Trials of the Abyss

Chapter 153: The Real Cultivation Genius

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 fragmented lands, 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. A large black flag with a red mountain symbol fluttered in the wind.

A black flag 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 black 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 as large 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—"

"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 speculated.

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? Black 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 succeeds in the future," Gao Yuan explained.

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 Island. Zhou Qingchen had said that his cultivation talent, while extraordinary in the Fourth World, was nothing compared 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 accelerated 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 explained. "There are no accommodations 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 a common Cloud Sail owner among rogue cultivators, he could only imagine how impressive it would be to command a Scarlet Dawn Boat!

A million spirit stones for one and it's a product of the Divine Treasure Sect... 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 in comparison.

***

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 Islands on the way.

After hearing Dong Tianze would be at the Three Immortal Islands, 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 to come 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 Islands 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 Islands.

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 flashed 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 becoming a distinguished guest of Old Monster Cao. Knowing this, she could not help but feel even more curious about Pang Jian.

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, Zhao Yuanqi wondered.

Jiang Li was also thinking about Pang Jian.

Hopefully, Pang Jian's safe. I hope I get to see Sister Luo's true appearance one day.

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 days later, on a bright, sunny day, a Cloud Sail with only three passengers approached a large fragmented land.

"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 fragmented lands known as the Primordial Wilderness, governed by one of the strongest rogue cultivators in the Third World, Old Monster Cao.