Trials of the Abyss

Chapter 174: Massive Gains of Spirit Stones!

Pang Jian maintained his composure throughout the accusations.

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.

Good, he's adapting to the cultivation world well. I don't need to guide him as much as I thought. 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 spectacular scene caused many cultivators' eyes to light up with envy.

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 can come out with so many spirit jades at once?

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 the commission."

Lady Hua accepted 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."

Glancing 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 too late 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 accept that." Lian Feng was relieved.

With a smile, he swiftly produced the spirit jades and completed the transaction with Pang Jian. They both then handed over the required commission 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 to compete 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.

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? 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, contemplative expression.

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...

Even after further consideration, Pang Jian still could not fathom Lei Kun's intentions or predict his plans. However, Lei Kun had neither made a move against him nor shown any clear malice.

At least not yet, Pang Jian thought.

"Alright." He nodded.

"Good." Lei Kun placed his spirit jades on the wooden tables and straightforwardly completed 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 you commissioned. I'll get it done as soon as possible."

"Hmm, we'll discuss it later." 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 the commission 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'll come 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 occupying the Fifth Continent in the Fifth World.

An invasion of this scale in the Primordial Wilderness...

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 plan.

I'll reiterate. Tomorrow there's an opportunity, but success isn't guaranteed. Xiao Hei needs to be in the pool, and a passage will form on the surface of the water.

Rumble!

The Giant Abyssal Serpent jumped into the pool and opened its large 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.

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.

"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 will last for several days, long enough for your people to leave the Primordial Wilderness," Yu Xin proposed.

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...

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 regular 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.

Flattered, 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.