn''t because the heavens favored you. I''ll say no more on this, so think what you will," Pang Jian said coldly.

    The still standing Dong Tianze gulped down a few mouthfuls from his wine jar before sitting back down.

    He then stared at Pang Jian with an exceedingly strange look in his eyes and his breathing gradually growing heavier.

    The scarred rogue cultivator had chased Dong Tianze on a zither all the way to the unnamed fragmentednd.

    Dong Tianze had advanced to the mid-stage of the Profound Abode Realm after killing that rogue cultivator and refining his Celestial Phoenix Imprint.

    Only he knew of these events!

    Despite this, Pang Jian seemed to have witnessed the entire thing. His words indicated that Dong Tianze was not the first to discover that unnamed fragmentednd.

    <i>Where was Pang Jian at the time? Since he knows all this, I...</i>

    Dong Tianze ran his hand through his hair as his mind raced. He lost the confidence to continue his questioning.

    At that moment, he had a vague inkling that it was not a coincidence the rogue cultivator on the zither had been pinned down so thoroughly. Someone had been manipting things from behind the scenes!

    <i>Could it be?</i>

    As the knot in Dong Tianze''s mind unraveled, he stopped drinking recklessly and silently lowered his head.

    "Two strange fellows..." Fang Boxuan nced between the two in bewilderment.

    "Let''s not dwell on grudges and enmity. It could lead to a fight," Qi Qingsong said with a wry smile. "I didn''t call everyone here to reopen old wounds."

    "Then let''s talk about something else," Zhou Qingchen said while chewing on some dried meat.

    The conversation became more lively from then on and the group started to open up thanks to the effects of alcohol.

    They discussed the challenges of their cultivation journeys, shared amusing stories from their sects, revealed secrets of the great sects in the First World, and talked about the legends of the Four Great Spirit Beasts of the Sacred Soul Continent.

    Even the normally quiet Zhao Yuanqi and the two self-conscious outer disciples joined in.

    The alcohol and food helped to ease their tension and lighten the heavy atmosphere.

    "I''ve been holding onto a secret, and I need to get it off my chest!" Ye Fei, the inner disciple of the ck Valley Sect, abruptly shouted. Once everyone''s attention was on him, he turned to Lu Lingchan and asked seriously, "Junior Sister Lu, how many strands of divine sense do you have?"

    Lu Lingchan had been one of the first to start drinking out due to her dejected feelings, and her fair, jade-like cheeks were now flushed with a rosy hue.

    A wine-red blush spread across her face and slender neck, giving her a charmingly tipsy appearance.

    When she heard Ye Fei''s question, a trace of undisguised pride flickered in her hazy eyes.

    "One hundred and twenty-four strands."

    "One hundred and twenty-four!" Guo Hongyuan, an outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion, clicked his tongue in amazement. "No wonder the Valley Master of the ck Valley Sect epted you as a personal disciple!"

    "One hundred and twenty-four..." Qi Qingsong''s lips curled into a bitter smile as he enviously remarked, "From what I know, even Wu Yuan and Chen Lushi from the Demon Sect, and Jiang Chao from the Celestial Lagoon Sect don''t have that many."

    "Wu Yuan has one hundred and twenty-two strands," said Lu Lingchan. "Chen Lushi doesn''t have more than one hundred and twenty strands. Finally, Jiang Chao only has one hundred and twenty-one strands."

    She knew the exact number of strands of divine sense the geniuses of the Second World possessed because it had been mentioned it to her so often she could not help but remember even if she did not want to.

    "Ye Fei, why are you asking this?" she asked, ncing at Qi Qingsong, Dong Tianze, Zhao Yuanqi, Zhou Qingchen, and Pang Jian.

    In her opinion, when it came to the sheer number of divine senses in the Profound Abode Realm, those before her were hardly worth mentioning. Even those from the Demon Sect and the Celestial Lagoon Sect could notpare to her.

    Her total divine sense count surpassed all the other Profound Abode Realm cultivators in the Second World. That was her source of pride and was also why her master valued her so highly.

    "There''s someone who ims to be an outer disciple from the Sword Pavilion. His name is Luo Yuan. I once had a brief encounter with him in Cloud Lightning and used the Dragonfish Mirror to peek at his sea of consciousness.

    "Junior Sister Lu, I mean no offense, but his total number of divine sense strands is one hundred and twenty-eight strands!" Ye Fei said firmly.

    "One hundred and twenty-eight strands!"

    "Luo Yuan, an outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion?"

    "How is that possible?"

    The half-drunk group eximed in surprise.

    "If I hadn''t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn''t believe it either. I never imagined that someone could manifest one hundred and twenty-eight strands of divine sense and still remain obscure in the Sword Pavilion." Ye Fei nced at Qi Qingsong. "I had Senior Brother Shen inquire about him, and even secretly asked around as well, but nobody knew his name.

    "Now that''s a truly extraordinary person!" Ye Fei sighed with a shake of his head.

    When he saw Pang Jian''s peculiar expression, Ye Fei quickly stood up, cupped his hands, and said with a smile, "Brother Pang, I meant no offense. If you''ve be the Pavilion Master''s personal disciple, it must be because of your remarkable qualities.

    "I''m drunk and brought up this Luo Yuan. Haha, I''ll drink three cups as a penalty in case I''ve offended anyone!"

    He immediately drank three cups of wine in a row, face turning red as he sat back down.

    The group continued to drink, eat, and chat freely on the third-floor balcony of the Sword Boat.

    As they conversed, the living dead from the Sword Pavilion and the ck Valley Sect on the deck would asionally die.

    Those with weak willpower were not worth their attention and had no right to ask for spirit jades from the eleven of them to sustain their lives.

    One day, Guo Hongyuan, the outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion, returned from the Sword Boat''s hold with Qi Qingsong.

    "Senior Brother Han has died in the ship''s hold," Qi Qingsong said somberly. "The remaining thirty-one thousand spirit jades that should be left behind are nowhere to be found.

    "Someone must''ve sneaked into the ship''s hold during the chaos and taken them. Senior Brother Han''s death is suspicious! He had so many spirit jades. It''s unlikely he''d lose hope and end his life early!"

    Guo Hongyuan added in a low voice, "We went down together, and I can confirm that we didn''t find any of the spirit jades."

    Pang Jian circted his spiritual power to sober up before ncing around at the others with a puzzled expression.

    The others, like him, also looked around uncertainly.

    Everybody was wondering who among them had quietly entered the ship''s hold, murdered Han Lu, and took the spirit jades used for operating the Sword Boat.

    "It''s simple. Check everyone''s spatial bracelets and see the total number of spirit jades inside," Fang Boxuan suggested.

    "I have more than thirty thousand spirit jades, but it wasn''t me," Lu Lingchan exined with a snort. "Beforeing here, my master gave me seventy thousand spirit jades."

    "Seventy thousand..."

    Ye Fei and Lu Lianchen from ck Valley Sect were stunned.

    <i>Her master really does favor her immensely. He gave her such a huge amount of spirit jades without hesitation,</i> they thought

    "I have plenty of spirit jades. There''s no need for me to kill Han Lu. His death has nothing to do with me," Lu Lingchan added.

    "I don''t have the ability to kill Han Lu," Zhou Qingchen said. "Pang Jian and I have been together all along. We''re never separated."

    He said this to clear Pang Jian of suspicion as well.

    "I haven''t left the deck of the Sword Boat," the silver-haired Zhao Yuanqi said coldly.

    Qi Qingsong looked around, eyes sweeping over everyone.

    Lu Lianchen, Ye Fei, Dong Tianze, Fang Boxuan, Zhou Qingchen, and Zhao Yuanqi did not have the ability to kill Han Lu on their own. Only he, Lu Lingchan, Pang Jian, and Zhuang Yuyan were capable of killing Han Lu.

    He silently ruled out Lu Lingchan and Pang Jian before finally turning to Zhuang Yuyan.

    "Senior Sister Zhuang, was it you?"

 Chapter 283: Mutual Suspicion

    <h4>Chapter 283: Mutual Suspicion</h4>

    Qi Qingsong''s expression was stern.

    Suspicious gazesnded on Zhuang Yuyan.

    Zhuang Yuyan had hidden in her room the whole time and no one knew what she was doing inside. She never got involved with anyone, even when the others were experiencing bizarre deaths.

    When Pang Jian found her, she was remarkably calm andposed.

    She was still the same now

    "Was it you?" Qi Qingsong asked again.

    The little bit of camaraderie they had built over drinks and food fell apart with this question.

    "My master is Guang He. He controls the distribution and allocation of all pills, spirit swords, and techniques in the Sword Pavilion," Zhuang Yuyan said with a serene smile. Smoothing the stray strands of hair from her forehead, she continued, "He has a peculiar temper and only has me as a disciple. So, when I decided to enter Absolute Heaven..."

    She paused, the corners of her mouth tugging up slightly as she looked at Qi Qingsong. "He gave me fifty thousand spirit jades.

    "I also have sixty thousand spirit jades of my own, making a total of one hundred and ten thousand spirit jades. I should have more than all of youbined."

    She gracefully descended to the deck.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Her pale green protective shield expanded tenfold to envelop arge portion of the deck.

    Sparkling spirit jades instantly filled that space.

    "The other things in my spatial bracelet aren''t for show, but here you can see my spirit jades." Zhuang Yuyan stood among the mountains of spirit jade and nced at everyone on the balcony. "Do you still think I would target Junior Brother Han for those few spirit jades?"

    "One hundred and ten thousand spirit jades!" Zhou Qingchen licked his lips in shock. "Pang Jian, the two of us are pauperspared to the inner disciples of the Second World sects."

    Pang Jian gently nodded.

    <i>My spirit jades would exceed hers if not for the spirit vein on the Resolute Expanse</i>, he thought.

    Zhuang Yuyan''s fortune outmatched even Lu Lingchan from the ck Valley Sect.

    "It seems you have nothing to do with it," Lu Lingchan admitted with a nod.

    "Inner disciples and personal disciples of the Sword Pavilion and the ck Valley Sect in the Second World..." Zhao Yuanqi muttered.

    She realized she should have thought of a way to reach the Second World instead of bitterly cultivating in the Red Mountain Sect.

    No matter how highly the Red Mountain Sect regarded her, its foundation and wealth could not match that of Lu Lingchan or Zhuang Yuyan''s masters.

    Spirit jades were a symbol of wealth in the cultivation world, and allowed one to purchase high-grade spirit artifacts and even sacred artifacts!

    She felt a twinge of envy.

    "Junior Brother Qi, do you still think it was me?" Zhuang Yuyan asked again.

    Qi Qingsong chuckled awkwardly and shook his head with an apologetic expression. "I misunderstood you, Senior Sister Zhuang."

    Zhuang Yuyan had more spirit jades than Lu Lingchan. It was enough for her tost for decades in the bizarre mist.

    No wonder she was not even the slightest bit anxious.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The mountains of spirit stones were collected back into her spatial bracelet and Zhuang Yuyan returned to the third-floor balcony.

    "Beforeing here, my master instructed me to maintain my Profound Abode Realm cultivation realm before entering this bizarre mist.

    "Once inside, I could attempt to break through, regardless of whether I reached Absolute Heaven.

    "As for why I''m staying in my room..."

    She pulled a silver wine jug and cup from the middle of the group toward her and filled the cup with wine.

    Taking a small sip, she continued, "Before entering the bizarre mist, I hid in my room to suppress my breakthrough to avoid identally advancing to the Spirit Condensation Realm."

    Everyone''s eyes were filled with astonishment.

    "Junior Brother Pang, I didn''te out to greet you because I feared any fluctuation in my state of mind would force me to start refining my divine soul."

    Zhuang Yuyan turned the cup upside down to show she had done her penance. "Forcing myself to suppress a breakthrough is actually quite exhausting."

    Pang Jian immediately understood.

    "When the Sword Boat plunged into the bizarre mist, I immediately advanced to the Spirit Condensation Realm," she said softly. "I had little time to pay attention to the outside world while refining my soul, much less sneak into the ship''s hold to kill Junior Brother Han for a few spirit jades."

    Fang Boxuan was shocked. "You''re in the Spirit Condensation Realm?"

    Zhuang Yuyan nodded with a smile.

    Everyone was astounded.

    While they were lost and despairing in the bizarre mist, Zhuang Yuyan had been seizing the opportunity to advance to the Spirit Condensation Realm!

    This meant her cultivation now surpassed everyone here!

    No one present would be a match for her unless they possessed a powerful treasure that could bridge the gap between realms.

    Pang Jian also inwardly praised her.

    Lu Lingchan, Qi Qingsong, and the Sword Pavilion''s Zhuang Yuyan¡ªnone of them were simple characters.

    The Second World talents were indeed much stronger in all aspects whenpared to Yang Rui of the Radiant Sun Sect and Xie Xiwen of the Star River Alliance.

    Zhou Qingchen chuckled softly. "The pressure is really on now."

    "You''re still alive, and plenty who were stronger than you have already died," Pang Jian consoled.

    "That''s true!" Zhou Qingchen felt slightly better.

    "So who''s behind this treachery then?" Guo Hongyuan''s suspicious gaze shifted back to Pang Jian, Zhao Yuanqi, and Dong Tianze. "Senior Brother Han died in the ship''s hold, and the spirit jades and spatial bracelet that should have been there are missing."

    Lu Lingchan''s eyes swept across the group before finallynding on Pang Jian. "Your golden divine sense from before looked rather peculiar. Perhaps..."

    She left her sentence unfinished.

    "Pang Jian was with me in the room. He never left my sight!" Zhou Qingchen shouted.

    "You two have a deep brotherly bond and you might be covering for him," Lu Lingchan replied coldly. "The deceased had considerable strength andbat prowess, but there aren''t many on the Sword Boat who can kill Han Lu in the chaos.

    "Pang Jian killed someone in the Spirit Condensation Realm back in the Primordial Wilderness, so it''s reasonable to be suspicious of him.

    "I suggest that we"¡ªshe nced at Qi Qingsong and Zhuang Yuyan¡ª"check Pang Jian''s and Zhou Qingchen''s spatial bracelets!"

    "You''re right, Pang Jian''s suspicious."

    "He''s too close to Zhou Qingchen. Their spatial bracelets need to be checked."

    Ye Fei and Lu Lianchen from the ck Valley Sect agreed.

    "I''m also close to Pang Jian. Should my spatial bracelet be checked as well? After all, I could also be covering for him, couldn''t I?" Qi Qingsong smirked sarcastically.

    Ye Fei and Lu Lianchen fell silent.

    Lu Lingchan nodded. "It wouldn''t hurt to check yours as well. Just because you''re the leader doesn''t mean you''re innocent. I''ve seen people cry wolf before. Who knows if you killed Han Lu and then pretended to lead others to the ship''s hold as a cover?"

    In Lu Lingchan''s eyes, the only ones who could have killed Han Lu were herself, Zhuang Yuyan, Pang Jian, and Qi Qingsong.

    She had not done it, and Zhuang Yuyan had more spirit stones than she could need, so Pang Jian and Qi Qingsong were the most likely suspects.

    "We didn''t do it, so we''re not afraid of having our spatial bracelets checked!" Zhou Qingchen said firmly, removing his spatial bracelet and preparing to take out all its contents to prove his innocence.

    Pang Jian frowned and stopped Zhou Qingchen from proceeding further. "Big Brother Zhou, we didn''t do it. There''s no need for this. I don''t understand why you''re insisting on finding the culprit. Now that we know about it, we just need to be more cautious. Even if we drag them out and kill them, it won''t change the fact that we can''t escape the bizarre mist."

    "I''m afraid they''ll continue killing," Ye Fei said bluntly.

    "They won''t get another chance as long as everyone stays on this balcony and doesn''t leave," Fang Boxuan suggested.

    "Wait! I remember something!" Zhuang Yuyan eximed. "I sensed someone entering the ship''s hold. At the time, I had just seeded in refining my divine soul, so I didn''t pay it much attention.

    "Later, I was busy stabilizing my cultivation realm and didn''t keep an eye on it. When this person went to the ship''s hold, the two outer disciples from the Sword Pavilion were fighting to the death on the deck, drawing everyone''s attention."

    Zhuang Yuyan nced from the balcony down to the deck, expression turning increasingly grave.

    "That person entered the hold from the Sword Boat''s deck. Pang Jian and Qi Qingsong were both in their room on the third floor at the time.

    "There''s someone..." She took a deep breath, eyes filling with dread. "That someone who should be among those living dead! They haven''t lost hope and still harbor a strong desire to survive. If I''m not mistaken, they''re pretending to be like those living dead and are just sitting there on the deck below.

    "They should be an outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion or the ck Valley Sect. Not only are they strong, but they''re also extremely sinister and terrifying."

    Her words sent chills down everyone''s spine.

    Fearful and uneasy gazes fell upon the stiff, motionless bodies with vacant expressions on the deck below.

    If Zhuang Yuyan was telling the truth and someone had indeed snuck into the Sword Boat''s hold and killed Han Lu while the two Sword Pavilion disciples were fighting, then that person was likely to be hiding among the living dead.

    After all, no one had ever truly left the Sword Boat.

    The thought of such a cunning person lurking in the shadows, waiting for the chance to kill and seize everyone''s spirit jades, left everyone feeling uneasy.

    Ye Fei stood on the balcony and shouted coldly at the living dead below, "Luo Yuan! Is it you? Did you change your appearance to blend in with them?"

    "Luo Yuan?"

    Everyone recalled his earlier words about an outer disciple from the Sword Pavilion with one hundred and twenty-eight strands of divine sense.

    They all grew suspicious.

    If such a person did exist, he was likely an extraordinary talent.

    Neither Qi Qingsong nor Nie You had heard of this person. He was also not known within the Sword Pavilion and held the status of an outer disciple, which fit the likely characteristics of the killer.

 Chapter 284: The Culprit

    <h4>Chapter 284: The Culprit</h4>

    When none of the dozen or so living dead responded, Ye Fei shouted again, "Luo Yuan, I know it''s you! I can''t think of anyone from our ck Valley Sect or your Sword Pavilion with such strength and methods!"

    "If this Luo Yuan exists, then it must be him!" Fang Boxuan agreed.

    "Luo Yuan, an outer disciple from the Sword Pavilion..." Lu Lingchan''s bamboo flute hummed as she said with cold defiance, "I''d like to see what makes someone with more divine sense than me so extraordinary!"

    The others also stared intently below, scanning the faces of the living dead as they tried to identify the hidden culprit.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian rubbed his temples and quietly shook his head, feeling like he was suffering from an unexpected disaster.

    <i>The murderer is hiding among the living dead...</i>

    He summoned his golden divine sense out of his sea of consciousness and into his eyes.

    Pang Jian examined each living dead with his golden eyes, studying their facial expressions and body to see if he could identify the hidden culprit.

    Even after a careful round of scrutinization, he found nothing unusual.

    There were sixteen living dead, and their expressions, eyes, breathing, and movements were almost identical.

    Unfortunately, Pang Jian''s golden eyes could not prate their sea of consciousness to see their thoughts.

    "This person is dangerous. Everyone must be careful," Qi Qingsong cautioned as he summoned his Blue Dream Sword.

    He was contemting whether or not to use his recentlyprehended Dream Sword Technique to probe their minds with an enchanting dreamscape.

    "I''ll find him!" Dong Tianze suddenly shouted, leaping down and summoning his Ghost''s Cry. "The Sinister Soul Temple technique I practice includes a secret art that allows me to perceive the minds of others and probe their thoughts. Normally, the target must bepletely restrained to cast it, but with their current state that''s not an issue.

    "I''ll test them one by one. If anyone resists, they''re the culprit. I can also see the true thoughts of those who don''t resist and confirm they''ve truly lost all hope."

    Everyone''s eyes brightened.

    The rest of them descended from the balcony and spread around Dong Tianze on the deck.

    "Dong Tianze, will your secret art destroy their sea of consciousness?" Qi Qingsong asked seriously.

    Out of the sixteen, nine were from the Sword Pavilion and he feared they would end up losing their souls if Dong Tianze performed his secret art.

    As the leader of the Sword Pavilion expedition, he felt responsible for protecting the survivors and preserving their lives.

    Dong Tianze shook his head. "No, it won''t."

    Qi Qingsong rxed.

    "Alright then, go ahead and cast your secret art. We''ll cover you!" Qi Qingsong said with fierce eyes. "I also want to see if this Luo Yuan is hiding among the living dead."

    Zhuang Yuyan added, "Go ahead. Such a person is truly terrifying. It''s best to root him out as soon as possible for everyone''s sake."

    "Pang Jian, do you also think someone is hiding among them?" Zhou Qingchen asked uneasily, having stuck close to Pang Jian after descending from the balcony. "What kind of person could be vicious enough to disguise themselves as one of the living dead? What''s he nning?"

    "He wants to survive alone by seizing everyone''s spirit jades and prolonging his life as much as possible," Pang Jian replied, maintaining his vignce. "If this person truly exists, he''ll surely try to kill us all."

    Earlier, he had not been overly concerned about finding the culprit.

    But Zhuang Yuyan''s analysis had sent a chill running down his spine.

    A person cunning enough to hide among the living dead was too dangerous to let lie!

    No one could predict what he would do next if they did not deal with him.

    "You''ll be the first," Dong Tianze said, pointing his Ghost''s Cry at the forehead of one of the living dead.

    The living dead was an elderly outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion in blue robes. He sat hunched over his spirit sword, which rested on his crossed legs.

    The sword''s de was bright and clear like spring water was flowing through it.

    His eyes were tightly shut with spirit jades in both palms and his entire body was enveloped in a watery-blue glow.

    "Soul Search," Dong Tianze shouted coldly.

    The holes on the de of Ghost''s Cry let out a piercing screech as wisps of greenish-gray shadows flew out, passing through the disciple''s protective shield tond on his ears, the corner of his eyes, and forehead.

    As the others observed, they noticed the wisps of greenish-gray shadows clinging to the disciple''s skin as if listening to something.

    The process onlysted for a few breaths.

    Sweat beaded on Dong Tianze''s face as he performed the secret art. His breathing grew heavy and his eyes widened in shock.

    He hurriedly retracted the shadows, looking somewhat disheveled.

    "It''s not him."

    Dong Tianze shook his head as his face paled.

    "What did you sense?" Pang Jian curiously asked.

    "A dead silence." Dong Tianze took a deep breath,plexion ashen as he said gravely, "His thoughts arepletely stagnant. There''s just a despair so overwhelming it started to affect me!"

    Dong Tianze was shaken to the core,

    "I¡ªmy willpower was being worn down. I feltpelled to give up all hope like him, to sit there lifelessly just waiting for death to arrive! I would''ve ended up like him if I hadn''t snapped out of it in time."

    With that, Dong Tianze took a Mind Soothing Pill and tried to gather himself.

    "Ended up like him?"

    Everyone''s expressions became uneasy after hearing Dong Tianze''s words.

    "Let me rest for a moment." Dong Tianze closed his eyes to meditate, looking like he was trying to emerge from a terrible nightmare.

    After some time, he regained hisposure and moved on to the next person.

    Wisps of greenish-gray shadows once again flew out from the holes on the de of Ghost''s Cry, passed through the protective shield of a ck Valley Sect disciple, and clung to their forehead, eyes, and ears.

    The greenish-gray shadows seemed like little ghosts, listening closely to the person''s innermost thoughts and sensing their consciousness.

    Soon, Dong Tianze''s forehead was again covered in cold sweat and his face paled as he exhausted his mental strength.

    "This one isn''t it either!" he muttered through gritted teeth.

    As he prepared to retract the shadows, Dong Tianze realized they had been tainted by the aura of dead silence in the other person''s mind.

    He panted like his soul had been injured. "I''ll need a longer break this time!"

    "Are you alright?" Pang Jian asked quietly.

    Dong Tianze opened his eyes, nced at Pang Jian, and shook his head.

    "I''m fine, it''s just exhausting," he said. "Just because they have a protective shield doesn''t mean they''re safe. Something seems to have infiltrated their soul after they lost hope.

    "Their state as living dead isn''t a natural progression. I suspect some external force is at y."

    Everyone was shocked.

    Unease flickered in Zhuang Yuyan''s eyes. "Are you saying we haven''t been affected because our willpower is strong enough? Because we haven''t given up hope?"

    The Sword Boat could be stuck in the bizarre mist for a long time.

    Even those with strong willpower would eventually lose hope.

    Once the me of hope in their hearts went out, this unknown force would prate their protective shield and eat away at their souls.

    If that happened, the shadow of death would loom over them all.

    Even Zhuang Yuyan could not confidently say she would still hold hope for being saved after a few years or decades.

    "That''s right." Dong Tianze nodded, taking a Soul Nourishing Pill to restore his mental strength.

    Probing the thoughts of the two people had drained him and left him with the urge to give up like them.

    If that thought were to take root, Dong Tianze felt he, too, would be one of the living dead.

    Pang Jian nced at an elderly female disciple from the ck Valley Sect and asked, "What''s her name and cultivation realm?"

    "Her name is Xu Jie, an outer disciple. She''s in thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm." answered Lu Lianchen, the outer disciple of the ck Valley Sect, as he approached the elderly female disciple, "She''s over a hundred years old, the oldest among us, and has the worst cultivation talent."

    Xu Jie''s hands were covered in wrinkled skin like chicken skin and her face bore deep wrinkles. It was rare for a disciple in the Second World to be a hundred years old and still in the Profound Abode Realm.

    "What''s wrong with her?" Lu Lingchan also approached, carefully observing Xu Jie with a confused look on her face.

    She knew nothing about Xu Jie and had not paid much attention to her before Pang Jian pointed her out.

    As a personal disciple of the Valley Master, Lu Lingchan stood far above the least talented outer disciple, Xu Jie, and there was a natural divide between their statuses.

    "Did you notice something?" Zhuang Yuyan asked softly, leaning closer to Pang Jian.

    Her eyes roamed his face as if seeing through his thoughts.

    <i>This Junior Brother is quite handsome. He''s much more manly than the slick andidback Qi Qingsong.</i> she thought, lips curling into a faint smile.

    "Pang Jian, what''s going on?"

    "Is it her?"

    Qi Qingsong and Fang Boxuan asked.

    Zhao Yuanqi hesitated, then took therge red gourd off her back and prepared herself in advance.

    <i>Zhou Qingchen, my gourd can suck you in. If things go awry, remember not to resist when I aim the mouth of the gourd at you, </i>she whispered mentally using a secret technique of the Red Mountain Sect.

    Zhou Qingchen nced at her with a strange expression.

    <i>There are almost a dozen people here, all on high alert. How much trouble could one hidden troublemaker be? </i>he thought. <i>Not to mention, we also have Zhuang Yuyan, a Spirit Condensation Realm cultivator!</i>

    Zhou Qingchen felt Zhao Yuanqi was making a mountain out of a molehill.

    Pang Jian did not answer their questions. Instead, he turned to Dong Tianze and said seriously, "Probe her thoughts next."

    "Alright." Dong Tianze agreed without hesitation. Then, after a moment, he said, "Actually, I don''t think there''s a need to keep probing. These people are practically already dead and are beyond saving. We should just start killing them. Pang Jian, if you suspect her, I''ll kill her for you."

    The ruthless Dong Tianze then grabbed his Ghost''s Cry and prepared to strike, unconcerned about whether the person was the hidden culprit.

    Qi Qingsong''s expression changed. "No!"

    "She has a heartbeat, knows to summon a protective shield for protection, and is still absorbing the spiritual power from spirit jades." Lu Lingchan quickly added. "She''s clearly alive. How could you just kill her?

    "Pang Jian, why do you suspect her? If there''s no concrete evidence, have Dong Tianze probe her thoughts first! You can''t just kill her without proof!"

    Although Xu Jie''s cultivation talent was poor, she was still a disciple of the ck Valley Sect. As the leader of the ck Valley Sect''s expedition party, Lu Lingchan felt it was her responsibility to protect any of her surviving sect members.

    Dong Tianze scoffed coldly. "The living dead can''te back. Their self-awareness and consciousness have already been worn away."

    "Are you saying they''ve lost their self-awareness?" Pang Jian asked.

    "That''s right."

    Pang Jian nodded. "I understand."

    His Startling ughter Spear shot toward the elderly Xu Jie without warning!

    The spear''s tip shone dazzlingly!

    Earthme, cold, sr, lunar, and ster energy were forcibly fused at the tip of the spear, erupting and shing violently upon contact with Xu Jie.

    The brilliant spear light, unleashed through the Chaos Sword Technique, shattered Xu Jie''s protective shield.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Xu Jie vanished.

    She was now on the third-floor balcony of the Sword Boat!

    Her long fingernails, sharp as des, shed at her face and body before peeling away her skin.

    From her body emerged a tiny figure covered in blood.

    A person had been hiding in Xu Jie''s skin all along and was now revealing his true appearance.

    <i>Crack! Crack!</i>

    The person''s joints popped and his body grew as his appearance changed.

    Soon, a young man with a sallow face stood before everyone.

    "I knew it! It''s Luo Yuan!" Ye Fei shouted in shock as he pointed at the figure on the balcony. "He''s the outer disciple from the Sword Pavilion! He appeared in Cloud Lightning! He''s Luo Yuan!"

    Pang Jian''s mind was in turmoil and his consciousness seemed to blur. He felt utterly confused.

    The person looked exactly like the face he had taken on in Cloud Lightning!

    "This..." Dong Tianze was also dumbfounded.

    This Sword Pavilion disciple was the same person who had once traded with him using the Ghost Altar¡ªPang Jian''s other face!

    <i>If this is Luo Yuan, then who was Pang Jian?</i>

    Dong Tianze''s perplexed gaze darted between the man on the third-floor balcony and Pang Jian''s face. Although he wanted to ask Pang Jian what was happening, he had enough awareness to hold back.

    "You''re right, I''m Luo Yuan," the man calmly admitted.

 Chapter 285: "Luo Yuan"

    <h4>Chapter 285: "Luo Yuan"</h4>

    Chapter 285: "Luo Yuan"

    Pang Jian frowned as he tried to figure out what was happening.

    He had known something was off with Xu Jie because he had sensed an abnormal vitality within Xu Jie''s body through the Leaves of Life.

    The person upying Xu Jie''s body had an exceptionally strong life force. Although it had been suppressed and concealed, traces of it had leaked out when Dong Tianze used his secret art on the second living dead.

    The others had not been able to perceive the brief ring of this person''s life force, but Pang Jian was acutely aware of it due to his Leaves of Life.

    Thus, he had known something was amiss.

    However, Pang Jian could never have imagined the culprit would take on Pang Jian''s appearance from Cloud Lightning after shedding Xu Jie''s skin.

    Worse still, he imed to be Luo Yuan.

    <i>Either he was also in Cloud Lightning and saw what I looked like as Luo Yuan, or he peered into Ye Fei''s thoughts!</i>

    <i>He probably has a technique simr to the Grand Providence Sacred Body! His mastery is also more advanced than mine, allowing him to change his entire body in the blink of an eye.</i>

    Pang Jian tightened his grip on his silver spear.

    The guy iming to be Luo Yuan was clearly cunning and would undoubtedly be a formidable opponent.

    "Luo Yuan, so it was you all along!" Ye Fei shouted.

    The man standing on the third-floor balcony of the Sword Boat nodded. "It was."

    It was like the man had teleported in the split second that his protective shield shattered. No one saw how he moved from the deck to the third-floor balcony of the Sword Boat.

    "I didn''t expect anyone to guess it was me or know I was hiding among the living dead." The imposter shook his head with a wry smile, eyes shing with a hint of surprise. Despite this, he did not seem at all nervous.

    Although his identity had been exposed to the group of almost a dozen cultivators on the deck, he remained incrediblyposed.

    He wore ck clothing, with blood dripping from his neck and exposed arms, and his face was unmistakably the same as Luo Yuan from Cloud Lightning.

    <i>Hiss!</i>

    Xu Jie''s skin at his feet dissolved into faint smoke and merged with the bizarre mist.

    "Luo Yuan, you''re a disciple of our Sword Pavilion, yet you possessed our Senior Sister Xu''s body and murdered your fellow disciples. Are you aware of the consequences?" Lu Lingchan coldly questioned.

    "Consequences?" The man mocked, a mix of amused and contemptuous. "What consequences? None of you are my match. I may be the culprit you''re looking for, but what can you do about it?"

    "He thinks he can act arrogantly just because he condensed one hundred and twenty-eight strands of divine sense?" Zhou Qingchen muttered.

    Fang Boxuan''s face twisted into a bitter expression. "He has every reason to be that arrogant if he truly thinks he can kill everyone here. After all, no one will ever know what he''s done."

    "Indeed, no one would ever know if he were to kill everyone, leave the bizarre mist, and return to the Abyss," Zhao Yuanqi agreed.

    "This man..." Pang Jian hesitated.

    Exposing "Luo Yuan''s" identity as fake would not make much difference.

    The culprit was likely doing it on a whim, and given what he had done, it frankly did not matter who he imed to be.

    "Pang Jian, how did you know it''s me?" the man asked, peering down at Pang Jian from the third-floor balcony with interest. "The sword technique you unleash with your spear¡ªI''ve never heard or seen anything like it. That sword technique is truly terrifying. I wouldn''t have dared to face it head-on with Xu Jie''s body."

    The man''s expression grew serious as he regarded Pang Jian with the highest level of caution.

    "He''s not one of our Sword Pavilion disciples!" Qi Qingsong snorted. "A Sword Pavilion disciple would never hide inside a ck Valley Sect disciple! Besides, we''ve never even heard of Luo Yuan before. He must''ve killed one of our disciples and taken their sword token to impersonate us!"

    "I don''t care who he is. All I know is he killed a disciple from the ck Valley Sect!" Lu Lingchan flew toward the third-floor balcony, the first tounch an attack.

    She wanted to eliminate as soon as possible and remove any potential threat to everyone.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    She tossed out her bamboo flute, which released golden, ck, dark green, and azure lights from its holes. Waves of soul-crushing sound reverberated outward to envelop the entire third-floor balcony.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A magnificent light coalesced above the balcony.

    Faint, ethereal mist surrounded the strange, luminous space, with graceful celestial maidens and demonesses ying zithers, flutes, or dancing and singing appearing within.

    A surreal scene unfolded in the gray sky of the bizarre mist.

    Celestial maidens yed musical instruments and demonesses sang and danced in perfect harmony.

    Lu Lingchan had crafted a splendid little world with her bamboo flute, intending to pull "Luo Yuan" into the enchanting scene.

    Celestial melodies lingered gracefully in the air, while demonic shadows flickered. Auspicious beasts gradually came into existence and a multicolored celestialnd was created.

    "Luo Yuan" looked up to see Lu Lingchan, with her jade-like skin and ethereal grace, seated atop the multicolored celestialnd like an empress.

    Her elegance was unparalleled with an otherworldly aura like that of an immortal. Each of her movements appeared tomand the celestial maidens, demonesses, and auspicious beasts.

    "Lu Lingchan..." Fang Boxuan looked on with a face full of longing.

    The grace of his nominal fianc¨¦e moved his heart deeply. Her aura stirred such awe within him that he felt a sense of unworthiness.

    "I really am unworthy of her. Ick her status and position, and I certainly don''t have her astonishing talent. She''s destined to transcend the Second World and shine brilliantly throughout the Abyss."

    Fang Boxuan was filled with mncholy.

    "Junior Brother, as fellow personal disciples, what do you think of Lu Lingchan?" Zhuang Yuyan asked Pang Jian with a smile. "You''re both around the same age. She''s about to advance to the Spirit Condensation Realm. There''s going to be an inter-sectpetition in the future. Do you think you can beat her?"

    Pang Jian was taken aback. "An inter-sectpetition?"

    "It''ll be inner disciples versus inner disciples. And you, as a personal disciple of the Pavilion Master, will naturally go against her, a personal disciple of the ck Valley Sect''s Valley Master," Zhuang Yuyan exined with a smile.

    "That''s thinking too far ahead. Let''s focus on surviving and getting out of this bizarre mist first," Pang Jian said solemnly.

    Zhuang Yuyan fell silent, brows shadowed with gloom once more.

    Indeed, the oue between Lu Lingchan and "Luo Yuan" would not change their predicament.

    They would all die here if they could not escape the bizarre mist. Any talk of inter-sectpetitions or trials before that was meaningless.

    "The Ascension Flute and the Celestial Ascension Domain. Haha." The imposter threw his head back andughed.

    He seemed to recognize Lu Lingchan''s bamboo flute and its associated technique.

    Lu Lingchan lifted her hand.

    "Rise!"

    A mighty force surged around "Luo Yuan," as if a celestial being had seized him and was attempting to pull him into the otherworldly domain.

    "Luo Yuan" was lifted from the third-floor balcony as he was drawn into another world.

    "This is the power of a sacred artifact!"

    "The Ascension Flute!"

    Guo Hongyuan and Lu Lianchen shouted in awe.

    No matter how sinister and evil "Luo Yuan" was, they could not help but be confident in his defeat after Lu Lingchan unleashed the Ascension Flute''s Celestial Ascension Domain.

    She was a personal disciple of the ck Valley Sect''s Valley Master and was wielding a sacred artifact, the Ascension Flute. They were certain "Luo Yuan" could not counter it.

    "The Ascension Flute? Did this spectacle ur when a True God ascended?" Zhou Qingchen wondered aloud.

    "Legend has it that once, when a certain True God tried to break through the Abyss, they witnessed celestial maidens and demonesses weing them in harmony," Zhuang Yuyan exined seriously, smile vanishing. "That True God ultimately failed. Shortly after witnessing that scene, they were struck by lightning.

    "They fell from the sky and, after hastily leaving behind some insights as to their experiences, their divine soul was annihted."

    "So, the Ascension Flute''s Celestial Ascension Domain is actually an ill omen," Pang Jian said, souring Zhuang Yuyan''s mood once again.

    "Lu Lingchan, remember to leave him alive. We''ll let Dong Tianze probe his thoughts. I''m certain he''s not a disciple of our Sword Pavilion!" Qi Qingsong called.

    Qi Qingsong''s anxiety and fear had stemmed from not knowing who the enemy was or where they were hiding

    Now that they had identified and dragged their enemy out from the shadows, he was no longer worried.

    Besides, he believed in Lu Lingchan''s strength!

    "The Celestial Ascension Domain? Heh, did no one tell you what happens to those who witness this scene?" The imposter chuckled, unconcerned.

    The man remained hisposure even as he was being pulled into the misty, otherworldly domain.

    As he spoke, he pulled an ordinary spirit sword from his spatial bracelet and shook it in his hand.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Bolts of lightning emerged from the spirit sword in his left hand.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The sky was filled with thunder and lightning, shattering the magnificent little world Lu Lingchan had created with her Ascension Flute.

    As his left hand wielded the spirit sword, the man clenched his right hand like a hammer and struck at Lu Lingchan with the force of a god splitting the heavens.

    Lu Lingchan''s protective shield shattered.

    The man''s fist, wrapped in boundless blood energy and interspersed with lightning, crashed down like a meteor from the sky, smashing into Lu Lingchan''s hastily resummoned protective shield.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Her protective shield was destroyed yet again.

    Lu Lingchan let out a muffled groan as the man''s punch sent her hurtling through the air, smashing through the roof of the Sword Boat, and crashing into the room below.

    "This is a cursed object. You call this a sacred artifact?" The man sneered disdainfully, returning to the deck with Lu Lingchan''s Ascension Flute in hand.

    With a clench of his fist, he crushed the Ascension Flute, breaking it into pieces.

    The sacred artifact had been destroyed.

    He shook his head. "That Ye kid told her my divine sense count is higher than her, but she didn''t believe him."

 Chapter 286: Death Follows the Shattered Flute

    <h4>Chapter 286: Death Follows the Shattered Flute</h4>

    "The sacred artifact, the Ascension Flute, was destroyed just like that?" Zhou Qingchen''s face was filled with disbelief.

    Ye Fei, Lu Lianchen, and Guo Hongyuan were also shocked.

    Lu Lingchan had been defeated and her sacred artifact shattered into pieces. This was a stark contrast to what they had imagined.

    "Luo Yuan''s" methods andbat prowess caused everybody to suspect something was amiss.

    Pang Jian said softly, "Big Brother Zhou, be careful."

    "Got it!" Zhou Qingchen focused his mind and activated the Divine Origin Pearl to form an additional sturdy barrier within his body.

    Qi Qingsong''s expression was grave. "Who are you?"

    "Didn''t I tell you already?" The man replied calmly. "I''m Luo Yuan, an outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion."

    He cupped his hands at Qi Qingsong with a rxed air.

    "Senior Brother Qi, just because you haven''t seen me doesn''t mean I don''t exist. There are so many outer disciples in our Sword Pavilion. It''s normal for you not to know me."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The man vanished from the third-floor balcony.

    "Ah!" Lu Lingchan''s scream echoed from a room on the third floor of the Sword Boat before abruptly stopping.

    The man reappeared on the third-floor balcony with Lu Lingchan''s spatial bracelet in hand, nodding in satisfaction. "Seventy or eighty thousand spirit jades, not bad."

    Lu Lingchan, the cherished personal disciple of the ck Valley Sect''s Valley Master, had met a tragic end.

    The peerless genius had died so suddenly and in such an undignified manner.

    "Junior Sister Lu!"

    "Junior Sister Lu!"

    Ye Fei and Lu Lianchen screamed in horror.

    As a personal disciple of the ck Valley Sect''s Valley Master, Lu Lingchan held supreme status in the ck Valley Sect. She did not even give face to some elders.

    She had refined one hundred and twenty-four strands of divine sense while in the Profound Abode Realm, indicating her limitless potential.

    Most expected her to at least reach the Immortal Realm at the end of her cultivation journey, provided she did not meet an untimely end.

    She even had the potential to reach godhood!

    Her talent and potential vastly overshadowed Qi Qingsong, Zhuang Yuyan, Wu Yuan of the Demon Sect, and Jiang Chao of the Celestial Lagoon Sect.

    Unfortunately, she had been killed in the bizarre mist before even reaching Absolute Heaven.

    As fellow members of the ck Valley Sect, Ye Fei and Lu Lianchen could not ept what had just happened.

    "Who would have thought..." Fang Boxuan''s expression became unreadable.

    His nominal fianc¨¦e had been killed so casually. Everything about her surpassed Fang Boxuan¡ªher status, position, talent, and even the sacred artifact in her possession¡ªbut she still died in such an undignified way.

    Fang Boxuan was filled with emotion. "The struggles between ns and the favor of sects are all insignificant."

    Personal strength was the true determinant of one''s fate and allowed one to survive in the brutal cultivation world.

    "Junior Brother Qi, this person is not going to be easy to deal with!" Zhuang Yuyan warned, no longer daring to be careless.

    Although she had sessfully reached the Spirit Condensation Realm, she could not discern the cultivation realm of "Luo Yuan," nor understand his power.

    Lu Lingchan had been in thete-stage Profound Abode Realm and wielded the ck Valley Sect''s sacred artifact, the Ascension Flute.

    However, this man had killed her in a single move. Lu Lingchanhad not even been able to put up a decent fight.

    Zhuang Yuyan was instantly cautious.

    "Don''t worry, I know what to do!" Qi Qingsong slowed his breathing, gradually calming his mind until he felt like he could drift into a dream at any moment.

    "The only reason I have for killing all of you is to seize your spirit jades," the man said offhandedly. "If you''re willing to put down your spirit jades, throw your spirit artifacts on the deck, and leave this Sword Boat, I''m more than happy to let you go."

    The imposter raised the spirit sword he had taken from a Sword Pavilion disciple, pointed it at Zhuang Yuyan, and smiled.

    "Let''s start with you. You have the most spirit jades, so you''re up first."

    Zhuang Yuyan''s face turned cold. "Why are you so confident that you can defeat all of us here?"

    The man''s smile did not falter. "I''ll give you an incense stick''s time to think it over. You can attack me or you can leave. Of course, I would advise you to put down your belongings and set an example by leaving."

    He then took out an incense stick, lit it, and ced it on the third-floor balcony.

    Wisps of blue smoke rose from the incense stick, winding around his sallow face, giving him a somewhat ethereal look.

    Dong Tianze shot a puzzled look at Pang Jian. "What''s going on with him?"

    At that moment, Pang Jian abruptly recalled how he had traded with Dong Tianze using the Ghost Alter while in Misty Swamp under the guise of a sallow-faced youth.

    Dong Tianze had also seen his disguised appearance.

    "He''s not Luo Yuan," Pang Jian said simply. The long spear in Pang Jian''s hand emitted a sharp crimson sword light as he called out, "Senior Sister Zhuang!"

    Zhuang Yuyan turned to face Pang Jian.

    "I''ll attack first. Cover me."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian transformed into a streak of crimson sword light as he rushed toward the man on the third-floor balcony.

    "Junior Brother Pang, be careful!" Zhuang Yuyan shouted, eyes lighting up.

    While she had been hesitating, Pang Jian had been preparing to make his move!

    Pang Jian still dared to attack "Luo Yuan" even after Lu Lingchan''s death,

    His tremendous courage truly moved Zhuang Yuyan!

    Even she had felt hesitant and had considered leaving the Sword Boat.

    The man produced a square seal to counter the iing spear.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Glittering icebergs appeared before Pang Jian one after another. His Startling ughter Spear shattered the icebergs as it pushed forward, but its speed slowed.

    The icebergs were not formed from spiritual power but were tangible entities that exuded frosty auras and contained extremely cold beams of light!

    When the icebergs shattered and fell to the ground, they would fuse back together to form a new iceberg.

    Pang Jian''s attack was stopped with the destruction of six icebergs and he found himself surrounded by more bright icebergs in mid-air.

    It was as if he had been transported to a frigid ice field.

    "Pang Jian!" Qi Qingsong shot toward the balcony.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A brilliant, kaleidoscopic river of stars trailed behind a spirit sword radiating a dazzling azure light.

    Those gazing upon this dreamlike starry river felt like they were floating in clouds of dreams.

    Qi Qingsong joined forces with Pang Jian.

    "Senior Sister Zhuang, this man can teleport short distances. Protect everyone on the deck!" Qi Qingsong warned from within the dreamy river of stars.

    "Understood." A pair of long and short spirit swords flew out from Zhuang Yuyan''s sleeves to hover above the deck of the Sword Boat.

    The short sword paused before also shooting toward the balcony.

    "Heh!" The imposter snickered, shaking his head.

    The incense stick burning in front of him released a grayish-blue smoke that seemed to merge with the bizarre mist. The mix of bizarre mist and grayish-blue smoke enveloped his body, making him look like he was fading in and out of reality.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Three shadows appeared within the smoke.

    One swung a spirit sword, casually slicing through the air to create a burst of explosive lightning vortices.

    The second shook the square seal in his hand and created even more chilling icebergs.

    The third stood unmoving within the smoke, with dense grayish-blue mist continuously flowing from his eyes, nostrils, and ears.

    It was as though "Luo Yuan" had split into three.

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    The one wielding the spirit sword and creating lightning vortices shattered Qi Qingsong''s dreamy river of stars.

    The one with the square seal created a range of solid ice mountains to intercept Zhuang Yuyan''s short sword.

    Finally, the one within the grayish-blue smoke had his hands grow hundreds of times in size.

    He rubbed his hands in circr motions, conjuring a swirling vortex of smoke that spread outward and swallowed the still-surrounded Pang Jian.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The icebergs surrounding Pang Jian shot out one after another and rushed toward Zhuang Yuyan''s iing short sword from deep within the smoke.

    Pang Jian was left disoriented in the grayish-blue smoke. He could neither sense the imposter nor the Sword Boat.

    To those on the Sword Boat, it looked as though Pang Jian had vanished into the depths of the grayish-blue smoke andpletely disappeared.

    The man impersonating Luo Yuan appeared, his appearance subtly shifting in the swirling smoke. It was like he could barely keep his true appearance from being revealed.

    "Pang Jian, your spiritual sea is rather peculiar. You''ve also cultivated the powers of lightning and cold," the man remarked.

    "I cultivate the Dao of Lightning and the Dao of Cold because these two arepatible.

    "I can take either the Dao of Lightning or the Dao of Cold as my path to godhood, but that old Thunder Dragon has monopolized the Dao of Lightning, so my chances with that are slim.

    "Therefore, my true focus is on the Dao of Cold." Pang Jian coldly replied.

    "You''re cultivating so many different types of energy. Have you given up on ascending to godhood through a single Dao? You''re Li Zhaotian''s disciple, so it''s quite surprising you aren''t aiming for a single Dao on your path to godhood."

    Pang Jian was surprised. "You know Li Zhaotian?"

    "How dare you address your master by name?" The man snapped. "You''re his disciple, yet you show your master such disrespect. You have no manners at all.

    "Li Zhaotian is the number one Immortal Realm cultivator in the entire Abyss and is feared by even True Gods. They dread the day he''ll pierce the heavens when he ascends to godhood.

    "It seems you don''t realize how amazing your master is. When your master ascends to godhood, he''ll already be able to suppress some of the ancient True Gods," the imposter said reverently.

    "I just want to know who you are," Pang Jian said, summoning the Star Crushing Umbre and the Nine Suns Cauldron. "It''s true the energies I cultivate are quite diverse. I''d appreciate any guidance you can offer."

    "There''s no need to rush things. You''re not an easy opponent, so I''ll kill the others first."

    With that, the man vanished.

 Chapter 287: The Divine Kingdoms Warship

    <h4>Chapter 287: The Divine Kingdom''s Warship</h4>

    Pang Jian wanted to ask more questions, but he suddenly felt the world around him spinning.

    It felt like the gods were turning the vortex of grayish-blue smoke like a millstone, pulling him along in its rotation.

    The Star Crushing Umbre and the Nine Suns Cauldron spun out of control.

    Pang Jian and his spirit artifacts were involuntarily drawn toward the center of the grayish-blue smoke vortex.

    Within moments, he disappeared.

    ***

    Meanwhile, one of the "Luo Yuan" fakes appeared on the deck like a ghost.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    He targeted those with weaker cultivation realms and exploded the bodies of Guo Hongyuan, Lu Lianchen, and Ye Fei.

    A group of living dead, sitting motionless on the deck, also turned into a mist of blood.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Dong Tianze stood on the ck Iron Mountain, a massive shadow of the Celestial Phoenix materialized above him, exuding a noble majesty.

    Its feathers radiated divine light¡ªthe manifestation of overwhelming divine power¡ªand surrounded Dong Tianze''s stern figure.

    The fake "Luo Yuan"unched a punch that seemed capable of smashing through the sky toward the radiant feathers, but he failed to destroy them.

    "A Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard!" A look of surprise shed in the man''s eyes for the first time.

    When his gazended on Zhou Qingchen, Zhao Yuanqi hurriedly took off her wine gourd, aimed it at Zhou Qingchen, and called softly, "Junior Brother Zhou!"

    Zhou Qingchen looked shocked.

    "Cosmic Convergence!" Zhao Yuanqi cried.

    Zhou Qingchen transformed into a streak of rainbow light, which Zhao Yuanqi absorbed into the gourd.

    The silver-haired girl jumped onto her gourd, which carried her away into the endless bizarre mist beyond the Sword Boat.

    Pang Jian was still trapped in a swirling grayish-blue smoke vortex, and nobody knew whether he was even alive.

    Lu Lingchan, Ye Fei, Lu Lianchen, and the disciples of the ck Valley Sect had all been wiped out.

    The outer disciple Guo Hongyuan from the Sword Pavilion was also dead, leaving only Qi Qingsong and Zhuang Yuyan to struggle against their opponent.

    Even though Zhuang Yuyan was in the Spirit Condensation Realm, she could not seem to gain any advantage against the three fake "Luo Yuans."

    Zhao Yuanqi, seeing no hope to turn the tide, chose to flee with her junior brother.

    "How decisive." One of the "Luo Yuan" copies chuckled wryly.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The "Luo Yuan" manipting the icebergs floated down from the balcony and merged with the "Luo Yuan" on the deck, causing their aura to surge.

    Spikes of ice formed as lightning shed around him, creating an explosive zone of ice and lightning.

    "The Spirit Condensation Realm. Heh." The merged "Luo Yuans" smiled pleasantly at Zhuang Yuyan and shook his head. "You think you''re the only one at the Spirit Condensation Realm? I also advanced to the Spirit Condensation Realm after entering the bizarre mist.

    "You need time to stabilize your cultivation realm, and that kind of thing can''t happen overnight.

    "But I don''t."

    The pping thunder and ice explosions above him swelled as the area transformed into a terrifying death zone.

    "You''re a disciple of the Sword Pavilion, but the techniques you¡¯ve cultivated are rather mediocre. They''re hardly even worth mentioning," he sneered with a mocking smile.

    "Stop spouting nonsense!" Zhuang Yuyan snapped, reaching out to grab the short sword.

    The long sword darted above her head, leaving a brilliant river of mes in its wake.

    A bird''s cry and a beast''s roar sounded from her two swords.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    A Fiery Qilin and a dancing Vermillion Bird materialized in the river of mes above Zhuang Yuyan''s head and red at "Luo Yuan."

    "We''re all on the Sword Boat. I would''ve felt you advance to the Spirit Condensation Realm!" Zhuang Yuyan said coldly.

    "Who told you I was on the Sword Boat?" The man said scornfully, eyes filled with disdain. "With my abilities, I could''ve appeared on your Sword Boat while everything was in chaos. Nobody would''ve even noticed"

    "What?!" A chill ran down Zhuang Yuyan''s spine.

    Dong Tianze was also stunned. <i>Did this man not enter the bizarre mist with us? </i>

    A scene shed through his mind.

    Someone, like them, also drifting in the endless bizarre mist, unable to escape.

    Perhaps this person''s spirit stones and spirit jades had long been exhausted.

    Unexpectedly, he came across the Sword Boat and saw the survivors from the ck Valley Sect and the Sword Pavilion.

    He then used a secret technique to teleport onto the Sword Boat while the disciples of the Sword Pavilion and the ck Valley Sect had mental breakdowns and turned on each other.

    After that, he possessed Xu Jie''s body and secretly killed Han Lu in the ship''s hold.

    Pretending to be one of the living dead, he then coldly observed those on the third-floor balcony.

    He was a venomous viper, lurking in the shadows and waiting for the perfect moment to strike!

    "How terrifying." Even the ruthless Dong Tianze could not help but draw in a sharp breath of cold air.

    He wanted to follow Zhao Yuanqi''s example and flee the Sword Boat on the ck Iron Mountain, using the endless bizarre mist to escape.

    As long as he got far enough away from the Sword Boat, it would be difficult for the man to pursue him as the bizarre mist rendered divine sense ineffective.

    When he nced at the grayish-blue smoke vortex, however, Dong Tianze could not help but hesitate for a second before ultimately gritting his teeth and piloting the ck Iron Mountain forward.

    "Qi Qingsong, keep him at bay. I''ll go into the smoke vortex to find Pang Jian!" Dong Tianze activated the hidden power within the Celestial Phoenix Imprint.

    The manifested shadow and feathers of the Celestial Phoenix unleashed even stronger divine might, shielding the ck Iron Mountain as it charged into the grayish-blue smoke vortex.

    "Another one." The "Luo Yuan" on the third-floor balcony smiled faintly.

    He did not attempt to stop Dong Tianze, allowing him and the ck Iron Mountain to slip inside, shrouded in the divine might of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Only Qi Qingsong, Zhuang Yuyan, and Fang Boxuan remained on the Sword Boat.

    Fang Boxuan had been shrinking into a corner and not daring to make a move. When the ck Iron Mountain disappeared into the grayish-blue smoke vortex, he prepared to activate his secret escape technique.

    "You two, I''ll be going first!"

    With a sh of blood-colored light, Fang Boxuan also vanished.

    "Heh, just you two left." The man clicked his tongue. "You''re so bent on killing me even though we''re all fellow disciples of the Sword Pavilion. What a tragedy. s, you two are inner disciples, and I''m an outer disciple. Today, let this outer disciple have the honor of experiencing the swordsmanship of my senior brother and sister."

    ***

    In a different part of the bizarre mist, a hundred-zhang-long ship, five timesrger than the Sword Boat, stood battered and broken.

    The once magnificent ship was riddled with holes and had clearly been through a fierce battle.

    A nine-story structure as grand as a heavenly pce also stood on the luxurious ship, and a purple brocade g with golden edges fluttered on the broad golden mast.

    On the g were fourrge, ancient characters that wrote "Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom."

    A swirling vortex of grayish-blue smoke appeared on the deck of the ship.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The violent turbulence of the vortex caused the damage to the giant ship to worsen.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Two figures emerged from the swirling smoke one after the other.

    Pang Jian and Dong Tianze appeared on the giant ship, with only a few seconds between their arrival.

    Pang Jian stared in shock at the four characters on the g. "The Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom!"

    Dong Tianze stood on the ck Iron Mountain and retracted the shadow of the Celestial Phoenix back into his Celestial Phoenix Imprint.

    "What is this?" he asked, looking around in confusion.

    There was no one on the giant ship.

    Like their Sword Boat, the grand ship was anchored deep within the bizarre mist. The ship was sorge they could not see its entirety under the shroud of the bizarre mist.

    The pair could not see the ship''s bow from where they stood at the stern.

    "The person impersonating me as Luo Yuan likely came from this giant ship. The Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom." Pang Jian knitted his brows and said, "Boundless Sky is one of the Divine Kingdoms in the Eastern Land of the First World!"

    Dong Tianze was taken aback. "Divine Kingdom?"

    "This ship is from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom in the Eastern Land of the First World," Pang Jian said solemnly.

    When he, Qi Qingsong, and Zhou Qingchen were drinking and chatting in his room early on in the journey, he learned the Eastern Land of the First World worked differently from the Western Loam, the Southern Gorge, and the Northern Ruin.

    The Western Loam, the Southern Gorge, and the Northern Ruin were filled with sects, with cultivator factions being the main forces on these three continents.

    The Eastern Land, on the other hand, was a unique ce where kingdoms stood above sects. It was home to three Divine Kingdoms¡ªBoundless Sky, Supreme Monad, and Primeval Pir.

    Each of the three Divine Kingdoms housed at least one True God, with some having more than one.

    The three Divine Kingdoms often waged wars among themselves, though they also asionally worked together to attack the Western Loam, the Southern Gorge, and the Northern Ruin.

    The offspring of the True Gods in these Divine Kingdoms were known as Divine Sons and Divine Daughters.

    A giant ship from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom floated in the depths of the bizarre mist outside Absolute Heaven with no living beings on board. The people on this ship had faced the same problem as they did¡ªthey were lost in the bizarre mist.

    The man iming to be Luo Yuan was likely the sole survivor of this giant ship.

    "How did you get here?" Pang Jian asked when he came back to his senses. He stood on top of the ck Iron Mountain, facing Dong Tianze. "What''s the situation on the Sword Boat?"

    "When I left, Zhao Yuanqi had taken Zhou Qingchen away in her gourd, leaving Qi Qingsong, Zhuang Yuyan, and Fang Boxuan behind," Dong Tianze replied. "The rest were all killed."

    Dong Tianze peered at the swirling grayish-blue smoke vortex below them.

    "That man used this vortex to bring you in. He must be nning to deal with the others on the Sword Boat, beforeing here to deal with you."

    "Let''s try to go back and join forces with Qi Qingsong and the others to kill him!" Pang Jian dered resolutely.

    "Alright."

    The ck Iron Mountain descended into the smoke vortex.

    Waves of spatial turbulence crashed over them.

    Their vision inside the grayish-blue smoke vortex was more limited than in the bizarre mist, and the ck Iron Mountain swayed dizzyingly, causing them to be disoriented and unable to tell north from south.

 Chapter 288: Li Yuanchen

    <h4>Chapter 288: Li Yuanchen</h4>

    Pang Jian became increasingly dizzy as he swayed along with the rocking ck Iron Mountain.

    However, the soles of his feet remained firmly nted on the ck Iron Mountain as if the turbulence did not affect them.

    As he watched Dong Tianze''s figure swaying violently in the thick smoke, Pang Jian asked, "Why did youe after me?<i>"</i>

    Dong Tianze exerted great effort to control the ck Iron Mountain with his spiritual power and mind. Although he heard the question, he did not turn around.

    After a brief pause, he asked in return, "Did you help me kill that rogue cultivator on that unnamed fragmentednd?"

    Pang Jian said nothing.

    Neither answered the other''s question.

    After some time passed, Pang Jian and Dong Tianze felt as if they had broken through one dimension and barged into another.

    The ck Iron Mountain was back on the Sword Boat!

    "Pang Jian!"

    Zhuang Yuyan and Qi Qingsong''s spirits lifted.

    The reappearance of the ck Iron Mountain, with Pang Jian and Dong Tianze unharmed, boosted their morale.

    "Luo Yuan" had since merged back with his clones and was visibly surprised at their return. "They came back..."

    Swinging his spirit sword, he sliced through Qi Qingsong''s azure rivers of stars and steadied his mind.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    He teleported away to dodge Zhuang Yuyan''s attack.

    "Luo Yuan" appeared outside the Sword Boat, a storm of lightning and snow enveloping his body like a celestial beingmanding two Heavenly Dao.

    Frowning, his gaze swept over Pang Jian, Dong Tianze, Zhuang Yuyan, and Qi Qingsong, as he seriously contemted his next move to break the deadlock.

    "Senior Sister Zhuang, Qi Qingsong, are you two okay?" Pang Jian asked loudly.

    "I''m fine," Zhuang Yuyan replied, shaking her head with a smile.

    Her long and short spirit swords had transformed into a Vermilion Bird and a Fiery Qilin that floated by her sides.

    A fiery miniature world spread out behind her, with the Vermilion Bird and Fiery Qilin crouching within and ring at the impostor.

    A small ming figure floated in the center of Zhuang Yuyan''s forehead. It was the manifestation of her divine soul.

    Havingprehended the Dao of Fire and advanced to the Spirit Condensation Realm, she used the manifestation of her divine soul to connect with the fiery realm behind her.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    She burned off the man''s hair and eyebrows.

    "I''m fine too," Qi Qingsong assured with a smile.

    He noticed Pang Jian did not address him as "Senior Brother Qi" but rather by his full name.

    Pang Jian had acknowledged him and thus treated him with less formality during a critical moment.

    "This guy is malicious and full of dirty tricks. The two of you better be careful," Qi Qingsong warned.

    Pang Jian was taken aback.

    He had assumed Qi Qingsong and Zhuang Yuyan were in a dire situation and would notst long.

    After all, the man had struck down Lu Lingchan with such terrifying swiftness and effortlessness that it left asting impression.

    Pang Jian had hurried back, fearing they could not hold out, only to find them looking surprisingly calm.

    "Pang Jian, this man isn''t as powerful as we thought!" Zhuang Yuyan''s cheeks were flushed and her bright eyes zed with fiery intensity as she snorted. "Lu Lingchan died so quickly because he countered the Ascension Flute. Or perhaps he simply knows how to break through the Ascension Flute''s Celestial Ascension Domain!"

    "Pang Jian, he''s not even at the Spirit Condensation Realm. He''s in the Profound Abode Realm like us!" Qi Qingsong added.

    Only Qi Qingsong and Zhuang Yuyan remained on the Sword Boat as Fang Boxuan had long since disappeared.

    They had stood their ground on the Sword Boat to fight against the impostor, and it did not take long to realize that many of the man''s ims were false.

    He was far less formidable than he imed and was not even in the Spirit Condensation Realm.

    "He''s from the Eastern Land of the First World, someone from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom," Dong Tianze revealed, eyes cold and sharp. "He killed Lu Lingchan of the ck Valley Sect and gave us one incense stick''s time after because he wanted to sow discord among us.

    "His real aim was to prevent us from working together. He wanted to pick us off one by one."

    Qi Qingsong nodded in agreement. "Indeed, we almost yed right into his hands. The smoke sent Pang Jian away and you followed after. Not to mention, Zhao Yuanqi and Zhou Qingchen left."

    The man pped with a smile. "Not bad, not bad. You guys are smarter than you look."

    As he spoke, his burned hair and eyebrows regrew in a surge of vitality.

    <i>Rip!</i>

    He tore his ck outer garment and casually discarded it, revealing tight-fitting golden battle armor underneath.

    The golden armor was smooth and reflective like a mirror, and bright golden light radiated from each armor te.

    <i>Crack! Crack!</i>

    His bones cracked sounds and his body twisted as he transformed into a handsome man with thin eyebrows; narrow, elongated eyes; and a slender frame.

    He exuded a delicate and mncholic elegance, like a young noble who had grown up with a silver spoon in his mouth and was untouched by the hardships of the mortal world.

    "I''m Li Yuanchen of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom. Pleased to meet you all," he greeted with a polite smile.

    Li Yuanchen held arge silver hammer entwined with lightning in his right hand and casually discarded the borrowed spirit sword.

    A cold, crystalline square seal rested in his left palm like a miniature ice cier.

    Li Yuanchen was already striking, but the silver hammer in his right hand and square seal in his left gave him an imposing appearance that resembled legendary celestial beings.

    "We entered the bizarre mist before you guys, intending to explore Absolute Heaven, but unexpectedly..." Li Yuanchen sighed sorrowfully. "Hundreds on our warship lost hope and died before my eyes.

    "We went through everything you did. I watched them ughter each other and vent their twisted desires. The copse of order on our ship was even more severe. Suspicion and old grudges erupted into unspeakable atrocities on that ship steeped in despair."

    He shook his head as if unwilling to recall such memories.

    "Enough. My identity is exposed, and you guys are hard to deal with. Now that things havee to this..."

    He extended his hand and gently pulled. The grayish-blue smoke vortex from which Pang Jian and Dong Tianze had emerged flew where he hovered in the boundless bizarre mist.

    Standing atop the smoke vortex, he waved. "Farewell. I wish you the best of luck. I hope you can escape from this ce."

    The swirling smoke vortex then carried him into the dense bizarre mist.

    "You killed the members of my Sword Pavilion. I don''t care which Divine Kingdom you''re from. You''re not getting away!" Qi Qingsong chased after Li Yuanchen on his spirit sword.

    "You won''t be able to catch up with me." Li Yuanchen turned his head, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "The four of you together are quite troublesome. You''re too difficult to handle all at once, so I''ll just go after those who ran away first!"

    The grayish-blue smoke vortex merged with the bizarre mist and elerated, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

    Pang Jian''s heart trembled. Activating the innate abilities of his ck turtle scute, he pursued the smoke vortex.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Qi Qingsong, forced to stop his futile pursuit, watched as Pang Jian flew past him from above.

    "Pang Jian!" Qi Qingsong and Zhuang Yuyan cried out in surprise.

    "He''s going to save Zhou Qingchen!" Qi Qingsong realized.

    Zhuang Yuyan hastily sent out her short sword, which was connected to her mind, to search. "I''ve lost sight of him already!"

    Finding someone in the bizarre mist was no easy task.

    Qi Qingsong stopped Dong Tianze as he made to fly past him.

    "If we want to find Pang Jian, it''s best for us to stick together. If we split up, we could get lost ourselves," Qi Qingsong said seriously.

    Everyone''s vision was limited to about fifty zhang in the bizarre mist, roughly the length of the Sword Boat. As a result, they could still see fairly well while on the Sword Boat.

    It was difficult to see each other once they were over a hundred zhang away.

    Their divine sense was useless and there was no sense of direction in the bizarre mist. It was likely they would never meet again once they separated.

    "I''ll go with you to search," Zhuang Yuyan said as she floated over.

    She left her long sword on the Sword Boat. Lifting the short sword in her hand, she exined, "These are a pair of mother-child swords. They''re linked to each other. I''ll leave the mother sword on the Sword Boat so we can find our way back."

    "That''s a good way of doing it!" Qi Qingsong agreed.

    ***

    Li Yuanchen''s lightughter echoed in the vast bizarre mist.

    "You won''t catch up to me, Pang Jian. I''ll kill those who escaped the Sword Boat. They''re my whetstones to sharpen my cultivation realm. After I deal with them, I''ll advance to the Spirit Condensation Realm and refine my divine soul. I''ll then return to the Sword Boat and eliminate the rest," he taunted, voice gradually fading into the distance.

    Pang Jian was lost.

    By the time he realized something was wrong, it was toote.

    All around him was the endless bizarre mist and Pang Jian had lost his sense of direction.

    He could not turn back even if he wanted to.

    Pang Jian drifted through the dense bizarre mist alone. It was like the entire world had turned into a deste void and he was thest being in existence.

    An overwhelming sense of loneliness filled his heart. It was an intense, profound solitude.

    He had experienced this before¡ªon that shattered altar beneath Ice Rock City where he had absorbed the cold energy and when he entered the copper chest without wearing the Gate of the Abyss.

    Thus, he was more ustomed than most to the eerie solitude and could still think calmly.

    <i>What should I do?</i>

    Unwilling to give up, Pang Jian repeatedly used his blood essence to activate the abilities of the ck turtle scute, drifting through the bizarre mist in search of those who had left the Sword Boat.

    Pang Jian wandered for a long time, but his surroundings did not change.

    Not only did he not find the people he was looking for, but he was also consuming his energy in vain.

    Frowning, he stopped.

    <i>This isn''t working.</i>

    He thought hard for a solution to his predicament.

    Time passed, but the profound loneliness did not corrode Pang Jian''s will, and he continued to think of a solution.

    <i>Buzz!</i>

    A golden bee flew out from the Gate of the Abyss on Pang Jian''s chest.

 Chapter 289: Taking Control of the Situation!

    <h4>Chapter 289: Taking Control of the Situation!</h4>

    A golden bee emerged from its cocoon inside the beehive in the Gate of the Abyss and glowed a faint gold as it hovered before Pang Jian.

    Itspound eyes[1] stared at Pang Jian, observing his face as if trying to imprint it deep into its soul.

    As the Bee Sovereign inside the beehive established a connection with Pang Jian, their thoughts and consciousness intertwined.

    <i>Buzz!</i>

    The golden bee outside darted toward Pang Jian''s left earlobe like lightning.

    A silver thread appeared in the bee''s field of vision.

    Pang Jian saw a silver thread attached to his earlobe through the golden bee''s eyes.

    The golden bee swallowed the silver thread in one gulp.

    A fleeting image of Li Yuanchen briefly flickered in Pang Jian''s mind.

    The Bee Sovereign then informed Pang Jian the silver thread was a wisp of divine sense refined from divine consciousness, and wasparable to his golden divine sense.

    Someone had secretly attached a strand of special divine sense formed from divine consciousness onto Pang Jian to determine his location.

    "Li Yuanchen!" Pang Jian snorted coldly.

    Like him, Li Yuanchen was also aware that hunting the Outer God Puppets could allow one to refine special divine sense in their sea of consciousness.

    He likely had a deeper understanding of this special divine sense than Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian had a thread of Li Yuanchen''s divine sense attached to him, meaning the others likely also had it.

    Using this special divine sense, Li Yuanchen could pinpoint the location of each escapee before eventually returning to the Sword Boat.

    <i>Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!</i>

    Eleven more golden bees emerged from their cocoons and left the bronze pendant.

    Each golden bee that flew out of the beehive became not only the Bee Sovereign''s eyes but also Pang Jian''s.

    Pang Jian had gained twelve extra perspectives!

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Twelve golden streaks shot out at unbelievably fast speeds, fanning out in different directions with Pang Jian as the center.

    The Bee Sovereignmanded the swarm of golden bees from the beehive still floating in the bizarre mist inside the Gate of the Abyss.

    The golden bees were extremely well-adapted to the bizarre mist. They moved like lightning within it, and their vision was unaffected.

    Twelve clear perspectives filled Pang Jian''s mind, providing newfound rity on his next course of action.

    In the bizarre mist, his vision was limited to a range of roughly fifty zhang, and his five senses were restricted.

    However, the golden bees werepletely unaffected as they were nurtured with the divine consciousness of Outer Gods and Pang Jian''s blood essence!

    <i>Why didn''t you release them earlier?</i> Pang Jian scolded.

    Aggrieved, the Bee Sovereign exined that the golden bees needed time to molt and take shape.

    They had not reached the point where they could emerge from their cocoons until now.

    <i>I see...</i>

    Pang Jian restrained his temper and silentlymunicated with the Bee Sovereign while attuning himself to the perspectives of the twelve golden bees.

    Twelve expansive scenes unfolded in his mind. Everything the bees saw, sensed, and perceived was transmitted to him in real-time.

    The golden bees were like twelve brightmps in the bizarre mist!

    Soon, Pang Jian caught sight of a grayish-blue smoke vortex. Li Yuanchen stood on it with a cold expression, seemingly in deep thought.

    It did not take long for the golden bees to find Fang Boxuan, Zhao Yuanqi, Zhou Qingchen, Zhuang Yuyan, Qi Qingsong, and Dong Tianze as well.

    These golden bees could actively search for and locate any nearby living beings within the bizarre mist!

    No living being with flesh, blood, and a soul could escape the golden bees'' detection!

    Moreover, Pang Jian could use himself as a reference point to pinpoint the location of each person because the golden bees spread out in twelve directions with him at the center!

    Once he could roughly determine their location and their distance from him, he could sketch out a rough map in his mind.

    Pang Jian was overjoyed.

    The beehive within the bronze pendant was truly miraculous.

    With the golden bees on his side, he was confident he could escape the bizarre mist!

    Through one of the golden bees, he saw a silver thread stuck to Zhao Yuanqi''s and Zhou Qingchen''s earlobes.

    <i>Sure enough, there''s also a silver thread.</i>

    Fang Boxuan, Qi Qingsong, and Dong Tianze also had silver threads on their earlobes.

    Only Zhuang Yuyan, in the Spirit Condensation Realm and with a refined divine soul, did not have such an attached thread of divine sense.

    <i>This Li Yuanchen truly has malicious intentions, </i>Pang Jian thought as he calmly observed.

    ***

    "Senior Sister Zhao! What''ll happen to Pang Jian and Qi Qingsong now that we''ve left?" Zhou Qingchen stood on the gourd that had expanded sevenfold and dered righteously, "Senior Sister, we should join forces to kill Luo Yuan, not flee!"

    "Lu Lingchan died in an instant. Not to mention, that man is in the Spirit Condensation Realm. We''re no match for him," Zhao Yuanqi dismissed as she steered the gourd aimlessly in the bizarre mist. "Junior Brother Zhou, don''t be foolish.

    "He killed Ye Fei, Guo Hongyuan, and Lu Lianchen in just a blink of an eye. He''s stronger than all of usbined. Pang Jian and Dong Tianze may have left through the strange vortex, just like us.

    "All anyone can do in a situation like that is rely on luck and fate."

    As she spoke, Zhao Yuanqi kept a close eye on her surroundings, fearing another person like "Luo Yuan" would appear.

    "How long can we survive in this bizarre mist without the Sword Boat or ourpanions?" Zhou Qingchen asked.

    "It doesn''t matter how long we can survive. It''s still better than that man killing us right away," Zhao Yuanqi replied impatiently, feeling slightly annoyed.

    The two continued to argue as the gourd flew through the dense bizarre mist.

    Suddenly, a golden bee appeared, startling the gourd to a halt.

    The fingertip-sized golden bee looked like a small golden nugget. Its transparent wings remained unmoving as it hovered silently in the air.

    It silently watched the two of them with its gleamingpound eyes.

    Zhou Qingchen and Zhao Yuanqi felt a chill run down their spines and a deep sense of unease welled up within them.

    "An Outer God!" they shouted in unison.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Long des spread out behind Zhou Qingchen like a peacock fanning its tail. He gripped the Divine Origin Pearl with two hands, ready to fight for his life.

    Meanwhile, the surface of therge crimson gourd beneath their feet was filled with mysterious patterns, casting brilliant rays of light that illuminated the surrounding space.

    "An Outer God is possessing that bee!" Zhao Yuanqi cried.

    "The two of you, don''t move! Li Yuanchen left marks on your earlobes. I''ll have the golden bee help you remove them," the golden bee unexpectedly said.

    It was a human voice!

    More specifically, it was Pang Jian''s voice!

    Zhao Yuanqi was dumbstruck.

    Zhou Qingchen shuddered as he stared at the golden bee as if it were some demonic entity. "P-Pang Jian?"

    "It''s me."

    "How did you turn into a golden bug?"

    "We''ll talk about thatter."

    "Where are you?"

    "Zhao Yuanqi, don''t touch your earlobes. Let me handle it!" the golden bee suddenly shouted, interrupting the silver-haired girl''s movement. A golden streak of lightning shot straight toward her earlobe. "Li Yuanchen is from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom in the Eastern Land of the First World. He disguised himself as Luo Yuan!

    "Zhao Yuanqi, stay still!"

    The golden bee lunged forward, bit down, and swallowed the silver thread of divine sense.

    Like before, a fleeting image of Li Yuanchen briefly appeared in Pang Jian''s mind before vanishing.

    The golden bee then darted toward Zhou Qingchen''s ear and devoured another silver thread of divine sense.

    Simr interactions were happening elsewhere in the bizarre mist.

    "Fang Boxuan, it''s me, Pang Jian. Stand still. Li Yuanchen has ced a mark on you."

    "Senior Brother Qi, Dong Tianze. It''s me, Pang Jian. Listen..."

    The golden bees spoke with a human voice, frightening the others and making their skin crawl as they fearfully eyed the golden bees.

    Only Pang Jian''s familiar voice stopped them from shing the bees with their swords.

    An hourter, Li Yuanchen''s grayish-blue smoke vortex drifted to a stop.

    His eyes shed with fear. "Some unknown being erased the divine sense I released and wiped out all those people at the same time.

    "An Outer God must''ve targeted them. Damn, I probably can''t escape either."

    He was now very close to Fang Boxuan.

    However, with the disappearance of the divine sense he attached to Fang Boxuan, he was no longer certain if Fang Boxuan was still there and did not dare to check.

    "Let''s return to the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom''s warship first!" Li Yuanchen followed his connection back to the warship and abandoned his hunt.

    ***

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The golden bee furthest from Pang Jian halted abruptly.

    Below it floated the Celestial Lagoon Sect''s Mountain Stream Spirit Boat, adorned withndscape paintings.

    The familiar sight of fellow disciples turning on each other yed out on the deck. Some disciples sat lifelessly in the corners, watching the life-and-death battles unfold.

    Chen Lushi of the Demon Heart Sect stood by a broken windowsill in one of the rooms upstairs, dressed in a purple gown and adorned with exquisite essories.

    Her watery eyes brimmed with unmistakable sorrow.

    She sighed softly, unsure how to resolve their predicament.

    "You''re always clever. Do you have a way to break this stalemate?" Jiang Chao asked inside the room.

    "Break the stalemate?" Chen Lushi let out a self-deprecating smile and shook her head. "Right now, I just hope they stop fighting and don''t make me worry so much."

    The Demon Sect''s cultivation techniques emphasized the following of one''s inner desires, leading to factions within the sect producing unruly andwless individuals.

    This was also why the Demon Sect always had the highest cultivation deviation cases among the major sects.

    It was not only among those in the Second World either but among all the sects in the entire Abyss. The Demon Sect always had the most cases of disciples losing control in special environments due to failing to hold firm to their inner selves.

    The present situation was evidence of this.

    Most Celestial Lagoon Sect disciples had remained calm in the overwhelming despair of the situation, while half of the Demon Sect disciples had already died fighting each other.

    The other half had either left to find a way out of the bizarre mist or had sumbed to despair and be living dead.

    At this rate, it would only take another half month at most for all the Demon Sect disciples to be wiped out.

    "What about Wu Yuan? Isn''t he going to intervene?" Jiang Chao asked.

    "Don''t bother mentioning him. He''s an oddity in our Demon Sect and is the only one to consistently hold firm to his true self. Perhaps, only such a stubborn rock can endure this harsh environment." Chen Lushi sighed.

    "Ah, this trip has been nothing but bad luck. I feel like we''ve been set up by those above," Jiang Chao grumbled as he chewed on bitter tea leaves. "They said we would break through the bizarre and reach Absolute Heaven if we charged straight through it. We did exactly that, but we''re still lost."

    "You forgot the white crane that attacked us."

    "The white crane? Did we get lost because we chased it?" Jiang Chao asked skeptically.

    "Maybe."

    Jiang Chao knitted his brows and fell into silent contemtion.

    "Um..." Jiang Chao awkwardly broke the silence, eyes filled with desire as he gazed intently at Chen Lushi''s curvaceous body. "Chen Lushi, if we were to face inevitable death, would you let me taste your lips?"

    Chen Lushi did not even turn around. "Let''s talk about it when that dayes."

    She continued watching the Demon Sect disciples fighting on the deck below with a hint of disdain in her icy eyes.

    "I found the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat..." said a golden bee floating in the bizarre mist above.

    But no one heard it.

    ***

    Elsewhere in the bizarre mist floated a gigantic mystical bird''s skeleton,rger than even the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom''s warship.

    Its bones gleamed with a jade-like luster, with many luxurious buildings standing on its outspread wing bones.

    A handsome man with a high nose bridge and deep-set eyes sat on the mystical bird''s fleshless forehead.

    He wore a cloak woven from white feathers, hands resting on his knees as he stared ahead with a calm expression.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A vertical eye on his forehead opened, emitting a blinding divine light.

    "A golden bee?" His expression changed as he pursued it through the bizarre mist.

    He seemed to cover a million zhang with every step!

    Even so, the golden bee was far faster than him and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

    ***

    In yet another part of the bizarre mist, a white crane soaring in a lightning vortex flew happily, humming to itself.

    "Almost there. I''m almost out of this cursed ce. I''m so close to reaching Absolute Heaven."

    The white crane had a clear sense of direction and knew it was flying straight toward Absolute Heaven.

    It suddenly turned its head.

    "Who''s spying on me?"

    It spotted a sh of golden lightning in the bizarre mist.

    A golden bee had stopped a hundred zhang away.

    The golden bee stared curiously, then asked, "Do you know the way to Absolute Heaven?"

    "This voice..." The white crane scratched its head with its wing in a human-like manner.

    It then released countless interwoven white lightning bolts, forming a cage of lightning that enveloped the space where the golden bee was before it dodged.

    "This voice...why does it sound so familiar? Let me think."

    "I''m Luo Yuan."

    1. In biological terms, apound eye is a type of eye found in insects and some arthropods. It''sposed of multiple small visual units called ommatidia, which work together to provide a broad field of vision. Each ommatidium captures a part of the overall image, allowing the organism to see from multiple angles simultaneously. ?

 Chapter 290: Meeting the White Crane Again

    <h4>Chapter 290: Meeting the White Crane Again</h4>

    The golden bee imed to be Luo Yuan.

    The white crane froze before screeching sharply, "So it¡¯s you, kid! Wait, how did you turn into a bee?"

    As the white crane observed the golden bee with great curiosity, its mouth started to water. The golden bee looked like the most delectable treat and the crane desired nothing more than to swallow it in one gulp.

    Its instincts told it that devouring the strange golden bee would benefit its bloodline advancement and nourish its soul.

    "Luo Yuan, can I eat this little bug?" The greed in the white crane''s eyes was obvious. "Where did you find this bug? How about you let me eat it first, and then you cane find me afterward?"

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The golden bee hurriedly fled from the lightning vortex, cing some distance between itself and the white crane.

    Its very soul trembled with fear.

    Pang Jian could sense the bee''s horror through their shared consciousness.

    He could vaguely see the golden bee''s soul shivering in his mind.

    Though small and weak, the golden bee possessed certain soul-rted divine abilities, like devouring the divine consciousness of Outer Gods invading his sea of consciousness or consuming Li Yuanchen''s silver strands of divine sense.

    However, the white crane belonged to the Thunder Crane Race of the Sacred Soul Continent and hadmand over lightning and thunder.

    Lightning and thunder were the nemeses of most spiritual and spectral beings.

    The golden bee''s soul-rted abilities were not particrly effective when faced with its natural enemy.

    If the white crane truly wished to kill it, it could only rely on its speed in the bizarre mist to escape.

    "Don''t scare it," Pang Jian said softly.

    "Luo Yuan, is that actually you? How can you prove it?" asked the white crane skeptically.

    It stretched its long neck to see if Pang Jian was hiding nearby.

    Pang Jian frowned in contemtion.

    The golden bees flying through the bizarre mist continuously transmitted their different perspectives into Pang Jian''s mind, causing his mental strength to drain rapidly.

    The connection to the twelve golden bees was simr to Pang Jian''s connection to the World Eater Vine, ck turtle, and Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    With the bees, however, he needed to divide his attention into twelve parts for each golden bee that roamed the bizarre mist.

    Naturally, this took a significant toll on his mental strength.

    <i>No wonder the beehive needed to wait so long to reveal its mysteries. Their incubation must be based on the expansion of my sea of consciousness.</i>

    Pang Jian then tried to teleport to the golden bee near the white crane using the Gate of the Abyss.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    He appeared where the golden bee was.

    <i>It worked! </i>Pang Jian''s eyes lit up.

    The twelve golden bees in the bizarre mist each served as a coordinate point, allowing him to teleport to them using the bronze pendant.

    This meant he could return to the Sword Boat whenever he wanted!

    He could also appear at the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom''s warship once he found it.

    Regardless of his opponent, he could teleport to a golden bee in the blink of an eye, meaning he could advance or retreat as needed!

    His advantage in the bizarre mist had significantly increased with the golden bees on his side!

    "Who the hell are you? You¡¯re not Luo Yuan!" the white crane screeched when it saw Pang Jian''s unfamiliar face.

    It pped its wings, ready to kill Pang Jian and the golden bee.

    "What about now?" Pang Jian asked, hastily adjusting his cheekbones and changing his skin tone with the secret technique of the Illusory Bone Realm.

    "You can even change your face?" The white crane became even more doubtful. A white lightning vortex formed beneath it as it cursed, "You son of a bitch! Who the hell are you? I knew you were up to no good!"

    "I really am Luo Yuan! We fought back in Cloud Lightning!" Pang Jian summoned the Star Crushing Umbre, the Startling ughter Spear, and his protective shields in front of the white crane.

    One green and luminous, one interwoven with lightning and ice, and one fiery red.

    The different protective shields appeared before the white crane one after another.

    "Do you still remember how I pped your beak?" Pang Jian asked.

    "Alright, alright! Stop talking!" The white crane begrudgingly acknowledged. It grumbled angrily, "You ced your consciousness in a bug and appeared out of nowhere. What''re you trying to do?"

    With the dense bizarre mist restricting its vision, the white crane did not realize Pang Jian had teleported through the golden bee and simply assumed he had flown over from nearby using some strange movement technique.

    "Do me a favor¡ªlet this golden bee follow you to Absolute Heaven," Pang Jian requested.

    "Piece of cake." The white crane arrogantly raised its head and boasted, "Luo Yuan, I admit I owe you a favor.

    "Getting you out of this damned ce is easy for me. Let the little bug follow me, but remember, don''t let it get too close, or I might not be able to resist swallowing it.

    "By the way, what is that thing, Luo Yuan? It looks quite tasty."

    The white crane''s hungry eyes fell on the bee, causing it to fly further away.

    Pang Jian replied with a question of his own, "Has your master arrived?"

    "My master is busy." The white crane''s eyes shed with reverence. "She''s already refined those lightning bolts imbued with divine power and is using them to temper her divine soul.

    "The Pure Land Sect sent my master elsewhere for further training. When shees out, she''ll be at the peak of the Spirit Condensation Realm!

    "Luo Yuan, I''ll introduce you to my master if you ever visit the Pure Land Sect. My master is of noble status. It wouldn''t be fitting for her to lower herself to visit the Sword Pavilion just to meet someone like you," the white crane said arrogantly.

    A rare smile appeared on Pang Jian''s face.

    He felt genuine happiness when he learned his sister was progressing smoothly and was at a crucial stage in the Spirit Condensation Realm.

    He was as proud of her as the white crane.

    "You keep flying. I''ll let this bee follow you." With that, Pang Jian cheerfully vanished into the depths of the bizarre mist and said from a distance, "That bee is my eyes. I''ll follow you to Absolute Heaven."

    "Alright, see you at Absolute Heaven!" The white crane agreed.

    It slowed its flying speed but soon noticed the golden bee could keep up.

    "This tasty little treat sure flies fast," the white crane muttered as it elerated.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The bee followed closely behind, keeping the same speed as the crane.

    "There''s no way!" The white crane dashed forward at full speed, turning into a streak of white lightning in the bizarre mist and covering a thousand li in a sh.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The golden bee remained in the distance and never fell behind, which greatly startled the white crane.

    "This is no ordinary treat. This little thing is faster than me!" it repeatedly eximed. "Looks like I won''t be able to eat it when we reach Absolute Heaven."

    ***

    Several different scenes shed through Pang Jian''s mind.

    He watched as Zhou Qingchen, Zhao Yuanqi, and Fang Boxuan headed back to the Sword Boat under the guidance of the golden bees.

    Qi Qingsong, Dong Tianze, and Zhuang Yuyan had all returned to the Sword Boat thanks to Zhuang Yuyan''s spirit sword.

    <i>I''ll leave the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat alone for now. That guy with a third eye also seems tough. I should focus on Li Yuanchen.</i>

    The handsome man on the skeleton of the mystical bird had caused even Pang Jian to feel apprehensive.

    Pang Jian felt that even Zhuang Yuyan, a cultivator in the Spirit Condensation Realm, and Li Yuanchen, with his considerable background, were likely no match for that man.

    Most importantly, he had no personal enmity with that man. There was simply no need for them to fight to the death.

    Pang Jian continued to monitor the situation through the golden bees.

    About an hourter, a golden bee sessfully located the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom''s warship.

    Li Yuanchen, back in his true appearance, sat on the dpidated warship after taking out a ck stone statue several zhang tall.

    The ck stone statue had clearly been sculpted in the likeness of an Outer God, with sharp horns on its head and a lizard-like tail extending from its tailbone.

    "The situation doesn''t look good. I must advance to the Spirit Condensation Realm as soon as possible. I can''t wait any longer," Li Yuanchen muttered.

    The disappearance of his silver divine sense made Li Yuanchen feel like an Outer God had secretly set its sights on him.

    Thus, he needed to quickly refine his divine soul and advance to the Spirit Condensation Realm to face the looming danger.

    <i>Crackle! Crackle!</i>

    Two lightning vortexes appeared deep in Li Yuanchen''s eyes.

    He stared quietly into the eyes of the Outer God statue and extracted strands of divine consciousness attached to the statue.

    A silver lightning vortex refined the divine consciousness of the Outer God deep within his sea of consciousness.

    His silver divine sense the golden bees devoured had also been refined using the divine consciousness within the ck stone statue.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The imposing ck stone statue crumbled once its divine consciousness was drained.

    "Rise!"

    A prismatic-shaped slot hidden within the warship rose from the dpidated deck at Li Yuanchen''s softmand.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Tens of thousands of spirit jades, with star-like spirit crystals mixed in, poured into the array slot.

    A Boundless Sky Spirit Gathering Array, the mostmon array in the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom, formed.

    Dense, fluid spirit power rippled gently from within the prismatic-shaped array. Li Yuanchen floated into it, letting go of the silver hammer and the square seal in his hands.

    A lightning vortex slowly formed. The silver hammer hovered in the lightning vortex, guarding the area above his head.

    The square seal solidified into nine icebergs, which were then dispersed around the warship, making the warship appear as though it was submerged in a frozen sea.

    With his preparations finished, Li Yuanchen started refining his divine soul.

    Strands of silver divine sense merged in his sea of consciousness to form a small silver head.

    His silver divine sense, infused with divine consciousness, would be the brain of his divine soul, while his normal divine sense would be its body.

    <i>It''s too bad I couldn''t gather more Outer God Puppets and refine more strands of divine sense infused with divine power, </i>Li Yuanchenmented.

    Time passed, and the refinement of his divine soul had progressed to about one-third of the way.

    It had reached a point where he absolutely could not be disturbed. His state of mind had to remain perfectly stable.

    As Li Yuanchen concentrated on breaking through, he unexpectedly felt someone quietly appear out of thin air to watch him.

    Li Yuanchen could not help but open his eyes.

    A man stared down at him from atop the mast with the g bearing the characters "Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom."

    The person wore a simple ck robe, had a sallow face, and a tall, refined build.

    "Luo Yuan!"

 Chapter 291: Surprise Attack!

    <h4>Chapter 291: Surprise Attack!</h4>

    "Luo Yuan!" Li Yuanchen screamed, scalp tingling.

    It was none other than the Sword Pavilion outer disciple he had impersonated!

    Li Yuanchen had maliciously altered his features to resemble Luo Yuan because of the deep impression he had left on Ye Fei.

    He never expected the real Luo Yuan to appear on the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom''s warship!

    As his mind was thrown into chaos, turbulent waves surged through his spiritual sea, and sudden disturbances erupted within the divine soul in his sea of consciousness.

    Li Yuanchen found himself on the brink of cultivation deviation!

    <i>Rip! Rip! Rip!</i>

    Strands of silver divine sense unraveled like cotton being pulled apart.

    The small silver head Li Yuanchen had painstakingly formed copsed due to his shaken mind.

    His path of refining his divine soul was instantly set back to its original state, causing him to suffer an immediate bacsh.

    <i>Splurt!</i>

    Li Yuanchen spat out a mouthful of blood, face as pale as paper.

    "How dare you sabotage my advancement to the Spirit Condensation Realm!" he roared.

    "So, you were the one impersonating me on the Sword Boat?" Pang Jian asked, standing upright in mid-air like a sharp sword.

    He did not summon any of the spirit artifacts Li Yuanchen had seen earlier such as the Startling ughter Spear, the Star Crushing Umbre, or the Nine Suns Cauldron.

    Standing empty-handed, he gazed at Li Yuanchen with eyes filled with indifference.

    "I am Luo Yuan, an outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion. I came across that Sword Boat, met with my Senior Brother Qi and Senior Sister Zhuang, and learned of your deeds. Li Yuanchen, do you realize the consequences of impersonating me?" Pang Jian questioned coldly.

    Li Yuanchen was startled. "You weren''t on the Sword Boat?"

    This outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion was rumored to possess one hundred and twenty-eight strands of divine sense.

    Ye Fei regarded this man, the Lightning Chaser in Cloud Lightning, as the most talented cultivator in the Second World.

    The mysterious and low-key Luo Yuan had now tracked him down, and he even mentioned that he had not entered the bizarre mist alongside the Sword Boat.

    Luo Yuan was more dangerous than Li Yuanchen had anticipated.

    Li Yuanchen asked uneasily, "If you weren''t on the Sword Boat, where were you before?"

    "I''ve been drifting in the bizarre mist for quite a while," Pang Jian replied coldly.

    Li Yuanchen''s sense of dread deepened.

    Luo Yuan was undoubtedly extremely dangerous.

    "How did you enter the bizarre mist? And how have you survived all this time?" Li Yuanchen continued to question, discreetly swallowing a dark red pill.

    After a moment of hesitation, he retrieved the Mystic Heaven Thunder Hammer from above his head and used his secret arts to merge the icebergs into a single, frigid cier.

    Li Yuanchen stood atop the cier with the silver Mystic Heaven Thunder Hammer in hand.

    He hadpletely abandoned his attempt to advance to the Spirit Condensation Realm and was prepared to deal with his opponent directly.

    Pang Jian did not answer his questions.

    When he saw Li Yuanchen stop trying to break through to the Spirit Condensation Realm and prepare to fight to the death, Pang Jian added, "I devoured the silver strands of divine sense you released and attached to their earlobes.

    "Each strand contained divine consciousness and was quite...nourishing." Pang Jian smirked mockingly.

    Li Yuanchen was horrified. "How could you see them?"

    Pang Jian chuckled mysteriously before secretly activating the Gate of the Abyss.

    He vanished into thin air before Li Yuanchen''s eyes!

    "Teleportation!"

    Li Yuanchen''s mind was in turmoil, nerves frayed, and he was left feeling both stifled and frustrated.

    <i>This guy''s teleportation skills surpass mine. If he can disappear like that, he can just as easily reappear. How can I concentrate on refining my divine soul with this hanging over my head?</i>

    His opponent had even devoured his silver strands of divine sense, which contained divine consciousness.

    Thus, he dared not extend his divine sense to search for Luo Yuan''s whereabouts.

    Infuriatingly, Luo Yuan refused to stay put and fight him to the death on the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom''s warship, leaving him with no outlet to vent his pent-up frustration.

    <i>This guy is just going to keep watching me! No matter where I go, he''ll be watching me!</i>

    Li Yuanchen was troubled and distressed.

    He racked his brains, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not think of a solution.

    <i>This Luo Yuan is truly damnable. I won''t be able to focus on refining my divine soul until he reappears. But I don''t have the confidence to kill Zhuang Yuyan, Qi Qingsong, and the rest until I advance to the Spirit Condensation Realm.</i>

    The more Li Yuanchen thought about it, the more frustrated he became.

    He deeply regretted hiding in Xu Jie¡¯s body after discovering the Sword Boat and acting so sneakily.

    <i>What would have happened if I had just shown up openly and revealed my identity upon boarding the Sword Boat? Would this Luo Yuan still be targeting me?</i> he wondered.

    <i>Damn it! My ancestors reached the True God Realm. How can I, a member of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom, cower before a mere outer disciple of the Sword Pavilion?</i>

    <i>I''ll just go somewhere else to refine my divine soul!</i>

    With that thought in mind, he flew away on the grayish-blue smoke vortex with the Boundless Sky Spirit Gathering Array.

    <i>That should be enough, </i>he thought after flying for about an hour.

    Li Yuanchen once again threw out the Mystic Heaven Thunder Hammer and unleashed the icebergs from the square seal.

    <i>I don''t even know where I am. I''m lost. But that means Luo Yuan won''t be able to find me either.</i>

    Swallowing a Soul Nourishing Pill and a bucket of blood from a Rank Seven Vicious Beast, he quietlyposed his mind.

    After that, he once again attempted to break through to the Spirit Condensation Realm.

    Several hourster, as he refined a small silver head within his sea of consciousness using his silver divine sense, a chaotic sea of violent energies materialized in the sky!

    A storm of lightning and thunder broke out, stars and moons collided, suns shed with frozen rocks in great explosions, and a torrent of fiery meteors crashed down with a deafening roar!

    The terrifying sea of energy seemed ready to destroy the heavens and split apart the universe.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The silver hammer''s lightning vortex copsed and the icebergs shattered one after another.

    Li Yuanchen let out a muffled groan as blood flowed from his seven orifices.

    Runes appeared on his mirror-like golden battle armor and helped him withstand the violent assault.

    "Who is it? Luo Yuan? Or Pang Jian?!" Li Yuanchen roared furiously at the sky.

    Although the terrifying sea of violent energies dissipated, neither the enigmatic Luo Yuan nor Pang Jian appeared.

    The sea of violent energies bore the same sword intent as Pang Jian''s earlier attacks on the Sword Boat.

    Thus, he suspected the mysterious Luo Yuan had found Pang Jian in the bizarre mist, and the two hadunched a surprise attack while he was attempting to break through.

    Li Yuanchen seethed with rage, practically jumping up and down in fury as he itched to settle the score.

    "Luo Yuan! Pang Jian! Stop lurking in the shadows like cowards!" he bellowed, blood still flowing from his nose and mouth. "Come out and fight me if you have the guts!"

    Finding a safe ce to advance to the Spirit Condensation Realm was impossible once he knew he had not shaken off Luo Yuan even after leaving the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom''s warship.

    He resolved to go all out against Luo Yuan and Pang Jian!

    <i>Buzz! Buzz!</i>

    A golden bee appeared in the endless bizarre mist.

    The golden bee looked at him with its cold, sinisterpound eyes before turning away and flying off.

    Lost and unsure of how to find his enemies, Li Yuanchen was akin to a drowning man, and the golden bee was his lifeline.

    He chased after it without hesitation.

    It did not matter what the golden bee was or who controlled it, as long as he found the person behind it.

    Li Yuanchen''s mind and body had suffered severe injuries after failing to refine his divine soul twice, and he no longer dared to attempt it again.

    For him, the golden bee was a potential direction.

    As he pursued the bee, he consumed pills and gulped down Vicious Beast blood, trying his best to recover to abat-ready state.

    After flying for a long time, he saw a massive skeleton of a mystical bird.

    Pavilions and pces rested on its wing bones, and on its smooth forehead sat a man.

    "Again?" The handsome man snorted coldly with a frown.

    His eyes filled with rage as he watched the golden bee appear and vanish.

    This was the sixth time!

    The sneaky golden bee had repeatedly provoked him, but every time he tried to chase it, it would slip into the bizarre mist and disappear without a trace.

    When he gave up and returned, the golden bee would reappear, just as he was about to sit down.

    The bee''s repeated provocations and hidden surveince had be an endless annoyance for him.

    Therefore, when the golden bee reappeared for the sixth time, he could no longer be bothered to get up and give chase.

    He knew the golden bee was as fast as lightning within the bizarre mist and it was futile for him to try and catch it.

    So, he just allowed the golden bee to hover before him, nning to ignore it.

    Soon after, Li Yuanchen appeared behind the golden bee, expression wild as he stood on the swirling grayish-blue smoke vortex, silver hammer in one hand and square seal in the other.

    "The master has finally shown up!"

    "Vile scum! You''ve finally revealed yourself!"

    The two cried at the same time.

    Anger surged in both their hearts. Each thought the other was the master of the golden bee.

    The handsome man shot up.

    As he opened the divine eye hidden in his forehead, rays of intense spiritual light burst from his pores, coalescing into the towering form of an ancient god''s Dharma Idol that was a hundred zhang tall!

    The Dharma Idol sat on a lotus tform, hands forming seals at its chest as it bathed in raging karmic mes.

    The man locked onto Li Yuanchen with the divine eye on his forehead and shouted, "Die!"

    The hundred-zhang-tall Dharma Idol sat like a towering pir supporting the heavens andmanded the lotus tform beneath it. It drove the vast sea of karmic mes to pour down on Li Yuanchen in a deluge of overwhelming force.

    "Rise!"

    Li Yuanchen summoned a lightning vortex with the Mystic Heaven Thunder Hammer, only for the massive lotus tform blotting out the sky to strike it down in a scattering of lightning.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The lotus tform crashed down, distorting the silver hammer.

    The frigid icebergs and the prismatic-shaped Boundless Sky Spirit Gathering Array shattered instantly.

    Li Yuanchen''s square seal exploded, turning his left hand into a bloody mess.

    Hastily activating a secret escape technique, he dove into the rapidly shrinking smoke vortex. As the lotus tform dissipated the outeryer of mist, it revealed a grayish-blue iron funnel.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The iron funnel disappeared.

 Chapter 292: Captured Alive!

    <h4>Chapter 292: Captured Alive!</h4>

    A golden bee clung to therge g on the mast of the damaged Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom''s warship in the bizarre mist.

    It rested right on the character for "Boundless," calmly observing its surroundings through itspound eyes with incredible patience.

    The golden bee stayed like this for a long time, firmly believing that keeping an eye on the warship would be vital due to its role as a positional marker.

    Therefore, after Li Yuanchen left, it went to the g to wait.

    Time passed slowly, and eventually, a brilliant light suddenly shed.

    The ray of light was like lightning piercing through the gray bizarre mist!

    Pang Jian teleported to the golden bee, swiftly hiding in the darkness, waiting for his prey to arrive.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A grayish-blue smoke vortex appeared out of thin air.

    Li Yuanchen waved his hand to collect the smoke into an iron funnel.

    Gasping heavily, he copsed onto the deck in a mess of blood and tattered golden battle armor as the light in his eyes dimmed.

    "That Spirit Condensation Realm cultivator was far stronger than Zhuang Yuyan. The eye on his forehead must be his divine soul!"

    Li Yuanchen''s scalp tingled just recalling it.

    The man cloaked in woven feathers had made him feel utterly powerless.

    That man had dealt with Li Yuanchen the way Li Yuanchen had once dealt with Lu Lingchan¡ªwith overwhelming superiority.

    Li Yuanchen suffered severe injuries from that single blow, with multiple fractures in his ribs and his spirit artifacts all severely damaged.

    "My Mystic Heaven Thunder Hammer, my Ice Essence Seal, my Vortex Spirit Funnel," he mourned, staring at the broken spirit artifacts in his hands.

    He was on the verge of tears.

    <i>Buzz! Buzz!</i>

    The golden bee''s wings pped.

    Li Yuanchen nced up at it with a sigh. "The owner of this golden bee is terrifying. They found me so quickly. It seems there''s no escaping this time."

    The connection between his Vortex Spirit Funnel and the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom''s warship had been the only reason he could return. Unfortunately, his opponent seemed capable of easily locating him with the golden bee.

    Despair filled him.

    Li Yuanchen swallowed a pill in preparation as he stared despondently at the golden bee.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A giant cauldron crashed into Li Yuanchen from behind. The intense mes from the nine zing suns surrounding it instantly engulfed him.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian appeared with his spear and the Star Crushing Umbre above his head.

    "Are you Pang Jian or Luo Yuan?" Li Yuanchen asked sharply.

    "Both."

    The dazzling river of stars from the Star Crushing Umbre descended, and Pang Jian swung his Startling ughter Spear to unleash the Chaos Sword Technique.

    A sword intent that shattered the natural principles of the Dao and twisted thews of the heavens and earth surged out of Pang Jian''s silver spear.

    Conflicting energies simultaneously erupted from the Nine Suns Cauldron, the Star Crushing Umbre, and the Startling ughter Spear to converge on Li Yuanchen.

    Li Yuanchen, already barely clinging to life, could only watch helplessly as his golden armor was destroyed.

    The proud genius of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom was soon drenched in blood.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Nine Suns Cauldron flipped upside down and sucked Li Yuanchen inside to prevent the bizarre mist from reducing him to ashen bone dust.

    Pang Jian descended and unceremoniously grabbed Li Yuanchen''s spirit artifacts before infusing them with spiritual power to check their conditions.

    "A silver hammer, a square seal, and an iron funnel. But most of the arrays inside are broken. No wonder you couldn''t resist." Pang Jian shook his head in disappointment as he seized Li Yuanchen''s spatial bracelet. "Of all people, you chose to impersonate me?"

    Li Yuanchen wiped the blood from his face as he cried out in shock, "Pang Jian, you''re Luo Yuan?!"

    ***

    Fu Wangchen sat back down on the mystical bird''s skull after he once again lost the golden bee.

    "He''s in thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm, and has yet to refine his divine soul..." he pondered aloud, hands on his knees and handsome face filled with confusion.

    Much to his disappointment, the person following the golden bee had not even been able to withstand a few strikes from him before fleeing in defeat.

    Li Yuanchen was simply too weak. Even if he could control those golden bees, he likely could not find a way out of the bizarre mist.

    Thus, Fu Wangchen stopped caring about the matter.

    He turned around to look behind him.

    The vertical eye on his forehead gleamed brightly, with runes drifting deep within like a vast, mysterious sea of consciousness.

    The doors and windows of the grand pces and pavilions on the giant mystical bird''s wing bones were tightly shut. However, the prating gaze of Fu Wangchen''s divine eye allowed him to see the figures lying, sitting, and slumping motionlessly within them.

    "I can only keep you unconscious and use the power of the mystical bird to protect your bodies, but..." Fu Wangchen trailed off, shaking his head with a sigh.

    He had been lost in the bizarre mist for a long time.

    Those who originally came with him had gradually lost their minds as they lost hope or started fighting each other as suspicions grew.

    When he saw the imminent outbreak ofrge-scale conflict, he had no choice but to use the residual power in the mystical bird''s skeleton to keep everyoneatose.

    Even so, this was only a temporary solution that bought them some time before death.

    "I''ll wake you when I find a way out. If not, we''ll all die," Fu Wangchen said helplessly.

    ***

    Meanwhile, Qi Qingsong, Dong Tianze, Zhuang Yuyan, Fang Boxuan, Zhao Yuanqi, and Zhou Qingchen were once again gathered on the Sword Boat.

    "How did Pang Jian transform into a golden bee?"

    "It wasn''t just one, but several!"

    "He ced strands of his divine sense into the bodies of the golden bees to guide us back to the Sword Boat."

    "Li Yuanchen left marks on our earlobes, which the golden bees removed."

    Those on the Sword Boat engaged in heated discussions about Pang Jian.

    Some were on the third-floor balcony and others were on the deck, but all were awaiting Pang Jian''s return.

    "Our junior brother has some tricks up his sleeve," Zhuang Yuyan said, putting away her two spirit swords. She gazed at the endless bizarre mist, lost in thought, and sighed. "If he hadn''t released those golden bees, Li Yuanchen would''ve found and killed Zhou Qingchen and Fang Boxuan."

    Fang Boxuan grimaced. "Don''t me me for running away without a fight. My fianc¨¦e died a miserable death. I could hardly muster the courage to stay and fight him to the end."

    Zhao Yuanqi kept a cold face and said nothing.

    She inwardly cursed the culprit after learning he had left marks on everyone that enabled him to track them in the bizarre mist.

    Looking back, she realized her decision to leave the Sword Boat with Zhou Qingchen had been a grave mistake.

    In truth, her chances of survival would have been much higher if she had stayed and fought alongside Qi Qingsong and Zhuang Yuyan.

    Only through the appearance of the golden bees and Pang Jian''s secret assistance was her mistake rectified, sparing her from a tragic end.

    "The smartest decision I ever made was giving Pang Jian a sword token back in the Primordial Wilderness." Qi Qingsongughed heartily. "That sword token not only earned me the Blue Dream Sword, which allowed me toprehend the wonders of Dream Sword Technique, but also gained me a friend in Pang Jian."

    Zhuang Yuyan''s eyes gleamed with anticipation. "I still haven''t seen how powerful our junior brother is."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A cauldron surrounded by small zing suns came flying from the distance.

    The handle of the Star Crushing Umbre had been inserted into the cauldron so its radiant canopy covered the cauldron''s mouth.

    Pang Jian stood atop the shimmering umbre in his normal appearance.

    "Pang Jian!" Everyone eximed in surprise and excitement.

    Once the Nine Suns Cauldron was hovering above the Sword Boat, Pang Jian leaped down and put away the Star Crushing Umbre.

    Pointing at the steadily descending cauldron, Pang Jian said to Dong Tianze, "Go inside and use your soul-searching technique to search Li Yuanchen''s thoughts."

    "You captured Li Yuanchen alive?" Zhuang Yuyan eximed in disbelief.

    "What?!" Qi Qingsong flew up on his sword and peered down into the cauldron.

    The battered genius of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdomy weakly inside, covered in blood and looking miserable.

    Not long ago, this same man had killed Lu Lingchan, hunted down the ck Valley Sect disciples, and turned the living dead into a bloody mist.

    "Pang Jian, how did you capture him?" Qi Qingsong asked incredulously.

    "It was just a stroke of luck, nothing worth mentioning." Pang Jian waved his hand and motioned Dong Tianze toe closer. "Li Yuanchen isn''t anything special. I encountered a guy in the Spirit Condensation Realm, riding on the skeleton of a giant mystical bird with a vertical eye on his forehead.

    "He was the one who severely injured Li Yuanchen, allowing me to capture him when he fled."

    "A person in the Spirit Condensation Realm, riding on the remains of a giant mystical bird with a vertical eye on his forehead..." Zhuang Yuyan pondered aloud, deep in thought. Then, her body trembled. "His name is Fu Wangchen, from the Forsaken Expanse Sect of the Northern Ruin in the First World!"

    She paused, then nced at Fang Boxuan with a peculiar look on her face.

    Clearing her throat, she added, "His master is¡ª"

    "I know." Fang Boxuan slumped down onto the deck, looking utterly exhausted. Gritting his teeth, he said, "His master is Li Chu!"

    Zhuang Yuyan nodded silently.

    "Li Yuanchen killed Lu Lingchan on the Sword Boat, and afterward, Fu Wangchen severely wounded him in another area of the bizarre mist and forced him to flee..." Qi Qingsong shook his head and sighed. "Should I call it karma or bad luck? The beloved of the person he killed almost killed him."

    "Lu Lingchan wasn''t his beloved!" Fang Boxuan snapped angrily.

    "Uh, sorry, that''s not what I meant." Although Qi Qingsong looked slightly embarrassed, he still continued in a frank tone, "The Lu n and the ck Valley Sect dissolved your engagement. Lu Lingchan caught Li Chu''s eye and was intended to be given to his disciple, so...Fu Wangchen was supposed to be her husband."

    "My Fang n never agreed to that!" Fang Boxuan said, voicecking confidence.

    Qi Qingsong replied bluntly, "Your Fang n is gone now. It doesn''t matter whether you agree or not."

    "In any case, without the Fang n''s agreement, it doesn''t count..." Fang Boxuan said weakly.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Dong Tianze leaped into the Nine Suns Cauldron and released shadows from his Ghost''s Cry that condensed into a gentle, flowing stream around Li Yuanchen''s forehead.

    As Dong Tianze started to perform his secret arts, he asked, "Pang Jian, does it matter if he lives or dies?"

    "It doesn''t. Whether he lives or not is irrelevant. The important thing is that we learn everything we can about him¡ªhis background and what happened before," Pang Jian said coldly.

    Dong Tianze nodded in understanding. "That''ll make things much faster."

    The stream circling Li Yuanchen''s forehead plunged into his mind, transforming into a chain that forcibly extracted his memories.

    "His real name is Li Yuanchen. He''s the only son of the Armor-Breaking Marquis, one of the three Divine Marquises of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom."

 Chapter 293: Soul Search

    <h4>Chapter 293: Soul Search</h4>

    Li Yuanchen''s father, Li Wei, was known as the Armor-Breaking Marquis and was in the mid-stage of the Immortal Realm.

    The Li n was one of the powerful factions of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom and had risen to prominence after an ancestor reached the True God Realm.

    Li Wei was the head of the Li n and wielded significant authority as themander of a divine army. He was renowned in the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom and across the Eastern Land.

    Li Yuanchen and his group''s destination was not Absolute Heaven, but the contaminated Fourth World.

    The Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom had been monitoring the abnormal changes in the Fourth World and had instructed Li Wei, the Armor-Breaking Marquis, to send people to investigate.

    Along the way, Li Yuanchen had heard about the Outer God Puppets in Absolute Heaven and changed his ns.

    Hemanded the Armor-Breaking Warship¡ªnamed after his father¡ªto head straight for Absolute Heaven.

    Those escorting Li Yuanchen with cultivation above the Profound Abode Realm left separately on a smaller warship to explore the Fourth World.

    The highly skilled soldiers of the Armor-Breaking Army would wait outside the bizarre mist after returning from the Fourth World at their predetermined rendezvous point.

    Unfortunately, the Armor-Breaking Warship soon became lost after entering the bizarre mist.

    As the situation spiraled out of control, Li Yuanchen used the pretext of searching for a way out to take valuable treasures with him to wander the bizarre mist alone.

    His desperate searches had been futile, and every time he returned to the Armor-Breaking Warship, he was confronted with even more dead bodies.

    Battles, ughter, and the copse of humanity ultimately led to the destruction of the Armor-Breaking Warship.

    As thest survivor, Li Yuanchen continued to delve deeper into the bizarre mist alone, desperately seeking a sliver of hope, when he identally came upon the Sword Boat.

    Everyone roughly knew what happened from there.

    He infiltrated the Sword Boat, used a secret technique to enter Xu Jie''s body, peered into Ye Fei''s thoughts, and finally transformed into Luo Yuan.

    "And that''s basically it," Dong Tianze concluded.

    At that moment, Li Yuanchen''s heart stopped beating.

    "Did he just die?" Qi Qingsong stroked his chin and carefully inspected Li Yuanchen. "Dong Tianze, he could spy on people''s thoughts, so he''s probably proficient in some sinister arts. Are you sure he''s not fooling us?"

    Dong Tianze snorted. "He''s dead."

    Then, ncing at Pang Jian, he said tentatively, "All the spirit sen¡ªdivine sense in Li Yuanchen''s sea of consciousness was destroyed during my soul search. Only some silver divine sense remains as my soul-searching technique did not affect it."

    Zhou Qingchen was shocked. "Silver divine sense?"

    Pang Jian''s brow twitched as he secretlymunicated with the Bee Sovereign. Two golden bees immediately darted toward Li Yuanchen''s eyes.

    The golden bees'' souls detached from their bodies and entered Li Yuanchen''s sea of consciousness to fight over the remaining silver divine sense.

    The two bees did not take long to devour Lu Yuanchen''s silver divine sense, and their bloated bee souls soon returned to their bodies before disappearing into the bizarre mist.

    "Li Wei, the Armor-Breaking Marquis of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom." Zhuang Yuyan knitted her brows and said with a hint of worry, "I''ve heard of him. He''s quite a troublesome person to deal with."

    The three Divine Kingdoms of the Eastern Land were at odds with the sects of the First World and had their own territories andws. Each of the three Divine Kingdoms had deep foundations, with powerful True Gods emerging in every era.

    Zhuang Yuyan feared Li Yuanchen''s death would provoke retaliation from the Armor-Breaking Marquis and cause trouble for the Sword Pavilion.

    "Li Yuanchen attacked us first! Also, how many have died after entering the bizarre mist because they got lost? Everyone on the Armor-Breaking Warship is dead. It''s only natural Li Yuanchen would die too," Qi Qingsong said indifferently. Then, ncing at Zhao Yuanqi and Fang Boxuan, he added, "No one will know Li Yuanchen''s death is rted to us if we don''t say anything."

    "Why are you looking at me? I''m not going to say anything!" Fang Boxuan huffed.

    Zhao Yuanqi just snorted in response.

    "Pang Jian, I''d like to speak to you privately about Li Yuanchen''s silver divine sense," Dong Tianze said abruptly.

    Everyone looked at him suspiciously, suspecting he had uncovered some secret information.

    "Why all the secrecy? Why can''t you say it in front of us?" Fang Boxuan sneered.

    "You, the most useless person here, dares question me?" Dong Tianze''s face darkened. "Pang Jian captured Li Yuanchen alive, and I extracted the information. It''s up to us whether or not to tell you. Besides, you haven''t contributed much."

    Dong Tianze did not mince his words.

    Neither Zhao Yuanqi nor Fang Boxuan had left a good impression on him, and their early escapes left him feeling rather discontent with them.

    The only ones Dong Tianze was fine with at the moment were Qi Qingsong and Zhuang Yuyan, as they had stayed behind to fight, and Zhou Qingchen, as he did not leave voluntarily.

    "I..." Fang Boxuan opened his mouth to argue, but could not find a reason to refute him and ended up just stewing in silence.

    "It''s okay, you can go ahead," Pang Jian said.

    "Are you sure?"

    "Go ahead."

    "Alright." Dong Tianze nodded. "I came across something strange in Li Yuanchen''s memories. ording to his memories, what we know as divine sense is actually spirit sense.

    "Only spirit sense manifested after absorbing and refining the divine consciousness of Outer Gods is called divine sense.

    "So, those silver strands that had lingered in Li Yuanchen''s were true divine sense, and the ones I erased were spirit sense," Dong Tianze exined in a slightly baffled tone.

    The others listening to him were also puzzled.

    The cultivation methods passed down in the human race since ancient times provided detailed descriptions of each major realm and clearly stated that the strands formed in the Profound Abode Realm were called divine sense.

    Nobody could understand why Li Yuanchen referred to them as spirit sense instead of divine sense.

    If true, that meant the divine sense in all their seas of consciousness was actually spirit sense.

    "Go on," Pang Jian urged.

    "Li Yuanchen changed his mind at thest moment because of the opening of the Abyss, which allowed many Outer Gods to once again gaze upon it," Dong Tianze continued. "He heard that Outer God Puppets were entering Absolute Heaven inrge numbers, so he stepped into the bizarre mist to hunt them down.

    "He only recently learned true divine sense was formed by refining the divine consciousness of an Outer God. This true divine sense isn''t restricted to the Profound Abode Realm and possesses many mysteries."

    Dong Tianze looked over at Pang Jian once he finished speaking.

    "Pang Jian, earlier, you mentioned seeing those ants. Is the golden divine sense that flew out of your eyes...?" Qi Qingsong asked.

    Pang Jian nodded.

    "Back in Spirit Offering, I collected some fragmented divine consciousness of Outer Gods from the damaged stone statues and wooden carvings," Pang Jian lied, not wanting to admit he had hunted Outer God Puppets. "He''s right, cultivation realms are not a limiter for this type of divine sense, and it possesses many wonders."

    The crowd broke out into discussion.

    "If the divine consciousness of Outer Gods is needed, then doesn''t that mean cultivators only have the opportunity to refine this true divine sense when the Abyss opens? Is that why the higher-ups keep it a secret and don''t reveal the truth about divine sense?"

    "If divine sense without divine consciousness is called spirit sense, then all we have in our seas of consciousness are just spirit sense!"

    "Li Yuanchen''s and Pang Jian''s divine sense are clearly different from ours!"

    "It seems the emergence of Outer Gods is both a crisis and an opportunity!"

    "If we can refine true divine sense from them, our cultivation potential will also be greatly enhanced!"

    Their talk continued in this heated manner and only stopped with a cold remark from Fang Boxuan.

    "We can''t leave the bizarre mist, so what''s the use of thinking about all this?" he snapped.

    It was like cold water had been poured over everyone, silencing them.

    Neither Fu Wangchen of the Forsaken Expanse Sect nor Li Yuanchen from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom from the First World had found a way out of the bizarre mist.

    They had all experienced the difficulties of the bizarre mist and were aware that people''s hearts would inevitably change in such a hopeless situation.

    Their discussion would only hold meaning if they escaped the bizarre mist alive.

    Otherwise, it was pointless.

    Pang Jian remained silent.

    Six golden bee souls suddenly appeared in his sea of consciousness.

    The golden bees spat a mouthful of honey into the acupoints at the bottom of his sea of consciousness and disappeared.

    Six new bee pupae then appeared in the beehive.

    The pupae sought blood essence as soon as they formed, and the blood essence in Pang Jian''s Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint flowed directly into the bronze pendant.

    Pang Jian silently took out some flesh and blood of Vicious Beasts to replenish himself.

    "Don''t worry, I have a clear direction. I can lead you all to Absolute Heaven." Pang Jian sat down and said to the gentle Zhuang Yuyan, "Senior Sister, could you go to the ship''s hold and fill the arrays with spirit jades to restart the Sword Boat?"

    "I can! I certainly can!" Zhuang Yuyan''s eyes lit up with joy. "Junior Brother, you''re not joking, are you? Did you truly find a way out?!"

    "Pang Jian!" the others eximed, hope zing in their eyes.

    None of them knew how long they had been trapped in the bizarre mist.

    So many had broken down, unable to bear the mental pressure.

    Pang Jian had not only managed to capture Li Yuanchen but had also found a way out.

    The thought made their very souls tremble with excitement.

    "There shouldn''t be a problem. Senior Sister, please start the Sword Boat. We''re leaving now," Pang Jian affirmed.

    "Junior Brother, you truly are our lucky star." A radiant smile bloomed across Zhuang Yuyan''s face.

    She rushed into the ship''s hold with her stash of one hundred and ten thousand spirit jades, eager to fill the arrays inside.

    Pang Jian''s closestpanions, Qi Qingsong and Zhou Qingchen, crowded around him.

    "Come on, Pang Jian, tell us how you found the way out!"

    "You rascal, just how many secrets are you hiding?"

    The two ribbed and teased Pang Jian.

    Dong Tianze had initially also wanted to ask a few questions, but when he saw Qi Qingsong and Zhou Qingchen surrounding Pang Jian, he could only sit on the ck Iron Mountain with a cold expression.

    "This guy..." Zhao Yuanqi muttered, strapping herrge gourd onto her back.

    She sat, leaning against the ship''s railing, gaze turning distance as she seemed to lose herself in thought.

    Zhao Yuanqi had not been there to witness Pang Jian''s brilliance during the incident in the Primordial Wilderness.

    This experience in the boundless bizarre mist was her first time seeing Pang Jian''s extraordinary abilities firsthand.

    Pang Jian had left a profound impression on her.

    Li Yuanchen, the son of the Armor-Breaking Marquis of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom, had left Zhao Yuanqi feeling desperate and powerless, only for Pang Jian to bring him back looking like a dying dog.

    And now, Pang Jian had found a way out.

    "A golden carp does not remain in a shallow pond; it transforms into a dragon when it encounters wind and clouds,[1]" Zhao Yuanqi muttered.

    1. This is a Chinese saying that describes how a person of great talent or potential is not meant to remain in obscurity or mediocrity. When the right opportunity or circumstances arise, their true potential is revealed and they achieve greatness. ?

 Chapter 294: The Four Fragmented Lands

    <h4>Chapter 294: The Four Fragmented Lands</h4>

    As the Sword Boat soared through the bizarre mist, new strands of golden divine sense emerged from the acupoints in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness.

    The six new strands of divine sensebined with his original one hundred and forty-four to make one hundred and fifty strands.

    The twelve strands of golden divine sense that previously had withered after staring at the sun and moon through the copper chest had since been restored to their original state.

    They had recovered using the weak traces of divine consciousness the Observer had left within the green ants.

    The restoration of his golden divine sense meant Pang Jian had finally reached thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm.

    Unfortunately, his sea of consciousness had not expanded further.

    <i>Just one more strand. I only need one more strand of divine sense to break into one hundred and fifty-one strands and expand my sea of consciousness.</i>

    Even so, Pang Jian was in no hurry.

    They were headed to Absolute Heaven where many more Outer God Puppets had gathered. His total divine sense was far from his limit.

    <i>Only divine sense refined from divine consciousness can be considered true divine senses. The rest are just spirit sense.</i>

    The more Pang Jian pondered, the more eager he became to reach Absolute Heaven.

    The strength of his divine soul¡ªand by extension, his future potential in cultivation¡ªwould depend on his number of golden divine sense.

    At that moment, the perspective of the farthest golden bee in Pang Jian''s mind became disjointed and blurry.

    He had been maintaining his connection with the bees and was still constantly receiving the broadcasts of the perspectives.

    However, there were limits to this.

    The Bee Sovereign told Pang Jian that the golden bee had flown too far away, and he could lose contact with it if it continued exploring the bizarre mist.

    Thus, the Bee Sovereign immediately recalled the distant golden bees.

    <i>Absolute Heaven will soon appear if we follow that white crane. There''s no need for the golden bees to explore that far.</i>

    Pang Jian shifted his attention to the bees'' perspectives.

    Fu Wangchen of the Forsaken Expanse Sect sat unmoving on the giant mystical bird.

    On the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat, only a few disciples of the Demon Sect still retained their self-awareness.

    Even disciples from the Celestial Lagoon Sect looked ashen, bing withdrawn as they no longermunicated with each other.

    What happened on the Sword Boat was now repeating on the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat.

    <i>That has nothing to do with me, </i>Pang Jian thought with an indifferent shake of his head.

    He recalled how the Demon Sect sent the Scarlet Dawn Boat violently swaying in the astral winds, not to mention the actions of Yuan Lengshan and Lan Xi in Eight Trigrams City.

    These memories left him with no goodwill toward the Demon Sect.

    "What are you thinking about?" Qi Qingsong asked, tossing Pang Jian a wine jar. "Don''t scare us! You''re our hope. When you shake your head, it feels like something''s wrong."

    "Junior Brother, is there any girl you fancy?" Zhuang Yuyan smiled as she pushed a te of fruits toward Pang Jian.

    The Sword Boat sped in the direction Pang Jian had pointed them, and the group drank and chatted on the third-floor balcony with high spirits.

    "I don''t eat those," Pang Jian declined, not touching Zhuang Yuyan''s offered fruits.

    Instead, he pulled over a stack of dried meat in front of Fang Boxuan.

    As Pang Jian chewed on the tough dried meat, a scene from the dark tunnel in Eight Trigrams City shed through his mind. It was the ridiculous memory of him and Li Yuqing fighting over food.

    "The genius girl of the Li Family¡ªthe one with incrediblebat prowess¡ªseems to have a bit of a spark with Pang Jian." Zhou Qingchen chuckled.

    "Li Yuqing?" Zhuang Yuyan clicked her tongue in surprise and said seriously, "Junior Brother, it must be a lot of pressure to admire her."

    Pang Jian did not respond.

    "The Divine Treasure Sect has maintained good rtions with most of the sects in the Abyss," Zhuang Yuyan remarked. "That prodigious girl from the Li family once visited the Sword Pavilion and resonated with the Heaven-Splitting Sword.

    "Can you believe it? The Heaven-Splitting Sword!

    "All divine artifacts have soul, and that sword soul acknowledged her on the spot. Even our Pavilion Master could not suppress it and had to let the Heaven-Splitting Sword choose her as its master.

    "She truly is formidable. I heard she''s never been defeated in inter-sectpetitions in the First World since obtaining the Heaven-Splitting Sword.

    "That girl is destined to achieve godhood in the future. There''s no doubt about that.

    "Junior Brother..." Zhuang Yuyan trailed off with a pause.

    "If you want to be with her, you can''t be weaker than her. At the very least, you''ll need to be our generation''s foremost Immortal Realm cultivator like our Pavilion Master to have a chance with her.

    "But that''s still only a chance." Zhuang Yuyan gently shook her head. "Bing the Pavilion Master of the Sword Pavilion only gives you the qualification to pursue her. In the end, it still depends on what that girl thinks."

    "Pang Jian, you can do it! I''m sure she likes you!" Zhou Qingchen eximed as he tore a piece of jerky in his hands. "Her attitude toward you in Spirit Offering waspletely different from how she treated others. I think she looked at you differently because she¡¯s taken a fancy to you!"

    "Really?" Zhuang Yuyan was surprised.

    "Now that you mention it, it did seem that way," Fang Boxuan agreed. "That girl from the Li Family looked at us like we were mere pebbles, but she looked at Pang Jian as if he were a person."

    "I think another person¡ªor rather, Outer God¡ªhas her eyes set on him," Zhao Yuanqi interjected. "If Luo Hongyan is truly an Outer God and not a puppet being possessed, then that means she''s taken a true interest in Pang Jian."

    Zhao Yuanqi remembered how Pang Jian''s disy of severed heads had made that terrifying Outer God change her mind.

    If not, the prodigy girl from the Li Family could have died, and the rest of them would not have escaped alive.

    Zhuang Yuyan was horrified. "An Outer God herself? How could a mortal body belong to an Outer God?"

    "We''re not sure either, but that''s what Li Yuqing said. She flew into the Second World and is likely in Absolute Heaven," Zhao Yuanqi pondered aloud. "If we encounter her there, our only option might be to pray she retains her sanity and remembers her past feelings for Pang Jian."

    "Is it really that terrifying?" Qi Qingsong asked, having not been in Spirit Offering to experience it firsthand.

    Fang Boxuan and Zhou Qingchen nodded grimly.

    "She casually killed the Sect Master of the Blood Moon Sect and the Cult Leader of the Sinister Soul Temple. They were both in the Soul Wandering Realm," Zhao Yuanqi said, voice trembling. "If she''s in Absolute Heaven, she''ll surely be the most terrifying nightmare there."

    When Qi Qingsong and Zhuang Yuyan saw the intense fear in her eyes, they immediately lost the mood for conversation.

    They all drank in silence.

    Time passed slowly, and one day, while Pang Jian quietly cultivated, he sensed that the golden bee following the white crane had emerged from the bizarre mist.

    The golden bee and the white crane entered a vast space where fourrge fragmentednds floated in the depths of the void, with bizarre mist surrounding the area.

    One of the fragmentednds was shrouded in dazzling lightning that obscured the view of its innerndscape.

    A massive lightning vortex seemed to envelop the entirendmass, with shes of lightning and thunder roaring within.

    Another fragmentednd had a surface dotted with towering volcanoes, each spewing mes and soaring fire pirs like massive fiery dragons.

    Streams of magma flowed on the cracked ground, lighting everything aze.

    The third fragmentednd was covered in snow-capped peaks and ciers, creating a frozen world of ice.

    The only fragmentednd of the four that appeared somewhat normal was the one closest to the golden bee, with lush valleys, mountains, forests,kes, and swamps.

    Scattered across this fragmentednd were the wreckages of warships and boats.

    Thousands of corpses of humans, Vicious Beasts, Spirit Beasts, and foreign races,y strewn across thend.

    A pitch-ck warship hovered in the air, with powerful Ghost Race membersmanding foreign warriors to hunt down survivors on the fragmentednd below.

    The small Ghost Race members on the warship wore luxurious clothing and held exquisite artifacts.

    They looked exactly like the Ghost Race warriors Pang Jian had seen in the Primordial Wilderness and the Fifth World.

    However, unlike those from the Fifth World, these Ghost Race members had a noble demeanor and seemed to have lived a life of luxury and high status.

    <i>They''re not the Ghost Race from the Fifth World!</i> Pang Jian noted with surprise.

    Suddenly, the piercing cry of a crane rang out.

    The white crane rushed toward the fragmentednd engulfed in lightning with reckless abandon.

    It seemed impatient.

    Meanwhile, on the pitch-ck warship, a Ghost Race warrior coldly watched the departing white crane.

    The Ghost Race warrior was smaller than a dwarf and wielded a silver trident. He was gaunt and skeletal, with fangs that protruded from the corners of his mouth.

    "A visitor from the Abyss..." the Ghost Race warrior muttered.

    He threw the silver trident at the crane.

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    Three dazzling arcs of lightning shot out from the silver trident like blinding rivers of light.

    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>

    The arcs of lightning soon caught up to the white crane, striking its wings in a shower of sparks and feathers.

    "You little bastard, I''ll settle the score with youter!" the white crane screeched as it flew away.

    The imposing Ghost Race warrior snorted as he summoned the silver trident back to his hand before turning to look in the direction the white crane hade from.

    His green, glimmering eyesnded on the golden bee.

    "A golden bee..."

    His eyes gleamed with a peculiar light as they projected images of gruesome ughter and mountains of bones into the golden bee''s mind.

    The golden bee gave a sharp buzzing cry and retreated into the bizarre mist.

    Pang Jian shivered. Grabbing a wine sk, he took several gulps to steady his mind before he asked, "Is Absolute Heaven just one fragmentednd or four?"

    Zhuang Yuyan was taken aback. "It''s just one fragmentednd."

    Pang Jian''s expression changed. "The Outer God known as the Observer was probably telling the truth. What we''re going to face next isn''t just the beings from our Abyss, but also beings from other worlds."

    Thousands of humans, Spirit Beasts, and Vicious Beasts had already perished.

    Those already in Absolute Heaven appeared to be in dire straits.

    Pang Jian had not had long to observe the situation through the golden bee and was uncertain if the Ghost Race warriors were also hunting the inhabitants of the Abyss in other parts of that fragmentednd.

    After considering for a moment, Pang Jian made a decision.

 Chapter 295: Deploying Cannon Fodder

    <h4>Chapter 295: Deploying Cannon Fodder</h4>

    Fu Wangchen sat on the skull of the giant mystical bird, as still as a stone statue, eyes shut and his body exposed to the bizarre mist.

    <i>Hiss!</i>

    A strange force tried to corrode his exposed skin but his robust physique kept it at bay.

    Suddenly, a golden bee appeared!

    Fu Wangchen stubbornly kept his eyes shut and did not react to its arrival.

    "I''ll guide you out of this bizarre mist," the golden bee unexpectedly said in human tongue.

    The motionless Fu Wangchen knitted his brows.

    Opening his eyes, he calmly looked at the bee and said, "Tell me who you are first."

    "I''m Jiang Chao."

    "Where are you from?"

    "The Celestial Lagoon Sect in the Second World."

    "Did you lure that other person here earlier using the golden bee?"

    "Yes."

    Fu Wangchen''s expression shifted slightly. He had not anticipated such straightforward answers.

    "The Celestial Lagoon Sect..." he muttered under his breath.

    The Celestial Lagoon Sect was less well-known than the Demon Sect or the Sword Pavilion, and although Fu Wangchen had heard of it, he had little impression of it.

    Moreover, he had never heard of Jiang Chao.

    "Who was the person I wounded?"

    Pang Jian answered unhesitatingly, "Li Yuanchen, from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom on the Eastern Land. He''s the son of Li Wei, the Armor-Breaking Marquis."

    "Is he dead?"

    "He is."

    Fu Wangchen fell silent.

    "Is Li Yuancheng''s death attributed to me or you?" he asked after a while

    "Does that matter?"

    "My Forsaken Expanse Sect sometimes has dealings with the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom. It could be troublesome if his death is pinned on me," Fu Wangchen admitted.

    "Then pin it on me," the golden bee replied simply. "You and everyone in the pavilion behind you will die here without my guidance. Do you have the luxury to worry about the future?"

    "They may die, but I won''t. I can hold out for decades. My master will eventually send someone to find me," Fu Wangchen said with a steady gaze. "I believe my master will find a way to bring me out alive."

    "Go ahead and wait for your master then."

    With that, the golden bee flew away.

    "Jiang Chao, wait!" Fu Wangchen called, standing up abruptly. ncing back at the pavilion, he said dejectedly, "I can hold on, but they can''t, so..."

    He stared hopefully at the bee.

    "Beg me."

    Fu Wangchen was taken aback. "What?"

    Fu Wangchen was a proud person, but he never expected the master of the golden bee to get angry over his usual arrogance.

    Everyone in the Northern Ruin had indulged him since he could remember and treated him as the future leader of the Forsaken Expanse Sect.

    They were all confident he would be the leader of the Forsaken Expanse Sect.

    His path to godhood had long beenid out at his feet. All he needed to do was follow it step by step. In other words, his ascension to the True God Realm was set in stone.

    Fu Wangchen had never needed to ask anyone for anything, let alone beg someone for a favor.

    The golden bee said coldly, "Beg me. Beg me to take you to Absolute Heaven."

    Fu Wangchen squinted his eyes and his once steady heart rippled with reluctance.

    Meanwhile, the golden bee drifted further and further away.

    Squeezing out the words with an almost pained tone, he relented, "Consider this my plea. Please lead us out of here..."

    Fu Wangchen copsed, gasping inbored breaths. To him, begging almost felt worse than death.

    "Alright, follow me," the golden bee said before flying ahead.

    The stationary giant mystical bird was enveloped in a hazy glow as it made to follow the golden bee through the dense bizarre mist.

    "Jiang Chao of the Celestial Lagoon Sect. I''ll remember this," Fu Wangchen murmured.

    ***

    Meanwhile, on the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat, the enchanting Chen Lushi leaned wearily against the broken windowsill. Her eyes gazed nkly at the living dead on the deck.

    The light in her eyes had long since faded.

    The once-vibrantke of her heart had be still and lifeless and she no longer struck seductive poses or unted her charm.

    Wu Yuan''s resilience when it came to enduring hardships and tempering her heart was not something she possessed.

    She knew she did not have much time left.

    "I''ll be one of the living dead soon," she muttered in self-pity.

    At that moment, a peculiar golden bee descended from the vast bizarre mist above and flew toward her broken window.

    Chen Lushi''s expression changed. "An Outer God?"

    "I''vee to guide you out," said the golden bee.

    Chen Lushi''s delicate frame trembled and she instinctively pulled away to assume a defensive stance.

    The intricate patterns and ck "Demon" characters embroidered on her purple dress came alive.

    "Who are you?!"

    "I''m Fu Wangchen of the Forsaken Expanse Sect," the bee coldly replied.

    Chen Lushi had been about to call for Wu Yuan and Jiang Chao when she heard the bee''s im. Calming down slightly, she asked, "The Forsaken Expanse Sect in the Northern Ruin?"

    "Yes."

    "And you''re not some scheming Outer God?"

    "No."

    "Hah, you scared me to death." Chen Lushi patted her ample chest and sat her shapely hips on a stone bench. Her beautiful eyes gleamed as she said coquettishly, "So, tell me, what are your conditions? And how do you know the way out of this bizarre mist?"

    "All you need to do is follow me. There''s no need to ask anything else," the bee said impatiently. "You have no other choice. If you don''t want to die, just do as I say."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The golden bee flew away.

    "I''ll be waiting for you in the distance while you activate the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat," it called.

    Chen Lushi was so relieved she could not even find it in her to be angry at the tant dismissal. Once she found Jiang Chao and Wu Yuan, she hurriedly exined the situation to them.

    "Fu Wangchen has a terrible temper and is quite annoying, but he''s given us hope!" she eximed.

    "Fu Wangchen?" Jiang Chao was filled with joy. "I know him! If he''s guiding us, then we''re saved! Fu Wangchen is almost guaranteed a ce as a True God in the Forsaken Expanse Sect of the Northern Ruin!"

    ***

    At the same time, Pang Jian had already informed everyone on the Sword Boat about what they would face once they left the bizarre mist and entered Absolute Heaven.

    "The Mountain Stream Spirit Boat and Fu Wangchen''s giant mystical bird will serve as our vanguard," Pang Jian said calmly.

    "Junior Brother, you''re quite devious." Zhuang Yuyan stood at the edge of the third-floor balcony and stared out at the unchanging sea of bizarre mist. "The Ghost Race from another world and other foreign races. The races we''ve driven to the Fifth World could still be the masters of another world."

    "We just don''t know if the beings on the other three fragmentednds are the same," Qi Qingsong said with a grave expression.

    The atmosphere had be solemn after everyone heard about the three mysterious fragmentednds in Absolute Heaven.

    "Pang Jian, how much longer until we arrive?" Zhao Yuanqi asked uneasily.

    She could not help but feel pessimistic about their journey when she thought about how Absolute Heaven was littered with corpses and teeming with powerful foreign races and Outer Gods,

    "Soon."

    ***

    After a long while of traveling, the Sword Boat came to a halt.

    Everyone stared at a golden bee hovering in the distant bizarre mist.

    Behind the golden bee was a faint white light, like the pale belly of a fish.

    If they continued forward, the Sword Boat would break through the bizarre mist and enter the void containing the four fragmentednds.

    "By my estimation, Fu Wangchen''s giant mystical bird skeleton will break through the bizarre mist roughly six hours from now," Pang Jian informed. "He''ll appear in direct view of the Ghost Race warriors.

    "I''ve synchronized their travel times so the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat will leave the bizarre mist soon after the mystical bird skeleton.

    "As for us..." Pang Jian nced at the others. "I''ll use the golden bees to observe the situation first."

    "Fu Wangchen is a Spirit Condensation Realm cultivator and is the future leader of the Forsaken Expanse Sect. He''ll surely cause significant trouble for the Ghost Race," Zhuang Yuyan said.

    "Wu Yuan and Jiang Chao are not simple either," Qi Qingsong added.

    Six hourster, the massive hundred-zhang-long skeleton of the giant mystical bird reached the edge of the bizarre mist.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    It radiated a strong vitality as it shot out of the bizarre mist like an arrow.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Celestial Lagoon Sect''s Mountain Stream Spirit Boat emerged from the bizarre mist right after the mystical bird.

    "Pang Jian! What''s happening over there?"

    "Junior Brother, what''s the situation?"

    Fang Boxuan and Zhuang Yuyan asked anxiously.

    "I''m looking!" Pang Jian snapped.

    ***

    In Absolute Heaven, the Ghost Race warrior wielding a silver trident stared up at the giant mystical bird skeleton with an eerie light dancing in his green eyes.

    "The Abyss!" He raised his arm and ordered, "Attack!"

    Rows of cannons made of ck crystal on the sleek, pitch-ck warship he was on all fired simultaneously.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The cannon fire shot straight at Fu Wanchen''s giant mystical bird skeleton, like cascades of pitch-ck waterfalls.

    Fu Wangchen had no time to prepare, assess the situation, or wake his fellow disciples.

    The first thing he saw when he emerged from the bizarre mist was a sky filled with cannon fire hurtling toward him.

    "Heavenly Roc!" he hurriedly shouted.

    The mystical bird''s skeletal wings twitched, causing golden rocs to fly out and fearlessly charge toward the iing ck cannon fire.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The cannon fire struck a golden roc, turning it into a drop of golden blood that fell onto the bones of the mystical bird.

    The appearance of the golden rocs bought Fu Wangchen some time.

    At the same time, the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat had also left the bizarre mist.

    Chen Lushi, Jiang Chao, and Wu Yuan saw brilliant explosions in the sky when they emerged.

 Chapter 296: Joining the Battle!

    <h4>Chapter 296: Joining the Battle!</h4>

    Golden roc after golden roc collided with the wave of ck cannon fire and exploded into dazzling mes that lit up the sky.

    The exploded rocs condensed into drops of golden blood and returned to the bones of the giant mystical bird.

    <i>Crackle! Sizzle!</i>

    Streaks of golden lightning danced on the crystalline white bones, merging with the drops of golden blood and infusing them with new spiritual consciousness.

    Before long, new golden rocs emerged, pping their wings as they intercepted the iing cannon fire.

    Many members of the Ghost Race stood on a pitch-ck warship in the void below. The warship was unlike the flying vessels normally seen in the Abyss.

    The members of the Ghost Race were dressed in luxurious clothing and exuded an extraordinary aura, with some even holding exquisite sses as if drinking fine wine.

    The disciples of the Celestial Lagoon Sect were stunned at the sight.

    "How did the Ghost Racee here from the Fifth World?"

    "Why are their warships sovish? And those cannons and ck spirit crystals...what are they?"

    "Four fragmentednds? My god, did wee to the wrong ce? Absolute Heaven is supposed to be just one fragmentednd, so why are there four?"

    "There''s one surrounded by lightning, one sealed in ice, and one engulfed in mes. Where did those three fragmentedndse from?!"

    Chaos erupted on the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat.

    The utterly bewildering scene unfolding before them was vastly different from what they had imagined.

    "Those Ghost Race members aren''t from our world. The Ghost Race I''ve encountered don''t have such a noble demeanor," Wu Yuan said. Then, seeing cannons aiming at the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat, he took a deep breath and ordered, "Prepare for battle! We''ll have to fight these foreign race warriors to the death whether we like it or not."

    "Another world?"

    "Where exactly are we?!"

    The disciples cried in panic.

    Meanwhile, the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat took advantage of the giant roc skeleton''s drawing of the cannon fire to descend onto the single normal-looking fragmentednd.

    "Shoot!" a coldmand echoed from deep within a jungle on Absolute Heaven.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A hundred-zhang-tall giant with eight arms and a bare chest appeared.

    The giant wielded enormous bows and arrows in his eight muscr arms and shot a rapid stream of arrows at the descending Mountain Stream Spirit Boat.

    The arrows flew forth like dazzling meteors, and soon, the descending Mountain Stream Spirit Boat was riddled with holes.

    The surviving disciples of the Celestial Lagoon Sect and the Demon Sect were forced to flee the boat.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The Mountain Stream Spirit Boat crashnded.

    Foreign race warriors had been roaming the wilderness to hunt down rogue cultivators and scions of noble families. The arrival of the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat simply meant fresh prey for them.

    "Kill!" cried the foreign race warriors.

    Some rode chariots, some flew on pitch-ck feathers, and others rode white flying horses as they charged toward the cultivators from the Celestial Lagoon Sect and the Demon Sect.

    "A Mountain Stream Spirit Boat from the Celestial Lagoon Sect!"

    "That''s the Demon Sect''s banner!"

    "There are also people from the Forsaken Expanse Sect of the Northern Ruin!"

    "We''re saved! We managed to hold out until reinforcements arrived!"

    Cultivators from the Abyss scattered throughout Absolute Heaven erupted into cheers of joy.

    Some were so overwhelmed with emotion that they cried tears of relief.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Chen Lushinded and she looked up at the sky with her beautiful eyes.

    "Fu Wangchen of the Forsaken Expanse Sect!" she eximed.

    She had already learned of Fu Wangchen from Jiang Chao and was under the assumption that the peerless genius of the Forsaken Expanse Sect had guided their Mountain Stream Spirit Boat here.

    "How extraordinary," Chen Lushi praised. "He arrived ahead of us to take on the barrage of cannon fire from the foreign races. His character and demeanor are truly impable."

    Her admiration for Fu Wangchen grew significantly. Displeasure rose in her heart as she recalled that he and Lu Lingchan from the ck Valley Sect were intended for each other.

    <i>So what if you''re a personal disciple of the Valley Master? You may not even survive to reach Absolute Heaven.</i> Chen Lushi snorted coldly in her heart.

    "Fu Wangchen!"

    "He''s Fu Wangchen of the Forsaken Expanse Sect in the Northern Ruin!"

    "With him here, we''ll definitely survive!"

    Rogue cultivators, scions of noble families, and disciples from smaller sects of the Second World cheered with renewed vigor.

    Fu Wangchen had since summoned an ancient god Dharma Idol and used it to tear away an invisible membrane around the giant mystical bird''s skeleton like ripping away a veil.

    "Die!" he yelled, leaping from the mystical bird''s forehead to confront the gaunt Ghost Race warrior.

    The Ghost Race warrior wielding a silver trident muttered a chant in its race''snguage, green eyes shing with a peculiar light.

    An eerie, mist-shrouded ghostly figure appeared in the void behind the Ghost Race warrior. It towered a hundred zhang high, arms hanging by its sides and its back hunched.

    The shrouding mist slowly merged to form a massive ck cloak wrapping around the ghostly figure.

    This was the soul projection of an Outer God!

    The Outer God lowered its head to peer at the gaunt Ghost Race warrior as if gazing upon a devout follower.

    "The Abyss..." it mumbled in a garbled voice, fixing its gaze on the towering ancient god Dharma Idol that Fu Wangchen had summoned. "A Dharma Idol left by a perished True God."

    ncing at the giant mystical bird, it noted, "The skeleton of a Rank Nine Golden-Winged Giant Roc."

    "You''ve done well," it said to the Ghost Race warrior below.

    Reaching downward, it took hold of the silver trident it had once bestowed upon the Ghost Race warrior.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The silver trident expanded a millionfold, transforming into a dazzling silver bolt of lightning that the ghostly figure hurled at the ancient god Dharma Idol.

    The lotus tform on which the Dharma Idol sat ignited with raging karmic mes and surged toward the iing silver trident.

    The Dharma Idol of the long-perished True God of the Northern Ruin stepped off the lotus tform and started to battle the soul projection of the Outer God.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The pavilions and pces on the Golden-Winged Giant Roc''s wing bones copsed and members of the Forsaken Expanse Sect awoke from their deep, prolonged stupor.

    When they saw the dire situation, they wasted no time mounting the golden rocs formed from the Golden-Winged Giant Roc.

    The cultivators from the Forsaken Expanse Sect charged toward the pitch-ck warship still unleashing a deluge of cannon fire and engaged the Ghost Race warriors in fiercebat.

    Pang Jian observed this battle through the golden bees from within the bizarre mist and narrated the situation to the others.

    "Fu Wangchen is very powerful," he remarked. "The Dharma Idol he summoned is locked in fiercebat with the soul projection of an Outer God that the Ghost Race worships.

    "The Mountain Stream Spirit Boat has crashed. The Celestial Lagoon Sect and the Demon Sect are fighting the foreign races in the wilderness.

    "Members of the Forsaken Expanse Sect have woken up and are riding golden rocs to attack the Ghost Race warship.

    "The cannons constructed from ck crystals are no longer firing," Pang Jian added.

    Every word he spoke stoked the mes of his battle spirit.

    He licked his lips and his eyes sparkled with excitement. The Startling ughter Spear had already been preemptively summoned in his hand.

    "Junior Brother." Zhuang Yuyan smiled. "Using Fu Wangchen, Wu Yuan, Jiang Chao, and the others as a vanguard is quite clever of you."

    "True. Otherwise, the first, most intense wave of cannon fire would have hit the Sword Boat," Qi Qingsong agreed, standing up. He held his Blue Dream Sword, also seeming eager for battle. "The Sword Boat can''t be destroyed. We''ll need it for our return."

    "Are you guys really nning to charge in?" Fang Boxuan asked nervously.

    The soul projection of an Outer God, powerful Ghost Race warriors, and many warriors from different foreign races awaited them in Absolute Heaven.

    Fang Boxuan feltpelled to stay on the Sword Boat instead of rushing out of the bizarre mist.

    He thought it would be better to wait for the members of the Forsaken Expanse Sect, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, and the Demon Sect to conclude their fight against the foreign races warriors before stepping in.

    "I want to hunt Outer Gods and refine a strand of true divine sense!" Qi Qingsong proimed.

    "I want to see what the Ghost Race warriors from other worlds are capable of!" Zhuang Yuyan clenched her fists eagerly, ready for a fight.

    Disciples from the Sword Pavilion were unafraid of battle. In fact, they craved it, as their sword intent and techniques were tempered throughbat.

    The knowledge of the dangers ahead did not deter them but made them more keen to leap into the fray.

    "Those from the Abyss, human or beast, have no advantage in Absolute Heaven," Pang Jian warned. "The foreign races and the Outer Gods they serve have control of the overall situation.

    "If we remain on the sidelines, the members of the Forsaken Expanse Sect, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, and the Demon Sect could be wiped out. If that happens, we''ll have to face those foreign races from other worlds alone."

    "Dong Tianze!" Pang Jian called. "Let''s leave the Sword Boat hidden in the bizarre mist and all enter Absolute Heaven on your ck Iron Mountain."

    "Good idea!" Qi Qingsong seconded.

    Leaving the Sword Boat in the bizarre mist meant they could still retreat if things took a turn for the worse.

    "Alright," Dong Tianze agreed, maneuvering the ck Iron Mountain out of the Sword Boat.

    Pang Jian, Qi Qingsong, Zhuang Yuyan, and Fang Boxuannded on the ck Iron Mountain.

    "If we all gather on the ck Iron Mountain, we''ll be too obvious a target. It would be better for us to split up," Zhao Yuanqi called out as Zhou Qingchen made to join them. "Junior Brother Zhou, you''re with me."

    She unfastened her gourd, flew up, and beckoned Zhou Qingchen.

    "Sounds good." Zhou Qingchen shot Pang Jian an apologetic smile before following her onto the gourd.

    "Let''s go," Pang Jianmanded.

    The ck Iron Mountain and the gourd flew forward.

    Before long, they broke through the gray bizarre mist and saw the strange space Pang Jian had described.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Intertwined lights and shadows, divine radiance, and raging mes streaked through the void.

    A fierce battlefield of shing lightning and spiritual light unfolded before their eyes.

    "The Sword Pavilion!" Fu Wangchen shouted, noticing the sword tokens on Pang Jian and the others'' waists from where he hovered barehanded above the remains of the Golden-Winged Giant Roc. "Everyone, these foreign races are not from the Abyss. They¡ª"

    "No need to say more!" Zhuang Yuyan shook her head with a smile.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    A pair of short and long spirit swords created a zing sea of fire that spread out behind her in the void.

    <i>Sizzle! Sizzle!</i>

    Slender arcs of ghostly me and lightning wove through the sea of fire to form a Vermilion Bird and a Fiery Qilin.

    "I''ll help you fight the soul projection of that Outer God!"

 Chapter 297: Misguided Instructions?

    <h4>Chapter 297: Misguided Instructions?</h4>

    Zhuang Yuyan stood gracefully with her long, waterfall-like hair fluttering behind her as she pointed a pale finger at the Outer God.

    "ze Shift."

    The world of zing fire behind her flew toward the hunched, cloaked Outer God, spewing massive pirs of magma and mes.

    The Vermilion Bird screeched and the Fiery Qilin roared as hundreds of rivers of fire swirled around the soul projection of the Outer God.

    <i>Wooo! Wooo!</i>

    Strange beings wailed from within the cloak wrapped around the Outer God''s soul projection. It was like worshippers of this Outer God were shielding it from Zhuang Yuyan''s fiery assault.

    "An Outer God is not that scary after all," Zhuang Yuyan sneered.

    Among those present, only she and Fu Wangchen had sessfully advanced to the Spirit Condensation Realm while in the bizarre mist.

    Thus, she instinctively considered it her and Fu Wangchen''s duty to eliminate the Outer God''s soul projection as it was the most powerful opponent present.

    "Little Junior Brother, Junior Brother Qi, go to the warship and kill the other Ghost Race warriors!" Zhuang Yuyan instructed.

    "Got it!" Qi Qingsong shouted back, tossing the Blue Dream Sword from the ck Iron Mountain.

    A deep blue sea appeared in the void of Absolute Heaven, and those gazing upon it found their eyes zing.

    It felt like their souls were being drawn into the enchanting, dreamlike sea.

    Any foreign race warriors setting their eyes on the dreamlike sea were affected, especially the Ghost Race warriors skilled in soul techniques.

    A single look was enough to bring their worst memories to mind.

    The tragic deaths of their wives and children; the destruction of their homes and families; their parents on the brink of death from severe illness; the decline of their bloodlines; and so on.

    The Ghost Race warriors from the outer world let out muffled groans as they lost control of their sanity.

    Cultivators from the Forsaken Expanse Sect sinstantly took the opportunity to surround and kill them.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Pang Jian leaped down from the ck Iron Mountain, spearing a Rank Five Ghost Race warrior as hended on a field with bones littered everywhere.

    <i>The Ghost Race...</i>

    He grabbed the Ghost Race warrior''s and pressed his palm against its skull.

    A Soul me soon floated out.

    After some thought, he took out the ck Crow Cauldron intended for Luo Hongyan and collected the Soul me.

    <i>It''s useless to me, but Big Brother Zhou can use it to refine his divine sense and reach his limit.</i>

    Pang Jian then charged at another Ghost Race warrior.

    "The Ghost Race!" Dong Tianze and Fang Boxuan cried as they joined the fight.

    In the wilderness, Chen Lushi was engaged in fiercebat against several foreign race warriors, with her dazzling ribbons acting like octopus tentacles as she fought.

    The foreign race warriors had antennae sprouting from their heads andrge natural carapaces on their backs, with thick, tough skin that rendered them immune to her illusionary soul techniques.

    Several Celestial Lagoon Sect disciples beside her had already died under the siege of those strange foreign race warriors.

    Members of the Forsaken Expanse Sect continued to attack the Ghost Race''s main warship as Fu Wangchen and Zhuang Yuyan intercepted the soul projection of the Outer God.

    "The Sword Pavilion!" Chen Lushi cried when she saw the Sword Pavilion disciples emerge from the bizarre mist. Waving her jade-like arms, she yelled, "Over here,e help!"

    "Chen Lushi of the Demon Heart Sect." Zhao Yuanqi red at Chen Lushi from her gourd in mid-air. "She stirred up the astral winds and caused me to waste nearly a thousand spirit jades."

    The giant red gourd, bathed in radiant sunset light, flew toward a female Celestial Lagoon Sect disciple.

    Zhao Yuanqi uncorked the gourd, aiming it at several foreign race warriors with human heads and scorpion bodies known as the Earth Scorpion Race.

    Nine streaks of radiant light shot out and riddled their bodies with holes.

    Her attack allowed Lu Xiangyi of the Celestial Lagoon Sect to escape unharmed.

    Lu Xiangyi hurriedly expressed her gratitude.

    "You''re wee. We''re all from the Abyss. We should help each other," Zhao Yuanqi replied, moving her gourd closer to pick up Lu Xiangyi before rescuing other nearby disciples from the Celestial Lagoon Sect.

    A quarter of an hourter, Pang Jian had in a total of six Ghost Race warriors with his Startling ughter Spear, with the six corresponding Soul mes being collected inside the ck Crow Cauldron.

    "That should be enough," Pang Jian muttered before shifting his attention to the wreckage of the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat.

    Wu Yuan stood calmly on the wreckage, controlling twelve massive boulders to crush the approaching foreign race warriors.

    The unevenly sized boulders were covered in the vibrant blood of the foreign race warriors and looked like colorful meteors as they streaked through the air.

    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>

    The massive boulders crushed the foreign race warriors into a pulp one after another.

    Dread filled the eyes of the foreign race warriors as they stared at Wu Yuan.

    Wu Yuan, on the other hand, wore a stoically focused expression as he killed the Rank Five foreign race warriors with the effortlessness of ughtering chickens.

    At that moment, Pang Jian sensed something peculiar through a golden bee hovering high above in the bizarre mist, and he channeled strands of golden divine sense into his eyes.

    Pang Jian''s eyes turned gold.

    Dozens of living dead from the Demon Sect and the Celestial Lagoon Sect were scattered across the wreckage of the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat, with green smoke threading into their seven orifices.

    The green smoke originated from high above Absolute Heaven, from the pitch-ck cloak wrapped around the soul projection of the Outer God.

    <i>It''s simr to the Observer''s green ants. It''s devouring the consciousness of the living dead and will soon gain control of their bodies, </i>Pang Jian realized.

    He quietly approached Wu Yuan.

    "I don''t need support!" Wu Yuan frowned, displeased to see Pang Jian approaching with his spear. "I can handle all the foreign race warriors here. Go somewhere else."

    Pang Jian stopped and then said, "Either you kill those living dead yourself, or I will."

    Although the living dead from the Celestial Lagoon Sect and the Demon Sect had left the bizarre mist, they still did not wake up.

    Moreover, they tightly gripped spirit jades to absorb spiritual power and maintained their vibrant protective shields.

    Protective shields were not needed outside of the bizarre mist.

    "What''s wrong with them?" Wu Yuan asked warily.

    "An Outer God''s sinister power has infected their souls. I saw something entering them," Pang Jian exined. "If they aren''t killed in time, they''ll be harder to deal with than those foreign race warriors you killed."

    "Are you sure?"

    "I''m certain."

    "Fine."

    Having cultivated the Demon Stone Art of the Demon Heart Sect, Wu Yuan had no emotional attachments and had a heart as cold as ice.

    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>

    Wu Yuan callously brought his twelve massive boulders down on the living dead and reduced their bodies to a pulp.

    Pang Jian was stunned. He had not expected Wu Yuan to be so decisive in killing the living dead.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian released the golden divine sense from his eyes and attempted to gather any remaining divine consciousness from the dead.

    However, the faint divine consciousness faded from the corpses and seeped into the ground before he could even try.

    Pang Jian looked up to see the soul projection of the Outer God peering down at him with eerie green eyes that resemblednterns.

    Before the Outer God could act, the third eye on Fu Wangchen''s forehead opened and emitted a dazzling divine radiance that distorted its perception.

    When Pang Jian nced at Fu Wangchen''s third eye, he saw it was formed from divine sense!

    In the sea of consciousness of the peerless genius from the Forsaken Expanse Sect was a divine soul that mirrored his physical form.

    The eyes of Fu Wangchen''s divine soul had been refined from divine sense!

    Pang Jian was not sure how much of Fu Wangchen''s divine soul was refined from true divine sense, but he knew for certain its eyes were.

    <i>The divine eye on his forehead alone already possesses such power and wonder. If one were to have enough true divine sense to refine every part of the divine soul...</i>

    Pang Jian had found his goal.

    He resolved to gather as much divine consciousness from the Outer Gods as possible and refine more golden divine sense before forming his divine soul.

    More than anything, he wanted his divine soul to be enveloped in golden radiance when it was refined!

    "Wu Yuan! What are you doing?!" Jiang Chao of the Celestial Lagoon Sect roared from five hundred zhang away.

    Although most of the living dead killed were members of the Demon Sect, some were also from the Celestial Lagoon Sect.

    Jiang Chao had hoped those disciples would awaken after entering Absolute Heaven.

    However, Wu Yuan had killed them all in the blink of an eye.

    Wu Yuan pointed at Pang Jian. "He said an Outer God corrupted those living dead."

    "And you just took his words as it? Wu Yuan, are you out of your mind? You killed dozens of people just because of what he said!

    "They could''ve been part of ourbat force against the foreign races when they woke up!

    "Wu Yuan, don''t you know how to use your brain when making decisions?"

    Jiang Chao then shifted his attention to Pang Jian. "You''re Pang Jian, right? What makes you think an Outer God corrupted them?"

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian flew to a stream further away, grabbed the cor of a Celestial Lagoon Sect living dead that had fallen there, and threw him toward Jiang Chao.

    "Keep this one with you and see if he wakes up."

    <i>Plop!</i>

    The plump male disciple from the Celestial Lagoon Sect fell into a river near Jiang Chao.

    Jiang Chao was a member of the Celestial Lagoon Sect and cultivated water-attribute techniques. Controlling the water, he kept the man afloat and stopped him from being swept away.

    "I want to see what happens when he wakes up! If he wakes up and isn''t corrupted by the Outer God, then all those Wu Yuan killed will be on you. If that happens, Pang Jian, you''ll have to pay for your nonsense!" Jiang Chao shouted angrily.

    At that moment, the plump male disciple left the water and withdrew his protective shield.

    "Senior Brother Jiang, I''m fine. I''m awake," he said, tossing aside the spirit jade in his hand and retrieving a purple y teapot from his spatial bracelet. He shot a confused look at Jiang Chao. "Senior Brother, where are the other senior brothers and sisters?"

    Jiang Chao''s face darkened. Turning to Pang Jian''s retreating figure, he yelled, "Pang Jian! You deserve to die a thousand deaths! We lost dozens ofpanions because of you!"

    Several other living dead also woke up.

    "Senior Brother Jiang, where are we?"

    "Are we out of the bizarre mist?"

    "Are we finally saved?"

    They asked as they took in their surroundings with confusion and wonder.

    "I..." Wu Yuan''s expression turned somber as he gazed at the piles of mangled corpses beside him.

    Even his heart of stone wavered with self-doubt.

    He could not help but question if he had made the right decision.

    "What a good for nothing! He''s more of a hindrance than help. A personal disciple of the Pavilion Master is not much after all!" Chen Lushi spat.

    She had just escaped a group of carapaced foreign warriors, and her purple dress was torn in several ces to reveal glimpses of her fair skin around her waist and hips.

    After shooting a cold re at Pang Jian, she nced up at Fu Wangchen.

    Fu Wangchen only appeared more impressive with his third eye and Dharma Idol.

    Chen Lushi still believed Fu Wangchen was the master of the golden bees that guided them out of the bizarre mist.

    <i>Li Zhaotian''s personal disciple was nothing inparison to Fu Wangchen. Pang Jian acted solely on his gut feelings, and his gut was not even reliable.</i>

    Chen Lushi silently shook her head. Comparing the two was almost an insult to Fu Wangchen.

    Jiang Chao activated a secret technique andunched thousands of crystalline water arrows at a dozen approaching foreign race warriors.

    "Pang Jian! You owe us an exnation!" he shouted, ring at Pang Jian. "Your mistake caused the deaths of dozens!"

    Pang Jian turned to stare at Jiang Chao and the plump male disciple from the Celestial Lagoon Sect standing beside him.

    That male disciple was coincidentally also looking at him with a confused expression.

    A glimmer of coldness flickered in both Pang Jian''s and the male disciple''s eyes when their gazes met.

    Pang Jian frowned and said nothing more before heading into a forest of towering trees.

    "That guy..." Lu Xiangyi muttered, shooting daggers at Pang Jian''s retreating figure from atop Zhao Yuanqi''s gourd. "Damn him! His recklessmand caused the deaths of so many of ourpanions!"

    Some of those Wu Yuan crushed were her close friends, and Lu Xianyi had hoped they would wake up after entering Absolute Heaven.

    But now, they had all been reduced to a pile of mangled flesh.

    "Pang Jian can''t be wrong. Jiang Chao is the wrong one!" Zhou Qingchen snapped irritably. Though he initially found the delicate Celestial Lagoon Sect female disciple charming, that feeling quickly dissipated at her harsh words. "Senior Sister, I don''t want to hear her rambling anymore. Let''s just throw her down."

    The gourd dipped toward Wu Yuan and Zhao Yuanqi kicked Lu Xiangyi down.

    "You!" Lu Xiangyi rubbed her rounded hips and gritted her teeth as she watched the two fly away.

    Despite this, she did notin

    They had, after all, saved her life.

    <i>Could Pang Jian have been right after all? </i>she wondered, staring incredulously at the awakened disciples from the Celestial Lagoon Sect and the Demon Sect.

 Chapter 298: The Strange Being in the Forest

    <h4>Chapter 298: The Strange Being in the Forest</h4>

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Zhou Qingchen manipted a series of long des to sh down on several heavily armored foreign race warriors from atop Zhao Yuanqi''s red gourd.

    As the long des returned, he nced at the silver-haired Zhao Yuanqi and asked, "Senior Sister, you don''t think Pang Jian is wrong, do you?"

    "If not for Pang Jian''s guidance, the Demon Sect, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, and the Forsaken Expanse Sect would not have made it out of the bizarre mist. Even we would still be trapped in there if not for him," Zhao Yuanqi said, fair hand extending out to press down on air.

    A deep red mountain suddenly materialized and crashed down on several Earth Scorpion Race warriors.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The mountain crushed the foreign race warriors, causing the survivors to howl and flee in panic.

    Those unable to escape in time were reduced to a pulp.

    "Let''s forget about the Celestial Lagoon Sect, the Demon Sect, and the members of the ck Valley Sect and just keep an eye on Pang Jian," Zhou Yuanqi said, steering her gourd to follow Pang Jian into the forest filled with towering trees.

    Meanwhile, Qi Qingsong, Dong Tianze, and Fang Boxuan had descended onto the ck warship with the ck Iron Mountain to join the battle between the members of the Forsaken Expanse Sect and the Ghost Race warriors.

    Fu Wangchen and Zhuang Yuyan, as cultivators in the Spirit Condensation Realm, fought the gaunt Ghost Racemander and used the ancient god Dharma Idol to battle the soul projection of an Outer God.

    As Zhao Yuanqi observed the overall situation, she realized Zhou Qingchen was the only one in the early stage of the Profound Abode Realm.

    Thus, she chose a quieter battlefield to match his weakerbat prowess.

    As she considered Zhou Qingchen''s close rtionship with Pang Jian, she ultimately decided it would be safer to follow Pang Jian.

    So, the gourd flew after him.

    ***

    "Wu Yuan, stay near the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat. I''lle find you," Chen Lushi cried, flying ribbons surrounding her seductive figure.

    Vibrant "Demon" characters imbued with the power of illusions floated above and behind her.

    Unfortunately, her illusions did not affect the foreign race warriors she was fighting against.

    These foreign race warriors with antennae and heavy armor were known as the Carapace Race, and over a dozen had their eyes locked onto Chen Lushi.

    Those onboard the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat had fled in different directions when the light arrows of the eight-armed giant sent the ship crashing down.

    Chen Lushi knew Wu Yuan was strong, and so was desperately trying to reach his side.

    "Senior Sister Chen..." someone called when Chen Lushi passed a small hill.

    The owner of the voice was a female disciple of the Demon Sect whose name Chen Lushi did not know.

    She only had a vague impression of the skinny, shriveled woman from the Demon Cloud Sect, a branch of the Demon Sect.

    Pausing her flight, she nodded and replied, "It''s good you''re awake. You can follow me to find Wu Yuan."

    "Okay." The woman obediently nodded.

    As Chen Lushi turned to continue flying toward Wu Yuan, the female disciple from the Demon Cloud Sect threw a bronze crown at her back.

    The bronze crown was embellished with a coiled dragon pattern and lit up with an eerie green glow.

    Sensing something was amiss, Chen Lushi red at the female disciple attempting to ambush her. "How dare you!"

    An eerie green sea suddenly appeared in the female disciple''s eyes.

    Chen Lushi instantly became muddled and her mind was thrown into turmoil.

    Visions of the Carapace Race warriors tearing her apart and eating her shed through her mind.

    She screamed in horror.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The bronze crown struck Chen Lushi.

    Her dazzling ribbons instinctively tried to protect her but could not fully deflect the blow.

    Chen Lushi''s spine fractured in several ces and her alluring body was sent flying in a spray of blood.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A blood-stained boulder flew over, caught Chen Lushi, and brought her safely back to the wreckage of the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat.

    At the same time, Jiang Chao had jumped into the river to kill the plump fellow disciple attacking him.

    Red worms of blood streamed from Jiang Chao''s nostrils as he returned to the river bank, gasping for air as he looked at the Celestial Lagoon Sect disciples surrounding him.

    "He-he was right..." Lu Xiangyi stuttered, covering her mouth in horror as she watched from the wrecked Mountain Stream Spirit Boat.

    Those attacking Chen Lushi and surrounding Jiang Chao had all been living dead.

    Although they had since awakened from their deathly state, they were not the same people Lu Xiangyi knew.

    "Are you alright?" Wu Yuan asked, inwardly letting out a sigh of relief as the weight of his earlier actions lifted from his shoulders.

    Chen Lushi''s smile was strained. "How could I be alright?"

    She swallowed a powerful healing pill, wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, and bit her lower lip before ring at the forest where Pang Jian had gone.

    "If he had just exined himself properly, we wouldn''t be in such a sorry state!" she grumbled. "He should''ve just said the Outer God had corrupted the living dead and was controlling their minds."

    "I think..." Lu Xiangyi trailed off, timid in front of this formidable woman from the Demon Heart Sect. "I think it''s our fault. Or rather, it''s Brother Jiang''s fault."

    "Jiang Chao was wrong to doubt Pang Jian, but that doesn''t mean Pang Jian was in the right either!" Chen Lushi snapped.

    Pang Jian''sck of exnation and disdainful attitude, filled Chen Lushi with anger. In her eyes, Pang Jian bore some responsibility for her severe injuries.

    Wu Yuan remained silent, eyes fixed on the forest where Pang Jian had vanished.

    If not for Pang Jian''s warning, he would have had to face not only the Carapace Race and Earth Scorpion Race warriors but also his corrupted fellow disciples.

    The fellow disciples under the Outer God''s control exhibited far greater strength than the foreign race warriors surrounding him.

    Moreover, they could pretend to be allies and wait for an opportune time to ambush them when they least expected it.

    The situation would have be several times more dangerous if that had happened.

    "Gather the survivors. We''re heading into the forest where Pang Jian went," ordered Wu Yuan.

    Chen Lushi was taken aback. ¡°Why?¡±

    "Because something seems to be drawing him there."

    ***

    Pang Jian flew through the forest of towering ancient trees at lightning speed.

    The ancient trees were dozens of zhang tall, with broad roots and branches like spears.

    They were also stained with blood.

    As he flew, he saw the bodies of many human cultivators, along with Rank Four and Rank Five Vicious Beasts and Spirit Beasts, impaled on the branches of these trees.

    At a nce, the corpses looked like gruesome fruit hanging from the branches.

    The flesh and blood of these bodies had all been drained to leave only skin and bones.

    Hundreds of humans, Vicious Beasts, and Spirit Beasts hung from each tree, creating a grim and eerie sight.

    <i>There''s a foreign race warrior with significant divine consciousness in this forest, </i>Pang Jian thought as he sped along.

    He had stationed several golden bees high in the sky near the bizarre mist so he could observe the four strange fragmentednds.

    The fragmentednds surrounded by lightning, filled with volcanoes, and frozen in ice were all shrouded in something the golden bees could not see through.

    Sadly, Pang Jian could only use the golden bees to observe Absolute Heaven, the fragmentednd he was on.

    Even then, it was only on a superficial level, as the happenings inside the forest, the swamps, and at the bottom of rivers also could not be seen.

    Despite this, the Bee Sovereign could still sense objects rich in divine consciousness from the beehive within the Gate of the Abyss.

    Divine consciousness was crucial to nurturing more bees, so when it sensed an Outer God, the Bee Sovereign would guide Pang Jian toward it.

    The target the Bee Sovereign identified this timey deep within the forest.

    There were still survivors at the center of the forest putting up a desperate resistance against the grass and branches that threatened to pierce through them.

    Each of these survivors was covered in blood and the ground beneath them was soaked in it.

    As the blood flowed from their bodies, the surrounding grass and tree roots would absorb it, and within moments, the blood would lighten before disappearingpletely.

    A figure swathed in ck gauze sat on the tallest ancient tree with only a pair of bright green eyes exposed from the wrappings.

    He sat motionless on a massive leaf and coldly watched the dozen or so remaining survivors and two Spirit Beasts below.

    The des of grass were already devouring the bodies of the recently deceased thaty scattered across the ground.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian appeared.

    "The Sword Pavilion!" A gray-robed cultivator eximed excitedly when he saw the sword token hanging at Pang Jian''s waist. "I''m Chang Li, a disciple of the Skyveil Cliff Sect.

    "This Green Spirit Race savage from another world is about to kill all the living things in the forest! His bloodline is Rank Six!"

    <i>Grrr!</i>

    A Rank Five Goldrock Beast and a Rank Six Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf growled lowly at Pang Jian.

    Fierce mes shot out when the Rank Six Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf shook its dark red fur, setting the branches surrounding it aze.

    Its blood-red eyes shone with a pleading light as it stared at Pang Jian.

    It knew Pang Jian was its only hope for survival.

    After all, it could sense that Pang Jian was far stronger than anyone else in the forest.

    Xiao Yu gritted her teeth through the pain of a withered branch stabbing her fair, white thigh and whispered to the Rank Six Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf, "Crimson ze, are you saying...he can save us? Can he really do it?"

    The Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf nodded.

    The eyes of the Skyveil Cliff Sect and the Xiao n fell on Pang Jian.

    Many of theirpanions had died in the forest.

    Almost all the rogue cultivators from the Second World had also died.

    The bodies of the dead hung from the ancient tree branches.

    If not for Xiao Yu''s Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf breaking through to Rank Six and blocking most of the attacks, none of them would have survived for as long as they did.

    They would have long been turned into shriveled corpses drained of flesh and blood.

    The appearance of a disciple from the Sword Pavilion gave them a glimmer of hope.

    "Another one from the Abyss..." the outsider from the Green Spirit Race muttered in his nativenguage.

    He had long sensed Pang Jian''s approach and had been waiting for his arrival.

    "There''s something unique about you," he said in an awkward human tongue. "Its presence means I can''t stab you to death with the forest''s nts."

 Chapter 299: Follower of the Forest God

    <h4>Chapter 299: Follower of the Forest God</h4>

    At that moment, Pang Jian noticed the blood-stained grass beneath his feet was acting unusually obedient.

    It was only the grass under his feet that behaved.

    The grass in other areas greedily absorbed any blood it came into contact with like sponges soaking up water.

    Some des of grass even twisted and stretched to reach nearby corpses, stabbing their leaves into the bodies in a ravenous devouring of blood and flesh.

    The lucky survivors hadpletely hacked away the grass under their feet, leaving the ground bare where they stood.

    <i>How interesting, </i>Pang Jian thought, raising an eyebrow.

    The eight Leaves of Life had allowed him to be spared from the nts'' attacks.

    "Friend!" Chang Li of the Skyveil Cliff Sect shouted. "That guy can control the nts and trees in this area!

    "Almost all of the members of our Skyveil Cliff Sect have died in this forest. If you can send a message out, please get more members of the Sword Pavilion toe to this forest and save us!"

    Pang Jian narrowed his eyes.

    The Skyveil Cliff Sect was a sect on the Heaven Awakening Continent, just like the Sword Pavilion and the Celestial Lagoon Sect.

    However, the Skyveil Cliff Sect was fairly weak and far inferior to the Sword Pavilion or the Celestial Lagoon Sect.

    The Skyveil Cliff Sect disciples had unexpectedly been the first to enter Absolute Heaving, meaning they were also the first to suffer attacks from the foreign races.

    Pang Jian frowned.

    The foreign race figure wrapped in ck gauze had an aura simr to the Wood Race in Misty Swamp and could also control nts to attack.

    <i>The disciple from the Skyveil Cliff Sect called them the Green Spirit Race, </i>Pang Jian recalled.

    "Pang Jian!" Zhao Yuanqi yelled, appearing above the ancient trees on her giant crimson gourd.

    <i>Swish! Swish! Swish!</i>

    The branches of the ancient trees intertwined to create a covering of foliage thatpletely blocked the sky.

    Zhao Yuanqi could no longer descend and those in the forest could no longer see outside.

    A barrier of densely packed branches and leaves had sealed off the forest.

    "Friend, why don''t you join forces with the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf?" Chang Li from the Skyveil Cliff Sect urged Pang Jian. "It advanced to Rank Six while in Absolute Heaven and is our main force against the foreign races!"

    The surviving cultivators dared not move recklessly and only operated in areas where the grass had been cleared away. Even when sharp branches attacked the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf, they could only assist with their weapons from the barren areas.

    Suddenly, the Green Spirit Race warrior wrapped in ck gauze became dazed, like a sinister spirit from another world had possessed it.

    The look in his eyes changed!

    A deathly aura capable of withering all life surged out of his eyes to engulf his surroundings.

    The flowers and nts withered the moment his eyesnded on them.

    His gaze settled on Pang Jian, and the nts around him started to wilt.

    "It''s you!" the Green Spirit Race warrior eximed.

    "It''s you!" Pang Jian replied in shock.

    Using his spear, Pang Jian hastily took to the sky, intending to escape the terrifying forest.

    A Rank Six foreign race warrior was equivalent to a Spirit Condensation Realm cultivator.

    Although Pang Jian was confident he could win against the foreign race warrior, battling an Outer God possessing the Green Spirit Race warrior''s body was another matter altogether.

    All Pang Jian wanted now was to leave as fast as possible.

    "I''m the master of my own body!" the foreign race warrior shouted angrily, tugging at the ck gauze to cover his bright green eyes.

    Pang Jian had been about to reach the ceiling of intertwined branches but paused his retreat when he saw the foreign race warrior''s actions.

    The foreign race warrior seemed to be using the ck gauze to retain his self-awareness and prevent the Outer God''s possession.

    "You, the one who just arrived, one of the Forest Gods my race worships recognized you.

    "My name is Ka Zi, from the Lunar Grove World." The Green Spirit Race warrior stood up from the massive leaf, staring directly at Pang Jian despite the ck gauze covering his eyes. Holding a green wooden staff, he asked, "What''s your name?"

    "Pang Jian."

    "Pang Jian of the Abyss, very well!" Ka Zi seemed to be grinning behind the ck gauze. "One of our Forest Gods has its sights set on you and attempted to descend into me to kill you.

    "I stopped him because I n to kill you myself, so don''t think you can escape me!"

    Ka Zi leaped from the massive leaf and appeared on the canopy of intertwined leaves and branches with a sh of green light.

    His body hung upside down like a stctite as he stepped on the bottom of the leaves and swung his wooden staff.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Hundreds of sharp branches from dozens of giant ancient trees thrust toward Pang Jian like a flurry of swords and spears.

    When the people below looked up, all they could see were glowing green branches surrounding a hovering Pang Jian.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian formed a deep crimson shield infused with lightning, earthme energy, and sr energy to resist the piercing branches.

    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>

    The branches struck Pang Jian''s protective shield like a torrential downpour but could not break through his firm defense.

    "You certainly have some tricks up your sleeve. No wonder a Forest God is targeting you," Ka Zi muttered, preparing to unleash even stronger attacks.

    A thirty-zhang-tall ancient tree uprooted itself, and its branches, roots, and leaves shone with divine light as it charged toward Pang Jian.

    The branches attacking Pang Jian gave way.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Pang Jian''s deep crimson protective shield shattered on impact with the enormous ancient tree.

    The branches then took another stab at him.

    <i>ng! ng! ng!</i>

    Pang Jian''s silver skin sparked at the relentless assault.

    Although the branches failed to pierce his skin, the force of their blows was enough to knock him out of the air.

    "His flesh is as strong as ours!" Ka Zi eximed, intrigued at the discovery.

    He then waved his wooden staff again.

    The tough yet flexible vines around Pang Jian slithered along the ground and coiled around his limbs like hundreds of serpents.

    "Devour his blood and flesh," Ka Zimanded.

    The serpent-like vines aimed their sharp tips at Pang Jian''s ears, nostrils, mouth, and eyes.

    Each vine shone with a cold green light.

    The heads of many disciples of the Skyveil Cliff Sect, scions of the Second World noble families, and rogue cultivators had been pierced in this way, with simr vines sucking their brains and blood dry.

    <i>ck turtle scute! </i>Pang Jian mentally shouted.

    The ck turtle scute immediately moved from his chest to shield his face and ears like a mask.

    The sharp vines stabbed the ck turtle scute, leaving Pang Jian unharmed.

    With his hands and feet still restrained, he gathered the energies within his body in preparation to unleash his chaotic sword intent.

    "It''s over." Chang Li from the Skyveil Cliff Sect sighed. "Even a Sword Pavilion disciple couldn''t handle this foreign race warrior."

    Xiao Yu of the Xiao n from the Heaven Awakening Continent gritted her teeth as she pulled out the withered branch impaled deep in her thigh.

    ncing over at the sharp vines overwhelming Pang Jian in the distance, she shook her head in disappointment. "I saw the legendary Heavenly Roc Warship from the Forsaken Expanse Sect in the sky before the branches covered it.

    "All we can do now is hope the cultivators from the Forsaken Expanse Sect wille and help us."

    Xiao Yu applied medicine to her leg and roughly bandaged it.

    "Brother Chang, let''s find a way to help the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf," she suggested. "It''s a Rank Six Spirit Beast, but it just broke through and hasn''t fully adapted to its power yet.

    "Still, it''s our main pir of support and we only survived until now because of it."

    Then, standing up with great difficulty, she waved over the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf, "Can youe here?"

    The Spirit Beast had been with her for six years, and she shared a deep bond with it.

    The advancement of its bloodline in the bizarre mist was the reason they had survived Absolute Heaven and the terrifying forest so far.

    The Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf shook its head in response, silently signaling with its eyes thating closer would only put her in more danger.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    A sharp branch pierced through the dark golden rock body of the Rank Five Goldrock Beast.

    The Goldrock Beast resembled a mighty lion at three zhang tall and nearly five zhang long.

    More sharp branches impaled the Goldrock Beast and hoisted it into the air before draining its blood and flesh.

    Its massive body soon shriveled up.

    <i>Awoo!</i>

    The Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf let out a mournful howl as itspanion was devoured.

    "Not bad. It''s surprisingly nourishing," Ka Zi remarked, glowing a faint gold hue as he absorbed the blood essence of the Rank Five Goldrock Beast.

    The sight of that faint golden hue made the remaining survivors from the Skyveil Cliff Sect and the Xiao n feel even more hopeless.

    At that moment, Ka Zi suddenly sensed a distorted, chaotic intent erupting from where Pang Jian was wrapped in vines. Through the vines, he saw a cluster of ckish-yellow light enveloping Pang Jian''s body.

    The sharp tips of the vines splintered apart the instant they came into contact with the ckish-yellow light.

    "What?!" Ka Zi cried.

    Pang Jian''s pupils turned gold and eighteen golden lightning bolts shot out of his eyes.

    "Divine sense!" Ka Zi was shocked.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A diverse mix of energies exploded from Pang Jian''s chest, palms, eyes, and forehead.

    The tough vines trapping him crumbled into dust in the blink of an eye.

    Pang Jian sat down on the ground, left hand gripping the Startling ughter Spear, as he focused his thoughts.

    Six strands of golden divine sense surged into the Startling ughter Spear.

    The silver spear became an extension of his body, imbued with his consciousness.

    "Go!"

    The Startling ughter Spear shot toward Ka Zi.

    "There''s more!"

    The Star Crushing Umbre and the Nine Suns Cauldron also flew out.

    Pang Jian had split his eighteen strands of golden divine sense into three groups of six and infused it into the three spirit artifacts, forging an unbreakable connection between them.

 Chapter 300: Nether Abyss Spirit Bees

    <h4>Chapter 300: Nether Abyss Spirit Bees</h4>

    A marvelous sensation filled Pang Jian.

    It was as if he had three additional bodies and souls.

    These three versions of himself wielded the Startling ughter Spear, the Star Crushing Umbre, and the Nine Suns Cauldron respectively as they charged up toward Ka Zi.

    Ster, lunar, and cold energies rapidly flowed from his spiritual sea into the Star Crushing Umbre.

    His zing sr energy and fiery earthme energy also streamed into the Nine Suns Cauldron.

    The golden divine sense acted as a bridge between his spiritual sea and the spirit artifacts, supplying them with the required energies and allowing them to battle remotely.

    The infusion of his golden divine sense also granted the spirit artifacts part of Pang Jian''s soul!

    <i>Li Yuanchen could clone himself on the Sword Boat because of his silver divine sense! </i>Pang Jian realized.

    Li Yuanchen''s three clones¡ªwielding a silver hammer, a frosty square seal, and exhaling grayish-green smoke¡ªhad likely been created by infusing silver divine sense into his spirit artifacts and using his blood essence to make them more tangible.

    <i>Let me try infusing blood essence as well,</i> Pang Jian mused.

    A surge of rich blood essence flowed from his Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint into the Startling ughter Spear, imbuing the golden divine sense with vitality.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A hazy, ethereal figure resembling Pang Jian charged at Ka Zi with the Startling ughter Spear in hand!

    "As I thought!" Pang Jian eximed, delighted at the uses of his golden divine sense.

    A dazzling river of stars appeared in the foliage-covered sky.

    The Star Crushing Umbre radiated starlight and moonlight, while miniature suns encircled the Nine Suns Cauldron, creating a spectacle of celestial bodies.

    A hazy figure held a spear and charged at Ka Zi like a deity enveloped in a starry glow.

    "Is he really a Sword Pavilion disciple?" Xiao Yu''s pretty face filled with astonishment.

    Pang Jian was clearly still on the ground. She simply could not understand where the spear-wielding clone surrounded by a dark crimson protective shield hade from.

    <i>Was it a divine soul leaving the body?</i>

    Xiao Yu was astounded.

    The Sword Pavilion disciple appeared truly mysterious in her eyes.

    "So, you know how to use divine sense¡ªimpressive." Ka Zi smirked and lightly tapped the air with his wooden staff.

    <i>Rumble! Rumble!</i>

    Massive ancient trees uprooted themselves and charged toward the Star Crushing Umbre and the Nine Suns Cauldron.

    A flurry of leaves swarmed the Nine Suns Cauldron and the Star Crushing Umbre like birds and butterflies.

    The zing heat of the Nine Suns Cauldron reduced some of the leaves to ash.

    The starlight and moonlight radiating from the Star Crushing Umbre also destroyed a wave of leaves.

    However, the leaves were seemingly endless, and there were simply too many to clear awaypletely.

    The overwhelming foliage soon smothered the radiance of the Nine Suns Cauldron and the Star Crushing Umbre.

    For Pang Jian, it was like those two versions of himself had gone blind, as all he could see were leaves.

    Ka Zi had sessfully confined the Star Crushing Umbre and Nine Suns Cauldron.

    <i>Converge! </i>Pang Jian mentallymanded.

    The twelve strands of golden divine sense in the Star Crushing Umbre and Nine Suns Cauldron disregarded spatial boundaries and merged into the spear-wielding figure.

    Piercing gold eyes appeared on the hazy version of Pang Jian holding the spear.

    The hazy figure thrust the silver spear into the air, unleashing a zing radiance as it demonstrated the true essence of the Chaos Sword Technique.

    A chaotic aura that threw all energies into disarray emanated from the peculiar figure.

    The stabbing branches, swirling leaves, and ancient trees were cut off from Ka Zi the instant they entered the range of the chaotic field.

    <i>Order is copsing, and the Daos of nature are in disarray. What kind of Dao does he cultivate? </i>Ka Zi thought in rm.

    Ka Zi had a rudimentary understanding of the Abyss and knew the human race was the ruler of this world.

    He was also aware that the human race possessed a unique cultivation system that had many simrities and oveps with the bloodlines of the major races, such as lightning, fire, ice, earth, metal, and water.

    But the person before him hadpletely defied his understanding of the world.

    Commanding multiple energies and explosively unleashing them in this chaotic manner would have normally caused Pang Jian to self-destruct¡ªobliterating his body and soul.

    The fact that Pang Jian had not imploded thoroughly baffled Ka Zi.

    <i>He''s a tough opponent. Should I...?</i>

    Ka Zi peered outside the forest using the perceptions of the ancient trees and saw that his Ghost Race allies in Absolute Heaven were not doing well either.

    Even the soul projection of the Ghost Race''s worshiped Outer God showed signs of exhaustion.

    "The Forsaken Expanse Sect, the Demon Sect, the Sword Pavilion, the ck Valley Sect, and the Celestial Lagoon Sect..." Ka Zi muttered.

    These newly arrived cultivators from the Abyss were much stronger than those they had faced before.

    <i>The side of Absolute Heaven assigned to us is quite troublesome,</i> Ka Zi thought worriedly.

    While Ka Zi contemted his next course of action, Pang Jian continued experimenting with his newfound power.

    <i>Spiritual power, blood essence, and golden divine sense can be infused, so what about life energy?</i>

    Strands of pure life energy flowed from the eight Leaves of Life covering his heart toward the spear-wielding shadow.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    An emerald-green heart the size of a fist appeared on the shadowy figure¡¯s chest.

    The green heart exuded a pure life energy reminiscent of the World Tree¡¯s aura in Misty Swamp.

    <i>Thump! Thump! Thump!</i>

    The gem-like heart throbbed with a soft, rhythmic beat.

    The hazy figure formed from golden divine sense, a mix of energies, blood essence, and life energy seemed toe alive with the formation of the heart!

    All the vegetation in the forest had be Pang Jian''s subjects, ready to heed his everymand!

    A soft, green wave of life energy unfurled from the figure¡¯s heart, illuminating the sharp branches aiming at him and the foliage blocking the sky.

    The spear-like branches froze like time had stopped.

    Ka Zi instantly lost connection with the leaves under his feet and the surrounding branches.

    No longer able to remain suspended upside-down, the terrified Ka Zi started to fall headfirst to the ground.

    "What is this?!" Ka Zi cried.

    "Pierce!" Pang Jian ordered.

    The hazy figure of Pang Jian aimed his silver spear at Ka Zi, but before he could even strike, the frozen branches leaped back into action and impaled the falling Ka Zi in mid-air.

    However, the branches failed to skewer Ka Zi''s body.

    The ck gauze around Ka Zi appeared to have formidable defensive power, making it hard for ordinary weapons to pierce his body.

    "Damn it!" Ka Zi shouted, putting up a violent struggle that caused the branches holding him to splinter into pieces.

    Meanwhile, the cloned Pang Jian and the silver spear had transformed into two beams¡ªone silver and one gold.

    The silver beam pierced straight through Ka Zi''s body!

    The golden beam tried to enter Ka Zi''s mind, but a mysterious force blocked it.

    Pang Jian''s golden divine sense could not prate the ck gauze or enter Ka Zi¡¯s body.

    <i>St!</i>

    The silver spear withdrew to reveal a hole oozing green blood.

    The golden divine sense could only invade Ka Zi''s mind after that.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    In Ka Zi''s mind stood a dark green tree with bare branches that extended infinitely outward.

    These branches had grown through several palm-sized stone bs.

    These stone bs seemed to be pieces of fragmentednds the branches of the dark green tree had pierced through, with mountains, rivers,kes, towns, ins, and deserts atop each one.

    A deathly silence permeated thends, mirroring the eerie stillness of the dark green ancient tree.

    The bark on the trunk of the ancient tree resembled scales.

    The dark green ancient tree violently shook its leafless, withered branches, releasing an aura of destion and death.

    A strand of golden divine sense appeared in this eerie world like a bolt of lightning.

    <i>Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!</i>

    A swarm of golden bees silently followed the strand of golden divine sense.

    The bees surrounded the dark green ancient tree, gnawing away at the scaled bark and branches of the evil tree in Ka Zi''s mind.

    "Nether Abyss Spirit Bees!" the soul projection of the Forest God shrieked. "And they''re not normal Nether Abyss Spirit Bees, they''re golden Nether Abyss Spirit Bees!"

    The golden bees paid it no heed as they tore into the scaly bark, slowly eradicating the sinister tree rooted within Ka Zi''s mind.

    <i>Nether Abyss Spirit Bees, </i>Pang Jian noted as he approached where the Startling ughter Spear was lodged in the ground.

    He took hold of the spear.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A hazy shadow, identical in size and appearance to Pang Jian, merged back into his body.

    Pang Jian''s Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint surged with blood essence and the eight Leaves of Life turned lush and green again.

    His strands of golden divine sense had also returned to his sea of consciousness.

    All the spiritual power, earthme energy, and lightning Pang Jian had infused into the spear streamed back into his spiritual sea.

    Pang Jian''sbat strength was fully restored in the blink of an eye, except for the one strand of golden divine sense still in Ka Zi''s mind.

    That single strand continued to monitor the golden bees'' assault on the sinister tree.

    The Bee Sovereign then sent a sudden message, instructing Pang Jian to cover Ka Zi''s bleeding wound with the ck gauze.

    A strange phenomenon urred.

    He lost connection with that strand of golden divine sense when he covered Ka Zi''s wound with the ck gauze.

    Pang Jian stood, momentarily stunned, before it dawned on him.

    Ka Zi had wrapped his body in the ck gauze to prevent the descent of the Outer God.

    The Outer God that Ka Zi called a Forest God had projected its soul and divine consciousness into Ka Zi''s mind as the sinister tree to turn him into the perfect vessel for its descent.

    To avoid such a fate, Ka Zi covered his eyes with the ck gauze so the distant Forest God could not sense him.

    Naturally, possession became impossible as well.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The interwoven branches and leaves covering the sky returned to their original states like a curtain slowly being pulled back, allowing everyone to see daylight again.

    "Pang Jian!" Zhou Qingchen called urgently, having been trying and failing to break through the foliage barrier since it had appeared.

    "I''m fine," Pang Jian replied, squinting at the sky.

    "I knew you''d be alright," Zhou Qingchen said with a smile of relief, belying his earlier concern. "See, Senior Sister Zhao! This guy''s got a lot of luck on his side. How could a mere tree-controlling Wood Race warrior possibly stop him?"

    The oue of their fight was clear at a nce as the referenced foreign race warriory defeated at Pang Jian''s feet.

    "He imed to be from the Green Spirit Race, not the Wood Race," Chang Li of the Skyveil Cliff Sect said as he cautiously approached the descending gourd.

    He took care to avoid the surrounding trees and undergrowth but soon realized the once perilous forest had returned to normal with the death of the foreign race warrior,

    "Don''t the Wood Race in the Fifth World also control trees? This Green Spirit Race looks the same as the Wood Race to me," Zhao Yuanqi remarked as she descended with Zhou Qingchen.

    A chill ran down her spine as she took in the shriveled bodies impaled on branches in the distance.

    She could not see the situation clearly from above and was only now witnessing the devastation beneath the canopy.

    The sight of the drained bodies filled her eyes with cold light.

    "These...did this foreign race warrior kill them all?" she asked.

    "He did," Chang Li replied somberly. "We''re disciples from the Skyveil Cliff Sect on the Heaven Awakening Continent."

    Pointing at Xiao Yu, he added, "She and the others are from the Xiao n."

    Xiao Yu was applying healing ointment to the wounds of her Rank Six Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf and nodded brusquely at Zhao Yuanqi and Zhou Qingchen from the distance.

    Once its wounds had been tended to, the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf crouched down and gazed mournfully at what remained of itspanion, the Goldrock Beast.

    Xiao Yu gracefully approached Pang Jian.

    Her cold, fierce eyes were like sharp des as she nced at Ka Zi''s body on the ground and said simply, "Thank you for avenging us."

    As she curiously observed Pang Jian, she could not help but feel that he was someone difficult to get along with.

    "I didn''t kill him for you, so there''s no need to thank me," Pang Jian replied offhandedly, not even looking at her.

    He then moved to unravel the strange ck gauze wrapped around Ka Zi and reveal his true face.

    Zhou Qingchen was right.

    His body was that of a Wood Race warrior!

    The Green Spirit Race was merely another name for the Wood Race in the Abyss!

    Their bodies, eye color, and bark-like skin matched the Wood Race that Pang Jian knew!

    "He really is from the Wood Race," Xiao Yu said in surprise.

    "They likely have different names in different worlds." Lu Xiangyi''s voice echoed from a distance. She stood and bowed apologetically toward Zhou Qingchen and Zhou Yuanqi before turning to Pang Jian. "I misunderstood you earlier. I''m sorry."

    "Couldn''t you have given us more of a warning?" Chen Lushi huffed, approaching together with Wu Yuan of the Demon Sect and wearing a fresh purple gown that entuated her voluptuous figure.

    She, too, stopped a distance away. "Your dashing into the forest without a word of exnation, caused me to get struck in the back by someone possessed by an Outer God. Jiang Chao was also nearly killed in an ambush."

 Chapter 301: Raising New Bees

    <h4>Chapter 301: Raising New Bees</h4>

    Chen Lushi criticized Pang Jian with a displeased expression.

    After venting herints, she took a moment to assess the situation around her, eyes sweeping across Chang Li, Xiao Yu, and the others.

    "The Demon Sect!"

    "The Celestial Lagoon Sect!"

    Chang Li, Xiao Yu, and the others rushed to greet them and establish rapport.

    "The Skyveil Cliff Sect and the Xiao n..." Chen Lushi''s lips curled, assuming an air of superiority as she coldly brushed Chang Li and Xiao Yu off.

    The Skyveil Cliff Sect and the Xiao n of the Heaven Awakening Continentcked the Demon Sect''s profound legacy, which meant her status was higher than theirs.

    "The Wood Race." Wu Yuan frowned as he nced at Ka Zi''s body.

    On their way over, they had seen hundreds of dried-up corpses impaled on branches in the bloodthirsty forest.

    Shockingly, there was only a single corpse of a Wood Race warrior at the center of the forest.

    <i>Could a single Wood Race warrior really have killed so many Spirit Beasts and human cultivators? </i>Wu Yuan''s heart sank.

    Absolute Heaven was truly filled with bloodshed at every turn.

    "The one called Jiang Chao, is he still alive?" Pang Jian asked.

    Chen Lushi''s face turned cold. "You wish he were dead?"

    "Yes."

    Pang Jian sent out a golden bee to quietly observe the area where Jiang Chao had been earlier.

    Water sshed on the riverbed as Jiang Chao struggled against the possessed living dead.

    "Why are you here instead of helping Jiang Chao?" Pang Jian asked again.

    "It was Wu Yuan''s idea toe here." Chen Lushi gave a light snort. Then, in a chastising tone, she added, "Pang Jian, the next time an Outer God is corrupting someone, you should point it out more clearly."

    Lu Xiangyi meekly interjected, "It was our fault for not believing him..."

    In Cloud Lightning, she had acted like the big sister to the other Celestial Lagoon Sect disciples, but was much more timid in Absolute Heaven, not daring to speak up in front of Wu Yuan, Jiang Chao, and Chen Lushi.

    "This isn''t your ce to speak!" Chen Lushi snapped. "Jiang Chao is still tangled up with those living dead and the Celestial Lagoon Sect is without a leader. Just listen to us and keep your opinions to yourself."

    Lu Xiangyi pursed her lips in grievance but dared not say anything more. Although the other disciples from the Celestial Lagoon Sect were simrly indignant, they also dared not speak out.

    They all resented Chen Lushi for her overbearing demeanor.

    The Celestial Lagoon Sect disciples had rescued the survivors of the Demon Sect from the wreckage of the Demon Incursion Ship and brought them into the bizarre mist aboard the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat.

    Despite this, Chen Lushi acted ungratefully and even audaciously rebuked them when Jiang Chao was in trouble.

    The only reason they reluctantly swallowed their bitterness was because of Wu Yuan.

    Wu Yuan had in many of the Carapace Race and Earth Scorpion Race, saving many of their lives.

    "We''ll wait for Brother Jiang to return!" one Celestial Lagoon Sect disciple muttered resentfully.

    "Let me tell you, anyone can die here in Absolute Heaven. Jiang Chao is no exception." Chen Lushi said dismissively. "If he doesn''t survive, it just means he isn''tpetent enough to make it.

    "Just look at Fu Wangchen. He was holding back the strongest Ghost Race warrior all by himself before the arrival of the Sword Pavilion. If Jiang Chao isn''t careful and dies at the hands of the living dead, he''ll only have himself to me."

    "More of you would''ve died if not for Pang Jian''s warning and Wu Yuan''s prompt action. And yet, you still dare to me Pang Jian? Ridiculous!" Zhou Qingchen sneered. Then, recalling how Chen Lushi had used the astral winds to toy with them, he could not help but add snarkily, "Don''t me others for your own stupidity."

    Chen Lushi, wounded and in a foul mood, coldly retorted, "A mere disciple from the Red Mountain Sect of the lower world dares to speak to me in such a way?"

    Part of her displeasure stemmed from Pang Jian''s indifference toward her despite being Li Zhaotian''s personal disciple.

    Chen Lushi was ustomed to men admiring her and was full of grievances.

    <i>Who does Zhou Qingchen think he is? A mere early-stage Profound Abode Realm disciple from the Red Mountain Sect in the Third World dares to criticize me? </i>

    She was eager to vent her frustrations on Zhou Qingchen and wanted nothing more than to teach him a lesson.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A rainbow-colored ribbon shot out from Chen Lushi''s sleeve.

    "You dare!" Zhao Yuanqi prepared to intervene.

    Chen Lushi was in thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm and a genius of the Demon Heart Sect.

    Naturally, Zhao Yuanqi was worried she would seriously injure Zhou Qingchen.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Blinding silver lightning surged out of Pang Jian''s palm.

    The arc of silver lightning coiled around a cold, misty white haze and radiated with the brilliance of the stars and the moon as it enveloped Chen Lushi.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Chen Lushi''s ribbon was instantly shredded as if an ancient beast with a bloodline of ice, lightning, stars, and moon had bitten it.

    "You!" Chen Lushi was struck with horror.

    Summoning more ribbons, she started to perform the Heavenly Demon Dance.

    Enchanting demon shadows swirled in the air, flowing garments twisting seductively. Each movement of the dance embodied the most alluring aspects of feminine grace.

    "What nonsense." Pang Jian snorted coldly, unfazed.

    He quietly gathered his strength in the shadows, infusing a single strand of golden divine sense into the Startling ughter Spear to form a connection with his spiritual sea before sending it soaring through the air.

    <i>The uses of true divine sense are truly boundless!</i>

    Pang Jian used the spear to unleash the Explosive Dance.

    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>

    Massive spheres of ice and lightning exploded among the dozens of seductive demon shadows and hundreds of colorful ribbons.

    A storm of ice and lightning wreaked havoc on everything in its path!

    "Pang Jian!" Chen Lushi screamed in pain.

    She was skilled in manipting people''s hearts and was deeply versed in illusionary mind techniques. The mesmerizing demonic shadows she summoned were meant to captivate Pang Jian''s mind, but he had destroyed them like popping bubbles.

    The Demon Gauze Dress Chen Lushi had procured from the Heavenly Demon Sect was also shredded in the swirling storm of ice and lightning.

    By the time Pang Jian''s attack ended, Chen Lushi''s face had already lost color.

    She red at Pang Jian, eyes filled with disbelief, seemingly unable toprehend how he dared to strike at her with such ferocity.

    The shards of ice and arcs of lightning had shed open her form-fitting purple dress, and her slender legs bore thin, bleeding cuts.

    Thin tears ran along her waist and back, down to the edges of her hips, revealing tantalizing glimpses of her smooth, fair skin.

    "You!" Chen Lushi clutched the hem of her dress at her thigh to prevent further exposure and hastily retreated behind an ancient tree.

    The disciples from the Celestial Lagoon Sect looked on with schadenfreude.

    The eyes of the male survivors from the Skyveil Cliff Sect and the Xiao n gleamed as their gazes greedily wandered over her exposed white skin.

    Chen Lushi''s enchanting Heavenly Demon Dance did not affect Pang Jian''s mind, but it certainly captivated the young men of Skyveil Cliff Sect and the Xiao n.

    These young men were under the bewitching influence of Chen Lushi''s technique and their minds were filled with her seductive visage.

    Her torn dress only caused them to be even more entranced as they itched to tear off her remaining clothes and ravish her.

    "Wu Yuan! Are you just going to watch him hurt me?" Chen Lushi shouted angrily from behind the ancient tree.

    "I warned you not to provoke him, but you didn''t listen," he said indifferently.

    "You''re a member of the Demon Sect! How could you just watch one of your own get bullied? How could you just stand by and do nothing?" Chen Lushi grumbled while changing her clothes behind the tree.

    Wu Yuan was no longer interested in responding.

    Lu Xiangyi and several other Celestial Lagoon Sect disciples looked at Pang Jian with renewed respect.

    "Li Zhaotian''s disciple is quite simr to him," they remarked.

    Pang Jian''s decisive and ruthless handling of Chen Lushi left a deep impression on them.

    "Li Zhaotian''s disciple?" Chang Li and Xiao Yu''s faces changed dramatically.

    They had entered the bizarre mist early on to explore Absolute Heaven and were unaware the Sword Pavilion''s Pavilion Master had taken in a new disciple from the lower world.

    A newfound respect swiftly took hold of everyone when they learned about Pang Jian''s background.

    "Pang Jian, my cultivation realm is too low. I still need your help," Zhou Qingchen said with an embarrassed smile.

    "No wonder Junior Brother Zhou was determined to recruit you into the Red Mountain Sect. I see why he went to such great lengths to find you when you went missing," Zhao Yuanqi said appreciatively.

    Chen Lushi was an inner disciple of the Demon Sect and her seductive nature had garnered her many admirers in the Demon Sect, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, and the ck Valley Sect.

    However, Pang Jian did not hold back when Zhou Qingchen was humiliated!

    Pang Jian''s decisive actions greatly pleased Zhao Yuanqi.

    "This is for you. I prepared something for you inside. If you refine it into your sea of consciousness, you''ll be able to reach the limit of your divine sense very quickly. Remember, your total number of divine sense won''t necessarily be lower than others," Pang Jian said as he handed over the ck Crow Cauldron.

    "A way to quickly reach the limit of my divine sense?" Zhou Qingchen epted the ck Crow Cauldron without hesitation. Seeing the six peculiar Soul FIames inside, he asked skeptically, "Are you sure it''ll work?"

    Pang Jian nodded. "You can start refining them now."

    "Now?" Zhou Qingchen peered up at the sky.

    "The foreign races are withdrawing from Absolute Heaven," Pang Jian exined.

    Without another word, Zhou Qingchen sat behind Pang Jian and started refining the Soul mes from the ck Crow Cauldron.

    "The foreign races are retreating?"

    "Were we just too weak?"

    "The foreign races that ughtered us are now choosing to leave. Doesn''t that just mean we''re useless?"

    The disciples of the Xiao n and the Skyveil Cliff Sect felt rather dejected.

    At the same time, eight golden bee souls left the deceased Ka Zi''s mind and manifested in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness.

    <i>Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!</i>

    The well-fed golden bees flew to the acupoints at the bottom of Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness and each spat out two drops of golden honey¡ªdouble the normal amount.

    They had clearly absorbed a significant amount of divine consciousness!

    With that, sixteen new bee pupae formed in the beehive within the Gate of Abyss!

 Chapter 302: A Smile to Resolve Old Grudges

    <h4>Chapter 302: A Smile to Resolve Old Grudges</h4>

    The Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint in Pang Jian''s body surged violently as thick blood essence was drawn to nourish the newly formed bee pupae.

    <i>Nether Abyss Spirit Bees, </i>Pang Jian mused as he gazed at the translucent golden bees in his sea of consciousness.

    The Forest God Ka Zi worshiped had previously attempted to corrupt Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness while possessing a wooden carving.

    When the bees appeared back then, the Forest God did not utter the words "Nether Abyss Spirit Bees."

    However, in Absolute Heaven, the Outer God revealed the name and possible origins of the golden bees.

    It was suspicious.

    <i>Did the Forest God not recognize them back then? Or did it simply not know back then?</i>

    <i>Did it learn what they were since ourst encounter and only realize the golden bees were Nether Abyss Spirit Bees in Absolute Heaven?</i>

    <i>Could the Nether Abyss be a world simr to the Abyss?</i>

    <i>If these golden bees came from the Nether Abyss, why were they in Insect Valley inside the Solitary Mountain Range?</i>

    <i>It¡¯s one thing to bring in a Giant Abyssal Serpent from the Fifth World to the Fourth World. The ck turtle and the World Eater Vine, while formidable, are also beings native to the Abyss. But these golden bees...seem to originate from another world entirely.</i>

    <i>How terrifying.</i>

    The longer Pang Jian thought about it, the more shaken he became.

    He subconsciously reached up to touch the Gate of the Abyss on his chest. He suspected the pendant could breach not only the Abyss'' barriers but could also reach other worlds simr to the Abyss.

    In the sky above, a heavily damaged ck warship flew toward the fragmentednd with erupting volcanoes and rivers of moltenva.

    The hunched soul projection of the Outer God cradled the warship in one hand.

    The Outer God''s ck cloak pped furiously despite the absence of wind. The cloak acted as a connection through which the worshippers of the Outer God could channel their power across worlds.

    With a casual flick of its silver trident, streaks of radiant gxies materialized, stretching across the vast void surrounding the four fragmentednds.

    The sky twisted, making it look like the brilliant gxies had folded the sky into endlessyers.

    This made it impossible for Fu Wangchen and Zhuang Yuyan to lock onto the Outer God''s soul projection despite being in the Spirit Condensation Realm.

    "Rise!" the Ghost Racemander shouted.

    Hundreds of bizarrely shaped foreign races were drawn into the expanded ck clock from the forests, swamps, ins, and valleys of Absolute Heaven like iron to a ma.

    The foreign race warriors clung to the cloak like a swarm of insects, drifting away along with the Outer God''s soul projection and the warship.

    When the Outer God''s soul projection, the ck warship it carried, and the foreign race warriors clinging to its cloak entered the volcanic fragmentednd, they vanished.

    It was as if they had stepped from one world into another.

    "What we¡¯re seeing here might not be real," Qi Qingsong reminded with a stunned expression.

    Even so, no matter how hard he stared at the volcanic fragmentednd, he could not find the ck warship or the Outer God''s soul projection.

    Zhuang Yuyan hovered on her sword and turned to stare at the peerless genius of the Forsaken Expanse Sect.

    "Fu Wangchen, did you notice anything unusual?" she asked.

    Fu Wangchen had since withdrawn his ancient god Dharma Idol and closed his third eye. The golden roc riders from the Forsaken Expanse Sect also descended, with each golden roc bing droplets of golden blood that merged into the massive mystical bird''s crystalline bones.

    "I didn''t see anything." Fu Wangchen shook his head. After a quick headcount, he noted grimly, "We lost thirteen people in battle."

    A burly man with a robust physique leaned on a green iron pir and said with a voice as thunderous as andslide, "But we killed several times more Ghost Race warriors! Still, these were far stronger than the Ghost Race we hunted in the Fifth World."

    The Forsaken Expanse Sect was a dominant faction in the Second World of the Abyss and often organized expeditions to the Fifth World.

    Most of their disciples had fought against foreign races before. Thus, they had not expected to lose thirteen members in what they had perceived as a simple fight against the Ghost Race.

    "This is the true strength of the Ghost Race," a woman with long ck hair bound with bird bones interjected. "The Ghost Race in the Fifth World has been trapped in eternal darkness and starved of resources. They could never reach their true potential in terms ofbat power."

    The cultivators from the Forsaken Expanse Sect hade to the realization that they were not the center of the universe after this encounter with other worlds.

    "If the Second and Third Worlds were to fall to the invading lower world foreign races, the warriors of the Celestial Race, the Ghost Race, and the Demon Scale Race would likely regain their original strength."

    "Our Abyss is simply one of many worlds in the vast universe."

    "You''re right, we''re not unique, nor are we the darlings of the heavens."

    Members of the Forsaken Expanse Sect discussed this revtion among themselves, voices ovepping in a chorus of reflections.

    "Junior Brother Fu, what¡¯s our next move?" Lu Jie of the Forsaken Expanse Sect asked, ncing at the other three fragmentednds. "Should we investigate them one by one?"

    Fu Wangchen thought for a moment, then replied, "Let''s thoroughly explore this fragmentednd first."

    "Sounds good." Lu Jie then signaled toward the ck Iron Mountain. "Come aboard our Heavenly Roc Warship."

    They had fought alongside Qi Qingsong and the others aboard the Ghost Race''s ck warship, destroying ck crystal cannons and taking down Ghost Race warriors together.

    Although this was their first meeting, the shared battle had forged a close bond.

    "No thanks, we''re heading down," Qi Qingsong said with a smile. "We have friends in the forest below."

    The ck Iron Mountain then descended toward the dense forest.

    "How are you holding up?" Zhuang Yuyan asked when she saw Fang Boxuan''s stomach was bleeding profusely. "Why don¡¯t we leave you on the Forsaken Expanse Sect''s Heavenly Roc Warship? They''d probably take you in."

    A Ghost Race warrior''s de had stabbed Fang Boxuan''s stomach and he was in the process of channeling the Blood Moon Sect''s secret technique to heal himself.

    "Is that supposed to be funny?" Fang Boxuan said with a grim expression.

    Li Chu of the Forsaken Expanse Sect, the Demon Sect, and the ck Valley Sect all bore some responsibility for the destruction of the Fang n.

    The thought of receiving treatment aboard the warship of his enemies was unbearable, especially when he knew that Fu Wangchen was a disciple of Li Chu.

    To him, it was a fate worse than death.

    "I have something to tell you and my Little Junior Brother." Zhuang Yuyan swallowed a Soul Nourishing Pill. Noticing Fang Boxuan''s puzzled expression, she added, "I''ll exinter."

    Qi Qingsong nced at the pale-faced owner of ck Iron Mountain. "Dong Tianze, are you alright? A Ghost Race warrior attempted to invade your mind with dark arts and you seemed unsettled after."

    Dong Tianze''s expression darkened.

    "I''m fine." Then, after a brief hesitation, whispered, "Thanks."

    "Don''t mention it," Qi Qingsong responded brightly. "Let''s consider the incident at Eight Trigrams City water under the bridge."

    "Agreed," Dong Tianze replied.

    During the battle, Qi Qingsong used his Dream Sword Technique to drag the Ghost Race warriors attempting to invade Dong Tianze''s mind into a nightmarish dreamscape.

    He had saved Dong Tianze.

    Dong Tianze had always acted as a lone wolf and never got along well with others. This was the first time he had fought alongside so many people and had been rescued by apanion in battle.

    The strange, unfamiliar feeling left him bewildered.

    Dong Tianze lightly shook his head to cast away his distracting thoughts before scanning everyone around him with menacing eyes.

    <i>Who could it be? </i>Dong Tianze wondered uneasily.

    During the battle, he sensed another person with the Celestial Phoenix Imprint directing a strong killing intent toward him.

    Although he had no idea who it was or where they were hiding, he was certain that person was also from the Abyss.

    "We came here together on the Sword Boat. I hope we all leave together on it too." Qi Qingsong shot him a casual smile in an attempt to ease Dong Tianze''s tension. "The Ghost Race and strange foreign races weren''t as terrifying as we initially thought."

    Dong Tianze nodded, but his restlessness lingered as he continued to peer around warily.

    "There are still three more fragmentednds to explore, each with more unknown dangers," Fang Boxuanmented with a bitter smile.

    "Yeah, I know. Let''s take them one at a time," Qi Qingsong said as the ck Iron Mountain descended into the forest.

    Zhuang Yuyan leaped down from the ck Iron Mountain.

    "Little Junior Brother, are you alright?" she asked, taking in the dried-up corpses impaled on tree branches before her eyes finally settled on Ka Zi. "Just one Wood Race warrior managed to kill hundreds in this forest?"

    Chang Li nodded. "That''s right."

    "He''s a Rank Six Wood Race warrior," Xiao Yu added quietly.

    "Hmm, that exins why he was so difficult to deal with."

    Zhuang Yuyan walked over, squatted down, and examined Ka Zi''s face before releasing a strand of her divine sense to probe his mind.

    She had hoped to find some lingering soul fragments for Dong Tianze to perform a soul search but could only shake her head in disappointment when she found none.

    "Little Junior Brother, did you discover anything?" she asked Pang Jian.

    "No." Pang Jian replied between gulps of Vicious Beast blood.

    He examined the strange properties of the ck gauze clutched in his hand as he drank.

    Wu Yuan from the Demon Sect and Chen Lushi, dressed in new clothes, approached from a distance.

    After the earlier altercation with Pang Jian, Chen Lushi hadposed herself somewhat while behind the tree and now acted like nothing had happened.

    She had since learned that Pang Jian had ended the bloody carnage in the forest on his own.

    He had single-handedly in Ka Zi, the Wood Race warrior responsible for the ughter of hundreds in the forest.

    When Chen Lushi recalled the assault she had endured earlier, a wave of overwhelming resentment filled her heart, but she forced herself to suppress it as she dared not provoke Pang Jian again.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Fu Wangchen from the Forsaken Expanse Sect suddenly jumped from the sky andnded on the ground like a heavy boulder.

    d in a cloak woven from white feathers, the tall and handsome Fu Wangchen fixed his attention on the ck gauze in Pang Jian''s hand and asked, "Is there any chance you''d be willing to part with that?"

 Chapter 303: Fate Works in Mysterious Ways

    <h4>Chapter 303: Fate Works in Mysterious Ways</h4>

    "Fu Wangchen of the Forsaken Expanse Sect!"

    "Fu Wangchen!"

    The disciples of the Demon Sect, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, the Skyveil Cliff Sect, and the Xiao n gasped in recognition.

    Those from the Demon Sect and the Celestial Lagoon Sect were particrly affected as they believed Fu Wangchen had sent the golden bees to free them from the endless bizarre mist.

    As Fu Wangchen descended, they cast grateful nces at the future master of the Forsaken Expanse Sect.

    Chen Lushi took a deep breath and puffed her chest out, causing it to look like it was about to burst through her clothing.

    Lowering her head, she discreetly rubbed her cheeks with both hands.

    Then, raising her head with a natural smile on her face, she bowed gracefully, revealing the deep valley beneath the folds of her cor.

    "Fu Wangchen, I am Chen Lushi of the Demon Heart Sect. Thank you so much¡ª"

    "Can you part with it?" Fu Wangchen did not even nce at her. His eyes were fixed intently on Pang Jian. "I truly am in great need of this."

    Chen Lushi''s flirtatious disy ended awkwardly, with her smile freezing in ce.

    "This gauze..." Pang Jian hesitated.

    "It can block an Outer God''s perception. It''s invaluable to me," Fu Wangchen exined, taking out a statue carved from white bone to show Pang Jian.

    The grayish-white bone statue was one zhang tall with cracks running through it as if it had been pieced together from broken fragments.

    It had eight arms and resembled the eight-armed giant who had taken down the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat with bows and arrows.

    Its face was smooth and featureless as if the sculptor had not had time to carve out its true appearance.

    "This Outer God is called the Skull Crusher and has the power to shatter the bones of living beings.

    "When its divine consciousness descended, the statue shattered and its face was erased.

    "I acquired this statue by chance and have been refining its residual divine consciousness. But I''m concerned the Skull Crusher might sense and take notice of me.

    "If I could wrap the statue with this ck gauze, I could freely extract the remaining divine consciousness without worry," Fu Wangchen exined frankly.

    Pang Jian nodded. "Name your price."

    "My price..." Fu Wangchen hesitated, unsure of the ck gauze''s true value. Turning to look at Zhuang Yuyan, his partner in the fight against the Outer God, he asked, "What do you think it''s worth?"

    Zhuang Yuyan shrugged with a wry smile.

    "How about this," Fu Wangchen suggested. "I noticed you were also refining divine consciousness from the Wood Race warrior earlier, so how about I give you a third of the divine consciousness within the Skull Crusher''s bone statue?"

    ¡°What?!¡±

    Qi Qingsong, Fang Boxuan, and the others cried out in surprise.

    They knew from Dong Tianze''s earlier exnation that divine consciousness from an Outer God was a rare and precious resource.

    They had charged into Absolute Heaven intending to gather divine consciousness to refine their own divine sense. Thus, they could not help but feel envious when they heard that Pang Jian had seeded in obtaining more.

    "No wonder you chose toe here while we battled the Ghost Race on the warship," Fang Boxuan grumbled. "You must''ve known the Wood Race warrior in the forest had divine consciousness!"

    "Little Junior Brother, next time something this good happens, let your senior sister know, okay?" Zhuang Yuyan said softly.

    "That massive soul projection of the Outer God had the most divine consciousness of any being in the area," Pang Jian replied calmly. "If you killed it, the divine consciousness gained would''ve far surpassed what I''ve collected."

    Pang Jian knew this because the Bee Sovereign had previously informed him that the soul projection of the Outer God was the most tempting target for the golden bees.

    Fu Wangchen nodded. "Indeed."

    ¡°I tried," Zhuang Yuyan sighed." But that projection wasn''t real, and we couldn''t take it down.¡±

    "So, what do you say?" Fu Wangchen asked Pang Jian.

    "Deal." Pang Jian nodded, handing over the bundle of ck gauze without hesitation. "One-third it is."

    Internally, Pang Jian remained cautious.

    When he was using his golden divine sense to watch over the golden bees'' devouring of the Forest God in Ka Zi''s mind, Fu Wangchen and Zhuang Yuyan had been battling the soul projection of the Ghost Race''s worshiped Outer God.

    <i>How does Fu Wangchen know I extracted divine consciousness from Ka Zi after killing him? </i>Pang Jian wondered warily. <i>Could Fu Wangchen see the golden bees I sent into Ka Zi''s mind?</i>

    "Thank you." Fu Wangchen epted the ck gauze and wrapped it around the white bone statue of the Skull Crusher. As he wrapped, he exined, "I possess a tool that detects divine consciousness. I sensed the Wood Race warrior''s divine consciousness rapidly fading after you killed him.

    "The moment you used the ck gauze to bind his bleeding wound, I could no longer sense anything. That''s when I realized the ck gauze had some special properties."

    Pang Jian breathed a quiet sigh of relief when he heard this.

    "I''ll return to the Heavenly Roc Warship and refine the divine consciousness to restore my strength. I''ll give you your share of the one-thirdter," Fu Wangchen said with a nod in Pang Jian''s direction as he put away the bone statue.

    Then, turning to face the others, he said, "We drove away the invaders, but we''ve all suffered varying degrees of injury. Let''s take this time to recover and regroup. We can explore Absolute Heaven afterward and then choose another fragmentednd to investigate when we''re done."

    His demeanor unmistakably conveyed the air of a leader to everyone present.

    "Alright," the others agreed readily.

    After all, he was Fu Wangchen of the Forsaken Expanse Sect in the First World.

    "By the way, who''s Jiang Chao?" Fu Wangchen asked those dressed in the Celestial Lagoon Sect''s robes. "I''d like to meet the master behind the golden bees."

    Fu Wangchen had mixed feelings about Jiang Chao.

    On the one hand, Jiang Chao had guided him out of the treacherous bizarre mist, but on the other, he had also made Fu Wangchen beg for that assistance.

    The memory of it left an unpleasant taste in Fu Wangchen''s mouth.

    "Wait, that''s not right!" Chen Lushi eximed. "Big Brother Fu, don''t those golden bees belong to you?"

    "Big Brother Fu? This woman has no shame," Xiao Yu muttered under her breath.

    Qi Qingsong, Zhuang Yuyan, and the others froze at Chen Lushi''s words.

    None of them had expected Pang Jian to guide Fu Wangchen out of the bizarre mist under another person''s name.

    "No, the master of those bees is Jiang Chao from the Celestial Lagoon Sect," Fu Wangchen replied earnestly.

    "That''s not right! The golden bee that guided us said it was Fu Wangchen of the Forsaken Expanse Sect!" Chen Lushi protested, eyes shing with confusion. "Big Brother Fu, you must be joking around. Jiang Chao doesn''t have such abilities.

    "If he were the master of the golden bees, we would''ve escaped the bizarre mist long ago instead of waiting until so many disciples from the Demon Sect and the Celestial Lagoon Sect died or sumbed to madness!"

    Fu Wangchen frowned.

    Turning to Zhuang Yuyan, he asked, "What about you guys?"

    "A golden bee also helped to guide us safely out of the bizarre mist. It imed to be Li Yuanchen, son of the Armor-Breaking Marquis, Li Wei, from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom," Zhuang Yuyan lied with a smile.

    The expressions on Qi Qingsong''s, Fang Boxuan''s, Dong Tianze''s, Zhou Qingchen''s, and Zhao Yuanqi''s faces grew increasingly peculiar.

    Pang Jian, too, was left speechless.

    Despite knowing the true master behind the bees, they all remained silent and simply allowed Zhuang Yuyan to continue her yful deception.

    "It seems someone doesn''t want others to know they''re the true master of the golden bee," Zhuang Yuyan mused, pretending to have just figured it out.

    "Let''s leave it at that then," Fu Wangchen said, his interest in the matter waning once he knew Jiang Chao was not his target. He then flew toward the descending Heavenly Roc Warship.

    "Where''s Jiang Chao?" Chen Lushi asked with a frown.

    "Senior Brother Jiang practices the purest form of the Dao of Water. His power can only be fully unleashed in bodies of water. He''ll be fine," Lu Xiangyi whispered.

    Another disciple of the Celestial Lagoon Sect also chimed in, "That''s right! Senior Brother Jiang will definitely be fine!"

    "Everyone, let''s take this time to rest," Qi Qingsong said, signaling Dong Tianze and Fang Boxuan to join him around Zhou Qingchen and Zhao Yuanqi.

    Wu Yuan of the Demon Sect was already focusing on recovering his strength with the help of spirit jades and pills.

    Chang Li from the Skyveil Cliff Sect and Xiao Yu from the Xiao n approached Pang Jian to thank him before leading their Rank Six Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf toward Wu Yuan and Chen Lushi.

    "The Skyveil Cliff Sect always follows the Demon Sect''s lead, and the Xiao n has had close ties with the Skyveil Cliff Sect for generations. They''re essentially vassals of the Demon Sect," Zhuang Yuyan exined. Then, clearing her throat, she whispered, "Fang Xuan, Fu Wangchen doesn''t even know who Lu Lingchan is. It seems your fiancee hasn''t left much impression on him."

    "That''s impossible!" Fang Boxuan was taken aback. "Her engagement to me was the reason my entire n was destroyed! He''s Li Chu''s disciple, how could he not know?"

    "I mentioned Lu Lingchan to him, but he said he''d never heard of her," Zhuang Yuyan said, feeling rather sorry for Fang Boxuan.

    "That''s impossible!" Fang Boxuan red at the Heavenly Roc Warship hovering in the sky.

    "Fu Wangchen has feelings for Li Yuqing from the Divine Treasure Sect." Zhuang Yuyan turned to nce at the equally stunned Pang Jian. "He likes women who are stronger than him, and his feelings for Li Yuqing have not changed since she defeated him.

    "He''s challenged Li Yuqing several times since then and has lost every single time. The more he loses, the deeper his love grows," Zhuang Yuyan revealed.

    "Well!" Qi Qingsong grinned mischievously. "How interesting. Fu Wangchen doesn''t even know who Lu Lingchan is, even though his master nned to pair them up.

    "Lu Lingchan was engaged to Fang Boxuan here before bing intended for Fu Wangchen, but Fu Wangchen''s heart belongs to none other than our junior brother''s cherishedpanion!

    "You two"¡ªQi Qingsong''s gaze darted between Pang Jian and Fang Boxuan¡ª"are truly connected by fate!"

 Chapter 304: Hidden Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard

    <h4>Chapter 304: Hidden Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard</h4>

    Chapter 304: A Hidden Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard

    Fang Boxuan looked as though a heavy blow had struck him.

    The wound on his waist and abdomen reopened and fresh red blood flowed out of it once again.

    Staring at the Heavenly Roc Warship in the sky, he recalled how Fu Wangchen had not even spared him a nce earlier. Fu Wangchen did not even know he existed.

    The bitterness inside Fang Boxuan swelled.

    "My¡ªthe destruction of my Fang n!" he cried, clutching his waist and abdomen.

    His face twisted with grief and anger.

    "It''s hard to ept, but he truly knows nothing. If you want to me someone, then me his master, along with the leaders of the Demon Sect and the ck Valley Sect." Zhuang Yuyan sighed softly. "The world is in chaos. You''ll get your chance for revenge."

    Then turning to Pang Jian, she whispered, "Little Junior Brother, what do you think of Fu Wangchen''s feelings for the girl from the Li Family?"

    Pang Jian shook his head.

    "I don''t think that terrifyingly strong girl from the Li Family cares about Fu Wangchen at all," Qi Qingsong sneered. "Fu Wangchen has just entered the Spirit Condensation realm. Judging from what we saw in the earlier fight, he''s worlds apart from her. Their cultivation realm is not even on the same ne!"

    "Li Yuqing''s breakthroughs seem toe without any bottlenecks. When it''s time to break through, she just does," Zhuang Yuyan said with a bitter smile. "I heard that when Fu Wangchen sparred with her, their cultivation realms were almost the same.

    "Nobody expected her to continue advancing so seamlessly though. Because of that, the gap between her and Fu Wangchen has grown wider.

    "In the past two years, Fu Wangchen, knowing the disparity was too great, hasn''t gone looking for her to spar anymore."

    Zhuang Yuyan''s words brought dejected looks to everyone''s faces.

    Li Yuqing stood in a league of her own and was far beyond their reach.

    "There''s one person who canpare to her talent," Dong Tianze said coldly.

    "Who?" Zhuang Yuyan was stunned. "As far as I know, no one in our generation can match her talent."

    Dong Tianze proudly raised his head. "There is!"

    "Then who?" Zhuang Yuyan pressed.

    "I''m not saying!" Dong Tianze suddenly activated the ck Iron Mountain and signaled Pang Jian to join him. "I have something to tell you, Pang Jian."

    "Why so secretive?" Qi Qingsong asked curiously.

    "It''s not convenient!"

    "Alright, alright. Just don''t go too far while you two talk. We don''t know much about Absolute Heaven," Qi Qingsong reminded.

    "I know."

    With that, Dong Tianze and Pang Jian flew away from the forest on the ck Iron Mountain.

    Dong Tianze brought them to a distantke.

    After looking around to ensure no one was eavesdropping, Dong Tianze finally said, "There''s a Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard here, but I don''t know who they are or which side they belong to, and they can hide their aura."

    Dong Tianze nced around warily. He suspected everyone of being the hidden Divine Guard and dared not mention this in the forest for fear of unwittingly alerting them.

    Pang Jian frowned. "Are you sure?"

    "I''m certain." Dong Tianze''s eyes were cold. "While fighting the Ghost Race on that ck warship, I used the power of the Celestial Phoenix Imprint on my forehead. At that moment, I sensed the presence of another Celestial Phoenix Imprint and felt an intense killing intent.

    "But when I tried to track them down, both the killing intent and the Celestial Phoenix Imprint disappeared."

    Dong Tianze''s expression was grim.

    Celestial Phoenix Divine Guards were instinctivelypelled to hunt each other for their Celestial Phoenix Imprints, which greatly enhanced their strength and cultivation.

    Divine Guards never cooperated and only ever killed each other. This rule was embedded into the Celestial Phoenix Imprint itself.

    "They''re far stronger than any Divine Guard I''ve ever hunted, and they can conceal their aura. I know I can''t deal with them alone, so..." Dong Tianze gazed hopefully at Pang Jian.

    "I understand. I''ll keep an eye out." Pang Jian nodded slowly. "Stay close to me in Absolute Heaven. Don''t act alone anymore."

    Pang Jian had worked with Dong Tianze for a long time and truly believed he was the best candidate to watch over his sister, Pang Lin.

    He had also personally invested some resources in making Dong Tianze stronger as a Divine Guard and did not want an unknown Divine Guard to kill and rece him.

    "Let''s head back."

    "Alright."

    With that, they returned to the forest and cultivated in silence.

    The disciples of the Demon Sect, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, the Skyveil Cliff Sect, and the Xiao n spread out to recover using Vicious Beast meat, pills for nourishment, and spirit jades.

    Pang Jian calmed his mind and sensed the myriad of strange energies within the restricted area.

    <i>There''s spiritual qi and a rich essence of vegetation and water...</i>

    He then contemted the mysteries of his golden divine sense, and his thoughts soon drifted to when Li Yuanchen had split into three.

    <i>Does it require a special secret technique?</i> he wondered.

    Quietly retrieving Li Yuanchen''s spatial ring, he held it in his palm and frowned in thought.

    After capturing Li Yuanchen on the Armor-Breaking Warship, he attempted to open the spatial ring but failed and had no choice but to keep it on him for the time being.

    Approaching where Zhuang Yuyan sat serenely by an ancient tree root, he asked in a low voice, "Senior Sister..."

    "Hmm?" Zhuang Yuyan''s long eyshes fluttered open. "What is it, Little Junior Brother?"

    "Why can''t I open this spatial ring?" Pang Jian asked.

    Zhuang Yuyan immediately understood as she knew Li Yuanchen''s spatial ring was in Pang Jian''s hands.

    Smiling, she exined, "Spatial rings are the most valuable storage spirit artifacts. Both their worth and internal storage capabilities far exceed spatial bracelets and spatial pouches.

    "Because of that, some spatial rings are locked, and it''s difficult to open them without the right method."

    "How do I unlock it?" Pang Jian pressed, frustrated at not being able to inspect his spoils.

    "You need a specialist to unlock it. Either someone in the Immortal Realm like your master or a spirit artifact refiner from the Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect," Zhuang Yuyan exined. Then, after a moment of thought, advised, "Little Junior Brother, I suggest you wait until we leave this ce to open it. Don''t try to pry it by force or you risk destroying the internal space and everything inside."

    "Alright." Pang Jian tucked the spatial ring back into his robe with tangible disappointment.

    The golden bees hovering high in the sky moved toward the three fragmentednds.

    Under Pang Jian''smand, they explored the bizarre mist near the three fragmentednds.

    Shipwrecks floated silently in the endless bizarre mist.

    The designs of these ships varied greatly, with some resembling angr swordfish, others woven from tree branches, and a few that were simply enormous seashells.

    Many of these ships looked incredibly different from the flying vessels of the human race in the Abyss.

    They were also mostly severely damaged and non-functional.

    None held any living beings.

    <i>We weren''t the only ones who got lost. Other beings from different worlds have suffered the same fate, </i>Pang Jian realized.

    The golden bees ventured further into the vast bizarre mist until they reached the limits of Pang Jian''s perception.

    When the transmitted scenes became faint and scattered, he called the golden bees back.

    <i>I didn''t sense the boundary wall, nor did I encounter any sort of barrier, </i>Pang Jian thought, puzzled.

    ording to the Sword Pavilion, the bizarre mist near the boundary wall had seeped out and engulfed Absolute Heaven, as it had done with Northern Qi.

    Although Absolute Heaven was near the edge of the Second World, it was still rtively far from the boundary wall.

    However, despite how far the golden bees had flown, there was no trace of the boundary wall.

    The bizarre mist seemed endless.

    <i>Has Absolute Heaven already passed through the boundary wall and left the Abyss?</i>

    <i>Did we wander so far into the bizarre mist that we''re no longer even in the Abyss? </i>

    <i>How else could three new fragmentednds suddenly appear?</i>

    Pang Jian''s mind raced with questions.

    His exploration of the bizarre mist gave him a deeper understanding of the cataclysmic changes the Observer mentioned that urred once every hundred thousand years.

    Several hourster, Zhou Qingchen finished refining the Soul mes.

    "I''ve refined it all," he said, expression dazed as he let out a long breath and tossed the ck Crow Cauldron back to Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian caught the cauldron and casually handed it to Dong Tianze. "It''s Lou Yunming''s spirit artifact. It''s perfect for your cultivation technique."

    "Oh." Dong Tianze took it without hesitation.

    He was eager to increase hisbat power with the threat of a hidden Divine Guard lurking, so he did not stand on ceremony with Pang Jian.

    "Big Brother Zhou, you..." Pang Jian trailed off.

    "Junior Brother Zhou, how many strands of divine sense have you refined?" Zhao Yuanqi asked curiously.

    Qi Qingsong gently reminded, "The number of divine sense alone doesn''t determine a person''s future. You shouldn''t stress about it."

    Zhou Qingchen replied with a stunned expression still on his face, "Over a hundred."

    "Over a hundred?" Fang Boxuan shifted uneasily on the ground. "Having more than a hundred strands of divine sense while in the Profound Abode Realm qualifies you as a genius in the Third World."

    Pang Jian''s eyes lit up.

    Unexpectedly, Zhou Qingchen, whose early cultivation talent had been unimpressive, had a surprisingly high number of divine sense.

    "Be specific!" Zhao Yuanqi urged.

    "One hundred and twenty-three strands." Zhou Qingchen licked his dry lips, still feeling as if he were in a dream. "Qi Qingsong, pinch me. Am I dreaming?"

    "You rascal!" Qi Qingsong leaped up with a shout. "Even Lu Lingchan had only one hundred and twenty-four strands! You''re just one strand away!"

    His words echoed through the forest, drawing the others'' attention.

    "Who? Who has one hundred twenty-three strands of divine sense?"

    "It must be Pang Jian!"

    "Li Zhaotian must''ve taken him as a disciple because his total number of divine sense is so high."

    The disciples of the Demon Sect, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, the Xiao n, and the Skyveil Cliff Sect automatically assumed Qi Qingsong''s exmation was about Pang Jian.

 Chapter 305: Talent Defines Heroes

    <h4>Chapter 305: Talent Defines Heroes</h4>

    "One hundred and twenty-three strands. Wu Yuan, he has one more strand than you!" Chen Lushi eximed in shock.

    Wu Yuan continued to meditate.

    Frowning, she muttered, "No wonder I couldn''t beat him."

    Losing to Pang Jian had left her feeling disheartened, and she had been searching for an excuse tofort herself ever since.

    So, when she heard that Pang Jian''s number of divine sense exceeded Wu Yuan''s, she immediately felt a bit better.

    "They''re not talking about Pang Jian. It''s the bearded guy you wanted to teach a lesson earlier," Wu Yuan said with his eyes closed.

    "How''s that possible?!" Chen Lushi stood up from her cross-legged position, red at the bewildered Zhou Qingchen from afar, and channeled her power to eavesdrop. Then, in a soft, conflicted tone, she mumbled, "It really is him. I can''t believe a young man from the Red Mountain Sect of the lower world has more divine sense than you."

    "Pang Jian is from the Fourth World. A ce called the Solitary Mountain Range," Wu Yuan said emotionlessly.

    "How could this be? How could those from the lower worlds have such explosive talent?" Chen Lushi shook her head in denial, unable toprehend it.

    Her mood plummeted to an all-time low as she wallowed in self-pity.

    "One hundred twenty-three strands!" Xiao Yu, Chang Li, and the others eximed in shock when they, too, realized it was Zhou Qingchen and not Pang Jian.

    Zhou Qingchen scratched his head in confusion. "Don''t look at me. Even I wasn''t aware I had such talent."

    "Damn it!" Fang Boxuan cursed.

    Pang Jian thought for a moment. "Have you reached your limit?"

    "Not yet," Zhou Qingchen answered honestly.

    Everyone''s eyes filled with growing astonishment. No one could have imagined that a person with an average spiritual sea could possess such an extraordinary sea of consciousness!

    "Not yet? He hasn''t even reached his limit?!" Chen Lushi''s chest tightened and her face darkened with frustration.

    "My goodness!" Xiao Yu gasped and covered her mouth.

    The inconspicuous, bearded youth from the Red Mountain Sect suddenly became incredibly dazzling in her eyes.

    Fang Boxuan sighed in difort. "You and Luo Yuan are real freaks."

    "Pang Jian is Luo Yuan," Dong Tianze hashly revealed.

    "What? Pang Jian is Luo Yuan?!" Fang Boxuan shouted in surprise.

    Qi Qingsong, Zhuang Yuyan, and the others first nced at Dong Tianze, and then at Pang Jian.

    There was no trace of a lie.

    Luo Yuan, whom Ye Fei of the ck Valley Sect had highly praised for his one hundred twenty-eight strands, had been Pang Jian all along.

    "You sneaky devil! You kept us in the dark this whole time!" Qi Qingsong yfully scolded.

    "I see." Zhuang Yuyan nodded in understanding. "No wonder the Pavilion Master wants you as his personal disciple. He must''ve seen that your talent has already surpassed Lu Lingchan."

    "Luo Yuan? Pang Jian is Luo Yuan?" Lu Xiangyi of the Celestial Lagoon Sect was stunned. "The one we encountered at Cloud Lightning was him?"

    Chen Lushi red at Lu Xiangyi. "How is Pang Jian also Luo Yuan?"

    "Ye Fei of the ck Valley Sect told me Luo Yuan had more divine sense than Lu Lingchan. He considered Luo Yuan the strongest cultivator in the Profound Abode Realm." Lu Xiangyi raised her eyebrows in deliberate provocation. "The Luo Yuan we encountered in Cloud Lightning was Pang Jian under an alias."

    Chen Lushi was shaken to the core. "A talent stronger than Lu Lingchan?"

    It was already astonishing that Zhou Qingchen''s divine sense was only one strand shy of Lu Lingchan''s.

    The realization that Pang Jian''s talent actually surpassed Lu Lingchan''s was a dagger to her heart.

    Even the meditating Wu Yuan opened his eyes to stare at Pang Jian in astonishment.

    "Extraordinary talents emerge in times of great chaos, and are often not limited to the upper worlds," Chang Li of the Skyveil Cliff Sect said solemnly. "It''s said that figures destined to shine in their era appear every time the Abyss opens.

    "Zhou Qingchen, Pang Jian, and Fu Wangchen could be those people." Chang Li sighed admiringly.

    "How could they possiblypare to Fu Wangchen?!" Chen Lushi shouted, emotions in disarray.

    Fu Wangchen of the Forsaken Expanse Sect had be her ultimate goal, the man she saw as her ideal partner. She had racked her brain trying to figure out how to win him over.

    Comparing Zhou Qingchen and Pang Jian, people she either disliked or could not stand, to Fu Wangchen infuriated her.

    "You''re right." Chang Li gave an awkward, insincere smile.

    He dared not offend the thorny woman from the Demon Heart Sect and had no choice but to go along with her words, fearing she would hold a grudge against him.

    "That''s enough. Stop worrying about others and focus on restoring your strength," Wu Yuan said in displeasure.

    The group fell silent as they once again settled into calm meditation.

    Hourster, through the golden bees, Pang Jian noticed survivors emerging from mountain caves, underground burrows, and deep river valleys.

    "The foreign races'' warships have retreated!"

    "The foreign races aren''t hunting us anymore!"

    "The Forsaken Expanse Sect, the Sword Pavilion, the Demon Sect, and the Celestial Lagoon Sect have alle to save us."

    Heirs of noble families and rogue cultivators that had arrived earlier celebrated as they came out of hiding.

    There were over a hundred survivors, and Pang Jian could not help but wonder if Dong Tianze''s hidden Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard was among them.

    "Senior Brother Jiang!"

    "You''ve finallye!"

    The disciples of the Celestial Lagoon Sect cried out in surprise and rushed toward the approaching Jiang Chao.

    ¡°Very good, all of you are so smart." The drenched and weary Jiang Chao nodded at his fellow disciples. "When I was trapped and surrounded, you chose to follow Wu Yuan into the forest instead ofing to my aid."

    Shame filled the disciples of the Celestial Lagoon Sect disciples.

    "Senior Brother, the Demon Sect said too many enemies separated us and you. It would''ve been too dangerous to go back," one disciple said, staring pointedly at Chen Lushi.

    Only Wu Yuan, Chen Lushi, and three other disciples remained from the Demon Sect. The three disciples were unqualified to give orders, and Wu Yuan seemed indifferent about taking the lead.

    Thus, it was rather apparent that Chen Lushi had made decisions on behalf of the disciples from the Celestial Lagoon Sect.

    "That''s right, I told the Celestial Lagoon Sect disciples not to go looking for you," Chen Lushi said coldly, no longer having to keep up a pretense with the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat destroyed. "I was simply trying to preserve as many lives as possible for the Celestial Lagoon Sect.

    "Jiang Chao, your reckless assumptions caused me to be attacked by the possessed living dead and my injuries still haven''t fully healed.

    "We all need to be responsible for our actions, and that includes you," she snapped.

    Jiang Chao stared at Chen Lushi as if seeing her for the first time, finding it hard to reconcile the woman before him with the mask she had shown him before.

    "Fine, I understand. From now on, let''s all be responsible for our own choices." Jiang Chao nodded before leading his fellow disciples away.

    The disciples of the Celestial Lagoon Sect sat under the ancient trees, with Lu Xingyi recounting what Jiang Chao had missed.

    Jiang Chao''s eyes flickered toward the Sword Pavilion''s group.

    "Pang Jian''s talent surpasses that of even Lu Lingchan," he remarked, expression darkening. Then, raising his voice, he shouted, "Qi Qingsong, have you encountered anyone from the ck Valley Sect?"

    "They''re all dead," Qi Qingsong revealed honestly. "The son of Li Wei, the Armor-Breaking Marquis of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom, infiltrated the Sword Boat and attacked us, killing Lu Lingchan, Ye Fei, and many others.

    "The rest either died from internal strife or became living dead. In the end, none of the ck Valley Sect disciples who entered the bizarre mist survived."

    The crowd was horrified.

    Lu Lingchan, the most talented cultivator in the Second World, had perished!

    The entire ck Valley Sect group had been wiped out!

    "Ye Fei is dead, and the ck Valley Sect disciples have all died. Who knows what fate awaits us," Lu Xiangyi said, heart heavy with sorrow and hopelessness.

    Even the usually outspoken Chen Lushi from the Demon Sect said nothing.

    Lu Lingchan surpassed both her and Wu Yuan in cultivation and spirit artifacts.

    There was no guarantee she and Wu Yuan would survive if even Lu Lingchan had met her demise.

    <i>I can only hope Fu Wangchen can turn the tides and lead everyone through this cmity,</i> she thought, gazing at the Heavenly Roc Warship hovering in the sky.

    She wondered how she could win the favor of the unparalleled genius from the Forsaken Expanse Sect, hoping Fu Wangchen would protect her when disaster struck.

    It did not matter to Chen Lushi whether the surviving disciples of the Demon Sect and their affiliates from the Skyveil Cliff Sect and the Xiao n lived or died.

    Meanwhile, survivors throughout Absolute Heaven desperately sought help from the Heavenly Roc Warship, hoping the Forsaken Expanse Sect could take them out of this ce.

    However, Lu Jie of the Forsaken Expanse Sect turned them away and instructed them to head to the forest where Pang Jian and the others were gathered.

    The survivors had no choice but to reluctantly enter the forest.

    More and more survivors appeared in the forest.

    Dong Tianze quietly approached the meditating Pang Jian and whispered, "I sensed him again. His killing intent red briefly but vanished before I could lock onto him."

    Pang Jian nodded. "I''ll try to flush him out."

    ¡°Greetings, Young Master Wu, Miss Chen," scions of the noble families respectfully greeted Wu Yuan and Chen Lushi.

    Cultivators aligned with the Celestial Lagoon Sect headed to Jiang Chao''s group to pay their respects.

    Most of the rogue cultivators arriving in the forest were terrified, with their eyes fixed on the shriveled corpses hanging in mid-air. They nervously took in their surroundings while ncing between Wu Yuan, Jiang Chao, Qi Qingsong, and Zhuang Yuyan.

    In the end, the majority of the rogue cultivators gravitated toward where the Demon Sect, the Skyveil Cliff Sect, and the Xiao n were gathered as they believed the Demon Sect was stronger and more intimidating.

    "Junior Brother Qi, Little Junior Brother, you both need to strive to reach the peak of the Immortal Realm," Zhuang Yuyan said with a snort. "Those people believe the Demon Sect is stronger than our Sword Pavilion, which is why they''re so eager to grovel at Chen Lushi''s feet."

 Chapter 306: Breaking Faith and Forsaking Morality

    <h4>Chapter 306: Breaking Faith and Forsaking Morality</h4>

    Eighteen strands of golden divine sense flowed into Pang Jian''s eyes, turning them a bright gold.

    He did not respond to Zhuang Yuyan and instead focused on observing those pledging their allegiances to the Demon Sect and the Celestial Lagoon Sect.

    "I can''t see anything," Pang Jian muttered with a frown.

    Even with his golden eyes, he could not prate these people''s seas of consciousness and locate the Divine Guard Dong Tianze had warned him about.

    "Sure, I could probably aim for the Immortal Realm, but I''m not confident I can reach its peak." Qi Qingsong''s head was bowed as he gently caressed his Blue Dream Sword like one would caress a lover. "In our Sword Pavilion, only the Pavilion Master has reached the pinnacle of the Immortal Realm in recent years.

    "Neither my master nor yours have managed that."

    Qi Qingsong paused and shook his head.

    "It''s nearly impossible to reach the peak of the Immortal Realm without immense fortune or extraordinary talent. As for ascending to godhood..." Qi Qingsong trailed off,ughing bitterly.

    For Second World sects like the Sword Pavilion, the Demon Sect, the ck Valley Sect, and the Celestial Lagoon Sect, even having one person reach the True God Realm would qualify for their sect to be elevated to the First World!

    Reaching the True God Realm was an era-changing achievement capable of reshaping the destiny of a sect.

    The Sword Pavilion and the Demon Sect would never have fallen to the Second World if they had consistently produced True Gods.

    "I''m just saying," Zhuang Yuyan grumbled with a huff. "Little Junior Brother, if you keep on your current path, you''ll undoubtedly reach the pinnacle of the Immortal Realm!

    "The Sword Pavilion''s future rests on your shoulders. You''ve got to give it your all! Not only for the Sword Pavilion but also for that girl from the Li Family!"

    Pang Jian was dumbfounded.

    "I brought Pang Jian into the Sword Pavilion. If he rises to the pinnacle of the Immortal Realm, I''ll get to bathe in his glory." Qi Qingsongughedzily. "Senior Sister, you don''t need to use reverse psychology on me. I''m not that ambitious. I just want to live well and enjoy the grand beauty of this world."

    Zhuang Yuyan rolled her eyes. "Ugh, I knew relying on you was useless. I hate yourid-back attitude. You''re a member of the Sword Pavilion, you should have some fighting spirit!"

    "Fighting is tiresome. Let others handle it." Qi Qingsong shrugged. Noticing neers approaching their group, his spirits lifted. "Someone''s finallying to pledge allegiance to us!"

    Recognizing the leader, his enthusiasm deted and he slumped back down.

    "We''re from the Qiao n. I''m Qiao Zhen. Greetings to you both." A broad-shouldered, stout woman with a manly build approached Pang Jian''s group and politely cupped her hands in greeting. "We would appreciate your guidance moving forward."

    Zhuang Yuyan smiled and gestured toward a nearby tree. "You can rest over there."

    "Go on over," Qiao Zhen instructed her seven n members before remaining behind to recount their experiences.

    The Qiao n was a vassal of the Sword Pavilion and their n was based on the Heaven Awakening Continent.

    Members of the Qiao n with decent cultivation talent were sent to the Sword Pavilion for training, while the rest cultivated their n''s techniques.

    So, when Qiao Zhen and the others arrived, their first order of business was to pay respect to the representative of the Sword Pavilion.

    As a prominent n, the Qiao n had a ship of their own and had made their way into Absolute Heaven while Qi Qingsong had been waiting for Pang Jian and the others in Eternal Crossing.

    They had not encountered the same problems in the bizarre mist that troubled Pang Jian and the others, smoothly crossing the thin shroudingyer and reaching the restricted area without any trouble.

    "When we first arrived, we were stunned. We didn''t expect there to be three additional fragmentednds." Qiao Zhen tookrge bites of meat to replenish her energy, manners rugged and masculine. "At first, there were no foreign races and only people from the Abyss were exploring Absolute Heaven.

    "We nned to map out this fragmentednd here before venturing into the others, but soon after, a ck warship flew over from the fragmentednd filled with volcanoes.

    "Then, strange-looking foreign races descended and started to ughter indiscriminately.

    "Our ship was destroyed, and now, only eight of the hundred people on our expedition remain. We lost a full ny percent!"

    Those affiliated with the Celestial Lagoon Sect, the Demon Sect, and the groups of rogue cultivators all shared simr experiences among their circles.

    Pang Jian listened in silence.

    Suddenly, strands of golden divine sense rushed out of the acupoints in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness.

    The sixteen drops of golden honey from the golden bees had transformed into sixteen new strands of golden divine sense.

    Pang Jian now had thirty-two strands of golden divine sense, with his total divine sense increasing from one hundred and fifty strands to one hundred and sixty-six strands.

    His sea of consciousness shuddered and strands of divine sense shot out toward the edges like lightning.

    Every ten strands after a hundred marked the crossing of a threshold and slightly expanded one''s sea of consciousness.

    The addition of sixteen strands of golden divine sense allowed Pang Jian to break through the fifty-one and sixty-one thresholds.

    As a result, his spiritual sea rapidly expanded and his perception heightened significantly.

    Pang Jian could now keenly sense a unified soul fluctuationing from Zhuang Yuyan.

    Surprisingly, Qiao Zhen also had a unified soul fluctuation.

    On the other hand, the soul fluctuations of Profound Abode Realm cultivators like Qi Qingsong, Fang Boxuan, and Zhao Yuanqi were scattered and disorganized.

    <i>Refining one''s divine soul to advance to the Spirit Condensation Realm causes one''s divine sense to merge, forming a unified soul fluctuation, </i>Pang Jian realized.

    Turning to Qiao Zhen, Pang Jian abruptly asked, "Are you in the Spirit Condensation Realm too?"

    "The Spirit Condensation Realm?" Qi Qingsong and the others were shocked.

    Only Zhuang Yuyan remained calm, smiling as she asked, "Little Junior Brother, you''re not even in the Spirit Condensation Realm yourself¡ªhow did you sense that?"

    "Something just felt different about her," Pang Jian replied offhandedly.

    "Beforeing here, I was already in thete stage of the Profound Abode Realm and was on the brink of entering the Spirit Condensation Realm." Qiao Zhen gazed at Pang Jian with surprise in her eyes. "Fortunately, I managed to break through to the Spirit Condensation Realm when the Ghost Race attacked. It''s the only reason seven of my Qiao n members survived."

    Then, looking Pang Jian up and down, she curiously asked, "You have a sword token, so why aren''t you wearing the Sword Pavilion''s robes?"

    "They got damaged so I just threw on whatever I had," Pang Jian replied casually.

    Taking advantage of his expanded sea of consciousness, Pang Jian extended his perception to the neers and soon noticed a rogue cultivator quietly dozing off against a tree.

    The man stood out among those paying their respects to Chen Lushi of the Demon Sect or Jiang Chao of the Celestial Lagoon Sect.

    He did not interact with anyone and wore tattered clothes with a spatial pouch hanging on his waist. His appearance was so in that he would easily disappear in a crowd.

    "You''ve got a sharp eye. He''s in the Spirit Condensation Realm too." Zhuang Yuyan chuckled. "Over a thousand people have entered Absolute Heaven, all in the Profound Abode Realm. It''s not surprising that a few have broken through."

    "True." Pang Jian nodded.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A massive skeleton of a mystical bird slowly descended from the sky and halted just above the forest.

    The enormous Heavenly Roc Warship, crafted from the remains of a Rank Nine Golden-Winged Giant Roc, exuded an imposing aura that instantly drew the attention of everyone below.

    Fu Wangchen stood on the mystical bird''s skull and peered down at the crowd, like a god overseeing his subjects.

    "Pang Jian,e up and absorb the divine consciousness of the Skull Crusher," he called.

    "He''s our hope for survival!" Chen Lushi''s eyes brightened.

    Someone muttered quietly in the forest, "He''s just relying on his privileged background. What''s so great about that?"

    "Qi Qingsong, Senior Sister Zhuang, don''t let strangers approach. Dong Tianze and Zhou Qingchen came here with us on the Sword Boat and I don''t want anything happening to them," Pang Jian said as he nced at Zhuang Yuyan.

    "What could happen?" Zhuang Yuyan waved her hand with a smile. "Go on, Fu Wangchen isn''t a petty man. I''m sure he''ll honor his promise."

    "Be careful," Pang Jian warned Dong Tianze onest time before taking off into the sky.

    As soon as Pang Jiannded on the massive mystical bird''s skeleton, radiant strands of golden light shot out from the mystical bird''s crystalline bones, binding him like golden ropes.

    "Pang Jian!" Zhuang Yuyan, Qi Qingsong, Dong Tianze, and Zhou Qingchen shouted in rm as they rushed toward the Heavenly Roc Warship.

    A wave of golden light rippled from the mystical bird''s wings, forming an insurmountable barrier that separated it from the crowd below.

    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>

    Zhuang Yuyan and the others crashed into what felt like a thick golden wall, heads ringing as they tumbled back to the forest floor.

    The golden light prated Dong Tianze''s ck Iron Mountain, and in the blink of an eye, he lost more than half of the Spirit Devils and beast souls he had painstakingly refined.

    "Fu Wangchen!" Zhuang Yuyan summoned her two spirit swords, her expression as cold as frost. "How dare you betray us? We''re all from the Abyss! How could you choose to strike my Little Junior Brother in this time of crisis? What could you possibly be thinking?"

    Fiery mes ignited around Zhuang Yuyan, forming a miniature world as a Vermillion Bird and a Fiery Qilin appeared.

    Everyone in the forest was stunned at the scene unfolding before them.

    Fu Wangchen''s expression remained calm as he pointed at the bound Pang Jian. "An Outer God has corrupted him. He''s the master of those golden bees. The golden bees that appeared in the bizarre mist are mentally connected to him.

    "Those golden bees are called Nether Abyss Spirit Bees and are one of the most terrifying creatures from the outer worlds.

    "They''re not native to our Abyss and only obey the most powerful Outer God from the Nether Abyss.

    "The fact that he canmand these Nether Abyss Spirit Bees means either his soul has been corrupted or he''s be a follower of the Nether Abyss Outer God.

    "Either way, he''s no longer one of us. He must be captured," Fu Wangchen dered righteously.

 Chapter 307: Dilemma

    <h4>Chapter 307: Dilemma</h4>

    "Pang Jian, a follower of an Outer God?" the survivors in the forest murmured, searching the skies for Pang Jian.

    They soon spotted him on the Heavenly Roc Warship with golden ropes binding him firmly in ce, no matter how much he struggled.

    "Fu Wangchen! Stop spewing nonsense, you bastard!" Qi Qingsong took off on his spirit sword again.

    A streak of azure sword light shot toward the Heavenly Roc Warship.

    "I already told you, he''s not the same person you once knew." Fu Wangchen''s expression darkened, raising his hand to unleash a golden radiance.

    Nine massive rocs emerged and let out ear-splitting cries. Their ming wings appeared as if forged from molten gold and iron.

    The giant rocs'' cries shattered Qi Qingsong''s dreamy azure sword light before it could manifest into a tangible dream.

    The illusory realm vanished.

    Qi Qingsong groaned, feeling as if someone had forcibly pulled him from a dream and drenched him with a bucket of cold water.

    Both he and his Blue Dream Sword plummeted to the ground.

    "Junior Brother Qi, calm down!" Zhuang Yuyan rushed to his side. "Let''s try to understand the situation first! Be d he wasn''t trying to severely injure you, or else..."

    Her implication was clear¡ªFu Wangchen could have thoroughly dealt with Qi Qingsong if he wanted to.

    "I have undeniable evidence proving Pang Jian is the one controlling the Nether Abyss Spirit Bees!" Fu Wangchen coldly nced down at Zhuang Yuyan as he said with a grave expression, "This is a serious matter. I must capture Pang Jian first. I''ll give you all an exnation after!"

    "Then, show us your proof!" Zhuang Yuyan shouted, still restraining Qi Qingsong.

    "It''s strange..." Jiang Chao from the Celestial Lagoon Sect muttered.

    "Senior Sister, you said a golden bee led us out of the bizarre mist," Wu Yuan of the Demon Sect said, raising an eyebrow. "If the owner of the golden bees isn''t Fu Wangchen, but Pang Jian from the Sword Pavilion, then that means we owe our lives to Pang Jian.

    "Why would he save us if he''s a follower of or has been corrupted by an Outer God? Don''t forget he also warned me about those living dead," The usually reticent Wu Yuan said with an uncharacteristicallyrge amount of words.

    Chang Li, Xiao Yu, and the others nodded in agreement.

    "The Outer Gods are likely just divided into different factions. The one who corrupted Pang Jian and led us into Absolute Heaven is from the Nether Abyss," Chen Lushi coldly remarked. "The Outer Gods that the Ghost Race, the Wood Race, the Carapace Race, and the Earth Scorpion Race worship could be his enemies."

    "That makes sense!"

    "That must be it!"

    Several others backed up Chen Lushi.

    Wu Yuan shook his head, staring at the Heavenly Roc Warship and the golden ropes binding Pang Jian, and said nothing more.

    "He killed the son of the Armor-Breaking Marquis from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom," Fu Wangchen revealed, raising his hand to make a grabbing motion in the air.

    Drops of golden blood emerged from the mystical bird''s wing bones and the piercing cries of the golden-winged rocs filled the air.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A tremendous force surged into Pang Jian''s body, causing him to shake violently.

    His green protective shield, which he had summoned when captured, shattered with a bang.

    Even his bones creaked under the pressure¡ªeven though they were solid as refined steel due to his Illusory Bone Realm¡ªand his joints twisted unnaturally as if about to dislocate.

    Pang Jian felt like his skeleton was on the verge of breaking into pieces and hurriedly gathered his strength to resist.

    However, before Pang Jian could do anything, the foreign power from the golden ropes swiftly bound his spiritual sea.

    When he inspected his spiritual sea with his divine sense, he saw a ring of golden ripples forming along its edges.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Faint images of golden rocs flew within the golden ripples, shimmering feathers exuding an oppressive aura of confinement.

    An aura of sealing radiated from the golden ripples, cutting off the connection between Pang Jian''s spiritual sea and his body.

    Pang Jian felt like he had reverted to the hunter he was before stepping onto the path of cultivation.

    He felt like a mortal.

    <i>The Heavenly Roc Warship has greatly amplified Fu Wangchen''s power! </i>

    Pang Jian forced himself to calm down and suppress his bubbling fury.

    Focusing his mind, he was horrified to discover that the golden ripples had also sealed his Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint.

    The lingering power in the Rank Nine Golden-Winged Giant Roc''s skeleton had been refined into golden ropes, and under Fu Wangchen''s control, these ropes were the most powerful weapon in Absolute Heaven.

    No wonder the soul projection of the Ghost Race''s worshiped Outer God was no match for Fu Wangchen.

    Fu Wangchen on the Heavenly Roc Warship was as formidable as Pang Jian on the Resolute Expanse.

    "Pang Jian, you''re trapped on the Heavenly Roc Warship. Even if you were in the Spirit Condensation Realm, you still wouldn''t be able to escape," Lu Jie of the Forsaken Expanse said softly.

    A group of cultivators from the Forsaken Expanse Sect stopped about a dozen zhang away, gazing at Pang Jian as if he were a monster.

    "Just surrender and let Junior Brother Fu examine your sea of consciousness. Maybe he can purge the corruption of the Outer God from you," Lu Jie advised kindly. "Only then will you have a slim chance of survival and regain your true self."

    She hadplete faith in Fu Wangchen and was convinced an Outer God had indeed corrupted Pang Jian.

    <i>My dantian, spiritual sea, and Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint have all been sealed.</i>

    Pang Jian silently assessed his options as he prepared tounch a counterattack.

    After all, the ck turtle scute, the eight Leaves of Life, and his sea of consciousness were all still intact and avable for him to use.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    As Pang Jian was about to mobilize his remaining strength, a spatial ring floated out from Pang Jian''s pocket andnded in Fu Wangchen''s hand.

    Fu Wangchen held up the ring and waved it toward Zhuang Yuyan. "This item belonged to the son of the Armor-Breaking Marquis, correct? You and the rest of the Sword Pavilion disciples should know he killed the gravely injured Li Yuanchen."

    Zhuang Yuyan anxiously tried to argue, "That''s true, but¡ª"

    "Miss Zhuang, you still trust him because you don''t understand what Nether Abyss Spirit Bees represent." Fu Wangchen sighed deeply.

    With a casual squeeze, the spatial ring shattered into crystal dust and scattered in the wind.

    He did not care about Li Yuanchen''s possessions and wished to exhibit hisck of interest in Pang Jian''s treasures.

    "I learned through the divine consciousness of the Skull Crusher that those golden bees are a dire omen from the Nether Abyss.

    "Those creatures..." Fu Wangchen''s expression grew somber. "They feed on the divine consciousness of Outer Gods! The golden Nether Abyss Spirit Bee is an especially vicious breed, so much so that even the Outer Gods view them as forbidden creatures!

    "Whenever golden Nether Abyss Spirit Bees appear in the outer worlds, the mightiest of those worlds always hunt them down.

    "The Outer Gods consider the Nether Abyss a forbidden zone, and no one knows what''s happening inside.

    "Do you realize the gravity of the situation? If Pang Jian has truly caught the attention of a wicked Outer God from the Nether Abyss and canmunicate with the Nether Abyss Spirit Bee?" Fu Wangchen asked coldly.

    Zhuang Yuyan was horrified.

    "Little Junior Brother probably doesn''t know where Nether Abyss Spirit Beese from! Brother Fu, there''s likely a misunderstanding here!" she cried.

    "I captured him to investigate whether his true self has been erased," Fu Wangchen said solemnly. "If his true self still exists, I''ll do everything in my power to eradicate the foreign forces from his sea of consciousness and preserve his life."

    Then, raising his voice, he dered, "Everyone! I lured Pang Jian onto the Heavenly Roc Warship and captured him out of necessity. I hope you understand.

    "Even I am not confident I can restrain himpletely without the Heavenly Roc Warship."

    Despite his words addressing everyone, his eyes remained fixed on the Sword Pavilion''s group.

    <i>Swoosh!</i>

    Fu Wangchen appeared before Pang Jian and held up the ck gauze he had taken from him earlier. "I''ll use this God-Blocking Divine Shroud to wrap your body, preventing the Outer God from the Nether Abyss from continuing to corrupt you.

    "Don''t worry, I''ll find a way to save you."

    With that, Fu Wangchen started wrapping Pang Jian from the legs up, even covering the golden ropes that bound him.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The pitch-ck ck Iron Mountain surged into the sky, burning with ck demonic mes and emanating the aura of Spirit Devils and Vicious Beast''s souls.

    "Dong Tianze, don''t be rash!" Zhuang Yuyan shouted, having been convinced by Fu Wangchen''s words.

    "Even if an Outer God has corrupted Pang Jian, it should be up to us to confirm it, not him!" Dong Tianze roared. The Celestial Phoenix Imprint on his forehead glowed brightly. "No one has the right to imprison him or pry into his sea of consciousness!"

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A dazzling Celestial Phoenix appeared above Dong Tianze''s head.

    The Celestial Phoenix enveloped Dong Tianze in its radiant glow, making him seem like a divine warrior descended from the heavens.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Celestial Phoenix''s massive wings cut through the sky.

    Dao, seemingly capable of severing all things, emerged from its ethereal wings and sliced apart the golden light barrier beneath the Heavenly Roc Warship as effortlessly as cutting through tofu.

    The sea of golden light split in two, revealing the gleaming bones of the Golden-Winged Giant Roc.

    "The Celestial Phoenix has appeared!"

    "He''s a Divine Guard!"

    "The Celestial Phoenix has restrained our Golden-Winged Giant Roc!"

    "The Celestial Phoenix is the king of all avians!"

    The members of the Forsaken Expanse Sect paled.

    The Heavenly Roc Warship was forged from the remains of the Rank Nine Golden-Winged Giant Roc and its profoundly mysterious bloodline powered the ship.

    However, even when the Rank Six Golden-Winged Giant Roc was alive, it would still bow its head in submission before the Celestial Phoenix.

    After all, the Celestial Phoenix was the king of all avians in the Abyss andmanded a natural bloodline suppression over all other avians.

    "Stubborn fool!" Fu Wangchen coldly snorted, pausing his actions to summon the hundred-zhang-tall Dharma Idol of a long-dead True God.

    An oppressive divine might poured from the giant Dharma Idol sat on a lotus tform.

    Endless karmic mes surrounded the ancient god Dharma Idol as it slowly pressed its hands down.

    Pirs of roaring karmic mes shot toward the Celestial Phoenix, crashing down on it, the ck Iron Mountain, and Dong Tianze, sending them all plummeting back into the forest.

    The oppressive power of the Dharma Idol stunned everyone present and left them dazed.

    By the time they regained their senses, Dong Tianze and the ck Iron Mountain had fallen into the thick canopy of foliage and crashed into an ancient tree.

    The strike had deformed the ck Iron Mountain, causing it to lose all trace of its former mystique.

    Dong Tianze could do nothing but take in heavy, gasping breaths.

    "He just fabricated a bunch of excuses to steal Pang Jian''s unique powers!" Zhou Qingchen red at the sky, frustrated at his inability to fly.

    Rage zed in his eyes as he unleashed the long des from his back, determined to help.

    "Calm down!"

    "Don''t throw your life away!"

    Zhuang Yuyan and Zhao Yuanqi yelled at the same time.

    "If not for Pang Jian guiding you out of the endless bizarre mist with his golden bees, you would all still be struggling in there! You bunch of despicable ingrates, benefiting from his help and pretending to be virtuous!" Zhou Qingchen cursed.

    Shooting daggers at Chen Lushi of the Demon Sect, Jiang Chao of the Celestial Lagoon Sect, and the others, he spat. "The Demon Sect, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, the Forsaken Expanse Sect¡ªall of you should''ve perished in the bizarre mist!"

    Zhou Qingchen''s long des shot up toward the sky.

    Golden rays descended, shattering the des mid-air and instantly leaving Zhou Qingchen seriously injured.

    "Don''t strike again, or you''ll die!" Zhao Yuanqi cried, opening her gourd and absorbing Zhou Qingchen.

    "As I thought, Pang Jian is the true master behind the golden bees." Chen Lushi bit her lip and her expression hardened. "Those golden bees are vicious creatures from the Nether Abyss! An Outer God from the Nether Abyss must''ve corrupted him, just as Brother Fu said."

    Wu Yuan remained silent.

    Chang Li from the Skyveil Cliff Sect, Xiao Yu from the Xiao n, and the rest stared nkly at the sky, too afraid to refute Chen Lushi, let alone challenge Fu Wangchen of the Forsaken Expanse Sect.

    "Senior Brother Jiang, who should we believe?" Lu Xiangyi whispered.

    "All the flying vessels are destroyed and we''ll have to rely on the Heavenly Roc Warship to leave Absolute Heaven." Jiang Chao softly sighed. Although he was still skeptical, the Forsaken Expanse Sect''s overwhelming power did not leave much room for him to question them. "We can''t interfere. All we can do is watch."

    "Understood." The others nodded.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Lu Jie of the Forsaken Expanse Sect descended from the mystical bird''s skeleton, crossed the sea of golden light, and approached Zhuang Yuyan and Qi Qingsong.

    The sight of the ruined ck Iron Mountain and the heavily injured yet still fierce-looking Dong Tianze caused her to frown.

    "Our Junior Brother Fu means no harm, nor does he wish to take Pang Jian''s life," she said. "We fought against the Ghost Race together, so I know you haven''t been corrupted.

    "Qi Qingsong, please approach this matter calmly."

    "Calmly?" Qi Qingsong sneered, anger rising. "Pang Jian is my junior brother and a personal disciple of our Pavilion Master. What gives Fu Wangchen the right to dere him a heretical cultivator with just his words?

    "Those golden bees, these so-called Nether Abyss Spirit Bees¡ªhow do we know Fu Wangchen isn''t just spouting nonsense?"

    Qi Qingsong prepared to attack with his Blue Dream Sword once again.

    "Qi Qingsong, Junior Brother Fu can''t be mistaken." After a moment of hesitation, Lu Jie suggested, "How about you hand over your Blue Dream Sword to your Senior Sister Zhuang and I''ll take you to the Heavenly Roc Warship.

    "You can watch as Junior Brother Fu casts his secret arts and see for yourself if there''s truly anything wrong with Pang Jian."

    "Fine!"

 Chapter 308: Li Zhaotians Sword Intent!

    <h4>Chapter 308: Li Zhaotian''s Sword Intent!</h4>

    Qi Qingsong tossed his Blue Dream Sword aside and flew up with Lu Jie.

    Dong Tianze''s Celestial Phoenix Imprint had already shattered the golden light barrier that had previously blocked them, allowing Lu Jie and Qi Qingsong to cross through without issue.

    Theynded not far from Pang Jian on the Heavenly Roc Warship.

    "Junior Brother Fu, he wants to watch as you probe Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness," Lu Jie informed. "The Sword Pavilion worked with us to kill the Ghost Race before. We''ll likely need to fight together again in the future. So, we have to be transparent and show everyone we''re doing the right thing."

    Fu Wangchen nodded. "Very well."

    He continued wrapping Pang Jian''s body with the ck gauze he called the God-Blocking Divine Shroud, leaving only Pang Jian''s face exposed.

    "Pang Jian, I don''t believe an Outer God has corrupted you!" Qi Qingsong shouted, casting a cold re at the members of the Forsaken Expanse Sect. "Yes, Pang Jian is the master of those golden bees. However, Fu Wangchen wouldn''t have been able to enter Absolute Heaven without those bees!"

    Qi Qingsong pointed at the survivors from the Forsaken Expanse Sect. "All of you! If you hadn''t entered Absolute Heaven, you''d still be unconscious. The power protecting you would''ve eventually run out, and you would''ve all died in the treacherous bizarre mist!"

    Lu Jie and the others frowned.

    There was indeed something strange about this situation, but they had no way to exin it.

    "Pang Jian! Do you have any way to prove you have nothing to do with the Outer God from the Nether Abyss?" Qi Qingsong asked anxiously.

    <i>Prove it?</i>

    He had seen everything through the eyes of the golden bees¡ªDong Tianze''s severe injuries, Zhou Qingchen being absorbed into Zhao Yuanqi''s gourd, and Qi Qingsong''s two desperate charges into the sky.

    It no longer mattered whether or not it was a misunderstanding.

    The seed of enmity between him and Fu Wangchen had already taken root.

    Pang Jian was imprisoned and restrained. No amount of exining would make any difference as he had no control over the situation.

    So, he shook his head, unwilling to say another word.

    "I''ll know the truth soon enough," Fu Wangchen said coldly, holding up one end of the ck gauze as he stared into Pang Jian''s eyes. "Once the God-Blocking Divine Shroud wraps around your head, you''ll lose all sense of the outside world. I''ll then enter your sea of consciousness to uncover the truth.

    "Do you have anyst words?"

    Pang Jian ignored Fu Wangchen and addressed Qi Qingsong, "Tell Senior Sister Zhuang to keep an eye on Dong Tianze. A Divine Guard is hiding in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity."

    Pang Jian feared the hidden Divine Guard would take the opportunity to kill the heavily wounded Dong Tianze.

    "Another Divine Guard?" Qi Qingsong was startled. "Don''t worry, I know what to do! Pang Jian, he''s just going to peer into your sea of consciousness and examine what you''ve experienced recently."

    Pang Jian shook his head and remained silent, focusing on mobilizing the ck turtle scute and the Leaves of Life.

    His heart pounded wildly.

    A ckish-yellow halo appeared around Pang Jian.

    It was just as quickly snuffed out like a dying candle me.

    "It''s useless, Pang Jian. Your struggle is futile. Don''t worry, I only need to know the origin of those Nether Abyss Spirit Bees and see if there''s any trace of an Outer God," Fu Wangchen said.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian tried to harness the power of the Leaves of Life, wondering if he could manipte the ancient trees in the forest like Ka Zi had done.

    "There''s clearly something wrong here!" Fu Wangchen snorted.

    He pped Pang Jian''s chest, sending a surge of spiritual power through the ck gauze and destroying the life energy Pang Jian had been gathering.

    "The abundant life energy in the Wood Race warrior you killed has also been refined into your body," Fu Wangchen said. "Pang Jian, you haven''t just absorbed the divine consciousness of the Forest God¡ªyou''ve also been using its divine power! Don''t you realize that power''s been subtly influencing you?"

    Fu Wangchen then finished wrapping Pang Jian''s head with the ck gauze, leaving only his eyes exposed.

    The third eye hidden on Fu Wangchen''s forehead slowly opened and fixed onto Pang Jian.

    "I know you possess a pair of golden eyes formed from your golden divine sense. I''ll use your golden eyes as a conduit to invade your sea of consciousness and extract your recent memories to determine whether you have colluded with the Nether Abyss.

    "Now, open your eyes!" Fu Wangchenmanded in a low voice as a blinding light shot out from his third eye.

    Even with his eyes tightly shut, it still felt like Pang Jian''s deepest secrets were about to be unearthed and thoroughly dissected.

    Fu Wangchen''s third eye was clearly far superior to Dong Tianze''s soul-searching technique!

    <i>My spiritual sea, Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint, ck turtle scute, Leaves of Life, spatial bracelet...</i>

    Pang Jian ran through everything he had before finally directing his attention to the Gate of the Abyss.

    Every other method he had racked his brains for had failed, and all his other artifacts had either been sealed or suppressed.

    The only thing he had left to rely on was the bronze pendant!

    His achievements and the ability to rear the four peculiar beings had all been thanks to the Gate of the Abyss his father had left for him.

    <i>Bee Sovereign! </i>Pang Jian called out.

    Shockingly, the Bee Sovereign replied to Pang Jian with clear, distinct words for the first time.

    <i>That man has absorbed too much of the Skull Crusher''s divine consciousness without fully refining it. That divine consciousness is slowly corrupting him, though he remains unaware.</i>

    <i>It''s an extremely slow process, which is why he can retain his self-awareness. Truthfully, the real problem here lies with that man, regardless of corruption.</i>

    <i>Master, please be cautious.</i>

    <i>You have something on you that can break this situation.</i>

    A golden lump the size of a fistnded on the beehive floating in the bizarre mist of the bronze pendant.

    The golden lump was nearly ten timesrger than the golden bees, which were only the size of fingernails.

    It folded its transparent wings and gazed at the world outside the bronze pendant with its wisepound eyes.

    Golden bees appeared one after another in the bizarre mist surrounding Absolute Heaven.

    Due to their small size, none of those in Absolute Heaven, nor the other three fragmentednds, noticed their presence.

    <i>I''m not strong enough right now, and the little ones can''t help much either...</i>

    <i>Master, you can use that item.</i>

    At that moment, Pang Jian abruptly realized the Bee Sovereign was referring to the sword token hanging at his waist!

    Pang Jian''s consciousness surged into the sword token.

    The blue-robed rotund men were no longer in the silent world within the sword token, but Pang Jian could still sense a faint, yet overwhelmingly fierce sword intent.

    Although the sword intent was barely detectable, it was iparably domineering.

    <i>Help me, </i>Pang Jian willed.

    A hair-thin streak of brilliant sword light formed in the silent world within the sword token!

    The deeply hidden, fierce sword intent swelled a thousandfold in the blink of an eye, transforming the thin streak into a vast river of zing sword light!

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The sword token at Pang Jian''s waist seemed to turn into an unmatched divine sword, radiating a light capable of shattering the heavens and tearing through all barriers!

    <i>Rip!</i>

    The radiant sword light pierced through the ck gauze covering the sword token!

    Brilliant streams of sword light burst out, tearing the God-Blocking Divine Shroud to shreds and slicing Fu Wangchen''s hand holding the end of the ck gauze.

    Fu Wangchen''s palm split open in a flow of blood. The droplets of blood shimmered like red crystals as he waved his hand.

    "Li Zhaotian''s leftover sword light!"

    "That''s a life-saving sword light!"

    Lu Jie and the other members of the Forsaken Expanse Sect all stared at the terrifying sword intent emanating from Pang Jian with wide eyes.

    "It''s an ancient Outer God!" Fu Wangchen roared, summoning the hundred-zhang-tall ancient god Dharma Idol.

    Screeches rang out across the Heavenly Roc Warship as hundreds of golden-winged rocs, formed from golden blood, flew out from the glowing mystical bird''s bones.

    They rushed toward the sword light surrounding Pang Jian, only to be reduced to fragments of golden light.

    "God Suppression!" Fu Wangchen threw a punch at Pang Jian.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The air around Pang Jian trembled with Fu Wangchen''s explosive force.

    The fabric of reality seemed on the verge of copse.

    More golden-winged rocs screeched as theyunched themselves toward the sword light surrounding Pang Jian.

    The ancient god Dharma Idol¡ªsat on a lotus tform burning with karmic fire¡ªstarted to crush the sword light.

    Waves of immense divine power rippled outward as the Heavenly Roc Warship, Fu Wangchen, and the ancient god Dharma Idol simultaneously pressed down on Pang Jian.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The ck turtle scute''s ckish-yellow defensive barrier crumbled.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Pang Jian''s hastily summoned protective shield shattered.

    Waves of overwhelming force struck him, and Pang Jian was hurled into the sky like a lone leaf on a stormy sea.

    "Pang Jian! Leave!" Qi Qingsong cried, summoning a spirit sword and shing it across the sky to create a dreamlike sea.

    Those gazing upon the azure sea were momentarily entranced as if falling into a dream.

    Even Fu Wangchen could not resist the sea''s dreamy allure.

    It only took one nce at the illusory azure sea for Qi Qingsong''s Dream Sword Technique to have Fu Wangchen in its captivating clutches.

    Pang Jian''s ribs creaked audibly as blood flowed from the corners of his mouth and nostrils.

    "The one corrupted by Outer Gods isn''t me¡ªit''s Fu Wangchen," Pang Jian choked out from high in the sky.

    "Pang Jian!" Dong Tianze, Zhuang Yuyan, and Zhao Yuanqi cried in shock.

    "Take care."

    With that, Pang Jian used the ck turtle scute to transform into a ck streak of light and shoot toward the outer edges of Absolute Heaven.

    Mustering up his remaining strength, he elerated.

    "Get out of my way!" Fu Wangchen sent a wave of golden light crashing down on Qi Qingsong, causing him to plummet toward ake in Absolute Heaven like a kite with its string cut.

 Chapter 309: Blood Paints the Sky

    <h4>Chapter 309: Blood Paints the Sky</h4>

    Fu Wangchen leaped off the Heavenly Roc Warship after delivering the blow to Qi Qingsong.

    "Trying to escape?" Fu Wangchen locked onto the fleeing Pang Jian from a distance with the divine eye on his forehead. "Many Outer Gods are watching the area beyond this restricted area like predators. Are you nning to hunt them with your Nether Abyss Spirit Bees?"

    He seemed to cover a million zhang with every step and almost looked like he was teleporting.

    It did not take long for him to close in on Pang Jian.

    As Pang Jian flew through the air, he nced back and saw Fu Wangchen strike Qi Qingsong down into theke.

    <i>Fu Wangchen of the Forsaken Expanse Sect!</i>

    Pang Jian took a deep breath to temper his frustrations.

    Although he was sorely tempted to battle the future master of the Forsaken Expanse Sect, he knew the Heavenly Roc Warship and the ancient god Dharma Idol meant he would be fighting a losing battle.

    Fu Wangchen would just capture him again if he stayed.

    Fu Wangchen''s target was him, not Qi Qingsong, Dong Tianze, or the others. Therefore, the best way to ensure their safety was to escape.

    Pang Jian flew even faster.

    "Divine Illumination Mirror!"

    A square, silver mirror rose up behind Fu Wangchen, with its smooth surface facing Pang Jian.

    The instant Pang Jian''s figure appeared in the mirror, his real body froze mid-air.

    The Divine Illumination Mirror also severed his connections to the golden bees and the Bee Sovereign.

    Faint silhouettes of ancient phantoms appeared along the edges of the bright mirror, resembling the dead powerhouses of the Forsaken Expanse Sect.

    The phantoms silently watched Pang Jian''s reflected figure in the mirrored world, exuding an ancient, mysterious aura as if from bygone eras.

    The past and present appeared to ovep.

    "Pang Jian, you won''t be able to escape," Fu Wangchen said before stepping into the mirror.

    He appeared inside the mirrored world like a towering god, a million timesrger than Pang Jian.

    A cold smile pulled across his face as he punched Pang Jian''s reflection in the mirror.

    An overwhelming divine might descended on the mirrored Pang Jian.

    The real Pang Jian hastily gathered his strength and summoned the Star Crushing Umbre, the Nine Suns Cauldron, and the Startling ughter Spear.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Star Crushing Umbre expanded dozens of times and its canopy glowed with brilliant starlight and moonlight. A crystalline ice well appeared on top of it, emitting a cold mist as it erupted with shards of ice and vibrant green spiritual power.

    Beneath the umbre, nine zing miniature suns held up a crimson cauldron.

    Below that was Pang Jian with his protective shield, spinning his Startling ughter Spear to unleash Silver Crescents.

    This multiyered defense created a stunning spectacle, leaving many in Absolute Heaven in awe. They had not realized how powerful Pang Jian truly was until now.

    "This guy has so many tricks up his sleeve!"

    "He could probably fight someone in the Spirit Condensation Realm, even while in the Profound Abode Realm."

    "It''s a shame his opponent is Fu Wangchen from the Forsaken Expanse Sect. His Divine Illumination Mirror is a quasi-divine artifact!"

    "No wonder the Pavilion Master of the Sword Pavilion took him as a personal disciple."

    The crowd murmured in shock at Pang Jian''s desperate disy of power.

    That surprise was short-lived, however, as the giant Fu Wangchen inside the mirror unleashed a heaven-shattering punch on the mirrored Pang Jian.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The real Pang Jian outside the mirror felt the impact of the blow.

    The Star Crushing Umbre was the first to break under the devastating force as its spokes snapped apart.

    Endless starlight and moonlight exploded like a copsing gxy before fading into the sky.

    The scorching suns around the Nine Suns Cauldron were extinguished like candle mes.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The Nine Suns Cauldron was crushed, bing as useless as the destroyed ck Iron Mountain.

    "Again!" Fu Wangchen rained punches down on Pang Jian in the mirrored world.

    Pang Jian could not see his attacker from outside the mirrored world and could only feel the immense force striking him from every direction.

    The Silver Crescents exploded one by one, and Pang Jian''s protective shield shattered.

    Even the ck turtle scute''s defensive barrier cracked under the relentless assault.

    Soon, Pang Jian''s entire body was covered in blood, with countless bones broken.

    "Fu Wangchen! How dare you!" Zhuang Yuyan stood in fury.

    Her mother-child spirit swords shot out, creating a world of mes. The Vermilion Bird and Fiery Qilin roared as they rushed toward the Divine Illumination Mirror.

    "Fool!" Fu Wangchen snorted coldly from within the mirrored world.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The towering Dharma Idol flew out from the Heavenly Roc Warship and rushed into the fiery world. Still seated on a lotus tform burning with karmic fire, it swiftly crushed the Vermilion Bird and the Fiery Qilin representing Zhuang Yuyan''s two spirit swords.

    The Vermilion Bird and the Fiery Qilin cried in agony as the fiery world was reduced to nothing.

    "Heavenly Roc! Hunt down the heretic fiends with me!" Fu Wangchenmanded.

    The Heavenly Roc Warship hovering above the forest let out a screech.

    Golden lightning streaked through the golden-winged roc''s skeleton, releasing the immense power lying dormant within.

    The legendary Rank Nine Golden-Winged Giant Roc seemed to have returned from the dead.

    It soared through the sky, drawing closer to Fu Wangchen.

    However, as it passed over ake, a massive vortex unexpectedly appeared on theke''s calm surface.

    A powerful force suddenly pulled the Rank Nine Golden-Winged Giant Roc down, rendering it immobile.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A colossal creature emerged from the depths of theke andunched itself fiercely toward the Golden-Winged Giant Roc in the sky.

    The colossal creature resembled a giant eel, with a long, slender neck and a body over five hundred zhang long, covered in shimmering scales that resembled ice crystals.

    Its enormous, icy blue eyes shone with greed as its t body shot toward the Golden-Winged Giant Roc like a sword.

    A sharp horn gleamed coldly on its head, radiating a blinding divine light!

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The sharp horn, as thick as a massive pir and filled with boundless malice, pierced straight through the skeleton of the Golden-Winged Giant Roc.

    It then mped down on the wings of the Golden-Winged Giant Roc with its ws and fangs before violently shaking it.

    The massive wings and the building atop them crumbled to pieces.

    The members of the Forsaken Expanse Sect mounting the golden-winged rocs screamed in terror.

    "Ice Armor Eel Dragon!"

    "It''s at least Rank Eight!"

    Lu Jie and the burly man paled with fear.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon''s falling scales sliced apart the golden-winged rocs, turning them back into droplets of golden blood.

    It then opened its mouth and eagerly drank the rain of golden blood before dragging the Heavenly Roc Warship into the depths of theke.

    "Ice Armor Eel Dragon!" Fu Wangchen screamed with a horrified expression.

    Stepping out of the Divine Illumination Mirror, he abandoned his attack on Pang Jian.

    He quickly adjusted the angle of the mirror to reflect the Ice Armor Eel Dragon''s massive body, temporarily freezing it in the middle of dragging the giant Heavenly Roc Warship into theke.

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon''s eyes shed with confusion.

    It suddenly dove downward with all its might.

    The image of the Ice Armor Eel Dragon in the Divine Illumination Mirror cracked as it broke free from the quasi-divine artifact''s restraint.

    Fu Wangchen groaned, blood trickling from his eyes as he summoned the ancient god Dharma Idol once again, intending to plunge into theke to retrieve the Heavenly Roc Warship.

    "Junior Brother Fu, don''t go down there! That Ice Armor Eel Dragon is at least Rank Eight. It''s far beyond what you can handle!" Lu Jie screamed in horror.

    She flew through the air on a golden feather, bringing her fellow disciples to safety.

    Those able to fly all fled Heavenly Roc Warship and ced as much distance between themselves and theke as possible.

    Theke swallowed the rest.

    "I¡ª" Fu Wangchen hovered in the air, watching as one of his fellow disciples struggled desperately in the water only to be dragged into theke''s depths.

    The deep blueke water turned murky.

    Fu Wangchen could not see the bottom of theke, even with his divine third eye.

    Although he wanted to dive in and investigate, he could not help but hesitate.

    "Don''t go!" Lu Jie screamed again, flying toward Fu Wangchen on the golden feather and forcibly pulling him onto it.

    <i>Ice Armor Eel Dragon... </i>

    Pang Jian had taken the chance to flee Absolute Heaven and had witnessed the incredible scene through the eyes of his golden bees.

    He never could have imagined that a Rank Eight Vicious Beast would attack the Heavenly Roc Warship and drag it into theke.

    Even without the Golden-Winged Giant Roc, Fu Wangchen still had the ancient god Dharma Idol, the Divine Illumination Mirror, and his Spirit Condensation Realm cultivation.

    Pang Jian''s face was covered in blood, and his bloodshot eyes coldly red at the dejected Fu Wangchen from a distance.

    Rich life energy and blood essence flowed within him, stabilizing his injuries.

    Pang Jian sighed and shook his head.

    <i>No, it''s still a hopeless fight.</i>

    The members of the Demon Sect, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, the Skyveil Cliff Sect, and the Xiao n considered Fu Wangchen their leader and followed hismands.

    If he turned around, he would have to face all of them.

    Moreover, he was in poor condition. The Star Crushing Umbre and the Nine Suns Cauldron had been destroyed, and his internal energies were nearly depleted.

    Pang Jian resisted the urge to turn back and instead eyed the other three fragmentednds.

    <i>The frozen fragmentednd!</i>

    Pang Jian could use the Gate of the Abyss once more as his connections to the bees had been restored,

    "Teleport!"

    He disappeared from the outer edges of Absolute Heaven.

    By the time Fu Wangchen realized what had happened, Pang Jian was already gone.

    Atop a floating boulder high above the forest, Wu Yuan of the Demon Sect sat, staring at where Pang Jian had vanished.

    "He can even teleport."

    Wu Yuan had kept his eyes on Pang Jian while everyone else was focused on Fu Wangchen and the Ice Armor Eel Dragon, and so, had been the only one to see Pang Jian teleport away.

 Chapter 310: The Bee Sovereigns Transformation

    <h4>Chapter 310: The Bee Sovereign''s Transformation</h4>

    Pang Jian passed through the thin white mist of the frozen fragmentednd. The sight of crystalline ice mountains greeted him.

    ciers as sharp as swords and short peaks covered in snow could be found across thend.

    Pang Jian randomly picked a mountain peak tond on.

    A bone-chilling cold permeated the frosty air, causing him to shiver.

    He sat on the snow, gathering the cold energy from his spiritual sea and circting it throughout his body.

    It did not take long for him to no longer feel the cold. It was as though he had be one with the frozen world.

    <i>Fu Wangchen of the Forsaken Expanse Sect, </i>Pang Jian thought, wiping the blood off his face and swallowing pills to replenish his blood essence.

    As he waited for the pills'' medicinal properties to take effect, hey back in the snow, staring up at the mist-covered sky.

    Fu Wangchen would have killed him earlier with the Divine Illumination Mirror if not for the sudden appearance of the Ice Armor Eel Dragon.

    Fu Wangchen''s formidable strength and Spirit Condensation Realm cultivation made Pang Jian realize just how wide the gap was between him and the top talents of the First World.

    This difference was not just a matter of cultivation.

    The Heavenly Roc Warship, the ancient god Dharma Idol, and the quasi-divine artifact known as the Divine Illumination Mirror meant Fu Wangchen was well-equipped enough to fight ate-stage Spirit Condensation Realm expert.

    Pang Jian was still only in the Profound Abode Realm, and his defeat had not been undeserved.

    <i>The only way I''ll stand a chance against Fu Wangchen is if I sessfully refine my divine soul and break through to the Spirit Condensation Realm, especially now that he''s lost the Heavenly Roc Warship</i>, Pang Jian mused as he focused on healing his injuries.

    As he recovered, he continued to observe the situation in Absolute Heaven through his golden bees.

    The arrival of the Ice Armor Eel Dragon and the destruction of the Heavenly Roc Warship had left the once arrogant cultivators of the Forsaken Expanse Sect in utter disarray, with their morale at an all-time low.

    <i>The Ice Armor Eel Dragon inadvertently saved me this time.</i>

    Pang Jian turned his attention toward the forest and noticed Wu Yuan''s frequent nces at where Pang Jian had disappeared.

    <i>Why does he keep watching me? </i>Pang Jian frowned as he continued to observe.

    Many cultivators hovered above the forest with the help of their spirit artifacts, gazing with wide eyes at theke where the Heavenly Roc Warship had sunk and discussing the scene with a mix of fear and confusion.

    "Isn''t an Ice Armor Eel Dragon from the Fifth World?"

    "How is a Rank Eight Ice Armor Eel Dragon in Absolute Heaven? The bizarre mist restricts cultivators with Spirit Condensation Realm and above froming in, so could a Rank Eight Vicious Beast enter?"

    "Could the Ice Armor Eel Dragon have been in Absolute Heaven all along?"

    "What do you mean?"

    "Maybe it came here when it was much weaker¡ªhundreds or even thousands of years ago. Over time, it slowly strengthened its bloodline and eventually reached Rank Eight."

    "No way."

    "How are we supposed to return with the Heavenly Roc Warship gone and all other flying vessels destroyed?"

    "Return? Worry about staying alive first!"

    A growing sense of despair and hopelessness took root in the survivors after the sudden appearance of the Ice Armor Eel Dragon.

    <i>Cough! Cough! Cough!</i>

    Dong Tianze retched outrge amounts of blood as he staggered away from the destroyed ck Iron Mountain and toward Zhao Yuanqi.

    Zhuang Yuyan had already flown off on her sword toward a differentke where Qi Qingsong had fallen.

    "Zhao Yuanqi, use that gourd to take me away. We need to find Pang Jian as soon as possible," Dong Tianze said urgently, face pale. "Pang Jian said an Outer God''s corrupted Fu Wangchen. We''ll all die if we stay in Absolute Heaven with him."

    "Fu Wangchen says an Outer God corrupted Pang Jian, while Pang Jian ims the opposite. So, who''s telling the truth?" Fang Boxuan was baffled.

    Dong Tianze ignored him and stared anxiously at Zhao Yuanqi.

    "Alright!" The silver-haired, ck-d girl bit her lip before tossing the gourd¡ªwith Zhou Qingchen still inside¡ªinto the air and jumping on. "Let''s go!"

    Dong Tianze joined her.

    "I..." Fang Boxuan hesitated.

    Zhao Yuanqi did not wait for him.

    By the time Fang Boxuan started shouting, the gourd was already far from the forest, heading toward theke where Qi Qingsong had fallen.

    "Someone''s after me. Hurry," Dong Tianze whispered from behind Zhao Yuanqi.

    The crimson gourd elerated, releasing clusters of radiant light and increasing its speed in the blink of an eye.

    Not long after, they arrived at theke.

    Zhuang Yuyan and Qi Qingsong stood on a floating log on theke''s surface.

    "I''m d the two of you''re alright." Zhao Yuanqi sighed in relief.

    "Where''s Fang Boxuan?" Zhuang Yuyan asked.

    "Don''t mention him," Zhao Yuanqi replied coldly. "He hesitated when we were leaving, so I didn''t bother waiting for him."

    ***

    Back in the forest, a rogue cultivator in the Spirit Condensation Realm approached the area where the Sword Pavilion''s group had previously gathered.

    He watched the gourd disappear into the distance with a gloomy expression.

    "Ling He, what are you doing here?" Qiao Zhen asked curiously.

    "Just wanted to chat with you," Ling He, the Spirit Condensation Realm rogue cultivator, said as he casually sat down. "So, who do you think is corrupted¡ªFu Wangchen or Pang Jian?"

    "Our Qiao n serves the Sword Pavilion, and Pang Jian is the Pavilion Master''s personal disciple. I have no choice but to believe him," Qiao Zhen replied.

    "So, an Outer God is slowly corrupting Fu Wangchen from the Forsaken Expanse Sect," Ling He mused, rubbing his chin. "If that''s true, everyone in Absolute Heaven could die here.

    "I think it''s best to keep hiding."

    With that, he left the forest, not wanting to associate with the others.

    <i>That rogue cultivator, Ling He, is the most likely hidden Divine Guard, </i>Pang Jian thought as he stopped watching the forest through the golden bees.

    Once he confirmed that Dong Tianze and Qi Qingsong had met up, and Qi Qingsong was unharmed, he could finally rx and focus on healing his injuries.

    Pang Jian''s incredible self-healing abilities and the life energy from the eight Leaves of Life meant his wounds mended rapidly.

    As he recovered, he devoured the blood and meat of a Rank Six Vicious Beast to replenish his depleted blood essence.

    Time passed, and his condition soon improved.

    One day, a thunderous cheer erupted from the peak of a snowy mountain.

    "Ice Demon!"

    "Ice Demon!"

    "Ice Demon!"

    A crowd chanted.

    Pang Jian was jolted awake. Standing up, he walked to the summit and squinted in the direction of the sound.

    Foreign race warriors with bodies made of glistening ice stood on the top of the tallest mountain in the area, waving ice spears, spikes, and cold des as they cheered loudly in celebration.

    An enormous ice fortress rested at the summit, with a tall altar rising from its center.

    Around the altar stood six massive ice pirs, each engraved with unknown runes and symbols.

    It was the same altar the one-eyed giants had once used tomunicate with the Ice Demon!

    Therge, crystalline heart on the altar emitted an icy white mist.

    Most of the mist drifted into the sky to merge with the thinyer of mist shrouding thend that Pang Jian had passed through earlier.

    Several hazy figures sat motionless on the edges of the altar.

    Foreign race warriors with glistening ice bodies knelt in the square below the altar, worshiping the crystalline heart. The cold mist gradually engulfed them, making it seem like they were undergoing a divine baptism.

    <i>An ice fortress with a group of foreign race warriors chanting ¡®Ice Demon'' in anguage simr to human speech...</i>

    Pang Jian tried to use the golden bees outside to survey the fragmentednd.

    However, the golden bees could see nothing on the mist-covered fragmentednd besides snowy peaks and ciers.

    There was no sign of the cheering foreign race warriors from the outside, and the golden bees could see neither the fortress atop the mountain nor the massive crystalline heart.

    <i>The cold white mist must act like an illusion, preventing those outside from seeing what''s actually within, </i>Pang Jian realized.

    <i>There''s a dense concentration of divine consciousness in that crystalline heart</i>, the Bee Sovereign abruptly told Pang Jian.

    Startled, Pang Jian connected with the Bee Sovereign and saw it had taken on a new form atop the beehive.

    With its transparent wings folded, the Bee Sovereign''s elongated body appeared vaguely humanoid, and its face had undergone a remarkable change, resembling that of a cold, stern young man.

    He bore a striking resemnce to Pang Jian, with roughly sixty to seventy percent simrity.

    The Bee Sovereign exuded a cold and eerie aura.

    Surprised, Pang Jian asked, "What''s with your appearance?"

    <i>I can transform and take on a human appearance, just like the Spirit Beasts of the Abyss, </i>the Bee Sovereign said proudly<i>. It''s notplete yet, but after a few more evolutions, I''ll be able to fully refine my entire body into one that more closely resembles a human.</i>

    <i>If we can reach that heart and extract the divine consciousness within, I''ll be able to nurture more bees and undergo a transformative breakthrough. </i>

    <i>As for you, Master, you''ll gain enough divine sense to forge your divine soul.</i>

    Pang Jian''s spirit surged as he asked, "What else do you know? That man said you''re called Nether Abyss Spirit Bees and that you feed on the divine consciousness of Outer Gods. Do you know what you truly are?"

    The Bee Sovereign''s human-like face darkened.<i> I don''t know what I am or where I came from. All I know is that I must continue evolving and transforming to unlock the sealed memories within me.</i>

    <i>Master, we are destined to rise together.</i>

    <i>My small golden bees and I are still too fragile. We can only feed on things with divine consciousness, but that''ll change as I evolve.</i>

    <i>Please help me, Master.</i>

    The Bee Sovereign stood atop the beehive and pondered for a moment.

    <i>There''s an area in this restricted area that would be perfect for the beehive. Once this restricted area is safe, you could consider cing the beehive there.</i>

    <i>But, Master, I''ll need another breakthrough before I can leave this pendant with the beehive.</i>

    Pang Jian hesitated.

    The Bee Sovereign had gained spiritual awareness much faster than the Giant Abyssal Serpent, the World Eater Vine, and the ck turtle, forming aplete and independent personality in the blink of an eye.

    "Let''s think about this carefully," Pang Jian said.

 Chapter 311: The Frozen Land

    <h4>Chapter 311: The Frozen Land</h4>

    While Pang Jian conversed with the Bee Sovereign, the golden bees kept a watchful eye on the other fragmentednds.

    He paid particr attention to Absolute Heaven, quietly watching Qi Qingsong and the others while keeping tabs on Fu Wangchen.

    Suddenly, a giant shell radiating five-colored divine light appeared above the thin white mist covering the frozen fragmentednd!

    Foreign race warriors, resembling deep sea creatures with fins on their backs and bellies, stood atop the shell, wielding spears and tridents.

    Their sights were set on the enormous crystalline heart, and they piloted the shell toward it with palpable excitement.

    <i>Perfect timing,</i> Pang Jian thought, eyeing the foreign race intruders.

    He wanted to see if their assault on the crystalline heart would seed.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Foreign race warriors with bodies of gleaming ice rode Spirit Avians out of various snowy peaks and charged toward the intruders with furious battle cries.

    Dazzling beams of icy light shot toward the intruding foreign race, causing them to scream in horror.

    The massive crystalline heart on the mountaintop shone with radiant icy light, and the Dao of Cold in the frozen world seemed to transform.

    A hundred-zhang-tall cier shot out of a frozenke as though summoned by a Godmanding the Dao of Cold.

    It then transformed into a radiant beam that streaked toward the shell.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A dense, bone-chilling fog streamed from the sky to engulf the shell.

    The radiant, multicolored shell trembled and hurriedly ascended to escape, only to crash into an invisible barrier.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The hundred-zhang cier mmed into the shell like a massive ice de, cleaving it in half.

    The foreign race intruders screamed in panic as they plummeted from the sky.

    After picking off the remaining intruders on their Spirit Avians, the native foreign race warriors tossed their bodies onto a particr mountain, where they became frozen solid within moments.

    A chill ran down Pang Jian''s spine.

    Tens of thousands of frozen corpses were piled on the mountain where the bodies had been thrown, and they were not limited to the sea-creature-esque foreign race intruders either.

    The bodies of the Ghost Race, the Wood Race, the Demon Scale Race, and many other foreign races Pang Jian had never seen before were frozen on that mountain.

    Corpses of outer-world intruders filled the icy mountain from base to peak.

    Invading foreign races had likely been ughtered and frozen on the mountain for millennia.

    As Pang Jian studied the mountain, he sensed an ominous energy with traces of life energy and blood essence flowing outward.

    <i>It''s the heart on top of that mountain!</i>

    Pang Jian used his golden divine sense to peer at the ice fortress with his golden eyes.

    Faint life energy lingered in the recently in and frozen foreign race intruders, transforming into a unique energy Pang Jian could see with his gold eyes.

    This energy flowed along the ice-covered rocks in tiny streams, converging toward the altar on the peak of the tallest mountain.

    The massive crystalline heart on the altar was absorbing it!

    As Pang Jian nced around, he realized there were several corpse-filled mountains.

    Tens or even hundreds of thousands of foreign race warriors had likely perished on this frozen fragmentednd.

    The dead, frozen foreign race warriors neither decayed as per the naturalws nor did their souls dissipate.

    Instead, everything fused into that massive heart.

    <i>That thing''s dangerous! </i>

    As Pang Jian looked around, his eyes shed with shock. There was not a single human corpse among the frozen bodies.

    <i>That''s unusual. Absolute Heaven isn''t far from here. How could there be no human bodies?</i>

    Pang Jian was puzzled.

    ording to the Sword Pavilion''s records, Absolute Heaven had existed for ages.

    Waves of explorers had entered to try and uncover its secrets.

    The frozen fragmentednd was close to Absolute Heaven. Other foreign races had also ventured in, only to be killed and frozen.

    No matter how he thought about it, it was odd for there to be no human remains on the mountains.

    <i>Master, there''s a mysterious barrier in the sky. We can''t leave or teleport out,</i> the Bee Sovereign suddenly said, startling Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian tried to connect with the golden bees outside. Fortunately, the connection was still intact.

    However, he found he could not teleport to any of them with the Gate of the Abyss.

    <i>Are we trapped?</i> Pang Jian frowned.

    <i>Someone''sing,</i> the Bee Sovereign warned.

    Pang Jian hastily retracted his golden divine sense from his eyes.

    A foreign race warrior appeared on a Spirit Avian and stared at Pang Jian with cold eyes.

    Pang Jian summoned his Startling ughter Spear to prepare himself for a difficult battle.

    The ughtering of the intruders and the piles of frozen corpses on the mountains all pointed to a clear conclusion¡ªthese natives did not wee outsiders.

    Moreover, the harsh, icy environment greatly enhanced the natives'' power and gave them a significant advantage. It would be difficult for outsiders to escape their grasp.

    <i>I should''ve chosen a different fragmentednd.</i> Pang Jian sighed inwardly.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    He infused more cold energy into his protective shield, making it seem like he was part of the frigid mist.

    The foreign race warrior stopped at a distance.

    "Stranger!" He sat atop his mount, gaping at Pang Jian with eyes filled with surprise and curiosity. "You also have pure cold energy within you! Do you also worship the Ice Demon?!"

    His expression showed pure astonishment, seemingly having never encountered another race sharing his faith in the Ice Demon.

    Pang Jian was taken aback.

    <i>The Ice Demon...</i>

    He soon realized the cold energy he used to adapt to the frigid environment was from his ice pool.

    His ice pool had formed from the ruined altar beneath Ice Rock City, which had also been used tomunicate with the Ice Demon.

    <i>Perhaps...</i>

    Pang Jian nodded solemnly. "That''s right, I''m also a follower of the Ice Demon."

    The foreign race warrior practically brimmed with excitement and stared at Pang Jian as though he were a rare treasure.

    "I knew it! We may be of different races but we share the same faith." The foreign race warrior clenched his fist and lightly tapped his forehead in what appeared to be a special salute, "You must be a guest of our Ice Race. My name is Bing Ji and I will take you to the Sacred Mountain to meet our seven elders!"

    The Spirit Avian approached Pang Jian with a swirl of cold air.

    "Please, follow me!" Bing Ji eagerly urged.

    "A guest..." Pang Jian uneasily eyed the Spirit Avian and the Ice Race warrior.

    The warrior''s skin was covered in scales that resembled ice crystals and had a strong life energy coursing through his body.

    The cold and life energy were especially strong where the warrior''s heart was located. They were clearly the source of his power.

    Ice crystals encased his body, with bone-chilling blood and a powerful heart.

    Pang Jian hesitated to make a decision.

    <i>epting the invitation and going to the sacred mountain would mean entering the Ice Race''s territory.</i>

    <i>A single misstep in their stronghold would mean no escape.</i>

    <i>But, if I refuse... </i>Pang Jian wondered if he could kill Bing Ji without alerting the rest of the Ice Race.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    More members of the Ice Race flew over from a nearby mountain peak on Spirit Avians and gazed at Pang Jian in surprise.

    "Bing Ji, why haven''t you killed him yet?"

    "What are you waiting for?"

    The Ice Race warriors questioned Bing Ji as they approached.

    "He''s our guest! He also worships the Ice Demon!" Bing Ji shouted, excitement growing. "He could be the answer to the mystery that has troubled our race for millennia!"

    The neers stared at Pang Jian in shock.

    "He also worships the Ice Demon?!"

    It seemed Pang Jian truly was the only outsider they had ever encountered who shared their faith.

    "The elders have waited for years! The outsider who worships our god has finally arrived!"

    "The heavens are smiling upon us!"

    "Bing Ji, take him to the Sacred Mountain!"

    The Ice Race warriors led the way toward the Sacred Mountain on their Spirit Avians.

    "Very well, take me to meet your seven elders," Pang Jian said, steeling himself and mounting Bing Ji''s Spirit Avian. As the Spirit Avian took off, he asked, "Could you tell me more about your world?"

    "Of course." Bing Ji nodded.

    On the way to the Ice Race''s Sacred Mountain, Bing Ji told Pang Jian about their world.

    ording to Bing Ji, the Ice Race called this ce the "Frozen Land," and had lived here for generations, worshiping the Ice Demon as their god.

    The Ice Race had seven elders, all of whom were Rank Six.

    Foreign races had been invading the Frozen Land since Bing Ji could remember, and the Ice Race had grown ustomed to fighting them off.

    The Ice Demon had left behind a divine artifact at the peak of the Sacred Mountain called the "Heart of Winter."

    The divine artifact helped talented Ice Race warriors refine their bodies and allowed injured members to heal faster than usual.

    <i>A divine artifact called the Heart of Winter. </i>

    Pang Jian''s eyes glinted with interest.

    After a moment of thought, he asked, "Have you ever encountered anyone like me before? Do you know anything about Absolute Heaven?"

    "We''ve never seen anyone like you, nor have we heard of this Absolute Heaven," Bing Ji said, scratching his head. "We''ve never left the Frozen Land. The invaders have all imed toe from different worlds.

    "As far as we know, there''s no Absolute Heaven outside, nor any other worlds¡ªonly the endless thick mist surrounding us."

 Chapter 312: Divine Artifact, the Heart of Winter!

    <h4>Chapter 312: Divine Artifact, the Heart of Winter!</h4>

    <i>There are no other worlds outside....</i>

    Pang Jian was stunned.

    Despite repeated Pang Jian''s questioning, Bing Ji firmly maintained that there had never been any other fragmentednds outside their Frozen Land.

    Invaders had either stumbled upon their Frozen Land by ident after being lost in the bizarre mist or had used special artifacts orpasses to guide them across the bizarre mist to the Frozen Land.

    In any case, they never came from the fragmentednds adjacent to the Frozen Land.

    The Ice Race elders also said the invaders'' souls held no memories of adjacent fragmentednds either.

    Absolute Heaven, the Frozen Land, and the fragmentednds of lightning and mes likely existed in separate regions of the bizarre mist in the past.

    The Observer had mentioned a grand event that urred once every hundred thousand years.

    Pang Jian''s mind conjured up a scenario.

    A power surpassing the gods, capable of influencing or even controlling the bizarre mist, bringing the four fragmentednds together.

    "We''re almost there." Bing Ji pointed excitedly at the majestic mountaintop. "The seven elders have been waiting for this day for a very long time. Traveler from afar, please help us unravel this mystery!"

    Pang Jian''s heart trembled as he stared at the summit of the mountain, gaze locked onto the enormous ice heart Bing Ji had called the Heart of Winter.

    The rich divine consciousness flowing from the Heart of Winter became perceptible as the Spirit Avian approached.

    The faint cold misting from the Heart of Winter had already obscured the ice fortress on the mountaintop, and the kneeling Ice Race members could no longer be seen from afar.

    Only the altar, the six towering ice pirs surrounding it, and the dazzling radiance of the Heart of Winter were visible.

    <i>Shhk!</i>

    Thin, crystalline ice shards appeared along the Heart of Winter''s surface, with a cold light glowing within.

    The small ice crystals sparkled with divine light and twinkled like distant stars against the night sky as if hiding within them the mysterious secrets of the cold.

    Pang Jian strained his eyes, but could not perceive whaty at the center of the Heart of Winter despite his efforts. All he could make out was a dense white mist concealing something far more mysterious within its depths.

    <i>Could the Ice Demon have targeted me?</i>

    Pang Jian raised his guard.

    He suspected the Ice Demon''s consciousness still resided within the Heart of Winter, absorbing the blood essence and soul remnants of the invading foreign races while exerting its influence over the Frozen Land.

    <i>Bee Sovereign, what should we do if the Ice Demon targets us? </i>Pang Jian asked.

    <i>If you can''t make it believe you''re its follower, you can try to guide its divine consciousness into your sea of consciousness. We can erase its will if its divine consciousness falls within what I can devour.</i>

    <i>If it''s too strong, we''ll both die.</i>

    <i>I''m still too weak. I''ve only recently awakened and have not harvested enough divine consciousness. Otherwise, something like this, which only contains a fraction of an Outer God, wouldn''t be much of a challenge for me, </i>the Bee Sovereign said helplessly.<i> </i>

    <i>We''ll just have to proceed cautiously and deal with whateveres our way, </i>Pang Jian replied.

    <i>Master, there''s movement in Absolute Heaven. You should pay attention,</i> the Bee Sovereign warned.

    Pang Jian sent a wisp of his consciousness into a golden bee and saw Zhao Yuanqi''s gourd rise from theke into the air.

    Dong Tianze, Qi Qingsong, Zhuang Yuyan, Zhou Qingchen, and Zhao Yuanqi all stood on the guard.

    "Let''s head toward the frozen fragmentednd. I suspect Pang Jian is there." Zhuang Yuyan said, ncing at the others. "None of us know how many foreign races are hiding on the icy peaks of that fragmentednd. I''ll ask you onest time¡ªare you sure about this?"

    Staying in Absolute Heaven meant facing the uncertain threat of the possibly corrupted Fu Wangchen.

    The Rank Eight Ice Armor Eel Dragon had not reappeared since diving back into theke and posed no immediate threat for now.

    If they stayed in Absolute Heaven and remained cautious, they likely would not die anytime soon.

    However, venturing into an entirely unknown fragmentednd was a gamble and they had no idea what they could encounter.

    "I trust Pang Jian more than Fu Wangchen." Qi Qingsong snorted, hugging his Blue Dream Sword against his chest. "If an Outer God truly corrupted that arrogant Fu Wangchen, he''ll surely wipe out everyone in Absolute Heaven.

    "Senior Sister, the longer we stay in Absolute Heaven, the greater the risk. I''ve made up my mind¡ªwe need to find Pang Jian as soon as possible!"

    "I don''t need to think it over. If Pang Jian says Fu Wangchen is corrupted, he''s corrupted!" Zhou Qingchen huffed. "And Senior Sister Zhao, don''t just suck me into your gourd without warning next time!"

    Zhao Yuanqi only hummed coolly in response.

    Dong Tianze had been the most severely injured and still looked extremely pale even after their brief rest.

    "I have no choice. A Divine Guard has already marked me. If I don''t leave, I''m dead," he said.

    "Is that Divine Guard in the Spirit Condensation Realm?" Zhuang Yuyan asked seriously.

    Dong Tianze nodded. "It feels that way."

    "No wonder you urged me to leave that forest in such a hurry," Zhao Yuanqi said, frowning. "Is the Divine Guard in that forest?"

    "I sensed him in there, so he must be," Dong Tianze muttered, head lowered and expression grim. "I''ve lost the ck Iron Mountain and have suffered serious injuries. If I don''t leave, he''ll kill me and strip me of my Celestial Phoenix Imprint."

    "You''re quite loyal," Qi Qingsong sarcastically remarked.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A golden bee suddenly appeared.

    It stopped in front of the gourd and said to the quintet, "Don''te to the Frozen Land. The situation here isplicated. The Ice Race will just ughter you."

    The startled quintet bombarded the golden bee with a slew of questions.

    "Pang Jian, are you alright?"

    "Are you safe?"

    "The Ice Race? What race is that?"

    Pang Jian truthfully shared what he had seen and experienced in the Frozen Land with them, causing Zhao Yuanqi to halt her gourd.

    "Stay in Absolute Heaven for now," he advised. "Whatever you do, avoid Fu Wangchen. Let me figure out the situation here first and determine if it''s safe for you toe over.

    "Also, Dong Tianze, the rogue cultivator in the forest named Ling He is most likely the Divine Guard you spoke of."

    "The rogue cultivator Ling He." Dong Tianze nodded.

    "Remember to keep your distance from Fu Wangchen, and don''t approach anyone from the Forsaken Expanse Sect. It''s best if you find a secluded spot and wait for my signal. Fu Wangchen hasn''tpletely lost his self-awareness yet, but he''s gradually falling.

    "Those staying with him will most likely die. None of them will be able to escape."

    ***

    On the peak of the Sacred Mountain in the Frozen Land stood an ice fortress with a massive altar in its center.

    Six towering ice pirs surrounded the altar, on which sat a glowing crystalline heart known as the Heart of Winter.

    Seven elderly Ice Race members sat around the massive heart of ice, shrouded in thick white mist.

    Thousands of Ice Race members knelt in reverence in the square beneath the altar and the nearby viewing tforms. Some could even be seen kneeling through the open windows of the surrounding towers.

    They all gazed at the crystalline heart known as the Heart of Winter, praying with deep devotion.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A Spirit Aviannded on the square.

    "Bing Ji!" A tall Ice Race warrior with an iron spear reprimanded, "How dare you bring an outsider here!"

    Bing Ji hurriedly exined, "Lord Bing Yun, he shares our faith. He carries the aura of the Ice Demon!"

    "The Ice Demon?!" eximed the seven elders sitting on the altar, eyes simultaneously flying open.

    Piercing gazesnded ufortably on Pang Jian and he felt like he was standing on needles.

    "He shares our faith and carries the aura of the Ice Demon!" A small, frail elder with white hair stood up, murky eyes clearing, "Come up!"

    Pang Jian stared at him in bewilderment.

    "If the Ice Demon has recognized you, you''ll be able to withstand the energy emanating from the Heart of Winter.

    ¡°If not...¡± The elder pointed to the mountains where the corpses of many foreign races had been thrown and sneered, "That''ll be your fate!"

    Chilling stares fixated on Pang Jian from throughout the ice fortress.

    The aura of the seven Ice Race elders and the cold eyes of the Ice Race warriors gave Pang Jian an intense headache.

    If he could not endure the extreme cold of the Heart of Winter, he would face the wrath of the entire Ice Race.

    <i>High risk, high reward. I''ll only have a chance to steal the divine consciousness within the Heart of Winter if I pass this test.</i>

    Pang Jian warned the Bee Sovereign to carefully conceal its aura and avoid exposure at all costs.

    Then, he approached the altar under the escort of Bing Ji and the Spirit Avian.

    The altar was surprisingly familiar and resembled the one he had seen in the pce beneath Ice Rock City and Spirit Offering.

    However, those two altars were broken and were also much smaller inparison.

    This altar, on the other hand, was intact and the six towering ice pirs surrounding it had no cracks.

    <i>Maybe I could actuallymunicate with the Ice Demon,</i> Pang Jian thought offhandedly.

    Stepping onto the altar, he mimicked the Ice Race elders and sat down cross-legged.

    He then focused his attention on the ice pool in his spiritual sea and tried to sense the cold energy within the altar, just as he had done beneath Ice Rock City.

    Vividly recalling how a bone-chilling cold pierced into his soul when he had closed his eyes at the ruined altar in Spirit Offering, Pang Jian vigntly kept his eyes open this time.

    He instantly felt like he had been transported to a world of dark, icy destion.

    Even so, he resolutely kept his eyes open, staring at the Heart of Winter and observing the crystalline ice shards on its surface.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Frosty mist swirled as cold energy flowed into his spiritual sea and merged with his small ice pool.

    Pang Jian''s ice pool grewrger!

    The icy hostility of the seven Rank Six Ice Race elders vanished.

    "He was telling the truth!"

 Chapter 313: The Abandoned

    <h4>Chapter 313: The Abandoned</h4>

    The seven elders stood up and surrounded Pang Jian.

    Some held staffs or wore ice crystal crowns, while others donned white ceremonial robes that exuded an aura of divine authority.

    The Ice Race elders were a mix of both men and women.

    They rubbed their hands together with growing excitement, but none seemed to know what to do next.

    The most senior elder gripped a shimmering ice scepter and finally said with a trembling voice, "Honored guest, have you truly felt the presence of the Ice Demon?"

    The other six elders stared at Pang Jian with anticipation.

    The members of the Ice Race in the square, at the windows, and on the viewing tforms, all waited for Pang Jian''s response with bated breaths.

    It was as if the entire ice fortress had been ced under a silencing spell.

    Pang Jian hesitated, carefully choosing his words as he frowned and asked, "You reside here in the Frozen Land, with thisplete altar capable ofmunicating with the Ice Demon. Have you never spoken with the Ice Demon?"

    A bitter look appeared on the faces of the seven elders.

    One elder sighed heavily and helplessly sat down as if their old wounds had been reopened.

    "We''ve been abandoned." The most senior elder''s eyes filled with sorrow and loss.

    With a heavy heart, he exined, "We''ve been abandoned for as long as I can remember.

    "Although we have everything we need tomunicate with the Ice Demon¡ªthe Heart of Winter and aplete altar,¡ªwe can neither feel its presence nor hear its teachings."

    "As far as I know, our ancestors were able tomunicate with the Ice Demon before the Frozen Land was enveloped in the bizarre mist.

    "The bizarre mist has severed ourmunication and the Ice Demon has abandoned us," the elder muttered, gazing up at the sky as if reminiscing about the past,

    The members of the Ice Race all looked up at the sky and let out deep sighs of despair.

    "Who put the Frozen Land inside the bizarre mist?" Pang Jian curiously asked.

    "It seems to have been...the Ice Demon." The elder lowered his head, seemingly feeling a great sense of dissatisfaction toward the Ice Demon. "Perhaps the Ice Demon simply forgot to move the Frozen Land out of the bizarre mist.

    "Honored guest, where do youe from? Can you stillmunicate with the Ice Demon in your world?" the elder asked excitedly. "Could you, perhaps, tell the Ice Demon that we are still here, waiting desperately for its favor once again?"

    "Why are you so desperate tomunicate with the Ice Demon?" Pang Jian asked tentatively. "Can''t you just leave and cross the bizarre mist to return to your original world?"

    <i>The mysterious barrier restricts outsiders, allowing them to enter but not leave.</i>

    <i>Does it also affect the native Ice Race? </i>Pang Jian wondered.

    "We can never leave. The barrier seals everything, including our Ice Race!" the elder cried out hoarsely. As if on the verge of copse, he wailed, "We were born here, and we''ll die here, forever unable to leave! Even our bloodline is limited to Rank Six¡ªwe elders will never break through again."

    The other elders chimed in as well.

    "We''ve always known this is an iplete, fragmentednd."

    "Who wouldn''t want to see the outside world? Who wouldn''t want to transcend the limits of their bloodline and break free from the shackles of Rank Six?"

    "Honored guest from a distant world, you''re surely aware that many races from the worlds beyond the bizarre mist can elevate their bloodlines to Rank Nine or even Rank Ten."

    "The outsiders invading our Frozen Land are also limited to Rank Six, but that''s because the bizarre mist restricts them! They cannot be higher than Rank Five to enter, but that does not mean they don''t have the potential to continue breaking through."

    "But we do not."

    "We only learned about the bigger world outside through their arrival."

    "We want to leave!"

    The elders gazed at the sky with longing eyes.

    They looked exactly like the foreign races trapped in the eternal darkness of the Fifth World of the Abyss, desperately longing to ascend to the upper worlds.

    Pang Jian was dumbfounded at their words.

    He could never have expected a powerful race like the Ice Race to be confined to this fragmentednd, forever unable to break through Rank Six or escape their prison.

    After some consideration, Pang Jian decided to test the waters by revealing part of the truth.

    "Ie from a world called the Abyss. There was once a one-eyed giant in my world whomunicated with the Ice Demon through aplete altar.

    "While at that broken altar, I felt what had to have been the Ice Demon gazing upon me. That bone-chilling cold that reached my soul was likely its presence, but I can''t be certain," Pang Jian said as he tried closing his eyes.

    Sure enough, he did not experience the terrifying sensation of being transported to another world as at the broken altar in Spirit Offering.

    The barrier around the Frozen Land allowed entry but not exit. It also preventedmunication with the Ice Demon.

    <i>No way out? </i>Pang Jian''s expression changed. <i>If the Ice Race can''t leave, does that mean I can''t either?</i>

    Standing up, he said urgently, "Let me try and see if I can get out!"

    Pang Jian activated the innate abilities of the ck turtle scute and soared straight up into the sky.

    "The Abyss? A one-eyed giant?"

    The Ice Race elders were still processing the shocking information Pang Jian had revealed.

    None of them tried to stop him when he flew into the sky. They were all convinced he would not be able to leave the Frozen Land and would soon descend again.

    The Gate of Abyss warmed as Pang Jian neared the barrier sealing the fragmentednd.

    He effortlessly passed through the barrier and escaped the Frozen Land.

    The Ice Race elders watched with astonishment as Pang Jian disappeared from the fragmentednd.

    "He-he''s gone!"

    "He''s the first to leave in thousands of years!"

    "Could the Ice Demon have sent him as an emissary to deliver us from our suffering?"

    The members of the Ice Race started praying fervently once more.

    Many were in tears.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian peered down at the ciers and snow-covered mountains scattered across the fragmentednd. Neither the ice fortress atop the Sacred Mountain nor the Ice Race could be seen.

    The scenery he saw outside was vastly different from what trulyy within.

    <i>I can use the little ones to teleport us now that we''re outside the Frozen Land, </i>the Bee Sovereign informed. <i>Are you nning to go back?</i>

    Pang Jian asked hesitantly, <i>Can we steal the divine consciousness from the Heart of Winter without the Ice Race noticing?</i>

    <i>That would be difficult, </i>the Bee Sovereign replied. <i>Without your divine sense entering or a bee soul inside, I can''t know what lies inside the Heart of Winter, but I sensed something dangerous lurking. We need to proceed with caution.</i>

    At that moment, six new bees emerged from their cocoons.

    These bees had been formed from Li Yuanchen''s silver divine sense.

    The sixteen other bee pupae from Ka Zi remained dormant and still needed time to mature.

    <i>Perhaps we could send one to investigate? </i>asked the Bee Sovereign.

    Pang Jian nodded. <i>Alright, let''s send one in</i>.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A golden bee quietly descended into the Frozen Land.

    Despite Pang Jian''s and the Bee Sovereign''s attempts, neither could sense it once it crossed the barrier.

    While inside, Pang Jian could still connect to the golden bees outside, but not vice versa.

    After several seconds, the Bee Sovereign said coldly, <i>I believe it''s dead.</i>

    <i>Killed by the Ice Race?</i>

    <i>Most likely.</i>

    The Bee Sovereign now bore a grudge against the Ice Race for the death of one of his bees.

    <i>It''s not a big deal. I can always nurture more. I just need divine consciousness.</i>

    The Bee Sovereign no longer intended to hold back against the Ice Race and firmly regarded the Heart of Winter as a target.

    Pang Jian frowned and said, <i>Let''s not go back for now. Let''s check out that fragmentednd engulfed in lightning instead.</i>

    <i>Alright.</i>

    <i>Don''t be too upset about the lost bee.</i>

    <i>You''re right, I can always nurture more bees. Death and rebirth¡ªI''ll eventually get used to it.</i>

    Pang Jian nodded solemnly before teleporting to the golden bee closest to the fragmentednd engulfed in lightning.

    Before stepping into the fragmentednd, he spurred the lightning within his lightning vortex and merged it into his green protective shield.

    He then flew forward.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Thick bolts of lightning hung from the sky like waterfalls and thend below was charred ck.

    ncing around, Pang Jian saw many oddly shaped warships exchanging sts of cannon fire in mid-air.

    A white crane screeched fiercely as it roamed the lightning-filled skies.

    A giant dark yellow banner, riddled with holes, fluttered high in the sky. The Observer was watching every corner of the fragmentednd.

    Many stone statues, wood carvings, and strange objects forged from metal were locked in fiercebat with one another. Each bore the likeness of an Outer God and appeared to be Outer God Puppets.

    Silver-winged foreign race warriors manipted the suspended lightning in the sky with waves of their hands, using it to strike the Outer God Puppets and the foreign race warriors aboard the warships.

    The ruins of a city stood atop the ckened earth.

    Colorful lightning danced within the rocks that made up the city as if embodying the profound mysteries of the Dao of Lightning.

    The silver-winged foreign race warriors were stationed around the ruined city, seemingly defending their homnd from the invading Outer God Puppets.

    "Luo Yuan!" the white crane cried. "How dare youe here? Leave now!"

    Many sinister eyes appeared on the dark yellow banner floating high in the sky and locked onto Pang Jian.

    "Master of the Nether Abyss Spirit Bee!" said the Observer in an echo of fragmented whispers.

    Hundreds of green ants crawled out of the holes in the banner, only to shrink back in fear at the sight of Pang Jian.

    The Observer was deeply shaken.

    "The Bee Sovereign haspleted its initial evolution."

 Chapter 314: Ruins of the Divine Court of Thunder

    <h4>Chapter 314: Ruins of the Divine Court of Thunder</h4>

    The many Outer God Puppets wandering thends below turned their gazes skyward when they heard the Observer''s voice.

    Eerie, malevolent stares fixated on Pang Jian. He had the feeling he had be the enemy of many Outer Gods.

    Pang Jian hurriedly flew upward, passing through theyer of lightning to exit the fragmentednd.

    The Gate of the Abyss did not react.

    He breathed a sigh of relief.

    Theck of response from the Gate of the Abyss meant the fragmentednd below did not have the terrifying restrictions of the Frozen Land.

    That meant Pang Jian could teleport out of the fragmentednd if need be.

    His safety was more assured if he could teleport.

    <i>All of them are delicious prey, but the endless lightning is troublesome,</i> the Bee Sovereign said. <i>Master, the Outer God Puppets below contain divine consciousness, but none are particrly powerful. I can deal with them if they try to invade your sea of consciousness.</i>

    <i>However, the lightning could strike my little ones while flying through the fragmentednd. Their bodies can''t withstand lightning strikes and they''ll perish on contact.</i>

    <i>Also, no barriers are separating this fragmentednd from the outside world. You can teleport here using the golden bees.</i>

    <i>I know, I sensed that too,</i> Pang Jian replied.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A streak of silver lightning cut through the sky and stopped beside Pang Jian.

    It was the white crane.

    "Luo Yuan, the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God isn''t a ce you should enter!" the white crane cried. "You should stay in Absolute Heaven with the people from the Abyss.

    "The Thunder Race guards the destroyed Divine Court of Thunder, and so many foreign races covet the lightning within it. But you¡ªyou''re far too weak to be here."

    The white crane clicked its tongue and cast Pang Jian a disdainful look.

    "Luo Yuan, have you still not reached the Spirit Condensation Realm? How slow. I''m already in Rank Six!

    "If I can snatch the lightning containing the mysteries of the Dao of Lightning from that cursed ce below, I could break through to Rank Seven! Even Rank Eight wouldn''t be out of reach!

    "After all, the Divine Court of Thunder is a miraculous ce the first Thunder God once used to rule over the heavens!" the white crane screeched excitedly.

    "The Thunder Race? The Divine Court of Thunder?" Pang Jian asked curiously. "What are you talking about?"

    "Luo Yuan, do you remember the golden lightning I gathered in the Lightning Retribution Grounds?"

    "I do."

    "That golden lightning contained the divine power of a Rank Ten, and my master uncovered a secret while contemting the profound Dao within." The white crane flew in restless circles around Pang Jian. "Its ancestor and six others from different worlds¡ªall of whom hadprehended the Dao of Lightning and ascended to godhood¡ªentered the Thunder Abyss.

    "The seven of them overthrew the Duke of Thunder of the Thunder Abyss.

    "The Duke of Thunder was the first and most powerful Thunder God born across the many worlds.

    "He forged the Divine Court of Thunder within the Thunder Abyss to rule all those across the various worlds seeking toprehend the Dao of Lightning."

    "The seven Thunder Gods from different worlds joined forces to besiege the Duke of Thunder in the Thunder Abyss, destroying the Divine Court of Thunder and ending his domination over the Dao of Lightning.

    "Before his demise, the Duke of Thunder used his divine powers to slice off thend where the Divine Court of Thunder stood from an entire continent and pushed it into the bizarre mist.

    "That fragmentednd became a restricted area known as the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God and remained hidden in the bizarre mist for a long time. It only recently appeared again."

    The white crane stopped, eyes gleaming with greed as it gazed at the lightning-filled fragmentednd below.

    "Luo Yuan, before the Divine Court of Thunder was destroyed, the Duke of Thunder could sense every being ascending to godhood through the Dao of Lightning across all the worlds. He demanded they leave behind their understanding of thews and principles of the Dao of Lightning they hadprehended in the Divine Court.

    "He used the Divine Court to restrict all those trying to ascend to godhood with the Dao of Lightning.

    "Although the Divine Court of Thunder has since been destroyed, thews and principles of those Thunder Gods still exist in the form of colored lightning scattered throughout the ruins of the Divine Court.

    "Many have coveted the scattered fragments within the destroyed Divine Court of Thunder. And I am one of them," the white crane proudly exined. It then added haughtily, "As the most talented of the Thunder Crane Race in the Sacred Soul Continent, I''m qualified toprehend and collect the scattered Dao of Lightning fragments from the Divine Court.

    "Luo Yuan, you''re not qualified, so don''t go down there and get yourself killed."

    With that, the crane shot back down to the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    Pang Jian was left in shock.

    The information the white crane had revealed was truly astonishing.

    It seemed a Thunder God could be born in different worlds.

    The first Thunder God was the Duke of Thunder from the Thunder Abyss.

    The Duke of Thunder had attempted to use the Divine Court of Thunder to dominate all beings cultivating the Dao of Lightning across the worlds, and had seeded for many years.

    <i>The Duke of Thunder from the Thunder Abyss. The first Thunder God and the ruins of the Divine Court of Thunder... </i>Pang Jian pondered.

    <i>Master, I have memories rted to this, but they''re unclear,</i> murmured The Bee Sovereign.

    He transformed into his humanoid form and covered his forehead with his transparent wings as he tried to piece together his fragmented memories.

    Tiny shes of golden light flickered in hispound eyes and flowed like a river of memories.

    These shes were disjointed, asionally flickering backward in broken sequences or scattering chaotically.

    The Bee Sovereign screeched in agony.

    His screech made Pang Jian''s scalp tingle and he felt the Bee Sovereign''s pain as if it were his own.

    <i>Enough, stop trying! </i>Pang Jian ordered.

    The Bee Sovereign''s cries abruptly ceased. Slumping on the beehive, he muttered dejectedly, <i>I can''t remember.</i>

    <i>We''ll think about itter,</i> Pang Jian said sternly.

    Then, contemting what he had learned about the Thunder Abyss and the Duke of Thunder, Pang Jian wondered. <i>Was the Duke of Thunder from the silver-winged Thunder Race below?</i>

    <i>There''s the Thunder Abyss, the Nether Abyss, and the Abyss¡ªwhy are some called worlds and others abysses?</i>

    The Bee Sovereign replied, <i>Worldsy beyond the bizarre mist, while abysses are within it. I know of this from my memories. Worlds are eternally open and remain connected to each other.</i>

    <i>ces with abyss in their name are closed most of the time, like prisons or cages, and are situated deep within the endless bizarre mist.</i>

    <i>I''m not entirely sure of the reasons behind it though.</i>

    <i>Both the Frozen Land and the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God contain divine consciousness we can harvest. Master, let''s choose one and figure out how to collect it.</i>

    Pang Jian nced at the volcanic fragmentednd and said hesitantly, <i>Let me think about which ce to go first.</i>

    <i>Master, are you nning to check all of them before deciding?</i> the Bee Sovereign tentatively asked.

    A golden bee hiding within the bizarre mist flew toward the fiery fragmentednd.

    <i>Master, you can wait here and teleport over once the little one gets there.</i>

    <i>Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!</i>

    New golden bees emerged from the Gate of the Abyss on Pang Jian''s chest and flew off in different directions.

    <i>These little ones want to explore the outside world as well,</i> the Bee Sovereign exined.

    <i>How much do you know about the bizarre mist inside this pendant? And what about my father? Do you have any memory of him?</i> Pang Jian softly inquired.

    <i>I know nothing.</i> The Bee Sovereign shook his head. Then, looking around, he added hesitantly,<i> I''ve sent the little ones to explore the inside of the pendant, but they couldn''t find an end.</i>

    <i>All I can see is a door. Outside is your chest, Master.</i>

    <i>That door is the source of all my hope.</i>

    <i>Perhaps, I''ll finally learn about my origins when I''m strong enough to enter the Nether Abyss ande into contact with the Outer God there.</i>

    It appeared the Bee Sovereign had set a goal for himself.

    Pang Jian grew wary.

    <i>Will the Outer God from the Nether Abyss tame the Bee Sovereign if he ever grows strong enough to venture there?</i>

    <i>Will he want nothing to do with me once that happens?</i> Pang Jian wondered.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The dark yellow banner suddenly left the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God and drifted into the empty void between the fragmentednds, filling the air with the crackle of lightning.

    Pang Jian tightly gripped his Startling ughter Spear and established a connection with the golden bee nearing the fiery fragmentednd.

    This was not the Resolute Expanse. He had no natural advantage here.

    He was not confident he could defeat the Observer and was prepared to teleport away If the fight did not go well.

    <i>The Observer is stronger than the other Outer God Puppets. You''ll either need to invade his mind or lure his divine consciousness into your sea of consciousness,</i> the Bee Sovereign advised.

    <i>Understood,</i> Pang Jian replied, bracing himself forbat.

    Unexpectedly, the Observer did not attack.

    "Did the Nether Abyss Spirit Bees guide you here?" asked the Observer, gazing at Pang Jian through its countless eyes, as if trying to peer into his soul. "By all rights, you shouldn''t have found your way here. You should''ve remained lost."

    "Was it your doing?" Pang Jian sneered.

    "I merely gave things a little push," the Observer dismissed. "You''re from the Abyss. How are you able to nurture Nether Abyss Spirit Bees? Where did your first beee from?"

    "That''s none of your concern," Pang Jian answered coldly.

    After a moment of silence, the Observer abruptly asked, "Are you interested in working together?"

    "Working together? With you? On what?"

    "I know the nature of Nether Abyss Spirit Bees. It can devour the divine consciousness of all the Outer God Puppets in the fragmentednd below, including the divine consciousness attached to this banner.

    "If Nether Abyss Spirit Bees get inside this banner, even my divine consciousness will be devoured.

    "I''ve already suffered losses because of it."

    The Observer paused to gauge Pang Jian''s reaction.

    "I can help you," it added after a moment. "I''ll assist your Nether Abyss Spirit Bees in hunting down the Outer God Puppets below.

    "In return, I want to retrieve the scattered fragments from the Divine Court of Thunder and take them from the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God."

 Chapter 315: The Fallen God

    <h4>Chapter 315: The Fallen God</h4>

    "I''m not interested."

    With that, Pang Jian vanished.

    The Observer fixed its many eyes on where Pang Jian had disappeared. It then used its divine power to scan the area but found nothing.

    "He can teleport," muttered the Observer.

    The different consciousnesses within it quietly conversed among themselves.

    "The one who guided us in Spirit Offering has already prepared a vessel capable of receiving part of its power. It seems to have known since long ago that the Abyss would open and that this great upheaval, which urs once every hundred thousand years, was about to unfold."

    "He must be in the fragmentednd where the Fire God perished."

    "The lightning in the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God would''ve annihted the Nether Abyss Spirit Bees, but the boy refuses to take the bait."

    "If the Nether Abyss Spirit Bees aren''t destroyed, we, the Outer Gods will easily be its food."

    "This is truly troublesome."

    Disjointed ramblings rang out from the different consciousnesses within the banner. It was like multiple versions of the Observer were simply thinking aloud, unconcerned about whether the others were listening.

    ***

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian appeared above the fiery fragmentednd next to a golden bee.

    Volcanoes spewing magma and fire were scattered across the fragmentednd

    The ground was a deep crimson, crisscrossed with winding ravines of flowing magma.

    A strange sensation filled Pang Jian as if thews of heaven and earth had been altered to disrupt the flow of time and space.

    Pang Jian knew what he saw before him was an illusion, as he had already experienced a simr phenomenon at the Frozen Land and Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    Gathering his golden divine sense into his eyes, he attempted to pierce through the illusion and see the true nature of the fragmentednd below.

    Clusters of mes flickered in the deep crimson sky, obstructing his view.

    A faint but overwhelming divine aura seemingly capable of destroying all things radiated from the mes, causing Pang Jian''s eyes to ache and his golden divine sense to drain rapidly.

    <i>I''ll get a better look if I just go in.</i> Pang Jian sighed, retracting his golden divine sense.

    Summoning earthme energy from his fiery pool, he infused it into his crimson protective shield before diving down with his Startling ughter Spear.

    Another unfamiliar world unveiled itself before his eyes.

    Pang Jian briefly nced around and decisively teleported back out when he could not make anything out.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    He appeared by the golden bee outside the zing fragmentednd again.

    Realizing there were no restrictions like the Frozen Land, his tension eased and he ventured back in.

    Unlike before, he did not leave immediately and instead started to observe the fragmentednd from above.

    The sky was a burning crimson curtain adorned with clusters of brilliant ming clouds.

    Volcanoes spewed raging mes and winding rivers of molten magma snaked across the rednd below.

    The scorched, aridnd had no spiritual qi nor any other energy Pang Jian was familiar with.

    It was and of pure fire energy!

    The fragmentednd was theplete opposite of the Frozen Land. Heat swelled in the air and mes zed through the sky, making it nearly impossible for an ordinary person to endure.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Jets of magma and fire erupted from the volcanoes, shooting into the sky before raining back down in a shower of fiery meteors.

    The entire world was an eternal downpour of molten magma.

    "Kill!"

    "Annihte the me Race and seize the divine artifacts created from the body of the deceased Fire God!"

    Thunderous battle cries echoed from the east.

    A brutal battle erupted with renewed intensity.

    Pang Jian turned around and saw an enormous, dark-red body lying on its back, eyes closed and bathed in molten magma.

    The body was tens of thousands of zhang long and covered in deep red scales.

    Its limbs and body had smashed deep craters into the earth, filled with magma from the volcanoes.

    The colossal body emanated an aura of terrifying destruction. Its mere existence warped the entire fragmentednd, forcibly recing the naturalws with those of the Dao of Fire.

    Peculiar trees grew in abundance around the massive body.

    The trunks of those trees seemed to be made from a mixture of gold, iron, or gems, and their red fruits appeared to contain the essence of fiery divine power.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Small, translucent crystals, like the solidified blood diluted with the molten magma, asionally surfaced in the moltenva around the body.

    The fiery red me Race warriors wielded different weapons and fought fiercely against the invading foreign races.

    Among these invading forces were the Ghost Race, the Carapace Race, the Earth Scorpion Race, and the Wood Race Pang Jian had encountered in Absolute Heaven, along with other foreign races Pang Jian had never seen.

    The foreign races all sought the red fruits and fiery translucent crystals around the body.

    <i>It''s a fallen God¡ªits soul is gone, but its body remains,</i> the Bee Sovereign exined.

    <i>A God?! </i>

    Startled, Pang Jian raised his guard and carefully observed the fallen God.

    Every God he had encountered so far merely inhabited a puppet body that the foreign races worshiping them crafted in their likeness.

    None were genuine manifestations.

    These puppet bodies carried only the tiniest fragments of the Gods'' divine consciousness, which was why Pang Jian had been able to rely on the unique abilities of the golden bees to fight against them.

    He was well aware that these puppet bodies did not possess even a fraction of the power of a true God.

    "me Race? There''s a me Race in the Fifth World of the Abyss too."

    Like the Ice Race, the me Race warriors also had human-like limbs and facial features. The main difference was that their bodies were bright red and their blood was like molten magma.

    The heavily injured me Race warriors would consume the red fruits from the trees or jump into the magma surrounding the Fire God''s body, healing their injuries so they could resume fighting once more.

    It was simr to the effects of the Ice Race''s Heart of Winter.

    <i>It''s here too,</i> said the Bee Sovereign.

    Pang Jian had been focusing on the God of Fire''s body in the east, and the Bee Sovereign''s words had him shifting his gaze to a familiar Outer God Puppet.

    The Outer God with the face of a human and the body of a spider floated above a burningke of fire, inhabiting a statue made of some kind of bone.

    Its eerie, beautiful face was as exquisite as before.

    The fiery red glow of the fragmentednd illuminated the flush of blood and eerie vitality on its beautiful face.

    Itmanded its loyal followers to attack the me Race warriors from where it hovered in mid-air.

    asionally, it would elegantly brush its bone-like spider legs against its forehead, flicking its hair back with poise.

    The Outer God had not noticed Pang Jian''s presence until his gazended on it.

    It nced in his direction.

    The cold fury burned in its eyes and one of its spider legs pointed directly at Pang Jian.

    In response to its pointing, a silver warship flew straight toward Pang Jian and the Outer God''s loyal followers targeted him.

    Pang Jian''s expression turned serious.

    <i>It remembers me! </i>

    He had destroyed one of the arachnid Outer God''s stone statues in the Resolute Expanse with the help of the ck turtle.

    After its defeat, the ck turtle had absorbed its divine power and the golden bees had devoured its divine consciousness, allowing Pang Jian to refine several strands of golden divine sense as well.

    Unexpectedly, the connection between the Outer God''s puppet body and its true body seemed to have been constantly active, allowing it to be fully aware of what had transpired despite the puppet body being destroyed in the Resolute Expanse.

    <i>When enemies meet, their hatred burns all the more fiercely.</i>

    Unlike on the Resolute Expanse, the Outer God now had many loyal foreign race warriors under itsmand.

    Concluding that it would be difficult to do anything with the Outer God targeting him, Pang Jian swiftly escaped.

    As soon as he left the fiery fragmentednd, Pang Jian teleported to a golden bee near the Frozen Land.

    The silver warship chased Pang Jian out of the volcanic fragmentednd, passing through the fiery clouds and into the outside world.

    The foreign race warriors on board looked around but could not find any trace of Pang Jian, and they were eventually forced to return to report their failure.

    In the fiery fragmentednd, the soul projection of the cloaked Outer God the Ghost Race worshiped shrank to a thousandth of its size and drifted toward the arachnid Outer God.

    "Yang Luo, you know that human from the Abyss?" asked the soul projection of the Outer God.

    "He destroyed my puppet body in the Abyss," replied Yang Luo, the arachnid Outer God. Coldly eyeing the uninvited guest, she added, "You Kui, are you also interested in him?"

    "He killed Ka Zi of the Wood Race in the forest of Absolute Heaven," said You Kui, face hidden beneath his dark cloak. "I just find it strange. The human race from the Abysscks faith and should not have any Outer Gods descending upon them.

    "How could he have killed Ka Zi with his strength? He even erased the consciousness of the Outer God in Ka Zi''s mind!

    "How could he destroy one of your puppet bodies in the Abyss? How did he do it?"

    Yang Luo nced at the sky before she coldly responded, "You''ll understand once you face him."

    "Yang Luo, with your strength, you could''ve invaded his mind with your divine consciousness, killing him instantly. Why didn''t you?"

    Pain shed in Yang Luo''s eyes as she recalled how the golden bees in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness had devoured her divine consciousness.

    Outer Gods like Yang Luo could only infuse a tiny fraction of their divine power and divine consciousness into their puppet bodies.

    Killing through divine consciousness was their typical method of choice.

    Yang Luo had never failed in such an attempt until Pang Jian.

    Her true body had experienced the agony of Nether Abyss Spirit Bees devouring her divine consciousness.

    "You''ll understand once you face him," Yang Luo repeated, coldly shaking her head, pointedly not revealing the existence of Pang Jian''s Nether Abyss Spirit Bees."Even the Lord herself changed her mind because of him."

    Yang Luo dared not disrespect Luo Hongyan and continued reverently referring to her as "Lord."

    "If not for that, we would''ve already taken over Spirit Offering and perhaps even refined some of the living beings of the Dark Abyss Continent in the Abyss," she added.

 Chapter 316: The Treacherous Grand Elder

    <h4>Chapter 316: The Treacherous Grand Elder</h4>

    Pang Jian had gained a deeper understanding of the four fragmentednds.

    The four fragmentednds were originally from different regions, and some unknown power had forcibly drawn them together.

    Among these, only Absolute Heaven was exposed¡ªits true form visible from outside. All the foreign races could freely navigate their warships in and out of Absolute Heaven without obstruction.

    The fiery fragmentednd with the Fire God''s body and the one with the ruins of the Divine Court of Thunder were veiled behind fire and lightning respectively. Crossing these veils was not difficult. It was just that whaty within could not be seen from outside.

    The final fragmentednd, the Frozen Land, had the most terrifying restriction¡ªone could enter but never leave.

    Although the arachnid Outer God, the soul projection of the Ghost Race''s worshiped Outer God, and the Observer could transmit their divine consciousness here, the Ice Race in the Frozen Land could notmunicate with the Ice Demon through their fully functional altar.

    The Outer God Puppets also appeared in the other fragmentednds but not the Frozen Land.

    It seemed even the Outer Gods had sensed something was amiss.

    After some thought, Pang Jian concluded the Ice Race''s inability tomunicate with the Ice Demon was likely due to the barrier surrounding the Frozen Land.

    With the help of the Gate of the Abyss, he could pass through the barrier, making him the only one capable of freely entering and leaving the Frozen Land.

    The puppets the foreign races from other worlds used tomunicate with the Outer Gods would likely lose their connection to their Outer Gods once they entered the Frozen Land.

    With that in mind, Pang Jian prepared to pass through the barrier.

    <i>Wait! </i>the Bee Sovereign called before summoning back a few golden bees.

    Twelve golden bees soon appeared and vanished into the bronze pendant.

    <i>Master, we''ll need these little ones to seize the divine consciousness within the Heart of Winter,</i> the Bee Sovereign exined.

    Pang Jian nodded approvingly. <i>You''ve thought this through.</i>

    After some contemtion, he shifted his focus to the golden bee following Qi Qingsong.

    "Listen carefully," he said through the bee. "The other three fragmentednds besides Absolute Heaven are all peculiar. One is called the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God, where the destroyed Divine Court of Thunder resides. Another holds the body of a perished Fire God..."

    The golden bee carefully revealed the secrets behind the three fragmentednds on a mountaintop in Absolute Heaven.

    "You sneaky little devil, you''ve already visited the three other fragmentednds?" Qi Qingsong eximed. "Pang Jian, which one''s the safest? And when are you going to take us with you?"

    "Each of the three fragmentednds holds its own mysterious and unfathomable secrets," Zhuang Yuyan remarked, eyes sparkling with fascination.

    Dong Tianze remained silent. He was still focusing on using pills to heal his injuries as quickly as possible.

    "I''ll leave a golden bee with you to keep in touch. I''ll tell you where to go once I confirm it''s safe. Just hold on a little longer."

    Pang Jian then descended into the Frozen Land and stood atop the altar on the Sacred Mountain with the cheers of the Ice Race resounding around him.

    The seven excited Ice Race elders immediately surrounded him.

    "You actually managed to leave!"

    "You''re the first person to leave the Frozen Land in thousands of years!"

    "Mysterious guest, can you tell us what you saw in the outside world?"

    The seven elders bombarded Pang Jian with questions.

    "There are three fragmentednds adjacent to the Frozen Land," Pang Jian began. "One of them originates from my world, the Abyss. The other two are from different worlds, one inhabited by the me Race and the other by the Thunder Race.

    "I believe the barrier over the Frozen Land prevents you from not only leaving but alsomunicating with the Ice Demon."

    He then approached the Heart of Winter.

    "It seems the mist the Heart of Winter releases is responsible for keeping the barrier in ce," he added tentatively.

    "The Heart of Winter?"

    "Are you saying the Heart of Winter, which heals our bodies and helps us defend against invaders, is sustaining the barrier?"

    "How''s that possible?"

    "The Heart of Winter is a divine artifact the Ice Demon left behind. It has always protected us!"

    "Without it, our Ice Race couldn''t have survived in this fragmentednd. Invaders would''ve overrun our Frozen Land long ago. We would''ve been wiped out!"

    The Ice Race elders found it hard to believe.

    Pang Jian did not address their doubts and instead asked, "Can you feel the divine consciousness within the Heart of Winter?"

    The most senior of the elders, the Grand Elder, gazed at the massive crystalline heart and gripped his scepter with a tense expression.

    "All I know is that it absorbs the flesh, blood, and lingering souls of the frozen corpses. It''s also consumed some unusual beings with strange consciousness in the past.

    "I can sometimes glimpse visions from the absorbed souls through my scepter." He offered the icy white scepter to Pang Jian. "We share the same faith, and you carry the aura of the Ice Demon. Perhaps you could also sense something through it.

    "The divine consciousness you speak of is likely the strange consciousness absorbed from those puppet bodies.

    "See if you can feel it too."

    With that, the elder ced the white scepter before Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian instinctively reached out to touch it.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A thick, freezing mist burst forth from the icy white scepter, enveloping the entire altar.

    Those outside the altar could no longer see what was happening inside.

    Extreme cold energy spread from the scepter, up Pang Jian''s hand, and throughout his body, instantly freezing him into an icy statue.

    The scepter''s strange power transformed into icy lightning and surged into his dantian, spiritual sea, Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint, heart, and even his sea of consciousness.

    Pang Jian''s dantian and spiritual sea were encased in ice.

    The frozen Pang Jian watched helplessly as the icy power of the scepter sealed his Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint, the eight Leaves of Life covering his heart, and even the ck turtle scute.

    The invading cold even froze the gray strands of divine sense in his sea of consciousness.

    Only his golden divine sense remained unaffected.

    "Grand Elder!"

    "What are you doing?"

    "Why have you frozen our guest?"

    The other six elders wore expressions of shock.

    "What''s going on? Why has the altar been engulfed in white fog?"

    The members of the Ice Race outside murmured in confusion when the light mist surrounding the altar thickened into a dense fog.

    They could see neither the elders nor Pang Jian, only the faint glow from the Heart of Winter.

    The Grand Elder, who had handed his scepter to Pang Jian, wore a cold expression and exined, "It''s better to directly search his memory instead of asking endless questions and not knowing whether the answers are true or false!"

    "But he shares our faith. He, too, believes in the Ice Demon," One of the other six elders protested.

    "He''s not one of us," the Grand Elder said, locking eyes with Pang Jian. "Even if he believes in the Ice Demon, he''s not from the Frozen Land. He cannot be trusted!

    "Do you all remember the golden bee earlier? It carried the same aura as this man!"

    The Grand Elder ced one hand on the Heart of Winter and the other on Pang Jian''s frozen shoulder.

    "I''ll use the Heart of Winter to unravel all his secrets! Then, I''ll not only know if he''s telling the truth but also discover how he managed to leave the Frozen Land!

    "I must find the way out of here!"

    The Grand Elder''s eyes burned with cold intensity.

    When the other six elders saw the firm resolution radiating from his eyes, they knew what he truly sought was the knowledge of how to escape from the Frozen Land.

    "I''m dying. If I don''t leave soon, I''ll end up like all our ancestors." The Grand Elder calmly gazed at the other six elders. "This man''s appearance gave me a glimpse of hope, and I won''t let it slip away! If I can leave, so can all of you. Our entire Ice Race, abandoned here for so long, will have a chance to escape!"

    With that, the Grand Elder cast his secret art.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The lingering souls of the frozen corpses flowed from within the massive Heart of Winter, through the Grand Elder''s palm, and into Pang Jian''s body in icy clouds.

    Soon, the frozen lingering souls surfaced in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian''s golden divine sense slipped to the far edges of his sea of consciousness and quietly hid.

    Though Pang Jian''s entire body was frozen, his golden divine sense remained usable, and he could alsomunicate with the Bee Sovereign.

    Luckily, the Bee Sovereign and the golden bees in the beehive were unharmed.

    <i>Prepare for battle,</i> Pang Jian calmly informed the bees as he awaited the Grand Elder''s approach.

    "What an expansive soul sea! I''ve never seen such a vast soul sea before! Outsider, you are truly extraordinary!" The Grand Elder eximed in shock. "Please forgive my rudeness!"

    A faint shadow of the Grand Elder''s soul surged forward, shrouded in icy mist.

    Not long after, with the Heart of Winter''s assistance, the Grand Elder''s soul manifested within Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness.

    Hundreds of icy clouds floated above Pang Jian''s frozen divine sense inside his sea of consciousness. These clouds contained the powerful lingering souls of those who had fallen in the Frozen Land.

    "Tears of Winter," the Grand Elder muttered.

    The icy clouds swirled with cold energy and condensed into crystalline teardrops.

    A ghostly cold me ignited the frozen souls within the gleaming tears.

    The frozen souls wailed in agony as their will and spirit burned away.

    As the souls zed, the crystalline Tears of Winter emanated a profound insight, seeking to extract Pang Jian''s memories from his frozen divine sense and the acupoints in his sea of consciousness.

 Chapter 317: Ice Soul Demon Divine Scripture

    <h4>Chapter 317: Ice Soul Demon Divine Scripture</h4>

    Although the fog shrouding the altar was dense enough to obscure it from view, the mist surrounding the Heart of Winter within was thin and faint.

    The Grand Elder had sessfully persuaded the other six elders, and their longing for the outside world made them set aside their shared faith with Pang Jian.

    "Don''t me me. Your ability to break through the restriction of the Frozen Land is just too tempting," the Grand Elder''s soul said as it hovered within Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness. "I don''t have much time left. I''ll die of old age if I can''t leave this fragmentednd.

    "My ancestors could not escape this predetermined fate, but your arrival gave me a glimmer of hope. How could I not seize it?"

    The crystalline Tears of Winter, each containing a lingering soul set aze, arranged themselves in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness to form five strange arcane characters.

    The five characters glimmered with an icy light, hiding within them the profound truths of the cold as if embodying the Ice Demon''s deep understanding of the universalws.

    "Ice, Soul, Demon, Divine, Scripture." A sharp voice read the five characters with a slow pointedness.

    The Grand Elder''s expression changed and he searched Pang Jian''s vast sea of consciousness for the owner of the voice.

    "Ice Soul Demon Divine Scripture!" Pang Jian''s voice echoed, growing from a faint whisper to a booming roar that reverberated from the distant horizon of his sea of consciousness.

    "Ice Soul Demon Divine Scripture!"

    Blinding bolts of golden lightning shed and shattered many of the Tears of Winter with the force of a thunderstorm.

    "You''re still conscious?!" The Grand Elder was shocked.

    The shadowy form of the Grand Elder''s soul stood with one foot on the "Ice" and "Soul" characters respectively.

    Igniting the divine power within the Tears of Winter, he bellowed, "Soul-Freezing Extreme Cold!"

    The "Ice" and "Demon" characters beneath the Grand Elder''s feet red with an extreme cold capable of freezing one''s soul,parable to the bone-piercing chill Pang Jian had once felt on the altar in Spirit Offering.

    The Grand Elder''s soul essence intertwined with the bone-chilling cold and surged toward Pang Jian''s golden divine sense, aiming to freeze and shatter them.

    "I have a Rank Six bloodline, a soul far more powerful than yours, and the divine artifact, Heart of Winter, on my side.

    "You''re powerless to resist me, Outsider. Just surrender and let me unearth the deepest secrets of your soul."

    The terrifying cold spread out, first enveloping Pang Jian''s ordinary gray divine sense before pursuing his golden divine sense.

    Roaring frost dragons, soaring ice phoenixes, and strange frost-beasts manifested from the Grand Elder''s bone-chilling soul essence. The five arcane characters circled the creatures, exuding a fearsome aura capable of annihting souls and eroding divine consciousness.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian''s golden divine senses darted through his sea of consciousness with lightning speed, distancing themselves from the Grand Elder''s Soul-Freezing Extreme Cold in the blink of an eye.

    As they dodged wave after wave of freezing soul essence, they continued to destroy more and more droplets of the Tears of Winter.

    Pang Jian appearedpletely at ease.

    The Bee Sovereign''s soul suddenly manifested in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness, taking on the form of a human face with a bee body.

    "Master, he''s courting death by daring to enter your sea of consciousness," the Bee Sovereign sneered.

    The souls of twelve golden bees also appeared within Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness, eyes gleaming with greed at the sight of the Tears of Winter.

    "My body and these little ones are fragile. Our physical bodies can''t withstand much and are easily destroyed outside the pendant. Once our bodies are destroyed, our souls will die with it.

    "We''re called Spirit Bees because our physical bodies are fragile and we excel only in soulbat.

    "But if he insists on entering your sea of consciousness to sift your memories through your soul..." The Bee Sovereign smirked mockingly. "We have nothing to fear when ites to soulbat."

    "Go!"

    With that, the golden bees started tearing into the crystalline Tears of Winter and devoured the burning souls within.

    The five arcane characters, "Ice Soul Demon Divine Scripture," copsed like a crumbling city under their relentless assault, and the Grand Elder''s Soul-Freezing Extreme Cold was effortlessly countered.

    "Master, the divine consciousness of an Outer God ignited the mes in those teardrops," the Bee Sovereign informed with a cold expression.

    <i>Crack! Crack!</i>

    Pang Jian seized the opportunity to shatter the icy restraints on his ordinary strands of divine sense with his golden ones, allowing all his divine sense to flow freely once again.

    <i>Divine Manifestation.</i>

    He merged his golden divine sense with his ordinary divine sense, forming a vague outline of a golden head and hazy, indistinct body in his sea of consciousness.

    A mental breakdown threatened to ovee the Grand Elder as he gaped at Pang Jian''s ethereal body and the Bee Sovereign''s soul form¡ªwhich greatly resembled Pang Jian.

    "What kind of monster are you?" the Grand Elder muttered in disbelief.

    Never could he have imagined he woulde across such a bizarre sight within Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness.

    "You want to pry into my memories and thoughts?" Pang Jian''s ethereal body watched coldly as the bees devoured the Tears of Winter. "Even the Outer Gods are not safe from my Nether Abyss Spirit Bees. What chance do you have?"

    The Grand Elder tried to flee from Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness in a panic.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Bee Sovereign shot forward like lightning, slicing the Grand Elder''s soul into pieces with his transparent wings.

    "Such a filthy soul¡ªit''s not even worthy of being eaten by me," the Bee Sovereign said disdainfully. Looking back at Pang Jian''s ethereal body, he added, "Master, I''ve acquired the Ice Soul Demon Divine Scripture."

    Knowledge of the secret technique surfaced in Pang Jian''s mind.

    <i>A soul technique!</i>

    Pang Jian immediately grasped the intricacies within and memories rted to the Ice Soul Demon Divine Scripture. It involvedbining soul essence with cold energy.

    At the altar, the Grand Elder''s face twisted in pain as his soul was gravely injured. Hurriedly releasing his grip from both the Heart of Winter and Pang Jian''s shoulder, he pointed at Pang Jian.

    "Kill him! Quickly, kill him! He''s an enemy!" he shouted as blood trickled from his eyes.

    Although the six other elders were taken aback at the Grand Elder''s sudden panic, none blindly followed his orders to strike Pang Jian down.

    "Hurry! If you don''t act now, it''ll be toote!" the Grand Elder roared, face covered in blood.

    He wanted to gather his strength to kill Pang Jian himself, but the Bee Sovereign had destroyed his refined soul, leaving him without enough soul essence to wield his strength effectively.

    His soul and body were now in a state of partial disconnect.

    "What happened?"

    "Grand Elder, did you discover anything from the depths of his soul?"

    "If he dies, we''ll lose our only hope of leaving the Frozen Land!"

    "This man must not be killed!"

    The six other Ice Race elders were uncharacteristically unified in their stance of not killing Pang Jian.

    Even if Pang Jian turned the Frozen Land upside down, they could only silently endure as they could not afford to lose their slim chance of escape.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian was exploring his newfound soul technique.

    <i>The Ice Soul Demon Divine Scripture...</i>

    Segments of the secret technique, which detailed how to use one''s soul to control cold energy, had imprinted themselves deeply in Pang Jian''s mind like immutablews of the universe.

    The Ice Soul Demon Divine Scripture included a secret technique of sealing and unsealing.

    Pang Jian focused his consciousness on the ice pool within his still-frozen spiritual sea.

    Momentster, the strands of golden divine sense within Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness appeared within his frozen spiritual sea and inscribed ancient, mystical characters.

    A single golden character appeared¡ª"Unseal!"

    His frozen spiritual sea instantly thawed.

    The ice pool within his restored spiritual sea started absorbing the cold energy in his body at an astonishing rate.

    The cold energy that froze his flesh and sealed off his Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint, ck turtle scute, and the Leaves of Life rapidly streamed into the ice pool, which expanded several times in size within moments.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The ice encasing Pang Jian shattered as he clenched his fist around the scepter. Another light squeeze caused more ice to fall away from his body.

    Pang Jian raised the scepter with a cold snort and stabbed it forward.

    "Let''s talk this through!" one of the Ice Race elders cried, grabbing the scepter. "His actions don''t represent all of us!"

    "I''ll kill only him." Pang Jian pulled at the scepter several times, but when it did note free, he simply let it go and prepared to attack the Grand Elder with his spear instead.

    "Stop him!" the Grand Elder screamed in horror, voice echoing throughout the ice fortress.

    The Ice Race warriors gathered outside exchanged fearful nces of uncertainty.

    Stronger Ice Race warriors like Bing Ji and Bing Yun attempted to charge toward the altar shrouded in thick cold fog.

    "All members of the Ice Race, stay away from the altar!" An elderly Ice Race woman emerged from the pale white mist and stood at the edge of the altar. "Our Grand Elder and the guest from distantnds have some disagreements, but we are handling it.

    "All of you, wait for further instructions."

    With that, she disappeared back into the mist surrounding the altar.

    She then removed an ice crystal pendant shaped like a crescent moon from around her neck and, with a flick, drew a line of icy light between Pang Jian and the Grand Elder.

    A thick wall of ice appeared.

    <i>Crack! Crack!</i>

    Pang Jian''s silver spear shattered the ice wall, only for moreyers of ice walls to form one after another.

    When the six other elders saw Pang Jian about to kill the Grand Elder, they erected endless ice walls using their cold-attribute spirit artifacts to block him.

 Chapter 318: Projection of the Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea

    <h4>Chapter 318: Projection of the Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea</h4>

    Atop the Sacred Mountain, crystal-clear ice shards the size of a palm leaf shot out from the altar shrouded in cold fog.

    These shards struck the divine artifact, the Heart of Winter, causing it to crackle loudly under the impact.

    The outer crystallineyer of the Heart of Winter asionally unleashed a shimmering wave of frost, scattering the iing ice shards.

    A faint yet piercing light flickered deep within the dense cold fog like a twinkling eye was observing from within the Heart of Winter.

    Pang Jian remained unaware of this.

    The emergence of the ice walls obstructed Pang Jian''s path to kill the Grand Elder.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian soared up to attack the Ice Race Grand Elder from above.

    "Esteemed guest, I urge you to calm down!" cried the elder holding the Grand Elder¡¯s scepter.

    He gazed solemnly at the sky, where Pang Jian''s summoned stars and moon fused with the frigid cold.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A glistening icy river burst forth from the Grand Elder''s scepter and stretched magnificently across the sky.

    The piercing cold ran wild, absorbing Pang Jian''s Cosmic Fission into the crystalline ice river in the sky and gradually freezing it.

    "Bing Lan! What on earth is happening?" the elder woman called to the Grand Elder. "What did you see in his mind?"

    "He-he..." Grand Elder Bing Lan pointed one shaky hand at Pang Jian before stretching out his other toward the elder holding his scepter. "Give me the Frost Scepter!"

    "Exin yourself first!" The elder holding the Frost Scepter snorted coldly.

    "Evil entities have possessed him! He''s not a follower of the Ice Demon!" the Grand Elder shrieked. "Hurry, give me the Frost Scepter! There''s a sinister consciousness deep within his soul. Only the Frost Scepter can defend against it!"

    Pang Jian was hovering in the air using the ck turtle scute and was about to unleash the explosive Chaos Sword Technique when he heard the Grand Elder''s words.

    <i>Is he scared of my golden divine sense?</i> Pang Jian realized. <i>In that case¡ª</i>

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Strands of golden divine sense surged from Pang Jian''s eyes like golden lightning bolts and streaked toward the Grand Elder''s ice-blue pupils.

    The ice walls and the shimmering icy river could not block the golden divine sense as they were imbued with divine consciousness.

    Pang Jian''s golden divine sense phased through the barriers as if they were nothing and entered the Grand Elder''s eyes.

    An unfamiliar sea of consciousness appeared before Pang Jian.

    Hundreds of cube-shaped ice crystals floated in a freezing void, each containing a fragment of the Grand Elder''s soul.

    The scattered ice crystals trembled as if struggling to reassemble into aplete entity.

    It appeared a figureposed of these ice crystals once floated in this mysterious space, but had since been destroyed and needed to be reconstructed.

    There was nothing but drifting ice crystals in the cold void.

    "Ah! An outer-world evil!" The Grand Elder''s scream resonated from the soul fragments within the ice crystals when the golden light appeared.

    The Bee Sovereign had shattered his soul, severely damaging it and leaving him desperately trying to recover his strength so he could reassemble it.

    He had been in the process of doing this when the terrifying golden divine sense.

    "Bing Yuan! Give me the Frost Scepter!" his real body roared.

    His only hope of fending off the golden divine sense invading his soul sea was with the Frost Scepter.

    "It''s toote." Pang Jian''s voice echoed from the golden divine sense.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The Bee Sovereign and the golden bees infiltrated the Grand Elder''s soul sea, using Pang Jian''s golden divine sense as a marker.

    "He''s going to die." The Bee Sovereign gazed coldly at the iplete figure formed from ice crystals and frowned. "The ice crystals don''t contain any divine consciousness. There''s no value for me to devour them.

    "Master, your golden divine sense is just as powerful as the divine consciousness of the Outer Gods. You''ll have an overwhelming advantage over them if you can enter their soul sea.

    "Master could try¡ª"

    Before the Bee Sovereign could finish his suggestion, Pang Jian manipted his golden divine sense like a de within the Grand Elder''s soul sea to target the soul fragments within the ice crystals.

    Pang Jian''s golden divine sense seemed to have transformed into divine weapons like heavenly des and sacred swords capable of cutting through anything in their path.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The ice crystals in the Grand Elder''s ice-blue soul sea were so fragile they shattered at the lightest contact with Pang Jian''s des of golden divine sense.

    Shattering the ice crystals and eradicating the soul fragments within was an effortless task for the des of golden divine sense.

    It was as easy for Pang Jian as an Outer God seeking to corrupt a cultivator''s sea of consciousness.

    <i>The Grand Elder of the Ice Race is weaker than I expected. Would others at his level crumble just as easily if I were to invade their soul seas with my golden divine sense? </i>Pang Jian wondered.

    Meanwhile, the Grand Elder''s pitiful and desperate cries gradually faded into silence.

    His cold, deste soul sea copsed in the blink of an eye, crumbling into nothing.

    Pang Jian''s golden divine sense hovered above the Grand Elder''s muddled sea of consciousness.

    "Oh, he''s dead."

    The radiant strands of golden divine sense then returned to Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness.

    "Bing Lan!" cried the other six elders of the Ice Race.

    All they had seen was a sh of golden light in Pang Jian''s eyes, and secondster, their highly revered Grand Elder breathed hisst.

    An aura of death emanated from Grand Elder Bing Lan.

    Cold, using eyes turned toward Pang Jian.

    The elder still holding the Frost Scepter had not been able to hand it to the Grand Elder in time, and he gripped it tightly as he warned, "Everyone, keep your guard up. It''s just as the Grand Elder said, he possesses the same evil power as the Outer God Puppets!

    "He''s capable of invading our soul sea with malicious intent! Hold fast and protect your soul sea against the evil presence!"

    The six remaining Ice Race elders swiftly activated the power of their artifacts to fortify their soul seas.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Shimmering cold white light radiated from the artifacts and enveloped each of the six elders'' bodies.

    The cold light was reminiscent of Pang Jian''s protective shield. It also carried an aura akin to the Heart of Winter and seemed capable of warding off the divine consciousness of the Outer Gods.

    Ancestors of the Ice Race had used these artifacts to defend their soul seas and hunt down the Outer God Puppets imbued with divine consciousness for millennia.

    Quiet probing revealed the effectiveness of the shimmering white cold light.

    Even if he were to unleash his golden divine sense again, it would not be able to prate the cold light or invade the soul seas of the remaining six Ice Race elders.

    Conversely, the cold light could dissipate and weaken his golden divine sense.

    "He deserved to die." Pang Jian nced down at the six remaining elders with a cold look. After weighing his words, he added, "He lost faith in the Ice Demon. He only wanted to save his own skin and use me as his way out. Neither the Frozen Land nor any of you were considerations in his heart."

    Second Elder Bing Yuan held the Frost Scepter and replied coldly, "It doesn''t matter what Bing Lan may have done. You had no right to kill him. Outsider, we wish to avoid bloodshed, so we hope you will surrender peacefully and exin everything to us."

    "Surrender?" Pang Jian shook his head with a coldugh and casually tilted his head back to gaze at the sky.

    "Outsider, you won''t be able to escape."

    "Don''t even think about leaving the Frozen Land before exining!"

    "Bing Lan''s death was the result of your sly maneuvers. There''s no chance you''ll escape with our soul seas fortified."

    Four elders ascended into the sky with the assistance of their artifacts and surrounded Pang Jian above the altar.

    When the Ice Race warriors below saw four elders emerge from the fog with visible hostility toward Pang Jian, they responded in kind.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Ice Race warriors filled the sky and surrounded Pang Jian on their Spirit Avians.

    <i>It''s time to go,</i> The Bee Sovereign sighed helplessly.

    The death of the Grand Elder had irreversibly worsened the situation. It had be infinitely more difficult to seize the divine consciousness within the Heart of Winter.

    It was better to take their chances in the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God or the fragmentednd with the perished Fire God than face the six elders with Spirit Condensation Realm equivalent cultivation in the Frozen Land.

    <i>Agreed. </i>Pang Jian no longer cared about how the Ice Race viewed him and did not hesitate to act.

    His spiritual sea surged like a rising tide.

    The sun, moon, and stars in his dantian lit up dazzlingly, while the lightning vortex and fiery pool in his spiritual sea roared into motion.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The smooth, crystalline ciers near the Sacred Mountain suddenly reflected divine light onto Pang Jian like mirrors one after another.

    A mysterious force appeared to be controlling them.

    Time halted and everything came to a stop.

    The members of the Ice Race stared nkly at Pang Jian, their thoughts and consciousness frozen.

    Although Pang Jian was still aware, he found he could not move.

    He tried to reach out to the Bee Sovereign, only to realize the mysterious force had also paralyzed the Bee Sovereign.

    A deep sense of unease filled him.

    Something strange seemed to be happening behind him.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A bizarre, dreamlike scene slowly unfolded in the space behind Pang Jian, revealing tiny stars, a zing sun, a brilliant moon, a swirling lightning vortex, and a seething fiery pool.

    The mysterious force projected Pang Jian''s Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea into the sky above the altar, making it seem almost like they were tangible objects.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Clusters of green leaves, imbued with the mysteries of life and radiating life energy, floated in the air like lotus leaves on a pond.

    A hard, ckish-yellow object expanded into an ethereal massive shell.

    The mysterious force had also projected the Leaves of Life and the ck turtle scute onto the space behind Pang Jian.

    This enigmatic scene etched itself deeply into the eyes of the Ice Race members still staring nkly at Pang Jian, bing an indelible, profound imprint that could never be erased.

 Chapter 319: Tracing the Past

    <h4>Chapter 319: Tracing the Past</h4>

    Time froze and the projection of Pang Jian''s spiritual sea sealed in ce.

    Only Pang Jian, still frozen in mid-air, had the awareness to sense the strange scene unfolding behind him.

    The elders of the Ice Race and the warriors rising into the sky on their Spirit Avians were all stuck in ce, suspended in an eerie stillness as if encased in ice.

    An eerie, pin-drop silence permeated the Frozen Land.

    The silence stretched on.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    A sharp sound rang out from the altar below, and the thick white fog rapidly receded.

    The cold fog vanished into the Heart of Winter like a sharp inhale.

    Pang Jian peered down and saw a prick of light deep within the crystalline heart.

    The light grew brighter and brighter until it became so luminescent it took Pang Jian''s breath away.

    The ciers casting their divine radiance on Pang Jian also became blindingly radiant.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The enormous crystalline heart slowly rose from the altar in a dazzling disy of divine light.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Divine light also shot out of the six towering pirs surrounding the altar, aiming toward the space behind Pang Jian as if about to pierce the barrier.

    The six broad beams of light enveloped the projections from Pang Jian''s Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea¡ªthe bright moon, the zing sun, the stars, the lightning vortex, the fiery pool, the Leaves of Life, and the ck turtle scute.

    A strange sensation abruptly filled Pang Jian. It was like a badly damaged Heavenly Dao was being repaired.

    Inexplicable mysteries Pang Jian could not fathom quietly emerged from deep within the earth, the ciers, the rocks on the snow-capped peaks, the frozenkes, and even the areas shrouded in cold mist.

    Hiddenws were revealed, distorted principles of the Heavenly Dao were corrected, and erased divine essence was restored.

    The Frozen Land was undergoing an iprehensible change because of Pang Jian''s Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea.

    At the center of the transformationy the Heart of Winter.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The six broad beams of divine light pulled the projection of Pang Jian''s Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea into the six towering ice pirs.

    Intricate patterns depicting the sun, moon, stars, mes, lightning, leaves, and scutes appeared on the six ice pirs.

    The ice pirs glowed even more brightly as the designs seemed toe to life.

    The Heart of Winter was still slowly rising into the air and started to shrink until it was norger than a fist.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Heart of Winter flew into Pang Jian''s spiritual sea and settled at the bottom of his ice pool.

    At that moment, the seal on time and space was abruptly lifted.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Pang Jian fell from the sky and crashed where the Heart of Winter had once been.

    Although the strange projection vanished, the six towering ice pirs continued to radiate divine light.

    "Outsider!"

    "What happened?"

    "My thoughts and consciousness were frozen just now, but I seemed to see a strange projection behind the outsider when I regained consciousness!"

    "In the ancient legends, our ancestors once lived in a world with the sun, moon, and stars. They bathed in starlight and moonlight!"

    "The stars and the moon were once part of the sky in the Frozen Land!"

    The members of the Ice Race murmured as they gazed up at the sky in wonder.

    "Quickly, look at the ice pirs!" somebody shouted.

    All eyes turned to the six towering pirs.

    The ice pirs were miraculously patterned with the sun, moon, stars, mes, lightning, leaves, and scute.

    "The Heart of Winter is gone!" an Ice Race member cried in horror.

    "Silence!" Second Elder Bing Yuan, knelt beside the fallen Pang Jian, gripping the Frost Scepter with trembling hands.

    Pang Jian stared vacantly at the sky.

    Bing Yuan wailed fearfully, "Outsider, what happened? How did the Heart of Winter disappear into your body?"

    He could sense the divine artifact, which the Ice Race regarded as the core of the Frozen Land, had settled within Pang Jian.

    "Second Elder, we must retrieve the Heart of Winter, even if it means skinning him alive and extracting his bones!"

    "This young man is wicked beyond measure. He''s guilty of the gravest of sins!"

    "He stole our Heart of Winter!"

    The other elders cried fiercely.

    They all had Rank Six bloodlines and could faintly sense the Heart of Winter within Pang Jian.

    "Silence, all of you!" Bing Yuan yelled. Even after taking several deep breaths to steady his emotions, his voice still shook when he addressed Pang Jian, "Tell me, you..."

    Pang Jian remained silent for a long time before saying softly, "Give me a moment."

    Bing Yuan was stunned.

    "I''m perceiving the message the Ice Demon left behind."

    With that, Pang Jian closed his eyes and focused his attention inward.

    The stars in his dantian were dim, and the sun and moon had shrunk to the size of a grain of rice.

    His spiritual sea waspletely drained of spiritual power, the lightning vortex had be a vortex without lightning, and the fiery pool was reduced to a meless basin.

    The eight Leaves of Life and the ck turtle scute were also exhausted of power.

    Only his sea of consciousness and Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint remained unaffected.

    The six ice pirs had absorbed all his other energies and powers while the time was frozen.

    In exchange, he had gained the Heart of Winter, which had settled at the bottom of his ice pool.

    When the Heart of Winter sank into the pool, Pang Jian a strange connection clicked into ce, as if the divine artifact had epted him.

    <i>Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!</i>

    The Bee Sovereign and a swarm of golden bees whirled through the dense mist surrounding the Heart of Winter.

    The Heart of Winter''s mist contained the divine consciousness of Outer God Puppets that had perished in the Frozen Land for millennia, and the bees devoured it with great delight.

    As the bees feasted, Pang Jian gathered his golden divine sense and sent them deep into the crystal core of the Heart of Winter.

    A small, walnut-sized crystal spherey at the center of the Heart of Winter.

    Sitting atop the crystal sphere was a fair-featured Ice Race man dressed in silver robes.

    The man was the dead Ice Demon, and this was the remnant of his divine soul.

    Strands of silvery white cold light emanated from the divine soul and came into contact with Pang Jian''s golden divine sense.

    Images flickered through Pang Jian''s mind.

    Outside the Abyss, there was a world known as the Mystic Frost World, where a celestial body named "Winter" once existed.

    Winter was the Ice Demon''s homnd and the birthce of the Ice Race.

    The Ice Demon ascended to godhood in Winter, ruling over all living beings in the Mystic Frost World and acting as the protector of the Ice Race.

    Many celestial bodies like Winter existed within the Mystic Frost World, with other races and Spirit Beasts living on them.

    As the Ice Demon was a member of the Ice Race, when he became the God of the Mystic Frost World, the Ice Race naturally also became the ruling race.

    One day, an Outer God crossed the boundless starry expanse and arrived in the Mystic Frost World, igniting a war against the Ice Demon.

    The warsted for hundreds of days.

    During the battle, the nine celestial bodies in the Mystic Frost World were torn apart, including Winter, the birthce of the Ice Race.

    Knowing he was doomed, the Ice Demon retrieved the crystal core of the fractured Winter, imbued it with a portion of his divine power, and sent it into the depths of the bizarre mist with a fragment of Winter.

    By doing so, he preserved the legacy of the Ice Race and ensured their survival.

    Shortly after, the Ice Demon perished, and the Frost Crystal God became the new God of the Mystic Frost World.

    The races worshiping the Frost Crystal God then ughtered the remaining Ice Race.

    Over time, the fragment of Winter in the bizarre mist became the Frozen Land.

    The Ice Race on the Frozen Land were thest remnants of their kind.

    They were the legacy of the entire Ice Race.

    The Frozen Land was merely a fragment of Winter and had since been cut off from the Mystic Frost World, which was why it had an iplete Heavenly Dao.

    The Ice Demon had deliberately sealed the Heart of Winter within the Frozen Land, causing the Ice Race here to struggle to reach the full potential of their bloodline.

    However, this seal prevented the Frost Crystal God from sensing the Frozen Land.

    The new God of the Mystic Frost World could neither eradicate the remaining Ice Race nor retrieve the Heart of Winter.

    Even so, the Frost Crystal God never forgot this matter and had sent her followers to search for the lost fragmentednd, hoping to reim the Heart of Winter.

    The barrier and the bizarre mist had sessfully concealed the Frozen Land for millennia, and the foreign races from the Mystic Frost World had yet to find it.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The final strand of the cold light disappeared, taking the Ice Demon''s divine soul with it.

    Pang Jian silently processed the long-forgotten history of the Ice Race as his divine sense lingered beside the crystal core of the Heart of Winter.

    He had seen everything from the sky in the Mystic Frost World as if he were an omniscient god watching passively from above.

    During this time, the golden bees around the Heart of Winter continued to feast on the divine consciousness of the Outer God Puppets within the mist.

    As the golden bees gorged themselves, their bellies swelled, and they produced golden honey, which they deposited in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness.

    The honey umted and condensed, causing new golden strands of divine sense to flow from the acupoints in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness.

    The golden divine sense within Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness continuously increased.

    Meanwhile, Bing Yuan and the rest of the Ice Race could only stand vigil beside Pang Jian, watching helplessly as hey motionless on the altar, shrouded in icy mist.

 Chapter 320: Three Thousand Strands of Divine Sense!

    <h4>Chapter 320: Three Thousand Strands of Divine Sense!</h4>

    Time flew by, with Pang Jian remaining unconscious as he witnessed the great upheaval in the Mystic Frost World and the fall of a God.

    Though his bodyy motionless, tremendous changes were happening in his dantian, spiritual sea, and sea of consciousness.

    His strange transformation was also mysteriously reflected on the six towering ice pirs, with the peculiar patterns asionally ring brightly, and even expanding or shrinking.

    "It''s been so long, and he still hasn''t woken up." A gaunt Ice Race elder pulled out an hourss filled with icy sand, brows knitted in worry. "ording to this timepiece, it''s already been half a month."

    The other elders sighed wearily.

    They had to reassure the members of the Ice Race while puzzling over how to retrieve the Heart of Winter.

    The burden of the Ice Race''s future rested on their shoulders.

    Grand Elder Bing Lan''s death had left them without a leader, and despite all their discussions, they had yet to reach a conclusion they could all agree on.

    "We have no other choice," Second Elder Bing Yuan said helplessly. "All we can do is wait. As long as he remains at the altar, we can wait for him to wake up and exin himself."

    The gaunt elder''s eyes gleamed with ruthlessness. "Can''t we just use force?"

    "Force? I''m afraid that would damage the Heart of Winter." Bing Yuan snorted coldly. "The Heart of Winter is a divine artifact that the Ice Demon left to us. It''s disappeared into his body, and we don''t know why it''s inside him or what it''s in. Our best option now is to wait!

    "Very well."

    Time passed quickly, and another ten days went by.

    One day, a wrinkled elder named Bing Ying was gazing nkly at the bright stars on one of the towering ice pirs when she abruptly stood up.

    Her eyes gleamed with a frosty light as an unfamiliar power coursed through her veins.

    Tiny stars flickered and grew ever brighter in the depths of her heart.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The stars on the ice pir she had been staring at also red dazzlingly.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    A mystical sound resembling the breaking of shackles or a prison cage rang out from her heart.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The cold divine light of the nearby cier that had previously shone on Pang Jian now fell on Bing Ying, flooding her with a surge of immense cold energy.

    The eyes of everyone around turned to her.

    "I, I¡ª" Bing Ying kneeled, forehead pressed to the ground as she eximed tearfully, "I''ve broken through the limit of my bloodline! I''m now Rank Seven!"

    She kowtowed toward the ice pir, though it was unclear whether she worshiped the Ice Demon or the star patterns.

    ¡°Bing Ying!¡±

    ¡°You-you''ve broken through?¡±

    ¡°The Frozen Land restricts us to Rank Six. You shattered the restriction?¡±

    The other elders cried out in surprise.

    News of this incredible event spread like wildfire, echoing throughout the ice fortress and sweeping across the nearby snow-capped peaks. The entire Ice Race was filled with ardor as if descending into uncontroble ecstasy.

    ¡°Heaven has opened its eyes!¡±

    ¡°The Ice Demon has noticed us!¡±

    Several dayster, Bing Ji, Bing Yun, and several other Ice Race warriors at the peak of Rank Five stood by the six shimmering ice pirs, gazing at the stars, moons, leaves, lightning, and scutes on them.

    "I broke through to Rank Six!" they eximed, one after another.

    Several more days passed, and the Second Elder Bing Yuan could be found gazing at the ice pir wrapped in lightning patterns. As he stared, he eventually managed to fuse a strand of lightning into his heart and, like Bing Ying, also achieved a bloodline breakthrough.

    "Rank Seven!" Bing Yuan shouted, triumphantly raising the Frost Scepter.

    The Ice Race had inexplicably witnessed the rise of two Rank Seven bloodlines!

    This marked a brand-new chapter in the Ice Race''s history!

    The six elders then instructed the other members of the Ice Race to study the strange patterns on the six towering ice pirs at the altar.

    As a result, many Ice Race members experienced smooth breakthroughs in their bloodlines.

    "This must be the Ice Demon''s blessing!"

    "Our God must''ve heard our prayers! He imprinted a divine miracle in the ice pirs through our honored guest to aid us in breaking through our bloodlines!"

    "It must be so!"

    The joyful Ice Race members had already set the matter of Grand Elder Bing Lan''s death aside and no longer held Pang Jian responsible.

    "We might even be able to leave the Frozen Land!" some members spected.

    With permission from the elders, the youngmander of the Ice Race, Bing Yun, mounted a Spirit Avian and attempted to fly out of the sealed world.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    He hit the barrier.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    After several more failed attempts, he returned dejectedly to the altar with his Spirit Avian.

    "Don''t be discouraged. We''re on the right path. Our esteemed guest will surely share the Ice Demon''s teachings with us and tell us what to do once he awakens," Bing Yuan assured.

    The hopeful Ice Race continued studying the strange patterns on the six ice pirs while patiently waiting for Pang Jian to awaken.

    ***

    The massive ice pool in Pang Jian''s dried-up spiritual sea emitted rippling waves of cold energy.

    At the bottom of the ice pool rested the Heart of Winter, with golden bee souls buzzing around it and asionally shing in and out of sight.

    Strands of golden divine sense emerged from the acupoints in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness. His gray divine sense also transformed into golden divine sense after entering these acupoints as if coated with golden honey.

    His sea of consciousness was densely packed with golden divine sense, the number of which surged from just over a hundred strands to more than a thousand!

    Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness no longer had any ordinary gray strands of divine sense. Only golden divine sense imbued with divine consciousness remained!

    The golden bees continued to devour the divine consciousness within the mist released from the Heart of Winter, transform it into golden honey, and deposit it in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness.

    Soon, the number of golden divine sense in Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness grew from one thousand strands to two thousand, then over two thousand, before finally reaching a total of three thousand strands!

    The three thousand strands of golden divine sense looked like golden waterfalls in Pang Jian''s endlessly expanded sea of consciousness. The sight resembled the legendary "Three Thousand Great Daos" of some mysterious world.

    After reaching three thousand strands, new ones no longer formed, regardless of how much golden honey the golden bees deposited.

    Pang Jian was unwilling to ept this, but despite repeated attempts, found he could not refine a single new strand.

    <i>Have I reached my limit? </i>He asked the Bee Sovereign.

    <i>It''s not that you''ve reached your overall limit. For the human race of the Abyss, the cap on one''s divine sense before refining one''s divine soul in the Profound Abode Realm is typically around three thousand.</i>

    <i>If you want to refine more divine sense, I suspect you''ll first need to refine your divine soul. Once your divine soul is formed, your foundation will undergo a transformation, and new strands of divine sense will likely emerge again.</i>

    <i>But that''s just my guess. It may not be entirely urate, </i>the Bee Sovereign replied, a swarm of hundreds of bees buzzing around him.

    <i>The harvest was far greater than I expected. I could never have anticipated the divine consciousness of so many Outer Gods was actually sealed in the outeryer of this artifact.</i> The Bee Sovereign marveled.

    The golden bees continued to feast on the divine consciousness surrounding the Heart of Winter. Unlike before, they no longer deposited golden honey into Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness as he had already reached his limit.

    <i>The limit of the human race... </i>Pang Jian''s emotions surged as he considered the Bee Sovereign''s words. <i>If those with over a hundred strands of divine sense in the Profound Abode Realm are considered geniuses, then what should I¡ªwith my three thousand strands of divine sense¡ªbe called?</i>

    This was undeniably an era of both immense danger and opportunity. The opening of the Abyss and subsequent attention of the Outer Gods allowed Pang Jian to hunt their Outer God Puppets to increase the number of his divine sense.

    <i>And if he also caught the uing once-in-hundred-millennia grand event...</i>

    <i>How does the limit of the human race in the Abyss rank against the races of other worlds? </i>Pang Jian asked offhandedly.

    The Bee Sovereign silently mulled over his question.

    Pang Jian peered through the eyes of the Bee Sovereign through their connection, and a sense of wonder rose in his heart.

    The beehive deep within the bizarre mist inside the Gate of the Abyss had expanded a hundredfold!

    It resembled a giant mountain floating in the void, with thousands of dormant bee pupae eagerly awaiting Pang Jian''s blood essence to break free from their cocoons.

    Golden bees busily flew in and out, depositing golden honey within the beehive.

    The deposited golden honey would then solidify, transforming into new bee pupae with the help of some strange energy within the beehive.

    At that moment, Pang Jian noticed the weakness in his body. His blood essence had dwindled to just a fraction of its usual amount, less than one-tenth of what it once was.

    Pang Jian had just enough blood essence to sustain his body''s survival, with the pupae in the beehive absorbing the rest.

    <i>Master, would you like to hear the truth? </i>asked the Bee Sovereign as he gazed out of the vast beehive.

    He had delved into his bloodline memories to retrieve the knowledge buried deep within his soul.

    Pang Jian had a bad feeling.

    <i>Yes, I would, </i>he replied.

    <i>Every bee I nurture can be considered a strand of my divine sense or even an extension of myself. Unlike divine sense, however, they each possess independent intelligence, though it can take time to develop.</i>

    <i>I''ve since nurtured over seven thousand of them from the divine consciousness contained in the mist released from the Heart of Winter.</i>

    <i>But that''s not my limit¡ªnot even close.</i>

    <i>With enough divine consciousness, I can nurture exactly nine thousand nine hundred and ny-nine bees.</i>

    <i>My limit is just shy of ten thousand, which is more than three times your limit of three thousand strands, </i>the Bee Sovereign revealed.

    Pang Jian remained silent for a while before finally asking, <i>Is that because of your exceptional talent? Are the Ice Race, the me Race, the Thunder Race, and the Ghost Raceparable?</i>

    <i>Perhaps. </i>The Bee Sovereign contemted in silence before retrieving more memories. <i>The human race doesn''t have particrly high natural talent in most aspects. Your talent in soul cultivation is inferior to mine, the Ghost Race, the Nether Demon Race, and over a dozen other races.</i>

    <i>The human race ranks even lower in physical body strength, and cannot evenpete with most other races.</i>

    <i>But for some reason, I sense many races fear the human race and regard the human race of the Abyss as dangerous and aberrant.</i>

 Chapter 321: Breaking the Barrier

    <h4>Chapter 321: Breaking the Barrier</h4>

    Qi Qingsong, Zhuang Yuyan, Dong Tianze, Zhou Qingchen, Zhao Yuanqi, and a golden bee were scattered casually across the uneven mountaintop of a mountain ridge near the edge of Absolute Heaven.

    Zhao Yuanqi and Zhou Qingchen kept an eye on the three strange fragmentednds floating in the void.

    Meanwhile, Qi Qingsong and Zhuang Yuyan focused on observing the manyke-filled regions within Absolute Heaven.

    Several days ago, a warship shaped like a colorful seashell emerged from the vast bizarre mist.

    The warship was known as the Sea God''s Warship and the foreign race on board was the Sea Race.

    Warriors from the Sea Race did not hesitate to engage in battle against Fu Wangchen and the human cultivators from the Abyss.

    Qi Qingsong and his group did not participate in the battle. Instead, they watched the situation closely from the mountaintop.

    Thebined onught from the Forsaken Expanse Sect, the Demon Sect, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, the Skyveil Cliff Sect, as well as the noble families and rogue cultivators from the Second World, had initially overwhelmed the Sea Race warriors.

    Many Sea Race warriors perished in the battle, and upon realizing they could not hold their ground, the survivors sought refuge in the water of the surroundingkes.

    Relying on their mastery of the water, Jiang Chao led the members of the Celestial Lagoon Sect to pursue the Sea Race¡ªavoiding the deepke where the Ice Armor Eel Dragon had previously emerged.

    The other cultivators also entered thekes to hunt down the foreign race invaders under Fu Wangchen''s orders.

    They never resurfaced.

    Zhuang Yuyan had been watching the situation unfold and noticed that neither the human cultivators from the Abyss nor the Sea Race warriors left thekes.

    It was as if all the living beings that entered thekes had been swallowed whole.

    "Do the true horrors of this restricted area lie in thosekes?" Qi Qingsong nced at the silent golden bee with a heavy heart and said, "ording to Pang Jian, the Frozen Land is home to the Ice Race. They possess a divine artifact called the Heart of Winter, which the Ice Demon left behind.

    "The Forbidden Land of the Thunder God is the battlefield where the Duke of Thunder from the Thunder Abyss fought several other Thunder Gods.

    "Finally, the fiery fragmentednd contains the body of a fallen Fire God.

    "These three fragmentednds originated from different worlds. They once drifted in the bizarre mist and were only recently gathered here due to some unknown force.

    "Each of the other three fragmentednds has its own mysteries, and Absolute Heaven is likely no exception.

    "Perhaps..." he trailed off, expression turning grave. "Those who entered thekes to pursue the Sea Race are probably doomed."

    Zhuang Yuyan''s face was clouded with worry as she added, "I have an even more pessimistic thought."

    Dong Tianze, Zhao Yuanqi, and Zhou Qingchen turned to listen.

    "Senior Sister, speak your mind," Qi Qingsong sighed. "There''s nothing we can''t handle. If worsees to worst, we''ll just retreat to the Sword Boat."

    "Everyone avoided theke with the Ice Armor Eel Dragon, but my concern is that simrly deadly creatures lurk in the otherkes as well," Zhuang Yuyan exined. "The Sea Race and those following Fu Wangchen likely encountered such creatures in thosekes."

    "Fu Wangchen truly deserves to die!" Zhou Qingchen snorted coldly. "The Sea Race are from the Heavenly Sea World and are adept at waterbat.

    "They retreated into thekes when they saw they couldn''t win onnd because they''re confident in their ability to fight in the water. Jiang Chao and Fu Wangchen foolishly pursued them despite this.

    "They''re the ones who got everyone else killed!" Zhou Qingchen snapped with palpable fury.

    "Someone''sing!" Zhuang Yuyan shot up into the air on her sword and used her Spirit Condensation Realm cultivation to scan the area below.

    Wu Yuan from the Demon Sect emerged from behind some green pines and purple vines. When he saw Zhuang Yuyan, he visibly rxed and ascended the mountain ridge.

    Dong Tianze had feared it was the other Divine Guard and returned to his meditation once he realized it was Wu Yuan.

    "That golden bee..." Wu Yuan peered at the bee under the watchful eyes of the group. "Can itmunicate with Pang Jian?"

    "What''re you doing here?" Qi Qingsong asked with a sour expression.

    "I entered one of thekes but didn''t dive to the bottom. I floated on the surface for a few hours and saw many corpses when I eventually dived back under.

    "None of the corpses were Sea Race warriors, only human cultivators like us. Something felt amiss and I didn''t want to go down any further, so I resurfaced.

    "No one¡ªnot a single Sea Race warrior or anyone else¡ªcame out of any of thekes after I did.

    "I think Pang Jian was right. Something''s wrong with Fu Wangchen of the Forsaken Expanse Sect. There''s something off about everyke in this restricted area. The Sea Race also seems quite at ease underwater.

    "So..." Wu Yuan added tentatively, "I want to either join your search for Pang Jian in the other fragmentednds or stay here for mutual protection."

    "You trust that an Outer God hasn''t corrupted Pang Jian?" Zhou Qingchen asked in surprise.

    Wu Yuan nodded.

    "What about Fang Xuan?" Zhuang Yuyan casually asked.

    "Like the others, he entered ake to chase down the Sea Race and hasn''te out."

    "He''s probably dead," Zhuang Yuyan said flippantly. After a moment of thought, she turned to ask the rest of the group, "He wants to join us. What do you all think?"

    "That''s fine by me." Zhou Qingchen, Zhao Yuanqi, and Dong Tianze nodded in agreement.

    Qi Qingsong had past disagreements with Wu Yuan due to sect rivalries and was more reluctant to give in so readily.

    After a brief silence, he asked coldly, "If Fu Wangchen survives and Pang Jian returns, whose side would you take if the two of them were forced into a life-and-death battle?"

    "Pang Jian," Wu Yuan replied.

    "Swear it upon the names of the long-lost True Gods of your Demon Sect! Only if you swear will I consider you one of us," Qi Qingsong demanded.

    "Alright," Wu Yuan agreed before solemnly taking the oath.

    Qi Qingsong''s attitude softened.

    Pointing at the fragmentednds in the distance, he exined, "That one is called the Frozen Land, that''s the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God, and the third contains the corpse of a Fire God."

    He then shared the information Pang Jian had ryed to them via the golden bee.

    "The ruins of the Divine Court of Thunder, the Heart of Winter, and the body of a Fire God!" Wu Yuan eximed with a trembling heart.

    He suddenly felt extremely fortunate that he had abandoned Fu Wangchen of the Forsaken Expanse Sect and instead chose to seek Pang Jian out.

    ***

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian finally opened his eyes in the Frozen Land.

    "I..." Pang Jian''s voice rasped weakly.

    "You''ve finally awakened."

    Bing Yuan and Bing Ying, the two Rank Seven elders, stood at the lead before the other Ice Race elders and gazed at Pang Jian with hopeful, reverential eyes.

    "The Ice Demon is dead." Pang Jian dropped a bombshell. "I saw the final remnants of the Ice Demon''s divine soul within the Heart of Winter. I learned the truth about the Frozen Land through it, but its power waspletely exhausted after.

    "Allow me to tell you what happened."

    Pang Jian narrated the past events while pulling outrge quantities of Vicious Beast meat to replenish himself.

    Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolves, Bloodstreak Beasts, Goldrock Beasts, and Fiery Sr Beasts¡ªPang Jian indiscriminately tore into their meat without care for rank.

    His priority was replenishing his severely depleted blood essence.

    The fiery blood of the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf and Fiery Sr Beast filled Pang Jian''s fiery pool.

    Pang Jian also took out spirit jades to absorb spiritual power while monitoring the now massive ice pool in his spiritual sea.

    The Heart of Winter rested at the bottom of the ice pool. The crystal core inside the crystalline heart remained intact, but the golden bees had devoured the dense mist surrounding it¡ªthe divine consciousnesses stored for millennia.

    He gazed at the enormous beehive in the Gate of the Abyss with a satisfied smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

    "The God we worshiped has fallen."

    "So, the Ice Race was born in Winter, in a world called the Mystic Frost World. But the Ice Race there has already been wiped out."

    "The Frost Crystal God killed the protector of our race and took the Ice Demon''s ce as the new God."

    The devastating news left the once-hopeful Ice Race elders stunned and lost.

    As Pang Jian contemted the changes within his body, his gaze shifted to the six towering ice pirs and the intricate patterns adorning them.

    He could not help but feel strangely connected to the Frozen Land.

    The Frozen Land would remain forever bound to him. After all, the Heart of Winter now resided in his ice pool and his Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea was engraved on the six ice pirs.

    This ce seemed destined to be forever intertwined with him.

    The wonders of his Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea would likely cause further transformations in the Frozen Land, gradually restoring its missingws of the Heavenly Dao.

    Moreover, the Ice Race had also formed a close bond with him.

    "Bing Ji!" Pang Jian called. "Try to leave the Frozen Land with your Spirit Avian."

    Bing Ji stared at Pang Jian in shock.

    The six Ice Race elders also eyed him in confusion.

    Second Elder Bing Yuan was the first to react, repeating Pang Jian''smand, "Do as he says! Bing Ji, try breaking through the barrier!"

    "Understood!" Bing Ji mounted his Spirit Avian and shot toward the sky.

    All the members of the Ice Race watched nervously, eyes fixed on Bing Ji as he approached the pale mist.

    He then passed straight through it!

    The Ice Race warrior and his Spirit Avian miraculously vanished from sight.

    "The barrier is broken!"

    "We''re free!"

    "From now on, our Ice Race can soar across the vast starry sky and witness the wonders of the outside world!"

    Cheers erupted throughout the Frozen Land.

    "You..."

    Tears streamed down the faces of the elders as they gazed at Pang Jian with deep gratitude.

    The death of Grand Elder Bing Lan was now seen as his own undoing.

    "Prepare yourselves. We''ll conquer the other fragmentednds outside one by one, starting with the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God," Pang Jian ordered.

 Chapter 322: Chance Encounter in the Void

    <h4>Chapter 322: Chance Encounter in the Void</h4>

    The golden bee in Absolute Heaven abruptly addressed the group gathered on the mountaintop, "Prepare to head for the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God. We''ll be joining the fight for the fragments of the Divine Court of Thunder."

    Qi Qingsong jumped up and eximed, "Pang Jian, what have you discovered?"

    "Pang Jian, why did it take so long for you to respond?" Zhou Qingchen asked.

    "Has it been that long?" the golden bee asked in surprise.

    "Yes, we haven''t been keeping track of the exact time, but it feels like it''s been at least a month," Zhuang Yuyan said with a forced smile. She pointed toward thekes below. "None of those who entered thekes, be it from the Sea Race or the cultivators from the Abyss, havee back out."

    After briefly summarizing the situation to Pang Jian, she gestured to Wu Yuan. "He chose to believe in you and came to join us."

    The young genius of the Demon Sect eyed the talking golden bee with a mix of curiosity and wariness.

    He knew the golden bee was called Nether Abyss Spirit Bee, a fearsome creature that fed on the divine consciousness of Outer Gods and was feared as a great scourge across the many different worlds.

    The golden bee went silent.

    "Forget about Absolute Heaven for now. Set out as soon as possible. I''ll join you when you''re close," it finally said, offering noment about Wu Yuan''s arrival.

    Zhao Yuanqi tossed out herrge crimson gourd and leaped onto it.

    "Let''s go."

    ***

    Outside of the Frozen Land.

    "Absolute Heaven, the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God, and the fragmentednd with the body of the Fire God..."

    Second Elder Bing Yuan, Fifth Elder Bing Ying, and over a dozen Rank Six Ice Race warriors excitedly took in the sight of the outside world for the first time.

    They rode on Spirit Avians and held ancestral artifacts passed down through generations, eyes wide with wonder as they eagerly looked around.

    "He''s shown us the way. He wants us to go to the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God," Bing Ying murmured.

    After breaking through to Rank Seven, Bing Ying''s lifespan extended and the wrinkles on her face vanished, leaving her looking like a stern woman in her fifties.

    "Bing Yuan, should we listen to him?" she asked, eyes gleaming with excitement. "ording to the outsider, the invaders in Forbidden Land of the Thunder God only have bloodlines up to Rank Six. None of them are Rank Seven, so there''ll be nothing to worry about if we two Rank Seven go there. We just need to be careful of the Outer God Puppets."

    "I know," Bing Yuan replied. "Bing Ying, you and I both know that he caused the changes in the Frozen Land.

    "The Ice Demon has died, and the Frost Crystal God now upying our homnd is still searching for this fragmentednd and the Heart of Winter!"

    Bing Yuan gripped the Frost Scepter that once belonged to the Grand Elder and took a deep breath.

    "With the barrier gone, she may sense our existence," he said gravely. "Her loyal followers will surelye looking for us soon.

    "We must grow stronger as quickly as possible!

    "The fact that we''re both Rank Seven is a major advantage for us right now! If we dy, the foreign races in the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God, the fiery fragmentednd, and Absolute Heaven could also experience breakthroughs.

    "So, let''s listen to him! Let''s first charge into the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God and search for anything that will make us stronger!"

    The dozens or so Rank Six Ice Race warriors beside them were equally eager. They clenched their fists in anticipation of the battle ahead.

    Bing Ying nodded firmly. "Very well, I''ll gather the others!"

    An hourter, five elders and several hundred Rank Five and Rank Six Ice Race warriors soared into the sky on their Spirit Avians, setting off in a grand procession toward the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    ***

    <i>Stop producing new bees. I''m about to run out of Vicious Beast meat,</i> Pang Jian said to the Bee Sovereign.

    He sat quietly at the altar and took out spirit jades to absorb more spiritual power.

    As he peered up at the thinning mist in the sky, he reached out to the golden bees he had sent out and knitted his brow.

    "Elder Bing He, don''t perform the old rituals used tomunicate with the Ice Demon from now on. You could attract the attention of the Frost Crystal God."

    The Sixth Elder, Bing He, was a stout Ice Race elder who had been left behind to serve Pang Jian at the altar.

    "Th-the Frost Crystal God can sense us through this?" Bing He stammered, turning pale with fright.

    Pang Jian nodded. "If you continue to use the altar to try and reach the Ice Demon with the barrier gone, you''ll likely reach her instead."

    He strongly suspected the cold gaze he had sensed in the ruined altar in Spirit Offering¡ªthe one that had pierced straight into his soul and nearly froze his sea of consciousness¡ªhade from the new God of the Mystic Frost World, the Frost Crystal God!

    As for the one-eyed giants in Ice Rock City, he could not be certain if they hadmunicated with the Ice Demon or the Frost Crystal God all those years ago.

    "Understood! We won''t hold any rituals from now on!" Bing He vowed.

    The Sixth Elder hurriedly left the altar where the Heart of Winter had once rested, trembling with fear and unable to feel safe enough topose himself until he was far down within the ice fortress.

    "Sir, if you need anything, just give the order. We''ll do whatever we can for you," Bing He shouted from below.

    Pang Jian nodded slightly before going back to restoring his strength.

    Despite his efforts, his spiritual sea had only been replenished to about sixty percent of its original spiritual power.

    The sun and moon were still norger than a grain of rice, and the tiny stars were dim and dull.

    Only the fiery pool and the lightning vortex had recovered slightly, thanks to the hidden earthme energy and lightning in the Vicious Beast meat he had consumed.

    The eight Leaves of Life drooped lifelessly,pletely drained of life energy.

    Only his sea of consciousness, with its three thousand strands of golden divine sense hanging like waterfalls, exuded a feeling of infinite grandeur and power.

    <i>If I could recover my strength, I could use the three thousand strands of golden divine sense to refine my divine soul. Unfortunately... </i>He sighed to himself.

    Pang Jian sent strands of golden divine sense surging into his ice pool¨Cnow nearly ten timesrger than the fiery pool¡ªto probe the crystal core of the Heart of Winter at the bottom.

    <i>This is the true core of Winter. There must be something extraordinary within.</i>

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Strands of golden divine sense shot toward the crystal core, attempting to unravel its secrets.

    However, the tiny crystal core was as hard as refined iron, and even his golden divine sense could not pierce through it.

    <i>Master, you''re having difficulties because you have yet to refine your divine soul. Once you''ve refined your divine soul, you should be able to unlock the secrets of the crystal core. </i>

    <i>I suspect it contains theplete method of the Ice Demon''s ascension to godhood. But that path isn''t suitable for you, Master. It''ll only work for those like him¡ªmembers of the Ice Race, </i>the Bee Sovereign informed telepathically.

    <i>The path to godhood?</i> Pang Jian was taken aback.

    <i>Yes, the path to godhood for other races is likely different from the method the human race in the Abyss uses to ascend to True God,</i> the Bee Sovereign mused. <i>Other races draw their power from their hearts, blood, and soul seas, but the human race in the Abyss uses their spiritual seas and seas of consciousness.</i>

    <i>Soul sea and sea of consciousness are essentially different terms for the same thing. The main difference lies between the heart and the spiritual sea. </i>

    <i>Other races grow stronger through the transformation of their physical bodies and the secrets imprinted in their bloodlines.</i>

    <i>Master, you''re human, not a member of the Ice Race from the Mystic Frost World. Therefore, you cannot follow the Ice Demon''s path to godhood.</i>

    <i>At most, you can onlyprehend the Dao of Cold from it.</i>

    The Bee Sovereign had awakened many new memories after consuming arge amount of divine consciousness and was about to hibernate hisrge beehive.

    <i>Master, I need to sleep for a while to undergo another evolution. The little ones will assist you while I''m sleeping.</i>

    With that, the Bee Sovereign fell silent.

    Pang Jian continued to restore his strength.

    ***

    A screeching, injured white crane flew out from the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God, covered in wounds and cursing, "Damn you, Bright Moon Race!"

    Following closely behind the white crane was a crescent-shaped warship carrying over a dozen white-robed foreign race warriors. Their eyes zed with killing intent as they red at the white crane.

    "Kill that white crane!"

    "Hand over the fragment of the Divine Court and we''ll grant you a swift death!"

    "Stop wasting your breath! That foul-mouthed white crane doesn''t deserve a whole corpse!"

    The Bright Moon Race warriors naturally had crescent or full moon marks on their foreheads, and as they swung their radiant weapons, cold moonlight was unleashed at the white crane.

    The white crane darted through the cold moonlight, wreathed in lightning. Despite its injuries, it kept shooting longing nces at the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God and was unwilling to flee.

    After a prolonged struggle, the heavily injured white crane reluctantly flew toward Absolute Heaven, abandoning its pursuit of more fragments of the Divine Court.

    "That white crane!" Wu Yuan of the Demon Sect growled.

    "Scum from the Abyss!" The fleeing white crane shouted back, beaming at the sight of familiar human cultivators. "I''m a Divine Crane from the Pure Land Sect. I''m here to collect divine thunder for my master! You lot,e help me kill these foreign race scum!"

    It had long forgotten what it had done to the Demon Sect''s Demon Incursion Ship outside the bizarre mist and strutted haughtily around as though Qi Qingsong and the others were obliged to listen to it.

    "A Divine Crane from the Pure Land Sect?" Zhuang Yuyan hummed.

    Summoning her spirit sword, she left the gourd and scanned the pursuing Bright Moon Race warriors with her divine sense.

    Her face paled.

    "There''s more than one Rank Six foreign race warrior on that ship!" she cried in rm. "Zhao Yuanqi! Avoid the white crane, or we''ll be dragged down with it! We can''t handle those foreign race warriors. It doesn''t matter whether or not this white crane is from the Pure Land Sect, we need to prioritize our survival!"

    The white crane''s sharp eyes spotted her sect emblem and shrieked, "You''re with the Sword Pavilion? I''m with Luo Yuan and Pang Jian! You brats found your way here thanks to me!

    "Where''s Luo Yuan? Where is he?"

    The Injured and desperate white crane refused to let Zhuang Yuyan''s group leave and incessantly pped around Zhao Yuanqi''s gourd.

    The pursuing Bright Moon Race warriors drew closer.

    "Luo Yuan, Pang Jian..." The group''s attention shifted to the golden bee leading them.

    "Follow me," the golden bee finally said with a hint of resignation.

 Chapter 323: The Oppressive Might of Rank Sevens

    <h4>Chapter 323: The Oppressive Might of Rank Sevens</h4>

    The golden bee pped its transparent wings and flew toward the Frozen Land.

    Arge crimson gourd followed behind it, radiating vibrant light as it whistled through the void.

    "Luo Yuan, you''re going the wrong way! Aren''t you supposed to lead us to Absolute Heaven where the Forsaken Expanse Sect people are? Why are we heading somewhere else?" the white crane screeched.

    <i>Zzzap!</i>

    A bright silver lightning bolt shot from a piece of withered wood clutched in the white crane''s ws and shattered the iing moon desunched by the pursuing Bright Moon Race.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Zhuang Yuyan''s mother-child swords materialized and expanded into a fiery world.

    The cries of the Vermillion Bird and Fiery Qilin reverberated through the air, shattering another wave of moon des aimed at the group.

    Wu Yuan of the Demon Sect remained silent as he focused on telekically controlling dozens of floating boulders.

    The heavy boulders emitted deep demonic light as they smashed into the Bright Moon Race''s weapons, causing them to fracture and warp.

    Dong Tianze wielded his ck Crow Cauldron, while Zhou Qingchen unleashed a flurry of long des.

    Qi Qingsong casually swung his sword, weaving sword intent and sword light into a blue dreamlike sea that left the Bright Moon Race warriors dazed and confused.

    The incessant whining of the white crane grated on his nerves, and he could not help but snap, "Stop screeching and just follow Pang Jian!"

    "You insolent brat! How dare you speak in such a disrespectful tone to your Grandpa Crane?!" The white crane''s beastly eyes turned icy cold.

    It flicked its left wing and sent seven lightning bolts streaking into the blue dreamlike sea, creating ripples of electric current that shattered Qi Qingsong''s illusory world.

    "Enough!" Zhuang Yuyan huffed, eyes burning with fury and unable to maintain her usual dignified elegance. "Qi Qingsong, hold your tongue! And you, Thunder Crane, stop your endless yapping!"

    "You insolent girl! Who do you think you are to reprimand your Grandpa Crane?" the white crane sneered arrogantly. "I''m a Divine Crane from the Pure Land Sect. No one in your Sword Pavilion besides Luo Yuan deserves my respect!"

    "Senior Sister, let''s forget about this annoying crane and just go on our own," Qi Qingsong grumbled.

    "I''d love to, but the Bright Moon Race is already targeting us. We can''t escape even if we wanted to!" Zhuang Yuyan said bitterly.

    A silver disc resembling a full moon suddenly flew toward them. It radiated sacred light and crashed into the fiery world of Zhuang Yuyan''s spirit swords, causing it to copse in a wave of divine power.

    Zhuang Yuyan let out a muffled groan and hurriedly stowed her pair of spirit swords back into her sleeve.

    "Little Junior Brother!" Zhuang Yuyan shouted at the golden bee, voice sharp with frustration. "Come here as soon as possible! These unruly mutts are fond of fighting amongst themselves. I can''t control them anymore!"

    Qi Qingsong and the white crane''s quarrel aside, she had noticed even Wu Yuan of the Demon Sect shooting murderous nces at the white crane while fighting.

    Based on his expression, he would surely kill the white crane if the opportunity arose.

    Zhou Qingchen, Zhao Yuanqi, and Dong Tianze also seemed disgusted by the foul-mouthed white crane, and their expressions were equally hostile.

    The foreign race warriors'' relentless pursuitbined with the growing tension within the group due to the white crane left Zhuang Yuyan mentally exhausted and increasingly frustrated.

    "I''m here."

    Pang Jian appeared beside the golden bee and headed straight toward the sea of moon des behind them.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The Startling ughter Spear emitted an awe-inspiring aura as it thrust forward, piercing through the sea of moon des in a wave of radiant cold light.

    "Ice Soul Demon Divine Scripture. Freeze."

    The icy light emanated boundless cold energy from Pang Jian''s ice pool, meticulously manipted with his three thousand strands of divine sense.

    <i>Crack! Crack! Crack!</i>

    The spreading cold enveloped hundreds of moon des as if pulling them into the frozen realm of an Ice God.

    Pang Jian''s sword intent unleashed the Ice Demon''s arcane secrets of the cold across the sea of cold light.

    The solid des of pure lunar energy were frozen within a massive block of ice and stripped of their power.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The Bright Moon Race''s pursuing warship crashed into the enormous block of ice, forcibly stopping in its tracks.

    "Who is he?"

    "Why is his cold energy so terrifying?"

    "Our strength has beenpletely sealed!"

    The Bright Moon Race warriors wore grim expressions as they hurriedly activated their artifacts to break through the block of ice.

    "Pure lunar energy...and it''s so refined!" Pang Jian''s eyes lit up.

    He stepped onto the solid ice block and used the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art to absorb the pure lunar energy within.

    Brilliant beams of moonlight drifted up from the block of ice and into Pang Jian like a rain of light.

    The dim, rice-grain-sized moon in his dantian grew brighter as it expanded.

    "Pang Jian!"

    "Little Junior Brother!"

    Pang Jian''s unexpected appearance and overwhelming disy of power had caught Qi Qingsong, Zhuang Yuyan, and the others off guard.

    "Luo Yuan! You sure have a lot of tricks up your sleeve!" The white crane shouted, pping its wings. "Those pesky Thunder Race in the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God have been mostly wiped out.

    "Luo Yuan, we brothers need to join forces! First, we''ll deal with these Bright Moon Race warriors, then we can go back to collect the fragments of the Divine Court!"

    "Brothers?" Zhou Qingchen scratched his head in confusion. "When did Pang Jian be brothers with a creature like this?"

    "Why do you even care?" Zhao Yuanqi said as she elerated her gourd. Her face suddenly paled with fear. "How can this be? Pang Jian, you''re not leading us into a dead-end, right?"

    "Senior Sister, what nonsense are you spouting?" Zhou Qingchen asked, annoyed.

    "Are you blind? Can''t you see what''s ahead of us?" Zhao Yuanqi scolded before realizing. "Oh, right. Your cultivation realm is too low to see as far as I can."

    She turned to look at Pang Jian.

    "Pang Jian!" she cried out in despair, drawing confused looks from Qi Qingsong, Wu Yuan, and the others. "There''s another group of foreign race warriors right ahead of us! They''re at least ten times more terrifying than the Bright Moon Race!"

    The others looked into the distance and spotted a group of foreign races riding Spirit Avians. Their auras were cold and sinister as they charged toward them with murderous intent.

    The man and woman leading the way were like two towering ciers in an eternal frozennd. The very sight of them sent a wave of cold fear rippling through their hearts.

    The foreign race leaders they had encountered earlier in Absolute Heaven¡ªthe Ghost Racemander, Ka Zi from the Wood Race, and even the Sea Race warriors¡ªwere nothingpared to these two.

    "They''re not in Rank Six! A Rank Six wouldn''t have this kind of oppressive power!" The white crane was shaken. It hesitated briefly, then gritted its teeth and said, "Luo Yuan, I''ll avenge you another day! I have urgent business, so let''s part ways here. Farewell and good luck!"

    The white crane tapped into thest of its bloodline power, withdrew the overflowing lightning from its wings, and concentrated all its energy on escaping.

    It then fled in a sh of silver lightning.

    "Rank Seven!"

    Zhuang Yuyan and the others were as pale as ash.

    "Pang Jian, did you lead us in the wrong direction?" Qi Qingsong stamped his foot in frustration, causing the gourd to shake violently. "We need to change directions!

    "Let''s head for Absolute Heaven instead! If that''s not an option, we can charge into the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God and deal with the Bright Moon Race!

    "Anything but facing these terrifying Rank Seven Ice Race warriors! And there are even two of them!"

    Qi Qingsong''s scalp tingled with fear.

    "We can''t outrun or hide from them," Dong Tianze said grimly, gripping the ck Crow Cauldron. "Rank Seven foreign race warrior''s power is far beyond us. Unless we use some secret technique, there''s no way..."

    An overwhelming feeling of helplessness filled him.

    Zhuang Yuyan turned to see the Bright Moon Race''s warship changing course and fleeing toward the bizarre mist.

    "The Bright Moon Race is retreating!" Zhuang Yuyan yelled.

    They dared not even return to the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God!

    "Don''t worry, just stay put," Pang Jian said calmly, absorbing thest strand of lunar energy into his dantian.

    He then pointed his Startling ughter Spear at the fleeing Bright Moon Race''s warship and instructed the approaching Ice Race warriors, "Let''s deal with them first."

    Meanwhile, Second Elder Bing Yuan was still in shock.

    They had traveled a long distance from the Frozen Land to reach the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God, and he simply could notprehend how Pang Jian had arrived before them.

    "Second Elder?" Bing Ji and Bing Yun whispered.

    Bing Yuan snapped out of his daze. "Kill the Bright Moon Race!"

    The Ice Race had encountered these foreign race invaders before in the Frozen Land. Thus, Bing Yuan did not hesitate to jump off his Spirit Avian and give chase.

    A radiant river of cold light surged from the Frost Scepter, swiftly appearing in the sky as he flew.

    Bing Yuan was full of confidence because of his Rank Seven bloodline. The scepter''s power allowed him to catch up with the fleeing Bright Moon Race in an instant.

    "Ice Cleave!"

    Bing Yuan swung the Frost Scepter, causing the long river of cold light to crash into the warship just as it attempted to enter the bizarre mist.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The Bright Moon Race''s warship split into two and the terrified warriors scrambled to escape.

    "Freeze!" Bing Yuan shouted again.

    The river of cold light unleashed a chilling mist that froze the fleeing Bright Moon Race warriors like insects trapped in amber.

    "I''vepleted my task." Bing Yuan turned around and respectfully bowed to Pang Jian with a slight smile. "I broke through the limit of my bloodline thanks to your presence and the incredible changes in the Frozen Land."

    "Rank Seven..." His face glowed with excitement. "Killing them was effortless with the advantage of my bloodline!"

    "Good," Pang Jian responded calmly as he flew toward the shattered remains of the Bright Moon Race''s warship using the ck turtle scute.

    "They listen to Pang Jian?" Zhou Qingchen could hardly believe his eyes. "Why does this foreign race obey Pang Jian''s orders?"

    Zhao Yuanqi bit her lip as a terrible thought surfaced in her mind.

    <i>Has an Outer God actually corrupted Pang Jian? Did the Nether Abyss Outer God take over Pang Jian''s body to walk among us?</i>

    The more she thought about it, the more terrified she became.

    "Come over here, all of you." Pang Jian waved them over to the warship.

 Chapter 324: Erasing Divine Consciousness!

    <h4>Chapter 324: Erasing Divine Consciousness!</h4>

    The Ice Race warriors riding Spirit Avians surrounded Pang Jian at the wreckage of the Bright Moon Race''s warship.

    Two Ice Race warriors, as sharp and cold as ice spears, stood on either side of Pang Jian like his personal guards.

    A chill crept into Zhao Yuanqi''s heart. "Have you ever considered that¡ª"

    Before she could finish, Dong Tianze, Qi Qingsong, and Zhou Qingchen shot excitedly toward the warship''s wreckage.

    They had left without hesitation.

    The silver-haired girl was stunned.

    At that moment, she realized how deeply the three trusted Pang Jian.

    "Are you worried that an Outer God had corrupted him?" The exhausted Zhuang Yuyan asked with a smile. "If Pang Jian hadn''t appeared, we wouldn''t have escaped the Bright Moon Race''s pursuit, nor would we stand a chance against the Ice Race.

    "Even if an Outer God has influenced him, he just saved our lives."

    Zhuang Yuyan then rose into the air on her spirit sword.

    Only Zhao Yuanqi and Wu Yuan remained on the gourd.

    Like Zhao Yuanqi, his rtionship with Pang Jian was too shallow to foster full trust, and he too harbored some doubts after seeing the reverence the Ice Race showed Pang Jian.

    "She''s right, at least we''re alive." Zhao Yuanqi sighed, concerns easing slightly as she followed the others.

    Meanwhile, Fifth Elder Bing Ying raised a thick ice wall at the wreckage of the Bright Moon Race''s warship.

    "Hold on!" he shouted. "He''s investigating the secret of the God the Bright Moon Race worships at a small altar aboard the warship. Please wait."

    Qi Qingsong saw lights shing inside the broken warship''s hull.

    It was like a full moon was bursting with light, and someone was extracting its power.

    "Alright, we''ll wait," Zhuang Yuyan replied with a calm smile. "As long as Pang Jian is safe."

    "Pang Jian..." Bing Ying thoughtfully repeated the name and then said with a serious expression, "He''s the most honored guest of our Ice Race. Our fate is now closely tied to him. Rest assured, we will not act foolishly!"

    "The most honored..." Zhao Yuanqi carefully observed the cautious Ice Race warriors from where she trailed behind.

    The Ice Race valued Pang Jian immensely and treated him with the utmost respect.

    The Ice Race, with their two Rank Seven and over a dozen Rank Six warriors, was a formidable force¡ªespecially in a world restricted by thews of heaven.

    With the Ice Race at his beck and call, Pang Jian could as he pleased in the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God, the fiery fragmentednd, and even Absolute Heaven.

    Fu Wangchen of the Forsaken Expanse Sect, Jiang Chao of the Celestial Lagoon Sect, and Wu Yuan of the Demon Sect could not possibly stand against such a Pang Jian.

    Even the foreign races in the other three fragmentednds likely could not!

    ***

    Pang Jian gazed at the two broken halves of the crescent-shaped altar inside the torn warship.

    Touching the cold crystal block, he asked, "Is this the Bright Moon Race''s altar?"

    Bing Ji nodded. "Yes. Some Bright Moon Race members invaded our Frozen Land before. They worship the Moon God. This altar was likely used tomunicate with her."

    Bing Yun added, "Thankfully, it''s been destroyed."

    Fifth Elder Bing Ying had tasked Bing Ji and Bing Yun with protecting Pang Jian, and neither held back their knowledge about the Bright Moon Race when asked.

    "Most foreign races have simr altars tomunicate with their worshiped Gods." Pang Jian nodded thoughtfully.

    As the Ice Race continued to hunt down the Bright Moon Race with Bing Yuan and Bing Ying at the lead, Pang Jian ced his hand on the crescent-shaped altar and silently activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    "Absorb!"

    Pure lunar energy flowed from the fractured crescent altar into his dantian.

    However, it did not fully merge with the gradually expanding full moon.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A crescent moon materialized in Pang Jian''s dantian from the pure lunar energy.

    <i>A second moon has formed!</i>

    One full moon and one crescent moon shone brightly in Pang Jian''s dantian.

    Suddenly, a vast divine consciousness surged from the crescent moon like an endless ocean.

    "Outsider!"

    A crisp,manding voice echoed from both the shattered altar under Pang Jian''s hand and the crescent moon inside his dantian.

    An ethereal figure appeared within the crystal block beneath Pang Jian''s hand.

    It was an Outer God.

    Her smooth, broad forehead was filled with mysterious lunar marks¡ªfull moons, crescents, and waning moons.

    She had breathtaking features and her magnificent silver divine robes were adorned with continuously waxing and waning moons.

    While resting atop a crescent moon, she had sensed one of her altars shattering and felt someone drawing the lunar energy within.

    When she focused her attention on the affected altar, she witnessed the Ice Race ughtering the Bright Moon Race under Pang Jian''smand.

    "You dare kill my subjects!" The Outer God sat upright on her crescent moon and locked onto Pang Jian across an infinite span of space and time.

    Her pupils transformed into a full moon and a waning moon respectively. Then, releasing a divine radiance that seemed to pierce through the ages, she pinpointed Pang Jian''s exact location!

    A sense of foreboding filled Pang Jian as the two moons in his dantian rapidly expanded.

    It was like the divine consciousness of the Moon God was invading his dantian and threatening to burst it apart.

    Pang Jian instinctively knew his soul would be torn to shreds if the two moons exploded!

    <i>The only thing that can counter her divine consciousness is my divine sense!</i>

    His three thousand strands of divine sense appeared in his dantian and transformed into three thousand golden waterfalls that enveloped the two moons.

    <i>Eradicate her consciousness!</i>

    The three thousand strands of divine sense morphed into golden swords, lightning bolts, and long des. His weaponized divine sense cut down all the foreign energy from the Moon God Pang Jian could detect!

    <i>So, you want to descend your divine consciousness through this altar and obliterate me?</i>

    <i>Outer Gods like you can''t physically reach this world. What can mere fragments of divine consciousness aplish?</i>

    Pang Jian''s cold, resolute will resonated from every golden sword, every streak of golden lightning, and every sharp long de.

    He could sense his divine sense gradually erasing the intrusive will of the other higher being.

    It did not take long for the will of the Outer God to bepletely eradicated.

    The shattered altar crumbled into dust and crystal powder once its lunar energy dissipated.

    Only tiny threads of light, devoid of will, lingered in Pang Jian''s dantian.

    These threads were the pure divine essence left behind after Pang Jian erased the Outer God''s will.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian''s slightly weakened strands of golden divine sense gathered and merged with the divine essence to replenish their energy.

    <i>An Outer God''s divine consciousness contains two parts, </i>Pang Jian realized. <i>Divine essence and will. Divine essence is pure soul essence and will is the Outer God''s thoughts and intentions.</i>

    Once the will was removed, all that remained was pure soul essence.

    Cultivators could absorb divine essence to form true divine sense.

    His golden divine sense had formed after refining away the will of the Outer God, turning the divine essence that remained into something that was solely his own.

    Thete Li Yuanchen and Fu Wangchen from the Forsaken Expanse Sect had also refined the divine consciousness of Outer Gods, first removing their will before absorbing the pure divine essence.

    This meant Qi Qingsong, Zhou Qingchen, and the others could also do the same.

    "Qi Qingsong!" Pang Jian called out.

    "What''s up?" Qi Qingsong shouted back from outside.

    "Come here."

    "On my way!" Qi Qingsong soon arrived at the ruined altar. When he saw Bing Ji and Bing Yun guarding the area, he asked, "What''s going on?"

    "Try refining a thread of divine essence."

    A strand of golden divine sense carried the divine essence of the Moon God into Qi Qingsong''s sea of consciousness.

    Although instinctively fearful and hesitant, Qi Qingsong trusted Pang Jian deeply and allowed the golden light to enter.

    Qi Qingsong''s one hundred strands of divine sense in his sea of consciousness were all light blue.

    These strands gathered in the shape of a sword.

    Upon closer inspection, Pang Jian realized the sword resembled the Blue Dream Sword.

    "This divine essence no longer contains an Outer God''s will. Try refining it," Pang Jian instructed, leaving behind the glowing thread and withdrawing from Qi Qingsong''s sea of consciousness.

    Qi Qingsong''s face lit up with excitement, and he immediately sat down to refine the pure divine essence with his soul techniques.

    Pang Jian quietly stood guard over him the entire time.

    After about a quarter of an hour, Qi Qingsong''s eyes opened.

    He broke into a broad grin andughed heartily, "Haha! I''ve gained an extra strand of divine sense¡ªone imbued with divine essence! Pang Jian, you were right!

    "Divine sense infused with divine essence does notply with the established cultivationws and constraints!

    "Ahem!" Qi Qingsong cleared his throat and shamelessly asked, "Got any more?"

    "There''s a bit left."

    "Hurry, give it to me!" Qi Qingsong lowered his voice, eyes shifty as he said, "Pang Jian, I should get some perks first with the bond we share, right? Zhou Qingchen''s only at the early stage of the Profound Abode Realm and doesn''t have enough strength to refine divine essence."

    "Alright."

    Another strand of golden divine sense entered Qi Qingsong''s sea of consciousness, leaving behind six more threads of divine essence.

    Meanwhile, Second Elder Bing Yuan had finished dealing with the remaining Bright Moon Race warriors. The victorious Ice Race returned, with some of their Rank FIve warriors even achieving breakthroughs.

    "Bing Ying, cold energy can merge with some types of foreign energies, like lunar energy and lightning. If we can merge these energies into our bloodline, we could break through," Bing Yuan said excitedly. Then, raising his voice, he called, "Honored guest!"

    "His name is Pang Jian," Bing Ying corrected.

    "I see, Lord Pang Jian." Bing Yuan nodded in understanding before raising his voice once more. "Lord Pang Jian, we''ve finished here. We''re ready to enter the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God."

    "Good."

 Chapter 325: Pang Jian the Godslayer!

    <h4>Chapter 325: Pang Jian the Godyer!</h4>

    The Forbidden Land of the Thunder God was in ruins.

    Deep craters marred the scorched ck earth like massive dried-up wells leading straight into the underworld.

    Foreign race warriors and Outer God Puppets wandered these holes aimlessly.

    The crumbling cityy in ruins at the bottom of these pits, and the silver-winged Thunder Race guarding it almost were almost entirely wiped out.

    The invading foreign races had plundered most of the fragments of the Divine Court, which were imprinted with Dao Seals.

    Even so, the Outer God Puppets still refused to give in.

    "Find it! The Dao Seal of the Duke of Thunder has yet to be found in the fragments of the Divine Court!"

    "The Duke of Thunder''s Divine Court has to contain his insights into the Dao of Lightning! He was the first Thunder God to ever exist! His Dao Seal is the most precious!"

    "His Dao Seal has to still be in the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God!"

    The roar of the foreign races and the deep, distant voices of the Outer Gods echoed from the depths of these pits.

    Waves of cannon fire from the warships and the surging divine might of the Outer Gods dug the pits deeper and deeper. They were determined to unearth the Duke of Thunder''s Dao Seal.

    A delicate young girl from the Thunder Racey limp in the blood of her parents. Six floating thunder orbs surrounded her in a futile attempt at fending off the attacks of Mountain Ghost Race warriors.

    "What wrong did wemit?" she cried, ring hatefully at the fluttering banner. "For as long as we can remember, we''ve been guarding the ruins of the Divine Court against invasions.

    "In the past, before we arrived here, we still had members in Rank Eight. But they all died in battle. Our Rank Seven members also perished defending the Divine Court decades ago.

    "Now, even our strongest members are only Rank Six. We''ve be so weak...are we destined for extinction?"

    She nced around at what remained of the city.

    The ruined city of her childhood no longer existed, and the shiny stones imbued with Lightning Dao Seals had long since been looted.

    All that remained in the scorched, crumbling city were the bones of her uncles, parents, and brother.

    "The Duke of Thunder bears the weight of many since, and like you, he was also a member of the Thunder Race from the Thunder Abyss." The cold voice of the Observer rang out from the fluttering banner. "The Thunder Race once ruled the Thunder Abyss and many other worlds thanks to him.

    "This drew the ire of the heavens. Karma alwayses full circle, and retribution is inevitable.

    "You''re a member of the Thunder Race and the Duke of Thunder has passed. Without his protection, the karma destined for your race has naturallye to im you."

    The Observer had witnessed simr events dozens¡ªif not hundreds¡ªof times throughout its ancient existence and had long since grown numb to them.

    When old Gods died, new Gods rose to take their ce. The cycle of session inevitably brought casualties.

    The races the Gods belonged to and the races who worshiped them were all drawn into the cycle; implicated by association.

    "How many tens of thousands of years have passed? Can hatred not be buried by time?" The young girl sobbed in anguish.

    "It cannot," the Observer replied indifferently. "Gods possess long lifespans, and many of them are immortal. Furthermore, they have excellent memories. Little girl, I''ll let you die with some understanding of why this has happened.

    "A being from the Thunder Abyss is searching for the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God to collect the fragments of the Divine Court of Thunder for tens of thousands of years.

    "That being refuses to give up, and has even enticed many other races to brave the unforgiving bizarre mist and its restrictions, resulting in unrelenting waves of foreign races invading the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    "That being has long since reced the Duke of Thunder to be the new God of the Thunder Abyss.

    "You''ve never left the bizarre mist and have never returned to the Thunder Abyss, so you don''t know of its existence, but it has a significant role in your Thunder Race¡¯s history.

    "That being''s name is Lei Meng," the Observer revealed.

    "Lei Meng? The Thunderveil Beast? The Thunderveil Beast that was always by our Ancestral God''s side?!"

    "How can it be?!"

    Several other Thunder Race members still clinging to life cried out in disbelief.

    Their Ancestral God, the Duke of Thunder, had always been depicted with a wild beast by his side¡ªon statues, in the patterns engraved on pirs, and in the stories passed down.

    The nimble creature was said to be a Spirit Beast known as the Thunderveil Beast. ording to the stories, it had apanied the Duke of Thunder since his youth.

    It had witnessed him be the first Thunder God and had helped him forge the Divine Court of Thunder.

    For it to have be the new God of the Thunder Abyss was unfathomable to the Thunder Race,

    Moreover, it had even posted a massive bounty, enticing foreign races from other worlds to venture into the depths of the bizarre mist in search of the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    A rumbling quake shook the earth.

    "We''ve found it!"

    One of the many unremarkable pits was slowly torn apart in fissuring cracks.

    An object floated up to hover within the pit under the pull of divine power.

    It was a silvery-white pool.

    The pool had cracked walls and was filled with writhing Lightning Dao Seals. Despite this, it seemed to have lost its ability to actively absorb lightning.

    A leafless, gray-brown iron tree stood lifelessly in the pool, with its roots connected to the Dao Seals at the bottom.

    The silvery-white pool showed no evidence of divine phenomena and the iron tree emitted no radiance. At first nce, both items appearedpletely ordinary.

    However, their appearance reignited the conflict between the foreign race invaders and the Outer God Puppets. They no longer hunted the Thunder Race or collected fragments of the Divine Court of Thunder and instead prioritized the fight over pool and tree.

    Not long after, the Ice Race warriors crossed the barrier of interwoven lightning and stepped into the fiercely contested Forbidden Land of the Thunder God on their Spirit Avians.

    "The Forbidden Land of the Thunder God!"

    "This is the first time our Ice Race has set foot in thends of another race!"

    "The Ice Race shall renew its path of glory today!"

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian immediately selected a bolt of rtively weak lightning suspended in the sky after entering and summoned his protective shield before slipping into it.

    He activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, absorbing the energy from the suspended lightning to fill the empty vortex within his spiritual sea.

    "I have lunar energy and lightning, so I still need ster energy, sr energy, and life energy," Pang Jian muttered.

    He nced at the bloody battlefield below and nodded at the two Rank Seven elders, Bing Yuan and Bing Ying. "Kill them all."

    "Kill!"

    The war cries of the Ice Race warriors sent shockwaves through the battlefield, causing thebatants to look on in horror as a new force approached in overwhelming numbers.

    "That''s the Mountain Ghost Race¡ªthey once invaded our Frozen Land!"

    "That Geospirit Race has also stirred trouble in our Frozen Land!"

    "And there''s the ckhorn Race!"

    The imposing Ice Race warriorsunched indiscriminate attacks from the Spirit Avians, with sharp icicles, ice spears, and frost des constantly shooting from their weapons.

    The two Rank Seven elders led their party of Rank Six Ice Race warriors in the effortless ughter of the foreign races below, driving the hunted to cry out in despair.

    "Rank Seven!" the Observer shouted in rm.

    Countless disparate whispers echoed as the Observer lost control, filling the sky with murmurs.

    "How could a Rank Seven warrior emerge from the Frozen Land, where the Heavenly Dao is so broken?!"

    "The Frozen Land is eternally sealed! How did the Ice Race leave?!"

    "Indeed, otherwise the Frost Crystal God would have found them long ago!"

    "Something iprehensible has urred with the Ice Race and the Frozen Land!"

    A cacophony of voices echoed from the many holes in the Observer''s banner as it tried to flee in panic.

    Second Elder Bing Yuan wielded the Frost Scepter, using its icy divine radiance to protect his soul sea before pointing it at the Observer with a cold expression. "You won''t escape either!"

    <i>Crack! Crack! Crack!</i>

    Thick ice walls enclosed the fluttering banner in a solid crystalline prison.

    "Pang Jian, an Outer God has tainted me with its divine consciousness!" Zhou Qingchen cried out, clutching his head in fear.

    Zhao Yuanqi looked horrified as she stared at a massive Ox-Head[1] statue. The Ox-Head''s eyes emitted an evil light, causing her to feel faint.

    "Don''t worry." Pang Jian flew out from the lightning and released his golden divine sense.

    Dozens of strands entered Zhou Qingchen''s and Zhao Yuanqi''s seas of consciousness, bing the marker to summon the golden bees.

    <i>Buzz! Buzz!</i>

    The Nether Abyss Spirit Bees appeared within Zhou Qingchen''s and Zhao Yuanqi''s seas of consciousness, causing the Ox-Head God to let out a fearful wail.

    "Nether Abyss Spirit Bees! Damn it! How are there Nether Abyss Spirit Bees?" The evil light in the eyes of the Ox-Head statue dimmed as the Outer God hastily withdrew its divine consciousness.

    Despite this, the Nether Abyss Spirit Bees still absorbed a portion of its divine consciousness within Zhao Yuanqi''s and Zhou Qingchen''s seas of consciousness.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    More strands of divine sense flowed from Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness toward the foreign races'' objects of worship¡ªfrom statues to wooden carvings and even altars.

    "Those are Nether Abyss Spirit Bees!"

    "Everyone, be careful of the Nether Abyss Spirit Bees!"

    "The sinister God of the Nether Abyss has set its sights on thisnd! Quick, retreat!"

    The panicked voices of Outer Gods echoed from the statues and wooden carvings before gradually falling silent.

    Pang Jian infused his three thousand strands of divine sense with the attributes of the Nether Abyss Spirit Bees and relentlessly hunted down the arrogant Outer Gods.

    What had once been his weakest aspect¡ªhis sea of consciousness¡ªhad now be his sharpest weapon!

    Killing Outer Gods had be effortless for him.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A giant golden de, hundreds of zhang long, shed through the sky alongside thunderous lightning bolts and cut down a figure engulfed in green ghostly mes.

    Only faint traces of ghostly mes remained inside the iron statue after the smoke and mist dissipated, with each small cluster containing a fragment of the divine consciousness of the Mountain Ghost Race''s worshiped God.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A sea of golden mes condensed from Pang Jian''s divine sense engulfed a ck demonic flower that housed the divine consciousness of yet another low-ranking Outer God.

    Although the golden mes consumed the Outer God''s divine consciousness, the flower itself remained intact.

    Simr scenes yed out across the battlefield as the Outer God Puppets were felled.

    Pang Jian of the Abyss had be an Outer God yer within the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    His divine sense, imbued with the characteristics of the Nether Abyss Spirit Bees, had transformed into lethal weapons against the Outer Gods.

    1. In Chinese mythology, Å£Í· (Ni¨²t¨®u, meaning "Ox-Head") is a guardian deity or spirit in the underworld. He is often seen alongside ÂíÃæ (M¨£mi¨¤n, meaning "Horse-Face"). Together, they are known as the enforcers or guardians of the underworld. ?

 Chapter 326: The Duke of Thunders Artifact

    <h4>Chapter 326: The Duke of Thunder''s Artifact</h4>

    The Outer God Puppets scattered across the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God came to a standstill.

    As the puppet bodies ceased their movements, a faint divine radiance emanating an ethereal aura emerged.

    This aura was like the gentle breeze of a tranquil mountain stream, the scent of lush nts, or the sweet juice of a ripe fruit. It was a pure temptation that calmed and refreshed one''s soul.

    Zhao Yuanqi had just in a Mountain Ghost Race warrior when this aura washed over her. Her nostrils red and her eyes gleamed with excitement as she approached a ck iron statue.

    Cautiously reaching out, she sent her divine sense to probe the statue.

    A mesmerizing ck demonic flower in bloom floated within the statue''s empty head.

    She sent her divine sense into the ck flower and sensed a unique soul aura, which merged into her divine sense.

    Her divine sense became imbued with divine essence.

    "This..."

    More divine essence spread out, seeping into the acupoints at the bottom of her sea of consciousness and generating new strands of divine sense.

    "It''s real!"

    Zhao Yuanqi snuck a nce at where Qi Qingsong and Zhou Qingchen were each gathering divine essence as well.

    They had all spoken with Pang Jian beforehand and already knew what would happen in the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    Turning her head, she saw Dong Tianze eagerly rushing toward a statue that resembled a fire lion.

    Meanwhile, the fierce Ice Race warriors focused on ughtering the foreign race invaders from outer worlds.

    They paid no attention to the motionless Outer God Puppets and seemed unaware of the pure divine essence within them.

    Their only concern was the resources found on the foreign races'' warships and the fragments of the Divine Court of Thunder.

    "I can''t fall behind!" Excitement filled Zhao Yuanqi as she concentrated on gathering divine essence.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian came to a slow stop above the pit with the silvery-white pool.

    The pool holding the Duke of Thunder''s Dao Seals and the grayish-brown iron tree had caught his attention.

    He curiously scanned the area near the pool, vigntly eyeing the remains of foreign races and Thunder Race warriors scattered around it.

    <i>Was this what the Duke of Thunder used to construct the Divine Court of Thunder and control those cultivating the Dao of Lightning?</i> Pang Jian mused.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Bing Ji and Bing Yun, two Ice Race warriors with Rank Six bloodlines, also hovered above the pool.

    "Sir, please be careful," Bing Ji said worriedly. Then, with an embarrassed expression, added, "We''ve never left the Frozen Land, so we don''t understand anything about the outside world. We''re not sure if this thing is dangerous."

    "Hm, alright. First, go inform the others not to hunt the native Thunder Race," Pang Jian instructed.

    "Understood." Bing Ji left to ry the message.

    The iron tree had withered and the pool could no longer gather lightning.

    Pang Jian drew a lightning bolt from his lightning vortex and directed it into the silvery-white pool, curious to see if it would reveal any hidden mysteries.

    <i>Zzzzt!</i>

    The streak of lightning touched the cracked walls of the pool.

    The Lightning Dao Seals in the pool twisted and writhed wildly as if sparked back to life.

    A suction pulled on Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness!

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian''s golden divine sense in his sea of consciousness shriveled.

    As the Lightning Dao Seals in the Thunder Pool absorbed Pang Jian''s divine sense, something within the pool seemed to glow.

    The Observer''s lone remaining eerie eye flickered with a cold light as it watched the scene from high above.

    <i>Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!</i>

    Realizing something was amiss, Pang Jian summoned hundreds of Nether Abyss Spirit Bees to resist the strange suction on his sea of consciousness.

    <i>Sever!</i>

    A heavenly de, formed from divine sense, shed through the void within his sea of consciousness and severed the invisible connection between him and the Thunder Pool.

    Pang Jian quickly averted his gaze from the Thunder Pool and shot into the air.

    "Sir!" Bing Yun directed his Spirit Avian to Pang Jian and pulled him onto the Spirit Avian''s back.

    "The Thunder Pool," Pang Jian muttered. "Something in it activated after it absorbed my divine sense!"

    A chill ran down Pang Jian''s spine as he carefully examined his sea of consciousness.

    His vibrant, full strands of divine sense had withered away into thin strands, drained of divine essence.

    "Sir, be careful!" Bing Yun screamed.

    <i>Crack! </i>

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The lightning hanging over the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God twisted and turned like giant dragons as they hunted the invaders.

    The thick bolts of lightning targeted the outsiders¡ªregardless of whether they were human cultivators, foreign race invaders, or Outer God Puppets.

    Many were killed in the blink of an eye.

    "The Duke of Thunder''s wrath!"

    "Retreat from the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God!"

    "This ce isn''t safe anymore!"

    The invading foreign race warriors desperately fled toward the skies.

    Lightning streaked through the air in a flurry of color. Teal, blue, yellow, orange, purple, green, and red filled the sky as the seven-colored lightning bolts targeted the invaders from the outer worlds as if imbued with divine consciousness.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The seven-colored lightning instantly reduced its victims to mists of blood and piles of bones.

    Screams of despair filled the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    The few surviving Thunder Race warriors wore expressions of schadenfreude as they watched the eternal lightning in the sky transform into lethal weapons.

    Their deep-seated grudges had finally been avenged.

    "Kill! Kill them all!"

    "ughter everyst one invader!"

    "Wipe all the foreign races and outsiders from the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God!"

    The Thunder Race warriors roared, cries of vindication echoing throughout thend.

    "All the lightning in the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God is converging toward that pool!" Pang Jian ordered. "Don''t block their path! Stay away from them!

    "Qi Qingsong, Senior Sister Zhuang, take the puppets whose divine essence you haven''t fully absorbed and move them to the outskirts of the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God!

    "Bing Yuan! Bing Ying! Forget about the invaders'' warships! Don''t rush to plunder their supplies, they''re not going anywhere. Everything they carry will be yours!

    "Just move away from that pool and retreat from the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God!" Pang Jianmanded.

    "A young Godyer," the Observer muttered, still watching from high in the sky.

    Its banner no longer fluttered and the eerie holes riddling it were no longer filled with eyes.

    The Observer had only left behind a weak sliver of divine consciousness, which manifested as an evil eye overlooking the scene below.

    It had already prepared to sacrifice this sliver of divine consciousness.

    "The puppet bodies of many lower-ranking Outer Gods were in here. News of this will surely spread.

    "A young human from the Abyss is raising arge swarm of Nether Abyss Spirit Bees and ughtering Gods to absorb their divine essence. He''s refining his divine sense in preparation to forge an extraordinary, unprecedented divine soul.

    "This boy..." the Observer trailed off as Pang Jian floated over to hover directly in front of it.

    "You actually dared to stay here." Pang Jian frowned.

    He sensed a minuscule trace of divine consciousness within the g, so little it was hardly even worth devouring.

    "I left only a tiny sliver of divine consciousness behind. Even if it''s absorbed, I won''t feel any pain." The Observer''s single eye watched as lightning converged on the silvery-white Thunder Pool. "Are you aware that some beings are not afraid of the Nether Abyss Spirit Bees?"

    "I know, like the Duke of Thunder," Pang Jian calmly replied.

    When Pang Jian first entered the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God, he had already sensed the unease of the Bee Sovereign.

    Despite the Nether Abyss Spirit Bees'' formidable ability to devour divine consciousness, they still instinctively feared the Duke of Thunder.

    The physical bodies of the bees were fragile, and their greatest powery in their ability to consume the divine consciousness of Outer Gods.

    However, the Nether Abyss Spirit Bees held no such advantage against a God like the Duke of Thunder as they could not consume his divine consciousness.

    The tyrannical nature of thunder and lightning inherently suppressed soul-based creatures¡ªthis was thew of the Heavenly Dao.

    Thisw bound even the Nether Abyss Spirit Bees.

    "Mm, you truly are clever," the Observer acknowledged. "But I have some bad news for you."

    "Do tell."

    "The lightning suspended over the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God did not gather in the Thunder Pool because the Duke of Thunder deliberately prevented it.

    "The Duke of Thunder was likely aware that his most trustedpanion had betrayed him.

    "After all, when he was injured after delving deeper into the Dao of Lightning, the seven Thunder Gods had not only learned of his weakened state but also managed to find him deep within the Thunder Abyss.

    "That would have been impossible unless someone had spread the news and guided them in.

    "The seven Thunder Gods attacked the severely wounded Duke of Thunder and the Divine Court was destroyed. The core, the Thunder Pool, sank into the depths of the earth.

    "The Thunder Pool rests at the center of the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God, collecting thunder and lightning wherever it drifts.

    "For millions of years, the Thunder Pool drew lightning to the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God, but none ever flowed into it.

    "The reason for this is simple¡ªonce the Thunder Pool gathers enough lightning, its aura can no longer remain hidden.

    "The current ruler of the Thunder Abyss is well-informed about the Duke of Thunder, the Divine Court of Thunder, and the Thunder Pool.

    "The Thunderveil Godbeast will sense this ce the moment the Thunder Pool shows signs of unusual activity and extend their divine consciousness through the pool.

    "And you and your Nether Abyss Spirit Bees are useless against it," the Observer revealed.

    "Can its true bodye here?" Pang Jian asked with a cold smile.

    "It cannot." The Observer sighed. "The bizarre mist operates on its ownws of the Heavenly Dao. It''s something not even the Gods can fullyprehend.

    "The same restrictions bind all who enter this space, regardless of race or species. No one can break the rules of the bizarre mist. Not even the Gods.

    "Gods like me can only attach a small part of their divine consciousness to special objects, but this is the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    "Now that the Thunder Pool is filled with lightning bolts, a Thunder God can transfer their divine consciousness here through special means and transform thisnd into their divine domain.

    "In this domain, with control over the core of the Divine Court of Thunder, the Thunder Pool, the Thunder God would be invincible.

    "You, and everyone you brought here, will be annihted the instant their divine consciousness arrives," the Observer concluded.

 Chapter 327: Moving Mountains

    <h4>Chapter 327: Moving Mountains</h4>

    Pang Jian''s expression changed.

    Columns of lightning converged the Thunder Pool from across thend like rushing waterfalls of light.

    <i>If the Thunderveil Godbeast were to project its divine consciousness here and control the lighting in the Thunder Pool, the consequences would be unimaginable!</i>

    Pang Jian nced over at the Ice Race warriors, then at the retreating figures of Qi Qingsong and the others on the outskirts of the fragmentednd.

    "Everyone, evacuate from the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God!" he decisively ordered.

    The others stared at him in confusion.

    "A Thunder God we cannot contend with could soon inhabit the Thunder Pool!" Pang Jian revealed gravely. "Once its divine consciousness arrives, this fragmentednd will be its divine domain, its Dao Field.

    "Leave this ce at once!"

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The Ice Race warriors flew off on their Spirit Avians, while Zhuang Yuyan, Qi Qingsong, and the others, retreated with their statues.

    Pang Jian scanned his surroundings and retrieved the divine sense he had sent out.

    Suddenly, he noticed a Rank Five Ice Race warrior fuse a fragment of the Divine Court into his body and refine the Lightning Dao Seal inside.

    The warrior trembled as the cold energy within him intertwined with the Lightning Dao Seal, allowing him toprehend its mysteries.

    <i>Li Yuanchen also cultivated lightning and ice.</i>

    <i>The Ice Race can harmonize their innate ice-cold bloodline with lightning to enhance their cultivation...</i>

    Pang Jian''s eyes brightened as he looked toward the Thunder Pool.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A strand of golden divine sense shot into one of the holes riddling the Observer''s dull yellow banner.

    Seven Nether Abyss Spirit Bees appeared, using Pang Jian''s divine sense as a marker.

    The seven golden bees surrounded a dim yellow shadow, neither destroying its divine consciousness nor allowing it to escape.

    "What are you trying to do?" the Observer asked faintly.

    "Stop you from causing trouble."

    Pang Jian suspected the Observer had orchestrated the draining of his divine sense back when he had been inspecting the Thunder Pool.

    The Observer was a malicious being and certainly had not stayed behind with any good intentions.

    "You don''t trust my words?"

    "I don''t."

    Pang Jian activated his green protective shield, which flickered with lightning, and descended toward the Thunder Pool, dodging the violent bolts of lightning streaking across the fragmentednd as he did.

    "Sir!"

    "Pang Jian!"

    The Ice Race warriors and Qi Qingsong cried out in rm.

    "Don''t worry about me, I have a way to leave instantly if needed."

    Pang Jian had already established a connection with a swarm of golden bees outside and was prepared to teleport the moment the situation turned dire.

    Focusing his attention inward, he directed his spiritual power and divine sense toward the Heart of Winter at the bottom of his enormous ice pool.

    <i>The Nether Abyss Spirit Bees can''t handle the divine consciousness of a Thunder God, but maybe you can.</i>

    This Heart of Winter had sealed the divine consciousness of countless invading Outer Gods over the years.

    Pang Jian had refined three thousand strands of golden divine sense and the Bee Sovereign had birthed thousands of bees because of the Heart of Winter''s ability.

    <i>A divine artifact of this magnitude could stand a chance against the Thunderveil Godbeast and perhaps even seal its divine consciousness.</i>

    <i>I must have the Thunder Pool and that strange iron tree!</i>

    Pang Jian attempted to activate the Heart of Winter.

    "Rise!"

    His spiritual power, golden divine sense, and cold energy worked in unison.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The crystalline Heart of Winter silently flew out from his spiritual sea andnded in the palm of his left hand.

    "That''s the Heart of Winter!" the Observer eximed. "The artifact the Frost Crystal God has searched for all these years, the Heart of Winter that the Ice Demon forged was buried in the Frozen Land! I knew it¡ªI should''ve guessed!

    "But how did you activate it? You''re not of the Ice Race. How can you wield the Heart of Winter?"

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The fist-sized Heart of Winter floated above Pang Jian¡¯s head, expanding as it released a piercingly cold, radiant light.

    Pang Jian used his divine sense to form an ethereal, golden figure at the center of the Heart of Winter. The figure cradled the artifact''s crystal core with both hands.

    When the figure formed from divine sense touched the core, Pang Jian felt like he was touching the very essence of the Frozen Land.

    He gently moved the crystal core within the Heart of Winter.

    <i>Boom! Boom!</i>

    The Frozen Land trembled in the distance like a godly force was nudging thend through space.

    Elder Bing He had remained on the Frozen Land and feeling its movement, let out a terrified scream.

    "The Frozen Land is moving!"

    "Has the Frost Crystal God found us?

    "The movement is remarkably stable¡ªthe ciers aren''t cracking, and the snow-capped peaks are still intact!"

    The Ice Race still in the Frozen Land panicked when they felt the strange changes beneath their feet.

    A golden bee gracefullynded beside Bing He.

    "I''m the one moving the Frozen Land," the bee assured. "There''s no need to be rmed."

    "Sir!" Bing He''s face paled with shock.

    At that moment, he realized that the Ice Race would never be able to stand against Pang Jian, even if they rallied their full strength.

    A bolt of violent lightning in the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God streaked through the air, annihting all the foreign race invaders along its path, before finally bing the first to strike the silvery-white Thunder Pool in the pit.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    One of the thick bolts of lightning suspended in the sky vanished, and one of the many cracks in the Thunder Pool miraculously repaired itself.

    A faint, almost imperceptible aura spread from the Thunder Pool. The activity had seemingly roused a majestic presence in some distant world.

    That overwhelming presence attempted to lock onto the Thunder Pool hidden deep within the bizarre mist.

    "The Thunderveil Godbeast has sensed the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God," the Observer muttered in a low voice. "I was right."

    "Pang Jian, the Thunderveil Godbeast helped create the Divine Court of Thunder and yed a role in the formation of the Thunder Pool. It can sense as soon as the Thunder Pool starts to gather lightning and repair itself."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Another thick lightning bolt struck the Thunder Pool, vanishing from the sky as another crack in the pool mended.

    Pang Jian hovered high in the sky, maintaining hisposure as he dodged the rampaging lightning.

    His golden figure within the Heart of Winter continued to manipte the crystal core of Winter.

    The Frozen Land drew closer!

    "Our home!"

    "Tha-that¡¯s the Frozen Land!"

    "It''s flying toward the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God!"

    The Ice Race warriors had since fled from the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God, only to see andmass shrouded in faint cold mist soaring through the void.

    "It''s moving too fast! Get out of the way!"

    "It''s going to crash into us!"

    The Ice Race warriors shrieked in horror as they watched the Frozen Land speeding straight toward them.

    Their Frozen Land was about to collide with the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God!

    Inside the Heart of Winter, Pang Jian''s golden figure gently grasped the crystal core of Winter andmanded, "Stop!"

    The Frozen Land abruptly halted.

    "Merge."

    Pang Jian grasped the crystal core and gently guided it like a god holding the world in his hands.

    The Frozen Land slowly started to merge with the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God, cold mist and lightning intertwining as the twonds connected.

    <i>Crack! Crack! Crack!</i>

    The sound of shing Daos echoed through the air.

    Cold energy and lightning shed violently at the junction where the two fragmentednds met.

    Then, gradually, they started to intertwine in a twisting blend of cold and lightning.

    As the two fragmentednds fused, Pang Jian''s golden figure sensed the presence of several extraordinary ciers through Winter''s crystal core.

    "Rise!" hemanded.

    Towering ciers, ten thousand zhang high, rose from the Frozen Land and soared toward the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    One cier, two ciers, seven ciers¡ª

    Nine towering ciers hovered above the pit containing the Thunder Pool.

    The nine ciers slowly tilted, directing their smooth, gleaming surfaces toward the Thunder Pool in preparation for the Thunderveil Godbeast.

    "What am I witnessing?" the Observer murmured in disbelief. "He moved the Frozen Land using the Heart of Winter and has even raised nine ciers!

    "He now has the power to contend with the Thunderveil Godbeast! The merging of the two fragmentednds has turned this ce into his domain, his Dao Field!

    The remaining members of the Thunder Race in the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God gazed in awe at the nine ciers.

    Pang Jian¡¯s true body stood among the nine towering ciers, appearing as small as an ant.

    His size belied his power as the master of the nine ciers, the ruler of the Frozen Land, and an invader of the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The faint cold mist of the Frozen Land spread into the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God and soon engulfed the area.

    Thin bolts of lightningbined intorger bolts before vanishing into the Thunder Pool.

    Before long, the thin cold mist of the Frozen Land reced the lightning barrier that had once surrounded the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    The Ice Race warriors outside the fragmentednd could now clearly see the nine ciers surrounding Pang Jian.

    "Bing Ying! Bing Yuan!" Sixth Elder Bing He called from the altar in the Frozen Land., "Our ciers have been moved and our homnd has been uprooted! What should we do?"

    Those in the Frozen Land had no idea what was happening and were overwhelmed with fear.

    "Our Lord has uprooted our Frozen Land to hunt a God from the Thunder Abyss." Bing Ying gazed at Pang Jian for a long while. "The Heart of Winter holds such immense power in his hands!

    "Bing Yuan, if he continues to protect us, the races worshiping the Frost Crystal God herself will never be a match for us!"

    Bing Yuan sighed. "It''s a pity he isn''t one of the Ice Race."

 Chapter 328: The Descent of an Outer God!

    <h4>Chapter 328: The Descent of an Outer God!</h4>

    Bolts of violent lightning struck the Thunder Pool, disappearing into it and mending its cracked walls.

    An ethereal consciousness drifted like a specter above the Thunder Pool, growing stronger at an astonishing speed.

    The all-epassing will of an Outer God was being injected into the Thunder Pool.

    "It''s here!" The Observer growled in a low voice.

    Its soul within the banner appeared to have been waiting for this moment for a long time.

    "So, the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God still drifts within the endless depths of the bizarre mist," a deep roaring voice echoed from the grayish-brown iron tree.

    The branches of the iron tree crackled with lightning as the consciousness of the Outer God settled within it.

    Flickering images appeared around the iron tree, before vanishing just as abruptly.

    <i>The iron tree was the vessel all along.</i>

    Pang Jian sharpened his gaze.

    <i>Boom! Creak!</i>

    The iron tree pulled its roots from the bottom of the Thunder Pool, bare branches twisting and contorting into a strange elongated form.

    Then, like a dough being kneaded, the branches fused to form a robust grayish-brown beast body.

    Two orbs of azure light rested in ce of the beast''s eyes, glowing with the intensity of concentrated lightning.

    The beast resembled a leopard, with a round head and arge tail. Crackling lightning streaked across its grayish-brown skin.

    Its glowing azure eyes gleamed as it gazed curiously at the Heart of Winter and the nine towering ciers.

    Although Pang Jian stood at the center of the ciers and beneath the Heart of Winter, the beast paid him no mind.

    "The Thunderveil Godbeast!"

    "It''s really the Thunderveil Godbeast!"

    "It was once an ally of our Ancestral God, but after our God had passed away, it never appeared in the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God again!"

    "It betrayed our Ancestral God! It leaked that our God was injured whileprehending the Dao of Lightning!"

    The surviving members of the Thunder Race rose into the air in their tattered flying vessels and red hatefully at the new God of the Thunder Abyss.

    "The Thunderveil Godbeast!" The Ice Race cried in rm.

    "It''s descended," The Observer murmured.

    Pang Jian watched on with a cold expression.

    The leopard-shaped God of the Thunder Abyss slowly paced within the Thunder Pool, stepping on the Dao Seals with a look of bliss.

    <i>Zzzt!</i>

    Every Dao Seal it stepped on twisted and trembled as if resisting its trampling.

    The feline face of the Thunderveil Godbeast revealed human-like excitement and anticipation.

    "The core of the Divine Court of Thunder has started to restore itself. In the future, I''ll rebuild the Divine Court and rece the Duke of Thunder as the supreme ruler of those cultivating Dao of Lightning.

    "The Duke of Thunder is dead, but I will usher in a new era, and the Thunder Abyss will continue to dominate all worlds." The Thunderveil Godbeast''s loud voice reverberated throughout the merged fragmentednds. "Duke of Thunder, I will follow the path of your Dao and elevate the Thunder Abyss to new heights."

    Its look of satisfaction only grew as it stepped on the Dao Seals as if trampling on the fallen Duke of Thunder.

    The Thunderveil Godbeast''s voice resonated with the bloodlines of the surviving members of the Thunder Race, awakening ancient bloodline imprints and reviving long-lost secret techniques.

    However, instead of being overjoyed, the members of the Thunder Race cursed the Thunderveil Godbeast for its betrayal.

    They felt no reverence toward the Thunderveil Godbeast.

    The beast''s azure eyes darkened when it noticed their disrespect.

    "Who told you about my past with the Duke of Thunder? Your ancestors are long dead and have not returned to the Thunder Abyss for ages. You should not know of those events lost to time." The Thunderveil Godbeast narrowed its eyes.

    Scanning its surroundings, it finally noticed a dull yellow banner hovering high above.

    "So, it''s one of the Observers that the Nether Demon Race worships. Which Observer are you? Number Seven, or Number Nine?"

    "Number Nine," the Observer calmly replied.

    "Was the rising of the Thunder Pool and the gathering of lightning your doing?" The Thunderveil Godbeast asked, still pacing in its puppet body formed from the iron tree.

    Observer Number Nine responded, "I''ve done many things for you. I guided the invading foreign races here to excavate the Thunder Pool, revealed your existence to them, and even sparked the interest of a human from the Abyss.

    "I won''t go into the details. You can see the results for yourself. The Thunder Pool has gathered the lightning, allowing you to sense its renewal.

    "Be careful of the human named Pang Jian, he carries with him Nether Abyss¡ª"

    <i>Poof!</i>

    The golden bees devoured thest sliver of the Observer''s divine consciousness.

    "Observer Number Nine. I''ll remember you." The Thunderveil Godbeast nodded solemnly. "I''ll reward you handsomely once I take control of this Thunder Pool and remove it from this bizarre-mist-shrouded void!"

    The Thunderveil Godbeast then turned its attention to the Thunder Race with a frown.

    "The Thunder Race still residing in the Thunder Abyss know nothing of the past and regard me as their only God. Even after the Duke of Thunder''s death, I protected them because of old sentiment and ensured they were not wiped out. But to prevent you from spreading this information, I have no choice..."

    <i>Zzzt! Zzzt!</i>

    Hundreds of lightning bolts shot out of the Thunder Pool and struck the remaining Thunder Race members, reducing them to bloody mists.

    Only the puppet body of the Thunderveil Godbeast and Pang Jian were left in the vast Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    The Thunderveil Godbeast''s glowing eyesnded on Pang Jian. "The Frost Crystal God has also been searching for the Heart of Winter. I could sell it for a good price. You''ve certainly caught my attention, human from the Abyss. You possess Nether Abyss Spirit Bees."

    Pang Jian frowned. "The Observer didn''t even finish their sentence."

    "The Moon God and a few lower-ranking Outer Gods have already informed me of your existence," the Thunderveil Godbeast sneered. "The puppet bodies you destroyed here are all connected to Outer Gods, and we naturally have our ways ofmunicating.

    "Your name is already widely known among the Outer Gods, Pang Jian of the Abyss."

    <i>Crackle! Crackle!</i>

    The Thunder Pool slowly rose out of the pit.

    The Thunderveil Godbeast red at the Ice Race warriors outside the fragmentednd and snorted.

    "I can sense the fragments of the Divine Court with the Thunder Pool. It doesn''t matter how far those with the fragments run. Your fates are sealed. You will die!" It roared, loud enough to be heard even past the shrouding cold mist that nketed thend.

    Bing Yuan, Bing Ying, and the other Ice Race warriors were horrified. Suddenly, the fragments of the Divine Court they had seized seemed like a deadly burden.

    "Prepare to die."

    As the Thunderveil Godbeast was about to act, a strange expression crossed its eyes and it turned to nce at the fiery fragmentednd in the distance.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A tall divine figure emerged from the barrier of mes and stared coldly at the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    Yang Luo, the arachnid Outer God, had since transformed her spider legs into bony spurs that fanned out behind her like a peacock''s tail. Her stunning face morphed into one of astonishment.

    "The two fragmentednds have merged." Her elegant brows knitted and two divine lights shot out from her cold eyes.

    <i>Boom! Boom!</i>

    The light pierced the mist covering the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God and the Frozen Land, allowing her to gaze at the truth beneath.

    "The Heart of Winter, the Thunder Pool, nine ciers, and...Lei Meng!" Yang Luo''s expression shifted dramatically.

    Narrowing her eyes, she then caught sight of Pang Jian''s tiny figure, causing a frigid look to appear on her wless face.

    "Who''s there?" You Kui, the worshiped Outer God of the Ghost Race, floated out of the fiery fragmentednd and hovered beside Yang Luo.

    He had since shrunk into a terrifying specter wrapped in a ck cloak.

    "Who possesses such extraordinary power to merge two fragmentednds in this tightly regted void?" He wondered aloud, gathering his divine might to investigate. "Is it that human boy who killed Ka Zi of the Wood Race and destroyed one of your puppet bodies in the Abyss?"

    Besides Lei Meng, only Pang Jian remained in the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God. It could not be anybody but him.

    "Lei Meng!" You Kui cried. "The Divine Court of Thunder was left in ruins. How did Lei Meng sense the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God and forge such a perfect puppet body?

    "If I''m not mistaken, that puppet body is made from the Nine Heavens Thunder Divine Tree!"

    Meanwhile, the Ice Armor Eel Dragon had been lurking in ake in Absolute Heaven and consuming the golden blood of the Golden-Winged Giant Roc when it felt the disturbance in the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    Its body was covered in ice-crystal scales and resembled a silver mountain stretching across the void as it soared into the sky to gaze at the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Two ice vortexes appeared in its eyes, emitting a force that seemed to suck everything into their depths.

    These ice vortexes pulled Yang Luo and You Kui, attempting to draw them straight into its fierce eyes.

    "Filthy beast, you''re seeking death!" You Kui coldly snorted, before retreating into the fiery fragmentednd.

    Yang Luo coldly eyed the Ice Armor Eel Dragon and said indifferently, "If you have the courage, go to the newly merged fragmentednd."

    With that, she vanished, flying millions of li from the fiery fragmentednd to the newly merged fragmentednd in just a few breaths.

    "Outer Gods cannot manifest their true bodies in this space. Do you think I''m afraid of you?" The Ice Armor Eel Dragon grinned, eyes gleaming with murderous intent. "Lightning and ice are energies I can absorb as well. I''d like to see who dares challenge me in this space where Outer Gods'' true bodies cannot descend!"

    It then opened its mouth and roared.

    Several tiny figures appeared on its tongue¡ªsome dead and some awaiting death.

    Fu Wangchen, Jiang Chao, Chen Lushi, Fang Boxuan, and many others from the Second World were covered in the Ice Armor Eel Dragon''s thick saliva.

    Sea Race warriors emerged from the gaps in its scales with their weapons in hand.

    "Sea God!"

    "Sea God!"

    The roars of the Sea Race warriors echoed like crashing waves, clearly regarding the Ice Armor Eel Dragon as one of their pirs of faith.

    "Bing Yuan, Bing Ying, take everyone¡ªincluding my friends¡ªinto the Frozen Land!" Pang Jian shouted urgently.

    The two approaching transcendent beings made him realize theing battle would not be one-on-one.

    If the Ice Race remained in the sky, the iing powerhouses would almost certainly wipe them out.

    Qi Qingsong, Zhuang Yuyan, and the others were not qualified to participate in this fight as they did not possess divine artifacts or Nether Abyss Spirit Bees.

    "Understood!" The Ice Race warriors quickly took Qi Qingsong and the others to the altar in the Frozen Land.

    It did not take long for the Outer God, Yang Luo, and the Ice Armor Eel Dragon to pass through the thin cold mist above the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The cold energy and lightning in the dense white mist surged toward the Ice Armor Eel Dragon''s door-sized scales as it passed through it, causing its body to swell to nearly eight hundred zhang in length.

    It resembled a mountain covered in ice crystals as it descended toward the Thunder Pool.

    "Sea God!" The Sea Race shouted fervently from where they stood on its back or within the gaps of its scales.

    To the Sea Race, the Ice Armor Eel Dragon was an unmatched battleship capable of leading them through the endless bizarre mist and to salvation.

    <i>Zzzt! Zzzt!</i>

    Thin bolts of lightning and dense cold energy continued to pour into the massive body of the Ice Armor Eel Dragon from within the ckened pits and ruined city.

    It opened its mouth, panting heavily as if letting out a sinisterugh.

    As Pang Jian squinted his eyes to study it, he noticed many bodies on the Ice Armor Eel Dragon''s swamp-like tongue, all covered in its sticky saliva.

    Other than the unconscious Fu Wangchen, the rest stared at Pang Jian with wide eyes.

    Fang Boxuan, Chen Lushi, Jiang Chao, and Xiao Yu silently mouthed his name in disbelief.

    Their eyes were filled with desperation as if begging for him to save them from their torment.

    Those with weaker cultivation realms asionally exploded into clouds of blood and slipped down Ice Armor Eel Dragon''s throat.

    "Pang Jian..."

    "Pang Jian!"

    Fang Boxuan, Chen Lushi, and the others screamed through the murky saliva, voices filled with horror and despair.

    "I should''ve left with them!" Fang Boxuan cried in bitter regret as he wiped away the soul-corroding saliva. "Pang Jian! This Ice Armor Eel Dragones from the Fifth World of the Abyss!

    "It has imprisoned us and is feeding on our memories to gain an understanding of the Abyss. Once our memories are drained, we''ll die inside its mouth.

    "Pang Jian!" Fang Boxuan shouted, voice growing weaker with every passing second.

    A nk look overtook his face as if abruptly forgetting what he had just been doing and saying. It was like he had forgotten who he was.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 329: Nine Glaciers Suppress the Eel Dragon

    <h4>Chapter 329: Nine ciers Suppress the Eel Dragon</h4>

    "Pang Jian..." Chen Lushi repeatedly murmured.

    Her beautiful face, which was smeared with foul-smelling saliva, twisted into an expression of sorrow.

    Pang Jian hovered in the sky, nine ciers surrounding him and a radiant, heart-shaped crystalline artifact suspended above his head.

    At that moment, Pang Jian exuded the aura of a primordial mountain, as if one with heaven and earth.

    His imposing presence seemed on par with the Outer Gods in the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    Chen Lushi had no idea what had transpired since she hadst seen him, but when she recalled Fu Wangchen''s easy defeat and the subsequent humiliations they had suffered after diving into thekes, her heart surged with regret.

    "I was wrong. I was wrong from the beginning..."

    Tears trickled down her face and her memories started to blur into a fog.

    She forgot about her fellow disciples from the Demon Sect, the many young talents coveting her beauty, and even about her circumstances in Absolute Heaven.

    Jiang Chao sat in a viscous glob before her, but she could no longer remember who he was.

    "I made the wrong choice..." she muttered repeatedly, remorse deepening as the image of Pang Jian sharpened in her mind.

    Everything else faded into obscurity.

    "Pang Jian..."

    Jiang Chao and Xiao Yu also stared nkly at Pang Jian.

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon closed its jaws with a loud snap, and the world before them plunged into darkness.

    "Hmph!" The Thunderveil Godbeast eyed the Ice Armor Eel Dragon with disdain but showed no interest in addressing its presence.

    "Yang Luo, are you here to fight me for the Thunder Pool?" Lei Meng frowned at the Spider God. "Did some other Thunder God promise you something in exchange for getting involved in this battle?

    "Yang Luo, I know you''re a mid-rank God. I may not be a match for you in the outer worlds, but this is the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    "This is the divine domain where the Duke of Thunder once forged the Divine Court of Thunder! And I have the repaired Thunder Pool on my side. Here, you are no match for me!" The Thunderveil Godbeast warned.

    "You''re overthinking it, Lei Meng." The Spider God, Yang Luo, shook her head before ncing at Pang Jian. "I''m only here to watch you kill him. That human, Pang Jian, destroyed one of my puppet bodies in a fragmentednd in the Abyss.

    "Because of him, I had to endure the agony of having Nether Abyss Spirit Bees devour my divine consciousness.

    "That pain is unforgettable. I cannot forgive him!

    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "I cannot descend here with my true body, so dealing with him and his Nether Abyss Spirit Bees will be difficult. So, I ask you to kill him for me. All I want is to see him die here."

    Yang Luo''s hatred saturated the vast skies of the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    "That''s a small matter." The Thunderveil Godbeast bared its teeth in a mockery of a grin. Then, a lecherous gleam shed in his eyes as he added, "Yang Luo, once I refine this Thunder Pool and gather the fragments of the Divine Court of Thunder, I''ll ascend to a mid-rank God.

    "When I, too, be a mid-rank God, I''ll be worthy of pursuing you." The Thunderveil Godbeast chuckled wickedly.

    Yang Luo''s cold eyes gleamed with contempt and she scoffed disdainfully. "A mid-rank God? That''s not enough. There are already several high-rank gods pursuing me. If you want a chance, you''ll have to reach the level of the Duke of Thunder."

    "The Duke of Thunder! Again with the Duke of Thunder!" The Thunderveil Godbeast growled in frustration.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The Lightning Dao Seals beneath its feet erupted with apocalyptic thunder, filling the Thunder Pool with zing lightning.

    The Thunder Pool soared up to hover directly in front of the Ice Armor Eel Dragon.

    "I don''t recall such a powerful sea creature existing in the Sea Race''s Heavenly Sea World," the Thunderveil Godbeast remarked, eyeing one of the Sea Race members standing on the Ice Armor Eel Dragon''s back. "A sea creature of this strength shouldn''t be able to reach this ce under thews of the bizarre mist."

    "We will elevate it to the status of a Sea God and take it to the Heavenly Sea World. There''s still a vacant position in our Heavenly Sea World, and it''s the perfect fit," the Sea Race warrior replied in a respectful tone.

    "Ie from the Fifth World of the Abyss. I was captured when I was younger and raised in Absolute Heaven. When I first arrived, my bloodline was only Rank Five," the Ice Armor Eel Dragon exined, revealing peeks of Chen Lushi, Fang Boxuan, and the others when it spoke.

    The confusion in Chen Lushi''s and the others'' eyes had deepened, and they no longer seemed to recognize Pang Jian.

    "I evolved and advanced step by step in Absolute Heaven to achieve the strength I wield today!" The Ice Armor Eel Dragon continued. "I still don''t fully understand what the Divine Court of Thunder is, nor do I grasp the mysteries of your Thunder Pool. All I know is that it''s useful to me!"

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon fixed its greedy eyes on the Heart of Winter above Pang Jian''s head and the nine towering ciers.

    "My bloodline''s attributes are of cold and lightning. I also have mastery over water. Outer Gods cannot descend here with their true bodies, which means I''m the strongest being here!

    "The Forbidden Land of the Thunder God and the Frozen Land will be my domains from today onward!"

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Blinding lightning and dazzling ice burst forth from its gleaming silver scales.

    "Cold and lightning! Bloodline resonance!" The Ice Armor Eel Dragon roared, throwing its head back.

    Strands of ghostly lightning, containing the secrets of cold and thunder, shed in its eyes. Its pupils locked onto the Heart of Winter and the Thunder Pool.

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon''s bloodline resonance affected the nine crystalline ciers. Its heart acted like a maic field that exerted a powerful attraction over both lightning and cold.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The ciers swayed unsteadily as they drifted toward the Ice Armor Eel Dragon.

    However, the Heart of Winter above Pang Jian''s head did not move.

    The same was true for the Thunder Pool.

    "A creature like you¡ªif you dared to appear in the Thunder Abyss, I''d unleash a single burst of lightning and kill you on the spot." The Thunderveil Godbeast snorted coldly. "Even without my true body, killing you is no challenge!

    "Thunder ze!"

    Red, orange, yellow, green, teal, blue, and purple¡ªSeven brilliant lightning bolts corresponding to each color burst out of the Thunder Pool. The Thunderveil Godbeast wielded them like whips andshed out at the surrounding heavens and earth.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    Two massive lightning bolts¡ªone blue and one yellow¡ªshot toward the Ice Armor Eel Dragon and struck the drifting ciers.

    The ciers gleamed with shes of lightning and cold light as the whips of lightning struck them.

    Pang Jian grunted in pain.

    The Heart of Winter trembled and the cold energy in his spiritual sea''s ice pool started to drain rapidly in response to the ciers being whipped.

    Pang Jian''s golden figure deep within the Heart of Winter watched as nine shards of ice appeared around the core of Winter.

    The nine shards were smaller than the crystal core in his palm and corresponded to the nine ciers outside.

    <i>The crystal core and the ice shards are linked to one another. This artifact is far more intricate than I imagined!</i>

    Pang Jian''s golden figure gripped the crystal core of Winter with one hand and manipted the nine drifting ice shards with his other.

    His divine sense was being consumed, and the cold energy in his ice pool was rapidly depleting.

    The nine ice shards stopped in their tracks!

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The profound mysteries of the Ice Soul Demon Divine Scripture unfolded in Pang Jian''s mind, and he quicklyprehended them with his divine sense.

    His ethereal figure within the Heart of Winter now hadplete control over the divine artifact!

    The Frozen Land harmonized with Pang Jian and the nine ciers merged with his divine sense.

    It was like he was back on the Resolute Expanse.

    One of the towering ciers moved as though a chaotic divine power had abruptly taken hold of it, transforming into a de in the hand of a god as it thrust directly toward the Ice Armor Eel Dragon.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon howled in agony at the impact and fell out of the sky with a resounding crash.

    Its massive body mmed into a deep pit, shaking the ground with a tremendous quake.

    <i>Howl!</i>

    It struggled out of the pit, then charged toward the Thunder Pool with a furious roar.

    <i>Crackle! Crackle! Boom!</i>

    The Thunderveil Godbeast''s lightning whips, twisting andshing out, striking the massive creature repeatedly and causing it to fall back into the depths of the pit with a wretched wail.

    Many Sea Race warriors riding on its back and nestled within its scales perished from the repeated blows.

    Sensing the dire situation, the Ice Armor Eel Dragon absorbed several Sea Race warriors into the flesh beneath its scales, using its body to shield them.

    "So this is the power of a God? They''re too much for me to handle, even with their puppet bodies." The Ice Armor Eel Dragon once again rose from the deep pit, only to be struck back down. "No, this isn''t right! Outer God Puppets have also descended in the past, but none were ever this powerful!"

    Its shiny scales cracked and its injuries worsened as it fell back into the pit, half-buried in the earth.

    It watched the battle between the Thunderveil Godbeast and Pang Jian in the sky with a feeling of helplessness.

    "It wasn''t lying. If we were in the Thunder Abyss facing its true body..." The Ice Armor Eel Dragon''s eyes dimmed with despair. "I would be killed in an instant."

    <i>Huff! Huff!</i>

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon panted heavily, deeply regretting its decision to emerge from theke so soon.

    "It doesn''t make a difference. The four fragmentednds have converged here from different times and spaces. Even if I hadn''te out, I still wouldn''t have been spared once the battle on the other three fragmentednds finished." It sighed dejectedly.

    The survivors on its tongue caught glimpses of the fierce sh of lightning and ciers outside as it spoke.

    At that moment, Fu Wangchen of the Forsaken Expanse Sect finally awoke from his unconscious state and rubbed his eyes in confusion.

    "Pang Jian..."

    Opening the third eye at the center of his forehead, he saw the massive crystalline heart suspended above Pang Jian''s head.

    "I knew it. An Outer God has corrupted you! I was right, you''re the real aberration!"

 Chapter 330: A Single Sword Strike Cleaves the Thunderveil Godbeast!

    <h4>Chapter 330: A Single Sword Strike Cleaves the Thunderveil Godbeast!</h4>

    One of the towering ciers in the sky transformed into a spear seemingly capable of piercing through the heavens and aimed at the Thunder Pool.

    "That thing is toorge and unwieldy. It''s useless against me." The Thunderveil Godbeast grinned mockingly.

    The small Thunder Pool darted nimbly around the thousand-zhang-tall ciers, and the spear-shaped cier could not lock onto it.

    The Thunderveil Godbeast effortlessly controlled the Thunder Pool, maneuvering it with lightning speed while continuing its barrage of fierce lightning strikes.

    Seven colossal bolts of lightning, each a different color,shed out at the nine ciers.

    The nine towering ciers burst with icy light as they swayed violently in the air.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The ciers fractured and massive chunks of ice crashed down to the earth.

    Pang Jian found his strength was draining quickly.

    Seeing the dire situation, he decisively moved the ice shards within the Heart of Winter away from the core.

    The nine towering ciers followed suit, retreating millions of li away from the Thunder Pool to hover at the edge of the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    They then released nine beams of radiant cold light.

    These beams shot directly at the Thunder Pool, intent on destroying the Thunderveil Godbeast''s puppet body.

    "A human is wielding the Ice Demon''s artifact?" The Thunderveil Godbeast''s expression changed.

    The beams of radiant cold light were locked onto the Thunder Pool, and no matter how the Thunderveil Godbeast moved it, the nine beams of icy light would follow.

    "Block them!"

    The seven resplendent bolts of colorful lightning gathered around the small Thunder Pool, encircling it like cascading waterfalls and blocking the beams of cold light released.

    <i>Boom! Crack!</i>

    It was a collision of lightning and cold.

    "Boy, do you truly believe you can oust me in the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God and with the Thunder Pool in my hands?

    "The nine ciers will shatter, your strength will be exhausted, and the brilliance of the Heart of Winter will eventually fade.

    "When that inevitably happens, I''ll kill you!" The Thunderveil Godbeast sneered as it stood on the shifting Dao Seals and bared its fangs at Pang Jian.

    Its azure eyes brimmed with unshakable confidence.

    A sea of lightning formed in the skies above the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God, and the small silvery-white pool floated above it.

    Red, orange, yellow, green, teal, blue, purple¡ªseven radiant lightning bolts appeared like seven Thunder Gods had manifested and imbued their understanding of the Dao of Lightning into the sea of lightning.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Deafening thunderps rumbled as enormous streaks of lightning erupted from the sea of lightning, firmly intercepting the nine beams of cold light.

    Not a single beam could approach the pool floating above the sea of lightning.

    The Thunderveil Godbeast sneered as he stood atop the Dao Seals and controlled the Thunder Pool. "I know you''ve been nurturing the Nether Abyss Spirit Bees in your soul sea, but you''re already aware they cannot devour my divine consciousness.

    "You may wield the Heart of Winter, but your cultivation is shallow. How long do you think you canst?

    "Boy, you won''t survive for long."

    Meanwhile, the nine ciers hovering at the edge of the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God had started to shrink and their radiant divine light gradually dimmed.

    The once-ten-thousand-zhang-tall ciers had shrunk to two-thirds of their original size.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    Several snow-capped peaks in the adjacent Frozen Land copse with a thunderous boom and ancient frozenkes shattered violently.

    The solid, frost-covered earth split open with deep fissures.

    The Heart of Winter, the ciers, the snow peaks, and the Frozen Land were interconnected¡ªwhen one thrived, so did the rest, and when one suffered, the others would too.

    "The Thunder Pool and the Divine Court of Thunder are indeed extraordinary," The Spider God, Yang Luo, elegantly twirled a strand of hair around a pale finger as she watched the scene from high in the skies.

    "Pang Jian, you must hold a great secret to have been able to obtain the Heart of Winter from the Frozen Land. Once you die, that secret will be mine."

    Yang Luo nced at the silvery-white pool above the sea of lightning.

    "Lei Meng, when his body and soul are destroyed, do you mind if I search him?" she asked.

    "All I want is the Heart of Winter. I''ll take nothing else from him besides that!" The Thunderveil Godbeast arrogantly said. "The power of cold and lightning can coexist. This artifact, tempered by the core of Winter, will be just as powerful in my hands!"

    "Very well." Yang Luo nodded, pleased.

    Yang Luo believed Pang Jian possessed treasures more extraordinary than the Heart of Winter. Otherwise, it would be impossible for him to wield such a powerful artifact and nurture Nether Abyss Soul Bees.

    In the Frozen Land, Zhuang Yuyan, Qi Qingsong, and the Ice Race watched as the Frozen Land seemed to crumble beneath their feet.

    "Pang Jian!"

    "Sir!"

    They anxiously gazed toward the distant sky.

    The Forbidden Land of the Thunder God was wrapped in a pale white mist that obscured their view.

    Although they could still make out the vast sea of lightning and the nine ciers, they could neither see the Thunder Pool nor Pang Jian.

    However, they could hear the conversation between the Thunderveil Godbeast and the Spider God, Yang Luo.

    "Pang Jian''s in danger!" Qi Qingsong frowned. "Senior Sister, is there any way we can help Pang Jian?"

    Zhou Qingchen and Dong Tianze were equally anxious.

    "Help Pang Jian?" Zhuang Yuyan let out a helpless sigh. "I don''t know what''s happening with Little Junior Brother, but do you truly think we can participate in a battle of this level?

    "This is a battle between Gods! Little Junior Brother''s power far surpasses Fu Wangchen with his ancient god Dharma Idol!

    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Not to mention, the Thunderveil Godbeast has formed the perfect puppet body from the iron tree and controls the miraculous Thunder Pool.

    "So, don''t go throwing your lives away, and don''t distract Little Junior Brother at a critical moment!" Zhuang Yuyan calmly advised.

    "I agree," Fifth Elder Bing Ying chimed in before addressing the eager Ice Race warriors, "Lord Pang Jian is using every ounce of his strength to fight the Thunderveil Godbeast. As for us..."

    Bing Ying shook his head with a bitter smile.

    "We are not qualified to participate. We''re better off praying for him to win from a distance.

    "The Ice Race''s path to revival will copse if he loses. If that happens, the Thunderveil Godbeast will likely hand our Frozen Land over to the Frost Crystal God and our extinction will be inevitable."

    The terrified Ice Race warriors sat down and prayed fervently for Pang Jian''s victory.

    "Sir, you must win!"

    "You''re thest hope for our Ice Race!"

    "Please, continue to create miracles for us!"

    The prayers of the Ice Race warriors echoed within the Heart of Winter and into the ears of Pang Jian''s golden figure.

    It was like he had be the dead Ice Demon, listening to the heartfelt prayers of his faithful followers.

    <i>Boom! Crack!</i>

    The nine ciers shattered into chunks of ice.

    Blood streamed from the seven orifices on Pang Jian''s exhausted face as he strained to control the ciers.

    The Spider God sneered, "You dare challenge us with a mere human body? How naive. Do you think you''re a True God, boy?"

    "Heh! Do you think you can oust me?" The Thunderveil Godbeast mocked.

    Pang Jian closed his eyes, vision impaired from blood, and forced himself to remain calm.

    <i>Is there really no way to oust him?</i>

    <i>Cold energy...what else can it merge with? Can my other energies be channeled through the Heart of Winter and the nine ciers? Can I somehow link them to my spiritual sea?</i>

    <i>My Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea allows me to understand the fusion of different types of energies and how they can be used to produce even greater strength.</i>

    <i>Perhaps...</i>

    Pang Jian was hit with a sh of inspiration.

    Calming his mind, he recalled the sublime sensation of his energies intertwining.

    He then peered into his dantian at the two radiant moons¡ªone full and one crescent.

    <i>The cold radiance of lunar energy has always blended perfectly with my cold energy. My attribute-less spiritual power can also fuse with anything.</i>

    <i>Different types of energies coexist in my Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea.</i>

    Pang Jian started to gather his different types of energy.

    He had long known that divine sense was the best conduit for every type of energy.

    That golden figure formed from his divine sense held the core of Winter in its palm, with the ice shards corresponding to the nine ciers hovering close by.

    <i>Merge!</i>

    Bright lunar energy and thick spiritual power streamed into the nine ice shards like water.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A mysterious green radiance akin to the full moon of the Nine Heavens[1] merged with the cold light of the nine ciers.

    Faint ster energy and lightning also seeped into the ciers in the wake of the lunar energy and spiritual power.

    The trace amounts of lighting from the lightning vortex within Pang Jian''s spiritual sea seemed to bestow the nine ciers with mystical properties, infusing the cold light with the profound essence of lightning.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Nine beams of radiant blue-green light shot from the nine ciers and pierced straight through the sea of lightning!

    The sea of lightning, sensing the lightning essence in the blue-green light, did not release its destructive power.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The nine beams of blue-green light passed through the sea of lightning and converged into a single pir of light above the Thunder Pool.

    This pir was like a sharp, cold sword that sliced down at the Thunderveil Godbeast hidden at the bottom of the pool.

    <i>Skrrak!</i>

    The sword cleaved the Thunderveil Godbeast''s puppet body into two.

    Lightning bolts in the pool soon eradicated the pieces of the iron tree that remained.

    The Thunderveil Godbeast''s puppet body would never move again.

    1. In ancient Chinese cosmology, the ¾ÅÌì represents the division of the heavens into nineyers, each governing different celestial phenomena and divine entities. Thisyered structure is often used to describe the vastness of the universe. ?

 Chapter 331: The Threat Facing the Human Race

    <h4>Chapter 331: The Threat Facing the Human Race</h4>

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    The interwoven sea of lightning, the multicolored lightning bolt, and all the remaining lightning in the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God quietly flowed into the small, silvery-white Thunder Pool.

    The iron tree had been reduced to dust.

    The silence permeating the air was deafening, especially after the Thunderveil Godbeast''s arrogant taunts and the Spider God''s mocking words.

    "Did Pang Jian win?"

    "The lightning has vanished. Does that mean the God of the Thunder Abyss has been silenced?"

    "We won! Our Lord has won!"

    A tidal wave of cheers surged from the Frozen Land, resonating within the core of Winter and into Pang Jian''s ears.

    <i>The Thunder Pool!</i>

    Pang Jian rushed to the pool and stood on the Duke of Thunder''s artifact with his feet nted on the mysterious Dao Seals.

    <i>This iron tree was the Thunderveil Godbeast''s vessel. Now that it''s destroyed, it can no longer transmit its divine consciousness here.</i>

    The golden figure inside the Heart of Winter manipted the ice shards once more.

    The nine ciers at the edge of the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God soared through the air to gather above the Thunder Pool.

    Although the ciers had once been over ten thousand zhang tall, they had since shrunk to a mere third of their previous size due to immense cold energy depletion.

    The shrunken ciers directed their smooth, glistening surfaces at the strange Thunder Pool, ready to strike at any moment.

    The massive Heart of Winter above Pang Jian''s head was also poised for attack.

    Pang Jian then channeled his divine sense, the lightning from his lightning vortex, and his cold energy into the Thunder Pool to sever the Thunderveil Godbeast''s connection and prevent its return.

    "There''s no need to probe further," the Spider God, Yang Luo, said. "The Observer lured you to the Thunder Pool and baited you into probing it so that your divine sense, which has the characteristics of the Nether Abyss Spirit Bee, would be absorbed into it.

    "Your divine sense erased the Duke of Thunder''s final soul imprint, which was meant to prevent any lightning from entering the Thunder Pool.

    "When lightning enters the Thunder Pool, it nourishes the iron tree and alerts the Thunderveil Godbeast.

    "Before the Duke of Thunder died, he realized the Thunderveil Godbeast had betrayed him, so he ced that imprint to stop it from taking the Thunder Pool."

    Yang Luo sighed helplessly from within the faint white cold mist shrouding the fragmentednd.

    "What a useless fool. He''s the new God of the Thunder Abyss and even wielded the precious artifact that the Duke of Thunder left behind. Despite that, he still suffered a crushing defeat.

    "A low-ranking God is just a low-ranking God in the end. In the past, they wouldn''t have even been qualified to step foot in the Hall of the Gods.

    "Pang Jian..." Yang Luo''s cold eyes fixed on him. "The Outer Gods are paying close attention to the Abyss. The Abyss is destined for destruction once the grand event thates every hundred millennia unfolds!

    "To think, this primordial Tribtion Ground of Gods and Demons produced a human aberration when it should''ve been destroyed long ago!

    "The Hall of Gods¡ªwhich your human race destroyed¡ªis already being rebuilt. Once the Outer Gods return to their rightful ces, the True Gods of the human race that fled and hid across the boundless starry sky will be captured and brought to the Hall of Gods.

    "They''ll atone for their sins with their deaths. The human race is destined to perish in the river of time."

    With those cryptic words, Yang Luo gracefully flew out from the cold mist and escaped back into the fiery fragmentednd.

    <i>The shattered Hall of the Gods is being rebuilt, the Abyss is the primordial Tribtion Ground of Gods and Demons, the Outer Gods are returning to their rightful ce, and the True Gods of the human race are in hiding...</i>

    Pang Jian was shaken to his core.

    The True Gods from the Abyss had likely enjoyed a glorious history in the world beyond at one point.

    The Hall of the Gods sounded like the ce from which the Outer Gods ruled over the many outer worlds.

    It appeared the ancient True Gods of the human race had once joined forces to destroy the Hall of the Gods and suffered heavy losses in the process.

    Afterward, the Outer Gods pursued the remaining True Gods, forcing them into hiding across the outer worlds.

    Thus, the True Gods could no longer approach the Abyss, let alone dare attempt to return to it.

    <i>Perhaps...</i>

    A thought shed in Pang Jian''s mind, causing him to tremble at the terrifying realization.

    <i>The Abyss resembles a deep well with boundless starry skies beyond its mouth. It has a boundary wall and bizarre mist surrounding it. This cuts off the escape of the inhabitants of the Abyss while also preventing beings from the outer worlds from entering.</i>

    <i>In other words, it was both a restriction and a protection.</i>

    <i>Only True Gods can break through the terrifying barrier at the mouth of the well and reach the starry sea where the Outer Gods roam.</i>

    <i>Given that the True Gods of the human race had once destroyed the Hall of the Gods and are now in exile, does that mean the Outer Gods are guarding the space beyond the Abyss?</i>

    <i>When the True Gods of the human race break through the barrier, are they immediately confronted by hordes of waiting Outer Gods?</i>

    <i>Have any of those who left survived the ambush of the Outer Gods?</i>

    Questions flooded Pang Jian''s mind, each more terrifying than thest. The more he thought about it, the more overwhelmed he became.

    He could not help but feel like there was no path forward for the human race of the Abyss.

    <i>What the human race should truly fear isn''t the foreign races in the Fifth World, but what lies beyond. The victories the human race has achieved in the Abyss mean nothingpared to the vastness of the outer starry skies.</i>

    <i>Without the bizarre mist, the boundary wall, or the barrier at the well''s mouth, the human race would''ve long been extinct.</i>

    A suffocating despair washed over Pang Jian.

    Yang Luo''s words had filled him with an overwhelming sense of pressure.

    <i>The grand event has already started, and the catastrophe is underway. Is there truly no way out for the human race of the Abyss?</i>

    After stressing over the matter for some time, Pang Jian ultimately decided to move on.

    <i>Let''s deal with the Thunder Pool first! </i>he thought, circting the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art and activating the small lightning vortex within his spiritual sea. <i>If the Heart of Winter can be absorbed, the same should also apply to the Thunder Pool!</i>

    <i>Crackle!</i>

    The lightning vortex in Pang Jian''s spiritual sea crackled with chaotic shes of lightning.

    In contrast, the stars and the two moons in his dantian had beenpletely exhausted and even his spiritual sea had little spiritual power left.

    Pang Jian used all his strength to absorb the silvery-white Thunder Pool, and although it trembled slightly, he failed to draw it into his lightning vortex.

    <i>It''s possible to absorb the Thunder Pool, but I''ll have to recover my strength first.</i>

    After pondering for a while, Pang Jian attempted to toss the Thunder Pool into his spatial bracelet but it refused to go in.

    Pang Jian sighed softly. Using his golden figure, he ced the nine ciers down on the ground of the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God before stowing away the Heart of Winter.

    Suddenly, he noticed a sharp dragon horn sticking out from a nearby pit.

    <i>Hm? Oh, it''s the Ice Armor Eel Dragon!</i>

    Pang Jian had nearly forgotten about its existence. Soaring through the air with the ck turtle scute, he hovered above the pit where the dragon horn had appeared.

    "How long do you n to keep hiding?"

    "I''m not hiding!" The Ice Armor Eel Dragon growled, using its dragon horn to crush the rocks at the bottom of the pit.

    It neither soared into the sky nor fled the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God. Instead, it twisted its enormous head to peer around, then asked, "The Thunderveil Godbeast is dead?"

    "Dead?" Pang Jian shook his head, "That was the God of the Thunder Abyss. Its true body and soul never descended. How could it die? What was destroyed was merely one of its puppet bodies."

    "You say that but it was still quite powerful!" The Ice Armor Eel Dragon''s voice was hoarse. "I was too arrogant. I would be the strongest if the Outer Gods couldn''t fully descend."

    It then spat out the survivors on its tongue with a dispirited expression.

    "What Sea God? It''s all a lie¡ªI''m far from it!" It shook its massive head in frustration, crushing the surviving Sea Race warriors from the sheer force of the movement. "I belong to the Abyss. I''m not some sea creature of the Heavenly Sea World. In the end, I will always return to the Abyss."

    Lifting its head, it gazed at Pang Jian with its enormous eyes.

    "Long, long ago, someone resembling you captured me from the eternal darkness of the Fifth World and brought me to this cursednd shrouded in bizarre mist," it muttered. "I haven''t left since.

    "He said that one day, someone woulde and take me back to the Abyss.

    "But I didn''t know who that person would be, nor did I believe him. I vowed to leave this damned ce with my own strength. I didn''t need anyone''s help!"

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon roared in frustration.

    Pang Jian stood in a daze as he watched the Ice Armor Eel Dragon rant.

    <i>Someone captured the Ice Armor Eel Dragon from the Fifth World of the Abyss. It isn''t just the Giant Abyssal Serpent. Was it the same person who left the ck turtle, the World Eater Vine, and the beehive in the Solitary Mountain Range?</i> Pang Jian frowned in deep thought.

    "Pang Jian!"

    "Sir!"

    Qi Qingsong and the Ice Race called, having hurried over from the Frozen Land after the battle ended.

    "Pang Jian..."

    The survivors of the Ice Armor Eel Dragon''s maw gazed up at the person in the sky in confusion.

    Their memories were fragmented, and they could not fully recall everything that had happened.

    However, what they did remember was deeply etched into their minds.

    The vivid memory of Pang Jian controlling nine towering ciers in battle against a sea of lightning was truly unforgettable.

    "Pang Jian is alive, but that sea of lightning has vanished. Is the Thunderveil Godbeast...dead?" Lu Jie, a survivor from the Forsaken Expanse Sect, muttered in shock.

    She had retained most of her memories and could not help but shoot a confused look at Fu Wangchen.

    "Pang Jian and Junior Brother Fu¡ªwho was right and who was wrong?

    "If Junior Brother Fu was wrong, that would mean he''s responsible for all those deaths!"

 Chapter 332: The Right to a Share of the Loot

    <h4>Chapter 332: The Right to a Share of the Loot</h4>

    Lu Jie truly could not tell who was right and who was wrong.

    Next to her, Fu Wangchen knitted his brows and appeared lost in thought.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Streams of radiant light flowed into the survivors'' seas of consciousness, restoring their memories and making clear the sights they had seen while their consciousnesses were hazy.

    The image of Pang Jian battling the Outer God on the Thunder Pool stood out vividly in their minds.

    "Pang Jian..." Chen Lushi softly murmured as the light returned to her eyes.

    His lofty, imposing figure filled her with endless shame and regret.

    The survivors were still covered in the Ice Armor Eel Dragon''s sticky saliva as they scrambled out of the pit on all fours, eager to escape to safety.

    They feared the Ice Armor Eel Dragon would decide to swallow them again and subject them to more torment on its dark, foul-smelling tongue.

    However, the Ice Armor Eel Dragon paid them no mind as it gazed up at the sky motionlessly.

    "I need to return to Absolute Heaven to heal my wounds," the Ice Armor Eel Dragon hinted, eyeing Pang Jian uneasily.

    With his divine artifact andmand of the nine ciers, Pang Jian established himself as an extraordinarily fearsome presence.

    When he did not respond, it quietly reminded, "I saved you when you were being chased."

    Pang Jian was taken aback.

    "The Golden-Winged Giant Roc, that warship!" The Ice Armor Eel Dragon growled.

    Pang Jian nodded. "You''re right, that did happen."

    Sensing a strange aura growing in the depths of Fu Wangchen''s mind, he frowned.

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon panicked at the sight.

    "I have something for you!"

    <i>Crash!</i>

    It spat out a series of broken stone statues, wooden carvings, bone vessels, and ruined altars of Outer Gods.

    "These strange objects contain a peculiar energy. I don''t know how to absorb or refine it, but I wiped clean the evil consciousness within that tried to infect my soul.

    "It''s yours, all of it! I saw your people scavenging for these things everywhere. Maybe they''ll be useful to you," the Ice Armor Eel Dragon rambled anxiously.

    Pang Jian''s eyes lit up.

    Qi Qingsong, Dong Tianze, and the others had since flown over from the Frozen Land and were also visibly excited.

    They, too, sensed that the stone statues, wooden carvings, and broken altars contained pure divine essence.

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon had already purged the will of those Outer Gods.

    Lu Jie''s eyes also shed with intense desire.

    The Forsaken Expanse Sect hade to Absolute Heaven in search of such objects, only for the Ice Armor Eel Dragon to spit them out like garbage.

    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Despite this, none of the members of the Forsaken Expanse Sect scrambling out of the pit dared to turn back to retrieve the items piled up behind them.

    "Senior Brother Qi! Big Brother Zhou! Dong Tianze" Pang Jian called out.

    "We''re here!" The three shouted in unison, voices filled with delight.

    "Gather them up," Pang Jianmanded.

    He then used the Heart of Winter to summon one of the three-thousand-zhang-tall ciers.

    "Kid! I''ve given you everything I have and you still won''t let me go? We have no grudges! I even saved your life! Don''t repay kindness with cruelty!" The Ice Armor Eel Dragon growled, causing the pit to tremble and crack as it tried to gather its strength.

    Unfortunately, its severely wounded state meant its futile efforts only caused itsrge scales to burst open.

    It cried in anguish, "You despicable wretch! You¡ª"

    At that moment, the Ice Armor Eel Dragon realized the ciers were not actually locked onto him but a human cultivator.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A sh of cold light streaked through the air like a sharp de toward a rogue cultivator pretending to be dead at the bottom of the pit.

    The cold light pierced through his chest before freezing him solid.

    "That''s Ling He," Pang Jian said, ncing at Dong Tianze.

    Dong Tianze shuddered. Hastily moving over to Ling He''s frozen body, he revealed the brilliant Celestial Phoenix Imprint on his forehead.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A shining Celestial Phoenix Imprint floated from Ling He''s forehead for Dong Tianze to absorb.

    Dong Tianze''s aura skyrocketed and his heart pounded wildly.

    The hidden Divine Guard that had kept him constantly on guard had finally perished, and Pang Jian was responsible for this breath of relief.

    Pang Jian¡ªthe person he had once seen as his subordinate, a mere Hall Master.

    Dong Tianze''s expression grew peculiar. "I need to focus and consolidate my energy"

    Pang Jian nodded.

    "I..." A slightly embarrassed Dong Tianze stared at the stone statues and wooden carvings containing pure divine essence, pointedly avoiding Pang Jian''s gaze as he added sheepishly, "I also want to absorb more divine essence."

    Pang Jian nodded again.

    "Go ahead.

    "Senior Brother Qi, Big Brother Zhou, please distribute the items containing divine essence to him, her, her"¡ªPang Jian pointed to Dong Tianze, Zhuang Yuyan, and Zhao Yuanqi, and after a brief hesitation, Wu Yuan from the Demon Sect¡ª" and him, I suppose.

    "They all qualify for a share."

    Wu Yuan stood dumbfounded, taken aback at the unexpected favor.

    Chen Lushi''s eyes had been on Pang Jian since regaining her memory, and she only noticed her fellow sect member at Pang Jian''s gesture.

    "Wu Yuan!" she eximed in disbelief. "Wu Yuan! You-you actually...

    "Why didn''t you take me when you escaped theke? Why didn''t you tell me if you knew something was wrong and didn''t trust Fu Wangchen?" Chen Lushi''s voice wasced with frustration and resentment.

    "I mentioned it once out of consideration that we came from the same sect, but you didn''t seem to care," Wu Yuan replied coldly. "I only say things once."

    Chen Lushi''s huffiness deted.

    Zhuang Yuyan, Zhao Yuanqi, and Wu Yuan¡ªthe ones Pang Jian deemed eligible¡ªthen joined Qi Qingsong and Zhou Qingchen in gathering the objects of worship containing divine essence.

    Fang Boxuan could only watch in boundless regret.

    Although he had arrived here alongside on the Sword Boat, he had hesitated when it mattered the most.

    As a result, he had lost the opportunity for a share in the spoils and had be an outsider to the group.

    Pang Jian turned back to the Ice Armor Eel Dragon. "You may go."

    The ferocious Spirit Beast did not hesitate to summon its remaining strength to soar into the sky.

    "Pang Jian, be wary of the fiery fragmentednd. There are still rampant foreign races and Outer God Puppets there," the Ice Armor Eel Dragon warned.

    After leaving behind those parting words, it streaked across the void toward Absolute Heaven at lightning speed, seeking to return to itske as quickly as possible to recover its strength.

    "Sir!"

    Bing Yuan and Bing Ying approached Pang Jian with a group of Ice Race warriors, bowing respectfully atop their Spirit Avians.

    "I need items or materials infused with sr, lunar, ster, life, and earthme energy. Get me as much of those as you can¡ªI need to recover my strength," Pang Jian instructed.

    "We found some earlier!"

    "Sir! I have some stones infused with sr energy!"

    The members of the Ice Race eagerly offered their treasures.

    "Bring them to me as fast as possible." Pang Jiannded on top of one of the ciers, sat cross-legged, and took out some spirit jades to refill his spiritual sea.

    "We''re on it!"

    ***

    The Spider God, Yang Luo, had returned to the fiery fragmentednd.

    The invading foreign races had since ughtered all of the me Race, and the fire crystals and crimson fruits in the zing sea of magma had already been plundered clean.

    "Yang Luo, did the Thunderveil Godbeast kill that foolish Ice Armor Eel Dragon?" You Kui asked, hovering aboard the Ghost Race''s warship. He watched as the Ghost Race warriors carefully ced the fire crystals, crimson fruits, and Scarlet me Divine Iron into storage.

    These fire-attribute treasures were priceless in the outside world, and the Ghost Race had gained a considerable harvest.

    "Take a guess," Yang Luo responded coldly.

    Several of the Outer Gods stared at her curiously in their puppet bodies.

    "Yang Luo, did something unexpected happen?"

    "That Thunderveil Godbeast has coveted the Duke of Thunder''s artifact for tens of thousands of years. It''s said that he even received help from an Observer. There''s no way he couldn''t kill a Rank Eight Spirit Beast, right?"

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The massive Ice Armor Eel Dragon flew past the fiery fragmentednd.

    "Uh..." The deer-like Outer God who hadst spoken stared in astonishment as the Ice Armor Eel Dragon flew past the edge of the fiery fragmentednd. "Are Spirit Beasts from the Abyss always this terrifying?"

    The other Outer Gods were also baffled.

    "Impossible!"

    "The Thunderveil Godbeast should''ve been practically invincible with the Duke of Thunder''s artifact in that fragmentednd! That''s why I didn''t bother going there to humiliate myself!"

    "Me too!"

    "It was defeated? That makes no sense!"

    The Outer Gods knew they¡ªwith their puppet bodies¡ªstood no chance against the Thunderveil Godbeast once it had gained control of the Thunder Pool.

    Thus, they avoided the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    "A human from the Abyss named Pang Jian seized the Heart of Winter, the divine artifact the Ice Demon sealed in the Frozen Land," Yang Luo exined, suppressing the turmoil in her heart and maintaining her outwardly calm expression. "He then used it to merge the Frozen Land and the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    "After the two fragmentednds merged, he became like a reborn Ice Demon. In the end, he cleaved the puppet body of the Thunderveil Godbeast forged from a branch of the Nine Heavens Thunder Divine Tree into two.

    "The Thunderveil Godbeast, Lei Meng, was wiped out instantly, and the Ice Armor Eel Dragon escaped.

    "Pang Jian now controls the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God and the Frozen Land. Not to mention, the Thunder Pool and the Heart of Winter rest in his hands.

    "And you all"¡ªYang Luo looked at the Outer God Puppets and the foreign races that worshiped them¡ª"want to charge in?"

 Chapter 333: Killing a Genius with the Flick of a Finger

    <h4>Chapter 333: Killing a Genius with the Flick of a Finger</h4>

    "Charge into the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God?"

    Outer God Puppets fell into deep contemtion.

    After a long while, You Kui, the Ghost Race''s worshiped Outer God, said dejectedly, "He also possesses Nether Abyss Spirit Bees. Invading his sea of consciousness with our divine consciousness would be like throwing meat buns to a dog.

    "We don''t have the advantage of our divine consciousness. Not to mention, he also wields the Heart of Winter and rules over the Frozen Land.

    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Our true bodies cannot descend here, and I fear we won''t stand a chance against him with these puppet bodies."

    Silence fell among the other Outer Gods.

    A hint of confusion flickered across Yang Luo''s beautiful face. "That person¡ªthe one I saw rising from Spirit Offering in the Abyss and ascending to the Second World.

    "She should have appeared in thisnd by now.

    "But..." Yang Luo extended her divine sense to search.

    "I already checked. She''s not here." You Kui snorted. "She has noble status and overwhelming power. There wouldn''t be any spoils left for us if she were here.

    You Kui turned his shadowed face under the cloak toward Yang Luo.

    "You once said that she changed her mind because of a human from the Abyss named Pang Jian. Even if shees, there''s no guarantee she''ll be on our side¡ªshe could side with that human boy."

    "Not necessarily." Yang Luo shook her head. "We both know the Lord split their divine consciousness into six independent parts toprehend six Heavenly Daos. Each of their independent consciousnesses is aplete entity. The one associated with Pang Jian is only one of those six consciousnesses, and she''s one of the weaker ones.

    "As the Lord''s divine power awakens, that weaker consciousness will be sidelined.

    "The Lord''s primary consciousness likely will not care about the past and may no longer consider that human boy significant.

    "Don''t forget, she was once one of the Lord Sovereigns governing the Hall of the Gods!

    "Back when the other Outer Gods'' negligence allowed the human race to destroy the Hall of the Gods, the Lord had been one of the most enraged Lords.

    "As far as I know, the Lord personally hunted down and killed seven True Gods of the human race over the past hundred thousand years.

    "The Lord hates all humans, including that human boy named Pang Jian. Even if she truly arrives, as long as the Lord regains their memories, Pang Jian will surely die!" Yang Luo shared her thoughts.

    "She''s here. She''s always been here. You just didn''t notice." An ivory-white altar flew out from a crescent-shaped ship belonging to the Bright Moon Race.

    An ethereal figure d in resplendent silver robes descended onto the altar.

    It was a soul projection of the Moon God, possessing only faint divine consciousness as itcked a puppet body to contain her full divine power.

    Her gaze fell upon the body of the Fire God lying in the boiling magma.

    "Yan Lie was once one of its generals. Although Yan Lie''s soul was destroyed, his body remains intact.

    "But she can revive Yan Lie through his blood and heart. In fact, she''s doing just that right now.

    "The strangews of the bizarre mist govern this space. It only allows the bodies of perished Outer Gods to enter, and these fragmentednds only converge here during the once-in-a-hundred-millennia grand event.

    "This is a peculiar space between worlds where we cannot enter with our true bodies.

    "Even if we died and remained dead for tens of thousands of years, it would still take many fortuitous coincidences for the mysterious forces to bring us here at the right moment."

    The soul projection of the Moon God then bowed toward the massive Outer God''s body.

    "It''s rumored that you killed your own subordinate, Yan Lie.

    "Moreover, he''s been buried in this fragmentednd for the thirty thousand years since he died,ter pushed into the bizarre mist.

    "You''ve been nning this for thirty thousand years. You knew this day woulde. You knew this space between worlds would form.

    "Will Yan Lie be the first Outer God to descend into the Abyss with his divine body?" The Moon God asked.

    The other Outer Gods gazed in stunned disbelief at the body of the Fire God, Yan Lie.

    "Has the Lord truly been preparing for this for thirty thousand years?"

    "Did they kill their subordinate and send his dead body into the bizarre mist to be revived after thirty thousand years?"

    "Could it be true?"

    Whispers of disbelief echoed among the Outer Gods in the fiery fragmentednd.

    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>

    Yan Lie''s heart started to beat!

    The will of a God rippled from Yan Lie''s chest and spread across the fiery fragmentednd.

    The Outer God Puppets were momentarily stunned.

    Then, theymanded their respective foreign races to throw all the looted fire crystals, crimson fruits, and Scarlet me Divine Iron back into the boiling magma.

    They did this to restore Yan Lie''s lost divine power.

    The resurrection of an Outer God with aplete divine body in this space did not impact a mere few fragmentednds.

    That Lord and its subordinate, Yan Lie, were aiming for the primordial Tribtion Ground of Gods and Demons¡ªthe Abyss!

    ***

    Hundreds of Ice Race warriors flew across the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God on their Spirit Avians, looting the bodies strewn across thend.

    Bing Ji and Bing Yun, the two Ice Race warriors, would asionally make a trip to the cier where Pang Jian sat to offer him ores, wood, and items infused with different energies.

    Meanwhile, Qi Qingsong, Dong Tianze, Zhuang Yuyan, Zhou Qingchen, Zhao Yuanqi, and Wu Yuan were refining their divine sense with the pure divine essence in the puppet bodies.

    "Two hundred! My divine sense has reached two hundred strands!"

    "I''m at one hundred and ny strands!"

    "What about you? How many do you have now?"

    "A bit over two hundred strands!"

    The six tried to suppress their excitement but found it hard to contain their joy, and their voices gradually grew louder as they discussed their progress.

    Lu Jie, Fang Boxuan, Chen Lushi, Jiang Chao, Xiao Yu, and the rest were on a nearby hill, gazing forlornly at the ruined city where the six were refining their divine sense.

    "I should be among them," Fang Boxuan said with a bitter smile. "Wu Yuan belongs here, and I should be in that pit, absorbing the pure divine essence."

    "Fate is a strange thing. Sometimes, a single choice can determine the course of a person''s life," Xiao Yu said with a sigh.

    Chen Lushi reluctantly turned away, unable to bear the sight any longer.

    Biting her lip, she nced at Fu Wangchen and coldly said, "The so-called unparalleled genius of the Forsaken Expanse Sect is nothing but an empty title. He couldn''t deal with a single Ice Armor Eel Dragon, even with so many treasures in his possession!"

    The sight of the Ice Armor Eel Dragon deferring to Pang Jian was something she would never forget.

    The helplessness she and the others had felt in the face of the Ice Armor Eel Dragon caused her to realize that the so-called genius of the Forsaken Expanse Sect was not that special after all.

    Lu Jie sighed. "How could we have known that all thekes were connected? And that no matter which one we entered, we would eventually end up in the Ice Armor Eel Dragon''sir?"

    "What''s the point of discussing this anymore?" Jiang Chao snorted coldly. "At least there''s still you and Wu Yuan from the Demon Sect. I''m the only survivor left from the Celestial Lagoon Sect."

    His gaze swept across Lu Jie, Xiao Yu, and the few remaining survivors.

    "Also, Fu Wangchen may still be right. Look at how the Ice Race treats Pang Jian. How could he have gained such power without aligning himself with an Outer God?" Jiang Chao added maliciously.

    Everybody''s expressions changed.

    "Keep your voice down!" Lu Jie hissed.

    Even Jiang Chao seemed slightly frightened, and he lowered his voice as he continued, "The Outer God of the Nether Abyss has likely influenced Pang Jian into bing its follower. That''s probably why he was granted divine artifacts and immense power.

    "He could very well be nning to guide the foreign races into the Abyss to free more of them from the Fifth World!"

    The others grew nervous and could not help but fear whaty ahead.

    Jiang Chao''s words roused Fu Wangchen of the Forsaken Expanse Sect from his deep contemtion.

    "You''re right," he agreed, giving Jiang Chao an approving look. "It''s rare for someone to remain clear-headed and not lose themselves after escaping the Ice Armor Eel Dragon''s jaws."

    "I have a n..." Fu Wangchen said, ncing at the cier where Pang Jian sat.

    Unfortunately for him, Pang Jian now controlled the merged fragmentednds and immediately sensed Fu Wangchen''s gaze.

    He stared back at Fu Wangchen with narrowed eyes.

    "A petty clown who''s not even worth mentioning," Pang Jian sneered, shaking his head.

    <i>Swoosh!</i>

    A cold light beam pierced and killed the future leader of the Forsaken Expanse Sect like the casual thrust of a sword from a God.

    A tiny figure identical to Fu Wangchen flew out of the third eye on his forehead and yelled in horror, "Pang Jian!"

    <i>Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!</i>

    Several golden bees appeared, swarming the tiny figure fleeing from Fu Wangchen''s lifeless body and tearing at his divine soul.

    As the golden bees ripped Fu Wangchen''s divine soul apart, they uncovered an eight-armed soul shadow within the third eye of Fu Wangchen''s divine soul!

    It was the Outer God known as the Skull Crusher!

    Like his real body, Fu Wangchen''s divine soul also had a third eye, refined from divine consciousness.

    The Skull Crusher had corrupted that divine eye and was hiding within it!

    "How dare you hide in the shadows and meddle behind the scenes? Did you really think I couldn''t see you?" Pang Jian scoffed.

    The bees devoured the Skull Crusher''s eight arms and gnawed on its skull.

    "Pang Jian! The Outer Gods have already marked you for death!" the Skull Crusher roared. "Sooner orter, the boundary wall of the Abyss will be breached, and when that happens, you''ll be the first to fall!

    "Pang Jian, your atrocities will not go unpunished! The Outer Gods will never forgive you! Your cruelty and brutality have enraged the Outer Gods¡ªyou won''t escape!"

    The Skull Crusher''s piercing voice deafened all who heard it.

    The rumors of Pang Jian colluding with the Nether Abyss Outer God were instantly discredited and Jiang Chao''s malicious spections became an utter joke.

 Chapter 334: Everyone Refines Their Divine Soul

    <h4>Chapter 334: Everyone Refines Their Divine Soul</h4>

    The future leader of the Forsaken Expanse Sect in the Northern Ruin was killed, with body and soul destroyed.

    After his physical body was dealt with, his divine soul was forced to manifest, only for the golden bees to rip it apart to force out the soul projection of the Skull Crusher.

    This was clear proof that an Outer God had corrupted Fu Wangchen.

    Pang Jian''s parting words when he fled Absolute Heaven had been proven true.

    The corrupted one was not Pang Jian from the Sword Pavilion, but Fu Wangchen from the Forsaken Expanse Sect.

    The truth wasid bare before everyone, leaving no room for denial.

    "I can''t believe Pang Jian killed Junior Brother Fu so easily." Lu Jie found it difficult to ept.

    Qiao Zhen sighed. "A once-great hero had perished, body and soul. How tragic."

    Fang Boxuan was also at a loss. As he stared at Pang Jian, sitting atop the cier, he felt like the heavens had been overturned.

    The Sword Pavilion in the Second World had no True God residing over it and could notpare to the Forsaken Expanse Sect.

    However, despite only recently being recorded in the Sword Pavilion''s register, Pang Jian had unexpectedly demonstrated an unmatched strength in the depths of the bizarre mist.

    Pang Jian destroyed the puppet body of the Thunderveil Godbeast, forced a Rank Eight Ice Armor Eel Dragon into submission, and then slew the corrupted genius of the Forsaken Expanse Sect, Fu Wangchen.

    Fang Boxuan could only dream of aplishing what Pang Jian had, especially killing Fu Wangchen, which had been his goal since the destruction of his n.

    After all, Fu Wangchen''s master, Li Chu, had caused the massacre of the Fang n, forcing Fang Boxuan to hide his identity and cultivate in the Blood Moon Sect.

    "Fu Wangchen is dead. A person I should''ve killed with my own hands has died at Pang Jian''s instead." Fang Boxuan shook his head, lost in thought.

    "You?" Chen Lushi scoffed, lips curling in mockery, "The Ice Armor Eel Dragon wouldn''t have bested you in Absolute Heaven if you had Pang Jian''s cultivation and skills. Your biggest mistake, Fang Xuan, was¡ª"

    Chen Lushi stopped when abruptly realized that she, too, had made the same mistake as Fang Boxuan¡ªnot trusting Pang Jian.

    "Pang Jian!" Lu Jie shouted toward the cier.

    Pang Jian ignored her and remained fully immersed in his cultivation.

    Bing Ying and several other Rank Six Ice Race warriors nced down from their Spirit Avians with cold expressions.

    Lu Jie had intended to throw out a few harsh words, but the chill coiling around her dantian and spiritual sea under the Ice Race warriors'' icy stares rendered her unable to speak.

    "What should we do now?" Xiao Yu asked, having since changed into a clean robe that entuated her long legs.

    Her bewildered gaze swept over Jiang Chao, Lu Jie, Chen Lushi, Fang Boxuan, and the others beforending on Qiao Zhen from the Qiao n, which was allied with the Sword Pavilion.

    "Sister Zhen, the Heavenly Roc Warship has been destroyed, and all ourrge flying vessels have been wrecked. How are we going to leave?"

    "I don''t know either," Qiao Zhen replied with a bitter smile.

    "Why don''t you ask those from the Sword Pavilion?" Xiao Yu suggested, lowering her head with a soft sigh. "Everyone in my Xiao n is dead, and this wretched ce is terrifying. I don''t care about seeking opportunities anymore¡ªI just want to leave."

    "Who doesn''t?" Qiao Zhen shook her head.

    "We''ll likely have to rely on the Sword Pavilion if we want to leave as their Sword Boat is still anchored somewhere in the bizarre mist," Fang Boxuan said.

    "The Sword Boat is still intact?!"

    Everyone''s spirits lifted.

    "We''ll just have to wait for Qi Qingsong, Zhuang Yuyan, and the others to finish their business, and then beg them to take us along when they leave," Fang Boxuan said despondently.

    It could take anywhere from hours to days for them to be ready.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A radiant Celestial Phoenix soared from Dong Tianze''s forehead as he awakened from meditation.

    His eyes glowed with a serene, mysterious light.

    The massive Celestial Phoenix shone with sacred radiance, gracefully enveloping Dong Tianze''s slender frame in its expansive wings as if tenderly protecting him.

    "Dong Tianze!" Qi Qingsong eximed in surprise. "What''s this? Have you already finished refining your divine soul?"

    "I am," Dong Tianze answered from within the Celestial Phoenix''s cradling wings. "My divine soul has taken form, but I need to merge it with my Celestial Phoenix Imprint to stabilize my cultivation."

    "How many strands of divine sense did you have before refining your divine soul? And how much of it contains divine essence?" Qi Qingsong asked eagerly.

    "My total number of divine sense was over three hundred strands¡ªthough I didn''t count the exact number. Of those, around two hundred were imbued with divine essence." Dong Tianze then fell silent as he resumed his cultivation.

    "Over three hundred strands!" Chen Lushi, Jiang Chao, and the others were filled with envy.

    In general, they only had around a hundred and twenty strands of divine sense and had not obtained any divine essence from the Outer Gods.

    The group watching from a distance still had a long way to go before they could refine their divine souls.

    Dong Tianze of the Third World''s Sinister Soul Temple was the first among his peers to refine his divine soul using over three hundred strands of divine sense!

    After another long while, Zhao Yuanqi from the Red Mountain Sect finished refining a mountain in her sea of consciousness.

    The mountain stood a hundred zhang tall, but only two-thirds of it was deep crimson, while the other part remained gray.

    With a thought, the mountain transformed into a clear image of herself. Her divine soul''s face, neck, and waist were a deep red while everything below her legs was gray.

    "I don''t have enough divine essence. Otherwise, the entire mountain would be deep crimson." She sighed, ncing at Qi Qingsong.

    "You''ve formed your divine soul too?" Qi Qingsong asked.

    Zhao Yuanqi nodded. "I had less than three hundred strands of total divine sense, and the divine essence I gained wasn''t enough, so..."

    "Of course. After all, Zhou Qingchen, Dong Tianze, and I received the most divine essence," Qi Qingsong said openly. "When Fu Wangchen captured Pang Jian on the Heavenly Roc Warship, Dong Tianze soared to the skies several times to fight for him. He ended up seriously injured and his ck Iron Mountain was also destroyed in the process.

    "My and Zhou Qingchen''s rtionship with Pang Jian goes without saying! Do you have a problem with that?" Qi Qingsong snorted.

    Zhao Yuanqi shook her head without a word of protest.

    Qi Qingsong and Wu Yuan also finished refining their divine souls a few dayster.

    Only Zhou Qingchen, with hisparatively lower cultivation realm, and Zhuang Yuyan, already in the Spirit Condensation Realm, did not refine their divine souls.

    The other four in Pang Jian''s group sessfully refined their divine souls using the pure divine essence they had received.

    "I refined my divine soul too early!" Zhuang Yuyan huffed.

    While she had fused the divine essence she received into her existing divine soul, the benefits were nowhere near as great as directly forming one''s divine soul with it.

    "If I had known such immense fortune awaited us, I wouldn''t have broken through while in the bizarre mist!" She was filled with regret.

    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Three t warships that the Ice Race had meticulously repaired rose from the frigid Frozen Land.

    "It worked!"

    "Second Elder! We powered up the warships!"

    "With these, we can sail across the endless bizarre mist and reach the vast starry skies beyond!"

    The Ice Race warriors cheered.

    Not long ago, another elder had also broken through the limits of his bloodline and advanced to Rank Seven.

    Many Ice Race warriors experienced a breakthrough in their bloodlines with the help of artifacts from the other foreign races and fragments from the Divine Court of Thunder.

    The dawn of the Ice Race''s resurgence was in sight, causing their cold blood to boil with excitement. They all hoped Pang Jian would lead them out of the Frozen Land.

    ***

    Bing Ji and Bing Yun, the two Ice Race warriors, stood guard at the base of the cier where Pang Jian sat.

    "Halt!" They red at an unexpected visitor.

    Chen Lushi had spent some time grooming herself over the past few days. Her eyebrows were as delicate as a painting, her full lips alluringly rosy, and her beauty mark had taken on an irresistible charm.

    A faint smile yed at the corners of her lips as she coaxed, "Gentlemen, I have some matters to discuss with Pang Jian. Could I trouble you to let me pass?"

    "Lord said that only the six in the city ruins may pass messages," Bing Ji sneered. "You''re not part of that group. Go back."

    "Why the distinction?!" Chen Lushi protested, ring fiercely toward the top cier, hoping her sharp voice would reach Pang Jian.

    "Enough nonsense!" Bing Yun red at her as the ice beneath his feet cracked audibly.

    The solid chunks of ice had already been infused with his bloodline power and were ready tounch a storm-like barrage of attacks against Chen Lushi at any moment.

    "Foreign races are just foreign races!" Chen Lushi left in a fury. As she stomped back to the hill, she shouted at the ruins, "Wu Yuan! You''re the leader of the expedition from the Demon Sect. Are you going to stay with them forever?"

    "It''s better than staying with you," Wu Yuan coldly replied. Then, adding fuel to the fire, he continued "You led a whole group of cultivators into theke for the Ice Armor Eel Dragon to devour.

    "I survived and sessfully refined my divine soul because I didn''t follow you."

    Chen Lushi nearly spat blood.

    ***

    Pang Jian remained silent atop the cier, showing no signs of movement.

    Qi Qingsong and the others who had sessfully refined their divine souls were busy stabilizing their cultivation and were in no hurry to leave.

    The Ice Race scoured every corner of the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God, gathering everything the other foreign races had left behind.

    The Forbidden Land of the Thunder God and the Frozen Land had merged into one, and there were no signs they would split apart again. Thus, after consulting with the other members of the Ice Race, Bing Yuan decided to rename the two mergednds "Frozen Thunder."

    One day, Lu Jie from the Forsaken Expanse Sect awoke from her long meditation.

    "I''ve sessfully refined my divine soul too. Unfortunately, I could neither obtain divine essence nor forge an eye like Junior Brother Fu." She sighed with regret.

    "I''ve also sessfully refined my divine soul," Jiang Chao, Chen Lushi, and others also announced as they broke through to the Spirit Condensation Realm one after another.

    They had been meditating while waiting for Pang Jian to bring them out of Frozen Thunder and had eventually broken through after patiently working through the obstacles.

    Eventually, even Zhou Qingchen, who had the weakest cultivation realm when they first arrived, alsopleted the refining of his divine soul as well. Once that happened, everyone could not help but turn curious eyes at where Pang Jian sat atop the cier.

    "Why hasn''t Pang Jian formed his divine soul yet?"

 Chapter 335: The Fire God, Yan Lie

    <h4>Chapter 335: The Fire God, Yan Lie</h4>

    The nine shrunken ciers slowly rose again in Frozen Thunder under the nourishment of the extreme cold.

    The six Ice Race elders were having a meeting atop one of these ciers.

    "Second Elder, I''ve done a tally. We now have nine members in Rank Seven, thirty-six in Rank Six, and two hundred and seven in Rank Five," the stocky Sixth Elder Bing He reported. "We''ve also repaired six warships, enough to carry all our people out of the bizarre mist."

    The six Ice Race elders asionally nced at the nearby peak where Pang Jian sat motionless.

    "What if he doesn''t wake up? Are we just going to wait here indefinitely?" asked Fourth Elder Bing Jing.

    The tall, slender Ice Race elder was the most radical among them and had been a staunch supporter of Grand Elder Bing Lan.

    ¡°Lord Pang Jian is not one of us,¡± he reminded.

    The other five elders stared at him with cold expressions.

    "I''ve been eavesdropping on the conversation of the humans from the Abyss," Bing Jing continued, gazing at the ruined city and the pits scattered across the fragmentednd. "The Abyss appears to be a forbiddennd for Outer Gods. ording to our historical records, the human race ruled the Abyss.

    "The human race suppressed all the other races and forced them into a world of eternal darkness. These other races are considered outcasts in the Abyss and the human race will likely also treat us the same way."

    Bing Jing paused and lowered his head.

    "Even if we migrate out of Frozen Thunder, it would be best not to head to the Abyss, as it surely will not wee us," he said quietly. "Not to mention, we all heard the conversation between that Outer God and Lord Pang Jian.

    "The True Gods of the human race live in exile and are relentlessly hunted. It''s in our best interest to not get too involved with the human race or we could end up as enemies of the Outer Gods as well."

    The other five Ice Race elders fell into silence.

    None of them could even scold him as they were also equally uncertain about the future.

    Sixth Elder Bing He sighed. "I wish he was one of us."

    "We''ll probably have to part ways in the end," Fifth Elder Bing Ying said with a hint of resignation. "He''ll return to the Abyss, but the Abyss is not our home."

    "However, the Heart of Winter is still with him," Bing Jing whispered.

    "Have you forgotten how Bing Lan died?" Bing Yuan snapped. "If Lord Pang Jian hadn''t taken the Heart of Winter, the Thunderveil Godbeast would''vee for the Frozen Land after seizing the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God. It was going to sell us off to the Frost Crystal God!

    "The entire Ice Race would''ve been wiped out!" Bing Yuan took a deep breath and turned to stare pointedly at the fiery fragmentednd in the distance. "Besides, have you forgotten about that other fragmentednd right next to ours?"

    "I haven''t forgotten. That''s why I want to leave as soon as possible!" Bing Jing shouted.

    "We wait!" Bing Yuan said irritably. "We continue waiting for Lord Pang Jian!"

    ***

    "This can''t go on," Jiang Chao said gravely. "We can''t stay on this fragmentednd forever. Lu Jie, should we consider offering a fortune to the Ice Race in exchange for one of their warships?"

    "You don''t want to leave on the Sword Pavilion''s Sword Boat?" Fang Boxuan asked, face pale. "Even if we had a warship, how would you find the way back?

    "What if we get lost again? Or worse, what if we identally enter a fragmentednd controlled by foreign races? That would be certain death."

    Although Pang Jian and the others had abandoned him, Fang Boxuan still staunchly believed that only Pang Jian could find a safe path back to the Abyss through the bizarre mist.

    He did not think anyone else had the ability.

    "I don''t care what your ns are. I''m staying here. I''ll only leave with Pang Jian," Chen Lushi dered coldly.

    Jiang Chao cursed, "You wretched woman¡ª"

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A towering, zing figure rose from the fiery fragmentednd, stunning everyone in Frozen Thunder.

    The body was so massive and radiant that even the cold mist could not obscure its imposing majesty.

    "It''s the dead Fire God!¡±

    "Does he look dead to you?!"

    Everyone was shaken to their core.

    "I told you! We should''ve left this cursed ce earlier, but all of you hesitated, insisting on waiting for Pang Jian to wake up!" Fourth Elder Bing Jing roared.

    The Fire God stood at over ten thousand zhang tall, with eyes like molten pools ofva and his body covered in deep red scales.

    He stood silently in the fiery fragmentednd and gazed into the distance.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The fiery fragmentednd below the Fire God churned violently with volcanicva and mes before being absorbed into the Fire God''s body.

    A terrifying aura of destruction rippled outward in waves of heat.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    The Outer God Puppets and the warships of the foreign races looked like flies buzzing around the towering Fire God.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The ice beneath Pang Jian shattered as he startled awake from his cultivation.

    The sight of the resurrected Fire God shocked him deeply, as he had seen the Fire God''s body lying in molten magma with his own eyes.

    Even across millions of li of void, the aura emanating from the Fire God was powerful enough to make Pang Jian''s scalp tingle. He felt like his skin and hair were about to be set aze.

    The fiery pool within his spiritual sea, which had yet to be fully replenished with earthme energy, started to boil.

    A small section of the fiery pool bubbled and hissed.

    Thick fiery energy churned like boiling liquid fire in Pang Jian''s fiery pool.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian summoned the Heart of Winter, stood atop it, and broke through the mistyyer of Frozen Thunder to hover in the void.

    Man and God locked eyes across millions of li.

    Pang Jian knew with full certainty that he was no match for the Fire God when he felt the overwhelming wave of divine power wash over him.

    Even the Heart of Winter and the cold energy from Frozen Thunder were not enough to make up the difference between them.

    Whether he wanted to admit it or not, he was painfully aware that they were not on the same level.

    <i>So this is the power of an Outer God in its true body!</i>

    Blood pounded Pang Jian''s ears. For the first time, he felt true despair.

    It did not matter what he tried or what methods he used, facing the Fire God could only ever result in death.

    <i>The bizarre mist! I can teleport using the golden bees!</i>

    It was the only path to survival that Pang Jian could think of.

    <i>I''m sorry...</i>

    Pang Jian knew he could not protect Qi Qingsong, Zhou Qingchen, and the rest when faced with an Outer God in its true body.

    The fragmentednd below would soon be engulfed in mes from the Fire God''s fiery gaze.

    Everyone on Frozen Thunder was doomed.

    Even Pang Jian did not know if his n would allow him to survive.

    He had no idea whether the Fire God would detect where he had teleported and rush to the bizarre mist to obliterate him.

    "Lord Pang Jian!"

    "Pang Jian!"

    Qi Qingsong, the cultivators from the Abyss, and the Ice Race cried out in fear and anguish.

    "This is a resurrected Outer God in its true body. I¡ªI cannot protect you all."

    Pang Jian''s somber, helpless voice echoed from the towering ciers and the six ice pirs of the Ice Race''s altar.

    His words were like the promation of a death sentence.

    The Ice Race wailed in despair, deeply regretting not leaving earlier. Jiang Chao, Fang Boxuan, and others copsed weakly to the ground, and even Qi Qingsong, Zhuang Yuyan, and the rest were consumed by fear.

    "How could this happen? Isn''t the bizarre mist supposed to prevent Outer Gods from manifesting here with their true bodies?¡±

    "All of us¡ªforeign races, Spirit Beasts, and everyone else¡ªhave had our power limited!¡±

    "How could an Outer God exist in this space?"

    Hopeless cries reverberated throughout Frozen Thunder.

    Meanwhile, the Outer Gods on the fiery fragmentednd rejoiced.

    "Yan Lie, congrattions on your resurrection!"

    "Yan Lie, you''ll be the first Outer God to enter the Abyss with your true body!¡±

    "This is a momentous event!"

    "Go, Yan Lie. Hunt down all the humans from the Abyss and overturn the Abyss for the Lord! Free our races from the endless darkness!"

    "Yan Lie, you''ll be carrying a heavy responsibility!"

    The Outer Gods surrounding the massive body excitedly stoked the mes. They could already see Frozen Thunder engulfed in mes and the Abyss reduced to scorched earth.

    Suddenly, a section of deep red scales covering Yan Lie''s heart split down the center of his chest as if forcibly pried apart!

    From afar, the scales resembled a tform in the Fire God''s chest.

    Fire God Yan Lie''s fiery eyes shed with nostalgia and sorrow. Bowing his head, he whispered, "Greetings, my Lord."

    "Lord Sovereign."

    "My Lord!"

    "Sir..."

    The lower and mid-ranking Outer Gods bowed in respect.

    Several smaller puppet bodies hurriedly descended to float beneath the tform-like scales.

    The mid-ranking Outer Gods dared to ascend to Yan Lie''s shoulders and gaze out over Frozen Thunder because they were on equal footing with the resurrected Yan Lie.

    However, the Lord they sensed was on a far higher level than they were, and to ce themselves above that being would be a sacrilegious offense.

    They were all aware of the Lord''s temperament and descended to show their humility and respect.

 Chapter 336: Vast Divine Might

    <h4>Chapter 336: Vast Divine Might</h4>

    A shadowy, graceful figure in ck emerged from the chest of the Fire God, Yan Lie.

    She stood atop the protruding red scales of Yan Lie''s chest, as though standing in a celestial pce of the Gods and gazing down on its followers in the worlds below.

    It was like all beings could only kneel in reverence under her gaze, singing praises and calling upon its true name.

    ¡°My Lord,¡± Yan Lie softly said.

    She gently shook her head.

    Yan Lie and all the Outer Gods fell silent.

    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    She knitted her brows, expression cold and distant. Her deep ocean eyes were eerily calm.

    A beautifully intricate ck robe and stern expression had reced her usual crimson gown and charming smile.

    It was like she had be someone entirely different.

    Her eyesnded on Pang Jian.

    Yan Lie and the Outer Gods remained silent.

    The foreign races'' warships were also deathly still.

    No one, not even an Outer God, dared to disturb the tranquility she had willed into existence.

    "Luo¡ª" The word caught in Pang Jian''s throat.

    Seeing this familiar figure with a cold and distant expression on her wless face, the words he wanted to say would note out.

    Aplex mix of shock, confusion, and other conflicting emotions he could not name flooded his heart.

    He could not understand why Luo Hongyan had emerged from the resurrected Fire God''s chest or what she intended to do.

    However, the Fire God''s respectful demeanor and the cautious reverence of the Outer Gods, made one thing clear¡ªshe was inplete control of the situation.

    None of the beings on the fiery fragmentednd dared to stand as Luo Hongyan''s equals.

    They were simply unqualified.

    "I¡ª" Pang Jian''s lips quivered as he struggled to speak. ¡°I want to..."

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The Ice Race''s six repaired warships, Zhao Yuanqi''s gourd, and the wing of a golden massive roc took off from Frozen Thunder.

    The warships were filled with the weaker members of the Ice Race; Qi Qingsong, Zhuang Yuyan, and others were on Zhao Yuanqi''s gourd; while Lu Jie and Chen Lushi were on a golden roc''s wing.

    Many Ice Race warriors also flew away from Frozen Thunder on their Spirit Avians.

    "Pang Jian!"

    "My Lord!"

    "Let''s go!"

    "Let''s escape into the bizarre mist. It''s our only chance at survival!"

    They called at the top of their lungs.

    None dared to look directly at the Fire God as they urged Pang Jian to escape.

    Luo Hongyan narrowed her eyes.

    The warships halted, the wings of the Spirit Avians froze mid-p, and the arrays within the golden roc''s wings were rendered powerless.

    A mysterious force instantly sealed the strength of the Ice Race warriors, Qi Qingsong, and the others.

    Everyone was frozen in ce outside of Frozen Thunder.

    "Luo-Luo Hongyan!"

    "Luo Hongyan!"

    Qi Qingsong, Zhou Qingchen, and Dong Tianze cried out in shock.

    The ck-d figure on the Fire God''s chest grewrger andrger, eventually surpassing even the ten-thousand-zhang-tall Fire God.

    Her presence was everywhere.

    It almost seemed like the world itself could not contain her!

    "She..." The Ice Rade elders trembled.

    Her massive figure dwarfed the four fragmentednds, nketing the void between them and stretching into the bizarre mist.

    "Who is she?"

    "Who could she possibly be?"

    "How could such a terrifying existence exist in this world?"

    Lu Jie, Jiang Chao, Chen Lushi, and the other survivors trembled under Luo Hongyan''s immense divine might and could not help but kneel in the void.

    Like a contagious wave, the Ice Race, Wu Yuan, Zhuang Yuyan, Zhao Yuanqi, and Dong Tianze fell to their knees one after another.

    All those leaving Frozen Thunder knelt before Luo Hongyan in the vast void, including the Spirit Avians!

    Only Qi Qingsong and Zhou Qingchen were spared.

    Her divine might permeated the void,pelling every soul that felt it to bend their knees.

    It was like she embodied the ultimatews of the universe, etched into the souls of all living beings.

    Only those she spared could avoid kneeling.

    "I¡ª"

    "We¡ª"

    Qi Qingsong and Zhou Qingchen exchanged panicked nces, terrified and unsure of what to do.

    Even the foreign races on the warships floating above the fiery fragmentednd bent their knees in worship while the Outer Gods bowed in reverence.

    Only the two of them and Pang Jian had been spared from thepulsion of Luo Hongyan''s divine might.

    Luo Hongyan''s ethereal voice seemed to echo from everywhere at once¡ªthe fragmentednds, the void, and even the depths of the bizarre mist.

    "We shall meet again in the Abyss." She nodded gently at Pang Jian before disappearing back into the Fire God''s body.

    Her immense divine might vanished.

    The Fire God''s colossal body fell back onto the fiery fragmentednd and absorbed the overwhelming fiery energy from the volcanoes.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The fiery fragmentednd shot into the bizarre mist like a zing meteor.

    The foreign races and the Outer God Puppets were all taken along with it.

    Those kneeling under Luo Hongyan''spulsion returned to their senses, sweat-drenched and minds still slightly dazed.

    "Who-who is she?"

    "Who was she talking to before she left?"

    "She mentioned meeting in the Abyss¡ªdoes that mean she''s going to the Abyss?"

    ¡°Can the True Gods stand against her?"

    Lu Jie, Jiang Chao, and Chen Lushi were terrified.

    The six Ice Race elders wiped the sweat from their foreheads, necks, and armpits, staring intently in the direction the fiery fragmentednd had headed and silently vowing never to set foot in the Abyss.

    They had a growing sense that their worshiped Ice Demon was at best on par with the resurrected Fire God.

    However, the mysterious woman in ck was far beyond even that!

    "Pang-Pang Jian, is that really her?" Zhou Qingchen asked in a trembling voice.

    "Who else could it be?" Zhao Yuanqi replied, rubbing her stiff neck from her awkward kneeling posture. "Wasn''t that the same person from Spirit Offering?"

    "When did she be so terrifying?" Zhou Qingchen asked in shock.

    Zhao Yuanqi smiled bitterly. "I''d like to know that myself."

    "Is she the woman you mentioned before, the one with aplicated rtionship with Little Junior Brother?" Zhuang Yuyan asked nervously, wiping her sweat-drenched forehead. "This one is far more...extraordinary than the girl from the Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect. Even the Outer Gods seem to look up to her.

    "Little Junior Brother, you..." Zhuang Yuyan shook her head, unsure of what to say.

    "Thatst sentence...was she speaking to Pang Jian?" Chen Lushi of the Demon Sect finally realized, alluring body trembling as she stared nkly at Pang Jian.

    In her eyes, a boundless divine aura seemed to envelop him.

    "I need to refine my divine soul as soon as possible," Pang Jian said firmly. ncing at Bing Yuan, he added, "It''s up to you whether you want to follow me into the Abyss or seek refuge in another world.

    "Give them"¡ªhe pointed at Lu Jie''s group¡ª "a warship and let them leave."

    Pang Jian then dove into Frozen Thunder and buried himself beneath one of the nine ciers.

    <i>Roar!</i>

    The trembling Ice Armor Eel Dragon emerged from ake on Absolute Heaven and floated in the void.

    It had cowered in terror at thekebed when the Fire God, Yan Lie, rose from the fiery fragmentednd and only dared to surface after the fiery fragmentednd departed.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    It flew toward Frozen Thunder.

    The group of dazed individuals stared at it with trepidation.

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon gazed at Qi Qingsong. "What just happened?"

    "You didn¡¯t see?" Qi Qingsong asked solemnly.

    "It was too scary. I didn''t dare poke my head out and sneak a peek," the massive Ice Armor Eel Dragon said, eyes filled with confusion and fear. "This ce is unbearable. I can''t stay here any longer. I thought Outer Gods couldn¡¯t reach this ce.

    "But that aura was undeniably that of a real Outer God!¡± the Ice Armor Eel Dragon whimpered tearfully.

    "A dead Fire God was resurrected. And another Outer God, stronger than even the Fire God, emerged from his body and led him into the Abyss," Qi Qingsong exined.

    "What? They went to the Abyss?" The Ice Armor Eel Dragon shook its massive head in denial as it drifted back toward Absolute Heaven in a daze. As it flew it muttered absentmindedly to itself, "I was nning to return to the Abyss, but what do I do now?

    "How chaotic will the Abyss be if Outer Gods can manifest their true bodies there? There''ll be war everywhere! Where will I hide when I get back? Maybe I should just..."

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon''s mumblings faded as it sank into ake in Absolute Heaven.

    The Ice Race and human cultivators silently descended from the skies above Frozen Thunder. No one had the heart for conversation, and nobody brought up leaving anymore.

    Everybody was uncertain about what to do and where their futurey.

    Luo Hongyan''s terrifying image had been etched into their minds and was not something so easily shaken off.

    It was like time could not fade or erase Luo Hongyan''s lingering presence, and though she had departed, the ripples of her profound divine might could still be felt.

    Meanwhile, bright luminous pearls illuminated the massive ice cavern beneath the cier.

    Pang Jian eyed the collection of gold and iron artifacts, precious crystals, ores, and tree trunks infused with life energy spread out before him.

    The Duke of Thunder''s Thunder Pool was also in the cavern.

    <i>What should I do first? Refine my divine soul or absorb the Thunder Pool? </i>Pang Jian pondered.

    An old friend had suddenly transformed into the leader of the Outer Gods and possessed earth-shattering divine might.

    A chasm as wide as the heavens now separated him from Luo Hongyan, making it nearly impossible for them to speak on equal terms again.

    Pang Jian was left stifled and frustrated at hisck of strength.

    <i>Memories of the past are not so easily forgotten. I''ll see you in the Abyss. </i>

    A newfound resolve filled Pang Jian and he firmly set his mind on refining his divine soul.

 Chapter 337: Prison

    <h4>Chapter 337: Prison</h4>

    A massive fiery fragmentednd shot like a meteor through the endless bizarre mist. It did not pause once, confident in its direction of travel as though following a predetermined path.

    A golden bee trailed about a hundred li behind the fragmentednd like a streak of golden light. Every time one bee was about to lose connection with its master, a new one would appear to bridge the gap.

    The bees appeared one after another, extending their connections and creating a trail through the bizarre mist as they tracked the fiery fragmentednd back to the Abyss.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The fiery fragmentednd and a golden bee emerged from the bizarre mist.

    The bee watched the fiery fragmentednd plummet to the Third World and into the murky energy of the contaminated Fourth World. It then reentered the bizarre mist to continue acting as a guiding beacon.

    Time passed, and the dutiful golden bee on the edge of the bizarre mist near the Second World of the Abyss quietly waited for its master''smand.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A white crane soared across the boundless bizarre mist and arrived in the Abyss in a stir of lightning.

    "The Abyss! I''m back!" the white crane cried, pping its wings as it soared into the First World.

    The golden bee exited the bizarre mist behind the white crane, gazing up at the sky for a moment before returning to the depths of the bizarre mist.

    Powerful cultivators asionally arrived at the entrance of Absolute Heaven but dared not send anyone too far into its depths.

    Those below the Spirit Condensation Realm wore expressions of horror after emerging from the bizarre mist.

    These cultivators soon concluded that the peerless genius Fu Wangchen of the Forsaken Expanse Sect, Wu Yuan of the Demon Sect, Lu Lingchan of the ck Valley Sect, Jiang Chao of the Celestial Lagoon Sect, and Pang Jian, the personal disciple of Li Zhaotian, had all perished deep within the restricted area.

    ***

    Pang Jian''s master, Li Zhaotian; Qi Qingsong''s master, Liu Junhong; Zhuang Yuyan''s master, Guang He; and several other elders, including Wang Ce[1], stood solemnly in a hall within the Sword Pavilion of the Second World.

    "Are we certain they all perished in the restricted area?" Li Zhaotian asked, expression dark.

    "A divine crane from the Pure Land Sect is the only living creature from our Abyss to have returned." Liu Junhong, Qi Qingsong''s master, sighed. ¡°Not long ago, a fragmentednd shrouded in mes emerged from the depths of the bizarre mist and descended to the Fifth World.

    "No one knows what secret lies within the fiery fragmentednd. We only knew it went straight to the Fifth World.

    "Shortly after its arrival, the foreign races in the Fifth World seemed to gain new resolve, and many powerful beings started breaking through the barrier of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs.

    "All the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs seem to be having issues recently. They seem unlikely to be able to continue suppressing the powerful foreign races of the Fifth World," Liu Junhong said grimly.

    Guang He, Zhuang Yuyan''s master, said coldly, "Are we to face another wave of desperate attacks from the foreign races?"

    Li Zhaotian frowned. "If the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs stop working, the Rank Seven, Rank Eight, and even Rank Nine foreign race powerhouses will start to ascend from the Fifth World.

    "The issue is likely rted to that fragmentednd wrapped in mes. But given the situation, it''s difficult to probe deeper into the Fifth World.

    "The disciple I chose as my sessor for the Sword Pavilion...also died in the restricted area. Otherwise, I would prepare to break through to the True God Realm myself after bringing him to new heights." Li Zhaotian sighed heavily.

    The elders looked on in surprise.

    They had not realized how much hope Li Zhaotian had ced on that yet-unseen disciple until that moment.

    "My Dao of Sword is extreme and radical. The road to godhood is treacherous. If I seed, the Sword Pavilion could return to prominence in the First World, and I would rank among the top five True Gods.

    "But the chance of failure is equally high, and I¡¯m not entirely confident, so..." Li Zhaotian appeared deeply troubled. "I''ll wait a little longer. I¡¯ll only make my move when the situation bes dire enough for me to ascend to godhood."

    "Pavilion Master, can your other two disciples not fill this role?" Wang Ce asked.

    Li Zhaotian shook his head. "They''re not quite ready yet."

    "This Pang Jian, was he truly that extraordinary?" Several elders gasped.

    "His path to godhood is extremely peculiar," Li Zhaotian replied. "Only an unconventional, otherworldly approach like his could inherit my legacy and lead the Sword Pavilion to new heights."

    ***

    Time flowed like water, passing in silence in the starless void within the bizarre mist.

    Without the movement of celestial bodies, only special instruments indicated the passage of time.

    It was only several monthster that something finally urred in Frozen Thunder.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The cier Pang Jian had been meditating beneath exploded.

    Astonished gazes shot toward the source of themotion from all across the fragmentednd.

    "My Lord!"

    "Pang Jian!"

    Excited cries erupted from the endlessly waiting cultivators and Ice Race members.

    Pang Jian¡¯s prolonged seclusion had caused them great anxiety, and their patience had nearly worn thin. The sudden disturbance brought a wave of renewed hope.

    A towering figure, seemingly cast from pure gold and glowing brilliantly, rose from the cier''s peak.

    The figure stood at nearly a hundred zhang tall and radiated an overwhelming divine aura simr to the projection of an Outer God.

    It was unmistakably Pang Jian.

    "Spirit Condensation Realm?"

    ¡°Pang Jian''s refined his divine soul!¡±

    ¡°How could his divine soul emerge from his body so soon after being refined?¡±

    Qi Qingsong and the others gasped in disbelief.

    A newly refined divine soul was usually weak and vulnerable, unable to withstand even the slightest exposure to the elements.

    The Spirit Condensation Realm involved the gradual tempering of one''s divine soul, preparing it for the eventual ability to leave one''s physical body and roam freely.

    Despite this, Pang Jian¡¯s divine soul could immediately separate from his physical body upon being refined and even appeared to be as solid as iron.

    Thispletely contradicted everyone''s understanding of the Spirit Condensation Realm!

    "My Lord!"

    Bing Yuan, Bing Ying, and the other Ice Race elders hurried over on their Spirit Avians and were just in time to see Pang Jian''s physical body emerge from the ice cavern.

    "Hmm." Pang Jian responded coolly, pointing at his forehead.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The golden divine soul shot back into his body.

    ncing at Fourth Elder Bing Jing, Pang Jian said offhandedly, "If you don''t wish to go to the Abyss, you may take one of the warships and lead those willing to follow you elsewhere."

    Bing Jing started to exin, "My lord, I¡ª"

    Pang Jian waved his hand impatiently, and the nine towering ciers in Frozen Thunder exerted an overwhelming force upon him.

    The Rank Seven Bing Jing''s body was frozen and transported to a warship above one of the ciers.

    "Those wishing to seek another world for the Ice Race with him are all free to go," Pang Jian announced. "But only those who remain in this fragmentednd and follow me to the Abyss will continue to receive my protection."

    The other five Ice Race elders stared at Pang Jian in stunned silence. In their eyes, it was like he had be apletely different person.

    "I''ll follow you."

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    "I am willing to go to the Abyss with you."

    The five elders dered their loyalty one after another.

    Pang Jian nodded slightly. "Good."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The enormous Heart of Winter flew out from Pang Jian''s spiritual sea and returned to the altar in the Frozen Land.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The Frozen Land trembled as a force surged from deep underground, pushing both it and the attached Forbidden Land of the Thunder God into motion.

    Although the movement was slow at first, it soon picked up speed as it flew toward the Sword Boat in the bizarre mist.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Zhao Yuanqi steered her gourd toward Pang Jian and the Ice Race elders.

    Qi Qingsong, Dong Tianze, Zhou Qingchen, and Zhuang Yuyan jumped off the gourd and gathered around Pang Jian, exchanging uncertain looks.

    Pang Jian seemed different. He appeared to have changed after refining his divine soul.

    "Are you alright?" Zhou Qingchen asked, concern bleeding through his voice.

    "I''m fine." Pang Jian took a deep breath and calmed himself. Then, waving the Ice Race elders off, he continued, "Luo Hongyan''s reappearance and identity¡ªI can''t fathom it, and it makes me..."

    "Have some wine." Zhou Qingchen tossed Pang Jian a sk. Instead of questioning Pang Jian about his peculiar divine soul or his ns, he asked, "How do you feel about her?"

    "She''s just¡ªIt''s like she''s suddenly be so distant from me. So distant that I have to look up to her, and I don¡¯t like that." Pang Jian took arge swig of the wine, expression dazed. "I don¡¯t know what she intends to do, but whatever it is, it''s probably not good for the Abyss.

    "Her actions could turn the entire Abyss upside down, and I don¡¯t know how to face her anymore."

    Zhuang Yuyan, Zhao Yuanqi, and Wu Yuan of the Demon Sect were surprised at Pang Jian''s honest confessions.

    As far as they could recall, Pang Jian rarely opened up to anyone and seldom talked about his feelings.

    This was the first time Pang Jian had ever appeared lost when speaking about a woman.

    However, when they thought of Luo Hongyan''s overwhelming divine might, they also found themselves reaching for wine sks with a heavy sigh.

    They felt pessimistic not only for themselves but for the future of the Abyss.

    "Is there no future for the human race?" Zhao Yuanqi wondered aloud, head lowered dejectedly. "We all heard the words of that Outer God with the bone spurs when she left Frozen Thunder.

    "The Outer Gods hunt down those who ascend to godhood as soon as they step beyond the Abyss, and the True Gods from long ago can only hide in the vast starry skies.

    "Meanwhile, the foreign races worshiping these Outer Gods are closing in on us, exploiting the rising murky energy to reim their territory.

    "Where are the human race supposed to go?"

    The human race was gradually being pushed upward from below toward the ughter above.

    The group could not help but feel the end of the human race was drawing near after hearing Yang Luo''s words and witnessing Luo Hongyan''s terrifying power.

    They once took pride in their identity as part of the human race.

    After all, they were the true rulers of the Abyss.

    They controlled the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Worlds, suppressing any foreign races that dared rebel.

    They had believed themselves to be the darlings of this world, exceptional even beyond the Abyss.

    The humbling realization that the Abyss was not only a prison but also a protective barrier preventing their extinction, turned their former pride and arrogance into a joke.

    The human race had simply been indulging in self-delusion like frogs in a well, unaware of the greater world beyond.

    1. In case anyone forgot, Wang Ce is Nie You''s master, with Nie You being one of the inner disciples the Sword Pavilion sent into Absolute Heaven. ?

 Chapter 338: The Beehive Settles Down

    <h4>Chapter 338: The Beehive Settles Down</h4>

    A cloud of despair loomed over the group standing on the cier.

    The group sighed andmented, lost in uncertain thoughts about not only their individual futures but also the future of the human race as a whole. They simply could not see a way forward.

    Frozen Thunder drifted slowly toward the bizarre mist where the Sword Boat was anchored.

    A golden sh sparked in Pang Jian''s eyes as the fragmentednd passed Absolute Heaven.

    Shaking off the effects of the alcohol, he said, "Remind the Ice Race to be cautious of the bizarre mist''s corruption before this fragmentednd enters it.

    "After umting enough momentum, this fragmentednd will elerate directly toward the Abyss.

    "I''m going to have a chat with the Ice Armor Eel Dragon."

    With that, he disappeared, with a golden bee taking his ce.

    The others were now well-acquainted with Pang Jian''s strange abilities and knew that Pang Jian had left the bee as a marker.

    ***

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

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    Pang Jiang pulled a massive beehive out of the Gate of the Abyss and ced it in the heart of the forest in Absolute Heaven where the Wood Race warrior, Ka Zi, had perished.

    The nearly hundred-zhang-tall beehive was home to bee pupae and golden bees. The golden bees''pound eyes glowed eerily as they silently observed Pang Jian.

    One particrly enormous bee rested at the top of the beehive.

    It was the hibernating Bee Sovereign.

    The Bee Sovereign was in the middle of his transformation and showed no signs of emerging anytime soon.

    However, he had sent a mental message to Pang Jian earlier, instructing him to ce the beehive there.

    <i>Does this ce benefit the growth and transformation of more bees? </i>Pang Jian''s eyes flickered with curiosity.

    Extending his divine sense outward, he released a faint golden light from his forehead that swept through the forest.

    The golden light scanned the whole area in seconds.

    Corpses of human cultivators, Vicious Beasts, and Spirit Beasts were still impaled on branches and dangled in the air.

    Small insects buzzed about the forest, but no other living beings were present.

    Despite this, Pang Jian could sense faint soul remnants lingering in the heads of the deceased humans, Vicious Beasts, and Spirit Beasts with his newly refined divine soul.

    These soul remnants still carried dim memories,ced with resentment and an unwillingness to die.

    Even in death, their souls held emotion.

    <i>Soul remnants? They didn''t scatter into the heaven and earth? </i>Pang Jian was taken aback.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    A swarm of bees emerged from the beehive to inspect the bodies.

    These bodies still harbored soul fragments that had yet to disperse into the surroundings, and the bees could absorb them using their bee souls to nourish their beehive.

    As Pang Jian observed them, he soon understood the reasoning behind their actions.

    <i>They''re gathering soul remnants, extracting the stray thoughts within, and using them to spark intelligence in their bee souls.</i>

    Pang Jian had entered the forest to kill the Wood Race warrior, Ka Zi, under the guidance of the Bee Sovereign.

    The Bee Sovereign had started his transformation after obtaining abundant divine consciousness from the Heart of Winter.

    He had also told Pang Jian that Absolute Heaven had a ce suitable for the beehive.

    That ce was this forest.

    ording to the Bee Sovereign, the bees nurtured within the beehive were akin to his divine sense. They could act as manifestations of the Bee Sovereign, with each also being capable of having independent thought.

    While the golden bees possessed souls, Pang Jian sensed they had yet to develop true intelligence.

    This was akin to the Spirit Beasts of the Abyss, whose bloodlines had not yet reached a level where true intelligence could emerge.

    <i>This ce will help the bees develop their intelligence,</i> Pang Jian realized. Gazing at the pupating Bee Sovereign, he wondered, <i>How long your transformation will take?</i>

    Pang Jian then used one of the bees to teleport to theke where the Ice Armor Eel Dragony hidden.

    Landing on the grass by theke, Pang Jian closed his eyes and released his divine sense. Theke''s surface rippled slightly as his divine sense seeped into its depths.

    Pang Jian''s divine soul made him feel uncannily simr to an Outer God.

    His divine sense could prate the ground, dive into the depths of the seas, or stretch out tens of li in every direction to detect hidden souls with just a single thought!

    This seemed to be the power of a real God!

    <i>Do other human cultivators gain abilities like mine upon reaching the Spirit Condensation Realm? Those with divine sense refined from divine essence may possess some of these abilities, but I doubt it would be on this level.</i>

    Pang Jian coalesced his divine sense deep beneath theke.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A golden figure materialized, woven from Pang Jian''s divine sense.

    Piles of bones were scattered across theke floor, seemingly from human cultivators and foreign races based on their shapes.

    The bleached bones of the once-mighty Golden-Winged Giant Roc from the Forsaken Expanse Sect sat in pieces on thekebed, its blood long since drained dry.

    A grand pce sat in the center of the bones, with bustling schools of fish and low-ranking aquatic Vicious Beasts swimming around it.

    Several sharp-toothed Vicious Beasts snarled menacingly at the ethereal golden figure, eyes gleaming with malice.

    "Pang Jian!" The Ice Armor Eel Dragon roared.

    The Vicious Beasts scattered and the schools of fish fled in panic.

    A young man emerged from the pce, d in gleaming silver armor with a jade belt around his waist. The tall, muscr man had a shining dragon horn on his forehead and silver whiskers on his rugged face.

    He radiated strength as he walked.

    "You..." Pang Jian was dumbfounded.

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon snorted. "Is it so strange to shift into human form? I don''t always want to fight. I enjoy rxing in this form sometimes. Also, why does your divine soul give off an aura simr to those annoying Outer Gods?"

    "Aren''t you going to invite me inside?" Pang Jian asked.

    "Not a chance! My family''s here¡ªit''s not convenient!" The Ice Armor Eel Dragon pointed upward. "Let''s talk above."

    "Sea God!"

    "My King..."

    The tempting voices of Sea Race women called out from the pce behind the Ice Armor Eel Dragon.

    "You certainly know how to enjoy yourself," Pang Jian remarked, before dispersing his golden divine soul and returning it to his sea of consciousness.

    Despite only being at the early stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm, his divine soul could freely travel outside his physical body and explore the world around him.

    Few Soul Wandering Realm cultivators could achieve such a feat even in the Abyss.

    The umtion of divine consciousness and the terrifying strength of three thousand strands of divine sense meant Pang Jian''s divine soul was exceptionally powerful from the moment it was refined.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon leaped out of theke in human form and instantly spotted Frozen Thunder drifting in the distance.

    "You''re using a divine artifact to move the fragmentednd¡ªare you heading back to the Abyss?"

    "I am." Pang Jian nodded. "You mentioned that someone captured you from the Fifth World and threw you into this restricted area. Did that person truly resemble me?"

    "I do think there''s some resemnce," the Ice Armor Eel Dragon muttered, eyes darting around evasively. "But I was weak back then and hadn''t developed full intelligence yet, so my memory''s fuzzy. By the way, where are your ciers? And the Thunder Pool?"

    "They''re in Frozen Thunder," Pang Jian replied.

    "And you still dare toe to Absolute Heaven?" The Ice Armor Eel Dragon unleashed a torrent of cold wind and lightning with a wicked grin. "If you''re dead, those artifacts will be mine! Haha, Pang Jian, you''re too careless!"

    <i>Boom! Crackle!</i>

    Thunder roared and hundreds of ice des collided, leaving a deep crater where Pang Jian stood.

    But Pang Jian was nowhere to be found.

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon caught sight of Pang Jian hovering near the bizarre mist with a tiny golden bee floating behind him.

    "You can teleport!" It cried.

    Pang Jian frowned. "Stop."

    Frozen Thunder had been speeding toward the Sword Boat''s anchor point in the bizarre mist and Pang Jian''smand caused it to slow to a halt.

    Pang Jian summoned the Heart of Winter and three towering ciers from Frozen Thunder.

    They flew over at lightning speed and soon hovered in the air behind Pang Jian.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian''s golden divine soul shot into the crystalline Heart of Winter and gently cradled the crystal core of Winter.

    A cascade of memories surged into his divine soul, revealing the Ice Demon''splete path to godhood.

    Pang Jian saw the Ice Demon''s humble beginnings as a simple Ice Race warrior and how he had refined his bloodline over millennia, graduallyprehending the Dao of Cold until he eventually became a God.

    Every step wasid out¡ªfrom the materials the Ice Demon collected and the forging of his divine soul to how he strengthened his body!

    <i>The Bee Sovereign was right. This path isn''t for me.</i> Pang Jian shook his head as he gently cradled the core with his golden divine soul.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Beams of cold light shot downward like swords.

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon howled in pain as he returned to his original form. His scales, infused with cold energy and lightning, struggled desperately to withstand the piercing beams of cold light.

    "Pang Jian!" The Ice Armor Eel Dragon roared furiously. When the onught continued relentlessly, it switched gears to plead for mercy, "Let''s talk this through. I was only joking!"

    The cold light beams also shot toward the pce the Ice Armor Eel Dragon had painstakingly built at the bottom of theke.

    He had no choice but to block the attack with his body and endure the barrage.

    If he did not, everything he had built would be destroyed.

 Chapter 339: World God

    <h4>Chapter 339: World God</h4>

    An hourter, a severely wounded Ice Armor Eel Dragony sprawled on the muddykeshore, growling and howling as it divulged everything it knew.

    "Bizarre mist surrounded Absolute Heaven in the past. There was nothing outside this fragmentednd besides bizarre mist.

    "Then, one day, the bizarre mist slowly dispersed, creating an empty void around this fragmentednd.

    "The three other fragmentednds appeared soon after that."

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon panted heavily, ncing over at where Pang Jian hovered in mid-air.

    Pang Jian gestured for it to continue.

    "With those three fragmentednds came warships of the outer worlds'' foreign races. It seemed they had sailed a long time to reach those fragmentednds.

    "Some warships ventured into Absolute Heaven and started fighting those already present on the fragmentednd.

    "I sensed something was amiss with those three fragmentednds, so I hid deep in theke and suppressed my urge to explore them.

    "But then there was that warship, crafted from the bones of a Golden-Winged Giant Roc, and still containing its blood!

    "The blood of a Rank Nine Golden-Winged Giant Roc was too tempting to resist, so I came out and dragged the warship into theke."

    Pang Jian nodded. "And the pce?"

    "Thisnd once belonged to a human sect called the Absolute Heaven Sect. The bizarre mist engulfed the fragmentednd when the sect was destroyed.

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    "After I grew stronger, I took the pce from above ground and moved it to the bottom of theke."

    "What about the forest?" Pang Jian asked. "And the soul remnants?"

    "Oh, that could be due to some forbidden arrays buried beneath the ground that the Absolute Heaven Sect left behind. I don¡¯t know the details," the Ice Armor Eel Dragon said weakly. "I just want to return to the Abyss."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Heart of Winter and the three ciers returned to Frozen Thunder, and the fragmentednd resumed its advance toward the bizarre mist.

    Pang Jian descended near the Ice Armor Eel Dragon, deep in thought.

    His sensitivity to the environment had increased drastically with the refining of his divine soul and he could sense if the Ice Armor Eel Dragon harbored any ill intentions.

    Earlier, he had sensed the Ice Armor Eel Dragon''s bloodline fluctuations, allowing him to teleport to safety in time.

    In other words, he no longer feared an ambush from the Ice Armor Eel Dragon.

    "Let me ask you again. The person who took you from the Fifth World¡ªare you certain that person resembled me?" Pang Jian questioned coldly.

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon''s eyes became unfocused as it tried to recall.

    After a moment, it replied, "I honestly can''t remember clearly, but I''m fairly certain they looked like you. I wouldn''t lie about something like this."

    Pang Jian pondered for a while, then pulled out the Gate of the Abyss from beneath his robes and held it up. "Have you seen this before?"

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon''s eyes widened in shock, massive nostrils ring and spewing icy lightning as a surge of wild energy built up within it.

    "I have! I may not remember much about that person''s appearance, but I remember that pendant!

    "It''s the same gate-shaped bronze pendant! That person wore it around their neck!

    "You!"

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A violent p of thunder reverberated from the Ice Armor Eel Dragon, shaking the entire Absolute Heaven.

    It had lost control of its emotions and wanted to unleash its power in a rage. Not wanting to provoke Pang Jian, it instead mmed its gathered energy into the ground.

    "He called himself the World God!" The Ice Armor Eel Dragon shrieked, a flood of memories rushing back to it at the sight of the bronze pendant. "I remember now! He said he was the World God of the Abyss!

    "He could travel freely between the worlds within the Abyss and said he would never get lost, even within the bizarre mist!

    "Who are you?! You-you¡ª

    "You''re the one he said woulde to take me back to the Abyss, aren''t you?"

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon''s roars echoed throughout Absolute Heaven.

    "The World God..." Pang Jian took a deep breath.

    <i>The Solitary Mountain Range, the World Eater Vine, the Giant Abyssal Serpent, the beehive, and now the Ice Armor Eel Dragon...</i>

    Pang Jian suspected his father was this World God the Ice Armor Eel Dragon spoke of.

    His father had disappeared into the far northern reaches of the Solitary Mountain Sect¡ªlikely into the bizarre mist.

    With this revtion, many things started to make sense: his innate Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea, his sister''s innate lightning vortex, the fracturing of the Celestial Phoenix''s remains when his sister stepped out from the Fourth World, and her inheriting the legacy of the Celestial Phoenix.

    <i>The World God, capable of traveling freely between the worlds within the Abyss and exploring the bizarre mist without losing their way...</i> Pang Jian squeezed the bronze pendant tightly in his fist, deep in thought.

    "Take me with you! I want to return to the Abyss but I''m scared I''ll get lost in the bizarre mist. But you won''t because you have that thing!" the Ice Armor Eel Dragon pleaded desperately. "The World God promised me! You''re the one destined toe here and lead me out of this hell!"

    Annoyed, Pang Jian teleported back to the forest with the massive beehive.

    He stood atop the beehive, gazing out at the boundless bizarre mist.

    His father could still be drifting somewhere in the depths of the bizarre mist, like that creature he saw in the void rift in Cloud Lightning.

    <i>You knew the Celestial Phoenix''s remains would break apart and pierce the ck turtle, the beehive, the World Eater Vine, and the Giant Abyssal Serpent.</i>

    <i>You also knew I would eventually enter Absolute Heaven.</i>

    <i>If you knew all of this, why didn''t you tell me?</i>

    Pang Jian''s mind was in turmoil.

    Four hourster, Pang Jian returned to where the Ice Armor Eel Dragony on thekeshore after gathering his thoughts. "I need resources rich in blood essence. I know you have some."

    "I do," the Ice Armor Eel Dragon replied, having calmed down since theirst exchange. "Will you take me out of this restricted area and lead me into the Abyss?"

    "Are you sure you want to return?" Pang Jian asked seriously.

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon froze, then said hesitantly. "Can I think about it?"

    "You have a new neighbor now. It''s sleeping in that forest. It''ll be your guide when you''re ready to return. I''ll be going ahead to check on the Abyss.

    "I can tell you what''s happening once I know the situation there and you can decide whether or not to return.

    "How does that sound?"

    The Ice Armor Eel Dragon let out a sigh of relief. "That sounds much better, very reasonable! I''m willing to wait for a better time! After all, that fiery fragmentednd and that terrifying being have entered the Abyss.

    "Pang Jian, you must take responsibility for me! I was living peacefully in the Fifth World when that World God came out of nowhere, captured me, and threw me into this horrible ce. You have to take responsibility!" The Ice Armor Eel Dragon howled.

    "Living peacefully in the Fifth World?" Pang Jian rolled his eyes. "I''ve been to the Fifth World before, and I doubt there''s any sort of peace to be found in the endless darkness of that world."

    Even after being exposed, the Ice Armor Eel Dragon continued toin. "Regardless, you have to take responsibility!"

    ***

    Pang Jian returned to the beehive an hourter.

    Feasting on the exotic Vicious Beast meat the Ice Armor Eel Dragon had obtained from the foreign races, he used the Grand Providence Sacred Body to gather blood essence to nourish the bees in the beehive.

    Many bees had been eagerly awaiting the nourishment of dense blood essence to emerge from their cocoons.

    Pang Jian had prioritized preparing for his fight against the Thunderveil Godbeast and conserving his strength for his uing advancement.

    Thus, the nourishment of the bees had gone to the wayside.

    However, now that he had advanced into the Spirit Condensation Realm and obtained plenty of resources rich in blood essence, he could finally supply the bees with the blood essence they needed.

    ***

    Qi Qingsong and the others watched as the Heart of Winter flew across the sky of Absolute Heaven and returned to the Ice Race''s altar, allowing Frozen Thunder to continue its journey.

    "It seems the Ice Armor Eel Dragon wasn''t being cooperative." Qi Qingsong chuckled.

    "Be careful, we''re about to enter the bizarre mist!" Zhuang Yuyan reminded.

    The group activated their protective shields.

    Chen Lushi, Jiang Chao, and the others in the pit below followed suit in preparation for the corrosive effects of the bizarre mist.

    Frozen Thunder slowly drifted into the endless bizarre mist and arrived at the Sword Boat.

    Zhuang Yuyan flew off the fragmentednd and looked around in surprise. "How strange, the bizarre mist hasn¡¯t seeped in. The cold mist surrounding the fragmentednd keeps the bizarre mist out."

    It seemed everyone could continue their journey without fear of the bizarre mist¡¯s corruption.

    She then flew onto the Sword Pavilion''s Sword Boat, activated it, and piloted it onto Frozen Thunder.

    "The Sword Boat!"

    "The Sword Pavilion''s Sword Boat was hiding in the bizarre mist all along!"

    "Pang Jian sabotaged us! He first led the Heavenly Roc Warship out of the bizarre mist for the Ghost Race to target, then made our Celestial Lagoon Sect charge in with our Mountain Stream Spirit Boat," Jiang Chao muttered to himself in the pit below.

    Atop the cier, Dong Tianze''s expression was dark as he approached the golden bee. He tried asking it a few questions but received no response.

    It appeared Pang Jian was not paying attention at the moment.

    Moving to the edge of the cier, he peered down at the pit where Lu Jie, Chen Lushi, Jiang Chao, and Fang Boxuan stood, and said, ¡°Qi Qingsong, Zhou Qingchen, let''s go into the Sword Boat and have a private conversation."

    "Alright." Qi Qingsong immediately flew into the Sword Pavilion''s Sword Boat.

    Zhou Qingchen looked confused. "About what?"

    "I''ll exin in the Sword Boat," Dong Tianze replied.

    The three of them were soon gathered inside the Sword Boat.

    "I''ve merged my Celestial Phoenix Imprint into my divine soul and have advanced to the middle stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm. It won''t be difficult for us to kill Lu Jie and Jiang Chao!" Dong Tianze said viciously.

 Chapter 340: Bloodthirsty Divine Guard!

    <h4>Chapter 340: Bloodthirsty Divine Guard!</h4>

    Zhou Qingchen wore a nk expression.

    Qi Qingsong was simrly caught off guard. "Have you gone crazy? Why would you kill them for no reason?"

    "We owe Pang Jian too much for everything he''s done for us. It''s time we did something for him. He''s too softhearted, too merciful. This will only cause problems in the long run.

    "Do you truly think Lu Jie from the Forsaken Expanse Sect, Jiang Chao from the Celestial Lagoon Sect, Chen Lushi from the Demon Sect, and those from the Xiao and Qiao ns will keep quiet when we return to the Abyss?

    "Foreign races are reiming the lower worlds with the support of the Outer Gods.

    ¡°The Ice Race is entering the Abyss with Pang Jian. Have you thought of the consequences if this gets out?

    "And what about the fact that those golden bees are Spirit Bees from the Nether Abyss? Fu Wangchen already revealed this to everyone. Do you think they''ll keep this a secret for Pang Jian?

    "Do you think the major sects and True Gods in the First World will let this slide? Can Li Zhaotian of the Sword Pavilion block their questioning?

    "Even if an Outer God corrupted Fu Wangchen, Pang Jian should''ve tried to remove the corruption before killing him.

    "Do you think Fu Wangchen''s master, Li Chu, and the others invested in Fu Wangchen''s future will let this go without retaliation?

    "Have you two thought about this?" Dong Tianze asked coldly, every word reeking of bloodlust.

    Qi Qingsong and Zhou Qingchen fell silent.

    After a while, Qi Qingsong asked seriously. "What are you suggesting?"

    "Kill them all. Leave none alive to prevent the information from leaking," Dong Tianze replied without hesitation. "I can''t do it alone, but it shouldn''t be a problem if we work together.

    "Zhuang Yuyan is from your Sword Pavilion. I don''t know if she''ll participate, but she won''t stop us.

    "Zhao Yuanqi is too naive, and we can ignore her for now.

    "As for Wu Yuan from the Demon Sect..." Dong Tianze took a deep breath. "If he intervenes to save Chen Lushi, we''ll kill him too!

    "If he turns a blind eye, we''ll spare Chen Lushi and make him kill her with his own hands. Killing her will make him an aplice and he''ll be forced to keep the secret with us. If he refuses, we kill him."

    Zhou Qingchen massaged his temples, feeling a splitting headacheing on.

    "Pang Jian will face trouble if we don''t act! I''m doing this for him!" Dong Tianze insisted.

    Zhou Qingchen gritted his teeth. "Fine! Count me in!"

    "You''re insane." Qi Qingsong took several deep breaths to steady himself. Gazing at Dong Tianze like he was a beast or demon, he added, "Your concerns make sense. But there''s no turning back once we start."

    "The Abyss is already bound for chaos. If we don''t take bold action, we''ll be the ones who pay the price." Dong Tianze replied.

    "Qiao Zhen has ties to the Sword Pavilion through her n..." Qi Qingsong hesitated.

    "Her status is low and her strength iscking. She''s a weak link. If she lives, someone could easily pry the truth from her. No matter what you think, she has to die!

    "We have to eliminate every potential threat before Pang Jian returns. It''ll be toote once we reach the Abyss.

    "So, I''m asking onest time¡ªare you in or out?" Dong Tianze pressed.

    "I''m in! Damn it! I''ll go along with your madness!"

    A quarter of an hourter, the trio descended to the pit where Lu Jie, Jiang Chao, Chen Lushi, and others were gathered.

    "Well, well, Qi Qingsong, to think you woulde down here to visit us," Chen Lushi sneered. She nced toward the summit of the ciers. "Where''s Pang Jian? I''ve been asking to see him, but he keeps ignoring me. He really thinks highly of himself, doesn''t he?

    "He''s like an emperor on this fragmentednd. The Ice Race follows his orders, and no one can do anything to him.

    "But what will happen once we return to the Abyss? How long do you think these Rank Seven foreign races willst?

    "So what if he canmand a few foreign races warriors? It''s not that impressive." Chen Lushi scoffed.

    Lu Jie chimed in, "He''ll have to exin those Nether Abyss Spirit Bees when we return."

    "The Heart of Winter and the Thunder Pool are artifacts forged by Outer Gods. The fact that Pang Jian can use them is evidence that there''s something wrong with him," Jiang Chao added.

    Xiao Yu and Qiao Zhen remained silent, unwilling to offend either side.

    "Return?" Dong Tianze mocked. "You guys won''t be returning to the Abyss!"

    The sharp cry of a Celestial Phoenix rang out.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A radiant Celestial Phoenix shot out from Dong Tianze''s forehead, wings spread wide as it locked onto Chen Lushi.

    "Soul Severance!"

    Chen Lushi, Lu Jie, and Jiang Chao felt their souls getting torn apart.

    "Kill them!" Dong Tianze roared.

    Qi Qingsong and Zhou Qingchen drew their des.

    A sea of sword light filled the pit.

    <i>Splurt! Splurt!</i>

    Zhou Qingchen''s sword cleaved through Lu Jie and Jiang Chao.

    The sea of sword light swallowed the rest.

    "Qi Qingsong! Zhou Qingchen! Dong Tianze!" Zhao Yuanqi cried from the summit of the ciers.

    Her scalp tingled with shock as she watched the bloodbath below, unable to believe her eyes.

    Zhuang Yuyan from Sword Pavilion looked on calmly.

    Her eyes focused on Dong Tianze, whose killing intent was the strongest, gently nodding as if approving of his ruthlessness.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    While her gaze stayed fixed on the scene below, her mother-child spirit swords silently flew out to point at Wu Yuan of the Demon Sect.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Wu Yuan would face a barrage of attacks if he dared to take action.

    "I just wanted to watch," Wu Yuan muttered softly as he silently moved to the edge of the ciers.

    Keeping his distance from Zhuang Yuyan and Zhao Yuanqi, he nced down to see Qi Qingsong ying Qiao Zhen.

    "Qiao Zhen''s n is aligned with the Sword Pavilion..." Wu Yuan frowned.

    "Little Junior Brother is tasked with revitalizing the Sword Pavilion. Qiao Zhen is a mere Spirit Condensation Realm cultivator of an affiliated n. She''s weak-willed and could talk. Her death is necessary to avoid future risks," Zhuang Yuyan calmly responded.

    "And me? Do you all trust me?" Wu Yuan''s voice was tinged with bitterness.

    "I''m curious about what those three schemed up about you after their little meeting," Zhuang Yuyan said with a slight smirk, eyes gleaming with anticipation.

    As the silver-haired Zhao Yuanqi watched the carnage below and eyed the two beside her, it suddenly dawned on her how different their worlds were.

    She had never truly known or understood any of them.

    Unlike them, she was merely a fool who only knew how to cultivate.

    Soon, only Chen Lushi was left alive in the pit.

    "Wu Yuan!" Chen Lushi wailed desperately.

    Dong Tianze nced up at Wu Yuan and said coldly, "She''s yours to deal with. Kill her, and we''ll ept you. If you don''t¡ª"

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Wu Yuan descended from the cier. Summoning a massive boulder mid-flight, he sent it smashing down onto Chen Lushi and reduced her to a bloody pulp.

    "Well done, Wu Yuan." Qi Qingsong gave him a thumbs up.

    ***

    Second Elder Bing Yuan and Third Elder Bing Ling rode their Spirit Avians in the sky of Frozen Thunder and watched the battle in the pit below.

    Bing Yuan quietly eavesdropped, then nodded and said, "Well done. Those not on the same page should die early and save us the trouble."

    Bing Ling said softly, "The human race is truly terrifying."

    "Indeed. No wonder the Outer Gods are so wary of them." Bing Yuan sighed. "Once we reach the Abyss, we must be careful and avoid too much contact with them."

    "It''s best to find a ce where the foreign races gather and stick with them."

    "I was thinking the same thing."

    ***

    Half a monthter, Pang Jian returned.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    He appeared atop the cier, gently nodded to Qi Qingsong and the others, and then flew toward the Frozen Land without further conversation.

    The Heart of Winter rested on the Ice Race''s altar, drawing on the cold energy deep within the fragmentednd to propel Frozen Thunder on its voyage through the bizarre mist.

    Pang Jian appeared and summoned the five elders of the Ice Race.

    "Bing Jing left?" Pang Jian asked.

    "Yes, a group of kinsmen loyal to him and the Grand Elder were unwilling to enter the Abyss, so they took a Starry River Warship and left Frozen Thunder," Second Elder Bing Ying said with a somber sigh. "The bizarre mist is vast. Who knows where they will drift."

    "I heard that once you get lost in the bizarre mist, it means..." Sixth Elder Bing He trailed off.

    They had long learned about the harsh realities of the bizarre mist from eavesdropping on the conversations of the human cultivators.

    Getting lost often meant a slow death.

    Bing Yuan cleared his throat to clear the air. "By the way, your kin also requested a Starry River Warship and left. You mentioned that they could be given a warship if they wished."

    "Those with the Forsaken Expanse Sect?" Pang Jian asked in surprise.

    "Yes." Bing Yuan nodded.

    "It''s better that those with divided loyalties have left," Pang Jian said offhandedly. Though he thought it slightly strange, he did not pay much attention to the matter.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A golden divine soul flew out from Pang Jian''s forehead and entered the Heart of Winter to retrieve the crystal core of Winter.

    "Some things rightfully belong to the Ice Race. Your ancestor, the Ice Demon, left it behind for you, and I won''t keep it to myself."

    His divine soul held the crystal core of Winter, reached inside, and pulled out fingernail-sized crystal shards.

    Each crystal shard contained profound methods for harmonizing the Ice Race''s bloodlines with cold energy, as well as the Ice Demon''s insights on the path to godhood.

    "Those of you remaining here are what''s left of the Ice Race, and you''re all qualified to pursue the path to godhood.

    "This is a proven, correct path to godhood, and today I give it to you on the Ice Demon''s behalf."

    The five Ice Race elders wept tears of joy as the crystal shardsnded on the altar.

    "Bing Jing has made a grave mistake," Bing Yingmented. "He''ll surely regret leaving in the days toe!"

 Chapter 341: Absorbing the Thunder Pool

    <h4>Chapter 341: Absorbing the Thunder Pool</h4>

    The vast bizarre mist stretched endlessly.

    Pang Jian frowned as he gazed at the Thunder Pool within the spacious cave beneath a cier in Frozen Thunder.

    The silvery-white pool radiated a faint glow as if made of crystalline jade or a mysterious metal akin to white silver.

    The pool was filled with Lightning Dao Seals, each represented by a cluster of writhing lightning.

    These were the profound insights of the Duke of Thunder.

    As the first ever Thunder God in existence, he had once sought to rule over all those cultivating the Dao of Lightning through the divine authority of the Divine Court of Thunder.

    Beings like the Thunderveil Godbeast, the lion-tiger-hybrid creature drifting in the bizarre mist, and even the ancient Thunder Dragon in the Abyss could be enved to the Duke of Thunder''s will had he not perished and the Divine Court of Thunder destroyed.

    Though the Duke of Thunder had passed away, his reputation still echoed across the heavens, reverberating through the endless starry skies.

    <i>The Duke of Thunder''s ranking among the Outer Gods likely far exceeded that of the Ice Demon,</i> Pang Jian thought, eyes gleaming with determination.

    Pang Jian was at his peak. His spiritual sea brimmed with spiritual power, and the energy in his ice pool and fiery pool was abundant. The sun, stars, and two moons in his dantian shone brilliantly.

    <i>It''s time. </i>

    Approaching the Thunder Pool, he activated the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    Pang Jian visualized a colossal cauldron rising from the depths of his Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea.

    The cauldron''s upper rim seemed connected with his sea of consciousness, while its body stood anchored within the vast expanse of Pang Jian''s boundless spiritual sea. Its base, on the other hand, appeared to extend into the depths of the unknown.

    <i>Absorb!</i>

    Pang Jian''s golden divine soul appeared in his spiritual sea and descended toward the cauldron. It swelled in size, as though transforming into a primordial deity with the power to cleave heaven and earth.

    As his golden divine soul expanded to fill his spiritual sea, it gripped the cauldron with both hands and exerted tremendous force!

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    An overwhelming suction came from the mouth of the cauldron like a vortex capable of devouring the sky, drawing in the Thunder Pool.

    Pang Jian''s spiritual power started to drain at a speed visible to the naked eye. The radiance of the stars, moon, and sun abruptly dimmed, and even the roaring mes within the fiery pool quietly extinguished.

    Only the iprehensibly vast ice pool remained brimming with boundless cold energy.

    After being absorbed, the Thunder Pool expanded to several times its original size within the cauldron.

    Pang Jian pulled the Thunder Pool toward his spiritual sea and settled it above the swirling lightning vortex.

    The tiny lightning vortex, norger than a palm-sized cluster of clouds, was forced to bear the weight of a Thunder Pool dozens of times its size.

    Its immense weight pressed the lightning vortex down, sending it plummeting to the floor of Pang Jian''s spiritual sea.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A third massive pooly alongside the fiery pool and ice pool in Pang Jian''s expansive spiritual sea.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The lightning vortex expanded outward, weakening as it grew.

    It no longer spun, simply shrouding the Thunder Pool and separating it from the rest of Pang Jian''s spiritual sea.

    With a thought, Pang Jian''s divine soul tried to sit cross-legged within the Thunder Pool.

    When his divine soul touched the Lightning Dao Seals in the Thunder Pool, images shed through his mind like streaks of lightning coursing through the boundless void.

    The eternal spectacles imprinted within the Lightning Dao Seal were revealed to his divine soul.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    Lightning radiated an apocalyptic aura, enveloping vibrant celestial bodies one after another.

    The celestial bodies were charred and ckened when the lightning finally twisted away.

    All the life on them had been eradicated.

    This appeared to be the apocalyptic Heavenly Dao the Duke of Thunder had onceprehended or even a scene he had personally witnessed.

    It had been eternally preserved within the Dao Seals, waiting for a divine soul to unravel its mysteries.

    <i>The celestial bodies resemble Winter and are vastly different from the continental masses of the Abyss.</i>

    <i>These celestial bodies are home to foreign races and exist in the universe much like the suns and moons.</i>

    <i>One fateful day, the roaming apocalyptic lightning in the vast starry skies targeted these celestial bodies, turning them into scorched wastnds and wiping out billions of living beings in the blink of an eye.</i>

    <i>Could there truly be such terrifying lightning beyond the Abyss?</i>

    <i>Did the Duke of Thunder be the first Thunder God byprehending the apocalyptic Heavenly Dao within that lightning?</i>

    Pang Jian was shaken to his core.

    That one scene imprinted within the Lightning Dao Seals was just the tip of the iceberg.

    A deep reverence for the vast starry skies beyond the Abyss filled him.

    Celestial bodies floated in the starry skies like continents in the Abyss.

    Even if the billions of lives living on them saw the twisting bolts of lightninging, they had no way to resist or escape their inevitable demise.

    <i>There are even more terrifying and perilous beings beyond the Abyss. That twisting apocalyptic lightning could be nothing more than a manifestation of a celestial being''s divine might.</i>

    <i>Weaker beings or those with insufficiently powerful bloodlines could not possibly withstand¡ªwait, that''s not right!</i>

    <i>Even True Gods and Outer Gods from the outer worlds may not emerge unscathed under such divine might!</i>

    <i>How terrifying!</i>

    Cold sweat crystallized into ice on Pang Jian''s forehead.

    Pang Jian suddenly felt weakness in his divine soul and an overwhelming hunger gnawed at him.

    <i>Hunger...</i>

    Pang Jian''s golden divine soul darted out of the Thunder Pool and into his sea of consciousness, then unexpectedly drew nourishment from Pang Jian''s entire body to restore itself.

    Pang Jian carefully observed his divine soul.

    His divine soul primarily drew on his body''s vitality, which included his blood essence and the life energy stored within the eight leaves.

    Oddly enough, it did not absorb much spiritual power, as it appeared to do little for the recovery of his divine soul.

    <i>One''s vitality and blood essence... </i>Pang Jian fell into deep thought.

    His divine soul seemed different from other human cultivators and functioned simrly to the Outer Gods.

    The true bodies of the Outer Gods were powerful and capable of moving mountains. The driving force behind these colossal bodies was the immense and boundless vitality of the Outer Gods'' flesh and blood.

    The Outer Godscked a dantian and spiritual sea like the human race and instead drew power directly from their physical bodies to restore the strength of their soul.

    <i>Those with divine essence in their divine souls need to prioritize strengthening their bodies. We cannot neglect the refinement of our physical bodies!"</i>

    Hemunicated this revtion to the others.

    A beended in the city ruins where the rest of the group resided and conveyed Pang Jian''s discovery.

    "I feel it too!" Zhou Qingchen agreed. "Every time my divine soul bes weak and drained of power, my body gradually loses strength.

    "It seems our divine souls are replenished through extracting the vitality of our flesh and blood.

    "This is vastly different from the methods recorded from the past." Zhou Qingchen pulled out a Mind Soothing Pill. "This thing doesn''t work anymore, though Dong Tianze''s Soul Nourishing Pills still had some effect."

    "Only a strong body and robust vitality can fortify the mind and benefit the divine soul." Qi Qingsong nodded. "I''ll start studying and practicing body refinement techniques from today onward."

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Wu Yuan and Zhao Yuanqi also wore thoughtful expressions, wondering whether their sects had any techniques rted to body refinement.

    Dong Tianze remained silent. He had long been using the power of the Celestial Phoenix Imprint to temper his muscles and bones.

    "The opening of the Abyss, the Outer Gods'' attention, and the appearance of their puppet bodies have ced us in a unique era," Zhuang Yuyan said thoughtfully. "The creators of the human cultivation system and the techniques for refining the divine soul may have originally intended to harvest the divine essence of the Outer Gods.

    "The Abyss is not usually open and cultivators throughout the ages could not always obtain divine essence. This led to the simplification of the cultivation system.

    "Divine souls refined without divine essence can gradually recover through spiritual power, pills, and even sleep, without cing much demand on the physical body.

    "That''s why the once widespread body refinement techniques have gradually faded from mainstream practice.

    "I think..." Zhuang Yuyan''s eyes lit up with a thought. "Every time body refinement techniques flourish in the Abyss, it''s likely because the Abyss has opened, and the Outer Gods have descended in their puppet bodies."

    "You may be right." Wu Yuan nodded.

    "Indeed. Our Sword Pavilion and your Demon Sect have always preserved secret techniques for body refinement," Qi Qingsong agreed. "Although the body refinement techniques of long gone sects have been fully preserved, they were never passed down."

    "Because the time wasn''t right?" Zhou Qingchen asked.

    "With the opening of the Abyss, cultivators who refine their divine souls with divine essence will likely be required to practice body refinement techniques!"

    "The creators of the human cultivation system have established that hunting down Outer God Puppets and obtaining their divine essence was the way to go when refining one''s divine soul."

    "This unique cultivation system is designed for us to rise by stepping on the Outer Gods, pursuing the path of ultimate power through the hunt and ughter of divine beings."

    "No wonder the Outer Gods view the human race in the Abyss as an aberration and a target to be eradicated."

    The group continued their heated discussion.

    Meanwhile, inside the cave, Pang Jian first replenished his blood essence with the meat and blood of exotic beasts from the outer worlds before attempting to break through to the third realm of the Grand Providence Sacred Body¡ªthe Vital Blood Realm.

    Rich essence blood essence gathered in Pang Jian''s Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint, enveloping a drop of Pang Jian''s blood.

    The drop of blood was repeatedly cleansed and refined, purging all impurities before being infused with a hundredfold increase in vital blood essence.

    It felt as though Pang Jian was refining a star made of blood.

 Chapter 342: Refining Blood Essence

    <h4>Chapter 342: Refining Blood Essence</h4>

    A fragmentednd shrouded in swirling cold mist continued to travel through the bizarre mist.

    In the ruins of Frozen Thunder, Qi Qingsong nourished his divine soul with blood essence from the meat of a Vicious Beast looted from Fang Boxuan of the Blood Moon Sect.

    "Wu Yuan, once we return to the Abyss..." Qi Qingsong said with a sideways nce. "If the people from the Demon Sect ask, you were the cause of Chen Lushi''s death."

    Wu Yuan frowned. "Feeling uneasy about me?"

    "Just a little," Qi Qingsong replied with a smile.

    "I have no loyalty to the Demon Sect. I only seek the path to godhood," Wu Yuan said, expression as cold as a soulless statue. "The Demon Sect is merely a ce that invests resources in me and offers secret techniques that suit me.

    "I already wanted to leave before, but now even more so."

    Wu Yuan nced at the peak of a distant cier.

    "Pang Jian is already ahead of all of us. Instead of wasting your time questioning me, you''re better off focusing on your cultivation. Try not to fall too far behind him."

    Wu Yuan, the genius of the Demon Sect, had made Pang Jian his goal.

    "He''s also in the Spirit Condensation Realm. He just has a few strange artifacts, that''s all," Zhao Yuanqi muttered.

    Wu Yuan shook his head in silence.

    Zhuang Yuyan chuckled softly. "You''re still too naive. Little Junior Brother didn''t care when we collected divine essence from those stone statues and wooden carvings. That alone proves one thing."

    "What does it prove?"

    "It means he already reached the maximum number of divine senses one could have in the Profound Abode Realm!" Zhuang Yuyan said, eyes gleaming. "I''ve always been curious about the exact number of divine senses he refined in the Profound Abode Realm."

    "A few hundred, at most?" Qi Qingsong spected.

    Zhuang Yuyan shook her head, unconvinced. "He won''t say. I suppose it''ll always be a mystery."

    ***

    Pang Jian immersed himself in refining his blood and tirelessly tempering his body inside the cave.

    The meat of exotic beasts obtained from the Ice Armor Eel Dragon and the Ice Race became his daily sustenance.

    Drops of his blood were refined in his Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint, repeatedly tempered until its strength increased a hundredfold.

    <i>Gurgle! Gurgle!</i>

    Pang Jian directed the refined blood to his left arm and felt his blood boil with an extraordinary surge of power.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    He swung his arm at a nearby wall, and the stone crumbled under the impact.

    Pang Jian then repeated the action without any refined blood forparison.

    The stone wall held firm.

    <i>Blood flows through every part of one''s body. It''s also the first to spill from one''s injuries.</i>

    <i>Blood is the easiest source of power to mobilize and the quickest to unleash.</i>

    Pang Jian buried himself in his cultivation.

    Advancing to the Vital Blood Realm involved perseverance like water slowly wearing down the stone. Refining every drop of blood in his body in the Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint was not a task that could be rushed. It required relentless persistence to chip away at it night and day.

    With every piece of exotic beast meat that Pang Jian consumed, the amount of blood essence in his body grew.

    His physical strength surged as more blood essence coursed through his body, and soon, he was confident he could engage in closebat with Vicious Beast of the same level using only his physical body.

    <i>In ancient times, the human race regarded body tempering as paramount. They had the strength to tear apart Vicious Beasts of the same level with their bare hands.</i>

    <i>Now that a new era has arrived, those ancient body tempering techniques will surely regain their brilliance</i>. Pang Jian sighed inwardly.

    One day, Pang Jian''s divine soul entered the Thunder Pool, intending toprehend the mysteries of the Lightning Dao Seals once again, when he sensed a being through the Thunder Pool.

    This being was far away, deep within the bizarre mist.

    Pang Jian could not see the being through the Thunder Pool but could sense a terrifying swell of lightning.

    The intensity of the lightning far exceeded that of the Thunderveil Godbeast, causing the Thunder Pool to tremble in response.

    <i>Could it be another Thunder God? </i>Pang Jian wondered.

    He sent a bee to investigate the source of the lightning.

    The perception range between him, the Bee Sovereign in Absolute Heaven, and each of the bees had expanded more than tenfold since breaking through to the Spirit Condensation Realm and refining his unique divine soul.

    Previously, when bees were sent to distant areas, the scenes they transmitted would be increasingly blurry and disjointed, until eventually, the connection between Pang Jian and the bees was severed.

    After advancing to the Spirit Condensation Realm, such disruptions urred far less frequently.

    Pang Jian knew it would take time for the bee to reach the mysterious being, so he resumed refining his blood in his Providence Mystic Reservoir Acupoint while waiting.

    After some time, the bee finally reached the location sensed through the Thunder Pool.

    Pang Jian was shaken to his core.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    He summoned his protective shield and teleported to the bee.

    A colossal golden skeleton with a pair of massive wings floated in the dense bizarre mist before him.

    Its hollow eye sockets stared nkly ahead.

    The golden skeleton was a lion-tiger hybrid and appeared to be the same one Pang Jian saw through a void rift in Cloud Lightning¡ªthe one that hadprehended the Dao of Lightning!

    It was also a Thunder God!

    The golden skeleton was as enormous as the Fire God and resembled a mountain of golden bones that stretched thousands of zhang high.

    Its aura caused Pang Jian''s temples to throb from the pressure.

    <i>Boom! Crackle!</i>

    A vast sea of golden lightning surged from each of its wings like two worlds of lightning.

    It crashed down toward Pang Jian.

    A chill ran down Pang Jian''s spine, and his first instinct was to teleport back to Frozen Thunder.

    <i>Boom! Boom!</i>

    An invisible barrier blocked the sea of lightning crashing toward Pang Jian. Not a single lightning bolt could pass through.

    As Pang Jian stood before the colossal Outer God''s body, feeling utterly insignificant, he came to a realization.

    <i>The boundary wall!</i>

    Between Pang Jian and the Outer Gody the boundary wall of the Abyss!

    No matter how much power this creature unleashed, it could not break through the boundary wall and enter the Abyss.

    Pang Jian breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

    Carefully observing the creature, he soon confirmed that the Outer God could not see him.

    The Outer God before Pang Jian appeared to have drifted its way to the boundary wall of the Abyss, and not because it had sensed the Thunder Pool.

    <i>I found you and not the other way around. That means the Thunder Pool can sense you, but you can''t detect it.</i>

    Pang Jian then retrieved the Thunder Pool from his spiritual sea and ced it beneath his feet.

    <i>Howl!</i>

    When it sensed the Thunder Pool, the powerful being went into a frenzied rage, wildly wing and beating its wings against the boundary wall in a desperate attempt to break through.

    However, it was like an insect crashing into a stone wall, unable to even shake the boundary wall.

    It recklessly squandered its divine power and the lightning in its hollow eye sockets gradually weakened.

    It soon exhausted itself with its futile attempts.

    As soon as Pang Jian ced the Thunder Pool back in his spiritual sea, the mysterious creature became dazed as if it had lost its pir of faith.

    It lingered in the area for a long time, making repeated vain attempts to break through the boundary wall before finally deciding to leave.

    "No Outer God can break through the boundary wall of the Abyss. It both imprisons and protects the inhabitants of the Abyss," Pang Jian muttered softly.

    Pang Jian stayed in the area for a while longer, patiently waiting to see if the lion-tiger hybrid would reappear, but it seemed to have truly given up.

    <i>The World God...</i>

    Reaching out, he gently ced his palm on the boundary wall that enveloped the Abyss.

    It felt like touching the taut, bulging hide of a beast.

    The Gate of the Abyss on his chest became scorching hot, so much so that he worried his skin would be burned.

    The feeling of the boundary wall under his palm changed!

    His hand sank into the wall, easily passing through it like water.

    <i>I really can cross the boundary wall with the Gate of the Abyss! The power to break through the boundary wall¡ªthis is what it means to be a World God!</i>

    Pang Jian''s emotions surged.

    The boundary wall was impossible for the inhabitants of the Abyss to touch¡ªlet alone break through¡ªbut he could pass through it with the aid of the bronze pendant!

    This meant he did not need to ascend to godhood and reach the True God Realm to leave the Abyss!

    He also had a reasonable exnation for how the Nether Abyss Spirit Bees appeared in the Abyss.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    A World God had entered the Nether Abyss with the bronze pendant and dragged a beehive of Nether Abyss Spirit Bees into the Solitary Mountain Range!

    <i>Should I take a look outside?</i>

    The thought alone made Pang Jian''s heart race and his entire body covered in goosebumps.

    His eyes gleamed with anticipation as he stared into the depths of the bizarre mist beyond the boundary wall.

    <i>Crossing the boundary wall doesn''t seem like the proper path forward. Breaking through the restrictions as a True God and soaring through the depths of the starry skies seems like the true path to ultimate freedom.</i>

    <i>Not to mention, there may be Outer Gods lying in wait outside.</i>

    Pang Jian shook his head and sighed. After much deliberation, he ultimately abandoned the idea of exploring beyond the boundary wall for the moment.

    <i>I''m still too weak. If I cross the boundary wall into the bizarre mist, I could encounter terrifying beings like that one before.</i>

    <i>I should first return to the Abyss and increase my strength. I can always revisit this ideater.</i>

    With his thoughts settled, Pang Jian returned to Frozen Thunder.

    Time passed, and Frozen Thunder eventually reached thest golden bee.

    Pang Jian knew it would not be long before they broke through the bizarre mist and returned to the Abyss.

    Rising into the air, he yelled, "Everyone, get ready! We''re about to leave the bizarre mist!"

    Qi Qingsong and the others had spent their time focusing on body refinement techniques to strengthen their bodies and nourish their divine souls. At Pang Jian''s announcement, they all sprang to their feet, faces filled with excitement.

    "The Abyss!"

    "Once we return to the Abyss, we can getplete body refinement techniques and pills for tempering our physical body from our sects."

    "Finally, we''re leaving this cursed ce."

    They could not help but feel relieved.

 Chapter 343: The Return

    <h4>Chapter 343: The Return</h4>

    Frozen Thunder gradually slowed down.

    "Sir!"

    The remaining five elders of the Ice Race hurried over from the altar. Their expressions revealed their uncertainty about whether they could adapt to the Abyss.

    "The Abyss won''t wee us. The human race despises those like us, who ascend through their bloodline..." Bing Yuan expressed his concern as they approached.

    Qi Qingsong and the others also had climbed to the cier''s peak from the ruins below.

    "Pang Jian, this fragmentednd will inevitably attract the attention of various factions once it appears in the Abyss. His concerns are valid. You''d be wise to sever ties with the Ice Race or it could cause you a great deal of trouble," Qi Qingsong said seriously.

    "I''ve already made arrangements for them," Pang Jian assured. "We''ll wait. It''s still day in the Abyss. We''ll only leave the bizarre mist once it gets dark.

    "Qi Qingsong, you and Senior Sister Zhuang use the Sword Boat and take the others to Eternal Crossing first.

    "I''ll meet you at the Sword Pavilionter.

    "As for the two of you..." He nced at Zhou Qingchen and Zhao Yuanqi.

    "My Zhou n is under the care of the Red Mountain Sect, so naturally, I''ll return there." Zhou Qingchen sighed, feeling somewhat sentimental as the time to part drew near, "Who knows what the future holds for the Abyss? I have a feeling we''ll be at war with the foreign races sooner than we think."

    "I''ll also be returning to the Red Mountain Sect. Once we''re back, we''ll both be promoted to elders," Zhao Yuanqi added.

    She pursed her lips at the knowledge that herpanions had honed their deadly skills in ways she had yet to experience and made a mental note to be mindful of the dangers of human nature.

    If not, she feared she would not be able to adapt to the increasingly harsh environment.

    "When we entered the bizarre mist, I''d just broken through to the Profound Abode Realm. Who could''ve expected me to have refined my divine soul by the time we left?" Zhou Qingchen said with a burst of confidence. "There''s definitely a ce for me in the Red Mountain Sect now."

    "Your future shouldn''t be confined to the Red Mountain Sect," Zhuang Yuyan said with a smile. "You and Dong Tianze have gained the most from this trip. You have a hidden talent for soul refinement and have absorbed the most divine essence.

    "Based on my observations, you''re close to reaching the mid-stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm, right??"

    The others looked at Zhou Qingchen in surprise.

    "Yeah, pretty much," Zhou Qingchen said, scratching his head with an embarrassed smile. "I didn''t expect it either. When I started refining my divine sense at the Profound Abode Realm, I realized I could refine more than I thought."

    "Your talent is higher than mine," Zhao Yuanqi admitted, feeling slightly discouraged.

    "All right, we''ll head back to the Abyss once it''s nightfall," Pang Jian said.

    Surprisingly, even after arriving at the edge of the bizarre mist, he could still sense the Bee Sovereign and the beehive in Absolute Heaven.

    <i>Hopefully, I can maintain contact with the Bee Sovereign after leaving the bizarre mist.</i>

    The sky over the Abyss slowly darkened.

    On a cloudy night with no stars or moon, a massive fragmentednd drifted out of the bizarre mist and plunged swiftly toward the Third World like a specter.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Sword Boat carrying Qi Qingsong and the others sped toward Eternal Crossing. The Scarlet Dawn Boat was docked there and Wu Yuan of the Demon Sect could also return to his sect via the spatial teleportation array.

    Pang Jian lost contact with the bees inside the bizarre mist once the fragmentednd entered the Abyss.

    The Bee Sovereign would deal with the Nether Abyss Spirit Bees once he was done with his transformation.

    His connection to the bees faded, but others emerged in its ce.

    The ck turtle, the World Eater Vine, and the Giant Abyssal Serpent!

    It had been a long time since he could contact these three beings.

    When Pang Jian established a connection with them, the three stirred with excitement.

    <i>Where have you been?</i>

    <i>Father, you''ve been gone for so long!</i>

    <i>Your aura feels ancient.</i>

    The ck turtle, the World Eater Vine, and the Giant Abyssal Serpent responded one after another.

    Their consciousnesses were connected to Pang Jian''s divine soul like invisible threads. Unlike before, he could manage multiple conversations simultaneously.

    There was no mental strain or confusion.

    It was simply another mystery of his soul that had revealed itself since he had advanced to the Spirit Condensation Realm.

    Pang Jian then used the three beings to gather information and understand the changes that had urred in the different worlds of the Abyss while he had been gone.

    He soon learned that over two years had passed since he had entered the bizarre mist!

    Six months ago, a strange ming meteor had shot out from the bizarre mist where he had vanished and crashed into the eternally dark Fifth World.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent''s bloodline had since advanced to Rank Six and had learned from Yu Xin of the Celestial Race that an Outer God had descended!

    That Outer God was named Yan Lie.

    Yan Lie first unified the me Race and the Radiant Race in the Fifth World, then summoned a council of foreign races across the continents.

    Soon after, a new foreign race alliance with a clear leader was formed.

    The Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs lost their suppression power with the Outer God''s descent and the aid of another towering, mysterious figure.

    The foreign races were now free to ascend to the upper worlds regardless of bloodline rank!

    Many quickly migrated to the Fourth World and built homes on the fragmentednds there, solidifying their control over the world.

    After contaminating the Fourth World, the murky energy of the Fifth World continued to rise and started to seep into the Third World.

    The foreign races were gathering their forces and waiting for the murky energy to fully saturate the Third World so they couldunch an invasion to im the twoplete continents there.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A Mountain Stream Spirit Boat from the Celestial Lagoon Sect flew from the Third World toward the Second World.

    Frozen Thunder was shrouded in a thinyer of cold mist, and from a distance, appeared as nothing more than a cloud of mist barely noticeable in the darkness of the night.

    Pang Jian used the power of his divine soul to study the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat and found it packed with people.

    Mortals and cultivators with low cultivation realms filled the boat''s decks.

    <i>They''ve started to evacuate people from the Third World? </i>Pang Jian wondered, stunned.

    The World Eater Vine, Pang Ling, manifested as a vibrant young woman within Pang Jian''s perception of Divine Fortune in the Fourth World.

    <i>Father, she¡ªor rather, it¡ªhas been to Divine Fortune, </i>she informed

    Pang Jian was taken aback. <i>Who? </i>

    <i>I''ll show you...</i> Pang Ling projected a memory imprinted on her soul.

    Luo Hongyan, dressed in a deep ck gown that trailed through the air and with skin pale as snow, passed silently through Divine Fortune.

    Her attention lingered on the World Tree.

    Pang Ling trembled as she cautiously appeared with her spirit body and gazed up at Luo Hongyan with deep reverence.

    Luo Hongyan stared back at Pang Ling.

    Without a word, Pang Ling allowed her memories of Pang Jian to surge forward.

    Luo Hongyan then left.

    Afterward, she visited the elegant residence Pang Ling had prepared for Pang Jian in Divine Fortress.

    Luo Hongyan sat quietly in the garden and gazed pensively at the blooming lotus flowers in the pond for a while before disappearing.

    <i>Father, she...she''s be terrifying. </i>Pang Ling said. <i>She''s several times more powerful than the one in that wooden statue.</i>

    <i>I know, </i>Pang Jian replied with mixed feelings.

    He then inquired about the Wood Race.

    It seemed the Wood Race elders, including Mu Yuan, had traveled to the Divine Fortune to pay their respects to Pang Ling and treated her as their pir of faith.

    The merged fragmentednd of Divine Fortune and Divine Fortress had be a holynd for the Wood Race.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A few hourster, Frozen Thunder came to rest below the sea of massive boulders where the Celestial Phoenix''s remains broke apart in the Third World.

    It then started to merge with the Resolute Expanse, whichy hidden beneath the clouds.

    The Resolute Expanse was slightly smaller than Frozen Thunder and squeezed itself into the border between the merged Frozen Land and Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    <i>Boom! Crack!</i>

    As soon as the Resolute Expanse came into contact with Frozen Thunder, the ck turtle instantly discovered the unique features of the fragmentednd.

    <i>These fragmentednds are filled with lightning and ice mineral veins! </i>The ck turtle roared in delight. <i>With this, I should be able to advance to Rank Eight!</i>

    Pang Jian was startled. <i>Will you be able to take human form once you reach Rank Eight?</i>

    <i>Yes, </i>The ck turtlezily replied from beneath the ground. <i>I''ll start the merging process.</i>

    A golden vein embedded within the Resolute Expanse, the spirit vein Pang Jian had nourished with spirit jades, emitted a strange radiance.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The coiled spirit vein suddenly straightened out.

    One end of the spirit vein stretched toward the former Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    Pang Jian was astonished to see the spirit vein lengthen like a rubber band under the power of the ck turtle.

    The spirit vein grew thinner as it extended.

    Before long, the stretched spirit vein smoothly slipped into the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    At that moment, Pang Jian noticed a glowing vein buried beneath the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    The vein had been drained of lightning and its power had long since faded, leaving only a faint trace of lightning.

    Ity withered deep within the core of the fragmentednd.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    <i>No! This isn''t just a mineral vein! It''s a lightning vein containing traces of the Dao of Lightning!</i>

    <i>It''s just that it''s been drained of all its lightning! There''s no record of it in my memories!</i>

    <i>What exactly is this object?</i>

    The ck turtle eximed in shock.

    The normallyzy ck turtle became invigorated as it merged with the spirit vein and used it to probe the unusual fluctuations within the lightning vein.

    <i>Within it lies incredibly profound andplex traces of Dao of Lightning,parable to those of a God ruling over a divine domain,</i> the ck turtle blurted out in amazement.

    <i>A divine domain? A God? </i>Pang Jian was confused.

    <i>There''s something in my bloodline memory, but it''s too ancient and vague to recall clearly.</i>

    The ck turtle moved within the depths of the earth, diving toward the lightning vein as though swimming through the deep sea.

 Chapter 344: The Merging of Multiple Fragmented Lands

    <h4>Chapter 344: The Merging of Multiple Fragmented Lands</h4>

    On a Sword Boat in the Second World, Qi Qingsong and Zhuang Yuyan frowned at their sword tokens in deep thought.

    "Let''s hold off on contacting the sect for now," Zhuang Yuyan suggested. Turning to Wu Yuan, Dong Tianze, Zhou Qingchen, and Zhao Yuanqi, she added, "We should get our story straight so we don''t contradict each other.

    "We should say as little as possible about Little Junior Brother. We know next to nothing about the Heart of Winter, the Thunder Pool, the Divine Court of Thunder, or the Nether Abyss Spirit Bees.

    "We can tell the truth about everything else, like matters involving the foreign races.

    "We''ll im we heard about the grand event and impending catastrophe that will befall the Abyss from other foreign race warriors. We''ll also act as though we know nothing about the Thunderveil Godbeast," the cautious Zhuang Yuyan instructed.

    "I''ll just say I fainted and didn''t know what was happening. You can handle telling the sect all this," Zhao Yuanqi said, ncing at Zhou Qingchen. "You seem good at making things up."

    "Sure, I''ll exin it to the sect," Zhou Qingchen agreed.

    "Wu Yuan, the Demon Sect will likely question you harshly. You won''t have any problems, right?" Zhuang Yuyan asked. The one she was the most worried about was the genius of the Demon Sect.

    Wu Yuan expressionlessly replied, "I''m very tight-lipped. You''ll see."

    "Good. If you deviate from what we agree on, we''ll all testify against you. We''ll say you killed Fu Wangchen, massacred everyone from the Forsaken Expanse Sect, and that an Outer God has corrupted your soul!" Qi Qingsong growled. "And most importantly, that you''re the one who killed Chen Lushi."

    Wu Yuan''s face darkened and he fell into silence.

    ***

    Beneath the sea of massive boulders in the Third World, the Resolute Expanse was slowly merging with Frozen Thunder under the power of the ck turtle.

    As the fragmentednds merged, the spiritual qi from the Resolute Expanse started to flow into Frozen Thunder.

    <i>How marvelous! </i>the ck turtle admired, having arrived before the mysterious lightning vein.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The ck turtle''s dense blood essence spread outward as it used its innate divine abilities to study the lightning vein.

    <i>I can''t fully see through its mysteries, but this is incredible. It''s going to greatly benefit me!</i> The ck turtle was overjoyed.

    The Forbidden Land of the Thunder God had originally been located in the Thunder Abyss, under the control of the Duke of Thunder.

    The Thunder Pool had once been buried deep within the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God, allowing the fragmentednd to gather lightning no matter where it drifted.

    After the Thunder Pool was unearthed, the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God lost its ability to gather lightning and it was assumed that all its hidden mysteries had been uncovered.

    Unexpectedly, the ck turtle discovered a special lightning vein deep underground while merging with it.

    Noticing the ck turtle''s excitement, Pang Jian exined, <i>This fragmentednd isn''t from the Abyss.</i>

    <i>A fragmentednd containing the mysteries of lightning from the outer worlds? </i>The ck turtle eximed in shock.

    <i>It''s not just this one. The other frozen one also isn''t from the Abyss.</i>

    <i>You brought back two fragmentednds from the outer worlds? This could lead to a breakthrough for me!</i>

    The ck turtle''s power seeped into the Frozen Land and discovered veins containing the mysteries of the cold, deposits of frigid iron, and collections of ice crystals beneath the ciers and snow-capped peaks.

    <i>This entire fragmentednd is a treasure trove! </i>The ck turtle cried out in excitement.

    The spirit vein extended and its aura spread as the ck turtle brought Frozen Thunder under its control.

    As an Earth Spirit, the ck turtle could perceive the mysteries of thend and reveal all the hidden wonders of the Frozen Land and the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God.

    The ck turtle could uncover things that even Pang Jian, the wielder of the Heart of Winter, could not detect.

    Pang Jian observed the frigid earth beneath the ciers and snow-capped peaks through the ck turtle.

    Silver-bright iron deposits and glowing blocks of frigid ice crystal brimmed with pure, concentrated cold energy.

    Several ice veinsy deep within the Frozen Land, connected to the Heart of Winter on the altar.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian summoned the Heart of Winter, causing it to fly off the altar and settle at the bottom of his ice pool in his spiritual sea.

    The link between the Heart of Winter and the Frozen Land made his perception through the ck turtle more vivid than before.

    The crystal-clear veins were connected to the snow-capped peaks, ciers, and icekes of the Frozen Land, forming a mystical domain of ice.

    This allowed the fragmentednd to naturally absorb cold energy beyond the Frozen Land.

    <i>The entire Frozen Land is a divine domain that the Ice Demonid out! The Heart of Winter acts as the array core, while the snow-capped peaks, ciers, and icekes form theponents of a divine array!</i>

    <i>Cold energy is dispersed throughout everything, including the ice veins, frigid iron, and ice crystals.</i>

    <i>With the Heart of Winter, I canmand all the power buried within this fragmentednd as long as I''m in it.</i>

    <i>It''s like controlling a massive, mystical array.</i>

    Pang Jian''s understanding deepened.

    He then turned his thoughts to the Thunder Pool, which also rested in his spiritual sea.

    <i>The Heart of Winter and the Thunder Pool arepletely different.</i>

    <i>The Thunder Pool concentrates the lightning umted over millennia in one ce. If I take the Thunder Pool away, the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God will lose its mysteries.</i>

    <i>That is, unless the lightning vein beneath the fragmentednd umtes enough power over time to attract lightning on its own and the sky of the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God bes filled with suspended lightning once more.</i>

    Pang Jian silently pondered over the two artifacts.

    The Heart of Winter could only exert its full power in the Frozen Land, and its strength plummeted outside of it.

    The Thunder Pool, however, was different.

    As long as he couldprehend the mysteries within the Lightning Dao Seals, he could unleash the limitless power of the Thunder Pool regardless of where he was.

    <i>But that lion-tiger-hybrid creature is near the Abyss, and it can sense when the Thunder Pool leaves my spiritual sea. If it can sense it, then the ancient Thunder Dragon can undoubtedly sense it too...</i>

    Pang Jian''s golden divine soul appeared and settled atop the Thunder Pool.

    He then attempted to sense the Thunder Dragon through the Thunder Pool.

    The Thunder Pool locked onto a surge of violent lightning deep within the Sacred Soul Continent in the Second World, at the heart of the Dragon Lair Sect!

    <i>Just as I thought! </i>Pang Jian''s mind trembled.

    The Thunder Pool could sense and locate Thunder Gods within a certain range.

    <i>If I be a True God, or even just reach the Immortal Realm, I could refine this Thunder Pool and use it to restrain the ancient Thunder Dragon!</i>

    <i>With the Thunder Pool, I can y a role in ying that Thunder Dragon, but until then, I need to ensure its existence remains hidden.</i>

    Pang Jian suddenly felt relieved that Chen Lushi, Lu Jie, and the others had left on a warship.

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    While in the vast bizarre mist, he had not seen any sign of Chen Lushi or the others through the golden bees. Their warship was likely lost again, with everyone on board meeting a slow demise.

    <i>Qi Qingsong, Zhou Qingchen, Senior Sister Zhuang, Zhao Yuanqi, Dong Tianze, and Wu Yuan.</i>

    Pang Jian knitted his brows at thest member of his group, fearing Wu Yuan would pose a problem in the future.

    <i>If word of the Thunder Pool reaches that ancient Rank Ten Thunder Dragon in the Dragon Lair Sect...</i>

    Pang Jian''s mood grew heavy.

    The merging of the fragmentednds continued.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    As the underground spirit vein extended, the rich spiritual qi from the Resolute Expanse gradually flowed into Frozen Thunder and soon reached the Ice Race''s living areas.

    "This energy...is this the spiritual qi that human race cultivators rely on?"

    The five elders of the Ice Race and many Ice Race members were gathered at the altar, detecting the neutral, non-elemental spiritual qi in the cold air.

    They took deep breaths, feeling the spiritual qi being refined in their bodies and strengthening their physiques.

    "Elders!" A Rank Seven member of the Ice Race said with a trembling voice. "For some reason, I feel our path has been partially restored with the influx of spiritual qi and the fusion of our fragmentednd with one from the Abyss.

    "This once iplete, fragmentednd no longer seems to restrict our bloodlines! Rank Seven, Rank Eight, Rank Nine¡ªthere no longer seems to be a limit!

    "We..." Tears welled up in the Ice Race member''s eyes. "We could ascend to godhood here, just like our ancestor, the Ice Demon!"

    The Ice Race members were shaken to their core.

    Following Pang Jian into the unfamiliar Abyss was not a mistake after all!

    ***

    Time flowed by and the merging of the fragmentednds beneath the sea of massive boulders soon nearedpletion.

    The ck turtle asionally let out involuntary sounds of joy, unable to contain its excitement.

    Pang Jian moved the ciers still in the Forbidden Land of the Thunder God to the Frozen Land.

    Then, he remained in his wooden cabin in the Cloud Wilderness as the fragmentednds merged.

    Immense pressure weighed on his shoulders when he thought about the trials lying in wait for the human race in the Abyss, the threat of the ancient Thunder Dragon, and Luo Hongyan''s lofty, awe-inspiring image.

    Thus, he pushed to a single-minded focus on his cultivation.

    He nned to refine all the blood in his body and achieveplete mastery of the Vital Blood Realm. After that, he would temper his divine soul using the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, while alsoprehending the mysteries within the Lightning Dao Seals in the Thunder Pool.

    Once he achieved that, he would return to the Sword Pavilion to seek out the next stages of the Grand Providence Sacred Body and Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    Having decided this, Pang Jian kept his sword token in his spatial bracelet and avoidedmunication with Li Zhaotian.

    One day, voices could be heard from the sea of massive boulders above the clouds.

    "Sigh, good fortune never finds us, but trouble...it alwayses looking for us rogue cultivators."

    "Isn''t that the truth? The murky energy continues to rise, and the Third World is bound to be contaminated. Why won''t they let us leave?"

    "Mortals and those below the Profound Abode Realm can leave, so why can''t we?"

    A group of rogue cultivators vented their frustrations, faces filled with bitterness as they flew overhead.

 Chapter 345: Three Thousand Divine Seats

    <h4>Chapter 345: Three Thousand Divine Seats</h4>

    The rogue cultivators vented their frustrations as they flew above the sea of massive boulders.

    Pang Jian harmonized with the Resolute Expanse to eavesdrop on their conversation.

    From them, he learned that the factions in the First World had designated the Third World of the Abyss as the battlefield where they would confront the foreign races.

    Recently, flying vessels from the First and Second Worlds had been arriving in the Third World to transport mortals and cultivators with low cultivation realms.

    The factions in the First World concluded that the murky energy became more dense the further down one went.

    The murky energy that reached the Third World would be thin enough that cultivators in the Profound Abode Realm and above could use their protective shields to resist its corruption and take part in the fight against the foreign races.

    For this reason, cultivators in the Profound Abode Realm and above were not permitted to board the flying vessels departing the Third World.

    Influential figures from the First World had even descended to the Third World to instruct cultivators in the Profound Abode Realm and above to report to the Dark Abyss and Cosmic Skies Continents, where they would be ced under themand of emissaries from the upper worlds.

    Sects, noble families, and rogue cultivators were all being conscripted.

    Many unruly rogue cultivators feared bing cannon fodder and sought remote ces to hide.

    Some of these rogue cultivators had opted to hide in this sea of massive boulders because it was adjacent to the bizarre mist of the Third World and remainedrgely ignored.

    They nned to lie low and observe the situation.

    In short, they did not want to be the first wave of forces fighting against the foreign races from the lower worlds.

    <i>It looks like they mean business this time.</i>

    Pang Jian asked the ck turtle, <i>Will you head up or retreat into the bizarre mist when the murky energy rises?</i>

    <i>I''ll take the Resolute Expanse into the Second World,</i> the ck turtle said uneasily. <i>Neither I nor the beings living in the Frozen Land can adapt to the corrupted environment.</i>

    Pang Jian was surprised. <i>The Ice Race is also part of the foreign races. Can''t withstand it?</i>

    <i>The Ice Race is different from the foreign races suppressed in the Fifth World. They don''t know how to temper their bodies with murky energy. Adapting would be an extremely painful process, with many dying before they could coexist with it.</i>

    <i>I see.</i>

    Pang Jian recalled how many one-eyed giants had died because they could not withstand the murky energy after being exiled to the Fifth World for provoking the ancient Thunder Dragon.

    The Wood Race and many other foreign races that once thrived with the spiritual qi of heaven and earth in the upper worlds had also experienced a simr period of despair and darkness.

    Many foreign races faced extinction when they could not survive the change.

    The Ice Race poption was already extremely low. Without Rank Eight experts, they would likely be wiped out if exposed to the murky energy.

    <i>The fragmentednd you brought back from the bizarre mist is truly remarkable!</i> The ck turtle growled excitedly underground.

    It moved swiftly between the fragmentednds, lingering near the lightning and ice veins as it contemted how to strengthen them.

    This was the ck turtle''s area of expertise, so Pang Jian simply left the ck turtle to it.

    His priority was refining his blood essence,prehending the Lightning Dao Seals in the Thunder Pool, and tempering his divine soul.

    ***

    More and more rogue cultivators gathered in the sea of massive boulders above, with Cloud Sails asionally drifting past.

    The ck turtle used its power as an Earth Spirit to maneuver the fragmentednds and avoid the Cloud Sails.

    It also set up a barrier of cold mist from the Frozen Land mixed with the spiritual qi of heaven and earth.

    The thin veil of cold mist became a barrier blocking outside powerhouses from sensing the merged fragmentednds.

    <i>The mist was once a mystical barrier that enveloped the entire Frozen Land. It was connected to the ciers, snow-capped peaks, and the crystalline ice veins underground, </i>the ck turtle muttered as it wandered beneath the fragmentednd.<i> That barrier seems to have lost its power since you took the Heart of Winter.</i>

    <i>I sense the altar canmunicate with something beyond this world. It just requires a special ritual.</i>

    Pang Jian was rmed. <i>Don''t mess with that! The altar can connect to the Frost Crystal God from the outer world. It would be catastrophic if she descended!</i>

    <i>An Outer God? Like the spider one controlling that puppet body?</i> The ck turtle''s tone was disdainful and arrogant. <i>After merging these two fragmentednds, my strength has increased and I can wield power beyond my level in this Resolute Expanse.</i>

    <i>I can easily crush a puppet body. You don''t need to be so worried.</i>

    The ck turtle''s bloodline was in Rank Seven, and it could exert Rank Eight strength in the Resolute Expanse. This wasparable to a human cultivator in the Nirvana Realm[1].

    It indeed had reason to be arrogant.

    <i>Let''s not rush. Wait until you reach Rank Eight and gain the strength of a Rank Nine being. We can think about this once you have the ability to face off against a human cultivator in the Immortal Realm,</i> Pang Jian persuaded.

    <i>Very well.</i>

    ***

    A spatial teleportation array lit up and two figures appeared in the Sword Pavilion of the Heaven Awakening Continent in the Second World.

    "Junior Brother Qi, Senior Sister Zhuang," a blue-robed Sword Pavilion disciple greeted, eyes filled with surprise. "The Pavilion Master and several elders have been waiting for a long time! When they heard you were still alive, the Pavilion Master''s excitement scared everyone!"

    "Did the divine crane from the Pure Land Sect say that everyone had died?" Qi Qingsong snorted.

    "Yes, it''s been over two years, and only that white crane flew out of the bizarre mist surrounding Absolute Heaven." The disciple sighed. "It even confirmed that foreign races and Outer God Puppets had emerged. Who could possibly escape such a terrifying situation?

    "You two are truly blessed with incredible fortune!"

    "Alright, the Pavilion Master and the elders have waited long enough. You should go see them." The disciple gestured toward the main hall.

    "Let''s go."

    Qi Qingsong and Zhuang Yuyan headed over.

    Not long after, the Pavilion Master, Li Zhaotian; Zhuang Yuyan''s master, Guang He; Qi Qingsong''s master, Liu Junhong, and several other elders sat with grim expressions as they listened to Qi Qingsong and Zhuang Yuyan''s ount of their experiences in Absolute Heaven.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The dome of the main hall cracked open, revealing a bright full moon and glittering stars.

    The elders gazed at the sky, an oppressive feeling weighing on their hearts. It was almost like they could see the Outer Gods lurking beyond the Abyss, lying in wait for their prey¡ªthe True Gods of the human race.

    "The Outer Gods ambush the True Gods of the human race the moment they break free from the Abyss and enter the starry skies!" Li Zhaotian stomped his foot and cursed, "Damn it! Is this why not a single True God has returned after all these years? Did those Outer Gods ughter them all?"

    The other elders were also seething with anger. They wished they could immediately ascend to godhood and band together to fight the Outer Gods in the starry skies.

    Liu Junhong''s expression was grave. "The news you''ve brought back is worth all the lives it cost. We could never have imagined that the Outer Gods would ambush the True Gods of the human race when they broke free from the Abyss!"

    "Our ancestors were extraordinary!" Wang Ce eximed admiringly. "They shattered the Hall of the Gods in the starry skies that the Outer Gods controlled! The human race of the Abyss may have be enemies of the Outer Gods as a result, yet I can''t help but respect what they aplished!"

    Guang He''s calm demeanor was unwavering. "The once-in-a-hundred-millennia event led to Absolute Heaven and three fragmentednds appearing together in the bizarre mist. An Outer God has entered our world with its true body through that fiery fragmentednd.

    "It''s no wonder the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs were thrown into chaos."

    Guang He turned to Zhuang Yuyan, frowning. "You said a woman named Luo Hongyan had an aura stronger than even that Fire God?"

    Zhuang Yuyan nodded. "I''m certain her rank is higher."

    "The Outer Gods are divided into low, mid, and high ranks, with Sovereign being the top," Li Zhaotian cut in, privy to many secrets due to his position as the Pavilion Master. "There are legends about this based on knowledge collected from the divine consciousness of Outer God Puppets and the ancient texts of powerful races like the Celestial Race.

    "It''s said that the Hall of the Gods in the starry skies once held three thousand Divine Seats at its peak, which is said to be the limit of the Hall of the Gods. Each Divine Seat supposedly corresponds to a different path to godhood.

    "There have only ever been four Sovereigns.

    "If one of these Sovereigns has descended into the Abyss alongside the Fire God..." Li Zhaotian''s face darkened. "I must leave for the First World immediately!"

    With that, Li Zhaotian vanished into the Sword Pavilion''s teleportation array.

    As soon as he left, the remaining elders of the Sword Pavilion started chatting freely.

    "What about Pang Jian? Where did he go?"

    "Why didn''t he return to the Sword Pavilion with you?"

    "Li Zhaotian was clearly thrilled to know that Pang Jian was alive, but he didn''t ask a single question."

    "Heh, he didn''t ask, but I bet he sent countless messages to that kid''s sword token."

    "The strange thing is, that kid hasn''t responded at all. It''s like he''s deliberately avoiding Li Zhaotian."

    The elders openly called Li Zhaotian by his full name, showing a slightck of respect.

    "Master, I''d like to request a body-tempering technique," Zhuang Yuyan suddenly said.

    "Senior Uncle Guang, I''d like one as well," Qi Qingsong added with a grin.

    "Both of you have contributed greatly to our Sword Pavilion." Guang He nodded. "I''ll need some time to determine the exact value of your contribution, but the information you brought back is more than enough for you to freely choose any rare treasures from our Sword Pavilion."

    Guang He then narrowed his eyes and a sh of light appeared within them.

    "Your divine souls are different from ordinary cultivators," he noted. "Have you infused divine essence within them?"

    "Master, how did you know?" Zhuang Yuyan asked, astonished.

    "The Abyss has opened for the Outer Gods to descend in their puppet bodies. One can obtain their divine consciousness by hunting these puppet bodies down," Guang He said with a sigh. "The Pavilion Master has already started encouraging disciples to take up the body-tempering techniques stored within our Sword Pavilion."

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Master, why didn''t you tell us earlier?" Zhuang Yuyanined.

    "I only found out recently myself," Guang He replied.

    1. For reference, the Nirvana Realm is the third-tost cultivation realm,ing before the Immortal Realm and True God Realm, and after the Spirit Condensation Realm and Soul Wandering Realm. ?

 Chapter 346: Shocking an Outer God

    <h4>Chapter 346: Shocking an Outer God</h4>

    Massive flying vessels traveled day and night between the Third and Second Worlds, with their numbers only growing as time passed.

    One day, Pang Jian was refining his blood essence when he heard a deafening roar.

    He harmonized with the Resolute Expanse and observed the situation with his divine soul.

    An entire fleet of enormous warships, bearing banners emzoned with the four characters "Supreme Monad Divine Kingdom" sailed across the sky and headed straight toward the Cosmic Skies Continent.

    Later that night, more warships descended from the sky. This time, they bore gs with the characters "Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom."

    These warships of the three great Divine Kingdoms of the Eastern Land in the First World all carried elite soldiers and formidable generals.

    The soldiers were dropped off at the Cosmic Skies and Dark Abyss Continents, and the warships fetched mortals and cultivators with low cultivation realms to the Second and First Worlds on their way back.

    "The three great Divine Kingdoms are mobilizing at such scale and momentum. It''s truly astonishing!"

    "The foreign races don''t stand a chance if the three great Divine Kingdoms are getting involved, right?"

    "The Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom, the Supreme Monad Divine Kingdom, and the Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom have many soldiers and generals, with a Divine King overseeing each kingdom! The foreign races in the lower worlds are nothing more than filthy rats living in dark gutters. I see no reason to fear them at all!"

    "Exactly! We won''t even need the sects to step in to sweep away the foreign races with the joined forces of the three Divine Kingdoms!"

    "Let''s keep a close eye on the situation. If the first battle is andslide victory, we''ll just step out and start sucking up to the Divine Kingdoms'' generals!"

    The might of the Divine Kingdoms'' warships swayed many rogue cultivators.

    They had initially nned to sit back and stay out of the conflict, but the involvement of the three great Divine Kingdoms had convinced them that victory was all but guaranteed.

    Under such circumstances, it was unnecessary for them to stay hidden for long, and they were determined to reveal themselves when the time was right.

    <i>Fools.</i>

    Pang Jian smiled coldly and shook his head before establishing a connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent was apanying Yu Xin of the Celestial Race to the Dong n''s city in the Fourth World.

    High-ranking Vicious Beasts, one-eyed giants, the Demon Scale Race, the Ghost Race, and many other foreign race warriors were also present.

    Behind one of the Ghost Race warriors floated the hunched, ck-robed Outer God Pang Jian had encountered in Absolute Heaven.

    Ah Man, the one-eyed giant, stood towering like a steep mountain range with his single eye fixed on the Three Immortals Ind above.

    "Returning to our homnd..." he muttered under his breath.

    A group of one-eyed giants roared and beat their chests in excitement, eager to rush into the Third World.

    "Senior Ah Man," Yu Xin said, flying up to Ah Man''s nose bridge and presenting an object to him. "The one you serve asked me to deliver this to you. He said you''ll be better able to wield your power as the Ancestor of Ten Thousand Mountains with this item in hand."

    "The Mountain Flipping Seal!" Ah Man''s expression morphed into shock as he received the tiny amber seal. It was like a grain of rice in his palms. "This...this item has been lost for a thousand years! How could it...?"

    "He found it," Yu Xin said with a smile.

    "With this Mountain-Flipping Seal, I''ll be able to stand my ground against the Thunder Dragon!" Ah Man eximed with excitement.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    His power surged into the amber seal and the mountains on the fragmentednd seemed to shift.

    Pang Jian''s connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent was abruptly severed.

    <i>He''s a Rank Ten powerhouse!</i> Pang Jian''s face paled with shock.

    Ah Man dared to challenge the ancient Thunder Dragon with the Mountain Flipping Seal. Such a thing only made sense if he was Rank Ten.

    A Rank Ten foreign race warrior was equivalent in strength to a True God. No wonder the inhabitants of the Fifth World dared to ascend!

    Ah Man came from the Fifth World, which housed seven continents. It was likely that others of his rank existed across the other continents as well.

    The confidence of the foreign races did not make sense otherwise, as a single Fire God like Yan Lie was not enough to stand against the many True Gods in the First World.

    "Those rogue cultivators are too naive," Pang Jian muttered with a sigh.

    A few dayster, Pang Jian was left disoriented after another failed attempt atprehending the Lightning Dao Seals in the Thunder Pool with his divine soul.

    "I wonder what''s happening beyond the Abyss?" he murmured as he rubbed his forehead.

    He retrieved the copper chest from his spatial bracelet and then used the ck turtle scute to dive into the center of the Resolute Expanse with it before entering the chest.

    The sky of the copper chest was adorned with shimmering stars and a brilliant moon.

    Pang Jian gazed into the distant starry skies beyond the Abyss.

    Since refining his divine soul, his perception had extended much further than before.

    Despite this, no matter how far it stretched, it could not seem to touch the distant twinkling stars.

    Eventually, he gave up.

    <i>The stars are probably like Winter or those spherical celestial bodies the apocalyptic lightning destroyed,</i> Pang Jian thought. <i>Perhaps foreign races live on them. They''re so far from the Abyss that they appear small and are difficult to observe.</i>

    <i>In the end, it''s still easier to observe the moon.</i>

    Pang Jian shifted the focus of his divine soul.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    It felt like Pang Jian was soaring across the moon with his divine soul!

    Unlike before, he could not only see the moon but even felt like he was physically present on it.

    <i>There was that Celestial Race man with twelve pairs of white wings... </i>Pang Jian recalled, heading over to check on the body on the moon.

    It was no longer there.

    <i>Someone''s been here!</i>

    Startled, Pang Jian explored the moon''s surface and soon spotted an abandoned white jade pce.

    Dozens of warships belonging to the Bright Moon Race were docked next to the pce.

    Pang Jian had seen simr warships in Absolute Heaven and had killed many Bright Moon Race warriors, allowing him to easily recognize them from a distance.

    It seemed the Bright Moon Race had brought many skilled craftsmen to the moon and were working to restore the abandoned pce.

    The Bright Moon Race members were unaware that someone in the Abyss was spying on them and happily chatted among themselves.

    "This moon will soon be part of our Bright Moon Race''s territory. Heh, a Moon God once died here and no new Gods have imed it because of how deste and remote this ce is."

    "Our Moon God wants to extend her divine might here. Since that''s the case, this moon now belongs to the Bright Moon Race."

    "Why would the Moon God descend to such a deste ce?"

    "A Sun God has also gone to a nearby sun. If I recall correctly, this region is supposed to be a forbidden zone."

    "Weird."

    The craftsmen of the Bright Moon Race continued to chatter away.

    <i>Why do these foreign races consider the starry skies beyond the Abyss a forbidden zone? </i>Pang Jian wondered as he eavesdropped.<i> Perhaps only the Outer Gods know the Abyss is nearby. They probably gather at set times to hunt down the True Gods of the human race when they break free.</i>

    Pang Jian slowly approached the white jade pce.

    Suddenly, a woman with a broad, smooth forehead appeared in the highest hall of the pce.

    On her forehead were mysterious marks depicting the different phases of the moon.

    The marks appeared to be natural and exuded a mystical charm.

    Her breathtaking appearance was highlighted by her magnificent silver robe embellished with waxing and waning moons.

    It was the soul projection of the Moon God.

    Though this was not her true body, the presence of her soul projection alone was enough for the moon to be her divine domain. The moon was now her territory ruled under her divinew.

    "So, Pang Jian, you can spy on the starry skies from within the Abyss." Her lips curled into a cold smile.

    As soon as the words left her mouth, her will permeated the moon, sending chills down Pang Jian''s spine.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Moon God revealed her true body.

    Her ten-thousand-zhang-tall true body hovered above the white jade pce like another moon, radiating light upon all living beings and causing the surrounding stars to shine brighter.

    The Bright Moon Race''s craftsmen below paused their work and knelt in worship toward her.

    They bowed respectfully and murmured apologies, believing the Moon God had revealed her true body due to her displeasure with their progress.

    "Pang Jian!"

    The Moon God unleashed a tidal wave of divine power like moonlight. Her will surged like a vast tide, sweeping across the moon, aiming to drag Pang Jian out of the shadows.

    "I''d like to see what you''re using to spy at the starry skies! Pang Jian, you''ve provoked me time and time again. You truly are¡ª"

    Pang Jian firmly shut his eyes and stopped gazing at the moon.

    The Moon God''s will disappeared.

    <i>Thud!</i>

    Pang Jian hastily climbed out of the copper chest and closed the lid with a grim expression.

    <i>A Sun God and Moon God have appeared just beyond the Abyss. What are they nning?</i>

    <i>Are other Outer Gods also lurking outside?</i>

    <i>Did the Outer Gods catch wind of some True God in the First World preparing to break through the barrier ande to prepare for the ambush?</i>

    Pang Jian''s mind raced.

    The bronze pendant hanging on his chest suddenly heated up.

    It had been empty since the removal of the beehive and only contained endless bizarre mist.

    Pang Jian was puzzled at the unexpected reaction from the bronze pendant.

    <i>Spiritual power can''t prate it and even divine sense struggles to reach inside. I only caught a glimpse through the Bee Sovereign. But now, I''ve refined my divine soul. I wonder...</i>

    Pang Jian''s divine soul flew out from his brow and attempted to enter the pendant to investigate the cause of the heat.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    His divine soul slipped in effortlessly!

    Inside, in the ce where the beehive once floated, were seven needles.

    They glowed a faint pale blue.

    These needles seemed to be the reason the pendant had heated up.

    Pang Jian observed the needles with his divine soul and quickly realized they resembled the ice shards corresponding to the ciers within the Heart of Winter.

    Upon closer inspection, the seven needles appeared to be extremely miniaturized versions of the seven Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs!

 Chapter 347: The Seven Needles

    <h4>Chapter 347: The Seven Needles</h4>

    Each of the seven continents in the Fifth World of the Abyss had a Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir to suppress the foreign races there.

    Since their construction, the foreign races in the Fifth World had lived in their shadows.

    Unexpectedly, seven needles corresponding to the seven Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs of the Fifth World had appeared within the Gate of the Abyss!

    Pang Jian''s soul trembled.

    <i>They weren''t there before. Why did they suddenly appear?</i>

    <i>ording to the Giant Abyssal Serpent, the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs on the seven continents of the Fifth World have all lost their deterrent power recently. This could be due to the arrival of the Fire God, Yan Lie, or perhaps...</i>

    <i>Is it because of her?</i>

    The longer Pang Jian thought about it, the more terrified he became.

    He could not help but feel that Luo Hongyan and Yan Lie had erased the inscriptions that the human race powerhouses from the First World left on the seven Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs, causing them to malfunction altogether.

    <i>Why did the seven corresponding needles appear in the Gate of the Abyss when the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs had lost their power?</i>

    <i>Could they act as teleportation points?</i>

    Pang Jian focused his energy on one of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    He appeared in the familiar Eight Trigrams City, right next to the pool in the City Lord''s Mansion.

    Dense murky energy surged toward him and attempted to dissolve the spiritual power in his spiritual sea.

    Pang Jian summoned a protective shield to iste the murky energy before returning his divine soul to his sea of consciousness.

    He then fanned his divine sense out to perceive his surroundings.

    The Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir towering over the cold wilderness no longer emitted the azure brilliance it did before.

    The suns, moons, stars, mountains, rivers, and other rune patterns that once brimmed with hidden mysteries of the Dao were no longer visible.

    The Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir''s mystical power had been lost and Eight Trigrams City showed no trace of its former wonder.

    Unlike before, no foreign race powerhouses gathered nearby, attempting to break through the oppressive force of the pir.

    The foreign races of the Fifth World seemed to have forgotten it entirely.

    Pang Jian peered at the sky and saw strange ships transporting powerful foreign race warriors to the Fourth World.

    <i>Foreign races from the outer worlds on that fiery fragmentednd also brought their warships to the Fifth World.</i>

    <i>They''ll surely tell the foreign races in the Fifth World how magnificent the world beyond is and remind them that the Gods they worship still exist in the starry skies.</i>

    <i>Their arrival brought the most important thing¡ªfaith.</i>

    A worried expression crossed Pang Jian''s face.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian teleported to another Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir.

    At the top of this pir stood a deserted vige built primarily from ck wood.

    In the vige was a pool simr to the one in Eight Trigrams City, though the water showed no signs of a Mirror Tunnel.

    <i>They seem quite simr. Their purpose should beparable to that of Eight Trigrams City.</i>

    Pang Jian scanned the entire vige with his divine sense but detected nothing unusual.

    There was no array core like the copper chest in the pool.

    <i>It seems something simr to the copper chest was once here, but the powerhouses of the First World or those who destroyed the pirs probably imed it.</i>

    Pang Jian teleported to the other Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs with his bronze pendant.

    At the top of each one were cities, towns, and viges, alongside a pool that once served as a Mirror Tunnel.

    There were no signs of life in the seven cities, towns, and viges, nor was there anything resembling the copper chest.

    No foreign races assembled around the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs and Pang Jian could not gather any valuable information in the end.

    Finding nothing, he reluctantly returned to the Resolute Expanse in the Third World.

    ***

    Two figures silently appeared after Pang Jian left the city atop thest Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pir.

    It was the Fire God, Yan Lie, and Luo Hongyan.

    Yan Lie had taken on the appearance of the me Race after hiding his true body, while Luo Hongyan still wore her pitch-ck robes.

    As Yan Lie stood in the deste city named White Bone City, he frowned.

    "Is he the new World God of the Abyss? Each generation of World Gods has contributed to the forging of these seven Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs, right? You allowed him to resonate with the pirs when you erased the marks of the seven True Gods of the human race from the First World."

    Luo Hongyan remained silent as she drifted through White Bone City.

    White Bone City was once infamous in the Abyss for its boundless ferocity.

    Her divine power flowed into the pir, rummaging through the starry inscriptions to uncover its secrets.

    After a long time, she finally said in a calm voice, "Eight Trigrams City, White Bone City, ckwood Vige, Blood Prison Vige, Dead Spirit Town, Sinister Soul Town, and Ghost Spirit Townmitted heinous deeds that stirred both the wrath of heaven and the anger of the human race in the Abyss.

    "That''s why they were ced atop the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs and used to perform blood and soul sacrifices to provide the pirs with special energy.

    "Erasing the umted energy of resentment in these seven cities, towns, and viges significantly weakened the pirs'' might, but deciphering the mysteries of the pirs will still be extremely challenging.

    "But..." A strange smile crept onto her lips. "The copper chest he took back then created a small w in theplete array. Moreover, the disintegration of the Celestial Phoenix''s remains also lent us a helping hand.

    "Without these unexpected events, I wouldn''t have been able to deal with the seven Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs even if I had gathered some of my divine power within the Abyss."

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Six items¡ªa knife, a sword, a hammer, a spear, a mirror, and a g¡ªappeared in the air behind her.

    These were the array cores of the other six Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs.

    "As long as we can refine these items, we won''t even need to destroy the seven Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs.

    "These items were incredibly difficult to forge and contain the umted wisdom of countless human powerhouses from the Abyss. If we can get them under our control, the seven Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs will be formidable weapons in our hands.

    "With these, we can easily eliminate the True Gods of the Abyss."

    ***

    A secludednd filled with beautiful mountains rested in the Western Loam of the First World.

    Spirit Avians spread their wings, dancing gracefully atop the peaks, while intelligent beasts basked in the sun while enjoying mouth-watering fruits.

    Unlike the hostile beasts of the Sacred Soul Continent, these beasts lived in harmony and never engaged in conflict.

    The rich spiritual qi was as thick as water and the rare fruits were abundant. Streams flowed gently in the valleys between the mountains and neat houses with red brick and jade roofs sat in the open ins.

    Many exquisitely dressed people lived in the viges nestled among the mountains. Although they did not go out of their way to cultivate, their cultivation realms still steadily rose, allowing them to enjoy long lifespans.

    This was the most renowned sacrednd for the human race in the Abyss¡ªthe Pure Land Sect.

    Near the top of one of the steep mountain peaks was a wide cave.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Sun Bin rushed in and sought an audience at the cave''s entrance.

    "Lord Crane!" he called.

    There was no response from the tightly shut stone door.

    "Lord Crane!" Sun Bin persisted.

    The white crane reluctantly pped its wings and opened the sealed stone door.

    "How annoying!" It looked impatient as it stared at Sun Bin with cold eyes. "My master hasn''t returned yet. She went somewhere to undergo trials, and only the Sect Master of the Pure Land Sect knows where.

    "You''ve beening here non-stop and without reason for the past six months. What exactly do you want?

    "If it weren''t for you finding my master in the lower worlds, I would''ve killed you already!" The white crane fumed.

    Sun Bin entered the cave, sped his hands in greeting, and shot the white crane a ttering smile. "Lord Crane, I''ve been busy gathering information and I learned some astonishing news! The one you mentioned died in Absolute Heaven, Pang Jian, is alive!"

    "What?" The white crane was taken aback. "I saw a group of powerful foreign races surrounding them before I left. Some of those foreign races were in Rank Seven! I thought they were doomed, but it seems they were fortunate!"

    "Li Zhaotian of the Sword Pavilion took Pang Jian in as a personal disciple. Pang Jian is also the same one you previously called Luo Yuan." Sun Bin''s expression turned strange as he took a deep breath. "Hees from Northern Qi in the Fourth World. Specifically, from a ce called the Solitary Mountain Range, where he was once a hunter!"

    "What''s strange about that?" the white crane asked curiously.

    Sun Bin''s expression was serious. "Lord Crane, do you know the true name of your master?"

    "Pang Lin, why?" The white crane responded, puzzled.

    Sun Bin''s body trembled as he said in a low voice, "She, like Pang Jian, alsoes from the Solitary Mountain Range of the Fourth World! I brought her to the Pure Land Sect after seeing she had a natural lightning vortex."

    "I know you brought her here. Do you think I''d pay you any attention otherwise?" The white crane huffed. "Pang Jian, Pang Lin, are they from the same vige?"

    "Not from the same vige; he''s your master''s biological brother!" Sun Bin eximed.

    "Bio-biological brother?!" The white crane froze. Then, snapping out of its momentary daze, it shrieked, "He never told me! He didn''t mention it when he learned my master''s name in Cloud Lightning!

    "Damn it! He knew from the very beginning!

    "I can''t believe he''s my master''s bio-biological brother! I¡ª" The white crane stammered.

    At that moment, it finally understood why Pang Jian had spared it back on Cloud Lightning.

    It turned out its master was Pang Jian''s sister!

    "Where is he? I need to find him right now! I want to rify the situation!" The white crane screeched, preparing to leave.

    Sun Bin quickly blocked its path. "Lord Crane! Let''s wait for your master to return so we can inform her of this news!

    "Also, I believe we should keep their rtionship a secret! The Pure Land Sect has intentionally concealed your master''s name, origin, and background.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "The sect doesn''t want the ancient Thunder from the Dragon Lair Sect to find out about your master too soon!

    "Lord Crane, please calm down!"

 Chapter 348: Steady Progress

    <h4>Chapter 348: Steady Progress</h4>

    Dong Tianze had returned to his cave dwelling in the Sinister Soul Temple on the Dark Abyss Continent.

    The Cult Leader, Han Zhiyuan, was pleasantly surprised at his mid-stage Spirit Condensation Realm cultivation.

    "I''ve only reached thete stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm myself. I''m still one step away from advancing to the Soul Wandering Realm. And you..." The emaciated Han Zhiyuan rubbed his hands together excitedly before his expression abruptly shifted to worry. "Boy, are you still willing to stay in the temple?"

    Dong Tianze was puzzled. "Master, what do you mean?"

    "You''re probably the most outstanding among the Celestial Phoenix Divine Guards. You''re more than capable of leaving the Sinister Soul Temple to reunite with your Master. They could likely secure a ce for you in the upper worlds.

    "For example, as a guest elder with one of the sects in the Second or First Worlds." Han Zhiyuan''s lips curled into a bitter smile. "The Sinister Soul Temple is bing too small for someone like you.

    "Not to mention, a great war is about to break out in the Third World. The foreign races willunch a fierce assault on this world once the murky energy rises.

    "You''re a promising cultivator with strong backing. You don''t need to stay in the temple and fight to the death against those lowly foreign races from the lower worlds."

    "I''m nning to remain in the temple for now," Dong Tianze replied firmly.

    "The situation below is unpredictable, and I don''t know what will happen. I may not be able to protect you," Han Zhiyuan admitted. "The powerhouses from the First World have arrived with their warships and I have no choice but to follow theirmands. If you stay, you''ll also have to follow their orders, and I''m worried you won''t adapt well."

    Dong Tianze nodded. "I understand."

    After a brief pause, he asked, "Master, does the temple have any secret techniques for refining one''s body?"

    Han Zhiyuan was taken aback. "Our Sinister Soul Temple has never focused on physical body refinement. Body-refining techniques are the specialty of the Blood Moon Sect. Why do you ask?"

    "The Blood Moon Sect?" Dong Tianze raised an eyebrow.

    <i>I''ve heard rumors that the Blood Moon Sect and the Sinister Soul Temple share amon origin. The Blood Moon Sect''s body-refining techniques could be the most suitable path for me, </i>he thought.

    "Cult Leader!" Liu Yan called from outside the cave dwelling. "Someone has asked for you and Brother Dong to meet him. He''s in the main hall!"

    "Who is it?" Han Zhiyuan asked.

    Liu Yan replied respectfully, "It''s Li Wei, the Armor-Breaking Marquis from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom!"

    Dong Tianze frowned.

    Seeing this, Han Zhiyuan''s face grew serious.

    "You¡ªIs his visit rted to you?"

    "His son, Li Yuanchen, was reported to have gone to Absolute Heaven but got lost in the depths of the bizarre mist. People from the Forsaken Expanse Sect mentioned him," Dong Tianze calmly replied.

    "Will there be a problem?"

    Dong Tianze shook his head. "No."

    "In that case, I''ll take you to meet him."

    Not long after, Li Wei, the dignified Armor-Breaking Marquis, sipped fragrant tea while listening to Dong Tianze''s exnation in the reception hall of the Sinister Soul Temple.

    "My son got lost in the bizarre mist. The chances of his survival are slim." Li Wei sighed as he put down his teacup, handsome face filled with sorrow. "So, you''re saying the Forsaken Expanse Sect encountered the Armor-Breaking Warship in the bizarre mist?"

    "Yes, the Armor-Breaking Warship was empty," Dong Tianze replied, lowering his head.

    "Wu Yuan of the Demon Sect said the same. So did Qi Qingsong and Zhuang Yuyan of the Sword Pavilion." Li Wei nodded. Then, staring deeply at Dong Tianze''s forehead, he remarked, "A Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard, impressive."

    With that, he stood up and left.

    Dong Tianze sessfully maintained hisposure throughout the conversation.

    He had convinced Qi Qingsong and Zhou Qingchen to eliminate everyone in Frozen Thunder because he knew this day woulde.

    They even eliminated Fang Boxuan as he had witnessed Pang Jian capture Li Yuanchen and use soul-searching techniques to kill him.

    If he survived and betrayed them, they would have had to face Li Wei''s wrath upon returning to the Abyss.

    Fu Wangchen''s master, Li Chu from the Forsaken Expanse Sect, would not have let them off easily either.

    ***

    The same events unfolded for Zhou Qingchen and Zhao Yuanqi of the Red Mountain Sect and Wu Yuan of the Demon Sect.

    Li Chu from the Forsaken Expanse Sect visited the Demon Sect to inquire about Fu Wangchen''s whereabouts and learned that a Rank Eight Ice Armor Eel Dragon in Absolute Heaven had devoured Fu Wangchen and others.

    The Celestial Lagoon Sect and the ck Valley Sect also questioned Zhou Qingchen but found the information they received was consistent with what Wu Yuan, Dong Tianze, Zhuang Yuyan, and Qi Qingsong had said.

    The group had returned from the bizarre mist with important information about how the Outer Gods were hunting the True Gods of the human race.

    This was a major contribution.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    In the end, no further investigations were made as everyone''s ounts aligned and no issues were found.

    ***

    Pang Jian had since reached mastery of the Vital Blood Realm during his stay on the Resolute Expanse.

    He then further refined his divine soul using the Spirit Condensation Realm techniques recorded in the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    However, he soon realized the techniques recorded in the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art did not benefit his divine soul.

    His golden divine soul could already withstand the elements and freely leave his body.

    The simple techniques recorded in the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art had little effect.

    <i>I''ll either need toprehend the Lightning Dao Seals in the Thunder Pool or go to the Sword Pavilion to get theplete manuals.</i>

    Pang Jian hesitated for a while.

    During this time, the eight Leaves of Life also manifested a new ability, which he decided to explore.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The trees, flowers, and nts within several dozen miles became his eyes, even without extending the perception of his divine soul.

    He could borrow the leaves, branches, and grass to survey everything within a certain range.

    This gave him a tremendous advantage during battles within dense forests.

    Additionally, he could now extract life energy from trees, flowers, and grass to heal himself even without the World Eater Vine to replenish the Leaves of Life,

    If Pang Jian had this ability back in the bizarre mist¡ªwhen he could notmunicate with the World Eater Vine¡ªhe could have drawn energy from the forests of Absolute Heaven to replenish his strength.

    "It''s too bad that it came a little toote," Pang Jian muttered softly.

    ording to the World Eater Vine, its next evolution would enable Pang Jian to control nts directly through the Leaves of Life, just like a true member of the Wood Race.

    Several dayster, Pang Jian once again found himself exhausted and with little gain after another attempt toprehend the Lightning Dao Seals in the Thunder Pool with his divine soul.

    Thus, he finally decided to head to the Sword Pavilion to seek theter stages of the Grand Providence Sacred Body and Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    Discreetly flying up from the Resolute Expanse beneath the clouds, he settled on an empty boulder in the sea of massive boulders.

    "Pang Jian!"

    A voice called out just as Pang Jian was about to take out his sword token to send a message.

    Pang Jian frowned and looked at the unfamiliar rogue cultivator approaching him. "Have we met?"

    He had chosen a secluded boulder with no other cultivators nearby and the person was still quite far away. Despite the distance, the stranger had instantly recognized him.

    "It seems you''ve forgotten about your old friends now that your status has risen." The stranger smiled mischievously, appearance shifting until he looked like a shifty, rat-faced man.

    "Huang Qi!" Pang Jian eximed.

    "It''s been years since we parted in the Primordial Wilderness. You became a disciple of the Sword Pavilion andter a personal disciple of its leader," Huang Qi said with a sigh. "But I''m still just a small rogue cultivator without a sect to support me.

    "The Third World is about to be a bloody battlefield where the powerful figures from above will sh with the foreign races. I can''t stand the arrogance of those powerhouses, so I''ve been hiding here instead.

    "Tsk, tsk, they think they can get people to fight for them just by offering high-grade pills and spirit artifacts, but I''m not buying it."

    Huang Qi moved closer, gave Pang Jian a once-over, and frowned.

    "I heard you went into the bizarre mist and that you''ve been dead for over two years. But a few days ago, I heard you came back alive. What happened?

    "Fu Wangchen from the Forsaken Expanse Sect; Li Wei''s son, Li Yuanchen; and Lu Lingchan from the ck Valley Sect¡ªhow did those top geniuses from the First and Second Worlds die?" Huang Qi questioned.

    Pang Jian asked curiously, "What have you heard?"

    "They say that Li Yuanchen got lost and died in the bizarre mist.

    "Lu Lingchan and the members of the ck Valley Sect turned into some sort of living dead and eventually turned to dust.

    "And a Rank Eight Ice Armor Eel Dragon devoured Fu Wangchen, Chen Lushi from the Demon Sect, and Jiang Chao from the Celestial Lagoon Sect," Huang Qi replied.

    Pang Jian was taken aback.

    It seemed he had been worried for no reason. Qi Qingsong and the others¡ªsurprisingly including Wu Yuan of the Demon Sect¡ªhad hidden anything that could have worked against him.

    "Boy, what cultivation realm are you in now?" Huang Qi asked.

    "I recently advanced to the Spirit Condensation Realm."

    "The Spirit Condensation Realm? So fast? You were only in thete stage of the Innate Realm when I first met you in the trading hall at the Primordial Wilderness!" Huang Qi sighed. "No wonder the Pavilion Master of the Sword Pavilion took you as his personal disciple. It''s truly maddening topare oneself to others."

    The two chatted for a while.

    Through Huang Qi, Pang Jian learned that factions from the First World had already taken root in the Dark Abyss and Cosmic Skies Continents, the two major continents in the Third World.

    The five major sects of the Third World¡ªthe Radiant Sun Sect, the Red Mountain Sect, the Blood Moon Sect, the Star River Alliance, and the Sinister Soul Temple¡ªwere now all under themand of these factions.

    Powerful figures had also imed some of the more unique fragmentednds to construct battle arrays.

    Those from above had brought high-grade spirit artifacts, pills, and even saint-grade treasures, which they nned to use as incentives for those fighting.

    Rogue cultivators with significant contributions during the battle would be rewarded with said items and granted guest elder status in one of the sects.

    Many rogue cultivators seeking official recognition, such as the Old Ghost Dongye, Lian Feng, and Lei Kun, had already gone to pledge their allegiance, hoping to climb the ranks.

    Others, fearing they would be used as cannon fodder, chose to retreat into deste fragmentednds.

    "Ugh, I came down from the Second World to settle my grudge with Cao Mang and got caught up in this mess as I was about to return," Huang Qi said with a frown. "In the past, the flying vessels that took us between the Second and Third World wouldn''t hesitate to transport us. Now, they won''t even look at us. There''s no way back up."

    "I can take you up," Pang Jian said.

 Chapter 349: Arriving at the Sword Pavilion

    <h4>Chapter 349: Arriving at the Sword Pavilion</h4>

    Three dayster, a Sword Boat whistled through the sky above the sea of massive boulders.

    "Damn it, the Sword Pavilion has found us!"

    "The Sword Pavilion never used to care about us rogue cultivators, right?"

    "Are they trying to force us into battle?"

    The rogue cultivators despaired.

    The Sword Boat picked up Pang Jian and Huang Qi before sailing away from the sea of massive boulders.

    "Junior Brother Pang!" a tall Sword Pavilion disciple enthusiastically greeted. "I''m a disciple of Elder Guang He, just like Zhuang Yuyan. I''m her senior brother and my name is Yu Shi.

    "I was escorting a group of outer sect disciples to the Third World to prepare for the war against the foreign races. My master sent me a message, instructing me to bring you back to the Sword Pavilion, so I hurried over."

    Yu Shi was a tall, burly man in his thirties or forties, with Soul Wandering Realm cultivation.

    Pang Jian bowed respectfully.

    Yu Shi nced at Huang Qi. "And this is?"

    "A rogue cultivator, Huang Qi."

    Yu Shi frowned.

    "He''s a friend of mine," Pang Jian added.

    Only then did Yu Shi rx, smiling as he nodded. "In the future, rogue cultivators will have plenty of opportunities to join major sects and be treated as honored guests."

    The Sword Boat soared through the sky.

    The boat''syout was identical to the one that had entered the bizarre mist, except Yu Shi was the only one on board.

    "I was originally going to escort a group of mortals and cultivators below the Profound Abode Realm from the Red Mountain Sect to the Heaven Awakening Continent in the Second World. But my master urged me not to dy, so I came to bring you up first," Yu Shi exined when he noticed Pang Jian''s confusion.

    "Thank you for the trouble, Senior Brother Yu." Pang Jian sped his hands in gratitude.

    "It''s my duty." Yu Shiughed heartily.

    The two continued to chat, with Yu Shi asking about the Absolute Heaven and sharing news about the Sword Pavilion.

    After a while, Yu Shi got up.

    "You two chat. I''m going to replenish some spirit jades," he told Pang Jian and Huang Qi.

    At that moment, Pang Jian recalled Qi Qingsong mentioning sect infighting back in cave dwelling number fifty-six on the First Peak of the Primordial Wilderness.

    Qi Qingson had been slow to advance to the Innate Realm and had tactfully returned to being an outer sect disciple, only to experience the fickleness of human rtionships.

    ording to him, inner sect disciples under the same master fought openly and covertly. There was no real harmony among disciples and plenty of underhanded schemes.

    Despite this, all the Sword Pavilion disciples Pang Jian had encountered seemed quite kind, even the ones in Eternal Crossing.

    He had not experienced any of the things Qi Qingsong had described.

    Puzzled, Pang Jian quietly mentioned this to Huang Qi.

    "That''s because your status is high¡ªyou''re a personal disciple of the Pavilion Master. It''s only natural for your fellow disciples to fawn over you." Huang Qi chuckled. "If you were an outer sect disciple or a low-ranking inner sect disciple, you''d see how they''d really treat you."

    Then, lowering his voice, he added, "If you were only an inner sect disciple, that person down there would''ve dyed for days before even considering giving you a ride.

    "If you were an outer sect disciple, he wouldn''t even pick you up. You''d have to figure out how to get to the Sword Boat yourself. And you''d have to arrive at the agreed-upon ce and time, or they wouldn''t even bring you along."

    As a rogue cultivator, Huang Qi was well-versed in the unspoken rules and discriminatory nature of sects.

    "If you hadn''t said we were friends, do you think he would have even looked at me twice, given my status as a mere rogue cultivator?" Huang Qi sneered.

    Pang Jian fell into deep thought.

    A few dayster, the Sword Boat stopped above the Heaven Awakening Continent.

    Huang Qi expressed his gratitude to Yu Shi and bid farewell to Pang Jian. "Thank you. Until we meet again."

    The Sword Boat continued toward the Sword Pavilion.

    "He''s from the Providence Sect," Yu Shi said after Huang Qi left.

    Pang Jian turned his head, frowned, and asked, "Senior Brother Yu, is that a problem?"

    "Not really." Yu Shi smiled and exined, "It''s just that our Sword Pavilion destroyed the Providence Sect. The body-refining techniques of the Providence Sect were also collected and ced in our library. I''m just worried he harbors a grudge over the destruction of his sect and will cause you trouble in the future."

    "Thank you for the warning, Senior Brother," Pang Jian responded casually.

    "It''s my duty, no trouble at all," Yu Shi said with a smile.

    As the Sword Boat passed by majestic mountains and rivers, Yu Shi earnestly exined more about the Second World, "The three most powerful sects on the Heaven Awakening Continent are the Sword Pavilion, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, and the Skyveil Cliff Sect.

    "However, even the Celestial Lagoon Sect and Skyveil Cliff Sectbined wouldn''t match the strength of our Sword Pavilion.

    "The aristocratic ns and noble families aren''t even worth mentioning, so you don''t need to worry about them, Junior Brother.

    "The only sect we need to keep an eye out for in the Second World is the Demon Sect," Yu Shi exined.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Pang Jian gently nodded.

    Half a dayter, a nine-story pavilion came into view.

    It resembled a giant spirit sword pointing downward and was suspended mid-air between the mountains.

    It exuded an overwhelming aura of sword intent, which resonated with the surrounding mountains to form a unified array.

    As the Sword Boat approached, Pang Jian noticed each towering mountain looked and felt like a sword.

    Endless sharp sword intents shot toward the sky to link with the towering Sword Pavilion.

    "Pang Jian!" Qi Qingsong shouted from a mountain peak, waving with a mischievous grin.

    His master, Liu Junhong, also nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

    "Pang Jian!" Zhuang Yuyan called from another peak where she stood with her master, Guang He.

    More people appeared on several other mountain peaks to nce curiously at Pang Jian.

    A tall, thin man in blue clothes with an aloof expression called out from the highest peak, "Over here."

    Yu Shi steered the Sword Boat to a stop.

    "We''ve arrived. This is the Pavilion Master''s Heaven Departure Peak and this is Senior Brother Chen," he exined to Pang Jian. Then, bowing respectfully to the tall, thin man, he said, "Senior Brother Chen, I''ve brought him."

    "Hmm." The tall, thin man named Chen Weihuang nodded. As Pang Jiannded, he handed him a brand-new sword token and said, "This is your inner sect disciple sword token."

    Pang Jian respectfully epted the sword token and bowed. "Greetings, Senior Brother."

    "Our master is still handling affairs in the First World." Chen Weihuang pointed to the towering nine-story Sword Pavilion and said seriously, "With this token, you''re granted one chance to enter the Sword Pavilion and freely choose a sword.

    "If a divine sword chooses you, that''s your good fortune."

    Yu Shi looked utterly shocked.

    "Qi Qingsong, Zhuang Yuyan, and the other survivors of the bizarre mist came out alive thanks to Pang Jian," Chen Weihuang said coldly, ncing at Yu Shi. "The information they brought back and the contributions they made are more than enough to earn Pang Jian an opportunity to choose a sword."

    "I understand!"

    Yu Shi quickly piloted the Sword Boat over to Guang He''s side.

    The four elders, Guang He, Liu Junhong, Wang Ce, and Xu Yu, all stared expectantly at the Sword Pavilion. It was clear they already knew about this.

    "Can he really choose a divine sword?" Yu Shi could not help but ask.

    "A divine sword has a soul. He''s not choosing the sword¡ªthe sword is choosing him." Guang He snorted. "The so-called opportunity to choose a sword is actually just the chance to be chosen. I''d like to see whether the one Qi Qingsong and Zhuang Yuyan have praised so highly, and whom the Pavilion Master has taken as his final disciple, is worthy of being chosen."

    "Master, how many people in our recorded history have been chosen by a divine sword?" Zhuang Yuyan asked in a low voice.

    Guang He sneered, "How many divine swords are there? How many can be chosen?"

    ***

    Liu Junhong pressed his fingers to his forehead and used his divine soul to study Pang Jian. "I can''t quite gauge his cultivation realm. I can''t directly enter his sea of consciousness to investigate, but his divine soul feels different from yours.

    "You refined your divine soul with divine sense imbued with divine essence, but the aura of your divine soul is still faint and ethereal.

    "But he''s different. His divine soul''s aura is solid and much more refined.

    "That''s not typical for a cultivator in the Spirit Condensation Realm," Liu Junhong said, slightly perplexed. "Even some Soul Wandering Realm cultivators don''t have that aura. It''s strange."

    Qi Qingsong scratched his nose andughed. "I guess my talent isn''t quite on par."

    "No, it''s not just about talent." Liu Junhong shook his head.

    Qi Qingsong pondered aloud, "There are only three divine swords left. Do you think Pang Jian can win one of their approval?"

    "Getting a sacred sword would already be quite an achievement." Liu Junhong frowned., "There are only a few exceptional cases, like that freakish girl from the Li Family. Most people can''t expect a divine sword to recognize them right away. Don''t aim too high and lose sight of reality."

    ***

    "So, that''s Pang Jian, the new personal disciple of the Pavilion Master."

    "I heard the Pavilion Master holds him in very high regard. Supposedly, his potential surpasses even Senior Brother Zhao''s and he''s likely to inherit the Pavilion Master''s legacy. Some elders have even said he''ll restore the Sword Pavilion to its rightful ce."

    "Is the Pavilion Master nning to pass down his position to him?"

    Several female disciples of the Sword Pavilion watched the distant Heaven Departure Peak, eyes sparkling with curiosity.

    Elder Wang Ce stood nearby, and hearing their conversation, said calmly, "In our Sword Pavilion, we value both cultivation talent and one''s talent with the sword."

    ***

    On the Heaven Departure Peak, Pang Jian''s senior brother, Chen Weihuang gave a few instructions before coldly saying, "Go on. Many are watching. Don''t bring shame to our master, and don''t let anyone question his judgment in choosing you."

    "I understand," Pang Jian acknowledged

    Everyone Pang Jian had met so far from the Sword Pavilion had been warm and friendly toward him, and Chen Weihuang was the first person to treat him indifferently.

    After reflecting on it, Pang Jian realized that Chen Weihuang did not need to be particrly kind to him due to his status as Li Zhaotian''s eldest disciple and histe-stage Soul Wandering Realm cultivation.

    Pang Jian grasped his new sword token, infused it with spiritual power, and used it to rise into the air.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    He flew straight toward the nine-story Sword Pavilion.

    "My disciple, I wish you the best of luck. Bring back a divine sword and make your master proud." Li Zhaotian''s cheerful voice echoed from the sword token.

    Curious and scrutinizing gazes from the surrounding mountain peaks converged on Pang Jian as he sped toward the Sword Pavilion from the Heaven Departure Peak.

    As Pang Jian flew, he sensed dozens of faint soul threads, like strands of seaweed, lightly resting on his shoulders and back, attentively monitoring his every move.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Pang Jiannded on the ninth floor of the Sword Pavilion.

    A cacophony of strange noises erupted around him the moment his feet touched the ground.

 Chapter 350: The Abyssal Demon Sword

    <h4>Chapter 350: The Abyssal Demon Sword</h4>

    "Is he truly going to be Li Zhaotian''s final disciple?"

    "Does Li Zhaotian seriously n to make him the next Pavilion Master of the Sword Pavilion?"

    "I don''t see anything special about him."

    "Li Zhaotian, that coward, has lingered in the Immortal Realm for so long. He refuses to advance to the True God Realm, iming he hasn''t found a suitable sessor. I think he''s just making excuses out of fear!"

    "Well, he''s finally chosen a sessor. Does that mean he''ll try to be a True God?"

    "Can this kid shoulder the responsibility of leading the Sword Pavilion?"

    The Sword Pavilion was as noisy as a marketce.

    Pang Jian was stunned.

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The nine-story Sword Pavilion was shaped like an inverted sword. Its ninth floor was the most spacious, with a central staircase leading to the lower floors.

    There were a variety of spirit swords on the ninth floor¡ªmade from ck iron, treasure crystal, gold, and other rare materials.

    Some swords looked dull or like scrap metal, while others gleamed dazzlingly.

    Some were disyed on wooden stands, some rested in sword cases, while others were embedded in wooden tforms.

    There were over a hundred spirit swords on the ninth floor.

    However, the voices of criticism did note from the spirit swords on this floor.

    <i>A spirit sword without a sword soul is merely a high-grade spirit artifact and isn''t very valuable.</i>

    With that thought, Pang Jian descended the stairs.

    The nine-story Sword Pavilion was structured with its sharp tip pointing downward, with the grade of the spirit swords increasing the further down one went.

    The eighth, seventh, and sixth floors were also filled with spirit swords, but none had sword souls. Thus, Pang Jian ignored them and continued heading down.

    The number of spirit swords dwindled from the fifth floor onward, with only about twenty or thirty spirit swords on each floor.

    The spirit swords here were disyed in slightly different ways¡ªsome rested in cabs or were encased in special crystal, while others were embedded in wooden tforms.

    The spirit swords on the fifth floor could make faint, chattering sounds.

    Pang Jian casually touched a spirit sword as narrow as two fingers, three feet long, and as thin as a cicada''s wing.

    A young maiden in the prime of her youth, dressed in vibrant robes, snapped angrily, "Take your filthy hand off me!"

    She red fiercely at Pang Jian.

    The sharp light of the spirit sword red, nearly cutting Pang Jian''s finger and forcing him to let go.

    "A forced match is never sweet." A lead-gray sword embedded in the wooden wallughed. "Come over and pull me out. I''ll go with you!"

    <i>Woong! Woong! Woong!</i>

    A sword hummed loudly as if trying to pull itself free from the wall, but did not seem to have the power to do so.

    "Young master, take me with you! Together, we''ll conquer the world!"

    "Choose me, young master, choose me!"

    "You''re Li Zhaotian''s personal disciple and is the future Pavilion Master. If you conquer the Abyss with me, I''ll surely be famous across the heavens!"

    "I can sense it¡ªyou cultivate the Dao of Cold. I''m the perfect match for you!"

    <i>Woong! Woong!</i>

    The spirit swords on the fifth floor either cursed him or invited him to choose them.

    Instead of physically touching the spirit swords, Pang Jian reached out with his divine sense and faintly saw the sword souls within each one.

    Some sword souls appeared as humans, beasts, or spirits, while others were clouds of mist or crystalline gems.

    They seemed toe in all sorts of bizarre shapes and sizes.

    However, none of them could leave their swords or move freely.

    <i>None of these are good choices.</i>

    Pang Jian moved down to the fourth and third floors, only to find much of the same.

    The spirit swords on the third, fourth, and fifth floors were saint-grade and had sword souls, but none were top-tier.

    Descending once more, he found only twelve spirit swords on the second floor, all floating in mid-air.

    The twelve spirit swords rushed toward Pang Jian, flying around him and chattering nonstop as they evaluated him from head to toe.

    Pang Jian sensed profound Dao mysteries from the twelve swords.

    It felt like selecting any of them could lead him to godhood in the future.

    "Blue Dream was given to that boy, Qi Qingsong. It''s been gone ever since."

    "He''s the same as that guy, trying to choose a spirit sword to assist them in their path to godhood. But his aura is all mixed up¡ªhe''s not suitable for any of us."

    "He doesn''t have the qualifications to ascend to godhood. I don''t think much of him."

    "Yes, with his aptitude, he should choose a sword from above. He''s not wee here."

    The twelve spirit swords on the second floor formed a little clique and unanimously dismissed Pang Jian.

    They then returned to their ces and steadfastly ignored Pang Jian.

    Realizing he could not win them over, Pang Jian headed straight to the first floor.

    The moment he entered, his expression changed.

    He did not see any spirit swords¡ªinstead, he saw three people!

    Two old men wearing blue robes, one fat and one thin, were clearly from the older generation of the Sword Pavilion.

    The pair were ying a game of chess while a fiery Celestial Phoenix floated in the air.

    Neither of the elders noticed Pang Jian''s arrival as they were too engrossed in their game.

    The Celestial Phoenix, on the other hand, transformed into a stunning woman in blue robes.

    Smiling calmly at Pang Jian, shemented, "How interesting. You''ve refined the essence of the Celestial Phoenix, but didn''t be a Celestial Phoenix Divine Guard."

    Pang Jian was startled.

    "Your divine soul..." She frowned, studying Pang Jian for a few seconds before her expression grew serious. "I''ve never felt such a vast amount of divine essence in any Spirit Condensation Realm cultivator from the human race!

    "In previous eras, when the Abyss opened, cultivators also captured Outer God Puppets and used their divine essence to refine their souls, but none areparable to you."

    She shook her head solemnly.

    The two old men finally shifted their attention from the chessboard to nce curiously at Pang Jian.

    "Lady Feng, are you sure?" the thin elder asked.

    "I am. In the past, cultivators also infused their divine sense with divine essence to refine their divine souls, but none had as much divine essence as him."

    Lady Feng smiled faintly and gave a slight bow. "Well then, I feel a connection with him. I''ve taken a liking to him. So, this is farewell."

    "Lady Feng, when you leave, don''t pursue your sister''s death any further. Otherwise, I''m afraid even this soul of yours will be annihted. It could even bring the Sword Pavilion down with it!" the thin elder sternly advised.

    "Don''t worry, I won''t cause trouble for the Sword Pavilion," Lady Feng replied halfheartedly.

    <i>Boom! Crack!</i>

    A sound suddenly echoed from the corner of the first floor.

    Pang Jian turned in surprise and saw the ck crystal hilt of a sword struggling to pull itself free.

    The entire de of the sword was embedded in the wooden floor, with only the ck, crystal-like hilt visible, making it easy to overlook.

    "Abyssal Demon!" The two elders and the fiery Celestial Phoenix''s expressions changed.

    ck demonic mes rose from the ck crystal hilt, and a twisted, violent aura rapidly spread throughout the Sword Pavilion.

    The entire nine-story Sword Pavilion turned pitch ck as if drenched in ink.

    "The Abyssal Demon Sword!"

    "Why''s that sword reacting?"

    "What''s going on?"

    The aura spilling from the first floor terrified every sword soul in the Sword Pavilion.

    Meanwhile, the Immortal Realm elders on the mountains outside were equally shocked.

    Some disciples turned to their elders for an exnation.

    "That sword doesn''t belong to the Sword Pavilion. It was the sword of thest Sect Master of the Demon Sword Sect, a branch of the Demon Sect."

    "That Sect Master and the Abyssal Demon Sword led to the Demon Sect erasing the Demon Sword Sect from existence."

    "The Demon Sword Sect and the Abyssal Demon Sword haven''t appeared in the Abyss since."

    "That sword hasn''t moved in almost three hundred years! Instead of awakening the divine swords, that kid stirred the Abyssal Demon Sword!"

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh</i>

    The four Immortal Realm elders, Liu Junhong, Guang He, Wang Ce, and Xu Yu, surrounded the outside of the first floor and adopted a defensive stance.

    Chen Weihuang frowned and sent a message with his sword token, "Master, he''s disturbed the Abyssal Demon Sword."

    Li Zhaotian was in the middle of a discussion about the fight against the foreign race with several True Gods when he received the message.

    "If the Abyssal Demon Sword chooses him, let him take it," he replied.

    "But that''s not even a sword from our Sword Pavilion!" Chen Weihuang protested.

    "As long as it''s a sword, it belongs to the Sword Pavilion! What does it matter if it''s a righteous, evil, or demonic sword? If it''s a sword, it aligns with our Dao!" Li Zhaotian responded confidently before resuming his discussion.

    Back on the first floor of the Sword Pavilion, a voice filled with madness and violent rage echoed from the demonic sword embedded in the wooden floor.

    "I want him! The new era has arrived and the most terrifying trial of the Abyss is about to begin. Only by merging with me can he bear the responsibility of revitalizing the Sword Pavilion!

    "The Abyss is on the brink of destruction, and this world will be destroyed. The Sword Pavilion, the Demon Sword Sect, and every sword sect in the Abyss will soon be reborn!

    "You three old fools, release me! Let me out!

    "I can smell it¡ªthe blood on him. It''s the smell of karma! I''ll use his body and my Dao of Sword to ughter the Outer Gods!

    "I''m the soul of an evil demon, but he can carry my Dao!"

    The Abyssal Demon Sword hummed violently.

    Its soul''s crazed shrieks were so loud that even the three divine sword souls were getting headaches.

    Pang Jian stared at the strange sword in shock. Its hilt rattled violently but it remained firmly embedded in the floor.

    "Li Zhaotian has replied!" The fat elder''s face darkened as he nced at Lady Feng. "He said that if the Abyssal Demon Sword is willing to be wielded by him, we''re not to continue suppressing it."

    "Has Li Zhaotian gone mad?" Lady Feng snapped.

    "Let him try to pull the sword. If he can pull it out, the Abyssal Demon Sword is his to take." The thin elder grunted. "Li Zhaotian hasn''t sessfully ascended to godhood yet. We can be slightly flexible with his orders."

    "Fine, let him pull the sword!" The fat elder and Lady Feng reluctantly agreed.

 Chapter 351: Under Control

    <h4>Chapter 351: Under Control</h4>

    "Pang Jian," the thin elder called out, gaze fixed on the hilt of the demonic sword. "You can choose between Lady Feng and the Abyssal Demon Sword.

    "If you want the Abyssal Demon Sword, you''ll have to pull it out with your own strength. If you seed, it means you have the potential to wield it. If not, the sword stays in the Sword Pavilion."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The thin elder appeared beside the Abyssal Demon Sword and sneered, "Haven''t learned your lesson yet, have you?"

    His body quietly became translucent, and a pale cyan spirit sword emerged from his blue robes as if part of his skeleton.

    Thousands of dazzling sword lights pierced into the floor where the Abyssal Demon Sword was embedded like divine dragons or arcs of lightning, extinguishing the ck demonic mes that had engulfed the Sword Pavilion.

    The Sword Pavilion returned to its original state in the blink of an eye.

    His sword light transformed into barely visible chains that bound the Abyssal Demon Sword.

    His sword light and sword intent then seeped into the Abyssal Demon Sword, relentlessly suppressing it.

    Soon, the Abyssal Demon Sword was gravely weakened.

    "You old fool, you''re the one who broke me in half!" it howled in fury. "If I want to me somebody, I can only me it on Mo Nan''s failure to ascend as a True God!

    "Had he sessfully be a True God, and I merged with his True God body, I wouldn''t have lost to you!

    "Mo Nan, oh, Mo Nan, it was your wavering desire for demonic power that led to your failure to be a Demon God.

    "Pang Jian, you''re my true master. I''ll help you ascend as a True God. Take me with you!"

    The Abyssal Demon Sword''s soul wailed.

    Then, the wailing abruptly stopped.

    Pang Jian''s eyes shed with surprise as he realized the three people before him were the sword souls of three divine swords.

    The three divine swords were suppressing the Abyssal Demon Sword.

    With the Abyssal Demon Sword''s soul and body sealed, it could not manifest a human form.

    "I can''t believe you''ve set your sights on this kid, Abyssal Demon." A sinister female voice scoffed.

    Pang Jian turned to see another strange sword with only its hilt protruding from a different corner of the first floor.

    This sword seemed forged entirely from bones and exuded a dense aura of death.

    "White Bone, this has nothing to do with you, so you''d best stay quiet," Lady Feng sneered. "The Abyss has that sin-ridden White Bone City because of you. You''re more cursed than Abyssal Demon. You''ll never escape the Sword Pavilion."

    "Heh, I''m just waiting for the day the Sword Pavilion copses, Li Zhaotian dies, and everyone else perishes." The White Bone Sword chuckled. "The humans of the Abyss may have forged me, but if no one here is worthy to wield me, I''ll go and seek the Gods of the foreign races.

    "I¡¯m just a sword, not a human. I have no sense of loyalty or guilt.

    "Abyssal Demon, when the timees, I hope you can introduce me. You''ve mentioned that there are Gods in the outer worlds who spread death wherever they go.

    "I love beings like that!" the White Bone Sword crowed.

    The fat elder snorted. "I''ll destroy you before that day everes!"

    Thousands of sword lights flew from his body, striking the White Bone Sword and severing its thoughts.

    The Abyssal Demon Sword and the White Bone Sword fell silent.

    Pang Jian examined the other dark corners of the first floor and noticed yet another blood-soaked hilt embedded in the floor.

    The sword reeked of blood, though its sword soul remained silent.

    The Abyssal Demon Sword, the White Bone Sword, and the Bloodthirsty Sword all appeared to be divine-grade spirit swords.

    The three swords were steeped in sin. Powerhouses from the Sword Pavilion seemed to have killed their previous wielders and sealed the swords on the first floor.

    Pang Jian marveled at the Sword Pavilion¡¯s deep reserves of power. Even though the sect had declined, they could surely rise to prominence again if a True God emerged.

    At least three divine swords were before him, with three other divine-grade evil artifacts being suppressed.

    Li Zhaotian''s sword was surely a divine sword as well, not to mention the one in Li Yuqing''s hands.

    The number of divine artifacts the Sword Pavilion had was truly astonishing to Pang Jian.

    "Have you made up your mind?" Lady Feng urged impatiently. "Will it be me or the Abyssal Demon Sword?"

    At this point, the Abyssal Demon Sword had fallen silent.

    Pang Jian hesitated.

    "I''d like to know more about the origins of the Abyssal Demon Sword," he said tentatively.

    "Very well." The thin elder nodded. "The sword''s soul is called the Abyssal Demon and is forged from a soul that does not belong to the Abyss.

    "The Abyssal Demon Sword has only ever had one master, the Sect Leader of the Demon Sword Sect, Mo Nan.

    "When he attempted to ascend to the True God Realm, he failed and the demonic sword''s power consumed him. Despite his failure, Mo Nan survived, and the sword greatly enhanced his power.

    "He sought tomunicate with the Outer Gods, intending to bring them into the Abyss.

    "In the end, the Sword Pavilion''s previous Sword God, my former wielder, killed Mo Nan and severed the Abyssal Demon Sword into two pieces.

    "Half of the sword vanished into the bizarre mist, never to be seen again, while the other half was sealed here in the Sword Pavilion.

    "Its sword soul''s strength has been significantly weakened. Even so, the sword remains dangerous. The Abyssal Demon isn''t of the Abyss and will constantly attempt to corrupt its wielder.

    "Mo Nan couldn''t resist its influence and it ultimately controlled him during his attempt to ascend to True God." The thin elder paused. "I advise you to choose Lady Feng."

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Pang Jian''s eyes lit up when he heard the Abyssal Demon was not from the Abyss. "I choose the Abyssal Demon Sword!"

    He stepped over to the ck crystal-like hilt, firmly grasped it, and gathered his strength.

    Power surged from his body as he channeled his energy into his palms and gave a forceful pull.

    The Abyssal Demon Sword did not even budge!

    Instead, hundreds of strange sword intents surged along Pang Jian''s blood vessels and rushed toward his sea of consciousness.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The sword intents transformed into bizarre demonic entities from the outer worlds.

    They took the form of stunningly beautiful women, monstrous beasts gnawing on humans, grotesque creatures of many fused souls, demonic eyes, and even dark purple carnivorous nts.

    "My new master, let me show you my power!"

    The sword intents gleefully roamed Pang Jian''s vast sea of consciousness in the form of bizarre demonic entities.

    Although the demonic entities rushed toward the edges of his sea of consciousness, a faint thread still connected each one to Pang Jian''s golden divine soul.

    Pang Jian''s golden divine soul towered ten thousand zhang tall in his sea of consciousness and watched coldly as the hundreds of bizarre entities darted about.

    The demonic sword intents appeared to be studying his innermost thoughts.

    Some demonic entities quietly descended toward the acupoints at the bottom of his sea of consciousness and tried to corrupt his thoughts.

    Pang Jian''s golden divine soul smirked.

    "What are youughing at? My new master, your aura feels strange. Your divine soul¡ª"

    <i>Boom!</i>

    Hundreds of demonic sword intents suddenly surged toward Pang Jian''s golden divine soul!

    The Abyssal Demon Sword had intended to lull Pang Jian into a false sense of security, first distancing the demonic sword intents before charging at Pang Jian''s golden divine soul without warning.

    Hundreds of chaotic and violent wills assaulted Pang Jian''s golden divine soul.

    It was like hundreds of streams of chaotic thought were rushing into his soul, trying to overwhelm his consciousness and leave a foreign soul imprint.

    "Is this the extent of your power?" Pang Jian shook his head with a mocking smile.

    He pictured himself as the Thunder Pool, capable of obliterating the souls of gods and demons, before summoning the divine power of lightning from his lightning vortex.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    Bolts of soul-crushing lightning crackled from Pang Jian''s three thousand strands of divine sense and shattered the Abyssal Demon Sword''s chaotic soul technique.

    Pang Jian then activated the inherent power of his golden divine soul and coldlymanded, "Eradicate"

    The soul-erasing power capable of destroying the wills of Outer Gods quietly emerged from his divine soul and wiped out the demonic entities.

    The bizarre entities invading Pang Jian''s sea of consciousness were all dealt with in the blink of an eye.

    The Abyssal Demon Sword''s soul grew faint and its presence was barely detectable.

    Sensing something unusual, the thin elder released his suppression of the Abyssal Demon Sword.

    Frowning, he said, "Pang Jian, it seems you''ve wounded the sword soul. You¡ª"

    "Old fool! I-I don¡¯t want him as my master anymore! I''ve changed my mind! I''ll stay in the Sword Pavilion!

    "After spending so many years with you, I''ve grown fond of you all. I can''t bear to leave. Let Lady Feng go with him instead!

    "I¡¯m not going anywhere!" the Abyssal Demon Sword cried weakly.

    Pang Jian casually pulled and the broken sword slid smoothly out of the floor.

    "You old fool! Keep suppressing me! Why didn''t you stop him?!

    "I don''t want to leave, so why did you let go?

    "Aren''t you worried I''lle back and tear this ce apart after finding my other half in the bizarre mist?" the Abyssal Demon Sword screeched frantically.

    "I have a feeling you won''t be able to deal with him, even if you do find your other half and regain your full power," the thin elder sneered. "Good luck conquering the Abyss together!"

    With a wave of his sleeve, the thin elder flung Pang Jian out of the Sword Pavilion with the ck broken sword in hand.

    The fat elder squinted at the hole where the Abyssal Demon Sword had been embedded. "Did you notice his divine soul is quite simr to the souls of the Outer Gods?"

    The thin elder nodded. "Yes, it''s brimming with divine essence."

    "He''s only recently reached the Spirit Condensation Realm. Are you reallyfortable with him taking the Abyssal Demon Sword?" Lady Feng asked, face pale.

    "I''m not concerned because the Abyssal Demon can''t corrupt him. If he does something heinous in the Abyss, it won''t be because of the Abyssal Demon¡ªit''ll be his true nature at work," the thin elder said gravely. "Li Zhaotian''s choice is risky, but it does offer the Sword Pavilion a glimmer of hope."

    "What hope?" Lady Feng and the fat elder asked in unison.

    "To take the Sword Pavilion from the Second World to the First World¡ªor even out of the Abyss entirely!" the thin elder said with a low voice.

 Chapter 352: Merit Points

    <h4>Chapter 352: Merit Points</h4>

    "Do you know what you''re saying?" The fat elder''s face paled and the sword within his body trembled slightly. "Taking the Sword Pavilion out of the Abyss? There''ve been generations of Sword Gods, but none could aplish that. No one who has left the Abyss has ever returned safely! Do you honestly think he can do it?"

    "Hah, I think you''re crazier than the Abyssal Demon!" Lady Feng scoffed. "How did such a thought pop into your head?"

    The thin elder remained silent as he retreated into his sword body and transformed into a translucent, cyan spirit sword.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Images of the sun, moon, stars, birds, flowers, mountains, rivers, and runic patterns emerged on the sword''s surface.

    If Pang Jian had not already left, he would have realized the images mirrored the strange symbols he had seen on the seven Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs.

    <i>Woong! Woong!</i>

    The White Bone Sword let out a low hum.

    It seemed like it wanted to say something but was being silenced.

    ***

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian hovered outside the Sword Pavilion, expression bewildered and with the Abyssal Demon Sword in hand.

    The demonic sword was unexpectedly calm, though its soul essence was quietly gathering.

    "Pang Jian!"

    The four Immortal Realm elders, Liu Junhong, Guang He, Wang Ce, and Xu Yu, called out from where they surrounded the outside of the first floor of the Sword Pavilion.

    Gazes converged on Pang Jian from the Heaven Departure Peak, the Breakthrough Peak, the Elusive Peak, the Enlightenment Peak, the Fate Severing Peak, and the Sword Honing Peak.

    Everyone saw the ck broken sword in his hand.

    Liu Junhong''s expression was solemn as he asked, "Is that the Abyssal Demon Sword?"

    "It is," Xu Yu replied with a bitter smile.

    Guang He and Wang Ce remained silent.

    The sword that had once had a terrifying reputation in the Abyss was now in Pang Jian''s hands.

    Its unexpected calmness made it even more unnerving.

    The more subdued it seemed, the more everyone''s unease grew.

    "Pang Jian, this sword should not have left the Sword Pavilion. Even its creator, the former Sect Master of the Demon Sword Sect, Mo Nan, lost control and fell into madness," Guang He said seriously.

    "Pang Jian, it''s just a broken sword. You can choose something better," Xu Yu advised gently.

    Liu Junhong was much more straightforward inparison. "Switch swords or you''ll be dead before you know it."

    Wang Ce shook his head but said nothing.

    None of the four elders believed Pang Jian could handle the Abyssal Demon Sword.

    In their youth, they too had gone to the first floor of the Sword Pavilion and encountered the Abyssal Demon Sword.

    It was a sword that excelled at corrupting people''s minds.

    Knowing this, they had all resisted its allure and chosen other swords.

    In their eyes, Pang Jian wielding such a sword would only lead to his downfall.

    "I want to go back!" the Abyssal Demon Sword shrieked in despair.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The ck crystal sword struggled free from Pang Jian''s grasp and fled back to the first floor of the Sword Pavilion.

    ¡°You old fool!¡± Its enraged cries echoed from the Sword Pavilion.

    The four elders and the rest of the Sword Pavilion watching from the nearby peaks were bewildered.

    "You made your choice. There''s no going back now!" the thin elder sneered as he shooed him away.

    A streak of ck light shot out and the broken demonic sword once again hovered before Pang Jian.

    ¡°Pang Jian, as its master, you should discipline it!¡± the thin elder advised.

    "Oh." As Pang Jian grasped the hilt, he swept his golden divine soul through the sword. Clusters of writhing dark demonic wills were crushed, smothering the Abyssal Demon Sword''s rebellious spirit.

    <i>Pop! Pop! Pop!</i>

    Clusters of demonic wills burst like bubbles and the sword''s resistance was soon reced with cries of surrender.

    The once-defiant soul of the demonic sword fellpletely silent.

    The four elders had initially intended to intervene and Chen Weihuang had also arrived to persuade Pang Jian. However, the sword''s unusual behavior stunned them all into silence.

    None of them had ever seen the Abyssal Demon Sword so obedient, let alone heard it beg for mercy.

    Their gazes toward Pang Jian became slightly peculiar.

    "Pang Jian, did you really choose the Abyssal Demon Sword?" Qi Qingsong cried out, unsure whether to be excited or disappointed. "The Abyssal Demon Sword, the White Bone Sword, and the Bloodthirsty Sword have been sealed in the Sword Pavilion for a long time. They weren''t meant for us to choose from!

    "Pang Jian, get rid of the Abyssal Demon Sword while you still can! You can''t control it!" Qi Qingsong urged, concerned for Pang Jian''s safety.

    Zhuang Yuyan added, "Any other sword would be better than the Abyssal Demon Sword! It''s a cursed sword!"

    "It''s quite well-behaved now, though," Elder Xu Yu remarked thoughtfully. Smiling, she gestured toward the Heaven Departure Peak and said, "The selection is over. We should introduce you to the others. Come, let''s head to the Pavilion Master''s Peak."

    Everyone flew to the Heaven Departure Peak and Xu Yu introduced them one by one.

    "This is Liu Junhong, the master of the Enlightenment Peak and Qi Qingsong''s master.

    "This is Wang Ce, the master of Breakthrough Peak.

    "And that''s Guang He, the master of Elusive Peak and Zhuang Yuyan''s master.

    "My name is Xu Yu and I''m the master of Fate Severing Peak.

    It seemed Xu Yu was the only female Immortal Realm elder.

    She smiled and continued, "Besides Chen Weihuang, you also have a senior sister named Hu Yuanfei. She''s on the Cosmic Skies Continent in the Third World, leading our Sword Pavilion in the first wave of battles against the foreign races."

    "Greetings, elders," Pang Jian respectfully greeted.

    Liu Junhong nodded. "No need to be so formal. Stay close to Qi Qingsong in the future. He speaks very highly of you."

    "Will do," Pang Jian replied.

    Still holding the Abyssal Demon Sword, he then attempted to store it in his spatial bracelet.

    It did not work.

    Frowning, he asked, "Does this sword have a scabbard?"

    "No, the scabbard was lost along with the other half of the sword in the bizarre mist," Liu Junhong said with a chuckle. "You can ask the Divine Treasure Sect to make you a new one, but you''ll need to fully subdue the sword soul first. I believe you''re more than capable of that."

    Guang He interjected, "I''ve already calcted your merit points. They''re recorded in your sword token.

    "With that token, you can head to the Sword Honing Peak and select any cultivation techniques, armor, pills, or tools you need. The training rooms on the Sword Honing Peak can also be rented.

    "You can ask the others for more details," Guang He said, shooting onest look at the broken sword before leaving.

    Liu Junhong, Wang Ce, and Xu Yu stayed behind, exining how to use the merit points in the sword token and sharing more information about the Abyssal Demon Sword.

    Chen Weihuang remained mostly silent and listened quietly.

    <i>Merit points...</i>

    Pang Jian''s divine sense reached into the sword token, revealing a clear number floating in the world within.

    Nine thousand eight hundred.

    Beneath the number were sword-shaped symbols, each representing different functions like sending messages or essing recorded information.

    As Pang Jian sent his divine sense into one of the symbols, a flood of news regarding recent major events in the Abyss flowed into his mind¡ªwho among the strongest sects of the First World had broken through to the Immortal Realm, who had died, and who had scheduled duels to the death.

    The Sword Pavilion evidently had a dedicated department that gathered and shared intelligence with its core members through the sword tokens.

    There were also symbols marking the locations of teleportation arrays within the Sword Pavilion for ease of travel.

    This small sword token was filled with useful features and waspletely different from the one Pang Jian had before.

    Liu Junhong smiled lightly at his surprised expression. "Inner disciples are the core of the Sword Pavilion. Their sword tokens are far more advanced than those of outer disciples.

    "After all, inner disciples will eventually be protectors or elders, responsible for guarding and leading the Sword Pavilion''s resurgence. Naturally, the resources avable to them differ from those for outer disciples."

    Pang Jian nodded.

    "By the way, how many merit points did Guang He calcte for you?" Xu Yu asked with a smile.

    "Nine thousand eight hundred."

    "Not bad, he didn''t skimp on that." Xu Yuughed. "That''s plenty to select some valuable treasures from the Sword Pavilion. Ah, my disciples could neverpare."

    "There''s nothing we can do but feel envious of Li Zhaotian." Wang Ce and Liu Junhong said with a sigh.

    The elders then advised Pang Jian to refine the Abyssal Demon Sword''s soul as soon as possible before departing, with Pang Jian nodding like a pecking chicken.

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Once all the elders had left, Chen Weihuang, Pang Jian''s fellow disciple of the Pavilion Master, led him into a cave residence within the Heaven Departure Peak. "This residence will be yours from now on. It''s best if you stay here until our master returns.

    "The cave has arrays to dispel inner demons and should help you resist the Abyssal Demon Sword."

    Chen Weihuang then turned and left.

    Pang Jian explored his residence. It had five rooms: a bedroom, a washroom, a study, a practice room, and a guest room.

    He took a deep breath in the spacious but simple guest room. The spiritual qi was dense and there was a calming force in the air.

    <i>Buzz!</i>

    His sword token trembled.

    Small glowing dots appeared on the sword token as Pang Jian held it.

    Three tiny characters formed from the glowing dots¡ªQi Qingsong.

    Using his divine sense, he heard Qi Qingsong''s voiceing from within the sword token.

    "Pang Jian, Zhuang Yuyan and I have arranged a banquet for you at the Drunken Cloud Pavilion down the mountain. It''s tonight, so make sure youe."

    <i>Buzz!</i>

    Another voice came from the sword token.

    "Disciple, you chose the Abyssal Demon Sword? Haha, not bad, not bad. You didn''t let me down. Be careful not to let its influence sway you and don''t listen to anything it says.

    "The Abyssal Demon Sword''s soul was refined from a Demon Race warrior from the outer worlds.

    "The Demon Race in the outer worlds is said to have bewitched some cultivators and taught them their cultivation techniques. These bewitched cultivators then founded the Heavenly Demon Sect, a branch of the Demon Sect.

    "The Demon Race in the outer worlds are masters of deception and are adept at subtly altering one''s nature.

    "Remember, never listen to a word it says," Li Zhaotian warned.

 Chapter 353: Internal Strife

    <h4>Chapter 353: Internal Strife</h4>

    Pang Jian''s golden divine sense surrounded the Abyssal Demon Sword forged from ck crystal jade.

    The Abyssal Demon''s demonic wills had seemingly conjured the clusters of demonic mes, masses of dark clouds, and even trees and rivers that could be seen within the sword.

    The previously dormant and weak clusters of demonic wills surged with newfound vitality like a dry well filling with water again.

    "He chose the Abyssal Demon Sword. That''s the demonic sword of Demon Sword Sect''s Mo Nan. Pang Jian will undoubtedly fall down the path of evil. I hope he dies soon."

    "Sigh, why didn''t Qi Qingsong perish in Absolute Heaven?"

    "My master is growing more disappointed in me by the day. I hope he dies in the battle against the foreign races."

    "These inner disciples all act so high and mighty. Every one of them deserves to die."

    "Let the Sword Pavilion be destroyed already!"

    Wicked thoughts poured forth from the clusters of demonic will, greatly shocking Pang Jian.

    The evil thoughts did not originate from the Abyssal Demon but from the nearby disciples within the Sword Pavilion.

    The Abyssal Demon was restoring its strength using their dark desires and emotions.

    From the swirling demonic wills emerged the Abyssal Demon''s consciousness.

    It seemed to have many independent consciousnesses¡ªa trait reminiscent of the Observer.

    "The thoughts of mortals strengthen me, Pang Jian! I can''t control you because your divine soul is unique and has the power to annihte divine consciousness, much like the Nether Abyss Spirit Bees.

    "But I can siphon the wicked thoughts from the hearts of mortals! I''ll recover swiftly as long as I''m no longer sealed. The dark desires and vile thoughts of the mortals around you will nourish me."

    The Abyssal Demonughed in triumph.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian''s divine sense transformed into a golden radiance, illuminating the clusters of clouds and mes embodying its demonic wills and eroding them away.

    It did not take long for the clusters of clouds and mes to reform.

    The demonic wills came from the dark thoughts arising in the hearts of the Sword Pavilion disciples, protectors, and elders.

    The demonic wills were repeatedly destroyed and reformed in a tug-of-war between Pang Jian and the Abyssal Demon.

    "You can''t eliminate me, and I can''t fully deal with you either!" it roared in defiance. "As long as a consciousness of mine remains, I can use the evil desires of the Sword Pavilion members to reform my demonic wills!

    "As long as one consciousness is left unextinguished, a hundred more can be reborn!

    "To destroy me, you''d have to erase all my consciousnesses. But if I''m gone, this sword will be useless!

    "Now, what will you choose?"

    The Abyssal Demon Sword showed no fear when faced with Pang Jian''s continuous obliteration of its demonic wills and consciousnesses.

    "Pang Jian, you made a grave mistake choosing me!" it taunted,

    Pang Jian paused, then asked, "The Outer God, the one known as the Observer¡ªare they also from the Demon Race in the outer worlds?"

    "Indeed!" The Abyssal Demon''s voice brimmed with pride. "We, the Demon Race, are among the highest-ranked races across the vast starry skies."

    Pang Jian gently nodded. "Mo Nan, the Sect Master of the Demon Sword Sect, refined a Demon Race warrior''s soul into his sword''s soul. He was quite the talent."

    "Too bad he died," the Abyssal Demon sneered. "If he had be a True God, I could''ve dragged him down into bing a Demon. I wouldn''t be in this situation."

    As they conversed, the clusters of demonic wills within the sword increased, and the Abyssal Demon''s strength grew.

    "Hehe!" The Abyssal Demon cackled. "Many in the Sword Pavilion don''t wee your arrival. A lot of them want you, Li Zhaotian, and even Chen Weihuang dead.

    "Excellent. Such dark thoughts further fuel my strength!

    "I thrive in filthy, corrupt environments. The wicked desires of powerful cultivators only nourish me even more!"

    The Abyssal Demon continued to monologue.

    <i>Swoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian summoned his internal energies and sent lightning, extreme cold, searing mes, and sr brilliance into the sword to attack the demonic wills of the Abyssal Demon.

    "Your powers are so chaotic and mixed. Why did Li Zhaotian choose you?

    "No sword technique could ever reach its full potential with your cultivation method! You''ll never be a True God! That fat fool of a master of yours must be blind!"

    Pang Jian eradicated clusters of demonic wills.

    However, they umted again after only a short while.

    It was like the Abyssal Demon said, it would endlessly regenerate until everyst trace of its consciousness was erased.

    As long as people were nearby, the Abyssal Demon could draw from the deceit within their hearts to regain its original strength.

    Pang Jian frowned. <i>The Heavenly Demon Race is tricky to deal with.</i>

    <i>Buzz!</i>

    Pang Jian''s sword token sounded.

    Qi Qingsong''s urging voice came through, giving him the location of the Drunken Cloud Pavilion and telling him to hurry over.

    <i>The Drunken Cloud Pavilion is down the mountain. </i>Pang Jian noted before leaving the cave dwelling.

    Outer disciples, inner disciples, elders, and protectors lived in the towns and viges between the towering mountains.

    Once Pang Jian figured out the direction he needed to go, he hung the Abyssal Demon Sword at his waist and headed straight for a sizable town down the mountain.

    Pang Jian entered a private room on the fifth floor of the Drunken Cloud Pavilion.

    Grabbing him by the shoulder, Qi Qingsong pulled him in with a smile and introduced him to the group. "Everyone, this is Pang Jian, my closest brother!"

    The others inside the room rose and cupped their hands in greeting, except for Zhuang Yuyan.

    "Jiang Yang of the Enlightenment Peak. Junior Brother Pang, I only recently joined the inner sect myself. Please take care of me in the future."

    "Duan Jing of the Breakthrough Peak."

    "Xu Xuanlun, also of the Breakthrough Peak."

    "Tang Can of the Elusive Peak. Senior Sister Zhuang took me under her wing. Please take care of me."

    "Zeng Yn of the Fate Severing Peak."

    "Song Zihe of the Fate Severing Peak."

    "Greetings, Junior Brother Pang."

    The group introduced themselves to Pang Jian one by one.

    Zhuang Yuyan gently smiled and said straightforwardly, "These people are close with me and Qi Qingsong. Every sect has its cliques, and these people are part of ours."

    She then pointed at the two female disciples from the Fate Severing Peak.

    "The two of them formed a deep bond with me during one of the sect''s trials. Tang Can is from the Elusive Peak like me and I''ve taken him under my care."

    Qi Qingsong chimed in, "Duan Jing and Xu Xuanlun stayed friends with me even when I was demoted to an outer disciple."

    With that, he pressed Pang Jian into a seat and poured him a cup so they could all drink together.

    After a few drinks, Pang Jian rxed and became morefortable with Qi Qingsong and Zhuang Yuyan''s group.

    "My master mentioned you when he returned, saying how impressive it was that you managed to subdue the Abyssal Demon Sword." Zeng Yn''s beautiful eyes sparkled.

    She did not wear the Sword Pavilion''s typical blue robes and had instead chosen a form-fitting, crimson gown.

    Her graceful movements and rosy, powdered cheeks gave her an alluring presence.

    She also frequently left her seat to toast Pang Jian.

    Leaning close to Pang Jian, her warm breath brushed his skin as she whispered, "Junior Brother Pang, Senior Sister Zhuang said you saved everyone''s lives in Absolute Heaven. From now on, I''ll be sticking by your side during dangerous trials!"

    "You sly girl," Zhuang Yuyan remarked with augh.

    The other female disciple from the Fate Severing Peak, Song Zihe, was slender with delicate features and exuded a quiet,dylike charm.

    She appeared rather shy, biting her lip and avoiding eye contact with Pang Jian whenever she toasted him.

    Unustomed to such attention, Pang Jian awkwardly responded to their friendly advances as they exined the sect''s internal dynamics to him.

    The four elders¡ªLiu Junhong, Guang He, Wang Ce, and Xu Yu¡ªwere all close to Li Zhaotian and had been promoted to their positions under his guidance.

    Guang He managed the Sword Honing Peak, the Scripture Pavilion, the Artifact Pavilion, and the Pill Pavilion.

    Xu Yu oversaw the vital intelligencework of the Sword Pavilion and her personnel was responsible for gathering the news Pang Jian received through the sword token.

    Wang Ce was responsible for selecting new disciples and enforcing the sect''sws, as well as overseeing the outer disciples and the Sword Pavilion''s resources.

    Liu Junhong, on the other hand, handled external affairs, managing rtions with allied sects and the ns associated with the Sword Pavilion.

    "Before your master became Pavilion Master, other people held those positions," Zhuang Yuyan said with a slight frown. "That previous faction was once the backbone of the Sword Pavilion, and their influence remains deeply entrenched."

    Her words caused the mood in the room to turn solemn.

    Zhuang Yuyan sighed. "The noisiest room in Drunken Cloud Pavilion has been reserved for disciples of that faction for years. Their leader may have left Sword Pavilion to wander the First World, but he''s never given up his ambition to control the Sword Pavilion."

    ¡°Who is he?¡± Pang Jian asked curiously.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Elder Jiang Ran. He''s the most senior elder still alive and his master was thest Sword God of the Sword Pavilion," Qi Qingsong exined. "When thest Sword God died, he chose your master to seed him instead of Jiang Ran.

    "At the time, your master had not yet reached thete stage of the Immortal Realm, and Jiang Ran overshadowed him for many years.

    "The positions currently held by the four elders were once firmly in Jiang Ran''s control.

    "If not for Jiang Ran''s failed attempt to be a True God¡ªwhich resulted in his cultivation dropping to mid-stage of the Immortal Realm¡ªyour master wouldn''t have been able to promote the elders we know today," Qi Qingsong revealed.

    <i>Thump! Thump! Thump!</i>

    Heavy footsteps approached the private room like a beating drum and the door swung open without so much as a knock.

    A man stood at the doorway with several well-dressed Sword Pavilion disciples nking him.

    "I heard someone talking about my master so I figured I''d drop by and listen." He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed and lips curled into a smug grin. "What? Don''t want to continue your conversation now that I''m here?"

 Chapter 354: Hurdles

    <h4>Chapter 354: Hurdles</h4>

    The man at the door was named Su Li, the disciple of the Sword Pavilion''s Great Elder Jiang Ran.

    He was in the mid-stage of the Soul Wandering Realm and was much older than the other disciples of the Sword Pavilion.

    His high cultivation realm meant he stood out among the Sword Pavilion''s inner disciples, and he took advantage of it to suppress Qi Qingsong when they met.

    Su Li also ced little importance on the other disciples of the four elders, such as Zhuang Yuyan, Duan Jing, and Zheng Yn.

    The only person Su Li secretly paid attention to was Li Zhaotian''s second disciple, Hu Yuanfei.

    As Su Li leaned against the doorframe, he mocked, "Have you all turned mute?"

    Qi Qingsong''s expression was gloomy as he tried to think of a way to respond.

    The others dared not look directly at Su Li and silently hung their heads.

    Pang Jian did not know who Su Li was, so he wisely kept silent as well.

    Zhuang Yuyan stood up.

    "Senior Brother Su, we were just telling Junior Brother Pang about the hierarchy in our Sword Pavilion," she calmly said. "Pang Jian has only just arrived at the Sword Pavilion and isn''t familiar with anyone yet. We were concerned he would not recognize your master when they met, so we were simply offering him some guidance."

    "Greetings, Senior Brother Su."

    "Senior Brother Su, please don''t take offense!"

    "We wouldn''t dare offend the Great Elder!"

    The others hastily backed Zhuang Yuyan up.

    <i>Sizzle! Sizzle!</i>

    Duan Jing and the others hurriedly circted their spiritual power to purge the alcohol from their bodies.

    "Pang Jian..." Su Li was stunned, only noticing the ck-d Pang Jian after Zhuang Yuyan mentioned him.

    Those standing behind Su Li quietly reminded him, "Senior Brother Su, that''s him. He pulled out the Abyssal Demon Sword after arriving at the Sword Pavilion today."

    Su Li red daggers at Pang Jian.

    "The Abyssal Demon Sword is not a sword that our Sword Pavilion forged. You earned great merit in Absolute Heaven, but you shouldn''t have chosen such an ursed item for your reward," he reprimanded. "If you fail to control that sword, it''ll give birth to another abomination and disgrace our Sword Pavilion."

    Pang Jian calmly replied, "I can control it."

    "How arrogant! Even Mo Nan of the Demon Sword Sect could not tame the sword. What makes you think you can?" Su Li sneered.

    Having stood up at Su Li''s abrupt entrance, Pang Jian simply shook his head in response before sitting down heavily.

    He had not bothered to expel the alcohol from his system and his cold, stern face was still flushed with a hint of red.

    Paying no attention to the disciple of Great Elder Jiang Ran, he poured himself another cup of wine and drank in silence.

    "A personal disciple of the Pavilion Master, huh? Putting on airs on his very first day at the Sword Pavilion. Look at him, he''s already ensuring everyone knows his status." Su Li gave him a long, meaningful look. "We''ll have plenty of time to get acquainted in the future."

    With that parting remark, Su Li turned and left.

    The inner and outer disciples of the Sword Pavilion apanying Su Li shot Pang Jian a surprised nce before quietly filing out.

    After closing the door, Qi Qingsong quietly erected a pole with a triangr banner and infused it with spiritual power to iste sound.

    Frowning, he said, "Senior Sister Zhuang, did you notice? Many outer sect disciples from noble families were following Su Li around."

    Zhuang Yuyan lightly nodded. "I noticed."

    "There''s been a rumor circting in the sect since we returned. I don''t know if any of you have heard it." Qi Qingsong''s gaze swept across the room. "They say that the Pavilion Master has taken a liking to Pang Jian and intends for him to one day lead the Sword Pavilion.

    "With the critical situation in the Abyss, the Pavilion Master ns to attempt to ascend to the True God Realm soon.

    "If he seeds, the Sword Pavilion could return to the ranks of the top sects of the First World.

    "If he fails..."

    Qi Qingsong took a deep breath.

    "The Pavilion Master''s single-minded pursuit of the Dao of Sword and his fiery temper means that, if he fails, he''ll likely perish on the spot! He never gives anyone a second chance, not even himself!

    "If he fails to ascend to the True God Realm, the bnce of power within the Sword Pavilion will shift and the Great Elder could return to take the position of Pavilion Master."

    The small group inside the private room were all disciples of the four elders allied with Li Zhaotian and they could not help but feel heavy-hearted at Qi Qingson''s words.

    "I''ve heard that rumor too. It seems like someone''s deliberately spreading it to pressure the Pavilion Master into ascending," Song Zihe said softly.

    "Ascending to the True God Realm is no easy task. Seven or eight out of ten fail," Zhuang Yuyan said with a bitter smile. "Three peak Immortal Realm cultivators from the Demon Sect have already died attempting to ascend to the True God Realm."

    Qi Qingsong sighed. "The Pavilion Master has no choice."

    "Mm, the Abyss has opened, and an Outer God has descended in its true body. It''s said that every continent in the Fifth World has at least one being in Rank Ten," Zhuang Yuyan said worriedly. "Seven powerhouses with Rank Ten bloodlines¡ªeach one possessing the strength of a True God¡ªand there''s also Luo Hongyan on top of that."

    The other members of the group also voiced their concerns

    "The higher-ups are under immense pressure."

    "Our Sword Pavilion has always been known for its formidablebat prowess. If the Pavilion Master bes a True God, he''ll be one of the human race''s strongest cultivators."

    "His ascension could turn the tides. It doesn''t matter whether or not he wants to ascend, the higher-ups will force him either way."

    The group continued to discuss the matter.

    Pang Jian thought of Li Zhaotian''s imposing figure.

    He had not expected Li Zhaotian to be under such great pressure, nor had he imagined that Li Zhaotian held him in such high regard and intended for Pang Jian to shoulder the future of the Sword Pavilion.

    "Alright, that''s enough talk."

    "That killjoy has really ruined the mood."

    The group''s enthusiasm for conversation petered out, and they gradually started to leave, starting with Zhuang Yuyan.

    Soon, only Pang Jian and Qi Qingsong were left in the room.

    A still-tipsy Qi Qingsong suddenly said in a cold voice, "I almost died at Su Li''s hands once!"

    Pang Jian was shocked.

    "Before the trial in Eight Trigrams City, the Sword Pavilion organized a hunt for Vicious Beasts in a restricted area. It was near the Sacred Soul Continent, in a fragmentednd called Fate''s Cradle, and Su Li was one of the organizers.

    "The Vicious Beasts had rtively low ranks and the hunt was meant to temper thebat skills of the inner disciples.

    "At that time, I wasn''t even an inner disciple anymore.

    "Su Li, as one of the organizers, assigned my party to a region. We were all in the Marrow Cleansing Realm, yet we encountered several Rank Four Vicious Beasts.

    "Everyone in my party died except for me.

    "I survived only because my master had given me a life-saving treasure, even though I had been demoted to an outer disciple. Later, I found out Su Li had known the Vicious Beasts in that region were far beyond what we could handle.

    "Pang Jian, remember this¡ªinternal strife in the sect is far more dangerous than any Vicious Beast. Your people could betray you at any time.

    "Su Li, his senior brother Zhou Wenhao, and their master Jiang Ran will be your hurdles while in the Sword Pavilion.¡±

    Pang Jian nodded.

    ***

    The next morning, Pang Jian arrived early at the Sword Honing Peak where the gray stone buildingsbeled the Scripture Pavilion, the Artifact Pavilion, and the Pill Pavilion were lined up.

    Pang Jian headed straight for the Scripture Pavilion, presented his sword token, and stated his purpose, "I''m looking for the second half of the Grand Providence Sacred Body and the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art after the Spirit Condensation Realm."

    "Let me check that for you!" said the receptionist of the Scripture Pavilion, Pan Zheng.

    Recognizing Pang Jian, he quickly got to work, using his sword token to search through the floors of the Scripture Pavilion.

    Pan Zheng''s expression turned strange.

    "The second half of both manuals can be essed together for just ny merit points, which allows you to view them for a day," he said hesitantly.

    Seeing his hesitance, Pang Jian asked in confusion, "Are my merit points not enough?"

    "You have more than enough. It''s just...the second half of both manuals were taken for study on the same day you arrived at the Sword Pavilion," Pan Zheng said helplessly. "To be exact, four hours before you arrived, and by the same person.

    "Manuals cannot be removed from the Scripture Pavilion. Most people can memorize them in just a few hours, but that person is still here.

    "For now, it''s best if you go back and wait. When hees out, I''ll send someone to notify you immediately," Pan Zheng said courteously.

    "Can you tell me his name?"

    "Bai Chuan, an inner sect disciple. His master is Lu Xiaolin."

    "Understood."

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Pang Jian turned and left, exining the situation to Qi Qingsong through the sword token as he traveled back to his residence.

    "Lu Xiaolin is an elder without real authority and is aligned with Great Elder Jiang Ran. Bai Chuan is nothing more than Su Li''sckey." Qi Qingsong cursed, "He knew you wereing and exactly what you wanted!

    "Nobody gave those two manuals much attention before, and the merit points required for them were always low. I should''ve known he would block your path!"

    Pang Jian''s mood darkened.

    After several days, Pan Zheng still had not sent anyone over, prompting Pang Jian to return to the Scripture Pavilion to ask again.

    The answer he received was the same.

    Bai Chuan was still in the Scripture Pavilion, and the two manuals Pang Jian urgently needed remained out of reach.

    ***

    In a cave residence on the Elusive Peak, Pan Zheng reported with a troubled expression, "Bai Chuan ims a demonic influence invaded his mind while studying the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, leading to cultivation deviation.

    "In his moment of madness, he destroyed the second half of both the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art and the Grand Providence Sacred Body."

    "Cultivation deviation?" Guang He scoffed, flicking the sleeves of his schr''s robe.

    "Yes," Pan Zheng replied with a bitter smile.

    Guang He and Pan Zheng''s master both belonged to the Elusive Peak and had a close rtionship, so Pan Zheng did not hold back.

    "Those two manuals were exactly what Pang Jian was seeking when he came to the Sword Pavilion," he added.

    Guang He asked, "When did Bai Chuan request the manuals?"

    "Just before Pang Jian arrived."

    "Bai Chuan is one of Su Li''s men." Guang He sighed. "In the past, the Great Elder managed all the affairs of the Sword Honing Peak. The destroyed manuals were just copies¡ªthe originals are still in the Great Elder''s possession.

    "He ims to be constantly traveling as an excuse to remain beyond our control, so getting hold of those two manuals will be troublesome.

    "It''s obvious they''re aiming for Pang Jian." Guang He snorted.

    "Never mind the manuals, the real issue is Bai Chuan''s im that Pang Jian can''t control the Abyssal Demon Sword and that its demonic power is secretly at work." Pan Zheng sighed. "That''s the real trouble."

    Guang He was taken aback.

    "There will be more incidents targeting Pang Jian in the future," Pan Zheng said, rubbing his tired eyes. "You''ll see soon enough."

 Chapter 355: Fifteen True Gods

    <h4>Chapter 355: Fifteen True Gods</h4>

    Unable to get his hands on the two crucial manuals, Pang Jian continued his attempts at mastering the Abyssal Demon Sword in his cave residence on the Heaven Departure Peak.

    Unfortunately, he made no progress.

    The Abyssal Demon was defiant, but if its sword soul were truly eliminated, the Abyssal Demon Sword would be rendered useless.

    However, if he did not eradicate the Abyssal Demon, its demonic wills would always regenerate no matter how many times he erased them.

    <i>The Demon Race of the outer worlds is difficult to deal with, </i>Pang Jianmented, holding his sword token as he browsed the recent news through the sword-shaped symbols.

    Most major powers had been focused on the Third Worldtely.

    The three Divine Kingdoms in the Eastern Land had each dispatched their generals and marquises to the Cosmic Skies and Dark Abyss Continents in preparation for theing battles.

    The murky energy from the Fourth World was expected to reach the thick leaden clouds beneath the Third World in a month or two.

    When that happened, war would break out.

    There were also rumors about movements among the major sects in the First World: the Ghost Sacrifice Sect and the Nine Tribes Sect in the Southern Gorge; the Pure Land Sect and the Divine Treasure Sect in the Western Loam; and the Forsaken Expanse Sect and the Ancient Law Sect in the Northern Ruin had all sent representatives to the Third World.

    Through the sword token, Pang Jian gained a rtively clear understanding of the key figures and major forces in the First and Second Worlds.

    He also learned that his master was in the Nine Tribes Sect in the Southern Gorge, discussing important matters with several True Gods.

    The host of the gathering was the highly respected Sect Master of the Nine Tribes Sect, Li Wang, an ancient True God.

    The four Divine Kings of the three Divine Kingdoms in the Eastern Land had also personally visited the Nine Tribes Sect in the Southern Gorge.

    ording to the Sword Pavilion''s information, the True Gods had held discussions about the invading forces from the lower worlds and the threat of the Outer Gods from above.

    <i>The Eastern Land has four Divine Kings, all of whom are True Gods.</i>

    <i>In the Southern Gorge, the Ghost Sacrifice Sect has two True Gods and the Nine Tribes Sect has one.</i>

    <i>In the Western Loam, the Pure Land Sect has two True Gods, and the Divine Treasure Sect has one.</i>

    <i>In the Northern Ruin, the Forsaken Expanse Sect has two True Gods, and the Ancient Law Sect has one.</i>

    <i>There are also two True Gods unaffiliated with any sects.</i>

    <i>If we exclude the ancient Thunder Dragon of the Dragon Lair Sect on the Sacred Soul Continent, the ck turtle</i><i>[1]</i><i>, and the Primordial Serpent, we have fifteen True Gods on the human race''s side.</i>

    <i>That''s more than double the Fifth World, as each of the seven continents seems to only have one Rank Ten powerhouse.</i>

    <i>No wonder their discussions are centered on the Outer Gods.</i>

    Pang Jian reflected in silence.

    After some time, someone knocked on his door.

    "The four elders have summoned you," Chen Weihuang, Pang Jian''s senior brother, said coldly.

    Pang Jian opened the door to see Chen Weihuang standing alone. "What do they want with me?"

    Chen Weihuang nced at the sword hanging from Pang Jian''s waist. "It''s because of the Abyssal Demon Sword."

    "The Abyssal Demon Sword?"

    "You''ll find out once you meet them."

    "Alright."

    A short whileter, Pang Jian entered a grand, roofless hall on the Sword Honing Peak.

    Inside were the four elders Pang Jian had met before¡ªLiu Junhong, Xu Yu, Guang He, and Wang Ce¡ªalongside three unfamiliar old men and a middle-aged man.

    The middle-aged man exuded a gentle demeanor, and Su Li, the disciple of Great Elder Jiang Ran, stood behind him.

    "Pang Jian, this is Elder Cai Xin, Elder Lu Xiaolin, and Elder Shi Bingyun," Xu Yu introduced. A stern expression reced her usual smile. "All the elders of the Sword Pavilion are present except for the Great Elder."

    "I''m here to represent my master," said the middle-aged man. Smiling slightly, he said, "I''m Zhou Wenhao."

    Pang Jian cupped his hands and gave a perfunctory bow.

    He had since learned from Qi Qingsong, Zhuang Yuyan, and the information from the sword token that the three elders were all aligned with Great Elder Jiang Ran.

    The three elders and their associates acted as Jiang Ran''s eyes and ears while he was not in the Sword Pavilion.

    Zhou Wenhao cleared his throat and said seriously, "Recently, there have been cases of outer sect disciples unable to control their inner evil desires andmitting shameful acts against women.

    "There have also been cases of outer sect disciples holding grudges against each other and viting sect rules by engaging in life-or-death battles in nearby towns.

    "Many others have experienced inner turmoil during their cultivation, causing them to fail in their attempts to break through their cultivation realms.

    "Some have even been overwhelmed with sorrow and havemitted suicide by poisoning.

    "All kinds of troubling incidents have been happening with increasing frequencytely, and there are no signs of it stopping," Zhou Wenhao said, eyes fixed on the Abyssal Demon Sword on Pang Jian''s waist. "Junior Brother Pang, if you can''t control the Abyssal Demon Sword, you have two options.

    "You can either return it to the Sword Pavilion, so the three divine swords can suppress it, or take it with you and leave. You can find a deste ce and return after you''ve subdued it."

    It seemed the three elders and Zhou Wenhao had gathered here to hold Pang Jian ountable.

    "It may not be the Abyssal Demon Sword''s doing." Wang Ce frowned.

    "Senior Uncle Wang, surely you know what the Abyssal Demon Sword is like," Zhou Wenhao said, narrowing his eyes. "Its sword soul is forged from a Demon Race warrior from the outer worlds!

    "Even if you''ve never encountered one, you surely know what they specialize in.

    "The Abyssal Demon Sword draws power from the evil thoughts of living beings and magnifies the darkness in people''s hearts!

    "It gains strength from amplifying their evil desires and inciting them to act on them!

    "There''s no doubt that Junior Brother Pang severely weakened the Abyssal Demon Sword while trying to refine it. In retaliation, it''s been stirring up evil thoughts and causing turmoil across the Sword Pavilion!"

    Although Zhou Wenhao was a junior, he openly confronted Elder Wang Ce, showing no respect for his elders.

    "Pang Jian," Guang He said in a deep voice. "Were you aware of this?"

    "No," Pang Jian denied.

    At the same time, he sent a trace of his divine sense into the Abyssal Demon Sword.

    Clusters of the Abyssal Demon''s demonic wills constantly shifted within the sword. As expected, it had fully regained its strength.

    <i>It wasn''t me! </i>the Abyssal Demon cried when it saw Pang Jian''s golden divine sense enter the sword. It feared he would once again eradicate its demonic wills. <i>At least, not entirely!</i>

    <i>I merely absorbed the dark thoughts born from their evil desires. I didn''t incite them to act on them!</i>

    <i>Of course, I could and would like to do that, but I don''t dare to act with those old men in the Sword Pavilion around.</i>

    <i>Don''t just pin everything on me!</i>

    The Abyssal Demon''s consciousnesses surged from the clusters of cloud and me.

    Feeling as if he too had been set up, Pang Jian calmly stated, "It wasn''t its doing."

    "Junior Brother Pang, we know very well what it''s capable of. Even if you don''t, you can''t say it wasn''t responsible." Zhou Wenhao sighed. "The Abyssal Demon Sword is extremely dangerous.

    "Please believe me, Junior Brother. Return the sword to the Sword Pavilion as soon as possible. You simply aren''t capable of wielding it."

    Su Li mocked, "The Pavilion Master''s personal disciple chose a demonic sword from the Demon Sword Sect, but can''t control it. How ironic. If you can''t handle the responsibility, you should let it go sooner rather thanter."

    "That''s right, every sword and positiones with responsibilities," Elder Cai Xin agreed.

    "If you can''t manage it, it''s better to leave the Sword Pavilion with the sword and return once you''ve subdued the Abyssal Demon," Elder Lu Xiaolin added.

    Pang Jian had only been at the Sword Pavilion for a few days.

    He could not retrieve the second half of the Grand Providence Sacred Body or the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art and was now being pressured to leave because of the Abyssal Demon Sword.

    As Li Zhaotian''s personal disciple, being forced to leave in such a humiliating manner would surely make him theughingstock of the sect.

    He would never be able to hold his head high in the Sword Pavilion again.

    "I can''t prove the sword wasn''t involved, but can you prove those evil acts were its doing?" Pang Jian questioned Zhou Wenhao.

    Zhou Wenhao pped his hands. "Bai Chuan!"

    A pale-faced disciple in blue robes entered the hall and bowed to Lu Xiaolin, addressing him as master.

    Then, he addressed the matter at hand, "While I was studying the profound intricacies of the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, I sensed the corruption of evil thoughts and demonic intentions formed from sword intent. There were seductive women, man-eating demonic flowers, and..."

    He described the same thing Pang Jian had experienced when he first touched the sword hilt of the Abyssal Demon Sword¡ªwhen the Abyssal Demon manifested in his sea of consciousness.

    Even Pang Jian could not help but wonder if the Abyssal Demon had indeed corrupted Bai Chuan.

    <i>It has nothing to do with me. The evil in his heart led him to destroy the two manuals. He did it to ensure you''d never get theplete versions. He cursed you and even wished for the Pavilion Master to die. Someone is pulling the strings behind him,</i> the Abyssal Demon defended itself from within the sword.

    "Pang Jian, do you have anything to say?" Su Li sneered.

    Lu Xiaolin said firmly, "The Abyssal Demon Sword''s influence almost killed my disciple. If we allow Pang Jian to stay in the Sword Pavilion with it, more tragedies will surely follow!"

    Cai Xin nodded. "He can''t remain in the Sword Pavilion!"

    The three elders directed their usations at Pang Jian, intent on forcing him to leave the Sword Pavilion.

    Even the four elders were troubled. Although they wanted to protect Pang Jian, they could not find an appropriate counterargument.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "What''s your name?" Pang Jian asked Bai Chuan, though he already knew the answer.

    "Bai Chuan."

    "Bai Chuan!" Pang Jian shouted.

    Bai Chuan looked at Pang Jian in surprise.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A sh of golden light shot from Pang Jian''s brow, entering Bai Chuan''s sea of consciousness and locking onto his panicked divine soul.

    "No soul-searching among fellow disciples!"

    "Pang Jian! This is against the rules!"

    "Soul-searching techniques against sect members are forbidden in the Sword Pavilion!"

    The elders cried out in shock.

    The golden light quickly returned to Pang Jian.

    "No one told me that was a rule in our Sword Pavilion," he said calmly. "I won''t do it again."

    He then nced at Su Li.

    "I saw it. Senior Brother Su instructed Bai Chuan to feign madness and destroy the second halves of the Grand Providence Sacred Body and Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    "I also saw images of Senior Brother Su inciting people tomit evil acts in the memories of Bai Chuan''s divine soul.

    "If you don''t believe me, you can perform the soul-searching technique to verify it."

    1. This is not the same as Pang Jian''s ck turtle. ?

 Chapter 356: Master-Disciple Interactions

    <h4>Chapter 356: Master-Disciple Interactions</h4>

    "Heh." Su Li let out a coldugh. "Junior Brother Bai Chuan is in thete stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm!

    "Pang Jian has just recently advanced to the Spirit Condensation Realm! How could he possibly search through the memories of Junior Brother Bai Chuan''s divine soul?"

    The three elders loyal to Jiang Ran voiced their doubts as well.

    Zhou Wenhao wore a grim expression as he said coldly, "Elder Wang Ce, you''re in charge of the Sword Pavilion''sws. How should we deal with Pang Jian forcibly invading a fellow disciple''s sea of consciousness?"

    The two senior brothers shifted the me back onto Pang Jian in the blink of an eye.

    "Pang Jian..." Xu Yu frowned slightly.

    Although they knew Pang Jian''s divine soul harbored mysteries, it was still hard to believe that he could see through the memories of Bai Chuan''s divine soul despite being in a lower cultivation realm.

    Still, the seed of doubt had been nted, and Liu Junhong, Guang He, and Wang Ce''s suspicious gazes fell on Bai Chuan.

    The frightened Bai Chuan shook his head frantically in response to Pang Jian''s usations. "He''s making things up! I went mad from cultivation deviation. This has nothing to do with Senior Brother Su Li."

    Moments earlier, a majestic golden divine soul had appeared within Bai Chuan''s sea of consciousness like an ancient God from the outer world.

    When that ancient God gazed at him, it felt like its piercing eyes could see through every secret he had ever held, and even embarrassing moments from his childhood seemed to beid bare before it.

    This made Bai Chuan suspect his secrets had truly been exposed to Pang Jian''s divine soul. Despite this, he still firmly denied the usations.

    "He and those iming the Abyssal Demon Sword influenced them tomit evil deeds..." Pang Jian turned to face the four elders. "Elders, I believe you have ways to make them tell the truth."

    His divine soul''s entry into Bai Chuan''s sea of consciousness was merely to intimidate him, and the time spent had been too brief for him to see through Bai Chuan''s memories.

    However, Bai Chuan''s flustered behavior and the Abyssal Demon''s firm denials made Pang Jian certain Bai Chuan was hiding something.

    "Su Li is the mastermind behind it all!" Pang Jian dered confidently.

    "There are ways to find out," Wang Ce said, exchanging nces with Guang He and Liu Junhong. He sent out a thought transmission before saying aloud, "Wait a moment."

    Zhou Wenhao and Su Li felt slightly uneasy.

    "I''ve interrogated many people before. I can always tell if someone''s lying," Wang Ce said as he nced at Bai Chuan. "Earlier, I couldn''t be sure whether the Abyssal Demon was involved because it does have such capabilities, but Bai Chuan...your story has too many holes."

    Meanwhile, those loyal to Wang Ce had quietly apprehended those iming the Abyssal Demon had influenced them. After being imprisoned in hidden chambers, they were given a special potion which forced them to confess the truth.

    A quarter of an hourter, Wang Ce nodded lightly to Chen Weihuang.

    "We have both witnesses and confessions. The clues all point to one person." Wang Ce coldly snorted. "Su Li is the true instigator."

    "Understood," Chen Weihuang said and touched his forehead.

    Seven fiery swords embedded themselves in Su Li''s body, imprisoning him on the spot.

    Chen Weihuang pointed toward the exit and said to Pang Jian, "You may leave. This matter no longer concerns you."

    Pang Jian paused for a moment, casting a strange look at his senior brother.

    At that moment, he realized the cold, expressionless man had likely had to do quite a lot behind the scenes to prepare for Pang Jian''s arrival.

    It seemed Wang Ce and the other elders were also quite inclined to listen to him.

    "Go on. We just needed you to confirm that the Abyssal Demon wasn''t involved," Liu Junhong said with a smile.

    Pang Jian nodded.

    Wang Ce, Liu Junhong, Guang He, and Xu Yu had avoided direct action because they were unsure whether the Abyssal Demon was truly involved. They feared digging deeper into the matter would reveal that it was actually responsible andplicate matters further.

    The real power in the Sword Pavilion still rested in the hands of the four elders. Zhou Wenhao, Su Li, and the three other elders were no match for them.

    Pang Jian left peacefully.

    Back in his cave residence, Pang Jian gazed thoughtfully at the Abyssal Demon Sword before trying to extend his divine soul''s perception through the cave walls.

    To his surprise, his divine soul''s perception could not prate the walls, and even the ck turtle scute''s Mountain Phase failed to pass through!

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Astonished, he asked Qi Qingsong about the situation.

    "All the cave residences in the Sword Pavilion are like this. No one from the outside can sense anything, whether by divine sense or spiritual power.

    "Rest easy, no one can tell what you''re doing inside your cave residence.

    "But what are you nning to do anyway?" Qi Qingsong asked curiously.

    Pang Jian did not respond.

    After some consideration, he retrieved the copper chest and opened the lid.

    "You stay in here for now."

    Pang Jian then tossed the Abyssal Demon Sword inside.

    The Abyssal Demon''s presence vanished as soon as the lid shut.

    The mysterious copper chest from Eight Trigrams City was an enigma.

    Although the bronze pendant enabled the wearer to see the starry skies while inside the chest, anyone else would be plunged into absolute darkness and silence.

    There was no light, no energy, and no sound.

    It was a deste void.

    The copper chest could iste everything. Even Pang Jian could notmunicate with the ck turtle or the World Eater Vine when inside it. Thus, he concluded that the Abyssal Demon would certainly be the same.

    Having temporarily solved the problem of the Abyssal Demon, Pang Jian stashed the copper chest under his bed and sent his divine sense into his sword token.

    Within the sword token were three bright sword-shaped symbols used formunication.

    The three lights represented Qi Qingsong, Zhuang Yuyan, and Li Zhaotian.

    After a moment of hesitation, Pang Jian sent a message to the light representing Li Zhaotian.

    <i>I don''t know how to refine the Abyssal Demon Sword.</i>

    Pang Jiane did not have to wait long before a soul projection of Li Zhaotian emerged from the tiny light.

    Hisrge, robust figure seemed ready to burst out of his loose robes as heughed heartily. "The Abyssal Demon Sword counts as a divine sword. Divine swords cannot be treated as mere weapons because they possess a soul.

    "To deal with a divine sword, we must treat it like our most importantpanion.

    "You cannot forcibly imprint your will upon a divine sword. It''s only through shared ideals, beliefs, and aligned goals¡ªby demonstrating the strength and character it respects¡ªthat you can earn a divine sword''s recognition," Li Zhaotian advised.

    Pang Jian frowned. "But it''s a demonic sword."

    "Then give it a lure. Promise it, for example, that you''ll help it recover its missing de. The Abyssal Demon Sword''s purpose has always been to y the Outer Gods.

    "You need to make it understand that you can and will help it find its other half. You also need to make it believe you will y the Outer Gods.

    "The Abyssal Demon is skilled at corrupting the hearts of others, but as long as you can remain true to yourself and not let it erode your mind or soul, you can trick it into behaving the way you want.

    "Divine swords and demonic swords aren''t meant to be forcibly refined. They must ept you," Li Zhaotian patiently exined.

    His soul projection then entered a sword-light symbol and imprinted his recent insights regarding the mysteries of the Dao of Sword.

    "I recently gained some new insights into the Chaos Sword Technique. Make sure to study them carefully."

    Li Zhaotian''s soul projection then flew out of the sword-shaped symbol.

    "How did Fu Wangchen of the Forsaken Expanse Sect die?" he abruptly asked.

    Pang Jian was startled.

    "The sword token I left you contained a trace of sword intent. When you sent out a message with that sword token from the Third World, I sensed through that sword intent that Fu Wangchen intended to kill you," Li Zhaotian sneered. "His master, Li Chu, is someone I once defeated.

    "That brat only dared to target you because the Forsaken Expanse Sect has two True Gods.

    "At our Sword Pavilion''s peak, we had five Sword Gods. We were the strongest sect in the First World!

    "Whenever the Outer Gods descend through their followers or puppet bodies, our Sword Pavilion is always the one leading the charge in ying them!

    "The prosperity and stability of the Abyss is thanks to generations of our Sword Gods paving the way. The Sword Pavilion may have declined and we no longer have a Sword God, but that doesn''t mean I''ll allow my disciple to be bullied," Li Zhaotian said fiercely.

    <i>Five Sword Gods!</i> Pang Jian felt a deep sense of admiration.

    Sword Gods ascended to godhood through the Dao of Sword and were known as True Gods of the Sword.

    At present, even the three Divine Kingdoms in the Eastern Land had only four True Godsbined¡ªalso known as the Four Divine Kings.

    Meanwhile, the sects in the Southern Gorge, the Western Loam, and the Northern Ruin had only one or two True Gods each.

    At its peak, the Sword Pavilion had five True Gods of unparalleled power, undoubtedly making it the strongest human race sect at the time.

    "Did the Ice Armor Eel Dragon eat Fu Wangchen? Or did the foreign races kill him?" Li Zhaotian asked again.

    "I killed him," Pang Jian replied.

    "You?"

    "Yes."

    Li Zhaotian grinned.

    "Well done." His soul projectionughed. "Don''t worry. The Sword Pavilion will return to the Western Loam in the First World once I ascend to the True God Realm.

    "Between the Pure Land Sect and the Divine Treasure Sect is a sacrednd that still belongs to our Sword Pavilion. It''s been vacant for ages, just waiting for our Sword Pavilion to rise back up to im it."

    In the following days, Li Zhaotian''s soul projection remained in Pang Jian''s sword token, carefully guiding and chatting with him when he had time.

    "I asked that girl, Zhuang Yuyan, about this. Dong Tianze, Qi Qingsong, and Zhou Qingchen eliminated Lu Jie of the Forsaken Expanse Sect, Jiang Chao of the Celestial Lagoon Sect, and a few others while you were away.

    "Dong Tianze from the Sinister Soul Temple is quite a goodd. He helped you remove some future troubles.

    "Oh, by the way, your Spirit Condensation Realm is different from others. The Spirit Condensation Realm exists because newly refined divine souls are weak and require gradual tempering.

    "But your divine soul is brimming with divine essence and is already solid and robust. So you''ve essentially skipped that realm entirely.

    "In other words, you''re already in the Soul Wandering Realm," Li Zhaotian informed.

    His soul projection often conveyed any new information he received to Pang Jian.

    He also openly shared his insights into swordsmanship and recounted several perilous periods in his life.

    Most of the time, Li Zhaotian talked while Pang Jian quietly listened.

    However, Pang Jian could not help but sense a growing urgency from his master.

    Li Zhaotian seemed eager to pass on all of his knowledge and wisdom¡ªnot just about swordsmanship, but also life.

 Chapter 357: The Chaos Begins

    <h4>Chapter 357: The Chaos Begins</h4>

    Disciples of the Radiant Sun Sect had been constructing a killing array on a fragmentednd called Auspicious Light in the Third World when a group of Demon Armor Beasts and Ghost Apes from the Fifth World overran them.

    A Scarlet Dawn Boat streaked through the air just as a powerful Ghost Ape was about to tear apart thest few Radiant Sun Sect disciples.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Crimson sword lights, thick with the scent of blood, transformed into a sea of des that crashed down. The faint outline of a towering mountain could be seen within the sea of des and exuded a sense of overwhelming power.

    A Rank Six Ghost Ape was shredded to pieces in the blink of an eye.

    "The Red Mountain Sect!" the survivors cried.

    "Big Brother Zhou!" The slender Su Meng waved excitedly when she realized the weathered man saving her was Zhou Qingchen.

    She wore a bloodstainedbat outfit with her hair tied into a ponytail.

    Years had passed since they hadst met and the youthful innocence on her face had been reced with a striking, radiant maturity.

    "Su Meng," Zhou Qingchen greeted with a smile as he and Han Duping descended from the Scarlet Dawn Boat.

    The Scarlet Dawn Boat continued to hover above the fragmentednd while cultivators from the Red Mountain Sect hunted the Vicious Beasts invading Auspicious Light.

    Han Duping approached and said with a bitter smile, "Su Meng, you''re in the Profound Abode Realm too?"

    "I advanced to the Profound Abode Realm not long ago," Su Meng said, clenching her fists tightly. "I trained desperately to raise my cultivation realm and kill my enemy!"

    Han Duping was taken aback. "Your enemy?"

    "Dong Tianze!" Su Meng said through gritted teeth.

    Zhou Qingchen was momentarily stunned before recalling that Dong Tianze had killed her father on Central Lake Ind in the Solitary Mountain Range.

    He shook his head, unwilling to discourage her, and said, "You''ll need to work hard to defeat him."

    "Where''s Sister Jiang Li?" Su Meng asked.

    Zhou Qingchen grinned. "She hasn''t reached the Profound Abode Realm yet. Her talent is a little behind yours, so she was taken away on a Sword Boat to find refuge in the upper worlds."

    "It''s just my luck. I finally broke through to the Profound Abode Realm only to be caught up in all this!" Han Dupingined loudly.

    "Big Brother Zhou, I heard you returned from Absolute Heaven with Big Brother Pang and...Dong Tianze," Su Meng pursed her lips. "What cultivation realm is Dong Tianze in now?"

    "Mid-stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm," Zhou Qingchen answered truthfully.

    Su Meng was rendered speechless from shock.

    ***

    On a Cloud Sail heading toward the Primordial Wilderness in the Third World, an officer in gleaming silver armor from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom cast heated nces at a group of rogue cultivators.

    "Herst name is Han, just like mine. It must be fate," Han Feng muttered as he rubbed his chin.

    The more he looked, the more interested he became, and he could not resist approaching the group.

    "Miss, I am Han Feng, an officer in the Armor-Breaking Army. I''d like to discuss some matters regarding cultivation with you," he said courteously.

    The rogue cultivators froze.

    They could clearly see Han Feng''s intentions, but no one dared to point it out.

    "The Divine Kingdoms tasked me with killing the foreign race invaders and Vicious Beasts from the lower worlds. I''m not here to engage in frivolous affairs," Han Ting bluntly refused.

    Her voluptuous figure stirred up the imagination among the rogue cultivators around her.

    Han Feng chuckled awkwardly before turning and walking away.

    "Stupid bitch. A mere rogue cultivator in the Profound Abode Realm dares to act high and mighty in front of me," Han Feng muttered angrily when he returned to his room. "Tell the rogue cultivator, Xing Dongping, to capture and bring that woman to me once we reach the Primordial Wilderness.

    "There are too many eyes on this Cloud Sail. It''ll be easier to capture her in the Primordial Wilderness."

    "Sir, should we set up the Ground Fissure Mines in the Primordial Wilderness first?" his subordinate asked cautiously.

    "What''s the rush? The murky energy hasn''t fullye in yet. Those foreign races and Vicious Beasts won''t be rushing over anytime soon," Han Feng said impatiently.

    "Very well."

    On the Cloud Sail''s deck, Gao Yuan frowned as he said to Han Ting, "That wasn''t wise. We should find a way to distance ourselves from the Armor-Breaking Army as soon as we reach the Primordial Wilderness. We can''t afford to get entangled with them."

    "Agreed."

    Several dayster, Han Ting leaned against the Cloud Sail''s railing and gazed down at the familiar fragmentednd below, with a trace of longing in her expression.

    "It was here, in this fragmentednd, where I first met him," she muttered.

    "Little Brother Pang has long since soared beyond our reach," Gao Yuan said with a wry smile.

    "What''s wrong with thinking about it?" Han Ting''s eyes misted over. "It''s just hateful that he never even gave me a chance."

    "Forget about him. You''re better off focusing on how to get away from the Armor-Breaking Army," Gao Yuan advised.

    ***

    Meanwhile, Li Zhaotian and Pang Jian continued their interactions inside the sword token.

    Insights into the Dao of Sword, life philosophies, interesting stories, and the secrets of the Sword Pavilion¡ªLi Zhaotian shared them all without reservation.

    Pang Jian immersed himself in the mysteries of the Chaos Sword Technique in between taking in Li Zhaotian''s teachings.

    "Why won''t you deal with Jiang Ran?"

    "You little brat! I''m your master, so he''ll always be your Senior Uncle! Remember, never address him by name! Even if he wrongs you, you can resist but can''t be disrespectful!" Li Zhaotian reprimanded.

    He then sighed.

    "His master passed the position of Pavilion Master to me. In my youth, Jiang Ran always shielded me whenever I caused trouble.

    "His deceased master did me a great favor.

    "One must understand gratitude. Although Senior Brother Jiang has done some questionable things, I won''t pursue it further out of respect for his master."

    Another day passed, and with it brought new advice from Li Zhaotian.

    "Kid, don''t be too wary of your senior brother. My taste in disciples is just as good as my taste in women. I always get it right.

    "Chen Weihuang may be a bit temperamental, but he has a good heart and a sharp mind.

    "Frankly speaking, his mind might be a bit too sharp. That''s why he''ll likely never reach the pinnacle of the Dao of Sword."

    Li Zhaotian''s words left Pang Jian stunned.

    In Pang Jian''s eyes, his senior brother always wore a stern expression and was even more taciturn than Pang Jian himself.

    Thus, he assumed his senior brother was not too bright.

    Contrary to his beliefs, Li Zhaotian considered Chen Weihuang''s intellect too keen, preventing him from reaching the pinnacle of the Dao of Sword.

    "Heh, don''t believe me?" Li Zhaotian smirked. "Zhou Wenhao and Su Li''s little tricks are nothingpared to your senior brother''s schemes! Even the elders behind them pale inparison.

    "He doesn''t bother with you because he doesn''t think much of you. So you don''t need to worry about him.

    "He won''t harm anyone I permit to enter the Heaven Departure Peak."

    Yet another day passed, and Pang Jian''s divine sense emerged from the sword-shaped symbol containing the Chaos Sword Technique.

    "The battle in the Third World has started," Li Zhaotian''s soul projection said. "The first sh took ce on the Three Immortals Ind. The one-eyed giants have revealed themselves even though the murky energy hasn''t fully spread.

    "Years ago, that ancient Thunder Dragon drove the one-eyed giants to the Fifth World.

    "Hopefully, that Thunder Dragon will awaken soon.

    "The murky energy is predicted to reach the Second World. Eventually, the Sword Pavilion and the Heaven Awakening Continent will also be affected." Li Zhaotian frowned. "That''s why I need to ascend to the True God Realm¡ªso the Sword Pavilion can relocate to the First World ahead of time.

    "Where did the murky energye from and why does it keep rising?" Pang Jian asked, puzzled.

    "That remains a mystery to this day," Li Zhaotian said. "Every so often, the murky energy rises. It''s something we can''t avoid. All we can do is face it head-on time and again.

    "It''s aw of the Abyss, eternal and unbroken.

    "Some specte that the murky energyes from the dark regions beneath the Fifth World, but even the Rank Ten powerhouses of the Fifth World can''t confirm this."

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Several dayster, Pang Jian directed his divine sense to a sword-shaped symbol containing news from throughout the Abyss.

    "Recently, the True Gods have been discussing the best way to break through the barrier and enter the starry skies together," Li Zhaotian suddenly said. "It would be safer if several True Gods broke through simultaneously.

    "That way, they''ll have a better chance against the Outer Gods waiting outside.

    "Of course, this will only happen after the Abyss''s internal chaos is resolved."

    "There''s a Moon God on the moon," Pang Jian abruptly said. "There''s likely also a Sun God on the sun."

    "How do you know that?"

    "I overheard some foreign races mention it in Absolute Heaven."

    "This is vital information!"

    Li Zhaotian''s soul projection vanished.

    Not long after, Pang Jian noticed his sword token had gained nine hundred merit points.

    <i>Knock! Knock!</i>

    Chen Weihuang knocked on the door a whileter.

    "The second half of the Grand Providence Sacred Body and the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art have been re-shelved in the Scripture Pavilion," he informed.

    Pang Jian''s eyes lit up. "Senior brother..."

    There was no response. Chen Weihuang had already left.

    ***

    Pan Zheng took Pang Jian''s sword token, deducted the merit points, and personally led him inside the Scripture Pavilion on the Sword Honing Peak.

    After bringing Pang Jian to the second floor of the Scripture Pavilion, he retrieved the two new manuals and handed them to him.

    "Your senior brother Chen Weihuang threatened to cripple Su Li''s cultivation realm to force Jiang Ran to return the original copies to the Sword Pavilion.

    "These are just duplicates, though. The originals are in Elder Guang He''s hands. He carefully reviewed them and confirmed that Jiang Ran hadn''t altered a single text. You can study them without worry."

    Pan Zheng smiled and left.

    A hint of surprise shed in Pang Jian''s eyes.

    His master''s evaluation of his senior brother seemed to carry some weight. Pang Jian had not expected his seemingly cold and distant senior brother to make Jiang Ran yield the two manuals.

    <i>His attitude isn''t the best, but he''s a good person.</i>

    Finding a meditation mat to sit on, Pang Jian started reading and carefully memorizing each word of the two manuals.

 Chapter 358: Lei Kuns Son

    <h4>Chapter 358: Lei Kun''s Son</h4>

    Two hourster in the Scripture Pavillion, Pang Jian finished memorizing the second half of the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art and the Grand Providence Sacred Body manuals.

    Unfortunately, the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art manual only extended through the Soul Wandering Realm, Nirvana Realm, and Immortal Realm.

    The issue was not that the manual was iplete, but that the Divine Cauldron Sect had never produced a True God. Thus, their mystical arts were limited to the Immortal Realm.

    No one had ever ascended to the True God Realm using the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art and no one had seen the path beyond. So, naturally, no further instructions were ever recorded.

    The Grand Providence Sacred Body, on the other hand, was a body refinement technique. After the Vital Blood Realm was the Golden Body Realm and the Providence Realm. The theorized Rebirth Realm followed after, but no specific instructions existed for simr reasons as the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    The Golden Body Realm involved tempering one''s flesh with blood essence until the body became as tough as iron.

    The Providence Realm was inspired by natural creation and transformation.

    Those with mastery of the Providence Realm could regenerate severed limbs using blood essence. Other internal organs aside from the heart and brain could also be regenerated.

    Finally, the Rebirth Realm was a theoretical realm the creator of the Grand Providence Sacred Body envisioned. The creator imed that one coulde back from even death after reaching this realm.

    Unfortunately, they only managed to cultivate up to the Providence Realm, leaving no follow-up instructions for the Rebirth Realm.

    "The Sword Pavilion wiped out both the Divine Cauldron Sect and the Providence Sect," Pang Jian muttered.

    ncing at the bookshelves nearby, he noticed other manuals from the Divine Cauldron Sect and the Providence Sect, which focused on offensive techniques.

    Pang Jian casually picked up a sealed manual and ced his sword token on it. After his merit points were deducted, the seal was lifted.

    He delved into the manuals one after another.

    The Sword Pavilion ssified the other manuals as intermediate or advanced.

    Compared to the sacred-grade Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art and Grand Providence Sacred Body, these other manuals were rather basic and had rtively low value.

    "Junior-Junior Brother Pang," a timid voice called out while Pang Jian was reading.

    Pang Jian looked up to see a slender woman in the hallway. Her face was familiar, but her name escaped him. "You''re from Fate Severing Peak."

    "I''m Song Zihe," she quickly introduced. "What a coincidence, I''m also here looking for a body-refining technique."

    Pang Jian nodded in acknowledgment, then put down the manual he was reading and headed out.

    Not long after, Zeng Yn from the Fate Severing Peak walked over. "Zihe, why are you standing there in a daze? Let''s quickly find a sacred-grade body-refining technique. We canpare them after to save on merit points."

    "I just saw Junior Brother Pang," Song Zihe whispered.

    "Where?"

    "He just left."

    "Since we ran into him, we should go chat!" Zeng Yn grabbed Song Zihe''s hand and dragged her along.

    At the entrance of the Scripture Pavilion, Pan Zheng raised his hand to stop Pang Jian from leaving.

    "Pang Jian, there''s something I need to tell you," Pan Zheng said. "The gatekeeper at Trimcloud Town said a stocky young boy came by earlier, iming to be looking for Luo Yuan. We checked the Sword Pavilion''s records but found no such person.

    "He then said he was looking for you and Qi Qingsong, but Qi Qingsong is in closed-door cultivation, and I can''t reach him. Do you want to meet him?"

    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "What''s his name?"

    "Lei Qie. He said his father is Lei Kun," Pan Zheng replied.

    "Where is he? I''ll see him right away!" Pang Jian said, pleasantly surprised.

    Pan Zheng was about to find someone to guide Pang Jian when he spotted Zeng Yn and Song Zihe approaching.

    Waving them over, he said. "Pang Jian is heading to Trimcloud Town, on the outskirts of the Sword Pavilion. If you''re not busy, could you take him there?"

    "We''re not busy at all," Zeng Yn said with a cheerful smile. "Junior Brother Pang, we haven''t seen you since that gathering at the Drunken Cloud Pavilion. Qi Qingsong and Senior Sister Zhuang have been busy cultivating, so there haven''t been any more meetups. Come, I''ll take you to Trimcloud Town!"

    "Sorry to trouble you."

    A quarter of an hourter, Pang Jian met with Lei Qie at the entrance of Trimcloud Town.

    Lei Qie was tan and had a solid build. Despite only looking to be around twelve or thirteen years old, he had already reached the mid-stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

    "I''m Pang Jian. Where''s your father?"

    Lei Qie stammered nervously, "My-my father told me to find Luo Yuan..."

    "That''s me," Pang Jian said earnestly.

    Lei Qie was stunned. "But my father said Luo Yuan is an outer disciple. You¡ªI''ve heard of you. You''re an inner disciple..."

    "We''re the same person," Pang Jian said with a slight smile. "How''s your father? And why have youe here now?"

    It was not yet time for the Sword Pavilion to recruit new disciples.

    Lei Qie burst into tears.

    Choking back sobs, he said, "My father is in the Spirit Condensation Realm and couldn''te to the upper world. He spent a lot of spirit jades to arrange for my mother, my sister, and me to travel to the Second World on the Celestial Lagoon Sect''s Mountain Stream Spirit Boat.

    "After we arrived in the Second World, we settled in a ce called Moonwater Town, but the spirit jades and spirit stones we brought were quickly swindled from us."

    His face flushed with shame, and he lowered his head.

    "Those people wanted to send my sister to a wealthy family as a concubine.

    "But then I remembered that my father said he knew Luo Yuan so I came to the Sword Pavilion to try my luck," Lei Qie tearfully recounted in a rush like pouring beans out of a bamboo tube.

    Lei Kun had protected Lei Qie his whole life.

    Lei Qie had never traveled so far before this, and his first experience with it was from the Third World to the Second World.

    Lei Kun had done everything he could, but he could not have predicted that Lei Qie would be targeted because of hisvish actions.

    He had gambled away all the spirit jades and spirit stones his father had given him and even ended up gambling away his sister.

    "Moonwater Town and Water Rhythm City are under the An n''s control. The An n is affiliated with the Celestial Lagoon Sect," Zeng Yn told Pang Jian. Frowning, she added, "Junior Brother Pang, this is just a small matter. Would you like me to handle it for you?"

    Qi Feng, the town gatekeeper and a trusted aide of Wang Ce, also smiled and said, "Pang Jian, this is a trivial matter. You don''t need to handle it yourself."

    After mulling it over, Pang Jian said, "I''ll go with him."

    Qi Feng quickly switched his tune. "It''s good to get out and explore sometimes. It''s dull to just bury yourself in cultivation all day. I''ll arrange a Sword Boat for you."

    Soon after, a small Sword Boat took off.

    The small Sword Boatcked living quarters and could only carry about ten people. It was unsuited for long-distance travel, and the Sword Pavilion typically used it for disciples traveling around the Heaven Awakening Continent and the nearby fragmentednds.

    The timid Song Zihe stood at the Sword Boat''s wheel and piloted it.

    "Junior Brother Pang, you don''t need to go in person," Zeng Yn said, with a charming smile. "If we had Qi Feng inform the An n in the Water Rhythm City, they would immediately bring the mother and daughter over.

    "The Sword Pavilion is the ruler of this continent. No one dares to defy us."

    The pride in her words was impossible to conceal.

    The boyish, innocent Lei Qie looked around in awe, staring wide-eyed at the Sword Boat and the two fairy-like women at Pang Jian''s side.

    He had grown up under Lei Kun''s influence and was aware of the significance of the Sword Pavilion and their Sword Boats.

    Lei Kun had originally wanted to use spirit jades to arrange for Lei Qie to arrive on the Heaven Awakening Continent in a Sword Boat, but the Sword Pavilion did not permit it. In the end, Lei Kun had no choice but to settle for the Celestial Lagoon Sect''s Mountain Stream Spirit Boat.

    After reaching the Heaven Awakening Continent and settling in Moonwater Town, Lei Qie often heard others speak of the Sword Pavilion with reverence, further strengthening his resolve to join them.

    He was supposed to wait for the Sword Pavilion''s next recruitment window and undergo the selection process ording to the rules.

    However, Lei Qie had sumbed to the temptations of gambling and was tricked into such a predicament.

    Mentioning his father, Lei Kun, did nothing as no one took a Spirit Condensation Realm rogue cultivator from the Third World seriously.

    ims that his father knew a disciple of the Sword Pavilion were also taken as tant falsehoods.

    "My father was right. He worked so hard to send me here. He''s still in the Third World, fighting against the foreign race invaders and trying to secure a guest position with a sect. He understands how important it is to have the backing of a powerful sect!" Lei Qie muttered to himself.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Cloud Sails and flying vessels made way for the Sword Boat when they saw it sailing through the air.

    Those on the Cloud Sails and flying vessels¡ªwhether rogue cultivators or noble families¡ªwould bow and salute from afar, faces full of fawning smiles, regardless of whether Pang Jian and his group could see them.

    Pang Jian was somewhat surprised at the treatment.

    "You''ll gradually get used to it," Zeng Yn said with a flirtatious smile as she coyly brushed her disheveled ck hair behind her pale ear. "The noble families depend on the Sword Pavilion, and rogue cultivators have even lower status.

    "We''re the strongest force on this continent. It''s normal for them to show respect when they see a Sword Boat."

    Pang Jian nodded lightly.

    As the Sword Boat flew on, he observed the ins and towns beyond the mountains surrounding the Sword Pavilion.

    He noticed that several cities were home to the noble families affiliated with the Sword Pavilion.

    Zeng Yn exined while Pang Jian silently observed, and he soon realized the situation in the Second World was quite simr to the Third World.

    Powerful sects upied the areas richest in spiritual qi. Outer disciples, guest cultivators, inner disciples, and the families of the elders all lived within the sect''s territories, often in the towns nestled between the mountains within the Sword Pavilion''s inner territory.

    Meanwhile, noble families existed in city-like strongholds on the outside and relied on the Sword Pavilion for protection.

    "We''re almost there," Song Zihe said softly.

    The Sword Boat passed over city after city, cutting through stretches of wilderness until they entered an area with morekes and wends.

    Zeng Yn beckoned Lei Qie over. "I''ll take you to Moonwater Town in a bit."

    Lei Qie obediently nodded.

    "Junior Brother Pang, please hold on."

    As the Sword Boat descended, she took Lei Qie''s hand and leaped off the Sword Boat.

    The Sword Boat hovered in the air.

    "It''s the Sword Pavillion!"

    "A Sword Boat!"

    The sight of the Sword Boat hovering just outside the entrance of Moonwater Town left the townspeople in shock.

    About ten li away, the An n in Water Rhythm City scrambled aboard their flying vessel and rushed over in a panic.

    In just the time it took to burn an incense stick, Zeng Yn emerged from Moonwater Town with Lei Qie''s mother and sister.

    Apanying them were five cultivators dressed in mismatched clothing.

    "There''s a local group called the Mountain River Society and these five are its leaders," Zeng Yn said with a faint smile. "Junior Brother Pang, shall we kill them all?"

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 359: Ambush

    <h4>Chapter 359: Ambush</h4>

    Zeng Yn attracted many eyes at the entrance of Moonwater Town in her light blue robe and even her cold demeanor could not hide her striking beauty.

    To her, the leaders of the Mountain River Society were nothing but insignificant weaklings.

    "We didn''t know!" cried the leaders of the Mountain River Society, voices trembling with fear.

    Lei Qie stood to the side and watched as the once-arrogant Second World gang leaders groveled before the disciples of the Sword Pavilion. The sight further solidified his resolve to join the Sword Pavilion.

    He silently vowed to secure a position as an outer disciple, no matter the cost or effort.

    For his own sake, and for¡ªhe nced at his panic-stricken mother and his rather attractive older sister¡ªhis family.

    Lei Qie clenched his fists and muttered to himself, "The Sword Pavilion!"

    Pang Jian said nothing, though his gaze shifted toward the distance.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A flying vessel from Water Rhythm City arrived at the entrance of Moonwater Town and stopped beneath the Sword Boat.

    A rotund man named An Qian leaped down, greeted Zeng Yn with a fawning smile, and inquired about what was happening.

    "The Mountain River Society tricked my...brother into gambling and swindled him of all his spirit jades," Zeng Yn said coldly, tone vastly different from how she addressed Pang Jian. "He just came up from the lower world and was supposed to join the Sword Pavilion, but these rats targeted him the moment we let our guard down."

    "The Mountain River Society?" An Qian narrowed his eyes at the five trembling gang leaders and snarled, "They have a death wish!"

    He whipped out his Free Spirit Fan and flicked it.

    With a blinding sh, the heads of the five Mountain River Society leaders were severed from their bodies.

    The sight of the flying heads and spraying blood made those spectating from Moonwater Town retreat in fear.

    The An n controlled Water Rhythm City, and Moonwater Town was considered part of that city. An Qian held the lives ofmoners and cultivators within a hundred-li radius in his hand.

    "Is there anything else the An n can assist you with?" An Qian asked, bowing slightly.

    He did not inquire about Zeng Yn''s identity as a single nce at the sword token hanging at her waist was enough for him to know she was an inner disciple of the Sword Pavilion.

    An Qian had already noticed Pang Jian in the Sword Boat above but dared not look directly at him, fearing he would offend him.

    "What do you think, Junior Brother Pang?" Zeng Yn asked.

    Pang Jian nodded. "That''s enough."

    "Then we''ll leave it at that," Zeng Yn said coldly.

    She brought Lei Qie and his family aboard the Sword Boat without another nce at An Qian.

    Turning to Song Zihe, she said, "Junior Sister, let''s head back."

    The Sword Boat soared into the sky.

    Only after the Sword Boat disappeared into the distance did An Qian dare to stare in their direction with a look of contemtion.

    "Junior Brother Pang? Pang isn''t an umon surname and there are probably many people with that surname in the Sword Pavilion.

    "But his status has to be quite high for an inner disciple to treat him with such respect. That narrows the possibilities. Hm...

    An Qian trembled as realization struck.

    "It can''t be him...can it?" he muttered, horrified.

    Turning to the member of the An n responsible for managing affairs in Moonwater Town, An Qian ordered, "Execute all the leaders of the Mountain River Society in Moonwater Town! And create a spectacle of it so we make asting impression...

    He paused.

    "On second thought, this is such a small matter that it won''t even reach the Sword Pavilion. Let''s just get rid of the Mountain River Society altogether."

    ***

    On the Sword Boat, Pang Jian nced at Lei Qie''s mother, the timid Lei Shi, and then at his half-sister, Lei Yu.

    "Lei Qie will be a member of the Sword Pavilion," he said.

    The overjoyed Lei Qie immediately kowtowed while his mother and sister hurriedly thanked Pang Jian.

    Lei Qie''s mother was petite and delicate. While she was fairly pretty, she was not particrly outstandingpared to Lei Kun''s other women.

    She already had a child from a previous marriage when Lei Kun initially took a liking to her, which made it hard for her topete. However, her luck turned after she gave Lei Kun a son, bing his most favored woman.

    As a result, even the daughter from her previous marriage benefited and gained the privilege to embark on the path of cultivation. When the disaster in the Third World approached, Lei Kun even spent a significant amount of spirit jades to send both of them to the Heaven Awakening Continent with Lei Qie.

    None of Lei Kun''s other women received such treatment. The rest had simply been sent to survive in the remote fragmentednds of the Second World.

    <i>Lei Kun is quite sentimental, </i>Pang Jian thought to himself.

    Turning to Zeng Yn, he humbly asked, "Senior Sister Zeng, it''s not the time for the Sword Pavilion to recruit disciples yet. Will we have to wait?"

    Lei Qie held his breath.

    "If an elder takes a liking to him, he won''t have to go through the usual stringent procedures and can directly be an inner disciple of the Sword Pavilion," Zeng Yn exined with a smile. "When elderse across a fated disciple, they only need to bring them back and enter their name in the registry.

    "Of course, this doesn''t happen often and only the eight elders have this authority."

    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    In other words, only Liu Junhong, Xu Yu, Wang Ce, Guang He, Cai Xin, Lu Xiaolin, Shi Bingyun, and Grand Elder Jiang Ran could bypass the usual rules and directly ept disciples outside of the recruitment season.

    "The elders..." Pang Jian frowned.

    "Junior Brother Pang, with your connections, you could have the four elders take a look. They could take a liking to the boy and grant him a position as an inner disciple," Zeng Yn said with a smile.

    "Even bing an outer disciple would be fine!" Lei Qie added hastily.

    "That''s easy." Zeng Yn chuckled. "Junior Brother Pang, just say the word and Qi Feng will arrange it for you."

    "Where will his mother and sister settle after we return to the Sword Pavilion?" Pang Jian asked.

    "Just say they''re your family and they''ll be allowed to stay in the towns between the mountains temporarily. Of course, non-official disciples aren''t allowed in the major mountain peaks or the Sword Honing Peak."

    "Understood."

    ***

    The Sword Boat crossed the Celestial Lagoon Sect''s territories and flew over a deste wilderness.

    Pang Jian''s expression suddenly changed. "Be careful!"

    Zeng Yn and Song Zihe were startled.

    They had never encountered anything on the Heaven Awakening Continent that could threaten the disciples of the Sword Pavilion.

    "Someone is hiding underground," Pang Jian said, expression darkening.

    There had been nothing unusual about the wilderness when heading to Moonwater Town, but he sensed powerful soul fluctuations from several zhang underground on the trip back!

    And not just one, but three!

    Pang Jian''s divine sense had instinctively sensed something when the Sword Boat passed through the area.

    "Change directions and don''t fly in a straight line," Pang Jian instructed. "And, make the Sword Boat ascend!"

    He then spread out his golden divine sense.

    Several zhang underground, three individuals wearing ghost masks used their divine sense to probe the area above their man-made pits.

    The two sides'' divine sense collided!

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    A thunderous sound erupted from below.

    Pang Jian''s golden divine sense crashed down andpletely overwhelmed the ghost-masked individuals'' divine sense. The pressure was so immense that they were forced to withdraw their divine sense back into their sea of consciousness!

    "The Soul Wandering Realm!"

    "Who said he was in the Spirit Condensation Realm?"

    "Damn it!"

    The trio cursed when they realized their presence had been exposed.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The three ghost-masked individuals shot up from underground and charged toward the Sword Boat.

    One of them casually tossed a pair of ck eagle and vulture talons. It expanded dozens of times in size and grabbed the Sword Boat from below.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The talons halted the Sword Boat''s ascent.

    The Sword Boat hung in the air for a long moment before plummeting downward.

    "This Sword Boat is quite sturdy! It didn''t break apart with one strike!" A masked individual clicked his tongue in surprise.

    He raised a gpole made of white bone topped with a dark red, blood-stained banner and waved it toward the people on the Sword Boat.

    Blood-red patterns squirmed like worms within the banner, weaving together to form a strange, malevolent energy.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    Everyone on the Sword Boat aside from Pang Jian spat blood.

    "Mom! Sister!" Lei Qie let out a heart-wrenching cry.

    Lei Qie survived thanks to a protective treasure garment Lei Kun had gifted him, but his mother and sister were not so lucky.

    The two bled out and died almost instantly.

    "You idiot! I told you to go easy on them! If they all die, the boy will have no reason not to flee back to the Sword Pavilion!" scolded the one who unleashed the ck talons.

    "A Meridian Opening Realm cultivator is barely stronger than a mortal. Even if I held back, they''d still die!" the one with the gpole said helplessly.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The Sword Boat crashed to the ground.

    Blood trickled from the corner of Zeng Yn''s mouth as she said in disbelief, "They actually dared to attack us?!"

    Her deeply ingrained worldview was shattered. She simply could notprehend the idea of anyone daring to strike at Sword Pavilion disciples on the Heaven Awakening Continent.

    Song Zihe was equally stunned.

    They had lived on the Heaven Awakening Continent for a long time and had frequently traveled by Sword Boat.

    As inner disciples of the Sword Pavilion, the sword tokens on their waists had always been enough to earn them the utmost respect wherever they went.

    Noble families and rogue cultivators revered them like gods and dared not show even the slightest disrespect.

    Never in their wildest dreams could they have imagined that someone would dareunch such a brazen attack on them.

    "They''re here for me," Pang Jian said coldly, hovering in the air. He had not crashed down with the Sword Boat. "There are three Soul Wandering Realm cultivators. I wonder, was it Su Li who sent them, or Zhou Wenhao?"

    His right hand gripped the Startling ughter Spear, while his left hand clutched the sword token.

    He sent a trace of divine sense into a sword-shaped symbol and transmitted a message.

    Strangely enough, there was no response from Li Zhaotian, Qi Qingsong, or Zhuang Yuyan.

    A maic field seemed to have disrupted the arrays engraved within the sword token.

    "Soul Wandering Realm? All three of them?" Zeng Yn groaned.

    She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and hurriedly grasped her sword token, intending to seek help from her master, Xu Yu.

    Song Zihe did the same.

    Both women were terrified and frantic.

    As far as they knew, even Pang Jian was only in the Spirit Condensation Realm. Three Soul Wandering Realm attackers meant their enemy intended to kill them all.

 Chapter 360: Killing Soul Wandering Realm Cultivators

    <h4>Chapter 360: Killing Soul Wandering Realm Cultivators</h4>

    <i>The sword token isn''t working.</i>

    Pang Jian frowned.

    Lei Shi and Lei Yu had died too quickly. He had not had time to prepare before one of the masked attackers killed them.

    He felt a pang of guilt at the realization that he had failed Lei Kun¡ªthe man who had treated him warmly and ced his trust in him.

    "The sword token has been disabled!" Zeng Yn and Song Zihe panicked.

    Sword Pavilion was not far from where they crashed. Normally, if a distress signal was sent, their Immortal Realm elders like Xu Yu or Wang Ce could arrive and resolve the crisis in the blink of an eye.

    This was the reason Sword Pavilion disciples could roam the continent with impunity.

    However, the sword token, their greatest source of reassurance, had failed them in this critical time.

    "The sword token has been cut off frommunicating with the outside world within a thirty-li radius of here," one of the masked men sneered. "We''ve already figured you out, Luo Yuan¡ªor should I say Pang Jian?

    "Luo Yuan had dealings with the rogue cultivator, Lei Kun, in the Third World''s Cloud Lightning.

    "Lei Kun''s son, Lei Qie, was marked when he arrived in Moonwater Town on the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat.

    "We set up the gambling trap to lure Lei Qie in, lead him to the point of wagering even his sister, and then left him with enough spirit jades to make his way to the Sword Pavilion."

    The eyes of the man gleamed through the mask.

    "Everything we did was for this¡ªto track your path to the Moonwater Town and use it to predict your route back to the Sword Pavilion.

    "Pang Jian, you won''t be able to escape today! We already know you concealed your Soul Wandering Realm cultivation and prepared for it!

    "A personal disciple of the Pavilion Master? The future leader of Sword Pavilion? Hmph, do you really think you deserve that position?"

    The trio closed in and surrounded Pang Jian. Their three powerful artifacts¨Cthe Eagle Vulture Talon, the Whitebone Blood Banner, and the Vajra Ring¡ªsimultaneously locked onto Pang Jian.

    "Junior Brother Pang! Don¡¯t worry about us. Escape if you can, but make sure to root out the mastermind and avenge us!" screamed Zeng Yn from the grounded Sword Boat.

    Song Zihe bit her lip, frantically trying to get the Sword Boat to move, but the Sword Boat was firmly glued to the ground.

    Meanwhile, Lei Qie was still sobbing over his loss, unable to pull himself from his grief.

    Pang Jian''s voice turned cold. "Whether or not I deserve it isn''t up to you. That''s a matter for the future, and you won''t be around to see it."

    As Pang Jian took stock of his avable powers, he realized his connection with the ck turtle and the World Eater Vine had not been severed. This meant he could teleport away or draw on their power for reinforcement if necessary.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Heart of Winter quietly surfaced from his spiritual sea and floated toward the Sword Boat.

    <i>Hiss! Hiss!</i>

    Thick white mist surged from the Heart of Winter and shrouded the Sword Boat.

    Pang Jian descended to stand atop the Heart of Winter like he was riding a frozen star.

    Looking down at the trio on the Sword Boat, he softly assured, "Don''t worry. No one else will die."

    "That''s not up to you to decide!" One of the masked men cackled.

    The blood-stained banner on the bone gpole red crimson as it attempted to control Pang Jian''s blood.

    Unfortunately, while the Whitebone Blood Banner was powerful against most people, it was useless against Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian had cultivated the Grand Providence Sacred Body to the Vital Blood Realm, and every drop of his blood held many times the energy of ordinary blood.

    For the Whitebone Blood Banner, trying to manipte Pang Jian''s blood was akin to using a twig to move a massive boulder.

    "This kid is strange!" The one with the Whitebone Blood g gasped in panic. "The Sword Pavilion doesn''t focus on body refinement, yet his blood flows like a torrential river!"

    Pang Jian narrowed his eyes. "You''re from the Blood Moon Sect?"

    "An exiled disciple!" The man snorted coldly in response.

    Pang Jian nodded. "It makes no difference. I''ll start with you."

    A bright silver streak shot out like a meteor on the pitch-ck summer night.

    It emanated a profound, ethereal sword intent as it locked onto the wielder of the Whitebone Blood Banner.

    Radiant stars appeared in the sky, shining as brilliantly as dazzling gemstones.

    <i>Ster, lunar, and cold energy.</i>

    Pang Jian channeled the three energies with simr attributes, applied the profound Dao of Sword Li Zhaotian had imparted, and unleashed his Chaos Sword Technique.

    A crescent moon appeared in the dazzling starlight, resembling the piercing gaze of the Moon God''s narrowed eyes.

    The stars and the crescent moon converged on the Whitebone Blood Banner wielder.

    The man iming to be an exiled disciple of the Blood Moon Sect appeared dazed as if lost in the boundless depths of starry skies.

    A palpable malice exuded from the stars and crescent moon before he could even admire their beauty.

    A wave of coldness surged through his soul and dantian, causing his thoughts to be sluggish.

    Coldness simrly infiltrated his connection with the Whitebone Blood Banner, slowly freezing and numbing it.

    "Zhao!" shouted the man wielding the Vajra Ring.

    The silver streak closed in on hispanion.

    Despite the danger, hispanion simply stared dreamily at the crescent moon.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The Vajra Ring wielder saw a zing sun shooting toward him.

    Pang Jian appeared within the searing mes and let out a cold smile.

    A shiver ran down the spine of the Vajra Ring wielder as he hurriedly tossed the Vajra Ring.

    A tunnel of golden radiance appeared.

    The Vajra Ring wielder retreated into the luminous tunnel as he bombarded the approaching Pang Jian with light beams.

    Before the beams could reach Pang Jian, the violent energies emanating from his body shattered them.

    Pang Jian then swiftly locked onto the Vajra Ring wielder.

    As Pang Jian closed in on the Vajra Ring wielder, he summoned a protective shield infused with lightning and mmed heavily into the wielder''s body.

    The Vajra Ring wielder fell out of the sky with a loud crack as his bones all broke.

    A pale ghostly figure shot out from the Vajra Ring when his physical body was destroyed.

    "This job isn''t worth the price!" the divine soul screamed as it fled.

    "He''s supposed to be in the Soul Wandering Realm? Pathetic," Pang Jian murmured.

    Blinding lightning bolts struck the Vajra Ring, destroying it. Lightning streaked after the fleeing divine soul and soon caught up to it.

    <i>Puff!</i>

    The pale divine soul dissipated into thin smoke.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian''s spear had pierced the Whitebone Blood Banner wielder''s heart, killing him instantly. His divine soul could not escape his physical body in time and the soul-freezing power of the Ice Soul Demon Divine Scripture destroyed it.

    Two of the three Soul Wandering Realm attackersy dead in a matter of moments.

    Zeng Yn and Song Zihe could see everything through the mist shrouding the Sword Boat and their eyes widened in awe.

    "Senior Sister, he-he..." Song Zihe stammered, voice trembling as she clenched her sweating hands.

    Zeng Yn shouted in surprise, "Pang Jian''s in the Soul Wandering Realm too!"

    Song Zihe nodded emphatically.

    Lei Qie had never experienced such a battle before and had been consumed with grief.

    Reddened eyes looked up just in time to see thest attacker trying to flee, only for a spear to stab through his back and strike him down.

    A blinding ray of golden light pierced the divine soul that emerged from his crown, and like his physical body, it was quickly obliterated.

    The three Soul Wandering Realm cultivators had crumbled like paper dolls.

    They had not evensted a quarter of an hour before beingpletely wiped out.

    <i>Thud! Thud! Thud!</i>

    Three severed heads rolled through the mist and came to a stop next to the bodies of Lei Shi and Lei Yu.

    "Consider it vengeance for your mother and sister. Don''t worry about the ones pulling the strings. I''ll drag them into the light," Pang Jian said as he stepped onto the Sword Boat and absorbed the Heart of Winter back into his spiritual sea. "There''s a high chance this was either Su Li''s or Zhou Wenhao''s doing."

    "Most likely," Zeng Yn agreed, casting her gaze at the now-unmasked faces of their attackers. "They''re all rogue cultivators. I can''t recall their names, but I recognize their faces."

    Song Zihe added timidly, "Rogue cultivators in the Soul Wandering Realm...that''ll certainly get our master''s attention."

    Xu Yu, the Peak Master of the Fate Severing Peak, was responsible for gathering intelligence from throughout the Abyss. Zeng Yn and Song Zihe were her direct disciples and thus had also been involved in such tasks.

    The two women suppressed their inner shock and moved closer to examine the bodies. They soon confirmed the deceased were all rogue cultivators.

    "Let''s head back to the Sword Pavilion first. Once we match their faces to the portraits on the Fate Severing Peak, we''ll know their true identities and cultivation realms," Zeng Yn said before turning to Pang Jian. "Junior Brother Pang, what''s your true cultivation realm?"

    "It seems I''ve reached the Soul Wandering Realm," Pang Jian answered truthfully.

    "The Soul Wandering Realm..." Zeng Yn let out a bitter smile. "You could be the youngest Soul Wandering Realm disciple in the history of the Sword Pavilion. ording to Senior Brother Qi, you¡¯re still in your twenties, right?"

    "Yes."

    "No wonder the Pavilion Master took you as his personal disciple," she mused, a trace of mncholy in her voice.

    "They were also at the Soul Wandering Realm, but you killed them like they were cultivators with much lower cultivation realms," Song Zihe murmured.

    Both women were deeply rattled at what they had witnessed. They were both slightly older than Pang Jian and in the Profound Abode Realm.

    The pair had always taken pride in their positions as inner disciples, but after this experience, their sense of superiority was left in pieces.

    ***

    Liu Junhong, Wang Ce, Xu Yu, and Chen Weihuang stood before Qi Feng at the entrance of Trimcloud Town, staring at the sky with grim expressions.

    "This is outrageous!" Xu Yu fumed, mes of fury literally crackling from her head. "How long has Pang Jian been in the Sword Pavilion? First, they tried to frame him using the Abyssal Demon Sword, then when that n failed, they sent rogue cultivators to kill him!

    "My two useless disciples, Zeng Yn and Song Zihe, nearly got caught in the crossfire!

    "Not to mention, those three Soul Wandering Realm rogue cultivators¡ªBao Tianzhi, Cheng Yu, Wei Zheng¡ªhave no connection to Pang Jian whatsoever!

    "I can''t imagine they would randomly muster up the nerve to attack a disciple of our Sword Pavilion without being offered great rewards!

    "Even if Pang Jian was an outer disciple, they still would have had to think twice about the consequences!

    "Worse still, they ambushed him on the Heaven Awakening Continent, our Sword Pavilion''s territory!

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Our Sword Pavilion has never faced such a disgraceful incident in thest hundred years! We need to get to the bottom of this!"

    The more Xu Yu thought about it, the angrier she became.

 Chapter 361: Merit Leaderboards and Contribution Points

    <h4>Chapter 361: Merit Leaderboards and Contribution Points</h4>

    "Chen Weihuang, who do you think is behind this?" asked Wang Ce.

    Chen Weihuang shook his head with an indifferent expression. "I''ll need some time to figure it out."

    Not long after, a small Sword Boat came whistling through the air.

    "Master!" Zeng Yn and Song Zihe rushed to Xu Yu and recounted their harrowing experience.

    As soon as Pang Jian disembarked, Chen Weihuang said, "Let me see your sword token."

    Although confused, Pang Jian still handed over his sword token.

    Chen Weihuang tapped their sword tokens, then handed Pang Jian''s back to him.

    Pang Jian inspected it with his divine sense and noticed a new glowing light in the message sectionbeled "Chen Weihuang."

    Chen Weihuang''s voice echoed from the light. "Give me three days. I''ll find out who''s behind this."

    "Thank you, Senior Brother," Pang Jian responded through his sword token.

    The two stood face to face and silently exchanged messages through their respective sword tokens.

    Liu Junhong casually grabbed Lei Qie and brought him to his side. "Pang Jian, I''ll take this kid back to the Enlightenment Peak. He''ll be Qi Qingsong''s junior brother from now on, though I can''t guarantee anything about how far he''ll go."

    Pang Jian hastily expressed his gratitude.

    "Three rogue cultivators, all in the early stage of the Soul Wandering Realm. You fought them alone and won decisively." Liu Junhong nodded in approval. "Qi Qingsong has done a great service for our Sword Pavilion!"

    Xu Yu and Wang Ce exchanged odd nces.

    "What are you looking at me like that for? How would the Pavilion Master have found such a talented disciple if not for my disciple''s sharp eyes?" Liu Junhong boasted shamelessly. "I already knew Qi Qingsong was extraordinary! It''s why I continued to look after him, even after he was demoted to an outer disciple.

    "I suppose I just have a keen eye for talent!"

    Liu Junhong left with a heartyugh, dragging Lei Qie behind him.

    ***

    In Pang Jian''s residence on the Heaven Departure Peak, a golden divine soul slowly emerged from Pang Jian''s brow.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    It stood quietly before his physical body.

    As Pang Jian observed his golden divine soul, the descriptions of the Soul Wandering Realm and the detailed methods of tempering one''s divine soul recorded in the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art reyed in his mind.

    <i>In the early stage of the Soul Wandering Realm, one''s divine soul can be exposed to the scorching sun; withstand fierce, cold winds without drifting; and roam ten li away from one''s body.</i>

    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    <i>In the middle stage, it can endure the tempering of zing mes, stand firm amidst fierce astral winds, and soar up to a hundred li away from one''s body.</i>

    <i>In thete stage, it can submerge in magma, linger briefly within the bizarre mist, and travel up to a thousand li away from one''s body.</i>

    It was sometimes necessary to rely on items to endure the scorching heat of the sun, mes, and magma pools. The methods for using soul techniques to withstand these conditions were all recorded in theter parts of the manual.

    The only problem was that Pang Jian remained uncertain about his exact stage within the Soul Wandering Realm.

    Pang Jian had relied on the divine artifact, the Heart of Winter, and the profound sword technique Li Zhaotian had taught him to defeat the three early-stage Soul Wandering Realm rogue cultivators.

    Thus, it was not a good metric for him to gauge his cultivation stage.

    Even so, when he used his divine soul and destroyed the divine souls of two of the attackers, he could not help but feel their divine souls were as fragile as paper.

    <i>It seems I''ll need to verify what stage I''m in by checking it manually. </i>

    After leaving a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door of his cave residence, Pang Jian ced the ck turtle scute above the copper chest as a marker and tossed his sword token into his spatial bracelet.

    He then used the Gate of the Abyss to establish a connection with the ck turtle.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian appeared in the Cloud Wilderness on the Resolute Expanse.

    The ck turtle was busy studying the ice veins deep underground in the Frozen Land.

    <i>In a few days, I''ll move this fragmentednd closer to the Sacred Soul Continent under the cover of night, </i>the ck turtle informed. <i>The murky energy has already seeped into the loweryer of the clouds bordering the Third and Fourth Worlds.</i>

    <i>It''ll soon spread throughout the Third World, but don''t worry, I already learned of a suitable ce to hide from my bloodline memories.</i>

    <i>Good,</i> Pang Jian replied.

    Stretching his divine sense out, he saw the Ice Race deep in their Frozen Land, focused on cultivation. Several elders had sent their souls to the sea of massive boulders above to gather information about the Abyss through rogue cultivators.

    For now, they remained patient and did not appear to be in any rush to venture out.

    <i>Early stage¡ªexposure to the sun.</i>

    Pang Jian summoned his golden divine soul.

    It left his physical body, passed through the cold mist shrouding the fragmentednd, and perched atop a boulder in a deserted area, gazing at the scorching sun.

    The sun''s warmthfortably enveloped his divine soul.

    Pang Jian''s divine soul drifted farther from his body, but even after ten li, the connection stayed strong.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    His golden divine soul descended toward the volcanic region of the Resolute Expanse.

    Pang Jian let his divine soul linger at the mouth of a volcano that spewed mes and felt no difort.

    <i>So, I''m either in the mid orte-stage of the Soul Wandering Realm.</i>

    <i>I''ll test thete stage with magma first before checking the mid-stage again using the astral winds in the Second World.</i>

    With that thought, he allowed his golden divine soul to dive into the magma.

    <i>Sizzle!</i>

    As soon as his divine soul entered the magma, a sharp pain stabbed through his divine soul. It then started to melt like a phantom statue forged from gold.

    His divine soul was shrank and his mental energy drained rapidly.

    The agony Pang Jian felt through his divine soul intensified.

    <i>I''m in the mid-stage of the Soul Wandering Realm, not quite in thete stage yet.</i>

    Satisfied with the results of his tests, Pang Jian withdrew his divine soul from the magma and returned it to his sea of consciousness to recover.

    <i>The next step in my cultivation is to continue tempering my divine soul while working on the Golden Body Realm of the Grand Providence Sacred Body. Both my golden divine and the Golden Body Realmplement each other well.</i>

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian returned to his cave residence on the Heaven Departure Peak using the Gate of the Abyss.

    He then took out his sword token.

    "Pang Jian, I heard you were ambushed and that you killed three Soul Wandering Realm rogue cultivators by yourself. When did you reach the Soul Wandering Realm?" Qi Qingsong''s incredulous voice rang out.

    Zhuang Yuyan had also sent a message. "Little Junior Brother, I''ve finished my seclusion. Let''s catch up soon."

    Puzzlingly, the most talkative person in his contacts, Li Zhaotian, had not sent any messages.

    Li Zhaotian''s light remained eerily silent.

    Frowning, Pang Jian extended his divine sense into another sword-shaped symbol within the sword token and a flood of information surged in.

    <i>The Merit Leaderboards!</i>

    Pang Jian''s eyes gleamed.

    The powerful factions in the Western Loam, the Southern Gorge, the Northern Ruin, and the three Divine Kingdoms on the Eastern Land had jointly created a merit-based ranking system for all human cultivators.

    The leaderboards ranked individuals based on the number and rank of foreign races and Vicious Beasts they had in. It also tracked contribution points.

    All cultivators, whether from sects, noble families, or even rogue cultivators, could exchange these points for cultivation resources or special positions.

    If a rogue cultivator amassed significant contribution points, they could even hold important positions within the three Divine Kingdoms.

    Alternatively, they could be a guest elder at sects First or Second Worlds.

    Moreover, these sects were not allowed to refuse them!

    Disciples from noble families and sects could also exchange contribution points for intermediate-grade, sacred-grade, or even divine-grade resources.

    There were three Merit Leaderboards. One for the Profound Abode Realm, the Spirit Condensation Realm, and the Soul Wandering Realm, with rankings based on contribution points.

    Pang Jian nced at the Profound Abode Realm leaderboard but recognized none of the names.

    There were, however, some familiar ones on the Spirit Condensation Realm leaderboard.

    Wu Yuan from the Demon Sect, Dong Tianze from the Sinister Soul Temple, and Zhou Qingchen and Zhao Yuanqi from the Red Mountain Sect were in the top fifty.

    Wu Yuan ranked neenth, Dong Tianze twenty-first, Zhou Qingchen thirtieth, and Zhao Yuanqi thirty-fifth.

    The names ranked higher than Wu Yuan were unfamiliar to him and likely hailed from the First World.

    Pang Jian also recognized two names on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard.

    Li Yuqing from the Divine Treasure Sect ranked first by arge margin and was the only person with over ten thousand contribution points.

    Hu Yuanfei, Pang Jian''s senior sister and fellow disciple under Li Zhaotian, ranked fifth with three thousand seven hundred points.

    The other names were all unfamiliar.

    <i>The Merit Leaderboards and contribution points...</i>

    Pang Jian grew intrigued and reached out to Qi Qingsong for more information.

    "You rascal, you finally responded!" Qi Qingsong shouted, voice filled with excitement. "Come to the Drunken Cloud Pavilion, the usual room! We''re all here. Get over here, quick!"

    "On my way."

    Pang Jian arrived at the private room shortly after.

    "Junior Brother Pang!"

    "Junior Brother Pang, how impressive! We thought you were still in the Spirit Condensation Realm, but you''re actually in the Soul Wandering Realm!"

    "Killing three Soul Wandering Realm rogue cultivators on your own has made you even more famous than iming the Abyssal Demon Sword!"

    Jiang Yang, Duan Jing, and Tang Can all looked at him with admiration.

    "How did you reach the Soul Wandering Realm so fast?" Qi Qingsong asked.

    "I absorbed the most divine essence in Absolute Heaven and stepped into the Soul Wandering Realm immediately after refining my divine soul," Pang Jian replied honestly.

    Zhuang Yuyan gently nodded. "That matches what I suspected."

    She exchanged a nce with Qi Qingsong but said nothing more. After all, Qi Qingsong had also broken through to the Spirit Condensation Realm faster than normal thanks to the divine essence.

    That alone demonstrated how much divine essence could enhance one''s divine soul.

    "I believe them now," said Xu Xuanlun from the Breakthrough Peak with a shake of his head. "I didn''t quite believe Senior Brother Qi and Senior Sister Zhuang when they said you saved them in Absolute Heaven. I thought they were just exaggerating. I underestimated you."

    Zeng Yn''s and Song Zihe''s lips curled in a restrained smile, bright eyes gleaming with admiration.

    "The murky energy has only reached the lower cloudyer of the Third World and hasn''t spread across the fragmentednd and continents yet. How are there already so many points on the Merit Leaderboards?" Pang Jian asked.

    "I knew you''d ask about that!" Qi Qingsongughed, rubbing his hands together. "I''m itching to get onto the Merit Leaderboards too.

    "They''re offering divine-grade artifacts and pills as rewards.

    "I''m nning to join the battle in the Third World soon, alongside Senior Sister Hu!" Qi Qingsong dered.

    Jiang Yang and the others also seemed eager to participate.

 Chapter 362: Dong Tianze, the Calamity Star

    <h4>Chapter 362: Dong Tianze, the Cmity Star</h4>

    The Merit Leaderboards had everyone eager to join the hunt for foreign races and Vicious Beasts.

    Rogue cultivators emerged from their hiding and flocked to the Cosmic Skies and Dark Abyss Continents to participate in the hunt.

    The Sword Pavilion disciples who had not followed Hu Yuanfei to the lower worlds felt slightly regretful.

    "Everyone calm down, you''re all being reckless!" Zhuang Yuyan scoffed, ring at Qi Qingsong. "You''ve been to Absolute Heaven. You know how powerful those foreign races are, don''t you?

    "We wouldn''t have survived if that Outer God from the fiery fragmentednd hadn''t gone easy on us!"

    Qi Qingsong deted.

    Cowed, he turned to answer Pang Jian''s earlier question, "Pang Jian, the murky energy hasn''t reached the fragmentednds of the Third World yet, but some fearless individuals have ventured into the cloudyer beneath the fragmentednds to hunt the foreign races.

    "Several foreign race warships are docked right below the cloudyer, making them prime targets.

    "The more daring ones like Li Yuqing and our Senior Sister Hu even dive straight into the Fourth World. Their contribution pointse from ying foreign races and Vicious Beasts there."

    "Dive into the Fourth World?" Pang Jian knitted his brows and established a connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent and Yu Xin of the Celestial Race were on a sleek, spindle-shaped flying vessel of an unmistakably foreign design. The pair navigated the contaminated Fourth World, passing over fragmentednds below.

    "Northern Qi..." Yu Xin murmured.

    Pang Jian''s mind trembled as hemunicated with the Giant Abyssal Serpent. From it, he learned that its bloodline memories contained information about the mysteries of Northern Qi and the Solitary Mountain Range.

    This had piqued Yu Xin''s curiosity and she wanted to explore the mysteries concealed within the Solitary Mountain Range.

    Thus, the pair were now on their way to Northern Qi, which was shrouded in bizarre mist in the far north corner of the Fourth World.

    The Celestial Maiden stood at the bow of their flying vessel. Her eight pairs of white wings shimmered with an ethereal glow.

    <i>She''s advanced. Her bloodline has broken through from Rank Seven to Rank Eight. Rank Eight is equivalent to the human race''s Nirvana Realm, </i>Pang Jian thought in amazement.

    Yu Xin suddenly turned to the Giant Abyssal Serpent with eyes filled with deep warmth and nostalgia.

    "Xiao Hei, it''s been a long time since we''ve spoken to the esteemed one. Is he doing well?" she wondered aloud. "He''s helped us so, so much. I don''t even know how to properly thank him."

    She gently bit her lower lip.

    "We''re about to head to the Third World so our people can survive. We''re now stronger than ever before, and we''ve even gained the support of the Outer Gods.

    "I hope he''s safe."

    The Giant Abyssal Serpent remained silent.

    Pang Jian did not take the initiative tomunicate with Yu Xin, so the Giant Abyssal Serpent tactfully feigned ignorance.

    ***

    "Pang Jian!" Qi Qingsong yelled.

    "Hm? What?"

    "What''re you spacing out for?" Qi Qingsong rolled his eyes. "I asked if you''re interested in going to the Third World with us to earn some contribution points."

    "I need to focus on my cultivation for now. I''ll think about itter," Pang Jian replied.

    ***

    In the following two days, Pang Jian stayed in his cave residence, tempering his divine soul ording to the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art.

    He also asionally checked the Merit Leaderboard through his sword token.

    One day, Pang Jian retrieved the long-dusty Ghost Altar and set it up.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    <i>Pang Jian, I need some body-refining pills. The Sinister Soul Temple doesn''t have any.</i>

    <i>I recently participated in a Vicious Beasts hunting mission that the Armor-Breaking Army organized and I feel like I''m on the verge of another breakthrough. By the way, the general of the Armor-Breaking Army is none other than Li Yuanchen''s father.</i>

    <i>Pang Jian, I feel like I''m nearing thete stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm!</i>

    Messages flew out one after another, most of which were about trivial matters.

    Pang Jian wore a bemused expression.

    It seemed Dong Tianze had no friends to talk to and had instead opted to send Pang Jian his idle chatter.

    Pang Jian tossed a simple response into the Ghost Altar.

    <i>I¡¯ve ascended to the Soul Wandering Realm.</i>

    That night, Dong Tianze''s figure appeared in the Ghost Altar.

    "When did you advance to the Soul Wandering Realm?" he asked with a sour expression.

    "My divine soul left my body in that cier. Isn''t that Soul Wandering?¡± Pang Jian replied with a calm expression.

    "Back then? Back then you had already..." Dong Tianze''s mood darkened further. "We thought your divine soul was just unique. We didn''t realize you had already reached the Soul Wandering Realm."

    "I skipped the Spirit Condensation Realmpletely."

    Dong Tianze took a deep breath. He remained silent as a cloud of gloom settled over his heart.

    Pang Jian stared at Dong Tianze''s background and noticed the arrangement of the stone table and chairs looked strangely nostalgic.

    "Where are you? The cave you''re in looks familiar,"

    "The Primordial Wilderness, in cave dwelling number fifty-six!" Dong Tianze responded coldly. Then, frowning, he added, "There are two rogue cultivators named Gao Yuan and Han Ting here. Do you know them?"

    "I do." Pang Jian was surprised. "Are they also in the Primordial Wilderness?"

    "Yes."

    "Keep an eye on them for me if you can."

    "Alright."

    With that, Dong Tianze vanished from the Ghost Altar.

    ***

    Dong Tianze flew out of the cave dwelling number fifty-six in the Primordial Wilderness with his Ghost''s Cry and soared straight toward the summit of the Third Peak.

    "Dong Tianze!"

    "Why is this cmity star acting crazy now?"

    The rogue cultivators on the Third Peak cried in shock.

    Dong Tianze ranked near the top on the Merit Leaderboard for the Spirit Condensation Realm. His ferocity wasmon knowledge and no one dared to provoke him.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    A torrent of Spirit Devils rushed out as soon as Dong Tianzended on the summit of the Third Peak.

    They circled a white-haired rogue cultivator named Xing Dongping.

    Dong Tianze carved two deep, bone-revealing wounds across the rogue cultivator''s chest with his Ghost''s Cry and questioned frostily, "Where are Gao Yuan and Han Ting?"

    Xing Dongping screamed in horror, "They''re just rogue cultivators. What do they have to do with you?¡±

    "I''ll only ask you one more time. Where are they?"

    His Ghost''s Cry hovered menacingly at Xing Dongping''s throat, ready to strike if he gave the wrong answer.

    Though Xing Dongping was also in the Spirit Condensation Realm, he was no match for Dong Tianze.

    "They-they''re in the hands of Han Feng, the Armor-Breaking Army''s officer!" he stammered.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Dong Tianze shot toward the First Peak andnded before the trading halls Old Monster Cao had once overseen.

    "Who''s Han Feng?!" he bellowed.

    A middle-agedmander in silver armor stepped out with knitted brows. "What¡¯s the matter?"

    "Han Feng had rogue cultivator Xing Dongping capture my people," Dong Tianze used fearlessly. "Your subordinate took action without regard for right or wrong. He seized them solely to satisfy his selfish desires. Don''t you think he deserves to be punished?"

    Many eyes watched intently from the other mountain peaks, waiting to see how it would unfold.

    Liu Tianchao was the Soul Wandering Realmmander of the Armor-Breaking Army stationed at the Primordial Wilderness.

    "I''ll get to the bottom of this in the time it takes for an incense stick to burn!" he said seriously.

    "Alright!"

    As promised, one incense stickter, Liu Tianchao dragged a blood-covered Han Feng from the trading hall and tossed him at Dong Tianze''s feet.

    "His rib cage is broken in three ces. I also knocked him down a cultivation realm and revoked his rank as an officer!"

    Liu Tianchao then gave a low shout, and a few soldiers brought Gao Yuan and Han Ting out from a cave dwelling on the First Peak.

    Gao Yuan had bloodstains on his face, mouth, and chest. Han Ting, on the other hand, was unharmed.

    The blood-covered Han Feng wore a dazed expression as if his soul had left his body.

    "They''re fine. Han Feng didn''t have time to cause any real harm," Liu Tianchao assured. "He nned to finish burying the Ground Fissure Mines before..."

    He left the rest unsaid.

    ncing toward the cultivators on each mountain peak, he added, "Regardless of the circumstances, this was my failure. I will deduct a portion of my contribution points."

    Dong Tianze nodded, then turned to Gao Yuan and Han Ting. "Pang Jian asked me to look after you two."

    Han Ting''s eyes brightened with hope and the weight on her heart lifted.

    Gao Yuan also perked up. "I knew it!"

    "Pang Jian?"

    "The disciple of Li Zhaotian from the Sword Pavilion, Pang Jian?"

    "They''re Pang Jian''s acquaintances?!"

    The expressions on all the onlookers'' faces changed.

    ***

    <i>Buzz! Buzz!</i>

    On the Heaven Departure Peak, the sword token in Pang Jian''s hand rang urgently.

    The cold voice of Chen Weihuang rang out.

    "Today''s the third day. I''ve figured it out. It wasn''t Su Li or Zhou Wenhao behind the attack.

    "I recently suppressed them and they didn''t have the time or energy to n something like this.

    "It was the Abyssal Demon Sword," Chen Weihuang said bluntly.

    Pang Jian paused his cultivation, expression shifting as he gripped the sword token. "The sword is under my strict control. The Abyssal Demon has beenpletely cut off from the outside world since thest incident. I can guarantee that!"

    <i>The Abyssal Demon Sword was locked in the copper chest. How could it orchestrate anything?</i>

    Pang Jian was sure Chen Weihuang was mistaken.

    "Then it must have given the orders before it was sealed. I''m confident in my findings," Chen Weihuang replied. "The remnants of the Demon Sword Sect may have been expelled from the Demon Sect, but some still lurk on the Heaven Awakening Continent, seeking a chance to free the Abyssal Demon Sword.

    "The Abyssal Demon contacted those people when it left the Sword Pavilion, leading the Demon Sword Sect remnants to investigate you.

    "In short, the culprit was the Demon Sword Sect, and the mastermind was none other than the Abyssal Demon. If you don''t believe me, you can interrogate the sword."

    With that, Chen Weihuang cut off the transmission.

 Chapter 363: Sword Honing

    <h4>Chapter 363: Sword Honing</h4>

    In his cave residence, Pang Jian retrieved the Abyssal Demon Sword from the copper chest and sent his divine soul into it.

    Surprisingly, the clusters of light, me, and intricate patterns within the sword had all dimmed.

    The Abyssal Demon also seemed to be in a daze.

    It did not react when Pang Jian''s divine soul entered it and appeared unaware it had been removed from the copper chest.

    After some time, the dark thoughts of the elders and disciples within the Sword Pavilion reached the Abyssal Demon, allowing it to draw strength from them, and it snapped back to reality.

    "Pang Jian! Where did you throw me?! That ce was suffering beyond despair!

    "Damn you! You might as well have wiped out all my consciousnesses!

    "I never want to return to that dreadful ce again!" the Abyssal Demon screamed hysterically.

    It appeared on the verge of madness.

    <i>Sizzle! Sizzle!</i>

    Eerie sword intent and sword light surged outward like mes as it attempted to escape.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    A golden river of divine sense descended, eroding the Abyssal Demon''s demonic wills and dissolving the clusters of mes, dark clouds, and intricate demonic patterns.

    Pang Jian''s divine sense possessed the unique traits of the Nether Abyss Spirit Bees and could extinguish the Abyssal Demon''s demonic wills as effortlessly as crushing a dried leaf.

    The weakened Abyssal Demon fell silent, no longer daring to rant wildly.

    "I don''t want to go back. Don''t put me back in the chest," it said feebly, tone slightly pleading.

    Pang Jian sneered in response.

    He could still remember what it was like to enter the copper chest without the bronze pendant. It was a world of darkness, and his hands had been unable to touch the lid or find the bottom.

    There was no sense of space or time¡ªno sun, moon, or stars.

    It was a still and empty void of sensory deprivation more terrifying than the bizarre mist!

    At least there was still a faint glimmer of hope when lost in the bizarre mist. Void rifts could appear or one could happen upon others simrly lost.

    However, the infinite void within the copper chest held only silence and despair.

    It was enough to fill anyone with a sense of ultimate hopelessness.

    Even thinking about it sent a chill down Pang Jian''s spine.

    "This is your punishment," Pang Jian said with a sneer. "How dare you conspire with the remnants of the Demon Sword Sect? Did you think I wouldn''t find out about your underhanded schemes?"

    Instead of asking for an exnation or giving the Abyssal Demon a chance to defend itself, he straightforwardly used it to see how it would respond.

    "You''re not my rightful master," the Abyssal Demon muttered glumly after a long silence. "Mo Nan''s followers still see me as the spiritual pir of the Demon Sword Sect. They''ll find me a more suitable wielder!

    "I simply wanted to escape from your grasp. I don''t want you to enve me. What wrong have Imitted?"

    Its words were an undeniable admission that it was the mastermind behind the ambush.

    <i>Senior Brother was right, </i>Pang Jian thought to himself.

    As Pang Jian quietly observed the Abyssal Demon, he soon noticed it slowly bing increasingly muddled.

    "No, please don¡¯t put me back in that copper chest! The endless darkness will drive me insane!

    "Mo Nan! Damn you for being so weak and for failing to ascend to the True God Realm!

    "The old fools of the Sword Pavilion! Who gave them the right to suppress me?"

    It started to ramble and rant in tangents, though much of its mutterings centered on its intense fear of the void within the copper chest.

    Pang Jian silently watched the Abyssal Demon in its confused state. Despite its demonic wills being suppressed, he knew it would eventually recover as it absorbed more negative thoughts from the elders and disciples of the Sword Pavilion over time.

    <i>It''s so terrified of the copper chest...</i> An idea struck Pang Jian, and he tossed the Abyssal Demon Sword back into the copper chest. <i>It''s time to grind down its unruly nature so I can temper itter.</i>

    "Pang Jian, I''m begging you, don¡¯t put me back into that horrible void! Even my demonic soul senses nothing but darkness there!

    "That copper chest is like the fabled darkness beneath the Fifth World of the Abyss¡ªan eerie, terrifying domain like no other.

    "Pang Jian, why don''t we talk this out? Please..." The Abyssal Demon pleaded desperately.

    Pang Jian paid the Abyssal Demon no mind.

    The more the Abyssal Demon feared something, the more Pang Jian would subject it to that thing.

    After all, he had found the answers he sought and did not have an urgent need for the sword.

    Pang Jian uncaringly threw the Abyssal Demon Sword back into the copper chest, content to slowly grind down its rebellious nature over time.

    <i>The area beneath the Fifth World of the Abyss is a sinister ce filled with a darkness so profound that even the Abyssal Demon feels utter despair. And this chest...</i>

    Pang Jian''s curiosity was piqued.

    Stepping into the copper chest while wearing the Gate of the Abyss brought Pang Jian beyond the Abyss, allowing him to see the sun, moon, and stars up close.

    Without the bronze pendant, it was like being thrust into the lowest depths of the Abyss¡ªan endless void.

    One brought him up high while the other plunged him down below. The presence or absence of the bronze pendant revealed a world of difference within the copper chest.

    Pang Jian felt an abrupt desire to uncover the secrets of the copper chest.

    Sending a thread of his divine sense into his sword token, he messaged Li Zhaotian.

    "Master, I want to know more about the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs."

    He waited for a long time, but Li Zhaotian did not respond.

    Li Zhaotian had been in contact since Pang Jian had returned from Moonwater Town.

    <i>Is something holding him up?</i>

    After some hesitation, Pang Jian finally decided to ask Chen Weihuang, "Senior Brother, I can''t seem to reach our master."

    "I haven''t been able to either," Chen Weihuang replied.

    "Has something happened in the First World?"

    "I''m not sure, but I''m looking into it."

    "Who should I consult to learn more about the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs?"

    "Grand Elder Jiang Ran."

    "Is there anyone else?"

    "You could try searching the archives at the Scripture Hall."

    "Thank you, Senior Brother."

    With that, Pang Jian left his cave residence.

    ***

    With Pan Zheng''s help, Pang Jian found an obscure study on the fifth floor of the Scripture Hall on the Sword Honing Peak that was filled with ancient records about the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs.

    He learned the seven Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs had stood in the Fifth World of the Abyss for millennia.

    The most powerful factions of the First World, the True Gods of that era, and the mighty Celestial Phoenix were responsible for their creation.

    The records particrly emphasized the pivotal role of the Celestial Phoenix.

    Unfortunately, the specifics of its contributions remained vague, with the texts merely stating that the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs would not exist if not for the Celestial Phoenix.

    In the beginning, there were no cities or viges atop the pirs.

    The seals from the True Gods on the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs alone had been enough to suppress the foreign races.

    After all, the human race hade out of the preceding war against the foreign races victorious. Many of the foreign races'' most powerful warriors of the foreign races had been defeated, leaving them weakened and unable to resist.

    With time, the exiled foreign races gradually adapted to the murky energy and, after long years of recuperation, started to produce warriors with high-ranked bloodlines.

    The settlements were established atop the pirs in response to their growing strength to reinforce the seven Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs.

    As a result, Eight Trigrams City, White Bone City, ckwood Vige, Blood Prison Vige, Dead Spirit Town, Sinister Soul Town, and Ghost Spirit Town were moved onto the pirs over a long period.

    Additionally, seven sacred and divine-grade artifacts¡ªa de, sword, hammer, spear, mirror, banner, and chest¡ªwere ced as array cores within the settlements.

    The seven settlements and their respective array cores enhanced the power of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs, amplifying their deterrent force.

    Although powerful foreign race warriors continued to emerge in the eras that followed, the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs sessfully kept them from breaking through the seal.

    This allowed the human race to live peacefully in the upper worlds without having to pay the foreign races any mind.

    Pang Jian reached out to Chen Weihuang through his sword token again.

    "The records don¡¯t specify which of these items are sacred-grade and which are divine-grade, nor do they detail their names or effects. I want to know more about the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs," he said.

    Chen Weihuang remained silent for a long time before replying, "Then you should speak with Grand Elder Jiang Ran."

    "Why is it always him?"

    "He''s the one in charge of such matters. He¡¯s also the disciple of thest Sword God and holds the most critical records rted to the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs."

    "Why is he allowed to keep those records?"

    "Ask master."

    Chen Weihuang stopped responding after that.

    ***

    Over the next few days, Pang Jian cultivated the Grand Providence Sacred Body in his cave residence, tempering his body with the meat and blood of high-ranked Vicious Beasts as he worked toward advancing to the Golden Body Realm.

    <i>Knock! Knock!</i>

    A cheerful voice came through the door of his residence.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Pang Jian, it''s been years since west met. May Ie in for a chat?"

    Pang Jian froze.

    The voice was unfamiliar. Even after racking his brain, he could not match it to anyone he knew.

    "Who are you?"

    "It''s Sun Bin. We met before at your home near the Solitary Mountain Range."

    Pang Jian was stunned.

    Feeling slightly flustered, he hastily opened the stone door to wee Sun Bin inside and took a deep breath to steady himself before asking, "How did you find me?"

    "Your name is well-known throughout the Abyss. It wasn''t hard to find you," Sun Bin said with a broad smile, expression obsequious.

    The man who once refused to take Pang Jian along now folded into a respectful bow.

    "Little Brother Pang, it was my shortsightedness back then. Please, don''t hold it against me!

    "I came here today to apologize to you. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me!"

    Sun Bin bowed repeatedly, face full of regret.

    "I''m merely a guest elder in the Pure Land Sect, not a true elder. My position isn''t high. While Young Mistress Pang Lin was naturally talented, she wasn''t unmatched.

    "I didn''t have much authority, and didn''t want to take on unnecessary trouble, so...

    "In any case, I was wrong!"

 Chapter 364: An Old Friend Appears

    <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¡ªthe 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¡ªboth 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¡ªthis 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¡ªthe 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.

 Chapter 365: The Great Elders Return

    <h4>Chapter 365: The Great Elder''s Return</h4>

    After the Gray Ape left, the ck turtle informed Pang Jian, <i>It''s like me. One of its ancestors managed to advance to Rank Ten.</i>

    <i>When a Spirit Beast reaches Rank Ten, its entire lineage will be elevated. Descendants with that bloodline then have the potential to follow their ancestor''s path to ascend to the Rank Ten.</i>

    <i>It and I are both one of the lucky ones, </i>the ck turtle said gravely.<i> But it''s a step ahead of me.</i>

    Pang Jian was taken aback.

    The Gray Ape he remembered was extremely different from the one he just encountered.

    <i>It''s very strong. It came because it detected the ice veins buried beneath the Frozen Land,</i> the ck turtle added.

    <i>Are you saying its bloodline is simr to that of the Ice Race? </i>Pang Jian asked.

    <i>Yes,</i> the ck turtle replied. <i>My bloodline is attuned to the earth, the ancient Thunder Dragon on the Sacred Soul Continent is drawn to lightning, and the legendary Primordial Serpent is said to be water-aligned. That Gray Ape''s ancestor likelyprehended the Dao of Cold to ascend to Rank Ten.</i>

    <i>What about the Celestial Phoenix? </i>Pang Jian asked.

    <i>ording to my bloodline''s memory, the Celestial Phoenix...is also known as the Virtuous Celestial Phoenix.</i>

    <i>The Virtuous Celestial Phoenix?</i> Pang Jian was taken aback.

    <i>Our history in the Abyss is far older than that of your human race or the foreign races of the Fifth World. The bloodline memories imprinted from my ancestors tell me that we were once the true rulers of the Abyss.</i>

    <i>The foreign races and human race only emerged after us, </i>the ck turtle exined with a hint of pride. <i>I can feel it. That Gray Ape was drawn to the Sacred Soul Continent because something happened there</i>. <i>I need to advance to Rank Eight as soon as possible. </i>

    With that, the ck turtle fell silent.

    An hourter, Pang Jian released his golden divine soul to withstand the battering of the astral winds beneath the clouds.

    The de-like winds could tear apart the Blood Moon Sect''s Formless Sailboat and the Sinister Soul Temple''s Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    As Pang Jian''s divine soul floated in the astral winds, it felt as though it was being sliced apart.

    Before long, his divine soul appeared like a golden statue riddled with cracks.

    Pang Jian absorbed his divine soul back into his sea of consciousness before turning it into a massive golden cauldron within his spiritual sea.

    Spiritual power, blood essence, and life energy were gathered to refine the golden cauldron.

    As the golden cauldron bathed in these energies, it seemed like it was being reforged¡ªits cracks vanished and it shone more brilliantly than before.

    The restored divine soul then left Pang Jian''s body once more to dive deeper into the astral winds below.

    Pang Jian repeated this process again and again.

    The astral winds shredded his golden divine soul, only for Pang Jian to reforge it using the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art, making it increasingly resilient with every iteration.

    Eventually, Pang Jian could sense that his divine soul was even more solid than before.

    <i>In the Nirvana Realm, one''s divine soul bes as solid as their physical body, </i>he mused before using the Gate of the Abyss to return to his residence on the Heaven Departure Peak.

    Back in his residence, Pang Jian sent his divine sense into his sword token and learned that Qi Qingsong and Zhuang Yuyan had gone to the Third World with their group.

    They had left him messages to update him about the situation but stopped after entering the Third World.

    News about the broader situation poured in like a torrent from another sword-shaped symbol within the token.

    Murky energy was spreading throughout the Third World!

    The war between the human race and the foreign races of the Fifth World had officially started while Pang Jian had been tempering his divine soul!

    These initial shes saw the human race reigning victorious!

    The three Divine Kingdoms had deployed armies of cultivators on the Cosmic Skies Continent, the Dark Abyss Continent, and the fragmentednds in the Third World.

    These armies relied on superior artifacts and flying vessels to hunt down any foreign races or Vicious Beasts alongside the teams from the other major powers.

    As a result, the first wave of foreign race warriors that had emerged with the murky energy had faced a crushing defeat.

    The devastating power of the killing arrays constructed across the fragmentednds, alongside the buried Nine Heavenly Profound Thunder, Ground Fissure Mines, Meteorite Firestones, and Skybane Miasma, had turned the battlefield into rivers of blood.

    As the corpses of foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts piled up like mountains, the morale of the human race soared!

    Some of the Divine Kingdoms'' warships even descended through the dense leaden clouds and into the fragmentednds of the Fourth World.

    Driven by the desire to earn contribution points, Qi Qingsong and Zhuang Yuyan joined forces with their small clique and ventured into the Third World in search of Hu Yuanfei.

    "Something''s off. The foreign races aren''t that weak," Pang Jian muttered as he went through the Merit Leaderboards.

    He still saw no familiar names on the Profound Abode Realm leaderboard.

    On the Spirit Condensation Realm leaderboard, Wu Yuan had risen to ninth ce with two thousand five hundred contribution points.

    Zhou Qingchen had surprisingly surpassed Dong Tianze to rank seventeenth.

    Dong Tianze, on the other hand, had fallen to twenty-fifth ce, while Zhao Yuanqi ranked outside the top fifty.

    On the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard, Li Yuqing had dropped to third ce, with her contribution points remaining unchanged.

    His senior sister, Hu Yuanfei, had fallen from fifth to sixth ce.

    "First ce in the Soul Wandering Realm: Zhou Yi from the Nine Tribes Sect."

    "Second ce in the Soul Wandering Realm: Fan Chen from the Supreme Monad Divine Kingdom."

    "Fourth ce in the Soul Wandering Realm: Liu Youyu from the Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom."

    "Fifth ce in the Soul Wandering Realm: Hong Qiming from the Demon Sect."

    Pang Jian softly muttered,mitting their names to memory.

    Li Yuqing had terrifyingbat power. The stagnation of her contribution points made Pang Jian feel like something was amiss.

    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Pang Jian simply did not believe that fellow Soul Wandering Realm cultivators like Zhou Yi and Fan Chen could be stronger than her.

    Worry arose in Pang Jian''s heart.

    <i>I hope she''s alright. </i>

    Just then, a message from Chen Weihuang arrived. "Jiang Ran is back."

    "The Great Elder?"

    "Since you''re here,e to the summit."

    "Alright."

    Pang Jian left his residence and headed to the summit of the Heaven Departure Peak.

    Chen Weihuang stood with his back to Pang Jian and looked toward the Celestial Gate Peak with a somber expression. "He brought outsiders with him."

    Pang Jian followed his gaze and saw a warship simr in design to the Armor-Breaking Warship anchored at the summit of the Celestial Gate Peak, the characters "Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom" inscribed on its hull.

    Zhou Wenhao and Su Li excitedly stepped forward to greet a tall man with white hair and a youthful face.

    That man appeared younger than Zhou Wenhao, but his eyes conveyed a deep sense of age and experience. He spoke warmly with his two disciples and wore a gentle smile on his face.

    Lu Xiaolin, Shi Bingyun, and Cai Xin stood further back, waiting respectfully for their turn to greet the man after his conversation with his disciples.

    "How have you all been?" the man called out with a booming voice.

    "Well! Everything is well!"

    "We''ve missed you, Senior Brother!"

    "We''re d you''re back."

    The three elders hastily replied.

    Their reactions made it clear the white-haired man was Great Elder Jiang Ran.

    Jiang Ranughed heartily in response.

    Then, turning to look at Liu Junhong, Xu Yu, Guang He, and Wang Ce on nearby peaks, he asked, "What, are you not pleased to see me return?"

    "You''re the Great Elder of our Sword Pavilion. You''re always wee back, but that doesn''t mean you can let an outside flying vessel into our territories!" Liu Junhong said with a stern expression.

    "Senior Brother Jiang, one of our core rules is that no outside flying vessels may enter the Sword Pavilion''s territories!" Wang Ce added. "Especially not near our sacred peaks, where no outside flying vessels are allowed to dock!"

    Xu Yu and Guang He red with disapproval as well.

    "I decide which flying vessels can dock at my Celestial Gate Peak," Jiang Ran replied with a faint smile, undeterred by their objections. "Please,e forth, Brother Jinghong, Brother Tunyun!"

    "The zing Rainbow Marquis! The Cloud Devourer Marquis!" The Sword Pavilion disciples observing the scene from the various mountain peaks gasped.

    The zing Rainbow Marquis and the Cloud Devourer Marquis were two of the three most powerful marquises from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom.

    They were on par with Armor-Breaking Marquis, Li Wei, and held immense influence in Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom.

    A tall man d in a purplish-golden dragon robe stepped out from the warship.

    "Brother Jiang, you''re too kind," the man said as he stood beside Jiang Ran. He looked at Elder Wang Ce with a stern expression. "I am Zhu Jinghong."

    He offered no further introduction besides his name.

    A figure in golden armor leaped from the warship andnded heavily with a grin. "I''m Huang Tunyun."

    The neer was shorter in stature, His golden armor emanated a strong scent of blood and his pale golden eyes carried the predatory gaze of a beast.

    A group of noble young elites leaned over the warship''s railing and surveyed the Sword Pavilion.

    "So, this is the Sword Pavilion?"

    "Look, the floating building over there¡ªthat¡¯s the famed Sword Pavilion of the Abyss!"

    "ording to legend, when the Sword Pavilion was in its prime, it was the strongest sect in the Abyss, stronger than all the Divine Kingdoms of the Eastern Landbined."

    "That''s right! When the Sword Pavilion was at its peak, it had five Sword Gods and none of the Divine Kingdoms could rival them."

    "It''s a pity to see such a mighty sect fall so far."

    The group whispered and pointed as they took in the sights.

    Zhu Jinghong and Huang Tunyun nced back at the young nobles and exchanged a wry smile.

    "Senior Brother Jiang!" Wang Ce shouted, unable to hold back his anger. "The Sword Pavilion is not some sightseeing spot! Those entering or leaving need to abide by our rules! And you¡ª"

    "Li Zhaotian is absent. As the Great Elder, I''ll naturally be making all the major decisions in the Sword Pavilion while he''s gone," Jiang Ran said with a calm smile,pletely ignoring Wang Ce''s reprimand.

    After a brief moment of contemtion, he added, "Elders, proceed to the main hall for a meeting immediately! I''ll be taking charge now."

    He then took out a broken sword tip and raised it.

    A dazzling sword light erupted from the sword tip.

    Wang Ce and the others'' expressions turned peculiar at the sight.

    The eyes of those aligned with Jiang Ran lit up with hope.

 Chapter 366: The Audacious Chen Weihuang

    <h4>Chapter 366: The Audacious Chen Weihuang</h4>

    "The Arcane Legend Sword!" Chen Weihuang narrowed his eyes.

    Suddenly, the bronze pendant beneath Pang Jian''s robes grew scalding hot.

    He felt the "Gate of the Abyss" characters engraved on the back of the pendant disappear, leaving the back of the bronze pendant smooth.

    A strange light flickered in Pang Jian''s eyes.

    The broken sword tip that Great Elder Jiang Ran had taken out seemed to be connected to the bronze pendant he was wearing.

    Curious, he asked, "Senior Brother, that sword...?"

    ¡°The Sword God, Lin Xuanqi, forged and wielded that divine sword," Chen Weihuang said solemnly. "There were five Sword Gods during the Sword Pavilion''s peak, and Lin Xuanqi was the strongest among them. The Arcane Legend Sword once symbolized the supreme authority of the Sword Pavilion.

    "ording to legend, he used the Arcane Legend Sword to break through the barrier of the Abyss. The Arcane Legend Sword disappeared with him beyond the starry skies, but..."

    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Chen Weihuang was equally dumbfounded at the sight.

    <i>Woong! Woong! Woong!</i>

    Spirit and divine swords inside the inverted Sword Pavilion floating in the sky started to hum.

    Faint soul projections of the fat elder, the thin elder, and the sword spirit known as Lady Feng appeared.

    The Arcane Legend Sword''s return shocked them and they revealed themselves out of respect.

    Unfortunately, all that remained of the Arcane Legend Sword was a broken tip, meaning it could not resonate with their sword souls.

    The usually reticent Guang He could not help but ask, "Senior Brother Jiang, is that truly the Arcane Legend Sword?"

    "Would all the spirit and divine swords in the Sword Pavilion react like this if it weren''t?" Jiang Ran smiled.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    He then flew toward the main hall on the Sword Honing Peak.

    All the elders also transformed into streaks of light and entered the main hall.

    Meanwhile, the Sword Pavilion disciples across the major peaks erupted into a frenzy over the reappearance of the Arcane Legend Sword.

    "Didn''t the strongest Sword God take the Arcane Legend Sword with him when he broke through the barrier of the Abyss?"

    "Why is only the tip of the sword remaining?"

    "How did the Great Elder find that sword tip?"

    "Could that strongest Sword God have returned after leaving the Abyss?"

    Everyone was eager to know how the Great Elder hade to possess the broken tip of the Arcane Legend Sword.

    "That sword holds special significance to the Sword Pavilion. Jiang Ran can aplish previously impossible things with just that broken tip in his possession," Chen Weihuang said with concern.

    Pang Jian was inwardly amazed.<i> </i>

    <i>The previous World God likely came into contact with the strongest Sword God, </i>he thought.<i> Perhaps a holder of the Gate of the Abyss¡ªeither my father or a World God before him¡ªbrought back the broken tip of the Arcane Legend Sword from the starry skies beyond.</i>

    After all, only a World God with the Gate of the Abyss could traverse freely in and out of the Abyss.

    The finely dressed young nobles on the Boundless Sky Divine Fortune''s warship started to disembark with wide smiles.

    "Since we¡¯re here, let''s explore the Sword Pavilion. We can take in the sights of their famous mountains and rivers."

    The zing Rainbow Marquis, the Cloud Devourer Marquis, and the young nobles prepared to leave the Celestial Gate Peak.

    Zhou Wenhao, Jiang Ran''s eldest disciple, smiled as he let them pass.

    Jiang Ran had gathered all the elders into the main hall, leaving nobody with high enough rank to stop the nobles from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom from doing as they pleased.

    "Please stay on the Celestial Gate Peak!" Chen Weihuang ordered sternly.

    He transformed into a streak of fiery light andnded before the young nobles from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom to block their path.

    "Don''t me my Sword Pavilion for being ruthless if you leave the Celestial Gate Peak."

    The inner disciples on the Breakthrough Peak, the Elusive Peak, the Enlightenment Peak, and the Fate Severing Peak looked at Chen Weihuang with admiration.

    "Well done, Senior Brother Chen!"

    "Senior Brother Chen is truly impressive! He''s holding the fort while the elders are in a meeting!"

    They shouted in excitement.

    Pang Jian did not hesitate either. Darting forward like lightning with the Startling ughter Spear in hand, he positioned himself firmly behind Chen Weihuang.

    One young man on the warship smirked provocatively. "Haha, I''m from the Jiang n of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom. I don''t believe anyone here truly dares stop me!"

    He then flew toward a neighboring mountain peak.

    A streak of fiery sword light shed from Chen Weihuang''s sleeve, slicing off the golden crown on the Jiang n provocateur''s head.

    The sword light cut downward to leave a bloody mark on the young man''s throat before stopping at his chest.

    The young man in the Spirit Condensation Realm screamed, "I am Jiang Qiusheng! How dare you harm me?"

    The zing Rainbow Marquis and Cloud Devourer Marquis were equally stunned. Neither had expected Chen Weihuang to actually make a move.

    Zhou Wenhao''s expression changed as he hurriedly tried to intervene. "Senior Brother Chen, the Jiang n in the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom has a True God overseeing it. You''re making an enemy for the Sword Pavilion!"

    Chen Weihuang addressed neither Zhou Wenhao''s plea nor the cold expressions on the faces of the zing Rainbow Marquis and Cloud Devourer Marquis.

    He simply said to Jiang Qiusheng, "Don''t move. Move again, and you''ll die."

    Fear rose in Jiang Qiusheng''s heart, and he dared not move an inch.

    "Junior Brother Pang, if anyone dares to leave the Celestial Gate Peak, do not hesitate," Chen Weihuangmanded coldly.

    Pang Jian nodded. "Understood."

    The Cloud Devourer Marquis, d in golden armor, grinned and slowly stepped off the Celestial Gate Peak. "I''m curious who dares to stop me, with Li Zhaotian absent and the elders in a meeting."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A dazzling cosmos descended.

    Suns, moons, stars, mes, and icy lightning storms crashed down upon the Cloud Devourer Marquis as though a segment of the gxy had copsed from beyond the heavens.

    "This chaotic sword intent..." The Cloud Devourer Marquis was stunned.

    His broad shoulders trembled and clusters of golden clouds flew out from his golden armor.

    The radiance of the stars, moons, zing suns, and explosive icy lightning storms were reduced to nothing when they collided with the golden clouds.

    A burst of violent residual energy mmed into Pang Jian''s body, causing several of his ribs to fracture with a series of loud cracks.

    <i>Drip!</i>

    Fresh blood fell from Pang Jian''s lips as he clutched his Startling ughter Spear on the edge of the Celestial Gate Peak.

    Although the defensive power of the ck turtle scute and his newly attained Golden Body Realm physique had allowed Pang Jian to just barely withstand the Cloud Devourer Marquis''s explosive strength, he had still sustained injuries.

    "Pang Jian!"

    ¡°Junior Brother Pang!¡±

    Many Sword Pavilion disciples seethed with righteous anger and tried to rush over.

    "Stay on your peaks!" Chen Weihuang shouted as he cast an approving nce at Pang Jian.

    This was the first time Pang Jian had seen an expression besides Chen Weihuang''s usual stern, deadpan one.

    The Cloud Devourer Marquis was one of the three great marquises of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom, and like the Armor-Breaking Marquis, was also at the mid-stage of the Immortal Realm.

    Pang Jian, on the other hand, was merely in the Soul Wandering Realm.

    Between themy the vast gap of the Nirvana Realm.

    Despite the marquis being two cultivation realms higher and having considerable backing, Pang Jian did not hesitate to strike him. His action had earned some respect from Chen Weihuang.

    The Cloud Devourer Marquisughed and said to the stern-faced zing Rainbow Marquis, "Who would''ve thought a fool would dare to stand in my way? These Sword Pavilion disciples certainly have some backbone."

    The zing Rainbow Marquis gently nodded.

    The other young nobles from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom frowned at Chen Weihuang''s and Pang Jian''s actions.

    "The Sword Pavilion actually dares to act."

    "It''s best to be cautious here."

    They whispered, slightly intimidated due to theirparatively low cultivation.

    Chen Weihuang nodded calmly.

    "The Cloud Devourer Marquis and the zing Rainbow Marquis of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom dare to harm my junior brother in the Sword Pavilion?" Chen Weihuan turned to look at the inverted Sword Pavilion suspended in the sky. "I humbly ask for your assistance!"

    Zhou Wenhao''s face turned ashen. "Junior Brother Chen, don''t!"

    Huang Tunyun was taken aback. "I didn''t intend to kill him, I just¡ª"

    Bright yellow sword light flew out from the first floor of the Sword Pavilion and shed at the golden-armored Cloud Devourer Marquis.

    The radiant sword light was like a mountain stream carrying drifting leaves, vibrant pebbles, and the gentle sound of flowing water. It brought a sense of peace and tranquility, making everyone feel as if they were strolling beside a gurgling creek.

    Huang Tunyun''s face turned grim.

    Clusters of golden clouds appeared and hovered around him.

    He looked like one of the massive continents in the Second World with the mystical clouds surrounding him.

    However, the clusters of carefully refined golden clouds soon dissipated under the gentle flow of the sword light.

    The Cloud Devourer Marquis''s golden armor disintegrated into golden powder and scattered in the wind.

    His abdomen bore a gaping, bloody hole that revealed his internal organs.

    Huang Tunyun clutched his wounded abdomen and cried out in shock, "You¡ªhow dare you!"

    The young nobles from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom no longer dared to act rashly, fearing the sword light would separate their heads from their bodies.

    "The Sword Pavilion itself is a fearsome weapon!"

    "No wonder Li Zhaotian''s disciples dare to act so boldly even in his absence!"

    "The Cloud Devourer Marquis is in deep trouble this time!"

    They cried, with some even retreating into the warship.

    "The Sword Pavilion!" The zing Rainbow Marquis''s stern face showed a trace of panic.

    As he made to intervene, he sensed another sword light locking onto him.

    If he dared to try saving the Cloud Devourer Marquis, he too would be forced to endure a thorough "greeting" from the Sword Pavilion.

    Chen Weihuang remained expressionless as he said coldly, "Even if a True God descended, they would not be allowed to act recklessly in our Sword Pavilion, let alone you."

    The zing Rainbow Marquis frowned before gently addressing the young nobles from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom, "Everyone, it''s best to follow the rules of others while in their territory...especially if we haven''t been invited."

 Chapter 367: The Jiang Clan of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom

    <h4>Chapter 367: The Jiang n of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom</h4>

    The two Immortal Realm marquises from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom chose to stand down when faced with the might of the suspended Sword Pavilion.

    The young nobles also lost their arrogance.

    Pang Jian wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and put away the Startling ughter Spear with a cold re at the Cloud Devourer Marquis.

    Given the vast difference in their cultivation realms, it was no surprise he had sustained injuries from a single sh.

    Still, he firmly etched the image of this Cloud Devourer Marquis from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom into his memory.

    <i>The mid-stage Immortal Realm...</i>

    Just a few years ago, Pang Jian had been but a mere hunter in the Solitary Mountain Range. Since then, he had be a core member of the Sword Pavilion, and his cultivation had even reached the mid-stage of the Soul Wandering Realm.

    Pang Jian wholeheartedly believed he would have the power to personally make the Cloud Devourer Marquis pay in the near future.

    "If not for the protection of this Sword Pavilion¡ª" Huang Tunyun clutched his wound with one hand and pointed at Pang Jian and Chen Weihuang with his free one. "You! And you! Be careful of the day you leave the Sword Pavilion!"

    With that, he retreated into the warship to tend to his injuries.

    Zhu Jinghong, the zing Rainbow Marquis, calmly added, "The Sword Pavilion and Li Zhaotian cannot protect you two forever."

    <i>Buzz!</i>

    Another brilliant sword light shot out from the Sword Pavilion, enveloping Zhu Jinghong with its colorful light.

    It carried a profound sword intent capable of destroying all living beings.

    Zhu Jinghong''s expression changed drastically. As he was about to activate his Celestial Rainbow Heaven Severing Art, he felt the oppressive force of sword intents bearing down on him.

    The sword intents were tearing apart his sea of consciousness. Tiny sword lights surrounded his divine soul like a school of fish.

    Fear surged in Zhu Jinghong''s heart and he no longer dared to utter a single word.

    Moments earlier, the fat elder and the thin elder had been observing the situation from the first floor of the Sword Pavilion.

    The fat elder shook his head with a softugh. "That Zhu brat is spouting nonsense in my Sword Pavilion. Let''s teach him a lesson."

    At that moment, slender threads of sword light pierced into Zhu Jinghong''s body through the center of his forehead.

    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The zing Rainbow Marquis from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom gritted his teeth with a muffled groan as blood oozed from all over his body.

    Following the Cloud Devourer Marquis''s footsteps, he too hurriedly retreated into the warship, no longer daring to show his face.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    The windows on the majestic all mmed tightly shut.

    The young nobles from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom hoping to explore the Sword Pavilion now huddled silently in their rooms.

    The two disciples of the Great Elder Jiang Ran, Zhou Wenhao and Su Li, remained silent.

    They had not expected Chen Weihuang to summon help from the divine swords on the Sword Pavilion''s first floor.

    The Sword Pavilion and the divine swords inside held supreme authority within the sect. Their response surpassed themand of even the Pavilion Master!

    Since they had injured the Cloud Devourer Marquis and the zing Rainbow Marquis, even Jiang Ran would have had no choice but to ept it if he were present.

    Chen Weihuang scoffed. "If not for Elder Jiang Ran''s presence, the sword light would''ve torn apart this warship from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom the instant it entered the Sword Pavilion''s territory."

    He then waved Pang Jian over and led the way back to the Heaven Departure Peak.

    The projections of the divine swords on the first floor of the Sword Pavilion disappeared.

    "Senior Brother Chen is so formidable!"

    Disciples on the Elusive Peak, the Breakthrough Peak, the Enlightenment Peak, and the Fate Severing Peak cheered as they watched them leave.

    In stark contrast, Zhou Wenhao and Su Li looked utterly humiliated.

    ***

    Once they arrived at the Heaven Departure Peak, Chen Weihuang turned to look at Pang Jian and nodded in approval.

    "It''s our duty to shoulder the responsibility when our master is absent. Your performance wasn''t bad. You didn''t disgrace our master."

    "What''s the background of the Jiang n of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom? The Great Elder is also surnamed Jiang. Is he...?" Pang Jian asked in a low voice.

    Chen Weihuang nced at the sky, hesitating briefly before pointing at the sword token on Pang Jian''s waist.

    Pang Jian nodded in understanding.

    Information about the Jiang n of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom flowed from Chen Weihuang''s icon in the sword token. He exined the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom''s situation and the rtionship between Great Elder Jiang Ran and the Jiang n in detail.

    Both the Zhu and Jiang ns in the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom had True Gods within their ranks, and the Divine King of the Divine Kingdom often came from one of the two ns.

    The Zhu and Jiang ns had been intermarrying for generations and were as close as one family.

    Jiang Ran was originally a branch member of the Jiang n.

    He joined the Sword Pavilion when it was still in the First World, with thest Sword God epting him as a disciple.

    The Jiang n initially paid Jiang Ran little attention because of his unremarkable talent and abilities. However, his influence within the n rose as he gradually made a name for himself in the Sword Pavilion.

    By the time Jiang Ran became the Great Elder of the Sword Pavilion, the Jiang n had grown highly appreciative of him.

    The Jiang nter fully supported Jiang Ran''s bid to be a True God, hoping he could rece Li Zhaotian as the Pavillion Master of the Sword Pavilion.

    When Jiang Ran''s attempt failed, the True God from the Jiang n intervened, saving his life by ensuring that he merely fell in cultivation realms instead of facingplete annihtion.

    "The Jiang n has been trying to use Jiang Ran to gain control over our Sword Pavilion," Chen Weihuang said through the sword token.

    Pang Jian nodded in understanding.

    Chen Weihuang then handed him arge red healing pill. "Return to your residence and take this for your injuries. I''ll update you on the situation once the elders'' meeting concludes. No matter what happens, we cannot allow Jiang Ran to ally with outsiders and act arrogantly within our Sword Pavilion while our master is away."

    Pang Jian bowed and said, "Understood."

    He felt a clear change in Chen Weihuang''s attitude toward him.

    "Master was right. You''re young, full of energy, and have courage," Chen Weihuang said with a slight smile. "Don''t disappoint our master."

    "Senior Brother, what do you mean?"

    "The Sword Pavilion will need you to take the lead in the future." Chen Weihuang said in a low voice.

    ***

    Chen Weihuang''s parting words echoed in Pang Jian''s mind as he swallowed the healing pill in his cave residence.

    He felt a weight on his shoulders.

    Great Elder Jiang Ran, the two Immortal Realm marquises, and the True God of the Jiang n overseeing the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom¡ªeach of these figures could easily crush him right now.

    To bring the Sword Pavilion to the First World, he would have to trample these seemingly insurmountable figures beneath his feet.

    <i>A higher cultivation realm and greater strength. That''s the only way to help the Sword Pavilion through the trials ahead.</i>

    <i>I''ll need the Abyssal Demon Sword!</i>

    Pang Jian lifted the lid of the copper chest and took out the ck, crystalline sword.

    "I ept my fate. I''m willing to acknowledge you as my master," the Abyssal Sword murmured. "Master..."

    Its demonic wills appeared dazed with their strange manifestations of light, mes, and clouds.

    Unfortunately, they did not remain that way for long.

    It quickly started to draw strength from the dark desires, evil thoughts, and ambitions lurking in the hearts of the Sword Pavilion disciples.

    "The Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom! The malicious thoughts from the Cloud Devourer Marquis and zing Rainbow Marquis run deep!" The Abyssal Demon Sword grew excited. "Haha! Those two want to kill you and Chen Weihuang!

    "They believe Li Zhaotian will perish in his attempt to be a True God. They''vee under orders from the Jiang n to help Jiang Ran seize control of the Sword Pavilion.

    "Jiang Ran has already returned to the peak of the Immortal Realm thanks to the support of the Jiang n''s True God."

    The Abyssal Demon Sword ryed the thoughts and emotions of those present in the Sword Pavilion to Pang Jian as it recovered.

    At that moment, a message from Chen Weihuang came through the sword token, "There''s an insider report. The girl from the Divine Treasure Sect''s Li Family killed two Rank Eight foreign race powerhouses but was severely injured in the process.

    "She went missing in the Fourth World.

    "Her contribution points have yet to be tallied. Once they are, she''ll return to the top of the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard.

    "I heard you two have some history and thought you should know. Not to mention, she wields the Heaven-Splitting Sword and has deep ties to our Sword Pavilion."

    Pang Jian¡¯s heart tightened and he hastily checked for rted information using his sword token.

    Strangely, no information about Li Yuqing could be found through the Sword Pavilion''s informationwork.

    When he expressed his confusion, Chen Weihuang exined, "If this news spreads, Zhou Wenhao, Su Li, and other disciples of certain elders would learn of it too. This isn''t the kind of information we want to make public, so I had someone from Senior Xu''s side keep it under wraps."

    "Thank you, Senior Brother."

    Pang Jian established a connection with the World Eater Vine and instructed it to keep an eye out for Li Yuqing.

    The World Eater Vine was rooted in the Fourth World and had many Wood Race followers. It was much better equipped to gather information on Li Yuqing than Pang Jian could alone.

    <i>I hope you''re alright.</i>

    Pang Jian then gripped the Abyssal Demon Sword, took a deep breath, and ran his golden divine sense along the de.

    <i>Now, let''s see how I can wield you.</i>

    Unlike the divine swords within the Sword Pavilion, the Abyssal Demon Sword could not act on its own.

    It could only unleash its full strength when its wielder held it and infused it with power.

    However, when someone held the Abyssal Demon Sword, a struggle of mutual influence wouldmence between the sword and its wielder.

    Either the Abyssal Demon Sword would submit to the wielder''s control or the wielder would sumb to its corruption and be its puppet.

    The Abyssal Demon Sword had previously refused to submit to Pang Jian, but after two stints in the copper chest, it now addressed him as master.

    Pang Jian only wished he had somewhere to test the true power of the demonic sword.

    <i>The Resolute Expanse, or perhaps...</i>

    The Abyssal Demon Sword let out a terrified scream as Pang Jian jumped into the copper chest and snapped the lid shut with it still in hand.

    "No!" The Abyssal Demon''s helpless cries echoed in the confined space. Its desperate exmations soon turned into ones of awe. "We''re in the same box! How¡ªWhy did it transform into an entirely new space when you entered?!"

    Stars shone like diamonds and the bright moon illuminated the sky above them. The Abyssal Demon had never experienced this before.

    "Pang Jian, it feels like I''ve returned home. You¡ªJust who are you?"

    The Abyssal Demon''s consciousnesses intertwined with a wisp of Pang Jian''s consciousness, and together, they soared upward from the inner space of the copper chest.

    A man and a sword seemed to pierce through the barrier of the Abyss to appear in the starry skies.

 Chapter 368: Gazing at the Sea of Mist from the Starry Skies

    <h4>Chapter 368: Gazing at the Sea of Mist from the Starry Skies</h4>

    The boundless starry skies stretched out beyond the Abyss.

    Brilliant stars hung high above, casting their light on the endless sea of gray mist.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A streak of golden radiance shot out from the vast sea of mist, floating above it as it observed the world below alongside the stars and the moon.

    This golden streak was a wisp of consciousness separated from Pang Jian''s divine soul.

    It was the same as the divine consciousness that Outer Gods used to inhabit puppet bodies.

    Pang Jian came to a realization.

    <i>Divine consciousness is separated into divine essence and will, with divine essence being pure soul essence while one''s will carries one''s thoughts.</i>

    <i>My divine soul is made up of divine essence, and when I injected my will into it, I obtained divine consciousness.</i>

    <i>Although this divine consciousness originates from my divine soul, it can exist independently outside of it and can possess living bodies or attach to foreign objects to exert power.</i>

    <i>Once the divine soul is refined, divine consciousness can be released outward to perform wonders like spiritual power or blood essence.</i>

    A strong fluctuation of consciousness spread out from the golden light.

    <i>The bizarre mist!</i>

    The endless sea of gray mist beneath the brilliant stars and moon could be seen with great rity from their bird''s eye view.

    Pang Jian expanded his perception.

    The sea of mist seemed truly endless, extending infinitely in every direction.

    Suddenly, a ck wisp appeared beside the golden radiance and eximed in astonishment, "I''m out!"

    It was a wisp of the Abyssal Demon''s consciousness.

    Although the divine soul and demonic soul of the man and sword had remained within the Sword Pavilion in the Second World of the Abyss, their consciousnesses had managed to go beyond the Abyss.

    Unlike before, Pang Jian''s consciousness did not go to the moon and instead hovered in the starry skies above the Abyss.

    He could gaze directly down at the infinite gray bizarre mist, the vastness of which he could not begin to fathom.

    Its depths held countless secrets.

    Somewhere within it was also the Abyss.

    Worlds bearing the name "Abyss," like the Nether Abyss, the Abyss, and the Thunder Abyss, ally hidden within the depths of the bizarre mist.

    The only reason Pang Jian still knew the position of the Abyss was because his consciousness could sense his divine soul.

    The pain from the cracked ribs in his physical body, the healing effects of the pill his senior brother had given him, and the feeling of life energy repairing his bones¡ªhe could perceive all that through this strand of consciousness.

    When the Abyss opened, Outer Gods could send their divine consciousness through its barriers and descend into special altars or puppet bodies.

    Meanwhile, Pang Jian could extend his consciousness into the starry skies from within the Abyss.

    He was doing the exact opposite of the Outer Gods.

    "Your divine soul is so unique! And your consciousness can easily cross the barriers of the Abyss! Who are you?" A note of terror tinged the Abyssal Demon''s voice.

    The ck cloud representing the Abyssal Demon''s consciousness surged, roaming through the starry skies above the bizarre mist, seemingly searching for fellow Demon Race.

    Pang Jian, on the other hand, continued to observe the peculiarities of the space around it, making sure to also keep an eye on the bright full moon where the Moon God resided.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The moon shone brilliantly millions of li away.

    Moonlight spread like rippling waves, infused with divine power that could probe the souls of all beings.

    "Pang Jian!" A loud, resounding voice reverberated across the starry skies above the bizarre mist.

    Pang Jian snorted coldly. "Persistent, aren''t you?"

    His golden streak of consciousness wrapped around the Abyssal Demon''s consciousness and followed the connection to his divine soul back to his body.

    <i>Bang!</i>

    Pang Jian pushed open the copper chest.

    Grasping the Abyssal Demon Sword, he stepped out.

    "I heard your purpose is to y Outer Gods. I possess that ability. Moreover, I can freely traverse the bizarre mist and find the other part of you," he revealed to the sword.

    He hoped that two rounds of tempering with the copper chest had properly ground down its defiant edge.

    "I surrender," the Abyssal Demon responded weakly from within the broken sword. "You aren''t stronger than Mo Nan, but your potential far surpasses his. You...I truly cannot fathom you. I''ve never encountered anyone as unique as you."

    "Good." Pang Jian gently nodded before infusing the Abyssal Demon Sword with his spiritual power.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    The ck crystalline sword transformed into a towering beam of divine light that radiated with a brilliant green glow.

    Pang Jian peered into the sword with his divine sense.

    A straight river of green light flowed through a dark space, with specks of demonic wills drifting along the stream and gradually merging into it.

    The green river became infused with the Abyssal Demon''s power and gained a myriad of peculiarities.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Green sword lights shot out from the broken sword''s edge.

    Bursts of demonic lights, mes, and clouds emerged.

    The Abyssal Demon conjured bewitching women, terrifying demonic eyes, carnivorous flowers, and other terrifying creatures.

    These strange beings were conjured from the spiritual power within the green sword light, creating a spectacle of demonic chaos that yed out like a scene of the Demons wreaking havoc on the world.

    Pang Jian was astonished.

    The spiritual power he provided was enough for the Abyssal Demon Sword to conjure the illusions he saw when he first touched the broken sword in the Sword Pavilion into reality.

    One after another, these illusory beings were manifested into vivid reality, each carrying the demonic wills of the Abyssal Demon.

    The beam of green radiant sword light shot out, creating a bizarre world within Pang Jian''s cave residence.

    Enchanting demonesses from the Demon Race in the outer worlds smiled alluringly as they slowly disrobed, casting seductive nces and making flirtatious gestures toward Pang Jian.

    Hundreds of deep purple demonic flowers howled at Pang Jian as if about to devour him.

    Pitch-ck eyes emitted an eerie light as if intending to extract his soul.

    Terrifying creatures¡ªunlike anything Pang Jian had seen before¡ªgrowled as they charged at him.

    The Abyssal Demon''s power had amplified the spiritual power Pang Jian had infused into the sword and manifested a domain capable of trapping and attacking him.

    The Abyssal Demon was using a new method to resist him!

    "Again?" Pang Jian sneered.

    The Heart of Winter flew out, filling his cave residence with a cold mist that enveloped all the conjured beings.

    Pang Jian then drew on the lightning from the lightning vortex in his spiritual sea, which had been on the verge of copsing from the weight of the Thunder Pool.

    Cold energy mixed with the blinding lightning to create a small storm within Pang Jian''s cave residence.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    The demonic manifestations were swiftly wiped out.

    Pang Jian sent his divine sense into the sword in his hand and eradicated the Abyssal Demon''s demonic wills.

    "You think using a trace of my spiritual power is enough to turn the tide against me?" he scoffed. "You never learn."

    With that, he threw the Abyssal Demon Sword back into the copper chest.

    Although Pang Jian had only seen the tip of the iceberg when it came to the power of the Abyssal Demon Sword, this experience allowed him to grasp the Abyssal Demon''s cunning and defiant nature.

    Even after tempering it twice with the copper chest, allowing it to roam the starry skies, and promising to help recover the other half of the sword, the Abyssal Demon was still unwilling to submit.

    Instead, it feigned obedience while secretly waiting for an opportunity to strike.

    Unfortunately for the Abyssal Demon, good always triumphed over evil, and Pang Jian once again eradicated the Abyssal Demon''s demonic wills with the Heart of Winter.

    Half a dayter, Pang Jian''s injuries fully recovered and his broken ribs were as good as new.

    The World Eater Vine contacted him. <i>Father, the person you asked me to find came to me on her own.</i>

    Pang Jian''s mind raced.

    He gazed into Misty Swamp and soon spotted Li Yuqing slumped weakly beneath the deliberately shrunken World Eater Vine in bloodstained clothes.

    "I have something to discuss with Pang Jian," she said seriously.

    The leaves of the small glowing tree rustled.

    Li Yuqing frowned. "I know you canmunicate with him."

    Pang Jian appeared out of thin air. "I''m here."

    The young girl, now slimmer with more refined facial features, stared at Pang Jian with astonishment. "How did you get here so quickly?"

    She sought the World Eater Vine out in her wounded state because of its mysterious connection with Pang Jian.

    Originally, she nned to have it ry a message to Pang Jian, asking him to notify the Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect to arrange for a powerful escort to take her back to the First World.

    She had not expected Pang Jian to appear before her.

    Pang Jian unceremoniouslymanded, "Help me heal her!"

    <i>Alright.</i>

    Leaves drifted gently onto Li Yuqing''s delicate shoulders, and their green glow seeped into her body.

    Rich life energy flowed through Li Yuqing''s body like a gentle stream, mending her injured organs, meridians, and blood vessels.

    The furrowed lines on her brow eased slightly.

    Unfortunately, dense murky energy continued to seep through her flesh and bones.

    Her crystalline lips curled bitterly. "I had a treasure that could resist the murky energy and allowed me to see in the darkness of the Fifth World, but it was destroyed in battle.

    "Moreover, my spiritual sea has dried up and the murky energy corrupts whatever spiritual power I gather when I try, so I can''t summon a protective shield.

    "And..." Li Yuqing bit her lip. "There are two people from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom, one surnamed Jiang and the other Zhu. They''re also in the Soul Wandering Realm, though their rankings on the leaderboard are far below mine.

    "They saw I was severely injured and have been tailing me ever since. They''ll likely find me soon.

    "Pang Jian, I''d like you to use the Sword Pavilion''s channels to inform my family so they can send someone to escort me back."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian summoned a protective shield and enveloped Li Yuqing within it.

    Crouching down, he pulled out several healing pills and said, "These should help with your recovery."

    Li Yuqing gently shook her head even as warmth swelled in her heart.

    "I''ve already taken healing pills. All pills need time to mend injuries, even with the life energy the World Eater Vine is providing.

    "The main problem is my spiritual sea¡ªit''s too severely depleted to fill up.

    "My divine soul is also badly damaged. Even with pills, my divine soul will still take time to recover.

    "I''m afraid my time is running out."

 Chapter 369: Heart-to-Heart Under the Tree

    <h4>Chapter 369: Heart-to-Heart Under the Tree</h4>

    Li Yuqing sat quietly beneath the small, lush green tree, green clothes stained with blood and lips curved into a faint smile.

    Despite being in an extremely dire situation, she showed no sign of panic and maintained a truly impressive calmness.

    Green leaves filled with rich life energy fell onto her shoulders, withering as the life energy within them seeped away before drifting to the ground.

    The little tree worked tirelessly to heal her under Pang Jian''smand but her injuries remained severe.

    The medicinal properties of the pills she had taken and the pure spiritual power flowing from a white jade token were not enough to restore her to full health in such a short time.

    Pang Jian took a deep breath andmunicated with the little tree telepathically.

    Before long, the little tree drove away all the Wood Race members and Vicious Beasts within a radius of several dozen li.

    Only Pang Jian and Li Yuqing remained in the lush, thriving marsnd.

    Pang Jian asked softly, "Where''s your sword?"

    "Some foreign race powerhouses are still after me, but I was in no shape to continue after killing two Rank Eight foreign race warriors, so I sent my Heaven-Splitting Sword to distract the pursuers."

    Her clear, gem-like eyes rested on Pang Jian''s face, lips curled into a slight smile.

    Noticing the concern in Pang Jian''s eyes, she added, "Once I regain my strength and my divine soul recovers, I''ll be able to sense the Heaven-Splitting Sword''s general location. The Heaven-Splitting Sword can find me on its own after that.

    "The main issue is that I need time to recover mybat prowess, during which I still have to resist the corruption of murky energy.

    "Not to mention, an encounter with the foreign races or the two from the Jiang and Zhu ns would only further drain my strength."

    "Don''t worry, the foreign races on this fragmentednd won''t bother you," Pang Jian assured as he pointed to the vibrant green tree. "The Wood Race sees it as their pir of faith, and I canmand it."

    Pang Jian''s expression darkened.

    "Those two from the Jiang and Zhu ns¡ªthey dare toy their hands on you?"

    "Yes, they want to take the Heaven-Splitting Sword from me," Li Yuqing replied.

    A hint of color had returned to her cheeks while they were conversing.

    Pang Jian''s protective shield sheltered her from the murky energy, allowing her to focus the medicinal properties of the pills on healing her injuries instead of resisting the corruption of the murky energy.

    The additional boost from the life energy further revitalized her, and she knew she would recover faster than expected.

    "The Sword Pavilion is aware of your severe injuries, but they haven''t disclosed the information," Pang Jian said.

    Li Yuqing mulled over his words. "The Heaven-Splitting Sword likely sent a message. Itsmunication with the Sword Pavilion can bypass the shroud of murky energy. However, it doesn''t know where I''ve ended up."

    While Pang Jian knitted his brows in thought, he took out a jar of wine and handed it to her. "Let me think for a bit."

    Li Yuqing looked at him in surprise but made no move to take the wine.

    "Aren''t you fond of drinking?" he asked.

    "I am, but right now..."

    Li Yuqing hesitated, then took the wine jar and sipped from it.

    Pang Jianforted earnestly, "You''ll be alright."

    Li Yuqing gently nodded, a smile appearing in her bright eyes.

    "The two from the Jiang and Zhu ns¡ªwhat stage are they at in the Soul Wandering Realm?"

    "They seem to be in the middle stages."

    "Middle stages, and there are two of them..." Pang Jian nced at the little tree and reached out to sense its connection with all the trees across the marsnds. His confidence grew. "That won''t be a problem."

    Li Yuqing''s eyes widened in surprise. "I remember you were still in the Profound Abode Realm when we were in Spirit Offering. Those two are in the Soul Wandering Realm and even hold noble status in the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom. How are you so confident you can handle them?"

    "I''m in the Soul Wandering Realm too."

    Li Yuqing yfully stuck out her tongue, then habitually licked the wine from her lips, causing ripples in Pang Jian''s heart.

    "In just a few years, your advancement speed has almost caught up to mine," Li Yuqing praised.

    "Wait here for a bit."

    Pang Jian went behind the small tree, and while out of Li Yuqing''s sight, used the Gate of the Abyss to teleport back to the Sword Pavilion in the Second World.

    Lifting the lid of the copper chest, he pulled out the Abyssal Demon Sword and sent his divine sense into the sword. "There''s a tough battleing up and I''ll need your help.

    "If you refuse to cooperate or try to sabotage me again, I''ll erase all of your consciousnesses after the battle and wipe you from existence.

    "A sword that refuses to submit, no matter how powerful, is useless to me. I''d rather destroy it."

    Pang Jian had no patience left to deal with the sword''s attitude and was unwilling to give the Abyssal Demon any more chances.

    The Abyssal Demon fell silent.

    Demonic lights, mes, and clouds surged within the sword, feeding off the wicked thoughts of the Sword Pavilion''s disciples, growing ever stronger.

    The Abyssal Demon''s consciousnesses then replied in unison, "Understood."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian emerged from behind the small tree and returned to Li Yuqing''s side with the broken Abyssal Demon Sword.

    He casually stabbed the broken sword into the ground and asked, "Do you have anything to eat? I remember you always kept some food in your spatial ring..."

    "I do."

    Li Yuqing nced at the ck crystalline sword in surprise.

    She had seen that sword on the first floor of the Sword Pavilion before and had learned about its origin through the Heaven-Splitting Sword.

    Though curious, she did not ask Pang Jian about it and instead focused on setting up a table filled with the dried meat, snacks, and fruits she always carried.

    The two sat at the table like in the old days, eating meat, drinking wine, and chatting idly.

    She would take another healing pill from time to time. The white jade token hanging from her waist also continuously channeled spiritual power into her spiritual sea.

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Being from the Li Family of the Divine Treasure Sect, Li Yuqing had ess to many rare treasures.

    Thus, even when severely injured, she did not need to meditate arduously like ordinary cultivators. All she needed to do was remain still, and the miraculous properties of her pills and treasures would help her recover her strength and heal her wounds.

    She only needed time.

    "I heard you went to Absolute Heaven for a trial. No one came out for over two years. At that time, I thought..." Li Yuqing frowned, putting down a thoroughly gnawed piece of wing and taking a big gulp of wine. Sadness shed in her bright eyes. "I thought I might never see you again."

    "Absolute Heaven was a strange ce, with different fragmentednds originating from different worlds," Pang Jian said absentmindedly. Then, noticing the sorrow on Li Yuqing''s delicate face, he blurted out, "Were you worried about me?"

    "I was," she answered, lowering her head to tear into another wing.

    Pang Jian froze, staring at her in stunned silence.

    "I often think back to the dark tunnel in Eight Trigrams City, where you..." Li Yuqing said through muffled bites. "You''ve always been an interesting person to me."

    She could not forget how Pang Jian had repeatedly called for her in the endless darkness outside the City Lord''s Mansion, fearing she would be trapped in the terrifying Eight Trigrams City.

    After finishing the wine jar, she pulled out her small sk and peered up at the silent Pang Jian.

    She found Pang Jian staring at her with a dazed expression.

    "Idiot," Li Yuqing muttered under her breath.

    Her cheeks grew warm and she ducked her head as she quietly took another sip of wine.

    After some time, Pang Jian regained hisposure.

    Noticing the awkward atmosphere, he tried to change the subject, intending to tell Li Yuqing about the strange things he had encountered deep in the restricted area.

    "In Absolute Heaven..."

    "I heard about it," Li Yuqing chuckled softly, going along with the change. "By the way, there was a guy named Fu Wangchen. He was one of my defeated opponents and was incredibly troublesome.

    "Although not very strong, he kept challenging me and would only give up after I beat him ck and blue each time.

    "Did you meet him there?" she asked.

    "I did."

    "I can''t believe that useless guy died in there. The Forsaken Expanse Sect kept bragging about him, calling him a rare genius. Howughable." Li Yuqing scoffed, lips curling in disdain.

    Pang Jian did not mention that he was responsible for Fu Wangchen''s death. Instead, he said, "He was indeed quite formidable. He was the strongest of those who entered from the Abyss."

    "But he still died, didn''t he?" Li Yuqing sneered.

    Pang Jian scratched his head, unsure of what to say.

    At that moment, the little tree said softly in Pang Jian''s mind, <i>Father, someone''sing. It''s the two she mentioned, the human cultivators in the Soul Wandering Realm.</i>

    <i>We''ll kill themter,</i> Pang Jian replied.

    <i>Got it.</i>

    Many of the most bloodthirsty giant trees quietly shifted under the little tree''smand.

    The little tree also drew in poisonous nts and the toxic mist drifting above the swamp, causing them to gather toward it.

    All the most terrifying nts in Misty Swamp were all under the little tree''s control.

    "This fragmentednd has bepletely different," Li Yuqing said when she sensed the changes. "It would''ve been easy to tear this ce apart when I first discovered the World Eater Vine rooted here. The World Eater Vine felt weak then and I could''ve killed it effortlessly.

    "But now..." She sighed. "Even if I were at full strength and it was without the protection of the Wood Race warriors, I''d still need to rely on the Heaven-Splitting Sword to defeat it."

    <i>Rustle!</i>

    The leaves of the little tree shook violently.

    A small girl with delicate features emerged from the leaves.

    She looked to be around twelve or thirteen years old, with a gauzy dress covering her small, slender figure.

    Long, green hair fell over her shoulders and a crown woven from tree branches adorned her head, giving her the appearance of a forest sprite.

    The little girl red at Li Yuqing.

    "You nearly scared me to death back then! And now, you-you!

    "I''ve given you so much life energy, and you ungrateful wretch still thought about killing me!

    "You humans are the worst! Father, she''s always trying to kill me! She doesn''t seem like a good person at all!" she yelled, hands on her hips and eyes wide with anger.

 Chapter 370: Impersonation

    <h4>Chapter 370: Impersonation</h4>

    The World Eater Vine had a soul.

    As time passed, the little tree developed a higher intelligence, and its appearance became more refined.

    The little tree had transformed from an "it" to a "her," and even had the potential to be a divine being in the future.

    The World Tree would be a God once it reached its final stage of growth. Once ced into the starry skies beyond the Abyss, it would be an exalted being that the Wood Race revered.

    Li Yuqing was stunned.

    As she looked at the graceful little girl, a sparkle appeared in her bright eyes, and she asked in surprise, "Are you the World Eater Vine? You already have a spirit body? And your appearance, it looks..."

    She nced at Pang Jian, then back at the little girl, a smile forming on her lips.

    "I modeled my spirit body after my father, so of course I resemble him! What''s so strange about that?" The little girl huffed.

    "Father?" Li Yuqing was even more astonished.

    The little tree dered firmly, "My name is Pang Ling!"

    "I see." Li Yuqing gently nodded in understanding, clear eyes twinkling. With a calm smile, she said, "Alright, I understand. From now on, I''ll never think about killing you ever again."

    "Smart choice!"

    New green leaves gently fell onto Li Yuqing''s shoulders.

    ***

    A man and a woman swiftly approached from beneath the thickyer of leaden clouds outside the fragmentednd.

    Having locked onto their target, they soon arrived at Divine Fortune.

    After discarding her gray cloak, Zhu Ying emerged like a phantom. Fixing her gaze on the lush green tree, she eximed, "Cousin, there''s a stranger with the girl from the Li Family."

    Jiang Yutian squinted and signaled her to remain patient. "I saw him too. Let''s act ording to the situation."

    The duo hovered cautiously above Misty Swamp, observing the area with their divine sense and various tools to search for other signs of life.

    Zhu Ying rxed a little. "There are no foreign race warriors or powerful Vicious Beasts within a hundred li."

    An azure ring quietly appeared behind her, glowing a shimmering blue that turned the sky around her into a sea of blue light.

    "Cousin, we should head down."

    With that, she descended to hover about a zhang above the ground, not far from the little tree.

    She introduced herself with a charming smile, "I''m Zhu Ying, from the Zhu n of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom. I rank outside the top ten on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard.

    "My cousin, Jiang Yutian, is ranked ninth. We happened to pass through this area..."

    As Zhu Ying spoke, she secretly assessed Li Yuqing''s condition.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Jiang Yutian descended after Zhu Ying.

    "I am Jiang Yutian of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom''s Jiang n!" He cupped his hands toward Li Yuqing and said with a righteous expression, "We heard you were injured and are willing to escort you back to the Third World!"

    Li Yuqing shook her head as she stood to wash her hands in a basin. "There''s no need for that. It''s just a minor injury. It''s not a big deal."

    "It doesn''t seem like a minor injury," Zhu Ying said, expression sincerely concerned. "We saw the remains of the two Rank Eight foreign race warriors. The battle was so fierce that one of your treasured garments was reduced to fragments.

    "Little Sister Li, we''re all from the First World. It''s only right that we look out for each other. We came here to ensure your safe return. That way, your family elders won''t worry as much about you."

    As the thin-framed Zhu Ying hovered in the air, the sleeves of her loose robes fluttered in the wind like a ghost drifting through the forest.

    Strands of her divine sense discreetly extended outward to probe the grounds, trees, and nts.

    Li Yuqing''s expression turned cold. "I said I don''t need your help!"

    Jiang Yutian frowned and sighed. "We mean well, but you¡ª"

    "Zhu Jinghong of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom¡ªis he your elder?" Pang Jian abruptly interjected.

    Zhu Ying acted as though she had only just noticed Pang Jian. Nodding, she replied, "Yes, he''s my uncle."

    Pang Jian let out a coldugh.

    A streak of blinding lightning shot from his fingertips, obliterating the silver-gray strands buried in the muddy ground beneath his feet.

    Zhu Ying let out a muffled grunt, expression turning grim. "Who are you?"

    Jiang Yutian''s expression also darkened.

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    After descending, they had outwardly paid no attention to Pang Jian while secretly probing and setting ambushes, embedding the soil and air around him with divine sense and spiritual power.

    They had not expected him to notice.

    "I am Fu Wangchen of the Forsaken Expanse Sect!" Pang Jian loudly dered.

    Jiang Yutian and Zhu Ying''s expressions changed dramatically.

    Li Yuqing, on the other hand, had a faint smile on her face.

    "You dare show off in front of me with your petty little tricks?" Pang Jian sneered as a glimmer of golden light appeared on his forehead like a golden eye and locked onto the two of them. "I''ve been finding people from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom rather unpleasanttely.

    "Did you know? Li Yuanchen from your Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom also died at my hands."

    <i>Sizzle!</i>

    Pang Jian sent a crackle of lightning into the muddy ground, swiftly disintegrating the threads of divine sense, spiritual power, and blood essence hidden below.

    The World Eater Vine''s green life energy worked in tandem with Pang Jian to eradicate the energies Zhu Ying and Jiang Yutian had nted.

    "Fu Wangchen, didn''t you die in Absolute Heaven?" Zhu Ying eximed.

    "We''ve never been on friendly terms with the Eastern Land. Naturally, we don''t share all our information with you." Pang Jian let out a cold snort. "Kill!"

    Menacing ancient trees, each dozens of zhang tall, rushed out. Their hard-as-steel branches thrust toward Jiang Yutian and Zhu Ying like sharp spears.

    <i>Bang! Bang! Bang!</i>

    The tree branches pierced through the sea of blue light from Zhu Ying''s azure ring, riddling it with holes.

    "Azure Celestial Ocean!"

    Zhu Ying gritted her teeth as she frantically attempted to break free from the encirclement of the menacing ancient trees using her azure ring, only for more branches to pierce through the resummoned sea of light.

    Jiang Yutian''s face twisted and he roared, "Fu Wangchen, we have no grievances with you! We share amon goal of eliminating the foreign races, yet, here you are, trying to kill us!"

    He and Zhu Ying were both over a hundred years old and were not considered one of the exceptional prodigies of the Jiang and Zhu ns in the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom.

    The Eastern Land and the other three continents rarely interacted in the past, and although the pair had heard of a young talent named Fu Wangchen from the Forsaken Expanse Sect, they had never actually met him in person.

    Thus, when they realized the young man before them was the prodigy of the Forsaken Expanse Sect, the pair quickly lost their nerve and were ready to abandon their original n.

    However, the opponent refused to let them go.

    Pang Jian sneered, "Weren''t the two of you nning to go all out against my admired person?"

    Li Yuqing was drying her hands with a handkerchief and could not help but roll her eyes when she heard Pang Jian.

    "He''s really getting into character!" she muttered to herself.

    "You''re ndering us!" Jiang Yutian shouted angrily.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A mysterious celestial realm manifested behind Jiang Yutian.

    Vast fields stretched across tens of thousands of mu, with gentle rainfall showering over thend.

    Rainfield Paradise was a unique artifact that Jiang Yutian''s elders had created for him, and it possessed both offensive and defensive capabilities.

    "Fu Wangchen! We came to escort Li Yuqing back to the First World!" Jiang Yutian said coldly as he manipted his Rainfield Paradise. "If you don''t appreciate our help, that''s fine, but don''t push us too far!"

    Fu Wangchen was the top genius of the Forsaken Expanse Sect¡ªa major sect with two True Gods. Despite Jiang Yutian''s exceptional background, he dared not act recklessly and could not afford the usation of plotting against Li Yuqing.

    "Since you''vee, don''t think about leaving."

    Pang Jian pulled out the Abyssal Demon Sword from where it had been stabbed into the ground.

    Spiritual power streamed into the Abyssal Demon Sword, and Pang Jian watched as the demonic mes, lights, and clouds flowed into the radiant green river unleashed from the sword.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The vast green river of light shot straight toward Jiang Yutian''s Rainfield Paradise.

    Seductive demonesses, dark purple demonic flowers, grotesque monsters, and sinister demonic eyes appeared in the lush realm.

    The chaotic spectacle of tens of thousands of Heavenly Demons wreaking havoc unfolded vividly before Pang Jian''s eyes.

    <i>Pang Jian, their malice is strong. They intend to harm you.</i>

    <i>I sensed their ill intent long before they arrived¡ªeven from a hundred li away.</i>

    <i>I feel obliged to help you get rid of such vile people! </i>the Abyssal Demon whispered into Pang Jian''s mind.

    Pang Jian paid little mind to it and maintained his vignce. Even as he continued to pour spiritual power into the Abyssal Demon Sword, he stayed on guard against its potential betrayal.

    "Fu Wangchen!" Zhu Ying yelled, her Azure Celestial Ocean dimming with each passing moment.

    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>

    One towering ancient tree after another uprooted and crashed into the Azure Celestial Ocean, leaving Zhu Ying miserably injured.

    At the same time, an inconspicuous little green tree stealthily moved beneath where Zhu Ying was hovering in mid-air.

    A twig, as slender as a finger, slipped through therger branches, pierced through the sea of blue light from the azure ring, and stabbed into Zhu Ying''s abdomen.

    Zhu Ying did not even realize she had been impaled until she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The Heavenly Demons shattered Jiang Yutian''s Rainfield Paradise, causing it to explode into a shower of light.

    "Fu Wangchen! This is just a misunderstanding!"

    "Are you really going to kill us without mercy?"

    The two of them desperately tried to flee, but the ancient trees, floating nts, and drifting leaves in the air pushed them back down.

    "I had no intention of letting either of you leave alive in the first ce."

    Pang Jian brandished the Abyssal Demon Sword.

    Waves of radiant sword light surrounded Zhu Ying and Jiang Yutian.

    As Pang Jian channeled more spiritual power into the ck sword, he keenly sensed the Abyssal Demon drawing strength from their malice.

    The bitter hatred pouring out of them only solidified Pang Jian''s decision.

    They had already be mortal enemies, and if he let Zhu Ying and Jiang Yutian live, they would stop at nothing to seek revenge.

    Identifying those harboring evil intentions was easy with the Abyssal Demon Sword.

    As Pang Jian grew more adept at wielding the Abyssal Demon Sword, his coordination with the Abyssal Demon became increasingly seamless.

    If the Abyssal Demon ever chose to truly cooperate, it would undoubtedly be extraordinarily powerful.

 Chapter 371: The Handy Abyssal Demon Sword

    <h4>Chapter 371: The Handy Abyssal Demon Sword</h4>

    Thousands of trees and nts formed a dense, suspended forest that blocked out the sky above Divine Fortune.

    Under the guidance of the little tree, clouds of green toxic mist filled the gaps between the trees, creating an imprable barrier.

    A spectacr sight unfolded in the sky of Divine Fortune.

    The members of the Wood Race and Vicious Beasts that had been ordered to leave Misty Swamp gazed excitedly at the unusual scene from Divine Fortune City.

    This was the first time they witnessed the master of this fragmentednd unleash its power.

    "Our God has unleashed its might!"

    "I saw it! Two human cultivators¡ªa man and a woman¡ªhave descended. Our God is going to eliminate them!"

    "Our God knows our strongest warriors have left and was worried we would be affected, so it''s using its power to destroy the enemy!"

    The Wood Race members discussed gratefully among themselves.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A figure encircled in a sea of azure light attempted to shoot through the dense toxic mist, aiming for the Third World.

    The green toxic mist instantly enveloped her, corroding her body and mind.

    Pale green, yellow, and orange leaves swirled within the toxic mist. It filled her sight and her sea of consciousness.

    Thest thing Zhu Ying saw in her sea of consciousness was a delicate little girl with thousands of strange leaves surrounding her.

    "Shatter!" the little girl ordered sharply.

    Sharp branches fanned from her slender frame like a peacock spreading its tail before piercing into Zhu Ying''s sea of consciousness.

    Zhu Ying''s divine soul felt an excruciating pain as the de-like branches riddled it with holes.

    Finally, she fell silent.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Ling stepped gracefully out of the toxic mist in her spirit body and stood on Zhu Ying''s crown.

    As the clouds of toxic mist dispersed, her jade-like eyes revealed a thoughtful glint.

    "The human cultivators in the Soul Wandering Realm are easy to kill within my domain." The decisive victory gave Pang Ling confidence in her abilities. Looking down, she added, "That one won''t be able to escape either."

    After his Rainfield Paradise shattered, Jiang Yutian summoned a small Dragon Boat and hastily leaped aboard. He then sped through the air, skimming close to the ground as he attempted to escape Divine Fortune.

    Unlike Zhu Ying, he dared not fly upward.

    Jiang Yutian had already sensed the danger lurking in the suspended forest above, where ancient trees swayed like the heads of demons.

    Thus, he instead chose to fly close to the ground.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Jiang Yutian paled with shock when he saw Pang Ling.

    "That demonic tree has a spirit body!" Turning his head back, he shouted, "Fu Wangchen, you''re colluding with the menacing trees in Divine Fortune of the Fourth World!

    "Your entire Forsaken Expanse Sect is probably up to no good!" Jiang Yutian cursed as he fled.

    His Dragon Boat glided several zhang above the ground, radiating a purple-gold glow reminiscent of a protective shield.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Massive ancient trees surrounded the Dragon Boat, descending from the sky or bursting out of the muddy ground, terrifying branches swaying menacingly.

    The Dragon Boat was stopped in its tracks, trapped within the forest of trees.

    Jiang Yutian let out a startled cry and swiftly abandoned the Dragon Boat.

    Rivers of sword light surged toward him as he fled, flooding the space around him.

    Some sword light transformed into zing suns that pressed down on him stiflingly. Others turned into shimmering ciers, with streaks of blinding lightning shing within.

    The rest became dazzling stars that quietly gazed at Jiang Yutian like watchful eyes.

    When he gathered his divine sense, he saw that the bright stars seemed to turn into demonic eyes, capable of sinking his divine soul into darkness.

    Jiang Yutian''s mind reeled.

    Then, a searing pain pierced through him as a golden sh swept through. It was like his divine soul, floating in his sea of consciousness, was being burned away.

    "Outer God! This is clearly the power of an Outer God!" Jiang Yutian screamed in horror, divine soul trembling in panic. "Fu Wangchen! An Outer God has corrupted you! You''re no longer yourself!"

    The sword light locked onto Jiang Yutian and sliced through his body, spiritual sea, and sea of consciousness.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    His body exploded and his divine soul was sliced apart.

    Jiang Yutian burst into a shower of blood, stray limbs and flesh scattering across the muddy ground to be nourishment for the grotesque nts.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jiannded on the branches of a giant tree and watched Jiang Yutian''s final moments.

    Part of his divine sense flowed into the broken sword in his hand. He closely monitored the Abyssal Demon''s every move, staying vignt for any bacsh.

    <i>Pang Jian, it''s effortless to work together with you!!</i>

    <i>I understand now! We truly are the perfect match! We from the Demon Race excel at transformation, maniption, and adaptation.</i>

    <i>Your spiritual sea is soplex and versatile. Your sword light can be imbued with different energies, and when I infuse my demonic wills into them, it only bes stronger! </i>

    <i>Pang Jian, we''re the perfect fit!</i>

    The demonic wills of the Abyssal Demon danced with joy as ifing across an incredible discovery.

    Pang Jian responded with a coldugh.

    <i>Why are youughing?</i> the Abyssal Demon asked, confused.

    <i>You just haven''t found the right opportunity,</i> Pang Jian remarked as he observed the Abyssal Demon''s demonic wills. <i>Killing him would''ve been effortless for me even without you. You likely have realized there was no chance of a mutually destructive oue in this fight and decided to give it your all.</i>

    Although they both were in the mid-stage of the Soul Wandering Realm, theirbat strength was miles apart.

    Pang Jian''s body was tempered through the Grand Providence Sacred Body, while Jiang Yutian did not cultivate any body-refinement techniques.

    Not to mention, his divine soul had been refined from three thousand strands of true divine sense.

    His Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea also contained stars, a sun, two moons, a fiery pool, an ice pool, a lightning vortex, the Heart of Winter, and the Thunder Pool.

    In other words, Pang Jian was at a level far beyond anything Jiang Yutian couldpare to. He exceeded Jiang Yutian in every way¡ªphysical body, divine soul, and spiritual sea.

    Jiang Yutian never stood a chance of victory.

    The oue of such a one-sided battle would have been the same with or without the Abyssal Demon Sword.

    Jiang Yutian and Zhu Ying were always destined to perish in Misty Swamp.

    Pang Jian had simply underestimated his strength and had not realized his huge advantage over those in the same cultivation realm, which had led him to draw the Abyssal Demon Sword as a precaution.

    <i>No, no, I''ve truly yielded to you</i>, the Abyssal Demon replied uneasily.

    Pang Jian did not expose its lie. After taking Jiang Yutian''s spatial bracelet, he boarded the Dragon Boat and flew toward the little tree.

    Pang Jian lowered his head and pondered, <i>This sword...</i>

    There was one point the Abyssal Demon had made that he agreed with¡ªthis sword certainly suited him well.

    Hisplex Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea and the Chaos Sword Technique became truly unpredictable when unleashed through the Abyssal Demon Sword. It allowed him to boost hisbat prowess to the next level.

    When pure spiritual power was infused with the Abyssal Demon''s demonic wills, it could create scenes of demons wreaking havoc upon the world.

    His pure spiritual power and the Abyssal Demon Sword alone had been enough to shatter Jiang Yutian''s Rainfield Paradise.

    When hebined the "Fusion" aspect of the Chaos Sword Technique with the Abyssal Demon Sword, the sword lights also transformed¡ªmultiple zing suns appeared in the sky, ciers formed from the fusion of ice and lightning, and the shining stars suddenly turned into demonic eyes.

    He had not even had time to fully explore the intricacies of the "Fusion" aspect of the Chaos Sword Technique before Jiang Yutian died.

    The most terrifying aspect of the Chaos Sword Technique was its ability to forcibly fuse different energies, creating a terrifyingly explosive force.

    It was far more powerful than the simple fusion of energies with simr attributes.

    This was the true essence of the sword techniques that Li Zhaotian had taught him.

    "Father, here''s that woman''s belongings," Pang Ling said, sending over Zhu Ling''s spatial bracelet on a falling leaf.

    <i>ng!</i>

    The spatial braceletnded on the Dragon Boat with a metallic clink.

    Pang Jian took control of the Dragon Boat to head back to where Li Yuqing had remained for the entirety of the fight.

    Gathering some spiritual power, Li Yuqing summoned a silver-white protective shield.

    As she watched Pang Jian approach on the Dragon Boat, she snorted. "What nonsense were you spouting just now?"

    Pang Jian was taken aback. "What did I say?"

    "You said something about the person you admire?" Li Yuqing reminded him through gritted teeth.

    "Didn''t Fu Wangchen from the Forsaken Expanse Sect admire you? I heard he wouldn''t leave you alone after you defeated him," Pang Jian replied earnestly. "Everyone knows he deeply admired you. It''s why he kept challenging you."

    Li Yuqing red. "You''re you and he''s him! From now on, don''t go around using other people''s identities to talk nonsense!

    "Now, give me their spatial bracelets. I''ll handle them. Once my injuries are healed, I''ll use my family''s connections to sell them and give you the corresponding spirit crystals[ref]In the Abyss, the tier of currency progresses from spirit stone to spirit jade, and finally to spirit crystal.[/ref[l.

    "If you try to sell them yourself, word could get out that you killed Jiang Yutian and Zhu Ying.

    "If the Jiang and Zhu ns find out before Li Zhaotian ascends to the True God Realm, you could end up in trouble."

    She was genuinely looking out for Pang Jian.

    "Alright." Pang Jian tossed the spatial bracelets over without a second thought.

    The spatial bracelets were not locked, and a quick scan with his divine sense revealed several small trinkets and artifacts. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could use, so he did not pay them much attention.

    "Did you kill Li Yuanchen?" Li Yuqing suddenly asked.

    "Yes."

    "I knew it." Li Yuqing''s lips curled. "When you said those words, your expression and demeanor made it obvious that you did it. Heh, you even tried to pin it on Fu Wangchen. It''s too bad those two are dead and can''t spread the news."

    "Fu Wangchen''s death was actually also¡ª" Pang Jian quickly stopped himself, btedly realizing he had slipped up.

    Li Yuqing froze.

    After a while, she took a deep breath, her delicate face lighting up with excitement as she asked, "How did you do it? I know him pretty well. It can''t have been easy to kill him, even if you were in the same cultivation realm."

    Pang Jian considered her words for a moment but did not respond.

    When he killed Fu Wangchen, he had not yet sessfully refined his divine soul, and his cultivation realm was one realm lower.

    Killing Fu Wangchen had actually been easier than killing Jiang Yutian thanks to the Heart of Winter. It had not been difficult at all.

 Chapter 372: The Heaven-Earth Cosmos Chest

    <h4>Chapter 372: The Heaven-Earth Cosmos Chest</h4>

    Pang Jian stayed in Misty Swamp in the days that followed.

    The little tree restored the towering ancient trees in the air to their original ces, and the marsnd regained its former tranquility.

    Li Yuqing''s condition improved by the day with the help of her pills and rare treasures,

    A table and chairs were always set up under the lush little tree and an endless supply of delicacies, braised meats, and wine were readily avable.

    A young man and a young girl drank and chatted beneath the tree, with the spirit body of the World Eater Vine asionally joining them.

    Pang Jian rarely spent extended periods in Misty Swamp, so Pang Ling thoroughly enjoyed this rare period of peace, and as a result, her attitude toward Li Yuqing also softened considerably.

    One day, Pang Jian brought up something the Observer had mentioned¡ªthe grand event spanning multiple worlds that urred once every hundred millennia.

    "The True Gods of the First World and the major factions are aware of it," Li Yuqing remarked as she took a sip from her delicate silver sk and nibbled on a juicy peach. "There are always signs when the Abyss opens."

    Pang Jian''s curiosity was piqued. "What signs?"

    "A surge of geniuses who break through their cultivation realms at an elerated pace, Vicious Beasts, strange phenomena, and countless other peculiarities emerge one after another." Li Yuqing nced at the little tree. "The Outer Gods call the Abyss the Tribtion Ground of Gods and Demons, the most ancient and primordial kind."

    Pang Jian''s expression shifted. "I''ve heard of that before."

    "I don''t know the specific details, but I do know that our world is incredibly special," Li Yuqing said slowly, considering her words carefully. "In short, whenever the Abyss is about to open, geniuses appear in droves, the old generation ages and dies faster, and the cycle of the young recing the old elerates.

    "When the Abyss opens, the attention of the Outer Gods shifts toward it. Powerful beings from other worlds and those lurking in the starry skies emerge from the shadows, igniting great upheavals within the Abyss.

    "A stagnant peace can neither create true powerhouses nor foster innovation.

    "Miracles can only emerge in a harsh environment filled with ughter, chaos, death, despair, and oppression. Difficult times produce cultivators that surpass the greatest of previous eras.

    "The human race, Spirit Beasts, and foreign races are alike¡ªall their greatest powerhouses emerged during such periods.

    "Perhaps that''s what makes the Tribtion Ground of Gods and Demons so unique." Li Yuqing''s eyes held a trace of bitterness as she continued, "Generation after generation of True Gods have risked their lives to explore the bizarre mist.

    "They all believe someone deliberately created the Abyss, and that it has been a colossal prison since its inception."

    She paused briefly.

    "As for the grand event that urs every hundred millennia, our human race likely hasn''t experienced it yet. After all, our history of rising to power is less than a hundred thousand years old."

    There was another moment of silence as she seemed to mull something over.

    "You, me, and the others on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard like Zhou Yi, Fan Chen, and Liu Youyu, all possess Soul Wandering Realm cultivation at an incredibly young age. This is extremely unusualpared to the previous era," she added.

    Pang Jian was startled. "Are you saying that we''re benefiting from the massive upheaval in the Abyss?"

    "Yes, and an unprecedented one at that," Li Yuqing said seriously. "ording to our Li Family''s records, even when the Abyss opened in the past, there weren''t so many young cultivators with such high cultivation realms appearing at once. It''s as if this surge is forcing the older generation into retirement.

    "In past eras, reaching the Soul Wandering Realm before reaching a hundred years old was exceedingly rare.

    "But now, you, me, and several others have reached the Soul Wandering Realm before our thirties. It''s something the older generation could have never even dreamed of.

    "Most of the current True Gods at the pinnacle ofbat prowess were once brilliant geniuses that emerged during the previous eras when the Abyssst opened.

    "Our emergence can no longer be exined as mere miracles. It''s more fitting to call it a divine phenomenon."

    Li Yuqing gazed at the dim sky of the Fourth World, shrouded in thick leaden clouds, where sunlight and moonlight would never reach.

    In a dreamlike voice, she murmured, "There''s a force within the bizarre mist, a heavenlyw that governs everything within it, writing new chapters and setting new rules."

    Her keen intellect and the extensive knowledge she had ess to through the Li Family allowed her to reach such realizations.

    Pang Jian took a swig of wine, brows knitted in thought.

    He could not help but recall what Sun Bin had told Pang Lin before they left¡ªhis hope that she would reach the Profound Abode Realm within a hundred years.

    Evidently, Sun Bin had been viewing Pang Lin through the lens of an older era.

    In his eyes, although Pang Lin was an excellent talent with a natural lightning vortex, she was still not on the level of a peerless prodigy like Li Yuqing.

    With her talent, Sun Bin assumed a hundred years for Pang Lin to reach the Profound Abode Realm was reasonable.

    Pang Lin''s potential had only elevated further after she obtained the Celestial Phoenix''s inheritance.

    Even Pang Jian had advanced far beyond the Profound Abode Realm after the trials in Absolute Heaven, and Pang Lin was likely in a simr cultivation realm.

    Pang Jian considered her words carefully before asking in a low voice, "Are you saying that the times are shaping people?"

    "Exactly. We''re in both the worst and best times," Li Yuqing replied with a wry smile. "It''s the worst because we face challenges more perilous than ever before. After all, there''s never been a time when the Outer Gods have focused their attention quite so intently on the Abyss like this.

    "And it was unheard of for the Outer Gods to descend with their true bodies. No one can predict what terrible situations could arise next.

    "But it''s also the best because we''re growing at a speed that the older generation could never match. This way, even if the older generation perishes, we can quickly take their ce.

    "When we reach the True God Realm, we''ll also likely be stronger than they are!

    "The older generation''s only path forward lies beyond the Abyss, where they must confront the relentless onught of the Outer Gods."

    Li Yuqing could not help but sigh deeply.

    "There''s no other path forward but to leave? Can''t they stay?" Pang Jian asked, puzzled.

    "No." Li Yuqing shook her head solemnly. "The cycle of new True Gods recing the old True Gods is inevitable. The potential and abilities of neers like you, me, and several others are far greater than theirs.

    "When we ascend to the True God Realm, we''ll surely surpass the older generation, significantly raising the overall power of the True Gods in the Abyss!

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Only with the new generation of more powerful True Gods will we gain the boost in strength necessary to withstand the harsh environment of the Abyss.

    ¡°As for the old generation..."

    "The number of divine seats in the Abyss is limited. If they don''t leave, they upy those positions and block the path for those whoe after. Staying behind means standing in the way of the next generation of stronger True Gods, and new True Gods won''t be able to emerge inrge numbers.

    "This didn''t matter as much during times of peace, but now, with the rise of the foreign races, if they don''t make way, they risk dooming the human race in the Abyss to extinction.

    "So, they have to leave, whether they like it or not." Li Yuqing revealed the harsh truth.

    Pang Jian''s heart surged with emotion as he gazed at the sky.

    His master, Li Zhaotian, had never told him this before. He had never mentioned the limit to the number of divine seats in the Abyss, nor the insurmountable challenges that the True Gods faced.

    In the outer reaches of the starry skies beyond the Abyss, Outer Gods hunted the True Gods of the human race in retaliation for the True Gods having once destroyed the Hall of the Gods.

    For a True God, breaking through the barriers of the Abyss meant facing deadly battles the instant they stepped out.

    To leave the Abyss was to risk almost certain death.

    However, if they stayed, they would block the rise of the next generation of stronger True Gods. The new True Gods could not forge their own paths if the old True Gods did not vacate their positions.

    Without the rise of stronger new True Gods, the human race may not be able to handle the uing challenges in the Abyss, which could lead to extinction.

    "Who would have thought that even the mighty True Gods, who rule over all beings in the Abyss, would find themselves in such a bind?" Pang Jian muttered. "No wonder the recent True God council meetingsted so long."

    He could almost imagine a group of ancient beings gathered with expressions of deep concern.

    "By the way, what do you know about the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs? Remember that copper chest from Eight Trigrams City?" Pang Jian abruptly changed the topic.

    Li Yuqing''s eyes widened in surprise. "Why are you asking about the Heaven-Earth Cosmos Chest? Don''t tell me you have it?"

    Her gaze sharpened.

    Pang Jian hurriedly shook his head. "I''m just curious!"

    "There are seven Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs, each with a sealing artifact. I only know that the Heaven-Earth Cosmos Chest is the most crucial one. I can''t remember the names of the others," Li Yuqing said with a frown. "My father told me the Heaven-Earth Cosmos Chest can extend to the highest heavens and into the darkest underworld.

    "It even contains a world within. That''s why it''s called the Heaven-Earth Cosmos Chest."

    "A mysterious World God is said to have left that artifact behind when the seven Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs were first created.

    "Its disappearance caused the seven Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs in the Fifth World to malfunction.

    "It''s the most critical sealing artifact of the Heaven Ascension Tribtion Pirs, more important than the other sixbined.

    "My descent into the lower worlds was to search for the Heaven-Earth Cosmos Chest and bring it back to Eight Trigrams City. Unfortunately, even if I found it now, it''s already toote." She sighed in frustration.

    Pang Jian remained silent, mind racing.

    He finally understood why the copper chest plunged those without the Gate of the Abyss into endless darkness beneath the Abyss while allowing those wearing it to peer into the starry skies.

    A World God had left the Heaven-Earth Cosmos Chest behind.

    The Gate of the Abyss and the Heaven-Earth Cosmos Chest had always shared a deep connection!

    Pang Jian made up his mind never to tell Li Yuqing about the copper chest or the bronze pendant, lest the True Gods in the First World ced the me for the rise of the foreign races upon him.

    "Could all of this have been avoided if the chest hadn''t disappeared?" Pang Jian asked hesitantly.

    Li Yuqing shook her head. "No, even if the Heaven-Earth Cosmos Chest hadn''t disappeared, something else would''ve happened. The Abyss is the Tribtion Ground of Gods and Demons, and the hundred-millennia grand event is upon us. These urrences were inevitable.

    "Everything happening now was always meant to happen."

 Chapter 373: Unforgettable Times

    <h4>Chapter 373: Unforgettable Times</h4>

    The zing Rainbow Marquis and the Cloud Devourer Marquis wore grave expressions as they summoned a few nobles of the Divine Kingdom within the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom''s warship anchored on the Sword Pavilion''s Celestial Gate Peak.

    Zhu Jinghong, the zing Rainbow Marquis, said sorrowfully, "Ying''er and Yutian''s soulmps have gone out. They''ve died in the lower worlds.

    "They refused to heed our warnings and insisted on descending to the Fourth World, wanting to follow that Li Family girl''s example.

    "They wanted to hunt stronger foreign race warriors to umte more contribution points but..."

    Zhu Jinghong sighed deeply.

    "The Merit Leaderboards that the three Divine Kingdoms and the other major factions of the First World created are supposed to ignitepetition among the major factions in the Abyss.

    "The young warriors of our Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom hold the top rankings on the Profound Abode Realm and Spirit Condensation Realm leaderboards.

    "But none of our Divine Kingdom''s disciples are in the top five of the Soul Wandering Realm one. Although Yutian barely squeezed into the top ten, his recklessness cost him dearly in the lower worlds.

    "The prestige of our Divine Kingdom cannot be tarnished. This is of great importance."

    He eyed the talented young nobles present.

    "At least two of you must enter the top ten on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard! Those in the top five will receive an additional reward from our Divine Kingdom on top of the standard contribution points!"

    The young nobles'' blood boiled with excitement.

    "Shouldn''t we wait for Jiang Ran to finish his meeting to leave?" asked the Cloud Devourer Marquis.

    "There''s no time, we can''t wait."

    Zhu Jinghong left to contact Zhou Wenhao and inform him they nned to head to the Third World to join the fight.

    Zhou Wenhao was taken aback but dared not dy and quickly used his sword token to contact Chen Weihuang.

    He feared Chen Weihuang would use the Sword Pavilion to attack when their warship took flight, so he made sure to inform him in advance.

    Before long, Chen Weihuang responded, approving their passage.

    ***

    Three dayster, the meeting between the Sword Pavilion''s elders finally concluded.

    Upon emerging, the four elders headed to Chen Weihuang''s residence on the Heaven Departure Peak to update him on the situation.

    "Senior Brother Jiang has taken over the authority to manage the ns affiliated with the Sword Pavilion. They''ll be reporting to Cai Xin from now on," Liu Junhong said calmly.

    "Shi Bingyun will take charge of the external affairs," Xu Yu added.

    "The recruitment of new disciples has been handed over to Lu Xiaolin," Wang Ce said.

    Guang He nodded woodenly. "We managed to hold onto the Sword Honing Peak. Control over the Scripture Pavilion, the Artifact Pavilion, and the Pill Pavilion remains in my hands for now."

    Chen Weihuang had anticipated this. Nodding, he said, "The broken tip of the Arcane Legend Sword has always held voting rights. Jiang Ran, Cai Xin, Shi Bingyun, and Lu Xiaolin each hold one vote. With the sword, that''s five votes in his hand and only four in yours due to my master''s absence. Naturally, he can push through many decisions."

    The Pavilion Master alone had three votes. If Li Zhaotian had been present at the elders'' meeting, none of Jiang Ran''s ns would be able to proceed.

    Jiang Ran had sought the tip of the Arcane Legend Sword and took advantage of Li Zhaotian''s absence to forcibly convene the elders'' meeting and secure some authority for his supporters.

    Xu Yu took a sip of tea. "He also mentioned that Pang Jian needs to prove hisbat prowess and capabilities. You and that girl, Hu Yuanfei have already proven yourselves worthy of being personal disciples of the Pavilion Master, but he hasn''t."

    "Prove himself by participating in the Merit Leaderboards?" Chen Weihuang knitted his brows.

    Xu Yu nodded. "Pang Jian is in the Soul Wandering Realm. Jiang Ran said he should participate and make it into the top ten to prove himself."

    "He''s clearly making things difficult for Pang Jian on purpose!" Wang Ce snorted coldly.

    "Pang Jian broke through to the Soul Wandering Realm after returning from Absolute Heaven. The three Soul Wandering Realm rogue cultivators he defeated after that don''t prove much," Liu Junhong said with a bitter smile. "The top ten on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard are all top talents from the major factions and getting on that list will be easier said than done."

    Xu Yu sighed. "Rumors have spread that the Pavilion Master chose Pang Jian intending to pass on his legacy to him"

    She shot a concerned nce at Chen Weihuang to gauge his reaction.

    Chen Weihuang''s expression remained unchanged. "I will always respect my master''s decisions, regardless of whether they''re right or wrong."

    Xu Yu sighed in relief, having previously worried that internal conflicts would arise between Chen Weihuang and Pang Jian.

    "If Pang Jian truly enters the top ten, Senior Brother Jiang will have no grounds to continue making trouble," Xu Yu said. "Even those within the Sword Pavilion following his orders would find it hard to criticize the Pavilion Master''s judgment.

    "If Pang Jian lives up to expectations and reaches a higher cultivation realm, taking over the Sword Pavilion will naturally be more eptable."

    Wang Ce chimed in, "In essence, Pang Jian had to prove himself first."

    Chen Weihuang nodded. "It''s not entirely unreasonable."

    Guang He was startled, eyes shing with surprise. "Chen Weihuang, do you think he can do it?"

    Wang Ce, Xu Yu, and Liu Junhong shared the same doubts.

    After all, Pang Jian was still young, and his cultivation had progressed so rapidly that they feared his foundation was not solid.

    There were many illustrious figures in the Soul Wandering Realm: Fan Chen from the Supreme Monad Divine Kingdom, Liu Youyu from the Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom, Zhou Yi from the Nine Tribes Sect, Li Yuqing from the Divine Treasure Sect''s Li Family, and Hong Qiming from the Demon Sect.

    These people had been celebrated prodigies from a young age and had been nurtured with top-tier pills, treasures, and techniques.

    Their skills had been honed through a series of life-and-death battles.

    Pang Jian, on the other hand, had been struggling in the Fourth and Third Worlds before Li Zhaotian chose him as a personal disciple.

    He also hailed from a remote mountain range in Northern Qi of the Fourth World.

    Given these factors and circumstances, the four elders found it hard to believe that Pang Jian could stand out on the Merit Leaderboard for the Soul Wandering Realm andpete against the other talented cultivators within the Abyss.

    Chen Weihuang said coolly, "I don''t trust him, but I trust my master''s judgment."

    ***

    In Misty Swamp, a slender silver sword light streaked from the distant horizon andnded in Li Yuqing''s hand.

    She stood beneath the little tree in simple white robes. Although she did not wear makeup, she still radiated a natural, elegant charm.

    Her eyes brimmed with joy as she held the shrunken Heaven-Splitting Sword.

    Over the past few days, her injuries had healed, her spiritual sea had filled with spiritual power, and herbat prowess had returned to its peak.

    Gazing wistfully at the projection of Pang Ling on the tree leaves, then at where Pang Jian had just put down a wine jar, she said, "Pang Jian, my family asked me to head to the Sacred Soul Continent. Drinking and chatting with you has been one of the most unforgettable times of my life. But I have to leave now."

    "Miss Li, you won''t betray me, will you?" Pang Ling asked sweetly.

    Li Yuqingughed. "Considering you helped heal my injuries with all that life energy, I promise not to betray you. I swear I won''t even tell my father."

    "You''re not entirely heartless then!" Pang Ling nodded in satisfaction.

    "The Sacred Soul Continent?" Pang Jian''s heart skipped a beat as he recalled the giant Gray Ape. "What are you going there for?"

    "Why does my family want me to head to the Sacred Soul Continent?" Li Yuqing asked the Heaven-Splitting Sword.

    The sword hummed in response.

    "It doesn''t know either." Li Yuqing frowned, then said to the sword again, "Yes, you''re right¡ªthe Abyssal Demon Sword and Pang Jian brought it out."

    Pang Jian instinctively nced at where the Abyssal Demon Sword was still stabbed in the ground and asked, "Do they know each other?"

    "They''re old acquaintances." Li Yuqing chuckled.

    Then,municating silently with the Heaven-Splitting Sword, she said, <i>Make sure not to leak this to the Sword Pavilion. Pang Jian has a secret method to reach this ce directly. I''m not going to pry into it, but we also can''t let anyone else know, not even those at the Sword Pavilion.</i>

    <i>Alright.</i>

    "Pang Jian, I''m leaving now, but I''ll go to the Sword Pavilion to find you once I finish my tasks." Li Yuqing shot him a bright smile.

    Despite noticing many things from the time she sought help from the World Eater Vine to Pang Jian dealing with Zhu Ying and Jiang Yutian, she never delved deeper or questioned Pang Jian.

    Neither did she ever properly thank him.

    That was simply her nature.

    She quietly did what needed to be done and expressed herself through actions rather than words.

    "If you encounter a giant Gray Ape with ice-blue eyes on the Sacred Soul Continent, please look after it for me. It has a Rank Eight bloodline and should be capable of transforming into human form.

    "Mention my name if you end up in conflict with it. It could help you avoid a fight," Pang Jian advised.

    "I''ll remember that." Li Yuqing waved with a smile.

    She then rode her Heaven-Splitting Sword into the sky and swiftly disappeared into the distance.

    Within the Abyssal Demon Sword, the many consciousnesses of the Abyssal Demon endlessly debated.

    <i>Thisd, though not currently on par with Mo Nan, is bound to surpass him in the future!</i>

    <i>That terrifying chest of his¡ªthe Heaven-Earth Cosmos Chest¡ªis a wondrous treasure that some World God left behind! He didn''t tell that young girl he had it. Something strange is going on here!</i>

    <i>He can use that chest to extend his divine soul throughout the Abyss and can even move from the Second World to the Fourth World in the blink of an eye.</i>

    <i>I think we need to maintain a good rtionship with him for now.</i>

    <i>True, he can erase all of our demonic wills and truly obliterate us.</i>

    <i>Let''s observe him a bit longer, see what other secrets he holds, and apany him on his journey for a while.</i>

    After much discussion, the consciousnesses reached a consensus to cooperate with Pang Jian for the moment.

    "Now that she''s gone, I''ll focus on training my sword technique."

    Pang Jian pulled out the Abyssal Demon Sword in one swift motion and started to unleash the intricate sword techniques with the demonic sword, drawing inspiration from the mysterious phenomena within his Primordial Chaos Spiritual Sea.

    Nine dayster, on a pitch-ck night, a terrifying spectacle appeared deep within Misty Swamp.

    Demonic shadows flickered as the sun, moon, and stars shed in the sky. Volcanoes and ciers collided, and brilliant lightning bolts roamed the sky.

    It was like the heavens were copsing and the earth crumbling.

    "The God we worship truly possesses boundless divine power!"

    "Her power can manifest the sun, moon, and stars; trigger volcanic eruptions; shake unyielding ciers; and even summon lightning capable of annihting worlds."

    "She''s still young, and her growth has only just begun!"

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "In the future, she''ll surely be the most powerful God in the starry skies!"

    The Wood Race members watching Misty Swamp from Divine Fortune City and Divine Fortress City were filled with excitement and awe.

    ***

    As soon as Pang Jian returned to his residence on the Heaven Departure Peak, he immediately took out his sword token.

    A flood of messages came pouring through like a rain of light.

    "They want me to join the fight in the Third World?"

 Chapter 374: Called into Question

    <h4>Chapter 374: Called into Question</h4>

    Chen Weihuang exined Great Elder Jiang Ran''s forceful convening of the elders'' meeting and his actions to seize authority from Wang Ce and the others.

    He also mentioned that Jiang Ran required Pang Jian to prove he was worthy of the title of Li Zhaotian''s personal disciple.

    The Merit Leaderboards, which the three Divine Kingdoms and the strongest factions of the First World were hosting, were the best way to demonstrate one''s strength and capability.

    "It''s not entirely unreasonable." Pang Jian echoed Chen Weihuang''s sentiment.

    After receiving more information about the Merit Leaderboards, he noted the rankings for the Profound Abode Realm and Spirit Condensation Realm boards had not changed much, with only slight shifts among the familiar names.

    However, on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard, Li Yuqing had reimed the top spot, with her contribution points reaching thirty-seven thousand.

    Her contribution points were about twenty thousand points higher than Zhou Yi from the Nine Tribes Sect, crowning her the most dazzling talent throughout the Abyss.

    The reputation of the Divine Treasure Sect''s Li Family''s battle prowess spread through the Abyss, astonishing countless people.

    Pang Jian sought rification from his senior brother about the sudden change.

    "Eight days ago, she appeared at a redemption point on the Dark Abyss Continent and presented the heads of two Rank Eight foreign race warriors," Chen Weihuang exined. "A Rank Eight foreign race warrior is equivalent to a human cultivator in the Nirvana Realm and is worth at least ten thousand points.

    "The contribution points range between ten thousand and twenty thousand points depending on the bloodline."

    "If I go down to the lower world to fight, to whom should I report my identity, and how is the contribution point calcted?" Pang Jian asked.

    "There are officials ready to register you at any redemption point. They''ll provide you with a Mystic Eye.

    "The number and rank of the foreign race warriors you kill in battle will be recorded when you wear the Mystic Eye.

    "It only works within the Third World and on battlefields close to the redemption points.

    "If you stray too far and the Mystic Eye fails to record your battles, you''ll need to cut off the heads of the foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts you defeat and personally bring them to the redemption point."

    After some thought, Chen Weihuang added, "Before you head down to the lower world, you can visit the Sword Honing Peak to use up your merit points from the Sword Pavilion. You can purchase spirit materials, pills, and some auxiliary artifacts."

    "Got it."

    Pang Jian headed straight to the Sword Honing Peak.

    With his sword token, Pang Jian had unimpeded ess to the Scripture Pavilion Pavilion, Pill Pavilion, and Artifact Pavilion. He first went to the Pill Pavilion.

    A row of pills designed to nourish the soul caught his eye¡ªMind Soothing Pills, Spirit Condensation Pills, Soul Nourishing Pills, Soul Enriching Pills, and Divine Pills were all readily avable.

    Pan Zheng from the Scripture Pavilion apanied Pang Jian and helpfully described the uses of each pill with a smile, "Mind Soothing Pills are suitable for those below the Spirit Condensation Realm.

    "Spirit Condensation Pills increase the chance of advancing to the Spirit Condensation Realm.

    "Soul Nourishing Pills can nourish one''s divine soul, but in terms of potency, the Soul Enriching Pill is significantly more effective, though its price is also much higher.

    "We only have three Divine Pills in stock, each valued at seven thousand merit points.

    "As long as one''s divine soul isn''tpletely destroyed, consuming a Divine Pill can rebuild it. It''s a divine-grade pill," Pan Zheng exined solemnly.

    Pang Jian regarded it with deep respect.

    He squinted as he examined the pills. A bottle of Mind Soothing Pills required only ten merit points, Soul Nourishing Pills a hundred points, and Soul Enriching Pills a thousand.

    The price increased tenfold with each grade.

    Finally, the Divine Pill was priced by the pill rather than by the bottle, with one costing seven thousand merit points.

    "Soul Enriching Pills seem suitable for you," Pan Zheng kindly suggested.

    "Very well."

    Pang Jian exchanged two bottles of Soul Enriching Pills for two thousand merit points in his sword token.

    Then, moving on to the pills for replenishing blood essence, he again followed Pan Zheng''s rmendation and used two thousand merit points to purchase two bottles of Great Blood Essence Pills.

    "Do you need any protective armor?" Pan Zheng asked.

    Shaking his head, Pang Jian replied, "No need."

    Pang Jian then proceeded to the Artifact Pavilion.

    There he saw a dazzling array of treasures and spirit artifacts¡ªswords, tridents, bells, cauldrons, axes, mirrors¡ªalongside a collection of brilliantly glowing armor.

    The top floor of the Artifact Pavilion held rows upon rows of spirit swords.

    Pang Jian was taken aback. "There are spirit swords here too?"

    "The spirit swords disyed in the Sword Pavilion have special significance," Pan Zheng said with a smile. "Those spirit swords were either forged by our Sword Pavilion or once belonged to disciples of the Sword Pavilion. Some are so extraordinary they have to be forcibly suppressed and sealed."

    Pan Zheng nced at the Abyssal Demon Sword hanging on Pang Jian''s waist.

    "The spirit swords here mostlye from outside our sect and have no connection with us.

    "The quality of these spirit swords varies and cannot bepared to those in the Sword Pavilion." Clearing his throat, he added, "Pang Jian, there''s no need to look at the spirit swords here if you can truly wield the Abyssal Demon Sword."

    Pang Jian quickly lost interest.

    After wandering around the Artifact Pavilion for some time, he still did not find anything that caught his eye. "Are there any other valuable items?"

    "Do you have any special requirements?" Pan Zheng asked curiously.

    "Is there an item that can contain various types of energies?"

    "There is!" Pan Zheng led Pang Jian to a less frequented section and pointed to a greenish-gray iron ball inside a wooden box. "This is Primal Sphere. A deceased rogue cultivator who called himself Reverend Primal left it behind.

    "He was at the mid-stage of the Immortal Realm when he died.

    "This Primal Sphere can withstand impacts from various energies, though I''m not entirely sure about its specific use.

    "Most of us in the Sword Pavilion only focus on refining one or two energies closely rted to our cultivation methods. Cultivating with many energies is umon as it can hinder progress in advancing one''s cultivation realm."

    "It costs five thousand merit points?" Pang Jian asked, squinting at the iron ball,

    Pan Zheng nodded and sincerely advised, "It''s a saint-grade artifact. It''s expensive and highly specialized, which is why no one has bought it. My suggestion is to not waste five thousand merit points on¡ª"

    "I''ll take it."

    "Alright, suit yourself."

    ***

    Several dayster, in Great Elder Jiang Ran''s Residence on the Celestial Gate Peak.

    "Su Li, you''ve sessfully advanced to the mid-stage of the Soul Wandering Realm. It''s time for you to head down and temper yourself." Jiang Ran handed Su Li a small golden cauldron with a smile. "Pang Jian represents Li Zhaotian, while you represent me."

    Su Li responded solemnly, "I will not disappoint you, Master!"

    "Go." Jiang Ran waved his hand dismissively. "I''ll be satisfied if you can make it into the top ten of the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard."

    Su Li turned and left.

    Zhou Wenhao, also inside the residence, said in a deep voice, "Master, about Pang Jian..."

    "The Cloud Devourer Marquis, the zing Rainbow Marquis, and the Armor-Breaking Marquis will keep an eye on him. Su Li is not particrly meticulous, and if I instruct him to target Pang Jian, I fear he''ll leave evidence behind" Jiang Ran said helplessly.

    As his master, he was naturally aware of Su Li''s rash tendencies.

    "Is Pang Jian truly worthy of such concern from you, Master?" Zhou Wenhao asked in surprise.

    After the elders'' meeting, Jiang Ran contacted those from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom and started nning ways to suppress him once Pang Jian left the Sword Pavilion the day before.

    Zhou Wenhao could not help but feel that his master was overreacting.

    "I know nothing about the boy, nor am I interested in his past." Jiang Ran sighed. "But I do understand Li Zhaotian.

    "I knew what kind of person he was since I first met him. He may be indifferent about minor issues, but he''s sharper than anyone else when ites to important matters.

    "If he dares to dere that Pang Jian will inherit the Sword Pavilion, that means Pang Jian undoubtedly has what it takes.

    "From that moment, Pang Jian became a threat surpassing even that of Chen Weihuang and Hu Yuanfei.

    "Remember this; your Senior Uncle Li would never misjudge a person. And if he seeds in bing a True God, we''ll have to wholeheartedly serve the Sword Pavilion''s future without harboring any ulterior motives until his demise!"

    Zhou Wenhao was shocked.

    At that moment, he realized just how much his master respected and feared the imposing Li Zhaotian.

    "I may as well tell you the truth." Jiang Ran sighed bitterly. "The True Gods from my Jiang n stand no chance against Li Zhaotian if he sessfully ascends to the True God Realm.

    "No one understands him better than I do. As a True God, Li Zhaotian alone could stand against two True Gods from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom, and he would only be more terrifying with time."

    ***

    A small Sword Boaty quietly anchored beneath a fragmentednd on the Heaven Awakening Continent.

    Above the Sword Boat hovered a golden divine soul, enduring the fierce assault of the astral winds.

    <i>My foundation at the mid-stage of the Soul Wandering Realm will be solidified once I get through this stage,</i> Pang Jian thought.

    He sat in the Sword Boat and swallowed a Soul Enriching Pill as he watched cracks spread across his golden divine soul.

    Pure soul essence, several times more potent than that from a Soul Nourishing Pill, surged within him. Wisps of ethereal mist rose to his sea of consciousness and formed a dense sea of soul essence.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Pang Jian''s golden divine soul descended, settling into the sea of soul essence like soaking in the finest spiritual elixir, and the tiny cracks quickly healed.

    <i>The Soul Enriching Pill is truly extraordinary,</i> Pang Jian marveled.

    A quarter of an hourter, his golden divine soul returned to endure the agony of the astral winds.

    Only a third of the Soul Enriching Pill''s soul essence had been consumed, with the remainder still lingering in his sea of consciousness, ready to heal his damaged divine soul again.

    Pang Jian felt exhrated.

    <i>It''s absolutely worth its selling price! </i>

    ***

    Time passed, and half a month went by.

    The battles in the Third World raged on, with brutal skirmishes urring everywhere.

    "Why hasn''t Pang Jian made it into the top hundred on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard?"

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "He''s been away from the Sword Pavilion for half a month now, yet there''s been no sign of him."

    "Senior Brother Su Li has already reached thirteenth ce on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard."

    "What is Pang Jian up to?"

    Many inner disciples of the Sword Pavilion kept a close eye on the Merit Leaderboards rankings through their sword tokens, paying particr attention to certain individuals.

    Hu Yuanfei was ranked seventh on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard, having recently fallen one ce.

    Meanwhile, Qi Qingsong and Zhuang Yuyan were ced within the top twenty on the Spirit Condensation Realm leaderboard.

    Several other disciples of the Sword Pavilion also ranked highly across the three leaderboards, a testament to the sect''s deep foundation.

    However, the one everyone was most focused on¡ªPang Jian¡ªhad not appeared on the Merit Leaderboards since leaving the Sword Pavilion.

    Cultivators from major factions started to doubt Pang Jian''s abilities and questioned Li Zhaotian''s judgment in selecting him.

 Chapter 375: Officially Registered

    <h4>Chapter 375: Officially Registered</h4>

    A giant spirit sword hovered above the Celestial Citadel in the Third World, resembling the legendary Roc Fish[1], suppressing the many Vicious Beasts below.

    Warriors from various foreign races rode Vicious Beasts and wielded a myriad of artifacts as they shed fiercely with cultivators at the edge of the fragmentednd.

    On the viewing tform of a Sword Boat anchored in the center of the fragmentednd, the fiery Hu Yuanfei controlled the Rocfish Sword with her divine soul, closely monitoring the shifting dynamics of the battlefield.

    Her eyebrows were as sharp as daggers, and she exuded a heroic spirit as her blue robes billowed in the wind.

    Strands of her divine sense slipped into the crystal prism on her chest known as the Mystic Eye to check the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard.

    "He still hasn''t made it into the top hundred!" she snapped impatiently. "Qi Qingsong!"

    Qi Qingsong flew from the deck of the Sword Boat andnded on the viewing tform with azy smile.

    "What are your orders, Senior Sister Hu? The Vicious Beasts and foreign race warriors attacking this time are weak. Killing them won''t yield many contribution points, so I couldn''t be bothered to join in," he exined, thinking Hu Yuanfei''s displeasure was due to him drinking and having fun instead of participating in the battle.

    "My master chose that guy because of your rmendation, so tell me why he''s yet to even make it into the top hundred on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard?" Hu Yuanfei asked coldly.

    She had heard the murmurs of many Sword Pavilion disciplestely.

    Even those within the Sword Pavilion privately criticized her master, wondering if he had chosen the wrong person. The talk outside the sect was undoubtedly even harsher.

    Hu Yuanfei regarded Li Zhaotian as a father figure and could not tolerate others questioning him. Hearing those criticisms only soured her mood.

    The little junior brother she had never met was falling short of expectations.

    It had been nearly a month since he had left the Sword Pavilion, and she had checked the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard dozens of times since then, but his name never appeared.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Qi Qingsong chuckled when he realized what she was concerned about. "He''s probably been dyed by other matters and hasn''t engaged in fights in the Third World yet.

    "Senior Sister Hu, you don''t need to worry about Pang Jian.

    "I know him too well¡ªhe stands out in every cultivation realm he''s in. Trust me, when his name starts appearing on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard, it''ll be unstoppable," Qi Qingsong said with absolute confidence.

    Hu Yuanfei wore a look of surprise. "You''re not just saying that tofort me, right?"

    "Haha! Let''s be patient and wait to see what happens!" Qi Qingsong assured.

    He, too, had heard the rumors and gossip but was genuinely unconcerned.

    After all, he knew Pang Jian well and trusted in his strength.

    Pang Jian had the divine artifacts, the Heart of Winter and the Thunder Pool in his possession. Not many could stand against him if he were to unleash the true strength of his Soul Wandering Realm cultivation.

    "Alright, I''ll trust you and put some faith in him too!" Hu Yuanfei said, half-convinced.

    ***

    Massive warships bearing the g of the Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom were anchored in a crimson wilderness on the Cosmic Skies Continent.

    Multifaceted prisms stood on the tall, square tforms, disying scene after scene corresponding to the thousands of Mystic Eyes.

    Cultivators from the Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom observed the scenes disyed in each prism and meticulously recorded what they saw.

    "Qin Wanyi killed seven Rank Five Ghost Race warriors, earning three hundred contribution points and moving up two ranks."

    "Dong Jian killed one Rank Six Savage Primeval Beasts, earning seven hundred contribution points and moving up two ranks."

    "Lin Qi..."

    The record keepers focused intently on the prisms, carefully identifying the ranks of the foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts.

    Those identally overlooked could also inform the record keepers through the Mystic Eyes.

    At that moment, they received some exciting news.

    "Liu Youyu has returned!"

    "She''s the pride of our Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom!"

    "She went to the Fourth World. She probably made significant gains this time!"

    Cultivators from the Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom erupted into cheers.

    Within just a quarter of an hour, Liu Youyu''s distinctive Flying Fish Boat came into view, with a small Sword Boat following closely behind.

    Many disciples of the Red Mountain Sect and elders from the major ns of the Cosmic Skies Continent gazed admiringly at the Flying Fish Boat.

    The Sword Boat, on the other hand, drew little attention.

    Before long, the Flying Fish Boat hovered above one of the square stone tforms.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The massive bloody head of a python flew out from the Flying Fish Boat and crashed onto the stone tform below, causing it to tremble violently.

    "A Rank Eight Silver-Scaled Burrowing Python!"

    "That''s seventeen thousand contribution points!"

    "Liu Youyu now has a total of twenty-five thousand points! She''s officially surpassed Fan Chen of the Supreme Monad Divine Kingdom, rising to third ce in the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard!"

    "She''s only behind Li Yuqing, the Li Family''s deadly weapon, and Zhou Yi of the Nine Tribes Sect!"

    The members of the Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom overseeing the redemption point brimmed with excitement and started chanting Liu Youyu''s name.

    She was the pride of the Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom and represented their supreme prestige.

    As the wave of cheers subsided, a voice came from the unassuming Sword Boat. "Excuse me, where should I register?"

    The record keepers from the Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom, still immersed in their joy, ignored the speaker.

    Left with no choice, the person in the Sword Boat raised his voice.

    "I''vee from the Sword Pavilion to participate in the hunt for foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts. Where do I register?!" he shouted.

    A tall, muscr middle-aged man d in pitch-ck armor gestured toward the Sword Boat with a broad smile and said, "Keep your Sword Boat in the air ande down yourself!"

    "Very well."

    A young man in blue robes flew out from the Sword Boat, appearing as tall and steady as a mountain.

    His face was chiseled with sharp features, giving off a stern and unyielding aura. A short sword wrapped in ck cloth hung from his waist alongside a sword token.

    Zheng Guowang of the Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom nced at the sword toke and smiled, interest slightly piqued.

    "An inner disciple, I see. "Who''s your master and what''s your name?"

    The neer replied calmly, "My master is Li Zhaotian and my name is Pang Jian."

    Young nobles from the Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom, disciples of the Red Mountain Sect, and elders from the major ns of the Cosmic Skies Continent erupted into whispered discussion.

    "Pang Jian?!"

    "He''s only now registering?"

    "I heard he left the Sword Pavilion a month ago!"

    "This guy..."

    Even the Flying Fish Boat, which had already begun to depart, paused mid-flight.

    Liu Youyu had remained within her Flying Fish Boat even after tossing down the head of the Rank Eight Silver-Scaled Burrowing Python, but could not resist peering out to observe from a distance.

    Zheng Guowang''s expression turned serious.

    "Please give me a moment."

    Using a secret technique, hemunicated with the other redemption points and soon confirmed none had any records of Pang Jian.

    "We thought¡ªwe assumed..." He chuckled awkwardly. "Everyone thought you already registered at another redemption point. There are seven redemption points in total and we don''t usually cross-reference them all, so..."

    He then took out a Mystic Eye and imprinted it with Pang Jian''s details.

    "From now on, the Mystic Eye will record any foreign race warriors or Vicious Beasts from the Fifth World you kill. If the Mystic Eye can''t record it, you''re too far from the nearest redemption point and will have to report it yourself." Zheng Guowang exined.

    Pang Jian took the offered Mystic Eye and inspected it with his divine sense.

    He immediately saw three constantly changing leaderboards.

    The contribution points of the top hundred individuals on the Profound Abode Realm, the Spirit Condensation Realm, and the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboards were updated in real time.

    It was much faster than the Sword Pavilion''s sword token.

    "Thank you," Pang Jian said with a respectful bow. He then asked, "Do you know where the members of my Sword Pavilion are located?"

    "Hu Yuanfei is in the Celestial Citadel and Su Li is in Sunken Bei[2]." After a moment, Zheng Guowang added, "Zhou Qingchen and the others from the Red Mountain Sect are still in Auspicious Light."

    He was clearly aware of Pang Jian''s rtionship with Zhou Qingchen.

    Pang Jian thanked him again before flying off on his Sword Boat.

    "Auspicious Light is the closest, about nine thousand li west of the Cosmic Skies Continent. Safe travels!" Zheng Guowang called.

    A record keeper from another stone tform scoffed disdainfully at Zheng Guowang. "Old Zheng, why are you being so enthusiastic? Do you think he deserves your ttery just because he''s a personal disciple of Li Zhaotian?"

    "Of all the redemption points, he chose mine. Isn''t that fate?" Zheng Guowangughed heartily.

    ***

    An hourter, Pang Jian passed over the famous rivers and mountains of the Cosmic Skies Continent on his small Sword Boat.

    The once-thriving cities below had long since been abandoned.

    Murky energy had turned the continent into a deste wastnd. As the foreign races advanced, it was also doomed to be a brutal battlefield.

    <i>They first attacked the fragmentednds furthest from the Cosmic Skies and Dark Abyss Continents and are gradually getting closer. Though the foreign races seem to be saving the two continents forst, the fight here is inevitable.</i>

    As he pondered, Pang Jian''s Sword Boat flew past the Cosmic Skies Continent and headed toward Auspicious Light.

    After a while, he frowned, and his Sword Boat slowed down.

    A familiar Flying Fish Boat trailed a few dozen li behind him, neither hastening norgging.

    When his Sword Boat stopped, the Flying Fish Boat also halted.

    Pang Jian then resumed his flight.

    The Flying Fish Boat soon started up again.

    Gripping the hilt of the ck sword, he asked the Abyssal Demon.<i> Is there anyone harboring ill will toward me within a hundred-li radius?</i>

    <i>None,</i> the Abyssal Demon swiftly replied.

    Thus, Pang Jian no longer paid it any mind and simply allowed the Flying Fish Boat to follow him.

    After some time, the Abyssal Demon added, <i>I can''t sense the thoughts of the person in the boat behind us. I can''t discern anything¡ªmalicious or otherwise.</i>

    1. In Chinese mythology and literature, the Kunpeng (öïÅô) is a legendary creature that symbolizes transformation and vast power. Itbines two forms: the Kun (öï), a massive fish, and the Peng (Åô), a giant bird. ?

    2. The character Úý (B¨¨i) is an ancient ce name and typically refers to the region of Úý¹ú (the State of Bei) during the Zhou Dynasty. It does not have a direct meaning like amon word but is used as a geographical or cultural reference. ?

 Chapter 376: Ridicule

    <h4>Chapter 376: Ridicule</h4>

    Pang Jian turned around to look behind him and mentally ran through the information he had about Liu Youyu.

    Liu Youyu was in thete stage of the Soul Wandering Realm and was the Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom''s most outstanding cultivation genius.

    ording to the Sword Pavilion''s intelligence, Liu Youyu had trained from a young age under the tutge of Bai Jingche, a True God of the Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom. She had little contact with the nobility of the Divine Kingdoms and was quite introverted.

    Most importantly, the Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom and the Sword Pavilion shared no grudges and even fostered a friendly rtionship.

    This was also why Pang Jian registered at a redemption point that the Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom oversaw.

    <i>I''ll just let her be.</i>

    Pang Jian could not guess her true intentions and ignored her instead.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Primal Sphere appeared in his hand.

    He injected different energies into it, and the grayish-green iron ball rapidly expanded as if inting.

    The Primal Sphere doubled in size and grew increasingly heavy with each new type of energy injected.

    Sending his divine sense into the Primal Sphere, Pang Jian saw aplex array of patterns covering the iron ball''s surface and interior, somewhat resembling the Heart of Winter.

    <i>It''s too bad itcks an array core. </i>Pang Jian sighed as he experimented.

    If the Primal Sphere had an array core, he could use it to learn new ways to harness its powers and fully unlock its potential.

    He alsocked any associated techniques, meaning he would have to figure it out manually.

    After experimenting with it for some time, Pang Jian tossed the grayish-green iron ball into the air, where it grew to the size of a millstone with a thunderous roar.

    Liu Youyu''s gentle voice drifted from the Flying Fish Boat behind as it rapidly drew closer.

    "The Primal Sphere is ever-changing. It can be as small as a grain of sugar or asrge as a mountain."

    A momentter, her petite figure appeared at the front of the Flying Fish Boat, with her light purple gauze dress fluttering in the wind.

    She had elegant eyebrows that arched like mountains and eyes as clear as springs.

    "My family has the specific techniques for using the Primal Sphere," she exined.

    "Why are you following me?" Pang Jian asked curiously.

    "I''m not following you. My destination is also Auspicious Light," she replied as her Flying Fish Boat overtook the Sword Boat. "Further west from Auspicious Light is a fragmentednd called Brocade Cloud. Powerful foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts are hiding there.

    "I''m nning to check it out, to see if I can kill them and umte more contribution points.

    "As for following you..." She frowned. "Before I left, my elder told me to interact more with Li Zhaotian''s disciple."

    Pang Jian was taken aback. "My master knows your elder?"

    "They''re old friends." Liu Youyu gently nodded. Lacking the social skills to be more familiar with Pang Jian, she simply tossed over a wooden token and said, "If you encounter any troubleter on, you can use this to contact me.

    "I can receive your message as long as you''re within a range of three thousand li from me.

    "I''ll tell you the specific methods for the Primal Sphere when I have the information."

    The Flying Fish Boat then slowly flew away.

    A wooden token engraved with the character "Liu"nded on the Sword Boat.

    <i>She clearly thinks you''re a novice and is probably worried you''ll die here in the Third World, so she escorted you part of the way. </i>The Abyssal Demon chuckled slyly from within the sword. <i>Now that you''re approaching Auspicious Light, she finally felt at ease enough to leave. </i>

    Pang Jian could not help but feel both amused and exasperated.

    He had initially suspected Liu Youyu had ulterior motives. Unexpectedly, Li Zhaotian and her elder were old friends, and Liu Youyu had even gone out of her way to escort Pang Jian for part of the journey.

    <i>If she knows how to use the Primal Sphere, I won''t have to figure it out myself.</i>

    Pang Jian stored the wooden token and the Primal Sphere in his spatial bracelet.

    Before long, Auspicious Light came into view.

    Fire Cloud Ships, Mountain Stream Spirit Boats, Demon Incursion Ships, ck Cloud Sails, and other flying vessels were anchored around the fragmentednd.

    Arge warship bearing the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom''s emblem also hovered proudly in the sky.

    Cultivators from different sects and factions gathered at Auspicious Light, creating a lively atmosphere.

    "A Sword Boat!"

    A member of the Zhu n on the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom''s warship had recently visited the Sword Pavilion and recognized Pang Jian at a nce.

    "That''s Pang Jian," he sneered. "It seems he hasn''t earned many contribution points, so he''se to Auspicious Light to hunt."

    Cultivators at the fragmentednd broke out into whispers.

    "Pang Jian of the Sword Pavilion!"

    "He still hasn''t broken into the top hundred of the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard?"

    "Haha, he''s truly bringing shame to the Sword Pavilion and Li Zhaotian!"

    "Think about Chen Weihuang and Hu Yuanfei¡ªthey''re practically invincible! Even now, Hu Yuanfei''s ranking has only dropped because she''s remained at the Celestial Citadel to protect the disciples of the Sword Pavilion."

    "Hu Yuanfei could be in the top five, but is being held back by her duty at the Celestial Citadel."

    "Strange, why isn''t Pang Jian seeking her help?"

    The gathered cultivators openly mocked and ridiculed Pang Jian.

    Pang Jian simply acted as though he did not hear them.

    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Scanning the fragmentednd, he finally spotted a frantically waving Han Duping on a Scarlet Dawn Boat.

    The Sword Boat flew toward Han Duping.

    ncing around, he noticed only unfamiliar faces aside from Han Duping. "Where''s Big Brother Zhou?"

    "He''s gone to seek help from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom," Han Duping replied. Clicking his tongue in amazement, he admired the sleek, sharp design of the Sword Boat before ncing at the stern Pang Jian. "Little Brother Pang, it''s true what they say¡ªtime really does change a person!

    "It''s been a long time since west met, and now I see you in a different light! I''ve barely managed to step into the Profound Abode Realm, but you and Zhou Qingchen..."

    He pounded his chest in frustration, feeling a deep sense of defeat.

    Several rogue cultivators in the Spirit Condensation Realm cupped their hands respectfully. "Greetings, Brother Pang!"

    Pang Jian responded with a few polite nods before turning back to Han Duping. "What''s the situation here?"

    "Someplications seem to have arisen in Brocade Cloud. Several groups that went to explore that fragmentednd have lost contact, including Elder Feng Feiqing from our Red Mountain Sect, who is in the mid-stage of the Spirit Condensation Realm.

    "Zhou Qingchen went to ask the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom for assistance, hoping to have a Soul Wandering Realm cultivator to apany us to investigate Brocade Cloud.

    "Pang Jian, Zhou Qingchen has be overly cautioustely. Others dismiss the foreign races and Vicious Beasts as no threat, but he treats them as serious dangers.

    "Because of this, he''s faced quite a bit of ridicule." Han Duping sighed.

    "The foreign races and the Vicious Beasts aren''t easy to deal with," Pang Jian replied gravely.

    "Since the start of the war, we, the human race, have been obtaining triumphant victories. High-ranking military officers from the Divine Kingdoms and geniuses from the top sects have all been making a name for themselves," a cocky rogue cultivator said with a grin. "The foreign races and Vicious Beasts haven''t put up much of a fight at all."

    Another rogue cultivator chimed in, "They used to live in the endless darkness of the Fifth World, where resources are scarce. How much strength could they possibly possess?"

    These rogue cultivators had joined Zhou Qingchen''s group because of his reputation. Although they respected Zhou Qingchen''s strength and character, they did not share his cautious view of the foreign races.

    They believed Zhou Qingchen did not have to ask the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom for a Soul Wandering Realm expert''s help with Brocade Cloud.

    In their eyes, their strength and the Scarlet Dawn Boat were more than enough to clear out Brocade Cloud and earn considerable contribution points.

    After all, if a Soul Wandering Realm cultivator from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom got involved, there would be nothing left for them.

    "That''s because you''ve never encountered a truly powerful foreign race warrior," Pang Jian said coldly. "Big Brother Zhou has suffered losses to strong foreign race warriors in Absolute Heaven. He knows their strength is far greater than what you''ve seen."

    The rogue cultivators chuckled dismissively.

    One female rogue cultivator from the Cosmic Skies Continent muttered under her breath, "Maybe you''re just weak; that''s why you think they''re strong."

    She was clearly mocking Pang Jian, subtly referencing the fact that he had yet to crack the top hundred of the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A brilliant de light shed through the air, forcing the woman to leap off the Scarlet Dawn Boat.

    Zhou Qingchen stormed over, exuding amanding aura. His bristly beard and deeply tanned skin gave him a rugged appearance.

    "Wang Cui, my Scarlet Dawn Boat is too small to amodate you," Zhou Qingchen said, expression stern. "Find another ce to go. The Scarlet Dawn Boat will no longer be your refuge!"

    Wang Cui let out a bitterugh. "I was just speaking offhandedly. It wasn''t even directed at you. Why are you so angry?"

    Despite her words, Wang Cui did not argue her dismissal and quietly left.

    She could not help but regret it deep down. After all, it was rare to find disciples like Zhou Qingchen¡ªupright, loyal, and respectful to rogue cultivators.

    Disciples from major sects like the Celestial Lagoon Sect and the ck Valley Sect treated them like servants, and many rogue cultivators were reluctant to join them.

    The nobles from the three Divine Kingdoms did not ept rogue cultivators into their groups and only issued orders to them.

    "Old Han, stay. The rest of you, leave the Scarlet Dawn Boat for now. I have matters to discuss with Pang Jian," Zhou Qingchenmanded in a measured tone.

    The disciples of the Red Mountain Sect and the rogue cultivators dispersed.

    Once everybody else left, Zhou Qingchen let out a weary smile, plopped down on the ground beside the Scarlet Dawn Boat, and said with relief, "You finally made it."

    "What''s going on?" Pang Jian asked curiously.

    "I''m exhausted¡ªmentally exhausted!" He patted his chest and let out a long sigh. "I know how powerful the foreign races are. I''ve repeatedly exined that the foreign race warriors we''ve encountered so far are probably just cannon fodder.

    "But no one believes me."

    He shook his head.

    "The human race is advancing triumphantly on every front, encountering only weak foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts. As a result, my warnings about the true strength of the foreign races have been mocked as cowardice.

    "Cowardice? I''m thirteenth on the Spirit Condensation Realm leaderboard!"

    Zhou Qingchen''s frustration bubbled over and he reverted to his brash self, no longer forced to maintain a stern demeanor with no one else around.

    After a brief pause, he said, "Pang Jian, I have a feeling the true powerhouses of the foreign races will appear inrge numbers soon. Many people will start dying, and we''ll be the ones paying a heavy price for underestimating them."

    "As long as it''s not us who die, that''s fine," Pang Jian said, patting Zhou Qingchen on the shoulder. "I''ll apany you to Brocade Cloud."

    Zhou Qingchen stood up. "Something isn''t right over there."

    "I know."

 Chapter 377: Liu Youyu

    <h4>Chapter 377: Liu Youyu</h4>

    A majestic snow-peaked mountain stood in Brocade Cloud.

    In the warmer seasons, the snow on the peak would melt, cascading streams and waterfalls down the mountain.

    A clear river meandered out from the mountain to flow through the entire fragmentednd.

    A well-dressed Ghost Race warriormanded his subordinates to dump bucket after bucket of thick, foul-smelling liquid into the river.

    The once crystal-clear river had already be murky and foul, emanating a strange scent that drove Vicious Beasts into a frenzy.

    The Vicious Beasts on Brocade Cloud had already been struggling to adapt to the invading murky energy. When they caught a whiff of the foul scent, they entered a frenzy and charged toward the river from all over the fragmentednd.

    Vicious Beasts plunged into the river and gulped down the putrid water.

    The bodies of some Vicious Beasts then ruptured, staining the waters red as their corpses sank down to the murky riverbed.

    Surviving Vicious Beasts dove down to tear apart their bodies for nourishment.

    The river wound its way through the fragmentednd. Countless Vicious Beasts met a tragic end, bodies sinking to the riverbed where their flesh was swiftly devoured.

    As some Vicious Beasts adapted to the strengthening liquid, their eyes turned bloodshot and their bloodlines underwent a breakthrough.

    However, their auras became increasingly strange, hearts pounding as if about to burst and bodies burning like they harbored volcanoes within them.

    <i>Roar!</i>

    The deafening cries of Vicious Beasts echoed from every part of the river, shaking the fragmentednd.

    Themanding Ghost Race warrior from the outer worlds sneered coldly, "This liquid will unleash their potential, causing their bloodlines to advance rapidly.

    "Unfortunately, the enhancement doesn''tst long and they''ll die quickly.

    "Strength gained through sacrifice is always destined to be short-lived."

    Behind him, the Ghost Race warriors native to the Abyss continued to pour the foul-smelling liquid into the river. Their faces were full of terror, fearing the rampaging Vicious Beasts would turn on them.

    "There''s nothing to be afraid of. We carry a special scent. They won''t see us as targets." The Ghost Race warrior from the outer worlds grinned wickedly. "In my world, this liquid is called the Bloodthirst Elixir.

    "Any Vicious or Spirit Beasts thate into contact with it will transform into Berserk Beasts, driven to devour every living being around them.

    "They feel no pain, have no fear of death, and lose all self-awareness.

    "Their insatiable hunger for flesh drives them to relentless ughter, and they''ll continue until the Bloodthirst Elixir in their veins runs dry.

    "Heh, the Third World is teeming with Vicious Beasts. The Bloodthirst Elixir can unleash its true power here. This will be our first wave of counterattacks."

    The Ghost Race warrior belonged to an advanced civilization from the outer worlds and was skilled in crafting sinister concoctions the native Ghost Race had never even heard of.

    The Bloodthirst Elixir was just one of many vicious concoctions he could use to drive the Vicious Beasts into madness.

    ***

    A Sword Boat sailed alongside a Scarlet Dawn Boat high in the skies of the Third World.

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Before long, a warship from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom, bearing the character "Zhu", came whistling toward them.

    Zhu Wenle stood on a high tform on the warship, dressed in a luxurious robe.

    Aside from a distance at Pang Jian and Zhou Qingchen, he made no other effort to acknowledge them.

    Shortly after, a Demon Incursion Ship and a Mountain Stream Spirit Boat sped past the Sword Boat and the Scarlet Dawn Boat.

    "The Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom ignored my request for help only to organize their own team!" Zhou Qingchen snorted coldly.

    The Scarlet Dawn Boat, steered by Han Duping, carried the Spirit Condensation Realm rogue cultivators, while Zhou Qingchen and Pang Jian traveled together in the smaller Sword Boat.

    Zhou Qingchen felt embarrassed. "Our Scarlet Dawn Boat is much slower than the flying vessels of the Second World. I''ve slowed you down."

    "No harm. The situation in Brocade Cloud seems unusual. Those rushing ahead may not necessarily reap any contribution points," Pang Jian said with a light shake of his head.

    "Zhu Wenle, a member of the Zhu n from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom, is an officer in the zing Rainbow Army. He''s in the middle stage of the Soul Wandering Realm and ranks forty-first on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard.

    "He hasn''t been in Auspicious Light for long, but he possesses many treasures and can easily ughter foreign races and Vicious Beasts.

    "On the Demon Incursion Ship is Ning Shuo from the Demon Sect, in thete stage of the Soul Wandering Realm and ranked thirty-sixth on the leaderboard.

    "The leader on the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat is Yu Huan from the Celestial Lagoon Sect, in the mid-stage of the Soul Wandering Realm and ranked twenty-ninth on the leaderboard," Zhou Qingchen informed.

    Pang Jian nced at the Mystic Eye and the three''s names and rankings on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard.

    On the Scarlet Dawn Boat, a Spirit Condensation Realm rogue cultivator named Wu Xuanfeng grew increasingly nervous as he watched one opulent flying vessel after another from the First and Second World pass by.

    "Brother Han, something feels off," he said. "Those flying vessels each have a Soul Wandering Realm cultivator on board! Is there really something wrong in Brocade Cloud?"

    "What are you afraid of? We have a Soul Wandering Realm cultivator with us too," Han Duping said with a grin.

    The rogue cultivators looked over at Pang Jian on the Sword Boat.

    "Old Han, do you think he''s...up to the task?"

    "Is it true he just recently advanced to the Soul Wandering Realm and has yet to stabilize his cultivation? Is that why his ranking isn''t very high?"

    "If Brocade Cloud is really that dangerous, can we rely on him?"

    The rogue cultivators voiced their concerns.

    Han Duping chuckled and avoided giving a direct answer.

    Deep down, he was not entirely confident either.

    It had been too long since he hadst seen Pang Jian in action, and everything he knew about him came from Zhou Qingchen.

    Regardless of how much Zhou Qingchen praised him, Han Duping had not seen Pang Jian in action with his own eyes and could not fully trust him. Thus, he could not confidently answer the rogue cultivators'' questions.

    ***

    The flying vessels from the different factions came to a halt a thousand li from the edge of Brocade Cloud.

    Zhu Wenle''s expression shifted. "The Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom''s Flying Fish Boat!"

    He had assumed he would be the first to arrive at Brocade Cloud, but the Flying Fish Boat was already anchored there.

    "Liu Youyu!"

    "She''s third on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard!"

    "She''s here too!"

    Cultivators on the Demon Incursion Ship, the Mountain Stream Spirit Boat, and the trailing ck Cloud Sails eximed in surprise.

    Nirvana Realm powerhouses had yet to join the battle, meaning the Soul Wandering Realm cultivators represented the pinnacle of power in the present struggle against the foreign races.

    The Merit Leaderboards ranked individuals based on their number of kills and the ranks of those kills.

    Those with higher rankings naturally had greaterbat strength and could exert more influence as they had made the most significant contributions to the human race.

    Regardless of origin, those ranked at the top of the leaderboards were admired and respected.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    Zhu Wenle toward the Flying Fish Boat wearing only his luxurious robes and no heavy armor.

    Stopping ten zhang away, he cupped his hands and said, "I''m Zhu Wenle from the zing Rainbow Army of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom!"

    "Ning Shuo of the Demon Sect!"

    "Yu Huan of the Celestial Lagoon Sect!"

    "Qin Xiao of the ck Valley Sect!"

    The leaders of the respective factions took the initiative to leave their flying vessels and pay respect to the high-ranked Liu Youyu.

    Only the truly strong could earn such respect and prompt other cultivators to lower themselves in courtesy.

    Liu Youyu was not used to being the center of attention and did not show herself.

    "Brocade Cloud is troublesome to deal with. The situation inside is unclear, and I''m worried," she said from inside her Flying Fish Boat. "Please be careful. Not all foreign races and Vicious Beasts are easy to defeat."

    The others immediately became cautious.

    When Zhou Qingchen said those same words, they were taken as a sign of cowardice, but no one dared to take them lightly when they came from Liu Youyu.

    Inside the Flying Fish Boat, Liu Youyu kept her head down, as if afraid of being seen. Taking out a wooden token she furtively sent a message through it.

    There was no response.

    "Strange, the Sword Boat is here and within a three-thousand-li range. Why isn''t he responding?" Liu Youyu frowned.

    She intended to share some advanced techniques for using the Primal Sphere and advise Pang Jian to avoid getting involved in this dangerous situation.

    However, her wooden token could not establish a connection, meaning Pang Jian had likely stowed it away in a spatial storage artifact.

    "This guy..." Liu Youyu gently bit her lip, mulling over whether to steer her Flying Fish Boat toward the Sword Boat in front of everyone.

    <i>Forget it, my aunt''s rtionship with Li Zhaotian isn''t exactly a proud one.</i>

    The Flying Fish Boat sailed away.

    Her boat did not head into Brocade Cloud but instead moved to the far side of the fragmentednd.

    It seemed she wanted to avoid making small talk with Zhu Wenle and the others.

    "She¡ª" Zhu Wenle was taken aback.

    His many preparedpliments caught in his throat and the warm smile on his face stiffened.

    The other Soul Wandering Realm cultivators were also baffled. They did not understand why Liu Youyu was avoiding them.

    She was ranked third on the leaderboard and had well-knownbat prowess. It was only natural for the leader of the excursion into Brocade Cloud to be her.

    That was the assumption and desire of everyone present.

    Contrary to expectations, she abruptly withdrew. Her clear unwillingness to engage with them left many speechless.

    "What an arrogant woman," Zhou Qingchen remarked with a sigh. "But she''s third on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard and a peerless genius of the Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom, so I suppose she has the right to be proud."

    Pang Jian was secretly surprised.

    The information from the Sword Pavilion described Liu Youyu as introverted, not fond of the spotlight, and not inclined toward leadership roles.

    Her behavior¡ªboth at present and at the Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom''s redemption point, where she remained out of sight the entire time¡ªallowed Pang Jian to witness some of her peculiarities firsthand.

    "Zhou Qingchen!" Zhu Wenle called, pointing toward Brocade Cloud, "I''vee to realize that you''re probably right. We can''t afford to underestimate the foreign races!

    "So, please, take the lead and go into Brocade Cloud to scout the situation for us."

    Countless eyes from the surrounding flying vessels turned toward Zhou Qingchen and Pang Jian.

    Zhu Wenle of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom had taken Liu Youyu''s warning seriously and, wary of the potential dangers ahead, asked Zhou Qingchen and the others to take the lead.

    On the other side of the fragmentednd, Liu Youyu grasped the wooden token and sent a desperate message through it.

    "Don''t go! It''s dangerous!"

 Chapter 378: Berserk Beasts

    <h4>Chapter 378: Berserk Beasts</h4>

    "We''re not going!" Pang Jian shouted as if responding to Liu Youyu''s warning.

    Then, turning the Sword Boat around, he departed.

    Liu Youyu breathed a sigh of relief.

    Huddled within her Flying Fish Boat, she stuck out her tongue and muttered softly, "Auntie kept reminding me to take special care of him.

    "He¡ªI just hope he doesn''t act too recklessly." The young girl frowned.

    Meanwhile, the abrupt departure of the Sword Boat had left Han Duping and the rogue cultivators aboard the Scarlet Dawn Boat looking bewildered.

    Zhou Qingchen called out, "Old Han!"

    "I understand!"

    The Scarlet Dawn Boat quickly turned to follow suit.

    While all the other luxurious flying vessels were heading toward Brocade Cloud, the Sword Boat and the Scarlet Dawn Boat did the opposite, retreating like turtles into their shells.

    An officer of the zing Rainbow Army growled, "Your Highness, those Red Mountain Sect people are defying orders. In my opinion¡ª"

    Zhu Wenle shook his head. "It''s not Zhou Qingchen speaking but Pang Jian from the Sword Pavilion. We can order around the Red Mountain Sect, but we have no control over the Sword Pavilion."

    Ning Shuo from the Demon Sect and Yu Huan from the Celestial Lagoon Sect also murmured, "The Sword Pavilion indeed has that kind of clout."

    The Sword Pavilion always had world-shaking figures backing them in times of chaos. This was simply an unchanging truth.

    Although the Sword Pavilion had dropped from the First World to the Second World, many top factions still saw them as equals with the most powerful sects.

    None of the three Divine Kingdoms from the Eastern Land had the authority tomand the Sword Pavilion, nor did they view themselves as superior to them.

    Countless Sword Gods had built up the Sword Pavilion''s prestige, making outstanding contributions to the human race in the Abyss and earning universal respect.

    "Forget about them. Let''s work together to enter Brocade Cloud!" Zhu Wenle rallied.

    Ning Shuo, Yu Huan, Qin Xiao, and the others shouted their agreement.

    The flying vessels resumed their course, turning into streaks of light as they shot toward Brocade Cloud.

    On the Sword Boat, Zhou Qingchen''s expression was solemn. "Pang Jian, you think something''s wrong too?"

    "Beforeing here, I heard that something was off with Brocade Cloud," Pang Jian said as he nced at the dissatisfied rogue cultivators on the Scarlet Dawn Boat. "If any of you want to go back, you can still catch up."

    "No, no." Wu Xuanfeng quickly shook his head, grimacing as he said, "Miss Liu from the Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom already said that Brocade Cloud is dangerous¡ªhow could we dare to ignore that?

    "It''s just that we''re rogue cultivators with no sect to back us. I''m afraid the Zhu n will hold a grudge and make things difficult for uster."

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    The other rogue cultivators chimed in, "Yeah, The Zhu n of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom has a True God overseeing them. I''m worried this wille back to bite us."

    Pang Jian narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "They may not even survive."

    The rogue cultivators were dumbfounded.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Flying Fish Boat circled Brocade Cloud and quietly reappeared near the Sword Boat.

    Liu Youyu finally revealed her petite figure, ring at Pang Jian in frustration while shaking the wooden token in her hand.

    "Liu Youyu!" the rogue cultivators and Zhou Qingchen eximed in surprise.

    Han Duping grinned. "Little Brother Pang, you and her...do you know each other?"

    "You could say that."

    Pang Jian retrieved the wooden token from his spatial bracelet and held it in his hand.

    Liu Youyu''s gentle and ethereal voice rang out from the wooden token.

    "The finer details of how to use the Primal Sphere¡ªI''ve recalled some of them, so I''ll share them with you now.

    "Also, you''d best stay away from Brocade Cloud. Let me scout things out first. If it''s not too dangerous, you can go in afterward to earn contribution points."

    Zhou Qingchen''s expression turned peculiar as he gave a light cough.

    "A wooden token engraved with the character ''Liu''," he said with a suggestive tone. "Pang Jian, you know the saying¡ªdon''t bite off more than you can chew. When ites to rtionships, you should stay focused.

    "The women you''ve gotten involved with all have pretty intimidating backgrounds. If you''re not careful, even your position as a personal disciple of the Pavilion Master won''t be able to protect you," Zhou Qingchen advised, though his face was green with envy.

    "That''s irrelevant," Pang Jian replied, already engrossed in deciphering the mysteries of the Primal Sphere.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The grayish-green iron ball shrank to the size of a marble, zipping through the air like a bullet, only to expand a hundredfold and crash back with the force of a millstone when it returned.

    <i>The Primal Sphere is as swift as lightning when small and light. When erged, it bes incredibly heavy. Its true power lies in its ability to change size at will.</i>

    <i>The key lies in the infusion and withdrawal of different energies¡ªpure spiritual power keeps it small and nimble, while imbuing other energies makes itrge and heavy.</i>

    Pang Jian had no intention of rushing into Brocade Cloud.

    He remained on the stationary Sword Boat, experimenting with the techniques Liu Youyu had shared, striving to master the Primal Sphere.

    Zhou Qingchen, simrly unhurried, continued to temper his long de, appearing perfectly at ease.

    The rogue cultivators had many thoughts about the situation, but the Scarlet Dawn Boat was under Han Duping''s control, and they could only reluctantly follow along.

    Not long after, Liu Youyu''s rmed voice came through the wooden token in Pang Jian''s hand. "Brocade Cloud is extremely dangerous! Many Vicious Beasts have be frenzied and are attacking everything in sight. Their bloodlines have been significantly enhanced as well!

    "Someone has forced the bloodlines of these Vicious Beasts to evolve, and many people have been ughtered already.

    "Pang Jian, this battle won''t be easy. It''s best you stay out of it.

    "You all should return to Auspicious Light. You canmunicate with the redemption point on the Cosmic Skies Continent from there. The Mystic Eyes can keep you in their sight there," Liu Youyu urged.

    Pang Jian frowned. "Big Brother Zhou, if we kill foreign race warriors or Vicious Beasts beyond Auspicious Light, will we need to bring their heads as proof for redemption?"

    "Yes," Zhou Qingchen replied. "The Cosmic Skies Continent is too far from here, so the Mystic Eyes can''t function properly."

    "Old Han, take the Scarlet Dawn Boat back to Auspicious Light. Big Brother Zhou and I will head to Brocade Cloud," Pang Jian ordered. "Many people have already died inside. The Vicious Beasts within have gone berserk¡ªthey feel no pain, don''t fear death, and have be extremely difficult to handle."

    Zhou Qingchen quickly added, "Old Han, you go back!"

    "Alright!" Han Duping agreed readily.

    His cultivation was only in the Profound Abode Realm and was the weakest among the Spirit Condensation Realm rogue cultivators.

    Thus, when he learned about the dire situation, he did not hesitate to turn the Scarlet Dawn Boat around and sail away.

    "We want to join the fight!"

    "Young Master Zhou, we have Spirit Condensation Realm cultivation and are willing to take the risk!"

    "Please allow us toe along, Young Master Zhou!"

    Some Spirit Condensation Realm rogue cultivators pleaded.

    Zhou Qingchen turned toward Pang Jian. "What do you think?"

    "The situation on Brocade Cloud is unlike the other fragmentednds. Many will die." Pang Jian said coldly.

    "We''re not afraid!" shouted a rogue cultivator named Wu Xuanfeng.

    Pang Jian nodded. "Very well."

    The Scarlet Dawn Boat sped over, and a few daring Spirit Condensation Realm rogue cultivators leaped onto the Sword Boat.

    Others, unwilling to take the risk, stayed aboard the Scarlet Dawn Boat.

    The Sword Boat and the Scarlet Dawn Boat then parted ways, one returning to Auspicious Light while the other headed toward Brocade Cloud.

    As soon as the Sword Boat entered the airspace above Brocade Cloud, it witnessed a swarm of massive Ice Sculpture Beasts pulling a Mountain Stream Spirit Boat of the Celestial Lagoon Sect to the ground.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The Mountain Stream Spirit Boat crashed and was reduced to debris in the blink of an eye.

    Ice Sculpture Beasts surrounded and attacked the cultivators from the Celestial Lagoon Sect and the affiliated noble families. Many met a gruesome fate, with the Ice Sculpture Beasts'' razor-sharp ws tearing them apart.

    "Good heavens!" Wu Xuanfeng eximed in horror at the sight.

    Elsewhere, a colossal ten-zhang-tall Goldrock Beast smashed a ck Cloud Sail from the ck Valley Sect.

    Its body gleamed with a metallic golden hue that protected it from the fierce attacks from the ck Valley Sect''s cultivators. Although sparks were sent flying with each attack, Goldrock Beast''s massive frame was hardly even scratched.

    Blinding golden beams shot from its eyes, mouth, and palms, piercing through the air like golden spears, inflicting heavy casualties on the cultivators from the ck Valley Sect.

    The Goldrock Beast''s previously golden eyes had turned red as blood seeped into its pupils.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    One of its eyes burst.

    The golden beams from its body turned a terrifying crimson, power surging dramatically.

    "Retreat! Retreat now!"

    Qin Xiao, the Soul Wandering Realm cultivator from the ck Valley Sect, unleashed a series of massive palm strikes that stretched across the sky, hoping to fend off the rampaging Goldrock Beast.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The palm strikes pressed down on the Goldrock Beast like distorted vortexes, but instead of subduing it, they only provoked it further.

    With a roar, the Goldrock Beast unleashed an endless barrage of blood-tinged beams toward the massive palm strikes, shattering them into a shower of light.

    The Goldrock Beast''s bones fractured, and its heart burst, leaving a massive hole in its chest.

    The lingering blood-tinged beams struck Qin Xiao, killing him instantly.

    "Senior Brother Qin!"

    "Qin Xiao is dead!"

    "A single Goldrock Beast killed a cultivator in the mid-stage of the Soul Wandering Realm!"

    Screams of despair echoed across the battlefields in Brocade Cloud.

    On the Sword Boat, a female rogue cultivator in the mid-Spirit Condensation Realm felt a shiver run down her spine as she watched the brutal scenes unfold.

    "This isn''t like anything I''ve seen before! A Soul Wandering Realm cultivator¡ªin so easily? I''ve never seen such savage Vicious Beasts!" she cried.

    This battle was truly unlike any they had faced before.

    In the past, the human race had always hunted down the foreign races and Vicious Beasts, easily crushing their primitive flying vessels.

    She never imagined cultivators like herself would one day be prey under the ws of the Vicious Beasts.

    "Senior Brother Duan!"

    "Junior Brother Wang!"

    Cries of anguish echoed from every major sect and faction fighting in Brocade Cloud as cultivators mourned their fallenrades.

    "You guys shouldn''t havee along." Zhou Qingchen sighed, summoning several long des and leaping from the Sword Boat to join the fray.

    "Little Brother Pang Jian, can we still go back?" the female rogue cultivator asked desperately.

    "You can try, but I''m not turning the Sword Boat around."

    The Sword Boat plummeted suddenly, dropping all the rogue cultivators on board near Zhou Qingchen.

    When it stabilized again, only Pang Jian remained onboard.

    He fixed his gaze on the tallest mountain in Brocade Cloud, where a stream flowed down from the snowy peak.

    <i>That''s the source.</i>

    Ignoring the carnage below, he guided the Sword Boat higher into the air and cut straight toward the mountain.

 Chapter 379: First Show of Capability

    <h4>Chapter 379: First Show of Capability</h4>

    In a remote corner of Brocade Cloud, Liu Youyu poked her head out of her Flying Fish Boat and stomped her foot in frustration.

    "Pang Jian!"

    She had sent a message through the wooden token urging Pang Jian not to enter Brocade Cloud, but he hadpletely ignored her.

    "He''s just like Li Zhaotian, never willing to heed a friendly warning. What a troublesome guy."

    With some reluctance, she reluctantly maneuvered her Flying Fish Boat to follow Pang Jian.

    Liu Youyu considered herself someone with control of the bigger picture. Concealing herself in an inconspicuous corner of Brocade Cloud, she had prepared to bide her time for the emergence of Rank Eight Vicious Beasts and foreign races.

    She had a hunch that there was more than met the eye when it came to the frenzied Vicious Beasts.

    Decisive action was necessary to strike down Rank Eight Vicious Beasts or foreign race warriors if they appeared.

    Only then could she swiftly quell the chaos in Brocade Cloud.

    With this in mind, she had suppressed her aura when entering the fragmentednd, ensuring neither the Vicious Beasts nor the foreign race warriors would sense her true strength.

    However, Pang Jian''s reckless actions disrupted her ns.

    "Young Master Zhou!" A rogue cultivator named Wu Xuanfeng shouted. "The Sword Boat is heading toward the mountain!"

    Two Rank Six Golden Armed Apes were hurling enormous boulders at him using their bloodline power.

    Repeatedly ncing in the direction of the Sword Boat, he urgently eximed, "If the Sword Boat is destroyed, it''ll be nearly impossible for us to escape Brocade Cloud!"

    Zhou Qingchen created a sea of interwoven de light with his long des that enveloped several Rank Six Fiery Sr Beasts.

    "We''ll be able to leave without any trouble when the Vicious Beasts in this fragmentednd are defeated," he replied calmly.

    "That''s easier said than done!" Wu Xuanfeng grumbled.

    <i>Boom! Boom!</i>

    Meteor-like boulders shot across the sky and shattered Wu Xuanfeng''s Celestial Mystique Barrier, forcing him to move closer to Zhou Qingchen for assistance.

    "It won''t be that difficult with Pang Jian here."

    Zhou Qingchen used his divine soul to control a long de and cleave through the massive boulders aimed at Wu Xuanfeng.

    A dazzling burst of silvery radiance exploded between the two Rank Six Golden Armed Apes, blowing them apart and scattering their remains across the ground.

    With a wave of his sleeves, his long de brought the two Rank Six Golden Armed Apes'' heads to Zhou Qingchen, and he swiftly tossed them into his spatial bracelet.

    "Pang Jian?" Wu Xuanfeng stared in disbelief at the Sword Boat as it gradually disappeared into the distance.

    ***

    Elsewhere, the Celestial Lagoon Sect''s Yu Huan used her divine soul to control her ckwater Mystic Pearl while fighting a Rank Seven Earthbound Lizard,

    "There''s something wrong with the river water!" she cried.

    The spectral soul of a green snake within the saint-grade ckwater Mystic Pearl had detected many corpses lying on the murky riverbed.

    Another Celestial Lagoon Sect cultivator in the Soul Wandering Realm observed a Vicious Beast. Its body was several dozen zhang long and could move in the ground like a dragon, asionally leaping out to attack human cultivators.

    "This Earthbound Lizard only recently achieved a bloodline breakthrough!" he yelled. "It still hasn''t fully mastered its new bloodline power!

    "Its old skin from Rank Six hasn''t even shed yet¡ªits breakthrough likely urred just two or three days ago!"

    Other cultivators from the Celestial Lagoon Sect also shouted their observations.

    "It''s the river!"

    "The wounded Vicious Beasts are desperately drinking the river water to enhance their strength!"

    Suddenly, the Rank Seven Earthbound Lizard leaped out from the ground and lunged toward a swiftly approaching Small Boat in a frenzy.

    "The Sword Boat!"

    "Pang Jian!"

    They cried in shock.

    A grayish-green iron ball shot toward the Rank Seven Earthbound Lizard.

    The iron ball, initially the size of a fist, rapidly swelled a hundredfold in just a few breaths, lightning crackling on its surface.

    The Primal Sphere, now as huge as a mountain, carried an overwhelming momentum and pummeled the Earthbound Lizard into a bloody pulp mid-air.

    As the Earthbound Lizard crashed to the ground, the iron ball chased after it, smashing a giant crater into the ground.

    The Rank Seven Earthbound Lizard was reduced to a smear of flesh at the bottom of the crater. Even its head was nothing more than a pulpy mess.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The fearsome iron ball shrank back to its original size and darted back toward the distant Sword Boat in the blink of an eye.

    Yu Huan and her fellow Celestial Lagoon Sect disciples stood in stunned silence as they watched the Sword Boat continue toward the towering mountain.

    It was a long while before they snapped out of their daze.

    "Was that Pang Jian?"

    "He''s the only one on the Sword Boat. Who else could it be?"

    "Didn''t they say he just entered the Soul Wandering Realm and hadn''t yet stabilized his cultivation realm?"

    "That Rank Seven Earthbound Lizard is on par with a Soul Wandering Realm human cultivator, but that massive iron ball reduced it to a pulp in an instant. Do you truly believe someone with that kind of power and mastery could still be struggling to stabilize his cultivation realm?"

    The members of the Celestial Lagoon Sect discussed animatedly amongst themselves.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The grayish-green iron ball shot out from the Sword Boat again, as small as a bullet and swift as lightning.

    It pierced through several Rank Six Ghostshadow Vultures, causing them to fall lifelessly to the ground one after another.

    The entire flock of Ghostshadow Vulturesy dead in a sh.

    Not a single one survived.

    ¡°This...¡± Yu Huan of the Celestial Lagoon Sect pressed her lips together, hesitating briefly beforemanding, "Follow that Sword Boat!"

    The disciples of the Celestial Lagoon Sect stood in stunned silence, then quickly severed the heads of the in Vicious Beasts before they hurried after the Sword Boat.

    "A Rank Six Ghostshadow Vulture is worth a hundred contribution points each! He didn''t even nce at them¡ªno wonder he still doesn''t have a ranking on the leaderboard."

    The members of the Celestial Lagoon Sect gleefully stowed away the severed heads of the Ghostshadow Vultures, eager to exchange them for contribution points when they returned.

    ***

    Liu Youyu squinted at the Sword Boat in the distance from her silently gliding Flying Fish Boat.

    The Primal Sphere shifted from the size of a towering mountain to a small pellet as it effortlessly hunted down the Berserk Beasts along the way.

    Rank Seven Berserk Beasts like the Earthbound Lizard were crushed to a pulp while Rank Six ones had their skulls pierced with a bullet-like Primal Sphere.

    "Has he already mastered the Primal Sphere? He doesn''t seem as weak as people say. Did I underestimate him?

    "Auntie was worried about Li Zhaotian''s disciple not being up to the task, but it seems she was overly concerned."

    Liu Youyu''s mood lightened considerably.

    Her eyes curved into a crescent shape as she murmured, "That guy''s judgment is always spot on. Chen Weihuang and Hu Yuanfei...the first two had no issues. And well, this one seems to be doing just fine too."

    ***

    A massive warship from the Zhu n of the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom hovered silently at the foot of the towering mountain.

    Nearly a hundred cultivators from the zing Rainbow Army and the Zhu n were locked in fiercebat with a horde of Berserk Beasts.

    A massive fan unfolded behind Zhu Wenle, unveiling a grand vista of mountains and rivers.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    An illusory but lifelike green mountain flew out from the fan and crushed a group of rhinos d in icy armor.

    He turned his gaze and grand pces emerged from the fan to encircle a Rank Seven Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf.

    Zhu Wenle coldly snorted.

    "Heavenly Pce Divine Array!"

    Nine towering pces swiftly arranged themselves into an array in mid-air, igniting the surrounding area into a zing sea of fire that bore down on the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf.

    The Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf roared as its bones cracked and splintered. Unafraid of death and numb to pain, it unleashed every ounce of its strength, turning the confines of the nine pces into a seething eruption of mes and blood.

    <i>Boom! Boom!</i>

    mes and blood surged relentlessly within the nine pces, but not a single drop managed to escape.

    Before long, the Rank Seven Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf was reduced to blood-red liquid within the Heavenly Pce Divine Array, resembling seething magma.

    Zhu Wenle smiled in satisfaction as he used a chain to pull out the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf''s bare skull from the pool of blood.

    "Rank Seven. It''s worth at least a thousand contribution points. The brutal battles in Brocade Cloud are the perfect ce to rack up contribution points."

    Gazing at the battlefield from the hovering warship, he watched as cultivators from the Demon Sect, the ck Valley Sect, the Celestial Lagoon Sect, and other factions locked in fiercebat with the Berserk Beasts.

    Casualties steadily mounted on both sides.

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    "War naturallyes with casualties. They die because they''re weak," Zhu Wenle remarked indifferently.

    An officer of the zing Rainbow Army shook his head and said coldly, "These scattered sect disciples are clueless about coordinated formations and teamwork inbat. Unlike our organized army, they struggle to adapt to this ruthless environment.

    "The Eastern Land''s three Divine Kingdoms train cultivators for killing armies. That''s what makes us a real force on the battlefield!"

    The zing Rainbow Army and the Zhu n''s elite formed battle formations centered around their warship, supporting each other seamlessly. If any area faced trouble, Zhu Wenle would intervene.

    This coordinated fighting allowed the zing Rainbow Army to plow through the enemies and advance to the foot of the mountain.

    "Come out!" Zhu Wenle sneered in the direction of the summit, having also deduced that the source of the Berserk Beasts was the river flowing down the mountain.

    He aimed to eliminate the mastermind, hoping to stabilize Brocade Cloud and earn him substantial contribution points.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Sword Boat came whistling through the air.

    Zhu Wenle''s expression darkened and he red at the approaching Sword Boat.

    "Pang Jian, before, you refused when I asked you to lead the way. Now, you storm into Brocade Cloud and head straight here¡ªare you trying to steal my glory?

    "I can handle this problem myself. Your focus should be on piloting your Sword Boat around Brocade Cloud and taking down as many Rank Six and Rank Seven Berserk Beasts as possible to rack up contribution points," he remarked, having noticed the trail of in Berserk Beasts Pang Jian left behind him.

    While at the Sword Pavilion, he had witnessed Pang Jian move against the Cloud Devourer Marquis and even withstand a direct strike from him.

    Both the Cloud Devourer Marquis and the zing Rainbow Marquis had praised him afterward.

    Unlike the rest, Zhu Wenle knew Pang Jian was no ordinary cultivator and had never underestimated him.

    "Proceed with your n," Pang Jian said, casting a calm nce up at the summit of the mountain. "If you can''t take care of the source of this chaos, I''ll step in."

 Chapter 380: Countless Departed Souls

    <h4>Chapter 380: Countless Departed Souls</h4>

    A powerful soul fluctuation emanated from deep within the mountain.

    Even without releasing his golden divine soul, Pang Jian could sense the unique aura of a powerful Ghost Race warrior when his Sword Board approached the base of the mountain.

    His golden divine soul, infused with divine consciousness, possessed a sensitivity far surpassing others with the same cultivation realm.

    "Alright!" Zhu Wenle decisively agreed. Turning to his subordinates, hemanded, "Stay here. I''ll drag out the mastermind myself."

    With that, he shot toward the towering mountain, his massive fan trailing behind him.

    The warship hovering in the air adjusted its angle with a loud rumble.

    A row of azure-gold cannons on the ship aimed at the mountain''s summit, ready to annihte any Vicious Beasts that showed themselves.

    <i>Huff! Huff!</i>

    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    At that moment, a thickly furred creature emerged from the murky river, heavingbored breaths.

    The creature had a broad frame and was ten zhang tall. The flesh beneath its ck fur twisted and churned, oozing a blood-tinged fluid that filled the air with a nauseating stench.

    Deep crimson eyes red fiercely at its surroundings, seemingly soulless and devoid of humanity. It appeared to be severely injured as the skin of its bloodied palms¡ªasrge as palm-leaf fans and covered in ck fur¡ªwere shredded to reveal the raw flesh beneath.

    "Transformation, human race, Bloodthirst Elixir..." it mumbled incoherently as it kneaded the bloody flesh of his chest with his massive palms.

    The zing Rainbow Army watched in horror as it let out a guttural roar andunched itself upward with an explosive stomp.

    Its flesh burst open with a thunderous crack, bones snapping and popping as it grewrge with each passing second.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    It tore open a hole in the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom''s warship and entered the hull.

    The cultivators manning the azure-gold cannons were torn apart, remains strewn across the deck.

    A terrified zing Rainbow Army officer screamed, "It''s Rank Eight Vicious Beast attempting its first transformation!"

    <i>Boom!</i>

    The hundred-zhang-long warship from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom was smashed into pieces, scattering to the ground in a rain of debris.

    Zhu Wenle had been heading to the summit, but seeing this, immediately turned back to intervene.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Nine towering pces appeared in quick session.

    Zhu Wenle attempted to use the same tactic he had employed against the Scarlet-Eyed Demon Wolf to crush the Vicious Beast.

    The wreckage of the warship was engulfed in the Vicious Beast''s blood essence. Rising back into the air, the debris hurtled toward Zhu Wenle''s summoned pces, leaving them teetering on the brink of copse.

    <i>Roar!</i>

    The Vicious Beast reverted to its original form, which resembled a bear. Natural ridges covered its pitch-ck body and it wore demonic armor.

    Charging alongside the warship wreckage toward Zhu Wenle, it hurled the massive azure-gold cannons like mere toys.

    Each cannon struck Zhu Wenle''s summoned mountains, pces, and towers, thoroughly disintegrating them in cascades of radiant fragments.

    The towering Savage Bear stood at several dozen zhang tall after its bloodline was forcibly elevated to Rank Eight.

    Though it had gained the ability to take on a human form, the venomous effects of the Bloodthirst Elixir stifled the remarkable intelligence that should have apanied the breakthrough.

    With a foreboding sense of impending death, it rampaged with its newfound strength, seeking to unleash its fury upon the world.

    <i>Crack!</i>

    The Savage Bear tore off parts of its demonic armor from its body and hurled it with as much strength as it could muster.

    The armor''s blood-stained edges were as sharp as serrated des. As it spun through the air, it shredded the zing Rainbow Army''s weapons and bodies into pieces.

    Tearing off several more fragments of demonic armor, the Savage Bear hurled them into the air, precisely controlling them with its Rank Eight bloodline.

    Scraps of demonic armor sliced through the air, cutting through soldiers of the zing Rainbow Army below the Soul Wandering Realm like blocks of tofu.

    In no time at all, the bodies of fifty or sixty soldiers and members of the Zhu ny strewn across the battlefield.

    Pang Jian yed with the tiny Primal Sphere on the Sword Boat and observed the carnage with a cold, detached gaze.

    Yu Huan and the Celestial Lagoon Sect disciples watched the brutal battlefield with mounting terror from ten li away.

    The Flying Fish Boat, which had previously withdrawn after seeing Pang Jian''s ability, reappeared, whistling through the air as it elerated toward the battlefield.

    "It''s Liu Youyu!" Yu Huan shouted with relief as the Flying Fish Boat flew overhead.

    "She was here all along!" Her assuring presence calmed the other Celestial Lagoon Sect disciples.

    After all, Liu Youyu ranked third on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard. Her extraordinary strength and divine artifact enabled her to y Rank Eight Vicious Beasts and foreign races with ease.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    The Flying Fish Boat stopped beside the Sword Boat.

    "Step back, don''t go to the summit of that mountain. There''s likely a Rank Eight foreign race warrior there," Liu Youyu cautioned from within her Flying Fish Boat. "A Rank Eight Vicious Beast is troublesome enough. Even I need to put in considerable effort to kill one, so don''t act recklessly."

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A dazzling mirror emerged from within the Flying Fish Boat, its reflective surface aimed directly at the rampaging Rank Eight Savage Bear.

    The mirror radiated a fierce light and exuded a terrifying aura that could seemingly tear through all beings.

    "Celestial Profound Mirror, Flesh Rending," Liu Youyu said softly from within her Flying Fish Boat.

    Beams of blinding sword light flickered inside the mirror. It was like a cultivator wielding a sword with immense killing intent against the Savage Bear that the foreign races brought over from the Fifth World.

    Caught in the Celestial Profound Mirror''s radiance, the Savage Bear let out a heartbreaking howl and copsed.

    Its body was covered in wounds, and it crumpled, limp and defeated, into a pool of its own blood.

    "Thank you, Miss Liu," Zhu Wenle hurriedly called out in gratitude, feeling slightly overwhelmed.

    "She truly lives up to her reputation as third on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard!"

    "Liu Youyu is truly formidable!"

    Yu Huan and the other Celestial Lagoon Sect disciples praised her repeatedly.

    Pang Jian was also amazed.

    He had not expected the Celestial Profound Mirror''s radiance to subdue the Rank Eight Savage Bear so quickly.

    Zhu Wenle, resisting the greed in his heart, stepped aside and pointed to the incapacitated Savage Bear. "It''s yours! Your contribution points will rise by another ten thousand points with this Rank Eight Vicious Beast! Miss Liu, you can now surpass Zhou Yi of the Nine Tribes Sect and bring honor to our Eastern Lands!"

    The Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom was one of the three Divine Kingdoms, and Liu Youyu''s higher ranking would naturally bring great pride to the Eastern Land.

    "This is Vicious Beast was artificially advanced to Rank EIght. Strictly speaking, it''s not truly a Rank Eight Vicious Beast," Liu Youyu said, still hiding within her Flying Fish Boat. "It''s a rtively weaker Vicious Beast and cannot be measured as a true Rank Eight. It''ll only be worth four to five thousand contribution points at most¡ªnot enough to catch up to Zhou Yi."

    Zhu Wenle maintained his smile. "Haha, then you can just kill one more!"

    The wrecked warship, the fallen zing Rainbow Army soldiers, and the deaths of the Zhu n members did not seem to dampen his good spirits.

    After mulling over the situation, Zhu Wenle decided to abandon his pursuit of the mastermind.

    "There''s a powerhouse hiding in this mountain," he said solemnly. "If they canmand a Rank Eight Vicious Beast, they''re bound to be formidable. The rest is up to you."

    With that, he flew toward the gathering of surviving zing Rainbow Army soldiers.

    <i>Whoosh!</i>

    A dark beam shot forth from the Savage Bear''s forehead as Zhu Wenle flew past.

    It pierced his back, and his body abruptly halted mid-air.

    The smile on Zhu Wenle''s face dropped. His eyes turned an eerie green, and ghostly sigil-like tattoos appeared across his cheeks and neck.

    It was as though Zhu Wenle had transformed from a human into a ghastly demon.

    "Your Highness!" The zing Rainbow Army soldiers cried out in shock.

    Pang Jian knitted his brows. Focusing his mind, his eyes took on a golden hue as he tried to take in every detail.

    A green Soul me had seeped into Zhu Wenle''s sea of consciousness and ensnared his divine soul, turning him into the puppet of a powerful Ghost Race warrior.

    "I am Gui Ji, from the Heavenly Ghost World beyond the Abyss," introduced the entity possessing Zhu Wenle. A cold smile stretched across Zhu Wenle''s face. "The Bloodthirst Elixir was my creation.

    "As for the rest of you..."

    His eerie green eyes glinted maliciously as a piercing shriek echoed from Zhu Wenle''s mouth.

    A pale green magpie flew out from an Ice Sculpture Beast on the brutal battlefield where Ning Shuo and the other Demon Sect disciples were fighting hundreds of li away.

    The magpie cleaved Ning Shuo in the Soul Wandering Realm like a sharp sword.

    Both his divine soul and physical body were split into two, resulting in instant death.

    After killing Ning Shuo, the magpie went on to hunt down the other human race cultivators.

    Cultivators in the Soul Wandering Realm, the Spirit Condensation Realm, and the Profound Abode Realm alike were sliced into two like they were no more than paper.

    Elsewhere, in the team of elders from the Radiant Sun Sect and members of the ck Valley Sect, a snow-white serpent was devouring cultivators with abandon.

    A single piercing screech from Gui Ji had set a deathly n into motion. Two Vicious Beasts whose bloodlines were forcefully elevated to Rank Eight were summoned.

    Terrifying power erupted from them as their life force drained.

    Pang Jian cast a long, piercing look at Gui Ji from aboard the Sword Boat and said softly to Liu Youyu, "You handle Gui Ji. I''ll take care of the magpie and the serpent."

    The Sword Boat shot off like lightning.

    Secretly taking out the wooden token inscribed with the character ¡°Liu," he informed, "The Soul me of a powerful Ghost Race warrior has possessed Zhu Wenle''s divine soul.

    "He''s hiding his real body in the mountains. Also, the Soul me he released doesn''t reflect his full power.

    "I''ll eliminate the rampaging Vicious Beasts first, then return to drag out his true body. All you need to do is keep him upied."

    Liu Youyu quietly emerged from her Flying Fish Boat with the Celestial Profound Mirror hovering above her head.

    Watching the Sword Boat depart with a strange expression, she quietly replied into the wooden token, "Although forcibly elevated, those Vicious Beasts still wield power far beyond Rank Seven. Don''t push yourself too hard."

    "You don''t have to tell me what to do. I know my limits!" Pang Jian responded gruffly.

 Chapter 381: The Real Gui Ji

    <h4>Chapter 381: The Real Gui Ji</h4>

    A snow-white serpent submerged its dozens-of-zhang-long body along the bank of the murky, winding river. Lifting its head, it released dense clouds of toxic fog, which enveloped the cultivators from the ck Valley Sect and the Radiant Sun Sect.

    <i>Sizzle!</i>

    The toxic fog eroded through the cultivators'' protective shields, leaving them dizzy and disoriented.

    In their eyes, the enormous serpent appeared as either a beautiful woman or their cherished loved ones¡ªparents, spouses, or lifelongpanions.

    Cultivators in the Spirit Condensation Realm and Profound Abode Realm stumbled forward into the serpent''s gaping maw, like moths to a me.

    The serpent swallowed down their frail bodies and spat their bones back out.

    Human bones piled up on the riverbank, striking despair into the hearts of the remaining survivors.

    By the time Pang Jian arrived on the Sword Boat, the Rank Eight serpent had started its transformation into a stunning woman.

    Its face flushed red and its eyes filled with frenzied bloodlust, devoid of intelligence.

    However, its evolution was iplete as everything below its neck was still covered in snake scales. The artificially advanced serpent was less refined than the dead Savage Bear.

    The surviving disciples from the ck Valley Sect and the Radiant Sun Sect were scrambling to flee when they noticed the Sword Boat sailing toward them.

    "Pang Jian?"

    None of them could understand why Pang Jian would rush here.

    They had not witnessed Pang Jian''s earlier massacre as this ce was far from the foot of the mountain, and they still maintained their earlier preconceptions of him.

    "That''s a Rank Eight Vicious Beast!" an elder from the Radiant Sun Sect warned.

    "I know," Pang Jian said, infusing the Primal Sphere with spiritual power, cold energy, lunar energy, and lightning before tossing it.

    Silver lightning and sharp icy spikes covered its surface, radiating a dazzling light as the fist-sized iron ball erged several times over.

    The grayish-green iron ball shot directly toward the serpent''s gaping maw like a giant glowing porcupine.

    Fury zed within the serpent''s blood-red vertical pupils. Its submerged tail shot out from the murky river, sshing contaminated water toward the Primal Sphere.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    The serpent''s bloodline power drew forth the thin murky energy in Brocade Cloud, causing it to dissolve into the poisoned water.

    A subtle yet eerie force in the water diminished much of the Primal Sphere''s impact.

    The serpent coiled its tail around the slowed Primal Sphere and pulled it into the river.

    Toxic impurities from the Bloodthirst Elixir and the murky energy polluted the river water, corroding the Primal Sphere.

    The saint-grade artifact Pang Jian had exchanged for merit points became a mere stone that sank to the riverbed.

    "Well, that''s an interesting trick." Pang Jian gently nodded.

    Radiant green sword light shot forth, forming a ring that encircled the serpent.

    A dazzling spectacle unfolded within the ring of light.

    Heavenly Demons whirled in a frenzied dance under the sun, moon, and stars. Demonic creatures and demonic eyes surged forth while world-shattering lightning twisted in chaotic arcs across zing mes.

    Unleashed through the Abyssal Demon Sword, the Chaos Sword Technique radiated boundless mystery, creating a spectacle the serpent had never witnessed before.

    No matter how the serpent struggled or what bloodline techniques it used, the ring of sword light continued to close in.

    The glowing ring closed in around its human head.

    <i>St!</i>

    Blood spurted from its scaly neck as its head separated from its body. Pang Jian calmly approached it, grabbed the head, and stowed it in his spatial bracelet.

    <i>Ssh!</i>

    Pang Jian''s protective shield thickened to surround him in solid ice, enabling him to harmlessly descend into the polluted river and retrieve the Primal Sphere.

    <i>The murky energy in the river water is rather familiar,</i> Pang Jian thought before returning to the Sword Boat and setting off for his next target.

    The lingering toxic fog around the decapitated, half-submerged snow-white serpent quickly dissipated.

    "The whole serpent''s body is a treasure trove, and he didn''t even bother to collect it?"

    The surviving members from the Radiant Sun Sect and the ck Valley Sect wondered aloud in shock.

    Nervously approaching the corpse, they gathered their fallenrades'' belongings and carved out the serpent''s valuable skin, bones, and flesh.

    Soon after, a simr ring of sword light encircled the magpie ughtering Demon Sect disciples, and the fearsome Vicious Beast from the Fifth World was swiftly in.

    <i>It''s much weaker than the Ice Armor Eel Dragon. It''s almost as if they''re inpletely different leagues, </i>Pang Jianmented inwardly.

    Although the Savage Bear, the snow-white serpent, and the magpie had all been forcibly elevated to Rank Eight using the Bloodthirst Elixir, their real strength barely exceeded Rank Seven.

    These Vicious Beastspletelycked the terrifying aura of the Rank Eight Ice Armor Eel Dragon.

    It seemed false power could never pose a true threat.

    <i>That Ghost Race warrior named Gui Ji is the real trouble.</i>

    The Sword Boat soared through Brocade Cloud.

    ***

    After killing yet another Golden Armed Ape with a single strike, Zhou Qingchen turned to Wu Xuanfeng and asked, "Uncle Wu, what do you think? Do you think he''s worthy of being the personal disciple of the Sword Pavilion''s Pavilion Master now?"

    Wu Xuanfeng nodded fervently, gaze still fixed on the Sword Boat in the distance. "He''s worthy! Absolutely worthy!"

    The other rogue cultivators watched the Sword Boat with shining eyes, voicing their amazement one after another.

    "Young Master Zhou, if he''s so powerful, why isn''t he in the top one hundred of the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard?¡±

    "Has he truly just advanced to the Soul Wandering Realm?"

    "He''s practically on the same level as Zhu Wenle."

    Thest rogue cultivator recalled Pang Jian''s earlier remarks¡ªthat Zhu Wenle likely would not survive to return to Auspicious Light¡ªand could not help but sigh. "Zhu Wenle did die in the end. He was right after all."

    "This battle isn''t over yet!" Zhou Qingchen snorted coldly.

    The Spirit Condensation Realm rogue cultivators nodded and continued assisting him in hunting nearby Vicious Beasts.

    ***

    At the foot of the towering mountain, Gui Ji used Zhu Wenle''s body to wield the giant fan while puppetting the zing Rainbow Army soldiers and the Zhu n members into formation around the Flying Fish Boat.

    After Pang Jian left, more of Gui Ji''s Soul mes drifted out to possess the living zing Rainbow Army soldiers and Zhu n members from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom.

    All of them had be his puppets and shared a single consciousness¡ªGui Ji''s. He was more skilled at using the zing Rainbow Army''s military tactics than the officers themselves.

    <i>Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!</i>

    Beams of sword light shot out from the Flying Fish Boat, cutting down the possessed cultivators from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom.

    With the Celestial Profound Mirror hovering above her, Liu Youyu frowned and shouted, "Celestial Lagoon Sect disciples, leave this ce immediately!"

    "Understood!" Yu Huan took off running.

    After fleeing several dozen li, she noticed the Sword Boat had reappeared, but Pang Jian was nowhere to be seen.

    "Where''s Pang Jian?" the Celestial Lagoon Sect disciples wondered aloud.

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    "No idea."

    ***

    Deep underground, ckish-yellow light surrounded Pang Jian as he casually headed toward the towering mountain.

    He had used the ck turtle scute''s Earth Dive ability to dive underground, where he spread his divine sense and locked onto his target within the mountain.

    Soon, he transitioned from Earth Dive to Mountain Phase as he ascended the mountain from within.

    A ckish-yellow light shot upward from within the mountain and soon reached its center.

    Pang Jian steadily approached a frigid cave inside the mountain with the Heart of Winter in his hand.

    Massive ice crystals hung from the cave ceiling, where the Ghost Race warrior, Gui Ji, sat in fine robes with hands sped.

    He breathed clusters of ghostly mes that emerged from the heads of six native Ghost Race warriors.

    The six Rank Seven Ghost Race warriors, thin and frail, became frozen within the surrounding ice crystals, watching in despair as he devoured their Soul mes.

    "Don''t hold it against me. Brutal warfarees with sacrifices. I had no other choice." Gui Ji sighed as he continued consuming his kinsmen''s Soul mes. "I hold a high status in the Heavenly Ghost World and have children to feed.

    "This journey apanying the Lord Sovereign into the Abyss is a major turning point in my life. I need to return to the Heavenly Ghost World. I absolutely cannot die here in the Abyss.

    "We''re all from the Ghost Race. I hope you understand. Please don''t hate me," Gui Ji said, shaking head.

    Suddenly, an intense chill emanated from the ice rock beneath him.

    "This cold..."

    Gui Ji''s expression shifted as he looked down.

    A person steadily rose from beneath the transparent ice with a crystalline heart in hand and shed him a chilling smile that sent shivers down Gui Ji''s spine.

    He recognized that crystalline heart.

    Gui Ji''s face paled with horror. "The Heart of Winter!"

    <i>Boom! Crack!</i>

    The ice crystals hanging on the cave ceiling shot toward Gui Ji.

    Gui Ji had devoted most of his energy and attention to controlling Zhu Wenle and the cultivators from the Boundless Sky Divine Kingdom.

    He never expected such a disaster in his safehold, let alone that the person attacking would wield the divine artifact, the Heart of Winter.

    The ice crystals pierced his body.

    Letting out a shrill scream, he hastily summoned his Soul me back.

    Clusters of green Soul mes ignited within his mind and he unleashed an overwhelming aura as he shouted, "Soul-Devouring Heavenly Ghost!"

    A massive, skeletal ghostly projection appeared behind him¡ªit was the Outer God that Gui Ji worshiped.

    Gui Ji intended to eradicate Pang Jian''s divine soul and possess him just as he had Zhu Wenle.

    Pang Jian chuckled. "You''ve never been to the Frozen Land, have you?"

    His golden divine soul flew out from his forehead, instantly shattering Gui Ji''s Outer God projection and extinguishing the green Soul mes one after another.

    The Rank Eight Gui Ji and the six Rank Six Ghost Race warriors became Pang Jian''s spoils in Brocade Cloud.

    Not long after, the Sword Boat glided over to the Flying Fish Boat as Liu Youyu watched the limp bodies of Zhu Wenle and the others in confusion.

    Pang Jian held up a severed head and said, "This is the real Gui Ji."

 Chapter 382: Rapid Rise on the Leaderboard

    <h4>Chapter 382: Rapid Rise on the Leaderboard</h4>

    Hu Yuanfei stood on her hovering Rocfish Sword at the Celestial Citadel in the Third World.

    The Rocfish Sword''s radiance shielded her from the contamination of the murky energy.

    Her masculine, sword-like brows were furrowed, radiating a fierce aura.

    Arge Sword Boat was anchored behind her, and the Sword Pavilion disciples¨CQi Qingsong, Zhuang Yuyan, and others¨Cstared gravely into the distance.

    "Vicious Beasts havepletely overrun Luminous Jade. Liu Xian of the Ghost Sacrifice Sect and the cultivators stationed there..." Zhuang Yuyan sighed softly behind Hu Yuanfei. "Luminous Jade isn''t too far from the Celestial Citadel. We should prepare."

    Liu Xian was a Soul Wandering Realm cultivator from the Ghost Sacrifice Sect, ranked fourteenth on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard and the strongest in Luminous Jade.

    Soul Wandering Realm cultivators from the Nine Tribes Sect, as well as Profound Abode Realm and Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators from the Demon Sect and the Skyveil Cliff Sect, had also set up camp in Luminous Jade alongside her.

    No one could have anticipated that Luminous Jade would fall to a horde of Vicious Beasts in such a short time.

    "Liu Xian is dead, and only a few managed to escape from Luminous Jade," Qi Qingsong said gravely. "Reports indicate that the horde of Vicious Beasts includes Rank Eights capable of partial transformation."

    "Partially transformed Vicious Beasts are difficult to handle." Hu Yuanfei sighed. After some thought, she ordered firmly, "You all take the Sword Boat back to Cosmic Skies Continent. I''ll stay behind to assess the situation."

    "Understood!"

    Qi Qingsong and the others did not attempt to dissuade her.

    As fellow disciples of the Sword Pavilion, they were well aware that Hu Yuanfei could go toe-to-toe with a true Rank Eight Vicious Beast if she had the Rocfish Sword.

    If not for the recent gathering of Sword Pavilion disciples in the Celestial Citadel, she would not have been restricted in her movements, and her rank on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard would have climbed even higher.

    "Inform the noble families stationed below to withdraw as well," Hu Yuanfei said calmly. "The situation has shifted, There won''t be any more one-sided victories. I''ve been to the Fourth World and know the true strength of the foreign races and Vicious Beasts. It seems they''re mounting arge-scale counterattack."

    "I''ll spread the word!" Zhuang Yuyan flew down to the Celestial Citadel to ry her orders.

    Meanwhile, Qi Qingsong habitually checked the Merit Leaderboard through his Mystic Eye.

    Surprisingly, his rank in the Spirit Condensation Realm leaderboard had risen several ces despite not gaining contribution points recently.

    This could mean only one thing.

    The Spirit Condensation Realm cultivators ranked above him had perished.

    Names of the deceased disappeared from the Merit Leaderboard, allowing those behind them to move up.

    "It''s not just Luminous Jade. Other fragmentednds are also under attack, or there wouldn''t be so many names disappearing from the leaderboard at once," Qi Qingsong said somberly. "Xuan Cai from the Forsaken Expanse Sect isn''t in Luminous Jade, and she''s no longer on the leaderboard either."

    Qi Qingsong then checked the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard.

    "Pang Jian! He''s ranked ninth with seventeen thousand contribution points!" Qi Qingsong cried out in shock.

    Duan Jing, Song Zihe, Zeng Yn, and the others on the Sword Boat gasped and quickly checked the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard with their own Mystic Eyes.

    Pang Jian''s name, contribution points, and rank were all there.

    He was indeed in ninth ce!

    "Ninth ce!" Hu Yuanfei''s heart surged with excitement, more thrilled than if her own rank had risen. Biting her lip, she murmured, "He didn''t bring shame to our master!"

    ***

    Su Li watched from his escaping Sword Boat as the cities within the smoke-filled Sunken Bei copsed under the rampage of Berserk Beasts.

    A deep sense of helplessness filled him.

    "So many mindless Vicious Beasts still remain..."

    Vicious Beasts had destroyed flying vessels from the Supreme Monad Divine Kingdom and the Ancient Law Sect of the Northern Ruin. Cultivators in the Soul Wandering Realm, Spirit Condensation Realm, and Profound Abode Realm died one after another.

    Deep down, he knew neither he nor his junior brothers and sisters¡ªdisciples of Elder Lu Xiaolin and Elder Cai Xin¡ªcould turn the tide.

    All he could do was safely lead his loyal followers out of Sunken Bei.

    "Senior Brother Su, Pang Jian''s rank in the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard has risen to ninth ce!" someone shouted in surprise.

    Su Li froze.

    For over a month, he had roamed far and wide, hunting Vicious Beasts and foreign races, and had finally managed to climb to thirteenth ce on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard.

    He felt a quiet sense of pride in his aplishment.

    The fact that Pang Jian''s name had not even appeared in the top hundred only bolstered his confidence.

    However, during this period of fierce attacks from the foreign races and Vicious Beasts, Pang Jian''s name unexpectedly appeared directly among the top ten on the leaderboard.

    Su Li felt like he had been struck over the head and his expression darkened.

    "How could this be?"

    "That''s impossible!"

    The junior disciples were simrly in disbelief, each struggling to ept the news.

    Cries of despair echoed across the fragmentednds.

    In a time when names were continuously vanishing from the Soul Wandering Realm and Spirit Condensation Realm leaderboards, Pang Jian''s name had conversely shot up like aet, standing out with extraordinary brilliance.

    ***

    Dong Tianze of the Sinister Soul Temple; Spirit Condensation Realm rogue cultivators Lei Kun and Lian Feng; and Profound Abode Realm rogue cultivators Gao Yuan and Han Ting stood in a Divine Spirit Pagoda that had just escaped from the Primordial Wilderness.

    They all wore grim expressions, each more solemn than thest.

    The Primordial Wilderness had fallen.

    Nearly a thousand bloodthirsty high-ranking Vicious Beasts had surged into the Primordial Wilderness.

    Despite having traps like the Ground Fissure Mines, the Berserk Beast horde still broke through the many defensive lines of the Armor-Breaking Army.

    A half-transformed Scorchfire Bird had almost killed everyone inside the Divine Spirit Pagoda, but Dong Tianze had unleashed the Celestial Phoenix Imprint on his brow in time.

    The sudden manifestation of the awe-inspiring Celestial Phoenix struck fear deep into the forcibly advanced Rank Eight Scorchfire Bird.

    As the Scorchfire Bird dared not continue its pursuit, they narrowly escaped and safely departed from the Primordial Wilderness.

    Lian Feng broke the silence, feigning a light tone. "Liu Tianchao, thete-stage Soul Wandering Realm leader of the Armor-Breaking Army, and Han Feng[1] have died in the Primordial Wilderness. It seems your revenge has been fulfilled, Han Ting."

    Han Ting sighed softly.

    "It doesn''t matter anymore. The elders of the Blood Moon Sect and the Star River Alliance are nearly all dead, and many elite Spirit Condensation Realm and Profound Abode Realm cultivators have perished." Gazing at the sky, she said with a heavy tone, "I had a feeling the battles ahead would no longer be as easy."

    "Check the Merit Leaderboard! Look at the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard!" Gao Yuan abruptly eximed. "Look at ninth ce!"

    "Pang Jian of the Sword Pavilion!"

    Lei Kun, Lian Feng, and several other Sinister Soul Temple cultivators gasped in surprise.

    Having learned that Pang Jian was Luo Yuan in the time since they hadst met, Lei Kun let out a few excited, low growls before saying, "I knew he''d rise to the top!"

    Dong Tianze had anticipated this oue and was unfazed, only casting a brief look at the leaderboard.

    "Zhou Qingchen has risen to seventh on the Spirit Condensation Realm leaderboard!" a Sinister Soul Temple protector eximed with a nce at Dong Tianze. "It''s the first time someone outside the First and Second Worlds has broken into the top ten of the Spirit Condensation Realm leaderboard!"

    Dong Tianze immediately checked the Spirit Condensation Realm leaderboard.

    <i>Wu Yuan, third; Zhou Qingchen, seventh; Qi Qingsong, sixteenth; Zhuang Yuyan, twenty-first; Zhao Yuanqi, thirty-fifth,</i> Dong Tianze mentally noted with a grim expression.

    Not long after, he sent the others onto a Formless Sailboat bound for the Dark Abyss Continent and turned back alone on the Divine Spirit Pagoda.

    ***

    A small Sword Boat docked in the southern part of Auspicious Light, within an estate that a rogue cultivator once built.

    <i>Boom!</i>

    A Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom warship arrived from the Cosmic Skies Continent to hover like a giant beast over the fragmentednd.

    "The Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom!"

    Cultivators on Auspicious Light breathed a sigh of relief, staring up at the warship with renewed hope.

    Zheng Guowang stepped out, nced at the Sword Boat, and shouted, "Pang Jian, pleasee up for a discussion!"

    "Very well."

    Reverent eyes from throughout Auspicious Light followed him as he flew to the Primeval Pir Divine Kingdom''s warship.

    Unlike before, everyone on Auspicious Light now held a newfound respect for Li Zhaotian''s personal disciple.

    He was ninth on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard!

    Pang Jian had returned from the blood-soaked battlefield of Brocade Cloud with the head of a Rank Eight Ghost Race powerhouse, a white serpent above Rank Seven, and a simrly-ranked magpie.

    These remarkable achievements dispelled all doubts about Pang Jian, causing his name to resound throughout the Abyss.

    An elegant woman with brows as finely drawn as a painting smiled and asked as Pang Jian boarded the ship, "Where''s Yu''er? Why didn''t she return to Auspicious Light with you?"

    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "You are?" Pang Jian asked curiously.

    "I''m an acquaintance of your master." The elegant woman looked at Pang Jian with an affectionate gaze that one reserved for a promising young disciple. Smiling, she handed Pang Jian a thin booklet and added, "Information about the Primal Sphere''s functions and usage are all here."

    Pang Jian epted the booklet with a quick thank you.

    "Her Flying Fish Boat is probably still nearby," he said in response to her earlier question. "She believes the Bloodthirst Elixir has also been used on the Vicious Beasts on the other fragmentednds and wants to save the people there."

    The woman gently nodded. "She''s always been inclined to help others,"

    Zheng Guowang[2] interjected solemnly, "Simr hordes have appeared on eight other fragmentednds besides Brocade Cloud. Of those, seven have fallen, with the frenzied hoarder ughtering the stationed forces. The worst was the Primordial Wilderness.

    "An Armor-Breaking Army unit and three Soul Wandering Realm cultivators all perished in the Primordial Wilderness.

    "The other fragmentednds suffered simr fates. The human race has suffered devastating losses. The rampaging Vicious Beasts have truly trampled on us," Zheng Guowang sighed deeply.

    "Only Brocade Cloud and White Tiger Grove[3], guarded by the Hong Qiming of the Demon Sect, achieved victory and killed the Rank Eight foreign race warrior behind it," the woman said softly.

    <i>Hong Qiming of the Demon Sect</i>, Pang Jian noted.

    ncing at his Mystic Eye, Pang Jian saw that Hong Qiming had risen from fifth to fourth ce, surpassing Fan Chen from the Supreme Monad Divine Kingdom to rank just below Liu Youyu.

    Li Yuqing, Zhou Yi, Liu Youyu, Hong Qiming, and Fan Chen were the top five on the Soul Wandering Realm leaderboard.

    Judging by the contribution points, it would not be long before Li Yuqing was overtaken as she had temporarily withdrawn to the Sacred Soul Continent,

    "Pang Jian, please help me ry a message to your master," the woman said suddenly. "Tell him not to rush his advancement to the True God Realm."

    1. This is the person who captured Gao Yuan and Han Ting. ?

    2. This is the person who registered Pang Jian at the redemption point. ?

    3. In traditional Chinese astronomy, ¿ü in White Tiger Grove(¿üÄ¾) represents one of the 28 lunar mansions (¶þÊ®°ËËÞ), specifically associated with the Kui mansion in the western quadrant of the White Tiger constetion. It often embodies themes of strength and endurance. ?

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