Trials of the Abyss

Chapter 189: Advancing to the Profound Abode Realm!

After developing the sea of consciousness, one's divine sense will naturally emerge. The formation of one's divine sense indicates that one has reached the Profound Abode Realm! Pang Jian recalled from the Qi Nurturing Divine Cauldron Art manual.

He was certain the slender threads emerging from the acupoints in his sea of consciousness were his divine sense!

According to Luo Hongyan's and Qi Qingsong's explanations, the formation of one's divine sense signified one's breakthrough into the Profound Abode Realm and marked a significant advancement in cultivation.

What puzzled Pang Jian was the lack of fluctuations in his spiritual sea. Unlike the Innate Realm, his spiritual sea neither expanded nor absorbed a significant amount of the surrounding spiritual qi. His body also showed no noticeable changes.

The breakthrough to the Profound Abode Realm was unexpectedly uneventful when compared to the painful experience of opening his meridians to advance to the Meridian Opening Realm, his agony in the darkness of the Fifth World when breaking through to the Marrow Cleansing Realm, and the wonderful feeling of becoming one with the world when advancing to the Innate Realm.

He could not help but question whether or not he had actually broken through.

I still can't control my divine sense. Does that mean I'm not in the Profound Abode Realm yet? But based on what I know, the ability to skillfully manipulate divine sense is an advanced skill of those who reached the Profound Abode Realm...

The longer he thought about it, the more he felt something was off.

The description of the Profound Abode Realm states that once the divine sense is formed, it allows for detailed insight into the intricacies of one's internal organs and soul, as well as enables one to scrutinize their surroundings...

Pang Jian decided to test his perception. He closed his eyes and concentrated.

A marvelous scene appeared in his mind!

Although his eyes were closed, he could see himself sitting in the cave and could perceive everything around him from above his head to beneath his feet.

It was as if there were eyes all over his body!

This meant he would not be vulnerable to ambush during battle as he could even sense the enemy's attacks from his blind spots!

Is this the Profound Abode Realm? Pang Jian wondered, standing up.

Eyes still closed, he continued to test his newfound ability and found the situation remained consistent.

A three-dimensional image with him at the center appeared in his mind, allowing him to see all around him. This extraordinary state was similar to when he was connected to the World Eater Vine in Misty Swamp and shared its perception of the world.

Perhaps, I've indeed broken through. Let me try to look into my body! Sitting down again, Pang Jian attempted to look into his dantian and spiritual sea.

In his vast spiritual sea, he saw the fiery pool and the ice pool!

He could also see the moon, the small sun, and the scattered stars in his dantian. They were no longer just faint impressions!

It was as if he had grown eyes in his dantian and spiritual sea, allowing him to see every detail with great clarity!

The flames dancing in the fiery pool, the explosive scent of magma and sulfur, and the glistening crystals in the ice pool, all appeared vividly in his mind's eye!

The mystical wells connected to his meridians at the bottom of his spiritual sea could also be seen.

With a single thought, the scene changed to the three green leaves covering his thumping heart. He could discern the intricate patterns on the three leaves, the life energy flowing through them, and their nourishing effect on his heart.

Next, he examined his stomach, liver, spleen, and other internal organs. He saw how his bones glowed a faint red, and how the meridians transporting spiritual power and blood appeared to have been magnified dozens of times over.

As Pang Jian observed he noticed his meridians and blood vessels also had some differences. Some of the delicate meridians in his limbs only circulated spiritual power and various energies. Meanwhile, certain blood vessels only allowed blood and blood essence to flow through them.

Although he could not skillfully use the divine sense in his sea of consciousness at the moment, its presence was incredibly enlightening for Pang Jian.

There's no doubt about it. I've reached the Profound Abode Realm!

Pang Jian was exhilarated. All signs pointed to him having successfully broken through. His divine sense allowed him to observe his environment and examine the subtleties of his body!

Let's see if I can communicate with the Celestial Maiden.

Pang Jian established a connection with the Giant Abyssal Serpent in the Fifth World.

"Xiao Hei, I wonder how Yu Gu and the others are doing in the Third World," Yu Xin of the Celestial Race muttered, anxiously caressing the Giant Abyssal Serpent's forehead as she gazed at the still lake.

"It's been many days now, and many must have died. I just hope the human experts in the Second World haven't noticed the upheaval in the Primordial Wilderness. Yu Gu, please, you must survive..."

War comes with sacrifices. Most of them are still alive, and the harvest is quite good. Pang Jian tried to send a thought through the beast soul of the Giant Abyssal Serpent.

The Giant Abyssal Serpent's pitch-black eyes filled with confusion, perplexed at sensing Pang Jian speaking through it.

"Ah!" Yu Xin heard the mysterious being's mental voice!

Yu Xin's fingers on the Giant Abyssal Serpent's forehead trembled. As she examined the Giant Abyssal Serpent, she found foreign strands of consciousness within its beast soul.

"What should I do? How can I serve you?" Yu Xin asked respectfully.

She did not dare to inject her thoughts and consciousness into the Giant Abyssal Serpent's beast soul, fearing that multiple streams of consciousness would cause it to fall into a state of confusion.

Looking into the Giant Abyssal Serpent's eyes, she added nervously but sincerely, "It was you who sent our warriors to the Primordial Wilderness in the Third World. We all thank you for your help. Please, tell us what we can do for you."

The members of the Wood Race who have left the Primordial Wilderness on flying vessels should go to Divine Fortune in the Fourth World. They'll find their Sacred Tree there, Pang Jian advised.

"Thank you for your guidance. I'll inform Grandma Mu Yuan. She has been growing impatient," Yu Xin replied respectfully.

Mm. Pang Jian hummed in acknowledgment.

Suddenly, his expression changed and he cut off the connection.

"Who's in there?" A voice could be heard from outside of the cave.

Pang Jian hastily summoned his Startling Slaughter Spear, and after making some preparations, kicked down the rocks blocking the cave entrance.

A group of cultivators in the attire of the Blood Moon Sect were standing below the cave at the foot of the Fifth Peak. One of them was looking up at the cave with a blood-colored orb in hand and had to step back when the rocks of Pang Jian's cave crumbled.

The Blood Moon Sect!

Standing at the cave entrance, Pang Jian scanned the group and spotted a familiar face from the trading hall—Fang Boxuan, the prodigy of the Blood Moon Sect. He was in the middle stage of the Profound Abode Realm and had just turned twenty.

Aside from Fang Boxuan, there were six other Blood Moon Sect disciples in the Innate Realm and the Profound Abode Realm. They all wore the same robes and peered up at him from the foot of the mountain.

"Pang Jian!" Fang Boxuan called out.

"Pang Jian?"

"The Pang Jian that Elder Jiu Yuan is determined to kill?"

"He's still alive?"

The Blood Moon Sect disciples had not seen Pang Jian but recognized his name.

One of the disciple's eyes lit up. "I heard that he has a million spirit stones!"

Another person licked his lips. "Indeed! He failed to draw the lot for the woman from the Blood Spirit Sect. The spirit stones he exchanged from Rank Seven Vicious Beasts' spirit materials are still in his possession!"

Fang Boxuan frowned.

Meanwhile, the six Blood Moon Sect disciples stared greedily at Pang Jian's spatial bracelet.

Pang Jian was all too familiar with the look in their eyes.

There are seven of them including Fang Boxuan. Most of them are in the Innate Realm and the Profound Abode Realm. It'll be troublesome if I get surrounded, but if I stretch out the battlefield, I could have a chance.

Pang Jian quickly formulated a plan.

Whoosh!

He held onto his Startling Slaughter Spear and leaped from the cave entrance, rushing toward the Fourth Peak the moment he landed.

"He's quite smart!"

"Chase him!"

Five disciples of the Blood Moon Sect did not hesitate to pursue Pang Jian.

"Junior Brother Fang, what about you?" A rather attractive woman named Chen Min knitted her brows. When she saw that Fang Boxuan was not giving chase, she too suppressed her urge to chase Pang Jian. "I know you don't get along with Elder Jiu Yuan, but that doesn't stop you from taking the million spirit stones, right?"

In the Third World, only Spirit Condensation Realm elders of the major sects were likely to have accumulated a million spirit stones over the years. Although Fang Boxuan was an incredible talent, he had not been cultivating long enough to gather such wealth.

Even if he left the Blood Moon Sect in the Third World for the upper worlds in the future, he would still have to rely heavily on spirit stones, so Chen Min found it strange that Fang Boxuan did not act.

"Zhao Yuanqi from the Red Mountain Sect once asked me to help her senior sister, who seems to have some connection with him," Fang Boxuan explained honestly. "Zhao Yuanqi, Yang Rui, Xie Xiwen, and I will all go to the Second World to cultivate. I don't want Zhao Yuanqi to resent me for killing Pang Jian."

Chen Min snorted inwardly. Zhao Yuanqi again!

She had always had feelings for the tall and handsome Fang Boxuan, but although she had openly shown her affection for him, he had always remained indifferent to her.

Two days ago, after they finally escaped the Wood Race's siege, she had actively approached him to offer herself. She had hoped Fang Boxuan would remember her and provide her with some cultivation resources once he achieved great success in the future.

However, he had once again rejected her. Now, hearing that Fang Boxuan's concern for Pang Jian stemmed from Zhao Yuanqi, Chen Min felt even more uncomfortable.

"If you won't do it, I will!" Chen Min huffed before turning to chase after Pang Jian.

If I can obtain a million spirit stones, I can advance to the Spirit Condensation Realm and maybe even become an elder of the Blood Moon Sect like Jiu Yuan! she thought.

Her determination to kill grew even stronger.