Trials of the Abyss

Chapter 149: The Celestial Maiden's Worries

The darkness of the Fifth World was all-consuming, and only those acclimated to it over a long period could see within it.

Plop! Plop!

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 black lake 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 Tribulation Pillars were malfunctioning.

The formidable seal of the Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars 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 secret communications 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 become extremely scarce.

Rare materials from the upper worlds were required to craft powerful weapons to destroy the Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars and forge flying vessels for the ascension. Many of their plans could not be executed without the necessary resources.

Even though suppression of the Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars 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 their combat abilities and were limited to those under Rank Five due to the suppression of the Heaven Ascension Tribulation Pillars.

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 can go to the Fifth World through the Giant Abyssal Serpent. Maybe I could communicate and trade with her in the future, Pang Jian mused.

He had a hunch that once he broke through to the Profound Abode Realm and formed his divine sense, he could communicate 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 plan carefully. It's best to minimize contact with the races in the Fifth World to avoid becoming a public enemy of the human race in the four upper worlds."

***

Gao Yuan stood at the front of his Cloud Sail, glancing at the fragmented land below with a frown. "That fragmented land...It used to be a place for rogue cultivators. Why's it now occupied?"

Luo Hongyan rose gracefully and peered down. "The Radiant Sun Sect has planted their flag."

A banner with an image of a blazing 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 fragmented land.

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 fragmented land before bringing it to a stop.

Turning to Luo Hongyan and Pang Jian, he explained, "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 fragmented lands 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, similar 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 fragmented lands of the Fourth World had not happened in a long time.

Gao Yuan sighed. "The contamination has spread to the He Clan's and the Ning Clan'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 occupy 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 clans loyal to them, refuse to accept the seven major clans from the lower world. Left with no other options, the major sects have started to take over the surrounding unnamed fragmented lands to accommodate those migrating from the lower world.

"Powerful rogue cultivators like Old Monster Cao and Maverick Ling Yun occupy many of these fragmented lands, so they can't just seize them. Therefore, the fragmented lands of the weaker rogue cultivators have become their primary targets."

Gao Yuan sighed. Rogue cultivators like him and Yuan Fei with no background would not have many places to go in the future with the seven major clans from the Fourth World occupying 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 explained how the Sinister Soul Temple had handled the matter with Dong Tianze.

The Sinister Soul Temple had blamed 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, claiming they had mistakenly accepted him as a disciple and had since imprisoned him for interrogation.

Luo Hongyan burst into laughter. "Dong Tianze is really unlucky."

If it had not been for Pang Jian repeatedly shouting "Sect Leader" on Ice Rock Island, the Sinister Soul Templet would not have chosen Dong Tianze as the scapegoat.

Glancing 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 fragmented lands 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 particular 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 slapped his thigh and praised, "Qi Qingsong is remarkable! He's become 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 become 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 a late 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 days later, Gao Yuan finally found a deserted fragmented land 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 fragmented lands. This is the only place 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 fragmented lands under his jurisdiction were unlikely to have been taken over.

"No need, this place is fine," Pang Jian said with a nod.

He and Luo Hongyan left the Cloud Sail and descended to the barren land below, which had no vegetation, mountains, rivers, lakes, 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 the communication 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 blame. 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?"

Whoosh!

Dong Tianze appeared on the Ghost Altar.