Trials of the Abyss

The Pavilion Master of the Sword Pavilion, Li Zhaotian, had suddenly appeared on the Fey Spirit Continent after a long absence.

A lone figure with a sword and blue robes hovered above the continent, intimidating all the foreign races and the Vicious Beasts.

Deadly sword intents locked onto them, no matter where they were on the continent.

Even though these sword intents could have easily massacred all those on the continent, they surprisingly remained dormant.

The reason for this was simple.

Li Zhaotian had deemed them unworthy of his attention.

"Pang Jian!"

Li Zhaotian's booming voice reverberated throughout the entire Fey Spirit Continent. Every foreign race warrior and Vicious Beast present could hear it.

"It seems he's not here," Li Zhaotian muttered with knitted brows.

He disappeared from the sky and abruptly reappeared in front of Xuan Ying, the strongest of the Demon Scale Race's new generation.

The Rank Eight Demon Armor Beast beside her trembled with fear and sensibly lowered itself to the ground in submission.

Xuan Ying held her serrated long blade in hand, sharp eyes veiled with restraint. Her breathing grew heavy and her heart pounded, sensing the looming presence of death over her.

Li Zhaotian asked calmly, "Where is he?"

"I don't know." Xuan Ying lowered her head. "He likely has something on him that allows him to teleport away.

"I've searched deep underground but found no trace of his presence."

Li Zhaotian's eyes flashed with surprise as he rubbed his round chin. "I can't sense his sword token either."

His vast divine sense transformed into strands of sword intent that drifted across the Fey Spirit Continent. Nothing with blood or a soul could escape his divine sense.

Despite this, he found no trace of Pang Jian or his sword token.

"Girl, your bloodline is only in Rank Seven. I won't harm you." Li Zhaotian narrowed his eyes and sneered mockingly, "You sent several Rank Eight warriors after Fan Chen and the others, but still failed to kill them. How embarrassing.

"Xuan Ying, you're the last shred of hope that the inhabitants of the Fifth World have left, but I will not lower myself to bullying the weak.

"So, please summon your father."

With that, Li Zhaotian sat down on the ground.

The Rank Eight foreign race warriors and Vicious Beasts, enduring the sword intent that clung to them like a shadow, slowly gathered around the mountain peak where Xuan Ying stood.

They were convinced Li Zhaotian would slaughter this prodigy of the Demon Scale Race.

"My father is Li Bai, the Patriarch of the Demon Scale Race. He has a Rank Ten bloodline," Xuan Ying said with surprise.

Li Zhaotian nodded. "I know.

"I came from the upper world with two goals. One is to find my disciple, Pang Jian, and the other is to fight a Rank Ten elite from the Fifth World."

Xuan Ying bowed respectfully. "Very well, please wait a moment!"

"Alright."

Xuan Ying threw out her serrated long blade. Visions of fragmented lands emerged as her thoughts were transmitted into the eternal darkness of the Fifth World.

After a moment, Xuan Ying asked, "Could we change the location for your battle?"

"My father said intact continents are rare in the Abyss, and he doesn't wish to repeat our ancestors' mistakes of shattering the very foundations of the Abyss. He also won't use his demon blade."

"That's fine," Li Zhaotian readily agreed.

"Thank you." Xuan Ying performed the highest form of etiquette of the Demon Scale Race to Li Zhaotian. "This battle is inherently unfair because my father's bloodline is in Rank Ten. Thus, my father solemnly promises that others from the Fifth World will not be allowed to intervene.

"You didn't slaughter the weak and innocent on the Fey Spirit Continent when you descended. My father holds you in the highest regard for that."

Li Zhaotian grinned. "Enough nonsense. Give me the location."

"Alright."

***

Han Zhiyuan and Dong Tianze were conversing inside the main hall of the Sinister Soul Temple on the Dark Abyss Continent.

"Your cultivation realm has already surpassed mine. You're likely stronger than I am now," Han Zhiyuan said with a bitter smile. "Would you be willing to take on the position of Cult Leader?"

Dong Tianze shook his head. "I'm used to working alone. I don't enjoy overseeing a sect or organization."

Han Zhiyuan was stunned. "The Demon Sect, the Pure Land Sect, and even the Primeval Pillar Divine Kingdom and the Supreme Monad Divine Kingdom have all shown great interest in you.

"With your cultivation realm, you could become a guest elder in any of those factions.

"As your rank rises, you'll have access to their most valuable techniques and treasures."

Han Zhiyuan was at a loss as the Sinister Soul Temple seemed too small to nurture Dong Tianze's explosive growth.

"I have no intention of joining another sect as a guest elder, nor do I want to take on the position of Cult Leader." Dong Tianze bowed. "Regardless of your reasons, you were the one who chose me in the Fourth World, Master.

"You arranged for the Divine Spirit Pagoda to descend and passed down the orthodox cultivation methods of the Sinister Soul Temple to me.

"For that, I am, and always will be, a member of the Sinister Soul Temple."

With that, Dong Tianze then turned and left.

After returning to his cave residence, he silently looked at the Ghost Altar and sent over another note.

Where are you?

Since escaping the Fourth World, he had been using the Sinister Soul Temple's resources to inquire about Pang Jian's whereabouts.

Every source he could find claimed that Pang Jian was undoubtedly dead. Even so, Dong Tianze simply refused to believe it.

Thus, he set up the Ghost Altar and periodically sent notes to Pang Jian.

He firmly believed that Pang Jian would one day set up his Ghost Altar to inform Dong Tianze that he was safe.

However, Dong Tianze did not know when that day would come. So, unless someone called upon him, he spent the rest of his time quietly cultivating in his cave residence.

That way, if Pang Jian ever sent a message, he would be the first to know.

Several days later, his master, Han Zhiyuan, informed him that Li Zhaotian of the Sword Pavilion had descended to the Fey Spirit Continent and had fought against the Patriarch of the Demon Scale Race, Li Bai.

Both Li Zhaotian and the Rank Ten Li Bai were severely injured in the fierce battle.

Li Zhaotian had returned to the Sword Pavilion to recuperate, while Li Bai stayed on the Fey Spirit Continent as the guardian of the new continent of the Fourth World.

The battle left the foreign races of the Fifth World in awe of Li Zhaotian's ferocious battle prowess.

The Rank Ten Li Bai was the most renowned powerhouse of the Fifth World.

Despite his inferior peak Immortal Realm cultivation, Li Zhaotian had fought him to a draw and had even injured him.

It was not hard to imagine how incredibly powerful Li Zhaotian would become if he ascended to the True God Realm.

***

"The master-disciple pair, Pang Jian and Li Zhaotian have taken the Abyss by storm!"

"Li Zhaotian dared to venture to the Fourth World alone and challenged a Rank Ten powerhouse with nothing but his sword! He truly deserves his title as the Pavilion Master of the Sword Pavilion!"

"The Sword Pavilion is the true pillar of the human race during this great calamity!"

"The Sword Pavilion!"

Similar praises and commendations echoed throughout the Abyss, filling the disciples of the Sword Pavilion with pride.

***

The ghostly figure of Ling Yimo's divine soul arrived uninvited in a makeshift stone city that the Demon Scale Race had built on the Fey Spirit Continent.

Her appearance interrupted the conversation between the father and daughter of the Demon Scale Race.

Xuan Ying instantly recognized the high-ranking God of the Ghost Race.

"Lord Zi Mo," she greeted, striking beauty on display without the silver scale armor covering her face. "May I ask what brings you here?"

Ling Yimo's divine soul, also the high-ranking God Zi Mo, frowned. "Li Bai, why did you let Li Zhaotian leave alive?"

The Demon Scale Race Patriarch wore a white robe with no scales on his body, looking like a refined human scholar as he laughed freely. "I couldn't kill him."

"I arranged for others to assist. Why did you refuse them?" Zi Mo asked coldly.

The exceptionally handsome Patriarch of the Demon Scale Race had graying temples and appeared to be in his early forties. His demeanor was distinguished and he exuded an air of elegance and charisma.

Li Bai said with an unwavering smile, "Before the battle, I promised that no one else would be involved. Lord Zi Mo, are you asking me to break my word?"

Shockingly, Li Bai dared to retort against the high-ranking God of the Ghost Race!

"It's worth breaking your word to kill Li Zhaotian," Zi Mo replied icily. "You already know he'll be unstoppable if he ascends to the True God Realm.

"And not just in the Abyss. Even the Outer Gods in the starry skies tremble at his ascension.

"It's worth any cost to kill a man like Li Zhaotian!"

Li Bai smiled and shook his head. "I'm sorry, but the integrity I uphold is far more important than Lei Zhaotian's life."

"You'll regret this, you know!" Zi Mo snapped.

"If I one day die due to Li Zhaotian's ascension to godhood, I will have no complaints," Li Bai replied calmly. He had long since put concerns of life and death behind him. "After I die, Xuan Ying will rise to take my place.

"Our Demon Scale Race has never feared death. What we fear isn't dying, but dying without cause—dying in vain."

***

After teleporting to Misty Swamp, Pang Jian used the life energy from the little tree to heal his injuries. He had also opted to replenish his spiritual sea with murky energy rather than spiritual power.

Pang Jian had just learned about the injured Li Zhaotian's return to the Sword Pavilion while resting in the elegant estate Pang Ling built for him in Divine Fortress City.

"And that's what happened," Pang Ling explained, having gleaned the information from the consciousness of the Wood Race.

"Father, will you be leaving soon?"

Pang Ling's wisdom had fully blossomed since they had last met.

She was now aware of Pang Jian's identity as a Sword Pavilion disciple, could grasp the emotional bond between master and disciple, and even learned about several of Pang Jian's friends.

These included Zhou Qingchen, Wu Yuan, Dong Tianze, and Qi Qingsong, among others.

Through the Wood Race, Pang Ling had become well-informed about Pang Jian's circumstances and relationships.

Pang Jian's injuries had healed and he had spent some time tempering his body, but lately, his mind seemed to wander.

Pang Ling sensed it would soon be time for him to bid her farewell.

Master was injured because of me. Pang Jian's mood darkened at the thought.

At the same time, he could not help but feel a deep gratitude toward his master.

He had not expected that the master he had yet to even meet would descend to the Fey Spirit Continent in the Fourth World to search for him.

Li Zhaotian had fought the Demon Scale Race's Patriarch and even sustained injuries because of him.

I'll send out a message, he decided.

After some consideration, he chose to set up the Ghost Altar instead of using the sword token in his spatial bracelet.

Once the Ghost Altar was assembled, pieces of paper flooded through.

Pang Jian, where are you? I know you're alive!

Tell me where you are as soon as you see this message. I'll come to find you right away!

I know the only reason you haven't set up the Ghost Altar is because you're severely injured and are struggling to recover.

Pang Jian, remember to let me know where you are as soon as you can!

I know you're alive!

Dozens of Dong Tianze's notes scattered around Pang Jian like snowflakes.