Trials of the Abyss

Chapter 147: The Little Tree's Request

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 black 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!

That incense burner is giving off thick black smoke, Pang Jian pondered. He recalled the visions he had while becoming 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 to communicate with Ice Demons to extend his son's life. Next to that altar was a giant incense burner that also gave off thick black smoke.

Could it be?

"Ancestor Ah Man, please, you must assist us!" The visibly excited Celestial Maiden bowed in the sky.

Pang Jian was shocked.

Ah Man? Is it really him?!

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 become 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 become 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 homeland, 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 homeland 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 homeland 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.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

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 Tribulation Pillars suppressing us to become unstable.

"This is the case for our Fifth Continent's pillar, and the exalted beings in the other six continents have also sensed the anomalies in their Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars.

"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.

He's so powerful! Ah Man, the current chieftain of the one-eyed giant tribe in the Fifth World, has become so terrifying!

Pang Jian broke out in a cold sweat.

His earlier pride and joy from advancing to the Innate Realm through becoming 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 was compared 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 am Pang Jian's Tree!

I am Pang Jian's Tree!

I am Pang Jian's Tree!

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 contemplation, 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 plants and flowers.

As Pang Jian studied the little tree's environment, he soon realized that, while there were many plants, there were only a few species. This lack of diversity was not conducive to the little tree's growth.

Don't worry, leave it to me, 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 even comprehended the deeper meaning of the phrase "I am Pang Jian's tree", unlike the rebellious traitor who had acknowledged a new master.

I'll do my best to meet your request, 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 are comparable 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 mostly common 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 Yuan laughed 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 flattery.

"We have too many miscellaneous 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.

Another channel...

Thinking of the little tree's request, Pang Jian instructed Gao Yuan, "Find a place to land. I want to stretch my legs."

"Alright!" Gao Yuan readily agreed. He had assumed Pang Jian wanted to test his combat prowess after his breakthrough.

Not long after, Gao Yuan's Cloud Sail landed on an unknown fragmented land. 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 plants and flowers. I'll send a message to Dong Tianze to see if he can procure them for me," Pang Jian explained 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 he completed setting up the Ghost Altar. He then wrote a small note and placed it in a slot before activating the array to send it.