Trials of the Abyss

Chapter 357: The Chaos Begins

Disciples of the Radiant Sun Sect had been constructing a killing array on a fragmented land 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 the last few Radiant Sun Sect disciples. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Whoosh!

Crimson sword lights, thick with the scent of blood, transformed into a sea of blades that crashed down. The faint outline of a towering mountain could be seen within the sea of blades 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 bloodstained combat outfit with her hair tied into a ponytail.

Years had passed since they had last met and the youthful innocence on her face had been replaced 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 fragmented land 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 Island 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 Duping complained 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 glances at a group of rogue cultivators.

"Her last 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 fully come 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 days later, Han Ting leaned against the Cloud Sail's railing and gazed down at the familiar fragmented land below, with a trace of longing in her expression.

"It was here, in this fragmented land, 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—Li 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 nothing compared to your senior brother's schemes! Even the elders behind them pale in comparison.

"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 clash took place on the Three Immortals Island. 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—so the Sword Pavilion can relocate to the First World ahead of time.

"Where did the murky energy come 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 a law of the Abyss, eternal and unbroken.

"Some speculate that the murky energy comes from the dark regions beneath the Fifth World, but even the Rank Ten powerhouses of the Fifth World can't confirm this."

Several days later, 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.

Knock! Knock!

Chen Weihuang knocked on the door a while later.

"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 flashed 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.

His attitude isn't the best, but he's a good person.

Finding a meditation mat to sit on, Pang Jian started reading and carefully memorizing each word of the two manuals.